I've taken about a week off for our anniversary and for house projects, etc. I don't know if I've accomplished so much, but I've enjoyed it immensely. The house is looking ever more presentable and our stuff more usable.
Since I have once again structured this time off from mid-week to mid-week, I'll not be cutting into my vacation time very much; this move was made more by habit than necessity as I have stockpiled over 3 1/2 weeks of vacation pay which I couldn't use all at once even if I wanted to. I hope to make use of the time more prudently before next holiday season by taking weeks off here and there. I just need to plan for them.
4/30/07
4/17/07
Dehabilitation
General Notes:
We have officially moved to the house on Bates now (a majority of our stuff is here and we sleep here, etc) but have made little progress finishing our move the last few days due to a combination of dehabilitating headaches and flu symptoms among us.
Nonetheless, we were able to "show off" the house to some family the past weekend, and that was nice.
Jenny has been preparing for an "American Doll" show at Barnes & Nobles this Saturday, so that has also kept her busy. She has prepared most of the events herself, being dissatisfied with the provided materials, so those 8-12 year old girls will be treated to a slight education in 30's-ish hobo signs and culture, which I found interesting myself.
The 27th will mark Jenny & my 5th wedding anniversary, which amazes both of us because the time has gone very swiftly. We plan to spend time here at the house because it's still pretty novel and cool even to be here.
My general manager at Best Buy is a very intense person. While sometimes being great to work with, there are other times when his "passion" is stressful. Recently he informed me to "watch it!" while I was disagreeing with him. Today he walked into the store for merely a few minutes before leaving. Apparently he was sporting a cast on his forearm, and the rumor I heard was that he suffered the injury while expressing a pointed opinion to a coworker by slamming his fist on a desk.
We have officially moved to the house on Bates now (a majority of our stuff is here and we sleep here, etc) but have made little progress finishing our move the last few days due to a combination of dehabilitating headaches and flu symptoms among us.
Nonetheless, we were able to "show off" the house to some family the past weekend, and that was nice.
Jenny has been preparing for an "American Doll" show at Barnes & Nobles this Saturday, so that has also kept her busy. She has prepared most of the events herself, being dissatisfied with the provided materials, so those 8-12 year old girls will be treated to a slight education in 30's-ish hobo signs and culture, which I found interesting myself.
The 27th will mark Jenny & my 5th wedding anniversary, which amazes both of us because the time has gone very swiftly. We plan to spend time here at the house because it's still pretty novel and cool even to be here.
My general manager at Best Buy is a very intense person. While sometimes being great to work with, there are other times when his "passion" is stressful. Recently he informed me to "watch it!" while I was disagreeing with him. Today he walked into the store for merely a few minutes before leaving. Apparently he was sporting a cast on his forearm, and the rumor I heard was that he suffered the injury while expressing a pointed opinion to a coworker by slamming his fist on a desk.
4/11/07
Original People
It becomes clearer to me that Idris is very different than I was at his age, and his personality seems quite original to me. By that I mean that I'm rather unsure where it came from. Obviously, we all formulate original (to varying degrees) personalities, but I always imagined that, given the opportunity to witness the formation of a young personality up close/first hand, I would be able to gather a more comprehensive sense of where/how he would develop behaviors and trains of thought.
Although thought patterns have been easy enough to trace, I can't begin to account for some of Idris' demeanors. While demonstrating a Passover dinner at my parents'-in-law's church with 150-odd people, ours was the table with a microphone. This was suitable for Idris while he was not in nursery:
When someone instructed the microphone be passed to the speaker, Idris piped up "You can pass the microphone to ME!"
When everyone was instructed to open their books, Idris announced "I don't have a haggedah(spelling incorrect)."
His line, practiced numerous times at home, was eagerly spoken into the microphone. When his aunt took the next few lines he had practiced, Idris grabbed for the microphone and was NOT happy.
After the supper, during cleanup, Idris regained the microphone and entertained everyone with such songs as "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" and whatever else he could think up.
He then led a vocal charge about the church, running up stairs, through halls, and often down the elevator, avoiding the lava which was carelessly left on the floor.
I suppose it comes down to his having some very definate agenda most of the time. He always seems to be needing to do something or explain something. He's often "very busy" and very vocal about it.
