Another Day at the Circus

Look at the funny animals and their crazy tricks!

National Coffee Day

It's National Coffee Day! COFFEE DAY!! Have a cup of joe on me! (If you're reading this after 6:00 PM, don't worry - it's decaf! - I promise! - No, really! - Why do you ask!?)

A Trip To The Mall

“Let’s go to the mall,” my wife said

(That phrase always fills me with dread)

But the scene got more dire

When the Mall caught on fire!

So we all went to Target instead

(True story - we were there when the alarms went off, we smelled the smoke and saw the workers locking up the stores and we were walking out the door as the firefighters were stretching the yellow tape across. We're all fine and nobody was hurt, but it was a more exciting day than I had anticipated.)

Here's one news report: http://www.wane.com/news/local/fire-breaks-out-at-glenbrook-mall

Here's another: http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/Fire-Breaks-Out-at-Glenbrook-Mall-225654451.html


Bonus! Here's a little video I shot as we were driving away:

A New Creature

Yesterday, as a birthday present to myself, I finally got a tablet that I've been eyeing for a while. It's a Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0. What really attracted me to this particular tablet was the pressure-sensitive stylus that comes with it, which I'm hoping to use for more digital sketches and animations. Right now, though, I'm just learning how to use it and trying out different apps. Here's my first creation, using an app called Infinite Painter. It's not bad, but I think I'm going to keep looking. (I'm also attempting to upload this post directly from the tablet. I hope it works!)

(Update: I was able to post from the tablet, but had a hard time making the picture the right size and adding labels. The search for the perfect apps continues...)

Backyard Mantis

Over the last few days, we've had a visitor on our back porch. Sometimes he's in the raspberry bushes, sometimes he's clinging to the glass sliding door and sometimes he's just hiding. Regardless of where he is, if we can see him, he's been fun to watch. Here's to you, Mr. Mantis.

Another Day, Another Dance

Tonight's poem is short and sweet. After a full day of teaching, I was busy most of the evening with church and family related activities. These were fun and rewarding, but have left me rather exhausted. Anyway, on to the limerick...

Tonight at our church was a dance

Where our kids got to wiggle and prance

We got socks for the poor

That’s what Sock Hops are for

When you party while taking a stance

A Weird Day

Tonight's poem is based on actual events from my weird day today...

Today while at work I had just squatted down

To help with a question or two

When a strange thing occurred - for a moment or so

I didn’t know quite what to do

While I knelt there a little boy reached from behind

And he just started rubbing my head

I turned and I asked why he’d do such a thing

“Your head is so shiny!” he said.

I let that one go, and I thought we were done

I moved on from his childish crack

But that afternoon while I was teaching he said,

“Did you know you have fat on your back?”

“Yeah, your back fat’s right here,” he said, rubbing my side

And he squished it, much to my dismay

Well, what could I do? I just kept teaching on

While trying to swat him away

So as I recall these events from today

With my brain in my big shiny head

I recline on my big fatty back and conclude

I should probably just go to bed.

A Flock-a Quokka

Way back in January, when I first started posting regularly to this blog, I drew a picture of a quokka. As it turns out, it's been one of my most viewed posts, but I've never been completely happy with it. So here's another quokka, along with a number of variations on the theme...

Happy Birthday, John!

Today we had a nice little family gathering for chili and nachos at my mom's house, to celebrate my birthday and my brother-in-law's birthday. I asked my sister what he might like on his card, and she suggested a silverback gorilla, but cute, not angry. Here's what he got:

This is the front...

... and this was inside.

Big Whopper Liar Day

On the third Saturday of September, in New Harmony, Indiana, is the annual Big Whopper Liar Day tall-tale telling competition. I wasn't able to make it down there, but it got me thinking about some of my own unique abilities...

Let’s tell a tall tale

Let’s spin a good yarn

Exaggerate fibs

To the size of a barn

Can I do this in verse?

Of course! Can’t you see

There’s no other poet

Who’s better than me!

And what about drawing?

Consider these facts

My skills show “real” artists

Are talentless hacks!

In my job, I’m the best

All my students agree

Every kid that I teach

Gets his own Ph.D.

Please consider my bod

Am I studly? You bet!

I’ll lift eight thousand pounds

Without breaking a sweat

There are so many ways

I completely excel

Including, of course

Humbleness, can’t you tell?

I can breakdance and sew

And bake prizewinning pies

But the thing that I’m best at

Is making up lies