Superman Returns!

Yes I am alive and my family is doing well! For those of who who have been checking this rag and finding no new reports for months, thank you for checking in. The Superkids are here in Metropolis for the summer and due to this, this reporter had to work a little harder than normal to stockpile discretionary funds for summer activities. Flying back and forth all over the country doesn't allow much time time for putting out news stories.

Now that summer is actually here it hasn't gotten any easier. We have had an extremely busy summer so far and we have finally hit a small lull in the storm. SG has been busy with taking a sewing class which she asked to take last summer. SG has become quite the accomplished sewer in just a few short classes and looks forward to her classes each week. SB has been in basketball camp for the last week and getting up at 6:30 am every morning to make camp by 8:00 am. His coaches ran him through the ringer for two and a half hours each morning. He hasn't complained once about getting up and even wanted to practice every day after camp to work on his ball handling skills and shooting. This is a huge change, because in the past when SB struggled with a sport or game he instantly wanted to quit and play something else. Today was his last day and he was just as eager to jump up and get ready this morning, however after camp he told me he was ready for a nap. Not only was he ready, I was ready too and curled up on the couch as Lois watched a MONK marathon on the USA network. Talk about quality programming to put you to sleep.

SG is now curled up in her new bed reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. She just finished Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone and loved it. She isn't allowed to read these books or see the Harry Potter movies in Smallville. Krypto claims that these movies teach children to be sorcerers and witches and the Bible says Harry Potter is a product of Satan and the people who read these books worship Satan and will go to Hell (slight exaggeration added for dramatic effect). However "The Little Mermaid" (Ursula the Sea Witch), "Sleeping Beauty" (Maleficent the evil witch), "Snow White" (The Evil Queen) and "Cinderella" (Fairy God Mother) to name just a few all have magic including sorcery and witchcraft as key elements to their story lines and these movies are deemed "okay" by Krypto for the Superkids to watch. She lives by the, "If it's Disney it's alright for children to watch it" rule. This rule requires no thought process but she also thinks it's okay for a six year old to watch the movies, "Snakes On A Plane", "Little Man" and "Ghost Rider" (which actually has Peter Fonda playing the role of Satan). You may start to see a pattern of inconsistency or as I like to say she speaks with a forked tongue. I want to make it clear I love the Disney movies and I was just using them as an example to show how bigotry in our society is fickle and selective. What one views as alright is condemned by another.

The book "Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger has been banned by many schools and yet you will find it in the Classics section of every Borders and Barnes and Noble. I have read the book and it is loaded with profanity but gives a great look into the mind of an angered teen age boy riddled with grief from the loss of his brother. Is the book appropriate for children under the age of sixteen? Probably not! I do think that it is an appropriate book for someone sixteen or older depending on their maturity level. The blatant use of profanity is a detractor of the book but I guarantee your sixteen year old has heard every curse word you will find written in the "Catcher in the Rye." I apologize for going off on a tangent, but it is something I am known for (just ask Lois.)

I have been officially accepted into Metropolis U and will attend orientation later this month. I am truly excited to return to school and have told the Superkids that when they go back to school so will I. The response I received from SG was "COOL!" Classes start on August 25th and I cant wait to attend my first class in fourteen years.

The Superkids summer has so far been great with only a few bumps along the way. There have been no large problems and for the first time I believe SB is truly happy to be here with us this summer. Usually at the end of the second week he starts having obedience issues and wants to go home. This year when Lois and I would talk to him on the phone he would tell us he was ready for us to come and get him. It's the end of week three and we aren't having any obedience issues just typical kid stuff for a change. SG is her usual self and is enjoying her time here. The only problem we have consistently with her is trying to shorten her showering time! If she's not interrupted she would take hour-long showers. Girls!