In the City of Roses

One Hot Mamacita

2006-04-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

One Hot Mamacita
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

The title says it all.

"Viva Mexico!" E with Sra. Watkins

2006-04-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

"Viva Mexico!" E with Sra. Watkins
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

E is joined by Sra. Watkins his Kindergarten teacher. One of our favorite people.

A Dream about Bill Clinton

2006-03-16T21:26:00.000-08:00

Last night I had a dream that I ran into Bill Clinton. And true to real life when ever I have run into real people that happen to be known by a lot of people--Gus Van Sant, August Wilson, Barry Lopez--I say the stupidest things.

So in the dream, I don't know what to say so I ask him if he has read anything interesting lately. And he looks at me and says, "Yes, I read an interesting profile of me in the Onion."

Gangsta Rap over the Legos

2006-02-22T11:41:00.000-08:00

This was heard this morning while E was playing with Legos.

"Guns are not what you need to have
Guns are dangerous and really bad
You might want to stand back from this
This is my only gun."

I am busy writing

2006-01-23T18:49:00.000-08:00

I am busy writing
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

The other day we were at this new store on Alberta called "Office". They carry an assortment of retro office supplies and laptop bags. It is very bicycle messenger-chic in a grungy Portland, hipster sort of way.

On their display they had several typewriters. Elliott immediately went to one and started banging out words. "Cool, what is this?"

"That is a typewriter."
"What is that?"
"It is what we used to use to write letters before they invented computers."
"Do you have one?"
"Yes, it is in the closet in the office."

They have been inseperable ever since.

The Best Movies I saw in 2005

2006-01-07T10:02:00.001-08:00

These movies are not in any ranked order. I would just recomend that you see them.

Walk on Water. This is an Israeli film in hebrew, german and english. It is about an Israeli Mosad agent ordered to "befriend" a german (adult) brother and sister in order to find their grandfather who is a Nazi war criminal. This movie deals with all of the complexities of the living with the legacy of genocide, prejudice as well as many other subtexts. I watched this three times to get it all.

Heights. This a Merchant-Ivory film set in New York. The plot concerns a New York photographer who is about to be married. Her mother is a hotshit movie star (Glenn Close). The plot wraps around the relationship of her and her soon to be husband. But their is a bomb about to go off. This is one of those plots that follows seemingly random characters in their everyday life who suddenly converge and then you have to rewatch the movie to see that the phone conversations they were having were actually with other characters that you had alrady seen in the movie. Glenn Close is great. The cinematography is sharp and unique. I watched this one several times as well...becuase that's what you can do when you are unemployed.

Crash. This movie also follows random characters who eventually converge and it all makes sense. This movie deals with prejudice from every nationality. I do mean every nationality. It deals powerfully with all of the stereotypes that society has created for different backgrounds and how they effect us in our judgements, beliefs and actions. It also has one of the best quotes from a movie that I saw this year. Don Cheadle delivers it: "It's the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something." You also get to witness the first occurence of real acting that Sandra Bullock actually performs.

Mysterious Skin. This was a powerful movie that follows two young men and how they deal with the fact that they were sexually abused by their little league coach. It is sometimes difficult to watch but the acting is stellar.

Kinsey. I didn't really know what to expect when we watched this movie. But Liam Neeson really redeemed himself from the Star Wars misstep. The relationship between he and Laura Linney was believable (Geek Love) and complex. But just so you know, it's about Dr. Alfred Kinsey, so it's all about sex.

Angels in America. I know it wasn't released last year, but we finally watched it. The acting was phenominal. Meryl Streep surprised me when I saw the characters she played. I can't say enough.

The Motorcycle Diaries. Acting, Cinematogrophy, scenery. Almost makes you want to wear a Che t-shirt.

Syriana. In spite of all of the people in my extended family who didn't like it...This movie had one of those plots that followed random people and different events until they somewhat converged in the end. (I should come up with a name for plots like that. The somthing or other plot effect.) It definately delves into the complexities of the middle east and corruption of oil, capitalism and American Imperialism. It's one of those movies that you leave and want to kill someone. But then you can't figure out who because there isn't a "good side" anymore.

Chicken Little. I thought this was one of the best animated movies I have ever seen. It had a great twist on the Chicken Little story and even though they killed the mother off (like they do in all of the Disney animated movies) the relationship between father and son is very good.

