250

249 - 21 Oct 1998

[sketchbook]

I don't remember anything about this day.

It was a Wednesday.

It looks like a Wednesday picture.

248

Friday 13 October 2006

[sketchbook]

This picture is made up of a couple events from that day. The cattle is taken from a picture of a cattle drive that happened right outside our office at 11:30. Some cowboys and cowgirls in the spirit of the American Royal thought it would be grand to drive the cattle up Wyandotte in downtown Kansas City. We all took the opportunity to leave our desk to cheer on the effort. The people in Spain do it right when they run with the bulls. This cattle drive was anti-climatic and was over as soon as it started...but I would watch it again - every year.

Later that evening after my soccer game and after we put the kids to bed, I met up with BB to see a dreampop band from New York play at the Record Bar. It has been a while since I have been to a show. We had a great time, Asobi Seksu was really good and really loud. By the time we left our ears were ringing and we smelt like cigarettes.

247

wednesday, october 11, 2006

So, looking back at my old sketchbooks has put me in the mood to try be more mindfull of the 3 or 4 half empty sketchbooks that I have lying around.

I did this quick sketch for the "beagle" series of paintings that I have done. Maybe I will paint it next.

246 - October 15, 16 1998

245 - September

It's time to look back at the new music, dvd's, and books that I got involved with in the month of September.

My Brightest Diamond - Bring Me the Workhorse
Shara Worden has an amazing voice and I am not quite sure where to place it. This so called head cheerleader for Sufjan Steven's Illinoisemakers can fit within any genre, but this hauntingly beautiful album fall somewhere in the "arty" realm.

Viva Voce - Get Yr Blood Sucked Out
...experimental pop from the Robinson's.



Starflyer 59 - My Island
...Jason Martin creates another amaizing album. My Island is more upbeat and bass heavy, but still maintains the SF59 sound.

Hem - Funnel Cloud
...It has been a while since I got a new album of songs from Over the Rhine or the Innocence Mission, so I thought Hem would fit right in for my smart pretty music with organic leanings and well crafted lyrics mood that I get in. And it did...a very pretty album (minus a couple countryish twang songs in the middle.) Good music to fall asleept to-as there seems to be a lullabye meets introspective broadway musical vibe.


U2 - ZOOTV - Live from Sydney
This is probably the greatest show I've seen live right up there with all the other U2 shows I've seen since ZooTV. This was the first "big" show I ever saw and by big I mean bigger than 1000 or so people. ZooTV came to Kansas City my freshman year in college back in 1992 and the ideas of that tour were begger than my 18 year old mind could comprehend on an intellectual level. I didn't know what postmodernism was at that time, let alone how to view critique and irony of postmodernism. This show was multi-media before multi-media existed. There is so much about this show - this blade runner, cyberpunk world- that was a commentary on culture and where it was going that as you watch it today, you see all the predictions were correct.


Looking Around - A Journey Through Arcitecture by Witold Rybczynski
I still have few pages left on this book that is a critique of Architecture and Theory as it explores different areas from the history and ideas of home to public buildings with modern and post-modern thought. It is a very facinating read and has a lot of content to soak up, so I am not a speedy reader with this book.

244 - old sketchbooks

Last week, we were cleaning out our basement and I ran across a box with some of my old sketch books. There were a series of books that I did for a few years in a style of "sketchbook journaling"...if that is a real word or style? Every night before bed, I'd try to put a creative pause on the day with anything that might of resembled itself significant - a left over ticket stub, flyer to a show, menu, business card, newspaper, etc.

It was fun.

I should pick that back up again on a more consistant basis.

But for now, I'll leave you with some of the images.

Tuesday 13 October 1998

243

I just had a thought...an old thought...thoughts come and go, ya know.

I admit I can become a bit cynical. I try not to be, though. My check is...other cynical people. Although, they can lead me down the road of cynicism, usually they serve as someone I don't want to be like.

Usually it's later that I look back on a conversation and go...ewww, that made me feel dirty and when did I become so negative. And I realize the person I was talking to is usually always negative and cynical about life.

And that is when I use that person as a model or a benchmark. So, that I don't become like this person and that my family doesn't become like theirs.

On the other hand, I am reminded about good traits in other people and their families. I see loyalty, faithfulness, and support. I want me and my family to be modeled around those traits.

