The Clark Chronicle
Volume 13 in       terra       pax       ~       peace       on       earth December 2012

Seattle’s Grossest
Tourist Attraction
That’s just too disgusting. Ugh. Yuck. Hurl. Anyway none of that stopped Amy and Caleb from contributing to Seattle’s Gum Wall.
Luckily they survived.

Apple Fanboy
Credentials Burnished
   Bob ditched a perfectly good job of nearly fourteen years in order to take a flyer with some little Cupertino startup named Apple.

Lisa, Amy, Caleb, & the AquaSox

Orchestra
Somewhere in this sea of musical humanity...
...is this musician...

Happy Mayan Apocalypse
   In 99 A.D. there were people predicting the end of the world. And yet 100 A.D. arrived.
   More cults and movements predicted the end of the world in 365 A.D. And 500. And 1000, 1260, 1284, 1370, 1524, 1600, 1624, 1666, 1736, 1805, 1843, 1844, 1874, 1967, 1975, 1982, 1999, and 2011. (And, frankly, probably every year omitted from that list as well.) And the calendar kept obstinately turning.
   Once again the doomsayers and fear-mongers are freaking out about the odometer rolling over. This time it’s the Mayan Apocalypse. And once again clocks will keep on ticking and seasons will keep on turning.
   Or maybe... Maybe this time the prognosticators have got it right. Maybe. If you’re reading this newsletter by candlelight in a post-apocalyptic bunker (no, a post-holiday-party stupor doesn’t count), then kudos to the fear-mongers this time. Otherwise let’s get on with the Merry Christmasing and Happy Holidaysing.
Clark Kids Summary
   The three Clark kids: Sara turned 16 this year and is a Junior at Mountlake Terrace High School. Caleb, 10, is a fourth-grader at Hilltop Elementary School, and Amy, our seven-year-old, is in second grade at Hilltop.










Playing
Caleb Camping

Amy Badmintoning

Sara “Studying”
 

I’m sorry, but that slide is scary

Amy at gymnastics class

Caleb as Johnny Rock

Amy & Dazey

Caleb & his new 3DS XL

Neighborhood peregrine falcon


before

after
Office Space
   Life handed our family an “opportunity to repair the basement” lemon. We leapt at the chance to make “greatly-improved office space” lemonade.
   The transition from ad hoc office area to a thoughtfully appointed office workspace also helped out with some career shifts that happened through the year.


Lisa: HOA “Muscle”
   Life handed Lisa a “nobody wants to serve on the homeowners association” lemon. She made “HOA treasurer” lemonade.
   Along with interfacing with the HOA’s CPA and double-checking the accounting, she finds herself solving many HOA-related problems and running many HOA-related errands.









Sara & Connor
   Life handed Sara a “find something to do this summer” lemon. She made “spending time with Connor” lemonade.
   Sara has continued her equestrian studies and spends hours working and playing at the barn.
   And, yes, Sara and Connor are both smiling.







Kids’ Lemonade Stand
   Life handed Caleb and Amy a “do something with all these lemons” lemon. They made ... well, you know.






Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays. Pleasant Winter Solstice. Season’s Greetings. Happy Festivus. Happy Hanukkah. Give An Atheist Kid A Gift For No Reason.
 



Clark Chronicle 2012 PDF (62 MB)