Three Hour Tour...

I promised more in 2007...

Fri, 05 Jan 2007 01:58:01 GMT

One is more than none, right? Click here to let me put you to sleep...

Exercising Some Baseball & Family Demons

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 05:19:52 GMT

I'm hoping the last week of St Louis Cardinals baseball is a bad dream. You know the kind where you fall hopelessly and you die when you hit the ground. But you never do. I'm hoping they wake up to find them still alive in October. But I'm not holding out much hope. Join me over here for my latest diatribe.

Again I have to apologize for not making the rounds. Sleep has still been claiming my nights after (and sometimes before) the kids go to bed. I visited with my doctor last week and he said I have a classic case of sleep apnea. Unfortunately, because of my health insurance, I need to see a pulmonary specialist who can then recommend a sleep study. In a best-case scenario, I'll see relief just before Thanksgiving. I just hope I don't turn into Rip Van Winkle before then. The good news is that Prudence is just a week away from receiving her CPAP machine as a result of her sleep study. She had one night with one in her follow-up test and said she felt like a new woman. Well, I kind of like the current woman she is, but if it means she'll be awake more, maybe it'll be worth it.

In other news, my dad and I are at odds. I had to make a tough phone call 3 weeks ago about an issue he's been dealing with for almost 2 years. Its a pretty serious one. If the other party weren't as nice and kind, he could be facing some serious legal issues. But it came to a head and I had to confront him with it. I lost my cool and said some things that I wish I could take back. What's worse is that this issue is now the "elephant in the room" that I can't ignore anymore, even tho he can. I can't call and make small talk with him anymore with the feelings I have burning inside me. So I haven't called him. I emailed him this weekend with an apology and an explanation for my absence on the phone. He replied, barely acknowledging either. So, when I'm not sleeping, I'm worried about our relationship. This has done wonders for my life with Prudence and the kids - not. Before you ask, I am seeking professional counselling. Please be praying for us.

Sorry to leave on a downer note, but sometimes that's where you're at and it can't be helped. Just like the "elephant" with my dad, I can't come here and pretend it's all rosey. But I'm not looking for any pity, either. Only prayers. It's the only thing you can do. And it means everything to me.

Thanks for listening.

Everyone's Asleep...

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 04:53:58 GMT

...and for once I'm not, so I've got a chance to blog while I watch one of my favorite martial arts films - Kill Bill Vol 1. Incredible outlandish action and great music. "Battle Without Honor or Humanity" would be my walkup music if I were in the Major Leagues. Actually, I think I may like Vol 2 better - the casket scene, Daryl Hannah losing another eye, and the five-point-palm-exploding-heart punch had me yellin' out loud!

Anyway, check out our most recent purchase over here while I take some time to do some blogwalking. I've been able to keep up with most of you via RSS feeds (yeah,Sue, you caught me "lurking"), but I haven't had the chance to do much commenting. You guys have some great stuff out there! So hopefully I'll be able to leave my mark this evening. But if you don't hear from me, don't think that I don't care. It's probably because I've fallen asleep...

Have a great weekend, all!

My Five

Wed, 06 Sep 2006 03:24:26 GMT

Tagged by SomedayQuilter some time ago. Bet you thought I forgot about it! Nope, but I'm sure it took the place of something else in my brain - something else I was supposed to do. Like pick up the kids somewhere. But I'm sure I'll remember it later...as if!

Name 5 things in your freezer.

Flip-Flop Waffles - everytime I make them for the kids I think of this SNL Skit
Ballpark Franks Grillmaster Hotdogs - best when made with saurekraut and sauted onions
Chimichangas
A few quarts of blackberries (note to self: ask Panda to make us a pie!)
60-some bags of the best sweet corn in the world

Name 5 things in your closet.

A Sportscoat I wear only for weddings or other special occasions
7 pairs of jean shorts that I wear throughout the year
3-4 pairs of jeans I wear only when I have to
7-8 pairs of Dockers and at least twice as many shirts I wear to work
A 9 cubic foot safe that is FULL with my father in law's coin collection. Why we have it? I don't know...

Name 5 things on your desk (only 5 things?).

Bills
A refridgerator magnet of Elvis
More CDs/DVDs than I can count
Ink cartridges for recycling
Miscellaneous change

Name 5 things in your vehicle.

Shark-boy action figure
Various receipts from Walmart, gas stations, and bank ATMs - all "filed" throughout the car
Badge for work
XM radio
10-12 salt packets from McDonalds - next to movie popcorn, its the best

Name 5 things in your wallet (sorry, I'm secure in my manhood, but not ready to carry a man bag yet).

37¢ stamp - it might be in here awhile...
Picture of the wife and kids taken on our first trip to South Padre Island
2 Zorba's cards - 5 stamps get you a free gyro! One filled. One with 2 stamps to go.
A speeding ticket from 3 years ago that's supposed to remind me to slow down. Yeah, right.
A prayer list

Aynde, I know you'll want to do this one. Michelle & Weimie, why don't you give it a go as well!

Another Death in the Family

Wed, 30 Aug 2006 04:32:29 GMT

Please read this and substitute the following:

"Bubbles" for "Nemo"
"August 29th" for "August 9th"
"15th toss" for "20th toss"
"The Boy" for "Em"

Bubbles - July ??, 2006 - August 29th, 2006

Stock Photo - May Not Actually Be Bubbles

Only time for a quick post...

