A dog takes its loyalty to the grave

A dog, “Leao”, sits for a second consecutive day, next to the grave of her owner, Cristina Maria Cesario Santana, who died in the week’s catastrophic landslides in Brazil, at the cemetery in Teresopolis, near Rio de Janiero, on Jan. 15. Brazilians braced for more rain Saturday, fearing further landslides after walls of muddy water tore through towns and claimed some 550 lives in the country’s worst flood disaster on record.

MSNBC

Posted in Touching | 1 Comment

Bag of Randomness

  • My plane landed in LaGuardia a little past 1:00 AM Friday and as I stepped off the plane the thought went through my mind about how special it is to have someone waiting for you at the airport.  I texted SisterGeeding to let her know I was on my way and we spent a good 15 minutes looking for each other trying to match up different point of references – only to find out she was at JFK.
  • I ended up taking a cab to her apartment in Brooklyn.  I was last in NYC about four years ago and didn’t notice anything special about the cabs, but now they have an interactive television screen that tells you the news, weather, business, and a GPS locater.  Pic Pic and Pic
  • There’s nothing like being a hick from Texas wondering the streets of Brooklyn late at night trying to find a particular building – in the freezing cold.
  • On my flight to NYC I was lucky enough to have a window seat (and no one sitting next to me) and really enjoyed the the view flying into a night-lit city, first seeing the Statue of Liberty, the magnificent skyline, the Unisphere, and then CitiField.  The flight started with a young couple with two toddlers who would not stop singing.  As a new parent myself I tried to be understanding of the situation, but it was hard for me to understand why the parents would allow singing on a flight leaving at 9:00 PM from DFW.  Speaking of DFW, the last time I flew out in October I didn’t see these large TV screens that are now prevalent there.
  • I never really understood why airports have tiles instead of a smooth surface – those tiles just make all rolling luggage noisy.
  • SisterGeeding was nice enough to call ahead to her apartment management to grant me a key as I arrive to her place before she, but her dog didn’t recognize and went into protective mode.  Speaking of her apartment, which has a great view of the Manhattan skyline, the lobby has a large television with all the apartment numbers listed.  If you have a package or they need something from you, then an icon displays by the apartment number.  I just though folks as ignorant about the NYC lifestyle would find that as interesting as I did, it just seems like a smart, efficient way to do things.
  • I should note that SisterGeeding felt pretty darn bad about not being at the airport to pick me up.  As an older brother, it is my duty and my right to hold that against her for the rest of her life at every available opportunity.
  • While watching TV waiting for my sister to arrive two commercials caught my attention.  A Troy Aikman Rent-A-Center ad aired, that surprised me because I thought it was something that was just broadcast locally.  There was also a Febreeze commercial in which the person in focus is wearing a Cowboys jersey – I thought those commercials were tailored for the local markets so I expected to see her wearing a Giants or Jets jersey.
  • I was really happy to be able to support SisterGeeding by attending her graduation ceremony at the French Culinary Institute.  Not only was it great seeing her win the top show piece award, and being one of two to graduate with honors, but she graduated top of her class.  Was her brother surprised?  Not. At. All.  I always knew she was capable of such thing, and I was enormously proud of how she applied herself.  Her instructors spoke exceptionally well of her, saying that she may not be a vocal lead, but her leadership skills were in full display in how she helped her peers and helped the instructors answer questions.  Here’s the impromptu speech he gave for finishing top in her class:
  • From here on out SisterGeeding is now ChefSisterGeeding.
  • One of the instructors during the graduation said something a bit hokey but was very applicable, “We don’t give you the recipe for success, but we give you the ingredients.”
  • Another said, “People either want to be a pastry chef or marry one.”
  • The show piece topic was the Renaissance, so my sister did a Leonardo da Vinci piece out of chocolate and white chocolate I think.
  • Her head is so small that they could not find a chef hat to fit on top of her head.  She had to compensate wearing glasses and wearing a pony-tail.
