Cari's Baby Shower is Coming Up!

One week away...wow! Seems forever ago that we had learned we were having a baby, and now it's just another month until he comes! We're expecting a pretty big turnout for it too. Well, Cari is. ME...I will be with my little buddy at one of the last great places left for kids...Putt Putt!! For you see, there are certain places that guys simply should not be lingering around...such as baby showers, department store dressing rooms(learned about that one the hard way), and such and such. I could go on a while, but...why, ya know?

I've had this idea for a movie I think could be really cool if it ever made its way onto the screen...any screen would do. For about five years I've been kicking this idea around but never seemed to have the time to put it down on paper. However, since Fridays are my slow days on the ol' phone, the time has presented itself. The plan is to document this in stages, or acts if you will. So without further ado, I give you...

"My Journey"

(pan around in small apartment. Six-year old boy sitting on floor playing video game very well)

(voice-over from boy)

"Hello. For those of you who are just joining us, let me introduce myself. My name is Abraham Rogers. I was named after my dad who told me that my name means "father to plenty", but so far I'm the only one. He left to go pick up some milk. There must be a really long line, because it's been about three weeks and he still hasn't come home."

(pan to mother getting ready for work in bedroom)

"That's Mom. She's been really upset that Dad hasn't come home yet. She had to find a second job as a waitress to, as she puts it, 'make ends meet'. I've never heard that expression before, but I guess it means she has to work all the time."

(Abe goes into mom's room)

Abe:

"Mom?"

Mom:

"Yes dear?"

Abe:

"When's Daddy coming home?"

Mom:

"Honey, I don't have time for silly questions. The only way he'll ever show his pug face around here again is in a police car. Now I want you to be a good boy tonight until I get home, okay?"

Abe:

(sadly) "Okay."

Mom:

"That's my boy. (heads for the door) Dinner's in the fridge, okay? And what's the rule of the house?"

Abe & Mom together:

"Never open the door to anyone."

Mom:

"That's right. Come on, give me a hug."

(hug)

Mom:

"Love you."

Abe:

"Love you too."

(Mom leaves)

Voice-over:

"And so begins another night for me."

(goes to refrigerator, sees take-out container)

Abe:

"What's in the mystery box tonight?"

(opens box with unidentifable meal in it)

"Ugh...Mom sure doesn't think very much of me to think I'd like...whatever this is supposed to be"

End scene

Now keep in mind, this is far from finished. If I can just get my ideas transcribed, I'll be able to look at it from a more objective view. Stay tuned.

Lovely Rita...

More like Hateful Rita, seems like. I find it hard to believe that just weeks after Katrina did her worst, now we have to brace for the impact of yet another class-5 storm. Except this one is coming along to finish off what her big sister missed...namely the Texas Gulf Coast. Sure, the midwest may be boring, but they don't even have to worry about things like this. Here in Arlington, the worst we're supposed to get is some heavy rain and wind. I know about a million evacuees that would give what they have to switch places with that scenario.

Sometimes I wonder if there's something more I could be doing. Problem is, the answer is always "Yes". I'm not down at the convention centers helping out or offering my home to those who have none. Frankly, the very idea of people I don't know in my house scares me. Someday I might be able to let them in...but not right now.

As it turns out, my son is scheduled to be born on Halloween. I didn't think it would be such a good idea originally just because it might have been conflicting with other people's Halloween plans. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized, "Hey! How often do people celebrate their birthday on the actual day, anyways?" So it's all good. Zack, if ya ever read this, we've waited 30 years for you. Welcome to the family.

"This One's For You Mom..."

A lot can change in one day. Just ask Roger Clemens. Just a day ago his mother was alive and he was getting virtually no run support. And now...24 hours later...his mother passed away and he got 10 runs in earning his 12th win of the year. Clemens often expressed aloud his desire to have his mother front row center at his Hall Of Fame induction (if you think he is being a bit presumptious you obviously haven't seen him pitch...ever). Unfortunately this dream will never come to fruition. However, Clemens did what many of us would never dream of doing. He went to work only hours after his mother died. Not only did he suck it up and take the mound, he went out there and pitched what arguably has been his best game this season. I'm reminded of the day Brett Favre found out his father had died from a heart attack on December 21, 2003. No one would have blamed him for not starting that night's game. No one except Brett. He went out there and passed for a ridiculous 399 yards and flattened the Oakland Raiders (which, granted, wasn't hard to do that year since they were 4-12).

