honeychild
What hilarity there is in coffee.
Today I spilt a regular-sized cappuccino over not one, not two, but THREE old ladies.One cup, three biddies, Nicola am win. I don't quite know how I managed to soak a triple, but soak them I did, and what's more... [I]they were ok with it[/I]. Now, if I had popped down to a coffee shop for a quick morning pick-up, and was stood talking to my friends when the doofus behind the counter showered me with hot, steaming cappuccino, I would not be laughing. Yet these old girls did just that. They [i]laughed[/i]. And not in a "haha, you're a shit coffee serving personage" way, but a "oh look! We're covered in coffee! Isn't this just super!" way.
I wish I could be so jolly.
Oh, and Bebs? Two separate customers told me today that our coffee is [b]'better than Starbucks'[/b]. One more reason for you to come visit.
Seasonal transition
[FONT="Georgia"]Last Friday morning, I covered the last football game of the season.
Tuesday night, I covered the first basketball game of the season. Four days later. So I guess you can see I'm not going to have too much idle time on my hands. At least for the next few months, the trips will be a lot shorter.
Facts about this trip:
--The only driving I had to do was to and from the school. From there, I rode buses down to Detroit and back.
--Hardly saw any snowflakes during the days we were gone. A few flakes on the way back, but not enough to get the road wet. Mr. Lake Effect was taking a few days off.
--Our team lost 40-0. It was expected. I won't get into everything, but they went up against a powerhouse private school. There is a basic unfairness when small public schools go against large private schools. I could say more about it.
--I road in the bus with the JV team and the cheerleaders. It was a fun time and a good experience. The kids are fun to be with.
--We stayed the first night at the Comfort Inn in Mount Pleasant. We stayed the second night at the Crown Royal Hotel in Auburn Hills, north of Detroit. The Crown Royal is a much more opulent place--but the beds at Comfort Inn were wider and the room a little larger.
--My wife stayed home--and yet I had someone else in my bed both nights! I'll let you ponder that for a minute or so.
--My older son was able to come over for Thanksgiving--he lives about 20 minutes away from the Crown Royal. We arrived about 3:30 p.m., and he came over about a half hour after I called. We had a pizza together in the hotel's bar and talked for about two hours. It was a good visit.
--On Thursday morning, the wake-up call came at 5:30 a.m. On Friday morning, it came at 4:45 a.m. We had to check out, get breakfast downstairs, get on the bus and ride to Ford Field in downtown Detroit. You will be happy to know that they had eliminated the big stink at the field left by the Detroit Lions the day before.
--There was a welcome-home celebration when the bus got back to town--at about 12:45 a.m. Saturday morning. Three police cars and two fire trucks, sirens blaring, escorted the buses back to town, and there was a crowd of about 100 welcoming the players back. From there, the bus went back to the school, where my car was parked. I got back home about 1:30 a.m. The next morning, I was back at the office, working on my story.
--I had my cell phone along, of course, and called home either twice or three times a day. My younger son spent Thanksgiving with my wife, and they watched a couple movies together.
--We had four people in our motel room: a team trainer, the athletic director, a statistician and me. I think the trainer is the youngest of the four, but not by much. One night (in Mount Pleasant) we sat around the coaches' room, enjoying pizza and beer (in most cases) and talking football. I shared the bed with the athletic director.
I'm glad I didn't have to do all that driving, even if the weather conditions were pretty good for Michigan in late November.
Anyway, I'm back now and getting into basketball season. The girls started tonight; the boys begin next week. I have to write preview articles for them--I did the girls on Sunday.
And it's nice to be back home again.
[/FONT]
What ever happened to having class?
http://www.thebigp.net/2008/12/what-ever-happened-to-having-class.htmlUpdateage
Holy schmoly shittoli, it's been a long time. Truly my intentions were to be online by now and writing more frequently than this. Sometimes life just takes some funny turns and twists.Thanksgiving has come and gone once again. I hope those of you who celebrate this holiday had a wonderful day. My own holiday was fantastic as was the madness and fun of venturing out on Black Friday.
As for the rest of things...
