Baby Details


The labor inducement went off without a hitch. 11 hours later at 7:56 AM we had our new baby girl. She is 5 pounds 12 ounzes and 19.5 inches long.

Thanks to all the positive energy that has been sent our direction. The Duchess is doing fine and mama and papa are already behind the eight ball in regards to sleep debt.

20 Questions Tuesday: 94 - Impending Arrival

So this evening, Wifey will be induced to bring about the birth of our soon to be baby girl. There are many things about today that are a bit bittersweet. It is the last day of our family being the trio of Little Man, Wifey and SRH. There is some sadness associated with that. Now, I will not be unconsciously focusing solely on my little boy.

Tomorrow my attention (both conscious and unconscious {“unconscious attention?” WTF, SRH? [shut up, you! How did you get in my parenthetical asides anyway?{your love of words has cost you dearly this time, SRH… [that doesn’t even make sense. We should get back to the thought at hand, agreed? {agreed.}]}]}) will need to be split. That makes me somewhat sad.

Anyway… today’s topic will be about the impending arrival. Thanks this week go to ACW, Lord Pithy, Belsum, Lsig, JACoppinger, allrileyedup, Capt. McArmypants, Sparky, Dustin, DR B-Dawg, and Jay. I would also like to thank Peefer, Karen, tree-monkey, and atmikha for their well wishes.

On to the questions:
1. Pitocin - a godsend or a taste of hell on earth?
Pitocin is quite possibly derived from the tears of an infected and slowly dying daemon. Pitocin is a fire. It consumes without mercy. It conflagrates whatever is near. It is made of the molten pitch known as hate and is meant to cause as much pain and suffering as the daemon could hope to wreck in its fleeting immortal existence

2. Any favorite music in the hospital bag?
I am not sure. Wifey picked out a playlist, but I do not know what she picked. From what I have gleaned over many a conversation, the Duchess will most likely not be brought into this world to the dulcet tones of one Ani DiFranco, because Wifey is not calm whilst listening to Ani.

3. May I have her? If "no," may I name her? If "no," may I babysit her? If "no," may I help deliver her? If "no," have I blown all chances of visiting her?
No. No. No. No. Maybe

4. Did you have another baby shower?
Nope.

5. Does Little Man have to share a room with his sister?
To sleep in? No. But he will have to share all the communal rooms

6. Does Wifey have a Birth Plan?
Once pitocin is involved, birth plans go out the window.

7. Do you really think you are ready for this?
Hell to the No

8. Will you get up for night feedings even if . . . well, if YOU are not needed?
I will be needed. I will need to. I will find ways to be helpful. There is always use of a partner during the fist weeks of late night feedings.

9. Have you calculated how many pots of coffee you’ll need to make it through the first week?
I am a Mountain Dew man. I believe I will need to rent a fountain drink dispenser.

10. What outfit does Wifey have packed to wear at the hospital post birth?
She has two different things. One is a night gown, and the other is a pajama set. One is better for when the doctors and nurses want to check on her hoo-ha, the other seems more conducive to breast feeding.

11. Be honest - have you made fun of those weird netted underpants that they give to all the moms in the hospital?
Those things look funny as hell, but when new mom says they are the most comfortable ever, there has to be something to that.

12. So will you be calling this child by her middle name or her first name?
Maybe first only or a combo of the two. We really do not know yet.

13. So do you intend to sleep at work from now on or just fall over dead in a few years from exhaustion?
Is there a combination of the two?

14. What aspect of having a baby in the house again are you looking forward to the most?
The cuddles. How a small babe will just melt into you.

15. What songs do you think you'll sing to baby? What songs do you think Little Man might sing to baby?
Hmmm, I am not sure I will sing any particular song, but Little Man will most likely sing some songs from Wow Wow Wubbzy, or Yo Gabba Gabba.

16. Baby’s room color: pink, blue, or the gender neutral color of sea foam green?
I did not realize that sea foam green was gender neutral. Especially, since it is typically paired with dusty rose. Ah, 1986 we do miss you

17. New baby is more or less conducive to blogging?
Way less. Any added responsibility will adversely affect my blogging availability. After I get into a good routine, I might need to re-evaluate this 4 times a week blogging thing.

18. Will the Duchess arrive in a carriage with horses?
Wifey hates that this thought is even out in the universe

19. When you've been carrying around another human being in your belly for 9 months, is "induced" the best word?
“Induced” is better than “extracted”

20. Any ideas about whose personality she will be influenced by? (yours?/ Wifey's?/ Little Man's)
All three with a good mix of her own genetics.



