Aaron's Blog of Stuff

Worst. Vegetarian, Ever,

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:26:00 +0000

So we are at the bird house at the zoo. A ladybug lands on my hand.

Down below two workers are lettin out a bag of ladybugs. They are to eat pests on plants but are safe because birds won't eat foul tasting bugs.

I ask the girls to eat one. I offer a dollar.

As the bidding moves up to $10 the ladybug on my hand flies into my mouth and I swallow.

Worst vegetarian ever.

This is the pictrure my wife took to capture the moment. Laughing, crying, coughing, trying not to puke.

Gwen's last day at Girl Scout Camp

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:10:00 +0000

20080703 - Camp Agnes Arnold - Day 4

Gwen's Firt day at camp.

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:20:00 +0000

Independence Day vs. Fourth of July

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:03:00 +0000

A letter to the editor:

Dear Editor:

Every year I am disheartened to see the anniversary of our country’s birth regulated to just another day of the month by so many people who call it the “4th of July” instead of “Independence Day”. I see it on adverts and in the local papers.

No one calls Christmas “December 25th” because those that celebrate it as a religious holiday know that the cause for celebration is in the name.

By calling Independence Day, “Independence Day” we can reinforce to each other and to our children that it’s not just a day to have barbecue, see a parade, and watch fireworks. It becomes a day to remember where we came from and what our forefathers did for us. It gives us incentive to talk to our kids about what those fireworks represent and how we are a part of the process.

Independence Day is about America and should be treated better.

DDR makes all things good

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 00:33:00 +0000

I wish my library did this. I owe $12 for DVDs I forgot about.

MILFORD – Library users with unpaid fines had a chance to redeem themselves Thursday during the annual Patron Appreciation Day at the Wadleigh Memorial Library.

Instead of a scolding when they arrived, delinquent patrons were received like party guests.

Patrons were invited to make good on unpaid fines by donating canned and packaged foods for the local soup kitchen or by entering a dance competition, “Dance Dance Revolution.”

To sweeten the pot, during most of the day the library served coffee, bagels, pastries and ice cream, donated by area businesses.

By midafternoon, the cans and packages were piling up on a table inside library director Michelle Sampson’s office while circulation assistant Katie Spofford was setting up the video dance game on a PlayStation in a carpeted room upstairs.

Making Roll-up Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:52:00 +0000

Well, the Christmas season is finally upon the Kingwood Klenke family. This weekend I successfully attempted to make my Great Grandmother Rose's traditional Christmas cookie.
The little girls and I had a blast.

This I believe Redux

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 20:36:00 +0000

In 2005, on my birthday, I recompiled my "Today is a good day" post and submitted it to "This I Believe", a series for NPR.

Today I got the following email:

Greetings Mr. Klenke,

As you probably know, 88.7 FM, KUHF-Houston Public Radio is partnering with NPR on many projects. We're now teaming up with NPR to present local segments of "This I Believe".
NPR has forwarded the essay you submitted and I'd like to schedule a time when you can come to the KUHF Studios and record your "This I Believe" essay for our local radio series.

I think your essay is great and believe it would be a great radio piece for our listeners to enjoy.
I'm truly looking forward to meeting you and recording your essay for our listeners.

All the best.

Paul Pendergraft
Senior Producer, News & Public Affairs
88.7 FM, KUHF-Houston Public Radio
4343 Elgin Street
Houston, Texas 77204-0887
www.kuhf.org

How cool is that? "Today is a good day" has changed my life. Maybe it can change more.

Wincustomize Charity / Subscription drive

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 23:26:00 +0000

You'll notice banners on the site today.

A PC customization site I moderate at (wincustomize.com) is having a Subscription/Charity drive.
It's a great charity (Childs Play). Pop on over and take a look.

Thanks

Gwen and Alyssa at the Talent Show

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 22:37:00 +0000

Gwendolyn and her Friend Alyssa choreographed a dance routine and performed it at the Elm Grove Talent Show this past week.

They were so very cute.

Video here:

20071109 - Talent Show

Miriam dances with the stars

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 13:56:00 +0000

Miriam is in dance class. Based on the video here, she might be ready to move up from "shuffle, shuffle, tap, tap".

Dancing With the Stars

Texas Legislator voting needs attention

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 18:20:00 +0000

Time to call my Rep. Joe Crabb, you've been a bad boy. I believe in one person one vote.
All my Texan friends . . maybe you could call too?

New wallpaper posted

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 19:04:00 +0000

I've added a new wallpaper to my gallery at Wincustomize.com. It's a light-hearted attempt at what it would be like if I tried to make a windowblind. The colors work well together I think.

Things to remember as a juror

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 23:21:00 +0000

Bring music for the bus ride
Bring a pen to take notes on random and not so random thoughts
Grab the bus schedule
Bring a longer book
Get up earlier and make coffee
Have breakfast

Today was a good day as a juror. I ended up not being called but I was there to do my part.

God Bless America

Gregorius: NMKY (Finnish YMCA cover)

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:48:00 +0000

There are not words to convey how odd this is. I thought the Village people were weird . . but this takes it too a new level. Now . . every time I am at a Y function with the wife or kids . . I'll think of this and be creeped out just a little bit more.

Route of the Summer Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 17:43:00 +0000

I can't believe that I haven't documented ANY of the family's summer trip yet.

