Melons Exposed

This is a story of contrasts. Teresa is helping... for scale. One of these watermelons cost $6 while the other cost $3.


I could say, or have Teresa say... "Hey check out my melons." But anyway, which one is $3 and which one is $6?

My Name is Bobby

Yep... well not really. You see it was an alias I took on when I was in Korea. Why? Well at the time I was petrified of having a Korean woman show up at my 1st Sergeant's office talking about how she was pregnant. I was 19, and ummmm somewhat married. So I figured I needed an alter-ego. My first foray in sock puppetry maybe?

So I assumed Bobby. Why Bobby? I think it happened one night after carousing, we were in a taxi, headed to a Korean karaoke joint, and this woman asked me what my name was. I told her Bobby. She laughed, I think because Bob or Bobby in Korean translates into rice... but I can't confirm that.

So we were on our way, and for me it was an incredible experience. I was Bobby, not me, so Bobby could do whatever he liked. Yes I know I was bad, adultery is never a good practice, but I was 19, and pretty much everybody was doing it, I know that doesn't make it right, but it is what it is. I am far enough removed from ever doing anything like that now that I can safely talk about it.

This was way before the stroke or the diabetes, this was living life like there was no tomorrow. It was fast women, drinking, and hard work. We worked so hard, and partied even harder, in fact we were known in the medical outfits as "those crazy drunks" or some other variant. I'm glad it only lasted for one year, I don't know if we would have lived if it lasted longer.


So back to Bobby, he had his own theme song. "Run Around" by Blues Traveler. Why? Because there is a part of the song that says "But you" (1:09) and friends turned that into "Bobby-ahn" which is how the Koreans said my "name".



So that is how I assumed an identity that really wasn't me. Through paranoia, teen-aged stupidity, and peer pressure, I was led astray. Ok I led myself, I'm really not one to to blame others when I can blame myself. "Bobby" had one hell of a time. Going out every night, even when I didn't want to, because if Bobby didn't go out, the women would come to his barracks and make him go out.

Long live Bobby. Though I don't think anyone misses him, or really cares, it was hearing the song "Run Around" that made me write about the whole Bobby thing. I could just smell the kimchee, OB beer, and bulgogi/yakimandu cooking. I think I always will.

Magazine Subscription

So I got the "warning" that my subscription to my magazine is about to expire. I think I started this subscription 5 years or so ago. It is to Esquire. I liked it because they actually printed the word "fuck". Yeah, it was a pretty lame excuse, but at the same time, I figured if they had the balls to do that, than I would likely find other things that I would like in the publication.

And I do, but don't. I subscribed through one of my daughter's fund raising whatevers for school. Or maybe it was a niece or nephew's school. Anyway, I want to like the magazine, but it has nothing for me. Other than using curse words now and again. It has a "style" component that I can not even fathom. Guys really spend thousands of dollars on clothes? Really? I just don't get that. I mean if I didn't have this mortgage, car payment, and a litany of other things (like groceries) to pay for then maybe...

And the magazine seems to have taken a bit of New York bent to it. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I'm in South Carolina... it just won't work here. I'm not trying to sound like a some kind of "south will rise again" type buffoon, but I wonder if there is a magazine for me, one that will have something about Nascar, something about politics but not overly so, music, some eye candy, and yes the occasional curse word when warranted. But I don't see it, at least from where I looked which really wasn't that much.

So is there a magazine that fits me? Or should I just keep my subscription to Esquire?

The Push Up

Let me break it down...

Here we have the beginning, see how she is balancing on her feet?

Flopped over, she extends with those chunky thighs in to the "push-up" position

Finally we have the look of exasperation, as she realizes, that all of that activity doesn't really do anything. She will crawl, someday, but not today.

Psssst... Hey, Guess What?

Me and my wife took a day for ourselves. We, or rather I took a day off, she pretty much has the summer off. We took the two younger kids to daycare, the teenager we left alone, and we took off for the beach. Yep, no pack & play, no umbrella, no wagon, just two beach chairs, and some towels. Oh to be young again.

