« March 2008 | Main | May 2008 »
April 30, 2008
It Was A Hit!
There was ice cream everywhere, thanks to Baskin-Robbins 31 cent scoop night! (See previous post for details.) Jonah ate a cone, Josh wore his, and a good time was had by all!
Thanks Baskin-Robbins!
See you tomorrow!
Posted by Jon at 08:09 PM | Comments (0)
April 29, 2008
Mmmm...Ice Cream....
...And cheap ice cream to boot! No, wait, that's not right. It's not cheap, it's just priced lower than it usually is!
The good people at Baskin-Robbins are having a 31 cent scoop night, tomorrow, Wednesday April 30th, 2008! You can read more about it here.
As a Firefighter, I feel honored that Baskin-Robbins would donate one hundred thousand dollars to support the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation. That is a lot of money, and it will go to help the families and loved ones who are affected when a Firefighter dies in the line of duty.
As a human being, I am stoked that I can get ice cream at that price! Whoo-hoo!
Jonah, Joshua, Megan and I will see you there, and thanks again Baskin-Robbins!
Posted by Jon at 10:13 PM | Comments (0)
April 28, 2008
The rain
North Carolina has been suffering an "Extreme Drought" for the past two years. We had gone through voluntary water usage restrictions, to mandatory restrictions, to even further restrictions requiring businesses to install water saving devices. We watched as our primary water source, a lake outside of town, dried up. Every time there was a possibility of rain, we would all wait expectantly for a few drops, knowing that it would take so much more to reverse what had already happened.
But April has really turned things around in our area. We've gotten around 3 1/4 inches of rain in April alone, putting us ahead in our rainfall for the month, less than 1/2 an inch behind for the year, and even nominally shrinking our deficit over the past two years.
That's wonderful, you say, but what does it all mean? Well, I really only have one question...Have we gotten enough rain yet that I can complain about the rain? Because, I gotta tell ya, I really feel like complaining but every time I even try, someone feels that it's necessary to remind me that "we really need it". I get it. I know I should be grateful for the rain. But, somehow, when I'm lugging two kids from the car to the house in a virtual downpour, attempting to keep them from rolling in every puddle they see, it doesn't occur to me to be grateful. Imagine that.
(BTW--I gave in today and let them jump around in a puddle when we got home. I will post the pictures soon!)
Posted by Jon at 08:03 PM | Comments (0)
April 27, 2008
A Boy and His Bike
Jonah has outgrown his tricycle. It happened gradually, as you might imagine, and now he is starting to look ridiculous when he sits on it, not to mention the fact that it's hard for him to ride it now. He gets frustrated with it often. So, I had the brilliant idea to get him a new bike. The search for the bike was, in itself, a saga which I may blog about another time, but for now let's just say that it was a LOT more difficult to track down this bike than it should have been. But I found it and today we were able to pick it up. Jonah and I have been talking about and waiting in anticipation for this bike for quite some time so we were both excited when we got to bring it home today. Of course, it came home in a box...
and I had to assemble it...
So assemble it, I did! And I just really think it's about the most adorable little bike I've ever seen!
I couldn't wait for Jonah to get up from his nap so he could try it out! We had a playdate all set with our neighbor, Caroline, to go out and ride bikes in the cul-de-sac. Ooooh it was exciting!
Jonah got up, got excited immediately about the new bike. He came right downstairs and began ringing the bell ("Hey, Mom, my bike is belling!"). We talked about it for a few minutes and he tried to get on. Nope. I had set the seat a little too high. No problem! I adjust the seat and ask him to get back on, which he does. Then he tries to figure out where his feet are supposed to go. On a tricycle the pedals are in front of you, so it's obvious, but on a bicycle, the pedals are essentially right below you, and therefore, harder to see. Jonah did not like this. He attempted for about 3 seconds to locate the pedal with his foot...I am just in the process of bending down in order to help him place his foot...when he decides that he doesn't want to ride this bike and gets off. When we went outside, he promptly went and got his too-small tricycle while his friend, Caroline, rode his new bike. We tried to convince him to give it a try for about an hour, with no luck. Even Caroline tried..."It really is fun, Jonah!". Nothing. There's that stubborn streak again. I do recall that it took him some span of time to try out the tricycle too, but I was so hoping that this time would be different. I guess not. *sigh* So, we will post some pictures of him riding it as soon as he gets on the darn thing!
