Collections

Wife posted a couple weeks ago asking if other people, besides me, collect watches. Replies seem to indicate that they do, and it is also not uncommon to just HAVE them without actually wearing them. I don't collect a particular brand, like Skagen watches, which are quite nice but reaonably priced. Like art, I just know what I like and I collect them only to please myself, not to have a collection for investment purposes.

I also seem to have this interesting law book collection. It consists of quite expensive acquisitions. Though I have recently parted with some of the collection, I have purchased a few new pieces that I am likely to spend quite a lot of time examining over the next 16 weeks.

My Mind is a Scary Place

So, classes have started.
It has already been a roller coaster ride.
Being inside my head is a strange, wonderful and sometimes frightening place. A bit like Arizona real estate, all appears smooth but you never know what lurks in the darkness.

Over the course of the last 2.5 days I've had the following thoughts either in class or between classes. Of course, everything is really between classes these days, isn't it?

I hate people.
What am I doing here?
I should have been a rock star.
This is so cool!
He rocks this subject (in reference to a prof.)!
LAME
Oh my gosh.....someone shoot me now.
I am an energy law geek. I actually got that joke.
This is going to be fun!
Am I freaking insane?
LAME (again)
I hate administrative types. Please God, don't make me be like that.
Is this what higher education does to people?
How the heck am I going to get all this reading done?
I will adjust.
I should have more female professors. I don't think I like men.
Some men are OK.
Gosh there are a lot of people in this room.
Great class! This is going to be fun! (again)

Getting Lucky with My Law Books

That title didn't really come out right, did it?

What I mean is that so far I have only had to buy one real book for my classes, and I got that one used, paying only $80 instead of $119. The other three require only reproduced materials. I already have one packet - cost of $20, and will soon pick up another. The third might even only be handouts in class with no purchase price at all.

I really love books in general, but certainly don't mind not having to purchase a $100 book for each class! There is a chance I might still have to buy a statute book, but so far, every time I have, I just end up using the ones on-line and not using the book at all. This time, I think I will wait a couple weeks and see if on-line will be practical for this class or not. Might as well save myself the $40 right?

Hey - unexpected tip - buy books used if they are still in decent shape. First year I thought my books all had to be new; that I would be distracted by other's notes and highlighting. Ends up it is actually nice to see what others thought was important, and once, someone had defined many of the words in the margins - that was really nice!

How Can We Slow Down Time?

Life's changes present us with bittersweet dichotomies, don't they?

Our little boy is about to start Kindergarten - he's so excited and so ready, and he is going to do great! I know it is what is best for him, and yet, he is our little boy who will now be out in the world, on his own, where he can be hurt by people and things and situations, all beyond our control.

Going back to school for me presents similar feelings - it will be fun to be back at school, learning new things, making progress on this path I've chosen, and yet, I will miss my family since most nights I will not be home until late. I will not see the kids until the weekends. Sad.

How do we slow down the next few days so we can enjoy every moment together? Perhaps a nice trip to the beach, or a Mendocino bed and breakfast, or Disneyland! No time for any of that really. So instead, we will go grocery shopping, clean the carpets, and enjoy family time at home. Any time is a good time for Tinkertoys, blocks and playing with the doll house!

Words of Wisdom

I have few sayings posted up around my office, among the many, many pictures. One really caught my attention today. Maybe it is because school starts on Monday, and our family is about to have to adjust to a whole new routine. I'm going to miss them, and I know they will miss me. Wife is about to have to handle most things on her own 5 days and 4 nights of the week. She will definitely miss me :) Also, I really looked at my schedule to try to figure out when to read for each class. Wow. What was I thinking? So, here's the inspirational quote:

"The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it."
-Chinese Proverb

We've done two years so far, we will keep right on doing it for two more years!

More Tips for First-Year Law Students

You asked for it, you got it! More tips from the morning brain of Law School Mama! (I am feeling very super-hero-ey today: I got a call last night informing me that I'd been awarded a very nice scholarship! Yeah, me!)

My last coverage of this issue featured 5 quick tips. Let's see if I can come up with 5 more:

1) Really listen and pay attention in class. I know that seems obvious, but you will be so surprised by how many folks are surfing the net, playing games, IM-ing and doing email. This is especially true after your first year. Try not to get sucked into this. I've seen people really scramble to catch up once they realized they were half-way through the semester and hadn't really been paying attention. Some profs make sure their finals follow what they talked about very closely, so listen!

2) Nothing is a substitute for reading a case, but if you find yourself really lost, or really behind, go to Lexis or Westlaw and read the case summary. (You probably will not get access for the first month of law school.) This will at least tell you what you should be getting out of the case. Then go back and read it and see if it makes more sense, or at least skim enough so you know the basics and where to find key facts. For me, this is sort of like reading a kid's version of Shakespeare before the real thing so you know what's being said.

3) If your prof tells you HOW they want to to take notes, do problems, prepare for X, do it. Again, should be obvious. I've been in classes where people did not, and it was obvious to the prof, and to everyone else. You will learn so much more if you take the prof's advice. Sure, if the suggestions are far too time-consuming, you may have to figure out your own shortcuts, but try it the recommended way at least for a couple weeks. You may find there is value in the process.

4) Computer vs handwritten notes? Those who are experts in learning say that taking handwritten notes and later transcribing them into your computer is the best way to learn the material. You force yourself to review and process what you learned by taking the time to do it this way. As a night student who works days, there is no way I could ever find the time to do this. I take notes on my laptop during class. During my first year, we started out with about 80% taking notes on their computers, but after the first set of finals, we were probably down to 50%. I would say most of the decline was due to disappointing grade on finals. Taking away the temptation of games and surfing was the solution for some, and others got the news about handwriting and transcribing being better for learning.

5) Think of others. Help out other students when you can (within your school's honor code, of course). Remember to talk to your partner/spouse/husband/wife about her/his life. It's not all about you. Talk about things in your life besides law school. Keep in touch with your friends that are not part of your law school life. Don't push people away by being an annoying law school geek. So you can argue well, and your logic is flawless. That won't win you points with your partner or your friends. Law school is not everything - keep some balance and perspective in your life.

Good luck and have fun. Seriously. Some people complain that law school is hard and terrible and no fun. Really? How hard did you work to get in? You wanted this. You are paying for this. It's what you wanted. It should be fun! Make it fun. As someone who had been out of school for a long time, I actually think this is fun and a privilege. Not everyone that wishes to go to law school is admitted. Enjoy this opportunity you have been granted.

Unreasonable Fears?

I now have this fear of being made to watch Yo Gabba Gabba again. I know it will happen. Son loves this show. We DVR it. He will want me to watch. I can only hope I can interest him more in Lilo & Stitch or Danger Rangers first.

I can't really believe what Wife posted about the popularity of this show being a feature story in the newspaper. It can't be true! Ah, but why would she make such a thing up? I would check it out on the internet myself, but am afraid of what I might find.

I now have visions of walking up to reception desks and having the host of this show pop out at me. I'm sure he is a nice man who just wanted a job and is probably hating himself for doing this, all the while being somehow grateful he is not playing a dancing tampon or something. I'm not so sure that would be worse.

The creators probably had good intentions. They should not get stoned, play with their children's toys, then try to make a show about it.

OK, I think I'm done for the moment. If I have made any of you seek this show out to see what I am ranting about, I am truly sorry.

Good Health News

A friend of ours had a medical scare this week, and THANK GOD, all has turned out fine. Earlier in the week, well, past couple of weeks really, Wife had a medical scare. Again, all turned out fine. THANK GOD. These two things have really helped us put our priorities in perspective and feel especially grateful for our relative good health!

I was checking out a medical equipment site and realized how happy I am to not be aware of many of the devices, such as a pulse oximeter, a portable nebulizer and an oxygen concentrator. I don't want to NEED to know about any kind of medical equipment or have it become a part of our daily lives. I know if we need any such equipment, I will be happy it is even an option, but I'd rather be grateful to not need it at all!

NO Gabba Gabba

No, not even a bribe of a nice gift from reeds jewelers will make me want to watch Yo Gabba Gabba again. I am desperately hoping the kids will tire of it fast. It is not like it is violent or offensive (beyond being lame) so that I have a good reason to say, "No, you are not going to watch this." Violent cartoons? Shows with teens with sassy attitudes? No problem saying NO to those, but lame costumed characters dancing around and being repetitive? Well, that is kind of what kids do. Still, I have hope that it is only a passing phase. There are really a lot of good, educational shows out there. Son has learned a lot from Magic School Bus, Hi-5, and others. Surely this terrible mistake can't last long. Of course, I thought that about the Simpons, too.