To recap:
Tomorrow’s post will hopefully just be stats and a pic
The hospital has free wi-fi so at least I will be able to surf the net
Oh, here is our new bathroom


Jealous?
Oh, yeah, I’m so getting my J on
Listening to Be Happy from that YouTube vid I linked in Question 15

Induction

So the baby gods have all weighed in and it has been determined that tomorrow evening Wifey will be receiving liquid hell via an I.V. in the form of pitocin. Therefore the idea is that the baby girl referred to colloquially as “the Duchess” shall grace us with her presence hopefully late Tuesday evening or Wednesday. Wifey will rip someone’s intestines out from their nose if it goes beyond Wednesday. One cannot endure the Hell on Earth that is pitocin for more that long without some sacrifices.

Anyway… This has meant that a boat load of cleaning has been going on in Casa Del SRH. So far we have been working our way from the new kitchen into towards the stairway. It is a clockwise rotation that has left us with only 3 rooms left to be cleaned and a few sundry tasks to be accomplished. I am positive that if Wifey were to be induced on Friday we would be completely finished with said tasks, Alas Tuesday is 3 days removed from Friday and therefore a much curtailed list of “To Do” items has been created. The things that have been removed primarily are associated with my level of hygiene.

Tomorrow I will snap some pictures of the new addition and remodel so we can look at the befores and afters associated with this partial house remodel. Maybe that will happen next week. Maybe not. Many things are up in the air. Deal with it.

To recap:
Man, I gots to peeee
Not like Wifey though
She has to pee all the time
The Duchess is fond of bouncing her head on mama’s bladder
Wifey is fond of washing her dry, cracked hands after peeing
Went to a park this weekend and let Little Man ride his bike
He had a blast
Listening to the clock ticking as moments become second to become minutes to become hours
Reminding me of how much time I am not making things ready at home

Digital Thursday

There are 4 Superfriends that were added to the mix to round out the team ethnically. They were added to the team in most culturally inappropriate way that they could imagine. The four were Apache Chief, Black Vulcan, El Dorado, and Samurai. They were all wonderfully stereotypical caricatures of their ethnicity. So far I have unleashed upon you my Apache Chief and my Black Vulcan. Today I give you my Samurai, Master of the Winds. Personally I think if he were in Samurai armor instead of samurai underwear he would be a more fearsome foe.

Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us
Click to embiggen

This is done totally in Photoshop. I might go back in one day and make it more of a sumi-e looking work, but there is a bunch of other stuff on the to do list ahead of that.

Cheers

To recap:
My allergies are completely kicking my ass right now
Of course the cotton wood does make it look like it snowed an inch overnight

To Do List:
Kitchen:
Stain window sills
Put up knife holder
Bathroom:
Hang toilet and hand towel holders
Duchess’s room:
Add word art to walls
Assemble crib
Get a rug?
General:
Re-set up email accounts on new PC

Almost a manageable To Do list
Almost
Listening to Feel Good Inc. by the Gorillaz off of Demon Days
Have a great weekend everyone

nada

I have absolutely nothing interesting to post today. So I will instead do a writing exercise. I of course would need to find a writing exercise to do and then, of course, do said writing exercise.

Hmmm…. Setting:

The swamp had all qualities that people come to associate with swamps. It was damp. It was dark. The din of insect wings and the chorus of frogs and birds was both a constant humming background noise and a persistent source of distraction. But swamps are not best described by sound and sight. Swamps are best described by smell and taste. It stank and it tasted like befouled mud. The stink was stronger than the taste, but that was only because I wasn’t actively mouthing the swamp. The taste was one of those unpleasant tastes when your environment permeates… invades your mouth and then just sits there like a rock, but the taste was mild compared to the smell. The smell of the fetid. The smell of decay. The smell of … of… environmental ambivalence. This was a place that did not care if I were alive or dead. It was a place that would find just as much if not more use for me being dead as it would for me being alive. That is what I could taste. That is what I could smell. That is what I heard. That is what I saw. This ambivalence to my existence is why it was so surprising to see a cozy stone cottage with wisps of smoke rising from its chimney.


To recap:
Nordstrom’s has great customer service
Little Man has some new shoes
The remodel might be about done
I still have a laundry list of things to get done
And there is a laundry list of things after the first list
That is the way of “to-do” lists
They never truly get “to-done”
Not listening to anything at the moment
I am watching three MatchTrackers for the England / US friendly being played right now at Wembly
England is up 1 to nil at half

20 Questions Tuesday: 93 - A la The Hour

This week’s 20 Questions Tuiesday is submitted by themikestand from Speak into the Mike. Thanks Mike. I will let you take over since there is some ‘splaining to do.

As promised, here is your 20 Questions Tuesday topic, in the form of 2-20, a two minute interview format which has been popularized in Canada by George Stroumboulopoulos and his news show, The Hour.


You have two minutes to answer these questions (I won't time, so feel free to do so. Or not.You should probably give yourself five minutes, just because you have to type and all.) Don't feel the need to justify your answers. Elaborate when and if you see fit. How much easier could this get?!


