We have two elm trees in our front yard. Probably two-thirds of our neighborhood has them. Slowly, you see the trees disappear as they die out in each person's yard. It's an inevitability that ours will die as well one day.
This Sunday, as we were pulling into the driveway from church I noticed that the bark near the top of one of the trees looks different than I'm used to. I don't know what a diseased tree looks like, but I do know that elm trees are prone to disease.
So, for the last couple of days I have been thinking about whether I need to get it looked at and what it would cost to hire a crew to come cut down both of the trees, since it's only a matter of time. Today, I decided to Google what a diseased elm tree looks like. "Huh, that's not what our trees look like," I realized. "I wonder what that could be."
It's lichen. Lichen doesn't damage trees. I feel dumb, but relieved.
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
dogged to get a dog
Apparently, I am just about the only guy in my office who is not an animal person. Almost everyone else has a dog. There have been times I have wanted a dog, but that was when I was in sixth grade. My needs, wants, and pet peeves (pun not intended, but happily accepted) are different now.
I am mostly surprised by the fact that so few people feel the same way that I do. I don't have anything against a pet like a dog, but the pros just don't outweigh the cons. I decided to make a list of the pros and cons of getting a dog. The following is that list.
Pros:
Since I am a bit biased, does anyone have reasons that I did not consider for why it would make sense to get a dog or other pet? Conversely, does anyone agree with me?
I am mostly surprised by the fact that so few people feel the same way that I do. I don't have anything against a pet like a dog, but the pros just don't outweigh the cons. I decided to make a list of the pros and cons of getting a dog. The following is that list.
Pros:
- Companionship: This would make sense if I spent a lot of time alone. I don't, though.
- Unconditional Love: I threw this in because someone mentioned it as a reason to have a dog. Again, it might be a factor if I lived alone, but even then it wouldn't strongly influence me.
- Altruistic Endorphin Rush: By this I mean that it makes most people feel good when they help someone else. I think that I would feel better doing something like volunteering at a homeless shelter than taking care of a dog, though. Humans are much more important to me than animals.
- Security: No doubt, a barking dog can frighten away an intruder. I would not be getting a very large dog if I ever got one, though, so the benefit may be negligible. Are intruders scared off by yorkies or terriers?
- Kids Like Animals: This is the only reason I would consider getting a dog or a cat at this stage in my life. NJ does not appear to want a dog right now, though. CD will probably press for a dog or a cat when she is older.
- Dog Food: It's smelly and expensive (enough).
- Dog Poop: It's smelly and requires me to let the dog out at specific times of the day and to scoop.
- Dog Smells: Other than the food and poop, there's the breath and other odors that are difficult (but not usually impossible) to extract from carpets and furniture.
- Cold: I don't want to have to take the dog out in the cold.
- Noise: Dogs sometimes decide to make a lot of noise at very inopportune times. A family I know has had the police called on them before because they could not keep their dogs quiet one night. This is not a problem with all dogs, but it cannot always be trained out of the dog. I would not feel good about having to resort to a shock collar.
- Scheduling: The dog either has to go on trips, be left in a kennel, or we have to get someone to agree to take care of it.
- Securing the Dogs: I know a lot of people whose dogs have gotten away. Not only does this mean that the dog has to be tracked down, but it also means that I would be legally responsible if the dog attacked anyone or damaged anything. One of Golden and my friends had a dog get loose and get hit by a car, and that person was responsible for the automotive repair costs because it was the dog's fault.
- Health: Simply put, I do not want to have to make the choice of putting Fluffy to sleep or paying for his or her operation.
- General Upkeep: Frankly, I already have to maintain enough things around the house and I have a difficult enough time keeping up. Having a pet means that there is one more thing that has to be maintained. In and of itself it is not a big deal. When taken with my other responsibilities, though, this is a serious drawback to me.
Since I am a bit biased, does anyone have reasons that I did not consider for why it would make sense to get a dog or other pet? Conversely, does anyone agree with me?
Saturday, January 09, 2010
ten-year goals
Since my birthday that ends in a zero occurs a few months before the new decade* this provides me a double opportunity to review my last ten years and consider what I want to do with my next ten years. When I consider the last ten years, I am confronted by a lot of competing thoughts about how long and short the time has been. Ten years is a lot of time for things to happen, but it is also a short enough time to procrastinate on a lot of things that I thought I would have accomplished.
It certainly helps in my view of the last decade that about half was without kids and just under half comprises the time after we found out that we would have NJ. Life without kids is so much different from life with kids that I almost think of the past ten years as two separate decades. I am sure I am not the only person who has ever had that observation, though.
Ten years ago I was just completing college and did not really know what to expect from the ten years I had ahead of me. If I had to guess ten years ago what my next decade would include, I would have probably been selfish with my expectations. Few people want to talk about the responsibilities that they will take on more than the benefits for those responsibilities.
Interestingly, I am not much clearer on what my next ten years holds now than I was ten years ago. I know there are certain things that I would like to happen in the next ten years, but I always have a bit of trepidation about focusing too much on those. Sometimes those things that I would like to happen are just not possible or ideal and I don't want to be stuck ten years from now measuring the past decade by a standard that turned out to be unrealistic.
With all of that being said, I do have some generic goals for the coming decade. The problem is that they are not the types of goals that are easy to list. Very little is specific and measurable, some of it is private, and a lot of it is selfish. As an example of a selfish one, a goal of mine is to make more time to read and play video games. Some people would think playing more video games is a horrendous goal, but as someone who is highly strung and has had other priorities in the recent past I think the end result of doing this would be that I would be an easier person to deal with. It also represents a way for me to connect with NJ (I do have goals about connecting more with Golden and CD as well). Another goal is to, at some point, take the family to Florida to either Disney, or MGM, or Epcot, or something of that nature. If the finances for that do not work out, though, it may be better that that does not happen.
