Happy Birthday Baby Girl

Today Elsa is one year old. There are times that is seems like she has been here forever (due to my lack of sleep I'm sure), but mostly it amazes me that this year has gone by so fast. No talking yet, but I swear she is on the verge of saying "Daddy." On Saturday she took her first steps, and she will get up to three in before falling forward into my arms. I honestly think she would be taking more if she didn't enjoy falling forward so much. I wish I could think of more to write, but you know, the sleep thing.


Oh, and she loves baths.

We almost made it a year...

... without a trip to the emergency room at Children's Minneapolis. Well, last night Elsa managed a very loud face-plant onto the hardwood. She has become very adept at walking around, holding onto the furniture. She is also very cautious as she lowers herself back to her knees or butt, and this was her first fall. We're not sure exactly how it happened, Krista was folding laundry in the living room as Elsa cruised around the coffee table, and I was in the basement. I heard a very loud bang, and was already halfway up the stairs before Krista even managed to scream "Oh my God! Aaron!" She didn't see the fall, but did see Elsa's bloody lip. By the time I got upstairs Elsa's silent scream had found the volume knob. Her lip didn't look too bad, only a little blood. Krista passed her to me and was going to get a wet cloth, and then it happened. Elsa's head slumped sideways, and her eyes rolled back. That is not something I ever want to see again. I managed to stay pretty collected despite my heart racing. I held her upright, and patted her cheek while saying her name. She came to after two or three seconds, and promptly resumed her crying. That wail has never sounded so sweet. Krista was on the phone with 911, and I don't think it was more than five minutes before the firefighters arrived, and less than two minutes later the paramedics were at the front door. By then Elsa had stopped crying, and seemed herself, but because she passed out the paramedics recommended having her checked out. So Elsa got a ride in ambulance (looking back, we should have just taken her ourselves), and we spent the better part of two hours in the ER. Bottom line, mild concussion, the cut on her lip is all but invisible, and she has been herself since.

Stoneage Mutant Ninja Chickens

Somebody call the Discovery Institute...

He's Met His Match

Jaquandor may be more prolific in the wearing of his most precious garment, but he's got nothing on this.



Or this.

Fucking Fox Fuckers

So, for some time now I have been waiting eagerly for the return of Arrested Development on Monday nights (one of three shows we watch). I have been checking TVGuide.com to see if I needed to set the VCR. I have also been checking the Fox website, and AD page at least twice weekly to see if there was some indication as to when I could expect its return, and always it said "New Episodes Coming Soon!" Until Sunday night. The "New Episodes" banner was gone. I thought that was odd, and so I checked the message board to make sure the show hadn't been given a new time slot. What I found were posts from many, many angry people. It seems that Fox aired the four final episodes, all but unannounced, Friday night. No promos, not indication on the AD website, nothing. When I Googled it, I found a few newspaper articles dated Friday, the day the final episodes aired. Anyone happen to tape it?

Fuckers.

Here

this should keep you occupied until I come up with something else. Jaq posted this a while ago.

1. Smoked cigarettes - A few.

2. Smoked a cigar - No.

3. Broken a CD – Yes.

4. Crashed a friend's car - Nope.

5. Stolen a car – Yes. Kinda. A couple of times, if you count moving an friends car to another part of the parking lot, or another lot entirely.

6. Been in love - Yep.

7. Been dumped - Yes.

8. Shoplifted - I think so.

9. Been fired - No, but here's to hoping.

10. Been in a fist fight - Yes, and I kicked her ass.
11. Snuck out of your house - Never needed to. The 'rents were pretty cool about curfews.

12. Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back - Most likely.

13. Been arrested - No.

14. Made out with a stranger - No.

15. Gone on a blind date - No.

16. Lied to a friend - Like Jaq, probably, of the "Little White Lie" variety.

17. Had a crush on a teacher - Not that I recall.

18. Skipped school - No. College? Occasionally. Even walked out in the middle of a lecture once (same as Jaq).

19. Slept with a coworker - No.

20. Seen someone die - No.

21. Been on a plane - Yes.

22. Thrown up in a bar - No.

23. Taken painkillers – Not the strong stuff.

24. Love someone or miss someone right now - Quite a few friends.

25. Laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by – Yes.

26. Made a snow angel - Yes.

27. Played dress up - What?

28. Cheated while playing a game – I'm sure. Playing poker I try to see opponents cards if I can, but I don't consider that cheating.

