If I did, then you couldn't have one.

2nd Anniversary!

2010-06-21T22:22:00.000-07:00

So, in an effort to see more of Colorado, Becky and I took advantage of the occasion of our second anniversary to visit Great Sand Dunes National Park. It's an incredible place in the San Luis Valley where the sands ground fine from the path of the ancient Colorado River (before it flooded and re-settled in its present location) have been picked up by wind currents and deposited near the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo range.

It's really a bizarre thing for a coupla Californians to see. The sand is really fine, and walking on it is an effort.

That's not to say, however, that people don't do it.

And... we found out that the President is in the market for a pickup.

Biathlon

2010-02-25T08:03:00.000-08:00

We've been watching the Olympics as much as we can on the internet (since we gave up cable service), and I wish we had been able to catch more events...

Anyway, here's some footage of Biathlon

Food fight

2010-02-17T06:54:00.000-08:00

Babies are fun! So is macaroni and cheese!

Chocolate cake at Grandma's 60th birthday get-together...

Here's the new face of Evelyn... she makes it all the time now, because it gets such a great reaction.

I'm all jacked up on cake... I'll come at you like a spider monkey.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

2010-02-14T10:31:00.000-08:00

Evie has a lot of new friends!

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was a lot of fun. We went with Mike and Holly, and although it was cold, the animals were really active. I think we're going to have to get a membership so Becky and Evelyn can go during the summer.

Hobbit

2010-01-12T10:37:00.000-08:00

So this is news to me: They're casting for a film of The Hobbit! Sweet!

It's written by Peter Jackson, but directed by Guillermo del Toro. Fantastic!

Guillermo del Toro created one of the most beautiful and terrifying movies I've ever seen: Pan's Labyrinth. If you haven't seen it, please check it out. It's stellar.

I am blacker than Rod Blagojevich

2010-01-11T11:32:00.001-08:00

Can you believe this?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100111/ap_on_re_us/us_blagojevich_esquire

I think the thing to glean from this episode is an idea of RodBlag's perception of black people. Is this guy just tired of nobody paying attention to him?

...And the inevitable apology.

Holiday calendar

2009-12-19T15:39:00.001-08:00

It won't hurt his feelings.

2009-11-30T09:44:00.000-08:00

Brutally Honest Mobile Home Commercial - Watch more Funny Videos

Mitch

2009-11-13T10:31:00.001-08:00

Recently, I have really been enjoying old Mitch Hedberg stuff. He was so great.

An escalator can never break: it can only become stairs. You should never see an Escalator Temporarily Out Of Order sign, just Escalator Temporarily Stairs. Sorry for the convenience.

Mitch Hedberg

Talk to the highlighter

2009-11-02T14:03:00.000-08:00

She narrates the entire day, talking to this blue highlighter.

I love this kid.

know what I mean?

2009-11-02T10:39:00.000-08:00

I used to love Ernest so much!

Happy Halloween

2009-10-30T07:04:00.000-07:00

Enjoy! ... or don't.

Novembeard goal

2009-10-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs.

Yeah, I know the jokes are old, but they're still funny!

Mayo-Leven

2009-10-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

Colbert fires back at hipster upstart Miracle Whip

Dig it

Kanyeezy, you did it again

2009-09-22T08:43:00.000-07:00

http://kanye-jackass.ytmnd.com/

Slap your troubles away remix

2009-09-12T05:30:00.000-07:00

This imfomercial always cracked me up. Slap Chop!

But wait! There's more!

remixed and autotuned?!? I was up early this morning (I guess I still am up early this morning) and saw this remix on TV.

wait- you're gonna love my nuts.

Greatest thing-- the dancer. She looks like she knows she's got no relevance to the commercial.

wii stream

2009-09-11T07:54:00.001-07:00

That title sounds gross.

I've been having a lot of fun recently browsing the web on my Wii. If you haven't downloaded the browser, go ahead and do it.

Youtube XL comes preloaded as a favorite, and that's a lot of fun. It's great to browse the web sitting on the couch instead of at a computer desk. And I just love fail videos and bloopers, so I'll sit for a long time watching rally crashes, funny animals, and parkour wrecks. It's nice when feeding the baby, because I only have one hand free (if I hold the bottle with my chin).

Anyway, I have been trying to get Hulu, Pandora, and a few other sites to work on the wii, but they don't quite get it done. Maybe the browser (Opera, same as on my spartphone) isn't very strong? I guess it's the tradeoff for the coolness of internetting from the couch.

I just found out that finetune has a wii-optimized site, so I registered there and added a few playlists from my computer, then logged from on my wii. It's great!

If you have good speakers hooked up to your wii/TV system and want to listen to streaming audio there, this is a great way to do it!

As Malisa said, how cool would it be to get Hulu working through the Wii! I think I'd devote more time to this if my cable were out.

Education speech

2009-09-08T07:06:00.000-07:00

I am interested in the speech that the President is going to give today. I couldn't imagine what he would say that would be so offensive that people would be pulling their kids out of school to avoid hearing it.

I know there is a bitter rift in our political system now, but I didn't think it had gotten to this point. Here's a video of the President rehearsing. I guess it is pretty inflammatory.

Drop the beat

2009-08-25T13:29:00.000-07:00

Saw this on emailsfromcrazypeople. Whoever puts a beat behind this flow is going to be the next grammy nominee.

~ Science Like No Other ~

I have all the secrets of infinity in my hands,
i really want to spread it to as many scientists
as possible. so here i go.

wear black clothes and go to a busy mall
you will notice your mind really hurts, this
is because black colors ( or dark colors )
are pulling other humans imagination and bringing
them to close to you and you read it.

but when you WEAR WHITE CLOTHES..
the opposite is true, you reject everyones idealogy
and you get to feel free with your own science.

your own imagination is not disturbed.

you can optimize and re-test this if you want.
you can even wax the body hair you have
and dye your hair to yellow or white.

we can use this to time travel, be immortal
and make money too

so tell people to wear white ( be nice, by force
is prohibited by federal law of infinity ).

i mean all of us, we are all about to become
immortal supreme beings.

all we have to do is wear white clothes
and be obsessed with white stuff.

very simple.

this is no joke, i am about to get this party started

Summer Time Dance

Impressive, eh?

wager

2009-08-16T22:28:00.000-07:00

the world will not end in 2012. I bet $100. I will give 7:1 odds to anyone who bets it does.

