Category: Just Fun

Poisson D’Avril

Choking jokes

April 1 last year I posted about how much I miss the good old days when April Fools’ Day was a fun day. Memories of those days were fading then. I’m afraid they are only shadows now.

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As I said a year ago:

I guess the negative reactions started to take over when the Internet, home of more copycats than original copy, made the proliferation of pranks available to all including those who would do so for malicious reasons. Call it Internet gluttony. That joke is always on us, because while humans do enjoy a good laugh, we also seem to enjoy overdoing just about anything to the point of pointlessness.

Some would say we’ve grown and matured in the face of an overabundance and overuse of prepubescent humor. I’m not sure that’s entirely accurate.

I think it takes maturity, a sense of humility, and humor to face the challenges every day presents. Certainly in these dark times. It also takes strength, and increasingly, courage. It’s easy to shut down and turn away. That doesn’t diminish the darkness, nor does it brighten the day. 

Perhaps last year’s post was an unintended start of a new April 1 tradition.

You can also find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above.

 

Last Night with the Kiddos

We’re heading back home in the morning after spending a few days helping my daughter out with her kids while our son-in-law is away on work. Damn, they grow up fast and furious. 

Lots of big hugs and kisses after family movie night tonight watching How To Train Your Dragon.

We’ll be back at it again soon, but it never feels like it’s soon enough.

Snow Day

I hate to call it a snow day, but in essence that’s what today turned into. We had one crazy weekend of weather in the Chicago area. Rain, cold temperatures, high wind and tornadoes (not immediately near us), and then enough snow overnight to break out the shovels this morning. Last night with heavy rain we had temperatures in the 60’s that dropped into the low 20’s this morning.

Though none of the above is unique to Chicago in March, I have to admit that it set me back. So, I’ll blame it on the weather.

Happy Valentine’s Day

Today is Valentine’s Day. Like all holidays some welcome it. Some not so much. Each time this holiday, like all the others, comes around it’s another reminder that we’re all different even though we’re all the same.

A close-up of a Valentine’s Day gift box filled with heart-shaped chocolate brownies and a smooth black stone engraved in gold text that reads, “Happy Valentines Day! Life has its ups and downs, but your love keeps me grounded. I love you and thank you for being my rock.”

Thanks to my lovely sweetheart of a wife for the lovely heart shaped brownies that she baked that work with my diabetic diet. We’re each other’s rock.

Warming Up a Bit

Watching and learning

Starting to warm up a bit. We might have touched 40 degrees Fahrenheit today on our journey back from a short weekend visit with the grandkids. Hope the trend continues, so we can all head outdoors again.

Two young children stand indoors at a sliding glass door, seen from behind, pressing their hands to the glass as they look out at a sunlit wooden deck and snow-covered backyard.

It’s such a joy to watch these two, two years apart, come into their own, watch them learn, watch them learn how to learn, watch them fail, watch them succeed. We only get brief periods of time with them to see that unfold, but we’ve enjoyed three successive trips merely a few weeks apart and seen such growth in each 3-week separation.

Given all the talk of a world of AI that supposedly will set us free (don’t think of that necessarily being in a good context), from having to think, learn, and discover on our own, when, or at what age would that kick in?

Admittedly an unfair example, here, But, after watching these two (spurred on by the older brother) beg to go outside, go through the rigamarole of getting bundled up, only to get outside and discover that it was indeed too cold to have any fun, I’m not sure we want to shortcut any human learning process. For any group at any age.

You can also find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above.

Shadow Dancing

The moving adventure nears its end

Everyone and everything is now in the new house for my daughter’s family after more twists and turns in the journey than I have energy to describe right now.

Moving is never easy. But when you see the kids discover that they can shadow dance at a certain time of day in the sun room, and then laugh themselves silly doing it, it makes the journey worthwhile.

Back to unpacking…

You can also find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above.

The Grandkids Fill The New Digs With Laughter

When you move into a new place one of the things you notice is how sound echoes around an empty house. Especially when there are little ones who love to run at what seems the speed of light, laughing at levels that set off Apple Watch loud enviornment warnings.

Today the movers arrive at my daughter and her famiiy’s new digs. As the place fills up with furniture and the stuff of living, the echoes will diminish, but the volume won’t as the new digs will still be overflowing with the sounds of laughter and life. We’re still mostly on babysitting duty, thus the grandkids first coloring session with Grandma waiting for the movers to do their thing.

Everyone’s excited.

You can also find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above.