On Thursday, Anne was working in the middle school.  It has been a while since she has worked this one of the four schools in the district.  In addition to working in a relatively novel environment, she also found the time to do some looking around too.  And look at what she found displayed in a case there, this somewhat fuzzy photo pictured below.

This photograph commemorates the 2004 Maplewood-Richmond Heights (MRH) High School team in the Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE) Missouri Regional Competition.  This competition was held at McKendree College, in Lebanon, IL.  Why Illinois?  Pictured are twelve students and über science teacher, Mrs. Dwyer.  What really caught Anne’s eye though, was the fuzzier than normal student standing next to Mrs. Dwyer.  That of course would be our David. 

Dave medaled in that particular WYSE competition and in several others too.  Dave is now working at the National Institute of Health and working in auditory research.  More importantly, at least to him, he looks way more handsome and debonair now than then.  Mom and I have always found him all that and more. 

Last week, Anne was shopping in Containers & More, for containers yet, when she spied the above pictured bungee office chair.  She iPhone photographed it and then emailed the picture to Dan with the twin epitaphs, “You were robbed!” and “They totally stole yours and Vickie’s idea!”  She was referring to Dan’s and art project partner Vickie’s exploding bungee couch, which is pictured below.  Although the initial design had some structural issues, the finished design has survived many winters and is still functioning, I can still sit in it.

Next week in LA, at CalArts, Dan is putting on his first west coast art show.  He has titled it, Halley’s Brief and Uncharacteristic Apparition and has also subtitled it, The Almighty has said, no doubt: ‘Now here are these two unaccountable freaks; they came in together, they must go out together.’ (An Exhibition of Astronomical Proportions).

The two freaks referred two are Halley’s Comet and Mark Twain.  Mark Twain is the pen name for Missouri native son, Samuel Clemens.  Sam Clemens was born in a year that Halley’s Comet appeared and he died in the year of its next appearance, some 76 years apart.  Our son, Dan is also a Missouri native son. 

Showtime is next Thursday, the 20th.  It you happen to find yourself in the LA area then and haven’t made arrangements with Dan, feel free to contact us.  We’ll help to get you there.  We are also looking forward to the opportunity of sharing pictures of his show with you, after the fact of course.

I thought to call this post, A Stroll Down Memory Lane, but thought better of that and Anne gave me Livin’ la Vida Loca, livin’the crazy life, and went with that instead.  A 1999 Ricky Martin title.  Are we really living the crazy life?  I hope so. At least I hope that that our children are.