Compoopers, and Why I Stay Away From Them

I am not a fan of computers. Don’t get me wrong: I do enjoy using them (obviously, I’m here!). But the darn things are still a mystery to me, and one that should be respected along the lines of dark matter and voodoo.

Christmas night had us all relaxing after a wonderful day. I was chatting with friends on the laptop, when from upstairs there arose such a clatter. Eldest and Son were locked in a battle of wills over the Monster. That’s what I call Hubby’s computer. I screamed for them to come downstairs and explain what is going on. Eldest tells me Son has been monopolizing Monster all day, and she has to upload photos for Hubby. Son explains he has been “tweaking” the Monster so it can handle a game better.

This is where my heart came to a slow thud and then died.

Me: Do NOT “tweak” anything on that thing!!!

Son: But Mom, I’m just making the computer work faster.

Me: DON’T TOUCH IT!!!

Eldest: (smirking)

Son: Don’t worry, Mom. Dad showed me how–

Me: (Totally panicking) JUST LEAVE IT ALONE!!

Son: Ok, ok…but why?

Me: (so past the freaked out stage that “making sense” is only an album title) Because that thing will end up like SkyNet and come to life!!

Son: (laughing by now) Wow, Mom…

So you see, I have a healthy respect for the things, and would rather leave them alone to their own devices than “tweak” anything on the off chance of bringing the Apocalypse. It is almost 2012, after all.

Two Simple Questions

Would you rather have $20 million dollars, or live an extra 20 years?

And, why?

At Dawn We Slept

Seventy years ago today, what was then the Empire of Japan attacked our Naval base at Pearl Harbor, waking us up to the reality that isolationism was no longer an option. In all, 2,402 Americans were killed and 1,282 wounded. The largest casualties were borne by the U.S.S. Arizona, which lost 1,177 Americans.

With confidence in our armed forces – with the unbounded determination of our people – we will gain the inevitable triumph – so help us God. — President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Oil still weeps like tears on the water, and I am reminded to keep an eternal vigilance against all enemies, those that shout, and those who keep their silence as they plot to strike against us.

Drama Queen

No, this isn’t about my friend The Queen. She abhors drama, unless it’s in a book or TV show. No, this is about Shakespeare!!

I love reading the works of Shakespeare. Very few works stir my soul as much as his do. I suppose being Hispanic and having the gift of talking with my hands lends itself to interpreting Shakespeare. Either that, or I just like living vicariously through literature. It’s a toss-up.

Right now, Eldest’s class is dissecting Hamlet. I was totally jazzed about this, because I have studied the play many times, with different teachers as well as helping other students in college with papers and the like. I was READY FOR THE CHALLENGE!!

Until…

Eldest: Mom, sorry, but I can’t let you help me with this.

Me: Wha….??

Eldest: Our teacher wants us to do this blind, write the first thing that we think of for each passage.

Me: (still not grasping the concept) But….

Eldest: (smirking a bit) Sorry mom…

Me: Sigh….

So much for me helping my kids with something I actually know. Let’s face it: Statistics drives me into hysterics and makes me want to cut someone. Ditto for Physics (stop glaring, LC LtC). Just once I want to be the one the kids seek for homework help….

Until then, I will content myself with being the lead Drama Queen around here.

SOMEONE GET ME SOME CYBER SMELLING SALTS!!! 😀

Weird Conversations, and Why I Shouldn’t Be Allowed to Talk Before I Have Coffee

I swear, sometimes it just doesn’t pay to get out of bed. Last night I went to bed rather late, since Eldest was practicing her Parade and March stuff for ROTC in the kitchen, and right as I fell asleep I got an anxiety attack, so I laid in bed waiting for an hour for it to subside, thinking stupid existentialistic crap that probably solved the world’s problems, but I promptly forgot after dreaming about narwhals. Why narwhals? Because Eldest had been talking about them a couple of days ago. Crap like that just lies in wait to assault my REMs.

This morning I got up, and tripped over the little dog as I made my way with one eye open to the coffeemaker. You would think I could not screw that up, right? But noooo…. instead of creamer I poured lemon juice into my cup of coffee, not looking because A) the bottles are similar in color and size, and 2) the dog was barking to be let out. I’m hiding the bottle of lemon juice in the back of the fridge from now on.

