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Salutations!

What up!?!!??!?
I am back at it. Christmas was LOVELY! The wife and I got to do the family thing with both sets, we got to hang out with our super-cool friend Scotty-D who prepares a MEAN fondue! The lovely wife has never had the opportunity to try fondue, and neither had I, and I must say that we were impressed. So much so, that I think I'm gonna go out and get a fondue set of my own. Now, I know that it will soon share the same fate as our electric waffle iron, our magic pizza chef, and our espresso machine that sit in the basement junk- uh... Storeroom, but-
No matter! I have the money to be wasted on impractical cooking gadgets, and waste money I will. Right now, a fondue set seems fun, and by God, if only for 10 minutes, fun is fun!
No really, If I can find one that is relatively inexpensive, then I may procure one. It would be fun to host a fondue party, and quite romantic for the wife and I to use alone.

We also got to hang with our friends Matt&Jess from Los Angeles. They are such a breath of fresh air, and we really had a good time with them. They accompanied us to a pretty good Thai restaurant, and hung out with us at the house. As usual, they gave us incredible insight in terms of our relationship, us as individuals, and married life. It was cool to receive as well as give food for thought to friends who we know will give what was said as much consideration as we will.

I've been missing my immediate family who lives in Florida this Holiday season. I want to see them, but I can wait till the sprout arrives. (Barely)

The sprout has still been kicking like Jackie Chan, the room is finished, except for some last minute cloud mobile things I decided to make out of poster board, cotton balls, and glitter. All I have to do is hang them from the ceiling, and I promise I will post photos of the sprout's room.

That's pretty much all I've got. Oh yeah, my favorite gift was a considerably less holed-up pair of long johns. (thermal underwear) I got to give 'em a test run this morning while walking the dogs, and I must say, they worked like a charm. The lovely wife knows that the fastest way to my heart is a warm set of breeches.
Feel free to tell me what your favorite gift was for the Holiday.
PEACE.

Interesting Stuff...

I think I'm just gonna give some shout outs and references to a couple websites tonite before I wish A Very Merry.
First and foremost, I was referred to a site by my favorite co-worker, (let's just call her WISCONSIN) called Tasvu. This website is a sort of link to all kinds of beautiful artistic strangeness. you can find super-cool euro clothing that is COMPLETELY out of my price range- $350 bucks for a winter vest, $400 smackers for a pair of jeans, etc. You can look at various illustrator's artwork, amazing photographers with photoshop manipulated works, and other photographs that contain colors so vivid, they almost look as if they've been rendered with day-glo paint. My favorite photo is from Nadege Meriau of a cat peering through a mouse hole. It's a really beautiful piece of art, and as sweet and cuddly as the cat's face looks, you know what's gonna happen to the mouse if this incredible hunter catches it. The photo is an expression of the duality of the cat's innocent outward appearance, and it's ferocious killer instincts.
There are vintage telephone books, and Glenn Sprecht has photos of nouveau pin-up dolls, that I must say are quite enchanting, and there are even old comic books.
I MUST recommend this website to anyone interested in avant art. I spent a good hour and a half browsing, and I did'nt even scratch the surface of what this site has to offer.
AND a good amount of the sites have LINKS to other sites.
Thanks a lot WISCONSIN for giving me yet another reason for spending hours at the computer.
No really, THANKS.
Second site is Live 365. It's an internet radio site, where you can download radio stations of every type. From Folk to Reggae, & Alternative, to International. You just type in a genre, a band, or musician in the search box, and you will be directed to various stations that frequently play the type of music, or the musician you searched for. The kicker is that this service is FREE! There are a few annoying commercials, but it is totally worth it. I have found tunes that I would NEVER have found had I not encountered this site. Some of my stations include Obscure 80's, Tiki/Polynesian, Surf, French Pop, Underground Hip-Hop, and Bluegrass. It is an Excellent find, and if you are a music fan, it is a MUST.
Well, it's pretty late, and I have to wrap my lovely wife's gifts before hitting the hay. I also have to be back at work in just a matter of hours, so-
PEACE, and Happy Holidays/Merry Christmas/ Happy (belated) Hanukkah/Happy Kwaanzaa, etc.
By the way, don't expect to hear from me for at least 4 days...
See Ya!

