Fireworks and BBQ

Happy 4th of July.

This day always takes me back to my childhood. I can distinctly remember being 5 years old, dressed in a batman costume and riding my batman Hotwheel cycle in the neighborhood parade.

That seems to be something we just don't do anymore. Living in the hustle and bustle of a big city (or at least a big city suburb) seems to preclude my neighborhood from doing anything special. I miss the carefree days of my youth when you knew your neighbors, played outside all day long with no worries and planned neighborhood parades and cookouts.

For myself, I am grilling something today for the family, watching fireworks tonight and hoping somehow we can return to a more carefree, simple life.

Hurry Up and Slow Down

Here's what I don't understand. Why is it impossible for people on the road during rush hour to drive courteously? Nobody wants to let anybody in, everybody tailgates, and the lane changing.

I understand you want to get home. So do I. But you're not getting there any faster by not letting people merge off the on-ramp. It seems to me that one of the downfalls of our society today is the lack of common courtesy. Let one person in, then continue on your way. Traffic will flow so much smoother and everybody wins.

Let's get home safely, as quick as possible, and with a little human decency.

Ahhh, July

Is there really anything better than the month of July. We get a day off work, the vacation season is in full swing so there is a lot less traffic on the roads, and the kids are out of school.

The only problem is the heat. Why exactly does it need to be so darn hot? It's not like the heat has any redeeming value to us here in Texas. We don't really need to thaw out from the winter. The only purpose seems to be increasing the profit at the energy company.

Our house (10 years old but new to us in March) turns out to be very energy inefficient. To quote my father, "you are air conditioning the whole neighborhood." I'm keeping the air on 80 constantly, trying to stay ahead of our budget.

Oh well. This heat will pass, and then I can complain about the cost to warm the house when it's 50` outside.

Beauty Secrets

Why is it that women feel the need to smear paste on their faces in the name of beauty?

My daughter and wife decide tonight to put on a mask, proceeding to scare the bejeebers out of me with their ghost white faces. I can't imagine men putting themselves through this. "Hey Bob, pass me that stinkbait, oil and Simply Green mask. My pores are clogged." Never happen. Just another example of the whole Mars and Venus argument.

Women are odd.