Sabbatiblog

The end is near. :-(

Song of the Day: Let's Get It Started by Black Eyed Peas. I don't know if I really like the Black Eyed Peas, but there's no denying that this is a catchy pop-tune. They may be the rarest of creatures - a good pop band (even though they are supposed to be hip-hop).

I cleaned the gutters today. Talk about a thankless task; standing on a ladder, scooping handfuls of rotting leaves... blech. But I patched a couple of the downspouts, so there was a sense of accomplishment that you only get as a homeowner. It's very caveman.

Confederations Cup final - Brazil v. Argentina. It's half time now after an exciting first half. Argentina started playing really well around the 17th minute. Unfortunately, the Brazilians scored at 10' and 16'. I can't see anyone coming back against Brazil from two down, but I'll keep watching to make sure.

Song of the Day: Livin' La Vida Loca but not the version by Ricky Martin, the one by Donkey and Puss in Boots. We were watching Shrek 2 the other day and this one stuck.

Speaking of crazy lives, I would definitely recommend an independent film call Mi Vida Loca. It's about some young ladies growing up in a poor neighborhood in LA. It rates a woohoo on the Simpson's scale.

I'm drawing a blank on the song of the day for both today and yesterday. I'm going to through out something everyone should be listening to: 'Gardez Donci (Look At That!) by Beau Jocque And The Zydeco Hi-Rollers. To me, Beau Jocque made the best Zydeco evAr. No one could rock an accordian like pretty Jack. Unfortunately, he wasn't living the healthy life and had a heart attack a few years back. Luckily, though oddly, albums keeps coming out. Basically you can't go wrong with anything by this band.

Walker and I went to the dermatologist yesterday morning. We had a joint appointment. Good news all around - Walker's Molluscum is all cleared up and I don't have any sun damage or nasty moles. Molluscum, I learned yesterday, is the largest virus that affects humans. On little kids it shows up as little warts and they treat it by using a chemical to basically burn the things.

Been wathcing a lot of soccer lately. There is the Confederations Cup and the Copa Libertadores and the Fifa under 21. Saw the Brazilians beat the Germans in the Confederations and the under 21. Those Germans weren't looking too sharp - they better clean up their act before next year. Also, the Italians under 21 lost to the Moroccans. That doesn't bode well either.

Last night Walker and I went to the pizza place and split a small pie. It was great fun and Walker charmed everyone in the restaurant. The elderly lady at the next table said "my, he's a busy one".

Today is rainy and Mary has to write a paper. So I dont' know if we'll do anything.

I have to realize that it took me until yesterday to figure out that Sir Duke is about Duke Ellington.

More sailing! Did you ever see the movie "What About Bob?"? Absolute genius. There's a scene where Bob, played masterfully by Bill Murray, is shown in close up yelling "I'm sailing!". As the camera pulls out we see Bob is tied to the mast a la tied to the stake. That's always the first thought that come to me when we get the sails up... "I'm sailing, I'm sailing".

Song of the Day: Numbers by G. Love - is this the second or third song I've listed by G.? Doesn't matter, you've caught me in a Special Sauce phase and that's what been running through my head. Unlike Kagagoogoo though, I will enthusiastically endorse this stuff. It's just plain good.

Alternate Song of the Day: Sir Duke by Stevie Wonder - I was listening to a bunch of different stuff yesterday. Kind of following a thread that wound it's way from New Wave, to Ska Revival, to Third Wave Ska, to Stevie Wonder. New Wave to Ska is easy; Madness leads to English Beat and the Specials. The to the Third Wave is obvious with Rancid and Sublime. But I can't remember how I got from Rancid to Stevie. Again, doesn't matter, the thing that's fun is that I haven't heard Sir Duke in a very long time and there it was in Rhapsody and here's the sappy anecdote that make the song special: when I was about 8 my father was playing organ at a small dealer demo/recital and he played Sir Duke because it was my sister's favorite. I wonder if he's still got the chops for that one?

SAILING!!! At last I made it out onto the water today, for 5 glorious hours. While the land lubbers sweated it on shore (it went well over 90 today) I was out on the Sound where there was a brisk 12 knot wind and the temperature never went much above 80. Good wholesome fun.

Song of the Day: Too Shy by Kajagoogoo. Hey, I don't pick them, they just come to me. This is a superb example of a new wave pop tune from the 80's. Rhapsody actually says it all "With their big, spiky hair, pin-up looks and liberal use of make-up, Kajagoogoo epitomized the '80s more than any other band, short of Duran Duran".