It's too easy to snicker and complain.

242 - The Office

I just finished watching Season 2 of the Office and now I am all caught up with the show. I got the dvd a couple of weeks ago - it was dirt cheap at Circuit City - $17.99. It was great watching it on dvd - I am amazed at how quickly I watched the whole season. Each episode features deleted scenes which add and continue the story for another 10 minutes. The deleted scenes are great because they follow up on some of the minor devlopments that were cut due to time.

I loved the BBC's original version and I probably still prefer their characters, but the US characters are starting to grow on me and I look forward to a long run of the show.

I think my favorite episode from last season is "Dwight's Speech."

Yes, I am watching the current season.

241

My desk is a mess.

I hate it.

It is covered with layers upon layers of paper.

8-1/2 x 11,

11 x 17,

24 x 36,

and little post-it notes are everywhere.

This mess is driving me crazy - ha, ha.

I THINK YOU'RE...CRAZY.

I need to clean it up...

But what good will that do, when you work with lot's of paper?



Does it ever really get cleaned up?

240 - Thursday at work

These guys (Blue Angels) are flying overhead right now and it is hard to concentrate on work when you here a screeeeech come zooming by. We keep running to the windows to watch/catch a glimpse but I am usually to late. I stood outside during lunch to watch for a little bit.

THERE GOES ANOTHER ONE...so loud and fast. This is exciting. My heart is beating fast.

BTW...I work downtown and they are flying form the downtown airport.

Okay...now I think I want to take the boys to the air show this weekend. I forgot how impressive the planes are.

239 - 1/2 Friday

Last Friday was my "half" Friday and at home on a whim, we decided to go out for lunch with the boys. We were thinking of the eating options that weren't McDonald's or I guess any sort of fast food when it occurred to us that we should try out the new T-Rex out a Legends. Come on,...boys and dinosaurs, giant insects, and meteor showers...you can't go wrong.

The place is like an amusement park. The outside of T-Rex is mountainous with a huge life-size brontosaraus bones over the entrance. I was holding Els as we walked in the door and I felt his body tense up as we were greeted by a robotic moving T-Rex with huge teeth and blinking eyes. The inside is made up of different themed pre-historic enviroments. We must have been seated in the sea room because our table was right next a huge aquarium with a snails, jelley fish, and other sea things that I don't know the names of. The ugly looking dinosaur statues that was 10 feet away came to life every 10 minutes or so, which kind of scared the little guy at first, but soon he was all giggles. And then there is the meteor showers. I think this happens like once an hour. The lights start to fade to dark and then there are some sound effects.

All of this action kept the boys content for the entire dining time, which is why fast food tends to work better. Els kept spying and pointing to different things that would come to life...like giant ladybugs, ants, and other dinos.

Another nice thing was that our server brought out the kids meals first, so we had time to get them going on their dinners before ours came out. This, I don't think is a standard practice, but our server asked us because Ewe told our server that he wanted a cheeseburger and fries when she was taking our drink order.

I was pleasantly surprised that the food was actually pretty good.

On a lighter side (lame news speak), being at the Legends we also did a little shopping and I got a new pair a jeans. A new pair of jeans that had a 2" smaller waist since the last pair of jeans I got.

238 - August Recap: music and books

Now that the month of August has come to an end, it is time for me to look back at the new records the I've been listening to and my monthly book that I have read.

Tilly and the Wall - Bottoms of Barrels
The first thing anybody mentions about this band is the unique percussion style - that is a tapdancer as their percussion. TATW is a very unique sounding band because of the tap dancing and foot stomping and hand claps...very organic with horns, organs, acoustic guitars, keys and a trio of harmonic vocals.

Leigh Nash - Blue on Blue
Leigh first solo album since the break-up of Sixpence None the Richer finds her doing accessible and smart adult alternative pop.
Sigur Ros - Saeglopur EP
The Saeglopur EP has an extended version of Saeglopur plus three new songs of beauty. Along with this EP is a DVD that includes three of their music videos from Takk... The videos are powerful cinematic stories the describe the music or is it the other way around?