Posted by Jon at 08:11 PM | Comments (0)
April 26, 2008
My Son Has A Monster...
Imagination is a great thing. And it's growing at our house. Jonah's monster's name is Jackie. (Well, at least that's how I think it's spelled. I am using my imagination. We may never know...)
Two weeks ago, Megan, me and the Boys were outside, enjoying the nice weather. Jonah ran around the corner of the house, and when he came back, he told us that a monster was chasing him. At dinner later that night, we asked Jonah to describe his monster.
I will ask you now to use your imagination, as we attempt to describe Jackie to you...
Jackie is a girl.
Jackie has 10 eyes.
2 legs.
2 arms.
4 fingers.
2 ears.
2 noses.
2 mouths.
Jackie has horns.
Jackie has straight, big hair. (Probably migrated south from Long Island.)
Jackie eats grass.
Jackie drinks lemonade.
Jackie is green, with bumpy, rough skin.
Jackie is friendly. When asked, Jonah explained that Jackie was chasing him because he (Jackie) was mad at Jonah, because Jackie had made a mess of Jonah's toys. (Doesn't sound very friendly to me.)
Jackie has two babies. Little Jackie One and Little Jackie Two.
Since the 19th of April, Jackie has not visited Jonah. Imagine that.
Jackie. Who knew?
Posted by Jon at 02:12 PM | Comments (0)
April 25, 2008
Yeesh...
It's tough to come up with an idea for a post at 10:18pm.
So, I'm not going to try.
Sorry about that.
See you tomorrow!
--Jon
Posted by Jon at 10:15 PM | Comments (0)
April 24, 2008
At The Risk Of Being Obnoxious...
I have to tell you how absolutely adorable I think my children are. I mean, don't get me wrong, I know that there are lots of cute children out there and I give them their props. I'm not trying to discount how adorable other people's kids are. But let's face it, this blog is largely a vehicle for showing off our kids. And so I am going to do just that and post some especially wonderful recent pics of the boys.
Come on now, admit it, wasn't that worth it?? :)
Posted by Jon at 08:32 PM | Comments (0)
April 23, 2008
I Hate The Internet...
...Sometimes.
I personally believe that if the internet were around when I was a kid, I could have been someone. I could have been a contender. But then I see what the internet has become, and I become angry. The internet, for all its positives, has become a vast wasteland of spam, porn, junk mail and scams! The latest one is one Megan sent along, suggesting that a new law was going to go into effect in North Carolina, banning the use of cell phones during driving.
I WOULD PERSONALLY LOVE, ENDORSE AND SUPPORT SUCH A BAN!
But it isn't true. It's just some (*&^%$#! trying to be cute, trying to panic people, trying to annoy, whatever.
NC residents, heed my word: If you hear that a ban on cell phones is going in to effect on July 1st, 2008, DO NOT BELIEVE IT! IT IS A LIE!
Do the research for yourself. Use the internet. It's great for that!
Posted by Jon at 09:05 PM | Comments (0)
April 22, 2008
Zoe!
Posted by Jon at 07:20 PM | Comments (0)
April 21, 2008
You Deserve It...
For the past week and more, I have subjected you to depression, sadness, terror and a really, really, really bitter outlook.
Well, that's over now! Prepare for cuteness!
First up...Joshua playing with trains!
Next, Boys in blankets!
Night Night!
See you tomorrow!
Posted by Jon at 08:40 PM | Comments (0)
A New Beginning...(Sydney's Here!)
...In so many ways...
Today is Monday. Usually despised and universally hated, except by me, except for today.
Today marks a new week. A time of renewal, after a week of sadness, panic, and loss. So today, I share a new beginning with you, as I announce the birth Samantha's littler sister, Sydney Hayden, who was born on Friday, April 18th at &:43pm, weighing in at seven pounds 6 ounces, measuring 20 inches long.
