Catching up

How come gas prices spiked around 20 cents/gallon yesterday? The only reasonable explanantion is that Jasmine didn't get through on American Idol...

I've made it through two weeks of diligent workouts at the Wellness Center. Feel better (looser, more energy). No hospitalization yet. No weight loss, either. I'll keep this up and see where it leads...

Day 4 of a wicked sinus infection. Seems to be subsiding a bit. Wifey, however, is slogging through her second week of the stuff - in spite of getting "the shot", mega antibiotics and prescription decongestants. I'm convinced Nyquil is a miracle drug, as our family-based clinical study seems to be proving...

And finally, darling daughter returns after a grueling week of conferences in Jersey. I understand she's the new poster girl for Novo (her pharmaceutical employer). Literally....

Is there a cash award for that?

Sign me up!

What a historic year this has turned out to be. First, Obama goes into the White House then I join a health club...

This is a big deal. For 40+ years, I managed to stay on the skinny side, pretty much oblivious to intake (superette cuisine a specialty - you know, honey buns, Hot Stuf pizza, day-old eggroll, etc.) and outgo (me exercise? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!). Somehow, my time since then has been a slow march to full grown man status. Like 185 to 250 in the 21st century. Maybe it's nature's cruel shuffling of a perfectly good metabolic system or my getting off the ciggies, but it's time to fight back.

Paid my money last week and became a full fledged member of the Wellness Center at OCH. Geezer infested as the place may seem, this move was much less intimidating than, say, falling up in Snap Fitness (where studly son-in-law Will holds court) or the Sanderson Center (please - I shrivel at the thought of MSU coeds shrieking and running from the building).

First up - the intervention known as the assessment...

Somebody named Wesley was to establish my relative fitness level, or something like that. I'm sure this is done to keep the mortality rates as low as possible for potential workout victims. Anyway, Wesley was teaching a class, so my assessment was assigned to a 20-something girl whose name I missed.

My blood pressure was 120/80 (which surprised my assessor for some strange reason), my body fat was pinched up and recorded, and my heart rate was deemed acceptable for some stationary biking. For 10 minutes. With increasing resistance. Plus, the little bike seat turned into some sort of probe as I kept pedalling...

Next came crunches...jeez. Somehow that was my strong suit - 65 in 60 seconds - again surprising ole what's-her-name. I was truly thankful we were next to a hospital...

Then I got to sit on the floor, straighten my legs against a box and try to push a little device forward between my toes. Challenging to say the least...

Anonymous assessor: C'mon - you can do better than that!

Me: Have you noticed that I have an impediment? My stomach is in the way.

AA: Lots of fatter people can do better than that.

Me: (Did she really just say that?). Urrrgh...

AA: One more time. Give it all you got.

Me: Did you spend any time in the military?

AA: GO!!

Me: AAARRRGGGHHH!!!

AA: That's better.

Me: I think I ripped my spleen...

AA: No...you didn't. You can get up now.

At this point, me and my spleen were quite ready to call it a day. Fortunately, AA was as well. I got chastised for not bringing the completed paperwork I had been given at the sign up, but she seemed content with my promises to follow through.

Next week I get orientation. This should be interesting...

Maiden Voyages

Made a couple of first trips this week...

After about three reschedules (my days are just ridiculous sometimes), I finally got to the dentist for my six..er..nine month cleaning. Young Dr. Ferguson has recently merged with the Ramsey Clinic and, consequently, moved into much newer, nicer digs than the old Long building on Greensboro. Way to go, YDF! A great move IMHO...

In case I never mentioned this before YDF offers completely painless dentistry. Maybe this is what everyone else is used to getting, but it's a relatively new concept for me. I spent the last 20 years coming out of every one hour (minimum) cleaning that felt more like three rounds with Mike Tyson landing all face punches. Plus, my requests for lots of anesthetic ('cause my pain threshold is meager) must have gone unheeded. I know my old dentist only works with nine fingers, because I gnawed one off during a crown a couple of years back...

And yesterday, I woke up desperate for a haircut. My usual stylist, Nicole (sp?) is on maternity leave, so I wandered into Roonie's Barber Shop on the corner of Main & Montgomery about 8:15am. Mark T (a fine bass player I know) was manning the main chair. He proceeded to lay a fine trim on me (including a hot lather neck shave with straight razor) for $12. SOLD! I'll definitely be back when I get shaggy again.

Nothing better than new experiences...

Now that's progress (I guess)

Ogden Nash once said "progress might have been all right once, but it has gone on too long." I now think I know what he meant...

