Stockton Miners Cafe

Stockton has a new place to eat! It's called the Stockton Miners Cafe. Today was its grand opening at 5am. Me and Ed were the very first customers at 5:10 this morning. It used to be the old bar, which was purchased by the current Bishop Holmes and remodeled into the new cafe.

The inside was awesome. They tore out the ceiling to expose the original wood framing. Looks like they stained it and it looks all rustic and old. There are old miner's helmets and miner's tools all over the walls. The original bar is still in the center of the restaurant and you can sit there if you'd like and order instead of one of the table booths.

10 minutes into our visit, the Bishop and his wife showed up and sat by us. The Bishop spent a few minutes explaining some of the things there and what the old bar looked like (since I never been there before). Ed and I both ordered French Toast and Hot Choclate, it was delicious. Eventually Mr. Hunter and Leland & Bill Hogan also showed up. We all had a good chat about stuff, it was really fun. I felt like I was in Mayberry. Too bad we don't have alot of time these days to spend at our local Cafe's. I wish we did.

Perhaps the day will come when I've got enough money in the bank, I can quit my job and work at the local Cafe, or maybe even buy it and just hang around to visit with everyone in town.

Maybe one day.

Favorite Quotes

Here is a collection of some of my favorite quotes. Too bad I can't remember these at the right time.

• As I said before, I never repeat myself.
• All I want is a warm bed, a kind word, and unlimited power.
• Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else.
• As long as I can remember, I've had amnesia.
• Constant change is here to stay.
• Expecting the unexpected makes the unexpected become the expected.
• Dyslexics of the world, untie!
• Everyone hates me because I'm paranoid.
• Floggings will continue until morale improves.
• Give some people an inch, and they think they are rulers.
• The dodo died. Then Dodi died, Di died and Dando died... Dido must be scared to death.

In the Court Room

These are alleged actual quotes from court rooms. - I saw them and it made me think of the atmosphere poor Riki is forced to work in.

Attorney: "What is your date of birth?"
Witness: "July 15th."
Attorney: "What year?"
Witness: "Every year."

Attorney: "All your responses must be oral, OK? What school did you go to?"
Witness: "Oral."

Attorney: "Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?"
Witness: "No."
Attorney: "Did you check for blood pressure?"
Witness: "No."
Attorney: "Did you check for breathing?"
Witness: "No."
Attorney: "So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?"
Witness: "No."
Attorney: "How can you be so sure, Doctor?"
Witness: "Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar."
Attorney: "But could the patient have still been alive nevertheless?"
Witness: "It is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law somewhere."

Lymanite Games

I'm gonna start keeping track of all the different games we make-up and modify. I added a bunch today to my new Lymanite Games @ games.lymanite.com blog. I have 11 so far, and I still have about 8 more to go. If you can think of any I am missing, let me know and I will get them on the list to be added.

It Takes A Real Man

Best Motivational Poster Ever

Disneyland

Its official, we are going to Disneyland.

You can argue and disagree and bring all the scientific proof you want, but I KNOW there is magic in Disneyland.

Disneyland isnt just an amusement park, there is alot of money and time put into the entire experience. When you go to Futureland, or Adventureland, its not just the rides that change, its the looks of all the restaurants, the bathrooms, the walkways, employee uniforms, even the trash receptacles are in theme. You are completely immersed into the atmosphere of the area. Its wonderful.

Rooker goes nuts on the Buzz Lightyear ride. At the end you shoot your lazer guns at Emporer Zurg in order to help Buzz and the Galactic Alliance. Rooker kept telling me "We have to help Buzz Dad!". And we did. We beat Zurg and left victorious.

On Tom Sawyer Island, you get lost in the cave system. When your a child, its a massive maze of stairs, secret turn-offs, and walkways. I remember thinking I was lost many times. There is no better place on earth to plag tag or hide & seek.

When you get in the boats for Pirates of the Carribean, the haze and high darkened ceilings really shut out the rest of the world and leave you alone in the middle of a pirate raid.

Man, I could go on and on. Disney really strives for total immersion, not just thrills.

Its magic.

Showing Authority

So Ive been hearing these advertisements on the radio for a product called "The Total Transformation Package". Its a series of pep-talks on how to get your kids to do what you say. Everytime I hear about something like this, some new way to make money, some way to lower your mortgage payments, some miracle way to heal your credit score, or to sue the IRS...., I immediately look it up on the internet so I can read all the stories and forums of the morons who fall victim to these kinds of advertisements and get ripped off. There is truly no end to the guillibility of the human race. And if there is anything I enjoy, it's someone else's drama.

HOWEVER, while looking up this Total Transformation Package, I ran across a single line in someones blog that hit me like something that hits you hard.

"The best way to show authority to your kids, is to control your temper."

Then it went off on all this psychological junk on how losing your temper reduces your emotional credibility to their very same level, or less, and at that point, no one is in charge, and so you resort to physical displays to "put them in their place".

Well, it cut me to the core.

This, To, Shall Pass Away

This, To, Shall Pass Away
by Theodore Tilton

Once in Persia reigned a King,
Who upon his signet ring
Graved a maxim true and wise,
Which, if held before his eyes,
Gave him counsel at a glance,
Fit for every change and chance.
Solemn words, and these are they;
"Even this shall pass away."

Trains of camels through the sand
Brought him gems from Samarcand;
Fleets of galleys through the seas
Brought him pearls to match with these;
But he counted not his gain,
Treasures of mine or main;
"What is wealth?" the king would say;
"Even this shall pass away."

Mid the revels of his court,
At the zenith of his sport,
When the palms of all his guests,
Burned with clapping at his jests,
He, amid his figs and wine;
Cried, 'O loving friends of mine;
Pleasures come, but not to stay;
"Even this shall pass away"

Lady, fairest ever seen,
Was the bride he crowned his queen.
Pillowed on his marriage bed,
Softly to his soul he said:
Though no bridegroom ever passed;
Fairer bosom to his breast,
Mortal flesh must come to clay-
"Even this shall pass away"

Fighting on a furious field,
Once a javelin pierced his shield;
Soldiers, with a loud lament,
Bore him bleeding to his tent.
Groaning from his tortured side,
"Pain is hard to bear," he cried;"
But with patience, day by day,
Even this shall pass away.

Towering in the public square,
Twenty cubits in the air,
Rose his statue carved in stone.
Then the king, disguised, unknown,
Stood before his sculptured name,
Musing meekly: "What is fame?"
Fame is but a slow decay;

Even this shall pass away.

Struck with palsy, sore and old,
Waiting at the Gates of Gold,
Said he with his dying breath,
"Life is done, but what is death?"
Then, in answer to the king,
Fell a sun beam on his ring,
"Even this shall pass away."

The Wizard of Odd

Amy and I went and saw Wizard of Odd at Desert Star Playhouse last night. It was mostly funny. When I looked at the program, I immediately started laughing cause the 2nd scene is when Dorothy lands in "Butt Munch Land", where she meets the "Butt Munch Kids". I also thought it was funny when they got to the Poppy Fields, a High Councilman came out and started to give a talk on Brotherhood and thats what put them all to sleep. Hahahaha.

Stupid Pencil Maker

Some dummy built this pencil wrong--
The eraser's down here where the point belongs.
And the point's at the top--so its no good to me.
Its amazing how stupid some people can be.

-Shel Silverstein