Off-Roadin'

I’ve posted a few entries on this in the past but, recently, I’ve been trying to take better care of my physical self. Most notable is my attempt to keep at a semi-regular running routine. I did actually run cross-country back in middle and high school. While I wasn’t overly competitive at it, I’m sure Coach Shenfeld would be embarrassed by how I’ve “let myself go”. Anyway, I genuinely do want to shape up and I’ve found that running off-road is a lot more fun than running on.

I ran on the local high school’s cross-country cross a couple times over the past few days. The excursions were painful but, also, a lot of fun. I thoroughly enjoyed the clean air, the woods, and the quiet. I even spied a doe and her fawn. The other thing I like about running in the woods is that the trees have an interesting effect. Having them “rushing past” on either side at least makes it feel like I'm really going fast even if I'm not. That sense of velocity is a good motivator. If you happen to be someone interested in running but, like me, find road running incredibly boring, I recommend finding a trail and taking a jog.

A friend of mine, a personal trainer, recently recommended Do Indiana Off-Road (DINO), an organization committed to mountain biking and trail running. They apparently host events in various parks throughout Indiana. I’m thinking I might be interested in a 5k trail run. Maybe not THIS weekend…but sometime in the future.

Book Review: Devil in the White City by Eric Larson

My wife, a brilliant librarian, recommended Devil in the White City by Eric Larson to me a long time ago but I’d managed to delay reading it until just recently. She said it was fascinating and left her thinking something to the effect of “This is so interesting, how could I not have already known about these things.” She was more eloquent than that and I eventually felt the same way about the book.

It really is fascinating. Essentially, it’s the (mostly) true tale of the building of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition (aka The Chicago World’s Fair) and how that history intersect with theat of the serial killer, H.H. Holmes. I say it’s only “mostly” true because there are some details (the thoughts and motivations of some characters, for instance) which are not always reliably documented. To that end, Larson bases some of the narrative on what science now knows about psychology and other, more recent, serial killers. To his credit, Larson makes it clear where he had to make assumptions/speculations. The story was thoroughly researched and the notes section of the book is as copious as anything I’ve read in many, many years. This documentation is astounding in itself.

As for the story, the incredible feats involved in just getting the World’s Fair together are awe inspiring. The horrific acts committed by Holmes are chilling. Larson captures both the best and the worst of man and his accomplishments. Likewise, 1893 Chicago is both magical and squalid--kind of made me want but to visit (but not live there).

After this, several other Larson books have been added to my "To Read" list.

Canned Ham: I'm not the only one confused

This spam is a classic and always brings a puzzled smile to my face:

She will love you more than any other guy

What does that even mean? Who is she? Is she to love me more than she loves any other guy? Or, is she going to love me more than any other guy loves me? I don't even want to think about the latter option.

Beige with Phone Envy

A friend of mine recently posted an entry to his blog regarding his new mobile phone. I don’t personally have a cell phone. My wife does and we share it as needed. It’s one of those pre-paid phones that we recharge every so often. It works well for us since 90% of our mobile phone calls are just a couple minutes long and consist mostly of statements like “I’m on my way home,” “I’m running a little late,” or “Goodwill has something really cool today”.

That brings me to the phone I did recently purchase at Goodwill. It’s pretty big. Somewhat clunky. There’s no camera. It’s anything but digital. And the ringtones are pretty much limited to loud or louder. On the plus side, unlike modern phones, you can hang-up with some real force for those times when you’re really angry with the person on the other end. It’s a tank and I’m pretty sure it’ll withstand anything the world can throw at it. Anyway, here it is. If you happen to be the one that donated it to Goodwill, I offer you my thanks.


While it’s not red, I think I can reasonably replicate the Batphone per these instructions. I’m sure I’ll have to tweak the details a bit. Maybe make the LEDs point down rather than just housing them inside the phone. I’m half tempted to install it in my car.

UPDATE

I can't not post this. The Make blog has an entry about a rotary mobile phone. The videos of it mounted on the dashboard of a car are great.

Oldies but Goodies

I like old things. Old cars. Old motorcycles. Old furniture. Old people. Explains the whole "retro" part of "Retro Brett," doesn't it? When we moved to the apartment, it was a little sad that so much of our old/old-themed things had to go into storage. I know it's silly but I'm really looking forward breaking open that storage locker. The things I miss most? Well, here's the list.

1. Late 60s/Early 70s Sears Spyder. Maybe our best ever Goodwill find. It’s a 24 inch, 5-speed, glittery pink banana seat bike. It took a lot of effort to clean it up (new tires, tubes, cables, white cable housings, brakes, and a lot of polishing compound).



2. Late 60s/Early 70s Huffy. Another banana seat bike from Goodwill. Smaller than the Spyder. I rode it to work once and my back hurt for days. The wicked wheelies I can pull on it are worth the pain. Again, major cleaning and fixing up involved.

3. Arcade Cabinet. I finished this a few years ago so it's not technically old. It does, however, play a ton of classic arcade games…even does so legally. Each player has a joystick and ten buttons. That’s 28 switches between the two players. With two wires per switch and two connections per wire…sheesh…that’s 112 tiny, tiny soldered connections. Sorry for the bragging. My wife and I are fond of Asteroids.

4. Bookcase. My first attempt at building real furniture. Sliding doors. Low and long. Again, not really old but it's definitely a throwback to Mid-century modern design à la Brett.

5. Drawing table. Not old. Doesn't even look old. Still, I miss it.

6. 1984 Tomos Bullet A3 moped. Serious restoration on this one. I call it the Star Spangler. So lame it's cool.

Canned Ham: Ouch

In my offering of the greatest spam email subject lines I've received, I need to note one thing: I am not correcting any spelling or other grammatical errors made in the text. Sometimes, those errors are the best part.

This one caught me off guard:

You missed your Pain tolerancy test on friday

Yeah, about that test, Doctor…I probably don’t need to reschedule that.

Who, exactly, was the sender trying to lure? Were they thinking they just might reach someone that really did miss a pain tolerance appointment?

Fitness to get the Heart Racing

There's a cemetery across the street from my apartment complex. I went jogging on its paths last night when it was already a little dark and stormy. Is that creepy? It didn't feel too creepy. In any case, it was a great run and I'm feeling pretty good about it.

As a side note, my previous comments about running and the zombie uprising have prompted me to refer to the workout as "going on patrol".

Book Review: Perelandra by C.S. Lewis

First, a note…Perelandra is the second book in C.S. Lewis’ space trilogy. The first being titled Out of the Silent Planet and the third being That Hideous Strength. I have read but have not reviewed the first book. I should but it's been a couple months since I finished it. I would, however, highly recommend reading it.

So, Perelandra…wow. This is a powerful book. Reading it took me a long time—not because I didn’t like it or because it was “slow” but because I could only read a few pages until my brain felt overwhelmed. It’s deep. It’s difficult. It’s incredibly fulfilling. Many parts I had to reread…sometimes because I couldn’t wrap my brain around what was being said but, other times, because I simply enjoyed the story and the writing. After every stint at reading Perelandra, I felt spent. Like I'd been tensed up for the duration.

