Im not really a huge fan of typing on the iPad. Short sentences are fine, but a journal entry? I want to feel the keys as I hit them. Like my knee and complaining about the extra d in 3d movies, it's just another sign I'm getting old! Heh.
A lot has happened this week. Shane's learned a few new tricks, we had the home inspection of our new house, spotted lead paint, and now we're in the heat of negotiating. We may end up walking away. For the inspection, the family I tutor for agreed to babysit Shane! I really like them. They remind me of my family in some ways with how high-energy they are. Shane fit right in. Everyone who's seen him at work or otherwise thinks he's the cutest thing. Handsome, too.
I will try to post a real post when I get a better video of one of Shane's new tricks. I got one but Carrie didn't like how she looked in it. I got vetoed! I'm sure he'll do it again.
Until then, enjoy your weekend!
Friday, April 27, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Fleeting Fame
At the risk of revealing my identity to the internet at large: I had my picture in a newspaper.
Good luck finding me! Bonus points if you can figure out what event was going on, too. It should be easy to figure out if you're up on current events and you read this post before too much time passes.
Hopefully I don't forget what this is from. It was a historic day!
Anyone on the internet can figure out a lot about me pretty quickly from my posts. You can figure out certain stores I'm near, landmarks I've mentioned....if you're determined enough at least. I figure I'm not entertaining enough to entice anyone I don't already know to track me down. I can't imagine anyone who's simultaneously that bored and motivated stumbling across my page out of the millions out there.
Good luck finding me! Bonus points if you can figure out what event was going on, too. It should be easy to figure out if you're up on current events and you read this post before too much time passes.
Hopefully I don't forget what this is from. It was a historic day!
Anyone on the internet can figure out a lot about me pretty quickly from my posts. You can figure out certain stores I'm near, landmarks I've mentioned....if you're determined enough at least. I figure I'm not entertaining enough to entice anyone I don't already know to track me down. I can't imagine anyone who's simultaneously that bored and motivated stumbling across my page out of the millions out there.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Deadtop
My desktop died a while back.
Today, Carrie's laptop bit the bullet.
We've got a lot going into the closing of the house and everything, so it's going to be work laptops and iPad only for a while. That means no games and no access to older photos and videos. Rats.
It's not that a new computer isn't affordable, but we don't want any large purchases that would raise a flag in the mortgage approval process. For the time being, we just need to stay the course.
Today, Carrie's laptop bit the bullet.
We've got a lot going into the closing of the house and everything, so it's going to be work laptops and iPad only for a while. That means no games and no access to older photos and videos. Rats.
It's not that a new computer isn't affordable, but we don't want any large purchases that would raise a flag in the mortgage approval process. For the time being, we just need to stay the course.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Korra Prediction
My wife is calling it: Amon is really Aang's non-bender son Bumi (or however you spell it.)
Apparently, I'm unobservant. I didn't realize different benders had different colored eyes based on what their element is. Carrie said she thought Amon had grey eyes on a close-up, and she made her prediction.
My wife is normally pretty impressive with this sort of thing, so I'm not betting against her.
Apparently, I'm unobservant. I didn't realize different benders had different colored eyes based on what their element is. Carrie said she thought Amon had grey eyes on a close-up, and she made her prediction.
My wife is normally pretty impressive with this sort of thing, so I'm not betting against her.
Three Guilty Confessions
Shane's been a total wrecking ball on my old priorities.
This is a good thing. I believe that when you have a child, you have to live for the family instead of yourself.
That said, I'm only human. I make mistakes I know about and mistakes I won't know about until later. It's impossible to list the mistakes I don't know of, but here are three things I do know of I'm trying to do better.
Brushing Shane's Teeth - I've done a crap job of this so far. I can play all day, do bottles and chores, child-proof, time and mask medicine into feeding, but I can't remember to brush my son's teeth. The few times I have done it, I've felt more like it was him chewing on the brush than actually brushing. This is something I've really got to get better at. Half the time, I remember it AFTER I've put him in bed and I've snuck down the stairs. Nana would be horrified. (She once laid behind my car in the driveway to prevent me from leaving without brushing).
Waking Up - I start many mornings with a guilt trip. Whenever Shane wakes up at 5:30 AM or earlier, I tend to lay in bed for a while and listen to him 'sing.' As long as it's not a really distressed cry, I just lay there and wish my wife would get up so I could sleep in. Now, there's actually nothing wrong with letting Shane play in his crib for a little bit in the mornings. The books I've read said that up to 30 minutes is fine. However, those days when it takes me closer to 40 minutes? It's amazing how long I can lay somewhere and keep hoping "maybe he'll go back to sleep in 5 minutes." My average wake up time to Shane 'singing' is probably around 20 minutes. (I almost said 15-20, but if this is a confession I should lean towards honesty).
