google.com, pub-4909507274277725, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 Slapinions: October 2016

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Monday, October 31, 2016

Parking at Marquette Sucks

Currently sitting in a parking spot four blocks from the law school debating if I want to make the hike on a hip that's acted up since Saturday. Thank you Marquette, for not only making a tiny parking garage that fills quickly, but for blocking off a heap of parking spots around the school so your window cleaners can entice even more birds to their bitter death.

Sunday, October 30, 2016

The Trick or Treat Photobooth

There's a photobooth set up along the trick or treat route. If you stop at that house, the booth takes your picture and uploads it to a website. These are the pics we took. 

Smiley and Junie go roller skating 10-6-16


My two youngest went roller skating on the sixth. There's not much to write about it, but they had a blast and I'm always happy when my kids bond together over activities. 







Junie gets glasses! 10-21-16




Junie got some bad news at the optometrist this month. From perfect vision last year, to an entire point drop in one eye this time around, necessitating a pair of glasses. 

She was not amused. 

But, by the time they arrived, she seemed eager for them. I drove her to pick them up. 


And to help ease the transition, bought her this classy carrying case, and a cleaning cloth and liquid cleaner. 



Alas, she loved it so much she took the case everywhere, including to Grandma's, and during her time with her she left it behind at a KFC and it was stolen. 

Two days after I bought it. 

C'est la vie. I've already inquired about ordering another, but we'll see if she even continues to show interest. It's not really a necessity, and she's doing fine without it. 

A Unique Religious Icon

I saw this at my parent's apartment tonight.

Friday, October 28, 2016

Monsters

I just dropped off all three of my girls to see [YaYa's beau] Sam T perform in "Monsters" at MHSA.  Meanwhile Smiley is helping his Mom make fruit skewers for our Halloween party.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Man With A Plan

Matt LeBlanc's new show. You might recall that I thought the Mr. Mom premise was archaic and played out. I still think that, BUT that's really not the anchor of the show. It's a family sitcom, and it works really well. I LOL'd a few times, and believe it or not they paired Matt with a wife that actually looks like a typical American woman in her '40's. Huh. Will wonders never cease? Watch it!

Our 20th Wedding Anniversary


Twenty years ago today- that's five days less than my wife had spent on the earth at the time - this happened. 


 Anyone that says their marriage has been free of conflict, and immune to periods of turmoil is either a liar or single.  For us, the good days have far, far exceeded the bad. In twenty years we've made four great kids, but even if God had chose not to bless us with them, I still married my best friend and a heck of a hottie; I think we would have been just fine. 

I had big plans for our 20th anniversary, but (typical Pisces) it didn't pan out. No matter. For the 25th, we go all out.

You heard it here first. 


Happy Anniversary Sinatra!

Our 20th Wedding Anniversary


Twenty years ago today- that's five days less than my wife had spent on the earth at the time - this happened. 


 Anyone that says their marriage has been free of conflict, and immune to periods of turmoil is either a liar or single.  For us, the good days have far, far exceeded the bad. In twenty years we've made four great kids, but even if God had chose not to bless us with them, I still married my best friend and a heck of a hottie; I think we would have been just fine. 

I had big plans for our 20th anniversary, but (typical Pisces) it didn't pan out. No matter. For the 25th, we go all out.

You heard it here first. 


Happy Anniversary Sinatra!

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Why?

Let's forget the election for a minute and ponder the wisdom of Hillary, who will probably be President, fostering a drumbeat of aggression and antagonism towards Russia that has already led to what the MSM says is a return to the Cold War. Why? Seriously? Because they hacked your email and exposed your bs? The electorate barely paid attention. Back off already.

Monday, October 17, 2016

Luke Perry Turns 50!

We are old

The Odd Couple

I didn't realize Matthew Perry's show is in its third season. This is the first time I saw it and it wasn't bad at all. There were even some Friends jokes for the insiders!

Sunday, October 16, 2016

A Nice Workout

I enjoyed a nice hour long workout with LuLu this evening. We were two of only five people in the gym - we went during the Packers game lol!

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

A Pet Peeve in Movies

Nothing in fiction (especially movies) annoys me more than when the hero gets the jump on the bad guy and knocks him out, then grabs the girl and says "Let's go!" 

Let's go? Let's go and leave the psychopath who wants me dead alive and well to finish the job? 

The hell with that. You've got him down, now cut his throat. #EndTheThreat

YaYa's Homecoming 10-7-16

Earlier this month YaYa and her boyfriend attended the Homecoming Dance at their high school. She asked me to accompany them to the Art Museum first to photograph them, and I happily obliged. 




Unfortunately, most of my pictures sucked, although YaYa was kind about it. Plus a security guard kicked us out, saying they don't allow their site to be used for "commercial enterprises." Huh. As far as I know, I've never made a dime off of this blog, but allrighty. 








She looked happy. Like, really, honest to goodness, genuinely happy, and that, in turn, made me very happy for her. 

By all accounts the event went well and she had a blast. I'm proud of that girl. She's growing up into a fine young woman. 

I love you YaYa!








Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Timeless

Tonight's episode about Lincoln's assassination was excellent from the first minute until the last. If this is indicative of the course the show will take PLEASE please tune in!

