Is It Over?

The Anti-Depresant

I have had the unluckiest of unluckiness lately. Basically I'm coming off a cold, which is rare for me... especially since I've become a diabetic and a stroke victim... all that ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure stuff, and I'm getting another cold, or at least a piece of one. Not good. I'm also coming off the Lexapro. I've been wanting to do this for some time, but the holidays and the time needed to adjust etc, etc it just was possible until now. So I'm trying to come off some medicine and recover from a cold.

The Lexapro definitely has "something" in it. Because I walk around thinking my wife is mad at me for stupid reasons. Plus there is some kind of shock thing going on (like a buzzing in my head), and I have tried to ween myself off of it, it's the same either way. I am ready to come off of this though, I just need a little more time to adjust. But it's weird how a little pill, cut in half at that, can make such a difference. I think the world seems much darker now. But I still think that I'm better off without it, than to become a slave to it. I can say that even though I'm a slave to other drugs like high blood pressure and cholesterol, because of the stroke... for life. That seems kind of crazy. I know, why don't you just take the Lexapro and be done with it?

Because of what the drug does to your head. Pretty much. Maybe I'll fail, and I'll be forced to go back onto it again. But the buzzy feeling I have because of serotonin releasing or whatever is not good at all. If I stopped taking my other meds I would not have such adverse side effects.

I love google, looking up "stop taking Lexapro" and I see I'm not alone. Nobody asks "What happens when/if I stop taking _____". And the doctors don't really know anyway. I say all this not to tell anyone "Hey, look at me, I did/didn't do it". I really just need this so that I have a place were I can look back to as to gauge my progress and maybe tell others if they are looking at taking Lexapro, to look further and ask about what happens after. Nobody ever thinks about it.

That's all I'm saying, and I don't think Lexapro or any other "anti-psychotic"or "antidepressant" is meant to be permanent.

Traffic

We went to Georgia to see a friend over the weekend. It was all good except for traffic. And it was just along interstate 95, and only along the South Carolina part... some 8 miles. It was backed up. I mean bad. Once in Georgia it was fine, but otherwise, that was one back up that I just couldn't understand. Once in Georgia we got another lane and there was no accident or anything else, but the backup was still there some 5 hours later, when we were coming home. No traffic problem going northbound, but southbound... Yikes!

And when we getting ready to go to said friend's house, I could see the potential for new clothes, new shoes, new stuff... How many of us have seen the same? Getting ready to go somewhere, just two days after Christmas, surely we all had something new. And thus we did one daughter had new shoes, pants, and shirt, the other had new hair barrettes, I had on new socks... know what I mean?

Out with the old in with the new...

I Almost Died

It was on Christmas Eve and we were busy doing elf work... I trudged outside for like the hundredth time or whatever and I felt what I thought was a rock in my shoe. I went inside after I got whatever and took my shoe off to see what it was (it was actually a slipper).

And that's when I see the spider come out of my shoe. I kind of scream like a girl, not because I was afraid of the spider but because it was so close to me... Anyway my wife says "kill it". And this is a woman that pretty much takes everything she finds and sets it free, but this one time she said "kill it", and I did. See here:


And so I flattened it, with the same shoe it was living in. I feel bad about it, but at the same time I think the spider should have known better. I mean really, what did he think would happen from him holed up in my shoe? He never bit me, but he got squished all the same... little bastard, scaring the bejesus outa me....

Body Squeegee

I have some of my best ideas in the shower, or at least I think I do, it's just that I always forget them once the towel hits my body. Well this one idea involves my father. We grew up in this very small house in Gretna, which is just to the west of New Orleans, the white trash of New Orleans if you will. It was a 2 bedroom chalet, about 800 sq ft, needless to say there was only one bathroom. Me, my brother, and many times my father had to bathe together. I think the same held true for the females, but I can't say for sure.

Its when you are standing there naked with your father and brother (also naked) that moments of high intellect come through. See we didn't even have a shower, just a tub and a hand sprayer, kind of like the one many people have in their kitchen. For me it was not a problem, since I didn't like the shower, but anyway. My dad would squat down in the tub and take a shower, again me thinking nothing of it. Now I have 3 bathrooms, something I never even knew existed. How we grow huh?

So my father, never one to waste anything has this theory, or maybe motto is a better term. Basically you had to "squeegee" off all the water on your body, before you could dry off with a towel. If you're anything like me you're thinking.... WTF, I paid good money to have a nice towel... use it! Well, not him, and because of something ingrained into my head, not me either.

