The Cranes Are Flying

One of the nice things about living in Hawai‘i nowadays is the cable channels that don't take the time difference between the Islands and the Mainland into account.

Back when Kim was a kid, even the big three networks shows had to arrive by ship or plane, and so they got everything late. Of course CNN and the bigger networks are all live, with adjusted schedules, but some of the smaller ones aren't. I see the time discrepancy as a plus, and here's why.

I put the kids to bed the other night around 8:30-8:45...the usual time and then did something very rare for me. Turned on the TV. I'm so out of the habit of watching TV, I don't have a favorite show (last show I followed was the first season of 24), I just use the TV for dvd's and video games (a ps2 on semipermanent loan from iamnotasurfer).

So if I were on the mainland cruising around the Turner Classic movies or AMC channels after the kids bedtime, I'd probably see the more mainstream black and whites, and the foreign movies would be coming on at 3:00 a.m. ready for your tivo.

Well, those are exactly the movies that are on after J & L hit the sack.

So I stumbled across "The Cranes Are Flying". Insanely great movie about a young Russian couple separated by WWII. Made in the late 1950's during the Khrushchev thaw, a nominee for best foreign film Oscar, Winner of the Cannes Palme d'or. Beautiful cinematography, great acting, even cool special effects for a deeply personal drama. If you are looking to fill out your Netflix queue, this is a great one.

7/8/07 - Jake's Fourth

Jake's Birthday

"I want a plane birthday"

You got it kid.

Click above for the slideshow

In our relationship....

 
Al is Ned and I am Homer....

I don't mean that Al is an Bible Thumping teetotling squeaky clean uber-dad with a six pack hidden under his shirt. Au contraire mon frere. Al keeps his six packs in the fridge.

I mean that I am the one who borrows tools and does not return them in a timely measure (by any stretch). And I like doughnuts too - remarkable similarities, no?

So when Al called asking for the drill that he assumed that HE LOANED ME, I said "Sorry dude, that is ONE tool that I actually do own."

Silence...

Al: "Can I borrow your drill dude?"

Me: "Of COURSE...but I'm taking a picture though since it might never happen again !"

Reason #49

Why my kids love to visit my office....

COSTUMES !

Keiki Kut's time

 
Dig that Flintstone mobile....might not be able to fit next time......

Spitfire Mk VII

First one I've done where you can see the engine....more hassle but kinda fun in the end.

You might be a redneck...

if you take family pictures like this one

New Stuff

Kim scored us new phones. We only get the free ones that come with the cell phone package, so we had been slumming it with 2 year old LG's. So on her work one day, Kim stopped by the Verizon store to see if we were due to get replacements.

So she left with two shiny new phones. Did you guys know that now cellphones come with CAMERAS in them ?! That's my first pic on the phone above...starting the day right.

What will they think of next?

If only there were phones that you could listen to mp3's on and cruise the internet with a slick touch enabled interface...that would be great.

Two quick reviews. Ratatouille really is as great as everybody is saying. Amazing.

I took the kids to the public library the other day and while I was checking out, I looked over at the "New Books" shelf. There was one by John Burnett, whose voice, if you are an NPR freak like me, you can easily conjure up. Well, he's written a book that is great fun and since his voice has been drilled into your brain, it's almost like having an audio book to boot.

Uncivilized Beasts & Shameless Hellions: Travels with an NPR Correspondent

Tells the behind the scenes of getting the stories of Katrina, Iraq, Afghanistan, Guatemala, Waco, and Mexico.

Highly recommended. One of those books you can read in one (longerish) night

Speaking of NPR

Just like listening to Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish recipe around Thanksgiving, it's a tradition for NPRheads to hear the Declaration of Independence read to them by those familiar and trusted voices.

Chicken skin.

Read or listen here if you missed this years fix.