tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64962843370871023292024-03-06T00:31:56.880-08:00Intention and LiabilityA septum between thoughts and misfires; Something for my son if a meteorite strikes me tomorrowUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-36133692009918159862010-11-22T21:49:00.000-08:002010-11-23T18:58:39.620-08:00Reading in the Galley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jonathancarroll.com/books/thewoodensea.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.jonathancarroll.com/images/covers/woodensea1.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>I will never forget the first time I saw a stack of galley proofs. It was my first day as a bookseller, and part of the morning's training included a rundown about the proliferation and overall wonderfulness of advance readers and uncorrected proofs. Sure the discount for buying books was pretty generous, but these were free and unreleased to the public at large. It all made sense, but I had to just stare at those perfectly bound paperbacks for a while, letting it all soak in. I was pretty broke at the time, so it actually soaked in rather quickly<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>There was no order to the little library that rested before me, unless you counted the dust accumulation on certain titles that served to provide a chronological order of release dates. On that day, I realized that most of my coworkers were not overly excited about self help manifestos, cutesy chapbooks on team building, or first-time releases by Californian authors. Feeling a sense of camaraderie, it was time to plunge beneath those very niches and see what bounty was to be had in the dregs of the free pile.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>On the way home that evening, an ARC of Jonathan Carroll's "The Wooden Sea" sat on the passenger seat. I had heard of the author before, but the main selling point was undoubtedly the hallucinatory coolness printed on the outer wrap. That, and it didn't have a dedication to God, Jack Welsh, or motivational body builders. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Jonathan Carroll went on to become one of my favorite authors. That one promotional copy generated a feverish spending spree as I accumulated his entire backlist in the form of trade paperbacks, hardcover first editions (UK editions particularly), and the occasional signed edition. Every frontlist title Carroll has since released is typically in my hands within days of hitting the bookstore. Visual merchandising of his works through the use of shelf talkers and good ol' fashioned handselling have contributed to spreading a little Carrollian magic into the libraries of many, many others. </div><div><br />
</div><div>All of this was initiated through a free galley proof provided by a hopeful publisher. It worked.</div></div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.netgalley.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcX32FcPNjxs0-WFULyVubKQThTZpbefedH25Qb7GPVbh0OXwN8NIeZtfpEC_872LrGU4mF9-SWPdB5uWXef2jsHyd6lTQyY82HPPuDaAiJzfwwS4y3fMn2y0rt-ChE_AZiFUsUWm8MR0/s200/netgalley.gif" width="194" /></a></div><div>With this story in mind, I am thrilled to have joined <a href="http://netgalley.com/">NetGalley</a>. The folks at NetGalley have constructed a way for many publishers to <i>securely</i> share the digital versions of their galleys. It's a cozy experience finding the titles that interest you, and then you simply request a galley. Within hours, I had several of my requests approved, and the requested texts were simply a download away. They have a 60-day digital lifespan, similar to the DRM-structure found in Overdrive texts from your local library.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Thus far, here are the titles that I am currently digging into for digital review:</div><div><br />
</div><div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid #999999 .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 83.42%;"><thead>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="background: #CCCCCC; border: inset #999999 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 7.5pt 1.5pt 7.5pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Received<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="background: #CCCCCC; border-left: none; border: inset #999999 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 7.5pt 1.5pt 7.5pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Pub Date<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="background: #CCCCCC; border-left: none; border: inset #999999 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 7.5pt 1.5pt 7.5pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">View All Titles by:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="background: #CCCCCC; border-left: none; border: inset #999999 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 7.5pt 1.5pt 7.5pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Imprint<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="background: #CCCCCC; border-left: none; border: inset #999999 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 7.5pt 1.5pt 7.5pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Title<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="background: #CCCCCC; border-left: none; border: inset #999999 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 7.5pt 1.5pt 7.5pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Author<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="background: #CCCCCC; border-left: none; border: inset #999999 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 7.5pt 1.5pt 7.5pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Status<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> </tr>
</thead> <tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: inset #999999 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">11/22/2010<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">11/08/2010<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://netgalley.com/index.php?module=catalog&pub=Island%20Press"><b><span style="color: #7588ae; font-size: 8.5pt;">Island Press</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://netgalley.com/index.php?module=reviewer&func=reviewerGalleyDetails&requestType=f&id=80569&projectid=6460"><b><span style="color: #7588ae; font-size: 8.5pt;">Temperate and Boreal Rainforests of the World</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://netgalley.com/index.php?module=reviewer&func=reviewerGalleyDetails&requestType=f&id=80569&id=80569&projectid=6460"><b><span style="color: #7588ae; font-size: 8.5pt;">Dominick A. DellaSala</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">Accepted<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: inset #999999 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">11/22/2010<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">04/21/2011<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://netgalley.com/index.php?module=catalog&pub=Houghton%20Mifflin%20Harcourt"><b><span style="color: #7588ae; font-size: 8.5pt;">Houghton Mifflin</span></b><b><span style="color: #7588ae; font-size: 8.5pt; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</span></b><b><span style="color: #7588ae; font-size: 8.5pt;">Harcourt</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">Peterson Field Guides<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://netgalley.com/index.php?module=reviewer&func=reviewerGalleyDetails&requestType=f&id=81460&projectid=6595"><b><span style="color: #7588ae; font-size: 8.5pt;">Peterson Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes, Second Edition</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://netgalley.com/index.php?module=reviewer&func=reviewerGalleyDetails&requestType=f&id=81460&id=81460&projectid=6595"><b><span style="color: #7588ae; font-size: 8.5pt;">Lawrence M. Page</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">Accepted<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: inset #999999 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">11/22/2010<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">11/15/2010<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://netgalley.com/index.php?module=catalog&pub=Island%20Press"><b><span style="color: #7588ae; font-size: 8.5pt;">Island Press</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://netgalley.com/index.php?module=reviewer&func=reviewerGalleyDetails&requestType=f&id=81491&projectid=6572"><b><span style="color: #7588ae; font-size: 8.5pt;">Repeat Photography</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://netgalley.com/index.php?module=reviewer&func=reviewerGalleyDetails&requestType=f&id=81491&id=81491&projectid=6572"><b><span style="color: #7588ae; font-size: 8.5pt;">Robert H. Webb, Diane E. Boyer, and Raymond M. Turner</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">Accepted<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: inset #999999 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">11/22/2010<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">12/01/2010<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://netgalley.com/index.php?module=catalog&pub=Island%20Press"><b><span style="color: #7588ae; font-size: 8.5pt;">Island Press</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://netgalley.com/index.php?module=reviewer&func=reviewerGalleyDetails&requestType=f&id=81496&projectid=6220"><b><span style="color: #7588ae; font-size: 8.5pt;">Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://netgalley.com/index.php?module=reviewer&func=reviewerGalleyDetails&requestType=f&id=81496&id=81496&projectid=6220"><b><span style="color: #7588ae; font-size: 8.5pt;">Peter Calthorpe</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">Accepted<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: inset #999999 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">11/22/2010<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">02/02/2011<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://netgalley.com/index.php?module=catalog&pub=Hachette%20Book%20Group"><b><span style="color: #7588ae; font-size: 8.5pt;">Hachette Book Group</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">Orbit Books<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://netgalley.com/index.php?module=reviewer&func=reviewerGalleyDetails&requestType=f&id=81703&projectid=6402"><b><span style="color: #7588ae; font-size: 8.5pt;">LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF SAUSAGES</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://netgalley.com/index.php?module=reviewer&func=reviewerGalleyDetails&requestType=f&id=81703&id=81703&projectid=6402"><b><span style="color: #7588ae; font-size: 8.5pt;">Tom Holt</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: inset #999999 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: inset #999999 .75pt; padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">Accepted<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table></div><div><br />
</div><div>I am really grateful to the folks behind this endeavor, as the concept of digital galleys was always one fraught with fears of piracy and technophobia. The roster of publishers that are present on the site shows that such preconceived notions are changing. Furthermore, I no longer have to contend with the bookstore darlings who always managed to have first grabs at the most choice incoming galleys.</div><div><br />
</div><div>In the meantime, I have some texts to read and reviews to cook up.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-31531316244843626962010-11-11T21:37:00.000-08:002010-11-12T19:50:37.774-08:00Minor Defense of Fantasy FootballI love Fantasy Football more than a Julius Peppers mid-week fine from the NFL. Many years have passed where I put nearly as much work into the annual draft as I did into entire collegiate courses. The boy has <thankfully> curbed much of the compulsive behavior that once drove such habits, and unlike my olden days, I realize that there just isn't the time to scrutinize NFL statistics using SQL queries. <br />
<br />
It may also have to do with the fact that I usually lost entire seasons and some pocket change based on strings of horrendous luck that digest forecasting models for breakfast. In any case, each weekend I am down to about 30-minutes of research and anywhere from 2-8 hours of quality broadcast turf time. <br />
<br />
It's a dangerous relationship. Normally I could care less about a Chief-Bills game, but when I'm down 5.2 points and have a horse in that race, you bet I'm staying awake and aware until the camera flash goes off and the blanket finish is no more.<br />
<br />
Every year I try to partake in two leagues, usually commissioning one. More than that requires too much commitment, particularly during my reality of familial obligations, work, and scholarly pursuits. It's all about doing more with less. Even if I didn't have the time at all, playing this damn game is something I will do 'til I die. <br />
<br />
I'm a fan of experimentation in fantasy football, many times to the chagrin of those playing in my leagues. One year it was possible to get 300 points in a week. This year I attempted rolling drafts with rosters of players that fell to the inactivity wayside. In a later season, I'd love to do a hybrid Fantasy/Suicide Pool scenario. If I haven't thanked the poor bastards who sign up in my leagues for their endurances, I hope they read it here.<br />
