Blessing of the Animals

   This afternoon at my church (St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church) in Stillwater, Father Ken performed the annual Blessing of the Animals, which is usually held on a Sunday close to the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi (October 4).  I put my cat, Captain Morgan, in the pet carrier for his annual pilgrimage into town for the ceremony.  He's a good car rider, and if I could ever get him used to a leash, I'd probably take him with me places more often.
   Anyway, when we got to the church we saw the usual cats and dogs.  Captain Morgan likes most other cats and is pretty tolerant of most dogs that are his size or smaller.  Today, though, somebody brought a horse.

   I love horses, so I took Captain over to meet it.  Other than people who ride their horses down our road occasionally, he's rarely seen horses except from a distance.  Up close and personal was another thing!  He tried to get as far back into the pet taxi as he could as he eyeballed the monster.  The horse, as horses tend to do, took a liking to me and started nudging my arm so I would pet it.  Captain Morgan did not like that one little bit.  He started hissing - I guess he thought the horse was going to eat me or something.
   We went back to where the smaller animals were and the ceremony began.
   Father Ken spoke a few words about biblical stories involving animals and how important animals, especially pets, are to people.  Then he began the blessing, which has parts where he speaks and the people respond. 
   Every time a response was called for, he raised his hand and we responded.  About the third time, the horse had apparently figured out that when Father Ken raised his hand, the people spoke (including the horse's owner).  At this point, the horse whinnied.  And he did it another time or two during the response.
   Animals truly are amazing, aren't they?  And they certainly are a blessing!

Am I Too Simple-Minded?

   Maybe I'm stupid, but it seems to me that if more people were employed (thus increasing revenue from income taxes without raising the rates), then more people would buy stuff (thus increasing revenues from sales taxes, excise taxes, property taxes, etc.).  And if more people bought stuff, there would be an increase in demand for stuff, which would result in hiring more people to make stuff and to transport stuff and to sell the stuff.

   Sounds almost too simple.

I'm Gellin'

   Shameless plug here, but I love my Dr. Scholl's shoes!
   I like working at O-State sporting events, but as one of the behind-the-scenes personnel, I'm often there long before the first fan arrives and until the last fan is gone.  It calls for several hours on my feet and, especially during football games, many miles of walking around the venue, doing my best to ensure things go smoothly for the fans.  Afterwards, I'm usually pretty tired.
   A few years ago I was so tired and achy after some football games (the ones where my workday lasted 14+ hours) that I could barely walk to my car.  I learned quickly that good insoles were essential.  Then a year or so ago I found some Dr. Scholl's shoes at reasonable prices.  To my surprise, they weren't just comfortable, but sturdy as well.  And they are made with the Dr. Scholl's insoles as part of the shoe.
   Today I bought some insoles to go inside my already-comfy shoes.  With the heat we've had lately, tomorrow is going to be tough enough to deal with.  Might as well make sure I can "stand" it for the duration.

My Dream for Today

If I had a million dollars, I'd:
get my dishwasher fixed,
get the electrical problems in the house fixed,
get a lawnmower and mow and mow and mow,
get the car fixed,
get the dryer fixed,
get the house's siding fixed,
rent a truck to haul off the junk that needs to go,
get caught up on all my bills,
pay off the house, or at least get it ready to sell,
find a doctor who will actually listen to and help my wife with her numerous ills,
find a doctor who will actually listen to and help my daughter with her ills,
make sure my family members have the things they need,
and throw a party for all my friends who have stood by me during these troubling times.

And if there was anything left, I'd probably give most of it away to those who need it.

Maybe I dream too much.  But without dreamers, where would the world be?

Information, Please

   I'm going to teach C# at OSU-Tulsa this Fall semester.  If you, dear reader, know a C# developer, or a company with a C# shop, who would be willing to give me some "real world" info, I'd really appreciate it.
   I'm not looking for proprietary code or anything like that.  Just some basic information like:

• "We develop X number of apps for Y number of clients", or 
• "We have X number of C# developers, but we also focus on this other language as well", or 
• "We usually take on Z number of college students as interns during the summer"

   It would be nice to introduce things that are currently happening, because my goal is to make this class a dynamic process and, hopefully, more meaningful to my students.

   This idea may go up like a lead balloon.  But, as "Mythbusters" showed, when done right, a lead balloon can indeed fly.

You Know What's Cool? Not This Summer!

   The heat won today.  All during this heat wave it's been chipping away at me and I finally reached a point where all I wanted to do was lie down in front of a fan and do nothing.  And so I did.  And I fell asleep.
   It felt so good.

   The mountain of chores waited for me, as I knew it would.  But I needed the time to at least partially recharge myself. 
   I do the best I can, but once in awhile I have to take care of me.  You can call me selfish if you wish.

Victim of the Summer Heat

   The heat wave took another victim today.  I guess it's been so hot that the glue finally gave out on my car's passenger side mirror.  The whole assembly will cost about $80 (which I doubt includes installation), or for about $42 I can get a new piece of glass installed (the whole assembly is in good shape - just the glass mirror fell out). 
   The only option I can afford at this point is to go old school and actually look over my shoulder before changing lanes.  Probably a good skill to brush up on anyway.  By example, I'll be showing my kids a safe way to drive.  Not sure if it's still taught in driver's ed any more.  But I'm old enough to remember when most cars didn't have side mirrors, and we were taught to use the one mounted inside the car, then look over our shoulders to check the blind spots.
   I'm looking forward to this new challenge, although I'll also be saving up to get the thing fixed.

