Wednesday – 30 January 2013
More of Mother Nature’s frozen mocking laughter is falling on the Salt Lake valley this morning.
The roads were actually in decent condition; the drivers, however… *shakes head* There was a roughly 6-mile stretch where the average speed dropped from 45 MPH all the way down to 15 MPH. For no apparent reason that I could see.
On the “plus” side, it’s new comics day as well as Movie Date Night. Double-plus win.
TeamDiVa Tuesday pictures were cancelled yesterday, as the little ladies have colds and aren’t quite up for taking pictures. They have coughs and runny noses, but they seem to be getting over the rough parts of it. They’ve been rather clingy, understandably… not that I need excuses for kid cuddles.
Stray Toasters
If you have a minute or two to spare, would you please take a look at Pinstripes and Polos? It’s a men’s style blog I’m working on and could use some constructive feedback. Thanks!
Saturday – 26 January 2013
It’s the weekend. Selah.
It’s been a good and somewhat busy week. Sara! has been attending a conference this week, so it’s mostly been Team DiVa and me at home at night. We all survived. That’s a good thing. Sara!’s conference ends today, but for most of the day, it’s just me and the little ladies.
Sidenote: Some people have made the mistaken assumption that I refer to the girls as “Team DiVa” because they are – or will possibly be – little divas. Despite one of their grandmother’s being affectionately referred to as “The Diva” (Capital “T,” Capital “D”) by family and friends, we don’t plan on the girls being spoiled little brats. (Spoiled, maybe. Little, only if they don’t get their mother’s height. Brats, no. Period. Full stop.)
Vanessa (l) and Diana
We call refer to the girls as Team DiVa because of their names. Hence the two capital letters in “DiVa,” rather than just one. We noted the “nickname” when we chose the name – and, no, we didn’t choose the names to create the nickname. I don’t think that we were really planning on using it until someone asked us if we were aware of that “DiVa” could be made from the girls’ names. From that point on, it just kind of… stuck.
Besides, it makes for an easy way to refer to them as well as a handy hashtag for Twitter.
Huh, there are a lot of ‘Toasters about women and women-focused topics here. That’s okay, I want Team DiVa to as many good examples of good female role models as I can find.
And, I’m not kidding about the traffic. My commute home – depending on the route I take and time of day – is usually about 20 minutes. Today, it was just shy of 2 hours. But, Sara! kept Team DiVa up until I got home, so I was able to end the evening with a smile. And a late dinner. Grilled cheese sandwiches and soup. Tonight was a perfect night for it, too.
We tore down the gazebo to facilitate new landscaping in the back yard.
We started felling trees and shrubbery in front yard, also to accomodate new landscaping.
We built a new gate to replace the one that a storm demolished. (I need to replace one of the sides of the gate – again! – following another storm.)
The Train Room has been finished; I just need to schedule an appointment to have carpet installed.
I turned 42… I’m still not sure what the Ultimate Question is, but I do know where my towel is.
My fifth niece was born.
I played City of Heroes for the last time. Ever.
We got to celebrate a very lovely Christmas with Sara!’s family.
…and, as I said a couple of years ago: “…these are all part of ‘life.’”
On the whole, 2012 was a good year. I am thankful for the many new people I met and I am grateful for the many wonderful things that I got to experience. If you were part of my year – no matter how big or small a part – thank you for the pleasure of your company and for being a part of my journey.
Stray Toasters
Over the past few days, Sara! and I have combatted the 2012 Death Plague. I’m not sure where we picked it up, but I’m glad to have it in the proverbial rear view mirror. I didn’t leave the bedroom for over 18 hours (Thu night/Friday) and for 10 of those hours, I didn’t even leave the bed. Sara! was laid up all day Saturday and part of the day on Sunday. Somehow, Team DiVa seem to have avoided the worst of it.
Sunday afternoon, I headed to the airport to see my friend, Megan, during a long layover. While there, I also ran into Dave, Erica and Aria, as well as former Utah Opera Resident Artist John Buffett. Superpower-on-overdrive for the end-of-year win!
