I have to choose 1 of roughly 5 things…any of which will be a substantial endeavor and a good accomplishment but individually will leave me wanting and burdened…like cutting the grass with fingernail clippers. In this is the root of ambivalence.
Month: July 2009
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Away with no cellphone signal
The 13 year old boy left this morning for a week of adventure including fishing, orienteering, rock climbing, wilderness survival, and canoeing at Boy Scout Camp Daniel Boone. The 7 year old girl left a few minutes ago for 3 days of adventure at Girl Scout Camp Tanasi. They are both thrilled. I wish I could be with them to see their happiness, watch them work through their fears and learning, hear their giggles, and to get some camping in myself. I know they will both have a fantastic time!
Sarah comforting Amy during Amy’s first trip to Tanasi -
Strikes a chord
FiniteMobile post sent by djuggler using Utterli.
Replies. mp3
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I’m a condom commercial redux
We took the feral child to Target. I know. We have a reputation at Target. Management has explained that we aren’t allowed to leave our children overnight and we’ve caused other stinks. Mostly we are loud.The cousins are in town so we joined them and the grandparents for dinner at Chuck E Cheese. Tokens were mashed into money munching machines maniacally. The seven children ranging from just walking to just driving ran, danced, climbed, made funny faces, chased, giggled, and had a great time. We left Chuck E Cheese with much daylight remaining and decided to swing over to the West Hills Park. Naturally, there was juggling! The children played hard and further exhausted themselves.
On the way home, we reluctantly decided to stop by Target. With exhausted children, this could be disastrous. 20 feet into the door, Evan tries to wear some slippers he found on an endcap and when denied, broke down into screams and tears. I heft him up into my arms and carry him outside. I offer to take him to the car but he pulls it together slightly and we reenter the store. Evan is completely overdone so I decide to carry him on my hip. He doesn’t like this.
We each have our assignments. Noah shops for Cliff bars for his week of Boy Scout camp. Sarah searches for a video game to buy with the last of her birthday money. Cathy picks up shampoo. And Evan and I go for condoms.
Only one thing is more fun than taking a screaming child down the condom aisle. That one thing would be taking a screaming child down the condom aisle, saying "excuse me" as you reach over the other customer to grab a large bottle of Astroglide (click for a free sample) (see also Facebook and Twitter), grabbing a large box of Durex condoms as the child changes from screams to manic laughter and headbutts you, "Ow Dad! That hurt my head!" then watching the other customer hastily grab the nearest pregnancy test and run to get out of the aisle. Oh, of course, seeing the lady return muttering, "I didn’t know you could buy the wrong one." added to my amusement. I tried hard to say anything to her but couldn’t with a straight face. Evan and I make a good condom ad.
Evan has had it. Sitting on my shoulders often helps so up he goes. This gives him access to the top shelves where he grabs a box of band aids from here and leaves it over there. Of course, I cannot see what he’s doing. I mostly steer for the center of the aisles to keep his hands away from products. Sarah has disappeared with the shopping cart so here I am in the main aisle of Target with a screaming, squirming child on my shoulders, left hand holding the gallon sized container of Astroglide, and right hand holding a year’s supply of Durex condoms. Remember, I only had one penny donated toward a vasectomy and the DIY operation was canceled. I reach the checkouts. Evan is mad! We walked past his favorite toy and I would not let him down to play with it. Evan says, "I’m going to sit in your hair." He’s already sitting on my shoulders. Is sitting on my head an attempt to get down? He says it again, "I’m going to sit in your hair!" My eyes bug out. Spit! I turn to Cathy, "He’s going to spit in my hair!" Cathy, "How do you know that?" I feel the feral child bend at has waist. Sarah clasps her hand over her mouth, her eyes water and face goes red with laughter. Cathy laughs aloud. And the lady with the pregnancy test at checkout 6 hastily signs her receipt and runs from the store!
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Of Grasshoppers
Student: Is this what dying feels like?
Master: This is what living feels like. -
Rainy driving ramble
Mobile post sent by djuggler using Utterli.
Replies. mp3
Apparently Utterli had the good sense to cut me off. I went on for about another 4 minutes. It was good!
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What the Plinth?!
This past Monday began a wonderful performance art piece in Trafalgar Square in London. I am thoroughly enjoying peeking in on the people of the United Kingdom as they create a living portrait of the UK over a 100 days from July 6 to October 14. Every hour for 100 days, a different person will stand upon the Fourth Plinth (see also), the massive base which would normally hold a statue of a king or warrior, and have that as their own space to do with as they please.
