Baby Tess Update
My niece calls Tess "Baby Tess"... it's pretty cute. Tess won't be a baby much longer though. She is fast approaching toddlerhood. She is walking around the furniture. She will let go for a few seconds, but she has not taken those monumental first steps yet. Soon!
She has six teeth and more appear to be right below the surface. She's still nursing, which actually is going pretty good despite her teeth. I plan to start weaning her at one year because I will be going back to the office part time (and working from home part time), and I am ready to have my body back to myself. It has been a rewarding experience... one of the most important things I've ever done. I'm proud that I stuck with it.
Tess's first Christmas was fun, but she was quite fussy. I guess she did not like so many people disrupting her daily routine. We had a great time eating and opening gifts with family. Only 363 shopping days left until Christmas!
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Happy Whatever-It-Is-You-Celebrate
I'm writing this a little late because Christmas is already over... this season the Happy Holidays versus Merry Christmas stuff has gotten out of hand. Stores have made official policies stating that their employees should say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" so that no one gets offended. I hate political correctness. It is my general opinion that people are too uptight in this country. I am not even Christian and I do not get offended when people tell me "Merry Christmas". Hell, I even sent out some Christmas cards that said "Merry Christmas" in big, shiny letters. If someone wished me a Happy Kwanzaa or Happy Hanukkah I wouldn't care either. Honestly, it's not that big of a deal. There are more important things to be concerned about! Pretty soon, someone is going to get lynched for saying "bless you" after some uptight a-hole sneezes. The longer I live in the USA, the more I want to move to Canada.
I'm writing this a little late because Christmas is already over... this season the Happy Holidays versus Merry Christmas stuff has gotten out of hand. Stores have made official policies stating that their employees should say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" so that no one gets offended. I hate political correctness. It is my general opinion that people are too uptight in this country. I am not even Christian and I do not get offended when people tell me "Merry Christmas". Hell, I even sent out some Christmas cards that said "Merry Christmas" in big, shiny letters. If someone wished me a Happy Kwanzaa or Happy Hanukkah I wouldn't care either. Honestly, it's not that big of a deal. There are more important things to be concerned about! Pretty soon, someone is going to get lynched for saying "bless you" after some uptight a-hole sneezes. The longer I live in the USA, the more I want to move to Canada.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Not Enough Hours In The Day
Lately I've been so busy with work that I'm working at night and on weekends to keep up. During the day, it is sometimes hard to focus on programming because I am taking care of Tess, so that pushes my work to after she goes to bed. In turn, that takes away my "fun" time, which sucks because I haven't been able to see my friends very much and there are two new games out that I would very much like to be playing.
Christmas also throws a wrench into my schedule because I just don't have much time to prepare. I haven't made a single holiday treat yet, and Christmas is just 11 days away. The shopping needs finished, presents wrapped, cookies baked, and house cleaned, not to mention the rest of the food I will be preparing for all of our guests. Somewhere in there I also intend to take Tess to Olan Mills for pictures in her Christmas dress.
Don't get me wrong, I love taking care of my daughter, but my work has to get done so that the bills will be paid. I miss hanging out with friends, going out to lunch, and just basically doing what I want when I want.
Lately I've been so busy with work that I'm working at night and on weekends to keep up. During the day, it is sometimes hard to focus on programming because I am taking care of Tess, so that pushes my work to after she goes to bed. In turn, that takes away my "fun" time, which sucks because I haven't been able to see my friends very much and there are two new games out that I would very much like to be playing.
Christmas also throws a wrench into my schedule because I just don't have much time to prepare. I haven't made a single holiday treat yet, and Christmas is just 11 days away. The shopping needs finished, presents wrapped, cookies baked, and house cleaned, not to mention the rest of the food I will be preparing for all of our guests. Somewhere in there I also intend to take Tess to Olan Mills for pictures in her Christmas dress.
Don't get me wrong, I love taking care of my daughter, but my work has to get done so that the bills will be paid. I miss hanging out with friends, going out to lunch, and just basically doing what I want when I want.
Monday, December 05, 2005
A Day Late And A Dollar Short
I went out to get some stuff today, and nothing went right. The long anticipated sequel to Animal Crossing (a video game) was supposed to be on shelves today, so I went to Toys R Us to get it. After weaving my way through the zillions of people with carts of crap stacked up to the ceiling (what are people doing out on a Monday anyway?) I found out that they did not have the game. So, I looked for this toy that Tess likes (a LeapStart table), but they did not have that either. I looked all over the store because it appeared that they had Leap products in several different locations. I started feeling claustrophobic after getting trapped in an aisle by carts and mothers with multiple kids, so I ditched my empty cart and Tess and I hightailed it out of there, no merchandise in hand.
Then we went to Walgreens to get some bubble wrap. They wanted $7.99 for a roll of bubble wrap. What the [insert expletive]?! Why is it that during the year you come across bubble wrap in the house, you throw it away with the box when you receive a shipment, but when you need some, it is nowhere to be found? I can't believe it was that expensive when it probably costs 2 cents to make. As James told me, they must blow up each bubble individually for that price. I'm telling you, people, keep your bubble wrap. You might need it!
Our next stop was EB Games, where I reserved a copy of Animal Crossing. Since it has already shipped, the clerk said I am not guaranteed a copy tomorrow. I reserved one anyway, counting on the fact that they'll have plenty. I put Tess on the counter while I paid. When I picked her up and headed out the door, I realized that her diaper had leaked. Her pants were soaked, but I had no choice but to put her in her car seat anyway. Now I sit writing this while the car seat cover is in the washer. I am pretty sure she left a pee spot on the counter at EB. Oops. Well, that's what they get for telling me that a game was still packed and to come back later when the Harry Potter game came out recently. I ended up buying that game at Target since they couldn't take three minutes to dig the game out of the box for me.
To top off today's annoyances, I just found out that there was a pink Nintendo DS that was bundled with Nintendogs and sold exclusively at Target and Toys R Us. How did I miss it? I thought the bundled version was only available in teal. I really want a pink one. Of course, it is now sold out and is selling on eBay for over $200 a pop. I guess it is a message that I should not be so materialistic and appreciate the things I have... a healthy family, good friends, a roof over my head, plenty of food... I'm really feeling the holiday spirit today!
I went out to get some stuff today, and nothing went right. The long anticipated sequel to Animal Crossing (a video game) was supposed to be on shelves today, so I went to Toys R Us to get it. After weaving my way through the zillions of people with carts of crap stacked up to the ceiling (what are people doing out on a Monday anyway?) I found out that they did not have the game. So, I looked for this toy that Tess likes (a LeapStart table), but they did not have that either. I looked all over the store because it appeared that they had Leap products in several different locations. I started feeling claustrophobic after getting trapped in an aisle by carts and mothers with multiple kids, so I ditched my empty cart and Tess and I hightailed it out of there, no merchandise in hand.
Then we went to Walgreens to get some bubble wrap. They wanted $7.99 for a roll of bubble wrap. What the [insert expletive]?! Why is it that during the year you come across bubble wrap in the house, you throw it away with the box when you receive a shipment, but when you need some, it is nowhere to be found? I can't believe it was that expensive when it probably costs 2 cents to make. As James told me, they must blow up each bubble individually for that price. I'm telling you, people, keep your bubble wrap. You might need it!
Our next stop was EB Games, where I reserved a copy of Animal Crossing. Since it has already shipped, the clerk said I am not guaranteed a copy tomorrow. I reserved one anyway, counting on the fact that they'll have plenty. I put Tess on the counter while I paid. When I picked her up and headed out the door, I realized that her diaper had leaked. Her pants were soaked, but I had no choice but to put her in her car seat anyway. Now I sit writing this while the car seat cover is in the washer. I am pretty sure she left a pee spot on the counter at EB. Oops. Well, that's what they get for telling me that a game was still packed and to come back later when the Harry Potter game came out recently. I ended up buying that game at Target since they couldn't take three minutes to dig the game out of the box for me.
To top off today's annoyances, I just found out that there was a pink Nintendo DS that was bundled with Nintendogs and sold exclusively at Target and Toys R Us. How did I miss it? I thought the bundled version was only available in teal. I really want a pink one. Of course, it is now sold out and is selling on eBay for over $200 a pop. I guess it is a message that I should not be so materialistic and appreciate the things I have... a healthy family, good friends, a roof over my head, plenty of food... I'm really feeling the holiday spirit today!
