Jen's Rhyme and Reason

Recent Pics

2012-02-14T14:55:00.001-08:00

Handy Sites

2012-02-10T14:51:00.000-08:00

I continue to be surprised by the useful stuff online. These sites are for fairly specific purposes, but I love how good they are at what they do.

CrimeReports.com is a site where you type your address, and they immediately pull up any police involved incidents near that address. They let you fine tune the range of time captured, and the type of events.

PadMapper.com is a site for finding a new place to live. The search criteria are sensible and easy to use, and best of all, it picks up ads from Craigslist and apartment complexes, you name it, and just pins everything on a map, so you can search based on where you'd like to live. Smart.

Baby Steps...

2012-02-08T09:24:00.000-08:00

My business has been featured online for the first time!

Superbowl, Perfected

2012-02-07T10:10:00.000-08:00

I am not a sports fan. I would be perfectly happy never knowing who is playing, or how it went. But as a student of pop culture, and general fun, I like the Superbowl commercials - particularly ones of upcoming summer movies that I haven't heard about.

After 37 years, I think I've figured out how to skip the football and cut to the chase.

Here's a great listing of the 10 best Superbowl ads. Done. Matthew Broderick is my favorite of course, Ferris Bueller's Day Off is one of the all time greats. And this reviewer picked up on some details I missed, so read the snipit first.

I thought the Chrysler ad was really beautiful too, and makes me want to go buy a funky Ford Flex right now. (Although the idea that America is down and out rings a little hollow to me; I think that down-and-out America is still the greatest place on Earth to live in the history of humankind.)

Television Without Pity

2012-02-03T15:18:00.000-08:00

I'm sure I've mentioned this site before, but I just had to share it with you. Television Without Pity writes snarky summaries of your favorite junky tv shows. And nothing fits the bill more than The Bachelor, my recent guilty pleasure.

Here's the most recent entry.

It's a double bonus to watch a ridiculous show, and then read a hilarious commentary about it and feel all superior.

Go See Haywire

2012-02-01T10:47:00.000-08:00

Am I the only person who keeps track of movie directors? Steven Soderbergh is amazing. No one seems to recognize the name, but everyone has seen Ocean's 11. And all his movies seem to have the same charismatic style, the unique camera shots that last just long enough that you notice them. The cool groove music. An intelligent and challenging plot, even in an action movie. Watch for his stuff!

Plus this one has amazing fight sequences, and the best female butt-kicker since Angelina Jolie in the Tomb Raider movies.

Skiing, Part 3

2012-01-30T15:26:00.001-08:00

Well, I skied my third and fourth days. (And by "days," I should mention that I've only put in about 10 hours so far. What can I say, I'm low energy.)

I resolved to just practice easy runs until they got boring. To the exasperation of my companions, there is still no part of Winter Park that is too boring for me. But my strategy worked, and I'm coming along. Sunday, I even had a few moments of exhilaration.

I'm sorry to tell you that there aren't too many pictures on the Winter Park website of the view down easy green runs. But these shots look pretty familiar.

Swim Lessons

2012-01-30T15:23:00.001-08:00

Goofing Off

2012-01-30T15:21:00.000-08:00

Hello New Camera

2012-01-26T07:12:00.000-08:00

Common wisdom says that great photography is created by the person behind the camera, not the gear itself, so don't worry too much about what you've got.

I think the people who say this must not have a Nikon D7000.

I'm on page 8 of the manual, and so far I'm pretty blown away. Most importantly, I bought the camera to handle very low light situations (like a wedding reception I crazily agreed to document next month). So far it's exceptional in that regard. My D80 was very grainy and pixellated on higher ISOs, and the D7000 doesn't bat an eye.

The other feature I'm loving is the rapid fire shutter release. I've experimented taking a burst of photos, and you know what? The first one is not always the best one. Go figure! Of course I can't just go around taking five pictures instead of one with a 16 megapixel camera, but at least I'll get the good shots when it counts.

So excited!

Dad and Atticus

2012-01-21T07:43:00.000-08:00

I love you LuluLemon!

2012-01-18T10:42:00.000-08:00

Santa brought me this delicious sweatshirt, and it's all I can wear! It's my new uniform.

Sugared Almonds

2012-01-16T15:29:00.001-08:00

My friend Lily gave me these for Christmas, and they are unbelievable. I've been savoring them for three weeks, and they are just as awesome now! You must make them.

1/3 c. water, plus 2 TBSP
1 1/3 c. brown sugar, divided
1 tsp cinnamon
2 c. almonds
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Add water, 1c. sugar and cinnamon to a saucepan and stir. Bring to boil on medium heat.
Add almonds, raise to high temp, and stir until water is boiled off.
Reduce heat to medium low. Add remaining sugar and vanilla.
When lumps are starting to form on the almonds, transfer to a surface (parchment paper, foil, etc.)
Break apart as they cool down.

Naptime Ballerina

2012-01-16T07:36:00.001-08:00

Ada and Logan have been watching Barbie - Swan Lake, an odd little animated movie set to Tchaikovsky's beautiful score. It has some actual ballet in it, and now I have actual ballet in my home. Ada is fixated on being a ballerina, which I think is fantastic. This is an early video, with a messy house and barely any sound, since Logan is actually sleeping. More videos to come with increasingly advanced moves! And probably still a messy house.

Skiing, Part 2

2012-01-16T07:16:00.001-08:00

So after 14 happy years of living in Colorado, I finally tried skiing.

In some ways I really had the red carpet rolled out for me, so I'd be an idiot not to give it a shot. On the other hand, there seemed to be annoyance, discomfort, pain and fear in abundance, and the responses I got were always a shrug, "That's skiing. You just get used to it."

Nobody says that kind of stuff about reading books.

I went to Winter Park for two days, which is a very kid friendly place, and seeing all these tiny tots made me feel so excited for Ada and Logan, and how fortunate they are to grow up with this in their backyard. So I gave it the old college try.

Saturday I took an all day group lesson. The first half was no problem, I was relatively comfortable. The second half of the day we got on some chair lifts (an obstacle in itself for me), and suddenly I was on top of the world. It was sunny and beautiful, with snowy mountain tops all around me, I felt lucky and privileged more than I can say.

But then you have to get down again. And it turns out there is a giant leap in skill between the bunny hill and a green ski run. I was pretty terrorized all afternoon, and practically crawled back to the car, resolving not to come back. I seriously HATED it.

Sunday I found my backbone again, and resolved to have a day finding the easiest runs that would give me some pleasant practice and a better attitude. This strategy worked wonders, I got better, more confident, a little faster, I felt pretty pleased with myself.

