tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-220197702024-03-14T04:35:53.754-05:00Meaty ChunksWe are now Iowa corn-fed chunkers.Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06223368339440617941noreply@blogger.comBlogger280125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-21496682751169271042013-10-24T09:58:00.000-05:002013-10-24T09:58:38.980-05:00Gay MarriageWhen we initially named this blog, one of the things I liked about "meaty chunks" was that it hit the whimsical family blog button while also allowing me to feel clever by hinting that we would write pieces about thoughtful matters every once in a while. It has turned out that there have been fewer meaty matters and more family photos (not that there's anything wrong with that, of course), but I figured I'd pen some thoughts on gay marriage today as it is constantly in the news.<br />
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Gay marriage is the social issue of our time. I've spent a fair amount of time discussing the issue and I've changed my position over the years from opposition to support. I have gay friends who are married to their gay lovers. I have gay friends who are married to their opposite sex spouse. I have gay friends who can't or don't want to get married. I have Mormon friends who oppose gay marriage for essentially discriminatory reasons. I have Mormon friends who support gay marriage. And I have Mormon friends who oppose gay marriage for what I believe are legitimate non-hateful reasons one may or may not agree with. With all these friends, it's a tall order to put down my own thoughts without risking offense to someone. On the other hand, maybe I can help people figure out how to feel more at peace with a very contentious topic if I share my own journey from angst to contentment.<br />
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Many Mormons feel it is important to oppose gay marriage on a moral basis alone. I do not think that secular recognition of gay marriage changes the Mormon view of chastity and associated morality, but it does change the very real living circumstances of those involved. By legalizing gay marriage, relationships in a functional family led by two gay parents can be recognized in a manner that allows for better healthcare, better education, and better safety. This is good for children and it is good for society in that sense at least. It is just plain prima facia good for those who have expanded rights and ability to care for those they love most dearly. That's why I support gay marriage. It's pragmatic and it's the Christian thing to do, I believe.<br />
<br />
I support gay marriage and I don't feel this is at odds with the leadership of the Mormon church. We can, as a church community, believe that gay sex violates the law of chastity while still allowing others to secure the secular benefits of legal marriage recognition. I don't see this as inconsistent. Mormons have been restricted in practicing certain aspects of our religion over the years specifically because others in society found them to be morally deplorable. I feel the Golden Rule applies here--we can continue to teach and believe that the law of chastity requires opposite sex couples for procreative reasons while still allowing others to live by their own consciences.<br />
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There are lots of different directions a discussion on gay marriage might go. My friends from the AMA might press me on the importance of science informing our public policy--that's what I've always believed is the right way to frame our social policies and that was why I spent years on the AMA's Council on Science and Public Health. My Mormon friends might press me about the recent messages from LDS General Conference in which several leaders alluded to or directly discussed gay marriage, and not in a supportive way. I can anticipate many things people might say on this topic because I've given it a lot of thought over the years. For me the bottom line is that gays and Mormons need to cut each other more slack.<br />
<br />
I would like my gay friends to appreciate that those who oppose gay marriage do not necessarily do so out of some character flaw such as hate or ignorance. I would like my Mormon friends to recognize that gay people can be exemplary moral people who have a different understanding of our life on Earth, and their view is not born out of lasciviousness and moral inadequacy.<br />
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Is that so much to ask? Yes, I'm sure it is, for some. But I will still think and write and chat about it. I'm sure my views will continue to change over the years as they already have thanks to the influence of so many good people from all sorts of different backgrounds. My friend Josh Weed wrote a post about gay marriage not long ago, only to retract it and then <a href="http://www.joshweed.com/2013/10/this-is-my-manifesto.html#more">post an explanation</a> today that I found to be very moving. I think it has great insight into the topic from a Mormon viewpoint. Not long ago Diana and I attended a gay wedding in Atlanta that was undeniably the most fun I've ever had at a wedding. It was a beautiful celebration of a beautiful couple who believe differently than me, but who are entitled to as much happiness within their own lives as they can manage. I ask again that anyone who reads this try a little harder to be more understanding of those with whom they differ. Listen and love.Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363620753397166453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-46781995564789116252013-02-06T21:19:00.003-06:002013-02-06T21:19:54.896-06:00Breaking the silence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
It's been a long time. So long, in fact, that it seems inadequate to just drop a quick post. Months of silence seems to only adequately be addressed with lengthy and carefully crafted explanations, right? Well, no. Here are some random photos of our recent vacation. That's all you get.</div>
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<br />Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363620753397166453noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-65005919790076724392011-05-07T14:45:00.001-05:002011-05-16T13:57:24.180-05:00Eighteen<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">I realize I'm not the first mother in the world to marvel at how the passage of time can turn this:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wCcXDwE-1IA/TcBOD2GV7oI/AAAAAAAABs8/3hhNqSvSVRQ/s1600/IMG_9277-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wCcXDwE-1IA/TcBOD2GV7oI/AAAAAAAABs8/3hhNqSvSVRQ/s320/IMG_9277-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
into this:<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f3x1xOqackw/Tb__NkA8l7I/AAAAAAAABso/uw9kSoetsO4/s1600/IMG_1151.JPG"></a> <br />
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</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IG_U2h_wtPc/TcWG2zuq5rI/AAAAAAAABtg/cLVnE8emVHs/s1600/IMG_1767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IG_U2h_wtPc/TcWG2zuq5rI/AAAAAAAABtg/cLVnE8emVHs/s320/IMG_1767.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EgbuDyM31fc/TcWIAScdD0I/AAAAAAAABtk/h7VTJ8My9sQ/s1600/IMG_1528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jnZCyJZghqQ/TcWFQ6KKmlI/AAAAAAAABtY/ehMRLDaPzb0/s1600/IMG_1766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div> A sentient, capable, independent being who can do anything you can do, only messier.<br />
<br />
Who thinks babies who lie around all day like this:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eNR1uuTSOnA/TcBMI9kr2qI/AAAAAAAABs4/ez34X-GSCpw/s1600/IMG_9083.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eNR1uuTSOnA/TcBMI9kr2qI/AAAAAAAABs4/ez34X-GSCpw/s320/IMG_9083.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
are wasting their time.<br />
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Because they could be doing this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZObFV9L74Rg/TcWIs476DWI/AAAAAAAABto/1DxWq0I-qKw/s1600/IMG_1787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZObFV9L74Rg/TcWIs476DWI/AAAAAAAABto/1DxWq0I-qKw/s320/IMG_1787.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Or this<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQFGsdAQ4LA/TcCWFDnm06I/AAAAAAAABtE/aCr32fUUwnc/s1600/IMG_1551.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQFGsdAQ4LA/TcCWFDnm06I/AAAAAAAABtE/aCr32fUUwnc/s320/IMG_1551.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Or this.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EgbuDyM31fc/TcWIAScdD0I/AAAAAAAABtk/h7VTJ8My9sQ/s1600/IMG_1528.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EgbuDyM31fc/TcWIAScdD0I/AAAAAAAABtk/h7VTJ8My9sQ/s320/IMG_1528.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Or this.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f3x1xOqackw/Tb__NkA8l7I/AAAAAAAABso/uw9kSoetsO4/s1600/IMG_1151.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f3x1xOqackw/Tb__NkA8l7I/AAAAAAAABso/uw9kSoetsO4/s400/IMG_1151.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">Or this.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bFAUBgxjWec/TcCcmQv6brI/AAAAAAAABtU/ZH6XDjdyylE/s1600/IMG_1519.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bFAUBgxjWec/TcCcmQv6brI/AAAAAAAABtU/ZH6XDjdyylE/s400/IMG_1519.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See how he's stealing the pizza from someone else's plate? That's my boy!</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">As a full-fledged toddler, Miles' daily agenda includes playing in the toilet, eating the dog's food, emptying cupboards, and smashing electronics. He also makes time for building (and demolishing) block towers, pulling Grace's (and the dog's) hair, and raiding (and hiding) Sam's legos. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This child has a taste for mischief. He's not malicious, he just wants to have a good time and get a big reaction. At home, one of his favorite ways to do that is to climb high and fast, preferably with a sharp and/or heavy object. Sewing shears on the computer desk are a favorite, but he'll settle for knives on the kitchen counter, or a glass vase on the stairs. He's also fond of straight pins, seam rippers, and the iron. (Basically anything from my craft table will do.)</div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jnZCyJZghqQ/TcWFQ6KKmlI/AAAAAAAABtY/ehMRLDaPzb0/s1600/IMG_1766.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jnZCyJZghqQ/TcWFQ6KKmlI/AAAAAAAABtY/ehMRLDaPzb0/s320/IMG_1766.JPG" width="240" /></a>But his troublemaking is not confined to the home-front. Take the time two weeks ago, when he ran away after church. As always, he attended class with me. As always, I let him wander the rows soliciting candy from adults and stealing toys from children. (I intercede when he threatens to damage AV equipment or pound on the piano, but otherwise I just keep an eye on him while he wanders.) You know where this is going, don't you? Sometime after the final "amen," while I was gathering my things and chatting with a friend, he slipped out the door without me noticing. While chatting, I began looking around the room for him -- behind the piano, under the chairs. When I didn't find him, I said a quick goodbye, and checked the hallway. I didn't see him, and neither had my friend who'd been standing in the hall, so I went back into the classroom to check again. After another quick search under chairs, behind the blackboard, and around the ankles of church members, I circled the building. By this time all of the other classes had let out, so the halls were filling quickly. I expected to see him dodging through the crowd, or hear someone call out, "He's over here." But I didn't. And that's when the panic set in.