Saturday, November 29, 2008

Vacation.....Gotta Get Away

I wonder if this is what the Go-gos meant? Thanksgiving was fun, and we all ate a lot. Most of Laurie's family was there and everybody behaved. Later we played Mexican train and had dessert. Just a typical holiday, but we haven't been home for this time of year since we moved to ND so it was kind of special. Friday Laurie and I went to Old Town and walked around a looked at the shops. It has kind of grown up. It was always a tourist draw, but now it's more apparently commercial. Not bad though. Walking down the street, we passed the Whaley House, a landmark and famous haunted house. We didn't feel like going in this time. Later we passed the Chuck Jones gallery and found it pretty amazing. There were a lot of Dr. Suess paintings on display as well as Jones' work from his Warner Bros. days and his work on Dr. Suess' animated stories like the Grinch. There was also some great work by a few other artists. One amazing set of paintings and scuptures were by Markus Pierson. His work is centered on this coyote character. It's ahrd to explain, the work is kind of dark but not negative. A lot of hope, dreams, and love. I'd suggest visiting the CJ Gallery website or Pierson's to see more. They are really amazing. After all this we walked around the Old Town Square and saw some great shops as well as a Wells Fargo exhibit. Pretty cool. We met later with Gary and had dinner at Chevy's in Mission Valley. An okay restaurant. They don't serve shredded beef so that was disapointing and the Carnitas (hsredded pork) was a bit fatty. I thought it was better last time when we went there about two years ago. Oh well. I'll try to post a bunch of pictures soon. Later.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Beam me up, Scotty!!


We went to the Air and Space museum today. We took Richard and Armin with us. The museum is hosting a StarTrek exhibit right now. It cost a bit more than it should but was a cool exhibit. You walk down corridors like on the Enterprise and see Picard's room, the Transporter deck and lots of displays of coustumes and equipment from the show. We had a good time. Out side was many vistage aircraft from all ages and many displays of replicas and engines and such. The museum was also hosting a Bonnis and Clyde exhibit. Inside were many things from the time of the two outlaws. A Will Rogers dispaly, a Dirigible display, and many other things. Some was a bit grusome as thet had the car the ooutlaws were killed in. Also the shirt Clyde Barrow was wearing at the time. ick. We spent a couple of hours at the museum and enjoyed it a lot. Laurie and I walked around famous Balboa park and made plans for a return in the next couple of weeks. They have a package you can buy that allows you into all the museums there for about half the price. It also gives you 7 days to use it. We are thinking about it. Some of the museums were free back when I was in high school and Jr. high and I spent a lot of time there, but some I've never been to. Yeah, we're just trying to have fun.

The adventure continues......

I'm typing on Laurie's laptop, and I'm really not comfortable with it. I'll post some pictures after we get home. We were able to get our car on Monday so now we're mobile. We drove around a bit and visited my old friend Richard and his wife. Also this older ex-school teacher who has been a friend to my family forever. Her son and daughter went to high school with my brother David and I and her daughter was even married to David for a time.

We've landed!

We landed on Saturday and were driven immediately to a favorite hole-in-the-wall taco shop. There I inhaled and beef and bean burrito. Except for what we've eaten here in Laurie's mom's house, It's been all mexican. Sorry, ND there's nothing mexican going on there. Sat with her folks Saturday night and played Mexican train.

Sunday we did some shopping and went to an open house of a couple who have been married for 66 years. They are friends of my in-laws and their son, Cliff, was the minister at Jeremiah's funeral. Then we went home and that night play card games and vivited with Laurie's niece and her two boys. My hapless Cagrgers dropped another one they should have won. Once again by less than five points.

Friday, November 21, 2008

I'm Leavin... On a Jet Plane!

We are almost out the door on our vacation to California and South Carolina. It's -7 windchill here and 70 there. I'm not sure if I can take it. If you need me, I'll be at the beach!

Death of a friend

My friend Taylor sent this to me. Maybe it explains the title and focus of this blog.

My parents told me about Mr. Common Sense early in my life and told me I would do well to call on him when making decisions. It seems he was always around in my early years but less and less as time passed by. Today I read his obituary. Please join me in a moment of silence in remembrance, for Common Sense had served us all so well for so many generations.

Obituary: Common Sense. Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair and maybe it was my fault. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge).His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a Band-Aid to a student, but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know my Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm a Victim. Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If youstill remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

How do you know a liberal is lying.....


William Ayers was interviewed by Cris Cuomo on Good Morning America. The ABC website says he "grilled" him. Right. Ayers is still unrepentant and repeated that statement. Then he says


"It's not terrorism because it doesn't target people, to kill or injure," .


Bull. Violence to instill fear or anarchy in order to cause change is exactly what terrorism is. William is splitting hairs. Liar and coward.


Then he whines about his treatment by the press and the McCain camp. Waaa. Crybaby.


Then he says, "I never hurt or killed anyone,". This isn't true. He put 8 people in the hospital.


This man is evil to even consider the acts he did in a free society instead of working through the system. Yeah, he thought it was urgent, but so what? It was still wrong, he still did it, he got away with it and mocked the system that allowed it to happen. "Guilty as hell, Free as a bird! What a great country!" He stated on the court steps after getting off on a technicality.


What slime. That's my opinion.



Saturday, November 15, 2008

Veteran's Day 08

Memorial Bridge





Hangin' wit the Gov.



We found out at the last minute that there was a ceremony in Bismarck on Veteran's day where they were dedicating the addition of Iraq and Afghanistan casualties to the memorial at the cultural center there. After hurriedly arraigning to take the day off, we drove down. Governor Hoeven spoke as did Senator Dorgan and Congressman Pomeroy. Also the Mayors of both cities. Afterwards we viewed the memorial and later went home. The Memorial bridge that runs across the Missouri from Bismarck to Mandan has just been rebuilt and the dedication for that was the same day. We did go to the bridge and walk down it a bit and took a couple of pictures but didn't stay for the speeches and such. It was still a long and emotional day.

Bad Weather

Things have been a little crazy around here. We had a freezing rain storm on thursdany before last. I got home from work to no power. I ate and read a little by flashlight and went to bed early. Friday Laurie (she was working nights) got home and called me to say the power wouldn't be on until Saturday afternoon. So I stayed at Alex's and went to work from there. When I got home the power was back on. They got some snow in the southern and western parts of the state but not up here. Bismarck and Devils Lake both had snow, We had the ice, and Grand Forks got nothing.

Monday, November 3, 2008

I Voted!

It's such a rush when you get to exercise your power. Here in Petersburg, most of the folks are elderly and didn't want to go out to vote so the entire town (pop. 195) did absentee voting. We went to Lakota which is the county seat and voted there. This may be one of the most important elections ever. McCain is not Bush and Obama is not a centrist. Without the backing of the mainstream media and internet contributors Obama would never have beaten Hillary. So we have a moderate republican against the #1 and #3 most liberal democrats in Washoington. I just worry about extremeism on either side. I would never have voted for a David Duke either. Here's another thing that bothers me. The FBI stopped a couple of idiot neo-nazis from assasinating Obama and I say that's great. I'd never want harm to come to anyone like that. This is a great country and Obama wants to change everything. Don't argue about it, it has been documented. When he feels the constitution is flawed because it doesn't give the government enough power over the people there is something wrong. The constitution is designed to give the power to the people. Yeah, Vote early, vote often.