Life, Randomness, and What Have You

I be two!

2010-07-31T07:42:00.000-07:00

It's crazy to think that this time last year we were venturing through Europe -- from the land of the Tuscan sun -- to the rolling hills of Bier-steins and Spaetzle. We were in Germany in the last bit of the tour for a friends wedding that also happened to fall on Ian's first birthday. Luckily for us, everybody that was sitting at our table at the reception joined in and sang Happy Birthday to the little guy -- in English! Though I remember it just like yesterday, it just goes to show you how fast time passes by -- and here we are now a year later and he is turning two -- wow!

We have been prepping Ian about his birthday for the last couple of weeks, but he has only really started to catch on in the last couple of days. We keep telling him, "Ian, how old are you going to be?" and he would look at us like a deer caught in headlights. We'd then follow that question up with, "Two, you're going to be two, buddy" and would hold our hands up with two fingers like making a peace sign. In the last two days though, he has been responding in spades. He has traded the deer caught in headlights look to holding his hands up in the air and will repeat, "I be two, I be two daddy." It's pretty funny watching him try and hold up just the two fingers; he basically holds up the index and middle finger and only slightly curls the others, but you know, whatever works for him works for me. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, and I can't believe that my little guy is going to be two years old. Happy b-day my little man -- daddy loves you mucho!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T10:34:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! Goodbye 2009, and hello 2010! May this year bring much joy and happiness to all, and I hope to God that the rumors regarding the iPhone & T-mobile are true. Make it happen Steve!

Here's a picture of our house after it snowed on Monday.

You may be gone, but you're still in my heart.

2009-12-17T08:45:00.000-08:00

Many of you are aware that my father recently passed away, but for those of you who have yet to hear, he passed away last week on the 10th of Dec. I still haven't fully processed all of my feelings as of yet, but writing about it certainly helps. A death of a family member is never easy, and I think the most logical way of expressing how I feel is to just try and understand why? I may never know, but at least we were all there by his side, able to say our last goodbyes. For that reason alone, I'm at peace.

Yesterday, we spread my dad's ashes at sea near Santa Barbara at a place where he loved to surf. It was a beautiful, clear, warm day, that was in the low 70s, and came with a slight breeze. All of the kids and Uncle Nick held hands, marched into the cold waters and laid him to rest. The waves were relatively calm until we finished spreading the ashes, and it was at that precise moment, two big waves crashed to the shore. It was as if he was communicating to us that he was there; I know I surely felt him. It will be forever seared into my mind -- the serene skies, the shimmering sea, the warmth felt against my skin from the sun, and the family members that were there -- these we your wishes Dad, and we honored them fully.

Below is copy of what I read at my dad's funeral. I wanted to post this for all of you who wanted to be there, but could not make it:

First and foremost, I just want to thank all of you who came today in memory of my father. Considering the circumstances, it still seems a little surreal that we are all here today, but I know my father would have been extremely grateful for all that have made it, so I thank you. For those of you who do not know me, my name is Jesse and I’m Robert’s oldest son. He was many things to many people — a husband, a friend, a co-worker, an uncle, a brother, but to me, he was just dad.
Dad is what I called him, but he had a name for me growing up too, and that name was Dude. I can remember the first time that this name gained special significance for me, and that was when I was 8 years old, when he made me a skateboard for my birthday. It just wasn’t any old board that he put together, no, it was a board that had my name on – the dude. I have a lot of fond memories like this one growing up, with times in Santa Barbara, Lompoc, and lately in Santa Maria. Out of those memories, some of the best times were spent playing sports. My dad loved the game of baseball, and he instilled in me a love for the game that will stick with me forever.
One of my favorite baseball memories growing up was back when I played little league baseball. I was 10 years old at the time, in the majors playing for the Dodgers at the Village Hills LL in Lompoc. For this particular game, my dad happened to fill in for a coach who couldn’t make it. We were going up against the top pitcher in the league, who happened to be a big, bad, intimidating 12 year-old who could throw gas. My dad was the third base coach, and the first time that I was up he was there talking me through each and every pitch I faced, even though every bone in my body was quivering with fear. Needless to say, he was there saying, “you can do it dude, just be patient.” Seems like good advice, right? Well, the next pitch I ended up making contact and the ball dribbled down the first base line to the first baseman for an easy out. What would seem like an easy out for most, happened to be a huge boost of confidence because I just made contact against the best pitcher in the league! He pulled me aside between innings and told me that I could “get this guy next time, so be ready.” I really didn’t know what that meant at the moment, but I took the advice in stride. The next at bat is one of my fondest memories, ever. I made my way to the plate, dug my cleats into the dirt and positioned my bat on my shoulders. The pitcher made his deathly stare at the plate, started his windup and let go of the ball from his fingertips. As the ball approached home plate, the singing buzz of velocity started to ring louder with each passing millisecond. I began to swing my bat, and then made contact; I opened my eyes and tried to find where the ball was. I soon found it as I was making my way to first base and saw it making an upward trajectory towards the outfield. The ball kept lifting, and lifting, like it was climbing a set of stairs. Finally the ball landed, beyond the fences that contained every other hitter that faced this pitcher that year. I had just hit a home run, my first home run, and oh the joy! As I was rounding the bases I could see my dad jumping, doing cartwheels on the sideline screaming and yelling louder than I was. What a moment.
Well, to keep a long story short, for anyone that knew my dad, you knew he couldn’t of contained his excitement to just a lucky few. My dad had to tell anyone and everyone that was in ear shot, from the snack bar lady, the next-door neighbor, the mailman, his co-workers, our pastor – you name it, the whole town had to know – typical dad. It was that moment I felt how proud he was of his son. I always knew my dad loved me, and it was always on display, but this time it was different. It was that pinnacle moment, where we both shared that special place in time where it stopped, stood still, and then seemingly leaped forward as he followed me down from third base all the way to home plate.
There were many more stories I could have shared with all of you today, but this was the one that stood head and shoulders above the rest. It will be one that I will pass on to my son and hopefully he passes on to future generations. My dad was a special, gentle man – one that was laid back, loved life, didn’t worry what people thought about him, and was always there for our family. I’m grateful for everything that you did for us dad, you made me the man who I am today. I love you so much, and I know I’ll see you at home plate again, with arms wide open, soon.

