GO ON is Cancelled, Mom's Day, Crimes, and Fifth Grade

Received some bad news this morning.... One of my favorite television shows from this past season was cancelled.  GO ON, a show I have hyped on in this blog, about a sports radio jockey who recently lost his wife in a car accident, and who is forced by his boss to seek counseling before he returns to the air.  Ryan, played by Matthew Perry, is a fast-talking, sarcastic jerk who shows his human side after joining group therapy to deal with his grief.  The rest of the therapy group is made up of a quirky bunch of people who are all struggling with loss of some kind, and are aided by a volunteer therapist/counselor (Laura Benanti) who struggles herself with trying to heal even one of her rag-tag group.

GO ON is unique in that it is able to take a very serious subject, grief, and make it funny without making fun of it.  Ryan honestly struggles with his grief, something that I can identify with (having lost my own wife), and the show explores his issues with returning to his normal, day-to-day life.  The show really struck a chord with me, and it saddens me that NBC decided that it wasn't worth picking up for another season.  My unrequited love for Laura Benanti's character, "Lauren", I guess will never come to be...

***

We had a really nice weekend celebrating Mother's Day with both my mother and mother-in-law.  On Saturday, we met my parents at Uno's in Bowie, and we had a nice meal with them.  Then we went back to their place and celebrated Mom's birthday, as well as Mom's Day.

On Sunday, we went out to First Baptist Church of Damascus, where my father-in-law is the pastor, to surprise my mother-in-law with flowers and lunch.  Mom-in-law delivered the message, too, and we enjoyed that.  Then we went to the Bugaboo Creek Steak House for a really nice lunch.  It wasn't crowded, and the food was great.  I hadn't been to Bugaboo in quite a few years, so it was nice to be back.

After lunch, we all went to the nursing home to visit with my daughter's great-grandmother, Pauline.  She is 92, and though she really doesn't recognize any of us, she seems happy when she isn't sleeping.  After a nice visit, I took my little girl to Sweet Frog for some delicious frozen yogurt.  Sweet Frog was giving free yogurt to all moms, which was a really nice gesture.

Mother's Day 2013 was in the books!

***

I heard on the news that Kermit Gosnell, a doctor in the Philadelphia area who performed late-term abortions, was found guilty of three counts of murdering infants.  It is sickening to me that this man could be so uncaring and apparently remorseless for what he did.  He routinely performed illegal abortions at his clinic, which was reportedly not sanitary.  Even more scary is that the state of Pennsylvania neglected to perform routine inspections which may have closed his clinic down much sooner.  The doctor's actions will surely bring about a severe judgement, and possibly even the death penalty.  I know God will judge his soul.

***

I received a message from my daughter's 3rd grade teacher informing me that my daughter was being promoted to 5th grade reading!  She is already in 5th grade math.  I'm so proud of her!  She really did get her mommy's genes!  I'm very pleased to have such a smart little girl.  She is awesome!

My Daughter's Mom

Mother's Day is always a great day spent with my mom, or my mom-in-law, or sometimes both, but it never ends up being with the one mom who means the most to me:  my wonderful wife, Teresa.  Unfortunately, she passed away before she could enjoy her first Mother's Day, and Melody, my daughter, has never had the chance to celebrate with her own mom.  She is so fortunate to be able to have two "moms" in her grandmothers.  Grandma and Grammy have been such great role models for her, and they have really been as close to a mom as Melody has.  But it's not the same.  Grandma and Grammy want to be grandmothers, not mothers (again), and in some ways, I believe they feel cheated out of being grandmothers since they have had to play the mother role.

I've tried so hard to give Melody as much knowledge as I can about her mom, so she can know how great her mom really was.  This is especially important as Melody gets older, since she will inevitably have more questions about her as time goes on.  Most importantly, I've told Melody what a dedicated Christ-follower her mom was, and that her hope was that Melody would also come to know Christ and we will all be reunited in Heaven.  What a glorious reunion that will be.

Until then, I will continue to search for a new partner for myself, though one who will also be able to fill the mom role for Melody and give her a truly special female role model, something she has not experienced in her short life.

Health Hazards of Being a Sports Fantatic

I truly am not a hypochondriac, but share my numerous maladies on this blog for entertainment value.  That said, it's so ridiculous the abuse I've placed on my body due to depression alone as a result of my wife's death.  Depression has led to my high blood pressure and hypertension, type 2 diabetes, sleeplessness and excessive sleepiness, and a couple of new things:  anxiety attacks and restless legs syndrome.  What has happened to me?

I may have the answer:  passionate sports fanaticism.  Forgive me for making light of my ailments, but my sports teams may well be causing the vast majority of them.  The teams that I follow, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins, Pirates, and Maryland Terrapins, all seem to struggle in various degrees of success, and many times are victims of horrendous losses in extreme conditions.  My Steelers, who I am probably most passionate about, may be the most successful NFL football team in the Super Bowl era, but every season seems to be a struggle for them, even when it appears they may be dominating the teams they play.  They've won 6 Super Bowls, more than any other team, but not once, in all 6 of those victories, did they completely dominate the teams they played.  The games tend to go down to the wire, with extremely close scores, and the Steelers either hang on for the win, or have to fight for a last-second score to achieve victory.  Their losses have been horrible and have caused me to get very depressed for short periods of time.  My passion for the Steelers even causes me stress in my own neighborhood.  Living in the Baltimore-Washington area means having the fans of the dreaded Ravens, who number almost as many as Steeler Nation in this area, abuse me regularly for being a fan of my Steelers, even though I was born and raised here.  It's very frustrating.

