Life in the Deaf lane

Those free movie passes were collecting dust on the shelf. Every time the captioning services at the Live Oak Regal Cinemas went belly up, I got free passes. Eventually there were about ten tickets. Yep, the craptioning sucked and no amount of free stuff was going to make them invest in better equipment. I had resigned myself to writing bad yelp reviews and encouraging my friends to avoid going to that theater.
Daughter wants to go on a date? Here are two tickets, kids. Enjoy yourself.
Superman vs. Batman came out this week and my daughters wanted to go, but I remained firm. I was done with the Live Oak cinemas. 'Other theaters would honor those passes,' my daughter said. So we went a little farther to the Northwoods Regal and I did enjoy myself... sort of.
The glasses worked. There were one or two spots that it sort of blanked out, but it corrected itself right away, so no complaints there. Usually I walk out of the movies in throbbing pain. The glasses pinch my nose and no amount of adjusting helps. They also dig into the side of my head, right above my ears. A headache is a small price to pay for being with my family for an afternoon's entertainment if the movie is good.
The movie was merely okay. Not great. If this had come out six or eight months after Man of Steel, it might have been better. This movie appealed to fans and not much else. It barely cleared my threshold of disappointment. It needed more one liners. The plot needed to move quicker. The second act went on far longer than it should have.
The best part of the movie? We got sneak peaks of the other heroes that are not Batman or Superman. I am so stoked about Wonder Woman finally coming to the screen. Why is DC dragging it's heels? These characters are unique and they have a story to tell.

Many nerds consider Aquaman to be the lamest superhero in the DC universe. When I saw the promotional pics of Jason Mamoa my hopes did rise a bit, but wait, it won't be out until 2018? The first Justice League and the Flash in 2018 as well? Cyborg and Green Lantern Corps won't be out till 2020? I hope the execs at DC will realize the actors starring in their films may die of old age before shooting starts. Worse, the audience may die of boredom before the lights dim.

Ow

They say no good deed goes unpunished. Last week I was putting together a basketball hoop for my daughter. The wife and I were feeling pretty confident we'd put this contraption together correctly. I stood it up, checking to see if it would stay upright until I got behind it. There was no movement and it was sort of being held back by an overhanging branch. Turning around, I meant to grab a bag of sand in order to fill it when, WHAM! The board and pole whacked me on the back of the head.
Blood streamed down my face as I struggled not to pass out. The board knocked my implant off and I wasn't sure where everyone was.
My youngest scrambled on the ground searching for my very expensive, easily broken device. Paper towels appeared thanks to my other daughter. My wife had the incredible task of keeping it all together, issue commands, and get that @#$% basket off of me.

Here's what it looked like at the clinic as I was cleaned up and awaiting my CT scan.

Yeah, I know. That bald spot is taking over my head. It's almost time to get rid of the hair completely.
In hindsight I should have called in for the week. Pride and ego got in the way though.
I fell down at the slightest difficulty. Then I noticed I was slurring my words.
That did it. I called in the next day. 
For the past few days I mostly slept. Occasionally the wife would come in and shake me to see if I hadn't slipped into a coma.
Been there, done that. No rush to repeat the experience. The swelling went down and I felt some improvement.
Today nearly wiped me out. I was nowhere near peak form and it took a bit out of me. I think I'm going to lie down. 

More than one use

Most of us like to get the most for their money. What's one of the major considerations when buying a car? 'What does the gas mileage look like? Really, it's often printed up in large numbers on the window sticker.

We make the most of our groceries. The wife and I can cut up a chicken or pork loin and have it go for three or four meals. I've actually passed up tools that I know will only be used once. That's not to say I don't have things gathering dust in my garage. Sad to say I've not had an opportunity to use my router on a project lately.

That may change. 

This morning I corked 14 more bottles of mead. Tomorrow if all goes well, I might be corking another 20 of a different flavor. Why am I mentioning meads when my kids asked me not to?

We're gonna need a bigger rack

I have a plethora of bottles. (I don't get to use that word very often.)

My house is modest in many ways. We have to use every square foot wisely to get the most out of living here. Also we have to do it on a budget. 

Some scrap wood. A few judicious cuts. Screws to hold it all together. The wife doesn't think much of my carpentry skills. Then again her grandfather was a master carpenter, so there's no way I could come close to her expectations. Still, I give it my best shot. Let's me blunt here. I need to store over 125 bottles in a corner space four feet square. Right now I'm over halfway to that number and I have 15 gallons by the desk ready (or nearly ready) to go.

I also don't have enough bottles to do the job. <Sigh> It's a good thing I like a challenge!

Bluebonnets and Birthdays

They haven't been seen yet, but I know they're around the corner. Those fields of blue causing me to stop and stare in wonder. I've lived in several states and many climates, but none spoke to me in a way those azure pastures do.

Connecticut was always a grey place for me. Florida felt plastic and fake. Pennsylvania had it's moments, but in the end Central Texas struck me with how diverse and amazing it could be. For what seemed like lifetimes I found I could relax and be myself.
There are times where I want to simply get out of whatever box I find myself in. A short drive takes me to some of the best fishing, camping or hiking spots you could ask for. Yes, the heat is high in the summer, but the humidity is low. Hands down nothing beats a day tubing down the river. Nothing.
One Christmas I drove up to meet my wife in Fredricksberg. The drive up into the Hill Country was chilly, but when I came over the hill crest I saw an amazing sight. A village complete with decorations adorning the streets and houses gave the town a warm cozy feeling. It was as if I'd stepped into a Norman Rockwell painting. And yes, it was snowing. Small flurries to make it look picturesque, but not enough to make you worry about getting stranded.
One night not too long ago, I found myself driving down a lonely section of road. Outside of a city, street lights are few and far between. Pulling over, I turned out all the lights in my Dodge and stepped into the bracing night air. Leaning back over the hood of the truck, I gazed up at the milky way. Excess heat from the engine kept me from getting cold, but I could take a few minutes and stare up at the meteors that were predicted to streak across the night sky. I wasn't disappointed.
No city outline on the horizon. No lights from civilization. Taking a few minutes from our busy lives certainly puts things in perspective. 
Long ago the wife and I threw a couple of sleeping bags into the back of my truck and we headed out to snuggle under the canopy of stars. I think it's time I do that again. This time I'll take extra padding and more pillows.
Change is good.
Why am I feeling nostalgic? Musketeer number three turned sixteen today. She asked about her drivers license. Seems like yesterday I was changing her diapers. Daughter number two is graduating high school in a few weeks. Where did the time go?