http://www.meyersons.net/ en Copyright 2011 Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:37:46 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Katie did everything herself. She found a Yatsuba picture of the girl holding her hands over her head and yelling. Unfortunately, the hands are indistinct, so it's hard to see them as hands, but I still liked it. She did do the entire thing herself, though, so she gets lots of credit for that (lit only): Finally, I wasn't actually sure I'd do a pumpkin this year, but discussing an idea with Katie made me want to try to do a completely carved out, bas-relief pumpkin. Essentially, letting the shape of the thing come out from the pumpkin. I'm not sure it really worked, but it came out reasonably well anyway (and didn't take the 8-hours the Matrix one did last year...) So, my entry this year, Katie had named "Identity Crisis", which I loved (several angles of unlit, and one lit): So, there's this years crop. Hope you enjoy!]]> http://www.meyersons.net/2011/10/pumpkinsfor-science.html http://www.meyersons.net/2011/10/pumpkinsfor-science.html Ellen Katie Kids pumpkins Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:37:46 -0500 I facebooked these, but I should have blogged them and then had them post to facebook, but regardless, these two were too funny to not post on the blog for future reference. Both of these were tonight at dinner. Katie Conversation: Katie: "what movie are you talking about?" Me: "silence of the lambs" Katie: "what's it about?" Me: "a serial killer." Katie: "poor lambs" Ellen Conversation: We were discussing a meat dish that was very tender (a slow-cooked mexican pork dish). She pronounced that "meat was the only thing that got better with entropy", and ultimately therefore "slow cooking was chaos theory in action." Wow. http://www.meyersons.net/2011/09/two-recent-kid-conversations.html http://www.meyersons.net/2011/09/two-recent-kid-conversations.html Ellen Katie Kids funny Mon, 26 Sep 2011 23:14:27 -0500 We got Katie a new phone for her birthday, complete with texting ability. She has taken full advantage of it... "Okay. On the bus. Better day today. people punching the back of my seat and screaming in my ear. Nicky's hand groping, trying to recover her umbrella which i confiscated in an attempt to keep her from bopping me on the head. then, when i get home i have to go get two needles filled with germ injected into my arm to keep me immune from diseases not even native to this country. after that, i must come home, set the table, clear the table, get ready for school, and go to sleep finally, exhausted and an hour later than i had planned. Hmmmmmmm. no thanks, i think i'll stay at school." That was just one text from today. Oh, boy. http://www.meyersons.net/2011/09/texting-with-a-vengance.html http://www.meyersons.net/2011/09/texting-with-a-vengance.html Katie Thu, 08 Sep 2011 14:19:24 -0500 They Might Be Giants (for the 4th time!) with special guest Jonathan Coulton (first time!) at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. I saw them here last year for the first time and have been totally taken with their offbeat, quirky and hugely fun songs ever since. Their live shows, though, are FAR better than their recordings (except for the NYC kids show, sadly). They bring energy and humor to their live shows that is such fun it should be illegal, or at least immoral. The group is basically comprised of John Flansburgh and John Linnell, and have been creating music since the late 80's. Among my favorites are Birdhouse in Your Soul (the tale of a light switch!) and The Mesopotamians, a song featuring four long-dead kings from the original cradle of civilization. Brilliantly funny and catchy. Happily, with the rise of Twitter, I've been able to have a few "conversations" with Mr. Flansburgh and I actually was able to ask if they minded being recorded during shows by their fans. He wrote back that they were fine with it, so I present here a couple of my own recordings from last night's show of them (Istanbul not Constantinople, and, as sock puppets called "The Avatars of They", What is a Shooting Star). Be sure to change them to 720P and go full screen if your bandwidth supports it. My iPhone records in full HD and the quality is pretty impressive for a phone. Enjoy! Istanbul Not Constantinople: What is a Shooting Star: This entry is a bit backwards, since I want to finish by talking about Jonathan Coulton, who opened for TMBG. I have to be honest, however, although I loved TMBG, it was Mr. Coulton that blew me away. I had heard two of his songs: Code Monkey (cute song) and the brilliant song from Portal, Still Alive. The set he played was one of the funniest performances I've ever seen. I managed to record one song really well, a song called Skullcrusher Mountain, that is