So Santa sent me a telegram last night telling me that he is essentially FINISHED for Christmas... he told me that he had kept a copy of the letters that Ryles and I-Man had sent to him last year, and with a couple of carefully positioned questions relayed by me, he is all set except sending a furniture purchase to me for Ryles. This includes Birthdays too... Gotta hit Ikea at somepoint this Fall... Its all over except for the Christmas tree, Thanksgiving turkey and Advent calender. Done. Over. Kaput. That was soooo 2011... No Christmas bills in January for me... Already planning 2012 events

so nobody wants to take a bite... guess I will have to do the NASCAR race or Braves game by myself.. again. Perhaps people just dont want to hang out with me anymore...

so yesterday...

yesterday I actually felt my first earthquake. I was at my desk at work when I felt the floor start to bounce up and down. At first I thought it was a "heavy" person walking down the hall as occasionally we have people who walk laps around the building and one of the routes takes them past my desk. But I quickly realized that this was lasting way too long. And suddenly I looked out and others were looking out too.. and honestly, my first thought was "Earthquake!. .no way". I immediately posted on facebook and started hitting refresh cause I thought if it was true i wasnt the only one... sure enough seconds later people started posting and about two minutes later CNN posted on its website BREAKING NEWS.... it was similar to like when you are at the malland you feel the floor shake, or you are in marching band and start marching across a bridge and it starts to bounce up and dowwn... this lasted for about 25 seconds... weird...

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound’s the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.
-ROBERT FROST

I just happened across this and remember having to memorize this for some reason back in school... I am not sure why, but it certainly makes me visualize this scene time and time again.. and I often find myseld mumbling to myself at time "miles to go before I sleep"

.. had to run off not one, not two but THREE racoons off the back deck the other night. They were on top of the table eating Mocha's food and had made quite a commotion getting up and knocking off bowls, cups.. whatever they could knock off... I opened the back door and two of them took off in a flash but the third just stood there continuing to eat.. i threw a stick at it and it them bolted off... there was no Mocha the BattleCat in sight, which is probably wise on his part as unless the cat is on the size/strength/gene makeup of SIMBA, three racoons on one BattleCat, no matter how experienced and no matter how many vanquished squirrels and birds he can lay attest too, is a match a BattleCat wants to take on... he did come gingerly walking down the driveway after I had shooed them off however, almost in a "wha???... did I miss something?... something going on here?..." kinda sauntering/meowing dealio...

did I mention that we got our AC (HVAC) overhauled two weeks ago??? so now we have this huge unit the size of my car on its side sitting beside the house that controls the temp both upstairs and downstairs for heating and cooling. a pretty chunk o change that costs but the savings in utility costs, as well as the supposed value of the house (at least once the market upturns again) should benefit. We also had the entire exchange unit replaced as well as ducting and a couple of new vents placed in as well. It also controls the humidity in all the "zones" and does all this automatically. Thus if we set it for 72 degrees downstairs and 68 upstairs, it will keep the temp in those areas... so now we just have a few more "projects" that are major to the house... a new back deck is probably the last major thing.

I think one thing that I have been a little perturbed about is that I-Mans soccer stuff has forced me to miss friends I dont get a chance to see too often. The other week I missed seeing Kristen and her family due to his 3 days a week practice schedule and it seems a schedule change to his Fall tournament schedule is going to make me miss a planned get together with friends this later in the Fall. I dont know. I want I-Man to have fun and he wants to be at this level of soccer. So I willingly take the time and do what it takes to get him to practice and the tourneys. I guess its all a part of that circle... I wonder how many things my parents missed out on doing while sitting in the car watching me do football practice, or while sitting in the car waiting on me to finish Marching Band practice.... or how much time did they miss that could have been spent chillin on a Friday or Saturday evening, but instead they were waiting on a band bus that was 45 minutes late at 11:00pm at night... I guess I'll never know... but I also know that i suspect one day way down the line Ryles and I-Man will suddenly understand just how much time this takes for them to be having all their fun and development. All I say is that there better be scholarships down the road for all this....