Unbelievably Lame Children's Program

Oh my gosh. There is a new show on on NickJr that my son and daughter are crazy about. It is called Yo Gabba Gabba. I watched it with Son last night while he stayed up a bit late because his tummy hurt (later threw up in his sleep - ugh). This show was possibly more lame than Boohbah. No, not possibly. Was. Not alcohol, not incredibly nice home theater seating, not large amounts of money could make this show tolerable. In the 52 hours, I mean 11 minutes that I watched this show, I believe I lost my will to live. (It came back once I turned the TV off.) I get that kids, especially infants, who this show must be aimed at, love bright colors, silly sounds, repetitive songs, but this was insanely idiodic. I can't believe there are adults somewhere producting this show. Still, sadly, my son especially, loves it. He also loves Sponge Bob. Enough said?

I Can't Seem to Type

...or process any thoughts....my brain has been sucked out by the evil that lurks within our television set. It's too terrible to mention. It makes Barney look like a hero (and he is around our house). You won't believe it. Stay tuned....I may be getting my strength back....

10 Ways that Law School and Parenting are Alike

I was thinking this morning that law school and parenting are more similar than people might believe. Check this out:

1) No matter how much you prepare, sometimes you are going to feel terribly inadequate.

2) If you do your reading, you will feel better able to handle the tasks at hand, but you still may not know the right answers.

3) Both are challenging and rewarding.

4) In both cases, you are going to spend a ton of money.

5) In both you earn a special title, and going through the ordeal is the only way to get the title.

6) There will always be unexpected challenges that call on you to do your best, and may still shake the very foundations of all you thought you ever knew.

7) Expressing yourself in the clearest manner possible based on your audience is crucial.

8) What YOU think is the best way of doing things may not be the accepted manner and you will have to adjust and be flexible for the overall good of the task at hand.

9) Tasks frequently take way longer than you thing they will.

10) Both consume your life in ways you hadn't imagined.

Hotel or House?

What do others think about renting a house on vacation versus staying in a hotel? I was looking at a Florida rental vacation
site where you can rent homes and condos, and noted that you could rent a decent-sized house, with a pool for 6 nights for under $1000. That is certainly better than the easily $200 night hotels rooms. Of course, no daily maid service or room service, and you'd have to drive to Disneyworld (which is the only reason I would be staying in Florida), but still. Lots of room for the kids to spread out, full kitchen, all the comforts of home, without the daily chores! We almost planned that for a coast vacation this year, but it didn't work out for us due to all the unexpected events of the summer. Maybe next year :)

Random Thoughts of a Tuesday Morning

My printer does not smell like a fish processing vessel this morning.

I need new work/school pants.

Why do roots grow down and leaves grow up? I know the basic ideas behind this very useful set up, but WHY? Do they ever get confused?
(Son and I planted a bean that recently sprouted that had been a day camp science project.) What if you inverted the container, say, a cup, and held the soil in with a cap of some sort? My guess is the roots would still seek the nutrients in the soil and the leaves would still seek the daylight/air/ CO2. Might be fun to try.

I've read that Croc may not be that great for your feet even if they are really comfy. Makes me feel like less of a weirdo that my knock-off Croc hurt my feet. (Now, ones I have that are shaped a bit more like real shoes, but are the foam material - those I love!)

If people buy property to later sell at a profit, it is investment property, right? What if you buy a computer to start a business, and end up making money? Is that also investment property? (Not in the sense of "real property", of course, but in the sense of personal owership of an item?

Maybe I should eat something :)

No, really, I mean it, it's not the end of August

Yes, yes, there are already two posts on this general theme, but I know that I am onto something. I think there are some missing days that happened somewhere near the middle of July.....then we skipped to about the second week of August. Am I right? Maybe we need to do some market research on this. There might be missing days occuring all over the country, the world even, and if we were to find those days, we'd probably end up with a year or more. Is that a possible way to reverse the effects of aging, global warming and George Bush?

Ewwww....I can't believe I just typed that name into my blog. I feel like I did that day after I watched "Scott Baio is 45...and Single." I'll be going to take a shower now.

More Summer Activities Not Yet Accomplished

Yes, I know I'm whining, but I'm on a roll. It can't be the end of summer yet because we've only been to the beach once, played in the blow up pool a relatively small number of times, and not purchased any concert tickets. Heck, we didn't even go to any free summer music in the park events.

Yes, we've been to Seattle, camped in the backyard a couple times, and played on the Slip-n-Slide more than once. We've watered the yard, grown two lovely cucumbers (yes - only two and no tomatoes - I did not put in any fresh soil, compost or anything this year, just planted things in the ground - I suck), and barbecued a lot. We had a great beach trip. I'd say we're about half-way through. Does that sound about right?

What Happened to Summer?

Uh...hello...I know the calendar says August 20th, but we have not had enough sunny days yet for that to be correct. Summer cannot possibly be almost over. Nope. Not buying it. There should still be days to hop on a motorcycle, strap on a pair of Wiley X sun glasses, and hit the open road. Oh, right. The kids. OK, well, there should be time to whip out the Slip-n-Slide and cool down on some way too hot days.

I'm not so much ready to go back to school yet. I'm having fun coming home to my family, seeing my kids every day, playing after dinner every night. I'm excited to start my Environmental Law and Energy Law classes, but not so excited that it means trading off my family time.

Well, there's always the weekends. Remember, Sunday is family day. Always. No excuses. No exceptions. That's a good tip for any first-years reading this. Keep one day for your family. Always. That way, you'll hopefully still have a family after earning those fancy letters after your name.

Zoo Fun

I don't have the pictures to prove it (Wife has those - go check them out on her blog), but we had a great time at the zoo on Saturday. It was a great family day - not too hot, not too cold, kids on good behavior, everyone having fun and nobody got crazy or hurt. I realized that for our kids, the animals are not the big deals - it is the interactive events that grabbed their attention. They loved a silly (read: lame) puppet show, free stickers being given out, the goat petting area, the bird show, and getting magnets and pins of the birds that were in the bird show. I guess at a certain age, its all about interaction. Maybe we should all be more like that, and less content to just look as life is happening in front of us.

Things that Make you go Hmmmmm....

When printing out a large job on the printer at work, it should not produce a smell reminding me of my summer on the fish processing boat, right?

Just checking.

I know. Weird.

Happy to report the smell has disappeared.

Home Theater

As long as I am dreaming today, how about a home theater? I was checking out GalleryFurniture.com, now while I might not ordinarily check out Houston Furniture, when you are on the web, the world is your shopping ground!

I would love to have a house large enough for a really nice home theatre set-up. It would need rows of seats, a HUGE screen TV, no wait, a projector, a comfy carpet and cushions in case people wanted to sit on the floor, and of course, a snack bar complete with popcorn machine. Did I mention a killer sound system? No? It would need that, too. Maybe soundproofing, so movies could be cranked even when the kids were asleep.

Anyway, what do you think of these seats?



I think the gray color is really nice, classy and dramatic, and somehow more welcoming than basic black. The reclining feature looks perfect for sinking into a great movie, guaranteeing a nice couple hour escape from reality.


This site has quite a variety of furnishings, including living room, bedroom, dining room and home office decor. It is nice to browse the selection and dream about where all this fancy furniture would fit into our home! Wait - it probably won't. We'll have to get a bigger house!

Ready for the Weekend!

Here we are on a sunny-cloudy-sunny Friday, and Wife and I are realizing this is the probably the last truly free weekend before school starts. Technically, school does not start until August 27th (for me, not our big Kindergarden Boy!), but there is a decent chance I will have homework before our first class. No posted assignments for me yet, but perhaps by the time I hit the bookstore next week. It's kind of a pain when we don't get them until one or two days before the actual class. Do the professors really think we don't have lives that require planning around? Hello - EVENING student for a reason!

Anyway, I think a trip to the zoo is in our weekend plans. We've not had one since last summer, and I know we will all have a great time! Here's hoping you all have a good weekend, too! Check out Wifes' Blog later in the weekend or on Monday, and I just bet you will find zoo pictures!

A Different Kind of Relaxing

I've spent my morning dreaming of another Disneyland vacation, and figuring out how to raise the money to afford it! As I was reading message boards, checking prices, comparing hotels..etc., it dawned on me that I never even think about the availability of hot tubs at the hotel when we're heading to Disneyland. Pools - yes; hot tubs - not so much. I guess it is partly that we usually go in the summer, when sinking into a tub of hot water does not even sound relaxing, but also that "relaxing" and "Disneyland vacation" do not usually appear during the same thought process!

Oddly, as busy as we tend to be on Disneyland vacations, it is sort of relaxing - but more in the "things are right with the world" sort of way than the "lets soak in the hot tub" kind of way. Oh, right, then there's the kids :) They love hot tubs, but not really the relaxing in part as much as the splashing and testing out swimming skills parts. Relaxing takes on whole new realms once parenthood is entered, doesn't it?

