Idle Ramblings of a Slightly Mad Man

I have reached one of those rare points where I don’t really have anything to write about.  Is it writers block that I have?  Not really.  There just is not anything really exciting going on that warrants writing a whole post about.  So I thought that for my 5-6 loyal readers I would just write a rambling post on some little things that go in my Slightly Mad world.

My 4 year old son takes the whole “camel up” thing too seriously.  When he wakes up in the morning and takes his morning pee he will go for over a minute.  I don’t know how he can hold all of that.  He just keeps going, and going, and going……  To put this in perspective, stop reading this for a moment and time one minute on your watch or clock.  See, I told you that is a long time to pee.  I have no idea how he holds it that long.

I forgot to unpack a bag when I returned from the race at Richmond.  In that bag was my wife’s cell phone charger.  She was frantically looking for it for nearly a week and she was starting to get upset that she could not find it.  I had found it in the bag and when she was not looking I slipped it under some mail on the kitchen counter.  I then yelled to her that I had found it under the mail in the kitchen and told her that if she just moved things she would not be going crazy looking for it.  She swore up and down that she had looked in that spot and did not see it there.  I told her that it was kinda like the ketchup that was behind the milk in the fridge, you have to move things sometimes to find things. 

It is dark when I get up and leave for work in the morning.  I don’t like that.  I should still be in bed sleeping while it is dark. 

A friend and I have started a new forum for Pennsylvanians called TalkPa.  It is in its infantcy phase and we are hoping that it will take off soon.  I have been working hard on trying to get the word out to friends and family.  I made business cards and have started to place them around the area while I have been out. 

I have to get out into the flower beds and start working on getting them ready for fall.  Time to start planning Mums and such.  I love working out in the yard this time of year.

Now that school is back in session for my daughter the daily ritual of fighting her to get homework has started in full force.  I told her that if she wants to become the next Hanna Montana she needs to be educated and go to school.  I was going to tell her not to become like Britney but thankfully she really does not know who she is and I would rather not lead her to the disaster that Britney is.

That is my Ramblings for the day.  The weekend is upon us.  Enjoy!

I am in the shower this morning while my wife is getting ready for work and I feel my nose start to run.  I lean forward slightly and hold the opposite nostril shut and give a good blow to clear me out.  Of course my wife yells at me how disgusting I am and why couldn’t I wait and how disgusting I am the rest of the time I was in the shower. 

I tried to explain my rational to her but she was just not going to entertain that I may be right.  You see, if you are in the shower you cannot just reach for a tissue to blow your nose.  You are already dripping wet and not only will you leave a wet trail from the shower to the tissues but you will also have the tissue disintegrate in your hands before you blow making for a bigger mess to clean up.  Everything that goes down that drain mixes with all the stuff that gets poured into the sinks, and flushed down the toilets.  There are much more disgusting things that get flushed in the toilet then my snot.  Although there are times I get yelled at for that too.  I told her I was also uncomfortable and needed to get it out or I will be miserable until I can get a tissue.  She was not buying any of it.

I have had a little cold for a few days now.  It is not a bad cold, not one of those miserable summer colds that my friendHeddy has going the past week or so.  I just have a little bit of clogging going on.  Occasionally, I need a good blow or spit to get the stuff up and out and if I can save a tree by blowing it out in the shower or the yard then I am helping save the world right? 

Tenni over at Vaguetarian Tea Room tagged me with a meme and being the good sport that I am I will play along. 

These are the “official” rules (I cut and pasted):

1. Players must list one fact, word, or tidbit that is somehow relevant to their life for each letter of your first or middle name.
2. When you are tagged you need to write your own post containing your first or middle name game facts, word, or tidbit.
3. At the end of your post choose one person for each letter of your name to tag.
4. Don’t forget to leave a comment telling them that they have been tagged, and to read your blog.
5. If I’ve tagged YOU (see below), please join in on the fun!

Okay - here’s my info: (Thankfully Teeni called me Mark which is a lot shorter and easier to do than Idle Ramblings of a Slightly Mad Man which would take people 3 weeks to read through if I had to use that)

M - Manly.  Red did give me a manly man award. 

