The Case of the Missing Master Wu 3

Second recap: Evidently Master Wu, the Ninjago Lego fellow went missing and weeks of searching had procured no sighting.

Eventually thoughts of despair and perhaps betrayal of the missing Master Wu oozed through the surface.

"Should we get him a new Master Wu?" the missus asked.
"Yes," was the reply.

The trouble is nobody has these guys in stock. It must be downtime for specific toys and there is not a Master Wu let alone any other various Ninjago characters around town.

"How about the stack of blankets in the tv room? Have we checked there?" the missus asked.
"Nah, that is like looking for a needle in a haystack," was the reply.

And weeks later, uh huh - that is where Wu was found by Grandma.
The stack of blankets, never in a million years...

Master Wu had been saved - or had at least come back from a permanent vacation of sorts. As it had worked out in the end, (the reader is surely surprised by this) this may be the first real taste of a lack of parental control or ability to "fix" everything.

And it was a sweet reunion between boy and Wu.

Moral to the mystery:

"Sufficiently simple natural structures are predictable but uncontrollable, whereas sufficiently complex symbolic descriptions are controllable but unpredictable."  - Howard Pattee

Ya, right, what he said.
Sometimes my logic, something that I trust as true as the velocity of an arrow, needs to be hung up on a hook and placed aside so that whatever other inspiration, thought process or idea can step in and take over.

The Case of the Missing Master Wu 2

Recap: Lego Ninjago mix-Master Wu had gone missing - without telling anyone.

What a serious bummer - we had lost part of our family (eyes roll). It was relatively surprising how much a missing one inch sized dude could wreak havoc on day to day life (especially at unhappy hour). The middle was left a distraught - chaos provoking, thunder producing little fellow.

But, there was a mystery to solve! We could do it!

We looked high, we looked low. We used tools to look. We spent days looking. Seriously. Neck muscles never known to exist were not only brought back from near extinction and exercised, but toned to a fine working bunch of fibers.

Weeks eventually went by. Randomly we would think of some place Master Wu may have disappeared to...

• under the pillow
• inside the toy lunchbox
• perhaps placed in a drawer after a bout of cleaning

No go, no show. Evidently, Master Wu didn't want to be found.
We weren't decimated, but began going through those five stages of grief...
denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance

The reader may bellow an expression of utter aghast... ment(?) -
"No not an unsolved mystery!"
Well, not necessarily, hang in there dear reader. (if anyone's reading this)

But for reading appeasement, and to learn of the fate of dear Master Wu - please read on in tomorrow's third edition of -
The Case of the Missing Master Wu.


(fade to commercial)

The Case of the Missing Master Wu 1

Three good tools for any sleuth: flashlight, ruler, and logic
One best tool: luck
Also - patience and amusement if possible

When in search of a needle in a haystack it is quite obvious that patience and deduction are important - but even patience and deduction won't solve all mysteries.

Our boys like Legos and so far the oldest has received the vast majority of Legos, primarily as gifts from Christmas or his birthday. There are a lot of Lego sets out there and we seem to have a few of each of the current ones.

Ninjago is the latest Lego trend in the household. They come sold as individual figures with a special spinner thing. Somehow the oldest seems to have about five or six of these characters with their spinners. Meanwhile the middle might have two - and he wants what the older has. So there is this friction, especially around 4pm - known as the unhappy hour and especially if there is no nap.

The middle has one specific Ninjago figure that the older does not. A trusted figure, a character worthy of Yoda and Master Splinter. In fact he seems to be an amalgamation of the two. He is Master Wu - a surefire Ninjago master who is teaching the other Ninjago how to battle their evil compatriots - the Skeleton crew.

And it was a huge setback when Master Wu went missing!

At this juncture in our little mystery it is time for a short break, please be back tomorrow for the second of three easy installments pertaining to -
The Case of the Missing Master Wu.

Why You Gotta Mess/Under the Radar

So our kids eat food and grow quite rapidly. In a generally descent sort of way.

They eat much of what is on their plate and let us know when they want more.

For breakfast, specifically, they will even direct us to what they want... blueberry waffles, a banana, some milk; whatever, they have free will and are making choices that will satisfy their immediate hunger.