<br />
I can't wait to have the wee one join a league with me, watching games and having him learn basic mathematics in the process. On the other hand, he might hate football and we'll play the other version of fantasy football known as D&D. Either way it's a win for his old man.<br />
<br />
Until he's a little older, I had to take a half hour tonight after he crashed out and put together a matrix with an alternative scoring system based loosely on points-per-week. It pits me in first place, which is far more desirable than the actual position I occupy in my hosted league. This just illustrates that fantasy football schedules can dump on you regardless of how well you prepare, at which point it's time to move on to the next week. More than mathematics or diagramming the Cover 2, I hope my boy appreciates this eventual lesson.<br />
</thankfully><br />
Until then, I need to go make sure my fantasy basketball roster is prepped for the upcoming weekend.<br />
<thankfully><br />
</thankfully><br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="xl677115" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; text-align: -webkit-auto; width: 405px;"><colgroup><col class="xl677115" style="mso-width-alt: 3474; mso-width-source: userset; width: 71pt;" width="95"></col><col class="xl667115" span="10" style="mso-width-alt: 1133; mso-width-source: userset; width: 23pt;" width="31"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" colspan="4" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 140pt;" width="188"><b>Points Scored Each Week</b></td><td class="xl667115" style="width: 23pt;" width="31"></td><td class="xl667115" style="width: 23pt;" width="31"></td><td class="xl667115" style="width: 23pt;" width="31"></td><td class="xl667115" style="width: 23pt;" width="31"></td><td class="xl667115" style="width: 23pt;" width="31"></td><td class="xl667115" style="width: 23pt;" width="31"></td><td class="xl667115" style="width: 23pt;" width="31"></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl677115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl677115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">HD</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">BS</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">BBB</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">PA</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">GK</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">R</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">TX</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">PJX</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">BL</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">DH</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Week 1</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #C8DB81; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">106</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FDC77D; border-left: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">75</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FDD67F; border-left: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">80</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FEE883; border-left: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">87</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FEE482; border-left: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">85</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FEE883; border-left: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">87</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FA9172; border-left: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">56</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #F87B6E; border-left: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">48</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FBB279; border-left: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">68</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FEDD81; border-left: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">83</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Week 2</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #D3DF82; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">102</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FBEA84; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">89</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #D4DF82; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">102</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FDC77D; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">75</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FCC27C; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">73</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FEE582; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">86</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FED880; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">81</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FEDA80; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">81</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #D4DF82; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">102</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #BCD881; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">110</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Week 3</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #A7D27F; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">116</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FDEB84; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">88</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #F0E784; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">93</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FDD780; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">81</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #7DC67D; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">130</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FBA576; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">63</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #7DC67D; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">130</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FEDB80; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">82</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FCC07B; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">72</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FBEA84; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">89</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Week 4</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FDC97D; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">76</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FDD880; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">81</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #D1DE82; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">103</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FBB078; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">67</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FBAC77; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">65</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FCBE7B; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">72</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FBAB77; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">65</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #BED981; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">109</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #F98D72; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">55</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #6FC27C; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">135</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Week 5</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FBA376; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">62</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #F8696B; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">42</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #AAD380; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">116</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FBEA84; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">89</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #F1E784; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">92</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #A9D380; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">116</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #D9E082; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">100</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #A8D27F; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">116</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #C1D981; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">108</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #F6E984; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">91</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Week 6</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #B7D780; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">111</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FDC87D; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">75</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #F7E984; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">90</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #F9EA84; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">89</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FEDD81; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">83</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FEE182; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">84</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #E9E583; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">95</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FEDF81; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">84</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #91CC7E; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">124</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #EAE583; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">94</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Week 7</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FCC47C; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">74</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #F86E6C; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">44</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #F3E884; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">91</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FEE683; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">86</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FA9E75; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">61</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #F5E884; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">91</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #7EC67D; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">130</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #78C47D; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">132</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #CCDD82; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">104</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FEE582; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">86</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Week 8</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #A7D27F; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">117</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #F6E984; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">91</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FDCE7E; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">77</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FA9673; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">58</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #BDD881; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">109</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #C9DC81; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">105</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FDCB7D; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">76</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FDCF7E; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">78</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FBA676; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">63</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #F6E984; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">90</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Week 