Experiencing Technical Difficulties, Please Stand By
Today sees me setting off to visit a number of various family members for a few days, so just as a forewarning, this little bit of nowhere might be inactive for a short while.
I would, however, like to say that sometimes life caters exclusively to one's childhood nostalgia. Yesterday as I was idling around in a local second-hand bookstore, I stumbled across the book
The Flight of Dragons by Peter Dickenson. Years ago, I repeatedly (read: REPEATEDLY) watched an animated movie by the same name that was based on the book. As a sidenote: if anyone thought James Earl Jones' voice was intimidating before, Darth Vader doesn't even hold a candle to the just-plain-malevolent cackling of Omadon.
Stumbling across a book I thought I'd never find, not to mention was starting to wonder if it even existed at all, was one of those rare treats. I nearly hyper-ventilated in the store. I'm glad I didn't. I'm sure the cashier was happy I didn't either. Managing to procure the necessary funds to purchase the book, I skipped happily home with it. When I sat down in my chair and started reading a few parts of the book, I became nine years old again and marveled at the sheer imagination of the book. Granted, because I'm older I can appreciate a lot of the "scientific" nuances in the book regarding how dragons can fly, why they breathe fire, and so forth, but for all intents and purposes, I was squirming around excitedly in my chair the entire time. The idiotic Cheshire Cat's grin of my face was unmistakeable to anyone who looked at me.
So now I have a tangible memento of one of my most-beloved childhood memories. Happy now.
Today's Lesson: when confronted with the choice of buying either kiwi-scented shampoo, or papaya-scented shampoo, go with the kiwi. The scent is not so overbearing, and doesn't make you smell like someone who fell asleep in one of the storage tubs in a jam factory.
posted by Phillip at 8:23 AM
Every Grey Hair Earned....
It's Father's Day. I do certainly love my Dad and am rather happy he is around. After all, if my Dad wasn't here, then I wouldn't be here either. As far as I know I can't just spontaneously exist. Though I'm pretty sure that those pink lawn flamingos have discovered the ability to simply "exist" from nothing. There's one suddenly appearing one instant, you blink, and suddenly your lawn is covered with a whole flock of them.
But I digress.
Admittedly, I'm of two opinions about a day exclusively devoted to recognizing and celebrating Dads around the world. On the one hand, it's good to know that fathers, especially the good ones, get some overt acknowledgement of what they do. Being a parent seems to be a somewhat underappreciated role these days. On the other hand, the commercialization of Father's Day makes me shake my head and wonder just how many more sales on greeting cards, ties, watches and power tools the world can withstand before it implodes.
Anyone who knows about my proposed "I-Sat-Next-To-You-On-The-Bus Day" civic holiday can pretty much understand the cynic in me ranting here.
But back to Dad. I'll openly admit I've got a cool Dad. And strangely enough, one of the things I have come to appreciate the most about him is his complete lack of hesitation to smack me upside the back of the head (sometimes figuratively, sometimes literally) whenever I'm being an ass or an idiot. Or both. If that's the case, I usually get two smacks upside the back of the head. I really do think that's one of the key reasons I actually turned out half-decent and have a good head on my shoulders (despite it being smacked around here and there).
He's given me a sense of discipline and responsibility. He's taught me self-worth, self-reliance (though at a healthy level), and the need to plan ahead for the future, be it in finances or scheduling calendar dates. He's also taught me that under no circumstances should you ever lean over the edge of the roof when you're 6 years old and not attatched to some kind of bungee cord or something to keep your head from cracking on the porch.
So Dad, this one's for you! You have your .5% beer, and I'll have...something alcoholic...anything alcoholic...where's that patron hand to show up and give me a Rye & Coke?
Today's Lesson: no matter what you think at 6 years of age, you cannot defy the laws of gravity
posted by Phillip at 3:19 PM