Ignore the TV - My son and I both zombify when a TV is on. Carrie can have it on as background noise. Me? It doesn't matter if it's Judge Judy, or some other crappy show. I start to zone in to it and zone out my son. It's got to be the ADHD. When I'm home with Shane, I do my best to keep the TV off entirely. I still stray towards checking my email on the computer, but because it takes energy and effort it's easier for me to avoid. The TV is Mike-trap. It just ensnares me if I'm not careful.
This is a good thing. I believe that when you have a child, you have to live for the family instead of yourself.
That said, I'm only human. I make mistakes I know about and mistakes I won't know about until later. It's impossible to list the mistakes I don't know of, but here are three things I do know of I'm trying to do better.
Brushing Shane's Teeth - I've done a crap job of this so far. I can play all day, do bottles and chores, child-proof, time and mask medicine into feeding, but I can't remember to brush my son's teeth. The few times I have done it, I've felt more like it was him chewing on the brush than actually brushing. This is something I've really got to get better at. Half the time, I remember it AFTER I've put him in bed and I've snuck down the stairs. Nana would be horrified. (She once laid behind my car in the driveway to prevent me from leaving without brushing).
Waking Up - I start many mornings with a guilt trip. Whenever Shane wakes up at 5:30 AM or earlier, I tend to lay in bed for a while and listen to him 'sing.' As long as it's not a really distressed cry, I just lay there and wish my wife would get up so I could sleep in. Now, there's actually nothing wrong with letting Shane play in his crib for a little bit in the mornings. The books I've read said that up to 30 minutes is fine. However, those days when it takes me closer to 40 minutes? It's amazing how long I can lay somewhere and keep hoping "maybe he'll go back to sleep in 5 minutes." My average wake up time to Shane 'singing' is probably around 20 minutes. (I almost said 15-20, but if this is a confession I should lean towards honesty).
Ignore the TV - My son and I both zombify when a TV is on. Carrie can have it on as background noise. Me? It doesn't matter if it's Judge Judy, or some other crappy show. I start to zone in to it and zone out my son. It's got to be the ADHD. When I'm home with Shane, I do my best to keep the TV off entirely. I still stray towards checking my email on the computer, but because it takes energy and effort it's easier for me to avoid. The TV is Mike-trap. It just ensnares me if I'm not careful.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Stories from school
There are always stories when you're a teacher.
Always.
Most of the time, there are so many 'plot lines' going on around me that some incidents blur and fade together. They become indistinct and lost memories before I have a chance to write them down. Others rely on knowing the characters (students) involved to the point that the stories just aren't as funny to someone not "in the know."
I've got a few stories this week I'm actually going to try and write down before they are forgotten. We'll see what I can get down before Shane wakes up from his late nap.
Always.
Most of the time, there are so many 'plot lines' going on around me that some incidents blur and fade together. They become indistinct and lost memories before I have a chance to write them down. Others rely on knowing the characters (students) involved to the point that the stories just aren't as funny to someone not "in the know."
I've got a few stories this week I'm actually going to try and write down before they are forgotten. We'll see what I can get down before Shane wakes up from his late nap.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Contracts, I Love USAA (for now), and The Pursuit of a Detached Home
Life moves fast when your wife falls in love with a house.
Over the weekend, Carrie researched and whittled down a list of a 100+ houses into a favorites list of 15. Monday, she whittled it down further and picked 7 houses she wanted to visit on Tuesday.
Six were busts. One was "the one."
Wednesday, Carrie made arrangements to visit "the one" again with me in tow. I showed up at 5:25 PM after tutoring. Thirty five minutes later we left talking about what our offer would be. That night, our agent came over at 8:15 PM and we spent the next hour filling out paperwork. Our agent left, and we ended up on the phone with USAA talking loans. Bed time came just short of 11 PM.
Today, Carrie woke up feeling sick. It's crunch time at work for me, so staying home to help wasn't an option (5 IEPs in three days). I go to work, and I receive an email from home. The appraiser is en route. I can only imagine the panic my wife went into! That afternoon, Carrie calls to tell me about the counter-offer. I get home from work around 5:40 PM and Carrie and I hop on the phone with USAA for another hour plus. 7:20 PM, our agent is back and we're initialing a modifying contract. It should be faxed off and USAA should be ordering the appraisal.
