Time Spent

There are times when I do something that doesn't yield results, or produce practical benefits. Sometimes, I want to vegetate and have fun. So, below is a list of my favorite entertainments. You will see the evolution of good sitcoms or favorite movies, not arranged by strict decade, but by rough time periods.

Want to disagree? Can't stand my choices? Want to add your own? Well, get your own blog.

Early 60s or so: The Dick Van Dyke Show
Late 60s, Early 70s or so: Gilligan's Island.
Late 70s: Happy Days. WKRP in Cincinnati.
Early 80s: Charles in Charge.
Late 80s, Early 90s: My Two Dads.
Late 90s: Boy Meets World. Everybody Loves Raymond.
Early 10s (or whatever we're calling that decade): Reba.
Current: Big Time Rush. Victorious. (Hey, like I said. If you disagree, get your own blog). And, as an honorable mention for a show that isn't a sitcom, but makes me laugh, Wipeout.

Of course, if I included British Sitcoms, there would be no competition, so I didn't include them. So, before going on, a special mention for: Good Neighbors. Are You Being Served. Keeping Up Appearances. Fawlty Towers. Waiting for God. Red Dwarf.

And the best movies, roughly in chronological order:

The Russians are Coming. Father Goose. Who's Minding the Mint. the Three Musketeers (and sequel). Charade. Planet of the Apes. Logan's Run. What's Up Doc. Star Wars (the original trilogy).

Raiders of the Lost Ark (and following films). Jurassic Park (yes, even part 2 and 3). Die Hard. Terminator (et al). The Name of the Rose. Aliens. Far Off Place. Crimson Tide. Much Ado About Nothing. Clue. The Gods Must Be Crazy (and sequel). Men in Black. The Fifth Element. The Mummy and the Mummy Returns (sorry, can't include the third one).

Galaxy Quest. While You Were Sleeping. Pride and Prejudice (A&E). Independence Day. Jumanji. Down Periscope. Hoodwinked. X-Men (and sequels, of course). Pirates of the Caribbean (um, okay, maybe the sequels. Maybe not). Transformers.

I know. There were others that were good. I can hear you from here. "Hey Man, What about Treasure Planet?" "Dude, What about Back to the Future?" Okay, fine. I agree, but I couldn't include every movie I ever liked. "What about epics movies, like The Lord of the Ring?" Sorry. I know someone will get mad at me, but I had to force myself to sit all the way through the first one, and couldn't force myself to sit through the others.

"Dude, man, Ishtar." Um. No. And you can go home.

Okay, like I said. This was a fun exercise. An evening of mindless entertainment. And probably tomorrow, my list would have been different. But don't worry. I'll try and make my next blog more earth shattering and heart wrenching.

Vacation 2010

Well, one more vacation is done.

First, a quick recap: Ahem, in no particular order... Wind storm, yellow jackets, fishing, hiking, torrents of water, vomiting, great horned owl, wild dogs.

Okay, so, now the long version.

I was prepared this time around. I had loaded up the truck two days ahead of time. Gas was full. Snacks were easily accessible. A children's audiobook in the CD player ready to go.

We left early, ready for a good time to be had by all. Well, so much for plans. My son started throwing up at the campsite and spent the first day laying in the tent, wiped out. So, instead of the first day's activities, we mostly hung out at camp, with just a couple of short hikes with my daughter and me.

The second day was a bit better. My son was back to his regular energetic self. We started the day with a great breakfast. Now, those who camped with me in my hiking days will remember the dismal breakfasts we would have when we had to carry it all on our backs. These days, my wife has introduced me to car-camping. This still involves tents, but the tents are larger. And the stove it a massive two burner. There's a portable sink and chairs and a full size table. And Breakfast.

Scrambled eggs, bacon, toast and coffee. Let me tell you, a far cry from the instant eggs and oatmeal of my hiking days. After breakfast, we headed out for lake fishing. The kids were pumped and ready for fishing. Unfortunately, the previous experience, where they each caught a fish within the first half hour has left them with unrealistic expectations. After 45 minutes, they were done. No fish.

Oh. But there was excitement. Apparently, yellow jackets like to build nests near the edge of the lake. And, apparently, they don't like dads like me who stomp next to their nests in hiking boots. The dang things don't even have the decency to die after stinging you, like any proper bee would. Nope. They can go right on doing so.

So, fishing finished for a time, we headed out on the day's adventures. We drove to dry falls, for the kids to see the amazing scenery. And, I'm sorry, I really, really like the bold-voiced documentaries that parks and interpretive centers show in the little make-shift theaters. The kids and I enjoyed watching them (my wife is less impressed by them. She doesn't see watching a screen as part of a vacation).

After some site-seeing around dry falls, we drove out to the Lenora Lakes Caves. These are prehistoric caves that are fairly easily accessible, for the most part. These caves were wintering sites for prehistoric native americans. We grabbed extra water (it was over 90 degrees and we have been used to temps in the 60s) and our hiking sticks and tromped off. The dog always starts off with enthusiasm. "Oh, good, we're going for a walk." But ends up with staring at us, as if to say, "Who's stupid idea was this?"

