Every Simpsons Ever

We've been enjoying the Simpsons marathon over the last few days on FXX. So many wonderful classic episodes. Loving the Summer of 4'2", Lisa becoming a vegetarian, the monorail, Dr. Zaius, Bart's people, Homer gaining 300 pounds, all of the old gags and supporting players from Milhouse to Sideshow Bob to Groundskeeper Willie to Bumblebee Man to the ridiculous gags and sentimentality. I forgot about those touching moments like Homer covering his work station with Maggie's photos.

That show is classic, and I cannot believe it's been on the air for nearly 25 years. And I owe my marriage in a way to it!

Twenty Years Later...

Twenty years ago this week, I started college.

I thought of that because it's move-in day and 381 or so Freshman have packed up their bags and loaded their cars, driven miles away from home, and started a new chapter in their life.

I don't know if graduating high school or starting college is a bigger achievement or milestone. They both go hand-in-hand, of course. But I remember how much more I anticipated the later, because I truly thought it was a beginning I craved. No more lonely nights, no more shadows of past classmates or friends, no more regrets. College would make me different, maybe even more "normal."

Freshman year was tough, and in retrospect, I had too high of hopes. I immediately fell into old traps, because at heart I'm a "good girl." I was a little scared of partying and drinking, and I didn't know how to behave around guys. And the friends I made I was a little apprehensive about...I mean, I was so unsure I wasn't going to meet the "right crowd." I guess I knew in the pit of my stomach that I really hadn't...it all fell apart half-way through the year. And it really wasn't until a year later that I met my friends for life.

I think if I had advice for a college Freshman this week, it would be to listen to your gut, don't do anything that makes you feel raw in the stomach, but it's OK to go outside of your comfort zone. Sign up for a new club, take a class that really inspires you, say hello to someone who just may have been more "popular" than you were in high school, and it's OK to be a little lost. Those feelings won't last.

And most importantly, know that this isn't the last "first" you'll have. Whether it's your first post-college job, or grad school, or moving in with friends or a boy, or starting a second or third new job, there will be many other beginnings. So if this one isn't perfect, know that such a thing doesn't exist.

And have fun. Always have fun.

Vacay

We had another good vacation, though I still feel like we're recovering from it. Good times on South Padre, with lots of Dirty Al's and time swimming. And some hot tub time. Time with kids, Taboo, lots of shrimp, and the usual amount of disorganization. We were very pleased to get upgraded to First Class both ways to Jamaica. Granted, we've been to this resort before. And it was much like we remembered it. Though we did get upgraded to a one-bedroom suite that was a usual butler room. The food was good, the beach was good, though we did have our share of rain. It wasn't entirely unwelcome, because it was hot and we were so burnt out (not literally...I did a better job of freckling than sunburning).

We also met our usual collection of friends nearly old enough to be our parents. We are definitely tight with the 50 something crowd. There are never many people in their 30s and 40s at their resorts...too busy with babies. We split the difference between honeymooners and the couples escaping their nearly grown children. Which is fine. The couples from Long Island were very nice, and very conservative. Not surprisingly.

We kept to our busy routine of working out X# of times per day. Which is exhausting, though I was grateful that we could kayak, tried snorkeling, and run. And swim for some people! I also filled up on lots of mango and bacon, which were delicious. We also burnt some off with ping pong.

But after this and a quick trip to Boston, it was so good to be at home. Though this weekend will be another over-scheduled one...

Vamanos

Ready to leave here on vacation. This week has seemed exceptionally difficult...lots of work, lack of sleep, too much on my mind, busy busy.   And it's been beautifully cool and sunny and gorgeous outside of course. I am looking forward to some beach time, some time to truly relax and eat great food and just enjoy not being in DC. It's been a lot lately, being here. And that week in Michigan seems so long ago.

Adieu, DC. See you later.

Best Teams in Detroit History

The Free Press lists the best sports teams in Detroit history. I don't think you can quibble with #1, the 1968 Tigers. Or #2, the 1997 Detroit Red Wings. But I'd have the 1984 Tigers up there. With all of the despair as murder capital of the world and the arsons, that team was magical and led wire-to-wire.

There are some other rankings on there, too, to celebrate Detroit's 313th birthday. And more I'd disagree with. Kwame Kilpatrick as Detroit's worst mayor? Probably. But where's Coleman Young?

And this is a cool feature, showing the city's changing landscape.

Weekend in Virginia

S participated in the Colonial Beach Triathlon last weekend, so we went down there Saturday afternoon to stay over night. He finished, a little slower than his goal due to a swim snafu, but did great (despite barely training for it). Sigh. Wish I could do that. It was so hot and the women were just so stellar.

Colonial Beach may have been described as the "playground on the Potomac" once upon a time, though it was kind of dumpy, to be honest. The beach was rocky and the water was kind of muddled. We had dinner at High Tides which featured good seafood as well as a convenient location from the hotel. We also had ice cream, always a score.

I will never "know" Virginia like Michigan, and it's never going to be quite like home. But we've had a chance to see parts of the state--the Shenandoah, Richmond, Charlottesville, Onancock, and Chincoteague in the past year or so, which is a better track record than previously. Still much more to see, though.

Fourth of July

We had a fun 4th of July, complete with barbeque, friends, fireworks, and World Cup. And new babies!

