War and Rememberance

Good Morning and watch out for that rain!

I had a high school history teacher who always said the greatest risk of another World War was going to be when we get people in power who didn't remember what war was like.
His theory, and one I believe more as the years go by, is those that lived through World War II didn't want to see that again. It didn't solve anything. It just killed a whole lot of people.
Well, we are pretty much in the era he warned about now.
Which, makes this video even more disturbing:

Like a cold slap or just shaking your head

Good Morning and I guess the heat has to go on!

This morning, while doing my usual stuff on the Web site, I happened to have the Channel 10 news on in the background.
Like most days, I use half an ear to listen to the news while working. Mostly, it's just to hear if there are any traffic troubles. Most of the rest of the morning news is just a rehash of stuff that happened yesterday.
Then the guy on TV started talking about a storm we are going to see later this week.
It's the same storm that's been dumping a lot of snow onto the Midwest.
So, of course, they showed video of cars skidding in the snow and people shoveling.
Then they cut to the weather guy who said we were going to see all rain out of the storm.
Yes, I know it's just a minor thing, but don't let me believe it's going to snow until, you know, it's actually going to snow.
Oh yeah, and don't bring the snow unless it's a day I have off.

Winter blahs already

Good Morning and, yes, I know it's not officially winter yet.

I tried to put off turning the heater on, but that was busted before Halloween. I tried to take the weather in stride, you know, since I can't really do anything about it.
Yeah, but I still want to complain.
I've decided I'm going to hate the cold this year. It has nothing to do with the flu-like thing that's floating through the office.
OK, I lied, it has everything to do with that. If you are sick, stay away from the office.
We have now windows in here. It's worse than an incubator.
Then I step outside and it's like 30 degrees.
How long until spring?

The hot and the cold of it

Good Morning and it is nice to see the sun before 7.

Driving around after a cool birthday party Saturday (Laser Tag!), I was hit about how nice and warm it was for Nov. 2.
So, I asked my passengers what they wanted to do.
"Let's go the mall," said one.
"I want to go home and play video games," said another.
"I don't know," said the third (yes, he's a teenager).
OK, to me, when you can wear short sleeve shirts outside in November, well, you better take advantage of it.
So, my first thought was a playground. That would be fun ... for about 15 minutes. Then the older ones (OK, just the teenager) would start moping about things being boring.
I remembered a miniature golf course from days go by. We were close, so that was the idea.
We played (yes, there are always arguments), but the warmth and the sun made it pretty nice.
Then came Sunday.
I knew when I first woke up and heard the wind it was going to be cold.
That playoff soccer game at 3 was going to be downright chilly.
I wasn't ready for the winter, though. My light jacket wasn't going to be enough, but I didn't want to miss the game.
So, I froze, but watching the team of 10/11-year olds play their hearts out made it feel just a little bit warmer.

Time to get the candy

Good Morning and welcome back to the Internet!

I was flipping through the TV last night, hoping to find a decent horror movie in honor of Halloween. Since last week I watched 'Halloween,' I was looking for something different. My choices were 'Nightmare on Elm Street 3' and 'House of 1,000 corpses.'
I, for some reason, settled on the latter. Guess I should have just gone to bed early. That was 2 hours, I'll never get back.
By the way, why do TV stations have to talk about healthy Halloween? There's nothing healthy about Halloween and, really, there doesn't have to be.
For the most part we eat healthy, but there are a couple of days better to have at it.
Halloween is one of those days.
So, bring out the pizza and don't get between me and the bag of Reese's.

Halloween: Then and now

Good Morning and welcome to Halloween week!

OK, so maybe it's not an actual holiday (at least not in the good, ole' US of A), but Halloween is certainly a lot of fun.
Sure, it's changed over the years. I remember dressing up and going door-to-door for candy, but there wasn't a whole lot of difference between houses.
You knocked, they answered, maybe joked around and gave you some candy.
When I was in, I think, 7th grade, a neighbor's father up the street started dressing up and answering the door. It was great fun. Everybody laughed and that was it.
I like to take that to the extreme. I try to make a little Halloween party in the front yard. I'm not as crazy as an old friend was who turned her whole house into a Halloween adventure every year. It took a month to set up and and month to clean up.
I want to be part of the fun. Now, I just have to decide on a costume.