Begin:
1. Paper or Plastic?
Plastic

2. Who would win in a fight? McCain or McDuck?
McDuck – better funded

3. New York or L.A?
Neither

4. Crocs, or clogs?
Birks

5. You've got $5 in your pocket and you're snackish. Do you buy chocolate, candy, or fast food?
Fast food

6. Disneyland/world or 4-Star-resort on the Mayan Riviera?
Disneyworld – Darn you kids and ruining my Mayan vacation

7. College or Trade School?
College

8. Foreign accents: Australian, or Indian (the subcontinent)?
Australian, mate

9. A $20 bill, two $10 bills, or four $5 bills?
$20

10. Fashion: Shoes always match the belt, or always try to make sure you're wearing underwear?
Underwear, shoes can be a statement. Underwear is a necessity.

11. Curry: Awesome or Awful?
Awful

12. Sega or Nintendo?
SSSSSSSSssssssssssega!

13. Bumper stickers: Yea or Nay?
Nay

14. Apples, or Oranges?
Apples

15. DIY (do-it-yourself) or leave it up to the experts?
Depends

16. DVD Audio or Vinyl?
DVD Audio

17. Restaurants: Paper napkins and ketchup packets, or white tablecloths and snooty sommeliers?
Ketchup packets a go go

18. Speed limit, or 5 miles over?
5+

19. Imperial or Metric?
Everyday Use: Imperial
More Common Sense: Metric

20. Which is easier: Blogging, or reading and commenting?
Reading and commenting

Good work!
You don't know that

To recap:
That was the quickest 20 Questions Tuesday evar!
Thanks Mike!
I will post pics when the kitchen is done
It will be nice for the kitchen to be done
I already have Thursday’s Digital Thursday done
Cleaning out a car seat tonight
Might be nice to have that done prior to going to the hospital
Tomorrow Wifey goes off of resting
Have I got a list for her to do
Listening to Angels and Airwaves’ Distraction from We Don’t Need to Whisper
It reminds me of this which makes me smile because it makes Little Man smile

There can be only 1

It is a holiday and I am posting something really quickly. Mim is out of commission due to her neck surgery. Little Man is down due to illness (feverish and yarfy kind). Wifey is still on rest due to not wanting the baby early. I am the only hale and hearty one inn the household. Yes, Mim is technically “in the household” until she recuperates a bit more.

There are boatloads of things to do to get ready from the impending birth.

To recap:
Making ribs
Mmmmmmm ribs
Tomorrow we will be back to our regularly scheduled programming

Digital Thursday

I had 20 minutes today and, from last week's Digital Thursday post, an affinity for X-characters. To go with that Colussus, I now have a Cyclops.

No time to really expound much on this except it is a digital sketch done rather rapidly with some crap color thrown on for good measure. So without further ado, a late 80's/early 90's Cyclops.
Ooooh he's dour.


To recap:
The office and bathroom are both happily painted
We are swiftly moving stuff into the office to reclaim our dining room for dining purposes
Mim is getting surgery today to aleviate some nerve stuff in one of her shoulders
I need to find the hardware for the crib
Things seem to be coming together
1 more week baby-less and maybe we can have our shit together (physically)
So please all positive thoughts about baby's pending arrival should include a not before May 30th clause.
Listening to Cream and Bastards Rise by Harvey Danger from Little by Little
Have a great weekend everyone

Brooding

Okay, I left the brand spanking new six pack of 24oz Mountain Dew in the car this morning and so far my laziness has beaten my addiction. It is sad when addiction loses so easily. I mean really, when apathy and laziness can trump burning desire, something is askew. Sure I am cranky and all caffeine withdrawal induced headachy, but the Dew is all the way out there. If I had parked closer, I would have most likely already made the voyage. If I had parked closer, I would have had to gotten into work significantly earlier. If I had gotten to work significantly earlier I would most likely have already needed the green potion, and therefore would have ported it with me on my trek from the car to the desk. As it is I am sitting at my desk… brooding. Brooding over my dull aching mistake to leave my delectable beverage outside in the safe confines of the car. Brooding over the fact that my cashless method of existence is not conducive to vending machines. Brooding over the fact that I am Dewless in a Dewy world.

To recap
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy
No Mountain Dew and laziness make SRH go crazy

20 Questions Tuesday: 92 - Random 2

Here is the second installment of the 20 Questions Tuesday round of Awesome Randomness.

Thanks this week go to Allrileyedup, Dustin, Peefer, and the ever soooo pregnant Wifey.

To the questions:
1. Who do you think is the greatest rock guitarist of all time?
Hendrix is up there, of course, but I think you have to go back to Les Paul.

