do you think

by Argon(One) (written about twenty years ago)

Do you think the children mind
if we destroy their world
and waste their time?

What does it matter?
Why should we care?
It's only the children
whose future we bear.

Do you think they know
we're so close to destruction?
Do you think they realize
why there's so much corruption?

We should have done more.
We should have done better.
We should have done more
than write a congressman's letter.

It's not the end.
It's not too late.
But whatever we do
will seal our children's fate.

--------------------------------------------------
Song 421: Radar Love
Artist: Golden Earring
Album: Moontan
Year: 1973
--------------------------------------------------

I've been drivin' all night, my hand's wet on the wheel
There's a voice in my head that drives my heel
It's my baby callin', says I need you here
And it's a half past four and I'm shiftin' gear
When she is lonely and the longing gets too much
She sends a cable comin' in from above
Don't need no phone at all
We've got a thing that's called Radar Love
We've got a wave in the air, Radar Love
The radio is playing some forgotten song
Brenda Lee's comin' on strong
The road has got me hypnotized
And I'm speedin' into a new sunrise
When I get lonely and I'm sure I've had enough
She sents her comfort comin' in from above
We don't need no letter at all
We've got a thing that's called Radar Love
We've got a light in the sky
(Instrumental break)
No more speed, I'm almost there
Gotta keep cool now, gotta take care
Last car to pass, here I go
And the line of cars drove down real slow
And the radio played that forgotten song
Brenda Lee's comin' on strong
And the newsman sang his same song
Oh one more radar lover gone
When I get lonely and I'm sure I've had enough
She sents her comfort comin' in from above
We don't need no letter at all
We've got a thing that's called Radar Love
We've got a light in the sky
We've got a thing that's called Radar Love
We've got a thing that's called Radar Love

current reading list

This is the age of multi-tasking. We multi-task at work, taking on several projects at one time. We multi-task at home, starting several projects at once, eventually completing them all. So why should reading be any different? I'm a multi-task reader. I like to have several books going at the same time. I may be in the mood to read a science fiction book one evening and a science book the next. Right now I am reading five books.

[01] The Tar-aiym Krang by Alan Dean Foster. This is an old science fiction novel from the early seventies. I have read For Love of Mother Not by Foster several times. This is the second in the series that follows the adventures of Flinx and his pet mini-dragon named Pip. In Tar-aiym Krang, the adventure begins when Flinx, a street performer on the planet Moth, stumbles across a murder victim and finds a star map.

[02] Death by PowerPoint by Michael Flocker. Where you work, if you have ever spoken, heard, or seen written in an email phrases like "engineering synergy", "bridging disconnects", "circle back", "Drill down" or "sign-off" then this is the ultimate survival book for you. Flocker discusses topics like office politics; understanding the relationship between you, your boss and your co-workers; and proper etiquette for email. This is one of the funniest(and truthful) survival guides I have read.

[03] Genome by Matt Ridley. This book is fascinating. There are 23 pairs of chromosomes that make up the human genome. Matt Ridley takes a look at the history of humanity by talking about one gene from each of the 23 pairs of chromosomes and telling its story.

[04] Wild at Heart by John Eldredge. This is definitely a different approach to Christianity. Eldredge challenges men to dream big, follow their dreams, be the men they wanted to be when they were boys, because that's how God made us. I am reading this book out of curiosity, not as inspiration or a blueprint for living. I find it interesting. I don't agree with everything he says, but there are few authors that I do totally agree with. That's where thinking for yourself, being your own man, and seeking God's plan for your own life comes into play.

[05] The Archaeological Study Bible (New International Version). As I read and study my Bible, I am fascinated by the history and culture of the Bible and this Bible is just perfect. I can study the Word and read commentary on the location, people, architecture and artifacts of the times.
--------------------------------------------------
Song 420: My Old School
Artist: Steely Dan
Album: Countdown to Ecstacy
Year: 1973
--------------------------------------------------