Family - All seems to be right with the world there as well. Yeah, there have been ups and downs with the crew, but things are okay. My oldest daughter is getting married, my oldest son got married, Boycub had a pretty serious sprain and crack to his growth plate, but seems to be recovering well. Babycub was a mite ticked that I vetoed her becoming the youngest member of a downhill ski racing team. She will get over it. Way little family member - the baby is now crawling all over, pulling herself up, and adorable with two new teeth.
Work - It's been a really hectic year so far. I've discovered I really do love the challenge of working with the "difficult" kids that have been tossed my way via the tutoring program I am running in my school. I still teach the classes I used to teach, but now I have this added challenge. It does make me ponder those old thoughts of getting my PhD in child psychology, but that's another blog.
In the meantime, I am happily "parenting" a whole new crew of kids. I am cheering for their accomplishments, going to bat for them when I feel they are being treated unfairly, kicking ass when they are being stinkers, and crying when things go badly for them. It reinforced my belief that there are way too many idiots out there calling themselves "parents". Do they have any clue how much damage they are doing to their kids? I think not. It saddens me.
Weather - Oy is it starting to get cold! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr and shiver! I am thinking of a quickie trip to someplace warm and balmy would be a good thing this month. It's what I am asking Santa to bring me this year!
I do hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!
One of these days I will really and truly be back online - really!!
Until then -
Ciao!
Birth
I rediscovered a CD the other day... one I hadn't seen since I bought it in 2004, gave it a listen, and went "Nah...". I don't know why I did that. It's awesome.Especially this song. I just love the lyrics, and I don't know why the video is so gross and weird.
[center]
[i][SIZE="2"]The Faint - 'Birth'
In the beginning there was semen,
In a deep mouth of flesh,
And the crest I traveled,
On a wave of virile mess.
Through a tunnel of mucus,
And on toward a vault,
With tourists and traffic,
I just paced myself.
Not I as my whole self,
Just the half that I had,
Before greeting the rest,
Of my better half.
A connection was made,
Through a shared love of science,
And vows were taken,
A seed was hired.
A cavern of fluid,
Brought shape to my hide,
In the months that remained,
Till the time of my life.
I thrashed for the reason,
Of spilling from the crack,
To the palms of a doctor,
To a towel full of scraps.
My brains wouldn't fit,
Through her organ of sex,
An incision was made,
With a scalpel and mask.
I should have noticed the beauty,
And not how it hurt,
Wet like a cherry,
In the bloodbath of birth.[/SIZE][/i][/center]
lacking
sense of whimsy - i don't know if i ever posses this charachter trait or whether i want any.R8TE THE 80'S - 11/30
[CENTER][IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Tune/2.gif[/IMG][IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Tune/2.gif[/IMG][IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Tune/2.gif[/IMG][IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Tune/2.gif[/IMG][IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Tune/2.gif[/IMG][IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Tune/2.gif[/IMG][FONT="Arial"][SIZE="4"][B][COLOR="Yellow"]Like, oh my [i]GOD[/i] ! ... It is [i]TOTALLY[/i] time for another episode of
[IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Tune/cooltext70175073.gif[/IMG]
The rating scale =[/COLOR][/B][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT="Arial"][SIZE="2"][COLOR="Red"][B]10) TOTALLY [i]AWESOME[/i] !
9) TRIPPENDICULAR !
8) TUBULAR
7) PRETTY RAD
6) BARELY DOPE
5) WHAT-[i]EVER[/i] !
4) BOGUS
3) AS [i]IF[/i] !
2) BARF ME OUT !
1) GRODY TO THE [i]MAX[/i] !
0 ) GAG ME WITH A SPOON ![/B][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE="4"][FONT="Arial"][COLOR="Yellow"]For this round we''ll rate 1982's[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT="Arial"][SIZE="6"][COLOR="DeepSkyBlue"][B][i]DIRTY LAUNDRY[/i] by DON HENLEY[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT="Arial"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Yellow"]( performed here with the Eagles )[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT="Arial"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Yellow"]I musta heard this tune about 17,036 times on the radio back then...
The lyrics hold up to this very day, just at a much higher level.
It's ok I guess...