I’ve finally gotten around to continuing the Sword of Truth series, which was suggested to me years ago by my friend, Jess. (It was one of her favorite series.) It’s equal parts thrilling and maddening. I’ve also learned that having access to the Internet while reading/listening is not always a necessarily “good” thing, as I have semi-spoiled a couple of things for myself.
Snow. 10″ in the past week and we’re having flurries now.
I really need to figure out exactly what I want to do with the spare computers around here.
While they lost their last game, the Ravens are still the #4 Seed in the AFC and made the playoffs for the fifth straight year under Head Coach John Harbaugh and QB Joe Flacco.
Sunday – 02 December 2012
The holiday season is here.
Oh, wait… retailers would say that I’m at least a week out. Feh. I’m sorry, the Christmas season doesn’t start the day after Hallowe’en. Just saying. Besides, I still need to hear Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth before it’s really the season in my book.
Friday night, the sun set on Paragon City for the last time when NCSoft shut down the City of Heroes servers. I decided to log in and be online when the game shut down. I was also able to meet up with a few members of my supergroup. Um, my former supegroup.
It was nice to get to hang out with them as the game ended. Over the past year or two, I found that the amount of time that I played CoH/CoV diminished, but it was still a fun diversion and I really enjoyed my time in Paragon City. I look forward to seeing what (former) lead designer Matt Miller and company do next.
Today, Sara!, Team DiVa and I went to the local Williams-Sonoma to the Artisans’ Market this afternoon. There were some interesting local vendors and their creations there today. For example, we sampled a really good Nicaraguan coffee as well as a very tasty eggplant spread.
After a much shorter-than-it-should be nap by the little ladies, we watched a good portion of the Steelers-Ravens game.
Diana in a …purple pteranodon onesie? Sure! It’s close enough to a bird AND it’s a dinosaur! Win-Win! And every game is better with a 360 controller or two!
Vanessa with my… um, “her”… mini-football.
The family, watching the game…
I missed most of the second half because… well.. kids. They need watching and they are more important than a football game.
Instant Replay: Football Last night was the only game that I was really concerned with this week:
Two weeks after the Ravens went to Pittsburgh, the Steelers came to Charm City.The Ravens were in black jerseys and white pants, not their all-black look, as I was expecting.
The Steelers left Baltimore with a win. But, despite the loss, the Ravens are still atop the AFC North and two games ahead of the Steelers.
Monday – 19 November 2012
Yeah, it’s been a while. But, I’m back. And this is a post.
The girls are growing in leaps and bounds. They surprised me the other day, while watching a Baby Einstein video, by (more or less) repeating some of the words used in the video. Just to be sure that I wasn’t hallucinating it, I replayed the video for Sara! and the girls did it again. They are also getting very good at using a few more signs, particularly “water,” “more,” and “please.”
Diana (l) and Vanessa
We kept this storage unit under Diana’s crib as a corral for the girls’ stuffed animals. Well, the animals have wound up just about everywhere but the bin. And, the girls discovered the joy of crawling into it. We have since taken the bin from under the crib and filled it with pillows… and the girls love playing in the improvised pillow pit. Although, I’m still toying with the idea of buying some ball pit balls and using them to replace the pillows, for a mini version of this:
I went to a train show this past weekend. It wasn’t awesome – no major manufacturer presence at all – and only handful of vendors wit items I was interested in, but it was a train show. I did see one of the vendors from whom I bought something at the train show last month, though. He even remembered me and we chatted for a few minutes.
For me, the most memorable thing from the show was meeting and talking with Blanche Keller. My friend, Dave, showed me this article last week, detailing Blanche and her husband, Norman’s, ordeal after having their merchandise and trailer stolen while on their way to a train show in Denver. I asked Blanche about what happened and she talked very candidly about the whole experience. The article gave a good 10,000 foot view, but listening to her recount their last couple of weeks was pretty heartbreaking. Not only did they lose their merchandise (for a while), but they had to close bank and merchant accounts, none of which can be reopened or replaced until they get back home.
