via Mickele:
What if the Hokey-Pokey IS what it’s all about?
Woah, Nelly.
Secret Worlds: The Universe Within
View the Milky Way at 10 million light years from the Earth. Then move through space towards the Earth in successive orders of magnitude until you reach a tall oak tree just outside the buildings of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, Florida. After that, begin to move from the actual size of a leaf into a microscopic world that reveals leaf cell walls, the cell nucleus, chromatin, DNA and finally, into the subatomic universe of electrons and protons.
Powers of 10
What Are You Searching For?
Joe and I sometimes talk about what advertisements for religions would look like. For instance, if you were going to try and attract more people to the Mormon church, you could mention that there is the possibility of having as many wives as you want, if that’s your thing. Catholics can get high on all that insense in the churches and Baptists get to sing really loud even if they can’t sing well at all. Those things might be really appealing to certain kinds of people. Jehovah Witnesses, however, really have no good marketing scheme available. They don’t let you celebrate holidays or have birthdays. What kind of people are these that never let you get older? Hey. If you’re born as a JW, how do you know how old you are? Wait. If I join now can I stay 33 forever?
Margot = Rad
Let me tell you a story about a woman named Margot.
Margot Winters is rad.
That could be the end of the story because the statement is so all inclusive, but if you are looking for a home or selling a home here in the San Diego area, this is where you can find an honest, no nonsense real estate agent that has your best interest at heart.
Update
My kids just left for a 3 week long vacation in Tampa, Florida where, as my son said, all the geriatrics live. Someone pointed out that grandparents have granddaughters and hopefully there will be some girls his age there.
In other news, a job I was hoping for didn’t come to fruition. It’s a setback but not insurmountable. Joe and I are still planning on moving to the LA area, closer to where the kids live. I’m looking at new job options and ironically, he’s already got offers on the table when he wasn’t really looking yet. That’s my Joe.
Joe’s family is in town and we had a really wonderful day at the beach with both sides of the family. I enjoy meeting the people that are important to him. We are both lucky to come from loving, caring families.
Today’s first: I got pooped on by a bird flying overhead. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. However, it didn’t go in my mouth. That, my friend, would have been much, much worse.
Bovine Humor
A: Knock Knock.
M: Who’s there.
A: Interrupting Cow.
M: Interrupt—
A: MOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Too Much TV
Ty: Leave me alone! I mean it!
-pause-
Ty: Tony! Knock it off!
-pause-
Ty: That’s it! I’m gunna—
Anthony: Wait! If you choose to strike me down now I will just come back better and stronger than ever!
Give it a Name
If it were your favorite novel, you’d be 2/3rds the way through the book and just about to find out who murdered Dr. Hunt but not believe it entirely because you’re waiting for the twist at the end.
If it were a video game, you’d have just finished level 22 and about to go through stocking up on some really awesome tools of warfare for the boss on level 23, knowing that it would take a miracle for you to win since you’ve never been to this particular boss before and you’re low on ‘life’ power.
If it were a movie, you’d have finished your popcorn about 15 minutes ago and drank so much of your soda that you have to use the bathroom but can’t get up because you don’t want to miss any of the last part of the movie.
If you were 11 and playing at your best friend’s house, it would be right after you got done playing kick-the-can in the dark. You won the game and know that your fame will outlive you in your neighborhood and you are about to find out if you will sneak out later and TP someone’s house.
But it’s really just my life. I’ve been out of work for a few weeks now. I have nothing in savings and no prospects except one. And the job I want is not in San Diego, away from Mr. Joe San Diego, which is very sad, but its in Sherman Oaks which is close to my kids, which is good. And it pays better than anything I can find in my area. So, I’ve made it through 2 call-backs and will be going to the third either on Friday or early next week to meet the Boss. It’s been a lot of driving back and forth and I’ve become very intimate with the traffic between here and there which wears on me. But I really want this job now. The more I learn about the company, the more I want to be a part of what they are doing.
I’m not sure about anything in my future. What a strange place to be. But, a good one since it’s honest.
Just What I Needed
From a new friend I met yesterday:
‘Sometimes in our lives, we get scared at what’s next for us. So, when you get to the edge of everything you know, when all the familiar is behind you, look forward into the dark unknown and jump. Either a net will catch you or you’ll find you have wings and fly.’
San Diego Blog
San Diego Blog, another Joe website, seems to be flourishing under his tender, loving care. People are posting and the content is getting quite good. My contribution, besides a photo here and there, is the Interviewing San Diego series. This week, Brian Dear.
13 Year Old Girls
Alexandra leans over confidentially. ‘Watch, Mom. I’m, like, magic. If I point at someone, they turn and look at me. It’s totally the weirdest thing. Watch. I’ll point at that guy.’ Alex raises her hand above the sticky Denny’s table between us and points at the manager who turns and glances our way. ‘SEE? I told you. It works every time!’
‘Ali, I hate to tell you this but he was turning in a circle to survey the entire room. There was a 100% chance that sometime during that turn he would be facing our direction.’