Until the last 10 minutes or so. I found myself at the top of an amazingly steep hill, the last hill to get to the bottom. I'm telling you friends, I nearly burst into tears. I probably took five or ten of the longest minutes of my life crawling down this hill, while most shooshed down in 60 seconds. It's okay, I have nothing to prove, but it was a painful reminder of how much further I have to go.

But have faith, reader! I went to the office and asked them to tell me which greens are "easy." I got some good advice. At least they sounded like they knew what they were talking about. I have two weeks before my next backbone check, pray for me.

These pics were taken with my phone, but if you click on them they do enlarge enough to be worthwhile.

Skiing, Part 1

2012-01-16T07:14:00.000-08:00

I got this email years ago, and always thought it was funny... I can't decide if it becomes more or less funny when you actually try to learn!

Preparation for Skiing

This is sent to remind skiers how to prepare for the ski season and to remind non-skiers why they do not ski.

10. Visit your local butcher and pay $30 to sit in the walk-in freezer for half an hour. Afterwards, burn two $50 dollar bills to warm up.

9. Go to the nearest hockey rink and walk across the ice 20 times in your ski boots carrying two pairs of skis, accessory bag and poles. Pretend you are looking for your car.

8. For ski boot simulation at home, put a pebble in your street shoes and tighten a C-clamp around your toes.

7. Buy a pair of gloves and immediately throw one away.

6. Go to McDonald's and insist on paying $6.50 for a hamburger. Be sure to wait in the longest line.

5. Clip a lift ticket to the zipper of your jacket and ride a motorcycle fast enough to make the ticket lacerate your face.

4. Drive slowly for five hours - anywhere - as long as it's in a snowstorm and you're following an 18 wheeler.

3. Fill a blender with ice, hit the pulse button and let the spray blast your face. You'd almost believe you're skiing in front of a snowmaker!

2. Dress up in as many clothes as you can and then proceed to take them off because you have to go to the bathroom.

1. Repeat all of the above every Saturday and Sunday.

2012-01-16T07:10:00.000-08:00

If you are female, you need to check out this site. It's a never ending "pinboard" list of great photography, craft ideas, recipes, outfits, wedding decorations, jokes, books... It's the most addictive place to surf, it reminds me of the good old days when the internet was new. If you want to see what I'm posting, my user name is Jenny Bundles.

someecards.com

2012-01-16T07:08:00.001-08:00

Toddler Rules.

2012-01-16T07:05:00.000-08:00

Sound familiar?!

Click to enlarge.

Panang Curry!

2012-01-12T13:39:00.001-08:00

For the last couple years I've been getting hooked on Thai food, and haven't made it much past Panang Curry because it's so good. I think I've finally figured out how to cook it! The trick about curry seems to be that it's impossible to gauge how much curry paste to put into the recipe until you've experimented a little. So the first batch - just do your best with the instructions and err on the low side. This last time I made it, I about melted my face off!

Also, if you want to use authentic ingredients you'll have to head to an actual Asian market. In Denver, try Pacific Ocean, it's an adventure. I would recommend doing this the first time, so you can make the real deal, and stock up on the authentic curry paste, versus the boring stuff at regular grocery stores. I'm not sure they sell Panang curry paste anyway. Then you can substitute whatever you want later.

I started with the recipe here, but I'm going to write it out for you with some suggestions. I've listed alternatives for anything that you can't get in a regular store.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons Panang curry paste. Like I said, you have to experiment with this.
Splash of cooking oil.
4 c. coconut milk.
2/3 c. chicken breast, cut into bites. I substituted salmon. Also consider tofu, etc. Adjust amount to taste - I probably put in 1-2 cups.
2 tbsp. palm sugar. Can substitute brown sugar.
2 tbsp. fish sauce.
6 kaffir lime leaves, torn. Based on some of the user comments, people are substituting lime juice or zest.
2 fresh red chile peppers, sliced. (I omitted, since I used too much paste to start, and as previously mentioned, almost spontaneously combusted.)
1/4 c. fresh Thai basil leaves. Can substitute regular fresh basil.
Rice. As much as you want. I did brown rice, most restaurants serve jasmine.
Alternate ideas for ingredients to add: pineapple, mandarin oranges, mushrooms, red bell pepper, sugar snap peas, broccoli, cashews, onion, carrot slices, garbanzo beans, sweet potatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, edamame, go nuts!

Fry the curry paste in the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Stir the coconut milk into the curry paste and bring to a boil. Add the meat; cook and stir until nearly cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir the sugar, fish sauce, and lime leaves into the mixture; simmer together for 5 minutes. Garnish with sliced red chile peppers and basil leaves to serve.

Christmas Pics

2012-01-06T14:12:00.000-08:00

Some pictures from Christmastime with Ada and Logan. My trip back to the NICU to deliver stockings. Man it's got to be tough to be there over the holidays, it breaks my heart a little how this tiny gesture means so much. Below that, a trip to the hair salon, Logan still looking a bit shaggy. A blurry picture from Cherry Creek Mall, that I love because they are having such a great time. A new book with markers for xmas, and 'helping' me bake leftover pie crust pinwheels (with butter, sugar and cinnamon, yum!).

Little Monkey Biz and Children's Museum

2012-01-06T12:09:00.000-08:00

We spent 3 1/2 hours at Little Monkey Bizness, playing and climbing, doing arts and crafts, having a pizza snack, and starting over again. I love how Logan is sucking in his cheeks concentrating on his painting.

We went to the Children's Museum for New Year's "Eve." It was insane! After playing for an hour and a half, and grabbing some lunch, we attended the outdoor ball drop at 1pm, complete with an awesome local rap group and yards of bubble wrap to jump on. As illustrated below, Ada and Logan were a bit confounded by it all. But Ada loved posing with the polar bear.

Thanksgiving Epilogue

2012-01-06T12:02:00.000-08:00

Whole Foods Parking Lot

2012-01-06T09:26:00.001-08:00

With 3.5 million views on YouTube, I may be the last person to see this video. Except you! Click here, it's hilarious.

Stranger Than Fiction

2012-01-05T12:51:00.000-08:00

This is the most interesting article I've seen in the news for a long time. (Probably because it's still a bit early to give a crap about the presidential election.) An 18 year old girl, recently widowed by a 58 year old husband, shoots an intruder. She is in the clear - and the burglar's accomplice is getting charged with the murder. It all makes sense to me on paper, but what a crazy turn of events.

