Friday Poems

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Recently, I was gently encouraged to bring back the idea of Friday Poems.

On his birthday last month, I read poems before I went through my dad's yearbook and set a few aside. Here's the first one from that stack.

Your Cue Card

Your dirty feet
left a face on my door.
Your dirty face
left some feet on my floor.
If I could hate you,
it would be my passion.
You got some nerve
to come on in that fashion!
Heads like yours
should sit on stools in bars.
Where the barmaid gets made,
talky, chalky, hopped up cars.
Someday your egg
is gonna crack.
Not in your beer,
but on your back.
Maybe you might not be a fool,
but what you know is nothing
you know cool.
If words got hurt
when abused,
All you say
would come out bruised.




I am beyond curious to know who he wrote this about!

City of Good Pricing

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On Friday, the City of San Carlos released its Spring/Summer catalog which I eagerly devoured as soon as I could. I have been under enormous pressure since I realized about six weeks ago that Jaden's preschool ended in June and we'd have to find childcare (aka summer camp) for him so I can continue to work part-time.


Registration opened today and by 11 a.m. when Jaden and I arrived via bicycle, we got the last spot in the morning camp. Phew! Here's one pile of bricks now removed from my shoulders.


(C) Lotus Head

Let's examine the price differences we faced:


8 weeks of summer camp at the PJCC: $2225
8 weeks of summer camp in San Carlos: $756

Holy Savings Batman!

Granted, the PJCC price includes an additional 10 hours per week of coverage so we must make some allowance for that; however, I do not work 30 hours per week so the idea of having to pay for it regardless was, well, hello high blood pressure.

Now we have a huge financial burden about to be lifted and a more improved schedule in which Jaden is free in the afternoons for playdates with his buddies in San Jose or fun classes or swimming and days at the beach with me! Not to mention, Jeff can do a drop-off here or there for me, something I have missed SO much since we moved up here.

San Carlos: The City of Good Living AND Good Pricing!

The City of Good Pricing

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(C) Lotus Head


On Friday, the City of San Carlos released its Spring/Summer catalog which I eagerly devoured as soon as I could. You see, our fair city's motto is "The City of Good Living" but I want to say that it's also The City of Good Pricing.
Registration opened today and by 11 a.m. when Jaden and I arrived via bicycle, we got the last spot in the morning camp. Phew!
Let's just share the price differences we faced:
8 weeks of summer camp at the PJCC: $2225
8 weeks of summer camp in San Carlos: $756
Holy Savings* Batman!
*the PJCC price includes an additional 10 hours per week of coverage so make some allowance for that mentally; it is still an enormous difference to us and we did not need 30 hours a week of coverage

Whoorl

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I heart blogging so much precisely because of the thrill of discovering a new one that just makes your day/night/week/whatever!

Like Whoorl which made me laugh so hard tonight just when I was starting to think I had actually, truly forgotten how to do that basic human activity.

It was so good that I found myself writing an almost-urgent thank you note:

To: Whoorl
From: Jess

I have had one of the longest 7-day periods of my life since -- I was going to say since I became a mom almost five years ago but let's face it, every third week feels this bad.

This time it's because my husband went on his longest business trip ever (3 days, I know I'm a spoiled wuss) and precisely one day after returning home, he threw his back out. My son is on a downward spiral of where-did-my-routine-go, maybe-whining-and-screaming-will-bring-it-back. There has not been enough coffee during the day or wine by night to get me through.

And then.

I stumbled on your blog for the first time.

And 3 seconds later, I was laughing so hard that I was crying and my gimp husband sent said beastly child down the hall to check on Mama.

"Mama, Daddy wants to know if you are laughing or crying?"

I'm both baby, I'm good, really good.

Thank you!!!

Where is Jess?

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Have you seen me? I have been lost under the crushing weight of my life lately. It's like I'm playing hide-and-seek and I can hear myself counting "One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten." I can even hear the "ready or not, here I come" but I can never find myself.

I did find myself in a book at the library the other day!


I thought, "it seems so nice of these women to write a book just for me when they don't even know me!"

Between the brilliant use of typography and photography on the cover and Chapter Three, Page 52 -- well, there's hope of finding myself soon.

I hope.

Someone Hit Me Over The Head Please

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Jack thinks that's why he is so mellow.

Photo: Danny Clinch


According to the Rolling Stone article I'm perusing, "Johnson put down his professional surfing career after an accident at the Pipeline Masters when he was seventeen. 'It humbled me, and it slowed me down,' he says. 'I like to joke that I hit my head so hard that that's why I'm so mellow.'"

The Torch

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Funny how February 21st never fails to arrive every year and I find myself feeling sad and crabby.

Generally the best cure for missing my dad is to go through his things. So after dinner tonight, I hit one of the poetry boxes. Alas, I still don't understand most of his poems and alas, he is not here to explain them. So I moved on to his high school yearbook The Torch.



Hey look Dad, they have a web site and it has your birthday right on it! Fancy that.


Going back to the past now, here you are on the lower left and what I like best about this whole entire yearbook find tonight? I have your address in New York now, something I never had before now. That is cool and it makes me feel so happy. I'm going to Google it later. I found another address of yours too in the pile of poems that I never knew about but maybe I'll save that for next year's homage.



You had a fair number of signatures and well wishes from all the guys in Electrical Installation. I wonder where they are now? Close to retirement at 62 I'd say.



With the advent of electronics, the EI graduate has even wider fields to conquer.
The opportunities are endless; only the will to persevere is needed.

-- Taylor Evans and Domenic Minerva (your classmates)





I guess it wasn't all work and no play over there at Westinghouse, you cats had a good sense of humor there in print. Gems that I'll never get such as "Have you tried the dynamic 88?.....I'll be satisfied with a sloppy 65" and "Gives you that refreshing feeling..........Mr. Greene's gentle touch." I wish you were here to show me your yearbook Dad.

Hey, maybe these guys would understand your poetry!



You boys left the future students "no homework" and The Grade Advisors an "unstrained quality of mercy" but I'm going to leave with this inscription from Charles on the very last page:

to Anthony

be correct and
bold your a
friend that will
never grow old

Charles


This One's For You Dave

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At this year's Tour of California Prologue on Sunday, there was a kid area with a rock wall for climbing. Jaden hadn't been since he was two and tried it at REI. Of course, he acted like it's all old hat for him. Right before he got harnessed up, he said to me, "I'm scared but that's okay" and then just marched over for his turn.

"Just planning my route"


Mama and this guy both said, "Do NOT undo the clip."


Mama zooms.


Mama un-zooms.


"I can see the finish line from here!"


Rappelling.

P.S. This post is for our buddy Dave, who is the one who introduced me to the concept of rock climbing to the extent that one might climb a mountain so large that one might need to "install" one tiny ass "bed" (cot) into said mountain and sleep (ha ha ha ha ha) in such a "safe" (precarious, suicidal) manner. Now Dave, I feel you are obligated (imho) to delurk and remind me of the official term for this "calm, peaceful" sleeping activity.

Dave, meet Jaden.
Jaden, you seem to already know Dave.