Being Green

Or not really. I just thought of green, because a neighbor offered the use of his power washer. He did so, (and I appreciate the thought) when he saw me and my 13-year-old scrubbing the side of my garage. I really don't subscribe to being "green" because in order to do something there has to be some sort of trade off. Whenever those trade offs can benefit me, or I can live with them, then I will, if I can't well, then I don't bother with it.

So back to scrubbing the outside of the garage. A little bleach, water, and elbow grease go a long way. And I actually have a power washer in the garage. But that is beside the point. I could power wash if I wanted too, but I really didn't want to go through all the trouble. The hooking it up, spreading it out, and not to mention it would take longer.

But something else bothered me about the whole thing, you see, the people next to me, are recycling (or so they say) and it would take a lot more water with the power washer than about half a bucket of water with bleach and scrub brushes. That's not very green is it? Oh well, the garage is now minty fresh with a smell of swimming pool, and I can worry about something else. Right?

Garden Update: Week 10

Ok here goes, I know it really isn't much, but it is a garden I started from seed. You can see... if you look hard enough... cucumbers coming out. I think they will do better than anything, but we'll see.

The Hard Stuff

Banana Splits

I discovered a TV show that was before my time the other day. It's called Banana Splits, and me and the whole family love it. I like it because it is so crazy, so out there, I can't help but like it. It is a kid's show and it comes on Boomerang and I really don't know why we don't have more shows like this one. My wife says the Sponge Bob generation killed off anything else, but I think given the chance it might come back, maybe.

My 3-year-old sure likes it. So who knows, My TV will be programed to Boomerang on the weekends anyway. Where else can a person get some live action wackiness, a cartoon, and a musical performance? All in 30 minutes? (I know the original was an hour) The part that cracks me up the most the that silly gorilla Bingo. My daughter thinks I'm crazy, but hey just see for yourself...




Maybe I'm just a big kid at heart, but I can let my kid watch some Banana Splits and she knows it's not real, get's entertained, and all this minus Sponge Bob, so it's a win-win for me.

I've Been Thinking

I've been thinking a lot. Like more than normal... maybe. Anyway my mind wanders constantly. And I don't know if that is good or bad really. Like this morning, I have basically three options for my ride in to work. I could put the radio on NPR to hear the news, I could put on the the CD player or Ipod, or I could just turn everything off, and listen to road noise.

I chose road noise this morning. I couldn't take whatever is the current problems in the world, and I really didn't want to listen to any CD, so peace and quiet, besides the sounds of traveling the road were for me. It's not like that everyday, and I guess that is good. Heck I remember when I was coming back off my stroke how happy I was that I could drive and listen to something again. But sometimes I just want to travel with my own thoughts instead.

I think about all kinds of things, and maybe I'm not alone in this, but then again maybe I am. I think about old friends, new friends, school friends.... pretty much if I've met you and spent anytime around you then I think about you. I think about other stuff too, like death, what I'm having for dinner, my family, or all of the above.

But the strange thing is, I really can't remember any of it. Is it worthless brain chatter, or does it actually serve a purpose?

How I Came To Be (part 2)... Or Want Some Pepsi?

So in the last post, we had my father naked, except for his socks, in a motel room, and his angry wife and three crying kids outside of the motel. Bad scene huh? My mother ran into the bathroom moments before my father showed everyone what color his socks were. She locked herself in there and would not come out. Thinking about it, that was probably the best thing she could have done.

There was some fallout no doubt, because of my fathers infidelity, and lying to my mother. But somehow they got past it. My mother says that it was to late, she had already fallen in love with my father and thus I came to be, but I was not a bastard child, so let's not get ahead of ourselves.

One day, my father tells his first wife (my mother was his 2nd) "I'm going out to get some Pepsi", and never comes back. That is pretty harsh, I mean, I don't think I could do that, but he was in love too I guess, and you don't think straight when you're all caught up in emotions like that.