Jingle Bells

2012-01-04T07:21:00.000-08:00

A couple cute videos of the kids singing Jingle Bells. They sing A LOT now. Mostly their ABCs, which is pretty hard to resist. Which I'm sure is why they sing it when I'm trying to put them to bed.

Here is Ada, Logan, and a duet!

Year In Review - Books

2012-01-01T14:21:00.000-08:00

This year I finished 21 books. Not too bad, considering five of them were pushing 1,000 pages, including one by Tolstoy, and the last three weeks have been spent on another brick that will have to count for next year. I wish I could get closer to averaging a book a week, but alas, I have stuff to do.

Favorites were heavy on science fiction and fantasy:

Ready Player One. Possibly one of my all time favorites. It's not great literature, it's a goof, but it's a suspenseful action packed goof that incorporates the history of video games, pop culture in the 1980s, lots of other fun technical trivia and some futuristic sci fi too. It's nerdalicious.
Hunger Games (series). Another suspenseful futuristic sci fi adventure. I think I read all 1,200 pages of the series in 10 days.
11/22/63, by Stephen King. Time travel is one of my favorite topics, and Stephen King is just fun to read. Ostensibly about traveling back in time to prevent JFK's assassination, it covers a ton of other (fictional) situations that needed a revision or two.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - On many 'best of 2010' lists, so I discovered it about a year ago. A non-fiction book about a woman whose DNA unexpectedly became the "Kleenex" of medical research, and what it means to her current family. One of those amazing issues that makes me feel like, how have I never heard about this before?

I have my work cut out for me this year. I think the wish list tucked inside my Kindle case has more than 21 titles on it...

Year In Review - Movies

2011-12-30T13:50:00.001-08:00

As I look back over the year in movies, it seems a bit unremarkable. I'm not going to do a top ten list, off the top of my head these are the five worth commenting on. (Caveat - I haven't seen Girl With The Dragon Tattoo yet, which I have high hopes for.)

Moneyball - My favorite movie of the year. I love behind-the-scenes types of movies. It looks like it's about baseball, but really it's about data analysis. Gotcha!
The Island President - I don't think this has gotten distribution yet, I saw it at the Telluride Film Fest. It's a documentary about The Maldives, a country of islands under imminent threat of being submerged in the ocean, thanks to global warning. The president of The Maldives is my new hero, it's an amazingly affecting movie, watch for it.
Contagion - I seem to love all of Steven Soderbergh's movies, and disaster themes appeal to my darker side. It really gets you thinking about what would happen in the world if (when?) an unknown virus starts spreading. I had a hard time touching the theater door on the way out.
Melancholia. I can't believe I'm even writing this. It took four or five attempts to finish it, and I was thoroughly bored by the first half of the movie, with the exception of the most hypnotic opening sequence ever. But the more I thought about it, and the further I got into it, the more curious I was about the ending, and the more I started to appreciate the structure of the story. (Or maybe I should put it this way - the more Jim explained it to me, the more I got it.) It's weird and artsy and disturbing and my initial instincts might be right. But I'm a bit obsessed with it. Melancholia is in theaters and on pay-per-view, which is how I had the opportunity to take a month to get through it. (Incidentally, it's about a woman having a serious episode of depression during her wedding reception, while another planet is heading ominously for the earth.)
Conan O'Brian Can't Stop - A documentary about a concert tour between talk shows. Another behind-the-scenes that I thought was so fascinating about what it means to be Conan O'Brian. Not what you think.

I liked lots of others this year -- The Descendants, Ides of March, Crazy Stupid Love, Harry Potter, The Artist, Midnight in Paris, Bridesmaids... But these above captured my imagination the way a great movie should.

(Honorable mention: Inside Job, which came out at the end of 2010 but I just watched a few weeks ago. AMAZING documentary about the financial crisis that kicked off in 2008, and how it all worked. This movie is a terrific workout for your brain.)

Big Beds For Big Kids

2011-12-16T14:02:00.001-08:00

We sold Logan and Ada's cribs and changing table, and bought real big kid beds! L&A made it clear that they needed more ability to move about the house after bedtime, so it's been just delightful to be randomly visited by my kids when the house is dark. I haven't involuntarily screamed at all.

I love how they look like law school students or something around their baby furniture...

Five Best Toys Of All Time

2011-12-06T07:48:00.000-08:00

Just a little reminder for us all, during this great season of shopping and spending. : )

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/01/the-5-best-toys-of-all-time/all/1

Jimmy Fallon's Impressions

2011-11-22T08:58:00.001-08:00

Jimmy Fallon does OUTSTANDING impressions on the Tonight Show of Bob Dylan and Neil Young, singing theme songs from old corny sitcoms. This guy never fails to make me laugh...

And check out this one of his Jim Morrison impression, singing the theme song to Reading Rainbow...

My Cutie Nephew Atticus

2011-11-22T08:45:00.000-08:00

More Recent Pics

2011-11-19T14:01:00.001-08:00

Almost time for big kid beds...

Logan eating a mini-muffin on the grass in his costume has to be one of my favorite pictures of all time.

He wanted his face painted with a snake, which goes perfectly with the Winnie the Pooh ensemble.

Is he Prince, or an engineer? The best of both worlds.

And a trip to DQ for an ice cream star.

Telluride, Part 2

2011-11-17T14:36:00.001-08:00

So it's been three months, so what?

Time For Some Homework

2011-11-09T13:53:00.000-08:00

I recently saw the movies Margin Call and Inside Job, both about the financial crisis of 2008, its causes and impacts. If you're up for some mental gymnastics, these are an amazing pair.

Watch Inside Job first - it's a documentary that covers an amazing amount of ground in two hours. You'll be educated on different kinds of financial instruments, government agencies and securities trading firms, deregulation arguments, and interviews with everyone who ever had anything to gain from a financial crisis. And it's interesting. One of those documentaries where you're asking yourself, "How did I not know about this?!"

Margin Call is a fictionalization of one important night during the kickoff of the financial crisis, as told by some employees of a Lehman Brothers - type company. Jim found it fascinating - it drove me crazy because I didn't understand the background, which is why I watched Inside Job next. But he's right, the dialog is sharp, the acting is great. And man, Simon Baker just couldn't be any sexier. Just sayin.

Trip to Grandma's House

2011-11-06T09:30:00.000-08:00

Little videos of cooking tuna casserole, and feeding Stormy. I love this stuff.

Recent Pics

2011-10-18T21:40:00.000-07:00

A trip to the zoo, a couple parks, a snack at the gym. Our first outing in the snow, I need to work on my snowboot technique I think. Some balloons and horsies at the grocery store, who knew it could be so exciting??

