:)

The kids are not parrots of my views; more often than not they swallow the indoctrination of this society whole. So trust me when I say it was from his own heart that Smiley penned a school essay against the NFL protest of our flag; he was the only kid in class not to ape the party line of his teachers. #proud

So Bay View

How the Bay View nutters on Facebook view local politics:

A Procedure on the Hip

Having a procedure to reduce the hip pain

Update on the hip procedure: it was an X-ray guided cortisone shot into the ball of the joint, and I watched it live on a screen in front of me. Contrary to how it was advertised, it was painful as hell, but the local they gave me kicked in (after) and I enjoyed a blissful couple of hours with the hip of old. Now it's sore, but we'll see if things improve. September was more or less wiped out from the pain, and I'm looking forward to getting back to (my) normal.

The Vegas Shooting should not be exploited for gain

I'm reposting this, NOT out of partisanship, but to call attention to stupidity (from any side) in the wake of this tragedy.  

Quoting HRC on Facebook today: 

"The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots.

Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get."

Yeah, I'm pretty damn sure no silencer was going to muffle the sound of what is reported to be a fully automatic rifle with a theoretical firing speed of 700 rounds per minute. 

I know Emmanuel Rahm's mantra of "every media tragedy is a [political] opportunity", but sometimes,  just be a human f-ing being.

Junie the Businesswoman

Junie has started a slime business at school, earning pocket money every day. The other night she had me seal little nickel-sized bags with a lighter, like some second rate pot dealer. lol

Is ISIS responsible for Vegas?

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the shooter in Vegas, but that smells like bullsh**.

A Debate

LuLu just cut the lawn and couldn't get the mower started. 

Lu: Just start it for me Dad. 

Me: No, no, I'm all for gender equality. 

Lu: That doesn't apply to some stuff. 

Me: Yeah, and I notice that "some stuff" is whatever is hard or dirty. 

Lu: Whatever. It doesn't begin to make up for the centuries of oppression at the hands of men. 

me: LOL. Go spin that crap to a liberal who cares. Nutter. Now try.

The Massacre of Mankind by Stephen Baxter

I just finished this authorized sequel to the H.G. Wells classic "War of the Worlds."  It's told in Wells' style and tone, and stays true to the chronology and now-archaic science of the original.  At 453 pages it's long,  and frankly the brief forays into foreign lands could have been cut,  but by and large it's a dandy of a book.

Goodbye Taurus (#1)

Yesterday I sold my Ford Taurus,  having upgraded to a model a year newer,  with 95k fewer miles.  (see pic). I remain grateful for the two years of service I got from the old Taurus, which Thomas G and Kelly G sold  to me for only $100 at a time when we really needed a second car.

Life Goes Fast

With Junie at a campout and Smiley at Grandma's, only my two older girls were home -and each quickly left to spend Friday evening with a boy. Life is changing :)

An Opinion

When the attribution for your weird ass ideas start with "I once read a post . . ." then you are part of the problem.

Maybe

"I think you enjoy people hating you. Maybe you should be a defense attorney," Lisa said. 

"That's not true at all," I replied. 

A minute later: "I think I'll write a fan letter to OJ Simpson tonight, maybe invite him for a home cooked Thanksgiving meal."

Lisa: "See?"