"I'm going to get some Pepsi", turned into a long running joke in my family. Not that we laugh at infidelity, but sometimes you just need to laugh. And there would be plenty of misery for my father. His first wife wrecked his second marriage and he could never really get past the guilt of what he did to her... and she knew that. He bought her a house, two cars, and a myriad of other stuff, plus paid child support. And to this very day she acts like this all happened yesterday. This and she has been married to her 2nd husband for nearly 30 years.

Her children all wonder about her, and in a ironic twist of fate she was my babysitter for a time. We have had some unpleasant moments, more than a few arguments, and generally weird happenings between my father, his first wife, and all the kids involved. I know to the outsider this seems bizarre and when you think about it, it is. But it is the only childhood I have and so, I wouldn't trade it even for one where I could remember mom and dad being together forever and all that jazz.

How I Came To Be (part 1)... Or Do My Socks Match?

This is a two-part post dealing with... me. I got the idea after a friend made a joke about my father. You'll find out the joke and maybe even his picture in the second part. I know I'm leaving you on the edge of your seat, so here goes.

There is a bit of controversy on my beginnings. Actually it starts as my father's sin. You see I was not my father's 1st, or even his 2nd or 3rd. I was his 4th born, but my mother's 1st. It is a long story, and I still don't know all of it, but I'll try to piece it together and thus give you, the reader, a glimpse into my and my parents lives.

You see my father was married to a not so very nice woman. Now whether he made her that way or not is up for debate, but for all intents and purposes she was not nice. I guess he felt trapped. And when a man feels that way, he looks for a way out. He goes out at night, telling his wife god knows what, I never really did get the details, and he meets my mother. (probably at a bar... it was the 70's after all).

My mother is like 8 years his junior, and she was from what I hear... pretty hot. Now my mother did not know anything about my father being married, or that he had three kids, or anything (according to my mother). But anyway, my mom was the flower child, my father was more like 'Leave It To Beaver' so you could already see the tension building.

I think it is important here to stop and say I do not blame anyone or hate anybody, I'm just telling it, how I know it and there are parts left out or things I got wrong. This is just my side (which isn't even a side yet... as I'm not yet born).

So my dad was transformed from clean cut, flat top kind of guy, to... basically a hippie. But that's not what I'm here to talk about right now. I'm here to talk about how he got busted, how he left his wife, and what my mother did afterward.

He got caught, and let's be honest, they always get caught, at a motel, with my mom (that part kind of makes me wonder... if my dad was single, why would they have to go to a motel?). Anyway he was caught, and his then wife beat on the door, making my older sisters and brother beat on the door too. My dad answers the door... wearing his socks and nothing else. I can only imagine what that looked like. I really don't know if that helps or hurts my father's image. I hope at least that his socks matched.

Classic Film Friday: The Courtship of Eddie's Father

This is a movie about love and death and a little boy's curiosity about both. Glenn Ford plays Tom, Eddie's (Ron Howard) father. He is going through his wife's death, while trying to bring up his son and meanwhile his son is thinking of how he can make his dad happy. He thinks maybe a girl friend is what he needs. And so, we're off to the races...

Three women present themselves in different ways. There's Dollye Daly (Stella Stevens)who is a sexy red head, Rita Behrens (Dina Merrill) who is a sophisticate and involved in fashion, and finally Elizabeth Marten (Shirley Jones) she lives next door, is divorced, and was friends with Tom's wife.

If I had to pick, I would have went with the sexy red head, but that would have been a completely different movie, so Dollye is quickly married off to Tom's friend Norman Jones (Jerry Van Dyke). So it's really between 2 women. Rita is everything a man could want, dancing, drinking, high times. Elizabeth is a great friend, and is always there. I somewhat went through a battle like this about 10 years ago. Except in my case, I wound up divorced and with neither woman. That's life though, and besides, maybe I had to go through that so that I could find a woman who has it all.

But Tom must make some tough decision, should he put everything on the backburner that he wants to make his son happy, or not? Maybe the woman who has always been there really is the woman he is supposed to be with. You have to watch and find out. :o)

Soft Shell Crab Festival

We went to what is probably my favorite festival of all last weekend. That being the Soft Shell Crab Festival in Port Royal. It really has everything, and yet not. The biggest Non thing it has is no kiddie rides, or jumping things or anything like that. I think that is great. You'd think that I wouldn't be like that and I'm not really like that, but let me explain. You see, I didn't go there so my kid can play on whatever. I went for the food, maybe a little shopping, and a beer. They also had some music, and a car show too.