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">What was I afraid of? I can't say exactly. I could have been worried that he'd open the exterior door and wander out to the busy street. Or that he'd be snatched by our ward's convicted sex offender (not an official calling, but lots of wards have them). Or he could have wandered into a dark closet or cupboard and gotten himself stuck. Mostly I just kept thinking, "I can't believe I lost him. What kind of mother loses her kid at church?"</div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">I started circling in indecision --<i>literal circles</i>-- heading in one direction and then immediately changing my mind and heading the other way, afraid I'd miss him if I chose wrong. After turning around twice, I realized I needed help. </div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GBAgWydDqH4/TcCcUYyaJzI/AAAAAAAABtI/2Y4V5i57rGs/s1600/IMG_1530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GBAgWydDqH4/TcCcUYyaJzI/AAAAAAAABtI/2Y4V5i57rGs/s320/IMG_1530.JPG" width="320" /></a>It's one thing to think you've lost your kid, but it's another to say the words out-loud. "I can't find Miles," I told a friend. My voice caught, and the tears started, and what might have been a calm and orderly search became a bit frenzied. Kind friends who saw my panic joined in, and before I reached the next turn in the hall I heard the question spreading: "Have you seen Miles?"</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g59z8YqhEmI/TcWLLUJSGPI/AAAAAAAABts/72HiF3BQrzU/s1600/IMG_1757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g59z8YqhEmI/TcWLLUJSGPI/AAAAAAAABts/72HiF3BQrzU/s320/IMG_1757.JPG" width="279" /></a>In the end, all I had to do was take the next turn in the hall. Just around the corner, I found him in the arms of his friend (and mine), Margaret. Apparently, he'd gone to visit her on the other side of the building. He was happy to see me, but no more than usual. What's five minutes to an adventurous toddler? Five lifetimes to a worried mother, that's what.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">In the van, with all three children safely strapped in, I started to process it all. For a moment I actually thought, "As fearless as he is, it's a marvel I haven't lost him before. Maybe I'm not such a bad mom after all." Only then did I remember this wasn't the first time. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The real first time was a couple months ago at a hotel in Erie, PA. We met some friends there to enjoy the <a href="http://www.splashlagoon.com/">indoor waterpark</a>. After breakfast, the adults were packing things up before heading down for a day of fun. The children were playing in the living room/kitchenette area in the middle of our shared suite. There was a knock at the door, and a stranger asked if we were missing a child. "I don't think so," I answered, and did a quick visual sweep of the room. And then I saw behind the stranger, another stranger holding Miles' hand as he toddled down the hall toward us. He was ready for the day, wearing his swim trunks and a smile. I hadn't even noticed he was gone.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QI0oDYL1wsM/TcCcdfZUPdI/AAAAAAAABtM/2KzVmdkDfXs/s1600/IMG_1527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">We never did figure out how he escaped. There were four adults and six other children (all older than Miles) in the 3-room suite, but no one admitted to opening the door, and no one saw him leave. I spent the rest of the day wondering "What if?" What if the strangers hadn't known which door to knock on? What if he'd fallen down the stairs, or got stuck in the elevator? What if he'd been found by carnival scouts looking to book a new baby act for their traveling show?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I had to force myself to stop thinking about the frightening possibilities, and just be grateful it all turned out OK. I have a feeling that's a lesson I'll have to learn again and again with this kid. If he were any less adorable, I might resent him for it. But Miles can charm the exasperation right out of me. His smiles are constant, and his hugs are abundant. (He's a little stingy with kisses (except for the dog), but I can't say I mind too much, because they're usually open-mouthed (especially for the dog).) He's friendly and fun, and he spreads cheer everywhere he goes. On grocery outings, he spontaneously hugs sweet grandmas who stop to say hello. At church, he picks a new (adult) friend every week to snuggle. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rDzwUZeTvWw/TcWcdTuiQdI/AAAAAAAABt0/p1W4sDMBFrE/s1600/IMG_0955-1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rDzwUZeTvWw/TcWcdTuiQdI/AAAAAAAABt0/p1W4sDMBFrE/s320/IMG_0955-1.jpg" width="212" /></a>Things will be different at church now that Miles has his own class to go to. He turned 18 months on Monday, and that means he gets to go to nursery. I snuck him in a day early last week, and just as I expected, he ran straight for the toys without a glance over his shoulder; I went to my own class alone. I'll admit I missed him, and not just because it meant I had to pay attention. For all his mischief, I just really like the kid. So when I went to pick him up after church I was just a little bit glad to see his lip quiver when he caught sight of me. And even happier to hear that mid-way through class, he'd gone to the door and called "Ma! Ma!" I wasn't even there to see it, and it still melts my heart!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Maybe it's a bad idea to admit all of this. I might end up bailing him out of jail some day after a teenage prank gone wrong. And I don't want him thinking that all it takes to win me over is a lip quiver and a hug. But, let's face it, he probably knows that already. At 18 months, he's got me all figured out.</div></div>Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06223368339440617941noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-38840094428864253872011-02-23T13:57:00.004-06:002011-04-19T08:20:19.113-05:00For devices, less is often moreWho do you want as a sidekick, a burly carni strongman or a ninja that never sleeps?<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Before you get too interested, this is another post about gadgets. Specifically, I'm thinking iPad vs. Cr-48 vs. conventional Windows laptop. There. You've been warned.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I've always been a gadget guy and I've wanted to get the latest gizmo long before I can really ever afford it. Eight years ago when I was getting married I convinced my mom to buy an expensive digital camera for the occasion, mainly because I wanted to play with one and I couldn't afford one myself. The thing I learned back then that is still true today is that specs do not accurately describe the quality of what you're getting. A 5 megapixel camera could have a horrible noisy picture compared to a higher quality 1 megapixel camera that had good processing--it just had bigger files with more pixels to *possibly* capture the details if they were there to begin with. But people didn't bother with looking at image quality so much back then, they just wanted the camera with the highest number of megapixels plastered on the side. It was a fallacious "appeal to authority" the likes of which could have been a case example for my logic 101 class in college--the numbers were the authority to declare this camera superior in the face of all other subjective assessments, however misleading they higher numbers might be.</div><div><br />
</div><div>All that is to lead into the idea that computers, cell phones, and other gadgets suffer the same fate. When people evaluate computers, it's often all about the specs--how much memory, storage and processor speed are you getting? So then when they buy a cell phone or Apple device, they fall into the same line of thinking, asking whether it multitasks or runs flash or has some additional feature that the other device does not, making this the mark of superiority. And, to be fair, having certain indispensible features can make or break a device, so that's appropriate some of the time. But usually what I see is that people don't really pay attention to how they actually use these devices-- they like the idea of a carni strongman who can lift anything rather than a ninja who can lift your particular carry on bag and also manage to continue lifting it for 50 miles while the strongman lasted only half a mile!</div><div><br />
</div><div>In case that was a bit vague, let me clarify. I need a portable device that has a long battery and does what I want it to do when I want it to do it. Sure, I like a computer that I can use to edit videos and play super high frame rate games on, etc. But I'd rather have a portable device that can't do those things if cramming those features into my portable device means that it will have to sacrifice battery life. Not enough battery means I can't do anything at all after a little while, which is far less acceptable to me than having a long period of reliably doing my low-resource boring day-to-day things.</div><div><br />
</div><div>When you read the tech news about Android devices, iOS devices, and old-school cell phones, people fall into the megapixel trap of citing specs or feature lists as the objective gold standard for device quality. It doesn't work that way, in my opinion. I have an iPod Touch and I love the thing, and it's because it is so responsive and it lasts a long time between charges. I don't want Flash and multi-tasking if it comes at the price of those core benefits (and it often does). Not that I have a lot of experience with Android, but my buddy's Android phone was snappy as could be after he first got it, but was slow and sluggish after a year of use--I presume exactly because of the multi-tasking bloat that is draining the battery and slowing things down that is typical of older devices after lots of installations.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Now, for the Cr-48. Here's a device that exemplifies exactly what I'm talking about. It's a full computer allowing keyboard typing (I can't even conceive of writing this post on an ipad!) but without the bloat under the hood that keeps the device from responding quickly and lasting the day without a wall outlet. In the comments where I've seen Chrome OS discussed, a lot of people ask over and over, "What can this thing do that I can't do on a regular laptop? Why should I settle for something that has so many limitations when netbooks are so cheap these days and have so much more capability!?" Translation: why would I want a ninja when I could have a carni? And the answer is the same as before: because the ninja will let you do what you need to do more reliably and more quickly than a flashy strongman who can do "more" but fails in the day to day.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Some might say a Kindle or Nook fits the same bill. And it probably does, I've just never used them so I can't comment. But if you have a specific need: reading with low eye strain, reliable long lasting battery, etc... then I can see why you'd go there instead of an iPad or other device with more features at a cost.</div><div><br />