  • I was craving bagels, and since I was in a bagel mecca I was highly anticipating a damn fine bagel, but I was left disappointed.  Not only did they not offer to slice or toast my bagel, but the only cream cheese they offered was the regular old Kraft I pick up locally – I was shocked they didn’t make their own.  I’ll take Einstein Bagels anyday.
  • Outside of the bagel store was a homeless man I saw with the most swollen and infected feet I’ve ever seen, and he was stuffing newspapers in his shoes for socks.  Usually I don’t just give money to people in the streets, I much rather buy them a meal, but in this case I made an exception.  I walked up to him and tried to hand him some money only to have him give it right back to me telling me “No, it’s OK, I’m fine.  Give it to me next time.”
  • On my way to LaGuardia I passed a snow covered Maserati.  Seeing such a expensive sports car covered in snow was just mind boggling to me.  Speaking of cars, it cracks me up how the folks in NYC stack their cars.
  • DFW Airport is missing out on some serious advertising revenue.  The security bins you place your belongings in as you walk through security at LaGuardia all had advertisements in them.
  • The restaurants in NYC are required to place their health inspection grades outside.  I like that idea.
  • ChefSisterGeeding’s celebratory dinner was at a Japanese BBQ pace called Gyu-Kaku.  The concept is pretty cool, each table has a gas grill in the middle of them, you order your meat (some are already marinated) and you grill your own.  I’d say about every five minutes the wait staff would come by and change the grill top to avoid any previous char.
  • The new Miss America is only 17-years-old yet Miss Teen America can be ages 14-19, something about those pageants don’t make sense.  Actually, pageants just don’t make sense, especially when 5-year-olds are having their eye-brows waxed.
  • I made a comment not so long ago about how NFL players aren’t wearing any knee or thigh pad, but they may be forced to next year.
  • The Patriots will not be winning a Super Bowl in Cowboys Stadium this year and this makes me happy.  I’m really happy that LT was able to finally beat that team, and it would be cool if he can play in a Super Bowl in his home state and right next to his university.
  • Remember that teacher that burned a cross onto a student?  It cost $900,000 to have him fired.
  • A Texas high school has a new red football field
  • 90 girls who attend Frayser High School are now pregnant or have already had a baby this school year
  • Your Chance to Try NASA’s Beef Pot Roast
  • Landmark study finds 43 chemicals — some banned — in pregnant women
  • Grace
  • My plane landed in LaGuardia a little past 1:00 AM Friday and as I stepped off the plane the thought went through my mind about how special it is to have someone waiting for you at the airport.  I texted SisterGeeding to let her know I was on my way and we spent a good 15 minutes looking for each other trying to match up different point of references – only to find out she was at JFK.
  • I ended up taking a cab to her apartment in Brooklyn.  I was last in NYC about four years ago and didn’t notice anything special about the cabs, but now they have an interactive television screen that tells you the news, weather, business, and a GPS locater.  Pic Pic and Pic
  • There’s nothing like being a hick from Texas wondering the streets of Brooklyn late at night trying to find a particular building – in the freezing cold.
  • On my flight to NYC I was lucky enough to have a window seat (and no one sitting next to me) and really enjoyed the the view flying into a night-lit city, first seeing the Statue of Liberty, the magnificent skyline, the Unisphere, and then CitiField.  The flight started with a young couple with two toddlers who would not stop singing.  As a new parent myself I tried to be understanding of the situation, but it was hard for me to understand why the parents would allow singing on a flight leaving at 9:00 PM from DFW.  Speaking of DFW, the last time I flew out in October I didn’t see these large TV screens that are now prevalent there.
  • I never really understood why airports have tiles instead of a smooth surface – those tiles just make all rolling luggage noisy.
  • SisterGeeding was nice enough to call ahead to her apartment management to grant me a key as I arrive to her place before she, but her dog didn’t recognize and went into protective mode.  Speaking of her apartment, which has a great view of the Manhattan skyline, the lobby has a large television with all the apartment numbers listed.  If you have a package or they need something from you, then an icon displays by the apartment number.  I just though folks as ignorant about the NYC lifestyle would find that as interesting as I did, it just seems like a smart, efficient way to do things.
