the whole crazy thing

Unlike Hope, I do not work with a bunch of folks that have a bun in the oven.  As a matter of fact, I only know of one person that is pregnant at the moment. Notwithstanding, I have had almost the exact same experience.  When I was working in biotech, our group had a rash of pregnancies that were very similar to that going on in the IT area of Tufts right now.  We actually had something like 5 kids in a group of about 8 people when I got there, and then things just went nuts.  First, one lady was pregnant, then while she was out on maternity leave, another lady got pregnant. While that lady was on maternity leave, the first lady came back and a third lady was pregnant.  Then BAM! the first lady was pregnant with her second (total elapsed time: approximately 2 years).  They were certainly popping babies out like, well, cakes, or some other baked goods - cupcakes maybe?  At the same time this was going on in my group, the folks that bordered where we sat in cubicle-vania were either getting their wives pregnant or getting pregnant themselves.  Seriously this was quite amazing.  I wish I had been doing a study about hormones and whatnot because I’m sure that there was some wacky stuff floating around our floor.

blog-off blog-off, pregnancy

So today’s blog-off post was supposed to be New Year’s Eve in pictures. Here’s the thing about that, I don’t have any pictures. Why you ask? Well that is because we didn’t do anything. To be fair, all strange looks and disappointed head shakes should be aimed at me. The thing is, I’m full of excuses and here they go. First, we traveled that day. Yep, we left my parents’ house and flew back to socal, arriving just after seven to my bachelorish pad. Adding to that, Allison and my dad had contracted a cold within about a day of each other and while Allison was starting to feel better, I was not. Rather than go out, I managed to convince her to stay in. Staying in resulted in a new year’s eve marathon of Law and Order interspersed with CSI while L&O was at commercial. I am not a fan of L&O, but on this particular day I was feeling run down enough to tolerate it for the most part. We did actually have a mini bottle of champagne which Allison threw in the fridge, but alas, I wasn’t able to make midnight. I did well considering how bad I was feeling, but at 11:30, I gave in and slipped under the covers with a one-way ticket to sleepytown. Allison soon followed even though I tried to dissuade her. At 11:59 (someone needs to fix their clock), we were awakened by the neighbors screaming happy new year. We mumbled happy new year to each other, I managed to turn over, but kissed allison on the back not the face and fell asleep. I am so exciting. . .

blog-off blog-off, new year's

I have always been fascinated by photos of my family and others from before I was born.  First, these were different times than they are now, and second, seeing my mom as a child, or photos of my grandfather’s relatives from the 1902, give me at least a little insight into where my family came from, and maybe where we’re going.  I found this gem in one of my grandparent’s photo albums just before New Year’s.

Yep, that’s my grandfather. If you can’t pick him out (at least try and guess), he’s the one third from the left with one hand on his hip and the other on his bike. Note mustache and ample hair. Ample hair remains, while mustache has waned in the last couple years (the guy is 85, i should give him a break), but he has not shaved it off yet.
In case you didn’t know (you of course do now) my grandfather actually cycled professionally, or as professionally as you could get in guatemala. This picture is of him and his team before they left for a big race in Mexico City. Frankly, the guy looks good. and while all these guys have calves the size of christmas hams, I think the lack of technology is the biggest wonder for me. No “clipless” pedals, only the true clips, and those are leather shoes folks. He actually still has them (they’re really quite nice). That sweater is definitely not of a wicking fabric, and those pants, well daisy duke wasn’t even a thought yet. My grandfather has told us that they used lard to prevent chafing, usually through rolling laughter as he recalls stories of guys sliding off their saddles, etc. because they were too lubed up. His garage area is littered with trophies he won, some big, some small, all I’m sure with their own story. Unless pressed though, he doesn’t talk about the trophies, he prefers to talk about specific events within the races, or of the men he rode with (he kept in touch with the guy to his left until recently I think).
This love of cycling was impressed upon his daughters and now his grandsons. My mom and aunt learned to ride a bike without training wheels as did my brother and I (you better believe my kids will not have training wheels on their bikes AND they will learn on road bikes). While my grandfather was sponsored by Raleigh (they did make nice bikes at one point), bikes were littered in the garage, but now he only has one: a Masi custom built and signed my Masi himself. The bike is beautiful and I think it may be lighter than my bike (a 2001 bianchi road bike) while having about 40 years on it. Until recently he was still taking it out and riding it, although now he has a little stationary bike he uses mostly because of the increased traffic and the large hills he lives around in San Francisco.
I was glad to have found this picture, as there is only one other picture I found of my grandfather cycling and it is a posed picture (I think) that hangs on the wall at his house. I scanned this bad boy in at something like 600dpi and now have two 8×12 professionally printed prints (thanks Adorama) coming my way. As long as I back it up, I should be able to keep this image well preserved for a long time.

