I cost 87.50

Here's the deal. You look over the following list and see how many of these things you have done. BUT you have to ADD up the money amount along the way. Then post the amount that you are as the title of the bulletin. Ill leave you all to speculate on whats on the list that I haven't done.

PS: The Smaller the Better!!!

1. Had sex: $6.00
2. Smoked: $5.00
3. Got drunk: $5.00
4. Went skinny dipping: $3.00
5. Kissed someone of the opposite sex: $4.00
6. Kissed someone of the same sex: $4.00
7. Cheated on a test: $2.00
8. Fell asleep in class: $0.50
9. Been expelled: $5.00
10. Been in a fist fight: $3.00
11. Given oral: $5.00
12. Got oral: $5.00
13. Prank called the cops: $3.00
14. Stole something: $2.00
15. Done drugs: $5.00
16.Dyed your hair: $0.50
17. Done something with someone older: $3.00
18. Went out with someone over 18 (if your under 18): $4.00
19. Ate a whole thing of oreos: $0.50
20. Cried yourself to sleep: $1.00
21. Said you love someone but didn't mean it: $1.00
22. Been in love: $4.00
23. Got caught doing something that you shouldn't have been doing: $1.00
24. Went streaking: $4.00
25. Got arrested: $5.00
26. Made out with someone at the movies: $2.00
27. Peed in the pool: $0.50
28. Played spin the bottle: $1.00
29. Done something you regret: $3.00

Now add up and post as "I COST $_ _._ _"

To my Dad

Dad,

I really don't know a lot about you growing up. I don't know much about your dad, or your dreams, or hopes. I really don't know a lot about your likes or dislikes. I know little about your time in the military, or how you met mom. I'm not aware of many things that probably make you up.

But I know you tried. I know that your dad was gone a lot. I know that you were the 'man of the house' way younger than you needed to be. I know the Corp was probably around more from a dad point of view than yours was. I know that you loved mom, me and the kids though you didn't really know how to show it much. I know that you were used to adults, and treated us as such even when we were very young-with little patience or tolerance for BS.

I know that you supported me when I joined the Army, telling me the pros and cons. I know that you understood why I came home over Thanksgiving after disobeying a direct not to, hopping a Greyhound, because I needed to see how Mom was and how my wife was hanging in there, living with Mom during her 2nd or third run with cancer. I know that you didn't insult me or my reasons for doing so and calmly told me what the possible consequences were if I didn't go back. I know that you didn't question my service even though I got injured and discharged after a year.

I know that you though that moving out was a better alternative that getting a divorce because some people can't live with their best friend. I know that you taught me how to build stuff, use tools, work on cars when necessary, eat and drink things most people would not, and to appreciate that not everyone's upbringing is where they are forever. I know you pushed me always to do well in school. I know that you worked....a lot......to make sure that we had at least the basics. I know that moving around the country and state was for good intentions even if it didn't always work out, and hey, who can say they've cross country caravaned in a big yellow School Bus?

I know that you love us in your own way. I see it when you look at your granddaughters, when you get cards in the mail from them, and when they say 'Grandpa!'. I know that you are older now, more pensive, and I know that you cried when Mom died-I was there and didn't cry for you. You showed by example the way to do, and not do things some things.

Thanks, Dad.


Happy Father's Day

As a Parent, I couldn't have done any better myself.

My wife asst. manages a movie theater and sees this all the time. Here is a letter from elsewhere on the internet that sums up so much of what I say to her when she describes the days crop of parents of the year:

Dear Dad With a Doo Rag and Mother With a Halter Top and a Belly Piercing,

You may or may not recognize me: I was present at the same screening of Hostel: Part II that you and your family attended last night. I send you this letter in the hopes that you will forward it to all those who share a similar parenting style as you, in the hopes that my request be heard by as many pairs of ears as humanly possible.

I wish to address you concerning a matter of seemingly-negligible importance. Many people – including, I am sure, the both of you – might consider my complaint unnecessary, or simply selfish. Yet in the interest of decency and for the sake of your offspring, I must humbly make one simple suggestion, which you are free to take heed to or ignore at your leisure. The suggestion is this:

Stop bringing your fucking kids to horror movies.