Being a Pirates fan is about as bad as it gets.  The Bucs, as we affectionately call them, have been not only Major League Baseball's most recent losing-est team, but they are professional sport's losing-est team with 19 straight years without a winning season.  I was fortunate to have attended the last Pirate's playoff game in 1992, when the Bucs beat the Atlanta Braves to take a 3-2 lead in the National League Championship Series that season, before losing games 6 & 7 and beginning their long spiral into mediocrity.  Watching the Bucs every season since has caused me nothing but heartbreak, and I, along with all other Buccos fans, keep hoping not only a return to the playoffs, but a winning season.  Whether that ever happens remains to be seen.

My Penguins, one of the National Hockey Leagues best teams, seem to have some of the best talent in professional hockey, including arguably the best hockey player in the world in Sidney Crosby.  While the Pens did win a Stanley Cup championship a few years ago, every season becomes such a struggle, with injuries to their superstars, and early playoff exits despite all of the talent they have.  Right now, I'm watching them self destruct yet again against the bottom most seed in the eastern bracket of the playoffs, the New York Islanders.  There is no excuse for them allowing this series to continue to 6 (and probably 7, given how the current game is going) games.  The Pens are truly the better team, except when it counts, and right now they are on the ropes.  The only positive is that they will return to Pittsburgh for a Game 7, if it comes to it, where they are a much better team.  But they are struggling mightily and it's still the first round of the playoffs.  They have to play better.

My Alma mater, the University of Maryland Terrapins, have had limited success in football and basketball, but they are always the underdog and rarely finish on top, in either sport.  I love my Terps, and will always root for them, but I seem to always feel such disappointment in their losses.  I'm hoping for greater success when they switch from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), where they were a founding member, to the Big 10, but there are a lot of very good teams in the Big 10, especially in football, and the next few seasons could very well be hard to watch.

So there you go.... I 'm going to continue to have health problems as long as I feel such passion for my teams.  I never figured that being a sports fan could be so hazardous to my health.

Movie Night

It's Friday, so that means it's Date Night!  Teresa & I always went on dates on Fridays after we were married, and many times that meant going to see a movie.  My daughter, Melody, and I went to the movies tonight.  We thought about going to the Bengie's Drive-In, but the movie selections weren't very kid-friendly. Instead we went to Columbia Mall and had a nice dinner in the food court (a rare McDonald's dinner for her, Chipotle for me).  Then we went to see IRON MAN 3 at the IMAX Theater.  It was awesome!  I intend to write up a detailed review tomorrow, if I can get around to it.  It's late now and we need to get some sleep.  Turns out it was a bad night for the drive-in....it was pouring down rain when we came out of the theater.  The drive-in in the rain is no fun.

Good night, everybody!

Must-See TV

Tonight we're watching a little must-see TV on a sleepy, storm Thursday evening in suburbia!  First up is Game 5 of the Pittsburgh Penguins-New York Islanders NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs series.  The Penguins are currently up 2 games to 2, so tonight's game is key to possibly taking charge of the series.  The game is being played in the Burgh, and the fans are going crazy, with the Pens up 2-0 in the 1st period.  Pens goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who got plenty beat-up in Game 4, has been replaced by Tomas Vokoun, and he may be the difference maker tonight.

Unfortunately, I'm just a bit sleepy this evening and I fell asleep just after the puck dropped, but not before catching last week's Swamp People.  In this truly exciting episode, Troy Landry and his sons race to get the gators that they may have already caught on 16 lines that are within an area where a massive sinkhole has been discovered overnight.  The King of the Swamp ends up catching almost a dozen big gators for a huge payday.  In the meantime, Liz and her daughter catch the biggest gator of the season so far, a 13 foot Goliath that becomes almost impossible to get into the boat.  Liz recently had gall bladder surgery and can't lift anything greater than 20 pounds, and she didn't bring the boat with the winch, so her 100 pound daughter is forced to lift the 900 pound gator into the boat.  However, just to add to the drama, there's a storm brewing and lightning strikes getting closer, and with them sitting in an aluminum boat in the middle of a treeless swamp, they're about to get French Fried.  The episode has a happy ending, though, as they get the gator and race back to shore, dodging raindrops all the way home.  Whew!

Next up, while I've been napping and not able to guard the remote, Miss Daughter has come in from playing outside and changes the channel to the exciting season premiere of WIPEOUT!  And guess who's back?!?  It's gorgeously lovely and beautiful Jill Wagner!  Not sure if it was the sound of the really and truly not very smart contestants smacking into the big balls, or the wonderfully fit and awesome Jill cheering them on in her tank top with zipper (zipper?!?), but I am now wide awake.  I can't help but wonder if Jill ran into money trouble and had to come back, or she really enjoys co-hosting this show, but she may be the only thing worth watching, since the contestants really aren't very smart.  What a show.

Back to the game, it is now deep into the game with the Pens up 3-0!  I really hope that's enough of a lead for the Pens to hang on for the win.  And now it's 4-0!!!  The Penguins win and take the 3-2 series lead!  Looks like a great night of TV!  Good night, everybody!