Written on a bathroom wall downtown

2005-12-30T11:06:00.000-08:00

Now I wouldn't normally post something that was written on a bathroom wall, but this quote was one of a kind.

"The Bible has got to be the most destructive game of telephone I've ever witnessed. Little did Jesus know how screwed up and manipulated his teachings would be in regards to what his actual intentions were."

"Heaven Defend Us"

2005-12-24T11:21:00.000-08:00

The Shepherds
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

Here is a picture of Elliott during the pageant on Christmas Eve.

Elliott's main line was "Heaven Defend Us".

Sorry, we are not from Gresham.

2005-11-14T23:36:00.000-08:00

No, we are not from Gresham.
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

Okay it has been a while since this thing has seen any action. A lot has happened in our lives in the last month or so. Got laid off, again. About to start my student teaching. E started a new school last week. More details coming soon.

Soul Food in NoPo

2005-09-06T01:05:00.000-07:00

Soul Food in NoPo
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

This is a little shout out to our neighbor A and her wonderful cooking. You are looking at pork ribs smothered with a sweet bar-b-que that is slightly spicey. There is chicken hidden in their somewhere that was good. Her potato salad was just like my grandmother's, heavy on the eggs, but A adds black olives.
To top everything off it was her baked beans that pushed our resident "vegetarian" into constant praise.
To top all this she sent us home with leftovers.
Another good cook discovered.
Thank you A!

Greetings from Chicago

2005-07-23T21:09:00.000-07:00

Flowers on N. Michigan Ave.
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

Well, so far the highlights of the trip have been experiencing the city, getting lost on foot a few times, the art institute and almost walking into Roger Ebert as he ducked into the four seasons (his license plates on his black SUV, by the way, read "MOVIES"). We also tootled around the loop and the bucktown/whicker park neighborhood which is very artsy and reminds me of a mix of capital hill in seattle with hawthorne in portland.

Tomorrow, Museum of Natural History, Musuem of Contemporary Photography and more food.

By the way, I am so tired that I realized I have let my capitalization fall off. st. e.e. cummings has forgiven me.

Party in YakiVegas

2005-07-04T13:21:00.000-07:00

PICT0459
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

A good time was had by all with Mandi, Nate and Sophie. The one funny from the weekend was when Elliott asked Nate: Why does Sophie have long hair?
Nate: Becuase we like her with long hair. Why don't you have long hair?
Elliott: Because we don't like mullets.

You may remember the time when the barber asked Elliott how he would like his hair he said: I want a mullet just like Mandi.

Apparently he has changed his mind.

Happy Father's Day 2005

2005-06-19T20:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day 2005
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

This is the quote of the day:
"So you know what I wish?"
"Hard telling."
"I wish that my family was all in jail so that I could watch tv all day..."
"Elliott, we don't even have a tv."
"Well I would get one and I would sit in my underwear and watch tv all day and I would fall asleep in front of it because everyone would be in jail and there would be no one to wake me up so that when I woke up in the morning I could watch more tv."
Huh. Now we know why there isn't a national holiday to celebrate children don't we.

Thank you for my Father's day gifts.
From A&E (Nigella's measuring cups) and from D&S (a great book).

Happy Father's Day, Waah.

2005-06-19T18:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day, Waah.
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

Spent a great day in the sunshine. We met friends downtown and watched the parade. You can see the photos on the flicr site.

I Lost the Tooth

2005-06-04T22:30:00.000-07:00

IMG_0523.JPG
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

Believe it or not, but the squeamish father pulled the tooth with plyers and he also got away with $1 under the pillow.

Chess Master

2005-05-24T16:39:00.000-07:00

Chess Master
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

I will be the first to admit that I am no chess master, however it is quite humbling to be pounded into submission by a 5 year old at the chess board. And I do mean pounded.

One thing that is very funny is the times that I am able to catch up long enough to notice him baiting me with my important pieces to see if I bite. More often than not, I don't see it coming.

This game was checkmate in 9 moves.

E's First Adult Tooth

2005-05-15T19:30:00.000-07:00

E's First Adult Tooth
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

We were sitting playing chess this afternoon when I noticed this white speck poking through the back of his bottom teeth.

Hopefully he will get his teeth gene's from Anna's side of the family.

Make a Funny Face

2005-05-08T23:20:00.000-07:00

Make a Funny Face
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

Elliott wanted everyone to "make a funny face". So we all proceeded to do so. After looking at us through the viewer, he looked up at us and said, "no like this, you know..." and then rolled his eyes up and stuck his tongue out like he does in every other photo that we take of him.