If you ever get to do this hike, let me give you a little hint. Don't stop with the first cave. It's a disappointment. Don't' stop with the 2nd, although it was pretty cool. Don't even stop with the 3rd or 4th. If you keep going, you can see the big caves around the bend. But don't stop there. After the 7th, you realize the preceding caves are just cave-wanna-be's. If you keep going over the ridge, and into the gully on this side of the coulee, you will see a real site.

Oh, a note of caution. If you go this far, you will have to pass over the narrow walkway which is wide enough for people hugging the wall, but the dog won't fit. Be sure, if you bring a dog, to bring someone along who doesn't mind waiting with the dog at the 6th cave while the rest of you goes on. Oh, and while you are going across the narrow walkway, watching your feet to make sure you don't slip, don't forget to watch your head as well. There's a low-hanging outcrop of rocks that really hurts if you whack your head against it. Just ask my son.

Once over that last ridge, you find a cave large enough for an entire village, down inside a gully. It is really something worth hiking for. I want to go back and try the other hike in the area, up over the main coulee into a smaller, parallel coulee, where you can find boulders with ancient pictographs. But it has to be done in the spring or fall. In the summer, you would need more water than you could easily carry.

That night, we headed up to the Grand Coulee Dam to watch the laser-light show. It's the exact same recording Mikee and I saw back 18 years ago (dang, was it really that long ago?). "I am strength. I am power. I am the river Columbia." The kids said it was awesome. Since the water level is high this time of year, the overflow roared majestically all the time. I'm glad they got to see it.

The drive back to the campsite was something. The lightshow has to wait until the sun goes down, so the show ends just before 10:40 at night. We stayed all the way until closing (11:00) to avoid the crowd of cars trying to leave at the same time, and to make sure the kids used the rest room. (There are no reststops on the way back to the campsite). It is a dark, lonely drive back. No lights. Seldom any other cars. Just you, stuck in a tiny world illuminated by your headlights.

At one point, we saw a huge rock in the road. I slowed and the rock sprouted huge, magnificent wings. I have never seen a owl that big before. He took off completely silently. My wife alerted me to its presence by shouting out useful phrases like, "Oh, Um, That, Um, Look."

She was much more articulate when the deer ran in front of me and stopped to watch me approach. She was still yelling "Deer" after I was stopped and the deer was walking off. The pack of dogs along the side of the road was another interesting site. Either they were standing around a packmate who had been hit, or they were feeding on a dead deer. Either way, we didn't stick around. The bat that swooped down and confusedly fluttered around the windshield added to the excitement.

Unfortunately, the drive back as also punctuated by my daughter, having a turn at whatever bug my son had suffered, repeatedly vomiting in the back seat. Like any experienced parents, we travel with vomit bags tucked into both kid's seats, and a plastic bag to dispose of them in.

Both kids slept deeply that night. After a day of exercises, fresh air and late night, sleep came easily to them. Unfortunately, a wind storm hit, trying to take down the tent, and, after the first branch hit our tent, my wife and I did not sleep well. I brought an audiobook on my MP3 player, so I lay there, listening to the adventures of Shea and Flick as they tried to find the Sword of Shannara.

The next morning, dead tired, we took the kids fishing again. Although everyone seemed to be feeling better, but my daughter did end up losing her breakfast in the bushes. No fish were caught, but I wasn't attacked by yellow jackets, so I liked the 2nd day of fishing much better than the first.

On our way back home, we stopped for a tour of the Grand Coulee Dam, and a hike through the Ginkgo Petrified Forest. That was fun. We listed to more of the Wayside School stories during the long drive. As the sun was setting, we headed into the pass, on our way home. That was when my wife succumbed to the virus the kids had gone through, and she really wanted to get home before it got really bad.

And then we stopped, near the summit, for an hour, while the road crews did blasting. Listening to the Wayside kids and the sounds of my wife trying not to throw up. But, let me tell you, bringing these audiobooks along really helped keep the kids happy while we sat there. And the Wayside School stories are witty enough for adults to listen to as well. (Find it here). (We borrowed our copy from our local library).

We finally arrived late at night, my wife sicker than a dog. The kids and I unloaded the most needed stuff from the car, while she sprinted across the yard. Now two days later, my wife is still sick (apparently, kids recover faster than adults), and, after putting away much of the camping gear, I'm selfishly hoping I don't catch whatever it is everyone has had. It doesn't look good at work to call in sick your first day back from vacation. But, it would be a fitting ending to this vacation.

Boastful - or - What a Full Day

I'm going to indulge myself and be boastful today. That was one really long day. We got up early, and I walked the kids down to the school. We spent the morning with the cub scouts, walking all over the neighborhood putting flyers on doors announcing our intention to have a food drive (we'll walk around picking up the food next week). Now, I think that alone should have been enough. Surely I could have come home and relaxed.

But, no, I don't seem destined for relaxation. After the morning of walking with multiple kids (each kid expands the energy draining affect by 2. In affect, the energy leaves you body exponentially by a factor of how many kids you have with you. The amount of adults you have along does nothing to aleave this. Kids are draining, and that's all there is to it). Let's see, where was I, before my tirade? Oh, right...