Something that I try to keep in mind with my goals is that something is only a worthwhile goal if I am willing to make a sacrifice to complete it. Graduating from a degree program qualifies as a goal because doing so requires a time and money sacrifice. Playing more video games only qualifies as a goal if I am giving up something else that I like in order to reach that goal.
Does anyone else have goals for the upcoming decade that are either the same as what has happened over the past decade or are a complete departure? I would love to hear about them.
* I understand that 2011 actually starts the decade, but does anyone really think in those terms? It is just a technicality based on the fact that there was no year zero.
It certainly helps in my view of the last decade that about half was without kids and just under half comprises the time after we found out that we would have NJ. Life without kids is so much different from life with kids that I almost think of the past ten years as two separate decades. I am sure I am not the only person who has ever had that observation, though.
Ten years ago I was just completing college and did not really know what to expect from the ten years I had ahead of me. If I had to guess ten years ago what my next decade would include, I would have probably been selfish with my expectations. Few people want to talk about the responsibilities that they will take on more than the benefits for those responsibilities.
Interestingly, I am not much clearer on what my next ten years holds now than I was ten years ago. I know there are certain things that I would like to happen in the next ten years, but I always have a bit of trepidation about focusing too much on those. Sometimes those things that I would like to happen are just not possible or ideal and I don't want to be stuck ten years from now measuring the past decade by a standard that turned out to be unrealistic.
With all of that being said, I do have some generic goals for the coming decade. The problem is that they are not the types of goals that are easy to list. Very little is specific and measurable, some of it is private, and a lot of it is selfish. As an example of a selfish one, a goal of mine is to make more time to read and play video games. Some people would think playing more video games is a horrendous goal, but as someone who is highly strung and has had other priorities in the recent past I think the end result of doing this would be that I would be an easier person to deal with. It also represents a way for me to connect with NJ (I do have goals about connecting more with Golden and CD as well). Another goal is to, at some point, take the family to Florida to either Disney, or MGM, or Epcot, or something of that nature. If the finances for that do not work out, though, it may be better that that does not happen.
Something that I try to keep in mind with my goals is that something is only a worthwhile goal if I am willing to make a sacrifice to complete it. Graduating from a degree program qualifies as a goal because doing so requires a time and money sacrifice. Playing more video games only qualifies as a goal if I am giving up something else that I like in order to reach that goal.
Does anyone else have goals for the upcoming decade that are either the same as what has happened over the past decade or are a complete departure? I would love to hear about them.
* I understand that 2011 actually starts the decade, but does anyone really think in those terms? It is just a technicality based on the fact that there was no year zero.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
a silent living room
I am currently typing this on my laptop from a silent and dark living room. This is because a few months ago NJ decided that he wanted to sleep in the living room. At first we resisted this, but we decided that it was better to let him sleep on the couch than have him wake up crying in the middle of the night and waking up CD. It was a question of picking our battles.
As a consequence of NJ being on the couch throughout the evening, this is the first time in my life that I have watched more television on my a computer than on the TV. Golden and I had one guilty pleasure show for the summer, Here Come the Newlyweds, which just so happened to be posted online on a weekly basis. Golden has one or two other shows she catches online, and I have been watching episodes of the old series Sliders online since I didn't catch it when it was actually broadcast.
Since television has always had a significant role in my routine, it is a little odd for the TV to be off so much. It doesn't feel instinctive to turn on the television any more. It even feels a bit like a special occasion as of late to turn on the TV and flip the channel to something that is not produced for preschoolers.
Like everything, this is just a phase and before long I expect to be back to watching the television regularly again. I expect that the meantime will continue to feel surreal as I sit in the dark, however.
As a consequence of NJ being on the couch throughout the evening, this is the first time in my life that I have watched more television on my a computer than on the TV. Golden and I had one guilty pleasure show for the summer, Here Come the Newlyweds, which just so happened to be posted online on a weekly basis. Golden has one or two other shows she catches online, and I have been watching episodes of the old series Sliders online since I didn't catch it when it was actually broadcast.
Since television has always had a significant role in my routine, it is a little odd for the TV to be off so much. It doesn't feel instinctive to turn on the television any more. It even feels a bit like a special occasion as of late to turn on the TV and flip the channel to something that is not produced for preschoolers.
Like everything, this is just a phase and before long I expect to be back to watching the television regularly again. I expect that the meantime will continue to feel surreal as I sit in the dark, however.
Monday, May 18, 2009
the case for television
I was asked recently what Golden and I do together, or what we have done together, as a couple. I hesitated before answering because some people appear to look down on this, but we have always watched TV and gone to movies together. We do other things as well, but our "us" time has always been largely comprised of TV and movies. My question is why should we feel bad about our television habits? I have heard a few arguments which I will detail below.
It's unhealthy
While I agree that excessive TV watching can be unhealthy because it is associated with a lack of activity, so can excessive book reading. I don't feel that the health argument applies to me because if I watched less television I would not be replacing that time with exercise. I would be replacing it with Internet, gaming, and reading time, none of which is active.
It rots the brain
There are shows that I believe have to decrease the intelligence of the audience, but I think those very rare. Actually, if we are to believe that books, theater, and music make people more intelligent, it seems counter-intuitive to believe that entertainment built from these things (even the mass-market kind) would do the opposite. Someone I used to work with once compared Shakespeare's writings to soap operas in a less than positive way, and I wonder if more people wouldn't agree if the Bard were to write today.
It thwarts creativity
One of the arguments go that, while with books you have to visualize everything that is happening yourself, with television your experience is more passive. This could be true, but my experience tells me that my experience is only passive for slowly-paced shows, and this mimics my experience with slowly-paced books as well. As an example, when I read Captain's Courageous in high school I really had to fight to stay engaged in the story. My brain was not becoming more creative for the experience.