He Walks!

2009-12-09T12:18:00.001-08:00

This was filmed over a month ago, so I apologize in advance. Ian can walk from point a to point b without falling now and can quickly disappear if you're not keeping score(which never happens while I'm on duty, of course;). Oh, and happy 16 month little guy!

Ian Walks from El Duderino on Vimeo.

The bugs and the sprinkler

2009-08-24T08:55:00.000-07:00

We took this video last week when it was in the 90's. This was the buggy's first time in his trunks and he had a blast!

The bugs and the sprinkler from El Duderino on Vimeo.

RSS and the job search: A match made in heaven

2009-08-21T10:57:00.000-07:00

Looking for a new job? Tired of the amount of time it takes to find what you're looking for? Well, then, look no further because I have a solution for you! Ok, now that I have your attention and got the whole smarmy infomercial salesman pitch out of the way, I'll explain where I'm going with this.

I've been looking for a new job recently and found that there are a lot of helpful sites out there to aid my search. While I primarily have been looking at such sites as Craigslist, Monster, and Indeed (which is a great site, BTW), the task at hand can be labor intensive and cumbersome. A great way to streamline this effort is to compile RSS (Real Simple Syndication) feeds from your job searches. Couple that with a RSS reader to house them and you'll be on your way as a more efficient job searcher!

For example, go to Craiglist and type in "Office Administrator" in the "search craiglist" box and pull the drop-down menu to the "jobs" section.

Next, hit enter or click on the > symbol and then scroll down to the bottom right hand corner of the results page where you will see a "RSS" link.

Click on this and then choose the reader that will house your feeds (I use Google Reader, so for this post I'll use this as the example). Select "Add to Google Reader" and you're done!

For Indeed (or any site that supports RSS), it's essentially the same thing. Enter in the key word like the one above in the "what" box and then click the "Find Jobs" button.

On the next page where the job listings appear, scroll to the right hand column and click on the "RSS Job Feed" link.

I have used RSS feeds for a while now, but for some reason didn't think to use this feature for my job searches. Now, in Google Reader I have a separate folder designated for all of these and have eliminated the need to go these sites separately, which in turn has sufficiently cut the amount of time down and made things a whole lot easier on myself because it's all in a centralized location. I realize that most of you already know these hints, but it's always good to throw this out there so that everyone is in the know.

A couple of firsts: Our day at the ballpark

2009-08-18T14:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we (the fam) decided to go to a baseball game here in town. I've been wanting to go for a few months now, but for whatever reason, we just haven't got around to it. I've been to a number of big league games, but this was the first time going to a minor league game, and for Ian, it was his very first time at a baseball game period!

Once we arrived at the park, we decided to get the cheap GA tickets, which usually means nose bleed at a big league park, but here it was the equivalent of the back row of field level seats at Dodger stadium! A bonus for us was the fact that you could sit anywhere in the GA section (which includes the outfield seats and family deck right by the left field foul pole). There wasn't that many people there because it was a day game being played during a weekday, so what that meant for us was first row seats in GA, almost right behind home plate -- awesome! If you haven't been to a game at PGE park*, then you should know that there isn't a bad seat in the house.

A couple of things to note about minor league games:

- There are activities, games, or what-have-you between each inning on the field. This translates really well if you have little ones. Any distraction to keep 'em interested for as long as possible goes a long way. Even if you don't bring the family, it's still entertaining.
- Tickets are relatively cheaper (depending on where you sit, of course).
- On average, the speed pitchers throw are a little slower than the major leagues. The starting pitcher was throwing consistently around 85mph, the middle reliever was getting upwards to 93mph, and the second middle reliever for the opposing team threw a measly 75 mph. Geez, I can almost throw that fast! *ahem*
- Dudes can still hit it a mile! A guy for the opposing team hit a moon blast in the second inning to right field. It must have been at least a 450-500 footer.

All in all, it was a great game to be at, we witnessed a couple of homers, AND the home team won. I'm already pumped about the prospects of going to another game -- who's in?!?

* The Beavers (Baseball) and Timbers (Soccer) currently share the place.

I heart Jon Stewart

2009-08-13T09:24:00.001-07:00

Is it me, or is anyone else annoyed by the health care debates that are being played out on the cable networks lately (I don't really have cable, it's just everywhere you go on the internets these days)? It's not so much the debates or town hall meetings that are taking place (which is actually a good thing), it's the airtime that is given to the fringe crazies that are supposedly mad at something, but never really articulate what they are made about. Is it fear of Socialism, Communism, State controlled health care, ants in your pants? What? Well, luckily we have Jon Stewart to bring balance to the force and show us a lighter side to the whole debate.

PR

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Spinal Tap Performance

William Jefferson Airplane

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Spinal Tap Performance

The second clip is OT, but I had to share because it's one of my favorites of the year!

