We were supposed to watch the Smashing Pumpkins last Friday night at the Fox Theater in Oakland. Unfortunately, fate intervened. Having no desire to see any of the opening bands, and knowing the Smashing Pumpkins like to start late, we didn’t leave for the show until 8:30pm. The hour’s drive to Oakland should still give us plenty of time to see the concert. But who knew things were really happening in Oakland that night?!?!

The drive to Oakland wasn’t bad, the usual hour trip down a crazy 880. As we approached the Fox Theater on Telegraph though, things became a bit more complex. Crowds of people lined the sidewalks for several blocks down Telegraph. They were streaming out from somewhere but even when we made our way further down Telegraph, we couldn’t tell where the crowd originated from. It was a good mix of people too, both young and old. No protest signs, no apparel, just a crowd of people. We made our way around the area hoping to find parking and trying to avoid the crowds. But each parking lot we hit was full. And street parking was non-existent. We gave it a good hour of driving around before realizing we weren’t going to find safe parking.

This isn’t the first concert we’ve eaten the tickets on. Last year we didn’t make it to a Corrine Bailey Rae concert - on purpose. We were just too tired from working that day. And one time I missed Garbage because of a flat tire. I would have surely liked to have seen the Smashing Pumpkins this go around, as I heard they played mostly new tunes. Oh well, perhaps next time.

I’m fairly pleased with the iPhone 4S announcement the other day. It hit all the points I was looking for on a new iPhone. Granted, my points weren’t really that lofty. I hoped for, at the least:

• A screen as good as the iPhone 4 (e.g. retina display).
• The same or better camera.
• More powerful, processor-wise.
• More memory for less.

What was shown was:

• Yup, retina display. No change in screen size or resolution/
• A better 8MP camera with an aperture of 2.4 (good for low light).
• Dual-core A5 chip = faster!
• Now offering it in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB. It meets my more memory for fewer criteria.

I wasn’t expecting or waiting for an iPhone 5. It seems to fit with the pattern or releases (e.g. iPhone 3 to iPhone 3GS). And since I’m on a broken-down iPhone 3GS anything would be much better. Now, what size and color should I get?

Apple can announce anything today. Just as long as it’s a new iPhone. I so desperately need a new phone. 

I’ve got problems with mine right now:

• The headphone jack is broken.
• The physical volume buttons are broken.
• The side with the volume buttons is starting t split.
• The top power button, when pressed does nothing. This means I can’t power off my iPhone

I could have gone with an iPhone 4, but I held off for two reasons. The first was to uphold a pledge to skip every other version of the iPhone. We had the First Gen, skipped the iPhone 3G, and got the iPhone 3GS. The second reason I waited was when my iPhone truly started to become unusable as a music device, it happened during that weird window where you know you need a new iPhone, so why get one. Why not wait?

I do hope the new iPhone is better than the iPhone 4, which was something I lusted after for some time. What I hope for in a new iPhone is:

• A screen as good as the iPhone 4 (e.g. retina display).
• The same or better camera.
• More powerful, processor-wise.
• More memory for less.

All that I ask above is doable, very doable. We’ll see what happens later this morning. All I know is that by the end of the month, I should have a new phone.

Photo of Papa, Bixby, and Lucky. Bixby is on the left.

It’s tough when you lose a pet. A pet who’s been a loyal friend and good companion over the years. But, like us and everything on this planet, in this universe, time doesn’t stand still and lets us simply live forever. And so, sadly, we say goodbye to Bixby who succumbed to age this past Thursday morning. He was about 77 years old (11 in human years).

Bixby was a friendly, yet cautious dog. His cautious nature bordered on being shy. He would let his partner, Lucky, determine if any new person was worthy of attention. After the determination, Bixby would warm up and be playful as the next dog. Combine Bixby’s relaxed playfulness with Lucky’s hyperactive playful nature and you’ve got a tiring combination.