29. Been lonely – Yes.

30. Fallen asleep at work/school – Yes.

31. Used a fake id – No.

32. Felt an earthquake – No.

33. Touched a snake - Yes.

34. Ran a red light – Yes. The first light I come to on my way to work never senses the bike (so, that is actually a legal running), and sometimes in my car it can take minutes to turn, so I just go. BTY, it is at 3am.

35. Been suspended from school – No.

36. Had detention - Yes.

37. Been in a car accident – Yes. She ran the light, and t-boned me, then sued me.

38. Hated the way you look – Yes.

39. Witnessed a crime - Nothing major, I think.

40. Pole danced – No.

41. Been lost – Yes.

42. Been to the opposite side of the country – Yes, all four.

43. Felt like dying – Yes. I too got better.

44. Cried yourself to sleep - Yes.

45. Played cops and robbers – I'm sure.

46. Sang karaoke – Yes.

47. Done something you told yourself you wouldn't – Yes.

48. Laughed till some kind of beverage came out of your nose - Just once, I think.

49. Caught a snowflake on your tongue - Yes.

50. Kissed in the rain - Unsure.

51. Sing in the shower – Sometimes.

52. Made love in a park - No.

53. Had a dream that you married someone - Not sure.

54. Glued your hand to something – No.

55. Got your tongue stuck to a flag pole – No, but witnessed it, Shawn.

56. Worn the opposite sex's clothes – No.

57. Had an orgasm - I think so.

58. Sat on a roof top – Yes.

59. Didn't take a shower for a week - No, but witnessed it, Shawn. Or maybe that was just not washing his hair.

60. Ever too scared to watch scary movies alone – No

61. Played chicken – On bicycles.

62. Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on – No.

63. Been told you're hot by a complete stranger- Every day.

64. Broken a bone – Not my own.

65. Been easily amused - Rarely.

66. Laugh so hard you cry – Yes.

67. Mooned/flashed someone - Yes.

68. Cheated on a test – Yes.

69. Forgotten someone's name – Like Jaq, I am horrible with names.

70. Slept naked – Yes.

71. Gone skinny dipping in a pool- No.

72. Been kicked out of your house – No.

73. Blacked out from drinking – No.

74. Played a prank on someone – Yes.

75. Gone to a late night movie – Yes.

76. Made love to anything not human - No.

77. Failed a class – No.

78. Choked on something you're not supposed to eat – No.

79. Played an instrument for more than 10 hours - No.

80. Cheated on a gf/bf – No.

81. Ate a whole package of Oreos – No.

82. Thrown strange objects - What?

83. Felt like killing someone – Yes

84. Thought about running away - I don't think so.

85. Ran away – No.

86. Did drugs – No.

87. Had detention and not attend it - No.

88. Yelled at parents - Yes.

89. Made parent cry - I'm sure.

90. Cried over someone - Yes.

91. Owned more than 5 puppies - No.

92. Dated someone more than once - No.

93. Have a dog – No.

94. Have a cat – Yes.

95. Own an instrument – Are you kidding? Between me and Krista, a trumpet, a coronet, two trombones, three guitars, a bass guitar, a ukulele, a clarinet, a marimba, two drum sets, a snare drum, a bell kit, a piano, a digital piano, and i won't even list the miscellaneous percussion, and ethnic drums.