Happy 1st Birthday!!!

2009-08-11T13:40:00.000-07:00

Hey, you made it!!! Happy Birthday luvbug! What a year, what a birthday, and what a little man you are becoming:). Since we didn't have a birthday party for you here in the states like normal people do, we decided to celebrate in style, in Germany! Ok, so we were there for a wedding which also happened to be on your birthday, but that's neither here nor there. We were at the wedding for almost 12 hours, yet we're the first people to leave. What a bunch of sissy's us American's are, sheesh. Even the 90 year old grandma's outlasted us!!! We sang happy birthday to you at the second reception and everyone at our table including surrounding ones joined in. Mind you, we sang it in English and yet that didn't seem to deter anyone as most of the people there spoke the language perfectly.

As the day came to a close, I began to reflect on the years events and reminded me of how fast time goes by. Though this is a bit cliche, I honestly do remember the minute you were born like it was yesterday. The joy I felt at that moment has only increased with every passing day and I can only image how that love will grow with each new phase in your life.

Speaking of new phases, you finally decided to crawl like a normal baby. By normal baby, I mean crawling on your hands and knees. Up until this moment, you've been army crawling with your belly dragging on the floor. We were about a week into our trip when all of a sudden you decided that the former was the better avenue and went with it. You still use the army crawl when you need to get somewhere quick, but that is becoming few and far between. You can hold yourself up on furniture and move side-to-side with relative ease, so it would appear that walking is in the cards pretty soon. You have four teeth that are almost fully grown in and two on the top that are just about to break though. Going from no teeth to almost six in just over two months is quite a jump, but I'll take you eating table food any day. The transition to table food before our trip was a life saver and really made things easier on that front. You have added a couple of words to your arsenal, but to our disappointment, do not like to say "uh-oh" as much. Since that was your first spoken word, it will always be endearing to us, but you have moved on and so can we. You have a deep belly laugh that is infectious, and it doesn't take much to get you or myself going. Matter of fact, sometimes you just laugh for no apparent reason. Case in point, we were driving last night to get some tasty Thai food and just started laughing in your car seat on the way over. I should add that your car seat is still rear facing, so you were basically staring at the seat in front of you and thought that it was hilarious. We all know how funny car seats are, don't we?

Let's see, new tricks...you give hugs now, can sign 'more' and 'all done' during feeding time, and can clap or wave on command. You love to open and close doors, can play Peek-a-Boo for hours, will blow kisses if we ask you to, and will bob side-to-side when we sing to you. You love it when music is played and will dance up a storm when a tune comes on. It doesn't matter if the song is any good, all you care about is that you get your jig on and all is well in your world.

Well, before we wrap things up here, think about this for a moment -- in just a years time you have been to four different countries (Canada, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany), yet I didn't get on a plane until I was 18 and hadn't been overseas until our trip with you. Not a bad feat there little fella and I'm sure will be a good story for you as you get older. All in all, it has been the greatest year of my life and you buggy, have been everything that I could have hoped for. You are a gentle spirit son, one that is full of life and incredibly fun to be around, but above all else, you are my best friend. Here's to another great year!

Other tidbits: Favorite foods are hot dogs, string cheese, gold fish crackers, and pears, but will pretty much eat what ever you put in front of him. Let's just say that he is an adventurous eater.

One last interesting tidbit, I swear: If you look at the picture closely, you'll see that our camera is on the table. Well, we had the video taken care of and thought that the grandparents were going to be taking pictures from their camera. Turns out that they took video too, so that meant there were no pictures to show for on his 1st birthday. Brilliant! I take full responsibility for that mishap, but luckily I was able to grab a still in iMovie from the video that we took thanks to this helpful hint on the internets. Phew, for a minute there, I lost myself...!

Europe Pictures

2009-08-06T07:13:00.000-07:00

I haven't finished the recap of our trip yet, but while you wait for that I have posted pictures here. Sorry, I just uploaded almost every picture I took and didn't really have the time to edit/delete the ones that shouldn't be there. Enjoy!

Hello Germany!

2009-07-31T03:23:00.000-07:00

This has been an epic trip so far with many highlights, but I will keep it short for now and will give full analysis once we make it back home. We arrived in Germany two days ago after stopping in Lucern, Switzerland. We have an event today in Ludswigburg for the bride and groom, and tomorrow the wedding will take place in a historic castle. The wedding will host people from six to seven different countries, and we have already met the Russians last night, so we're looking forward to meeting the rest of the contigent. In addition to the wedding tomorrow, it will be Ian's first bday and today our only goal is to hunt down a bday hat and candle and we'll be good. Only two more days in Germany and we'll be back in town on Monday. Looking forward to that, but in the meantime, we're enjoying every minute we have here. Until then...

When in Rome

2009-07-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

We got in yesterday morning with out any problems on our flights. Minus a two hour meltdown on the last leg of our flight to Rome, Ian has been stellar. We have carted him all around for the past two days with nary a peep. What a guy. Since I have never been here before and have heard some negative things about Rome, I was little anxious to see for myself how things would pan out. So far, so good. We have had a five separate people help us out, whether it was getting Ian down the stairs with our luggage in tow, or help finding our B&B (yes, we got lost even with directions), I have to say that the locals have been exceptional. Today, we got a late start and headed to the Colloseum. It is a skeleton of its former self, but still impresive to the least. To top it off, I think I took around 50 pictures of the place, so there might be a good shot in there. After that, we then ventured over to the Roman Forum and I proceded to take another 100 pictures there. I am clearly losing my mind, but in a good way. Ancient Rome will do that to you, I tell ya. The weather has been scorching hot, around 95 degrees, so that has been the only negative so far. Tomorrow we are heading out to see the Vatican City, Sistine Chappel, and maybe the Spanish steps and Trevi Fountain. It still feels a bit surreal that we are here, but I am so glad that we are! Ciao.

