The Vacation So Far....

The plans were mostly set and the outcomes highly anticipated. Then, of course, my vacation started and everything changed. Sound all too familiar? Mine actually started on a Saturday afternoon when I got off work. I was essentially a vegetable the rest of the day and went to bed probably around 8:30 or 9:00pm. Sunday the plan was to make the late service at church except that when I woke up, I was already very late for the late service. I slept about 15 hours. I guess when you go that long you really need it!

I planned to make my first day of vacation a do-nothing day. I caught up on all the TiVo'd programs that were just taking up space since I never have time to watch the toob. One of those being Shootout on the History Channel. There were a couple episodes about Marines and Army Rangers in Fallujah, Iraq and Afghanistan. They document actual firefights with the soldiers who were there. Another episode was about the Doolin Gang and a bank robbery that went awry. Guy shows, I guess. . "My Name is Earl" is a show I watch when I get the chance. Unusual. I would have to say though, for a vegetative state of mind, that would be a top notch show. My particular favorite is "Monk" on the USA network. It is one of the few comedy shows on TV that is laugh-out-loud funny. In fact it is good enough that I would actually buy the DVD's of the show. I find the buying of DVD's of a TV show to be a rather peculiar act so I guess it would say something of the show if I were willing to spend money on it.

But enough of the vegetable stew. The real vacation involves finishing (a stretch) my kitchen remodel that has been going on for waaaay too long. I have counter tops to install and tile, cabinets to trim and complete, floor tile to remove and replace with slate, etc. Ahh, the joys and relaxation of a week of vacation! Don't forget the unfinished (is there ever really a "finished") honey-do list! Bathroom towel bar, living room curtain rod, garage, backyard, painting, need I go on? Quick, get me my drink with the little umbrella before I just plain give up and go back to work so I can rest a bit!

The Benefits of Injury

While that seems to be an odd statement at first glance, upon reflection it makes perfect sense. My particular injury has kept me from working my second job on the 3 days a week that I normally work there. While this creates a void in the budget it increases the personal benefits of being home with my family. While the family isn't always home with me (college age kids), I'm able to be there for the sometimes fleeting few minutes where they are passing through. That should be all it takes to impart my great words of wisdom as they galavant off to this gathering or that class. I've realized how quickly the days go by and how I wish I had told them things long ago. They both are, of course in the "I know, Dad" stage of life where my arcane and ancient knowledge couldn't possibly apply to them in todays hip and cool circles that they are circulating in.

I have been pleasantly surprised at the time that my wife and I have been able to spend together. She always thought there would be a gnashing of teeth over the kids being too busy to be at home with us. She has subsequently changed that position to a healthy "well this is nice". We have been able to do things and go places that we normally wouldn't because of "the kids". There is a certain giddyness to knowing you don't have to be a full time parent anymore. It has become more of a part-time position where you step in or up as needed. At the same time the increased independence on their part leads to less budgetary subsidies and expenditures on their behalf. As dearly as one loves their children, empty nests are not all that bad!

Hot, hot, hot and did I mention...it's hot

Another day of 90 degree plus temperatures! It's rather mind-numbing. Nothing is worse than trying to go to sleep while it's still daylight outside with a fan blowing hot air on you. All the things that need to get done in the yard that don't because it's unbearably hot. Maybe I'll just stay inside and brew a batch of beer with my Mr. Beer brew set! My last attempt didn't turn out. I think it didn't get warm enough because I brewed it during the winter and I don't believe the brew keg reached or maintained a temperature of at least 70 degrees.

That sounds like a really good project for today! I will have to simultaneously mix up a batch and record the TNT mini-series "Into the West" for my buddy who will be coming by for dinner this week. He's single and doesn't cook so when my wife makes spaghetti with a jar of Prego sauce he thinks he's at a gourmet Italian restaurant. His refrigerator contains at least one of the following at any given time:

• Pepsi - not diet!
• Ketchup
• Taco Bell hot sauce packets
• Monster energy drinks
• Budget Gourmet frozen dinners

Quite the culinary delight there!! I'm not sure he even makes toast because that would require using an appliance. I better lay off or he won't come for dinner and he may starve to death because of it.

Time Warp (or at least I would like to blame it on one!)

Amazing how quickly the time flies. My last post was right around the time that we got a new supervisor at our warehouse. I used to have plenty o' time for blogging!! He unfortunately comes in at 5:00am and normally hangs out all morning until I leave for my other job. It kind of puts a damper on my posting frequency. You say to yourself "why don't you blog at home?". To which I would reply, "I don't get paid for blogging off the clock."

