Time Flies

Let’s just say I’m thinking about getting back in the saddle again….

Birds of a Feather

I’ve recently discovered birding. Not sure why I’m so very fascinated with these lovely creatures, but suffice to say it is possible I’m taking it much too seriously. I have books, binoculars and – at last count - five feeders outside our kitchen window. Now, mind you, the feeders are really only about 20 feet away so the binoculars are overkill to say the least. We live in an historic district right in the middle of the city (in NC), so not your usual birding paradise. That being said – looky at who showed up this past Sunday for a visit:

According to my new friends Phil and Ron from our local paper they are juvenile yellow-crowned night-herons. Seems there is a colony residing in the park just down our street.  According to Ron, “They must have fledged very recently and their naivete explains why they showed up in such an unlikely place for night-herons – porch railings and car roofs, of all places!” They stayed around for about an hour and a half, then wandered playfully across the street – on foot.

The picture above is a decent shot of the female perched delicately on the back of one of our cars, with the male in the forefront seemingly very aware I was stalking him from the window.

He put on quite a show for us, preening and posing, and at one point noticing his reflection in the windshield.

Saturday Matinee

We are off later today to take our youngest blue duck (aka The Kazakh Comet) to see Walle-E, the latest (and from what I’m initially reading, one of the greatest) Pixar Animation Studios creation.

Via Jeff at 2719 Hyperion

Wall-E is the right movie at the right time. It is at its core a sincere and simple love story devoid of sarcasm and cynicism, but framed within a cautionary fable that gently, though still pointedly, presents a post-apocalypse future brought about by environmental neglect and commercial over-consumption. It is a visually stunning combination of art and design that conveys an astounding emotional depth through not just its deftly animated central characters, but via landscapes and panoramas at times hauntingly surreal and and at other times dense in high tech polish.

Unity Roundup

I have never been secretive regarding my adoration, admiration and respect for Hillary Clinton (please, no hateful comments – that time has passed). I voted for her in our primary. While Barack Obama certainly has my vote, he still has work today on the unity front.

That being said, let’s go get’em Democrats. We need, and have to have, this election. It simply can’t be McCain.

Like my father always says, there are two sides to every story, then the truth.

I agree with some comments below, some I do not. You be the judge on the Unity Roundup:

Obama, Clinton Join Together

Breaking News: Obama Bombs

Praiser for Hillary from Obama’s Wife

Obama, Clinton to promote unity in Unity

Clinton legacy presents quandry for Obama

Netroots/Obama Honeymoon Over

 Penny Prtizker, Obama in the name of unity

Tensions Persist between Clinton, Obama

 The Secret is Out: Obama and Clinton Get Along

 

Maybe it is a small world after all…

Think what you want, but I adore my dear friend Jeff’s blog, 2719 Hyperion. If he isn’t passionate and breathtakingly knowledgeable about a subject, then I truly don’t know who is….

Some of my favorite sections:

The Studio Christmas Card Collections

Theme Parkeology

What a Character

When you get a few minutes, check out his blog. If you are planning a vacation along those Disney-lines, rush over there. You’ll discover all the kind of things you never knew about the Magical World of Disney.

 

Absent. Heart Fonder?

So – hopefully back to posting very soon. I started a new job this week. Let me just say – if you are an IT professional looking for a job, shoot me an e-mail (reddlove @ gmail dot com).

I know. This is late. But I couldn’t not. Thanks for the heads up, BG.

I am Spartacus.

At a loss for words.

UPDATE: Seriously. This sucks.

As we like to say in my neck of the woods – Bless her heart. Can she not catch a break? Okay – she may not deserve one – but, lord – Bless her heart. I have no idea if TrimSpa works or not – well, I have an idea – but do people really think it is her fault that they fall for such things? They must not know that she doesn’t have her money yet.

Animals in the news (no, not K-Fed)

Don’t worry – Mozart has two.

Test tube baby weighs in at a cuddly 128 lbs.

And I thought it was a dog eat dog world.

If 33 is old I’m more depressed than ever at recently turning 40 (and a half, for those that know me).

I believe I’ll stick with acupuncture.

State of the Union

Time to think! Go to the official 2007 State of the Union Predictions quiz and make your picks. I can’t remember exactly how I did last year – but I think it was passable. You’ll find questions like “What color will President Bush’s necktie be?” to “Who will be seated with the First Lady and mentioned by name?”

You even get prizes if you’re a winner. The deadline is Tuesday, January 23 – 6PM EST.

But, remember – be a uniter, not a divider.

Jailbird

Okay. Seriously. What are that chances of being called for jury duty 4 times in 9 years? It may not sound like much – but, here is how it works in my county: you are only able to be called every two years to serve on a jury. I’ve lived hear a little over 9 years and this is my 4th jury notice. You can do the math. That is all I could be called.  Not to mention that I am always, always picked to serve – no matter how unfit I try to appear. I do realize it is my civic duty – but I can think of tons of people that I know that have never, ever been called. And they have lived here years and years longer than me. It’s fixed. I know it.

I’m just saying.