After the morning of walking with multiple kids all over the neighborhood, I took my kids plus one neighbor kid to the library, for the Tech-Fair. We attended storytimes, talked with librarians, learned about databases and had a good time. Tiring time as well. Any event that involves kids is tiring, no matter how interesting. Still, the two boys earned credits toward a cub scout badge.

Done yet? No, of course not. It was only 1:00 by then. I took the kids and my wife to McDonalds and then back to my house, where the kids had a play date. (For the uninitiated, a play date consists of kids playing, arguing, having fun, arguing, making a mess and, of course, arguing. Yet, despite all the arguing, they confess to having a great time and hate to see it end. Once again, this is a massive draw on my energy (because, of course, it's all about me).

So once the play date is over, can I finally relax? Are you kidding? Now it's time to get my weekend chores started. Plumbing comes first. This is always true because you have to get the plumbing done before the hardware store closes. It is always a mistake to be working on plumbing when every place that sells parts is closed. You can work on a car and leave it until tomorrow. You can rewire a lamp and leave it until next week. But you have to have plumbing.
So, once I had reassembled the sink, you would think I would be done, eh? HA! I'll say it again... HA!

Don't get me wrong. The sink is fixed (except that I noticed some parts starting to fail, so I need to remember to buy them this week so I can fix that problem next weekend before it becomes a real problem. A house is never really finished, is it?). Where was I, again? Dang, I tend to wander, don't I?

Okay, so I walked the kids around the neighborhood, took them to a program, let them have a play date and then did some plumbing. What was next? Well, it was dinner time, so I had to cook. I admit, food is my downfall, my obsession. That's not to say that I enjoy cooking. I hate cooking. I really enjoy eating. So I cook so that I can eat. This time I decided to have a breakfast for dinner. Homemade waffles, bacon and eggs. Oooooo, life is good.

Done? Please, don't make me laugh. Tonight is daylight savings time and I don't dare leave it for tomorrow. I hate waking up, having a leisurely breakfast and suddenly finding out I'm later than I thought I was. So I went around the house systematically changing every clock in the house. (This did have the added benefit of making the kids think it was later than it really was. That on top of all the fresh air they got today helped them fall asleep earlier than normal). Then, of course, you have to change all the batteries in the smoke detectors and Carbon Monoxide detector.

Finally done? No?

Almost. The kids had homework and Awana homework to do. Then there's the nightly reading (which has evolved. I don't just read to them each night now. I read one book, they each read one book, and then I read a chapter from a chapter book). This is followed by chasing kids around the house (which is really conducive to helping a kid fall asleep) getting them to brush their teeth, clean up toys and get ready for bed.

Then, I get to rest. HA! Fooled you. One more task to do.

This is midterms week. I needed to write up my final draft for my mid-term essay exam. Eight stinking pages that make up a quarter of my grade. But, by 11:00, that is finally finished and proof read and then uploaded to the instructor.

Done.

What a day. Then I decided to write about it. Guess I hope to remember it, some day in the future, when I'm retired and board. Then again, I'll probably be walking my grandkids around the neighborhood delivering flyers. And doing plumbing. Sigh.

But I'm done for now.

Finally rest.


I just need to take the dog outside for her last potty-break, feed the cat, get ready for bed and get everything ready for church tomorrow.
Um, rest?

Growing Up

Last night, my son carved his own pumpkin. Guess old dad is on his way out, as being useful. When I get home, he no longer runs into the room yelling "Daddy". He walks through the room, real slow, points a finger and says, "Hey Dad" real low and slow. He's growing up.

It won't be long and he'll be independent. Driving. Working. Knowing everything.

But, eventually, he'll get his own house and then he'll have questions again. And I will suddenly become knowledgable again.

Guess I better start studying.

Disneyland

What a trip.

Oops, I mean,
"What a vacation".
Disneyland was great. But, boy am I tired.

Day 1.

We took the kids on a plane for the first time. Just getting them through security and the airport was an adventure in itself. And then on the plane. When it roared and we were pushed back in the our seats, and we felt the sudden lift, the kids looked at me with a mixture of excitement and fear.



I sat with the kids on the way to Disneyland, and my wife sat with them on the way back. But we were smart. We brought sticker books and a DVD player. They stayed happily entertained the entire way. But my daughter wailed as we landed. The cold in her sinuses made the pressure changes unbearable, but she wouldn't believe me that chewing gum would help. I mean, really, what does dad know?


The driver that took us to Disneyland was a maniac. I'm pretty sure I met his brother, a cab driver in London (I have two cousins who will know what I'm talking about). And I really didn't want to die. Not on the way to Disneyland. After would have been fine, but not before.


We finally reached Disneyland at about 5:00. As is traditional, we rode the train around the park first, to give the kids an orientation of the park. Then we entered. In just that first evening, we rode Bus Lightyear's Astro-blasters (excellent), Snow White's Scary Adventure (actually startled me), Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (one of my favorites), Pirates of the Caribbean (my favorite) and I can't remember what else. We slept really well that night.







The next days were amazing.



