The GLIB, SUPERFICIAL conversation

It was a good Memorial Day holiday for our condo complex yesterday !  Amid rumors that the pool would not open because of some mysterious slime, the pool opened on time, and the water looked great (without slime).  I was almost, but not quite amused at the conversation I heard yesterday when I went to the pool. 
1=1st man
2=2nd man.  Both men know each other at this condo complex.

1: Things are better than they were last year at this time.
2:  Good! I'm happy for you!  It's about time it's that way for you.
1:  I mean the one thing I have to deal with is this cancer thing and trying to pay for it all, but...
2. (interrupting)  Oh,  snap out of it!
1:  Hey, well, it's good seeing you.
2:  Talk to you later. Nice seeing you too.
Then "2" thought to himself, "Snap out of it?  Like you snap out of a bad mood and become more reasonable? Like you snap out of sadness and become happy?  Glad he figures it's that easy with cancer."  He would go back for clarification with 1 if he thought the other guy knew what he was talking about.  Ah, glibness........there's not too many things like it. 

Part 2 of 2, Andy's Eulogy

There's little that needs to be said to introduce this.  My oldest son Andy who is 15 has nearly completed a successful 1st year of high school. Andy has spent a good deal of time being a caretaker to his grandfather during at least the last two, if not three years of his life.
After his 83 yr. old grandfather died on May 21, the wake, funeral and burial was held Wednesday, May 25.  Here is what Andy said:

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Andy’s Eulogy to His Grandfather, the Late Paul DeMars

We are here today to remember my Grandpa, because he has been with us through good times and bad. And today, he is in heaven to look upon us all to remember him by.

I have always loved my grandfather whether he needed personal care, cooking a delicious meal, grabbing his medical kits-whether it’s blood pressure or blood sugar monitoring, and most of all spending quality time with him.

I remember when my grandpa was bored, and I wanted to spend some quality time with him so I brought out a board game, “LIFE”. When we played, he had 2 daughters, then when he had gotten the boy, he said, “Andy, thanks for helping me. You are like the son I never had”. That was a moment I have never forgotten. Thank you grandpa for always being there for me.

I love you very much.

Andrew V. Schauf, delivered on 5/25/2011

dogs rise to the occasion

Part 1 of 2

Maribeth's father passes away on May 20

Paul DeMars died exactly a week and12 hours ago. He was my ex-wife's father.  I was surprised to learn that part of the reason he died was from dehydration (according to the Death Certificate).  However, we knew about the other problems.  He had renal failure and was finished when his heart gave out.  He did not even live 1 day at the nursing home he was at.  Maribeth said that he acted like he didn't want to be there.  I don't think there was any malpractice with respect to his dehydration. It was a matter that the kidneys worked so bad that they didn't allow the rest of the body to get liquid.  That's my theory. I'm no doctor, so I am not sure.  

Before, I laughed myself silly when the 2 dogs above got together.  No, I'm kidding.  Yet, Maribeth owner of Minnie, black gentle pit bull, and Faith, my Late Father-in-Law's dog (black & white Border Collie/Sheepdog mix) didn't get along very well.  It was a pattern.  Minnie, age 1, would bounce around Faith (age 8) and the older dog would feel her space was violated and bark at Minnie.  Minnie is about the opposite of the stereotype of a nasty fighting pit bull.  My dear friend, Patricia, has a dachsund, (this breed is illustrated below).  Minnie, backs down to a damn dachsund! 

It was like I told my son, Andy, "I have good news and bad news for you, son.  The good news is we don't have to worry about Minnie tearing up anything but my old cowboy boots. She gets along great with other dogs.  The bad news is that if another person or animal attacked you; Minnie would sit and watch or  get herself killed trying to save you ". 

& Brianna found someone to play baseball with.....

Parental talk

A conversation; making it quicker, I'm not using quotes but more like a play which I don't do often

D: father

T: 2nd son

Ma

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D: You have 3 Cs and you nearly had straight As last quarter and the quarter before. Can you bring it up?

T: I hope so, I know I’ll do well in the fraction test on May 20

D: I know you had a growth spurt in 5 months you went from a size 9 ½ adult shoe to a 11 ½ shoe now. & you’ve gotten 8 ½ hrs. of sleep

T: Yeah, but it didn’t take much out of me until now.

D: Things are harder now. Each quarter of school is different from the last. Maybe you better put some Mountain Dew with your lunch from now on (both laugh, enter Mom).

Enter Ma

D: We were talking about his lousy grades (T makes no facial expression b/c he expects better from himself).

Ma: You have to go to bed earlier get more than 9 hrs. of sleep.

D: You have to eat more earlier in the day, T, you skimp on breakfast, lunch and eat a big supper.

T: I want to lose weight.

D: Weight shouldn’t be a factor. & that’s precisely the wrong way to lose weight ! You’re growing. Look at Andy, gets enough rest, gets good grades and he’s taller and more slender! !

Ma:  YOU GOTTA GET MORE SLEEP !

D: But Ma, we really should take him to a Dr.

Ma: That’s fine as long as you take time off work and handle it.

D. Yeah, but you work full time, 12 hr. shifts & you work 3 times a week.

Ma. HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING! He’ll get more sleep. If that don’t work, we take him to Dr. NOW THAT’S ENOUGH, MY FATHER IS DYING !

(Ma storms out of room T & Dad were in)

D: She gets angry, but she’s right. And she’s going through a lot now. We have both options,   sleep now and maybe later we'll get blood tests.  You should be fine by June, sometime.

T: Yeah, I’m not that worried about it.

There was a rather angry debate in my neighborhood at a garage sale.


God & salvation are on the minds of many people.

There was a COUPLE of people that said we should live simple like the Apostles and the Early Disciples as discussed in Acts and the Epistles. But a group that goes to church regularly and give much money in philanthropy ridiculed the idea. They said and laughed, "How are you going to live simply when we are almost required in the US to have a computer, Internet and cellphone??"

Some suggested getting good information and not live too luxioursly.

One person in the COUPLE said that Internet was evil and that the Apostles didn't need that to be a success in life.

What do you feel? Is either side right? What is the middle way??

If there is a middle way, please explain how you negotiate your time between praying, the Internet and the challenges of lack of money and the difficulties of living in 2011

fast life

Are you happy at the big task you recently did?  Did something make you angry this week?  Can you plan better? 

Life seems to be going faster, not 55 mph (88.5  km per hour), but more like 74 mph  (119 km per hour) 

 This past week:

1. kids were upset last night and took an extra 45 min. to get to bed because it was 90 F  for a high temperature. By the time they were going to bed, it was still in the 80s. 
2. checking account needs to be balanced
3. looking on the 'Net for things very important.  The search is difficult ! ! 
4. waiting for the next writing assignment that will pay... the magazine I applied for thanked me Monday after I submitted several writing samples.............now I wait ..............

I am using my drive & motivation to my advantage.