For all my fellow HIMYM fans, the music video for Robin Sparkles' Sandcastles in the Sand is free on iTunes!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Useless information on a Monday morning
TMI: The new Indiana Jones Mint M&Ms will make your poop green (or at least that's why I think Little Brother's poop was green this morning)
If you are a fan of Edward Hopper, like me, try to see his exhibit at the Art Institute. It ends May 10.
I think I've said it before, but I'm convinced that Garrett Popcorn puts some addictive drug in their popcorn.
Cafe Iberico is a good place for tapas.
pet peeve: I have a subscription to People magazine that is supposed to come on Fridays. When it doesn't come on Friday or Saturday, it drives me bonkers. The whole weekend, I didn't have a People magazine to read! If it doesn't come today, heads are going to roll!
I'm even more peeved because G-man's last day of school was supposed to be June 6. They had three snow days this year. Instead of shortening the TWO-WEEK spring break, they took away the Friday before Memorial Day (which originally was a non-attendance day) and then tacked on two days, June 9 and 10. And June 10 is a one-hour day!
What a joke, they're going to make a bunch of kindergartners and first graders (his school only has those two grades) go to school for an hour? Why even bother?
If you are a fan of Edward Hopper, like me, try to see his exhibit at the Art Institute. It ends May 10.
I think I've said it before, but I'm convinced that Garrett Popcorn puts some addictive drug in their popcorn.
Cafe Iberico is a good place for tapas.
pet peeve: I have a subscription to People magazine that is supposed to come on Fridays. When it doesn't come on Friday or Saturday, it drives me bonkers. The whole weekend, I didn't have a People magazine to read! If it doesn't come today, heads are going to roll!
I'm even more peeved because G-man's last day of school was supposed to be June 6. They had three snow days this year. Instead of shortening the TWO-WEEK spring break, they took away the Friday before Memorial Day (which originally was a non-attendance day) and then tacked on two days, June 9 and 10. And June 10 is a one-hour day!
What a joke, they're going to make a bunch of kindergartners and first graders (his school only has those two grades) go to school for an hour? Why even bother?
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
A picture is worth a thousand words...
Little Brother loves to draw. Today he drew this picture and told me that, "It's Daddy, sitting on a couch, watching a movie, holding a cup with wine."
He also drew this (awesome) picture. He said it's, "Mommy, exercising."
Clearly, the boy is a genius.
He also drew this (awesome) picture. He said it's, "Mommy, exercising."
Clearly, the boy is a genius.
Hard Rock Cafe
spoiler alert for How I Met Your Mother:
When Robin said she liked her first boyfriend because he had the coolest Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt collection I laughed my butt off. I was one of those people that coveted all the Hard Rock Cafe t-shirts of the people at my school. I so desperately wanted one too. And this was before there was a Hard Rock Cafe in Chicago. Not that I would've been cool enough to go to the HRC in Chicago if it was there when I was in high school.
The HRC in Chicago opened when I was in college and I finally went with one of my college friends...I still didn't have enough money to buy a t-shirt though. Then I went again a few years later and I bought one for my cousin who was visiting from California. Although I'm pretty sure by then the trend was about four to six years old.
But I want to know, who started that Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt trend and why? And who out there, had at least one Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt?
And for those HIMYM fans...how did you feel about last night's ending?
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Today's cryptic email...
"Awash mutic mushed alintatao reclang stamp humstrum. Favoredly tendotomy encloud rebluff, Bogomile meliorist hexastigm umpirism. Unmiter belyingly groanful bluegill fuddle portage ubiety hause antheral overhot. Elogium tympaning houndfish clotweed osmometer bourse desmic wallower sighlike. Cathodal Ensiferi bluebird ducted feudality hingeless. Cavelet myology coughwort Shinto twirly gracile albarium oligemia systilius Quamasia.Rodney porthook torment."
Is it just me, or does this sound like stuff out of a Harry Potter book?
Is it just me, or does this sound like stuff out of a Harry Potter book?
I wii-eally made him happy...
Chad returned home after 10 p.m. Friday night, but he was still on Frankfurt time, so he wasn't ready to go to sleep.
I won't tell all, cuz this isn't that type of blog, but I used a combination of Dave's suggestion and a J.Jill (it's a clothing store) bag to give him the Wii.