A Refreshing Salad

   The other night it was too hot to cook, so I made a nice fresh salad.  I bought lettuce at the store, but the tomatoes, peppers (I used Anaheim peppers), onion, and garlic were all locally-grown and came from the Farmers Market.  I love tomatoes that don't taste like cardboard!  Same for the other produce!
   The peppers had a little kick to them, but when combined with the Italian dressing (I was too lazy to mix olive oil, vinegar, and spices that night), were even more awesome.
   I might do the same thing tonight.  If I do, though, I might mix my own dressing.  On the other hand, I may chop up everything but the lettuce and have a nice fresh salsa.  Mmmmmm....!

August Usually Gets Hotter...

...and I'm not looking forward to that trend.
   Maybe, instead of this being the month where Mother Nature turns up the heat, she'll decide to cool things down a bit.  From the temperature right now though (it's 110 as I write this), I think we're in for another hot and dry month.
   Soon enough, however, Autumn will arrive and things will cool down a bit.  As with most things, we just have to be patient.

Cushing Aquatic Center

   Who ever thought that you could go to a water park for $1.75 a person?
    In Cushing, Oklahoma there is the Cushing Aquatic Center, which has two large water slides, a smaller slide, a diving area, some swim lanes, a thing that squirts water out of several openings (kinda looks like a tall, skinny fire hydrant), an area that slopes from the sidewalk area down to about four feet, a floating alligator to climb on, two round "lily pad" floats to climb on, and a toddler pool with a giant frog slide.  There is also a sand volleyball court and a sandbox area for younger kids.  As hot as it's been, though, I tend to stay away from the hot sand and in the water areas.  The cost is very reasonable during the day ($3.25 per person age 7 and up).  But in the evening, during the Twilight Swim, the price drops to just $1.75 per person 7 and older.  Under 7 is even less expensive.
    I took my kids there last night.  Cushing is about half an hour away from Stillwater, and the Aquatic Center is well worth the drive.

We were among the first to arrive last night

In the background are the two big slides and a smaller yellow slide.

I Wanna Rock!

We went to Glencoe, OK early this morning to get some rocks a lady was giving away.  Some were pretty interesting.  I managed to get three rose rocks (Oklahoma's state rock) that were a bit eroded, but for free, I couldn't complain.  Pictures are below of the rose rocks and others I got.  I might go jasper hunting sometime soon.  We got directions to some public land where anyone can go pick up pieces of jasper.

Rose Rocks

Different background, but same rocks

Could somebody identify this, please?

Variety of rocks and shapes

Different crystals in this rock

I'd never really paid attention to the inside of this type of rock, which I always considered to be river rock.

Delayed Gratification

   I'm getting ever closer to earning a new Kindle by accumulating Swagbucks!  I've made Swagbucks,com my default search spot, and I can earn swagbucks as I search for things on the Internet.  These swagbucks can be spent in the Swagbucks Store.  For every 450 I get, I can purchase an Amazon.com gift card worth $5.  It's not much I know, but my Amazon gift card account now has over $80 and continues to climb.
   I'm saving up for a Kindle.  There are other ereaders out there that have more bell and whistles, but if I'm going to read, I want something that has limited distractions.  And as I get closer to my goal, I might change my mind about what I want. 
   Delayed gratification can be a good thing.  Although I love the bleeding edge of technology, I can't just go out and buy every cool shiny thing that catches my eye.  So I've learned to be patient.  And my patience will pay off.

How Big is a Trillion?

   I pondered this today, and what boggles me is how the U.S. deficit could get so big in the first place.  I mean, a million dollars is a huge amount of money.  If I had $1 million, I would live quite comfortably for the rest of my life, and probably have some money left to pass on to my descendants.
   If I had $1 billion, I would have way too much money and would have to give most of it away.  I imagine I could help a lot of people and still have more than enough for my descendants to live in comfort.
   But $1 trillion?  That is beyond ridiculous.  That, to me, is approaching "having all the money in the world."  How can we owe multi-trillions of dollars, and who do we owe it to?
   Here's what triggered my thinking about this huge debt crisis:  If some being with unlimited wealth gave me $1 billion told me to go out and spend $1 million a day and not come back until I'd spent it all, I'd be gone for less than three years.  If that same being gave me $1 trillion and told me to spend $1 million a day until it was gone, I would be gone for over 2700 years.
   I think a multi-trillion dollar deficit is beyond comprehension.  Maybe Congress and the President should focus on the here and now.  This whole money thing is ridiculous.  Printed on all our currency is "In God We Trust." 
   Doesn't anybody believe that any more?

Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy

   When I was a kid, my dad bought a trampoline.  These days, it's not that big of a deal because they are sold in lots of places.  But back then, we were the only family in the neighborhood (and possibly the only family in our whole grade school) with a trampoline.
   Dad bought it at a surplus store.  I loved going there with him.  Most of the stuff was Army surplus, but there were lots of other things there as well, the trampoline being one of them.  We loaded the parts up in the back of a pickup and drove home with no idea how to put it together or even if we really had all the parts.
   We dragged the four sides into the back yard and figured out how to put the frame together.  That was the easy part.  Next came the springs and mat, which at that time was made of interwoven webbing, sewn together at intersections so a person wouldn't fall through.  The first few springs were easy enough to do, attaching them to the frame and then to the mat.  The last ones were the really difficult ones, and we had to use leather gloves to guard against pinching.
   Once it was all together, the fun began!  But my dad had some definite rules.  First and foremost, none of our friends could jump on the trampoline unless an adult was present (this rule was eased once my sister and I demonstrated that we were competent enough to teach others how to be safe on the trampoline).  Also, only one person at a time was allowed on the trampoline at a time (trial and error and some conks on the head between my sister and I brought this rule into being).  Ideally, we needed to have one person on each side (that meant four people plus the jumper), especially if we had a novice jumper.  Falling between the springs was really unpleasant.
   We had the trampoline for many years.  In the summer it was in our back yard, and rules were eased some as more kids in the neighborhood demonstrated their skill levels.  During the winter, my dad had it in the field house at Mt. St. Mary's High School, where he taught and coached.  He used the trampoline as an off-season method to improve the agility of his football players.  I was, as with many of his experiments, the guinea pig as he developed drills.
   For one thing, with a ceiling that was maybe ten feet high and the trampoline mat probably four feet off the floor, you had to jump on your knees.  He invented different drills to do.  One was to bounce and go from knees to belly to butt and to turn around and land facing the opposite direction as he called out how to land and which way to face.  It was a cool ab workout without doing situps or crunches.  Another drill was to be bouncing facing the opposite way and he'd call out, "Ball!"  We'd have to turn in midair, spot, and then catch a football he'd thrown.  The worst, I mean most challenging, was when he'd throw a medicine ball which we had to catch and throw back as soon as possible (hanging onto a medicine ball was potentially painful, so we learned quickly to throw it back quickly).
   I miss that trampoline and those bouncy days.  Maybe some day I'll get a trampoline again. 

Make Money Stuffing Envelopes!

   Does this sound too good to be true?  It probably is.
   On the other hand, at my temp job today, I spent all day stuffing, sealing, and labeling envelopes.  And I got paid for doing it.  So I guess technically I could say that I actually made money stuffing envelopes.
   Temping can be interesting, especially if you are open to trying different things.  As a temp you can stretch your comfort zone as much (which tends to open more possibilities) or as little as you wish.  In the current economic climate there may not be as many choices, but there is usually something that you can do, or at least try.  Enhance your people skills by working as a ticket-taker or by answering phones for a small business; learn to run a sophisticated copy machine or a cash register; file documents or update a database.  There are so many things you can do while searching for that awesome job that you know is out there.
   If you're tempted to temp, you too might find yourself getting paid to stuff envelopes!

The Beauty of Nature

   Today, as I was driving back to Stillwater from Tulsa, where my wife had a doctor's appointment, I saw a dust devil.  They're not real common, but I manage to see a few every year.  This one lasted longer than most I've seen.  It danced and swayed and seemed almost alive for about 30 seconds, maybe longer.
   My wife had never seen one.  She's heard about them, of course, but she thought they were really figments of the imagination or perhaps a tall tale.  This was her first view of these mostly harmless mini-tornadoes that pop up in dusty, dry, and usually flat areas.  She grew up in hilly Cincinnati and has hardly ever been west of I35, which more or less is like a dividing line between the hillier eastern half of Oklahoma, and the flatter plains to the west.
   I grew up in Oklahoma City, and as a kid we would chase after the dust devils that danced across playgrounds and little league baseball fields.  They seldom lasted for more than a few seconds, so often it was a matter of being in the right place at the right time.  Once inside a dust devil, the dirt and debris would swirl around, pelting us on all sides.  The winds were always too weak to whisk us off to Oz.  Then the experience was over before we knew it, the magic dissipated to perhaps, or perhaps not, re-form elsewhere on the playground.
   I wish I would have had my camera out to capture today's dust devil, along with the delighted surprise in Susie's voice when she witnessed one of the little miracles of nature that often pass unnoticed to most people.

I Hear Thunder!

   I also hear the pitter patter of raindrops falling outside.  I hope some of it will soak into the ground before it evaporates.  It is more than welcome around here, and the temperature outside is still 109.  Maybe it will cool things down a bit.
   On the other hand, it may stay hot and this rain, however brief, may make it more humid out there.  I'm going to hope for the best, though.
   This evening I am going to see the final Harry Potter movie with my kids.  I'm not sure when I went to a movie theater last, but I'm looking forward to sitting in a cool theater, eating popcorn, and watching a movie with the kids.  My daughter, who got movie tickets for her birthday, chose to treat us to a movie.  I fully expected her to go with her friends, but I guess that, considering all that has happened over the past couple of years, she thought we all deserved a treat.
   Yes, the gift of rain is a wonderful thing right now.  But the gift of kindness endures forever.

What a Tease!

   Isn't it annoying when you look up and see a vision of loveliness, wordlessly promising something you are longing for, and then it turns out to be just a tease?

   Lately this has happened to me.  I would go out at lunchtime, just to stretch my legs and to get some fresh air, despite the heat (it seems to hit 100 by noon most of the time lately).  I'd look up into the sky and see lovely clouds, drifting about, holding cool moisture that we need so bad.  And some of them would drift in front of the sun, cooling things down ever so slightly before drifting on and leave me wanting more.

Clouds that tease!

Not many visitors in this heat, but at least it's shady

Above the blue bench, this tree provides welcome shade from the sun

   I'll put up with it, though.  This is what we get right now and there is nothing I can do to change it.
   But still, it would be nice if those teaser clouds would stay around a bit longer.

Live and Learn

   As long as I'm living I plan to continue to learn.  Maybe that's why I love the Internet.  There is so much information out there, that it could take several lifetimes to see it all.  Sure, there is probably as much misinformation on the Internet as well.  I mean, really, do you think Russian women really want to date you when they have no idea who you are?  Maybe.  But maybe not.
   However, I digress.  I'm talking about learning things.  New languages, different recipes, how to do stuff, places to see, etc.  And one of my new favorite learning places is called Memrise.  It's pretty new, and a lot of stuff is in beta, but it's a different and fun way to learn new things.  I'm learning Mandarin Chinese and, so far, it's not that hard.  You can actually contribute to the site, adding vocabulary to a language that you might know very well.
   Check it out.  It's fun.

