I have no doubt that if we were still racing, Jesse would be more involved. It really doesn't help that the track- which is now closed, was an hour away. It meant that I really had to commit fully to even go practice. I enjoyed it but it ate way too much time. I will have to check out the racing at HobbyTown this weekend and see if it si any more organized than it was the last time I was there. That would not be hard! At least they now have some decent pavement to set up a track on. If it is, I might have to get a road car to run there and that would definitely bring Jesse back in!

As for interests? Bill, I hope you have planes left after Jess gets done with them!:p He loves Real Flight, the r/c flight simulator. He is pretty darn good with it but that isn't a glider! I think he could quickly learn how to do planes though.

A big part of my problem with Kev is that he's growing up in Disneyland, so to speak. Just out the front door is all things fun. The ocean and all that provides, archery, 22 rifle, hiking, exploring, handicrafts, the list is endless. With all that to choose from he has had a hard time deciding what he likes to do, he just keeps moving from one thing to the other, and never focuses on one thing long enough to call it a hobby.

If he had the chance to race I feel he would be more into it but even with that possibility available unless I get involved as his pit crew I still feel like I would be pushing him into it. As an example, he will be in Napa for all of July and there is a track 1 1/2 blocks away from the house and he has not even thought about taking his trucks with him. They leave in a week and I will bring the subject up in a day or two and see what happens but my money is on - the trucks will not go.

Chris, If Jess has his mind adjusted to plane/wing control via the control stick he will do fine. I hope he gets a chance to try it while you are here. Kevin has it and the first day out he was doing much better than us older new fliers because logic, eye to hand control, etc has to be figured out or retrained if you will. The kids just fly them.

Well back to work, hope all of you have a great day.

Although we don't have a camp at our disposal my guys have tons of choices and it is tough to want to concentrate on anything. My co-workers think I am totally whacked in that my guys get less than an hour of screen time a day. Screen time being either TV or computer time. Drives them nuts but it gets them doing all those other things. Around here, it seems like the boob tube or the video games are the entertainer of choice. :rolleyes:

Jess definitely seems to have the coordination thing figured out with the plane. I look forward to seeing if he can do it with a real plane! Obviously aerobatics that can be done with a simulator are not "real life". I don't see the wings getting ripped off on the sim! That happens all too often in reality. Maybe I should get Jess some flight time with my buddy! Just to see how he does.

Definitely mention the truck thing to Kev! It might never get used or, perhaps it will get used only until it breaks and then comes home in a box but on the other hand, without the camp stuff to entertain him the truck might come to the front! Especially if there are other kids to run them with.

Less than an hour a day? wow. But that's great! keeps them out and active, too many sedimentary heavyweight kids these days.

chris i am impressed. a hour only!
my kids(amilee 10/ scott 8) try something new every year(basketball, school play......). and i like them sampling to see if there is something they really want to do. here when the weather is nice, they are all over the neighbor hood. playing running, having fun.

but kids can be hard on each other. to a point you have to learn to block them out and do your own thang. and as we all know if they are your friends they will leave it alone. but you also have to stand up for your self.

have a nice week.
any word from Q lately?
peter
:)

I was real heavy as a kid and although I have had thinner periods (like when I was racing bikes 25 yrs ago!), I am well aware of what sitting on one's butt can do for you! It is mostly my wife's heavy hand that keeps them off the screens but it always cracks me up when you have to enforce the rules. They bitch and moan, you kick them out the door and then you don't hear from them for a few hours. Sean could sit ofrever vegging on cartoons or whatever but once he is out his energy is endless. Now that it is hot both of them can be outside having water baloon fights until they drown!:thumbsup:

Just gotta make sure they arent gettin the TV fix at their friends house!

:p That does happen! We are not terribly terribly strict about the whole thing and if they sneak in some playstation time we don't get bent about it. It is generally really easy during the school year because there just isn't any time in the day: They get home from their afterschool program about 5:30-6 and the homework continues to and through dinner. By 8 things start to wind down for the 9 yr old and then the day is done. Not too much to worry about there. On the weekends, between soccer games, trail maintenance days, bike rides and the like, not much down time. Yes, they do get to watch movies that are obviously longer than an hour. As I said, it is an ideal...

