BAD Times 2-19-2006
Feedback from The Girls about Valentines:“Charlie thinks it is a shame ‘how commercial’ Valentines Day has become! My place at the table was empty, too. After 34 years, I have given up.” – Sherry Carter.
“Dan took me out to a movie the week before Valentine’s Day. Does that count for anything? Yes, I was another of those sweethearts that got no Valentine…I’ve been told it is an unmarried lover’s holiday, and the rest of us should be exempt from celebrating. I got myself some tulips. They look nice.” – Marie Scott.
“I received flowers the day before since I was in class on Valentine’s Day. Bret promised to take me out for supper to celebrate this past weekend but he came home unexpectedly early on Friday to surprise me. My surprise for him was that supper was going to be ready early. We sat down to leftovers on Saturday night and I said, ‘Hey! We missed a Valentine’s Day supper!’” – Lisa Nason.
Correction from last BAD Times: Elder Devin Doman’s correct e-mail address is: devo149@myldsmail.net. Just a reminder that mission rules allow him to read all e-mail that is sent, but he can only reply to parents and grandparents.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
David and Bryan have the privilege of taking the Sacrament to Edith St. John in the hospital. Sister St. John, a friendly and feisty young lady in her 80’s and the oldest member of our congregation, slipped on the ice and broke her elbow. She is most concerned about how Devin is getting along on his mission.
We watch Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. Mom and Franklin finding themselves running upstairs to avoid the gruesome stuff, and are relieved when everything turns out all right at the end.
Monday, February 20, 2006
Happy Birthday, Sandy Zander!
Seminary (Bible Study) kids begin “The War Chapters” in the Book of Mormon. Sister Shearer asks the kids what they think would happen if they had murderous dispositions like the characters being studied. David responds, “If I had a murderous disposition, Bryan wouldn’t be here.” (Editor: Neither would Dave.) David works late into the night writing an English paper on “Huckleberry Finn.”
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
E-mail from Elder Doman, who—being a huge Lord of the Rings/Tolkien fan, compares the Silmarillion to everyday life: “The deeds of the Noldar were remembered in song, whether they were good or ill. So our actions are also remembered, in the Book of Life, which reflects the desires of our hearts, ‘But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.’ (1 Samuel 16:7) …It really is a blessing to have gone to seminary with Kristi, for many of the scripture mastery [verses] I recall in her voice. I can hear her saying, ‘but the Lord looketh on the heart.’”
Kristi calls and wants to know if Mom has been following the winter Olympics. Ris would really like to watch the women’s ice skating tonight but has homework and no TV. Mom volunteers Bryan, who has periodically been watching the men’s speed skating event, to record it for her. Unfortunately, technical difficulties prevail and no recording is made.
Charlie calls. He is back from the war games. He did not fight in any of the events—one must be a member of the organization and, Charles the Great being on a college budget, did not have the $20 to join; although he did acquire a gorgeous $12-ring and many new ideas for Medieval accessories and accoutrements.
Char had a fun time in one of his Marriage and Family Education classes before he left for the games last week. Realizing one of his professors likes to call students up from the audience and noticing from the syllabus that appropriate attire was to be a topic of discussion, Char wore his Medieval garb to class. Sure enough, the professor asked for volunteers to stand in front and have their fellow students evaluate their dress. Char fielded many questions, including: “If you see a girl in medieval clothing, would that be a turn-on for you?” Char answered that it might spark his interest at first, but he hoped that he saw more in a girl than the way she was dressed. Other students remarked that he appeared confident, confidence being a prerequisite to walking around dressed differently than everyone else. And another student—a fellow Medieval Club member—said “Hey, I’m into that stuff too, and what I see is that Charlie sews really well, because I know he made that himself.” The professor asked if Char was interested in acquiring some extra credit in exchange for returning for another class.
Excerpts from an e-mail chain to Char BAD:
Dear Char,
Could you please edit [the medieval section of] the BAD Times and return before Saturday/Sunday? Thanks, Mom.
Char Doman
Sounds good to me!
From: Thomas Breu
To: Char Doman
Goofball! You sound just like your (step)father!
Char Doman
It was called Estrella Wars. Estrella is Spanish for star. (Editor: Star Wars. Get it?) It was held at Estrella Park in Arizona. Travis was the one that took me. We left on
Wednesday and got back on Monday. I spent most of my time watching the fighting, looking at the merchants’ stuff (I got the ring, and a cool cloak clasp, and some fancy trim), taking pictures and I did some medieval dancing.
Several of us went to a tea party. Our table was the only one that had all lemonades and no tea.
Artemesia, the kingdom I am part of, won the war for the first time ever. I got to talk to the Queen of Artemesia and translate a message for Travis, because his persona, Xavier, only speaks Spanish. Does that help? Char
Wednesday, February 22, 2006 Devin, who in his teen years was not fond of bright lights in the early morning, set a precedent by eating breakfast in the dark. This annoyed Bryan and delighted David. These days, if Bryan sits down at the breakfast table first, the lights are on. If David sits down first, the lights are off. Some days they deliberately stagger their meals so one can eat in the light and the other in the dark.
