Extreme Violence and Strong Sexual Content

Spartacus is back on Starz and is as bawdy and gory as ever.
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If you like extreme violence and strong sexual content, then this series is for you.

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But historical research has shown that the Roman culture, which accepted human slavery, and watched human butchery in the Gladitorial arena with the same zeal that we watch a football game, makes the depictions accurate in detail.

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Granted, the Spartacus series presents the worse aspects of the culture, and if some future audience viewed a depiction of our culture with its most lowly face, then we too would seem to be barbaric, with our drugs, alcohol, random acts of violence, technological warefare,  and the disolution of the family with a 50% divorce rate.

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But the Roman practice of Gladiator combat makes for an interesting series.

TommyO said...

Loved the first episode of this season.
Can't wait til Friday Night....
Gratitude!

Simple Drop Off

It was a cold day today with temperatures starting off below zero and staying in the single digits.   A good day to stay indoors and get some paperwork done.   But I had a couple of 80 lb. bags of concrete in the back of my F-150 from the Cape Cod job, that I knew I had to get into the warehouse or they would be ruined by moisture
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As it was, we didn't show much intelligence in loadng the bags in the first place and they were carelessly thrown next to some shovels and hoes which pierced the bags on the ride home.   So I had a bit of a mess with loose concrete mix combining with handtools, straps and snow.  Had to climb into the back of the truck and shovel out the loose mix
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Just opening the door to the warehouse required a decent amount of shoveling too.
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So a simple drop off ended up to be a decent physical ordeal.   I had the workcoat that Katelyn bought me for Christmas and figured that the low temps would bother me, but I actually broke a sweat.  That coat is really warm.
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This wintry weather is starting to complicate things.   Another foot of snow due by mid-week.

Nice Initial Take

Dale and Gale Johnson picked us up last night for a an evening of revelry and food at Harry's 240 restaurant on Rantoul Street in Beverly, Massachusetts http://www.harrys240.com/ .
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Peeps who know me best, know that I don't recommend a place to eat right off the bat..... even if former POTY, Jeremy Johnson's, parents put an enthusiastic hype on it.
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Dale and Gale are regular patrons though, and Dale even has the nickname, Sea Otter, from the waitstaff, which I never did get an adequate explanation about.  
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We ate at the bar, and I wish that I drank martinis, because they really looked good, but the Sam Adams on draught worked out well enough.    Great mussels and nachos for aps, then I had the swordfish.  Prices were reasonable, so we'll be going back.  So far, so good.
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But I don't want a lame nickname.

POTW Week 3

Joanne reminded me this morning that it was time to pick the Nanepashemet Peep of the Week.
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I know.... I don't need any prodding.   What she doesn't realize is that the POTW selection is not a conscious action... It happens organically from a source deeply ingrained in the Akaskic Records.   I don't select the Peeps.... I am just a Channel writing down the Devine Decision.
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Or something like that....
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Announcing...
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 3rd week of 2011

Mike Rockett
Gino Cappelletti
Tom Brady
Linda O'Shea
Katelyn Nestor
Tommy McMahon

I really don't have any say at all.

Another Door

Crunchtime at Sundance is this weekend because the new granite countertops come next week.  It would be nice to have the painting and spackling done prior to that but not crucial.  The more we can get done before moving day, the better it will be because I have a feeling that Nanepashemet Telecom will be absorbing a ton of time in Feb.
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Even though we lost that large proposal, we got the promise of significant orders to be received by the start of February.   What did I tell you????  If we had won that big job, which we pitched at a reduced margin, our best resources wouldn't be around to work on these quality, fair margin orders.  The big job would have strained our regular business.
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When God closes one door, he opens another.

Apres-Snowblow

So I'm  sitting here in my apres-snowblow attire, after once again shoveling out Beverly Ave and Sundance for the third time in less than a month.
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Either I'm really starting to get old, or this snow is more than I remember, but I'm feeling pretty sore and tired from the snow removal.
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If I didn't buy the Ariens Snowblower two weeks ago, I'd probably still be at Sundance now, or be sitting in a coma with no energy to even Blog.  Thank g\God for the Ariens.

Ask Not

50 years ago, President John F. Kennedy uttered the following sentence in his inaugural address.