I'll give it a[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Tune/hardsix.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Gifs/waycool.gif[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Tune/2.gif[/IMG][IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Tune/2.gif[/IMG][IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Tune/2.gif[/IMG][IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Tune/2.gif[/IMG][IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Tune/2.gif[/IMG][IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Tune/2.gif[/IMG][/center]
Thanksgiving weekend ponderings
http://www.thebigp.net/2008/11/so-its-end-of-long-weekend-and-man-what.htmlI'm A Doctor, Not An Imperial Spherical Torture Device
[CENTER][/CENTER]And then there's Bob Goldstein...
[CENTER][/CENTER]
My Hero
The greatest thing uttered by my father, ever. And one of the reasons he's my hero, even if he doesn't know it.[QUOTE][B]"It's a disgrace. I've spent my entire life taking down the establishment, and now they want me to be part of the establishment. Don't they know I'm a communist by now?"[/B][/QUOTE]
[CENTER][/CENTER]
Ka-CHING!!!
What would you do if you win the lottery? I don't mean your longterm plans, I'm talking about the very first action, the realisation of a dream fueled by all your hopes and desires?I don't normally play the lottery, but on Saturday they're handing out the biggest jackpot in finnish lottery history, and I decided to throw in a few coins, just for the heck of it.
Should I win it, then on Sunday morning, at 8.01, I will make a phonecall. To a company in Helsinki. The only company in the country that can get me what I want. And I would say the following words...
"Hello. I would like an Aston Martin DBS, Storm Black with 20 inch rims, the ones with the graphite details. Black leather interior with Piano Black console finish. Automatic transmission and the 6 litre V12 with 510bhp. Oh, and if you can get it on my driveway by Monday morning, there's a €10,000 tip in it for you."
And just so you know, I have every intention on winning, so I [I]will [/I]be making that call come Sunday morning.
Some Friday things.
I love to watch blind people smile. You can tell they've never seen their own faces before because when they grin it's really... free. Just completely open and wide and innocent. I love that.I officially started my Christmas shopping today... bought something totally awesome for our Dante, and picked up a few bits and bobs for other folk. I love being able to get things that I know the recipients will adore. It makes the whole process so much more enjoyable. Just wish I could afford a bit more.
I tried on a hat in H&M. My head is still massive. I've got some kind of Conehead look going on that really annoys me.
I went to take my phone into the O2 shop to get it sent off for repair, only I hadn't actually bought the handset with me. I swear, sometimes I am just too smart for my own good.
I ate a jacket potato with cheese and beans from a crappy polystyrene plate in the deserted upper floor of my town's smaller shopping mall. It's like a ghost-mall up there, it's kinda creepy. Only a few years ago it was thriving, full of eateries and shops and all kinds of stuff. Kinda depressing that it's all gone now. You used to be able to get the most AWESOME ice-cream sundaes from the cafe up there.
Oh, and yesterday I successfully butchered a t-shirt. It looks fabulous. Well, not quite that good, but you know what I mean. Next, my Joker t-shirt, when I get some black fabric. I really hope I don't screw that one up.
Annual Thanksgiving Day Story
The Real Story
(Note from WoF: I originally posted this on my Modblog page Nov 2004. I took excerpts from the page linked in the title and added my own words and thoughts. I thought I had lost this, but, thanks to Chandra Moon leading me to Internet Archive I was able to retrieve it. I posted this again last year at efx2, but now I have decided to post it every Thanksgiving ... so people will remember ...)
While I was growing up, I was taught in school that Thanksgiving Day was started because a group of Pilgrims and Indians got together for a peaceful feast of thanksgiving.
Not so...
In June 1637 John Underhill, along with English, Dutch and Narranganset Indian mercenaries, and with the blessing of Governor John Endicott of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, slaughtered 700 Pequot Indian men, women and children in their village during one of their religious ceremonies, the annual Green Corn Dance...thanking the Great Spirit for such a bountiful crop.
These Native Americans were ordered by the mercenaries from the main lodge where the celebration was taking place and were shot down as they came out. Those that remained inside were burned alive! The very next day the governor declared it a Thanksgiving Day in honor of the bloodbath, thanking God for their victory.
There were no pilgrims of puritans at the Jamestown Colony. However, they did join with Native Americans lead by Powhaton from time to time as thanks for helping the settlers through the winter. The present Thanksgiving may therefore be a mixture of the tradition of the Jamestown dinner and the commemoration of the Pequot massacre.