Special Delivery

2005-05-06T15:12:00.000-07:00

Special Delivery
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

Here is one big ham on its way.

Happy Mother's Day Card

2005-05-05T14:01:00.000-07:00

elliottandanna
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

Elliott made this card in Preschool today. The text read:
Someone like my dad is taking our picture. My mom like to make waffles. She takes me to see grandma.

Big Smile

2005-05-02T21:45:00.000-07:00

smirk
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

After a twenty minute sitting for the class picture, he still kept his best smile for last.

Quote of the Day

2005-04-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

While looking at the map on his placemate, Elliott remarked:

"Portland is inside Oregon like Oregon is inside America. So America has two babies in her tummy."

Quote of the day

2005-04-07T12:46:00.000-07:00

"You know, if I had antlers it would be very hard for you to get me dressed in the morning."

papa-portrait

2005-04-05T22:33:00.000-07:00

self-portrait
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

Elliott was inspired last night while I was in class to come up with a quick likeness.

Hmm...At least the head feet were a little smaller than real life.

Happy Easter, Happy Birthday

2005-03-27T15:06:00.000-08:00

Happy Easter, Happy Birthday
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

Happy Easter.

Quote of the day

2005-03-27T14:50:00.002-08:00

"You know Papa, Easter is more than just plastic eggs."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes, it's about hope and candy and eggs."

Overheard this morning

2005-03-26T22:42:00.000-08:00

When Elliott got in bed this morning he blurted real loud, "Papa you look just like Jesus in your black underwear."

I had no idea.

Quote of the Day

2005-03-25T20:12:00.000-08:00

On the way back from the beer festival on the MAX with friend Mike Mann talking about movies. They had just seen the Jamie Foxx, Tom Cruise Movie, Collateral, directed by Micheal Mann (Miami Vice, Heat, etc.)

I said, "I love Micheal Mann." Without missing a beat he said, "Thank you."

We laughed a little too loud. It didn't help that he was carrying his glass from the festival.

Praying for Peace

2005-03-21T23:33:00.000-08:00

praying_for_peace_RDCF
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

This was hanging behind the counter in a store that we went in the other day. I didn't know which to respond to first: the fact that neither Lincoln nor Washington were known to attend church or profess to be Christians--were depicted here "laying hands" on W or the that the "painting" was titled "Praying for Peace".

What was stunning to me today was his appeal for "life" after signing legislation to protect Terri Schiavo. He said, "This is a complex case with serious issues, but in extraordinary circumstances like this, it is wisest to always err on the side of life"...unless of course that you are mentally retarded and on death row in Texas...I'm sure once A. Gonzalez wrote the legal brief, he erred on the side of life.

How to Eat Republican on Your Birthday

2005-03-20T23:04:00.000-08:00

How to Eat Republican
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

Hurray, my first birthday present this year. Thanks to B & B.

However, I didn't quite know what to make of the first recipe for entertaining your republican friends: "Let them eat sh-t!"

Well anyway, I am sure this recipe will come in handy.

Thank you.

Not what I had in mind

2005-02-25T20:48:00.000-08:00

When she mentioned vasectomy, this is not what I had in mind...

LONDON (Reuters) - A British woman was sentenced to two and a half years in jail Thursday for ripping off her ex-lover's testicle with her bare hands during a drunken brawl after he refused her sex.... She grabbed him by the genitals, tearing off his left testicle, then hid it in her mouth before a friend of Jones handed it back to him saying "that's yours." Monti, of Birkenhead, near Liverpool, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding at an earlier hearing.

Calling All Cars

2005-02-21T10:22:00.000-08:00

So yesterday began in the wee hours with El getting up early to get into bed with us suffering from his cold. He kept tossing and turning and hawking the snot and whatnot out of his congested head.

We rushed to the earlier "family" service at church. El had packed a backpack with toys that were not all that quiet. After trying to get him to quiet down, he said "no" loudly and stuck out his tongue at A when she took him out of the service. She also had to pry his fingers off the pew to get him out.

After several conversations and a make up session with A, I took him to coffee to talk about better behavior and acting like the big boy that he is. (Who am I kidding?)

