How To Deal

We watched the DVD "How To Deal."

Synopsis

Halley (Mandy Moore) is a young high school student who is disillusioned with love after seeing the many dysfunctional relationships around her. Her parents are now divorced and her father has a new young girlfriend she doesn't care for too much. Her mother is now always alone; and her sister is so overwhelmed by her upcoming wedding that she barely leaves the house anymore. On top of that, the shallowness of all the girls and guys at her school convinces Halley that finding true love is impossible. A tragic accident, however, leads her to meeting Macon (Trent Ford), and suddenly Halley finds that true love can occur under unusual circumstances.

Studs Terkel

A Chicago icon Studs Terkel died today. I was able to meet him multiple times at his book signings. What a life.

Studs Terkel, prize-winning author and radio broadcast personality was born Louis Terkel in New York on May 16, 1912. His father, Samuel, was a tailor and his mother, Anna (Finkel) was a seamstress. He had three brothers. The family moved to Chicago in 1922 and opened a rooming house at Ashland and Flournoy on the near West side. From 1926 to 1936 they ran another rooming house, the Wells-Grand Hotel at Wells Street and Grand Avenue. Terkel credited his knowledge of the world to the tenants who gathered in the lobby of the hotel and the people who congregated in nearby Bughouse Square, a meeting place for workers, labor organizers, dissidents, the unemployed, and religious fanatics of many persuasions. In 1939 he married Ida Goldberg and had one son. Terkel attended University of Chicago and received a law degree in 1934. He chose not to pursue a career in law. After a brief stint with the civil service in Washington D.C., he returned to Chicago and worked with the WPA Writers Project in the radio division. One day he was asked to read a script and soon found himself in radio soap operas, in other stage performances, and on a WAIT news show. After a year in the Air Force, he returned to writing radio shows and ads. He was on a sports show on WBBM and then, in 1944, he landed his own show on WENR. This was called the Wax Museum show that allowed him to express his own personality and play recordings he liked from folk music, opera, jazz, or blues. A year later he had his own television show called Stud's Place and started asking people the kind of questions that marked his later work as an interviewer. In 1952 Terkel began working for WFMT, first with the "Studs Terkel Almanac" and the "Studs Terkel Show," primarily to play music. The interviewing came along by accident. This later became the award-winning, "The Studs Terkel Program." His first book, Giants of Jazz, was published in 1956. Ten years later his first book of oral history interviews, Division Street: America, came out. It was followed by a succession of oral history books on the 1930s Depression, World War Two, race relations, working, the American dream, and aging. His last oral history book, Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Reflections on Death, Rebirth, and Hunger for a Faith, was published in 2001. Late into his life Terkel continued to interview people, work on his books, and make public appearances. He was the first Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence at the Chicago Historical Society. His last book, P.S.: Further Thoughts from a Lifetime of Listening was released in November 2008. Terkel died on October 31, 2008 at the age of 96.

Over Her Dead Body

We watched the DVD "Over Her Dead Body."

Synopsis

Devastated when his fiancee Kate (Eva Longoria Parker) is killed on their wedding day, Henry (Paul Rudd) reluctantly agrees to consult a psychic named Ashley (Lake Bell) at the urging of his sister Chloe (Lindsay Sloane). Despite his skepticism over her psychic abilities, Henry finds himself falling hard for Ashley, and vice versa. But there is a big snag. Ashley is being haunted by Kate's ghost, who considers it her heavenly duty to break up Henry and Ashley's fledgling romance, if it is the last thing she does on this earthly plane.

