Another Celebrity Comparison

Tried this older photo of family at a Baylor game in the early 90s.

Me: Danny DeVito (guess cause of the glasses), John Major, or maybe Mark David Chapman.

Scott gets Madeline Albright. Sorry, bud. 3rd pick is the world's best soccer player, Ronaldinho, so there's some solace.

Mitzi gets Kurt Godel or Alan Greenspan. LOL, i told you it needed work. Top female match is Olivia Newton-John.

Mom's matches are mostly folks i've never heard of, except for Billie Holliday.

Marty = Russell Crow. At least that's better than Robert Redford. The Unibomber is also on his list. Good thing you lost the beard.

A young Cristal is a ringer for Elvis Presley, or so the site thinks. But that's not nearly as crazy as Dad = Britney Spears. Well, Britney or Kemal Ataturk, the found of the Republic of Turkey. I can't decide, either. :-)

What Celebrity Do You Look Like?

I've been asked this a few times, and the consensus answer is some amalgamation of: Davis Love III, Kevin Spacey, and John Edwards. How about you?

I found this website today that scans your face from a photo you upload, and compares it to their database of celebrities, using their face recognition software. You'll find that it still needs work, but it's fun to play around with.

Pic #1 - Marty & i at his wedding

Site says Marty is a 56% match to Jim Carrey. Also suggests Orlando Bloom, Charlton Heston, Robert Redford, Elvis Presley. Oh, and Condi Rice. I guess some semblance of truth is in there somewhere.

For me, it likes LBJ. Don't ask me. Or perhaps Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck, Kenneth Branagh, Garry Kasparov, Nathaniel Hawthorne, or Kevin Spacey.

Pic #2 - my college senior (or junior) yearbook head shot

Hmmm, i'm either Sarah Vaughn or Kobe Bryant. I promise i wasn't pulling a Soul Man on Baylor.

Pic #3 - Julie & i on the cruise a couple of years ago

Julie is a 73% match to Shania Twain. I can see that.

I get Natalie Wood this time. DiCaprio, again. John Edwards.

First Place!

Emily entered her keychain collection at the local Dixie Classic Fair. Her grandma Rita gathered many of the keychains from her friends & family, and sent them to Emily. Notice the blue ribbon in the photo - Emily won first place in her age group!

Recent Photos

5 photos from recent weeks...

1. David's first Halloween, with big sis Caroline
2. Jackson at school
3/4. Jackson & Emily's first time behind the wheel (scary!) at Nascar Speedpark
5. J&E at a pumpkin patch.

Link to AOL photos

Trip Report - Myrtle Beach

The family spent 3 nights at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina last weekend.  We drove down Friday morning, arriving around 2pm.  Pretty dead this time of year, given the chilling weather, and the fact that most of the shows were dark this week as they change over to their Christmas productions.

 

Lodging – Beach Cove Condos

Stayed at Beach Cove condos in North Myrtle, just north of the Tanger Outlet Mall.  A sister property to Ocean Creek, right next door, where we stayed last year.  Beach Cove is right on the beach (whereas Ocean Creek was set back more than 100 yards), consisting of 3 15 story towers.  We were in a 2-bedroom condo with kitchen, laundry, etc.  The room was decent, not as big as last year’s and not as nice, either. 

 

The property is about 15 years old, but it’s still in nice condition.  Unfortunately, the indoor pool was closed for repairs, and the outdoor pools & lazy river were too cold to use.  One pool was heated, but not enough for me to bear.  The kids didn’t mind, though.  We also enjoyed the outdoor hot tub. 

 

Entertainment & Dining

The first night we went to Medieval Times.  It was quite the memorable (and wallet-busting) experience.  The kids were enthralled by the spectacle of a show, with jousting knights, sword play, evil traitors, soaring falcons, and a swooning princess.  They were less enchanted by the meal, served on metal plates sans silverware (as the server announced, “this is your fork, and this is your knife,” as he held up each hand in succession).  Emily & Jackson barely touched any of the food, even though the serving boys and wenches called the bread “Dragon Tongue”, and the baked potato “Dragon Toes”.  They went bug-eyed when a whole roasted chicken was plopped onto their plate.  All in all, a good memory, but i can’t see doing it again.

 

On Saturday, we ate yummy hamburgers and fries at River City Café, then raced go-karts at the Nascar SpeedPark.  Dinner was sandwiches in the condo, followed by board games and North by Northwest on tv.