I think that watching shows and movies that pose scenarios that cause us to ask what we would do in a specific situation or perhaps speculate some unknowns about a story (Lost comes to mind) can actually make people more creative because the creative parts of their brains are forced to become engaged.
It negatively impacts culture
The negative influences of television probably outweigh the positives, but I hold to the belief that this is because many of the people who could make a positive impact through television have directed their efforts to other things. One possible solution to this would be to support shows that positively impact culture and to encourage others to do the same.
There are other arguments against television as well, and some are probably valid. My main point is, though, that television is not any more a vast cultural wasteland than a lot of things that are seen as culturally redeeming. Is going to the play Legally Blonde (or Grease, or Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang, et al) really culturally superior to catching it as a weekend TV movie special?
Now that I have staked out one position, perhaps someone reading this has some thoughts to counter mine. If you do, you know how to air them.
It's unhealthy
While I agree that excessive TV watching can be unhealthy because it is associated with a lack of activity, so can excessive book reading. I don't feel that the health argument applies to me because if I watched less television I would not be replacing that time with exercise. I would be replacing it with Internet, gaming, and reading time, none of which is active.
It rots the brain
There are shows that I believe have to decrease the intelligence of the audience, but I think those very rare. Actually, if we are to believe that books, theater, and music make people more intelligent, it seems counter-intuitive to believe that entertainment built from these things (even the mass-market kind) would do the opposite. Someone I used to work with once compared Shakespeare's writings to soap operas in a less than positive way, and I wonder if more people wouldn't agree if the Bard were to write today.
It thwarts creativity
One of the arguments go that, while with books you have to visualize everything that is happening yourself, with television your experience is more passive. This could be true, but my experience tells me that my experience is only passive for slowly-paced shows, and this mimics my experience with slowly-paced books as well. As an example, when I read Captain's Courageous in high school I really had to fight to stay engaged in the story. My brain was not becoming more creative for the experience.
I think that watching shows and movies that pose scenarios that cause us to ask what we would do in a specific situation or perhaps speculate some unknowns about a story (Lost comes to mind) can actually make people more creative because the creative parts of their brains are forced to become engaged.
It negatively impacts culture
The negative influences of television probably outweigh the positives, but I hold to the belief that this is because many of the people who could make a positive impact through television have directed their efforts to other things. One possible solution to this would be to support shows that positively impact culture and to encourage others to do the same.
There are other arguments against television as well, and some are probably valid. My main point is, though, that television is not any more a vast cultural wasteland than a lot of things that are seen as culturally redeeming. Is going to the play Legally Blonde (or Grease, or Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang, et al) really culturally superior to catching it as a weekend TV movie special?
Now that I have staked out one position, perhaps someone reading this has some thoughts to counter mine. If you do, you know how to air them.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
shovel off
I have been thinking about this for a while, and this is the first good opportunity that I have had.
Maybe a month ago I was in the car with a coworker, who is also a good friend, as he stopped by his house to pick something up. When we approached his house he commented about how annoying it was to have a house that faces the north. I did not get it at first, so he pointed out that all of the houses on one side of the street had snow in the driveway and all of the houses on the other side of the street did not. The shade from the houses with driveways on the north kept the snow from melting as fast as the snow on the other side of the street. This might be a commonly known pitfall of owning a house that faces to the north, but I had not contemplated it seriously until now.
One thing that I have loved about living in the Kansas City area is that snows don't often stick for long. In other places I have lived, such as Michigan and South Dakota, a snow could be expected to stick for weeks or months on end before they melted away. This is the sixth winter we have been in our house, and I have probably shoveled the driveway fewer than five times in that stretch. Most of those times when I went to the trouble have been because we were going to have company and I did not want them to have to walk through the snow. Otherwise, it has just rarely seemed worth the effort if I have known that the snow would melt to a manageable level within a day or two.
I now know that it is possible that my experience may not be identical to my neighbors across the street. This was something I have considered today, since I had to hurriedly brush a couple of inches of snow off my car this morning. It is a bother to have to clear off my car, but the situation could have been worse. I could have to actually shovel my driveway at some point as well.
Maybe a month ago I was in the car with a coworker, who is also a good friend, as he stopped by his house to pick something up. When we approached his house he commented about how annoying it was to have a house that faces the north. I did not get it at first, so he pointed out that all of the houses on one side of the street had snow in the driveway and all of the houses on the other side of the street did not. The shade from the houses with driveways on the north kept the snow from melting as fast as the snow on the other side of the street. This might be a commonly known pitfall of owning a house that faces to the north, but I had not contemplated it seriously until now.
One thing that I have loved about living in the Kansas City area is that snows don't often stick for long. In other places I have lived, such as Michigan and South Dakota, a snow could be expected to stick for weeks or months on end before they melted away. This is the sixth winter we have been in our house, and I have probably shoveled the driveway fewer than five times in that stretch. Most of those times when I went to the trouble have been because we were going to have company and I did not want them to have to walk through the snow. Otherwise, it has just rarely seemed worth the effort if I have known that the snow would melt to a manageable level within a day or two.
I now know that it is possible that my experience may not be identical to my neighbors across the street. This was something I have considered today, since I had to hurriedly brush a couple of inches of snow off my car this morning. It is a bother to have to clear off my car, but the situation could have been worse. I could have to actually shovel my driveway at some point as well.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
baby girl
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Golden started having contractions late Sunday night two weeks ago (the sixteenth). We headed to the hospital a little after midnight for monitoring after consulting with the doctor. I remember thinking that this was going to make for a very bad Monday if the baby did not actually come out.
Around 3 AM the doctor told the hospital to move Golden into a delivery room so she could break her water at the break of dawn. Apparently, we have different notions of what the break of dawn is, because the doctor showed up around 8:30 AM, which was about an hour-and-a-half later than what I understood the break of dawn to be.