Friday, December 02, 2005
Caffeinated Christmas Cheer
December got off to the right start thanks to Starbucks. I received an invitation from Starbucks to attend a preview of the Yuletide Celebration show at the Hilbert Circle Theater. It was a good show. I had seen it once before (also free) courtesy of my workplace. They had drinks and hors d'oeuvres before the show. Leslie and I loaded up on gingerbread lattes, peppermint cocoa, chocolate martinis, and coffee. I kept grabbing food every time a tray passed me by...breaded mushrooms, cheese and pear pastries, beef tenderloin...delicious! At one point, I had three drinks in my hands. Hey, we know how to work the free stuff! The chocolate martinis had little coffee beans floating in them. Starbucks also passed out little snow globes.
Everyone seemed to be at least partially inebriated when the show started. There was an exorbitant amount of cheering and guffawing at the show. Of course, who wouldn't be in a good mood after receiving free food and drinks. I am not a fan of Sandi Patty's music outside of the Yuletide Celebration, but she and her husband did an awesome opera number. It was one of the highlights of the show, and she wore a gorgeous pink gown during the number that Leslie and I just gushed over.
I am totally impressed! All that coffee I bought really paid off. Thank you, Starbucks!
December got off to the right start thanks to Starbucks. I received an invitation from Starbucks to attend a preview of the Yuletide Celebration show at the Hilbert Circle Theater. It was a good show. I had seen it once before (also free) courtesy of my workplace. They had drinks and hors d'oeuvres before the show. Leslie and I loaded up on gingerbread lattes, peppermint cocoa, chocolate martinis, and coffee. I kept grabbing food every time a tray passed me by...breaded mushrooms, cheese and pear pastries, beef tenderloin...delicious! At one point, I had three drinks in my hands. Hey, we know how to work the free stuff! The chocolate martinis had little coffee beans floating in them. Starbucks also passed out little snow globes.
Everyone seemed to be at least partially inebriated when the show started. There was an exorbitant amount of cheering and guffawing at the show. Of course, who wouldn't be in a good mood after receiving free food and drinks. I am not a fan of Sandi Patty's music outside of the Yuletide Celebration, but she and her husband did an awesome opera number. It was one of the highlights of the show, and she wore a gorgeous pink gown during the number that Leslie and I just gushed over.
I am totally impressed! All that coffee I bought really paid off. Thank you, Starbucks!
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
I was President of NASA
I have to write about something that occasionally creeps up from the depths of my brain and annoys the hell out of me. Everytime I think about this I get angry. It is one hour I wish I could go back and redo. It's going to be a bit long-winded, but I just want to get it off my chest and hopefully expel some of the anger I carry around about this.
In 1996-1997, I was in my fifth and final year at Ball State University. The previous year, I had attended a few meetings for the Native American Student Association. They were a very small group. After attending only a few meetings, they elected me as president for the following year. I was surprised and excited that I would be leading this group, even if it were a small one. We were one of four groups in the House of Multicultural Affairs. The other three were the Asian American group, Black Student Association, and Latino student group. They all had fairly high membership numbers, especially BSA.
Being president was a lot of work. Besides leading the meetings, I had to coordinate events, print flyers and post them, make phone calls, attend Ball State functions, and I even gave presentations to a couple of classes. I had help of course... from our secretary, treasurer, and vice president. The names of the active members were Tom, Beth, Scott, and Steve. The five of us were sometimes the only ones who showed up for meetings.
We worked very hard not only to set up events but to also reach out to American Indian students on campus and encourage them to get involved. We sent them notices of our meetings, and we advertised our major events to them. Still, no one came to our meetings.
We had Mary Brave Bird, author of Lakota Woman, come and speak (her book made me cry; her name on the book is actually Mary Crow Dog). We also had a clothes and food drive for the Lakota of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, who are among the poorest of people living on reservations. Our biggest event was a powwow, held in the spring. I was working two jobs and attending full time classes. When I look back, I don't know how I did it all.
When the end of the year rolled around, there was some discussion in the House of Multicultural Affairs about whether our group should call it quits for the following year or keep going. None of our members wanted the group to quit, except one as it turns out.
Just a few days before graduation, we had a guest speaker, and afterwards we gathered in the student center to take a vote on whether or not to keep going. This is where I'd like to start my "do over". There were many people there, including the HMA personnel, the founder of the Native American Student Association (which was originally called Students of Native American Cultures but we renamed it because too many people thought it was a group of people interested in the culture rather than actual American Indian students), and even our guest speaker hung around for the meeting.
A girl was there who had attended one or two of our meetings during the year. She was African American and claimed to have some Indian heritage. I never doubted people because you really can't tell by looking at someone. I cannot remember her name (I think I blocked it from memory). Before our vote there was some discussion. I had observed in the past that this girl had a particularly nasty temperament, and she demonstrated it here. She was really down on our group and the main thing I remember her saying was "Well, I just didn't see any Native American leadership in this group." To top it off, the vice-president of our group was sitting right next to her and said "I just didn't feel like my voice was heard." I could not believe he said that because I would always ask him... "Scott, what do you think?" and he would usually respond with "I don't care". He rarely spoke up, and I wanted to make sure he had the chance because he was one of the few "legitimate" students in the group (he is part of the Delaware Indians, and I still see him around once in awhile, though I have not talked to him. He even had a display in the Eiteljorg museum).
I was quite emotional that day for many reasons. I didn't want the group to quit, I didn't like being criticized when we had worked so hard, I was about to graduate and move to Indy with no job, and I was going through major relationship changes. So, I cried. In front of all those people I sat there and cried and didn't yell what I wanted to yell at those two. At the time, the American Indian heritage in my family was mostly based on speculation. In the meeting I muttered something about how I didn't really know if I was Indian or not. Oh, how I wish I could take that back! Now I know it's in my blood for sure (see previous post)!
I said "Let's just vote", and unfortunately the vote was to disband the group. I was not the only one who cried... Beth did too. All of the hard-working people in the group were upset. I hugged Steve, and some Indian woman whom I didn't know hugged me. She was very nice and said "I didn't know you weren't Indian.", and I said "That's just it... I don't know." That was comment number two I want to take back. I left the student center in tears and somewhat humiliated, and the whole event has bothered me since.
If I could go back, I would say to the girl "First of all, you only came to two meetings, so your opinion about this group's leadership is meaningless. Also, we tried to reach out to students through the year. They did not respond, but we tried. So I didn't grow up on a reservation, and my family may not practice any of the culture, but I have Cherokee ancestry. I was elected by the group, and I did my best. I didn't see YOU trying." And to Scott, I would say "I asked you if you had any input or opinion on things and most of the time you didn't. How can you say your voice was not heard? If you really wanted to say something, you should have spoken up."
I recently contacted the House of Multicultural Affairs out of curiosity, to see if they had reestablished a group. They have not done so yet, but the current organizer said they are looking into it.
Well, it was certainly a learning experience. I lost touch with all of the group members after that day. I wish I could talk to them again. It really sucked to end that way after working together all year.
I have to write about something that occasionally creeps up from the depths of my brain and annoys the hell out of me. Everytime I think about this I get angry. It is one hour I wish I could go back and redo. It's going to be a bit long-winded, but I just want to get it off my chest and hopefully expel some of the anger I carry around about this.
In 1996-1997, I was in my fifth and final year at Ball State University. The previous year, I had attended a few meetings for the Native American Student Association. They were a very small group. After attending only a few meetings, they elected me as president for the following year. I was surprised and excited that I would be leading this group, even if it were a small one. We were one of four groups in the House of Multicultural Affairs. The other three were the Asian American group, Black Student Association, and Latino student group. They all had fairly high membership numbers, especially BSA.
Being president was a lot of work. Besides leading the meetings, I had to coordinate events, print flyers and post them, make phone calls, attend Ball State functions, and I even gave presentations to a couple of classes. I had help of course... from our secretary, treasurer, and vice president. The names of the active members were Tom, Beth, Scott, and Steve. The five of us were sometimes the only ones who showed up for meetings.
We worked very hard not only to set up events but to also reach out to American Indian students on campus and encourage them to get involved. We sent them notices of our meetings, and we advertised our major events to them. Still, no one came to our meetings.
We had Mary Brave Bird, author of Lakota Woman, come and speak (her book made me cry; her name on the book is actually Mary Crow Dog). We also had a clothes and food drive for the Lakota of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, who are among the poorest of people living on reservations. Our biggest event was a powwow, held in the spring. I was working two jobs and attending full time classes. When I look back, I don't know how I did it all.