9</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #63BE7B; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">139</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #F8786D; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">47</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #F98871; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">53</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #B3D580; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">113</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #DFE283; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">98</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #F98470; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">52</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #E7E483; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">95</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #FCC17B; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">73</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #E1E383; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">97</div></td><td class="xl707115" style="background: #D6DF82; border-left: none; border-top: none; border: .5pt solid #A6A6A6; mso-pattern: black none;"><div style="text-align: center;">101</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl677115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" colspan="11" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><b>Points Awarded Based on How Many Teams You Would Have Beaten That Week</b></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl677115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td><td class="xl667115"></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl677115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">HD</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">BS</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">BBB</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">PA</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">GK</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">R</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">TX</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">PJX</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">BL</div></td><td class="xl687115"><div style="text-align: center;">DH</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Week 1</div></td><td class="xl697115"><div style="text-align: center;">9</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">3</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">4</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">8</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">6</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">7</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">1</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">0</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">2</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">5</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Week 2</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">8</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">5</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">6</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">1</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">0</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">4</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">2</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">3</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">7</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">9</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Week 3</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">7</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">4</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">6</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">2</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">8</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">0</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">9</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">3</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">1</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">5</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Week 4</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">5</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">6</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">7</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">3</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">2</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">4</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">1</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">8</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">0</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">9</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Week 5</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">1</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">0</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">7</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">2</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">4</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">8</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">5</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">9</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">6</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">3</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Week 6</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">8</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">0</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">5</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">4</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">1</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">3</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">7</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">2</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">9</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">6</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Week 7</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">2</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">0</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">6</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">4</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">1</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">5</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">8</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">9</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">7</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">3</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Week 8</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">9</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">6</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">3</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">0</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">8</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">7</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">2</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">4</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">1</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">5</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Week 9</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">9</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">0</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">2</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">8</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">6</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">1</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">4</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">3</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">5</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">7</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl677115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td><td class="xl667115"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td><td class="xl667115"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td><td class="xl667115"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td><td class="xl667115"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td><td class="xl667115"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td><td class="xl667115"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td><td class="xl667115"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td><td class="xl667115"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td><td class="xl667115"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td><td class="xl667115"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Total Points</div></td><td class="xl697115"><div style="text-align: center;">58</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">24</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">46</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">32</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">36</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">39</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">39</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">41</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">38</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">52</div></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><td class="xl657115" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">Rank</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">1</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">10</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">3</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">9</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">8</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">5</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">5</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">4</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">7</div></td><td class="xl697115" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">2</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="center" id="Book1_7115" x:publishsource="Excel"><br />
<br />
<center style="text-align: left;"><br />
</center></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-7334571771622462012010-10-23T23:28:00.000-07:002010-10-24T12:07:42.471-07:00Custom Book SearchA preliminary search tool, dubbed LibriExplorator. I'm trying to work up a functional 400+ feed search engine that can help booksellers looking for answers in a pinch, ideally without the noise that Google oftentimes generates with common search tactics. If I never have to read another white paper about OPML standards or XML parsing errors...<br />
<p><div id="cse" style="width: 100%;">Loading LibriExplorator</div><script src="http://www.google.com/jsapi" type="text/javascript">
</script><br />
<script type="text/javascript">
google.load('search', '1', {language : 'en', style : google.loader.themes.SHINY});
google.setOnLoadCallback(function() {
var customSearchControl = new google.search.CustomSearchControl('002337406964595507252:mmgyyemrk8s');
customSearchControl.setResultSetSize(google.search.Search.FILTERED_CSE_RESULTSET);
var options = new google.search.DrawOptions();
options.setAutoComplete(true);
customSearchControl.draw('cse', options);
}, true);
</script><br />
<br />
<style type="text/css">
.gsc-control-cse {
font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;
border-color: #DAE0E5;
background-color: #DAE0E5;
}
input.gsc-input {
border-color: #8A99A6;
}
input.gsc-search-button {
border-color: #8A99A6;
background-color: #D0D1D4;
}
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border-color: #B2BDC6;
background-color: #B2BDC6;
}
.gsc-tabHeader.gsc-tabhActive {
border-color: #8A99A6;
background-color: #8A99A6;
}
.gsc-tabsArea {
border-color: #8A99A6;
}
.gsc-webResult.gsc-result {
border-color: #FFFFFF;
background-color: #FFFFFF;
}
.gsc-webResult.gsc-result:hover {
border-color: #D2D6DC;
background-color: #EDEDED;
}
.gs-webResult.gs-result a.gs-title:link,
.gs-webResult.gs-result a.gs-title:link b {
color: #0568CD;
}
.gs-webResult.gs-result a.gs-title:visited,
.gs-webResult.gs-result a.gs-title:visited b {
color: #0568CD;
}
.gs-webResult.gs-result a.gs-title:hover,
.gs-webResult.gs-result a.gs-title:hover b {
color: #0568CD;
}
.gs-webResult.gs-result a.gs-title:active,
.gs-webResult.gs-result a.gs-title:active b {
color: #0568CD;
}
.gsc-cursor-page {
color: #0568CD;
}
a.gsc-trailing-more-results:link {
color: #0568CD;
}
.gs-webResult.gs-result .gs-snippet {
color: #5F6A73;
}
.gs-webResult.gs-result .gs-visibleUrl {
color: #5F6A73;
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color: #5F6A73;
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border-color: #FFFFFF;
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.gsc-results .gsc-cursor-page {
border-color: #B2BDC6;
background-color: #FFFFFF;
}
.gsc-results .gsc-cursor-page.gsc-cursor-current-page {
border-color: #8A99A6;
background-color: #8A99A6;
}
.gs-promotion.gs-result {
border-color: #D2D6DC;
background-color: #D0D1D4;
}
.gs-promotion.gs-result a.gs-title:link {
color: #0066CC;
}
.gs-promotion.gs-result a.gs-title:visited {
color: #0066CC;
}
.gs-promotion.gs-result a.gs-title:hover {
color: #0066CC;
}
.gs-promotion.gs-result a.gs-title:active {
color: #0066CC;
}
.gs-promotion.gs-result .gs-snippet {
color: #333333;
}
.gs-promotion.gs-result .gs-visibleUrl,
.gs-promotion.gs-result .gs-visibleUrl-short {
color: #5F6A73;
}
</style>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-65064858426992752402010-07-14T21:44:00.000-07:002010-07-14T21:44:22.961-07:00Cancion Para Mi HijoI had absolute responsibility of the wee one this evening as his beloved mama was away making crafty, beautiful things. To temporarily fill the huge gap in his little world, we gardened, ate, and sang for a couple of hours. After a nice bath to wash away the crushed bugs and lord knows what other detritus he had accumulated, we settled down for a little rest and relaxation.<br />
