Crime Mashup

Sorry I haven't been posting much, lately. Things have been crazy busy. But here's something to keep you entertained for a while: a website that mashes up police reports with Google maps.

Just go to http://www.crimereports.com/, enter your address, and if your police department is participating, you'll see a graphic representation of what crimes have appeared where. You can manipulate the display to change time periods or types of crimes displayed. Very cool. And free.

So far, I've figured out that my part of Sandy Springs (GA) is pretty safe, but my mother in Portland (OR) seems to be living in mortal danger. Maybe I should get her a gun for Christmas...but considering she refuses to use a cellphone and doesn't know how to adjust her thermostat, that's not gonna happen.

Unlucky Break

Life is fragile. So are hips.

Yesterday, Mom missed a step, fell, and broke her hip. I was actually with her at the time, though not in the same room when it happened.

We ended up in the emergency room, of course, and she'll be having surgery today or tomorrow. I'm - conveniently - at the airport waiting for my flight back to ATL. Thankfully, I have a sister, brother-in-law, and nephew who live in Portland and can help out with things. It'll take a team effort, but I'll be mostly on the distant sidelines cheering.

Happy Birthday, Dad

Today would have been my dad's 85th birthday. He died almost 5 years ago.

He and Mom adopted me when he was 35, which probably explains why he always seemed to be tired. But he meant well, and I believe he did the best he knew how to do at raising me and my sister.

He was a child of the Depression, and that steered his approach to finances all his life. He and Mom were known for their frugality (Christmas trees should never cost more than $5, for example), and they always lived below their means. He did like to travel, though, and he took me on my first "big" trips, to D.C., Yellowstone, and Glacier National Park. Cheapness and a love of travel are at least two of his traits that rubbed off on me.

During World War II, he protected Alaska from attack. I guess he did OK, because Alaska is still there. I suspect the greatest hazard was terminal boredom, but he survived.

After nearly 80 years of spiritual apathy, he came to faith in Christ, a year or two before he died. I'd been praying for him for 30 years.

I'll see him again.