Carrie and I are going to own a house! It's smaller square footage than what we have now, but it has a yard, driveway, street parking, and no shared walls. Quaint, homey, and modest are the best words to describe it.
It took a week to put the townhouse up for sale, a week to sell it, and it took less than a week to find a home and put a contract on it. The time in between was waiting for inspections to clear and fixing random odds and ends. Our inspection of our home-to-be is scheduled for next week, but hopefully that'll be the last bit of work as we settle in to the long lead-up to closing in June.
Throughout the process, we've worked like dogs. Carrie was never happy with how clean the house was, and Shane going to bed just meant it was time to clean or do chores most nights. It feels good to know it wasn't for naught.
We also had a lot of support from our families. Carrie's parents have held on to the cats since we put the house up. My mom volunteered to hold on to Shane for a couple of extra hours of child care on Wednesday so I could view the house. I want to travel and live somewhere far away one of these days, but it's hard to imagine not having my family nearby.
From this point on, we're going to be praying that nothing comes out to throw the contracts out of whack. The HOA still has to look this house over, and tomorrow we should hear what the appraiser reports.
I'm saving my excitement until more of our ducks in a row. Carrie's ecstatic enough for the two of us!
Over the weekend, Carrie researched and whittled down a list of a 100+ houses into a favorites list of 15. Monday, she whittled it down further and picked 7 houses she wanted to visit on Tuesday.
Six were busts. One was "the one."
Wednesday, Carrie made arrangements to visit "the one" again with me in tow. I showed up at 5:25 PM after tutoring. Thirty five minutes later we left talking about what our offer would be. That night, our agent came over at 8:15 PM and we spent the next hour filling out paperwork. Our agent left, and we ended up on the phone with USAA talking loans. Bed time came just short of 11 PM.
Today, Carrie woke up feeling sick. It's crunch time at work for me, so staying home to help wasn't an option (5 IEPs in three days). I go to work, and I receive an email from home. The appraiser is en route. I can only imagine the panic my wife went into! That afternoon, Carrie calls to tell me about the counter-offer. I get home from work around 5:40 PM and Carrie and I hop on the phone with USAA for another hour plus. 7:20 PM, our agent is back and we're initialing a modifying contract. It should be faxed off and USAA should be ordering the appraisal.
Carrie and I are going to own a house! It's smaller square footage than what we have now, but it has a yard, driveway, street parking, and no shared walls. Quaint, homey, and modest are the best words to describe it.
It took a week to put the townhouse up for sale, a week to sell it, and it took less than a week to find a home and put a contract on it. The time in between was waiting for inspections to clear and fixing random odds and ends. Our inspection of our home-to-be is scheduled for next week, but hopefully that'll be the last bit of work as we settle in to the long lead-up to closing in June.
Throughout the process, we've worked like dogs. Carrie was never happy with how clean the house was, and Shane going to bed just meant it was time to clean or do chores most nights. It feels good to know it wasn't for naught.
We also had a lot of support from our families. Carrie's parents have held on to the cats since we put the house up. My mom volunteered to hold on to Shane for a couple of extra hours of child care on Wednesday so I could view the house. I want to travel and live somewhere far away one of these days, but it's hard to imagine not having my family nearby.
From this point on, we're going to be praying that nothing comes out to throw the contracts out of whack. The HOA still has to look this house over, and tomorrow we should hear what the appraiser reports.
I'm saving my excitement until more of our ducks in a row. Carrie's ecstatic enough for the two of us!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Focus!
I really should focus my blog posts more.
This blog is really more of a journal for me than it is for entertainment purposes, but I have a tendency to want to say everything. You're not reading that, because I already prune my wandering train of thought pretty relentless. Maybe it's the ADHD, or maybe it's just I feel like way too many things are entertaining or interesting.
If I was writing for a specific audience with a specific purpose, it would be easier. Because I'm writing for myself and my attention and interests wander all over the beaten path, I'm tempted to put more and more in to each post.
I wonder if coming up with a specific blog schedule would help me. Shane updates every Sunday? Work story of the week on Friday? That assumes I'd be writing regularly on those days, though. Carrie and I share this laptop, so I don't always have access when I want.
Or maybe I'm reading into a problem that's not really there. It's something I'm thinking about, at least.
Also, this seemed like a quicker post to write. I want to take my daily 30 minute video game break. It hasn't been a super stressful day or anything like that, but I'm ready to be done with work and have some pure down time.