Erik Larson - The Devil in the White City
"A thousand trains a day entered or left Chicago." - is the first line of this book that reads like a novel but is the true story of the Chicago Worlds Fair (The Columbian Exposition) that took place in the early 1890's. This story follows the lives of two men who were linked by this historic event. The first man is Daniel Burnham who was the Architect responsible for this daunting task of designing and building the Fair in a short amount of time. The second man is H.H. Holmes - considered America's first serial killer whose warm charm lured many young women visiting a "big city" for the first time into his hotel or "castle."

237- labor day weekend

This was an amazing weekend for so many reasons. I always look forward to the first of September, because it means that fall is right around the corner with so many things that I love. The weather was amazing. Having spent most of my weekend outside, I cannot stop gushing at how amazing the weather was.

I started Friday night off with a soccer game. It's always fun to play and run around and we won too - which is always good.

Saturday morning we emphasized the "labor" of Labor Day weekend with some yard work. We lemmed up so branches in our backyard and planted grass seed.

Saturday evening was the first KU Jayhawks football game of the season. My dad and I have had season tickets for 9 years now and my sister joined us a few years ago. We started a new tradition this year by going to the Student Union and picking out new shirts to wear. College football gameday atomsphere is the best - the fans are wearing there colors, the smell of tailgaters, the sounds of overstuffed bars, the sounds of marching bands, the roar of the crowd, and the weather of Autumn.

Sunday, we had our big family picnic over at Antioch Park with lots of good food and great weather.

Monday, Vernal and I took the boys over to the Topeka Zoo and Gage Park for a little daytrip. We picnic'd in Gage Park and played on the 'old school' playground equipment. We even took a little train ride around the park before we went into the zoo. I used to live in Topeka - for about a year. Gage Park was my favorite back then and it is still a great park with lots of activity. It is a good place for entertainment and fun. We then went to the zoo. I know it is a small zoo, but it was perfect of the pace that we were going. And the weather was perfect!

236 - PreSchool (part 2)

The report is in...

I guess Ewe did fine and didn't look back one bit.

Els on the other hand, as suspected, was a complete wreck. He had his backpack with him in the car but could not understand why he had to leave. When put back in his car seat, he was screaming and pointing at the school. And as they drove off, he tried to turn in his seat to look back at the school.

Poor guy! In two years you will get your turn.

He cried all the way home and for an additional twenty minutes at home.

235 - PreSchool

How exciting! Ewe starts his first day of pre-school today. He is in an afternoon class for two days a week.

We visited the school last week during their 'Open House' with the boys to see the facilities, meet the teachers, sign some paperwork, and play. Els, also thinks he is 3 going on 4 and was having a grand time during the open house. He is going to take it pretty hard when it is time to drop Ewe off and he has to go home with mom and take a nap. I guess we'll see how it goes today.

234 - Summer 2006

It's that time of the season, again...the time where I put together a bunch of songs from albums that I have been listening to this summer. This summer mix is more carefree and upbeat than my usual mixes...I guess that is the nature of summer...being outdoors, going to the pool, barbequeing, etc. I can't wait for the fall, because I look moody music the best.

Tracklising:

1. Tilly and the Wall - Rainbows in the Dark...this band uses a tap dancer for all percussion.
   
2. Hard-Fi - Hard to Beat...this song reminds me a bit of the Clash at a dance party.
3. Keane - Crystal Ball...big song.
4. Ladytron - White Light Generator...female dreampop.
5. Joy Electric - The Brass Stopped Before the Second Mooring...nice minimal, electronic.
6. Asobi Seksu - Goodbye...more female dreampop.
7. Mutemath - Noticed...a little bit of everything, including Sting.
8. Bon Voyage - West Coast Friendship...sunny female dreampop.
9. The Weepies - A painting by Chagall...I have been enchanted with this song all summer.
10. The Violet Burning - Blown Away...another classic.
11. Editors - Munich...I'm so glad I found this.
12. The Concretes - On the Radio...sweet female Swedish pop.
13. Mojave 3 - Running With Your Eyes Closed...roll your windows down, feel the breeze song.
14. Starflyer 59 - I Win...what am I supposed to say, my talent is an aquired taste.
15. Morrissey - You Have Killed Me...what's my life for.
16. Fair - Monday...Aaron Sprinkles new band-great summer music.
17. Pony Express - Fraud...fuzzy and messy.
18. The Flaming Lips - Haven't Got a Clue...tasty.
19. Sufjan Stevens - The Perpetual Self...uh-oh!
20. Dashboard Confessional - So Long, So Long...sappy.
    