Looking forward to more sailing tomorrow. Must sleep now.

Three weeks in! That must mean that there's only... one week left. :-( Ahh well, under normal circumstances having a week off would be wonderful news. Also, the sailing lessons start tomorrow so that will be a great way to wrap up the sabbatical.

Song of the Day: Theme from Franklin. "Hey it's Franklin, coming over to play". Thoughtful lyrics, funky tune, what else could you want from the theme-song of a children's TV show? Maybe you think I'm watching too much Noggin channel (It's like preschool on TV). Maybe you think I'm promoting a liberal agenda since Franklin's friend, Bear, went to another friend's house and that other friend had two moms. But I'd say I'm just promoting good music.

We went to Papa Rocco's today (that's my father-in-law). The trip was postponed from earlier this week due to a nose bleed. It was very nice and I got a free sundae at Friendly's for finishing my "Colossal Burger". On the way back we stopped at Captain Cove Seaport in Bridgeport. I just wanted to see the sailboats they had for rent, but it turns out there is a whole little boardwalk and restaurants and such. Very nice distraction on a summer day.

Well it's happened... I missed a day! It's not a biggy, just ruined the perfect record. What was I doing yesterday that kept me so occupied? Beats me. Actually, Mary and I went to a matinee. We saw -

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith - I have to give this a WooHoo on the Simpson's scale, mostly because of the lowered expectations from the last two Star Wars movies and the outstaningness of the original three (yes, I liked Return of the Jedi). There are a few problem with the overall story and how it relates back to the first three movies, but if I provide too many details on this matter it could convict me as a geek in the court of public opinion.

Song of the Day: Why Can't I Be You? by The Cure - one of my favorites from the 80's, they're also one of the few New Wave bands that has stuck around and continues to make respectable records. You do have to wonder why Robert Smith has stuck to the same hair, makeup, and clothes - it's not really appropriate on a 50 year old - but perhaps we should also admire his perseverance.

Today we went to Norwalk to get Walker a passport for August's trip to Ireland. There was a very helpful man there who explained that we should go back to Stamford because we were in the wrong place.

Thing took a turn for the exciting when one of my crowns fell out (take care of your teeth kids). My dentist was around and cemented the thing back in. No harm, no foul.

Song of the Day: Jungle Love by Morris Day and The Time. This song takes me back a ways. Catchy, with a little funk and a little pop. I always wanted Morris to win the competition in Purple Rain.

We made about 7 trips to the dump yesterday. Mary is VERY happy - seriously. We've had some stuff laying around the yard for a long time so it was nice to clean up.

Going to see Papa LaRocco now (my father-in-law) so I've got to run.

The new ring

Song of the Day: Queen Of Hearts by Juice Newton - not exactly the kind of album I'd go out and purchase, I do have to compliment the poetic beauty of the line "The joker is the only fool; he'll do anything for you".

Up at 6:30 this morning. Father's day must be over. :-( In fact, Mary has classes today, so it's just me and Walker. I"m not sure what we'll do but the weather is fantabulous so it ought to be outside.

Mary and Walker brought me breakfast in bed at 9AM. Scrambled eggs with cheese, butter toast, and three strawberries... what a treat!

We went to Home Depot almost immediately after that to return the rotary tiller. What a pain in the arse that thing was. The carburetor kept flooding, the throttle didn't work, the clutch would get stuck open, and it stalled out every 5 minutes. So it wasn't fun and I didn't tear up the whole yard; just a few wide swaths.

When we got home we had a nice family nap - a true luxury - then read some Mother Goose to wake up. Now, Mary's in the yard again and I'm writing my blog. Looks like Indian for dinner.

One other thing, we rented The Aviator last night. It scores a meh on my Simpsons scale of goodness (where D'oh would be very bad; meh is averarge or indifferent; and Woohoo is, of course, stupendous). It was engaging enough to watch but if that was one of the five best movies last year then we are in trouble.

Song of the Day: Super Bon Bon by Soul Coughing - it doesn't get much better.

Apparently I slept a little too late this morning because Mary came and woke me up. I was a little grumpy, but what do you expect? Sure, I'd been asleep for 11 hours, but really; it's my sabbatical!

