Another Addition of Brain Smatterings

I had a conversation with a fellow blogger and she reminded me that I have not been blogging enough, so here is a conglomerate of things rattle around in my head...(I hope you are happy)

• HBM and Beard update: still have both, just trimmed everything even though I want it all longer and better. Just started to wax the 'stache again, even did a new run of homemade wax. Beard is now long enough that I really have to pay attention when eating food that requires no utensils or I am eating the beard too
• Frustrated with getting communication established with my daughter's school. I may be separated by distance, but that does not mean I am not active in her life. Do your job, because I am definitely going to try my best to make you do it.
• The country I am living in is going down fast, we have no strong leadership, and they are supported by people that are not awake enough to see what is happening. 
• Racism and bigotry is still alive, it is just now out of the closet once again. And I have friends that want to defend it via the 1st amendment. Maybe you people need to also look at the 5th and STFU, just saying...
• I bought a bicycle. This summer I have made a valiant effort of getting back into shape, round is a shape BTW, and have been good about getting out and exercising. I have tried running, but the knees are just not into it (too many years of officiating and long seasons of plate work), add in that I am over weight and old (once again too many years of plate work). So let me see if I remember how to ride a bike...what is that old colloquial?

'Nuff for now, until next time...

Looking for a Vehicle

So I am in need of a vehicle, and I have looked at several different ones that fit my needs and wants. With this in mind, it has moved me toward several, a used Mini Cooper; small, semi-efficient and sporty, a Toyota 4Runner; utilitarian and less efficient, and Mercedes wagon; I like wagons and these come in 4matic regularly.

The Mini Cooper

 Probably the most unreasonable choice on the list currently, but hey why not... I actually went and drove one to see if I could fit into one and was surprised on the amount of room on the inside. The real issue of this car is it is a BMW product and has high maintenance needs and costs. The price of used ones are all over the map and the various needs of each vehicle is also scattered. If I decide to go this way, I would like a 6-speed (the automatics are notorious junk), non-S (the supercharged ones are also notorious junk) and in the Clubman model (I said I like wagons). Preferably in a neutral color like British Racing Green, Quicksilver, or Bright Red. Almost pulled the trigger on a Spicy Orange one, just could not do the color.

The 4Runner

I have always loved these vehicles, and this probably fits my present need the most, roomy, ok gas mileage, great for all weather, and built to go for ever. Not many available but at least they are all around the same price for the same miles and features on them. The interiors tend to go on these first, so I would have to over look that...also looked at a couple Land Cruisers by Toyota (the bigger brother of the 4runner), but the gas bill would kill my monthly budget.

Mercedes Wagon

Talking to my trusted mechanic, this was his suggestion. He advised me to stay away from Audis (love), BMWs(hate), and Saabs(owned 5 but they are getting hard to find parts for and people to work on them). The 'cedes cars go for ever with a little regular maintenance and it does have a certain class and prestige to it. I almost bought one before when I went into a Volvo XC wagon, but it was all white (outside and inside) and I had kids and dogs, so no. The problem is finding one on the market, people keep this family wagon because they go forever, so why get rid of it. They also come in almost all neutral colors like black, dark blue, dark green, and silver, never seen any in crazy colors like Spicy Orange.

Well, back to hunting...

The Resiliency of Nature

The mighty oak.

Like most of northeastern CT, my yard was infested with Gypsy caterpillars (and moths). They stripped the large oak in my front yard. Many of the caterpillars got the fungus that let to some dying off, the rest of the eggs laid I took care of with the pressure washer.

During their hay day, I had to endure the frass (caterpillar shit) on my car, driveway and walkway. But that too has passed.

The oak tree looked devastated, but in just a few short weeks and a fair amount of rain, the tree is back to its mid-summer glory and fully leafed again (yeah, I get to rake leaves this fall!).

Nature is still the most powerful force know to man.

It Is Not About The Game

I was working out with a friend today and he mentioned that he went to a Red Sox game the other day, but no one goes to watch the game anymore. He noted that he spent more time letting people in and out of the row and their seats and that people spent more time wandering around the ball park then they did actually watching the game.

I have gone to a couple games (not Red sox) this season and thinking back on my experiences, I have to say he is right. People spend more time going in and out of your row and you spend more time accommodating them while they are going and coming then you do watching the game, and I still go to watch the games.