Lots of Things...

2009-07-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

We have a busy schedule ahead of us the next couple of weeks and I won't be spending much time on the computer, so there's no better time than now to keep ya'll in the loop. Starting this weekend, my cousin/wife/kids and some close friends of ours are going to be spending the better part of the week hanging out, camping, and enjoying all of what the beautiful northwest has to offer. We are getting really excited to see everyone and I'm sure it's going to be an incredible time. We are then heading out overseas to Europe after everyone leaves here in Portland.

We are flying into Rome for the first part of the trip and staying in the historic part of the city. We are going to see sites like the Colosseum, the Vatican City, etc. Next, we will head up to Florence and check out some art museums, which is what you do when one goes there, right? During our stay in Florence we might do a day trip to Venice, which is up in the air right now, but I would say we are 80% committed at the moment. From Florence, we will then head up through Switzerland and may stay a night in Zurich. For our final destination we are heading to Stuttgart, Germany. We will be there for a couple of days for a wedding, which was the reason for the whole trip to begin with. This will be my first time overseas and am beyond excited. Of course, being of Italian decent, and to finally see the country I've always wanted to visit should hopefully be the highlight for me. I can't wait to experience the food, people, sites, and sounds of the homeland. Depending on how accessible the internet cafes are there, I might from time to time update my travels, so check back when you can.

Happy Eleven Months!!!

2009-07-07T20:09:00.000-07:00

Here we are, one month until you hit a year, and what a year it has been! When the milestone is reached, I assume I'll go back to writing more random stuff and throwing in the occasional cutesy luvbug moments in place of the monthly updates. This month has seen the most dramatic changes to date and it's exciting to see the transformation of this small child that is slowly turning into a little man.

He has a total of two teeth now (both bottom ones) and his top front two are about to poke through any day now. We have almost fully switched over to table food and ditched the old favorite rice cereal. This is a blessing and a curse. The blessing being that he can now just eat whatever we are eating. The curse is that you have to be a little more creative in what you're giving him -- I can't just give him hot dogs every meal (like I did with the good 'ol rice cereal), but on second thought, that might not be a bad idea! I mean, the way he scarfs these things down you'd think that we were holding out on him this whole time. Look Ian, you had to have rice cereal because you didn't have any teeth and now that you have teeth...ok, ok, you get what I'm putting down?

Let's see...what else is new? Oh yeah, he can now say a couple choice words, 'uh-oh' being his first and most favorite thing to say, to 'hi' or 'hiyaaa', and 'baahhh' (which he says when he is pointing to the nearest ball). He also says some unintelligible words like 'maaaaammmmmm' 'daaaa' 'daa', or 'datoo'...'datoo', which we think might be mama and dada, but that's debatable at the moment.

In addition to his new language skills, he is also starting to pick himself up and stand in place where ever the nearest furniture piece may be. The latter is what has struck me the most and it's really starting to hit me that my little guy is not so little any more. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's definitely a turning point where one chapter is about to close and another is going to begin.

Has the iTunes Store Lost Its Mojo?

2009-06-23T22:28:00.000-07:00

The iTunes store has been the one-stop shop to get your legal download on for almost 9 years now. While the RIAA was busy handing out lawsuits, Apple decided a different approach. Instead of fighting a technology that was not going away anytime soon, they decided to embrace it. This very fact is what sets Apple apart from other companies – they are forward thinking, while others are just following their lead (MS, I’m looking in your direction). Out of this era, the now ubiquitous iPod was born and along with it came the iTunes store.

While iTunes has evolved over the years, think genius and smart playlists, the iTunes store mostly has stayed the same. Sure, as of April this year, they finally have changed the pricing structure of some songs, .69 cents for lesser know songs, and $1.29 for the more popular songs, but most are still priced at .99 cents. While I’ve heard that there are some songs out there at .69 cents, I sure haven’t seen any, and I frequent the store often. While I applaud their move to a more varied price structure, I’ve wondered privately why they haven’t been more aggressive in lowering their costs. I guess they haven’t needed to because they are the eight hundred pound gorilla and still hold a considerable market share. The main problem about being in this position is that you don’t always have a good pulse on what your competition is doing and risk either becoming complacent and/or just out of touch with the current market environment. I'm not accusing Apple of being either at the moment, but they might be banking too heavily on brand loyalty with out thinking about the customers bottom line. Remember, money talks, and this tough economic climate, all bets are off when it comes to this line of thinking.

A couple of sites have been catching my eye lately, one of them being the Amazon MP3 store. Lately, they have been putting up daily deals for new (and old) releases that range anywhere from 1-4 dollars. Every now and then there are some great finds, but it was not until last month that I would have to say that the Amazon store has found its sweet spot. They advertised 50 albums for $5 in May that featured such artists as Kanye West, Metric, Death Cab For Cutie, and Marvin Gaye. This month they have the same type of deal with picks coming from their editors. In case you're wondering, I do check this site daily:). There’s another site that I am really starting to like, called Amie Street. This site, I think, has the potential to be the next big thing. As of right now, when a new album is released, you can download it for free (or at a very minimal cost). Based on the album/songs popularity, it goes up in price with a cap at .98 cents a song. Their main focus right now is Indy based, but that might change over time.