During delivery, the doctor noted that she had never seen a baby wriggle so much at that stage, so she commented that we have a feisty baby on our hands. With two weeks experience, I do not disagree with this assessment. Our healthy baby (six pounds, thirteen ounces) was born at 1:31 PM that afternoon. This is notable because it was on my sister's birthday and on the anniversary of when I asked Golden on our first date.
With NJ I spent almost all of my time at the hospital. Since Golden's mom was at the house taking care of NJ, I did spend a couple of hours every day at the house, and I had a few more errands that I had to run between the house and the hospital. That broke the day up nicely for me, though it probably made things a tad more boring for Golden.
We found out right before we left the hospital that a kidney issue that had been found on our sonograms had cleared up. It was one of those things that the doctor told us usually does heal itself by the time the baby is born. It still feels like a bit of a miracle, and is quite a relief.
Tomorrow we have to go in for the latest in a series of weight checks that the doctor ordered on our daughter. She lost a lot of weight in her first four days, but has gained back pretty regularly since. Both Golden and I think it is a bit ridiculous that we have to go in for this specific weight check because this one is just because she didn't technically reach her birth weight in the last weight check. They should have enough data to see she is growing very rapidly.
Anyway, I have been meaning to get to this and now I have. Hopefully, I can get on a regular schedule shortly now.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
8:30
Last night Golden and I went to the mall. The trip ended up being in vain because we didn't get anything that we had intended to get, but for once I wasn't bothered by it. I was quite content that we had piled into the car, dealt with all the rain that fell last night, and burned an hour out of the evening. This was because all of this occurred before 8:30PM.
Any more, the time after I get home from work on weekdays is divided into two parts. The first part is when NJ is awake. We keep him entertained and make sure he stays out of trouble. The second part is when he is asleep, which is a valuable commodity given the number of television shows that we try to keep up with. We don't really watch any of our shows when NJ is awake, so this limits our viewing to about an hour each night. This also means that I don't necessarily accomplish much after 8:30. It feels like I am wasting time if I do work after 8:30.
It seems my home life is spent in one of two modes. I am either waiting for NJ's bedtime at 8:30 or I am trying to get my TV watching and Internet surfing done after 8:30. While I love my time with NJ, I still try to do what I can to make the time before 8:30 go faster. Going on small errands is one of those things. When we go somewhere I still have time with him, but he is usually more easily distracted and better behaved.
It is nice to be with NJ. That doesn't take away from how nice it is when NJ is asleep.
Any more, the time after I get home from work on weekdays is divided into two parts. The first part is when NJ is awake. We keep him entertained and make sure he stays out of trouble. The second part is when he is asleep, which is a valuable commodity given the number of television shows that we try to keep up with. We don't really watch any of our shows when NJ is awake, so this limits our viewing to about an hour each night. This also means that I don't necessarily accomplish much after 8:30. It feels like I am wasting time if I do work after 8:30.
It seems my home life is spent in one of two modes. I am either waiting for NJ's bedtime at 8:30 or I am trying to get my TV watching and Internet surfing done after 8:30. While I love my time with NJ, I still try to do what I can to make the time before 8:30 go faster. Going on small errands is one of those things. When we go somewhere I still have time with him, but he is usually more easily distracted and better behaved.
It is nice to be with NJ. That doesn't take away from how nice it is when NJ is asleep.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
our little energizer bunny
NJ has always been a good napper. He may miss a nap here or there, but he is generally pretty good about going to sleep when he is put down. Over the last week or so that has started changing.
This weekend I switched his crib to a transitional toddler bed, so now he can get out of bed whenever he wants. Since he is not stuck in bed he has been getting up to play rather than going to sleep in the afternoon. Over the past few days, this has definitely cut into his nap time. Yesterday, he didn't even take a nap.
Another issue is that recently his nap has slowly been occurring later and later. He used to go to bed between 12PM and 1PM. In the week prior to switching out his crib his nap was starting anywhere from 2PM to 4PM.
All of this is an issue because our schedule, and especially Golden's, is structured around his afternoon nap. She has been catching a nap and getting chores done while he sleeps. If he is going to be constantly awake that will change how the schedule operates. I appreciate the down time as well when I am around. Golden noted yesterday that the day just seemed to go forever since NJ had been up for so much of it.
Hopefully, if he continues to skip his nap he will make up for it by going to bed a little earlier and getting up a little later. Golden needs a rest at some point because, unlike NJ, she can't keep going and going and going and...
This weekend I switched his crib to a transitional toddler bed, so now he can get out of bed whenever he wants. Since he is not stuck in bed he has been getting up to play rather than going to sleep in the afternoon. Over the past few days, this has definitely cut into his nap time. Yesterday, he didn't even take a nap.
Another issue is that recently his nap has slowly been occurring later and later. He used to go to bed between 12PM and 1PM. In the week prior to switching out his crib his nap was starting anywhere from 2PM to 4PM.
All of this is an issue because our schedule, and especially Golden's, is structured around his afternoon nap. She has been catching a nap and getting chores done while he sleeps. If he is going to be constantly awake that will change how the schedule operates. I appreciate the down time as well when I am around. Golden noted yesterday that the day just seemed to go forever since NJ had been up for so much of it.
Hopefully, if he continues to skip his nap he will make up for it by going to bed a little earlier and getting up a little later. Golden needs a rest at some point because, unlike NJ, she can't keep going and going and going and...
Friday, August 22, 2008
did i blink?
I'm asking because it feels like summer is concluding before it has even started.
While I was taking classes this past semester, and this is really the case any time I am taking classes, I could not wait for summer. I couldn't wait for all of the free time that I would have. I had some grand plans for some leisurely activities, mostof which involved reading some books or writing. Somehow, I got to the end of the summer without doing a lot of those things and I have the feeling that I haven't taken real advantage of whatever free time I was supposed to have.