So we walked to the bookstore in the mall to look at some books and meet up with A. El sees this toy that he really wants (didn't know that the kid's section even had toys) so I told him that we aren't going to buy anything today but that he could put the toy on his list. He proceeded as he wound himself up to drop to the floor and scream for it. This was so out of character for him that I almost started laughing. When he wouldn't get up, I took him by his hand and walked him out of the store. By this time A had joined us, she heard him screaming of course, and took his other hand helping with the escort. When we enter the mall, El started to scream, "Stop let go of me. You're hurting me" over and over. At one point we looked at each other in a half-smile as if to say, surely those blood curdling screams are not eminating from my sweet angel. Several people watched us as we excorted the unrully client outside the building to the car. One mother turned with a "hmm-hmmm-hmmm, I've been there honey (and glad it's you and not me at this moment)."

We load him in the car. He proceeds to throw toys at our heads from the back seat. I start the car and look in the rearview mirror to find a man talking into a cell-phone craning his neck as if to read the license plate of our vehicle. "Oh good grief, I bet that man on his cell is calling the police." And within two minutes our section of the parking lot is swarming with mall security. One is doing a driveby, two are looking on from opposite sides of the sidewalk.

I couldn't believe our luck. At this moment we are being watched by the same enlightened perverts who obnoxiously surrounded A around while she took a break in the mall and nursed El when he was an infant. But A true to her genius in parenting, closed her door and walked up to the nearest security guard and said, "OK, I have a sick 5 year old in the car, who is sleepshort and threw a fit in the mall after not getting a toy he wanted. You wanna come and talk with him?" "Sure," he said.

So the officer walked over and talked with Beelzebub. El was quiet and kept looking to us to figure out why this policeman (I wasn't going to try and explain to him that it wasn't really a cop just security) was talking to him about his horrible, terrible, bad day.

As we left the parking lot, A said, "I will be making the appointment for the vasectomy on Monday."

Then we came home to voicemail from sister-in-law saying that she had a dream that we had a baby. "And it was really cute."

big smile

2005-02-15T23:23:00.000-08:00

big Smile
Originally uploaded by matthew boyer pdx.

Fecal Follies

2005-02-06T23:07:00.000-08:00

Okay despite the last post regarding the admonishing against poopoo humor, I have to mention the latest episode. This afternoon while at the in-laws, we release Milo from the kenel after a morning rest. I am in the kitchen rapidly preparing the afternoon meal. Over the noise of the fan above the stove I hear a scream.

I run out in the front room to find Anna running behind the dog, who is squating in her parent's bedroom catching two (pellets? plops? outputs?) dollops(!) of poo before the dog is scurried out to the front yard to do the rest of his bidness.

We made sure that she washed her hands. Twice.

"I just wanted to make them laugh"

2005-01-29T23:38:00.000-08:00

We all went out to dinner tonight with friends K and J. We went to this child-friendly pub over in Hollywood. They have a play area that is visible from all tables so that you can sit, eat and drink and watch your child entertain themselves with other children. E was pretty much occupied the entire meal; running from the play area to graze on his dinner and then run back for more action.

So as we settled down for coffee at the local coffee shop. We are now a captive audience to E: with adrenaline pumping he starts in on his "kinder caca" routine. He begins to regale our friends with constant references to his dog pooping, his dog "forting", his dog was so surprised that he ran around and pooped...on and on it went.

The evening's nightcap was the little story about how some dog in the neighborhood pooped on the sidewalk in front of the front enterance. And he quoted A. who had told me how she heard some skater who had yelled the "f-bomb" as he skated through it.

So on the way home I tell him that it would be a good idea to come up with some other stories to tell our friends besides stories about pooping and farting. "Otherwise," I tell him, "all of our friends are going to think that all we talk and think about is pooping and farting." But I can't think of anything else, he says, "I just wanted to make them laugh". "Can you help me think of something else?" He asked. Ummm...we couldn't.

Walking the Dog

2005-01-23T21:28:00.000-08:00

Walking the dog through the neighborhood when he started to push around a purple balloon along the sidewalk. I grab the leash trying to get him to leave it alone. He persisted and found enough energy and endurance to push the thing.

It was not until we turned the corner (underneath a street light) that it popped and it became obvious that it was a (used??!!!) condom.

Who uses purple condoms? Who would take a slightly used provalactive, put it to their lips, blow it up and then knot it? Obviously someone with more imagination than I. Or wait a minute, maybe less than an imagination. How boring does your life have to be that the idea of a purple condom sound revelatory and innovative.

