You found me by typing what?

I’ve seen other people do this so I’m giving it a whack.

I wondered when people have a desperate need to find me, what sort of search strategy they might use. So for your entertainment I’m revealing the keyword phrases that will, at the speed of DSL, bring you to my doorstep.

A Connecticut Yankee will pop up if you in no particular order use these:

ivana stripping

connecticut jokes

where did the story connecticut yankee take place. (this one was troubling, actually)

hitler was a jerk

appetizer wienies (intriguing)

safety dance conspiracy (I'm pretty sure Zoot is behind this one!)

And last, but not least…

connecticut sucks

But it did make one dog veeerrrrryyyy happy. (The queer looking pink thing is his tongue) 

It was never even close to the Blizzard of '78 

Do I live in Bedford Falls, or what? Will there be school? Probably... 

snow makes everything so peaceful... 

Snow falling, making work a winter wonderland! Or crappy to drive on. 

I taped...I watched...I just don't care...

...About Boston Legal. It was wonderful watching the interaction between Spader, Bergen, and Shatner. But the way it was filmed overall, sort of a Target version of LA Law motif, and the NYPD Blue type music which didn't fit. I didn't sense anyone relating to anyone else, except for the occasional witty banter. I don't know if I'll go out of my way to tape it again since other family members expressed interest in Crossing Jordan.
Hopes were too high.
Desperate Housewives came through. I confess that storyline with Gabrielle pretendiing to be 'just shopping' was annoying. Ireally don't get the problem Lynnette has with Claire. Tom didn't put any moves on her, it seemed like Tom directed what he was feeling back to Lynnette. Wouldn't that be the right way to go? Was Lynnette cheated somehow? I don't get it.

Tonight, tonight!

Yippee! Desperate Housewives and possibly a new love, Boston Legal. Candice Bergen, thankyouverymuch.
I've also discovered the original CSI on late night weekends. My viewing pleasure is getting greater and greater!
We are still grappling with the Tivo question. Does anyone record a whole week and then watch it on the weekend in one shot, or anything similar to that scenario?

The Pernell Roberts School of Career Decision Making

Once upon a time there was a show called Bonanza. It was a western show about a man who owned a ranch where his three grown sons also lived. From week to week the man and his sons experienced western adventures that pleased American audiences on Sunday nights for fourteen years.

Well, not all the sons made it the whole fourteen years. One of the sons thought being on a popular TV show was beneath him. He said so. He complained. A lot. Over and over. The public actually did not care. They liked him in his part, but after six years, the actor could no longer take it so he bailed. He left to go do bigshot movies, and the Broadway stage, and better TV. He left the hit TV show so that his career could soar.

That actor was Pernell Roberts. Do you know his name? I do because I’m cursed with an incredible memory for television and movies. If you don’t know his name, that’s OK. He is a very good actor and does work…occasionally. No real soaring though, just kinda works…occasionally. What makes him stand out is that he is a very good actor (award worthy) and he bitched and moaned about what many would consider a very sweet deal for an actor.

There are others who at a critical juncture (erroneously) decided, “I’m better than this crap.” Most notably; Shelley Long ("Cheers"), Rob Morrow (Northern Exposure) Sherry Stringfeld (left two series! NYPD Blue, ER), and several folks from Saturday Night Live.

Oh, and of course, David Caruso. He left NYPD Blue over ten years ago! Yet he goes on being punished. He’s done a few movies, none memorable. I think of CSI:Miami as his penance. A way to let him back into the fold. If you’ll act in this garbage, Dave, we’ll see about throwin’ you some better stuff later. I hope it works out because I really enjoy his work.

As for Pernell Roberts. He left Bonanza about forty years ago, and Pernell is in his late seventies now. From what I read, these days he often says that he regrets how he goofed when he blew off Bonanza.

Who's Your Daddy?

I was just reading that this show tanked (as compared with Medium, which rocketed through the roof!). How come? I confess I don't anything about the show except that everyone who called in on the radio this morning HATED it. From what little I know about the premise it seemed like the producers had sunk lower than whale shit to come up with an idea.

But on the up side Committed (which means no Scrubs) is on tonight, so we'll just have to take a look see.

What to do?

CSI:Miami is on at the same time as Medium. I love Patricia Arquette. Always a good performance. That and Glen Gordon Caron (Moonlighting) put it together. He's good at writing complex relationships. Wish I had Tivo.

Edited to add:

Saw Medium...Slam-Dunk! Creative, good people, Arliss Howard isn't seen on network TV to often. I look forward to the direction this goes.

The Christmas Presents were all wrapped this year...

This was a very different year. Many, many things went differently this year. And so as not to make this a big whiney story that will bore you away from this journal forever, I’m just hitting a few things. I’m not calling them highlights because there weren’t high or low aspects just changes that hurt as a parent that has to let go, inevitably, of things that are precious.
We had a very good Christmas. The kids, and this has never, ever ceased to amaze me, were great about what they got. Every year my wife and I do the, “Is that it? Is that the best we can do?” And every year the kids come through. When my son was 4 years old and started really grasping the whole ‘Santa’ concept, he got a small plastic tool belt from Santa that, and I can still see the look on his face, I think will always be like the greatest thing he’s ever gotten. There is a kind of joy you share vicariously through kids that is part of the Christmas experience.
My kids are teenagers now, so in recent years Santa has been more of a figurehead, but this year was the very first year that everything was wrapped under the tree. The kids slept in and there was no running to see what was under the tree because it would be gotten to in due time.
It was a very good Christmas, but it made me a little sad too, because we had moved on.

I took a little sabbatical this week and lurked a little bit but largely was off the computer and spending time with actual family. I’m distressed that folks can’t hear the audio post because I have high hopes to become even lazier and go that way, with audio entries, especially when I need to warn people with Tivo, in a loud tone, to avoid crap that others might call ‘regular programming’.
Jerry Orbach is gone. He was the quintessential TV New York cop. Think about it. He was on for 12 out of the past 14 years of Law & Order. A show that runs in syndication 3 to 4 times a day. Jerry Orbach has to be the most seen actor (or on an incredibly short list) in TV history. Jerry, you always delivered. Thanks.

I mentioned earlier that this was a very strange year. With the exception of renting Santa Clause I and II the day after Thanksgiving (veg day on the couch) and Elf a week or so before Christmas, did not see or hear one Christmas special or even a Christmas episode of any TV show until the Christmas Story (one of my all-time favorites) marathon on TBS on Christmas Eve. Very strange year. Not even a glimpse of It’s a Wonderful Life or any incarnation of A Christmas Carol. A special side note here: Only the Christmas Carol’s with either Alistair Sim, or Mr. Magoo are the true versions, kinda like Sean Connery is really the only James Bond.