It Shipped!

My beautiful new camera strap (pictured here: http://phatstraps.com/inc/sdetail/3249 with the minky lining I chose) shipped yesterday! That means that I might very well have it in time for the photography meetup I am going to on Sunday! Huzzah!

Maybe It Should Be *Mommy's* Bedtime

Picture this, if you will....

I have the Younger Child on his changing table, and have taken off his diaper to change him and get him into his jammies. I finish cleaning him, and reach for the pants of his brand new "Mr. Fix-It" pajamas. I start to put them on, and the Child says, "Mommy, why don't I need a diaper?"

I look down, and sure enough, I have not put a new diaper on him. Oops.

Victory!

Today, ladies and gentlemen, is Day 30 of my 30-day commitment, and by a scant 30 minutes (that must be a magic number), I am declaring victory in my undertaking. I didn't necessarily think I could do it, but I just counted and recounted the days, and sure enough, here we are.

I am now kicking around the idea of doing some sort of x number of photos in x days project next, but I'm not quite ready to put that in writing (I mean, other than the fact that I just did). Stay tuned, however, to see what my next madcap plan is!

Decision Made! Strap Ordered!

I know you have all been waiting anxiously to find out which minky color I selected for my camera strap lining. After much consultation and self-searching, I finally chose exactly what I wanted. I will share that choice with you in just a moment, but first, the results of the survey:

There were 24 respondents. Out of those 24, 14 said black, 4 said pink, 4 said hot pink, and 6 said other.

I briefly considered going in a completely different direction and picking lavender. I also considered defying the survey results and opting for pink. Finally, though, after way too much thought and annoying the hell out of everyone I know by asking over and over again, I went with......black!

I have placed my order, and can't wait to get it!

Ha!

cantigny_DSC_9655_edit, originally uploaded by Nanley.

Well, I got through 20 images, so I have posted them to Flickr. This is one of them. You are welcome to view them at www.flickr.com/photos/nanley/.

Drat!

Thanks to a very understanding Best Beloved, who encouraged me to take my still-shiny-new camera out for some playtime this evening, I spent almost two hours shooting (bringing my April total to 671 images). I had hoped to get enough shots processed to make a blog post out of them, but alas, I don't think that's going to happen. And what's worse, I really want to get through this processing--or at least get through an initial triage of processing--so this sad little "here's why I'm not posting to my blog tonight" post is going to constitute today's post.

Pitiful, I know.

(On a side note, I have settled on a fabric for my new PhatStraps camera strap, and now I just have to pick a lining color. If you have not done so already, please go to my survey to vote and help me choose!)

In Which I Offer Some Humble Suggestions for a Certain Displaced Governor

Those of you among my loyal readers who live in Illinois are probably already aware of the shenanigans of our ex-governor, Rod Blagojevich. And actually, even those of you who live elsewhere are most likely aware, as he has been a laughingstock since his removal from office in January.

Well, he has now reached new heights of absurdity. Blagojevich--a man who really seems to want us to take him seriously--petitioned a judge to let him leave the country.

Not so absurd, you may say?

Think again. The man who led the state of Illinois just three short months ago wanted to go to Costa Rica...to be on the reality show, "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!" Sadly, the judge decided today that he would not be allowed to leave the country.

To be honest, I'm a little disappointed that we won't be able to see him engage in the kinds of humiliating stunts performed by such notable celebs as Downtown Julie Brown and Melissa Rivers. However, maybe this doesn't have to be the end of Rod's reality show dreams. For his consideration:

• Big Brother: A special version just for Illinois governors, Big Brother in the Big House.
• American Idol: He can sing like a canary, and perhaps make a deal with the prosecutors.
• Solitary: If nothing else, it would be good practice.
• The Apprentice: Hey, the guy can sell a Senate seat--I'm sure he'll do just fine hawking whatever Trump's got in the works.
• Dancing with the Stars: But only if he could partner with Jude Law...because nobody dances around the Law like Blagojevich.

The Brain Is a Mysterious Jukebox

For the last two days, I have had the song, "There's Always Tomorrow" in my head.

Sung by Clarice.

The reindeer.

From Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

The Christmas special.

And yes, even though it is supposed to snow tonight, it is currently April...late April.