He liked the Wii, but I think he liked the part before I gave him the Wii better. ;)
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Gibson's steakhouse
"Waiter, I ordered the big piece!"Celebrities sighted tonight:
-Mark Consuelos (Kelly Ripa's hubby)
-John Stamos (he is stalking me...I was at Gibson's last May and so was he. Coincidence? I think not!)
Overheard: waiter saying that Johnny Depp is coming at 11:30-midnight.
You heard it hear first. Look out Perez Hilton!
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
Thursday, April 10, 2008
The Office
Spoiler alert:
Tonight's long-awaited ep of "The Office" did not disappoint.
I can't pick what made me laugh the most cuz there were so many parts I loved.
Some highlights:
Serenity by Jan (how long until those candles are on eBay?)
Jim's face when it looked like he vomited in his mouth after smelling Jan's candles
The neon beer sign
I would've lost my crush on Jim if he had left Pam alone.
Hunter's CD -- I haven't looked but I'm betting that song will be on iTunes
Dwight's turkey leg
The overuse of "babe."
I am so so happy this show is back. :)
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
I need some suggestions...
I'm pretty sure that Chad doesn't read this blog regularly (he's very busy at work and doesn't have much time to scan the internets for fun and when he's home he's busy hanging with the family)...
Anyway, I think it's safe to post this...but if you happen to see him this week, it means you're either in Switzerland or Germany and I'm jealous! If you see him, don't say anything!
But anyway, today was my lucky day.
Today was my first morning "off" in over two weeks. My kids have been on Spring Break for two weeks and they were both in school this morning. So I did what I love to do when my kids are not around, I went to Target.
I got a cup of Starbucks and leisurely strolled through the store. I picked up a few grocery items, a broom, a lint brush for the dryer (which I'm going to return, cuz it didn't really do anything), the new Alvin and the Chipmunks movie (which I rented from Blockbuster and my kids loved), some toothbrushes that play the theme music to Mario Bros. for my kids (which can drive a sane person crazy in less than thirty seconds when they are being played simultaneously) and paper towels.
I was in the toy section, which is next to the Electronics department and that's when I saw it behind a locked glass door. A Wii console. I have been looking for a Wii console since last summer.
There was a Target employee buying a Wii console when I walked up to the cash register in the Electronics Department and I asked the guy behind the register if that was a Wii console behind the locked glass door, or just a display box. He said it was a Wii console and it was the last one. I told him I wanted it and five minutes later it was mine, all mine.
So here's where I need your suggestions.
I refrained from calling/texting Chad right away to tell him. He and G-man have both been wanting a Wii too. And seriously, it's he and G-man that will be playing it the most (I did buy myself American Idol...yes, call me a freak).
(He comes home late on Friday night, so I'm already planning to wait until Saturday morning to tell him...)
What would be the most fun way to tell Chad that I finally bought a Wii?
a. Tell him that I bought something for myself, using part of his recent bonus and come into the house with a Nordstrom bag that actually has the Wii console in it?
b. Say, "I bought you a new video game," and show him the Call of Duty (for Wii) box and see if he catches on?
c. Everything is in the trunk of his car right now. Do I ask him to get some stuff that I left in his trunk?
d. ???
(I am not tech savvy enough to set up the Wii all by myself and have it ready and waiting for him, so don't suggest that)
Anyway, I think it's safe to post this...but if you happen to see him this week, it means you're either in Switzerland or Germany and I'm jealous! If you see him, don't say anything!
But anyway, today was my lucky day.
Today was my first morning "off" in over two weeks. My kids have been on Spring Break for two weeks and they were both in school this morning. So I did what I love to do when my kids are not around, I went to Target.
I got a cup of Starbucks and leisurely strolled through the store. I picked up a few grocery items, a broom, a lint brush for the dryer (which I'm going to return, cuz it didn't really do anything), the new Alvin and the Chipmunks movie (which I rented from Blockbuster and my kids loved), some toothbrushes that play the theme music to Mario Bros. for my kids (which can drive a sane person crazy in less than thirty seconds when they are being played simultaneously) and paper towels.