A Few Rules for Life

I have a few random thoughts here. I am thinking about rules for life. These aren't big RULES that would warrant capital letters, just little ones that would be really useful. Also, these are not rules that people need to remember, they are the way life should be just because it would make life easier, better and more equitable.

1) When we have had enough of our children, animals, appliances, whatever, acting throwing up, making messes, making noise, breaking down, leaking on the carpet...etc., we should be able to make general announcements that we have reached our quota for the week and that would put an end to the offending behavior.

2) If you make a reasonable attempt to water your lawn, it should be enough to keep it green. There should be no reason to worry about the spray pattern not reaching everywhere, or watering the driveway, or measuring to see if the required 1" has been achieved for the week.

3) If one fairly large, unpleasant thing has happened in your family, such as a death in the family, or a surgery, or a chronic medical condition, that should prevent another such thing from happening for a fairly lengthy period of time. We should get free passes from such things if we've already paid serious dues.

4) Rain should happen mostly at night. Weekends should be nice and sunny. People should get at least some snow each year.

5) If you don't shop very frequently, when you do, you should be guaranteed to find a great sale on that which you seek.

I'm sure there are a lot more, but those are the ones that came to me as I watched the sprinkler water the patio, I mean, backyard tonight.

Remember Dinners Before Kids?

I think most of the moms will be with me on this little jaunt down memory lane. Remember when you and your partner/spouse/wife/husband used to get to go to a restaurant and not have to spend your time uttering such phrases as, "Use your quiet voice," "Put the salt down," "Get up off the floor this instant," and the ever popular, "Do you want me to take you out to the car?" I'm not sure I remember the last time Wife and I went out for a nice meal alone.

How refreshing it would be to go to a restaurant with nice atmosphere, an ironed tablecloth, maybe a candle or flowers on the table, and no children! Would we find much to talk about besides the children? Probably for 8-10 minutes, but then, no, but that's OK, because our life is very much about them, especially Wife's whose very job is raising them. If we talk about work, sure, I have an outside job, but hers - the kids. That would be OK though. It would be good to not have to remind a dinner companion not to try to balance the milk on the end of the fork...and frankly, if Wife starts doing that, it's her business. She can clean it up if it spills.

Oh, the Places I've Been!

Found this cool site when I was browsing a site with lots of the Real Men of Genius ads.

This creates a map of the places you've been or lived or want to go...guess it all depends on how you complete the form.

Anyway, these are the states I have lived in or visited at some point during my life. Some, I must admit, I only passed through, but still, I was technically there. So, 12 of 50..... 24% covered. Guess I still have a ways to go, though I have a feeling there are many states worth skipping!




create your own personalized map of the USA

Real Men of Genius

I remembered another of the lost "brilliant topics to blog about" this morning as I was listening to the radio. It's the "Real Men of Genius" radio advertisements by Bud Light. I have no idea why I've never heard these before the past few months since they've been around since 1999. According to Wikipedia, "Real Men of Genius is a popular long-running humorous series of one-minute-long American radio advertisements for Bud Light beer created by copywriter Bob Winter. Each sixty-second ad pays mock tribute to an "unsung hero"....As of 2006, over 100 installments in the series have been produced. Winter's campaign has since become the most award-winning radio campaign in the history of advertising."

Now, normally, I am not one to go for any kind of guy-humor, macho stunts, guy comedies..etc..but for some reason, I find these really amusing. I guess it is that the parody is done really well, and I can actually envision one of my classmates singing the songs. (You know who you are, Mr. Wish I Could Get a Law Job and Quit Working in the Restaurant Guy. Note - you will. You are totally kicking most of our *sses in law school Mr. TA, Law Review, Moot Court Guy.) Anyway, these are silly commercials with titles like:
Mr. Stadium Scoreboard Marriage Proposal Guy and Mr Cargo Pants Designer and Mr. Really Loud Cell Phone Talker Guy.

Many of these ads can be found on the web. Check out:
The Fun Times Guide for a great selection. In fact, I should bookmark it so I can go back when I'm deep into homework and need a good laugh....or at least, a heartfelt smirk.

LIfe Insurance

So, with the recent deaths in the family, it seems this might be a good idea to review our family insurance situation. I have life insurance through work for myself and Wife, though hers is not as large of an amount as mine. I also have a supplemental non-work-related policy. I think there is a bit for the kids through work, but maybe not....ah, see, then we get to "Oh my gosh, this is a horrible topic and I don't even want to think about it." We've had too much going on to have to think about life insurance, and wills. HA - there we are in good shape! At least that is one down.

Sometimes it is tough to have to be an adult and be prepared in all the correct ways.

Along those lines, today I had to be responsible and call a gutter repair guy because we have a gutter falling off our house and it is too big of a project for me (really long, really heavy, would require at least three people and a ladder...and apparently 7" gutter screws). We hope it doesn't result in us being told we have too much water damage to simply reattach the thing. It did only get bad this winter.

What else? Trees to trim. That is another adult thing with which I must deal before school starts in 1 1/2 weeks. OK - that one is manageable. *whew* Good.

Quick Law Books Question

I am getting ready to sell my used books and wondered if anyone had heard (or experienced) any good reasons to keep any case books, study guides (E&E, Crunchtime, Law in a Flash) for bar prep. (I know the pretty red and brown case books would make lovely wall decorations for a future library, but think the cash might be more useful now!) I'm thinking the case books are going, but just not sure about the study guides. I imagine they will go too since books designed for bar prep will probably be more useful for that purpose. (Our school doesn't take back study guides until after the first month, or so. Guess they don't want to lead 1L's astray from their case books, or maybe they simply don't have the space. That theory works, too.)

Thanks!

Remembered One of the Lost Inspirations!

(Please read a couple posts back if this title makes no sense.)

Ah-ha - as you will see, I am on a blogging roll and I remembered one of the topics I wanted to blog about! All this before my first cup of coffee. Impressed? I wanted to discuss how the focus of your visit to Disneyland changes after you have kids. Clearly, this would be a better post for my other blog though, so if you are interested, please hop on by my Disneyland Family Vacation blog a little later today. (Hey, I can only blog so fast!) Oh, heck, you can go check it out now, if you want! If I haven't posted on this topice yet, just bookmark it and come back later. I will get to it! Coffee is on its way!

Ever Forget What You Wanted to Blog About?

You know how sometimes you're walking around the house at the end of the day and an odd thought crosses your mind and you say to yourself, "I have to blog about that!"? Well, that keeps happening to me, but then I totally forget about it by the next morning. I bet in the past week I've had at least 3 really creative topics crop up and leave my mind just as quickly. I know I should write these ideas down, or call myself and leave a voicemail, or send myself an email, but no.

The good part of this is that I feel certain these brilliant ideas (yes, they have advanced from creative to brilliant in just 2 sentences) are floating around inside my house just waiting for me to capture them once again.

Stay tuned!

Software for Everything

Has anyone else noticed that you can get software for just about anything these days? I found one that maps our your game plan in Disneyland for you, and another that provides a countdown until the minute you leave on vacation. There are software packages for personal finances, creating business plans, creating web sites, creating books about creating web sites, creating garden plans, financial consolidation software, seeing what different hairstyles and make-up would look like on you, teaching cooking, languages, and even parenting software. I think this latter is along the lines of "how to be a better one" than "how to become one," though I'm sure there is software for that,too! (Skip the all-too-easy hardware jokes, my friends.)

What did we do before all this creative software was available? To think we used to just read books!

Getting Away

Our weekend get-away to visit Wife's family went well, and so fast! Her brother just moved to a nice, big house with lots of room for us, but it is an additional hour's drive, making the previously 3+ hour drive much more daunting. Sure, it's not like we're driving to Branson Missouri, but still, with 2 kids in the back seat, that especially on the way home we do not want to fall asleep because then they won't go to sleep on time at night, it felt like far enough!

Highlights included playing on a trampoline and swingset, not yet picked up by the former home-owners, and a 1137 picture slideshow (Brother's girlfriend went a bit crazy with our new digital camera!). Our Baby Girl could have lived on that trampoline, and pretty much did for the two days we were there. The first morning she had a complete meltdown when we wouldn't let her go out before breakfast since it was just too early. The next morning, the first thing she says to me is, "We go outside for a little bit? Me no bother neighbors." How could I resist? Let me just say, who needs coffee when they can wake up with a good work-out on the trampoline?

Changes this Summer

My, what an odd summer it has been. Deaths in the family. Almost losing my job. Weird, not-quite-summerlike weather. Last week, Casey and I were battling some sort of virus, and now, I have come down with a cold. I must say, I am quite cranky about it. The overcast days have my spirits down. Maybe if it was a beautiful day, I would feel better and could focus more on the positive, but for right now, not so much.