Now that school is out? We shall see but since it is my wife, the iron fist ;) who will be home with them, somehow I don't see them getting off too easy.

Kevin's TV time is OK but still to much sometimes. It is his default setting and I will find him there too much sometimes. I worry more about content than time. He likes the Discovery channel and I make him watch the History channel when I'm around but to much is to much.

I'm not getting to concerned about his lack of staying with something at this stage. If he wants to try something and I can afford it he will get his chance but I getting tired of investing my time into something that I don't enjoy but do it for him then when he is done with it I'm looking at a pile of unused stuff, out the money, and now I have some more stuff to get rid of or store.

Based on what you guys have said I think he is just suffering from being a kid. He really is a good guy and does well at most things he tries but I would feel better if the things he did do were gone into with greater commitment.

Thanks guys, please send me your bills for all the advise.

Peter,
Do you need to get in touch with Q? If so, I will help out with an e-mail address.
Bill

My wife and I are ready to be with out kids again. It was cool, and I remember some of the stuff you two are talking about. We had them early so we could still be young enough to enjoy ourselves. We've been able to sneak out and leave them periodically but not much for dinners out (because the kids want to come too). But the time has come! YEA!!! With the oldest moving out, and the youngest working nights it will be like we're living alone. We love to slip out for dinner to cheap places where we can both eat for under $20 (or even better yet, under $15!)

Golly I am really looking forward to this... I can't seem to stop thinking about it. Forgive me if I keep bringing it up periodically, but I do consider y'all friends!

Friends we are. Just exchanging ideas and thoughts on various subjects seems to bring that end result. Getting your home back from the kids has got to be one of lifes greatest joys. Not only were you succussful raising them but now you get to be with your wife, in your space, on your terms. Sounds nice.

What's the saying? "Life begins when the kids graduate college and the dog dies"!

I have a long way to go before then.

I have actually found the change of the kids growing a bit strange in that last year almost all of my free time wasn't.:rolleyes: The weekends always seemed filled with the kids doing this and that. Now, I find that they don't want to do those things with Dad and that means I can actually get out on my bike or go work in the basement without distraction. Kind of strange. Nice, but strange. Still not able to go out for dinner though. I guess it helps that on the whole I really like my kids!

They do have their moments though. I have been doing the "morning" routine all school year as my wife always had to bug out to get to her school before Sean's bus arrived. Every morning he would plop down in the kitchen and not decide what to have for breakfast. I would eventually pick something and he would happliy eat it- whatever it was. Well, school is over. As I hopped on my bike and rode off I could hear Allie's voice starting to rise about his picking breakfast! She has no idea what I have gone through for 9 months! Maybe I will tell her the secret that it isn't really his choice! Nah.

Ill address tis in parts because it's what I was thinking as I read it.....

[By ChrisHarris] "Life begins when the kids graduate college and the dog dies"! - You mean now I gotta wait for the dogs to die? Geez.....

it helps that on the whole I really like my kids! Yeah, Me too. (my kids that is, Haven't met Chris' kids, but I'm sure they're cool too!)

They do have their moments though. Yes they do!

Maybe I will tell her the secret that it isn't really his choice! Nah. It never really is their choice is it? and yeah, let her figure it out on her own! lol!

Peter,
Do you need to get in touch with Q? If so, I will help out with an e-mail address.
Bill
i have it somewere. it still seems weird. that he is not here.

thanks though bill.

peter
:)

I haven't posted in awhile, but I do try to read on a daily basis.