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 14:42:25 GMT

I'm busy trying to fulfill a life-long dream. And you can help! Join me here for details!

And SDQ, I haven't forgotten my list of fives. Hopefully tonight!

"It's not my bag, baby!"

Fri, 25 Aug 2006 02:53:06 GMT

I love it when life imitates the movies, especially when it's one so shagadelic! Next, this guy will be wondering if the female security guard is a man, baby!

Click here for the details...

I Can't Think About Elvis Without Thinking of Cheech, Chong and Mom

Wed, 16 Aug 2006 07:10:06 GMT

Note: Caveat Reader! Let the Reader beware! I feel a rambling post coming on. This topic has too many tentacles to my past for me not to get wrapped up in a number of them. Hopefully it will be an enjoyable read. It's a story I love to tell, especially on this day - the anniversary of the event - but I've never written it down before. When I tell it, I feed off the comments of others to make it more entertaining, usually in a self-deprecating way. But none of you are here as I write, so I'll have to draw on past experiences of telling the tale. My good friend Ed is the one I like to tell it around most. He shares my appreciation for one of the items involved, and he has the keen ability to make me laugh hard at my moronic behavior. I also like to remember my mom in this pose. It's how I picture her uttering her "lines", and it makes me feel warm inside

See, lots of tentacles, and I haven't even started. Don't say I didn't warn you...

It was the summer of 1977 and I discovered the drug culture. No, not like that. In the safest way you can - by comedy. One afternoon, a guy 3 years my senior played his Cheech & Chong album collection for his brothers, his cousin (my neighbor), and me. And we were addicted. We began listening to them over and over, trying not only to memorize each line, but to emulate the voices of Pedro and Man, Ralph and Herbie, Sister Mary Elephant, Sgt Stedenko, Cheborneck, Basketball Jones, and of course, Dave. To this day, if anyone asks for a "Dave", my mind immediately repeats "Daves not here." Sometimes it comes out of my mouth. I find that I have to explain the bit more and more as the years pass. Thankfully Tommy Chong has made appearances in "That 70's Show" that make it easier to relate to the younger crowd (yes, I'm talking about you, Rudiger).

But meeting in the guy's house became old - and we worried that parents would listen to the records and ban them for their promotion of drugs, sex, and rock 'n roll. So we devised a plan to record the albums on cassette tapes that we could take anywhere. Unfortunately none of us had a stereo system, much less one that played LPs AND recorded stuff directly to tape. We weren't rich, you know. But I had a record player, similar to the one shown here, and access to a microphone and a Panasonic tape recorder via my dad's work. I could do the recording and bring the player out to the street corner of an evening so that we could listen and learn.

Now I had to find a good time to record. The room/house had to be relatively quiet and free from parental involvement. Mornings were out - too many good game shows on (Card Sharks, The Price is Right, High Rollers, etc.). Evenings wouldn't work - either I'd be outside hangin' out with the kids in the neighborhood, or I'd be watching great 70s TV, in all of it's 3 network + PBS glory. Afternoons would work best. Dad would be on the road, and Mom would be locked in on her soap operas, sitting in her favorite chair usually bundled up with an afgan my sister made for me when I was about 10. "All My Children" was on from 11am-12pm, "As The World Turns" from 1:130am-12:30pm (yeah, I know they overlap, but she'd usually choose "World" over "Children" - she could always catch up tomorrow on one or the other), and "Guiding Light" from 2-3pm. She used the 12:30-2pm time period to do chores around the house - especially the vacuuming. So really 2-3pm was prime time for recording. And before I'd begin, I'd tell her what I was doing so that she might make less noise.

So one August day - this day - I was setting up to record. Can't remember if it was Big Bamboo or Sleeping Beauty. Doesn't really matter - they're all good. I had the record player and tape recorder on the floor with the mic sitting next to the speaker. I limited my walking so as not to cause it to skip. If one occurred, I'd have to start again and I'd lose valuable time.

At about 2:20pm, I hear Mom's voice yelling for me from the living room. Now, you have to know my mom to know that you couldn't ignore her call. It was high pitched with a little lilt to it. She somehow managed to add a second syllable to "Chris" that drove me nuts as a kid. Often when I'd be outside playing at a friend's house on another block I could here her cry as clear as if she were standing right next to me. Uncanny.

But I was in the middle of a "session". Do I answer her and risk ruining the recording and losing time? Do I ignore her and hope she quits after 2-3 calls, thinking I may be outside or asleep? I couldn't get up to go to her because I'd risk skippage. What if, after failing to hear from me, she comes to investigate? What if she hears one of the routines? She'd already made me take down my Farrah Fawcett poster. What would she do with these tapes? As all this was running thru my head, I make the call to answer her in as short and quiet response as I knew how.

"Yeah?" I answered in the shortest, pimply-est voice I had at the time (maybe still do?), deflecting the sound away from the record player. My hope now was that it was some instruction rather than a question that I might have to give a long response to. She came back with one sentence I can still here to this day.

"Elvis Presley died."

