Featured Rollblog 6, with a special appeal

Kevin from Always Home And Uncool, is husband to a very busy wife who, in his own words, is an 'executive goddess', and whom he refers to in his blog as 'My Love'. He's also stay-at-home superdad to two kids whom he has lovingly nicknamed 'Thing 1' and 'Thing 2'. He's a talented writer and his blog has received abundant praise and recognition, including Blogger's official Blog Of Note. In the midst of the laughter-provoking articles and the happy family stories, however, there is a tiny bit of not-so-good news that bothers all of us who know him and love his blog. Usually I end my Rollblog posts with heaped praise on the blogging abilities of the author and ask you to go and check it out. However this time I'm gonna talk about the adorable Thing 1, real name Megan, who suffers from a disease called juvenile juvenile myositis, in her case dermatomyositis. Their child's trouble has lead them to join a foundation that is dedicated to helping kids like Megan. He often speaks about this on his blog; recently he sent us an e-mail inviting us to help. I forwarded it to people who I thought could help him in the cause, and I'm including it here so that you can help him, pray for him and tell others to do the same.

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Dear Friends,
It's time for my annual appeal for donations to Cure JM Foundation, the nonprofit working to find better treatments and a cure for juvenile myositis, the autoimmune disease my daughter (Thing 1 aka Megan) was diagnosed with in 2002 at age 2.
My appeal has a little more urgency this year.
In the last month, Thing 1/Megan has experienced a flare, or relapse, of the disease (details about her flare and her treatment are on my blog). She had been essentially symptom free for the past three years and close to getting off all her medications until then. A week ago, she started a three-day course of IV steroids. Yesterday, she spent 6 hours getting an infusion of IVIG, a refined human blood product.
This year our family is raising funds by participating in the Seattle Rock 'n' Roll Marathon on June 25, 2011. My Love is running while the Things and I will proudly hand out water and sport drinks to runners on race day. We will also be participating that weekend in a national JM educational forum sponsored by the foundation for the medical community and JM families. Since Cure JM is an all-volunteer organization, about 98 percent of the money we raise goes directly to the cause. It either:

• funds medical research programs into the disease that the foundation helped start at leading hospitals in Chicago and Washington, D.C.; or,

• pays for online or printed materials that educates people
 about the disease or offers support to families coping with JM's effects on their children and lives.

Donations of any size help as no one knows which dollar will be the one that funds a cure.You can help us by making a tax-deductible donation in one of two ways:

1)  Use a credit card online at http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/rhondaandkevinmckeever/2011  or 

2) Print and fill out the form at this link http://tinyurl.com/3avtba8, write a check to "Cure JM Foundation" (put in the memo section that you are sponsoring Kevin and Rhonda McKeever), and then mail it to:

Cure JM Foundation

836 Lynwood Drive

Encinitas, CA 92024

Matching gift forms may also be sent to that address or faxed to (760) 230-2243 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            (760) 230-2243      end_of_the_skype_highlighting
On behalf of all children and their families afflicted with JM, especially mine, thank you for your generous support.Kevin 

Blog: Always Home and Uncool: www.blogonkevin.blogspot.com 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/homeanduncool.com

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One day late not my fault this time

Not anybody's fault, actually. The poor guys at Blogger had a problem.
Anyway, I won (jointly, bleh) the debate at school. Won as in best speaker, of course.
Sorry for tiny post. Will have something creative up next, most probably.

Exam trip to Kolkata, bad time in school

I got selected for the second (& final) levels of the National Talent Search Examination. All 286 selected students from my state had their exam centre at state capital Kolkata. I had to go earlier than needed because of the Election hogging all the transport. I went Friday evening, the exam was on Sunday. I missed the fun things I do, but then Mom and I stayed with my favourite uncle and his wife who also happens to be my favourite aunt and I tell you they're totally rad people. They're funny, and are gameaholics to boot. I enjoyed staying there as I always do, I played games on their computer and laughed the whole day. And... wait for it... good food! What else does one need? But then, there was this tiny glitch: yep, the exam. It was in two parts, and there was a time fiasco in my room in the first half, otherwise things were smooth. I also boarded the Metro railways for the first time. Underground! Yahaa! It was fun. Next Kolkata target: board a tram. Though I've travelled in Kolkata before, I'd never experienced the hazardous road life there -- catching buses by winding through stopped cars at the red light, wary of the signal turning green and doing other dangerous stuff like that. I came back Sunday night, dog-tired, dreaming of chicken rolls and way rad chicken curry and other nice foodstuff. By the way, the return bus served good snacks: cream biscuits, jhalmuri, and apple juice.
Now, I have a debate the day after tomorrow in school, and my classmates and teacher just forced me to participate, and of course I hate learning speeches, I only like speaking at the extempore contests. So bleh.