Essentially, Perelandra is an Adam and Eve story. Without giving away too much, the main character, Ransom, is transported to a “new” planet. There he meets the planet’s Eve. Not only that, he meets Eve’s tempter. The dialog between Ransom, Eve, and the evil one is fascinating and it goes a long way to putting into words the temptations we face everyday.

[Warning: slight spoiler ahead]

I also found it…invigorating, I guess…that the evil one is not defeated (and Eve saved) by Ransom’s human reasoning. No. Ransom, empowered by God, thrashes the evil one. It’s a throw down. A slug fest you might see in Rocky or Rocky II. Probably Rocky III. The fight in Rocky IV is pretty good, too. Anyway, not all battles with the evil one are nicey-nice, intellectual debates. He's the great deceiver and his lies can be incredibly convincing. Don't think Satan will hesitate to fight dirty. It's his forte. But, with God, we can take what Satan dishes out. We win.

Of course, if you read the book, you'll have to supply your own Survivor music.

Goodbye De-Luxe Apartment

Alright! We found a house! Barring some kind of extreme unforeseen circumstances, we should be moving to Fishers within the next month. Interestingly, the place isn’t really what we were looking for. Initially (and throughout most of the house search), we had been looking for an older house. Something with swank. Something with a good sized yard. Most likely a ranch.

What we found, instead, is a newer 2-story house, smack in the middle of a housing addition. We walked through it last weekend and liked it a lot. It worked for us. The price was right. And, even though it didn’t “look” like what we wanted, it “did” everything we needed. We liked it even more after the nearly flawless inspection last week. Specifically, here’s how the place weighed in:

1. It has a tiny yard but there are two parks (one provided by the housing addition and one by the town of Fishers) just a short walk away. We’re minutes away from playgrounds, a place to picnic, and even baseball diamonds. All without me having to mow a baseball field-sized yard. Maybe I'll even check out a reel-style mower.

2. It’s smaller than the house we had before but that’s actually a good thing. We wanted less wasted space and we’re hoping it to keep our family close…physically, at least. Even still, it’s big enough for us, our hobbies (sewing machine, drawing table, workbench), and our friends when they visit. Besides, it’s less space to heat, cool, and clean.

3. It’s newer than we wanted but it’s also more efficient than most of the things we looked at. Newer windows. Newer furnace.

4. It’s on a slab. No worries about a crawlspace infested with mold, mice, or C.H.U.D.

5. It’s in a great neighborhood. There’s a family we’re close with from church whose house we can actually see from our driveway. They truly know their neighbors and, from what we understand, the neighbors are awesome…a real community. They even vacation together. Amazing. We’ve already got planned babysitting nights set up.

6. It’s a reasonable commute for me to go to work. And it’s only minutes from my wife’s job…close enough that, on the weekends she works, I can drop her off or she can ride her bike without our trading cars.

7. The public library is a bike ride away.

8. Close to church.

9. Close to everything else we actually care about…HamCo’s Recycling center, Super Target, Hardware stores, Greek’s Pizzeria, etc.

10. The price was right where we wanted it. The savings puts us a few years ahead in our saving for college and retirement. Enough so that more having more kids is not a financial question. It also frees us to pursue other things that weren’t previously quite as feasible...a lower paying/more fulfilling job for me, maybe more school, adoption, more charity, or even a big project like the restoration of an old car. Add to that the lower utility bills, and it’s a score.

11. The house has been well maintained. The water heater is only a couple years old. The roof was new with last year’s hail storms.

All this adds up to a house that’s move in ready and doesn’t consume either a) all our money or b) all our time. We’re pumped!

Canned Ham

Like most people, I generally despise the junk email that fills my mailbox. So, I applaud the advancements made in targeting and filtering out such spam. Still, there's a part of me that misses some of the mail. That part of me...is the funny part of me.

I'd be fine with eliminating all spam were it not for the 1% of all these messages that actually brighten my day. These elite messages feature humorous, intriguing, and ofter downright confusing subject lines. Oh, I don't open the messages. I'm not crazy. But over the last several years, I've archived the best of the subject lines. That's where this blog comes in. It seems like the perfect place to share this tidbits of humor. I hope my 4 loyal readers enjoy them as much as I do.

Today, I bring to you the subject line that started it all: [drum roll]

Wonderful Dynamic Equity Reportduckling

I received this, interestingly, at a time while I was busy designing many, many reports for work. Anyway, what's a "Reportduckling"? Why are they dynamic? Equity? To all these questions, I answer "Idunno". In any case, here's a nice Report Duckling sketch drawn by a friend of mine.

Book Review: 2 Amazing Stories

Why didn’t anyone tell me that reading non-fiction could be fun?! Seriously, I stumbled upon a couple good reads recently.

The first was titled John Ringo: The Gunfighter Who Never Was by Jack Burrows. It’s the story of a man seemingly lost in not only the Old West but also in popular culture. The biography was interesting in the fact that Ringo has to be one of the most famous unknown people of the west. He shows up in just about any book or movie, that involves the Earp brothers. But, more often than not, he’s only used to provide the perfect foil to Wyatt Earp. In fact, he was a real person...just one that no one really knows. So, he can be written to be whatever is needed to make a good story. Usually these depictions are tainted more by a historian’s opinion of Earp than they are actually representative of Ringo, the man. If the writer is an Earp fan, Ringo is a cowardly drunk. If they aren’t, Ringo is a chivalrous marksman feared by all. In the midst of that, he’s everything in between. In the end, Ringo is still a mystery. But, even while I still feel I only know what Ringo is not, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

The second book was titled Treasure Islands by Cameron Platt and John Wright. This book follows the search for several buried treasures in addition to filling in the actual stories behind the treasure. I tell you what, those pirates were brilliant and crazy. Some of the ingenious lengths they went to in order to hide their stash is incredible. Amazing engineering, traps, and viscous backstabbing abound. And that was just the treasure hunters. The pirates, themselves, actually come off looking pretty good. I think my favorite account was one involving a treasure on Mahé island. The treasure (still undiscovered as of the publishing of the book) was supposedly hidden somewhere on the island but what makes it interesting are the clues. In various places on the island are hidden clue, one pointing to the next, that loosely follow the 12 labors of Hercules. Bravo to Olivier La Bouche (aka La Buse, The Buzzard) for making his loot worth reading about.

Book Review: It’s Superman by Tom De Haven

I finished reading It’s Superman by Tom De Haven awhile ago but I’m just now getting around to wrapping up the review and posting it. Anyway, before reading the book, I perused the reviews on Amazon.com and I was not surprised to see several very negative comments. Whenever someone takes a new look at a much loved and established character like Superman someone isn’t going to like it. I, on the other hand, really enjoyed the book. Here’s why:

1. I really liked the setting. Seriously, if the concept of guys running around in tights is going to work (if it ever does), it really needs to be against the backdrop of circus strongmen, Flash Gordon serials, and dirigibles…all of which are sadly lacking in today’s society. While I have very much enjoyed the recent influx of superhero movies (i.e. Batman Begins, Superman Returns, X-Men, Spiderman, etc)--I even like the somewhat updated costumes--it’s hard for me to picture them in the modern world. Have you ever seen the production still of these movies? You know, Spiderman eating a bagel or Superman reading the paper. Ridiculous. I’m only reasonably sure some movie lighting and editing would help. I’m absolutely sure that throwing a tommy-gun-toting racketeer into background would do it.

