Crazy Whirlwind pt. 2

So,where was I?
Ah yeah, I left you hanging with #'s 5,6,7 & 8 to go.
On to it then.
5. As was alluded to in Crazy Whirlwind pt. 1, the wife and I have devolved into the "roommates" area of our relationship.
We are both guilty of allowing this to happen, and I wont bore you with divulging who is the perpetrator of specific actions which helped contribute to our relatonship becoming what it seems to be today.
We come and go, grunting the most basic greetings to each other.
"Man" and "Dude" are used as terms of endearment.
Kisses abruptly end due to assumptions of other intentions.
And the biggest problem...
WE DON'T TALK TO EACH OTHER.
There are various other factors involved, but the biggest reason for our disruption of wedded bliss is once again-
The T.V.
For me, T.V. has got to be the most addictive of stimuli out there.
On a nightly basis, we come home, eat, (really fast) take care of whatever the sprout needs, and commence to watching television. It's gotten so bad that when we feed the boy on the couch in the t.v. room, (can you believe there's a room dedicated to an appliance?) his eyes avert to the idiot box, and he then becomes distracted. As a result of the distraction, he stops eating.

Is television more important than eating to some?

As I said, there are other factors that can be blamed for our problem, and I have been contemplating various solutions to our problem. After reviewing various strategies I've narrowed the list down to three which will help us become the HOT&HEAVY couple we used to be. Okay, maybe not hot&heavy, but I know for a fact that we were well beyond luke warm.

One of the solutions to our problem may be finding some excercises/games/books that require us to work as a team, and prompts us to rely on one another to find a solution.

Another solution could be for us to GO OUT. We could do dinner, or a movie, or just visiting friends for the evening.

But most importantly, we need to just turn the t.v. OFF! I have condmned the evil powers of television many times before, and will probably do so at least a thousandfold more.
I honestly think that if the t.v. stays off, and we allow ourselves just three t.v. shows a week when in the company of each other, then we'll have more time to do interesting things, and interact with one another.
We succeeded in keeping the television off this evening, and we were able to converse like we actually LIKE each other. (That was sarcasm. We DO like, and even LOVE each other immensely, it's just that we've become too comfortable sitting within the crackly haze of the t.v.
So, I think we're gonna try and keep the tube turned off.
Wish us luck in getting rid of our pesky roommates.

6. I went to the old job last monday, and took the boy with me. It was nice to see the old gang. The receptionist's desk had a new rug beneath it, (the last one was done for a while ago) the floor mural had beenrefreshed, and the break room was painted. Before the entire room was just white. Now there are browns, and rusty orange colors all over the place.
It looked pretty nice.
I was more than pleased to see the Canuck whose blog she and her husband contribute to which you can check out by just clicking Jaqui&Ryan's midwest adventure located in the Links section to the right of this post. I've always considered the Canuck a smart cookie, and I miss conversing with her about books, and movies.
I got to see Minty, who was unfortunately busy with clients, and so I really did'nt get to chew the fat with her. It was really good seeing her though. Oh well, next time dear Minty. Next time.
I got to see Ms. Rohr if you're Nasty, who is doing pretty well. I'm sad to say that we have'nt hung like I thought we would after leaving. She and I have been busy with "life" and time offers us very small windows of opportunity. That sucks, because I LOVE being engulfed within the positive, selfless, nurturing energy that she exudes. Ms. Rohr has the uncanny ability to make those around her so comfortable that any and all defenses are unconciously lowered within the span of moments.
But who I wanted to see most was Wisconsin. I kid you not- even though we grew up separated by several hundreds of miles apart, I would swear that snippets of our lives were one in the same. It seemed we had the same influences, quirky habits, interactions wiith others, musical tastes, dark senses of humor, and heavily protected/guarded feelings and insecurities.
Just speaking with her for moments at a time made me feel a bit less like the odd man out.
Sorry I missed ya' buddy.
We'll see you soon for those pictures of the boy.

7. Look up Vegas Vic's Tiki Lounge for all your surf, exotica, crime, & swinging musical needs. Mmmm. Retro musical goodness.
Also check out Bunch of Betty's podcast/blog. It's a neat blog/podcast that features female musicians of damn near every genre of music. You can also download ALL of the music you hear on her podcast legally, and in most cases, for free! Check it out.

8. This Cinco De Mayo found us drinking margaritas and watching the Mexican/Latin television show SABADO GIGANTE! with Jeffro and Rachel Jam. Boy oh boy I love me some Sabado. It has it all. Over the top mexican progamming, clothing which sometimes leaves little to the imagination, cheesy leading men, Silly sketch comedy, artificially bouyant blonde wanna be's, and women who look like women are SUPPOSED to look. (No bony chicks)
The show is sort of a rip off of some popular shows on t.v., like The Price is Right, Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, and Saturday Night Live, with a little Benny Hill thrown in for good measure.
GOD I love that show, and I try to make time for it every saturday. It's on the Univision channel, and even though I can only make out a few words/expressions, I can't stop watching the show.
Fortunately, our guests seemed to enjoy the show as much as we did.
Well, I have run out of steam and things to say, and the boy is ready for his midnight snack, so I'm gonna sign out.
PEACE.

Choo-chooo! Chuckle-chuckle-chuckle-chuckle. Choo-choooo!

I just heard the 10:00 train go past, (We live about a mile away from the rail) and the conductor always has to blow a warning when approaching the spot where cars can cross the tracks. So he blew his horn. Normally, this is nothing too exciting- there are more times that I Don't notice it's lazy, drawn out blare than I do. But tonight, the horn got my attention.
During the train's approach, the sly conductor honked "shave and a haircut".
Pretty funny.
Ahhh, it's the small things that make life so grand.
Wonder who else 'round here heard it and chuckled like I did?
PEACE.

Crazy Whirlwind pt. 1

Wow. So much has transpired since last I scribed...
1. Computer crash
2. A TEN year miscommunication (or lack of communication on my part) and subsequent loss of a friendship has been repaired, and restored
3. Two Excellent reggae concerts (along with two sightings of a neighbor/stalker)
4. The boy is grabbing his feet, and engaging in conversation with us (in between the PERPETUAL feedings)
5. The lovely wife and I have officially become "roomies"
6. I went to visit previous co-workers, and did'nt get to see the one I wanted to see MOST
7. I Found a couple of cool music websites
8. SABADO GIGANTE!

Ok. Here we go.
1. Just last week my computer crashed. Oh how the mighty have fallen. (Apple computer) Why? I have NO IDEA... My guess is that all the crap I jammed into my poor lil' Mac Mini became the equivalent to a chicken bone lodged in the throat. I mean, there was a HUGE photoshop program (for salon ads), Loads of music, a MILLION pictures, a couple of movies, (no PORN- I promise!) flyers created in said photoshop programs, and all the extra peripherals that make a computer so great. I must admit, that although I ended up losing ALL that information when the local computer repair guy rebooted the system, (I should've gone to the apple store) my comp is running pretty well. But alas, I NEED the majority of those programs, so my new and (not so) improved slim and svelte apple must gain some the weight back that it shed in at the repair shop.

2. A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine who helped me form the Guild of Artistic Expression called me and had SAGE the WISECAT on the horn along with him. Sage was a fellow performance poet who was affiliated with Cleveland's Black Poetic Society. Now, before I go any further, let me say that Black Poetic consisted of some of the most accomplished performers of prose/poetic expression that I have seen. PERIOD. Their style, and delivery was completely polished and professional. They were excellent performers with an exceptional command of the stage.
That said, it was an honor speaking with Sage again. BUT, he was'nt as jovial as I was at first. He expressed that he was confused, and upset by our last meeting. Nearly Ten(!) years ago, Sage and I parted ways because of insecurity, and a desire to shield myself from scrutiny. I had begun dating my wife, and some of my peers expressed MUCH concern, and disapproval due to the fact that the lovely wife is of a different ethnicity. Let's just say that the wife and I have vastly different amounts of melanin within us, and that was not cool with some of my "friends". I KNEW Sage was ok with it, but I was'nt sure about some of the members of the Society. So, in order to avoid the possibility of hearing more dissaproving comments, from his crew, I just kinda cut him off. Unfortunately, he was'nt the only person I did this to. In his case I was rather flippant in the discontinuation of our friendship, just stating- "I'm out. Done. I quit. See ya!" I left the poetry troupe, and the artist's organization I helped create without so much as a look back.
DUMB.
Fortunately, I have now made ammends with the people who were involved, and they seem to have forgiven me for leaving them pretty much high and dry. Sage has also forgiven me. I think he just needed to hear WHY I severed our friendship. I know homeboy was mad, because he expressed that his general opinion of me was "F#%K Jay" up until I explained the deal. He was still kinda dissappointed to learn that I didn't consider his thinking to be beyond what I gave him credit for. But I got the chance to repair our friendship and I am thankful for that, because the cat is an excellent dude, a Great writer, and thinker, and we are now peers of a different sort- he's a dad too.

