Locker room conversation

Overheard this week while in the gym locker room.

Two older Jewish gentlemen.

Man1: "I don't know how much longer we can take this as a nation."
Man2: "Mmmmm"
Man1: "If we don't make more changes soon then there won't be anything left for our kids and their kids"
Man2: "MmmHmmm"
Man1: "Well at least my parents are still voting and their vote counts up north"
Man2: "Your parents are still alive?"
Man1: "Well they are still voting. They didn't change their registration when the moved down here"
Man2: "How old are they? That's amazing they are still around"
Man1: "Well I didn't say they were still around, I just said they were still voting.....you know what I mean"
Man2: "Ohhhh I hear ya. I get it"
Man1: "I mean, might as well right? They worked their whole life, their voice deserves to still be heard"
Man2: "I hear ya. You know what, I see nothing wrong with that. Nothing at all"
Man1: "Yea, well we have to do something. I feel good knowing their voice can still be heard. You know they deserve it".

Ipod on shuffle

I've got a 30gb Ipod classic. It's about 10gb full right now, which is a lot of music. Most of the time I leave it on shuffle and what's weird is I'm not always happy with the selections. Most of you might think that's odd because it IS all my music. But moods come and go, and it usually doesn't match up quite right. However, when it does, oh how glorious it is.
This afternoon, after a day by the pool, I decided to wash our cars. I was in the driveway with my Ipod playing through my car. It was set on shuffle and it was just perfect. It somehow knew what I needed....
Ben Harper
Relentless 7
Stevie Ray Vaughn
and Radiohead.

Perfect mix.

Chickens, Doves, and Goats

Being home has given me the opportunity to spend a lot more time with my dad. Making up for lost time, I guess you could say.

It's fun to learn new things about someone like your dad, someone that you thought you knew everything about. Funny, because it's the small stuff that makes me smile the most.

I learned for example, when growing up in the Caribbean, he had doves, dogs, cats, goats, turkeys, roosters and chickens. The chickens he loved the most. Someone gave him a a handful for Easter (who does that?!) and he would look after them and collect their eggs. It makes me want chickens one day. Neat.

Mr. Canal Boat Man

Erin and I stood in line on a sunny Easter Monday in Brugges, Belgium. I wanted to take a canal boat tour of the city being that it is known as the Venice of Northern Europe. We stood in a line about 10 deep and waited our turn to purchase tickets.
As we got to the front of the line we were greeted by the ticket taker with whom we exchanged pleasantries. He spoke very good English, so I engaged him with a common question of, "How is your day going?"
He sat back in his chair, seemingly disregarding the line behind us and this was his answer:
"Well.....I recently went to the Dr. and found out I was diagnosed with cancer and my girlfriend was in an auto accident this weekend".
Erin and I just stood and stared, almost waiting for the punch line....and there wasn't one. "Oh, wow, I'm so sorry. Well, I guess it'll just be two tickets then please..."
I'm not sure if this guy was having some fun or if this really was his fate. Either way, my condolences go out to you Mr. Canal boat man.