When the end of the year rolled around, there was some discussion in the House of Multicultural Affairs about whether our group should call it quits for the following year or keep going. None of our members wanted the group to quit, except one as it turns out.
Just a few days before graduation, we had a guest speaker, and afterwards we gathered in the student center to take a vote on whether or not to keep going. This is where I'd like to start my "do over". There were many people there, including the HMA personnel, the founder of the Native American Student Association (which was originally called Students of Native American Cultures but we renamed it because too many people thought it was a group of people interested in the culture rather than actual American Indian students), and even our guest speaker hung around for the meeting.
A girl was there who had attended one or two of our meetings during the year. She was African American and claimed to have some Indian heritage. I never doubted people because you really can't tell by looking at someone. I cannot remember her name (I think I blocked it from memory). Before our vote there was some discussion. I had observed in the past that this girl had a particularly nasty temperament, and she demonstrated it here. She was really down on our group and the main thing I remember her saying was "Well, I just didn't see any Native American leadership in this group." To top it off, the vice-president of our group was sitting right next to her and said "I just didn't feel like my voice was heard." I could not believe he said that because I would always ask him... "Scott, what do you think?" and he would usually respond with "I don't care". He rarely spoke up, and I wanted to make sure he had the chance because he was one of the few "legitimate" students in the group (he is part of the Delaware Indians, and I still see him around once in awhile, though I have not talked to him. He even had a display in the Eiteljorg museum).
I was quite emotional that day for many reasons. I didn't want the group to quit, I didn't like being criticized when we had worked so hard, I was about to graduate and move to Indy with no job, and I was going through major relationship changes. So, I cried. In front of all those people I sat there and cried and didn't yell what I wanted to yell at those two. At the time, the American Indian heritage in my family was mostly based on speculation. In the meeting I muttered something about how I didn't really know if I was Indian or not. Oh, how I wish I could take that back! Now I know it's in my blood for sure (see previous post)!
I said "Let's just vote", and unfortunately the vote was to disband the group. I was not the only one who cried... Beth did too. All of the hard-working people in the group were upset. I hugged Steve, and some Indian woman whom I didn't know hugged me. She was very nice and said "I didn't know you weren't Indian.", and I said "That's just it... I don't know." That was comment number two I want to take back. I left the student center in tears and somewhat humiliated, and the whole event has bothered me since.
If I could go back, I would say to the girl "First of all, you only came to two meetings, so your opinion about this group's leadership is meaningless. Also, we tried to reach out to students through the year. They did not respond, but we tried. So I didn't grow up on a reservation, and my family may not practice any of the culture, but I have Cherokee ancestry. I was elected by the group, and I did my best. I didn't see YOU trying." And to Scott, I would say "I asked you if you had any input or opinion on things and most of the time you didn't. How can you say your voice was not heard? If you really wanted to say something, you should have spoken up."
I recently contacted the House of Multicultural Affairs out of curiosity, to see if they had reestablished a group. They have not done so yet, but the current organizer said they are looking into it.
Well, it was certainly a learning experience. I lost touch with all of the group members after that day. I wish I could talk to them again. It really sucked to end that way after working together all year.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Thankful It's Over
Thanksgiving was a lot of fun, but I'm glad the driving is over. We travelled over four hours... first to see my mom and step-dad and that side of the family and second to see my dad and step-mom and her three daughters (two of whom I had never met). We spent 3 hours in each location. Tomorrow I will cook turkey and all the trimmings for James's side of our family. It was great to see everyone... and Christmas is just around the corner, so we'll see most of them again soon!
Thanksgiving was a lot of fun, but I'm glad the driving is over. We travelled over four hours... first to see my mom and step-dad and that side of the family and second to see my dad and step-mom and her three daughters (two of whom I had never met). We spent 3 hours in each location. Tomorrow I will cook turkey and all the trimmings for James's side of our family. It was great to see everyone... and Christmas is just around the corner, so we'll see most of them again soon!
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Harry Potter!!
I took a half day off of work on Friday to go see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with my friends. It was awesome! They really condensed the book down, but they did a great job of it. It is a huge book and I wondered where they would cut corners. Goblet had everything you could want in a movie... drama, humor, action, and even romance. It is now my favorite HP movie so far, followed by Prisoner of Azkaban, Sorcerer's Stone, and Chamber of Secrets. Chamber is still excellent, but it's my least favorite. I am still trying to figure out why Harry heard the basilisk speaking Parseltongue from inside the water pipes all year, yet when he met him face to serpenty face, the basilisk didn't say a single thing.
I am playing the Goblet of Fire video game... can't get enough Harry Potter.
I took a half day off of work on Friday to go see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with my friends. It was awesome! They really condensed the book down, but they did a great job of it. It is a huge book and I wondered where they would cut corners. Goblet had everything you could want in a movie... drama, humor, action, and even romance. It is now my favorite HP movie so far, followed by Prisoner of Azkaban, Sorcerer's Stone, and Chamber of Secrets. Chamber is still excellent, but it's my least favorite. I am still trying to figure out why Harry heard the basilisk speaking Parseltongue from inside the water pipes all year, yet when he met him face to serpenty face, the basilisk didn't say a single thing.
I am playing the Goblet of Fire video game... can't get enough Harry Potter.
Sunday, November 06, 2005
November Already?
Halloween came and went in a flash. Tess was the cutest witch! Now Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and it's going to be a busy one. It all starts on Wednesday, when I will be preparing dishes to take with me the following day. On Thanksgiving day we will travel down towards Bloomington to my mom's (a 1 hour, 20 minute drive), where we will eat Thanksgiving lunch (and a lot of dessert). At 3pm, we will depart mom's and head to Rushville (a 2 hour drive) to see my dad. His wife's three daughters will be there, and I have never met two of them. We will have Thanksgiving dinner there (and more dessert). Then we will head back home to Indianapolis (1 more hour in the car) that night. But it doesn't end there...
The next day, I will get up at 6am to dress yet another turkey and put it in the oven. James's parents, two siblings and their kids, and grandma are coming over for Thanksgiving at our house. Let's see, that's a total of 14 people. I will make potatoes and gravy, oyster dressing, cranberry sauce, rolls, pumpkin pie, and probably some deviled eggs. Good thing I like to cook.
Ah, the holidays... so relaxing...
Halloween came and went in a flash. Tess was the cutest witch! Now Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and it's going to be a busy one. It all starts on Wednesday, when I will be preparing dishes to take with me the following day. On Thanksgiving day we will travel down towards Bloomington to my mom's (a 1 hour, 20 minute drive), where we will eat Thanksgiving lunch (and a lot of dessert). At 3pm, we will depart mom's and head to Rushville (a 2 hour drive) to see my dad. His wife's three daughters will be there, and I have never met two of them. We will have Thanksgiving dinner there (and more dessert). Then we will head back home to Indianapolis (1 more hour in the car) that night. But it doesn't end there...
The next day, I will get up at 6am to dress yet another turkey and put it in the oven. James's parents, two siblings and their kids, and grandma are coming over for Thanksgiving at our house. Let's see, that's a total of 14 people. I will make potatoes and gravy, oyster dressing, cranberry sauce, rolls, pumpkin pie, and probably some deviled eggs. Good thing I like to cook.
Ah, the holidays... so relaxing...
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Baby Talk
Tess is 9 months old today. She's been out of the womb for as long as she was in. She's getting such a personality now... perhaps a bit of an attitude. She's adding more sounds to her vocabulary. She's crawling and pulling herself up. It's amazing how fast babies develop. I never knew that babies laughed so much. Tess laughs hysterically at the puppets in her Baby Einstein videos and at her daddy's antics. When she's happy, she says "da da da", but when she's mad, she says "ma ma ma". What a daddy's girl.
Tess is 9 months old today. She's been out of the womb for as long as she was in. She's getting such a personality now... perhaps a bit of an attitude. She's adding more sounds to her vocabulary. She's crawling and pulling herself up. It's amazing how fast babies develop. I never knew that babies laughed so much. Tess laughs hysterically at the puppets in her Baby Einstein videos and at her daddy's antics. When she's happy, she says "da da da", but when she's mad, she says "ma ma ma". What a daddy's girl.
Thursday, October 27, 2005
A Piece of My Ancestry Confirmed
One of my aunts (on my mother's side) recently took a trip to the Smokey Mountains and visited Cherokee, North Carolina. She did some research and found out what my family has long suspected: We are indeed part Cherokee... Western Cherokee to be specific. My aunt found the names of both Indian women in our family. I think she must have been looking at census records. Very cool!