3. Thanx to Scotty-D I got to see two count em' TWO great reggae concerts within the span of 3 weeks! I saw Toots and the Maytals at the Alrosa Villa, and Ziggy Marley at Promo West Pavillion. He listens to local radio station CD 101, while at work, and he won tix to both shows by being the right caller when the D.J. gives the prompt. I had a great time at both, and saw a couple of people I knew at both. I also saw a guy who seems to know me from my neighborhood- but I have NO CLUE as to who he is. At the Toots concert this Hulking guy comes up to me and yells, "Hey man! You were walking your kid in a stroller today!"
WHAT??????!!!!!?????

"Yeah man, you were walking your kid, and then you stopped to talk to Becky, and David!"
"Uh, yeah, WHO are you?"
"I'm Matt. I live next door to them"
"Oh. Ummmm, nice to meet you." The Hulk then stumbled back to his friends and that was pretty much it.
At the Ziggy show, "Matt" rolls up to me slurring, "Hey man, you don't even remember me! A couple of days ago, my dog was trying to attack you and your dog while you were walking, and you did'nt even speak! It's me Matt!"
"Oh yeah, from the Toots show! My bad man, it was dark at the last show, and I did'nt recognize you 'cuz I couldn't see what you looked like very well. What's going on?"
"Just enjoying the concert... Thanks to the GREEN! Heh, heh!"

LONG PAUSE

"Um... Well man, uhh... If I see you in the neighborhood, I'll make sure my dog does'nt eat ya!"
"Yeah. Thanks."
It never fails. Whenever I meet someone who smokes weed, they automatically assume that I smoke weed.
Ok. I know my dreadlocks kinda contribute to that idea, but don't just ASSUME that I partake because of my outward appearance you know? I find that kind of insulting.

4. The Sprout has found his feet! He now grabs his feet and coos while fingering his second set of digits. Each time he grabs his piggies, I pop them in between my lips and make sqeaky noises. He LOVES that crap almost as much as I do. He laughs, and smiles, and squeals, and talks till I stop. GOD that kid is KILLING me. The lovely wife is trying to teach him to say "Mama"&"Dada". He's not quite there, but he does mimic the shape of the lips when each word is pronounced by the wife...
He is growing like nobody's bizness! (It's no doubt because he is CONSTANTLY eating) Yesterday, he ate EVERY hour and sometimes twice an hour all day! Literally ALL day.
I'm starting to worry. I don't want this kid to be bigger than me when he is one year old. I won't be able to carry a 150 lb. kid on my shoulders, and lord knows I will NOT be changing his diapers if he's that big.
Ok. I have talked your ears off dear blog, so I am going to bid you adieu for the day.
I will finish the second half of this post tomorrow, filling you in on the rest of the crap that has been going on with me.
PEACE.

Cute Kid

THE PRODIGAL SON RETURNS...

My behavior has been
INEXCUSABLE.
UNACCEPTABLE.
IRRESPONSIBLE.
Not a peep, or blurb. Not so much as a picture since what?
APRIL 12th?!?!?!?
I'm ashamed of myself, and I would understand if you had nothing more to do with me Blog.
I know I promised you that I would tell you all sorts of interesting (and sometimes not so interesting) things every day, and I haven't kept that promise to you as of late.
I've been busy, but not SO busy, that I can't take a few minutes to say what up to you Blog.
I'm sorry for leaving ya high and dry. This time though, I'm NOT going to make empty promises to you friend- I will ONLY commit to writing whenever time permits.

On to tonite's ramblings.
1. The sprout's appetite is downright SCARY. Godzilla can't eat as much as the kid. Today he had SIXTEEN ounces of formula/milk, and water, some cereal, and he then managed to nurse twice from the lovely wife when she got home. He ate again when she finished eating, and we KNOW he will eat again at about 4:00 a.m. Let's see. He went to bed at around 10:30, and it's 11:05 now, so yeah. 4:00/4:30 a.m. is about right. I just can't believe the kid is piling it in like this. The wife believes he's doing all this cluster feeding because he is groWING.

2. Fortune has smiled down upon me-
I have been invited to the Ziggy Marley concert by Scotty-D on May 3rd. He ended up winning tix to the show from the local radio station CD 101. Just about a month ago, he invited me to see Toots and the Maytals at the Alrosa Villa after winning tix to THAT show. GREAT concert by the way. I think Minty and her husband Easy Rider will be there along with Ms. Rohr if you're nasty. I can't wait to hang out with all my friends. I'm still working on the lovely wife. The show falls on a "school night" and the wife is a little apprehensive about going out. I'm sure the show will end at 11:00 (noise ordinance), and because it's a Slightly early evening, it may give me a little weight. The Ace up my sleeve is the fact that one of my FAVORITE bands is coming and I am going to miss them because it will be a late late evening, it's a school night, AND we don't have a sitter. Just knowing that Los Straitjackets are coming on Thursday, and I won't be there is KILLING ME.
So maybe I can guilt the wife into going to see Ziggy with me. I'll even buy her ticket.
Oh yeah, fortune has nodded my way again, and provided me with an opportunity to borrow "A Man Without A Country"- Kurt Vonnegut's last novel from Scotty-D. (The guy's a regular St. Nick) I assume it's sort of a pseudo-autobiography.
I can't wait to start. I'm in the middle of Ian Flemming's "Goldfinger", but in my book Vonnegut outranks 007 any day.

3. Yesterday, I was called a "politician" by a friend of mine.
I don't know what to make of it.
Does he consider me a Grover Cleveland, or a Lyndon Johnson? Am I a Barack Obama, or am I a George Wallace? There is a HUGE difference.
Does he mean that I'm just spewing bullshit and lies whenever I speak, or does he feel that I only say what I think the person involved in a conversation with me wants to hear?
I'm aware of the fact that I have been known to bullshit, and sugar-coat (sometimes at the same time) but I don't feel I continuously do this. There's no ulterior motive to my "bullsugar" but maybe it seems so to others. Self perception is usually WAYYY off. I haven't been called on it in a long time and Never by a friend. Rest assured, I'm far from offended. Shit, I Needed to hear it from a friend. Otherwise, it would have gone in one and out the other.
I need to ponder his comment a little more, and then I guess I'll go from there. If anybody that knows me has any evidence to support or refute his statement, or advice a dropped line would be most appreciated.

Ok. My fingers hurt, and I'm about to start in on this novel before I zonk out for the evening.
PEACE.
By the way, can SOMEONE please explain to me Exactly what instant messaging is? I feel like my parents must have when faced with the obstacle of programming the date and time on their VCR.

REST IN PEACE...

Try and read at least ONE of his books.
(Might I suggest Player Piano, or Galapagos?)

Nooooo! Don't Touch My Diaper!!! Back Off Man- I LIKE Being Wet!!!

Just a couple of pics of the boy in "not so happy" moods...
PEACE.

By The Way...

If you can't get to my older posts, click on the number 2006 on the right hand side of the blog page, then scroll down to the bottom of the page to where it reads "Older Posts". Right click that, and when Localized String Not Found appears at the top of that prompt, click it, and then the page will switch to my earliest entries.
I don't know what the deal is, but it is disrupting the well being of my inquisitive fans.
Dammit, Blog! Don't you know my public needs me???!!!???
Heh.
PEACE

Thanks For Being So Gosh Darn Groovy...

I want to take this time out to offer a Thanks for being so gosh darn groovy award to someone who has made my life a bit more interesting. As I'm sure you are aware, being groovy is NOT an easy feat. There are many qualities that can contribute to being groovy-
Qualities like intelligence,
fearlessness,
individuality,
and
the willingness along with the ABILITY to successfully to go against the grain just to name a few.
So from now on, when I encounter or experience someone who is for whatever reason
or some situation that is groovy, I'm calling it out.
Enough with the damn babbling.
On to the presentation of the award.
Today, the Thanks For Being So Gosh darn Groovy award goes to Matt&Jess, our friends that live in LA.
I've written about them before.
(See Salutations, and Here's To Good Friends Tonight Is Kinda Special entries)
They are really special people man.
They remind us of their friendship regularly.
They provide my wife and I with different ways of perceiving things.
They are exceptional conversationalists.
They gave the sprout some wonderful gifts for his arrival-
and today we received a congratulatory bouquet of flowers for our venturing out on the path of self sufficiency.
It is amazing to me how friends can manage to retain their presence when they are miles and miles away.
You guys are the greatest, and I appreciate how often you show the lovely wife and I how lucky we are to be considered friends by two of the most considerate people we have met.
Thanx guys for being so GROOVY.

PEACE.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYBODY!!!