After a hearty breakfast (never get one of those wimpy continental breakfasts. Stay at a hotel with sausage, hash brown, eggs and biscuits and gravy) each morning, we entered the park early. I really like mornings in Disneyland. (And afternoons). Oh, um, and nights. I really like nights at Disneyland too. But mornings are nice too. (Have I made the point yet)? The bright morning light, the smaller crowd, the fresh clean feel and the cooler weather. Nobody's tired or grumpy yet. (Maybe Dopey or Sleepy, but not Grumpy). Everyone is smiling and dancing. Kids are happy (trust me, even at Disneyland, kids get tired and grumpily. Um. So do parents).



As the day went on, we would rush from ride to ride. After the second day, I got smart and brought the gameboy so the kids could play it while waiting in line. I even surprised them with two new Disney games (well, okay, two used Disney games, but new to them). We went from land to land. Adventureland (where the characters dress like me), Fantasyland (filled with characters that don't dress like me), Tomorrowland (filled with characters dressed as Jedi, how I wish I dressed), New Orleans Square with the music and the pirates, Frontierland (with characters that, yes, do dress like me), Toon town (with, well, places the kids liked) and Main street, a magical place.



California Adventure wasn't quite as much fun. The rides were still fun, but somehow the magic was missing. In Disneyland, even the walk between rides can be magical. In California Adventure, it's nothing really special. Most of it, anyway. Some of the rides are really incredible, though. Grizzly Rapids are amazing, if you don't mind getting soaked. Soaring over California was worth it, and Tower of Terror was so much fun, I laughed out loud. (Outbursts of happiness is not my normal mode). Monsters Inc was cute and the kids really liked it. And who can resist talking to Crush? (Both of my kids were called on by him). But my favorite was the Toy Story Ride. Not the Astro-blasters, but the 3-D shooting game. Guess I'm just competitive by nature. Gotta get that high score. Some rides were boring. But I went on every little kid ride, because my daughter was too short to go on alone. The boring rides. The rides that made me sick. Even the long-line boring rides. Sometimes you just gotta be a dad and do it.



One place C.A. does better than Disneyland is food. At least there is one area with a variety of food, some for kids and some for adults, near each other. Disney's foods are spread out around the park. If kids want hot dogs and parents want hamburgers, you're looking at a walk half way around the park to get each.



Ah, night is magical. The lights, the crowd, the music. Night is almost as much fun as morning. And many of the rides are more open. What is more fun then complete exhaustion, walking slowly (because you can't walk fast) and taking in the sights and sounds? Even the dark rides seemed darker, mistier. More dusk like. And walking Main street, with the lights, the entertainers, the window displays.



And the last night. Sad, but still happy. Looking at each sight for the last time. Greedily soaking in every image, every sound. And looking at the glowing castle, one last time. Melancholy. Walking slowly. Resisting leaving, even while so tired, long past midnight, carrying a sleeping child. You can't stay. But you sure want to. Like the end of an incredible meal. Too full to eat any more, fully satisfied. Remembering the flavours. Not ready to be done.



And then you pass through the exit. Into the night, the late-night crowds moving along with you, just as you have done each of the five nights. But tonight is different. You aren't going back the other way the next morning. You won't be walking this wonderful road again.



Maybe we won't wait 10 years next time. Maybe five.



Maybe I would rather move in.



Happiest place on earth.

Is it really only September?

I'm tired of working. I'm tired of school. I'm tired of fixing the house and the cars. I'm tired of volunteering. I'm tired of kids' parties. I'm tired of the cat peeing anywhere she wants to. I'm tired.

Okay, I got the rant done. What's the other part of the old saying. Let's see. "To rant and rave."

Um, how do you "rave"? Isn't raving, like, saying good things about someone? But, then again, there is such a thing as a "raving lunatic", Isn't there? Oh. So what I'm going right now is raving, right?

Or maybe rambling.

Well, time for work. Gotta hurry home after. I have a lot of homework tonight. I have my first mid-term this Thursday, and I'm still a week behind on my studies.

Oooo, am I raving yet?

Some Weeks

Some weeks are just more eventful than others. Here was this week...

1. Took the kids to visited Grandma out of town.
2. The kids started school this week. We also started a committement to walk to school more often. I've done a lot of walking this week.
3. I had a job interview. AND I got the job. (Woo-hoo and all that).
4. The dog got sick and started throwing up everywhere.
5. The kids found on of the vomit piles and covered it with... scoops of coffee, scoops of sugar, scoops of salt, syrup, Pam, cooking oil, other substances I can only imagine. (Experienced parents, tell me, what goes through kids" minds)?
6. In response to punishment for the above action, one child got angry and kicked the bedroom window, smashing glass and cutting his foot.
7. I learned how to replace a window pane.
8. Had a good day at church.

So the week started off great and ended great. Think I could have avoided a couple of the parts in the middle.

Gotta go buy some glass now.

