That's what my throat feels like. We've got something running through the office, and it's my turn to have my ass kicked (actually, there were five of us out at least one day last week). Fever, sore throat, aches - oh yeah, all the classic flu symptoms. I haven't posted much because I've been feeling so rotten that all I would be doing is pissing and moaning. That's fun once in a while, but you don't want to read a bunch of that, and I don't want to write like that.

When I come up with something pleasant, I'll post it. Ha, I almost said 'worthwhile' instead of 'pleasant'! As if...

Posted by: Ted at 02:19 AM | category: Square Pegs
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Buy.

* Remember the old adage: buy low, sell high. Right now, prices are going down. You can afford more, and when the value increases, so will the return on your investments. And in the long run, the market always goes higher.

** I am not a professional financial analyst. I don't play one on TV. I didn't even sleep in a Holiday Inn last night.

Posted by: Ted at 05:45 AM | category: Square Pegs
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1 GAH! That sounds an awful lot like "well it's BOUND to go higher now" logic. Yes, the market swells. But individual issues are another story. The dramatic oversimplification of the approach that's served me so well over the last five years is: "Buy when it's going up then sell when it stops"

Posted by: Mad William Flint at January 22, 2008 09:24 AM (g/0ur)

2 My helpful tip is to have a portion of your portfolio short at all times because when prices are falling, you're making money. I can say this as a professional but not as someone who actually has money to invest. Which is why I'm perfectly calm today!

Posted by: dawn at January 22, 2008 09:48 AM (HT2EY)

3 I'm calm too, and I've got a bit in my 401k. That's for the long term, so I'm not going to fret over the cycles until I get close enough to tapping it to make it matter. I know people who check their 401k performance weekly. Those people are whack.

Posted by: Ted at January 22, 2008 11:04 AM (blNMI)

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If you get pulled over for speeding by a cop, you can try to talk him out of a ticket. But if he looks in your back seat and sees this, you might as well not even try.

Posted by: Ted at 05:12 AM | category: Square Pegs
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Her name is Butterscotch, and she's a one year old doe (picture to come later). We're fostering her for now, but our single rabbit Ozzie has been showing signs of loneliness lately, so we've decided to try to pair them up. It doesn't always work, and it doesn't always go as smoothly as it did with our other pair, Fred and Java, but we'll give this a shot and if it doesn't work out, then we have other young ladies to try.

The rabbit rescue we work with is Bunny Lu. Give 'em a visit and hit their donation jar if you feel so inclined.

Posted by: Ted at 10:05 AM | category: Square Pegs
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But rather than making you refresh repeatedly to find it and driving up my site stats and inflating my ego, I'll just post it here too.

I've got another one in mind, but it involves some tricky photography and I just haven't felt ambitious enough to take it on.

By the way, there are now 42 Rocket Jones banners, plus three special occasion ones that I trot out for Christmas, Halloween and my birthday. Thanks again to all the folks who sent entries into the banner contest. If you like a banner, odds are good that it wasn't my work.

Posted by: Ted at 09:45 AM | category: Square Pegs
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I was just sitting here thinking about something and my eyes kinda went out of focus. The retro-style background on Rocket Jones works just like one of those magic eye pictures and if you're looking at it the right way, it goes 3-D!

Would you believe that I did that on purpose?

Posted by: Ted at 06:05 AM | category: Square Pegs
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God is male. We know this because boobs come in pairs.

Posted by: Ted at 04:48 PM | category: Square Pegs
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The Mets just signed outfielder Angel Pagan.

Posted by: Ted at 06:34 PM | category: Square Pegs
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Something or other is happening in Iowa today, and that's the only thing I can think of that I might possibly care about.

Posted by: Ted at 04:54 PM | category: Square Pegs
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Mookie adores it, so she found a place nearby that got rave reviews and treated me to dinner. She says the food there was really, really good.

I tried several things, but I discovered that I just don't like Thai food.

