A Quick Note

I keep looking at my feeds list and being sad that no one has written. Then it occurred to me that it's been awhile since I posted.

Anyone who contacts me via my yahoo email address should know that our lovely, capable cable company has a "known issue" with yahoo domains, which means yahoo no worky. If there's anything important, send it to the gmail account on this page and I'll get that, no problem.

In other news, if the prequels killed your love for Star Wars, the new original trilogy Lego Star Wars game will go a long way toward rekindling it. It's very fun. We play it when the B sleeps. More than we should, since I feel kind of tired today. It's worth a rent at the very least, if you are the slightest bit inclined.

Be safe out there, kids.

My Head Asplode

So I was reading Mark Morford's latest column, which included the Donald Rumsfeld quote, "Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war."

I couldn't believe anyone actually said that, even Donald Rumsfeld. So I googled it, and found references to it on literally hundreds of pages. I find it hard to believe it could be so widespread and not be an actual quote of his. Apparently it was when the pictures of flag-draped coffins and other, more disturbing images of the war were found to have been suppressed that he said this.

Second or third on my list of search results was the upsettingly-titled page, "Funny Rumsfeld Quotes" on about.com. Now, I don't take about.com too seriously. The editors are volunteers and may not have a whole lot of journalistic training. But if even half of the quotes on this page are actual quotes then it makes me want to go hide under the bed. I'd do something more proactive, but there's precious little that it seems I can do to affect this situation. I voted against these people. I've voted against the people responsible for this over and over, and each time, I'm outvoted by the people who appear to want the war (even though I keep seeing these approval ratings for it that don't make it out of the 30th percentile).

However, go read those "funny" Rumsfeld quotes. I can't see how anyone would laugh at a single one, as they all turn my stomach with their smug disregard of anything that he finds inconvenient, like having to explain away American soldiers looting Iraq or asserting that he has no idea what the President has said, but that it "must be right". Because, you know, anyone who was once capable of doing a medocre job of running the Texas Rangers baseball team must be correct. If there's anyone out there laughing at these quotes, someone so hardened to the idea that civilians in Iraq are dying and many analysts don't feel that we're affecting the political situation in that country for the better with all this mess, then come closer over to me so I can smack you dead in the mouth.

I wish this was better formed and less mad, but when I'm watching my nine month old baby play and thinking about how we responded to people who hate us because they think we want to mess with their way of life by messing with their way of life, by poking the tiger in the eye with a stick and then being surprised that it slashed our arm off with its muscled arm and sharp claws. I don't agree with Taliban-like governments, even just based on the lack of humanity assigned to women in those situations. I'd like to see a more enlightened approach to governance in every country where there is oppression. I just don't think you can use tanks and force and rhetoric to accomplish that. I think it does exactly the opposite, makes it worse, makes them dig their heels in and be even more set in their ways.

I think it comes down to this. You can't give freedom. You can't force freedom. (Not that we know what it is, in a country where the President seeks to abolish the laws he wants to break because they're inconvenient.) People who aren't free have to want it so bad they're willing to rise up as one and take it. You have to build your own freedom. I don't think you even recognize or appreciate it if someone comes in and gives you their "brand" of it.

So what the hell are we doing?

Agree with me, disagree with me, whatever. But if you're about to post a bunch of pro-war rhetoric, a bunch of "but they attacked us" (not Iraq, no they didn't) stuff, fair warning: do it on your own damn blog. I'm so mad about this that if you try to disagree with me here, I'm just deleting the comment. You have the right to your opinion, but not under my banner.

And thus ends the least well-crafted, most ranty blog entry I'm ever likely to write. I refuse to change a word of it. I want to remember being this mad the next time I feel too tired to continue to care as much as I do right now.

Dear Rachael Ray,

I want to like your little show. I do. (The new network one, not the one on FoodTV.) I could do with some quick cooking tips, I need some noise on in the background during that hour of the day, and there's nothing else on just then.

You seem so nice, really, but you just want to be my friend too fast. Slow down. It's stuff like the uber-conversational tone, and calling yourself "Raych". Maybe that will work in a year or so if your show makes it, but it feels presumptuous now. I feel like you're asking me really personal questions and saying, "Let's be best friends forever!" I'm afraid to return your phone calls, Rachael Ray. I dread that lunch invitation because I have a feeling that you'll ask me stuff like whether I had an episiotomy or not.