Hope everyone's Easter is going well...
Eat a lot of turkey
and ham
and greens
and green bean casserole y'all!
Also try to remember what the spirit of the season is all about whether you are Jewish, Baptist, Krishna, or Buddhist. It's about renewal, and rebirth. Various stories and practices exist (parables of Jesus' resurrection- Celtic, Mayan and Native American spring equinox celebrations- celebrations of the new Moon ) which help people remember that we are given another chance to do what it is that we need to do to improve upon ourselves, which will in turn help to improve those around us. So get out there and spread the love, because chances for personal renovation, or " do-overs" if you will, should NEVER be wasted friends.
PEACE.

Merci, Danke, Grazie, & Thank You Kindly...

In just about an hour, the lovely wife and I will be at the closing deal for our new salon...
WOW.
We are about to embark on a dream we have both held near our hearts since we have been married (7 years).
WOW.
I want to thank all of the people who have been involved so much for helping us reach this point. (You know who you all are) We are so grateful to all those who have helped us out spiritually, mentally, physically, and especially MONETARILY, and all those who will continue to help us in our wonderful endeavor.
Thanks goes out to you all from the very bottom of our hearts.
PEACE.

AWWW GEEZ!!!

So, my new job is located a stone's throw away from a McDonalds.
I've eaten there twice in the three weeks I have been working at the new place.
Just two days ago, (despite Kevin Spurlock's warnings in his Super Size Me movie) I had an order of Mcnuggets.
After eating them, I had HUGE pangs of guilt coupled with a nasty film of grease or wax or something in my mouth left behind by those pesky little pieces of "chicken" crap.
I then happened upon this article tonite, and I must say that alas Ronald, although our relationship has had it's share of ups & downs, and highs & lows, I must bid you farewell.
Parting is such sweet sorrow red...


PEACE.
Have a great weekend.

More Random stuff...

(just before the walk)
Howdy! I hope anyone reading this who shares my area code is enjoying the beautiful weather. It is incredible outside!!! Yesterday, the mercury hit 80(!!!) The boy and I went on a marathon walk-traversing about four miles of the neighborhood. We saw all types of folks walking, running pushing strollers and being pulled by dogs. We were both noticed by pretty ladies; a jogger who was asking me some pret-ty personal questions, and a cute lil' curly haired girl in a stroller wanted the boy to ride with her. The boy slept for the majority of the walk, but he did manage to see a prodigal pooch run past, a game of H-O-R-S-E, a motorized scooter rider, and a few old ladies in a "walking club" who made a beeline to dote over him. All in all, it was a pretty successful outing for us guys.
Today, I was graced with a moderately lewd photo from a few of my co-workers from my previous gig. I would post the photo, but I'm afraid they won't send me more. Thanx Minty, Wisconsin, and Obi-Wan for the shout out!
You guys helped make coming to work something to look forward to, and I hope I see you all soon! I miss you guys so much... (Sniff)
Tonite we had our first salon meeting, and I must say that it was a pretty positive affair. Everyone seemed very happy to know that the lovely wife and I are taking over. Everyone was VERY inquisitive about what we had in store for the future, and we were more than happy to talk about our plans for the salon. I won't bore you with all the gory details, but providing a means for attending QUALITY continuing education classes, removing the dress code (black/white/grey), and creating more attainable opportunities to reach product commissions (Why not reward stylists for working harder to sell products?), were pretty well received.
Oh well. It's late, and I haven't hung out with the sprout all day, so I'm gonna sign out.
PEACE.

In Your Face Sucka!!!

Look, I really am NOT a fan of Ohio State University sports, but I gotta give the Bucks some props to have made it this far- 21 wins(!) without a loss...
Say what you will, but they are truly Final Four material.
By the way, I guarantee that at LEAST four will be drafted into the NBA...
Qoute me on that.
PEACE.

Just A Few More Photos...

My New Digs...

Hey y'all! These are a few pics of the salon the lovely wife and I bought!
WooHoo!!!
PEACE.

It's Been So Long, Let's See If I Can Remember How To Do This...

Hey hey hey party people! Man, my fingers have gotten quite a bit of rest!
We are still busy with the procurement of our hair salon, the boy is still a little joker, the dogs are going a bit stir crazy, (lack of walks) the lovely wife is back at work, and I'm still a real PROUD dad.
Everything is everything.
Well, a lot of crap has gone on since I last scribed, and I hope you are prepared for some long-windedness, cuz here we go.

The boy is a real character. Every morning he is on top of the world. He smiles, makes all sorts of cooing noises, wiggles like a little worm, and kicks his little legs, and punches the air in his excitement to face another day. He also makes noises that I would swear are Extremely close to giggles. The kid is a character. He most certainly has inherited Mom&Dad's senses of humor. The lil' guy is going to be a real crack-up.
The bets are still on. The lovely wife noticed the sprout's eyes today, and the bluish tint is fading from them. Sorry mom. No blue eyes. (I'm glad) They are now grey. I don't know of anyone in either of our families on either side with grey eyes but, oh well. I don't care what color they are, as long as the boy can see out of them. (Hopefully with 20/20 vision)
And finally, speaking of his eyes, he now can cry TEARS. Before, he would cry and the pipes would remain dry-but now when he wails tears stream down his face. This makes it VERY hard to let him be while getting his bottle ready for him. Seeing tears makes me think the kid's gonna CROAK if I don't get to him in time. Man, this kid has me wrapped 'round his finger already!

I wish to take this time to apologize to my Mom and my Dad.
Hey y'all, I would like to ask your forgiveness for the lack of communication on my part. I know the goings on here with the sprout are VERY IMPORTANT to you both, and I have been stingy with my time, and have not called as often as I should. Believe me, it's NOT that I don't care about your feelings, or that I consider them unimportant. It's just that I am always tired, and when I get home from work, I don't consider calling to let you guys know what's going on. My fault, and I am sorry. Calling twice a week is my commitment to you both. Whether I speak directly to you guys, or get your voicemail, you can plan on hearing my voice and what's going on at least two times per week.
Again, I am sorry.
Wow. this post got real long real fast, and I'm missing the Buckeye basketball game, (I mean it, I'm really NOT a fan) so I am gonna sign out.
PEACE friends.

HEH...

That's my boy!
PEACE.

Weekend Update...

Just a quick synopsis...
The boy is doing fine. It seems he has a bad case of acid reflux. If he is not positioned properly after eating, he will pretty much throw a little bit of what he's eaten back up. This situation can make it both hard and frustrating. It can be a pain in the neck trying to get him all comfy after he eats at about 3 a.m., all the while making sure he wont puke.
Whew.
I still hold onto the belief that he is a pretty "not hard" (see What's Happenin' entry) baby though.

The weather has permitted us to take a couple of long "family" walks, and it's been pretty cool. Springlike temperatures are registering on thermometers, and I couldn't be happier. C'mon Spring!!!

There is, I'm sure at least ONE clock in the house that hasn't been altered since the one hour jump into the future. I gotta get off my lazy duff and do something about it.

We had to hire a new receptionist and we don't even own the salon yet.

My arch nemesis quit working at the salon where I used to work, (He was a big part of the reason I quit) found out that we are in the process of purchasing a salon, and called to "congratulate" us on that accomplishment, and the sprout.
Now I haven't heard from him in what? Almost two years and he calls the new salon out of the blue? Something smells like stinky fish...

I guess that's about all I have to say for the evening except What up to:
The Lovely Wife
MOMnDAD
Jazzy Jeff,
Jeffro Jam,
The Canuck&IceCreamMan,
Mr. F
and last but certainly not least,
WISCONSIN.
PEACE.

The Dears

Another band I'm all into...
the song is called Lost In The Plot

Great Weekend.
PEACE.

I'M BACK!!!

Sorry 'bout the delay. This past week has been NUTS! Between trying to learn a new computer program, payroll, developing a new employee handbook, hiring a new receptionist, setting up our closing date for salon purchase, an emergency visit to the pediatrician, (not to worry, the boy is alright- just a little acid reflux) and going to a concert, I haven't had time to write...
It has seriously been hectic at the salon, and we don't even OWN the joint yet!
The boy has been hacking and puking, but after a quick doctor visit, he informed us that it could either be reflux, or worst case scenario, it may be too much flesh built up on his stomach that may need to be CUT OUT. God forbid.
Last night, I went to the Tv On The Radio concert. IT WAS SUPER HYPE!!! I was yelling and screaming at the end of EVERY song. They played all the ones I wanted to hear too. ( I Was A Lover, Dreams, Hours, Young Liars, Staring At The Sun, A Method, Wolf Like Me, Province, and Dirty Whirl) Man, was I AMPED! I can't describe how eerie each song made you feel. Each was incredibly spiritual, and infectious. Tv is a combination of Prog Rock, Shoe Gaze, Slave Spirituals, and Baptist Hymns. Soul oozed like a thick tar that spread throughout the music hall, leaving the audience mesmerized. We seemed to be almost overwhelmed by the various layers of sounds that washed over us like waves in a deep blue-black sonic ocean. AWESOME! I must admit it was well worth the $30 bucks I paid the crummy scalper who wouldn't cut me a deal after explaining to him (PLEADING with him) that his price was cutting into my beer dough. Ahh well, no tee shirt for me. I found out the show was sold out when I got in line to purchase my tickets. A mere two hours before, I refused to pay ticketmaster $26.90 for a $15 ticket. Damn extra fees. Ticketmaster is a spawn of the Devil I say! As I said though, it was well worth it.
Subtle opened for TV, and they were pretty good. They were a hip-hop band that had elements of Thomas Dolby, Prodigy, Jean Michel Basquiat's band Gray, and the Rammelzee side project Death Comet Crew. I liked how "nomanisisland" sounded, but I couldn't quite make out the lyrics. The frontman would segue from song to song and would drop some obscure, unnecessary, but incredibly interesting facts. ("Did you know that each year 10,000 birds die from collisions with glass windows?) Were his facts real? Were they Bull$#*t? Who knows? Who cares? I will definitely check them out further based on their interesting sound and unique approach to the hip-hop genre.
PEACE.

