So Harry thinks he wants to play baseball huh...

A short film from 2003 by George Plamondon

Accentuate the Positive

I have been on a personal quest to eliminate teh negative from my life. Serenity now, serenity now.
As Kevin has mentioned, I have gotten good at dealing with Harry's temper tantrums (although TTV3 - that's temper tantrum version 3- seems to be more of a challenge). I have made attempts to ignore the frustrating adults in my life as well: friends who show up 20 minutes late for dinner, religious zealots that still seem to think they are good people, friends' spouses who read the paper during social brunch...Serenity now, serenity now.

But I keep getting blindsided! I come back from the rest room and find mild-mannered co-worker in a heated argument with another colleague over who will pay a bill...resulting in gay slurs from one. What gave you the idea anyone would be on your side there and agree that it's okay to call someone you barely know a fag, especially in a work environment?

Yesterday I made a pit stop at the dryer cleaners after working off my stress at the gym. Some obnoxious woman that sadly, looked similar to me in appearance, was going off on the woman behind the counter for not getting her husband's shirt clean enough, or understanding that he didn't EVER drink coffee or apparently go anywhere near it EVER so it couldn't have spilled on his shirt, especially since he NEVER takes his jacket off. I couldn't help but wonder if she would have taken the same tone if the woman behind the counter looked more like her. She was perfectly pleasant to me. I gave her an elevator smile. The cleaners gave me 10% off for having to listen to her.

Today at the Post Office I walked in as some rude gentleman who shared my skin color and khaki pants was insinuating to the Asisan woman behind the counter that the postal system would run more efficiently if she spoke English. I was able to then mail a package of birthday presents to Mia and Sophia and an envelope to my director in all of 30 seconds. She even asked me if I needed stamps. Somehow, I was able to understand her.

People can get rude. I know this. I have even been known to be nasty once or twice in my life. But didn't these people ever learn empathy? Or that racism, sexism, whatever-ism are not socially acceptable these days? I am tired of having to be around the negativity. A coffee stained shirt and a 10 minute wait for a letter are just not a big deal. There are bigger issues. Take a deep breath. Take a yoga class. Get off the caffeine!!! Be aware that just because people might look like, you, doesn't mean they agree with you! You are just making yourself look like an ass. If you want to say rude things about certain groups of people, like militant breast feeding stay at home moms, start a blog so you can make yourself look stupid quietly! And for God sake, don't assume everyone believes in Santa or the Easter bunny!

Hah! No Way!

I JUST learned that favorite actor David Boreanaz is the son of my all-time favorite weather man!

what goes around...

Those of you who have been keeping up with the ramblings of the proud parents of the little man, have likely been annoyed to the point of self-induced nausea by how well-behaved and bright he's been portrayed as for so long... well now you get what we've gotten for the last week or so.. the flip side.

H -- as in Hyde -- as in "Jekyll and..." -- just finished up what could easily be seen as his worst weekend yet. He, who has mastered the art of insta-tantrum, made the most of it. Although
I think we did relatively well at keeping level heads when the eruptions occurred.

Getting enough rest? It would seem so. Cabin Fever? We spent all day outside today (to wit: TV didn't even get turned on today until about 5PM while I was finishing up dinner prep). Not Feeling Well? No outward signs of sickness.

What's that you say, he turns 3 in a few weeks? Well there you go silly! You thought the terrible 2's ended at 3? Who are you kidding?!?!

Maybe it's the growing. Kim did get him to sit still enough sometime last week to get another mark on the doorway to see how much taller he's gotten in the last month (visibly so), but beyond hat it could be any number of things.

There's always been the running joke that he's so much better behaved when Kim's away, but I think she'll even admit that since her return from a week on the left coast, that he's challenged the boundaries of behavior more than ever before.

Which is not to say that he's been a complete demon 100% of the time. He spent several extended periods (20 minutes or more) playing quietly with his cars in his bedroom while I sat in another. SO quietly in fact, that at one point I sneaked a peek to make sure, and he was reading a book to himself (and some kind of assembled audience -- didn't want to interrupt, so I didn't pry).

Compare that to several extended periods (what certainly felt like 20 minutes or more), of incessant screaming, tears streaming down the face, and crying quite literally at the top of his lungs, for no immediately apparent reason.

It very much goes both ways, and I am certainly one to admit that even though I got quite close to my own personal edge by the end of his day today, that lucky for him he's still quite a nice kid... especially when he's fast asleep.

Psych is the best show on TV.