2. I like that the story gets the reader from Clark Kent to Superman. That is, there’s a transition between the two. The movies tend to give us the Superman. TV’s Smallville gives us Clark. What they often don’t do is meld the two. If I see Superman in a movie, it’s hard for me to envision him growing up on a farm. Likewise, I love Smallville but the Clark Kent portrayed isn’t the kind of guy to put on tights and a cape. It’s Superman not only explains how Clark gets to Metropolis but it even explains the cape and the S on the chest.

3. I liked that the Superman and the world of the story, is in keeping with my understanding of the original Superman created by Jerry Siegal and Joe Shuster. So much of the current incarnation of Superman gives us the good guy/boy scout/black and white feel. Not that the original Superman wasn’t a swell guy but he was a greater reflection of the time period in which we was born. He didn’t simply “right wrongs” but he actually had fun with his powers. He could make smart comments and he had no qualms about giving a thug a good thrashing. Amazon’s reader often criticized It’s Superman for straying from the Superman story and, yes, there were liberties taken but I’m thinking it was actually more in line with the feel of the original. If you read some of the original comic strips, it’s pretty surprising.

4. The characters are multi-dimensional. And, no, this does not mean the story spans multiple dimensions.

5. It makes it clear that Clark has a hard time “fitting in.” Not everything is a breeze for the man of steel.

6. I simply enjoyed the writing.

So there you have it. A good read if you're a Superman fan.

Batman Battles the Ottoman Empire!

An exciting event occurred this past weekend. Batman was in town! In fact, he was visiting the local Ashley Furniture store, chillin’ with the citizens of Westfield, and grillin’ inside his tights (it was a sweltering afternoon). Batman was even kind enough to let his fans take a seat in the Batmobile!

So, Jesse met his first superhero and Dad was there with the camera. It was a good time. I was careful NOT to accidentally refer to Batman as Bru…I mean...never mind.

The Longest 400 Seconds of My Life

After warming up with a short jog, I hit the track last night. Utilizing the wicked slick sports watch I got for Father’s Day, I clocked myself at a 6:39 mile. Ok, so it wasn’t quite 400 seconds. Very close, though.

While certainly not horrible, that’s really not that great. Especially since I only ran a mile. That is, my goal was to run 1 (and ONLY 1) mile and it wasn’t part of a 5K or anything. Here’s what I learned from the experience:

1. I am out of shape. Those middle 800 meters hurt like the dickens. My legs didn’t feel that bad but I thought my lungs were on fire. My cardiovascular strength needs the most help.

2. I am simply out of practice. It’s been so long since I’ve run a mile (and paid attention to the distance) that I had difficulty estimating what I could do. Am I running too fast? If I speed up, will I collapse? When it was done, I’m pretty sure I had a little left to give. Had I known, I definitely would’ve pushed myself a bit more.

Anyway, it wasn’t a bad run. There’s certainly room for improvement and now I know.

Fitness? Fit-THIS!

Despite my previous entry regarding my views on jogging/running, I have failed to follow through with my plan to run parking lots. There really is no excuse for this. I fear I will find myself woefully unprepared for the zombie wars.

That being said, I went running the other night. It was the first time I’d done so for quite awhile. Much to my surprise, it went pretty well. I’m not really of fan of road running so I jumped the fence behind the apartments and tackled the practice fields of the local high school. I can’t say how far I ran. Nor can I even document the length of time I ran. I do know I ran far enough to make that post-run fence jump back appear pretty intimidating. (Note to self: Zombies probably can’t climb fences!)

I’m planning another run for tonight. I’m contemplating a trip to the school’s 400m track to see check my mile time. It's well know that zombies excel at the distance runs so I’ll really need to put some space between myself and them within the first mile.

Jackpot!

During my recent car search, I contacted many, many dealers regarding specific advertised cars. Even with the most helpful of dealers, this effort was largely uneventful.

All this lack of eventfulness changed today when I received a follow-up email from one of the dealers. Essentially, this email was a simple survey asking whether I was still in the market for a car. You're probably asking where this story gets exciting. Well, here is comes! The email is paraphrased below:

Subject: [dealer name] offers a penny for your thoughts.

Text: We are always trying to find better ways to serve our clients... so in my efforts to serve you better, how about a penny for your thoughts..

So, they've offered a penny for my thoughts not once but twice! Surely this is no mistake. I, for one, am pumped about this prospect. I answered the survey and tacked on the following:

Were you serious about the penny offer? If so, I work reasonably close to [dealer name] and might be willing to stop by.

I haven't checked with a lawyer but, if I'm not mistaken, we've have entered into a legally binding contract. I'm hoping they don't try to back out of the deal. If so, I'll be ranting about it here.

Civic-Minded Naming

Yes, the new car has a name. After much consideration, it came to me while feeding Jesse the other night...the car shall be named "Rhonda." For the first time in my life, I'm considering a last name for a car. Currently, in the running is "Chivek" and "McCivic." I think both work.

I'm sure we'll be close enough that we can simply use first names.

Dedication

We celebrated our infant dedication this past Saturday at our church home of Northview Christian Life. It was an extremely moving experience. More than once I could feel the tears welling up and I had to simply bow my head in awe. Taking that public step--with Jesse’s grandparents, great grandparents, and several family friends (not to mention several hundred semi-strangers) to witness it--meant a lot to us. It was a terrific way to welcome the Mother’s Day weekend.

It's called a baby dedication but it's really more of a parent dedication. It really is a demonstration of our willingness and commitment to raise Jesse to be the Godly man the world so desperately needs. Ultimately, it’s a showing of our desire to raise Jesse in such a way that, one day, he can choose to commit himself to God. While the public statement was awesome. I have a similar routine almost nightly. I hold my main man in my arms and say a prayer with him just before bedtime. Sometimes he's asleep. Sometimes he's trying to grab my glasses. Anyway, I pray for God’s blessing, guidance, and wisdom in raising Jesse. I pray for the courage to take the actions God requires of me. I pray for God’s protection over Jesse and his Mommy. I pray for the little man’s health and growth. I pray for a good night’s rest for all three of us. And I pray for a night devoid of leaky diaper (only for Jesse).

It's a big deal.

New Wheels

I looked at a lot of cars. I mean A LOT of cars. Seriously, I checked out everything from a 1963 Dart to a 1984 Corvette. I have little doubt that my search drove my very patient wife crazy. But, the search is over…I have a new-to-me vehicle. I scored a one-owner 1995 Honda Civic EX last night. It could use some work with a buffer but, otherwise, the thing is in great shape.

The car doesn’t really have the “cool-factor” I was going for. I mean, compared the Firebird and Cutlass convertibles I considered, the Civic is downright lame. I mean, can you see a Civic with a massive, fiery bird on the hood? THAT’S just silly.

