The Next Generation is Showing Up.

I apologize for a lack of updates. We haven’t dropped off the map, not in any kind of way. I’ve been incredibly busy setting the new business up. Interesting stuff coming soon, including an entire rebuild of this website. I have to actually, the program I used to build the site is so obsolete, it’s really become unusable. I’m working on a complete rebuild, but really didn’t want to take the site down and rebuild it over time. Too many kids are coming to see it.  I’m rebuilding it first, then will upgrade the whole site.  Plus school is out right now, and a surprising amount of my traffic is through schools and home schools. I’m honored, I promise I will strive to live up to being something you want to teach your children from.  Including you two, Rebecca and Ramona. I promise you some really good stuff for your fall semester.

The reason for today’s post? I wanted you guys to witness the beginning of the “Passing of the Torch”.
The kids were up for a visit over the weekend. They got to help “finalize” their girls. We spent a good amount of time going over the final look, the last personality quirks of Stormy, Sunny and Cap’n Zak. As an elder of the clan, and really going through it for the second time really gives you another perspective.

I saw Stormy growing into the matriarch of her generation. From bedtimes and curfews to movies and snacks; so much easier because she led the way. No begging, no bribes, Stormy is falling so naturally into the role. All I said was what time something had to happen; Stormy really took care of the rest. I hope the world is ready, Stormy’s coming. Go get ‘em girl.

I saw Cap’n Zak turning into ” The All-American Boy”. Baseball and babes weren’t the only thing on his agenda, but seems to be becoming pretty important. Every boy needs that sense of adventure in his heart, whatever the adventure. A young pirate’s heart indeed. Honor, respect, and the slightest stirrings of manhood. Is that what I saw?

One of the most interesting things to come out of the weekend;

My Sim made this. She wanted to learn how to make better Sims videos. This is the result of a few hours showing her what a video editor is, how they work, basic principles of timing, setting, and flow; she came up with this. Now, am I just a silly old man, or is this such a natural talent finding another channel to express itself?   Not so much being in the show, but actually what it takes to make it “become” a show.

Anybody that follows me and my blabberings across the internet know how much I believe in the old maxim that you judge how good a parent is by the children they raise. So, Leslie, Jeremy, Mark, and Melanie; We’ll never agree on a hundred one and things ( especially Lady GaGa.), but  you guys must be doing the right things. You have some awesome kids.

 

The Heart Stone

It wasn’t the chasing of his destiny, but the dishonor in the way he did it, that soon turned his heart to stone. For the first ten years, the young man found pirating to be good work for a man with a stone heart. A man can become a very profitable pirate when he has no emotions. No fear, no greed, no regrets. He became known, not only for his daring deeds, but for fair dealing with his crew and company. He made many friends and allies. During one battle with the Royal Navy, his heart of stone had been knocked loose from his chest, and fell into the sea. The man thought nothing of it at the time, as he hadn’t much use for it anyway. Continue reading

Third Helm

“Aye, Mad Dog gave me a star chart, and sent me up here to learn it.”

“Ah, the stars, a man’s most faithful friend in this world. Men may fail you, a lover may fail you, a crop can fail, the rains can fail, but the stars,….the stars are always where they need to be, with you from the day you are born until the day you leave this world.”

” I had never thought of it like that,” I said, ” to tell the truth, I had never given them much thought at all.”

” A common mistake of those who never try to leave the ground.” he replied. ” The first part of any adventure is finding a star to follow.” Continue reading

The Helmsman

While I was waiting to be dismissed, I looked around the deck. This was the highest deck on the ship. From here, I could see all the way over the bow. I knew for the last few weeks that the ship had been moving, but from here it felt like it was actually going somewhere. For the first time since we went to sea, this actually felt like it was an adventure. That somewhere over the horizon, that there was a real destination, we were heading there. Continue reading

The Best Swabbie Asea

“That makes sense.” I told him, and I gained a different perspective on being a swabbie. All ships do need swabbies. It’s hard work, and hard to do well. I also noticed Sad John was treated quite well by the other pirates. The laughed at his jokes, sang his songs with him, and really looked as though they respected and liked him. Nothing wrong with that I thought. Then I looked over at Willie. He was on the Main Deck, swabbing. I then looked to his face. He wasn’t smiling. In fact he was actually frowning. He kept his head down, not talking much, and every pirate that went by, seemed to drop something on the deck that Willie would then have to clean. Continue reading