The reality is that the amount of free time I have does not change that much, regardless of what is going on in my life. I make spare time for myself regardless of the situation. If I have a lot of spare time I fill it with things that are ultimately time-consuming. If I don't have spare time I'll give up an hour of sleep here or there. Also, when I am in class Golden ends up doing a lot of the things that I would be otherwise doing, so my schedule isn't as extremely different as it would seem it should be. I am busier when I have a class, but I am not doing nearly as much around the house.
I am not taking any classes this semester so that I can be around the house more as Golden's due date gets closer. I had been looking forward to having this semester off, but I have a feeling that it is going to speed by the same way summer did without me really doing much of anything. I probably should not go into the next few months with specific expectations so that if I get a windfall of time it comes as a pleasant surprise.
No matter, it is nice not having to go to class for a little while.
While I was taking classes this past semester, and this is really the case any time I am taking classes, I could not wait for summer. I couldn't wait for all of the free time that I would have. I had some grand plans for some leisurely activities, mostof which involved reading some books or writing. Somehow, I got to the end of the summer without doing a lot of those things and I have the feeling that I haven't taken real advantage of whatever free time I was supposed to have.
The reality is that the amount of free time I have does not change that much, regardless of what is going on in my life. I make spare time for myself regardless of the situation. If I have a lot of spare time I fill it with things that are ultimately time-consuming. If I don't have spare time I'll give up an hour of sleep here or there. Also, when I am in class Golden ends up doing a lot of the things that I would be otherwise doing, so my schedule isn't as extremely different as it would seem it should be. I am busier when I have a class, but I am not doing nearly as much around the house.
I am not taking any classes this semester so that I can be around the house more as Golden's due date gets closer. I had been looking forward to having this semester off, but I have a feeling that it is going to speed by the same way summer did without me really doing much of anything. I probably should not go into the next few months with specific expectations so that if I get a windfall of time it comes as a pleasant surprise.
No matter, it is nice not having to go to class for a little while.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
painting
When we moved into our apartment eight years ago our contract provided conditions for painting the interior of the apartment. Basically, we could paint the walls any color we wanted, but they had to be white when we left the apartment. I questioned in my mind who in their right mind would paint perfectly fine white walls in an apartment that they do not even own. I did not even fully understand the point of painting rooms that I did own.
Fast forward to today. As of this past weekend, there were two rooms that we had not painted since we moved in. One is the kitchen and one is the bedroom that will be the baby's room. On Saturday we started the process of painting the baby's room. I fully understand that painting the baby's room is part of the standard process of preparing for a baby, so I am not griping that this is something we are working on. There are a few things that make me appreciate the process less, though.
First, I don't know if it is more because I am a guy or because I am colorblind, but I rarely stop and think that the appearance of a room could be improved if the color was just changed. I don't look at white walls and think this makes the decor boring, out of date, or inadequate in some other way.
Second, painting is a process. I don't feel that I can just paint in little bits of a half hour to an hour because there is setup and takedown involved. If I were to take an hour to paint, a half hour of that would probably be spent in setup and take down. This means I have to devote a block of a few hours to the task for my work to be worthwhile.
Third, little things like taping off trim and windows can take forever. I almost took as much time taping on Saturday as I did applying primer to the walls.
One thing that I do like, though, is that the process of painting is relatively straightforward. I do not go into the task without knowing what to expect like I sometimes do in other household projects. So, I don't really have that as an excuse for why I am not done yet.
Fast forward to today. As of this past weekend, there were two rooms that we had not painted since we moved in. One is the kitchen and one is the bedroom that will be the baby's room. On Saturday we started the process of painting the baby's room. I fully understand that painting the baby's room is part of the standard process of preparing for a baby, so I am not griping that this is something we are working on. There are a few things that make me appreciate the process less, though.
First, I don't know if it is more because I am a guy or because I am colorblind, but I rarely stop and think that the appearance of a room could be improved if the color was just changed. I don't look at white walls and think this makes the decor boring, out of date, or inadequate in some other way.
Second, painting is a process. I don't feel that I can just paint in little bits of a half hour to an hour because there is setup and takedown involved. If I were to take an hour to paint, a half hour of that would probably be spent in setup and take down. This means I have to devote a block of a few hours to the task for my work to be worthwhile.
Third, little things like taping off trim and windows can take forever. I almost took as much time taping on Saturday as I did applying primer to the walls.
One thing that I do like, though, is that the process of painting is relatively straightforward. I do not go into the task without knowing what to expect like I sometimes do in other household projects. So, I don't really have that as an excuse for why I am not done yet.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
garbage
As I was carting eight bags of garbage, not including yard waste, to the curb last night something occurred to me. For a family of two adults and one small child in a modest house we produce a lot of garbage. This is even compared to the typical American.
This time, around at two or three of those bags can be blamed on us converting our office to the new baby's room and one bag can be blamed on diapers. We have had a backlog of garbage due to other things we have been doing around the house, so it felt good to get that many bags out to the curb.
Even if there is a reason for most of our garbage, we constantly seem to put more garbage out than the neighbors. Golden noted that the man who lives across the street, albeit by himself, puts a single small bag on the curb every week. The only houses in the area that regularly put out the same number of bags that we do are the ones with multiple kids. It has me asking what we are doing differently.
Two things that we do not do that we may have to if Overland Park sets a tight limit on bags are recycle and use a trash compactor. Do most people recycle and compact? Are we more or less alone in garbage habits? Is this post going to someday earn me the ire of the Sierra Club?
This time, around at two or three of those bags can be blamed on us converting our office to the new baby's room and one bag can be blamed on diapers. We have had a backlog of garbage due to other things we have been doing around the house, so it felt good to get that many bags out to the curb.
Even if there is a reason for most of our garbage, we constantly seem to put more garbage out than the neighbors. Golden noted that the man who lives across the street, albeit by himself, puts a single small bag on the curb every week. The only houses in the area that regularly put out the same number of bags that we do are the ones with multiple kids. It has me asking what we are doing differently.
