I had Da Chimpz all day today. Which means I poured a lot of juice, broke up a lot of fights, and made a lot of potatoes and eggs for lunch -- which the little simians liked a lot. Used a leftover potato/onion combo that I roasted in foil on the grill the other day -- I cubed it and added it to sauted red pepper and red onion, then a coat of egg. Came out nice.
Used my new GPS device this evening as we made a cross-town trip to Rocky River to pick up five pounds of coffee beans(!). What a great little gadget. We especially enjoyed defying its instructions in order to take the scenic route through the park. It had to recalculate the route several times in order to accommodate our repeated deviations.
The robot revolution will not go unchallenged.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Alane's jury experience is woefully reminiscent of the trial of the LIRR Colin Ferguson who also represented himself -- with similar results. In fact, as Alane told me of her courtroom drama, it was all I could do but think of researching the crime with a law school prof or hearing of the trial on the radio from one-time counsel Ron Kuby.What struck me from the LIRR shooter trial was the ability of a murderer to cross-examine some of his intended victims. It's nice to hear the rapists are afforded a similar courtesy.
Wikipedia, in its best deadpan, reports: "Ferguson's trial proved to be bizarre as he would be cross examining the police that arrested him and victims he shot."
Oh, what an understatement. My favorite part was how he referred to himself in the third person throughout. Classic.
Maybe his case would have gotten a bit more coverage had it not been for the uber-coverage given to the O.J. trial which was coming down at about the same time. I remember watching the O.J. verdict from the office of the New York Law Joural's owner. We all shook our heads and wondered.
Some things are just made for TV. Too bad Cleveland isn't a media town.
No idea when I last posted but I wanted to say that I believe Alane's post is supportive of an opinion I have held for some time.
In my opinion Darwin could be right about evolution of the animal kingdom but surely not about "homo sapiens." Once humankind began manipulating the environment it skewed the equation.
I believe stupidity would be classified as a lethal mutation but for the intervention of society or luck or both. *Hence the Darwin Awards for those taking themselves out of the gene pool before they replicate their genes.*
Perhaps incarceration is a blessing for your defendant.
It's probably too close to making judgments to say whether this is a good or bad thing, so I will just say we all need mercy and leave it at that.
In my opinion Darwin could be right about evolution of the animal kingdom but surely not about "homo sapiens." Once humankind began manipulating the environment it skewed the equation.
I believe stupidity would be classified as a lethal mutation but for the intervention of society or luck or both. *Hence the Darwin Awards for those taking themselves out of the gene pool before they replicate their genes.*
Perhaps incarceration is a blessing for your defendant.
It's probably too close to making judgments to say whether this is a good or bad thing, so I will just say we all need mercy and leave it at that.
Friday, July 27, 2007
My jury duty ended on Tuesday and now I may finally share my small part in making the wheels of justice turn.
Let me start by saying that I have always been of the opinion that one should not undertake to do what others have taken serious time training or learning to do and believe that one can do it just as well. My jury duty time proved that this was indeed not just some strange vendetta against the self taught but a valid point.
My jury duty started on a Wednesday and I was told that I would be kept a minimum of 5 days. I get through Wednesday and Thursday without being chosen to sit in judgment of my peers. On Fridays, due to the summer I guess, the court only calls panels about to noon. If you are not chosen by noon, you get to go for the weekend. So its Friday and the clock is ticking closer and closer to giving me a free afternoon--but no at 11:45, I am called for yet another panel.
I head up to the courtroom feeling pretty confident that I may not get to go at 12:00 but I should be stricken by 1:00 or so and be on my way. All hopes of this were shattered immediately upon entering the courtroom when I look at the defense table and see that the defendant is sitting by himself. I am praying that defense counsel is just in another courtroom doing a sentencing or a quick pre-trial hearing but No, this guy has decided to represent himself.