96. Been in a band - Concert band/wind ensemble? Yes. Jazz band? Yes. Rock band? Yes.

97. Had more than 25 sodas in one day – Um, no.

98. Made out with a member of the same sex – Not made out.

99. Shot a gun – Nope.

100. Been online for more than 5 hours straight – No.

Me, the Sensible One? Who Would'a Guessed

For about the last six weeks or so, I have had to endure Krista's almost uncontainable excitement in anticipation of her revealing my Christmas gift. She told me it was going to cost a lot, and wanted to make sure that we could manage the cost, so I had a couple of ideas as to what it might be based on the price. Boy, was I wrong, wrong, wrong. Wrong. She bought me a kayak. Now, this is something I have wanted for quite a while. Combine this with Krista's joy of coming up with something I really wanted, and something I never would have guessed, and it was really, really hard to tell her that I thought we should take it back (well, not really take it back, it was still at REI waiting to be picked up).

We talked about it for a while, and considered how little time we have both had lately to get the things done that we need to do, let alone the things we would like to do, she agreed that maybe it was best not to get it. Instead we got a bike trailer. This is something we were going to purchase anyway, but that is ok, it really is the thought. And someday, hopefully in the next couple of years, I will collect what is possibly the best Christmas gift I have ever received.

But it doesn't rhyme...

Li'l sis has posted one of her poems, along with the result of a collaborative project with another department. In five months of blogging, you might have expected this sooner from someone working on her MFA in poetry. I ain't sayin', I'm just sayin'...

Friendly Faces Everywhere, Humble Folks Without Temptation

Me in Southpark.



Get your own.

via Jaq

Eight of Four

From Jaq.

Four jobs you've had in your life: Movie Theatre (box office, concession, door man etc.); Disc Jockey; Camera Operator; Video Editor

Four movies you could watch over and over: There a quite a few, but here are four: Star Wars (Like Jaq, all six ); 2001: A Space Odyssey; The Blues Brothers; A Hard Days Night.

Four places you've lived: Des Moines, IA; Waverly, IA; Winsted, MN; Minneapolis, MN (three places in Minneapolis).

Four TV shows you love to watch: There are only three I watch that are currently airing: Arrested Development; The Simpsons (I'm not even all that religious about this anymore); King of the Hill (when it is on); and then to make four, I guess whatever happens to be on The National Geographic Channel while I am on the stationary bike, or World Poker Tour, but we don't have full cable, so I never see it. Of shows no longer airing, Millennium; Northern Exposure; Mr. Show; and we are currently working our way through Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Four places you've been on vacation: I'll hit the most recent: Duluth, and the North Shore; Las Vegas; Motorcycle road trip along the Mississippi; and Europe (Iceland, The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Sweden).

Four websites you visit daily: Overheard In New York (and Overheard in the Office); Byzantium's Shores; Dirigiblog; Oliopolis. Also, Pokerroom, but not to read.

Four of your favorite foods: A perfectly grilled Steak (by me); Lasagna (by my mother); Pizza; Dark Chocolate.

Four places you'd rather be: Well, I'm at work right now, so you pick four, and they should qualify.

Go Google Yourself

Here's the deal, Google your name and the word "needs" and post the first ten results. My sister did this, and then did it again changing "needs" to "wants," and got some erie results. Then later Google did it to her again. It is a small world wide web folks. Anyway, here I go... (By the way, many of the top hits were other people doing this same meme, so I left those out, as well as stuff like "wants to know which geology books to start with for a research project.")

Needs:

1. Aaron Needs a Tracheostomy.
2. Aaron needs to learn how to count.
3. Aaron needs a miracle! (Amen!)
4. Aaron needs to trust his stuff and pound the strike zone. (Ewww!)
5. Aaron - needs to make a career change (Again I say "Amen!")
6. Aaron needs two running tens for a tie or two running fives to win the pot. (I try to avoid needing running cads to win, but hey, it happens)
7. Aaron needs help.
8. Aaron needs to work on his keyboard comfort level. (I am a shitty pianist)
9. Aaron needs to get his motor pulled. (again, Ewww!)
10. Aaron needs to know how to capitalise on his strengths and to circumvent his weaknesses. (Don't we all? Oh, and using spell check is a good place to start circumventing those weaknesses)

Wants:

1. Aaron wants to visit 29 places.
2. Aaron wants to be a millionaire. (Well, yeah)
3. Aaron wants a big favour!
4. Aaron wants to do 40 things.
5. Aaron wants to confess his love to Rachel. (Don't know her, I swear!)
6. Aaron wants to play the trombone for a living. (Gave up on that a while back)
7. Aaron wants the Hoboken audience to get as down and dirty as the groundlings at the Globe in the 1600s.
8. Aaron wants to retrieve from his mom some valuable mementos that Bruce Willis gave him.
9. Aaron wants a girl. (Already got the best one ever)
10. Aaron wants to make some money from his blogging popularity. (HA! Ha ha ha! Ah ha ha ha ha...)