. . . And Im never going back
To my old school

mountain of paper

My photo shoot today was at a recycling facility. I totally enjoyed taking pictures of all the paper, plastic, cardboard, newspapers, magazines, office paper, 2-liter bottles and other stuff being sorted, shredded, baled and prepared to be shipped out to businesses who will use the material to help make new things for you and me to print on, read, pour from, mail letters in, carry stuff in and then throw into recycling bins which will be emptied into big trucks that will bring it right back here to be sorted, shredded, baled and prepared to be shipped out to businesses . . .
--------------------------------------------------
Song 419: My Love
Artist: Paul McCartney
Album: Red Rose Speedway
Year: 1973
--------------------------------------------------

And when I go away
I know my heart can stay with my love , its understood
Its in the hands of my love , and my love does it good
Wo-wo-wo-wo-wo-wo , my love does it good

And when the cupboards bare
Ill still find something there with my love
Its understood , its everywhere with my love
And my love does it good

Wo-wo-wo-wo-wo-wo , my love does it good

Oh I love oh wo......my love
Only my love holds the other key to me
Oh....my love oh...my love
Only my love does it good to me

(solo)

Wo-wo-wo-wo-wo-wo , my love does it good

Dont ever ask me why , I never say goodbye to my love
Its understood , its everywhere with my love
And my love does it good

Wo-wo-wo-wo-wo-wo , my love does it good

Oh I love oh wo......my love
Only my love does it good to me
Woooooooooooooh

they're not that far away

So . . . [b]iomedical daughter and [f]ine art daughter are settling into dorm life. Buying books. Attending classes. And they're not that far away. The campus is only 40 minutes from home and only 15 minutes from my work. This is only Tuesday and I have been on campus twice since leaving them behind after move-in. Last night [f]ine art daughter was in need of art supplies for her first foundations of art project. I met her to help search for the items she needed. After a quick dinner together at a sub shop near campus I came home. She returned to the dorm and started working on her project [which is due tomorrow].

[b]iomedical daughter called me this morning with, "so dad, you remember that yellow watermelon you said you would like to have? I have it in my dorm room. Can you come get it?" I asked if she needed anything. She gave me a short list. I picked up the items and drove over to the campus after work today. She and [f]ine art daughter have the supplies they need, I got to see my fantastic daughters, and I got a watermelon to boot.

I know as the semester goes on there will be very few calls for assistance from me or [t]ae kwon mom, and that's as it should be. They're on their own. Building friendships. Building their futures. Expanding their horizons and their knowledge. And if along the way, I get to drop by and visit them occasionally [under the disguise of helping pick out art supplies or pick up watermelons] that's just fine with me.

Honestly, I don't know how parents with students in colleges hours away from home do it. I would go insane. Now I know how my mother must have felt when I moved away from home.
--------------------------------------------------
Song 418: Natural Thing
Artist: Doobie Brothers
Album: The Captain and Me
Year: 1973
--------------------------------------------------

People outside my window
Goin everywhere
People that are happy
People without a care

We all got to be loved
Its a natral thing dont you know
The sooner we find what we need
Gonna be feeling it, happy to show

Im gonna change my method
Get me a big ham bone
Gonna make all the leaders of the country
Get it together and bring it on home

We all got to be loved
Its a natral thing dont you know
The sooner we find what we need
Gonna be feeling it, happy to show

Those men in the circus
Those men on the wire
Their feet hangin fifty feet up
Know theyre countin on their daily luck
To bring them through the fire

remind me to never do this again!

The past few days have been a blur. Move into the dorm is an almost flawless procedure by now for [b]iomedical daughter. She's a senior undergrad/first year grad student this year. Between hours at work and hours practicing flute for a musical presentation she is performing in tonight, she transported and stowed her belongings on campus yesterday . . . and then off to a birthday party for a friend last night.

This is [f]ine art daughter's first college experience and we have been helping her prepare for days. Sorting through clothes and potential dorm room items. Lamp. Linens. Rug. Chair. Fan. Printer. Dry-erase board. Pillows. Books. Pens. Art supplies. Easel. Shoes. Clothes. Food [with the essentials like couscous, peanut butter and marshmallows]. And did I mention shoes? We met [f]ine art daughter's roommate for the first time this weekend. She is a sweet, petite, young lady who loves pink. So we have a pink side of the room and a black, lime green and turquoise side of the room. We've made multiple visits to Target and Wal-mart. And today will be the final load. When we leave the dorm this afternoon, we leave both daughters behind. This will be the first time in 21+ years that there will be just me and my lovely wife occupying our house. This is a bittersweet moment. I am excited for [b]iomedical daughter and [f]ine art daughter, but my wife [their mother] and I will miss them tremendously. We're a close family and we will miss them tremendously. Did I say that already? Well . . . it's true.