Now I kind of lied just now, they did have have stuff to do for the kids. But it was far enough away that it did not affect me. My kid instead, listened to the music, danced and even tried some soft shelled crab. It was GREAT! My child actually had fun and it wasn't on a huge slide or jumping thing. Awesome!

Now I do have some crowd issues with this place, it really seems like they should put some of the more popular places toward the ends, that might alleviate some of the line congestion. I was having to go through many a line, and that was crazy.

But if you could stop under a shade tree, send your 13-year-old to get your crab, and kick back with a beer and enjoy the surroundings and music, you really can't beat it. Now I have to say something for Bluffton, if they did not have all those kid things so close, then I wouldn't have to take time away from the actual festival to see where my kid is, what my kid is doing, did that other kid kick my kid in the face. Blah, blah, blah... It's crazy, but throw one thing for kids to do and it turns into something completely different. I'm just saying, I'm all for keeping the youngins' busy, but not when it makes me even busier.

Here you see my 13-year-old... is that a smile? and is she dancing? In public? Oh how scandalous!!! I don't know who that is she's dancing with, but both of them look like they are having fun.

The Buffet?

Earth Day

I like me some Lewis Black, and he doesn't really pull any punches, really, who is being green? Didn't we evolve so we did not have to poop in a bucket? I'm just sayin'.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Back in Black - Kids' Earth Day
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Garden Update, Redo... This Time for Real

Ok, with all the hub bub about the baby coming, and other less desirable things, like work, I have sort of neglected the whole garden... well not really, just neglected to say anything about it of post pictures etc. I got a little disheartened when a huge gully washer came in and washed out my cucumbers. They are gone, in fact we have had 2 more 3+ inches of rain days since then.

But I didn't plant the other stuff because I thought it was too weak. Good thing I waited. I have peppers coming out my ass. The tomatoes are something of a question mark, however. And that is the whole reason anybody plants a garden right? It seems like they are just too stringy, but then again, I am used to an almost bush, so as always we'll see.

I have some cucumber seeds left over, and I am going to plant them straight into the ground. 1. I don't want to spend any more money on planting them, and 2. I don't think we'll have to worry about freezes anymore. I'd really like to get into to hydroponics at this point, because my garden is little more than a hobby, and it does not make enough to feed my family or trade/sell. That's getting way ahead of myself, and honestly I haven't even priced it. But you never know, still, I will be in the market for another baby bed before a hydroponic system.

So here it is, in it's only somewhat washed out glory. We have two full rows of peppers (we forget which kind) and one row of tomatoes. The garden of 2009 is going to rule... maybe?

Ah Kids

So in the whole baby creating world, we found out that we're a whole month ahead of where we thought we were. No big deal really. I mean unless you think October is June, then we're way, way off. But who's counting?

But this bringing a new life into the world does have me reflecting on my other two kids, how they will be affected, how our home situations will change, and what (if anything) I can do. I think the 13-year-old will be least affected, she is in her own world most of the time, and when she comes out of it, well she will be that much more grown up. The workload on her does at least temporarily increase (clean out the cat box) but otherwise, nothing. The 3-year-old, now that is a game changer. She absolutely loves her mother, and it will be interesting to see how she reacts to her every whim suddenly not beholden to mommy anymore. Maybe she will step up, maybe I will step up, maybe it will be a catastrophe, you just can't tell can you?

So I reckon the kids will be ok after all, or not, I guess the time to be reflective on this kind of thing would have been before she ever got pregnant, but that sort of takes all the fun out of it doesn't it? I don't think my dad had ever considered all the possibilities concerning his kids. Heck out of his five kids, he only planned for one of them. My mother who had 5 kids too, (only 1 with my dad... me) said much the same, none of `em were planned. So why am I trying to plan? I'm not really, but my wife might be, and thus I will too by default.

