Late in the evening

The first thing I remember
I was lying In my bed
I couldn't of been no more
Than one or two
I remember there's a radio
Comin' from the room next door
And my mother laughed
The way some ladies do
When it's late in the evening
And the music seeping through

don't worry mom, I got this

That was before I met Julio. My parents turned on my activities after that.

Mama looked down and spit on the ground
Every time my name gets mentioned
Papa said oy if I get that boy I'm gonna stick him in the house of detention
Well I'm on my way
I don't know where I'm going
I'm on my way I'm taking my time

And it was late in the evening 
And the Democrats blew House of Congress away!

(Mama would be happy)

Youtube nevermore

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten posts

Owl pumpkin carved by daughter

What would Edgar Allan Poe write?

I ain’t no poet and I surely know it. Here’s an update for you Mr. Poe.

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I tweeted, weak and weary,

Well it’s a start. A failed start. Nevermore.

When failure pulls me down I turn to youtube. The variety of entertainment, nonsense, knowledge, music, and pure garbage on youtube is only surpassed by the internet itself.

Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven read by Christopher Walken along with a Simpsons cartoon version are both available for your midnight dreary on youtube.

Today the maddening rapping and tapping on doors during Edgar’s time have been replaced by a cacophony of horns, beeps and screeching tires of city traffic. Well sure, that wasn’t a great segue but hey, I’m weak and weary. Note, I’m now moving on to ideas for traffic intersections.

My first experience with roundabouts was in the UK and then in Ireland. I think they work great without automated traffic signals except for very busy junctions. I’ve benefited from the optional extra trips around the circle while deciding on my route. Roundabouts offer an easier flow for junctions with more than two roads. There are a few roundabouts (circles) here in the Chicago suburbs but very few.

Apparently, Montana is introducing them there. Here’s an instructional video of how to maneuver a roundabout in Big Sky Country. Personally, the large arm coming down in Big Arm Country would freeze me motionless at the wheel.



So faintly you came tapping tapping at my SUV door. Nevermore.

OK Fine

Fine art, fine wine, how about a big fine.
Or consider this:
Collector of fine beer,
Collector of fine blogs,
Collector of bad questions.

Over the decades of traveling around, but often sitting at my desk, I’ve discovered many strange unusual things attract enough interest to be collected. Sure you probably heard of string being collected (hey I bet there has been a huge drop in string usage since the introduction of plastic bags but are string collectors now rich?). 

Royal wedding cake (link)

Slices of wedding cake are not on my list of collectable items. However, add celebrity or history to most anything from a strand of hair to a chair and you’ll create a collectable. Not too long ago a slice of royal wedding cake (in a very nice tin) was auctioned off to a wedding cake collector (I guess). Historical items probably are smart choice for collecting but what qualifies as historical?

I rank that last question as a good question. However, I’ve discovered that I have a talent (curse?) for bad questions.

A question even more than a statement can reveal your inner thinking. Certain situations transform into confrontation when a bad question is mistakenly voiced. Think of the bad taste of foot in mouth.

Not wondering at all is difficult but wondering while remaining silent often allows you to shift to other more promising discussions. Unfortunately, I don’t remember my own guidance in these situations. Instead I’ll drop a bad question. Really I’m not intentionally constructing a bad question. I just fail to think through how my question might be interpreted. I’ve noticed the reply to a bad question most likely is another question. Typically the question shooting back at me is “why are you asking that?” or something worst.

What starts as ping pong escalates to a explosive smart missiles with me being left with only dumb bomb questions/answers.

I need to start a collection of bad questions so that I have a list to check before acting on my wondering. I plan to become a collector of bad questions.

As Paul Simon once wrote (and sang):

I want a shot at redemption
Don't want to end up a cartoon
In a cartoon graveyard

I don’t need redemption but recognition with a side of understanding would be a good finish to a heated exchange.

Dancing (an almost non-existent skill of mine) might also improve situations. Dancing out of the way is classier than ducking.