Bixby was a slower-moving dog, built more for comfort than speed. It didn’t help that he had an injured front paw making him a little less active. But he’d trot around with Lucky, playing with whoever would stop by.

But now, Lucky is alone again, as he was for a year before Bixby’s arrival. The photos in this post were taken with a film camera on Bixby’s first day in our lives. The photos are dated February 25, 2001.

You’ll be missed, Bixby.

Photo of Papa, Bixby, and Lucky. Bixby is on the left.

I wanted to start writing a regular post on Sunday, time permitting of course. I’m not sure what subject it may be. Perhaps it will be about something that happened during the week. Or it could be a summation of the week’s events in total. Or it may simply be another photo. Let us see what comes of this.

Mia turned nine months old this past week. She has been out of the womb longer than she was in it. A fantastic thing to realize this week. If you told me 18 months ago we’d have this babbling bundle of joy to deal with I would have simply replied, “Huh? You’re crazy.” Yes, we’re happily crazy.

Farrah was able to put Mia in short sleeves, sunglasses, and a hat, as the sun finally came out of its hiding place behind the clouds. Earlier that day Mia had some blood drawn—an unpleasant experience for all of us. I was the lucky one to hold her still while the needle was inserted. It’s a task I hope I do not have to do often. But going outside in the sun cheered up Mia immensely.

I had a birthday recently. As a whole, it was a pleasant experience. But there were individual elements, like being stuck on Highway 17 for over two hours, that were unpleasant. A tree was down across the highway, making the trip to Santa Cruz more arduous than normal.

Part of the presents I received was a very cool backpack and tickets to WonderCon. The last time I went to a comic book convention was over 15 years ago. I had never been to WonderCon, a large local comic book convention. This would be Farrah’s first comic book convention, making the experience even more memorable.

The Moscone Center, where the convention is held, was extremely crowded. There were many people in costume, though a majority of the attendees were in everyday clothes. We saw at least a dozen Stormtroopers, a couple of Wonder Women, a Superman, an Alien, a couple of Jokers, and several scantily clad women who were, I’m guessing, some Sucker Punch characters. (I need to watch that movie.)

We were able to attend a talk from one of my favorite comic book artists, Bill Sienkiewicz. I’m not an artist, and not being able to draw is worth a lick. But I enjoy listening to creative people talk about their passion. Sienkiewicz talked with no prepared topics, simply taking questions from the audience. It was interesting to hear about his past experiences which help shape his artistic point of view.

WonderCon was crowded. Moving around the first half of the show floor was like swimming through molasses. When we got to the middle of the showroom floor we had more opportunity to move and breathe more freely. Even with all of this, I think I’d like to go to WonderCon next year as well.

The above photos were taken on April 1, 2011.

• If you didn’t hear, Verizon is going to get the iPhone. Can you hear me now? Well, that would be a reason to switch from AT&T.
• Looks like Verizon is also getting a specific iPad as well.
• I know some museums don’t allow photography, but seriously, suing Thomas Hawk for $2M is a bit much.
• Sam Mendes is directing the next James Bond flick.
• Movie critics can be mean.
• Foot stickers seem like a good idea.

A few links to read:

• Star Wars will be available on blu ray this year! I'm placing my pre-order on this one even though I don't particularly like the newer movies.
• More Star Wars - cool posters.
• You can't walk straight blindfolded. There's science behind this, of course.
• I bet you aren't as into Twilight as this lady who has it tattooed on her back.
• Bjork does karaoke, BUT for a cause.
• If you have a Mac, you may want to see if there is a software update available.  Last week, Apple launched the Mac App Store.  I haven't bought anything from it yet, but it does look interesting.

There’s been speculation that Verizon will announce the availability of the iPhone on their network this coming Tuesday. It’s great news since Verizon (supposedly) has a better network. I’ve had plenty of dropped calls on my iPhone, and plenty of bad connections to the 3G network. I’d love to go to Verizon, but I don’t think I will right away.

