Simple America

Kids are out of school. Yay! That knocks 20 miles off my drive each way and gives me 15 more minutes of sleep. Yay!

Friday I got off at noon as normal. I drove home thinking of some things that I needed to do. Soon as I arrived my daughter threw me a curve ball. She needed her physical signed by the doctor. But I absolutely needed to make a tax deposit for 12 to Midnight and still had not wrote the check. Also I needed to make a deposit.

Took care of the banking and then drove over to the doctor’s office. Last year I drove over and had my papers signed while I waited. Not so this year. They said they would call when I could come back and pick them up. I told them that was okay for my son’s physical, but the girl is leaving Sunday. They informed me they were short staffed, but take a seat.

The wait was short. They actually gave my daughter a physical right then and there. What a surprise, but I am happy it is done. She also got her innoculations updated.

I learned that the US is starting to innoculate for Whooping Cough and Hepatitus A. This along with the return of TB and a dramatic increase in leprosy in America really upsets me. I know this is a legacy of open borders, where people are allowed in the country without discrimination. How can the President sleep at night?

The girl left the office with two sore arms and her paperwork signed. It was close to five and my stomach rumbled. So we went and bought a box of Popeyes’ spicey chicken and drove home. The cooloest thing about going home, was finding a new short cut for getting around heavy traffic. Helped us miss a lot of that Friday logjam.

After eating I went upstairs and Bkworm was on IM. I’ve had her on my contact list for the longest time, but I never have seen her online before. So we finally hooked up and chatted a bit. Glad she is feeling better as she has been under the weather a bit.

The rest of the evening was spent paying bills and trying to clear some of the paper I had on the kids’ computer desk. This pile was the result of just paying the bills and letting the statements pile up. So I started the boring task of organizing the papers. Then the missus took advantage of me sitting there to see how we are doing financially. Making a budget was long over do, and lately we just wondered where all the money goes.

Saturday came too early. I wanted to sleep late. The missus wanted to see the budget. So back up stairs to clear that paperwork. The task escalated as I saw the need to prepare all the 2005 statements for storage and make new files for 2006. I always take the receips, match, and staple them too. If I question a charge I know where to find it. Also while matching I can catch errors.

Around 1 in the afternoon I walked into my office. Saw MSN blinking with a message. One of my good friends in SE Asia awake at 2 in the morning. I’m thinking something has happened. Sure enough I received good news. I will not say who this is as they have not announced it, but this good friend is going to be married. Besides their partner, I am the first person to know. I am so honored. Wish this person the best and hope they announce soon, cuz I’m going to explode keeping this secret.  

In the afternoon, my missus allowed me a break. We took my daughter and went to see DaVinci Code. I enjoyed the movie. Very entertaining. Though when the blasphemy was spoken it felt like a spear jabbed me. I just took a deep breath and finished the movie.

After the movie we went to Borders. My daughter needed Pride and Prejudice for school. So we picked up the book. We ate some Vietnamese sandwiches which were quite tasty also. I always enjoy them. Then back home to the budget.

My brain was jello when I got home. I kept nodding off in my chair. The only thing that kept waking me up was my daughter’s packing. She could not find some of her shorts and cargo pants. These clothes are real good to have when backpacking. The missus and the girl tore the house apart. I stayed out of the way, even when accused of losing her clothes when I did laundry when the missus was overseas. Finally, the clothes were found. No apolgies offered either. Hmpf…

I went to bed early Saturday. Cannot remember the last time I hit the hay before one o’clock on a Saturday. But Sunday was early to rise too.

The girl and I awoke early and she loaded her gear in the car. I could not believe the amount of stuff she took. The drive to camp was nice. We chatted a lot. Mostly about music. This was primarily inspired by the School of Rock sound track we listened to. Great tunes from across rock and roll’s history. We arrived at camp and the CD finished. We switched to the radio just as we entered camp. Some Metallica played, so I just cranked it. The two of us headbanged as we drove through the woods. The only thing missing was some stick in the mud staring down their nose, annoyed by our fun.

Check in was a breeze. I sat next to the girl’s gear while she checked in. I ate my breakfast ala Mickey D’s picked up just before entering camp. By the time I finished eating she had turned in her papers. Then we waited to have her gear inspected. Once that was done I hugged her good bye. She will be gone for two weeks. The backpackers are going to South Colorado. She has had a lot of fun with this group. This should be a fin trip too.