Travel, School, Sickness

Wow. School starts tomorrow. (Well, for my kids, anyway. My university started a couple of weeks ago). Labor day weekend. The last few moments of fun before school starts. And, boy, did this one go out with a bang.
Saturday started off normal. The kids and I did some small repairs around the house. I baked a loaf of bread to surprise my wife when she got home from work. I was a little tired, due to the crazy driver roaming the streets the night before, blowing his horn madly at each intersection and then disappearing for an hour or so. The police cruiser trying to find him (or so I assumed) never did (far as I know). But, that's okay, I still had two more nights of the Labor Day weekend to catch up in sleep. The rest of Saturday went normal as well. Went to school for a couple of hours after my wife came home. Did some more work in the workshop (building a card holder out of spare wood) and then playing a board game with the kids. (During which, they bickered the whole time. I think it'll do them some good to be going back to school and being around more kids than just each other). Then into bed. Late, since I went back to school after the kids went to sleep. Around midnight. (At least once school starts, the kids will start going to sleep on time. Wow, where did that laugh come from?).
Sunday. We left really early in the morning to take the kids to Grandma's house. So, no sleep that night. The drive down was remarkable. Around Olympia we hit a massive downpour. The freeway slowed to 30 mph, visibility down to nothing. What a rush. Spent a wonderful day. The kids got to see Grandma while mom and dad went shopping at the outlet mall. My wife and I wandered through the Borst House. (If you've never been there, this is a great place to go. Click here to see someone else's experience and some pics from it).
We went back to Grandma's and all went out for dinner. Then we went back to Grandma's for a game of cards. (Hey, mom and dad get some time with Grandma too). The drive home that night was just as crazy as the drive there. Except it was late and dark. An adventure radio show put the kids to sleep, but kept us company all the way through the dark, awful squalls. We got home after midnight and were asleep by one. But that's okay. We had nothing going on the next day. We could sleep in and get caught up. Woohoo.
Sunday night was fraught with kids waking up from nightmares, needing water and who-knows-what-else. Broken sleep with sleeping in is still good. Monday morning, early Monday morning, we were awoken by the sounds of vomiting. A sick kid. Early in the morning. So much for sleeping in. Cleaning with bleary eyes is almost as good as sleeping. Yeeesh. Tired, tired, tired. Spent the day rearranging furniture. (The kids are getting their own rooms for the new school year, so the playrooom needs to be cleaned out). Moving furniture, cleaning the backyard, and all the rest of normal weekly chores, while taking care of sick kid and entertaining the now lonely bored other kid, while simultaniously going to school and every other possible problem. Sigh. Went to bed late.

Maybe I'll get some rest at work.

Camping

Well, another camping trip is done. All I can say is, "Dang, I'm glad to sleep in a bed."

Well, okay, that's not all I have to say.
I do enjoy camping, don't get me wrong, but boy do I hate camping. Incompatible statement? Let me explain...
When I used to hike with friends as a teen, I really enjoyed camping, because it let me hike.
When I used to camp at SCA events, I really enjoyed camping, because it let me stay longer at the SCA.
When I started seriously hiking as an adult, I really enjoyed camping, because it let me go deeper into the woods.
When I started camping with my wife and kids, I really enjoy camping, because it let's me hang out with my family.
But, camping itself? No. Why? Well, let's take a look...

1. Sleeping on the ground, with a hiking mat and sleeping bag, my back can only take three nights at most, then I'm not standing.
2. Cold. Cold nights trying to get warm. Cold mornings, trying to eat breakfast.
3. Mosquitoes.
4. Manually heating water for washing dishes and face.
5. Sand. Sand everywhere. In food, in eyes, in hair, in sleeping bag, in coffee. (We camp at the ocean beach).
6. Hike to the bathroom. The odd dude hanging out in the men's room. (The guy this year was really weird).
7. No internet. Aaaak. No TV. Aaaaaaaaak.
8. Trying to play card games in wind, rain and/or heat.
9. Cooking, with two small burners, in the wind, rain, heat.
10. A long drive there, a long drive back. Setting up camp, taking down camp. Loading the truck (at home and at camp), unloading the truck (at home and at camp). In one short word... Work.

But, okay, there are some great parts...

1. Sitting and reading in quiet. Real quiet. Just birds and other wildlife (and, of course, the ocean).
2. Sitting around a fire and watching the embers glow.
3. Breakfast. Oh man, do I love breakfast while camping. Bacon, eggs, toast, corned-beef hash, coffee. I could, of course, eat the same while at home, but, somehow it's easier when camping. Possibly because there isn't a microwave, so no matter what I make, it'll take work.
4. No TV. No iCarly. No Spongebob.
5. Watching the kids jump happily in the surf. (Not strictly part of camping, but a by-product, like the sand in the "bad" list.
6. Chatting with strangers you'll never see again.
7. Watching my wife and kids have so much fun. Huh, can't top that one.

Guess I'll do it again.

