I've got another few days of this getting up early and going to work stuff. It's for the birds, man! Or, well, it would be for the birds if I worked in a seed factory. I don't, but it's still for the birds. (When you have your own business, you set your own hours but you end up working holidays. Go figure. I'm not the boss of me! Oh wait... yes, I am.)

REVIEWS:

The Weekend. Didn't get nearly as much accomplished as originally intended, as usual, though the weather was a picture of perfection -which often has something to do with it. Went out and ran around the field near my house, and climbed all the boulders. Yes, there are boulders in the vicinity of my house and I climb them from time to time. It's gratifying in the way that only local suburban boulder-climbing can be. I hope that they are never replaced by a housing development. Later, I was able to beg off church and drag Mrs. Ditchman out back to work in the garden, and she's been complaining about her sore back all morning. Welcome to my world, sweetheart.

Valentine's Day. It was swell, though all semblance of romance ever enjoyed previously is now burgled by small children (one, in particular.) Valentine's Day was the first time I said "I love you" to my significant other, and we have enjoyed King crab, Cabernet, and chocolate-covered strawberries ever since, although she would tell the story and it would sound somewhat different: how she was planning on breaking up with me and I only told her "I love you" out of desperation. In any case, it worked. Now we have a business and a house and a child and a Life together, and Valentine's day is hardly savored -unless you count snuggling on the couch and trying to stay awake for an episode of LOST.

LOST. It's getting better. We're finally figuring how Ben is getting his retribution for being beat up in every episode. And another one of the Oceanic 6 is revealed, as if we hadn't figured it out on our own. I'm glad they finally worked in the Ghostbusters references, as it fits like a glove with all the Star Wars references. I'm waiting for Doc Brown and Marty McFly to pop out of the space-time coptinuum, and in this show, it is entirely possible. The 80s Sci-fi trifecta is now in play.

AppleTV System Update. The long-awaited system update arrived on AppleTV with a hearty yawn. It's the same screensaver (how could they possibly improve on it?) but an all new interface. I can now purchase tunes and rent HD movies and TV shows from the luxury of my faded red couch at home. To test it out, I picked up the new Jack Johnson album and an episode of Little Einsteins -much to the soaring, squealing delight of the Little Ditchman. AppleTV seems to be a little quicker on the click now, which is nice, but all my own music, photos, and movies seem to have been relegated to the bottom of the list and the thing feels more like a Tower Records in my living room -which I do not desire and did not request. And still, the pop geniuses over at Mac have not made a category for Home Movies on the system, which is what I use it for. I have to click into the "TV Shows" folder to watch my own family, which depresses me. Hard as I try, I do not wish the Ditchmans to fall on the same viewing list as the Simpsons or those ugly Married With Children folk, et al. Get it together, Steve! Get a life! Where do your assistants show you your home movies? (In your actual, full-sized, THX-endowed Home Theater, I imagine.)

Sleep Through The Static, the new Jack Johnson album. Meh. Not good, not bad. Sounds like Jack Johnson. Like that sound and you'll like this album. It's obvious the waves were good the day he recorded it, but the studio was already rented and paid for so he had to go. We'll try not to sleep through it, Jack. I'll give it a chance to grow on me like I try to do with everything, everyone.

Pirates Treasure, the Little Einsteins episode I purchased. Artist: Paul Gaugin. Composer: Georges Bizet. Location visited: The Pacific Ocean. A good one! We've had the little read-along book of Pirates Treasure for some time, so when the Little Ditchman saw the episode, she was pleasantly surprised at how familiar everything was. We put her in bed last night and she wanted the book. I said "Pirates Treasure?" and she replied, "Arrrrgh." No, I am not kidding. She's not even two and already talking like a pirate. Raised eyebrows all around. Where's my bottle of grog?

Yo ho ho and off to work!


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