Q & A
Here's a question to ponder: Why is it that when I have the most time available, I seem to get the least amount done? I just finished up with a two-week vacation for the winter holidays (what used to be known as "Christmas Vacation") and looking back, it seems like I didn't really do much of anything, other than watch several movies, read several books, and go on several long bike rides (to keep me sane since I couldn't run). One thing I didn't do was add to this website, which makes me feel kind of sluggish and lollygaggish, so I guess my New Year's resolution is to stick more to my once-a-week commitment with this thing, just in case anyone out there is actually reading it - which I think a couple of people are. Anyway, here we go…

The Lost Symbol
Here's another question to ponder: Why is it that so many authors who write really good books, then follow them up with really bad books. I mean, I really enjoyed The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, but then I read The Lost Symbol and it was more like The Lost Plot or The Story I Wish had been Lost on the way to the Publisher or The Story about a Guy I Wish I Could Drop off in the Woods Somewhere so He Would Be Lost Forever. If you haven't read it, let this serve as fair warning. The story is dumb, the hero, Robert Langdon, has really gotten irritating (was he always this smug, or did I only notice it on the third book), and all his friends are also really smug. And the villain is a tattooed steroid freak who somehow makes everyone think he's normal because he wears make-up to cover his tattoos - and nobody notices. How do you not notice that a person is wearing makeup when they're entire body (except for a tiny circle on the top of their head) is tattooed? Somehow, I just never believed that was possible. And then the big surprise in the book was a total dud. And the ending was a total dud. And Dan Brown really needs to kill off Robert Langdon (oh wait, he did, but then… well, I won't say in case any of you actually want to read this stupid book).

Avatar
On a more positive note, I really liked the movie Avatar and the only reason I even went was because Connor wanted to go. I was thinking it looked kind of dumb, but the story was actually pretty good - even if it was exactly the same story as Dances with Wolves which is the same story as A Man Called Horse which is the same story as… well, you get the picture. This didn't bother me, though, because I figure just about every story is derived from some other story, and I like looking for those kinds of patterns. So even though the big blue creatures were kind of strange at first, I'll give it two thumbs up.

Jeckyl and Hyde
On the running front, I'm once again up and running after a two-and-a-half-week hiatus, albeit more slowly than before my little incident with my calf. My new goal for this year is to be a smart runner rather than a fast runner. We'll have to see how that works out when the gun goes off and people start to pass me. That's usually when my alter-ego takes over and something inside me goes crazy and runs as fast as I can.

Random Bits
Carrie passed her driver's test (ironically, on the same day that she scraped the van on the side of the garage, then freaked out and hit the gas, ramming it into a table) so she'll soon be a licensed driver. Consider yourself warned. Caitlyn is ready to head back to college after a few weeks of family time. She's actually hung in there pretty well, all things considered (ahem - Connor - cough, cough). I read an article today that it's so cold in Florida that lizards are, literally, falling out of trees. They even had a picture of an frosty iguana lying on the side of the road.

That's all for now, so until next time, may your heroes be sufficiently humble, may your alter-egos suit the situation, and may your days remain toasty and warm.