Randomn Thoughts Through the Heat

Okay, I'll admit. This is hot. I know, there are places on Earth that are hotter. Fine. But those places are hotter more often, so buildings and habits have been built with all that in mind. Our fair city, with it's temporate climate, is ill-prepared for extreme heat or extreme cold (both of which was proved this year).
It has, however, brought our little family closer together. Oh, not the touchy-cryee kind of closer together that you see on a Lifetime Movie of the week or anything. Nope, we're just closer together, period. Normally, when I get home from work, the kids are in the playroom, my wife is in the living room and I head to the kitchen to start dinner. Not so these last couple of days. We are all in the same room, the family room in the basement. It's a good 15 degrees cooler in there, but it's not a big room, and we've recently been using it for storage, so it's even smaller. And with all of us in there, and various electronics running, the temp rises a bit, so it's only 10 degrees cooler. But it's better then upstairs.
In preparation for this heat wave (sorry, HEAT WAVE), I ran some cable through the basement, then disconnected the cable from the splitter that runs to the playroom and connected it to the basement. So we have cable (on an itty-bitty TV) in there. And moved the card table in there, so we could have a place to eat when needed and the table can be folded while the kids played. Great plan. It means we have to all watch the same shows, but, hey, that's suppose to be good, right? (This was fine, because my favorite show, Wipeout, was on last night).
We're closer together at night as well. The main floor is way too hot to possibly sleep. The 2nd floor? Much worse. So we set up a tent in the back yard and camped out. Around 3 in the morning, the temp drops to around 70 and I can sleep a little more peacefully. Well, except when the dog saw the raccoon, but that's a different story. An 85 pound dog leaping on you while it follows an animal outside just doesn't encourage relaxation. So, what has all this family togetherness taught me? That I miss flipping through channels on the TV at night.

While lying outside at 2 in the morning, waiting for the blessed cooling around 3, without a TV to watch, or a book to read (the lights wake up the kids), I find myself wondering things. Here's one... My dad's generation took a shower once or twice a week. My generation takes a shower every day. Some of our nephews (old people in their 20s) take a shower twice a day. So, what happens with the next generation? Just how frequently can someone bathe? "Dang, it's been 2 hours since my shower. I must stink." Think of the effect on the environment, all that water to clean not-yet-dirty people.
Speaking of the environment, here's another thing I thought about. During the winter, where we had that massive snow fall that never went away. I joked, "Well, heck, where did the global-warming go? Sure could use some now." Well, hey, here it is. Guess I better not say something like, "Well, heck, where's that ice age that scientist talked about. Sure could use one now." Might happen. So I won't say it.

Okay, I'll leave on a public service message. A beat-the-heat drink. I know, some people say you shouldn't have caffeine because it dehydrates you. (This has been called into question in some of the hiking communities, but we'll leave that argument for another day). In reality, I like a certain amount of caffeine in a day. It is too hot, these afternoons and evenings, for a nice hot cup of Joe. So here's a recipe that cools me off to the core...
You will need sugar, soy milk and instant coffee. Oh, and a fridge with a freezer. Got those? (Feel free to substitute real milk, but I think milk doesn't get as cold as soy milk does). So, take a coffee cup ( a good stout one that can take freezing) and put in one rounded teaspoon of instant coffee. Pour boiling water to about a third of the cup. (Don't use a giant-sized cup-of-coffee-you-can-bathe-in kind of cup, just a normal old-fashioned coffee cup). Add 2 teaspoons of sugar (my wife takes one teaspoon, but she also likes unsweetened coffee. I suggest two). Stir. Put this in your freezer until the edges start to form ice crystals (but before it actually freezes). It takes about an hour and 15 minutes in my freezer. Then take out and fill the rest of the cup with soy milk. (Make sure you've pre-chilled your soy milk in the fridge, or this won't cool you off). Stir (yeah, like I had to tell you that part). Okay, now enjoy (yes, "enjoy" is part of the instructions). You now have a high-octane way to cool off that doesn't cost an arm and a leg at a fastfood place and requires no gas for the car.

Next year, maybe I'll look into air conditioning.

How the Mighty Have Fallen

My cousins and I grew up with Shogun Warriors. Great fighting robots of ancient lore. Mighty bold warriors. Armed with battle axes and swords, they would rush into battle. What can I say? We were boys. My Shogun Warrior was Dragoon, the giant red robot.

As you can see from the picture, my daughter plays with him now. Gone are the days of mighty conflict. Forgotten are the glorious quests. Today, he dresses in lace, plays school and tea parties. My daughter drags him everywhere.

On the other hand, he has a new generation of playing, instead of sitting alone in a box. That was the message of Pixar's Toy Story, wasn't it? That a toy is only happy when someone is playing with it.

But... White lace?

How the Mighty have fallen.

Vacation

I was thinking about vacations yesterday, while I was figuring out what to pack for an upcoming vacation. Several thoughts occurred to me. Let's see...

First, there were road trips. In the olds days, P.K. (pre-kids), I would load up the car (one bag, maybe two if I was camping), leave in the morning and have a great drive. You know what it's like. You pull out, move to the fast lane, sit back and enjoy. Drive for hours, stopping rarely, moving at the highest the speed limit will allow. (Or, um... maybe just a little beyond that. You know. Umm...

"Ahem"

Okay, so what happens nowadays? Load up the car, with multiple bags. Well, that makes sense, with more people. Then you pull out, move to the fast lane, sit back...

"Dad, I gotta go paawteeeee."