Antony Gormley on the Fourth Plinth from One & Other on Vimeo.
I have seen people just stand there, two have worked out on a rowing machine for their hour, one man danced for an hour and made jokes with the crowd, a woman has raised awareness of the plight of homelessness, and so much more. I have also learned that the British do actually say, "bloody hell!" That’s not just in the movies.
Visit http://www.oneandother.co.uk/ and experience this for yourself. This should be repeated in cities around the world!
This effort is huge! I’m just guessing that it is staffed full time by 15-20 people which would include fork lift operator, security including the entourage that escorts the lift every hour, bucket operator, camera operators, console/technicians, ambulance on standby, and so forth. One & Other is doing this in conjunction with sky ARTS and produced by Artichoke. The partners in the project are too numerous to list. Of course, the Fourth Plinth project wouldn’t be happening without the participants, the Plinthers. Nice work to all! Squirrel Queen likes it too.
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I may be blocked by Websense
I’m seeing a reference to blockoptions.cgi in my log files. A little research seems to indicate that this means Websense is blocking Reality Me. Last time this happened, I had been categorized as a gambling site. I despise these types of services because the onus falls on the wrong person to prove the error. It’s like a large corporation calling you up and saying, "Our accounting department has screwed up. Would you please go back 5 years in your records and show us where our error is?" Maybe next week I’ll contact Web*doesn’tmake*sense.
You’d think when one of these disservices blocked your site, they’d contact you and let you know "we’ve blocked you for reason ____. To be removed from our list either change ______ or file a complaint at ______."
If you ever go to someone’s site that shouldn’t be blocked by such a service, drop a report with Websense or whomever or at least let the site owner know they are being blocked. The site owner probably doesn’t have any idea.
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There is a time..turn..turn..turn
I soooo want this watch!…designed by students from l’Ecole d’Arts Appliqués Genèva is a 100 % Swiss made product by Pierre Junod Switzerland and can be worn as a pocket watch, pendant or used as a small desk clock. The Materials are white hour hand & orange minute hand, anthracite anodized aluminum case, laser engraved figures, mineral glass, Swiss quartz movement…[Source, Watchismo, Eris Planetary Sphere Watch]
Seen on BoingBoing.
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A peek into Knoxville
This looks like it should be near Gatlinburg or in Seymour or Sevierville but it is surprisingly close to downtown Knoxville. Unfortunately, I learned he recently got rid of the last goat and won’t be getting any more because the stray dogs kept attacking the goats.
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I worked
I worked Saturday but took a much needed break Saturday night to join some friends at a bonfire. I worked all day and night Sunday. And yet, this project drags on. I should have blazed through this part of this particular project but it has been like trying to run through chest deep waters. I am terribly frustrated and dejected.
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I’m nuts!
I just flipped back in my journal to four years ago.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. –Albert Einstein
I’m certifiable.
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Show went pretty well
I really enjoyed tonight’s juggling show. A friend from the juggling club showed up and showed some real expertise. He obviously practices far more than I do. We started with the setting sun blinding me. For much of the first show I might as well have had my eyes closed but unfortunately could not use that as an excuse for my drops. I tried to introduce a new trick that I’ve wanted to do for years but forgot to bring a longer rolla bolla board. Coupled with my nerves and having the rolla bolla on slick concrete, the trick met with fail (but not fall). The 2nd time I tried it I picked a volunteer who was too young. That was awkward and I should have bailed. I didn’t even try getting her up on the rolla bolla. Going to set that trick aside for older audiences only and only after I’ve fine tuned it. Performing that one was a bit like a magician buying a new trick on the way to the performance and trying it out for the first time in front of the audience.On the most exceptional side, Mike and I were able to jump right into some decent passing without even a warm up. We even braved 7 torches although we rethought that one quickly and adjusted down to 6. I think if the two of us would practice together with any regularity we could be passing 9 clubs and torches in no time. I would love to put together a fully produced show at some point Karamazov style with musical accompaniment, laser lights, video screens, smoke machines, okay wait…maybe just music and microphones and we can grow from there. I had a blast! I owe Mike big time.
In other news, The Flying Karamazov Brothers have a three letter domain name! Wow!
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Dr. Internet
Okay. What disease do I have? My leg has acquired a rash. I’ve never seen anything like this. When I sit at my chair and put my foot under my seat, the skin from the calf touches the thigh exactly where the marks are so it is likely the rash started in one place and spread to the other but it is not getting an larger nor spreading anywhere else. Doesn’t seem to be getting better either.