Now, normally the minute I say that I have practiced law and attended law school, I suddenly am no longer a peer and get booted off the jury. Still praying for the 1:00 release, I give this spiel and cross my fingers. However, due to the defendants vast experience in picking a jury and the prosecution just wanting this nightmare over--I am actually chosen. The case is a criminal matter with some serious charges.
Opening arguments commence and the judge has to tell the defendant for what will be the first but not last time that he is not allowed to make statements to the jury that he is innocent. During his remarkable opening statement, he asks us if we know any con-men or
liars, he proclaims his innocence and then begins to explain the vast conspiracy that exists to put him away. Unfortunately, due to the hour, court needed to adjourn and we had to wait until monday for more.
On Monday, the prosecution begins its case and calls a bunch of people to the stand. One of the people that is called is the alleged victim--who the self representing defendant gets to cross. This is a stomach turning moment for all of us sitting there, but since he really had no idea what he is doing--he doesnt take too long. Then another witness is called by the prosecution that knows the defendant. This I will say provides what has to be the highlight of this travesty.
The defendant starts cross-examination and commits the error that all that attended law school are warned about in their first course concerning litigation and the rest of us with common sense would know not to do--he asks a question that he does not know the answer to. Suffice to say the answer to the question is not what the defendant wanted to hear. Indeed, it informed the jury that our very innocent defendant was currently sitting in jail for a very similar crime. At this point, the defendant objects. The judge has to tell him that you can't object to your own question. This did not make the defendant happy. He goes back to the defense table to look for his notes to ask the witness some more questions and as he is turning and going back towards the witness box--he falls to the ground as though he is seizing or having a heart attack and lies there. At this point, I am trying very hard not to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. The judge of course has to clear the jury out and call EMS. The judge then meets with us and tells us that the defendant will be checked out by medical personnel--but basically if he is not dead or in a coma--the case will go on the next day.
So the next morning, we go up and enter the courtroom and the defendant is in a wheel chair--not just any wheelchair but one of those things that quadrapalegics like Stephen Hawkins use. He is also securely manacled to it. He also has apparently become mute do to the terrible fall of the day before and is unable to communicate. The judge explains that the defendant has been checked out thoroughly by medical personnel and they could find nothing wrong with the defendant, so the judge says he is going to continue on. However, this posed a slight problem as the defendant was on cross at the time of his medical incident--so the judge just asks the now mute defendant would he like to continue to cross but the defendant doesnt answer so the judge takes that as a no and moves on. Occassionally the defendant would start moaning and saying his head hurt and the room was spinning. This prompted the judge to tell the defendant that if he didnt keep quiet, he would gag him.
The defendant eventually realized that the judge was not playing and "recovered" enough to ask for a continuation which the judge did not grant. So then the prosecution rests and the judge asks the defendant if he would like to call anyone--the defendant says yes--but of course the witnesses are not available. So the court gives him an hour to round up the witnesses. We reconvene in an hour and remarkably the defendant was unable to find anyone to testify for him and even more amazing, is now out of his wheelchair and apparently fully recovered.
So he rests and closing arguments are done which went about as well as the rest of the trial for him. We go and deliberate and even though he did not do anything to help himself, the prosecution had managed to put on a decent case and prove all the necessary elements for the various charges for the most part. So after about an hour of deliberation, we return our verdict--which actually included one charge we found him not guilty on. (Not due to anything he did).
The judge immediately unloads--it was like he was waiting for this time for the whole trial. He tells us on the record that the defendant had not one but two attorneys and had fired them both. He told us how he had told the defendant that it was aterrible idea to represent himself and had even told him that he could have an attorney just to assist him with the technical stuff and the defendant would not take that. He explained all the prior problems with the law the defendant had one of which had caused him to serve 12 years in prison. The defendant who seemed unable to stop himself from speaking explained that the prior problems were just bad luck and unfortunate events. This caused the prosecutor's head to explode and the prosecutor was like, Shooting and killing someone with a gun is not bad luck.
