Published writer, compulsive reader, Old School Whovian, Match Game enthusiast, NKOTB fan, data hoarder, and - surprisingly, given that list - married with four kids. Welcome to my take on life, fatherhood, entertainment, and whatever strikes my fancy. Enjoy!
Monday, June 15, 2009
An 'animated' discussion on the 2010 Gov. race
The claws have come out in the 2010 Wisconsin Gubernatorial race. Some background for those out of state:
Democrat Jim Doyle is expected to seek a third term, but seperate surveys give him between a 48-60% dissaproval rate from state voters. Combine that with an approval rating that's floating between 34-43%, and, at least from a year's distance, you've got problems.
It certainly doesn't help when the state's biggest paper quotes a fellow Democrat at your party's state convention as saying:
Make a note people. This may be the one and only time I ever defend Doyle, but the guys tax happy and about as party-line as a Democrat can get in the Midwest. Any attempt to replace him with a more 'progressive' (read: overtly socialist) candidate is just asking to give away the office.
Anyway, what's the first and last thing you do in politics when the numbers aren't going your way? You attack, preferably with a bitter ad that says nothing whatsover, but maligns your opponent. Check this ad out (paid for by the state Democratic party).
As BadgerBlogger pointed out, this cartoon (!) "seems to be aimed at 6-year-olds . . ." Looks like 2010 will be full of polite, good natured campaigns, eh?
Democrat Jim Doyle is expected to seek a third term, but seperate surveys give him between a 48-60% dissaproval rate from state voters. Combine that with an approval rating that's floating between 34-43%, and, at least from a year's distance, you've got problems.
It certainly doesn't help when the state's biggest paper quotes a fellow Democrat at your party's state convention as saying:
Most of her fellow Democrats might disagree, but Jolynn Woehrer thinks Gov. Jim Doyle won’t run for re-election in 2010.
Woehrer, a Milwaukeean attending the Wisconsin Democratic Party’s state convention, praised Doyle. But she said "he’s a little bit more moderate" and that she senses more progressive leaders are emerging in the party.
"That’s what the voters want and that’s what we need," Woehrer said.
Make a note people. This may be the one and only time I ever defend Doyle, but the guys tax happy and about as party-line as a Democrat can get in the Midwest. Any attempt to replace him with a more 'progressive' (read: overtly socialist) candidate is just asking to give away the office.
Anyway, what's the first and last thing you do in politics when the numbers aren't going your way? You attack, preferably with a bitter ad that says nothing whatsover, but maligns your opponent. Check this ad out (paid for by the state Democratic party).
As BadgerBlogger pointed out, this cartoon (!) "seems to be aimed at 6-year-olds . . ." Looks like 2010 will be full of polite, good natured campaigns, eh?
Be Quiet!
Annoyed at the amount of noise coming from the street. It's 2am on a Monday morning - get in your car and go home already.
Pizza Hut with Smiley and Ginger
Smiley came home from school one day with a certificate for a free pizza from Pizza Hut, some kind of reward for reading. Odd that, as the boy can't read a lick. But, free food is free food, and one day when the older girls were out and about I took Smiley and Ginger to claim his prize.
Here's some pics from that day.
As an extra-special Bonus pic, here's one of Ginger goofing around with a Santa hat.
Here's some pics from that day.
As an extra-special Bonus pic, here's one of Ginger goofing around with a Santa hat.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
LuLu's K5 Graduation
This past week featured a big day for LuLu, the graduation ceremonies that moved her from the world of kindergarten into First Grade.
We got there just in the nick of time to see her class stroll onto the stage and begin a short musical program. Note that she was front and center for the songs.
Here's Lu performing "Oh What a Miracle Am I". What's neat is that it's a song from the Baby Songs DVD that she adored as a toddler.
This is "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story.
Here's a poem they recited about summer and first grade. "To First Grade we are Going . . . "
Finally, to the tune of "On Wisconsin!" it was "On to First Grade!"
Ginger was great during the whole thing
Then it was time for the diplomas. LuLu was one of the last to receive hers, and I thought I detected a note of worry in my girl :)
We took some photos after the ceremony, then enjoyed a table of baked goods.
I should note that YaYa left class to join us, but she somehow avoided the camera.
Congratulations LuLu! Enjoy your summer and get ready for the First Grade :)
We got there just in the nick of time to see her class stroll onto the stage and begin a short musical program. Note that she was front and center for the songs.
Here's Lu performing "Oh What a Miracle Am I". What's neat is that it's a song from the Baby Songs DVD that she adored as a toddler.
This is "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story.