This morning before church my youngest daughter commented, "Remind me to never do this again!" I asked if she was talking about college. She smiled and replied, "exactly."
--------------------------------------------------
Song 417: Muskrat Love
Artist: America
Album: Hat Trick
Year: 1973
--------------------------------------------------

Muskrat, muskrat candlelight
Doin the town and doin it right
In the evenin
Its pretty pleasin

Muskrat susie, muskrat sam
Do the jitterbug out in muskrat land
And they shimmy
And sammys so skinny

And they whirled and they twirled and they tangoed
Singin and jingin the jango
Floatin like the heavens above
It looks like muskrat love

Nibbling on bacon, chewin on cheese
Sammy says to susie honey, would you please be my missus?
And she say yes
With her kisses

And now hes ticklin her fancy
Rubbin her toes
Muzzle to muzzle, now anything goes
As they wriggle, and sue starts to giggle

And they whirled and they twirled and they tangoed
Singin and jingin the jango
Floatin like the heavens above
It looks like muskrat love

La da da da da ...

pension politics

One of my regular Argon[One] readers sent me an interesting view of the upcoming Presidential election. I totally agree with this statement from [D]: Personally I stay away from anything political, and only rarely pass something along in the genre unless it's like the Cable Repair Guy says, "Now I don't care who you are, that's funny." Or, unless it's like one of those George Carlin, "what's up with that" deals. This one someone sent, however is one of those finger up beside the face while gazing far into the distance, accompanied by a really big long drawn out "hmmmmmmmmmm" ones!

How To Save the Government $5 Million

A president's pension currently is $191,300 per year, until he is 80 years old. Assuming the next president lives to age 80, Senator McCain would receive ZERO pension as he would reach 80 at the end of two terms as president. Senator Obama would be retired for 26 years after two terms and would receive $4,973,800 in pension. Therefore it would certainly make economic sense to elect McCain in November.

How's that for non-partisan thinking?

Extra costs

That five mil is probably not very much in comparison to all the other expenses of supporting a retired president. What about all the Secret Service people, security anywhere, everywhere, or anytime they show up somewhere, and who knows what all we have to pay directly or indirectly for our past presidents long after their "use by" date.

Politics left out of it, I guess it would really pay to always elect the oldest candidate available and hope for the best. Of course, we could always luck out and get one that was actually worth electing, regardless of their hobby, age, gender, shoe size, race, religion, or ability to tell a joke. It does seem like we had some “worthy” presidents when I was young, or was that something I just read about.

I know we are going to be paying for the one we elect now, for a long, long time . . . probably forever, and then some.

[D]: Thanks for sending this most enlightening information my way.
--------------------------------------------------
Song 416: Move Me On Down The Line
Artist: ZZ Top
Album: Rio Grande Mud
Year: 1973
--------------------------------------------------

When I hear that Santa Fe start blowin'
I wonder where it's been and where it's goin'.

I tell you, boy, every time
the feelin' sure is fine.
Just move me on down the line,
just move me on down the line.

Then I heard Red Rooster start his crowin'
around the curve that cloud of smoke was blowin'.

I tell you, boy, every time
the feelin' sure is fine.
Just move me on down the line,
just move me on down the line.

I'll be where the big wheels keep on turnin'
and the diesel drivers keep them engines burnin'.

I tell you, boy, every time
the feelin' sure is fine.
Just move me on down the line,
just move me on down the line.

Move me on down the line, move me on down.
Move me on down the line, move me on down.
(repeat & fade)

walking in the rain

When it rains around here, those precious, live-supporting molecules of hydrogen and oxygen usually arrive as if being poured from a bucket . . . a loud bucket. Thunderstorms and heavy downpours are normal for the South. And then a day like today comes along. I knew when I stepped outside to go to work that it was going to be an atypical day. Yes, it was raining, but it was a steady, slow, silent rain. No lightning piercing the sky. No tumultuous ground-shaking thunder. No buckets of rain. Just a pleasant watering of the earth. I also knew that I had to take advantage of the situation. At lunchtime I grabbed a pack of peanut butter crackers and a bottle of water and rushed to my favorite urban trail, nestled in a natural area that could double as a wildlife preserve.

