Ice Storm '06

Last Thursday we had an Ice Storm here in Midland that left us without power from Thursday through Saturday evening. It made me realize how much I take electricity for granted. I mean I never think about it. I just continue to use it. Right now for example I'm typing here on the computer while watching TV. It's day so I don't have the lights on but if it were night I'd be using that too. Not to mention the heat and water use.

For last weekend luckily we had a generator handy and a wood stove so all wasn't bad. But I wasn't able to watch the Canadian Men's hockey game on Saturday morning (I guess that wasn't such a bad thing a they blew it agains the Swiss 2-0). But seriously it was really boring. I read some and sat around alot. Once we got the generator going I had the TV hooked up and watched my Simpsons DVD as the cable was also out. I thought about going to a movie and couldn't look up the times on the internet. I had to go old school and look up the times in the newspaper.

To tell you the truth it really wasn't that bad. I mean I had The Simpsons and heat. The only really bad part was lack of a shower and flushing the toilet with melted snow (not fun). I guess all I'm saying is it's funny how fast technology comes into our lives and takes it over. When we first get cables it's like wow there's so much on TV then we want the extra sports channels and MTV 15. When we have internet we want High Speed then that's not fast enough. We want everything faster and faster from intant quotes on auto insurance to Rice Krispy Squares we don't have to prepare ourselves.

I think what I'll take away from my 48 hours without power is that I need slow down and enjoy things. Since the weekend I've taken extra pleasure in turning on a light switch and flushing the toilette. Thank you Consumer Electric.

Teaching in a Blue State

Let me just say that I don't understand politics. I don't really even want to understand politics. I mean, I know I should take an interest in what is going on in the political world, but every time I try to learn more I just get frustrated. People should just make me King of the World and everything would be fine. Anyways. I know it's Valentine's Day and for all you that are single I'm sorry it's a depressing day, isn't it? For everyone else I hope you're having a good one. Lynnette bought me The Simpson Complete First Season (I know I should already have owned it but I didn't). Nothing says I love you like stupid cartoons. Best gift ever!!

Back to the point. So I'm teaching in a Blue State. Today I was the substitute for a 4th grade class here in Michigan. This is what happened. You see Elementary students get a thing called "Times for Kids" its a news magazine aimed to show kids what's going on in their world. Today's TFK (as the hipsters call it) had an article about gDub's (That's George W. Bush for those that don't speak hipster) State of the Union Address. The students are given an assignment paper that goes with the TFK (hipster) to gaige what they're learning. Today's paper had the students writting a letter to The President in response to his address. This is where it get's interesting. A student comes up to me and says he doesn't want to write the letter. I ask why? and he says "I wanted Gore to win and so I don't like George Bush". He ended up writting the letter and I noticed a few other's with comments like "Please stop spying on us" and "Don't be the President".

I know from the media that a lot of people don't like gDub. But for a kid not to want to write a letter to The President because his guy lost. Isn't this a little much. Is it just that this country is so divided? Or is there more to it. I remember going to the Prime Minister's Office (he's like the "President of Canada" for those that aren't hipsters) when I was in 4th grade and being excited just to be there. I didn't know who my parents voted for or didn't vote for, I was just excited. They gave us this cool book with all these facts about Canada and we got to see all over. I even saw the red phone (I don't know who the red phone calls in Canada but it was there, maybe it's to order Tim Horton's).

Do you think that America is simply too divided? Is it that people actually disagree with everything Bush has ever done, or are they simply upset that they lost? Is politics like sports you hate Tom Brady if you're from Indy just cause he's a Patriot even though I'm sure he's a really nice guy? I mean this is supposed to be a democratic society, they believe in it so much they are forcing other countries to be like them. Yet in a fair "democratic" election a President was chosen "by the people for the people" (or something like that) and half the country hates him. I just don't get it.

All I know for sure is that it made me sad to think an American kid had nothing nice to say to The President of the United States of America. I guess "if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all". I wonder what kind of letter's Saddam got when he was still dictator?

Brandon the Ski Bunny

This past weekend the amazing Brandon Schenck came to visit us in Michigan. The original plan was to make it all the way to Ottawa for the wonderful time known as Winterlude, but poor weather in the nation's capital kept us in Midland. The weather here wasn't a whole lot better. We wanted to get out on an outdoor rink to prove who is the better hockey player. Unfortunately we had to settle on taking in an OHL game in Saginaw. How a Michigan city has an Ontario Hockey League team I don't know. On Monday we did get the chance to head to Caberfae Peaks for a day of skiing/snowboarding. We had a great time. This was Lynnette's first time on ski's and she did wonderful. It was great to have Brandon here for a while. Thanks for the visit Brandon. Hopefully next time you visit we won't be living in Lynnette's parent's basement.

New Nephew

Peyton
Originally uploaded by Babymase.

Welcome to the world Peyton James Perkins. Lynnette's sister Leah had her second child on Wednesday. He weighed something and was a certain length long, but since I have no clue what any of that stuff means I won't write about it on my blog. Unless the kid came out 6'6" and 250 is it really a big deal how big the kid is?

Anyways, here he is. So far we know that he sleeps a lot and likes to eat. Sounds like he's set for a great life. He was born around 7:30 Wednesday morning. We met him shortly after that. Leah and the baby are doing well and expect to be released from the hospital Saturday morning.

So put your hands together for the one and only Peyton James Perkins.