Seems lots of people I know have had weird summers. Wife's sister had a major surgery (all is fine - but long recovery time). A friend's husband has been unemployed for months and just recently got licensed as a realtor. They have high hopes, but I think this could end up almost as bad for his ego as being unemployed. A good friend has moved away and is in the process of buying a house and settling into a new job. My co-worker was laid off and starts a new job today that he had to "bump into" (union thing where it means the last person who had the job got bumped out of it so the senior person could have the job). Lots of changes.

Dang. This is a depressing post. Quick - 5 good things:
1) I have wonderful, beautiful, smart children.
2) My children are healthy.
3) My wife is a wonderful wife and mother.
4) My job offers me really good pay with great flexibility.
5) We had a great trip to the beach a couple weeks ago.

OK. That's better. We're off to visit Wife's family tomorrow morning. Long drive. I'm probably out until Monday. Good weekend to you all.

Advice for New Law Students

I figured, every now and then, I should write a law-related post. I often get emails asking for advice about starting law school, and sometimes I just offer it unsolicited :)

So, since I don't have a huge amount of time right now, I thought I'd offer the first 5 things that come to mind. There is a decent chance the first 5 may also be the most important.

This is advice for people similarly situated - older students going back to school, married or partnered, possibly with kids. For those young, singles, well, maybe there's a tidbit or two that you'll find useful, too.

1) Make time for your partner. Set up a date night/date morning, something. You will be going through a life-altering experience that your spouse cannot even imagine, and so will she. It's not easy being married to a law student. Not only can we be challenging to get along with, but you being in law school may bring out her insecurities. You have to keep talking to each other, and recognizing the potholes.

2) Almost no one else in your class gets "it" either. When you are feeling really stupid because you have no clue what your Con Law professor just talked about for the last hour, look around, listen as you walk out the door. No one else understood either. That's not to say that you shouldn't try to understand, just don't beat yourself up over it. You are not stupid. You should be in law school. (Almost everyone at some point tells herself she shouldn't be there.)

3) Seek Balance. You still have a life. Live it. Don't forget your friends, your family, or your dog. It is more healthy and will make your study time more effective if you take regular breaks, socialize now and then, and develop at least a bit of life outside of law school.

4) Purchase study aides before the end of the semester. Talk to others who had the class, or ask the prof what she recommends, for the best study aides for her particular class. In some classes, you may feel like you don't need them. Fine, but if you are feeling lost, pick up an Examples and Explanations (one of my favorites), Crunchtime, Emananuel Outline or other, and use it in conjunction with your casebook. Sometimes, the guide will present the material in a way that is more clear than your prof. and will really enhance the lectures.

5) Set up a study/homework schedule and stick to it. Keep up on homework - you don't want to fall behind. If you think it is hard to read 40 pages for one assignment, try doubling or tripling that. If you do get behind in reading,it is better to borrow notes, skip the reading, and stay current than falling behind while you try to catch up. For me, since I work almost full time, go to school and have a family, it is really crucial that I do the work at the planned times, because there isn't a "slush" time to do it later.

That's it - all the wisdom I have to share on this fine Tuesday morning. I hope someone finds it useful.

Digital Frames - Part II

A couple weeks ago, I posted about the totally cool digital picture frame options now available. We've been noticing more and more of them on sale in the papers and on-line. Digital Framez is an online store that has quite a few nice options. Their offerings are a variety of 7-10" digital frames in aluminum, acrylic, and two different wood tones. I really like the 10" cherry wood frame because it looks just like so many of the frames we have up in our house. I think it would be totally cool if someone were looking at one of them, and suddenly the picture changed! All frames come with a remote, so you can turn on your own slide show any time you want. I think this would be a great way to show off vacation photos, or kid photos, or whatever it is you've been photographing. Around our house, the digital camera comes out daily to record big and little events. A digital frame would be a great way to show these glimpses of our lives to friends and family.

Update - Wife the the Rescue

Thanks to my Wife, who is the more intelligent of us, I now have all of my Bookmarks back. I forgot about my computer's recycle bin. Duh. In my defense, there was a period of time that it did not work properly and was always empty, even if I had just deleted something. That was my OLD computer though, and this is a shiny new one, complete with properly functioning recycle bin.

(Hey, Baby, was I supposed to mention your superhuman powers, as well? *grin* Seriously, I may be more creative, and have more of an inclination to consider all side of any position, but were Wife to want to go to law school, she would probably kick my a**.)

Delete All Blogs? Yes. NO!!!

Have you ever not read the little warnings your computer tries to give you before you do something stupid? Apparently, I have. Friday, I was doing a bit of computer housekeeping, and was deleting a couple blogs I once bookmarked, but rarely visited. Apparently, I highlighted the entire Blog folder within My Favorites, so when I said "Yes, I was sure I wanted to delete,"......yes......you've got it......my entire folder of bookmarks of blogs - gone. Damn.

I have tried to replicate the important parts. Hopefully, I will get them back by following comment links on my blogs, and those of others.

On the bright side, I had started using that folder for everything that was currently important to me, not just blogs, so it was getting clutterd. No clutter now!

Happy Monday!

VH1 Makes Me Feel Like I Need a Shower

Apparently I am getting old, or at least, mature. When you stop laughing, read on :)

I was waiting for Casey to join me for a little Gilmore Girls on DVD the other night, and I started channel surfing. I came across some VH-1 shows that were a bit like a train wreck - I had to watch, even though it was horrific. The first (Yes, there were two, and I get that I could have changed the channel, but it is hard to look away from a train wreck.) was "Scott Baio is 45....and Single." I will admit, I LOVED Scott Baio when I was in junior high/high school. Who didn't love Chachi? So, I was curious. This was pathetic. He is still good looking, and I am guessing he sports a mustache so he looks over 21. He still has sort of a baby face. His mannerisms are all still the same, which on an 18 year-old is cute, but on a 45-year old borders on sleazy. Apparently the premise has something to do with going to a life coach to figure out why he keeps screwing up all of his relationships with women. In the episode I caught, he was in the midst of an 8-week celibacy challenge. One of his poker buddies hired a stripper to try to tempt him, but he had the decency (and cash) to pay her to just leave. That sounds really nice and upstanding, but the overall feel of the show was very degrading to women, and shows all of the worst stereotypes about guys. Scott bashes Rosie O'Donnell by telling his buddy that if his blind date looks like Rosie, the guy should stay, but if she is hot, he should go. RUDE! In a scene from the next episode, he is talking to the 17-year-old daughter of a women he is apparently quite serious about, and might be the reason for the whole life coach makeover. She asks if he's ever cheated on a woman - Yes. Did you feel guilty? No. She warns him not to hurt her mom.

So, I have no idea what Scott Baio has been doing for the past 20 years. Maybe being a TV star at a young age wrecked him, as it did so many others. He never did anything else significant on tv or in the movies, but he did crop up every now and then in a bit part. So, in a way, I can maybe feel sorry for the guy. Let's face it, having your flaws exposed on VH-1 is darn close to rock bottom. Still, this show....well, as I said, I feel like I need a shower to cleanse myself, but it gets worse.

Next up was a show that I can't even find listed on VH-1, and maybe that's because it was intended to be more of an infomercial, but it comes off as a documentary. It is about Wild Women Vacations - heterosexual couples and single women, where all the women are bi-curious or bi-sexual. Apparently this couple makes a living setting up vacations where the couples go to a nice tropical location and the women get the chance to live out their fantasies about being with another woman. The men are not allowed to participate, but apparently it can lead to some spark being put back into the marriage. Again, train wreck. Wife got drawn into this one, too. We were both struck at the ordinariness of the people shown, and in some cases, more on the weird/creepy side than ordinary. We are so used to seeing "beautiful," "perfect" people on TV that it is surprising to see someone that could be your not-so-hot neighbor. The show did not really focus on the sexual activities, and we saw no more than a couple women kissing or touching in PG-appropriate ways. Interestingly, the focus was on what each member of the featured couple was thinking and going through, and while the guy seemed uncomfortable, he really seemed to want to be supportive of his wife's curiosity. The show really made me feel like I was intruding on something private, but again, train wreck.

Next time, I think I'll stick to reruns of "Friends."

S'more Backyard Family Fun

For those of you who have already checked out Wife's blog, these are not new, but I just love these so much I wanted to share them.

Last weekend we camped out in our backyard - got out the big tent, air mattresses, sleeping bags, barbecued hot dogs, and later roasted marshmallows. What's a roasted marshmallow without chocolate and graham crackers, right? Yes, we made s'mores!

