Consider this your official invitation

Tim, Rock'n'Robin, and baby Daniel will be in town over the weekend. All the jitterbugs are invited to have dinner with them at 4:30pm on Saturday, March 31 at the Old Chicago downtown Omaha. Drop by and say hi. If anyone knows how to get hold of Connie please pass the word along to her.

Server side Easter Egg

Okay, you are not going to beleive this, so I got me a witness.

I was writing the below post. I clicked the button to publish, it just spun and spun and spun and wouldn't publish or save as a draft. So I rewrote it a paragraph at a time, publishing after every one. It all went fine until I got to the last one, and it still wouldn't publish. So I rewrote the last paragraph sentence by sentence. The title worked, but the first sentence didn't. I then tried it a word at a time. I discovered when I put the word "from" where the word "with" now is, it wouldn't work. Use the word "with" it is fine. Use the word "form", no problem ... "fr m", "f om", and "fr om" all worked just fine. Put the word "from" in there, no deal.

Now I am sure you all want some of whatever I am obviously smoking by now. So I got me a witness, so HA! I grabbed GingerKid by her new hairstyle and dragged her over to observe. She can tell you I was AM reporting this one accurately.

It seems like an awfully strange server side Easter Egg.

Random Thoughts v0004

Airhead
I had a nasal infection. The doctor prescribed a different kind of antibiotic (Omnicef?) than I have taken before. Ooh boy. This stuff got rid of the nasal infection in no time ... and about everything else in my body. The worst part is it is washing out some of the medicine I take daily to help control my migraines, and a lot of water. Despite my working hard to keep myself hydrated, I am still not at my full mental faculties. Yesterday was really bad. I woke up with a cold head (two windows open, duh), which is never good for me. Before I even drove a block to work, I remember two things that I had forgotten, but since I knew I had to gas my car, I couldn't go back. It's bad enough to forget stuff, but I actually had grabbed one of the things, but I didn't recall doing so. Work was the worst, I was trying to something with a lot of steps. I should have just made a spreadsheet with check boxes. It would have been much quicker than going back seven or eight times to fix all my mistakes. Grrr.


Like a brook trout, only without the fish
I suppose it is a consequence of being an airhead, but that lever that controls closing your mouth, it's broken on me right now. I have been babbling in the direction of anyone with two ears, or one, or the wall, or to myself. Now is the time to ask me all those questions about what you've been wondering about me. It's not like the filter is off, it's just disconnected.


You learn something new everyday
What I learned yesterday: don't ask the pregnant Catholic lady what she gave up for Lent. "I gave up smoking and drinking to be pregnant, I don't think I should have to give up any*censored*thing else!" Good thing she didn't give up swearing. Only Mae would have a good idea who this is, and I'm betting a buck she'll guess in one try even though she doesn't necessarily know this person is pregnant.


Bal-Fest is this weekend
Although I will not be able to attend the Friday workshops because I have to work, The Midwest Balboa Swing Festival will start this Friday. It's not too late to sign up and learn about the most fantastic partner dance every invented, Balboa, from some of the finest swing dancers in the world (not even exaggerating here). Come join us for the workshops, dances, contests, or all of the above. I will be at all the dances, as well as the Saturday and Sunday workshops.


Clever Segue
Speaking of the events on Saturday... Tim and Rock'n'Robin will be in town and bringing baby Daniel with them. Plans are not finalized as of yet, but we'll be having a dinner for them (probably out) to introduce the newest little swing dancer to the Jitterbugs. The approximate time will be in between the end of the last Saturday workshop, and the start of the Saturday dance, i.e. 4pm to 8pm. Watch this space for an update on when and where this will be occurring, or ask myself or Viv for the details later. If anyone knows how to get hold of Connie or the Mayor of Dancing himself, Lee Taylor, please pass the info onto them or have them get hold of me or Viv.


I have a new phone! Well, not really
On March 16th, I ordered a new phone with Sprint, a MotoRAZR v3g. I still don't have it. When I ordered it, I was told it would take five to seven business days to arrive. I figured no problem, Schmendrick just did more or less the same thing, and he got his phone in two business days. So I waited and waited and waited, mine didn't get here in the proscribed seven days. I called yesterday and I got a lot of "hmmms" and dead air on the phone when I talked to the young lady on the phone. The final answer I got was that the order went out yesterday or today. I figure that meant somebody screwed up the order, she fixed it, and it was going to go out today. I'll be ready to call if it doesn't make it here by Friday. You can be sure of one thing, they already charged me for the phone.

