A man was being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection. The tailgating woman hit the roof, and the horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection with him. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects. He said, “I’m very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping the guy off in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the ‘Choose Life’ license plate holder, the ‘What Would Jesus Do” bumper sticker, the ‘Follow Me to Sunday School’ bumper sticker and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk…

So now after the previous post, it’s on to more fun things, like Are You More.

01) Polished brass or brushed stainless steel?
Polished brass. I like woodwork and polished brass goes better with a nice light oak.

02) Wooden frame for frames you can’t see or metal frame for frames you can’t see?
Metal. Since you can’t see it, might as well be the structurally stronger of the two.

03) One who would choose to live through a stomach flu or one who would choose to live through having strep throat?
Stomach flu. You COULD look at stomach flu as a forced diet!! (I may have strep now?!)

04) A fan of medical-based tv shows or a fan of law-based tv shows?
A fan of NEITHER. I want to laugh, so a fan of sitcoms!

05) A believer in science or a believer in mysticism?
Science. Although some would call Christianity a form of mysticism, I do not. That makes me a fan of science.

06) A sure-footed mountain goat or a swift-footed race horse?
I am neither sure-footed nor swift. Heck, I’m the last guy down the floor in basketball because I tripped over the center line.

07) Prone to having a head cold or prone to having a chest cold?
When I do get a cold, it starts in my head and migrates to my chest… so both.

08) Ruthless or apathetic?
Ruthless. Isn’t that a trait of OCD?

09) Fish ‘n chips or fried chicken?
Fish ‘n’ Chips! Bring ‘em on!

10) For increased globalization or against increased globalization?
I can see advantages and disadvantages in both. If it means bringing everyone’s standard of living up to what we enjoy in the US, then I’m all for it. Unfortunately, it usually means dropping our standard of living to meet some other country’s; in that case, I’m against it.

I have to apologize to my readers (I know I don’t have very many, but I DO have them!) for not posting recently. For those who know me, you know I’ve been saddled with a cough. I’m still hacking up luggies… and all too frequently at that. I can’t seem to shake the effects of this cold. No, I don’t feel bad, I just have a very hoarse throat and can’t really talk well. Since a good portion of my job is phone support, I tend to “use up” my voice there. When I get home KC says I sound pretty awful. I’m doing all the right stuff, but the hoarseness is just hanging around.

Also, I’ve been going back to the gym and playing basketball. Not very well, mind you, but I’m back playing. I’ve got to get rid of this “second trimester” look I’ve acquired. Going to the gym a couple of times a week for a cardio workout will definitely help out. I’m tired of being forced into a new wardrobe and need to do something about it.

However, going to the gym takes time away from blogging. Feeling beat all the time from struggling with my voice and throat makes me want to blog less. These coupled with the facts that:

• While my Dad is doing better, he still isn’t doing great. It’s taking longer than he would want.
• My great aunt is doing worse than my Dad. If she keeps up the way she is going, I’ll have a funeral to attend in the near future.

Stuff like this tends to put blogging in perspective. Yeah, I enjoy it but it doesn’t dominate my life (as KC seems to think!!).

And still as cute as can be! Happy Birthday, Katelyn!

OOO! Cool. Are You More is movie quotes!

01) “Go ahead, make my day.” or “You gotta ask yourself one question: do I feel lucky?”?
Well, DO YA….. PUNK?!?!?

02) Plain hot dog or chili dog with cheese?
Gimme the chili dog with cheese and onions with a nice Sam Adams to go with it.

03) “Say hello to my little friend!” or “All I have in this world is my balls and my word and I don’t break them for no one.”?
Well, it is all I have in the world. I don’t have no little friend!!

04) Fresh raspberries or fresh blueberries?
Raspberries. MUCH better than blueberries!

05) “Son of a bitch must pay!” or “It’s all in the reflexes.”?
Watch again.. it really IS all in the reflexes.

06) Non-rippled potato chips or rippled potato chips?
Rippled. They can hold more dip as they are structurally stronger!

07) “If it bleeds, we can kill it.” or “You’re ghosting us, motherfucker. I don’t care who you are back in the world, you give away our position one more time, I’ll bleed you, real quiet, leave you here. Got that?”?
It is one of the great truths of life that if something bleeds it can be killed.

08) Harp or hammered dulcimer?
Harp… but are you talking about Harp or Harp or Harp?

09) “I’ll be back” or “Listen, and understand. That terminator is out there. It can’t be bargained with. It can’t be reasoned with. It doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead.”?
I’m like a dirty penny…. I’ll be back.

10) Office Space or Raising Arizona?
I can’t believe what a bunch of nerds we are. We’re looking up “money laundering” in the dictionary. (Oh yeah…. Office Space!)

The Friday Five is about food… glorious FOOD!

1. What is the most adventurous food you’ve ever tried?
When I first was out of college teaching high school, one of the teachers always put together an “exotics” meal. There was squid, octopus, etc. I’d say that was the most adventurous food I’ve ever tried.

2. What is the most adventurous food you’d be willing to try?
Any more, I know what I like and if I don’t know it I’ll try it. There isn’t too much I wouldn’t try.

