25 June 2010

Story Time 6/25/10

Note - I actually wrote this last week, but am just now publishing it.

I started mowing the grass tonight, but took a break for story time. Current we are reading, Thank You Santa". So reading a Christmas book while the kids are playing with the Halloween decorations they found in the draw. It is like the twilight zone.

Thank goodness, we have moved on to a non-holiday book, it is "If you give a cat a cupcake". A good book, not quite as fun to read as "If you give a pig a pancake," but fun none the less. These books kind of remind me of a TV show call connections, which start with some mundane event, and threads its way to great discovery.

24 June 2010

Reality TV, Really?

So the other day I was spending the night in a small hotel with nothing to really do but watch TV. I happened to stumble across the Golf Channel, I like golf, so I wanted to see what was on. After a few minutes, I decided that reality TV has gone to far. (A thought that I have been harbouring ever since "Survivor" started). So here is the setting, a private resort with a golf course, 10 lady golfers who played in college, and saw a little pro action, and one big house. It is like Survivor crossed with The Real World. As you can image, the challenges were all based on who was the best person on the golf course. I was telling Amy about this and she said, "Isn't that kind of what they do every week on the pga tour."

We live in a world with abundant access to books, I mean we have the printing press, Amazon's Kindle, the Sony reader, a variety of newspapers, magazines, yet, the average American house has 2.24 televisions per house. Americans spend, on average, 4 hours of Television per week. We have become a nation that would rather watch someone else's lives, that we would participate in our own life. That is what I think about reality TV...

20 June 2010

Slow Camera


Swinging
Originally uploaded by Germburner
I was taking a picture, well this picture with the Sony camera, which is not quite as fast as the Nikon, but what do you expect for a camera that is 1/4 of the price, and fits into your pocket.

Swinging


Swinging
Originally uploaded by Germburner
Cap is enjoying the swing, at what he calls, "The Little Park". Little or not, it has swings, and is within walking distance.

Fathers 2010

"One father is more than a hundred Schoolmasters." ~George Herbert, Outlandish Proverbs, 1640

So happy Father's day, the day which father's are recognized for being, well themselves for the most part. Ole George was right about fathers and schoolmasters, while I learned a lot of book smart from the teachers, I learned more about they way the world worked, in particular a 1966 mustang, than anyone else. My dad taught me how to use a drill when I was 5, I have a 5 year old and he is not going to be touching that drill for a few more years. I learned how to welded before I could drive a car. The first vehicle I drove down a street was a 5 Ton GMC Winch Truck (or Gin Pole Truck), it had a Detroit diesel engine, and 13 speed roadranger transmission. (I don't think I had started drivers education yet). More important, he taught me about integrity, honor, and respect, treat others the way you would want to be treated. Every year, they would put together a vacation trip to Houston, so I could See a doctor. Once the doctor visit was over, the trip was great, lots of fun.

Here's to dad's, while they may be sitting across the room from the conversation, looking at the paper, they are still listening to every thing. No matter what time you call, or how insurmountable the problem, they always have sound advice, and an extra heavy tow-rope to pull you out. No matter how many questions you ask, they always seem to have an answer.

19 June 2010

Saturday Morning 6 AM

I think one of my favorite times is saturday morning around 6:00 am. I get up before the kids, and can have a bit of peace and serenity. It is also a nice time to sit outside. One of the issue I have with the greater Houston area in the summer is the heat. Right now it actually feels kind of cool. In the panhandle it cooled off pretty good once the sun went down, making the back porch an "attractive" place to it. Here it is still 85 degrees, with 60 % humidity, so it is not very cool.

There are a few things I could do, pick-up back yard, go for a walk, fold my laundry, or even take some advil for the headache, as I stayed up to late to be up this early.

I can actually hear a cow mooing in the pasture across the street, which is one reason, my does not feel like it is in the big city. That is until you get on I-10 to drive into work with 500,000 other people.

15 June 2010

Tonight the president was on television, talking about the oil spill. The spill that has been going since April 20th. One interesting fact that I learned today, was the bp (British Petroleum) has more employees in the good ole USA than any other country, including Britain.

"Mean while back at the ranch," have you ever wondered why cliches are so popular. Sayings like, "bite off more than you can chew," "a rolling stone gathers no moss" are just things people say with out much thought. Is it that we are out of phrases, or just to lazy to think of something to say... ...or perhaps they are just sayings we like to use, because they sound so different than their meaning. Take "what ever tickles your fancy" has nothing to do with someone tickling you (or me) until we laugh. It means, If that is the way you like it, then it is okay with me". This would be the McDonald's slogan, unlike Burger King which has, "Have it your way."

14 June 2010

Do Not Come In My Room

Well today was the kids first day back in Katy, which was an interesting lesson in kids. Ella I think has been missing sleeping in the same room as big brother. Cap on the other hand spent some time in his room with the door closed. In fact, he needed a pencil and paper to make a do not enter sign for his door. Which is funny on two different levels. First, instead of "Do Not Enter" the sign said, "Do Not Come in My Room." Secondly, mom and dad will always knock first, but come into the room, leaving Ella, who does not read, to absorb the new sign on Cap's door, which is still hanging on his door. Amy informed me that while closing the door is easy, the is fun in making a sign. I wonder if that will work at the office?

Other than that it was a pretty ordinary day, we picked up Mazie (Ella and I), Cap elected to watch the Charlie Brown Christmas show instead of coming with us. Charlie Brown may be 6 months out of season, but Mr. C sure like to watch them. Of course, on the TiVo, we still have a show titled, "Prep and Landing," (it is an adorable cartoon) about two elves that "Prep" the house before Santa arrives, and assist with the "Landing" of the sleigh. In 6 more months it will be back in style, just like Disco Music...

05 June 2010

Hello World... ...are you still there?

I have been working on hanging a few pictures in the house, that is in my spare time, to make it more homey. So I had the bright idea to see if I had taken any good picture lately with my camera, i.e. "artsy" photo's. (I have taken plenty of the family, well really those have even fallen short.) After looking through several folders, I realized that I had not taken any pictures that were not related to family events, and of family members. Not that this is a bad thing, I like taking pictures of the family. The exception would be the ole house hunting trip. Amy has the good camera with her, so I am left with a small Sony camera, and the old film camera. I may have to run to wal-mart to see if they have any real B&W film, although I doubt it.

I have been so busy lately, and somewhat disjointed the past year, that I have forgotten about the enjoyment, and value in writing, along with photography. Next year I am going to set a one photo per day rule, which will be placed on flickr.... but that is in about 6 months.