So it lacks the swank of the Firebird. That’s sad but ok. It’s difficult to argue when I look at what the Civic does have going for it:

1. Roomy enough for me to buzz around town with my son.
2. Fuel efficiency.
3. Reliability.
4. A zippy VTEC engine.
5. Rides and feels like a go-cart.
6. A power sunroof (It’s not a convertible and it doesn’t have t-tops, but it’s decent).
7. 5-Speed manual transmission (way fun).
8. The name is a palindrome.

I’m hoping it all adds up to something I can keep and enjoy for a very long time. Maybe even long enough that I can scrimp and save enough to splurge on that project/hobby vehicle I’m always looking for. That being said, I’m not ruling out the possibility of a giant flaming hood-bird flying into my future.

Now all the Civic needs is a name. I've already used The Red Scare so that's out. The Baked Bean? Scooter? Any suggestions?

Them Duke Boys

The car to end all cars is officially available on eBay. It’s not just a General Lee. It’s THE General Lee. Or, at least, one of the very few REAL General Lees. It’s really a shame I don’t have the $2 million + to splurge on it. Seriously, there are replicas at the Auburn Collector Car Auction on a fairly regular basis and each one takes my breath away. Even a non-General Lee Charger of the era quickens my pulse. Paint it orange, throw up the “01”, play some Dixie, and my knees get a little weak.

I’ll tell you what really disappoints me with the listing…the complete lack of a VIN. I’m sure it’s probably old enough that it doesn’t have the full 17 digit VIN (though I could be wrong on that) but I’d love to run a CarFax report on it. I image is would read something like this:

12/14/1979: Vehicle Totaled - jumped ravine

1/4/1980: Vehicle Totaled – Jumped semi carrying Boss Hogg’s slot machines.

1/11/1980: Vehicle Totaled - jumped river

1/25/1980: Vehicle serviced at Cooter’s Garage. Later totaled.

2/8/1980: Vehicle totaled damaged while doing that “up on two wheels” trick in daring rescue of guest star Loretta Lynn.

2/15/1980: Vehicle Stolen, used in bank heist by look-alike owners. Totaled while jumping barn.

2/22/1980: Vehicle totaled during skirmish with Mean Green Machine. Damaged by stray dynamite arrow

2/29/1980: Vehicle reportedly used in theft of orphanage money. Later determined to be a replica owned by Boss Hogg in attempt to frame those Duke Boys. Vehicle totaled while jumping Hazzard construction.

De-luxe apartment in the sky

Well, I've been busy but I've obviously not been busy blogging. In the month since my last post, we’ve sold our house and had a surprisingly smooth closing. The actual move? Well, that was less smooth but moving is always such a pain no matter what It would've been a lot less smooth without our friends to help out and, for them, we are truly grateful. Believe me, the fridge and the arcade game wouldn’t have made it out of the house otherwise.

So, we’ve semi-successfully truncated roughly 1100 square feet from our living space. Ouch. It does hurt but we are learning to live without luxuries like couches, full size washers and dryers, and mopeds. I think the thing I miss most is the back yard for our dog. It rained this morning and taking her out to do her business was not at the top of my priorities. The experience will certainly help us appreciate our next living quarters.

In some most excellent news, my prodigal notebook has been found! The notebook was no big deal but it contained some ongoing creative writing that I was sorely missing. I was to the point where I’d simply accepted that it had been put into storage only to be found when we moved. Luckily, my ingenious wife suggested a yet-to-be-searched bookcase and there it was!

In closing, We're a movin' on up!

Dressing for Success

In local news, there is much talk regarding a proposal in enforce school uniforms in the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) school district. While I haven’t taken any polls, my understanding (at least from the few people that called the local morning radio show) is that most adults approve of the idea.

In most of all cases, I am NOT for the powers-that-be telling me how my child should be raised. For instance, I could (and may) write a separate blog entry with my questions regarding the implementation of full-day kindergarten. However, I’m not opposed to school dress codes. I know it won’t eliminate the typical social classes in schools but I do believe it will help remove some of the distractions clothing can cause. Who knows, maybe I would’ve scored higher on my AP Physics exam if the girls in my physics class were limited to only one, mostly boring, outfit. Probably not…but it’s a decent theory. And, as a parent, if it keeps me from arguing with my kids about what they wear to school, that’s even better.

I can see one drawback to uniforms. If everyone wears the same thing, how will they later be able to look back at their school photos and say “I can’t believe I actually wore that!”? Seriously, what’s going to be the point of your yearbook if you can’t laugh at your skinny tie, the white suspenders hanging off your shoulder, or your acid washed jean jacket. That’s why I would like to especially support highly embarrassing school uniforms. A school full of parachute pants or pink IZOD polo shirts (oh, wait, those ARE back in style) would certainly get my attention.

I would likewise support uniform haircuts if they involved heavy, heavy feathering.

Farewell, Speedwagon

Speedwagon is gone. I just handed the keys to my Pontiac Vibe over to the new owner. I feel like there’s a station wagon shaped void in my soul. I’ll miss the car…it was my first new car and it is still an excellent vehicle. Seriously, I think it was a good decision on my part. I found it a good home and the new buyers were very excited to find the car. I think they were even more excited than I was when I first bought it.

What do I do now? Well, several transportation options are under consideration. A small pickup? Some kind of sporty, fuel efficient, Econobox? There’s a certain Fiero nearby that, despite being completely impractical, I’m finding difficult NOT to consider. In any case, I will not be purchasing another new vehicle…probably ever. And whatever I do get will be cheap…cheap enough to allow plenty leftover from the sale of Speedwagon to make a good dent in our upcoming house down payment and/or what we still owe on The H-Bomb, my wife’s car,.

In the meantime, I’m hitching rides with my wife. Maybe I’ll bum transportation off of my coworkers. If the weather is decent, I can ride my bike to work. It’ll actually be kind of fun. Mayby not as much fun as building the Lego Vibe above but, still, fun.

2007: Reading List

Now that it’s March, it seems like a good time to lay out some of my plans for 2007. Among my many goals, I really want to spend more time reading. I don’t know why I don't currently spend more time in a good book. I’m sure I could make excuses but there wouldn't be much substance to them. The point is, I do enjoy reading. Plus, reading is probably the second best thing I can do to improve my own writing (another of my goals for the year).

Anyway, my initial list for the year is as follows:

1. The Bible
Do you italicize that? Anyway, I just finished 1 Chronicles. My goal isn’t necessarily to finish but, rather, to both read and comprehend what I read on a regular basis.

2. Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper
I’ve flipped through the book and it looks good. Beyond that, I don’t know much about it.

3. 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller
Career books are hard for me to read. This on is recommended by Dave Ramsey so we will see.

4. The Modern Library Writer's Workshop: A Guide to the Craft of Fiction by Stephen Koch
I’m actually fairly deep into this already. Good stuff. There have been several things regarding writing and storytelling that are defintely contrary to my previous notions of the process. It makes more sense than my thinking.

5. The Physics of Superheroes by James Kakalios
I like physics. I like superheroes. Learning is fun. What could be better?

6. How to Write Funny: Add Humor to Every Kind of Writing by John Kachuba
This has been on my shelf for a long time. Need to dig in.

