Our Future's Bright

For this week's theme is "bright" at Photo Friday, I present a photo I took in Niederveiler, Germany this summer.

Even the tiniest of lights shine bright in the darkness.



Currently listening to: Vigilantes of Love -

Can't Break Away From This Parade

I grew up in the Pumpkin Capital of the World. Every year as a child I waited with baited breath for the annual Pumpkin Festival, held the second week of September. As an elementary student I would marvel as they allowed carnies to assemble rides on our playground. Sure, it meant no kickball for a week, but the joy of the Scrambler and Tilt-O-Whirl far outweighed the costs.

Now you would think that anticipation of the festival would die with age. No, I tell you, it does not. For just today I got an email from my father which read...

A few chairs appeared near Mississippi and Jefferson late MONDAY morning; by 9 o'clock MONDAY NIGHT they are beginning to spread toward downtown.
Don't fear--don't shed a tear---I shall surrender and be out Tuesday morning.

I do not know if this happens in other towns, but residents of Morton place chairs out along the parade route days in advance to mark their terrority in a socially acceptable way. When I was in college, it was usually a day or two before the parade, but now it is almost six days before the first Shriner climbs into his tiny little car.
It makes me wonder if there will come a time when people will just leave their chairs out year round. But I guess you got to do what you got to do to get the best candy grabbing locations.

And to my readers in Morton, good luck getting a spot. Let me know if there are choice spots left.

Part of the festival I will miss the most: The Rat Game

Dare To Be Stupid

I did not get a minor in camping in college just to impress the ladies. No, I'm a big fan of summer camps and the impact on youth that they can have. And in my years of working at camps on three different continents, I have worked with some pretty amazing people. Although I have to admit, many of them are also slightly crazy.

Take for example this summer. After snack time there remained a large bowl full of liquid waste. It contained ramen, Oreo cereal, fruit loops, and various sodas that the young campers could not finish. Someone suggested that one of the staff stick their head in it for some cash. Before we knew it, a joke was becoming a reality.

Now you the home viewer can enjoy this brief moment in my summer, thanks to Google Video and Sweatshop.



Currently listening to: Beck -

Lost In The Supermarket

Barely September
But on the shelves of Costco
Christmas merchandise.

Wheat Thins at two bucks
For the forty ounce package
Can't pass up that deal.

One hot chicken bake
A berry flavored slushie
Eating like a king.

Ma'am don't shove my cart
Can't you see I'll be a while
Find a shorter line.

Signs life is boring
Haikus about shopping trips
Taken on days off.

Currently reading:

Boy In The Photograph

Here is my photo for the theme of "boy" at PhotoFriday. I took this photo of this boy in Istanbul this summer. Wasn't aware until later why he wore this outfit. When I learned, I was thankful I wasn't a young Turkish lad once.




Currently listening to: Bill Mallonee -

Rainbows Have Nothing To Hide

Grapes are cool. You can enjoy them straight off the vine. But if you can wait, leave them around and they make a great raisin (I highly recommend the Uzbekistan raisins). Squeeze them now and you will be enjoying a nice grape juice. Again with some time that liquid could be a fine wine (Might I recommend testing a Villeneuve wine). They have even discovered that leaving them on the vines during the frost produces another variety of wine altogether.

But I did not come here to praise grapes, but talk about things that get better with time. Sometimes I write these posts, but do not publish them for one reason or another. They sit mysteriously somewhere out there in the cyberspace waiting for the day that I rediscover them. Sometimes I tweak them a little more. Sometimes I release them as they were. Sometimes I return them to the draft pile to wait longer.

Exactly one year ago today I wrote the following....

Tonight I was sitting watching an amazing sunset over the soccer field where some of the students were playing. All of a sudden, one of them pointed behind me and made some statement in Korean I didn't understand. When I turned around to see what caused the game to stop, I saw a double rainbow set alongside a dark and stormy sky. The view behind me was far more stunning than the sunset.

Makes me wonder how much of life I have missed by being focused in the wrong direction, even though it might have been a good thing in itself. Sure the sunset was great, but they happen most every night. I can only think of a few times I have witnessed a double rainbow in this life.

Currently listening to: Bill Mallonee -

If I Went Away From Me

PhotoFriday's theme this week is "silver." Here one of my favorite shots from this summer. Don't know if it is because of the the tuba, the fact I'm in it while taking it, or that it is along one of my favorite stretches of the Rhine.


Currently listening to: Bill Mallonee -