AH... I used to wonder why the mere mention of a visit to Nanna/Papa/Grandma is met with joyous glee... but as the pic shows me why, as I-Man seems to need a "Vacation" bike for Grandma's house... it all good though.. just humorous...

starting to suck

the fact that the twins dont start school until after Labor Day sucks. Due to me working and Jessica starting work again last week in her school district, we have had to utilize Nanna/Papa/Grandma in various forms as we would rather not dish out the money it cost for someone to watch them and we arent fortunate enough to have people who can keep them all day. They are just about to the age where we can probably let them stay home alone, but are trying to avoid that scenario at all costs. So this means that the kids are off to Florence since last week, with I-Man having to shuttle back up here for his Soccer practices. Two weeks ago, I-Man was able to stay at Grandma's during the day and I would get him and bring him back to town for his practices. This past week saw him basically stay in Florence and this week will see him there too for the first half of the week. One good thing is that they will get to go "camping" with Nana and Papa in the new camper down on the coast the next couple of days. All the time spent with the Grandparents is good, and we are blessed that they are willing to inconvenience themselves and keep them... but I miss having them and it is annoying when I dont know what they are doing minute by minute. While I certainly trust and know that they are in good and loving hands, I just am annoyed that I see them for a soccer practice here or there...

Summer's over!!! time for school...

but wait... the twins dont start school until seemingly October again. Actually they start the day after Labor Day and we are having to figure out what we are doing with them for about three weeks while Jessica and I have to work... is it me or did we always start school the middle of August back in the day?

... yesterday, what was it that I saw? Leaves floating down from the trees. It certainly had the look of fall out back on the deck despite the 100 degree temps. Is it me or are the leaves starting to fall earlier and earlier?

i guess the prevailing question about alot of things is... Is it me?

"In these downbeat times, we need as much hope and courage as we do vision and analysis; we must accent the best of each other even as we point out the vicious effects of our racial divide and pernicious consequences of our maldistribution of wealth and power. We simply cannot enter the twenty-first century at each other's throats, even as we acknowledge the weighty forces of racism, patriarchy, economic inequality, homophobia, and ecological abuse on our necks. We are at a crucial crossroad in the history of this nation--and we either hang together by combating these forces that divide and degrade us or we hang separately. Do we have the intelligence, humor, imagination, courage, tolerance, love, respect, and will to meet the challenge? Time will tell. None of us alone can save the nation or world. But each of us can make a positive difference if we commit ourselves to do so." - Cornel West(Race Matters)

The Emperor has....

I often tell my stealthy Romanian friends that despite what you often hear, not all Black Americans are lock step in line with blindly rooting for President Obama despite all the glaring signs that he could care less about Black Americans... and slowly but surely, I am hearing the people calling in ( to the radio talk shows like The Power, and America Left... what? I thought I only listened and watched and read Foxnews) who are speaking out against him, who.. gasp... are black. I suppose they have issues with their skincolor too, as I have been told I do... This guy, a highly respected man in the Black Community, is starting to have serious doubts and is voicing them... an interesting take.

And the next time ANYONE tries to offer up one of the typical excuses for our President, I will simply refer them to this article, which... by the way... aint Foxnews either.

Anybody In with me?

Ok... surveying the schedule, I think I am going to try to go to either the Atlanta race or the Charlotte race this fall... Anybody want to go with me? I am thinking about the Atlanta Race as I have Labor Day off which falls the day after that race. I am thinkin' Ikea, The Varsity then on to the race, then back home for an Itenarary. The Charlotte race (a Saturday night event) will see a Nascar Hall Of Fame visit, then on to the track for the race then back home.

Summer-O-Rama-Fun...

While I have previously mentioned a while back that no major trips of the century/summer/year wereplanned for this Summer 2011, i did anticipate that the twins would be able to spend extended time with Nana, Papa and Grandma. I am pleased that so far this has been true. Extended time at both Grandparents House has allowed Ryles and I-Man to hang out with them and spend simple quality time. While I have tried to hope that they wouldnt try to spoil them, I have come to expect that a little of that comes with the territory. At any rate, I-Man has had the opportunity to begin to learn to water ski (above) using the same waterskis Aunt Ellen, Uncle Wes and Jessica learned on... and while his first experience saw him fall repeatedly without really getting too far out of the water, I suspect the next time will see him go farther. As he matures, I sense his strength is growing.. especially as he rides his bike more and gets a little more physical endurance/strength.