Movies and such

Good Morning and I liked it better when the sun came up earlier.

Anyway, so I was flipping around the TV channels last night around 8 and stumbled upon the original 'Halloween' just as it was starting.
So, of course, that meant I was stuck. Even though there were commercials on the AMC showing, I kept coming back to the movie.
Now, it's obviously one of the best scary movies of all time. Those seeing it for the first time even 35 years after its release (Yes, it came out in 1978) will be screaming and hiding their eyes. The amazing thing is the movie still holds up after all this time.
Sure, the teens are using landlines instead of cell phones and they are watching black&white movies, but it's still pretty shocking with Michael Myers sits back up.
Sure, there questions we ask now that probably wouldn't have been asked in 1978.
Like, wouldn't anybody notice a guy in a mask following teenage girls in a brown station wagon? Wouldn't the Myers' house have been torn down by now and replaced by a Wawa? How did it get so dark so quickly? Why was Dr. Loomis driving up in the rain? Where the heck are everybody's parents?
Doesn't take away from the movie. Actually, I think it adds a little bit.
It's too bad the dumb sequels and remakes kind of taint the original. Do yourself a favor this Halloween and check it out again or for the first time.

Air conditioning and heat

Good Morning and if I hear that 'We buy any car' commercial one more time this morning ...

I have kind of an unwritten policy in the house. It's unwritten, because I can change it any time, but usually don't.
So, when the thermostat hit 90 a couple of weeks ago, I turned on the air conditioner even though it was October. See, the rule is the AC goes off mid-September (the date is flexible). Then it doesn't come back on until June.
I usually stay hard and fast with that one (sorry, PECO), but I did break down when the humidity got too much one day and we were all sweating while watching TV.
The other rule is the heat doesn't go on until November (hopefully not until Thanksgiving). It doesn't go on in October. If you're cold, put on a sweater.
I nearly broke down this weekend, though. Even though I knew in my mind it wasn't that chilly, it certainly felt that way. There was close to some teeth chattering during Saturday night's movie fest.
Close, but not yet.
So, I won't get penalized yet as the heat stays off.

Welcome to ...

Good Morning and how is it out there today?

Ever get the feeling it's going to be a long week. You know, one of those weeks where the days just crawl past. It seems like you are always at work. There's never enough time to get everything done, but the clock slows down.
Yeah, I know it. At least, though, we have this:




If your head hasn't exploded just yet, check this out:

Spinning in mud

Good Morning and I keep wondering why the alarm has to go off so early!?!

Ever get that feeling you just can't get ahead?
The rain Friday knocked out all our soccer games Saturday, so, suddenly, there was a free day.
We didn't have to be anywhere. We didn't have to do anything. We didn't have a schedule.
So, we cleaned the house a bit (yeah, yeah, I know, I fall behind easily).
Then, we tried to take a drive.
Big mistake.
I guess everybody figured it was a good day to get out on the road. OK, everybody and their mother.
Tried to drive up to Marple Crossings shopping center, about 3 miles from the front door.
Yeah, it took nearly 45 minutes. Probably could have walked quicker.
Instead of heading to the mall or maybe some other store, the traffic got the better of me.
So, we spent the rest of the day watching movies.
Probably a better idea anyway.

Putting on the AC

Good Morning and how about that summer?

OK, I've had enough.
It's one thing if I were living in San Diego or Phoenix. At least there, I could wrap my mind around the heat.
Maybe if I was living in Los Angeles or Las Vegas, I would relish the fact I would like to be swimming in a pool in October.
Maybe if I was living in Texas ... OK, never mind about that.
Anyway, I've had enough of this heat. Yes, I like the summer. Yes, it would be OK with me if we stayed warm all year. Still, when you expect the weather to change, it better change.
I broke down Saturday and turned on the air conditioner. I felt like a wimp turning it on in October, but the heat was too much.
Looks like we are getting a change this week. So that will be good.
Now, I can keep the complaining to a minimum until it starts to snow.

