Math, Reading, And Sticky Underwear

We had "Curriculum Night" at Zach's school last night. This is a five-minute presentation detailing the subjects Zach will be learning in third grade this year, crammed into two hours. It was especially uncomfortable this time because we had gone out to eat right before the event and I was given a lap full of beer and pink lemonade courtesy of our clumsy waiter. With no time to change clothes (or, being twenty miles from home, to buy new ones), I was forced to endure the 85 degree ambient lecture wrapped in hot steamy sugarbeer underpants. It's a feeling not to be missed, truly. You should try it sometime.

Beary Slow Day

I am trying to maintain some semblance of forward momentum as this late-summer Monday afternoon creeps by like an arthritic sloth heading to the medicine cabinet upstairs. A vigorous bike ride last night has left me with a neck ache, and the coffee doesn't seem to be strong enough to pull me up out of the 2 PM tar pit I have been wallowing in.

But there are signs of hope. I am getting things done and that brings some modicum of accomplished pride. And I am only a few hours away from being home with my mammals, another big plus. Perhaps together these two things will get me through, just barely (I won't say "by the skin of my teeth", because, really, if a tooth has skin, that is some way nasty tooth, beyond the scope of this blog).

So, if you never see another posting here, you'll know the boredom was terminal. Otherwise, forget I wrote this, I was just whining.

5th/3rd Disease

We went to pre-qualify for a home loan yesterday. The bank told us we can afford a mansion in Bloomfield Hills. And they wonder why people get into loan trouble.

Blues On The Corner

Shakey Jake died today :(

"I Can't Get Jurassic Park Back Online..."

So, I had to get more memory in my work computer. Handling large 3D files was simply out of the question without an upgrade to 2GB. Only problem was, any change to the status quo in my computer requires me to interact with an IT guru. This is not something I enjoy, and this time I was in for a real treat. This guy was channeling Dennis Nedry from Jurassic Park in classic form. I brought the laptop to his cube and was immediately repulsed by the sickly-sweet smell of sweat mixed with BBQ Pringles. Empty bags of all sorts of junk food littered the otherwise incredibly messy workspace. Old computers, half disassembled, were scattered amongst a backdrop of crinkled papers and greasy napkins, mini screwdrivers and anti-static envelopes.

I had to endure almost twenty minutes of bad jokes and near-maniacal laughter before my computer was upgraded and I was on my way. As I hurriedly exited the cubicle I was nearly pelted by the beginnings of a paper airplane and rubber band fight that was just starting up in the IT area.

If you have ever wondered how much of a geek you are, remember that it's relative. And you are on the Elvis/James Dean side of the curve compared to some people walking this Earth. If you don't believe me, go see Nedry.

Treading Lightly On The Blogosphere

My posting has been sparse lately, due to circumstances beyond my control: life. Keep checking though, I haven't fallen off the edge of the world just yet.

In the meantime, here's a picture of I took a few years ago, of Zach and a few of his friends. He's second from left.

Shoes, Or The Ballad Of A Maddie Marcos

There is something about shoes and girls. Somewhere buried deep within in the female brain, there must be some gene complex that is constructed for the sole (no pun intended) purpose of identifying, collecting, and coveting footwear. And this passion starts early. Madison is already a bona-fide shoe freak. She loves them. If Heather brings home a new pair of shoes for her she needs to have them on her feet immediately. Not later. Not in three minutes when you get the tags off them. NOW. I am convinced that there is nothing happier than a girl with new shoes on, dancing on the floor in a wave of pure exuberant joy as she basks in the glory of footwear happiness.

Green

Storage Room, Sturgeon River Pottery

Coco, Extra Puff

For a few bewildered moments last night, we wondered what an anaphylactic shellfish allergy would look like in a dog. We had eaten king crab legs for dinner ($6.99/lb at Fresh Approach in case you’re interested) and Coco seemed to be reacting to her share of the scraps. You see, the dogs always get at least some of whatever we eat.

Coco started to look crazy-weird. Her cheeks puffed up like rising pizza dough and her eyes became sunken and evil-looking. She began to take on the visage of Godzilla in the first movie. And then the itching started.

We were understandably concerned. I took off her collar just in case her throat needed room to inflate. But as we watched her it became evident that a food allergy would probably not manifest itself so locally, and would likely go after her throat in some way. And her puffiness was asymmetrical, indicating some local cause.

Bee sting.