 

Sunday, we went to Broadway at the Beach, and walked around the shops, fed the lake-fish, and steered remote-controlled boats.  A gondola ride around the lake would have been fun, but it was closed for the winter already.  We ate lunch at the ridiculously over-priced Key West Grill, although we had a nice outdoor table overlooking the lake.  Had dinner at a different little hamburger joint by the condo, and then took in the tourist-trap (we know this now) Ghost Show at Barefoot Landing.

 

Beach Time

While the temperature was a bit chilly, the skies were totally clear the whole time, and so it was still nice enough to hang out by the ocean.  The kids waded in just a little, up to their knees (well, somehow, Jackson managed to get soaked practically head-to-toe).  We flew kites.  Emily & Jackson dug in the sand until they were completely dusted.  Caroline wandered around looking for kids her age (and succeeded, of course).  David is still too young to enjoy the beach.

The Best Album in Years

Knowledgable observers are shocked to learn that the new switchfoot album, Nothing is Sound, is only #2 in our countdown.  Only about a month old, how could it not still be on constant rotation?

While a very fine album, and probably the best thing being played on mainstream radio today, NiS is not up to the very-high standards that have been set by my favorite band.  Not as good as The Beautiful Letdown or Learning to Breathe, both 5-star albums.

Even if it were 5-stars, would it be enough to topple the CD at #1?  Probably not.  That CD is A Collision, by the David Crowder Band.  This album shocked me by how good it is.  I mean, DCB has been an above-average modern worship band, but would i have even noticed them if they weren't Baylor grads?  So when my good friend Shane started in on his one-man PR campaign about this one, even before it was released, i was pretty ho-hum about it. 

Then Shane sent me a review (which i posted on Amazon on his behalf), and i was finally intrigued enough to buy the thing.  I was blown away!  I'm not sure i've ever heard anything quite like it, so it's hard to categorize or describe musically.  Modern worship, to be sure, with a rocking edge in the vein of Delirious?.  But mixed in with poetry & Hank Williams & a panoply of sonic art. 

This one has my highest possible recommendation.

I've even managed to get the kids interested in it, something Shane portended but i really didn't believe was likely.  E&J now request track 18 (We Win!) all the time.

Here is commentary from the band about this album...

here is a snapshot of a small number of things that toppled into one another, resulting in our latest cd ­ a collision:

a book from the early 60's, neils bohr's model of the atom, the arabic numeral 3, the arabic numeral 4, a television show on the rural farm delivery network, cancer, a tsunami in east asia, the eschatology of bluegrass, an episode of columbo, country music legend/historian marty stuart, a jacket, a bomb, the barn behind my house, a conversation with a very intelligent acquaintance of mine who is currently finishing up phd work in super string theory, and who happened to mention, in very whimsical tone, one sunny texas afternoon, that we were, and i quote, "walking around in the sky." he said, while pointing to nothing in particular, "you see, there is the ground and there is the sky and we are somewhere in between. we're walking around in it. our feet are on the ground but..."

themes: an eschatological statement regarding death, mortality, good and evil, the second coming, the raising of the dead, oppression, deliverance, hope, bluegrass music, hiroshima, springtime, the quiet waiting that comes just before the loudest sound ever.

More on Eisley

This is probably one of those things that nobody cares about but me, but Eisley's lyrics are just so good that i wanted to share some from their new album.

He was throwing grain into the ground below, ground below
With dreary circles of his arm, going slow, very slow
His cap pulled down roun' his ears to
hide the smile and watery tears (Memory)

One day I slowly floated away
All the war horses wore rubber bands
to hide their hooves from sinking sand
The commander in charge was hoping that
The destiny was not to die...

And in the corner chair
soft and soap-scented
my darling cries apologies
We foresee the mercy
That's been shown my young limbs
Will not go unthanked or unseen (One Day I Slowly...)

And oh my love
We can live on the sun
And wouldn't we be attractive
Riding in our shiny motor cars
With eyeglasses full of stars
And plenty of paper for scenery paintings
'cause we found all entire dreams
Of men and machines and
Turned them all around to
Enjoy them and benefit ourselves
Our paperback books, our charming looks
Our indentical hands
Composing our commands (Plenty of Paper)

Eisley - a musical recommendation

I recently stumbled across a new band from Texas called Eisley.  Hailing from Tyler, Eisley consists of three sisters & a brother, plus a friend.  Home-schooled teenagers.  Christ-followers.