Now...I'm not opposed to a special day for a festive gathering of families and neighbors...no matter who they are or where they came from. In fact, I look forward to it.
What I am opposed to are the continuous acts of twisting the true history of this land and teaching it to our children...from grade school to college.
My Cherokee ancestors welcomed the earlier settlers and traders with open arms and didn't mind sharing their land with them...even adopting some of the European ways. Eventually, however, they were systematically moved from their lands until the late 1830's, when they were forcibly removed permanantly by way of what is now called "The Trail of Tears" to the Oklahoma Territory.
But...that is another story I will relate to at another time.
Red Light
[CENTER][/CENTER]Locked In
Let me ask you something. Is it, or is it not, one of the greatest dreams of all as children, to get locked in a department store after hours?The facts are these...
Me and Miia were out Christmas shopping. I like to get my shopping done early, and because my parents are the hardest people to buy gifts for, it takes time.
We were at Stockmann's, one of the poshiest stores in Turku. I had noticed signs about saying they were closing early that night, at 6pm. A long while later, I looked up at the clock to see it was 6:15pm. We were locked in.
And we were not alone...
The store had been closed early for an invite only, valued customers evening. At first we were a bit wary, afraid someone would ask as for our invite. Assured this was not going to happen, we decided to enjoy ourselves.
There were two buffets and three bars on each floor. We walked around, had some wine. Then we sampled the food. They were serving the most amazing chicken salad I have ever tasted. It had massive black olives along with three kinds of beans. And wine. Red wine, white wine... and these were actually good wines. Around the store there were jazz trios, playing classic Christmas songs in a jazzy fashion.
For a good hour, hour and a half, we walked here and there, passing all the wine tables as many times as we could.
And then, some two hours later, a popular finnish a cappella band, Club For Four, performed, while we were served champagne.
As the evening passed, we were filled with wine, food and Christmas cheer. And we almost had sex behind the leafy green ornaments in the lobby.
It was glorious.
Twisty goes Mobile!
If you keep up with your tracking alerts, you may have seen the comment my Anonymous lover (oh don't be so scandalous - it's Tom) left for me, regarding a temporary replacement phone.I is mobile again! Huzzah! And, having only been uncontactable (shut up, it's a real word) for 4 days, I turned the phone on and immediately received 17 texts. Popularity ftw!
So, who wants to see my sexy new (ha!) piece of equipment?
[center][img]http://www.cellink.com.au/products/images/6210old.jpg[/img][/center]
[SIZE="2"]
Oh yes, I'm so freakin' stylish. Someone text me, I'm just DYING to hear that awesome Nokia text-tone again! [/SIZE]
OH BROTHER x 713
[CENTER][IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Thanksgiving/tbar24.gif[/IMG][FONT="Arial"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Yellow"]From the [b][i]QUITE POSSIBLY THE MOST RETARDED THING I'VE EVER SEEN[/i][/b] department :[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT="Arial"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Yellow"]People clapping.
For [i]that[/i].
The world is now officially broken.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Thanksgiving/funny-pictures-cat-wants-turkey.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Thanksgiving/bush_turkeychair.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Thanksgiving/turkeyflsh-animate.gif[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/cheetxx/Thanksgiving/tbar24.gif[/IMG]
[/CENTER]
Guess where I'm going?
[FONT="Georgia"]All this fall, I have been wondering whether I would have a normal Thanksgiving this year.
On Saturday, I learned the answer.
The answer is yes.
Yes, I will have a normal Thanksgiving--normal for me for the last four years, at least. Each of them has been spent down to Detroit, where I went to cover state high school football championship games, played Friday morning.
For the fifth straight year, I will be doing that again. On Saturday, our team won its semifinal game 8-6. It wasn't a big win by any means, but a win's a win, and our team will make the 500-mile trip to the state title game again. Alas, so will I.
I have resigned myself to my fate for some time, realizing there was absolutely nothing I could do about it one way or the other. Would it happen again? I won't have to go down there five straight years, would I?
What a dumb question: Of course I would.