Well quite a few of those came close. Google must be psychic.

Returning to Normal

A tiny bit at a time.

GAAARRRRRRGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All I wanted to do was put my head down, and close my eyes for the 15 minutes (not the 30 minute lunch I should get) I had between the time when we finished editing the show, and when I had to retrieve tapes from playback and get back to work. I had bunched up my jacket for a pillow, dimmed the lights, turned off the machines (they are noisy), taken off my glasses, and my head was resting peacefully on my makeshift pillow. I could sense someone standing in my doorway. Then he (one of the other editors) started talking to me. About nothing. And kept talking. Until I had to squeeze past him to go get tapes and get back to work. At which point he disappeared for fifteen minutes to go to his car to smoke.

All I wanted was to close my eyes for 15 minutes.

A Father's Goodbye

Quinn's funeral was Friday. Go read the words Kelly wrote for the funeral bulletin.

What Can You Say...

...to a friend who's son has just died. I've started this post many times now, but nothing seems remotely adequate. I can only imagine what Quinn's family is going through.

To anyone reading this I will tell you that Quinn's time was all too short, and all too difficult. I will tell you that I know he had two wonderful people for parents, and I'm sure one of the best big sisters one could ask for. I will tell you that although distance kept me from ever meeting Quinn, in his 15 months he impacted me.

To Kelly, Deb and Haley, all I can say is I'm sorry, and I am thinking of you. I wish there were more I could say, or something I could do.

Yes, I'm Still Here...

I just haven't had much that I really NEEDED to say, coupled with a lack of free time equals light blogging. It seems like we've had quite a bit going on, the 'rents were in town, work on our bedroom (more on that to come), a job offer, interviews, much phone tag, negotiations, and many other tasks have eaten up what little free time we have had. There is more to do as well, but hopefully in the next couple of weeks things should be getting better.

The guys over at our CD club/experiment have been giving me shit, and wondering if Elsa was still kicking my ass. She is not, but she is still keeping me busy. The colic is gone, gone, gone, but she still doesn't sleep much in the afternoons. My typical day starts at 2am, and I am off to work. I get home around noon, and grab a bit to eat. Nap time, I usually get between one and two hours, depending on when Krista leaves, and when/if Elsa sleeps. Then it is Elsa, Elsa, Elsa. I try to get some things done, and if I am lucky I can get 30 minutes on the stationary bike, or we take a walk around the lake. Krista gets home between 8:300 and 9:00, bite to eat (and yes Mixdorf, a little Buffy, or other TV during dinner), another four hours of sleep before starting it all over again.

Not hellish, or terribly hard, but busy. So, blogging has been light, and will likely be for a while yet. I need to get the bikes winterized, and stain the mantle and banister for our bedroom before it gets too cold. And, I just haven't felt terribly inspired to say much. So there.

Do I Have A Sign On My Back That Says "Tag Me?"

OK, Dan tagged me with this a while back. Better late than never right?

1. It is Dan's theory that one only has time to devote to 10 outside-of-work pursuits. What makes your list? This can be an idealized version of your life (e.g. pursuits in which you are interested but just haven't found the time or ambition to start).