Their music is very melodic, airy.  It will remind you of Sixpence None the Richer or the Cranberries.  Lyrically, they are surprisingly mature.  This is no bubble-gum, even though there is this fairy-tale quality to the music.  One reviewer calls it "Narnia rock".

I picked up their debut full-length album, Room Noises, and love it. 

It's only #3 in my rotation right now, though.  Check out future entries for #1 and #2.

More School Commute Comedy

This was this morning.  It was very cold, and the kids had mittens/gloves on.  Emily's were a bright pink.

Emily: I have pink skin [referring to her gloved hands]
Jackson: You're pink
E: I got a manicure with pink hands and pink fingers - ha, ha
E: My skin fell off, and i have pink flesh.  But by Halloween, i won't have any flesh, i'll just be bones.
J: You have pink fur.
E: I'll just have bones because i'm going to be a skeleton.
J: I'm going to be bones, too.
Dad:  You are?
J: Yeah, i'm going to be a skeleton.
E: We're going to walk around the neighborhood scaring people.  We want to be the skeleton bride & groom.
J: Yeah, the skeleton mom & dad. The husband and the wife.

[Glad To Be] Colossally Wrong

I'm not sure if i wrote about it here, but i had been worried about the arrival of David, with respect to the impact on Jackson.  Jackson has been the youngest of the family for almost 6 years.  He had been the only son.  He had been used to getting all the attention he wanted from his Mom.  So i was worried how he would react to his new brother.

Boy, was i ever wrong about that!

Jackson has been wonderful with his baby brother, probably taking to him more than either of his sisters have (although they've been good, too).  He always wants to hold David, and will just sit there hugging and kissing him on the cheek, smiling at him, cradling his head & neck, and saying sweet things.  Things like "you're the best brother!".  And "I love David."

It's really been quite the wonder.

Late Night Phone Calls

I realize this is among the least of the worries for a father of a beautiful teenage girl, but these boys keep calling here at late hours.  It's 11:30pm and i just fielded another one.  And i'm too much of a smart-aleck for my own good.

Last week or so, some young dude (i guess i can't really call them punks if i haven't met them, huh?) calls after 11pm.  I answer, and he asks if Caroline is there.  I curtly answer "of course".  Silence.  He starts to stammer and fumble.  "Uh, um, i think i called the wrong number."  I retort, "no, you called the right number; you just called at the wrong time."

Tonight, it's a different boy (i can't keep track of them all) who asks for Caroline.  I ask him if he has a watch.  He says no.  I tell him he needs to get one, and then he wouldn't be calling over here so late.

Caroline says these boys are afraid of me, which cracks me up.  I don't know that anyone's ever been afraid of me.  But let's run with that.

Riding to School in Style

With the birth of David, it fell to me to be the kids' chauffeur to school each morning.  They enjoy the mornings when we get to put the top down (68 degrees is about their limit, and anything below the mid-70s gets them to stick their arms inside their shirts), and stroll through the drop-off line in style.  Emily's friends ooh and aah with fun envy, and beg her for a chance to get a ride home.  Alas for Emily, the afternoon pickup is handled by Julie & the Suburban.

Most mornings, i am entertained by their banter.  Sometimes, it almost seems like a scripted comedy routine.  I probably can't transcribe the moments well enough to entertain you, but i'll share some nonetheless...

This morning...
Jackson: David is a worm in my womb [that's what i heard anyway]
Dad:  What?
J: David is a worm in my womb
[pause]
D: Oh, he's alone in your room
Emily: What did you think he said?
D: He's a worm

A couple of days ago...
J:  [whispering to Emily]  Julia is first
E: Who's second?
J:  [???], and [???] is third
E: Oh, does she have dark hair?
J:  It's like yours, except round

Chief Justice Roberts

It looks all but certain now that John Roberts will be confirmed as the next Chief Justice of the United States (side note: the title is NOT Chief Justice of the Supreme Court).  That's a good thing.  I think.

My good friend Matt is right -- this guy is a cipher.  Or like a Gump Box of Chocolates (where you never know...).  You can't help but be impressed by the guy; even the Senatorial opponents speak glowingly of his intellect and demeanor (though they also cannot help but take the potshots required by future-fundraising-concerns).