Given the buzz that is flying around the interwebs over these two sites, I would definitely be worried if I was Apple, because people such as myself are finally starting to go elsewhere. Although the iTunes store is still king, I would say that the two sites above offer a glimpse into the future that should keep things interesting, namely site loyalty and much needed price wars. Let the games begin!

Happy Ten Months!!!

2009-06-04T11:10:00.000-07:00

My little man, you are growing up way to fast for this proud parent, and with each passing month, every little new thing that you do fills my heart with so much joy. As fathers day approaches, which will be my first, I realize how lucky I am to have you as a son. From the never-ending smiles, to the cheerful laughter, to the handle bar waves, it sure doesn’t take much to tear up these days. Perhaps, it’s my old age that has me so welled up inside, or maybe this is just part of the experience of being a parent. If the latter, then I’m sure all of the proud mama and papas out there can relate. It’s crazy to think that in two months he is going to be one already, but I suppose that this is part of the process as well, that time flies and to enjoy every spanking moment, for if you blink, you might miss it. This is my short and sweet Father’s day rendition to you my little man, daddy loves you tons!

Ok, enough with the sappy stuff and on to new developments. Speaking of handle bar waves, yes folks, he waves now! It’s the cutest thing ever and I can boast on this here blog and say that I taught him that. James coined the term, because, well, heck, he looks like he is trying to rev up a motorbike when he waves back at ya☺. He’s got one tooth poking through his gums finally, and I got to say, it’s about damn time! We are also slowly graduating him to table food and are introducing avocados (daddy’s favorite), blueberries, beans, and other mashing up types of food. We have learned quickly though that beans upset his stomach, so we’re going to wait a few months until we re-introduce that to him. Oh, yeah, we have a food chart thingy that we just found again that said to hold off on pinto/black beans until 18 months…oops! Well, that just about wraps it up here. I’ll leave you all with a picture I took yesterday that displays his classic “stink face.” Until next month…

Happy Nine Months!!!

2009-05-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

The scoot edition...brought to you by none other than the luvbug himself!

The Changing Faces of State St.

2009-04-05T13:51:00.001-07:00

It's only been a mere three months since I was last in SB and it's amazing to see the transformation that is taking place on State St. Gone are some familiar staples such as Morning Glory, Rocks, Mel's, The Italian/Greek Deli, and Carrows. I did notice one surprise though when I trekked down to the beach and saw the return of Hot Spots in their native habitat?!? Perhaps some of the locals can set me straight, but wasn't that whole block supposed to go bye bye per some new housing development? Anyways, here are some pictures I took the other day while out walking with the little one:

Welcome back!

The beloved Italian/Greek Deli is now a Verizon store. Suck!

Zelo's...looks like another club/restaurant is taking shape.

No more Mel's -- WTF??? "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you've had too much to drink tonight" is a phrase that was never echoed inside those walls.

Good ol' Rocks. I saw John Mayer/Matt Nathanson play there way before you ladies starting giving them the googly eyes. I still pat myself on the back for that one.

Jamba Juice is now a on trend Pinkberry.

Anthropology...meet Forever 21. *Update* Looks like Anthropology has moved up State St near the Old Navy.

The original Carrows aka the after party.

The once great Morning Glory is now apparently a Del Sol...sigh.

To save the best for last...drum roll please...the new Apple store! Pier One, thanks for exiting and allowing a much superior store to enter*.

*Set to open in May I hear.

Hello SB and Happy Eight Months Little One!!!

2009-04-01T09:05:00.000-07:00

We are enjoying the sunshine, getting much needed vitamin D, and have hit up some of our favorite eats in the past two days. Oh, and did I mention its been in the 70's so far? Heck yes!

I have to be honest, the nice weather is making me feel a little homesick even though I love Portland. To bring myself back to reality, all I needed was a copy of the local Independent (Mercury and WW for you PDX'ers) and flip to the back -- okay homes are still outrageous. By outrageous, I mean still hovering around 1 million. Now, to be fair, I think the median price has come down to a more manageable 800k. Phew, for a second there I thought we were moving back!

There aren't really any new developments on the luvbug front to post here that are news worthy other than that he has yet to crawl or grow any teeth. What gives?!? He's still a little small for his age, but who's really keeping count here;). I guess he makes all of this up in spades with loads of cuteness, so it all balances out in the end.

Grandpa and the luvbug @ Hendry's

Santa Cruz Island in the background

Ahh the palmtrees!

FCOTD (Fun Clip Of The Day)

2009-03-26T14:34:00.000-07:00

I came across this video today and thought it was hilarious. Re: Will we ever see Donny, err, Steve Buscemi at a Big Lebowski festival?!? Stop dancing around the issue, already!

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Mixtape.me: My New Favorite Thing

2009-03-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

There was an awesome site that came about on the interwebs last year that was ultimately shut down by the RIAA called Muxtape. As much as I was heartbroken about the news, the blow seemed to be cushioned by copy cat sites that were starting to spring up left and right after its demise. Now, some of the functionality of said sites were nowhere close to the muxtape, so I've held up hope for another worthy opponent.

Lady and Gents -- enter Mixtape.me. It has all the advantages of the former, with one big exception, it doesn't house any of the mp3's on its site. Rather, it compiles songs already available on the web which can be easily put into a playlist. One big difference here is that you cannot upload your own songs. Instead, there is a mp3 URL link where you can add songs that doesn't appear from the default search engine*. Note: this is still in Beta, so keep that in mind when using the site.

I have a link above that you can tag if you join, otherwise, check out my playlist that I created here: My Perfect Playlist. Enjoy!

