So I have been posting Internet memes and videos and crap like that for a while, and not telling you anything of substance. Sorry about that.
Well, 2009 is off to an odd start. Following the layoffs at work, I've been given extra duties to help carry the weight. Which is fine, I guess, but since right before the layoffs, they froze wages and raised our health insurance, I basically took a pay cut and am doing a lot more work. But I have a job, and a good one at that, so I can't really complain.* Also, some of my new duties are way better than the old ones. Like the Illustrations.
See Here and Here
So that's cool. Truthfully, since illustration is my actual background, if they want to steer me that way a little more, I'm just fine with that. People around here seem to like what I've been doing, so keeping me around in that capacity is definitely a possibility.
In other news:
Do you guys remember the argument clinic skit on Monty Python? That pretty much sums up our everyday dealings with Jackson these days. Three is definitely the new Two when it comes to pushing boundaries. Anything we say to Jackson is immediately met with contradiction. A friend suggested that we offer choices instead instead of just telling to do something, like do you want to wear this coat or that coat, so that it's hie decision, we get "I don't wanna wear a coat!"
Time outs and the like just make him laugh, and neither of us are willing to use physical punishment, because we both know from experience that it doesn't work. That doesn't mean we don't loose our tempers from time to time. I've wanted to throw him out the window on several occasions, and one night last week, we had to take him to his grandparent's house so we could get a break. He's still a total sweetie, and the awesomest, smartest kid I know, but I sure hope he grows out of this soon.
Jen may start watching a boy almost Jackson's exact age two day a week, so maybe that will distract him a little.
Joseph, on the other hand is being totally awesome. He started really walking in earnest this week, and I am getting a lot more exercise chasing him around the house. He friggin' fast!
Um... That's it.
-JP
*The old punker Jason is screaming inside right now.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
RIP #6
Patrick McGoohan has died
Jan 14, 2009, 01:29 PM by Ken Tucker
Categories: '60s mind-blowing, Television
Patrick McGoohan, the man who embodied hope over despair in the coolest way imaginable in the 1960s cult TV classic The Prisoner, has died--he was 80 years old.
The Prisoner was a British TV series that aired in America starting in 1967. Only 17 episodes long, The Prisoner was a strikingly original show about a former British spy who wakes one morning to find himself in a psychedelic fantasy-land that's not all candy and sunshine--it's a combination British village/futuristic prison, and McGoohan's character was stripped of his identity and known only as "Number Six." McGoohan (who'd starred in an earlier spy show, Danger Man, which was titled Secret Agent in the U.S.) had the rugged good looks and clipped accent that leant The Prisoner a gravity its giddy alternate-worldliness might otherwise have lacked. Number Six's famous cry, "I am not a number, I am a free man!" became both a counterculture catchphrase as well as an anguished plea for freedom. The Prisoner was James Bond for acid-heads, and McGoohan's straitlaced image made his small-screen version of a hip spy all the more appealing.
McGoohan also appeared in many films, from Ice Station Zebra to Braveheart, but for TV fans, he'll always be The Prisoner.
Jan 14, 2009, 01:29 PM by Ken Tucker
Categories: '60s mind-blowing, Television
Patrick McGoohan, the man who embodied hope over despair in the coolest way imaginable in the 1960s cult TV classic The Prisoner, has died--he was 80 years old.
The Prisoner was a British TV series that aired in America starting in 1967. Only 17 episodes long, The Prisoner was a strikingly original show about a former British spy who wakes one morning to find himself in a psychedelic fantasy-land that's not all candy and sunshine--it's a combination British village/futuristic prison, and McGoohan's character was stripped of his identity and known only as "Number Six." McGoohan (who'd starred in an earlier spy show, Danger Man, which was titled Secret Agent in the U.S.) had the rugged good looks and clipped accent that leant The Prisoner a gravity its giddy alternate-worldliness might otherwise have lacked. Number Six's famous cry, "I am not a number, I am a free man!" became both a counterculture catchphrase as well as an anguished plea for freedom. The Prisoner was James Bond for acid-heads, and McGoohan's straitlaced image made his small-screen version of a hip spy all the more appealing.
McGoohan also appeared in many films, from Ice Station Zebra to Braveheart, but for TV fans, he'll always be The Prisoner.
I lost 7 lbs in 3 days! Ask me how!
It's called: Debilitating Stomach Virus! Horay!
I woke up Saturday night, I guess actually early Sunday, around 2:00am and started throwing up. Around 4:00 it started coming out of the other end, and this went on until yesterday. I had some pizza last night and that was the first solid food I'd had since dinner Saturday, which I threw up, so it doesn't count. ugh.
I woke up Saturday night, I guess actually early Sunday, around 2:00am and started throwing up. Around 4:00 it started coming out of the other end, and this went on until yesterday. I had some pizza last night and that was the first solid food I'd had since dinner Saturday, which I threw up, so it doesn't count. ugh.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Don't worry, I'm fine
Tulsa World announces layoffs of 28 employees
It was a hard day yesterday. Some really awesome people were let go.
-JP
It was a hard day yesterday. Some really awesome people were let go.
-JP
Friday, January 02, 2009
Year in Review 2008
And what a year it has been.
In 2008:
-I turned 33
-Saw a lot of good movies based on comics, and a few not so good ones.
-I obsessively followed the Election, which not only made history several times over, but both renewed my faith in humanity while simoultaniously destroying it.
