The Police

I'm talking about the rock band, not the fuzz.

Adrian and I are going to see the Police in concert tonight at the Pepsi Center (a.k.a., "the Can") in Denver. The last time these geezers (;-)) toured together was 1982, so this is quite a momentous occasion. We are so excited about going, once we're in our seats we'll have to sit on our hands to keep from waving at people.

In approximately 1989, I saw Sting on a solo-tour at Red Rocks. I was accompanied by my cousins Risa and Jody...we were about 17. It rained and we sang and danced our hearts out soaking wet. The three of us also saw Richard Marx that summer. Remember him? One of those smarmy 80s ballad singers with the huge feathered-back mullet hair. So, not quite as good.

The tickets were EXPENSIVE (8th row), but sometimes you just gotta. There are a few people/bands I wish I could have seen before they quit or died or committed public-relations Harri-Kari...these include Elvis, Michael Jackson (during the Thriller years), Duran Duran, the Go Gos, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra...and so many more. When it is my time to leave this world, at least I will be able to go a little bit happier because I saw the Police in concert.

Falling, walking, swimming

I've been emailing with a friend and realized I should post some of the news we've been discussing. Here're some latest Casa Herrera tidbits...

Max fell down on the cement patio last week and cracked his head so hard he had a goose egg on the back of his head. Watching him do it was like a slow motion movie -- I can still see his noggin bouncing off the cement like a ball. The dull thud was sickening. It was his first real "injury" and he did one of those no-sound hold-your-breath screams (followed by actual screaming) for several minutes. It was kinda traumatic for all three of us -- but, he made it through and now is more careful about jetting around the patio.

However, the side-effect for me is everytime he takes a tumble now I gasp out loud and flinch. I'm trying not to do this.

Max has a "walker" thing that he can push around while he walks behind. When I want to really tire him out so he will take a good (hopefully extra long) nap, I make him walk with his walker all the way to the mailbox, which is about 1/3 block away. He thinks it is really fun, plus he is exhausted by the time we get home. Another tire-out activity is learning to climb up and down the stairs safely. I make him go all the way up (1st floor to 2nd floor), then back down facing the stairs. Down is not as fun.

Also, his first swim lesson was last Sunday. It is going to be a father-son activity for a couple of reasons. 1) I don't like the water much (it would be fine, except for the getting wet part) 2) daddy loves the water 3) Max and daddy have a great time doing it 4) I don't want to have to dunk him under water.

Joe in demand

Dear Joe,

During your next 15 minute break from lopping off heads at work (JK), visit LaDawn's blog. www.clare-panton.blogspot.com She posts lots of controversial whatsits over which you will have a ball debating merits.

Don't forget who gave you your start, though...we still love your antics on our blog too. ;-)

Casa Herrera

See no evil

Adrian and I have become "those people." We admit it. We announce ourselves to the world. We post it on our blog for all to read: we can't watch violent movies anymore.

Last week, Blood Diamond spent 20 minutes in the DVD before I banished it back to Netflix. Last night, we watched Apocolypto until the guy rips the baby from the mom's arms and swings it around by its ankle (to its demise)...we looked at each other in utter horror and hit the eject button. And, man, I really wanted to see that movie.

We ended up watching a Harry Potter movie. It was that or Shrek. Our psyches couldn't handle anything more serious. When you have a child in your life, things change.

Graduation

This is Kiyoshi Koga. When I was 15 years old, his mother (my mom's best friend) let me, my mom and my step-father share in his birth. It was the most amazing thing I had ever witnessed, especially at age 15!, until the birth of my own son. I was literally at the foot of the bed and watched as he entered the world.

Big sigh, he is now 17 years old and will graduate from high school this weekend. How did that happen? Not to be cliche, but as if it was yesterday, I see his crying face covered in goo, placed on his mom's belly as his dad cut the umbilical cord. Now he is off to college.

"Time may change you, but you can't change time," David Bowie.

What's for dinner?

Warning: Some of the following opinions may be controversial, but I am the Editor In Chief of this blog and I can say whatever I want.

Can you imagine being a citizen of a nation that doesn't care if you live or die? Or worse, in a nation whose government is actively, if not passively, trying to limit your life expectancy? In my opinion, that is modern-day China.

My step-father has lived in Hong Kong for more than 10 years. Not only do I enjoy hearing his tales of adventure and intrigue about living and working in Asia, I visited him for three weeks several years ago and was able to experience some of the culture myself. I happened to be there for the first Chicken Flu epidemic. Now, don't get me wrong, there are some awesome people and, in many ways, the culture is vibrant, interesting and inspiring. However, there are also aspects (probably evident in every culture/society, including ours) that I find disturbing.

For example, the Chinese government subsidizes cigarette sales for its citizens. Why would they do that? Why not just sell them for what they are worth (or, as our country does, put a heafty tax on them to discourage use)? Think about it and come to your own conclusion. Also, forget about any meaningful environmental protection (like, regulating industry to make sure chemicals and toxic pollutants aren't fouling the air and water). They may have "laws," but no one is enforcing them so long as the government gets its money and appropriate bribes to local Communist Party officals are rolling in.

There are many other examples and stories I could impart as evidence of the value they assign human, let alone animal, life. With more than a billion citizens and counting, what are a few (hundred-thousand) hazardous-waste-caused deaths? Eh, just the price of doing business as a communist/free-market capitalist nation without the bothersome hindrances of voting, free-speech and a system of checks and balances. Woohoo, the next Super Power. Look forward to it folks.

"Who cares?!", you might be thinking. "I live on the other side of the globe...they can do whatever they want to themselves over there." One only needs to read recent U.S. headlines about melamine-laced pet food and resulting deaths to understand why you should care, and care very, very strongly.

Read or listen to this article to bring the lesson forcefully home, literally. I especially like the part about rapid-drying tea leaves and contaminated fish imports....

Do you know what you're eating for dinner? Yeah, neither do I.

NPR : As Imports Increase, a Tense Dependence on China http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10410111&sc=emaf

*Listen to this story*Please click on the headline to the story using a RealAudio or WindowsMedia player.For players or technical support, please visit NPR's Audio Help page. http://www.npr.org/help/index.html?showdiv=100