Thursday, October 30, 2008

TV

Do yourself a favor. If you watch TV, try and catch Life on Mars. ABC at 9. It's the best show on TV in my opinion. Granted I don't have cable nor watch much TV, but it's bloody good.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Specialization is for Insects

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. -Robert A. Heinlein

Is Scotty a human or an insect?

I can change a diaper. I have a lot more experience at that than I’d prefer.
I think I could plan an invasion, but I suspect I’d do better if all participants involved were fighting with swords, crossbows and catapults.
I can butcher a hog. My 1.5 years working at Excel- a hog packing plant- in college finally pays off in a philosophical way.
I had to look up what conn means. To direct the course or steering of a ship or plane. I can’t actually conn a ship, but I can launch and dock a ski boat. Learning how to sail a boat is on my to-do list.
I could perhaps design a shed.
Writing a sonnet is right out.
I can balance accounts, but I generally don’t.
I’ve never built a wall, but Anke has. Perhaps she could help me.
I don’t think I could set a bone.
I’ve thankfully never had to comfort the dying.
I take orders daily.
I give orders daily.
I can both cooperate and act alone.
I can solve simple equations.
I analyze new problems regularly. The Analyst portion of my Programmer/Analyst title.
I can pitch manure, but I’m not volunteering for that job.
I write computer programs on a daily basis. The Programmer portion of my Programmer/Analyst title.
I can definitely cook a tasty meal.
I don’t know how efficient a fighter I am.
I’m hoping to live long enough for technology to make me immortal.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Family Pictures

I'm finally getting around to uploading some photos from the past month. Here is Corwin with Sparky the fire dog at Pancake Day.

Tony is kind enough to give Corwin a better view of the Parade.

Corwin and Conrad enjoyed playing with some the toys from the youth of Maurice and myself.

The Crane that Corwin plays with was Maurices. You can tell this due to it's less battered nature as compared to the dump truck which was mine.

Last weekend we went down to the Gifford Farm Fall Festival. Conrad watches the ponies while Corwin is waiting his turn to ride.

Corwin gets his turn riding the Pony. Corwin likes Ponies.

Conrad and I watch Corwin riding. Conrad will get to ride next year.

Corwin and a bushel basket.

The boys play at a water pump.

Corwin and Anke.

Giant tree.

Conrad and Corwin play one of the Xylaphones at Acorn Acres. When I showed Corwin this picture, the first thing he says is, "Conrad's not sharing."

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Broken Hearted

Love is a fickle thing.

We went to Acorn Acres at Fontenelle Forest this evening with the boys. It just opened last month and is a sort of nature playground with a tree house, outdoor xylophones, digging areas and other things. Corwin met a 7 year old named Maddy and fell for her head over Chuck Taylor All Stars. They played together for a while. She showed him a cool acorn that was connected to two other sibling acorns. She went to play with her sister at the tree house and Corwin was yelling at the top of his voice, "Maddy! Maddy where are you?! Maddy!" He went off to find her and they played some more. 1/2 an hour later her family wanted to take a walk so she went with them. Corwin really wanted to go to, but it was time for us to head home as Conrad was hungry and it was nearing his bed time. Lots of tears and crying.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Frusterations with the Post Office

I'm mailing a couple of books to Tony, so he doesn't have to buy them to read them. Why have a tiny libary if you can't share it? So I pack them in a priority mail box that I had lying in my basement from something that I bought off of Ebay. At the mail counter the mail lady says that I can't mail them via media mail in a priority box. It just seems so damn stupid that I can't recycle this box to get more use out of it. I'll have to find a different box now that'll work and repack. This is one of the things that drove me to near madness that I used to be able to brush off.

Little Feet

Conrad took three steps this morning. The past couple of days he's taken great strides towards being a more verticle human as aposed to his mainly horizontalness up till now. He's so different that Corwin in this way. Corwin has always been all about trying new things as soon as it pops into his head and/or he is physically capable. Conrad is more contemplative, calm and careful. Conrad really does things at his own pace and won't be rushed. It seems that he feels ready to start walking.

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Cope

I've always been a fairly patient person. I can put up with quite a bit before I really get upset. That doesn't seem to be the case so much anymore. Recently my patience just seems a bit worn and frayed. I can be having a normal fine day, and a small thing will convert my mood to dark and foul. I try not to externalize it, because rarely does ranting and raving accomplish anything except put others in a corresponding state of mind. And in my case misery really doesn't want company. I'll just have to adjust, cope and hope it isn't permanent.