Now I Feel Bad...

Ok, ok...
MAYBE I was a little rough.
My comments about my previous employer may have been a bit coarse, and slightly scathing.
Despite the negative situations I experienced during my time at what will from now on be called "The old gig", I need to rise above hurt feelings, and let go of any and all grudges. Although they weighed heavily on me during my brief stint there, I was lucky enough to be in the company of my clients (yuck- I hate that word, but it is used due to the lack of a better term) who graced me with their presence and details about their lives daily. Just seeing them, and hearing about their goings on, helped discontinue the gloomy thoughts I became so familiar and comfortable with.
There was also a group of co-workers who helped lighten my days by beaming differing rays of sunshine on me.
Conversations consisted of double entendres, art critiques, film, music and book reviews, insight as to how women "work",
(don't worry, I won't give up your identity- I wouldn't want you to be kicked out of the women's club for divulging such precious information to men)
makeup tips (don't ask), history lessons, cultural enlightenment, and OSU sports. (I'm Really NOT a fan)
I guess what I'm trying to say is, I really shouldn't be concerned with what I deem not good for me, and hating on folks for WHATEVER the reason is most certainly NOT good for me. So sorry dear reader, for subjecting you to MY negativity while complaining about someone ELSE'S.
Have a great weekend.
PEACE.

ADIEU MES AMIS!

Well, tomorrow is my last day at my current job...
I must say that I am VERY happy about it, and VERY sad as well.
Happy because: I don't have to put up with all the back-handed comments, tunnel vision, insecurity, and attempts at intimidation my co-workers and I are subjected to by our employer.
Sad because: I will truly miss a few co-workers whom I consider friends like, Ms. Rohr if you're nasty, Wisconsin, Minty, The Canuck, Mrs. Flores, and X-Tina Slaguliera.
Hopefully, I can retain some semblance of a relationship with at least ONE of the individuals I named, and hopefully, we don't do what always seems to happen when one friend leaves the fold. You know, after all the "We'll miss you's", and the "Let's try to keep in contact's", the ties that bind friendships tend to unfurl and fray. Parting is such sweet sorrow ladies...
But a new day dawns- warming my face as I bask in the glow of opportunity. The lovely wife and I have been graced with a beautiful son, and we have chosen to go into business for ourselves. Thus, there will be no time for lamenting withered relationships, and cursing those who's wills seemed ill. It is time to move on, taking the next step to becoming the people we long to be, focusing on surrounding ourselves with positive people, and radiating as much positivity as is humanly possible...
PEACE to us, my lovely wife and sprout.

TV On The Radio Is Coming!!!

They will be at the Newport Music Hall on March 7th, and I will most certainly be there!!!
Thanx to the lovely wife for giving me a hall pass so I can attend.
Oh by the way, the song is called "Young Liars" off their Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty babes, Young Liars Lp/Cd/8 track/Cassette depending on your age...
See you there.
Have a good weekend.
PEACE.

I Got Nothin"...

Not
A
Damn
Thing
Interesting
Happened
To
Me
Today.
Except
Coming
Home
And
Seeing
The
Lovely
Wife's
And
The
Sprout's
Faces.
Oh yeah,
And
My
Poodles
Wagging
Tails.

I Just Couldn't Resist...

Just had to show the Sprout off today.
Man this kid is cute!!!
Thank God he takes after his Mom! (smile)

Just A Short One...

Well, this weekend was a doozy.
A lot of stuff went on, but it is just a haze clouding the recollection area of my brain.
What I do remember- I will divulge.
1. Most importantly, I submitted my two week notice on Saturday. The lovely wife and I are becoming self sufficient. The owners of the salon where she works have been wanting to retire for some time now, and they decided to sell way back during the Christmas season. So, rather than let the opportunity of purchasing a successful fully operational business slip through our fingers, we decided to reach for the brass ring. For obvious reasons I couldn't breathe a word of this till now, because- (no offense Canuck, and Wisconsin) I didn't want to chance this news reaching the workplace.
I also want to take the chance to thank some VERY IMPORTANT people for helping us out legally, financially, and spiritually. We would NEVER have taken the chance if it weren't for you folks who know who you are.
2. The in-laws took care of the sprout for us on Sunday, and we went out for dinner. Initially, we planned on eating at our favorite "el cheapo" steakhouse, but they were set to close in an hour. We opted not to stay, because we didn't want to be rushed. This was our first outing as a couple, and we felt we should milk it for all it was worth. We then decided to go to what I thought was a Japanese steakhouse. It was actually a Korean Steakhouse! Man, am I happy we went there. There are lots of Korean/Japanese items on the menu, but I would suggest getting items in the korean bbq area. They sat us at a table with a flat, circular gas grill about the size of a dinner plate imbedded in the middle of it. They then brought all sorts of things to place on the grill. We had plates filled with two types of beef, One marinated, and the other was not. They brought out two dipping sauces, (sesame oil, and fish sauce{?}) They then set plates filled with a korean seasoned sliced hot dog type of meat, korean potato salad, three types of noodles, SPICY chopped greens with sesame and chili seeds, bean sprouts, mushrooms, jalapenos, garlic, and lettuce leaves to wrap all the grilled goodies in. It really was an incredible dinner, and what made the night even better was- we didn't look like ANY of the people dining there. Well, there was another couple that was not of asian descent, but we TOTALLY did not feel like we were in america. That made the experience more memorable for us.
If you are curious about Korean food, go to Kaya restaurant on reed road just off henderson road. It's well worth it.
3. If you have a personality that teeters between "nosy and "sicko" (like me) then go to Post Secret. It's a blog that allows people to send in their deepest and oft times darkest secrets via email, and/or post cards. There are some that makes me question individuals' humanity, and others that make me smile like a kid. It updates every Sunday, and there are no archives, so it's a one week affair. There is a companion book titled, "Post Secret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives" by Frank Warren, who also runs the blog. Both are very alluring, and are EXTREMELY guilty pleasures. Thanks for the heads up Wisconsin!
Funny how my intended short blogs always end up being so long winded...
I'm off to bed!
PEACE.

Happy Valentines/Snow Day!!!

Just wanted to say a few things before I go back to enjoying my Valentine's day off with the lovely wife and the sprout.
First off, I want to offer my wish for a happy, healthy, and wonderful Valentine's Day to everyone. I know that some folks out there claim they don't celebrate the day because of all the Jewelry store, Chocolate shop, and Greeting Card, commercialism- but, that doesn't have to be what the day is all about. Rather than give up on the day as a whole, just celebrate the IDEA of Valentine's Day. Show someone you love, a bit MORE love today. I've heard others claim- "I don't need to celebrate Valentine's 'cuz I show the person I love just how much I care for them EVERY day". I want to speak to the person they're referring to and confirm this. Sorry to be a cynic, but why would ANYONE turn down a little more attention just because a couple of businesses made some dough? O.k. Fine. so you don't want to celebrate a "Hallmark Holiday". Replace the commercial aspects of Valentine's day with more personal ones. Just keep the SPIRIT of the holiday in mind, and make someone you know feel a little more appreciated on an otherwise regular day.
Second, just as I predicted last night, we are off again because of the HUGE amounts of snow and ice dumped on us yesterday, and last night. I also said that I'd be doing absolutely nothing, and I've pretty much held up my end of that bargain. I had to clean all the accumulated snow and the ice shell my car was encased in before tomorrow morning, and I had to go to the grocery store for a few things. Surprisingly, there were quite a few people out-considering there is a level two snow emergency going on. ("Don't go out unless it's ABSOLUTELY {man, I am capital letter crazy today} necessary)
Well, hopefully everyone reading this is off and relaxing the day away today like I am. Enjoy, 'cuz it's back to the grind tomorrow. Count on it.
PEACE.