Two things that we do not do that we may have to if Overland Park sets a tight limit on bags are recycle and use a trash compactor. Do most people recycle and compact? Are we more or less alone in garbage habits? Is this post going to someday earn me the ire of the Sierra Club?
Thursday, July 31, 2008
ballerina gown
While my parents are here they are doing a lot of things around the house. We have already cut down a few small trees along the house and bagged them, refloored the entryway from the garage, created a platform to put over the stairway to keep NJ from falling, and installed a sink, faucet, and garbage disposal. As a result, we have been to Home Depot a lot in the last few days.
During one of our trips, Golden and I brought a sample of the color scheme for our daughter-to-be's room to determine what paint color we will need to purchase. There is a machine there that scans objects and identifies what the color is. Our scheme will center around a color called Ballerina Gown. As it is a shade of pink, it is a color that I have a difficult time differentiating from other similar colors.
This trip reminded me of something that has always irritated me. Why must all paint colors aim for evoking an emotion rather than describing the color? As someone who is colorblind, "Ballerina Gown," does not tell me what the color actually is. How does it differ from Cupid Arrow, Poetic Princess, or Scented Valenti? Maybe they could keep the current names, but also have more practical names for colorblind people. I would be better off with a name like, "Just a Bit too Pink to Be Off White." That would tell me something.
During one of our trips, Golden and I brought a sample of the color scheme for our daughter-to-be's room to determine what paint color we will need to purchase. There is a machine there that scans objects and identifies what the color is. Our scheme will center around a color called Ballerina Gown. As it is a shade of pink, it is a color that I have a difficult time differentiating from other similar colors.
This trip reminded me of something that has always irritated me. Why must all paint colors aim for evoking an emotion rather than describing the color? As someone who is colorblind, "Ballerina Gown," does not tell me what the color actually is. How does it differ from Cupid Arrow, Poetic Princess, or Scented Valenti? Maybe they could keep the current names, but also have more practical names for colorblind people. I would be better off with a name like, "Just a Bit too Pink to Be Off White." That would tell me something.
Friday, July 25, 2008
parents visiting
My parents are visiting this upcoming week. As usual, there are things that my dad will probably be doing on the house. As usual, there really isn't much of a plan as to what is happening when. As usual, the most important thing is that NJ's grandparents get to spend quality time with him.
Golden has been a little stressed trying to get the house prepared while NJ has been busy getting it unprepared. Golden has done a good job, though. It's not easy keeping this place clean with a two-year-old whose purpose it is to make the house messy.
The biggest issue that we run across when having people over is figuring out what to prepare for meals and snacks. I grew up with my parents and I cannot remember half of what they like to eat. I should have paid closer attention when I was growing up I guess.
They were talking like they would be getting in late Saturday night, but they are leaving from Columbus, Ohio, in the morning, and I cannot imagine that trip taking more than ten hours. Maybe it could take twelve hours if there was a lot of construction.
Hopefully the trip goes well and NJ enjoys the time with his grandparents, since that's the entire purpose of the trip anyway.
Golden has been a little stressed trying to get the house prepared while NJ has been busy getting it unprepared. Golden has done a good job, though. It's not easy keeping this place clean with a two-year-old whose purpose it is to make the house messy.
The biggest issue that we run across when having people over is figuring out what to prepare for meals and snacks. I grew up with my parents and I cannot remember half of what they like to eat. I should have paid closer attention when I was growing up I guess.
They were talking like they would be getting in late Saturday night, but they are leaving from Columbus, Ohio, in the morning, and I cannot imagine that trip taking more than ten hours. Maybe it could take twelve hours if there was a lot of construction.
Hopefully the trip goes well and NJ enjoys the time with his grandparents, since that's the entire purpose of the trip anyway.
Monday, July 07, 2008
the past week
My sister visited this past week to spend some time with NJ, so I took the week off from work so we could more properly visit with family.
I picked my sister up at the airport in the late afternoon on Monday. Not much happened on that particular evening. We watched Nancy Drew. It was more or less what I expected.
We were supposed to have the gutters replaces on Monday as well. I was hoping they would be replaced by the time I got back from the airport. Eventually I got a phone call saying that the work would be postponed until Wednesday morning.
Tuesday, we went to the doctor to find out that we are having a girl (I know, we already announced that). Around supper time, we visited Legends. Now that we have been there a few times, the place actually feels kind of small. It didn't feel that way the first time I went there. That night we watched National Treasure 2, which I think is much better than the original.
Wednesday was NJ's birthday. We opened presents and had cake at lunch time.
We were planning to go to the pool around 3:30PM, but that is when the gutter guy showed up. It turned out that he was just there to make a final measurement and make the gutters rather than put them up, so he left in short order and we visited the pool. We spent quite a bit of time in the kiddie pool, then as we were walking into the big pool we heard thunder and the pool shut down. Bummer.
That night we watched Witness for the Prosecution, which is an old British movie based on a story that Agatha Christy wrote. Not a bad narrative, though it contained a lot of dialog, so it is not for people who don't like a lot of talking.
Thursday morning, the gutter guys showed up right as we were leaving. We visited my grandmother and great-grandmother who live a two hour drive away. Actually, that is two hours if you don't get sidetracked. I took a wrong turn and added a half hour to the trip.
NJ was especially fussy on Thursday. He screamed for the first half hour to hour that he was at his great-grandmother's house. I felt bad, but there was little we could do. From there we headed to Golden's family's house in the Springfield area.
Friday was the fourth. I celebrated by being lazy. NJ played in the back yard some. That night we set off some small fireworks. Nothing real noteworthy.
Saturday, we visited a nature center in Springfield, then traveled back to the OP. Sunday, I took my sister back to the airport.
Typically, the mark of a good break from work is when it feels like forever since I have been to the office. Since it feels like ages since I was at work, it must have been a good break.
I picked my sister up at the airport in the late afternoon on Monday. Not much happened on that particular evening. We watched Nancy Drew. It was more or less what I expected.
