8/20/06--that sound....that horrible sound....

So this weekend was the lovely Kellie's 14th birthday...and after dinner, at her request, we took her to see (drumroll)....SNAKES ON A PLANE.

And the damned movie couldn't decide what it wanted to be.  Was it a horror?  Was it a comedy?  It never really did decide, so I have to give it a reluctant thumbs down.
It could've been an outstanding horror movie....or a really funny spoof...instead, it was neither.  Disappointing.

Then today...we were enjoying a relaxing Sunday at home. And I went into the kitchen to pour myself something to drink (and I mean juice by the way) and then.....well, I have to go back to a scene from one of my alltime favorite movies.

Did you ever see A Christmas Story?  Ya know...the little kid who wants a BB gun for Christmas back in the late 1940's, but his parents refuse to buy him one?  Well, there's a great scene in the film....where his father had gotten this lamp....or maybe it really was a fabulous prize...or a work of art...but anyway, there was this lamp--and the kid's father LOVED the lamp....and the mother hated it.  Couldn't stand the sight of it.
So one night...the kid is sitting at the table eating....and the father is in the basement cursing up a storm trying to fix the furnace....when the mother leaves the room to "clean"
and suddenly there is this loud crash.  And the father comes flying up the stairs....looks at the little kid and says:
"What was that noise?"
Kid shrugs his shoulders.  Then, the mother comes from around the corner, holding the pieces of the broken lamp.  And a meltdown ensues.  Its all very funny.

Of course....in my world.....today.....so I'm pouring myself a drink, and my daughter is setting the dinner table....and I hear this sound....this.....crash.
"What was that noise?"

I practically shoved my wife out of the way and ran towards the dining room---and saw my daughter...standing over my laptop...which was on the floor (as opposed to the TABLE...which is where it used to be)......meltdown ensued.

"It was an accident...she didn't mean to knock it over."
"I know, I know."

I turned the computer on.....some lights beeped....the microsoft tune sounded....and then it went blank....nothing came on the screen.....nada.
This wasn't good....this wasn't good at all.

My wife has learned over the years that the best thing to do in meltdown moments like this is to leave-me-alone.  I stewed for awhile and then called my brother.  I explained what happened and received the following encouraging words.

"Oh....uh....I've never heard of THAT before."   (This is NOT a good sign)

I went into my daughter's room.  I'm sure she was expecting some yelling.

"Did you do it on purpose?"
"NO!"
"Well, then that's what we call an accident, okay?  And while I'm going to be upset about my computer.....I'm NOT upset at you, okay?  It was accident."

I'm off to see the GEEKSQUAD at the old Best Buy tomorrow.  And if the news is bad....somewhere, softly in the distance as you lay in bed tomorrow night....you might be able to hear "Taps" blowing in the distance.

And you won't understand that last paragraph unless you saw the movie.

Later,
Jeff