<br />
"Mama, mama, mama, mama."<br />
<br />
"Mama."<br />
<br />
"Mama."<br />
<br />
I wasn't going to win this one. I won't even bother writing down what my responses were, because he didn't care one bit what I had to say about the matter of his missing mother.<br />
<br />
After he grew tired of failing at matriarchal psychic teleportation through his "Mama" mantra, he resigned himself to reciting numbers and letters for me. This beautiful new trick came about yesterday on a long car ride home, during which time his mother and I were momentarily slack-jawed. He had been reciting numbers and letters along with us, but we had no clue he had stealthily been memorizing their orders. He repeated his performance tonight, and I was sneaky enough to record it.<br />
<br />
<embed src="http://www.box.net//static/flash/box_explorer.swf?widget_hash=gtqttmejb4&v=0&cl=0" width="400" height="250" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-83798355892982230482010-07-03T21:16:00.000-07:002010-11-11T21:45:01.652-08:00Getting Stuff DoneIn an attempt to keep the things on my plate from becoming floor toppings, I've been looking into the jargonized writings of time management figurehead <a href="http://www.davidco.com/google.php">David Allen</a>. His "Getting Things Done" system is interesting, and after picking up some tips from it, I found that it's actually working.<br />
<br />
Chris Hardwick says it perfectly in <a href="http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/magazine/17-01/mf_self_help"><i>Diary of a Self-Help Dropout</i></a>: "I can now shrink overwhelming projects into bite-size finger sandwiches, thereby unsticking my work flow. Also, I found out that I have a work flow."<br />
<br />
My definition of work flow is that I don't think about random to-do shit at times when it doesn't matter. The last thing I want nowadays is to be thinking about a bill or a conversation from work when my little guy is around.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-21031655633611063982010-04-03T09:43:00.000-07:002010-04-03T11:40:39.099-07:00Chehalem Watershed Report Card<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://docs.google.com/File?id=dd7832zr_33hj6gzf44_b" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="331" src="http://docs.google.com/File?id=dd7832zr_33hj6gzf44_b" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The Chehalem watershed, part of the Willamette River basin, is located in the physical boundaries of Chehalem Valley. Located entirely within Yamhill County, Oregon, the watershed is bound by Chehalem Mountain in the north, Parrett Mountain in the east, the Red Hills of Dundee in the west, and the Willamette River in the south. The intent of this report card is to provide an overview of the Chehalem watershed and to chronicle recent watershed developments while establishing a baseline grading system.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://docs.google.com/View?id=dd7832zr_32mqvjjfdb"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Click here for the full Report Card</span></a></span><br />
<br />
Graded over thirty-one different criteria, the Chehalem watershed garnered a low C average. Bolstered by especially positive marks with regard to the Yamhill Basin Council's influence and the workings of municipal facilities in Newberg, the watershed has local parties proven to be interested in its well-being. Urban and agricultural land usage alongside population growth challenges are generally being addressed with the watershed in mind in an above average manner, waiting to be proven successfully over time. Combined, these grades provide the spark and momentum to continue on such a trajectory in the face of obstacles.<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="direction: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="direction: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The issues directly surrounding the aquatic waterways of the watershed received some of the lowest scores, taking company among the local state politicians judged poorly on pro-environmental votes. My primary rationale for such low marks on several of the waterway issues was the miniscule amount of historical or current quantitative data on several benchmarks. This concern is noted by several organizations, and until its remedy, progress with an integrated watershed management plan will suffer. With the grades generated due to current economic factors and the lack of encouraging federal funds for Yamhill County, there is reason to worry that such data collection and/or monitoring may not occur as needed in the near future.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-5731928405644023672010-02-22T20:17:00.001-08:002010-02-22T22:30:47.016-08:00A Wee Abacist<img id="mcdj" src="http://docs.google.com/File?id=dd7832zr_31f37w9jcr_b" style="float: left; height: 279.2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 1em; width: 320px;" />After a day of uncertainty at work, it was nice to change gears toward the relative solidity of mathematics, as explained by the little one. The boy sat me down and began explaining what he had taught himself during the course of the day. Amongst other things, it turns out that he had been using his traditional abacus to work out the Fibonacci sequence. After blowing my mind by describing Fibonacci sequences that appeared in his Cheerio intake, daily diaper changes, and late-night wakings, I reminded him to tread lightly when it comes to over analyzing things, particularly at his young age. He took a moment to measure such advice.<br />
<br />
He then shook the frame and laughed as beads dashed to and fro, snapping against one another.<br />
<br />
<div>He proceeded to lick the beads, like a nourished tiger tending to its paw.</div><br />
I didn't join him in the licking, but instead helped with the shaking festivities and then taught him how to flick individual beads across their wire path.<br />
<br />
<div>He seemed relieved to be escaping <i>Arithmetica</i>, and I felt better about not having to fake an understanding of the Fibonacci sequence.<br />
<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-309632056132967142010-02-21T17:50:00.001-08:002010-02-22T20:57:40.277-08:00Waxing in the Daylight<div><img id="b2s4" src="http://docs.google.com/File?id=dd7832zr_29dgw5vbwt_b" style="float: left; height: 312.404px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 1em; width: 320px;" />When it's February in Western Oregon, abundant cloud cover typically denies you a lot of opportunities to clearly view the moon. The past two days - nothing but clear skies. This has provided ample viewing of a moon that is a week away from being full again, even against a brightly lit daytime sky.</div><br />
<div>The boy has taken to saying "Mon" for moon. I tried getting him to say "brecciated lithosphere," but then he just got irritated with me.</div><br />
<div>I grabbed my camera and took a few shots of this afternoon's visitor in the sky. Considering I was a little shaky due to my coffee intake earlier, I got a pretty good capture without a tripod. You can clearly see the major <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Moon_names.jpg">lunar maria</a> (dark spots) and many of the larger craters. Good omens.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-20644655414623053542010-02-20T22:43:00.001-08:002010-02-22T20:59:37.275-08:00Digital Media v. Natural Media<div><img id="di4g" src="http://docs.google.com/File?id=dd7832zr_25hmw8zwfm_b" style="float:right;height:312.5px;margin-left:1em;margin-right:0px;width:320px">I grew up a Nintendo junkie. Alone or with friends, I could file hours away in front of the TV as the pixels scrolled from side to side. Before that, I learned how to compute on a Texas Instruments TI-99/4A. Countless hours trying to make BASIC roll dice.</div><br><div>I also spent an inordinate amount of time outdoors. Time reading. Time playing.</div><br>With my own child, I am already neck-deep in an internal battle about his immersion and consumption of digital culture. At nearly a year and a half old, he has an uncanny ability to manipulate remote controls and rearrange the desktop on my computer screen. He knows how to work a digital camera. He has something of a handle on how to play games on the Wii. He's no stranger to the television being on (typically as white noise).<br><br><div>Am I worried about having to pump him full of Aderall one day because I let him stare at the screen for a few minutes longer than I should have?</div><br><div><img id="q:9s" src="http://docs.google.com/File?id=dd7832zr_27gnrf5sfr_b" style="float:left;height:240px;margin-left:0px;margin-right:1em;width:320px">He has an amazing zest for books. His problem-solving tendencies astound me. His creativity expressed in blocks or chalk is awesome. </div><br><div>He met his first snake today as we trekked down to the local creek. He was furious with me for holding him when we were at the water's edge, as he wanted to explore. He ran. He fell. He climbed. He splashed in the cold water. Blades of grass and woody shrubs were no match for his piqued interests.</div><br><div>These are the reasons I'm not worried.</div><br><br>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-31293146428697120882010-02-20T21:28:00.001-08:002010-02-22T20:56:06.773-08:00Embedding a Google Profile Badge in Blogger<div>I have grown to really appreciate the usefulness of Google Profiles, and found that it's not too hard to insert a profile badge directly into Blogger. Should you care to do the same, here are a few steps that will get you there in no time.</div><ol><li>Find your existing Google Profile or create a new one at <a href="http://www.google.com/profiles">http://www.google.com/profiles</a><br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Note your Google Profile ID, which is basically the last part of your Google Profile URL. My Google Profile URL is <a href="http://www.google.com/profiles/Spencer.Haley" title="Spencer Haley's Google Profile">http://www.google.com/profiles/Spencer.Haley</a>, which means my Google Profile ID is "Spencer.Haley." Unless you have customized your ID, it will probably be a long string of numbers. In either case, jot it down.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>If you want to see what your profile badge looks like, go to <a href="http://www.google.com/s2/widgets/ProfileCard?uid=Spencer.Haley" id="t2ep" title="Google Profile Badge">http://www.google.com/s2/widgets/ProfileCard?uid=Spencer.Haley</a>, replacing "Spencer.Haley" at the end with your own Google Profile ID.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>In Blogger, go the Page Elements section of the Layout tab, click Add a Gadget, and select HTML/JavaScript.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>In the Content box, insert the following code with your own Google Profile ID:<br />
<br />
<center><iframe src="http://www.google.com/s2/widgets/ProfileCard?uid=<GoogleProfileID>" width="100%" height="125" scrolling="no" style="border:0px solid"></iframe></center><br />
<br />
<br />
<div id="fguw" style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://docs.google.com/File?id=dd7832zr_22cpxz79gw_b" style="height: 601.297px; width: 648px;" /></div><br />
</li>
<li>Save your work!</li>
</ol><br />
<div>I found a few similar posts online that somewhat addressed this issue, but they seemed to be making the whole process much more complicated than it needed to be. The iframe (inline frame) tag simply displays the full contents of a web page in a frame of another. In this example, we're just framing the Google Profile badge page directly inside your blog.</div><br />
<div>While the lack of easy scaling is somewhat annoying, I can live with it. This is largely because my Google Profile (and subsequent badge) provides single sourcing updates to my "About Me" information and I can let Blogger continue dealing with the blogs themselves.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-56040367200423274032010-02-18T21:59:00.001-08:002010-02-22T20:52:14.717-08:00Hold on Tight<div>My heart melted tonight. It was bedtime for the wee one, yet he was not anxiously going into that slumberous world. He was cycling between sitting, telling me what was on his mind, and temporarily settling back down. After a few iterations, he had managed to fill me in on the latest in Afghanistan, burp twice, and eventually find a suitable spot in the bed. </div><br />
<div>His breathing was still far from rhythmic as he reached through the shadows and cradled the index finger of my right hand. What started as initial squeezing and playing with my hangnails ended ten minutes later with involuntary twitches as he crossed the sleep barrier. Despite being in one of those awkward positions that strains five separate muscle groups, I did not move once. I actually barely remember breathing.</div><br />
<div>The moments in life where pure affection is felt from such a little thing are not as frequent as they should be. </div><br />