What an Awesome Topic for Today's Blog Post!!

   I woke up this morning with the most awesome idea since the invention of the word "awesome."  I took a shower, got dressed, got my stuff ready for my morning drive to my temp job, grabbed a big honkin' travel mug of iced coffee, jumped in the car, and headed down the road.
   I gazed at the cloudless sky, which already looked dusty/hazy and forebode another scorching day.  Passing an Angus beef pasture, I saw that their pond had an awful lot of muddy bank and very little water and worried about the cattle there.  I waved at a cow who was watching me drive by.  And by this point I had completely forgotten what I wanted to write about.
   Has this ever happened to you?  You wake up with a world-changing idea that is so brilliant that you don't have to write it down.  An hour later...POOF! 
   I hate it what that happens to me.  Most often, I wake up from one of my flying dreams ready to show the world that I really can fly.  It involves a mathematical formula that is so vivid and obvious, but which fades so quickly that I've never been able to write it down once I woke up.
   The idea I had for today (I'm pretty sure) was not so eccentric as flying.  I wish I could remember, because I'm sure you'd enjoy reading about it.
   Maybe tomorrow...

Langston Lions

I decide to take some pictures of these guys who sit outside in all kinds of weather, watching the campus at Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma.

Watch a Hawk Making Lazy Circles in the Sky

   Yep, you can really do that here in Oklahoma.  The wind also comes sweeping down the plain, and wheat does have a sweet smell after a rain.

   The lyrics to the song "Oklahoma!" do a pretty good job of promoting the state where I grew up and where I love living.  We have other things here that people from a distance away don't get to experience.  Although not a large state, we have a wide range of geological features: desert areas, wide plains, gentle rolling hills, mountains, forests, swamps, rivers, and lakes.
   The song came into my mind the other evening when I was driving home from a grocery run.  A red-tailed hawk was making its way up into the sky, circling slowly as it climbed higher.  Hawks tend hunt early in the morning just after sunrise and again in the evening as the sun is going down.  This particular hawk was joined by a turkey vulture (or buzzard, depending on where you live).  As big as a hawk is, a vulture is much larger.  They were both circling in the sky, the hawk looking for a live meal, and the vulture looking for carrion.  Both magnificent creatures, each performing their part in the circle of life.
   I love where I live!

Recent Dream

   Most of my dreams are colorful and often funny.  Sometimes they are realistic in some alternate-dimension kind of way.  And occasionally I have a dream that I think about after I wake up, and it sticks with me.  The other night I had one of those dreams.
   I was sitting in my car with one of my dream friends - a person who exists in my dream world, but I don't know in waking life.  Anyway, we were talking about nothing really important when she asked, "If I could grant you a wish, what would it be?"
   Without a moment's hesitation, I replied, "I'd like to have a pickup truck with a leak-proof bed-liner.  And I'd want the bed filled with lime Jello.  Then I'd go and buy a bunch of spoons and drive around, sharing my Jello with everyone who wanted it."
   It all made sense in my dream world, because Jello would set up just fine in the back of a pickup, and it would stay clean and sanitary, no matter how many people scooped some out.
   I keep thinking about that dream and I still wonder what it meant.  Maybe it was one of my nonsense dreams, but I'm not so sure.  Maybe I want to have abundant good fortune and share it with others with others.  When I was a kid, lime green Jello was one of my favorite treats.  I associated it with happiness, warm family memories, and special times.
   What dreams keep you thinking?

Bees Don't Play Croquet Nicely

   When I was a kid, we would set up our croquet set in the back yard during the summer and while away the time playing croquet.  The problem back then was when the clover flowers blossomed the honeybees came to visit.
   Usually, we were careful.  After a bee sting on the bottom of the foot one summer, it became common practice to wear flip-flops (until a bee sting on the side of the foot) and then sneakers.  Once, though, I guess I must have thought that bees only go after feet.  Either that, or I was just plain cocky because I knew I wouldn't get stung again.
   I'd watched a golf tournament recently, and decided I'd line up my shot like a golfer.  I got down into a crouch and then leaned over to the side, trying to eyeball the perfect shot.  I put my hand down to steady myself and - ZING!
   Bees sting hands, too.  And they don't share the croquet field very nicely.

Flame On!

   When I was in high school, we had a house where the garage had been converted to a family room.  My parents, in their best move ever, put a pool table in there and I practically lived in there on the weekends, watching late-night TV and shooting pool.
   Often I fixed a bowl of popcorn to feast on late at night.  One wintry night, after our electric corn popper had gone kaput, but before we had a new one, I decided to use our big honkin' cast iron skillet to pop my corn.  I'd done it before, and I knew the drill - put the oil in, heat it up, add the popcorn, put the lid on, and shake it until everything popped.
   This night, though, we were out of oil.  I decided to use shortening.  It had to melt before it got hot enough to pop the corn, so I figured I could rack up the balls and make a shot or two on the pool table.  Being a typical kid, I got distracted, and a little while later I heard a muffled "whumph!" coming from the kitchen.  Ruh roh!!
   I ran into the kitchen and, sure enough, the shortening had melted, heated, and caught on fire.  I knew better than to pour water on a grease fire, and I had the presence of mind to remember that baking soda would do the trick.  The problem was that we kept the baking soda on a shelf above the stove, and the flame was pretty high (big skillet, lots of shortening - hey!  I was a growing lad!).  Fortunately, it had snowed recently and there were some drifts in the back yard that I figured I could drop the skillet in.
   I grabbed the burning skillet and I started walking quickly and quietly toward the sliding glass door to the patio.  As with most emergencies, time seemed to slow down.  I was moving quickly, but it seemed like such a long journey across the carpet, with flames going up out of the pan, but not up my arm.
   At about that time, my mom, who I thought slept like a log, decided to get up.  I didn't see her come out of my parents' bedroom, but when she screamed, I was so startled I leapt up into the air and ran toward the patio door.
   Let me point out that at the time I had a ratty old terrycloth bathrobe on, which I'd had holes and loose threads hanging down.  When I jumped and started running, the flames started moving toward my arms and my very flammable robe.
   My mom screamed again, "Lyndon!  You're on fire!!"
   I reached the door and flung the pan out.  It didn't reach the snow drifts, but instead hit the concrete patio and the fire went out anyway.  I was patting my arms, although my robe (thankfully) had not caught fire.
   "Mom!"  I said.  "I had it under control until you started screaming."
   By this time my dad was up and asked what was going on.
   "I was making popcorn and burned the pan," I said, in the understatement of the year.
   "Well be more careful," he grumped and went back to bed.
   After the adrenaline rush wore off, I decided I wasn't that hungry.
   I pay more attention when I cook now, whether or not it's popcorn on the stove.