One of my aunts (on my mother's side) recently took a trip to the Smokey Mountains and visited Cherokee, North Carolina. She did some research and found out what my family has long suspected: We are indeed part Cherokee... Western Cherokee to be specific. My aunt found the names of both Indian women in our family. I think she must have been looking at census records. Very cool!
Sammy Terry
horseman either. Kids were all over the place. It was like Chuck E Cheese in the woods.
Somewhere around 20 years ago I met Sammy Terry when he came to the Rushville movie theatre. He introduced a cheesy vampire movie, and after it was over, he signed autographs. I still have the poster that he signed. My mom said she also watched him when she was a kid, so he must be getting up there in age. This time I got a picture, although it was with my cell phone. His trademark laugh is still cool.
 | I met local TV legend Sammy Terry for the second time in my life tonight. At Conner Prairie (a living history museum) they have a Halloween event each year called The Headless Horseman. Sammy was there telling scary stories. There were so many people (mostly kids) that you could barely hear him. There was no way we were getting on the hayride to see the headless |
Somewhere around 20 years ago I met Sammy Terry when he came to the Rushville movie theatre. He introduced a cheesy vampire movie, and after it was over, he signed autographs. I still have the poster that he signed. My mom said she also watched him when she was a kid, so he must be getting up there in age. This time I got a picture, although it was with my cell phone. His trademark laugh is still cool.
Monday, October 17, 2005
The Greatest Inventions In My Lifetime
Ok, they may not be the greatest, but they have certainly improved my life...
1. Pay at the pump gasoline. No more waiting behind some guy with a mullet buying cigarettes and lottery tickets. In fact, you don't even have to go in! Pay at the pump has added hours to my life.
2. Remote control television. I remember sitting directly in front of the television and turning the knob between our five stations... that was channel hopping. I don't watch much television, but when I do, it's really nice to flip channels or activate the Xbox or DVD player from the couch.
3. The microwave. Ah... who could ever forget boiling water on the stove, reheating leftovers in the oven, and making popcorn in those little foil skillets? Those were the good old days. Actually, I hate microwave popcorn, but I have to admit that the microwave does make cooking easier.
4. The Internet (and wireless access). Not only does my career revolve around it, but it's a big part of my personal life. I stay in touch with friends through the Internet, and I can keep James informed on the baby's activities throughout the day. Wireless lets me work right where the baby is playing.
5. Debit cards. I remember my parents writing checks for EVERYTHING. Now, when someone is writing a check at the grocery store, you can see everyone behind them rolling their eyes and sighing. The debit card is so much faster!
6. Cell phones. Of course, I cannot leave this one off the list. My dad came to pick me up from the airport once at about 1:00 AM in the dead of winter. The car decided to break down on the way home. We were stuck on the side of a deserted highway in the snow. A cell phone would have been real handy right about then. Luckily, a tow truck eventually passed by and stopped to see if we needed help. Another time, I had a tire blow out on I-69. I had to walk at least a mile in the dark, which included hobbling down a steep downgrade by an on-ramp, to get to a pay phone. I was alone, and I had two different creepy people stop to see if I needed help. Again, a cell phone would have been nice. Never leave home without it!
Ok, they may not be the greatest, but they have certainly improved my life...
1. Pay at the pump gasoline. No more waiting behind some guy with a mullet buying cigarettes and lottery tickets. In fact, you don't even have to go in! Pay at the pump has added hours to my life.
2. Remote control television. I remember sitting directly in front of the television and turning the knob between our five stations... that was channel hopping. I don't watch much television, but when I do, it's really nice to flip channels or activate the Xbox or DVD player from the couch.
3. The microwave. Ah... who could ever forget boiling water on the stove, reheating leftovers in the oven, and making popcorn in those little foil skillets? Those were the good old days. Actually, I hate microwave popcorn, but I have to admit that the microwave does make cooking easier.
4. The Internet (and wireless access). Not only does my career revolve around it, but it's a big part of my personal life. I stay in touch with friends through the Internet, and I can keep James informed on the baby's activities throughout the day. Wireless lets me work right where the baby is playing.
5. Debit cards. I remember my parents writing checks for EVERYTHING. Now, when someone is writing a check at the grocery store, you can see everyone behind them rolling their eyes and sighing. The debit card is so much faster!
6. Cell phones. Of course, I cannot leave this one off the list. My dad came to pick me up from the airport once at about 1:00 AM in the dead of winter. The car decided to break down on the way home. We were stuck on the side of a deserted highway in the snow. A cell phone would have been real handy right about then. Luckily, a tow truck eventually passed by and stopped to see if we needed help. Another time, I had a tire blow out on I-69. I had to walk at least a mile in the dark, which included hobbling down a steep downgrade by an on-ramp, to get to a pay phone. I was alone, and I had two different creepy people stop to see if I needed help. Again, a cell phone would have been nice. Never leave home without it!
Superbugs and Trash
We live in a disposable society. Everything is thrown away, only to end up rotting ever so slowly in a landfill somewhere. I've often wondered where those landfills are and how close people are allowed to live. Surely the smell is overwhelming. I've never seen a landfill in person. I have no idea where my trash goes once it's picked up by the trash truck. Given the amount of trash generated by Americans, one would think the landfills would be reaching our own backyards at this point.
I have seen several products lately that make me wonder "Why?" because they are just adding to the problem. One of them is a plastic crock pot liner. You cook your food in a plastic bag lining the crock pot, and when you're done, you throw the liner away. What a waste! It's not that hard to wash the crock pot when you're done. Plus, just think of all the plastic chemicals that could be seeping into your food while it simmers all day long. Bon Appetit!
Another wasteful product is the toilet wand that has a throw away scrubber. After you scrub the toilet, you release the scrubber and flush it down the toilet. Yet another piece of unnecessary garbage. The basis for this wonder product is germs. The advertisers try to scare us into buying products like this with the threat of germs, but little do people realize that there are probably fewer germs on the toilet brush than on their tooth brush. This brings me to my next topic.
Not only are we creating mountains of trash every day, we are also creating superbugs. Every cleaning product is anti-bacterial now. You can't even find liquid hand soap that is NOT anti-bacterial. We are killing the good bacteria while trying so hard to get rid of the bad bacteria. The result is that the bacteria are evolving into superbugs: bugs that have developed a resistance to antibiotics. This problem, like the disposable products, can be traced back to companies trying to make a profit. "You must get rid of those bacteria, now here is the product to do so!" There is one commercial in particular where a woman is washing down her kitchen with a raw chicken breast. "If you're not using x product, you might as well be doing this", the commercial says. I never had salmonella growing up, and my mom didn't have these products. Good old soap and water works just fine. I try not to be sucked in to these gimmicks, but some of them do make life easier. Now excuse me while I go Swiffer the floor.
We live in a disposable society. Everything is thrown away, only to end up rotting ever so slowly in a landfill somewhere. I've often wondered where those landfills are and how close people are allowed to live. Surely the smell is overwhelming. I've never seen a landfill in person. I have no idea where my trash goes once it's picked up by the trash truck. Given the amount of trash generated by Americans, one would think the landfills would be reaching our own backyards at this point.
I have seen several products lately that make me wonder "Why?" because they are just adding to the problem. One of them is a plastic crock pot liner. You cook your food in a plastic bag lining the crock pot, and when you're done, you throw the liner away. What a waste! It's not that hard to wash the crock pot when you're done. Plus, just think of all the plastic chemicals that could be seeping into your food while it simmers all day long. Bon Appetit!
Another wasteful product is the toilet wand that has a throw away scrubber. After you scrub the toilet, you release the scrubber and flush it down the toilet. Yet another piece of unnecessary garbage. The basis for this wonder product is germs. The advertisers try to scare us into buying products like this with the threat of germs, but little do people realize that there are probably fewer germs on the toilet brush than on their tooth brush. This brings me to my next topic.
Not only are we creating mountains of trash every day, we are also creating superbugs. Every cleaning product is anti-bacterial now. You can't even find liquid hand soap that is NOT anti-bacterial. We are killing the good bacteria while trying so hard to get rid of the bad bacteria. The result is that the bacteria are evolving into superbugs: bugs that have developed a resistance to antibiotics. This problem, like the disposable products, can be traced back to companies trying to make a profit. "You must get rid of those bacteria, now here is the product to do so!" There is one commercial in particular where a woman is washing down her kitchen with a raw chicken breast. "If you're not using x product, you might as well be doing this", the commercial says. I never had salmonella growing up, and my mom didn't have these products. Good old soap and water works just fine. I try not to be sucked in to these gimmicks, but some of them do make life easier. Now excuse me while I go Swiffer the floor.