<div>Gotta say that I sure do love them when they reach out and hit hard.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-79753746164823543982010-02-17T22:52:00.001-08:002010-02-22T20:52:14.718-08:00Lexicon Clayus<div>The boy uses archaic, obscure words to describe his immediate world. In the words of <a href="http://www.powells.com/s3?kw=&author=Gene+Wolfe">Gene Wolfe</a>, he speaks "in a tongue that has not yet achieved existence."</div><br />
<div>This is my attempt to chronicle his sayings into contemporary English. I worry that I am but a translator in the presence of a practitioner whose words I cannot follow and are undoubtedly laden with mysteries, revelations, and sly puzzles.<br />
<br />
</div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable zeroBorder" style="margin-left: 4.65pt; width: 384px;"><tbody>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><b><span style="color: black;">Recorded Saying</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></b></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><b><span style="color: black;">English Equivalence</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></b></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Baaa</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Sound of <i><a href="http://ocw.usu.edu/University_Extension/sheep-and-lambing-management/sheep.jpg">ovis aries</a></i></span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Babble</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Apple</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Baby</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Infant or Toddler</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Baf/Bath</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Bath</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Bat</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Bat</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Baw</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Ball</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Bisch/Disch</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Fish</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Bite</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Bite</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Bock</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Block</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Boo</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Sound of <i><a href="http://factman.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/cow.jpg">bos taurus</a></i></span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Boo</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Book</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Boof</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Sound of <i><a href="http://siobhan316.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/great-dane-and-chihuahua.jpg">canis lupus</a></i></span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Brrrr</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">It is Rather Brisk</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Buh Buy</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Bye Bye</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Cack</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Sound of <i><a href="http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/strollerderby/2009/05/duckhunt.jpg">anas platyrhynchos</a></i></span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Cama</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Camera</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Caw</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Cow</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Cay</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Clay</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Chee</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Chew</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192">Chair<br />
<span style="color: black;">Shoe</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Da-Da</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Father</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Dat</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">That</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Deef</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Teeth</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Deuce</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Juice</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Doe</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Toe</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Dok</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Dark</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Eaw</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Ear</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Eye</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Eye</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Gaee</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Doggie</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Gah</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Glasses</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Hee-Hee</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">You Poked My Belly Button</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Heh</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Hair</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Hi</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Greetings</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Light</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Light</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Ma-Ma</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Mother</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Mana</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Banana</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Mek</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Milk</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Me-Me</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">My Manhood</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Miao</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Sound of <i><a href="http://www.n0t.de/d/8549-4/cat.jpg">felis cattus</a></i></span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Mich</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Sandwich</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Mmmmm</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">It is Scrumptious</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Mo</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">More</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Mouf</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Myrup</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Mouth</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Syrup</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">*Nasal Snort*</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Sound of <i><a href="http://www.vegansoapbox.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/pig.jpg">porcus</a></i></span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">No</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Nose</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Nuna</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Tuna</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Ock</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Sock</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Ott</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Hot</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Pants</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Pants</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Papa</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Avocado</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Peas</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Please</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Peep</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Sheep</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Peep</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Sound of <i><a href="http://www.moyerschicks.com/MC-Web/Portals/57ad7180-c5e7-49f5-b282-c6475cdb7ee7/baby_chicks.jpg">aves juvenilus</a></i></span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Pip</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Sip</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Pip</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Chip</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Poop</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Excrement</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">P-P</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Urine</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Prap</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Crab</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Qi</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Kitty</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Rawr</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Sound of <i><a href="http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/9572/chromaticdragonswhite.jpg">draco</a></i></span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8a/TICK_COMIC_CON_EXTRAVAGANZA_1.jpg">Spooooon</a></span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Spoon and/or Other Utensils</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Ta</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Tee</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Coffee</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Television</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Tee</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Tree</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Tees</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wiggles">The Wiggles</a></span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Uck</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Duck</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Wah</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Water</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Wet</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Wet</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt;"><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Yah</span></td><td style="height: 15pt; width: 2in;" width="192"><span style="color: black;">Yeah</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-30762784144901875162010-02-17T21:10:00.001-08:002010-02-22T20:51:34.883-08:00Buzzing with GoogleSometimes you just need to repaint the walls or move some furniture around. Other times you need to move to a new home with different square footage. Every once in a while, a new city is in order.<br><br><div>In my little neighborhood of social networking sites, <a href="http://www.google.com/buzz" id="se9v" title="Google Buzz">Google Buzz</a> accomplishes all of the above for me. Granted, the new digs were in dire need of trimmings, so it has been a week of steady usage, determined customization, and trolling of the Google Help Forums and miscellaneous blogs. I still have a bit of work to go, but I'm already thinking about my old home less and less.<br></div><br>The implementation of Buzz was interesting, and had it been another company, this post may not even be happening. Twenty thousand Google employees and cohorts were involved in the testing of Buzz, so apparently that was a big enough sample to justify rolling it out into existing Gmail accounts across the world. The problem was that most people are not Google employees. Most people never look at their application settings, let alone read dialog boxes before clicking a Yes button. As such, these same folks flooded message boards about how their privacy was violated. Hell, there were articles about how Google's oversight jeopardized national security and the safety of undercover agents. <br><br><div>To Google's credit, they contained the PR nightmare by quickly adding multiple measures to prevent people from showing the rest of the world the email addresses of their mistress or local informant. Never mind that all of these settings were three clicks away before the madness of the crowd set in. Maybe it should have been relegated to the Labs, or at least released as Buzz<sup>Beta </sup>from the onset.<br></div><br><div>While secure in my ability to keep the world's prying eyes away from my boring contacts list, I quite enjoyed myself during the move to Buzz. It is a bit lonely after the move, as I only have a few contacts that are as enthused about Buzz as I am. Maybe once I'm done unpacking, it will be time to walk around the neighborhood and see what other people are up to. I just hope they have Gmail accounts...