The Day has Arrived

My kids are all about being out west for Halloween. Well the Songbird wanted to be a cowgirl and my wife used the leftovers for Augustus... Isn't that the way it always is?

Haunted House

You know back when I was a kid, me and my brother and a bunch of neighborhood kids used to gather together and make a haunted house for Halloween. It got more and more elaborate each year, and we all split the money we made off doing it. Which was never much, like $5 was the most I ever took home. But it was fun, well it started out fun and then it would always end badly. Why? Well you see my father lived in a not so good part of town. It was a suburb of New Orleans, and in case you didn't notice, New Orleans is a crime-ridden city.

So anyway we had a kind of segregated community. Black folks lived over here, white folks over there, Vietnamese somewhere different. It was the way it was. Well my dad lived right on the edge of where all the black folks lived. Which didn't bother us none... except for a few miscreant youths that kind of ruined things now and then. So word got out pretty quick, about how these kids got a haunted house, and all the kids should come by and get scared for the price or 25 or 50 cents. Which was good... if you are the enterprising type. But they are also some more thuggish people out there.

Well that is when my father and my older sisters' boyfriends' and my uncle showed up, to protect us. Now this whole thing could appear racist and maybe it was, but at least for me, it was just a chance to have a haunted house and fun. But you will always have some that will try to take that away from you, and yet more try to protect you, and of course someone out to protect the "thugs" and on and on.

So every year, we would have a big fight, with people getting punched or kicked or smacked with some kind of foreign object until my dad showed up with a gun... Yeah that's right. My dad was old school, and he truly didn't care. Now he fired the gun into the air, never at anyone (that I know of) and that was enough to make everyone calm down.

Odds are that he was high as a kite when he did this (because he liked to smoke a lot of weed), but still it seemed to be his "make everyone shut up and go home" tool of choice. I don't think that would go over very well these days, but you never can tell. The cops got to know my dad, he never was arrested, and we eventually moved out of the city. But I can still vividly remember those days, the building with cardboard and visqueen crisscrossing the backyard. One year I was a mummy and we had a set up where I was in a "coffin" (made of cardboard) and I got to scare the bejesus out of everyone. Another year I was a gorilla/monster and I would swing on our big willow tree, not so scary but fun all the same.

I don't get why we couldn't just have the haunted house, without the people to get in a fight with near the end (because when those type of people came, my uncle would tell all the haunted house occupants to go home and announce to the rest "The haunted house is closed") while my dad got his gun and the older boys would fight. All for what? Free admission to the haunted house? Seriously that is what they would say. Maybe too much testosterone came with the costumes. But still I can remember part of the night anyway.

These days there is no friction, no neighborhoods like they had in New Orleans, no racial tension, and no haunted house. Seems more fun when we did have it all.

Classic Film Friday: The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms

Here is a movie that finds itself near the beginning of a slew of giant monster movies. I think it is better than most, but that is just me. Basically We are testing some nuclear explosions in the north pole area. And an explosion frees a "Rhedosaurus" (not an actual dinosaur, but who is gonna' say?) that was frozen for millions of years. People spot the monster, but they are all taken as crazy.

That is until the monster starts wrecking New York City. Then it is a catastrophe. So the first man that saw the creature is validated but the monster goes on a rampage... and (at the time) kills 180 people, injures 1,500, and does about 300 million in damages.

So whats a guy to do? Bullets seem to have no effect on it and killing it seems like a bad idea anyway because it is infecting people with some prehistoric germs that is only made worst when they make the monster bleed.

Science is the answer, a radio active isotope, fired by a sharpshooter, into the wound already created is our only hope. So I watched this with the Songbird and I must say we liked the "campy-ness" of the movie and the fact that it was not too scary that a 4-year-old couldn't view it. Plus I got all kinds of tips for what I would/should do if I ever am attacked by a giant dinosaur. Which makes the film educational as well. Ok, not really. See what you think.

Weezer: Hurley

This was done with cast of Jackass. They have a new movie out right now, and yes I know that 80 something percent of the people who watch Jackass are men, but they are still funny. You know, crazy funny. Not like I would ever try anything that they ever did, because that would make me nuts too, but still, they made a video, why not watch it?

