HOPE

Hello to all !

KENT here...

What a terribly exciting day.  January 20th, 2009, ...we witnessed a new era in USA history.

With the former president's approval ratings at an all time low,  our economy in distress, our national debt outrageous, and our international image tarnished - we inaugurated a new president today.

A new beginning.  Hope has been restored to the American people.  

I was moved during today's proceedings.  The kids I work with cheered and clapped during the inauguration...who would-of-thunk-it.  These young people were overwhelmingly supportive of Obama....kids that society tends to "throw away"....kids that struggle to read... kids without parents who have challenged them to think about their own future...

And here they were cheering on their new president.  

I can only hope and pray that our federal government is up to the challenge.  Additionally, I take heed to the president's message of service-work, patience, and a cool demeanor.  We all have work to do, to make our community better.

 

Recent rants and raves!

Hello, hello, hello...

Hello.  I think that the 3-stooges began some of their monologues with that entrance...

Kent KB  here - givin ya some dap.

It has been too long since I have last communicated with you, my cyber family and friends.  In general, I try to be positive, upbeat and fun-loving.  But every once and a while, it is quite necessary to roll off a Rant!  Here are a few Rants and Raves.

Which to list first?

Rants:

1) Yahoo's front page - I am terribly confused why Yahoo finds it necessary to inform me of "who was worst dressed at the Globes".... Like I give a @$&%.  Seriously.  Oh-my gawd, I can't believe that she wore that dress with those shoes.   Let's get some shoes.  SHOES.

2) Paying $12 to get into an OU Basketball game.  It's the MAC.  Come-on.  They should be paying me to show up and cheer.   (small rave- I do like our new coach and love cheering on the team...although I prefer to sit in the way-chill-dizzle section with my dank-posse.)

3) Continuing credits and license requirements:  I just want the degree to be the end-all-be-all.  Nuff said.

4) Electrical shorts which lead to fire in your 1981 Ford F-150 4x4.

RAVES:

1) Free pens at conferences.

2) Cheering on a team that plays defense.  I love that blue-collar sh$t. 

 

3) Doughnuts, especially when they are free.  MMMmm maple glazing.

4) Dark chocolate.

5) Recent "New Yorker" magazine article about Van Jones.  He is an environmentalist who also champions social justice causes...and ties it all together.  I have my wife to thank for educating me on this one.  Van Jones believes, to paraphrase, that we must address our clean energy needs, and get young, disadvantaged people to work in these new emerging fields...as a matter of national security and economic stimulus.

6) That same New Yorker magazine had an interesting article about Obama's upcoming Inauguration speech.  The story references President JAmes A Garfield, an Ohio boy, and the challenges that he faced in writing his Inauguration speech.  Garfield labored over every Inaugural speech written that he and his staff could get their hands on....from Washington to his present day...

President elect Garfield noted in his diary, that none of the speeches measured up to Lincoln's.  Lincoln was the man.  He liked the simplicity of Washington's speech and the precedent that he set...   Garfield even considered forgoing the speech altogether.  He was up until 2 or 3AM working on it the night before he took his oath of office.  Clinton was allegedly up until about 4-5 AM, making the final touches for his speech.  Hilary Clinton has said that her husband never met a sentence that he didn't think that he could tweak.  Garfield's speech was interesting and managed to offer some insight ... ( I will try to add some links, so that you can read the work here).

7) Watching and playing good ultimate....or anyone laying out.

I hope to list more soon.  Perhaps I will include some links.

Ciao

KENT

 

Happy Happy New Year

We spent New Years Eve at the neighbors house as part of a murder mystery party.  The stage was set at one of the hottest New York Clubs in the year 1979.  We each had a character and had to figure out who was the murderer.  I was Gloria Stunnem.  Kent was John Revolting. Can you dig it?

Kent in his best John Travolta impression.

Lyza M. and Diana Rush.  It was an A list event.

A Charlie's Angels reference.  

Midnight!  Happy New Year.

BTW.  I did it...

Happy New Year

We went to Cincinnati for the Christmas weekend.  Time flew bye as we were able to spend time with lots of friends and family.

