Saturday Evening Post
Jun. 7th, 2008 06:46 pmSo we've settled into a routine with Buzz and everyone else. He gets his morning gooshy fud and the dogs go out, then more fud and insulin, and everyone else gets fed. He's quite perky these days, too.
This morning Honey wanted to sleep in a bit, but I had to roll out at the usual time to take the car over to the emissions testing station. I should have done it sooner, but forgot and the "deadline" was this week, only that's the day the storm rolled in. I decided to pay the $15 penalty and make it a Saturday run. So she woke me at the usual time this am, and Kedgie decided it was too early and I should stay where I was and pet her. Then Buzz walked into the room (he'd passed the barricade) and close behind Buzz was Brady, who leaped mightily across the entrance and onto the bed. They stared at him, he stared at me. I laughed and got up, fed him and everyone but the dogs, made a cuppa, and left.
It was very foggy along the road, even more so as I drove north to the testing station (about 10 minutes away). I sat in line for the station, watching the fog roll by, reading some short stories by Tanya Huff (good science fiction/fantasy if you haven't read any of her stuff). My turn came up, I paid my fee + penalty, they plugged their cable in, ran the test, printed out the official form, and away back home I went.
Back home it was time to get a second cuppa, and a roll with butter, wash my hair, give Buzz some dry fud, and then go with Honey to a seminar on parenting (Effective Parenting for the Hard-to-Manage Children). It was interesting, although the presenters were a little heavy on the psych jargon -- it helps having a professional psychologist in the family, as I've heard her say some of this before. Still, how many people know what cognitive behavioral therapy is?
They showed some videos, discussed their approaches (they're splitters, not lumpers), provided refreshments (fruit, bagels, coffee/tea/soda) and then lunch (sliced wraps, fruit, cookies). Not bad, and we got some techniques to try on him -- all positive reinforcement, which plays to Honey's preferences (and mine). Son stayed home with a schedule of homework/studying and Wii/movies to adhere to. He was also supposed to "clean up" his bedroom as well.
We got home, picked up the videos that we'd watched, ran them into the store, parked, and went to see a movie. As luck would have it, there was a 1:40 showing of Kung-Fu Panda, and it was already 1:30 -- decision made!
We loved this movie. The kung-fu action was well-choreographed -- as a former martial arts student (karate and Korean MA), I usually have a bone to pick with movie stunts. This was based on the fantastical Chinese movies, where characters fly through the air, and was well-drawn too. They used all the old tropes, and made them look smooth. The fighting scenes were typical (good) Chinese fighting, and the dialogue was hysterical. The plot was a standard former-student-turned -evil, and an elderly sensei teaching his successor who in turn teaches the new star pupil. Jack Black voiced the panda (Po); Dustin Hoffman voiced Master Shifu. His sensei is Master Oogway, an ancient turtle who embodies every ancient sage you've ever seen in any movie. Angeline Jolie and Lucy Liu voiced the two female students of Shifu, the Tigress and the Viper. James Hong voiced Po's dad, the goose Mr. Ping -- imagine David Lo-Pan as a goose, and you've got it. ;-)
Of course, we got hungry for Chinese food, so we stopped at the buffet for dinner, then came home and dealt with animals.
Now we're off to see a concert (choir going off to tour in Europe), and then..who knows?
This morning Honey wanted to sleep in a bit, but I had to roll out at the usual time to take the car over to the emissions testing station. I should have done it sooner, but forgot and the "deadline" was this week, only that's the day the storm rolled in. I decided to pay the $15 penalty and make it a Saturday run. So she woke me at the usual time this am, and Kedgie decided it was too early and I should stay where I was and pet her. Then Buzz walked into the room (he'd passed the barricade) and close behind Buzz was Brady, who leaped mightily across the entrance and onto the bed. They stared at him, he stared at me. I laughed and got up, fed him and everyone but the dogs, made a cuppa, and left.
It was very foggy along the road, even more so as I drove north to the testing station (about 10 minutes away). I sat in line for the station, watching the fog roll by, reading some short stories by Tanya Huff (good science fiction/fantasy if you haven't read any of her stuff). My turn came up, I paid my fee + penalty, they plugged their cable in, ran the test, printed out the official form, and away back home I went.
Back home it was time to get a second cuppa, and a roll with butter, wash my hair, give Buzz some dry fud, and then go with Honey to a seminar on parenting (Effective Parenting for the Hard-to-Manage Children). It was interesting, although the presenters were a little heavy on the psych jargon -- it helps having a professional psychologist in the family, as I've heard her say some of this before. Still, how many people know what cognitive behavioral therapy is?
They showed some videos, discussed their approaches (they're splitters, not lumpers), provided refreshments (fruit, bagels, coffee/tea/soda) and then lunch (sliced wraps, fruit, cookies). Not bad, and we got some techniques to try on him -- all positive reinforcement, which plays to Honey's preferences (and mine). Son stayed home with a schedule of homework/studying and Wii/movies to adhere to. He was also supposed to "clean up" his bedroom as well.
We got home, picked up the videos that we'd watched, ran them into the store, parked, and went to see a movie. As luck would have it, there was a 1:40 showing of Kung-Fu Panda, and it was already 1:30 -- decision made!
We loved this movie. The kung-fu action was well-choreographed -- as a former martial arts student (karate and Korean MA), I usually have a bone to pick with movie stunts. This was based on the fantastical Chinese movies, where characters fly through the air, and was well-drawn too. They used all the old tropes, and made them look smooth. The fighting scenes were typical (good) Chinese fighting, and the dialogue was hysterical. The plot was a standard former-student-turned -evil, and an elderly sensei teaching his successor who in turn teaches the new star pupil. Jack Black voiced the panda (Po); Dustin Hoffman voiced Master Shifu. His sensei is Master Oogway, an ancient turtle who embodies every ancient sage you've ever seen in any movie. Angeline Jolie and Lucy Liu voiced the two female students of Shifu, the Tigress and the Viper. James Hong voiced Po's dad, the goose Mr. Ping -- imagine David Lo-Pan as a goose, and you've got it. ;-)
Of course, we got hungry for Chinese food, so we stopped at the buffet for dinner, then came home and dealt with animals.
Now we're off to see a concert (choir going off to tour in Europe), and then..who knows?