Anyway, after it popped and he tried to eat its little shrivelled remains, I kept thinking, "another reason not to let the dog lick my face."

Absolutely Fabulous

2005-01-17T23:38:00.000-08:00

absolutely fabulous
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

All that I can say about this outfit is that it was innocently knitted by an adopted Auntie.

After his bath he went upstairs wrapped in a towel, dried himself off and grabbed the knitted sock-scarf-thingy slid inside of it and said, "Papa, look at me."

a and e and milo

2005-01-12T23:49:00.000-08:00

a and e and milo
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

And I wonder why I have such a difficult time keeping the dog out of the purple leather chair...

Quotable Song

2005-01-05T21:56:00.000-08:00

Elliott sang a little song with the repeating refrain, "My dog fills my heart with hair."

In the Barber's Chair

2005-01-03T21:51:00.000-08:00

While Elliott was in the barber's chair today, he exclaimed, "I want a mullet!"
"Elliott, who do you know that has a mullet?"
"Mandi."

I am 5.

2005-01-02T20:37:00.000-08:00

The one handed salute. I am five.
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

It is hard to believe that E is five. Of all the things that elders have uttered in my presence, the only one that I don't hold with some skepticism is "time flies". And the more fun that you are having, it seems to go by even quicker.

Indeed.

Happy Birthday E, here's to many, many more.

Happy New Year from A and M

2005-01-01T12:23:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from A and M
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

Happy 2005.

Grandma Squared

2004-12-31T01:25:00.000-08:00

Grandma Squared
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

Elliott was so excited to show both grandmas his clean room and his own Christmas tree in his room.

And the fact that he had cleaned the room himself...and the wonderful nativity set...and the baby Jesus...and that his little play people had swords ...and that the swords were to protect baby Jesus from the "bad guys"...

Photo Booth

2004-12-29T21:09:00.000-08:00

foto_booth
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

The funny part of this photo strip was to watch the realisation on Elliott's face as he saw himself in the monitor and then began to make faces and saw them appear in the photos. And then to see that each frame has a different expression....ha.

Making Him Cry.

2004-12-26T20:00:00.000-08:00

sassie
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

Tonight as we were coming down from all the excitement of Christmas, Elliott sat down to watch Lassie that we borrowed from the library. This new one was a Disney remake (one of many?) in which a family moved and the boy who was totally disjointed by the move, meets this stray dog, (Lassie...which he kept calling Sassie) to which he bonds. Deeply. Through a chain of cinematic events, Lassie finds himself lost, which breaks the heart of the boy and for the first time I began to see Elliott react emotionally to the story.
Towards the climax of the story Lassie is trying to find his way home to his boy and he wandering the forest and he falls into the river, which is rapidly approaching a cascading waterfall. It is about this time that I look over to see tears in Elliott's eyes and I felt like a latchkey parent for doing other things while he watched this movie by himself.
"Elliott are you alright?"
"Yes, Sassie went over the waterfall and was killed."
Just then to the music of the movie, "Sassie" comes up from the water from behind a strategicly placed rock and Elliott begins to sob. He grabs me and cries and sobs. It was like our own little Fried Green Tomatoes moment. I paused the movie and he recovered a little and we watched the rest of the movie.

Family Portrait

2004-12-24T23:30:00.000-08:00

Family Portrait
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

This is what happens when you are bored in church. You give him pen and paper. And then when he says, "Ooh, Papa these are your whiskers..." we all laugh and work so hard to keep them stifled that we are glad that no one is sitting behind us, becuase all they would see would be people shaking up and down.

Great Grandma Irene, Santa and Elliott 2003

2004-12-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

Great Grandma Irene, Santa and Elliott
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

The funny thing about this photo was the quick subtle banter between Santa and Great Grandma. St. Nick said something about this young lady and she laughed rolling her eyes.
Elliott was so happy to be with two of his favorite people. One who gave him candy the other who brings him presents.

My Cocoa Moustache

2004-12-22T17:00:00.000-08:00

My Cocoa Moustache
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

We all went downtown to see the lights and Santaland at the department store. It just so happened that Starbucks in the spirit of giving was sampling peppermint hot chocolate in the courthouse square.
Elliott was more than thrilled.

Spontaneous Utterance from the Wife while Reading

2004-12-20T23:32:00.000-08:00

"...Well maybe that's just because I'm a bitch and that's not a personality type..."

