We Keep Our Minds to Safety. Truely.
I am beat.
Pinewood Derby was Wednesday night and -- I think, I didn't look up & take it all in much -- it was awesome. Thanks to our kind and crafty Plant Manager at Shain Solutions, the boys and parents of State College Cub Scout Pack 40 got a brand new handmade-from-the-finest-birch plywood Pinewood Derby track. Orchestrating that was a little stressful, but Plant Manager did all the real design & working work. I offered all I could, and he let me do some sanding and gluing, but really it was the Plant Manager show. The parents were so appreciative, and gave such great applause, I don't know how to give that back to Plant Manager. I did take a couple of photos & hoped to print them out with "Thank You (Plant Manager)!!!" on them. . .
. . . but I didn't get to take any action shots like last year. I was the gatekeeper for the races, see. Also, my Lightning Patrol (11 year old, technically Boy Scouts and not a part of the derby) operated a "Speed Shop" for the cubs. I brought in all of my tools and goodies, and we applied graphite, we added weights, we removed weights, we aligned axles, we weighed to help the Cubs be ready to go their fastest. THAT part -- again I think, because I didn't look up much -- was the most totally awesomest like ever. I'm told it was a great success, and many were grateful for our forethought, time, supplies & efforts. My scouts were also very good about helping more than goofing off. They were supportive and enthusiastic and excellent models of service and leadership for the younger scouts. YAY LIGHTNING PATROL!
Max and I spent a lot of time this year getting our cars (he built his own, me my own) ready this year. We did as many of the speed secret things as we could, and we did it more together than ever before. By the time the race came, neither of us much cared how fast our cars were. Which was a good thing, because in the post-derby "Family Race", our cars were strictly mediocre. Hmmm . . . But again, not so much a problem. Max has simply oozed love for his Daddy lately with all this dude time and with all the stuff he gets to really DO himself now. I think the derby should continue through Boy Scouts. . .
Totally conflicted. That's how I feel about spending next week at a commercial photography seminar in Pittsburgh. Grrrrr. I'm sure I'll learn a lot. But it costs so much and it uses vacation days and I can't believe I'm going to VOLUNTARILY spend a week away from my most adored wife and munchkinlings! Am I HIGH? Sheesh.
Allow me to post a picture on my blog, for once, before AK does. It's the big orange sweater she's been working on for Max for quite some time and it's awesome . . .
AK says it doesn't show the sweater as some other shots, but it's my favorite of Max. He's got that teen look going here, since his hair is unshorn. He's rocking the Shaggy Efron 'do. It's combed here but usually falls forward like a cross between Zac and The Beatles.
We wanted to help him audition for a local production of Sound of Music. The other theater kids in his school are auditioning, and it would be a great start for him. But alas, the rehearsal schedule is IN. Frazzling. SANE. He'd have to give up every other activity until it was over! Now I remember, I gave up track so I could be in theater. I gave up the unicycle club so I could be in theater. I couldn't be in band because I was in theater. I was going to stop global warming and bring peace to the Middle East. . . BUT I COULDN'T BECAUSE I HAD REHEARSALS TO ATTEND!
We need a children's theater here in State College. Who wants to come start one?
This photo has nothing to do with anything. I found it surfing around my hard drive, in with a bunch of other photos I took on a trip to Japan. I love the Japanese fascination-with-and-totally-shaky-grasp-of our English language. My favorite soda in Japan? "Pocari Sweat". My most treasured keepsake? A motorcycle shop banner that reads "A Motorcycle Is The Sport Of Naked". This here was proudly emblazoned on a very small cruiser's gas tank, so we all could know with unshakable certainty that the owner of the tiny motorcycle was One. Bad. Ass.
Now I'm off to a whirlwind weekend of munchkin-shuttling and packing for Pittsburgh. Have a bo'fiddlin 'dacious weekend my peeps. Kiss those babies and drive safety.