</div><div>For most of what I do on a regular daily basis, battery life and responsiveness are key. That means I have to sacrifice some of the bloat--the ability to do super processor intensive things like Flash games may not be ideal, for example. But if it means I don't run out of battery right when I need it, it's worth it. For devices, less is often more, and so far the Cr-48 is hitting the sweet spot in the middle.</div>Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363620753397166453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-47476194703751458762011-02-20T08:54:00.003-06:002011-02-20T11:11:21.518-06:00Cloud 9I love my <a href="http://www.google.com/chromeos/pilot-program-cr48.html">Cr-48</a> (the Google netbook I got to test out that has no conventional hard drive or local file storage). In case you aren't up on your hipster internet lingo, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing">cloud computing</a> means the storage or processing or whatever is distributed between servers and not done on your local machine. You store files on the web, not on the machine sitting in front of you.<div><br /></div><div>Disclaimer first: this post is really boring and it won't hurt my feelings if you just come back when Boss is pontificating about <a href="http://meatychunks.blogspot.com/2006/04/issue-of-blood.html">menstruating</a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50427715@N05/5453696008/">pinatas</a> or something more interesting. But in case you like the techno-geeky stuff, this post is for you.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Here are the main problems people seem to have with "the cloud":</div><div><ol><li>I won't have *control* over my own information!</li><li>It won't be safe on their servers; I've seen in the news how they're hacked all the time!</li><li>What if I'm not online? I can't do anything.</li></ol></div><div><br /></div><div>Let me respond to these:</div><div><ol><li>You have more control over files online where you can get to them from any computer than you do when they are only on your local machine--the one you always forget to make backups for and the one where Windows requires you to genuflect and kiss its ring before accessing a folder it doesn't trust you with.</li><li>Servers controlled by companies like Google and Amazon are safer than most people's local machines. Granted, there are Internet-based companies that play fast and loose with personal information and the news is filled with a rotating stream of them being hacked. The places I store my data online are high quality (with the exception of a few banks that have sent me new credit cards because of online security breaches and that have nothing whatsoever to do with me deliberately storing my information in the cloud). If you take an objective look at the security level of your wifi network at your house, or your family members' surfing habits clicking on any shiny ad that could be malicious, I'd take my chances with the cloud any day!</li><li>And not being online? It's no worse than being online and not having access to your files because you're not sitting right in front of the particular machine that stores them. I've tried to share files and folders and external hard drives over my local network. It's frustrating and unnecessary! Windows constantly tells me that I shouldn't be doing what I'm doing and then thwarts me when I try to do it anyway. It's like the argument about gun control laws only keeping guns away from honest people and not criminals--Windows security keeps me from using my own files the way I want but seems to have plenty of ways for the bad guys to get in. On balance, having your files in the cloud makes them much more accessible, not less accessible because you might not always be online.</li></ol></div><div>I thought after getting the Cr-48 I might have to make quite a few changes to how I use my computer to adapt to a computer that is only on the web. But, it turns out, I've already been making the change to the cloud gradually over the last decade, I just didn't realize it in quite those terms until today. For example, here are some of the things I used to do on my local machine that now I do online nearly exclusively:</div><div><ol><li>Office software (i.e. word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations). I started using <a href="http://docs.google.com/">Google docs</a> a while back for nearly everything and I find it works for 90% of what I need. Occasionally I need a few fancier features than what they have, and for that I have my trusty desktop and the cloud won't hack it. But, for the vast majority of what I do both at work and at home, the cloud is it. For those who like the pretty (albeit over-wrought and infuriating, imho) look of MS Office, there is a <a href="http://office.live.com/">web based version</a> of that software if you'd rather use it than Google docs. I'd say you're crazy and try to convince you otherwise, but I'll tone it down for 5 seconds. [Incidentally, I've been impressed with this <a href="http://www.sliderocket.com/">web-based presentation software</a>.]</li><li>E-mail. I can hardly believe I ever did non-web-based e-mail, but I suppose it's true. I used to use a client installed on the local machine that downloaded my messages off the server on to the local machine where I could never read them again from any other web-connected computer. Craziness! Hotmail paved the way (then was assimilated by the Microsoft Borg) and <a href="http://mail.google.com/">Gmail</a> raised the bar. It's all web all the time, now. Oddly, this is one place where cloud storage trumps local too. My work e-mail limits me to less than 80 megs of storage. Compare that to the 8 gigs in Gmail. Weird.</li><li>Documents and records. I can keep scanned documents in the cloud like my kids' birth certificates (bring those up at the airport and save the printouts), my diplomas, etc. I've been looking for my tax return from last year and I can't find it on any of my hard drives or computers around here. I wish I had put it in the cloud for easy access from anywhere, but I just dropped $15 last night trying to download a new copy of last years' return from taxact and it turns out they don't even have the pdf I need! For storage that synchronizes across all your computers and is accessible from the web too, I like <a href="http://db.tt/xFKSjl9">Dropbox</a>. I still use google docs to store most things, though, because you can upload videos, pdfs, and other kinds of files besides just office documents.</li><li>Tax preparation. Speaking of storing tax records, how about doing the taxes in the first place? I used to buy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/TurboTax-Center-Software/b/ref=amb_link_354397122_2/191-8316802-7308629?ie=UTF8&node=3003491&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=right-3&pf_rd_r=1CXF1MGG1E42RDQ4N6QQ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1284379462&pf_rd_i=507846">Turbotax</a>, but for the last several years I've used Freefile online and you get the exact same benefits without purchasing the software. This year for the first time ever, my online preparation was free as well as both the federal and state filing with H&R Block (as long as you access their site through the <a href="http://www.irs.gov/efile/article/0,,id=118986,00.html?portlet=8">IRS.gov freefile page</a> and live in a state that has free filing). I can't convince my parents to save their money by doing it this way, but I do think the cloud is the best.</li><li>Money management. I used Microsoft Money software for years, and then realized that the jerks had actually built an expiration date (in effect) into the software that required me to buy more of their crappy software later to continue to use my data. Seriously! I couldn't access my own meticulously gathered financial records without paying Microsoft a perpetual upgrade fee? Now I use my bank sites with <a href="https://wwws.mint.com/login.event">Mint.com</a> which keeps track of the big picture and budgeting better than MS Money ever did. So neener Microsoft!</li><li>Books. I don't read on the computer all that often, but when I do, it's in the cloud (pdf's saved in my <a href="http://db.tt/xFKSjl9">Dropbox</a> account, textbooks with login-enabled e-versions, Amazon kindle fiction, Google Books, etc). That way your place is always saved and updated whether you were reading on your ipod or your laptop or switching back and forth or whatever.</li><li>Music. Although I've got a huge music collection and I like to listen to it on my computer and ipod every once in a while, I use them much much less than I listen to <a href="http://www.pandora.com/">Pandora</a> or <a href="http://www.last.fm/">last.fm,</a> which are fresher and give me access to lots of music I don't have to pay for, and which are available from any computer with Internet. Better. Definitely better.</li><li>As for movies and TV, we're a big-time <a href="http://www.netflix.com/">Netflix</a> family. We dropped the cable TV bill more than a year ago and haven't missed it much at all. We have Netflix streaming setup through the xbox and our kids love it, we have control of what is coming in, knowledge of what actually got watched, and access to more movies and TV shows that we like than we had when we had TV. We also split some time with <a href="http://www.hulu.com/">hulu</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/">youtube</a> on the computer, but Netflix rules at our house.</li><li>Games. I'm admittedly more of a social gamer these days. I'm much more likely to use the arcade feature of the xbox than the full version discs. So, it works out pretty well that if I need a <a href="http://chrome.plantsvszombies.com/">Plants vs. Zombies</a> or <a href="http://www.popcap.com/allgames.php?p=online">Bejeweled</a> fix sometime, they're available online for the computer, not necessitating a local install. Call of Duty? Not so much. But, for us, that's okay because I've got the xbox for that and I don't use the computer for that kind of gaming anyway. Who has the time?</li><li>Photos and videos. Here's where I still have some adapting yet to do. I am convinced that storing my stuff in the cloud is a better way to go than locally where they get deleted or corrupted or lost or diluted to oblivion, but I haven't quite made the change yet. We do share a fair number of photos via <a href="http://www.facebook.com/">facebook</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/">flickr</a> and <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/">picasa web albums</a>, but this is a very small percentage of our total stash. There are <a href="http://savedelete.com/10-best-and-free-online-video-editing-software.html">online video editors</a> (which I haven't used much) and photo editors like <a href="http://www.picnik.com/">picnik</a> (which I have used and I've been impressed with). Cloud still wins... although the space needed may argue for a compromise. I buy a new external hard drive every year, it seems, and if I spent that money for getting a lot more online storage in the cloud instead, It'd probably be a zero sum game. We'll see how this one plays out!