Sure, i'd rather have a confirmed Roe/Casey opponent.  After all, the GOP has held the White House for 24 of the 32 years since the Roe debacle (as you can see, i'm not angling for a future seat on SCOTUS), and all but 2 (Ginsberg/Breyer) of the current justices were appointed by Republican presidents.  So why can't we get this heinous decision overturned?  Go nuclear if you have to.

But i'll take my chances with Roberts.  I think he is very close philosophically to Reinquist.  And i think he is very well suited to lead the Judicial branch.  I especially liked his analogy to baseball umpires...

Judges and justices are servants of the law, not the other way around. Judges are like umpires. Umpires don't make the rules; they apply them.

The role of an umpire and a judge is critical. They make sure everybody plays by the rules.

But it is a limited role. Nobody ever went to a ball game to see the umpire.

Judges have to have the humility to recognize that they operate within a system of precedent, shaped by other judges equally striving to live up to the judicial oath.

School Photos: Emily & Jackson

Here are the school photos for Emily (2nd grade) and Jackson (kindergarten).

Surprise! (sort of)

On Wednesdy, the 24th, i turned 40.  The big 4-0.  Doomsday.  Black Wednesday.  The demarcation line between young and old, it seems.  Over the hill, as it were.

My beautiful wife sprung a surprise party for me at work that afternoon.  Most of my staff attended, and well as some other friends at the office.  Caroline & David got to come.  But the big surprise was that my parents and sister flew in from Texas to celebrate the event with me.  That was really cool.

I actually knew about the party itself.  Someone at work accidentally included me on an email with the secret.  They quickly tried to cover the mistake with a ruse to get me out of my office, so someone could sneak in and delete the email from my computer, but i had already read it.  Nevertheless, i played along with the ruse, and didn't let on that i knew anything.  But i didn't know who all would be there, so there was still some element of surprise involved.

Star Fruit

Some good friends brought over a wonderful fruit basket today, only the basket was actually a scalloped-out watermelon with handle.  And the fruit was ready-to-eat -- grapes, pineapple, blueberries, watermelon, strawberries.  And atop it all, this star-shaped fruit. 

Now, i have never seen a star-shaped fruit before.  Never heard of one.  So, i assumed they had just cut up some normal fruit into the shapes.  The forms were so good that it looked like they had used a cookie cutter.  When i asked what type of fruit it was, my friends answered, "star fruit". 

OK, you guys are pulling my leg, and they even have their 9-year-old daughter in on the joke, as she is calling it star fruit, too.  Julie assures me that she's heard of it. 

Are you kidding me?  There's a fruit that is naturally shaped like a 5-pointed star?  And people think all this world came about by some purely mechanistic, random-chance process?  God made star-shaped fruit for the pleasure of us people, his grandest creation. 

God made this fruit so i could get a kick out of it.  That's very cool.

Back to School, Phase 2

Today was Jackson's first day of kindergarten, so there wasn't so much "back" in the "to school".  Though Julie & i were discussing how it doesn't seem like a momentous "first day of school" occasion, since Jackson has been going to pre-school for a few years.

But this was his first day of full-day school.  His first day with a lunchbox.  His first day navigating halls with big kids tromping through.  And probably a score of other firsts that we didn't get to witness within the classroom.

He had a day of artistic regression, drawing a scene of our trip to the Gatlinburg aquarium's shark tank -- without the sharks ("i couldn't remember how to draw a shark"), and depicting himself and Emily as stick figures, when he already knows how to draw bodily.  I'm sure that will work itself out in a matter of days.

So, a big day for a big boy.  Jackson crashed on the couch a half-hour after dinner.

Back to School, Phase 1

Emily started 2nd grade today at Calvary Day School.  Loaded down with all the supplies they have to bring, an everyday book bag bigger than any one her Dad ever lugged around, and a fresh-baked muffin for her teacher.

I'd report more, but you know how hard it is to get any info out of her.

Book Review: Conservative Like Me

Title: Conservative Like Me
Subtitle: Restoring American Politics, Piety & Patriotism from the Ground Up
Author: Evan Archilla
Rating: 3 (1-5 scale)

This is a nice, little book, and i agree with most of its content. I like how Archilla approaches his themes from the perspective of a new or recent arrival to our great country.

But it's pretty light on research or nuanced argument. Call it "Conservatism for Dummies", like the recent spate of similarly-titled books. Which is not to disparage the book at all, but rather to accurately describe what you're getting. I mean, we all need one of those Dummies book for something.

If you want more in-depth looks at these topics, check out the Heritage Foundation. It should be your next stop after this primer.