Stupid history channel, freaking me out in the middle of the night.

no title

2009-08-13T12:10:00.001-07:00

Total Eclipse spoof
by chinesedaughter

Watering the tree

2009-08-11T16:00:00.000-07:00

Watch Chris Mathews Hardball tonight. His interview with the guy who brought a gun to the President's town hall meeting today is unreal.

Nevermind-- here it is.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Barbarians are within the gates.

Mr. Dad

2009-08-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

So-- tomorrow I start staying at home to take care of Evelyn while Becky goes to school. I have to say I'm a little overwhelmed about the prospect of being full-time baby care, taking two master's classes, and trading options while the market is open. But that's going to be the plan.

Good things-- the AnderParents (Grandersons?) are going to help with the care, since I'll be at their place to do the trading. I picked classes this semester that are online (but next semester I don't know if I'll have that option). Evie is getting more into development and out of pure survival.

I have a little worry about not "going to work" since I have a bit of old-fashionedness to my personality, but there's something about life that humbles you and takes you out of your constructed sense of how things ought to be. This is life as it is, and it's all you've got. So call me Mr. Dad, and I'll see you at the Farmer's Market!

The Evelyn Rose

2009-06-07T19:58:00.000-07:00

When Evelyn was born, we made sure to request that we keep the placenta with us. We were planning to take out a tree at our place and bury the placenta at the root of the new tree, but we couldn't figure out what sort of tree, and tearing out the existing tree was going to be really time-consuming and difficult.

So my mom found a variety of rose called "Evelyn" and ordered a few. We took the placenta up to the Anderson Ranch and planted the rose with the placenta at the root (deep, to keep it from being discovered and uncovered by dogs or coyotes).

It's a nice tribute to the organ that was the physical link between mother and child for nine months. And now, whenever we see that special rose, we will know that its flowers are nourished by the same material that nourished our daughter.

Evelyn (PP8680), Shrub (Austin, 1991). Exceptionally large, full, apricot colored blooms have an intense fragrance reminiscent of fresh peaches. Plants are upright, reaching 6 feet in warm climates or 3 feet in cold regions. Plant in full sun as this rose is intolerant of shade. (Zone 6, r, fff)

new video!

2009-06-06T14:15:00.000-07:00

We put Evie in a Bumbo chair today because she is able to hold her head up for longer and longer. So enjoy!

From baby

She's developing and learning more all the time! She mumbles and coos to us.

Yesterday we took her to her first baseball game, a Colorado Sky Sox game. It was great fun, and she behaved like a true fan!

Evelyn in the morning

2009-05-15T08:02:00.000-07:00

From Evie

Easter Evelyn

2009-04-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you can see it, but Evie wore a beautiful ensemble sent to us by the Stewarts. Thanks, guys!

She looked gorgeous in it until she barfed all over herself.

It snowed and rained during church this morning. Felt like Christmas.

Evie tries on faces

2009-04-11T21:15:00.000-07:00

Becky's daughter.

Rosie the Riveter

2009-03-29T13:15:00.000-07:00

Right to left: White spots are her brow, then nostrils, and then shoulder, elbow, and arm with fist.

I know it's hard to recognize images unless you've seen the real-time, but it reminded us a lot of this:

...and that's a nice sentiment for this time.

Thank you so very much to all the people who sent us gifts for the shower this weekend. Becky feels surrounded by love and care. Even if we are all separated by mileage, we know we are supported and embraced by the affection of our friends and family.

Hardcore Nesting

2009-03-21T21:32:00.001-07:00

So here's what's up.

Since Becky's on bed rest,

It's really important that I keep my employers happy. Right now I'm building a metal structure to get plastered for a kiva-style fireplace. Also, I've been building a lot of arches for the interior this house. I should make a video or something when the house is finished. It's a gorgeous place.

Also, we had a baby shower last weekend. The girls did... I don't know.. something. Guys, we played poker. Diapers as cover charge, $20 buy-in. Lots of good friends, lots of swearing, spirits, sports, snuff (not the movie kind), and even a cake.

We got new carpet today. If anyone has been to our place, the carpet was terrible. My mom reps US Floors, so she got me a good deal (for the price of "on the house") and she covered the installation. With moving things out, cleaning them, and back in, the place seems a lot nicer. I guess the poker room transformation to a nursery helps too. It really feels like civilized people live here now. ... growing up... it's an adventure.

We also got my record collection out. I have some greats in there. My favorite is Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.

The baby could come any day. It looks like Becky's belly has "dropped," which means the baby is getting into position for some squeezin' and a-pushin'. I might be missing a little work here soon.

Our doula is meeting with us on Monday night. She's really reassuring and comforting. The feeling of knowing someone else will be there to help us keep our heads and our birth plan intact is a great comfort. Anyone who's pregnant-- check craigslist. That's where we found Emily, and it's been great. Also, craigslist has saved us so much money in getting ready for the baby. Really, the only thing we needed to get new was a breast pump. A lot of the rest has been hand-me-downs or craigslist. Some new stuff, but mostly used. We love it.

What else? I just finished a paper that has been hanging over me for a while. In January, I took an accelerated class on negotiations and conflict management in public administration. It was really cool, and the prof was great. But there's a paper that's worth like 40% of the grade, and that's due in May. Unreal. Like I'm supposed to work on it from Jan to May? I set it up for myself that I would have it done by Evie's arrival, and since that's pending (Becky just had a cramp, but no tightening of the fundus, so ... not yet?...), I thought I had better get that finished. I have it done now, except for some final editing. I'd upload it, but it's about negotiation tactics in the Colorado River Compact Commission of 1922, so if you're interested in how the arguing was done for an agreement signed (sort of) in 1922, just email me. I'll just tell you that W. S. Norviel, the delegate from Arizona is an ass! There, I saved you 10-15 minutes of reading.

No zombie news, but we do have the bug-out bag updated and still waiting by the door. Do you?

Oh, we made a video of Evie moving while I played her favorite song, "Take Your Mama" by the Scissor Sisters. I don't know nothin bout singin no falsetto, so you might want to turn down your speakers.