Some Snow Day...

Today I made the long trek to work (20 minutes elapsed when normally it takes me about 8) trudging through the 4-6 in. of snow and slush that dumped on us last night. After lots of slipping and sliding, I finally made it to work. I had a 10 a.m. appointment, and although not wanting to be at work, I was raring to go.
Before I go any further, let me just express to you how much I HATE snow. 1. If I never saw a single flake again, I'd be a happy man. 2. Pulling teeth would be considered recreation when compared to driving in the snow in my book. 3. I'd walk barefoot on hot coals rather than step out in a fresh blanket of crummy snow, ultimately getting snow in my shoes/boots.
Anyway, I was raring to go.
But-
After about 1/2 hour, my client did not show up. The Canuck informed me that people were cancelling appointments left and right, so I just figured my client would call and let me know that she would not be braving the elements for her monthly visit.
I continued waiting.
Nothing.
Finally the Canuck ended up calling her, and when she answered, she was asked if she remembered that she had an appointment this morning.
Her response both annoyed me, and made sense at the same time. She simply assumed that we would be closed for the day due to the extreme weather, and therefore didn't feel it was necessary to call and cancel/reschedule her appointment. As I said, it makes sense, because it seems like everyone else was having a snow day EXCEPT my job.
(That's a gross exaggeration, but later in the day, pretty much everyone else in the city DID end up getting off early)
So, then, the boss ended up closing for the day, and I was headed home. After another looooong trip on the freeway, I finally made it home just in time to shovel the quickly accumulating snow before the forecasted freezing rain was to hit. After shoveling, I went to work straightening up the house, doing some important paperwork, mopping the kitchen floor, and preparing dinner. Criminy, I had to shovel the front porch AGAIN (at 11:45) this evening because I was unable to open the front storm door due to the foot deep drifts of ice glazed snow. Just as I finished, gigantic snow flakes had started to fall pretty quickly. (We are supposed to get up to 8 more inches tonight and into tomorrow) My guess is that we will be home yet again tomorrow. Despite all of the activities that took place on my sanctioned hooky day, I was able to slip a nap in, although initially I had planned on retreating to the warmth of my bed, only to emerge the following day.
Ah, well, the best laid plans, and all that jazz...
Besides, there's always tomorrow.
PEACE.

What's Happenin'

I gotta tell ya, this parenting thing is a real snap for me. I never thought it would be this- Not Hard. I won't say easy, because it hasn't been. Easy is a bit too strong a way of putting it. I have gotten pretty good at anticipating when the kid is gonna get upset, and off I go to a musical source, donning my dancing shoes while en route, and I can get the kid to calm down/sleep in a heartbeat. Bob Marley's "Simmer Down" is a favorite, as well as a couple of ska tunes by Hepcat from the album "Right On Time". The boy is really surprising me with his musical appreciation. If he likes a song, he's all about it. His eyes dart to and fro as he concentrates on whatever is playing. If he's not too keen on a tune, look out! He lets loose with the waterworks accompanied by a loud, raspy series of screams. Nothing sets him off faster than Freddie Hubbard's "Red Clay". (Pity)
I have also mastered the art of swaddling. If the kid is fidgety, or upset, and I don't feel like dancing, I can wrap him up in a blanket so nice and tight, the kid looks like a mummy, and we won't hear from him again in AT LEAST 1-2 hours. My guess is that the warmth, and constriction feels like he's back in the womb. It's a pretty effective technique, but I sometimes think the lovely wife thinks my wraps are a bit too tight...
The final sprout news for the evening is, he is now sleeping 4+ hours at a time!!! That may not seem like much to people who DON'T have kids, but that can be compared to having two Christmases a year (just the getting gifts part), finding $50 and then having no one claim it- even when you ask about 20 people if they've lost some dough. (I Never tell the the dollar amount-I may be a good samaritan, but I'm no Dummy), and having breakfast for dinner. The fact that he's sleeping that long is giving us more sleep time during the night, thus creating less dark circles under the eyes, and less grumpiness. He does, sometimes throw a monkey wrench into the works at times, and will wake up after just an hour to keep the lovely wife on her toes. I feel bad about not getting up in the middle of the night to help with feeding, because it's rough on the wife. But as she says, "What can you do? and besides, you have to work in the morning." I feel guilty each time I give a sigh of relief that SHE'S the one on maternity leave...
Last night I watched the Grammy awards with the wife. It was our intent to see the Police perform, but we tuned in too late. But we DID get to see an inspired performance by the ever so talented Justin Timberlake! (Can you see the thick, black tar-like sarcasm dripping from my lips?) We were so lucky to see him plink a loop of about 8 or 9 notes on his little piano, and then subject us to a hand held camera focusing in with an extreme close up on his wonderful face (The bile spewing from my mouth is a bit more than I can handle, so I'll move on.
Mary J. Blige has always been a favorite of mine, and her performance was great. Her heart in it y'all! It's a beautiful thing to see a Hip-Hop artist expand beyond the expected parameters of that genre and create a sound that is bold and new. That is why Hip-Hop, in the right hands will never, ever die. Another example of that level of creativity was Gnarls Barkley. Cee-Lo Green is an incredible performer, and singer, evidenced early on with his work within Goodie Mob, and on his two solo projects. Last night though, he far surpassed anything I've heard him do live. He seemed to breathe new life into a song that I've LONG considered a dead horse (Crazy), and the use of a full back up orchestra, and a choir was tight. BUT the home audience couldn't get the full effect of the performance. Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse, Gnarls Barkley's beat producer/D.J. Were both dressed in Airline gear. Cee-lo had on a navy blue commercial Pilot's uniform, and Danger Mouse wore a co-pilot's uniform. (White short-sleeved shirt with black and gold epaulets, and a black tie) The rest of the musicians wore airline inspired gear as well. Some wore airline attendant uniforms, some wore old school pilot uniforms, and some wore maintenance worker gear. The camera ONLY focused on Cee-Lo, and not the costumes worn, and the wall of sound that was behind him.
Ah well, it wouldn't be the Grammy's if there wasn't something that pissed me off.
PEACE.

...

If WHALES were meant to fly, they would've been given wings!

Oh.

Uhh...
Yeah.

Heh...

I guess member-
ship must REALLY need a boost...

The Adventures of Baby Amazing!!!

Well, the boy is 12 days old today! The last baby doc visit- by the way, from here on out, our Pediatrician will be known as "baby doc", because it is highly unlikely that I'll see the wife's OBGyn again till the next kid. Anyway, Monday's visit went well. The week before, Baby Doc gave us a bit of homework. He wanted the boy to gain 7oz.. I wasn't sure how he wanted us to accomplish this feat, short of stuffing the sprout's gullet with food at random times throughout the day. Granted, the boy is a small fry, but 7oz. is a lot of weight to gain in one week for a newborn.
Monday arrives, and we knew he had gained some weight, because the kid was really eating. Nonstop it seemed.
The nurse had us strip him down, and place him on what looked like a produce scale, and we awaited anxiously for the result...
"Wow" she said.
"He really ate a lot this week didn't he?"
"Umm, yeah" we both responded.
"He gained 10oz."
...
I think our responses were, "DAMN! That's great!"
I guess the kid can really eat. The rest of the visit was good. All is well-he's in tip top shape, and seems to be progressing very well.
Because he's eating more, we are sleeping more. The more food he seems to consume, the more he wants to sleep.
WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!
No more getting up 50 times during the night to change, feed and record the time and frequency of both of those activities in his little "growth journal"!
No more getting up in the middle of the night to calm him down because he's bored, and doesn't realize that at 1:45 a.m
you are supposed to be asleep.
The kid is really a breeze. I think we are going to be as spoiled as he will be. He really only cries if he's wet, hungry, or chilly.
All his waking hours are spent looking around, and listening intently. I really believe the kid is going to be pretty intelligent.
Of course I'm biased, but he's doing things that frankly, a NORMAL 12 day old just doesn't do.
Case(s) in point.
1. He pushes off the floor and our bodies with a good amount of force when he is dangled above them. (I can feel the tiny
muscles in his thighs and calves tighten when he pushes with his little legs)
2. He lifts his head and holds it steady for about two to three seconds before it plops back to our shoulders and chests when
we hold him upright.
3. He is Always looking around. I regularly see his eyes pan and scan objects that are within his visual area. (about 2-3 feet)
4. The kid likes music. If either of us sing to him, he seems to focus intently on the voice he's hearing, and he immediately
relaxes, going limp like a wet noodle.
So based on all these observations, I'm convinced we have a smart cookie on our hands.
I've also been conducting musical experiments with the little guy. I'll play various types of music to see how he responds. He's had the most noticeable reactions to Don Ho, Cesaria Evora, The Clientele, and The Shin's new cd, "Wincing the Night Away".
Speaking of which, the new album is pretty sweet. I have been listening to it nonstop since purchasing it last night, and I plan to give a review soon.
Next up in the musical experiment is Salsa, Reggae, Blues, and Jazz. I'll keep you posted as to how the kid responds, and who he likes.
Alright, I've talked your ears off, so I'm gonna say over and out.