That is not to say we don't like to go to the beach with the kids. I'm just saying, it is by far easier to go just us two, than to drag everything with us, like when you have kids.

Ok I was writing this mid-week so I could fill in the blanks later... then the songbird became ill. It never ceases to amaze me. At just about each and every planned event, a kid gets sick. I swear it is a conspiracy. It has to be, what else could explain it? I know the kids aren't making themselves sick, just to spite us, but dang.

Well it turned out we did wind up going to the beach, just the two of us, for just a few hours, and man it was good. Just sitting on the beach, enjoying the sand, surf, and sun. Ah yes, it was good but the kids were waiting fir us when we got back. So it was only for a 2-3 hours jaunt instead of an all day thing, but I'll take it.

Classic Film Friday: Them!

This classic comes out of the 50's. Basically we have run a bunch of atomic tests and surely something must have happened in all those tests right? We have released nature's fury. At least that is what we are lead to believe. This is not officially a "B-movie" but it comes pretty close.

Sgt. Ben Peterson (James Whitmore) is patrolling the desert in New Mexico. He comes across a little girl, walking alone. She won't talk and obviously something has happened. But what? We don't know right away. We do have a sinking suspicion. With thefts of sugar, the tear down of walls, and footprints.

We have a bad ant problem here. What the hell are we going to do? This is cold war/nuclear bomb scare-fest stuff at its greatest... now turned into a campy sort of film that is dated but it still has a message. What that message is... well I'll leave that up to individual viewers.

T-Model Ford: The Ladies Man

T-Model a man that needs no introduction. Ok maybe he does. I have been doing new music, or what music I liked be it rock-n-roll, or folk or rap, or whatever, and I really never journeyed out much. I won't say this is much of a walk but Mr. T-Model sure seems like a trip.

I had to order this CD on Amazon... and this CD is more like a recording of a jam session than anything else. It is raw, real, and has some points with T-Model making some mistakes, and that is ok too. In some cases, maybe we all should take a lesson from that. Maybe things don't need to be so rehearsed. You can hear T-Model going on with others in the band talking about different things, I think this is a jewel, I hope you do too.

Or mabye not... Part 2

So Where am I Going?

Well I am going down south, to see my father, siblings, cousins and whatnot. I am also on a foodie mission. I will go get me some beignets, I will eat some Hubigs pies, I will go to Panchos and eat till I pop and raise the flag one more time. I most certainly will get me some crawfish, and I hope to have me a po boy or three.

I want to show my wife where I grew up, or what is left of it. I want to visit my grandmother's grave (on my mother's side). I want to "do the zoo" and the aquarium too. I would love to go back to Charlie's steak house and get a good steak, but it has new owners since Katrina, it may not be the same. I would love to find the "tamale man" on the corner and buy a few dozen hot tamales. I think my thoughts are bigger than my stomach, but still. Most of all I will sit and have a beer with my dad, shoot the shit, and remember all the good times we had. Before hurricanes and oil spills ruined what we had.

Racism and Time

I tend to get stuck on things. This drives those that know me crazy. Lets say there is a new band I like or in this case Korea, and everything about it. Well I could just say how hot it was (or cold in the winter), kimchee, and how things were down in the vill' (short for village). But it was so much more than that... for me anyway. A recent conversation about Korea got the old wheels in my head to turning.

I learned what racism was all about when I got to Korea. Now I grew up in New Orleans/Southern Mississippi, so what I thought was racism was literally black and white. And all through school we would hear about the black struggle. That is fine and I'm not trying to take away from those people, just hear me out.

See when I was a kid, except for the color of my skin, we were the black people or poor white trash as they say. I didn't have color TV, or air conditioning. We shopped at cheap discount stores for clothes and shoes. Got the least expensive groceries (as in- no meat). We lived the most frugal life. Many times it was dark... because we didn't pay the electric bill on time. That was just a part of being me.