That is unless I catch myself, which is typically mid-squeegee and I don't even know if that really works...

Garden Update: Week 12

So it's Friday... Wha... Yeah I know I'm a little late. Ok a lot a bit late. this whole Christmas thing has got me off. So anyway I figured this would suffice for a movie review, because who has time to watch anything this week?

The week was beautiful, in the 70's, and then the bottom fell out and I had to cover everything back up. Notice that this also made it colder than a witch's ahem... you know and I still had to put things together for Christmas. But it will all work out.

If you look at the bottom of the picture you can see the spinach, but for whatever reason, the sprouts are turning yellow. Anybody know why? Otherwise it's been a quiet week.... for the garden.

Better Off.... Right?

Just a side note... the event didn't happen on Christmas, I'm posting this in advance, because life is crazy. So don't think I'm crazy or whatever because I posted this on Christmas... I'm crazy, just not like that. So with that enjoy a bit of my misery before the holidays on the holiday...

So why is it that when all children are trying to be good, and trying not to be naughty or EVIL, my kid, my oldest, instead tries to push everyone's buttons and we want to take all her Christmas presents, and basically... kill her?

I am trying to remain calm and keep in mind that she is a teenager, and they have certain issues to deal with. I also have the "broken home" issue to handle as well, but honestly the kid in mind anyway, has the absolute best bargain that I could possibly imagine.

Go back to 2004. I was living at the Suburban Lodge. My daughter and I had Christmas in a hotel room. Not a nice comfy room, and there was the added burnt smell that permeated everything, because my daughter read the conventional oven directions... only she was using a microwave. Basically, it was less than ideal. I had just moved here, knew nobody, pretty much just me and her.

I had presents and a "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree, so we were not completely out in the cold. But compare that to what we have now. A 2000+ sqft home, our health, two more people, and many other things... we are a lot better off.

So again I ask, why does she make me have to kill her? I know, I know, I can't really kill her... no place to hide the body. I'm kidding but it is frustrating when we have so much to be happy and thankful for, that we're stuck on stupid. I don't know, but my child successfully completing middle and high school is going to take a lot of my time.

The Skinny on Santa?

Traditions again...

There's a bit of New Orleans tradition in Mr. Bingle. I don't know about other areas but being a kid in New Orleans meant seeing Mr. Bingle along with getting your picture taken with Santa Claus. He was created for department store, Maison Blanche, which is now Dillard's.

There's a bio and older sales fliers here. They used to do Breakfast with Bingle which basically was a sales tactic to get parents to shop at the Maison Blanche. Kids got a puppet show and a biscuit or muffin or something, and the parents got... holiday headaches maybe? I always associated Mr. Bingle with Mr. Bill. I mean they were from the same time, same town, they both had a white face, with blue eyes and a red nose... they could definitely pass for brothers.

Anyway, my kids won't or don't have any kind of tradition like that. Outside the family, that they participate in… Unless you count the Christmas parade, and coming from New Orleans, I have seen better. Well, I guess we'll just learn to live with it, though I now realize what a culture rich childhood I really had.

So to everybody out there, Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

The Immortal Cookie Recipe

Ok so I've been talking to my baker wife about the ultimate cookie recipe. Well, it turns out that this recipe is in my mother's head. Yeah, I know, I'm setting up my wife to fail, also it may not be so immortal after all. What I tasted as a kid and what I taste now is two completely different things.

But that's not to say that my childhood was somehow wrong. I still think my mother's sugar cookie recipe is good, in fact I'd go so far as to list it in the top 3. I think having a little piece of your childhood again easily makes something more decadent. But for my wife tasting said cookie for the first time, not so much.

I was going to post the recipe here, but it turns out my mother is writing a cookbook, and she does not want to give anything away. I will say that these cookies are thin, squished by a glass with colored sugar, they do not travel well at all. But they are good. Crisp, not too sweet, and with a hint of vanilla... I'm getting hungry just thinking about them.

I plan on making these and setting them out for Santa. It's like a win-win, isn't it?

Oh Here I Go...

So here I am, another Sunday, another weekend at work (so I can have the Friday after xmas off) and I'm thinking why didn't I pick a better football team, or at least the one I have could have done better.... just a bit?

After work I have a bike to put together, and a kitchen set. Life's tough huh? No more shopping, I mean sure I would go if I had more money, but alas, I don't. I could spend into oblivion if I wanted to, but there comes a point for me, where I feel if I get anyone any more and I'll just be spoiling them.