This blog is really more of a journal for me than it is for entertainment purposes, but I have a tendency to want to say everything. You're not reading that, because I already prune my wandering train of thought pretty relentless. Maybe it's the ADHD, or maybe it's just I feel like way too many things are entertaining or interesting.
If I was writing for a specific audience with a specific purpose, it would be easier. Because I'm writing for myself and my attention and interests wander all over the beaten path, I'm tempted to put more and more in to each post.
I wonder if coming up with a specific blog schedule would help me. Shane updates every Sunday? Work story of the week on Friday? That assumes I'd be writing regularly on those days, though. Carrie and I share this laptop, so I don't always have access when I want.
Or maybe I'm reading into a problem that's not really there. It's something I'm thinking about, at least.
Also, this seemed like a quicker post to write. I want to take my daily 30 minute video game break. It hasn't been a super stressful day or anything like that, but I'm ready to be done with work and have some pure down time.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Oh, Saturday.
It's great to have a Saturday where things aren't moving in high gear.
The house inspection was yesterday from 4:30-7:30, so there's no pressing need to watch Shane and clean-up after him at the same time. This week was full-on busy mode at work, and the looming inspection meant Carrie and I spent most of our home-time working as well. All of that's done now! At least until the appraisal, I suppose.
Friday, April 13, 2012
You know what sucks?
Giving Shane medicine sucks.
He treats it like you're killing him and he'd rather die than swallow. I tried giving him some of the Claritin he was prescribed tonight. Shane fought, and fought, and then upchucked. It's like trying to hold down a thrashing bull. We were able to mask the Tylenol and Amoxicillin for his ear infection in some strawberry puree, but he decided he didn't want to eat the whole serving.
That boy is trouble. You really want to help him, but you become the enemy if he sees a baby syringe or if he tastes anything slightly off. Sickness is preferable to giving in. My friend, Igor, made the joke that I'm "raising a little alpha male," because it's Shane's way or the highway. I predicted Shane's going to have a stubborn streak to him way back when and nothing I've seen has changed my mind since.
That could be a good thing.
A stubborn child now, could mean a young man later who won't give in to peer pressure or wimp out of doing what needs to be done. It could also mean a total jackass who refuses to admit he's ever wrong, but there's always two sides to every coin. You can't get the great without risking the other.
In the meantime, I'm going to try to think of more creative ways to get Shane to take his meds. It doesn't do the turd any good if he spits it all out or throws up because he's trying to thrash and swallows wrong. Carrie and I need to set up the appointment to meet with the allergist, as well. Two weeks of constant clear snot are what brought about the ear infection. Shane's had trouble sleeping from the snot, too. The boy is probably allergic to pollen, which really sucks because he lives to be outside. We'll have to play it by ear.
Almost time for rest. I've been around throw-up twice today.There was puke on desk in school and Shane winged me with some upchuck tonight. I need to sleep so I can deal with Shane while Carrie's at work. I don't want a vomit threepeat on the morrow!
He treats it like you're killing him and he'd rather die than swallow. I tried giving him some of the Claritin he was prescribed tonight. Shane fought, and fought, and then upchucked. It's like trying to hold down a thrashing bull. We were able to mask the Tylenol and Amoxicillin for his ear infection in some strawberry puree, but he decided he didn't want to eat the whole serving.
That boy is trouble. You really want to help him, but you become the enemy if he sees a baby syringe or if he tastes anything slightly off. Sickness is preferable to giving in. My friend, Igor, made the joke that I'm "raising a little alpha male," because it's Shane's way or the highway. I predicted Shane's going to have a stubborn streak to him way back when and nothing I've seen has changed my mind since.
That could be a good thing.
A stubborn child now, could mean a young man later who won't give in to peer pressure or wimp out of doing what needs to be done. It could also mean a total jackass who refuses to admit he's ever wrong, but there's always two sides to every coin. You can't get the great without risking the other.
In the meantime, I'm going to try to think of more creative ways to get Shane to take his meds. It doesn't do the turd any good if he spits it all out or throws up because he's trying to thrash and swallows wrong. Carrie and I need to set up the appointment to meet with the allergist, as well. Two weeks of constant clear snot are what brought about the ear infection. Shane's had trouble sleeping from the snot, too. The boy is probably allergic to pollen, which really sucks because he lives to be outside. We'll have to play it by ear.
Almost time for rest. I've been around throw-up twice today.There was puke on desk in school and Shane winged me with some upchuck tonight. I need to sleep so I can deal with Shane while Carrie's at work. I don't want a vomit threepeat on the morrow!
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