So bring it back to Korea, South Korea to be exact, and how did that change anything? Well I learned that racism is a two way street, the person you may be hating... is also hating you. My NCOIC (Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge) thought I had to be racist because I was coming out of Mississippi. Not so much. At least I do think so. I also saw some weird actions by the locals. They would suddenly close or be closed if a black man came in to a store. Why? Damn if I know. But even more than that you take all these different races, white, black, Latino (of every variety), Asian, and all the different shades of white... Italian, Irish, Russian... the list goes on and on.

And you mix them up, throw in a language barrier and you have a bunch of hate. One guy I knew, he was my shop foreman, hated Koreans... and was married to one. He obviously liked them once... but anyway. There was a lot of animosity between the GI's and the Koreans. Odishee (that is Korean for old man) got the blame for a lot of things. Some were rightfully blamed, others not so much. So what did Korea teach me? That everybody hates somebody else, including me, and unless you are willing to listen to the other person, you will likely keep on hating. And the world keeps on spinning, with or without you.

I guess what I'm trying to say is you can waste your time hating if you want to... but in the scheme of things, I believe there are better things you can do with your time on this earth. Like crochet or baking cookies or reading the label on your toothpaste. The possibilities are limitless. I'm just sayin'...

Shatner Day.... Sorta'

This is as good a Father's Day gift as any...



I just had to post this and share with the world.

Dad's Day

Hope any and all fathers get recognized today. We dad's tend to get hosed on the whole holidays front. With the no school and all. I'm just saying. Happy Father's Day to everyone...

Loop-The-Loops

It is funny how many twists and turns life has. I had been feeling kind of bummed with me having to move once my contract is up, now I have news that may not be happening. I'm sure it will change two or three times in-between, so I'm just going to do my job to the best of my ability, and let come what may. Sometimes the best man... or woman doesn't get the job. I can't put it any simpler than that. You could drive yourself crazy on the "what ifs" and I'm crazy enough already.

In some other news, we have been battling an ear infection my daughter, the youngest has had for months. We are on the 4th round of antibiotics. It probably means tubes, but you must have 6 instances of infection in one year... We are up to 4. And that's not all. The doctor hears a heart murmur... and thus we have to run the gambit of x-rays and pediatric cardiologists.

Life, full of twists, turns, and unexpectedness. But really who would have it any other way?

Classic Film Friday: Ten Thousand Bedrooms

So I was home watching my little one, and this movie came on TMC. It was Dean's birthday, so they were playing all his movies. And Ten Thousand Bedrooms was his first without Jerry Lewis. It was also a bomb at the box office.

I don't know why. But it was slightly before my time. Ray Hunter (Dean Martin) is a hotel magnate and he has just purchased a hotel in Italy. Upon his arrival in Italy he meets a girl Maria Martelli (Eva Bartok), and then meets her sister Nina Martelli (Anna Maria Alberghetti), and he is in love. With which one? Well you will have to watch and see. It is "Hollywood" crazy, all the stuff they must go through.

Flashback

I was reminded of a time a long time ago, way way back, to 1993. Scary huh? That was almost 20 years ago. It seems like it was just yesterday. In a conversation where we started talking about Korea. Since we both went there, well, my memories of what songs I heard back then came flooding back into my head.

Where are they now? They are still around, but not nearly as popular...




This song played in every club at least 5 times a night. If you didn't dance to this, you had no soul...




Finally we had the next coming of ABBA, seriously... you can't make stuff like this up.

Yes, She is Guilty... Part 1

* 3 dead by "mouth massage" in one day

Blackberry Cobbler

So I got this hair up my ass... I know where there are a whole lot of blackberries growing. But you see they aren't so easy to get to. Me and my dad used to go when I was a kid and we'd usually find them around junk that nobody wanted anymore... and we called them junk berries. So anyway, I got this mess of blackberries, that me and the 14-year-old worked hard for, got the scrapes and scratches to prove it. We want to make some blackberry cobbler.

So I look around on the internet... and I find this recipe and I go to work making this cobbler. It comes out of the oven, and what happens? Well effectively nothing. I wanted this to be the second coming of Christ, after tasting, it was more like the 5th coming of Melvin. In other words, not so good. I think the blackberries were just not sweet enough, and I think it was because there was no junk laying next to it.