That's about it! Any day now, you should be getting a baby announcement! It's the most important thing in our lives.

Attack of the Brain-Eaters

2009-03-04T20:41:00.000-08:00

Recently, Colorado Springs was infested by zombies. It was for a good cause.

It always is.

Guard your brains, and those of your children!!!

BoB

2009-02-14T08:19:00.000-08:00

The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.
JFK

Inspired by Zombie Squad discussions, I have assembled what's known as a BoB (Bug-out Bag), for use in case we just have to go. It's not like you carry it around, you just have to be able to grab it and go. Like keeping a flashlight near the bed-- it's just in case. This bag just sits by the door and waits.

So here's mine (and the list of other things I want to include):

Top left-ish to bottom right-ish:

MSR Dromedary 10L water bag
MSR Waterworks mini water filter (attaches to Dromedary or to large-mouth nalgenes)
Fleece throw tied with paracord
4 carabiners (1 with orange pulley wheel) and a figure-8 descender
Small bag

Screwtop match container with flint striker on bottom

About 20 strike anywhere matches

Signal mirror
Band-Aid tin mini first-aid kit

Bandages
Q-tips
Allergy meds
Pain meds

Utility knife with extra blades
Bic lighter
Whistle

Cam-straps of various lengths
Toilet paper in ziploc bag
About 40' of tubular 1" climbing webbing
KA-Bar USN knife
Hothands packets (about 6, 18-hours each)
Construction pencil (might need to leave a note, and it's sturdy)
Army first-aid kit

1 hand soap,
1 4X4 gauze,
2 2" X 6 Yds gauze,
1 6" elastic bandage,
2 3X4 sterile pad,
1 eye pad,
10 3" bandage strip,
1 ice pack,
1 tweezer,
1 scissor,
1 pill bottle,
4 pain reliever,
1 instructions,
6 safety pins,
1 pair latex gloves,
4 aspirin,
1 First Aid cream,
1 triple antibiotic,
1 1/2" tape,
3 alcohol wipes,
3 iodine wipes,
3 antiseptic wipes,
3 clean wipes

Folding shovel (all-metal) with 20' of paracord wrapped on the handle
Paracord bundle
Dead-On Annihilator
Work gloves
Beanie (2, actually)

On the shopping list/things to consider:

Glow sticks
Clif bars
Back-pack style bag instead of duffel? More compartments? I really want the exterior to be uncomplicated-- no straps or bags hanging out to get hooked on things or grabbed by Zeds
Flashlight (I always have 2 mini-mags in the car, but I need another for the bag), or if I were serious about it, a hand crank radio/flashlight
Climbing rope (gave mine away, but I can find some old rope around)
Plastic dropcloth? something to make a solar still...
Multitool??? I don't want to shell out the cash for a good one, and I hate the cheapies... so I don't have one yet. Maybe I'll just throw in an extra set of pliers.

Midday amusement

2009-02-06T12:40:00.000-08:00

I find myself home in the middle of the day today. I threw the dog in the truck and took him to Office Depot. While making a phone call from there, an ambulance and a few cop cars came by, code 3 (lights and sirens), and the dog sang along. It is the most adorable thing. He put his head as close to mine as he could, and we both howled until we couldn't hear the sirens any more.

I'm home again now, after a quick trip to see Becky at work. It's a great day outside, and I was working outside from 8-noon, so I got my share of warmth before this weekend's coming storm.

I have the History Channel playing, showing the military history of the Bible. It's crazy good. But better than that is this video of the Rockafire Explosion (yes, the Chuck-E-Cheese cyberband) performing a great song by The Arcade Fire. There are also videos of them performing Lil Wayne and others, but the cinematography on this is surreal.

Enjoy

Colorado Springs wackiness

2009-02-05T06:06:00.000-08:00

Geocache bomb scare in Colorado Springs; Bomb squad leader unsurprised at minimal threat posed by nerds.

Batliff is Colorado Springs robber's weapon of choice in down economy.

The Survivors Club widget

2009-02-02T19:17:00.001-08:00

SAw this on Kasey's Blog, and liked it. I got Colin Powell and Sheryl Crow.

2009-02-01T22:28:00.000-08:00

It might be nice someday to take down a duck, dove, or goose with a boomerang.

I need to get together a BOB in case it all goes down.

Work is fun and I am happy to go back to it tomorrow. I don't regret the time I spend at work-- I just wish I had more time off work (and off my classes). Saturday classes from 8-5 are a pain.

My wife is a really empathetic person and it blows me away. Good balance, her and me.

Speaking of the better half, she's getting her ass kicked by a few parasites. One is the rhinovirus, and the other is a fetus.

Working on the house in winter is a pain in the junk. Everything is so slow.

That's all I've got for now.

Update

2009-01-30T07:17:00.000-08:00

We have less than 10 weeks until our baby Evelyn is born! Holy crap, it's a big deal! Becky looks great and I am very proud of her.

The house I've been working on is made of ICFs. That's Insulated Concrete Foundations, a styrofoam and metal structure into which concrete is poured, yielding an incredibly tight, strong, and energy-efficient home. There's a concrete floor with tubing for hot water (or glycol, which is probably what we'll use) running through it, making a very comfortable heating system. It's a Southwestern-style home, and my partner and I have been building arches and soffits to give the homeowners their dream home.

Classes this semester:
Negotiation & Conflict Management, which has been fantastic and educational.
Ethics and Leadership in Public Administration-- check out our prez's first Executive Order, addressingthe "revolving door" between gov't appointees and lobbyists.
Local Government Management-- Haven't spent too much time in this one, but I am interested to learn about bringing change on a local level.

Lost is looking good, and yes, I think Faraday will die before the end of the season. Sun's dad was in business with Charles Widmore, who was apparently on the island in WWII and has been trying to get back to destroy it ever since. Richard (the man who never ages) was the guy who asked Locke if the knife was really his when he interviewed him. So apparently, there have always been people who could leave the island.

Remember in Star Trek, where they always visited the 20th century? I remember someone saying "Gee, the 20th century must have been pretty cool, because Star Trek people always wanted to go there." ...I think the same must apply to time travel, because if the Lost kids are just jumping randomly in time, they were certainly lucky to only skip a couple of decades instead of 500 years, like Faraday said.