</div><br><div>If you find yourself kicking around in Buzz, here are a few resources that I have found incredibly helpful during its infancy:</div><br><a href="http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/gmail/label?lid=3a63236689cf8dbd&hl=en" id="jdpf" title="Gmail Help Forum - Buzz and Contacts">Gmail Help Forum - Buzz and Contacts</a><br><br><div><a href="http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/gmail/label?lid=3a63236689cf8dbd&hl=en" id="ynvt" title="Gmail Help Forum - Buzz and Contacts"></a><a href="http://mashable.com/google-buzz/" id="kd::" title="Mashable - Google Buzz">Mashable - Google Buzz</a><br><br><a href="http://lifehacker.com/5472223/which-social-network-is-right-for-you" id="xk16" title="Lifehacker">Lifehacker - Which Social Network is Best for You (Great Table of Buzz v. Facebook v. Twitter)</a></div><br><div><a href="http://lifehacker.com/5472223/which-social-network-is-right-for-you" id="o-ws" title="Lifehacker"></a><a href="http://aext.net/" id="mqrc" title="aext.net Design Magazine - Great contributors and content">aext.net Design Magazine - Great contributors and content</a></div><br><br><div id="k8z_" style="text-align:left"><img src="http://docs.google.com/File?id=dd7832zr_17cfv8d5c8_b" style="height:327.425px;width:640px"></div><br>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-61686892948283675342010-02-16T23:12:00.001-08:002010-02-22T20:52:14.719-08:00For the Boy<div>From a particular vantage point, the process looked quite simple. The contributor of a Y chromosome -me- must choose a paternal style, any parental style. Let's say my father, my grandfather, or whoever I want. Study it. Consider <i>being raised by that father</i>; that particular father. It's not about being a son, or, in general, about the formal, external adequacy between adulthood and childhood. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Son, you can <i>become my son</i>, but I shall not become you, I shall not cast you. I shall not ask you to just look like my son. I want for you a world that is more intellectually engaging than one that you are just born into through a simple attempt to reproduce, represent, or repeat a given life cycle. That, frankly, would be uninteresting.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>I look in your eyes, and anxiously wait to hear about your experiences as you become your own person, about all the changes you leave behind, about the times you feel lodged in stone, about the onerous presence of your father and how you struggle at the same time to be his son and to remain, or maybe vindicate your own self-fashioning. Our dialog is only a way to tell our story, to produce history.</div><br />
</div>I, too, will work on my own history. In the moments of solitude in my own life, I will carefully think about you, with only the additional advice of my muse, your mother, during the times she visits such thoughts. At the same time, I will be considering the way you explain your experiences -our conversations-, and the way I myself have tried to understand, feel, and think about the whole process, since the moment I first saw you blue and squirming for air to the moments that have yet to occur.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>How it shakes out, the final paternal picture, is my exclusive responsibility. I will be the sovereign of what I can. Do not expect me to be faithful to your words, but only to you. After all, I am only your old man, and thusly human.</div><div><br />
</div><div>You will probably have questions. Please ask them. I am interested in <i>all of them </i>and will try to make sure that time does not taper the content of my patience.</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-21127175952274290752010-02-16T13:52:00.001-08:002010-02-22T20:56:06.774-08:00Importing to Blogger via Google Docs<img src="http://docs.google.com/File?id=dd7832zr_14ct6mmdjx_b" style="float: right; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 1em; width: 160px;" />I loathe the Blogger WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) post editor. The HTML editor is no better, as it resigns you to a small region of the screen that allows for limited editing at best. As such, I tried using Word 2010 to directly post into Blogger, but the formatting was lost in translation and there appears to be little success getting Word and Picasa to communicate for image uploads.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Enter <a href="http://docs.google.com/">Google Docs</a>. Text as expected, and the image I inserted directly from Picasa (or uploaded from my system) carried over just as asked.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Beautiful!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-64059447459313728612010-02-15T22:34:00.001-08:002010-02-22T20:52:14.719-08:00Opening Doors and Leaps of Faith<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36SN-iDDgBlX8Q3WmWMKjHIRNYEdqIXYkGkHOf6LPq5DJjLlCSlVXD6ZELj65NM7r9DowxAV0PiBELXrWm5r92CWUzyqvVyt9_ArOZNLEhgJ_qqT5HQC_VsytfsEMY3TVtsSlF5q6BU4/s1600-h/DSC00228.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 259px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36SN-iDDgBlX8Q3WmWMKjHIRNYEdqIXYkGkHOf6LPq5DJjLlCSlVXD6ZELj65NM7r9DowxAV0PiBELXrWm5r92CWUzyqvVyt9_ArOZNLEhgJ_qqT5HQC_VsytfsEMY3TVtsSlF5q6BU4/s320/DSC00228.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438733111879315986" /></a>The boy is revving toward 17 months old, and I find myself consistently on the edge of shock with regard to what he does. Over the past week, he has made a show of the fact that unprotected doorknobs are under his absolute control. Granted, this is the same kid who in short order outsmarted the cabinet latches that I once spent hours installing.<div><br /></div><div>A new fondness of his is jumping. Jumping from the floor to, well, the floor. Jumping from the arm of the couch to the cushions. Jumping from the ottoman to the couch. Jumping from the chair into my arms. It's like my own personal time machine, vicariously recalling memories of defying gravity. I'm proud of him for experiencing it himself, and having a blast doing so.</div><div><br /></div><div>He sings. He dances. Surprisingly well (Credit: The Wife).</div><div><br /></div><div>His vocabulary is undoubtedly better than mine already. Seriously, the rate at which he's learning words and definitions is astounding. What started with animal sounds has progressed to declarations of everyday objects, feelings, and acknowledgements. We had never made a point of talking about pancake syrup with him, but during Valentine's Day breakfast, he pointed at the syrup bottle and just said "mirrup." If he starts saying "muck" or "mit," I singlehandedly deserve the blame for letting a few choice words fly when I shouldn't have. </div><div><br /></div><div>On the other hand, with the way he's teething right now, he has every right to say "muck."</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-59334407786490227212009-12-02T20:15:00.000-08:002010-02-22T20:58:42.334-08:00Against a GuardrailIt took me two hours to get home today, largely because a mangled mess of steel, polycarbonate, and person was being cleaned up off of a guardrail. The smell of the flares is still hanging out in my driver's side nostril.<div><br /></div><div>I finally got home and my boy showed me his newest trick of sticking his tongue out and laughing when I did the same. Thank God for huge favors in small packages.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-84463543633449617902009-07-02T21:19:00.000-07:002010-02-22T20:58:42.335-08:00The Weight of WeightOver the past five years, I've been telling myself that gravity was increasing, pulling me down at a rate incrementally faster than 9.8 m/s^2. A gravitational constant that was no longer a constant. <div><br /></div><div>My theory was based on experiments with a general weight scale. What else could explain my weight popping over the two hundred mark, let alone over two hundred ten? Yes, the core of the Earth had become slightly more dense, and in the process, the scale was shifting accordingly. The fact that my jeans were no longer fitting clued me in to something else; Moving forward, maybe I needed to come up with another hypothesis. Growing up skinny, and being a vegetarian for six years of early adulthood, I never even had to think twice about any of this. It was a given that if I ever gained weight, it would be gone by the next time I stepped on the scale. That just wasn't happening any more, and there are a few reasons to be sure. Copious amounts of beer. Lots of cooking with fats of all kind: Butter, bacon, oils. Disregard for how much I was eating in a day. Eating most of my calories between 6 PM and midnight. Less exercise. It adds up. </div><div><br /></div><div>Between aging, a wife and kiddo, and a general dislike of clothes shopping, I have kind of realized that paying attention to these things might not be a bad idea. I've been proactively monitoring the ratios of macro- and micronutrients I shove in my face, keeping tabs on my activity levels, and just trying to learn from my own body. It's working. Twenty-four pounds lost in nine months thus far. Hell, nearly ten pounds in the past month since I started watching the numbers. No sacrifice from carbs or whatever else is the nutritional victim of the month. I still eat some pretty shitty things once in a while. I'm not running five miles per day. Beer is not outlawed. </div><div><br /></div><div>Not a bad alternative to redefining the law of gravity.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-22291861189552021202009-07-01T21:13:00.000-07:002010-02-22T20:54:38.401-08:00Drinking the Desert, I of II<img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.geronimoranch.com/additional/images/elephantbutte.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 177px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 236px;" />Growing up in southern New Mexico, I was (un)fortunate enough to witness the steady decline of water availability in a few different ways. Over time, trips to Elephant Butte Lake, the region's primary reservoir, would be characterized by noting how progressively lower the water level was as compared to the previous decade's water lines etched in the sandstone, even during years with significant runoff from the northern mountains. Even the namesake butte in the middle of the lake would look rather un-elephant like at times due to the water level.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">As for the Rio Grande itself, I will never forget the day I took my wife, a native Oregonian, to the area I grew up in. When we came to a bridge over the river north of El Paso, she asked where the water was. Much to my chagrin, I looked down and saw nothing but damp sand. Granted, it was during a nasty drought in 2004, but still a sight I had never been privy to. Explaining the direct translation of "Rio Grande" was rather tough during the moments that followed.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-42311166448018026782009-05-18T19:20:00.000-07:002010-10-24T01:25:16.020-07:00The Hairy Frog and the Teething Baby<a href="http://www.edgeofexistence.org/edgeblog/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/x-frogs_claw_close_up.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.edgeofexistence.org/edgeblog/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/x-frogs_claw_close_up.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 285px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 395px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Trichobatrachus robustus</span>, or the Hairy Frog of Sub-Saharan Africa, is the Baby Boy's totem animal of the month. This unique frog has the uncanny ability to pierce its own skin with a shard of bone, supposedly in the name of survival. The bone in its foot is dislodged with the twitch of the right muscle, breaking the amphibian skin from its resting place deep within a sheathed nodule. The bone is fully capable of producing deep, bleeding wounds. The Hairy Frog is also known as a "squeaker" due to its high-pitched calls.<br />
<div><br />
</div><br />
<div>On the other hand, Baby Boy has the uncanny ability to pierce his own skin with a shard of bone, also supposedly in the name of survival. His primary teeth are continually growing through solid bone and erupting through his gums. The tooth is fully capable of producing deep, bleeding wounds. The Baby Boy is also known as a "squeaker" due to his high-pitched teething cries.</div><div><br />