Christmas day was spent at Nonna's.  I made her a calendar filled with family photos.  With the help of a friend I scanned some old photos to add to the digital photos we had.  I felt good about it since I was able to include images from 1940 to the present and they featured all of Nonna's family down to the most recent great grand child.  If you ever want to do this, I highly recommend Shutterfly.  They have tons of backgrounds to choose from and many templates also.  BTW, Nonna loved this gift.  Cousins, check it out when you are visiting.  There are some oldie but goodies in there.

Here is Nonna going through the months.

The Friday after Christmas, Kent, Jeff and I picked up Nonna and went to Uncle Joe's new house.  It is fantastic, and Ruth, as always, cooked up a delicious meal.  Plus it was great to see my cousins and their kids.  Jeff, Carolyn and I relived old memories as we tried to assemble the latest Lego set.  Tad and young Joseph helped out too.  The Spongebob Pineapple lasted about 10 minutes before it was crushed by a wondering ball.  After fixing it a couple times I gave up.  It was assembled for a short while and that it satisfaction enough for me.  Although it's fun to build the "set" it is more fun to use the parts and make something else.  I will leave that to the youngens. 

This is Grant eating a cookie.  Isn't he adorable.  Wait a minute, I don't remember seeing any cookies there...do I?... hmmmm.

After enjoying a round of disc golf in the beautiful weather on Saturday, Kent and I visited Roy and Tif.  Let's just say that I love baby Jade's hair.  It sticks straight up no matter what.  I think she is going to be a rock star.

After dinner we played wits and wagers (the game of the year, apparently)  It is pretty darn fun, so play it, if you have a chance.

Kent was playing around with the black and white mode of the camera.  Can you see the hair!

There may be hope.

And his name in John Groce.  

Yep, it's college basketball season once again.  After too many years of lackluster, Tim O'Shea left OU before we could give him the boot.  (Which is a-okay with me.)  Step in Coach Groce who has assisted at OSU (that other Ohio school), Xavier, and NC State.  

We went to our first game last night and OU beat Holy Cross in a close, exciting game.  Finally, it seems OU is working on an offense.  It's not pretty, yet, but there is some strong talent out there.  Defensively, OU is quick, sneaky, and scrappy.  This will go far in the MAC.  However, they need offense, and a pure shooter.  It seems like OU has always had a player who comes off the bench and lights it up.  I haven't seen that yet.  Last night there were too many in and outs.  And missed free throws.  Jees almighty, that is frustrating.  We are up by 3 with 42 seconds left and you gotta make those free throws boys.  

OU could become quite good in the next few years.  If that happens, I hope OU can keep this guy.  It's the curse of the MAC.  We bring in these young hopefuls, they turn our teams around, and how do they reward us... by going on to bigger schools.  Enjoy it while it lasts, folks.  

GO BOBCATS!

What's happening.

Well, it 's been a bit of time since we last updated.  As mentioned before, the house is moving slowly now.  Which is fine.  Because our lives are plenty full.

To catch you all up...

The big blue truck we just purchased a few months ago caught on fire.  It's totaled.  The dash and bench seat are a blackened charred mess.  The engine may be okay, so Kent is researching the next move.  Replace the cab?  Put the engine in something else?  Buy a whole new old truck? Buy a whole new newer truck? So many possibilities.

We went to South Carolina for Thanksgiving.  It was a good time until we tried to drive home.  Note to self.  Don't ever try to drive anywhere the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  

Now it's preparation time for Christmas.  I hope you all get what you want.  

Random House photos

Since the weather is frickin' cold, we haven't done anything on the house.  And I know you are all jonesin' for an update.  So here are some photos taken over the last month or so.  But before that, I have to say Mother Nature, Gaia, or whoever is being a real bitch right now.  70 degrees a week ago and in the 20's now.  Not cool.  There is snow on the ground from 2 days ago.  Not much snow, have you, but the fact is that it is sticking around.  What ever happened to a gradual entry into winter.  

Okay, I had to get that out.  

Here is Kent during the digging spree.  Yeah, shovels!  Which reminds me, there still is digging to do to find the sewer line... ughhhh.  

PJ working the chop saw.  vrrrooommm.  Or rather ssscccrreeeeeeecchh as it cuts the wood.

Totally posed picture.  But I do work a bit in there, and most of it is good.  I am especially good at starting things.  Since I have to leave for work everyday around 11:30, the boys usually finish the projects I start.  And they don't have to redo that much of my work.

 Maybe this should be my facebook pic. hmmmm.