The lunar eclipse

It was pretty cloudy last night, but my camera did manage to eke out a couple of nice pictures, not just showing the moon, but also Saturn (at the bottom) and Regulus (at the top) also making an appearance! Fantastic!

More memories of Max

I received a great email from Dave Henning, another friend of my cousin Max, who found my blog entry about Max's death. He's allowed me to share his comments here with you (I've slightly edited them from a couple of his emails to put a more complete picture on them):

Max and I had known each other since 2nd grade. He lived two doors around the corner from me. His parents moved and he then went to Webster Stanley before going to Lourdes. Once there, we quickly rekindled our friendship and kept in touch for many years. After my wedding, we drifted apart again and I'd not heard from him for going on 5 years.

Max had never been able to settle into what most folks would call a 'normal' life. He was always trying something new or different, trying to find himself and his path in life. He was one of the funniest, most creative dreamers of dreams I've ever met. Even with the distance of many years and miles, I will sadly miss him. I'm also sad that I will now have to wait until the afterlife to rekindle that friendship again.

I have lots of favorite memories of Max but a couple particularly stand out. One time, he was in trouble with Sister Miriam (the Vice Principal, aka Sr. Stoneface). She was going to call his parents and asked him his phone number. He replied 911-xxxx which she started to dial before she realized what it was. The Police called right back and she had a bit of explaining to do. Also, there were the many days he got to wear camouflage pants to school because the dress code only restricted 'denim jeans' and camouflage wasn't denim! Playing football, video games until the early dawn hours, and just being able to hang out and talk with someone who understands you.

I've also got a really great picture of him in Cub Scout uniform with his eyes closed. It was always one of my favorites (he generally hated it of course).

I like to think that in Heaven, we see others how we remember them at their best. I think that much more innocent time will be the way I remember him.

May he rest in peace,
Dave Henning

Dave, thanks for your wonderful words and thoughts! Here is the picture that Dave shared with me, which I believe was taken at our grandparents' house in Oshkosh oh those many years ago.

Ads, ads, ads...

Wanted movie! NICE! JOLIE!

G2....yawn...

GoDaddy.com...well, okay....

Dell ad...um...geek dream...kinda...weird geek dream...

Damn Pats...scoring a TD...owel...

Pigeons with night vision...hahaha...FedEx...hehe

Cars.com...er...

Talking stain...Tide...um...no.

Budweiser horse doesn't make the cut...Rocky...um...okay

Ironman....yes!

Toyota, wolverines...yes!

Leatherheads..looks okay!

Mini with no driver? Napolean? Huh? I like my Garmin, but...WHAT THE HELL?!

Careerbuilder? Heart? Ick...

Thriller lizards...who knew you'd get another Jackson appearance in a super bowl? Then again, it WAS MJ in the flesh...

Drug dealer PSA...yawn...

Sisyphus....or however you spell his name..owel...FOR A HYBRID CAR?!

Bud Light Mencia...BOOD LIGHT! heh heh...

American Idol? Yawn. If they ever do Floyd covers, I will personally slaughter the producers...

Prince Caspian movie...okay then...

Unibrow...umm....ick...A Planters commercial?!@

Fave 5, T-mobile...give it UP!

United Way FIT commercial...sheesh...careful, or you tack on $5 to your cell bill!

Justin Timberlake for pepsi...not bad.

Doritos...mousetrap...and...a guy comes out of the wall...er...okay...

HALFTIME! 7-3 PATS...KEEP IT UP, GIANTS!

Daytona ad...blah. Don't like racing...

Pioneer ad...okay.

A Miami ad? I's in SPANISH?! Leon Medical Centers? HUH?

Acura TL...okay, it's a modern car...I get it.

Comcast HD...yeesh...I hate those commercials.. Annoying. That's why I have Dish.

Loser son being taught to drive for the first time. Has he NEVER BEEN IN A CAR BEFORE?!?

NFL Network ad...riiiiiiight...

AMERICAN IDOL NEEDS TO DIE!

New Amsterdam...well, okay...

TOM PETTY TIME!

Tom rocked. back to commercials.

Lincoln car ad. Yawn.

Florida ad for the Miccosukees...nice! Keep it up!

A Ford F150 ad. Yawn. How much did you all waste on these commercials, oh local advertisers?

Anti-smoking ad. Yawn.

ANOTHER LINCOLN CAR AD?!?!

Zantac ad...please...keep our drug prices high because of all these ads...