Christmas really should be about family, friends, and maybe beer. I can't ever really think of any material possession that I would hold higher. Unless somebody is giving me a Ferrari, which they aint but if for some reason they do, the "they" being someone very, very rich, I would rather assemble the family or have the ability to quit my job, than have a Ferrari. Pretty much.

Sick, Sick, Sick

So it figures. We have weeks of cold and rain and it finally warms up and I have a cold. It was started by my 13-year-old she gave it to my 2-year-old which gave it to me. Now all I can do is try to get through it, but gaw-lee. I'm a big puddle of snot. It was preceded by a hurty throat and feeling kind of weak. Now I'm just looking to stop my nose from running.

So if you see it (my nose) tell it come come back to me.

Classic Film Friday: Holiday Inn

This is a little pre-Christmas fun. Jim Hardy (Bing Crosby), Ted Hanover (Fred Astaire), and Lila Dixon (Virginia Dale) are an act together, they are doing quite well, but Jim wants to take it easy. He plans to marry Lila and get a place in Connecticut. Live of the land as it were.

Except that's really not what Lila wants and Ted is quick to jump on it. So Jim leaves show business to live in the sticks while Ted and Lila keep right on dancing. That is until Jim figures out that farm life is not everything it's cracked up to be. So he comes up with an idea to make his home a Holiday Inn, no relation to the chain of motels. Basically he'll be open on just the holidays, the rest of the time he'll just kick back.

Sounds good to me, what about you? Jim tells Ted and his agent Danny Reed (Walter Abel) his plan and they just blow him off. Meanwhile Danny is buying some flowers for Lila, from Ted... enter Linda Mason (Marjorie Reynolds) who is the florist but is looking to break into show business. Danny blows her off too, and refers her to go work at the Holiday Inn.




Then things get kind of messy. Lila leaves Ted for a Texas millionaire. So Ted goes to Connecticut in a drunken stupor and winds up dancing with Linda. Haven't we been here already? Yep, and Jim, and Ted, and Danny can feel it. What happens you'll have to rent or buy the movie and see for yourself...

Art, School, and My Stroke.

I've kind of been avoiding the subject, or maybe not, maybe it just never came up. Part of me that I really never used much of before the stroke is really dead now, or at least I think it is. I was in a former life a bit of an artist. Now, with my right hand not quite what it was, not so much.

Why am I even talking about this? I saw an article the other day and in it was one of my high school counter parts. You can check him out here, if so inclined. He started the 365 project. Basically take a picture of something (for Stephen, it was himself) everyday for a year. Interesting concept is it not? Though I think a bit narcissistic, but that's just me.

So anyway, I took art in high school, for all 4 years of it. It was probably the one moment I looked forward to. I was as it was said "artsy fartsy". It was my only real reason to like school. And if I was a bit smarter I would have gone to college and majored in some kind of art degree and got a job doing something kind of artsy. But I instead joined the Army, saw the world, and basically became a member of our tax paying society.

Which has served me pretty good up to this point. Though I guess I'll always wonder what could have been. And now 1 year further along with my stroke I wonder if I would be out of a job now. Or at least be struggling. Starving artist sales are just one of the reasons I thought that getting in to the art scene, was not really my taste.

But seeing an old high school friend make it in the "business" makes me pine for it again. Or maybe just search for my own way to mark my spot on society. I guess this blog will have to suffice. I have a picture that I've been working on for years, not that I've been actively working on it, but maybe one or two days a year. Dare I put the pencil to paper again?

Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names

Garden Update: Week 11

Well yet another week has come and gone. I'm not sure if the garden is doing so good, but then again I've never done this before (winter garden) so who knows. If you look close you can see the spinach sprouts at the bottom.

The One Time We Get A Little Peace

So I was thinking, late at night, or actually early in the morning... That this time of year is one of the few gifts us parents are given. The whole "you better be good, Santa is watching" thing. I used it, at 4 am, because my 2-year-old is sick, and awake.

I told her, sang to her really... and it wasn't pretty, but only she and I could hear so it didn't matter... the you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why...
And with that I get a bit of a get out of "jail free" card, because all other discussion is a moot point.

I don't get asked why, or how, or anything... the kid just does what is right and I get off easy. At least until Christmas. Then it's back to the regular same ole' same ole'. There is some reprieve around Easter, but otherwise there is nothing else. You can't say "Be good" in say June or July, and instantly be listened to, not that my kids are bad, because they're not, but saying "Be good" this time of year gets you a lot further along.