* It appears that functionality is not working right now.

Brian Jonestown Massacre @ Crystal Ballroom 3/20/09

2009-03-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

"Let's all play in the key of C to get the levels right." Those were the words uttered by front man Anton Newcombe when they first took the stage last night at the Crystal Ballroom here in Portland. Having been to a few shows myself, it was a bit odd to have a band "check the levels" upon taking the stage (that's what the roadies are for, right?!?), but this isn't any ordinary band. Anton is a notorious control freak that has boasted more than 40 to 50 band members in it's existence. For any of you that are unfamiliar with his antics, I highly recommend picking up the documentary "DIG!"

After playing a few bars, they proceeded to rip through their extensive catalog of psychedelic, shoegazing, garage rock. The second song of the set was Vacuum Boots, one of my all time favorites, and with that they had me hooked for the rest of their 2 1/2 hour set. After a dozen more songs, Matt Hollywood broke into Oh Lord and almost brought the house down.

This was almost a DIG! reunion of sorts, with the familiar cast of Hollywood, and the hilarious Joel Gion on tambourine. When they played Not If You Were the Last Dandy On Earth, Zia from The Dandy Warhols (Portland natives) came out on stage to join the party. "Bah, bah, bah...take my money!" The return of Hollywood was great, because he played such an important part in their early recordings, and I think lasts night show would have wrung hallow otherwise.

The show ended with the encore of That Girl Suicide, which is truly one of the best songs ever. If you need a song to download from iTunes, look that one up. It was a perfect ending coming from a band that has somehow eluded me for more than six years. Sans the in-between song diatribes from Anton, it was one of the better concerts I've seen lately. It definitely ranks up there with some my tops -- Radiohead, U2, Wilco, Sigur Ros, and the Smashing Pumpkins to name a few. Not bad company guys, not bad at all.

Happy Seven Months!!!

2009-03-06T15:36:00.000-08:00

New lovebug developments:

- sits up on his own
- chats it up like his name is Kathy
- loves him some apple sauce w/rice cereal
- is starting to get the hang of the jumperoo
- smiles like crazy

I give him another month to month and half before he starts crawling, but right now he seems pretty content with his new tricks. Every day I wake up and realize how lucky I am to spend the day taking care of him and I try and take it all in as much as I can, but at the same time, it's still hard to believe that it has been seven months already -- wow!

Happy Six Months!!!

2009-02-08T08:42:00.000-08:00

Luvbug is growing up oh so fast and it has been hard keeping up lately (more on that later). Here are some of his recent developments, in no particular order:

- Flips from tummy to back, back to tummy, and even shows off the good 'ol barrel roll when he feels like it*:)
- Is eating rice cereal with various mixed in veggies
- Almost...and I mean almost sitting up
- Smiles like crazy and babbles like he is trying to have a conversation with you
- Grabs at objects and can hold on to them with varying success
- Now sleeps in his own room (as of last night).

That about sums it up for now. He has been teething for the past few months, but unfortunately has no pearly whites yet. I will keep you updated and will break the news when it happens**.

* As I write this, he is barrel rolling across the living room!

** For the love, can I get a friggin' tooth around here?!?

Before and After

2009-01-03T15:12:00.000-08:00

The second night we spent in our new house, we woke up to a winter wonderland. Good thing we finished all of moving before the (un)welcomed snow arrived. *Phew*

Our New House

2009-01-03T14:59:00.000-08:00

This is our lovely new casa. It's big, spacious, accommodating, and in a great neighborhood. After two days and three and half loads, we are finally finished moving and our now on to more important things, organizing the house. The move itself was basically hell, to put it lightly. It rained non-stop for the entirety and we had way more stuff than we anticipated. Looking back now, I think I just would have paid the extra money to have someone else do the heavy lifting. Carly says this every time we move, but really, believe us this time when we say that we are never moving again!

Happy Five Months!!!

2009-01-03T14:46:00.000-08:00

Jump, Jump, Jumperrrroooo!!!

Coolest.Thing.Evah.

2008-12-23T10:14:00.001-08:00

This morning while we were eating breakfast, Carly's sister Erin was heading out for work when the Google car/tracker/video camera equiped/street view/maps/thing was taking pictures of our neighborhood. Of course, we all rushed out of the front door but the car was long gone. I went back in the house and quickly grabbed my camera and ran around aimlessly thinking it would be cool to get a shot and luckily the car came back around and I got this beauty. Note, you can't see the 'Google' placard on the side of the car, but if you look carefully, you can see the cameras on top of the vehicle.

Random News Wednesday Edition

2008-12-10T11:09:00.000-08:00

Good day to you all!

- Auto industry bailout to be voted on today.

- Follow the 8.5 trillion debt rabbit hole!

- Sabathia inks deal with the Yanks. What was all that talk about wanting to be a Dodger, again?

- Riots+Molotov cocktails = Greece!

Enjoying the warm weather

2008-12-09T10:09:00.000-08:00

It's almost been a week since we have step foot back in southern California, and we have hit the ground running. We landed late last Wednesday night in Santa Barbara, went straight to the hotel after securing a rental car and put our tired heads right to sleep. The next morning Ian and I had a nice continental breakfast while the better half had to endure* a day of work at the office. After a tough morning of reading the news and hanging out with Ian, I successfully handed the baby off for a lunch time swap so I could play ultimate (this was my wife's idea -- really). I then played a rousing game of ultimate, which mostly consisted of Troy running my ass into the ground until I had no life left in my lungs. We somehow won the game, which had nothing to do with me, and had everything to do with Pinto:). To top it off, the day rang in at about 70 degrees, not too shabby! Given the news that Portland will be in the 40's this week, I'll take that trade off any day.