233 - spaceships in the sanctuary

Young boys have the unique ability, when they are bored and are void of all toys, to use their imaginations and make or see spaceships out of the mundane objects at hand - a pen and binder clip for example.

Every time I look down to the front of our church sanctuary, I see this spaceship swooping in ready for attack.

As these boys grow older, I guess they never really loose this ability.

232

Some events over the past week:

• I did not post anything and it felt great. I just was not interested. Maybe I am getting bored with all of this or maybe I was just too busy with other stuff.
• Ewe and I went to see the movie Barnyard : the original party animals on one of my half-Fridays. Our outing always involve slushies at QT.
• One Saturday, we had the Sharenbergs and the Whites (college friends and family) over for dinner. I again tested my skills of barbeque and smoked some pork ribs and pork loin.
• I enjoyed some of the best weather of the summer and took our dog for walks after the kids were tucked in bed.
• Our neighborhood hosted it's annual picnic that we all went to. Not much action and not too exciting, but they had the folks from Werner's Market grilling the brats and sausages.
  
• Doc was in town and we went out for lunch at Cupini's on 43rd Street. It was good to see him and catch up a bit before he heads back to Wisconsin. He is buying all sorts of furniture and is getting all moved in to his new house.
• I saw this beat-up truck loose it's front driversided tire on the highway. It was a strange event, that suddenly made you keenly aware of your surroundings. It might have been a donut tire, because when it flew off, it looked smaller than normal. But out of the corner of my eye, I see the tire go spinning off to the left. It hits the median barrier and bounces over onto oncoming traffic - which can be very dangerous. The truck is now functioning on 3 tires as I see sparks coming from the axel of the missing tire. I think the driver is aware of what happened and is pulling over to the exit ramp - the same one I am taking. But the driver is not pulling over to the shoulder. He proceeded to turn onto 18th Street Expressway and continue driving as if nothing happened. I looked behind me and he wasn't being chased by cops or anything. The whole thing seemed crazy and quite odd.
• I had a couple of soccer games on the Friday nights.
• We went over the the Demeree's house, because a few in my family and them were hosting some exchange students for the week for some event that I really don't know to much about.
• We did some house cleaning over the weekend - steam cleaning the carpet and me organizing my space which needs a good re-work a couple times a year.

That is all I can think of real quick.

231 - pet art

230 - First Fridays

229 - Leonard Cohen // I'm Your Man

228 - the July report

The recap of new music and books read in the month of July. (for my own personal inventory.)

Fair - the Best Worst Case Scenario
The new band from Aaron Sprinkle (Poor Old Lu, Roseblossom Punch) is a great modern guitar summer pop album. This is a great sounding album and he has turned into a good singer and songwriter.

Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche
No, the Avalanche is not an EP. It is a full 20 songs and over 70 minutes of music. The Avalanche is not quite as compelling as Illinois, but that is the nature of songs that are outakes and didn't make the cut for the original album. The funny thing is that the songwriting quality of these outtakes is still better than 90% of music coming out today anyway.

Thom Yorke - the Eraser
The Eraser sounds really nice in my headphones. I am waiting for the fall and the cool weather to really dig deep into that album.

Donald Miller - Through Painted Deserts
I just took a road trip with two guys in an old VW van. Thanks for the journey. This is the story that is often referenced in his book Blue Like Jazz.

227 - razor study

Check out their website. It's quite cool in that sci-fi futuristic utopian society sort of way.

226 - smoking, kansas city style

This weekend we has some good friends come over for dinner.

So, I used that as an opportunity to work on a new hobby of mine - barbeque. As many of you know, I love barbeque and I haven't met a BBQ joint in KC that I didn't like.

A few years ago, I learned that a few of my co-workers participate in BBQ contest. So, I quizzed them on the in's and out's of smoking meat. They convinced me that it was pretty easy to do and then you spend a lifetime perfecting the art. So, I bought a little smoker and I BBQ my on meat a few times a year.

