On The John

Sleep over

2010-07-16T13:48:00.001-07:00

Finally gave up on home remedies for the fleas and had a pro come spray the place. After three rounds of foggers and no improvement, it was time to pay somebody.
The benefit was that we got a chance to
Clear out some junk.

That thing that time

2010-06-26T17:10:00.001-07:00

Just got back from Toy Story 3. We all enjoyed it a lot. We've been having a nice time in Colorado. It's good to know we can take vacations together without going nuts. Switching hotels was a great help. It's been nice to spend time with family.

Is this thing on?

2010-06-25T08:01:00.001-07:00

It's been awhile since my last post. We're in Colorado for Kees and Stephanie's wedding. I ended up in a hotel that is far from the actual wedding site. Not a bad place to stay, but the drive during rush hour was a real killer yesterday. Today is the wedding, then we have an extra day to putz around in Denver. Kids are holding up pretty well.

Scramble

2010-05-16T06:59:00.001-07:00

Where have all the tulips gone?

2010-05-07T08:07:00.001-07:00

I'm guessing 'Tulip Time' is kind of barren this year. All the tulips bloomed so early.
We went to Korbin's school program yesterday. It was neat to see him and all his classmates up on stage singing patriotic American standards. Asher was thrilled with the singing as well.
Tonight us haircut night. Looking forward to a clean neck. Simple pleasures.
Planning a trip to Chicago next weekend for Korbin's birthday and his cousin, Ezra's first birthday as well. Should be a hoot.

Rooster

2010-04-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

Cool, wet day. Dawn saw slugs on the sidewalk this morning. I helped clean a very dirty house yesterday. I'm glad my own house is just cluttered rather than septic.
There is still much to clean and fix at the house, but we got a chunk of it. Good friends are priceless.

Guit'r done

2010-04-07T18:35:00.001-07:00

It's hard learning to play a song from a cd. I'm taking it real slow. My ears just don't pick up the details fast enough. I was impressed with my guitar teacher in college. Chris Tucker I think it was. He'd tell me to bring in any cd I wanted to learn, then he'd put it on and whip out the Money solo from Dark Side of the Moon in just a few listens. I'm not nearly that good. Gotta love Garage Band for helping me chop it up, though.

Spectacle

2010-04-06T07:58:00.000-07:00

My new glasses came in yesterday. It's so hard to chose this vital accessory in the short time I have at the eye doctor. I'll be carrying these on my face, seeing the world through them for the next year or more. It makes sense to me that I should be able to trial them for thirty days or so, just to see if they make me look the way I want. The density and angle and color of these frames give my eyes a certain attitude. If it's not an accurate portrayal, I should find something else. So far, I like them fine. Getting used to the new weight and tension. Frameless sure were light.

Happy Easter to you

2010-04-04T10:17:00.001-07:00

I don't recall any other birthdays that fell on Easter. Must be a significant year. We all made our tie dye shirts and brought joy to the church. Asher and Korbin ended up staying home with grandma G. Oh well. They still looked hip.

Well ill

2010-03-30T08:19:00.001-07:00

Eye exam today. My eyes are super dilated and I can't focus on things that are close to me unless I take my glasses off. I've been wearing the wrong prescription for two years or more. Time to see clearly again. Dawn has been waiting even longer than me. New glasses are fun.

Sleepless

2010-03-29T08:01:00.001-07:00

Asher had a bad night last night, which means Dawn and I had a bad night too. He woke up a lot, probably has a fever, and he threw up on himself. Poor kid. But, we did have a wonderful time playing outside yesterday. Sun was shining and the breeze wasn't too chilly until we went for a walk around the block. We built a little fire from dried grass and dead sticks. I smelled like smoke all night. Glad spring is coming. Outdoors is wonderful.

Fine times

2010-03-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

It's been a good Saturday. Dawn and I went to visit a couple friends who just had their first child. It's a boy! Very hairy little guy. Korbin and I watched a ninja movie while Dawn massaged her aunt. Later we all went to the guitar store so I could get some strings and Dawn could visit her friend. We stopped for some fried supper at the local Coney Island grease pit. Plus it snowed about 4 inches last night, letting me enjoy one last shovel run before spring has really sprung. Good times.

