A Poem from Ben

Quintessential Quibbler,

Stop your quibbling do it now

Musn't it be a sin to have the sweat dripping down your chin

Or falling off your brow

be caused by tiring out your mouth

Instead why don’t you stop and think

A mere minute is all you’ll need

And then when the words come out,

Oh with what power they’ll come out

It will keep the sweat at bay and cause all round you to say “wait”

Let us pause a second and see

What our dear fellow needs to free

And at this point you’ll find

That all the troubles on your mind

Have now enjoined your fellow man, indeed you’ve wrapped him round your hand,

For true friends leaves no comrade,

To tackle his troubles alone

I'm not sure exactly how it will read for anyone else, it may have taken some manipulating by me to make all of the words flow succinctly, but anyway if anyone thinks they can make it better by all means add some suggestions, I'm taking off for my Money and Banking class, and assuming that I receive a call back will be going to ToastMasters today for the first time and that should be interesting,

Ben

it's supposed to end in html! Don't know what happened!

woops, forgot the link!

homeandgardenmag.com/newsletters/april08/breathtaking-baths-boulder.html

weekend tour and bathroom vote

Our home is on tour this weekend for Historic Boulder, if you can believe it. There is nothing historic about it, but it is on the Landmarks of the Future tour! We are very excited about it. This is the email announcement we sent out.

Also, here is a link to a local magazine's website presentation of 4 bathrooms for you to check out. You can vote for your favorite (but only once!).

Clarior Hinc Honos

He Stepped Forward

There I was—
Standing in a line,
Four men to my left—
Five, to my right.

Each one of us had been disgraced,
Our salty skin barely hanging from the bone.
We were – pathetic.

Lost… was our pride, our dignity, our very souls dangled like a tight-rope walker reaching now one thousand feet!
But who had just – lost his balance…

Our self esteem’d been picked apart,
As a hateful child, wears down upon his mother…

“Now, who shall it be?” The Sgt. Cried.
“Which one of you will share this man’s fate?” The Sgt. Said, tearing the bars off the collar of our fallen leader.

My whole body shook, but who would move?
Give up all he had, to follow to the grave – another.

I closed my eyes, and tilted my head, Damned!
But then I heard the Sgt’s cackle…

NO! Not him!
Not he who had the most to lose.

A son, two daughters, another on the way…
A tender wife and loving father –
Back home.

God Forbid!

And all of them, them who depended on he…

Another man I’d call out of place.
By what Right!
Could he condemn so many…

Another man, I’d turn my head, and spit at his false fealty.

But here, here was a man of which I could not turn my head.
Here was a man who had saved each man’s life, and guided us through many a crossroad.
Here was man who had not once complained!
And in every fight – given, his best.
Here was a man who should have led, but was content to play the servant,
And throw out the worst our garbage.

No, not him God!

Why couldn’t it have been any other?

There is no other man, whom I owe a debt,
There is no other man, whom I’ve ever wronged.
But that one man, stepped forward,
And as God is my witness-
So,
Did I.

Manatee Invasion

Ahhhhh!!!! We had a great time when this manatee came twice to the canal. David, Loic, and me (Laura), eventually we got in and swam next to the Manatee and rubbed its back and tail.

Knick the Dolphin

This animal truly amazes me. It will corner its fish against the sea wall like no buddies business and then use its powerful tail to shoot it across the canal so the fish has just enough energy to barely run from it so Knick can play with it.

Clarior Hinc Honos

On the Other Side of the Iris

"Cannot suppress,"
'Breathe!'
"Must be free-"
'Live!'

"Do not accept,"
'We do….'
"Mustn’t-"

"What I’ve become,"
'It’s all in your head….'
"No, it’s real."

"See… the jungle."
'Weeds… the briars.'
"They call me-"
'Do not listen'

"I am weak."
'You are.'
"I smile."
'In rage, I secede.'

"Judge me-"
'I have.'
"Not for what I am,"
'You are wild.'
"I have become."