This is Jason and Sara, not long before Samantha joined them...
Then, Proud Papa Jason with his first born daughter, Sam...
And first time Mom Sara holds Sam...
Now jump a year or two ahead...
And meet me in the present, Sunday, when we got to see Sydney for the very first time!
Josh in particular, for some reason, loves babies...He points them out and says, "babeee", and we just melt every time we hear it! This beautiful baby was no different...
This reminds me of something...
Once again, a very Proud Papa...
And one more makes four!
Sydney is simply adorable and you guys looked none the worse for wear. Seriously. I mean that. Samantha is going to be a wonderful big sister to Sydney, and Sydney will be a fantastic little sister to Sam!
From Megan, me and the Boys, we just want to say Mazel Tov, and congratulations! You guys are awesome, and we can't for all four (or more??????) of our kids to play together some day!
Posted by Jon at 02:12 PM | Comments (1)
April 20, 2008
A Crummy Week Part Seven...
Sunday. The day of rest. A rest from funeral preparations. A rest from funerals. A rest from worrying about a three year old having surgery. A rest from a crummy week.
I look ahead now, and for that I am grateful. I can look ahead to the promise of a better week, as I leave a disastrous one behind.
But before I look ahead, I just want to take one look back, to show you how we bade farewell to Paula, who was taken from us too early.
When Paula left for Seattle to undergo radical treatment for her leukemia, she made a list. Within this list, there were some last requests, should the procedure not go well. (That's Paula, she was always thinking ahead.) She requested that we not grieve for her, rather that we should celebrate her life. And, strangely, feeling sad and depressed, I did. I thought about her, and some of the wonderful things she did for me, and for my department. So we celebrated. Another request that she had was that if she should pass, she wants one last ride on a fire truck.
It was our pleasure, our duty and our honor to grant her request.
Our fire trucks carry a minimum of one thousand gallons of water in their tanks. Since we have larger tanks, our trucks are, naturally, higher than most city trucks. As a result, risers were borrowed from the Concord, North Carolina Fire Department, who assisted in the funerals of two Firefighters who were killed battling a lumber yard fire. These risers are to help assist the Firefighters who will place Paula on top of the fire truck...
We lined up on the left...
And on the right...
...to form two lines, through which Paula would pass, and be placed on the top of the fire truck...
Here is Pumper 251, draped in black bunting...
The fire service is a brotherhood. Here, our brothers from a neighboring department stood by and showed their respect for a fallen Firefighter...
Here are some of our Bravest, ready to grant one last wish...
Paula is getting ready for her last ride on a fire truck...
Paula's family brought in a bagpiper. Nothing sends chills up my spine more than hearing Amazing Grace on the bagpipes.
Paula's family watches...
And now, Paula is ready for her last ride on a fire truck...
width="409" height="307" />
This wasn't a traditional firefighter processional, as Paula's family didn't want that. They were very happy with what we did, having the Chief's vehicle, three fire engines, and an ambulance escort Paula.
Goodbye Paula...We will miss you greatly...
Posted by Jon at 09:20 AM | Comments (0)
April 19, 2008
A Crummy Week Part Six...
Today was Paula's funeral. It was, to say the least, awful, but then again, funerals are never a party. Or are they? Paula, as I have said here before, was an amazing woman. So amazing, in fact, that she requested that we not grieve for her, but instead, celebrate her life. So after a beautiful ceremony, we went to a local country club for a reception. There were no tears. There were no sad faces. Just smiles, and wonderful stories about Paula. It was a weird feeling for me, because it felt like I was at a wedding reception, not having just come from a funeral service. I say weird, because we are supposed to cry. We are supposed to grieve. But Paula didn't want it that way. And so, we shared some stories about an amazing woman who was taken from us way, way too early. One of her brothers said that Heaven had a plan. The plan included Paula. One of her daughters said that when they were young, the house would get messy, but that clean up could come later. As long as the children inside the house were happy, nothing else mattered. I took that to heart, knowing that my boys make a mess each and everyday, and I tend to get upset. But they are happy. If I can adopt that feeling in my house, then Paula will truly live on forever. And I will. You will not be forgotten, Paula. We miss you. She was taken to the cemetary on the back of a fire truck, which was her wish. If I have time in the morning, I will try to post pictures of the Firefighters who lined up to help grant her wish.