...Anyway, I gotta read for my classes.

Pax.

Hail to the Chief

2009-01-20T06:11:00.000-08:00

Congratulations, Mr. President!

We've got your back.

Let's do some good.

A few thoughts

2009-01-14T18:51:00.000-08:00

Just thinking:

My daughter is coming into the world in less than 90 days. Her heartbeat was strong like a horse galloping yesterday and I was through the roof. Will she have red hair or brown? Will she define herself as an intellectual or an athlete? An idealist or a pragmatist? A lover or a fighter? The world is laid out before her.

I like construction. I like being outside. Recently, I have been out in zero degrees with layer after layer protecting me while I drove nails and got sticks in the air, and about 55 today with the sun shining and it was glorious while I nailed on sheathing and the snow melted. I guess I love being outside in Colorado. It really is a beautiful place. I have been stopped dead in my work staring at the southern apron leading up to Pikes Peak, just imagining all the terrain leading up to America's Mountain. Purple Mountains' Majesty indeed. Pics to come.

I am coming to the end of a 4-month obsession with zombies. It manifests itself in disaster preparedness, but it's really about zombies. Funny to obsess about this at Christmas time.

I'm in an accelerated class for Negotiation and Conflict Resolution right now. It's in my School for Public Affairs, so it's mostly focused on government affairs, but it's a very good class taught by an excellent professor, so I am enjoying it.

I have to eventually get more clothes. Clothes that aren't grey. Everything I own is grey.

Mike Shanahan is my co-pilot.

Gas is $1.46 here.

I own my own business. JEA Construction Services. I have no website and do not intend to have one.

When it gets really cold, Becky and I dream that we're back in Dubrovnik. It is our city, and we miss it.

Thomas, Trey, and Meechie are hanging out together. It's been touchy, but we are getting to a better place.

Lost is coming back. I am happy about it. We have a standing date with Matt for Lost Night. I'll bring the 40s (and drink them myself).

Shot at $100,000

2009-01-13T18:35:00.000-08:00

So I haven't been able to talk about it until now, but I entered a contest and did a few challenges, and it turns out I got second place in the world's first Mr. Awesome competition!

I'll accept congratulations in the comments.

2009-01-01T08:17:00.000-08:00

Happy new year!

Here's a little greeting video the AnderFam put together!

-4

2008-12-15T06:18:00.000-08:00

It's freaking cold.

Fur Elise

2008-12-11T06:22:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday, and nice government you got there!

Snow day!

2008-12-09T10:41:00.000-08:00

It snowed like crazy last night. What fun! Becky got to stay home from school for a few hours this morning, and we had a wonderful breakfast and relaxing time.

Once she had gone to work, I built a civilization and killed a few other monarchs and then took the dog to the contractors' hangout for a cup of coffee and some nice work gloves.

I love the snow.

For now.

walrus plays saxophone

2008-12-04T12:33:00.000-08:00

... and that says it all.

He should play the blues for his lost bukket.

punkin pie

2008-11-21T09:32:00.000-08:00

I took a break from packing this morning to go buy a gourd to make punkin pie. I have never known the name of the gourd that I have always used (neither have those who sold it to me), but I looked it up today and it's a Hubbard Squash!

It weighed over 20 pounds, so breaking it into manageable pieces required a hatchet and a toss into the air over a concrete porch.

The task of cutting off the rind was lengthy but yielded me about 12 pounds of meat:

Thomas cooked the squash for me while I chopped the rest into pieces.

After cooking and a quick spin in the Cuisinart, I have a fantastic-tasting goo to which I'll add molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, orange zest, eggs, condensed milk... and some other stuff to make the pie filling.

I defy any of those "I don't like pumpkin pie" types to try this and not enjoy it.

Driving

2008-11-20T07:33:00.000-08:00

Check this out. We're planning to do a little driving over the next few days, and I want to know what to expect as gas prices go. Bladow! The Gas Price Temperature Map! You can zoom in from nationwide county averages to actual reported gas station prices! Cool, eh?

For those interested, here's our shed yule:

Friday: Becky get out of school at 3. We head down Albuquerque way and I-40 heading West like Dust Bowlers
Saturday: Hang out in Apple Valley a little, make it to Fresno for the evening
Sunday: Chillax in the No, Reedley for dinner, back to the No for the night
Monday: Becky & Becky around 1pm, Late '90s FPU VBall team reunion, make the rest up as we go.
Tuesday: Mid-morning departure to get back to CO for Wed
Wednesday: Finish the drive, sleep some, AnderFam hangout
Thursday: Turkey, Football, Bocce (unless it snows), naps!
Friday: Sangwiches, probably catch Twilight unless we see it some time before then
Saturday through 7 Dec: homework (Que Debbie Downer Trombone)

2008-11-11T06:28:00.000-08:00

We're starting the 18th week, so we're about halfway through the pregnancy!

Last night I learned that I can make the baby jump around by talking and singing to it. That's a lot of fun!

Dear President-Elect Obama,

2008-11-04T20:46:00.001-08:00

Thank you for running. Having worked (hard) in your campaign, I have gained an appreciation of the stamina, the perseverance, and the faith that campaigning must take. Your expression of your world view has been inspiring, and it has resonated with the deepest desires I hold for our country and our society. I have devoted time, effort, and money toward your selection as our country's leader.

We have elected you, and I congratulate you.

But this is not an award. It is a sentence of community service. You are entrusted with the direction of our republic, and your job has just begun. You have promised us a LOT, and you must deliver. We are willing to give what the task requires. We are ready. Your national network of activists is on point. We (the communities of support who have had your back for the last 21 months) are ready to work for what is next.

It will not be easy. I do not envy you your obligation. It will be difficult. But there are those of us who are working now and will be ready to do what it takes to make real the dreams you are promising us. Health Care. End the war. Secure our financial future. End veterans' poverty. Make the United States the beacon of hope that it once represented.

Yes we can.

To the cynics: YES, we can.

To the dividers: Yes, WE can.

To the doubters: Yes, we CAN.

I am most proud of my nation tonight.

additional pics

2008-11-02T19:39:00.000-08:00

Scroll down for the real post.

