David Vienna's Blog, page 206
October 22, 2015
RollerBot (Part 1)Taresh cautiously tilted the container. He...
RollerBot (Part 1)
Taresh cautiously tilted the container. He knew the rattle of Lego bricks spilling on the carpet would undoubtedly upset his mother, but he needed to find the matching wheel, which he suspected had worked its way down to the bottom of the large plastic bin. He tipped it over and let the hundreds and hundreds of varying building blocks slowly pour out. Then, he listened for the sound of his mother’s footsteps on the stairs, but they didn’t come.
He used his fingers to rake through the pieces until he found the wheel. He attached it to the axel and slipped the connector into place. His robot now stood nearly as tall as his thigh. The massive colorful figure featured a hinged jaw, ball joints, large gripping fingers, decorative tubes and transparent accents jutting out from the shoulders and chest, and four sturdy wheels on each foot. But, something was missing.
He lifted the lid on the small carved wooden box on his bedside table. Inside, were seven items—a pin with smiley face on it, a worn eraser, a plastic pocket knife, a dented toy car, a spring from a retractible pen, a smooth dark rock, and a long black string with sturdy rubber hooks at either end. It was the grappling hook he sought and he fished it carefully from the tangle of his father’s old things. His father said this grappling hook belonged to an action figure from when he was a small boy. The figure was lost over the years, but the string with its two useful hooks remained stuck at the bottom of a cardboard box for decades until he discovered it while helping Grandma Danvi clean out her garage.
Taresh’s father gave it to him and told him about the great battles he would stage with his toys. The hero always escaped danger with the use of the grappling hook. He told Taresh how he always thought a grappling hook was a useful piece of equipment and joked that he wanted a real one to take with him as he commuted to and from work. After his father died, Taresh put it with the handful of special things his father had given him—not gifts, really, but memories.
Taresh looped the string around his creation so it hung across its chest. The pretend mechanical man was finished and ready for adventure. “You are… RollerBot,” the boy said.
Then, the creation of plastic bricks turned its head up toward the boy and said, “RollerBot.”
Taresh stumbled backward until his legs hit the side of his bed. He fell onto the mattress and thumped his head against the wall. His eyes went wide as he watched the plastic figure examine its own arms, fingers, feet, and finally the grappling hook. “You… you can talk?” Taresh said.”
From downstairs, his mother’s voice called, “Honey! Dinner!”
To be continued…
October 21, 2015
There are 120 sight words 1st graders need to be able to read...
There are 120 sight words 1st graders need to be able to read before the end of the school year. If the student chooses, they can add the supplemental list of 80 words, get tested on all 200 and, if they pass, they are welcomed into “The 200 Club.” They get a certificate and their picture goes up on the wall.
Guys, we’re only a couple of months into the school year and Boone already aced all 200 words.
October 18, 2015
how2beadad:
So, @thedaddycomplex and I decided to get drunk one...
So, @thedaddycomplex and I decided to get drunk one night and fool around on camera. Wait. That didn’t come out right. What I meant to say is we decided to watch #TheMonsterSquad together and give our live commentary. If you have a couple of hours, and want to pop the movie on using #Netflix, go for it.
The movie is super problematic, watching it today. It trades on some pretty heavy nostalgia though.
And follow us on Blab for more live updates:
The Daddy Complex
How To Be A Dad
What @how2beadad said.
Also, @electradaddy, I can’t speak for Charlie, but I wasn’t wearing pants.
October 17, 2015
Live viewing of #MonsterSquad with special guests! Subscribe now
Go to Blab and sign in with your Twitter account and watch me, the guys from @how2beadad, and maybe some other folks live-comment on Monster Squad.
Watch along, too! Monster Squad is on Netflix.
For you late-nighters, something magical is about to happen. Details in a few…
For you late-nighters, something magical is about to happen. Details in a few…
I’m on periscope, too, just FYI
I’m on periscope, too, just FYI
I'm a twin, and the parent of an only child. I don't want to broadside you with "What's it like raising twins?" But I am curious. How hard was the baby stage? Is it really easier when they become a self-contained entertainment unit, or do Twin Bro and I ha
I’ve been in a terrible car accident, been through an acrimonious divorce, worked for non-profits—really tough shit—and the baby stage of raising twins was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Ever.
And I won’t say it got easier when they got older, because there are always new parenting challenges that pop up, but the fact that they can go off and play by themselves is a huge bonus for us.
I hope my boys are happy, healthy, and their first album goes triple-platinum.
I'm a twin, and the parent of an only child. I don't want to broadside you with "What's it like raising twins?" But I am curious. How hard was the baby stage? Is it really easier when they become a self-contained entertainment unit, or do Twin Bro and I ha
I’ve been in a terrible car accident, been through an acrimonious divorce, worked for non-profits—really tough shit—and the baby stage of raising twins was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Ever.
And I won’t say it got easier when they got older, because there are always new parenting challenges that pop up, but the fact that they can go off and play by themselves is a huge bonus for us.
I hope my boys are happy, healthy, and their first album goes triple-platinum.