I am a robot

2010-03-14T13:30:00.001-07:00

Korbin and I went to the art center after church today for a robot building class. It was more crafty than technological, but that's probably for the better. They had a selection of screws and cans and busted toys available to fasten together into robots. We were the last ones to finish. It was fun to slap some stuff together with old screws and hot glue. Made me realize how easy it is to be creative and entertaining with the kids.

Mr. Mom

2010-03-10T06:32:00.000-08:00

Hands full today. Mom is getting some continuing ed while I watch all the boys. It is work.

Proboscis

2010-02-28T20:07:00.001-08:00

I have to thank my dad for introducing me to W. C. Fields and my brother for re-introducing years later. The man was a genius. Had a poor childhood as I recall. Poor as in unhappy. Seems like an appreciable percentage of prominent people have unhappy childhoods. Nothing to be envious of, but it does make me wonder what lesson they learned as a child of unfortunate circumstance that most people don't. I was watching s documentary last night called Big River Man. The story of a Slovenian fellow who swam the entire length of the Amazon river. He also swam the Danube, the Mississippi, and the Yangtze. Crazy hard things to do, but he did them without much of a torch. He just had something in him that made him dauntless. He also had a bad childhood. Maybe they learn at am early age that it is possible to overcome impossible situations. I'm glad I don't know the answer.

Oops

2010-02-21T14:05:00.001-08:00

Asher is playing with an old cell phone toy that belonged to Korbin when he was a baby. It is John Deere brand. Cool stuff.

I like to go to school

2010-02-21T13:59:00.001-08:00

Asher

Denny's

2010-02-19T07:19:00.001-08:00

I'm pretty short on sleep since last night's curfew was 1at the elevator am. We got up before 7 so we could walk across the street for breakfast at Denny's instead of factory food at the hotel. I gotta say, however, that this really is a nice hotel. Aside from long waits at the elevators, and the absence of fans in the bathrooms, it's classy. Breakfast was good. Getting ready for morning session now. Good group of kids too. No major mishaps so far.

Break

2010-02-17T11:23:00.001-08:00

Leaving for KC tomorrow morning with the church youth group. I'm a big shot chaperone! It should be fun and possibly exhausting. Only two days, really. But packed full.

V day

2010-02-12T07:08:00.000-08:00

Korbin's school Valentine exchange is today. He and Dawn did a bunch of origami envelopes and swans to give out. Surely the best Valentine any of the kids will get this year. I can just picture the whole class pulling their swan tails and flapping the wings. I sure used to enjoy making my Valentine collection box. All the kids would decorate a Shie box or something similar, then cur a slot in the top for people to drop in their valentines. The good old days. Dawn and I still haven't made any plans. Next week is a big week for us and prevents an elaborate planning phase for V day. I'm sure it will be fine.

Morning folks

2010-02-07T05:24:00.001-08:00

Sunday morning. Dawn and I both work on the 'worship team' this morning. That means we have to get all the kids ready quicker than usual.

Tooth fairy

2010-02-05T10:13:00.001-08:00

Korbin lost his first tooth last night before bed. He was so excited to tell his friends about it. We decided to stick to the tooth fairy myth even though he already knows Santa Claus is fake. Maybe now he will want to see Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in his new masterpiece film. We gave him a fiver for the first tooth. He was pretty happy about it, but he almost seemed like he'd rather have kept the tooth.

Stern stuff

2010-02-01T07:49:00.000-08:00

Lean on me when you're not strong. I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on.
Propped up on all sides. I imagine our wildly exuberant tomato plants last year. So spread out and energetic they couldn't support their own weight.
Coffee does the trick sometimes. Just enough of a nice thing to gloss over the rest. A good book also helps. Music, surely.

Come into my office

2010-01-31T07:14:00.001-08:00

Korbin is pretending that he's at his office. He's wearing his nice 'church' clothes, pretending he's the big boss. Sadly, there is no bathroom in his office. Therefore I'm not allowed in at the moment. Ok, he just added one. I'm in!

happy anniversary

2010-01-29T07:49:00.000-08:00

Second anniversary today. Last year I was out of the country, so I have some catch up to play. I think we'll have a nice time no matter what as long as we get to be by ourselves. The kids are always first. Tiring, that.
Speaking of... We had a really good time at Korbin's school last night. It was literacy night, with a special guest and free books and pizza. We all enjoyed ourselves. Korbin picked a book about a Hispanic soccer star and chose a book about hannukah for Asher.