I was in the toy section, which is next to the Electronics department and that's when I saw it behind a locked glass door. A Wii console. I have been looking for a Wii console since last summer.
There was a Target employee buying a Wii console when I walked up to the cash register in the Electronics Department and I asked the guy behind the register if that was a Wii console behind the locked glass door, or just a display box. He said it was a Wii console and it was the last one. I told him I wanted it and five minutes later it was mine, all mine.
So here's where I need your suggestions.
I refrained from calling/texting Chad right away to tell him. He and G-man have both been wanting a Wii too. And seriously, it's he and G-man that will be playing it the most (I did buy myself American Idol...yes, call me a freak).
(He comes home late on Friday night, so I'm already planning to wait until Saturday morning to tell him...)
What would be the most fun way to tell Chad that I finally bought a Wii?
a. Tell him that I bought something for myself, using part of his recent bonus and come into the house with a Nordstrom bag that actually has the Wii console in it?
b. Say, "I bought you a new video game," and show him the Call of Duty (for Wii) box and see if he catches on?
c. Everything is in the trunk of his car right now. Do I ask him to get some stuff that I left in his trunk?
d. ???
(I am not tech savvy enough to set up the Wii all by myself and have it ready and waiting for him, so don't suggest that)
Monday, April 7, 2008
Monday morning movies review
3:10 to Yuma - if you like Westerns, you'll probably like this movie. It "stars" The IHOB 's Adopted Actor, Alan Tudyk and Peter Fonda. Up until now I always thought of Peter Fonda as the Grandpa in "Thomas and the Magic Railroad" (the worst Children's movie ever made, trust me.). In this movie, Peter Fonda shows that he can act. But seriously, it has Russell Crowe and Christian Bale (two not too shabby actors, well, they look shabby, cuz it's a Western) and it kept my interest through the whole movie because I couldn't predict how it would end. It wasn't as good as Tombstone (my fav Western), but it did have some good lines.
Clerks II - This was on cable after we finished watching 3:10 to Yuma and I'm not sure how much of the movie we missed. I have never seen Clerks, but taped it last night off of cable and am waiting to watch it with Chad. There was a lot of disturbing stuff in Clerks II (read: crass and gross), but there was also a lot of funny stuff. My favorite part: Pillow Pants.
the jane austen book club - quite a departure from the last two movies. I'm a Jane Austen fan, but this movie was not that great. It had too many characters that all had problems that were solved by movie's end. I did enjoy Emily Blunt's performance though. I predict that she'll win an Oscar some day...not because her performance was so stellar or anything, but I think her career has a lot of potential.
Clerks II - This was on cable after we finished watching 3:10 to Yuma and I'm not sure how much of the movie we missed. I have never seen Clerks, but taped it last night off of cable and am waiting to watch it with Chad. There was a lot of disturbing stuff in Clerks II (read: crass and gross), but there was also a lot of funny stuff. My favorite part: Pillow Pants.
the jane austen book club - quite a departure from the last two movies. I'm a Jane Austen fan, but this movie was not that great. It had too many characters that all had problems that were solved by movie's end. I did enjoy Emily Blunt's performance though. I predict that she'll win an Oscar some day...not because her performance was so stellar or anything, but I think her career has a lot of potential.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Rider's Block
Has anyone else tried to read Rider's Block and started reading this (I know he's a writer and I'm wondering if this is some trippy fiction that he's written?):
(http://ridersblock.blogspot.com/)
Jim Rider's Block
4.01.2008
This address was available today. Better than my last one. How cool is that?
Posted by Rider at 12:01 AM 1 comments
3.11.2008
I let Ernie talk me into auditioning for the school talent show. He wants to impress Stephanie's friend Michelle, so we're doing a magic act together.I figured I'd post one last message before I start working on my props: I'm not going to have much time to do any blogging in the next few weeks.On the plus side, I'm going to call Stephanie later and see if she'll audition with me or, at the very least, help me out with my act. Maybe she'd like to be my assistant.
Posted by Rider at 4:07 PM 0 comments
3.10.2008
I was humiliated today in front of Stephanie.I let her sit in on my meeting with my "guidance counselor" and he made me look like a complete zilch.