I dunno how you pull off, "Nice, but way too manic," but you've done it. Slow down. Take a deep breath. Take one half step back. Then try again.

(First comment is this post in Pirate speak.)

Another Successful Trip to the Science Museum

The sign says, "Step on this scale and see how much it would cost to launch you to orbit today."

Like I said on Flickr:

Outfit: $7.
Trip to the museum: Free.
Trip to the moon: $190,000.
Evening with the silly baby: Priceless.

Another great trip to the science museum. Hopefully all that knowledge is just sinking into her pores.

Does this freak anyone else out?

There's something just wrong about the way they use her facial expressions on the dancer's body that just seems...wrong...to me.

How Not To Be Seen

Excellent job.

Welcome Back to the Intarweb, CK

I believe there may be cable installations happening for one of our fold today, so I looked up a link especially to welcome them back.

To your right you will see my masterpiece which I call, "Bullshit on a Stick". I made it at jacksonpollock.org. You can make one too! See how easy it is to become a multi-millionaire?

Does mine have too much turquoise?

Confidential

In response to poor E, whose blog has been eaten by Blogger after upgrading to the beta version. (Apparently, you should beware before upgrading. Doesn't sound fun at the moment.)

I wrote the longest. comment. ever and blogger ate it instead of actually attaching it to your post. I will try to summarize.

The B has two teeth that are about halfway in on the bottom. There are two more coming in to match it on the top, according to her doctor after her nine month checkup. It is simultaneously thrilling to see the development and sad to see the end of that silly gummy smile.

Also, I think poor Katie's jacket was poorly tailored as well. She seems really small and there is no reason I can see that she would naturally strain buttons. I am still rockin' the white shoes and shirts, and all the people who apparently care about that grandma rule of no white after Labor Day can stick it.

Okay, that was what I tried to say. I'm out.

I LOL'ed

I don't usually laugh out loud at this stuff. There's something about the way this man orders every single thing on the McDonald's menu that just kept breaking me up.

It will cost you only one minute and 49 seconds of your life...take a chance that it will give you a bit of a laugh. Couldn't you use a laugh today?

And Lo, the Organization Did Find Them

And it was good.

I had been storing the B's downstairs toys in a couple of bins in the corner of the room, but it looked messy and it was difficult to find specific toys.

Enter this little bookcasey sort of thing full of bins, on sale at Target this week. I originally thought I'd use this in her closet upstairs for hats and socks and the little bits, but it's much better used like this. I even secured it to the wall with two screws and some picture hanging wire. I couldn't pull this thing down, so it should be very safe for B. She just doesn't have the motor control necessary to get the bins out, so I think we're good to go there as well.

The best part? The B seems to be happy with being able to see all her toys, too. I put all her favorites in the bottom bins and she's already enjoying rummaging around and taking things out. She got the book in the picture out all by herself! Now if only I could teach her to put the things she takes out away on her own.

White After Labor Day? Oh Noes!

So, almost every television reviewer on the planet is taking a shot at Katie Couric for wearing white after Labor Day.

WTF?

Seriously, are they kidding?

Katie, I wore white shoes when I took the B to the doctor today (regular checkup; she's not sick) for you. If you can rock the white, so can I.

Sisterhood.

IKEA > Mall of America

I still need to do a wrapup post for our trip to the Minnesota State Fair. You could say that when I forgot to grab the camera on the way out of the hotel room for our one actual afternoon at the fair itself, it sort of killed my enthusiasm for writing that post. I have no picture of her first carousel ride. This is not a great tragedy, but a minor disappointment that I wish I could have avoided.

Anyway. The first full day that we were there, we spent the pre-nap B time at the Mall of America. Her post-nap period was originally to be spent on the upper floors of the mall, but we decided to go to the IKEA across the street instead.

Boy, I forgot how awesome IKEA is. Bless the Scandinavian flat-pack furniture people. We got an awesome, inexpensive wok. Also, two really cool hanging storage thingies for the B's room (for when she's older and won't hurt herself on them), some other kitchen things, chair pads for the dining room, and a few other random items. We got a bunch of stuff and it was just a little over $60. It was awesome. Just looking at the stuff there, even if you don't want to buy it, is great. I wish we had one here.