Posted by: Ted at 07:16 PM | category: Square Pegs
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I've mentioned before that Ozzie, one of our house rabbits, "thumps" with his back legs when he's not happy about something. He's thumping away right now in his cage.

Liz and daughter Robyn are in Florida to visit Mom and Dad. Apparently Ozzie is feeling neglected because nobody is in the sewing room with him. I put the stereo on in there, but he's used to Liz sitting in there where he can see her.

This is going to get old real quick.

Posted by: Ted at 07:50 PM | category: Square Pegs
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As promised yesterday, here's what you can expect from Rocket Jones for the next year (or eternity).

This one amuses me greatly, boys and girls. Expect to see it again.

Posted by: Ted at 10:43 AM | category: Square Pegs
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Much like you loyal Rocket Jones stalkers readers and commenters (not always the same to my chagrin), who return regularly to view my little corner of this grand trainwreck that Al Gore wrought.

Enjoy. I do believe that she will.

Oh yes, to a frightening degree, she will be enjoying it.

And tomorrow, a visual depiction on what to expect from the 2008 version of Rocket Jones!

Posted by: Ted at 11:00 AM | category: Square Pegs
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1 I feel the same way looking forward to the NEW Rocket Jones. I just don't know if that is scarier for you or for me!

Posted by: Stephen Macklin at December 31, 2007 11:29 AM (Z3kjO)

2 I have a pic of me somewhere with that same haircut. ¡Prospero Año Nuevo! to you and yours, Ted. Still waiting for in-flight photos... )

Posted by: Joan of Argghh! at December 31, 2007 09:04 PM (8F+iI)

3 LOL In-flight photos will be a long time a-coming. First, gotta build the rocket. Second, gotta wait for one of the monthly launches when conditions are favorable. Third, gotta get the film developed and see if anything actually is worth posting. When it works, it's spectacular, but this is strictly bottom-of-the-line equipment. I still love it though, and can't wait to try it!

Posted by: Ted at December 31, 2007 09:33 PM (yRolC)

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I'm talking loot from Santa, of course.

Made out like a bandit this year. Nothing unusual I guess, because we tend to go way overboard on gifts since we start Christmas shopping in the summer and would all rather get lots of little things rather than one giant gift-wrapped coolness.

Before I make you envy me though, I want to mention the hands down bestest gifts given this year. My wife, Liz, has worked since August on photo album/scrapbooks, customized for each of the kids and one for her parents. Well over 200 pages of memories each (I don't even want to think about what the ink cost!), plus a CD-Rom of all the photos from each book, plus more that weren't printed, and on top of all that Liz made embroidered covers for each book. Absolutely amazing.

So, here's some of what I got:

A new harmonica (key of A)
Electronic guitar tuner
A gadget to help build rockets
A rocket with a built in camera for taking in-flight photos
Book on writing horror
10th anniversary edition of Myst/Riven/Exile

And movies (surprise, surprise), filling some gaps in my collection:
The Living Coffin (mexican horror)
Zombie 2 (Fulci's Italian classic)
My Favorite Year (Peter O'Toole, one of my favorite actors)
Groundhog Day (Bill Murray)
Evil Dead (Bruce Campbell)
Groundhog Day (Bill Murray)
House/House II (underated)
Groundhog Day (Bill Murray)
Predator
Groundhog Day (Bill Murray)
plus a 50-movie pack called Night Screams, packed full of B-movie drive-in-ish goodness

Rachael also cracked me up with "The Disappearing Civil Liberties" Mug. It has the Bill of Rights written on the side, and when you pour hot coffee or tea into it, the writing disappears. Makes me laugh every time (with a hint of rueage to be sure).

So how was your Christmas?

Posted by: Ted at 09:54 PM | category: Square Pegs
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Rachael bought a dehydrator a while ago, but left it in our kitchen because she really shouldn't have it in her dorm room. Mostly, we use it to make apple, banana and papaya chips for the bunnies.