-I finally got on board with LOST. A friend lent me a copy of season 1, and Jennifer and I couldn't stop watching until the end, to the point where we would cancel plans to watch LOST.
-I put my kids back in daycare, only to take them out again after only 2 months.
-I realized that daycare sucks eggrolls.
-I helped Jennifer nanny for a sweet little girl who later ended up dead under mysterious circumstances. (not because of us)
-I had to deal with an ex-stepfather's death.
-I did not attend his funeral. I sort of... dealt from afar.
-I had to put my cat of 7 years down.
-I only went to Denver once. Sorry, guys.
-I did, however, host many more people in Tulsa than ever before. Thanks, guys.
-I was severely dissapointed by Stephen Spielberg and George Lucas. Again.
-I helped Cody and Grace (seperately) move to Tulsa. YAY!
-I watched a shit ton of weird drama develop around Jennifer's step-brother.
-I watched Jackson Turn 3, and Joseph turn 1.
-I watched Jackson come to terms with actually having a little brother. Well, start to come to terms with it.
-I got really pumped about the 2009 movie schedual, especailly for Watchmen and Star Trek.
-I doodled a lot at work on my desk calendar:
In 2008:
-I turned 33
-Saw a lot of good movies based on comics, and a few not so good ones.
-I obsessively followed the Election, which not only made history several times over, but both renewed my faith in humanity while simoultaniously destroying it.
-I finally got on board with LOST. A friend lent me a copy of season 1, and Jennifer and I couldn't stop watching until the end, to the point where we would cancel plans to watch LOST.
-I put my kids back in daycare, only to take them out again after only 2 months.
-I realized that daycare sucks eggrolls.
-I helped Jennifer nanny for a sweet little girl who later ended up dead under mysterious circumstances. (not because of us)
-I had to deal with an ex-stepfather's death.
-I did not attend his funeral. I sort of... dealt from afar.
-I had to put my cat of 7 years down.
-I only went to Denver once. Sorry, guys.
-I did, however, host many more people in Tulsa than ever before. Thanks, guys.
-I was severely dissapointed by Stephen Spielberg and George Lucas. Again.
-I helped Cody and Grace (seperately) move to Tulsa. YAY!
-I watched a shit ton of weird drama develop around Jennifer's step-brother.
-I watched Jackson Turn 3, and Joseph turn 1.
-I watched Jackson come to terms with actually having a little brother. Well, start to come to terms with it.
-I got really pumped about the 2009 movie schedual, especailly for Watchmen and Star Trek.
-I doodled a lot at work on my desk calendar:
Happy new year, everybody!
-JP
Monday, December 29, 2008
A letter to my second son on the day after his first birthday.
Joseph,
Holy crap you are one year old already. What a year it has been. When I first met you, your mom was having a scheduled C-section. I was a little less worried and strung out than before, but only a little bit. Your C-section went a lot more smooth that your brother's did. The weird thing is that even though you two look very different to me now, when they pulled you out and handed you to me, I got a weird look on my face, like that dog looking into the gramophone tube in the old RCA ads because you looked EXACTLY like your brother did when he came out. The first words you heard me say were to the doctor: "Hey, didn't we already had this baby?"
Then we spent a few days in the hospital, which also went smoother due to the absence of a really bitchy nurse, and the fact that at that time you were so like your brother that we knew what was in store. Jen was a much more confident mother because she wasn't new to it any more, and during the last few years, the "mom" part of her personality has come front and center, and isn't likely to go anywhere. We spent our time in the hospital watching movies on the laptop rather than endlessly worrying that we were going to make horrible parents. At Your mom, being the tough girl that she is, wanted to go home long before they let us.
In this last year, you have made it very clear that those early similarities were to end very quickly. You are more daring that your brother, more hands on, and oh, so much louder. You sleep better. Not great, but nothing like Jackson's first year. You became very mobile very quickly. In short, you became your own person so fast that the constant comparisons to your brother that we all initially made soon became moot. You have a different fire in your eyes, and I can tell that you will be the devious one. You will also be the funny one. Children will get in trouble around you due to your actions, but you will be safely to the side, watching.
Because you came out looking just like your brother, we assumed you'd look a lot like him, and you do, but you also have green eyes and curly reddish hair. Where did that come from?
I love that you try to bulldoze all of your brother's belongings in that Joezilla way you have, and how patient Jackson is with you, saying: "He's just little, and still learning," when he sees that his train set in now in pieces on the floor.
I love that every time I pick you up, you go straight for my glasses, and usually succeed, which is why my glasses are hopelessly disfigured and scratched up now.
I love that look you get when you are trying not to laugh. Like you could hide anything from me.
I love that you crawl so fast, and with such determination that you sometimes run right into the wall.
I love how you always want to get into boxes, drawers, and buckets. And then just sit there.
I love that you look so much like your mom.
You are a good boy, Joseph, and I love you. Happy birthday.
-Dad.
Holy crap you are one year old already. What a year it has been. When I first met you, your mom was having a scheduled C-section. I was a little less worried and strung out than before, but only a little bit. Your C-section went a lot more smooth that your brother's did. The weird thing is that even though you two look very different to me now, when they pulled you out and handed you to me, I got a weird look on my face, like that dog looking into the gramophone tube in the old RCA ads because you looked EXACTLY like your brother did when he came out. The first words you heard me say were to the doctor: "Hey, didn't we already had this baby?"