Did We Miss Something?

First things first. Upon watching Dane Cook on HBO this evening, I have to ask: "Has anyone seen Dane Cook and Kyan Douglas from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy in the same room at the same time?" It appears Dane Cook is a raging heterosexual so I know it's unlikely they are the same person, but I believe the above is the sort of indisputable video evidence that even an NFL referee would approve of. They simply must be the same person. I kept waiting for Dane Cook to do a set on exfoliating, nose hair trimming, and applying hair gel from the back to the front.

Second. Who is this Dane Cook person? His special on HBO has been promoted as though everyone on the planet knows who he is, and now that it's on in the background, there are a metric ton worth of people who have turned out to see him in person. He said something about 18,000 people being in the audience, and I think that looks likely from what you can see on the cameras.

I looked on IMDB and didn't see anything that would indicate this sort of level of fame. Now it's driving me crazy. Where did the fame come from? Did we have a baby and completely lose touch with what is popular? I can't even tell if I think he's funny, because I'm too obsessed with the otherwordly resemblance to Kyan and my preoccupation with his apparent 1960's-Beatles-like level of fame.

Son of a...

We just got back from a nine hour car trip. We were home for two hours, then our power went out. I can only assume it is in solidarity with the power in Virginia. So greetings to you from my cell phone, which I am now turning off to save power.

Edit: The power came on about an hour and a half after it went out. I was asleep when it did, but the light from the hallway eventually woke me up and spurred me to get up and get the B's room straightened out. Had to make it dark again (too much light coming in from said hallway light) and start up her white noise CD. Kudos to the electric company for getting us going again so quickly.

Actually, a CK/LWC Visit Wrapup Post is in Order

Well, it's just occurred to me that I never really recapped the marvelous time we just had with the K clan when they were all in town with us earlier this week.

We spent a nice, low-key evening after their arrival, havin' a little dinner and then just hanging out. Plans were made for the next day, including a trip to the Cardinals store at a local mall.

The next day, after the usual B getting up/getting fed festivities, we headed for the mall. We visited the Cardinals store, and I also found a nice Disney store and a Pottery Barn for Kids store. Boy, did I find a few things for the B in that last store. I wish there were four Halloweens every year for all the costumes I want to put her in before she's old enough to roll her eyes at me and tell me she's too old to dress up. I got her a little fairy skirt and a butterfly headband which I plan to just randomly dress her in whenever I'm feeling festive. She seemed to tolerate it pretty well. We also witnessed a command performance of Guitar Hero, which I got no pictures of, as the B and I napped on the couch a bit while it was ongoing. It wasn't the company, I assure you. I do like the catnap with the baby, especially when she wakes up at five and doesn't take her morning nap.

We had dinner with relations of CK's, and it was just delightful to meet them all. The B did OK, although everyone left in the restaurant at that hour was treated to her cranking noises when I took her to change her diaper. Here's an idea: how about better insulation on restrooms to keep the noise inside?

The next day, Tom was able to take off from work and we had a nice, leisurely breakfast to start out the day. We decided to go to the botanical garden to see the Chihuly exhibit, so we loaded ourselves into the minivan and cruised over there.

We wore out our cameras at the garden. Additional batteries were purchased, and we continued to take more and more pictures. Here's pictures of us wandering around. Here's a load of pictures of the Chihuly glass installation. Finally, if you are interested in such things, we also saw some flowers and a silly duck fountain.

A trip to Steak and Shake was next on the docket, where I was corrected, quite cheekily, as the Brits would say. I ordered a hamburger for my mister, and got, "Do you mean a steakburger?" from the man taking the order. ::eyeroll::

We took the food home so the poor little tired baby could sleep in peace, which she did. We hung out, and things were just started to seem the same as they used to be, when our houses were fifteen minutes apart (by car, not by Star Trek transporter, which they should hurry up and invent so we can start Friday night gaming again).

The next morning, after one more visit from their son, they had to load the cars and pull out of town, only to head as far in the opposite direction as they'd driven to reach our house. It was sad to see them go, and I missed my goodbye hugs as I had a sleeping, pretty cranky (several missed naps during the visit, but totally worth it) baby lying on my chest.

Good luck in your new town, CK and LWC. It was nice to see you, and we still miss you.