Being The Boss

It's not easy being the boss.  Everyone expects you to act a certain way, you become responsible for a lot of people and the business of the office, and you have to wear a tie.  Well, most of the time I have to wear a tie.  The hardest thing is how it changes your relationships with your co-workers.  They become your employees, instead.  And they act differently around you.  I used to be I would go out to lunch regularly with my co-workers.  Now I can't even get them to eat with me.

Our new director wants us, the managers of our directorate, to put our focus on the employees.  One way of doing that, I thought, was to invite employees to join me for lunch in my office and just chew the fat, as well as talk about whatever they want to discuss.  I sent out an email to all of my employees (about 65 total) to invite them to lunch each Wednesday.  I really thought this would be a good idea.  I started to wonder just how many employees I could fit into my office (about 7), and whether I would have to take appointments, or perhaps even move to our much larger conference room, given how popular my idea was going to be.  My Office Administrator (OA), who actually came up with the idea, was very excited that I took her suggestion, and she said she would help me organize it.

Last week was the first Wednesday for the big "Lunch Day With The Boss".  At the given hour, I expected dozens of employees to start knocking on my door.  But no one showed up.  I stood outside of my office and looked around.  I didn't hear anyone.  It was almost as if the entire office decided to go out for lunch.  I went back to my desk and started to munch on my sandwich and work on a few documents.  All of a sudden, two of my employees, Larry and Karen, knocked on my door and asked if I was still having my open lunch.  I invited them in and we had a really nice time.  We discussed a lot of different stuff, work related and non, and enjoyed our 30 minutes together.  Afterwards, I said they should spread the word about our lunch and see if others wanted to join me.  They said they would.  I walked out of my office feeling pretty proud of myself, and my OA, Kay, said, "Well.....I guess I should tell you that I told Larry & Karen that they should come in and join you."  D'oh!

After yelling at her and saying I wanted this idea to live or die on its own merits, I started walking around the office and visiting various employees, inviting them to join me next Wednesday.  Many said they would.  So today is "next Wednesday".  And nobody showed up.

I've decided that it's really not me, necessarily, that is keeping the employees from joining me for lunch.  In fact, I still think it's a good idea.  However, the problem is my position.  Unfortunately, I think people are just intimidated by the boss, no matter who it is.  I can be the nicest or meanest guy around, and it wouldn't make a difference.  At least, that's what I think, and I'm sticking with my story.

Maybe if I buy everyone pizzas... Or donuts!  Or all-you-can-eat spaghetti....!!!

Intermission - Babies & Puppies

Tonight's blog post is postponed due to the Stanley Cup playoffs.  The Pittsburgh Penguins are having a rough time with the Islanders and I just can't concentrate on the game.  In the meantime, for your enjoyment, please take a look at the following pictures of a cute baby and puppy...

I Smell Another Set-Up

Last week I found myself talking to my office administrator (OA) at work, Kay, and one of the contractors from upstairs, Bill.  They had been conspiring, as it turns out, to set me up with a friend of theirs, another OA who works in downtown DC.  My initial reaction was the usual... I don't do set-ups.  I hate them.  They never work out.  Forget it.  Leave me out of this.  Sorry, Charlie, but I'm out.

This didn't sit well with Kay.  In fact, she reasoned, the whole thing was Bill's idea, and since he's gay, you KNOW it's going to work out. I quit arguing, but I told them it wasn't in the cards.  Kay followed me into my office and said that I needed to have an open mind, that the woman they want to set me up with, Ellen, was really nice, really cute, and lots of fun.  She was divorced with no kids, and she had no desire to have more kids.  Kay had already told Ellen all about me, and Ellen was already excited about the fact that my daughter and I were already a little family that she could just join into.  Kay was already trying to come up with a reason for Ellen to come to our office to meet me.

After a few days of Kay trying to convince me this was a good idea, the subject of religion came up.  Kay asked, "How important is religion to you?"  My response was a question.  "Is Ellen a church-goer?"  Kay said no, but she was sure Ellen could be talked into going with me to my church.  I told Kay that my faith was VERY important.  Kay's reply was, "Eric, don't mess this up!"

I really have no desire to pursue this woman, especially after finding out that we may not be a good match from a religious standpoint, but this situation has kind of put me in a quandary.  I don't want Ellen's opinion of Christ-followers to be a poor one, that I would reject her just because she isn't one.  Isn't the right thing to do to bring her to Christ?  Should that come before I start dating her?  What if she doesn't like me and we don't hit it off?  So many questions, so many issues.

Unfortunately, Kay has already placed the cart before the horse.  Ellen is aware of me and is in favor of meeting me.  I asked Kay what she told Ellen about me?  I don't necessarily feel like I would be Ellen's type (older, grayer, out-of-shape, etc.).  Kay told me I needed to stop thinking so negatively.

So, Reader, what should I do?  Do I follow up and just say yes?  Do I stay firm and just say no?  How do I get myself into these situations?  Again, I'm very frustrated.  There should be an easier way to meet women!