Then we spent a few days in the hospital, which also went smoother due to the absence of a really bitchy nurse, and the fact that at that time you were so like your brother that we knew what was in store. Jen was a much more confident mother because she wasn't new to it any more, and during the last few years, the "mom" part of her personality has come front and center, and isn't likely to go anywhere. We spent our time in the hospital watching movies on the laptop rather than endlessly worrying that we were going to make horrible parents. At Your mom, being the tough girl that she is, wanted to go home long before they let us.
In this last year, you have made it very clear that those early similarities were to end very quickly. You are more daring that your brother, more hands on, and oh, so much louder. You sleep better. Not great, but nothing like Jackson's first year. You became very mobile very quickly. In short, you became your own person so fast that the constant comparisons to your brother that we all initially made soon became moot. You have a different fire in your eyes, and I can tell that you will be the devious one. You will also be the funny one. Children will get in trouble around you due to your actions, but you will be safely to the side, watching.
Because you came out looking just like your brother, we assumed you'd look a lot like him, and you do, but you also have green eyes and curly reddish hair. Where did that come from?
I love that you try to bulldoze all of your brother's belongings in that Joezilla way you have, and how patient Jackson is with you, saying: "He's just little, and still learning," when he sees that his train set in now in pieces on the floor.
I love that every time I pick you up, you go straight for my glasses, and usually succeed, which is why my glasses are hopelessly disfigured and scratched up now.
I love that look you get when you are trying not to laugh. Like you could hide anything from me.
I love that you crawl so fast, and with such determination that you sometimes run right into the wall.
I love how you always want to get into boxes, drawers, and buckets. And then just sit there.
I love that you look so much like your mom.
You are a good boy, Joseph, and I love you. Happy birthday.
-Dad.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Christmas is coming.
And there is nothing you can do about it.
We, like everybody else in the free world, are taking it easy this holiday season. No trips, few gifts, and only taking the time off that work will take away if we don't.
Jackson is getting an expansion for his train set, and a few odds and ends, but nothing outrageous. Joseph would be happy with a ball of tinfoil, so we got him a ball of tinfoil. Kidding.
He's getting some lovely age-appropriate stuff. We promised to make a bigger deal about his birthday than Christmas, but it's hard with all the lights and whatnot.
Speaking of: Holy shit, Joseph is almost a year old! Time really flies. He's an awesome kid, so very like his brother in appearance, but unlike him in personality. Joseph is way more loud, and tends to destroy more than he creates. He is happy way more than he is sad. He is also huge. He can fit into 12 month stuff, and freely swaps clothes with his cousin Zane, who is 17 mo. He is in the 98th percentile for height, but 50th for weight, so he is not fat at all. He's just awesome:
My mom will be coming here for Christmas. She wanted us to go down there since we stayed here for Thanksgiving, but we chose not to do that, and here is why: Jennifer and Myself are both latch-key kids, meaning that holidays were more about travelling from this house to that in bad weather than anything else. As we got older and started dating, it just got worse, because then you had to go to all of those houses too. So I put my foot down. I did so much travelling throughout mu life for all of my relatives that now it is there turn. My kids will open their presents in their own house Christmas morning. If you want to be there, that's great. We'll work out Thanksgiving, but Christmas is ours.
So there.
-JP
We, like everybody else in the free world, are taking it easy this holiday season. No trips, few gifts, and only taking the time off that work will take away if we don't.
Jackson is getting an expansion for his train set, and a few odds and ends, but nothing outrageous. Joseph would be happy with a ball of tinfoil, so we got him a ball of tinfoil. Kidding.
He's getting some lovely age-appropriate stuff. We promised to make a bigger deal about his birthday than Christmas, but it's hard with all the lights and whatnot.
Speaking of: Holy shit, Joseph is almost a year old! Time really flies. He's an awesome kid, so very like his brother in appearance, but unlike him in personality. Joseph is way more loud, and tends to destroy more than he creates. He is happy way more than he is sad. He is also huge. He can fit into 12 month stuff, and freely swaps clothes with his cousin Zane, who is 17 mo. He is in the 98th percentile for height, but 50th for weight, so he is not fat at all. He's just awesome:
My mom will be coming here for Christmas. She wanted us to go down there since we stayed here for Thanksgiving, but we chose not to do that, and here is why: Jennifer and Myself are both latch-key kids, meaning that holidays were more about travelling from this house to that in bad weather than anything else. As we got older and started dating, it just got worse, because then you had to go to all of those houses too. So I put my foot down. I did so much travelling throughout mu life for all of my relatives that now it is there turn. My kids will open their presents in their own house Christmas morning. If you want to be there, that's great. We'll work out Thanksgiving, but Christmas is ours.
So there.
-JP
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
A dead cat and The Christmas Train
So for those of you who didn't know, Audrey the cat died. She had stomach cancer. She is sorely missed.
Now that we have that out of the way, on to The Christmas Train.
The Christmas Train sounds like a great idea in theory. Some movie company made a wild west town outside of Pryor, OK some time in the '80s. When shooting was done, a church bought the land and turned it into a western themed summer camp. During the holiday season, they decorate the place with lights and all that and turn it into a Victorian/Cowboy Christmas theme park, complete with a vintage train that actually still runs on steam. Fair enough. The kids should like it.
One of the things they keep talking about in all of the Literature is the true meaning of Christmas, and how one might learn of such during the train ride. In my mind, the "true meaning of Christmas" conjors up all sorts of imagery that mostly involves Charlie Brown and his sad little tree. This was not the case.