absolutely genius. He also did Still Alive (the entire audience sang along with that one), and, among others, Re: Your Brains, a song about polite zombies. I'll embed my recording of Skullcrusher Mountain here, and post the lyrics because they're just that funny: Lyrics: Welcome to my secret lair on Skullcrusher Mountain I hope that you've enjoyed your stay so far I see you've met my assistant Scarface His appearance is quite disturbing But I assure you he's harmless enough He's a sweetheart, calls me master And he has a way of finding pretty things and bringing them to me I'm so into you But I'm way too smart for you Even my henchmen think I'm crazy I'm not surprised that you agree If you could find some way to be A little bit less afraid of me You'd see the voices that control me from inside my head Say I shouldn't kill you yet I made this half-pony half-monkey monster to please you But I get the feeling that you don't like it What's with all the screaming? You like monkeys, you like ponies Maybe you don't like monsters so much Maybe I used too many monkeys Isn't it enough to know that I ruined a pony making a gift for you? I'm so into you But I'm way too smart for you Even my henchmen think I'm crazy I'm not surprised that you agree If you could find some way to be A little bit less afraid of me You'd see the voices that control me from inside my head Say I shouldn't kill you yet Picture the two of us alone inside my golden submarine While up above the waves my doomsday squad ignites the atmosphere And all the fools who live their foolish lives may find it quite explosive But it won't mean half as much to me if I don't have you here You know it isn't easy living here on Skullcrusher Mountain Maybe you could cut me just a little slack Would it kill you to be civil? I've been patient, I've been gracious And this mountain is covered with wolves Hear them howling, my hungry children Maybe you should stay and have another drink and think about me and you I'm so into you But I'm way too smart for you Even my henchmen think I'm crazy I'm not surprised that you agree If you could find some way to be A little bit less afraid of me You'd see the voices that control me from inside my head Say I shouldn't kill you yet I shouldn't kill you yet I shouldn't kill you yet And, if you're still with me, check out the brilliant Re: Your Brains: ]]> http://www.meyersons.net/2011/07/they-might-be-awesome.html http://www.meyersons.net/2011/07/they-might-be-awesome.html funny Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:19:02 -0500 This blog has seen almost nothing posted by me about my girlfriend and her terrific kids over the past few years, for varying reasons, but this entry I think will be the first of many. Last Thursday night, 6/23/11, I asked Linda to marry me, and much to my delight, she accepted. At the same time, I got the OK from both Chris and Lindsay to move the whole family up to my area next spring. I've told this to a bunch of people, and posted it on Facebook when it happened, but haven't actually blogged about it, or about what this whole experience has been like. Long distance relationships are hard--really hard. Linda and I have some money, and that's helped a great deal as we can see each other nearly every weekend, but it's still not the same as living in the same house. There's something to the idea of no matter how busy and chaotic the day is, when night time rolls around the other person there in bed waiting for you. Awake or asleep isn't really the point--it's the touch, the closeness. That's not there over Skype, or via IMs when Linda's 200 miles away, but seeing the homestretch closing in is something amazing to both of us. When I popped the question, it was in front of Chris at a nice restaurant in Virginia. Linda was completely surprised and just stared at me, in shock. So was Chris. I thought how important it was to make sure Chris (and Lindsay) knew that they weren't moving just so their mom could be closer to her boyfriend, but moving so that we could all become a family. Linda and I, Chris and Lindsay, Ellen and Katie, even Kim and Mike, all part of this new, extended family. Who knows what complexities lie ahead for this group, but ultimately, no matter what they turn out to be, I'm looking forward to sharing them day in, day out, instead of the snippets I get now. That's how a real family grows into each other and I can't wait. http://www.meyersons.net/2011/06/big-doings.html http://www.meyersons.net/2011/06/big-doings.html Linda Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:06:46 -0500 Wanting a decent spot in the room, I arrived about 2 hours before the doors were scheduled to open, figuring there would be a bunch of people already. In fact, I ended up maybe 10th in line, and then right against the rail in the front of the room: The concert started an hour late, but all thoughts of having stood forever vanished as they came out and started with one song after another that I knew and loved. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, Kodachrome, Slip Sliding Away, Hearts and Bones, and easily a dozen more before the first encore. Here are a few shots: The set must have gone on for 90 minutes, without a break. Song after song, sounding great. After the first set, he came back for the first encore by himself, and I happened to decide to take the only video of the night. At first, I was going to just record audio in my pocket (hence the black 10 seconds or so with sound) but then I decided what the hell and put the camera on the rail to take the whole song. I didn't realize I ended it so abruptly, but otherwise the video's not bad. It's a bit weird when it's pretty obvious and you're RIGHT THERE and he's staring at you...but enjoy. (don't know why there's no controller, but just double-click on the box below and it should play...) A blur of songs afterwards, including a great version of Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, he left and returned for a last encore. Before he did, though, they brought out a second mic. Of course, a buzz ran through the already very raucous crowd as to who was coming out with him. Turns out, for some bizarre reason, it was David Byrne from The Talking Heads. Byrne is a really wacky guy. I've never seen him in person and know very little Talking Heads, but he's got a great voice and they powered through Road to Nowhere and then an insanely goofy version of You Can Call Me Al, featuring Byrne dancing around the stage until he toppled over a floor-speaker into the bass player. Still, unabashed but laughing, he got up and continued (somewhat more safely) to prance around the stage, forgetting lyrics and having a good ole time. The crowd loved it. We found out at the end of the show that they whole thing was being taped for a PBS/DVD special. I have a feeling Brandi and I will be splashed all over that DVD as the camera was pointed squarely at us for long periods of time. Hopefully, the cameras will capture what we really saw--a master performer running through 4+ decades of great songs, with great musicians in an amazing setting. The floors were literally bouncing up and down all night as people stomped, bounced and danced their way through one of the best concerts I've ever been to. Here's to you, Paul Simon. Still crazy after all these years.]]> http://www.meyersons.net/2011/06/still-crazy.html http://www.meyersons.net/2011/06/still-crazy.html Tue, 07 Jun 2011 22:42:10 -0500 ]]> http://www.meyersons.net/2011/06/when-ellen-gets-bored.html http://www.meyersons.net/2011/06/when-ellen-gets-bored.html Ellen funny Sun, 05 Jun 2011 23:07:47 -0500 (the Potomic Nationals) and the 6 of us had great seats. We watched the whole game, laughing, high-fiving the players as they ran by (we had REALLY good seats...), and stayed for fireworks and Katie and Chris ran the bases. Ellen and Lindsay mostly played on their iPhones, but even that was fine. Watch the game, don't watch, just have fun, and we all did. It's always a special time together, doing whatever, and I couldn't ask for much more between the kids I have and the kids I'm looking forward to being much more a part of. I'm very lucky in this, and I know it.]]> http://www.meyersons.net/2011/05/the-brady-bunch.html http://www.meyersons.net/2011/05/the-brady-bunch.html Kids Sun, 29 May 2011 23:02:28 -0500 I love barbecue. I love ribs, chopped BBQ, smoked chicken, smoked hot links. But one of my favorite kinds of BBQ is a really good pulled pork sandwich. Now, there are really two ways to make pulled pork: True BBQ in a smoker (which is great, but a lot of work and tends to be a bit dry), and slow cook it with spices and BBQ sauce and vinegar (which is tender and moist, but generally missing that great, smoky flavor). However, I've tried to bridge the two with some help from my friend, Liquid Smoke. I used a "picnic" pork shoulder, and this was my first attempt at this (and mostly, I made up the recipe), but it was really really good. 5 or 6 lb bone-in picnic shoulder (we'll remove the bone, so if you can get it already de-boned, go ahead). -1/4 - 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar -1/4 - 1/2 cup water -1/4 cup brown sugar -3 - 4 cups ketchup/BBQ sauce/any combination -4 oz liquid smoke -1/2 cup or so maple syrup (preferably real stuff) -1 medium onion, sliced into reasonably fine rings. you want enough liquid to cover the whole shoulder, which is why the measurements are somewhat vague. put all ingredients into crock pot, set on low. Let cook for 10 hours or so. You should not be able to pull a large chunk out of the pot without it falling apart. When it's that tender, turn