But the crummy week continues. Tonight is the first night of Passover. I should be at a Seder, listening to the re-telling of the story of how the Jews escaped slavery in Egypt. I should be with Jonah and my family as he recovers from eye surgery. I apologize for not being there.
And as the crummy weeks races to a close, there is some fantastic news out there...Sara and Jason had their baby! Hopefully we will get some pictures tomorrow, and I can post them here!
See you then!
Posted by Jon at 07:52 PM | Comments (0)
April 18, 2008
A Crummy Week Part Five...
Well, today was the day. Eye surgery for Jonah. Specifically, Jonah was diagnosed with strabismus, or roughly, lazy eye. Our pediatrician, Dr. Chip (no one can pronounce his last name, so he goes by Dr. Chip) sent us to one of the best pediatric eye surgeons in the area. We tried glasses, which, on a one and a half year old, didn't work too well, then he thought about patching, but never did, and then, finally, sadly, surgery.
Overall, the surgery went well. We got to the hospital at 6:30am, filled out paperwork and waited. Jonah was scheduled for 8:00am, and much to my surprise, they came and got him at 10 minutes to eight! Yay!
(Stepping back in time, Grandma came to the house to look after Josh, while we were at the torture chamber hospital. I put this here so you wouldn't think Megan and I are bad parents for leaving a one year old at home alone. We would never do that. The dog was there.)
What follows next will be a sort of "He Said/She Said" exchange between Megan and myself. Here we will share our experiences with you...Megan is up first...
I woke up at 4:00 with my heart already thumping. What the heck were we doing? We're going to take Jonah to the hospital to have someone operate on his EYES? Really? I managed to keep my eyes closed for another 20 minutes, then it was time to get up and face the day. I was able to get through the morning routine of getting everyone ready by keeping busy, but panic was moments away the entire time. It seems silly now that it's all over, but at the time I was really freaked out.
We arrived at the hospital and went through the usual rigamarole of checking in, giving insurance, etc. and Jonah managed to be upbeat and charming throughout. Then it was time to go back to the pre-op "room"--a term I use loosely to describe the cubicle with a curtain they put you in. That's when things started to go south. Jonah totally flipped over the hospital bracelet. I had to walk him up and down the hallway talking about all the beds and how there must be a lot of sleepy people who needed to take naps in all those beds. (hey, don't judge, it was a dumb conversation, but it worked!) He wasn't too crazy about getting changed into the other hospital garb--a pair of bright yellow socks and hospital gown--but Jon distracted him by blowing up a latex glove and letting it go so that it flew up to the ceiling. Jonah thought that was hysterical.
An aside--when Josh had his surgery, the hospital we went to had a pediatric surgical area. What that means is the even in pre-op, there was an area with toys. It didn't help us at the time because he was only 4 months old, but the hospital we went to today had NOTHING. And I mean, NOTHING for entertaining or distracting a child, hence the latex glove trick.
Anyway, when the anesthesiologist came in to talk to us, he noticed that Jonah was having a tough time and offered to give him some Versed to calm him. YES! We agreed and were a little disappointed that he didn't offer any to us. But it really did the trick. Jonah got kind of silly, but much calmer. And he remained calm enough to manage the handoff to the hospital staff with very little drama.
Then came the waiting...over an hour of it...before the surgeon came out to tell us all went well. We got something to eat, talked, and generally tried to distract ourselves and each other until the waiting was over. Then a little more waiting until we could go back to see him. I've described in this blog before what it feels like to see your child's eyes after anesthesia. Today was even more disturbing given that it was his eyes that were operated on...so they were really red and puffy and he cried tears mixed with blood. Ick. Luckily, though, recovery was quick and once he drank the juice they gave him, they removed the IV and we were on our way. Jonah and I even got a free ride out of the hospital in a wheelchair.