In reponse to discovering that several "personality traits" of her personality type on the Myers-Briggs did not match herself. Whatsoever.

Peter, Mrs Beaver and Aslan

2004-12-20T22:23:00.000-08:00

Peter, Mrs Beaver and Aslan
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

After reading the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, E has been enchanted with all things Narnia--or should I say, any story with a sword.
In the midst of the remodel and painting of the dining room and living room, Grandma S. found the lampost at the back of the closet. In this country we have closets, not wardrobes.

This Was Not a Commissioned Art Piece

2004-12-03T21:57:00.000-08:00

Preschool-ArtProject
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

I kid you not, E did this all by himself. The funny part was when I went to pick him up and the teacher was handing out the art, the looks on the other parents faces.

Several of the quickwitted in the crowd started to say something and then you could see the instant self correction when they realized where they were and what they couldn't say in front of the children.

E Going to Preschool

2004-11-30T11:09:00.000-08:00

E Going to Preschool
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

Elliott ready for action.

Thanksgiving 2004

2004-11-28T18:22:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving 2004
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

Most of the family gathered in Seattle for Turkey Day.

Brushing the Teeth

2004-11-27T21:45:00.000-08:00

brushingTeeth
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

E is all fancy dressed for bed. The undershorts on the head; the stocking cap over the shorts; the dead muppet around the neck.

Fancy.

I am not a dog. But I play one on Killingsworth

2004-11-23T00:06:00.000-08:00

I am not a dog. But I play one on Killingsworth
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

This was the first time that I dry heaved and gagged when I lawfully retrieved what the dawg left behind.

And I do mean BEhind.

I was walking with our new walking partner--a neighbor. There will be more about our walking partner later...

The Fox

2004-11-18T22:58:00.000-08:00

The Fox
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

E made this fox out of leaves they found in the neighborhood.

E's not so secret admirer

2004-11-18T22:55:00.000-08:00

E's not so secret admirer
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

Let's call her A. She loves E. She constantly feigns for his attention. As soon as she sees us come into the class room she saunters over and starts talking about, well, it's either her clothes or dragons. One day, she asked, "Do you like my pretty purple raincoat?" Another morning she told us about her fairy princess costume and the dragon that she saw.

Each time she comes up to us, E walks right past her to the classroom as if she were not even there. How painful. She is so cute, sweet and diverse (fairies, angels and dragons) E does not know what he is missing. I enjoy talking with her.

"Why don't you play with A?" I ask him, after school completely disgusted with his lack of manners. "She is so nice."

Finally one day, after I have repeated this line of questioning, he sighs, "Papa, I am not into girls. I am only into boys."

My Day

2004-11-17T22:57:00.000-08:00

Stayed up late last night finishing up work. I walked the dog and he didn't poop. I took him out again, knowing that he hadn't pooped. He didn't. Went to bed.
We got up late, said our happy birthday's to A. Went to preschool. Full shift at preschool. Got home at 12.30, let the dog out to feed him and walk him. As I am filling his bowl, I notice that the gate on the stairs is down and I don't see the dog or the boy. I hear a yell and the boy comes running down the stairs saying" the dog is peeing in the beedroom by Mama's side. Indeed.

He did the deed, as well as pooping. Pooped so much that...well...forget it. The kicker was that he pissed on three books: one library book and two new large picture books on remodeling that A. bought.

It took me about ten minutes to clean up the mess. Thank Suess that whatever treatment the carpet received caused the dog's joyful dribbling to remain beaded up on the carpet.

I am walking around the kitchen trying to find a plastic bag to take the dog on a walk. I finally find one. A small one. In hindsight, this should have been a sign.

We don't even get around the corner and the dog stops to poop. Retrieving the bag from my back pocket, I discover that there is an enormous hole in the bag. I carefully pick up the little treasures. I gingerly wrap the legal tender in plastic until I am pulled by Milo down the block.

No more than 45 seconds the dog squats. "What?" I say. "Again? Papa, he is going again!" E. says. I bend over breathing carefully from the mouth, fully dismayed that the bag slips and the ill-gotten booty touches me. When the third pooping happens around the corner...let's just say that I am happy that autumn leaves have fallen.

So, later we are driving in the afternoon to pick up A. from work. E, who has been particularly whiney in the last few days, said in a non-whiney voice:

"Papa, where are we going?"
"To pick up mama."
"Well old Elliott can't help you with that. Mama is your problem."