The judge sentenced the guy to 15 years each for the two counts. He then asked the defendant if he should run the sentence concurrently or consequatively (sp?). The judge told the guy, If you apologize to me, the jury, and the prosecution for wasting our time and for that pratfall you took, I will run them consecutive. (meaning 15 years). If you do not, you will go away for 30 years. The guy did not apologize and he was sentenced to thirty years.
So ended my stint on jury duty....
Let me start by saying that I have always been of the opinion that one should not undertake to do what others have taken serious time training or learning to do and believe that one can do it just as well. My jury duty time proved that this was indeed not just some strange vendetta against the self taught but a valid point.
My jury duty started on a Wednesday and I was told that I would be kept a minimum of 5 days. I get through Wednesday and Thursday without being chosen to sit in judgment of my peers. On Fridays, due to the summer I guess, the court only calls panels about to noon. If you are not chosen by noon, you get to go for the weekend. So its Friday and the clock is ticking closer and closer to giving me a free afternoon--but no at 11:45, I am called for yet another panel.
I head up to the courtroom feeling pretty confident that I may not get to go at 12:00 but I should be stricken by 1:00 or so and be on my way. All hopes of this were shattered immediately upon entering the courtroom when I look at the defense table and see that the defendant is sitting by himself. I am praying that defense counsel is just in another courtroom doing a sentencing or a quick pre-trial hearing but No, this guy has decided to represent himself.
Now, normally the minute I say that I have practiced law and attended law school, I suddenly am no longer a peer and get booted off the jury. Still praying for the 1:00 release, I give this spiel and cross my fingers. However, due to the defendants vast experience in picking a jury and the prosecution just wanting this nightmare over--I am actually chosen. The case is a criminal matter with some serious charges.
Opening arguments commence and the judge has to tell the defendant for what will be the first but not last time that he is not allowed to make statements to the jury that he is innocent. During his remarkable opening statement, he asks us if we know any con-men or
liars, he proclaims his innocence and then begins to explain the vast conspiracy that exists to put him away. Unfortunately, due to the hour, court needed to adjourn and we had to wait until monday for more.
On Monday, the prosecution begins its case and calls a bunch of people to the stand. One of the people that is called is the alleged victim--who the self representing defendant gets to cross. This is a stomach turning moment for all of us sitting there, but since he really had no idea what he is doing--he doesnt take too long. Then another witness is called by the prosecution that knows the defendant. This I will say provides what has to be the highlight of this travesty.
The defendant starts cross-examination and commits the error that all that attended law school are warned about in their first course concerning litigation and the rest of us with common sense would know not to do--he asks a question that he does not know the answer to. Suffice to say the answer to the question is not what the defendant wanted to hear. Indeed, it informed the jury that our very innocent defendant was currently sitting in jail for a very similar crime. At this point, the defendant objects. The judge has to tell him that you can't object to your own question. This did not make the defendant happy. He goes back to the defense table to look for his notes to ask the witness some more questions and as he is turning and going back towards the witness box--he falls to the ground as though he is seizing or having a heart attack and lies there. At this point, I am trying very hard not to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. The judge of course has to clear the jury out and call EMS. The judge then meets with us and tells us that the defendant will be checked out by medical personnel--but basically if he is not dead or in a coma--the case will go on the next day.
So the next morning, we go up and enter the courtroom and the defendant is in a wheel chair--not just any wheelchair but one of those things that quadrapalegics like Stephen Hawkins use. He is also securely manacled to it. He also has apparently become mute do to the terrible fall of the day before and is unable to communicate. The judge explains that the defendant has been checked out thoroughly by medical personnel and they could find nothing wrong with the defendant, so the judge says he is going to continue on. However, this posed a slight problem as the defendant was on cross at the time of his medical incident--so the judge just asks the now mute defendant would he like to continue to cross but the defendant doesnt answer so the judge takes that as a no and moves on. Occassionally the defendant would start moaning and saying his head hurt and the room was spinning. This prompted the judge to tell the defendant that if he didnt keep quiet, he would gag him.
