Shadowy Phone Conversations

Yesterday was the day between the snow storms and as I look outside right now we’re being seriously pelted by the second storm.  I think the vacation really helped in some unanticipated ways.  I’m guessing I was a lot more mentally gassed than I acknowledged to myself.

Our young computer dude has been trying to complete a project for nearly seven months but it involves directing the actions of several workers at the absolute bottom of the food chain. While he’s a brilliant guy he gets lost/intimidated trying to get other people to accomplish his plans.  A couple weeks ago I would have let him continue to struggle and continue his education in the real world.

Since apparently the vacation (or maybe seeing Peyton crumble like the wafer he is) recharged me in some unforeseen ways because I took a few hours yesterday to help him out.  It wasn’t a big thing but you would have thought I re-invented the wheel based on his reaction.  He needed to learn that it isn’t always about building consensus, focus on the mission (what needs to be done) and do it as nicely as you can, but get it done.  Sometimes you just can’t be nice.

The New Do

Speaking of nice, my son decided to take his haircut in a completely new direction.  He’s blessed/cursed with a hybrid of both of his parents’ hair which wasn’t completely fortunate. My very curly hair (trust me it used to be) and my wife’s very straight hair have been battling it out in his gene pool since birth.  Luckily the MEF convinced him to go to a real hair stylist instead of the local barber shop and the results speak for themselves.

Last night I took myself on a dateless date night and saw the movie Jack Ryan, Shadow Recruit.  Chris Pine is the fourth actor to portray Tom Clancy’s iconic hero and this movie goes back to his origin story although updating it to present day (and setting up a new franchise).  The movie is extremely well done and at least the first half is loyal to Clancy’s character. 

For the second half of the movie Ryan is transformed into a combination of James Bond and Sherlock Holmes as Pine Captain Kirk’s his way to the finish line.  This is just me waxing philosophical about a new take on a cherished literary character in the cinema.  All that being said the action is literally non-stop and extremely well done.  The only miss in the cast is Keira Knightley (someone I usually like a lot) as Cathy Ryan who struggles badly maintaining her American accent.  Costner and Branagh (who also directed) are typically fabulous in important supporting roles.

I returned home for my nightly call from the tropical wife.  She’s had her own challenges this week (none involving snow though).  Her mother fell down during grocery shopping and had to be rushed for medical attention.  Luckily she was just bruised but it was scary and I’m glad my wife was there to assist.  My wife’s Maine friend had called me a couple times trying to have a conversation with my wife, something they both miss during her absence.

I’ve never been accused of being a sterling phone conversationalist.  My wife on the other hand is something of a savant in that area.  I’ve worked out a method of putting both phones on speaker to allow them to talk directly with each other.  After fifteen minutes of holding the two phones while they conversed at a blistering pace I could only imagine trying to undertake. Admitting superfluousness, I propped the phones up in the dining room and went back to watching the Bruins games.  A full half hour later I could hear them yelling for me to return as they had apparently talked each other out for the nonce. 

The ride home tonight is going to be interesting – this storm is impressive.  I’m also trying to figure out why I’m incapable of typing the word “the”; my son in law assures me it is a common affliction.  Thank God for spell check.