Famous Events of August 11th

Births

§           2005  David Michael Scott

§           1973  Edgardo Alfonzo, Venezuela, infielder (SF Giants)

§           1968  Charlie Sexton, rocker (Arc Angels)

§           1961  Craig Ehlo, NBA guard (Atlanta Hawks)

§           1954  Joe Jackson, English singer/pianist/composer

§           1953  Hulk Hogan, [Terry Bollea], Ga, WWF heavyweight champion (1984-89)

§           1950  Steve Wozniak, co-founder (Apple Computers)

§           1949  Tim Hutchinson, (Rep-R-Arkansas)

§           1946  Marilyn Vos Savant, writer/world's highest IQ (228)

§           1946  John Conlee, country singer (Common Man)

§           1933  Jerry Falwell, TV evangelist (Moral Majority)

§           1925  Mike Douglas, talk show host (Mike Douglas Show)

§           1921  Alex Haley, writer (Autobiography of Malcolm X, Roots)

§           1900  Charles William Paddock, 100m runner (Olympic-2 gold-1920)

§           1807  David Atchison (US President for one day in 1849)

 

Events

§           1992  The Mall of American opens in Minneapolis

§           1984  Carl Lewis duplicates Jesse Owens' 1936 feat, wins 4 Olym track golds

§           1984  During a radio voice test Pres Reagan joked he "signed legislation that would outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in 5 minutes"

§           1974  Lee Trevino wins the 56th PGA Championship, at Tanglewood NC

§           1972  Last US ground combat units leaves South Vietnam

§           1968  Beatles launch "Apple Records" label

§           1966  Last Beatle concert tour of US begins

§           1966  Debut of the Chevrolet Camaro

§           1965  Watts riots begin in Southeast LA, lasts 6 days

§           1961  Warren Spahn records victory #300, beats Cubs 2-1

§           1960  Chad declares independence from France

§           1951  1st color baseball game (Braves vs Dodgers) telecast

§           1934  First civilian prisoners arrive in Alcatraz Prison

§           1933  Temp reaches 136(f) at San Luis Potos¡, Mex (world record)

§           1919  Green Bay Packers football club founded

§           1919  Death of Andrew Carnegie

§           1914  France declares war on Austria-Hungary

§           1909  SOS 1st used by a ship, Arapahoe, off Cape Hatteras, NC

§           1866  World's 1st roller rink opens (Newport RI)

§           1864  Confederate General Jubal Early abandons Winchester, Virginia

§           1806  Meriwether Lewis is shot in the leg along the Missouri River

Hospital Photos of David

Link for baby photos of David.  Mother's name is Julie.  Password is 21541.

And unto us, a child is given...

The Scott Family was blessed with a 4th child, a 2nd son, today!  David Michael Scott arrived at 4:36pm today, August 11, 2005.

David weighed exactly 8 pounds, and measured 21.5 inches long.

Mom and child are doing fine.  More to come later, especially photos.

My Weight Loss Contest

A bunch of guys at work started up a weight loss contest.  I'm not sure what prompted it, but i decided to get in on it.  There are 10-15 of us, all pledging $20 to a prize pool, to be divided among the person who loses the most weight (raw pounds lost), and the person who loses the most, percentage-wise.  It started 3 weeks ago, and will run for 3 months, into September. 

We weighed in together, on a scale at work.  And we weigh in every 2 weeks, on the honor system (at least until the end), although i encourage bluffing.  Not sure if there is an advantage in bluffing too high, or too low. 

Anyhow, i think i'm the early leader, having dropped 7 pounds in the first 2 weeks.  All just by portion control, and better food choices.  Just wait until i start exercising!

Greatest Film Sequence Ever

The first half-hour of Saving Private Ryan is the most outstanding segment of film i've ever seen.  I'm sure you've seen it, the assault on Omaha Beach on D-Day, marked by incredible realism, utter chaos, unspeakable horrors, and gallantry beyond comprehension.  It's on tonight, and the scene never fails to, at once, amaze, inspire, and sicken me.

I told Emily about the cemetery in Normandy, and how i'd like to go there someday.  As Spielberg zooms out, showing the expanse of white crosses, Emily remarked, "wow, that's a lot!".  Yes, sweetheart, it is.

'Cause Freedom Don't Come Free

A collection of quotes for this Independence Day, starting with a modern president recently tabbed as the Greatest American in history (my vote went to the first president), to inspiration from the founders, and ending with lyrics from an outstanding song...