Do Drink the Water

   I just looked at the local temperature on my WeatherBug at it said that it's 107 F, but feels like 109 F.
   Really?  At this point, what it feels like is HOT!
   It's always a good idea to stay hydrated, especially when the heat of summer sets in.  Here are a few tips for keeping hydrated:

• Drink before you are thirsty.  If you feel parched, you are most likely already dehydrated.  
• Eat your water.  Fruits, especially watermelons, are loaded with water, and delicious, too.
• Keep a water bottle with you.  I carry extra bottles of water in my car, in case I'm stuck somewhere (in traffic, for example) and it looks like a long wait.
• Add flavoring to water.  I like to start the day adding lemon juice to ice cold water.  I learned this trick from my aunt when I was little.  She's not a coffee drinker, but ice cold lemon water can be quite an eye-opener in the morning.  My kids aren't so keen on lemon juice and water, so they make lemonade during the summer and fill water bottles with it.
• Have a glass of water before a meal.  You're digestive system will appreciate it, because it helps to make digestion more efficient.  Also, if you're like me and prone to overeating from time to time, the extra water will help you start to feel full sooner.

Our bodies are around 70% water.  Keeping it that way helps to keep us healthy, so drink that water.  Especially during these hot summer days.

I Gave Blood

   Yesterday I gave blood at a local blood drive being run by the Oklahoma Blood Institute (OBI).  I try to give as often as I can, although circumstances sometimes delay things.  For instance, the last time I was eligible to give, I was in the midst of fighting a nasty cold, which may have actually been pneumonia.
   Yesterday morning though, I was running an errand (which eventually multiplied into four errands) before heading to Tulsa in the afternoon, when I saw the Blood Mobile sitting in the parking lot of a shopping center in Stillwater.  I kept it in mind as I went about my tasks, and wound up back at the Blood Mobile before heading back home. 
   Nobody seemed to be around, and I never saw any advertising, but being curious, I went inside and found three OBI people waiting for donors.  It was almost noon and I signed in as the third donor of the day.  Less than half an hour later, I was heading home, having donated a pint of blood (I'm A+, by the way) and getting some cookies and Gatorade.
   As usual, it was a pleasant experience.  Many people don't like to donate blood.  I read somewhere that only about 5% of potential donors actually give blood.  I know people have lots of reasons why they don't want to donate, but I blow right past the biggest reasons, because: 

• I'm not afraid of needles.  Yeah, I was as a little kid, until I accepted the fact that doctors and nurses were trying to help me.  The people who draw blood are professionals and very good at what they do.  They also use sterile needles, and they make sure the area is clean and sterile before poking.
• It's not that painful.  I've had sprains, broken bones, jammed fingers, bee stings, mosquito bites, paper cuts, cat scratches, dog scratches, stubbed toes, paper cuts, and many other little injuries that hurt far, far worse and for a longer time than a poke for giving blood.
• I may not have the time at a given moment, but I will make the time when I can.  My donation may be the one that helps save a life.  I hope that if I'm ever in need of blood, somebody else will have donated the type I need at the time. 

   Oh yeah, I also got a T-shirt and a pass for two to the zoo.  That's not the reason I gave blood, though.  I gave because it seemed like the right thing to do.

Listening to the Stories of the Long-Term Unemployed - The Takeaway

What could be better for today's blog post than me - live and unedited on The Takeaway!

Listening to the Stories of the Long-Term Unemployed - The Takeaway

For What it's Worth...

...I think the politicians in Washington are looking at the forest and forgetting about the trees.
   Sure, there is a deficit - a huge one.  But I don't think it's a good idea to slash spending to the point of laying off workers ( = unhappy taxpayers = unhappy voters ) when the unemployment figures are so high.
   A better idea, IMHO, would be to find a way to increase jobs.  More workers would mean more revenue because these people would be paying taxes on their income and they would be buying things which would increase demand which would increase production and sales, which would increase the need for more workers which would mean more taxpayers.  Heck, this could be done without increasing taxes - or, to jump-start it before things get worse, have a temporary tax increase with a well-defined goal and timeline.
  The biggest problem with my idea is that the the politicians are more interested in creating sound-bites to get themselves re-elected (isn't it odd that they never seem to suggest cutting their own salaries and staffs?).  They don't want to come up with ideas for growth because it's so much easier to bad-mouth everybody else.  Thinking isn't that hard, but it does require effort.  I guess when your salary is guaranteed (at taxpayers' expense), your health care is assured (at taxpayers' expense), your travel is covered (at taxpayers's expense), you get used to the easy life.  All you have to do is scare voters away from your opponent and/or the polls altogether, and you get another free ride.
   Maybe the voters should ignore the scare tactics and focus on candidates who have positive and constructive ideas.  The forest is big, but it's possible to thin out the overgrown areas without slashing and burning and destroying the good and useful trees.