Later on in the night we went to a 20th year anniversary/reunion party for SS downtown at some cafe that we had never been to. The night was filled with old friends, stories of the past, and of course, many adult beverages**. As we closed down the main party, we decided to pull a night cap at the adjacent State&A restaurant. There, we told more stories (mostly incoherent), consumed more beverages, and somehow, around 1am, found our way stumbling back to the hotel.

On Friday, we left for San Luis Obispo after work, but first made a short pit-stop at my Dad's house in Santa Maria. While we were there to celebrate my sister Sarah's 13th b-day, I know that my Dad was really excited to see the little one, so it was a win-win situation! On Sat/Sun in SLO, we sat back and relaxed at Carly's parents house as they soaked in some much needed face time with Ian. We are back in SB for the week and am really enjoying spending time with familiar faces in a familiar warm climate.

* Carly really misses the little guy during the day!

** Yes, the dude had a few white russians!!

Kellogg saves the day!

2008-12-09T09:44:00.000-08:00

Yes, the news we (MC fans, of course) all have been waiting for! Here's a snip-it of the following AP story:

“Kellogg will use its understanding of the cookie category and distribution infrastructure to expand sales of Mother’s Cookies. The company said it plans to reintroduce many of Mother’s Cookies most popular cookies. Its brands include iced animal crackers, sandwich cookies and wire cut cookies.”

The Lawrence Welk Show

2008-12-01T10:51:00.000-08:00

I had the melody from this skit stuck in my head this morning after I watched the repeat this past weekend. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

Happy Four Months!

2008-12-01T10:08:00.000-08:00

Oh boy, where does the time go?!?

New Music Monday

2008-12-01T09:57:00.000-08:00

Let's get this party started right before any us declare an official case of the "Mondays." Here is a brilliant new song from a talented group called +/- (plus/minus) - snowblind.

FDA has some 'splainin' to do

2008-11-29T17:51:00.000-08:00

An eye-popping story regarding melamine found in baby formula -- in the US!

"The FDA's test results, which the agency hid from the public and only released after the Associated Press filed a Freedom of Information Act request. Up to 90 percent of the infant formula sold in the United States may be contaminated with trace amounts of melamine, the toxic chemical linked to kidney damage, according to recent tests."

Random News Monday Edition

2008-11-24T14:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday to you all!

- Fed bails out Citibank, and then promptly gives a middle finger to the auto industry.

- Shocker! GNR's new album is banned in China. Why don't you add us to the list while you're at it.

- If you're in the market for an HDTV, then read this article first.

Tummy Time!!!

2008-11-19T11:43:00.000-08:00

Oh boy, take a look at my new trick:).

Mother's Cookies Pt. 3

2008-11-19T10:42:00.000-08:00

I'll keep the updates coming as long as there is something to report on. Here's the latest:

"Lance, Inc. today announced that it has obtained approval from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware to be the "stalking horse" bidder for the primary assets of snack food companies Archway Cookies LLC and Mother's Cake and Cookie Co..."

Heart Warming Column

2008-11-19T10:12:00.001-08:00

I came across this great story in the LA times yesterday about the Westmont soccer team. Well done Plaschke! Oh, and make sure you have some tissues near by.

Double oh -- in case you haven't heard, apparently the Tea Fire was accidentally set by some "students". Uh oh. Read on.

The New Oracle -- Peter Schiff?!?

2008-11-15T11:59:00.000-08:00

This will be the best 10 minutes of your life, I guarantee it. Watch this clip of Peter Schiff talking about the coming economic crises, which was compiled from t.v. interviews from the past two years. Some of his opponents said some real howlers, even coming from a respectful person as Ben Stein -- Bueller, Bueller, anyone? Disclaimer: some of his predictions are a little creepy, as in almost to the exact month creepy. You've been warned!

Mr. November

2008-11-04T23:25:00.000-08:00

Portland is partying like a mutha right now and it's time to pop the bubbly good stuff! We did it folks, the youngsters came out in force today and well, the rest is history. When the clock struck eight tonight, Obama was officially crowned, and our neighborhood erupted in jubilation -- man, I love this city.

The realization of this historic night started to sink in a little after president elect scrolled across the t.v screen, and really, I was just a teary eyed mess after that. What a great night, what an amazing speech, and...did you see Oprah?!? Having said that, I'm officially exhausted, and am ready to give politics a much needed rest. In honor of Mr. November, here you go, a song about, well, Mr. November. Enjoy!

The National - Mr. November

Get Out and Vote!

2008-11-04T08:22:00.000-08:00

...Or shall I say, go out and Barack the vote.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T12:47:00.000-07:00

Luvbug - "So cute it's scary!"

Mother's Cookies Update

2008-10-29T19:20:00.000-07:00

If you're like me and can't live with out these cookies in your daily diet, then there's some good news -- well, sort of:

"Archway Cookies LLC has asked a bankruptcy judge to allow "expedited" auction dates to permit assets that belong to Mother's Cake and Cookies to be sold by Nov. 6, and those belonging to Archway to be sold by Nov. 18.

The Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce has backed that request, asking Judge Christopher S. Sontchi to expedite the process to allow a timely sale, getting the Ashland plant back in operation."

Here's a link to the rest of the story.

New Music Tuesday

2008-10-28T16:59:00.000-07:00

I just about fell out of my chair listening to this song (Maps of Norway - The Runout). It's not everyday that I get excited about new music, but this song had me up and dancing. Do yourself a favor and check them out on their myspace page*.