I guess it is more of a "I went to the game, see I checked in on __________________ (fill in either FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram and yes now even Linkedin)." So everyone can see that you attended and here is a quick selfie to prove it....anyone want anything from the concession stand/swag store? Or lets go to the kids play zone...or better yet, let me talk on my cell phone and annoy everyone around me, while going back and forth to where ever...

I guess it is about the memories and not about the game (quick check the score on your cell phone on the way out in case anyone asks what it was.)

Stupid Words

There are a number of words that are making or have made their way into the daily vernacular. I think they should be vanquished from use immediately.

The first word is "sammich," a version of the word sandwich. Using this word just makes you sound under educated and in need of a good speech pathologists.

The second word is "hangry." Like 'sammich' this word also makes you sound under educated. I guess if you don't get you 'sammich' you get 'hangry.'

Next word is "bae." This is supposed to be a term of endearment. I guess you are too lazy to say the second "B" in the word babe. This now demonstrates that you are lazy enough to not bother with one letter in a four letter word, how much effort are you actually putting into the relationship.

"Coo." Similar to 'bae' in that you are too lazy to say one letter in a four letter word.

"Noob," I guess you are 'noob' if you use any of these words.

There are other words that just need to be stopped in conversation like "Swag" and  "Yolo," 'literally' is just plain used wrong and people need to use it correctly.

The one that absolutely needs to erased from our language is "Anywho." What does that even mean? What does it even represent? It is just plain weird.

Old School versus New School

Many of my generation, and the generations on either side of me, speak poorly of the kids today. How they have it easy, they don't know what it is like to work hard, everyone gets a trophy, back in the day...blah, blah, blah.

Working with today's youth and having kids myself, I can honestly say we are wrong and wrong on many levels.

I sit and listen to the discussions going on today amongst kids, I do not remember having conversations with my classmates about our ADD, ADHD, OCD, or ODD. Yea, sure they were not diagnosing students a lot back in the day with any of this, but doesn't mean it did exist, just look around at your friends now (I will wait, but not for long, hey look a cat, anyone want to go for coffee?).

Next we bombard our students with multimedia presentations, iPad research, and other electronic gizmos during the day, then preach that they need to cut back on screen time as they are sent home with a couple hours of homework that needs to be submitted electronically via Powerschool, Study Island, or Google Classroom. Is anyone else noticing this or is it just me?

Then we have the cojones to say that students get participation awards and every kids get a prize, etc.... But who is handing out these senseless awards? We are...is anyone else noticing this or is it just me?

Now add in the massive extra-curricular activities we place our kids in, playing chauffeur, from school soccer to rec league to premier league to travel team....don't forget they need to fit in a music or art class and the weekend horse riding lesson, because we want them well balanced. All the while, sitting on the sidelines and telling what needs to be done instead of letting them listen to their coaches and instructors...is anyone else noticing this or is it just me?

Yep they have it easy...is anyone else not noticing this or is it just me?

Addendum: Lets not allow them a choice when they can go to the bathroom or get a drink, but wait until they are 17 and demand they make a decision on where they want to go to school and what they want for a career (and be smart about it, damn it).

Pipes and Beards

A few months ago, a question on a page I follow on FaceBook asked why do a lot of pipe smokers have beards? There were various answers and conversations bantered about. I noticed that a good part of the members of the local pipe club I am active with, have beards or some sort of facial hair.

I have been thinking about this and decided to express my own reasoning.

A beard will pick up scents from the environment, mine does all the time, but I don't go smelling it looking for any lingering aroma from smoking my pipe (that is just weird in my opinion). In fact I wash my beard daily (sometimes more than that) so that it does not have any residual odors, aside from the fragrance of my Castile soap.

Beards are associated with manliness and I guess pipe smoking is too. So I guess smoking a pipe and having facial hair is an increased sign of pure manhood in some odd equation. But again, I do not have or do either to be more of a man.

Beards and pipes are on a resurgence with the 'hipster' movement, but then again, I do not consider myself a 'hipster.' There is the Tolkienians (spelling?) and the wizard thing, but still not my thing. The swarthy sea captain would be the next stereotype, maybe an distant imagine for me, but I don't own a boat (but it is in my Irish roots).

I guess the reasoning that fits closest to me would be the intellectual (psuedo or not) connection. You know, the bearded professor type that smokes a pipe. When asked a question, it is relaxing to take a sip from the pipe, clench it in your teeth, and lightly stroke the beard before answering. Usually nothing profound because I am not that good, but at least I can pretend it is going to be a worthy thought out response.

So, why do others have a beard and enjoy a pipe at the same time? I don't know, why don't you ask them, I sure they will have an answer.