Tar Bubbles

   The heat this summer reminded me of hot summer days when I was a kid.  After breakfast, we were sent outside and couldn't come back in until lunchtime.  We'd ride our bikes around our block, neighboring blocks, and sometimes several blocks away into the unknown - neighborhoods where the dogs didn't know us and would chase us as we rode past at breakneck speed.
   Then we'd head back to our neighborhood and find other things to do, maybe having water pistol fights, running through neighbors' sprinklers, and getting chased out of the yards of the older people, scattering in different directions.  Sometimes we'd play catch - something I could do all day long, given the chance.
   But on really hot days, we'd pop the bubbles in the tar in the street.  On our street, we didn't really have potholes, because cracks got filled with tar before they got larger and became holes.  And on warm days, the tar would soften, then bubbles would form as it got hotter.  We'd pop the bubbles with our toes.  And sometimes, if the tar was fresh, I remember getting a little of it, working it in my fingers to get little bits of grit out, and then chewing on it.
   Bad idea?  Probably.  But it was something to do on a hot summer day.

Just When I Thought it Couldn't Get Any Hotter...

   Hot, hot, hot!  I don't recall July being this hot this early.  I know we've had some hot summers (the hottest officially was in 1936 - well before I was born), but jeepers!  The first picture below is from when we had some clouds for a little bit today.  The bottom picture is from half an hour later, when the sun was back out.  Good thing the wind was blowing, so it didn't feel unbearable when sitting still.

   I don't know what the official high temperature will be for today here in Stillwater, but at my house it was just too darn hot.

Fresh Produce...Yum!!

I don't know about where you shop, but the produce section of the grocery stores around here seem to have bland-tasting veggies.  Today I decided to go to the local farmer's market here and get some locally-grown produce.  I bought cucumbers, yellow squash, and jalapeño peppers.  Most likely, they will not go into the same dish.  But I have been known to be creative when cooking, LOL.

What Were We Thinking??

   Another tale from when I was in the 8th grade.  After I recovered from my broken arm (blogged about in an earlier post) and the accompanying humbleness, I had the opportunity to be involved in a spectacular experiment.
   We were in Science class one day, reading about atoms and molecules and elements and how things combined to make other things.  Our teacher was Mrs. Seth, who was from India and wore a sari, and had a colored dot on her forehead, which I thought was so cool because I'd never had a teacher from another country.
   Anyway, I read how common table salt, sodium chloride, was the combination of two dangerous elements - sodium, which reacts violently with water, and chlorine, which is a deadly gas.  I was curious about sodium, a metal, and what it would do if put in water.  We happened to have some sodium metal in a small can in our classroom.
   I asked Mrs. Seth what would happen if we put some of the sodium in a beaker of water.
   She asked in reply, "What do you think it would do?"
   "I dunno," I said.  "Bubble a lot?  Maybe blow up like a firecracker?  Can we try it?"
   "Outside, boys," she said.
   "Really?  We can try it?"  My friends and I perked up on what had been, up to this point, a damp and dreary day.
   She gave us permission to go outside with the sodium and a metal wastebasket.  At times she didn't seem to care for us boys, but I think having us take a metal container rather than a glass beaker meant that she knew something would happen, perhaps beyond our expectations.
   We went out to the asphalt blacktop that served as a playground during the week and a parking lot on the weekend.  We filled the wastebasket about a fourth of the way up with water and set it down.  Everybody in class was looking out the window, watching our experiment.
   "How much sodium should we use?" somebody asked.  The can had all kinds of warnings on it.  Inside, in a clear oily-looking liquid, was a chunk of what looked like a rock.  Actually, there were two chunks, and a few little bits of "rock."
   "How about the smaller chunk?  If it doesn't do much, we'll use the big chunk."
   That seemed reasonable.  So we got the small chunk out, plus a few of the smaller bits, and closed the lid on the can.
   Taking the sodium over to the wastebasket, we tossed it in and stepped back.
   Suddenly, there was a fizzing and hissing sound, which was probably one of the smaller bits.
   "Run!"  I yelled (actually I think we all yelled it).  And we took off in all directions to get away from the wastebasket.
   WHAAHHBOOOMM!!!  We could feel the explosion.

   I turned around to see water rocketing up into the sky, then cascading down around the wastebasket.
   We waited a little bit, and then nervously approached ground zero.  When we got there, not only was the wastebasket empty, but it was dry, too.  We had blown every bit of water out of it!
   Of course, we tried to swagger as we went back to the classroom.  However, I don't think any of us asked to do any non-scheduled experiments again that year.