We ate dinner outdoors and there were dozens of bees flying around. Coco loves to eat bugs. Putting these facts all together did not take Sherlock Holmes. It didn't even take John Holmes for that matter. Coco was stung by a bee on the snout. Jake had been stung a couple years ago and that had also started a major puff-fest.

So we gave Coco some allergy meds (for humans, low dose) and in the morning she woke up much better. She's still swollen on one side, but the evil visage is leaving and our cute little fuzzy Coco Puff is returning. More Coco, less puff.

Relaxing

Maddie stirs in the monitor, hugely amplified. Jane slams the door next door, on her way to another mysterious destination at 3:17 AM. The dogs at the foot of the bed decide to have an early morning sparring match, complete with snarls and multiple shaking fits, as if they were drenched.

Alarm clock. Loud. Snooze. Five times. Somebody died. Somebody famous. And some freeway is closed because of a fatal accident, but I was too sleepy to hear which one. Sit up. More action with the dogs, excited to start their stress-free, action-packed day.

Shower. Cereal. No, cereal first. Maybe coffee. Can't remember.

Zach sleeps like one of those big carved rocks on Easter Island.

Morning chaos as six mammals converge downstairs for a hurried exchange of shuffling, eating, peeing, teeth-brushing, dressing, and packing of lunches. Kiss the furless mammals and pet the furry mammals goodbye. Don't mix that up again. Very bad.

Traffic is bad, flowing like fudge in the freezer. Feels like that fatal accident may have been on 6-96. Or maybe it's just normal.

Zach wants music. Zach doesn't want to go to school.

Drop off is a little late, but not too late for a pink tardy slip. Hopefully.

Traffic to work is really bad. Is it because of the time? No, that fatal accident MUST have been I-75. Yes, very bad traffic. Worse than normal.

I think. I can't really remember.

Oh, sweet. The on-ramp to I-94 is closed. No warning, and probably for a few months. Must remember that tomorrow. But for now, bigger problems. I need to negotiate a city-crossing on side streets. Add one hour.

Work is busy. Busy with meetings, where the minutes are kept and the hours are lost. Arguments, Parrying. Guessing. Plans within plans. Plans that will never work.

Traffic home is worse than the morning. That is normal. There is a guy driving next to me, reading a paperback book, on the phone. Not unusual.

But, if you don't mind too much, stay in your lane, chatty reader.

Groceries. Must get food. Lot is crammed with cars. Seems everyone needs food. And they need it today.

Dinner. It used to be relaxing. It sometimes still is. Not today though, not today.

Eat it, Zach, I know you are not hungry, but you will be.

Homework. Kids playing. TV on, work on photos. Dogs are noisy animals. Coco is crying for some reason. Food? Water? Maddie likes playing in the water dish. The mushrooms need attention. Heather needs to call the realtor. I need to call that guy from Craigslist back, and clean off the bike rack we're selling and measure the shelves we're selling and clean everything off and get him directions and don't forget to give him my number and the keys for the bike rack are in my pocket and if I forget to give them to him I will have to mail them or deliver them and there is so much more to do before the house really looks ok to sell and Maddie has a tooth coming in and Zach wants to play HeroScape but he has homework and I need to read the stack of papers sent home by school and respond to them by some unknown soon future date and Zach wants ice cream but he didn't eat dinner and soon it will be time for Maddie to go to bed and she doesn't like when we close baby gates because that limits her access to the dog dishes and Heather looks so tired and she still has a couple hours of reports to do for work and I need to get some portfolio or proof set online and email the customer to make sure they got it and liked them and loved them and need them and pay me and they seem to need a lot of help picking out proofs and there goes Maddie, kissing everyone goodnight and off she goes and now it's time to start Zach thinking of going bedwards but he hasn't had time to play because homework is not done yet so homework gets done fast now and then a little bit of a movie or show and some Nintendo DS and it's time for him to get ready for bed and brush teeth but now he is starving and stalling and he needs a snack or he will go to bed hungry and this delays things and makes us all even more tired and harder to extract from bed tomorrow morning, but we trudge on and he can't find jammies because they are all hidden under his bed and then he needs to read and be read to and finally he is asleep and Heather comes out of Maddie's room looking even more tired and now she needs to start her reports and I haven't started my photo stuff yet so we work on that and the dogs haven't eaten today and the house looks so messy.

Eventually, bedtime. But we're both wired and need to relax. So books and electronic planners and magazines are brought out to force us to relax.

Sleep. Finally.

Was that the baby monitor?

Crying. Zach's awake too.

Was that Jane's door? Where is she going at...yikes. Is it that late?

Oops. Forgot to give that guy the bike rack keys...