At 13 I was not a big Elvis fan. Sure, I had a healthy respect for who he was and what he represented but I really knew him from the movies Channel 3 would show on "Dialing for Dollars" at 3pm - "Spinout", "Roustabout", "Blue Hawaii", etc. The music was fun, the girls were hot, and the settings were usually cool. Far from the rock icon he really should have been. But Mom knew this was a big moment in the entertainment world, and she thought I should know.

But I was recording Cheech and Chong! "Dave" wasn't there! Billy was about to get turned in to Sgt Stedenko! The stuff he gave Pedro "couldn't get a fly high". It was hilarious! And I didn't want to miss any of it! So I answered her.

"Okay."

That seemed to satisfy her, as I didn't hear anything more...

I would listen to the tape later and here the following exchange over top of the jocularity:

"Chri-is" (muffled but audible)

"Yeah?"

"........." (not as clear, but I knew what she said)

"Okay."

A few days after his death, Mom and I were traveling to Decatur for an orthodontist appointment. The radio was still buzzing about the death of the King. It was then I started to grip what the loss meant - to an industry, to a generation, and to a nation.

When I listened to the tape I thought of that day. Sometime in high school I lost track of the tape, but never the memory. I'd tell the story whenever Elvis was brought up in conversation. A few years ago, when Ed and I returned to our Cheech and Chong roots and bought all their stuff still in print, I remembered the tape with each track played. So imagine my surprise when I found this buried in the rubble that was my room:

I couldn't wait to get in my car that night and play it tape deck! To hear my mom yell again. To hear my stupid responses. To reconnect.

I wish I had a happy ending to this find. The tape had been reused. Gone were the voices. Worse yet, they were replaced by a episode of Mork and Mindy (what was I thinking???) My only hope is that this isn't the tape I'm looking for. Maybe its out there, still in a box I have yet to unpack. Maybe its in the box of "college stuff" I have in my basement. Wherever it is - if it still "is" - it will now be my "holy grail". Or should I call it my own "Zapruder film". One day it will surface. And when it does, I'll laugh like a pimply 13 year old and think of Mom...

So tell me: where were you when Elvis died?

Playin' Catch Up

Tue, 15 Aug 2006 05:07:32 GMT

Tonight I played with a posting tool called Zoundry Blog Writer referenced by Liz in some comments on Caffeinated Librarian's other site. It's pretty cool. And I like the idea of typing something and not losing it to cyberspace like it so often happens here. It's also able to download a limited number of previous posts from your blog. The only negative is that it doesn't bring down comments - which are usually better than my posts! (BTW: A favorite one lately was Tom's reference to Nemo's funeral. Bubbles may get the Viking treatment...when his time comes, of course!) But unfortunately I was unable to get it to connect to Spaces (problem #172), so I published tonight's post here: http://3-hour-tour.blogspot.com/2006/08/playin-catch-up.html.

Have a great Tuesday everyone! Hope to see you back here on Wednesday for a very special post! At least it will be to me. I'll try to get around to blogwalking later this week. Until then, "the green, green grass of home" will be calling my name...

Later!

Nemo - July ??, 2006 - August 9, 2006

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 03:11:28 GMT

File Photo - May Not Be Nemo

Nemo, beloved first pet of Em 3HourTour, was found dead in his fish bowl just after 7pm August 9th, 2006. Funeral services were conducted around the hallway toilet in the 3HourTour home, as per the wishes of his family. His interment is the village sewer system.

No foul play was suspected.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.

He is survived by bowlmate, Bubbles.

Nemo's life is a pond-to-pool story. While details of his birth and early life are not known, it was suspected that he was born and raised in a fishery, destined to be bait for tourists on a party boat in the Gulf of Mexico. But as luck would have it, he was rescued from that life to one just slightly better - 2nd prize in the ping-pong ball toss game at county/state fairs. He lived in a Coleman cooler with several hundred other "prizes" for several weeks during the hot Midwest USA Summer. However, his luck would change August 3rd, when Em would win him on her 20th toss at the McLean County Fair. He was brought home to live the life of a king in a 3/4 gallon fish bowl filled with neon rocks and sea shells, 2 meals a day, and fresh water every other day.

His hobbies included breathing and swimming circles around his bowl.

He was adored by Em to the very end.

Sucker Written on My Forehead

Sun, 06 Aug 2006 05:34:07 GMT

36 ping pong ball tries: $5
Glass Fishbowl: $3.74
Goldfish Food: $1.32
Neon Gravel: $1.67
Aqua Safe for tap water: $2.88

Fish net: $0.94

Snaggletooth Smiles from 2 proud 10¢ fish winners: Priceless!

Thursday was all-day ride band day at the county fair. $8/kid to ride rides til they puke. Prudence, Oma and the kids met 2 other moms and their kids for lunch at McDonalds. Our kids stayed with the moms and went to the fair while Prudence and Oma left for a follow-up visit with Prudence's surgeon in Champaign. I met up with the families after work. Somewhere along the line the kids discovered the carnies hocking their promises of large stuffed animals, stereo equipment and bicycles. The Boy was sure he would win a bike tonight. The kid behind the counter made it look SOOOOOO easy to stand up the long-neck bottle with the stick, string, and ring at the end. The only questions in his mind were "will Dad give me the $5 to play the game?" and "when he does, how will we get the bicycle home?" At least that how one mom relayed it to me...