Semi-Pro! Can't wait!

Claritin ad...jeez, HOW MANY ADS DOES THIS GUY WEAR ON HIS CHEST?!

Cars.com ad again...witch doctor...heh heh...I need to find out if he's in my health plan...

Salesgenie.com should learn that...um...they need a better commercial.

Horse race...SHAQ!!!!...GO SHAQ!!! KID PICKING NOSE! I need that water...

WHEEL FOR BUDLIGHT! WHEEL SUCK! HEHE!

Carmen Electra...yum...WHOA! (*OUCH*)

Damn, they didn't hit Richard Simmons...

What's a singing cricket...oh, good...a spider came along and a him...

Sarah Connor...have to start watching that show...

A FOOTBALL COMMENT: PATS, YOU SUCK! Using a challenge to call a penalty...you all are WIMPS! WUSSES! YOU SUCKKKKKKK!!!!!

Genesis car...I don't see any relation to Star Trek II here...

PIXAR! WALL-E! BUZZ! WOODY! HEHEHEHEHEHE!!!!! Can't wait for the movie!!!!

Jumper commerical...looks interesting...got Samuel "The Man" L. Jackson...

Talking baby? Etrade? Ugh. Ick.

BUD LIGHT AD! FLYING! Ooops, guess it wasn't FAA approved yet...

Chester the Oboe player. Cool. Fun commercial. :)

Lexus ad...sheesh. Enough. Enough enough enough. I want a car to blow up in the next spot I see.

The same weird Leon Medical Center ad. SAVE THE MONEY AND MAKE OUR HEALTHCARE CHEAP!

Okay, a Nissan commercial...nothing is blowing up...I don't like this!!! GRRRR!!!

4th quarter...7-3 still! WOOHOO! KEEP IT UP, GIANTS!

Hair ad, Marylin Monroe? Huh? Sunsilk? Errr....okay....

NYC, Macy's parade...NO! NOT FAMILY GUY! GO UNDERDOG! YAY, CHARLIE BROWN!!!!!

TOUCHDOWN GIANTS! IN YOUR FACE, PATS!!!! 10-7 GIANTS!

Coke commercial, politics...ugh. No wonder I'm preferring Diet Pepsi these days.

Big wheels! Races! Cool! I wanna race!

Adam Sandler! Hairdresser! Spy! Zohan! hehe

Terminator...again...I GET IT...the show is ON THE AIR...

THE BABY IS BACK! KILL IT! IT'S NOT CUTE!!!! KILL THE CLOWN!

Fiesta platters...taco bell...food is to be enjoyed?! HUH?

Loud drinking dog........er....gatorade..um....

HOUSE COMMERCIAL! CANCEL THE SHOW ALREADY!

Bud Light...Jackie Moon! hehe

CAR COMMERCIAL! BLOW UP THE GENESIS!

Moment of truth...ugh. Who cares?

DAMMIT! I HATE YOU, PATRIOTS!!!

Mmm...Victoria's Secret ad...um...what am I watching again?

Jumper cables on nipples...er....no....I will NEVER drink Amp...

Steelers...Pina Colada song...I HATE AI!!!

(C'mon, Giants...less than 2 minutes...you can do it!)

Wow...catch of the game! On his helmet! GO GIANTS!

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:35 seconds left, Giants, you give me all the happiness in the world right now!!!

Do you smell "end to the perfect season"? I know I do...

Brady NAILED to the ground...hehehehehehehehe

GIANTS WIN!!!!!!! Amid chaos...heh heh...but owel...

YAY! PERFECT SEASON IS NADA! CAN'T END THE DOLPHINS LEGACY, PATRIOTS!

Ads continued...

Screaming animals...cute...

Doritos band contest whatever...huh?!

Super Bowl LCDIVMIXXIDDCCI Ads

Apparently you can go here to watch the ads.

Super Bowl XVILLIXDCIIXII!!!!

First off, GO GIANTS!

You beat my Packers...at Lambeau...in frozen weather. Great job.

Pats...you suck. Sorry. You took the unbeaten regular season from my Dolphins. If you can't win the Super Bowl...the whole season means NOTHING. NOTHING!!!!

GO GIANTS!

Second off, best commercial so far...the Pepsi Max "What Is Love" commercial. Second best, Bud Light "Breathing Fire".

3-0 Giants! KEEP IT UP, GUYS!

The best $20 ever spent...

I hate making my money this way...but you gotta do what you gotta do.