Those of you who knew me when I was young can probably compare nothing of that memory with these behaviors, and Jenny- though less silent and obsessively receptive than I- was not, I believe, like that either.
Today, I was in the breakroom when Idris ran back to say "hi". I told him to run into the next room and hit one of my co-workers with his sword. I watched him run into that room, then back toward Jenny in the store. Kevin came out then and asked if that was my kid. "He hit me REALLY hard, and right in my gut".
So goes the Blue Knight
Although thought patterns have been easy enough to trace, I can't begin to account for some of Idris' demeanors. While demonstrating a Passover dinner at my parents'-in-law's church with 150-odd people, ours was the table with a microphone. This was suitable for Idris while he was not in nursery:
When someone instructed the microphone be passed to the speaker, Idris piped up "You can pass the microphone to ME!"
When everyone was instructed to open their books, Idris announced "I don't have a haggedah(spelling incorrect)."
His line, practiced numerous times at home, was eagerly spoken into the microphone. When his aunt took the next few lines he had practiced, Idris grabbed for the microphone and was NOT happy.
After the supper, during cleanup, Idris regained the microphone and entertained everyone with such songs as "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" and whatever else he could think up.
He then led a vocal charge about the church, running up stairs, through halls, and often down the elevator, avoiding the lava which was carelessly left on the floor.
I suppose it comes down to his having some very definate agenda most of the time. He always seems to be needing to do something or explain something. He's often "very busy" and very vocal about it.
Those of you who knew me when I was young can probably compare nothing of that memory with these behaviors, and Jenny- though less silent and obsessively receptive than I- was not, I believe, like that either.
Today, I was in the breakroom when Idris ran back to say "hi". I told him to run into the next room and hit one of my co-workers with his sword. I watched him run into that room, then back toward Jenny in the store. Kevin came out then and asked if that was my kid. "He hit me REALLY hard, and right in my gut".
So goes the Blue Knight
Night After Night
This post brought to you by The Sound's Night After Night, a fine song, buy it now on compact disk or from your local internet merchant. Check out the album, also. It's fiercely rad.
I've been dropping off stuff at the new house each night after work this week. It's been slow work, but relatively painless thusfar.
My brother Nate has helped us out quite a bit, as have Shaun and Callie some. Without those guys we would only have lots of little stuff moved at this point.
I still maintain that pictures will be posted here when two things happen:
1)I take pictures
2)I figure out how to post pictures here
I've been dropping off stuff at the new house each night after work this week. It's been slow work, but relatively painless thusfar.
My brother Nate has helped us out quite a bit, as have Shaun and Callie some. Without those guys we would only have lots of little stuff moved at this point.
I still maintain that pictures will be posted here when two things happen:
1)I take pictures
2)I figure out how to post pictures here
New Cruiser
A week or 2 ago, I finally picked up a new car. Some guy paid me $75 to tow away my old car from me, which was nice. He said he would crush it into a cube.
The new car is shiny and red, with a gray interior which allows me to use the fancy seat cushions and steering wheel cover I had previously invested in for my cube. Not only is this new ride from the mid-90's- 3 years newer- but it has a muffler. It features working air conditioning and windshield wipers.
Most essentially: Red 4D Geo Prizm (comparable to Toyota Corolla) w/ much improved miles per gallon but less power than I'm used to. Also no cruise controll.
I'm very pleased with it, because it fits into my new lifestyle of commuting several extra miles and no longer enjoying poisonous fumes and chancy suspension.
I'm currently keeping a tally of miles I'm driving and gas I'm using so I can figure out how much $$ I'm saving. It's fun.
The new car is shiny and red, with a gray interior which allows me to use the fancy seat cushions and steering wheel cover I had previously invested in for my cube. Not only is this new ride from the mid-90's- 3 years newer- but it has a muffler. It features working air conditioning and windshield wipers.
Most essentially: Red 4D Geo Prizm (comparable to Toyota Corolla) w/ much improved miles per gallon but less power than I'm used to. Also no cruise controll.
I'm very pleased with it, because it fits into my new lifestyle of commuting several extra miles and no longer enjoying poisonous fumes and chancy suspension.
I'm currently keeping a tally of miles I'm driving and gas I'm using so I can figure out how much $$ I'm saving. It's fun.