So after 7 hours of riding almost non-stop, I pulled The Boy aside and walked him thru all the games and explained the point to each and every one of them. It always boiled down to separating him from his money. He would occasionally make eye contact with one of the workers and I would have to explain that we weren't interested. By the end I think he got the jist of it. After we had finished I told him he could have $3 to spend on any one game, and that he should chose one he had he best chance of walking away with something. It came down to 2 games: one where he was guaranteed to "catch" a box with a toy in it (you just didn't know what it would be), and throwing ping pong balls into a table of fish bowls hoping one would land in a bowl. Landing in a bowl with red cotton in it would give the winner a toy. Landing in one with white cotton gave a goldfish - a 10¢ fish that wasn't even guaranteed to be gold. He thought that the fish needed a home, so he'd give that one a try. On his 14 toss, one of the balls landed in a white cotton filled bowl. You should have heard him shout for joy. It was like he'd won the lottery! When Em finished riding the rides, I explained the situation to her. But once she saw The Boy's fish, she had to have one of her own. It took her 20 tries, but she was able to win one, too! I thought we had a fish bowl, rocks, et al, at home from a previous fish adventure with Panda, but I later found out we had given the stuff away to a friend of hers. Now the pressure was on to provide a home for our new fish friends. Two Mason jars worked as makeshift homes overnight. Quite frankly I wondered if we would have them the next morning.

Interlude...

I once won a fish at the Illinois State Fair. The carney gave me the actual fish and bowl I won it in - filled with water colored blue from food coloring. I won it sometime in the morning but wasn't going to leave the fair until 5pm. Luckily Dad was displaying some farm equipment and I could leave it with him. We changed the water when we got home, but the fish was dead the next day. My guess is he had the "blue lung".

Returning to the story...

Prudence and I both hoped that if one died, they both would. It would make life between The Boy and Em so much better. But they lived. So one of my errands on Friday was to purchase a fish habitat. $11+ later, plus a couple of shells from our visit to South Padre Island, Nemo and Bubbles now have a humble abode. No filter on the bowl means we - meaning I - have to change the water daily. This has only complicated matters in my mind. Now do I want them to live or die?

Then I look at the picture again, and I know the answer...

Prudence Update: She's doing great! Everything is healing wonderfully. Her only issue is that she is still unable to sleep comfortably on her side. The Dr told her that may last another week or so. She alternates sleeping on her back with her legs elevated (she's had some foot swelling from doing too much) and sleeping in the recliner in our living room. This is getting old for her, but knowing its temporary makes it bearable.

She should be cleared to drive on Wednesday. I'm sure she'll want to exercise that freedom - even if it's to the convenient store in town.

Again, thanks to all for the prayers and well wishes!

With all the "improvements" to Spaces, I'm contemplating a change to another site. I'll be "kickin' the tires" over the next couple of days. You can visit me here and let me know what you think.

Fair game!

Thu, 03 Aug 2006 04:47:41 GMT

Today was the first day of the McLean County Fair and the day the 4-H projects are judged. Normally Prudence handles the events of this day, but because of her recent surgery the second stringer was called in. Yeah, me. Fortunately for Panda, all I really needed to do at this point was to make sure she arrived and thing got turned in on time. This I can do. Panda entered 7 items for consideration - 4 cooking-related and 3 craft/hobby related. One of her entries - a cherry pie - could not be made ahead of time because of the crust she used. Why? I don't know, but that's what Panda and Prudence told me. Anyway, this meant that Panda had to get up at 6:00am to make the crust from scratch, bake it, assemble and bake the pie, and get herself ready so that we could we could leave for the fair at 7:30.

The morning got off to an awful start. First, she didn't get out of bed until 6:15. And because she is not a morning person, 6:15 meant that she really didn't get "going" until 6:30. Then it took her 5 tries to get her crust the way she wanted/needed it - measurements were wrong, ingredients were mixed in the wrong order, the crust stuck to the wax paper, and then it didn't flip right into the pie plate. By the 4th try she was in tears. After some deep breathing and some encouragement, she started and completed the 5th crust. After getting the pie into the oven (BTW: it came out looking great!), she went to take a shower. Normally she likes to take 20-30 minute showers, but at 7:25, she didn't have that luxury. She still managed to take until 7:55 to be ready, which gave us about 35 minutes to get to the fairgrounds and check in her 4 food projects. We managed to get there with 2 minutes to spare!

Four of the seven items required "conference judging", where the person critiquing the entry meets individually its creator. Her first conference was at 8:50 with the photography judges, but they were already runninng behind. She met with the judge sometime after 9:00, but didn't come out until 9:20 - the time or her next conference meeting. Luckily, all the other judges were running behind. She finished her conferences at 10:30. Of the 4 items, she received 3 blue ribbons and one red. The lone red ribbon was her pie. The judge didn't like her crust - thought it was too oily. But she's still the best cherry pie maker I know. If I'd been judging, she'd have received Best of Show!! Anyway, the results of the other items will be posted by tomorrow. So at this point she's had a very successful fair season. Any more ribbons and she'll look like Mark Spitz or Eric Heiden.

Congratulations, Panda!

This did SQUAT for my self-esteem..

Thu, 03 Aug 2006 03:50:28 GMT

The only thing missing is "Null and..."

What's ironic is that I got this stamp to allow me back into the fair...

