Inspired words

Writing evokes emotion in different ways for different people. As someone who has spent a great deal of his life in the writing arts, I’ve developed a great appreciation for skilled writers. Perhaps that’s one reason I married my wife.

Leonard Pitts, the teacher and Miami Herald columnist is making an appearance in town and I’m lucky enough to go hear him speak today. Always thought-provoking, Pitts delivers a perspective that may appear outside the mainstream to some of his critics, but he delivers a down-the-middle view that I find refreshing.

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Separated at birth?

The Crypt Keeper

The Crypt Keeper

James Carville

James Carville

I’m going to need another job

Before going to bed tonight, Camille - our 7-year-old - gave me her Christmas list:

“I want another set of Littlest Pet Shop toys. I think I also want a diamond ring. Maybe a half carat.”

Daddy matters

Camille has been one who wants Mommy when she’s not feeling well. But tonight, she asked for a little Daddy time.

Susan and I generally take turns putting the kids to bed. We had been lying down with both of them, but Abby’s finally grown out of it. Camille still requires one of us to lie down with her until she falls asleep. It usually doesn’t take that long.

It was Susan’s turn tonight. But Camille has not been feeling well. She’s had a persistent cough and she barely touched her dinner tonight, actually falling asleep at the table while I was cooking.

After bath, she requested my presence tonight, something that she doesn’t generally do. I was happy to oblige.

I wouldn’t really make note of this except, she made a choice for Dad this weekend, too. She had a school project to fill out a leaf note with a few sentences about one of her family members - and she chose me! I have to return the favor and write about what makes her special. She’s written her part. I can’t wait to write about her.

Mass. Appeal

Social studies. History, geography, physics, etc.

Abby brought home what I think is a fun project. She gets three weeks to do a report on a state. She was given Massachusetts. Being from the Northeast and having spent about three years of my life living in New England (and covering the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots before they got really good), I hope to be able to lend a little perspective.

I don’t think I’m going to let her watch the John Adams HBO series though. Maybe I can get her on the phone with my cousin who attended that school in Cambridge. The one that starts with an H.

There’s lots of rich history to choose from. And now I’ve got to put it on our road trip list.

Sick little ones always get me down

When Abby gets sick, you know it. For a kid who has no trouble smiling, you can’t get one out of her for love nor money when she’s not well.

When we packed her up to send her off to her after-school program (teacher work day), we knew she didn’t feel well - a stuffy head. But before noon, she called Susan in tears with an ear ache that just wouldn’t let up.

I left work early to take her to the doctor. The way she looked almost made me weep. And she kept complaining that her ear was popping, especially when she blew her nose. Her doctor let me look in her right ear - inflamed with yellow pus oozing. Ick.

I brought her home and put her on the couch under blankets until Susan came home with meds. During the wait, Pippin, our fuzzball full of energy, wouldn’t let me leave the kitchen where I had to keep him so he would let Abby sleep.

As long as he wasn’t barking, she could sleep. And sleep she did.

We got a course of medicine in her right before dinner. But before bed, she was in tears again with a stomach ache.

Here’s hoping she can get a good night’s sleep.

Politics overload

Political stuff that struck a chord with me today:

FiveThirtyEight’s electoral project. It’s mission: “Most broadly, to accumulate and analyze polling and political data in way that is informed, accurate and attractive. Most narrowly, to give you the best possible objective assessment of the likely outcome of upcoming elections.”

On SNL, Fred’s Map/Fix It!

Opie stumps.

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die

A Wii bit o’ news

The Wii comes with several sports games, but only one controller.

The Wii comes with several sports games, but only one controller.

I guess we can blame it on the babysitter.

This summer, the kids spent some time with one of our neighbors, a teenager who helped us out during the weeks the kids weren’t in camp. That fact that she lived two houses away from us - and had a car - was perfect. Not only that, she had a fenced back yard so that the kids could take Pippin with them and let him roam and stretch his legs instead of being cooped up in his crate most of the day. He frightened the teen’s cat, but he is a dog afterall.

Anyway, the girls and the sitter spent quite a bit of time playing with her Wii. So much time, in fact, that the girls turned into huge cheerleaders of the Wii and began a nonstop onslaught of asking us to get them the game console.

We decided to get one for Christmas, but based on store availability, we didn’t think we’d get one until next year.

Well…

Just the other day, we were in target and they had one in the store. As we were standing there, a store worker brought a handful of them to the protected display. “We have a bunch in the back,” he told me. I called Susan, who gave me the green light to pick one up. I asked the worker to hold one at the counter and we’d pick it up after we finished shopping.

On our way back to retrieve, I witnessed one customer walking away with two! At $250 a pop, I wondered whether the economy really was in jeopardy. “They’re going quick I guess,” I said. The clerk laughed.

Now we have a Wii. It’s hidden in the house - in plain sight ’cause we don’t have time to put it away - until the holidays.

I haven’t had a game system since I was a teen, but I’m looking forward to giving it a try.

Maybe I’ll let the kids play with it, too.

Are you a stud at Scrabble?

I love to play it. But I don’t think I want to make the kind of investment in it that some bidders are contemplating on eBay right now.

Now if you want to buy it for us for Christmas…

Ever heard of a bruised growth plate?

It’s what happens when a 10-year-old sticks her foot in between another 10-year-old’s foot and a soccer ball.

Abby’s fine and the limping has finally stopped after a week. Now, she’s getting a cold.

Don’t you just love the fall?

Dead bear in NC makes CNN

There’s something about Obama, too.

PBS redesigns parents Web site

PBS Parents has redesigned its web site. Big news? I dunno. Just thought it was interesting. I am impressed by the orange; it woke me up this morning.

A couple of areas do appear to be interesting: 1. The Guide to Understanding and Raising Girls section (it’s grape!!!!), and 2. Talking with Kids (more grape!!!!), providing strategies for talking with kids.

The talking with kids section might be interesting as we begin to delve into Camille’s psyche as she turns 16 soon. At least in her mind she’s turning 16.