Here's a poem they recited about summer and first grade. "To First Grade we are Going . . . "
Finally, to the tune of "On Wisconsin!" it was "On to First Grade!"
Ginger was great during the whole thing
Then it was time for the diplomas. LuLu was one of the last to receive hers, and I thought I detected a note of worry in my girl :)
We took some photos after the ceremony, then enjoyed a table of baked goods.
I should note that YaYa left class to join us, but she somehow avoided the camera.
Congratulations LuLu! Enjoy your summer and get ready for the First Grade :)
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Oopsie - A happy (Belated) Birthday to KayKay
Today my sister C jokingly said she was insulted that I hadn't posted a birthday greeting for my niece yesterday.
"You couldn't remember her birthday, but you remembered George Bush's?" she said.
Point taken, apologies offered, head hangs in shame.
Happy 13th Birthday KayKay!
"You couldn't remember her birthday, but you remembered George Bush's?" she said.
Point taken, apologies offered, head hangs in shame.
Happy 13th Birthday KayKay!
"Emma Retts" a story by YaYa written 6-2-09
This story is cross-posted on YaYa's (private) blog The Monkey House. Any and all of her 'invited' readers, please comment on her site and click on 'follow', as she *does* pay attention to such things. Thanks!
* * * * *
Emma Retts
by [YaYa]
I looked up at the board we were learning the cursive letter "z" the last letter! My friend named Sofie said "did we learn th letter " y" ? " yet ? she said . Mr. Comma said yes we did Sofie . He said to start are page. Do we curve the "z" ? I asked. A boy named Nate whispered to me yeah Dumbo! I just stared [at] my work.
When I walked home with my friends, my mom said welcome home Emma! I said bye to my friends. I walked inside my mom made a cake . What for? I said to my mother. She said my cousin Gina just won being vice president. Who cares I thought?
mom and I got changed my brother was already there. why can't he just take us in his own car? Teens are just that way,if thy get caught with family they get embarrassed from girls. When is dad coming back? Is he still in China? I miss him ! why don't you cheek the mail,maybe there's a letter from dad. I went on the porch mom! there"s a letter from dad!
it says: dear Lisa,Dan, and Emma I won't be home till May. sorry, my store was poor for awhile then , it was filled ! love ,daddy
* * * * *
Emma Retts
by [YaYa]
I looked up at the board we were learning the cursive letter "z" the last letter! My friend named Sofie said "did we learn th letter " y" ? " yet ? she said . Mr. Comma said yes we did Sofie . He said to start are page. Do we curve the "z" ? I asked. A boy named Nate whispered to me yeah Dumbo! I just stared [at] my work.
When I walked home with my friends, my mom said welcome home Emma! I said bye to my friends. I walked inside my mom made a cake . What for? I said to my mother. She said my cousin Gina just won being vice president. Who cares I thought?
mom and I got changed my brother was already there. why can't he just take us in his own car? Teens are just that way,if thy get caught with family they get embarrassed from girls. When is dad coming back? Is he still in China? I miss him ! why don't you cheek the mail,maybe there's a letter from dad. I went on the porch mom! there"s a letter from dad!
it says: dear Lisa,Dan, and Emma I won't be home till May. sorry, my store was poor for awhile then , it was filled ! love ,daddy
Friday, June 12, 2009
Happy 85th Birthday Mr. President!
Today, on his 85th birthday, George Herbert Walker Bush once again went skydiving. Kudos to the man, because I've always been too chicken to try it - and I'm not the one old enough to remember FDR's first term!
Happy Birthday Mr. President, and I hope I see you keep your vow of jumping again to celebrate your 90th.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
In which I bit** and moan and groan
While I continue to work pretty steadily, the income just isn't cutting it, and there is very little in the way of good (financial) news in the foreseeable future.
* I got word the other day that I didn't land the job with the City. Not only would it have restored the income level of Job Prior, it would have increased it to the point of literally changing our lives. After a few months of wading through the civil service process it was no-go.
* I am registered to begin teacher certification with MPS in July, but that's income that's still months away at best.
* I put serious thought into managing a property up-North, which would have meant leaving the city (duh) and moving the family across the state. That's not something I could normally see myself doing, but there were pluses:
I thought maybe we could rent our current house for enough $ to manage the mortgage from a distance. There's certainly enough people interested in taking up residence here, as now two friends AND a co-worker have asked about moving in.
But in the end, I can't see ourselves doing it, for a number of reasons I needn't go into here. Not that the job is mine for the taking, because I don't mean to give that impression.