The defendant eventually realized that the judge was not playing and "recovered" enough to ask for a continuation which the judge did not grant. So then the prosecution rests and the judge asks the defendant if he would like to call anyone--the defendant says yes--but of course the witnesses are not available. So the court gives him an hour to round up the witnesses. We reconvene in an hour and remarkably the defendant was unable to find anyone to testify for him and even more amazing, is now out of his wheelchair and apparently fully recovered.
So he rests and closing arguments are done which went about as well as the rest of the trial for him. We go and deliberate and even though he did not do anything to help himself, the prosecution had managed to put on a decent case and prove all the necessary elements for the various charges for the most part. So after about an hour of deliberation, we return our verdict--which actually included one charge we found him not guilty on. (Not due to anything he did).
The judge immediately unloads--it was like he was waiting for this time for the whole trial. He tells us on the record that the defendant had not one but two attorneys and had fired them both. He told us how he had told the defendant that it was aterrible idea to represent himself and had even told him that he could have an attorney just to assist him with the technical stuff and the defendant would not take that. He explained all the prior problems with the law the defendant had one of which had caused him to serve 12 years in prison. The defendant who seemed unable to stop himself from speaking explained that the prior problems were just bad luck and unfortunate events. This caused the prosecutor's head to explode and the prosecutor was like, Shooting and killing someone with a gun is not bad luck.
The judge sentenced the guy to 15 years each for the two counts. He then asked the defendant if he should run the sentence concurrently or consequatively (sp?). The judge told the guy, If you apologize to me, the jury, and the prosecution for wasting our time and for that pratfall you took, I will run them consecutive. (meaning 15 years). If you do not, you will go away for 30 years. The guy did not apologize and he was sentenced to thirty years.
So ended my stint on jury duty....
Thursday, July 26, 2007
The tooth fairy is working overtime around here this week. Yesterday morning, as we made ready to leave for the day, Mojo approached me holding a bloody rag at his mouth and announced that one of his front teeth was coming it.Yeah, it was pretty loose and bleeding -- but time is money, so I reached into his head and ripped it the rest of the way out. He was very happy. We wiped the blood from his face, he ate a bowl of Corn Pops, and off he went to summer camp... with a smile that looked like a train wreck.
By the time I picked the up from camp in this afternoon's deluge of rain, that one remaining front tooth looked even more crooked. We went to Capri Pizza and it was all I could do to make the little guy laugh -- because seeing that smashed-up doofus-smile really cracked me up.
But it wasn't long after we got home tonight that it too came out. Now he's got a giant blank space in the upper grill. For now, at least.
Exciting stuff.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Feh. I've eaten things worse than grubs. And not out of necessity, either. Jenia too.
Let Jenia and I drop that guy off at Brooklyn's Brighton Beach and tell him he's got to get himself to Hester Street -- we'll see how long he can survive in those wilds.
Glad to hear Uncle Joe found his Groucho puppet.
Let Jenia and I drop that guy off at Brooklyn's Brighton Beach and tell him he's got to get himself to Hester Street -- we'll see how long he can survive in those wilds.
Glad to hear Uncle Joe found his Groucho puppet.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Alane, I too would marry the host of man vs. wild. Having a son named Marmaduke is that much more appetizing for me. I also want to tell you that I think it's amazing that you are all (sans John) going to ride for Corn.(I like saying it that way) Good for you guys, you're children are athletes already, at such a tender age.