2. Why do people like Bon Jovi?
I have no idea. There is nothing that I can discern that should differentiate them from the myriad of other mediocre hair bands of that time. Why they made it and others didn’t is a doctoral dissertation waiting to happen.

3. Do you think the scene in Mr. Deeds with John McEnroe is funniest part of the movie?
Have not seen the movie. I am not a huge Sandler fan.

4. Is it mean spirited to shave hairy dogs down in the summer?
This is mean spirited… Shaving them in the winter and forcing them to wear sweaters would be mean-spirited.

5. If you had to choose between eating a glass of cooled bacon fat with a spoon or drinking a glass of spoiled milk, which would it be?
You had me at bacon… mmmmmpig

6. Why are curly haired individuals so much more superior to normal haired plebeians?
It is quite a burden, isn’t it? I would imagine it has something to do with the sparkling personalities that accompany naturally occurring curly hair.

7. Am I wrong to think that everything between New York City and Philadelphia is an industrial wasteland?
I am hard pressed to disagree with this sentiment. That area is pretty much a depressing bit of industrial blight. I am sure there are pockets of nice there, but they are small and filled with lint.

8. Crazy old dudes in Austria, wtf?
I know... I hear they eat babies...BABIES!

9. Assuming Web 2.0 is real, what will Web 3.0 look like?
Hopefully not Second Life… ewwwww

10. Why does a “kidney punch” sound so much more painful a normal punch? I mean, do kidneys even have nerve endings?
Kidney punches make you pee blood. Do I need to go into any more detail as to why it sounds more painful?

11. What is your favourite type of bread?
Warm


12. Do you remember ever peeing your pants?
Yes, regardless of my long memory of pissing myself, this is quite possibly the most random question I have gotten.


13. Water up your nose or sand in your mouth: what is worse? Please explain.
Water up the nose… at least it can have a cleansing side effect… that does not include the scouring power of sand.


14. What's the dumbest thing you dressed up as for Hallowe'en?

15. Highest and lowest places (on land) you've ever been? Any plans for higher and/or lower?
Highest is Mount Evans in Colorado at 14,264 ft (4347.667 m) and the lowest would be Oostende, Belgium at 13 ft. (3.96 m) that I know of. As far as plans? Elevation is rarely a consideration in traveling plans.

16. “Darn Barn!” Please explain.
Little Man has determined that this will be his new invective phrase. No more “Summmamabitch” or “GAWTDamnIT!” for him anymore. He is relying on Darn Barn to illustrate his frustration. When asked “why” he relates that it is due to the rhyming.

17. What was your reluctance to getting the new PC?
The old one hadn’t completely died yet. It is no longer in existence now though. I clearly had run it into the dirt, but it is difficult to get myself new toys.

18. Does your underwear match Little Man’s today?
Yes, in an attempt to ensure a dry night for Little Man I “bribed” him with similar underwear. We are both wearing red boxer briefs.

19. You are having Manwich tonight for dinner. Not really a question as much as fact
I am aware of this. It could be worse.

20. Realistically where do you want to go for your next vacation?
I was thinking that here are some strong possibilities associated with Canadia


To recap:
Last night was a rough one
The Duchess’s room is all painted
Furniture will migrate into there this weekend
Hopefully the office will be painted done today
Then we can move all the office furniture out of the Dining room and into the office
I still have lots to do to set up the new PC
Listening to The Octopus Project’s The Adjustor from One Ten Hundred Million

Four Things

Thing the First: The problem with buying a new computer is getting all the old shit onto the new computer. For someone, such as myself, who is somewhat tech savvy (not tech salve-y, that is just yucky) the process is moderately infuriating. I know just enough about computers and computer technology to completely mess some shit up, yo. The issue that will be tackled anon is the whole email accounts in outlook crap that needs to be taken care of. There is also the issue of migrating over my anti-virus and firewall stuff, and sadly, since the PC is my workhorse, it needs to take some priority away from other house projects currently underway.

Thing the Second: I took the broken chair back from our recliner/rocker/breast-feeding station to La Z Boy’s repair shop on Sunday. I got to the repair window that closes at 3 at 2:50. The man behind the window looked up at me clearly panick stricken. That’s right panic with a “k.” Do you feel the anxiety he was emoting. That is a “k” folks. It doesn’t get much more panicky than that. The panick stricken man stammered out, “But… but… but… everyone’s gone home for the day.” I guess I am tired and stressed because me response was less than compassionate.

Me: That’s not my problem.
Panicky: But… no one is here
Me: Listen, I don’t need this fixed right now, I just need to drop it off. You aren’t open on Sundays and I work during the week. I just now found out you closed at 3 and I am here before three. Take my information and have someone look at the chair Monday morning.
Panicky: Uh… ok, but..
Me: Listen, I have taken up enough of your time to chat about this and since you close in less than 10 minutes I imagine that you are pretty ready to call it a day. Thanks for your time, after I give you my information I will be going.
Panicky now writing down my contact information: uh… yeah.

