Evil Bastard Fathers Day Card
June 15, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
add a comment Categories: Castle, Family, Picture of the Day, Squirrels
Tags: darth vader, evil bastard, fathers day, star wars
reading frenzy
April 23, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
2comments Categories: Castle, Friends, Izzy, Reads
In the last few months I’ve been on a reading kick, reaching out into literature I wouldn’t normally devour. NY Times best sellers and those kinds of books that make you relate to the feeeeelinnngs, wants and desires of characters. Characters that at no point in the story are doing anything with political intrigue, nano tehcnology, super-viruses, secret societies, or variations of the space-time continuum. Lets just come out and say it. I’m reading chick books.
I’ve dabbled before in this area, always something lent to me, nothing I’d pick off a shelf and purchase willingly. Except now, with some suggestions from my friends, that’s exactly what I’m doing.
In fact, I’ve recently finished The Life of Pi. Boy was that a rough start. Slow, uninteresting dialog and only a few religious observations that made me chuckle. The middle of the book got more interesting. It was survival against a superior killing machine, granted not a Kzin, but a tiger nonetheless. This I can relate to. Since as most of you know I often battle Izzy in a fight to the play death. The last third of the novel was exciting, I had trouble putting it down, and with an ending that left me wondering.
In case you’ve stayed up late at night, staring into the blackness, fantasizing about what my book reports were like as a child. Well now you’ve seen one.
This month I think I’ve spent almost $200 on books. A few computer programming, a couple older Frank Herbert sci-fi genre I’ve been looking out for, and a few of these “others”.
Now I have this huge stack of books on my desk and frankly it’s a bit overwhelming. All of them call to be thumbed through and started. I think I should put them away on the bookshelf except for the one I’m actually going to read now. Yes. Yes, that would make things easier.
For my fellow book worms, regardless of genre preference, may I suggest setting up a free account on Shelfari. It’s really a great site from some local Seattlites. Perhaps my favorite feature is the ability to export your library in full to a spreadsheet. Unlike most sites, whether they are social media or not, the information you provide for your accounts/profiles isn’t generally exportable to take with you. In this case, you own your own information and I think that’s worth supporting.
Project LOL Izzy: Purrito Party
March 7, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
2comments Categories: Izzy, Picture of the Day, Squirrels, TimeWaster
Ugh. I’ve been sick for awhile, I’ve been sleepless and feeling worse. Izzy who’s been avoiding me for the most part during this last week of illness must be trying to cheer me up. She’s been feisty, biting my toes, nuzzling and trying to drink my juice.
So we decided it was time for another purrito party. I think she had even more fun this time.
Izzy doing her Keanu Reeves impersonation.
Izzy all snuggly
Izzy tries to do a little worm type slithering.
She looks upset, but she’s really not.
Izzy doing her, ‘keeping it real’ look.
Project LOL Izzy
February 19, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
7comments Categories: Friends, Izzy, Picture of the Day, Squirrels
I love this Eye-Fi SD card. While I took pictures it automatically uploaded them to my compooter via wifi. So sweet.
Anyways so my friend Pithy (aka The Bitter Bean) sent me this hilarious picture of a Purrito which has been sitting in the back of my brain for a few days.
As I come in from a smoke break, I drop my hoodie on the floor, directly onto my beloved Izzy. Well, it was bound to happen. I ended up unceremoniously stuffing her into the sleeve. The first few seconds before her confusion wore off it was perfect, but I couldn’t hold the camera still from crying and laughing so hard. By the time I was able to regain enough composure, she’d already managed to squirm onto her feet.
Aside from looking pissed, the results are far from being purrito-rific.
Maybe if I fashioned a tiny belt I could get her to look more like a Jawa from Star Wars.
I wanted to try again, but she ran off somewhere.
…a little while later, I came up with this…..
Stake Thru The Heart
January 22, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
1 comment so far Categories: Castle, Family, Picture of the Day, Squirrels, gnash-teeth
Tuesday my oldest cat, has always been a little…off. As a kitten he was bobble head-ish, a jet black furball from the other side where all evil stems from. He once ran into a marshy swamp probably chasing frogs or butterflies like kittens are want to do. He was too scared to come back though. And as I searched through the muck, late at night, trying to follow the meowing cries I could not find him. The next day another search party was organized and again we followed the cries.
Things like this would always happen to him. He used to get into cat fights a lot, would never back down from a dog and generally was always in a foul mood. Stubborn or stupid I could never quite decide. He’s been to the vet so many times, overdosed on catnip, and eventually began to drool and wet himself a lot. His attitude the last few years has become one of a senile, bitter, old man. Hissing at the walls and inanimate objects.
