July 28, 2007

Should I?

Mom's at a conference in Orange County, CA (where, I'm told, the weather girls wear tube tops). It's day 4. Frankie's not had her hair combed since Wednesday, she's destroyed my office once while daycare was closed, she's up at 6 am and to bed at about 10 pm, she's routinely naked after 5 steps in the house, she just carefully shredded my Saturday newspaper into little square bits with a scissors (that I hid) and I've showered approximately every other day. I'm a bit exhausted and smelly. Today, with a wide-open 12 hours to go, I'm contemplating taking her to see The Simpsons. Rated PG? Hmmm.

July 25, 2007

8 random thingies

Lisa and Sarah tagged me. Although I refuse to write 16 things, I will jot down 8 things about me (that most people don't know).

1. I have two tattoos; I don't regret either.
2. I had an earring for a total of 8 hours when I was about 18.
3. I love a McD's double cheeseburger as much as I love eating at L'Antibes.
4. Run DMC's Christmas in Hollis is one of my favorite songs.
5. I fantasize about creating a project as famous as PostSecret.
6. I drink box wine because it makes good wine taste amazing.
7. If there's a god, I think he sucks at his job.
8. I should've done more to keep my best friend from killing himself - sorry Pat.

I can't tag anyone. Sorry.

July 23, 2007

Ben Marrison's got a blog!

I don't read enough. And, that goes for the Dispatch as well. I should read more, I should be more informed. I'm working on it. The only thing I do read faithfully (aside from the Baby Blues comic strip) is Ben Marrison's (Dispatch Editor) "The Inside Story". He discusses editorial decisions; why they cover what they do and why they give precedence to some stories over others, etc. Today, he's launching this section as a blog!. Check it out.

July 20, 2007

Exploitation of bad newz

Michael Vick, not yet dropped from the Falcons, was indicted on charges related to illegal dogfighting. He hosted dog fights at his home. His "business" was called Bad Newz Kennels.

I find it nauseating the Falcons haven't dumped him yet. Had he not been such a priveliged money-maker for the team, he certainly would've by now.

For kicks, I looked up the domain badnewzkennls.com. It was registered (anonymously of course) on July 7, 2007 and it has a bunch of information on how buy pit bulls. The owner of the domain and Vick (and maybe Paris Hilton) should be put in a ring of these dogs, tied up and left for their dinner.

July 19, 2007

We made the big time!

Me and Rosie had comments on kids' menus in the Dispatch yesterday. Thanks Kevin!

ps, Lorence made a great bunch of suggestions for favorite kid-friendly spots too on weber_cam.

An excerpt:
Dave Scarpetti faces similar compromises with his daughter, Frankie.

The chemist from the North Side wants his child to be exposed to a variety of foods at a young age.

And often the 4-year-old is agreeable.

Unless she wants a hot dog.

"When you're exhausted and you just need a break, you'll give in," he said. "When you do have the energy, you say no.

"I don't worry about a healthy choice, but I would like her to experience something a little bit better, a little more interesting."

A family favorite is HomeTown Buffet, which, he said, allows everyone to choose from a variety of vegetables, sides and main dishes.

The atmosphere -- sometimes lively, always family-oriented -- doesn't hurt, either.

When feeling more adventurous, the clan will have vegetarian meals at Whole World Natural Restaurant & Bakery in the Clintonville neighborhood or order sushi at Haiku Poetic Food & Art in the Short North -- neither of which offers a separate kids' menu.

July 16, 2007

the negotiator

Frankie had a little cold today and was a messy sneezing pile of mucous. No fever but messy. She sneezed and needed a clean-up crew approximately every 6 minutes. I kept her home from school; we did errands and went to the science museum to keep her from vegging in front of the tube. While we were eating a snack in the late afternoon we talked:

Frankie: Papa, I want M&M's.
Me: Eat your fruit, carrots and bacon (balance you know) and on our way home, we'll stop at Giant Eagle for some fruit and I'll get you some M&M's.
Frankie: And I will eat them.
Me: No, you can have a few before dinner, and, if you eat a good dinner you can have more after.
Frankie: How about buying two bags then? One for before dinner and one for after?
Me: Eat your food now, please.
Frankie: Can I have M&M's now?
Me: Eat your food now, please.
Frankie: Can we get two bags of M&M's?
Me: Don't change the subject, eat your fruit now and I'll buy ONE bag of M&M's on the way home.
Frankie: Why don't you buy a bag of M&M's here and then I'll eat the fruit.
Me: fuming silently in the sticky humid weather completely exasperated

... Frankie finally eats, we leave and on the way go a few more rounds about the M&M's. We hit the Giant Eagle for fruit and a box of cereal and the damn M&M's. We get to the cereal isle and she starts pleading for Lucky Charms.

Me: No. Alright, you pick one that's reasonably healthy and I pick one.
Frankie: Ok.

So she picks frosted Mini-Wheats. And, they're frigging PINK! Apparently I didn't place enough restrictions on her choice and she found the only "healthy" cereal in the store that was pink! About to lose it, I cut my losses and just decided to get the cereal while I got a crappy fiber-filled box of something.

And, on the way out, we got the M&M's - after searching every rack for the ones without peanuts. Ugh.

All this to keep her from watching a few hours of television.

July 15, 2007

bullshit

bullshitI am a sucker for the get-rich-quick genre of advertising. I don't spend lots or fall for the gimmicks, but, I study the ads to learn why people fall for them. I suspect the central reason some fall for scams is insecurity coupled with exploitation of the personal weaknesses that insecurity imposes.

This "get musclebound fast scam" is hilarious on so many levels. Aside from the obvious someone's grandfather's head stuck on top of a 16-year old boy's body, the ad promises everything everyone might want in life as a result of having big muscles: libido, energy, muscles, utopia, etc. And, the nerve of the doctor putting the phrase "not digitally enhanced" makes me want to visit the site and just toss obscenities at the doctor.

July 12, 2007

I'm putting this on my resume

I captured a sample of my 4-year old's urine in a sterile cup for analysis.

Let's see a CEO try that.

July 7, 2007

yay

maynard

Today the old gang joins us for a long-overdue potluck.

July 4, 2007

happy 4th

fun

Thanks Kevin for the invite to see The Bughounds and view fireworks at Red White and Boom. Most fun evening.