Song of the Day: La Grange by ZZ Top - mostly you know ZZ Top from their beards, the souped up Model T, and cheesy 80's videos, but if you go back to the 70's ZZ was real boogie woogie blues band from Texas and they put out a few really cool songs. La Grange is the one most everyone has heard, with the John Lee Hooker Boogie Chillin' rhythm, it's hard to not start bouncing in your seat. "Jesus Just Left Chicago" and "Waitin' for the Bus" are a couple of other classics from those early days.

Looks like we'll be working in the garden today. The plan is to rent a tiller and plant a shade garden out front. If the tiller is a lot of fun I might just rip up the whole front yard (still trying to grow grass).

Up at seven. Walker actually slept that late and was very happy when he got up. That made for a very nice morning.

Today, we all went to Maplewood, NJ to see my cousin graduate from elementary school. They sang three songs, recited poems, talked about what they wanted to do for a living, and some other things. It was really very nice. We stayed out there and had dinner with the family. Great day.

Song of the Day: our first repeat. I hate to admit it, but that damn Let it Whip song was still stuck in my head this morning. My uncle suggested I listen to Gang of Four though, so I'll give that a try tomorrow and perhaps we can get something original into the rotation.

If you're following the sailing saga, you'll be happy to know that my lessons have been rescheduled for the next two weekends. It's not ideal since it won't leave anytime to do some sailing with the family once the lessons are done, but at least I'll get them done during my sabbatical.

Up before nine. Walker has been a "handful" the last two mornings though, so I was up at six for about half an hour. I went into the city this afternoon. We had Mary's engagement diamond re-set and I picked it up. I proposed again this evening. Thank god she said yes. Look for a picture of the new ring later - it's quite shiny.

Yesterday's big accomplishment was a trip to the dump. To get the sticker that's require to drop off your trash, you have to find this little shack at a major industrial complex, but you actually take the recyclying and stuff to a different facility that is nicely marked and doesn't smell quite as bad. Maybe they make it difficult just to deter people.

Song of the Day: Let It Whip by the Dazz Band. No comment, but look at this picture -



Two things come immediately to mind. 1) Who invited the white guy? 2) Is that guy on the right the boyfriend from "Coming to America"?

Up too early after going to bed too late. Walker didn't sleep well last night either so he was CRANKY this morning. Weather has cooled off nicely though, so it's a refreshing morning regardless of the trivial little things.

I made it to the DMV already this AM to drop of the license plates for our old car. It was actually painless - much harder to get plates than to return them.

Song of the Day: There isn't one. I was too tired this morning and there was nothing in my head, so I'll throw in an old classic from the brain file. Don't Let's Start by They Might Be Giants - what can I say? I've got a soft spot for these goofballs and this was the first song I ever heard from them... way back in 1987. Which, for those of you bad at math, was 18 years ago.

Walker and I did make it to the beach yesterday afternoon. It sure is nice to have the Sound so close by. Waves would be nice, but it's perfect for Walker. What was amazing was that it was such a scorcher and the water was freeeezing.

Time is zipping by. Slept in late this morning - almost to 10 AM. Walker had a very hard time sleeping last night because of his little flu. But he was up at 5:30 this morning and has more energy today than Mary and I put together. Kids are amazing!

Song of the Day: Night of the Living Dead by G. Love - sorry for the repeat on the artist, but my brain does what it wants. Despite the name, this is a really mellow song with a very catchy chorus.

Yesterday was a do nothing day. With Walker feeling sick and Mary at school the big news was moving a little kousa dogwood and going to the post office. We also went to the video store and Walker picked the exact same Dora video we had just returned. It seems that the Pirate Adventure is a big hit. That's ok, because if I have to listen to Dora's Party episode one more time, "Mambo, Mambo, Mambo" is going to be the next song of the day.

I'm not sure if I picked the perfect time to be out or the worst. The Remedy migration project at work launched over the weekend (after a year of work) and it seems to be having just a little more than the normal hiccups - or maybe they are the normal hiccups. Anyway, there are some really awesome people working on the issues so I'm not too worried. It's just a little hard to be watching from the sidelines.

Yuki, Walker, and Mary

Up at 5 AM. Walker's got a little fever and wasn't very comfortable in bed so we were up early. He seems pretty happy now so hopefully it will pass pretty quickly.

Song of the Day: Nuthin but a 'G' Thang by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg - The classic of west coast / gangster rap; the tune that started it all; the "bomb". Dr. Dre is the definitive rap producer and Snoop is the smoothest rapper and the combination made millions.