After dinner this evening we come home to find the babysitters grandma and grandpa in the living room looking at the two remodeling books that were pissed on by the dog.

At The Pumpkin Patch

2004-11-13T23:49:00.000-08:00

pumpkin-2004
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

The latest family photo.

Reading with Papa at the Library

2004-11-12T01:15:00.000-08:00

Reading with Papa at the Library
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

This is the day that we explored the library when all the computer stations were full. E sees me in front of the computer more than he sees me reading due to my job...so everytime we go to the library, all of those computers are being used. Oh darn.
Let's go look at some books...

Our Life Has Gone to the Dogs

2004-11-11T21:43:00.000-08:00

My plate is full. I haven't been sleeping very much trying to get work, school and domestic duties taken care of. Add to that a kamikazee 4 year old who has managed to crash head first into large wooden furniture in two seperate incidents causing a major lump on his forehead and a large welt on the top of his nose. Major panic, blood curdling screams, drama. Add to that the dog hair that is everywhere now. And I do mean everywhere.

Things that I thought I would never say in my lifetime

2004-10-24T23:02:00.000-07:00

"Do not let the dog lick your penis."

There, I said it. The dog stopped.

pumpkin patch 2004

2004-10-23T10:30:00.000-07:00

pumpkin patch 2004
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

Another picture of E. from the Pumpkin Patch this week.

The Pumpkin Patch

2004-10-22T22:56:00.000-07:00

IMG_0490
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

This is the field of pumpkins that we found our pumpkins in.

E's Muddy Hands

2004-10-22T22:53:00.000-07:00

emMuddyHands
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

After a "big" breakfast the whole gang went to the pumpkin patch with the preschool gang.

Pumpkins, hayride, wet hay, mud, oh my.

The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe

2004-10-22T19:18:00.000-07:00

Reading to teach vocabulary. Tonight we learned clever, shrewd, stag and wounded. The results of teaching vocabulary to your 4.5 year old? He tells us on the way home in the car that "your talking up there is driving me insane! Mama, insane means "crazy" in spanish."

"I grow old, I grow old,

2004-10-18T10:23:00.000-07:00

…I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled…" --T.S. Eliot

I have been reorganizing in the office in-between study sessions for class. This project involved moving books around from shelf to floor to table. E walks around and starts to help me. He is picking up books and is looking through them as I am working. He picks up my boxed set of the Chronicles of Narnia that I have from reading in middle school. He is looking at the picture of the Dawn Treader and Prince Caspian with his sword and shield (four year olds love swords) and he says, “let’s read these tonight, Papa.”

“Well those are chapter books and they don’t have pictures.”

“But Papa they do have pictures,” he shows me as he is rifling through the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. So they do (at the beginning of each chapter). So we read the first chapter and at bedtime and he is really listening and asks questions about the British English (what is a parcel? What is queer? What is a stag?) And all the time I am living this, I am reliving reading it in my bedroom on the second floor of our house in Everett, Washington and all of those junior high feelings…and then the C.S. Lewis movie comes back to me and the scene with Anthony Hopkins and his colleagues teasing him in the pub about the success of his children’s books and ribbing him about the vulva imagery of Lucy pushing through the fur coats in the wardrobe…and I can see the perspective of the writer and of the teacher and the envy of the colleague’s success and the perspective of the reader reading it for the first time.

It was a little overwhelming…and glorious. Dear God, I am reading the Chronicles of Narnia to my 4 year old…is this heaven?

I didn’t think that E would be that interested in the story. So I didn’t get my hopes up. But he wanted to keep reading...we read three chapters before he wanted to take a bathroom break.

After bedtime I was talking with my mom to tell her and she said, “It's like this: Isn’t that every literature major’s dream come true? A child that wants to read and be read to?”

Two Men: One trip for a Elephant Ear

2004-09-15T01:08:00.000-07:00

Two Men: One trip for a Elephant Ear
Originally uploaded by iaminpdx.

This is the journey of two boyz, left alone for a weekend in search of an elephant ear.

Recreating Myself

2004-09-02T09:22:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you hate your job, don't like the prospects and the path your career is taking you? Well you apply for Grad school of course and try not to think to hard about the additional academic loans you are now stacking on top of your undergraduate debt.

