My Nephew takes a spill...

Jeremy, my 2 old nephew, is a typical boy - running around, playing with trucks, playing sports. (It's amazing we are related.) Anyway, yesterday, as he was playing soccer, he fell and broke his femur. A clean break, which is good.

On a normal sized person, this would be okay. But, on a 2 year old, it isn't. He has to wear a two-legged cast for four weeks, while the bone heals. He won't be able to walk or run (ever tell a 2 year old to sit?), going to school will be iffy, and he's going to be in a lot of pain. (He got on the phone with me this morning to tell me he was feeling better, to which my sister replied, "of course he is, he's on Valium.")

So, yet another stressed out November for my sister and Benjy. It wouldn't be thanksgiving without someone in the Rose family in a cast...

I need to go buy him stuff. I believe in dulling the pain with a good Disney movie :)

B'Evret

Just a fun posting. It has sound, and its fun to sing along.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkMofkp4bNw

:) Enjoy.

The Week in Review...

So, it's been a while since I posted, and that's because life has been crazy. To recap since my last posting:

Tuesday - Drove home from the beach in a light drizzle, found out that my cousins home in San Diego is safe, found out that my great-aunt passed away, and worked.

Wednesday - Went to work in the rain, then went to the doctor's, then came home and caught up on .... work!

Thursday - Went to work in the rain, had a fantastic meeting with Kathy and Deborah, and then went to play with the CUTEST baby under a month old south of the mason-dixon line, Lilah Rose. She was SO cute (way to go Jenna and Jason!)

Friday - Went to work in the rain (sense a theme?), caught up on some stuff, then drove down to DC to meet Debbie and Beth for the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. (It's a Broadway show, its touring, and its HYSTERICAL!)

Saturday -Wait for it - I went to work in the rain. Yup, on a Saturday morning. We had an open house in Shady Grove. Not a whole lot of students showed up. Probably because of the before-mentioned rain. Which FINALLY stopped around 12pm. Last night I went to a Halloween party at Russell's, had a fantastic time, of course, and then drove home and promptly fell asleep.

Today, Sunday, I'm up, drinking coffee, it isn't raining, and I have work to do. Anyone sensing a theme here?

The California Fires hit too close to home...

You may think that the fires in California are devestating, and you would be right. It's unbelieveably scary to think the extent to which there has been destruction, disrupt, environmental disaster, and heartbreak.

Unfortunately, it just hit home. My mother sent an email informing us that cousins of ours, who live in San Diego, are certain they have lost both their home and their business. I couldn't even imagine watching your life burn to the ground, to face the prospect of having to start over (and they aren't young - they have two kids in college.).

A depressing, depressing day. And I fear it just won't get better....

[An update: My cousins are now unsure of their home. A change in the direction of the wind may have prevented the fire from moving in that direction. Further information as I have it.]

Saving the Environment, the EBay way..

As you know, I'm an NPR junkie. As I was driving to work this morning, I heard a story about a new imitative being started by the online-shopping-buying-selling-trading guru, EBay.

The Pop!Tech Carbon Initiative, in the words of EBay, is "Human-induced climate change is one of the most potentially consequential and damaging threats facing us today. To encourage action on this issue, the Pop!Tech Carbon Initiative enables you to offset your personal carbon emissions by purchasing carbon offsets from environmental projects that are also contributing to the social and economic development of the communities they serve. In conjunction with reducing your energy consumption and using energy more efficiently, investing in these projects will help in a small way create a better and brighter future for everyone."

Basically, you figure out your lifetime carbon footprint, and then donate an amount of money to offset your usage. Is the goal to raise more money, or to guilt you into decreasing your carbon footprint?

Now, as I was driving the 40 miles to work (each way) in my SUV, I thought about it. And when I got to work, I calculated it. According to EBay, I produce 25.9 metric tons of carbon per year. (The average is 9.55 for the average American.) Well crap, I'm ruining the environment.

What this site doesn't take into account is what things besides my house, car and flying may do. What about the fact that I (sort of) recycle? Or that I don't use aerosol cans? Or that I... well, I don't do much, but that's not the point.

Buying your way out of ruining the environment. Geez, I believe in the American Way.

A few of my favorite things...

I know I haven't posted in a few days, and I'll take some time to explain why in a future blog. In the meantime, I share these famous lyrics, as they seem to be making me smile lately.

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad.

Rock ya Body Right..

My sister sent me this link, and I gotta admit, it's one of the funniest things I've ever seen. (Not including my sister, of course.)

http://birdloversonly.blogspot.com/2007/09/may-i-have-this-dance.html

It has sound, and its the backstreet boys, so you've been warned.

The value of raising money

True to the namesake of this blog, I was listening to NPR this morning, as I do every weekday morning. Had I remembered it was their fall fundraising drive, I might have slid in a CD instead, but once I'm hooked, I'm hooked.

I have to admit I don't like WAMU (the local NPR station) when they are trying to raise money. I feel like the quality of news coverage is hindered because they are constantly babbling about money, or the station, or new programming. Today, they missed the traffic report because of it.

Now, I am a sponsor of WAMU and NPR, as I feel its my responsibility as a listener to pay for what I hear. Just like I pay for the Internet (although, i don't pay for porn, but that's a whole other blog entry.) I just wish that, once I gave my money, I didn't have to hear them anymore. I know its selfish, but I'm a selfish kinda guy sometimes.