I quite imagine that anyone driving past as I stepped from my car in the grassy parking area near the trailhead thought I was a little bit crazy. The temperature was 75 degrees and the rain was streaming down as I began my adventure. In a matter of minutes I was soaked. I am used to hiking in the rain. All my backpack expeditions over the years have included rainy days. I rather enjoy hiking in the rain, as I did today. Hiking this trail was not unlike hiking in a stream. Water had collected from hours of rain. Some areas puddled, but most flowed with cool, gray-clay-muddy water. Needless to say, I was the only person on the trail today and I saw no wildlife, except for this one very colorful turtle sitting in the vegetation beside the trail.

The rain has stopped. Tomorrow promises to be partly cloudy with no rain and I am so glad I decided to take advantage of the weather. What fun!
--------------------------------------------------
Song 415: Muddy Water
Artist: Free
Album: Heartbreaker
Year: 1973
--------------------------------------------------

I was born on the muddy water
I didn't know right from wrong
My mom she said look here son
I'll show you how it's done
Take you a woman and treat her right
She'll be by your side night and day
The first time you deceive her
You've broken her spell
Then I had bad luck
Like a fool I fell where I stood
I was walking in the rain with my shoes untied
Tryin' to find a dry place to hide
To hide.

But I'd rather sleep that say a word
I don't believe a word that's heard
The first time I deceived you
I held it inside
Take you a woman and treat her right
She'll be by your side night and day
The first time you deceive her
You've broken her spell
Then I had bad luck
I held it inside
Like a fool I smiled on my pride
I was walking in the rain with my shoes untied
Tryin' to find a dry place to hide
To hide.

I was walking in the rain with my shoes untied
Tryin' to find a dry place to hide
To hide.

I was walking in the rain

gas prices still dropping

Gas prices keep going down . . . a little bit at a time. I'm not complaining about that. I think it is a little bit sad that I get excited when the price goes down a couple of cents. It is still extremely frustrating that gas prices are so high. All consumer goods are going up and yet salaries are not. We never have a chance to just sit back and relax without being anxious about finances . . . especially with two daughters about to head off to college.

Anyway, I'll keep watching those gas prices and getting a little bit excited when they go down a penny!
--------------------------------------------------
Song 414: Mind Games
Artist: John Lennon
Album: Mind Games
Year: 1973
--------------------------------------------------

We're playing those mind games together,
Pushing barriers, planting seeds,
Playing the mind guerilla,
Chanting the Mantra peace on earth,
We all been playing mind games forever,
Some kinda druid dudes lifting the veil.
Doing the mind guerilla,
Some call it the search for the grail,
Love is the answer and you know that for sure,
Love is flower you got to let it, you got to let it grow,
So keep on playing those mind games together,
Faith in the future outta the now,
You just can't beat on those mind guerillas,
Absolute elsewhere in the stones of your mind,
Yeah we're playing those mind games forever,
Projecting our images in space and in time,
Yes is the answer and you know that for sure,
Yes is the surrender you got to let it, you got to let it go,
So keep on playing those mind games together,
Doing the ritual dance inn the sun,
Millions of mind guerrillas,
Putting their soul power to the karmic wheel,
Keep on playing those mind games forever,
Raising the spirit of peace and love, not war,
(I want you to make love, not war, I know you've heard it before)

jungle moon

Views of an African drum as it caught the late afternoon sunshine streaming in through the window.