Videos from Pueblo

2008-11-02T19:31:00.000-08:00

We went to see the man yesterday and it was stellar. I'm sure he's so tired of campaigning, but it was a thrill for us, since we've been devoting a lot of time to his campaign. I don't know if the video is going to post, but if not then I'll youtube it and post it next. For now, enjoy these.

More campaign news

2008-11-01T21:32:00.000-07:00

Becky and I have been really busy with the Obama campaign. Since most of the town is rather aged, I've been the data/computers guy. So I've been in the Democratic party/Obama campaign database, entering and sorting data, pulling lists for people to canvass or call (yup, I determine whether people get those annoying phone calls), and wrestling with our local dem office's printers.

Since we've been giving time to the campaign, we got VIP tickets to the Pueblo rally today. Bummer is that since we were busy in the morning, we got there not quite early enough and the Secret service shut down the VIP entrance early. So we were in general populace. Oh, the ignominy! Nah, it was nice. But it would have been nice to be in the grandstand behind the great man. When he got rolling, I tell you it was unreal. Lumps in the throat, fire in the belly, tears in the eyes... amazing.

Holy crap, McCain and trophy are on SNL!

Anyway, I'll post pics, vids and/or audio tomorrow. I have to enter in the second half of the stack of canvass data that I'm sitting on. holy crap, I'm going to be up late.

campaign trail

2008-10-29T20:35:00.000-07:00

So I've been pretty much on call for the past week or two, and I've spent a few days full-time working for the Obama campaign. I am really excited about what we are doing, and I'm learning a lot about organizing. It may come in handy some day.. I don't know.

I'm not full-time like the out-of-town organizers who have come to this battleground state to get out the vote, but I have pretty much given my time until election day to the campaign. Becky is tired of reading canvass data to me so I can input it. That's been our alone time recently.

Maybe it's because Becky and I have had precious little time together since our honeymoon ended and volleyball, teaching, my master's program, and the campaign kicked in, but I admire and yet pity the elected official. What crazy hours! I feel sorry for candidates who are bouncing from rally to rally, barely sleeping, always having to be mindful that their words are perfect.

I am studying to take a position in government (or nonprofit), but I don't want to campaign for myself. Oh, the scrutiny! I know that if I were to have a character attack on me, I'd have to own some of the crap that I've done. I couldn't Barry Bonds anything-- I've got a kid on the way and there's no way I could look Jay Jr. in the eye and lie. Just kidding, it's not Jr... by the way, we're not telling the name until the birth, so don't bother. Actually, bother Becky-- she might cave.

I have been wondering recently about where I want to take myself with my degree. I can't imagine myself going higher than city or maybe state level, .. or can I? My experience with the Obama campaign is opening my eyes to how politics is done (albeit at a node of a branch of an arm), and I think I'm starting to like it. Making a difference, you know?

I think I have something to give, and I am looking for a way to offer it up to people who need it.

Obama Tax Plan Calculator

2008-10-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

Holy Electoral College!

2008-10-27T07:17:00.000-07:00

"It's like Robin

gettin mad at Batman."

Desk work

2008-10-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

When I was about 8, this is what I hoped adult life would be like.
So many cool scenes in this piece. Nerf is still so cool.

The Great Office War - Watch more free videos

148 bpm

2008-10-20T13:28:00.000-07:00

We just heard our baby's heart beating!

148 beats per minute-- a healthy baby heart.

Should be about 16 cm long. That's over 6 inches long! Inside Becky!

Hooray Baby! Keep growing!

crunching numbers

2008-10-13T19:29:00.000-07:00

I am learning a lot about the process of campaigning. Last week I went to a rally with former governor Romer, current governor Ritter, Senator Ken Salazar (whom I LOVE) and some other politicos, local and state. It was fun to be involved for a Democrat in a 2-1 Republican county.

I worked numbers for the Fremont County Obama campaign on saturday night (just before hitting Brother's for a few), and then on Sunday I took rare and valuable time away from my pregnant wife to attend a leadership meeting in Pueblo. The meeting wasn't too relevant to my role in the local campaign, but who knows-- I may be a "Poll Monitor" or something on voting day. There are so many roles to fill, and they all are loaded with 13-hr days. As a small county, I think we may be lacking the numbers to fill all the positions. And since I'm taking courses mostly online, I can make myself pretty available. So I'm getting to experience politics like never before. Tonight I'm going to a data entry meeting. I think it may be training for what I was doing on Saturday night, but hopefully it'll be something new.

In Colorado, this is the last week to request mail-in ballots. If you haven't done it yet, please do. It makes the process easier, and who knows what may come up on that day-- car crash, long lines, broken machines, employer gives you a hard time or doesn't let you go (which is super-illegal-- and you really must get that vote in.

Vote early, vote often!

Just kidding. That's a bad joke.

Fishing!

2008-10-09T07:56:00.000-07:00

I just got back last night from a week-long father-son fishing trip. Travis Oberg and his dad, who have been practically family since I was in the cradle, have a place in northern Minnesota, and we had a fantastic time (very few bugs!!!) hopping from lake to lake, protecting the locals from ichthyoid monstrosities.

Please to enjoy:

Highlights:

Crossing the origin of the Mississippi (with about five steps, thank you Indigo Girls!)
Reading Deep Economy: The Wealth of Economies and the Durable Future and thinking about starting my own small farm
Writing to my unborn firstborn
Political discourse
Constant music from a stellar artist
Ignoring coursework
Autumn in the North Country
Bald Eagles, Poison Oak (!), Bass, Muskie, coat-hanger lures, and finally a walleye!

Economystics

2008-09-24T10:21:00.000-07:00

There's some really cool stuff going to be happening, and we're going to be too broke to partake in any of it.

My studies in economics are proving really interesting. In researching for a paper, I came upon this video (which nobody will watch because it's about economics and is 47 minutes long) and I was very interested. Give it a few minutes at least and I promise you'll learn something important about how the world (and our current clusta) works.

Also, I think it's funny that Republican heavies are the ones backing our move toward socialism.

I've been learning a little about a very interesting progressive economist doing great work in the developing world. Funny that his name is also that of a conquistador.

Long term species viability = 0.000

2008-09-22T11:42:00.000-07:00

I freaking knew it.

