Sunday, November 29, 2009

Back Safely

Vegas writeup to come tomorrow, and we are home safe and sound.

A couple of lasting thoughts, though:

1) It would be really helpful if the porn slappers didn't hold out their "lady cards" for every male that walks past, even if they are five years old.
2) Traffic sucks approaching Hoover Dam.
3) Alternate routes across the Mojave Desert are very interesting, especially in duststorms and then RAIN.
4) Delta may give us trouble, but at least their planes don't break.

Will tell you more tomorrow.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Home Ed

I was reminded again this week of how different things may have turned out this year.

We got Alex's report card this week, which went very well. We also met with his teachers, to determine his progress and to confirm that he was coming along nicely.

Earlier in the year, we were very worried about Alex getting into St. Joseph's, and had many discussions about what we would do if he was not admitted there. It still seems like yesterday - which means this year has gone by even faster than I thought!

I was completely against the notion of sending Alex to public school, given my past dealings with it and my political leanings. We were seriously leaning towards the option of homeschooling instead of going to the local public school.

Throughout February, March, and April, I began looking at more and more resources for a homeschooling curriculum - with my job situation tenuous (thanks to two rounds of downsizing and who knows how many more on the way) and Kim's status uncertain as well, it was something to strongly consider.

I gathered information about local events which catered to kids who were being home schooled, and searched for information about types of homeschooling curriculum online, in case we decided to go that route (or in case it became absolutely necessary).

One thing I was worried about was having any sort of support if we went that route - but even though we would be taking on this responsibility ourselves, we did find a lot of resources available if we did decide to go the homeschooling route, which was always good to know.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Busto

Not sure who else may read this and/or experiencing the same problems, but I haven't been able to access anything in Facebook or Twitter for the past 24 hours.

Booooooooo.

Amazingly, had this happened just two years ago, I'd be extraordinarily nonplussed. Today, with all the people I keep up with through those portals, it's a bit more unsettling.

Apparently, I asked for a side of crank to go along with my coffee this morning.

Friday, November 06, 2009

How to celebrate properly

For a while now, we've been trying to figure out a good way to celebrate Sammie's birthday, since it falls right in the glut of a bunch of other holidays and important days.

We've been trying to figure out how to balance the actual birthday with visiting family, taking time off work if we went to see family, doing something special, and so on.

I'd also thought about going to see family since they are, as usual, in crappy state health-wise and we don't know how many more visits there might be with those relatives.

So, we went ahead and finally made plans for the birthday.

We'll head to Arizona to see my father, who has had more health problems (different than the stage 4 lung cancer which somehow decided to up and quite and still in remission).

While there, we will also see my uncle and my cousin's family for a nice holiday get-together.

The next day, we will go ahead and celebrate Sammie's birthday.



OK, probably not clear enough...




All right, fine, I'll make it easier to understand.




No, we are not having a birthday party at Pure, Sapphire, or Rehab. But, we will all drive up, and take the kids to a few places, including the Secret Garden/Dolphin Habitat and other fun kid things to be determined, then begin heading back east.

We don't plan on staying long, but enough that the kids, their grandpa, and hopefully we will all have a good time without having to worry about any unexpected craziness. It's been a crazy and topsy-turvy few weeks, and we almost decided not to go out West.

Even though we won't be able to do some of the things we'd hoped, it will still be good for the kids to see some more evidence that yes, I do have relatives, and yes, this is where you got your silliness and craziness from, and yes, this is what you have to look forward to.

Hah.

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Legendary conversations extended

H/t sciforums.com because, well, because I can.


Darth Vader: Obi Wan never told you what happened to your father.

Luke: He told me enough! He told me you killed him!

Darth Vader: No … I am your father!

Luke: No. It can’t be. That’s not true. That’s impossible!

Darth Vader: Search your feelings, you know them to be true.

Luke: NOOOOOO!

Darth Vader: Yes, it is true… and you know what else? You know that brass droid of yours?

Luke: Threepio?

Darth Vader: Yes… Threepio… I built him… when I was 7 years old.

Luke: NOOOOO! … Wait, huh?

Darth Vader: Seven years old. And what have you done? Look at yourself. No hand. No job. And you couldn’t even levitate your own ship out of the swamp…

Luke: But… I destroyed your precious Death Star!

Darth Vader: But that was when you were 20! When I was 10, I single-handedly destroyed an entire Trade Federation Droid Control ship!

Luke: Well, it’s not my fault…

Darth Vader: Oh, here we go… “Poor me… my father never gave me what I wanted for my birthday… boo hoo, my daddy’s the Dark Lord of the Sith… Nobody loved me… waahhh wahhh!”
Luke: Shut up!

Darth Vader: You’re a slacker! By the time I was your age, I had already exterminated the Jedi Knights!

Luke: I used to race my T-16 through Beggar’s Canyon.

Darth Vader: Oh, for the love of the Emperor… 10 years old, winner of the Boonta Eve Open… the only human to ever fly a Pod Racer… right here baby!

Luke looks down the shaft. Takes a step towards it.

Darth Vader: I was wrong… You’re not my kid… I don’t know whose you are, but you sure ain’t mine.

Luke takes a step off the platform, hesitates, then plunges down the shaft. Darth Vader looks down after him.

Darth Vader: And get a haircut!

Sunday, November 01, 2009

Ga-Ga meets Bruce Dickinson

Yes, THE Bruce Dickinson.

H/T The Culture Spoke.

So Close

Went out 2nd among our little group in our last longer bet.

Unfortunately, 2nd pays nothing.

On the bright side, I finished 5,691st, and 7,500 paid, for a profit of $7.50.

I had a set of eights, was called by 10-10, who then hit his two-outer on the turn.

Boo.