Pinewood Derby was Wednesday night and -- I think, I didn't look up & take it all in much -- it was awesome. Thanks to our kind and crafty Plant Manager at Shain Solutions, the boys and parents of State College Cub Scout Pack 40 got a brand new handmade-from-the-finest-birch plywood Pinewood Derby track. Orchestrating that was a little stressful, but Plant Manager did all the real design & working work. I offered all I could, and he let me do some sanding and gluing, but really it was the Plant Manager show. The parents were so appreciative, and gave such great applause, I don't know how to give that back to Plant Manager. I did take a couple of photos & hoped to print them out with "Thank You (Plant Manager)!!!" on them. . .
. . . but I didn't get to take any action shots like last year. I was the gatekeeper for the races, see. Also, my Lightning Patrol (11 year old, technically Boy Scouts and not a part of the derby) operated a "Speed Shop" for the cubs. I brought in all of my tools and goodies, and we applied graphite, we added weights, we removed weights, we aligned axles, we weighed to help the Cubs be ready to go their fastest. THAT part -- again I think, because I didn't look up much -- was the most totally awesomest like ever. I'm told it was a great success, and many were grateful for our forethought, time, supplies & efforts. My scouts were also very good about helping more than goofing off. They were supportive and enthusiastic and excellent models of service and leadership for the younger scouts. YAY LIGHTNING PATROL!
Max and I spent a lot of time this year getting our cars (he built his own, me my own) ready this year. We did as many of the speed secret things as we could, and we did it more together than ever before. By the time the race came, neither of us much cared how fast our cars were. Which was a good thing, because in the post-derby "Family Race", our cars were strictly mediocre. Hmmm . . . But again, not so much a problem. Max has simply oozed love for his Daddy lately with all this dude time and with all the stuff he gets to really DO himself now. I think the derby should continue through Boy Scouts. . .
Totally conflicted. That's how I feel about spending next week at a commercial photography seminar in Pittsburgh. Grrrrr. I'm sure I'll learn a lot. But it costs so much and it uses vacation days and I can't believe I'm going to VOLUNTARILY spend a week away from my most adored wife and munchkinlings! Am I HIGH? Sheesh.
Allow me to post a picture on my blog, for once, before AK does. It's the big orange sweater she's been working on for Max for quite some time and it's awesome . . .
AK says it doesn't show the sweater as some other shots, but it's my favorite of Max. He's got that teen look going here, since his hair is unshorn. He's rocking the Shaggy Efron 'do. It's combed here but usually falls forward like a cross between Zac and The Beatles.
We wanted to help him audition for a local production of Sound of Music. The other theater kids in his school are auditioning, and it would be a great start for him. But alas, the rehearsal schedule is IN. Frazzling. SANE. He'd have to give up every other activity until it was over! Now I remember, I gave up track so I could be in theater. I gave up the unicycle club so I could be in theater. I couldn't be in band because I was in theater. I was going to stop global warming and bring peace to the Middle East. . . BUT I COULDN'T BECAUSE I HAD REHEARSALS TO ATTEND!
We need a children's theater here in State College. Who wants to come start one?
This photo has nothing to do with anything. I found it surfing around my hard drive, in with a bunch of other photos I took on a trip to Japan. I love the Japanese fascination-with-and-totally-shaky-grasp-of our English language. My favorite soda in Japan? "Pocari Sweat". My most treasured keepsake? A motorcycle shop banner that reads "A Motorcycle Is The Sport Of Naked". This here was proudly emblazoned on a very small cruiser's gas tank, so we all could know with unshakable certainty that the owner of the tiny motorcycle was One. Bad. Ass.
Now I'm off to a whirlwind weekend of munchkin-shuttling and packing for Pittsburgh. Have a bo'fiddlin 'dacious weekend my peeps. Kiss those babies and drive safety.
posted by Chris at
6:44 PM
1 Comments:
From one bald man to another:
That "Shaggy Efron-do" is looking suspiciously like a Joe Dirt mullet "don't." Bewitching Orange Sweater notwithstanding - don't let the boy go mullet. Friends don't let friends' kids grow mullets.
DAN
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