Thing the Third: The painter is painting the Duchess’s room today as well as other places, but what I am getting at is that the room is no longer “the office” or “the computer room.” It is officially the Duchess’s. After the painting is accomplished, we have much furnituring to get done. The crib will need to be reassembled and we will need to have a dresser of some sort, for the little girl will have clothes. Many of which shall be small, pink, and frilly whether Wifey or I want them to be or not. That is the way of things. So it shall be written. So it shall be done.

Thing the Fourth: We are hoping the painting will not take too long and will be incredibly transformative. What we are really hoping is that the remodel will be done before the baby decides to show up. The OB is feeling pretty confident that we can make it 37/40ths of the way. That would be nice. According to the Dr 36 weeks is on Wednesday, and 37 would be the following week (because you clearly can’t add 1). So keep your fingers crossed that we make it until next Wednesday.

To recap:
Birthing class refresher courses should be just that refreshers for people who have had kids before
When the instructor asks who has had a kid before Wifey and I shouldn’t be the only ones to raise our hands
Waste of my frikkin time
I am sooo flipping tired
But there is sooo much more crap that needs un-crapping
Listening to Indian Reservation by The Raiders from Legend of Paul Revere
Love the organ at the end
That sounds slightly naughty

Digital Thursday

Today’s Digital Thursday piece is a modification of my entry for this week’s Sketch Challenge over at Ten Tons Studios.

I will not win (yet again), but that is immaterial (at least that is what my weeping heart says between wracking sobs). What is important is that I am drawing again. This one is a combination of traditional hand drawing (Sharpies and highlighters) and some digital work on top of that. I give you my version of Colossus.



He looks sad.

To recap:
Little Man is sick today
His belly is roiling
Not really any other symptoms that we can tell
No fever
No chills
No aches or pains
No food in his belly
Let’s hope the pregnant lady doesn’t get ill
According to the labor and delivery nurses who helped bring Little Man in the world, vomiting is the most efficient form of pushing
Baby is low, engaged and primed for exiting
We aren’t ready for baby yet
So, no yarfing for you, Wifey
I am not listening to anything, for I forgot my iPod at home today
Have a great weekend

Some might say

So I have been staring at a blank page in Microsoft Word for about 20 minutes (off and on while trying to get work done and waiting on response from colleagues). The page does not seem to want to fill itself with witty banter. Stupid non-sentient computers.

I have started a post 3 times and all three of them have ended up in the digital equivalent of the good old “circular file.” Some might say that I have writer’s block. Some might say that supply is inversely proportional to demand. Some might say that you should salt and pepper between each step of a savory meal in order to build a depth of flavor. Some might say that hats are absolutely necessary. Some might even say that there are absolutely no absolutes. Some might even recognize the irony of those words. Some may not. Some might say that I am rambling. Some might say many things.

To recap:
I need more writing exercises
Or better writing ability
Or more sleep
I am going to stick with the “more sleep” possibility
It is the most likely culprit for my lack of ideation
Ideation is a silly word for thinkin’
Although it seems so much more heady than thinking
Skylight is in the kitchen
All I have left to do is stain the bathroom door and the kitchen windows
We are close to being done
So very close
Some might say
Listening to Rusty Cage by Soundgarden from Badmotorfinger

20 Questions Tuesday: 91 - Random 1

There comes a time in a 20 Questions Tuesday blogger’s life when he needs a break from coming up with topics for questions. During those rare, brief times that blogger calls out to the twisting nether for his questioneers to question him in a more thoughtless random pattern. Well, readers, that time is now, and it seems next week

Thanks this week go to Lsig, Belsum, Sparky, Capt Mc Armpants, Scott St.Pierre, and Pami Jo.

On to the questions:
1. Do you believe in coincidence?
Yes, I do. Happenstance and I are long acquaintances. I also believe that some things are more than coincidence.

2. What color are your shoes?
Brown leather, tan leather, olive mesh, with lime green stripes. They RAWK

3. Star Wars fans vs. Star Trek fans- compare and contrast.
Star Wars and Star Trek fans are not mutually exclusive categories. Keeping that in mind, I understand that the more rabid fans of one genre may not agree with the other. Therefore I can make these distinctions. Star Wars is for the more martial of the geeks. The ones that thrive on the bounty that is hack and slash. Conflict is resolved in person with a light saber and a blaster. Star Trek is for the more cerebral. Not that it is more “thinking” than star wars, just that it is more distant. The conflict and conflict resolution in Trek is typically ship to ship and impersonal. Photon torpedoes and phaser banks win the day in that universe. I would say that Star Wars is the Marines and Star Trek is the Navy.