I really have no idea how that song got in my head, but here it is, just echoing around.

There's always tomorrow
For dreams to come true
Believe in your dreams
Come what may

There's always tomorrow
With so much to do
And so little time in a day

We all pretend
The rainbow has an end
And you'll be there, my friend, someday

There's always tomorrow
For dreams to come true
Tomorrow is not far away

We all pretend
The rainbow has an end
And you'll be there, my friend, someday

There's always tomorrow
For dreams to come true
Tomorrow is not far away

Or, enjoy it for yourself.

Tomorrow, I expect to press B8 for "Gives You Hell" or G3 for "Two Princes," as both have been in heavy brain rotation lately.

Things You Learn When You're a Parent I

To play "Coffee," you have to wear only one shoe.

This, per the Younger Child.

And it should be noted that the only aspect to the game is the wearing of one shoe. There is no beverage involved, nor any rules, just wearing one shoe.

The things that go on in that kid's head....

Movie Review: Sunshine Cleaning

Thanks to a surprise date night ("Hey, Mom, wanna take the kids tonight?" "Okay, as long as you pick them up before I go to work tomorrow."), we went to see Sunshine Cleaning. I can't promise there won't be any spoilers, so if you don't want to risk it, don't read any further.



Still with me?

Okay, well, for just a bit of a plot summary...it's basically about a woman who works as a maid and needs a better income, so she starts a crime scene cleanup business with her sister.

The characters were nothing special. Rose, the main character, was the classic (and by "classic," I mean "cliché") super-responsible-single-mom type; her sister, Norah, was the even more classic totally-irresponsible-lives-with-her-dad-needs-to-be-taken-care-of-by-her-sister type. The supporting characters were also pretty cardboardy.

I think the premise of the movie was fine, and I even would have been okay with the not-terribly-original characters in it, but the movie's downfall was its desire to try to be about eight different things. It was about the plucky ex-cheerleader-now-maid who wants a better life. It was about two sisters who were raised by their father, in their mother's absence. It was about the unlikely friendship between two women who were brought together in a very unusual way. It was about a blossoming romance between a single mom and her business associate. It was about a man's wacky business ideas.

I could see what the movie was trying to do to pull all those stories together. I really wanted to like it, and was on board at the beginning of the film. But in the end, it was just too clumsy, and it didn't deliver. It felt discombobulated and unfinished. It just plain didn't work.

On the plus side, I have now seen two of the three quirky "Sunshine" movies out there. (Seen: Little Miss Sunshine and Sunshine Cleaning. Still to be seen: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.)

The Road Not Taken

Like everyone (I imagine), I considered a lot of career paths before eventually settling on the one I am currently on. Although I do enjoy editing (my chosen path), I also think back on the many careers I didn't choose and wonder "what if." Here now is a short list of those might-have-beens....

• Lawyer: I think this is the one I think about the most. I even still toy with the idea of going to law school someday. I'm confident I would have been a good one, and I think I would enjoy it, but it would have been hard to find a good work-life balance.
• Doctor: Haven't really thought about this one since I was a little kid, but I still remember the skeleton I drew in elementary school. I'm certainly no artist, but the skeleton wasn't half bad, I believe because I had such passion for it.
• Veterinarian: Similar to doctor, but a slightly more recent idea. I was probably in my late teens when I was considering it. I do love animals, but I was too intimidated by how competitive vet schools are.
• Anthropology/linguistics professor: This was in the running all the way through college. I love the idea of teaching those subjects, but just wouldn't be able to stomach the political craziness that goes along with an academic career.
• Forensic anthropologist: Not completely separate from the professor, which is a big part of why I didn't travel this route. I lovelovelove forensic anthropology. I wonder how my life might have been different if the best graduate program in the country hadn't been in Tennessee. Alas, I'll never know.
• Speech/language pathologist: When I was having something of a career crisis a couple of years ago, it just so happened that the Elder Child was in speech therapy, and I found the work that his SLP did completely fascinating. It was a lovely combination of linguistics and medicine. However, it required a specialized master's degree, which, in turn, would have required some specialized undergrad work, and that just wasn't worth it to me.
• Librarian: My mother used to call me "Marian," after the librarian in Music Man. This is another career I still think about, and I even consider going back to school for an MLIS degree. It's the perfect career to satisfy my passion for research, but unfortunately, jobs in library science don't pay anything like what I'm used to earning, and I'm not prepared to lower our family income so much.

