Catching Up
Thursday afternoon/night I pressure washed Alison's mom's external concrete until nearly 9 pm. I started at 3:30. Friday afternoon/night, same thing, but I quit around 7:30 with the announcement "I can't take it anymore". Have not been pressure washing since, but would estimate to complete original scope of project would be another 16 hrs. Scope needs to change, babies.

Church Women Bugging Me
The old joke with what all the church women come up to Alison and I and say is, "Have you gotten that baby yet?" or "When are you going to go get that baby?" The first lady who asked opted for the second question, but wouldn't accept that we really didn't know as an answer.

The next lady who bugged me and Alison, and Alison says the lady was teasing me, but I think she was saying what she really thought, said that I didn't really care about getting the baby. Why, I oughtta...

The thing is, when some chippy comes up and says, "When are you going to go get that beautiful baby of yours?" I don't jump for joy and say "Oh, soon soon! I hope hope hope!" Why not? Because I'm waiting still. I was waiting before you asked and I'm waiting after you ask. Waiting sucks and so do you for asking.

The third lady that bugged me was some old cover-half-my-face-with-giant-sunglasses-indoors wearing octogenarian who I happened to sit next to in Sunday school class. Her daughter explained to her that I was one of the people who had gone down to Mexico with her (the daughter) and that I was adopting from China. I was asked the question again, by the daughter, and responded what we always respond, "We don't have a definite date but it will probably be somewhere in the middle of June or early July at the latest."

But the old broad says, "Oh, probably not. These things take a long time and you don't know what will happen. It won't be then. It'll be a long time."

And I said, "Shut up you dried-up, old hag. We know the timeline, we're freakin' living it. 24/7 we know about the wait statistics. You don't know crap. The only think you know about the Chinese is that they helped your dead husband in WW2 and fought us in Korea." And then I held her nose closed until she passed out.

Well, not really, but on the heels of the Nick-doesn't-love-his-baby comment, ooh, I was sick of that crap. And I'm finding that more and more people here are seriously culturally retarded.

Cultural Retardation In The Yahoo Groups
In China, they keep the baby's skin covered from the sun with long sleeve shirts, even in the summer. This keeps the babies from getting burned. Westerners that I read in the Yahoo groups call ladies who try to cover the babies up the Clothing Police or Clothing Gestapo. They will parade their new baby around in a halter top and then cover the baby with a blanket once the local old gals starts complaining. The tone of voice of the discussions between these people is "Oh, those stupid Chinese ladies." This really irritates me especially when...

Another comment that Alison read was women complaining that when in China, at the restaurants you have to ask for western silverware. (tone indignant) "Well, I never!" (/tone) You know why? Because not even children have to use forks in China. Everyone knows how to use chopsticks. It's the way things are done. And, as a person adopting a child from China, who will always be Chinese and look Chinese to others as well as other Chinese people, wouldn't you think that you, as her number one teacher in her whole life, might want to learn how to eat correctly in that culture.

There is other stuff, but I try to not read too much. The groups are only about 30% that way. But it's all weepy women. But you can get some good information from the groups also. Like I recently learned that we were so lucky that the agency in Birmingham didn't send us any info, since the CCAI rocks. Most agencies totally suck in comparison.

And now, a Jim Morrison Story
In November, 1969, Jim Morrison was traveling to Phoenix to see another group in concert at the coliseum. Witnesses later described him and his companion, Thomas Baker, as two "hippie appearing individuals" that were obnoxious and boisterous, and appeared to have been drinking before they boarded the plane.

Things started off badly even before takeoff with Morrison smoking a cigar in the first class cabin after the "No Smoking" light was lit. Later, Baker returned from the lavatory carrying all the bars of soap which had been there with some liquid soap, asking along the way if anyone wanted to buy some soap, and finally dumping it all in Morrison's lap. Following the emergency air mask demonstration, Baker called out loudly to Morrison who was sitting across the aisle, "My girl has one of those and she calls it a diaphragm."

In flight, the two consumed their allotted two miniature bottles of airplane liquor, Morrison downing his in one gulp. They then passed a comic book concealing a larger liquor bottle between them. Baker was overheard to remark about the stewardesses, "Let's kill them."

One of those stewardesses had a totally ineffective chat with the duo, telling them that if they did not shape up, she would have to have the captain talk with them. The captain did talk with them warning that he would turn the plane back if they failed to straighten out. They quieted down for a bit, but were soon back to their boisterous behavior.

When the plane landed at Sky Harbor, police were at the ramp gate. Police boarded the plane and led Morrison and Baker off in handcuffs.

I tell ya, that man really was the Lizard King.
- posted by Nick Postagulous @ 1:39 PM