Ok, Hope: let’s see an old photo from your family and the meaning behind it. No excuses, it’s not a holiday and you aren’t working.

Picture Updates, blog-off blog-off, cycling, guatemala, photos

So apparently I have to post holiday photos for today’s blog-off.  I was under the impression that hope was just recounting what she did today which was process photos, something that is so day after christmas for me.  But I did have a guest blogger on new year’s eve, which technically hope lost, although in the interest of fairness I am allowing her short post (just over 200 words). Pull up those Urkel pants because here we go. . . Read more…

Picture Updates, blog-off, events blog-off, christmas, photo, photographs, photography

It’s been a slow day all over the place.  As a matter of fact, even the DOW had a decent day, so maybe this is how a new year is supposed to start.  Today started with Allison following me over to the VW service center.  It’s been leaking coolant, and I was really worried I had lost the water pump (again).  The water pump does just that, pumps water to cool the pistons.  When that stops, you use a buttload of coolant to transfer the heat from the now non-moving or nonexistant water to keep the pistons cool (but isn’t cool a state of mind really?).  Anyways, they seem to think the water pump is ok, but found a hose that had a split in it (makes sense, I hope).  Apparently this is some wacky part because they have to get it from another dealer, but they’re going to install this $196 hose and see what happens.  If not, we’re looking at a thermostat issue (manages water flow according to engine temp) and a big fix/price.  The other issue with that is it is in or near the water pump and that means you have to take all the crap out to get to it.  Anyways, I haven’t heard anymore than they were going to get that hose, so we’ll see what’s up soon I hope.  

Other than that, Allison has been watching Law and Order all day.   I’m not even sure I believed that was humanly possible.  I mean the shows follow a format that is more similar than House (diagnose, be wrong, diagnose be wrong, etc).  I’m pretty sure it’s not healthy to watch this much Law and Order, but I of course don’t know why.  I guess Allison is my guinea pig on this one.  Also, why is it always on?  I for one go out of my way to avoid it.

We did get out for a hike this afternoon with Brandy and Justin which was nice.  They brought their nephew along, an exciting experience. I don’t think I had hiked with a small child much in the past, so it was sort of nice to walk and stop walk and stop.  I had my camera but didn’t take any pictures because the light was kinda wacky and really there wasn’t much that I was excited about.  If i had some neutral density filters (hint hint - birthday is in a week), I might be able to do more.  

Now we’re back at my house and Allison is back at the Law and Order while I am going to try and read a little about statistics or prep for the classes I’m teaching or something, anything productive.

Random, blog-off brandy, hiking, justin, law and order

If your shoes come untied a lot, Runner’s World has you covered.  here’s a better knot for you to tie.

Update: I moved the movie after the break so that you don’t have to listen to it tell you how to tie your shoes every time you visit.

Read more…

Random

Welcome to the 2009 edition of the blog-off.  If nothing else, this shows how stubborn both Hope and I are and will continue to be in the new year.  As with every year, the year started with a short viewing of the Rose Parade.  There are quite a few reasons I can’t watch parades, and a a lot of reasons why this specific parade sucks.  But I digress.  We used to watch the Rose Parade only at the insistence of my mother, who outnumbered by males 3:1 was assaulted by football games everyday from Christmas to New Year’s.  The Rose Parade was probably her one escape from sports, allowing her to start the new year at least a little sane.

Now onto why the rose parade is lame.  First, it is in Southern California and if Southern California is lame, then any parades in Southern California should be lame as well by the property of transitivity.  Second, you have super lame coverage by folks like Al Roker and Bob Eubanks.  Roker is usually in new york and apparently very bad at reading descriptions of floats.  Since his competition is Bob Eubanks, Roker wins and gets my view, but seriously, a guy from new york covering a parade in california?  Really people, let’s get some locals out there.  They seem to be the only ones that are excited about it anyway.