A - Alert.  I have always walked into places and the first thig I do is look for exit routes, check out people and get a sense about them, etc…  It is a compulsion I have.  I will walk into a mall and look around thinking if someone pulled a gun or a bomb or there was a fire where would I go with the family that is safe? 

R - Realistic.  I am a realist.  I think that some folks have a misguided sense of reality.  I am not one of them.  I see things for what they are. 

K - Kind.  I really am.  I am a very simple and kind person until you get me fired up about something and then watch out!  I will ramble on about it!

Now who I have tagged

Red

Rosiebell

Lemons

Kara

It was the culmination of a perfect evening.  The day was spent in the hot sun, yet there was a gentle breeze blowing that kept a body cool.  It was Race Day in Richmond Virginia. 

The NASCAR Nextel Cup event was just a few hours away and my wife and I easily made our way to the track.  After parking the car very close to the track in Lot H, we walked over to the track where we enjoyed walking through the many event tents, merchandise trailers and event activities.  As I said, it was a hot day made cooler by the slightest breeze. 

While walking around outside the track it is commonplace to get beeped at by golf carts carrying track staff, merchandise suppliers and the handicapped.  As we were walking through I could hear a cart beeping at the crowd to let them through.  It was then I saw that the driver was Robby Gordon.  Robby has a nickname on the track as “Reckless Robby” since he has a reputation for wrecking others on the track just to gain a position.  After nearly getting run over my Robby I almost called my Brother-in-law to tell him that I nearly got run over by Robby.  But then how is that news?  Almost everyone gets run over by Robby. 

 I was disappointed by the flyover.  For those that don’t know, after the nation anthem is sung there is usually an aerial flyover by military planes or helicopters.  This race had a single C-4 bomber that came in from behind turns 1 and 2 and then banked over the backstretch and away from the track.  It did not even fly the entire way across the track.  What a ripoff. 

Once the race was started I forgot about my flyover disappointment.  The evening was great in that it was cool, there was a lot of action and excitement and my wife was enjoying herself.  This is important because several races I have taken her too have been bad for her.  At Dover it is usually too hot for her to sit all day, at Bristol it snowed and we froze out butts off, at Pocono it was cool and it had rained in the morning, but Richmond was perfect.  It was so great that she even suggested we buy season tickets for the race.  Of course I have to lose my season tickets for my Dover Fall Race.  I think that will be an acceptable compromise. 

The weekend is not complete without some playful teasing of my wife.  As you drive down the 95 towards Richmond you cross 2 rivers, the Ni and the Po.  My wife thought this to be really weird that they were such short names.  I told her that Virginia was a poor state and that they could not afford all the letters to make up the signs.  I said that since the river is really the “nickle” river the state lawmakers thought it would be cheaper to us the abbreviation used on the periodic table for nickle - Ni.  We then passed over the Po river and she asked me what element that was and I replied that the element was Polonium but that is not what the River is named after.  I told her that it was really the “Poor” river but when they made the sign the guy couldn’t understand the southern accent and thought they said “Po” river so he made all the signs Po.  But, since Virginia is a “po” state, they could not afford to change the signs.  My wife is now seriously wanting to send the state of Va money to help fix their signs because she believes me.  I don’t have the heart to tell her I was messing with her. 

Even though my driver did not win, it was a great weekend.  I am looking forward to Dover in two weeks. 

She had a sour face.  She was upset and tired and not her usual happy and cheerful self.  It had been a rough day for her and she was not have a fun time walking through the store with her mother and I. 

My daughter was having one of those spoiled brat moments that every parent hates.  She is usually not a bad kid, in fact, she is mostly a gem when she is out in public with us.  Even at the age of seven, she is the kind of kid that people always walk up to us and tell us how well behaved she is and how pretty she is.  I really am proud to be with her when we are out and about.