It’d be one thing if they were twelve or thirteen. While the majority of children at that age are, indeed, douchebags, they at the very least understand what they are seeing, will only verbally react to certain parts of the film, and they are easily controllable by any parent with half a brain and a desire for silence.

Not so with your children, sir and madam. It appears that, in your infinite parenting wisdom, you saw fit to bring two kids – an approximately four year old boy and 1 year old girl – into the particular screening of Hostel: Part II I was present for.

Now before you start, I’m sure you had a reason for bringing your underaged children into a film that, essentially, equates to torture porn: I’m sure that you couldn’t find a babysitter, and you hadn’t been out together in a long time, and it was a matter of absolute necessity that you bring your young, impressionable children into the most violent film of the year.

Oh, wait – my mistake, sorry. I forgot that this screening took place on a Monday, at 8 PM in the evening. It appears that I was mistaken: not only do you not have a legitimate excuse for bringing your children to the theatre, but I’m going to venture a guess and call you a couple of selfish fucking idiots. What in God’s name made you think that bringing your two infants into a horror film was a good idea?

Ignoring the parental implications of such a choice for just a moment, let’s look at how incredibly inconsiderate it was for you to bring these two kids into the film. Firstly, the theater was dark, which means that the one-year-old was constantly crying and frightened at the flashing lights and sudden moments of darkness in the theater. This confusion, coupled with the many loud noises and tortuous screams of pain from the film’s soundtrack, prompted your children to cry and moan, repeatedly and loudly, throughout the film’s entire running time. My attempts to insert footage of actress Vera Jordanova into my mental spank bank for future reference were constantly thwarted by your child’s frequent sobs and shouts; as a result, I have, at best, three seconds of Jordanova in said bank. And they aren’t even from the scene where she’s in a bikini.

But far more irritating than my own inability to pay a great amount of attention to the plot (thankfully, Hostel: Part II doesn’t exactly have, well, any plot to speak of) was the knowledge that you, as parents, are failing your children. Not only did you decide that a fun night out for you two adults was more important than your children getting a good night’s sleep, but you also figured that you couldn’t possibly leave them in someone else’s care. You couldn’t possibly have found any other way to have a night at the movies other than abducting your children and forcing them to accompany you into a film that, for all intents and purposes, really should have been rated NC-17. Not only does it speak to your negligence as a parental figure, but also your selfishness as a human being: you honestly value your own entertainment over the health and possible mental well being of your offspring? How dare you have children in the first place?

I’m no child psychologist, but I’ve befriended one or two in my time. They’ve told me that the early years of a child’s development (say, the exact period your children are now living through) are the most important, because they learn the most and assess their environment. If it is seen to be calm, safe, and benign, the child works on developing social and intellectual skills. If the environment seems erratic or dangerous, the child develops survival skills, which can lead to sociopathy and violence. I therefore pose this question to you:

Do you think that an extremely violent horror film , full of castrations, decapitations, and copious nudity, represents a safe environment to a developing child, or a dangerous environment?

Again, I’m no child psychologist, and I’m sure that, had we had this conversation in person, you would currently be pulling out the “don’t tell me how to raise my child, this came from my womb and not yours” argument as if this were some bulletproof trump card that makes you immune from criticism, but it has to be said: you’re shitty parents, you’re shitty moviegoers, and you’re shitty human beings. Either give up your kids to someone who can properly take care for them, hire a damned babysitter every once in a while, or just don’t go to the movies.

Once more, please don’t hesitate to forward this message to every other idiotic, selfish, immature pair of moron parents who find it necessary to bring their toddlers along to the latest R-rated cinema bloodbath.

Sincerely,

Anthony Burch

P.S.

Oh, and did you have to be minorities? As a minority myself, I find it irritating that your blatant lack of intelligence perpetuates old stereotypes regarding the way brown people are said to act in movie theaters. Let it be known that I’ve talked it over with the other minorities, and we have come to the conclusion that you are no longer welcome at the meetings anymore.

USS NorthSea-To boldly go....

These are the voyages of the USS Northsea, a Starfleet vessel in the Gamma Quadrant. It was a group in Yahoo! that I was in for awhile that eventually disbanded and has faded away. I was Aneurin Rysk, the security officer, that jumped into the middle of this mission (which was acceptable since we were all on ship until we went planet side). Its rough, its disjointed, but im really sorry that they dropped the group due to lack of interest of all parties and fewer and fewer posts.


