6 Degrees

I just ran across a website that takes the 6 degrees of separation game to a new level. For those not familiar, you start with an actor like Kevin Bacon and then try to connect him to another actor through movies they've both appeared in. So if the other actor was Ingrid Bergman, it would go like this:

Kevin Bacon was in Diner with Mickey Rourke
Mickey Rourke was in Wild Orchid with Jacquilin Bisset
Jacquilin Bisset was in Murder on the Orient Express with Ingrid Bergman

Did that one in only 3 degrees. Pretty good - eh?

Anyway, the website is NNDB. It stands for

the Notable Names Database. This website allows you to connect more than just movie actors through more than just movies. For example, you could try to connect Barack Obama to Gavin McLeod.

Snow Day - For Real

The first big snow in several years. I think we got about a foot. The nice thing about snow this time of year is that it'll be gone soon. Though the kids disagree. I should remind them that they had us pull down their bikes last week.

A Conversation with Alondra

A rather spirited talk with Mom.

Snow Day

Well, not really. We haven't had a good one of those since I was a kid it seems. And we all know how long ago that was. But the middleschoolers are skiing today. Yes, it's a school day but it's catholic schools week. So they get to goof off a bit.

You may look for them yourself here. I just spent the last half hour doing that with no luck. Lauren has a light blue coat and a white and pink hat. Mat is wearing a dark blue coat with a red hat. If you spot them, be sure to do a screen capture and email me.

Read to me Da!

OK - she doesn't form complete sentences yet. But we've entered the book reading stage. Moments like the one in the first picture are very nice, yet very brief. More often we see glimpses of the second picture just before the reading material hits us in the face. No need to read the words. That takes too long. We need to see what's on the next page, now! Then when we get to the end of this one, we need to know what's in the next one even though we looked at that one not more than 5 minutes ago.


I know it won't be too long before no bedtime can pass without the traditional recital of Goodnight Moon. We have 2 copies, one with and one without the cigarette. Call me a curmudgeon, but I think I'll read Alondra the former when it's my turn. Matt and Lauren were exposed to that politically incorrect image as impressionable youth and I think they turned out just fine.

So you want to be a rock and roll star?

The price you paid for your riches and fame,
Was it all a strange game?
You're a little insane.
- The Byrds

I thought this game would be a the big hit Christmas gift. Surprisingly, it took a couple weeks to catch on. Not since Crash Team Racing have we had a video game that the whole family will play - together even. Much like our frequent family CTR cup challenges back in the day, last evening found the entire family gathered around the PS2 pretending to be rock and roll stars. Yes, even Deanna has begun her own career mode. How do I know? When I got home yesterday I found her sitting on the floor with Alondra and a fake guitar on her lap trying to master Ziggy Stardust (of course she's still playing easy mode).

Something's Different

No, nothing's changed. It must be your imagination. OK, I did change things around a bit. The most noteworthy is the labels section over to the right. Click on a label of interest to you and you see all my posts related to it. Probably only of use to the infrequent visitor. So Janine, probably not all that exciting for you.