Financial imbalance

2010-01-27T16:42:00.001-08:00

Remember Revolution #9 on the White album? Also my right eye seems heavy-lidded. Weird.

Cool runnings

2010-01-26T09:49:00.001-08:00

Attitude is everything. everything is everything. Is it forgetfulness that makes me fail to apply all the wisdom I've heard over the years? I wish I could put a finger on something. Routine is everything. Discipline is everything. Persistence.
God, being above all and in all and through all, is everything. Maybe this is the beauty of the fruit if the spirit. More of the source gives you more of the supplies. Obedience is everything.

Long winter

2010-01-25T10:34:00.000-08:00

Eventually you just get tired of it. people move to phoenix to get away from the inconvenience. I used to like snow. Snow was fun at one time. Korbin likes snow. I don't see the fun potential anymore. I see the work potential. That might have broader application. The joy of the lord is my strength. The fruits of the spirit are love, joy...

Call out

2010-01-24T10:20:00.001-08:00

Justified.
I'm not one of those people who likes to stand up in church. "stand with me if you believe the same thing as me!" I wouldn't be here if I didn't. It feels like someone is trying to validate themselves as a 'moving' speaker. Save it!
Korbin and Dawn are going to have some time together this afternoon. I hope it's fun for them both.

Noob

2010-01-22T08:59:00.001-08:00

Getting used to the new touch screen is fun and tedious.

End of an era

2010-01-20T07:38:00.000-08:00

This is quite possibly my last blog post from this phone. We signed up for another two years with Verizon and got some free phones coming in the mail today. I have to say that, as much as I've hated aspects of this BlackBerry over the past two years, it has given me my most robust cell phone experience to date. Not a surprise, really, but still I feel some attachment to this old thing because of it. I hope the new baby droid will live up to it's predecessor.

Shave and a haircut

2010-01-18T12:26:00.000-08:00

Ten cents.

Tubular

2010-01-15T07:41:00.000-08:00

"life is only worth living when you can face death without fear"
The TV is always on in the break room. Most of the time people are watching the popular morning shows or soap operas. Today, however, the TV was left on the classic old timey channel. A western was on, and the bad guy was telling the good guy how much he enjoyed his way of life.
Dawn's sister and family left again this morning. It's nice when they are around. They are so helpful.

Shoe axe

2010-01-12T06:38:00.000-08:00

I understand waiting for the axe to fall as being a kind of execution. I don't understand waiting for the other shoe to drop.
I have a project being out to regular use finally. Actually two projects both started being used yesterday. I'm nervous that they will not perform as hoped and that I will be unable to make fixes in time.
I also don't like to give speeches. Tada!

Ok in there

2010-01-09T15:04:00.000-08:00

We're enjoying some game time at the Vermeulen house. Korbin has been keeping himself entertained with a little help now and then. Asher is still snoozing and milo is doing what he normally does. It was nice to get away from home and come down here for food and fellowship.

Coal ran out

2010-01-08T07:48:00.000-08:00

I look like I woke up under a bridge! Which would probably be a rare feat on a day like today. It's so cold the icicles have turned opaque. My car doesn't like it and neither do I. Tonight is supposed to be the coldest yet, so i'm glad it's the weekend and we can hunker down.

Wintry mix

2010-01-04T08:10:00.000-08:00

It is very cold today. So cold that the critters are looking for warmer climes. Our cats were pretty feisty over night. I heard them tearing around downstairs while we were trying to sleep. Dawn found out this morning that the cats had caught a small mole and were playing with it. Last year we had a problem with mice. I am confident that the cats will be a great help.
I hope Korbin is enjoying the school structure again after his long break. Plus awana tonight. This will be a taxing day for him.

How Rong

2009-12-28T16:58:00.000-08:00

Chinese food for supper. How does it all taste the same?
Work again as if the long weekend never was. I do enjoy parts of it. I enjoy listening to music at my desk and learning new things. I enjoy the help of a feller up in Minnesota. I enjoy my breaks. I enjoy chatting with a feller in New Mexico once in awhile. I enjoy my plants. Got one to add to the garden soon. It will tie the room together, Dude.

Baby boo hoo

2009-12-27T07:31:00.000-08:00

Milo was up for an hour in the middle of the night, just shrieking up a storm. Who knows why.