Ok, so this weekend was birthday weekend, Deklan's 1st circus birthday, and MariaRose's 20th Night at the Races birthday party. Both were thoroughly enjoyable. MariaRose's was modeled around the Kentucky Derby, everyone had to wear a hat. Jenia and I forgot our cameras, but PLEASE tell me Bazooka brought his to post some up here. The winner went to Steve Fatone, who wore a wooden bucket upside down, handle as chin strap, nailed a birdhouse to the top, glued styrofoam to the lower part of the bucket, and attached some leaves and a cardinal to it. Uncle Joe had a witches hat with a puppet of Graucho Marks sitting on top with a plunger on top of his head, sitting on a bunch of magazine clippings of things that are one Uncle Joe's mind. (Like a person sticking up their middle finger). Deklan looked Amish in his upside down diaper hat, Ellexa looked smashing (as always) in her pink, sequined cowboy hat. Joe wore a derby with a feather, Steve wore a homemade Pope hat, Jenia wore an awful pastel yellow black lady Easter hat, and I wore a Nature hat, made of fake flowers, butterflies, and anything else that came on the .75 rack at the store. I loved it, we watched pre-recorded horse races and bet on them, and then played a heated 20+ person dice game called Left Center Right. (Although for some reason in this family we all call it Left, Right, Center). We all had a blast. I got Uncle Vito to play dice, we wondered how many years it has been since he played a game. We're betting the late 1960's.
Ok, so this weekend was birthday weekend, Deklan's 1st circus birthday, and MariaRose's 20th Night at the Races birthday party. Both were thoroughly enjoyable. MariaRose's was modeled around the Kentucky Derby, everyone had to wear a hat. Jenia and I forgot our cameras, but PLEASE tell me Bazooka brought his to post some up here. The winner went to Steve Fatone, who wore a wooden bucket upside down, handle as chin strap, nailed a birdhouse to the top, glued styrofoam to the lower part of the bucket, and attached some leaves and a cardinal to it. Uncle Joe had a witches hat with a puppet of Graucho Marks sitting on top with a plunger on top of his head, sitting on a bunch of magazine clippings of things that are one Uncle Joe's mind. (Like a person sticking up their middle finger). Deklan looked Amish in his upside down diaper hat, Ellexa looked smashing (as always) in her pink, sequined cowboy hat. Joe wore a derby with a feather, Steve wore a homemade Pope hat, Jenia wore an awful pastel yellow black lady Easter hat, and I wore a Nature hat, made of fake flowers, butterflies, and anything else that came on the .75 rack at the store. I loved it, we watched pre-recorded horse races and bet on them, and then played a heated 20+ person dice game called Left Center Right. (Although for some reason in this family we all call it Left, Right, Center). We all had a blast. I got Uncle Vito to play dice, we wondered how many years it has been since he played a game. We're betting the late 1960's.
Ha! I feel a bit like a cracked the Da Vinci Code figuring out how to get back on to blog. I will not remember what to do next time I try, but for now I revel in my ability to post.
I, since last Wednesday, have been doing my civic duty and attending jury duty. It has been a truly fascinating experience. I have a hard time complaining about it since I understand the need for a jury pool. When this truly amazing experience concludes, I will share with you my experience.
Friday night we took the boys to the Dew Action Sports Games. We saw the dirt BMX and I found it most enjoyable. The boys liked it but they get antsy, because I got them there earlier than I should have. I got confused by what time the actual finals were taking place.
Saturday the boys and I went out and rode some of the legal mountain bike trails. We had gone to another trail earlier in the year. The trails on Saturday did not have as good of signage as the earlier trails we rode and I was a little fearful that we might be going in the wrong direction which would be horrible as the trails are all single track and there is nowhere to go if someone is coming at you. Luckliy part of the trail I knew we were ok on and there was great hilly snow mobile paths that were wide enough that I could let the boys go without fear of head on collusion. So it ended up being an ok ride. The boys were most impressed by the McDonalds/gas station we saw in the one little town. I have seen Subway restaurants combined with Gas stations, but this was my first McDonald/Gas Station.
This Sunday the boys and I are doing the Sweet Corn Challenge. It is a 10 mile road bike ride. It is police escorted and will be their first organized ride. The course is made for families so I think they should be able to make it. I've done close to 10 mile rides with them, but if we have to drop out there's support wagons.