Running Blind

I finished reading "Running Blind" by Lee Child.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Jack Reacher, faces a baffling puzzle in his latest adventure: who is the exceptionally crafty villain murdering women across the country, leaving the naked bodies in their bathtubs (which are filled with army camouflage green paint), escaping the scenes and leaving no trace of evidence? The corpses show no cause of death and Reacher's sole clue is that all the victims thus far were sexually harassed while serving in the military. There's got to be some sort of grand scheme behind the killings, but with no physical evidence, FBI agents bumble around until they finally question Reacher, a former military cop who handled each of the dead women's harassment cases. After Reacher convinces investigators he's innocent, they curiously ask him to stay on as a case consultant. Reacher doesn't like the idea he's too much of a lone wolf but he has little choice. The feds threaten him and his girlfriend, high-powered Manhattan attorney Jodie Jacob, with all sorts of legal entanglements if he doesn't help. So Reacher joins the FBI team and immediately attacks the feds' approach, which is based solely on profiling. Then he breaks out on his own, pursuing enigmatic theories and hunches that lead him to a showdown with a truly surprising killer in a tiny village outside Portland, Ore. Some of the concluding elements to Child's fourth Reacher outing how the killer gains access to the victims' homes, as well as the revelation of the elaborate MO fall into place with disappointing convenience.

I Am Legend

I watched the DVD "I Am Legend."

Synopsis

Robert Neville (Will Smith) is a scientist who was unable to stop the spread of the terrible virus that was incurable and man-made. Immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City and perhaps the world. For three years, Neville has faithfully sent out daily radio messages, desperate to find any other survivors who might be out there. But he is not alone. Mutant victims of the plague The Infected lurk in the shadows watching Neville's every move waiting for him to make a fatal mistake. Perhaps mankind's last, best hope, Neville is driven by only one remaining mission: to find a way to reverse the effects of the virus using his own immune blood. But he knows he is outnumbered and quickly running out of time.

Sectionals

My oldest son's varsity cross country team advanced the the sectionals. They tied Benet as the fifth team so both teams get to go. He had a good race on a tough course and finished with a time of 16:48. They had to jump across a creek a couple times, it was muddy and there was a couple hills. The girls team also advanced to the sectionals next week at Reavis High School in Burbank, Illinois. How exciting.

Undefeated

My youngest son's sophomore football team ended their season undefeated with another victory over Leyden 55 to 26. Their running back scored six touchdowns. My son got to play center most of the fourth quarter. The rain held off for his whole game. It poured for the whole varsity game. We worked concessions under the tents so we didn't get too wet. The varsity won 30 to 14 and ended their season conference champs.

David Macaulay

I went to see author David Macaulay at Knox Presbyterian Church in Naperville. He was there to promote his new book "The Way We Work." I have his previous book "The Way Things Work." which I had autographed back in 1988 when Kroch's and Brentano's was still around. He talked for about a half an hour about why he wrote the book and then he had to leave to go to Philadelphia. After he left we got to watch a PBS movie based on his book "Cathedral." I really enjoyed the movie and now I want to visit all the old cathedrals in France. I ended up buying his book "Cathedral" in addition to the new book "The Way We Work." Both were autographed by him. The inside of the church was a great place to see the movie. I'm glad I didn't miss this even though it was a rainy night.

ABOUT THE BOOK

"The Way We Work", illuminates the most important machine of all—the human body. This book is about you and how and why you are what you are. Your body is made up of various complex systems. It shows how the parts of the body work together, from the mechanics of a hand, to the process by which the heart pumps blood, to the chemical exchanges necessary to sustain life. "The Way We Work" shows how individual systems—circulatory, respiratory, lymphatic, digestive, nervous, endocrine, immune, musculoskeletal, and reproductive—work together to make the human body function the way it does. Beginning with cell structure and the DNA that defines us, and ending with the cells from a man and a woman combining to create new life, this captivating journey brilliantly shares with readers the science of ourselves.