Oh, yeah. Of course. we reached 30 minutes into the drive. Just arrived on the freeway. Just made it to the fast lane. Just sat back, ready to make some miles. And then comes the opera voice... "Poooootyyyyy". It's never "Father, if you please, could you perhaps pull over and let me relieve myself." Or even, "Hey dad, I need to use the restroom." Nope. "paaaaaaatiiiii."

Now, you have to fight your way back across all the lanes, exit the freeway, drive around looking for a restroom ("clean" restroom) and unpack the kids (those of you who have kids know it isn't as simple as stepping out of the car. For one thing, you have to say, "Okay, we're here. Let's get out of the car". Not once. Not twice. It varies, between 5 and 8 times). Then, of course, there's all the time it takes to reattach the kids to the backseat, refind the freeway, move your way back into the fast lane and, finally, sit back and really move.

"Get your motor running, head out on the highway."

"Daddy, I gotta go potteeeeee."

Dang it.

A week in the life of... me

Monday:
First, an emissions test.

Should have been easy, right? Ha! I'll say that again. Ha! Okay, it started off fine. Made sure I had all the paperwork I needed, and the money. Got in the car and drove down there. Well, I forgot about the project to rebuild the freeway near the emissions place. I pulled off the freeway and straight into a closed road. I forgot they are tearing up the entire area, to build a new freeway next to the old one. The emissions place was straight ahead, only 6 blocks away. Too bad I couldn't go that way. The detour took us down a street to the left. Unfortunately, that road was being torn up as well. We drove at 5 mph through bumpy construction, searching for a right turn that wasn't closed.

We finally found a place to turn, a couple of miles down the road. Now we just had to turn right again to get back to the closed road. Block after block, closed for construction. Finally, a turn. I took it.

"Where the heck am I?"

It took forever, but I was finally able to find the emissions test place. Car passed without a problem. Then I had to get back. I resolved not to go back the way I came, even if I could remember all the correct turns. I had come from the North, but I left to the South. I know. You can already guess what happened next. I should have seen it coming.

First of all, this "main road" actually ends several blocks away. But not without going through confusing round-abouts, 5-way intersections and nonsense signs. Then the road ended. I turned around and went East (since West was a restricted road with a guard gate. At least I made one good decision). Eventually, I found a main road. Even a familar one. I used to work on that road. 25 years ago. Huh. Guess roads can change a little after 25 years. Apparently.

The area looked familiar. But all the businesses had closed over the last two decades. Then I entered a less-than-desirable area of the city. Seems it had gone downhill, as the businesses had closed. Dark, dirty taverns were the only places left. Open at 10 in the morning. Winos (I know, not a politically correct term, but accurate in this one instance. Very stereotypical. Passed out all over the sidewalks, holding bottles in bags. Just like an old movie), garbage blowing along the streets and not a moving soul. Finally, I found the street I needed. Unfortunately, not until after I passed it. Now I just needed to turn around.

But, of course, the street had turned into a small, barely paved road, running along the country. Mile after mile without a place to turn. Surrounded by wide open fields. Eventually, an airport appeared to my right. I realized, on the other side of that airport was the main road I normally use. If I can get there, I'll be home free.

About this time, I realized I should have eaten breakfast. And maybe found a restroom. Yeah. That would have been a good idea.

Well, that was a great theory. There was no place to turn. No way to cross. Not with a guard gate, anyway. Then, just as I was ready to give up, I saw it. A familiar building, I had been to often. And a turn light, aimed toward it. What could go wrong?

I know what you're thinking. Lots. But, contrary to the rest of the morning, it was actually easy. The road went through. I was able to get to the familar street, back to the small bridge and back home.

Just in time to get ready and drive to work. A quick run to the emissions building, an hour long project at the most, had taken three hours. Now all I had left to do was drive an hour to work, work 8 hours, drive an hour home and, finally, rest.

Well, actually, it's finals week. So I had to log in and work on a final report worth a third of my grade.

And that was only the first day last week.

St Patrick's Day

I love St Patrick's Day. Okay, I love corned beef and cabbage. Cooked with potatoes and carrots. With Irish soda bread. My wife cooked the best corned beef ever. I could have eaten my weight. It takes hours for it to cook. It's worth the wait. It's worth the weight too, if it comes to that. To top it all off, a co-worker baked a green cake with green extra sweet frosting.
What? Green cake isn't traditional? Do I care? It tasted good, tradition or no tradition. I could have eaten the entire cake myself (but my co-workers might have hunted me down).
I had extra helpings of everything (except the cake, but that was at work). I feel full. I feel good.
I need a nap.
Life is good.

I'll exercise tomorrow.

How things change

I'm sitting in an office, getting the oil changed in my car. I'm suppose to be doing homework, but I'm counting this as my "break". I was thinking about how things have changed recently. Not for the worse and not for the better. Just changed.

My youngest is now in school. It used to be, when I would get the oil changed in my car, I would bring the stroller along and walk my daughter around the neighborhood while the car was worked on. We had just enough time to get fresh air and visit our favorite stores.