"He Aint Heavy..."

So there's this guy whom I've known longer than any of my peers, friends, girlfriends, and even my lovely wife. He and I have had some ups and downs, good times, and Real bad times. I have always loved the guy more than I'm sure I'll ever be able to tell him, (at the risk of sounding all sappy) and there were times when I hated everything he stood for. (I'm sure this was caused by our incredible rivalry) I'm grateful that despite the crummy times, we kept in mind that we were brothers, and moved beyond the petty rivalry bullshit.
I admire his stubbornness, his ability to stick up for himself, and his willingness to speak his mind. Those are qualities he inherited from his dad. He is a college graduate, and working in the field he majored in. (Archaeology-COOL!) I'm impressed by the fact that he develops and sustains relationships for YEARS. He has had some of the same friends for 3/4ths of his life. Wow.
You have to be an o.k. dude if folks are willing to be your friends for 20+ years...
What's interesting is, although he and I have known each other for 31 years, I really don't know who my brother really is. Don't get me wrong, I KNOW the guy, but there are THINGS I don't know about him. For instance, I don't know his favorite food, hip-hop song, or even the guy's favorite movie. You know, basic stuff. It's not that we don't talk, I just don't think we've had a simple conversation. Our conversations usually involve us speaking about specific things going on in our lives. He's been attempting to contact me more recently, and due to the season, and baby preparation, I haven't been able to stay in touch with him like I should. This year, I hope to see and converse with him more often, and I plan on getting to know just WHO my brother is.
Def Jeff, I want to let you know that I love you, and I am proud of you, and I look forward to finding out all about you my brother.
PEACE.

I Got Nothin...

Not too much to report...
Had a busy day at work.
Tomorrow I don't.
Going to see the baby doc tomorrow for a routine checkup and listen in on the sprout's ticker.
Got my hands on a super-cool magazine called Arthur.
Check it out online, or you can find it at your cooler coffeehouses, (Starbucks not included) record shops, and concert halls.
It's chock full of music reviews, interesting articles ranging from All-ages concerts, to why folks who live by the sword consider the AK-47 the weapon of choice.
And last, go to Dirtdirt for some neato daily polaroid photos. The guy has been doing this for a couple of years, and there are a boatload of photos to look at.
O.k. It's late, and I'm tired.
Tomorrow, I'm gonna post about my younger brother.
PEACE.

"Wow, I REALLY Am Pregnant..."

Aww, ain't she CUTE??!!??
This photo was taken tonight, and its quite evident that the lovely wife and the sprout are moving right along. The wife was surprised to see just how round her belly has gotten. I haven't told her this yet, but I want to make some video journals for the sprout so they can see just how excited we are right now at the advent of their arrival. I also want to take more photos of the wife. I'm glad there are just a few more days till santa gives us enough Best Buy gift cards to buy a good camera. The one we have is quite crummy. The photos are fuzzy, and we have to stand less than a foot away to get a clear shot. When we get a new one, I plan on taking copious amounts of images of the wife and her tummy.
(Get ready)
PEACE.

C'mon, Man- Just Turn It OFF...

O.k. Not EVEN two minutes ago, I'm chillin' on the couch watching t.v. (flipping channels) with my lovely "I'm not asleep" wife, and I happen upon the E!ntertainment! channel. There is a Squirly doctor being filmed, facing a woman's shall we say, lower torso in stirrups performing some kind of medical act behind the grayish-white censor fuzz. Being a guy about to sit in on a similar medical situation in about a month and a half, my ears perked. For about a split second, I thought it might be some kind of "Baby Story" type of reality show where they follow a pregnant couple around till the kid makes a guest appearance. Boy, was I wrong. There, on screen was one of those "Pop Up Video" captions with words I NEVER thought I would see on television-
much less the ACTUAL procedure. E!ntertainment! Dr. Beverly Hills LABIAPLASTY.

