happy july 4th

I just got back from seeing transformers the movie. It was really good. The weirdest thing about ti though was one of the trailers. Here is the imdb link to "the movie" it looks like it is going to be good... if we only knew what it was about... Very creepy, kind of a godzila/28 days later/trainspotting feel to the trailer. very impressed that it has been a secret for so long. Can not wait until January.

20 weeks and one year

So I have been a home owner for one year, and a turbulent year it has been. The best news I have is that the baby is half way here. 20 weeks down, 20 to go. We had our official ultrasound today and the pics of the event are to follow. Can you guess the gender??


Its a foot in the middle of the frame
face to the right and a hand above
gender??
profile, with a knee in the face.
another profile shot

That is about it for now.

two weeknds of fun

Last weekend I went to Seattle for a friend (and fun) filled weekend. Friday I did the underground tour and it was very very cool. Saturday we did the cheese festival at pikes market. We also went down to the SAM sculpture park, and hung out for a while. We saw a boy, a bell rang, and then there was a man. Sunday it was rainy and we played board games. I discovered liars dice, bean farming, and train building. There was guitar hero rant, and a bleeding dog (he got better), a "emergency that must be attended to," multiple coffee shops, and a plethora of names beginning with "P". Fun was had by all. I had a minor "book that broke the camels back" emotional break down, and 14 hours of flying later I had the well deserved not quite as restful weekend that I had been needing for a while. Who ever said Seattle was sleepless was not a liar.

This weekend we started with Pirates. The world end that is. The world did not end, but there is one thing that happens at the end that was very disappointing. All in all it was a good flick. Then Saturday there was a wedding in Cincinnati, we got to reconnect with some good friends. I drank a nice amount of bourbon and dancing ensued. Yester day was the 500, the indy 500, the Indianapolis 500, the Indianapolis 500 mile race that is. It was wet yet fun. I spent some time with my cousins that I have never actually spent time with. There was rain, and sun, more rain, jet engines, flipped cars, free j. beam. Scantily clad girls, scantily clad boys, more rain, a hot dog, some cars and a condescending remark or two about running in to the wall on the third. Three female drivers, ashlee judd, and again a considerable amount of fun.

Today is Memorial Day, I have the day off and Karen does not. I am sitting here watching Gilmore girls and contemplating a fancy dinner, but first I need to go to the grocery.

Side note: Underdog was made into a live action movie; I saw the trailer this weekend. It looked very cool in a cheese way.

Baby pics

14 wks LMP (12 wks gestation) Baby weighs 1.52 ounces or 43 grams. Baby is 3.42 inches or 8.7 cm long.

Baby appears to be sucking an appendage, be it a foot or a finger we do not know, but I am sure he thinks it tastes good.

Face on shot, the head is at the bottom, the white spot on the lower left is a hand, and the body is the bloby part in the middle

Baby head at the bottom, the white streak near the bottom is the arm, the body sweeps up on the right and the curvy thing at the top is the cord going to the placenta.

The top 10 of the my favorites

I’ve been thinking. In my life I make the statement a lot that something is “the best ever” or “my absolute favorite.” Generally it is in the context of movies or music. Everyone has opinion on them. I can confidently declare that I am an artsy person. I enjoy it all. Plays, ballet, opera, musicals, TV, film, rhythm and blues, Country, on and on and on. So here is a list of things that I would like to declare are in all actuality my favorites.