I will, like my parents, love and show my kids what I think is right. There are some differences, but generally speaking, I think I was brought up right. Even though I couldn't understand why my mother would care about my wife 25 years before I met her and why should she care if I know how to separate colors from whites? I can do it, as I could when I was 7. I'll always hug my kids, as my father did to us. It is just something we do. And hopefully, god willing, when they have kids they will show them the same sorts of things.

If you look closely it looks like the baby is diving. I don't hold much faith in these things, but anyway, it is a pic.

And What About Cats?

How about cats? Anyone who owns a cat, has all kinds of stories about it. My cat is no different. She was massively overweight and a diabetic, which we have under control (for about 4-5 years), but she cannot/will not control her eating habits. So we have to instead. It's almost like whatever switch that tells normal people/animals that they are full, does not exist in this cat. She'd eat herself to death I think.

And to remind you that she would sure appreciate something to eat... she has a bag licking problem to remind you. This is when she sees you not feeding her, spots a nearby plastic grocery bag, and licks it. You would think that it would taste bad, but our cat is very, very, very determined. You won't notice it at first, but then you'll hear the licking noises that she makes, which is aggravating, and she will do it until you break down and feed her or chase her away.

And then of course there is her rubbing all over you, hoping that you'll give her something to eat. I don't even really like cats, I mean every now and then their ok, but all the time? No. But then again I can snuggle with the cat more and more lately, but that still doesn't make up for the litter box, the food, the constant harassment, the hair all over everything, the hairballs... No I look forward to becoming a pet free home. When ever that is.

Squirrels

Strange subject isn't it? I was going into work and I see them all the time. I don't really get that zig zagging they do in the street. I mean they don't do that when something is after them... they just go up a tree. I'm sure it has something to do with their genetic make-up. Some how, when they see something big, like a car, coming for them they think they should zig-zag in place until The car is right on them, and then take off.

What it really does is make the person inside the car scared they are going to hit said squirrel and maybe even swerve to avoid it, which catches the squirrel off guard and he should have zigged instead of zagged and he winds up getting hit anyway.

Why do they do this? I guess they need to, whether it is a death wish or some kind of hero mentality, the squirrel is going to do whatever the squirrel does. Why should we get in the way? I say don't slow down/stop for a squirrel. If he makes it or doesn't it should be of no concern to you. I don't think think the squirrel is talking to all his squirrel buddies telling them what a great person you are for stopping.

There is no honor there, hell a squirrel is just a bushy tailed rat. Nobody cares about a rat. That's not to say we should go out of our way to hit them, I'm just saying for whatever reason, just let it be. They are one of the few creatures that are actually growing in number. So enjoy this little video and worry not about the squirrel...

Classic Film Friday: Oliver!

This 1968 musical is what it is... A musical. Which really isn't all that bad, however some of the songs tend to run longer than my interest likes. It's an adaptation of Charles Dickens 'Oliver Twist'. It also is an adaptation from a Broadway musical.

My wife suggested this movie as something the whole family could watch, and she was right my 3-year-old was enthralled by the film, though she could not make it the 2 and a half hours needed for the film, she fell asleep half way through it. But, it was the first movie that she fell asleep actively watching. So that has to say something.

Oliver is an orphan, and he experiences life at it's most raw. He is at the orphanage which he gets kicked out of and find himself working as a undertaker's helper, from which he runs away. He moves on the London to make a name for himself.

There he meets the Artful Dodger. A kid like himself, he promises to show Oliver around and help him make his mark. Oliver does not realize that Dodger is talking about being a criminal, picking pockets and such, but he is the only person who has been nice to him, so he follows along.

Dodger introduces Oliver to Fagin, an older man that basically takes in children, that have nothing, and makes thieves out of them. Oliver still doesn't get it, he is naive or just stupid, or innocent to a fault, I can't really say but he doesn't know and he is in with the wrong crowd.

Oliver accompanies Dodger on lifting some wallets and it is then, right as Dodger is picking Mr. Brownlow's pocket. Dodger gets away, but Oliver is blamed for stealing the wallet and is caught. At trial, Oliver is eventually exonerated but Fagin and his associate Bill Sikes are paranoid that Oliver will rat them out.