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The surgeon then went on to describe exactly what it was that he was doing and at the same time justified/patronized/capitalized on the incredible vanity/insanity/insecurity(?) of his client's wish to have a "more youthful looking vagina", and a refurbished virginity. But the cherry on top (Sorry ladies, I couldn't resist) of this short yarn is- the surgeon then had the BALLS to state, (while performing a SURGICAL PROCEDURE with the purpose of helping make the wife's area more appealing to her husband) with as much conviction as a slimy "Dr. Beverly Hills " surgeon could, that he was a FEMINIST.

...

If that ain't good old down home feminism, I don't know what is.
PEACE.
*Names of programs have been changed to keep my ass from being subpoenaed*

Helping The World Love Brazil

Bossa Nova is the music that they play in Heaven.
Not just Christian Heaven either.
All of them.
I believe that Heaven is a cocktail party that smells like
coconut
and
lime
and
cachaca
and the OCEAN
The heat dips just below 90
but the moist sand feels chilly to the soles of feet
everyone knows everyone
and at least one interesting thing about everyone
Ice cubes are endless
and not one drop spills from a glass

Listen to Caetano Veloso's and Gilberto Gil's version of "Aquarela Do Brasil" and you'll agree.
Check out Seu Jorge for a different sound of brazilian music, and see City of God for the Brazil you don't get to see.
Now go on out there and get you some Brazil!
PEACE.

...

Umm...
I happened upon this photo tonight...
Oh yeah, that reminds me of another thing that I thought was scary. If gory comedy horror films are up your alley, then rent this movie!!!
It was actually pretty good. There were sight gags and one-liners that made me laugh out loud. It had elements from all sorts of genres of horror films, but most prevalent was the borrowing from Zombie movies. And I don't know if you know, but I loves me some Zombie movies. (Almost as much as Film Noir/gangster flicks)
PEACE.

The Halls Are Decked

I don't have to be at work until noon today, (which is very unnerving- being the holiday season and all) so I decided to write early. Last night the lovely wife and I decorated the Christmas tree. We had been busy with shopping, and doctor's appointments, and getting the baby's room ready, and lamaze class, and stuff like that, so we really had no time to do so prior to this evening.
But last night was the night. We put on our favorite holiday tunes, (Charlie Brown Christmas, Jackson 5 Christmas, Classic Christmas songs, etc.) and got to work. It was fun, but the wife has been sore lately, so all that moving around was hard for her, although she did not admit it. She kept on going till the end so as not to spoil the mood. Bless her for being a trooper and sticking it out to the end...
The tree looks mighty fine I must say. We were able to put all our favorite Cristopher Radko ornaments. His website doesn't give you the full scope of the many various types of ornaments his company makes so check here to see all the intricate hand blown ornaments we love. Now I admit, the guy is pretty cheesy-looking, but once you receive an ornament as a gift, or buy your own, you are pretty much hooked. (Thanks Scott for helping us along to the poor house.)
I included some photos of the tree, and a few of our favorite ornaments.
PEACE.

Synopsis Of The Third Kind...