It's Almost That Time

I Endourse the Smokehouse

I don't really do this, mainly because the chance to review a place comes along just a few times. Basically The Smokehouse had a contest, and my wife entered it. The prize? Brunch for two... and she actually won. We were kind of dumbfounded at first, because we never win anything. Ok so throw that out the window, we won something now... we are over it.

So we take the two littlest kids with us, because we don't even try to find a sitter for a Sunday... too short of notice, besides, who would we pick anyway? The teenager has already got on our last nerve (She was supposed to get her report card on Thursday, we didn't see it until Saturday, teacher conferences were on Thursday-Friday... oh well partly my fault I guess). So we left the teenager at home and took Augustus and Songbird with us anyway.

Now this place is all the way on the island, so with that comes the expectation that it is for the tourists and it will be expensive. Well since it was almost the end of October (tourist season is pretty much over) and the meal was gratis those two things didn't matter at this time. But I will say that the Smokehouse made me willing to try it some other time.

I ordered the huevos rancheros, or ranch style eggs that was delectable and my wife had eggs anyway you like them and also claimed they were tasty. It also included were hash brown potatoes, a fruit bowl, and mimosas. I have to say there was almost nobody there (probably because tourist season was over) but that suited me just fine, and as far as bringing the kids, the place was very accommodating, it only cost us $5 a piece to feed them. Chicken fingers and mac & cheese, what more could a 1-4 year old want?

Yeah, we got a free meal, and hey I won't look a gift horse in the mouth, but more importantly The Smokehouse may have got me to drive out to Hilton Head or recommend them instead of some other place. A smart decision, I think, plus the food was awesome. Now we will have to see if they can cook more than eggs.     

A Little Miffed

I'm not saying I am for cancer or that I hate breasts, but come on people did we have to give the whole month of October to the ta-tas? I mean everyone is all about the boobs. Open the paper or turn on the TV, they're all out there saving the boobs.  NFL guys are wearing pink shoes, pink ribbons everywhere, "Save the Ta Ta's" bumper stickers and T-shirts... it is a bit much.

Again, I am for research and screening, but I think the whole breast cancer thing is really overblown. Now of course not for those who may have breast cancer, I feel sorry for you if you do, but I'm wondering are you seeing any benefit with the increased exposure? Any new breakthroughs? Anything at all? I think sex sells and boobs make a good cause. Women have them and men like them... it is a win-win for everyone. Meanwhile lung and colon cancer aren't nearly as sexy to "save" as the bouncing boobies can be. Which I think is a bit hypocritical...but that is just me.

My dad had throat cancer, the boss I have now had leukemia, my wife's side of the family had breast cancer, lung cancer and my grandmother died from colon cancer. Maybe instead of just dividing it up, we should just say cancer sucks, early detection is key, get check-ups regularly, and hope for a cure. Honestly, I've yet to be flashed by a breast cancer survivor, and that is ok, but that is what men think about when you say "save the Ta-Ta's" Which is kind of gross when you really sit down and think about it. Thankfully we don't have long in the month.

Back

Finally after what feels like forever... I get my computer and my camera back. Now this was not free, in fact it was $500 bucks, round about anyway. It was $250 to replace the hard drive on my laptop, and $219 (the main board went out on the unit) to fix my camera. I recommend if you have some sort of issue with your camera, and it is not something you can do yourself (and it wouldn't be cheaper to buy a new one) give this guy a holler. He is/was cheaper than anything I could find in Savannah.  I'm over over the price, I just want my stuff back.

I got my laptop back, my camera is in transport, and I got a bit of set back from my deep fryer (gone) as it tried to catch on fire and my roku just quit working. Weird how everything seems to go at once. I'm afraid this is how things have become. Buy a new one, who cares about the old one? So I got me a deep fryer at Wal-Mart (where else?) and I see roku now has some new stuff like 1080 and outputs/inputs that the old roku never had.

Birthday Time!

So it seems like it has been not all that long ago, but in fact it has been a whole year that my youngest came to be actually the 22, (but today we are having the party). She was rather big, the heaviest at birth of the three children I have, and there was the TTN that I have never experienced in any of my brothers and sisters or my own kids.  Even made my wife's gall bladder have to be removed, the seemingly endless ear infection of the summer. But we got through it all.