Summer Camp

Many years ago, when I was involved with youth ministry, I was fortunate to be a part of the cast of a fun play called "Camp W".  Written by prolific author and playwright Paul McCusker (who is actually my cousin), the play is about a run down camp for kids that is about to be shut down by the health inspector.  The main characters are the camp counselors who basically run the camp, and the trials, tribulations, and relationship problems they have to deal with.  There is a core message about the camp being a place for the kids, and how important it is to them and to the camp staff.  It is written as a comedy, and it contains lots of laughs, and I was very fortunate to be a part of three different casts over a 5-year span, along with an assistant director credit on each.  I bring it up because of how much it reminds me of the wonderful camp my daughter has attended for the past several years each summer, Grace Adventures Day Camp.

Grace is actually nothing like the camp in Camp W.  It isn't the type of camp that has cabins for the campers and counselors, and it isn't a run down dive that the health inspector is threatening to close because of poor plumbing.  Grace Adventures Day Camp is a bright, shining light for kids to experience fun and Christ's love in a comfortable atmosphere geared to them, and is led by some of the best and brightest young men & women I've come across.  There's something special happening at Grace Community Church, and that something special is really exemplified by the staff of Grace Adventures Day Camp.

I've been a part of the Grace Community for almost ten years, and I've seen how the youth and children's leaders have created an environment that has led to the kids and youth of the church to be so different and positive compared to what you might see portrayed in the media.  And when I see them doing these unexpected things, it makes me feel good about the future of not only our country, but our world.  As a father myself, I am so happy that my daughter has a place to go that she looks forward to, and that she is being taught things in a way that I want to see her being taught.  I know she is in good hands when we're not together.

Grace Adventures Day Camp is providing that same level of teaching.  When I first heard about the camp several years ago, I was excited for my daughter's sake that we had found a place where she might feel comfortable enough to come out of her introverted shell.  Little did I know...  She did come out of her shell, and she found the type of female role models that she never had before.  After my wife passed away, when my daughter was 5 months old, the only women in her life were her grandmothers and a couple of aunts.  The camp provided something entirely different.  Here were many young women that were not only showing her the proper way to behave and carry herself, but were also teaching her about Christ and exhibiting Christ's love in an environment that she could have fun in.  For a single Dad, the camp is a Godsend.  My daughter has made relationships with some of these young women that I am sure will carry forward through her teenage years and beyond.

One of the things that really impressed my girl is that her counselors were writing and sending her postcards through the mail after each week of camp.  They also were always so positive and excited to see her each day.  My daughter just ate this stuff up.

This year is going to be her fourth year at Grace Camp.  She's really looking forward to it.  She's taking a week of dance specialty, outdoor exploration, and a few other fun things.  But the biggest deal is the relationships she's building.  It's awesome to see.

So thank you to Ms. Michelle, Ms. Amy, Miss Grace, Miss Cree, Miss Sarah, Miss Erin, Miss Deanna, Miss Kristen, Miss Caitlin, and so many others who have made a major impact on my little girl over the last several years.  You're all awesome in our book!

For anyone in the Howard County area of Maryland, or areas in northern Montgomery or Prince George's Counties, or Western Anne Arundel County, please consider Grace Adventures Day Camp for your children this summer.  For more information, please see the following website:  http://graceadventurescamp.org/

Some MORE Little Known Facts

· A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.

· The "save" icon on Microsoft Word shows a floppy disk, with the shutter on backwards.

· The combination "ough" can be pronounced in nine different ways. The following sentence contains them all:
"A rough-coated, dough-faced, thoughtful ploughman strode through the streets of Scarborough; after falling into a slough, he coughed and hiccoughed."

· The only 15 letter word that can be spelled without repeating a letter is uncopyrightable.

· Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten.

· The word "Checkmate" in chess comes from the Persian phrase "Shah Mat," which means, "the king is dead".

· Pinocchio is Italian for "pine head."

· In every episode of Seinfeld there is a Superman somewhere.

· The United States has never lost a war in which mules were used.

· All porcupines float in water.

· The airplane Buddy Holly died in was called "American Pie." (Thus the name of the Don McLean song.)

· The only nation whose name begins with an "A", but doesn't end in an "A" is Afghanistan.

· If you toss a penny 10,000 times, it will not be heads 5,000 times, but more like 4,950. The heads picture weighs more, so it ends up on the bottom.

· The longest word in the English language, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. The only other word with the same amount of letters is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconioses, its plural.

· An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

· Al Capone's business card said he was a used furniture dealer.

· Wilma Flintstone's maiden name was Wilma Slaghoopal, and Betty Rubble's Maiden name was Betty Jean Mcbricker.

· Dueling is legal in Paraguay as long as both parties are registered blood donors.

· The characters Bert and Ernie on Sesame Street were named after Bert the cop and Ernie the taxi driver in Frank Capra's "Its A Wonderful Life."

· The phrase "rule of thumb" is derived from an old English law which stated that you couldn't beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb.

· "Stewardesses" is the longest word that is typed with only the left hand.

· A group of unicorns is called a blessing.

· Twelve or more cows are known as a "flink."

· A group of frogs is called an army.

· A group of rhinos is called a crash.

· A group of kangaroos is called a mob.

· A group of whales is called a pod.

· A group of ravens is called a murder.

· A group of officers is called a mess.

· A group of larks is called an exaltation.

· A group of owls is called a parliament.

· Every time you lick a stamp, you're consuming 1/10 of a calorie.

· The phrase "sleep tight" derives from the fact that early mattresses were filled with straw and held up with rope stretched across the bedframe. A tight sleep was a comfortable sleep.

