G-chatting with my mom, Tellus Science Museum & More

A year ago, my mom did not have Internet access or a computer. In fact, earlier this year, she still was not "hooked up," but now she is, and it's so cool. At 10 tonight, I was checking my online accounts before shutting down, and there she was on Google. I'd meant to call her several times today to just catch up with her but thought I'd missed my opportunity for the day, because I have a 9-to-9 rule on calling friends and family: Don't call before 9 a.m. or after 9 p.m. unless it's an emergency (the one exception to this rule, of course, is calling my storm chasing brother Simon, because he never sleeps or keeps normal hours). Anyway, we got caught up, and it's all because she's online now. Woo-hoo!

*****

We always do so much, it seems, that I can't relay everything we've been up to, but today we (Tammy, Reese and Baby Will) got out to Tellus Science Museum. It was really cool. There was a wing covering minerals, a wing covering fossils (which was the best I've ever seen in person), a wing covering vehicles (trains, planes & automobiles--plus, spacecraft), and a wing called the Treehouse that had all manner of "hands on" stuff for Reese to play with.

Bonus: Since we have a family membership at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, our admission was free!

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Reese spent most of Saturday with his father, so Tammy and I (and Baby Will) plotted out themed days for the 10 of the 14 days we'll be spending with all the four of the boys when Ben and Jonah come down at the end of June. Here's our tentative schedule:

June 28: Monster Day
June 29: Military Day
June 30: Magic Day
July 1: Talent Show Day
July 2: Dinosaur Day
July 3: Ocean Day
July 4: USA Day
July 5: Moon Day
July 6: Boos-Day
July 7: Fangsgiving

We might be on the road the next couple days, and then, Ben turns nine years old on July 10th. I can't believe he's already half-way to turning 18. Sigh. Where does the time go?

*****

Poem-A-Day 2010 Update:

159-Astrophysics

Every cat as trophy leaves me be
leaving a cat as trophic end is not
palate able for most human beings.


160- Zombies are zombies

Don't try humanizing re-animated flesh;
a mummy is not a mommy; a vampire
doesn't cuddle; sometimes, evil is evil.


161-Abandonment

There's a time for being a gentleman
just as there's a time for being a man.

Even good children have no patience; they
know by instinct there's no time for waiting.

At that age when I didn't want to hang
with anybody too young or too old,

the evening was barely cool enough
for her to welcome my arms around her.

Under a tree in summer and the weight
of another heartbroken love letter,

I watched one woman after another
walk my way with white teeth and bare shoulders,

but it's not about beauty or one heart
beating another heart to submission.

One pause could mean the difference between
a welcome kiss and a kiss that's awkward.


162-Way no way

Build a fire;
put it out;
strap some wire
to your mouth;
hear the choir
as they shout,

"You are fine,
but you act
out of line;
buy a cat
and a sign
on a hat

that reads, 'Here,
I fear, is
one deaf ear,'"
and then, kiss
your cold beer;
or get pissed.


163-The Mendoza Line

Make eye contact; then,
break it. Smile, but
fake it. She wanted
five reasons to break
your heart. Watch the net;
you might catch something.
Hold the line; you might
hook her. Nobody's
out to get you. Talk
to a stranger. Take
a different route.
Exacto knife her
picture from the frame.
Smile when she pouts.

164-The man who could do everything

The young girls dreamed of him; the young unwed
women wanted him; the married women
wanted him too, though they pretended they
did not. Who doesn't long for such a man?
He wore stylish outfits that never seemed
gaudy. He made people laugh by only
poking fun of himself, though he always
made his legend greater at the same time.
He humored children, pleased women--even
pleased himself. This, he did in addition
to being an excellent cook, sportsman,
conversationalist and trusted friend.
Yet, he never did find someone to spend
his evenings with. He seemed capable
of doing everything--except make
himself head over heels happy in love.

*****

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