As I write this, it is already past midnight on the East coast. The new year has started. 2006. I will turn 33 years old this month. I will celebrate my sixth wedding anniversary. (Like how I did that-got married in 2000, so as long as I know what year it is I will remember how long we�ve been married. Will come in handy 20 years from now.) Madison will turn 3 in April and Morgan will turn 12 in September. Amy says she will stay 29 again this year.

Nobody can ever say I never did anything. I moved and experienced new things.

My resolutions have already begun. Read 50 pages of something every day. Do 50 push ups and 50 sit ups every day. Easy stuff to do. That�s on a personal level.

On another level, I will be even more loving to my wife and kids. This is the source of all happiness. The happier they are, the happier I will be. I don�t know what the philosophers would say about that good deed.

2006 will be a good year. Everything is pointing up.

Superman #224 dated February 2006

Ahhh, a set-up issue. This issue sets up bigger and better things to come.

It works with Luthor and Superman both struggling at the same time through different dilemmas to show that they are different. Luthor grasps strength through his hatred for Superman and Superman gets his strength from his love of doing what is right.

This is an Infinite Crisis crossover issue. Luthor is fighting OMACs, apparently derived from his technology.

This issue leaves off with some kind of collision coming between Luthor and Superman. These issues are necessary and I am glad they still do them. A whole issue that sets up what a cataclysmic fight is coming up. This builds character, suspense.

The only thing I dislike about this issue and is prevalent in quite a few I read nowadays, but there is no explanations. Superman starts fighting this crazed woman named Blackrock (that looks almost too much like she�s from the pages of Witchblade). I have seen her once because I have seen her in another comic. There is nothing explaining her powers. There is nothing telling me why she hates Superman or where exactly her powers come from, or for that matter, nothing telling me exactly what her powers actually are.

Do they not want to pay letterers? I remember growing up with text boxes, explaining what the heck was going on. Nowadays these text boxes are just being used to tell the inner dialogue of the characters, a thing started, I believe, by Frank Miller in Batman: Year One. Bring the text boxes back!

DC Comics Presents #57

DC Comics Presents #57 from May 1983

Superman and the Atomic Knights—yes, that’s a big Dalmatian the knight is riding.

I always loved tales that told of the nuclear future. Star Trek had World War III in the 90s—that’s how Khan became a leader. But in Superman?

It is actually a well-crafted little story. Nowadays they could take this concept and craft a six-issue limited series out of it.

Superman is having some strange dreams about the future after an atomic war. He doesn’t know what’s happening and the dreams are beginning to affect him and the world’s computer systems. He goes to the perfect woman at S.T.A.R. Labs to talk to. With apparently no detective work, he remembers some strange government experiment where a man was left in a sensory deprivation tank to see how ordinary men would cope after World War III. Somehow this guy has taken over computer systems and robots and is able to manipulate them to try to achieve a real World War III to make his fantasy reality. Superman saves the missiles from launching by rapidly pressing buttons on the computer, with one second remaining.

Then it gets preachy to finish with. The guy spouts about how we have to do what we can to prevent World War III not see how we will survive after it. He says that humanity is on 1 on the countdown. Preachy.

The idea could be taken and made better.

Harlan Ellison

Ever read an author that you don't particularly understand why people consider him so great? Is it because of one good piece? Is it one good idea in a story that people hold onto?

I just found and read a Harlan Ellison short story at http://www.instantclassics.com/ic_html/ellison.html called "The Pale Silver Dollar of the Moon Pays Its Way and Makes Change." It was all right. It was interesting how he wove in the greater world history with the events that this character relates. I found it intriguing that little bit on Carl Sandburg re-writing his poetry years later so that it could be saved by some library.

This was the guy that wrote the best Star Trek episode ever called "The City on the Edge of Forever." That's the one where Kirk, Spock, and McCoy unwittingly get sent back in time. They realize that the only way to put history right is to let a woman die, not save her. Classic.

Do we remember that one story of his? Are there better stories that I haven't read? This wasn't even written all that well, just seemed a series of ideas.

Nome can be pretty. Here is another sunset with Sledge Island in the distance, about 30 miles away.

This is a picture of our apartment on a rather messy day. Hey, it is after Christmas and all. Some of the clothes are out because Madison goes through a couple outfits a day. It is home sweet home. We found out the other day at the AC grocery, because of their monthly heating bill giveaway, that the average heating costs around here to heat a two-bedroom place is about $350-400 a month. That makes the rent here much easier to swallow as we don't pay for heat. Now it is cheaper than back in Seattle.

Madison wanted me to take a picture of the two of us together. I haven't exactly figured out that delay feature yet. It was fun just to hold it up. She is a happy kid.

The hallway is exactly like a dorm. Here Amy sits next to Becca from across the hall with the kids.

This is Puppy. That's the dog's name. He belongs to a family in the complex but is always outside. It is actually remarkably warm and not windy in that doghouse.

Our apartment building stands behind the school. There are 20-some units in here. We are at the far end on the top left here in this picture. Those cargo crates in the picture actually belong to families in the complex. That is a major form of storage here and can be seen here and throughout the downtown area too.

My new digital camera has a "scene assist" feature. Here I take a picture of a sunset in Nome from the other day. One of the things that I notice here in Nome as opposed to Seattle is that it feels more open. I don't have trees hemming me in and cutting off the view of the horizon. Look at those colors.

Madison and Morgan are bookends to one of Morgan's best friends that lives downstairs.

Morgan has absolutely loved the snow here in Nome. For years back in Seattle, she has wanted snow to play in. I think it may have snowed a few inches the entire time I was there, all together. Morgan is outside constantly.

Madison. Now only if we can stop that pacifier habit.

Madison is getting ready to go outside here. She has to wear snow pants, gloves, hat, scarf. She loves playing outside but she gets cold really fast. It is so nice to see the kids get to play in the snow!

Madison is getting her cape on. She loves Princesses right now. Anything to do with a Princess. She calls these dress up clothes her "pretty dress."

All the kids play in the halls. It reminds me of the dorms at Western Illinois University.

Madison even likes to pose. She cracks me up with her new verb when I have the camera out: "Cheese me, Daddy."

Madison loves to play dressup. Here she is in the hall of our apartment/dorm. She is playing with her best friend Lupe from across the hall.

NFL Picks Week 17

Let's see how I finish up for the regular season. This last week is usually weird because some teams don't play as hard as they could, saving up for the playoffs. I expect some upsets. GO BEARS!

Denver over San Diego
Colts over Arizona
Giants over Raiders
Ravens over Browns
Buffalo over Jets
Carolina over Atlanta
Chiefs over Bengals
Pittsburgh over Detroit
Patriots over Miami
Tampa over Saints
Seahawks over Packers
49ers over Houston
Jacksonville over Titans
BEARS over Minnesota
Washington over Philadelphia
Dallas over Rams