This child is more loving, more snuggle-bunny than any before her. She is also louder and more vocal in her frustrations and displeasure... if she finds herself in such a predicament. She is her own person, as all kids are, it is watching her navigate this world that simply amazes me. We all made it, but actually seeing it done by someone besides yourself really is a wonder. And so Happy Birthday "Augustus". We love you and know that you love us. This is just your 1st year, but a special one nonetheless.

Classic Film Friday: Garbage Pail Kids

This is probably the worst movie ever. I admit that I have a thing for really bad movies. But think about it. Most really bad movies want you to believe something so ridiculous, that you simply can't do it, and that is where the problems start. This movie stretches the imagination beyond anything you have ever seen. But if you can get over that and know that this movie is just for laughs, well then it isn't so bad... Well maybe...

I was going to list off characters and the plot but really, nobody is in this movie that is a "big star" and the plot? Good lord, who needs one of those?
 

B.o.B - Magic ft. Rivers Cuomo

The teenager turned me on to this song... And now I am turning whoever reads this on to it as well. Your welcome.

MH

I don't really have anything to say... But this is pretty awesome. I haven't a clue what it means, but "my" intials are on the street. Still no computer or camera... but soon.

Oh the Pain

Ok, it must be said, I am not as strong or impervious or anything else as I thought I once was. I'm talking about last weekend's 5K, which I did, I think I was in the bottom 10% or so, but that is ok... because I never liked running. Anyway let me break it down, because I can still feel my fingers... my toes or legs... not so much.

We started out me and the Songbird (who may get replaced by Augustus as the more musically inclined, but that is a different story) way in the back, she was a bit apprehensive about the whole thing... at first. My teenaged daughter was running up ahead (she found some friends). Right from the beginning i could feel my calf muscles seizing up. I'm not even out of the parking lot of my wife's school and already I am feeling the burn.

And this is just walking, yes I know I should have stretched before hand, but I didn't and now I had to go. Plus the Songbird really wasn't into the whole running thing. But we pressed on. I asked the Songbird if she remembered the story of the tortoise and the hare... She did, and she knew that slow and steady wins the race, or something like that.

We are just coming up on mile one of our little running race, when what do we see? My teenager gasping for air. At that point I said to the Songbird, slow and steady. It was also at this point that the Songbird left me and went with her sister for the rest of the race. Hmfp! Oh well, I was just glad she was happy and I had my hand free to concentrate of jogging/walking the rest of the way.

The first mile done, the rest of the way seemed to go by much faster, I would see-saw with my two children, because I guess I never read the tortoise and the hare to the oldest. My speed remained the same, but I was feeling it. Into my knees and my thighs even in my hips. This was not good. I mean I know I'm not in shape, but I didn't think I was out of shape so much that I would be feeling it three days later.

So my kids finished before me, and really, they should have because I finished in about 52 min or about 17 minutes per mile. That is pathetic. And I was hurting so bad. I ran 2 miles, as a part of my PT test in the Army, in 15 minutes some 17 years ago. When you look on it like that well, something needs to happen. But I'm not so sure. I have run exactly NONE since I got out of the Army, and I really don't think I will be in a job that requires running anytime soon. So I find myself doing a cost vs. benefit again.

Yes if I get into shape, I will be able to run, jump, whatever... for longer, harder, blah blah blah. But at what cost? Well number one I don't really have the time... I'm not saying that I couldn't, but finding time would be tough. My evenings are filled with cooking, rolling around on the floor with my littlest one, enjoying time with my wife, arguing with the teenager about anything and everything... you know important stuff. Then there is the pain. That I would not like one bit, but I could probably shift around, biking instead of running etc. The the big wild card in all of this I would need to adjust my insulin. But still doable.

So is it worth it? To be able to run without feeling like dog shit afterward? I really don't think so. I might be wrong, I mean if I needed to get in shape or I would die or if I was single and getting in shape would help me not be single... but that isn't the case at all. Maybe what I'll do is some form of exercise that will workout my legs but not running, but I don't know if that will help me run any faster/better.