</li></ol><div>Anyway, this may be the most boring post ever, and Boss warned me. But I wanted to at least make a case for cloud based computing. It's new and seems odd to many, but I do think it's a better way to go for many many reasons. Making the transition for us has happened without even realizing it, for the most part. Shortly after we were married we decided not to buy any more books or CDs or DVDs, opting instead for using the library and rentals (with reasonable exceptions, of course). That was sort of a conceptual leap into the cloud, if not literal cloud storage, I suppose. And so it's probably been easier for us over the years to make the computing switch to the cloud. So, here we are a nerdy case example of living with our heads in the clouds, and the Cr-48 is now taking it to the next level.</div></div></div>Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363620753397166453noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-26529331950317645542011-02-08T18:46:00.004-06:002011-02-08T19:20:49.318-06:00Nerdiness ExtravaganzaThis is Coach writing this post, not Boss. Just want to clarify for those few followers of this blog who enjoy reading the clever musing of my sweet wife--I'm not her. I am far less clever and less able to sew a purse. However, in the technological nerdiness category, I'm willing to go out on a limb and say that in this household, I reign supreme.<div><br /></div><div>Case in point: I just got a brand spankin' new Google netbook in the mail today. It's one of their tester thingys that they've sent out to fanboys like me to try out their new web-based operating system and give them feedback. From what I understand, this thing doesn't have a hard drive for local storage, it doesn't have an optical drive, and you don't install any programs. The idea is that you do *everything* via an always-on web connection. Anyone who would consider using such a device as their main computer is, by definition, uber nerdy. And here I am.</div><div><br /></div><div>I couldn't actually wait to write this post *on* the computer because it's charging right now and I'm too excited to wait. But, I will definitely be blogging about my experience with it because I'm now feeling a little evangelical on the topic. I love Google and despite that I own no stock and haven't made any money off them (well... until now, I suppose... receiving a free laptop computer does tend to bias one), I've loved them for years. What's not to love about a company that can do all the incredible things they've done for free?</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't know that my opinion counts for much, but I'll share some thoughts for what they're worth as I use this little gem. I wish someone whose blog I read had warned me to NEVER buy an HP Touchsmart laptop. Well, dear reader, consider YOURself warned anyway. We'll see whether Google manages to measure up to my portable device expectations or whether I'll move on and get that iPad I've been planning on for the last several months.</div>Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363620753397166453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-84756796088378902412011-01-03T11:10:00.000-06:002011-01-03T11:11:05.865-06:00Love Notes<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px">One of the things I love about being a parent is finding little messages from my kids. Like this one, from Sam. It's nice to know I'm in the top three. <br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TSIDCiWGizI/AAAAAAAABic/tloOoZVC5_c/s1600/IMG_1120.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TSIDCiWGizI/AAAAAAAABic/tloOoZVC5_c/s400/IMG_1120.JPG" /></a> </div><br />Perhaps you also noticed the message from Miles in the same photo, top right.. It's a little harder to make out exactly, but it says something like "I may look cute, but do not trust me with electronics. I have remarkable powers of destruction." <br /><br />Don't worry. The iPod's under warranty. The baby, however, is not.<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06223368339440617941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-74030977787979493052010-12-13T20:39:00.003-06:002010-12-13T22:10:55.557-06:00You remind me of the babe<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">What babe?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TQbTc6W9s7I/AAAAAAAABfw/EpzjHLOn9_8/s1600/IMG_0926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TQbTc6W9s7I/AAAAAAAABfw/EpzjHLOn9_8/s320/IMG_0926.JPG" width="313" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The babe with the power.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TQbTik1IFPI/AAAAAAAABf0/NcEENqCKNjI/s1600/IMG_0936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TQbTik1IFPI/AAAAAAAABf0/NcEENqCKNjI/s320/IMG_0936.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: x-large;"> What power?</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TQbTk2kE37I/AAAAAAAABf4/IQt2sEa2MEI/s1600/IMG_0940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TQbTk2kE37I/AAAAAAAABf4/IQt2sEa2MEI/s320/IMG_0940.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The power of voodoo.</span></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TQbTm5zYoXI/AAAAAAAABf8/24kl4cK7OdY/s1600/IMG_0943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TQbTm5zYoXI/AAAAAAAABf8/24kl4cK7OdY/s320/IMG_0943.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: x-large;"> Who do?</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TQbTookp-eI/AAAAAAAABgA/IL2ZMNOiE70/s1600/IMG_0946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TQbTookp-eI/AAAAAAAABgA/IL2ZMNOiE70/s320/IMG_0946.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> You do.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TQbTrjV5A3I/AAAAAAAABgE/jXTBdGZ58JY/s1600/IMG_0947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TQbTrjV5A3I/AAAAAAAABgE/jXTBdGZ58JY/s320/IMG_0947.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Do what?</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TQbTtfPiB9I/AAAAAAAABgI/90DCuH5qrwo/s1600/IMG_0955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TQbTtfPiB9I/AAAAAAAABgI/90DCuH5qrwo/s320/IMG_0955.JPG" width="296" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Remind me of the babe.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TQbTu97U85I/AAAAAAAABgM/KwKrIZycTXE/s1600/IMG_0957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TQbTu97U85I/AAAAAAAABgM/KwKrIZycTXE/s320/IMG_0957.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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And since I know now you're in the mood, let's relive the moment together, shall we? <br />
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<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LxoE2az9mJM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LxoE2az9mJM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Is there anyone who <i>didn't </i>have a crush on David Bowie as the Goblin King? Stop lying, you know you did. </div>Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06223368339440617941noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-52838457853889716032010-12-03T00:08:00.000-06:002010-12-03T00:08:00.747-06:00It's beginning to look a lot like Buffalo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We were scheduled to host pre-school at our house today, but I canceled it. I figured our friends would have a hard time getting to our house, let alone finding a place to park once they got here.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I admit I was glad to cancel it. At midnight last night we arrived home from a (wonderful) 10-day trip to Utah. With suitcases and dirty laundry everywhere, neither the house nor I were ready to facilitate learning. (We're on the letter K. For "keep warm.") But we would have, uh, plowed through, if not for the snow. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have I mentioned the snow? The snow! The crazy thing about the snow is that it's quite isolated. All the other moms said there wasn't much of anything on the ground where they were (Amherst, Tonawanda, and Cheektowaga). Meanwhile, South Buffalo is in the middle of a <a href="http://www.wben.com/Driving-Ban-in-Effect-in-South-Buffalo/8694897">driving ban</a>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There's no ban on playing in the snow, though, and the big kids had a great time climbing Mt. Driveway.<sup>1</sup> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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I don't think Coach had nearly as much fun plowing Mt. Driveway, especially considering that after three hours out there today, he'll need to do it all again tomorrow.<br />
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We love Buffalo, but days like this make it just a little easier to face the prospect of moving. <sup>2</sup> <sup></sup><br />
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<sup>1</sup>Until they got too cold. When I found Grace face-down in the snow, crying about her mittens (she kept pulling her thumb out of the thumb socket) I decided it was time to go in for hot cocoa. Pictures of the awesome snow fort we made will have to wait until tomorrow.<br />
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<sup>2</sup>We're moving! Didn't we tell you? Coach accepted a great job in Ames, Iowa, so we'll be moving there next summer after he finishes his residency. This announcement deserves much more than a footnote, but at the rate I'm blogging these days, you're lucky to get that. We love the community and the practice he's joining. It's a wonderful opportunity, and we have a lot to be grateful for.<sup>3</sup><br />
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<sup>3</sup>And that includes you.<sup>4 </sup>Thanks for sticking by us through the years, the snow, and the runaway footnotes.<br />
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<sup>4</sup>Probably. Who are you, anyway?Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06223368339440617941noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-47819379390185070762010-11-02T23:45:00.000-05:002010-11-02T23:45:18.973-05:00Happy Birthday Miles<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Twelve Months</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">One Singular Sensation</span></td></tr>