Spread Peace, Improve, Conserve Environment (SPICE), royal wedding

The environmental club of our school and sister schools. I joined. We're hosting the Congress, as I said before. There's going to be presentations, speeches, movies and whatnot. For 3-4 days. Wow!
Britain needs to get rid of the head-up-ass idea of hereditary privileges. In a proper world, no one gets power and privilege simply by virtue of birth. Their monarch doesn't need a driving license, did you know that? And then the whole publicity stunt with their private ceremonies. Spending six figures in the post-recession era. Commendable, Willie, commendable. I don't see how all the people in Britain worship some people, just like them, not because of ability but because of birth. Simply birth. And then the royals have some stupid rules: succession preference to younger brothers over older sisters, prohibiting royals from marrying Catholics... these Brits and more so their royals won't let go of outdated discriminatory ideas and anti-humanist practices. Stupid! I don't understand why every country in the world is so jubilant about a semi-bald armed forces guy from London marrying a pretty small-town brunette. Happens everyday!

Swearing In

First off, sorry for the delay: my internet connection was interrupted by a storm yesterday.

So, yesterday, on the 25th of April, 2011, the School Cabinet for the Academic Year 2011-12 was formally sworn in. It was a solemn affair as usual, but being a part of it was on a whole different level than the usual awe. The badge of the Assistant Discipline Minister felt so heavy when the Principal first pinned it on. Each minister from 10th grade was sworn in along with their assistants from the 9th. I now have a nice neat blue badge with 'Asst. Discipline' inscribed on it in white capital letters: blue and white, the colours of our school flag, uniform and the monochrome version of our logo. Today we were called to the Principal's office for the distribution of duties. My 'boss' and I are to visit classes and rate their level of discipline so that they can be rewarded accordingly.

My badge

Also, this year is a special year as the Annual Convention of the SPICE club, the environmental club of all Carmel schools, is being hosted by our school. The Cabinet of course is expected to take charge of the organising along with the teachers. There's a whole lot to plan out: Students, teachers and nuns from so many different sister schools will be here, along with several dignitaries. We'll have to prepare hard: there's so much to do, planning events, decoration, welcoming, hiring, and a lot else. A whole lot of orders will be flying back and forth. And combined meetings will be held, with the Cabinet and concerned staff. There's loads of work to do, orders to give and follow, brainstorming to be done. I'm so excited that my junior cabinet year is going so well. I'm sure I'll learn a lot, and it will help me do my job better if I (hope so!) get a post next year too.

Wallpaper 29, busted UPS

The result of experiments with brush modes of the same colour with a little filter applied in the end. Looks better in original size, as usual.
This one won't be available on the Wallpapers page right away, as I've decided that the page editor hates my images too much, so my wallpapers will be put up in twos from now on -- putting up a single is more trouble than I can handle, especially with a busted UPS. Yes, I'm working on direct power. A single power cut and all my unsaved stuff gone poof. Along with a little bit of my computer's life.

Good News, Bad News, and more

In our school, the School Cabinet consists of the School Pupil Leader, the Assistant School Pupil Leader, and the ministers from class 10, and the assistant ministers of class 9. And guess what? Yesterday I got one of the most important portfolios, the one which is sworn in right after the SPL & ASPL-- I'm the Assistant Discipline Minister! We'll be sworn in on Monday (25/4/11) and I'll get my badge.

That was, obviously, the good news. The bad news is, the editor and founder of Tinkle, my favourite children's magazine, Mr. Anant Pai, the guy who always insisted that kids call him Uncle Pai... he's no more! The latest (March) issue of Tinkle announced the news. It happened on 24th Feb. I feel bad for not coming to know of it earlier.

Also, today the little kindergarten kids at school were formally initiated into the school. As every year, the parents of the kids attended. The school doesn't watch the program. Just the senior students in charge, the nuns and the pre-primary teachers are present. So we usually don't get to watch any Initiation other than our own. I still remember my own one, back when I was four, and now here I was helping teachers during an Initiation as a senior student. The routine of the initiation has stepped up a whole lot, it's much better than mine was. New stage lights have been installed in the auditorium. Watching the initiation was loads of fun, helping the teachers conduct the event and going around giving instructions to the parents was a fun too. The most fun was missing SUPW (Socially Useful Productive Work, ie. crafts and stuff) class for it. However, there was a huge drama in the class which I came to know of later. The teacher was totally unfair and paranoid with everyone, however it isn't so much of a huge surprise given her previous records, though this one surely beats it all.

Also missed Value Education for the Swearing-In Ceremony Rehearsals. Yeah!

SPL Elections

Today we elected the school pupil leader for the academic session 2011-12. There were five nominees. Sadly the candidate I voted didn't win. She got the second highest votes though. So she'll be the assistant SPL. Like every year I noted the results as they came. But I guess posting them here would be pretty boring. I can't afford to be more boring given the somewhat makeshift posts I'm putting up these days.

L, l

First blog post with the letter L. I found it to be the next letter I'd never begun a post title with. So here you are: L, l, lo, lid, line, llama, loiter, leopard, lavender, lethargic, liberalism. Bonus: legislature, lexicography. 13-20, anyone?

Absence Makes...

...the wallpaper grow better.

Another one that looks better in the original size. (#28)