Making a joke out of this does not hide the truth that we are creating our own destruction. The Large Hadron Collider will destroy this planet and then migrate through space, destroying every other life-bearing M-class planet. Oh, and it will be populated by little triangle guys that jabber like turkeys, and bigger dudes that shoot purple glass icicles at you.

Vision of the future:

Good thing it's offline and will be for a few months. I can work on trading in the hybrid for a Warthog.

redirect--->

2008-09-19T06:42:00.001-07:00

Oh yeah, check Becky's blog for a picture of the baby!

The Force Unbought, or ...

2008-09-19T06:42:00.000-07:00

The summer George Lucas Ruined Everything

I am not a big "gamer." I suck at FPS's. I get unceremoniously slaughtered on Halo (1, 2, doesn't matter). I think the last game I beat was Super Mario Bros 3 for NES.

But I am a Star Wars fan, and I'd been waiting for The Force Unleashed (Wii) for over a year as it was delayed over and over. It came out on Tuesday, and I was looking forward to enjoying an exploration of the world between Ep III and IV, honing my dark side skills, and just whooping ass on everyone, clone and rebel alliance alike.

So I have enjoyed the last few days, swinging the Wii remote like an idiot and force pushing and choking thousands of SW people as Vader's dark apprentice. BUT...

It's over. I beat the game in 8h30m. That's it. I can play the game over from the start, keeping the enhanced force and lightsaber abilities that I earned on my way through the game, but it would just be going back through levels I've already seen. Like I said earlier, I am no kind of expert gamer. So when I beat the game so quickly I was dissatisfied, let down.

I waited and pre-purchased for this? It's over? Upsetting.

The goods:

Interacting in the Star Wars Universe is a lot of fun. Good diversity of characters and worlds.
The story is good. Really good. I can spoil the story if anyone is interested. It's a great connection between the end of the Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope.
Two-handed lightsaber/force fighting is a lot of fun.
Choices of lightsaber color, force-enhancing crystal, costume, and other unlockables
Finally being able to use force lightning and force push is saWEET!

The bads:

I already said it's short.
Not much depth or creativity in most of the fighting scenes-- tough scenes often just means large numbers of stormtroopers shooting you.
Graphics were inconsistent. Sometimes it's blocky, sometimes it's really cool. I don't really have the specific ways to explain...
There's a romance in the story that is just thrown in and unnecessary.

All in all, I am glad I played the game, but I will be selling it back today. There's a "jedi duel" mode where you can play vs other players as jedi that you unlock, but I played a little of it and it's not great. The different jedi have different animations, but there aren't any different abilities that I could find. So Mace Windu behaves just like Aayla Secura, Darth Maul, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, except for the intro... Weak.

Maybe I'm just comparing this to the neverending fun I've had as a SW fan playing Lego Star Wars: the Complete Saga. That game is incredible. Becky and I have logged days on that one, and we're about 45% complete. So much fun.

After beating the game last night, I thought about how this summer has been terrible for both Indiana Jones and Star Wars. Becky and I saw the Clone Wars movie in the theater. I dragged her along. That movie was awful. A New Orleans gay Hutt? "Snips" and "artooey"? Turrible. We also saw the Indiana Jones movie. Aliens? Commies? Really? Has George Lucas decided to destroy in one summer the cool and clever legacies he invented? It sure seems like it.

ketchup

2008-09-16T09:32:00.000-07:00

I haven't really kept the blog up with my personal life recently, so here we go--

Most of my time is currently absorbed by my classes for my master's degree:

Introduction to Public Administration: This class is mostly reading covering the history, theory, and practice of public administration. It's interesting stuff, and I'm learning a lot about the structure and nature of our country.
Economics and Public Finance: Really cool class, but the material is not easy. We were just exploring cost-benefit analysis for public works, and part of the chapter was talking about valuing human life. woo!
Research and Analytic Methods: Once-a week (4 hrs) session where we talk about statistics and methods of understanding what the public wants. Good to know. For this class, I'm working up a paper exploring local attitudes toward a Christo & Jeanne-Claude project planning to drape the river upstream of Canon. I'm really interested and I think it'll be a good paper.

The real event in life right now is getting ready for the baby. I'd like to say that we've got the house all baby-ready, but we're not even close. I still want to get the living room carpet replaced, and we're working hard to combine the dog and cats so we can have a room for the baby.

Other than that, I have a project with a friend of mine from the old job. We're going to build a house for some people. Should be a good amount of work, but also some good money. If they ever sell their current house, that is. Nothing physical proceeds without the funds from that, but we've submitted for a permit so we can get moving when they sell.

One more thing: I have been waiting for today for a long long time. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed comes out today, and I have had it on pre-order for a while. I've actually been waiting for it to come out for over a year (it kept being delayed). So I'm working hard to get ahead of my classes so that I can devote thursday-friday to playing it while Becky's at work. Glad I got the Wii's cooler fan unstuck.

Oh yeah, the Rockies are not doing well (understatement). My fantasy football team has no QB. Sports is getting pushed aside in favor of Dadlabs.

E(ink)squire

2008-09-08T06:18:00.000-07:00

This is wild. The cover of the new issue of Esquire has electronic ink.

Chromed-out

2008-09-05T12:56:00.000-07:00

I just downloaded and am trying Google's "Chrome" browser. Funny that with the integration of everything into Googleworld, the first two youtube videos I tried to watch (showing the cool stuff in Chrome) were inaccessible using Chrome. Same error I get in Firefox. Could be a settings thing.

And I can't ctrl-T to get a new tab (IE and Firefox do that) ... which is why I was trying to watch the FAQ videos about Chrome. The videos that don't work... Hm. Rocky start.

For years now, I've been waiting for Google to come out with a web-based CRM program... still waiting...

Oh, my bad. ctrl-T does work. Now, to see if my fingerprint reader/password rememberer works for Chrome.

Fleet Week

2008-09-05T07:28:00.000-07:00

NYC has the navy, but SF has Imperial Fleet Week.

One (word)

2008-09-03T15:24:00.000-07:00

Please, please listen to this very short song and then tell me what you think. I heard it wrong the first time (I'll say how after the lyrics).