Meet Chris Pratt

2011-10-07T09:58:00.000-07:00

Parks and Rec is one of my favorite shows right now, and I just saw Moneyball (it's a perfect 10, I insist you go see it). Both of them include Chris Pratt. I liked him before, but after seeing this interview I adore him - what a sincere and funny guy, I haven't laughed at an interview like this in a long time! Click here, just give him 60 seconds and you'll adore him too.

Life With Ada and Logan

2011-10-06T08:39:00.001-07:00

I recently had the privilege and challenge of spending three weeks with Ada and Logan. We killed it! We went to the Children's Museum, took the lightrail to downtown and had lunch on the 16th Street Mall, saw the Lion King, went swimming several times, four trips to the library, went to a bunch of parks, played at the gym, bought Halloween costumes, fed carrots to Stormy (grandma's horse), rode Big Wheels, went to Little Monkey Bizness, had ice cream at DQ and learned to play tennis (sort of). It was a Fun Extravaganza!

Some recent pics...

Portrait Practice

2011-09-27T15:04:00.001-07:00

There is something about the facial expressions in the third photo that makes me laugh... out loud... :)

Queen of Thrift

2011-09-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

I had to miss the twins sale this fall, but just got back from the Denver JBF kids sale. I get to shop the twins sale before the public, and I got to JBF after the public mowed it down for a weekend, so it's a good thing I'm practiced with shopping second hand!

I still managed to part with a hundred bucks. But for that, I got the greatest stuff: three pairs of shoes (including Vans and Clarks), two movies, two dresses (including a holiday fancy dress), one pj's, two tees, seven sweaters/hoodies, and five pants, most of which are cute brands like Gap and Gymboree. That's five bucks each, and we're about done for the season.

There is another sale happening Friday, so that will just be for a few things I forgot, and some icing on my shopping cake.

Show Technology Who's Boss

2011-09-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

I dropped my little Canon Elph. Whoops. My kids were tap dancing at the Children's Museum, bummer. Even worse, I started getting a "Lens Error, Restart Camera" notice, and the lens wouldn't open.

So before shelling out for a new camera (which I would actually love to upgrade anyway), I surfed a bit. Seems I'm not the first person to encounter this problem. I tried to troubleshoot by charging and reloading the battery, removing the memory card, and even trying to push the lens barrels into better alignment. No luck.

Then I came across a website about this problem, that basically said, you need to pound it on a counter a few times. With hundreds of success stories! I got up the nerve to put a fabric napkin on the kitchen counter, face the lens side of the camera down, and gave it three hefty whacks. No kidding, that little camera opened up like a daisy, it might have curtsied if it knew how! I had to laugh out loud, so much for delicate technology.

Tricky Pics At Dusk

2011-09-16T09:38:00.001-07:00

Mitch Hedberg

2011-09-14T11:34:00.001-07:00

I was under the weather last night, and lost two or three hours when the rest of the world was unconscious. (I know you're worried; rest assured I'm on the mend.) In those moments when I needed a little hug, a little love from the world, I opened up the laptop and found Mitch Hedberg.

As you may remember, I am a great lover of stand-up comedians, or at least the ones that are good. I hear Mitch Hedberg from time to time on XM, and came across a long page of his jokes on WikiQuote. In the middle of the night, in imperfect health, I was laughing and happy, so thank you Mitch.

Here is the page. It really is funnier if you know his inflections, so track down some video of him if you can. Here were a couple favorite lines:

I saw this commercial on late night TV, it was for this thing you attach to a garden hose, it was like "You can water your hard-to-reach plants with this product." Who the fuck would make their plants hard to reach? That seems so very mean. "I know you need water, but I'm gonna make you hard to reach! I will throw water at you. Hopefully they will invent a product before you shrivel and die! Think like a cactus!" So it said, "You can have this product for four easy payments of 19.95." I would like to have a product that was available for three easy payments, and one fuckin' complicated payment! We ain't gonna tell you which payment it is, but one of these payments is gonna be a bitch. The mailman will get shot to death, the envelope will not seal, and the stamp will be in the wrong denomination; good luck, fucker! The last payment must be made in wampum!

I went to a pizzeria, I ordered a slice of pizza, the fucker gave me the smallest slice possible. If the pizza was a pie chart for what people would do if they found a million dollars, the fucker gave me the "donate it to charity" slice. I would like to exchange this for the "keep it!"

I saw this dude, he was wearing a leather jacket, and at the same time he was eating a hamburger and drinking a glass of milk. I said to him "Dude, you're a cow. The metamorphosis is complete. Don't fall asleep or I'll tip you over."

Telluride Film Fest, Part 1

2011-09-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

For those of you who haven't taken me up on my Telluride invites... you're nuts. Or perhaps you just really hate great vacations, they make you feel unworthy. Or maybe you are that one person in the universe that just can't stand movies, they are so played out.

Telluride is always a bit of a challenge to organize, and then I get there. This year our condo was SO nice, and I was knocked out by the location - a block away from the town park, and a block from the gondola. The weather was perfect, as has always been my experience with Labor Day weekend there. The crowds were mild to non-existent, the pace was easy, everyone was happy and chatty. We couldn't have done better.

The line up was terrific too. There were three movies that seemed headed for theaters, so we skipped them in spite of our interest. We ended up seeing three documentaries, one fiction movie that's a tribute to silent film, two outstanding shorts, and the first Tribute that I've attended since going to the festival. I had to go, it was George Clooney, and I heard that so many people were expecting it to be swamped that there were actually empty seats! So I got to see a 45 minute interview with Clooney in person.

But by far the highlight for me - of the entire weekend - was a documentary called The Island President. It's about the president of The Maldives, a chain of 2,000 islands in the Indian Ocean, that is primarily known as a home to unbelievable beach resorts. The elevation of this country is 1.5 meters, and it is the first country that is entirely at risk of extinction as a result of global warming. Mohamed Nasheed is a hero, and a very smart man fighting a losing battle to persuade other countries to cut their carbon emissions and save the culture of his people. It was brilliant, heart breaking, emotionally affecting.

We also saw Martin Scorcese's 3 1/2 hour documentary about George Harrison, called Living In The Material World. It's apparently planned for release on HBO or Showtime, so watch for it, it's completely fascinating.

More pictures to come, and probably a couple afterthoughts. If you have any interest in joining me next time, let me know. It's a cheap, easy, fun vacation and I would love to share it.

Counting, More or Less

2011-09-06T07:29:00.000-07:00

It's so hard sometimes to correct their mistakes, they are so much cuter than just getting it right. Check out this video and this video of some creative counting.