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</div></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 50% transparent; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div>Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06223368339440617941noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-41140467538947129142010-09-12T23:16:00.000-05:002010-09-12T23:16:14.650-05:00Go ahead, try it<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px">Say no to this girl. I dare you.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TI2litBlOQI/AAAAAAAABcY/U2rTn4q8TrI/s1600/IMG_0586.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TI2litBlOQI/AAAAAAAABcY/U2rTn4q8TrI/s400/IMG_0586.JPG" /></a> </div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TI2ljPVTVOI/AAAAAAAABcg/RGcNaR6QNpA/s1600/IMG_0594.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TI2ljPVTVOI/AAAAAAAABcg/RGcNaR6QNpA/s400/IMG_0594.JPG" /></a> </div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TI2ljdYlNwI/AAAAAAAABco/W_C8mMUXkdc/s1600/IMG_0596.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TI2ljdYlNwI/AAAAAAAABco/W_C8mMUXkdc/s400/IMG_0596.JPG" /></a> </div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06223368339440617941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-54021809122648367472010-08-13T10:01:00.001-05:002010-08-13T10:05:52.968-05:00Nice Day for a White Wedding<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Have you ever seen a bride so beautiful?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TGVPY_39DCI/AAAAAAAABZc/PLm5zFhKoxs/s1600/IMG_0167.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TGVPY_39DCI/AAAAAAAABZc/PLm5zFhKoxs/s640/IMG_0167.JPG" width="360" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A groom so happily endangered?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mother-of-the-bride so radiant?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TGVUr5MbR4I/AAAAAAAABZs/ICGyw2-KuIY/s1600/IMG_0160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TGVUr5MbR4I/AAAAAAAABZs/ICGyw2-KuIY/s400/IMG_0160.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Or a father-of-the-bride so devastated to learn that his<a href="http://www.zeer.com/Food-Products/Kroger-Death-By-Chocolate-Ice-Cream/8a789ed022860f1401228629e3702008"> favorite flavor of ice cream</a> has been discontinued. Sorry Dad. Thanks for breaking the news to him gently, Peanut.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TGVPXxWHmqI/AAAAAAAABZM/Bn8uLgMIUCE/s1600/IMG_0164.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="277" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/TGVPXxWHmqI/AAAAAAAABZM/Bn8uLgMIUCE/s400/IMG_0164.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And thanks for a beautiful day, Daisy and Adam. A really really beautiful day.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">More photos <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#%21/album.php?aid=2070211&id=1385334682">here</a>. But you probably have to be friends or whatever.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">__________</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"></div>Clarifications and confessions: I don't know if DBC ice cream has actually been discontinued. But what else could make Dad's expression so grave? Also, if you now have <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AofzLsvTsM0">Billy Idol's White Wedding</a> in your head for the rest of the day, you're welcome. I had the same problem Daisy's wedding day. No worse than the previous week, when I had Beyonce and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/beyonce?blend=1&ob=4#p/a/f/2/4m1EFMoRFvY">all her single ladies</a> dancing through my brain during our family sealing session. Awesome.<br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 50% transparent; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div>Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06223368339440617941noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-81329861281607398642010-07-21T19:07:00.000-05:002010-07-21T19:08:10.841-05:00<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px">You may remember that a certain boy was trained in the art of the jedi...<br />Well, apparently he turned to the dark side.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TEeL6KNCBYI/AAAAAAAABKc/8xkJMTaJHFQ/s1600/IMG_1771.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TEeL6KNCBYI/AAAAAAAABKc/8xkJMTaJHFQ/s400/IMG_1771.JPG" /></a> </div>He still associates with some pretty good hearted friends though.<br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TEeL5J_s65I/AAAAAAAABKM/UTa1YsOimsE/s1600/IMG_1783.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TEeL5J_s65I/AAAAAAAABKM/UTa1YsOimsE/s400/IMG_1783.JPG" /></a> </div>... friends who wiped out the death star with their hand-crafted light-sabers.<br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TEeL5xMwcQI/AAAAAAAABKU/j1FbPETv6Do/s1600/IMG_1775.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TEeL5xMwcQI/AAAAAAAABKU/j1FbPETv6Do/s400/IMG_1775.JPG" /></a> </div>I think he was bribed back to the light side after all was said and done.<br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TEeL6a9USgI/AAAAAAAABKk/ghDl5m5-O3w/s1600/IMG_1767.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TEeL6a9USgI/AAAAAAAABKk/ghDl5m5-O3w/s400/IMG_1767.JPG" /></a> </div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363620753397166453noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-83601653712241316572010-06-26T18:36:00.000-05:002010-06-26T18:36:31.425-05:00Hey Mom...<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TCaO_VpevBI/AAAAAAAABKE/JGD9FJWYdls/s1600/IMG_1724.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TCaO_VpevBI/AAAAAAAABKE/JGD9FJWYdls/s400/IMG_1724.JPG" /></a> </div><br />I think I got some broccoli in my crevices.<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363620753397166453noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-59762158502183176982010-06-16T19:58:00.005-05:002010-06-16T21:37:04.515-05:00Artsy Homey Stuff<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBmIng5qgZI/AAAAAAAABJ8/wWBcafLnHak/s1600/IMG_0390.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBmIng5qgZI/AAAAAAAABJ8/wWBcafLnHak/s400/IMG_0390.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483564233728360850" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBmInSs5zuI/AAAAAAAABJ0/pXrIuEg3hwI/s1600/IMG_0400.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBmInSs5zuI/AAAAAAAABJ0/pXrIuEg3hwI/s400/IMG_0400.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483564229916741346" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBmIU5ZrLjI/AAAAAAAABJs/2vnD8TzYT0c/s1600/IMG_0394.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBmIU5ZrLjI/AAAAAAAABJs/2vnD8TzYT0c/s400/IMG_0394.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483563913887559218" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBmIUSJgEnI/AAAAAAAABJk/3A6Qa5kqVl0/s1600/IMG_0392.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBmIUSJgEnI/AAAAAAAABJk/3A6Qa5kqVl0/s400/IMG_0392.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483563903350739570" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBmIUCg5jQI/AAAAAAAABJc/fypKXu1AYWw/s1600/IMG_0397.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 246px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBmIUCg5jQI/AAAAAAAABJc/fypKXu1AYWw/s400/IMG_0397.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483563899153911042" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBmIT4TaPsI/AAAAAAAABJU/5mPCoeaaBLg/s1600/IMG_0391.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBmIT4TaPsI/AAAAAAAABJU/5mPCoeaaBLg/s400/IMG_0391.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483563896412978882" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBmITZb6ukI/AAAAAAAABJM/9piPQYnRb5g/s1600/IMG_0389.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 366px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBmITZb6ukI/AAAAAAAABJM/9piPQYnRb5g/s400/IMG_0389.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483563888127162946" /></a><br />I met Brandon on my AMA trip, another radiation oncology resident from Chicago. He's an <a href="http://brandonandchaci.blogspot.com/2008_06_01_archive.html">incredible artist</a>. For example, look at this cool <a href="http://brandonandchaci.blogspot.com/2010/05/brandons-version-of-sunday-afternoon.html">tree mural</a> he did for his living room! I told him we do a fair amount of art in our house too, but when I flipped through meatychunks, I couldn't find any of my art on there anywhere. So, here's some art from the meatychunks residence. It's not all mine, of course, but I realized as I looked around that most of the art around here isn't!Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363620753397166453noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-6319670174742237172010-06-16T19:12:00.006-05:002010-06-16T19:36:26.734-05:00A strange thing happened...<div style="text-align: center;"></div>Just got back from Chicago. It was a beautiful day there with lots of sunshine and urban gardens in full bloom. I shot a few photos to share, but first I have to tell you about a few unusual things that happened while I was there. I go to Chicago two or three times a year, so it feels pretty familiar to me. But I've never been there the day after the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup. It was general insanity due to the excitement, but it ended up being even moreso since they had a parade down Michigan Ave that ended at my hotel with the team having a big dinner with boosters. That's definitely a first.<div><br /></div><div>Another first was walking down Wabash Ave back from a nice dinner with the Iowa delegation of the AMA when suddenly thousands of bikers started flying past. They were deliberately making lots of noise and drawing attention to themselves, and it wasn't until a few dozen rode by (they were on the far side of a wide street) that someone said, "Are they... naked?" And indeed they were. Most of them were stark naked. There were thousands of them. It was surreal. Apparently there is an annual ride in Chicago to protest overuse of oil and to support a healthy body image. Riiiiight.</div><div><br /></div><div>And finally, before I post the photos from this morning, the last thing that was odd was that as I was walking through town taking these pictures I overheard multiple conversations about radiation oncology. One was a breast cancer patient who apparently didn't want radiation, "If it's incurable, then why prolong the inevitable?" I resisted the temptation to point out that life is incurable in general and death is always inevitable, but people generally prolong facing it just the same. A few block later I heard (or thought I heard) a couple guys talking about radiation biology board exams. The same test I'm going to be taking in a few weeks. Crazy, huh?</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, without further ado, here are some photos. The sunniest, brightest final picture was the view of my kitchen floor after getting home a few minutes ago.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBlswhDJixI/AAAAAAAABI8/Rx3KD8fs7ZA/s1600/IMG_1639.JPG"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBlswhDJixI/AAAAAAAABI8/Rx3KD8fs7ZA/s400/IMG_1639.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483533602061388562" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBlswA72HgI/AAAAAAAABI0/m8ty5ZenToQ/s1600/IMG_1641.JPG"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBlswA72HgI/AAAAAAAABI0/m8ty5ZenToQ/s400/IMG_1641.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483533593440820738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBlsv40oSBI/AAAAAAAABIs/kHlMZjK6e5Y/s1600/IMG_1621.JPG"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBlsv40oSBI/AAAAAAAABIs/kHlMZjK6e5Y/s400/IMG_1621.