* Physically, I'm exercising more and feel better, although my heel spur still aches. Lisa on the other hand is plagued by an abscessed tooth that is defying antibiotics and must be pulled - if/when we can ever get bleeping approval from the insurance company. I've been through major tooth pain, and I know it sucks. It bothers me to see her in so much pain.
* Mentally, eh. A few weeks ago, after LuLu threw up before each of her three dance recitals, my Dad innocently mentioned a tidbit about me. As a kid my anxiety was so bad that I'd throw up many mornings before school. He mentioned it to make LuLu feel better, but it just destroyed me for a few weeks. Truthfully, I'd damn near blocked out that memory.
I would say that had I been pressed, I would have remembered it. But not once, not ONCE in twenty odd years did it pop into my head. It seems so insignificant sitting here in 2009, but it brought back all kinds of dormant insecurities and anxieties. Given an inch, all those social issues tried their damnest to reassert themselves.
Ugh.
* * *
Anyway, enough belly-aching. My Dad's Big Bad Boss - at least, the one I remember from my childhood - passed away in California in the last few days.
He shared a last name with a character from The Honeymooners, and he was a major prick. Loud, obnoxious,oblivious to other people's feelings, and cheap. My Dad worked 3rd shift and he used to call and wake him up for the most inane of reasons, almost for the sheer pleasure of destroying his rest
I remember him yelling at me for playing Space Invaders in his lobby, and how he kept a lion he killed on safari on permanent display in the window. The latter was cool; the former just stupid. Why put the video game there if you don't want people playing it?
Decades later, when I was a manager in the same industry, I found out those memories weren't exaggerated by my youth. Top to bottom, everyone who'd encountered him echoed my sentiments. But you just know his obituary will be full of glowing, nostalgic anecdotes, because that's how the world works.
RIP regardless sir. If nothing else, you gave me something NOT to emulate.
* I got word the other day that I didn't land the job with the City. Not only would it have restored the income level of Job Prior, it would have increased it to the point of literally changing our lives. After a few months of wading through the civil service process it was no-go.
* I am registered to begin teacher certification with MPS in July, but that's income that's still months away at best.
* I put serious thought into managing a property up-North, which would have meant leaving the city (duh) and moving the family across the state. That's not something I could normally see myself doing, but there were pluses:
a) it was a job in my old field
b) the cost of living is cheaper there
c) in addition to a salary, it included a rent-free house and utilities.
I thought maybe we could rent our current house for enough $ to manage the mortgage from a distance. There's certainly enough people interested in taking up residence here, as now two friends AND a co-worker have asked about moving in.
But in the end, I can't see ourselves doing it, for a number of reasons I needn't go into here. Not that the job is mine for the taking, because I don't mean to give that impression.
* Physically, I'm exercising more and feel better, although my heel spur still aches. Lisa on the other hand is plagued by an abscessed tooth that is defying antibiotics and must be pulled - if/when we can ever get bleeping approval from the insurance company. I've been through major tooth pain, and I know it sucks. It bothers me to see her in so much pain.
* Mentally, eh. A few weeks ago, after LuLu threw up before each of her three dance recitals, my Dad innocently mentioned a tidbit about me. As a kid my anxiety was so bad that I'd throw up many mornings before school. He mentioned it to make LuLu feel better, but it just destroyed me for a few weeks. Truthfully, I'd damn near blocked out that memory.
I would say that had I been pressed, I would have remembered it. But not once, not ONCE in twenty odd years did it pop into my head. It seems so insignificant sitting here in 2009, but it brought back all kinds of dormant insecurities and anxieties. Given an inch, all those social issues tried their damnest to reassert themselves.
Ugh.
* * *
Anyway, enough belly-aching. My Dad's Big Bad Boss - at least, the one I remember from my childhood - passed away in California in the last few days.
He shared a last name with a character from The Honeymooners, and he was a major prick. Loud, obnoxious,oblivious to other people's feelings, and cheap. My Dad worked 3rd shift and he used to call and wake him up for the most inane of reasons, almost for the sheer pleasure of destroying his rest
I remember him yelling at me for playing Space Invaders in his lobby, and how he kept a lion he killed on safari on permanent display in the window. The latter was cool; the former just stupid. Why put the video game there if you don't want people playing it?
Decades later, when I was a manager in the same industry, I found out those memories weren't exaggerated by my youth. Top to bottom, everyone who'd encountered him echoed my sentiments. But you just know his obituary will be full of glowing, nostalgic anecdotes, because that's how the world works.
RIP regardless sir. If nothing else, you gave me something NOT to emulate.
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