Open Post - Hosted by Ray Radford

This is a picture of my dad with my mother and their friends from back in the day. This might be photographic documentation of my father's first shout from the mountain.

I sort of like to think of Ray as the original "smack my dad talks" - I just wasn't clever enough to tweet Ray's rants. So here he is, unfiltered - meet my dad.

By the way, when he emailed me he called this thing "your blob". Oh dad!

When I was growing up, words , their usage and origins were regular topics of the day. “Look it up in the dictionary” was heard about as often “wash your hands before dinner” and “because I’m the Mom and I said so”. With that as the background, I went in search of the etymology of the word ‘summer’ and I’ve discovered it’s Native American- quite possibly Cree- for “season of noisy shoes”.

Honest to God, the incessant flippity-floppity of the damn flippity-flops is about to get my very last flippin’ nerve.

Flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop all day? Really? If you wear them to make sure people hear you when you’re coming towards them, a vuvuzela or a kazoo is more effective and a shit load less irritating.

I’d also like to call bullshit on ‘these aren’t flip-flops they’re sandals’ response. If they look like flip-flops, and sound like flip-flops, they’re flip-flops period and I don’t give a damn if they have rhinestones and or not.

At work, casual Fridays (now becoming casual everyday) is not code word for making your coworkers want to eat a bullet. I’ll bet if you passed a law that said if your work place allows flip-flops then people could smoke wherever in the hell they wanted to, you’d put an end to this. Wait! I got it! How about copying the NYC model and you have to pay an $11.00 (with taxes the average price of a pack of smokes in Manhattan) per day fee to wear flip-flops in public? Billions could be raised, foot disease wiped out, no more homicidal/suicidal co-workers, reduction in carbon footprint, Gulf oil spill cleaned up, cancer as we know it would be wiped out, all children would be educated. Ok, the last four may be a little over the top, but you get my point.

Speaking of smoking, I’m thinking of tearing a page out of the anti-smoking lobbys’ playbook and having buttons printed that read “Yes I mind if you flip-flop”.

Jim James and The Roots

I'm such a big fan of Jim James and My Morning Jacket, plus his side project Monsters of Folk. Jim and The Roots KILLED IT in this version of Dear God 2.0. Jim of course is a genious and I thought the rhyming over this stellar song was pretty good, they kept it deep:

http://www.prefixmag.com/media/the-roots/dear-god-20-f-jim-james-live-on-fallon-video/41556/

I'm probably not supposed to add this link without citing it so here we go, "The video is the property of NBC and that chuckle-head Jimmy Fallon"

Just say "Yes!"

Ahhhhhhhhh . .. .a beautiful Father's Day end to a beautiful weekend. I love summer.

There's nothing better than popsicle-sticky chins, late nights with friends, lazy days at the pool, lightningbugs and every other possible wonderful moment of sunshine.

Summer has a bad history of zooming right by us. From the time we are kids it seems the moment we walk out of school and into the warm promise of the high season we just as swiftly find ourselves back in the schoolroom.

Hair brushed a little too hard and straight. The cracking sound of opening this year's new books. Yeesh. What happened to my tangled blonde hair? What happened to evening ice cream trips with dad?

So I am starting (for myself) a summer revolt. I'm going to take the day off when I feel like sitting by the pool for a day. I'm going to let the dishes sit overnight so I can sit outside with my wine and listen to the locusts. I'm not going to check my email so often, in favor of taking the kids for a summer evening stroll.

I am reclaiming summer.

Summer is for lovers-of life.

I love summer.

Happy Father's Day

You know what? Being a dad is hard.

It's easy to praise mom - she's the marquee player, always in the limelight. Making dinner, finishing puzzles, kissing boo-boos,driving kids to soccer practice, fixing lunch, solving problems. Being a good mom isn't easy, but it is so obviously praise-worthy that we forget the unsung heros of marriage and parenting - the dads.

On our first date I told my (future) husband in these precise words, "There is nothing in this world harder than being a good dad."

"The pressure of being a good father is not for the faint of heart", I told him. I had a daughter of my own from another marriage. The child of a "not so great" dad.