Christmas program

2009-12-20T09:09:00.000-08:00

We had our children's program at church this morning. It was cute and mercifully short. I was running the sound and the lights. We had many practices and I still had a hard time hitting my cues. Korbin did a fine job.
Glad it's a short week until Christmas. Dawn is fighting a bug, and i'm hoping no one else catches it.

Cirque du church

2009-12-13T12:40:00.000-08:00

A long day at church. The regular sound guy was on his honeymoon, and we had a fun time trying to get the stage all set up for the morning worship set. Lots of cords running hither and yon. I'm sure it will all need to be redone in a couple weeks. After church, the stage was taken apart again and the kids' Christmas play props were set up. It was mostly fun, however.

Let it snow

2009-12-07T09:33:00.000-08:00

We got a covering of snow overnight. It's an adjustment. I need to get out of bed earlier if I hope to shovel the driveway and sidewalk and clean off the cars. It takes longer to drive to work as well. Thankfully, there were no accidents on my route. I will be a happy bear if I can crawl into bed early tonight.

Good weekend

2009-11-30T07:11:00.000-08:00

It's been a nice 5 days. Too bad work is always waiting at the end. I remember thinking how great it would be to finally be done with school. Now I have much longer to wait until work is done. I suppose I am doing the wrong job if I feel this way about it. Wrong attitude maybe.
We saw many people we like and love over the holiday. It was nice to be home with the kids for a big stretch.

Not as think as you dumb

2009-11-22T11:30:00.000-08:00

There's some kind of bad mojo between me and my brother but i'm not sure what the source is. Alls pins and needles when we are together. It's easiest to stay away, frankly.
Big church dinner today. It counts as thanksgiving #1 probably. We had a nice time. Dawn has to go back in a couple hours for her sister's baby shower. I got to make a diaper cake. Lots of fun really. Crafting in front of the TV, watching an old sci-fi thriller. Good times.

Programming

2009-11-21T09:32:00.000-08:00

The kids' Christmas program practice was a lot of fun this morning. I am going to do the soundman duties with the help of young Josiah. We had a good time. I hope the directors don't lose their cool before the big performance. Kids are unruly! Lots of counting going on. It let's the kids know that they need to be quiet and settle down. Glad i'm not in charge of that rabble.

Rents

2009-11-19T15:28:00.000-08:00

Remember trainspotting? What a great cast. And a great soundtrack.
If all goes as planned, I should soon have my old house rented. It's sparkling wonderfully clean and good looking. The circumstances seem good, so i'm prepared to be a landlord for now. Better to have it occupied through the winter. Better to earn a little return on my ridiculous investment. Live and learn and learn and learn.

Grind

2009-11-16T07:16:00.000-08:00

Back to it. I'm here for the insurance. Plus I've had some good learning opportunities lately. But I wonder what kind of job I could have that made me feel eager to go there in the mornings. I am glad Dawn's sister is back in town for awhile. Her help will ease the transition for Dawn. An extra infant doubles the work.

Short week

2009-11-13T10:45:00.000-08:00

Time flies when you're constantly monitoring your child. The younger they are, the more attention they require. Probably too general... At least he is progressing well. Put on 2 oz since yesterday. The nurse also drew blood to check bilirubins again. If they've dropped enough, we can get rid of the bili blanket that makes him glow all day and night. He's stuck at home until then.

Deprivation

2009-11-11T09:49:00.000-08:00

Sleep is good. I miss it so.

Homing

2009-11-10T07:17:00.000-08:00

We have been given clearance. Milo passed all his tests, as well as Dawn. Everybody is doing well. It's amazing what a different experience this has been from asher's birth. It's so nice to have milo in the room with us all the time, not hooked up to tubes, not locked in an incubator. He's a perfectly healthy little boy, ready for the big world outside.
I'm excited to see how home life will change now that we are five. Asher will probably have the most adjusting to do. He's not the baby anymore!

First of many

2009-11-09T14:06:00.000-08:00

Milo had his first (sponge) bath, and his first bowel movement! He's doing fine, even though he keeps getting woken up for his checkups. If he passes the car seat test, we'll be taking him home tomorrow.

It's out!

2009-11-08T09:42:00.000-08:00

Milo is his name-o

The real one

2009-11-08T05:59:00.000-08:00

Missing church to go have another shot at birth. Feels like the real deal. Sounds like it anyway. Feels the same to me. Still need a middle name, Laverne.