Yesterday we sliced up a fresh pineapple and started the machine. Last night Rachael described the results as "a bitch slap of flavor!"

Posted by: Ted at 04:39 PM | category: Square Pegs
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1 Ooo, that sounds good. Just how dry can they get?

Posted by: Tuning Spork at December 26, 2007 08:46 PM (XYHQL)

2 We cut the slices about 1/4" thick, so they're not leather dry, just chewy. We've dried apples to the point where they're brittle enough to snap.

Posted by: Ted at December 26, 2007 09:27 PM (yRolC)

3 Off topic: I could probably amuse myself for hours just constantly clicking on your banner and making it change from one banner to the next. Kinda like a box of chocolates...you never know WHAT you gonna get.

Posted by: ericasherman at December 27, 2007 09:34 PM (OQDyt)

4 I'm glad you enjoy the banners. I've been adding to them since this site started. Got a couple of ideas for new ones too, just gotta find time to create them.

Posted by: Ted at December 30, 2007 08:07 AM (yRolC)

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...so I'll just post it here.

Have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday season.

Posted by: Ted at 12:14 AM | category: Square Pegs
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As I mentioned, oldest daughter Robyn and son-in-law Henry are heading up to New Hampshire to surprise his mom for Christmas. They left Norfolk at o'dark thirty this morning and are now in Hartford, Connecticut, where they have a hotel for the night.

A half hour ago, the phone rings. It's the kids, needing a little help. They're staying in a Sheraton (great rate for the night, and it's right off the interstate), and when they asked for a local dining list, it's full of "fine" dining choices that they can't afford and have no interest in anyway.

Kids today solve problems in ways that us geezers would never think of. After explaining the situation, they ask if I'm near a computer, then if I could look up local restaurants for them. Soon, they've decided that they want to eat at Olive Garden, and within minutes I'm giving them directions to the nearest one, within 10 miles of their hotel.

Only one glitch, the directions take them on a toll road, and they'd rather not if they don't have to. Another few minutes, and I'm dictating directions that uses major side roads and alternate routes that's shorter (not necessarily faster) and avoids those pesky tolls that New Englanders are so fond of.

I better hear no crap from my daughter when I call late one night from the road, requesting directions to the nearest titty bar.

Posted by: Ted at 05:02 PM | category: Square Pegs
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Not that we were, but since when has that ever stopped me?

Dogette has been dealing with the tree-beasties.

Bitterman has in the past.

(no specific links, just go and scroll, consider it my present to all Rocket Jones readers)

As most of you know, my daughter Rachael goes to Mary Baldwin College, where the team name is the "Fighting Squirrels" (even more inexplicably, their mascot is named "Gladys").

We exchanged a few gifts last night over at my other daughter's house (they left today for a New Hampshire Christmas with son-in-law's family), and we gifted Rachael with a t-shirt showing a couple of squirrels and reads:

Sure, it's all fun and games until someone loses a nut.

Maybe not so inexplicable after all.

Posted by: Ted at 04:53 PM | category: Square Pegs
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I won't deny it, I was laughing at you.

I'm sure that you're glare is usually very intimidating, but I'd been watching you in the back seat of your homie's SUV, and I was greatly amused.

You see, when you ride along with your head hanging out the window, trying to peep the women in the traffic around you, you look like a damn dog.

Posted by: Ted at 04:09 PM | category: Square Pegs
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There has been a definite lack of Christmas spirit around the officeplace, which was fine with me. That all changed this morning when I walked in and found the place completely decorated by a couple of "anonymous" elves. Not only that, but there are goodies and little gifts left on everybody's desk. I'm wearing an elf hat, complete with pointy ears, and enjoying a sweet little nibble with my tea.

Thank you, little elves. I needed this.

Posted by: Ted at 05:52 AM | category: Square Pegs
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