Chris's comment about an hour of tv a day reminded me of a book I am currently reading by Ted Nugent (yes, Ted Nugent), title was something like: God, Guns, & Rock -n- Roll. Anyways, there was a part in there where he only let his kids watch tv for 30 minutes a day. Of course, he and his kids have always spent a lot of time in the outdoors, hunting and fishing and what not. I always thought Ted Nugent was some wild rock star, but after reading this book, it really changed my thoughts about him. If your into the outdoors and hunting and fishing and guns and family (which is right up my alley), I would reccomend this book.

Well, hope all is well. Will be doing some racing this weekend. Last time I got caught on the pipe and broke a rear suspension arm, but that has been the only part that I have broken while racing. At least on the Stampede.

Have a good weekend y'all!
Matt

No problem Peter, let me know if you can't find it.

Matt, nice to here your doing well. My brother, who is in the music business, has reccommended his book several times. Think I'll have to track it down now.

Now that you mention it I am seeing less and less of Kevin these days. His free time is being spent hanging out with the camp staff guys. He has taken a likeing to my Asst. Ranger and has been spending a lot of time with him. In reality he is teaching this 21 year old how to do the job. It is shocking how much he has learned watching Mark and I do our jobs.

Next thing ya know he WILL be your assistant ranger, then your ranger......

Then your boss..:freak:

I have been taking Jess with me to trail maintenance days for about 5 years. Although he is only 12 he could teach most of the techniques if anybody would actually listen to a 12 yr old punk!

And then your keeper..... :lol:

Yeah kids will learn all that stuff and be very knowledgeable on a subject, but no one will listen to them other than other kids younger than they are.

Hey Lookie there 1500 posts... Wow!

Must post more....

Man Chris is only 5 behind me I better pick up the pace.

There that made it 6.... no 7 now

but I

must pass

Bill!!!

No..energy...

Can't type enough...

I give up.

I could here you coming up behind me. That was close:wave:

1400 Posts !!!

That will have to be it for the weekend. Traveling today and Sunday.

:D .

have a great day all.

Posting wars... hhmmnnn. It does seem to be a close race.

Gave my Pede some love yesterday and re-did the shocks on it, now all 4 have oil! & the truck itself is a little cleaner. Took the race tires off and put the stock basher tires on it getting it ready for the vacation.

Ever heard fo the expression: ridden hard and put away wet? Originally about horses not properly cared for. I think my trucks fall in that catagory and after today's rainy bike ride, I will add the bikes to the list!

Here is another one for ya: "If you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all".

So I have nothing to say about my mainland trip. I don't know how people can live in a larger population. LA is just to hard to live in. To many attatudes with anger...

Glad to be home. I did get some tapeing done last night so I will be flying again soon.

Uh Oh, Bills trip into the land of "selfish people" was not good? It's all selfishness Bill, people want everything to go their way & to heck with you and what you may need.

It's just like the people that buzz along in the left lane of a highway cut you off when they get to their exit, But there were 20 car lengths of open space behind you they could have pulled into & not cost any time........ I hate people like that. I swear I have a big sign on my cars that reads "You must be in front of me, please cut me off". :lol:

Don't get me started on drivers! Massachusetts is the land of the steel cacoon! Once you get in, the outside world just doesn't matter. Pretty scary! I have taken to wearing polarized sunglasses which eliminate window glare so now I can see the people talking on their cell phones with one hand, pickign their noses with the other while driving with their knees (presumably). Gee, and our insurance rates are some of the highest in the country. Imagine that.

Just remember Bill, there are SOME nice people out there in the "real" world. Most of them are on this board, of course:thumbsup:

the best i have seen was a older lady reading a romance novel while driving like she was at the brickyard. and he car had many battle scars toooo. here everyone either wants to be in front of you or right were you are! unless you drive a car like my 1977 olds cutlass:) the car dosen't know what a crumple zone is! and has large metal/chrome bumpers.

but anybody run there rc's this weekend?

scott and i ran his tlt for friends from out of state. and one seems very eager to give rc a try(again). he a had a rc10 years ago.
have a nice day
peter
:)

I did get my Clod out last night for a bit of pavement chomping. This is the "race" beast w/ dual 14 turns on 7 cells. I was amazed at how well it ran. Not at it's speed per se but it is loking good. Jess also had his crawler out which not only runs 6 cell on MM's but is geared low. I did my best not to run him down too often!