Today there is just too much to write about. If I were to attempt to describe all the recent goings on within the household, the size of this post would be similar to that of "War and Peace." So, I'm just gonna give the highlights.
1. I saw the baby move while relaxing in the tub with the lovely wife. Now when I say "move" I mean her belly jumped three times, pushing out about three inches from where it normally is! That was very unnerving, but not what made me want to spring from the tub to avoid the alien which I felt would soon burst from her. A SOFTBALL sized oval shape was what protruded thrice from within my wife!!! What the HELL was that? I asked, half joking/half freaked. "It's your baby" the wife said. "We'll see" I thought. I know there's no ALIEN inside her, but what kind of kid head-butts his/her mom from the inside at just 33 weeks? Methinks we are going to have a VERY active lil' sprout...
2. We had Lamaze class yesterday. EIGHT HOURS OF IT. I nearly didn't make it through the first four hours though. (More on that in number 3.) I was tired- I only got about 3-4 good hours of sleep, it was very toasty in the room, and I had a bit of a hangover. (Again, number 3.) Not a huge one mind you, but enough to make me very groggy, and gurgly in the gut. There was quite a bit of info. pertaining to what we as expectant parents should be expecting on the big day. Stuff like breathing and relaxing techniques, on down to just what types of snacks we should pack. the class was very informative, and I especially enjoyed learning various ways to help alleviate pain the lovely wife will most likely feel during her contractions. Those actually kept my mind off my hangover, AND helped me feel at least 80% back to normal. It's amazing what controlled breathing, and relaxation can do for what ails ya. It's a good thing too cuz I don't think I would've done too well during the Cesarian birth video hung over...
3. Knowing full well that I had a lamaze class the next day, I decided to go out with some of my co-workers for drinks on saturday night. DUMMY. It was decided earlier that week that we meet out for a bar hop, something that they do every blue moon, and they feel it's kinda important to get together and bond and just hang outside of the workplace. I must admit that initially I had not planned on going. Then I realized that pretty much every time they go out, they ask if I'll join and I usually give some lame excuse for not going. It's not that I don't like like hanging out- they are a real fun bunch to go out with. It's just most of the time, all I really want to do is stay home with the wife, or watch a weird movie, or veg out on the couch for the evening. That- dear reader, is exactly what I SHOULD have done saturday evening. But noooo, I HAD to meet with my friends for drinks. I HAD to down three Bombay sapphires with splashes of tonic and a beer. (I just remembered the beer) I HAD to dance and sing along to 80's tunes we programmed into the jukebox. I HAD to flirt with the bartender thinking I'd get stronger drinks. It worked. (Or was it the tips?) And I HAD to join one of my co-workers in the women's restroom to watch her cut an ex co-worker's hair. (don't ask why she carries scissors on her person) All this I did in the pursuit of a good time, rather than stay home and behave responsibly. And it was completely worth it! I haven't really allowed myself to just completely let my hair down and cut loose for a while, and it was refreshing to do so. I guess the saying goes, "Smoke em' while you got em'" right? The opportunity to just hang out at the slightest whim is drawing to a close, and I guess I was a little worried that if I didn't go out saturday, there might not be another chance to do so...
This synopsis was pretty long, but believe me, it was certainly abridged.
I know I've sung this song before, but I really do plan on trying to write on a daily basis between monday and friday. I guess I have to juggle all the crap going on during the evenings a little better huh?
PEACE.

Weekend Activities Pt. 3

This weekend was one that was chock full of activities. (hence the title) I happened upon two blogs that cracked me up. They are kinda juvenile at times, and can also have a slight chauvinistic slant. But ya know what? they are funny. And I like low brow humor occasionally. The first is, Skattershooting, and From Alpha to Omega As I said , they are both funny. Check 'em out...

One of our dogs got sick this weekend from eating a weird palm tree in our room. I guess the plant got lodged in his system and he had crazy diarrhea. He was feeling crappy, and the wife wanted to take him to the vet. I figured it was something he ate and suggested we hold off for a bit. Good thing we did because about an hour before his doc visit, the poor guy had another case of the "blow-outs". But this time he returned to the house with something protruding from his butt. upon further investigation, (do not ask) we/I realized that he had a palm leaf stuck half in and out of him. So, I donned a pair of rubber gloves and went to town. after pulling out a leaf which was about 3/4ths foot long the little guy started feeling better.
Pretty gross, but I'm sure I will see things far more terrifying than that when we have the kid...