Mr. Brownlow takes Oliver in as he feels bad about the whole thing, and things are looking up for him. But Fagin and Sikes are still worried about Oliver snitching, so they plot to kidnap him. Will they succeed? Will Oliver live happily ever after? Does Mr. Brownlow have more to do with Oliver than he thinks? What will happen to the Artful Dodger? You'll have to watch to find out.

Givhans Ferry State Park

Ok so here are a few pictures, but really there is much more to this whole story. Even what I do have down below, it's only about half of what I really felt and what I was going through. If you have a boat, and are lucky then you might want to take your chances, otherwise stay away...

This is the Edisto River, nice huh? This was taken as we were leaving the park.

A tree next to the Edisto River.

A cardinal decided to make itself available for pictures.

This is a bridge, next to the Edisto River. Not on it, just next to it.

We got a wild hair up our ass and went camping at Givhans Ferry State Park. I say wild hair, and I'll explain why. You see I used to love camping and my wife did too, but not anymore, at least I don't think so. We start out by the wife picking me up straight from work. And we drove up 95, to get off on hwy 61. All pretty much cut and dry, right? Up until now it is.

We got our number/reservation and went to our spot. Which was situated between the the good, and the somewhat evil. Yeah I know. The good was some kind of church youth group, in Spanish or Portuguese. The evil was some rednecks playing the radio so loud that the last place you thought you were, was the woods.

But I understand, different people, different goals. That's what makes this country great. But we were subjected to it all. From the kum ba yah or I want to be holy, to the Lynnard Skynnard Freebird playing people, it was a great time to people watch, but we weren't there to people watch. We just wanted a little peace and quiet. Well, that wasn't going to happen.

And as if that wasn't enough, thunderstorms arrived at about midnight and it rained on us throughout the night, making us rather devastated by the time morning came around. And when we looked back on the whole affair, I think I'd rather be with a bunch of rednecks than Jesus freaks anyway. I mean don't get me wrong I'd rather just be by myself. Or at least around people that can appreciate quiet and who would want to go outdoors to be outdoors, not to whoop and holler, not to play Van Halen on 11, just "be."

But I obviously am in the minority, so I would have been better off just putting up a tent in my backyard. We experienced all the singing and prayer, and we endured 3-4 hours of classic rock/country. We were ready to call it quits, especially after all the thunderstorms of the night. And just when we thought it was over. The mosquito makes it's presence known. Like clouds of them, they bit me while I was packing, almost to say, "Hey, get outta here". Which we did. Trying to salvage something from that morning, we stopped to eat some Cracker Barrel, that was quickly scratched off, or added to, the Do Not Eat at that place ever again list. Oh well...sometimes...there's no place like home.

Beware!!!

The Strange Wanderings of a Late Night

I woke up about 4:30 yesterday morning, and I don't know if I had a bad dream or not, but I couldn't get my mind off things at work. I'm not really worried about me getting the axe, at least not yet. I'm talking about a massive shut down... or a sell-off. And my mind wandered from there. Again it was probably the late night seeping into my head.

I wondered about what I would do, where I would go, that kind of thing. There is no issue of finding work, but the work I would find likely wouldn't be anywhere around here. So a moving truck would be involved and then what about my wife's shot at her dream job? And what about the house? What about the new baby, the old baby, and the big baby? And though it ranks pretty low on the worry list, what about the blog jam? So many things to worry about, and I pick that, I swear... my mind was wandering aimlessly.

At first I hoped they (the company I work with) would sell-off... but then I wondered if that is really a good idea. There is no guarantee in any line of work, especially mine. But you never really can say. I think it's just worries about nothing, but I wasted 2 hours thinking about it. Strange isn't it?

Anyway, here's to keeping your job... if you can.

Your WTF Moment Brought to You by Polar Bears

I just had to say... WTF?!?! A woman jumps over a fence to be with polar bears in their habitat at a Berlin zoo. WTF, WTF, WTF??? That's all I can say really... WTF...Over?!?!?