P.S. Even though I HATE winter, I'm glad we got a boatload of snow tonight (3-4 in. DUMPED on us) It's keeping my mom here for a couple more days. I know it's selfish, but I'm not ready for her to go back to Florida just yet...
PEACE.

Shout Outs

Just want to say "What up" to some of my peeps...
First and foremost, I want to say hey mom, I'm glad you made it to town to visit us. I'm glad you got to see your new grand sprout. Feel free to spoil him at will. Please come and visit as often as you wish while you are in town.
Second, I want to thank all my co-workers, clients, friends, and family for all the words of advice, positivity, and encouragement during these past nine months. I also want to thank you all for the great gifts, both edible and non- they were right on time.
(especially the tasty spaghetti, {Thanks SCOTTY D} the soon to be eaten meat loaf, {THANKS Ms. ROHR IF YOUR'E NASTY} the very good soup, {Thanks Mrs. VOLTOLINI} the EXCELLENT cake, and offer to photograph my #1 son {Thanks WISCONSIN!} and the great ice cream {Thanks ICE CREAM MAN, and THE CANUCK}

What up to my lovely wife, and thank you so much for continuously getting up in the middle of the night to feed our cranky little bambino these past six nights, (and letting me sleep) when I know you'd rather be nestled under the warm covers and snoozing soundly. (I KNOW how important your beauty rest is to you) Thank you so much for being so responsible.
I have reached the end of my shout outs, and finally, I'm gonna recommend a photographer to check out.
Todd Baxter is the guy. His photos are strangely beautiful, and his use of light and color is quite amazing. Check him out.
Well, the boy is bawling, and it's hard holding him with one arm, using the other to type, and singing to him all at the same time, so I gotta go.
PEACE.

Busy Busy...

I don't have much time to write tonight. It's almost 9 p.m., and the wife has just finished feeding the sprout, and watching the Buckeye basketball game. This means she is about to hit the sack. While she is sleeping, I am going to be watching a movie and holding the little one's shirtless body against my bare chest till next feeding time. (2 1/2 hrs.) I know, it sounds kinda weird, but- the baby doc informed us that it will help him relax, will lower stress hormone levels, and it can sync his heart rate to mine. Weird sounding or not, I'm all about it.
So, I guess I will talk to you later friends.
P.S., I had to go back to work today, and it totally sucked ass!!! All I could think about was the sprout, and I couldn't really concentrate on my clients. Damn, did I miss the lil' guy.
Ah well, time heals all I guess...
PEACE.

This Week Has Been A Doozy So Far...

It's been a CRAZY week since the sprout has come to join us.
We have gotten, maybe a total of about 24 hours of sleep, put a dent in the national diaper reserve, walked the equivalent of two miles holding and rocking the babe, listened to ocean cd's so often that I'm beginning to think we are back in Costa Rica, and have ducked so many wayward streams of pee- (thank God for my cat-like reflexes) that I"m sure bullet dodging could be considered a hobby.
But ya' know what? I wouldn't change a thing.
I am so grateful for this gift that I have been given, and each day he makes me more and more happy to be a dad.
And besides, I will never run out of subject matter to write about.
Because there are so many things that need to be done in the mere two hour intervals that he sleeps in throughout the day, I only have time to give a quick synopsis of what's going on with the lil' guy.
1.THE KID IS A POOPING MACHINE!!! "In out in out" has got to be the mantra of his digestive system.
2. His perception of time is totally backward. His 12 a.m. is our 12 p.m.
3. He had his first visit with the pediatrician and all is excellent! Early on, there were concerns about his weight (4 lb. 14 oz.)
but he is gaining! He has grown from 17 1/2 in. to 19 in., and his head circumference has gone from 12 1/4 to 12 1/2!
All right little sprout!
4. His eyes are changing color more and more day by day. They started out sort of a dark grey-ish color, but now they seem
to be a light brown, almost hazel shade like my dear old dad's and my lovely wife's.
5. He is HANDSOME!!! A LADY-KILLER IN THE MAKING!
6. He is one of the most serene, and relaxed individuals I have met. The kid NEVER cries Unless he's got a dirty diaper, or he
is hungry. I swear, he's like mini Mahatma Ghandi.
7. I appreciate all the support we have continuously received from our friends and family, and I mean it, we WILL be taking
up ALL offers of assistance, so be careful what you say around us. Mental notes are being taken!

Well, the boy is squirming, and I just felt more rumbling in his diaper, so I have got to go. See ya' tomorrow!
PEACE.

IT'S A BOY!!!

What up everybody!!! Sorry about the delay in posting, but I am back at it, and I am happy to announce the birth of the sprout! On Thursday, January 25th, my lovely wife and I had a BEAUTIFUL baby boy. He was born at 6:56 a.m., weighing just 4lb. 14oz., and just 171/2 inches long.
Man, is he little!
Everything the day BEFORE his birth started off pretty routinely, and I had no clue as to what would soon occur. We got up at our usual 8:00 Wednesday time, had our usual hard time emerging from our warm bed, and got the dogs ready for their usual morning walk. The day started out pretty boring.
While on our walk, the dogs did what they normally do- pulling, sniffing, leg lifting, and butt crouching, and I was under the assumption that there was nothing that was out of the ordinary. That is, until the last three blocks of our walk. The lovely wife began to notice a "wet" feeling, and a progressively achy back. By the time we got home, her back was really hurting, and she told me she felt like she was leaking.
LEAKING?!?!
Thinking her water had broken, I suggested we call the baby doc after I called and consulted with a co-worker who has had quite a bit of practice with birthing babies. Baby doc, after hearing all the details, prompted us to come to her office right then. "Come now" she said, "Don't worry about makeup, and doing your hair, just get in as soon as possible"
Oh oh.
AFTER the wife showered AND washed her hair, we headed to baby doc's office. Upon arrival, they whisked her in, gave her a quick checkup, and then led her into a room with an ugly forest green leather recliner, a couple of magazines, and a machine that suspiciously looked like an old school polygraph machine.
"Do they think we're lying about your water breaking?" I half joked, half seriously. The machine was used to conduct stress tests. After strapping disc-shaped gauges to my wife with elastic sports bandage type material, the machine then recorded the sprout's heart rate, and the strength and frequency of contractions, if any.
There were none.
So, then a swab test was run to determine whether the wife's water had broken.
It had.
MY WIFE'S WATER HAD BROKEN!!!
Baby doc informed us that the "leakage" was in fact, the wife's continual breaking of water.
Continual was the most appropriate word baby doc could have used. The lovely wife was like a faulty faucet (I know I'm gonna get it for that one) from 8:30 a.m., until around 11:30-12:00 that evening, and this made her equally uncomfortable and upset. Lucky for HER there was a Buckeye basketball game on to keep her mind off the waterworks.
After we were admitted to the hospital, we got acclimated to our new digs, unpacking, and just getting as comfy as possible.
Soon after, the nurse came in, answered all our questions, and then hooked the wife up to yet Another "Polygraph machine". (This one looked super futuristic, and it was connected to some cool speakers, and a computer monitor)
After a long period of waiting for a contraction to happen, and getting no result, the wife was given some Petosin to prompt contractions. Lucky for ME, there was a Buckeye basketball game on, because we did a LOT of waiting around for a contraction. Finally, at around 11:00, the wife started feeling some pretty good contractions. (Early on, she felt some, but despite the VERY high readings of the space age contraction monitor, she continued to watch the game relatively unfazed)
Soon after, she requested an epidural. Now I know she had to be in some SERIOUS pain to request, cuz she is hard core when it comes to pain tolerance. I'm not going to go into detail about the epidural procedure, because I didn't see any of it. They made me sit facing her, so I just held her hand. From what I do know, they stick a good sized needle into your spine and inject a drug which numbs you from the waist down to alleviate some of the pain of the contractions.
It worked.
But with a price. It must have really killed the wife to go through it, because while holding her hand,she nearly broke a couple of my fingers when the shot was administered.
After that, she and I slept from around 12:00 to 5:15 a.m.
When she awoke, our nurse did a couple of readings, and boosted morale.
The wife was feeling the contractions quite a bit more than she would have liked, and requested another pain killer.
The nurse then informed her the she could have a much milder one, but doubted it would do any good this late in the game.
At around 6:20, the nurse did a check on the wife after her contraction pains became more pronounced.
"Oh" she said, "I think you are ready to go" she then said, grabbing instruments to be used during the birth. (They looked like torture tools to me)
"WAIT A MINUTE!!!" I screamed inside, "What the #@$* do you mean ready to go?!?!"
"I'M not!"
"Yes", she said after a little further investigation. "I can see the head starting to make it's way down." "Here jay, take a look!"
...
"Umm..."
...
I really did NOT plan on being anywhere near the area where my wife would be ejecting our baby from her body, much less peering into it's escape route, but I handled it like a champ! When I looked, I did in fact see a small bit of the top of our son's head, and it was covered in hair. The nurse then ran out of the room to call the baby doc, and when she returned, I was then instructed to grab one of the wife's legs and push toward her chest while she did the same with the other. While the nurse and I pushed, we cheered my wife on, telling her to push against us, and then praising her for the good job she was doing.
Then baby doc showed up, and the three of us continued to push while baby doc cleared the way for a smooth baby landing.
The craziest/most beautiful/humbling sight I will ever see then occurred. I watched our son's head, shoulders, and his cute lil' bony butt emerge from my OH SO LOVELY WIFE, and then be placed in her arms.
WOW MAN.
So, after roughly 35-40 mins. of pushing the wife bore me an heir to my/our last name.
I am more grateful to her than there are words to express for helping me create such a beautiful being who is a combination of the two of us, and yet a complete individual unlike any before him or any who will follow.
Thank you so very much my love.
And thank you so much for coming into my life Sprout. I promise to you that I will do everything in my power to keep you safe from harm, to instill in you a strong understanding of Honor, and Respect, and to expose you to all I can in order to help make your parameters of acceptance and tolerance limitless.
I love you my son, and PEACE to you.