Jon Stewart is Smart and Funny

2011-09-01T13:31:00.001-07:00

I've been getting back into the Daily Show lately, and Jon Stewart (and company) never cease to amaze me with their insight on current events. Here are two clips from a recent show that I think are particularly worth watching, here and here.

Some of my favorite stories from Daily Show are about the media itself. This one had me laughing a long time.

Des Moines PS

2011-09-01T13:19:00.000-07:00

I got these pics from my brother, and thought they were pretty great memories of our July trip to Iowa. So glad that we saved Ada's special silk party dress for hot dogs and unladylike rolling around!

I really love the one of Dad and me, it's not a regular pose for the camera, I just like that it's us, occupied with little ones together. Sweet.

New Tunes

2011-08-25T08:30:00.000-07:00

I haven't written for a while about music. This summer seems like it's been a pretty boring period - is it just me, or has the music industry gotten lazy and just put Adele on 24/7??

If you're looking for something new and fun, these are my recent favorites:

Dance:

Moves Like Jagger (Maroon 5)
Mr. Saxobeat (Alexandra Stan)
Push Up (Freestylers)
Right There (Nicole Scherzinger)
I'm Into You (Jennifer Lopez)
White Knuckles (Ok Go). I might have written about this one before, but it's so fun, reminds me a lot of Prince. Push Up (above) does too.
Fade Like A Shadow (KT Tunstall)

Everything else:

Danny's Song (Kenny Loggins)
I'll Be Your Man, and Stay the Night (James Blunt)
The World Spins Madly On (The Weepies)
Everything by Snow Patrol. I've learned that if you're feeling blue, this is wonderful music to wallow around with. Just be careful to use the list above to bring yourself back!

Grandma's Work

2011-08-24T09:26:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I took Ada and Logan to visit my mom at her office. We went out for lunch, and met a dozen or so of her co-workers at the Colorado DOT. It was hilarious to watch Ada and Logan, at first they were shy. By the last person, they were thrusting their hands out for a shake, and giving their full names at full volume. It was adorable! Logan also helped himself to several office chairs. We got to see the garage (above) with the big machines that repair roads, very cool.

Chicago and Milwaukee

2011-08-23T14:27:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I got to make a trip to Chicago and Milwaukee! I was there for a wedding, but got to enjoy lots of goofing off and socializing too. Here are a few of my favorite pics. The first is with one of my oldest and best friends Sejal, who was a school mate long ago, and has been my faithful penpal for years and years.

Other shots include the view from the hotel, a bar we ducked into during a cloudburst, the Chicago River, Lake Michigan from the wedding venue, and the board at a great fish restaurant we went to called Glen's Diner.

You Read It Here First...

2011-08-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

My experience with Anna Karenina and Hunger Games is playing out all over again. I was looking forward to a book called Absolute Monarchs, a non-fiction for the layperson about the history of popes. The topic had so much potential, I swear. But I had to give it up and search for something that didn't drain my energy.

And I stumbled on Ready Player One. You read it here first -- when I discovered this book it had 28 reviews on Amazon, all 5 stars. Now it's up to 56. Hunger Games has 2,813 reviews, so let's watch the counter. This book plays to the same audience, and it's just as much fun.

It's a futuristic book about a worldwide virtual reality, and a contest set up by the designer of the program. If you even have a passing interest or history with video games (past, present and future), 1980s pop culture, science fiction, or trends in technology, you've gotta give it a try. I was hooked on page 1, I'm not kidding.

Art All Day Every Day

2011-08-19T08:53:00.000-07:00

In the last few months, I've looked at A LOT of artwork online. Yesterday I came across this image, and I don't know what to do with it! (Click to enlarge.) It's probably not a concept that fits with my business, but I feel a really strong reaction to it. It made me laugh immediately, which never happens. The situation of an old superhero picking up spilled groceries makes me feel like all my frustrations in life, all the upheaval and exhaustion and all the unknown turn out to be just part of the experience we all go through. Even superheros. It makes me feel better, normal, like life is exasperating and it's just kind of funny.

I might have to shoot this guy an email. The artist's name is Andreas Englund, here is his utterly charming portfolio.

Learn A Little Somethin'

2011-08-18T08:31:00.000-07:00

Ok, maybe engineering videos aren't the sexiest internet content, but here is one worth watching. This is a 10 minute video that is beautifully done, about the mountains in Colorado. It was sent to me by my mother, who works for the Department of Transportation. This really gives me a fuller appreciation for the complexity of the work she does!

Pics of Atticus

2011-08-17T09:09:00.001-07:00

I'm so behind on posting, forgive me! Here are some recent pics (ok, sort of recent) of my darling nephew... I love you little man!

Summer Fun

2011-07-28T08:59:00.001-07:00

Can you tell I've been cleaning out my cameras??

Zoo Highlights

2011-07-27T07:54:00.000-07:00

We've spent a fair amount of time at the zoo this summer, and one of the favorite destinations is the fish and snake building (which also has turtles, stingrays and spiders... yeah, it's pretty awesome). This tank of giant fish captures Logan's imagination in particular, and I love this video of his excitement. On this particular day we probably stood in front of this tank around 15 minutes - and had already been there for a couple when the video started!

Adventureland

2011-07-26T20:04:00.000-07:00

I still have a lot of summer photos of the kids to share, but these are some of my favorites so I had to post them first. We went to Des Moines to visit family over the weekend, and despite temperatures nearing 100 degrees, and humidity to match, we went to Adventureland. It was possibly the most fun I've ever had with my kids. I loved watching them ride the rides, and I was amazed how much was there for little kids. We rode the merry-go-round, the train, the ferris wheel, teacups, planes, cars, trucks, bumper cars, and of course the lady bugs, which got much bigger laughs than I expected. It was a real joy.

And by the way, can you tell in the semi truck that Logan leaned his head on Ada's shoulder??? What a sweet muffin!

Jim and Mitch

2011-07-20T06:34:00.000-07:00

These guys are tricky to shoot for different reasons, let's just say that they challenge me to be a better photographer! Wash Park is a pretty interesting place to be in the summer time, it seems almost a cliche as the best park in the city, but I'm overdue for an evening of just wandering around with the camera to see what unfolds in front of me. Another post in the future, perhaps.

Fun With Diane and Scott

2011-07-19T11:24:00.000-07:00

My cousin Scott lives here in Denver, and my aunt Diane visited town earlier this month. We all met up at the zoo, and New York Pizzeria to catch up! I also included a picture of Diane later, since she was behind the camera at the zoo. And then I had to include a picture of Scott at Red Rocks too, just to show how crazy Red Rocks is.