So I'm going to enjoy it, while I can.

The Whole Car Debacle

Ok so 1st off I'm not a car guy, nor do me and my family come from "car states" but still I do think it's kind of funny, this whole car bailout fiasco. I can see where these people are coming from, but I don't know if they can see from where anybody else is standing.

My initial response is along the lines of "no" simply because of the way I feel. There are lots of people who are not going to get anything (like me) from this or the other bailouts, so my opinion is of course negative. Now I know this seems odd, but my father has been laid off many times from the oil and shipyards and even from the government job he had at the ammo plant. It's a way of life for us, you get laid off you take time off, you get another job.

But then I think of all the support companies that will likely go bankrupt along with the big 3. And then again, I look at the previous bailout, that pretty much got me a big fat goose egg. What do I conclude? I think nothing.

Soon after the first bailout failed (the 700 billion one) there was all this talk of doom and gloom and the coming apocalypse. Then they made concessions, and voila we had a bailout, and then what? A bunch of nothing. If the car companies would have been first, instead of the finance companies... I might feel differently.

Then again they are only asking for a "loan". I mean we'll make out ok right? But I can't get a loan, so it makes me wonder. Is big business the only thing that the politicos can save anymore?

Dreams

What is a person supposed do when your significant other has a bad dream about you? I mean, yeah you can comfort them and tell them that it would never happen, but still. You can't hide the fact that you are upset by it all. And I'm talking from the position of the person who dreamed it and the innocent other person who other than being in the said dream, has nothing to do with it.

This is all about much of nothing, but then again it's not. My wife woke up and said how could I go on vacation to Iraq without her. Now that sounds crazy, I would have much preferred the South Pacific. But the fact remains that in the person's head, it seemed real. Why do we have such vivid imaginations and why would it be used against us?

One of life's mysteries I guess...

Still Not Paying, But Still Get It Anyway

Much to my own chagrin, the paper is still free. I thought that with it going to "paid" that would mean, less clutter around my AO (Area of Operation). But since my neighborhood is one of the few (I don't know how much or many really) that get the "promotional" try out... I'm still dealing with clutter.

The mess is due to my thirteen-year-old looking at it and thus she simply must leave it anywhere and everywhere. Which it then quickly goes into the garbage. I thought I instructed her that for all intents and purposes, that "rag" isn't even worth the paper it's written on. Every now and then they'll have something, but it's still full of human interest pieces and dogs. That and the VOX.

Maybe I need to do another Grade the News. Maybe then the "news" will go away. Not likely huh? Well...hmmm

Classic Film Friday: The Parent Trap

This weeks classic movie is brought to you by Mrs. MH. Just so you know :o)

This movie happened to be on last Sunday evening on TMC. It seems that they are playing family classics each Sunday in December. I've heard of this movie, and knew that it was remade, but had never seen either films. So, I settled in for some classic family fun.
The movie starts out with a young girl, Sharon McKendrick (Haley Mills), being dropped off at summer camp. She is obviously well-to-do and it shows when she reminds the camp counselor that her grandmother wants her to be in a well-ventilated tent. It continues as she bumps heads with a young lady, Susan Evers (also Hayley Mills) that looks remarkably similar to her, but with rather short hair. In fact, so much trouble ensues between the two of them, they are sentenced to share a tent for the remainder of their time to either work it out or make each other miserable.

Eventually, they figure out they are twins, separated when their parents separated. They concoct a scheme to switch places in order to get to know the opposite parent and get their divorced mother and father back together.

What follows is sweet and comical. You'll have to watch the film to see how it ends...in case you're the other one in a million that hasn't seen one or both of the two versions of this film.

It's Snowing... In New Orleans

I know, I know ...so what. But much like it is in the Lowcountry something as trivial as snow, turns in to quite the big deal down there. In fact of my 20 years of living there, plus going back to visit, I can count on one finger... yes it's only snowed one other time that I can remember. They're supposed to get an inch, which is really nothing, but it's so rare I bet the kids are loving it.

What Should I Do?

We went to go see The Polar Express at the movies the other day. I had reservations about it, because we could just as easily see it at home, but the wife wanted to see it in all it's glory, and she thought the kids would enjoy it too. So we went... though I could have been watching football, or playing some kind of electronic game, or simply sleeping I went along too.