So, I have my second cup with creamer, just in time to Skype with Hubby. YAY!! So, we talk about stuff going on over there and soon enough we are all, “Oh I miss you honey!” and “I miss you too!” and then we talk of how some stuff over there is so weird and suddenly for no reason I say:

I know! I just don’t understand why they (Muslims) would want 72 virgins. I mean, that just doesn’t make sense to me. I would rather have 72 hookers. They would know what they are doing, right?

And Hubby just looks at me with a lot of pity, because that part of the conversation had absolutely nothing to do why we miss each other. Or maybe it did, and I missed it. All I know is that today is a three pot of coffee day and I am soooo going to have a nap.

Color My World

I was struck today by a beautiful quote I read by the artist, Marc Chagall.

In our life there is a single color, as on an artist’s pallette, which provides the meaning of life and art. It is the color of love.

Most of us are concrete about such things as color. Leaves are green, skies are blue, clouds are white (around here, we prefer them grey!). But emotions, charged or subtle, have colors too. When we are sad, we are blue. When we are mad, we see red. When we are envious, we turn green, unless we have had too much alcohol. Then it’s literal and not figurative. But love? Is the color of love that deep dark red that flows through our veins? Is it the soft blue of a calm lake? Could it be the bright green of the new buds of Spring? Or maybe the blazing orange of a bonfire? Perhaps, the dark glowing umber in the smoldering embers?

Courtesy of Matus at Deviantart

The truth is, everyone sees the color of love differently, because love is not as easily defined as anger, or jealousy, or sadness. I close my eyes and try to picture what love’s true color is in my mind. And as the pallette of emotions drips its paints on my heart and soul, I come to the realization that love, true love, is simply colorblind. 🙂

I Bleed Maroon!!

GIG ‘EM, AGGIES!! WHOOP!!

And end to an era, but a new beginning!!

BEAT THE HELL OUTTA t.u.!! 😀

Picking Up the Peace

Why is that? Because the kids are still asleep.

Why is that?? Because they stayed up arguing well after I went to bed.

And why was that?? Because they tend to take things on a literal basis.

So today, one will be wiping down every single door, front and back, top and sides, and the other one will be wiping down all the baseboards. And once that has been done to my satisfaction, they will move on to the air vents and fans.

Oh yes, there will be joy today!! 😉

He Knows Me So Well…

Wednesday evening I got a very sweet surprise from Hubby:

He sent me a plant for my birthday!! But not just any plant. This is a garden of succulents, which require little water and tend to thrive in dry areas. I was very happy and a bit teary-eyed, because he normally doesn’t send me flowers for my birthday. When he called to talk on Thursday I was all happy about it, and the conversation quickly devolved.

Me: Awww, thank you for the beautiful arrnagement, honey!

Hubby: I’m glad you like it.

Me: It’s perfect!!

Hubby: Sure is… they are hard to kill.

Me:……

Me: (huge sigh)

Me: Yeah, you’re right.

Hubby: (smirks)*

I confess, I am not a gardener in any way. Lord knows I try, and it’s a miracle things are still somewhat green outside my house. My mom can make a tree blossom from a few plant cells on a dead stick. I so much as look at a shrub or a pretty potted plant and they tremble and wither. I once bought a thornless rose and the sucker grew thorns in retaliation.

At least I know my limits 😀

*Liberties taken with the conversation, since I was too aggrieved at the time to remember correctly…

I Stumbled into Twin Peaks, and Didn’t Even Get Cherry Pie

As some of y’all may know, I took the kidlets on a roadtrip to the town of Comfort, Texas. Comfort is a hidden gem in the west of Hill Country. It is famous for its architecture, as well as being the site of the only Union monument in Confederate territory. Treue der Union Monument is dedicated to the German abolitionists who chose to flee rather than be conscripted into the Confederate Army. This was a great opportunity to teach kids a bit about Texas and Civil War history, as well as 19th century architecture, while spending quality time together.

The drive was uneventful, with a couple of minor traffic jams, but we made pretty good time, arriving there around noon. The first thing we notice is the lack of signs letting us know where the historical district resides. No matter, I just figure we drive around and eventually hit it, by counting the numbered streets. Sure enough, we stumble upon the lovely High Street area. I park further down on 6th Street, since the parking is already full, and we proceed to walk towards High Street. As soon as we start to cross, we see the Comfort Bank.

Beautiful, isn’t it? Stonework and brickwork dating back to the mid 1800’s. And the majority of the street has similar architecture, including the old Saloon and the owner’s abode. But then things started getting weird.