One
One
One
One or two won't do
Cos I want it all
And a sip
A sip
A sip or a spoonful won't do
No, I want it all
And I hope
I hope
Hope you know what I'm thinking of
I want all of your love
I need all of your love

She said "If love
If Love
Is a posion cup
Then drink it up"
"Cos a sip
A sip
Or a spoonful won't do
Won't do nothing for you
Except mess you up"

And I hope
I hope
Hope you know what this means
I'm gonna give you everything
I'm gonna give you everything

I didn't hear the "if" in the "she said" verse, and I wrote it off to another sad song about a demented lover in a relationship that will never work. But something made me listen again, and the addition of the word "if" means so much to the song. It changes it from a depressing song to a sweet inspiring ditty that makes you want to love, and to hurt if you have to and really give it everything. Reminiscent of Moulin Rouge-- just being in love with Love, you know?

"If." What a word.

imMANculate conception

2008-09-02T09:02:00.000-07:00

Wow. I knew Obama was amazing, but I had no idea he was the stuff of legend.

A Moment For The History Books - Watch more free videos

Wii Sweat

2008-08-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

Holy cow. I spent a half an hour playing games on Wii Fit and here's my shirt. Those dumb games really get you going!

I have yet to unlock rhythm boxing (Becky already has it), but I'm working toward it. I did beat Becky's scores for balance bubble and some others, but she's still got the Hula Hoop and Super Hula Hoop on lock.

Pictures!

2008-08-18T21:56:00.000-07:00

Everyone click on the pic and enjoy a recap of the greatest thing that has ever happened in our lives:

Click at the bottom for a link to the album, which you can copy at your pleasure.

Whoops

2008-07-30T21:26:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in about a month. Whoops. Lots of reasons, but none really good.

Becky posted about our Wii Fit system and it's all true. She's doing rhythm boxing now and it's really cool. The whole thing is so fun. We still go to the gym, but the Wii fit is so enjoyable that I think it's going to be a horse race to see if we re-up for our gym membership.

Anyway, I am still alive. finishing up my app for My MPA program and working some. Tomorrow I get up at 6:15 to go supervise gravel application (actually crusher fines, but who's counting?) on a structure we installed at the new local golf course. Telling a bobcat where to drop the material. It's cool. all the time, though, I'm thinking about the rest of my life and how the changes we are trying to make happen are going to affect our lives and what I have to do to get ready for theose changes.

My best to all.

Honeymoon Pics

2008-07-03T07:28:00.000-07:00

No Drunk Taxpayers

2008-05-12T07:39:00.000-07:00

Becky has been posting on our WEDDING BLOG about the various fun things to do in the area. The latest is about Bishop Castle, which is just incomparable. Anyway, I can tell by the counter that we have 1 month, 1 week and two days left until the wedding. It's going to be so much fun!

On a practical note, we know it's a strain for people to get out here and get rooms and all, so we have been working on ways to ease the burden (keep you out of the restaurants as much as possible) ... Sam's club to the rescue! More on that later.

Summertime

2008-05-08T07:48:00.000-07:00

This my jam.

Wear a helmet

2008-05-01T08:10:00.000-07:00

Happy May Day!

I was just thundered at, hailed on, and nearly blown off the roof where I was standing. It was about a twenty-minute hail storm. Yesterday it was 84 degrees.

coupla things on my mind

2008-04-21T19:51:00.001-07:00

To Sonic Drive-In: Your cherry limeades have saved my life, how many times I can not count. But dammit! stop using styrofoam!!! Paper is fantastic and biodegradable. Please just stop with the styrofoam.

To my readers: It is a habit of mine (and it may be yours) to put the tops back on bottles of soda or whatever, but if you can't recycle them, I think it might save a lot of room in the landfills to leave the top off if/when you discard the bottle. (I have no science to back this up. Just my opinion.)

To the yahoos who came up with the investigation that found that nalgene bottles are potentially harmful: Get a freaking life. Drinking water often and regularly more than outweighs the potential toxins you are potentially ingesting from the nalgene itself. F off. Nalgenes are awesome and drinking lots of water is likewise awesome. Stick to your Purell and your Asian death masks.

guess who

2008-04-18T13:13:00.000-07:00

Is having a birthday tomorrow?

here's a hint

durrr, wha?

2008-04-17T14:14:00.000-07:00

I saw this on Sara's blog and I couldn't resist. I have to say that if I had been ranked poorly, I would not have posted it.

Hobo Saint

2008-04-15T08:47:00.000-07:00

"Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that." — Steve Earle.

SeeqPod - Playable Search

Nothin's what it seems, maybe she'll start someday to realize
If she abandons her dreams then all the words she can say are only lies
When will she see that to gain is only to lose
All that she offers me are her chains, I got to refuse
It's only to herself that she's lied
She likes to pretend there's something that she should defend with her pride
I don't intend to stand her and be the friend from whom she must hide
Maybe she just has to sing for the sake of the song
Who do I think that I am to decide that she's wrong

Frankencitrus

2008-04-04T09:34:00.000-07:00

Living far away from citrus-growing places can be rough. We get some oranges, tangelos and clementines here. But in the winter...

They come wearing jackets!

This rind was almost 1/2" thick!

Google gets one over on Time

2008-04-01T07:28:00.000-07:00

Email the past!

http://mail.google.com/mail/help/customtime/index.html

"...Any email you send to the past appears in the proper chronological order in your recipient's inbox. You can opt for it to show up read or unread by selecting the appropriate option.

Is there a limit to how far back I can send email?
Yes. You'll only be able to send email back until April 1, 2004, the day we launched Gmail. If we were to let you send an email from Gmail before Gmail existed, well, that would be like hanging out with your parents before you were born -- crazy talk.

How does it work?
Gmail utilizes an e-flux capacitor to resolve issues of causality (see Grandfather Paradox).

How come I only get ten?
Our researchers have concluded that allowing each person more than ten pre-dated emails per year would cause people to lose faith in the accuracy of time, thus rendering the feature useless.

Their findings:

N = Total emails sent
P = Probability that user believes the time stamp
φ = The Golden Ratio
L = Average life expectancy"

Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack

2008-03-31T13:32:00.000-07:00

Opening Day!

