Once Upon A Mattress

Last weekend (Feb. 23 & 24) Belle- fontaine High School put on a delightful version of the classic musi-cal,'Once

Upon a Mattress'.

Robyn was the

set designer.

She

did not build

the set pieces,

but she did a very

pro- fessional job

of arranging

and painting them.

The boys only had

small parts,

but it was fun to

watch them,

sing and dance.

Adam got to

dance with his

cousin,Jenny.

I am very proud of Robyn' craft work (because of my work schedule,I didn't do a lick of work on the set)

I did help take it down.

The basic premise of 'Mattress' is that a dominating mothering type queen won't let anyone get married until her son,the prince,gets married first.The queen is unhappily married to the under a curse mute king,so she doesn't want her son to get married.

Twelve princesses have already failed the unfair tests that the queen makes them take to be worthy of marrying the prince.

The test set for the thirteenth princess is for her to feel a pea under twenty mattresses.

All sorts of hilarity's ensue.

The original version of the play starred Carol Burrett. And her signature is well upon it.

The music is somewhat forgettable,but the action and the story line are funnier then 'H.E. double toothpicks'.

It was fun and very funny.

The live orchestra added to the feel of 'real' theater.I thought that everyone was perfectly cast,and the whole production was grade 'A'.

Tyler is sitting in the middle of this scene.




It was one of the best high school plays I have ever witnessed.

Nikolas can be seen in the middle dancing here.

Here is a photo of Jenny and Adam.

And here is a another big dance scene.






Fun was had by all.I am very proud of all of Robyn's hard work

{It Paid off,cute girl},and of the

great effort that Nikolas,Tyler,Adam and the rest of the cast and crew did on this fantastic production.

Questions of Lent!?!

Here is a site you may want to explore if you have any questions on the Christian practice of Lent.[click here]

Great Propaganda

Britain's Prince Harry,3rd in line to the throne, is said to be going to be sent to Iraq.Harry says that there is no way that he is going to be in the British military and then not serve his country.I have to admit that I admire this brave man.If he believes in a cause he joins in the fight.And if he doesn't believe in the war...well...it's just a coincidence that Britain is having massive troop withdrawals right now.

A great political move either way for young Harry.Both sides of the war effort will see him as a hero.

As for the young Bush twins...they sure are hurting their Daddy's cause.There ain't no way in hell they're going to even be seen in public,yet alone join the military,yet alone be sent to Irag.

This sends a clear message to both sides of the Iraqi war to us Americans just as pointedly as Prince Harry sends to the British.That the American operations in Iraq are not about securing American freedoms,but more about filling global corperations claws with money.

TODAY IS ASH WEDNESDAY,THE FIRST DAY OF LENT.LENT IS A FORTY DAY TIME OF REFLECTION,AND SOMETIMES SACRIFICE,THAT IS PRACTICED BY SOME OR MOST CHRISTIAN DENOMINATIONS.

THE PURPOSE OF LENT IS TO BUILD YOURSELF UP SPIRITUALLY FOR THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ON GOOD FRIDAY AND EASTER MORNING.

IF THE LENTEN SEASON IS PART OF YOUR FAITH OR SPIRITUAL LIFE-OR EVEN IF IT ISN'T-I WISH YOU THE PEACE AND LOVE IN AND OF OUR LORD,JESUS CHRIST,DURING THIS SEASON AND BEYOND.

Britney Spears Channeling Col. Kurtz

Photojournalist: What are they gonna say about her? What are they gonna say? That she was a kind woman? That she was a wise woman? That she had plans? That she had wisdom? Bullshit man!That's right jack,what you have to understand is that her mind is clear ,but her soul is mad.

Britney Kurtz: I've seen horrors... horrors that you've seen. But you have no right to call me a bad mother. You have a right to kill me. You have a right to do that... but you have no right to judge me. It's impossible for words to describe what is necessary to those who do not know what horror means. Horror. Horror has a face... and you must make a friend of horror. Horror and moral terror are your friends. If they are not then they are enemies to be feared. They are truly enemies. I remember when I was with The Mickey Mouse Club. Seems a thousand centuries ago. We went into a camp to entertain the children and give them Mickey Mouse dolls. We left the camp after we had entertained the children for Disney, and this old man came running after us and he was crying. He couldn't see. We went back there and they had come and hacked off every Mickey mouse doll arm. There they were in a pile. A pile of little arms. And I remember... I... I... I cried. I wept like some grandmother. I wanted to tear my teeth out. I didn't know what I wanted to do. And I want to remember it. I never want to forget it. I never want to forget. And then I realized... like I was shot... like I was shot with a diamond... a diamond bullet right through my forehead. And I thought: My God... the genius of that. The genius. The will to do that. Perfect, genuine, complete, crystalline, pure. And then I realized they were stronger than we. Because they could stand that these were not monsters. These were men... trained entertainers. These men who fought with their hearts, who had families, who had children, who were filled with love... but they had the strength... the strength... to do that. If I had ten shows of those men our troubles here would be over very quickly. You have to have men who are moral... and at the same time who are able to utilize their primordial instincts to cancel without feeling... without passion... without judgment... without judgment. Because it's judgment that defeats us.