7. World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
I believe some of the Amazon reviews on this one referred to it as leftist propaganda. Others said it was rightist propaganda. Personally, the political leanings of the undead are of no concern to me. I'm much more interested in simply surviving the zombie threat.

8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
I can’t NOT read it.

Fitness by Brett

I scored a great deal on a second-hand Bowflex a couple months ago and I love the thing. I need to use it more often but that but that’s another entry altogether. What’s become painfully clear, though, is that I need to work on some sort of aerobic activity. I ran cross-country in high school and that was good. I’ve since dabbled in running but never with the kind of commitment needed to gain real health benefits.

I think the biggest problem with that kind of long-distance running is that it’s really “jogging”. Honestly, I don’t find jogging to be all that fun. Mind you, I do like to run but it really has to be running. I need to feel the air rushing by. I need to see the scenery lose focus. I need to feel like I actually have to lean forward to keep my legs from leaving my body behind (notice the italicized "running").

Besides, when do you ever really need to jog? When, in real life, will I ever need to travel 8 miles on foot and at a pace faster than a walk? When my car breaks down? And my moped breaks down. AND my bicycle breaks down? That doesn’t seem likely. C’mon, mopeds run forever.

Now, running is a skill you can really use. Chasing the dog in the back yard…running. Catching my kid before he falls down…running. The impending zombie horde uprising (believe me, they’re just biding their time)…definitely running.

So, here’s my new workout plan. Whenever I’m out on errands, I’m going to run the parking lot. Yep. Instead of searching for a good spot, I’ll just park and book-it to the entrance. When I’m done, I’ll bolt to the car. It’ll be top speed or nothing, even if I have to push a cart. Sure, it’ll be awkward to leave my wife at the car while I run to the store but she’ll probably appreciate me getting back early enough to pick her up at the store exit. Otherwise, I’m thinking people will just assume I’m in a huge rush without actually realizing I’m just checking out the stock of Hot Wheels cars.

With the stops at Target, the library, and work, I bet I can get in multiple 100-yard dashes each day. And think of the time savings!

Our 10th Valentine's

If my math is correct, this is the tenth Valentine's Day my wife and I have celebrated. Those initial dates typically involved a trip to the Muncie Fazoli's, checking out what's new at the local Wal-Mart, and a VHS movie watched on a tiny TV in a tiny Ball State dorm room. Now, well, it's nothing but the best...a trip to the Macaroni Grill, Target, and a DVD!

Seriously, looking back, a lot of things have changed since those college days. We're in a house instead of a Ball State (GO CARDS!) dorm. We have homemade food (beyond the basic Ragu and pasta) instead of dining service. My job is certainly more profitable than working the dorm's front desk ever was. My wife has her own car instead of a hand-me-down. My car...well...ok, bad example...I still regret getting rid of my college car but that's beside the point.

Anyway, as big as those changes seem, they only scratch the surface. What's even more important that NOT living in a dorm? Well, obviously it's our relationship. Every year my wife and I grow closer and, as that happens, I find even more reasons to love her. As we study the Bible, I see her incredible wisdom and faith. With the birth of our son, I saw her strength. When I see her with our son now, I see what a wonderful mother she is. As we contemplate even more big changes I see her bravery. Absolutely amazing. She's more wonderful and beautiful than ever.

And that's why, when my wife gave me a framed picture of her with our handsome little son, it was the greatest Valentine's Day gift I could've received. I'm happy to have it brightening my work cube.

Financial Pieces

Friends have recently gotten me reading and listening to the advice of financial counselor Dave Ramsey. Essentially, his philosophy is that debt is bad...GET OUT OF IT AND STAY OUT OF IT. It shouldn't have been anything all that shocking but reading his book, Financial Peace Revisited, and regularly listening to his radio show over the past couple weeks has been an eye opening experience. His reasoning is financially sound as well as Biblical and, like the Bible, his teaching is honest and challenging but always, at its core, loving and compassionate.

Anyway, I think we've been aware that we needed to review our finances for some time. Having recently added a family member and subtracted an income, the need for such financial review has grown all the more clear. We're not broke and we're not necessarily going broke but we certainly do not have financial peace. What to do about it? Well, that's a great question?

The good news is that I believe we've already made the needed changes to our mindset. As for actions, we're strongly considering a move to a smaller, more affordable home. I wouldn't mind selling my car, buying something cheaper, and using the proceeds for said home and/or investment. We could stick it out in our current home but it would be 5 years of pretty dramatic skimping and saving to get out of two cars and a home equity loan and, honestly, I'm not sure we love our house that much. Plus, that puts us 5 years behind in saving for Jesse's college, 5 years behind in more intense retirement planning, 5 years behind in vacations and other "fun" money spending, 5 years deeper in commitment the paycheck from a career I don't necessarily love, and 5 more years of worrying about "the next big expense" whether it be some home repair, medical bills, or even child #2.

We have been continually praying for God's guidance in our finances and we're confident He will guide us. He has already blessed us greatly and I hope we can use those blessings wisely.

retro brett store!

It's never too early to start thinking about Christmas 2007! If you're looking for something special for that special someone, might I suggest something that includes a spacefaring monkey? No, it's not another sequal to the Every which way but loose movie franchise. It's just about everything available at the retro brett store on Cafepress! Check it out...laser toting, jetpacked monkeys on shirts, mugs, and mousepads. And don't miss the "strange visitor from another planet" themed stuff. I've actually got one of the monkey shirts and it never fails to grab the ladies' attention. Little Jesse is even waiting to grow into a matching bodysuit.

Lil’ G: WELCOME TO THE WORLD!

Yes! We have a baby! On 11/30/2006, our little Jesse was born. He was a healthy 7 lbs, 15 oz and a nice 21.5 inches long. The labor went easier (a mere 8.5 hours) than we expected and everyone is quite happy about that. Plus, we’re all healthy, sleeping reasonably well, and simply amazed at our new little boy. We are truly blessed and we are incredibly grateful for God’s generosity. It is and will continue to be a great responsibility and we pray we will raise our little man to be the big man God would have him to be.

It’s funny. At one point, I walked by the hospital nursery and Jesse was the only baby and there happened to be two nurses standing near him. I joke that I saw them mouth the words chosen one and prophecy. Seriously, though, we will do all we can to ensure he does have a terrific life.

It’s obviously taken me a while to get this posted but, you know, I’ve been busy. Here’s a photo…bask in the glory that is his handsomeness.

Lil' G: Pack Your Bags

Tomorrow is the day. Unless labor starts voluntarily today, we'll be at the hospital tomorrow morning to be induced. That's right...6am tomorrow morning! It sounds early but I have a strong suspicion that no one at our house is going to be sleeping much tonight.

That being said, our weekly appointment went just fine yesterday. There's not really anything new to report. They monitored the baby's heartbeat and movements for 30-40 minutes and everything looked great. Well, the baby had hiccups for the first 15 minutes and that skews everything and messes with the monitor. But, after that, everything was great.

