It's Hard Sometimes To Find Good News

It's true.

You hear about:
People dying.
People being killed.
Children being abused.
Starvation. Disease. Hopelessness.

But then sometimes you come across a story that knocks you off your feet, brings tears to your eyes, inpires you to be something more than what you are.

There are heroes all around us.

A Equals B Except When It Equals C

Um......what did she say??

Am I Nuts??

I miss my guys.

I know, I know. A minute ago I was celebrating. I'm just taking a quick break from that to say I miss the boys. I hope they're doing okay (the reality is that they haven't thought of me once and are having a great time. Which is good). I hope nobody's mean to them---if they are, I'll beat 'em up. Period.

Okay. Back to the luxury of all this peace and quiet.

That Whooping And Hollering You Hear Is The Sound Of Me Celebrating

and those tears you see are tears of joy.

I'm kidding. Kind of. But the deal is, the two youngest are in school again tomorrow!!! And the oldest starts Monday but since he's basically on his own as far as school goes---getting there and getting home (he's a senior this year!)---he doesn't really factor into the celebration hullabaloo. But the two younger ones!! In school! I have my days back, my schedule back, my order back. Hoo-ray.

My middler is in middle school now. A bit scary. However, the first words out of his mouth when I picked him up today (he had his first day, a half day) were: "That was an awesome day." So I'd say that was a pretty good start. Let's hope it's all uphill from here.

If you see me and I'm a whirling dervish, that's because I'm getting everything done that hasn't gotten done in months (working out, court reporting, house projects). If you see me and I'm sleeping....don't even think about waking me up.

A Perfect Gift

I mentioned recently about the perfect birthday I had. Well, with the previous post in mind (those disgustingly talented babies, remember?) and with a perfect birthday celebration in memory, I have to mention one (of the many) perfect gifts I received.

Remember I mentioned how my cousin got me a guitar and I've never learned to play? Well, that cousin was at my birthday party. Also, that cousin reads my blog. Her gift: the first of a series of guitar lessons. She called three different instructors in my area, talked to all of them, got all the information I would need, gave me their numbers and the money with which to start on this guitar-learning journey. Isn't that awesome!! Now I have no excuses.

Incidentally, today is HER birthday! Wish I could have given her as perfect a gift as she gave me. Well, next year it's her big 4-0 and so I have a year, I suppose, to think of it.

Greatness

It hardly seems FAIR that these babies (that's all they are, just tots) can do this and I'll never even approach such greatness. Fabulous and annoying, all at the same time.

(It might take a few seconds for the video to start, but if you just wait patiently, it will.)

A Sign Of The Times

It's a sad day when we have to resort to bullet-proof backpacks for our kids. I'm not saying I have any plans to purchase any, but it's a pitiful statement about where we are in this day and age that we can see why some parents would consider it a necessary item.

756*

I'm not a baseball fan, and I don't know much about it. But I do know that tonight Barry Bonds (of the San Francisco Giants) hit his 756th homerun to bypass the record held by baseball great, Hank Aaron.

But he cheated.

I don't see how a person can take any pleasure or get any credit when he cheats. Barry Bonds took steroids---let's be honest about this now, people---and so he cheated. It doesn't matter if he would've been able to beat the record anyway; it doesn't matter if the steroids weren't really a factor (why take them, then?). It doesn't matter: he cheated. Period. Hank Aaron made 755 on his own merit. Why should Bonds get to take the crown when he didn't earn it?

That's just an ignorant amateur's opinion.



*Oh, did I mention that he cheated?

A Little Hero

This clip just cracks me up. I know it isn't really meant to be funny, but this girl is great. What kid still says "feller"? She must be the only one.

Back On Track?

We've returned home from about a week-and-a-half vacation down in southern California. Upon our return, we got two sets of company for three nights so it was a little bit harder to get things back in order. But now all have moved on, and it seems like maybe I can start to get back on track tomorrow---back to court reporting, back to the club, back to eating like a normal person and not a small heifer. Possible? Should be. We shall see.

And then in two-and-a-half weeks (or thereabouts) school starts again.....that loud raucous sound you'll hear? That'll be me, celebrating. Talk about finally getting back on track. I can hardly wait. We're trying to start now, this week, getting our days and nights back to normal---no more staying up until two or three in the morning. No more sleeping until 11 or 12 in the afternoon (or sometimes later, if you're my oldest son) (and I never slept in that late, just for the record).

So: here's to being back on track. Here's to the ole grind. All together now----YAY!