Getting ready for Halloween

The kids have been trying to weasel out a visit to the Halloween store for costumes  since about August. We finally gave in on Sunday and I was surprised that my daughter wanted to be Hermione Granger (from Harry Potter). It was so interesting because she has never seen any of the Harry Potter films and has not read any of the books (she is only 8). How does she decide to be a character like that?

My son was a little easier - Jango Fett, the feared Bounty Hunter from Attack of the Clones. I think it was more because the costume came with a blaster but that is me. After I purchased it he decided he didn't want the costume because he couldn't see out of the mask. Back to square one.

What ever happened to throwing a sheet over your body and being a ghost? I spent $65 on costumes!

How about those Jets?

As a transplanted New Yorker in Boston, MA, I have remained a NY Jets fan (but have no real problem with the Patriots). Glad to see them up to 3-0 with a 24-17 victory over the Titans.

My kids dreams (3rd Grade and 1st Grade)

I thought this was great. The kids were asked to write up one question or wish that they had.

My daughter (3rd Grade) - her question was - "why is the snow white"? And her wish was that more animals had homes.

My son (1st grade) - his wish was more artists in schools.

I think I will wait till they are older to throw this data out at them.

What will they think up next?

My daughter (3rd grade) has developed an obsession (too strong) with what she calls take apart erasers that are available at places like costume/holiday shops like iParty. I have found them on the web (link is here) and they appear to be another little bit of junk coming from Japan (not that everything from Japan is junk).

My question is how this obsession develops and actually takes over any specific grade at school and becomes a 'menace' to decent parents' wallets everywhere. Who thought that plastic erasers from Japan would be the next 'thing'.

Color me confused.

Bagels on a Saturday

Why is it, when your daughter asks you to run out and get a bagel for her you do it? So it looks like I am heading out to the local bagel store to get 2 bagels with 'melted butter'.

Anyone else what anything?

Strikingly good coffee

My wife picked me up a cup of coffee from Starbucks today that used the new Clover system (you can see the press release at the Starbucks website). She brought me a home a great cup of Sumatra and I gotta say that was a good cup of coffee. It is a little more expensive than the usual cup of coffee (on the order of .50 for a large). I did get a chuckle when my wife told me she asked the clerk about purchasing one and was told they were $23,000!

Yikes.

Flashforward on ABC

Just got done watching Flashforward on ABC. As a huge Lost fan I was pretty excited with this shows premise and was looking forward to the premiere. By in large I was really happy with what I saw and am happy that TV is at least entertaining and trying to tell a good story. I thought everyone sort of jumped to the conclusion that they had all time traveled a bit easy but hey - I don't want to be a nit.

Looking forward to seeing where the series goes (seeing as how the show has set itself up for a flashforward so early (6 months)). The characters were mildly intriguing and I hope that they continue the development.

Certainly better than the Heroes premiere. What has happened to that show? The first season was exhilarating and it has slowly but surely gone downhill. It is ok to have good and evil and have them in constant combat. That is the state of life.

I have high hopes for Flashforward and wonder if it can keep my interest until Lost returns next year.