I mean why else would that be? We have had enough rain and sun. The only thing I can think of is they didn't have that old, bald tire or chicken wire or rusted piece of tin underneath it. What do you think?

Baby Talk

No my youngest still has not spoken a word yet. She squeals loudly and grunts a lot. But me and the Songbird have been having a bit of fun with how you say "goodbye, or bye bye". It goes something like this:

In the morning on a weekday, most days my wife leaves first with the kids. I kiss my wife, who is holding the baby, I kiss the baby on the cheek and say "buh bye". Trying to elicit a response from her... all I get is a big ole smile and sometimes laughing. Then comes the Songbird who gives me a kiss and I say "buh bye"...

Songbird: -laughing- "Daddddd... I am not a baby"

Me: "But you are my baby silly"

Songbird: "Well, but I'm not a baby"

Me: "Buh Bye"

Songbird: -laughing even more- "Goodbye"

Me: "Buh Bye"

Songbird: "Bye" Still laughing

Me: "Buh Bye"

Songbird: Half way down the stairs... still laughing... "BYE!"

Me "Buh Bye"

Who knew saying goodbye could be so comical. Well for 2 out of 3 daughters anyway, and I bet if I told my teenager "Buh Bye" she'd probably laugh too.

Happy Birthday To Me

I got a card from my mother for my birthday, enclosed she wrote about me. Here is what she wrote.

The day of June 13, 1975 comes to mind. An oil rig in the Gulf (of Mexico) on fire for days. No one was able to contain it until you were born. At the exact time of your birth, the fire stopped mysteriously. You were and are the Miracle Worker born with the veil. Never forget your impact on this world.

Love Mom

And the cat had 5 kittens under our bed!!

What can i say? My mother is a person who holds on to some superstitions. Still it is hard to take that and NOT think "man, I should run for president, or something". I think that is the job of a mother... to inflate one's ego. I love her, and I know she loves me. Thanks mom, thanks for having me...

A Day in the Life...

So far... my "month" has not at all gone as planned. The youngest still has a fever (well she did a week ago anyway), in fact my wife has kept tabs on her all weekend. Taking her temp, running cold baths, giving her ibuprofen/Tylenol when ever needed. I know it really isn't the baby's fault, but still...it made for trying times.

She looks to be better now, so hopefully it will mean better days ahead. In fact, we took a walk in hot weather. This is South Carolina in June, after all, "hot" goes without saying. This is where things started to pay off for us. You see 2 Christmases ago, my daughter, the Songbird got this race car. She never was very good at driving it, but that changed today. Well, she still needs help, but she gets better with each try.

I took out the screw that keeps it from going into fast (5MPH) mode. She, the Songbird was at first apprehensive because she could hardly keep it off the grass at 2.5MPH. But she warmed up to it, and before you know it... zoom!



Yeah I know, I'm not exactly a Jimmie fan, but the 48 has won the championship since my daughter was born... so I can't say much. Plus, my wife likes him. Anyway, sometimes in life all you get to enjoy is the smallest of "little things". This was one of them. Maybe soon we will do it again.

Now this is not to say she is the expert driver, because she is not. We can't seem to stress that you MUST look where you are going, not where you have already been. But we will take it anyway. The way she smiles when she "punches it", the way we laugh when she goes into someone's yard or flower bed or tree... is all just momentary. I plan to take advantage of each and every minute... never really knowing when the last will come.

Classic Film Friday: Gremlims

So this was a film from my youth. Kind of scary looking at it now. It definitely pushed the boarder on what is appropriate for kids PG and what might be a little more risque, but not deserving of the full fledged R rating. This is a story of a teenaged kid, who gets a Christmas present from his door to door salesman/inventor father that is a bit different than anything he has ever seen before.

He was given a mogwai with some rather interesting rules that go along with his (Gizmo) cuteness.