Since my days of baby accessories have long been past, I'm truly amazed at the "new" innovations for tots. Mary Cameron (aka "the unit") has been showered with lots of fine gifts since her arrival 5 weeks ago. And many of these things were not around when I was a new dad. Stuff like boppies (very practical), inexpensive video monitors (very cool), all-in-one carseat/carrier/stroller inserts (very adaptable), and Pac N' Plays (not sure what it is - but I hear everybody needs one or two).

Then there's the Pacimal. It's a combination of a tiny stuffed animal with a pacifier buit in. They come as bunnies, ducks, even rhinos. MC just got a the monkey version. It looks a bit like the old monkey made out of socks (see photo), but much smaller. Plus, it has a high-quality pacifier embedded in the back of its head.

I refered to it as a "suck monkey".

I've since been told not to use the word "suck monkey" in public. I'll try - really hard...

Please Mr. Postman

Well, it looks as if the mad times known as the Christmas Season have arrived. The social calendar is already booked out this week - commitments on Tuesday night, Thursday night (a two-fer), Friday night, Saturday night and next Monday night. Six parties in seven days. Don't know if we're in top condition for such, but here we go...

And to top it off, we started getting the cards over the last couple of days. Always nice to hear from some old friends that you don't keep up with very well - especially the ones who include a journal for the past year's family activities/accomplishments. Then again, some folks you run into practically everyday - and they send a card to boot. Wha?

Wifey and I tend to vary year to year on card sending. Some years we're really into it. You know - make the photo in the summer, buy just the right envelopes, etc. Other times we just don't quite get there. Christmas '08 looks like maybe one of those. Although it's only the 15th and some intensive effort could make the card thing happen, I just don't see it right now. Bottom line it shouldn't really matter, but I do feel a little guilty. Oh, well. Maybe my sentiments are best described in the lyrical notes of my pal the late, quasi-great Ricky Harper...

I'll send you a card 'cause you sent me one,

I'll get you a gift 'cause you got me one,

Let's kill a tree and string it with lights!

Smile For the Camera

I've noticed that most of the blogs I see are heavy on the personal photos. I guess it's especially apropos to feature children and surrogate children (dogs, whatever) to the reader.

Since I don't really take photos and have no desires to feature myself, I tend to cruise the web and "borrow" nifty little images from random sites. Most of the time, the idea is to tie in a picture with the theme of the post, or something like that. Or maybe not...

I did happen upon a cool blog by a gifted photographer named Mike Terry from Salt Lake City. His stuff is always good, often surprizing and sometimes breathtaking. Check out his pics from this link when you get a few spare moments.

Back Again

I'm not sure how many times one can "fall out" of the blogosphere and then return, but here I am. After a brief surfacing last summer, I've decided to make a better effort at posting with some sort of regularity.

I begin with a little housecleaning on my blog roll. Mark Cuban has become a raving lunatic online (as opposed to real life where he's always been one) - so he's toast...

My friend George Light (aka Bulb) hasn't popped anything out since last February. I think 10 months is long enough to wait for anybody - so he's toast, too.

And sadly, the one and only Rex L. Camino hasn't posted since October 2007. He actually may be dead (hence, toast), so let's move on...

My one add (at least today) is darling daughter Meredith's new blog replete with many photos of precious granddaughter Mary Cameron. She's really a great little unit! Just the two of us had a serious afternoon nap in the recliner yesterday during some woeful college football game on ESPN. It sorta makes me think this "Pop" business will work out just fine...

Reunions and Other Ramblings

So...part II

I made it to the HS reunion Saturday night after all. And mighty glad that I did. Saw some more old friends, had a few laughs and remembered some great times. Once again, I thought most everyone looked pretty darn good - not too much worse for the wear after quite a few summers had passed.

I guess the best part was knowing that we all had made it through a lifetime of different experiences up until now. We all started as the same place and had ended up here on this night. The sense of community (at least for me) was very evident and still very strong. Good stuff...

On another front, I went back to Quizno's for another try at the Black-N-Bleu salad. The place was locked up at noon on Saturday. Guess the beef truck never came. Oh well...

I know Jon & Liz Wagner are headed back to Vegas for the Stewart/Crosland wedding this weekend. It'll be good to see them and I hear Jon is preaching at FPC on Sunday. Let's see what a year of seminary does for your pulpit chops.

Finally, Wifey and #1 get home from Honduras on Friday night. It's been a long haul without 'em for the past week. In fact, I called Wifey's cell phone just to hear her voice mail message...

Whaddya think?

All Hail the Adopted Alma Mater

As if going back to high school via the reunion circuit isn't hard enough for those of us in the MLC (mid-life crisis) stage, how 'bout for a school you never went to? Weird?