Why?

• iPhone 5: Verizon will likely be offering the iPhone 4. While I'm lusting after a new iPhone - I'm using a slightly crippled iPhone 3GS - the iPhone 5 should be coming out in June or July. I can wait a few more months and decide then.
• The Network: I'm not sure I can give up the ability to talk on the phone and surf the web at the same time, something you can do on a 3G network but not the CDMA network which Verzion has. Is CDMA better than EDGE, which was the network the first iPhone used? If it's the same limitations, then I'm not sure I'd want to be on it.
• Convincing Others: If I move carriers, so does the rest of the family. I think everyone would be cool getting new phones. But I don't look forward to telling our parents, "Yeah, you need to get a new phone. Why? Well, because, that's why."
• Costing More: I hear that Verizon phone plans are slightly more expensive on average than AT&T's plans. I'm not sure this is true. But I'm not willing to pay more just yet.

Come June or July a decision will need to be made whether to stick with AT&T or not. I’m sure I won’t be the only one weighing whether to go to Verizon, that is of course if Verizon does announce the iPhone this coming Tuesday.

Mia had her first immunization shots yesterday. Oh, the pain! But she’s a trooper, a tough cookie, like her mom.

She was given three shots and a sweet liquid that was taken orally. Farrah readily volunteered to hold me, though she didn’t really know what to expect. As she tightly held Mia the nurse gave the first shot into Mia’s right leg. When the needle entered Mia’s thigh, and the plunger was pressed down, Mia let out the biggest cry I ever heard from her tiny mouth. The scream was heartfelt and piercing. The nurse then gave Mia a few drops of the sweet liquid in an effort to soothe her. It calmed her for a brief moment until the other two shots were administered to her left leg. She was given the last of the sweet liquid to calm her down a bit. But you could see the tears streaming down the side of her face. It’s heartbreaking not being able to do anything but say, “It’ll be all right. You’re fine now.”

She cried until she could cry no longer. Exhausted, she fell asleep on the drive home.

Mia was quiet for a few hours. But then she awoke screaming, most likely from the pain in her legs. I was on my way home when Farrah told me 0.8 ml of acetaminophen, as dictated by the doctor, helped Mia through the next rough few hours. I don’t think we ever heard her cry so badly.

Wow, a post other than photos and Twitter updates! Yeah, I’ve been a bit behind in reviewing movies that I’ve been able to watch the last couple of months. Yes, even with Mia, work, and all the things life has to throw at you, there is still a little time to enjoy a movie. Well, I enjoyed some of them. Others were not so good.

• Karate Kid (2010) – Why remake this movie? They should have just called it “Kung Fu Kid” considering that’s what Jaden Smith is learning. Jaden Smith overacts and Jackie Chan doesn’t get enough screen time. A valiant effort to not use the same script, but it falls short.
  Rating: Rental

• Robin Hood – Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett aren’t bad in this movie. It’s just that the story isn’t compelling at the least.
  Rating: Cable TV

• Inception – This is the last film we saw in the theater. I thought it was great, not realizing it was a long film. I would have liked to have seen some of the scenes in IMAX, but overall I was satisfied to watch it on the big screen. If you get this on Blu-ray, I hope you have a large screen to watch it on, to get the full effect.
  Rating: Full Admission

• The Losers – Action-packed movie, but no characters to care about. Zoe Saldana was the only thing going for this movie.
  Rating: Rental

• The Blind Side – Likable actors and characters. Good solid story. I can see why Sandra Bullock was nominated for an Oscar (not sure she should have won it though).
  Rating: Matinee

• She’s Out of My League – A predictable movie with a few funny moments. The shaving scene, and the outtakes of it, were a bit disturbing.
  Rating: Cable TV

