One Christmas, when Dane was ten or eleven, he could not come up with a single thing he wanted for Christmas. We brainstormed for ideas. How about a new game for his Nintendo? No. How about a different game system? No. How about a cool sweatshirt? No. He really didn't want anything. It was okay. Really.

Then one day out of the blue, it came to him, "I figured out what I want and it's all I want."

"Well, perfect. Soooo? What is it?", I was impatient for him to cough up his one wish.

"A gas machine", he answered firmly. "I want my own gas machine."

A gas machine? I figured he must be talking about a matchbox car set that had little gas stations. I'd never thought he was that into matchbox cars but maybe pretending he was filling them up with gas was going to make all the difference for him. Whatever. It would be one-stop shopping and I'd be done. Woo-hoo.

"Like from the Dentist's office", he added helpfully.

"A gas machine from the DENTIST'S OFFICE????", I hardly knew how to respond. "And when were you planning on using this gas machine?"

"You know, like when I get home from school and stuff. I like that floatie feeling it gives me."

I thought it was one of the funniest things he'd ever come up with. Bob thought it was one of the scariest...thinking it a very real possibility that we'd introduced Dane to a world of recreational drugs from which there would be no return.

The recent youtube video of a little boy after his own "gas machine" experience reminded my daughter of Dane's singular wish list. I have a hunch that that little boy does not want one for Christmas. I think it's hilarious. Because it's REAL life. Real life is ALWAYS the funniest.

O'Reilly has a pinhead and patriot segment on his program. He deemed me to be a pinhead (and millions of others) because I love watching (and re-watching) the youtube video of a British baby biting his brother's finger. I'm sure O'Reilly has just as much disdain for those of us that were amused by the drugged up little boy. Well, I say, "LIGHTEN UP!"

It's not as if these aren't educational experiences.
Let's see, a little boy sticks his finger in his baby brother's mouth, it gets bit. Does it again, it gets bit. He learns it's not such a good idea to stick his finger in his brother's mouth and we all get to laugh about it. Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OBlgSz8sSM

Next scenario, a little boy is "put under" for some dental work. Coming out of it, he gets a little freaked out by his double vision and other unfamiliar (but temporary!!) sensations . We learn that we can utilize these teachable moments to scare the child straight. Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txqiwrbYGrs