A Mama's Rant

What we did while the Rockies were losing the game

Besides praying for the start of football season, Lucie and I spent some quality time at Coors Field taking pictures:

So now we know what to do when the game gets boring – or just plain bad. Take out the Sony Cybershot DSCW170 and have some fun!

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WHAT DO YOU GET FOR THE MAN WHO HAS EVERYTHING?

How about a Lentek MK11 propane powered mosquito trap? I bought this for Big Bad Dad for an anniversary present. (Yes, terribly romantic.) But he's digging it.

Tonight at the dinner table he read to me and the kids from the manual on how the mosquito trap works (a combination of CO2, moisture, thermal imaging, airflow, etc. makes mosquitos think it's a living body. Then the device sucks them up and kills them.

I got it over at HSN.com for $259.75. The coupon code C56574 (expires: 8/31/2006) gives new customers 15% off. So I ended up getting it for $220. No shipping costs and no tax.

It's been a big hit with BBD and is one of those odd things outdoor guys like, so I thought I had to share.

So what are you getting your husband or dad for Father's Day?

THIS WEEK'S PHOTO OP

Lately I'm a bit chagrined by my readers. I write about all kinds of serious stuff, and get little to no response. But when I post pictures of the family, lots of nice people leave comments and tell me how cute they are.

So in the interest of hearing from you all, here's Big Bad Dad and Boo Girl.

Enjoy.

BIG BAD DAD IN BOSTON

Big Bad Dad is visiting friends in Boston, Lauren a chemistry pal from CU Boulder and her husband Ed, an extremely talented artist who creates wild, beautifully rendered, rather disturbing paintings. I see his stuff is more political these days. Back when BBD was in college (over 10 years ago) Ed worked with religious themes, like a crucifixion scene with Christ having a Pez rabbit's head (if I remember correctly).

Here's one of his pieces called Ampoohtee, 2003:

In a review written by Jeanne Claire van Ryzin AMERICAN-STATESMAN ARTS CRITIC:

About a year ago, Monovich, who now lives in the New York City area, stood out in a group show at Arthouse with his pop-culture-inspired drawing that questioned recent U.S. military interventions. Why? He's one of the few young artists who can handle political material without being didactic or simplistic.

Mixing comic book-like figures, pop culture icons (Disney's Pinocchio, for example) and precisely rendered images of toys or animals or tanks, his mixed-media drawings -- he uses everything from correction fluid to rubber stamps to dry transfer letters and tape -- all look like busy collages of clip art. He fills every available space, often using as a background the pixelated pattern of the brown or green camouflage used by the U.S. military. The soldier with a monkey's head in "Flex your Mosul" sports a tattoo that reads Haz Mat (the abbreviation for "hazardous materials"). In "Friendly Fire," Pinocchio's nose, wrapped in yellow ribbon that reads "Friendly Fire," grows longer as he receives a blood transfusion, the blood bag hanging on a machine gun.

Monovich certainly doesn't mince his opinions. And though his drawings are fantastically complex, his message rings loud and clear.

I just wish we had the money back in college to buy some of Ed's paintings or drawings. Except some of it was so disturbing (lots of amputees) yet beautiful that I'm not sure I could have lived day to day with it.

To see more of Edward Monovich's work, go to his website.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BIG BAD DAD!

Well, Big Bad Dad, turns 39 today. Unfortunately, it's a work day and we'll be too busy packing for our camping trip to do anything special tonight. But we'll have a nice dinner and presents afterwards.

(It's a Devo-themed birthday this year, so besides the tickets to the concert, which he already knows about, he'll get a few other Devo goodies as well.)

Happy Birthday, old man. We love you!

ARE WE NOT MEN?

We're going to see Devo (and Flock of Seagulls, The English Beat and Missing Persons) on August 23 at the Coors Amphitheatre. Actually, it's the "Lost 80s Live featuring Devo." And best of all we have tickets right in front in the pit!

I just had to splurge on the $65 plus fees tickets when Big Bad Dad, who's a huge Devo-tee, told me he'd never seen Devo live.

So happy early birthday present, BBD! (I had to tell him in case he decided to buy tickets on his own.)

Now my only problem is if I can stand in the pit all night without killing my back. Better take some ibuprophen with me and wear insoles in my Doc Martens.

Are we not men? We are OLD oh!

HOOSIER DADDY?

Big Bad Dad asks,

"What's a Hoosier? Is it short for 'Who's your daddy?' "

(Sound it out, folks.)

What do you think?

HAPPIER THAN A PIG IN SH*T

Big Bad Dad's dream job.

(Or where he spent most of his time in England when he wasn't in business meetings.)

BIG BAD DAD GOES TO IRELAND

If you want to see pictures of the Guinness factory, the Old Jameson Distillery, Dublin, and various golf courses and old churches, please feel free to view the:

Big Bad Dad Goes to Ireland (November 2004) Photo Album

HOW TO MEET FAMOUS PEOPLE

Big Bad Dad called yesterday morning to say he arrived in Dublin o.k. (he's out there giving a presentation at a chemistry conference) and that the trip was "already made."

Seems he ended up sitting next to one of the members of the Pogues and his girlfriend on the plane. I think it may have been Spider Stacy since he told BBD that he played tin whistle for them, and was flying into the UK for their annual reunion tour.

Now, this isn't the first time that BBD has run into someone famous when flying. He saw Bo Diddley at the luggage turnstile at Denver International Airport once and got to say hi to him.

I never run into famous people. But then again I don't fly as much as Big Bad Dad.

Have you ever run into a famous person? Tell us about it!

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