She sighs. ‘No, Mom. You just don’t get it. Here. I’ll do it again.’ Alexandra’s right index finger is now pointed straight and true at a waitress on the other side of the room. Now, I could have asked her to put her finger down but the truth is, we’ve been sitting in this booth for about 30 minutes with no napkins to cover the stick layer on the table. No water to cleanse the palate that tastes a little ‘off’ because of the strange smell of yesteryear’s eggs, bacon and grease. It would be nice if it did work and we could get some service. I’d like to leave as soon as humanly possible. Initially, I had considered actually eating food here but as the minutes ticked by it went from the grilled cheese and fries platter to just dessert or nothing if we didn’t get some damn service. And then the waitress turned. She looked at us. I smiled. And then I remembered Ali’s finger. ‘See?? I totally told you. It SO works.’
Dahlia, our waitress, came over and brought her big hair and attitude with her. ‘So.’ And then she paused and looked us over. ‘What are you? Thirteen?’ Alex smiled. ‘Yes.’ To which Dahlia, the Sweet Onion replied, ‘Huh.’ and stared at Ali’s finger which was now partially stuck to the table.
Suddenly, I remembered this Denny’s. I’d brought Devon, my oldest son here when he turned 15. We had walked in, been seated almost immediately and enjoyed a front row seat to an arrest in a nearby booth. The guy, snaggletoothed and stinky, was clearly drunk and maybe under the influence of other substances as well. It had been nice to see him go. We wouldn’t miss his warbled ‘Isss alwazz other PEEpull….alwazzzz…PEE…pull..� How could I have forgotten that lovely interlude and made the mistake of coming here again?
‘Hi there.’ I spoke to Dahlia’s hair. ‘We�ll just have some dessert.’ Ali’s desperate nod was a little alarming. Clearly, she wanted to leave as soon as possible as well. ‘Cheesecakes, I guess. With strawberry topping.’ Onion Queen scribbled a little something which I couldn’t read and walked away without even a ‘see ya later’ or ‘be right back’ or ‘keep your pointy finger in your lap.’
Astonishingly, the desserts came within 60 seconds or less. I was pleased and surprised until I realized what she must have written on her paper was ‘To find: the oldest, nastiest, 7 inch encrusted cheesecake that tastes like Playdough. Must be hard and dark yellow on outside. Cover with sufficient strawberry topping to drip down sides. Don’t forget to spit in whipped creamed desserts of Pointy-Fingered Pair.’
Ali and I took a bite. Or, we tried to take a bite but it wasn�t really possible. Our attempt to crack through the prehistoric crust proved unfruitful. We scraped some strawberry stuff from the sides and left as soon as we could.
I paid 9 American dollars to sit in a sticky booth for eons and not be waited on and then served nasty food. The cash register guy, who was clearly also the manager, asked us how we enjoyed our meal. I just looked away. Alex looked him straight in the face, smiled enormously and said, ‘Yum, yum good!� She has my sense of humor.
I was rummaging through my purse back at the hotel room. Alex asked me why I paid when it was so awful. I looked up to tell her that I didn’t know how to answer except my Momma raised me to be polite and pay my bills. And there was her finger about 2 inches from my face. ‘See?? It totally works!!’ She giggled. I looked back into my purse/camera bag and suppressed a smile. ‘It doesn’t always work, Ali.’ But when I looked up, she was pointing again. Her finger grazed my eyelashes. And this time, I giggled.
Psshht!
My oldest son, Devon, has this way of showing his irritation with someone. It’s not that he says anything in words, per say, but it’s more of a noise.
Psshht.
It’s like telling them extendedly to shush with a P at the first and ending with a T. I find it fascinating. And the best part is that is seems to work on everyone. He doesn’t use it for slight irritations but more when either you are getting close to his last nerve or you’ve touched on some basic right or principle he holds dear.
Ty: Slug Bug Yellow. (punch)
Dev: Hey. I told you I’m not playing. Knock it off.
(Devon drinks half a gallon of chocolate milk right out of the container. I know this because I just saw him do it in the rear view mirror.)
Me: Ty. Remember in my car it’s Hug Bug?
Ty: (rolls his eyes) Oh, ya. I forgot. Pass me the milk, Dev.
Me: Hey! Are you guys really going to drink that whole thing right now? We’ve only owned it for less than 60 seconds. I’m not sure I’m ready to say goodbye to it yet!
Dev: I’m thirsty! Ty…pass it back.
Me: Well, don’t get sick by drinking it too fast.
Ty: Hug Bug Red! (His hand grabs my shoulder and gives it a squeeze.)
Me: Right on. (I look at Dev in the mirror again) No, I’m serious. Your stomach can only fit so much milk in it before you puke. Believe me. I’ve proved it. And I don’t want choco-milk all over the inside of my car.
Dev: Psshht! (Takes another big swig right when Ty goes to hug him for the Red Hug Bug. He raises his hand to fend off the assault while drinking and manages to only spill a dribble down his chin.)
Dev: PSSHHT! PSSHHT!