Okay, I am stuck in the big city of Sioux Falls for some meetings at the prison about a new computer system that will be going into the prison. Not too exciting, I know, but there are some in my dept. who believe me to be a computer expert. I have never held myself up as an expert, just that I am comfortable with the new programs, etc. which we utilize.

Anyway… I was going to meet my dad for lunch earlier today. He was going to call me and we were going to decide where to eat, etc. He ended up not calling me and was not answering his phone. He was in town to meet with the doctor who will be operating on his shoulder. After being unable to contact him at any point during the day, I started to get a bit worried. By the early evening, I was starting to call hospitals in the area, thinking that Dad had, in fact, had the surgery that day, which would explain why he wasn’t answering his phone. I finally reached him and was told that his phone’s battery had gone dead and his charger had crapped out on him. Uh-huh. Looking back on it, I had suggested us meeting for lunch without asking him if he had other plans. I’m guessing he was meeting a girlfriend in Sioux Falls. I just don’t see him blowing me off otherwise.

Anyway, I had a decent time prior to and after today’s meetings. I got some errands completed (Toys R Us had Wii’s in stock, but I was not sure if I have enough cash at home – the gallon bucket is only half full of nickels, dimes and quarters – probably about $200) before the meeting. I made it to the comic store in SF and picked up a few issues I had been missing from my collection. Also got a Sammy Sosa Cubs figure I’d not been able to find. It was very cheap as the packaging was damaged. I didn’t care as I take ‘em out of the package for display. Sammy will go into a greats of Cubs past collection.

After the meeting, I took in “The Dark Knight.” Wow. When I was in SF a few months ago, I saw Iron Man and thought it might take the title as the best comic book movie. Guess it didn’t hold the title for long. I thought it was incredible. I can see why it is garnering the praise. The Joker was played exactly how I’ve envisioned based on the comic books I’ve read. Evil bastard. We’ll see if the momentum continues with the movie. Nolan and Bale are going to be facing a huge challenge to match or surpass this movie with the next Batman movie.

One thing bugged the hell out of me in the previews. An ad for JC Penny. It featured a remake of “(Don’t You) Forget About Me” and a 60 second? remake of “The Breakfast Club” Okay, I’m old and I do consider that movie to be one of the defining movies of my generation. That it has been whored out so JC Penny can sell some jeans and tops pisses me off and makes me feel even older. I guess we can wait for ad-remakes of Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, Say Anything, St. Elmos Fire… and, one I know will get my wife’s attention and ire – Dirty Dancing. Guess JC Penny hired an ad company incapable of an original thought.

Time to sign off and sleep. Later