Cornelia Funke

After I had my pizza at Lou Malnati's next door I went to Cornelia Funke's booksigning of "Inkdeath" at Anderson's Books in Naperville. I was number 76 in line. I had seen her previously when she was in town to sign "Inkheart." My youngest son now has all three of the books in the trilogy signed by her. He's read the first two and enjoys her writing.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Adderhead--his immortality bound in a book by Meggie's father, Mo--has ordered his henchmen to plunder the villages. The peasants' only defense is a band of outlaws led by the Bluejay Mo's fictitious double, whose identity he has reluctantly adopted. But the Book of Immortality is unraveling, and the Adderhead again fears the White Women of Death. To bring the renegade Bluejay back to repair the book, the Adderhead kidnaps all the children in the kingdom, dooming them to slavery in his silver mines unless Mo surrends. First Dustfinger, now Mo: Can anyone save this cursed story?

Art In America

I finished reading "Art In America" by Ron McLarty. I read another one of his books "The Memory of Running" and when I saw this one at the library I had to read it.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Middle-aged New York writer Steven Kearney is down on his luck. He has written thousands of pages of novels, plays, and poems--not a single one of which has ever been published. After being thrown out of his Manhattan apartment, Kearney takes shelter with his longtime pal Roarke, an actress and director. One day, out of the blue, he’s offered a position as playwright-in-residence for three months at the Creedemore Historical Society in rural southern Colorado, which wants him to write and direct a historical play about the town. But when he arrives, all hell breaks loose. A dispute between and elderly landowner, Tricky Lettgo, and a young man named Red Fields escalates into a battle that pits local ranchers against a fringe antiproperty group. Town sheriff Petey Meyers, newly transplanted from Boston and still haunted by the death of his police partner there, tries to keep the peace. As the national media descend, the most extreme member of the activist group hatches a diabolical plan that threatens the very safety of the town. Amid all the tumult, Kearney, with the inspiration of a local painter and cancer survisor named Mollie Dowie, and with some last-minute directorial assistance from Roarke, produces a play that brilliantly capture the history of the town.

Bee Movie

I watched the DVD "Bee Movie."

Synopsis

Take a closer look at their world through the eyes of one bee in particular Barry B. Benson (Jerry Seinfeld). A recent college graduate, Barry wants more out of life than the inevitable career that awaits him and every other worker in New Hive City a job at Honex making honey. Barry jumps at the chance to venture out of the hive, and soon encounters a world beyond his wildest dreams. When Barry inadvertently meets a quirky florist named Vanessa (Renée Zellweger), he breaks one of the cardinal rules of beedom he talks to her. A friendship soon develops, and Barry gets a guided crash course in the ways of the human race. When he shockingly discovers that anyone can purchase honey right off the grocery store shelf, he realizes that his true calling is to stop this injustice and set the world right by suing the human race for stealing the bees' precious honey.

Two Weeks

We watched the DVD "Two Weeks."

Synopsis

Four siblings return home to their mother's house for what they think are the last few days of her life. When she hangs on, they find themselves trapped together for two weeks. What happens to a family when the one person who holds it together can't hold on anymore?

Shutout

My youngest son's football team got their first shutout 35 to 0 against Morton at Morton West in Berwyn. It was a cold night and was drizzling when we got to the stadium. He got to play the whole last quarter at center on offense. We left right after his game and went to my other son's pasta party for cross country.

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

I watched the DVD "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium."