Menu:

Snack: Grilled Gulf shrimp marinated with pesto dipping sauce (since I needed to use up that basil asap)

Bruschetta: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/bruschetta-recipe.html

Chicken sausage skewers: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chicken-sausage-skewers-recipe.html

Burgers

Guacamole

Mango Salsa

Peach and raspberry Cobbler: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/peach-and-raspberry-cobbler-recipe.html

 

Dessert was absolutely delicious and which I am not sad at all that I have to eat almost entirely by myself.

The bonus fireworks in the alley keep outdoing the previous year's performance. I just love the 4th.

Bogus War on Women

Once again, women are deemed victims of the evil Supreme Court, which just denied women "health care" in the form of "free" birth control. Once again, liberals are propagating this ridiculous lie, and women are falling for it, bemoaning that their access to their life-saving IUDs have been slashed.

Hogwash.

The WSJ sums up the series of lies very succinctly:

All this crocodile outrage is wonderfully fact-free. The High Court majority granted that women's health is a compelling state interest but that the White House's means were illegal under RFRA. The opinion is largely irrelevant in practice to contraceptive "access," which will remain cheap and abundant. The Institute of Medicine reports that contraceptive benefits are "standard practice for most private insurance" and that 89% of plans cover all 20 FDA-approved methods. Hobby Lobby only disapproves of four methods, and few companies would claim the religious convictions to bar even those.

Democrats also fail to mention that the health plans of about 190 million people were already absolved from the mandate before Monday's ruling, either because they work for exempt businesses with 50 workers or fewer or as a result of the Obama Administration's "accommodation" for religious nonprofits. That arrangement is a creature of bureaucratic discretion, not statute, and thus could be expanded to companies like Hobby Lobby without Congress if Mr. Obama honestly thinks the female body is at risk.

Oh, and I don't want my president telling me what my bosses should cover. I choose who to work for, and I make that bargain with them as to what they can cover. Right?

Here's White House press secretary Josh Earnest : "President Obama believes that women should make personal health-care decisions for themselves rather than their bosses deciding for them. . . . The constitutional lawyer in the Oval Office disagrees with that conclusion." This appeal to diploma is weird, because Hobby Lobby turned on the straightforward application of a federal statute. The First Amendment's free-exercise clause wasn't reached.

 Don't even get me started on Hillary's histrionics:

"a disturbing trend that you see in a lot of societies that are very unstable, anti-democratic and frankly prone to extremism," which is "women and girls being deprived of their rights," including "control over their bodies," she said this week.

Does she really believe that "depriving" women of four forms of abortificients is going to turn us into Afghanistan or something far worse? Are we not North Korea?

Get a grip, America. The world didn't end. You can still have promiscuous sex, and someone will still pay for it. (Ultimately, you, the tax payer and insuree,but hey, that's another argument.)

Up North

We had a busy, hectic, outdoorsy sort of week. The kind that can reveal some tension, but also times that you'll remember--like K reminding J about the importance of memories.

A little agenda and then my highlights...

Got in Saturday, picked up pizza and groceries. Favorite part? Hanging out at the hot tub, hearing J tell kindergarten stories (no way he's in group I!!) and watching the sunset.

Sunday getting a bite to eat after church, and then a barbeque and gorgeous sunset.

Monday? Watching soccer at Mackinaw Brewing Company in downtown Traverse City. Grilling fajitas, and then sunset and J's Bar and getting reminded about the need to tip.

Fishing in Elk Rapids on Tuesday. We caught some great Lake Trout and then had a fish fry that night. Also smores! I also went to a winery with P&M to Hawthorne Winery.

Wednesday we went up to Mackinac Island. We rented bikes and biked two loops (16 miles) around the island. Then dinner at mom & dad's favorite Darrow's.

Thursday was the next U.S. World Cup game against Germany (go USA!) and we had lunch with C & baby Jack at Seven Monks Taproom. We then kind of lazed around with pizza before an epic battle of Apples to Apples.

Friday we went to the cabin, the first time I've been there in almost twenty years. We went to 2 Lads Winery before another barbeque, more Apples to Apples, and a memorable night of playing a$$hole with my brothers and SILs. We also let off some fireworks (baby ones).

And then it was time to go home.

Favorite memories?

1. J reminding me "Uncle Steve said you had to pay me a dollar" for his beer delivery.
2. J proudly proclaiming "I'm a good reader!"
3. J reading SCOTUSBlog with me.
4. J bringing out the soap after his pee break.
5. Baby Jack never stopping smiling!
6. C&J drinking water out of the hose, and coaxing a smile out of C.
7. S trying to swim in that ridiculous wetsuit and his even more ridiculous attempts to stand-up paddle board. Also S's 18 mile two a day.
8. Those absolutely breathtaking sunsets, where the sun literally melts into the earth.
9. All of our ridiculous attempts to hook up ESPN.
10. Hanging out with my siblings and SILs that last night, telling stories, talking about Aunt Joan and little Asian babies and how sweet little J is, how sad he was about leaving, and remembering how much I miss not being closer. Sigh.
11. Lots of Shorts beer. Awesome to discover a new brewery from Elk Rapids and Bellaire!

1984 Tigers

This piece was a nice memory, on the thirtieth anniversary of the Detroit Tigers winning the World Series. And to win with a walk-off home run, the same way they won when honoring the team 10 and 20 years ago?!?!? Wow.

Anyone who remembers that team in that year will never forget the electricity of that city. No, it wasn't like 1968. But that team was so good, so positive, and such great ambassadors for the city. So tragic that it's been so long.

Maybe this is the year. I've said that a few times lately, but now that J is the same age as his dad was, maybe this is the year. Bless you boys, and bless you current team. I hope this is the year, for the city and for family.