Bryan is cheerily chewing Marshmallow Matey’s in the light when David, who has finished his breakfast and is working on some last-minute homework, walks by and “accidentally” flips off the light. He scurries upstairs before Bryan can swat him, eyes bright and laughing. Bryan sighs and turns the light back on. David has retrieved his calculator and walks back downstairs with the same mischievous twinkle. He walks tantalizingly close to the light switch, keeping an eyeball on Bryan’s face, which is beginning to look menacing. Then, without touching the switch, he sprints past and returns to his homework. “It’s a good thing Bryan doesn’t have a murderous mood,” Mom calls out.
“Disposition,” say both boys at once. “Murderous disposition.”
It is Franklin’s parent-teacher conference tonight. Mom and Dad bring home a shoebox whale habitat. The whale is made of clay, the water is a piece of blue construction paper, and Franklin has spent a lot of time gluing rocks and poking tiny pink flowers on wires through the bottom of his box. (Editor: I did not glue the rocks!)Mom is relieved to hear that she can take turns reading paragraphs and/or pages from the chapter books he is bringing home as this has been a source of a lot of unhappy discussion between Mom and Frank.
Bryan and Franklin watch David play Paper Mario. Franklin has received a special dispensation to stay up late as David is about to beat the game (and because there is no school tomorrow or Friday). When it’s all over David and Bryan look at one another, look at the clock and say, “Crap! We missed Scouts tonight.”
Thursday, February 23, 2006 Parent-teacher conferences for David and Bryan. The buzzwords this year seem to be, “doing fine, doing well.” Mom gets to watch Bryan acting in a film made for Mr. Eastman’s English class, wherein Bryan spends a lot of time squeezing a stress ball and looking mad.
David accompanies Mom and uses the opportunity to clear up a couple of issues: “Are you a problem child?” Ms. Meyer jokes as she signs an attendance slip. He recovers an encyclopedia from his locker and picks up forms from the AP (Assistant Principal’s) office for tennis season.
Bryan has unearthed two hilarious books, “Wake Me Up for the Resurrection,” and “Sunday of the Living Dead,” that step back and laugh at the Mormon culture. (Editor: And most other religious cultures.) Mom is surprised to learn that David and Bryan haven’t read the books, as the older sibs really enjoyed them. “I was only 8 when Grandma sent them,” says David. Bryan and David take turns reading their favorite snippets to Mom.
Mom has wanted to put baskets in the kids bathroom for a year now, and finally finds the set she wants 40% off at Michael’s craft store. After rearranging shampoo, conditioner, soap bars and deodorant she calls David over to ask his opinion. David will usually give a straightforward answer to whether an outfit or a furniture arrangement or a color scheme works for him. Mother values this honesty, especially since Kristi has left. “Well,” says David, “I don’t know. I liked having everything set out in rows so I could just reach in and get what I wanted.”
Mom raises her voice. (Yes, it happens.) “Well, girls like this kind of stuff, so get used to it!” Mom turns around, looking for a second opinion. “Bryan! Get over here!” Bryan strolls over as David walks off. “I see how it is,” says David, “I’ve lost my spot as favorite child.”
“What do you think of my baskets?”
Bryan knows better than to say what he thinks. The only answer Mom gets from him is a shrug. (Editor: I said I did not care.) “Coward!” she barks, but most of the steam is gone from her eruption.
Tom’s evaluation: Cardboard box, $0. Useless baskets, $45.
David and Bryan return to their room-cleaning activities, the price exacted in return for being allowed to host another Halo party tomorrow. Bryan observes from the block calendar on his desktop that it is one day shy of five months since his last room cleaning. (Editor: Room cleaning here defined as something more than dumping six or eight baskets of laundry by the washing machine. Carpet is now visible, desktops are organized, garbage can emptied, and so forth.)
Kristi spends 4 hours watching the Olympics at a friend’s house. It’s the long program for the women. Mom also watches about an hour on the fuzzy TV Bryan has connected in Franklin’s room, anticipating that Franklin will want a place to play Game Cube while the Halofest is in progress.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Our home is party to 21 avid teen, pre-teen and one post-teen Halo players from 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The boys (and one girl) eat 9 grocery store (i.e., cardboard frozen) pizzas, and 4 Little Caesar’s ($5 pepperoni) pizzas, 2 boxes of cookies, popcorn, two bags of tortilla chips, salsa, 36 cans of soda plus other miscellaneous snacks and beverages.
Franklin feels his day is most boring, as he is not allowed in the basement except for a few quick snack runs. About 8:00 PM, Dad also realizes that having so many teens in the house makes him tired.
Mom stays up to see the boys out.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
David participates in another Republican Party phone bank.
Bryan recovers from Thursday’s room cleaning.
Dad, Mom and Franklin visit Grandpa and Grandma Breu in Marshfield.
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