So I am going back to school. And it has been a long time since I was a student. I better get used to it. In some ways it feels like I should have done this a long time ago and yet, I wouldn't have steered myself in this direction originally fresh with my BA. I think it was necessary to run the string of jobs that I did--a path that one by one, each of them took me further from my major and my interests/love. I know that sounds very idealistic or even romantic. But do you expect anything less from an English Lit. major?

A. is more excited I think than I am about it. Which is nice. I think I am just still in shock and a little nervous in juggling academics with my current job. Working for my current employer is kind of like working for the mob. They insist on loyalty to their core mission which is 1. Sell X, 2. Make money, 3. Have fun while doing it. And since I am the Web geek, I distance myself from sales as much as possible. I also think their sales tactics and ethos is barbaric and absence of conscious most of the time. All that to say, if they ever found out that I am pursuing a degree in a career that is other than their core mission, they will see it as a disloyalty and I will be put on a short leash. But I will play the part long enough to win the Oscar.

Little E. the other day asked me if I would still be his Papa when I became a teacher. I assured him I would. But then he went around solicited a second opinion from several others.

A Little Police Action in NoPo

2004-08-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

Last night just as the first rain in a month came down, the NoPo PoPo started to cordon off a four-block radius to ensnare a nare-do-well who had evaded an officer of the law after a traffic infraction. So we all became prisoners in our homes while they went door-to-door looking for some guy who ran a red light?

Where was all the action last spring when we called 911 to report the drug deal going down in our front yard at 3 am? When we called to get someone to break up the transaction the operator retorted with, "Call non-emergency." To the officer's credit (and they don't get a lot of credit in our neighborhood) when they drove up 15 minutes later, they told us that they shouldn't have told us to call non-emergency. The 4 officers (three patrol cars) promptly took the description and the officer called us 30 minutes later to let us know that they had apprehended the man who made the transaction and that he had a warrant out for his arrest for burglery.

The NoPo Popo found the traffic infractor in someone's basement in a matter of 20 minutes or so. I guess he'll think twice before he runs through that light.

Movie Bizzaro 2004

2004-08-21T23:34:00.000-07:00

When you are hard up for a cheap date, do you peruse the DVD shelf at the county library? No?

I always take opportunities like this to rent/check-out the movie that you wouldn't necessarily rent because you are willing to take a chance because the check-out is free. And then 9.5 times out of 10 you reget it in the morning. (And it is the morning because the movie was so long and unedited...Oh that's why all of the major studios rejected it...it made no sense.) Resist.

Tonight's culprit was "Secretary" with James Spader. Now I must admit that he and Rob Lowe seemed to take this tragic downward spiral about ten years ago, but both of them seemed to have miraculous career revival as of late: Lowe in the West Wing (until he left like a fool); Spader in The Practice, where he breathed new life into a series that ABC cancelled.

The Secretary was the most boring, erratic benal plot that I have seen in a long time. I knew we were in trouble when it took 47 minutes to get to the point where it was the "present" and we had finished the pre-history on the main character. Too bad. I will admit that Spader's acting--despite the limited plot and leash that his character was given--was exceptional.

Seattle's Biblio-Cathedral.

2004-08-17T14:53:00.000-07:00

If I were a book, this would be my home. When I die, I hope heaven looks like this.

Here is a brief history of the downtown Seattle library. Around 1900, the original Carnegie Library was constructed on fourth avenue only to be razed in the early sixties to make way for an awful art-deco four story building that the city and patrons grew out of very quickly. I couldn't think of what was more depressing the low tiled ceilings, the tan-gray everything or the stale smell of old books and body odor.

This cathedral is everything that consitutes Seattle. It is a blend of the rejuvenating spirit that remakes Seattle and the Seattle landscape. You can almost smell the new money and hi-technology as you walk in the door. It is the epitomy of what the 1962 World's Fair tried to emulate when they projected the theme of "Century 21". At least we won't have to worry about Elvis riding up and down in the elevator's for this building to make history.

The Intellectual Property of this Cyber-Real Estate

2004-08-16T18:19:00.000-07:00

This is the part of the blog that I pretend that potentially everyone I know will read this blog. Having grown up being that person that wants to please most, if not all, I have been putting off creating a blog for fear that I would write something that would offend someone that I know...if they were to happen surf across this material.

that.

Although I have not decided to broadcast to anyone the fact to whom the intellectual property of this cyber-real estate belongs to...it will remain subtly veild for the moment.

Another blog? Will anyone really Read this? Do I care?