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483533591263070226" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBlr0OPtnUI/AAAAAAAABIk/yQjIWd4n6Tg/s1600/IMG_1629.JPG"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBlr0OPtnUI/AAAAAAAABIk/yQjIWd4n6Tg/s400/IMG_1629.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483532566221659458" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBlrz-qULDI/AAAAAAAABIc/uL8hHhx8byo/s1600/IMG_1626.JPG"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBlrz-qULDI/AAAAAAAABIc/uL8hHhx8byo/s400/IMG_1626.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483532562038271026" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBlrzk2igjI/AAAAAAAABIU/wSKWHrwQKoM/s1600/IMG_1634.JPG"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBlrzk2igjI/AAAAAAAABIU/wSKWHrwQKoM/s400/IMG_1634.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483532555110220338" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></u></span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBlryqOjSdI/AAAAAAAABIE/bD_bSqxZ70M/s1600/IMG_1620.JPG"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBlryqOjSdI/AAAAAAAABIE/bD_bSqxZ70M/s400/IMG_1620.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483532539373242834" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center; "><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBlsxLXt5OI/AAAAAAAABJE/acYqKAtABto/s400/IMG_1651.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483533613421946082" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 400px; " /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_K9A7Hpdewi4/TBlswhDJixI/AAAAAAAABI8/Rx3KD8fs7ZA/s1600/IMG_1639.JPG"></a><br /></div>Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363620753397166453noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-71540993778889990992010-05-25T12:20:00.004-05:002010-05-25T13:46:01.091-05:00While we weren't bloggingWe took a spontaneous trip to NYC.<sup>1</sup><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S_wHB93GpuI/AAAAAAAABWA/De50Qm7A8Jc/s1600/IMG_1368.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S_wHB93GpuI/AAAAAAAABWA/De50Qm7A8Jc/s400/IMG_1368.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475258977342629602" border="0" /></a>And a planned-for-many-months trip to Disney world.<sup>2</sup><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S_wHBiKuICI/AAAAAAAABV4/3WGdfbhwPlw/s1600/IMG_1196.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S_wHBiKuICI/AAAAAAAABV4/3WGdfbhwPlw/s400/IMG_1196.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475258969908715554" border="0" /></a>Grace turned three.<sup>3</sup><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S_wT3uLGhEI/AAAAAAAABWQ/1LMU0SAdo0M/s1600/Disney+Princess.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S_wT3uLGhEI/AAAAAAAABWQ/1LMU0SAdo0M/s400/Disney+Princess.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475273094984008770" border="0" /></a>And Coach turned 35.<sup>4</sup><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S_wHA41-ByI/AAAAAAAABVg/-Qt6J3EP1SE/s1600/IMG_0116.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 398px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S_wHA41-ByI/AAAAAAAABVg/-Qt6J3EP1SE/s400/IMG_0116.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475258958815823650" border="0" /></a>Also, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_Initiative">mysterious organization</a> dropped this giant baby from the sky (along with a pallet-full of other clearly labeled perishables).<sup>5</sup><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S_wHBUctCDI/AAAAAAAABVw/Dc-47DQE31A/s1600/IMG_0272.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 333px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S_wHBUctCDI/AAAAAAAABVw/Dc-47DQE31A/s400/IMG_0272.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475258966226044978" border="0" /></a>And Sam lost two teeth.<sup>6</sup><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S_wHBKGmAJI/AAAAAAAABVo/DfaUp6ZwhyM/s1600/IMG_0229.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 362px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S_wHBKGmAJI/AAAAAAAABVo/DfaUp6ZwhyM/s400/IMG_0229.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475258963448955026" border="0" /></a>And now we're caught up for another six months. Right?<br /><br /><br />__________________<br /><br />1. Thanks to Jetblue's recent <a href="http://news.bostonherald.com/business/general/view/20100510jetblue_offers_10_anniversary_sale_seats/srvc=business&position=also">anniversary sale</a> we got tickets for $10 each way and saved a bundle. And then we spent that bundle on <a href="http://www.swedishfish.com/videos/">swedish fish</a> to keep the children occupied during our many subway rides around town.<br /><br />2. And now Sam wants to move to Orlando. <br /><br />3. You should ask her about it. She loves to hold up two fingers and tell strangers "I used to be two..." (pause for deliberately popping up a third finger) "but now I'm three." Unless you are a princess. If you are a princess, she'll probably be too shy to do anything but stare at you with wide, admiring eyes. <br /><br />4. Does this look more like a passport photo than a birthday photo? It should. Coach had to renew his passport for an upcoming trip to Amsterdam, where he'll be presenting a paper to a bunch of fellow radiation oncologists. It's just as impressive as it sounds, but you won't hear about it from him because his tootin' horn is broken. Mine's not though. I love that guy.<br /><br />5. That's the only possible explanation for how this kid got so big.<br /><br />6. I realize Sam's teeth aren't much of a focal point in this photo. You'll have to zoom in. I tried cropping it down, but I looked at Grace's sweet face and just couldn't. That's the kind of mug you add <span style="font-style: italic;">into </span>photos, not the kind you crop out. You know?Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06223368339440617941noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-65912808447676970732010-05-02T18:43:00.002-05:002010-05-20T17:50:34.119-05:00For Mom, DisneyWorld report prelimI haven't managed to edit our videos from our Feb trip to Florida, but Mom says she wants to see somethin'. So here's an rough edited bit from the Jedi Training Academy in Hollywood Studios where Sam took his mad lightsaber skillz to the next level. Seems timely since they're just starting the Disney Star Wars weekends. Sam saw a promo for that before we went in February and just about couldn't take the disappointment when I explained that it was happening when we weren't going to be there. Luckily... they have some Star Wars love all year round...<div><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzUF8JREmsKKyUvCH33J3U9wRASd4za0XhkXZs-MxhfyKhcSRN3hQ5pSl1sVipP6Ob0IYUTG8L39Fg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363620753397166453noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-15666427293368012622010-04-25T18:33:00.003-05:002010-04-26T11:41:24.742-05:00Blue Collar<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://meatychunks.blogspot.com/2009/12/another-day-at-office.html">Now that your finances are in order</a>, I understand there's a problem with your plumbing.<br /><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S9TSFXBGCLI/AAAAAAAABRw/D5gSZ3kiu1I/s1600/IMG_0019.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S9TSFXBGCLI/AAAAAAAABRw/D5gSZ3kiu1I/s400/IMG_0019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464223237427038386" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Oh my. That sounds troublesome.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S9TSF3TqOeI/AAAAAAAABSA/w7rtZO7HTFA/s1600/IMG_9894.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S9TSF3TqOeI/AAAAAAAABSA/w7rtZO7HTFA/s400/IMG_9894.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464223246094842338" border="0" /></a><br />I'm really very concerned about this situation.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S9TTESmYSkI/AAAAAAAABSI/r32o0EWdU6I/s1600/IMG_9896.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S9TTESmYSkI/AAAAAAAABSI/r32o0EWdU6I/s400/IMG_9896.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464224318573005378" border="0" /></a><br />Let me give you my professional opinion.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S9TTE3F5cbI/AAAAAAAABSY/TD6otKImiG0/s1600/IMG_9899.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S9TTE3F5cbI/AAAAAAAABSY/TD6otKImiG0/s400/IMG_9899.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464224328368878002" border="0" /></a><br />Use diapers!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S9TSE75j9gI/AAAAAAAABRo/Mfsk1krdJ8U/s1600/IMG_0007.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S9TSE75j9gI/AAAAAAAABRo/Mfsk1krdJ8U/s400/IMG_0007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464223230147687938" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Diapers! Diapers! Diapers!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S9TSFqd9eGI/AAAAAAAABR4/vfOhcmb5tqA/s1600/IMG_0024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 368px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S9TSFqd9eGI/AAAAAAAABR4/vfOhcmb5tqA/s400/IMG_0024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464223242648385634" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Diapers for everyone!<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S9TSEl1IIbI/AAAAAAAABRg/rxrwl2djb00/s1600/IMG_0001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 315px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S9TSEl1IIbI/AAAAAAAABRg/rxrwl2djb00/s400/IMG_0001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464223224223506866" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Cause the garbage man's gotta work too.<br /></div>Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06223368339440617941noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-90841506650041892022010-04-22T08:09:00.004-05:002010-04-22T10:05:52.634-05:00Organized insanityGot back from the Medical Society of the State of New York meeting over last weekend where many health system reform issues came into focus for me. I'd say the crux of the problem with the reform process is the closed-minded approach that many people have committed themselves to at this point. It's McCarthyism and hyperbole, all the way.<div><br /></div><div>At one reception during the meeting a man overheard me say that I was glad that the reform legislation passed, despite that it left so much unaddressed and so much work still needs to be done. This comment, apparently, sealed my character in his mind and probably led to this subsequent exchange several minutes later...</div><div><br /></div><div>Him: "Obama thinks doctors would rather charge thousands of dollars for a tonsillectomy than prescribe antibiotics. Senator Schumer thinks that doctors charge $4000 to a patient after they wave at them in the hall. Obama says we'd rather amputate a diabetic patient's foot than keep their sugars controlled..."</div><div><br /></div><div>Me: "Well, there is a grain of truth behind the hyperbole because..."