I could repeat information about the finest things until I die and never grow weary of it. You are quite welcome.

Somehow I'm in the doghouse with my parents because I have to take my wife and baby to visit my in laws once a year whereas they get to see them practically every day. Or maybe they're pissed because we voted for Obama instead of buying into the propaganda emails forwarded secondhand by distant relatives who don't even live in the States. Drove all night last night while K. and N. were sick in the backseat. Listened to Dave Ramsey and worried a little about money. Came home and unpacked. Going to spend the day doing nothing, taking care of my girls, waiting for the big snowfall. I joined ilxor.com, sort of an elitist hipinion, with a more mature crowd. So far I like it, that's what boredom with only the internet to keep you company does to you. I'm so out of it in terms of the latest music, I can't begin to answer a question like

So we're halfway through 2008; what are your top 10 albums of this year, so far?

as most of the music I listen to on my iPod is old stuff, or news podcasts, or internet radio. And most of the stuff I listen to at home - 99 percent of the stuff I listen to at home - is my own guitar playing or piano playing. I know I'd rather make music, however badly, than fall into the rut of the 'music elitist nerd'. But it's vaguely troubling to me that I don't know any current bands. My resolve to be productive and excellent every day pales the face of cold harsh reality. Today I have to: do some work, work out, play guitar, and go to my mom's to pick up my keys. It always seems like there's not enough time in the day for everything.

Stay Crunchy

K's dad took the car back to the dealer for us. Woke up late this morning, spent the day watching college basketball on TV, surfing around on the internet. This is how bored I am around here - I signed up again for an account on . Reminder to myself to delete said account once I get back to Chicago. I can't believe my life used to revolve around that place, what a gigantic waste of time. Went running so we could meet everyone for breakfast at the Inn before they closed, but by the time I get back, K. tells me they're closing the Inn early, and she's tired and taking and nap with the baby. I eat leftovers and sit on the couch and write blog posts. Thinking about family members last night making vaguely racist jokes - or quoting vaguely racist jokes some of their friends said -about President Obama getting elected. I guess I'm not a minority now that I'm in the family. Sometimes when I hear people making these kind of comments about our new president I wonder what it is about having a black man in the White House that makes them feel so threatened. Been thinking about how my career has been stagnating for the past 4 years or so, and what I can do about it. I seem to fixate on this issue, resolve to make changes, and yet nothing seems to change that much. My New Years resolution should be to get back on track in terms of my career. I photoshopped my face and K's face over a picture of Perseus holding up the head of Medusa, and set it as my Facebook profile pic. Oh yeah, looks like there's some bad snowstorms coming to the UP so we may have to leave for Chicago tomorrow instead of Sunday.

I Am the Unknown

Thanksgiving day, I wake up and sip coffee on the couch and hang out with the in laws while they play with N. Went running for the first time since I got here - 5 miles. Father in law tells me local ordinances require that I wear bright orange as it's hunting season and I might get shot. So I'm wearing a bright orange vest as I listen to altbro music and do laps around the track at the local high school - they were right too, I could hear gunshots going off every five minutes or so. When I get home, Thanksgiving is in full effect. N. is over, Aunt T., Aunt M., Grandma, N., M., A., R., V., and E. all stopped by. N. must've been tired at the end of the day - everyone seemed to agree that she was very cute. I ate a *lot*, by the end of the day I was just immobile. Called my parents - they are being ridiculous about us going to the UP for Thanksgiving. Tried to watch Meet The Robinsons in bed with K. but I fell asleep. I've been having very weird, vivid dreams here, but I forget them as soon as I wake up.

Let It Be Me

Day 1 in the UP. Woke up late, hung around the house sipping coffee and talking with the in laws as they played with N. K. had scheduled a lot of visiting today, N.'s social schedule was pretty booked. First we went to town to drop off N. with Aunt Cookie's, cousin F. was there. Then took K's car at the Ford dealer, then borrowed K's mom's car to go shopping at Shopko. Bought a new pair of running shoes, threw my old shoes in the garbage and wore my new Nike trail runners around the rest of the day. Met up with some family friends at Shopko, then visited Aunt M. at the grocery store. Then visited A. and her new baby T. T. was there, he was fixing up their nursery upstairs with his brother. Baby T. looks just like a cabbage patch doll, very cute, but in a different way than N. Then went home, and went to the school to see Cousin M. performing in her first school play - cousin A. and husband M. were there. Lots of cute kids. Met some of K's high school friends there - they were either pregnant or with their kids. I really like cute kids, I was struck by how different it is to raise baby boys than girls - they are a lot more work, but also seem more 'fun' from a dad's perspective. Fell asleep early again on the couch.

