Friday, June 26, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
NOW he jumps.
You can't say you weren't warned. Here's day two of Liam in the jumper:
He was jumping for at least 20 minutes before this video was taken, and for about 20 minutes after.
You could say he's taken a shine to it.
Perhaps coincidentally, but hopefully not, he slept better last night than he has in months. 8:30 to 7:00 with only one wake up at 3:00. Needless to say, he's been in the jumper a lot today.
Also, I swear we're not getting paid by Zappos. (Note to Zappos, I'll put your logo in the background of every video I do if you'll give me fifty dollars per video ... just sayin'.) All joking aside though (I'm serious, Zappos), it's a pretty sweet website for ordering shoes. Free shipping. Free returns. You can narrow your search to look for only vegan shoes.
Ahem.
He was jumping for at least 20 minutes before this video was taken, and for about 20 minutes after.
You could say he's taken a shine to it.
Perhaps coincidentally, but hopefully not, he slept better last night than he has in months. 8:30 to 7:00 with only one wake up at 3:00. Needless to say, he's been in the jumper a lot today.
Also, I swear we're not getting paid by Zappos. (Note to Zappos, I'll put your logo in the background of every video I do if you'll give me fifty dollars per video ... just sayin'.) All joking aside though (I'm serious, Zappos), it's a pretty sweet website for ordering shoes. Free shipping. Free returns. You can narrow your search to look for only vegan shoes.
Ahem.
Anna Wednesday #4
For the purposes of this post, I'm going to need you to pretend it's Wednesday. OK? Great.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
He Jumps
I put Liam in the jumper for the first time today. He liked it. He's been in a few times since I took this video and he has already learned how to really jump.
The title of this video is "Jumper 1" because I know I'll be posting more of him in this thing. In fact, it will probably deserve its own label.
The title of this video is "Jumper 1" because I know I'll be posting more of him in this thing. In fact, it will probably deserve its own label.
Monday, June 22, 2009
the Goode Family - Ep 5: I Prefer Laughing
When I'm watching a comedy, I like to laugh. I'm a fan of laughing.
Guess what I didn't do once during the whole of The Goode Family, episode 5.
You guessed it. I didn't laugh.
I also was not compelled to think.
Mostly, I was waiting for it to end. Then it ended. And then I typed this.
Guess what I didn't do once during the whole of The Goode Family, episode 5.
You guessed it. I didn't laugh.
I also was not compelled to think.
Mostly, I was waiting for it to end. Then it ended. And then I typed this.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
One more...
This one's for me:
She's been making up songs these days. The songs almost always contain, "you are so fun to ..." and then add something. Play with. Drink smoothie with. Have two cards with.
Anyway, it's awesome. I love it. My daughter rocks.
She's been making up songs these days. The songs almost always contain, "you are so fun to ..." and then add something. Play with. Drink smoothie with. Have two cards with.
Anyway, it's awesome. I love it. My daughter rocks.
This is Also My Dad
I wanted to put this video at the end of my last post, but couldn't find it.
But then I found it.
This is my dad with Anna last summer (5/17/08 to be exact):
But then I found it.
This is my dad with Anna last summer (5/17/08 to be exact):
That's My Dad
Here's my dad with Liam the first time they met, when Liam was about three weeks old:
See the resemblance? I do.
My dad is a pretty cool guy.
Growing up, he was a dad. He wasn't always the most hands-on dad, but he was always there when it mattered. He did dad-things with us, like teach us how to throw a baseball, how to change a spark plug on the lawnmower (so we could mow the lawn), and how to identify weeds in the garden (so he could make us weed his garden). You know, standard run-of-the-mill stuff.
But I'm not going to write about that stuff today. I'm going to write, instead, of how my dad influenced me to go vegan.
If he's reading this, he probably just muttered something less than positive under his breath. And he'd be justified in doing so. My dad, the man I love and respect as a father and a fine human being, trys to catch fish on hooks any chance he gets. He even tries when the lakes are frozen over with feet of ice. That's how bad he wants to eat those fish. He also loves milk, beef, pork ...
You get the point. He's not a vegan, not a vegetarian. He's a man who wouldn't consider a meal a meal unless it involved meat.
But here's the thing, when I was growing up and when we asked him why he didn't hunt he had this to say:
"I'll hunt when the deer can shoot back."
He saw (or at least he claimed to see at the time) hunting as a lopsided venture. An unfair match between a helpless and harmless animal and a human with a high-powered boom stick.
Here's another thing, when I was a kid and had some friends over and they decided to throw rocks at a birds nest ... Well holy shit, you'd better run your ass off as fast as you can away from my father if he catches you throwing rocks at nests. The man has a yelling voice that used to make me nearly piss myself. He gave my friends a verbal lashing asking them what kind of sick fucks would ever try to knock down a bird's nest (OK, he didn't call them fucks, but you get the picture).
Here's yet another thing:
One day I was probably sitting in my bedroom playing Sonic the Hedgehog when he all but burst in and said, "Come with me. You gotta see this."
We jumped in his pick-up (truck) and he drove me out to the country (where I grew up, it was a 30 second drive to get out to "the country," but we drove about 10 more minutes than that on this day) to a dam out in the middle of nowhere (or 10 minutes and 30 seconds from the middle of nowhere, depending on how you define "middle of nowhere"). We drove to the middle of the dam and he stopped the pick-up, got out and told me to look.
There, sitting on the man-made lake, were ducks. I don't remember what kind they were, but there were a lot of them. He commented on their beauty. "Don't tell anyone they're here," he said. "Hunters would love something like that mounted in their house. Let's just let them be."
And that's my dad.
See the resemblance? I do.
My dad is a pretty cool guy.
Growing up, he was a dad. He wasn't always the most hands-on dad, but he was always there when it mattered. He did dad-things with us, like teach us how to throw a baseball, how to change a spark plug on the lawnmower (so we could mow the lawn), and how to identify weeds in the garden (so he could make us weed his garden). You know, standard run-of-the-mill stuff.
But I'm not going to write about that stuff today. I'm going to write, instead, of how my dad influenced me to go vegan.
If he's reading this, he probably just muttered something less than positive under his breath. And he'd be justified in doing so. My dad, the man I love and respect as a father and a fine human being, trys to catch fish on hooks any chance he gets. He even tries when the lakes are frozen over with feet of ice. That's how bad he wants to eat those fish. He also loves milk, beef, pork ...
You get the point. He's not a vegan, not a vegetarian. He's a man who wouldn't consider a meal a meal unless it involved meat.
But here's the thing, when I was growing up and when we asked him why he didn't hunt he had this to say:
"I'll hunt when the deer can shoot back."
He saw (or at least he claimed to see at the time) hunting as a lopsided venture. An unfair match between a helpless and harmless animal and a human with a high-powered boom stick.
Here's another thing, when I was a kid and had some friends over and they decided to throw rocks at a birds nest ... Well holy shit, you'd better run your ass off as fast as you can away from my father if he catches you throwing rocks at nests. The man has a yelling voice that used to make me nearly piss myself. He gave my friends a verbal lashing asking them what kind of sick fucks would ever try to knock down a bird's nest (OK, he didn't call them fucks, but you get the picture).
Here's yet another thing:
One day I was probably sitting in my bedroom playing Sonic the Hedgehog when he all but burst in and said, "Come with me. You gotta see this."
We jumped in his pick-up (truck) and he drove me out to the country (where I grew up, it was a 30 second drive to get out to "the country," but we drove about 10 more minutes than that on this day) to a dam out in the middle of nowhere (or 10 minutes and 30 seconds from the middle of nowhere, depending on how you define "middle of nowhere"). We drove to the middle of the dam and he stopped the pick-up, got out and told me to look.
There, sitting on the man-made lake, were ducks. I don't remember what kind they were, but there were a lot of them. He commented on their beauty. "Don't tell anyone they're here," he said. "Hunters would love something like that mounted in their house. Let's just let them be."
And that's my dad.
Friday, June 19, 2009
The Goode Family - Ep 4: Again with the Al Gore
Yes, I realized I skipped episode 3. It's not working on the ABC website right now. I'll occasionally check back to see if it works.
-
Mom Goode wants to hire help for the garden because she threw out her back. Dad Goode says they don't need help. He says, "Do you think Al Gore has a staff of people helping him?"
Again with the assumption that environmentally and socially conscious people worship Al Gore. Pretty ridiculous if you ask me.
Dad Goode then says, "We're not hiring any minorities to do our dirty work. That's racist! It's whites-only at the Goode house."
OK, that's pretty funny. And the rest of the episode relies pretty heavily on the same kind of humor. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great.
I'm not inspired to do a big review of this episode like I've done for the last two. Instead, I have a general observation about the show: This vegan family looks great.
Mom and Dad Goode look great and always healthy. Adopted son Goode is a tank. Daughter Goode is a waif, but a waif in the way that pop culture idolizes. The animation for her torso shows her pelvic bones, but that's in these days, right?
Anyway, here's a healthy vegan family on network TV.
This is what I meant when I said that this show could be a double edged sword for veganism. There are a lot of people out there who assume that veganism is a deficient diet. If you can't eat the superfoods that are meat, dairy and eggs, then you'll whither away and die. So far, The Goode Family has shown that vegans are just as fit, if not more fit, then their omnivorous counterparts. Adopted Son Goode was the star of the football team in episode 2.
So far, I'd have to honestly say that this show is a net positive for veganism. Of course, that could change in the span of one episode. But so far ... I feel dirty saying it, but ... so good? Really? Did I just type that?
Coming up tonight at 7:30 central, A Tale of Two Lesbians. Here's the description: "Helen and Gerald try to prove they're not homophobic by befriending a lesbian couple."
That sounds groan-worthy. Sure, the show might not be all bad, but I'm sort of starting to hope it dies a quiet death.
-
Mom Goode wants to hire help for the garden because she threw out her back. Dad Goode says they don't need help. He says, "Do you think Al Gore has a staff of people helping him?"
Again with the assumption that environmentally and socially conscious people worship Al Gore. Pretty ridiculous if you ask me.
Dad Goode then says, "We're not hiring any minorities to do our dirty work. That's racist! It's whites-only at the Goode house."
OK, that's pretty funny. And the rest of the episode relies pretty heavily on the same kind of humor. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great.
I'm not inspired to do a big review of this episode like I've done for the last two. Instead, I have a general observation about the show: This vegan family looks great.
Mom and Dad Goode look great and always healthy. Adopted son Goode is a tank. Daughter Goode is a waif, but a waif in the way that pop culture idolizes. The animation for her torso shows her pelvic bones, but that's in these days, right?
Anyway, here's a healthy vegan family on network TV.
This is what I meant when I said that this show could be a double edged sword for veganism. There are a lot of people out there who assume that veganism is a deficient diet. If you can't eat the superfoods that are meat, dairy and eggs, then you'll whither away and die. So far, The Goode Family has shown that vegans are just as fit, if not more fit, then their omnivorous counterparts. Adopted Son Goode was the star of the football team in episode 2.
So far, I'd have to honestly say that this show is a net positive for veganism. Of course, that could change in the span of one episode. But so far ... I feel dirty saying it, but ... so good? Really? Did I just type that?
Coming up tonight at 7:30 central, A Tale of Two Lesbians. Here's the description: "Helen and Gerald try to prove they're not homophobic by befriending a lesbian couple."
That sounds groan-worthy. Sure, the show might not be all bad, but I'm sort of starting to hope it dies a quiet death.
Do a Pollock
Anna occasionally asks to, "do a Pollock." It's pretty fun. Check it out at www.jacksonpollock.org
Here are a few she's done.
And this is one I did. I think it's telling that hers are waaaay better than mine. I over think it, I think.
Here are a few she's done.
And this is one I did. I think it's telling that hers are waaaay better than mine. I over think it, I think.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Friday Liam #3
Photo taken by Mrs. Piggy's aunt. We forgot our computer (along with our camera and video camera) in North Dakota last weekend at my parents. All of our photos are on it. So this one is from an email. The last Anna Wednesday was from Mrs. Piggy's Facebook.
Anyway, we're getting the computer back tomorrow. Whew!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Anna Wednesday #1
Well if this isn't telling, I don't know what is. Anna Wednesday is a day late and it's a picture of her with Liam instead of a picture of just her, because I didn't take any pictures of just her in the last week.
Welcome to your new life, Anna. Sorry.
Welcome to your new life, Anna. Sorry.
The Goode Family - Ep 2: One good observation. Meh jokes. Blech animation.
I've decided that for these Goode Family reviews I'm just going to throw thoughts together as I watch the episode. Like this:
Lame nightmare dream sequence about daughter Goode going to community college.
-
Some unfunny jokes about Native Americans.
-
At 8:10 into the show grandpa Goode manages to exit the Goode house while still holding onto the inside door handle. This feat of wonder brought to you by shitty animation.
-
Halfway through the show I wonder if adopted son Goode will quit the football team when he learns that the football is made from cow skin.
-
Yes! A vegan joke that's not at the expense of vegans! Some football dad at a barbecue holds up a slab of meat and tells dad Goode that he stuffed a turkey into a cow and asks if he wants some. Dad Goode says, "None for me, thanks. I'm completely stuffed with grapes."
It's not super funny, but it's true! Any vegan who has ever gone unprepared to a non-vegan potluck or barbecue knows the drill. You get whatever fruit there is. Some plain veggies (because the dip is ranch) and maybe some plain tortilla or potato chips.
So ... jeez ... maybe they have a vegan on staff after all?
-
There is a lesbian couple who are at a father/son football retreat (but see, they're women and their son thinks football "is gay" ... har har). They are butch (which is supposed to be a joke in itself, but of course is not). Here's the amount sensitivity with which these two characters are treated by the show creators. In one scene (at about 11:30) the brown haired lesbian is talking to dad Goode. The scene cuts away for a second to show adopted son Goode running toward dad Goode to give him a hug. When the scene returns to dad Goode the lesbian standing beside him is the blonde haired lesbian.
This feat of amazing lesbian transportation brought to you by lazy production. Could there be any better illustration of how little thought they put into the stereotypical lesbian characters? SOMEONE DIDN'T NOTICE THEY WERE SWITCHED! Unbelievable.
-
Then dad Goode tries to stop crazy football guy from killing a pig and dad Goode frees the pig only to be mauled by the pig. This will reinforce some people's view that pigs hate humans and will eat them if given the chance. This is, in fact, only true if the pig has been in captivity and treated like shit by humans. Then yes, they'll be sort of crazy and try to bite their oppressors if given the chance. Makes sense to me.
Anyway, they save the pig and then make him into the team mascot instead of the team sacrifice (apparently all it takes is adopted son Goode hugging the pig once to turn him into a docile pet).
-
Football wins and they all lived happily ever after. Except for the pig. Who is probably in a cage when he's not out on the field.
Oh, and all the cows who were killed to make the footballs definitely DID NOT live happily ever after.
So that sucks.
Lame nightmare dream sequence about daughter Goode going to community college.
-
Some unfunny jokes about Native Americans.
-
At 8:10 into the show grandpa Goode manages to exit the Goode house while still holding onto the inside door handle. This feat of wonder brought to you by shitty animation.
-
Halfway through the show I wonder if adopted son Goode will quit the football team when he learns that the football is made from cow skin.
-
Yes! A vegan joke that's not at the expense of vegans! Some football dad at a barbecue holds up a slab of meat and tells dad Goode that he stuffed a turkey into a cow and asks if he wants some. Dad Goode says, "None for me, thanks. I'm completely stuffed with grapes."
It's not super funny, but it's true! Any vegan who has ever gone unprepared to a non-vegan potluck or barbecue knows the drill. You get whatever fruit there is. Some plain veggies (because the dip is ranch) and maybe some plain tortilla or potato chips.
So ... jeez ... maybe they have a vegan on staff after all?
-
There is a lesbian couple who are at a father/son football retreat (but see, they're women and their son thinks football "is gay" ... har har). They are butch (which is supposed to be a joke in itself, but of course is not). Here's the amount sensitivity with which these two characters are treated by the show creators. In one scene (at about 11:30) the brown haired lesbian is talking to dad Goode. The scene cuts away for a second to show adopted son Goode running toward dad Goode to give him a hug. When the scene returns to dad Goode the lesbian standing beside him is the blonde haired lesbian.
This feat of amazing lesbian transportation brought to you by lazy production. Could there be any better illustration of how little thought they put into the stereotypical lesbian characters? SOMEONE DIDN'T NOTICE THEY WERE SWITCHED! Unbelievable.
-
Then dad Goode tries to stop crazy football guy from killing a pig and dad Goode frees the pig only to be mauled by the pig. This will reinforce some people's view that pigs hate humans and will eat them if given the chance. This is, in fact, only true if the pig has been in captivity and treated like shit by humans. Then yes, they'll be sort of crazy and try to bite their oppressors if given the chance. Makes sense to me.
Anyway, they save the pig and then make him into the team mascot instead of the team sacrifice (apparently all it takes is adopted son Goode hugging the pig once to turn him into a docile pet).
-
Football wins and they all lived happily ever after. Except for the pig. Who is probably in a cage when he's not out on the field.
Oh, and all the cows who were killed to make the footballs definitely DID NOT live happily ever after.
So that sucks.
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