...And they're off...

Last Friday I went in late to work. I wanted to see No. 1 Son off. Make sure he got on the bus along with his trumpet and clothes and what not. The high school band had been invited to perform in the parade at Disney World and Epcot Center down in Orlando.

No. 1 Son worked his bum off earning money. Money to help may the 600 clams for the trip as well as earning some spending money. I was proud of the work he did. The savings he accumulated for spending money. We gave him about 40 bucks and instructed him to use that to purchase t-shirts for his younger sister and brother. I didn't think it would be fair for him to have to spend his own money on curios for his siblings. He would have, without hesitation, don't get me wrong. That's the kind of guy he is. He'd give you the shirt right off his back if you asked him for it, and he thought it would help you out.

I realized, as I was escorting him to the buses, then waiting for them to board, and the buses to pull away, how little I know if his school persona. I know some of his friends. Friends he had while attending Mater Dei school, and there is the kid from across the alley. Good kid, and No. 1 Son's best friend. But when we arrived, there were two girls, cute ones mind you, who were all jumpy and squealing when No. 1 Son arrived. One I know somewhat and I know they are just friends. The other, I don't know anything about. She's the one in the pic with the 'Home Alone' expression. No. 1 Son is on the left, the kid from across the alley is the other 'joe cool' with his sunglasses in a cloudy day. I don't know the Jayhawk fan, never seen him before.

I'm certain they're going to have a great time. And I trust No 1 Son completely. I have no fears at this time in his life that he would do anything inappropriate. Now, in the next year or so I fully expect that to change, but for now, I have complete faith in his  gentleman-ness and chivalry.

News from fly-over country

It has been a while since I have posted anything really, so I thought I'd try to get something up today. It is a slow day at the office. The day after a long weekend usually is. None of the management is in (natch) and there is not that much to do. So don't tell the little dictator in the corner that I'm using work time to hash out this post (it will be our little secret).



The past couple of weeks have been a flurry of activity. Softball games started for Little Sister's softball team. Number One Son graduated from the 8th grade. Thankfully, and with a little prodding from mom and dad, he decided to attend the 8th grade after graduation party. I wasn't worried knowing it would be a safe venue being in the Church basement.



Last school party, he took the camcorder and had a lot of fun video taping the event and people. He couldn't this time because I allowed him to take it on the last day of school, and it came back in operable. He claims he has no idea what happened, but there as a smallish broken piece of plastic that looks as if it came out of the inside of the camera. I had to practically pry the thing open to get the tape out. Inspection of the tape led me to the conclusion that the tape had gotten eaten by the machine (it was all crinkled and twisted). Which led me to the conclusion that the tape was stuck and it was yanked or otherwise forceably removed which, in turn, broke the little internal piece that landed so nicely in the camera bag.



So now we have no video camera. I don't know if it is repairable, or even where to go to get it repaired. I supposed I'll have to scour the Sony website to see where the nearest repair shop is, then weight whether it is worth getting fixed. At about $800 new three years ago, I have to think it will be worth getting repaired. But if the repair bill nears the $400 mark, I'll probably shuck it and save for a new one. Bummer because we had this great idea for the comming election cycle of doing "Darth Vader for President" spoof commericals and posting them to the YouTube. The kids gave me a Darth Vader voice changing mask for Christmas, and I thought I'd dress up in a suit with the mask it it would be really fun to make and edit them. But that is out the window now. So if anyone wants to do it, take the idea an run with it. I did check, and websites like Vader2008.com are available if anyone wants to know.



Number One Son was sorely afeared that I'd be angry, but I was more dissapointed than anything else. I knew in my heart of hearts, that if he kept using it without my supervision, it was going to break. I knew it because, like most things, he just doesn't have a sense of responsibility about it. At least that is what it seems. He doesn't even care much for his own stuff sometimes, so I was terribly dissapointed, but I wasn't all that angry. Sometimes, things happen that just aren't worth getting angry over. Now, if it had been my still camera, then I'd have gone through the roof! (but then, I would not have let him take the still camera anyway).



All this begs the question, why does the still camera mean more to me than the video camera? I spent about the same amount of money on them both. But I do use the still camera considerably more than I do the video camera. Which is kind of odd since I really enjoy editing and sprucing up the home movies on the computer. Probably because for photos, I don't need any other device to view them. Once printed, I can give them away and others can enjoy them without the use of a computer or a television or any other device.



Little Sister did splendidly in her first softball game (apperantly there were two other games that were played but somehow didn't make it onto our schedule). She is really a good hitter. She seems to know where the ball will be, and simply puts her bat in the path of the ball. She scored and her team won (we don't keep score...officially). I believe this week we are playing her cousin's team (or it may be next week). That is always fun. Should be a better outcome this year since most of her cousin's team moved up to slow-pitch softball this year and other than her cousin, the team is fairly new to the game.



Number Two Son was sick most of this week. Seems to have the stuff that Little Sister had two weeks ago, and I had last week. That is some killer cold. Not enough that it makes you want to go to the doctor, but right there on the cusp. Coughing, sore throat and just generally having zero energy. I was barely able to put the coffee cup to my lips and sip. It was terrible, I'm telling you.



But he managed to get over it by Monday, so he was able to spend the day with me and poppy while we put up security cameras in poppy's apartment building. Our goal was to get all three installed, we succeeded in installing just one. Boy that was a bugger. Now I know whey those professionals charge so much for installation.



Well, that's the news from fly-over country. I want to thank you all for visiting, and have a great week!



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