Random Observations from the Homeland

In no particular order . . .

1. Drew Carey is no Bob Barker, but still an entertaining guy. Even so, couldn't someone have taught him to do math in his head? It wouldn't be such an issue if he didn't continuously COUNT OUT LOUD. Plus at least once I've seen him count on his fingers, which does distract when you are trying to play a pricing game.

2. Chris Noth is so good on any Law & Order type show. It's a shame he's leaving.

3. Okay, so it turns out apparently I do like that Burn Notice show on USA. But surely Sharon Gless is not the only actress only 50 capable of playing the wacky mother on a cable drama?

4. My dad can correctly guess the killer within the first 10 minutes of an episode of The Closer. Still, I love, love, love Kyra Sedgwick and she should really win an Emmy (sorry, Glenn). And more Fritz, please!

5. I have slept more in the past week than in the month before I went on vacation.

6. The Dark Knight should be nominated for Best Picture, and ranks alongside No Country for Old Men as one of the best American films of this decade. (I will explain this more further, later. But yes, it's really that good.)

7. Apparently I'm going to try blogging again.

Home for the Holidays

It's been a very busy week here, as I've tried to progress through the second half of the new play. I got stuck a bit on a scene where two characters meet, both expecting to have sex, although one of them doesn't really want to. It just didn't work. I had to rework it, rework it again, and then a bit more, and now I think I have a failed adultery scene that clicks. On so many levels.

Still a few more scenes to write, so I'll be doing those back on the home front.

I leave tomorrow morning, out of Gatwick, connecting through Newark. We were worried about the weather situation, but looks like Newark will be clear. Back home, we may have some bad flurries, but I should be able to land, anyway.

I'm really looking forward to some time away. Be good to see the family -- and sounds like I may actually see the whole family -- potentially all my first cousins and aunts and uncles on both sides (which has never happened before). I'm going to make loads of Christmas cookies (I love baking) and I'm told we will put up my Christmas tree (the one from my apartment) in the dining room. All the ornaments have a sort of burnished 1950s glow to them. Very Imitation of Life. Love that tree. Once again, my mom will be like Laura Bush, so many Christmas trees in her house!

I'd hoped to make a side trip to NYC or Chicago, but those options haven't panned out. Looks like I will go to Pittsburgh to visit our office there. That sounds odd but they are comparable to us in some ways, so it will be useful to see how they handle things in my department there. Plus I'll earn some comp time! I hate the Steelers (of course) but it's always fun to see the place where the three rivers come together. And I think there's a museum I haven't yet seen . . .

Should I Join?

. . . the Sons of the American Revolution?

I found out I was eligible a few years ago when my grandmother (my dad's mom) signed herself up. It turns out one of our ancestors on her side of the family is Zadock Hurd, who fought as a private in the Revolutionary War. He's on the Pension List of 1813 as receiving $20 annually for his service to the country.

I need to check with Grandma, but I'm guessing he is the same Zadock Hurd listed here, born March 18, 1761, in East Haddam, Connecticut. There's not much other info on there except that his parents -- Rachel Love Fuller and Justus Hurd -- were also born in Connecticut and died in New Hampshire (he in Gilsum in 1804, she in Chesterfield in 1815). So I'm guessing he is the same Zadock Hurd -- the father was also a Revolutionary War veteran, but he's not on the Pension List as he'd passed away before 1813. So don't know his rank.

I am very curious now about this ancestor of ours -- I will have to see if Grandma knows anymore about him. During the Revolution, he would have been between the ages of 14 and 22. So that must have been a very interesting experience indeed!

I've been googling him -- someone with the same name was one of the first settlers of the town of Keene, New York, located in the Adirondacks and named for Keene, New Hampshire. So could be him, too.

I'm not sure about joining the SAR. I need to read about it on their website a little more. Mainly (as far as I know) they are all about respect for the flag and patriotism, which is practically my middle name. With a T that rhymes with P that stands for . . .

I guess I also worry that if I do end up becoming a dual citizen over here, my membership might not be looked on very favorably . . . but then I am rather proud of my ancestor who I don't know much about. So I am tempted to go on and join anyway. And they do have a UK chapter apparently. May not be able to resist.

What do you think? Should I go for it?