Three classes from S.D. Lee High in Columbus are having a joint reunion this weekend. I didn't go to S.D. Lee High, but a bunch of my closest friends did. There's a sad tale here about separation due to critical geography and school district lines, but that's for some other time. Nevertheless, I received a few emails inviting me to attend the festivities. Seemed like a good chance to catch up with some of my old chums.

The starter was an informal pre-party last night at Steve & Kay Ellis' home. How equally weird is it that neither Steve nor Kay graduated from Lee High, but like me hung out with all those Lee High folks? Better weekend parties with that gang as I recall...

Anyway, about 30 folks showed up. Saw a few that are still in the area like me. The exotically located returnees included my old friends Clint (now an attorney in Houston), Mark (an architect in Miami who does historical renovations) and Lamar (who holds the coolest job of all as Billy Joel's stage construction manager - no kiddin'). All in all, the group looked pretty good - everyone weighed in a little bigger than high school days and some sporting more than a few gray hairs, but no walking corpses or Macy's parade balloon-sized people. We should be proud, I guess.

The main deal is tonight at the Columbus Country Club. The head count is only projected at 60 or so according to the main organizers. A pitiful turnout for three years worth of classes (almost 600 altogether). At this point, I'm still a bit on the fence about attending. After all, I ain't my school. But I did fork over the $40 a few weeks ago.

Stay tuned for Part II...

Early to Rise

Some days start earlier than others...

I managed to crawl out of the sack at 4:15 this AM to provide chauffeur service to GTR Airport for two missionaries. Dear Wifey and #1 son Cam are headed to Quimistan, Honduras for ten days with a group primarily from FPC. In fact, they should be well into the first day's actvities as I write this. If they're reading my stuff - BIG SHOUT OUT FROM HOME!!

I'm not exactly sure how this ten day family mini-separation will work out. Wifey and I have not been apart this long ever since we married back in the days of Disco. Cam is the family world traveler, so him being gone is pretty much a regular occurence. Of course, DDM (Darling Daughter Meredith) stayed in country to take care of good ole Dad - although here on the first night she's at the movies w/ friends and I'm eating a Stromboli's sub and watching "Raymond" reruns on TBS. Party boy.

The sub was actually my second pick for dinner. I went first to Quizno's for the healthier option of a Black-n-Bleu salad - an amazing creation with steak bits and bleu cheese crumbles (plus salad, of course). They were out of steak. Also out of roast beef. The server chick offered to substitute ham, but Pork-n-Bleu didn't seem edible. So I passed and went across the street to Stromboli's instead. There I opted for my usual meatball sub - easily the best in StarkVegas. Haven't eaten one in quite a while and it seemed like a good pick for the evening, even if it was a second pick.

Predictably, I'll fill up and then pass out with the TV blaring - but as I mentioned earlier, it has been a long day, y'all.

Multipurpose

OK...

I've decided to go with a completely vagabond photo of a misshapen snowman taken in Glasgow, Scotland as the header pic for the blog. Works for me on several levels.

1) When it's July in Mississippi, it's time for the heat advisory blues. Reached 100 on Monday. A bit better today (maybe 97?). A snowman knocks a little of the edge off.

2) I can't live with any text color other than black. It needs a white background. Snowman. I could've opted for a pile of baking soda, an albino gorilla, or maybe a close up of my stomach.

3) The snowman is simultaneously smiling, winking and melting. Plus he's a little smudged. I see a lot of myself here.

Anyway, this will do for a while. As I've mentioned in previous posts - I am a serious creature of habit and will probably let this one slide for quite some time. At least until November gets here...

Rising From the Ashes

Ta da...

After a very lengthy vacation from the ole' blog, I've decided to get back to it. Somehow, it came up in a few conversations. And believe it or not, I actually think I'm developing a tiny fan base...

Not tiny fans - just a very small # of readers. For them I'll forge on.

Time for dropping the standard lead pic of Scott A sleeping on a dirty couch in the warehouse. Most of you don't know Scott anyway, and my dear wifey thinks the reference is totally unclear. To tell the truth, I don't remember why that pic made the blog in the first place. But I do think photos of people sleeping inappropriately are always funny - even if it's sort of random. I'll get a new header pic later. Submissions are being accepted now.

Maybe my blogging renaissance will inspire the incomparable Rex L. Camino to get back to blogging as well. He's been on sabbatical for 9 months now. In fact, as I roamed around Blogland today, I noticed big gaps in most everyone's regular writings. Maybe me coming back will push their buttons too.

Writing a better blog entry than I can is easy. Just do it...