For several hours after we got home, Jonah had a really tough time. He made pitiful noises, was restless, and just generally didn't feel well. Occasionally he would cry out to me or Jon in a panicked voice. Eventually, he fell asleep and slept hard for more than an hour. And when he awoke...it was a miraculous recovery. He was laughing and talking and playing just like nothing had happened. Except for the fact that his eyes are still a little puffy and very red, he seemed to be back to normal by the end of today. Kids really are amazing aren't they?
Here's how I (Jon) saw it...
I thought we were in for it. Take a three year old child, withhold food, disrupt sleep, and wait. That's what we did. Of course, he was unable to eat anything before surgery. Then, we woke him up at about 5:00 in the morning, got the hospital, and waited. I really thought we would be waiting longer, but much to my surprise, they came and got him just before 8:00am, and then our Doctor came to tell us they were done, just before 9:00am. But there was drama before the drama.
One of the first things these hospital people did was to try and get an identification bracelet on Jonah. He wouldn't have it. Fought and fought and fought. Even after I had one put on my arm. (Just in case any one wanted to steal me.) After trying to rip it off, and not having any luck, Megan was able to distract him, and calm him down. Next up was the footie socks, which he resisted at first, but then adjusted to the idea. Sadly, the hospital didn't have any toys for Jonah to play with. So we made do with what we had: disposable gloves! I blew one up like a balloon, and let it go, many, many times. It worked like a charm, helping to bring a smile to a scared little boys face. It helped Megan and me to hear him laugh as well. After that, we put him in a gown, and he was ready to go. We spoke to an anesthesiologist, and then Jonah's Doctor. Noticing a wiggly, nervous three year old, the anesthesiologist asked if Jonah would take something to calm him down. YES! YES! YES! The sad thing is, Mom and Dad needed the drugs more than the boy. But they gave him some Versed, and five minutes later, loopiness set in. When the nurses came in to take him to the operating room, they asked if he wanted to ride on the bed. At first, he wanted to, but then, he wanted Megan to carry him. Of course, Megan and I were not invited to this party, so when we tried to give him over to the nurses, he resisted, but soon relented, without much of a fight. (Thank heavens for Versed!) After watching the nurses walk down the hall with our first born, Megan and I broke down. It was one of the worst moments in our lives. But we had to be strong for the Boy, and we were. We went to eat breakfast. After waiting, our Doctor came in, told us all was well, and we could go seem in about forty-five minutes or so. As we walked back to the recovery room, bed #42 (my favorite number!) we actually got there before Jonah! He saw us, and wanted Mommy. His eyes were red and bloody, and he had an intravenous line in his left hand. He wanted it out, and so did we! However, the nurse wanted him to drink some liquids, after which, the line could come out. The drink was drunk, the line came out, and we were on our way.
Home is a wonderful place all the time, but it is so much more special and welcoming after a harrowing experience. The familiarity, the sameness, less doctors. Jonah headed straight to the couch, and tried to relax. It was tough at first, what with drugs coursing through his little veins. But after a good nap, he woke up, ate a little bit, and was soon acting like the Jonah we knew only hours before. I am so proud of Jonah, and how he handled himself. I have had two surgeries in my adult life, and I am a baby. I hate the experience. Two kids, two surgeries, never again. Stay healthy boys! We love you!
What follows next are six recovery pictures as Jonah slept on the couch. He slept through most of what he went through, while Mom and Dad were wide awake with panic. We did okay, but he exceeded my expectations, and now, the recovery can begin! He has stitches on the inside of his eye that will dissolve in about four months. The exterior stitches, which we cannot see, will dissolve in about 10 days. His eyes will be red, and they will hurt for a while, but there is no way that's going to slow him down.
My crummy week is actually looking up. We have Paula's funeral tomorrow, but before that, we will celebrate the life of Jason and Sara's new little girl, who joined us at 7:30p Saturday night! More on that tomorrow!
See you then!
Posted by Jon at 02:32 PM | Comments (0)
April 17, 2008
A Crummy Week Part Four...
Tonight we rehearsed for Paula's funeral. One of her final wishes was a ride on a fire truck. We are honoring her request. We had to practice getting a casket on top of a fire truck, which was no easy task.