What bugs me is that the stations have to practically beg for money to survive. It's not fair that something as horrible as Jack Diamond's morning show can be on the air (via sponsors, of course), but a station that has news, information, and adds value to people's lives has to beg. What's wrong with that?

Is there a NPR station on Sirius that doesn't interrupt itself? Do I need to shell out money so I don't get interrupted?

I believe in supporting the arts, but not on my time. (I told ya I'm selfish).

The Ballad of Billy the Kid

I am a big fan of Billy Joel. I grew up on Long Island (that's part of NY for those geographically challenged folks,) and as such, I have a love of Mr. Joel similar to those from New Jersey having a built in love for Bruce Springsteen.

(Joke time : Why are New Yorker's afraid of the light at the end of the tunnel? Scroll down for the answer.)

Anyway, I was listening to BJ today, as I often do while I am driving. Okay, I wasn't as much listening as I was singing along with him at the top of my lungs with the windows down. Anyway, I was at a traffic light, and some little kid in a new BMW (man, I love Potomac), pulls up next to me. Oblivious to how loud I was actually singing, the kid screams over to me to shut up. More precisely, his exact words were, "Dude, shut the !)$& up!". When I finally did, the snot nosed brat (although, he was quite the cutie) asked me if I was singing the new Maroon 5 song.

I was in shock. I calmed responded, "no, its Billy Joel." He gave a quizzical look, shrugged, and drove off.

I'm hoping he just didn't hear what I said, as opposed to the more detrimental explanation, which is that he had no idea who Billy Joel was. If it was the former, so be it. If it was the latter, then I'm just feeling old. WAY old.

Then again, I guess I shouldn't feel too old. At least I knew who Maroon 5 was.

This exchange does beg the question: "How do you quantify what makes someone an oldie?" Is it 10 years after their last hit album? Is it after they have been on the music scene for more then 30 years? Is it when their music is used in a movie? Or becomes the #1 hit of elevators? Is Madonna an oldie? Is Billy Joel for that matter?

That kid needs a lesson in musical history. I wonder if he knew who the beatles were.

I believe in varied musical tastes, and I believe in knowing musical influences beyond the current top 10.

The answer to the joke, by the way, is "because its New Jersey." Billy Joel over Bruce Springsteen. Any day.

I'm working on a Saturday

So, after a very stressful day yesterday ( I was chair of a statewide conference for 150 people), I had to gather my wits this morning and drive back to Baltimore to do a panel discussion on articulation. Somehow, I've become this statewide asset and national spokesperson for articulation, maryland iniatives, and all that is transfer. I wonder if I can make a career out of this.

Anyway, I went over my time limit this morning, since faculty are so engaging. And I feel bad about it. What I don't feel bad about is that I can put in to have my miles reimbursed, which means I made about $4o, which more then paid for the tank of gas I filled up this morning.

See, work isnt about the satisfaction, its about the little perks. I believe in embezzlement. (Even if it is legal).

It's all about Stefanie

My friend Stefanie, who is an out-spoken-Yankees-loving-vivacious powerhouse of a woman, commented to me on my recent entry into the blogging world. It wasn't a bad comment, although the overall implication was that I wasn't funny and I was just trying to be cool.

Now, I'm not saying she is right or wrong on the matter. Maybe I am trying to be cool, to jump on the already left the station blogging train to Georgia. But I do take offense to the fact that I may or may not be funny, because I'm almost positive I am funny (looking). Actually, let me clarify that - I am witty, which is a form of funny. I can dish the comments with the best of them, insult you as well as the next guy (if the next guy is insulting you), and make you laugh all at the same time. I mean, how great is that?

And its not just about the words. I have great enunciation, its part of the delivery and timing that makes it all worth while.

You may not agree, but that's okay. I believe in a good sense of humor, however that's defined.

Either way, I promised her a shout-out in my next entry. Hence the reason its all about Stefanie.

It's simple common sense...

So, I'm driving to work this morning, and a phantom construction crew (I say phantom because I couldn't see them) have the two right lanes blocked. Now, normally this would be somewhat acceptable, except the two right lanes happen to be the exit lanes to a large artery into Baltimore. Oh, and did I mention it was rush hour? So, a bazillion cars had to get over to the middle lane, go around the "construction", and then exit. Needless to say, I was late.

What part of "rush hour" and "major throughfare" did the state of Maryland not understand?

I believe in the ability to use common sense.

Stating the obvious...

Let's face it, I'm weird.

I'm starting a blog because I decided it was a cheaper hobby then para sailing. It's also safer and easier, since the idea of para sailing on the drought-stricken Potomac River isn't very appealing, or safe for that matter.

So, here's the deal. I write, you read, you comment, I think. And the cycle starts all over again. It's like the neverending story, which is like the song that never ends, and we ALL know how that ended.

Some statements of truth:
1. The theme is "This I believe," stolen from the NPR news segment of the same name. Don't tell them, because I truly believe they wouldn't be happy about it.
2. I'm going to try to have some insight and build on the theme. Cuz, lately, I've been asking myself, "What do I believe in?"
3. I'll post when I can, and hopefully they will remain witty and funny and poignant.
4. Comments are appreciated, topics or suggestions are welcome, and additions are expected.
5. For the right price, anything is possible. I'm not cheap.

Welcome to my head. Watch out for the cobwebs.