I'm sure I'm omitting some of the professions that I've knocked around in my brain, but I think those are the main ones that cause me to wonder. Thankfully, I do love editing, and I'm very good at it, so while I might have my wistful moments, for the most part, they aren't painful regrets.

Still...I'd make a hell of a bone detective.

Bread Man

My Best Beloved husband has relatively recently taken up the hobby of baking bread. In the last month or two, he has made several loaves--most recently sourdough.

I support this hobby.

And to top it off--literally!--he often makes a flavored butter to go with the bread. (And now I pause as my tastebuds recall the deliciousness of the pecan bread with maple butter. Mmmm....)

Since he reads this blog, I think I will take this opportunity to suggest an option for his next baking venture: some sort of cheese-infused bread with some sort of honey-infused butter. Oh, yeah. You know that will be awesome.

Testing

Eye Opener, originally uploaded by Nanley.

Indirectly thanks to my good friend, Jilly, I have connected my Flickr account to my Blogger account, in the hopes that something cool will happen. I am therefore now testing the process. I took this photo last summer. You may look upon it with admiration and awe now.

[Hmm...now that I have posted this, it appears that Blogger cuts off the right side of the image because of the blog layout. I will have to work on that. Drat!]

You Love 'Em or You Hate 'Em

Black jelly beans, that is.

I am firmly, passionately, and completely in the "love 'em" camp.

Celebrating

On Thursday, my brother will be 38 years old. Today, he is six months sober.

This is a really big deal.

Only a little over a year ago, he was admitted into rehab with a blood alcohol level of .32. (For a frame of reference, at .35, one's heartbeat and respirations can stop.) He was sober after that for not quite three months, then went back to drinking. He stopped again in October...six months ago.

To say that I am proud of him is accurate, certainly, but does not express the depth of my pride. That he found the strength within himself to go through our father's death sober speaks volumes.

In these past six months, I have regained the brother who was my best friend growing up, and my children have gained a loving, engaged uncle. For my brother, the gains are slower in coming. He has a lot of emotional damage to work through, but I have confidence that if he can beat his addiction, he can put those issues behind him, too.

So today, I congratulate my brother on six months of sobriety, of life renewed.

And, at his request, I now go out to fetch him a grilled chicken club sandwich and chocolate shake. Congrats, Bubba.

Public Service Announcement

My brother-in-law has a rare form of leukemia--usually reserved for people over the age of 65. (Did I mention that he is not yet 30?) It's not typically fatal by itself (as his doctor said when he was diagnosed two years ago, you die with it, you don't die from it), but it has certainly made his life more difficult and less pleasant.

He was recently in the hospital for two and a half weeks for, basically, the flu. Because this most recent bout of illness was so serious, the doctors have started talking about a bone marrow transplant again.

Which brings me to the subject of this public service announcement.

Please register with the National Marrow Donor Program. It costs $52, and they send you a kit to do a cheek swab. Then you're registered, and whammo! have the potential to save someone's life.

I don't know whether my brother-in-law will end up needing marrow...but someone will.

Did I Mention I Have a New Camera?

I seem to have taken 489 pictures in the last two days.

I guess it's a holiday weekend and all, so regardless, I'd have been shooting a lot...but holy freaking hell, I love this camera.

[Warning: This post is likely to descend into severe photography geekage.]

I love the way the shutter sounds, that no-kidding-around *click*. I love the size of the LCD--and it's so sharp! I love the top display and the fact that the meter shows there. I love the clarity of the images I shoot at 3200 ISO. I love how easy it is to get at the commands and options I want to get at (and I haven't even set up custom menus yet). I even love the way the multi-selector works when I play back images (much more intuitive than the D70's playback).

So far, I truly don't think there is anything about this camera that I do not love. Mind you, there is a heck of a lot that I don't even remotely understand how to use yet, but that is just exciting and challenging. I can't wait to improve my craft so that I can really take advantage of all the camera offers.