The twins have been able to spend a bunch of time with cousin Madison as well, and with the impending arrival of another cousin I hope that the adventures for them will continue to flourish.

One Month

.. so I decided to not post for a month and whittle away some people who I know will stop coming here daily/weekly/etc. I will now start updating again.. I know. A little pretentious of me, but I never said i wasnt somewhat arrogant at times...it is what makes me who I am.

meanwhile... i will spool up the posts again... starting today... and I will back track on events of the summer over the next few days...

We hung out today at home then went over to see Brandy and AJ and their family for dinner. The twins got to go swimming (always a fave with them) and we then hung out for a while before heading home. Tomorrow starts the drudgery again for me and work...

cable (and Internet) is out due to the storm last night... I am betting a WEEK before they fix it... we are at 24 hours right now... Charter is so crappy they are beyond crappy...

but we are watching The Muppets show right now... In this whacky world of virtually the same show over and over (see The Voice, American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, America's Got Talent... I havent even gotten to all the Race to somewhere supposed reality shows) I wonder if the Muppet Show would even last two episodes now....i guess it isnt as risque enough now... or it doesnt tell a story (shoved down out throat) about some random person from some random town who might...Might...MIGHT "make it" and make our hearts warm...

or it isnt about vampires or people who want to be vampires or people who got attacked by vampires or sucked blood from vampires or kissed a vampire or played basketball with a vampire...

so another weekend came and went... more on this later (with pix)

but... enough of this wearing the pants around the ankles stuff kids seem to think is cool these days. Do they not know where this came from or what it symbolizes??? or is it too cool for them to even know? Everytime I see some kid doing this (especially a black kid) I smirk and ponder "Do you KNOW exactly what you are signaling to other people"?

"Dumbass...."

... just sayin...

so thats where that sock went... The twins are off to Nanna and Pappa's this week. So, while they are away, I am trying to actually take stock and clean some stuff out of their rooms. Looks like I will only get to I-Man's room this week as I am astounded by how much CRAP is behind I-Mans newly created bunk bed...

those of you reading this with kids... do you ever find yourself wondering what happened to that one tshirt you remember buying for your child? or getting ticked off that the 5 pairs of socks you bought last week are now only two matched pairs? or just where did all those capri suns dissappear to? well.. I found them tonight. behind I-Mans retooled bunkbed. I swear I a stunned...STUNNED at all the crap, toys and trash...I think a severe talkin to is in order once they return...

Speaking of the Bunkbed... Papa was here last weekend and he and I put back together the bunkbed. And it is extremely sturdy now...so sturdy that I have serious doubts how/if we will ever be able to get it apart. But Id rather have that worry than have it collapse. And seriously. I dont really know if we will be able to get it apart without an axe....

and the livin is easy....

So... Summer has arrived. Vacation is here. Except for me... As of now, no HUGE vacation plans are on the docket... as previously mentioned, the Georgia Guide-stones are penciled in for a day-trip, a couple of lake outings if we can work out borrowing the boat from Papa and the rest of the time will see constant visits from various classmates or the twins off to visit their classmates. Meanwhile, I will be off to work everyday, as usual...

... I-Man has footskills trainings every week on Thursday, and pickup soccer matches on Mondays. I find it amusing that these are supposed to be optional, but I swear almost every kid on the Academy teams is there. And the coaches are there too. While they are not running the drills, it is interesting that they are there. And they occasionally yell instructions to players while the drills or games are going on... so much for "optional". I swear these are looking just like normal practices to me... Did I mention that the Easley and Pendleton High School coaches are Academy team coaches too??...

Ryles, meanwhile, has purchased a couple of fish and put a tank in her room. Still kinda wondering where she got this money from, but whatever... she has two fishies named Nemo and Clementine. Lets see how long before they join their friends in the creek out back...

Did I mention that at the All Star Race, I saw Darius Rucker do the National Anthem and Lee Greenwood sang God Bless the U.S.A.... that was cool, but the most impressive thing was the B2 Bomber that flew over. It was almost sorta scary in that you only saw a slier in the distance and there was virtually NO SOUND when it flew over... then after it passed it seems to swerve off and throttle up and you heard it for the first time... but it was eerie how you could really barely see it. Just a sliver. Yeah, I think that tech is working.....