If you came to the blog looking for something extra retro sweet, check out the Mego Museum. Make an extra effort to view the gallery and especially the U.S.S Enterprise and the Hall of Justice. You know what? Even if you didn't come looking for retro sweet, it's probably in your best interest to check out the Megos anyway.

Still Waiting

I apologize for not having a nifty image today. If you're looking for ultra-cool retro stuff, check out this home that just screams "SWANK!".

As for Lil' G, well...we're still waiting. Our appointment this morning went just fine though there's nothing to make us think we'll be trading Thanksgiving turkey for hospital cafeteria food. There have been plenty of contractions but nothing regular.

Lil' G does have an official schedule now. We'll have another appointment next Tuesday and we're all set to induce labor next Thursday. That is, of course, assuming Lil' G doesn't arrive before that. G, you've got a week.

Lil’ G: 39 weeks (and then some) down

Size Comparison: HO scale slot car track

I’m way behind on the blogging. Sorry about that.

Anyway, slot cars are great. I remember setting the track up on the ping-pong table, the basement filling with the delicious smell of electricity, oil, and ozone. It really is a happy smell. I remember some of our favorite cars, too. Mine was a yellow Dodge Daytona Superbird with the tall wing on the back. My brother had a black F1 car that was consistently faster than mine. I know we had a yellow Datsun, too and I think that may have been my Dad’s.

We’re still waiting. The official due date is November 22nd which, you’ll notice, is only two days away. We’re more than ready for the big day and we get more and more anxious each day. And it’s not that anyone is particularly uncomfortable or anything. It’s really just that we’re excited to meet the new family member.

We have another appointment Wednesday. Assuming we don’t have the baby before then, the doctors say they’ll schedule a time next week to induce labor. In any case, we’re less than a week and a half from having our baby.

Lil’ G: 38 weeks down

Size Comparison: BIG WHEEL!

The classic big wheel was (and still is) an incredibly simple and, yet, and incredibly awesome idea. If anything, the simplicity makes it all the more perfect. Throw in a handbrake for some serious spin action along with a few streamers for bling and you’ve got one of the greatest ride-on toys ever made.

Less than 2 weeks until the due date! I must say, we’re probably as ready as we’ll ever be. The hospital bag is packed, the car seat’s installed, and the parents are excited to meet the new addition to the family. Our weekly appointment with the doctor went great. There were definite signs that the baby is getting ready but nothing to indicate that we need to rearrange the weekend plans (not that we had any). Who knows?

Last weekend included two showers. I can’t believe how wonderful everyone has been. My wife’s coworkers threw one Friday night. They we’re terrific, blessed us with beautiful gifts, and we’re welcoming to my Mother-in-Law and one of our visiting college friends. Saturday brought a party/shower with college friends. They’re awesome…wonderful gifts, beautiful themed cake, and so much fun. But, you know what? While the gifts were great, it was the time and the caring that meant the most. Well, that and getting to look at my ex-roommate’s old high school yearbooks.

I love you guys!

Lil’ G: 37 weeks down

Size Comparison: Kyosho Raider R.C. Car

My dad and I both had a Raider when I was a growing up. We actually spent many Friday nights at a local track racing against each other and a number of other drivers. It’s one of my fondest memories and I really need to pull the car out of the closet and see if still runs. The biggest question is whether the batteries will still hold a charge. In the meantime, I can take comfort in knowing that, when the track went out of business, I held the track record for our class.

Well, last weekend was our first baby shower. I spent the day with my dad at the hobby shop but, from what I understand, the shower went great. I do know that everyone that attended was very, very generous. We are truly grateful for the friends and family that are so willing to help us start our journey into parenthood.

There really isn’t any place for the baby to grow though, apparently, it still is. Hiccups are a daily occurrence, now. In fact, I think my wife counted the baby having the hiccups no fewer than 5 times the other day. Crazy.

As for us, we’ve decided on names! I guess we’ll call this the “Finals” with the winning name ultimately decided by the gender of the baby.

My favorite non-winning names? Rodney Amadeus and Hazel Nutella

Lil’ G: 36 weeks down

Size Comparison: A Godzilla Shogun figure by Mattel

I think I got this Godzilla toy for Christmas one year. I remember liking it enough to take to Grandma’s house, too. The beast was huge…at least 18 inches tall. It was a formidable plaything. Plus, it had features like wheeled feet, a fiery tongue, and a fist that actually shot off from the thing’s arm. I don’t remember that in any of the Godzilla movies. Anyway, this definitely falls into the “Toys I wish I still had” category. Unfortunately (since I don’t still have mine) they’re getting pretty pricey on eBay. Even the frequently lost hand is commanding a pretty penny.

Things are definitely moving along for Lil’ G. Our last appointment with the doctor went well. The baby is upside down (as it should be) and the heartbeat was strong and in the 120s. The baby still needs to drop and rotate to be completely ready but it sounds like that’s just a matter of time. We are up to weekly appointments with the doctor. I think they’re just monitoring everything at this point.

We’re still working on names though we’ve come a long way. If Lil’ G is a girl, we’re ready…we picked a name just the other day. If Lil’ G is a boy…well…we’ve at least narrowed the list to one first name and just a couple middle names. Of course, we still reserve the right to change our minds.

Lil’ G: 35 weeks down

Size Comparison: Big Jim’s Sport Camper by Mattel

Somewhere in a photo album are picture of a young Brett with the Big Jim Camper. Big Jim’s board-breaking karate chop and cozy--but manly--campfire really made the toy. Well, that and the sweet artwork on the inside of the camper. Search eBay for Big Jim Camper and check out the accessories. One day, my child will learn the coolness of RVs.

Lil’ G continues to grow though I really don’t know where the extra space is coming from. The baby has to be extremely “cozy” in there. Things are getting more and more uncomfortable for my wife, too. I’m guessing the baby is finding more space only by pushing Mom’s vital organs out of the way.

The Daddy Boot Camp went great. I learned quite a bit and it helped me to be more excited and less nervous about the growth of the family. We packed much of the hospital bag and we’ve both gotten our car seat installations inspected. We're nearly ready to go. BRING IT ON!

Lil’ G: 34 weeks down

Size Comparison: Sweet pair of roller skates

I think these are the skates my brother had. I had an equally cool pair of sneaker-like skates though I eventually inherited these—probably AFTER I could’ve used them to impress the girls during those school skating parties. Once the baby is born, perhaps my wife and I can get a couple pairs of skates, some REO Speedwagon music, and have good a old-fashioned couples-skate.

Lil’ G continues to grow and thrash about. The books say the baby is around 5 pounds and the one compared its size to “a small roasting chicken.” Interesting. We wrapped up the last of the childbirth preparation classes on Monday. The only class left is my “Daddy Boot Camp” class this Saturday. I’m looking forward to it. I’ll be nice to get some advice from regular guys and not just doctors and nurses.

We’re still working on middle names and I think we may look into packing the hospital bag soon. I know we still have a few weeks but, let’s face it, we’re really not far from being full term.

Lil’ G: 33 weeks down

Size Comparison: Commissioner Gordon’s Batphone. Learn to make your own here.