Top 20 Songs - 3 Hour Tour Style

Sat, 29 Jul 2006 02:10:59 GMT

My good buddy Bill ran across this article in Rolling Stone touting the top 500 songs of all time and decided to throw out his own 20+1 list of top songs. Any subjective lists like these are always open for debate...and improvement. I read his post before leaving for work, and items referenced, not mentioned, and/or incorrectly ordered consumed me during my 30 minute drive. I listened to XM Radio's Top Tracks, Loft, Fred, Lucy and 70's channels and evaluated every song that I heard. While at my desk I went thru the music loaded on my MP3 player and pondered its entries. Parameters used to "grade" songs fit together loosely at best until after lunch when I was finally able to boil the criteria down to the following:

The song had to be universally known
It had to be from an artist or group with a track record of producing great music - no one hit wonders
It had to have trademark qualities - guitar riffs, drum solos, vocals - that the artist or band is known for, and
It had to be a song I liked. Hey, it's my list! :)

So here it is, in no particular order. As you can see, it took way too much of my brain power to get it to this point (and don't worry - not too much of work time was lost creating this list). Ordering would have taken another day...

That’s Alright, Mama – Elvis Presley
This recording changed the face of popular music forever.
Like a Rolling Stone – Bob Dylan
Even if you don't like his vocals, you have to love the lyrics!
Tangled Up in Blue – Bob Dylan
Same as above, only now he's electric! My personal favorite of his.
Respect – Aretha Franklin
An anthem for women everywhere!
She Loves You – The Beatles
So simple but so original
A Day in the Life – The Beatles
Two completely different songs brought together to form a masterpiece!
God Only Knows – The Beach Boys
Capital didn't believe in this song at first. Time proved Brian Wilson right!
California Dreamin’ – The Mama’s and The Papas
It might be the one song on my list that can't be overplayed.
What's Going On – Marvin Gaye
I'm more partial to his duets with Tammi Terrell, but you can't ignore its message.
Fortunate Son – Creedance Clearwater Revival
Couldn't leave off one of the greatist hit making bands of all time!
Layla – Derek and the Dominos
Another 2-for-1 song with universally known guitar licks...and piano
Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon and Garfunkel
Speaks to the heart of every person at some time or another...
You Can’t Always Get What You Want – The Rolling Stones
Love the choir in this one!
Space Oddity – David Bowie
"This is Ground Control to Major Tom..." Haunting and rocking all at the same time.
Purple Haze – Jimi Hendrix
The greatest axe-wielder of all time leaving us in a haze forever!
Be My Baby – The Ronettes
The only one to bend the rules a tad, but it's part of Spector's Wall of Sound - it had to be here!
Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
Great lyrics and The Big Man on sax!
No Woman No Cry – Bob Marley & the Wailers
This song had me believing I was a Rastafarian...
Tears Like a Clown – Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
Signature sound of Motown!
Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – U2
The intro gives me chills...
Roxanne – The Police
Everyone thinks they're Sting when they sing this song.

And now my "close-but-no-cigar" list - 20 + 1 is just not enough, and most of these are just for me:

My Generation – The Who
You Really Got Me – The Kinks
Whole Lotta Love – Led Zeppelin
Another Day – Wings
Brown Eyed Girl – The Bang Masters (featuring Van Morrison)
Sultans of Swing – Dire Straits
Tempted - Squeeze
(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding – Elvis Costello and the Attractions (Just had to squeeze him into the list somewhere)

Go ahead. Take your best crack at topping this one! I'd love to see you try!

On a completely unrelated note: Prudence is back home! She's sore, but doing great! She'll be on 2 weeks of bed rest and 6 weeks for a full recovery. Best of all: nothing that was removed showed any signs of cancer or anything else bad! Yes!

Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers!

Step into the Time Machine...

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 05:48:31 GMT

Because I can’t seem to blog daily (or at least more frequently than weekly), I’ve built a time machine to allow me to step back in time and post entries I should have when they happened. Fortunately the time machine was cheap and easy to build – separate entries with dates above their titles. I’m really clever that way...

So just sit right back and you’ll read tales of Chris’ last week (and then some)…

July 25

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 05:48:15 GMT

Prudence's Surgery

Prudence had her surgery today. Unfortunately the cyst was larger than expected and they had to open her up to remove it and the ovary. In addition, the surgeon, since he was in there, removed a fibroid tumor that was on her uterus. They’ll probably keep her in the hospital until Thursday. Oma and I will use a tag team approach to take care of the house and kids for the next couple of weeks. Yeah, it takes 2 people to do what Prudence accomplishes on her own. That’s how special she is!

Please pray for a speedy recovery! Get well, Honey!

July 24

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 05:47:59 GMT

The Things I Worry About…

Twice today I was reminded about the stupid rules that govern my life, and how important they are to me - so important that I must share them with others. Perhaps I need to validate them with others. Maybe I’m trying to convert people. Either way, I’m definitely sharing how stupid I can be. Just the fact that I’m taking the time to post this proves it. But here goes.

Today, Ed (El Cheapo) and I went to lunch at the Sam’s in town. I try to bring my lunch when I can (almost always a ham sandwich, bag of chips, an apple, and a Ding Dong) so I’m pretty flexible as to where we go. Ed will almost always choose the cheapest places. Case in point: Sam’s. They offer a slice of pizza and 32oz pop for $2.72 (w/ tax). The slice is equivalent to 1/5th of a pizza. It used to be 1/4th when they first opened. Now that it’s a 5th, it bothers us both. Him because they still charge the same price – me because I’m getting less pizza. Stupid worry #1.