#1 Best - Horror --- Love it, the gorier, the more insane, the more violent and totally unbelievable the better.
The top of the top cream of the crop is any cheesy flick that that has been turned into a franchise and has been released between the late 70’s and early 2000’s, especially the ones with crappy sequels. Right now I am watching Phantasm, the first one, of which there are 4, the last of which came out 20 years after the original. Best all time horror series is the “A Nightmare on Elm Street” series. In this series there are 7 sequels, and a prequel currently being scripted. With that there are some classics…Friday the 13th (10 sequels), the Omen (3 sequels), and Halloween (7 sequels, and a prequel do out this year), A Texas Chainsaw Massacre (3 sequels, one remake, and one prequel), Living Dead (4 Ramero sequels and 4 Return of sequels and 1 spin off), Alien (5 sequals including 2 AVP) and The Howling (5 squeals). But then there are the less known franchises such as Phantasm, Critters (3 sequels), Ghoulies (3 sequels), its alive (2 sequels), Night of the Demons (2 sequels), Leprechaun (5 sequels), Hell raiser (8 sequels and a remake in production), House (2 sequels), Amityville (8 sequels and one remake) and many many more. When I talk about these Karen laughs at me and rolls her eyes. But I must admit I love the horror film.

#2 Best lyric “I’m gonna find myself a girl who can show me what laughter means, then we will fill in the missing colors in each others paint by number dreams” The best verbal representation of what true love should be that I have ever heard.
“Maybe if I jiggle it a little it'll open up on its own” is a very close second

#3 Best Pat Benatar Song --- We belong

#4 best book, - Microserfs by Douglas Coopland. Brings out the techno geek in me. Ties in my favorite toy legos, has a couple great love stories and, and a emotional twist at the end.

#5 Best Toy – LEGOS, you can build anything.

#6 best underwear. Tommy Hilfiger boxer briefs. They are incredibly comfortable and delicately soft.

#7 Best car manufacturer. Volkswagen, It is simply amazing what those German engineers can do. And their commercials rock too.

#8 best alcoholic beverage. Bourbon

#9 Favorite Past time. Cooking. A good cook is never without a friend.

#10 best mind game… the Kevin Bacon game. It sound crazy but thois ties in with my number 1. I like to watch horror movies, old and new. When I watch them I like to think of what els I have seen actors in, kinda like the keven backon game, then I tie thm to other actors that are in the same film or have done other things with other actors. Most recent example… Alexis Bledel (of Gilmore girls fame) is currently acting with Matt Czuchery who was in Jake 2.0 with Christopher Gorham who is currently on Ugly Betty With America Ferrera who was in the sisterhood of the traveling pants with Alexis Bledel. I also find it very interesting that most “TV” actors who try to break off to movie careers pick cheesy horror films as there starting point. Example… Almost every cast member from the TV show ”Buffy the Vampire slayer” has gone on to do at least one horror film… SMG has done the Grudge, and the Return recently but started her movie carear in I Know What You Did Last Summer, and Scream 2. Nicholas Brendon was in Childrenn of the corn 3 (another great franchise) and Demon island about a killer piñata. Alison Hannigan does not count because she had a movie career before buffy. James Marsters did the remake of the House on Haunted Hill. Emma Caulfield was in Darkness Falls. Michelle Trechtenberg was in the remake of Black Christmas. Charisma Carpenter was in Voddoo Moon. David Boreanaz was in Valentine and the Crow 4 (another franchise). Marc Blucas was in They. These are just things I know, and associate or think of when ever I see anything with someone in it.

Well that is all for now.

Sorry, Louisville is closed

I went to Lexington this weekend. It is a nice drive, about three hours. Very easy except the trip through Louisville. On the way there I noticed something was going on in the ville. There were four apache type helicopters patrolling the banks and then a fifth landed in a park with a group of people running to it. There were people behind a blockade watching this event and it seamed to be pretty impressive. I noticed all of this while I was driving over the bridge that connects Indiana to Kentucky. After I got through Louisville it was a straight shot easy peasy.
On the way back it was a different story. Apparently Louisville was closed. Closed???? Surely not. Oh Yes it was closed. Louisville is encircled by 264 and all access to downtown from the three interstates that go through the ville were closed at 264. WHAT! What if I need to get downtown? What if I wanted to visit one of my in-laws… to bad, the city is closed. 64, 65, 71 all closed. No access. From 8:00 to 10:00 no one is allowed in. Sure you can leave but no one can come in. Very sad. Or at least it was for me. It made my peaceful 3, 3.5 , hour trip into a not so peaceful 4.5 hour trip. SO I was detoured from 64 to 264, to 64, to 365, to 65. to get back into Indianapolis and traffic was not cooperating. In order to get from 64 to 264 we bottle necked from three lanes down to one to get back to three. And the same to get back on 64., three lanes down to one back up to three. Lucky for me I hit Louisville at about 8:15, so everything was just closed. I only had to sit in a three mile back up. I bet anyone who hit the city at 9:30 probably would have saved a ton of time by leaving 30 minutes later and hitting the interstates once they were open again.
So we do apologize for the inconvenience but the city is closed.