I'm Just Saying.

Harry's World

Daddy/Mommy: Harry, is Bailey giving you a t ub tonight?
Harry: No
Daddy/Mommy: No, why?
Harry: (Matter of Fact) She don't have no hands.


New Cars CD in CD player. Two seconds in.
Harry: Is this from Cars movie?

New Stuff

Home again, home again. I am exhausted after taking the red eye home from LA Friday. It was a long week. Too long. Glad to be home.
I didn't want to leave the house this weekend, but we all did, even though it was freezing cold! Ugh! I though this was over!
It's 8 PM and I am drinking a red bull. I just need to get some things done and feel orderly again. But first, some Harry updates.

• Harry has a new car. It's a silver BMW. It is a convertible so he keeps it in the garage.
• Harry adds raisins to sandwiches and pizza.
• Harry went to Discovery Creek at Glen Echo and made bunny-copters.
• Harry saw his first ever live show (well, not counting Justin Roberts at Jammin' Java). It was a play called Alexander who is not not not not not not going to move

Harry seemed to enjoy the play. He sat on the bleachers for the entire hour. He asked a couple of questions such as "What's she saying?" or "Where's the dog?" or "What happened to the lights?" He clapped appropriately and seemed to like the show, so I think we will try it again at some point. I would definitely like to get back to Discovery Creek, too. The toddler treehouse was pretty fun, and they also take the kids out on nature hikes.

That's it for now.

CALIFORNIA

Haven't smoked any stuff but I've been drinking some wine.

Yes, my plan was for a "spa week" but there is that peer pressure factor...After 3 days though, we are tiring of each other, and I made it to the gym today. Trainer Eric would be proud. I rode the bike, hit the treadmill and practiced Eric's fancy balance moves with weights. Turns out you run into colleagues at the gym, too, (I did know this, but I forgot) and are less likely to say something stupid!

So, I got to San Diego Saturday. I have been sending postcards to My Harrison daily. I also found him a very cool rock at the beach. Lots of rocks on the beach in Carlsbad. People use them to keep their towels and sheets from blowing away.

Got to meet Oceana. She is teeny tiny and very cute! Also got to visit Nick & Carolyn and Nick's sister and nephew. It was fun to hang out, even if it did mean one extra day away from Harry and Kevin and Bailey. But, Kris is staying with them this week, seeing as I am not there to intrude on Kris & Kevin's cuddle time.

It's crazy, even though I don't see much of Carolyn or discuss interior design, we seem to have all of the same furniture and accessories: sofa, shelving, hampers, teapots, plates, coffee grinders...paint colors! Needless to say, I felt very at home.

Melissa and I used to have similar experiences in high school. We'd separately buy the same bathing suit by accident. We even ended up with the same pattern for our prom dresses. Luckily we went to different schools. Matching dresses is only cool in middle school.

It's nice to be connected to people though. To just be the same. It's that way with the other high functioning working parents that are here too. It's nice to be around them. Also nice to have intelligent conversations. Not that I don't have intelligent conversations at home...well, actually, they all seem to turn back to Backyardigans or I compare something to an episode of Franklin. Hmmm....I've been Noggin free for almost a week now...

Another Forest Gump experience, I got to see the wild fires in Anaheim Hills...or at least the black smoke that filled the air.

I'm getting recognized by senior level folks here at the meeting. I don't suspect it is for bad behavior, which is good! Also pretty fun to be here because everyone on my team gets along so well. Except for LKH, the same cannot be said for the West. We are just much cooler. That's got to be it. I am very grateful though, especially since I am still recovering from that last piece of shit company I worked for. Since I signed an agreement not to say anything about them, I won't mention them by name.

Also very cool is that it's a bit like old home week. I have brought on two sites I have worked with in the past, and that is pretty fun. Got a a happy-so-good-to-see-you-hug and a genuine smile from someone I used to clash with in the past. It's nice to get some closure on that.
Another site is just getting into research, so I feel like I am a key player in getting them up and running. This is a fun challenge for me. Also working with other colleagues to deal with a big ego site. But we are working as a team, which is good.

The company is good. I don't think every employee is wonderful, but the peopel I deal with are, and I am so glad! I really love the set up.

Oh, and the best news: I have a teammate who is also taking her prenatal vitamins. Whew! Misery loves company! Uh- I mean....oh, hell, pregnancy is misery! (No, I am not pregnant now, we are just in the planning stages. Have a week at the beach and a wedding to get through 1st!)