Goings On...

Happy New Week Everybody!!!
I hope you're all happy to start your new work week back up again. Just 5 more days, and the weekend will be back for me.
(4 for the regular working stiffs)
Because I missed "Heroes" last night I'm sure I will be banned from the water cooler until next week. I hope the new season is good- and without any dumb "Save the cheerleader, save the world" catch phrase crap. (although I must admit, a LOT of people heard it, and watched that storyline arc because of that equally silly and annoying tag line.)
Anyway, Today is the start of my new work week, and I'm pretty o.k. with it. I need to be at work, but I would rather stay at home with the lovely wife on baby alert. Baby alert is actually a lot less stressful, unnerving, and downright frightening than I thought it would be nine months ago. A typical evening while on baby alert consists of, lounging on the couch, volleying baby boy names (still can't think of one), zoning in front of the t.v., hanging in the kitchen while dinner is prepared, more t.v. zoning, assembling the many baby accessories friends and family gave us for my wife's multiple baby showers, and fretting about where to put all the assembled loot. We are swiftly running out of space for all the baby stuff, and it cannot be more evident that we need to get rid of a LOT of crap. Maybe if I can throw one thing that we haven't used in a year away each day, then it wont seem like we are the hoarders that we are slowly but surely becoming.
Yesterday the wife and I went to the baby doc and she informed the lovely wife that she was 50% effaced. Just a week ago, she told us that she wasn't at all. I'm guessing that that is pretty good, and that we are 50% closer to having the sprout than not. The doc also guesstimated that the sprout is around about 7 pounds right now, and I must say that although that is average, I am impressed. I never thought I would/could produce a NORMAL sized bambino. I'm a small fry, and when I came into the world I was maybe 4 pounds. Wayyyy underweight. (and on time) So, to think that there's a possibility that my kid won't be a shrimp like his dear old doggie daddy really makes me...
You know what? None of that really matters. I don't care if the kid is a pip squeak or a frankenstein, just let him/her come out healthy and happy and all will be right in the world to me.
The bags are packed, the car seat is in, and I have a couple of movies in mind to take to the hospital with us. (YES the hospital has dvd players!) Yeah buddy-we are ready!!! All that remains is the call. I don't know when I will get it, but when I do, I will be as cool as a cucumber. (Yeah right) I know I will be a wreck, but- I will try to be as calm as possible when interacting with the wife. We don't need TWO crazy people running around in circles screaming, hollering, and panicking when at least ONE of us needs to be calm so that the other can be as well.
Well, I guess that's all I have to say right now, but I will keep you posted dear blog as to the ongoing adventures in baby making...
PEACE.

Awwww Crap!!!

I forgot to watch and give my weekly review of Afro Samurai last night!!!
I don't know when the rerun will be... rerun- but I'm sure I'll find it on Youtube...

PEACE till next week.
(I really mean it this time...)

I've Been Converted...

For dessert tonight, my lovely wife and I had Jeni's Ice Cream.
I must admit, that I AM ABSOLUTELY NOT A FAN OF ICE CREAM ON COLD, BLUSTERY DAYS WHEN THE HAWK IS OUT. I decided to get some for the lovely wife after work. ('Cuz you know how them pregnant women LOVE ice cream) Apprehensively, I asked for a spoonful-which led to at least three more, and every single taste bud was completely pleased. We got Orange Flower, Creme' de Violet, and Pear Riesling and each flavor was excellent. We conducted experiments with mixing flavors and found that Pear and Creme' de Violet tastes like a Pear Creamcicle! My wife didn't seem to care for the Orange Flower, but I thought it was great. I don't know what prompted my sudden desire to eat ice cream, but boy did it pay off!
I've never really cared for ice cream when it's cold because it's cold-
And it makes me cold-
And I don't like to be cold.
At all.
Ever.
Just about everyone I know expresses their delight with the occasional ice cream treat between the months of December and March. Some claim it's the thrill of eating a luxury supposedly reserved only for warm afternoons and nights. Maybe it helps remind people that summer is not SO far away. I personally feel that there would HAVE to be some folks that eat ice cream during the winter months because they can take their time. If the chance of the ice cream melting is lessened exponentially, then- the ice cream can be enjoyed for a LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
What if some people don't even NEED a reason?
...

If the solution can be as easy as putting on a thermal shirt, sweater, sweatshirt, windbreaker, scarf, wool cap, ear muffs, heavy socks, snow pants, and gloves to enjoy Jeni's ice creams like I did tonight, then so be it.

PEACE till next week.

New Outfit...

Aww yeah baby!
CHECK ME OUT Y'ALL!
How do you like the new threads?
I spent a couple of hours trying on new blog templates, customizing the fit, and color, but I think I just might have a look that properly expresses-"Dapper Young Ruggedly Handsome Go Getter".
Let me know what ya think of the new and improved look of Just Trying to Make Sense.
Well, I'm running out of time before I have to hit the bricks in order to get to the grind, so I'm gonna scram.
Expect another post later today/tonight.
PEACE.

GO BUCKS!!! (Really-I'm NOT a Fan)

Went to see the Buckeye Basketball team CREAM Northwestern with a final score of 73-41.
A massacre occurred on the court. Toward the end of the game, fans were heckling Northwestern players, and judging by their performance, it seemed like they heard every jeer shot their way. I almost felt bad for them.
Almost.
We got some photos, but because no flash photography was permitted, taking close ups produced fuzzy slightly blurry pics.
Also included is a photo of me standing next to a Greg Oden life-size poster...
Damn that kid is a friggin' GIANT!

Oh yeah, I found out how to make links to other blogs and sites in the side bar. Thanks to my co-worker I'll call the Canuck.
PEACE.

One Centimeter, Boobs, Equality, Burgers, and Blue Jackets...

A bunch of crap happened between Friday and today, and I have a couple of itchy fingers, so I'm gonna write all about said crap in order of most to least important.
This morning, we went to see the OBGYN for my lovely wife's now weekly checkup till the sprout uh, sprouts. All was well, the wife is at 38 weeks, has dilated one centimeter, and feels pretty good- save some sore hips. We found out that the lovely wife's numbers (sugar, protein) are perfect, her weight gain is where it should be, (24 lbs.) and that Baby White (as named by a couple of friends) is facing downward. We also learned that the kid will be exceptionally pleasing to the eye, very personable, and successful throughout their life in everything that they do...
O.K., maybe we DON'T know for sure that the kid will be personable or successful, but that's alright. We have the fact that he/she will be an extremely attractive individual (just like her/his parents) to fall back on.

Yesterday we met with our potential pediatrician. He was an alright guy, and had a good sense of humor- which I liked. He was pretty cool, but almost overly so. He had sort of a wanna-be cool high school counselor type of thing going on. He used some "hip" lingo, but it seemed just SLIGHTLY strained. Plus he used the word "BOOB" twice when referring to my lovely wife's breasts. He said something like, "It takes patience and practice to get the baby to attach to your BOOB when feeding".(!)
I don't quite remember exactly how he used "BOOB" the next time, which was a few seconds later, because I was still reeling from the first time he said it. The word BOOB isn't bad or offensive to me, criminy, I nearly use the word on a daily basis. (DON'T ASK) It's just that I expected a DOCTOR to use a more technical term. Anyway, he answered all the questions we fretted and sweated to come up with-I mean, how are we as new parents supposed to know what to ask a doctor we've never had a need for?
All in all, everything went well, and he seemed like a good choice.