· Studies show that if a cat falls off the seventh floor of a building it has about thirty percent less chance of surviving than a cat that falls off the twentieth floor. It supposedly takes about eight floors for the cat to realize what is occurring, relax and correct itself.

· 111,111,111 x 111,111,111=12,345,678,987,654,321

· If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle; if the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle; if the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes. (note: if the rider's head is up the horse's rear, the rider died a politician.)

· No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, and purple.

· Clans of long ago that wanted to get rid of their unwanted people without killing them used to burn their houses down - hence the expression "to get fired."

· There are two credit cards for every person in the United States.

· A snail can sleep for 3 years.

· If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter "A"? -- One thousand

· What do bullet proof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers all have in common?-- All were invented by women.

· Married men revealed that they change their underwear twice as often as single men.

· 40% of all people who come to a party in your home snoop in your medicine cabinet.

· The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time television were Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

· Coca-Cola was originally green.

· Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the US Treasury.

· It is possible to lead a cow upstairs but not downstairs.

That Thing You Do!

Tonight I'm watching #22 on Eric's Favorite Movies List, THAT THING YOU DO!  I just purchased the Director's Cut on Blu-Ray.  We made it about half-way through the movie before calling it quits for the night.  It's only Thursday and we still have to get through tomorrow, and tomorrow starts at 5 a.m. for me.

THAT THING YOU DO! is written and directed by Tom Hanks, and stars Tom Everett Scott, Jonathan Schaech, Steve Zahn, and Ethan Embry, as the Wonders, a 60s rock band that scores a big hit with the title song, but becomes a one-hit wonder after reaching stardom.  Liv Tyler, Charlize Theron, and Giovanni Ribisi round out the cast, with Tom Hanks also starring as a record producer.

It's a feel-good movie about a bunch of likable guys, who remind me as sort of a cross between the Beatles and the Monkees, with a very catchy hit record, and it really struck a chord with me the first time I saw it.  The Director's Cut adds quite a bit to the movie, with lots of extended scenes and fleshing out of characters, particularly Charlize Theron as drummer Tom Everett Scott's flakey girlfriend.  Scott is superb as the lead, and reminds me a lot of a young Tom Hanks, which I think is intentional.  Liv Tyler is such a great girl-next-door.  I really love the early scenes in the movie of a 60s small-town Erie, PA, when life just seemed so much simpler and innocent, and everyone hung out at the diner to eat breakfast.  I think I could've been very comfortable living in that generation.  I'm looking forward to watching the rest of the movie at my first opportunity.  Check it out if you get the chance.  The standard edition, which I've seen quite a few times, gets 4 stars from me.

Stanley Starts But I'm Stuck At Chuck's

The Stanley Cup playoffs started tonight for my Pittsburgh Penguins, but I was at Chuck E. Cheese's for a school fundraiser.  That's a lot like those lousy t-shirts you get as souvenir gifts from people who go to really cool places. The Pens didn't just open up the playoffs, they annihilated the Islanders!  Just like I didn't just miss most of the game, I missed most of the game because I was stuck at Chuck's!  Let me set the table if you're not familiar with Chuck's....

Kids love Chuck E. Cheese's because they have bunch's of fun, simplistic arcade-style games that churn out tickets after playing that can be used to trade in for plastic bugs, party favors, candy, and cheap toys.  They also have generic, over-priced, greasy pizza.  I'm fond of saying I've never met a pizza I haven't liked.  There are times at Chuck's, though, when I wish I hadn't met their pizza.  There are lots and lots of unsupervised kids between 2 and 12 running everywhere.  There's lots of things for kids to climb on, including tubes that look like a hamster cage all over the place.  There are generally about 13 different birthday parties going on, too, all at the same time, and sometimes you might see a teenager in a giant rat costume being chased around the room by a bunch of kids.  It's chaos.

So that's where I was stuck tonight.  I'm happy that my daughter enjoys it as much as she does.  There are worse things she could be enjoying.  Tonight was special since her elementary school gets a percentage of the proceeds, so I guess it's for a good cause.  But I sure wish we could've gotten home earlier to see more of the Penguins game.  Final score was 5-0.

In between bites of pizza and games of not-a-lot-of-skill, my little girl spent time with one of her school friends.  The friend and her little brother kept hanging around our booth, and I started to wonder if they were there alone.  I've heard about parents doing the ol' "drop-and-dash", where they drop off their kids, then take off to run errands or get some away time or whatever, knowing their kids are in a controlled environment and can't leave with anyone except who they came in with and has a matching hand-stamp.  So it seemed like these kids were by themselves.  The little brother seemed to prefer hanging around with me instead of playing with his sister.  I soon found out why.  He said he was hungry.  Then he said he was REALLY hungry, and that his parents didn't get them any food.  Then he said our pizza looked like it might taste really good.  I took pity on him and gave him a slice before he could knock me over with anymore hints.  He seemed to really appreciate the pizza, and he took off with it before I could even say you're welcome.  He showed up again about 10 minutes later, followed closely by his parents, who were actually there.  They kind of glared at me and kept walking, and I overheard the father say they were not eating there.  They didn't acknowledge me at all, besides the glare.  I guess they weren't happy about me giving their son a slice of pizza.  About 10 minutes after that, the little boy showed up again.  He didn't say anything, but he kept looking at the last slice of pizza on the table, then he would look at me, lick his lips, then look at the pizza again.  So I said, "Go ahead, you can have it."  He grabbed it and skipped on back to his parent's table.  I hope they watched him eat it, and I hope he tells them where he got it!

