Salem-News.com Family articles Page 29

Cat House

A lighthearted look at frolicking feline fun for your Friday.

(CALGARY, Alberta) - “Cats are a standing rebuke to behavioral scientists wanting to know how the minds of animals work. The mind of a cat is an inscrutable mystery, beyond human reach, the least human of all creatures and at the same time, as any cat owner will attest, the most intelligent.” (Lewis Thomas)

While I’ve lived with many cats in my life—when married, we had as many as three cats in the household—Max, the tabby in the picture, is the first cat with whom I’ve had ever had an individual bond. Max was given to me on March 31, 1997 by Colleen Way, a woman I was dating at the time.

The Funniest Wedding Vow Ever Recorded (VIDEO)

They say a healthy sense of humor is very important in a relationship, and it looks like this couple will do just fine.

(SALEM, Ore.) - A couple's hilarious wedding video is making big strides on YouTube and in national media. The clip which is titled "waffle wedded wife" begins with a beautiful wedding scene, just before the couple-to-be offers their vows. The title of the clip gives you a clue, but you won't believe what happens.

The proud dad and father-in-law Tim Engstrom, who by the way is officiating the vows for the couple, explained that the wedding began with an organ player who didn't know when to stop playing.

Keizer Woman and Children Escape Apartment Fire (VIDEO)

A smoke alarm rouses a mom and her two small boys during a dangerous apartment fire.

(KEIZER, Ore.) - Keizer firefighters were called out at 11:46 p.m. Thursday over a report of a fire in an apartment complex on Plymouth Drive NE in Keizer.

Captain Brian Butler says firefighters arriving on scene at 11:50 p.m. called for a second alarm. Fire crews rolling up, "observed fire from the rear of the building on the second floor".

Who Said Marriage Should Be Work?

While I agree to some degree that marriage is work, it’s the amount of “work” that is worth discussion.

(AGOURA, Calif.) - I recently learned some statistics that surprised me, but upon reflection they really made sense. What do you think the rate of divorce is between first, second, and third marriages? Think about it. I didn’t and came to the wrong conclusion.

My Son Has a Girlfriend; Now What Do I Do?

While I’ve been experiencing some vicarious feelings from my youth, being a father to a son who has begun dating and now has a new girlfriend is completely new to me.

(AGOURA, Calif.) - My son has his first girlfriend and I am pleased that he is now old and mature enough to enter the dating stage. I’m excited for him. In a funny way, I’m re-living vicariously my long-forgotten feelings of first love and all the nervousness, anxiety, and “What am I going to do?” anxieties I felt at his age.

Nonetheless, I need to allow him to have his space, and keep my distance while still making sure that they’re acting appropriately. But I don’t fully know how much to ask, observe, or try and find out. Mostly, I think I need to let him discover for himself.

It`s a Tech World, After All

Today's technology is a blessing and a curse.

(AGOURA, Calif.) - I love technology. I hate technology. I get so frustrated with technology. All of the above. That’s my generation and definitely me. My friend Marty is a tech wizard, while my wife is still using computers primarily for e-mail. I’m somewhat in the middle with my knowledge and depth of tech use and dependence, though my boys laugh at my attempts to learn anything new.

But, it’s hard to resist all we hear about what every new tech gadget has to offer, especially for us men (a.k.a. boys and their toys).

Male and Female Roles in Our Politically Correct Society

A friend of mine suggested that my generation might actually have the opportunity to learn from our kids about these kinds of behaviors.

(AGOURA, Calif.) - I am more and more troubled by how male and female roles in our society have evolved. Clearly, I may just not fully understand and accept these changes, but I want to understand for the sake of my boys.

I’m trying to teach them to be men, how to treat women, and to prepare my sons for the current social environment and workplace that we live in. And, frankly, I need to learn and adjust for myself, as this column will show.

Feds Say Health Insurance Reform Cannot Wait in Oregon

“In states across the country we’ve seen the health care coverage situation go from bad to worse” -Kathleen Sebelius

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today released a new analysis of last week’s U.S. Census numbers regarding the uninsured. The results are sobering and confirm that health insurance reform cannot wait another year. Nationwide, the number of uninsured increased from 39.8 million in 2001 to 46.3 million in 2008.

“These numbers only serve to further confirm a reality that far too many American families live with every day,” said Secretary Sebelius.

Not Too Old for Rock and Roll

Maybe the music has changed, but I don’t think growing up is any different today.

(SAN FRANCISCO) - I just returned from one of the best three-day trip of my parenting life. My son, Will, not yet 16, and two of his female friends and I drove to San Francisco to attend the Outside Lands Music Festival.

It’s an all-day late-into-the-night, music festival on the Polo Fields at Golden Gate Park. There are multiple acts performing simultaneously on several stages throughout the festival grounds.

In-Laws, Second Marriages, and Baggage

Making in-law relations in a second marriage twice as good.

(AGOURA, Calif.) - I believe all clichés are generally true. How else could something become a cliché in the first place? Not surprisingly, then, all the clichés about second marriages are true.