So on Sunday I worked on the article about the semifinal game. Then I start looking at maps, reminding myself where things are located relative to each other, what exits to take off the interstate, how to get from one place to the other and how to get back. I also have to make motel reservations.
Mind you, I don't mind going to Detroit when I can do it on my own terms. Like last summer, when all three of us visited my older son for a few days. But now the weather isn't so good. It's colder, and maybe there will be snow (though this week's forecast sounds pretty good).
My wife made the trip with me last year, but she will stay home this time--her training for her seasonal call center job starts Wednesday. But my younger son still wants to come along. So you don't have to worry about me not being well chaperoned throughout my trip. The chances of me slipping the leash and getting out somewhere for some fun are less than zero.
Let me say it plainly.
It. Is. Not. Fun.
I. Don't. Want. To go. Certainly not for the fifth straight year.
Especially this year. I wanted to spend part of Thanksgiving with my mom, since she is continuing to fade away. Every single bloody Thanksgiving since she went into the nursing home, I wanted to spend part of Thanksgiving with her. It hasn't happened, and it won't happen this year. God just doesn't want it to happen, I guess.
Here is a picture from Thanksgiving dinner at my mom's house back in 2001. Nothing elaborate, but we had venison and gravy, brown-and-serve rolls, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, apple pie (somewhat mashed) and (not pictured) pumpkin pie. We ate well ...
[IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b289/drdog/T-daydinner-11-01.jpg[/IMG]
(Of course, such a Thanksgiving isn't possible any more, because my mom has been in the nursing home since late 2005. Sigh.)
Another thing about driving to Detroit for a title game is that I don't control the clock. We leave for the 11-hour trip south Wednesday morning and arrive in the Detroit area long after sundown. On Thursday, it's Thanksgiving: Everything in the States is closed. Everything in Canada is open, and I'm hoping we can cross over to Windsor (Ontario) for a little shopping and a nice dinner. That means I have to find my birth certificate.
We'll spend all of Thanksgiving with my older son. On Friday morning, my younger son and I get up really early so we can get on the freeway for Ford Field and the football game, which kicks off at 9 a.m. Central Time. This year, our team is a massive underdog, and I'm realistic about such things.
After the game, I get back on the interstate and can spend the next 11 hours thinking about what I'm going to say in my article as I drive home. We'll get home about midnight. I've got to bust my ass home right away so I have time to write about it Saturday and Sunday. The paper gets put together Monday morning, and all my work has to be done by then. I can only imagine how my neck and lower back will feel once it's all over. Maybe this year I finally call that massage therapist after it's all over.
But stop the presses: Now it appears I may have another option:
I have learned (from the coach) that I may be able to ride south with the team in their bus--and it's not a school bus, either. Right now, I am weighing the pluses and minuses.
Among the pluses: Since my younger son stays home, he can keep my wife company on Thanksgiving. I don't have to drive for some 20+ hours, with all the wear and tear on the car (and the driver). In a real rarity, I would go somewhere and not have to do 100% of the driving. I could get used to that. Don't have to book a motel room. Someone else is in charge and gets to make all the decisions.
Minuses: I'm not in charge and don't get to make the decisions. No chance of a side trip to Canada--so keep my loonies at home. Probably won't see my older son. Disappointing for my younger son--he can't come along for once. Waiting around during several football practices. And I don't get paid the mileage money--and though we only get 30 cents per mile, it's still works out to a nice profit on a 1,100-mile round trip if your car gets 35 mpg.
So now that I have been thinking about it, I am leaning quite a lot towards riding the bus. Even though I found the birth certificate. That's OK--my wife and I have been talking about applying for the new passport cards, so we can visit Canada next summer.
I have another adventure to tell you about, but I'll post that in a day or two (assuming our motel has wireless internet).
[/FONT]
NYC or bust
http://www.thebigp.net/2008/11/nyc-or-bust.htmlTonight It Begins...
[CENTER]In a world of darkness and death.Where all that we believe to be true...
...falters and shatters
There comes a time.
For those who wish to lead us.
To utter the words...
..."Bring me Jack Bauer".[/CENTER]
[CENTER][/CENTER]
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Not been here for a bit but had to share this :D*singing* Alll byyyy myyysellllf!
Some pictures of the new place...
Well where'd that go?
I don't normally do this...
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