The Wood Stove

We bought and installed the stove a while ago, but we never wrote about it. Here is a photograph. It's temporarily installed in the corner near the window seat. It will be permanently installed a little further back in the corner, once the brick wall is installed. So picture this, window seat next to wood stove that's cranking out the heat absorbed into the brick wall. Feel the warmth.

My Grad Program

I am enrolled in the Environmental Studies program which is cool because it is interdisciplinary program. So I get to take classes in all different departments; geography, environmental health, even chemistry if I wanted, but I don't wanna.

My classes are super interesting, especially the sustainability and leadership class. It's small, all grad students, and there is a lot of discussion. It is getting down to crunch time though. Four papers in the next few weeks. Papers aren't as hard to research as they were 15 years ago. Now, I get online, do quick search and half the time I can read the article online. Sometimes the book is even online. It still helps to get out of the house though. 

On a lighter note, we went to ArtsWest on Saturday to see the individual Star Wars collection of a local guy. It was pretty cool. He had stuff I had never seen growing up. Whole dioramas of the Cantina, Hoth, the Ewok planet. The majority was from the 80's so it wasn't the new episode stuff. Plus we got to nerd out with other Star Wars geeks.

Apology

Pardon me. For wanting a clean house.

Pardon me. For wanting to wipe up the mud, snow, and cinders that we've been tracking in for the past two weeks of insane weather.

I really only want to apologize for my absence on this blog. I haven't been writing much because I am in grad school this quarter.  Yep, I've taken the plunge. I received a tuition waiver and small stipend which means I have to work for a prof. I am still working at Hillel (20 hours a week). Plus I have 17 credits hours of class, and I am in the lab 8 hours a week.  That is like working full time. And you all know that I haven't done that, well, ever. Then there is the outside classwork, and I don't even have time to keep up with the bobcats. We went to one game a few weeks ago when they lost to BG. 

So there you have it. The last five weeks of my life revolve around work, lab, class, reading, sleeping, eating, and very few outside activities. But tonight Kent is on the phone, so I can't get work done. I decided to watch USA Soccer beat Mexico.  Tee hee. USA USA USA. And now I am blogging. 

The weather seems to be warming up so hopefully we can get more work done with the house. Then, we'll get back to posting on a regular basis. We did get the wood stove in, so when we get pics, we'll put them up.

CIAO

Lessons

Good morning to all.

To clarify, I, Kent am your current dictator of prose...

I shall commence with a brief description of my immediate and current surroundings & happenings:

My wife, Lori, is on a cleaning rampage.  She completed two hours of reading assignments for her graduate studies, and is now hyper-vigilant about restoring the old-house to sanity.  Many of you readers in cyberspace have likely experienced such encounters in your own home.  It can be awe inspiring as well as frightening.   

Side note:

If humankind could harness the energy and curiosity of two-year olds, or the attitude and lethargy of tv-watching- video-game-playing teenagers, or the vigor and reckless abandon of a spouse on a cleaning spree....WE would not have to worry about an ENERGY crisis. 

I tried to be helpful, but was kindly informed otherwise.  My fear is that something of mine will be lost forever, if I don't act assertively.  

On other notes:  The weather is favorable.  For what, you might ask.  Good question.  It is in 50's and yesterday morning it was near 60 F.  I spent some time cutting up firewood with my hand-me-down chain-saw.  I inherited the Sears Craftsman saw from my father when my folks "down-sized" to Condo living. 

Observation: Parents are often wiser than we kids want to give them credit for.  I hate to admit it...but ego-centric thought is so self-serving, but often blind.  For example, I imagine that as recent as a few years ago, if my father would have asked me if I wanted a chain-saw, I would have likely replied with a quizzical, defiant, and "what would I do with that thing" response.  Now I find myself looking at expensive, fancy chain-saws at the hardware store.  I even received a tutorial from my neighbor, who enlightened me as to the proper methods of sharpening my chain, by hand.  Follow the proper safety measures, and cutting up wood can be a somewhat pleasant meditative exercise.  

The chain-saw is helpful, because our new house will be supplemented with heat derived from a wood stove.  Collection of wood began this summer, and the recent ice storm has led to a few more favorable leads.  BTU's.   

Another example of parental wisdom which I should share with you, entails my haughty youthful arrogance.  I recall my parents efforts to ensure some civility in me when they graciously offered to aide me in the purchase of a couple of formal dress suits.  At the time, I was enrolled at the University, studying art and photography.  I was of the mind set that my time and efforts were in the studio, getting dirty...not in the realm of suit-and-tie. 

 A-HA, you might say, knowing my current predicament in life and the world of playing grown-up.  Yes, yes - I should have taken my parents up on their offer.  A good suit comes in handy for many occasions.  It can be wise to error on the side of caution, and find one-self over dressed in a social situation.  But, it can be more awkward to find one-self under dressed...

The lesson: Listen to your parents.  They might be wiser than you think.

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...