Bye Bye, Centex

I don't really know what to think of this. I live in a Centex house. But that is about it. I would think that layoffs would be coming, but I really don't know anyone who is in construction. I do wonder if this will affect my POA fees or the agreement that my little neighborhood has with the larger neighborhood across the street. We get to use their pool. I guess this is a deal that makes sense, though I'm not smart enough to know exactly what or how it does.

Hold on to your hats folks, I think this is one of many to go.

Easter

It's funny, you hide some eggs, eat a chocolate bunny, maybe cook a big dinner, and other than attend church (which I don't, not saying I'm a non-believer, just can't stand the hypocrites and ritual of it all) you really don't have an over commercialization of Easter the way so many other holidays have become. That's a good thing.

I'll be chilling at the house and not much else, which is also a good thing. Happy Easter Everyone.

The Pillow

I have a pretty sweet life. I mean, life is good. But there has been one area that I think could be improved. Maybe. You see the object up for debate is a pillow. I know, you're thinking what does a pillow have to do with anything, especially making life sweet, but let me explain.

I have a bit of a sleeping problem. I've tried many different pillows, none have really worked. Then my wife got pregnant. She got this body pillow, and I got jealous. I used to be her body pillow, but anyway. Her pillow was pretty nice. Even she admits that. The problem comes in... for me... in the morning. You see I find my wife, lazing away with at best half of that pillow. I on the other hand have tossed and turned throughout the night.

So what do I do when my wife gets up? Why take said pillow of course. And there you have the problem. Because she will come back and find that her pillow has been taken, what to do what to do? Do I break down and get a body pillow myself? (Yeah I know, cash in all my man points right?) Do I just go along suffering? Do I somehow negotiate with the wife to share the pillow with me? Hmmmmm.....

Classic Film Friday: The Greatest Story Ever Told

So it's the story of Jesus. If you don't know it, well maybe you should watch. One thing I can take away from the movie is for pretty much 2000 years, there has been somebody twisting what he has said and what he has done. Even and especially today. I'm not religious because of that, but the story of Jesus is real, and if we can stick with that, we can't be far in the next life.

The film stars Max von Sydow as Jesus. There is no plot twists or anything, the story stands on it's own.

Magnolia Springs State Park

We decided, ok it was really just me, but anyway, to drive out to Magnolia Springs State Park. It took every bit of 2 hours to get there, which comparatively it takes 1 and 1/2 hours to get to Charleston, about 30 minutes to get to Savannah, but we have never been to Magnolia so there.

I will say this, it is a 4-lane highway the whole way... Charleston does not have that. Somebody in Georgia must know some people in high places... because really there is no reason for this to be so easy. But it was and away we went.


Now when we go there... two hours later... there was not even a sign or anything to signify that we had arrived, I guess you better know ahead of time. There was a $3 parking fee, but you figure that is for maintaining the park (3 playgrounds) the water, and a somewhat decent aquarium. That is a good value my friend.

Here we have a stream. It comes from a lake.

This is the lake.

This is directly from the lake.

Here is the actual spring...

And the spillway from it.

There was an alligator.

And a reminder that they are in fact wild.

Now I wouldn't go to this place again, but I wouldn't scratch it off completely either. It does have some trails, a good picnic area, fishing, and camping. I just don't know if I can justify 4+ hours of travel. But you never know.

Forever

Hey, if they can... everybody can, right?

You Have What You Have

Ok so a rough week put behind me. Vindication is so sweet. But still, I have those evil demons at work put behind me, and I can focus forward now. I got a new baby on the way. Things with my other kids are... somewhat normal now. Everything is starting to look up again.

I tend to look at things in the worst possible light, and they never are that bad. But it is all good, because at least I was prepared for it. Still, it is anything but a quiet ride. There is the longer lasting thing to worry about. I went back on the Lexapro. Not because I wanted to, but the situation would look bad if I didn't. That and the doctor recommended it... But I made a promise to him and myself, that I wouldn't stay on it so we'll see.