Still you really don't know. Now I'm nursing my wounds and wishing it all away. I must say the event for the school went well, the way everyone cheered for me (they cheered for everyone)... bringing up the last of some 150 runners, well it made me wonder, "What the hell is wrong with these people?" but in gracious fun, I bowed, because I felt it was necessary. I am not made for 5K running races, but if one of my kids or my wife needs a body to run in one, to be in last, then I am your huckleberry.

Poop

I was told this story by my wife. I had no idea or inclination of any trouble but anyway here goes...

My wife notices that the Songbird was a little figgity while reading her a bedtime story. She thought nothing of it... but should have. So they go into her bedroom to change clothes. She is still wiggling, so my wife asks

"What is wrong?"

And the Songbird says, "Is there still poop there?"

My wife replies "Why would there be poop there?"

Songbird says, "I went potty."

While this conversation is taking place, the Songbird gets naked, gets on top of her bed and sticks her butt up in the air. And lord have mercy... Code Brown! Yes, there was poop in there, lots and lots of poop. In fact there was so much poop it is a wonder any made it into the toilet, because it seemed like it was stuck up in her crack.

It took three wipies and smelled really, really bad. Even the Songbird said it stunk, you know it must have been bad if the offender is offended. So she got a refresher on how the wipe her butt, and we hope this is the last time she needs the hygiene talk.

I'll Try

Still no change with the broke stuff. At least I don't think so. My car is fixed, my camera is not, my computer is at Computer Dynamics being fixed... and the TV... well we are waiting to see if we can get one on the cheap. You know Black Friday ads and what not. That is still a ways off, but I rather like having a living room with no TV.

I've been entered in a 5k, it happened yesterday (I'm actually writing this before because I have access to a computer now, and won't after... maybe), I haven't run or anything in 15 years... when I was much younger, disease and ailment free, and much more fit. Still I can walk the 5k it really is no big deal, plus I have my teenager and Songbird at my side. But still, it seems so far. But you never know how far you will go until you try.

Hoping for a Change

I already told you about my car's A/C going out... again. Basically the part that was fixed (the clutch) went out again, apparently it was defective before they put it in. At least that is what the dealership is telling me. But to make it good, they are fixing it at no additional charge (yes, because I have no money) and I get to drive around in a brand new shiny Honda Accord while they fix my car. All I have to do is put back however much gas I take. That seems fair, actually more than fair, since everything has been going to opposite way for me lately.

This was the first broken thing that can be fixed (even though I already had it fixed a month ago for $770) and I am putting a positive spin on things to make the rest of the broke stuff easier on me... Maybe. Now I have a camera that will cost $100-200 to repair, a computer that hopefully can be fixed on the cheap (haven't heard back yet) and the big ticket item, my TV, that I can't get fixed, or it isn't worth fixing because it is old technology stuff. but it was a 57" TV, and finding one that will fit where the old one went will be a shopping adventure, plus I need a stand/cabinet, because I have a huge projection TV going to a more manageable flat screen. There is always something...

Classic Film Friday: The Crawling Eye

Well with Halloween coming, I figured I might as well do a classic movie or so before it actually passes. This is complete "B-movie" material, but what horror movie from that time period is anything but "B"?

If you like "B-movies" then you love this movie, if not... well prepare to be let down. Allen Brooks (Forrest Tucker) is traveling in Switzerland to see a professional colleague of his when he encounters two sisters (who happen to be on the same train car as him). One of the sisters is a telepath. Anne (Janet Munro) is the younger sister (and the telepathic) while Sarah (Jennifer Jayne) is the older.

So they all get off the train and head to the hotel, where there is talk of disappearances of mountain hikers/climbers. It is from the aliens, but anyway. The film even has the aliens turning humans to zombies which is strange or not... it really kind of depends. Watch and see for yourself. I watched this on the Roku and it was actually a Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode.

Everest: On Approach

This is a newish band, quite honestly, I had never heard of them before, but thanks to my teen aged daughter and music on cable, I got some exposure to it. This is Everest's single that came out in May, Let Go. See what you think.

