Author: TechyDad

Aloha Friday: Parking Lot Encounter

Aloha Friday, Money

n_kamil_Money_-_banknotes_and_coinOn Tuesday, after work, I stopped by the local grocery store.  I needed a few items and was in a hurry to get in and get out.  As I walked to the store, a man approached me.  He apologized for bothering me and explained that he was laid off and has two kids.  He asked if I had a dollar or two I could spare.

Almost instinctively, I felt the urge to ignore him and walk on.  Perhaps mumble something about not having any money on me as I quickened my pace.  Then, for a split second, I thought to myself: What if I was in his position?  What if I was laid off and my family rendered homeless?  What if my best bet to put food on the table for my children was to ask for money from strangers?

I told him I didn’t think I had much cash, but fished a couple of dollars out of my wallet to give him.  I wished him luck and we went our separate ways.  As I did so, I felt a wave of sadness that I couldn’t do more to help him.

Sure, the guy could have been lying to me.  He could have taken my cash and gone directly to a nearby liquor store instead of buying food for his kids.  Maybe he doesn’t even have any children.  I’m a big believer of taking a person at their word, though.  A bit naïve?  Perhaps, but I’d rather assume the best about someone and be proven wrong than assume the worst of people from the outset.

I hope that, that night, his family was able to eat, in part, thanks to the money I gave him.  I also hope that his luck turns around and he is able to find work soon.

My Aloha Friday question for today is: Have you ever had someone down on their luck ask you for money?  If so, what did you do?  If not, what would you do?

Don’t forget to enter my $25 EdenFantasys giveaway!

P.S. If you haven’t already, go visit FollowerHQ and let me know what you think of my Twitter application.

P.P.S. For a bit of fun, try my other Twitter Application, Rout. It’s a +F in Fun!

Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.

Aloha Friday by Kailani at An Island Life

Aloha #123

Disclaimer: The “Money – banknotes and coin” clipart above is from OpenClipArt.org.

The Birds Go Splat

Birds, Videos, Wildlife

Peileppe_crow_flying_downThe other day, I was walking to my car.  As I approached my vehicle, I heard a splat.  Then another.  I looked around.  It wasn’t raining.  Nothing seemed to be falling that I could see.  Yet, the splatting sounds continued.  Then, I looked up.

Above me was a flock of birds.  Actually, flock is too weak of a word.  There were several HUNDRED crows flying overhead.  They were following each other high in the sky and many of them had obviously decided that the spot I was standing on was a restroom.  I quickly opened my car door and dove inside.  My car had been hit twice, but, luckily, I escaped unharmed.

The next day, I brought my camera in to work to attempt to capture this crow swarm.  And capture it I did (though there seemed to be less crows this time).

Have you ever witnessed a swarm of birds like this?

Reminder: Don’t forget to enter my $25 EdenFantasys giveaway!

 

Disclaimer: The image above, crow flying down, was obtained from OpenClipArt.org.

Giveaway: A Fantasy-Filled Valentine’s Day

Eden Fantasys, Giveaway

Heart_BallonA few weeks ago, I wrote about EdenFantasys and mentioned how I’d like to spend more quality time with just B and me in 2012.  With Valentine’s Day approaching, this seems like the perfect opportunity to plan some special time with her.  Perhaps, we’ll go out to dinner.  Perhaps we’ll see a movie.  No matter what we do, it’ll be a special activity because I’ll be with the woman that I love.

For my readers, I have an early Valentine’s Day present.  One of my readers will win a $25 EdenFantasys gift card.  To enter, simply leave a comment below answering this question: What would you go out and do on your ideal Valentine’s Day date with your significant other?

You can also earn bonus entries by doing any (or all) of the following items. Just be sure to leave a separate comment for each item that you complete.  (Don’t just leave one comment listing everything you did.)

  • Follow @TechyDad on Twitter. (1 bonus entry)
  • Follow @EdenFantasys on Twitter. (1 bonus entry)
  • Tweet about the giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to include @TechyDad, @EdenFantasys and a link to this post in the Tweet. (1 bonus entry per day) For example: Get ready for Valentine’s Day with @TechyDad and @EdenFantasys #Giveaway http://bit.ly/x1ILO3
  • Circle Me on Google Plus. Let me know your Google Plus name in the comments. (1 bonus entry)
  • Leave a comment on any of my non-giveaway posts from January/February. Leave a comment here letting me know which post you commented on. (1 bonus entry per comment, maximum 3 entries)

To enter, please follow the rules above within the comment section. Contest starts today, January 24th and ends at 10pm EST on February 7th, 2012. You do not have to be a blogger to enter, but must leave a valid e-mail address for me to contact you for mailing address once the giveaway is over. I will select the winner using random.org and contact you via e-mail. You will have 48 hours to claim the prize. If there is no response, another winner will be selected. Open to U.S. residents only.

Disclaimer: The Heart Balloons clipart comes from OpenClipArt.org.

A Nightmare Getting Ready For Bed

Dreams, Fear, Parenting

turtle_hits_floorTwo nights ago, it was time to get the boys ready for bed.  For some reason, NHL was complaining so B went to take care of him while I got JSL ready.  Don’t ask me why, but I decided to pull JSL’s shirt off of him while he was standing on a stairwell.  As the shirt went up, JSL lost his balance and fell.  He went clunking down the stairs and slid to a halt face down and not moving.  I screamed for B to call 911 and then… I woke up.

Yes, all of this was a nightmare.  A horrible nightmare.  Although, I was relieved that it wasn’t real, I lay awake in bed afraid.  I was terrified that, should I go back to sleep, I would re-enter the dream from where I left off – with JSL lying lifeless on the floor.  The image of JSL laying there, face down with his arms splayed, was (and remains) burned into my brain.  Though I was exhausted, I forced myself to stay awake for a few minutes.  Thankfully, the rest of my dreams were free of injured children.

Have you ever experienced a very realistic dream about your children being hurt?

Disclaimer: The image above, Turtle-Hits the Floor, was obtained from OpenClipArt.org.

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