Thanks for a great day, see you in Iowa!

Fun at Grandma's

2011-07-18T14:30:00.001-07:00

My mom's place is just getting more interesting by the minute! I wish I had captured the blueberry pancakes and the ER episode involving a splinter.

And special thanks to Grandpa Ray for the sandbox house.

Click to enlarge, if you like.

Dad's Birthday

2011-07-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

Perfect 100

2011-06-28T19:45:00.000-07:00

Ok, Rotten Tomatoes says 75%, and Ebert says three stars, but I just saw Conan O'Brian Can't Stop, and I don't write much about movies that aren't remarkable. I've always thought he seemed like a good guy, and was sorry to miss his tour. For nine bucks, I saw that and a lot more.

This movie is only playing for one week at one theater in the state of Colorado, which I find incredibly surprising. If you catch this note right away, go see it. It is an incredible spectrum to watch: hilarious and uncomfortable, intimate and riotous, dark and angry, cocky and kind, exhausting and amazing. I really, really loved it.

Dana and Brian

2011-06-20T16:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got a little photography practice with my friends Dana and Brian, who are expecting a baby boy in three weeks. Taking pictures of someone in the midst of pregnancy is a bit daunting - I certainly never felt that I looked my best. Fortunately, Dana is gorgeous, so my job was just to show up.

Congratulations you guys, I'm so excited for you!!

Swimming at the Club

2011-06-19T16:30:00.001-07:00

Logan's friend is Hayden, my girlfriend Sarah's youngest. And the last shot is in the cafe, waiting for our smoothie! Love the club. It takes an eternity to get them in and out of there, but they are blowing bubbles and practicing all their swim class moves like champs.

Atticus Pics

2011-06-16T09:17:00.001-07:00

Look at my little brother. I'm so proud I could burst. Someday soon I'll have to stop thinking of him as video gaming skater dude. But not quite yet. :)

Dave and Lori, I love you so much, congratulations. I can't wait to defend little Atticus from Ada and Logan's tickle attempts with a toy drill.

Recent Pics

2011-06-14T09:14:00.001-07:00

The Magic Recipe

2011-06-13T12:33:00.001-07:00

Whoever you are reading this, I think it's likely that you know I'm not a big fan of cooking. But I like to eat, so a good recipe is worth its weight in gold...

The other day I pulled out a great bruschetta recipe from my binder, and it was as heavenly as I remembered. But I noticed something else about this exquisite topping -- it goes with anything.

So here's a recipe for you, and the only limit is your imagination. I served it on French bread, per the recipe. The next morning, it went into the most delicious omelette I've ever eaten. This week I think I'll make another batch and top a pizza with it. I wonder if this stuff would freeze well.

Zesty Bruschetta

1 baguette French bread, cut into 1 inch slices
1 c. chopped fresh or canned plum tomatoes, drained
2/3 c. chopped green onions
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 c. chopped black olives
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce (tabasco)
salt to taste
(I added a bit of frozen spinach to the omelette)

Put everything in a bowl and stir. If you're making bruschetta, broil slices of bread until sides are lightly toasted, and spoon on the yumminess.

Atticus

2011-06-13T12:30:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to tell you that my brother and sis-in-law had their first baby this morning, Atticus Edward King. Six pounds 11 ounces, 20 inches long. He is already giving my kids a run for their money! Welcome to the family, lil' A. I'm an aunt!

Games With Kids

2011-06-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

I thought this was a terrific and creative article about playing games with kids of different ages. I'm not sure Ada and Logan are ready for geography yet, so pass this along to your friends who qualify. :)

Back At The Ranch

2011-05-30T19:12:00.000-07:00

My mom is the happiest person alive right now. It would be insufficient to say that she has a new pet, or a renewed hobby. She has a new soul mate, and a renewed passion.

Ada, Logan and I got to meet Stormy yesterday. Logan uttered the same sentence a thousand times in about ten minutes, "I need to ride him, I need to ride him, I need to ride him!" But we were polite and just said hello. Welcome to the family Stormy.

Great Literature

2011-05-25T14:29:00.000-07:00

I'm passionate about reading. I love it. I can't wait to retire so I can do it more. And I like to think that I read a pretty fair variety of stuff, books that challenge me, educate me, and entertain me too.

A few weeks ago I read a book called My Reading Life, by Pat Conroy, author of The Prince of Tides. It's a terrific book about his influences, what he grew up reading, the culture of books in his family, and books that have special meaning for him. This is a guy who has committed to reading 200 pages a day since he was 14 years old. So I listened.

I was inspired by his comments on Leo Tolstoy, and resolved to read Anna Karenina, which I finished on Sunday. It probably took me about a month, and depending on the copy it's around 1000 pages. So every time I sat down to read it, I read about 10 pages and got about 1% more of the book done. It took some effort. It was pretty good.

After reading a classic, I always find that the best part is how easy everything else is afterwards. And this time is no exception. I've been starting to hear about a book called The Hunger Games, and gave it a try. A small departure from Tolstoy, it's a bleak futuristic battle to the death among impoverished teenagers. And excuse the pun, I'm positively devouring it. I started it Monday and would be shocked if it's not done tonight. Fortunately I just found out there are two more books in the series, whew, that was close.

All this makes me reflect on time spent reading the 'classics.' I've never liked them quite as much as a page turner, and I think that's common. Classics are worth reading every once in a while, maybe it just comes with the territory. But there is nothing more satisfying in reading than to be thoroughly gripped, engrossed in a story, and I'll take it wherever I can get it. Read Hunger Games.

Happy Third Birthday! Part 2.

2011-05-24T09:21:00.001-07:00

Ok, these are kind of embarrassing. Yes, I held back a couple Christmas presents with Santa paper. Yes, I let them watch Beauty and the Beast in their jammies. Ada is not perfect at sharing yet, and Logan is a TV zombie. But I think these movies are super cute, click here and here and here and here. Don't worry, they're short.

Incidentally, Logan is laughing at a balloon touching a light fixture, which obviously I was only half-hearted about preventing.

Happy Third Birthday! Part 1.

2011-05-21T17:41:00.000-07:00

Here are a few recent pictures from my better camera, including a few from Ada and Logan's birthday! I got them dolls and horsies, a kid's digital camera (which Ada calls her kweema), and when all was said and done I think the greeting cards were the biggest hit.

Latest From SNL

2011-05-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

As I'm sure you've figured out, I am a big fan of Saturday Night Live in general, and digital shorts in particular. It never ceases to amaze me when celebrities have a good sense of humor about them. This is one for the record books!