Ah, Batman in the Sixties. The action, the humor, the thinly veiled questionable material…it’s hard to beat. Was it accurate in representing the comic book? Of course not. But, it was SO far out there—and it was most certainly far out—that accuracy really didn’t matter. C’mon, I just recently saw an episode where Robin was nearly eaten by a giant clam. When you have a giant clam, who cares whether Batman comes out during the day or just at night?

Lil’ G is doing great. Our appointment with the doctor went well. The heartbeat is good and strong and it looks like the baby’s head was in more of a downward position. We’re excited about that. We also had the tour of the hospital Monday evening. It looks very, very nice. There’s even a little lounge area with fresh Toll House cookies. We’ve come up with a handful of good middle names, too. We’re keeping everything a secret but it’s comforting to us to know we won’t have to search for a name while we’re at the hospital.

In other news, my wife and I have a new nephew. My sister-in-law gave birth to a handsome 9 pound, 6 ounce little boy last Wednesday evening. Mom, Dad, and baby are all doing well and we’re very excited for them. Congratulations!

Lil’ G: 32 weeks down

Size Comparison: A Kenner Girder & Panel Set

A Girder & Panel Set? I don’t know how popular these were. I do remember that my older brother had a set and I thought it was pretty cool. They were an interesting toy. On the one hand, the thing is essentially a static toy building. Really, most buildings aren’t all that much fun as toys (think of the movie Big where the Tom Hanks character trashes the toy robot that transforms into a building). On the other hand, our kit featured an elevator and numerous tiny, tiny people which made for excellent make-believe Spider-Man battles. Plus, my various Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars were close enough in scale that they could be incorporated into Spidey’s triumphs.

The baby continues to grow! Lil’ G is about 4.5 lbs now and he/she seems to be using their entire bulk to push against my beautiful wife’s navel. It’s a little odd to see the tummy magically shift from one side to the other. It’s truly a miracle.

Our childbirth classes continue. We made it through the birth video on Monday and, while it was disturbing, it was better than I expected. Next week’s class will include the tour of the hospital. That should be fun. We’re also working out our list of middle names…trying to pick names that sound good with our potential first names and also don’t curse our child with unfortunate initials. Wish us luck.

In VERY exciting news, my sister-in-law is having her baby…well…now. As of this morning (Wednesday 9/27/06), doctors were inducing labor. Sources have informed me that things seem to be going fine. Just the same, we’re praying for the safety, health, and patience of all those involved.

Lil’ G: 31 weeks down

Size Comparison: Colecovision

I’m probably WAY off on the size comparison. In my defense, this was never intended to be an overly accurate depiction of my child’s growth. Anyway, the Colecovision was an awesome gaming console. It’s a shame that it was never as popular as the Atari because it, like the Intellivision, was a superior machine. The graphics were terrific, the sound was great, and play was far more advanced. It’s also a shame (at least it is for me) that it’s gotten so pricey to pick up one of these machines. I’d certainly like to sit down and play some serious Zaxxon. Hmm…if a Colecovision and an Intellivision got in a fight, who would win? Maybe Q-Bert? Idunno,

More importantly, let’s move on to Lil’ G. The books put the baby right at about 4 pounds. Lil’ G is growing like crazy! No doubt it’s getting pretty crowded in there. The baby has definitely had a lot of hiccups recently. According to the doctor, that means the baby will have a “good cry.” Cha-ching!

It’s been a busy week for us, too. We’ve gotten a mattress for the crib so the baby will have a place to sleep. Otherwise, Lil’ G was going to sleep on the dog bed and that really didn’t seem fair to our little Maggie (Maggie is the dog). We had one of our regular appointments with the doctor and we’re happy to say that everything is progressing as it should. The baby is laying sideways with the head on the left and pointing a bit downward. The bum is to the upper right. So, Lil’ G isn’t too far off from being completely upside-down. We’ve also started our childbirth classes. So far, that’s going very well. This one concerned what you could expect in the third trimester and the period leading up to the actual birth. It was complete with the expected cheesy video. Next week we’ll see the actual birth video...say some prayers about that.

Lil’ G: 30 weeks down

Size Comparison: Lava Lamp

Should “Lava Lamp” be one word or two? I guess it doesn’t really matter…either way, it spells “S-W-A-N-K-Y”. I remember my parents’ lava lamp. It featured the bright red “lava”, a perforated copper colored base, and a scalding hot light bulb. I’ve since purchased one of the newer models in black and purple. It’s not quite the same but it definitely makes a house a home.

The books say Lil’ G should be between 2.5 and 3.5 pounds. That sounds like a pretty big range to me but, apparently, the growth rate can vary a lot between children at this point. Whatever the weight, the baby is making the most of it. Lil’ G is all over the place now. I think he/she even had the hiccups the other day. From what I’ve read, that’s a good thing…hiccups exercise the diaphragm and help the baby prepare for breathing. The way Lil’ G was hiccupping, the kid is going to have a nice 6-pack. Just like his/her Pa.

As for the parents-to-be, this has been a busy week. We took a trip to visit the Cincinnati Zoo and the Newport Aquarium. Both were excellent though it rained the entire day at the zoo. The nice part, though, was that we were the only ones around to watch the cheetah feeding and the zookeepers seemed pretty happy to talk to us. Plus, we got to touch sharks at the aquarium!

Next week will be busy, too. Well, Monday will be busy, anyway. We have a checkup with the doctor Monday morning and we start our childbirth class Monday evening. I’m actually looking forward to the class.

Lil’ G: 29 weeks down

Size Comparison: Speak & Math (probably needs to be a "large Speak & Math")

Even though I owned and loved the Speak & Spell, I enjoyed the Speak & Math version a little more. Maybe if it had been the other way around, my spelling would be better today. Anyway, I remember taking this on car trips to my grandparents and the Number Stumper game beats Gameboy any day. The only thing I can add is:

Number right: 2. Number in right place: 1

Lil’ G is doing great. We had another appointment with the doctor on Tuesday. All seems to be well. The baby is moving all over the place now. We tried testing the baby’s like sensitivity the other night. You know, turn off the lights and shine a flashlight on the baby-tummy to see if the baby reacts. We did get movement. I guess there’s no way to tell if the baby was reacting to the light or if it was just rolling around. Either way, it was pretty exciting.

If I remember right, the book said the baby should be around 14.5 inches from crown to foot now. I’m guessing it’s getting pretty cramped in there. I know my wife is thinking it’s getting pretty cramped.

Lil’ G: 28 weeks down

Size Comparison: Fisher Price Daredevil Van ca. 1977

Man, I loved the Fisher Price Adventure People series of toys. They were simple, generic, incredibly fun, and packed with creative opportunities.

The baby was interactive yesterday! There was a distinct body part poking out and, when touched, it moved! It was kind of strange but also very exciting. According to the books, there hasn’t been much change in the baby’s size from last week. Lil’ G certainly feels stronger and more active.

One of the interesting things is that the one text mentioned that doctors believe that, by this week, the baby may be able to dream. I’m not sure how they know that. It’s not as though you can take a survey of newborns regarding their in utero dreaming. I guess someone could…I wouldn’t expect much from the results, though. I wonder if babies have that dream where they’re in some kind of public place only to realize that they aren’t wearing any clothes. If so, I bet it’s a lot more fun and a lot less scary than it is for adults.

