Yes, Mel Brooks is a genius. It is an honor to share my birthday with him.

My kids are trying to keep me from coming in the other room. Something about wrapping presents or something.

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H-here, b-bunny, bunny, bunny...

Happy Birthday, Jwmblade!

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Nihil est ab omni partum beatum.
(Nothing is an unmixed blessing)

Many happy returns, Jwmblade!
May your ongoing decrepitude continue.

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'Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.' - Arthur C. Clarke.
'Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.' - Gregory Benford.

Yes happy birthday, Kathy Bates, I hope its a good one!

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Scratchit: But he's a cripple!
Blackadder: He's not a cripple, Mrs Scratchit. Occasionally saying "Phew! My leg hurts!" when he remembers to wouldn't fool Baldrick!

So the birthday passed without burning down the house. Though this year instead of the actual number of candles matching my years on the planet my wife just arrainged them into the shape of the number.


So to celebrate I thought it would be fun for my kids and I to drive to my parents farm in Washington State. It is 754 miles from where I live and took us 13 hours to make the trip each way. I think 10 years ago when I moved from Washington to California I said I would never drive that trip again. I guess old age make you forget stuff. It was actually not that bad of a trip and the kids handled it really well.

My parents have a pool at the farm and my kids got in it the minute we arrived and it seemed like I took them out when we left 4 days later. Theyhad a blast at the farm and I survived the trip though won't be doing that again anyime soon .

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H-here, b-bunny, bunny, bunny...

Wow 13 hours!  Your kids must be saints because I remember getting restless after 3 hours in a car.  Im glad that road trip went well, thats a really long trip for things to smoothly (Just ask the Griswolds ). 

It sounded like quite the family trip and a good time.  Welcome back and you didnt lose your mind

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If at first you dont succeed, dont try skydiving
Both diapers and politicians need to be changed--and usually for the same reasons

Glad you and your family survived the trip, Jwm! Not many kids could handle a 13 hour journey.

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Scratchit: But he's a cripple!
Blackadder: He's not a cripple, Mrs Scratchit. Occasionally saying "Phew! My leg hurts!" when he remembers to wouldn't fool Baldrick!

I could do 13 hours standing on my head...

... maybe because I'd pass out after less than one ^^

hehe, as long as I got my music and my DS I'd be fine just fine

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BORK!

Well no video games or TV on that trip. My kids an I went to the comic shop and bought a few graphic novels. Justice League and Star Wars: Clone War Adventures I think. Also we had the entire collection of the Cronicles of Narnia on CD. If needed they would have provided 31 hours of story telling pleasure. By the end of the trip we only made it through 2.5 of the books.

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H-here, b-bunny, bunny, bunny...

Now you see, that's the one thing that made the journeys really bareable, the audio books. I had two Astrix books on cassette which kept myself and my two brothers quiet on the trips (I suspect my parents enjoyed listening to the cassettes too). The Chronicles of Narnia would have been very useful for when we drove to Scotland. 12 hours, that was such an intolerable journey.

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Scratchit: But he's a cripple!
Blackadder: He's not a cripple, Mrs Scratchit. Occasionally saying "Phew! My leg hurts!" when he remembers to wouldn't fool Baldrick!

Okay so I have not been around much, but work has been killing me. No really I think I might be dieing. I had one of the worst colds in recent years. Spent 3 days in bed drifting in and out of conciousness from the high fever and now my back is all screwed up and I can hardly move. Something about spending 12 hours a day at work and then one of the weekend days there also is not good for one's health.

Though I did get a chance to get the kids to the Zoo one day. It was nice even though I felt like crap.

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H-here, b-bunny, bunny, bunny...

See here are some photos as proof.





And for VKM.

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H-here, b-bunny, bunny, bunny...

Ouch, that sounds like some very rough times.   Never had a cold that bad, Id probably think I was on my deathbed if I got something like that.  Glad youre feeling well enough to go out and spend time at the forum of course!

Like the pictures.  Wish I brought a camera when I went to the aquarium and spent the day in Boston a month ago.  I love pictures afterall
.

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If at first you dont succeed, dont try skydiving
Both diapers and politicians need to be changed--and usually for the same reasons

I'm glad you got better from your cold, Jwm. Nasty thing by the sounds of it.

Those penguins look quite happy in the water, probably just waiting for the next ice age to strike in 10 years time.

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Scratchit: But he's a cripple!
Blackadder: He's not a cripple, Mrs Scratchit. Occasionally saying "Phew! My leg hurts!" when he remembers to wouldn't fool Baldrick!

Just because I thought you should know.

Today's Birthdays: Kingh Henry VII would be 516, Comedian-movie director Mel Brooks is 81. Pat Morita is 75, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., is 73. Former White House chief of staff Leon Panetta is 69. Rock musician Dave Knights (Procul Harum) is 62. Actor Bruce Davison is 61. Actress Kathy Bates is 59. Actress Alice Krige is 53. Football Hall of Famer John Elway is 47. Record company chief executive Tony Mercedes is 45. Actress Jessica Hecht is 42. Rock musician Saul Davies (James) is 42. Actress Mary Stuart Masterson is 41. Actor John Cusack is 41. Actor Gil Bellows is 40. Actress-singer Danielle Brisebois is 38. Jazz musician Jimmy Sommers is 38. Actress Tichina Arnold is 36. The Mighty Jwmblade is 36, Actor Alessandro Nivola is 35.

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H-here, b-bunny, bunny, bunny...