Keeping it straight

My mum reminded me of her younger years with her father -- who died before I was born.

Apparently there was a terrible fire in his house when he was a boy, due to a Christmas tree fire. Thereafter Christmas was a downer for him and for my Grandparent's family, who adapted to the situation and made it all they could.

I hope that I would not resort to a near-denial of the spirit of Christmas.

Apart from silly little strings never faithfully lighting and the occasional bulb breaking, nothing of much concern has happened.

spam 4

After the ranting it's great to laugh again.

"Pollyanna, may picket"

Okay. Those who know some one by that name ... please let me know.

Tangent from "circa 2002" -- politcal too

That is sad ... sickening, but yet ... I have other, worse stories.

A different school.
Normally on referral slips, there are bulleted items that can be checked (ex: remove from rooom, refer to office, behavior, academic, etc.). At one school there were more bulleted items. You would bullet items, not to account for every possibility, but rather for common items, making it easier to read. The longer list, this is an elementary school (in the 53rd largest US city -- I think), includes drugs, paraphenelia, assault, sexual assault, weapons, et. al. Now. If you have it happen often enough to bullet it, I'd say that is the problem and referral slips aren't going to solve that.

From another source: "That area has an epidemic of molestation ... like a rite of passage, almost." Pragmatically, I suggest that you nuke the rapists ... return the biomass to the planet; or deploy them as mine sweepers in Arabia or toxic waste disposal in the Yukka Mountain, if instant destruction of the rapists isn't prudent or "moral". What makes does God grant all humans, free will. Taking, denying a person free will, especially those unable to understand free will. BTW: all persons know right and wrong -- schizophrenics being the possible exception. It is through training that we are taught otherwise.

circa 2002

I was at an urban school -- 1st grade.

They were studying weather and part of the practice was to nearly daily, check the wind as shown by the US flag in front of the building. As this was the first day for this, I had the kids don their gear to walk outside. When finally outside, the kids could care less about the flag -- recess was on their minds. I got that!

What I didn't predict was one of the boys pulling his stocking hat over his face, bumping into one of the other kids, then, in a gruff tone, damand her money. What a charming act. Even more, likely a home-environment thing that is not "critical" enough to warrant investigating the house, let alone possibly relocating those children.

Gift

After the difficulty I had with Charlie's birthday gift and the resulting frustration I had with assembling the ruddy thing, I had to find something different. It has just as many pieces, but no set structure. It'll be all over and I'll be blamed and I'll be okay with that, because it can be creative and follows two of the ten basic rules for better gifts for kids: does not require batteries, was not designed to make noise (music).

Soothing humor

Some time ago, a person (whom I know, but their association to me is unimportant to the story) had minor frequency. It was suggested to him that he naturally take care of the problem with, say -- dried plums*. That's wasn't unreasonable, save that as they were that person, the character ate from the container like popcorn at the theater. Within 18 hours, the frequency was back and strangely more frequent.

The person found that running -- sprinting, not marathon, was important to do. I understand there was a slight, "panicked look" when the person got the 2-minute warning. Some vacation beginning, eh? Does the frequent pottier, go in the woods? You bet! Grass stains are better than other stains.

I believe that the windows were used often too, as bowels were breaking and chairs were quaking.

Tip: don't over do it on the medicine--natural or otherwise.

* dried plums sound much better than the stigmatized, "prunes"

Ah ... ordering online

I ordered something Friday from a Michigan company. I continually looked at my account to see when it was charged.

Saturday, no. Monday, no. Tuesday, no. Wednesday, yes.
Will the order be sent by Sunday -- highly unlikely.

So, if you are ordering by online ... plan well ahead. I didn't spring for over-twice the shipping fee for faster delivery. Maybe it would have been worth it.

Also out of Bluffton, Indiana

Although it is closed, it's funny to see nature encroaching. Rustic Cove is soon to be eaten. It was (at the time of the photo) home to wild critters and several large bee hives.
summer of 2004

Hardly original

Did you ever get the feeling that you were being watched?

