Just between you and me (I don’t want this to go public) – If you had a web-cam set up in my house, you would know that when I’m not eating or sleeping, and I’m not at my computer, I’m probably in front of my Playstation – and between 3 and 8 PM, I’m probably there with my seven-year-old son.

As it happens, we were playing a racing game called Gran Turismo and I had just won a race using my son’s favorite car, called a "Tickford."  Now, I sometimes keep a car for sentimental reasons, such as, I always wanted to have that car in real life, but for the most part – in game – I select my favorites based on how well they will compete in races.  He, on the other hand, selects his favorites based on how cool they are, i.e., "that green one has a cool orange stripe!"

The prize for this particular victory was a car we absolutely needed to compete in a model-specific race; and a promising one, if tuned correctly.  But – you guessed it: he didn’t like the car’s appearance.  After some convincing, he decided to try the car out on a test track…

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I went to the Science Center with my son’s second grade class today as a chaperon. I found out I had chaperon duties when I arrived at the school in the morning in response to the invitation: “would you like to go on the field trip with us?” But I don’t mind wrangling a few brats for a half day – I wrangle 150 soldiers all weekend and it’s about the same job description…

Of all the great story opportunities from this little junket – I only lost one brat, and even then for only a couple of minutes – my favorite was the “ABC game” I played with my boy on the bus ride home. We were the last ones on the bus for the return trip due to the fact that the experts at the center lost my backpack, which they insisted I leave with them after lunch. (See Detroit Science Center Intelligence Story.)

So, now in the front of the bus, alone – or so I thought – with my boy,

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Ok. I’m a bit of a mess. No. I mean more than usual. Yesterday I asked Christy where she wanted me to put the stove and the refrigerator while I put the floor in underneath them. She told me to leave them where they were. I explained that they would have to be moved to install a floor underneath them but she persisted. In the end, she convinced me to move them over, install the floor under them and then move them back. This seemed like a good compromise. In hindsight, it was a very poor decision. Did I mention that the primary problem with the old floor was refrigerator gouges??? Well – they’re back. Fortunately, this time, they’re small – or at least in spots not so noticeable.

So, did I say this job was going to take one day? I’m almost halfway done now at the end of day two. The laminate is well designed. You just “snap” it together. and then you have to “tap” the pieces laterally down to join up with the previously installed board in the same row. I pried on one so hard that the wall shifted: it didn’t budge. Some work well, others fight to the bitter end. I think I’ll be finished by tomorrow night. If not, I’m just going to move out. My hands are bleeding from multiple cuts and bruises and I think I’ve contracted carpel tunnel. (In both wrists.)