They did what?

Good Morning and here's hoping the Internet doesn't get furloughed today!

So, those geniuses in Washington decided it was better to placate to the loudest (not necessarily the largest) mouths. Again, we have special-interest groups taking over.
The Government is broken. If we don't vote each and every one of those bozos out of office in the next couple elections, I'm afraid the country might be broken as well.

For everything, a season

Good Morning and how about them Eagles?!?!

I'm one who likes everything in its own time.
For instance, I won't do any Christmas shopping until after Thanksgiving (usually not until the last week, but that's another story). I cringe when I see those Halloween stores cropping up Sept. 1. Don't even talk to me about the Valentine's candy that shows up just after the New Year or the Easter stuff that hits the same time as the Super Bowl.
There's enough rushing in this world. I don't need to hear 'Jingle Bells' before Santa drives his sleigh in front of Macy's. (Yeah, I know those lights and trees are already up in most stores. I'm just going to ignore them for a few months).
So, when I saw Pumpkinland was opening at Linvilla Orchards, my first thought was "isn't it still summer?"
That's usually a Saturday in October trip for us. Get pumpkins, take a hay ride, stock up on apples.
Still, for some reason, the pull was too much for me to ignore and we were there Saturday afternoon.
Guess what? It was a fun time even though we were only in the last weekend of September.
We picked out pumpkins (really, 20 pounds each?) and were there until it closed.
Now, I'm ready for what fall has to offer.
Just don't start singing 'White Christmas' until November please.

Vegging out with the tube

Good Morning and how can it be only Tuesday? I swear this is the longest week in history.

Yes, I watch TV. Wanted to get that out of the way first. A lot of people figure most TV melts your brain or something. I watch what I want, when I want. Don't judge me. OK, judge me, but I guess I'm mostly like anybody else.
Now, for us fellow TV watchers, this time of year can get a little exciting. The new shows are starting and there's always the hope one will be pretty good and stick.
I remember watching the first episode of 'Lost' in the Fall of 2004. I was hooked right away and didn't miss an episode (I even watched the dumb one where Jack gets his tattoo a couple of times).
Anyway, I can usually tell if it's something I'm going to like after a couple of viewings. I know a lot of people liked the show 'Fringe.' I watched it about a half dozen times and found it uninteresting.
So, there's been a lot of buzz about two shows that debuted last night. I watched 'The Blacklist,' and DRVd 'Hostages.'
They both have interesting concepts. I'll have to see about 'Hostages,' but I found myself zoning out during the premier of 'The Blacklist.'
James Spader is OK as a super-criminal, but the rest of the cast seems a little flimsy. I'll give it a couple of weeks, then see what happens.
By the way, thanks to 'Lost,' it seems every show has to have some kind of goofy twists. Just saying...

Monsters under the bed

Good Morning and I'm sure glad you are here!

I think it was like a week ago when I went into the teenagers room and what aghast at what I saw.
His closet, actually the biggest in the house, looked like it was hit by a tornado. Shirts, pants and God knows what else was thrown all over the floor. There was nothing on the shelves. The hangers were actually hanging, but empty of shirts. I swear I saw a pair of shoes with holes in the bottom.
Now, I don't stay on top of them as much as I should when it comes to keeping their rooms in order. I don't know why. I guess I just figure as long as they can get to the bed it is OK. I don't let them take food up, so there's now worry about that.
Frustrated, I walked into the other bedroom. It looked OK. Maybe a little too many books in front of the bookcase, but, on the whole, it looked pretty good.
That was, until I opened the closet.
Ever see that old comedy standby where a character opens a closet and the whole world falls out?
I guess we better see about cleaning up.

I have laundry ghosts!

Good Morning and, well, here we are again.