In my mind being a good dad was being the guy who tucked kids in bed, read to them, played ball with them, made dinner for them, kissed them, held them, understood them. The role of "good dad" was not one to be taken lightly. These guys not only do ALL of the above, but they pay the bills, worry about the car, the mortgage, the money, etc. - and the really good ones make sure that their wives have the occasional luxury of new shoes, a perfect flower garden, or the relief of date with the man they love on a Friday night - even when times are tough.

Good dads do all of this; letting the light and love of their children reflect on the mother. And dad becomes another bit player in the game of life.

I want to say here: I have a great dad. And I married a great dad and I love and appreciate the dads I know.

I know what you're doing. I see you taking care.

You're a hero - you're my hero.

And I love you

Sportz - NBA

I want the Celtics to win. I mean, I REALLY want the Celtics to win the NBA Champioship game. The only thing standing in our way? The "C" key on my omputer is broken and it's screwing up all of my faebook posts and whatnot.

In any case - "Go Celtics!" ( I have to double push or extra push the "C" key to make a proper c)

Rondo, Pierce, Allen, Garnet, Big Baby - what's not to love?

Kobe - what's not to hate?

Think I Have My First Pitch

I watch the same old shows every day. But I do LOVE a good reality show. In fact, the more terrible the reality show (I'm lookin at you Property Virgins - NEVER LEAVE ME!) the happier I am. That's why I feel I'm an expert at what the "next big thing" will be.

My reality show is a cross between "Ice Road Truckers" and "Pawn Stars". I call it "Code Dogs!" The exclaimation point is part of the title, yes.

"Code Dogs!" follows the story lines of 20 people (mostly men) who work out of a windowless room in the basement floor of a multi-national company, writing code for the most advanced baseline applications the folks in the IS department find necessary.

Watch incredulously as these brave men and women try to determine who will purchase tomorrow's supply of real half-and-half for the mini fridge supply (Paul and Angel hate powdered cream). In the shows 8th episode arc you'll be amazed as the team (pit-stained, heavy breathing, Judas Priest t-shirted) turns over a projected 4 day project in less than 48 hours. In the season finale, Aimee and Doyle must decide if their love is strong enough to survive an 8 hour shift with . . .The SERVER!! 2 words - Wedding Plans on hold!

Looks like TLC owes me some money. Am I right?

New Feature - Favorite Forwards

Generally, email forwards are annoying, but this one is pretty good and I've never read it before so here you go:


Let's put the seniors in jail, and the criminals in a nursing home.

This way the seniors would have access to showers, hobbies, and walks, they'd receive unlimited free prescriptions, dental and medical treatment , wheel chairs etc. and they'd receive money instead of paying it out. They would have constant video monitoring, so they could be helped instantly, if they fell, or needed assistance. Bedding would be washed twice a week, and all clothing would be ironed and returned to them. A guard would check on them every 20 minutes, and bring their meals and snacks to their cell. They would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose. They would have access to a library, weight room, spiritual counseling, pool, and education. Simple clothing , shoes, slippers, PJ's and legal aid would be free, on request. Private, secure rooms for all, with an exercise outdoor yard, with gardens. Each senior could have a PC, TV, radio, and daily phone calls. There would be a board of directors to hear complaints, and the guards would have a code of conduct that would be strictly adhered to.

The "criminals" would get cold food, be left all alone, and unsupervised, lights off at 8 PM, and showers once a week. Live in a tiny room , and pay $5000.00 per month and have no hope of ever getting out. Justice for all.

You know what? Whatever.

I am currently experiencing what I call "culture fatigue". Culture fatigure is the feeling one gets from experiencing overexposure to celebrity gossip, news porn and an understanding that what you hear is only half (if we're lucky) of the truth of what is atually happening in the world.
Culture fatugue's side effects are apathy, entropy,overeating, overreacting followed by a general "who could give a shit" attitude.

That's why there's "Fukital". "Fukital"'s daily use has been proven to help users re-evaluate and make adjustments to what might really be important issues in their own lives. Cultural Fatigue is a series issue, but must never be evaluated by a doctor. Only you can help yourself!

Can't do anything about the gulf spill? "Fukital"! Hate your measley eyelashes? "Fukital"! "Lindsey Lohan got you down? "Fukital!