Monday, October 10, 2016

Highlander

On one hand it's a bad movie. But it's also a great one. I taped this back in the '80's and literally watched it dozens and dozens of times. "There can be only one!"

My Thoughts - the influence of celebrities on the electorate

If your vote is in any way influenced by the opinion of an actor, singer, athlete, or reality star, kindly resign your adult card.

The Mothman Prophesies

I really like this movie. One of the creepiest ones I've seen, reviews be damned.

Sunday, October 9, 2016

My Thoughts - Destiny vs Free Will

Why do people wonder about whether destiny or free will controls their life? The ideas are not mutually exclusive. Everything we do is already written in our grandchild's history text, and thus set in stone, but the words on that page were written by the actions we take in the present. Free will, destiny, God's plan - all present, all complimenting each other.

A Pitiful Slate

I am no rookie to Presidential elections, having followed them since 1984 and studied them all in depth. Believe me when I say, no two cruddier choices have ever appeared on such a ballot. If not for the Senate race, I may have to abstain.

Saturday, October 8, 2016

Friends

Junie is binge watching season six and she's sweating whether Monica chooses Richard or Chandler in the finale. Her money's on my boy Chandler. "You made my girlfriend THINK!"

This will Probably End Trump's Run

Donald Trump's comments, made in a public setting, may be the nail in his electoral coffin. Odd that its discovery was timed to knock the release of Hillary's papers from the news; hypocritical that it will help elect a woman married to a man who has, without question, harassed and exploited, and possibly even raped, women; but the comments are inexcusable all the same.

Friday, October 7, 2016

Homecoming

Tonight my YaYa is going to her first homecoming. :) That puts her one up on me, and God Bless her for it. 

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Funny . . . but stay safe.

Stay safe Florida. Seriously.

My Thoughts - atheism

I firmly believe atheists spend more time dwelling on God, albeit from a confrontational POV, than believers do. My word, how exhausting it must be. Just convert and free up your schedule already.

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

My Thoughts - On Gullibility in the Electorate

I think it's hilarious that Americans spend their days bemoaning the duplicity of politicians and mocking them for saying "whatever they have to say to get elected." 

Then, magically deliciously, every four years a candidate reads a bunch of comforting clichés written by their staff, and those very same Americans get stars in their eyes and declare "Mein Gott, he/she really understands me! Look how Presidential he/she is! I know who *I'm* voting for!" 

Either/Or people. You can't have it both ways.

Spooky

Tim Kaine

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

YaYa the recruiter

On Monday Yaya  went back to her old elementary school and gave two recruiting speeches on behalf of her high school. Lisa attended both, and reports that she was persuasive and eloquent. #ProudPapa

The Presidential Race isn't a Sure Thing

Having been obsessed with Presidential elections since 2000, it's my gut feeling that the Trump campaign has passed the point of no return, and the office is Hillary's. BUT, looking at the electoral map on the liberal site electoral-vote, it's tight. She has 323 projected electoral votes right now, and you need 270. Florida (29) is up for grabs, and if it goes to Trump, AND he squeaks out a pair of smaller states (WI?) she falls short of election. I'm not saying it'll happen, but as it stands, it's not going to an easy win for HRC.

Down 4

I'm down four pounds this week and am at my lowest weight since 2006, and only four pounds removed from my lowest weight of the century.

Monday, October 3, 2016

Timeless

I've been waiting to see this all summer. I won't say it was flawless, but it was entertaining and jumped right into the action. I feared the inclusion of a black time traveler would lead to happy PC vignettes, but BIG kudos for addressing race quickly and often with the character. I hope this show sticks, but I fear America will balk at a show not involving doctors or cops.

Smiley Joins me at the Gym

Smiley and I hit the gym again tonight, the third time since he quit dance last week. That's his part of the bargain. I shut up about dance, he hits the gym. So far so good. The boy likes to lift, or at least attacks it like he does, but he has an annoying habit of jogging on the treadmill while I lumber along at walking speed. Show off.

Apparently, *not* a teachable moment

This morning's class did not go well. When two people stumbled answering questions, the Professor got angry and walked out of the room. I've never seen that before. Well, literally once before, in 1st Grade when Sr Virginia flipped a desk and was dragged from the room by Sr Kathleen.

Sunday, October 2, 2016

Spider Attack!

The nickel sized spiders that blanket our exterior at night have apparently found their way into LuLu's room. She is threatening to sleep in the hallway unless I immediately find and destroy them all. I can't find a witty way to end this post, so, um, yeah.

Girl Scout Candy Sale Time!

It's Girl Scout Candy and Nut sale time again! All the items and prices are pictured below. Comment or DM us with your order! (All $ due Dec 1st)

Saturday, October 1, 2016

The Grasshoppers



Three times this summer we headed over to a local park and collected grasshoppers. Whenever we got a new batch, we paroled the old ones by releasing them in the backyard. 

I love grasshoppers by the way. The drink, and the insect. 

Here's Junie releasing the last batch of the year with her friend Tia. 









Afterwards, I took them to the park. I spent most of the time there sitting by the playground reading a book on Jack the Ripper, which I'm sure wasn't alarming to anyone at all.