Before we finished talking, Blanche mentioned that they had a number of invitations from friends for Thanksgiving when they get back home. She smiled and said that she appreciated the outpouring of support, but that she’s not sure that she even wants to leave the house when she gets back, aside from picking up her dogs from boarding.
I wish Blanche and Norman all the best.
Instant Replay: Football Last night was the only game that I was really concerned with this week:
The Ravens headed up to Steel Town to take on the Steelers in their house.
The Ravens were in white jersey and black pants, while the Steelers were in black-and-yellow striped jerseys (and socks) with beige pants. They seriously looked like bumblebees. So, I kept referring to it as “The Birds and the Bees Game.”
This always a good – and somewhat bitter – match up. There was some question as to how it would go, as both teams were missing key players.
The Steelers scored – in the first 43 seconds – thanks to a defensive pass interference call and some quick plays. The Ravens came back, thanks to WR Jacoby Jones, who ran back (another!) punt for a TD.
Jacoby Jones on his way to the house… (c) NFL.com
The rest of the Ravens’ scoring came from K Justin Tucker.
I haven’t been CB Corey Graham’s biggest advocate this season, but he had an AMAZING night last night. He was All. Over. The. Field. Blocking passes. Intercepting passes. He definitely stepped up his game last night. I look forward to seeing what he does in the rest of the season.
On the down side, Ed Reed was suspended for one game – the Chargers – thanks to a helmet-to-helmet hit, but he’ll be back for Week 13, when the Ravens host the Steelers. That’s right: two games in three weeks against the Steelers.
Since Sara! forbade me from talking about last week’s game, I’ll talk about this week’s game, instead!The Raiders hosted the Saints……and the Saints came away with a win.
Since I finished Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, I’ve been listening to Stone of Tears, by Terry Goodkind. I read/listened to Wizard’s First Rule, the first book in the series a few years ago. I am enjoying revisiting some familiar characters.
[REDACTED]
I haven’t picked up either COD: Black Ops 2 or HALO 4 yet. If nothing else, I’ll ask Santa for one or the other for Christmas.
Up, up and away…!
I’ve never been a fan of the crack of dawn Black Friday shopping sales. I’m even less enthused about the new “Black Thursday” concept. Besides every Friday is Black Friday as far as I’m concerned. (And, during football season, it does double duty as Purple Friday, too.)
Well, because I can. And because I really like what the other poster had to say, especially in light of the way that so many users of various social media sites have polarized into “This is the Best/This is the Worst Thing to Happen in/to/for America” camps since the election.
So, read the post – or don’t; that’s your prerogative – although I’d seriously recommend reading it.
And consider what she has to say…
…and consider your reactions, positive and/or negative, since Tuesday’s results were announced.
…and consider what’s better: Finding a way to work together for the betterment of our nation or finding a way to point fingers at what “the other guys” are doing or have done wrong in the past.
Tuesday – 11 September 2012
Today marks the eleventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York, NY and Washington, D.C.
My friend, Joe – a former New York native – posted a picture of the World Trade Center, the last one that he took before moving away from New York.
My two… favorite, I guess… pictures/memories of the towers are these, from 1999:
…and…
The first picture is me, atop 2 WTC, the South Tower (1 WTC, North Tower behind me). I remember looking down from the roof, across to Liberty Island and thinking how tiny the Statue of Liberty seemed from that vantage point. I also recall looking out across Manhattan and thinking about the failed attempt to collapse the towers across Midtown in 1993.
The second picture is my friend, Peggy – who we led into the plaza between the towers with her eyes covered – as she took in just how tall the towers were. Her first words as her eyes lifted towards the rooftops: “Holy… shit…” Priceless.
For my thoughts on the attacks and the aftermath, I again refer to these posts.
Thursday – 26 July 2012
It’s another NBN Thursday in the valley.
Were she alive, my maternal great-grandmother would have been 112 today.
Last night, Sara! and I watched In Time for Movie Date Night:
To be honest, it wasn’t bad. It reminded me quite a bit of Logan’s Run, but had enough of a twist to make – and keep – it interesting. I was also quite surprised to see [REDACTED], [REDACTED], and [REDACTED] in the movie, too.
