edshots

It's already a nice day out and I'm looking forward to the chance to soak up a little sun today.

One of the nice parts about Sunday mornings is the pace of town. There's some traffic, not much, and it seems that even the tourists are moving slower than usual. The traffic ebbs and flows with the start and end of church, and in between it is almost quiet. Walking around the town is a relaxing, even refreshing experience. Soon the soccer games will begin and the traffic pick up but for now it is calm. Peaceful. Enjoyable.

I like Sunday mornings.

I usually don't pay attention to what's big in pop culture, although just through osmosis I know more than I really want to, but yesterday I was sitting at the club when one of those entertainment news shows came on.

I noticed that the big story was about the Amber Fry movie. Here is woman who's only claim to fame is that she screwed a married man who later killed his wife and unborn son.

The next story was about Mary Kay Latourno. It was a big to-do about her marrying. She is the child molester. The story was about how this woman who sexually assaulted a 12 year old boy is now marrying the victim of the crime that she spent eight years in jail for.

Another story was about how the couple who hooked up on a desert island while on Survivor, then later traipsed about the globe as an unmarried couple on the great race are now going to have another go around on TV as they prepare to marry.

Still another story was about whether or not Brad Pitt has knocked up Angelina Joilie. Or maybe Ben Affleck has knocked up Jennifer Garner. And neither of those couples are married either.

So of all the stories that I had the chance to notice, the only one dealing with sex inside of marriage is about the child molester marrying her victim. The illegitimacy rates in this country are going through the roof. Half of babies born in the country are to single mothers, and in minority communities it is as high as 80%.

I wonder if there is a connection.

One of the more annoying parts of being back at work so far has been that I don't know where I belong. The office has (briefly) a surplus of workers, and I don't have a real desk yet. The one that I was given is about the size of a school desk and doesn't have room for my legs underneath the desk. I spend most of the time doing the work that I have to at other people's desks when they're not in the office. I'll be getting a real place soon, as some people move to others and other people leave. Then I'll get to set up the place where I'll spend the rest of our time in this building. It will be nice to have the place of mine own again.

After finishing classes, I took a few days to go to meetings and visit home. Here's some of the various thoughts and observations I made during those days.

Wednesday:
The ride between Harrisburg and State College has some of the nicest scenery around. For a long stretch of the ride you get to ride along the Susquehanna River. The view from the highway over the river is lovely at this time of the year. It's even better in fall when the leaves turn.

I met up with someone that I used to work with who is now working in Centre County. It was nice to see her again. One of the nice things about getting away from the usual haunts is the ability to check in with others who have moved away. She seems to be doing well, and seems happy. That's the best part.

Thursday:
Meeting of a state wide committee today. The ability of a few to oversee a program that covers the state is a feat in itself. When you consider that we only meet every other month, it sometimes amazes me that things that we do work as well as they do. I only play a minor part in the whole thing. The part played by others makes me wonder if I could do it. I know that I lack an ambition gene, but I sometimes wonder how I could do in that type of role. Then as we talk about what the chair of the committee has been up to, I'm glad I don't have to find out.

The guys who came up with the concept for Hooters are geniuses. I like the wings, but of course I visit for the atmosphere. And the atmosphere at the State College Hooters is very attractive. Thursday is picture night. They allow you to get a picture taken with the waitresses. OF course I did.

Friday:
It's nice to be able to take your time getting somewhere. I headed back to the old hometown from State College today. I stopped in a bunch of places that I wouldn't have if I had been on a schedule. One of the places was Altoona. There's a Hooters there too. Good wings. Attractive atmosphere there too.

Back Home. It's nice to be home. Got to spend some time with Mom and talk about how things are going with her. She's shown the house to a few people already which means I really have to get the rest of my stuff out there.