Do not adjust your eyes

Yes, I decided to be a little colorful.

FYI (in response to a whiney Insane Elf) - the martini glasses are filled with kool-aid or juice when next to a non-drinker or underage person.

P.S. Elf, feel free to update your own blog instead of only ever commenting on others.

A whitewash! Slug-bug style.

Viv's butt has been kicked! We play slug-bug, and I won yesterday 17-0! I believe that entitles me to a little smack talk. Neener, neener, neener, Viv, you have been dominated. You owe me pizza and ice cream.

Beware! This can cause a pain in your arm!

For those of you who don't play this game, basically when you see a Volkswagen Bug the first one who calls it out, with the color, gets to hit the other person (or person of choice) in the car with them (unless it is Mae, she is too sophisticated to play). Yes there are more rules (it's the OnionBoy variant).

1. Each new style slug bug is worth one point / hit.
2. Each new style slug bug convertible is worth two points / hits.
3. Each old style slug bug is worth two points / hits.
4. Each old style slug bug convertible is worth four points / hits.
5. Each old style Karmann-Ghia, Bus, or Thing is worth three points / hits.
6. Any car on a dealership lot or such is not eligible for play.
7. If you call one out on mistake, the opponent gets those points.
   

Now that you know the (OnionBoy variant) rules, get out there and cause some bruises!

It's over

My Saluki's lost to Kansas on Thursday night. 61-58. It is all you can ask for, a great season, and when you are eliminated, have a shot at tying or winning at the end of the game. Thanks for a great season!

I just like this one

I just think this picture is wonderful. Smeade on the left (with some great hair), JustSmileChild on the right, and an unknown, happy individual in the middle. I have since learned the happy individual belongs to Smeade, in a sisterly kind of way.

Thanks to Smeade for "letting" me steal this picture.
edit #2

Thanks for the warning

I had him ... almost

Dang it, I sent a question to Sendmejackson today only to have him reply to me with the following "...I'll make some enquiries!" This is coming from a guy who used a word in a beginning jitterbug lesson that neither I nor Schmendrick knew. I pride myself on a good vocabulary, and Schmendrick has a slightly better one than mine. I can't remember what the word was, but when I looked it up later, it was exactly the correct word to use.

I had him ... or so I thought. Enquiries is a word. Darn! At least I have a bigger vocabulary now than when the day began.

Four more wins to go!

So my brackets got blown to bits when Wisconsin went down to UNLV today.

Am I concerned? Well, yes I am...

...but if I weren't, it would be because my beloved Salukis won again, and are on their way to the Sweet 16. They beat up on Virginia Tech (again) today 63-48.

Next up, the Candyass Jaywalks, I mean the Kansas Jayhawks, sorry about that. A team that is beatable as evidenced by them losing at home to Venche's beloved ORU Golden Eagles earlier this season.

Okay Salukis, they showed us the way, let's go get 'em!
edit #2

The power of prayer ... almost

I completely believe in the power of prayer ... almost. There is one slight exception. I find it difficult to pray (and believe it) for my own well being ... sort of.

Okay, so I'm not being clear.

When someone asks me to pray for them, or even if they don't ask, and I pray for them, I can easily pray with confidence and belief that God will provide the best solution for all involved. I know God is listening, concerned, and that my prayers will be responded to.

When I pray for something I want for myself, it is generally for something medium to long term that will include my improvement as a human being. For instance, praying for more patience, praying for more financial responsibility, or praying to give up something (like computer games). I have faith in these situations too. I will even pray for things that people might consider sinful, it being an exercise in giving my earthly desires to God.

Even if my prayers are not answered, I can accept 'no' or 'not yet', because I know God has the best interest of His creation in mind. I literally have no complaints if everything I have been given is gone tomorrow. God gave me a second (third, fourth, nth) chance to be His, and it is all that really matters.