And finally, we got a Christmas tree this weekend. It took going to two lots, and enduring Jack Frost's incessant nipping, but we found the PERFECT tree. It happens to be a weird tree that's round and stout, and teardrop shaped. We have some pretty heavy ornaments, and the branches are really strong. What is strange about the tree is that it is producing pine cones all over it. There are small fuzzy white flower bud type things shooting from the ends of each branch like small appendages. I don't know, it's hard to describe, so i'll include a photo. We plan to decorate it on saturday and I can't wait to have some hot chocolate and cookies and decorate with the wife...

Well, that just about sums up the super busy weekend I had. I hope this weekend is the antithesis of this past weekend. I need some rest.
PEACE.

Weekend Activities Pt. 2

So this weekend was pretty busy. I found that having a weird cold/throat thing produced an aversion to the sweet nectar known as Jameson's Irish Whiskey. I had planned on taking a few swigs here and there to help break up the congestion in my chest, (not to mention the nice warm feeling it produces on cold wintery days) But I only made it to one small nip. Once the golden liquid made it past my lips the burn was incredible! My throat was being scraped with shards of broken glass while boiling acid simultaneously poured down into my stomach. Needless to say, after a sharp explicative shot from my gib I realized it would be foolish to consume more of the whiskey. Damn. It was cold as the arctic outside, and in some rooms inside, (the wife has been hot these past 32 weeks, and prefers the heat to be kept at around 65 degrees) and I could take none of my "medicine" to help warm me up and ward off the effects of winter.
BUT-
I feel much better now, and it IS quite cold out tonight...

On monday the lovely wife and I had a visit with the baby doc. Everything is cool. The doc said that all the wife's numbers and measurements were perfect. We got to hear the sprout's heartbeat again, and all is strong and well. The wife expressed concerns about sore hips and crampy feelings, and the doc explained that as time progresses, the uterus begins to expand, making more room for the sprout, and also providing him/her with an easier exit. The doc told the wife that those two symptoms are pretty common in the 32nd(!) week. She then told us what to expect on the night we go to the hospital, how to contact her when the time arrives, and some general info. on what physical evidence should prompt us to motor to the hospital, like contractions, water breaking, and serious cramping.
Just when I had settled in and become comfortable with the inevitable, the doc has to give me New things to worry about...

Sunday at about 2p.m., the lovely wife and I went to visit her parents in order to participate in the annual anniversary dinner/decking of the in-laws halls. For as long as I have known my lovely wife, we have joined my sister and brother-in law at my mother and father-in law's house to decorate for Christmas. They would rather we join them for dinner and decorating than receive gifts for their anniversary. This is all fine and good, but they have about 50 plastic bins (the 10 gallon type) full of christmas crap they have accumulated over the years from all sorts of people. And they pretty much want it ALL crammed into the living room. Now each of the in-law's kids feel obligated to carry out this impossible task, because it makes their parents happy, and it happens to be their anniversary gift. All that is fine and dandy, but all the stuff contained within the bins just aint gonna fit in that one room without looking kinda- well, tacky.
I mean, there are wax and wood nativity scenes, (Jesus Houses as I called them and was quickly corrected) ornaments from what? 1974 (Literally), tiny villages, stuffed animals, a saxophone playing dancing Santa (Bill Clinton Claus), 200 candles, pine cones, about 10 trees, and all manner of Ohio State Buckeye Christmas decorations (C'mon!) which happen to be the worst of them all in my eyes. I cannot properly describe the breadth of the ornaments/decorations contained within those bins, but I can honestly say that there are at nearly 2000 items Expected to be used to decorate for Christmas at the in-laws. Let's just say that Christmas fanatical pack rats are definitely NOT the types you want to spend time decorating for/with during the holidays.
O.k. O.k.- You got me. I MAY have embellished a bit, and I know that Christmas IS their favorite holiday, AND it really isn't the pain in the rear that I make it out to be. I'm just a smart ass by nature, and I just don't want to actually ADMIT to liking corny traditions. Although it IS kinda neat to hear and see them admire how nice and Christmasy their house looks when we've finished...