Chew on This: Food for Thought – Adventures in Parenting
As a parent, I’m always happy when Diana and Vanessa hit developmental milestones. One such achievement happened a few months back when the girls figured out how to roll from their backs to their stomachs. Sara! and I were delighted at this… um… “turn of events.” However, as the girls started making other advancements, we seemed to forget about the rolling over. Until recently. The girls have taken it upon themselves to remind us just how big a deal that barrel rolls are…
…when we are changing their diapers.
Vanessa is especially adept at this. Just as you get the loaded diaper open and bear witness the havok within, she decides that it’s time to roll to her left. This usually results in a lot of under-the-breath expletives. And the thought processes – and physical gymnastics – of “How do I keep this from getting on everything?!”
So far, nothing has gotten to the point where we’ve had to call in Damage Control or Utah Disaster Kleen-up, but there have been a couple of instances where it’s taken both of us to get from dirty diaper to a clean one.
But, they’re still cute kids and I wouldn’t trade the experience/adventure for anything.
Reading time is still reading time… even if your book is upside-down.
Stray Toasters
In exactly two weeks, the Ravens’ preseason begins. Selah.
If you’re in the Salt Lake Metro area this weekend and looking for something to do, you should check out the Salt City Steamfest:
Over the past few nights, Sara! and I have watched a few episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. It’s been entertaining, I must say. Dated, sure… but kind of fun.
One of last night’s episodes was the series finale. It featured potential buyers coming to look at the Banks house. One couple was the Jeffersons – yes, these Jeffersons– with the late Sherman Helmsley, who just passed away the other day. And, as much as I loved him as George Jefferson, I will forever remember him for this:
…which means that it’s Slurpee Day at your local 7-Eleven.
…which means free mini-Slurpees at your local 7-Eleven.
…which means… Oh, Hell. If I have to spell it out for you, then what’s the point!?
It’s also new comics – and new ‘Clix – day.
And, as if all of that wasn’t enough, it’s Movie Date Night, too.
Tuesday – 26 June 2012
I want to go on the record as saying that having twins who are crawling and cruising is:
Fun,
Entertaining, and
A little tiring
Often, they both head in the same vector. However, those times when they don’t…? Let’s just say that I’m getting an inkling of what it’s like to be an NHL goaltender.
Over the weekend, we made a day trip to Cedar City to see my brother-in-law, John, who spent a week in Las Vegas. Being so relatively close, we decided to meet for lunch before he headed back to Baltimore and give him a chance to meet his nieces:
Diana, hanging out with Uncle John
Vanessa and Uncle John
Diana and John hit it off almost immediately; Vanessa decided to scope him out a bit before deciding that he was alright.
Wednesday – 20 June 2012
The summer solstice has arrived.
And it’s new comics Wednesday.
And it’s Pasta and Movie Date Night.
Quite frankly, I think that sounds like “Win” all the way around.
Yesterday was a good day. With the able assistance of Dave and Steve, I was able to pick up some drywall – twelve sheets of it – get it home, bring it in (through a basement window that Steve removed) and put it in place for hanging. All told, it took a little over an hour-and-a-half, including the time it took to attach and detach Dave’s trailer to his Jeep. I offer up a huge “Thank you” to Steve and Dave for their time and effort. And, I’m counting drywall-schlepping as yesterday’s workout, to boot!
Chew on This: Food for Thought
This is a series of blog posts from a local woman (with Retinitis Pigmentosa, which is important to the story), who encountered less-than-stellar – and more importantly, less-than-decent – treatment when she attempted to go shopping with her guide dog this past week:
Tuesday – 19 June 2012
This morning, Sector 2814 (at least the portion of it that contains our living room) is being protected by two members of the Justice League:
Vanessa, as a rookie Green Lantern
Diana, as Batgirl-in-Training (complete with her own… um… Bat-saucer)
Shortly after these pictures were taken, the mini-Leaguers decided to do some combat training (also known as: “Using Daddy as a climbing toy”). Since they are both cruising – and not always wanting to go in the same direction – this taxed my abilities to keep both of them in arm’s reach. Fortunately, Bonne was here to help keep up with them.