Synopsis

Mr. Magorium (Dustin Hoffman) never outgrew his toys, considering the guy is 243 years old. Magorium, a lively fellow with wild hair, a pet zebra named Mortimer and a fondness for shoes, has been running Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium for the last century or so. It's a place where Legos build themselves, fish-mobiles are made with real, wriggling fish, and balsa-wood dinosaurs play with Frisbees. But big changes are ahead. See, Mr. Magorium has worn out his last pair of favorite shoes, and since he bought enough to last a lifetime, he knows he's about to die, or depart, as he puts it. So Magorium hires a stuffy accountant (Jason Bateman)(whom he immediately dubs Mutant) to determine what his store is worth and prepares to hand the whole thing over to his day-to-day manager, Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman.) The doubt-filled Mahoney has her own problems. And this candy-colored film creatively uses them to teach us all a thing or two about life. When she was a child, everyone told her she was a musical prodigy, and she still has aspirations of fulfilling her promise. But now, as an adult, she's still working at a toy store. Sure, it's magical and all, but it's not the sort of job one boasts about at class reunions. She is horrified when she learns of Magorium's plans and tells him flat-out that he's got to keep living and dealing with the store himself. After all, she points out, the place is called Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. "It rhymes!" she exclaims, and she takes it upon herself to show her eccentric boss all the small wonders of the world he'd miss out on if he decided to depart. What kind of things? Things like dancing on Bubble Wrap, jumping on furniture-store beds and, inexplicably, making calls from pay phones. The Emporium isn't so keen on Magorium leaving, either: The bright red walls begin turning a charred gray in anticipation and, on Magorium's apparent last day, it throws a temper tantrum. In so doing it reveals to attentively watching children just how childish such outbursts are. "Maybe it needs a time-out," says Eric, a hat-loving store regular. Eric (Zach Mills), a boy of about 9, is the film's voice of rationality. But he's struggling, too. His hat-wearing ways and penchant for elaborate Lincoln Log sculptures make kids his own age steer well clear. But his mom and Mr. Magorium are urging him to try to make friends. So he does. He reaches out to the Mutant. He begins to write notes to the guy, holding them up to the window of the store's office, where the Mutant is poring over centuries-old receipts. "Would you like to play checkers?" Eric scribbles. Sorry, Mutant writes back. "I'm working." "How about when you're done working?" Eric returns. "I never stop working." But he does eventually stop working. And before film's end, Mutant and Eric are playing pretend and having loads of fun with the best of them. Thus, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium is crammed with winsome, childlike wisdom, coaxing nursery-rhyme-like precepts from its characters and their relationships. They're archetypes, really: The accountant who can't see the magic around him; the shunned, shy little boy; and the uncertain store manager who feels she was made to do greater things. Through it all Magorium serves as ringmaster, part silly man-child and part wise sage. Confronting his own mortality, he tells the store the only thing they can do is face the coming day with "determination, joy and bravery." When Mahoney takes Magorium to a clock store so they can listen to all the clocks strike 12, she breathlessly whispers they only have 37 seconds all they have to do is wait. Magorium corrects her, saying that it's 37 seconds to breathe, reflect, enjoy, regenerate, dream. "Thirty-seven seconds well used is a lifetime" he says. In the end, this is largely a tale about the wonder of life, the inevitability of death and the struggle to bring those two conflicting ideas together. Stories, even the ones we love the most, must eventually come to an end, we're told. "I'm only asking that you turn the page," Magorium tells a weeping Mahoney. "Continue reading. And let the next story begin."

All Grown-ups Were Once Children

"All grown-ups were once children. (But few of them remember it.)" — Antoine de Saint-Exupery

everything's gone green

I watched the DVD "everything's gone green."

Synopsis

Ryan (Paulo Constanzo), late twenties and not getting any younger, is tempted into a Money-laundering scheme but struggles with his ill-gotten gains while trying to find happiness. He tries hard not to try hard but is surrounded by over-achievers. His hippie friend has gone capitalistic in a not-so-legal way. His older brother has always been capitalistic in a legal if not-so-ethical way. His father, after losing his job and his faith in the system, has found profitable promise outside of the establishment. Even the woman he desires is comfortable to be cared for by a big-time car thief.

West Aurora Stampede

My oldest son competed in the West Aurora Stampede at Waubansee College in Sugar Grove. He ran varsity and had a good run finishing with a time of 16:53. It was a warm day but not as hot as last year's race that they had to cancel due to the heat.

Flannel Pajamas

We watched the DVD "Flannel Pajamas."

Synopsis

A study of a relationship that starts quickly, burns bright, and then gets rocky, not from any one thing, but from an accumulation of civilization and its discontents. Stuart is glib and generous, Nicole is shy and forthright. He doesn't like her best friend; she tires of his brother's antics. She wants children sooner. He's a poor listener, she broods. Both have divorced parents, and their families complicate their lives. Is love enough to see them through?

