Dog Sittng

Last night Shawn and Melissa went to the hospital because baby Cash caught the Orange Blossom Special and wants out. While Shawn was on his way to the hospital and asked if I would watch their dog Titus. I can watch Titus, I'm a viking at dog watching! So I grab Titus and a few items Shawn ask I bring to the hospital to them and head on over to the house.

If you are wondering, Lucy and Titus get along, they act a lot like Chester and Spike from the old Warner Brothers cartoons. Titus is Spike and Lucy is Chester, the second we walk in the door, Lucy is running around Titus and going insane. Titus growls and Lucy backs off. I let them outside, Titus is sniffing around and Lucy runs laps around Titus. It took Lucy about two hours to calm down.

I love watching them play out these rolls, it's good for Titus because he gets interaction with other dogs. For Lucy it wears her out a little bit, she has a lot of energy and this helps her be calmer at nights.

Cashing In

It's been nearly two weeks since my last baby name update and somehow I am still getting people to vote. I will admit the number of votes has slowed down to a trickle, but there has been a total of 34 votes so far. Baby Cash has taken a majority lead with 18 votes (52%), then you basically have a battle for second place. Nathan has 8 (23%), but J Dog is right there with 7 (20%) and bring up the rear is Englebert with 1 vote (2%). Finally someone voted for Englebert, I mean what a great name for a baby; you can call it Bert or Eng or Engle... the options are countless but I guess it's not cool.

When I started this there was talk about Melissa's family possible coming in and swamping the vote to make Nathan/Nathaniel the clear winner. Well, I guess not, I guess everyone is coming around to the awesomeness of Cash.

I'll keep this thing going till I can go a week without getting a vote.

A Goo Goo Goo

I believe Thursday at work Shawn and I were waiting for the assignments to be figured out and he mentions that Saturday he was going to go see James Best. I sprang up and this is the conversation that in sued:

ME: WHAT?!?!?!

Shawn: Yeah, he's going to be in Wake Forest.

ME: I know, I saw the fliers!

Shawn: You wanna go?

ME: Hell YEAH!

For those not sure who James Best is it's Rosco P. Coltrane! Yeah, you know it! As a child of the 80s that lived in Southern Ohio, I watched the Dukes of Hazard every week. I'm mean they're just good ol boys meaning no harm. Two guys driving around in a awesome car, running from the law and hanging with their hot cousin Daisy. What more could a pre-pubescent boy want.

Fortunately for The Wife she is on a weekend sit and is gone for the weekend, Melissa on the other hand ,was not so lucky. 9:30 the two of them arrive at Fried Chicken Drive and we head over. Shawn brought a toy version of the General Lee, I'm impressed and a little jealous (little hint to The Wife there). We left early because we thought there was going to be a huge line.

We get to downtown Wake Forest and what do we see, TWO FREAKING GENERAL LEES! Shawn and I are now giddy. I believe Melissa is enjoying our boyish freak out. I'm not for sure but I do not believe they were actual General Lees, but who the hell cares.

Shawn and I take turn in front of the General Lees, this was actually the second time I've had my picture taken in front of this legendary car. In Gatlinburg, Tennessee you can visit Cooter's place and he's got one sitting out front. I find out that Shawn has not been... ROAD TRIP #1.

We get inside and shockingly the line is not that long. Maybe people are coming later, but come on it's ROSCO! We get up front and find out there is a $5 fee to sign things and also they have photos for sale. Shawn gets his General Lee signed and Rosco dishes out this line: "I'm signing the back, because I never saw the front. Agoo Goo Goo. HE DID IT! HE DID THE Agoo goo goo. I can now die.

We wanted to have our picture taken with him, but you had to buy one of his paintings. Obviously, we did not have that kind of money. Art work is expensive and I don't have $2000 laying around. We did find some smaller prints and I thought I'd be real nice, till I found out they were $60. Ouch, that's a little much, I was hoping for something around $40.

While looking at the art work someone mentions Dukesfest. What? A giant Dukes of Hazard festival? ROAD TRIP #2!

We were there for a short time, but we enjoyed ourselves. Who knew something like this could happen in Wake Forest. Maybe next time they can bring Tom Wopat or Congressman Cooter.

17 Years In the Making

If you could go back in time to January and said "I could only see one movie, what would it be?" It would not be Harry Potter, nor any other movie sequel that came out over the summer, I wouldn't even say Transformers. I could give you an answer in a blink of an eye. It is The Simpsons Movie. I've mentioned in the past my love of these lovable yellow cartoon characters, but really can't tell you how much joy they give me. As a young kid my dad HATED the Simpsons (Well, because Rush Limbaugh told him too) but I would sneak up stairs on Thursdays and watch.When they moved to Sunday nights I tried my hardest to get out of going to Sunday night church, even though it would be done by 7:30 I knew we would go to Bob Evans or Shoney's afterward, and I would miss something funny.

I still remember a time in Toledo when you could get 2 and a half hours of the Simpsons. 4:30 and 5:00 the CBC, then 5:30 till 6:30 on the local Fox station. I even remember when Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie actually beat every news cast at 5:00! I use to have a Krusty the clown doll in my news truck until the bastards in West Virginia made me take it down.

For months Shawn and I planned on seeing the movie on opening day. It looked like our plan was fading away when he was shoved of nightside to midday, but fate stepped in and I screwed up my thumb and it was on! Shawn, Melissa (his wife, my friend) and I (The Wife had to work) get our tickets, eat a burrito at Moe's and head into the theater. My biggest fear was that if was going to be like reason years. It seems The Simpsons have lost subtlety and well crafty stories and quick humor and has more of a hit you over the head with humor. I blame shows like South Park and Family Guy for making the Simpsons change, are the other show good...at times, but with the Simpsons it's too much.

I learned everything I needed to know about the movie in 5 minutes. They give you one of the best supporting characters, Ralph, right of the top doing the 20th Century Fox theme, launch into a great Itchy and Scratchy bit and then Homer insults the audience... This was classic Simpsons. As with the show you get great comedic moments, touching moments and a good story. With this being a film the constraints of TV were lifted and they pushed farther than they every could... all I will say is Homer... middle finger. With most films they put all they funny parts in the trailers... I will tell you the bits in the trailer are the least funny moments, it's a joyride that ended to soon.

The one thing I can not get out of my head is the damn spider pig song. Spider pig, spider pig, does what ever a spider pig does, Does he swing from a web, no doesn't because he's a pig, watch out, for a spider pig. The big is great and steals a few scenes, but the greatest moment about the pig for Shawn, Melissa and myself is during the credits they play a supped up spider pig song and we hear a child in the front of the theater say. "Whatever happened to spider pig?" I nearly fell out of my seat laughing.

Did the movie meet my expectations... well not quit, I've been waiting too long and wanted too much. Was it worth $8.50? Yes it was. Will I make The Wife go see it? Oh you better believe it! Will I see it a third time if there is nothing else to do? For a matinee, probably I will, so take that for what it's worth. Go see the movie and relive the glory days of the Simpsons