  • I should note that SisterGeeding felt pretty darn bad about not being at the airport to pick me up.  As an older brother, it is my duty and my right to hold that against her for the rest of her life at every available opportunity.
  • While watching TV waiting for my sister to arrive two commercials caught my attention.  A Troy Aikman Rent-A-Center ad aired, that surprised me because I thought it was something that was just broadcast locally.  There was also a Febreeze commercial in which the person in focus is wearing a Cowboys jersey – I thought those commercials were tailored for the local markets so I expected to see her wearing a Giants or Jets jersey.
  • I was really happy to be able to support SisterGeeding by attending her graduation ceremony at the French Culinary Institute.  Not only was it great seeing her win the top show piece award, and being one of two to graduate with honors, but she graduated top of her class.  Was her brother surprised?  Not. At. All.  I always knew she was capable of such thing, and I was enormously proud of how she applied herself.  Her instructors spoke exceptionally well of her, saying that she may not be a vocal lead, but her leadership skills were in full display in how she helped her peers and helped the instructors answer questions.
  • From here on out SisterGeeding is now ChefSisterGeeding.
  • One of the instructors during the graduation said something a bit hokey but was very applicable, “We don’t give you the recipe for success, but we give you the ingredients.”
  • Another said, “People either want to be a pastry chef or marry one.”
  • The show piece topic was the Renaissance, so my sister did a Leonardo da Vinci piece out of chocolate and white chocolate I think.
  • Her head is so small that they could not find a chef hat to fit on top of her head.  She had to compensate wearing glasses and wearing a pony-tail.
  • I was craving bagels, and since I was in a bagel mecca I was highly anticipating a damn fine bagel, but I was left disappointed.  Not only did they not offer to slice or toast my bagel, but the only cream cheese they offered was the regular old Kraft I pick up locally – I was shocked they didn’t make their own.  I’ll take Einstein Bagels anyday.
  • Outside of the bagel store was a homeless man I saw with the most swollen and infected feet I’ve ever seen, and he was stuffing newspapers in his shoes for socks.  Usually I don’t just give money to people in the streets, I much rather buy them a meal, but in this case I made an exception.  I walked up to him and tried to hand him some money only to have him give it right back to me telling me “No, it’s OK, I’m fine.  Give it to me next time.”
  • On my way to LaGuardia I passed a snow covered Maserati.  Seeing such a expensive sports car covered in snow was just mind boggling to me.  Speaking of cars, it cracks me up how the folks in NYC stack their cars.
  • DFW Airport is missing out on some serious advertising revenue.  The security bins you place your belongings in as you walk through security at LaGuardia all had advertisements in them.
  • The restaurants in NYC are required to place their health inspection grades outside.  I like that idea.
  • ChefSisterGeeding’s celebratory dinner was at a Japanese BBQ pace called Gyu-Kaku.  The concept is pretty cool, each table has a gas grill in the middle of them, you order your meat (some are already marinated) and you grill your own.  I’d say about every five minutes the wait staff would come by and change the grill top to avoid any previous char.
  • The new Miss America is only 17-years-old yet Miss Teen America can be ages 14-19, something about those pageants don’t make sense.  Actually, pageants just don’t make sense, especially when 5-year-olds are having their eye-brows waxed.
  • I made a comment not so long ago about how NFL players aren’t wearing any knee or thigh pad, but they may be forced to next year.
  • The Patriots will not be winning a Super Bowl in Cowboys Stadium this year and this makes me happy.  I’m really happy that LT was able to finally beat that team, and it would be cool if he can play in a Super Bowl in his home state and right next to his university.
  • Remember that teacher that burned a cross onto a student?  It cost $900,000 to have him fired.
  • A Texas high school has a new red football field
  • 90 girls who attend Frayser High School are now pregnant or have already had a baby this school year
  • Worst Credit Cards of 2010
  • Your Chance to Try NASA’s Beef Pot Roast
  • Landmark study finds 43 chemicals — some banned — in pregnant women
  • Grace
Posted in Personal | 3 Comments