I called it a day at 8:30 and my daughter and I came home.  We got home in time for me to watch the entire 3rd period of the Pens win.  I'm satisfied.  But I refuse to ever again get stuck at Chuck's during Stanley's playoffs.

Big Summer Vacation

We're excited to start planning our big summer vacation.  We're going to be doing another road trip (of course).  Part one of the trip will be our annual trip to G-FEST in Chicago, IL.  G-Fest is "...the largest regular gathering of Godzilla and Japanese monster fans in the world."  Check out the following link for more info:  http://www.g-fan.com/html/gfest_xx/gfest_xx.php

This year, we're driving to Chicago.  In the past, we've flown and taken the train.  This will be my daughters 4th convention (and my 7th) of the 30 total that have been held.  Last year, we participated in filming multiple scenes for a fan monster movie, so we're looking forward to seeing the finished film this year (and hoping we didn't end up on the cutting room floor).

After the convention in Chicago, will head east to Sandusky, Ohio, and Cedar Point Amusement Park.  This will be my daughters first time at Cedar Point.  The park is renowned for it's numerous roller coaster, probably the largest number at one park in the world.  We will attempt to ride all 16 (though one, the Jr. Gemini, may be too small for me to fit on).

Following Cedar Point, we're planning to go to Cleveland and visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  After Cleveland, we'll follow along the coast of Lake Erie and travel to Niagara Falls, including a trip across the border into Canada (assuming we get our passports in time).

Next, we'll head south to my home-away-from-home, Pittsburgh, PA!  We'll plan to visit one more amusement park, good ol' Kennywood, then we'll head for home.  We have just over a week for the entire trip, so we're really looking forward to everything.  Most of the trip will be a repeat for me, but my daughter is very excited.  We should have a lot of fun.

Miscellaneous Stress And Other Problems

I was all set to get on my soap box after reading about something that was sure to create some controversy, but then I came across this verse from Proverbs 30:33 - "As the beating of cream yields butter and striking the nose causes bleeding, so stirring up anger causes quarrels."  With that, I have thought better of my plan and so I'm stepping off of my soap box and will wait until I've thought this out a little better.  Two controversial topics in one week for a blog that isn't about controversy is too much.

***

I received a rather colorful email from a "Katie Daryl" on my junk email account.  "She" claims that "I will shake you all night long!"  At first I was a little bit worried.  Being shook all night long sound like something my wife used to do when I snored too much.  Then I got a little excited when I realized what "shake you all night long" might really mean.  Then I got disappointed when I couldn't figure out who "Katie Daryl" is.  I finally concluded that poor Katie must have sent this email to the wrong guy.  I decided against replying to her.  I don't think that would be very gentlemanly.  She might get the wrong idea about me.

***

Now that the furloughs are over for the FAA, I'm back to work full time again, which means I should be getting full paychecks once again.  That means I'm back in the market for a new car.  My intention is to sell my 2004 Jeep Liberty and replace it with a Jeep Wrangler, which I've always wanted.  I've narrowed my search and hope to check one out here in the next day or so.  The Liberty has been a good vehicle for us, but it just isn't much fun to drive.  I'm all about driving enjoyment.  I'm keeping my little 2-seater, but the Jeep Wrangler is a little bigger for us to take longer trips and still get the top-down enjoyment.

 What I have

What I want

***

Just found out an old flame is going to my cousin's church.  She doesn't know him or his family (yet), but I've got them keeping a look out for her.  The world just isn't big enough anymore, and with social media, my own worlds keep colliding.  This should not turn into any kind of a problem, since it was a pretty clean break, but I don't want any unneeded stress here.  I'm going to have to just increase the size of my dating circle.  Everything is just hitting a little too close to home for my comfort.

***

Talk about stress...  My 9 year-old daughter has just informed me that she needs to start shaving.  Sure enough, puberty has started.  She's got hair growing in all the "standard" locations (she didn't show me, thank goodness...I may have passed out if she did... she just told me).  I'm so not ready for this.  Isn't 9 a little too young for this to be starting?  So, to all of the wonderful female role models that are in our lives and volunteered to be there when this starts, HEEEEEELLLLLLLPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!

***

A friend just forwarded a link to a site that has pictures of the Boston bombings just after they occurred.  It's just awful.  I have no words to describe the devastation to so many innocent people.  I am sickened.  All I want to do now is hug my little girl and pray that God will be with those who were hurt, and be with the families of those who were killed.  This is just an awful event, and it shows just how horrible people can be.  I wish we lived in a better world.  Jesus can't return soon enough.

Our Honeymoon Road Trip

I rediscovered my trip journals from a few years back.  One in particular took me back to my honeymoon, from July 24 to August 5, 1999.  Here is what we wrote from that trip...