4. Why do we sing our babies to sleep with a song about them falling out of trees? What's that about?
I have often wondered that one. How bout we sing a song about safely floating or un-threateningly rocking to sleep?

5. How are you?
I have been better. You?

6. Budweiser and Clamato: discuss.
Ummm… wow. I am not a fan of Bud nor of Clamato. I can’t help but think this is a virulent gastronomical explosion waiting to happen.

7. Dill pickle potato chips versus ketchup potato chips versus roast chicken potato chips.
I have to choose one? Ewwwwwww.

8. Alan Scott, Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, or Jade?
Hal Jordan

9. Why isn’t Kyle Minogue more popular in the US?
I honestly can’t think of any good reason.

10. Who’s your favorite Pope and why?
Hmmm… I am clearly most familiar with JP2, so I will have to go with the most recent non-current Pope. As far as Catholic doctrine goes, JP2 was really pretty progressive. He brought about many institutional changes that have set the plate for the following Popes to continue the modernization process.

11. What's your favorite libation?
Hmmm… Alcohol and I no longer agree with each other. I think I might be allergic to the stuff. Recently if I have the equivalent of a shot of whiskey or a beer, the following morning is like I have been on an all night binge drinking display of human debauchery. So, even if I am just being social with a couple beers or a glass of wine, I pay the price as if I had gotten ripped. I just stay away from it now unless drunkenness will be possible. If that is the case, I drink beer.

12. If you had to over-decorate your cubicle with a ceramic collection of something, what would you choose?
Hummels. It would be expensive, but it would freak people out for a 33 (soon to be 34) year old guy to have a collection of Hummels at work.

13. Would you pass the dutchie on the left hand side?
Get yer own Dutchie. I love that it is a bunch of kids singing this. Did you know one of them spent some time in the slammer for drug possession? Quelle Surprise?

14. Inquiring minds want to know more about your tatts.
No they don’t. I only have one. It is on the center my back just above my shoulder-blades. That’s all you get.

15. Chef Ming Tsai is coming over to cook dinner for you and the fam. What do you hope he prepares?
Not sure, maybe the Oven Roasted Pork Ribs, I think I would want a more traditional BBQ sauce and with maybe a ginger kick to it.

16. Why do we still use the English measurement system?
If there is one thing the US does well, it is stick to its guns no matter what evidence to the contrary may point to.

17. Public education. How do you fix it?
The metric system... duh. Sheesh, do I have to fix everything?

18. At what point during a town meeting are you most likely to drop your drawers and moon the mayor?
You know the point of the meeting where the one guy who just gets up to the mic and complains for 20 minutes about the smell of socks? When he’s done. Truth be told, there isn’t a “wrong” moment.

19. If time heals all wounds, why do we need doctors?
If we take the definition of “heal” to be “to free from ailment.” Then time does indeed heal all wounds, for given enough time the free-ing from ailment will be the sweet release of death.

20. If it snows & accumulates say 8 inches what would the total accumulation be if it had been rain?
It depends on the relative sogginess of the snow. The colder the weather it is, the more snow it take to equal an inch of rain. For super cold weather it could take up to 20 inches of snow to equal 1 inch of rain water. For those sloppy snowfalls where it is hovering just below freezing the ratio can be as close as 2 or 3 to 1. The average that is used is 10 to 11 inches of snow for 1 inch of rain.

To recap:
Details seem to be the only things left for the remodel
Cutting tiles
Grouting
Staining the window frames and the new BATHROOM door
Then we move the office downstairs…
Maybe even this weekend
I am giddy with excitement
Sooo close
Painting
I needs to gets me some lunch
Listening to Don’t Make me a Target by Spoon off of Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

+1 Station... 6 weeks to go?

Stress is a gauze that irritates wounds.

To recap:
We think that the Duchess is planning on getting here early
She is impatient like that
There are many things left to do this week
I hope to have the arch way and door ways stained before bed tonight
That involves sanding on the big archways and staining the bathroom door jamb
I need to pop out the broken tiles under the fridge and by the new walls
Ack not enough time….

Happy Birthday

Today is Wifey’s birthday. If she wants anyone to know her age; she can tell you. I am not stepping into that pit.

So to my wife whom I love dearly:

Happy Birthday Dear One


Notice I did not type “Happy Birthday Deer One.” That would be Cernunnos the hunt master of the Wild Hunt. The antlered god collecting lost souls and wayward forest travelers in his endless hunt for the white stag of life. Relentlessly pushing his Wild Hunt to pursue the albine hart until all mortal recollection of a previous ephemeral existence is obliterated by the need to endlessly pursue. All matters mortal lost to the forced hunt. But that would be foolish to wish an endless one a happy birthday for Cernunnos has no birth or death, only pursuit. Eternal following has no beginning or end, Cernunnos was not begat on the 7th of May. Cernunnos hunts. Cernunnos hunted. Cernunnos will hunt.