I discovered some new music recently. Ok, it's not new music . . . it's new to me. JungleMoon by Brent Lewis was recorded in 1996. You know how much I enjoy drums. Brent Lewis plays Ikauma drums [a set of 22 large drums arranged to produce a variety of tones] and other percussion instruments. JungleMoon is like experiencing a warm breeze in the middle of a thick, live jungle. It pulls you right into the emotions of the setting. Sometimes I am moving with the rhythm and other times I am content to just sit back, close my eyes and just listen.
--------------------------------------------------
Song 413: Journey to JungleMoon
Artist: Brent Lewis
Album: JungleMoon
Year: 1996
--------------------------------------------------

sundial

Close-up of the sundial that sits on its pedestal in our backyard.
--------------------------------------------------
Song 412: Master of Sparks
Artist: ZZ Top
Album: Rio Grande Mud
Year: 1973
--------------------------------------------------

little white flowers

Just outside our front door this morning.
--------------------------------------------------
Song 411: Love, Reign O’er Me
Artist: The Who
Album: Quadrophenia
Year: 1973
--------------------------------------------------

(Pete's theme) Only love
Can make it rain
The way the beach is kissed by the sea
Only love
Can make it rain
Like the sweat of lovers
Laying in the fields.

Love, Reign o'er me
Love, Reign o'er me, rain on me

Only love
Can bring the rain
That makes you yearn to the sky
Only love
Can bring the rain
That falls like tears from on high

Love Reign O'er me

On the dry and dusty road
The nights we spend apart alone
I need to get back home to cool cool rain
I can't sleep and I lay and I think
The night is hot and black as ink
Oh God, I need a drink of cool cool rain

changing times

One week from today both our daughters will be in college. They will be going to the same school. That's a good thing. They will both be in the same dorm. That's a good thing. They won't be roommates. That's also a good thing. I'm sure they will spend lots of time together, but they each have their own circles of friends and they each need to experience college life with and without siblings. And with this milestone it is time, once again, to change the tags I use to represent my daughters online. [T]onks the oldest will henceforth be known as [B]iomedical daughter, and [G]irl with many dresses and only one closet -- which she never liked anyway because she thought it made her sound vain or snooty and she is neither -- will be tagged as [F]ine art daughter.

[B]iomedical daughter is a senior this year. She will be taking a combination of graduate and undergraduate classes as she works toward two degrees, back to back. A bachelor and a master of biomedical engineering. High-octane learning comes so incredibly easy for her. She blows me away with how much she knows and how well she learns. Her best friend since fifth grade, [A]uthor in training, will be her roomie again this year. [A]uthor in training has been given the responsibility of reminding [B]iomedical daughter to play with less intensity when she is on the soccer field or the softball field or climbing a mountain. [B]iomedical daughter has a propensity to push it to the limit and incur injury.

[F]ine art daughter is excited and yet apprehensive about moving away from home and into the dorm. She's excited about taking studio art classes and photography classes and getting into college life. [T]ae kwon mom and I both graduated from the same college that our daughters attend. We both graduated with bachelor of fine arts in graphic design degrees. I don't know on which discipline [F]ine art daughter will focus her concentration. I do know she is an awesome artist. Art is a natural extension of her eyes and hands. She draws and paints so effortlessly. Much the same as she does photography. She hasn't met her roommate yet. I think they are going to talk tonight and maybe get together sometime this weekend to plan their move into the dorm.

This is a bittersweet time. I am excited for both our daughters. I wish them well. I pray for them daily. I hope they have the best life has to offer. And yet [T]ae kwon mom and I will miss them tremendously. I know they will be home some weekends and most holidays. But it's just not the same. These years of college are the years that determine who they become, where they will decide to settle. I don't think either one of them will stay in our part of the country when they graduate. They both have dreams and aspirations. And [T]ae kwon mom and I are behind them 100%. We are their biggest fans.
--------------------------------------------------
Song 410: Shambala
Artist: Three Dog Night
Album: Cyan
Year: 1973
--------------------------------------------------

Wash away my troubles, wash away my pain
With the rain in Shambala
Wash away my sorrow, wash away my shame
With the rain in Shambala

Ah, ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Everyone is helpful, everyone is kind
On the road to Shambala
Everyone is lucky, everyone is so kind
On the road to Shambala

Ah, ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

How does your light shine, in the halls of Shambala (2xs)

I can tell my sister by the flowers in her eyes
On the road to Shambala
I can tell my brother by the flowers in his eyes
On the road to Shambala

Ah, ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

How does your light shine, in the halls of Shambala (2xs)

Ah, ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

thistle

thistle

On a day as beautiful as yesterday, I was expecting the trail to be full of people. I was expecting bikes and horses and runners. But I didn't see one person on the trail. I love it when I'm the only one out. It's like I own the trail. I don't have to step aside to let anyone pass. I don't have to worry about a biker zooming over the next hill and crashing me into the dirt, leaving me there with tire tracks across my nose.