Which brings me to the part I have trouble praying for. When I have some short term need, like a migraine, lack of motivation, an immediate worry, or my favorite old standby: paranoia. I just cannot let go and give it to God. (this has been tough to write) That is when I rely on YOU my friends. I lack the confidence to believe that God will listen to my immediate concerns, but I sure believe He is listening to yours.

I will try to do a better job of asking for your prayerful help, but don't wait on it, if you see me struggling, pray with me, pray for me. I will be there with prayers for you when I see you struggling.

Hmmm ... I wonder if praying for a long term solution to my short-term prayer difficulties is cheating?

Another Night, Another Dream

In this dream I lived in a little house or apartment, and three houses down from me lived Spanky and Mae, at the end of the block was a school. I went outside, and for a while Spanky and I were having a snowball in our backyards, that ended suddenly, and Mae and I were walking out front down the block by the school. The school had a new attachment that neither of of us noticed being built. It turned out to be a Catholic education building co-located with the public school.

**aside* for those of you that think this is a ridiculous violation of the separation of church and state, when I lived in Utah, almost all public schools had a building next door to them that was owned by the Mormon (LDS) church, and the students were able to have time during the day to go next door and get religious education, and then come back.*

Back to the dream. I decided to investigate the building, Mae went her way, and I walked in and met one of the teachers who toured me around her class. I didn't interact with any of the kids, just the teachers and staff. While I was there, it was time for the kids to have their in-day Mass. I was recruited into working the service by the priest. When time came for Communion, the priest kept dropping the sanctified bread and leaving it there. Not to get into a huge transubstantiation debate, but holy cow, that is a HUGE no-no, so I was picking up all of the dropped bread, and I kept worrying that I missed a piece of the dropped body of Christ. The priest left and I had to serve the last few communion takers, and clean up (I have never been either an altar boy or served the bread and wine in church) so I was fumbling around hoping I got everything right.

Once that was over, I went to say goodbye to the teacher who had given me the tour, but I was told that she had died. Back outside, I ran into Mae again on the way home and told her about the lady who died.
Mae said "Oh, I knew her, I beat her in the state badmitton (or tennis) tourney just a couple days ago."
"I didn't know you were champion." I replied.
"When you are good, you don't have to brag." she said.
Then she went into her house, and I went to my apartment and the dream ended.

The dream had the usual interesting detail and references to other dreams I have had, however this seemed to be another dream unlike any I remember. Two in one week. The building I went into was very familiar, but I can't put my finger on where I had seen it before.

Saturday hodgepodge

Mom Needs Some Attention Too!
Happy Birthday Rock'n'Robin!

Home Sick
I am home sick with a migraine. It has been over a year since I took a day off sick, and I feel bad about it. My choices are too much pain too concentrate, too many drugs to drive, um, I choose B. Saturdays are especially busy, and I don't think I'd be able to find a drug/pain balance to make me work.

I appreciate all the empathy and well wishes I get when I have a migraine, but it's a fact of life for me. I accept it, and I do my best to lead an otherwise normal life, but every once and a while it just is awful. Yesterday and today are one of those days.

*edit* the drugs kicked in shortly after writing this section ... aahhh!

Tony Boyle, My New Hero
Things were going along just fine for my Salukis in the NCAA tourney yesterday when at the end of the half, our third leading scorer (for the year) rolled his ankle. Crap! Second half starts, enter back up Tony Boyle, and a star is born. Read ESPNs story here. The Salukis went on to win fairly easily for them, considering our margin of victory all year was not that great.

Next up: Virginia Tech, who we beat early in the season.

My brackets; meh. There were scant upsets this year in the first round, and I didn't pick the right ones. Fortunately the only sweet 16 team I lost was Creighton (more on them in a minute). In the small pool I am tied for first, and in the big pool, I am in the middle of the pack. They next two days are the seperators, lose an eight or final four team now, you're done.

Yes, I somewhat homered (picked the local, favorite team) with Creighton going to the sweet 16, but they have been hot as of late, and playing their best ball of the season. They got screwed. A first round match up with Nevada??? I can imagine that Nevada felt the same way. Two of the best five mid-majors matched up in the first round? It doesn't make any sense. Part of the appeal of this sporting event is David vs. Goliath ... and you put two David's together in the first round. Hard to generate any stories that way. Both teams should have gotten a low seeded major conference team in the first round. Grrr and done.