1. Keep him away from bright light.
   
2. Keep him away from water.
   
3. No food after midnight. (although they never really say when they can eat)

Sometimes you have to give movies a little breathing room. Sure there are plot holes and some parts leave you wondering, let that go. Just let it go. So obviously the rules get broken and we have ourselves a problem. The cute little gizmo, is fine, but the spawn of gizmo... not so much. So watch what happens to the gremlins, see if they (the people) get out alive, and will anyone learn anything? Probably not, as there is a sequel, but watch all the same.

The Black Keys: Brothers

So this is The Black Keys. I have the CD case somewhere. I don't know where, but it is gone, I wanted to take a picture of it because I thought it was funny. Here is a picture of the album cover. There is more when you open the CD, but since I don't have it you'll just have to take my word for it that it has more humor like this inside.



This is a good album, if you like the blues, good news for me, as I do like the blues. Here is a sample, see what you think...

Tighten Up

He is Supposed to Our National Emblem

The Oil Spill... (Part 2)

Well as predicted, it was worse and is worse than predicted. Well that is no surprise, what is disturbing is what ever seafood is harvested... even crawfish (a freshwater creature) is being questioned by the dumb people... and apparently there are lots of really dumb people around. I'm just saying... why would anybody buy tainted anything? I wonder how much seafood comes from China... Hmmm, think that is better? It may be cheaper.

Another frustration I have is the photographers. I know only the most dramatic photos make it to print, I get that, but surely if the photographer sees a animal drowning or flapping around covered in oil, maybe he/she ought to help. But then again, maybe it is all about a bunch of nothing. Or maybe it is a bit of grandstanding by a politician.



So what I think is being shaped by the medias of the world, which makes me wonder because now unless I actually go down there, I won't have an honest to goodness opinion of what is happening, I'll have an honest to goodness opinion on what the news is reporting, but that is about it...

Meanwhile I actually am scheduled to go to New Orleans in July, but I doubt I will be anywhere near the coast. I will eat crawfish, no matter what the dummies think.

I Might Be a Drunk

I'm wondering... I'm I an alcoholic? My grand father on my dad's side was, but am I? I ask this because when I buy beer, the one with the highest alcohol content is usually the one I get, but that seems like child's play. I'm starting to get my kicks elsewhere. I've made limoncello, I've thought about making more. I mean hell, I could drink a bottle of limoncello like it was nothing. Ok I was wrong, I got pretty messed up on that stuff.

What I'm getting at is... am I addicted??? I can go days without a drink, that is hardly a problem, but I'd rather not... I'm just saying, or maybe I'm trying to justify, I really don't know. Ok actually, this limoncello is having an effect on me. But what I'm trying to say is, normal beer is affecting me about as much as nothing, so I wonder if my tolerance has built up or am I imagining things?

I'm no pantywaist when it comes to beer drinking, obviously... I'm a bit more girly when it come to the hard stuff. But I answered the question for myself, I don't think I'm addicted, but there is potential. When I started writing this I felt almost impenetrable from alcohol's power, but now I know different, because I felt the morning after, and the high of the night before... and the sickness in-between.

I haven't felt that in a long time, and that is pretty good, because I don't want to be a slovenly drunk, but I do like to have a drink now and again. Now I know that if I drink too much (at least that is what I keep telling myself) that I won't be able to control it... and that would be bad.

She Likes The Green Beans

I know, I know, I really shouldn't post on this sort of thing in this, the "Month of R" but I can't help it. This baby is so happy and really likes the green beans... I mean look, have you ever been as happy as she is with food everywhere? I wish I could be this happy...

Happy Birthday Madear

Today my mom turns 60, I think that is a milestone worthy of celebrating. Though I can't be with you, I hope you have a beautiful day!!!

The Month of R

Yep, this month is the Month of R.... What? June has no "R" in it. Yes I know that. But it is "my month" as it were. Both of my parents and myself were born this month, my anniversary, Father's Day, and countless other relatives' birthdays are all contained within this very month. So my daughter, the teenager, has deemed this month to be the month of R (Me, my mom, and my dad all have "R" in our names).