We were supposed to have the gutters replaces on Monday as well. I was hoping they would be replaced by the time I got back from the airport. Eventually I got a phone call saying that the work would be postponed until Wednesday morning.
Tuesday, we went to the doctor to find out that we are having a girl (I know, we already announced that). Around supper time, we visited Legends. Now that we have been there a few times, the place actually feels kind of small. It didn't feel that way the first time I went there. That night we watched National Treasure 2, which I think is much better than the original.
Wednesday was NJ's birthday. We opened presents and had cake at lunch time.
We were planning to go to the pool around 3:30PM, but that is when the gutter guy showed up. It turned out that he was just there to make a final measurement and make the gutters rather than put them up, so he left in short order and we visited the pool. We spent quite a bit of time in the kiddie pool, then as we were walking into the big pool we heard thunder and the pool shut down. Bummer.
That night we watched Witness for the Prosecution, which is an old British movie based on a story that Agatha Christy wrote. Not a bad narrative, though it contained a lot of dialog, so it is not for people who don't like a lot of talking.
Thursday morning, the gutter guys showed up right as we were leaving. We visited my grandmother and great-grandmother who live a two hour drive away. Actually, that is two hours if you don't get sidetracked. I took a wrong turn and added a half hour to the trip.
NJ was especially fussy on Thursday. He screamed for the first half hour to hour that he was at his great-grandmother's house. I felt bad, but there was little we could do. From there we headed to Golden's family's house in the Springfield area.
Friday was the fourth. I celebrated by being lazy. NJ played in the back yard some. That night we set off some small fireworks. Nothing real noteworthy.
Saturday, we visited a nature center in Springfield, then traveled back to the OP. Sunday, I took my sister back to the airport.
Typically, the mark of a good break from work is when it feels like forever since I have been to the office. Since it feels like ages since I was at work, it must have been a good break.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
something lighthearted
Every topic I can think of lately is either dull or deep. That is a problem because a person can only take so much of that. Here are a few random lighthearted thoughts off the top of my head.
Golden and I are expecting to find out the sex of our new baby today. She will probably post that information before I do, unless I just add it as a comment to this post.
I never realized how much kids can talk without using real words. NJ will talk for extended periods of time and I know that he is genuinely trying to rely information to me, but I can't decipher most of what he says. There are random words I recognize, but the words I pick out represent so little of everything that he is saying. How much of his conversation is real and what is he actually talking about?
There is very little that is more enjoyable than sleeping in. Everyone knows I feel this way. I have taken the opportunity to sleep in since I am not at work this week. Does anyone else get a weird feeling that his or her brain has not fully turned on for a couple hours after waking up late? I get this all of the time, but it is the most strong for me when I sleep in.
I'll never understand people who drive slow in the passing lane. The passing lane is for passing.
Our house has felt overrun by bugs in the last month or two. I have seen more insects inside the house this year compared to every other year we have lived here. I am seriously considering a call to the exterminator, but I don't know if most exterminators have simple, spray around to discourage bugs from coming inside rates.
This is my first post that is automatically posted. If all goes well, it should post while I am still happily asleep at the moment that this is posted. The very thought brings a contented smile to my face.
Golden and I are expecting to find out the sex of our new baby today. She will probably post that information before I do, unless I just add it as a comment to this post.
I never realized how much kids can talk without using real words. NJ will talk for extended periods of time and I know that he is genuinely trying to rely information to me, but I can't decipher most of what he says. There are random words I recognize, but the words I pick out represent so little of everything that he is saying. How much of his conversation is real and what is he actually talking about?
There is very little that is more enjoyable than sleeping in. Everyone knows I feel this way. I have taken the opportunity to sleep in since I am not at work this week. Does anyone else get a weird feeling that his or her brain has not fully turned on for a couple hours after waking up late? I get this all of the time, but it is the most strong for me when I sleep in.
I'll never understand people who drive slow in the passing lane. The passing lane is for passing.
Our house has felt overrun by bugs in the last month or two. I have seen more insects inside the house this year compared to every other year we have lived here. I am seriously considering a call to the exterminator, but I don't know if most exterminators have simple, spray around to discourage bugs from coming inside rates.
This is my first post that is automatically posted. If all goes well, it should post while I am still happily asleep at the moment that this is posted. The very thought brings a contented smile to my face.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
must see tv
Today is the first Thursday in many months that none of my regular shows are on. I am always happy as the season winds down, because it opens my schedule up a bit.
Thursday has always been the day that gets the shows that the most people want to watch. I am not sure what makes people more available to watch TV on Thursday than Monday or Tuesday so that it has become the prime network slot, but it is. This year, though, it seems to me that there is even more stuff that people want to watch on Thursday than in previous years.
Nearly everyone with whom I talk about TV is watching The Office, Survivor, Lost, CSI, Grey's Anatomy, Scrubs, My Name is Earl, or some other show on Thursday night. I know that I can introduce the topic of television on any Thursday for small talk with just about anyone and that person will have something to say. More often than not, that person will have too much to say.
What is the impact of all of this television watching on Thursdays? Is there a noticeable spike in power usage on Thursday nights compared to other nights? Does it damage businesses such as restaurants that rely on people leaving their houses? Is Thursday evening the best night to visit the gym to avoid the crowds? I'll probably never know because I am stuck watching Lost.
Thursday has always been the day that gets the shows that the most people want to watch. I am not sure what makes people more available to watch TV on Thursday than Monday or Tuesday so that it has become the prime network slot, but it is. This year, though, it seems to me that there is even more stuff that people want to watch on Thursday than in previous years.
Nearly everyone with whom I talk about TV is watching The Office, Survivor, Lost, CSI, Grey's Anatomy, Scrubs, My Name is Earl, or some other show on Thursday night. I know that I can introduce the topic of television on any Thursday for small talk with just about anyone and that person will have something to say. More often than not, that person will have too much to say.
