Skills

My youngest daughter is at the age now, where she is almost maintenance free. She can dress herself, and she can forage for something to eat without mom or dad having to prepare her something. She has moved from the larvae stage to the caterpillar stage. She has entered the time in her life where money and a ride are more important than help putting her shoes on. Keep in mind, she's almost eight, so her needs/wants that involve money, are not quite as burdensome as my fifteen year old. So she's at the age now where she can help with chores around the house. She can dust, vacuum, even cook herself a grilled cheese sandwich. She is now equipped with skills. Remember, she's only eight, so some of those skills need some time to be honed. You've probably heard, or even used the term 'mad skills'. Her skills are more along the lines of 'maddening skills'. She can do certain things, but sometimes (more often than not) she makes a mess in the process. One such skill that comes to mind, is her ability to butter a piece of bread. We must go through twice the amount of butter, peanut butter, jelly, etc. than we did a year ago. When she wishes to prepare a piece of toast or bread, we end up with butter on the countertop, the front of the cabinet, her clothes, her glasses, occasionally my clothes,.... it's everywhere! The knife she's used to spread her coat of goodness, has substance halfway up the handle. I have entered the kitchen behind her, and leaned up against the countertop, and got peanut butter on my pants. I once tried to pick up a glass that had been left over from the night before, and it was concreted to the countertop with dried jelly. So as much as I appreciate the fact that she has the abilities to fend for herself, I can't wait for the day when she displays a little more control over her motor skills, and they progress from 'maddening' to just plain old 'mad'.

I Need a Rest

What a busy weekend! I had multiple things on the 'honey do' list, multiple engagements, multiple spontaneous plans and events, and, amazingly enough, I think I accomplished everything but one. WHEW! I need to go to work today to relax from the weekend. What's wrong with that scenario? The madness started right after work on Friday evening, and finished at around 11 PM Sunday night. Friday night was pizza making along with a couple of beers, some friends, and fire on the patio. The next morning involved a trek to the farmer's market on a quest for greens. Then, indirectly involved with my wife's garage sale while trying to keep our children, and the children next door, from breaking our junk that was for sale, and entertaining them. Following the sale was a mad rush to box up everything that didn't sell, and ship it off to Goodwill. This had to be accomplished before 4 PM, because we had a graduation party to attend. Made the graduation party in time, but prior to the party, we had to visit Nobbies to search for some last minute costumes accessories for a 5K run we were going to participate in. I know, you're thinking, "Costumes and 5K"? It's called the 'Dignity Run'. Leave your dignity at home, get dressed up, and run around Elmwood park in costume. What a blast! Some of the costumes were brilliant. That concluded Saturday, which was all I could muster the energy for anyway. Sunday morning was our meeting, followed by a trip to Louie M's for lunch. Came home, mowed the lawn, broke down a bunch of cardboard for recycling, took out the garbage, loaded tools on my truck for Monday, and snuck in a cat nap while watching a James Bond movie. Then off to a friend's house for a little wine and cheese party, and bidding farewell to another friend's little brother, who happens to live in Paris. That's France, not Texas. Just reliving the weekend long enough to fill up a blog, has me exhausted again. I may have to go back to bed.

Sparky

This would happen to be the endeared moniker most electricians hate, but other tradesmen love to refer to our friends who play with electricity. Over the years, there's been several electricians I've worked around. Some good, some not so good. At present, there happens to be three electricians I would actually let work in my house. They've been at their trade for awhile, and they're still alive! They're also not scary individuals, living in a van down by the river, unlike the tile trade. They actually have to attend classes, and become certified, because we're talking about potential danger to themselves, and the public. It's a little different than gluing something shiny to your wall. Unfortunately, there's only one electrician I can call on to help me out when something shorts out, and needs an expert's 'know how'. He's been a friend of our family's for quite a few years. He shows up to practically all our family functions, he helps out when there's a, say, a fence building project, he's been to weddings, funerals, etc. etc. In fact, he was hanging out with my cousin, and pretty much adopted himself into our family, when they were in high school. So we've known him through some of his teenage years prior to his fascination with everything electrical. I'm pretty sure he would be offended if we were to call another electrician to come into our house and have something done, so he remains the sole wiring jockey of our domicile. But, each time he comes to our house, he has all these grandiose electrical ideas and solutions, that are probably going to run me into the hundreds of dollars. He's all about having the right light wash over something, or getting rid of light fixtures in place of can lights, running cable TV to my patio, and the list just keeps compiling. Fortunately, my budget for electrical work keeps him at bay. Otherwise, Sparky would be a permanent light fixture at my house.