After eating, Ed needed to buy some supplies for home: toilet paper, paper cups, napkins, etc. While shopping for these items, we discussed our theories about name brands vs generic. Napkins & paper cups need not be brand specific, but TP fell into a nebulas category. We both agreed that toilet paper, while just paper for human waste, needed to be somewhat comfortable. Northern seemed to be a good compromise, while Charmin seemed to be too extravagant for the sphincter. Fabric softener need only get the clothes softer. Start with the cheapest offered and work your way up until you’re satisfied. This is more of a “girl” item as most guys don’t notice things like that. Toothpaste and mouthwash needed to taste good and produce results over the long haul – cavity-free teeth and fresh breath. Occasionally there are special needs – whitening, sensitivity, or getting kids to just brush! I’ve found that brand names produce better than generic. Plus it’s your teeth! Don’t you want to keep them as long as you can? Some may apply the same argument to the sphincter, but I’ve yet to hear of someone losing it to poor wiping material. Stupid worries #2 a thru f.

Later in the afternoon, Rudiger stopped by my cubicle for some inane chatter he knows he’ll get from me. We shared what each of us had for lunch, and I told him about Ed’s purchases and asked him about his purchasing preferences. Why? It’s what I do. Anyway, Rudiger recently received a promotion with a good salary increase. While it was well deserved, we still like to give him crap about it. Now he’s known as the Bejillionaire waiting for his “pompous a$$ in a bag” kit (top hat, tails, cane, monocle – much like the Planters Peanuts guy) to arrive from HR. Because of his newfound riches and previous track record for spending, I figured him to be a brand-only guy. But I was surprised. Kroger generic dominated his purchases – even with food items! I was shocked! "Other than bread", I told him, "it needs to be Kraft Mac ‘n Cheese, Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper, Heinz Ketchup, Freshlike peas, Green Giant Kitchen Cut Green Beans, and Lays or Ruffles Chips." As I went thru the litany of items, you could see his eyes roll up in his head. He may have been comatose for a moment. Again, this is what I do. Stupid worries #3 + alphabet (English, Greek, and whatever else needs to be used).

At supper when Panda finished her meal, she chose a yogurt for dessert. She had it open and was ready to dig in when she found out there were still mashed potatoes left. Prudence’s mashed potatoes are to die for, and Panda wanted to clean them up. But she thought she’d eat them after her yogurt. "You don’t go back to dinner food once you’ve begun the dessert portion of the meal", I told her. Not anyone else’s rule but mine, but I enforced it on her like it was written in the Bible. Because she’s young and I’m her dad, she bought it. It's probably have engrained it on her brain now as well. Another life warped because of me. Stupid worries #4.

Am I the only one with these rules? I need to get a life…

July 22

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 05:47:40 GMT

I’m a Little Surprised…

…at what ended up on my new MP3 player. Because I must load entire albums – I have to listen to the entire album, whether I like all the songs or not (another rule) – and my player "only has" 6GB capacity, I had to be selective on what I chose for the first load. I also re-ripped most of what I loaded into smaller files with nice sound quality. My audiophile buddy Rich suggested WMAs recorded at a variable bit rate of 50-96kb. The files seemed to be anywhere from 500K to 1MB smaller than MP3s ripped at 128kb without any noticeable sound quality loss – at least to my ears.

Anyway, here are a few of the items that surprised me:

Very little U2. Only the first disc of the greatest his from 1980-1990. Can’t find my 1990-2000 disc. This used to be a band that I would rush to buy their next body of work. Now only 14 tracks of the almost 1700+.
Only 1 Beatles album – “Let It Be…Naked”. Only because Rich (mentioned earlier) said he’d already gone thru the process of making smaller versions of their stuff. Why go back thru my collection to do the same? They’ll be on my players soon!
Girl Bands A-Plenty. Bangles, Go-Gos, Indigo Girls, The Donnas, and Bonnie Raitt seem have large a presence - primarily because I haven’t listened to them regularly in a long time. We’ll see about their staying power…
All 6 Wallflowers albums made it, but only the first 6 REM albums (when they were still with the IRS label) and only 3 Springsteen albums made the cut (“Born to Run”, “The River”, and “Tunnel of Love”). Starting to show a real preference to Jacob Dylan and company…

But I did have some great “finds” – albums I forgot I had:

Led Zepplin box set. Never been a huge Zep fan, but about 10 years ago I had the opportunity to “back up” the set from my nephew. Now I’m rediscovering why they are rock legends.
“Look Sharp” by Joe Jackson. First albums by young artists still angry at life (and before they get great sums of praise and cash) seem to produce great albums. This is one! Others include “My Aim is True” by Costello and “Regetta de Blanc” by The Police – both on my player!
“Shake Your Money Maker” by the Black Crowes. “Hard to Handle” is my favorite of theirs. Too bad they smoked too much weed and lost their edge – although “Remedy” might make it on the player later (if I ever get past not having whole albums loaded…or I get a bigger player).
“The Specials”. Great ska! But where are my English Beat discs?!?!
Todd Rundgren “Best Of”. Incredible beats and harmonies.