Immortal Frodo

2009-11-05T07:46:00.000-08:00

I was listening to my tiny collection of homemade songs last night, lamenting the poor singing, but satisfied with the music more often than not. I heard on the radio this morning, an interview with Paul Simon's son who is putting out his first (I think) solo album at the age of 37. Made me wonder if time will ever allow me to sit and write and record some songs. Or at least record some music for other people's lyrics. It's still a dream. I think it may come to pass before too long. It's easy to broadcast yourself these days.

Mercenary for hire

2009-11-01T17:34:00.000-08:00

One time in a book I read (after my brother told me how cool it was) they mentioned "soldier of fortune" magazine. I thought that was silly. Then one day I saw a copy of it at hyvee. I bought it. It was pretty silly, but obviously taken seriously by someone. Guys who leave the military and don't know how to do anything else. Of people who like to fight, maybe. Then I remember hearing about Blackwater over in Iraq. Soldiers of fortune working for our government. Bizarre line of work if you ask me.
Anyway, I was thinking the etymology of freelance was from a similar circumstance. A hired gun maybe. I'm working on a web design project and finding it to be just as much work as anything else. Plus a bit more frustrating while I'm low on the learning curve yet again.

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T11:39:00.000-07:00

We had a good beggar's night last night. Visited friends and family, and took the car so we wouldn't freeze. Korbin was a pirate, and Asher stayed with grandma and grandpa G. Today is busy and laid back at the same time. If I drink enough coffee, I can stay ahead of events. Rapping like cassidy

Flock

2009-10-30T07:09:00.000-07:00

I heard a lot of birds fly over our house this morning. As I was leaving for work, I heard them flying the other way. I looked out the window and saw them in a great swarming cloud, flying over the trees.
I think we will have a baby soon. I'm feeling stressed about it. Not prepared for the labor and birth. Not prepared for bringing another child home. I'm looking forward to the end of pregnancy, however. The anticipation starts to fray the nerves after awhile.

Zebras libras

2009-10-25T13:29:00.000-07:00

Korbin and I are reading a cool book at bedtimes. It's the something something of Hugo Cabret. Very cool pictures, and a good mystery. Korbin has a bit of trouble keeping focused on the plot, but we review the previous night's highlights before moving on, so he's getting it.
I am also re-reading one of my all time favorite books, Neuromancer. When i'm done with that I have a few more on deck. Never ending.

Brand new

2009-10-21T16:56:00.000-07:00

It's wonderful to learn a better way of doing the things you have to do every day. Well, I think so. Let's say this... It's wonderful to REALIZE that there is a better way, and then to use it. Sometimes I am told it is better, but don't agree.
Plus I am getting a haircut today!

Bright and...

2009-10-18T05:51:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful morning. Church goes off in 10 mins. We are sadly underprepared. Chore chore chore..

First of many

2009-10-16T07:12:00.000-07:00

Last night we went to a Halloween party hosted by Qwest at one of there big garages. Dawn had the boys all decked out in pirate costumes. They looked cool. The crowd was nice. Not too many crazy. We were all impressed by the fire truck they had on display. They're huge!
Seems like we have something seasonal planned for most weekend days until the end of the month. Plus a few extra things at church and friends' houses. We'll be halloweened out by the time beggars night comes around. Tis the season. Followed by another season...

Marry the cup

2009-10-11T16:54:00.000-07:00

First day as sound man. Good times. Had a nice time with Chris and Judy after church. They are good hosts. Generous. Had a practice for the Christmas program too. I'm ready for bed. Weekends go by quickly. Weeks go by quickly. Zip zop

Ask you

2009-10-10T10:29:00.000-07:00

What a surprise this morning. We woke up and found snow on the ground! After breakfast it started to snow again. Big lazy flakes dropping out of the sky. Korbin was so excited that winter was here. We all decided to take a little trip downtown to see the new sculpture garden in the snow. It was very beautiful. Asher loved the snow. Soon we were all cold, so we drove to get some coffee and cocoa. Then we drove through some nice, quiet neighborhoods, looking at the trees and plants dusted with snow. It is more beautiful since the plants have not died off yet. What an awesome rare image of snow on flowers and green grass.

Missed again

2009-10-09T07:47:00.000-07:00

I completely forgot about my dad's birthday. It was on the 7th. I feel schmucky about it. I'm way under connected to my family. Dawn's side is all around us and fills the family gap so much that I forget to concentrate on my side. I have this sweet calendar on my phone. I ought to use it.