I hadn't smoked any meat yet this summer, so this was a good excuse for me to have some fun. For dinner, I smoked pork loin and pork ribs. I have to admit, they were both pretty good with a nice smokey flavor. The ribs fell right off the bone. Yum!

It's a bit of a long process, but well worth the wait.

If you twist my arm, we might have to have a party were you all can come. (I am taking orders.)

225 - food and heat and food and spain

Last Satuday, my parents came over to watch the kids so that Vernal and I could go out and eat and run some errands. No planning goes into this other than getting a sitter to come over. As usual, we are pulling out of the driveway looking at each other, asking "where do you want to eat?" We decide on D'Bronx on 39th street. I love that place and it has been a while since we have eaten there. I must say it is one of my favorite places to eat - the atmosphere, the people, and the food. I got a D'Bronx sub and Verna had a slice of pizza and a salad. Delicious. We had such a good time and talked and talked and talked like adults.

*********

As you all know, this has been one smokin' hot week. I have heard terms on TV like "beat the heat." The A/C is cool but we need to get out unless we go crazy. We, as a family, have been going to the pool most days to beat the heat. I forgot how much fun the pool is in the summer heat. Ah, the water feels so good. The kids are waiting for me when I get home from work, so I eat quick and we are off. We swim till the pool closes. The boys are really getting good in the water. We are definately getting our moneys worth out of our OP pool memberships this summer.

*********

I went out for lunch yesterday with some co-workers to Arthur Bryant's Barbeque. Yum, AB's is one of my favorite spots in town for BBQ. (I have many.) You know when you are in for a treat, when the aroma outside the restaurant makes you pause in the 100 degree weather. Their sandwiches are huge - so I didn't eat breafast in preparation. I also didn't need to eat much of a dinner either. My mouth water up as I think back over my lunch experience. Oh, that was a good beef sandwhich. I got fries to - which are really good as I would soak them in BBQ sauce. And my coke - I ordered a large and it comes out in a bucket. These are the serving sizes they talk about that is making America obese. Which is why I don't eat out every day, but only once in a while. I was going to eat only half my sandwich and save the rest, but I couldn't stop and it tasted so good. Kansas City has so many good barbeque options.

*********

I apologize to my friends in Spain who have just read the above. BTW, I thought about you guys the other day, when my dad and sis took me out for lunch at Manny's. (Oops, I did it again - sorry!) I think that was our last outing before you left.

224

223

222

221 - Interstate 35

"Many cities, these days, seem to have people living on the surface of life but hardly in it's soil, diluting the deeper questions of life in television monologues and reality shows, amusing ourselves to death..."
Don Miller - Through Painted Deserts

I read those words tonight and it reminded me of today's previous events. Every day I skim across the surface of I-35 to and from work. I have driven that route so often that sometimes it feels like I use only my peripheral vision as I get lost in the drone of local talk radio or NPR.

Today I met a couple people who know the roads.

I was pulled out of my trance-like drive to work this morning when my car demanded attention by suddenly letting up on power. I wasn't sure what was happening, so I down-shifted. I got my power back, but moments later lost it. Traffic was a bit slow anyway as I was in the stretch of road across from Union Station that approached downtown. It soon became apparent the the situation with my engine was only getting worse and that I would not make it to a convenient location for a break down. I was in the far left lane of of a four lane with no shoulder. I put my hazards on and came to a stop. In the review mirror, I could see how quickly that traffic was becoming backed up because of me. I was so used to hearing traffic reports on the radio of a stalled car that has northbound traffic backed up to Cambridge Circle. Was I about to become a report on the radio? I have to admit that I was a bit embarrassed. Will any co-worker pass by and recognize me? I was embarrassed to be the one to stop traffic.

But how do I get out of this mess? Thank goodness, I remembered ot bring my phone with me. I tried starting the engine a couple of times in a vain attempt to get out of this situation discreetly. No luck. Who do I call? I think I need a tow. Should I call Vernal to get me a number. Thankfully, I didn't have to mess with any of that, because Patty came to the rescue.

Her MoDot truck with the yellow flashing lights and the Motor Assist decal on the hood pulled up behind me within 3 minutes of me stalling out. Her first concern was moving the car to saftey and how she was going to push me and on her signal (a honk on the horn) we would switch lanes as she pushed me over to a shoulder with a grassy area.