:cameranerdswoon:

Recipe for a Great Day

Ingredients:
1 5-year-old boy
1 2.5-year-old boy
2 additional kids
24 plastic eggs filled with goodies
24 real eggs
egg dyeing supplies
1000 lbs. assorted candy
4 balls suitable for throwing and kicking
1 lamb cake
2 quarts ice cream
handful of great friends

Directions:

1. Before beginning, have one of friends scatter filled plastic eggs throughout backyard.
2. Have all 4 children combine real eggs with egg dye and set aside to dry.
   
3. Fill all 4 children with candy until steam is coming out their ears.
4. Release children into backyard with instructions to find plastic eggs.
5. Allow children to run like hooligans until they have collected all 24 eggs.
6. Replace eggs with balls and have children continue to run around like hooligans, playing catch and soccer and football.
7. When children have cooled considerably outdoors, bring them inside.
8. Fill children with lamb cake and ice cream.
9. Set children outside for further running.
10. Shortly before sun sets, bring children inside again and return home with 5-year-old boy and 2.5-year-old boy.
11. Put boys to bed.

Note: For added enjoyment, document all activities with brand new camera.

That's How They Get You

Here's the thing about little kids. They do things like cut up pieces of paper into little tiny pieces and leave the bits all over the floor, or wake up crying at 4:48am, or insist after one bite that they don't really want the chocolate doughnut that they begged for but instead want the strawberry one their brother has, or or scream bloody murder about having to turn off the Xbox.

But then they have exchanges like this one in the car the other day:

Younger Child: Dad, you're a genius.
Elder Child: Genius means very, very, very, very smart, like 100% smart. [looks at his brother] Do you think I'm smart?
Younger Child: Yes.
Elder Child: Am I 100% smart?
Younger Child: Yes.
Elder Child: Am I a genius?
Younger Child: Yes.

Or this on at the dinner table tonight:

Elder Child: [makes thumb-and-index-finger gun and points at brother, then makes gun sound] I shot you in the face.
Younger Child: [closes eyes tightly] I'm blind. I can't see anything.
Both Children: [laugh hysterically]

And you have to laugh with them and be so totally in love with them that you actually feel pain in your chest when you gaze at them sleeping.

And that's how they get you.

D300, I Love You So

After a long, unproductive, crappy day at work, the one thing that kept me going was the knowledge that my shiny new D300 would be at home waiting for me. I had a momentary panic when I realized that the battery would have to be charged first (which takes 12 hours for a full charge), but somehow, miraculously, it charged much more quickly, and I was, indeed, able to play with my new toy.

I guess I should admit that it took me about 10 minutes to figure out how to put the memory card in. And did I mention that the manual is 420 pages long? (I'm currently on p. 114: Autoexposure Lock.)

After that rough start, though, I was able to take two pictures (though I cheated and used the P mode and the pop-up flash). I'm sure you will be shocked to read that one of the pictures was of the Elder Child, and one of the Younger Child.

I am considering taking my camera to work tomorrow, so that I can shoot during lunch. But how on earth would I transport it? Oh, wait! My Best Beloved surprised me with a new Lowepro backpack! (I still have to choose a fabric for my Phat Straps camera strap, but I can use the one it came with for now.)

Ah well...I must return to my reading materials. Next section: Exposure Compensation!

An Expensive Day

You know how one morning you have some amount of money, and by nightfall, you have $8000 less?

No?

Well, here's how you accomplish that. First, you have a furnace that needs to be replaced. You choose the best one, because it will save gas and electricity, and will also get you a nice chunk of tax credit next year.

Then, you have a broken drain pull in a sink. Which, by itself, you could fix for not too much money, but while the plumber is checking it out, he finds that your sink traps need to be replaced, as well as your emergency stop valves. Oh, and since you're planning on redoing that bathroom anyway, you figure you might as well replace the whole faucet, rather than just the drain pull. Did I mention that it's a double sink? So that means replacing both faucets.

After that...well, after that, the expenditure is kind of your own fault, because you go on Amazon and finally order that Nikon D300 you've been lusting after for at least a year.

Basically, from then on, you walk around in kind of a daze, because you're so excited about the prospect of getting your camera the very next day (thank you, Amazon Prime!). And you dream of all the beautiful, low-light images you can make with your new camera. And you check out Phat Straps to find a really cool new camera strap. And you check out eBay to get a spare battery, since of course, the D300 uses a different battery from your current camera. And you check out Bogen for an additional quick release plate for your tripod. And you browse B&H to drool over the 70-200 2.8 lens.