Of course the Wild Hunt should not be confused with Ghost Riders in the Sky, for whilst the Ghost Riders will entrance wayward cowboys into their endless cattle drive across the sky, the Wild Hunt travels along the ground and not through the clouds. I can understand why one might make that mistake.

Ummm… anyway. Happy Birthday, Wifey. I wish you many more

To recap:
I still need to find a way to see Iron Man
Transcription from this morning:
Me: Gimme a hug and kiss before I go to work
Little Man: OK!
/hug /kiss
Me: You be good today, have a good day, Punkin
LM: Have a good day, Snakey
Me: ….?
Soooo much to do with sooo little time
Listening to Blur’s Song 2 their self titled album Blur

20 Questions Tuesday: 90 - The Sun

Here we are at 20 Questions Tuesday. Instead of the format used in the past 2 installments I have brought back the begging for questions. The simple topic I lobbed their direction was “The Sun.” This time the begging brought forth fruit. My guess is that people like the sun.

Thanks this week go to Belsum, Capt McArmypants, Allrileyedup, Lord Pithy, and Lsig.

On to the questions:

1. Every morning while I was in Syria I would sing “Here Comes the Sun” to myself. What’s your favorite George Harrison song?
I would have to go with “Got my Mind Set on You”

2. My nickname all through school was Sunny. Did you have any nickname and do you still use it?
As far as I know I was nicknameless, this statement does not include what I might have been referred to behind my back.

3. I have a tattoo of a sun on my left hip. Any tattoos?
Of course, I am all tatted up... ok well not quite all tatted up

4. Do you feel the Sun judges you constantly?
…. Yeeees. I tire of it’s unyielding stare. I will have my day, Sun. I will have it!

5. Do you have a plan for the hot hot sun making your steering wheel unbearably hot to the touch or do you just go ow ow ow for the first 5 minutes of the ride home? Is that even a problem in Ohio?
I have not really had this issue much here. In ‘Bama? sure, but here? not so much.

6. So you seem to be just about the palest human in the world? It is like deep sea fish belly white. Is there some sort of eventual goal to this like bioluminescence that you are going for?
One should always strive for bioluminescence. I am just closer than most.

7. Solar Power? Do you think the orbital collectors will be our eventual salvation or about the same time we can make them cost effective, the ground based solar farm efficiency will have improved to be competitive and much easier to maintain making it a superior trade off in terms of logistics v. efficiency. Does the solar orbital stations remain more appealing due to the Death Laser from Space appeal? (don't go spouting that nonsense about death laser from earth that is bounced by mirror back to earth crap either.)
I think that for solar to be our energy savior; it will most likely have to be a combination of ground stations and orbital collection systems. As for the “death laser” situation, that would have to be from an orbital platform. Ground based with mirrors is stupid. If a mirror allows for reflecting the “deadly laser” back to a target, shouldn’t it destroy the mirror? Otherwise, why wouldn’t potential targets just cover themselves in mirrors?

8. So that one sunflower that does not follow the sun's path. Is he like stupid or something?
Capt McArmypants, you are that sunflower that does not follow the sun, you tell me. Are you stupid, or something?

9. Ever heard the sun song by they might be giants? What’d you think of it?
I think: the Sun is a mass of incandescent gas, a gigantic nuclear furnace where hydrogen is turned into helium at a temperature of billions of degrees (without looking it up)

10. Favorite sports team named after the suns? Isn’t a bit brazen to name your team the suns, anyway? “Look at us, we are the brightest shining star in our solar system; don't even look at us for we will BURN YOUR EYES!!!! BWAHAHAHA!!!” (um, sorry...)
As far as I know, the Phoenix Suns are the only solar named team.

11. Favorite song titles to make use of the sun?
The aforementioned “Here Comes the Sun”

12. Does Little Man stare directly at the sun the moment you tell him not to or is that just something my defiant children do?
I have chosen not to tell him not to stare directly at the sun for this very reason. For Little Man is a contrary beast.

13. Sunrise or sunset? (Now I’m thinking of fiddler on the roof...)
Now, all I can think of is Fiddler on the Roof as well. Thanks a bunch! Jerk.

14. Posit a plasma entity that resides on Sol's surface. What would a typical small-talk conversation starter be?
Unintelligible and burny

15. Would the Brady kids really have been brave enough to "go for a walk outside now" if the summer sun had really been calling their names?
I don’t think so. When large balls of nuclear energy call your name from 93,000,000 miles, you don’t answer without considering the consequences

16. Who is your favorite sun god?
You have to ask? Kinich Ahau

17. If our sun were a red dwarf, would we call cherries "reds"? What would we call oranges?
If the sun were a red dwarf we would not be.