I started from where I jumped in-the archives are still out there i think, if you wanted to read them. We were attached to Bravofleet, which has a main website now to coordinate things. Looking over some of my old posts I think maybe Ill join back up for Academy!

Im such a dork. Anyway, without further adieu:

//USS Northsea//

<>

Glancing over the outcome of the prior evenings conversation

transcripts from home,

Aneurin felt spacey-which was an unforgivable pun on a current

situation. Briefings indicated that an

attempt was being made to go through a wormhole. Nothing further from

SF, and Commander Maxwell wasn't exactly being open lipped

on the matter. " Out of my league, ..." muttered Aneurin with a sigh,

" ... besides, I’ve got other things to

worry about."

Looking over his PADD he zeroed in on a particular exchange that took

place with his wife and new daughter. Rowen mostly blew spit bubbles

and stuck her finger up her nose, but for a three week old that was

definite progress. No, Colette's concern was this mission. Being married

for 5 years hadnt yet removed that intangible quality of newness from

their marriage, and consequently, the conversation two step that

inevitably

became part of their hallmark to their children.

[Colette] " ...but you know that your daughter barley

knows you yet, and your 4 year old

son missed out on a year and a half of you while you were

playing Starfleet Cadet,

before that it was Earth Security for..."

[Aneurin, interjecting] " Dont EVER imply that what I was

doing wasn’t for the better of all of us!

I can't help the fact that I got hurt, and I can't change

the fact that I need to do something bigger than me or you.

Can't you see that I need to be a part of something? Thats

why I joined Starfleet!"

[C] " You are a part of something...."

Rubbing his temples, Aneurin heaved a sigh. Maybe this wormhole

wouldnt be so bad. SF indemnity insurance wasn't so bad, was it? There

was a disability pension

from Earthforce, and at least he'd leave a legacy behind for his

children of " daddy was on a starship that did some neat things...".

A pipe would make this better....a 27 year old with a pipe. That was a

contradiction! Aneurin could remember meeting his wife while at the

Academy smoking a pipe and

changing some notation on a 20th century guitar riff. " Stairway to

Heaven" even. Puffing contentedly and strumming absently while

watching her across the quad.

She was the sister of some underclassman that eventually washed out

during a trial. Aneurin thought that this might be part of why Colette

disliked his service

so much. He had already been injured , and told that at 22 he would be

more like 62 in a few years. Although StarFleet medical said that they

could fix his nerve damage

and stop the spasms in his back, he declined. What better reminder to

always double check his gear?

*Beeping of quarters door* Lt. Belar

" Lt. Rysk, you've drawn duty tonight. Report in 1 hour for your watch

rounds responsibilities on this ship. Do you have your quarters

squared away?"

" Aye, Lt. 1930 hrs. Duty. Gotcha!"

" 15 minutes early is on time, Lt. Rysk. See you on * Location of

Security Deck*. "

" Aye, Ma'am". * Comm beeps* Still at attention, like an ensign, Rysk

glances over his quarters.....So much for that flask of liquid that

Nek had given him.

Losing a dice hand and winning this as a good will gesture? Still a

winner in Rysk's book. But that would have to wait. Rysk looked for

his duty boots and

pinned his insignia on. Off to Security.

As my wife puts it ...

"See my new pretty.....Its Green!"

We retired the Lumina APV the other day. 142,000 miles-20,000 of it ours-but lots of nickel and dimeing going on. I put 1200 of our savings acct/tax return into it in February for what started as a tune up and became replacing the front axle, boot, joint, and lots of other fun stuff. Never mind that it takes half pulling out the engine to change the rear three plugs. SO, a coworker of mine had a really good experience in Lincoln with the Kia dealer and we figured " What the heck....". We found three mini-v's on thier inventory site that would fit what we wanted and wanted to pay, and based on how it turned out I think we did okay. We got a 2002 Kia Sedona with most options and 64000 miles. I think I can even change the plugs in it if I want to, though it depends on how restrictive the remaining warranty is on it. If they track every little thing then Ill have to back off on doing repairs myself. It hauls, and doesn't look that boringly domestic. I hardly drive it, so I just hope it does what it needs to. My 86 cav will have to last a while longer but its for she and the kids, so I feel better about that.