I couldn't get my mind of Jonah all day. The poor boy goes in for his eye surgery at 8:00am Friday. I will post an update as soon as I can. (It may be a lot later, though, so please forgive me if it takes awhile.)
But as my crummy weeks winds down, there is some good news...Sara is going to have her baby! Whoo-hoo!
More tomorrow, and please keep Jonah in your thoughts.
Thanks.
Posted by Jon at 09:14 PM | Comments (0)
April 16, 2008
A Crummy Week Part Three...
If this week wasn't bad enough, I was reminded that one year ago today, some psychopath took the lives of more than 30 innocent people. What an *&^%$! That made me sad to remember, but those folks in Blacksburg Virginia are really strong.
I hope I can get stronger as this week winds to its inevitable, scary, depressing conclusion.
I told Jonah several times tonight that I love him.
I am nervous.
I'll have more tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 08:35 PM | Comments (0)
April 15, 2008
A Crummy Week Part Two...
Today was busy, which helped keep my mind off the end of the week, which is fast approaching.
Funny. Usually I can't wait for the week to end.
Now, I just want to forget it's going to happen.
See you tomorrow.
Posted by Jon at 08:01 PM | Comments (0)
April 14, 2008
A Crummy Week Part One...
I was right.
It started out crummy, and by all indications, it's going to end that way.
Sorry to drag you down, but I am there, and it's going to take a while to get back to normal, but I know that will happen eventually.
Paula will be laid to rest on Saturday.
Jonah will be recovering.
I am too.
See you tomorrow.
Posted by Jon at 08:20 PM | Comments (0)
April 13, 2008
This Should Be A Crummy Week...
It's hard to be optimistic, especially if you're me. So, to say I am not looking forward to this week would be an understatement.
We lost Paula on Saturday, which means funerals,visitations and the like later this week. Then, on Friday, Jonah has his eye surgery.
Is it Monday the 20th, yet?
Posted by Jon at 04:23 PM | Comments (0)
April 12, 2008
I Am Sad...
We lost a Firefighter today. Paula was a Firefighter, but she was also a friend, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a cousin, and an aunt. She was also a fighter.
Several years ago, Paula was diagnosed with leukemia. The fight was on! She went to Seattle, to undergo treatment that she couldn't get locally. She came back to us a little thinner, with less hair, but with the same fight she had before she left. She fought, and she won. Not long after her return, she went on a few calls with us, proving that she was fighting, and winning.
But even fighters have their off days, and Paula's leukemia came back. But she fought. She fought with a determination that kept her alive, and kept our hopes for her alive.
The fight was lost this morning around 7:00p. Paula left us after a hard fought battle, but she didn't lose. She won. She was an amazing, creative, caring woman who was willing to help her community, her Fire Department and anyone who needed help.
Firefighters are sometimes called heroes for what they do. Most bristle at that, because they are just doing a job. They are doing what they love, and they feel privleged for being able to love what they do, while helping people at the same time.
Paula, you will be missed very, very much. Your fight inspires me. You will not be forgotten. You are in a better place, and your Brothers will keep your memory alive.
G-d bless you Paula. May you rest in peace.
Posted by Jon at 09:00 PM | Comments (0)
April 11, 2008
Yet Another Crummy Post...
Sorry folks.
Late night.
See you tomorrow.
Posted by Jon at 10:58 PM | Comments (0)
April 10, 2008
It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!
I love Winter. I like the chilly air, snow when we get it, cuddling under blankets in front of a fire and watching TV. I love it all! And, in my opinion, we don't get nearly enough winter weather here in the South. I like to get to the end of the winter and think, on the first warm, sunny day, "Ah, I'm tired of winter....this is lovely!" The bad news is, I rarely get tired of winter because we don't even have that many cold days. I can count on one hand the number of times I even had to wear a coat this winter. BUT, that doesn't mean I didn't appreciate the weather today. It was in the mid-70s, sunny, breezy...it was perfect! Jon is working 9-6 this month and on Thursday nights he has a meeting, so we didn't see him today. But I wasn't going to let that stop us! So after dinner, I put Josh in the backpack and Jonah, Josh, Zoe, and I headed out for a walk. Along the way we bumped into Rebecca, Scott, and Caroline (our neighbors) and the kids were able to play together outside until 7:30 when it started getting dark. Now both boys are tucked into bed, snoozing away in a fresh-air induced slumber. I DO love winter but....maybe Spring is okay, too!!!
