Brave New World.

I read in yesterday's paper that the woman who received a face transplant in Cleveland has been doing well. This news following the well-publicized birth of octuplets through in vitro fertilization to an unmarried woman who'd already had six children by the same process a few years earlier. Genetic engineering. Cloning. Face transplants. Steroids for strength in a jar. Just who do we think we are:



Oh. Right.

One Dead Chicken.

Slowly, and with great reluctance, I seem to be turning into a grown-up. Well, maybe that's pushing it. I'll say, at least, that I finally feed more people than feed me. When I was growing up in Tampa, I frequently had four meals a day: two or three at home, and one or two at the home of my second family, the Baggetts (I've mentioned them a few times, most recently in my Thanksgiving Florida Roadtrip). Mom worked until at least five every day, and we didn't usually eat until seven-thirty or eight. I've always loved food, and I was way hungry before then. Frandy Baggett taught elementary school- which I know is plenty of work- but she was home by mid-afternoon, so she usually had food on the table by five-thirty or so. Well, whenever they ate, I knew. They were unfailingly good Southern hosts, so they always offered me a plate. I wasn't as polite as they were, so I almost always accepted. Let me tell you, Frandy could cook! It wasn't fancy stuff, usually; it was just good Southern food: fried chicken, snap-beans, fried fish. Yum! There were three Baggett children to go with Frandy and (former FSU offensive guard) Leo Baggett so Mrs. Baggett already had to prepare a lot of food. I'm pretty sure there must have been times when a "No, thank you, Mrs. Baggett" would've been appreciated, but I don't remember ever being told there wasn't enough.

Though I've been divorced eight years now, my mother-in-law, Margie, always treated me well. I really could not have asked for better in-laws. For several years, we lived down the street from Tina's folks. "Marnie" as her in-laws and grandchildren called her, was also an excellent cook, and we availed ourselves of her hospitality on a right regular basis. She generally took our mooching in stride, too, but she'd raised all her kids already, and undoubtedly had earned a break. One day I wandered in to her kitchen and inquired, "Watcha havin' for dinner, Marnie?". She must have been struggling a bit that day, because she gave a classic response: "One dead chicken". Uh, maybe Tina'n I'll eat out tonight.

Fast forward a few years. The Lads have a lot of friends in the Boro that just pop in. Matt, Greg, Zach, Trenton, the Nicks, and a few others seem to know when I'm cooking. Last weekend the Lads had friend, Trenton, over. I roasted a chicken, cooked some rice, green beans, Grands biscuits. Zach, Matt and Greg show up. We're up to seven people to eat one dead chicken. "Watcha cookin' Mr. David?" Somehow, there was enough. Loaves and fishes, I guess. A little minor miracle to meet a requirement of basic Southern hospitality. Thanks, Frandy and Marnie, for teaching me this.

Dog Days.

Actually, it's been pretty cold of late. Still, the dogs, Bo and Brady, found a little time catch some rays.

The Hole Truth.

The Kids play rough.
Eventually got to fix this. We'll just cover it for now. Wanna see what I used?
Appropos, no?

25 Things.

Got a Facebook thing where you get tagged and are supposed to list 25 things about yourself. A little self-indulgent, perhaps, but since I've already done it, I figured I might as well post it. Might as well destroy the tiny bit of dignity I had left.

25 things.

1. When I was a lad, my pop always told me I was born next to a little Indian child in Billings, Montana. My birth certificate confirms only the Billings, Montana part.

2. Mostly, I love being a public defender. Mostly.

3. I ran for the South Carolina statehouse in 2000, and lost by 150 or so votes, out of about 15,000.

4. Being a dad is my favorite thing in the whole world. I've got four kids. Three boys and a girl, and my identical 13 yoa twins live with me.

5. I've read the Bible almost every night of my life since I was in fifth grade. I've probably read it though four or five times. I've read the Apocrypha twice.

6. I've probably broken six of the Ten Commandments, but I'm not telling which six.

7. My mom was a nun.

8. My dad was not a nun.

9. My brother is an amazing ultra-runner and a really good teacher and father.

10. I tried to write a novel once. It was truly awful.

11. I wrestled and played football in college. I was a decent football player, but a bad wrestler.

12. I'm really bad with money.

13. I never drink more than three drinks a day (but sometimes I pour 'em big).

14. I've lost a home to foreclosure.

15. As a public defender, I've never had a client convicted of murder after trial (4 and 0 here. 1 and 0 in Beaufort). That'll change eventually.

16. I washed out of Marine Officer Candidate School at age 27. I'm a lot of things, but not a Marine.

17. I've been on my church vestry twice, I've taught Sunday School, I've been a Cub Scout leader, I've served on a First Steps Board for Early Childhood Development, I've volunteered teaching a debate team for high school kids.

18. I've been divorced for eight years after being married for 14.

19. I was expelled from school in 6th and 7th grade, and cut school at least ten times a quarter in eighth grade.

20. I don't practice law in federal court; I hate business law and office practice, and mostly don't understand tax law.

21. Among the cases I've won on appeal was a Federal Court of Appeals case, Collins Holding Corporation v. Jasper County, which is a business licence tax case.

22. My favorite movie is "My Cousin Vinny".

23. My favorite song is "Copperhead Road".

24. I love to eat.

25. I hope to complete a marathon in 2009.

You want dignity? Here you go:

Fightin' the Man Smackdown: The Poll

Coupla songs; coupla movies. Vote early and often.

Fightin' the Man Smackdown: Part III

Here's a commercial that won't make the cut, but which I still liked. Here, Sprint, is a little more free advertizing. A reward for your ad agency's creativity:



Naruto and Jack Black together, Stickin' it to the Man:



Enough playing around. Bob Marley stuck it to the man with style. Thought about "I Shot the Sheriff", but ultimately, this is the right one, Baby:



Now, fightin' the power with Flava: