I’m free-associating tonight, and here’s what I’ve got: How about the toy factories that make all our Barbie accessories and Bob the Builders stop coating them with bright, durable, poisonous lead paint. For God’s sake, what is it with China trying to poison the people and dogs that buy stuff from them? In a country that summarily executes high-ranking officials for ‘dereliction of duty,’ I would think people would be more careful about their job performance.
I mean, we don’t need to import poison, we’ve got plenty of it right here. Take these guys, for instance. They tried to pass off catfish bait + vinegar as heroin. Now that’s American creativity right there. Ever wonder what it would be like to mainline some catfish bait? Me neither, but it can’t be too fun. Can you imagine the conversation that hatched this plan? Three parting observations: 1) There seems to be quite the cottage industry for catfish bait. 2) Target has bought AdWords for the search term “catfish bait” (see inset image at right). 3) I wonder if any catfish bait is imported from China?
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Posted 12 September 2007
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On August 4, we moved. It required a Herculean effort, but we managed to collect all of our stuff into one medium-sized truck and drive it up the road a piece. Fortunately, by ‘we’ I mean a team of very energetic professional movers. Much of our stuff remains packed neatly away in boxes, and it very well could take years before we have that useful set of silver napkin rings at the ready. Somehow I think we’ll adapt.
Quote of the Move:
That house weren’t that big, but you sure was usin every nook n cranny.
Well said, Teeny, well said.
The upshot of all of this is something that feels like a new life. Last week I didn’t even start the OldsmoBuick until Thursday morning. Last night I left work at 5:30, joined Jenn and the munchkins at the pool, did dinner and bedtime, then went back to prep lab for this morning. It is a completely different experience, and I love it. And did I mention the ice cream joint about four blocks away? Good thing I’m riding my bike again, I suppose.
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Posted 04 September 2007
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It’s been a wild month, that’s for sure. We listed the house and within five days, we had a contract on it. Then we didn’t (we thought). Then we did again. But it looks like all is well, and we’re all set to close on it this Friday.
Of course, that meant we had to find a new house, which we did right away! Then we didn’t. But now we have! It’s beautiful and spacious and just about perfect for us. I can’t wait to be in town and able to ride my bike to work. Aaahhhh. No drive. Goodbye drive. I will not miss thee.
Here’s something just for the grandparents — Jack taking his first bath. The real video camera is in the shop getting repaired, so this one was taken with the video mode of a digital point-and-shoot. I think it turned out really good, actually. Not sure I’ll mess with replacing the real one when it finally dies. It’s kind of nice not to have to mess with tapes, especially for transferring over to the computer.
EDIT: Just so you all know, that bold text up there is a link to a video…
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Posted 12 May 2007
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The boy is still a little confused about when it’s “socially acceptable” to be awake and when it isn’t. For example, not at 3:00 am. Or 4:00 am. Or even 5:00 am. We like it to remain quiet around here until at least 7:00 if possible. Jenn says I have to wait until he’s about 15 to confront him on stuff like that. I say she coddles that boy way too much. All kidding aside though, he’s doing great, plumping up like he was Elvis on fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Except he’s not doing cocaine and diet pills at the same time (that we know of).
Lindsay has been a total darling with him so far. She loves to hold him and sing to him, and she swears up and down, “Look, he’s smiling at his big sister!” I hear this all changes as soon as he can crawl into her room and start drooling on her Barbies, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Speaking of Lindsay and sweetness, I recorded her singing “If you’re happy and you know it” the other day, which is about as cute as it gets.
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Posted 30 April 2007
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