Sun Baby

Yeah my camera is still broken, as is my computer (and the A/C in my car, but it is under warranty and being fixed while I write this now). The teenager says that Augustus looks just like the baby that is in the sun on Teletubbies. The Teletubbies are one group I just missed. So I looked it up. The kid is cute, so sure I'll take it.

Maybe this won't make you laugh, but it probably will make you smile.

Oh Yeah, You Are Still Punished

So on top of everything being broken, and the Wiggles, and dance class, and the multitudes of other equally important things revolving in my world... we still have to deal with discipline of my daughter, who went and signed up for ROTC with out us knowing about it. I'm fine with her being in ROTC, however I'm not necessarily ok with the extra stuff that is involved. And she is graded for it, or so she says.

It is like this, she wanted to be in ROTC (regardless of what we wanted) and this means it will take even more time from which time is a precious resource, so it is in limited supply. But still that is fine. If she really wants to be in ROTC, then so be it. However lying about it (being in ROTC and then lying about the requirements) really is just not cool at all.

I've tried everything imaginable to come up with a fair punishment that still allows my daughter to go through ROTC. But I keep coming up empty handed. So what have I come up with? She has to tell the truth for a month and look for employment. That really doesn't sound like a punishment does it? More like a goal or even just a nice way to be. But this is the best I can come up with. When you consider that my daughter is the carbon copy of my ex-wife, and she lied about anything and everything, you take what you can get. She already has limits on just about anything you can do... no TV in her room, no computer access unless one of us is around, we want to know who she is with and want her friends to come over to our house... yes I know I'm awful, but still I hope this will all be worth it... one day.

The Wiggles

Why in the world would I be wanting to review old kid's songs? Because it is a right of passage in my family... everyone likes the Wiggles and Augustus is almost one... she likes them too. Plus with my home computer still on the fritz, it is much easier to post some YouTube videos than anything I might have.

Now  I'm not talking about the crap with that new guy, Sam. I mean the stuff with Greg, who will always be the real, original Wiggle, and yes I know he had to quit due to a medical condition, but he was the Wiggles in my mind. So we keep the old stuff around, and it is just as well, because the baby absolutely loves it. Maybe you will too... 

Yep, This is How I Feel

I just feel like this... lately.

Everything is Broken from cwd543 on Vimeo.

Maybe I Need to Drill, Maybe Not...

While on my way home, I found out that dentists may or may not really see a cavity. Well that helps doesn't it?

Classic Film Friday: River of No Return

In this western classic Marilyn Monroe plays a singer Kay Weston, in a saloon who is watching a young boy, Mark Calder (Tommy Rettig) who's father will pick him up... Matt Calder (Robert Mitchum). So the boy and the father go off to live the farm life and leave Kay to her own devices. Or so we think, but when her gambler boyfriend Harry Weston (Rory Calhoun), tells about how he won a gold claim and they have to go to Coucil City to file it right away.

Well you see they take a flimsy raft, that happens to go right past the Calder's place. They have some trouble, the Calder's help them out, so Harry asks them for a gun and his only horse. That seems reasonable but if Matt gives them to him, then we won't have anything to defend himself with from Indian attacks. Harry steals the gun and the horse but leaves Kay behind.

Not five minutes after he leaves, the Indians attack and they have no choice but to take the flimsy raft in an effort to escape. And so Kay and Matt get along pretty good, dodging arrows from Indians, or rapids, or even a cougar attack (this movie has it all). Matt has sworn to kill Harry, all the while Kay proffesses Harry's inocence. She even told of how she knew that the reason he was gone from his kid was because he shot a man in the back, thus he has been serving time in prison. How she knew that was anyone's guess, but his son overheard the conversation and that wasn't an honorable thing to do.

So anyhow, do they make it to Council City? Does Matt make Harry pay for what he did? Will Mark forgive his dad for shooting a man in the back? Is anyone headed back to jail? You'll have to watch and see for yourself...

Soundgarden: Telephantasm

It is like a Soundgarden's great hits, but even better, as it gives you  some of the same songs done up differently. A definite 90's rock must have... for anyone coming up or who knows someone from that era. It was in the time, post Kurt Cobain, and after Pearl Jam decided they weren't doing anymore videos, what is a kid going to watch on MTV? It is also important to realize that this was before Chris Cornell became pretentious. Success will do that I guess.  Here are some old videos, with one previously unreleased track, Black Rain. 

