Would that there were more like these. . .

Profundity at a comedy club! We're certainly not hearing it in Congress or precious elsewhere in the public square, so why not!?

A moment of silliness. . .

This post has nothing to do with homeschooling.

Nor with working from home.

Nor parenting.

Nor any of the other weighty subjects you've come to expect from other bloggers whom I love to cite and quote (but rarely from me in original form - I admit it!!!).

Instead, this is all about that all-important, all-consuming subject clogging the thought-processes of intelligent, well-meaning adults all across the fruited plain who have many other things they should be focusing on but aren't.

This post is, indeed, about American Idol.

(feel free to move on to another site / blog / etc if you have no desire to waste time on this subject. I'll wait while you move on)

OK, now that the boring people are gone, an admission. Typically, my wife and I are "end of the season" AI viewers. Don't bore us with the 12, the 8, or even the final 6. Get it down to the final 4 or so and we're suddenly interested. (We have a similar approach to professional baseball, the Braves, and play-off season / the World Series, but let's not turn this into a psychological analysis, shall we (not)?).

Our interest in American Idol really started when we lived in Birmingham AL which, for several years, had a statistically inprobable likelyhood of having a resident in the final 4. Rueben, Bo, etc. Who couldn't love Rueben? We were minding our own business shopping at Rich's (now - alas - Macy's) when he walked by with some of his posse. We were thrilled. Our interest in Idol was cemented.

We also claim any links to anyone else from the Atlanta area (our hometown) and, in general, the South. But, we don't have the time or patience to sit through all of the drama of the first 8 weeks. We know someone we can love will end up in the final group. If not, there's always next year. (refer back to my reference to major-league baseball).

This year, it's all David Cook. Due to travel, I've had more opportunities to check in on Idol over the past 4 weeks or so. From the moment Michael the Australian guy was knocked off, I've known it had to be David C. OK, so he's from Missouri. Technically, that's the "south". More importantly, he's all that and a bag of chips. David A is cute and all, but let's send him to Orlando (Disney) to marinate for a decade or so, then he can burst on the scene when he's an adult. In the meantime, in the "Battle of the David's", it's all about Cook. There is no alternative.

Nuf said.

Watch next week.

Vote for DC.

(We now return to our original programming.)

One thing really quick

I recently found an editorial cartoonist that I really enjoy. Michael Ramirez of Investor's Business Daily has a terrific wit and timely message every time.



For all of you homeschoolers out there, today's is particularly significant.




Regards,

Chris

We're back!!

At long last, we have returned from vacation. OK, actually we got back Tuesday night, but this is the first chance I've had to actually post. A few housekeeping items:



1) Timothy, thanks so much for your suggestions for the trip a few months back. I'll file a more comprehensive description of where we went and what we did later. Suffice it to say that we had a great time. Sorry we didn't get to the Sacramento area, but I'll look you up next time I'm there on business.



2) Arby, ditto for you on my next trip to Kansas City.



I'll leave you with this quick shot of The Boy posing for his mom after finishing lunch in Sequoia National Forest. Yest, that's snow in the background.





Chris

Please forgive me. . .

I hope that this doesn't offend my numerous dear readers from Oklahoma or nearby states (possibly both of you!?), but it was just TOOOO funny not to link to.

With a hat tip to Libertas, here is a glimpse at what celebrities might look like if they moved to The Sooner State.

This has been your pop-culture update.

Live from the Crown Room at DFW (and desperately hoping that my plane shows up sometime soon!)

Chris

This weeks CoH is up. . .

over at the NerdFamily's place. My ruminations on birthday gifting are included.

It may be quiet around here. . .

Not that I've been setting world records for blogging lately, but I wanted my regulars (both of you) to know that I'll be on the road pretty constantly for the next three + weeks.

This week I'm off to Boston. The schedule isn't too rigorous, so I should be able to get in a post or two.

Next week, I'm off to New Orleans (where I'm speaking at a conference), then Dallas (internal meetings that will go dawn to dusk and beyond).

After that, the whole family is off on vacation to California!!! Hopefully I will be able to post updates of that trip along the way. After all, it's not every day that a family of five flies west (hoorah for frequent flier miles!) to spend "spring break" checking out Sequoia National Forest AND the Sonoma Valley wineries. Plus take in a family wedding (the real reason for the whole trip). There should be several good posts to be had in that mix!

Regardless, I'll be checking in on YOUR blogs from hotels and airports along the way, so keep that good news coming.

Live, from the road. . .

C