I get that all the time. The fact that I have been guessed as many people doesn't help. I've been guessed as Steve Irwin, Matthew Brodrick (do you see a similarity there -- I don't); more often Inspector Gadget, a man who goes to different schools with a rabbit book, "personally chewed" by Buns, the rabbit, et. al.

I get the look ... the "strangely familiar" look -- do I say something to him ... what?

I know that I had a non-biological twin somewhere in Florida teaching scuba diving, but what is it?

I must have a mannequin face -- dimly familiar ... seen when some one goes shopping.

Doing a google search on myself ... I found "me" way down in the list, but it is interesting that those at the top of the list (shorted form) have had their success at photography and a couple of my interests. I suspect that this means I will not distinguish myself from these others sharing my name. It'll have to be another way.

Tanning and more!

I got a cell-phone pic from Jeff, where he "would have gone" if he weren't with his folks and wife Paula. It had a wonderful title, "Little Herb Shop: Massage & Tanning". Instead, he went with them to The Snug.

No! You do it!

I got a wonderful audio message today from "Charlie" who repeatedly stated, "No; you do it!" Concluding with, "I can't do it!"
Daddy closing with, "Okay, okay! Ho, ho, ho!"

The picture was far less clear -- the creche' / nativity scene it appeared, mostly of Mary and Christ -- sideways.

I stand corrected. It was a picture of Charlie sitting on Santa -- obviously a bit blurry and sideways.Merry Christmas! Ho, Ho Ho!!!

Now Entering Madness 4

I actually had a few dogs in mind when I constructed this. One dog -- Angel, poked her head under the table, then over the lap of a person, to twist her head, contorting her tongue to lick cake and icing off a plate near the edge. Needless to say, the person chose not to eat it.

A memory I have of a cat we once had, Stubby, decided that the sausage links on my plate looked and smelled good, so jumped up and slashed them off my plate -- the fiend.

He nonchalantly ate them off the floor -- as if, "Hey! You weren't eating these on the floor here, were you?"

Spam 3

"swap some sulfurous, but Pammy"
"Re: As draw or angry"
"Of spell my imperative chit"
"substantiate the Carson, and cottonseed"
"or programmer, Anselm a joust"
"see raoul, raffish not Husain"

Alejandra

Body of Alejandra Gutierrez Found Dec 19, 2005 - (Fort Wayne, IN) -- Fort Wayne Police confirm they have discovered the body of 10-year-old Alejandra Gutierrez in a remote area south of Fort Wayne. Indiana’s NewsCenter has learned from multiple sources that Alejandra was found today in a wooded area near a gravel pit in northeastern Delaware County.Alejandra has been missing since December 8th. The Maplewood Elementary School student never made it to her bus stop.Police officials are turning their attention to a suspect already in custody. Sources tell us that suspect is Simon Rios, the man who is charged in the murder of his wife and three children December 13th. The Rios home is just two houses away from the bus stop.Indiana’s NewsCenter will have more information on this story as it develops.

Now Entering Madness 3

My favorite of my collective works herafter listed under, Now Entering Madness.

Now Entering Madness 2

Now Entering Madness 1

A stress-relieving cartoon

spam 2

"Averyl it's smokescreen, but thirteen"

M.B.A. Jeff

Like, you cut the cake, eh?

Watch this!

While I was indeed watching him working with the robot, over the sofa, Charlie was unsatisfied. He repeatedly called to me to watch him. Out of frustration, he dragged the robot around the sofa so that I could "watch" him work with it.

Interestingly enough, while the robot walked like trudging through swamp muck in its orignal location, Charlie's new locale seemed to work better. Perhaps, with the number of people there to celebrate with the Kannings on Jeff's graduation, the path was flattened (high-traffic); the robot walked.

My dear Charlie! :)

Congratulations Jeff!