***

Day 1, 7/25/99, Baltimore, MD to Seattle, WA - T2 (Teresa) and I get up at about 7 a.m., very tired but excited about EVERYTHING!  We take the hotel shuttle over to BWI Airport and take a United flight to Chicago.  The airline moved us to first class because we are honeymooning!  Uneventful but fun flight with a great meal.  Arrive at O'Hare in Chicago at 12:45, then dash to our next flight, departing for Seattle at 3:30.  Another uneventful flight and, bummer, no first class.  Saw Mt. Ranier from the plane (T2 was impressed!).  Got our rental car, a '99 Ford Mustang Convertible!  Drove to downtown and to the Space Needle.  Temps are much cooler here!  After a trip to the top of the Space Needle, we headed to our hotel in Gig Harbor, WA, the Best Western Wesley Inn (apparently run by Christians), a really nice place!  Both of us very tired and to bed early.

Day 2, 7/26/99, Seattle, WA - Up rather late.  We got ready, but then T2 had a migraine, so Eric ran out to the store to get her better, and she did!  We headed out in our Mustang to downtown Seattle.  Stopped in Pioneer Square and went on the Underground Tour.  Very cool, though, at times, kind of tacky.  Our tour guide, John, was a riot.  We ate lunch at an Italian restaurant nearby and ate good pizza.  Walked to the waterfront and on up to Pikes Street Market.  Very neat with lots of "flying" fish.  Back to the waterfront and got ice cream, then took a ferry ride across Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island and back.  Hopped in our convertible and drove across the world's longest floating bridge.  Back to Gig Harbor and stopped at a Target and a grocery store.  T2 drove us back to the Best Western.  We ate, then got ready for bed.

Day 3, 7/27/99, Seattle, WA, to Astoria, OR - Up early and we got ready and packed up.  We checked out of our Best Western in Gig Harbor.  Driving towards Mt. Ranier.  VERY scenic drive -- lots of mountains and trees, and cool!  Stopped and lunched at a picnic area in Mt. Ranier's shadow.  Then we headed up to the Visitor's Center near Paradise.  Looked around and rested.  Headed out towards Mt. St. Helen's.  Long drive, but made it to the Visitor's Center at 4:50, but it closed at 5!  We missed out, but took a few pictures, then headed out.  We stopped at a gift shop nearby and got a few souvenirs, then headed for Oregon.  We crossed the Columbia River at Kelso-Longview and got on US 30 west.  Nice drive and reached the town of Astoria.  Very nice place!  Drove through town, headed across the inlet to Warrenton (on US 101) and ate dinner at the Shilo Inn.  Then back to Astoria and checked in to the Comfort Suites.  Very nice room and nice people, very friendly (after telling them we were honeymooning, they told us to come back down and use the jacuzzi after hours for some privacy!  We did NOT take them up on that.).  Relaxed and to bed at 10 or so.

Day 4, 7/28/99, Astoria to Lincoln City, OR - Up a little bit late.  We drove up to the Astoria Column, but we couldn't go in because it was closed for cleaning.  We went on to Fort Stevens in Warrenton.  Saw the wreck of the Peter Ireland on the Pacific Ocean (first time for Eric!).  Then we headed down US 101.  Stopped and had lunch at Ecola State Park.  Very beautiful view!  Saw Tillamook Rock lighthouse.  Drove to the Tillamook Cheese Factory and went on the tour (and got some ice cream).  Took the Three Capes Scenic Loop and saw Cape Mears Lighthouse, shortest in Oregon at 38' tall.  On to Lincoln City -- staying at the Best Western.  We got a nice room with a jacuzzi!  Had dinner at the Hilltop Inn, then back to the jacuzzi!  To bed late.

Day 5, 7/29/99, Lincoln City to Gold Beach, OR - Up early.  Stopped at Cape Foulweather and a great view of the coast.  Went on and saw Devil's Punchbowl at low tide.  Then to Yaquina Head Lighthouse, the tallest in Oregon.  Took the climb to the top -- 93'!  Very cool view!  Headed back out to Newport.  Missed Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, but could see it from the highway.  Stopped at the Oregon Coast Aquarium.  Also very cool!  Lunch at Lost Creek Beach.  Back down the road to see the sea lions at Strawberry Hill State Park.  Very neat!  Stopped at Heceta Head Lighthouse.  Did not walk up the "mountain" to see it, but took lots of pictures.  Back on the road -- stopped in Umpqua to see the lighthouse there.  Then on to North Bend.  Somehow we missed Cape Arago lighthouse, but we did see Coquille River Lighthouse, sort of abandoned looking.  Ate at the Station Restaurant in Bandon, then to Cape Blanco Lighthouse.  On to Gold Beach and checked into the Best Western.  On to bed rather late.

Day 6, 7/30/99, Gold Beach, OR, to Garberville, CA - Up a little bit earlier and headed toward California.  Stopped at "Ships Ashore", a really cheesy tourist trap.  Continued on down the coast to Crescent City to see the Battery Point Lighthouse (used as a residence) and the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse (6 miles off shore).  Stopped in Trinidad, CA, for lunch at Seascape, right on the shore (very good!).  Then stopped at the Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse overlooking the town.  Next stop was a surprise by Teresa, in Arcata, at a Finnish Spa.  Very nice pit stop!  Then we headed to the Redwoods.  Drove the Avenue of the Giants and saw some pretty good scenery.  Stopped for the night at the Best Western in Garberville, CA.  Got a very good pizza at Siciliano's.  To bed kind of late.