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"Ask not... what your country can do for you.    Ask what you can do for your country."
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I know I'm getting old, because I can remember when this happened.
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But, think about that statement coming from a Democratic President who inspired us all.  It is not at all a liberal statement.   It is a statement that says.... Stand on your own two feet.   Contribute to society.   Don't look to society to cure your worries.   Look to do whatever is required to help your society.
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 This government is not here to make things better for some.  It is here to allow all to contribute to everyone else.... and to give us the freedom to thrive on our own.  I believe that is what Kennedy said on that cold Jaunuary day fifty years ago.
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It was a challenge to everybody... not just the "Haves" or the highest wage earners.   It wasn't a plea for others to fund the welfare system, so that everybody could have government provided benefits.
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Who has inherited these words?   Ironically,  not the present crop of liberals.  I think that John Kennedy would be vilified by the left if he were to utter this phrase today.   This is a conservative statement that tells us to stand on our own and seek to help others.

Laser Focus

After taking care of a couple of details at Sundance this morning, I'll be deadheading to Dennis on the Cape to dig a few more post holes.  With the storm brewing for Friday slated to hit the Cape, we have to get this done to keep the site project on completion schedule.
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This weekend is also crunch time for the Sundance drywall completion because the kitchen cabinets and appliances get delivered next week, and after that, we should only have some spackling and painting to get done.
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The Patriots loss was my gain because the Crawford Brothers had plans to fly to Dallas on moving day, Saturday, Feb 5, the day before the SuperBowl.  Although I didn't appreciate being second priority to a trip to the Superbowl, I can overcome the slight, and welcome their enthusiastic re-involvement in the move.
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Superpeeps Brian Butler and the lovely Stacy have to go to Vermont that day with some lame exuse of being Godparents at a Christening or something.
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Being a Mountain of a Man means that you can't get thrown off track by things like Baptisms or Superbowls.....    and your priorities remain laser focused.   Maybe that's why I'm not anybody's Godfather.

Out of Synch

Yesterday we found out that Nanepashemet Telecom lost the big proposal that we submitted last week.
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Even though, my philosophy tells me that this is a message that a better path is in store for us... I am pissed.  
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Emotions don't always synchronize well with philosophies.

Astrological Forecast

Happiness is not necessarily discovering new things.  It is enjoying the things that you already have.
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That is a paraphrase of my horoscope this morning.   While astrology seems illogical and silly in concept, the forecast that I read once in a while from Jonathan Cainer, http://www.cainer.com/, often contains a bit of thought worthy general advice.  
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You're an idiot if you mould your behavior around what your horoscope tells you, but you're smart to take good advice wherever you find it.
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Sometimes, to enjoy the things that you already have, you have to get analytical.  You have to look at things from different angles, and try to see how everything fits in the big picture.  You have to examine how different factors interact with the things that you have. 
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Many times, a depressing situation can be defused and turned around merely by reflecting on new directions and possibilities that the situation points to.  Making lemonade from lemons so to speak.  I don't mean to sound too "New Age" but if you believe that everything happens for the ultimate good, then it makes sense to appreciate your surroundings and find enjoyment in the ride that you are currently experiencing.
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I take some of this inspiration from Ryan, who has truly made the most of a situation that most of us would have defined as abysmal.  As juxtaposed that it would seem, I'm really proud of him.
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Many times in my life, I've seen circumstances that appear to be insurmountable.... a financial problem with no solution, a social situation in a complete dead end.  But then people who say they can't get a job develop a full new career.... financial opportunities fall from completely unforeseen sources.  I could tell you specific instances, but you are better off filling in the blanks with your own experiences, because you know that it is true for you as well as for me.
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So find your happiness today, by enjoying the things that you already have.

Change of Scenery

It's mid January, the dead of winter.
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  Time to think of a warm summer day in Rockport. 
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It will be here eventually.

Agony of Defeet

The Patriots lost to the Jets yesterday, ending the road to the SuperBowl for New England.
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It's a sunny morning in Boston, but I'll bet there is denial and depression within the bright rays of the cascading sunshine.   It's just a game, but if you were going to be elated at the victory, it's only right to be deflated at the defeat.
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Jets Coach Rex Ryan, complete with his publicly exposed foot fetish, will be enshrined as a heinous villain in this area for years to come.