Posted by Rider at 8:12 PM 0 comments
3.09.2008
Last night was one of the best nights I've had in 16-and-a-half years.Stephanie and I held hands in front of a roaring fire. The events leading up to that moment aren't important. (Stephanie was sleeping over at a friend's house and called to invite me over, out of the blue. Ernie drove me there. She and I went to the bedroom to talk. Nuff said.) What was key was this: she liked the drawings I'd done of her, and when she rested her hand on my knee, I took it in mine and held it tightly. We smiled at each other.That's about as far as things went until we were busted by her friend's older brother. He proceeded to kick me and Ernie out of the house (but not before Ernie tried to ask Stephanie's friend -- I'll call her Anne -- out for a date in front of her own brother).And I'm venturing into the secret territory that I promised Stephanie I wouldn't share with anyone, but I have to mention that something unusual happened between me and her other friend (I'll call her Tamara). I've got certain suspicions about her. But that's all I can say.Can't let my girlfriend down. :)
Posted by Rider at 7:54 PM 0 comments
3.08.2008
Ernie's on his way over with DVDs and food, so I'll keep this short: I ran into Stephanie in the woods this morning! Talk about your wild coincidences! It turns out she hangs out in the same forest preserve I do!The cool part was I got to hear her play her guitar for a while before she realized I was there. (I actually sat down and started sketching her while she sat in this clearing.) She's got a beautiful singing voice. I think I love her more than ever after hearing her.The bad part was we had an argument. She accused me of spying on her. But I think she was just startled to find someone watching her. Then she got to the sarcastic point: I should enter the school's talent show and draw Allie nude on an overhead projector -- I would take the blue ribbon. She didn't seem to believe me when I told her I'd only drawn her for an assignment.The only thing I had in my defense was my personal sketchbook -- the one with half the pages filled almost entirely with illustrations of Stephanie.So I offered it to her and left.It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I mean, dropping it next to her was reflex. It was the only way to show her how much I liked her. That was a no-brainer. But walking away and leaving her there was hard. I wanted to be there to see her expression. Maybe she'd kiss me or hug me like she did in the library a few days ago. But she refused to touch the book while I was there. She was being stubborn.I finally just said, "Fine, I'm out of here!" and walked away down the path. When I got to the parking lot, I sat down on a picnic table and thought, I'll wait for her here. Then Ernie's voice spoke up in my head and said, "Be a man, for God's sake!"So I went home.Tonight is Guy's Night. No women allowed. Burritos and Jason Statham movies.
Posted by Rider at 9:13 PM 0 comments
3.07.2008
Women.Things are so much easier when you like 'em without knowing 'em.I've apparently hurt Stephanie's feelings -- but it's not my fault. It's all on Allie.See, I was all set to ask Stephanie out this morning and Allie interrupted. I'm wondering if there's not some bitter feelings between them since Steph made that "80 guys" comment on Monday. Maybe Allie is trying to make her life miserable. All I know is, Allie sat down and started flirting with me, sort of, in front of Stephanie. (Ernie tells me that's what's going on when a chick plays with her hair while she's talking with you.) Then she grabbed my sketchpad from drawing class and started leafing through it. That's when Allie found the picture I'd drawn of her...It's not my fault! I mean, I drew the picture, yeah, but it was a class assignment. Our teacher handed out random magazine clippings, and I happened to get one of Allie from a photo shoot (in addition to being the most popular girl in school, she's also a model). But she was in a bikini. And the assignment called for detail. So I spent four hours drawing everything from her strands of hair to the beads of water and grains of sand on her body (she was on the beach). Was it the worst homework I've ever been given? No. I'm a heterosexual male, so it's not like I complained.But when Stephanie saw what Allie was staring at, she completely fragged out and ran out of class.I guess this means she liked me? Because why would that hurt her feelings? And how do I fix things? All I have are questions without answers, and it drives me nuts.I'm not going to see Stephanie until next week, so I've got some time to figure things out. If the weather's nice tomorrow, I'll probably take a walk through the woods and draw. That usually clears my head.
Posted by Rider at 10:22 PM 0 comments
3.06.2008
I just got off the phone from ripping Ernie a new one. I said something to the tune of, "FYI, dick, I was trying to ask that girl out when you sucker-punched me!" He just laughed and said, "Is that the chick you've been lusting after the past few months?" Which is surprising, because I didn't think it's been that obvious.Tomorrow's the day. I'm asking her in class. Nobody's going to stop me this time.