Finally! Pictures of baby Daniel

Proud "uncle" OnionBoy finally has pictures of the cutest baby around! If you don't believe me, you can just ask Tim & Rock'n'Robin, they will give you a completely unbiased opinion.

You woke me up for this? I can't help it I'm adorable.


I'm so cool... Forget that mothers milk, I want a beer.
Did I happen to mention I got my daddys hair?


Seriously, I can hold my own head up... I think.

You can see all 37 photos in her set here, including some bonus Florida sunrise photos.
edit #7

Dragon arm?

Here is my dream from last night. There were three magic items to begin with, one that didn't do much and was like a gold circle the size of a bracelet, a medium-strong one that was gold shining wand about two feet long, and the third which was very powerful and it was black metal shaped like the arm of dragon holding a pink crystal orb and was also about two feet long.

Well the evil guy in the dream had all three, and it was my job to sneak in and get them. I got the wand, then the bracelet, but I got caught and blasted by the dragon arm and sent out into the woods somewhere. My co-conspirators then took the two things i stole, healed me, and somehow made it into my own dragon arm, but with a blue-green orb instead of pink.

The bad guy didn't know i had the new magic device, so it was relatively easy for me to sneak back in and destroy his with mine. He was then caught and arrested by the authorities. It was then my decided the remaining magic item was too powerful to be left, and it was destroyed by breaking it by pulling it in two directions with a bulldozer and a boat ... only it wasn't destroyed, and I knew it wouldn't be, it popped and shattered, but I somehow had managed to follow where the most magical piece went and I got it.

It was the same shape, but now only about six inches long. At the end of the dream I was going around causing mischief with it.

As usual the dream was very vivid. The only part of the dream that made any sense from the previous days events was at one point it was shown that the bracelet could turn river water into hot coffee ... coffee was part of an ongoing conversation I had during the day.

2007 Brackets

For those of you have no idea what the title is all about, you probably don't need to read any further. It's time again for March Madness, and I'm in two (for fun only, of course) pools. I also signed up for ESPN & Yahoo's tournement challenge too.

Here is my pool bracket. I lost two games out of the first eight, but no major catastrophies, like losing a final four or even a sweet 16 team.

YOU all are sending ME the wrong message

Okay, so I was lamenting for weeks about no one commenting on my blog anymore. Then I put up a blog that everyone comments on. Okay, so most of the comments were about how I shouldn't blog about the subject, but I got comments!

You may be reinforcing the behavior you don't want ... I wonder what other bodily functions I could discuss here.

Go fly a kite, v0002

Yesterday Spanky, Mae, and I got outside in the beautiful weather and busted out our kites and went flying in the park to the south of their house. After a small adventure involving rescuing my kite off of the roof of their house, I got mine flying just fine.

My bluejay on the end of a string.

edit #2

Surgery update - v000D - a boogers on steroids tale

Seriously. I had my surgery almost a year ago. I know, I know, I was told that it would be at least a year for me to blow ugly stuff out my nose, but still...

So I get home last night from dancing. I wander around the house a bit and then walk to the back door to let Cherokee outside. "Ah-ah-ah-choo!" I felt my left nostril expand as something big came out and went wizzing by my hand, and then felt and heard the 'thwack' onto the left leg of my pants.

Holy cow, that booger was the size of a nickel, and weighed just about as much. I mean you just can't imagine, it was huge, it was about the size of some pulsating alien bodysnatcher in a horror flick. It would have grossed out a ten year old boy. And super glue has nothing on this stuff, it was stuck to my jeans like it had been sewn on, I really don't know if a color exists to describe it, light green, green, brown, and glowing all at once.

Friday Church

I had a short, but to the point, discussion with a friend last night about my recent feelings of disconnectedness with God. I said how I felt the roots of it were in my feeling guilty about slacking on church attendence. My friend was very supportive (but to the point) of me, saying (in effect) that my Bible study attendence was still corporate worship, and then went on to say I could deal with the feelings of guilt, or go to church and see if the guilt went away.

I woke up early today, and went to church.