Please Pardon My Mess

Spectacles

Well, I have pictures of the Songbird with her new glasses. However I currently do not have a way to get those pictures onto the computer. Add to that my TV is dead. Well that was bound to happen. Why it had to happen on a Sunday, well I guess that is just a cruel fate. But fate has a way of being mean.

So no pictures of the glasses, no daily affirmation, not much of nothing... I really hate it. My camera went south, and TV gone and my computer gone, I really want to cry. But this too shall pass. I don't know when, but it has got to happen sooner or later.

Got Employment?

I listened to my mom the other day tell me how a lot of nurses are out of work. Which sounds crazy to me. You see my mom is a CNO (Chief Nursing Officer) for a hospital in Louisiana. I call her the "chief of all nurses" because... well she is my mother and she often reads this blog and I respect her. But anyway, why are these nurses out of work?

I mean it has always been one of the safe havens whether the economy is good or bad... you can't really control when you are going to get sick. It just happens, many times tragically, sometimes (most times) it catches you completely off guard. Like my wife needing to have her gall bladder removed or me having a stroke. You just never know when your time is coming.

So why then is there a glut of nurses? Is it because we've simply trained too many? Is it older nurses are staying on, past their retirement age because of the downturn? Is it the economy (though I just said you can't really say that, but maybe it is) stupid? I can't really say for sure, it may be a mixture of the bunch. But if a supposedly recession-proof jobs are having trouble, just imagine what it is like for everyone else... 

This is Pretty Funny

 I don't really like too many commercials, but I can't help but like this one. Will it make me buy the product? Most definitely not, but it is cool. 

The MadHatter Goes to Homecoming

Bluffton High is 6-0 so far. Wow, I don't think my high school won 6 games in the whole 4 years I went there. But you must remember, I was used to being a loser. I mean our professional team was the Saints, and unitl last year, they were the perennial loser. Anyway, my daughter, the teen aged witch, had a ROTC "thing" there at the football field, so I figured I'd go too... and bring along the Songbird with me so I wouldn't be all alone. I was brought back into high school, and how a football game really is not about football, at least not to most kids. It is a social gathering, and permission to act like an idiot.

So anyway, trying to actually watch the game was tough, but not overly so. I have to say, Bluffton has a good defense, could use some help in the secondary, the offense was ok, I mean they only completed 2 passes the whole game, but then again when you can just run it in, well why do anything else? They also scored a TD on special teams, returned a kickoff... which negated one of the touchdowns of Lake Marion. I guess what I'm trying to say is... the game was a little boring. 27 -12 is nothing to sneeze at, but I felt they might have opened it up with a few more passes. Still I told my daughters of how I could never remember a team doing so well at the high school level. Go Bobcats!

Classic Film Friday: Fletch

Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher (Chevy Chase) is an LA journalist, and he really gets into his job. Basically he employs different personae in order to get a story that he wants. Whether it is a bum on skid row or a country club tennis player or a mechanic working on an airplane, Fletch tries it all. There is almost the air of a fast talking Groucho Marx, but a bit more bumbling. Anyway he is on a big story, deep under cover, he is writing about the drug trade on the beach.

But Fletch as a bum or drifter is met by Alan Stanwyk (Tim Matheson) a rich man, to murder him for $50,000 as he has cancer and his life insurance won't pay if he commits suicide (yes it is a bit of a stretch, but anyway). So now Fletch starts working two stories, because he can't understand why this guy would offer him money like this.

Well it gets a bit fuzzy because the two stories are actually one. Fletch meets Gail Stanwyk (Dana Wheeler-Nicholson), wife of the man that was willing to pay Fletch to murder him at a country club while Chief Jerry Karlin (Joe Don Baker) gives Fletch the shakedown, as he claims the writings of Fletch could jeopardize his undercover investigation. How are these two things related? Well they aren't, at least not yet.

But it all begins to come together, as Fletch investigates Alan a little deeper, and he gets to know Gail a little better. The rest you will have to watch for yourself, as I probably told too much already. Available on the Roku or Wii, or anything else that gives you access to Netflix instant viewing.