Undefeated

My youngest son's football won another game against Addison Trail 55 to 18. It didn't start off too good and we were actually behind a couple of times. The offensive had a great game and he got to play the last set of downs. It was a beautiful fall night and Grandma and Papa came to watch.

They Who Give

"They who give have all things; they who withhold have nothing." - Hindu Proverb

Another Victory

My youngest son's football team won again 42 to 6 versus Hinsdale South. He got to play about eight minutes on the offensive line and did a great job. The team played another great game and they are still undefeated. It was a clear cool night. I should have dressed a little warmer. Once the sun went down the temperature really dropped. We didn't stay for the varsity game. They won also 42 to 0.

Where The Heart Is

We watched the DVD "Where The Heart Is."

Synopsis

Novalee Nation (Natalie Portman), is 17, pregnant, and has never been part of a real home. She has fallen in with a selfish would-be musician, Willy Jack whom she considers her boyfriend. While traveling from Tennessee to California in an ancient Plymouth, they stop for a bathroom break, at an Oklahoma Wal-Mart. But when she leaves the store, she discovers that Willy Jack and the Plymouth are gone. Only her Polaroid camera remains in the parking space. Alone and broke, Novalee surreptitiously moves into the vast store to live. She borrows food and supplies from its shelves to survive. When she gives birth on the floor and her hideaway is revealed Novalee and her "Wal-Mart Baby" become instant celebrities. Over the next few years, Novalee becomes part of an unconventional, makeshift family consisting of some eccentric new friends. Now with the family she always wanted Novalee is transformed from a homeless teen to a successful and strong woman.

Killer Year

I finished reading "Killer Year" edited by Lee Child.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Killer Year is a group of 13 debut crime/mystery/suspense authors whose books were published in 2007. The graduating class includes such rising stars as Robert Gregory Browne, Toni McGee Causey, Marcus Sakey, Derek Nikitas, Marc Lecard, JT Ellison, Brett Battles, Jason Pinter, Bill Cameron, Sean Chercover, Patry Francis, Gregg Olsen, and David White. Each of the short stories displaying their talents are introduced by their Killer Year mentors, some of which include bestselling authors Lee Child, Tess Gerritsen and Jeffrey Deaver, with additional stories by Ken Bruen, Allison Brennan and Duane Swierczynski. Bestselling authors Laura Lippman and MJ Rose contribute insightful essays. Inside you'll read about a small time crook in over his head, a story told backwards with a heroine not to be messed with, a tale of boys and the trouble they will get into over a girl, and many more stories of the highest caliber in murder, mayhem, and sheer entertainment. This amazing anthology, edited by the grandmaster Lee Child, is sure to garner lots of attention and keep readers coming back for more.

Christopher Paolini

I went to the booksigning for Christopher Paolini's latest book "Brisinger." It was held at the Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove and over 800 people showed up. He talked for about a half hour than answered questions for about a half hour. He said the best thing an aspiring writer can do is read, write everyday and never, never, never, never, never give up (I think he said never more times than that but you get the point. They showed the movie "Eragon" based on his first book while people in groups of 25 went out to the lobby to get their books signed. I was number 500 and I got my advance ticket 5 days before. I left the theatre at about 9:45 p.m. My son now has all three of his books autographed. He's read the first two and enjoyed them.

Salary Comparison Webtools

Glassdoor.com, which allows employees to share salaries and review employers. (You must register to see details.)

Salary.com, which offers a wide range of employment info, including an analysis of salaries for various positions.

Payscale.com supplies free or premium salary reports. It also offers a variety of tools (like a cost-of-living calculator) and other resources.

SalaryScout.com, SalaryScout includes an interesting world map of salaries not just for the U.S.).

The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This free resource can tell you the training and education needed for various careers, typical earnings and job prospects, what workers do on the job, and more.