"We must not hesitate to declare our ultimate objectives and to take concrete actions to move toward them. We must be staunch in our conviction that freedom is not the sole prerogative of a lucky few but the inalienable and universal right of all human beings."  Ronald Reagan, 6/8/82, presaging the Bush Doctrine  

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." -- The Declaration of Independence  

"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman." -- Thomas Paine  

American Soldier
I'm just trying to be a father,
Raise a daughter and a son,
Be a lover to their mother,
Everything to everyone.
Up and at 'em bright and early,
I'm all business in my suit,
Yeah, I'm dressed for success from my head down to my boots,
I don't do it for money, there's still bills that I can't pay,
I don't do it for the glory, I just do it anyway,
Providing for our future's my responsibility,
Yeah I'm real good under pressure, being all that I can be,
And I can't call in sick on Mondays when the weekends been to strong,
I just work straight through the holidays,
And sometimes all night long.
You can bet that I stand ready when the wolf growls at the door,
Hey, I'm solid, hey I'm steady, hey I'm true down to the core,
And I will always do my duty, no matter what the price,
I've counted up the cost, I know the sacrafice,
Oh, and I don't want to die for you,
But if dyin's asked of me,
I'll bear that cross with an honor,
'Cause freedom don't come free.
I'm an american soldier, an american,
Beside my brothers and my sisters I will proudly take a stand,
When liberty's in jeopardy I will always do what's right,
I'm out here on the front lines, sleep in peace tonight.
American soldier, I'm an American,
An American,
An American Soldier

Happy 14th!

Happy 14th birthday to my oldest (and getting older) daughter, Caroline!  She spent the day celebrating at Wet&Wild.  Then, we surprised her when she came home with a party, with a few of her close friends, banners & balloons, cake and all the works.

Caroline is such a special girl, and a treasure as a daughter.  Her kind heart teaches me a lot.  She is a true friend to her friends, full of playful spirit.  She is beautiful.  She is full of talents, such as drawing.  She is adored by her brother & sister.  And, most importantly, she is a child of God, having given her heart to Jesus a few years ago.

A Book You May Have Overlooked

While recently on vacation, i read Boy's Life, by Robert McCammon, published in the early 90s.  I had never heard of this author before, but someone had recommended him to me.  I picked up this particular title in the library, since it sounded the most interesting of his available books.

I think i have a new Hall of Fame candidate.

Like many of my favorite books, it features a young boy in a coming-of-age tale, set in a Southern town (Zephyr, Alabama in this case) at some point in the past (1964).  The plot is framed by a murder-mystery (Cory and his dad witness a car careen into the town lake, with the driver handcuffed to the steering wheel), but the book really is about the wonder and magic of a boy's life, told in a series of (tall?) tales, as Cory awakens to some of life's harsh realities, holding onto his imagination, and his hope.

Strongly recommended for kids and grown-up kids alike.

Mountain Man

We took off for a last-chance vacation last weekend, a rather last-minute decision to spend a few days in the Smoky Mountains.  With Julie just a few weeks away from her due date, this was probably our last opportunity to drive anywhere and do anything resembling a vacation.

I was lucky to find a very nice, brand-new cabin on short notice during this busy season in the Gatlinburg area.  Complete with pool table and hot tub, and jacuzzi tubs in the bedrooms.  The kids had a blast, taking at least 2 dips a day in the hot tub (Jackson:  "ah, this is the life!), and somehow managing not to rip a hole in the felt of the pool table.  The kids got their own basement level of the cabin, which had a nice home theater set-up, an xbox, and a game table.

We left Saturday morning and drove to the southern end of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, then drove up through the middle of the park to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge.  Had a great lupper (lunch/supper) at Applewood restaurant, where they bring you complimentary fritters with powdered sugar and apple butter.  So much for the weight loss contest (more on that in another entry).

On Sunday, we hung out at the cabin until late afternoon, then took in a minor-league baseball game between the Tennessee Smokies and the Mississippi Braves (AA affiliates of Arizona and Atlanta, respectively).  Even though i bought the tickets online the Friday before, we had great seats, 6th row right by the 1st base dugout.  And got to enjoy a Jimmy Buffet tribute band that played after the game.

Monday, we got up early and headed to Cades Cove, where we saw several deer grazing in the pastures, wild turkey and pheasants, old churches and mills, and our very own deer while out on a nature walk.  Then, we drove further into the park to Chimneys for a river-side picnic.  At Chimneys, you can trapse out into the river on large boulders and dip your feet into the very-cold water. 