Until tomorrow for the third and final part of the weekends activities.
Sick dog
christmas tree purchasing
funny blogs
PEACE.

Weekend Activities Pt. 1

What up?!!? I just want to say that it is good to be back...
Last week all that sinus/sore throat/stuffy nose madness was killing me. It is finally gone, and good riddance!
Saturday was when I began to feel back to normal, and it was the beginning of a crazy busy weekend. After work on Sat. the lovely wife and I hung out around the house watching the OSU men's basketball game. It was pretty good, and the new kid Oden played. He has been out because of an injury till that game, and with a bum right hand he was still pretty effective racking up a bunch of rebounds and blocks. Look at me- talking like I actually know something about sports...
Anyway, the wife and I eventually agreed that it was time to eat. We also agreed that we wanted something GOOD for dinner, usually meaning something BAD for us. We then came to the conclusion that we wanted barbecue. There is a place on Lockborne & Whittier called H Johnson restaurant and Dairy which sells Beef ribs. (the only kind I will eat) The lovely wife wanted a brisket sandwich, so I set out on my journey to the 'hood to pick up our dinner. Once there, I placed my order, and was pleasantly surprised to learn that they sold greens without pork. My lucky day. While waiting for my order, I hung out with a guy I'm sure many folks wouldn't want to see in a dark alley, much less a bright one. He was a monster of a guy physically. After about a minute of just sitting in the cramped waiting area, I ended up asking the cat about his Thanksgiving. From there we ended up conversing about the game, kids- his three, and my sprout living inside the wife. Before the guy left, he offered his hand out for a handshake, and offered some advice about keeping my wife happy, and myself out of trouble during the remainder of her pregnancy.
Swell guy.
I was glad I consciously did not allow myself to fall into the usual routine of being shy which leads to antisocial behavior, because I got to talk to a real cool dude and got some pretty good advice to boot.
By the way, the ribs were o.k., and my greens were'nt in the bag when I got home.
Damn.
I ended up popping the ribs we did not eat that night into the crock pot (after doctoring them up) and letting them simmer all day. I then chopped the beef up and we had some pretty damn good brisket sandwiches for dinner tonight.
Oh yeah, on friday, I went to see JAMNESIA for their last show of the year. It was pretty funky. My neighbor plays the MOOG keyboard in the band, and each time I happen upon a show, I am always impressed by how tight the band is. They played a couple of Funkadelic tunes, a Gil Scott Heron joint, and even a Radiohead(?) song. When was the last time you heard a funk band play Radiohead? They play all around town, so go out and support the band. It was a pretty Funky affair, and I'm glad I went. I didn't even mind being hit on by some guy in drag. Yeah, that's no typo. I just brandished the wedding ring, smiled politely and thanked hi-her for the compliment and all was good. Oh well, I guess I should be thankful that SOMEBODY thought I was interesting. Being a married guy, you gotta take ego boosts when and where you can get em'. So, thanks for umm, noticing uhh- lady. Well, it's pretty late, and I still have to renew some soon to be overdue books online.
I'll scribe more about this crazy busy weekend tomorrow.
Up next:
Prenatal hiccups
whiskey aversion
In-law anniversary fiasco
PEACE.

It Aint Easy being Green...

Hey y'all! I'm back! I have been as sick as a dog these past few days, and not feeling any blog activity. But I have been slamming copious amounts of Vitamin C, and Echinacea, and I am back on track baby! I still feel a little crappy, (my throat is kinda scratchy) but Otherwise I would say that I am at about 75%.
I will be hitting the blog hard on monday with a ton of crap to talk about like, baby calistenics, whiskey aversion, and Jamnesia tunes.
See ya Monday.
PEACE.