Gary
2/27/13
A note to all you puzzle fans (and I know you're out there): There are permanent links to the jigsaw puzzle page (Jigidi) and yesterday's cool site crossword game on the links page. For your convenience!

Sorry you didn't bring the trophy home, Emily. I was rooting for you! ...Well, I guess I was rooting for you to come in second, after me... :-) --Gary

Yeah, I plan to be there by 6. See y'all! --Gary

Sorry I didn't see your note earlier -- just had a nice long nap! :-) The actual show starts at 7:30. Some time before that we're just going to order some pizza, so there's no sit-down supper. (Grandma couldn't find the right kind of beluga lentils, so she is skipping the whole Oscar menu thing.) Come over any time! --Gary

I think our snow topped off around 4-6 inches. The main part of the storm apparently missed us. --Gary

Have a great snow day, y'all! --Gary

We've got maybe 3 or 4 inches or so on the ground, and at the moment it is not snowing. I saw the Weather Channel guy on a few TV spots, standing at the corner of 10th and P, and he seemed a little disappointed. He kept talking about a "dry slot" -- a break in the storm as it swirls around -- and he looked like he wished he'd gone to Wichita instead, where they've gotten 14 inches and counting. (Clearly he is staying at the Embassy, as his reports have all been within a block of it.) Snow is supposed to pick up again tonight, but I think overall it is less of a storm than they were expecting -- here in Lincoln anyway. I was hoping to get two days out of it, not just one... Start flushing those ice cubes, Teghan! --Gary

Brent and I just got back from Omaha. Had to take the day off to get him to the doctor for some tests. He has been having some issues for about 6 months and the doctors here can't seem to find the problem. Saw another doctor in Omaha last month and said to have some more tests. We left after work last night and stayed at his sisters house. Got to the hospital this morning, had the procedure. Doctor was out to talk with me in less than 10 minutes. I thought it was good news until I noticed he wasn't smiling. Seems he has a blockage and the scope couldn't go in. So....... we get to make another trip to Omaha next week and have yet another procedure. In the meantime the poor guy is suffering. He ended up going to ER last week because the pain was so bad.

Dang, Brent, get unblocked and feel better soon! As to the snow, I just heard that the Weather Channel guy who you always see in a slicker in the middle of a hurricane -- Jim Cantore -- is in town. Not good. I'm planning to take a snow day tomorrow whether the University declares one or not. The University has a bad habit of letting people drive all the way in and then, when the storm is at its worst, telling everyone they should all go home. Not me, this time! --Gary

The tally sheets are in the mailbox. Meanwhile, here's how we voted.

Anyone who finds him- or herself in Lincoln on Oscar night is welcome to watch the show at Grandma's. As you know, every year she prepares an exact duplicate of the meal that Wolfgang Puck serves to the Oscar winners at the Governor's Ball (menu below); I know she was out on Saturday shopping for truffles and matsutake mushrooms.

Good luck, everybody!

It has been a long dry spell for you, and also a long time since the trophy was in Sioux City. I always think the Oscar trophy has pleasant memories of Sioux City because Erika made him a suit of clothes. :-) When I had him he just sat on the shelf in my office. The thing I like about the Oscars is that it's a live event that everyone watches and no one really knows how it's going to turn out. There aren't many events like that in our lives any more; the closest thing is the national election, but even there the extensive polling lets you know what to expect. The Oscars are more exciting in comparison. Anyway, good luck! --Gary

The other players are lined up and ready to go -- except for Marsha who I just noticed forgot to pick the Lead Actress category. If you know of Marsha's whereabouts, please direct her to the Oscar page. (Marsha, you don't have to make all your choices again, just the Lead Actress.)

So, once more, good luck to everybody! But especially me.

That means Amanda, Donna, Gary, Grandma, John, Lindsey, Lori, Olivia, Paul, Ryan, Sean, Teghan, Tristen, and Zachary have one week to go to the Oscar page and click 26 times. Time's a-wastin'!

Congratulations to Sioux City for being the first city in with all precincts accounted for!

In other news, Karen and Samantha have now joined the ranks of Oscar players. It just got a little harder to win....

Two announcements: First, thanks to Marsha for two new recipes. Always something interesting happening in the Hatgidakis kitchen!

And for anyone who wants a shot at winning the Oscar trophy this year, you have two more weeks to make up your minds. Three people have already done so: Marsha, Emily, and Erika. One of those three is a guaranteed winner! (If no one else plays, that is.) And of course, even Marsha, Emily, and Erika have the next two weeks to change their minds and send in a new ballot if they wish. So...are you ready?