Then, we kept going to Clingmans Dome, the highest point in TN, where the walk up to the observation tower was a brutal climb on pavement.  The only thing that kept me going was that i saw people fatter than me -- much fatter -- making their way back down after a successful ascent.  I'm not sure how they don't need a full-time ambulance out there.  Turned out that the view from the tiptop was obscured by clouds, so the best views were actually from the parking lot.  Oh well, i guess i needed the exercise.

On Tuesday, we visited the Ripley's Aquarium.  It was a pretty neat place, though it didn't take very long to go through, probably because we got there right when it opened and there was little crowd.  The highlights:  holding a live horseshoe crab (what an interesting animal - check out the link), the shark tube (where you walk under the water with sharks and rays swimming above you), and petting the rays (well, not so much petting, but getting splashed by).

There are seemingly a million fun things for kids to do in that area, so i'm sure we'll make a few trips there over the years.  Emily wants to know why we can't live there; she says i can play poker ("like those guys on TV") for a living.  Jackson wants to go to the "place that looks like Disneyworld" -- it's just a go-kart / putt-putt place.  Caroline wants to go horseback riding and play laser tag.  They all want to go to Dollywood.  Julie and me just want to relax, and avoid the traffic on that horrific main artery.

American Travelogue

Found this on my sister-in-law's blog, and thought it would be fun and interesting.  Like Jody, I'm 14 shy of a full 51.  Really need to make that trip to the northwest.

bold the states you've been to, underline the states you've lived in and italicize the state you're in now...

Alabama / Alaska / Arizona / Arkansas / California / Colorado / Connecticut / Delaware / Florida / Georgia / Hawaii / Idaho / Illinois / Indiana / Iowa / Kansas / Kentucky / Louisiana / Maine / Maryland / Massachusetts / Michigan / Minnesota / Mississippi / Missouri / Montana / Nebraska / Nevada / New Hampshire / New Jersey / New Mexico / New York / North Carolina / North Dakota / Ohio / Oklahoma / Oregon / Pennsylvania / Rhode Island / South Carolina / South Dakota / Tennessee / Texas / Utah / Vermont / Virginia / Washington / West Virginia / Wisconsin / Wyoming / Washington D.C.

Go HERE to make your own list.

The Doctor Will See You Now

Last week, I paid my first visit to the doctor in... actually, i don't know how long it's been... more than a decade, for sure.  This was my promised Christmas present for my dad, delayed so long to now be a combo Fathers' Day gift.

My family genetic history is stacked against me, in league with my poor diet and non-existent workout regimen.  With the brick wall of AGE40 looming, it was high time to get checked out.  And boy, did i get checked out.

Height: 5' 11" (it's gotta be the shoes - we settled on 5' 10")
Weight: 200
Blood Pressure:  130/70 (hey, so far, so good!)
EKG: all clear

The EKG was interesting, and a bit nerve-wracking, what with the half-dozen or so little jumper-cable-clamps crimped on my skin.  I didn't know what was going to happen, and they didn't say, so i naturally wondered when the little tingles or shocks would hit.  In reality, you don't feel anything.

Well, i was still feeling the after-shock of the just-completed THING THAT THEY DO WHEN YOU TURN 40, otherwise known as the prostate exam.  If i remember my Social Studies right, i think the doctor and i may be considered married in some Micronesian tribes.

Speaking of the doc, he's quite the lecturer and moralist.  Wasn't enough to ask about any history of illness or broken bones, he also wanted to know if i wear my seat belt, have a smoke alarm in the house, or have any guns in the house.  And hey, make sure that there are no guns in the houses where your kids play, he admonishes.  Go ask those parents.  Umm huh. 

Then, he goes off on diet, asking me if i ever eat out.  Sure, i say.  Well don't do that any more!, doc scolds.  "All restaurant food is bad; you need to brown bag it.  Besides, it will save you tons of money that you can put into your kids' college funds.  That reminds me, have you opened one of those 529 plans?"

My final adventure was with the blood draw.  I went in without conscious worry or nervousness, chatting breezily with the technician as she took 2 small vials from my left arm.  As she's finishing up, i tell her that i sometimes get woozy.  She wishes i had told her that beforehand.  Why, is that bad?  Well, we could have had you lay down.  Meanwhile, my body is starting to react.  I feel the wooziness, a little nausea.  It just gets worse and worse, then i break out into a full body sweat.  You can see my drenched forearms.  She has to call for a wheelchair.  How embarassing!