This shows me helping the Boy learn to roast marshmallows, and Baby Girl's first ever experience with s'mores. Can you see the pure joy on their faces? Fun!

5-Year Old Meets Day Camp

Our son LOVES Day Camp! We signed him up for a Day Camp run by our local school district in order to prep kids for Kindergarten. He goes for about 3 hours a day, and comes home singing new songs and showing us how to play new games. He's made a wonderful poster about his favorite pet for sharing time on Friday. (That was homework.) This is just a week-long camp, and something tells me he will wish he had more things to fill his days next week, when camp is over. This bodes well for Kindergarten. I love that he is thriving in his first venture into the world beyond our home. (Well, he did have a short pre-school session before Christmas, and that went well, but he is clearly so much more READY for school now.) It's a frightening and sad time for us, as parents, to let him out into the world, but it is also exciting, especially as we see his enthusiasm at the opening of this big, new world. Let's hope Kindergarden is all it should be for him, and the start of a childhood full of positive educational experiences.

Cell Phone Spam?
So, does anyone actually ever respond to cell phone text message spam? I am getting more and more of these, and they are really irritating. Some vendor has decided that they can use my text allotment, that I pay for, to send me messages about their great deals? They think I am going to respond in any positive manner? Seriously?

I haven't looked into this topic at all, but it seems like there should be a Do Not Call list for this sort of thing, too. Maybe the current Do Not Call Registry does apply to text messages. Someone/some computer is dialing my number.

...OK, I couldn't just leave it at that without providing answers./

From The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse: http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs2a-cellcalls.htm#1:

What can I do if I am receiving spam text messages on my cell phone?

Beginning in 2004, the federal CAN-SPAM law made it illegal to send unsolicited commercial text messages. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has compiled a list of websites to which marketers may not send unsolicited e-mail because the messages go to wireless devices. This list was compiled with the help of the cell phone carriers.

If you are receiving unwanted messages, it is important to notify your phone carrier so they can get an idea of the scope of the problem. But remember, text messages from your phone carrier regarding your account are not considered "spam" within the meaning of the law.

You can report unwanted text messages to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC cannot award monetary or other damages and does not settle individual consumer complaints, but it can issue citations or impose fines against those violating the CAN-SPAM Act, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the National Do-Not-Call Registry, and the FCC's related rules.

You may file a complaint with the FCC by:
E-mail : fccinfo@fcc.gov Online : www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html Telephone : Voice (888) CALL-FCC, or (888-225-5322) TTY (888) TELL-FCC, of (888-835-5322) Mail : Federal Communications Commission Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Consumer Inquiries and Complaint Division 445 12th Street, SW Washington, DC 20554

----
So, there you have it :)

Here are the results from one of those fun quizzes.
Thanks to Patti_Cake!

You Belong in 1981

Wild, over the top, and just a little bit cheesy. You're colorful at night - and successful during the day.

What Year Do You Belong In?

And that was so fun - here's another:

Your Element Is Earth

You excel at planning and strategizing.You could be a champ at chess or Survivor. Well grounded, you are able to be realistic and rationalize.On the inside, you have a hard core. It's tough to phase you. You are super productive, and you are able to think anything through.Focused and super charged, your instincts are a good guide for your next step.

What's" Your Element?

Random Friday
No, this is not yet a regular feature....but maybe it will be. I do get a lot of random thoughts passing through my mind and there is no good reason I should not undburden myself, I mean SHARE MY THOUGHTS, with you.

I'm at work now, and am the only person here. I've been here for an hour. This is not a particularly interesting observation yet, but stay with me. Does it ever occur to others in situations like this that you could crank your music and have it blasting throughout the office? Again, maybe not so interesting for those working in a small office. I work at a major university in a decent-sized building, so the thought of blasting some Melissa Etheridge throughout the Administration wing/Dean's office area kind of amuses me. (I'm really easily amused.)

I did not realize until quite recently that not all coffee pots brew coffee at the same temperature. At one end of the hall, thre is a coffee pot from which I can easily drink coffee just moments after it is brewed, but at the other end, it is damn hot immediately after being brewed. Painful lesson. (Yes, I realize I should not drink directly from the pot.)

Shout out to Nikk who is at the end of her first week at a rockin' new job! Hope it was a great week! Check your email.

Hey - someone else is here. I am no longer alone. That's what the voices keep telling me, anyway.

Did the US President really sign an executive order this week that essentially strips all meaning from our Constitution, renders our justice system meaningless, and spits in the face of the ideals upon which our country was founded? Check out the story here. Why do we have to get news of what is going on in our country from other countries?

Well, where can I go from there? I'll just leave you all to ponder.

What's a blogger to do?
Blog more! I've mentioned this before, but isn't the blogging phenomenon amazing? Millions of us are pouring private and not-so-private information out there into the blogosphere, waiting to be read by anyone who happens by, and anyone we've actually encouraged to read our ramblings. Many, many, many of us now have virtual friends, known only through their blogs, that we check in on daily, or at the very least, weekly.

Lots of companies have caught onto this wild wave and are paying us crazy bloggers to blog even more, and they help us out by providing a topic and a little incentive cash. Cool deal, yes? One of the companies I have signed up with is PayPerPost. I am excited to have been accepted by them, since if you research the topic of getting paid to blog, you will see they are considered the most reliable "pay you to blog" companies and the one with whom people are really making some money.

Now, as I have also mentioned, I won't write about a topic I have no interest in, or promote a product I think is trash. I feel like I owe people who spend their free time reading my blog the decency of being honest. Anyone can write pretty much anything on any topic, but I believe that word of mouth ethics, being honest about what I am passing along, is important. So far PayPerPost seems like a straight-shooting company, asking for honest reviews, and I've read only good things about their reputation and payment policies. So, I am excited to give them a try! Wife and I have already bought a new camera with blogging dollars and I would love to save up for a Disneyland vacation! Keep reading, and I'll keep writing!

I'm a photo slacker
The new camera we got has resulted in a lot of great new photos - beach shots, trips to the Water Resource Center, our fish hatchery outing, painting and more. (Wow - we've had a busy week or so!) Since I am a slacker when it comes to posting these wonderful shots, taken mostly by my wife, I thought I would just post this reminder to check out the photos from the past week on her blog.

Enjoy!

Mayonnaise sandwich anyone?
You know how some people eat cheese sandwiches - just cheese and mayo between two pieces of bread? Kind of a typical kid lunch item, right? Others like bread and butter, not as a sandwich, just as a snack or side dish. Our Baby Girl has taken a liking - a BIG liking - to what she has termed "mayonnaise sandwiches." Mayo on bread is really what this is. She will pick the soft part of the bread, the part with the mayo on it, out of the slice and eat only that part, leaving the crusts behind. She LOVES it. Not exactly a great start to condiment preferences in life, but what are you going to do? Next week, she'll be onto something else.

Growing up, I remember instead of bread with butter with a meal, my dad liked bread with Miracle Whip. We were a Miracle Whip family. (Mom liked Mayo, but always got Miracle Whip since it is what Dad liked.) I still prefer Miracle Whip, but we buy both since Wife likes Mayo. Every now and then I test the kids to see which they prefer. So far, Boy prefers Miracle Whip and Baby Girl likes both, but requests "Mayonnaise sandwiches."

Disneyland blog up and running :)
So, I am having fun with my Disneyland Family Vacation blog. It is fun to relive the memories of past vacations and dream of our next Disney adventure. We've only been to Disneyland, but someday, we do plan to visit Disneyworld, in Florida. It sounds so huge and wonderful - and like we'd need at least 10 days to do it all. The Disney resort hotels look so fun down there. I love hotels! It would also be fun to have an Orlando vacation home. That would make visits to Disneyworld much more frequent, and affordable, and real estate is generally a good investment. Something to consider someday!

New Shoes
Ever since she was, I don't know, 16 months old, Baby Girl has loved her Crocs. OK, they are cheaper knock-off shoes, but they look the same. She is comfortable in them, and gets them on the correct feet, and they are cute, so we have indulged her. She occasionally puts on a pair of "princess" shoes (party dress shoes), or cute sandals, but the ones she really wears are her Crocs. She has assorted colors. This weekend, she actually picked out a non-Croc pair of shoes to buy. We were at the Bass outlet store, she saw some shoes, and had to have them. She tried on two different colors and was in love with the brown ones with pink trim....they look a bit like a bowling shoe to me. I am sure they have a fancy name that I just don't know. Anyone who knows me knows I know nothing about fashion. We bought them since it is the first time in MONTHS that she's been interested in anything other than Crocs. Wow - next thing you know she will be picking out hiking books, Air Jordan high tops, or high heels. I will draw the line at high heels on my two-year old.