Actually it seems as if my free time is spent doing the things around the house that I can't do because I'm working two jobs. My free time is really the time I use to do things that otherwise don't get done.

I have to tip my hat to Joe at Joe's Big Blog for getting me off my duff and posting again. He verbally berated me for being a lousy blogger. At the time I had to agree with him because I WAS/am a lousy blogger!! I hope I've reconciled with this post. There is a certain lack of content to this post, however. I am not exactly sure if I can be credited with an actual "posting" or just a puff piece to satisfy my detractors (read: Joe).

I'm striving to create a substantive post...really...I am!

The President Would Like Some Ribs

Here's a very humorous exchange between an overzealous reporter and a hungry President (hat tip Evil White Guy) at the Nothin' Fancy Cafe in Roswell, New Mexico. I'm sure there are other gems such as this in the White House archives!

Another Elitist Looking Down Upon the Peasants

Michael Gorman is President elect of the American Library Association. (hat tip Mercury News) Judging by this attempt to "explain" his disparaging remarks about bloggers, don't expect to see him at any blogger gatherings or conventions anytime soon.

Who are the Blog People?

It is obvious that the Blog People read what they want to read rather than what is in front of them and judge me to be wrong on the basis of what they think rather than what I actually wrote. Given the quality of the writing in the blogs I have seen, I doubt that many of the Blog People are in the habit of sustained reading of complex texts. It is entirely possible that their intellectual needs are met by an accumulation of random facts and paragraphs. In that case, their rejection of my view is quite understandable.

You can read the whole article if you like. That would certainly help to advance the notion that bloggers are not Neanderthals incapable of putting a grammatically correct sentence together. Do it for your own edification. My credentials will never match those of Mr. Gorman, but should that exclude me from sharing information or opinions? Is there a standard to which one must be held in order to be heard? I would hope that it is merely a standard of decency and not one requiring a stamp of approval from an erudite such as he.

I'm Disabled? What the.....

Thursday Randomness

Here's a positive article on Brian Welch, the former guitarist for the alt. band Korn. Seems he has become a Christian and departed from the band due to moral objections to their music.

Should Terri Schiavo Be Put to Death?

That's essentially what will be happening if her "legal guardian" has his way. This opinion piece from the The Washington Times gives a good background on the the whole situation and I wholeheartedly agree with the conclusion, "Save Terri Schiavo". She should not be put to death. She has committed no crime. Her impairment is cognitive. She is not declining in health nor nearing death in any way. There are even questions in regards to her so-called "persistent vegetative state".

Her husband Michael, his brother and a sister-in-law have testified that when Terri visited her Grandmother hooked up to a ventilator in a nursing home she stated that she would not want to be a burden to anybody or live like that. She has signed no advance directive and the judges in her appeals cases have taken it upon themselves to make life and death decisions on her behalf. Lawyers have issued opinions on the bio-ethics of the case. Here is a quip from Terrie's parents website in regards to her diagnosis of "persistent vegetative state":

MYTH: Terri is PVS (Persistent vegetative state)
FACT: The definition of PVS in Florida Statue 765.101:
Persistent vegetative state means a permanent and irreversible condition of unconsciousness in which there is:

(a) The absence of voluntary action or cognitive behavior of ANY kind.
(b) An inability to communicate or interact purposefully with the environment.

Terri's behavior does not meet the medical or statutory definition of persistent vegetative state. Terri responds to stimuli, tries to communicate verbally, follows limited commands, laughs or cries in interaction with loved ones, physically distances herself from irritating or painful stimulation and watches loved ones as they move around her. None of these behaviors are simple reflexes and are, instead, voluntary and cognitive. Though Terri has limitations, she does interact purposefully with her environment.

You can see that there certainly are discrepancies and semantics (or so it seems) regarding that description of her condition. A lawyer that visited her had this to say about their visit with her in the hospice. You can see the state of her condition for yourself at the website that has been set up to help fight for her life - www.terrisfight.org. Watch any of the videos linked on the page and I will guarantee you will be able to form an opinion on whether or not she should put to death. The reason I use the term "put to death" I think will be apparent after viewing the video footage of her interaction with her mother and Doctor.

There are also indications that there may have been foul play in regards to the way in which she entered this state of disability. Her husband Michael may face a grand jury investigation. Findings from a medical examination in 1991 at a rehabilitation facility suggest there were other trauma sustained that may have resulted from a beating.

Terri's parents have been fighting tirelessly for her life since 1998. Take a moment to visit their website and watch the video footage. It will scare you to think that anyone would believe that this woman should die!