On the way home the missus called and asked me to pick up dim sum. The selection at the store was not as varied as usuall. I guess I arrived too early. I bought half a duck to complete the meal. I’ll never do that again. The missus said she doesn’t like the duck from this place. So I feel kind of stupid. I guess no matter what I do I will never have Chinese taste buds. I recognized no difference. I thought the ha gao was subquality and she had no complaints about it.

So I went back to my clearing of the desk. Finally finished all except the investment statements. Don’t need them done to make a good budget and I proceeded to work on the numbers. Crunching up numbers, trying to anticipate what is needed for the rest of the year. Took about six hours, but I finally got a budget the missus and I could agree on.

In retrospect. I think my time would be better spent writing. Especially if it was on writing that I could sell. Which reminds me that there has been a thread on Enworld asking people what their Top 5 favorite products for d20 Modern are. Half of the responders have mentioned a 12 to Midnight product. This in turn has boosted our sales a bit. We need to get our new products out and quick. While people are paying attention. My next module, Fire in the Hole, should go out this month.

The worst part of this weekend is having no time for Ghost Recon 2. I hope to rectify that some tonight. My trigger finger is feeling mighty itchy.

L B has tagged me with the letter “S”. Now last month I did the letter “F”, but June is a new month. Can you believe in the midst of learning about of my tag and accepting that meme I discovered *gasp* I had been ignored by the Stalker King! Oh the humanity of it all.

Because of this huge slight I decided to show my disdain by taking the letter ”S” and not only make a list of ten words and how I felt about the word. But I also chose to list ten songs and 10 movies. Then I took the ten words and used them in a poem and a short writing.

The words:

1. Simple How I like life to be.
2. Success Something I cannot achieve in this job. I know I can achieve this. But not by auditing bean counters and registrars.
3. Sarcasm I use this device to approach things I do not agree with. The Apostle Paul used this in his writing with great success and I admire his ability to use this style.
4. Song Music helps me relax and dream. It is essential for good writing.
5. South The part of the United States I have grown up in and lived. My heart will always belong to Dixie and the dream it once held.
6. Shelter A place that allows one to escape from the harshness of the day.
7. Sharks There seem to be as many on dry land as exists in the sea.
8. Suffer A thing best done quietly.
9. Sayang A foreign way of saying love and some day I may be in a position to mean it.
10. Soul What truly defines a person. There are no lies allowed inside here. This is where humanity is raw, naked, and left with no place to hide. They can be pure and they can be soiled beyond compassion and hope. Most of us meet somewhere in between.

The Songs

1. Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. Someday I will meet someone special at the end of those steps.
2. Something by the Beatles. This has to be the best song George Harrison ever wrote or sang. And there is something in the way I imagine she…
3. Smooth Up In Ya by the Bullet Boys. You have to love that a woman is smooth. Won’t find me on any Brokeback Mountains.
4. Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting) by Elton John. I loved this song in High School.
5. Spellbound by Triumph.   0.0    I am. Totally.
6. Suite Sister Mary by Queensryche. I have been listening to Operation Mind Crime a lot lately. It fucking rocks.
7. Signs by Creed. Another rockin’ tune.
8. Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around by Stevie Nicks accompanied by Tom Petty. No one should do this to anyone. Get away and stay away from anyone that does this to your heart.
9. Sweet Misery by Michelle Branch. This can be nice if it is mutual. But if only one person gets the misery, while the other gets the sweet. Well that is nuthin’ but sad.
10. Smile. I hear this song a lot. Everytime I see it I smile and close my eyes. I have learned to paint well with my imagination.