All seemed well and good after the hour and a half car ride. Grace and Zane were there to keep us company. Everything was quaint and charming. The main problem we had was that the tix we had, (which aren't for the train itself, only for entry into the complex) were for 6:00 and the boys hadn't eaten yet. We thought about eating first, but Jackson was so gung-ho about riding the train that his exuberance superseded hunger. The night was terribly cold, and we spent a long time getting everybody bundled up. We make it into the complex, and it is very cute. We see the boarding area for the train, having to first check the strollers. The line moved slowly and the kids were getting cranky. Finally we board the train. It's a snug fit. Everybody is wearing extra clothes due to the cold. Jackson is as excited as can be for the train ride. The conductor even yelled "ALL ABOARD!!" like he was in it to win it. The train gets rolling. There is steam and a whistle and everything seems perfect.
A few minutes into the ride, as we were riding through a tunnel decorated with hanging Styrofoam planets and stars and a lovely space mural, a gigantic, loud, booming, Darth Vader voice comes over the PA system....
"IN THE BEGINNING, GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH!!!"
Almost every kid on the train lost their shit. The crying was loud, but not as loud as the magic voice. The rest of the twenty minute train ride, we chugged past painted murals of the story of Jesus, and in a few thematically important areas actors portrayed the events live. Joseph and Zane were calmed my hand-feeding them kix cereal, but Jackson just sort of stared out the window. Until I hear him say: "Daddy, what are they doing?", and I look out the window to see a bunch of guys dressed as Romans nailing a guy to a cross in a pretty graphic way. Um... our kids are all 3 or under. We don't really need blood and scary voices and violence with our theme parks, thank you. We got back to the station and they lead us all into a theater where they wanted us to watch a movie. After a collective "fuck that", we left and went to get some food. Jack played on their playground while the girls want to get the strollers, and on to some really expensive and extremely mediocre food. As the boys' blood sugar raised, attitudes were improved. We had as semi-lovely a meal as we could in a cafeteria setting. Then Disaster #2 struck. As we were getting read to venture back out into toon town, Jackson got so excited at the prospect of seeing Santa, he peed himself. Boys will be boys, but we did not have an extra outfit on hand as we usually do. So much for sitting in Santa's lap. Time to go home. All I could find in the car to put Jackson in, were a pair of his brother's pajama pants, which looked like bicycle shorts once I got them on him, and a pair of my socks. Lookin' sharp, Mr. Powers. Joseph cried the whole way home, and Grace had to feed him raisins and jingle her keys for over an hour.
So....the verdict: If it had been warmer, and if we had eaten beforehand, the old west town would have been pretty cool for the kiddos. There were pony rides and a merry-go-round and and arcade and Santa, so they would have enjoyed that. The Propaganda Train, however, we would not do again. I'm all for the Story of Jesus and all that, but for goodness sake, ease the kids into Romans and nails and raising from the dead Zombie style. That shit can wait until they don't believe in Santa anymore. Which I also thought was odd. They make a big deal about the true meaning of Christmas, but then want you to spend $15.00 on a picture of your kid with Santa. Hmmm....
-JP
Now that we have that out of the way, on to The Christmas Train.
The Christmas Train sounds like a great idea in theory. Some movie company made a wild west town outside of Pryor, OK some time in the '80s. When shooting was done, a church bought the land and turned it into a western themed summer camp. During the holiday season, they decorate the place with lights and all that and turn it into a Victorian/Cowboy Christmas theme park, complete with a vintage train that actually still runs on steam. Fair enough. The kids should like it.
One of the things they keep talking about in all of the Literature is the true meaning of Christmas, and how one might learn of such during the train ride. In my mind, the "true meaning of Christmas" conjors up all sorts of imagery that mostly involves Charlie Brown and his sad little tree. This was not the case.
All seemed well and good after the hour and a half car ride. Grace and Zane were there to keep us company. Everything was quaint and charming. The main problem we had was that the tix we had, (which aren't for the train itself, only for entry into the complex) were for 6:00 and the boys hadn't eaten yet. We thought about eating first, but Jackson was so gung-ho about riding the train that his exuberance superseded hunger. The night was terribly cold, and we spent a long time getting everybody bundled up. We make it into the complex, and it is very cute. We see the boarding area for the train, having to first check the strollers. The line moved slowly and the kids were getting cranky. Finally we board the train. It's a snug fit. Everybody is wearing extra clothes due to the cold. Jackson is as excited as can be for the train ride. The conductor even yelled "ALL ABOARD!!" like he was in it to win it. The train gets rolling. There is steam and a whistle and everything seems perfect.
A few minutes into the ride, as we were riding through a tunnel decorated with hanging Styrofoam planets and stars and a lovely space mural, a gigantic, loud, booming, Darth Vader voice comes over the PA system....
"IN THE BEGINNING, GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH!!!"