Day 7, 7/31/99, Garberville to Santa Rosa, CA - Up late.  Got some breakfast, then headed back out through the Redwoods on US 101.  Stopped at the very cheesy tourist trap, the Legend of Bigfoot.  Then on to Route 1 down the coast.  VERY scenic drive!  Stopped for a quick lunch at Burger King in Fort Bragg, then stopped at the Point Arena Lighthouse -- very cool!  Saw some spectacular scenery on the coast near Jenner.  Stopped briefly in Bodega Bay (home of Hitchcock's THE BIRDS).  Then we headed inland to Santa Rosa.  Stayed at a Travelodge.  Had dinner at Applebee's, then a stop at Target.  Back to our room.  To bed relatively early.

Day 8, 8/1/99, Santa Rosa to San Francisco, CA - Headed out relatively early.  Ate breakfast at a bagel place, then, with T2 driving, we headed out of Santa Rosa on US 101 to Petaluma, then headed toward Point Reyes.  Pretty desolate landscape, but very scenic.  Got to the Point Reyes Lighthouse and to endure quite a hike down to it, the equivalent of a 50-story building.  The climb back up was tough!  Headed back out along the coast -- also very scenic.  Had lunch in Tamalapais, CA, at a Jack-in-the-Box (I always wanted to stop at one - we weren't impressed).  Continued on to San Francisco!  Stopped at Marin Headlands for a spectacular view!  Then went across the Golden Gate Bridge, and stopped at the Palace of Fine Arts!  Continued on down Lombard St. to the crookedest street in the world!  Very cool!  Then to Coit Tower for a great view of the city.  Checked into our hotel, the Travelodge Golden Gate.  Had dinner at Johnny Rockets.  Back to our room and to bed kind of late.

Day 9, 8/2/99, San Francisco, CA - Up late.  Drove out to Alta Plaza Park, then headed over to Golden Gate Park.  Walked up and around Stow Lake and up Strawberry Hill.  Then we drove to the Japanese Garden.  Had tea and fortune cookies.  Drove to the Buffalo Paddock to see the buffalo!  In San Francisco! Drove to Ocean Beach, then headed over to Japan Center in Japan Town.  Had lunch at Osada Ya where T2 tried sushi and used chopsticks!  Shopped, then got gas, then drove down Lombard St. one more time.  Dropped off our convertible Mustang at the the rental car office (very sad), then WALKED up to Grace Cathedral.  Saw a building used in the movie VERTIGO, then headed over to Chinatown.  Stopped for souvenirs, then had a GREAT dinner at Hunan Homes.  Very good!  Took a cable car up to Hyde Street.  Saw lots of fire activity.  Got a pass for public transportation, then took another cable car to the Cannery at Fisherman's Wharf.  Got a sundae at Ghiradelli Square, then took a bus back to the hotel.  To bed very late.

Day 10, 8/3/99, San Francisco, CA - Up very late.  Headed out to catch a bus to Fisherman's Wharf.  Spent all day shopping and having a wonderful, relaxing day.  Had lunch at Boudin's Baery (chili in a sourdough bread bowl - very good!).  Walked to Pier 39 and saw the sea lions.  Good time!  More shopping.  Saw a movie about San Francisco, then more shopping.  Stopped at a Route 66 store.  Watched the cable cars turn around, then took a bus back to our hotel.  Cleaned up and rested.  West back out and had some great pizza at Pizzeria Uno.  Then took a long walk to make us feel better, on Union St.  Walked back to the hotel and packed up.  To bed soon after.

Day 11, 8/4/99, San Francisco, CA - Up early.  Had breakfast at IHOP.  Then packed up and checked out of our Travelodge.  Took a cab to the Chancellor Hotel on Union Square - very ritzy!  Old but classy, for our last night in SF.  Headed out, after checking in, to Macy's, FAO Schwartz, and the Union Square area for more shopping.  Back to the Chancellor to regroup, then took a cable car to the Financial District.  Saw the Port of San Francisco and the Bay Bridge.  Then took the cable car up California St. to Chinatown for more souvenirs.  Found plenty!  Walked back to the Chancellor to regroup again, then took a cable car to Fisherman's Wharf for more shopping and a quick lunch.  Walked up Mason St. to the Cable Car Museum (tough walk along the tracks).  Took a cable car back to the Chancellor.  Rested and relaxed.  Got ready and went out for a fancy dinner.  Took the cable car to Ellis St. and ate at John's Grill, home of Sam Spade. Good, if not plentiful food.  Very nice.  Back to Powell St. to Sutter on the cable car (at the turntable), and had dessert at Lori's Diner.  VERY good!  Back to the Chancellor for our last night in San Francisco.  To bed very late.

Day 12, 8/5/99, San Francisco, CA, to HOME!  Up a little early.  Got ready.  Went to Lori's Diner again for breakfast.  Good food but lousy service.  Back to hotel.  Finished packing.  Checked out and waited for a shuttle to take us to San Francisco International Airport.  Then took a United flight to BWI.  No first class, but the crew gave us a bottle of champagne (too bad we don't drink!).  Got to BWI at around 10 p.m.  Called the Ramada that we stayed at before our trip and their shuttle picked us up.  Got our car and started for home (stopped at Wendy's for a quick, late dinner).  Home and unpacked.  To bed very late (2 a.m.), but very happy with memories of our exciting honeymoon!