One other funny part of the blood stuff was that a young boy had been in front of me in line, but he got so nervous that he excused himself from the chair and went to the bathroom.  His mom said he was probably in there throwing up.  So they let me go first, only to see the big, grown man get carted off in a wheelchair, half-coherent, as the kid came back from the bathroom, likely forever traumatized.

Final Thought: one of my key considerations in picking a dentist is small hands.  I don't like giant fingers probing around in my mouth.  I now believe that's a good rule of thumb (so to speak) for doctors, too.

Emily's Pagama News

As in Pajama.  Emily and a friend wrote up their own newscast last night.  I'll transcribe it as written...

Pagama News

Hello and welcome to pagama news.  Everey thing here is in pagamas.  Whats the wether for today Emily?  There is a slightly chans a rain.  Tomorow will be sunny.  Today 59*, tomorow 85*.

sport: tee ball
trofys: sockere
movys: incredibles

* the asterisks were actually little degree marks. 

Learning to Play Bridge

Some friends taught Julie & me to play bridge last night.  Or, should i say, tried to teach us.  Matt plays duplicate tournament bridge a few times a year (his Dad is one of the top players in North Carolina), and has always been so enthusiastic about how much fun the game is.  And like so many others before him, has told me "you'd like it."

So we went over the basics (it seemed like advanced bridge to me) of bidding and trick playing.  Didn't get into scoring, except to explain about -- well, i've already forgotten the right terms -- bidding high enough to score big.

I didn't realize that the bulk of the game is in the bidding, and the signals each bid sends.  It reminded of the way bees communicate by dancing.

Can't see us becoming regular players, the way my parents were when i was a kid, but i expect that we'll take a few more lessons, to at least become passable bridge players.  The kind real players chuckle over.

Greatest Americans: A Replacement List

So, lopping off almost half of the original list, we need to come up with 49 replacements.  Some are easy calls...  James Madison, John Adams, and Lewis & Clark come to mind.

Others i'd choose...

§           Gouverneur Morris

§           John Hancock

§           George Mason

§           Thomas Paine

§           Samuel Adams

§           US Grant

§           Robert E Lee

§           Henry Clay

§           Daniel Webster

§           Andrew Jackson

§           Douglas Macarthur

§           Sam Rayburn

§           Milton Friedman

§           John Muir

§           Willis Haviland Carrier

§           Louis Agassiz

§           John Paul Jones

§           George Gershwin

§           Irving Berlin

§           Ralph Waldo Emerson

§           Charles Finney

§           Jonathan Edwards

§           Dwight L. Moody

§           William Booth (founded the Salvation Army)

§           Lottie Moon

 

That's only 28; 21 to go.  Any other suggestions?

Greatest Americans: Taxonomy (part 2)

A Stretch (28)

§           Arnold Schwarzenegger

§           Barbara Bush

§           Bill Clinton

§           Bill Cosby

§           Carl Sagan

§           Christopher Reeve

§           Clint Eastwood

§           George W. Bush

§           Hillary Rodham Clinton

§           Condoleezza Rice

§           Elvis Presley

§           Frank Sinatra

§           Helen Keller

§           Howard Hughes

§           Jimmy Carter

§           John Wayne

§           Johnny Carson

§           Katharine Hepburn

§           Lucille Ball

§           Robert Kennedy

§           Maya Angelou

§           Mel Gibson

§           Michael Jordan

§           Richard Nixon

§           Rudolph W. Giuliani

§           Oprah Winfrey

§           Ray Charles

§           Steven Spielberg

 

Flat Out Ridiculous (21)

§           Barack Obama

§           Brett Favre

§           Ellen DeGeneres

§           Hugh Hefner

§           John Edwards

§           Laura Bush

§           Madonna

§           Martha Stewart

§           Michael Jackson

§           Dr. Phil McGraw

§           Pat Tillman

§           Michael Moore

§           Tiger Woods

§           Tom Cruise

§           Tom Hanks

§           Donald Trump

§           George Lucas

§           Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

§           Rush Limbaugh

§           Marilyn Monroe

§           Steve Jobs

 

So, who do you think is the most ridiculous nominee?  Barack Obama?  John Edwards?  Dr. Phil?  Ellen?