Patty was really friendly. She told me that she was going the opposite direction when she sensed that something was happening in the north bound lane. I am glad she knows the road. Patty was probably 50-something and she was a toucher (in a way that puts one at ease) and one who addresses people by "honey." She called a tow truck for me and during the wait we talked about the in's and out's of her job and how thankful I was of it.

Soon the tow truck arrived, and the driver looks like a Willie Nelson type of character. He has the poney tail hanging out of his old cap, the mustache that curls over his upper lip, the untucked plaid shirt over a pair of dirty jeans that cover his small, skinny frame. Jim quickly takes action - pulling levers on his truck and crawling under my car with chains. Within a few minutes my car is pulled up on the flat bed. When all is safe, Patty leave to help out the next person in need and I hope in the cab with Jim.

Jim was also a real nice guy who understood peoples problems with hard times. He often gets calls from the police to tow for free. And he states that he doesn't take advantage of the situation, when the service is a must some can charge pretty high. He knew Patty quite well and told me some sad stories of other highway workers, officers, and other tow drivers who met some untimely deaths when I commented on this being a dangerous job. His cab is noisy with the sounds of police radio from the front and the fire department radio from behind. We talk over the noise. He pulls out a cigarette and assures me he'll blow the smoke out the window. I responded that it didn't matter to me, but he was apologetic about his smoking habit and the latest report of second-hand smoke. He went on to tell me that at his age, 65, he has had 3 heart attacks and now eats a diet of 12 grams of fat a day. I was hoping the next heart attack was not in the next 2o minutes. He did quite smoking for 6 months but recently picked up the habit again. He felt ashamed that his youngest son, 19, just started smoking, or that he found out that he has been smoking. But what can he tell him?

Jim had a smooth move that shows his 30 years of experience. At the VW service shop, he pulled a few stall past an empty stall. After unhooking my car and raising the flat bed, he backs down and with the momentum of gravity slide the car back in reverse and turns into the empty stall. A perfect parking job! I couldn't back up that well with gas.

Soon Vernal came to take me to work. I paid Jim and then wondered "are you suppose to tip tow driver?" I didn't. I feel so awkward about the social graces of tipping. Who are you suppose to tip these days. I've never been towed before, so I don't know if that is a common courtesy. If so, how much. I don't want to be cheap, but I also know that we are going to have an expensive bill to fix the car.

I hate car problems. If we had light rail, I would use it every day. I envy my friends who live in big cities and don't own cars, because it is not needed.

220 - did I tell you what happend over the past weekend?

Friday, July 7th

My cousin Rushmore Jerbil has this amazing ability to organize a BBQ at the drop of a hat. My cousin and his wife were driving from Rapid City back to Springfield when their car broke down in St. Joe. So she pick them up, and throws a BBQ at her place and invites all the family. Our boys love it anytime they can get together with their cousins and play. The boys got to stay up late as Vernal slipped away with her sister and friends to watch the Devil Wears Prada.

Saturday, July 8th

We stopped over at Dust and Golden's, to bring dinner and see NJ for the first time. He is a cute little guy and the parents were beaming. I forgot how sweet it is - the first few weeks at home with the baby. Their house reminded me of our first moments with baby Ewe. It is still a house that is seperated by the parents with their things and the baby with his things in his place. What I mean to say is that all the baby stuff is neatly put away in the baby's room and the rest of the house still looks normal. And you can keep it that way for a few months - before you have to babyproof the bottom shelfs and they toys and books start to take prime real estate.

The Legends shopping center is hosting a free outdoor summer concert series. My family was meeting out there to listen to a Brazilian Jazz group. We thought we'd swing by briefly and check out Legends since they have more shops open. There were a lot of people out, which made it a great people place. I scored a great pair of all-stars at the converse store that were on sale for $9.99. I found my parents dining in one of the restaurants, so me and Els popped in on them. They were finishing up, so I got to eat the rest of my mom's sandwhich - she was full. Yes, free dinner! We listend to some music and partook in the festivities.

Next, we were off to the City of Mission annual picnic. The city knows how to throw a good family party. Free food included - hot dogs, chips, pop, and ice cream. They had all sorts of game set out and lots of moonwalks, slides, and obstacle courses for the kids. They firemen made an appearance in their truck. The DJ played in the Gazeebo - the kids mostly danced. And finally, a little fire works display.