Monday, October 03, 2005
You Say It's Your Birthday
I'm 32 today. I'd like to stay at this age and not grow any older. It's been an exciting year with the new addition to our family, Tess Elizabeth. She is 8 months old, and we can't imagine life without her now. Where does the time go?
The arrival of my birthday also means we're in my favorite season. It's getting darker earlier, and the air is taking on that cool, crisp quality that can only mean one thing... it's autumn! Time for pumpkin carving, hot apple cider, and Halloween. I'm going to be a witch this year, and so is Tess. We found the cutest little costume for her. I was excited to find a "scary" costume for a baby. Most of them are cutesy animals. Who wants to be a cow or a lion for Halloween? Not my baby!
Happy October!
I'm 32 today. I'd like to stay at this age and not grow any older. It's been an exciting year with the new addition to our family, Tess Elizabeth. She is 8 months old, and we can't imagine life without her now. Where does the time go?
The arrival of my birthday also means we're in my favorite season. It's getting darker earlier, and the air is taking on that cool, crisp quality that can only mean one thing... it's autumn! Time for pumpkin carving, hot apple cider, and Halloween. I'm going to be a witch this year, and so is Tess. We found the cutest little costume for her. I was excited to find a "scary" costume for a baby. Most of them are cutesy animals. Who wants to be a cow or a lion for Halloween? Not my baby!
Happy October!
Thursday, September 01, 2005
When the Levee Breaks
Like everyone else following the news about the devastating after-effects of Hurricane Katrina, I am very depressed about the situation. I have tried to imagine just how bad it is for the people living through it, especially in New Orleans; their houses full of toxic water, no drinking water or food, no power, and no sewage system. Not to mention the dead bodies that have yet to be collected.
This was the hurricane that New Orleans had been dreading. The local and national government officials knew that the levees could not handle that much water. Now, instead of spending the 60 million required to improve the levee system in New Orleans (which is a drop in the bucket compared to what they have spent on the war in Iraq), we have a multi-billion dollar disaster on our hands that is effecting everyone in the country. Thank you, government, for screwing up AGAIN.
I have visited New Orleans 5 times, and I have a site devoted to it. It was such a cool city. It will never be the same again and neither will the people who lived there.
Like everyone else following the news about the devastating after-effects of Hurricane Katrina, I am very depressed about the situation. I have tried to imagine just how bad it is for the people living through it, especially in New Orleans; their houses full of toxic water, no drinking water or food, no power, and no sewage system. Not to mention the dead bodies that have yet to be collected.
This was the hurricane that New Orleans had been dreading. The local and national government officials knew that the levees could not handle that much water. Now, instead of spending the 60 million required to improve the levee system in New Orleans (which is a drop in the bucket compared to what they have spent on the war in Iraq), we have a multi-billion dollar disaster on our hands that is effecting everyone in the country. Thank you, government, for screwing up AGAIN.
I have visited New Orleans 5 times, and I have a site devoted to it. It was such a cool city. It will never be the same again and neither will the people who lived there.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
The Hummingbirds and The Bees
I don't know how "the birds and the bees" became the synonym for the sex talk that most parents have with their kids at some point. Given the subject it's referring to, you'd think that birds and bees would actually get along, but they don't.
My mom gave me a hummingbird feeder, and I followed her instructions of mixing 1 part sugar with 4 parts water in a pan and bringing it to a boil on the stove. Well, not only am I feeding hummingbirds, but there seems to be a large bee population gathered at the feeder. When a hummingbird flies up to get a drink of sugar water, the bees actually chase it away! I've witnessed hummingbirds and bees fighting at the feeder. So much for birds and bees living in harmony.
I don't know how "the birds and the bees" became the synonym for the sex talk that most parents have with their kids at some point. Given the subject it's referring to, you'd think that birds and bees would actually get along, but they don't.
My mom gave me a hummingbird feeder, and I followed her instructions of mixing 1 part sugar with 4 parts water in a pan and bringing it to a boil on the stove. Well, not only am I feeding hummingbirds, but there seems to be a large bee population gathered at the feeder. When a hummingbird flies up to get a drink of sugar water, the bees actually chase it away! I've witnessed hummingbirds and bees fighting at the feeder. So much for birds and bees living in harmony.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Give me a Big Mac or give me death
I am tired of fast food restaurants making lame efforts to appeal to so-called “health-minded” individuals. When I walk into a McDonald’s, I expect to eat fried, fatty food. That’s why I go there! If I wanted something healthy, I would go somewhere else or I’d just stay home and cook.
The lawsuit I heard about several months ago really baffled me. Someone was suing McDonald’s for making them obese. Everyone knows that fast food is bad for you (see the documentary “Super Size Me” if you are unsure), so you can’t blame McDonald’s for making you fat. There is always a choice. No one is forcing you to stuff that Triple Quarter Pounder with cheese and Super Sized fries down your throat. Thankfully, that lawsuit was thrown out. If the obese person had won, it would have caused a barrage of frivolous lawsuits. I can just see it now…
Joe Blow vs. Dairy Queen: Seeking $500,000 in damages caused by repeated ice cream headaches.
Jane Smith vs. Krispy Kreme: Claims the three doughnuts she was allowed to purchase thwarted her Weight Watchers plan.
I’m sure you get the idea. It’s kind of like a person with lung cancer suing a tobacco company. The bottom line is, this is America. We have lots of choices. It is up to you to make the right ones. Otherwise, shut up and suffer the consequences.
I am tired of fast food restaurants making lame efforts to appeal to so-called “health-minded” individuals. When I walk into a McDonald’s, I expect to eat fried, fatty food. That’s why I go there! If I wanted something healthy, I would go somewhere else or I’d just stay home and cook.
The lawsuit I heard about several months ago really baffled me. Someone was suing McDonald’s for making them obese. Everyone knows that fast food is bad for you (see the documentary “Super Size Me” if you are unsure), so you can’t blame McDonald’s for making you fat. There is always a choice. No one is forcing you to stuff that Triple Quarter Pounder with cheese and Super Sized fries down your throat. Thankfully, that lawsuit was thrown out. If the obese person had won, it would have caused a barrage of frivolous lawsuits. I can just see it now…
Joe Blow vs. Dairy Queen: Seeking $500,000 in damages caused by repeated ice cream headaches.
Jane Smith vs. Krispy Kreme: Claims the three doughnuts she was allowed to purchase thwarted her Weight Watchers plan.
I’m sure you get the idea. It’s kind of like a person with lung cancer suing a tobacco company. The bottom line is, this is America. We have lots of choices. It is up to you to make the right ones. Otherwise, shut up and suffer the consequences.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Music Milling
I attended another concert last night: Glen Phillips. He is/was the singer for Toad the Wet Sprocket. It was an excellent show in a small venue called the Music Mill. Just Glen and his guitar, and he was great.
I like the Music Mill because it is non-smoking. I feel so old because things like that matter to me. I hate to come home stinking like an ashtray.
I waited around afterwards, but Glen did not come out to sign autographs. My friend Brandi and I saw Toad years ago, and we didn't wait to meet them. I've always wished we had stayed. We saw them at Bogarts in Cincinnati, and it was pretty easy to meet bands there. We met Live, Teenage Fanclub, Cheap Trick, and a few no-name acts at Bogarts. Maybe I will meet Glen next time, if he ever comes back around.
I attended another concert last night: Glen Phillips. He is/was the singer for Toad the Wet Sprocket. It was an excellent show in a small venue called the Music Mill. Just Glen and his guitar, and he was great.
I like the Music Mill because it is non-smoking. I feel so old because things like that matter to me. I hate to come home stinking like an ashtray.
I waited around afterwards, but Glen did not come out to sign autographs. My friend Brandi and I saw Toad years ago, and we didn't wait to meet them. I've always wished we had stayed. We saw them at Bogarts in Cincinnati, and it was pretty easy to meet bands there. We met Live, Teenage Fanclub, Cheap Trick, and a few no-name acts at Bogarts. Maybe I will meet Glen next time, if he ever comes back around.