All You Fascists

After work, drove to my mom's in bad holiday traffic to pick up my wife and baby. Had some chicken pot pie, then drove the entire six hour drive to the UP, stopping a couple of times to change diapers/enjoy the traditional Culvers. Listened to hipster tunes all the way, with a minimum of complaining/ridicule from the wife. Talked about the state of our lives/marriage, we're both generally satisfied. Kept worrying that a deer would pop out the side of the road at any moment. Made it home at 12:30, fell asleep on the couch while my in laws bounced the baby on their laps.

Quote

I believe that anyone can conquer fear by doing the things he fears to do, provided he keeps doing them until he gets a record of successful experiences behind him.

- Eleanor Roosevelt, human rights advocate



Conquering your fears through action

Life brings with it many doubts and fears. But the unknown and the untried have held more people back than any lack of ability. Most successes are never seen because they're never attempted. The courage to face your fears can build momentum that creates magic. Each time you overcome an obstacle, a fear or a step back, you gain confidence. Every small victory helps you feel more certain of yourself and your direction, pushing you further and faster than you ever thought possible. You can do it! What's holding you back? True, fears are intimidating. So start small. Believe in yourself and take one small swipe at your fear today just to see what happens. If you can't talk yourself past the "point of no return", get a friend to help. In the end, half of the doing is in the deciding. If you stumble, don't be afraid to brush yourself off and jump back in.

Candy left over from halloween, a unified theory of everything

Reasons for me to run in the morning instead of after work:
1. Yeah it's cold and harsh in the morning, especially with the wind along the lake, but the biggest reason I don't run in the morning is I don't want to get up early if I have to run outside in the cold. It will be just as cold in the afternoon, maybe a little warmer but not much to make a difference.
2. You waste a shitload of time running after work. If you run in the morning, it takes about an hour plus a little weight lifting and yoga at the gym, then shower, then go to work. If you run after work, you get home from work, talk to the wife, bounce the baby on your lap, change, work out for an hour, go home, sit around and talk to the wife and baby, then shower for the second time in the day - easily a two hour process, usually more. Less time for relaxing at night, watching tv and playing guitar.
3. You feel better throughout the day if you start your day with a workout.

Of course there are reasons to run after work - it's a great way to unwind after work, more people out on the street for peoplewatching. Probably a mix of morning and after-work runs, mostly mornings, would be ideal.

I watched 'I Am Trying to Break Your Heart' for the first time. I know I'm late to the Wilco party but I think I'm starting to get into them now.

Weird dream about me going back to my old job and begging my old boss for my job back. Almost a nightmare.

Bought K. a sapphire and diamond ring as a 'push present'/early Christmas present, she loved it.

I'm a man of simple tastes - Potbellies chicken salad salad and Jello sugar free pudding.

All I used to be will pass away eventually, all I want now is happiness for you and me

K. and I did a lot of good work last week related to finances - paid off a bunch of bills - credit cards and K's car, refined our budget spreadsheet and rolled some more money into our 'debt snowball'. I went to see John last week, it's amazing how much progress I've made since I started going to see him a little more than two years ago. Pretty much most of the areas of my life are in in great shape, being handled, etc. Feel more in touch with family, in better shape financially, I'm even more in touch with old friends from school. The one thing I'm still sort of dissatisfied with is my career situation - not that it's in a bad place, but I still feel like I need to 'leave my mark'. I have to figure out what exactly that is, in fact. It's becoming clearer as I keep working, that the future may not involve going back for another degree or trying to climb the corporate ladder (at least here).

Let's take a ride to the easy plateau, where the cold don't come and the wind don't blow

Went out for lunch with J. and D.. P. is having a dinner party this weekend at some greek place, I'm going to be bringing K. and the baby. This would be the baby's first dinner party. Only 3 hours to go at work, I've been working hard, I even manage to get in a few hours of overtime a week with all the craziness at home. It's a good craziness, don't get me wrong. The baby is very high maintenance, but is also very cute and entertaining. Spent election eve watching the results come in on CNN while playing guitar for my wife and babby. I am playing again - a lot - I discovered the secret to not getting any shit from the wife for spending all my time playing guitar: play fingerstyle acoustic.

how is babby formed?