Once I’ve loaded The Beatles, I’ll evaluate the space left and determine what else is “byte-worthy”. But I’m pretty sure I’m gonna sell this player for a Zen. I hate being limited when music is concerned. Plus I have a whole “Guilty Pleasures” category to worry about...

July 21

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 05:47:20 GMT

My Day Off...

…spent cleaning the house in preparation for Oma and Prudence’s surgery next Tuesday. I am such a slob, the kids are following after me, and we’re all dragging Prudence down to our level. I say I’ll change, but it never lasts longer than a week or two. Even the penance of cleaning up after myself doesn’t help. Maybe I’ll try hypnosis. It works for Bugs Bunny…

July 21

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 05:47:04 GMT

What a Bad Dad My Kids Have…

Earlier this year, Prudence began feeling some pain in her abdomen. After numerous tests and sonograms, the doctor’s determined that the cause of her pain was a large cyst on her left ovary. She had something similar removed before we conceived The Boy, and apparently it grew back. In addition, they discovered a fibroid tumor on her uterus. To me, “tumor” sounded worse than “cyst”, but that’s not how her doctor saw it. Apparently there’s some danger that the cyst could grow and twist the ovary causing more complications than just pain – potentially emergency surgery. The tumor she has is something that a many women have without facing any problems. At least that’s how my nutshell noggin understands it. If I say anything more, I run the risk of being extremely wrong and incurring the wrath of the good Dr Cara. What it comes down to is that they plan to remove the cyst next Tuesday in what they hope will be outpatient surgery. If the mass is larger than they can safely remove laproscopically (sp), they’ll make a larger incision and have her stay an extra day. Needless to say, we’re praying for the quicker procedure. We’d appreciate any prayers you can offer up as well!

Yesterday, Prudence consulted with her doctor one last time before the procedure. Since the birth of Panda 12+ years ago, she’s trusted Dr. S with her “girl doctor” needs. Unfortunately he works out of Carle Clinic in Champaign, which is about 1 ½ hours away. A trip there and back plus the doctor visit means that someone needs to stay home and take care of the kids. Enter Dad. So today, the kids and I went to swimming lessons in the morning then Culvers for lunch and custard. I had a headache after lunch, so once we got home, I laid down on the bed for what I thought would be a few minutes. 2 hours later, I awakened to find Prudence home and the kids still glued to the TV like they were when I last saw them. Luckily running thru the house with scissors and knifes never occurred to them.

What a bad dad the kids have…

Blog list: Blogs-A-Go-Go

Fri, 19 May 2006 22:08:38 GMT

Blogs-A-Go-Go

Custom List: Characters At Work

Wed, 17 May 2006 04:27:34 GMT

Characters At Work

Ed
El Cheapo, which in English is "The Cheapo". He has a spreadsheet for everything. And a very small bladder.
Rudiger
The only man lazier than me. Just last weekend he hurt his backsitting in his recliner. XBox360 & 56" TV are his best friends.
Danimal
One of the funniest straight men (as in Dan Roan to Dick Martinstraight) around. His private life is pretty private. So prying becomes a fun 20 questions game!
Pik
Dyslexic and Handyman Extrordinair! Can make anything out of wood! Just don't ask him to remember a name or write your resume.
WHW
Weirdos are drawn to him like a moth to a flame. Excellent gaydar. Prolific storyteller and TV watcher.
BluegrassMan
Fabulous husband and father. Warm, caring humanitarian. Wait, isthis Bluegrass Man? Scratch that...

Custom List: Topics Currently Brewing...

Thu, 11 May 2006 02:52:54 GMT

Topics Currently Brewing...

"I Got Tutored"

Custom List: Email Me!

Sat, 04 Mar 2006 02:34:34 GMT

Email Me!

ssminnow7@gmail.com

Custom List: Characters At Home

Fri, 03 Mar 2006 23:13:56 GMT

Characters At Home

Prudence
Wife, best friend, and the greatest thing to happen to me!
MN/Panda
Oldest Daughter. Becoming a very beautiful, nice young lady. Tender hearted. Loves Hilary Duff and Aly & AJ.
MW/The Boy
Middle/Only son. Too bright for his age. Mind like a steel trap.Almost obsessive/compulsive with certain activities. Working on his rock band.
EA/Em
Youngest Daughter. The hugger. Loves to be in your face. Likes to help around the house, but is the sneakiest of the 3.
Lance
85lb Lap Dog. Rescued from the pound in 2004 @ 3yrs old. Loves to hunt critters!

Custom List: Guestbook anyone?

Thu, 16 Feb 2006 01:57:14 GMT

Guestbook anyone?

Guestbook w/ a hint of List!
10 Things I Must Know About YOU!

Custom List: Albums That ROCK!

Sat, 11 Feb 2006 18:16:04 GMT

Albums That ROCK!