Fleece

2009-10-07T07:46:00.000-07:00

I am wearing donated fleece today. It fits well enough. I like long sleeved garb.
I'm wondering if it's a bad idea to give up mowing for the year. Sunday is supposed to be in the upper twenties, so the grass must go dormant soon. Is it too long to be healthy? Will it smother itself? I just really don't want to mow any more.

Long expected

2009-10-04T13:41:00.000-07:00

Big church day. If I were a voting member, I would have been at church from 8am to 330pm. That's a full day. But if the musical Christmas extravaganza goes off as planned, it should be worth the effort. I did get a nice lunch just me and the boys. It's good to have their attention for awhile. I am the passive one, and when there is a crowd, I don't vie effectively for attention from my kids. Unless it's disciplinary, and that's no fun.

Cycle of life

2009-09-30T06:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we celebrated Asher's birthday. This morning Dawn's grandfather died.
The engine runs till it quits.

Happy birthday

2009-09-29T07:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Asher's 1st birthday! Personally, I enjoyed the majority of the day, after about 8:00. We had a long night prior to that, but we had a good recovery. Dawn's sister and her husband are a great blessing. They helped us a lot, and we enjoyed our time with them afterward. Tonight, the little family pocket will go to a restaurant and celebrate Asher's milestone. He will likely be oblivious to the moment, but should have a good time anyway.

New image

2009-09-25T07:40:00.000-07:00

I was walking in to work and the ground was still wet from last night's rain. The air was cool and the sun was just clearing the cloud bank that had soaked us overnight as it headed East. I thought how idyllic the scenery was. Water droplets on leaves whose colors are just starting to change. Wet, reflective concrete underfoot. Shiny grass. At another time, in another place, this would be a perfect day. So I realized that my attitude was a product of my obligation to be at work instead of free to walk through this wonderland with my eyes wide open.
I work for the weekend. For vacation. For retirement.

World wide!

2009-09-24T07:43:00.000-07:00

There is no end to the work. If I want, there are four or five websites to build right now! Problem is finding time to do it. I doubt I would do it efficiently to start with, so I will require even more time. I'm not ready to leave my insurance behind. Not ready to skip paychecks. Not ready to live in the basement all day, debugging my work.

Lofty

2009-09-21T14:21:00.000-07:00

Next time we'll choose a room with a door. Opportunity doesn't knock. Opportunity runs past your door and if you're quick enough, you can throw the door open and tackle it before your neighbor gets the chance.

Cabin fever

2009-09-19T10:44:00.000-07:00

The trip was good. Had a good night playing quiddler and talking, laughing. Korbin did well. Had a soapy eyed bath and went to sleep in the loft without a problem. This morning we woke before everyone and stressed over breakfast and tie dye project. After we ate and had a bit of coffee and relaxed, we're doing pretty well. Home is nice because you have no one but yourselves to evaluate your actions. In a crowd, especially of family, everything is fodder for advice or humor. Ill advised and in a black humor in the morning. Bless the evening. Pressure is off

Worth it

2009-09-18T07:46:00.000-07:00

Vacation, albeit a short one, begins today. It's a lot of stressful over-preparing, followed by a long car ride. I'm hoping the ride is peaceful. I hope it restores our calm.

Bombs away

2009-09-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

if smell is any indication, I'd say our latest flea fogger attempt is bound to succeed. Nothing quite like the odor of poisonous vapor masquerading as air freshener. So we have a lot of laundry to do or a lot of sanitary preconceptions to overcome. If it's anything like last time, i'm sure we'll find the middle ground and live to tell about it.

Peanut gallery

2009-09-14T07:26:00.000-07:00

What does that even mean? I'll have to check wiktionary for the origin. I washed my hair with a soapy washcloth this morning and have finally noticed that it looks pretty wild. Ah so.
Trying to convert strings to integers. Trying to update my phone software so I can listen to radio, hoping to hear some Beastie Boys. My ipod is full of Phish, and i'm ready for a change.