I disagree with the treatment of California in this map, but it's a pretty cool idea. ...who likes the A's? Seriously.

shameless gf aggrandizement

2008-03-30T18:25:00.000-07:00

I love my Becky. love love love!

breathe in, breathe out

2008-03-25T07:08:00.000-07:00

I put a little doohickey in my sidebar that apparently uses the profits from blind advertising to offset the CO2 emissions from the electricity you are using to view this blog. So click away and get it for yourself if you'd like, and decrease the CO2 emissions from your stinky blog.

puff puff give!

AAAAAAH!

2008-03-21T07:32:00.000-07:00

Teenagers in a small town in Argentina are scared to go outside because ... they're afraid of this.

I don't know what they think it's going to do to them, but I'll admit it looks a little odd.

Also, remember to stare at the moon tonight, because Rolling Rock has a Laser.

dropkick the wii

2008-03-17T14:22:00.000-07:00

So Guitar Hero has all this downloadable content for the other platforms but the Wii doesn't allow it.

Today, for the holiday, ps3 and X360 players get to download 3 free Dropkick Murphys songs. Dang. That would have been fun.

I guess I'll just play Green Beer Hero 6.

Kiss me, I'm needy

2008-03-13T14:20:00.001-07:00

Just in time for green beer and binge drinking!

Below is a seeqpod playlist for St. Patrick's Day, and I put a seeqpod player in the sidebar for your listening pleasure.

Oh yeah, enjoy Lost tonight! It's better than ever.

better than a Rick Roll

2008-03-07T15:59:00.001-08:00

It's a Rebecca Roll!

Happy Saturday!

2008-03-01T07:44:00.001-08:00

hmm

2008-02-29T09:03:00.000-08:00

I don't agree, but I am sure internet quizzes are reviewed by the relevant scientific panels and governmental agencies, right?

Anyway, LOST is awesome this season. I like Faraday a lot!

Find out Which Lost Character Are You at LiquidGeneration.com!

I would not have killed Naomi. That was just sick.

(Stupid formatting doesn't work. Oh well.)

Get me Lou Pinella

2008-02-27T10:10:00.000-08:00

...to kick Sam Zell's butt!

Cubs owner: Naming rights for Wrigley Field on the table

It's Wrigley Field, fer pete's sake.

white water

2008-02-23T22:07:00.000-08:00

We talked to the owner of the rafting company this week. ...He's a buddy of mine. We are getting a fantastic and almost unfair deal. Looks like we are going to benefit from knowing how many people intend to go rafting that week. So let us know if you want to hit the rapids on the thursday before the wedding. Even if you think we know that you're going, please let us know again. Plan for about $40 a person for a fantastic half-day trip on the Arkansas River, which runs through our town.

Much love,

Jay

Hogging the Covers

2008-02-20T08:58:00.000-08:00

I love cover songs. I love hearing a different treatment of the original material, and I love hearing an artist honor or mock or wax ironic with their choice of what to cover. I love it when they play a song that I might not have ever heard of, and I love it when they play a song that I know by heart.

That in mind, and slightly inspired by My Old Kentucky Blog's ongoing "covers project," which is really cool, I am posting a few covers that I'm listening to this morning. I'm telling you guys, if finding and playing music and videos fast and easy is cool, consider seeqpod Miles Davis.

SeeqPod - Playable Search

hey

2008-02-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

Sorry I don't post very often. I know I am lame. But at least I'm still super fine, I'm rockin one leg, and got a case of irritable bowel syndrome! That's IBS for short, so take a walk 'cause I can't!

Really busy at work, which is the place where I do my internetting.

Becky is attending the trial of Lee Harvey Oswald this week, so that's nice for her.

Here's my playlist for today. This one song, over and over. hit play and be likeWHATEVER!

EDIT: I did in fact listen to more than one song today.
Here are a fewthatIlikebutwhatever!

And here's the coolest socks in the world doing the USofW:

constantly inspired

2008-02-13T07:24:00.000-08:00

"...cynicism is a sorry kind of wisdom..."

"...this is what change looks like when it happens from the ground up..."

"We will invest in you, but we'll ask you to invest in your country."

"It’s time to stand up and reach for what’s possible, because together, people who love their country can change it."

"The politics of hope does not mean hoping things come easy. Because nothing worthwhile in this country has ever happened unless somebody, somewhere stood up when it was hard; stood up when they were told – no you can’t, and said yes we can."

Independence are not...

2008-02-05T17:25:00.001-08:00

Independence are not allowed to coccus. listen

Powered by Jott

Demon Barber

2008-02-02T14:30:00.000-08:00

I got myself an antique straight razor today, and I am now using my our cordless dremel to polish it up. Still need to get a strop, but that will all fall in line, I imagine. It's not like I am in a rush here.

We just got back from the gym, and I have to say that going to the gym on a Saturday is an odd beast. It makes you wonder about the other people who are there, and I'm sure they were wondering about us. Why the hell would people go to the gym on Saturday? I mean, we had a reason and a good one, but why were the just-past-middle-age-sisterhood-of-the-traveling-pantsers there? And the I'm-not-balding-and-neither-is-my-son guy? Most of the other people there were foreigners to us, so I bet they weren't used to us being there on a Saturday midday.

All of that aside, we had a great session on the treadmill/dumbbells and we feel great for having gone. I have to say, unless your job involves running from predators and chasing prey, going to the gym is somewhere between advisable and necessary for today's modern human.

Back to the blade. I woke up this morning with one thought in my head: get a straight razor. There wasn't a dream associated with it or a song, just the thought that I had to get it. So I Ebayed and called a few antique shops and picked one up for less than a Jackson. I'm cleaning it up and polishing it with our present from Becky's dad (link), but I haven't used it on my face yet. I have to say, I'm rather careful about what is allowed to drag across the old mug. Sensitive skin and all.

Anyro', it's Saturday and I am wasting time posting a blog. Count yrselves lucky.

Cool!

2008-01-29T15:07:00.001-08:00

I think this is awesome, no matter what the World Anti-Doping Agency has to say about his blood tests.

testing

2008-01-23T14:38:00.000-08:00

Just checking this out-- I use seeqpod a lot at work, and it looks like there's an embeddable player now. So enjoy the my Dylan list. I listen to it probably six times a week.

SeeqPod - Playable Search