Before I launch into a recap of the day’s events, I wanted to share a link to a web site I came across today. It’s a site with an intriguing flash-animated storyline. Someone surfed over to World Adventurers from this site. I like to check out the blogs and web pages of others who visit World Adventurers, so I took a look. I found it odd but thought-provoking. Once I read a summary of the meaning behind the story, I found it really amusing. You might too. Or you might find it a bit too strange. Be patient and watch for at least a minute until the pop culture images start. If you are fascinated by the media, gaming, and/or science ficition, you’ll probably enjoy it. I’ll post the link to the history behind the story tomorrow (you can find it yourself if you search). For now, here’s the link: http://www.planettribes.com/allyourbase/AYB2.swf. Enjoy!
Today we had several families over for an American-style barbeque. It was a veritable meatfest! It definitely would not have appealed to vegetarians. We grilled galbi (Korean-style pork ribs), kabobs, steaks, and hamburgers. My neighbor, who also loves to grill, was a big help and shared grilling duties with me. He even brought over some Samuel Adams and Corona beer to liven up the party. The numerous side dishes, including potato salad and a green salad, were absolutely delicious. We invited some of our good friends who also have children to join us. The kids, who range in age from 17 months to 4 years, had a great time playing together and watching children’s videos. For me, it was fun to grill again for the first time in a long time and spend time with good friends. Lately my family hasn’t been very social. We would like to meet up with friends more often. Inviting people over for dinner can be a lot of work, especially when you invite four other families. Tonight was a way for us to make up for lost time.
My son is in the middle of his terrible two’s, and lately he has been a pint-sized tyrant. Tired and cranky but refusing to take a nap. Spilling daddy’s soda can all over the front seats of our car. Pulling the lower dishwasher rack with clean dishes onto the floor. Running over his toys with his tricycle. It has left his mom and me both weary and frustrated as we try to keep him out of trouble. His behavior seems to go in cycles. Many a week he is angelic, the best child any parent could have. Yet every three weeks or so his demeanor changes and he becomes a handful, testing our patience. We will persevere and will continue to work with him, teach him, and discipline him as needed in the hope that our angelic son will return. We have often been told that this behavior is common among two-year-olds; hence, this age is infamously referred to as the "terrible two’s." I wish I could say it will get better, but parents with much older children tell us it doesn’t get any easier to raise a child after age two (maybe they’ve forgotten how hard it was for them to take care of a two-year-old child). Our son is a good kid at heart growing up in a loving family, and I am optimistic that he will grow up to be a great lad. Right now though, I just want him to be more Dr. Jekyll and less Mr. Hyde.
I was happy to read that the seven-member crew of a Russian AS-28 rescue mini-submarine was itself rescued today off the coast of Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia. The submarine had been entangled in fishing net cables 623 feet below the surface. The Russian crew survived for three days underwater before an international rescue team rescued them. The international rescue team consisted of Russian, British, U.S. and Japanese military personnel. A British Scorpio submersible robot severed the cables and enabled the Russian mini-sub to return safely to port. This was a much happier ending than what happened in 2000, when the Russian submarine Kursk sank in the Baltic Sea, killing 118 crewmen. When the Kursk sank, the Russians refused to seek international assistance, and some speculate that the crew of the Kursk could have been saved if the Russians had called for help. This time, Russia promptly called for international aid, and Britain, Japan, and the U.S. quickly responded. With so much trouble and tragedy in the world, it’s great to read that international cooperation led to a happy ending. I’m glad that the crew is safe.