We ran into Darwin's brother ,Grogan, and family. They were about to eat out when they ran into these festivities and wandered on and had a free full night of entertainment.

The funniest part of the evening were the firemen. Part of the attraction was that they raise their ladder way up high and spray water over the kids to run through. The kids are in their swimsuits and are gathering in the field in front of the truck as the ladder slowly rises. When they turned the sprayer on, the nozzle was adjusted to shoot a tight stream of water rather than the more comforting mist. He quickly corrected that, but when the water was first released it shot down into a group of kids and knocked about 20 of them off their feet. I think one girl got it right in the chest. She ran off crying to her parents, but she was back in the water a few moments later. This fireman had a sense of humor - most of the parents were along the perimeter at a so-called safe distance. A couple of times he would tight the nozzle and soak a family on blankets. And once he nailed a couple of old men who were talking and not paying attention. Very funny!

Sunday, July 9th

After church, Ewe and I took a bike ride to the park. It was hot out, so we didn't stay long. Back at home, I watched the world cup. Later that night, we met with Vernal's family to celebrate a birthday.

219

I just started reading a new book by Don Miller called Through Painted Deserts. It is a book about a road trip in an old VW van and a lot of Don's thought on life as he is driving over the open road. So far, it is pretty interesting. I like the way he thinks. Sometimes, I wonder if you have to stop what you are doing to think or maybe, just writing causes you to think through these really intelligent ideas...now I'm rambling.

So far he has hit on how vs. why questions. I think this is the common theme for the book - as it has appeared in several chapters. Most of us live in the how questions, but it is the why questions that we find God. For example, evolution can explain how we came into being, but it can not explain why.

I also read something that I have never heard before, that I thought would be good discussion. He and his friend were talking about the perfect woman. He says:

I've heard it said there are two types of men in this world--one is looking for a woman to make his life complete and the other is looking for a woman to join his complete life. I don't think one is better than the other...

Hmmm! Is one better than the other? I am not sure yet which one I am. I wonder if you can go through phases - one where she completes you and then later since you are complete she joins you. Or I wonder if a single man of 38 has a complete life but looking for someone to join him? All sorts of scenarios, one could work out.

218 - June music and books

Mojave 3 - Puzzles Like You...I have been a longtime fan of Neil Halstead and his bands M3 and earlier Slowdive. M3 has been mostly really slow sleepy alt-county sort of tunes, but this album is upbeat with more of a sunny california sound. Brit-pop of course. I paid full price at Borders, because I don't think I could find it anywhere else.

Keane - Under the Iron Sea...I really like this album. I wondered if they could do much else after their first album - since they are piano, drums, and voice, but this is quite a mature record and a bit moody. ($8.48 at NFM.)

Dashboard Confessional - Dusk and Summer...I was debating on picking this up. I liked this band a few year ago, but quickly grew tired of his whiny voice and 8th grade lyrics. I didn't care too much for the last record either. But with Daniel Lanois producing and the current song on the radio was pretty good for a summertime song, I figured I'd give him one more chance. Two bum records and your out. My expectations were low, but I was pleasantly surprised that most of the songs are pretty good. It's still a little whiny, but a lot better than I expected. ($8.48 at NFM.)

Corrine Bailey Rae - S/T...This was Vernal's pick. She saw Corrine perform on some PBS show and later we saw her on the late night shows. She is classified as R&B, but her style is more of a throw back to the old R&B artist of the 70's with natural instruments instead of synthisized. ($9 somthing at NFM.)

Starflyer 59 - I Win E.P....another 3 songs of perfect pop and one moody-dark instrumental to preclude the upcoming album. (online - $7.99)

Pony Express - Fraud E.P....Fuzz pop or rock- whatever you call it. This CD was free plus $1.25 for s/h from Velvet Blue Music as a thanks to it's fans. No, thank you!

Angels & Demons - Dan Brown...I finished this book earlier in the month. Thanks to BB for the loan. It's a fun read - mystery and suspense. The multiple endings get a little far-fetched.