</div><div><br /></div><div>Him: "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!? DID YOU JUST SAY... ARE YOU <i>INSANE</i>?!? [etc]"</div><div><br /></div><div>Me: [trying to clarify, but unable to get a word in edge-wise] "No, none of those things are real, it was <i>hyperbole</i>... I only meant that there is truly an incentive for overtreatment in our system..." [etc]</div><div><br /></div><div>I genuinely thought for a moment this man might go ballistic and start throwing punches. His wife, also a physician, looked at me as if I were slimy. It was not a pleasant conversation. Nor was it really... you know, a <i>conversation</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Misunderstandings are unavoidable, I think, in a conversation about something as complicated as our healthcare system. However, ironing out misunderstandings requires more conversation, and the types of misunderstandings I've seen have been based on dogma and ill-will often enough that more conversation is extremely unlikely. People retreat to their respective tents to reinforce their existing biases and dialog goes nowhere.</div><div><br /></div><div>Luckily for me, people who read this blog are generally my friends/family and are willing to give the benefit of the doubt. Conversations <i>are </i>possible here, if limited by the medium.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, here are a few follow up thoughts from my last post.</div><div><br /></div><div>The overarching goals of healthcare reform are (in my mind... and evolving all the time!):</div><div><ol><li>Making care of the highest quality</li><li>Facilitating the economics of care</li><li>Promoting freedom and associated responsibility</li></ol><div>QUALITY CARE</div><div>In order to make care of the highest quality, we need comparative effectiveness research in the best sense: information about the best ways of delivering care that is not solely dependent on industry funded research, and that does not interfere with the autonomy of physicians and patients.</div><div><br /></div><div>Case in point from MSSNY: one of the resolutions asked for policy that supports mammography guidelines from the 2002 USPSTF rather than the more recent guidelines. Some believe that the government has removed the rights of physicians and patients to screen from ages 40-50, and that this decision was a kind of rationing of healthcare resources. In fact, I read the new USPSTF recommendations after the meeting and they emphatically stated that they were only recommending against "routine" screening in this age group and that access or payment should not be denied based on their recommendations. Essentially, they just wanted to the doctor and patient to actually talk about the risks and benefits before enacting a rote screening algorithm.</div><div><br /></div><div>The new healthcare reform law includes provisions for publicly funded comparative effectiveness research. Opponents cite the inability of the government to administrate anything effectively ever, which is a bit lacking in nuance. I'm glad CER is included. I think it will prove to be money well spent, and public money is the only money that will fund some of the most necessary data as there is a financial dis-incentive for decreasing certain costs.</div><div><br /></div><div>ECONOMICS OF CARE</div><div>I mentioned in my last post that transparency of cost is something crucial for reform that is largely ignored in most conversations. Proponents of a public option (or, more inciting, a dreaded single-payer system!), point to the ineffectiveness and broken nature of our current "free market" system. We've tried it and it's not working, they suggest. I've never had an economics class in my life (lamentably), but if nobody knows what anything costs or makes any actual supply/demand decisions about consumption, I don't see how our current system is much of a free market. Regardless of the left or right leaning direction of proposed reforms, I see cost transparency as a necessary starting place for any real accountability by anyone.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are incentives to over-treat. It's a fact. However, vilifying physicians as parasitic and unconscionable predators is not only politically stupid, it's unfair and contributes to the polarized unfriendly nature of the conversation.</div><div><br /></div><div>FACILITATING FREEDOM</div><div>Philosophically, freedom is a mixed bag. Grown-ups understand (hopefully) that obligations are attached to certain decisions and so freedom is never fully free. I bring this up because it's the principle that seems so often disguised and/or misunderstood whenever we consider healthcare reform.</div><div><br /></div><div>People need to actually pay in some manner or another for what they receive. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's the economics of the universe that entropy isn't going to carry you comfortably through retirement. Someone's gonna have to pay, and that someone is likely you earlier in life. Now, the manner in which this is arranged is a great debate. Should it be through health savings accounts or public programs? I have friends/family on both sides of that issue and I'm aware of merits and drawbacks either way. I've personally decided I favor an insurance mandate, and I'll explain why.</div><div><br /></div><div>Requiring people to purchase health insurance is distasteful because it removes an individual's options of how they want to pay for their healthcare. It takes away freedom in the literal sense. It imposes an approach that means profits for insurance companies at the compulsory expense of working individuals and families. I appreciate this problem. However, I think this is mainly an academic issue as very few people are wealthy enough to self-insure. Extremely few. And those people who are wealthy enough typically buy insurance anyway. We're talking about a legitimate loss of freedom by a very very small group of people. </div><div><br /></div><div>That's the harm of mandating insurance, so what's the benefit? In our society we don't just let people suffer. We care for them. And that care costs money. Frequently the people who need the most care are the people least able to pay. In our immediate past we have tolerated tens of millions of people disconnecting choice and responsibility through not having health insurance. Many good people believe they don't need insurance because they are healthy enough or wealthy enough that not having insurance is the better economic option. In the pools of shared risk, most of them are right, but there will statistically always be high costs for everyone to cover those who end up wrong. The inevitability of that displaced cost means the everyone's freedoms are limited by the choice to not carry insurance by this pool of people who seem arguably justified in doing so.</div><div><br /></div><div>Take for example,<a href="http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2010/news/1004/gallery.dont_want_health_insurance/6.html"> this article</a>. </div><div><br /></div><span><span>Karen: "No one in my family has has ever had to go the emergency room. Our belief system is that if you know who you are, you won't even need ER visits."</span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span><div>Your belief system seems to ignore that bad things happen to good people. Would you shoo away the ambulance after a car accident and just hold pressure until you get in to see your FP?</div><div><br /></div></div><div><span><span>Joan: "I just have strong opinions about taking care of yourself, and I'm willing to pay the consequences for that point of view. If I get sick, well, I guess they can just scrape me up off the street and put me in with the landfill!"</span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span>Lovely sentiment, but our society doesn't work that way. You can't have the economic benefits of American society if you want the social responsibility of Afghanistan. You get a matched pair.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:14px;"></span></span></div></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div>I could write a response to each of the folks highlighted in the article, but you get the idea. Mandated insurance isn't a perfect solution to the problem of freeloaders, but it certainly brings the costs of healthcare risk to a larger portion of the healthcare risk consuming pool. In this way, it actually increases the freedom of the majority not to subsidize the care of others. People can be delusional about the way they are subject to healthcare risks (statistics make it very easy to fool yourself... just like smoking is overall unlikely to kill you and yet simultaneously is the leading cause of preventable death our country faces.) and consequently displace responsibility for their own poor decisions on society. Mandating otherwise is, unfortunately, both effective and necessary. On balance, the freedoms gained outweigh the freedoms lost.</div><div><br /></div><div>Without going into the relative merits of a democracy versus a republic, I will just acknowledge that our leaders did act against public sentiment by passing the law they did. And, although violating the will of the people seems reprehensible, one may argue that on occasion leaders of a republic act in the best interests despite the will of the people. Because one's own understanding of the issues determines whether you see it as reprehensible or politically courageous to violate the will of the people, I don't really factor any of that in my views of the central issues of healthcare reform.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sorry for the long post. I still didn't manage to say as much as I intended! But... well, there's that much.</div>Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363620753397166453noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-60261488620864749332010-04-11T18:01:00.002-05:002010-04-11T20:07:29.718-05:00Healthcare Insurance System ReformWhen a lot of people talk about the healthcare reform Congress just passed, it's some form of the question, "What exactly just happened?" There are a lot of details, but the two headliners are that insurance coverage can no longer be denied for pre-existing conditions, and everyone has to have health insurance.<div><br /></div><div>For some, passing this bill is so distasteful as to somehow be associated with "Armageddon" (per minority leader Boehner). But when I step away from the hyperbole and fear-mongering (Glenn Beck, I'm looking at you), my short thoughts are: this is a good thing, it could have been a better thing, more is yet to be done. As to the title of the post, the reform that was passed was mainly a change in how we pay for healthcare rather than addressing the problems with the medical system itself, and I do believe it will have a positive net impact on us as a country. However, the most fundamental problem with how we finance health care has not been addressed, and that is that nobody--from the patient to the various team of healthcare providers--knows how much anything costs.