What is the impact of all of this television watching on Thursdays? Is there a noticeable spike in power usage on Thursday nights compared to other nights? Does it damage businesses such as restaurants that rely on people leaving their houses? Is Thursday evening the best night to visit the gym to avoid the crowds? I'll probably never know because I am stuck watching Lost.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
cat away
At some point in the past few weeks I noticed a cat around our front porch. It is frequently there when I leave for work in the morning or when I arrive home. The reason it has selected our front porch has become obvious as there is a gap below our stairs that the cat has apparently made a home.
What I don't know is where this cat came from. Was it born a stray? Did someone get rid of it in a move? It has to either have some hunting skill or some human assistance because it doesn't look like skin and bones yet.
I guess the most important question I should have is what to do about the cat. Do we have any responsibility for this animal just because it decided to pick the space under our porch as its home?
What I don't know is where this cat came from. Was it born a stray? Did someone get rid of it in a move? It has to either have some hunting skill or some human assistance because it doesn't look like skin and bones yet.
I guess the most important question I should have is what to do about the cat. Do we have any responsibility for this animal just because it decided to pick the space under our porch as its home?
Thursday, April 17, 2008
judgmental
This post is a confession of my judgmental attitude about some specific things. I need to note that no one who I know who reads this blog has ever triggered the attitude that I talk about here. I wouldn't post this if that were the case.
Try as I may to address this, there are a few things that I can stil be quite judgmental about. A lot of them have to do with how people spend money, so I am sure this says more about me than them. It's really none of my business how people spend their money, and I am definitely not a good judge of the frivolous, but certain key things trigger my judgment. Again, this is something that I am working on.
When I speak with someone who golfs regularly, which isn't that often, I have a hard time not thinking in the back of my mind that a cheaper and less time-consuming hobby might be a better idea. This is wrong on a couple of levels. While a serious golfer may sink several thousand dollars a year into the sport, I know that casual golfers can do so for a few hundred a year. Even if someone does spend thousands on the sport, it's his or her decision on how to spend it.
When I visit a house where the decor has a very expensive feel I make similar judgments. The interior design has to look very exquisite for me to feel this way, but when it does I do. I think about what a waste this extravagance is. I don't think about the things that I might like that are expensive.
When I see someone in a new BMW or Mercedes or similar luxury car my judgmental attitude is triggered again. I wonder who in the world would need such frill. I don't think about the fact that my Taurus would be a luxury in some areas of the world.
The reason that these specific things trigger these bad thoughts is that these are things I always mentally associated with people who were upper class when I was growing up. I don't make those judgments about people who have cable television, for example, because my family as well as many of my friends' families had cable when I was growing up. I judge golf largely because I didn't have any close friends who I knew golfed.
Regardless of my reasons, I know I need to be more careful about how I interpret other peoples' relationships with their money. Mine is the one that I should be concerned about.
Try as I may to address this, there are a few things that I can stil be quite judgmental about. A lot of them have to do with how people spend money, so I am sure this says more about me than them. It's really none of my business how people spend their money, and I am definitely not a good judge of the frivolous, but certain key things trigger my judgment. Again, this is something that I am working on.
When I speak with someone who golfs regularly, which isn't that often, I have a hard time not thinking in the back of my mind that a cheaper and less time-consuming hobby might be a better idea. This is wrong on a couple of levels. While a serious golfer may sink several thousand dollars a year into the sport, I know that casual golfers can do so for a few hundred a year. Even if someone does spend thousands on the sport, it's his or her decision on how to spend it.
When I visit a house where the decor has a very expensive feel I make similar judgments. The interior design has to look very exquisite for me to feel this way, but when it does I do. I think about what a waste this extravagance is. I don't think about the things that I might like that are expensive.
When I see someone in a new BMW or Mercedes or similar luxury car my judgmental attitude is triggered again. I wonder who in the world would need such frill. I don't think about the fact that my Taurus would be a luxury in some areas of the world.
The reason that these specific things trigger these bad thoughts is that these are things I always mentally associated with people who were upper class when I was growing up. I don't make those judgments about people who have cable television, for example, because my family as well as many of my friends' families had cable when I was growing up. I judge golf largely because I didn't have any close friends who I knew golfed.
Regardless of my reasons, I know I need to be more careful about how I interpret other peoples' relationships with their money. Mine is the one that I should be concerned about.
Friday, March 14, 2008
happy pi day
I just have a few random things to cover tonight.
Today at work someone sent an email around stating that there was some free apple pie in the office kitchen as celebration of Pi Day. I resisted the urge to get the pie because someone else could get more enjoyment out of it than I could. However, I was struck by the fact that there is a geek holiday that I have never heard of. It is always nice to find evidence that I am not the biggest geek around.
On Thursday I finished my last class for the first half of the semester. This is important because I have anticipated that the first half of the semester would be much more stressful than the second half. I am hopeful that I can put more time into doing things around the house and even into this blog now that my worst class is over.
Finally, my schedule this week is going to be kind of weird, so I may not maintain my typical posting schedule. Check here as usual, but don't be surprised if my posts are at weird times or if they aren't as frequent.
Today at work someone sent an email around stating that there was some free apple pie in the office kitchen as celebration of Pi Day. I resisted the urge to get the pie because someone else could get more enjoyment out of it than I could. However, I was struck by the fact that there is a geek holiday that I have never heard of. It is always nice to find evidence that I am not the biggest geek around.
On Thursday I finished my last class for the first half of the semester. This is important because I have anticipated that the first half of the semester would be much more stressful than the second half. I am hopeful that I can put more time into doing things around the house and even into this blog now that my worst class is over.
Finally, my schedule this week is going to be kind of weird, so I may not maintain my typical posting schedule. Check here as usual, but don't be surprised if my posts are at weird times or if they aren't as frequent.
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