So though I am back on the medicine, I don't think it will be for long. In fact I don't think I need it at all, but because everybody is hounding me, I'm going to give it an honest try. I'm reminded of an old saying, I don't really remember the actual saying but the gist of it is this... You can't have what you have, without going through everything you have gone through. You know what I mean?

I wouldn't be what I am without everything, good and bad, happening to me that's already happened. Knowing that, it makes me humble, apologetic, and an all around lucky guy. Life keeps changing, and for the most part, that is good.

Wasted Week

Another day, another wasted opportunity. You see, my daughter was offered to go on this trip to DC with the school for $600. She didn't have the extra 600, so she stayed home. Of course 80 of the kids did have the money and they went.

I don't really have a problem with them going... but what did the kids who didn't go do in school, while the other kids (and teachers) were in DC? Nothing. Or rather watch some movies. I have a problem with this. They could have left something for them to do... and oh yeah, Friday is a teacher work day (last Friday, the 3rd), those on the traditional calendar. But they won't (the ones that went to DC). So I'm left thinking, WTF?!?!?!

I Don't Know How to Say This

I woke up at 4:30... on a Wednesday morning (April Fool's Day). My wife was next to me... also awake. To make a long story extremely short, She took a pregnancy test, and viola she is pregnant. It wasn't altogether unexpected, but we were more than a little surprised. Our plan, was to get pregnant sometime in the fall. Looks like we jumped the gun somewhat. But what is a guy supposed to do? There is no punchline... it just is. We're having another baby, even though kids, in general tend to take all your money, time, and everything else, we still wanted another one. Maybe, just for me... I'll get a boy, but a girl is nice too.

What Is Karma?

Karma is not just getting something so wonderfully perfect, as it is having a witness to see that something happening. In my case it isn't even wonderful, or even good, it's actually kind of bad... but that is fine, because I feel vindicated and now someone else sees what I see, and that is a very good thing.

Classic Film Friday: Beach Blanket Bingo

So this is a typical beach party movie from 1965. It stars Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello but also has quite a few others as well including Buster Keaton. Surf, sky diving, even a side story with a real mermaid, this movie has it all.

You have to be willing to let a lot go, but it is supposed to be fun, right? A singer, Sugar Kane (Linda Evans), is unknowingly being used for publicity stunts for her latest album by her agent (Paul Lynde), for example, she didn't really do a sky diving stunt, actually performed by Bonnie (Deborah Walley). But it's all in fun right? Right. Frankie "saves" Sugar Kane and thus becomes entrapped in the publicity machine that is Sugar Kane... and her agent.

Add to it that Frankie gets an interest in sky diving, which sparks Annette to do the same. And Bonehead (Jody McCrea) falls in love with a mermaid. And Eric Von Zipper (Harvey Lembeck) the leader of the motorcycle gang, Malibu Rat Pack falls in love with Sugar Kane, thinks that everyone else is out to get her, and kidnaps her. Yeah it is a little much. But a good ride all the same, and there is comedy, singing, dancing, fights, car chases, and some kissing too.

I Went... Nowhere

So I got tripped up by this dang cold. Me and the 3-year-old caught something. I'm not sure what... It is not the flu, but it is something. My wife and other daughter were spared. I was going to go out and about sometime last weekend, but the rain and our foul spirits prevented it. Sunday it was pretty outside, but windy, like really really windy.

I also bet (maybe) your wondering what ever happened to the garden. The one that was in the ground and in waiting. I've planted the cucumbers, though I don't know if they will make it. I planted them before it the monsoon came. We'll see. I think they were killed off by the rain, but you never know.

Meanwhile, I was so out of it, when I went to take my 3-year-old to the doctor, she was in her pajamas but I thought... for some strange reason... that she was in regular clothes. But anyway, if there was a place I could take her and still be in pajamas, it would be the doctor's office.

But anyway that is not the point, the point is.... I did not really go anywhere, the garden is kind of jacked up, and 50% of us feel like dog shit. I know that sounds like whining, and maybe I am, but that's what I keep telling myself. To make up for it my wife is looking up campgrounds while I type. But it is scheduled to rain, so even then, I do not really know

It's Kind of Scary