Almost every kid on the train lost their shit. The crying was loud, but not as loud as the magic voice. The rest of the twenty minute train ride, we chugged past painted murals of the story of Jesus, and in a few thematically important areas actors portrayed the events live. Joseph and Zane were calmed my hand-feeding them kix cereal, but Jackson just sort of stared out the window. Until I hear him say: "Daddy, what are they doing?", and I look out the window to see a bunch of guys dressed as Romans nailing a guy to a cross in a pretty graphic way. Um... our kids are all 3 or under. We don't really need blood and scary voices and violence with our theme parks, thank you. We got back to the station and they lead us all into a theater where they wanted us to watch a movie. After a collective "fuck that", we left and went to get some food. Jack played on their playground while the girls want to get the strollers, and on to some really expensive and extremely mediocre food. As the boys' blood sugar raised, attitudes were improved. We had as semi-lovely a meal as we could in a cafeteria setting. Then Disaster #2 struck. As we were getting read to venture back out into toon town, Jackson got so excited at the prospect of seeing Santa, he peed himself. Boys will be boys, but we did not have an extra outfit on hand as we usually do. So much for sitting in Santa's lap. Time to go home. All I could find in the car to put Jackson in, were a pair of his brother's pajama pants, which looked like bicycle shorts once I got them on him, and a pair of my socks. Lookin' sharp, Mr. Powers. Joseph cried the whole way home, and Grace had to feed him raisins and jingle her keys for over an hour.
So....the verdict: If it had been warmer, and if we had eaten beforehand, the old west town would have been pretty cool for the kiddos. There were pony rides and a merry-go-round and and arcade and Santa, so they would have enjoyed that. The Propaganda Train, however, we would not do again. I'm all for the Story of Jesus and all that, but for goodness sake, ease the kids into Romans and nails and raising from the dead Zombie style. That shit can wait until they don't believe in Santa anymore. Which I also thought was odd. They make a big deal about the true meaning of Christmas, but then want you to spend $15.00 on a picture of your kid with Santa. Hmmm....
-JP
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Fighting kids, a job gained and then given back, a sick cat, and another death.
Where oh where to begin?
Okay. About a month and a half ago, Jennifer was offered a job managing a foundation started by the church we attend which is also where Jackson used to go to school. They couldn't pay much, but it was only part-time and the boys could be looked after on-site and for half price. Sounded awesome, and in a lot of way it really was. Jennifer wouldn't have a massive gap in her resume, we would get some extra cash, and the boys would be going to a pretty decent school. This is not exactly how it turned out.
The job part was fine, except that the retired pastor who ran it, and is getting on in years a little, turned out to be a bit of a Flibbertygibbet. A good man, and an excellent pastor, but a bit unorganized and scatterbrained. Jennifer is very left-brained. Disorganization in something she's being paid to maintain makes her want to beat up bags of cats. This, however can be dealt with.
What happened in the school turned out to be more trouble than it was worth. First off, Joseph has been sick every single day since he started going to school. First a cold then a crazy eye infection that looked like that disease coal miners get, then another cold, and a chronic cough that he still has.
Second off, Jackson started acting out. A lot. It started slowly, with a little more defiance than usual, but escalated into hitting and fits which is so not like him, and regression in his potty-training. I won't get into that. During all of this, he started saying some weird things about his class, like how he doesn't like being choked*, and saying that he didn't want to go there anymore. When Jennifer looked into this, it turned out that Jackson was being terrorized by another little boy in his class. This other kid's mom was getting a divorce from the kid's step-father (he's only three, and already has a step-father) who was pretty abusive, if you take that time he punched her in the parking lot as ant indication. So that kid was taking it out on Jackson I guess. They talked to the mom about the whole thing, and she was completely unaware of the situation, and was very upset about it, and agreed to go to some family counseling. Which is all fine and good on one hand. It's not really that kid's fault his parents are messed-up, and he'll probably settle down after the divorce and all that. On the other hand, fuck that kid. He's beating up Jackson, and that can't happen. So we gave it a couple weeks. On Tuesday, Jackson and the other kid got into a fight over a match-box car. When the teacher finally got there, Jackson was choking the other kid, who had just bit Jackson on the chin pretty good. That was kind of the last draw. We decided that this would be their last week there.
When Jennifer went in to quit her job, she explained that the good was not outweighing the bad any longer, and that she would be happy to work from home until they found a replacement, and suggested that she could work from home permanently if they would go for that. Well the good news is that the board members were all for it, saying that there was nothing preventing this, but the pastor was decidedly against it, saying he wanted someone on site as much as possible. So we will see how that shakes out. Hopefully the board will get there way and Jennifer can work from home, which seems likely because it will be a very difficult position to fill. Cross your fingers. Next week, everybody is home, so things should settle down.
On to the sick cat. I realize that this will may cast me in a bad light, but because of the boys, pet ownership has become less practical. Having two rambunctious boys, a cat and two small. obnoxious dogs was becoming way too much. Over the summer, My aunt's cat Lady, whom she'd had for years and years died. She was wanting a new cat, but didn't want a kitten, and wanted a cat that could get along with her son's two dogs. My cat Audrey fit the bill pretty good. So after a little discussion and a but of a cry, I gave her my cat. About a week ago, I get a call that Audrey wasn't eating and had dropped to 7lbs from her usual 12. My aunt has had numerous trips to the vet, and after an ultrasound, there seems to be a blockage of some sort in her small intestine. The pulled out a chunk to send to the lab so they can see if it is a virus, and infection or cancer or what. Those results will be here in a few days. I feel really bad about it. I gave my aunt a sick cat, and she just went through loosing a cat and now she may have to do it again. And she's paying all of the vet costs. And I miss my cat. I had her for almost 9 years. Bummer!