I spotted these flowers at the very end of my hike today. They are like an exclamation point at the end of the day.
--------------------------------------------------
Song 409: Long Train Runnin'
Artist: Doobie Brothers
Album: The Captain And Me
Year: 1973
--------------------------------------------------

Down around the corner
A half a mile from here
You can see them long trains run
And you watch them disappear
Without love
Where would you be now
Without love

You know I saw miss lucy
Down along the tracks
She lost her home and her family
And she wont be comin back
Without love
Where would you be right now
Without love

Well the illinois central
And the southern central freight
Gotta keep on pushin mama
cause you know theyre runnin late
Without love
Where would you be now - now, now, now
Without love

Well the pistons keep on churnin
And the wheels go round and round
And the steel rails are cold and hard
For the miles that they go down
Without love
Where would you be right now
Without love
Where would you be now

foggy morning

As I left for work this morning the air was almost fall-like . . . misty and cool. A light fog blanketed the neighborhood. This triple-engine train pulled a hundred empty coal cars westward, disappearing into the gray. I opened my window so I could hear the clicking and clacking slowly fade to nothing.

Sometimes I wonder if I should have been a train engineer. I love trains. I'm fascinated by trains. I'm amazed that one, two or three engines can pull a hundred empty cars . . . much less a hundred loaded cars. My grandfather was a railroad engineer back in the day when trains had cabooses and an engineer hung out the back of the caboose and swung a lantern as a signal that the train had cleared an intersection. Crossing gates serve that purpose these days.
--------------------------------------------------
Song 408: Let It Ride
Artist: Bachman-Turner Overdrive
Album: Bachman-Turner Overdrive II
Year: 1973
--------------------------------------------------

Good Bye, Hard Life
Don't Cry Would you let it ride?
(repeat)

You can't see the mornin', but I can see the light
Ride ride ride let it ride
While you've been out runnin' I've been waitin' half the night
Ride ride ride let it ride

(Chorus)
And would you cry if I told you that I lied and would you say goodbye Or
would you let it ride? And would you cry if I told you that I lied and
would you say goodbye Or would you let it ride?

Babe my life is not complete I never see you smile
Ride ride ride let it ride
Baby you want the forgivin' kind and that's just not my style
Ride ride ride let it ride

Chorus

I've been doin' things worthwhile, you've been bookin' time
Ride ride ride let it ride

Chorus

Would you let it ride (x4)
(Drum)
Ride ride ride let it ride (x5)
Would you let it ride? (x4)
(Instrumental fade.)

in the garden

I totally enjoy days like today. A slow, drizzly rain dominated the morning. By mid-afternoon the rain had ended, leaving behind an overcast sky and a cool temperature [80 degrees]. I had to linger in the courtyard for a while, taking pictures of the flowers and enjoying a most unusual August break from the heat. I wish our courtyard was wi-fi. I would definitely move my office to one of the benches beside the stream on days like this.
------------------------------------------------
Song 407: Las Vegas Turnaround
Artist: Hall and Oates
Album: Abandoned Luncheonette
Year: 1973
------------------------------------------------

Sara’s off on a turnaround
Flying gambling fools to the holy land, las vegas
Sometimes she’s home and sometimes she can’t be found,
Turnaround

Sara’s off, half hiding, far above the clouds, high she flies
I know I’ve got to find her a place she can push her toes around in
She needs a place where she can lounge and wear a gown in
Sara turnaround turnaround

And any night she’s here or half way ’round the world, oh I could
Cry
So I know I’ve got to pray for delays and for days ’til she’s beside
Me
All alone in her room and her scattered clothes remind me
Sara please
Sara
Turnaround

awesome saturday fossil dig

My wife and I hosted a fossil dig at Browning Cretaceous Fossil Park yesterday. There were over 40 people in our group. Although my wife and I have been there many times, this was the absolute best. The creek was low [as you can see in the picture] and the fossils were abundant. Everyone who came on this dig went home with nice treasures. The goblin shark's tooth in the top picture is one of my finds. It's about an inch and a quarter long and estimated to be about 75-million-earth-years old. I don't know how old that would be in God-years, but it is old . . . very old. Every inch of shark tooth translates into about ten feet of shark. If this was one of the longest teeth owned by the ancient shark from which it came, he [or she] was about 12.5 feet long. We have found three inch teeth at this location before. That's 30 feet of shark. I would not want to meet that guy swimming around me.