Taking the time to breathe and appreciate
I was in a bit of a cranky mood yesterday, had been dealing with a headache all day long, and then was short with my son when he got out of the bathtub and ran all over the house without drying off (for at least the 50th time in the past month, it seemed). My wife reminded me that he is only 5 and can't remember everything we tell him. He's still little and sometimes my expectations are too high. She was right. I need to step back a bit and breathe sometimes.

I used to know this, and practice it really well. I used to give new moms the advice about just enjoying your baby all you can, even when tired or cranky or not really in the mood to enjoy. I used to be great at living in the moment and appreciating what IS - right then and there. Then I started law school, and much of my former patience was worn thin. That's not fair to my son, my family, or me. I'm going to work on that.

Blogging for Dollars
Yes, yes, I am doing some blogs for money. Call me names, make me feel cheap, say I sold out, then hear about the awesome that we bought with the money we've made from getting paid to blog. Check out the increase in my traffic. As I have mentioned before, getting a few bucks to work in a key phrase while still writing in an honest way about my life seems like a great thing. It makes me write more, which makes me a better blogger and gives my readers more to read. A lot of companies have found it pays to do blog advertising and I am happy to help them while they help me. Win-win-win situation all around, from my perspective. I may never make huge bucks doing this because even though I like to get paid to blog, I do not want to turn this into a review site because frankly, I wouldn't be that interested in a lot of the review opportunities out there. I'll do some though, if I can find a way to relate it to my life so that it keeps it interesting for me and for my readers. For instance, Smorty.com is a company that pays people to blog. I have done a few assignments for them - such as the one about the chair lifts, and was able to relate it to what Casey and I have been going through with our parents. Smorty has been a good company to work with so far - and paid within two weeks, actually less. If you are interesting in getting paid to blog, you might want to check them out.

Need a Part-Time Truck
Well, what I really mean is that we need a truck occassionally, but hey, a car that could be a truck sometimes seems like a good idea, too! We have an SUV and a Scion xA. Love them both. With all the rain we get, and all the stuff we often haul with us (stroller, toys, laptop computer, diapers...etc.) having an open-bed truck makes very little sense. Sometimes though, you just need to haul stuff. A nice pick-up with a truck bed liner would be ideal for taking things to the dump, bringing lumber and sand and a barbecue home from Home Depot, taking the lawn mower in for service, picking up great deals at garage sales..etc. I have a friend who has a neighborhood truck that about 3 or so friends went in on so they can all have use of it whenever. Seems like a good idea to me! I thought Flexcar might resolve the problem, but ends up the closest pickup for use is about 20 miles away. Hardly convenient. Well, fortuantely, you can get a heckuva lot more in the back of a Suzuki XL-7 than one at first suspects!

My New Blog - Disneyland Family Vacation

Hey friends, a couple years back, before law school started, I had a great website. It was all about creating the perfect Disneyland family vacation - lots of tips, ideas, money saving strategies, and ways to have fun during all phases of your Disneyland vacation. I had also written an e-guide and was doing testing via this site. The guide got great reviews, but I never made it available to the public since law school started and that was the end of my free time.

Well, I'm going to try it again - sort of. I've decided to blog about my dreams, stories, and travel tips regarding Disneyland. I hope to use this as a forum for generating new ideas and soliciting feedback in order to rewrite my ebook, which I now see could be even better than it was. (Maybe law school is paying off already!)

So - love Disneyland? Check out my new blog!

You will find it here: Disneyland Family Vacation

Cute T-Shirt:
I saw this recently on a toddler-sized T-shirt -
Warning: I do all my own stunts

That is SO both of our children! Daredevils through and through, without the age and widsom to make them fear anything. Ugh! Our couches have become trampolines, climbing structures and cliffs which to dive off of without use of parachute or bungee cord. They also double as tents and forts. We allow this, with some safety limitations - both for the kids' sakes and that of the structural integrity of the furniture. I think we need some very attractive, but industrial grade home furniture that could handle what our kids can dish out!

The Ideas are Always Flowing...
Wife and I are continuing our quest for more funds. I'm looking into options for selling hard copy and ebooks. I think she should make her blog book suitable for sales - I think it could be really comforting for a lot of stay-at-home-moms. I love writing, have lots of ideas, but always seem short on time.

We've recently started his blogging for money thing. Between the two of us, I think we're getting close to the $100 per week mark, which for our family, really makes a difference. We both stick to topics we can write in a genuine manner about, or we don't do it. For me, it is really increasing my consistency of blogging, which I think is a good thing.

I've come across a couple other ideas I'm exploring. We used to have a pet gift basket site, back before kids. We had great information about pets, and sold gift baskets with items for both pets and their people. One major glitch for a lot of folks wanting to start an online business is figuring out how to set up a shopping cart, so customers can buy their products.

Fortunately, there are a lot of companies offering ecommerce software. One company is Ashop.com.au - it offers full hosting, shopping cart services, tech support, and so much more. When you first start researching how to start an online store, there is so much to consider, but a company like this one has thought through so much of it for you that it leaves you time to be creative and worry about other things besides store set-up. Even though there are free and low cost services out there, these are rarely easy or work well. It is worth paying to have ecommerce services done quickly, easily and correctly.

I like that Ashop is set up to accept coupons, do gift certificates,and has its own affiliate program built in. They also have online movie tutorials, which makes setting up your storefront, and all related features much easier than trying to read it in text format. Ashop has different price levels to meet basic to more advanced needs. Considering all the features and services they offer, I would definitely consider them if I was about to set up an online store again.

Back from the Beach!
We are back from a great trip to the Oregon Coast! We went to a beach we'd never been to, Rockaway Beach, and had better beach access than ever before. The beach was just down a short path from the hotel. Now, I know a lot of places say "short path to the beach" and they are not short. This was MAYBE a 20 foot easy path, not steep, not rocky...and the water was right there.....not another 100 yard hike. So perfect! Our room was oceanfront - with a private deck - a separate bedroom (2 queen beds total) for getting the kids down early - a kitchen area and was very good sized. I could handle it being a bit cleaner, with linens and pillows that felt less "used" (skin crawling now, right?), but the view sure made up for the few shortcomings. We had an unbelievable sunset the first night. There was clearly a bear in the clouds. :) See pictures at Wife's blog. There are likley to be lots of beach stories and photos on her blog for the next several days. We took a TON of photos, especially since we have a new camera to experiment with - fun!

Anyway, great weather and lots of splashing around and digging in the sand with the kids. Just what we both needed!

Kids and Balls
What is it about balls that attracts kids like flowers attract bees? As you may have read in my wife's blog, we like to shop while on vacation. We love looking at the local art, nicknacks, T-shirts - anything that we can't easily pick up at home. (Of course, it's not easy to browse with children, but we keep the dream alive - always believing it will be easier than it is.) We tell the kids we will not buy them the things we could easily get at home. Fortunately, tourist traps often carry an assortment of cook kid stuff in addition to adult things. You've probably never seen polished rocks for sale by the velvet pouch-full at the local Walmart! That's great stash when you are a kid...and I kind of like them, too. *grin*

While on vacation, we did end up at Fred Meyer to pick up a few grocery items and some sunscreen. We went to look at toys, which of course, are the same as back home. It never fails, one of the many items that attracted the Boy's attention was the ball aisle - golf balls, baseballs, softballs, footballs, and his favorite, this time, ping-pong balls.

"No, honey, we already have enough balls at home."

He settled on a Transformer to add to his current collection of three.

Baby Girl got a small Care Bear.

Well, at least they couldn't easily bounce them against the walls of the hotel!

It shouldn't all be about money...
...but sometimes it feels that way, doesn't it? We just spent a bunch of money at the beach, and there is always something coming up that requires more money. Law school is like that. My tuition alone will be just under $100K and then considering books, living expenses, transportation...all of that...I'm looking at $150K in loans. UGH!

Once you pick yourself up off the floor, please continue reading....

Eventually we will be looking into school loan consolidation. We already get a lot of calls at the house, and as soon as we tell them I still have two years left, they say they will call back closer to my graduation. Sooner than I expect though, it will be time to listen to those callers and figure out how to evaluate a consolidation program. Do I use the company who most of my loans are through, or another company? I am sure there will be no shortage of companies willing to have me pay them interest for 10 years. I don't know if certain companies offer better incentives if you have on-time payments for X number of months, but I am guessing since the original loans do, consolidation loans might, too. Does anyone have any experience with consolidation loans? My parents and me, via summer jobs and scholarships, paid for my undergrad education, so I didn't have to think about this stuff back then. Thank goodness they have such programs though since the individual payments would really add up to some very unrealistic payments! Guess we have some time to shop....never know what will be being offered by May of 2009!