We got a spot close to the top, which I think is preferred, at my local theater anyway. There was two women and a boy up there as well. No big deal right? It's a movie, there is bound to be more than one person going. Then we hear it. It sounds like a moan. My youngest daughter said it was a dolphin. I'm not sure why, I think it sounded more like young Frankenstein, but anyway. It did not stop, I looked up and the two women were talking as if everything was normal. Then the movie started.

We experienced the noise again, and again and again. Now I know that this kid was obviously retarded and he didn't know better or whatever, but there comes a time when somebody says something. Well actually, I just kind of moaned, like young Frankenstein myself, repeatedly... like maybe 1/2 of what we were receiving. And that according to the wife, was wrong.

What say you? Do you think after 20 or so minutes they should have left, or can they stay and watch the movie in it's entirety and subject us all to the moaning? I know, I know, if I say you can't bring the kid out and about then he'll never get to do anything. But what about the rest of us... who paid money to see and hear the movie... without the moan factor. What do you do when life hands you those situations?

Garden Update: Week 10

It's hard to believe that it's been 10 weeks, and by judging the size of the crop, I really thought it would be bigger. But this IS my first wintertime garden, so I am allowed some leeway. The spinach is just sprouting, but even still, it looks weak. The lettuce looks the best, but I still have time. Here's a picture...

How About Some Justice?

He/She Makes What?

Well it looks like the school district is finally get a look in to, but not really. It's long been known that inequities exist in the district. Look for your self here. The newer hires, the ones who have been Val's picks, seem to have a lot more dough. Why is that?

I guess they never had a pay scale before now, but I can't imagine why. Wait, look here. And none of this investigation addresses the underlying problem of teacher pay. I think those few that have been here a while and aren't paid accordingly should either step up, or step out. If you've made a positive impact on kid's lives then you should be paid well, if you haven't... there's the door.

This all seems a moot point anyway. Unless you are a Principle or work in the upper echelon of the district. So unless your one of those folks, who cares?

We are in a bit of trouble I'm afraid. When we are all caught up in the this one makes $5,000 more than that one, we can't help but find inequities. What we should be worried about is other more prudent things, like say our kids grades, or keeping spending under control, or at the very least, making sure kids actually stay in school.

Justice Served

Ok, I'm about to get my cackles in a big, unruly mess. I was going to just let it roll off my back and not worry about it, but now? Now that Fred Hamilton Jr. has made the comment "Justice served" I wonder, just who in the hell he's talking about.

I was one of the people that was given the wrong ballot, I tried to explain to my wife that we should get a say in the mayoral and town council races, but we are one the edge of town, so that makes it ok to not let us vote? My wife assumed the lady at the polling place knew what she was talking about. They didn't.

So like I said, I was willing to let all this go, until Mr. Hamilton made the "justice served" comment. Maybe justice for him, but not for me. What? You mean there can be different kinds of justice?

Justice:
The quality of being just; conformity to the principles of righteousness and rectitude in all things; strict performance of moral obligations; practical conformity to human or divine law; integrity in the dealings of men with each other; rectitude; equity; uprightness.

No Mr. Hamilton justice has not been served, not at all, and your continued effort to try and hold back justice has made you another enemy.

Christmas Party

So, by the time you read this I will have been to the x-mas parade and attended the first of many Christmas parties. Debauchery aside, because I know that I will be near some of it, maybe not causing it, but certainly not stopping it either I hope it will be good fun. We'll see, and I might have some photos to add to the mix too.

My favorite get together is not going to happen this year. It's the one where my employer flies me and my wife to the corporate office and gets all nice and toasty. It is not because of the economy, at least that is what they're saying. And next year is really big, it's their 10th anniversary, so all is not lost.

One of the most memorable Christmas parties I've ever been to involved myself, and maybe 15 or so other drunks in a hotel room eating pizza and drinking beer. It was an after party, because the main one was over. These two guys got in a fight and somebody else was stuffing pizza in the bed sheets. I could only imagine what the poor guy who's room that was would have thought. But then again I think he was complaining that there was no pizza left, so he should have had plenty... once he went to bed. Ah them was the days.

"Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer"

We watched "Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer" the other night. OMG! How in the world would anything like that see the light of day in these times? I'm not complaining, I like ole Rudolph, but jeezloueez I just don't think you'll find a judgmental Santa or a "in the closet" dentist now a days.