No update yesterday because we were travelling. It was a very good trip, and quite nice to be in the mountains. Our friend, Yukiko, is a most gracious hostess. Some pictures follow.

Bad news when we got home though. There was a message from the sailing school that they couldn't find an instructor for my class. Now I'm a little confused. How can you have a school without teachers? It reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where he's trying to rent a car and had a reservation but they tell him no cars are left. So Jerry proceed to explains that they understood how to 'take' the reservation, but they didn't seem to understand how to 'hold' the reservation, and that was really the key point. Anyway, I'm looking to change the schedule today or find another school at this late date. There are a number up here on the CT coast so I'm optimistic.

A week in and it's clear that I'll need more time. I have 20 days of vacation in the bank, so someone please tell Ben that I'll be back in August.

Up at 6:10 AM this morning - ouch. Try to nap while Walker watched a little Dora, but he came over and bit me - ouch.

Song of the Day: Candy by Cameo - I can't really recommend this song. It was just bouncing around in my noggin when I woke up this morning. Whatever you say about these guys, they certainly new how to write a hook. With the trademark "Owwww" and the red codpiece, Cameo will always be a piece of the 80's.

What did I do yesterday? I can't remember. That's probably a bad sign. We're going up to the Catskills today though, that's for sure. We'll be visiting our friend Yukiko. She's in from Japan for a month or two. We're bringing her a small tree from the garden. We planted 10 saplings last year and 7 survived. We're given Yuki one of the Flowering Crabs. She's got about 8 acres, so there's plenty of room for a new tree.

Woke up at 9 AM. I'm worried that my body is going to become used to the luxury of sleeping in.
Song of the Day: Funky President by James Brown. This song has a super catchy bass line and the classic funk wah wah guitar. The song has been sampled by The Beastie Boys, De La Soul, Public Enemy, and Big Daddy Kane. Click the song name to see the list.

Yesterday was mellow. Mary and I worked on the yard - spread some mulch, mowed, put in edging, trimmed the hedges. Later on Walker and I made some art by putting leaves on the back of the house (a little water is all it took to make them stick). In the evening we had bbq baby-back ribs outside on the back patio... delicious, but I've still got heartburn.

Nature Art

Time flies! Up at 6:40 AM - it's not so bad when you've got plenty of rest in store.

Song of the Day: Parasite by G. Love - simply brilliant. G. Love and Special Sauce are one of my favorites and this song is just catchy and funky and fun. Check out "The Electric Mile" album if you want an intro to their work.

I accomplished nothing yesterday. I did nothing yesterday. Again, simply brilliant.

First "Official" haircut (torture)

Up at 9:30 AM again. Mary and I switched days because she's going out on the town tonight. From the dream file: Jay Leno singing Elvis tunes (explain that one).

Song of the Day: Come on Let's Go performed by Los Lobos. This is the Ritchie Valens song that Lou Diamond Phillips sings over and over in the movie La Bamba, in his first recording session with Joe Pantaliano (greatest character actor of our times). Not my favorite song, but I heard it the other day and it stuck - so that's what was playing in my head this AM. Los Lobos has to be the biggest hit or miss band. Some of their songs merit five stars, like "Peace" and "Saint Behind the Glass" and others are just dogs. They've got the talent, maybe there's one member of the band with bad taste and the humor the guy.

I took Walker for a haircut yesterday, his first official one. He screamed the whole time even though they were playing Dora the Explore, which is his favorite. He cheered up at the end when they gave him a lolli-pop and a baloon.

I also went to Super Stop and Shop and Costco yesterday. Definitely a bonus of living the the 'burbs... gigantic grocery stores. I was even able to stock up on fireworks at Stop & Shop. Another bonus was that Mary came home with couple of friend while I was unloading the car - so they all think I'm a super sweet guy for grocery shopping (here I thought it was de rigor in this millenium).

Up at 9:30 Am. Interesting phenomenon - when you sleep as long as your body wants, you're more likely to remember your last dream. That's because there isn't an alarm clock interuppting you sleep cycle and you actually wake up right after your last dream. So, while I'm not going to divulge any deep dark secrets, it should suffice to say that both Elvis and Darth Vader were in the same dream this morning.

Song of the Day: These Freaks Are Here To Party by Infectious Grooves. Great hardcore funk from a bunch of LA guys, some of whom were originally in Suicidal Tendencies. Also, the bass player is now with Metallica (check out their rocumentary "Metallica - Some Kind of Monster" - extremely entertaining and you don't actually have to listen to much Metallica music).