Britney Kurtz: I watched shaving cream fall along the edge of a straight razor. That's my dream. That's my nightmare. Falling, slithering, along the edge of a straight... razor... and surviving.

Britney Kurtz :What do you call entertainers who accuse entertainers ?

Britney Kurtz : We train young kids to entertain people. But their producers won't allow them to sing the word "fuck" on their cd's because it's obscene!

Britney Kurtz : I worry that my son might not understand what I've tried to be. And if I were to be no longer in the news,Ms.Sawyer,I would want someone to go to my home and tell my son everything. Everything I did, everything you saw, because there's nothing that I detest more than the stench of lies. And if you understand me,Ms.Sawyer, you will do this for me.

Britney Kurtz:The Horror.The Horror.

Here is a neat article from the BBC about cross country skiing on the moon.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6373383.stm

#2 On My To Do List

Look at this photo.It is of a B-17g,probably the most beautiful plane ever built.Since 5th grade I have always loved this aeroplane.

I am finally putting together a dream[to do]list.These are things that I want to accomplish before I die at the age of 110.

The first item on my list is:To make-or at least start-my list.Number Two is:To fly as the right side gunner on a B-17g.I have seen these birds up close many times.I have even been inside two of them,but a ride is $300.00 or more.Now,I actually have a chance for a chance to get my ride.Two towns over,in a town called Urbana,a man is putting a B-17g together.Look here at the photo just past,'Variants/Design Stages.

I have known of this for over a year,and just have been too afraid that my dream might actually come true to go ask to help on it.But,now,with my list,I feel my courage building.What a perfect opportunity!

But I need your help...please encourage me..don't let me off the hook.I know I can do this with your help.I just know I can.

As for the next item on my list...I can't really tell you that one,because then it wouldn't come true.

The Big Blow

Here are some photos of the big storm that blew through Ohio.We got around a foot of snow and a lot of blowing wind.

This is allot of snow for us.Almost everything around was closed yesterday(except the very small section of the plant I worked at )The boys still don't have school today.

It is nice to have some winter,I guess:-)

Hurray For The Dixie Chicks!!!



Hurray for The Dixie Chicks!!!They had a very big night last night at The Grammy Awards.They won all of the big awards for their,'Taking The Long Way' cd.The awards included,not only 'record' and 'song' of the year,but also 'album' and 'country album' of the year[their 5th award went to Rick Rubins for producer of the year].

I have all of their cd's and Robyn & I went to see them in Columbus last July 23rd.One of my very first blog posts was about them.So,needless to say,I am very happy about their big wins last night.

In honor of The Dixie Chicks big night,I thought I would post for you one of my all time favorite Dixie Chicks songs.This is off their tremendous muti-Grammy award winning cd,'Taking The Long Way',and is my absolute favorite cut off of it.This is a song that most people assume is 'a lost love' song.But I have another interpretation.I believe that,'Voice Inside My Head' is about a much more potent subject.I believe that 'Voice' is about a woman whom had an abortion ten years earlier and was still wondering about her decision and how her life could be different now.This,in my opinion,makes this song so much more rich and powerful.It is just a fantastic song.Listen for yourself and see if you don't agree.Let me know.Enjoy:-)

SNOW,SNOW,SNOW.....


In honor of what is to come:Over a foot of snow by tomorrow {Tuesday}evening,I thought we all could enjoy this old movie clip:


ENJOY:-)

Bamboozled & Lied To

Read this and then this and this.Are you getting the picture,yet?Sorry to put you through all of this reading,but perhaps you should read this,too.Now:HERE IS THE KICKER.READ THIS.