The only thing that keeps me watching at least this year is the fact that Cal Poly always has a float.  This year it looked pretty sweet, so I’m trying to wait things out, but really, I may have to stab myself with a spork.  Also, what the hell does a parade need a pace car for anyway?  Oooh don’t go too fast parade floats.  I can see it now - the parade shoots by at 90 mph and all you get is a blur of roses and maybe a single rose falls off and slowly drifts to the ground.  One final rant, the color guard has wild horses that have been tamed and apparently the broadcasters thing that they have been “saved.”  Yeah, and the Spanish saved the Aztecs with religion. 

 

Ok, I hope everyone had a safe new year’s and is now enjoying the CSI:NY marathon or the Bones marathon rather than the Rose Parade.

blog-off, events blog-off, new year's, pasadena, rose parade

Hope phoned it in earlier this week, so today I figured why not me?  Today I present  guest blogger Allison to provide you with a movie review of Marley and Me.  You better get to work Hope, cause now you have to find a guest blogger to provide a movie review as well. . . Read more…

blog-off, movies blog-off, marley and me, movie review

Well, Hope posted about her cellphone being stolen, so now I have the task of writing about a similar experience and/or commissrating with her about the whole thing. I choose the latter because I’ve been pretty lucky with only losing things in the places I live. With that being said, I can’t really imagine living without my iPod Touch. I’m even writing this post on my iPod (we are headed to the movies - valkyre for the guys and Marley and me for the ladies). If I had a phone built into this thing, I’d probably be lost living without it.
Now onto the dishonesty part. How on earth do you justify taking something a customer has left in your restaurant? I can’t even imagine the exscuse someone like this would use. Being poor isn’t even an excuse (ever hear of pay as you go?). Frankly I’d like to kick whoever took that iPhone in the dang shin.

On a bit of a separate note, unless you want to cry, don’t see marley and me.  My dad, brother and I went and saw Valkerie (pretty good, not great, but a good story) while my mom and Allison saw Marley and Me.  We were out of the movie 20 minutes after them and Allison and my mom were both still sobbing.  I honestly thought some family member had died.  At the same time, they were so out of control, it was kinda funny.

Random blog-off, iPhone

Hope phoned it in today, and the nice thing is I get to do the same.  It’s survey day on the blog-off.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? I was actually hoping the yankees would win a game (so allison would stop being all angry every time they lost).

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I didn’t make any last year. My only goal for 2009 is to work my ass off on my thesis project.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Not that I can think of. . . actually a student I had in the spring had a baby - not sure if that counts.

4. Did anyone close to you die? Not that I can think of, but we’ve had quite a few deaths in the past few years.

5. What countries did you visit? Zip, zam, zero.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? a master’s degree.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? election day.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? keeping in better (I didn’t say good) touch with friends.

9. What was your biggest failure? Not getting enough done on thesis/grad school related stuff.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Yep, arches have been sorta questionable since 8000 meter challenge.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Computer (macbook pro).

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Sarah Palin - without her McCain may have had a chance.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? I can’t say for sake of eventually graduating.

14. Where did most of your money go? Graduate school.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Macbook Pro, 8000 meter challenge.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008? After Hours by We Are Scientists

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? neither
b) thinner or fatter? Thinner
c) richer or poorer? much much poorer

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? made money.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Socialize rather than do thesis work.

20. How did you spend Christmas? Con la familia y Allison.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008? Too late.

22. What was your favorite TV program? Chuck and Fringe.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? 

24. What was the best book you read? I’m not sure I actually got through one - sad I know.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? She & Him

26. What did you want and get? A computer

27. What did you want and not get? A master’s degree.

28. What was your favorite film of this year? Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I don’t remember and 25.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Having roomates that weren’t crazy.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? The same if not a bit shabbier.

32. What kept you sane? Running.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Chuck’s lady CIA friend.

34. What political issue stirred you the most? The presidential election and prop 8.

35. Who did you miss? Just about everyone.

36. Who was the best new person you met? Diane

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.  Money doesn’t grow on trees?

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. 

“Work it harder, make it better

Do it faster, makes us stronger

More than ever hour after hour
Work is never over”

Random, blog-off 2008, blog-off, survey