My first few are the same as Dan's, here they are:

1. Above all else, Elsa and Krista.
2. Friends.
3. Movies and good TV.
4. Music both creation and consumption. Though I have had a hard time getting going on the creation side.
5. Bicycling. Hopefully next summer, when Elsa can come along, I will get back to 20 miles every day again.
6. Video Editing. I know this is ALSO my job, but it is something I truly enjoy. Now if only my job...
7. Reading, even though I am a terribly sow reader.
8. Poker. Both a low stakes game as an opportunity for number 2, and a more serious game.
9. Travel/Motorcycling. The bike serves as my primary mode of commuting during the summer, and is a great stress reliever on the way home. I don't often just "Go for a ride." around town (if I have time for that it is usually pedal powered), but a trip on the bike is about as good as it gets. Even if it is just a day trip down the Mississippi.
10. Home improvement/building stuff. Like a poker table.

2. What are the last five albums you bought? Are you just kind of buying albums on a whim these days or following any kind of overarching plan-such as exploring a genre or working your way through a backlog of albums you've wanted to buy for some time?

Kenny Burrell, Midnight Blue
Dr. Lonnie Smith, Boogaloo To Beck
Elvis Costello, The Delivery Man
Wilco, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Olympic Hopefuls, The Fuses Refuse to Burn (Great Twin Cities band on the verge of hitting it big, and yes they were still Olympic Hopefuls when I bought the disc. Check 'em out, and also check out Darren Jackson's other band Kid Dakota).

My plan? Yourmusic.com. Best music deal out there. May not have everything, but if they have something you want, you can't beat $5.99 with free shipping. (Just after posting this I see that Dan is onto the yourmusic.com goodness).


3. Everyone has an issue (at least one)-political or philosophical-that is kind of their personal baby. One on which they feel they have an enlightened view in a greater world that just either doesn't get it or doesn't care. Tell us about it-and attempt to be brief.

Boy, I am not sure that I have one that sticks out. There are a number that I get really frustrated about. Gay marriage is one, but I have posted about that before. Another frustration is with extremists with whom I agree on the issues, but their tactics a poorly thought out. Or not thought out at all. This may be off topic, but I feel like a rant. I once overheard a person who was in the Twin Cities to protest the Highway 55 bypass telling someone that a she and some friends were headed to New Orleans for a protest, and man was it going to be awesome. When asked what they were protesting she replied "I don't know yet." Then there was the group that was protesting the scourge of SUVs by setting whole lots full on fire. Besides the pollution from 20 burning SUVs, there is the fact that they are insured, and they will just build more. No one who was going to buy an SUV was moved, and in all likelihood those wavering were put off to your cause. Oh, and their spokesman showed up to give their news conference in a Grand Cherokee. You are not helping.

4. Prairie, mountains, woods, desert, lake, the sea. Which calls to you the most? Where would you most choose to reside? RANK THEM!

There are so many places that if feasible I would like to live for a year and most of these are included in my list, so it is hard to rank, but I will give it a shot:

1. Lake
2. Sea (Iceland, North Shore of Superior, not the warmer climes)
3. Mountains
4. Woods
5. Prairie
6. Desert


5. Guilty pleasure TV. Is there a show that would be condemned by your peers, but yet you find yourself watching it on a regular basis? Let's hear it.

Like Mixdorf I will have to say Blind Date and the like.

No limit or minimum of people to tag. Send this to whomever you choose.

OK, so I will tag none, but invite all.

Five Months

That is how old she is today. She weighs in at 15 pounds 13 ounces and is 26.5 inches. She is smiling all the time (ok, most of the time), has two teeth, has rolled over onto her back, and is able to stand for minutes at a time (with a little help on the ballance end).

We went to the State Fair today (I forget the camera), and Elsa took in her first Rock and Roll show. The Hopefuls (formerly Olympic Hopefuls, until they got a threatening letter from the USOC. Seriously.) were playing, and were the main reason we ventured to the fair.

I leave you with some of my favorite photos from the past few months.

With Great-Grandma.








Gotta love that hair.


Day at the beach

Chapter Sixteen (and Fifteen, and Fourteen, and Thirteen...)

Even while I was slacking off in my blogging, it seems Jaquandor just kept posting new chapters to his novel that he is publishing online. As the title of this post hints he is up to Chapter Sixteen. Get yourself over there and read The Promised King.

Happy Birthday

Here's wishing a happy birthday to The Mighty Quinn, and hoping that this next year takes it a bit easier on him. The kid deserves a break.