Bailout?

I'm trying to get a hold of the facts regarding this whole Bailout business. How exactly did we get in this mess, and who will pay for it. I'm not finding much, I mean what kind of loans made to who, and how does the whole ball of wax affect me?

The one thing I can see is my 401k is down, like really down, I'm trying to avoid the issue but it's hard. Just hold on I say to myself, things will get better... maybe. But other than that I don't really see how any of this is related to me. I pay everything on time, and 700 billion or 1 trillion dollars is just a number, that I can't even attempt to fathom. Oh yeah, my bank (Wachovia) just got sold.

Granted, I know I should try to connect the dots and try to keep on top of things, but right now as with the presidential race, you have all kinds of politics and very little else. If somebody gets his nuts pinched because of fraud or stealing or whatever, then so be it. But how exactly did we get here, and how do we get out?

I don't care about playing the blame game, because ultimately that isn't going to do anything. But seriously what and how did we get here? That would be nice to know....

The Bluffton Beer & Bratwurst Festival

I went, and was basically unimpressed. I think last year was ok, but this year it was not. Why? They had too many people there, and they had too big a focus on kids. For crying out loud, its a beer festival. They had 3 jumpy houses, and kids were everywhere. People were bumping into more people, and at one point one of the jumpy houses collapsed, which caused all kinds of calamity that attention was taken away from the the other two, and more of a mad house was created.

Maybe I just went into it in a bad mood. Maybe not. But it seemed to me that the whole thing was one big cluster.... well you know. It seems to me that they need to find a different venue. I can't see the residents of the area putting up with this, and it's really too small.

Back to the Beer & Brats, you had to pay $10 to get in or at least it appeared so, no other Festival does this, I guess we could have snuck in on a side street, I really don't know. They gave you 4 tickets and a cup when you paid your money, kids cost $5. But half of the vendors would take cash, so the hell with it. Then to actually get a beer you had to get in yet another loooooong line, never mind that you just waited in a long line to get in the place. And then you really couldn't find a place to sit... even if (like we did) you brought your own seat. Arrrrrggggggggghhhhhhh... It was not a very fun time all.

Next year, I'll buy me a six pack and have a good time all by myself... at home.

The Next Comedian?

My youngest is somewhat of a comedian. I guess all 2-year-old are, but maybe mine is especially so. Here’s why.

We're finishing up dinner, which is some rib eye steaks we got on sale at Food Lion, baked potato, corn on the cob, and some kind of bread. The 2-year-old says it (the bread) is "too tasty" and wants a regular piece of bread. It's kind of like a whiney-singing kind of thing. The "too tasty" is funny, but that's not all. So we're all sitting at the table wondering what to do next when little did we know we would have a bit of a show.

My daughter says "shhhh... did you hear that?" And so we all be quiet and listen. She looks to her left and then her right, her head sneakily bobs up and down. Then she says "ribbit". Hmmm. It seems we have a frog, and in case you didn't catch it the first time, she repeats it 3 or 4 more times. And just when you think this the only trick she knows she say "ruff, ruff"... it seems we now have an extra dog. From there we get pigs, cows, and cats. Where does this come from? It sounds complex when you think about it. I hope this just means a funny kid, maybe even a funny adult... and not a whole host of delinquencies growing up.

To wrap it all up she went around "scaring" us with a snake she got from the library. That kid I tell you, keep your eye out for her. LOL

Bad Parenting

I'm trying to not come down too hard on my teenager. I think most of us parents that have teens try to understand their kids. Hell it doesn't seem like all that long ago that I myself was a teenager. And I know... KNOW that some of the things I did weren't right or even legal. But my parents were kind of not really there. That's not to say I had a bad childhood, because I didn't but it's all in context. Yes I got caught with various things I shouldn't have been doing, but I got away with even more.

Maybe that's the problem. My child can't get away with anything, because I know all the outs. I know what kids do, I used to be one myself. But you can't say that to anyone. It's the last thing they want to hear. And my wife, well she's the perennial "goody goody" you can't explain anything to her, because she was a good kid. So combine a "goody goody" with a reformed "bad boy" and my daughter is facing impossible odds. But don't feel bad for her, she makes her own messes, she needs to clean them up.

Anyway I keep thinking of the song "teenagers" by My Chemical Romance. Sure you think adults are all out to get you, make you work, make you conform, make you do... Actually that's really not true, but you won't realize that until your on your own. Kids, phooey.

Classic Film Friday: The Aristocats

I know this movie is not really a "Classic" per se, but I think it is, it holds a special place in my heart, and it is almost 40 years old. It's my older daughter's most favorite "Kid Movie". We Netflixed it for that and because my younger daughter is going to be a cat for Halloween... Because everybody wants to be a cat.

It's about a family of French cats (a mama and three babies) who have it pretty good as far as cats go. Anyway it's all taken away by a money grubbing butler. It's out away from Paris where they cross paths with Thomas O'Malley (Phil Harris), an alley cat that will show the kids how the other side lives, and falls in love with duchess (Eva Gabor).

From it's pretty much classic Disney, but that's not always a bad thing. There's plenty of comedy to go around, especially with Napoleon and Lafayette, Pat Buttram (Napoleon) George Lindsey (Lafayette), two dogs, looking for trouble. The butler gets what's coming to him, the kitties all get to go home, and one more child is addicted to this movie. It's not Dumbo or Lady in the Tramp, but it is pretty good.

The DC trip

So my daughter comes up to me and gives me is permission slip for the Washington DC trip. I don't think this could have possibly come at a worse time for her, with getting kicked off the bus and trying to make $42.50 and everything. They want $670 to take her on the trip, about 4 or 5 days. That pays for the bus and hotel... not the food or really anything else. I know they won't be dropping in on Chinatown via the subway, like I did, so who knows. It sure seems a bit pricey for a trip that really isn't necessary for any one or group of classes.

Then I continue reading, only 40-80 kids can go... Hmmm, do you want your kid to feel loved and appreciated? Better act soon, or you'll lose your chance to get a seat. WTF?!? Yeah I think it is unreasonable to see the whole 7th grade on the trip, but still. We're talking about 1200 to 1400 kids for the whole school, 400 to 450 per grade. And only 80 are going to get to go, tops? (those numbers I threw out there... I don't know what the school's population is).

So with that in mind I asked my daughter if she even wanted to go. She said, not really. To delve further into it I looked into booking a trip to DC, which included a flight, not a bus. It was by far less. I'm not saying that the school trip isn't nice, but I can do better, and it will show my kid the real world. Plus, I wonder how much they are going to see.

Everything in DC is free, I mean all the monuments, the museums, even the zoo, so nobody is spending money there. How would I do a 4 or 5 day trip? Oh man, boy oh boy. But my traveling arrangements were cut short by my wife. We've already been to DC, we need to do something else. Ah, I hate it when she makes sense. And as far as my kid going on the trip... I told her if she makes the money herself or at least part of it I would support her, but that went over like a fart in church. So we're right back where we started.

Dear Guest,

The first installment can be caught here...