The Webby Awards were presented last night: http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/current.php
Check out the best personal site: RTM86.com. This guy has a great future in graphic design. He's 17 and has come up with a wonderfully original presentation. I guess the "beginner's mind" can really deliver.

What's that you say? The European Cup was weeks ago and Liverpool won. Well maybe in the "real" world, but in my world - that is, on my computer playing FIFA 2005 - I was able to lead the Celtic club of Glasgos to domination in the Scottish Premier league, win the Scottish cup, and beat Bayern Munich in the ECC final. "You're a dork, Dove!" you say. Well, maybe, but at least I'm a winning dork.

So what else did I do today? Let's see, Walker and I went and got the car washed, I took a nice nap, then Walker and I played in the back yard, and we had sushi for dinner. Mary was in class today. Tomorrow I've got big plans for a trip to the New Haven Ikea. Let's hope the weather improves.

Up at 6 AM (ugh!). Luckily, Mary lent a hand and Walker played with his toys for little while so I didn't actually have to get up until 6:30.

Song of the Day: Look-Ka Py Py by The Meters. There's this vocal intro where they sing "Bow-chi-bow-bow"- very catchy. I couldn't remember exactly which song it was though. Thought it might be Hey Pocky A-Way or Fire On The Bayou, both excellent songs in their own right, but lacking the catchy intro. Interesting note here, the intro to "Hey Pocky A-Way" is used as the hook in one of the sections of the Beastie Boys' "B-Boy Bouillabaisse" off of Paul's Boutique... "He thrusts his fists against the post. He still insists he sees a ghost".

What's a sabbatical without some reading, right? I usually work on two books at a time, one for the commute and one on the bedstand, but lately things have a gotten a little out of hand and there are at least four. But I already managed to finish off two:

Pattern Recognition by William Gibson - Got very good reviews but, to me, it wasn't that strong. Very readable, but there wasn't much of a payoff. The only thing I'll remember in a month is that Buzz Rickson's makes the best vintage flight jackets.

What They Don't Teach You At Harvard Business School : Notes From A Street-Smart Executive by Mark H. McCormack - This isn't the type of book I'd normally read, but something about it was very captivating. This guy founded the top sports management company, and started it before there even was such a thing. The thing that sucked me in was his complete confidence that his way is the only way. It's also full of anecdotes that illustrate a personality you'd normally only encounter in a movie (from the 50's). You also have to have a soft spot for someone who made it big without the Ivy League M.B.A., right? Here's the first seven words of the preface: "When I was at Yale Law School..." How can you resist such accidental irony?

The two books on the nightstand now are both more spiritual. I'll let you know hwo they are when I'm finished.

Yesterday afternoon we went into the city to rendezvous with my sister and her family. We had pizza at Patsie's and then went to the playground by the seminary on 22nd Street.

Today it was wonderfully warm, in fact it feels like summer, so we went down to the beach at Cove Island (that's here in Stamford). But only after we went to the city government building to get a parking pass - $20 for the whole season and you can buy them on the first three weekends of the summer.

Pizza at Patsie's.

Walking down 23rd

This is our bucket!

I'm a little wet.

Dump the bucket.

Up at 9 AM. Sunday is my day to sleep in. We'll have to make new rules for who gets to sleep in during the week.

I've got bad news about the song of the day; seems I woke up with the same song in my head as yesterday. Part of the obsessive thing - redundancy is a real danger. Anyway, I dug deep and found the next song bouncing around in my head. The result isn't quite as innocent as yesterday's.

I Wanna Be Your Dog by The Stooges (with Iggy Pop). These guys really capture that whole "New York in the 70's /too many drugs /hedonistic lifestyle" vibe. It's great! Of course there's the commercial "Lust for Life" and "Real Wild Child", but Iggy is also responsible for darker classics like "Sister Midnight" and "I Wanna Be Your Dog". Best not to explore the meaning too deeply, just picture yourself hanging down in the Bowery circa 1973 and enjoy the vibe.

Not even a day in and I've already accomplished something. The door to the pantry and basement fell off its hinge Thursday. Adams suggested longer screws. So Walker and I went to the hardware store and got some new screws (below). The old hole were kind of a mess though and didn't even hold the new screws very well, so I used an old trick where you break off a bunch of good quality toothpicks in the holes, then put your screws in. The end result (below right) isn't pretty, but it works.