Monday, July 25, 2005
Cellular Glow
Last night I went to see Duran Duran in concert. At most of the concerts I've attended (which is something like 80 or 90 concerts that I have ticket stubs for), people hold up lighters to create a sea of miniature, flickering flames stretching out in front of the band. Last night I noticed that instead of lighters, people were holding up their cell phones in hopes of catching a decent photo of the band (or rather, of Simon LeBon or John Taylor). It was a sea of cell phone screens from my balcony view. It just reminded me of how gadget crazy we have become.
On another note, the concert was good. They did every Duran Duran classic I can think of, except "Union of the Snake", which happens to be one of their greatest songs. Oh well. I was excited to hear "Ordinary World" and another song that I had completely forgotten about, "Come Undone". Simon was very energetic. He and John had the girls screaming throughout the show. During the show, I found myself wondering which of them was wearing a toupee or had used a hair regrowth product. I mean, what are the chances that out of five men, none of them are going bald?
Last night I went to see Duran Duran in concert. At most of the concerts I've attended (which is something like 80 or 90 concerts that I have ticket stubs for), people hold up lighters to create a sea of miniature, flickering flames stretching out in front of the band. Last night I noticed that instead of lighters, people were holding up their cell phones in hopes of catching a decent photo of the band (or rather, of Simon LeBon or John Taylor). It was a sea of cell phone screens from my balcony view. It just reminded me of how gadget crazy we have become.
On another note, the concert was good. They did every Duran Duran classic I can think of, except "Union of the Snake", which happens to be one of their greatest songs. Oh well. I was excited to hear "Ordinary World" and another song that I had completely forgotten about, "Come Undone". Simon was very energetic. He and John had the girls screaming throughout the show. During the show, I found myself wondering which of them was wearing a toupee or had used a hair regrowth product. I mean, what are the chances that out of five men, none of them are going bald?
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Baby News
Last night Tess slept through the night, but I did not give her any rice cereal. I guess the rice cereal really wasn't helping her sleep through the night after all. I think I will wait until she is six months old before starting back up on the cereal. I gave her a tiny taste of smashed banana last night and she seemed to like it. Her first reaction to anything going in her mouth is to stick her tongue out (the tongue-thrust reflex), so I don't think she's ready for solids just yet.
Last night Tess slept through the night, but I did not give her any rice cereal. I guess the rice cereal really wasn't helping her sleep through the night after all. I think I will wait until she is six months old before starting back up on the cereal. I gave her a tiny taste of smashed banana last night and she seemed to like it. Her first reaction to anything going in her mouth is to stick her tongue out (the tongue-thrust reflex), so I don't think she's ready for solids just yet.
Friday, July 08, 2005
My Love/Hate Relationship With eBay
I have a somewhat expensive hobby of collecting Barbies. I believe I have somewhere between 75 and 100 Barbies still in their boxes. They take up space that we really don't have (our 80's house has very small closets and no basement, so they sit in boxes and tubs in our spare bedroom), but that doesn't stop me from buying them.
When Mattel discontinued the old line of "Dolls of the World" and replaced it with the "Princess Dolls of the World" line, I didn't think I would buy them. I knew there would be an endless stream of these dolls, given the number of countries in the world. Well, by the time the third doll came out, Princess of the Incas -- did the Incas really have royalty? Anyway... I bought it. Since then, I have purchased every single princess Barbie. I missed the first two though, and I've been patiently waiting for the prices to come down on eBay. Each princess doll is $20 in the store, but the first two are currently selling from $50 and up on eBay. That's a little better than the original eBay going price, which was over $100.
I love eBay because I can find Barbies that I probably wouldn't normally be able to get, such as Peaches 'N Cream Barbie. She is from the early 80's. Mine was stolen by my babysitter the day after Christmas, and I never got it back, so I bought one on eBay. It helped to relieve the bitterness I had about that situation...
The thing I hate about eBay is that it floods the market with items that are supposed to be rare. Great for the buyer, bad for the seller. I have tried to sell a few Barbies on eBay, but all of my auctions failed. I refuse to sell an item for less than what I paid. I was shocked that the first two princess Barbies were going for so much. They will come down eventually. Then it will be another 20 years or more until they will be worth anything. Thanks to eBay, Barbies must obtain vintage status before you can get anything for them. That is, unless you can find that one rare opportunity where everyone missed out on the first item in a series and sell it.
I have a somewhat expensive hobby of collecting Barbies. I believe I have somewhere between 75 and 100 Barbies still in their boxes. They take up space that we really don't have (our 80's house has very small closets and no basement, so they sit in boxes and tubs in our spare bedroom), but that doesn't stop me from buying them.
When Mattel discontinued the old line of "Dolls of the World" and replaced it with the "Princess Dolls of the World" line, I didn't think I would buy them. I knew there would be an endless stream of these dolls, given the number of countries in the world. Well, by the time the third doll came out, Princess of the Incas -- did the Incas really have royalty? Anyway... I bought it. Since then, I have purchased every single princess Barbie. I missed the first two though, and I've been patiently waiting for the prices to come down on eBay. Each princess doll is $20 in the store, but the first two are currently selling from $50 and up on eBay. That's a little better than the original eBay going price, which was over $100.
I love eBay because I can find Barbies that I probably wouldn't normally be able to get, such as Peaches 'N Cream Barbie. She is from the early 80's. Mine was stolen by my babysitter the day after Christmas, and I never got it back, so I bought one on eBay. It helped to relieve the bitterness I had about that situation...
The thing I hate about eBay is that it floods the market with items that are supposed to be rare. Great for the buyer, bad for the seller. I have tried to sell a few Barbies on eBay, but all of my auctions failed. I refuse to sell an item for less than what I paid. I was shocked that the first two princess Barbies were going for so much. They will come down eventually. Then it will be another 20 years or more until they will be worth anything. Thanks to eBay, Barbies must obtain vintage status before you can get anything for them. That is, unless you can find that one rare opportunity where everyone missed out on the first item in a series and sell it.
Friday, July 01, 2005
Five Months Have Flown By
Tess is now five months old. I can't believe how fast the time goes. She has changed so much since being a sleepy newborn. She is extremely alert, focusing on objects and studying them... she's a miniature scientist. She recently discovered her feet, and she thinks it is great fun to hold onto them. She grabs a foot in each hand and giggles. Another of her favorite pastimes is blowing raspberries. I didn't know babies made so many cute noises until Tess came along. She still doesn't exhibit much interest in rolling over, but she does roll onto her side to look in her baby mirror or to grab a toy.
About two weeks ago, Tess started sleeping through the night (of course, mommy still woke up for the first few nights). We started her on a little rice cereal before bed. She still wakes up occasionally, so daddy will get her out of the crib and bring her to me. When that happens, she usually ends up staying with us until morning, but she spends most nights in her crib. Hurrah for rice cereal!
Tess is now five months old. I can't believe how fast the time goes. She has changed so much since being a sleepy newborn. She is extremely alert, focusing on objects and studying them... she's a miniature scientist. She recently discovered her feet, and she thinks it is great fun to hold onto them. She grabs a foot in each hand and giggles. Another of her favorite pastimes is blowing raspberries. I didn't know babies made so many cute noises until Tess came along. She still doesn't exhibit much interest in rolling over, but she does roll onto her side to look in her baby mirror or to grab a toy.
About two weeks ago, Tess started sleeping through the night (of course, mommy still woke up for the first few nights). We started her on a little rice cereal before bed. She still wakes up occasionally, so daddy will get her out of the crib and bring her to me. When that happens, she usually ends up staying with us until morning, but she spends most nights in her crib. Hurrah for rice cereal!
Monday, May 16, 2005
Feeling Porky
One interesting attribute left over from my pregnancy is that I cannot eat enough pork products. Before I was pregnant, I rarely ate pork. I had the occasional sausage or ham at holidays, and that was about it. During the first and second trimesters of the pregnancy, I found all kinds of meat repulsive. I ate a lot of beans during that time... then the third trimester hit. I had to have sausage, pork BBQ, ham, or anything else made from the heavenly hog. Tess is almost 4 months old, and it has not stopped! I used to eat a lot of chicken, but that doesn't sound good to me very often anymore. I'll take a pork BBQ sandwich and a sausage link on the side, please! We have fired up the grill a few times already this year, and we made butterflied pork chops in a Hawaiian marinade. Yum!
Hopefully this new pork addiction will not cause me to "pork out" anymore than the pregnancy already has...