Posted by Rider at 9:56 PM 0 comments
Argh!I'm such an idiot! I'm so stupid!I just tried to ask Stephanie out and I screwed it up. It was just a few minutes ago, after Geography. I was all pumped to go through with it: ask her out today, which gives her enough warning for Saturday night, take her to the local coffeehouse to see a band, and maybe back to my house for a late-night screening of The Ring on DVD. What I didn't count on was that she'd be with friends.That's sort of a new development -- her having friends. She was talking with two other girls from class, making plans to hang out or something. Weird thing is, these are girls from completely different social circles. It threw me, because Stephanie's always been sort of a loner.But I made my approach anyway, feeling my heart pounding on my ribs like the Hulk thrashing the Abomination, and my face felt so red I must've looked like the Vision caught with his tights around his ankles (I tend to drop obscure comic book references sometimes, kind of like a geeky Dennis Miller with acne).Anyway, I'm standing there stammering and stuttering like a loser, trying to get the words out -- and meanwhile she's looking up over her glasses at me with those wide, brown eyes -- and that's when friggin' Ernie walks past and hammers me in the arm with his fist, saying, "Get some!"The moment was gone, and I was suddenly just a red-faced doofus standing there with a sore bicep and a jerk for a friend.I'm so going to kill Ernie.
Posted by Rider at 11:03 AM 0 comments
(http://ridersblock.blogspot.com/)
Jim Rider's Block
4.01.2008
This address was available today. Better than my last one. How cool is that?
Posted by Rider at 12:01 AM 1 comments
3.11.2008
I let Ernie talk me into auditioning for the school talent show. He wants to impress Stephanie's friend Michelle, so we're doing a magic act together.I figured I'd post one last message before I start working on my props: I'm not going to have much time to do any blogging in the next few weeks.On the plus side, I'm going to call Stephanie later and see if she'll audition with me or, at the very least, help me out with my act. Maybe she'd like to be my assistant.
Posted by Rider at 4:07 PM 0 comments
3.10.2008
I was humiliated today in front of Stephanie.I let her sit in on my meeting with my "guidance counselor" and he made me look like a complete zilch.
Posted by Rider at 8:12 PM 0 comments
3.09.2008
Last night was one of the best nights I've had in 16-and-a-half years.Stephanie and I held hands in front of a roaring fire. The events leading up to that moment aren't important. (Stephanie was sleeping over at a friend's house and called to invite me over, out of the blue. Ernie drove me there. She and I went to the bedroom to talk. Nuff said.) What was key was this: she liked the drawings I'd done of her, and when she rested her hand on my knee, I took it in mine and held it tightly. We smiled at each other.That's about as far as things went until we were busted by her friend's older brother. He proceeded to kick me and Ernie out of the house (but not before Ernie tried to ask Stephanie's friend -- I'll call her Anne -- out for a date in front of her own brother).And I'm venturing into the secret territory that I promised Stephanie I wouldn't share with anyone, but I have to mention that something unusual happened between me and her other friend (I'll call her Tamara). I've got certain suspicions about her. But that's all I can say.Can't let my girlfriend down. :)
Posted by Rider at 7:54 PM 0 comments
3.08.2008
Ernie's on his way over with DVDs and food, so I'll keep this short: I ran into Stephanie in the woods this morning! Talk about your wild coincidences! It turns out she hangs out in the same forest preserve I do!The cool part was I got to hear her play her guitar for a while before she realized I was there. (I actually sat down and started sketching her while she sat in this clearing.) She's got a beautiful singing voice. I think I love her more than ever after hearing her.The bad part was we had an argument. She accused me of spying on her. But I think she was just startled to find someone watching her. Then she got to the sarcastic point: I should enter the school's talent show and draw Allie nude on an overhead projector -- I would take the blue ribbon. She didn't seem to believe me when I told her I'd only drawn her for an assignment.The only thing I had in my defense was my personal sketchbook -- the one with half the pages filled almost entirely with illustrations of Stephanie.So I offered it to her and left.It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I mean, dropping it next to her was reflex. It was the only way to show her how much I liked her. That was a no-brainer. But walking away and leaving her there was hard. I wanted to be there to see her expression. Maybe she'd kiss me or hug me like she did in the library a few days ago. But she refused to touch the book while I was there. She was being stubborn.I finally just said, "Fine, I'm out of here!" and walked away down the path. When I got to the parking lot, I sat down on a picnic table and thought, I'll wait for her here. Then Ernie's voice spoke up in my head and said, "Be a man, for God's sake!"So I went home.Tonight is Guy's Night. No women allowed. Burritos and Jason Statham movies.