Lil’ G: 27 weeks down

Size Comparison: Tab 6-pack

Yep, Tab. Don’t ask why..I don’t know.

We had the monthly appointment with the doctor on Monday. This was the one that involves drinking the extra sweet orange soda, waiting awhile, and having some blood drawn for a blood glucose test. We haven't heard anything regarding the test results but no one is expecting anything out of the ordinary. The heartbeat remains strong at 140 bpm. Of course, the baby was probably hopped up on the orange soda so that might be a bit high. Anyway, we're on the schedule of having appointments every two weeks now. That due date is quickly approaching.

As for the progress, the baby should weigh around 2.5 pounds. It's actually doubled in weight over the last 4 weeks. Lil' G has a long way to go and will probably triple in size over the next 12 weeks. Sometime this week, I believe the lungs become fully capable of breathing air. Most of the future development is packing on the pounds and strengthening the existing organs. It's amazing to think that the baby is so far along and that the last third of the pregnancy is building upon that. Wow.

Lil’ G: 26 Weeks Down

Size Comparison: Dukes of Hazzard Lunchbox

I considered other lunchboxes (Buck Rogers, Knight Rider, and even one with Vance & Coy Duke) but went with the traditional Duke boys. One of our books actually said the baby was about the size of “a small pot roast”.

Anyway, we’ve officially entered the third trimester. Lil’ G weighs in at about 2 pounds and I believe the eyelids should now be open…not that there’s much to see in there. According to what we’ve read, the baby would have an 85% chance of survival if born now.

We meet with a pediatrician on Friday so that should be interesting. Monday is another appointment with the doctor. This one will include the blood glucose test. Yippee! Lil’ G is also starting to move around enough to make sleep a bit uncomfortable for my lovely wife. No major complaints, though.

We also got out and registered this past weekend. The majority of that is at Target with a few additional items at Babies R Us. I’m amazed at just how much baby stuff is out there. I’m also amazed at how much of it is “important”. Seriously, I was ready to get the kid a plain ol’ wooden rattle afterwards.

Lil' G: 25 Weeks Down

Baby Size: Optimus Prime's Trailer

The pregnancy continues. That's a good thing. Lil' G's movements have grown from tiny blips of kicks to actual "movements". That is, even I can feel the baby roll over. Very cool.

Plus, we've managed to actually getting some things done ourselves. We've contacted pediatricians and we're set up to meet with one next week. Even more dramatic is that we've combined and filtered our lists of baby names. We're now down to only four names (two if it's a boy and two if it's a girl). Considering we hadn't touched the name lists for probably 3 months, that's pretty significant. We were calling those names the finalists but it was pointed out to me that the championship bracket will actually be made up of one boy and one girl name with the outcome determined by the gender of the child. Anyway, we're keeping the names to ourselves which almost makes it more exciting.

Next on the list: Registering.

A Prayer

The purpose of this post is twofold. First, it's of a purging of what I've been unable to voice. Secondly, I had the opportunity to say a prayer amongst a group of friends over this past weekend. We'd just attended the funeral of a very close friend and there were a lot things I wanted to say. Once I started, the tears welled up and I sputtered through something that was altogether shorter and crammed with "ums" and "ahs". I'm certain God knows what was on my heart and I'm pretty sure my friends knew what I intended. Still, if the gang is reading this, it may clear up what was previous masked by my quivering lower lip. I apologize for the butchered wording and grammar. I'd like to think God won't deduct points for sentence splices, fragments, and punctuation.

Likewise, I'm not going to pretend to be a theologian and I hope my thoughts and beliefs are not completely ungrounded.

Father,

I come to you flooded with emotions. I'm in shock. Overwhelmed. I'm triply hurt. I hurt for BK, beautiful, fiery BK. I hurt for BT, a friend so much stronger than I. And I hurt because my BSU friends...people who have gotten me through some of the darkest periods in my life...people I love and consider family...people I would do anything for...are hurting. The tears come so easily. My foundation has been shaken.

Lord, I'm afraid. Afraid of such circumstances that can take someone so young and so valuable so quickly. Afraid that such a tragedy could happen to anyone. Afraid of how fragile something so precious as life can be.

Lord, there are few things that really anger me. But I am furious right now. Angry at the fallen world so full of peril. And I'm angry at you, Father. I feel you've stolen a friend! Because of you, another friend is now a widower. I feel you've personally attacked my family! Finally, I'm angry that I am completely powerless.

As strange as it may sound to many, Father, I take comfort in you. Through your son, Jesus Christ, you conquered death. Even in death, there is hope. The spirit lives on and death is a mere affliction of the earthly body. In fact, death is often referred to in scripture as nothing more than sleeping. While accepting that is so much easier said than done...especially in this time of darkness...I'm comforted in knowing BK is no longer troubled by the suffering of this world. In Luke 23:43, Jesus tells the thief "today you will be with me in paradise." There was no delay. As I type this, I have little doubt BK is in paradise. Likewise, I am comforted by the belief that, one day, our BSU family will be united in full. Matthew 8:11 states many "shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven". If I will recognize and with Abraham...why not the gang? Perhaps we're share some world-infamous "Out of Bounds" nachos. On second thought, perhaps we'll skip the nachos.

I lift up BK's family. I especially pray for You to bring peace and healing to BT. As overwhelmed as I am, they are going through so much more. Father, bless my friends with your healing. Give us comfort. Give us peace. Help us to come to terms with what has happened. Allow us to move from dwelling on this tragedy to remembering BK for her laugh, her joy, her strength, and even her southern phrases that made so little sense to us. Guide us to where we can be thankful for the few blessed years we had with BK. Help us to cherish the moments we have with each other.

I wonder want BK would think of this grief. Would she think it silly. Would she prefer a party to the Beatles over sobbing to a hymn.

Amen.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. - Matthew 5:4

So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. - John 16:22


He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; - Isaiah 25: 8a

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God Who gave it. - Ecclesiastes 12:7

Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." - Luke 23:43

Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. - 2 Corinthians 5:1

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus. - Luke 16: 19-31

And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 8:11

Untitled

Why is it so much easier to accept my own mortality than it is to deal with the mortality of a friend?

Lil' G: 24 weeks down

Baby Size: A Coleco Tabletop Pac-man Arcade Game

The kicks are stronger now. Lil' G seems more active, too. But, maybe that's just because the movements are more pronounced. Either way, it's very exciting. I don't think they're enough to wake my wife up in the middle of that night but I'm sure that day is coming.

We still haven't found our new pediatrician. It's pretty high on the list of priorities but other, more important, things have come up. We've also failed to finalize our baby name lists. The plan was to take our individual lists on our road trip last weekend so we could discuss them as we traveled. That plan failed when we left the lists at home. Sigh. I have managed to go back over my own list and I think I weeded out a few names that no longer sound appealing. At least the list will be shorter when start combining the suggestions.

Now, for what we have actually done. We picked up an absolutely awesome stroller and matching carseat over the weekend. We're pretty excited about that. It's almost a shame to have to wait so long before we can even use them.