Hit The Big Time

Obviously, if your song makes it on the radio, you've done something right. If you continue to make beautiful music, and end up with hit after hit, you're a musical genius, on your way to becoming an icon. So what happens to a person, whose career has been marked by success, and the road is paved in gold, and as I'm walking through the grocery store, there is canned music with someone else's voice singing their hit song? I'm sure their career is still considered a success, but has their stardom been tarnished a bit? As an artist, don't you have to agree to let your music be processed and canned, like Del Monte green beans, and played throughout the grocery store or mall? Is this considered a sellout? Many feel, when an artist lends his/her song to a TV commercial, that's as bad as child abuse. Diehard fans consider this a betrayal of their loyal fanship. The artist may just view it as another way to earn a paycheck. Or perhaps they're bound by a contract that rapes and pillages their music, and lends it to any commercial contract that will give them a nickel. The artist may have signed such a contract, thinking this was their lucky break, and the only way to get their music heard. My feeling is, apparently that particular song playing at HyVee today, has run its course of popularity, and its time to pasture it. (Sorry Chumba Wumba). I guess HyVee doesn't have access to current top 40, or the latest Indie rock. So if you find your rock n' roll career has slowly faded over the years, and you're tired of playing county fairs for $5 a head ticket price, and packing out the local bars where the fire marshall allows no more than 64 people, I would search out these stores playing the bastardized version of my song, and ask them for a gig. Maybe you can get the redemption price from double coupon day, instead of proceeds from ticket sales. I would also insist on a name tag, and a spot in their commercial.

Recall

Have you noticed that practically all consumer products, from your Prius, to your Motrin, are too dangerous for us 'informed consumers' to use. I haven't searched, but I'm sure there's a list of everything on the recall chopping block, that a consumer can search out to see if it's safe to use. When I was younger, I don't remember really any recalls to speak of. Ford didn't recall the Pinto, they just warned everyone of the possible firebomb you could be rolling around in. And now all of our toys are unsafe due to lead paint. It's due to the fact everything is made in China now. But I'm sure Taiwan and Mexico used the same paint when I was younger, and China probably bought it from those countries on close out. It appears that companies are so gun shy, they over think the worst case scenarios, and then push the emergency button to avoid any type of lawsuit that may occur from some freak accident. For instance, I never once came close to hanging myself on the cord to the blinds while jumping on the bed. And I jumped on the bed a lot! But my parents didn't even consider suing the company that made the chest of drawers, for having 90 degree edges, when I flew head first into it and had to have stitches in my eyebrow. There were no qualms over bad design on the school desk I fell from or the makers of the bed, (with a bedpost), that my arm hit and shattered my elbow. It was my fault. No one else was to blame when my friend's older brother threw a screwdriver, and it stuck into the back of his little brother's head. We were attempting this with our eyes closed. This was not oversight on the behalf of the screwdriver manufacturer to fail to put a warning label on the screwdriver, saying you should keep your eyes open while throwing your screwdriver. The chain link fence people never put a disclaimer for those of us who decided to lick an icicle in the wintertime, warning you that your tongue would freeze to the fence. Do you remember how hot the metal slide was at the park in the dead of summer? Yeah, it burned the back of your legs the first time down, but you kept going back for more until your skin toughened, and then it was fun. It didn't matter that our Halloween costumes weren't flame retardant. There were no recall on seat belts in automobiles. Seat belts were an option until 1972. It's just simply amazing we've lived through all of this danger, surrounding us at all times. I guess the generations after us are more fragile, and perhaps need the extra protection. Honestly, these are things I really don't worry about. Even as a kid, there was no chance of keeping me in a bubble! I had a world to conquer in my unsafe clothing, with my toxic toys, and my use of household tools and products for entertainment purposes only! I may live on the edge today, and attempt to drink out of the hose:)

Transcending Generations

You can tell the worth of a good comedian, if he can coin a term, or catch phrase, and have it become a part of everyday conversation, no matter where you may happen to find yourself, locally or abroad. Then, when the quip is expressed by someone who is actually younger than when the performance took place, that's just stellar that it's being carried on by the next generation. Over the weekend, we're all in my truck, cruising along, and listening to a Kings of Leon cd. Side point - Kings of Leon rock! A certain song starts to play, and my youngest daughter says, "I think it needs more cowbell". Of course this gets a chuckle from everyone in the truck, but I got to thinking afterward, has she seen that SNL skit? I think Will Ferrell did that before she was even born. Kudos to Will Ferrell for doing something so brilliantly funny, that it has stuck. My seven year old has developed the sense to figure out comedic irony and satire. I'm not sure if I should thank Will Ferrell for helping to teach my daughter this quality. She's the kind of person who may start working up her own material. I may have a class clown in the making. Her older sister is very quick witted also, but she likes to use her wit to completely destroy a person's self confidence, or self worth. When she lets a zinger fly, just hope it doesn't hit you in the side of the head on the way to its target. It will hurt and possibly leave a bruise.