Vacation!
Well, generally I prefer to plan and dream and work on the vacation experience for a while so I can savor the experience. This week though, I am just ready to escape to the beach, and my family is so on board they were willing to leave early without me! We leave Sunday for Rockaway Beach on the Oregon Coast. It it near Tillamook, as in the cheese. If you have never been on their factory tour, you have missed possibly one of the most boring and disappointing tours of all time. It could be so good. It is not. Anyway, we are staying at a place someone recommended to my wife. Their prices were more reasonable than many and, they had oceanfront rooms left! No point in going to the beach if you can't see the ocean from your room is my philosophy. Wife's best friend will be there during the same time - totally a coincidence - so how great is that?

So, I expect to be out of communication until next Thursday, unless this place has unadvertised wireless access. I'll be wishing you all a safe and relaxing weekend.

One Day at A Time
Remember that show from the 70's? Fun show. That's not what this post is about.

It has been a really long week. How is it only Thursday? My dad has only been gone for three days. Somehow it seems longer ago that than. Time is really distorted right now. Casey's mom has been gone for 2 months yesterday. That seems like a lifetime ago in a totally different world, and in some ways, it was. Weird how such emotional experiences twist our sense of time.

I know I have been more physically and emotionally drained than I really ever remember. I guess I was pretty exhausted after the births of our children, partly because of a long labor (first child) and because both ended up in the NICU for a few days. That had such joy attached with it too, though, so was different. Generally by lunch time, I’ve about had it and just need a nap. Not that I get one, because I am at work (no paid bereavement leave), but I have gone outside to rest in the sun a bit each day. By the time we get the kids to bed at 7 or 7:30, I am so happy to pull the blinds, turn on the TV and veg out watching The Gilmore Girls with Casey. There is a certain comfort in watching this familiar show we've watched together for years. It's like hanging with old friends. Hey - we take comfort where we can!

Inappropriate snacks
What is it about putting a bowl of dry Premium dog food on the counter that makes others, besides the dog, think that it is theirs to eat? Each night, by bedtime, we set out the dog food in their bowls for the next morning, plus the cat food bowls, a can of cat food, and our own vitamins, juice glasses and bowls for the morning. (Not all mixed together - we do have some standards.) This makes functioning in an efficient manner in the morning much easier, which is good since I get up at 5:00am.

(Also, before you judge, this is a big counter, so that when you are on one side of it, it almost feels like you are not even in the kitchen anymore. It doesn't seem so bad putting the dog food up there.)

It may be unrealistic, but I expect the dog food to remain in the bowls until I give it to the dogs. However, at least one of our cats, and I suspect others, have a different idea. They think it is great that I've set out these snack bowls for them, and will pick out pieces to messily munch on top of the counter. At first I was not sure how dog food was getting out of the bowl, especially since these are big pieces and the only cat that generally gets on the counter is teeny-tiny 7-10 lb Taz. Surely this dainty creature would not eat huge dog kibble. Wrong. I saw her do it the other night. Went right to the bowl and started snacking.

"No! Don't leave dog food crumbs on the counter, and, if I were you, I wouldn't let the dogs see me eating their food!"

Well, at least Baby Girl has mostly stopped snacking from the bowl. That had happened a few times, too. Just too much!

Female Trait, Male Trait, or Simply Human Trait?
Again, thank you all so much for the wonderful support you have been sending my way. I truly appreciate it - and it is so heartwarming to see both the names of people I know, and those of new friends. Technology truly is making ours a small world, isn't it?

As might be imagined, with my dad's passing, I have been contemplating grief lately - my own, those of my family, people in general. The last time I visited my dad I read the book hospice provided about their services and the grieving and mourning process. I'd never really considered that there were two different things going on there, but they defined them and at the time, it made sense. Now, I'd have to go do a Google search to refresh my mind, or to educate my loyal readers. Oh, OK......I'm back....a quick search tells me that grieving is the physical/emotional feeling of the loss and mourning is how those feelings are expressed. That sounds reasonable, although the hospice book had a better definition. Anyway, I was thinking about how I've heard my family talking about the grieving process - "crying," "letting it out," "allow yourself to feel," being "OK" and it was surprising to hear some female members of my family saying they've never felt free to really lose control and just cry - ever. I think as a society we generally think of this as a typical male approach, but maybe that's not so. Maybe many females, of all generations, have also accepted this idea. Though, I will say, there was at least one expression of if they ever allowed themselves to totally let go they fear not being able to come back. So, maybe from a female perspective it is less a fear of looking weak than of not being able to regain control and independence if they give in to such powerful emotions.

I know from my own perspective, it it difficult to admit when I need support and am not OK. It is such an ingrained reaction: "How are you doing?" "OK." Overall, considering the situation, that is true. I am OK - but sometimes it is less true than others. I have a great friend who has been a wonderful support during all of this, calling me at all the most crucial moments, thanks to Casey's blog, and she lets me be NOT OK. I don't know if it's hard for all women, or most, or just some, or if it's the darn overpowering testosterone that Casey claims makes me have some fairly annoying male tendencies, but even with this friend, it is often hard to admit I just need a friend to talk to. So, in the patten of men bonding over a football game or fishing trip, I call her for "no reason." We talk family, jobs, inconsequential things like wardrobe size, stables, range hoods , and drinking in Mexico. Not much is said - a lot is said - it makes a world of difference. We all need support, whether or not we want to admit it, or know how to ask for it. Thank God I have a supportive family and a friend who will talk to me about "nothing."

My Dad
As most of my loyal readers (and Casey's!) know, my dad passed on to another phase in his soul's journey yesterday morning. Although in some ways the past three months since his cancer diagnosis have gone by quickly and it doesn't seem like we had much time, as his family, we are relieved that we knew the end was coming so we could spend the last bit of time with him and say goodbye. We are also relieved that he went as quickly as he did, and did not linger in pain. It's so weird, how an immenent death brings people together to spend the quality time with each other that maybe they should have before the person was dying. I've gone all around with this one in my mind. Sure, there is some guilt that I didn't try harder to know my father once I become an adult, but I know it is misplaced and useless. Mostly I can reconcile this with knowing that when we were both healthy, it was both of our responsibilities to make the relationship better, but once he was unable to get out of bed, I was the only one that could do anything, so I did what I could. If I was dying, I know I'd want my children around me, and I know he appreciated me visiting and being around until the end. It was good for us both. (Please note, we did not have a "bad" relationship, just not a well-developed one.)


This is my dad, about a year ago, with the kids and me. It's not exactly the way I remember him, since in my mind he'll always be younger, and not have the stiff posture of his last several years since breaking his neck, but still, it is Dad:






My dad was a huge Johnny Cash fan. During his last days, whenever I was in his room, I played a Johnny Cash CD that I'd brought in from my car. I'm not much of a country music fan anymore, though I have had my phases. This is a CD I enjoy though, and bought sometime in the past year mostly because it reminds me of my dad. It's a great CD called "The Legend of Johnny Cash" and it spans his entire career. I know he would have liked it, and I hope it gave him comfort as he was preparing to leave. I know it comforted me, since it reminded me of listening to Johnny Cash with my dad when I was a kid. Johnny and my dad are inextricably linked in my mind, something about the music and the powerful voice and personality, and some other essence that I never will be able to explain, nor do I need to.

I found a video of Johnny Cash from the mid-90's. I wish I could post it here, but since I can't, here is the link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=OP_r03gxrqs

If you've got an inkling that you might enjoy a short Johnny Cash song, listen in on this, and send out some good thoughts for my dad, wherever he is now.

Kids and sleeping
Those things need to go better together than they do around our house.

Some families have kids that sleep through the night practically from birth. Not ours. Our five-year-old still wakes up in the middle of the night. That part is actually good, because it is usually to go to the bathroom, and then, more often than not, crawls in bed with me. By that time, Wife has gone into Baby's room because she is awake and wanting to nurse, which if she had her choice, she'd do all night long. I have had conversations with Baby Girl about this behavior. The conversations are about how big girls do not need to nurse at night and they need their sleep, and so do mommies. She usually compromises at babies need to nurse "little tiny bit." Good thing she is adorable!

Funny the way kids sleep all over the bed, first one direction then another. We, as parents, tend to make their sheets and covers all nice and neat around them, tucking them in so they appear neat and cozy. Then, soon, the covers are thrown off and the child is diagonal across the bed, sleeping all over the stuffed animals and blankets in a way that does not look comfy at all. We spend time and money on color-coordinated, nice fitting kids bedding, but sometimes I think they'd be just as happy with a pile of pillows and assorted baby blankets thrown in the corner. That is about what they've been taking into their tent in the backyard these days, and I must say, it is quite comfy! A couple days ago, I laid in their tent with them on this pile of comfy stuff, and we watched the clouds go by. It was very peaceful.

