Cherty Rock Farmer

Oh my! Did you feel that...

2012-02-11T14:53:00.000-06:00

OMG! I mean really. Oh.My.Gosh. Did you feel that bump in the force just now?
Mrs. Cherty Rock Farmer, after resisting tooth and nail on joining Facebook, has just now created and joined Google+!
And the world did not quit spinning.
Not sure what this means, but my world just got rocked.
Sorry, I have to go now, she is asking lots of questions as to what a "steam" is and what a "circle" means...

Friday Funnies...

2012-02-10T00:05:00.000-06:00

Friday Funnies...

2012-02-03T00:05:00.000-06:00

Random Thoughts...

2012-01-28T18:46:00.000-06:00

Much of my life is currently in flux.
Things that used to be taken for granted no longer are available, or needed, or sometimes even wanted. This year, 2012, seems to be bringing in much change for me. Wanted or not.
Yesterday my life changed forever. My first grandchild was born, naked as we all came into this world, as well as healthy and pink. After all these years, I am now "Grandpa." And I must insist on that title. Grampie, Grimmie, Grimps, or PaPa is not for me, thank you. Grandfather or grandpa will do just fine. I have no idea now much my life is changing due this event, but I am sure the ride will be fun.
Another change is that I am sitting in my local library, using their internet connection, as I no longer have one from my home! Now if you have any idea how much of an on-line junkie I am, you should find this news eyebrow raising. I just got tired of the high costs, the low service, and the endless technical glitches being fed to me as a consumer from my local cable company. So on December 21st, I cut the cord. No more television, no more broadband. To say it has been an adjustment is an understatement. The only internet access I now have is from my little iPhone using the not so fast (regardless of what their commercials lie) AT&T 3G network. But I get by, and I have a great library to hang out at.
And finally in this week of change I have been reacquainted with a classic rock and roll band that I had forgotten about. Given a nice Christmas gift of an iTunes gift card, I have exchanged my credits for Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band tunes. Now that is some classic rock and roll.
So here I sit, Seger in the headphones, typing out a blog post, and thinking about the granddaughter I have not met yet.

2012 is going to be interesting...

New Year, New Life...

2012-01-27T08:56:00.001-06:00

Sitting here listening to the "swissh, swissh, swissh" of the dishwasher while in Kansas our daughter is giving birth to our first grandchild.

Friday funnies...

2011-12-30T00:01:00.000-06:00

A little end of the year house cleaning...

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2011-12-23T00:01:00.000-06:00

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2011-12-16T00:01:00.000-06:00

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2011-12-09T00:01:00.000-06:00

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2011-12-02T00:01:00.000-06:00

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2011-11-25T00:01:00.000-06:00

Just in time for after Thanksgiving, something for the sloths.

The Dragon's Tooth: Ashtown Burials #1

2011-11-20T10:03:00.001-06:00

A review of The Dragon's Tooth: Ashtown Burials #1 by N. D. Wilson

I have just finished reading this short book, and enjoyed it so much that I thought I would provide a review of my experience.

You never know what you will learn listening to NPR and its news programs. It was on one such show that I was introduced to the writer N.D. Wilson as they talked about his new book The Dragon's Tooth: Ashtown Burials #1. What I heard interested me; a story about three children, magical and dark places, keys and charms that unlock exciting adventures, and death. Later that night I downloaded a sample onto my iPad. After reading the sample which was the first chapter and part of the second, I purchased the book.

Center to the story are a brother, Cyrus, who is 12, and a sister, Antigone, who is 13 1/2. They live in a run down, out-of-date roadside motel called “Archer Motel” in Wisconsin of all places. There is an older brother, Dan, 20, who is taking care of them. Mother is in a coma living in a hospital and Dad is dead. To say that their lives are joyless would be accurate.

On the last day of school, a mysterious phone call is taken by Cyrus. A male voice on the other end of the line says that he is coming to the motel, and demands to stay in room 111. Problem is, room 111 is Cyrus's room, and he is not wanting to put a guest in his room. When the mysterious man shows up at the motel, the action starts, and it never stops till the end of the book.

The natural urge will be to compare this book (and future books in the series) to the phenomenally successful J.K. Rowling Harry Potter series. Let us be honest here, there are a lot of similarities; young boy as central figure, female sidekick who is more mature, a previously unknown and secret school, mazes, locks and fantastically bizarre creatures. And the author admits to being a fan of J.K. Rowling, so one would imagine that her influence is felt in his writings. However, the characters in this book have no magical powers, no wands and incantations to make spells, no classes on how to brew up potions and charms. Just their wit and luck to keep one step ahead of the bad guys. And there are a lot of bad guys.

As I have said, I enjoyed the book very much and it was a quick and easy read. My only problem is that the characters in the book are set too young. I work with kids between 11 and 13 years old every day, and I can say I know of no 12 year old who possess the physical power, skill or mental discipline that our young hero Cyrus is suppose to have. With my experience, Cyrus should be 16, his sister Antigone should be 18, and Dan should be about 25. I had a hard time seeing anyone I personally know doing some of the things that Cyrus pulls off in the book.

I look forward to the next book in the series. I want to know what happens next. And if an author can do that for his reader, he has succeeded in his quest.

Friday funnies...

2011-11-18T00:01:00.000-06:00

Friday funnies...

2011-11-11T00:01:00.011-06:00

A very special Armistice Day to you.

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2011-11-04T00:01:00.000-05:00

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2011-10-28T00:01:00.000-05:00

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2011-10-21T00:01:00.001-05:00

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2011-10-14T00:01:00.000-05:00

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2011-10-07T00:01:00.000-05:00

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2011-09-30T00:01:00.000-05:00

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2011-09-23T00:01:00.000-05:00

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2011-09-16T00:01:00.000-05:00

The month of September is Non Sequitur month.

Reflection...

2011-09-11T00:01:00.000-05:00

I will never forget...

Friday funnies...

2011-09-09T00:01:00.001-05:00

The month of September is Non Sequitur month

Labor day 2011...

2011-09-05T00:01:00.020-05:00

Today is Labor Day. A day first marked with a simple parade in New York City on September 5, 1882, as celebration of "the strength and spirit of the American worker."

Twelve years later, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed into law the federal Labor Day holiday.

For an interesting commentary on the history of Labor Day, try this CNN Opinion piece "The blood and sweat behind Labor Day." (will open in new window)

So today, 129 years after the first Labor Day, I want to remind everyone the great debt that we as American's owe to labor and all the men and women who have filled its ranks. Labor helped build this country into the greatness it is now known for. Labor helped win two great wars far from our shores in Europe. Labor built the gleaming cities, transportation routes, and power generation networks. Because of Labor, we are able to stand on the shoulders of the many who came before us, and live a better and longer life.

Today Labor works the agriculture fields to pick the food so you can eat. Labor drives the trucks that brings the food and other goods to our stores. Labor builds and repairs the roads and highways our food and goods travel over. Labor takes our most precious commodity, our children, safely from home to school, and brings them back just as safe. Labor is firefighters and police officers, nurses and aides, cooks and chambermaids. And they all look like us. You and me.

This marks my first labor day as a member of a labor union. I gladly pay my union dues, for I have been the victim of the abuses of management. And while my job is never secure, for I work in a "at will" state, I at least know that should the need ever arise in the future, I will have help in my corner, helping me with the heavy lifting.

And for that, I am grateful.

I am, a Teamster