And my kids eat trees, sauteed green beans with a slight garlic butter sauce, and carrots - to see better. And it works. They eat the vegetables like they're going out of style. Unregulated, free for all, somewhat random, what's on their plate goes in the mouth and so on...

Photo courtesy via CC

So, Public School - why you gotta mess?

As you direct my kid to bring home the four week program associated with the healthy food chart of fruit and vegetables, complete with stickers - it makes eating fruits and veggies seem like a laborious, enforced manifesto of top down economics... (really dad, the chart again?)

Suddenly my "under the radar" approach, (as in under the kid acknowledgement radar) with subtle feedings of veggies:

•  (fun - here eat some mini-trees [broccoli]);
• (fancy - specially prepared fresh green beans);
• (goofy - eat your carrots, they will help your eyes!)

 - has become a stigmatized homework issue, brought to the forefront of my kids' daily eating habits.

I understand the intent of the program. I watched Jamie Oliver's show on tv and thought it was fairly useful, in fact my wife has a couple of his cookbooks - he wants healthy food in schools and schools should listen - but as an upstanding middle class white family I think that we can guide our kids to eat the good stuff - at least the majority of the time.

It feels like it is coming from some group who is sub to some other group (and so on...) that says that tomato paste on pizza is a vegetable...

eat'em up! eat'em up! raw, raw, raw!

Gemini Powers Deactivated

Will power = low.

Instinct = dampered by information overload

Action quotient = malfunction due to sickness

Recovery, recovery, recovery, recovery… recovery… recovery…

Recovery = what?

How do we recharge?

As two adult people, separate but equal, divided but united, what are we capable of doing to get momentum back to the nominal pace?

There are three reasons that we should be stout-bodied role models, right?

So what happens when we hit a bump? When we get snagged?

Ain’t nothin’ gonna break a my stride….

It’s spring in Minnesota.

Time to open up and breathe the fresh air –

to wash the windows and gander out at the wide world.

The pace is going to quicken a bit with activities.

Photo courtesy via CC

So how to catch up?

Getaway - Couples retreat? Successive, recurring date nights? (run away from it all!)

Entrench - Pizza and board game night? Family dinners? Watch Dirty Job reruns (become homebodies)

Work - Gardening, painting, clean the basement (work is good for the soul)

Neo Anarchy – No tv for a week, give up dessert, (drastic change)

Strategize – coffeeshop dawdling, take a long drive (to think but do nothing)

Mix n’ match?

Which would you choose?

It's About the Shield

Ok, so the guy has morals. He fights for all that makes this land great. He believes strongly that this land is your land, this land is my land – our land. He is strong. Not from protein milkshakes, or complex bars, but from a special serum, that he volunteered to have injected into his person. He’s adept at leading the pack, being a leader, a role model of sorts. Also at fighting for the small guy (he was one himself). He also has mechanical skills – the ability to figure out and use vehicles on the fly. And he rides a cool motorcycle.

He has a suit. A red, white and blue suit, that fits quite snuggly in the comics and cartoons. One can understand how the tight fitting suit would come in handy when swimming, or jumping from high altitudes or when aerodynamics are necessary. There is no cape. Why would there be a silly cape? Using a cape would be an accident waiting to happen!

There are those things on his head, wings? Antenna (antennas plural)? There is surely some necessary use for those… things as well.

But,

to this writer, and fan, it’s about the shield. An item not meant to destroy, or instigate, or harm or kill.

The shield is an item meant to defend, to protect, cover or block.

Let us look at the shield a bit, shall we? We shall.

The history of the shield in general dates back to …ya right.

The shield, at this time, is shaped as a saucer, in a circular shape. It's round. The circle never ends and nor shall this hero.

It is constructed of very strong material called vibranium which was plucked from deep within Africa.

The shield is no small Frisbee. NO! (though it can be thrown) It is large enough to hide behind if necessary (though he doesn’t hide).

The shield can be carried on his back, or on his arm, or on his bike and it’s handy when it rains.