And you realize that this $8000 day is just a drop in the bucket.

Potpourri

Tonight I have many small things to discuss. Or at least to open up discussions about. In my comments section. Which is, you know, right at the bottom of this post. If you click Comments. srsly

Hyphenation
At the request of a friend at work. Specifically, how to hyphenate "seven-year-old." Two hyphens? One? Zero? My response was two, depending on the context. If it occurs prenominally (aka, before a noun, as in "seven-year-old kid"), definitely two. If it occurs on its own (e.g., "He's acting like a seven-year-old."), you could make an argument for zero. It occurred to me after I proclaimed the correct answer that there is, indeed, a context in which one hyphen would be correct: "There were not eight, but only seven year-old babies in the daycare."

Campaigners
Today was a local election (in which I--shamefully--did not vote). Here is my complaint: Why oh why, before any election, must all the flipping candidates come lurk at the train station in the morning to distribute their literature. They pounce on each commuter as the commuter walks in the door, no matter how busy and uninterested that commuter attempts to look. They also set up tables with free coffee, which I suppose most of the commuters like, but my attitude is, if you really want to be an effective officeholder in this community, how about you come to the train station after you're elected and talk to us and find out what we want. I don't need your coffee, guys; I need your advocacy.

Oxymorons
Another request by a work friend. She wanted some examples other than "jumbo shrimp." One of the most commonly cited ones, I think, is "military intelligence." A few others: "mostly unique," "clean coal," "pretty ugly," "same difference," and "seriously funny."

Geek (and/or Nerd) Cred
I think of myself as a nerdy geek or a geeky nerd, but the fact is that I differ greatly from both the nerd and geek communities on several key issues.

• I hated The Matrix. I mean, really cool effects and all, but the plot? Not so much. And the acting? Two words: Keanu Reeves.
• I hated Battlestar Galactica. The new one, that is. My least favorite word in the English language is "frak." Ugh. Turns my stomach just to think about it.
• I don't enjoy D&D. Did one tabletop role-playing game (for which my mother was the GM) when I was a teenager. It was okay, I guess, but definitely not something I want to do again. Ever. [Note: I have played many, many computer RPGs and enjoyed them greatly (I'm looking at you, Lord British). I was even into MUDing for a little while. So maybe I'm at least a little bit redeemed on this one.]
• I've never seen Doctor Who. And (dare I say it?) don't really care to. I'm sure it's great and all, but yeah, whatevs.

I'm sure there are other significant departures. On the plus side, though, I do love math, and I love many science fiction and fantasy novels. Love me some Star Trek and Star Wars. So, I dunno. What say you, faithful readers?

Sleep
Underrated. Like, painfully, severely, drastically underrated. I have not had a good night of it in recent memory. I am starting to feel a wee bit like a zombie. And yet, I cannot get myself to go to bed at a decent hour. I apparently have stupidity-induced insomnia.

Baseball
Yesterday was Opening Day. Cubs won! It is currently tied at 2 in the top of the 9th, with 2 outs. This freaking game is going to go into extra innings, and I am going to have to stay up to watch it. See "Sleep," above.

Pressure

It has come to my attention that the readership of this blog might be getting dangerously close to a whole hand. While of course I am glad that people are actually reading the blather that I post, it is also quite anxiety inducing.

It was one thing when nobody read it. Not even a big deal when I realized that the Husband added it to his RSS feed. But now...now!...I feel as though I actually have to write something worth reading. And let's be honest--the chance of that happening...especially during my 30-posts-in-30-days commitment...is slim at best.

Today, for instance. Entirely a metapost. Not even remotely interesting. But since I am getting awfully close to my midnight deadline for tonight's post, this is what you're getting.

So, better luck next time. Stay tuned until tomorrow, when I might post about religion, politics, or why The Matrix was just a bad movie.

Whither Weather?

Okay, seriously?

I know, I know, it's Chicago. I've lived here for more than 15 years, and before that, I lived in upstate New York for more than four years, so I should be used to it.

But I'm not.

It is currently snowing. It is also currently April.

