Hummingbird Hawkmoth on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
It sounds like such a silly name... just take three random animal names and push them together. But you see it, and it makes perfect sense.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Sunday, August 13, 2006
The Bubba Keg!
The Bubba Keg!
OK, I just got this yesterday, because I needed a better mug at work. So I fill it up with some water and ice last night, and refreshed it (not that it needed much) at about 10 last night. This morning I pretty much ignored it... till noon.
And the water was still cold, and the ice was still there!
THIS is a mug, my friends!
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Why I hate Ronald McDonald
Years ago, when I was in the Navy, I was involved in something called Project Whitehat. We Saliors got in our uniforms and played with kids stuck in the Chicago Children's Memorial Hospital. Wonderful program, and it really did more for me than I ever did for those kids.
But while involved in that, some people from a group of families with children with heart problems saw us and liked how we handled the kids. They asked us to work their award show. You see, for the kids, most of that is all boring adult stuff, but you can't really have it without the reason for the group. So I and some others jumpped right in.
I was reall worried that it would be very boring for the kids, but they knew what they were doing. The hall they were using was filled with clowns! And they were great... retired grand parents that loved kids, a guy with a parrot that told silly little kid jokes, a gross ton of people making baloon animals and hats! And magic and red noses and big feet! The kids loved it... and so did the clowns. They all just loved giving those kids smiles. We hardly had to do anything. I was starting to wonder why we were asked to be here, even.
I soon found out. I found out first, even. We had to get the clowns out. Every one of them. And quick.
You see, the special guest of the event was Ronald McDonald... and by contract, he has to be the one and only clown in the room. And we were the tools of this contract.
So we spent the next few minutes seperating kids from clowns. And yes, the kids were upset. And the clowns, though they understood, didn't like it either. Even the bird was upset... it flew to a kid's sholder twice before we got him and his owner out of the hall.
But the worst wasn't there yet. When Ronald finally showed up, most of those crying kids suddenly lit up and watched him do magic tricks that weren't as good or as fun as the ones they had just seen, and make jokes that weren't as funny.
But he was Ronald McDonald, so they loved it. And I hate Ronald McDonald.
One bright spot. One little girl I spotted was crying while Ronald was doing his dumb trick. I went over and asked her what was wrong. She missed the clown that painted a star on her cheek and told her she was a pretty girl. He was funny, she said. She liked him. And right then, I really liked the little girl that couldn't care less for Ronald McDonald.
Becuase I hate Ronald McDonald.
Now, I'm not dumb. I fully understand that Ronald is a living, breathing symbol of a multi-billion dollar company, and you don't want for very good reasons to confuse your best customers, little kids, and have them think he is just another clown. I even understand that better today, as I've had to work on company idenity projects, on of course a much, much smaller scale. And the McDonald's company was giving the organization some money, and was also building a McDonald's House for the hospital... or already had one, I don't recall. All very good things that I'm glad they did, and do for others.
But you see, Ronald McDonald made me kick out those wonderful clowns... and I hate Ronald McDonald.
But while involved in that, some people from a group of families with children with heart problems saw us and liked how we handled the kids. They asked us to work their award show. You see, for the kids, most of that is all boring adult stuff, but you can't really have it without the reason for the group. So I and some others jumpped right in.
I was reall worried that it would be very boring for the kids, but they knew what they were doing. The hall they were using was filled with clowns! And they were great... retired grand parents that loved kids, a guy with a parrot that told silly little kid jokes, a gross ton of people making baloon animals and hats! And magic and red noses and big feet! The kids loved it... and so did the clowns. They all just loved giving those kids smiles. We hardly had to do anything. I was starting to wonder why we were asked to be here, even.
I soon found out. I found out first, even. We had to get the clowns out. Every one of them. And quick.
You see, the special guest of the event was Ronald McDonald... and by contract, he has to be the one and only clown in the room. And we were the tools of this contract.
So we spent the next few minutes seperating kids from clowns. And yes, the kids were upset. And the clowns, though they understood, didn't like it either. Even the bird was upset... it flew to a kid's sholder twice before we got him and his owner out of the hall.
But the worst wasn't there yet. When Ronald finally showed up, most of those crying kids suddenly lit up and watched him do magic tricks that weren't as good or as fun as the ones they had just seen, and make jokes that weren't as funny.
But he was Ronald McDonald, so they loved it. And I hate Ronald McDonald.
One bright spot. One little girl I spotted was crying while Ronald was doing his dumb trick. I went over and asked her what was wrong. She missed the clown that painted a star on her cheek and told her she was a pretty girl. He was funny, she said. She liked him. And right then, I really liked the little girl that couldn't care less for Ronald McDonald.
Becuase I hate Ronald McDonald.
Now, I'm not dumb. I fully understand that Ronald is a living, breathing symbol of a multi-billion dollar company, and you don't want for very good reasons to confuse your best customers, little kids, and have them think he is just another clown. I even understand that better today, as I've had to work on company idenity projects, on of course a much, much smaller scale. And the McDonald's company was giving the organization some money, and was also building a McDonald's House for the hospital... or already had one, I don't recall. All very good things that I'm glad they did, and do for others.
But you see, Ronald McDonald made me kick out those wonderful clowns... and I hate Ronald McDonald.
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