The Last Battle - C.S. Lewis...I started rereading the series a few years ago when I was taking my Architectural exams. I would pause from studying and read a book. I read the first six and kept picking up different books to read. Now I have completed the set. I bet the next time I read this I'll be reading them to my kids.

217 - the 4th of July weekend

Now that I think about it...the 4th of July is a holiday that last longer than the day itself. Depending on where the 4th lands in the week, we can usually make a long holiday over several days and plan all sorts of activities. In the nineties and the early aughties, I spent most of my 4th of July weekends at the Cornerstone Festival listening to music and camping with 25,000 other people.

So when the 4th lands on a Tuesday, it's easy to take Monday off and have a nice four day weekend.

Here is a real quick run down of our activities:

Friday-

• Leave work at noon. It's my half day. Go home and pack the car full and leave about 2pm.
• Drive south on 71 highway towards Bella Vista, Arkansas. It is about a 2.5-3 hour trip. With kids in the car we stopped once for a bathroom break and ice cream.
• About 5pm, we arrive at my Grandparents house - Great Grandparents to my boys. Ewe has seen them many times and is really comfortable around them. But Els is a little shy at first holding close to mom. He soon warms up and begins to flirt.
• After dinner, we all go swimming at their neighborhood pool just up the street. Grandpa came too. Both boys learned to jump off the side of the pool into the water. Els was fearless. Ewe was a bit more cautious, but soon let his guard down.

Saturday-

• Spent the day at my Grandparents with little excursions.
• We all went to one of our favorite hiking trails, next to a creek with a waterfall that is close to a lake.
• After lunch, Els went down for a nap and I took Ewe out for a little drive where he ended up falling asleep. So, I kept on driving until I found a McDonald's with a playland. He played while I enjoyed a coke.
• We all went swimming again. Ewe let me throw him up in the air so that he lands in the water by himself. Both boys made great strides in the swimming department this weekend. Being able to get comfortable with the head underwater was a major accomplishment.

Sunday-

• We took our time in the morning, packed up, said our good-byes, and left for Branson to go to Silver Dollar City. It is about a 2 hour drive.
• Branson traffic was crazy, as usual. We found our hotel. I went out to get a quick lunch and bring it back. McDonald's is not good on hot, sticky days.
• We got to Silver Dollar City a little after 3pm. - which means we can use our tickets again the next day for free. We stayed until the park closed at 7pm.
• In the car, we called Pizza Hut for carry-out and then ran to a grocery store for a few items. We ate dinner back at our hotel.

Monday-

• Continental breakfast.
• Back to Silver Dollar City for the day.
• We left about 4pm. Went back to our hotel for a short break to nap, refresh.
• Dinner at Olive Garden. The kids will eat breadstick and spaghetti. There is a funny story about our pager. (Later.)
• Back at our hotel. We all go swimming at the pool.

Tuesday-

• Continental breakfast.
• Pack-up and check-out.
• A quick stop at the Tanger Outlet Mall.
• Eat lunch in Springfield.
• Arrive home at 3pm.
• A short little nap for me.
• Ewe and I head over to Leawood Park to watch the fireworks with our family.
  

216 - a few pictures from Colorado

This picture was taking in the car on I-70 just outside of Denver. The sun was setting and we could see the mountains in the distance.

We all piled on this bus that was to take us to our drop-off point for our rafting adventure.

This shot was taken after our rafting adeventure. I believe those clouds brought us some snow about an hour later when we were eating pizza in Breckenridge.

Here are a few pictures of the new Denver Art Museum that is currently under construction.

The new building soars out over the existing art museum.

Architecture that is dangerous. The architect is Daniel Libeskind.

This is the Denver Public Library, which is right next to the Art Museum. This building has nice geometrical shapes. This was designed by Micheal Graves (the Target guy.)

Downtown Denver from the civic lawn.

This is the structural suspension system for a pedestrian bridge at the west side of "downtown." The bridge looked somewhat like a ship with a nautical vernacular.

This is the view from the edge of the cliff where the "extreme swing" was placed. It was quite a rush flying out over that space. (Look for the semi on the road.)

These are the Alpine Cars that rode along a rail like a coaster. We were able to control the speed. This shot is taken at the end of the ride as we are being pulled automatically back up the hill.
Here we are pausing for a moment to enjoy the view.