The Court of Public Opinion Doesn't Always Win

   Casey Anthony was acquitted of killing her toddler.  The prosecution could not present enough evidence for the jury to decide beyond a reasonable doubt that she was guilty.  All the defense had to do was to convince the jury that the evidence, much of which was circumstantial, was flimsy enough to create doubt.
   I've served as a juror before, and it's clear from the beginning that the attorneys want people who know little or nothing about the case.  This jury was probably picked in the same way.  Once picked, they were kept from what became a media circus as the case unfolded.
   Television, radio, newspapers, and the Internet were daily sources of information which we, the public, could read, see, and hear.  We were also presented with conjecture, speculation, and guesses as to what happened.  Rumors and fact mixed together in the media frenzy and reached a point where, to the public, there could be no doubt that Casey Anthony cold-heartedly killed her own flesh and blood, and then covered up her misdeed with layers of lies (interestingly enough, she was convicted of lying).
   The jury was not aware (if the court did its job right) of the media circus.  They only could make a judgement on what they were given as evidence and in testimony.  They chose a not guilty verdict.
   Casey Anthony knows whether or not she killed Caylee.  If she did it (and quite honestly, I think she did), she's avoided the death penalty and by doing so becomes a prisoner to her own thoughts, of the guilt that will, sooner or later, gnaw at her until it tears her up.  In the meantime, though, there are probably some ghoulish people who will try to court her for a book deal, or some movie or reality show gig. 
   I hope, however, that there is enough outrage that people will pay closer attention to their own relationships with their families.  I believe that we should be positive rôle models to others, whether or not we choose to have children.

Five Guilty Pleasures

   Ideas come from all directions.  Sometimes, though, I need a little help.  When I do, I usually start to research at random.  Some say I'm just goofing off on the Internet, which is probably true.  So here are my top Internet Guilty Pleasures, in no order of importance, because coolness can pop up at any time from any of these:

• Swagbucks - I am often searching for things, and while Google, Bing, and Yahoo are all really good, I get rewarded for searching thru Swagbucks.  They also offer rewards for completing surveys, plying games, watching videos...oops!  Okay, I do goof off here.  But the search engine is pretty good.  I got the idea for this blog from the result of a search.
• Facebook - I visit Facebook several times throughout the day.  I sometimes get ideas from things my friends have posted.  But my favorite thing about Facebook is that I've found a place where I've been reunited with friends I haven't seen since the 6th grade.  There is even a Facebook group now for those who graduated from my elementary school.  Oh, the memories we share!
• Twitter - I was away from Twitter for awhile, but now I've comeback to it.  Based on who or what I'm following, I can often come up with some ideas to write about.  A guilty pleasure about this is that some of the celebrities I've followed have actually tweeted back.  Cool.
• Lifehacker - Yeah, baby!  This inspires the MacGyver in me.  I might not write about what I find here, but it gets my creative juices flowing, that's for sure.  I recently built an air conditioner out of an old ice chest, a portable fan, and frozen ice packs.  I wrote about this one, and I found the instructions at Lifehacker.
• eHow - I started visiting this sometime back.  I like to doodle, and I found some excellent instructional material here.  Since then, I found more interesting things here, and often it is presented in a funny manner.

   So here are my five (current) guilty Internet pleasures.  I'm sure your list may be different, and mine will probably change over time.

It's Hot so We Built an Air Conditioner

   With several days of 100+ temperatures so far, and with summer usually getting hotter in July and August, getting into the car to go somewhere is uncomfortable for the first several minutes until the air conditioner cools things down to something resembling a bearable temperature.  Today, we created an air conditioner out of a Styrofoam cooler, a battery-powered fan, and frozen ice packs.
   I had read about this here: Lifehacker AC DIY and decided it was time to give it a shot.  We already had some Styrofoam coolers around the house because we've had things shipped to us that needed to stay cold, which solved the problem of finding a suitable container.  Also, we have the reusable ice packs that came with the coolers, although for test purposes we used frozen peas.  I'm the only one who likes peas, and the main reason we keep frozen peas on hand is because they make nice moldable ice packs for injuries (I have kids, plus I'm a guy - injuries are pretty much unavoidable).  We have some plug-in-to-wall fans, too, but I wanted this to be portable, so I bought a battery-powered fan and some batteries.
   So for less than $15, I was ready to create.  With my trusty pocket knife, and humming the theme song to "MacGyver," I cut a hole in the lid of the ice chest just big enough for the front of the fan to fit in, facing downward (i.e., inside).  Another hole in the side of the chest, towards the top, provided the outlet.
   I pulled two packets of frozen peas out of the freezer, set them in the bottom of the chest, put the lid on, sat the fan on top and switched the fan on to blow down onto the peas.  The resulting cold air bounced back up and came out the outlet hole.  Success!
   I have a plastic bottle of water in the freezer now, in addition to the reusable ice packs, so we'll have plenty of frozen things to use when we need to cool down the interior of the car a bit in the sweltering summer sun.

Fireworks!

Have a wonderful day!

Don't Try This at Home

   Did you know that powdered non-dairy coffee creamer is flammable?
   I saw an episode of "Mythbusters" where they showed an extreme example of just how big a ball of flame they could get from powdered creamer.  I had a pretty good idea I knew what they were getting into because I experienced the awesomeness of powdered creamer pyrotechnics first-hand.
   Several years ago, I worked for a place that had awesome employee parties a couple of times a year.  Once, around Christmas time, we had an employee dinner at a restaurant called "Stillwater Bay,"  which was located in downtown Stillwater, OK, and was known for their delicious steaks and seafood. 
   At the time, the Bay had candles on the tables, and the usual complement of salt, pepper, sugar, sweetener, and, of course, powdered non-dairy creamer.  During the evening at on point, I said to my boss, "Did you know Coffeemate is flammable?"
   "What"? he replied.  "I don't believe you!"

