RobZerrvations
Musings from a Meandering, Mischievous Mind
An Engaging Experience.
When I was just a wee lad, OK, I was 20, I decided I should marry my high school sweetheart. We've been through much of this before here, so I won't bore you with how that all played out, suffice it to say that I got a wonderful daughter out of the deal. You can fill in the blanks from there. As with any young couple preparing to spend their life together, which in our case was five years, we wanted to do things right. We didn't have a lot of money, but we figured that we could cut corners...
An Act Of Violins.
Have you ever done the little hand motion where it looks like you were playing a very tiny violin? It's the old, "Sorry, don't have much sympathy for you." I certainly know that I have done it a time or two. And I know that some of my one-time closest friends were certainly playing it when I was in various relationships. I guess I deserved it to some extent. To them, I seemed to be with someone who was a dream girl, because that's what they saw. They would see the well-endowed, vivacious woman...
Dog-Eat-Dog.
A week ago, my daughter dropped off her dog. I don't know if it was a last minute act of desperation, her regular dog sitter falling through, or a little test to see if I could handle the eventual arrival of a granddaughter or grandson who would stay overnight. Buddy is a Yorkie. My daughter always wanted a Yorkie, and in her blessed life, one jumped into her car one day while she was in college. He has been with her ever since. Of course, the years have passed. Buddy isn't a little puppy...
Suck It Up.
A week or so ago, Time magazine ran a cover issue that showed a mother breast feeding a kid who in my humble opinion, shouldn't really be sucking up to his mom. I mean, once you have teeth, I think it's time to get off the sauce and learn to love milk from a cow instead. Millions of cows in this country rely on children for their livelihood, you know. And this mother is doing a disservice to all those loyal bovines who dutifully chew their cud, then stand in line to have clamps placed on their...
Job, Job, Everywhere A Job.
I read an interesting article a couple days a go about the hiring frenzy here in Seattle. Yes, unemployment in some sectors is still alarmingly high. Yet in others, there is a huge shortage and the big boys in town whose names are all too familiar, are pillaging the village and each other looking for top-tier talent. As you know, I have a new job, too. And I get to have a great view of what is happening in this town and I must say, it is energizing. No, it's not the view I have from my office....
My Annual Hipdom.
I went to Folklife this past Saturday. I haven't been in a while. Part of that reason was I was being held captive in Florida by love gone wrong. When it finally ended up right, I came back to the homeland. I arrived just in time for Folklife. I have always enjoyed this event. It is so Seattle. People from all walks of life come in the tens of thousands to listen to music and enjoy performances that range from the amazing to, well, let's just say unique, including a guy in a rabbit suit...
Stepping Out Of The Time Tunnel.
I used to love the TV series, Time Tunnel. By today's standards, with all the whiz bang magic CGI programmers can do, it looks a bit primitive. But as a kid, it was so exciting the relive history as Tony and Doug made their way through time, trying to find their way back to the modern day. All this happened, of course, because the spigot was about to be turned off their funding. Like most federal government projects, a lot of dough went into building the time tunnel, but no one ever tried it...
Bar 54 Where Are You?
It's my birthday today. Thanks to Facebook, many of you already know that. I expect that my 54th year on this planet will be just as adventurous as the last. Certainly, it is starting out that way as I sit here at my old computer, about to get into my pirate gear in order to celebrate the day like I usually do, exceeding my limitations on all levels. I have two traditions on the Big-B. One is a Happy Robbie Gift. This tradition was born out of the fact that I am the black sheep of the family....
GranCappyPooPa.
I learned a couple weeks ago that, assuming everything goes smoothly, I will be a, ahem, grandfather. Well, let me rephrase that. My daughter will be having a baby in October and I will be its, uhm, well... I have never prepared for this possibility, largely because I thought the day would never come. I have always believed that my daughter had been pretty traumatized being only about eight feet from the birth canal of my ex when her brother came into this world. I can still see her 17 year...
Cuz You’ve Got Personastily.
I have always loved strong women. Not just in the Biblical way, but I admire them in all walks of life, whether they are involved with me or not. I guess I can blame my mother for that. No, not in some Oedipus Complex manner. She was strong by necessity, as she had to play the role of mother and father when my dad was sick. But I guess she was the role model for how I thought a woman should be. Thanks to the last run ins I've had, I don't have quite the admiration I once did. I guess I'm...
It’s A Big Gamble, But Not Mine.
As usual, I'm in love with something. I love the idea of gambling, but I profess that it doesn't love me back. Not that I don't win on occasion. I do. But I know the deck is stacked against me literally. Casinos aren't charities - they are in it to make money - my money. I liken gambling to fishing. You get a fish on the line with some really juicy bait. They take a nibble or two and you let them. Just when they think they're going to hit it big and get the rest of the worm, you tug on the...
Is This What It’s All About?
I went to a friend's choral concert a couple days ago. It was a beautiful performance, though being in a church always gives me a pause to think. No, not about going to church again - that ship has sailed long ago. Being a Catholic as a child can do that to you, as church is rarely seen as a joy, but rather, a chore. I did give pause to think briefly about the stunning stained glass behind the altar. First, I'm always amazed that such beautiful things can be created by humans, and this one was...