Apparently this one has become a bit of an internet sensation, so here's an interesting follow up interview about it. If you can't get it out of your head!

Gorgiles

2011-05-08T17:14:00.000-07:00

Ada found kind of an odd book at the library, that talks about cathedrals, gargoyles and angels. Both Ada and Logan are fascinated by the imagery; maybe not that concerned about the story. This is a longer video than usual, but I just had to capture their excitement about this book.

Santa Fe

2011-05-05T13:04:00.001-07:00

After a stretch of staying put, I went on vacation to Santa Fe over Easter weekend. It was a little cold and overcast, but that was fine with me, I just wanted to chill. Instead of doing all kinds of touristy things or scoping out art galleries, I basically did all the same stuff I love at home. The weekend included French cafes and Mexican restaurants in equal measures, the New York Times and Anna Karenina (more on that soon), and the movie The Truth Is In Their Eyes, a terrific foreign film from last year that got great reviews and very little awareness.

These are my favorite pics!

Ok, I Kind Of Get It

2011-04-21T21:43:00.001-07:00

I'm still not sure I entirely understand the purpose of Twitter, but Jimmy Fallon is getting me a little closer. I saw this segment today, and thought it was, ah, hilariously inventive. Jimmy I love you.

Blog About A Blog

2011-04-19T16:43:00.000-07:00

To my faithful readers, I have a new tip for you. My oldest friend Wendy - who has lived and traveled all over the world and done all kinds of interesting work - is outdoing herself by returning home. Last fall she moved back to northern Iowa to learn the business of her family's farm.

She has started a blog of her own to document everything that she's doing, and some interesting insights about agriculture along the way. Please take a look!

Bedtime... Sort Of

2011-04-05T09:55:00.000-07:00

So, this video was taken at 8:30 on Sunday night, past bedtime. After a long weekend, I was content to let them burn off a little more energy and laugh behind the camera.

I love that they are showing signs lately of playing more together, and checking for each other when they are apart in play areas or parks. But I think my favorite part is Ada's little bunny hops toward the end. Or maybe her indignant, "My boat!!"

Free Stuff

2011-03-29T10:50:00.001-07:00

I'm sure I've written about this before, but wanted to remind you that freecycle.org and the "free" page of Craigslist are -- amazing. Over the last couple days I posted some cardboard boxes and a tv antenna that I didn't need anymore, and I probably got a dozen inquiries on both before the first person could pick them up!

My first experience with this was a couple old rolls of carpet, and I was amazed to have the same experience, someone came running for them.

If you have something that seems a pity to throw away, give it away - I guarantee someone out there wants it.

Atticus

2011-03-28T07:18:00.000-07:00

In preparation for the new baby, my brother and sis asked me to help with a little project on my trip to Kansas City. Instead of having wood block letters for his name in the nursery, they wanted something a little more personal, so they picked out several favorite places around town with the letters a-t-t-i-c-u-s in the signs. They seemed to assume I have some kind of magical powers over a camera, so I dutifully popped out of the car, and snapped shots anywhere from their Mexican restaurant around the corner, to Arrowhead Stadium. Note to self - buy a zoom lens!

It was a great day, a guided tour of their favorite spots, and a little Photoshop brush-up for me too. It's almost time, Atticus!

Swim Lessons

2011-03-25T08:49:00.001-07:00

The kids have been taking swim lessons for the last three months. At first they didn't seem to get much out of it, but now they are happily jumping in from the side, blowing bubbles, crawling in the shallow water, scooping hands and kicking feet -- and Ada's favorite, the bunny hops. Logan shouts "Pop! Pop! Pop!" as he hops.

We're going to take a break from structured lessons, and just swim when the pool is open, now that we have some things to work on. But hopefully they will be hanging out with teacher Peri again soon!

Some Recent Marginal Snapshots

2011-03-23T07:35:00.000-07:00

Here are a few reasons why I blog so infrequently lately! You're looking at a couple trips to the zoo, a field trip to a fire station, some ridiculous ice cream cones, and my trip to visit family for a baby shower in KC.

And here is a short video, illuminating Ada's instincts for kicking some butt in the near future!

Breakfast

2011-03-16T13:01:00.000-07:00

I've been sorely overdue on little videos of the kids, here is kind of a cute moment at breakfast.

Logan is a pretty athletic sleeper.

Over the River and Through the Woods...

2011-03-04T14:09:00.000-08:00

The dogs were the big hit. No, the pancakes and juice were the big hit. No, the crayons were the big hit. No, RAY was the big hit!

Happy Haircuts!

2011-02-19T13:25:00.000-08:00

I know, it's been ages. Ada and Logan are getting harder to take photos and videos of -- they are so fascinated by cameras that they want to look at the screen on the back, so they are always trying to stand behind me. Not really conducive to great photography.

But last night I had a proper distraction for them! Fortunately Dave took them for a proper haircut once, but I had only done little trims myself, and I have to admit they were quite horrible. This errand was a special treat for me. Ada did pretty well with it, and Logan... well, he survived. It is so much fun to do new things with them...

Click on a picture to enlarge.

Who Knew?

2011-01-31T17:17:00.000-08:00

Last month I joined a gym, and so far it's been a great success. I actually enjoy spending time there, and the kids seem to like it too. (In addition to the "Kid's Club," they have spent lots of time in the pool, kicking around balls on an indoor soccer field, and being jealous of all the 5+ year olds that get to rock climb. When Ada sees the two story rock climbing room, she says, "My turn, my turn!!")

A couple weeks ago I got an evaluation for new members, and got a pretty clean bill of health. After a bunch of tests, my "real age" was determined to be 32! I resisted the idea that I should exert much more energy on working out, but this guy convinced me that the only path to a better bootie is lifting weights. I almost kicked him when he said twin toddlers don't count.

As it turns out, they have weight training classes, and I've gone five times. The first time, I was hobbling around afterward like I should be knitting in a rocking chair. Apparently this is proof that I'm not as strong as I thought. But I'm killing it now! Who knew I had it in me?

Time For Pretend

2011-01-24T15:08:00.000-08:00

Ada and Logan have started showing an interest in pretend play, so we spent Grandma C's xmas gift on some new pots and pans! They are super cute, and the kids seem to love cooking their soup, and drinking their coffee. It's fun to watch!

Guess What?

2011-01-17T19:11:00.000-08:00

I'm going to be an aunt! My brother and sis are expecting a boy in mid-June. Here's the evidence. Congratulations you two, I'm so excited for you!!

Ada and Logan will be wonderful mentors and role models, as long as Atticus needs advice on peanut butter and pillow pets.