The boys are currently obssessed with Man vs. Wild and will sit for hours given the chance and watch the man's antics. The other night I told Cookie while I was sitting out back with John that, if "I wasnt married to daddy I would marry the man vs. wild guy." Cookie found this highly amusing. The next day, we were listening to the radio or more like it was just kinda on in the background and all of the sudden Cookie stops and says--they're talking about Man vs. Wild and sure enough it was a discussion about the maniac that hosts the show. They were talking about how the guy is married with two boys and that one of the boys is named Marmaduke. That made me even more certain that I could have married that guy.
I, since last Wednesday, have been doing my civic duty and attending jury duty. It has been a truly fascinating experience. I have a hard time complaining about it since I understand the need for a jury pool. When this truly amazing experience concludes, I will share with you my experience.
Friday night we took the boys to the Dew Action Sports Games. We saw the dirt BMX and I found it most enjoyable. The boys liked it but they get antsy, because I got them there earlier than I should have. I got confused by what time the actual finals were taking place.
Saturday the boys and I went out and rode some of the legal mountain bike trails. We had gone to another trail earlier in the year. The trails on Saturday did not have as good of signage as the earlier trails we rode and I was a little fearful that we might be going in the wrong direction which would be horrible as the trails are all single track and there is nowhere to go if someone is coming at you. Luckliy part of the trail I knew we were ok on and there was great hilly snow mobile paths that were wide enough that I could let the boys go without fear of head on collusion. So it ended up being an ok ride. The boys were most impressed by the McDonalds/gas station we saw in the one little town. I have seen Subway restaurants combined with Gas stations, but this was my first McDonald/Gas Station.
This Sunday the boys and I are doing the Sweet Corn Challenge. It is a 10 mile road bike ride. It is police escorted and will be their first organized ride. The course is made for families so I think they should be able to make it. I've done close to 10 mile rides with them, but if we have to drop out there's support wagons.
The boys are currently obssessed with Man vs. Wild and will sit for hours given the chance and watch the man's antics. The other night I told Cookie while I was sitting out back with John that, if "I wasnt married to daddy I would marry the man vs. wild guy." Cookie found this highly amusing. The next day, we were listening to the radio or more like it was just kinda on in the background and all of the sudden Cookie stops and says--they're talking about Man vs. Wild and sure enough it was a discussion about the maniac that hosts the show. They were talking about how the guy is married with two boys and that one of the boys is named Marmaduke. That made me even more certain that I could have married that guy.
I seem to have adopted a Frylockean schedule for blog-posting. Not good. This blog needs some serious help.
Well, Cookie's baseball season came to a close last weekend with a semi-final loss. But, Spongebob-like, he remained giddy throughout.
Did lots of shopping this weekend -- picked up assorted essentials and started eyeballing the next big Berea-Rose purchase: a gas stove. The simple electric model that came with the house has done and adequate job, but I'm jonesing for gas-flamed cast-iron (cookware I'm reluctant to use on an electric coil, lest I crack the metal). Don't know when I'll pull the trigger on that purchase, but when I do there will be photos -- and maybe even a meatball-production video demo!
Weather has been rather cool around here -- July hasn't felt much like July. Last night Alane and I sat outside on the back deck and as the sun disappeared it actually got too cool to for the shorts and tee-shirt I was wearing. Maybe we'll get some August heatwave action to put us into real summer mode.
Well, Cookie's baseball season came to a close last weekend with a semi-final loss. But, Spongebob-like, he remained giddy throughout.
Did lots of shopping this weekend -- picked up assorted essentials and started eyeballing the next big Berea-Rose purchase: a gas stove. The simple electric model that came with the house has done and adequate job, but I'm jonesing for gas-flamed cast-iron (cookware I'm reluctant to use on an electric coil, lest I crack the metal). Don't know when I'll pull the trigger on that purchase, but when I do there will be photos -- and maybe even a meatball-production video demo!
Weather has been rather cool around here -- July hasn't felt much like July. Last night Alane and I sat outside on the back deck and as the sun disappeared it actually got too cool to for the shorts and tee-shirt I was wearing. Maybe we'll get some August heatwave action to put us into real summer mode.