Old Screw& New Screw Old Hinge Spot All Better Now

Good morning! It's the first full day of my sabbatical and I was up at 6:50 AM, thanks to a little fellow named Walker. Saturday is Mary's day to sleep in, so Walker and I brushed our teeth, ate some breakfast, and watched a little Dora the Explorer (Daisy is having a party).

Song of the Day: J'Ai Vu Le Loup, Le Renard Et La Belette by Balfa Brothers

So what the meaning behind the song of the day? I'm not sure. All I know is that most days I wake up with a song in my head. It's probably a mild case of OCD or ADD, but this morning it was "J'ai Vu Le Loup, Le Renard, Et La Belette" that was running through my head. Translation is "I saw the wolf, the fox, and the Weasel". Good song though - they aren't always - nice Cajun tune by a real classic Cajun band. So check it out if you are inclined. Which brings us to our second music topic of the day.

Rhapsody - Rhapsody is a music service, are there are quite a few out there, but this one has completely sucked me in. Basically it is a music library with over 1,000,000 songs available anytime. The normal service costs $8.83/month, but what that gets you is the ability to play any song any time. Now, they don't have everything in their library, Tool and Minor Threat are notable exceptions, but for less than half the price of a CD I can listen to the Balfa Brothers, Iggy Pop, G-Love, U2, The Clancy Brothers, and Chris Rock anytime. It's been a real boon for discovering new stuff and rediscovering old classics (when was the last time you listened to The Alarm?). FREE - 14 day trial!! That's right, you can sign up for 14 free days of unlimited toons so at least check it out and have fun with a two trip through a musical playground.

Third music topic of the day: http://www.crawfishfest.com/ . If you live in or around New York City, there is a big Louisiana music and food fair out in Sussex County, NJ this weekend. The highlight today is The Meters. Tomorrow Buckwheat Zydeco is playing. Thanks to Adam Schatz for hipping me to that party.

Cursory examination shows us that Sabbatical shares a common root with Sabbath. Further research exposes that the common root is the Hebrew sabbat, which means to cease or rest. Christians know that the Sabbath is the first day, on which you must rest. If you're Jewish, the Sabbath is the seventh day, but you still have to rest.

Did you know that the concept of the Sabbatical comes from the Torah/Bible as well? The Good Book commands that the fields were to be left uncultivated during the seventh year, and the seventh year is still celebrated as the Jubilee. Sooo, DoubleClick is off by a couple of years, but it balances out because we only get a month off, not the whole year like those lucky fallow fields.

So why my sudden interest in the etymology and history of the Sabbatical? Well, it's just important that Mary, and everyone else, understands that this is a truly religious undertaking and it isn't to be cheapened with lots of profane errands and trivial chores. Now, back to http://www.createfarts.com/ (which isn't nearly as classy as the original createafart.com, but they're no longer around)

Well, I made it home, had a beer, ate a little pizza, and put Walker to bed. What the heck am I going to do for the next 30 days?? Probably a lot of Fark'ing, but what else? Well here's a tentative list:

1. Grow a beard
2. Shave it down to a goatee
3. Shave it off entirely
4. Get a new tattoo
5. Learn to sail
6. Get new glasses
7. Grow some grass in the front yard. (Not that kind)
8. Take Walker to Central Park
9. Spend a couple of days at KTD
10. Visit the ancestral homeland in Burgess, VA - which is so small there's not really anything to link to, so here's the google map: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=burgess,+va&ll=37.836914,-76.566467&spn=0.578156,0.781403&t=k&hl=en
11. Find out who's really buried in Grant's Tomb
12. Take the family to the Bronx Zoo and Rye Playland (WARNING: bad loud midi music on the Playland website)
13. Cure cancer (time permitting)
14. Take one really nice picture
15. Take one really long nap (per day)
16. Try this new drink called "Beer"
17. Perfect my Weber grilling technique
18. Beat Arnold's high score in Rocket Mania
19. Think of some more things to do

While many continue to suffer from the long hangover of the .com boom, some of us still occasionally reap benefits. That's the case for those of us who have survived five years at DoubleClick. We get a four week sabbatical! Mine starts June 3 at 3pm and runs (thanks to the July 4th holiday) until July 6th.

So what happens when a 34 year old, married, suburban, father of one gets a month off from work? Well, it might not exactly be the makings of a hit sitcom but please visit daily to participate in this quintessential navel-gazing exercise.