One interesting attribute left over from my pregnancy is that I cannot eat enough pork products. Before I was pregnant, I rarely ate pork. I had the occasional sausage or ham at holidays, and that was about it. During the first and second trimesters of the pregnancy, I found all kinds of meat repulsive. I ate a lot of beans during that time... then the third trimester hit. I had to have sausage, pork BBQ, ham, or anything else made from the heavenly hog. Tess is almost 4 months old, and it has not stopped! I used to eat a lot of chicken, but that doesn't sound good to me very often anymore. I'll take a pork BBQ sandwich and a sausage link on the side, please! We have fired up the grill a few times already this year, and we made butterflied pork chops in a Hawaiian marinade. Yum!
Hopefully this new pork addiction will not cause me to "pork out" anymore than the pregnancy already has...
Monday, April 18, 2005
Monday, April 11, 2005
Sikh & Find
Friday we arrived in Kansas City for a Sikh wedding. Tess was really good on the plane. There was a ceremony Friday night where the bride and groom's family exchanged garlands. Lots of drums and dancing. It was pretty cool to see a bunch of men in turbans dancing. The food was good too. It was Indian cuisine. I loved the appetizers... little potato cakes, spicy chicken, and lamb "sausages". I don't know what any of it was called.
We went to the Sikh wedding Saturday... I was incorrect when I said it was Hindu before. We had to wear scarves on our heads and take our shoes off when we went into the temple, which was just a big room with a few decorations. Everyone sat on the floor. The ceremony was very long... it seemed really long to me because I was wearing a dress that is too small (none of my old dress clothes fit since Tess was born), and I could only sit in two positions without revealing too much. Tess slept through the whole thing. The music was pretty cool... there were guys playing drums and some kind of eastern-sounding keyboard. At the temple they gave us lunch. Everyone sat on the floor again, and the servers walked around dishing food out of buckets. I thought the highlight of this meal was the carrot pudding that we had for dessert. It was delicious.
Saturday night they had a reception at a really nice place in downtown KC. This was pretty similar to an American wedding reception, but they were playing Indian pop music, and it was so incredibly loud that we had to leave right after we ate. The music was scaring Tess. I couldn't believe how loud it was, and even the older Indian men didn't seem to mind. Maybe it was because their turbans covered their ears. The food was so good at all the meals... James and I loaded up and talked about where we could get more food like it in Indianapolis. We have a favorite Indian restaurant, Taj of India, but I am not sure if we know what to ask for.
On the plane back to Indianapolis, Tess cried at first, but once we took off, she fell asleep. When we got off the plane, someone came up to me and complimented the baby on being so good. During the whole weekend, Tess was the center of attention everywhere we went. Strangers were commenting on how pretty she is. I didn't realize how much people love babies!
Friday we arrived in Kansas City for a Sikh wedding. Tess was really good on the plane. There was a ceremony Friday night where the bride and groom's family exchanged garlands. Lots of drums and dancing. It was pretty cool to see a bunch of men in turbans dancing. The food was good too. It was Indian cuisine. I loved the appetizers... little potato cakes, spicy chicken, and lamb "sausages". I don't know what any of it was called.
We went to the Sikh wedding Saturday... I was incorrect when I said it was Hindu before. We had to wear scarves on our heads and take our shoes off when we went into the temple, which was just a big room with a few decorations. Everyone sat on the floor. The ceremony was very long... it seemed really long to me because I was wearing a dress that is too small (none of my old dress clothes fit since Tess was born), and I could only sit in two positions without revealing too much. Tess slept through the whole thing. The music was pretty cool... there were guys playing drums and some kind of eastern-sounding keyboard. At the temple they gave us lunch. Everyone sat on the floor again, and the servers walked around dishing food out of buckets. I thought the highlight of this meal was the carrot pudding that we had for dessert. It was delicious.
Saturday night they had a reception at a really nice place in downtown KC. This was pretty similar to an American wedding reception, but they were playing Indian pop music, and it was so incredibly loud that we had to leave right after we ate. The music was scaring Tess. I couldn't believe how loud it was, and even the older Indian men didn't seem to mind. Maybe it was because their turbans covered their ears. The food was so good at all the meals... James and I loaded up and talked about where we could get more food like it in Indianapolis. We have a favorite Indian restaurant, Taj of India, but I am not sure if we know what to ask for.
On the plane back to Indianapolis, Tess cried at first, but once we took off, she fell asleep. When we got off the plane, someone came up to me and complimented the baby on being so good. During the whole weekend, Tess was the center of attention everywhere we went. Strangers were commenting on how pretty she is. I didn't realize how much people love babies!
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
| A Rishi Retrospective | |
 | This time last year I was treating my cat, Rishi, for cancer. He was still active and seemed mostly normal for the first part of April. He was bird watching and chasing leaves in the yard. He could still eat soft food at that point. |
| I try to remember him as happy, healthy, and playful. I think about him every day. | |
Life Is Good
The grass is finally green, the daffodils and hyacinth are blooming, the temperatures are warm, and my daughter is healthy. I weighed her yesterday, and she is 14 lbs 11 oz. She is only 9 weeks old! I was worried that she might be getting TOO big. The Lactation Consultant told me to feed her whenever she wants, and it will all even out in the end. Apparently it's impossible to feed the baby too much breastmilk.
Tess is a very happy baby. She smiles a lot, and her dad and I can make her smile at the drop of a hat. I'm so glad she is a good baby. I don't know how I would get anything done during the day if she were fussy all the time. It's hard enough now because I don't want to miss a single smile or giggle.
The grass is finally green, the daffodils and hyacinth are blooming, the temperatures are warm, and my daughter is healthy. I weighed her yesterday, and she is 14 lbs 11 oz. She is only 9 weeks old! I was worried that she might be getting TOO big. The Lactation Consultant told me to feed her whenever she wants, and it will all even out in the end. Apparently it's impossible to feed the baby too much breastmilk.
Tess is a very happy baby. She smiles a lot, and her dad and I can make her smile at the drop of a hat. I'm so glad she is a good baby. I don't know how I would get anything done during the day if she were fussy all the time. It's hard enough now because I don't want to miss a single smile or giggle.
Daddy and Tess
As I mentioned before, we are taking Tess on a plane to Kansas City, MO this Friday. Hard to believe I am now one of those people with a baby that used to annoy me. At least my baby is well behaved and her diapers don't stink (yet).
Friday, April 01, 2005
Kosher Kitties
I always give my cat some soft food around holidays as a special treat. At Thanksgiving and Christmas I give her turkey Fancy Feast because we're having turkey. During the recent Easter holiday, we were having ham, and I realized that there are no pork flavored soft cat foods. They have every fish, chicken, and beef flavor under the sun, but no pork. I wonder why? Merlin is eager to eat ham when we have it, so I think that she would like it.
I always give my cat some soft food around holidays as a special treat. At Thanksgiving and Christmas I give her turkey Fancy Feast because we're having turkey. During the recent Easter holiday, we were having ham, and I realized that there are no pork flavored soft cat foods. They have every fish, chicken, and beef flavor under the sun, but no pork. I wonder why? Merlin is eager to eat ham when we have it, so I think that she would like it.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
March Madness
For me, March Madness has not been about basketball but my hectic schedule. We have had lots of visitors, and we have travelled to visit them too. I started working again. I'm working from home, which is interesting. I love being home with the baby, but it can be difficult to accomplish anything when she's awake. I have to put her in her swing a lot.
Tess is growing like crazy. She is changing a little every day. She recently started vocalizing more... not crying, but cooing, sighing, and even the occasional scream. She smiles all the time. It's adorable! I'm so glad we have a happy, laid-back baby. If only she would sleep in her bassinet, she would be the perfect angel. We have to put her in her swing to get her to sleep or she has to sleep right next to me in our bed. That's a habit I don't want to start. I'm going to try putting her on a sleep wedge in her crib. Perhaps she wants to be elevated a little.
Breastfeeding is still quite painful. I am not sure what the problem is. The lactation consultant said the "latch" looks fine. Tess and I have both been treated for yeast in case that was causing the pain, and I've tried Lansinoh and various other ointments. It's not so unbearable that I can't continue, but it would be nice if I could experience the pain-free nursing that other people talk about.
Easter is coming up, and we're hosting 20 or so people at our house for dinner. I decided to give Heavenly Ham a try instead of trying to cook my own. Are we crazy for hosting such a huge party with a newborn? Probably... but most of my mom's family has not met Tess yet, so this will give them the chance to see her.