   Another employee, Amy, backed me up.  She and I, almost simultaneously, started demonstrating what happens when you sprinkle the powdered creamer onto a candle flame.  POOF! 
   We were having fun making small fireballs when I took it to an extreme.
   I emptied several packets into my palm and said, "Watch this!"
   WOOOMPH!  A big ball of flame shot toward the ceiling.
   About that time, our waiter was walking around the corner balancing a huge tray of food.  We nearly gave him a heart attack and he almost dropped our food.
   I was startled a bit as well, because I hadn't expected such huge flame.
   We settled down after that, and I'm pretty sure that my boss left a huge tip, not just for the great food and great service, but also because we hadn't intended to give our server a coronary.
   Less than a month later, Stillwater Bay, along with its associated restaurants - Eskimo Joe's and Mexico Joe's, stopped putting powdered non-dairy creamer on their tables.  Also, the real candles on the tables at the Bay were replaced with electric candles.
   It's possible that these changes were coincidental to my shenanigans of that one fateful, fun, flame-filled night.   What do you think?

Have a Wonderful Independence Day Weekend!

  This weekend looks like it will be hotter than a firecracker in these parts.  We've had some hot summers before, but I don't remember when it has been this hot this soon and for so many days.  I hope you find a place to stay cool.  And if you are out and about and it's hot wherever you are, please remember to drink plenty of water.  Even if I don't know you personally, you are important to me.  Why?  Because you cared enough to read this, for which I thank you.
Stay safe!  

Even on a Hot Day...

...I managed to find something to photograph. 

  
   I like the picture of the track because it reminded me of those days long ago when running was a big part of my life.  It took a lot of practice to get good, because I am not a gifted athlete.  Long before I ever tried my hand at track, and later cross country, I spent many hours running, often by myself, just to build up stamina and speed.

   For the flowers, I was goofing with my macro setting.  It was pretty windy, but I think this picture turned out just fine. 
   I love my little camera.  Someday when I have one with more bells and whistles, I'll still have this one because it's awesome for its size.

Don't Mess With Your Guardian Angel

   Starting in the 8th grade, I knew, like most 8th grade boys, that I was immortal and invincible and invulnerable.  Unfortunately, what I knew decided to clash with reality one day.
   We were at football practice - we didn't have our practice uniforms yet, so we were doing drill in shorts and t-shirts.  I was the fastest kid in the 8th grade (for real - you might not believe it to look at me now, LOL), and the coach had us running pass routes.  Even though I was slated to be a running back, I loved being able to break out and catch passes.
   When my turn came up, it turns out that I was going to be covered by my friend Craig (who was over six feet tall) and his older brother Mark who was in high school and was even taller than Craig.  I was maybe 5' 8" at the time, so it was gonna be tricky to catch the ball between two "trees."  But I was up to the challenge because I was cocky and fast.
   I ran out and got between Craig and Mark, figuring the ball would be thrown when I broke past them.
   Wrong!
   I looked up and saw that the pass was coming down right in the middle of us, and being the shortest, it didn't look too promising.  But I leaped up and somehow managed to snake my arms between the brothers and get one hand on the ball.  I pulled it down and grabbed it with the other hand. 
   Yes!  I caught the ball and I was not about to let go!
   And then we were all tangled up.
   And we fell.
   Somehow I ended on the bottom of the pile, but I held onto the ball, although the dirt under my left wrist was really hot! 
   Uh oh!  I remembered the last time something like that burned.  It couldn't be happening again.  No way!
   We got up, and my wrist was swelling.  Just like in the 2nd grade, the coach got a hold of my parents, who took me to the hospital where I got x-rays and a cast.  At least this time it was only one arm.
   I'm one of those people who believe we have guardian angels watching over us.  And I sometimes get a little too adventurous and need some help from my guardian angel.  And I think this was one time when maybe, just maybe, I had gotten a little too full of myself and because I was too stubborn to drop the ball, my angel decided to drop me.

"I live for my dreams, and a pocketful of gold"

   I heard a story on NPR yesterday morning about how many dollar coins are stored away by the Federal Reserve, because Americans apparently don't want them.
   I'm one American who loves these coins.  They are nice and heavy and gold in color.  They are a conversation starter.  I'll put them in a tip jar and find that my service gets a little better.  They make wonderful treasures to hide to make a potentially boring present more memorable.  Since 2007, they have been minted with the face of each President - U.S. Grant being the latest.  And they jingle just like any other coins.
   Maybe most people don't like them, but I do.  And I find that they are hard to find, which makes each one more of a treasure to me.  I finally do have a place where I can get them.  There is a vending machine that accepts dollar coins, and I found that if I put $1.00 in smaller denomination coins (nickels, dimes, quarters) and push the coin return, the machine will spit out a nice, shiny dollar coin.  I have several Presidents and a few Sacajawea ones as well.
   I think it's cool to have a pocketful of gold jingling a merry tune as I stroll through life.

Stillwater teams compete in Odyssey of the Mind World Finals » Local News » Stillwater NewsPress

An article in the local paper about some of our Odyssey of the Mind teams competing in the OM World Finals.

Stillwater teams compete in Odyssey of the Mind World Finals » Local News » Stillwater NewsPress

Although the team I was involved with didn't make it to Worlds this year, everyone had a great time working together and competing in the Regional and State competitions. Odyssey of the Mind is a great program for kids K-12!

Rockin' Photoshop

   I love Photoshop.  I got to use it at a previous job once, and I learned how to so some pretty awesome techniques with it.  Since then, as things have changed, I've learned Gimp, which is a lot like Photoshop.
   However, recently I was temping and was called upon to cover for an office receptionist who was out for the day.  I quickly ran out of things to do (lots of slow periods), but then I found an older copy (CS2) of Photoshop.  I'd started out learning CS3, so it was pretty easy to refresh my memory with the techniques, and I found some tutorials online.
   I rediscovered my love of Photoshop.  And in the process, I created some of what I call "Vacationing Penguins" pictures.  Two of them are posted here.  Those plus a third one are on my Facebook page.
  Photoshop rocks!