If,you are still with me at this point,re-read the first article.It is very important what this article doesn't say.Oh,it dances around it,but NOWHERE DOES IT SAY THAT EVERYONE ON BOARD THIS HELICOPTER IS A U.S. SOLDIER.It says that the pilots were Marines,that it was a US Marines helicopter.But it does not list the passengers specifically as soldiers.

I ask,why not?Is it possibly because they weren't?Is our government and military trying to imply that our very brave and patriotic troops are dying on military missions when they are instead dying escorting civilians to and from jobs?Is that the troops important missions?If it is...why not say so?!?

U.S.A. civilian business helicopters are being shot down,the American people inside executed by being shot in the back of the head.Shouldn't it be important news back home?Front page news?24/7 cable news networks blabbing on and on about it news?

Why isn't it?

The only option that my small weak liberal head can think of is that it is because the government is afraid we wouldn't like nor understand the true answer.This is the only reason I can think of for keeping something so pure and heroic as our troops guarding their fellow Americas a secret.

And what secret could be so worth not telling?Again,my pre disposed mind can only think of is that it is all about the Benjamins.It isn't about WMDs or making Iraq a free democratic nation.It's all about making a big fat $$$$$ profit over there....and this just makes me sick.

And what makes me even sicker is the way the news and the other media outlets are letting them get away with it!

You and your household,you can do as you like.But as for me and my house hold,I choose America:

Live Free Or Die Don't Tread On Me

Brrrrr...it is cold.The last two mornings it was minus ten degress>>minus 32 counting the wind chill.Right now(5:00p.m.),it is only five outside and starting to snow.We are supposed to get three inches or more!Aaaah,no school for the boys for the last two days and probably again tomorrow.It is good to finally have a winter.

RED RIGHT 88>or How I Stopped Worrying And Started To Love The Super Bowl


First off,I love the hype of The Super Bowl.I love watching the commercials..and that's around it.The game is usually boring(YAWN)..and even worse..the half time shows suck.

The reasons for this are varied,but the two big reasons for long boring games are '1':There is no home crowd...and '2' : The warm weather.

Sure these are good for the fans that are there-and how can you have a half time show in cold weather-but for the rest of us...boring...

On January 4th,1981 my brothers,some friends and I went to one of the most exciting pro-football games ever played.We went to see what is now most famously known as,'Red Right 88'.It was at the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium,and the Browns were playing The Oakland Raiders in a post season do or die playoff game.The night before we all got together at my old friend,Dave Thomas'trailer and partied like it was 1999.Ever hear The Rover's song,'Wasn't That A Party'?It was sorta just like that.

The next day,the bunch of us went up to the game,and Brrr...was it cold!The highest it ever got was 4 degrees with a wind chill of minus 37.Though The Browns lost 14-12(instead of trying a field goal,they tried a pass-Red Right 88-that was intercepted by the Raider's,Mike Davis in the end zone),it was one of the most fun times I can ever remember having at a football game.

And that brings up the troubles with the Super Bowl game.The Super Bowl is either always played at an indoor or warm weather sight...just,I suppose,so they can have a half time show...and on a neutral field,no less:NO HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE / NO HOME FIELD CROWD NOISE!

These two things are the very things that make most playoff games(and Championship games)so very exciting.

I purpose to start playing the Super Bowl at the team with the best record's stadium.Can you imagine how much more exciting today's Super Bowl would be in ice cold-below zero-Chicago?It would be awesome.The home crowd would be into it,frozen breath and all.What an exceptional game it would be no matter what the score...and wouldn't you just want to be there!?!I think I would!I think I could forgo Prince for a better more exciting game.

Wouldn't you?

Weird

Enough serious stuff.Here are some weird news stories just for your weekend palate:

I guess you have probably heard about Cartoon Network giving Boston the finger.


I don't know why I found this so funny...I guess it's not...but growing boobs from using Mom's bath oils????"Look,Mommy,Jimmy's got boobs.Funny stuff.

Nude gym day???Like I need another reason to stay away from the gym.I've actually had nightmares about this sort of thing!!!

I've heard of playing on a level playing field,but not one brought to you by Budweiser...I like fiber optic Christmas trees...but this is ridiculous

Oh,how strange,I thought,
That poetry can be made
from spam I delete

As a pet lover,I don't know if this story about two PETA workers being charged with cruelty to animals is weird of just plain sick...but ya' got to love the headline.

Nothing really weird about this story about award winning Australian Muslim lifeguards...except I love the woman's bathing suit...so 21st century:-)

I guess you really could say Joey was winging it.

And finally,I have to hand it to you,you've been a great audience.Peace out:-)