Elvis Costello - This Year's Model
Incredible Energy and Smart Lyrics!
The Police - Outlandos d'Amour
I love to sing Roxanne like Sting! Doesn't everyone?
The Beatles - Revolver
The lead-in to Sgt Peppers. Musical geniuses!
The Ramones - Rocket to Russia
Best 30min album ever!
Bruce Springsteen - The River
I wore out the first record of this 2 disc set! Thank goodnessfor CDs and MP3s
REM - Reckoning
"Did you never call? I waited for your call..." The first REMrecord w/ clear lyrics.
Jimi Hendrix - Experience Hendrix
Normally don't like Greatest Hits, but this one is a must have (unless you're a devout Jimi fan)!
English Beat - I Just Can't Stop It
Can't think of a more fun album! A MUST for 80's parties!
Bangles - All Over the Place
The Beatles if they were girls!
Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home
"Johnny's in the basement mixin' up the medicine. I'm on the pavement thinkin' bout the government.."

Custom List: Now Playing...

Thu, 09 Feb 2006 04:19:49 GMT

Now Playing...

The Style Council - My Ever Changing Moods
Paul Weller goes from punk to pop/jazz without missing a beat -bad pun intended!

Custom List: Voices in my head say...

Wed, 01 Feb 2006 11:41:15 GMT

Voices in my head say...

Don't mix sweets and salts.
I even order a Peanut Buster Parfait w/o Peanuts.
Clean your plate.
Sometimes to the point it could put back in the cabinet. It'll be the death of me...
Round Gas Purchases to nearest dollar.
Makes the math easy for the 5% back from Discover
Only eat at BWW on Wednesdays.
$.50 legs are the best deal!

Custom List: Can't use the web w/o...

Tue, 31 Jan 2006 04:13:13 GMT

Can't use the web w/o...

Google
Internet Movie Database
Resolves 99.8% of all movie/tv disputes!
TV.com
Who appeared regularly on Match Game? They know!
Intellicast
Great radar imaging!
Snopes
Is Bill Gates REALLY giving away $100 for people that forward emails? Ask Snopes!

Custom List: Eating Accomplishments

Tue, 24 Jan 2006 05:13:20 GMT

Eating Accomplishments

3 Pound Sirloin @ Alexanders
Steak, Baked Potato, Salad, & Texas Toast in 50 minutes. Received a free steak and I'm on the Wall of Fame!
100 Shrimp @ Red Lobster
Plus I don't know how many biscuts. Took forever getting them only 10 at a time.
14 Spicey Garlic Chicken Legs @ Buffalo Wild Wings
Allotted $8 for meal. @ $.50/leg + ranch dressing, 14 was a great deal!
4 Bowls of Soup @ Schlotzky's Deli
They had to put a 1 refill limit after I did this 3 weeks in a row...

Custom List: Who is this guy?

Tue, 24 Jan 2006 05:03:12 GMT

Who is this guy?

I'm not overweight. I'm undertall.
According to my body fat index, I need to grow to 8' 11"
I like to eat in volume.
Thus why I'm undertall.
I've had braces.
I lost 8 teeth to get them.
My hair started to abandon me in college.
I realized how many had gone in a mirrored elevator in New Orleans 7 years later...
I now cut my hair with a #2 clipper.
My wife is my barber.
I've had an appendectomy.
I ate jello for 3 days straight. Can't stand it now.
I've had a beard for 10 years.
It gives me the appearance of a chin.
I love salty foods.
Potatos and Tomatoes are the best salt vehicles.
Ham is my favorite meat.
I could eat it everyday.
I enjoy reading graphic novels.
You might know them as comic books.
I used to be a Star Trek geek.
Original Series, please. James T Kirk - best captain, hands down!
You might say I am a bit "unorganized."
But I know where everything is...
I drink Diet Pepsi.
Only because I can't drink the "leaded stuff" anymore.
"Stripes" was the first movie I saw in the theaters multiple times.
"Lee Harvey, YOU are a madman!"
I hate to use public restrooms.
And when I use them at work, I travel to another floor...

Custom List: TV Shows Referenced Way Too Frequently

Mon, 23 Jan 2006 00:00:50 GMT

TV Shows Referenced Way Too Frequently

Simpsons
Everything in life has been parodied in this show.
Seinfeld
Giddyup!
Friends
Joey: "Isn't that how they measure pants?" Ross: "Yes, yes it is...in prison!"
Arrested Development
"We didn't come here to speak nonsence with Bob Loblaw."
SNL
Times of Greatness: 75-79, 88-92. Otherwise like Wham! Featuring George Michael...

Custom List: Sports! Sports! Sports!

Sat, 21 Jan 2006 21:35:27 GMT

Sports! Sports! Sports!

St. Louis Cardinals
A team who's history rivals only the Yankees
Albert Pujols
His name may one day be linked with Ted Williams as one of the greatest hitters ever!
University of Illinois
I know the football's bad, but what about the boys on the hardwood?
670 The Score!
Love to listen to Chicago fans whine. Home to 2006 White Sox.

Custom List: Albums I Can't Believe I Bought

Fri, 20 Jan 2006 03:36:08 GMT

Albums I Can't Believe I Bought

Hooters - Nervous Night
One hit, and I can't even stand it now!
Philip Bailey - Chinese Wall
Phil Collins must have been a Jedi...
Beta Band - Three EPs
Song played in "High Fidelity" was the only song of value..
Peaches & Herb - Too Hot
Makes me question my manhood. In college it became a frizbee...
Elton John - An English Man
Song "Big Dipper" about 2 gay sailors bothered me for months afterward. Needless to say I won't be seeing Brokeback Mountain...