Magic

Had a great post all figured out today and went to sign in and couldn't. Seems they want you to know a password for such things. I typed, "Open sesame!"...Nothing. I thought maybe the exclamation mark might be too intense so tried it without...Nada. I tried, "Zim zala bim."...Nope. Maybe, I thought, add an exclamation mark?..Zip.
Abracadabra? Abrakadabra, Abarakadabara, Alakazoo, Alakerchoo, Ollie my shoe. I was frustrated and seemed to be spending a preposterous amount of time on A-words...Hocus pocus, Presto.

I felt a little foolish having used Open sesame because the instructions suggested I don't use passwords already employed and that one is for my bank account. I'm no dummy but once in a while...

The sight suggested I request a text to my phone with a "code" to effectuate admittance to my account. This action required my phone number and after about five minutes I was able to get the thing apart and relate to them that mine was a Samsung-3. After all the promising and my compliance with their request I still haven't received a reply. I'm really not sure if I will ever be able to blog again but I promise to keep trying.

(That story about the phone number didn't really happen to me. It was, however, such a great story I felt compelled to share. Truth is, that answer was an actual response to my sister from my cousin when asked for her number. I didn't want to embarrass her by using her name so if you see Sandi and she looks odd when you tell her this story you'll understand.)

Driving tip:  While riding with a friend the other day we found ourselves being tailgated. We were in the number 3 lane and running about 72, The speed limit was 60 but everyone on the freeway seemed to be running around our speed. My bud got upset at the tailgater and I suggested we were in the passing land and weren't passing anyone. Maybe we should move over and let the other car go. The reply was, "I'm running 70, the limit is 60 what does that jerk expect?"
Apparently 70 in a 60 is reasonable and prudent but if some maniac wants to go 73 or 4 you should just hack him to death with a butcher knife (borrowed from an SNL skit about Hichcock's Psycho)

We were signaling. Signaling, by not moving over, that this guy could go pound sand for all we cared. Well, road rage ensued and he killed us.

Remember to be considerate. If that guy (or gal) wants to go on down the road you should let them. Maybe they're taking someone to the hospital or maybe they're a jerk. Either way you should let them go.
 

Full Circle

There aren't a whole lot of people who know what I'm about to share and it's a little personal so I'd appreciate it if you kept it to yourself. When I was younger, about 12 or 13 months I guess. Not 12 or 13 months younger, but when I was actually 12 or 13 months. I couldn't walk yet, it wasn't that I had some handicap or anything, I just hadn't seen any need. You see I had a friend that would take me anywhere I needed to be. He was made of wood, had enormous rockers, a fairly comfortable seat and a huge head shaped like a duck with ears that were conveniently about an inch round and stuck straight  out of the sides of his head about six inches. Being young and fairly inconsiderate I used those ears as handholds. I would climb on that baby, start the back and forth rocking exercise, get up some momentum, and away I'd go. We had wooden floors which offered no hindrance to forward motion and if you leaned while rocking you could turn any direction.

Some of the kids my mom called my 'friends' would hang out by the kitchen and gurgle things like, "Check out the rockers on that." They were just jealous. I was, after all, being transported at my whim. They were stuck in their miserable little space where the only change encountered would be if they filled their diapers. I was free, footloose, a man about the house and it felt good. The only downside was my duck wasn't fast enough. I couldn't wait to say goodbye to that thing, grow, learn to walk, ride a bike and ultimately, drive a car.

Life has moved on a little since then, I grew up and pretty much forgot all about those days. I now posses a vehicle with hundreds of horsepower and can run with the wind. The exhilaration of the world flying by is incredible. Modern machinery has surpassed my most ambitious expectations and it feels good.

The other day, while sitting in another traffic jam, I looked over and this little kid was motivating down the sidewalk on this rocking duck. I watched him till he got to the top of the hill and was sure he laughed just as he rocked out of sight. I turned to my bud and said, "Did you check out the rockers on that? We'd been sitting there an hour and the only thing that changed was, I really thought my friend could use a new diaper and maybe some wipees.

Driving tip:  There is a huge reader board type sign on the side of the highway that usually reads, "Don't text and drive!" ...Usually. The other day it said, "For information on Texas traffic deaths text: (817)..." Sometimes you shouldn't do everything the government tells you. You would never take your eyes off the screen and one hand off your controller to text while playing Mario. A giant ape might get you. Why would you think it OK to text while driving? Giant semi trucks are really hard on your paint, and maybe your body if you don't pay close attention while driving. An ape can make you repeat your level. In traffic it might be GAME OVER! Using your head while driving does not mean using it to stop a semi.
Be careful out there. Don't text and drive.