Longing for the Ocean
Here's a question for you - is Puget Sound part of the ocean? Are the San Juan Islands in the Ocean? I will say "yes" to both. The ocean water flows in and around each, so they do qualify.

Anyway, as many of you have noted, Casey and I have had a rough time lately. We are both emotionally and physically drained and in need of some rejuvenation. Why didn't we invest in a nice piece of real estate on the ocean, or in the Islands, several years ago? Then we'd have our waterfront retreat to escape to at times like this. We didn't think we had the money back then....back when we both had jobs and a fair amount of discretionary income....but compared to our single-income life now? We had the money. OK, maybe not for waterfront property, but you know, one wise investment, and we could have turned it over for a profit and bought up from there.....Nice to dream.

Well, we will certainly be getting up at least very near the San Juan Islands in the not too distant future, as that is where we will be scattering my dad's ashes. No matter where that ritual happens, my dad will always be very much a part of the San Juan Islands, and I have no doubt his spirit will visit there often.

Thanks for the thoughts
Wow. I was so moved by all the support from our cyber-friends. I know many of you are loyal readers of Casey's blog. It was so nice of you to drop by to offer your thoughts and wishes at this tough time. I really appreciate it. As of tonight, my dad is still in this world, physically, at least. Spiritually, we are pretty sure he has mostly checked out, perhaps stopping by his body every now and then to see what's happening. I tell you, in his body is not where I'd want to be right now if I was him either, so I hope he's not there much. He seems mostly like he is sleeping very peacefully - and has not been truly conscious for 5-6 days now. My sisters, my mom, and his long-time woman-friend (he and Mom have been divorced for over 20 years) have all had our chances to spend time saying final things that needed to be said, and saying goodbye. We've taken our turns moistening his lips, applying skin care products to the dry patches on his face, holding his hands and playing music for him. Can you ever be ready for what comes next? Maybe not, but I guess I am as ready as can be and it is clear he is not really alive anymore, his body just hasn't quite caught up with that reality, yet.

Again, thank you all for your support.

Nikk - Casey says it's not creepy that you are stalking us through our blogs unless you never post anything. So, you have to come out of hiding and throw in a smart *ss comment every now and then, OK? Thanks, pal.

The Circle of Life Sucks
It finally really hit me on an emotional level yesterday - my dad is dying. I've known this for a while now, but yesterday on my way to visit him at his new home at a hospice facility, it just suddenly seemed very overwhelming. My wife, who just went through this with her mom, had said I'd soon understand what she was going through. I'm thinking I did not need to understand. Yesteday, as I was leaving our house, promising the kids I'd be back soon so we could have 4th of July fun, I felt like I should be taking flowers or pictures or something to make his room more "homey." I was just so sad and felt so helpless. I started crying and soon my son grabbed some paper and Pens, declaring he would make some pictures for me to take. He made a great drawing, and so did our baby girl, and my wife printed out a nice family picture and put it in a frame for me to take. My dad was sleeping when I arrived, and I decorated his room for him - or maybe for me, for my sisters, and for the nursing staff so they will know he has family that loves him. It's weird thinking how I'll be bringing those things home in less than a month, maybe within a week. Hard to know with these things. Anyway, I've not been that close with my dad since I was a kid, but still, this sucks.

The sweet smell of vacation...
is rather sadly lacking from our lives this summer. Lots of folks are on vacation this week. Work is rather empty. Traffic is light, which is nice. With all the job drama, and various extended family issues - first Casey's mom, and now my dad - it has been really hard to plan a get-away. We still hope to do something in August, but in the mean time, we are enjoying our own backyard. We've been enjoying a lot of barbecued meals, eating outside, playing on the swingset (kids, not adults), and in the blow-up pool (kids and adults. OK - one adult mostly - me!) It's nice to let the kids run around and burn off their energy, especially since the temps have been moderate. Our hot weather is starting though. It may get 90 today, or tomorrow, anyway. Soon we'll be saying, "It's too hot outside." When I get hot I try to remember that if I was in Disneyland, in the same temperature, I'd be soaking it in and loving it. So, very few complaints will be heard from me.

So, it's local fun for now, but you can bet I will be dreaming about the day when we can pack up our Samsonite luggage, and go on a REAL vacation!

Chandeliers
Isn't that a weird word: chandeliers? Happenstance. That's weird, too. Conundrum. That's weird, too, but I like it. Ever notice how if you repeat a word too many times it loses it's meaning? Pick a word and try it.

See?

Remember the episode of Rosanne when she and Dan are stoned and keep repeating their child's name: DJ. Deeeee Jaaaaaay.....Deeeeeeee Jaaaaaaay.....Deeeeeee Jaaaaaaaay. It lost all meaing for them. You don't have to be stoned for words to lose their meaning though. Just repetitive, and in an odd mood.

OK, here's a tidbit for you - I have never been stoned. It's true. Last quarter I had a fellow law student come up to me and say, "You know when you are stoned and you.....blah, blah, blah? I agreed, because I did know what she was talking about. I later thought how I had kind of misrepresented myself, but it wasn't like me pointing out that I'd never been stoned would have helped her make the point she was trying to make, plus she seemed kind of embarrassed. I didn't want to make it worse. Anyway, apparently I don't need drugs to achieve an altered state. My wife tells me my mind is a scary place pretty much all the time. No point in adding to the confusion!

Indoor plants and other stuff I don't have time for -
Plants make a home really nice - pretty, green, doing the whole carbon dioxide-to-oxygen thing, adding a touch of nature, alive...well, maybe not that part. Seems like since having kids all of our plants have..uh....gone away. We still have three that are barely hanging in there. A couple fell victim to curious baby hands, some just didn't get enough water/food/attention, and truthfully, our current house is not well set up for plants. The sunny locations are in front of windows that do not have room near them for plants. My plant at work does pretty well. It sits in front of my window and I always remember to water it because it is part of my morning routine as I ease into work without doing any real work. Home - not so much the same.

Do you think anyone has come up with silk trees that purify our air, yet? The fake ones - those we could maintain - as long as they don't need dusting or other cleaning. On the other hand, with all the animals, and the kids, one never really knows what will take a beating in our home and what will be ignored. Ah, it is a new adventure everyday!

Cooking with Toddlers
How fun is it when your babies start getting big enough to "help" you cook? Pretty darn fun! Yesterday Baby Girl and I decided that her new pretty pasta that is shaped like flowers would be a good thing to cook for dinner for her and her brother. (Wife and I were having barbecued steak!) "Me help cook," says the girl, grabbing the stool so she could climb up on the counter. I helped her up, sat her on the counter and got out the new box of pasta.

"Do you want some of these before they are cooked?" I asked. Of course, she did. So, I gave her a few to play with and she put them into her new Dora and Diego paper bowls. I went about my business of filling a pan with water, turning on the stove, getting out salad makings while the water was getting hot, and finally put the pasta into the boiling water.

"Mine too." Baby Girl hands me her bowl.

"You want me to cook your pasta in my pan?"

"No, cook in bowl." Apparently she thought the Dora bowl would make good cookware.

"No, we can't cook in this bowl. We have to use Mama's pan, but you can eat them out of your bowl when they are cooked."

That made her happy, and we didn't even run through the nearly endless session of "Why?" that has become a regular part of our routine.

It was simple. No big deal, but fun - just me and my daughter cooking together. Wow. I've hardly ever called her my "daughter." She's always been "the baby." She must be growing up. That's somehow happy and sad all at the same time. She is becoming such a fun-loving character, and I do mean "character." Hard to believe not long ago she was a clingly, shy introvert. Ah, she is coming into her own.

The purpose of life
Wow. That is a heavy topic start a Monday morning with, and me, without even having had a cup of coffee! What am I thinking? I heard something on the radio this morning, I don't even remember what, but it was about how we think about people. What do people think of us, how have we affected people, what will people remember about us when we are gone?

I used to think it was important to make a BIG mark in the world. Part of me still thinks that, but ultimately, does that even really matter? Sure - if you invented electricity or indoor plumbing, OK, that was really important for the world, but most of the big marks get erased before long and what is left? I came to the conclusion that we are here to have fun and make others happy.

How's that? Life is about having fun. Sure, it would be nice to be a great _____ "fill in the blank," to be rich, to have a luxury home, a vacation house on the beach, money to spoil your family and friends, and even to support lots of good causes, but is that what life is about? That could be part of it, but if you aren't having fun, laughing with people, loving your family and friends, what is the point? Hanging out on the luxury yacht alone won't be much fun. Telling your cat about your big win won't be particularly rewarding. Big success and financial gain is great, but hanging out in your backyard with a bottle or two of wine, your wife and a few good friends has more meaningful rewards.

So - message for the day - relax and have fun!