One of the most awesome things about yesterday's dig was the incredibly good time we had together. We came up out of the creek at lunchtime and enjoyed a huge picnic on the grass beneath the shade of a couple of gigantic trees. We talked and compared sharks' teeth finds for the day, took pictures, and just totally enjoyed the family atmosphere of the whole experience. All the kids [and there were over 20 ranging in age from around 5 to 16] had a great time. What better thing to do on a summer day than play in a creek and look for buried shark's teeth. We're already planning to make this an annual event.
----------------------------------------
Song 406: Black Water
Artist: Doobie Brothers
Album: What Once Were Vices Are Now Habits
Year: 1974
----------------------------------------

Well, I built me a raft and shes ready for floatin
Ol mississippi, shes callin my name
Catfish are jumpin
That paddle wheel thumpin
Black water keeps rollin on past just the same

Old black water, keep on rollin
Mississippi moon, wont you keep on shinin on me
Old black water, keep on rollin
Mississippi moon, wont you keep on shinin on me
Old black water, keep on rollin
Mississippi moon, wont you keep on shinin on me
Yeah, keep on shinin your light
Gonna make everything, pretty mama
Gonna make everything all right
And I aint got no worries
cause I aint in no hurry at all . . .

children of the corn

I'm sure you remember the Children of the Corn movie series. I don't recall how many there are, but every time I see a corn field on a dark, stormy day, I am reminded of Children of the Corn. As I returned to my car yesterday after a noontime hike, dark, billowing clouds were rolling in from the northwest. I couldn't resist taking a few pictures of the cornfield adjacent to the parking area. For some time, I sat watching the approaching storm. Soon gusting wind accompanied the clouds and rain followed. For ten to fifteen minutes rain beat down and wind shook my car as I sat inside watching. I love weather. Almost any kind of weather will do. I don't especially care for violent, damaging weather, but any other weather is fun to watch and enjoy. When I was a boy, I could sit in front of our open front door and watch a storm for hours . . . feeling the cool air, smelling the freshness of a summer rain, watching the clouds and rain as they changed minute by minute. Obviously some things you never outgrown.
--------------------------------------------------
Song 405: La Grange
Artist: ZZ Top
Album: Rio Grande Mud
Year: 1973
--------------------------------------------------

. . . A haw, haw, haw.

home on the trail

Those few days at the beach were great, but life is back in session and I'm really, really busy this week. I took a few minutes at lunchtime to hit the trail for a quick 3-mile hike. It felt really good to be back on the trail.
--------------------------------------------------
Song 404: Kodachrome
Artist: Paul Simon
Album: There Goes Rhymin Simon
Year: 1973
--------------------------------------------------

When I think back
On all the crap I learned in high school
It's a wonder
I can think at all
And though my lack of edu---cation
Hasn't hurt me none
I can read the writing on the wall

Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, Oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away

If you took all the girls I knew
When I was single
And brought them all together for one night
I know they'd never match
my sweet imagination
everything looks WORSE in black and white

Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, Oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away

Mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama don't take my Kodachrome away

Mama don't take my Kodachrome
Mama don't take my Kodachrome
Mama don't take my Kodachrome away

Mama don't take my Kodachrome
Leave your boy so far from home
Mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama don't take my Kodachrome

Mama don't take my Kodachrome away

stormy night

Me: I want pizza tonight.
[T]ae kwon mom: I saw three or four pizza places on 17 last night.
Me: How bout you [g]irl with many dresses?
[G]irl with many dresses: Yeah. Pizza's good.
[T]onks: I saw a California Pizza last night. It's not far from here.
Me: California Pizza it is.

The further north we drove, the darker the sky got. I honestly thought it was going to miss us. We arrived at California Pizza and put our names on the list then walked back outside to wait. Lightning flashed and thunder rolled. Somebody was getting a really good rain. Just as our names were called for seating, the rain began to fall. We rather enjoyed watching the wind and rain from the comfort and relative warmth of the restaurant. Lightning flashed and thunder sounded simultaneously. The storm was right over us. The lights flickered but stayed on.

