Art by YaYa

Big Bang 2016

I dropped the family off at the lake for the Big Bang fireworks but was excused and came home to prep the house for the 4th. Shady of me, true, but last year I took the two younger kids by *myself* so karma calls it fair. Of course, that was also the night a big fight broke out by where we were seated and the cops came roaring in, soooo. . . Ah. They'll be fine.

My Birthday Missal

I wanted to post pics of this birthday gift back in March, but Lisa said it would make look like a religious nut. Maybe it does, but OFW. This rocks, and is easily one of the best birthday gifts of recent years

Stop Complaining about Fireworks

Too many people complaining about private fireworks tonight on FB. Cripes, it's 4th of July weekend. Don't be a buzzkill. And FYI, I don't care that they scare your dog; they evolved from freaking wolves. They should have some g'damn pride in their species and buck up.

Wonder Woman Art

A clay Wonder Woman symbol LuLu  made at College for Kids.

Elie Wiesel

RIP Elie Wiesel, age 87

Grumble

Man, I wish you could just send the kids to the store with a note for booze and cigarettes like when I was young. Stupid government.

Horrible News

As all appropriate parties have been told privately, I can now mention what bad news hit us yesterday: Lisa's step-father has been diagnosed with a brain tumor and has been given less than four months to live. The kids were and are distraught, especially the older two. I ask that your prayers and thoughts continue for the extended family.

Self Driving Cars - My Thoughts

I don't understand all the media attention given to the fatality in the self-driven car. After millions of miles, the technology failed and one man died. That is bad, yes. But perspective, MSM, perspective. How many cars with humans behind the wheel crashed and killed their occupant, or others, in the same period? I remain confident in the future of the idea.

Olivia DeHavilland

I forgot about this yesterday. Happy Birthday!

We just got some bad news about a loved one. Prayers please.

When Pigs Fly

A paper mache (sic) flying pig LuLu made. 

Polling

While, at this date, I find a Trump victory unlikely, do not buy into any polls that show a widening lead for Clinton. Trump is most likely affected by inaccurate polling because most supporters are unwilling to publicly risk attack by admitting allegiance. In the electoral world, this is known as the Bradley Effect (after a California race where liberals were too embarrassed to admit they were voting against a black man), and/or the Shy Tory Effect (named for British voters who were embarrassed to admit to being conservative).

My Thoughts

Notions of social justice and utility are often sabotaged by someone bringing up the rarest of exceptions and tossing the baby out with the bathwater. I am sure, if you put forth an argument saying it is unhygienic and revolting to crap on the floor of a restaurant, someone will plead the case of the one-in-a-billion victim of a mental illness that makes them defecate in public and we'll all gnash our teeth and pull our hair and scrap the rule. A legitimate exception to a maxim should be respected, but not at the cost of handcuffing society as a whole.

A Neighborhood Bullly

Yesterday, as we walked back from the park, a couple neighborhood kids rode by on bikes and Lauren immediately expressed her "hate" for one of them. 

"Don't say hate," I said. She went on to describe him as a bully who had taunted and pushed her. I took a close look, and I could see it. He's one of those ruddy faced little gingers who is so bitter about not knowing who his Daddy is that he takes out his grief on Cheetos and smaller kids. I said to Parker, "If it comes to it, can you take him in a fight?" 

Parker's a big kid, but this guy had a year, two inches, and maybe 30 pounds on him. Parker's face went blank for a minute, and he cocked his head to the side, studying him like you would artwork on a museum wall. Finally he gave a very slight nod and said, without inflection, "Yeah."

"Good," I said. "He lays hands on your sister again, drop him."

Olympus Has Fallen

I watched this yesterday. I loved the first 3/4 of it but then the actions of the acting President (spoiler: pulling the 7th fleet in response to terrorism) struck me as weak and unrealistic. Still a great action flick.

Scotty Moore

 Scotty Moore, Elvis Presley's first guitarist, died today at 84. RIP. 

Update: my hip

My hip is impairing my summer. It hurt much worse LAST year but I did a ton because the doc thought losing weight and staying active might heal it. Now that he says it's as good as it's ever going to be the idea of biking everywhere or walking miles with the (much reduced) pain just seems. . . exhausting. I have to get over this psychological hurdle.

My Father-in-Law's Patch

My father-in-law's patch from his time in the 2nd battalion/9th Marine regiment. (Vietnam, 1965-1966)

Stressed

I'm alternating between adoring the kids and wanting to ship them off to boarding school. Par for the course, but it's not them this time, it's me. I work, I sleep, I go to school, I parent. There is precious little - well no- time to just adult.

A Nightmare

Woke up after half an hour from a wicked nightmare. I was at the 4077th - the hospital from MASH - and there was a blond Midwestern young man who was doing well and recovering from his wounds. I walked out of my visit with him and within minutes heard incoming shells. One struck the post-op unit, and when I ran back the whole building was in flames, with the patients inside -including the kid I talked to - screaming as they burned alive.

How not to take a 4 hour law school final

How not to take a 4 hour law school final:

1. Pick up your new glasses first, making reading twenty pages of questions just a hoot

2. Use a laptop with a power port issue, leaving you three hours of juice for a four hour exam.

3. Ditch said laptop and grab bluebooks like it's 1995. Make sure your writing is illegible.

4. After the exam, email your professor about Judge Posner's recent comments, unintentionally pi*sing on said professor's idol

Sigh. It's a wonder I manage to cross the street without assistance.

Nie Mam Nic

Around my house I say "nie mam nic" - a Polish phrase from my Grandma. I use it, as she did, to mean "enough/stop it/done/be quiet/knock it off." Junie objects to this usage. 

"It means 'I have nothing' Dad, not ---- and ----."

Me: "It's an idiom. I'll use it any dang way I please."

Now, Marta M Sta-  can educate me as to whether that's strictly true or not, but regardless, as far as the discussion goes little girl, its nie mam nic.

If nutty Elizabeth Warren is chosen as Clinton's VP candidate, I may have to suck it up and vote Trump for sure. This election sucks.

HaHa

LuLu: Do you know where my College for Kids bag is? Me: No. Do you know where my youth is? LuLu: Yeah, down the hatch.