This Just In

According to today's Elkhart Truth, Dwight Howard was 12-for-6 from the free throw line last night. He truly is Superman.

(Since the paper went to press, Howard's free throw ability has become a more pedestrian 12-for-16.)

Bolts from the Blue

A couple of memories, both triggered by a Damascus Road event at AMBS.

1. 7th grade. Mr. Cataldo's (EDIT: My sister reminds me that he was Mr. Capaldo.) Social Studies class. Someone did something they shouldn't have done (sorry, details escape me). Mr. Cataldo threatened the entire class with detention unless the culprit came forward. No one volunteered. So I approached him and said I'd stay for detention so that others could go home, even though I'd done nothing wrong. He told me that wasn't the point. I wondered what the point was.

2. Probably around 7th grade, possibly a bit earlier. From time to time my family would go to town to watch the MPHS Panthers play boys basketball. Among the players on the team was Paul Tinder, the only black person I knew of in Mt. Pleasant. I'm pretty sure he wasn't the best on the team, but I could hardly wait for him to get in the game. Maybe I could relate to the rec specs.

Misadventure?

Yesterday we got another dog.  Oreo.  A lab-ish critter.

The humane society did not let us adopt her directly, due to her having the beginnings of kennel cough, so, for the next 10 days, this is strictly a fostering arrangement.

Tabitha is not dealing particularly well with this.  Her territoreolism is evident.  She is probably not helped by the fact that the lab has considerably more energy than she, and is thus encroaching into her space willy-nilly.  There have been barks, snarls, baring of teeth, and, yes, a little blood.

The car ride home was no problem.  But the house.  Oh my.  We've tried the "let the new dog in, take the new dog out, let the old dog in, take the old dog out, take both in together" trick (maybe this has helped, but we haven't seen it), the "go on a long walk together" trick (that actually works pretty well until one of them finds a morsel), the "get them into neutral territory so they get acquainted with each other" trick.  And, yes, we took Tabitha to meet Oreo at the shelter.

Our neighbors have had two dogs for three years, and they still don't get along with each other.  This is not an option.

Passing Thought

Last night, while conversing with a neighbor, it occurred to me that three people I know/knew as well as anyone in the neighborhood were all convicted felons.

My parents would be so proud.

Philosophical Musing

Courtesy of Ubuntu Linux:

"Checking integrity. This may take some time."

These Days

Kids these days grow up so fast. Exhibit A, this snippet of conversation I heard between two kids at the park today:

4-year-old: "C'mon, hurry up!"

5-year-old: "I'm not as young as I used to be!"