Oh, and so you don't steal it, we like the name Ainsley for a girl. We are calling it now!

just when I'd thought I had things figured out...

Kim's back on her first major road trip since taking the new job for a week in LA. Harry and I dropped her off at the airport yesterday morning, and then proceeded to have about as normal a day as I could have planned on my own, likely to Kim's surprise or disappointment... not sure which yet.

We went to the Little Gym, did some shopping, lunch, napped a bit, hit the playground, back for a snack, watched a movie (Cars... again), had some dinner, more fun with marbles, and off to bed. Today was about as exciting, except in a little different order. Movie first, then the playground, some shopping, lunch, a show or 2 (or 3), nap time, playground & bike ride, snack & marbles, dinner, some more movie, and then off to bed.

Throughout, Harry's been throwing me little curve balls here & there. After dropping Kim off, Harry insisted that we'd be back later to pick her up. He easily rationalizes later as being the near future, however "next Friday" continues to mean nothing. So every half-day or so, we have the "pick up Mommy now?" conversation.

Diet has been relatively normal, he's actually been eating what I put in front of him. This is normally a good thing, save for the Spider-Man fruit snacks that seemed like such a good idea and reasonable alternative to the previous Pirates of the Caribbean fruit snacks, that is until the toxic waste that ended up in his diaper shortly thereafter.

As well, in the past Harry's range of condiments and garnishes have run the gamut from ketchup to maple syrup, to sprinkles, and now to raisins. The were a side dish for a bit, but now what's better on PB&J, than a few Sun-Maid's?

The fact that DST came early this year seems to have had little effect. Up this morning at 7:30 (as expected since it's usually 6:30), however in bed at "normal" time. Remains to be seen how we do tomorrow and the rest of the week.

Harry also has a few new random sayings that he seems to have picked up over the last few weeks from his older friend at daycare, Solon (sp?). "Ew" as in "EEEEEEWWWWWWWW" has crept into dinnertime discussions, TV viewing, and pretty much general daily interaction. "Those people are killing me" came blurting out (very clearly and audibly I might add) at the playground this morning when all of the kids were running after a soccer ball. It brought a grin to the other parents' faces, but I wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

So we top it all off with no tantrums to speak of over the last 48 hours. Who woulda thought? I certainly didn't, and ha been mentally prepping for how to "handle" the next one. Kim has become relatively adept at ignoring the screaming, and the foot stomping which has lately turned into full-scale jumping up & down, but can't seem to handle the 6 zillion questions on the drive home every day.

I'm the opposite. I can make up silly answers with the best dads out here, but as soon as the fake crying comes out, all bets are off.

So somehow, I got lucky this weekend. Kim swears it's because she told him to be nice to me while she's gone.

If it works, I'll take it.

TWISTED

Is it strange that I am thinking of a week of daily 9 hour meetings, followed by 3 hour working receptions and then several hours of checking email and writing reports a spa vacation?
I figure with the 3 hour time difference I will be motivated to get some quality time in at the gym. I will have unlimited access to fruits and veggies. I won't see the sun, but I will have lots of quality time with myself to spread self tanner all over me. Maybe even exfoliate. Spa vacation. That's what I'm telling myself.

HAPPY 59th, Dad!!!!

Oops! I mean, Happy 59th Birthday to Harry's PopPop. I stand corrected.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, D'LYNN!!!!

Charity Begins At Home

I've been bummed out lately because I am not off saving the world. I'm not even curing cancer. Alzheimer's Disease and Spinal Cord Injury, yes, but Cancer, no.

I donate funds like I am supposed to and I drop off carloads of items at Goodwill at least once a month, but in truth, that is for bigger tax refunds and cleaner closets.

I signed up to be a virtual mentor, but I haven't heard back yet.

Since I refuse to spare 3 weeks away from Harry to live in a jungle and build houses, I have been looking for opportunities close to home. I realized today, I wasn't looking close enough. I was putting off calling my favorite aunt who is dying of cancer.

Long ago I decided I wanted to live a life without regret. I was doing well for a while, but then I turned 18 and realized it wasn't possible, and that I also wasn't as virtuous as I had imagined. There were a couple of areas I screwed up majorly in. A couple of people I hadn't appreciated.

I have given up on the concept as a whole, because when I fail it eats me up inside, but I do try to see the bigger picture with things. Sometimes that messes me up to. In the case of the sick aunt, I over-thought the phone call enough to decide I had been a good niece, I'd said reasonable goodbyes and not much more was expected of me anyway. I had lowered my standards even for myself.