But last night was different.  She was having a meltdown of the worst kind.  Her mother told her over and over to “wipe that sourpuss face off”.  A little later she she had asked me for something to buy.  I told her that due to her behavior the answer was a no.  The then looked me right in the eye and told me “But Dad, I wiped my pussy face!”

It is one of those moments where you know that you should not laugh, you know that you need to hold you demeanour, remain stone-like but I just could not.  I dropped to the floor and laughed and laughed.  My wife came over to see what was going on and I told her to tell her mom what she told me and she refused.  I had finally been able to wipe the tears from my eyes and told my wife what she had said.  She tried, bless her heart, to keep from laughing but could not. 

My wife, later, tried to blame me and my laughing for making her laugh at something so childish.  She refers to me as Bevis and Butthead all in one. 

Maybe I am. 

I spoke to the doctors office today about my moles that were biopsied 2 weeks ago.  The results came back and it does not look good.  Unfortunately, you all will have to continue to put up with me.  There was nothing wrong with them.  They were “normal” moles. 

I was not really concerned about them.  I knew they would return fine.  My wife on the other hand was concerned about them, which is why I went in the first place.  Now that I have told her the results she can be at rest with the fact that I am OK. 

I have now on my back 2 dried up and scabby scabs on my back.  I’ve mentioned once before that I am a scab picker.  What is really getting to me is that I have these two great scabs that I can hardly reach to pick.  I can feel them.  I can tell that they are ripe and ready and perfect for picking.  They are itching me something fierce.  I am resorting to rubbing my back up against chairs and corners of the wall. I JUST CAN’T REACH THE DAMN THINGS!!!!!  It is driving me crazy.  I can’t get my arms to bend around that way to get to them.  This is so frustrating. 

All I want is to pick some scabs. 

She suprised me last night as we sat at the dinner table.  She had asked what we had planned for the weekend.  Before I could answer she asked how would I like to spend the weekend with her without the kids.  She had peeked my interest.  I had asked her what she had in mind but she was coyly avoiding answering me.  After pressing her harder for details she finally asked if I would like to go to Richmond Virginia and more specifically go to the NASCAR races there.

What really shocked me is that for the most part she really does not like going to the race.  She has been to a few of the tracks with me.  The last time she went was for the Bristol race  spring when it snowed.  (I’ll have to write about that whole adventure one day)  After that she refused to go to another race with me.  Of course I am concerned that if she goes with me that the weather will be snowy but in September I think she has a better chance of attracting a hurricane than a snow storm. 

I am excited.  I am thrilled.  It has been years since I have seen a race at Richmond. 

Boogity, Boogity, Boogity, Let’s Go Racing Boys!!!!

I have not posted in a few days.  I am bored and have not posted in a few days. I really have nothing interesting to post so I thought that I would just post a general update.

 It has been very busy for me over the weekend.  Labor Day weekend is usually the last event weekend for most people and I am no exception. 

The family and I went to Hershey Park on Sunday.  Everyone had a great time and the weather was excellent.  More important was that the kids had a great time.  I always enjoy going to Hershey. 

Yesterday was a family picnic.  The last official BBQ of summer.  Burgers and dogs on the grill and all of that.  More importantly a reason to drink large amounts of beer. 

My teabagging cat is at it again.  I lost another good box of tea.  She is not even touching the catnip, or maybe she is and is getting the munchies and going for the teabags.  Who knows.  Stupid cat.  After going to Hershey on Sunday Penny (the cat) decided that 6am was a good time to wake us up.  I am begining to wonder if we have a cat or a dog.

School in Pennsylvania has started back up for the year.  That means that my morning drive to work is going to be crappy.  I already noticed it this morning.  I was trying to get to Center City and the 95 was jammed.  I hate traffic.  I hate slow drivers.  I hate people that cut in and out of traffic. 

That pretty much sums up my Rambling Update.  Not really much going on or interesting happening in my life. 

Red over at DrPepper is Good 4 The Soul has awarded me the Manly Men Award.  It is flattering that this lowly little blog is getting the awards and the recognition it is getting.  I am glad that you all are enjoying it.