Upgrade

2009-09-08T07:33:00.000-07:00

I was listing the trendy services and appliances that our family uses. It seems like I need additional appliances to keep up with the services.
I feel like someday I will be skilled enough at something that I can sell the time I spend doing it. Dream

Labor day

2009-09-07T15:04:00.000-07:00

Had a big breakfast at Machine Shed, went to little Mexico for a candy-filled parade, injured the baby, took a nap, got some coffee and groceries, expecting a nice dinner with family. Plus me and Korbin completed another level of Star Wars Legos on the Wii!

Brunch

2009-09-06T11:53:00.000-07:00

Had a nice brunch with the wife's extended family. I helped cook and it was lots of fun. They're getting ready to play games now.
Church was good. It's nice to arrive with one attitude and leave with another. A better one, certainly. As much as group dynamics ensure a degree of political conflict, God is still over all and still helping and fixing his people.

Mental health day

2009-09-03T09:51:00.000-07:00

Learning

2009-09-01T07:08:00.000-07:00

I realize that I should be learning better methods. Specifically at work, but elsewhere in my life too, i'm sure. I've spent a lot of time doing things a certain way while other people have been busy doing the same things better and faster with a new method, a new set of tools. I must thank Ian for introducing me to jQuery.

Ponyo

2009-08-30T14:01:00.000-07:00

Finally got it watched, against better judgement. As soon as we got home, it was time to turn around and hit the cousin's birthday party. We're grievously underprepared

Duty calls

2009-08-25T07:38:00.000-07:00

Early morning today. I had to get the kids ready and put the door by 7 so I could make it out to the day care and back in time for work. That means waking up early, which is not fun for me. Thankfully, Asher slept the whole night through without waking to feed! Good boy. Korbin woke up and got dressed with a little coaxing, but he was helpful with his bro. We left a little later than I'd hoped, but we were doing fine.
Sadly my grand home-cleaning scheme has yet to begin. Kids take a lot of attention. I'm lucky to get a load of dishes washed. Two more days!

Keeps me singing

2009-08-22T15:58:00.000-07:00

Day one as a single parent. It went fairly well, I'll say. Korbin was thrilled to get his ikea night lights up and working. We spent a couple hours hanging out in his room, all there of us. We played with legos and dominoes and at lunch on his bed. Asher is doing ok. Ate well, napped well. Got the lawn mowed with some father in law help. Ready to go serve now!

Red shirt day

2009-08-20T07:31:00.000-07:00

Dawn flies away tomorrow. How will I fare? We shall see. Nice if I didn't have to go to work.
Tess departs this evening. She's clean and flealess and ready to go. What awaits her, I can't begin to guess. I'm just excited about getting rid of the dog hair once and for all.

Plastic diaper

2009-08-16T11:54:00.000-07:00

Naps in order. All around. Church sure was weirdly overwrought today. Putting on an elaborate show, hoping to create emotions that may mature into Christian attitudes. Lots of work. And it looks like work at the end of the day.
But lunch was good. The kids are cool.

Miss

2009-08-09T21:28:00.000-07:00

Some days you walk into walls until bedtime. Today was a lesson in humility. The more I think I am, the more vulnerable I am to abasement.
Ah, peace. More, please.

Boon

2009-08-07T10:40:00.000-07:00

We went to watch the hot air balloons last night. They came floating in from the south east by the dozens. It was really cool. The pilots all tried to toss their markers on a big pink X that was laid out in the field. Some were very skilled. Korbin had a good time playing on the inflated thingums, and he won a sword at the carnie bean bag toss. Later he made friends with some older kids who also had swords. They were very cordial to Korbin and made him feel cool. We met some people we knew and sat with them as it got dark. A few balloons put on a "night glow" for us, but it was a little windy and hard for them to keep their balloons in place. All in all, a good time.

HP sauce

2009-08-06T07:19:00.000-07:00

Dawn and I went to see Harry Potter last night. It was good. We spent way too much on theater food. My guts are still protesting.

Sale on

2009-07-30T07:36:00.000-07:00

I remember when I was in 5th grade, the 6th graders came to our class to put on a little skit for Colombus Day. Colombus wanted to sail on, sail on, sail on. But he needed a boat. The boat dealer happened to have a sale on, sale on, sale on. It was silly, but memorable, evidently.
Tomorrow is our one-day-only yard sale during which we hope to transfer the bulk of our unwanted possessions to new owners. I hope the weather is fair and the traffic is heavy. Whatever doesn't sell will be donated or discarded. Make room, make room!