So far, it has not been that festive, but it'll turn I think... I have no plans for my actual birthday, that needs to change, but I come from a line of thinking, that you don't really plan your own party, you can plan all you want for anyone else's but not your own.

So happy Month of R, as we do get down to celebrating I'll post what different things we have in store.

Ack! Nooooo....

Well, I did say nothing was stopping me, as far as me and the wife going out and being together, but there is always that one thing... a sick child... that can happen. And it happened... sheesh. Happy 5th honey, I'll be home and we can find a way to celebrate between blowing a nose or taking a temperature...

Happy Anniversary

Just a side note... today is me and my wife's 5th wedding anniversary. I know that isn't all that long, but you have to start somewhere. My wife and I are going out to eat, and make nice... just the two of us. I think sometimes we get so wrapped up with work or kids that we don't always remember that without us, the rest wouldn't mean anything at all. So get ready my beautiful wife, we are going out tonight!!!

Classic Film Friday: People Will Talk

This movie is all about rumors. What will they say, how will they act, what does someone else think about whatever. Dr. Noah Praetorius (Cary Grant) is a teacher of a different kind, he teaches (and practices) medicine a little differently. Well this gets him into some trouble with his compatriots, mainly Dr. Rodney Elwell (Hume Cronyn).

In the middle of all of this is Deborah Higgins (Jeanne Crain) who faints during Dr. Praetorius's lectures. She later comes to his clinic as it was suggested that she see a doctor. It turns out she is pregnant. Since she is not married, this is not so good news for Deborah. But she has developed an affection for Dr. Praetorius and he for her. Yeah ok, throw everything out the window about a doctor fraternizing with his patients or the fact that she is pregnant, still a love affair is blossoming, actually a marriage.

But Dr. Elwell is waiting to pounce. He calls for an investigation. Just when you think everything is going good, the louse shows back up. So Dr. Praetorius has a formal hearing to defend anything and everything he has done. Shunderson (Finlay Currie) a man-servant of Dr. Praetorius, who goes where ever he goes, is the subject of great controversy. Will Dr. Praetorius clear his name? And just why does Shunderson follow him around? You'll have to watch to see. I watched using the Roku.

Handlebars

I have to admit, I was somewhat skeptical when introduced to this song (by the teenager) the first time. Then it came up on my Pandora, and I listened to the words. It is beautiful and scary at the same time. I don't think the teenager realizes what it is about. Like me, I at first thought this is a song about a guy riding his bike... but it is much deeper than that.

You Want to go Lef...Rig...Hmmm...Not Sure

Budget Woes

So we have ourselves a problem. You see, while everyone else is cutting back, our school district is adding on. Why? Because we voted to do so. Sorry but that is the gist of it. I don't know why nobody thought that with more buildings that it would mean more money to provide upkeep you know housekeeping and grounds-keeping... plus teachers, and administrative staff, school buses, and anything else.

Meanwhile my wife hasn't had a raise in 2 years. I think anytime we have a downturn in the economy, it would be crazy to expect a raise, but something has got to give. Basically we could just leave, find better opportunities elsewhere and call it a day. But the thing is, we like it here for the most part... We don't want to go, but something has to change.

I think it is crazy that actual residents are not taxed, or not taxed as much. Whoever thought up that scheme is equally as crazy. And I know there are those out there who say we spend $____ or 32% more than other schools blah blah blah. Well that is a bit of a straw-man argument because that money does not make it way to our pockets the actual teachers aren't sitting back getting rich. My wife has her Masters plus 30, and is National Board Certified, and we must struggle to just pay our way.

I'm not saying "look at me, we are poor" but I am saying, the system is fucked up. The only other thing my wife can do is get her doctorate to be more qualified. I think that is saying something. Mainly that we need to go elsewhere. And we may have to anyway (my job, not hers). But it is what it is.

Schools can't be everything or anything. You play the hand you are dealt. Lets all remember we did this to ourselves when we passed various referendums. Just sayin'