We are flying to Kansas City for a Hindu wedding on April 8. We are probably crazy for taking a two month old baby on a plane too, but we couldn't pass up the opportunity to attend this event. I think it will be fun, and the Indian food is sure to be wonderful!
Busy, busy. Tess is going to grow up so fast. I can't believe that in about 8 or 9 months she'll be walking. Time does fly when you're having fun.
For me, March Madness has not been about basketball but my hectic schedule. We have had lots of visitors, and we have travelled to visit them too. I started working again. I'm working from home, which is interesting. I love being home with the baby, but it can be difficult to accomplish anything when she's awake. I have to put her in her swing a lot.
Tess is growing like crazy. She is changing a little every day. She recently started vocalizing more... not crying, but cooing, sighing, and even the occasional scream. She smiles all the time. It's adorable! I'm so glad we have a happy, laid-back baby. If only she would sleep in her bassinet, she would be the perfect angel. We have to put her in her swing to get her to sleep or she has to sleep right next to me in our bed. That's a habit I don't want to start. I'm going to try putting her on a sleep wedge in her crib. Perhaps she wants to be elevated a little.
Breastfeeding is still quite painful. I am not sure what the problem is. The lactation consultant said the "latch" looks fine. Tess and I have both been treated for yeast in case that was causing the pain, and I've tried Lansinoh and various other ointments. It's not so unbearable that I can't continue, but it would be nice if I could experience the pain-free nursing that other people talk about.
Easter is coming up, and we're hosting 20 or so people at our house for dinner. I decided to give Heavenly Ham a try instead of trying to cook my own. Are we crazy for hosting such a huge party with a newborn? Probably... but most of my mom's family has not met Tess yet, so this will give them the chance to see her.
We are flying to Kansas City for a Hindu wedding on April 8. We are probably crazy for taking a two month old baby on a plane too, but we couldn't pass up the opportunity to attend this event. I think it will be fun, and the Indian food is sure to be wonderful!
Busy, busy. Tess is going to grow up so fast. I can't believe that in about 8 or 9 months she'll be walking. Time does fly when you're having fun.
Friday, February 18, 2005
February - A Month of Pain and Joy
I've been busy... taking care of a newborn while recovering from surgery is tiring!
Tess made her grand entrance into the world on February 1, 2005. I was induced because my doctor thought she might be getting too big to deliver naturally. We arrived at the hospital at 6:30 AM. I was hooked up to Pitocin by 7:30. For the first few hours, I tolerated the contractions fine, but when they became 1 minute apart and extremely painful (Pitocin is known for that), I knew I would not have energy to push when the time came, and I asked for an epidural. The epidural took away the pain, but my blood pressure got very low, so they had to give me epinephrine and lower my pain medicine dose. By 4:00 PM, I was fully dilated, and the epidural had worn off. My doctor told me it was time to push.
I pushed for two hours, and it was the most painful experience of my life. The baby's head was very high up, and it was sideways, so the doctor tried to turn her head while I pushed. Excrutiating! They had me try the squatting position, but the baby's head refused to come down. They told me I was a good pusher, but I felt like a bit of a failure for not being able to push the baby out. She was just too big. At 6:00 PM, my doctor recommended a c-section. Tess was out at 6:35. By then I was so relieved that she was out that I didn't care about the c-section.
I was quite alert for the whole thing (and shivering from the epidural), and the nurses couldn't believe I could move my legs right after the surgery. It seemed like hours before James and I could finally hold our daughter. It seemed even longer before I could have something to drink. I've never been so thirsty in my whole life! I had a Gatorade at 6:30 AM, and I didn't have another drink until around 8:30 PM. I chugged everything James put in my hands. They told me to take it easy, but I never felt nauseated. Of course, it was all worth it to have Tess. We were overjoyed that she was finally out! What an adorable baby...
I recovered very quickly, but it was painful. In fact, almost 3 weeks later, I'm still in pain. Breastfeeding is painful until I get used to it. I've had a bout with the flu. It could be a secondary infection from the c-section, but it seemed like the flu to me. My whole body ached, and I had a fever of 102 for two days. It was extremely difficult to care for Tess when I could barely get myself off of the couch. My doctor put me on antibiotics just in case.
In between the pain, I also have incredibly happy times when the baby smiles or just sleeps peacefully. She is so cute! James and I couldn't be happier with her. She is not on a schedule, and we are tired, but we love her and we love being parents.
Tess Elizabeth
Born February 1, 2005 at 6:35 PM
Weight: 8 lbs 12 oz
Length: 21 inches
I've been busy... taking care of a newborn while recovering from surgery is tiring!
Tess made her grand entrance into the world on February 1, 2005. I was induced because my doctor thought she might be getting too big to deliver naturally. We arrived at the hospital at 6:30 AM. I was hooked up to Pitocin by 7:30. For the first few hours, I tolerated the contractions fine, but when they became 1 minute apart and extremely painful (Pitocin is known for that), I knew I would not have energy to push when the time came, and I asked for an epidural. The epidural took away the pain, but my blood pressure got very low, so they had to give me epinephrine and lower my pain medicine dose. By 4:00 PM, I was fully dilated, and the epidural had worn off. My doctor told me it was time to push.
I pushed for two hours, and it was the most painful experience of my life. The baby's head was very high up, and it was sideways, so the doctor tried to turn her head while I pushed. Excrutiating! They had me try the squatting position, but the baby's head refused to come down. They told me I was a good pusher, but I felt like a bit of a failure for not being able to push the baby out. She was just too big. At 6:00 PM, my doctor recommended a c-section. Tess was out at 6:35. By then I was so relieved that she was out that I didn't care about the c-section.
I was quite alert for the whole thing (and shivering from the epidural), and the nurses couldn't believe I could move my legs right after the surgery. It seemed like hours before James and I could finally hold our daughter. It seemed even longer before I could have something to drink. I've never been so thirsty in my whole life! I had a Gatorade at 6:30 AM, and I didn't have another drink until around 8:30 PM. I chugged everything James put in my hands. They told me to take it easy, but I never felt nauseated. Of course, it was all worth it to have Tess. We were overjoyed that she was finally out! What an adorable baby...
I recovered very quickly, but it was painful. In fact, almost 3 weeks later, I'm still in pain. Breastfeeding is painful until I get used to it. I've had a bout with the flu. It could be a secondary infection from the c-section, but it seemed like the flu to me. My whole body ached, and I had a fever of 102 for two days. It was extremely difficult to care for Tess when I could barely get myself off of the couch. My doctor put me on antibiotics just in case.
In between the pain, I also have incredibly happy times when the baby smiles or just sleeps peacefully. She is so cute! James and I couldn't be happier with her. She is not on a schedule, and we are tired, but we love her and we love being parents.
Tess Elizabeth
Born February 1, 2005 at 6:35 PM
Weight: 8 lbs 12 oz
Length: 21 inches
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
The Final Countdown...
Well, the full moon came and went, and I am still pregnant. I'm excited though, because the end is in sight. If the baby doesn't come out on her own before February 1, they are going to induce me. The doctor is afraid that the baby will be too big to pass through the birth canal if I go past my due date. Six days or less to be pregnant! Woo hoo! I've got to say, though, that this pregnancy has been pretty easy. I did not become terribly uncomfortable until these last couple of weeks. I cannot wait to meet my daughter!
Well, the full moon came and went, and I am still pregnant. I'm excited though, because the end is in sight. If the baby doesn't come out on her own before February 1, they are going to induce me. The doctor is afraid that the baby will be too big to pass through the birth canal if I go past my due date. Six days or less to be pregnant! Woo hoo! I've got to say, though, that this pregnancy has been pretty easy. I did not become terribly uncomfortable until these last couple of weeks. I cannot wait to meet my daughter!
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Full Term
The baby is full term (37 weeks) as of yesterday. She could decide to make her arrival any day now. I told her to feel free to come out now... mommy is ready. It's getting harder to function with this huge belly.
I have started dilating. The doctor felt the baby's head through the cervix and bag of waters yesterday. Fascinating that the baby is right there but may not come out for 3 more weeks.
The baby is full term (37 weeks) as of yesterday. She could decide to make her arrival any day now. I told her to feel free to come out now... mommy is ready. It's getting harder to function with this huge belly.
I have started dilating. The doctor felt the baby's head through the cervix and bag of waters yesterday. Fascinating that the baby is right there but may not come out for 3 more weeks.
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