Some of our favorite stores are closed now. The Christian bookstore that I used to stop at and see if they had any "classic" christian CDs on sale is gone. (Yes, yes, I know. I'm old enough to concider my music "classic"). The toy store is gone. The fruit store is still there (not bad). The donut shop is still there (WOO HOO!!). Sorry, some foods take priority over other foods.

Now I sit, writing about my life and wondering if anyone is reading it. I'm not getting the fresh air or the fun with hanging out with my kid and no exercise at all, except for my fingers. Still, as long as I imaging people are reading this, at least I can say I'm touching base with my friends.

See, it's not change for the worse, or change for the better. It's just change.

Now I should get back to homework. I've put it off long enough. I avoid homework, when I can. See, there's one thing that hasn't changed since high school 25 years ago. So, sometimes, there's no change.

But, where are the jet packs?

I contemplated a few things, while my dentist worked on my teeth. See, the reason I was thinking was because the dentist was leaning over and blocking my view of the TV. Isn't that the coolest thing? A TV, in the ceiling, with HD cable. Life is really good. But, here is what I was thinking. When I was a kid, I imagined the future, and I tried to remember what has come to pass that I had looked forward to...

1. A TV in the ceiling while at the Dentist. I apparently spent a lot of time at the dentist, staring up his nose, wishing for something more fun. And what was more fun, when we were 9, than TV? And, lo, it has come to pass.
2. A TV small enough to carry around. Sure, I got one of those back in the 80s. But it was black and white and not very usable. Now we have DVD players small enough to carry with us, with a color wide-screen TV. So, lo, it has come to pass.
3. A TV where you could look in the TV guide and choose what to watch, no matter what time you happen to turn it on. Apparently, I thought a lot about TV. Most of the future was comprised of watching TV. And, lo, On-Demand has come to pass.
4. A tape player small enough to fit in a pocket and carry a lot of radio shows. And, lo, MP3 players have come to pass. My MP3 can hold many hours worth of radio shows. And, lo, lotsa tunes have come to pass.
5. A tricorder (I did say I watched a lot of TV) that could be portable, so you could play video games anywhere you want. Well, we have laptops. Heck, we have cell phones with video games (I just added Yatzee to my cell phone and I'm thinking about Simcity). And, lo, we have gadgets.
6. The ability to look up facts for school reports without going to the library and lugging heavy books. Hey, we've conquered a lot of this. Not just the internet, we have databases with varifiable data. We can now carry several hundred books on a flashdrive the size of fingernail clippers and read them on a paperback sized device. And, lo, blah, blah, blah.

And I even go to school while at home. Don't think I ever hoped I would be going to school when I was in my forties. But, hey, now we can. Hmmm, not as much fun as watching TV though.

Busy, busy, busy - did I mention busy?

I realized, as it was snowing, that I haven't updated my blog since the last snow. There are so many things I'm behind in.

• I had a midterm last week and another next week.
• We have a group project due tomorrow in one class.
• I haven't logged into facebook in three weeks. I have multiple requests there, waiting to see me.
• I have more e-mail than I could ever read.
• Both of my kids have Science Fair projects due. I spent half the day sticking wires into a potato trying to make it activate a lightbulb. Didn't work. I used my volt-meter to check and a potato only has .35 volts. No wonder it didn't work. My daughter was able to make dancing raisins, though.
• Um - lots of stuff around the house and yard. Behind in too much to list.
• The cubs are collecting food for the local food bank. My kids and I walked, in the snow and wind, sticking door-hangers on countless doors. I spent half the morning walking around the neighborhood, leaving notes asking for food. Next week, we'll drive around the same block, collecting the bags of food to donate.
• We need to build three cars for the yearly pine-wood derby. Haven't even started.
• The (real) cars need cleaning. Best wait though, just in case of snow.
• Homework. So much homework.

So much to do. Should get to work.

Think I'll play Monopoly with the kids tomorrow.

Priorities, you understand.

Our Inflatable Penguin

Aaaaaaa!! The snow killed our inflatable penguin. Oh, the horror.

Okay, don't worry. We brought him inside and he recovered. Must have been magical New Year's Snow, like Frosty's Christmas snow.

Lessons for the new year

Well, here are a few lessons I recently learned...

1. The snow taught me something. Even a family that likes each other should not be stuck in the house together for that many days.


2. It's better to watch a comedy before going to bed, instead of a sad movie.


3. I'm the only person in my city who knows how to drive in the snow and ice.


4. A computer works better with more memory. I would probably work better if I had better memory.


5. I thought I took a lot of pictures when I used film. In one year of having a digital camera, my picture output almost tripled.


6. There really is such a thing as too many cookies. Dang, who would have imagined it?


7. I enjoy nature, until something small, furry and uninvited tries to get into the house.


8. I'm really happy when something small, furry and uninvited tries and doesn't succeed.


9. My dog isn't as dumb as she acts.


10. I actually can sleep 8 hours all at once, if given the opportunity. Who'd have thunk it?
11. If you take the time to enjoy it, a roll of smarties can last all day.

Merry Christmas

Hi Everybody.

Merry Christmas!

As it turned out, we were intrepid enough to get to the mall.