18. If you had a suit that allowed you to survive the trip, would you dive through the heart of our star?
Probably not. My eyes are extremely photo-sensitive anyway, so traveling into a super bright light is not the smartest of ideas for me. Plus that doesn’t even begin to address the physics associated with breaking free of those kinds of gravitational forces.

19. Why do you think in many cultures the Sun was considered a male diety?
Cause they were bright… ooooh burn!

20. Do you use sunscreen?
For the upper body, yes. Not so much on the legs.

Extra Questions:
21. Do you wear sunglasses?
All the time.

22. At night?
Well, I guess not exactly all the time, Ms Corey Hart.

23. I have heard that there's nothing new under the sun. Do you think there's anything new over it?
Everything new is over it.


To recap:
I am not into this today
Therefore I decree there will be no hyperlinks!
Different meaning to the sentence if you change it to:
I am not into this toady
Cause I am not all about the sycophants like that, yo!
I am trying to figure out a way to get me some Iron Man viewing in this weekend
I am failing miserably

here comes the sun,
doot in doo doo,
And I say it's all right

Little darling,
it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling,
it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun,
doot in doo doo,
here comes the sun
And I say it's all right

Little darling,
the smile's returning to the faces
Little darling,
it seems like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun,
doot in doo doo,
here comes the sun
And I say it's all right

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...

Little darling,
I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling,
it seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes the sun,
doot in doo doo,
here comes the sun,
And I say it's all right
Here comes the sun,
doot in doo doo,
here comes the sun,
It's all right
It's all right

Door Close



Well, we are back from sunny Phoenix, Arizona. It was sunny… and hot. Sweet Jeebus it was hot. Stupidly hot… and it was only May. I cannot image the oven that Arizona must be in that clay baked kiln come August. Oddly, even with all the heat and all the sun exposure, even with me swimming with Little Man daily for at least 45 minutes a day and even with my exposed legs due to my beloved shorts (DAMN YOU WORK AND YOUR LONG PANT DRESS CODE!!!!) for about an hour daily, I am still a pale blue Scotsman. I swear it is like I didn’t even go outside. We Scots were meant fer tha basement! Plaid skirts, lack of social grace, foul mouth, and pale blue = basement dweller.

The real purpose of this post is to complain about the entirely in-effectual “door close” button on elevators. So this past week involved a bunch of elevators. Well, more precisely, not a bunch of elevators (there were only 4) as much as a bunch of elevatoring. Little Man was all about the button pushing, and this always involved hitting the close door button on the elevator button panel after choosing 1, 3, or 4 pending on where we were going. What I noticed in this mish-mash of button mashery is that the close door button is a placebo of buttons. It does nothing but make the button pusher feel like they are influencing the cosmos.

Every time that Little Man pushed that button, the doors took just as long to close as the times he was not in the elevator with me and I did not press the button. I don’t even think that the buttons are ever connected to anything. Every horror/suspense/action movie where you see the frantic leading lady scantily clad/smartly attired/geared up repeatedly hitting the door close button to get away from the psycho mutant killer monster/calculating murderer/melee opponent, just know that those buttons are not what make the doors close. What makes the doors close is a time delay. Period. No amount of rapidly repetitive button pushing or constant buttonal pressure will cause those doors to close any faster than they normally do. They will close when they have been designed to close.

Conversely the “door open” buttons work like a charm.

To recap:
Phoenix was nice
The contact with the parents was nice
It was 2 days too much, but nice none-the-less
It is both good and bad to be back to the normalcy of everyday life
The Huhugam Heritage Center was rather boring to a 4.7 year old
He liked the elevator
It had 3 buttons
“1,” “2,” and “door open”
Tomorrow’s 20 Questions is all about the Sun

Digital Thursday

Well, tomorrow the fam boards a jet plane and will be heading to sunny Atlanta! Then we will get on another plane and go to Phoenix, Arizona. Wifey is part of the planning committee associated with a big-ole-conference out there and Little Man and I will be coat-tailing it out there with her. My parents are going to head out there as well and make it more of a family vacation. We are packing tonight and will only be taking a few foodstuffs for the boy. The rest of his food will have to be purchased whilst in Arizona.

Anyway… I did not have anything “ready” for today’s Digital Thursday, so I whipped this up whilst at work.



I am not committing to posting anything whilst in Arizona, but if I get a moment, I will try.

To recap:
See you suckas later!
We will be staying here
In case anyone wants to come and chat
It is incredibly over-priced
We wouldn’t go there if it were not business
Have a great weekend everyone
And possibly have a great next week as well
Listening to Virtual Insanity by Jamiroquai from Traveling without Moving