Party time

2009-07-27T07:01:00.000-07:00

Saturday, we went down to Nick and Nette's for a birthday meal. Sunday we went to a new party mecca for Mr Chad's birthday. They were coth fun in their own way. I finally mowed the old place. Had some corn growing in the back yard that was 4 feet high and thick as my thumb. Like a good neighbor...

Calories

2009-07-21T15:21:00.000-07:00

Today I kept track of my caloric intake while I was at work. 1625! Without having an official lunch. The components are relatively healthy, but it is alarming to think that i'm bound to eat at least that much again once I get home. The 2000 calorie diet flies out the window. I'm lucky I make myself work out on my breaks or I'd be carrying around a big spare tire. Plus, I need to eat less sugar and watch my habits in the late evening when it's easier to have another bite of something than to go up to bed.

Test yer mettle

2009-07-19T13:17:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day as video guy at church. It went ok. Had a hard time staying focused on the songs' lyrics as I also tried to look over the sound man's shoulder. We had a thrifty lunch with our dear friends after church, then went to Dawn's relatives' for a little bit. A nice time, but we're all bushed from our gathering last night. Finally got a fire pit dug in the yard, and we had a great time sitting around it while the kids got rowdy on the slide. Hope the neighbors don't mind too much.

What large

2009-07-18T12:45:00.000-07:00

We all got up and put the door early this morning to beat the mad farmer's market rush. A nice little family unit, downtown for a bite and some produce. We got some great sweets at Tami's Tarts, and some tomatoes at Dawn's regular booth. We got some expensive raspberries and Korbin rode on a train, of sorts... It was fun. I came home and mowed lawns since the weather is wonderfully cool. Dawn went and got a sewing machine from a friend. Lovely friends.

Weekend

2009-07-14T07:07:00.000-07:00

Camped at a fantastic site on private property owned by friend of a friend. There was a nice skelter for picnic tables, running potable water, a huge pond full of fish and a great fire pit. What more could you want? We had a good time. Sunday afternoon, after naps, we had Dawn's official birthday party at Tokens. We played arcade games and laser tag and putt putt golf. We ate pizza and had a good time. Nice to see so many people. Nice to come home and crash afterward.
This week is VBS at church, so I stay home with Asher while Korbin and Dawn go have fun for a couple hours. I have fun too, I guess. Different kind of fun.

Weigh

2009-07-08T07:23:00.000-07:00

I'd like to see my options so I can weigh them. Whadaya say?
Asher has gained a pound since last week. Back on track. When his body weight reaches the same growth precentile as his length and head circumference, we can stop taking him in weekly for checkups.
Shouldn't be long. It's great to see him happy all the time again.

Fourth weekend

2009-07-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

We had a nice time with family on the fourth. Korbin and I saw some fireworks, but they weren't as cool as I'd hoped for.
Today after church, Dawn's parents hosted a great gathering. We ate and ate. The kids played and played. It was a good afternoon.

Formula won

2009-07-02T17:19:00.000-07:00

What a difference a day makes. Asher is sucking down the formula and loving life again. Dawn is feeding him some good rice meal mixed with yogurt and other goodies, then following that with a bottle of formula. Asher is happy as a clam after mealtime. Smiles more. Laughs again. Whines much less.

Turns out

2009-07-01T07:50:00.000-07:00

Asher has lost two pounds. Is he burning through calories faster than we're giving them to him? Is he not getting enough from the milk now that Dawn's manufacturing energy for three? That's my theory, but I don't want to think anything is actually wrong with my baby. We'll just up his solid intake, pray for some teeth to pop through and get over this hump. He has another appointment next week.

Shake spear

2009-06-28T13:25:00.000-07:00

Good church today. Good Mexican food on the patio. Good breeze. Good nap. We'll be heading to Shakespeare in the park in a few moments. Dawn's aunt have her a grip of knitting needles for free! Yay freebies!
Asher just wants more solids. He's fun to feed. Hates peas and green beans, however. Loves sweet potatoes.

Brother hanger

2009-06-27T08:47:00.000-07:00

Korbin is hauling a shirt on a hanger around with him today. It started out as his son, but now it's his brother. He's changing it's shirt because it's going to be hot today. Silly. Why do we spend any money on manufactured toys when he can have so much real fun with a plastic hanger? Toys are all over the place, and they're totally free. A stick in the yard has equal value to a set of legos that cost 50 bucks.