Rule Number 13: Consider the worst case scenario now and then and prepare for it.

With the death toll currently at about 125,000 from the tsunami that hit last Sunday morning it has me thinking, as this year closes, just how fragile the world really is.

I keep thinking to myself, what would I do if there was a massive scale disaster. Do I have enough food, water, ammo and scotch to get by until the the dust settles? The short answer is no. Well maybe I have enough scotch...

How would I protect the kids? What if I was at work when it hit? What kinds of "it" could hit the fan?

As the year closes it's time to take a look at everything.

--Goodbye 2005. I won't miss you...

Return of the King

One of my Christmas gifts this year was the extended edition of Return of the King. Not many movies bubble up into my top 10 best list ever. I Just finished watching the extended version and all the special features. Eight hours excellent entertainment. This is why I love DVDs, big screen home theater TVs and BOSE surround sound. Every piece of this movie rocked.

I still find it amazing that Peter Jackson pulled this off so perfectly. I can't believe they let him. Here was his resume at the time:

• (1996) The Frighteners
  
• (1995) Forgotten Silver
  
• (1994) Heavenly Creatures
  
• (1992) Dead Alive
  
• (1989) Meet the Feebles
  
• (1987) Bad Taste
  
• (1976) The Valley
  

Now he is doing a remake of King Kong starring Jack Black and Naomi Watts.

--My expectations are now high.

Christmas 2005 Phase two:

We had a nice drive around last night to see the lights on Christmas eve after we went to the candle light service at church. The kids went home with their mom after that. BR and I had a lovely, romantic night together. If only I had known then the glory that stood wrapped under the tree...

BR gave me a wonderful bottle of Single Malt Scotch. An 18 year old beauty from MacCallan! I need to host a Scotch tasting night!

She also gave me a nice Krupp Espresso/Cappuccino maker.

--Mmmmmmmmmm....

Christmas 2005 Phase One Complete:

Brenda and I were up last night until about 1am enjoying the lights and the mood and moments. It was all too soon when at 5:59am a small finger of an excited child was waking me. The Santa had in fact performed yet another classic reverse burgle. A new mountain of toys and stuff covered the floor. But I feel a need to lodge a complaint with the elves!

What the hell is up with all the damn twist ties?

Why is it easier to launch an ICBM than to open a Marvel Legends Iron Man? If I did not have my trusty Swiss Army Knife, we would be here until Twelfth Night opening these damn things!

Mark my words: Some kid will choke on a twist tie soon and then they will be banned and armies of small people in Chinese factories will have to switch from twist ties to other packaging technology! Let's just hope that poor kids survives, unlike the hundreds of dads whose heads will explode trying to open these things!!

Christmas continues tonight with a wonderful candle light service at church. The kids go home with their mom tonight for Christmas morning fun there with Grandpa. Brenda and I have a wonderful, romantic, Christmas morning together.

Gotta go! I smell Breakfast!

--Noel, dammit!

Well I turned 45...

I passed another milestone this week. I turned 45 years old. It's getting harder and harder to deny that I am middle aged. I can't say I really every worry about my age. I do belly ache more about my aching joints.

On the inside I still feel 25. Except I was no where near this happy when I was 25...

--Time is the fire in which we burn.

Sixth Harry Potter Book Due Out in July - By HILLEL ITALIE, AP National Writer

NEW YORK - Get ready for publishing's ultimate blockbuster sequel: Harry Potter VI. Setting the stage for another round of midnight bookstore parties and marathon readings into the morning, the penultimate novel in J.K. Rowling's mega-selling series, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," will go on sale 12:01 a.m. on July 16 in the United States, Britain and four other countries, publishers said Tuesday.

--I was there at Midnight last time. What a show...

Say it ain't so!

Josh Brolin was arrested for abusing Diane Lane. Diane Lane is one of the most beautiful women in the movies. From Streets of Fire to Under the Tuscin Sun she remains surpreme hotness.

--Sigh. She never comes over for movie night...

Henry's Film Corner - IFC - By Marilyn Moss

Bottom line: It's a lot of show and not always a lot of brains driving "Henry," despite its good intentions to be all things to all young filmgoers.

Drenched in testosterone and champing at the bit, IFC's new 10-part weekly film forum wants more than anything to get out there and get in your face. Mixing reviews, discussion and interviews, "Henry's Film Corner" exudes enough energy to knock anything else in its time slot out of the park. But it's a lot of show and not always a lot of brains driving "Henry," despite its good intentions to be all things to all young filmgoers.

Think of Henry (as in Henry Rollins, the legendary rock singer, poet and actor) as the unthinking man's film critic. He's angry sometimes, clever at other times but always, always the guy next door (or the guy you'd see at your local gym). He's a self-confessed average Joe who tells us he doesn't necessarily know a lot about movies, but he sure has his opinions. He's right.

Henry sits down with young filmmakers to discuss another filmmaker's work. Then he interviews other average Joes about the latest and hippest new movie to see. There's plenty of talk yet not always much to take away from the show, and that's too bad. It's kind of a hip and kind of dumb. So if you want to know why average filmgoers today struggle with movies that make you think, tune in.

--Another Tivo Joy!!