Saturday:
You know a good friend when you see them again after a long time and you pick up where you left off. That was the case a few times today. Running around town today I got to meet a few people that I hadn't had any contact with for a while. It was nice to catch up and find out how they were doing. It was also another case of informing people about things. One asked me how married life had been treating me. The look on her face when I said that it hadn't been recently was almost comical. It was obvious that she was embarrassed. I tried to let her know that it wasn't a problem, but I'm not sure she got over it.

I never realized that I had this many frickin boxes of comic books. I filled the trunk of the car and put more in the back seat. And there's still more. I had some help getting them down from the second floor of the house but I won't have that help trying to take them back upstairs to my apartment. (I took all week to empty the car.)

Sunday:
Went to the Pirates game. PNC Park is great place to watch a baseball game. It's even better when the Pirates win, which they did. I kept score for the game and my notes matched the official score keeper's. I am usually more likely to charge an error and not give the batter a hit than most official scorers. There was only one play that was close and he agreed with me that it was an error. Between the guy I went with and me, I think we spent almost $200 for the game. Peanuts, beer and baseball--what a great combination.

Monday:
KCIT simulation. While I hope that I never have to use the Crisis Intervention techniques that I know, it is important to keep them honed just in case. It's sometimes more difficult to do in a simulation than it is in real life because you know that it's not real.

The trip back to Gettysburg was nice. I made good time as the turnpike was clear most of the way. Before getting on the turnpike, I stopped to get gas. Who should be there but my nephew! It was good to run into him before I left that area since I hadn't been able to when I was in Latrobe and he wasn't able to go to the game.

Tuesday: back to the grind.

Classes finished up last Saturday and I got away from town for a few days. Now I'm back at work and boy!am I glad!
Not really.
I have a bunch of notes from my days away to sort out and type up and then place the thoughts here. That should happen in the next few days.

Spring has apparently sprung here and it's nice. The weather is pleasent and I've been able to walk around today and even got a little sun. That's a good thing that has bad consequences since I don't have the ability to tan, I only burn a darker shade of red.

It is after the first month of the season and the Pirates have a better record than the Yankees.

Can you say Schadenfreude?

Classes are over. I have passed them all. I have completed the work for my masters.

Praise the lord.

Now, I get to go back to work...well, at least I'm finished with classes.

As I was walking through town today, a lot of people had their dogs out for a stroll. I don't mind dogs (they're better than those demons from hell that some people think are pets) but i was mildly annoyed today. All the dogs wanted to smell me.

Yes, I showered and cleaned up this morning. I also washed my hands after going potty. I even washed before and after I made dinner (pizza bagels...uuhhmmm). It was curious seeing a dog ready to water a tree in town and decide that I was more interesting than peeing on historic ground.

I'm taking it as compliment. I don't care if it is, I'm taking it that way.

I was pointed to this at NROnline and found it annoying. And fun.

http://grant.robinson.name/projects/guess-the-google/

The strange part is that you have to think both literally and figuratively at the same time.

I scored 200 points my first try.

With all the talk about Social Security over the last couple day, I started to look at what I'm supposed to be getting when I retire. It was only then that I realized that retirement isn't as far away as it used to be. I'm closer to retirement than I am to being in high school. I am mid way between starting my career and retiring from it. What once seemed to be eons away is now merely a little over two decades away. The kids being born this week will have to cover my Social Security bills. I will be able to share an adult beverage with someone born today on the day I retire.

I don't have any specific plans for retirement ( I'm still not sure what I want to be when I grow up), but I might have to start thinking about it soon.

I talked with my mom the other evening. She is planning to put the house up for sale.

Wow.

I never thought that the home where I grew up might someday belong to somebody else.

I haven't lived there for almost nine years. Even Mom hasn't lived there for years (my sister is there now); it just seems strange that a nonfamily member might be there.
I'm not sure what to think.I know that it is just a structure of brick and mortar that has no meaning other than what is prescribed to it, but...damn.

Of course I also realize that one of the reasons that I don't like the idea is because that now I'll have to get the rest of my stuff out of there. I ain't got the room for all my crap now, and mom is making me take the rest of it. That might be her revenge for when I wrecked the car.