off the crock pot, pull out all the meat to a platter and, using 2 forks, shred it to strands. Put it all back into the pot of liquid after it's shreaded and put the crock pot to "warm." Let it just sit in the warm juice for as long as you like. It'll just get better with time. Serve on soft rolls with sides of cheddar cheese and pickle chips. http://www.meyersons.net/2011/05/pull-my-pork.html http://www.meyersons.net/2011/05/pull-my-pork.html Food Mon, 09 May 2011 23:17:48 -0500 This came from my dad, regarding my mom, quoted from their trip home from my house today, Mother's day. For anyone who doesn't know, Henry is my sister's 3 year old son. ----- Mom: The reason paul weighs more than you is because he's shorter. Dad: What? Mom: Well, if he was taller he wouldn't be as heavy. Dad: So then shorter people weigh more than tall people. Mom: right. Dad: So then, because he's shorter, Henry should weigh more than Karem Abdul-Jabbar. Mom: Don't be silly. Henry is just a baby. ---- That's my mom. Happy Mother's Day, Mom. Don't ever start making sense. http://www.meyersons.net/2011/05/mothers-day-special.html http://www.meyersons.net/2011/05/mothers-day-special.html funny Sun, 08 May 2011 23:45:24 -0500 Tonight is a milestone--the last elementary school band/chorus concert we will ever have to attend. Hot cross buns, Mary had a little lamb, and all the other training wheel songs are a thing of the past after tonight. Although the kids play their little hearts out, I can't say I'll miss this part of the little-kid experience. Listening to 20 apathetic 9 year olds murder Beethoven is getting tired... http://www.meyersons.net/2011/05/the-last-concert.html http://www.meyersons.net/2011/05/the-last-concert.html Wed, 04 May 2011 18:30:49 -0500 Katie: Hey dad, why don't you sell your cocoa next time we have a garage sale? Me: Well, because garage sales are usually in the spring and people don't want cocoa in warm weather. Katie (not missing a beat): Why don't you sell hot dogs? Me: You're just going with anything here aren't you... Katie: Yup! http://www.meyersons.net/2011/05/my-manager.html http://www.meyersons.net/2011/05/my-manager.html Katie funny Wed, 04 May 2011 07:18:26 -0500 Amazingly, it's been 3 months since my last blog entry. I think that social media (Facebook and Twitter, mostly) are to blame, as smaller entries tend to just pop up on there in the ephemeral way that only a Facebook post can be. Comment on it today, forget about it tomorrow... That said, however, I wanted to blog to recognize something worth remembering--Ellen's first real foray into the theatre. Last night, Ellen had a small, but front-and-center role in the success-for-your-soul musical "Damn Yankees" at her school. She played the "radio voice", doing a very good, very rapidly delivered play-by-play as Joe Hardy and the Senators beat the Yankees to finally propel the woeful Washington team to the pennant (as if.) Looking like a cross between a deer in the headlights and a well-dressed statue as she waited, center stage, to deliver her radio patter, Ellen shone in the way that only someone who is an extremely good public speaker can. She clutched her mic for dear life, waived her hands for emphasis as she neared the end of her delivery, and looked as intent as if she were actually calling the 7th game of the world series. Mel Allen would have had a tear in his eye, if they weren't rotting in the ground somewhere. Perhaps he did anyway. Who knows with eyes? Her relief after the show was almost as intense as her performance itself, a broad grin on her face when she popped from the stage door to the cheers of her friends. To my eye, though, it was that wonderful support of her friends that stole the night. Ellen can be something of a shut-in (I'm being kind here...) and to see her basking in her friends' obvious affection, beaming with triumph and belonging, is what made the months of work worthwhile. You did a great job, kiddo, and we were very proud, as always. http://www.meyersons.net/2011/04/all-the-worlds-a-stage.html http://www.meyersons.net/2011/04/all-the-worlds-a-stage.html Ellen Sat, 30 Apr 2011 10:30:06 -0500 Companion Cube from the video game Portal. And, of course, the proud birthday girl with her cake: ]]> http://www.meyersons.net/2011/01/party-time.html http://www.meyersons.net/2011/01/party-time.html Ellen Mon, 10 Jan 2011 11:52:49 -0500 The other day, we're sitting at dinner, and I look behind katie to the windowsill, whereupon I see a small box-shaped thing. Me (to Katie): What's that thing on the sill behind you? Katie: Oh, that's just the box to my eraser. Pay it no heed. Consider it done. http://www.meyersons.net/2011/01/ignore-the-man-behind-the-curt.html http://www.meyersons.net/2011/01/ignore-the-man-behind-the-curt.html Katie funny Mon, 10 Jan 2011 11:49:52 -0500