Lincolnite

I have been addicted to my watch ever since I first started regularly wearing one as a kid. I'm not run by the clock by any means -- I'm notoriously inconsistent when it comes to getting places on time -- but I feel naked without a watch on my wrist. I don't realize just how often I look at my wrist until there's nothing there. So spending much of yesterday without a watch felt very strange indeed, but in a good way. Yesterday was a half work, half rest day. During the working hours it felt great to be driven not by a schedule, but by task-oriented goals. During the resting moments it was a relief to avoid constant "Only X more minutes..." reminders. Every time I looked at my wrist I saw only the long scar I got back in 9th grade when my friend Craig sliced me open with a mechanical pencil. I definitely couldn't get along without a watch most days. But perhaps I should make watchless weekends a regular occurrence. That might make for a nice change of pace.

Hey everybody, a little opinion poll here. Do you like the puzzles and games I post every now and then? Which do you like? Which could you do without? What kinds of puzzles and games haven't I done that you would like to see? I'm particularly interested in hearing from those of you who enjoy playing along, but who don't post answers (or guesses) in the comments. I enjoy making up puzzles and riddles and things, but they do take some time to create. I prefer to spend my time creating things y'all enjoy.

...72 consecutive political commercials. Ugh, nothing like political ad after political ad to take some of the sweetness out of the Husker victory today. They're bad enough when they come one at a time, but when they come three or four in a row, bleh! Only a few more days...only a few more days... Oh, and Go Big Red! I missed most of the game because I was reffing, but it sounds like we played decently. We're going to have to be on our toes in College Station next week. Anybody going to that game? If you do, be sure to hit Freebirds while you're in CS.

Here's a slightly different Friday Five. Five of my favorite String Beans songs:

1. Right Here in Nebraska - An instant classic
2. Bomp She Bomp - Robbie loved this one when he heard it at the Farmer's Market
3. Diggin' Dinosaurs - Roar!
4. Cat Hair - This is why I'm not a cat person
5. Here Comes the Bus - I sing this one pretty much every morning

(Links point to audio samples)

Find the synonym:

1. Holy Mother
2. Plate
3. Fusion School
4. Better Road
5. Brine Mongrels
6. Cash Dudez
7. Autumn Stream
8. Simian Tool Velocipedes
9. Summit Stash
10. Signal Knolls

As [url=http://lincolnite.com/forums/viewthread/4]reported in the forums[/url], Oso Burrito is planning a second location at 70th and Van Dorn. I've been checking up on their progress, and it sounds like they are on schedule for a mid-November opening. I've been hinting to them that I would be more than happy to help them kick the tires on the new place, but so far no invites for any pre-opening black tie soirees. I know that many of you are big Oso fans, so perhaps a meet-up is in order at the new location during opening week. Any takers?

There was a lot of complaining about the plan to re-do the intersections and streets around 56th, Cotner and O prior to it happening. The plan seemed, to many Lincolnites, too loopy (literally). In fact, some Lincolnites still complain, demanding that the more traditional intersections return. But let me ask you this: when was the last time traffic in the area backed up like it used to? I know I haven't seen awful traffic in the area in ages, and I have never heard anybody say "Boy, that 56th, Cotner and O area is a real bear at rush hour". It makes you wonder what other non-traditional traffic solutions we ought to be considering in traffic trouble spots.

Here's a question I've been pondering. Maybe it has an answer, maybe it doesn't. It's an honest question; it isn't sarcastic and it doesn't carry any hidden meaning. I'm really curious. Why do firefighters, as a group, have political clout? There aren't all that many of them, they don't have deep pockets, and their work has little to do with the political realm. And yet it was via pure political muscle that Lincoln firefighters took over ambulance responsibilities, and it was political power that allowed Mike Spadt to bully his way through the firetruck purchasing process. My first instinct was that it has something to do with firefighters' role as protectors and heroes. Heroes are virtuous, the virtuous earn our trust, and trust leads to power. Or something like that. But there has to be more to it. Much more, I think. Perhaps it's a historical remnant...? So there it is. When I'm driving down the street and I see a "Firefighters for Moul" sign, why should I care any more than if the sign said, say, "Librarians for Moul"?

Just a quick post to toss up some photos from last night:

I could be wrong, but I think history was made this morning. For the first time ever (as far as I'm aware), Lincolnite received a mention on the airwaves. Gary and Sue of Froggy 98.1 gave Lincolnite a shout-out on this morning's show. Thanks, Gary and Sue!

Granted, Deena Winter's "scoop" on the possibility of hundreds of jobs coming to Lincoln in the near future was a tad short on substance, but the possibility ought to be enough to put at least a little smile on Lincolnites' faces. (Except the journalstar.com commenters, of course, who do their very best to be as negative as possible.) My end of the grapevine has been silent on this one, so what say we engage in a little speculation? I'm going to guess that the announcement -- assuming there is one to be made, of course -- involves an insurance company. The insurance industry is booming right now, and Lincoln is already home to several insurance companies. I'm going to take a wild stab and say that it's a company that does not yet have a major presence in town. Who knows, maybe we'll see the GEICO Geckosphere pop up somewhere in town. But that's all just a stab in the dark. What are your guesses?

It was another light Halloween crowd at 625 Elm Street this year. I counted eight doorbell rings, totaling about, oh, twenty or so kids. I don't get it; there are lots of kids in our neighborhood. Where the heck are they? Does everybody go to parties and organized trick-or-treating events these days, rather than doing the door-to-door thing? Oh well, I'm not complaining. The Missus bought some pretty good candy this year, so I guess we'll just have to take care of it before it goes bad. What a shame.

Could it be true that the firetruck fiasco is nearly over? Police Chief Tom Casady announced today that no charges would be filed in the case. The conclusion of the investigation seems to be that, although aspects of the deal were shady, nothing rose to the level of criminal behavior. That's probably right. In any event, I'm just happy we can close yet another chapter in the saga. Now if we could just get a new chief hired...

Gooooood morning, Lincolnites! It works better when said through a bullhorn, and when followed by the complete reconstruction of your home, but it's all I've got right now. Anyway, I'm way too busy to write much of anything substantive this morning, but a fantastic day like today deserves a chipper "Hullo!", so there you go. Have a great day, all.