Time flies when you are a Gilmore Girl

So I have some weird obsessions. Well not obsessions, just infatuations. I also have been told I am easily influenced, and have an addictive personality. I.e. I become addicted to things easily, not that people become addicted to me. So in the past I have sucked into TV shows that have been placed in syndication and about three shows ago (before Jake 2.0 and before Dresden Files (no not in syndication I know)) I fell for a couple of ladies with the last name Gilmore. Its in syndication on ABC Family and I watch it when I am at home during the day, which is most days. I have noticed lately that last season (Rory and Lorelei stop talking, Lorelei and Luke gets engaged, Luke becomes a dad. Etc etc.) One episode could cover a time frame of 2 weeks if not more. It is the weirdest thing. When watching and episode there could be a reference that thanksgiving is next week. Then by the end of the episode thanksgiving has passed and everyone is dealing with the aftermath. So let it be said here and now I am glad I am not a Gilmore girl. As I said before my wife and I are expecting. We are three months out and it seams as if I found out just yesterday. I am supper excited and can not wait for the little one to come along but it seams like time is going fast enough. But could you imagine all of the events in one week crammed into less then one hour (taking into consideration commercial breaks). What would you do with the rest of your week?

Vonnegut has left this life

So Kurt Vonnegut passed away yesterday. This is both sad and ironic considering Indianapolis has declared this "the year of Vonnegut." That being said, the festivities of this said occasion were to start one week from tomorrow, and Mr. Vonnoget himself was to give the closing lecture on Friday April 27th. Vonnegut, though an eccentric and sometimes confusing author, had many unknown talents. He was an illustrator and designed an abundance of ad and marketing companies in his day.
Mr. Vonnegut you will be missed, say hello to Kilgore Trout.

snow is a pain in my ash....tree.

So on February 13th, we got dumped with just over a foot of snow. My car was stuck in the driveway for a few days. We had to drive to bloomington (an hour south) to buy a snowblower, because they were sold out in Indianapolis. And guess what, snowblowers aint cheep. so the last week has been AWESOME. Sunny weather, beautiful days, rain at night to help everything turn green and lush. I did some yard work, planted a garden sat at a corner cafe with wonder pup, and enjoyed the spring. Then out of nowhere (well technically the north west) a cool wind started blowing and when i went to work this morning it brought snow. At lunch there was snow. after work snow. at puppy class snow. right now snow. it is cold and wet and COLD. where did my sunshine go?? so my one time friend, jack frost, who I use to look forward to every year has officially worn out his welcome. Even though I would like to see him back next year. he needs to go home, now before he chaps my tulips, and daffodils, and grass and ash...tree.

vampire squid from hell

I am not sure how many of you out there believe in reincarnation, but I find it to be fascinating. Recently I was watching "Planet earth" on the HD discovery theater channel and they had an episode about the deep see. When I die I want to come back as a vampire squid from hell. Not only is the name supper cool but the animal is to. It is covered entirely in light-producing organs called photophores and is able to light up random parts of its body, generally as a decoy when being attacked. I just think it would really cool to be able to glow if a wanted to. However if i had any supper power i would have to flip a coin between mind reading abilities (not on all the time or I would probably go crazy, but an elective talent) Or invisibility (also elective). There is just something about being able to see or hear people who don't know they are being seen or heard. people unguarded, au natural. scary thought.