It was a long time ago (that should be obvious to the most casual observer) and the Maya had grown to a sprawling empire heavily engaged in commerce and trying very hard to feed their masses. When you are part of a society in decline and it’s getting harder to get an omelet at the local hole in the wall diner does it matter to you if the calendar only goes several thousand years into the future? Just a wild guess here folks but I’m thinking probably not. Can you imagine a lot of Maya thinking “OK all you government politicians, let’s shut down a bunch of less needed bureaucracies”? And the politicians saying “name one”. Response, “how about the bureau of calendar development ‘cuz they’ve got it worked out a long time into the future and if we disappear as a culture it’ll all be rhetorical anyway”.

If back then you were a member of the “bureau of calendar development” and your team got so far as 2012, you would have reason to be really proud. But when the department gets shut down because of budget cuts, well guess what – that’s when the calendar stops.

Bet they didn’t have unemployment back then and I suspect none of the “bureau of calendar development” guys were willing to continue adding to the calendar for the sheer pleasure of it. And in spite of whatever efforts Mayan society as a whole made, it’s obvious they didn’t quite succeed.

So that’s my take. The calendar stops during 2012 because that’s as far as they got before Mayan civilization as they came to recognize it ceased.

But I gotta wonder if someone provided the Maya with a calendar that told when their empire would cease? Possibly people from the sky?

ET phone home!

Procrastination being my modus operandi I planned to get a card and gift for Janice while she was at work today (Valentines day, February 14, 2011) which would have worked out fine except Sunday Janice struggled with an all day migraine. Eventually the emergency room and a Toradol injection quelled the pain. Although free of the headache, Toradol induced sleep ain’t altogether restful. Which brings us to Monday, Valentines Day, a day for bargain basement Valentines gifts. Procrastination does have some benefits, just not this Valentines Day.

Monday she worked about two hours before deciding to come home. It is kinda hard to deal with customers on a Toradol hangover. That left me completely in the lurch. No card, no gift and only one thing to do – ‘fess up. “I’m gonna have to go shopping ‘cuz I haven’t gotten you a card or gift yet”. Romantic, huh? And her reply – “Don’t, I was going to do that today too but we’ve got the best gift already, we’re comfortable at home”. Now that to me is incredibly romantic.

So for supper I promised we’d experience fine dining at our favorite local hole in the wall place. While we ate, Haley, our ride whore dog stayed in the truck awaiting the continuation of our journey. After eating we went to Petsmart. When she realized where we were going Haley’s excitement filled the truck cab (yep, she let one rip). Once out she had to find that special place to leave her calling card before going into the store. That’s what she does every Petsmart visit and after a quick cruise through the aisles usually goes back out to leave more calling cards. On occasion she’s been known to go in and out up to four times. I couldn’t have that much enthusiasm if someone figured out how to combine Harbor Freight, Northern Tool, Fleet Farm, Tractor Supply and Victoria’s Secret into one store.

Yep, I had to throw Victoria’s Secret in there to see if you’re paying attention. It worked too, didn’t it?



Shortly after we were seated a family of four got seated at a table next to us.  It was hard not to notice the two boys (approximately 5 and 6 years of age) following their parents.  Each boy was far to occupied with their portable game units to pay attention to anything else.  Once seated the gaming continued through the ordering and until their food was place before them.  Mom and dad conversed approximately as much.  With food in front of them, each parent dutifully cut up pancakes and made sure the boys didn’t overflow syrup onto the table. Conversation remained sparse during their entire meal and soon as the boys finished eating their game units were once again activated.

Please don’t misunderstand me here, if I were to get started with one of those game things it would probably be all over but the shouting for some time.  At the same time I look back on my childhood (OK, maybe it was so long ago that memory is seriously fogged) and wonder how mom and dad would have reacted to that sort of lack of interaction at meal time.  Not acceptable comes to mind.

Then there are the pre-teens and beyond that are much too involved with texting to engage in verbal conversation with their parents.  The big question is do the parents give them the cellphone so they don’t have to talk with their kids or what is the deal?  Observing how little some parents and offspring communicate with each other from such early ages really frightens me.

That’s the Newcastle Brown Ale moment for tonight.