The shield has design. It is colored red, white and blue. The red and white mimic a target, as in yelling – “come, bring your best against me, aim for me, shoot at me, make me the thing for which you aim, point here.” And one star in the middle. One for all, all for one. He fights for one America. No, he isn’t from Texas, this isn’t about “Chuck Norris”, he isn’t going to break away or secede – he is going to succeed. Though like Texas, nobody should mess with his shield, ‘cept the Capt.

Carry on.

and watch this - it rocks...

Grey Go Green

Photo courtesy via CC

Who ever thought grey could go green?
Grey with its dense clay-like properties.
Or perhaps its wisps of cloud-like hues.
Grey can go blue or silver - as an ocean on a cloudy day.
Even red as the scales on a fish - perhaps a rainbow trout.


Green means something grew.
Sprouted out as individual chutes amassed as one vibrant collective.
Grass on the lawn, mold on the step, trees in the field.

Ash once a combined solid, now a combusted heap, as grey as gray.
Used again - ash to ash, dust to dust.
The chemical properties from grey go green
a mathematical method enacted by an act of nature's randomness.

Panic

Had a dream the other night.
That I willingly became submerged in water -
and similar to falling through ice there was only one opening above.
There was an instructor guiding and leading me under - calm and consistent.

The goal being to assist me -
as an adult -
to breathe underwater -
as if a fetus within a womb.
An all-inclusive experience to a life of eternal happiness and bliss.

Except I wasn't prepared - and panicked and awoke gasping for air.

It Goes on the Toast

Photo courtesy via CC

It goes on the toast, much like peanut butter,
as it goes on the toast, it makes it taste better.
If it fits on some bread, like a thick chocolate spread,
then it goes on toast too, you heard what I said!

Toast alone is bread, that's been crisped at the edge
in a toaster, or an oven - it's cousin to the muffin.
It goes on the toast, banana or raisin,
use some real fruit, cause it's what your cravin'.

Some jam or jelly has high fructose -
or corn sugar if you please,
either or - it goes on the toast,
no need for them to tease!

Listen fella - as you use the Nutella - 
it goes on the toast today.
An' then for tomorrow, try the avocado
(purchased from the corner-mart, along with your lotto),
and let your hunger lead the way.

Two at once, are you crazy? (Peanut butter and jelly, baby?)
Cinnamon and sugar, it goes on the toast,
for me it's too spicy for others it's the most.
Try the strawberry-rhubarb sauce with cream cheese if you please.
A portion of each measure, which combo fits your pleasure?
It goes on the toast don't you see?

Sweet or salty, nothing's faulty, when you put it on the toast.
So on the toast it goes, throw on those eggs and bacon
or the sausage, perhaps some ham -
doesn't matter what your makin'.
Try the caviar, pimento loaf, even the Grey Poupon;
place it on the toast, no need to boast
when bought with coupon.

With cheese-whiz or a slice of pepper jack - divine,
perhaps preserves or marmalade made from clementine.
Spread it thick or thin, bring it side to side
from coast to coast it goes on the toast - don't be shy let is slide.

It goes on the toast, morning, noon or night.
When your sick or are well  it may bring delight.
This morning for me - I like honey, butter, (or both!)
'cause if it goes on the bread, it goes on the toast.

Like Two Magnets in the Night

Like two magnets in the night, the two lovers repelled away, refusing to relent to the awkward intrusion that had messed up the chance toward perfect easement.

Like two magnets in the night, the two knew they should feel laws of attraction rather than opposition, but to this end there was no measure and surely sleep would settle the score.

Sleep always settles the score, correct?

Nope, each stuck to their side of the bed, teetering through mess, apparent, yet undefinable.

He hanging on the very edge, considering the leap that would throw him off and eventually onto a couch swollen with stains (from juice and cheesy crackers) and barren of the subtle sunken softness a bed provides.

Should he jump? Would this make the split between a succinct cleave for which his vestige would allow rest from said parties a more approachable mean?

She swung to her natural form of slumber, her back to him, also near the end line to cross, but sleep always won on this side of the bed. However, the quality of which was insurmountably vacant.

Like two magnets in the night, repulsed apart until time and talk provided for about face of axis, the two, praying the pulse would continue, even when buried deep within, lay, on their sides, opposite, as if bookends...


while three other bodies lay in between – literally snoring, the thunder outside subsiding and the rain falling off to a shower and eventually a quiet hush.