danajohnhill.org | Hard Times Come Again No More

I just watched a chicken chase a cat from my yard, across the street to my neighbor Elke’s house. Even if I’d had my camera in my hand at the time it wouldn’t have done any good; you had to see it motion to appreciate the absurdity of it.

UPDATE: Moments ago the same chicken chased after a blue-jay that landed on the lawn briefly.  Blue-jays are typically tough birds, but I guess the lesson here is that chickens have an undeserved reputation for cowardice.

Filed under: Animals on May 31st, 2008 | No Comments »

We’re just back from dinner out, celebrating our third anniversary. May 28, 2005 was the happiest day of my life. Well, that may not be exactly true: the following three days were pretty excellent, and much less stressful.

Sandi and Jeff took this brief video, as you can tell by the random cobra at the end. I am very glad to see any portion of that day, though if anyone had a complete video of the ceremony it’d be a dream come true.

The ceremony was my favorite part of the whole affair. That actually holds true for all weddings I attend. I just like ceremonies better than receptions. And Uncle Tom did it perfect; he was the best decision we made (and, really it was a no-brainer, since we didn’t even consider an alternative). I distinctly remember sitting with him and my Dad (the best best man) in my hotel room before hand, going through the very traditional text I wanted to use. That’s why you hear him say, “I pronounce that they are husband and wife together.” That’s my favorite part. I was so happy we did our vows and rites so formally and traditionally. I know a lot of people like to make up things to say to each other, and I know some preachers or officiants like crackin’ jokes or making off-the-cuff remarks. But that’s not for me. I wanted it a particular way, and Uncle Tom did it totally straight, in spite of the emotional nature of the occasion. We were all on the verge of crying the entire time, and, in fact, at the pause in the video, before he says, “those whom God hath joined together, let not man put asunder”, he had to gather himself, too, and quietly said to Miriam and me, “okay, here we go….” It’s something I will never forget as long as I live.

So, Miriam and I enter our fourth year of marriage extraordinarily blessed with good health and good fortune, beloved family and good friends. Hard times come again no more.

Filed under: Dana Heritage Project, Special Occasions on May 28th, 2008 | 3 Comments »

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer, and I look forward to it every year because we generally do something fun, like travel.  This year, however, we were home for the holiday, and I went to work. 

In the evening, however, Kathleen picked me up and we went up to the Alachua County Fairgrounds, where the Gainesville Roller Rebels now have practice space.  It is just about ideal.  The building is enormous–many, many thousands of square feet–with a smooth, polished concrete floor.  The lighting is excellent, since there’s a garage door the size of a house on one end, and a wall of windows on two sides.  At the other end are bathrooms described as adequate.  Really, the only thing missing (and it’s kind of a big thing) is air conditioning.  The openness seems to keep it from being a furnace, but I wasn’t on skates.  The girls who were, obviously, were drenched.  We may have to get one of those big fans that have wheels.

Following the abbreviated practice, run by Ms. Rebel, GRR held a meet and greet, and a bunch of girls came out to watch the practice and sit in on the information session.  They asked good questions, and seemed genuinely interested, which I suppose was already obvious from their coming in on a holiday.  Some of them were acquainted with GRR players, but some were randoms, i.e., girls who had just seen a poster at Big Lou’s, for example.  Even if a quarter of them turn out to make the team, that’d still be good.  Patsy Clotheslineshowed me the article about her that was just published in a glossy magazine, complete with a photo of her I tookduring GRR’s bout with Jacksonville in April.

Some of the derby widows (the husbands and boyfriends of the players) had set up a barbecue out back, and there was chicken and hotdogs and hamburgers and assorted chips and soft-drinks and beer.  When everything was finished we went outside and chowed down, and it was awesome.  I declare hotdogs to be the ideal barbecue food, and here’s why: you can make underwhelming chicken, and you can botch hamburgers, but unless you burn them, hotdogs are always good. 

So, my Memorial Day came to the same conclusion as millions of other Americans’, with food and friends.

Filed under: Gainesville, Photography, Special Occasions, Sports on May 28th, 2008 | No Comments »

My Uncle Tom (file photo) left me a message the other night.  In it he said that he was out somewhere where Bobby Brown’s “My Prerogative” was being played.  He said he remembered how significant that song was to me, and brought up something I hadn’t thought of really to this degree, namely that that song actually changed my life.  I guess that’s true.  Had that song not sucked so bad I would probably have continued listening to popular radio in 1988 rather than explore the broad spectrum of earlier, better rock music.  So, in a way, Bobby Brown did me a favor.  But in another, more accurate way he single-handedly destroyed civilization.

Filed under: Family, Musings, Popular Music on May 23rd, 2008 | 1 Comment »

The roller derby season is really beginning heat up, as demonstrated by a frenzy of activity lately.  A couple weeks ago were assorted fund-raising events in conjunction with Pop Mayhem.  Last Saturday night was a band benefit at The Atlantic.  Essentially it was a rock show where the GRR girls got to keep the door money and merchandise revenue.  It turned out to be fairly substantial, and that’s good, because there are a couple bouts coming up, and they’ll need money to pay for the venue and related expenses.  Tonight there will be a “movie night” at Common Grounds, where the girls will serve popcorn and show Kansas City Bomber.  There’s another carwash in the works, and maybe a bake sale.  You can learn more at www.gainesvillerollerrebels.com.

Last night I traveled with the team to Lake City, where they have been practicing lately on a beautiful wood floor in a building they have all to themselves on Wednesdays.  It is ideal in every respect but one: it’s 40 miles away.  But the drive goes by faster when you carpool, and it was fun taking pictures, and I even got to hold a stopwatch.

Filed under: Gainesville, Sports on May 22nd, 2008 | No Comments »