Here are The People

Today's My Town Shoot Out is all about the people of our home towns. These were all shot at my local strip mall, where I spend an inordinate amount of time each week.

The above picture is of Darryl. He is our local homeless person. His sister used to live in our town, and occasionally he would stop there for a shower and food. He has been living in the MANY abandoned businesses around town. He's pretty quiet and harmless, and I shot this as he was coming back from peeing on the tree in the background, which was also in front of my car.

This is the back of Darryl on his way to the liquor store, walking past the gym and a guy just coming from a work out, completely tuning out the sights and sounds around him.

This is my kid's barber, Cindy. In fact, my youngest got his first haircut at this shop, by Chief who has since retired. On the day I was shooting this (Tuesday), I could not get anything without a client in a chair. the clients were pretty cool about it, most of the people in Dublin are pretty cool.

This is Jody. She recently bought the barber shop from Randy or maybe Jim, both of whom retired. She's made some pretty nice changes that have brought the shop from the 1970s. All the old clients still come in as do all of her clients from her previous shop.

This is the beginning of a Tae Kwon Do class. The students are studying, warming up and practicing their forms.

The mid-air person above is Andrew, the youngest son of the owners of the Tae Kwon Do Studio. On this day, the kids were sparing, he is very good. He was teaching the class to prepare them all for upcoming blackbelt testing and tournaments.

This is my oldest, reading a book while waiting for my youngest to finish his Tae Kwon Do class.

I spend at least 3 hours a week in this location, either visiting with the barbers, or sitting outside the studio.

I almost wished this was next week's challenge, as my town is gearing up for the St. Patrick's Parade and festival. I will be shooting all weekend, and posting those on some other day of the week. In fact, I need to pick that day. I used to have Photo Fridays, but I need another day and another alliteration. Any ideas? I was thinking Marvelous Mondays, but that sounds a bit insincere, or Wonderful Wednesdays, but there are SO many Wednesday things, I think I need to just pick one!

Love Dare Day 13

Today's Dare:

Talk with your spouse about establishing healthy rules of engagement. If your mate is not ready for this, then write out your own personal rules to “fight” by. Resolve to abide by them when the next disagreement occurs.If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.

OK, there is something that has recently surfaced about this dare. It seems to be driven by the desire to keep a failing relationship together. I'm all for trying that, but my relationship, while not always on a smooth path, is certainly nowhere near this dire. I've been skimming the official blog, and these folks are at the end of their relationships, so I can see where some of this would help. Me and The Dude? We're fine. Seriously, we piss each other off sometimes, but we rarely fight. We disagree about lots of things, but we always respect each other's opinions, and most of the time find a compromise we can both live with. But really, we agree on alot more than we disagree. And even during the rocky parts, we only ever really fought about once a year. That was before I learned to just say what was bothering me in the moment, and get over it. I used to bottle it all up, harboring resentments for months, then about once a year, it would all crash and come pouring out of me! That wasn't a particularly healthy way to be and I'm over it now.

Today is Friday the 13th, and it seems like the number 13 is rather lucky for me (unlike the Knights Templar). The Dude and I were married on the 13th, and had 13 people in the wedding party. And today? Today I had THREE job offers in my e-mail when I logged on! I have accepted one of those offers after grilling everyone I knew who also knew the managers I would be working for. I've picked what I think is by far the best fit for my skills, knowledge, desires, and management style. I am looking forward to being happy and excited about what I do again! I am looking forward to the weekend, even with all of the things we'll be doing because I won't also be worried about work - what a relief!

Of course the best laid plans... On Tuesday, my folks were over for dinner and mentioned that they thought they had a virus on the computer, and could I come over sometime and look at it. I guess today was the time limit on that, as I got a call from them while also working with 3 kids on a science project due Monday, and visiting with my father-in-law, whom I call The Geez. The Geez lives in AZ, and is here for a short visit. It was nice to see him, but I didn't really get to visit. So I agreed to go look at a computer after dinner. I went instead of dinner because since I made that plan, the boys and The Dude were invited to pizza with The Dude's step brothers. I was at my folks for THREE hours fixing the problem. I was successful, but now I'm really very tired. Not because staring at a computer is tiring (even though it is), but because my folks want to know HOW this could have possibly happened, and WHO might have done this, and do I think maybe it was (name your choice of ridiculous person/organization here). That and they also second guess everything that I am doing on the computer, as well as wanting me to slow down so that they can read EVERYTHING that comes up on the screen. It was only malware that had written to the registry, and now that it's fixed it will be good for a while. Also, I now know how to fix that particular problem, should it come up again.

Love Dare Day 12

Today's Dare:

Demonstrate love by willingly choosing to give in to an area of disagreement between you and your spouse. Tell them you are putting their preference first.

Well, I do this most of the time anyway, except for the big things, so let's see if I can come up with something. OK, we did not disagree today on one thing. Not one. There is only one thing in our marriage that we routinely disagree about - money. I really can't put us on the street, or not feed the boys by acquiescing to The Dude's desire for toys (a car comes to mind first). But I think I can count my giving into The Dude when he said it bothered him that I allow the oldest to watch Ru Paul's Drag Race. Personally, I see no issue with Drag Queens, but given the oldest's level of inherent flamboyance, he could be in for more taunting were he to bust out some of the runway moves these ladies are doing. Besides, I'm not sure 2nd grade is the right time to have that particular talk. I don't want him to have to censor himself, or even be aware that there are people on this planet that would not like you because of who you are. I think that I just don't want to break his young heart with that news.

Love Dare Day 11

Today's Dare:

What need does your spouse have that you could meet today? Can you run an errand? Give a back rub or foot massage? Is there housework you could help with? Choose a gesture that says, “I cherish you” and do it with a smile.