Posted by Rider at 9:13 PM 0 comments
3.07.2008
Women.Things are so much easier when you like 'em without knowing 'em.I've apparently hurt Stephanie's feelings -- but it's not my fault. It's all on Allie.See, I was all set to ask Stephanie out this morning and Allie interrupted. I'm wondering if there's not some bitter feelings between them since Steph made that "80 guys" comment on Monday. Maybe Allie is trying to make her life miserable. All I know is, Allie sat down and started flirting with me, sort of, in front of Stephanie. (Ernie tells me that's what's going on when a chick plays with her hair while she's talking with you.) Then she grabbed my sketchpad from drawing class and started leafing through it. That's when Allie found the picture I'd drawn of her...It's not my fault! I mean, I drew the picture, yeah, but it was a class assignment. Our teacher handed out random magazine clippings, and I happened to get one of Allie from a photo shoot (in addition to being the most popular girl in school, she's also a model). But she was in a bikini. And the assignment called for detail. So I spent four hours drawing everything from her strands of hair to the beads of water and grains of sand on her body (she was on the beach). Was it the worst homework I've ever been given? No. I'm a heterosexual male, so it's not like I complained.But when Stephanie saw what Allie was staring at, she completely fragged out and ran out of class.I guess this means she liked me? Because why would that hurt her feelings? And how do I fix things? All I have are questions without answers, and it drives me nuts.I'm not going to see Stephanie until next week, so I've got some time to figure things out. If the weather's nice tomorrow, I'll probably take a walk through the woods and draw. That usually clears my head.
Posted by Rider at 10:22 PM 0 comments
3.06.2008
I just got off the phone from ripping Ernie a new one. I said something to the tune of, "FYI, dick, I was trying to ask that girl out when you sucker-punched me!" He just laughed and said, "Is that the chick you've been lusting after the past few months?" Which is surprising, because I didn't think it's been that obvious.Tomorrow's the day. I'm asking her in class. Nobody's going to stop me this time.
Posted by Rider at 9:56 PM 0 comments
Argh!I'm such an idiot! I'm so stupid!I just tried to ask Stephanie out and I screwed it up. It was just a few minutes ago, after Geography. I was all pumped to go through with it: ask her out today, which gives her enough warning for Saturday night, take her to the local coffeehouse to see a band, and maybe back to my house for a late-night screening of The Ring on DVD. What I didn't count on was that she'd be with friends.That's sort of a new development -- her having friends. She was talking with two other girls from class, making plans to hang out or something. Weird thing is, these are girls from completely different social circles. It threw me, because Stephanie's always been sort of a loner.But I made my approach anyway, feeling my heart pounding on my ribs like the Hulk thrashing the Abomination, and my face felt so red I must've looked like the Vision caught with his tights around his ankles (I tend to drop obscure comic book references sometimes, kind of like a geeky Dennis Miller with acne).Anyway, I'm standing there stammering and stuttering like a loser, trying to get the words out -- and meanwhile she's looking up over her glasses at me with those wide, brown eyes -- and that's when friggin' Ernie walks past and hammers me in the arm with his fist, saying, "Get some!"The moment was gone, and I was suddenly just a red-faced doofus standing there with a sore bicep and a jerk for a friend.I'm so going to kill Ernie.
Posted by Rider at 11:03 AM 0 comments
NPH
spoiler alert for HIMYM:
How much did I love "How I Met Your Mother" last night? From Barney's blind-man face to the girl pouncing on him while yelling, "Larney!" to the very end that paid comedic homage to Doogie Howser...it had me smiling from ear to ear.
I'm so glad that all the shows that were on hiatus are back or are coming back soon.
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