Too often we don't get to say good-bye to those we love...or family members...sometimes both. I still remember the day my grandpa died...Janurary 4, 1997. Only 72 years old, too. However, he smoked his whole life. I remember that afternoon I saw him outside smoking and thought, "I wonder if that's the last one he'll ever have." Guess it was. Sometimes I wonder if my kids are going to want to smoke one day and what I should tell them to get them to change their mind. I can tell them about how I was there when he took his last breath as he laid on the floor because he couldn't get anymore oxygen to his lungs. Or how I was literally on my way out when I heard my grandmother keep shouting his name as if something was wrong. No kidding, my hand was on the doorknob. If I had gone out and come home to all that I never would have forgiven myself. Ever. I was in such shock that I couldn't even go to the hospital with my grandmother. Instead I stayed home and let everyone know what had happened.

Eight years had passed before I got around to visiting his memorial at Laurelland, but I'm glad I did. Was nice to see him no longer in pain from the ailments that had plagued him most of his life. My wife and daughter were there with me which made it a kind of family outing. Emily (daughter) gave me an acorn that was lying on the ground and picked up one for herself and together we placed them on his stone. I didn't cry but that was as close as I have ever come. Sometimes I feel bad that I have never cried, but I don't worry too much about it. We'll all see him again one day.

"Fly Me To The Moon"

Today I'd like to tell you about some dreams I've had where I was flying. What's weird is that I wasn't doing it by myself. There was always some kind of vehicle or contraption I was in that allowed me to fly. So no Superman dreams yet, but given my sporadic dream state, anything's possible:

Dream #1: For some reason I was friends with Steve Urkel (don't tell me you don't know who that is because we ALL know ya do) and he had invented this superpowered pogo stick that allowed you to travel great distances. And would ya believe it, he had one for me too. SO we were bouncing down I-20 (the most famous highway in Texas I think) and it was only for a minute but MAN WHAT A RUSH. I never saw Steve or his pogo stick ever again, but I'll never forget it.

Dream #2: This time I had stumbled upon an old bi-plane. Once I got it flying, I took off and before long I could see all kinds of things going on. I stopped at a county fair in Milwaukee (don't ask me how I know the name of the town...I just do) and everyone wanted to meet me just because I flew this little plane from town to town and took time to stop and visit with people.

I guess the point of this entry is to get the message out that you can control what you dream about. You just have to get there first.

Not much to report this week...

As you know (which you would if you read this every week), every Friday I post a new entry. Sometimes something interesting happens, other times...like this week...not much is going on. My wife thinks Zack will come early, even mentioning that he could be born on Halloween if that is what we wanted. Can you imagine being born on that day? No one would want to come to your birthday party because they would want to go trick or treating. Plus, people might want to call you "devil child" for being born on such a "wicked" holiday, forgetting that Halloween was born from a Christian celebration many, many...many years ago. I guess everyone is excited about the boy being born even though no one ever calls to see how we're doing. I guess they just assume we're okay. Nice to make assumptions, ain't it?

Anyhoo, since there wasn't really anything groundbreaking going on this week, I thought I would showcase my 1:24 model car collection I have amassed over the years:



Well, here they all are...would be nice if they had a little garage...where's my Legos?



This one I took up to work with me...would help if people ever walked by my desk so they could see it.



One is a Diablo, one is a Contauch...which is which is beyond me.



This one is...I'll level with ya, I have no idea...it just looked pretty in the store window.



This one is also one of my favorites...now I know why red cars pay more for insurance.



What the ladies are sporting this fall.



This is called a "Bugatti". Aparently they made Rolls Royces a long time ago and there are only six in existence, so if you have one in the back that you're not using, clean 'er up! Might be worth something!

So there ya have em...I have more but ever since they were "packed up", I haven't seen any sign of them. I have a ton of other stuff like this, some of which is showcased in my sidebar near the bottom. So stick around as I attempt to photograph everything I own...just kidding.