Now for the really freaky story. Remember the little girl Jenn used to nanny for? The one who's mom worked at the massage parlor? That little girl died last week. She was just about to turn 2. On Friday, Jennifer saw an odd message on the girl's sister's mySpace saying "RIP my baby sister" and a pic of the girl. Jennifer and I started investigating, and we found a death notice in the paper from the Sunday before. Jennifer called around to no avail, but ended up going to the funeral, which happened to be that day**. Once there, more questions were raised than answered. The "official"story Jenn got from the mom is that while at their current nanny's place, the girl started coughing up blood. They got her to the hospital where they thought she had a tear in her esophagus. When they operated, the girl had some kind of heart failure and died.
Everyone thinks this is bullshit. There were all these bruises and scratches all over her face that the mom said were from the tubes they put in, which is bunk. I guess the story has changed a few times. I had one of our reporters call the medical examiner, and they said that they had to do a more involved autopsy because they couldn't figure it out. That report takes a few months. The cops were equally confused. The whole thing was sketchy and weird.
It sucks because we really liked that girl, and Jackson still asks about her. We still find some of her toys around from time to time. She was messed up, but curious about everything and very sweet. And this whole thing could have probably been avoided by removing the kid from the circumstances. The mom had already had two kids taken away from her. Just before Jenn stopped watching the girl, she and the girl's weekend nanny were concerned enough about the girl that they called DHS. DHS said that nothing life-threatening had happened to the girl yet and unfortunately, there is no law against being a shitty mother.
There sure as hell should be.
-JP
*Yeah, WTF?
*8Ask Jenn to fill you in on the Funeral. It was a spectacle in itself.
Okay. About a month and a half ago, Jennifer was offered a job managing a foundation started by the church we attend which is also where Jackson used to go to school. They couldn't pay much, but it was only part-time and the boys could be looked after on-site and for half price. Sounded awesome, and in a lot of way it really was. Jennifer wouldn't have a massive gap in her resume, we would get some extra cash, and the boys would be going to a pretty decent school. This is not exactly how it turned out.
The job part was fine, except that the retired pastor who ran it, and is getting on in years a little, turned out to be a bit of a Flibbertygibbet. A good man, and an excellent pastor, but a bit unorganized and scatterbrained. Jennifer is very left-brained. Disorganization in something she's being paid to maintain makes her want to beat up bags of cats. This, however can be dealt with.
What happened in the school turned out to be more trouble than it was worth. First off, Joseph has been sick every single day since he started going to school. First a cold then a crazy eye infection that looked like that disease coal miners get, then another cold, and a chronic cough that he still has.
Second off, Jackson started acting out. A lot. It started slowly, with a little more defiance than usual, but escalated into hitting and fits which is so not like him, and regression in his potty-training. I won't get into that. During all of this, he started saying some weird things about his class, like how he doesn't like being choked*, and saying that he didn't want to go there anymore. When Jennifer looked into this, it turned out that Jackson was being terrorized by another little boy in his class. This other kid's mom was getting a divorce from the kid's step-father (he's only three, and already has a step-father) who was pretty abusive, if you take that time he punched her in the parking lot as ant indication. So that kid was taking it out on Jackson I guess. They talked to the mom about the whole thing, and she was completely unaware of the situation, and was very upset about it, and agreed to go to some family counseling. Which is all fine and good on one hand. It's not really that kid's fault his parents are messed-up, and he'll probably settle down after the divorce and all that. On the other hand, fuck that kid. He's beating up Jackson, and that can't happen. So we gave it a couple weeks. On Tuesday, Jackson and the other kid got into a fight over a match-box car. When the teacher finally got there, Jackson was choking the other kid, who had just bit Jackson on the chin pretty good. That was kind of the last draw. We decided that this would be their last week there.
When Jennifer went in to quit her job, she explained that the good was not outweighing the bad any longer, and that she would be happy to work from home until they found a replacement, and suggested that she could work from home permanently if they would go for that. Well the good news is that the board members were all for it, saying that there was nothing preventing this, but the pastor was decidedly against it, saying he wanted someone on site as much as possible. So we will see how that shakes out. Hopefully the board will get there way and Jennifer can work from home, which seems likely because it will be a very difficult position to fill. Cross your fingers. Next week, everybody is home, so things should settle down.
On to the sick cat. I realize that this will may cast me in a bad light, but because of the boys, pet ownership has become less practical. Having two rambunctious boys, a cat and two small. obnoxious dogs was becoming way too much. Over the summer, My aunt's cat Lady, whom she'd had for years and years died. She was wanting a new cat, but didn't want a kitten, and wanted a cat that could get along with her son's two dogs. My cat Audrey fit the bill pretty good. So after a little discussion and a but of a cry, I gave her my cat. About a week ago, I get a call that Audrey wasn't eating and had dropped to 7lbs from her usual 12. My aunt has had numerous trips to the vet, and after an ultrasound, there seems to be a blockage of some sort in her small intestine. The pulled out a chunk to send to the lab so they can see if it is a virus, and infection or cancer or what. Those results will be here in a few days. I feel really bad about it. I gave my aunt a sick cat, and she just went through loosing a cat and now she may have to do it again. And she's paying all of the vet costs. And I miss my cat. I had her for almost 9 years. Bummer!
Now for the really freaky story. Remember the little girl Jenn used to nanny for? The one who's mom worked at the massage parlor? That little girl died last week. She was just about to turn 2. On Friday, Jennifer saw an odd message on the girl's sister's mySpace saying "RIP my baby sister" and a pic of the girl. Jennifer and I started investigating, and we found a death notice in the paper from the Sunday before. Jennifer called around to no avail, but ended up going to the funeral, which happened to be that day**. Once there, more questions were raised than answered. The "official"story Jenn got from the mom is that while at their current nanny's place, the girl started coughing up blood. They got her to the hospital where they thought she had a tear in her esophagus. When they operated, the girl had some kind of heart failure and died.