Posted by Jon at 08:26 PM | Comments (0)
April 09, 2008
Updates...
One of the rules of blogging (and there are many) is to stay fresh, and to always update. Since I have learned how to add things like the fortune cookie at the top of the page, I took down the tickers of how old Jonah and Joshua are.
So, to update, here they are...
See? Fresh!
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 08:12 PM | Comments (0)
April 08, 2008
I Miss My Dad...
Here is my Dad with Jonah on the day of his Brit Milah...
And here is Grandpa on the day of Josh's Brit Milah...
And here is my Dad on Thanksgiving Day, 2005...
I really miss him.
I love you Dad!
Posted by Jon at 08:33 PM | Comments (0)
April 07, 2008
This Is My Post For Today!
Posted by Jon at 08:18 PM | Comments (0)
April 06, 2008
I Am Not Nice...
I suppose you can chalk this up to the innocence of youth, or perhaps as a result of the ignorance of a fable, but now that I am older, I just think that I'm not a nice person.
I have three older sisters, and one younger brother. My sisters and I are all two years apart, and my brother is four years younger than me. Got it? The sister who is closest in age to me is 39.
When we were kids, I used to tease 39 all the time, that some of her favorite singers or actors had just been killed in some horrible, tragic way. For example, I used to tell her that her favorite singer, Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran, had just been hit by a bus.
Or that ol' Simon's plane just went down. Or that Mr. LeBon (or is that Mr. Bon?) was just skinned alive by a rabid hyena. You get the point.
Of course, none of this was true, as Simon made it through the '80's, and is getting ready to tour again with his band mates. (I actually wouldn't mind seeing the show. They are coming here, and it's something to consider...)
One of 39's other favorite actors of the time was an actor named Jon-Erik Hexum.
You can read more about him here.
Well, one night as I was watching our late local news, one of the last stories to be broadcast that night was a story about Jon-Erik. It seems that Mr. Hexum, while on a movie set, shot himself accidentally. This was too good for a 14 year old boy who wanted to torture his 16 year old sister! I ran upstairs to her room, and told her that Jon-Erik was dead.
I don't recall exactly what she said to me that night, but it was something laced with expletives, a few "I hate you's" and probably a shoe thrown at my head for good measure.
That's what I get for playing wolf. But I was serious this time, and I wanted her to know that one of her faves was gone. She refused to believe me. (Would you? I mean, can you blame her?) I was determined that she was going to learn the truth about the fatality, either from me, or from someone who knew. What did I do? I called the Assignment Desk at the CBS station I originally heard the news from.
Back in those days, for you younger readers, you could pick up one phone somewhere in the house, and someone could pick up an extension, and listen in. And that's just what we did. I spoke to an Assignment Editor at the station, who confirmed the story.
Again, I can't remember what was said afterward, but suffice it to say, it probably wasn't pleasant, I certainly deserved it.
But then an interesting thing happened...I became an Assignment Editor. Weird, huh?
Sorry, 39. (Well, only a little...)
Posted by Jon at 06:28 PM | Comments (0)
April 05, 2008
Baby Showers...
My good friends Jason and Sara had a baby shower today. As a male, of course, I wasn't invited, nor welcome to one of these things. No biggie. I had to work anyway. I take comfort in the fact that Jason wasn't there either.
Am I jealous? Nah. I think baby showers are silly anyway. The baby comes out pretty clean, so it seems like a waste of water, especially in a drought.
Jason and Sara are expecting their second child any day now. (Perhaps you guessed that, since a baby shower was given!)
You guys are great parents, and Sam will be a great big sister! (No, not a "great big" sister, you know what I mean!)
Congrats guys, and we can't wait to meet your newest little one, when she gets here!