</div><div>This obvious comparison, combined with Baby Boy's bullfrog resemblance at birth, lend absolute credence to the theory of convergent evolution. Come to think of it, he did look a little bit like a tadpole at the first ultrasound.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-77947055244610557872009-05-14T21:29:00.000-07:002010-02-22T20:52:14.720-08:00Lack of Sleep<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Before having Baby Boy, I rarely knew what sleeplessness was. I would have the occasional night where the old cranial gears wouldn't stop spinning, but those were generally few and far between. Any other night, I always managed to quickly fall asleep and recharge for the next day.<div><br /></div><div>That ended last September. I could wax poetic about the hallucinations or the mood swings or the exhaustion, but instead, let's focus on the numbers:</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-fLN0FgGf0UI_rdHcuZubH7SMnWapq4sNP5p_raV5NVkacX6cWx_VD9q6eFALvL-w_8O_RLGOxVFiF1nLoca7qGUkGPcbn3yb00MsXg1dDtt6LhNXVZKKeiYzwhg9sh5Lw74wFf4dAlM/s400/sleep.GIF" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 190px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335917734909442706" /></div><div>Compared to my normal physical sleep requirement of eight hours per night, I am currently at a seven-month sleep deficit of 645 hours. </div><div><br /></div><div>That's nearly twenty-seven days. </div><div><br /></div><div>Averaged out, that's ninety-two hours of forsaken sleep per month. Jesus.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-64606199100279977932009-05-11T21:34:00.000-07:002010-02-22T20:52:14.720-08:00Boy Meets Bookshelf<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUHfU1GuArnIY6jQThBiYRcW_RKl22AK6QQEsKuq3HDK5wHvkhcrAMuUp6ta8_rIctzCgorYzGISAy2WCqRC8BnbENDfHZUOiMPdeuShGXKDRqNLwP7iZzPFp79xiwXBKdYe6qB1bbnY/s1600-h/IMG_1466.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUHfU1GuArnIY6jQThBiYRcW_RKl22AK6QQEsKuq3HDK5wHvkhcrAMuUp6ta8_rIctzCgorYzGISAy2WCqRC8BnbENDfHZUOiMPdeuShGXKDRqNLwP7iZzPFp79xiwXBKdYe6qB1bbnY/s400/IMG_1466.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334800261178217138" /></a>During moment <b>A</b>, I was proudly watching my son pull himself into a standing position using the second tier of a bookshelf. He was smiling with self-satisfaction and gently reaching for my Jonathan Carroll first editions.<div><br /></div><div>Moment <b>A</b> —> Moment <b>B</b> = 0.038 seconds</div><div><br /></div><div>During moment <b>B</b>, I was scooping him up in my arms. His left hand had slipped, dropping the left side of his head nearly six inches into the rounded corner of the shelf. In specific order, he hit the corner of his lip and then his temple. I wasn't fast enough.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then came the true look of pain on his little face. This made the facial expressions that he's had during immunizations look like he was having a jolly ol' time getting stuck with needles. In short order, the crying came. I rocked him gently as he wailed a song I had never heard out of him before.</div><div><br /></div><div>First blood. He had split his lip wide open, and the blood was beginning to pool in the corner of his mouth. I began taking him downstairs when I met his Mom, whose spidey-sense must have been felt in thirty-three counties. All I could do was firmly state that he was alright, and that he was bleeding. At one point, he looked like the sloppiest vampire after a night on the town.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHkOdQDyP4-c0rC-IBv_ltVRhIRCuXYQzLiTzM0YwPxvZ5Z7ZNAT2R64eUlx7G5ma2ixOfyzR0a70GyDKPTolT9-vPPsN4l0qlNYuygoORcT9Fvh1VZ8AHcTINkInCcH2FHPKcTsLIwz8/s320/IMG_1465.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHkOdQDyP4-c0rC-IBv_ltVRhIRCuXYQzLiTzM0YwPxvZ5Z7ZNAT2R64eUlx7G5ma2ixOfyzR0a70GyDKPTolT9-vPPsN4l0qlNYuygoORcT9Fvh1VZ8AHcTINkInCcH2FHPKcTsLIwz8/s320/IMG_1465.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334800261178217138" /></a><div>We cleaned him up, passing him to one another as he kept crying. As soon as he was taken to the back door, he seemed to forget the entire episode. When we went outside, it was as though nothing had happened. The bump on his noggin and the fat lip he was sporting stated otherwise, but who was I to question it?</div><div><br /></div><div>All of this is best summarized as follows: </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>B</b> - <b>A</b> = Father's premature aging of at least one year</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-7670835275706792732009-05-11T18:31:00.000-07:002010-02-22T21:00:34.103-08:00There & Back Again<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGWT3VBb-VMNtKRrbykHHW3G2h_YId6VPRk8U3D60eWJzFHYfZF16kVl3Ho_JAssXipENv7kqIkkyfqjvuELirkCccmUIa-mygkRKk_R_rXr2JL66Xy17YE-xKpBYKpjUrlPaTOgYF9Q/s200/polDA0081.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334773010987292562" />I traveled down Highway 99 this morning, returning to Corvallis after an eight-year hiatus. The pastoral scenes of sprawling vineyards and weathered barns lulled me into a comfortable distraction for what was ahead.<div><br /></div><div>Passing Adair Village, I felt a certain familiarity kick in, as I knew exactly where I was going. With the E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area commentary on 1140 AM explaining the migratory habits of shore birds, the past was suddenly rushing at me.</div><div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAy9wES1M-tNQCtBru49PBoKgO7T1nEWhjjlSrwHXbH0WjQdYjI-PQ-rfezhBmj8F_lhPRe2m8EJstpEsDn61SwuIh7adI54JNY6SiRkW1UgdB6GnlrsCwQIfcokfhq53KA-GwNM37Ac/s320/Picture0087.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 230px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334765373763905042" /><div>It was early in the morning, so I figured there would probably be parking near my old house on the corner of 12th and Jackson. Sure enough, the spot I had parked at hundreds of times was waiting for me with open arms. Unfortunately, the house I had once occupied had not been on the receiving end of any repairs or maintenance since I moved out in 2000. Familiar trees had disappeared and the house appeared to be tilting when viewed with a straight gaze. As the neighboring homes and fraternity houses were boarded up, it definitely maintained the theme of the neighborhood.</div><div><br /></div><div>Wondering if I had romanticized the way it looked years ago, I proceeded toward campus. An overwhelming sense of nostalgia greeted me, as three of my favorite establishments had not only carried on after all of these years, but also had not changed. Interzone, the coffee house I drained more than once, had only changed the art on the walls. Clodfelter's, the first bar I ever entered legally, would have been considered frozen in time if not for the updated Golden Tee arcade game. Lastly, the refuge for my nasty vegetarian habit of the era, Nearly Normal's, still appeared to be serving up vegan fare to dirty students on bikes. I guarantee that it still tastes like gourmet dirt.</div><div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgnHqNI0EATpCQN0o1pfTHzGD587Hgv0kR4zJJOf67FHpee-6mUMhE55eSN39tyNyVDKj2kzgbGcjpdRA7fTTcCz_rOERKVNp3uqaUKYEDjrcM6S4vaCDPf4FbbIfqTNQTS4FLWutR38/s320/osu_flowers_3501.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 276px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334771472024966098" /><div>Campus itself was unchanged for the most part. The hundreds of colors bursting from petals skirting each hall brought forth an equal number of memories. The classes attended, the deviancy conducted, the classes skipped, the exams aced, the wide-eyed pupils...you get the picture. At moments, it almost felt like gravity had increased. Was I the same person who a decade ago was walking the very same geographic steps?</div><div><br /></div><div>As I saw a few groups setting up informational tents in the middle of the Quad, I found myself borrowing a thought: "Your middle-class radicalism is worthless. It accomplishes nothing but feeding your egos." </div><div><br /></div><div>Thirty years old. Married. Kid. Mortgage. Check-mate.</div><div><br /></div><div>The rest of my wanderings brought forth much of the same: Remodeled buildings that were improvements for the most part, a favorite pizzeria was now a taqueria, a grizzled bum was recycling the weekend's aluminum and glass remnants while investing in a day's supply of malt liquor, and of course, there were bustling students everywhere.</div><div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmesOK2NXpl23fc4B-DIuOCG2DFLMqF7NMb3w7EL0IaT7K2jZyRWMWyraIWM7hSUZenZ4seS1DR0q4Ypdc3c_qdN4WU5KVlAlyRtzbmzfmbSFSr0h9cmJz0W7EGKEIN-pWlHYowajgik/s200/Picture0092.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 160px; height: 200px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334772205838561058" /><div>After a few hours, I left campus and drove to my last apartment in Corvallis. Miles away from the school and nestled in the shadows of Douglas firs, I realized that the apartment was largely a metaphor for how I felt about higher education during 2001: Burnt out, working a graveyard shift full-time, completely distant, and largely depressed. Already somewhat practiced in the arts of complacency and craftiness, I obtained my degree in skipping classes, getting A's on exams, and being content with marginalia.</div><div><br /></div><div>Beyond the buoying effect of my wife and the love in my heart for her, that year was probably the most painful and wasted of my adult life. Backing out of the apartment complex and driving back home, I realized with much satisfaction that I'm far away from the place I was several years ago. Hell, I might've learned a thing or two since then without the privilege of paying tuition. </div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-37786232982571611372009-05-04T07:03:00.000-07:002010-02-22T20:52:14.721-08:00Father Meets Son<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 11px; "><div style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">Originally penned on 1/26/09.</span></div><div style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">7:30 – Clay woke up. I woke up. Grateful that it wasn’t the normal 5:45 AM wake-up time to go to work.<br />8:00 – Got out of bed. Made a pot of coffee. Felt groggy from sleeping an atypical 8 hours.<br />8:05 – Did dishes while Clay nursed.<br />8:15 – Clay is playing happily in the Exersaucer.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028566&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028566_481.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">The local news reported about seven teenagers getting shot downtown at a nightclub. Thankful that Clay’s not seventeen, or a clubber.<br />8:20 – Put away makeshift bed. Cursed the makeshift bed due to an aching back.<br />8:30 – Said goodbye to Gwen. Said a silent prayer. Clay still in the Exersaucer.<br />8:35 – Picked up the rest of the kitchen and wiped down the counter. Poured a second cup of coffee.<br />8:45 – Started dusting the living room table. Clay is no longer happy in the Exersaucer. Dusting=Fail.<br />8:50 – Put play mat over cat-hair laden carpet so Clay could play on his belly. Seems happy.<br />8:55 – Clay made three attempts at rolling over: Of a complete rotation, he managed 75%, 80%, and 85%. Now he’s beating himself up about not being able to do it. Provided motivational speech about the virtues of practice. <br />9:00 – Rolled Clay over to show him that the position of his arm is the biggest obstacle. He seemed happy to be on his back. The 700 Club began playing in the background. Father and son both visibly agitated.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028571&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028571_8542.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br />9:01 – Put on Season 2, Episode 2 of Battlestar Galactica (BG). The Cylons are ripping sh*t up.<br />9:05 – Finished dusting the table.<br />9:10 – Organized scattered paperwork: Parking ticket to pay, driving per diem from jury duty to deposit, Fry’s refund to submit, vehicle registration to deal with. Frack.<br />9:15 – Watching the ceiling is no longer appealing for Clay. Picked him up. Received a smile. Back hurt just a little less.<br />9:20 – Performing male alchemy, transferred milk from storage container to bottle. Put the remaining milk in the fridge, mentally noting it’s not for cereal or an Instant Breakfast later on.<br />9:25 – The decibel level of fussiness reached a point where Galactica was paused. Sat down to feed Clay. Again, silent prayer. Noting he couldn’t breathe while he ate, used aspirator to suck a lot of stuff out of his nose. Results positive.<br />9:30 – Clay’s asleep. The bottle’s almost empty.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028568&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028568_9837.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">He gulps drinks like me.<br />9:35 – Transferred Clay (and Boppy) to couch.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028567&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028567_9447.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br />9:40 – Called Pacific Parking Solutions, feigning civility when paying a parking ticket issued on New Year’s Day. Mother-frackers.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028569&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028569_1210.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br />10:10 – Clay woke up. BG’s still paused.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028570&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028570_9995.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br />10:15 – I smell activity. Diaper change in the next ten minutes inevitable. He’s holding his foot and making Chewbacca sounds during the process. Funny.<br />10:20 – Remembered coffee. It’s cold.<br />10:25 – Diaper change. Sposo-Easy: Greatest cloth diaper ever.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028572&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028572_9681.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">8 hours until Gwen’s home.<br />10:30 – Resumed BG.<br />10:40 – Clay in Exersaucer again. Paused BG. Dealt with recycling. Not enough wine bottles in my humble opinion. Grabbed vacuum with lofty goal in mind.<br />10:41 – Clay’s whining. Father’s son & all.<br />10:45 – Transferred Clay to swing, with pacifier in tow. Whining ceased. Resumed BG.<br />10: 50 – Trimmed cat hair sheathing from agitator roll in vacuum. Dusted smaller table and entertainment center. Sneezed. Took out garbage.<br />10:55 – Episode 2 of BG complete.<br />11:00 – Paused BG. Vacuumed carpet. Grabbed lamp, jolted bulb, tripped the circuit. Frack.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028577&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028577_5599.