I had a bunch of questins for the RCMT crew and will be looking closely at my truck tonight to see if I can make some changes. It seems that the way it is currently configured is just a busted axle tube waiting to happen. I don't think I want that.:rolleyes:

Ya, it was bad. I was either avoiding drivers who had their heads suck up their personal dark place or thought the world owed them something or at least the freeway gods did. Glad I live where I do, if not, I'm sure I would be in jail for killing some jerk. As the dominate animal on this planet I think we need better natural selection.

It is talking with you guys that makes me feel that there is hope for mankind.

As the dominate animal on this planet I think we need better natural selection.AMEN!

Peter, I ran my RC's a bit this last weekend, actually got a run in with the E-Maxx and Mini-T, Broke the front pivot mount on my XXX4, and raced the Buggy & truck. Fun was had.

Bill, I think I know what you need! All over your monster Caddy you need signs saying "FEAR THIS". Not that you would endanger anyone but people might wonder enough to stay away. I remember my first car: '69 Fairlane fastback. Picked it up from my sister in '80. It had dents on EVERY panel. People wouldn't come within 10 car lengths :lol:

I suspect that given time on the mainland you would become desensitized to the chaos like so many of us are. Glad you have your island so you don't have to go through that dehumanization thing...

Hmmnn... My first car was a 1971 Fiat 850 Sport, A little Rear engine 2 seat convertable. Neat little car, and I do mean little. People always tried to run you over! Guys in High school loved to go out and lift the front end and move it around.

LOL! That was not a problem with the Fairlane, that's for sure. I remember installing some speakers in the rear deck- 6X9's! I just climbed into the trunk and stretched out. Plenty of room! Big boat of a car. $300. :)

I just sent the wife off to the emergency room with Sean. He was whittling a walking stick on the back deck when he came in saying "I cut myself. Sorry". It doesn't look too bad but he was pretty scared. Even for a tough guy like him the amount of blood coming out is frightening. I am not even sure they will stitch it. Maybe just CA it back up. It is going to put a crimp on his swimming time for a bit though. At least he was using a nice sharp knife. A new Leatherman, Bill! ;) .

I still remember my first few encounters with knives. Tough lessons to learn- cut away from yourself etc. *sigh*

Yup, they glued him up. No water play for a while though. Life happens.

glad he is okay. and hopefully he learned from his mistake.

have a good night all
peter
:)

Time will tell! :lol: I seem to remember that it took me a few slices. We had an art teacher in my school that had us doing lenoleum (sp?) block printing. You used very sharp tool to cut your design into the lenoleum. She drilled the safety stuff into us and explain how mad she would be if/when we cut ourselves. People would gouge themselves horribly, grab a piece of paper towel to staunch the blood, ask to go to the bathroom and then run like hell to the nurse! Teacher always knew though. At least she didn't yell at you if it was already bandaged up.

Working on a new lid! last weekend Sean wanted to practice some airbrushing on a piece of plexi we had kicking around so we did up a cool flame pattern (with him on the exacto...) and then, when we realized 9 really is a bit young to run the airbrush, I did it up. Came out "ok". But, it did give me some other ideas. Basically my usual old boring flames with some additions but I am going to try some shadowing and some outlining of the flames. We shall see how it goes. Pix, for sure.

What kind of lid? Chevy, Jeep, Old, New??

no,no, no , yes. Um, I mean it's a Proline F-150. I have had it sitting around for many months. Picked it up with a few others and just haven't felt motivated until now. I really need to try some different things but I just have not felt artistic. At the same time I got the lids I got some liquid mask and I still ahven't tried that. I have been using painters tape- you know, the blue stuff. In the past, I used regular old masking tape. This stuff is so much better. It seems to conform to curves a bit more, comes off cleanly. Good stuff.