The Movies

1. Sound of Music. I first saw this flick when I was in the second grade. The songs are as big and beautiful as the mountains that cover Austria.
2. The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad. My childhood friends and me could spend an afternoon of watching this kind of movie over and over and over…
3. Sense and Sensibility. I am a big fan of movie adaptions of Jane Austen’s novels. The scenery, the costumes, the culture are beautiful. This movie in particular is very moving. Watch the light in this flick and see how the director uses it to make the story wonderful, real, and romantic. I may just go home and watch this tonight.
4. Seven Brides For Seven Brothers. A movie from a time when movies were simple and fun.
5. Seven Samaurai. I am ashamed to say I have never seen this film. I eat up things Samaurai and yet I have not watched this flick. It is on my list of things to do before I die.
6. Stargate. Hey I’m a geek. I loved this movie except for the parts where they screwed up the military ranks. No one in the military would ever call a lieutenant colonel a lieutenant. You call ‘em colonel. Duh!
7. Star Trek. I remember waiting in line three hours to see this movie. I was trainging in Georgia at the time. The movie proved to be so boring I could not help but nod off. I expected so much better of the Enterprise crew.
8. Shaka Zulu. I have always admired the Zulu people. The reason they are great is because of what Shaka did for his people. Zulus are still one of the most noble people in Africa.
9. Signs. I really liked this movie. Mel Gibson has always been one of my favorite actors and he did not let me down.
10. Star Wars. The one that started it all. This is a modern myth and I am glad I lived to see the complete series.

The Poem:

a song motivates my soul

spurs me on to simple goals

dreams that shelter in a certain smile

leave the South for Kay Elle so many miles

braving the sharks that block my way

what success can lead me to that day

or will I suffer sarcasm, a turn made wrong

alone, never to hear the word sayang

The Short Writing

  The plan looked simple. Quite feasible in fact. Success meant a great deal of wealth. Failure would result in a loss of face and an abusive dose of sarcasm from his wife.

  Then that song played, Smile, and he could only take it as omen. A positive one at that. Now he just needed to convince the investors back in the South of this business’ potential. They should appreciate the tax shelter it provided them with.

  The only concern would be some Wall Street sharks stealing his concept. They might spin it enough that he could not sue them for recourse. This had occurred in the past and his wife had made him suffer from the failure. A good woman backs every man. Ready to shop at his success and kick his ass when he failed. That is such the sayang.

  But he would suceed with this plan. No one would stop him. This time he would even consider selling his soul to make his goals. He would do anything short of killing someone to make this, the deal.

I requested that Wuching interview me and these are the five questions that he asked me: 

1) if u have to remarry, would u pick an asian wife again?

I have to remarry? hehe Life would be lonely without a woman, little feet and giggles.

I could not imagine marrying a round eye. But if Sandra Bullock begs me I am sure no one would blame me. If I am without a wife there is a very high possibility I will relocate to Southeast Asia. Unless I get sidetracked to Korea or Japan, though very unlikely (3%).

I probably marry another Chinese woman. Why settle for anything less?

2) have u ever try to cheat on ur tax?

No I have not. As a CPA I am held at a higher standard when it comes to taxes. If I cheat on taxes they will bury me under the prison.

3) do u support bush?

I voted for Bush twice as the governor of Texas and I wanted him to go for the Presidency where I have voted for him twice again. But in the last couple of years I feel bloody fucking used, kicked in the crotch, and brushed aside. In the past I  have contributed money to the Republican Party. No more. Not one cent.

I want a party that supports the citizens of the United States. It’s not going to happen here because politics is entrenched. Thus I look for a new country. One that has not stabbed me in the back. The only thing that can save the USA is a benevolent dictator. That is what saved Rome when their Republic failed and the American Republican is crumbling to bits.

I support Bush on the war and tax relief.

I do not support Bush on spending, borders, treating illegals like immigrants, New World Order, North American Union, and about everything else. The liberals hate Bush, but the only way he differs from the left is his view on abortion, gays and the war.

4) how many vc did u killed in vietnam?

I have never been to Viet Nam. Have never killed anyone physically. Mentally is another story.

As a soldier it is disappointing not to ever put my training to use. As a human I thank God for not putting me in that situation. The questions always resides in the back of my mind. Can I pull the trigger or would I let my buddies down?

5) were u or r u still traumatised by vietnam?

As I said I did not go. But I have experienced some trauma none the less. I never got to meet Miss Saigon. That sucks!

So interesting? Boring? Want to play? Here are the rules:

The Official Interview Game Rules (copied to be passed on)

1. If you want to participate, leave a comment below saying “interview me.”

2. I will respond by asking you five questions - each person’s will be different.

3. You will update your journal/blog with the answers to the questions.

4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.