I've become used to the monster in the dryer. You know, the one that eats socks.
I have a pile of single socks in my room who have lost their mate. There is no logical reason to have so many single socks, but they are there. So, there's no denying that something (or someone) is eating them.
What I can't wrap my mind around is the amount of laundry I seem to have.
Now, there are four of us in the house, but, despite what the teenager might believe, there's only one adult.
Somehow, though, I seem to have enough laundry to do some every day.
Mind you, the teen wears his school clothes much of the day. The middle schooler would wear the same shirt and pants every day (until I force him to change). The third grader changes every day.
Seriously, there shouldn't be that many clothes to wash. There must be a ghost running around the house dirtying things up.
Now, if that ghost would only start folding, I wouldn't mind so much.

Skype? Skype this

Good Morning and it's nice to see you all again!

The question came so innocently: "Dad, can I play with my friends?"
Without even thinking, I said, "Sure. Do you need a ride to their house or are they coming here."
First there was a perplexed look, then: "No. We are using Skype."
So, that's what it's become. The boy and his friends connect on Skype and play a video game called Minecraft. They battle each other, build worlds and eat pork chops.
All across the Internet of course.
I sometimes shake my head at these things. Other times, I just see it as a normal part of life in 2013.
When I was 11, most of the time was spent outside playing football, riding bikes or whatever. These days that doesn't happen.
Now, I'm not like some people who look at it and see the downfall of society. Would I prefer they go outside or to a friend's house? Sure, but as long as they are interacting, that's OK too.
At least once a day, I make all electronics turn off and make them do something else. I could be reading. I could be going outside. I could be just sitting and breathing in the air.
Now that school has started, it will change a little. Games are only allowed to be turned on two days a week and that's after all homework has been finished and checked.
I don't look forward to that fight.

Crying at the fence

Good Morning and here we are again!

There were times during the summer that I couldn't wait for school to start. There were times I wished it wouldn't begin again (of course, I also wished I won the lottery so work wouldn't begin again, but that's another story all together).
When school did start last week, well, I figured it was about time.
What I wasn't prepared for was the sleepless nights leading up to the first day.
It wasn't the children. They went out like lights even though there was some nervous excitement about starting a new year.
It was me. You see, the oldest boy is in 9th grade. High school. Really, high school.
For some reason, that kind of hit me like a rock. Every time I closed my eyes I saw him standing at the fence screaming when we dropped him off for kindergarten.
I kept up a front then. All I really wanted to do was scoop him up and take him home. Forget about school. Don't grow up.
I knew that wasn't the way it could happen, so I drove away while he was standing at the fence. What he didn't know is I would park a block away and walk up just far enough until I could see he would be OK
Of course he was. He'll be OK in high school. He'll be OK when he gets to college.
In a way, though, I hope he will always be the boy at the fence looking for me.

OK, I'm boring

Good Morning and whatever happened to Hannah Montana?!?

OK, so I try to stay current. I've refrained from listening to Oldies radio, because, well, I've heard every song they play. Don't they play the same 10 songs anyway?
Most of my music comes from Spotify or stations like WXPN. Sure, I've seen the Rolling Stones live this year, but I've also been to the Tin Angel probably too many times this year.
I watch all the hottest TV shows and keep up with the news (well, I guess I don't have much choice there).
I ride my bike. I go to parks. I check out street festivals.
I have an earring. I once walked into a tattoo shop (chickened out, but I at least walked in).
I am connected to the Cloud. I am on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Circle and a bunch of other social sites.
In fact, a friend of my 14-year old son was shocked when he found out I was on Instagram. "That's cool," he said.
So, I'm cool (not Fonzie cool, but cool enough). Then again, I just referenced Fonzie so maybe that makes me uncool.
I don't know, but I do know I flipped off one of my cool shows last night to check out the MTV awards show and saw this.

Get More:

2013 VMA, Artists.MTV, Music, Miley Cyrus

I'm not sure if I want to be cool anymore.

Listening

Good Morning and welcome back to the Internet!

Listening to music can do a lot of things. Let me know how these songs work out (Before you ask, Yes, it's an eclectic mix):