3. Would you have a problem eating dog meat and why or why not?
That may have happened, because of some of the Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants I’ve eaten.

4. For the most part, do you consider your diet to be balanced?
Yes. I eat from the four main food groups: Sugar, Salt, Fat and Cholesterol!

5. Which is more appealing- being a vegetarian for the rest of your life or being a strict carnivore for the rest of your life?
It would be more appealing for me to become a strict carnivore. Hey, I live in Iowa. Our veggie burgers here are 1/3 pound hamburgers that include lettuce, pickles and tomatoes.

Who out there has triskidekaphobia?

A day late and a dollar short… it’s the Thursday Threesome.

Onesome: “Please – join us for a light dinner and some conversation.” If you were coordinating a group of say, the thirty or so regulars here, where would you like to have them meet in your area to be able to spend some time talking and eating?
Well, I’d like to think we can do that at the Brew. The Missipi Brewing Company. They can usually handle groups, although thirty is probably at their limit.

Twosome: be – my Valentine? Yes, it’s early, but do you have ‘traditional” dinner plans for that holiday (or the time around it)? …or if you don’t, where would you like to go?
KC and I don’t really have “traditional” plans. We do go out to eat, but it varies with our mood. This year, though, we may go to Olive Garden.

Threesome: Seated – Hmmm… Table or booth? Do you have a preference when you go out to eat? Just wondering…
Booth in a non-smoking section. Booths are simply more comfortable than tables.

We’re all late with Are You More… this week. Better late than never, eh?

01) “2 Legit 2 Quit” or “Can’t Touch This”?
Can’t Touch This, but do I have to wear the parachute pants?

02) A fan of William Shakespeare’s works or a fan of Jerry Bruckheimer’s works?
Shakespeare all the way. They’re still reworking his stuff today.

03) “Alphabet Street” or “When Doves Cry”?
Alphabet Street. Are you kidding me? When Doves Cry?

04) Sesame Street or Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood?
Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. The guy was great for a very long time.

05) “Rocket Man” or “Levon”?
Rocket Man. I’m not the man they think I am at home.

06) Looking forward to the next Dreamworks computer animated film or looking forward to the next Pixar computer animated film?
BOTH! Both do excellent work, not only on the computer end but with a storyline and character development as well.

07) “Hey Jude” or “Can’t Buy Me Love”?
Hey, Jude. I like the Beatles as they got older a lot better than the bubble-gum rock they did early.

08) Likely to eat boring food you’re comfortable with when you go out or likely to try ethnic food you’ve never eaten before when you go out?
I make it a point to eat local whenever we travel. Why get what I can get at home?

09) “Forgot To Be A Lover” or “Mony, Mony”?
Mony, Mony! Ride the pony!

10) Wishing to go on a cruise for vacation or wishing to go on a road trip for vacation?
I’m sure I’ll get to go on a cruise at least once after Breezomatic attains her goal of working as a chef on a cruise ship. But instead of either of these, I’d rather fly to a beach and “get my toes in the sand and a drink in my hand” as Eddie and the boys said.

So I haven’t really posted anything on this, but I thought “Now that things look OK, I better put up a post on it.” My Dad recently had triple-bypass surgery. Recently as in the surgery was on November 2. It did not go as well as we all had hoped. There was a lot of fluid in his chest and abdomen; the first time they drained it there was over three liters of it. It was determined that these complications were due to his gall bladder being (for my lack of a better word) defective. He had a gall bladder “attack” when I was a senior in high school (all the way back in 1974) and pretty much ignored all the doctors had told him after about three weeks since after that amount of time he said he felt fine, so the gall bladder being “defective” is not a surprise.

Since the bypass, he has had a fluid drain in his side to keep the amount of fluid down. Ultimately he knew he’d have to have an operation to remove his gall bladder. The doctors told Dad and Judy that they had to keep gauze taped over the drain and change it regularly to keep it clean and sterile. They found that gauze and the kind of tape the hospital gave them was quite expensive to keep up with the number of times they had to change the dressing. So, they found the next best thing: maxi-pads. Don’t laugh… they’re sterile, easily disposable and highly absorbent. Also, compared to the gauze they are extremely cheap. On a side note, being the goofy guy he is sometimes (that’s where I get it) he made the comment, “Well, I’ve found my Kotex… now help me find my pussy!”

Today he had the operation to remove his gall bladder. The doctors were very pleased with the way the operation went. They said there are no residual leaks so the fluid buildup is gone; they have removed the drain. Dad was in relatively little pain after the operation, and not just because of lingering anesthesia. He was eating crackers and drinking 7up when I left today. I’m very glad this has worked out as well as it has. Since he had the triple bypass only a short time ago they wanted him to stay overnight to be certain there would be no complications. He should be able to go home some time after lunch tomorrow. Now if the stupid S-O-B will just listen to the doctors and maybe cut back on the amount he drinks (having only one beer instead of five or six) he can enjoy his life with his grandkids. Maybe he can even be around for his great-grandkids.

As income tax time approaches, did you ever notice:

I was just over at Big Orange Michael’s web site reading about the Rose Bowl and it really hit me that too many teams play on what can easily be considered a home field. Let’s go through the entire 2005 Bowl Schedule for NCAA Division I-A.