3/27/07
The Twins: A Work in Progress
Baseball season is nearly begun, and since I post most baseball- related comments elsewhere for my baseball friends to read, I'll simply announce my hearty endorsement of the coming Twins' season. The team is always a work in progress, with high turnover rates due to lack of $$$ and the injuries every team goes through, but there's some comfort in that, too. When the Twins break camp with a few under performing veterans and roster wastes, there's no reason to worry. As soon as we get sick of them we have the next fleet arriving. We have exciting prospects waiting to break through and a competitive streak which runs through the entire organization which characterizes the Twins in a way that it doesn't characterize, say, the Vikings.
I'll be participating in fantasy baseball for the second time, and I'll send out a late invitation to absolutely anyone interested to join the league Shaun and I have started. It takes very little time and doesn't absolutely necessitate baseball knowledge (though both help). You would need to respond quickly, though, as we draft Saturday from the comfort of our own homes.
Fantasy baseball has been great for me because it gives a usage to my previously strange and superfluous enjoyment of mathematics. It's all very fitting though; I learned how to figure percentages and decimals by examining the batting averages and ERA's on baseball cards, so I suppose my enjoyment of math was never really linked to academics, it was founded in baseball.
I'll be participating in fantasy baseball for the second time, and I'll send out a late invitation to absolutely anyone interested to join the league Shaun and I have started. It takes very little time and doesn't absolutely necessitate baseball knowledge (though both help). You would need to respond quickly, though, as we draft Saturday from the comfort of our own homes.
Fantasy baseball has been great for me because it gives a usage to my previously strange and superfluous enjoyment of mathematics. It's all very fitting though; I learned how to figure percentages and decimals by examining the batting averages and ERA's on baseball cards, so I suppose my enjoyment of math was never really linked to academics, it was founded in baseball.
3/23/07
Small Talk/Personal Ad
A gentleman came into the station the other day and informed me that Foshay Tower is being converted into a luxury hotel- not a bad idea for the stately old tower. He was on a crew charged with transporting away many tons of marble which is being removed from the current restrooms (etc).
He said rooms will go for an excess of $1200 a night.
I said something to the effect that it would not be an ideal cheap date.
He assented, though with demur characteristically sporting for a demolition specialist, declared he would spend a night there if a lady would care to foot the bill.
I'm pretty sure I can put you in touch if anyone is interested?
On an entirely separate note, I keep raving about the movie Enron: the Smartest Guys in the Room to random people. I usually don't recommend movies because so many of my recommendations go so, so horribly wrong, but Smartest Guys in the Room is a perfectly cut bit of docu-drama. It puts Tom Waits to good use while splicing interviews and courtroom footage with some great matter-of-fact analysis of how a house of cards almost became the largest company in the world. I was completely ignorant of the impact of the company's tactics- that they were responsible for the California blackouts and the election of an inarticulate action movie star to governorship. Aside from the well-known facts about Enron, the movie explores the morality tale that can be found in the examination of the company's braintrust and the darwinian atmosphere that propelled many in the company to invent and execute some very bold, pervasive means to make a lot of money (for themselves).
Anyway, see it.
He said rooms will go for an excess of $1200 a night.
I said something to the effect that it would not be an ideal cheap date.
He assented, though with demur characteristically sporting for a demolition specialist, declared he would spend a night there if a lady would care to foot the bill.
I'm pretty sure I can put you in touch if anyone is interested?
On an entirely separate note, I keep raving about the movie Enron: the Smartest Guys in the Room to random people. I usually don't recommend movies because so many of my recommendations go so, so horribly wrong, but Smartest Guys in the Room is a perfectly cut bit of docu-drama. It puts Tom Waits to good use while splicing interviews and courtroom footage with some great matter-of-fact analysis of how a house of cards almost became the largest company in the world. I was completely ignorant of the impact of the company's tactics- that they were responsible for the California blackouts and the election of an inarticulate action movie star to governorship. Aside from the well-known facts about Enron, the movie explores the morality tale that can be found in the examination of the company's braintrust and the darwinian atmosphere that propelled many in the company to invent and execute some very bold, pervasive means to make a lot of money (for themselves).
Anyway, see it.
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