I picked up the phone, told my brain to be charming and conversational...and smiled and laughed my ass off for the next 28 minutes! This is my great aunt we are talking about. She is elderly. She said she is down to 84 pounds. She is on 18 meds, including at least 3 inhalers. The cancer has spread and her throat is scratchy. Somehow, she entertained me with stories of her two escape attempts from the hospital, among other things. "Kim, I tried to escape. I woke up early, wrapped blankets over my head, and I went down to valet parking..."Even though she had "no money" on her, she was going to hail a cab anyway.

The hospital found her, twice, and kept a close watch over her until her eventual release. She is home now. She lives alone with a 1 year old terrier who got too used to long walks while she was away. She is surrounded by friends and family and neighbors. She sounds happy enough and her ONLY complaint was that she hadn't bathed in 3 days. "They" are working on the forms to have a nurse come out to help with that. I suggested baby wipes and she thought the idea was brilliant. She assured me she is not the kind of person to go 3 days without showering. She went on to explain how lucky she is that she has such great hair. Something about the perfect platinum color and the wisps going back just right. Reading this you may want to groan, but if you heard her describe it, all you would be able to do is laugh.

As far as I know, my great aunt Elsie has been surviving cancer for over 15 years now. With an outlook like hers, it's no wonder it's hasn't kept her down until now. And by down I mean resting in bed near a big window where she can see the blue skies and her neighbors walking by. She's down, but her spirits are still up. She's not delusional or overly-optimistic. She gets sick if she eats too much, so she's sticking to cheese and chocolate. Seems reasonable to me.

She sounds like the same person she's always been.

I am glad I called.

Upside the Head

So. I gave myself a concussion. And it took me two days to realize it. But I guess I can blame that on the concussion!

I slammed my head, yet again, into Harry's bed frame. But this one was way more painful.
I went to bed early. I woke up Sunday swaying like a drunk sailor, and then held onto the wall to get downstairs.
By 7:30 I sent my sock-footed 2 year old up the slippery wood stairs to say "Daddy, mommy said come downstairs mommy's dizzy!"

I overdosed on sinus, tension and headache meds and went to the dog park to celebrate Bailey's 9th birthday.
Headache and nausea and even vommitting continued.

I met with a neurologist today for work who specializes in dizziness. Maybe by osmosis I learned that I had a concussion.
It certainly wasn't the dozen lectures I attended after the grade 3 concussion I experienced when Glenn turned 40 and I hit a tree. I don't remember when this was, what the date was, how old I was...only that I went out to drink and celebrate Glenn's birthday that night, and then remembered nothing for pretty much the next year.

This head trauma is not so bad. Dizziness is gone now. Head has a big owie. Vision is fine. No aches and only minor pains. And I am nauseous almost every day anyway so no big deal there. I just can't believe it didn't occur to me!

While in the midst of the brain injury, however, I decided to revise and laminate my Celebrity List of 5. Here goes:

1. Sporticus (aka: Magnus Scheving)
   
   
2. The Blue Wiggle (Anthony)
   
   
3. Justin Roberts
   
   
4. Live Action Diego
   
5. Brad Pitt (did you see him with that Sippy cup in his back pocket????)

All right, I am kidding. A little. Joe from Blue's Clues may be better looking than Live Action Diego...

Happy Birthday, Bailey!!!

#9!

Monsters!

I have had what I believe to be a virus this week, and it has been difficult to get out of bed. Could be the Contact PM, but it has been a struggle. Today, however, I made it down the stairs by 6:45, after I heard a little voice on the monitor repeating "MommyDaddyMonsters!" over and over again. When I got to Harry's room he was sitting on the edge, dangling his feet, ready with his blanket---to throw it over his head and say sweetly, "Mommy I'm a monster! (Growl)." Then he hopped up with his blanket still over his head and ran off to yell "Boo" to Bailey before letting her out.
This is why you should watch TV with your kids. Harry was covering his eyes when talk of monsters arose on Franklin and Little Bear. I reminded Harry that Elmo and Zoey and Telly were Monsters, and helped him uncover his eyes to see that the other monsters on TV were imaginary. I watched Dracula on my own at my aunt's house after a family BBQ at age 3 one summer. I had a penchant for switching off cartoons to look for Quincy and other dramas. I still can't say "The V" word after dark, even after years of "Buffy Therapy" - (laughing at the un-dead instead of fearing them).
Let's hope Harry takes charge of his demons, and the monsters remain funny and furry.