Monday, July 16, 2007
That was a nice shot John Paul. And a mighty fine helmet as well. Remember the helmet and the cup always. Someday your father will explain the need for wearing such uncomfortable equipment, even at the batting cage.
While steve and i waited for our subs from Lutina's and read the sign describing th LU-MONGOUS pizza deal going on and as we spoke to John on his cell. I watched as the pizza guy pulled a pizza from the oven burnt like a charcoal. It was awesome. He turned to the delivery guy and said" i told you watch this" he replied "ohh" We won't order the pizza there.
Ellexa said "Steeeeve" yesterday. And we missed the recording of it. next time we'll get it wehn she says Merle.
While steve and i waited for our subs from Lutina's and read the sign describing th LU-MONGOUS pizza deal going on and as we spoke to John on his cell. I watched as the pizza guy pulled a pizza from the oven burnt like a charcoal. It was awesome. He turned to the delivery guy and said" i told you watch this" he replied "ohh" We won't order the pizza there.
Ellexa said "Steeeeve" yesterday. And we missed the recording of it. next time we'll get it wehn she says Merle.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Good game, John Paul!
I guess you could say that I'm not really into fund raisers. All month at work, I will be selling red paper hearts for $1 (they are posted with names on them(those who donated) for all the school to see)money will go to the American Heart Association's Heart Walk. I don't like asking for money, no one does, especially outdoors in the dead of Florida heat. In one week I have heard the most ingenius and absurdly stupid excuses for not donating a buck. I wouldn't mind, but I have a kind demeanor, and I'm totally cool with no one donating.
Two days in a row an old faculty member spoke to me in complete French, and said "Parle vous?... Tsk Tsk", and walked away. Thanks, ass. Many people avoided eye contact with me all together and diligently studied the nutritional facts on their bottle of water. Positioned between a cafeteria and a coffee shop, you'd be amazed at how people with "not even a dime" will magically create a means to obtain a double shot espresso mocha frapaccino out of the clear blue sky, or a jamaican meat pie. It's wild. So today I saw two little black kids selling chocolate for $1, of course, I bought. It was World's Finest Chocolate Brand since 1949, the epitome of school fund raiser goodies. Even if I was bitter from work, the little kid had pieces of chocolate wedged between every tooth. I had to. PS- I donated for John Paul and Ellexa, their hearts are posted in the windows of Building 4.
I guess you could say that I'm not really into fund raisers. All month at work, I will be selling red paper hearts for $1 (they are posted with names on them(those who donated) for all the school to see)money will go to the American Heart Association's Heart Walk. I don't like asking for money, no one does, especially outdoors in the dead of Florida heat. In one week I have heard the most ingenius and absurdly stupid excuses for not donating a buck. I wouldn't mind, but I have a kind demeanor, and I'm totally cool with no one donating.
Two days in a row an old faculty member spoke to me in complete French, and said "Parle vous?... Tsk Tsk", and walked away. Thanks, ass. Many people avoided eye contact with me all together and diligently studied the nutritional facts on their bottle of water. Positioned between a cafeteria and a coffee shop, you'd be amazed at how people with "not even a dime" will magically create a means to obtain a double shot espresso mocha frapaccino out of the clear blue sky, or a jamaican meat pie. It's wild. So today I saw two little black kids selling chocolate for $1, of course, I bought. It was World's Finest Chocolate Brand since 1949, the epitome of school fund raiser goodies. Even if I was bitter from work, the little kid had pieces of chocolate wedged between every tooth. I had to. PS- I donated for John Paul and Ellexa, their hearts are posted in the windows of Building 4.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
It was a long weekend with lots of driving and now we're back in the swelter of Berea-Rose (though we should get some cooling thunderstorms tonight -- yippee).
This blog is pretty dead -- I ought-a go down and rip a fistful of leg-hair from Frylock's shin.
Accomplishment of the last week: Guido teaching Da Chimpz to rationlize outrageous acts by explaining "We wanna do what we wanna do!" They've repeated that charm several times in the last few days and I will be eternally grateful for Guido's kind contribution.