Love,
Jon
Megan
Jonah
Joshua
Posted by Jon at 10:13 PM | Comments (0)
April 04, 2008
April 4th, 1968...
I wasn't born then, but forty years ago today, our country changed, and not for the better. Forty years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a man dedicated to equality, was shot and killed by an assassins bullet in Memphis, Tennessee. From everything I read, 1968 was a difficult time, but it was also a time of hope, thanks to the work of Dr. King. Some time before, Rosa Parks reluctantly became a heroine of the time, by refusing to give up her eat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Dr. King was there to help her, and all of the residents of Montgomery, to overcome a hateful injustice. White seats? White drinking fountains? I love it here in the south, but I do not love its history. I do not love its shameful past.
Because Dr. King is a personal hero of mine, I often wonder what our Nation and what our society would have become, had his life not been tragically cut short. I hope that would be better. While we have done great things, we need to do more. We need to be fair to each other, and we need to recognize that our lives are forever intertwined, and that what we do to others, we do to ourselves.
Fairness is a third grade mentality. But it should be an adult mentality. We often don't see the unfairness we impose on others. We often think what's fair for us, is fair for someone else. But it doesn't work that we. We need everyone's input. We need to consider the needs of everyone, not just liberal, conservative, black, white, democrat or republican.
Dr. King was working for that. His hard work and his legacy will never be forgotten.
Thank you Dr. King.
Posted by Jon at 08:20 AM | Comments (0)
April 03, 2008
My Friend Paula...
I met Paula in 2001, when I first started working for my Fire Department. She impressed me in so many ways, not least of which is that she is a woman in a field dominated by men. During nasty weather, she would cook for us, in between running calls. She would help out in super-creative ways during our Open House. She is a mother, a Firefighter and a friend.
Several years ago, Paula was diagnosed with leukemia. She traveled to Washington State to undergo treatment. She came back to us, thankfully, in remission. She even got to respond on some calls after she returned.
However, after being on the mend, Paula's condition has worsened, to the point of hospitalization. But she got through this once before, and I am confident that she will get through this again.
Get well soon, Paula, and come back to us again! We miss you!
I'll update her condition, so stay tuned...
Posted by Jon at 08:06 PM | Comments (0)
April 02, 2008
The Streak Is Over...
...But with good reason.
If you've been regularly checking in to Ouofhans.com, you would have noticed that Megan and I have posted here once each day since January 1st. That was, of course, until last night. I was not able to post as my Volunteer Fire Department got a call for a bad car accident. It was our business meeting night, and we had just finished our meal, when the pagers went off. As the radio traffic indicated, there were two cars, at least five people hurt, and a call went out for at least six ambulances. The long of the short of it is, two people were killed, one of them a 10 year old. The cause of the crash?
Drinking and driving.
The driver of an SUV was charged with DWI, after her car crossed the center line. I saw the beer can in the car, and it outraged me.
I am trained to stay focused on my job, and do what I need to do to mitigate the situation. I cannot change the situation, I can only work to make it at least a little better for someone whose day is ruined. But this careless, senseless woman ruined lives last night. She took away the lives of a father, and innocent child, while at the same time causing several other injuries. Just because she refused to call a cab. Simply because she thought she was fine enough to drive home. And that infuriates me. I got into this profession to help, but seeing what I saw last night, made me feel, well, helpless. And then that helplessness turned to anger.
Our laws are not strong enough to deal with these people. I say that knowing that in my college days, I drove home drunk way too many times, and was stupid and foolish for having done it. There were times I knew I shouldn't have been driving, and every time we go to one of these wrecks, I am reminded of that. I will drive a little slower perhaps, and certainly I will hug Megan and the boys a little tighter for a while, knowing that just heading home from work, someone who has had a few too many feels they are fine to drive home.
Think again.
This woman didn't intend to kill anyone last night, I feel fairly sure. But she was driving a weapon, and her ammunition was alcohol. But until we make our DWI laws stronger, Emergency Services Workers will have to see this time and time again.
I didn't know the people in the car, but to them, I dedicate this post.
Posted by Jon at 08:49 PM | Comments (0)