I’ve mentioned his evilness before and joked that only a stake through the heart could actually kill the beast.
This last vet visit they informed us of his terminal disease. His evil has been eating him from the inside out, he had to be put down. The staff were all quite somber and gave me time alone with the demon.
So as I sat there with him in the small examine room, I petted him and told him that I forgave him for being such an evil little shit the last 12 years. He looked at me in the eyes with that same look he’s always saved for me. Part contempt and part wanting to give in an enjoy my pets. As I held him, the doctor came in and administered the shot, just as Tuesday began to enjoy my gentle caresses and actually purr for me. I watched the fiery glow ebb slowly away and his eyes became dull.
Tuesday Castle was born from a half-wild cat out in the county some 12 years ago and has been with me ever since. He is survived by at least two sisters my mother-in-law has and his step-siblings WeeWee (Wednesday-Elmo) and Izzy (Inspector Schmores). Our relationship has always been strained, but had a few good moments every now and then.
He died at 4:02 PM PST.
He’s now buried in my backyard, far away from the dogs and deep enough that he should rest peacefully. I may plant a tree over him as his marker.
Currently Feeling: Relieved and a lil sad.
Currently Anticipating: Some Taco Time Mexi Fries.
Currently Loving: Izzy.
My Dreams Will Be With Me
January 11, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
2comments Categories: Castle, Family
My daughter just finished up some homework (she’s in first grade). The assignment was to practice writing any sentences using the words of the day. This is what she wrote.
I wish I could wish on a real star.
And I wish for all of my dreams to come true.
And if they don’t, my dreams will be with me.
The way she thinks is so positive, she just makes me melt.
So Thankful It Hurts
November 23, 2007 Posted by Al Castle
5comments Categories: Castle, Family, Friends, Insider, Must Listen, Squirrels, TimeKillers, TimeWaster
I’m immobile. Perhaps permanently confined to my lazy-boy and a soon to be 60 Minutes or Oprah special on obesity. A gluttonous mountain of hot Latino, stuffed with such tastiness I fear the police may come knocking to question the legality.
My mom really outdid herself this year, every dish was superb. The turkey wasn’t dry, the mashed potatoes weren’t lumpy and the gravy… oh the gravy! Such delectable roasted flightless fowl juice! It challenges my refreshing Sprite for the tile of ‘Sweet Nectar of the Gods’. I find myself drooling at the memory of it. Too many trips back for more, I lose count and just keep calling them “seconds”, I might have blacked out from the pain and joy. The bottles of wine might have played a part as well.
Slowly I recover from the feeding frenzy as the gravy lust subsides. My body finally forces me to stop, the laws of physics call. The new jeans I wear, which were too big, are now much too tight. I fear the lining of my stomach may tear apart if I move too suddenly. Internal organs bathed in masticated flesh and vegetables…no I must not think that. The horror of all that wasted gravy….
Sitting here, unable to reach the remote - I think of what I’m thankful for. My old co-worker Sue would call them blessings, my dear friend Jason would call it luck - the good fortune I’ve been allotted has taken many forms and shapes, sometimes not so obvious and other times so delightful I feel wrapped in joyx.
The engineers who designed this chair to hold my massive girth come to mind. As do the engineers from Nissan who designed the crumple zone of that Nissan Sentra which kept me alive many years ago. Of the emergency room witchdoctors which may have saved my life when I had chest pains. Pam the nurse who assisted when my daughter was born.
I think of the true friends I have in my life - old and new. David McInnis who’s taught me many things about business, management and generosity. Willybob for always being true and understanding. The Bonz for mentoring and forgiving me. Travis for being the poster child for a life-long boyhood friend and McGerr for not making me listen to his music. Carl I can’t imagine my life without you in it. My dear talented Penguins whom I judge all others against. Cari & Terry who let me vent, make me laugh and think my “quirks” are adorable.
And of course shout outs: Paolo you’ve shown me there’s hope yet for mankind. Jiyan, Robin, and Ryan - for showing me that creative and intelligent people do exist on the East coast. Bob & Mark of Vocus, I learned a few things about surviving in a large, public company. Mike & Joe who claim that not every gay man wants me. Chris for entertaining me by being a closet Mexican and Matt for not being a Latino.
My family, well most of them - you guys aren’t all that bad. I’m thankful for my animals - as Izzy and WeeWee play fight at my feet. The only thing that would make that scene better is if the Star Trek fight music was playing as they circle one another… Izzy becomes distracted and attacks a wall outlet. I love that damn cat.
It’s been a long time since I’ve reflected on what I’m thankful for. I also skimmed over a few people, but my greasy sausage like fingers are tired of typing. The gravy is taking its final hold on me, time to sleep.
