Eye Candy

I just posted a bunch of new photos on my flickr page. You can click here, or on the flickr banner "Check Out My Latest Photos" in the lower right-hand margin to see them...

There are some shots (finally) of our new floor and painting projects, along with pics of the kid and the cats, and lots of miscellaneous stuff. Watch for tater tot hijinx and inappropriate (well, that's debatable) urination.

Enjoy! ...and have a great holiday weekend!

Woman Overjoyed By Giant Uterine Parasite

NEW BRIGHTON, MN— "I'm so happy!" Crowley said of the golf ball–sized, nutrient-sapping organism that will eventually require hospitalization in order to be removed.

So predictable, it's alarming!

Okay, this is a little bit ridiculous. Some of you may remember this from the olden days, when I first started blogging on Friendster. The title of that blog post was "We Need A New Pose." I had pointed out these two casual family photos where Arlo, Ted, and I were configured in nearly identical poses:

This one, from January of 2006:

... aaaaaaaaaand there's this one, from last summer's Pig Roast in July:

Are you still with me? Good.

Now scroll down to my "Fame" post from August 13th.

I'm a little embarrassed. The next time someone takes a snapshot of our family, could you please just ask us to switch places or something?

Fame

Here's the Gazette story from yesterday. I couldn't believe how prominently they featured our picture--and in full color! Thank God it was a good one.

I'm told that it might be a little creepy that I "comb the obituaries" for name ideas--but you just look at them some time, and try and tell me that there aren't some gems in there.

Click here to read the article... oh, and don't miss the fact that our friend, Cindy, was also quoted! (I sold her out, gave her name to the reporter.)

Media Darling

I'm only telling you this because you might feel a little put out if I didn't tell you . . . I've gotten a few phone calls from friends today squealing about the fact that my picture is in the paper AGAIN today (Ted and Arlo too this time)--check out the Cedar Rapids Gazette, somewhere around page 6A, I think? I haven't seen it yet.

A Gazette reporter interviewed me a couple of weeks ago for a story she was writing about baby naming, and the story is scheduled to appear in this Sunday's paper. They sent a photographer to our house to take pictures of me and the boys by our front door. What's in the paper today, I'm told, is a "teaser"-- a little promo bit to try to get people to want to buy the paper this Sunday, and it features our happy little family.

Watch for the story on Sunday. I hope I don't come off looking/sounding like a total dweeb.

How it feels on Day 227

Some of you did not know that I have a tattoo on my belly. Because I got this tat on a whim in Waterloo, while there with my best friend for the state pool tournament, I am a little insecure that it may not mean what they told me it means. It's supposed to be the Japanese character for "beautiful" -- and my best gal got the Chinese symbol for "woman" tattooed on her arm. Well, we think so, anyway. It's probably safe to say that Waterlooian tattoo artists (um, tattoo artists in general?) are not exactly well known for their foreign language prowess, so it may well say "ham sandwich" or, um, I don't know, "My kid's an honor student." I'm afraid to find out.

What I do know is that it's getting bigger by the day, and I can no longer see it in person. I enjoyed taking these "forced perspective" pics using my camera phone, and I thought y'all might like them too.

It does not matter what the ultrasound told us.

Regardless of what the ultrasound technician told us back in May--and I'm still not telling what they told us--I know now that we will probably end up having a girl.

Why, you ask?

Well, because I'm pretty sure I just came up with the most awesome name for a son, EVAR.

And no, I can't tell you what it is.

Isn't this annoying? I'm not telling you anything, really. Only that if I have another son, he will be endowed with another splendid moniker, fully able to contend with big brother Arlo's.

Oh, and if we do have a girl, she'll have a pretty sweet name too.

Just sit tight for eight more weeks (or less, I hope) and all will be revealed. I'm so excited!

Afternoon Time Suck Opportunity

Warning: there is some seriously HOT dancing going on here:
http://www.ican.ie/campaigns/universalmusic/dancesisterdance/myvid/index.php?v=e992e46f19c5a

and here:
http://www.ican.ie/campaigns/universalmusic/dancesisterdance/myvid/index.php?v=e992e46f19c5a

I feel justified in having spent 15 minutes of my work day playing with this web site, because the link was sent to me by my boss. So there.

Have fun, and please do not think less of me for exposing you to such drivel.