Everyone thinks this is bullshit. There were all these bruises and scratches all over her face that the mom said were from the tubes they put in, which is bunk. I guess the story has changed a few times. I had one of our reporters call the medical examiner, and they said that they had to do a more involved autopsy because they couldn't figure it out. That report takes a few months. The cops were equally confused. The whole thing was sketchy and weird.
It sucks because we really liked that girl, and Jackson still asks about her. We still find some of her toys around from time to time. She was messed up, but curious about everything and very sweet. And this whole thing could have probably been avoided by removing the kid from the circumstances. The mom had already had two kids taken away from her. Just before Jenn stopped watching the girl, she and the girl's weekend nanny were concerned enough about the girl that they called DHS. DHS said that nothing life-threatening had happened to the girl yet and unfortunately, there is no law against being a shitty mother.
There sure as hell should be.
-JP
*Yeah, WTF?
*8Ask Jenn to fill you in on the Funeral. It was a spectacle in itself.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Some thoughts on the election.
First off, congrats to Obama and Biden. You guys deserve it.
Finally people are engaged in the political process again. People are excited about performing their civic duty again. Gone, or at least lessened are the days of apathy. The feelings of why bother, my vote won't count, or politics has nothing to do with my day to day life.
Finally people other than aging baby boomers and values voters showed up at the polls.
It is very telling that when John McCain mentioned Omaba's name during his concession speech, the crowd booed, but when Obama mentioned McCain's name during his victory speech, the crowd cheered. It tells me that closed-minded arrogance has run it's course, and the American people are ready for real solutions that go beyond finger pointing.
I fear for Obama's safety and for that of his family. All the good ones get killed.
I can't wait to hear the political back-pedaling from the pendants.
It's a good day. Were it not overcast, I'm sure the sun would be a little brighter today.
I am sad that the State I live in is always way behind the curve.
More as I think of them.
Finally people are engaged in the political process again. People are excited about performing their civic duty again. Gone, or at least lessened are the days of apathy. The feelings of why bother, my vote won't count, or politics has nothing to do with my day to day life.
Finally people other than aging baby boomers and values voters showed up at the polls.
It is very telling that when John McCain mentioned Omaba's name during his concession speech, the crowd booed, but when Obama mentioned McCain's name during his victory speech, the crowd cheered. It tells me that closed-minded arrogance has run it's course, and the American people are ready for real solutions that go beyond finger pointing.
I fear for Obama's safety and for that of his family. All the good ones get killed.
I can't wait to hear the political back-pedaling from the pendants.
It's a good day. Were it not overcast, I'm sure the sun would be a little brighter today.
I am sad that the State I live in is always way behind the curve.
More as I think of them.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The perfect quote about how I feel:
The always awesome Jeffrey Rowland puts it thus:
"It's almost over, I swear. Four years ago I would've been totally okay with John McCain, but things are different now. He's irresponsible. And don't think just because all the polls say Obama is definitely gonna win that you don't need to vote. If you failed to register, shame on you. And I'm not saying there's a possiblity we might not end up regretting Obama. But that's a lot better than the 100% certainty I have of regretting Vice President Palin. "
That about sums it up. I am sorry for not posting more often lateley, but between obsessively following the election, work, my newfound obsession with Lost*, and kids, it hasn't been on the top of my radar. Here is some cuteness to make up for it:
We had Joseph baptized last weekend, or was that the weekend before? Anyway. I had a heap of family in, and we all had a great time. Other than Jackson being a rambunchious 3-year-old, everything went off with out a hitch.
Last weekend we celebrated Papa Norm's birthday, with massive amounts of red meat and cake. He's all American, you know. We also went to the Boo-ha-ha thing on Peoria. Crowded, but fun, I guess. Zane and Jack started getting speepy/hungry/grumpy early on, so we skipped the parade in lew of naps in the car. Last night was Hallow-zoo-een, tonight is the fall festival at the church**, and then begging for treats Friday night. Then back to normal, whatever that is.
So, um... that's it.
-Powers out.
*I'm late to the game, I know, but a buddy lent me season 1, and Jen and I have spent all week staying up way too late watching episodes.
**As well as Obama's infomercial. Everyone should watch.
"It's almost over, I swear. Four years ago I would've been totally okay with John McCain, but things are different now. He's irresponsible. And don't think just because all the polls say Obama is definitely gonna win that you don't need to vote. If you failed to register, shame on you. And I'm not saying there's a possiblity we might not end up regretting Obama. But that's a lot better than the 100% certainty I have of regretting Vice President Palin. "
That about sums it up. I am sorry for not posting more often lateley, but between obsessively following the election, work, my newfound obsession with Lost*, and kids, it hasn't been on the top of my radar. Here is some cuteness to make up for it:
We had Joseph baptized last weekend, or was that the weekend before? Anyway. I had a heap of family in, and we all had a great time. Other than Jackson being a rambunchious 3-year-old, everything went off with out a hitch.
Last weekend we celebrated Papa Norm's birthday, with massive amounts of red meat and cake. He's all American, you know. We also went to the Boo-ha-ha thing on Peoria. Crowded, but fun, I guess. Zane and Jack started getting speepy/hungry/grumpy early on, so we skipped the parade in lew of naps in the car. Last night was Hallow-zoo-een, tonight is the fall festival at the church**, and then begging for treats Friday night. Then back to normal, whatever that is.
