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- December 7, 2004
Dad reads my Blog!
December 7, 2004Read moreYesterday I set up Dad’s new computer with a special Internet Home Page that lists his favorite news sites. I also added links to the various family member blogs. To my surprise, he read them! Hi Dad!
Today’s tidbits about Dad:
Dad is interested in Cuban classical guitar music. He doesn’t like Rock, but he likes the latin rhythm. He has a couple of CDs he wants to get.
At home, he owns no less than 5 guitars! 4 of them are made in Taiwan, the other one he got in Mexico (not sure if he actually was there and picked it up). I thought about showing him that bit from Desperado when Antonio Banderas’s character is teaching the street kid how to play “like this”, but I suppose it wasn’t that great a scene. Plus, Dad doesn’t like guns.
Dad commented on some interesting flaws in the rental cello, reconstructing its history in fine Holmesian form. “At one point, this cello was probably left in the sun.”, he noted, one finger critically tracing the repaired wood. “As you can see, the wood here is wrinkled, and some repairs had to be made with clamps to fix it. The clamps were not well fitted, as you can see the clamp marks here.”
- December 7, 2004
Parma Ham
December 7, 2004Read moreThis is the same as prosciutto, but I didn’t know it. As Epicurious says:
The true PROSCIUTTO, this superior Italian ham hails from northern Italy’s province of Parma, the same area famous for Parmesan cheese. The special diet of chestnuts and WHEY (from the cheese-making process) that Parma pigs enjoy results in an excellent quality of meat.
That’s some pig! Read more about it. I like to use prosciutto in a creamy chinese cabbage soup dish because it adds hammy goodness without a lot of additional fat, and I don’t happen to have a chunk of either chinese or excellent substitute Smithfield ham on hand.
- December 6, 2004
Emily’s Random Fun Links
December 6, 2004Read moreMy sister passes along some neat links… they’re a little on the “girly side”, so consider yourself warned.
Nancy Drew Review: Growing up as transplanted New Jersey kids in 1980s Taiwan, my sister and I shared what books we checked out from the library out of necessity. She checked out the Nancy Drews, and I got the Hardy Boys. When we finished, we’d swap books before returning them, so we’re both familiar with the series. Anyway, Keith and Lulu from FredFlare.com get together to review the series from the start in an engaging diary format. For some reason I find it really funny. Why is ND so caring and sympathetic, yet so distant? Does ND have commitment issues? And can she eat or what?
As an additional treat, each review also links to an item for sale that’s related to the book in some way. For example, in review of “The Mystery of the Old Clock”, you can also buy a nifty clock! I admire the cross sell :-)
Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi: Em told me to tivo this show from the Cartoon Network because it was fun. I finally got around to watching it, and it sort of grew on me. The animation is contemporary American with Japanese manga-like influences. It makes sense because it’s an American cartoon based on the two stars of Japanese mega group Puffy (“Puffy Ami Yumi” here in the States). I’d never heard of them before, but Em has been into them for a while and they’re pretty neat. They’ve been slowly gaining an American foothold.
The cartoon itself doesn’t quite grab me yet, but it’s bizarre enough that I think I’ll keep watching. It seems to have more staying power than, say, “Drawn Together”. And the real-life Ami and Yumi are rockers, cute, and full of energy, and I can’t say no to that.
- December 5, 2004
Getting Regular
December 5, 2004Read moreStarting to get back to a regular posting schedule….got quite a backlog of things to put up about my recent trip to San Diego, the Video Shoot, and the ongoing saga of Dad’s Visit.
- December 5, 2004
Dad’s Visit
December 5, 2004Read more
Dad came to stay with me for six weeks, starting on Thanksgiving Day! We’re having a good time, and I’ve already found some surprising things that I never knew Dad doesn’t like spicy food, because he is slightly allergic to it. Dad is allergic to crustaceans! Dad is into Frank Herbert’s “Dune” series and Orson Scott Card’s “Ender’s Game” series, because he found these books in my room and read them. We’re currently collecting them for him to take home. Dad likes the occasional dram of Scotch. He prefers hard liquor to wine and beer, too. Who knew what fun Dad could be! :-)
Dad also brought some fun chinese goodies over, such as this mooncake. Or is it some kind of other cake? I forget. It was still tasty.
We went to rent a cello from Johnson’s Strings in Newton on Saturday. As Emily said, it was a cool place. He’s been practicing cello only for about a year and a half…apparently, it’s something he’s wanted to do for quite some time, so now he’s doing it. It’s awesome.
We had dinner tonight at YouYou’s, here in Nashua. It wasn’t the best meal I’ve had there, and it was quite smoky and loud tonight. Dad found the miso soup to be a bit sour, the tea to be a bit heavy on the roasted rice, and the sushi to be prepared with inadequate length, pressure, and wasabi. The vinegar wasn’t too good either apparently, “In Japan”, he said, “each restaurant makes their own vinegar.”
This information was presented in quite a genial way, so it seemed educational rather than critical. In the past, would I have reacted in a less favorable way? Maybe I’m mellowing out too. I’m glad that we’re connecting.