<div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe it's an extension of the obfuscated costs of healthcare, but discussions of healthcare as a "right" and the inevitability of "rationing" all stem from some absurd idea that the resources for healthcare follow a set of unique existential laws separate from all else we consume. Somehow many people seem to believe that nobody has a right to tell anyone when to pull the plug on Granny, but are hard pressed to explain who should pay for these expensive benefits Granny et al can't afford. The fact is, it's all expensive--very very expensive. And unlike everything else in my life that costs a lot of money, I'm prevented from doing cost research, taking advantages of sales and price breaks, or any of a zillion economic tricks that have kept my family living comfortably on a resident salary for years. But, it hardly matters when the bills are paid by the borg--some collective of University, government, insurance company, and hospital resources that combine to take care of things in a manner that recycles all the very real costs into a smattering of undetectable accounting tweaks that make me feel like I'm not really paying for it at all. It's an employment "benefit". Woop-dee-doo.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, all that is to say that in my view the real problem with the medical system is that people have not been allowed to understand the value of their care--how much it really costs. And until we are given that, other cost cutting measures are stop gaps that will only put bandaids on the severed arteries of our economy. This bill didn't address that fundamental aspect of cutting medical costs, and, somewhat understandably, that made a lot of people oppose it. I ignore the deficiencies in what the bill could have been in favor of appreciating what it did do.</div><div><br /></div><div>As a nation, we've decided basic healthcare is a right. It's already done. That is to say, if someone shows up at the ER bleeding to death, we don't check their insurance status before saving their life. If they can't pay, we all pay for them. One can make the argument that this should change, but I don't see that as politically feasible, moral, or consistent with my own values. So, I accept as a given that everyone consumes healthcare in this country whether they pay for it directly or not. For healthy young people, the consumption is of the obviated risk of unfinanced catastrophic injury rather than direct medical care, but the consumed benefit is real just the same. Since everyone receives this benefit, it's only fair that everyone should be made to pay rather than freeload. And that's why I personally support mandated health insurance as an appropriate intrusion into our personal freedoms. </div><div><br /></div><div>Detractors have many arguments against the reform, but the ones I hear most frequently are these:</div><div>- mandates are unconstitutional</div><div>- healthy individuals should not be made to pay for the benefits of the unhealthy</div><div>- those whose behaviors make their care more expensive should not be subsidized by their more personally responsible counterparts</div><div>- the government can't be trusted to do something this big correctly</div><div><br /></div><div>I bit off more than I could chew by starting this post, because I realize to do it justice will take a lot longer than I have right now. But, add to my list of detractor arguments in the comments and I'll try to write more later. Thoughts?</div></div></div>Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363620753397166453noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-58271626723212275842010-02-20T09:28:00.007-06:002010-02-20T14:18:05.137-06:00ExpletivesMiles can't talk yet, but if he could, I'm pretty sure what he'd say.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S3__8bZ9qyI/AAAAAAAABNo/wprWlOuMqCQ/s1600-h/IMG_9750.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 344px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S3__8bZ9qyI/AAAAAAAABNo/wprWlOuMqCQ/s400/IMG_9750.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440348288500738850" border="0" /></a><br />Clearly, something has alarmed the child. And whatever it was, he passed it along to Grace.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S3__7x5ilDI/AAAAAAAABNY/hK1kViTU2o0/s1600-h/IMG_9744.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S3__7x5ilDI/AAAAAAAABNY/hK1kViTU2o0/s400/IMG_9744.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440348277358892082" border="0" /></a>And that's why he looks so smug.Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06223368339440617941noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-84876759337646206922010-02-12T15:42:00.005-06:002010-02-12T15:51:35.833-06:00Things that make a Daddy happyToday we took Grace to the doctor for her well child check. At the end she got two shots and they did not go particularly well. It turns out she doesn't like needles. Still. Well, because she got two shots she was offered 2 stickers. She picked one and then started bargaining with the nurse that she needed two more for her brother. Finally she got a care bear for herself and 2 spiderman stickers for her brother. I thought it was really cute that she was thinking of him.<div><br /></div><div>Then, she was over at a friend's house this afternoon when Sam came home from school. He was happily showing off his many valentines from his friends and then confided that he had "sneakedd a cupcake into Grace's mailbox". He got a cupcake from a friend, and decided to give his best valentine loot to his sister as a surprise.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, next time I hear dialog like this:</div><div>Sam: "I don't want to argue with you."</div><div>Grace: "Yes!"</div><div>Sam: "No!"</div><div>etc..., I will remember that they really do love each other. A lot.</div>Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363620753397166453noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-33121899627841703772010-01-31T14:16:00.003-06:002010-01-31T15:17:25.233-06:00Us, latelyWe had preschool at our house the otherday. The highlight, of course, was snack time. Each child got a dollop of chocolate frosting and a gingerbread-man-shaped sugar cookie to frost "all by myself." Apparently, Grace did not think her dollop was big enough, and took matters into her own hands.<br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S2XlMyUy-7I/AAAAAAAABL0/xGJhccp9eqw/s1600-h/IMG_9639.JPG"><img alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S2XlMyUy-7I/AAAAAAAABL0/xGJhccp9eqw/s400/IMG_9639.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />She looked so proud when I found her. "I'm having chocolate Mommy," she said. "On a spoon."<br /><br />And it was cute. So I got out the camera before I took the frosting away.<br /><br />This is silly, but when I uploaded the photos this afternoon, this one seemed like a representative metaphor of my life lately. There's snow outside. And gloves and boots and coats everywhere. And toys on the floor. All the time. And I'll admit the combination makes me grumpy sometimes. But there are those sweet, fudge covered moments too, if I take the time to notice them.<br /><br />So here are some of the fudgey highlights of the last few weeks:<br /><br />Sam started swim lessons last week. He was adorably nervous about it at first, but has ended up really liking it. Yesterday he came home and proudly told me about putting his head under water and blowing bubbles.<br /><br />He's as creative and imaginative as ever. Every surface in our home is covered in drawings and lists. Here's a recent portrait of <a href="http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Jango_Fett">Jango Fett</a>, Sam's hero and proposed namesake for Baby Miles.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S2XukSYLeCI/AAAAAAAABME/fz2WYuR-x7M/s1600-h/Jengo+Fett.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 306px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S2XukSYLeCI/AAAAAAAABME/fz2WYuR-x7M/s400/Jengo+Fett.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433010832668325922" border="0" /></a><br />Grace is giving me grief lately. She's always been opinionated, but over the past few months she's really grown into her role as self-appointed family dictator. In all of my daily tasks -- from driving, to peanut butter sandwich construction, I'm expected to bow to her expertise. As far as Grace is concerned, there's no such thing as a <span style="font-style: italic;">suggestion</span>.<br /><br />But then, she can be just so stinkin' sweet too. On the way home from church today, I saw her just sitting in her car seat, grinning. I asked her if she had a good time in nursery, and she said, "Yeah. I saw Daddy and ran to him."<br /><br />"Oh, when he picked you up? Was that your favorite part?" I asked.<br /><br />"Yeah," she said. And melted my heart.<br /><br />Speaking of melting hearts, there's this kid.<br /></div></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S2XrK0cZzKI/AAAAAAAABL8/ESQJghYOz0w/s1600-h/IMG_9492.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BCClZBCDatc/S2XrK0cZzKI/AAAAAAAABL8/ESQJghYOz0w/s400/IMG_9492.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433007096601365666" border="0" /></a><br />He used to be kind of stingy with the smiles (except when Aunt Shana held him), but not anymore. Good thing too, cause I can't get enough.<br /></div><br /><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06223368339440617941noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22019770.post-11794140049342321032010-01-28T12:55:00.002-06:002010-02-20T16:34:33.186-06:00Pondering the iPadI probably count as an Apple fanboy. At least, if enthusiasm for Apple gadgets is the measuring stick. But my enthusiasm is not unqualified--I wouldn't touch an Apple TV and I've never owned a Mac. When it comes to the iphone and ipod touch, though, there's just no comparison with anything else, and my kids will stand with me in my dedication to ipod funness.<div><br /></div><div>When I got my ipod touch about a year ago, I also got an HP Touchsmart PC. I lamented at the time that Apple didn't have a tablet for me to buy, because I would have loved to just get something just like the ipod touch, but with a bigger screen and a keyboard accessory. The touchsmart seemed the best existing alternative, and it has turned out to be a huge disappointment. They say it has multi-touch, but it doesn't work. Everything a touch screen is really good for (besides handwriting), it does really really poorly.</div><div><br /></div><div>With all the Internet buzz about the iPad, most of the commentary has missed what I think is the real point. This device is not everything to everyone. It does a limited number of things--the most common and pervasive things people need to do on-the-go--and it does them better than anything else. People keep comparing it to the *capabilities* of a netbook rather than the actual usability of a netbook. As someone who has owned tablets from Fujitsu and HP as well as a netbook for many years, I can tell you they ALL are horrible in terms of responsiveness.</div><div><br /></div><div>People are disappointed it doesn't multi-task, it doesn't have a camera, and its software is tightly controlled by Apple. In my mind, these are the very design choices that let Apple make something that works so well. Multi-tasking on my PC is great, but also means that most of the programs I install try to slip an applet into the taskbar, squandering system resources and making the everyday things I do stutter and pause. It's just not worth it.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, there. Call me a fanboy, but I'm excited for the iPad.</div>Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363620753397166453noreply@blogger.com4