So, um... that's it.
-Powers out.
*I'm late to the game, I know, but a buddy lent me season 1, and Jen and I have spent all week staying up way too late watching episodes.
**As well as Obama's infomercial. Everyone should watch.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Monday, October 06, 2008
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Day out with Thomas
So last Friday we took Jackson to see the real live Thomas the Tank Engine. This thing looked so much like the real one that for once, a capitalist marketing ploy to sell you toys and t-shirts was totally worth it. Thomas has been the one thing that has kept Jackson's attention for more than a few days. He's been totally into all things Thomas for well over a year now, which in kid terms is forever. It's almost half of his life. And considering all the loud, brash idiotic crap that kids are into these days(I'm looking at YOU, Spongebob!), a show made up entirely of some guy's train set, with narration by The Late George Carlin is okay in my book.
My dad happened to be in Oklahoma for the Gene Autry Festival* which is near Ardmore, so he drove up to OKC to hang out with us and Thomas. It was held at the Oklahoma Railway Museum, so we were able to look at trains and things while waiting for our trip on Thomas.
Everybody really had a great time.
In other news:
Heroes doesn't seem to suck this season, so that's awesome.
Um... I think that's it.
-JP
*Don't get me started. My dad has this weird fascination with '50s Coyboy culture.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Ramblin'
Well, I've been meaning to post about a great number of things, like the current state of the election, and our trip to Wichita over the weekend, and gushing on my new phone, but every time I sit down to write, I either get distracted or nothing comes out.
So I'm just going to ramble a bit about Internet TV.
I've been a little slow at work lately. Well, not really "slow", but I seem to get everything I need to get done by about noon or so. I guess "fantastically efficient" would be a better phrase. To help pass the time, I re-enrolled in college to get what amounts to an associates degree in web design. The cool thing there is that I can take about 98% of the classes over Internet.* But even that I'm fantastically efficient at. I've been filling the reaming time watching TV shows I can't watch at night because I actually play with my kids. I watched the entire run of The Sarah Connor Chronicles. If you think in your head that the third movie never existed (as I'm sure Claire Danes is), and that plot holes are just a part of science-fiction/time travel movies anyway(How in god's name did Marty McFly's parents not know that their son looks amazingly like the guy that got the together?!?! AND has the same name!), then the show is actually pretty good. They beef up the conspiracy aspect to account for mountains of terminators suddenly running around Los Angeles, which is okay. They need things to do other than just run away from the Terminator of the week. Not even Brian Austin Green could ruin it, and they balance that out by putting Garbage's own Shirley Manson in it (Whom, BTW, I still have a crush on no matter how mediocre her music has become).
So as long as I don't have to keep track of it (ie.: it stays on hulu), I'll keep watching.
I also downloaded all three seasons of The Venture Brothers, which is the best animated show on the air right now. I've seen most of the eps before, but not all in a row. Awesome stuff.
I tried to watch the new Knight Rider. I watched the pilot, and didn't think it was that bad. Mostly because I loved the original when I was 7. I thought maybe the show would have some potential. It does not. Not even Val Kilmer as the voice of the car saves it. Don't bother.
Other bright spots: It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, and maybe Life on Mars. The original British version was phenomenal, and I am weary of the American version, due to a leaked pilot I saw a few months back. They have since re-tooled the show with better actors and a tweaked plot, so we'll see.
That's all I got.
-JP
So I'm just going to ramble a bit about Internet TV.
I've been a little slow at work lately. Well, not really "slow", but I seem to get everything I need to get done by about noon or so. I guess "fantastically efficient" would be a better phrase. To help pass the time, I re-enrolled in college to get what amounts to an associates degree in web design. The cool thing there is that I can take about 98% of the classes over Internet.* But even that I'm fantastically efficient at. I've been filling the reaming time watching TV shows I can't watch at night because I actually play with my kids. I watched the entire run of The Sarah Connor Chronicles. If you think in your head that the third movie never existed (as I'm sure Claire Danes is), and that plot holes are just a part of science-fiction/time travel movies anyway(How in god's name did Marty McFly's parents not know that their son looks amazingly like the guy that got the together?!?! AND has the same name!), then the show is actually pretty good. They beef up the conspiracy aspect to account for mountains of terminators suddenly running around Los Angeles, which is okay. They need things to do other than just run away from the Terminator of the week. Not even Brian Austin Green could ruin it, and they balance that out by putting Garbage's own Shirley Manson in it (Whom, BTW, I still have a crush on no matter how mediocre her music has become).
So as long as I don't have to keep track of it (ie.: it stays on hulu), I'll keep watching.
I also downloaded all three seasons of The Venture Brothers, which is the best animated show on the air right now. I've seen most of the eps before, but not all in a row. Awesome stuff.
I tried to watch the new Knight Rider. I watched the pilot, and didn't think it was that bad. Mostly because I loved the original when I was 7. I thought maybe the show would have some potential. It does not. Not even Val Kilmer as the voice of the car saves it. Don't bother.
Other bright spots: It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, and maybe Life on Mars. The original British version was phenomenal, and I am weary of the American version, due to a leaked pilot I saw a few months back. They have since re-tooled the show with better actors and a tweaked plot, so we'll see.
That's all I got.
-JP
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