"Swimming" vs. "Computer"

Well today me Jay and WDB went swimming (granny and annie went tanning) It was loads of fun :) Loic got home relatively early and we decided to go swimming, though at this point in time just Loic had decided to (I was still in my clothes) Loic went across the canal and back then got out, at this point in time I thought it would be funny to through WDB in when he had his clothes on. So he was fighting back trying not to get thrown in and said "Loic save me," Loic came in and picked me up and faked throwing me in (Yes, I still had my clothes on,) but we were very close to the edge of the dock. WDB being as funny as he is comes up from behind Loic and pushes him, Loic is very strong and manages to save himself, but not strong enough to defy gravity. I fell in... I quickly got out and the war had begun, it did not matter that we had our clothes on, all three of us were throwing eachother in and having fun, though more realisticly Loic was tossing WDB and I very easily into the water. Now at this point in time while we are all enjoying ourselves outside (mom is taking pictures of this event) Jay is inside playing Shadowbane. Mom decided we should post a picture of Jay playing Shadowbane, and the other pictures of Loic, WDB, and myself swimming.

Happy Birthday Noah

Does everyone remember that today is Noah's birthday? He's 20 years old, the teenage years are gone forever! His arrival was such a joy for all of us! I feel so blessed that he's a part of my life, and it was a great surprise and fun to have a little time with him in Rochester (as it was with you other connected importants!)

2 questions: who posted the poem? Who wrote the poem?

It's snowing this am in Colo., but Spring flowers are poking out all over. Enjoy your time in Florida, wish I could join you!

Look forward to future posts (& photos).

Vivian

"Tennis" 2008 Spring Vacation

So last night we (Big B vs. Little L, Mom and Dad vs. Jay and WDB, Grandmama spectator) played tennis and enjoyed a long very close match. I don't know how Dad and Mom vs. Jay and WDB went, but i know that Big B and I had a very tight match. It went from 2:3 to 3:4 to 4:5 and then Big b beat me 6:4!!! It was a great match and loads of fun... This morning, right now it is 8:15, Big B and I are actually planning to go play tennis in about 15 minutes.
So after we finished are match Big B and Granny went home and I took pictures of my dad and mom for about 10 minutes. I have about 2 good pictures that came out and plan to post them (when someone else who knows how does) eventually. After those 10 minutes of taking pictures I rallied with my dad for the fun. Though we could not rally at the time for over 7 hits it was fun to laugh and just enjoy ourselves in the wonderful Florida weather.

Clarior Hinc Honos

Last Plea for Redemption

Hear me God from your throne.
Grant me audience,
To atone.

I offer now what you have missed,
Accept what’s mine,
My last bargaining chip.

Haunted by those that I’ve undone,
These tortured creatures,
I’ll become.

Free the boys that I’ve enslaved,
Bless their mother,
Unsalt her grave.

My penitence is just the same,
The bottom line,
One soul remains.

Mercy and Justice cannot win
If you forget
My unforgivable sin.
Now tie the stone around my neck,
Love is not lost,
If sought after death.

And cast my body to the sea,
I seek no less,
Should be my misery

In contrition, I’ll stand from the rest.
Though my consequence,
Be no less.

Grant me this my final wish,
And His I’ll become,
And death’s lips, I’ll kiss.

Welcome to Connected Importants

If you have received an invitation to blog here then it means that you are important...to at least one person. Anyway, Everyone should feel free to post pictures (only appropriate ones) and to make posts until their hearts are content. I'll start us off with a short story about Reid and his phone skills (or the lack thereof).

So 2 days ago while engrossed in a Shadowbane group Reid receives a phone call, and this is what I hear "Uh, hello?.....long pause....I can't hear you, call back on another phone" (at this point I'm beginning to wonder...Reid doesn't have another phone, what could he possibly mean?) then, right as he's about to hang up the phone he continues, "hold on a sec, it's actually probably my phone that doesn't work........long pause........we're not going to be able to talk.........who is this?........" and then he hangs up. I then (trying to control myself and not wanting to burst out laughing before I hear who was on the phone) ask Reid who or what he was talking to, to which he replies....I uh.....I don't know.