Monday, March 28, 2005

Irony 

On Easter Sunday, we went to the zoo.

There are always signs posted at the zoo warning visitors "Don't feed the animals." Unfortunately, there aren't any signs warning "Don't kill the animals.




On her way up the zoo's driveway, Misty ran over this squirrel.

Friday, March 25, 2005

The answer is out there, Nemo, and it's looking for you 

As we were returning from lunch this afternoon, Misty put on my sunglasses and asked, "Do these make me look like Nemo from The Matrix?"

Ned? Ned Ryerson! 

This has got to be the weirdest documentary I've ever heard of.

Thursday, March 24, 2005

Who says that one is the lonliest number? 

There is cupcake mushed into my sleeve and the front of my shirt.

This is why:



Emily just had her birthday party at day care.

And as if cupcakes and push-up pops weren't enough excitement... They're having an Easter party tomorrow at day care where there will be cheeze puffs, ice cream, and God knows what else. We're celebrating on Saturday with a birthday party for the family with more cake and ice cream. Sunday is Easter, so that means Peeps. By Monday, Emily's head is likely to explode from all the sugar.

If hers doesn't, mine surely will.

Look for more photos soon on Emily's blog.

Monday, March 21, 2005

Emily's progress report 

Emily went to the doctor on Friday — finally for a checkup instead of a problem. It had been three weeks since her last doctor's visit, when her ears were again/still infected, and she hasn't been showing any signs of being sick since. Of course, Dr. French found a small bit of infection in one of her ears. She didn't know if it was residual left over from the last infection or a new one just starting up. So, Emily gets to visit an ENT tomorow to see about getting tubes put in her ears. She's been taking a new antibiotic since Friday, though, so hopefully her ear will have cleared up by tomorrow, and she'll avoid any further unpleasantness.

Although she turns a year old on Thursday, Emily still isn't walking. We're not concerned about it — just waiting for it to happen. Her teachers at daycare tell us that she's been letting go of support and standing on her own more often. It's a little disappointing that I rarely see her do so, but I'm sure I'll get plenty of opportunity soon enough.

Emily has been progressing in several other ways, too. If we ask her, "How old are you going to be? Are you going to be one?" she'll hold up one finger. Actually, she looks like she's pointing when she does it, but she's got the general idea. She also responds to "Where's Emily's nose?," "Where's Mommy's nose?," etc. by pointing to the nose in question. Or, at least, she starts in the direction of a nose, but sometimes she ends up getting her finger in her mouth instead. But again, she's got the general idea.

Pattycake and peek-a-boo have become favorite activities. It's so cute watching her play peek-a-boo because sometimes she'll put her hands over her eyes, sometimes over her ears, and sometimes over her mouth. It's like see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. Yesterday morning, while she and I were watching Higglytown Heroes, I said something about the pizza dude (actually, he's the pizza "guy," but I call him "pizza dude" because I've seen "The 'Burbs" too many times) who appears in every epidode. At my comment, Emily promptly put her hands on her face. It seems that "pizza dude" sounds like "peek-a-boo."

Emily's best accomplishment, though, is learning to be gentle with the dogs. Previously, she's enjoyed grabbing hold of their fur and attemping to put it into her mouth. Mango and Buttons have, for the most part, tolerated this behavior, but they've tried to circumvent it by avoiding Emily altogether. Now that she's learned to pet them gently, they've really warmed up to her (or maybe it's because she throws so much of her dinner on the floor). Emily loves the dogs, and you can tell she's proud that they've become her friends.

Sunday, March 20, 2005

Sending things to Earth... maps... feelings... 

Despite my vow that I'd just play one game (which turned into "just one more," then "just one more," etc.) I found myself playing Katamari Damacy for almost three hours yesterday while I tried to reach the eternal stage for the moon. Today, I discovered a level beyond the moon, however.

Once you finish the game, go to the marker for the end credits. While the credits scroll, you can roll your katamari over the earth, picking up the countries.

It's hard to stay oriented because the earth doesn't turn on a fixed axis and will rotate in any direction you roll. It's helpful to know something about geography since you'll have to pick up the smaller countries first, and as the camera slowly pans back, it gets harder and harder to tell what you're doing.

I managed to pick up 179 countries, including some pretty big ones like the U.S., Canada, China, and Antarctica, but the king told me I was still "almost there."

On the cutting-edge of technology 

Breaking news from the Mobile Register: Teenagers are using instant messenger as a convenient way to keep in touch.

The list of acronyms at the end of the article is quite amusing.

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

I feel the cosmos 

As I drove home today watching the street signs, telephone polls, safety cones, and other cars whiz past, I couldn't help but imagine them all being rolled into a giant ball.

That's right — I'm addicted.

I've got that trippy theme song stuck in my head, too.

Thanks to Cap'n Ken for the recommendation.

Tuesday, March 15, 2005

Life is random 

It came! I got my free iPod Shuffle!



So here's confirmation that the promotion is indeed legitimate. I've even received my $20 gift cards for Lowe's and $20 gift cards for Circuit City for corresponding offers I completed.

Hopefully this will diminish skepticism, because now I want more. I'm excited about working toward some of the other promotions like those for a free 20 GB iPod or a free flatscreen TV.

I have been noticing, though, that several people have signed up under me for free iPod shuffles, free game systems, free designer handbags, etc., yet very few have actually completed an offer in order to receive credit.

As such, I thought it might be helpful for me to explain how to best go through the process and what can be tricky about it.

Friday, March 11, 2005

TiVo sways toward the Dark Side 

Dear TiVo,
I know I told you to record The Apprentice after The O.C. last night, but was it really so important that you had to change channels before the Revenge of the Sith trailer ended?

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

Alarm clock 

"It's hard to say what it is I see in you. Wonder if..." <bzzzt>

Damnit! That sure didn't start off the day on the right foot.

Friday, March 04, 2005

Bright Blue Dot 

This is a nifty idea in response to all those "W The President" stickers.




Not as funny as the "F The President" stickers, but at least less obnoxious.

Yet another reason I'm going to Hell 

Owen makes an interesting argument regarding divorce and adultery. I certainly don't agree with his position, but it's worth reading, nonetheless. My curiosity is of a logistical nature — if you accept premise A, then you must also accept conclusion B.

I know his post is more than a month old, but I just came across it today.

Thursday, March 03, 2005

Slowly making progress 

After a little more than a month, the status of my free iPod Shuffle has finally changed from "processing" to "sent to vendor." I'm anxious for it to arrive not only so I can play with it, but also so I can provide concrete proof to the skeptics (and even myself) that these offers really work. Maybe then I can make more headway in some of the other offers I'm participating in (see "shameless promotion" at right).

I can at least say, though, that I have received my $20 Lowe's gift card, which I paid $1 for. So even if you have so few friends that you can't find three people to sign up so you can get the free Shuffle, you can at least sign yourself up, fill out the Complete Home deal for a buck, get the $20 gift card, and cancel your membership. iPod or not, you still come out $19 ahead.

* I've completed my referrals already, so signing up via one of the above links gives credit to my mother-in-law, who is only two referrals away from getting her own free iPod Shuffle — which she will not use, but will instead give to Misty.

Wax on, wax off 

It doesn't look like Elisha's latest movie is going to help my cause any more than her last one.