Yesterday was also Martin Luther King's Birthday. I didn't attend any of the festivities occurring around town and I felt bad, but I DID take some time out to reflect how well things have become for brown people here in the states, and how much further we as a society still have to go in order for everybody across the board to truly feel equal.

Sunday the lovely wife and I wanted to discontinue our monotonous cycle of waking up, going to work, coming home, watching t.v. till we go to bed, and waking up-so we decided to go out (together) for a change. The wife asked me out on a date to the Thurman Cafe for dinner for the BEST HAMBURGERS EVER! From there we went to the Book Loft and got lost within it's labyrinthine corridors and rooms for about an hour and a half. We wanted to go next door to Cup o' Joe for coffee and conversation, but it was already 11:00, and the joint was closed. That was o.k., because we spent the entire night talking, and getting to know each other again. Sunday was really the highlight of the weekend.

Saturday night, my co-workers and I met at Nationwide Arena for a Columbus Blue Jackets hockey game. it was cool, but no one really devoted too much time to watching the game. We all pretty much just talked and mingled with one another, and with our host-a client who invites us to a game each year with she and some friends to watch in a "box" she reserves. It was a decent spread. There was food (pizza, wings, pasta) soda, and LOTS OF BOOZE!!! After the game, we were feeling pretty good, and we then headed to the Bar of Modern Art to hang out. I must admit, the club scene isn't mine, but it was surprisingly entertaining, and fun. Amid the Uber-Cool scenesters there were regular folks, nerds, sluts, geeks, hip-hoppers, gays, soccer moms and dads, and soon to be golden buckeye card recipients. (My kind of crowd) There was something for everyone. And because the crowd was so diverse, everyone could feel "cool" there. The bartenders were quite generous, (I got a FREE drink-and man was it stiff) and as swift as they were polite.
The art was excellent, they featured a room COMPLETELY covered in graffiti, a room with hand grenade headed resin action figurines, and a room with religious collage/oil interpretations. I'm not doing any of the artwork justice, so browse the site, and look up each of the artist's works.

Man my fingers are tired as hell! I guess when I wait a few days to post, the floodgates burst when I decide to do so again.
Hopefully my long-windedness hasn't contributed to your dozing off dear reader, and I will again make the empty promise to try and write daily, so as to avoid these long-ass posts
Anyway, it's late, and I am out of stuff to talk about, so I am going to bed.
PEACE.

...

C'mon michael...



...Seriously.

Nothing new...

Not much to say tonite...
I watched another episode of Afro Samurai, and again it was O.K.
That is until the love scene. (I hate animated love scenes) They had some R. Kelly type r&b bullshit accompanying the act. What the HELL does R. Kelly, or whoever was trying to sound like him have to do with a samurai action show???
They are losing me, but I'm willing to give it one more episode.
I had a client come in yesterday who gave me a terrific website. it's called PANDORA.COM. It is a really sweet site. Like LIVE365.COM you can type in the name of a musical artist, or genre of music and they will play tunes by that artist, or songs within that genre, but unlike 365, it goes further. Pandora acts as a reference site directing you to SIMILAR artists or songs which fit the genre chosen. 365 scratches that surface, but Pandora goes the extra mile- even providing cover art from the recommend artist's cd's. It's a great site that I will use in tandem with 365. Live 365 will give me the names of rare and obscure artists currently being played, and I will then look to Pandora to give me an album name, and similar sounding bands. Soon I will be so swamped in music, it will not be funny. (really I'm ALREADY swamped, but I don't care. You never know when you will need a Don Ho, Carmen Miranda, or Kashmere Stage Band song to liven up a situation)
PEACE.

There is no joy in Mudville-mighty Casey has struck out...

Even though it's a reference to a different sport, the sentiment can't be any more appropriate.

Two of Two...

The time is drawing nigh. In a matter of just under four weeks, (According to Baby Doc) I will become one of the MOST important individuals in a person's life. Let's consider that for a moment, shall we? This means that ALL of my actions, spoken thoughts, personality traits, insecurities, and beliefs will be under a little microscope to be scrutinized, sponged, and simulated. So, I MUST be on point. Seriously. ONE slip of my Drunken Sailor's tongue, and I could wind up with a kid suspended from preschool. ONE criticism of the lovely wife, though she posesses not a trait that I COULD criticize- (whew) ONE criticism of the lovely wife could be repeated, thus earning me the comfort and warmth of the couch. Most importantly- I must keep in mind that ONE disrespectful, or dishonorable act toward another could set a standard.
Cognitive and Active Responsibility must be a way of life now, and I have to further develop and hone those abilities in order to help me to be aware of the consequences BEFORE the actions. More importantly, I have to instill those skills in my kid, nuturing them until she/he exhibits them on his/her own.
Man. Becoming the BEST DAD IN THE EXISTENCE OF MAN sure is gonna be a lot of Damn work...
PEACE, till next week.

Number One Of Two Today...

Today I will be posting twice to make up for the absence of posts on Weds. and Thurs. (Monday had two posts, but one was meant for Tuesday)
On to the post.
I saw this guy's story today, and thought it might be kinda cool to share it. This man's actions required an IMMENSE amount of bravery, and it reinforces my faith in the human spirit, and our innate desire to help another in dire situations. Thanks for decreasing my cynicism by a HUGE amount Mr. Autrey.
Last night I watched an episode of a new Anime called Afro Samurai and it was pretty good. Not GREAT, but it was interesting enough to check out again. It airs on the Spike T.V. channel at 11p.m. (So late because of the adult language, and ultra-violent scenes and situations. The story involves Sam Jackson who voices Afro Samurai, and his ninja sidekick, Ninja Ninja (who Jackson also voices). They are on a quest for the "Number One Fighter" headband once worn by Afros' father, who was defeated in battle by the then Number Two Fighter- Justice, voiced by Ron Pearlman. The soundtrack features a musical score by the RZA of Wu-Tang Clan fame, and is STRONGLY influenced by Hip-Hop culture. (Almost stereotypically) Other influences include Samurai Champloo, Ninja Scroll, and Lone Wolf and Cub. There's a feudal japanese, old west, futuristic feel which provides an interesting mood, and I also noticed strong Buddist/Christian undertones playing tug of war with one another. (Possibly a comment on Japanese traditions threatened by Western influence?) All in all, it's a pretty good show, and deserves a viewing.
PEACE, till later today.

Sprout's Humble Abode...

Whew! We literally just finished the sprout's room, and it's a good thing. We only have FOUR weeks till she or he arrives! Wow man, to think I will soon be somebody's DAD. The lovely wife has been having contractions, but they're only sporadic at best.
Nonetheless, we have been prepping for the day/night we have to run to the hospital to birth our baby! We have been going over the names we like best, what we need to remember to pack in order for the wife to be most comfy, making a list of snacks she may want, and making a cd chock full of relaxing and soothing tunes. The hardest decision seems to be what outfit to pack for the lil' gal or guy.
Anyway, the room is done-except for some outline work, and painting the tacks the cloud mobiles hang from the same color as the ceiling. Not too much work left.
We wanted to go with an insect sort of theme, because each window in the room is surrounded by flowers during the summer, and we wanted the room to feel as if insects were just passing through. We found a lot of the decor items at IKEA, (cool stuff, and VERY cheap) and our favorites are the leaf shaped canopy for the bed, (it gets pretty bright in that room on sunny days) and the sun shaped ceiling sculpture.
It has honestly been a pain in the rear to accomplish, but after seeing the finished product, I must say, it was well worth the effort. Now I'm just ready for the occupant of the domicile to arrive.
PEACE.

HAPPY 2007!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!
This year is gonna be a good one-
I can already tell!
We had a lot to be thankful for in '06, and '07 will surely be just as fortuitous for us. We are truly grateful for all the LOVE, FRIENDSHIP, SUPPORT, and POSITIVITY we have been so fortunate to have received this year, and we look forward to reciprocating to the people we know and love.
For my resolution, I plan on working on my communication skills.
I plan to be a better listener-stopping EVERYTHING and devoting all of my attention to the person conveying their thoughts to me. I feel I am an o.k. listener, but If there's a distraction, I find myself splitting my attention between the individual speaking to me, and whatever else is going on. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not RUDE when I do it-and it's not OBVIOUS that I am doing it, but I feel it's disrespectful to the person conversing with me. So, in order to be most effective when communicating with others, I resolve to LISTEN, and FOCUS on all that is being said to me, without interruptions, or volleying MY opinions, thoughts, and/or solutions until the person speaking to me has ended their half of the conversation, or until they ask for my input.
WHEW!
THAT IS GOING TO BE A SERIOUS TASK FOR ME FOLKS.
I think that I can accomplish this resolution, and ultimately, it will get me one step closer to mastering the lost art of conversation.
PEACE.
(Sprout info. tomorrow Dad)