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br />11:15 – Vacuumed tile floors. Clay doesn’t mind the vacuum. Much. The cats are nowhere to be seen. Thank the Gods.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028573&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028573_7819.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br />11:20 – Resumed BG. Questioning self about being a Cylon. Pulled next round of milk out of fridge. Hopefully room temperature by the time Clay needs it. Clay’s watching BG now. Child Advisory Council warnings be damned. At least there are no commercials.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028606&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028606_4273.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br />11:25 – Abundant grins from Kiddo. Dad pats self on back. Changed humidifier water.<br />11:30 – Preheated oven to 400 degrees. Apple pie in about an hour and a half. Yum.<br />11:35 – Running around house with Clay in tow. Burning episodes 6-10 on a new DVD.<br />11:40 – Load of laundry in washer. Can’t find mini-tripod for camera. Apple pie in oven .<br />11:45 – Talked to Gwen. Feigned confidence.<br />11:50 – Rewound BG, missed a lot of it.<br />11:55 – Filled sink with hot water and frozen milk.<br />12:05 – Changed wet diaper. Cats reemerge from vacuum-induced seclusion.<br />12:10 – Crying begins. Evasive action. Initiated bottle to mouth procedure.<br />12:15 – Crying occurs again. Loudly. Burping solves problem. Commence feeding phase II.<br />12:20 – Bottle becomes ancient history, replaced with Soothie. Operation Rock-Baby-Bouncy Chair initiated.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028607&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028607_3462.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br />12:25 – Clay appears asleep. Freedom for the moment. <br />12:30 – Sent Gwen an email at work with picture of Clay. Proof that he’s still alive. Laundry ringer buzzed. Off to embark toward clothes-on-dryer action, and stuff one more load in the washer. Paused BG.<br />12:40 – Went outside. Gorgeous day.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028672&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028672_2820.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">The scrubjay on the deck screeched at me. Talked briefly to Gwen. Six hours to go.<br />12:45 – Pie smells amazing. Resuming BG. Pondering second pot of coffee.<br />12:46 – Dropped remote. Woke up Clay. Definitely making more coffee.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028609&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028609_2113.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br />12:55 – Clay happily occupied with his cloth book.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028626&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028626_8942.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">Pulled pie out of the oven. Damn cooling time. Frozen milk thawed out. One bag’s contents sitting in a bottle. The other in the fridge. Washed out the baggie and hung to dry. No idea if that is a good idea or a bad one.<br />1:05 – Purged the fridge of scary leftovers past their expiration date. Clay currently eating aforementioned book. Tupperware soaking. Poured fresh cup of coffee. Added cinnamon for sh*ts and giggles.<br />1:15 – Paused BG. Talked to parents. Video chat to follow.<br />1:45 – Video chatted with parents and brother for twenty minutes until Clay got fussy. Appears to be his threshold.<br />1:50 – Resumed BG. Ate pie.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028671&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028671_6260.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">Cradled fussy child. <br />2:00 – Fussiness = Tiredness. Despite machine guns blaring on the TV, Clay is asleep and now in swing. Mental note: Do not drop remote this time.<br />2:05 – Paused BG. Going outside to taunt the scrubjay.<br />2:10 – No scrubjays in sight. Called brother. Back hurts again. <br />2:15 – Poured another cup of coffee. Tended to drier and replaced with wet clothes. Folding to occur downstairs. Resumed BG.<br />2:20 – The very audible creaking of the swing is making me nervous. The presence of only one loaded diaper today has me concerned for things to come. He’s still breathing.<br />2:30 – Folded laundry and took upstairs. Will put it in the dresser sometime during the next life.<br />2:40 – Cat howled downstairs. Clay awake. Picturing life without cats.<br />2:45 – Clay returns to slumber. Cat lives another day. Rewound BG to make up for last five minutes. T-minus five hours.<br />3:00 – Olmos returns! “What’s happening on my ship?” Baby Boy still sleeps.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028673&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028673_9323.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">The creaking died down.<br />3:10 – Caught up on e-mail. Mostly deletion.<br />3:15 – Despite signs otherwise, Clay is still breathing. Oh, and sleeping.<br />3:25 – Talked to Gwen. Clay woke up mad. Hearing Mom’s voice was an instant remedy.<br />3:30 – Wet diaper changed. The big one is coming. Rewound BG.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028674&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028674_5509.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028675&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028675_2120.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br />3:35 – Crying. Hungry? As for me. must remember to avoid bladder explosion.<br />3:40 – Hunger was the positive call. Fed for twenty-five minutes.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028677&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028677_7648.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">Frozen milk experiment a success. Four ounces taken down. Last episode of BG ended two minutes into feeding. Sadly, couldn’t move.<br />4:05 – Clay is chilling in the Exersaucer after a round of crying/burping. Considering raiding the freezer for meat of some sort and experimenting with new cookbook of sauces. New disk of BG primed. Pushing play.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028678&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028678_1098.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br />4:10 – Danced in drunken-monkey fashion to keep Baby Boy content. Glad nobody was looking through the windows.<br />4:15 – Grabbed Little Guy and trotted upstairs to grab dry laundry for folding. Began first endeavor into the scary-ass world of cloth diaper laundering (thanks to clear instructions from da Wifey).</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028679&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028679_4417.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br />4:25 – Folded laundry. Baby Boy laid on back watching and trying to roll over.<br />4:35 – Back to dinner plans. Still undecided.<br />4:45 – Decided: Pan-seared chicken with Newburg sauce it is. Clay supervised the initial stages of sauce preparation.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028680&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028680_6280.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br />5:15 – Cleaned-up dishes and danced yet again for the sake of entertaining the child, currently in his Bumbo on the kitchen island (HAHAHA).<br />5:20 – Prepared another bottle. Paused BG. Took laundry upstairs.<br />5:25 – Gwen’s coming home. Sweet. Stirred the sauce in the makeshift double-boiler. Baby Boy still in the Bumbo.<br />5:30 – Bath time.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028690&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028690_8587.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028691&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028691_4268.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br />5:35 – He loves bathing. And splashing. And more love for splashing. His hair is getting really long…comparatively.<br />5:50 – No fighting on the way out. He stayed warm and calm. Now he smells 100-times better than me.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028692&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028692_5990.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028693&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028693_6423.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br />5:55 – Put him in the swing.<br />6:00 – Holy sh*t, he’s asleep. Still hasn’t pooped again today, but he’s asleep! I truly think his bowels are on strike due to the failure of negotiations to keep Mom home today.</span></div><div class="photo photo_center" style="line-height: 14px; clear: both; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: center; "><div class="photo_img" style="clear: none; line-height: 14px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; width: 180px; "><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2028694&op=1&view=all&subj=47248843926&aid=-1&oid=47248843926&id=734318377" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2124/3/34/734318377/a734318377_2028694_6243.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /></a></div></div><div class="clear_center" style="line-height: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br />6:15 – He’s still breathing. Dealing with pictures taken today.<br />6:20 – Gwen just came in the door. Baby Boy and I survived each other, and it was one of the best days I've ever had.</span></div></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496284337087102329.post-38110025015014335602009-04-26T18:27:00.000-07:002010-02-22T21:00:42.193-08:00South Newberg Revisited<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:verdana;">Baby Boy and I took to the streets of South Newberg yet again, soaking up the weekend's last attempt at the sixty-degree mark. All the meanwhile trying to let dear ol' Mama have some room to vacuum without the two of us getting in the way.</span><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyIg57ovcBzAwwHtmg4ksgBYV0IhbGDPOViMiag544h-_qxGv5QnkDEwsq4qIIqxP8Nu4TbFoqYSdM-2_9ilAombb_GJJhKf81zaajpHXo-IMRFcoom6xybDQ93SyYhXMdoVGwysAJpg/s200/IMG_1361.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329228418362267170" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">We took a spin toward the Willamette River, only half of a mile away from where we live. I had never been down the route we chose, making for a decent Sunday adventure. Our first stop was looking upon a beautifully forested area behind a few homes and apartment complexes. The creekbed we discovered is an extension of the one running behind our house.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">After cruising down the road a touch further, I noticed one of the oddest houses I've seen in these parts. Outside of the primary residence, there was a trifecta of curiosities:</span></div><div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:verdana;">The fifteen-foot cross with random crap hanging off of it.<br /></span><br /></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">The terra cotta steer skull hitched at the gate.<br /><br /></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">The piece de resistance was the twenty-foot "rocket" built out of discarded aluminum chimney vents. Oh, don't forget the explanatory sign nestled in the overgrown grass: "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">ENGLE'S Rocket Launcher — Move Over Houston! — Love, George.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">"</span></span></li></ul><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvcucTtFidBu0LHwofHQGzUNlrVsaNfrEkKLObChehwmAWEoD5ypDWEJcvDXrPyfT9uPz9pbt0MtFeKGZed_HLTevRXTp4ImD8GHsaQqVyrmhWUh7c7Fq5vz5AndUWGhxhPY86l1v2z-o/s320/IMG_1363.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 203px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329650626462323122" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">As I type this, I must confess to still being painfully confused. I may have imagined it, but I swear I saw the Baby Boy mouth the letters W-T-F.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Once we collected ourselves, we turned the bend onto a loosely paved road and began our march closer to the river. After stopping to let the kiddo stretch his legs, we looked up and saw that we were overlooking the water from a quaint little bluff. Down below, we watched a few boats launch from the docks.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Our attention turned toward the field across the road, where an old red barn stood behind a few acres of grass and burgeoning wildflowers. It had definitely seen better years, yet it will undoubtedly be there for a long, long time to come.</span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">The last corner of our trip brough forth a roadside memorial near the road toward the docks. I couldn't help but fictionalize the moments surrounding the creation of the cross. As the burnt letters convey, "RIP Bro."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Baby Boy quickly grew tired of the melancholy scene, so we hoofed it home while carefully making sure not to track in any of the dirt picked up along the way.</span></div></div></span></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com