Nothing to whine about, whatever shall I do?

Those of you who know me probably know that from time to time I like to rant (whine) about things some (all) of the time. This was easy when I was pregnant, all day sickness, inability to eat anything acidic.

I have to say, that I truly have nothing to complain about. I enjoy every precious moment and just have to accept what a wonderful blessing it is to have this time with my son when he is this young.

***

Dakota, after singing "C is for Conifers (my kind of trees)" the other day declared, "(They) Might Be Giants is my favorite, Mommy!"

I can't tell you how much that warms my heart! (but sorry Owen, she sings C is for conifers, not my kind of trees. Silly goose)

This is really appropos if nothing but

The 1900 House is an object lesson to the untruth of the whole notion of "the good old days" the big payoff for me was the young son, after months of enduring pure misery is back home in his air conditioned room playing Ages of Empires

Hon. Skip Middleman

Ye stalwarts of judicial efficiency should strive to Skip Middleman.

Maundy Thursday

So tonight the youth of the church (Senior Highs mostly) are in charge of the Maundy Thursday service. As one of the "adults" ( I still laugh when I am called that) who helps supervise those whippersnappers, I am going to attend, to lend moral support.

"I wonder what he will be" says Dakota

Dakota's job ideas are now more focused on her brother than herself. Her suggestions this am? Astronaut (space guy), fireman, superhero, farmer, and there were more that I can't remember now.

***

Dave, don't you know a girl named Tinsley who is an actress? I think I saw her on an episode of Charmed this morning. I know I already saw her on an episode of Gilmore Girls a while ago.

***

Now I am not going to name names, but it is very hard to cook dinner during normal dinner time when a member of you family insists on crying and pooping his pants nigh constantly.

***

Dakota is very wise.

(said with a note of urgency) "Mommy, we have a thing in our backs called a spine. Books have spines too. But our spines hold us up. If we didn't have a spine, we would fall down!"

Ray Ozzie new CTO of Microsoft

I failed to comment about this on Thursday. But Ray Ozzie, the main person credited with the original creation of Notes (as in Lotus) has been made CTO of Microsoft as part of the deal for Microsoft to acquire Groove networks. Having spent much of my career working with the Notes product, I am quite impressed with Ozzie. Much of what was really better and not well-emulated by other technologies came early on. Presumably, Ozzie was the creative force behind this.

That said, I don't know what people are expecting to happen from this acquisition, but I don't expect that anything will happen overnight.

Ideally, Microsoft's new CTO will inspire and drive some sort of game-changer technology. If this is done sucessfully, then there is no point speculating as to what the game will look like after its been changes.

Home again, home again...

...jiggity jig.

Things I learned on my trip to Florida:

• It was worth the added 100 miles of driving for my parents to move to where they now live. Convenient outlet shopping, fine dining, and the most beautiful beaches a stone's throw from their house. Growing up in Pensacola, I was brainwashed into thinking that we had the prettiest beaches, and I always thought that people who said the area just east of Destin was better were nuts. I was wrong. My parents now live less than 13 miles from Seaside, my favorite little faux town. Close enough to drive over for the day (or bike when the kids get a little bigger), and pretend I am having a luxurious vacation. Although what vacation isn't luxurious when you have mom and dad to cook for you (and pester you about what you might know about your brother's love life - thank God I am married and with two kids already. No more pestering for me! And thanks to the renewed short haircut, no hair length pestering either.)
• Microsoft ME sucks. Ok, I knew this before, but using my parents' computer for a week re-crystalized that thought in my mind. The damn thing must've frozen up every time I used it. Oh, and AOL sucks (especially when checking hotmail - wonder why), and {*CENSORED*-WmLi) makes pretty clunky computers.
• Traveling with kids on either end of the potty-training spectrum (infant, older child) is way better than traveling with a child who is still training. I am so glad that Dakota can hold it until I can find a bathroom!
• Dakota is so very much William's child. After we returned home, she declared "Daddy, I am not going to sleep tonight, I am just going to play computer all night." I told him that sounded like him, and he replied that, yes, he would have done that, but he certainly wouldn't have told his parents about it beforehand. Glad she can use the computer, even more happy she hasn't figured out how to launch IE, and go to nickjr.com by herself yet.
• I need to keep my house cleaner. My parents' house always looks so nice. They have stuff that can get cluttery, just like everybody else, but they are very good at keeping it in their closets. I resolve to work on this.
• I need to eat healthier. I lost 4 lbs this week, just by eating healthy food, and not so much takeout. I have two kids, I need to act like a grown-up and cook more for my kids.

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TouchGraph GoogleBrowser is fun for over ten whole minutes!

If Jason had been a girl...

...Will was trying very hard to come up with a name that would go with the initials M and C. MC and DJ.

Can we at least call him Parapa?

The Nickname That Must Be

If she's the DJ, then clearly Jason is the Rapper (or so I have been claiming since Dakota Jane was selected to be a DJ).

Nicknames

I like Greg's suggestion. I think Jason will have many nicknames. Thus far:

Dakota - "Bayson - it is baby and Jason together!"

Uncle Owen - "Luke"

Louren - "grumpy"

And yes, it took me a few counts to get Owen's joke, even though I had previously taught Dakota to whine "but Uncle Owen, I wanted to go into Toshi Station..."

J to tha L-I!

"Hollywood" Greg Chwerchak has requested that all recognize his moniker for Jason: J-Li.

Dave, you watch Alias, right?

As I arrived in Florida, my parents told me I had appeared on "this show we watch called Alias." Suprisingly, I have never tuned in to this show, but I hear it is quite good. Just no time with 2 kids.

But my parents said there was a corpse named...Louren Reed (probably Lauren, but whatever) that was the dead wife of somebody. Is this true? And if so, wierd.

There have been many doppelgangers of other people I know, on television. But never me. The closest I have ever known for myself was when I realized that if you shortened my name to Lou, that I have the same name as a famous singer. I even convinced some (stupid) people in high school that he was my uncle, and I was named after him. Hey baby, take a walk on the wild side.

****
Car trip was largely uneventful, which is really what you want when drving 630+ miles with two small children. It hit me how long the trip would be when I drove past the exit to where my parents lived twice (two old houses), and after the second one, realized just how much further I had to go.

But as a bonus, since they now live in "prime spring break" territory, I got whistled at last night by some college guys in a jeep while I was unloading the RAV. I can forgive them since it was dark already. Crazy rednecks.

And away we go...

In a move that can be characterized as incredibly brave, or eternally foolish, I have decided to drive with the kids to Florida to see my parents - once again continuing the "SPRING BREAK in Florida!" when I am not a crazy college kid. My brother Owen will be driving down from the Smokies to visit as well, and we are flying my dad's mom in for a few days as well. This should prove to be exciting. And not just because of all the people, but because my parents have continued their eastward migration, and now live just outside of Destin. By the time I am 30, they will probably live somewhere in the Atlantic. Perhaps Nollop.