It was gray went I left, but during the service I was kneeling (good old Catholics), and suddenly the sun appeared and shone through the stained glass window at the east end of the church. The window depicts the holy birth. I saw the colors of the window glass dancing on the seats and people in front of me. I turned around to look, and from my angle the sun shone through the face and halo of the infant Jesus.

I feel much better and rather grateful.

See how the Catholic half lives!

Okay, so I know it is late notice. Cornstalker, Viv, and I will be doing this, and this is an invitation to you too.

Fish Fry at Mary Our Queen Catholic church prior to the dance tomorrow March 9. I will get in line in between 1730 & 1745, which should get us to the cash taker by 1830ish. If you would like to join us (*cough cough maegmariel cough*) just find me/us in line at that time, or call me and find out where we are at.

Info from the M.O.Q. web site:

Lenten Fish Fry Begins February 23rd

The Mary Our Queen Knights of Columbus will once again hold Lenten Fish Frys during the Fridays of Lent.

Dates: February 23 - March 30
Time: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: School Cafeteria (3405 S. 118 Street)

Tickets: $7.00 for adults, $6.00 for seniors, $5.00 for children

Menu: Fried or Baked Pollack, Macaroni and Cheese, Cole Slaw, French Fries or Tater Tots, and Bread. Beverages and Dessert are available, but not included in the price of the ticket.

For more information you may contact the Parish Office at 333-8662.

Map to Mary Our Queen: Google Map
edit #3

Friendship Program dancing

Yesterday, Dan, Jenny Jitterbug, and Maegmariel went down to where Viv works, The Friendship Program and did some demonstration dancing for the program participants. The seated gentleman, Jimmy, behind Jenny Jitterbug in the bottom left photo used to play piano with Gene Krupa. Jimmy got up and played on the old beat up, out of tune piano at the program and just TORE it up. Viv danced too, and took these pictures (thanks!). Dan had the crowd laughing as usual, and he didn't even have to tell a single bad joke.

edit #4

Happy Birthday Misty Jo Jangles v1.1

Photos from Misty's birthday party!

Thirty years old and she gets her first gray hare (not my line).


Better keep that away from your bunny.


Organic, knee high socks with positive messages on them, what birthday present could be better weirder. The big present is under the bag.


Viv tries some of Spanky's spicy salsa. Does it have a kick?



Seriously, I have no idea at all what is happening here. I am in one picture and took another one, and I don't remember it at all.


Apples to Apples anyone? Sarah will now tell us which of these five is the epitome of shallow.


Of course what birthday would be complete without a birthday jam dance.

You can see all 20 photos in my set here.
edit #2

Happy Birthday Misty Jo Jangles

The big 3-0 hits yet another friend at work!


Nice hat for a Prince fan.
Happy Birthday Misty Jo Jangles!

edit #3

A big piratey welcome

Let's give a big piratey welcome to Daniel Mersereau. Born this evening, March 03, 2007 @ 2129 (that's 9:29pm) weighing in at 7 pounds 1 ounce and measuring 21 inches long. Robin and baby are doing fine ... oh yeah, Tim too. Pictures as soon as 1) Mom rediscovers the internet or 2) I go out in a couple weeks to see them.

"Uncle" OnionBoy can't wait to teach him bad habits!

edit #2: The full moon was at 1717 (that's 5:17pm), and the moonrise in Oneil was at 1857 (that's 6:57pm). A baby born under a full moon? Who knew?

Rush hour

Yes, this is my car at work before I left this afternoon.

It took me 1:04 from desk to door, normally more like a :25 trip. On the way home I saw 20 cars and 5 delivery vans stuck in the ditch on 370. I parked one block up the hill. It was only the second time I have done this at this house, the roads were just plowed better up there.

Ooh, snow lightening

Yes, folks it's that rare weather event here in beautiful Omaha, snow lightening. Twice this morning it happened, at least that I am aware of.

When I got up to come to work this morning, it was 34F and barely wet. When I got to work it was 31F and about 1/2 inch of snow on the ground. Still coming down hard. Naturally schools were cancelled in between the time I left for work and got here (we can wear jeans & boots when schools cancel), so I'll be in business casual, everyone else will be in jeans ... that is everyone who actually makes it in.

To my teacher friends, have a nice day, and feel free to go shovel my driveway if you are bored.