• Killers – An awful movie. A waste of time. I’m not sure why I bothered renting it. Oh, I know why. I rented Mr. & Mrs. Smith at the same time. I wanted to compare the two films. At least I watched one good film. Avoid Killers at all costs.
  Rating: Cable TV

• Date Night – Tina Fey and Steve Carell are hilarious in this film. But I thought it would have been funnier than it turned out to be.
  Rating: Cable TV

• The Book of Eli – Strong performance by Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman. Not sure if Mila Kunis worked in this film for me though. The ending was a surprise, but not enough for me to watch the movie again.
  Rating: Rental

• Shutter Island – Well told story. Solid acting. Looks gorgeous in Blu-ray. I wouldn’t mind watching it again, though I don’t think it holds up with repeat viewing.
  Rating: Matinee

• Hot Tub Time Machine – Good funny movie that reminds me of the teen movies of the 80s.
  Rating: Matinee

• Kick-Ass – I was expecting funny/violent, which it started off as. Then it turned serious/violent. Action sequences were nice, but the overall tone of the film didn’t work for me.
  Rating: Rental

• Zombieland – Another solid funny movie. Even though zombies scare Farrah, she sat through this film and enjoyed it. Worth a repeat viewing.
  Rating: Full Admission

It has been a week now since I’ve started to take the antibiotics meant to cure what ails me. I find it funny how drugs that are meant to help cure you make you feel so blah. I guess it’s just how your body interacts with the drug, teaming up with your immune system to defeat whatever is bothering you. I suppose that’s why they put all those funky adverse effects on the label. You know the ones like “may cause diarrhea, nausea, and bleeding from various orifices”.

The two antibiotics I’m ingesting - Ciprofloxacin and Metronidazole - have been unkind to me. After taking Metronidazole, I get hot flashes during the day. After adding Ciprofloxacin to the mix, I get lightheaded and nauseous. It makes functioning a bit difficult. I can’t drive a car. When I’m a passenger in a car I feel car sick immediately. I can’t stare at a computer screen too long because I’ll start to feel more ill. (BTW - I’m composing this via an iPad/iPhone app called Dragon Dictation.) If you do searches on both drugs (here and here) you can see that the side effects could be worse. Thankfully they aren’t.

At this point, I have 2 1/2 days more of the medication to take. I’ll take my last pills on Saturday morning, suffering through the effects throughout the day. I’m hoping Saturday night and Sunday will be much better. Later, I’ll have to follow up with the doctor to see what the heck cause my issue in the first place. Hopefully, it’s nothing too serious. Hopefully, I won’t need to take these medications again.

I’m sorry I haven’t been posting lately, especially missing the weekly Wednesday Mia photo post. But I was sick. Actually, I still am a bit ill.

The short story:

• Woke up with a stomach ache Tuesday morning. Thought nothing of it. Took a couple of antacids hoping it’d go away.
• Wednesday morning I woke up with more localized pain on the left side of my abdomen. (By the way - this was also Mia’s first day at daycare. More on that in a later post.) By afternoon I had cold and hot flashes.
• Wednesday afternoon I was able to get an appointment with a doctor. Turns out I had a 102.6 fever, but of course, I felt cold so I didn’t notice. He prescribed antibiotics - Ciprofloxacin and Metronidazole - as well as getting a blood test.
• The doc’s diagnosis is either stomach flu or diverticulitis.

At this point, the pain in my belly is still there, but it has lessened in strength. The medication I’m on is throwing me for a loop. I’m taking Ciprofloxacin and Metronidazole. I’m getting nauseous on one antibiotic and getting hot flashes with the other. Fun huh? Unfortunately, you can’t just stop taking the antibiotic - a 10-day course - so I’ll be suffering for a while.

I’m not sure if it’s diverticulitis or the stomach flu, even though the doctor feels it’s the former. The long-term treatment for diverticulitis is a change in diet. I guess that wouldn’t hurt. Either way, I’m stuck with these antibiotics for the next several days.