Yesterday I drove to a Circuit City in a place called Brooklyn, Ohio. Wow... What a shithole.
This blog is pretty dead -- I ought-a go down and rip a fistful of leg-hair from Frylock's shin.
Accomplishment of the last week: Guido teaching Da Chimpz to rationlize outrageous acts by explaining "We wanna do what we wanna do!" They've repeated that charm several times in the last few days and I will be eternally grateful for Guido's kind contribution.
Yesterday I drove to a Circuit City in a place called Brooklyn, Ohio. Wow... What a shithole.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Today we went out to lunch at Sweet Tomatoes Salad Buffet. It was Jenia, Janine, Deklan, Lindsay (an out-of-town friend), Whitney, Uncle Joe, and myself. When inviting Uncle Joe, Janine forgot to mention that place primarily serves only salad. This was the second time I have gone out to eat with someone at this restaurant who doesn't eat there. My brother Steve became "Salad Free Steve" from that point on. We were laughing really hard, Uncle Joe had some macaroni, and said that my (Marlena's) 'brocolli with raisins, cashews, onions, and mayo' is probably a lot better than his fettucini alfredo. In the end it didn't matter too much, Uncle Joe lost his appetite and Jenia ate enough to make up for everyone's buffet bill.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
I'm so glad Ellexa got through that procedure -- her ordeal it reminds me that I'll probably need french-drains installed in my basement.
As for the other photo... it looks like the album cover for a really schlocky 70s band. Iron Jenia and His Armpit Vapors. Does the title track of that album have the music-video that features Jenia inflating the hot water bottle?
As for the other photo... it looks like the album cover for a really schlocky 70s band. Iron Jenia and His Armpit Vapors. Does the title track of that album have the music-video that features Jenia inflating the hot water bottle?
Here she is preped and ready. So Ellexa had a myringotomy and a addenoidectomy yesterday. This would be our 4th appointment. It had been canceled because she was sick and she was sick because she needed it done. Irony. It all went well. They gave her a mild sedative before anesthesia and we held her till she was out. She was like a wet rag. So we went out in the witing room for 45 inutes and chewed our nails till she came out. We chatted for a moment with Nurse Laverne and she told us all was okay and she was in recovery. So at that point Jessica stopped crying. We went in and held her as she awoke . Apparently children awake very angry from anesthesia. I was unaware but in the recovery room she was a child i did not recognize. Her voice was hoarse and scratchy and she yelled like we were beating her. She went back and forth between us It was a little stressful to not be a ble to comfort her as we normaly could. She would make her whole body ridgid and throw her head back. But all in all she is getting better And than we heard the kid start screaming in thenext room. I had to go next door myself to see if someone was hurting h
er. PeeWee came out fine. In the recovery room the nurse explains how your next week will go. What to look for---what not to do----all that. We just stared at this lady. Fumbling and mumbling her words. I am pretty sure she had an entire bag of Big League Chew in her mouth and every few minutes she was putting more gum in her mouth. I kept counting because i was sure she had more than eve Kobuyashi could hold. She kept saying "You guys okay, you alright?" And she said it with this juicy wet mouth and spittle in the corners. I could not understand her half the time. Weird people seem to migrate in my direction. And it was not bad enough she has to explain to me very important info but she has to keep calling me sweetheart. I asked her to say that again about 38 times and then she apologized aboutthe kid screaming next door and that she'll talk louder. How about you spit that 6 lb. wad of gum out. And then she had to follow us out to the car and confirm we were truly gone. I guess? Wow. And i think her name was bernadette.........What was really difficult was that i could not make fun because this was serious. I had to know these things. I wanted to ask her what her personal record was and then ask for a piece of gum every 30 seconds till i could not speak. Jessica would not have been amused. Would alane? And ellexa is truly my child. She must touch anything with buttons and she is bored an must entertain herself at all times with anything that may be in her reach, including the cat.
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