RobZerrvations
Musings from a Meandering, Mischievous Mind
Have A Nice Line.
Watching Glee last night, the episode where they bid farewell to their overdosed friend and fellow actor, I was struck about the significance of the lowly "-". Yes, a dash. A simple line that exists between a beginning and an end. The start and end of our lives that is marked by the dates of our birth and death. There's a now famous poem about this dash. You can read it in its entirety here. It's funny how such a simple, seemingly meaningless dash can mean so much, for in truth, it represents...
The Second City Snickers.
I recently heard that yet another pirate band had fallen by the wayside. I have seen a lot of them come and go over the years and often wonder how my band has been together in various forms for the last 30 years. No, we haven't made it big (yet!). There are other "pirate" bands that have tried over the years. They have become the flavor of the day, then drift away in the tides eventually, largely because it is a bitch to keep a band together. By their very nature, bands are dysfunctional...
Doctor Girlfriend.
NOTE: This post was originally posted six months ago, but was pulled after a few minutes because a girlfriend at the time flipped out on me about it. My wonderful love, Kat, asked me to share it with the world as she thought the story was hilarious. So in that spirit, it is being re-published. I seem to have a thing about the medical field. I have written about nearly every disease, procedure and treatment known to mankind over the years for some hospitals in Florida. I readily offer medical...
Land Ho!
I am not a very participative person. We all know I’ve never done the Hokey Pokey and have done the Electric Slide only once so that I could do the Horizontal Mambo at a later time. It only recently dawned on me that this is very self-limiting and really accomplishes nothing in my life, save for odd bragging rights that I somehow managed to avoid doing something that other people seem to enjoy. At times, this strange mindset of mine has worked well. After 55 years on this planet I am proud to...
Carnival Rides.
Carnival rides have always fascinated me. They are so thrilling and the ups and downs so unexpected. With a real carnival ride, you just never know what's coming next, even if you've ridden it a hundred times. There's always something different and so satisfying when you experience a really great ride. You know the kind. The experience begins long before you get on. Your mind is filled with anticipation and excitement. You can hardly wait, the endorphins and adrenaline pumping through through...
I Think We’re In Agreements.
An episode in my life over the weekend reminded me that I had somehow lost the wisdom bestowed upon me by The Four Agreements. If you don't know these four basic guidelines about how to live your life, you should. They are so simple, yet so vital to the lives we lead: Be impeccable with your Word. Basically, say what you mean. Don't use words that hurt you or others and don't gossip. Don't take anything personally. What others say and do has nothing to do with you. It's their opinions and...
It Was All An Accident.
I have been in a few accidents over the years. Certainly, the one where the crazy woman thought she could fly over my car was the topper. I can still remember every moment of it in excruciating detail, right down to look on her face as she became a passenger in what used to be my back seat. I have also seen my share of accidents as well. Half a dozen or so, moments in time where you are either in the right place or the wrong place, watching horror unfold before your very eyes, everything...
Being A Father Again.
Before anyone falls out of their chair, I am not fathering another child. If you recall, Diablo my ex took care of that with the Case of the Celtic Dick Snipper. So no mas bambinos pequeño para moi. And yes, I know I've mixed my languages. Fun huh? Rather, I am about to be a father full-time again. Several weeks ago, my teenaged son decided that he wanted to move in with me. It has always been an option for him, a one-time deal that was irrevocable. This would keep him from ping-ponging...
Swooshing.
Snow is a rather rare occurrence in Washington. O.K., let me correct this a bit. It snows like crazy in the mountains around here, hundreds of inches. But for the most part, the snow stays where snow should snow: the mountains. In the lower echelons of the state, snow isn't such a common occurrence. O.K., I should correct this, too. It snows like crazy in Eastern Washington during the winter as well. But it doesn't snow as much in Western Washington, at least in Renton where I grew up. In the...
A Jail Bird In Diapers.
When I was a kid, and unfortunately more and more I am beginning to realize that I was indeed one a long time ago, at least chronologically, I played with guns. Before anyone calls Child Protective Services, they were toy guns. Well, all of them were toys except for the British Sten Gun my father brought home from the war. As with any kid of that era, we played with guns incessantly. My personal favorite: the Marx Tommy Gun with full auto cap firing capability. It was a marvelous weapon,...
Shamu On You!
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I have always admired killer whales. As I kid, I read the Native American legends about these majestic beasts, which inhabit the waters of Puget Sound and the Straight of Juan de Fuca. When I was very young, I saw my first killer whale, Namu. He had been captured in the wild and brought back to the old aquarium on the Seattle waterfront. He didn't live very long, only 11 months. But he was a huge draw, some 100,000 people went to see him, and my dad made...
Milking It All I Could.
Being back in Seattle, I am continually reminded of my past. Oh, no, not that past. Rather, I am talking about the many things I have had the chance to do in my life, many of them just one time – check things off the list and move on activities. This was certainly the case with the Milk Carton Derby. If you're not from the area, let me explain this event to you, as it is a classic WTF Northwest event. The goal is to create a waterborne craft that is floated entirely by milk cartons. They can...