Forget that in the land of misfit toys, the toys talk, but regular toys don't or the reindeer can be so callous because of Rudolph's "condition". This movie/TV special is ripe with contradictions and the acting leaves a lot to be desired... but something makes us watch it every year. What it is I don't know, maybe it's Burl Ives singing, or maybe it's the abominable snow monster, or maybe it's to horse laugh all those other reindeer in the end.

Who knows, but we watch every time.

We Missed It... Barely

My daughter come into our bedroom at 4am, crying that her stomach hurt, could see sleep with us. My wife, thinking that this was some kind of evil attention getting plan, let her in, though we wondered. Not 2 minutes after the little one is nestled in between us, I hear it.

The gasping and churning of someone about to throw up. My wife, much more alert than me, gets the child out of our bed and that is when our daughter lets go. So she threw up, again and again and again, god bless her.

In a only "sort of awake" way, I got my wife a towel. She has a bit of cynicism in her, and I love her for it. That and she got me (and herself) out of being the main target of a vomit attach. Yes, I'd say it's true love. :o)

Classic Film Friday: The Day The Earth Stood Still

This is a 1951 Sci-Fi flick is going to be remade and will come out later this month. So I figured I would at least get the ground work of what the original was like before all the special effects of today's film take place.

Basically a being from outer space has come to warn us about our violent ways and how it might bring negative attention from other planets. This movie has something that today's movies really can't have... the suspense that it builds because of the lack of special effects. That's not to say it doesn't have them, because it does and that's not to say I hate special effects, because I don't. But in some movies that's all there is, this is not the case with this movie.

The movie was watched via Netflix instant viewer or Roku. Which is awesome. Everybody likes this movie at my house, and though it has some rather liberal ideals, in a perfect world that wouldn't matter. Get along, or dad is gonna' get the belt, and nobody likes that. :o)

One Year Ago Today

Here it is. I've officially made it a whole year since my stroke took place. I thought there would be a little more fanfare, but I guess nobody really celebrates things like this. I also thought that I would be further along/ more recovered than I am. But it's all relative I guess. 11 months ago I didn't think I could eat without making a mess or putting my eye out.

I still have a ways to go, and I might never get there, but at least I'm still alive to try... and that ain't too bad. But if I think back to when it actually happened, the night before when the EMS guy said I had an 11 blood sugar... the next morning... trying to get my body to work, when it simply wouldn't... the hospital... and then all the recovery later. It is a bit much.

Still I guess now is a time to reflect on the accomplishments I've made, instead of being overly negative. I can operate pretty much in everyday fashion without anybody knowing I had a stroke (except handwriting). I can eat, handle tools, even fix some things normally. But then again it's easier to list the things I cannot do than what I can do. So as long as that list keeps shrinking I'll be fine.

So happy anniversary to me... I guess.

Um, Huh?

Garden Update: Week 9

So week 9 has come. Funny thing is, if it aint raining, it's freezing... oh well. Everything keeps growing right along.

Gag Gifts

So me and my maternal side of the family have this thing going, the last couple of years not so much with the economy the way it is, but I started it all off with the giving of gag gifts to what I thought were some ungrateful kids. And that first year one kid said she hated me, another said she wishes I were dead, and another never wanted to spend Christmas with me again.

Some 12 or 13 years later, they've come to love it, and I have even got some doozies from them too. It's not the money, or even what you got, it's the laughs at whatever ridiculous item given to them and their reaction to said item. My mother and I simply love it.

I admit, I've not done it too much in the last couple of years, but I think I have brought it back this year. And for less than $20 for 4 people. I won't get to see them, but my mom will and she needs a laugh, like anyone else. So in the mix of junk I'm giving my siblings I'm also giving my mother the gift of laughter, and that will last so much longer than anything else.

And now my wife is getting in on the action. She talked to her brother and suggested that we exchange gag gifts with him too. Because really, what would you rather a $50 gift you can't use or a $5 dollar gift that you will likely laugh at? It seems for us that the answer is the latter.

Thanks for What...Nothing

I'm thinking about dropping out... of SIC (School Improvement Council) that is. I don't want to step on anybody's toes, or offend anybody but god damn. People are worried about their kid taking high school classes in middle school, so they can take college classes in high school. Um, yeah you are really looking out for EVERYONE right? How about some issues that affect every kid? or at least most kids.

Leave the smart ones and the poor ones alone, what kind of attention do your average students get? None. at all. So now I wonder why I ever started going to these things? I thought I would make a difference, but clearly I won't/can't/don't. So I'm thinking of dropping out.