And what's worse...it's sticking! I mean, it's one thing for a few flakes to sort of flurry around in the air and then melt on impact. But to look outside and see an inch or so piled up on top of the sand table...that's just not right.

Oh, and did I mention that it's supposed to continue snowing for the next two days, too?

Bite me, Chicago Weather Gods.

Egg Hunt

Today was an egg "hunt" at our local zoo. (I put "hunt" in quotes, because the eggs were basically just strewn all over the ground--no actual hiding or hunting involved.) Both kids went, along with their cousin. The kids were grouped by age, so the Younger Child was in a different group (the bunnies) from the Elder Child and his cousin (the chicks).

First up was the bunnies. To say that the Younger Child, with his Tonka truck Easter basket, was somewhat lacking in the clue department is to put it mildly. At first, he wouldn't pick anything up, even when he was right next to it. Finally, he picked up a couple of things, and he was done. Luckily, he was perfectly satisfied with that, and happy with his goodies.

Then the chicks went, and the Elder Child was off, dashing around, gathering eggs into his Star Wars basket. He ran like a champ and got a good haul, as did his cousin.

After the hunt, we all went to Red Robin for lunch, where the Easter Bunny put in an appearance.

Tomorrow? Egg dyeing. And next week, another egg hunt on Saturday, then brunch on Sunday, followed by yet another egg hunt and a family gathering at my mother-in-law's.

Pretty festive for an atheist family, no?

What Baby Doesn't Need One of These?

Baby Bands

And, so the boys don't feel neglected: Baby Toupees.

I can't seem to find a price on the Baby Bands site, but the Baby Toupees run about $22. Sadly, my children are too old for the toupees now. (I think the Elder One would have looked great in a Samuel L., and the Younger One would have rocked the hell out of the Bob.)

However, they do suggest that these items make great baby shower gifts. And luckily, I have a few friends who are hoping to reproduce one of these days.

Now normally, when I think "great baby shower gifts," I think of cute outfits, Miracle Blankets, or strollers. Not creepy fake hair. But hey, what do I know? So, my friends who are hoping to reproduce soon...forewarned is forearmed.

I might even let you pick the style.

I [heart] Her

Today in Great Britain, Michelle Obama said to 100 school girls:

"I never cut class. I loved getting As, I liked being smart. I liked being on time. I thought being smart is cooler than anything in the world."

Just wanted to get that out there, since the media only seems to want to talk about her clothes.

Dexter vs. Breaking Bad

We've watched the first two seasons of Dexter (and have no just started the third), and recently started watching Breaking Bad. I think the shows are somewhat similar, in that the main character in both is a likable guy with a terrible criminal side.

So why do I hate Breaking Bad and love Dexter?

In fact, I've completely stopped watching Breaking Bad--even though I acknowledge that it's a well written show. So I've given quite a lot of thought to the difference as I analyzed my feelings on both programs.

What it comes down to, I think, is that Walter, the main character in Breaking Bad, is a normal, happy family man who, upon being diagnosed with lung cancer, starts cooking and selling crystal meth. Dexter, on the other hand, is a messed-up psychopath who is addicted to killing people, but continually realizes that he is more engaged and caring than he believes.

Basically, Breaking Bad is about a man's dehumanization, and Dexter is about a man's humanization. And I guess I just get no pleasure in watching a man self-destruct, but I do get great pleasure in watching a man find more and more humanity within himself.

And that's my deep thought for the day.

Day Seven

Today's post completes the first week of my "30 posts in 30 days" plan. It is also the first post for which I have no topic in mind. However, since I am 118 minutes from the end of the day, I must write something. I think I will just provide a list of some of the things I have thought about today:

• April Fool's: I didn't play any tricks this year. Boo!
• Watchmen: I think I'll finish it tomorrow, so I can finally see the movie.
• furnace: We'll probably go with the top option.
• rainbrella: The Younger Child's ridiculously adorable word for "umbrella."
• cameras: D300 vs. D90 (I think the D300 has won.)
• baseball: This is the year!

Aaaaand, that's pretty much all I've got. I do apologize for this pathetic excuse for a blog post and hope that you will not hold it against me. I hereby endeavor to do better tomorrow, and for each of the next 23 days.