I'm still catching up with work and home life is crazy as we prepare for school for everyone.

There is a *lot* to document though. we were gone for three weeks, two days. Below is the route we took. Along with sundry driving here and there . . 5020 miles!

View Larger Map

[Hmm . .the preview shows us going through Oklahoma on the way home . . the large view shows the correct route. Google Map error methinks]

It's My Birthday!!

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 15:17:00 +0000

Big thanks out to my parents for trying creating me, my mother for having me, and my father for not killing me.

More art

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 13:13:00 +0000

Vacation pictures coming soon . . but for now . . some art

Pandora Playlist

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 13:10:00 +0000

My further attempts at being artistic

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 18:24:00 +0000

I hang out at a GUI skinning site. It's all about customizing your Windows PC to suite you better. Mostly I help out with tech issues and use the stuff that others make.

Once in a while though I try to contribute something artistic.

Pop on over and see what's what.

I may be a father, but I'm also a nerd

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 03:13:00 +0000

Last week, on Sunday, the little girls, Susan, and I went to watch the Astros play for Father's day. It was great; the Astros whooped the Marlins and all was well with the world.

But me . . I'm a nerd. There I am looking at the outfield. Noting how they have the distance from home plate painted on the wall. And there, next to 404 feet is a advertisement. An advertisement for a wireless company! I poke my wife with an elbow and point it out to her. I'm all ready to laugh uproariously with her and share the joke.

Nuthin'

Maybe she didn't notice. So I point out the number. And I point out the advert. . . .

Nuthin'

"404. Wireless company. Page cannot be found. PAGE CANNOT BE FOUND!!!" "Get it?"

Nuthin'

Well, *I* found it funny and this house has enough nerds as it is I guess.

Welcome Home Scout

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Thu, 31 May 2007 02:04:00 +0000

Today we got a dog.
His name is Scout.
He is a poodle/terrier.
He is active.
He is smart.
Some of the kids love him.
Some of the kids are not freaking out when he comes near.
He was saved by a shelter from being whacked.
You can see pictures and video at the link below.

20070530 - Welcome Home Scout

Scout may be the closest thing I ever have to a son.
I wish he looked more like me.

Sony's thin display

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Tue, 29 May 2007 18:44:00 +0000

How cool is this?

Sony unveiled what is billed as the world's first flexible, full-color OLED display built on organic thin-film transistor (TFT) technology. The 2.5-inch prototype display supports 16.8 million colors at a 120 x 160 pixel resolution, is 0.3 mm thick and weighs 1.5 grams.

http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/32214/113/

Michelle's Graduation Day

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Mon, 28 May 2007 14:27:00 +0000

I could not be prouder of my daughter Michelle for graduating from Kingwood High School. I believe that she can be successful in whatever she decides to do.

Good luck Min!

German exchange student + iLife + camera = Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Mon, 28 May 2007 12:20:00 +0000

Alex is an exchange student that is staying with my father. This weekend he came into town to celebrate Michelle's graduation. The topic turned to how he communicates to the folks back home and video postcards came up.

So out came his Mac and the built in camera. A great time was had by all.

Why soccer snacks at all?

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Wed, 23 May 2007 17:36:00 +0000

I while back I posted an opinion piece in my soccer team blogs about the need for organized snacks during and after soccer games. I wanted to go into a little more detail on the why of that post.

I've been coaching at the YMCA for about 6 years now. I've seen kids of all shapes and sizes and demographics and family situations. I think that a lot of these kids need organized sports to fill gaps in their lives. They need soccer to help them become better people. I've come to believe that snacks during soccer does more harm than good.

So mid-season this year my teams killed the team snack concept. We rolled it into a BYOS (Bring your own snack) program.

My issues were (in no order):

It's a pain with all the new allergy issues that kids have.
I don't get it. Almost no one had allergies when I was a kid. Now it seems there are more that do than don't. Trying to buy the right combination of snacks to please everyone stinks.
Snack schedules. I hate them.
I don't want to have to worry about who is not going to make the game on their snack day. I don't need to be called when there's a conflict. The parents don't need to be spending time buying snacks for kids, siblings, refs, coach or whoever.
Kids don't need more sugar
Those box juices? Capri suns? God forbid, Gatorade? Kids don't need it. In fact, with the rise of juvenile diabetes they should be avoiding it as much as they can. And the bags of snacks? They are just as bad. But hey, if you know your kids and want to do that . . it's your world, be happy. I just don't want to endorse it for everyone.
Why are the kids playing? For the food!?!? WRONG!
Different kids need to be motivated differently but setting up food as a reward can lead to some very serious issues as they get older. Kids should be playing sports to have fun. Parents should have kids play sports so they get exercise (and learn the benefits thereof), learn to work as a team, and have fun. I don't think food should be in that list.

I think it worked out pretty well. For my kids we did water at the breaks and some fruit after the game if it happened to end around normal "snack time." We didn't make it a part of the game though; it was more a "Are you hungry? How fortuitous that we happen to have orange slices here." {OK . .that part is not entirely true . . in our house we are transitioning away from game snacks so there was still an expectation of snack. That should end next season I hope}

Based on what I've read, it seems that fruit and water is the way to go for healthy, tasty, easy soccer snack. We like oranges, grapes (raisins), nuts, and apples.