The pizza was great. One with white sauce and one with dates and pineapple. We paid with cash and I'm so glad we did. We left payment on the table and left the restaurant just as the rain ended. Just as we closed our car doors, power went out all over the neighborhood. No traffic lights. No street lights. No store lights. Had we paid with a card, we would have been waiting for the waiter to run the charge when the power went out. In just a few minutes the power was back on. I think it's awesome how we dodged everything -- the storm, the wind, the rain, the power outage. Cool!

---------------------------------------------------
Song 403: Lady Rain
Artist: Hall and Oates
Album: Abandoned Luncheonette
Year: 1973
---------------------------------------------------

Lady Rain, lay your sobbin' hair down on my shoulder
Lady Rain, do your cloudy eyes see me much older?

Can you see my past
Can you find my future
Should I take it slower 'til my life is over
Oh Lady Rain... is it I'll be going down in pain?

Lady Rain, lay your sobbin' hair down on my shoulder
Lady Rain, do your cloudy eyes see me much older?

All the days I've lost hoping and pretending
that my days would flow smooth and slow toward their ending
Oh Lady Rain... is it I'll be going down in pain?

reflections

While passing the pool on the way back from the beach for the last time this week, I caught a glimpse of the palmetto palm trees reflecting in the water.

Reflecting back on the week . . . it was very relaxing. I enjoyed being with my wife and daughters with no distractions and no deadlines. While browsing through a novelty shop one night this week I slipped a mood ring on my finger and the color went straight to VERY RELAXED and I have to say . . . the ring was right.
--------------------------------------------------
Song 402: Killing Me Softly With His Song
Artist: Roberta Flack
Album: Killing Me Softly
Year: 1973
--------------------------------------------------

Strumming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Killing me softly with his song
Telling my whole life with his words
Killing me softly, with his song

I heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a style
And so I came to see him, and listen for a while
And there he was, this young boy, a stranger to my eyes
(repeat chorus)

I felt all flushed with fever, embarrassed by the crowd
I felt he found my letters, and read each one out loud
I prayed that he would finish, but he just kept right on
(rpt chorus)

He sang as if he knew me, and all my dark despair
and then he looked right through me as if I wasn't there
And there he was this young boy, singing clear and strong
(repeat chorus till fade)

morning skies

I was up at dawn every morning during our visit to the coast of South Carolina, watching the ocean, listening to the surf pound against the beach, hearing the gulls talk to one another, hoping to catch a beautiful sunrise. Every morning a near-invisible haze along the horizon prevented me from getting a picture of the sun just as it rose, but I did manage to get some good shots of the morning skies. The top one is my favorite morning picture for the week.
--------------------------------------------------
Song 401: Jungle Boogie
Artist: Kool and the Gang
Album: Wild and Peaceful
Year: 1973
--------------------------------------------------

Get down, Get down, get down, get down X6

Ahhhhhhhhhhh !

Jungle Boogie
Jungle Boogie
Get It On
Jungle Boogie
Jungle Boogie
Get It On
Jungle Boogie
Jungle Boogie
Jungle Boogie
Get Down With The Boogie
Jungle Boogie

brookgreen gardens

Brookgreen Gardens abound in plants, flowers and . . .

Sculptures . . . hundreds of sculptures

View from the pontoon boat on one of the creeks of Brookgreen Gardens

We spent the entire day at Brookgreen Gardens, basking in the sun and enjoying the flowers and sculptures of this fantastic park. Hundreds of acres of manicured, rolling hills are home for over 900 sculptures in the gardens, pavilions and galleries. At the end of the day we enjoyed a pontoon boat ride along the creeks of this old rice plantation and topped our visit off with dinner and a night time stroll through the illuminated sculpture gardens. This is the perfect spot for a family of artists. All four of us love it here.
--------------------------------------------------
Song 400: The Joker
Artist: Steve Miller Band
Album: The Joker
Year: 1973
--------------------------------------------------

Some people call me the space cowboy, yeah
Some call me the gangster of love
Some people call me maurice
Cause I speak of the pompitous of love