I was talking to someone tonight as I pulled into my driveway. I pulled into the spot my roommate usually parks in and she was in my spot (though this has never been contracted... it's just understood) And somehow we got thinking of territorial spaces in driveways and that maybe, perhaps, I should put up signs on metal posts that clarified the muddy areas of parking etiquette... it kind of went down a bunny trail after that and by the end of the conversation we had discussed some of the few parking signs available... "this spot reserved for employee of the month" - I decided I need to find one of those because I really ought to attach it to my garage... then everytime I come home... I am the employee of the month...

Incidentally, I am self-employed... so really... what is this saying? Do I really need this kind of validation?

I guess I didn't realize there was such a specialized niche.

Substitue Chronicles #0932

"And what is your name?" I asked the Kindergartner.

"My name used to be Samuel D. Adams... but I'm Superman."

And my question as I turned away was, "should I be more focused on the fact that he is named after a superhere... or a beer?"

Why I blog

My whole reason for blogging started with the pictures below. A year ago this was going to be my very first post but I had to pack and move instead... that's for another post.

There are two houses on the same street in Moline, Illinois that are beyond anything I've ever seen. It begins around the beginning of October and doesn't stop until New Year's: Holiday Lawn Decor. The pictures are poor and you can't get the full effect, but it was worth posting what I do have, regardless. I hope it can give you an idea...

In my friend Dan's words, "they are trying to contact aliens!"

This house is the lesser of the two.


But this... this is the tour de force...

These pictures take you on a virtual tour from the front to the back. Unfortunatly no digital image can give the the full impact of viewing these wonders in person. But please, please try.

It begins in the front with the hedgerow of orange lights, smoke and electronic skeleton butler greeting you streetside. The yard is replete with cobwebs, various styrofoam grave stones, your choice of the typical ghoul and goblin and then various other creepy accoutrement.


Here we are rounding the corner to the side display.


From the side, the fiasco continues with the smoke and lights. My favorite item among this all is the 2-D Americana styled Uncle Sam cut-out. It is posted by the trellis... Apparently their July 4th decor hasn't really found its niche.



We've now made our way to the back of the property and the the roof decoration where, every year, a new inflatable finds it's way to the reaching heavenly realms of this hades. Here we have the surprised pumpkin and the every playful toppling pumpkin inflatables. Sadly you cannot see the veteren purple sprawling spider or the witches brewing in the cauldron. (too dark for the shot). You might also note the trio of emerging casper-like ghosts in the left background of one of the shots.



Yes, what good holiday fun.

Keep an eye open for the updated late-December edition of this neighborhood's holiday hijinx. Their displays of everything Hanukhak, Kwanza, and pagan and religious understandings of Christmas are something to behold and really get you into the air-filled spirit of fun.

'til then...