Aerialist Photoshoot

2011-01-15T12:48:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I was invited to assist with an interesting photo shoot of aerial gymnasts. Now THIS is a pretty crazy hobby. Haven't you seen Cirque du Soleil and thought how much fun it would be to do? Well apparently, you can.

My friend Ron - salsa dancer extraordinaire - is starting a business selling calendars with dance themes, here is the work he's done so far. I was there to help him with the studio lighting, so all my shots are taken in the practice area, but I kind of like that, you can see the behind-the-scenes gear. It was an interesting shoot, and motivating to watch a friend who is also starting out!

Poop To Power

2011-01-06T13:45:00.000-08:00

The inventiveness of the human race amazes me.

I try not to assign a lot of homework, but this project is just so awesome, take a look, and vote for poo (and creativity). It won't take long, and think of how useful the elephants will feel!

And The Winner Is...

2011-01-04T14:42:00.000-08:00

Well, 2010 was an interesting year for books. Either I was completely engrossed in what I was reading, or it was total crap and I suffered for no good reason. I read the same number as last year, 21 books -- a far cry from my goal of 52.

But I didn't shy away from long books this year. Out of curiosity I totaled it up, and I read 9,200 pages this year, an average of 440 per book! I was pretty evenly divided on fiction versus non-fiction, the only category that I neglected was classics, so I'll have to be more conscious of that. I did try a couple biographies this year, and found them both pretty tedious, go figure.

The best book I read in 2010 was Sh*t My Dad Says, by Justin Halpern. It's short and sweet, and crass and funnier than any book I can remember. I adored it!

Here's the rest:

1) Sh*t My Dad Says - Halpern
2) Super Freakonomics - Levitt
3) The Book of Vice - Sagal
4) The Seige - White
5) Under the Dome - Stephen King
6) What the Dog Saw - Gladwell
7) The Help - Stockett
8) At Home: A Short History of Private Life - Bryson
9) The Confession - Grisham
10) Presumed Innocent - Turow
11) Free: The Future of a Radical Price - Anderson
12) Dark Tide - Gross
13) Gold Coast - DeMille
14) Alice in Wonderland - Carroll
15) The Year of the Flood - Atwood
16) The Girl with Glass Feet - Shaw
17) The Fleet Street Murders - Finch

and maybe don't bother so much with

18) Lust for Life, Biographical Novel of Vincent Van Gogh - Stone
19) de Kooning - Stevens
20) Adobe Lightroom 3 - Kelby
21) Understanding Exposure - Peterson

Tub Toys For Christmas

2010-12-30T21:54:00.000-08:00

My dad and stepmom got the kids several gifts from Discovery Toys, and they have all been huge hits! Mostly because each contains about a million pieces to throw around. The bathtub toys were no exception, they were a big hit, and I thought this was a pretty cute video.

Crazy December, As Usual

2010-12-28T19:00:00.000-08:00

Why is December so difficult? I hardly bought anyone presents, didn't send any cards, didn't travel or work an inordinate amount, so what gives?? Maybe I only have enough life ambition to last me 11 months of the year.

The only thing I did outside of my normal routine was to take stockings to the NICU again this year. My brother generously donated candles for each family, and the rest of the stocking was edible goodies, and a little dino from Ada. Sarah was kind enough to send a tray of cranberry bliss bars for the nurses, who literally gasped that something was for them!

I almost managed to get a Christmas email sent out, but not quite. I did have a little photoshoot with the kiddos, a couple winners and a couple bloopers. My bribery is evident in almost every shot. Oh well.

We had Christmas Eve at Sarah's house with the full crew, and decorated some cookies. I'm not sure I want to do this again with the kids until they are about 25 years old, and might be able to resist three consecutive hours of chanting "Cookie! Cookie! Cookie!"

Christmas dinner was at Mom's house, and the kids seem to be more efficient with gifts in a group. Mom and Ray picked out some hilarious dolls for the kids called Singamajigs, and I think the adults played with them as much as the kids.
Christmas night I introduced Ada and Logan to The Sound of Music. I was delighted that there were a couple songs that they loved so much that they would shout "Again! Again!" when it ended. I could only watch the puppet show sequence four or five times before saying, ok, let's move on.

Oh yeah, and also during December, Ada played a game of make-believe, stirring cinnamon into applesauce. So. Cute.

Amazon User Reviews

2010-12-02T14:19:00.000-08:00

I looked up the childrens' book Goodnight Moon on Amazon, and noticed this user review. It took me a minute of head scratching before I burst out laughing... People sure can be odd -- and have a lot of spare time.

" [One star] Where's the story? Where's the HOOK? Man, those other 1-star reviews were right: this book sucks! I tried to read it to my son when I first got it, and he was like "Dad, I'm playing Halo! Get out of my apartment!" "
Published 20 days ago by RogueNin9

Our New Winter Hobby

2010-11-28T08:17:00.000-08:00

I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but I'm excited that I just joined a gym! There's a new club that's opening in the neighborhood called Lifetime Fitness, and the facility is CRAZY. I don't know how they can afford to run this thing on the paltry amount they're charging, I feel like I should offer them more.

The first ten minutes of talking to the rep, we only covered what's available for the kids, so I was kind of proud of myself on that one. The daycare there is bananas. They have organized activities, several rooms to play in, and a gymnasium to run around in. They also offer motion classes, dance classes, swim lessons and stuff like that! When they're a little older, there's an entire rock climbing room, indoor and outdoor turf soccer fields, water slides for the outdoor pool, you name it. For now, I'm just excited to have a constructive place for them to run around when they need it. It's a challenge when it's cold and dark outside.

For me, it will be some mental health when we need to get out of the house. I can walk, lift a couple weights, go to a yoga class. The spinning studio sounds off the hook, they actually have air blowers to make it feel like you're riding outside, and movie screens with the Tour de France or something like that. I'm going to have to give it a go.

I can't wait for December 11!

Kyle and Lorina

2010-11-27T11:11:00.001-08:00

Kyle and Lorina were kind enough to take a chance on me, and let me photograph their wedding last weekend! It was fun, beautiful, and a HECK of an education... Here are my favorites!

Mothers of Multiples

2010-11-26T21:11:00.001-08:00

Someone sent this video out to the Mothers of Multiples club, and I had to laugh -- I think I've heard all of these comments a few dozen times... It's not that I don't appreciate the interest, I guess there is just not much variety possible in the twins small talk.

Counting, Kind Of

2010-11-17T20:35:00.001-08:00

Nothing riveting, just another video of blabbing, but kind of cute. : )

Jen's Rhyme and Reason

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