The Dude has been grumbling about the state of the back yard, so today after school, I had the boys go through all the toys out there and sort by which really needed to come in, which were to remain outside, and which were to be thrown away. We now have a trashcan full of broken and rusted toys, a straightened up outdoor toy bin, and a much cleaner yard. My next task will be to finish cleaning the patio, and giving it a good scrub so that it is ready for the BBQ season. I love our yard, and like to be out there if it isn't disgusting. After the winter it just needs to be cleaned. I may even tackle this today while it is still sunny and nice out, but right now, I'm still in my work clothes.

Well the boys had other ideas. Our new neighbor kids came over and played for about an hour while I cooked dinner, recipe to follow. By the time The Dude was home and our neighbors back to their home it was an hour past our normal dinner time and the kids were cranky hungry. Despite the initial grumbling about the dinner, the boys really liked it and it totally hit the spot for me as I could not get warm over these past two days!

The Dude appreciated the cleaning of the yard, and the fact that I cooked AND cleaned up the dishes. We usually split those for I cook and he usually does dishes.

J9's Lazy Ass Black Beans and Rice:

2 cups rice (white or brown, your choice)

2 cans Black Beans (you could use red if you prefer)

1 16 oz pkg frozen southwestern style corn

Garlic

Onion

Cumin

Chili Powder

Start the rice, either in your rice steamer, or in a pot on the stove.

In another pot, over low heat, mix the beans, frozen corn, garlic, onion, cumin and chili powder to taste. For me tonight, it was about a teaspoon each of garlic salt, dried minced onion, cumin and chili powder. Leave both pots alone and covered. When the rice is done, dish out the rice, and the bean/corn mix over the top. If you prefer spicier, you could add hot sauce. I've also added green olives and capers for a bit more saltiness, or a squirt of lemon to finish is good as well.

Tonight I also thought of an even lazier version that includes steam in microwave rice, and a packet of taco or fajita seasoning in place of the seasonings above.

This week's Photo Challenge is Birdhouses. I knew where I wanted to do these shots - the boys school. These are all near the front of the school, and at least one is in use.

Love Dare Day 10 - update

Today's Dare:

Do something out of the ordinary today for your spouse—something that proves (to you and to them) that your love is based on your choice and nothing else. Wash her car. Clean the kitchen. Buy his favorite dessert. Fold the laundry. Demonstrate love to them for the sheer joy of being their partner in marriage.

So today (day 2 of the 6th Birthday celebration for my youngest), I cleaned the house, mopped the floors, put the leaf in the table, did the dishes, and put them away, set up the coffee pot for tomorrow morning, folded all of the laundry, and hosted a party for the Birthday Boy with 4 of his 6 grandparents. We had Casper's Hot Dogs, and a Chocolate cake. This was all accomplished while working all day, taking the kids to and from school, having a couple more kids over for a play date, and Tae Kwon Do classes for each kid.

Oh, I also shot some photos for the challenges coming up this weekend.

The Dude took out the exhaust fan from our bathroom, bought a new one, went to lunch with some friends, bought a cake and came home and took a nap.

I usually do not fold The Dude's clothes as he does not like the way I fold t-shirts. Today I folded the mound of clean clothes that were his And that mound was at least 5 feet tall. That was on top of the normal folding and putting away of mine and The Boys' clothes. So far he hasn't noticed.

UPDATE: After posting last night, when the Dude went to bed, he did notice and it drew him out into the living room (where I was watching Colbert). This was our interaction:

The Dude: Why did you fold my clothes? You NEVER fold my clothes!

J9: I felt like it. (Normally, if I even thought about doing this in the past, it would be because I was sick of seeing the mound of clothes, and I've kind of made the area where the mound usually exists a blind spot now.)

The Dude: But WHY?

J9: 'cause I wanted to.

The Dude: Why would you WANT to?

J9: Because I love you, and thought it would be a nice thing to do for you.

The Dude didn't have a response for that, but he did lean down and give me a kiss. :-)

I now also have a 6 year old

Today is my youngest's 6th birthday. He told me this morning that he is not my Pumpkin Pie anymore (the nickname adopted from his brother, and altered from Pumpkin because he's just more than that). He's growing up now. If he only knew! I woke him up singing to him a happy birthday song, and continued the theme all the way to school. Here he is at birth - all 13 pound of him as a newborn:

And this morning during breakfast - how can you not love that face!

We had quite the roller coaster of an afternoon! Their friend came over to work on the science fair project. The one I have not found time to pull info on for them. So I was rushing to pull stuff from the Internet and highlight the bits they should read, and the friend arrived screaming! He'd slammed his thumb in the car door, and it was bleeding pretty profusely. It took a while just to get him calmed down, and I thought his mom was going to need Valium! In my house bruising, lumpy heads and the scrapes and cuts of boyhood are not even newsworthy. I've had my nose broken 3 times by the boys always with lots of blood, some cursing, and ice packs followed by Motrin. They've thankfully not broken any bones, but plenty of "let's see what happens when I jump off the couch, and try to clear the coffee table!" mishaps have ensued.

Then The Dude came home with the youngest's present - some Lego Star Wars monstrosity that he has been begging for since Christmas, and he HAD to have Yoda put together immediately. By the time the friend went home (a couple of hours later), it was lost. there were lots of tears, much ado about how the friend took it (possible, but doubtful), and a good 45 minutes of cleaning their room top to bottom in search of a Lego figure that measures no taller than 1.5". We never did find it, and now I have that figure on the way here thanks to eBay and pay pal. At least Plankton from Sponge Bob isn't his favorite, as that is only one Lego big. Of course, I found both of the ones we have of HIM!