*Gee, what a big surprise -- check out some of their influences...

Save Mother's Cookies!

2008-10-21T18:39:00.000-07:00

Most of you have probably already heard the recent upsetting news, but for those that haven't, the company that produced Mothers Cookies went bankrupt early Oct and shut down operations effective immediately. Nooooo!!!!

I was not going to let the jaws of bankruptcy steal some of my favorite childhood memories without some proactive measures. So, what does one do? Well, go to the market of course! Carly/I went to a few stores before landing a couple bags of the now coveted circus animal cookies (we also got two iced oatmeal packages). I haven't been able to find the Taffy flavored cookies anywhere, or I would have stocked up on those as well. Argh!

On a happier note, an online clothing company has immortalized the now infamous cookie maker for all to enjoy. They are throwing in a 1.5 oz circus animal bag when you purchase a Tee*:)

* Yes, I did buy one -- I couldn't help myself.

Monday Madness

2008-10-20T15:01:00.000-07:00

I saw this on Yahoo today. Pretty frickin' hilarious...

Worst Best Man Ever @ Yahoo! Video

Back In Our Element

2008-10-12T10:02:00.000-07:00

Now that were back home and in our element, I guess there's no better time than now to reflect on our trip. First of all, it was great to see everyone and I'm glad that luvbug was on his best behavior. The California weather was unbelievable -- you know, sunny, warm, no clouds in the sky (duh!) While our time was filled with much needed family time, we did notice a few things about our son that were interesting and sad all at the same time. The upsetting thing that we first noticed was when we went on a five minute walk in the sun without any protective covering on the little guy. Upon returning, we found out that he broke out in red splotches all over his head. Turns out that the little duder can't take too much of the sun and gets heat rash, just like his mommy. I do know that most babies have sensitive skin, so this could be chalked up to that, but only time will tell. Another interesting tidbit, and not that all surprising, is that luvbug's digestive timing was thrown all out of whack. Let me be a little more specific, the dude was not pooping at all. Honestly, he was only letting loose one time a day. We were not sure what was going on until we got home. Save one second when we stepped in the door and he let it rip. Yup, home is where you hang your hat! Now that we are back home, he is back on his regular (pooping) schedule and is back to better -- Yay!!! I guess the little guy was either stressed, anxious, scared, or all of the above. The weird thing is that he didn't really communicate that anything was awry the whole time as he appeared to be his normal self. It was a great trip, but there's no place like home.

TGIF!!!

2008-10-10T08:53:00.000-07:00

And now for some random news:

- Sheriff refuses to evict people from their foreclosed homes. Good on you!

- "3rd Infantry’s 1st BCT trains for a new dwell-time mission. Helping ‘people at home’ may become a permanent part of the active Army" Huh, really?!? By helping, I suppose they mean a billy club to the head in the case of martial law...and no, I don't think that will happen. Interesting story none the less.

- New social networking site Pownce..."Send messages, files, links, and events to your friends. Create a network of friends and share stuff. It's free and easy…" Disclaimer: I'm not a member...yet. Sounds promising though.

- Dow is down for the eighth straight day. For the love, can we get a friggin' rally around here!

Happy Two Months!

2008-10-01T18:02:00.000-07:00

He has a case of the smiles.

Traveling Man

2008-09-29T16:22:00.000-07:00

Luvbug's 1st plane ride!

Tina Fey Returns

2008-09-28T09:51:00.000-07:00

SNL regrouped last night and produced a much better show after an embarrassing low the week prior*. Enjoy the clip below!

*Kings of Leon was fantastico!

New Music Saturday

2008-09-27T08:08:00.001-07:00

Here is a great new song I heard the other day. For fans of Toad the Wet Sprocket. Enjoy!

Carry me, Ohio - Sun Kil Moon

Happy Manic Monday!

2008-09-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

These guys make me happy...

Going back to Cali...

2008-09-20T15:55:00.000-07:00

"Going back to Cali, styling, profiling, growling, and smiling, while in the sun..."

I thought I would give a shout out (blogger style) that we are coming back to town in a week. It will be a fun-filled family trip that will involve some much needed face time with our loved ones, but who are we kidding, luvbug is the real star in this here story. We will try and make our rounds to SB and the SS gang, so be on the lookout*.

I can't wait to visit some of our SB staples...Super Cucas, Palazzio, Edomasa, oh my!

* Hopefully I'll be able to fit in a rousing game of ultimate, which is a scary thought in it's own right being that I haven't participated any sport since leaving CA.

Calling all Office Fans!

2008-09-17T15:11:00.000-07:00

That's what she said! Thanks JR, this made my day...

Bizarro Post of the Day

2008-09-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

Nader -- Brilliant ad, but I don't think this will translate into any votes;)

Great SNL Skit

2008-09-16T09:17:00.000-07:00

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hit it out of the park! Welcome back...

He Really Wants to Talk!

2008-09-11T09:47:00.000-07:00

Luvbug Part Deux from El Duderino on Vimeo.

Luvbug is Hilarious!

2008-09-06T13:41:00.000-07:00

His 20 second video debut. Take it away kid...

Luvbug Speaks from El Duderino on Vimeo.

Sweetness, Sweetness

2008-09-05T08:44:00.000-07:00

"I was only joking.."

Luvbug is down with the Smiths!

Birthday Block

2008-09-03T06:34:00.000-07:00

My B-day is fast approaching, so for any of you that are having a hard time wondering what gift you can give me, here are some ideas below*:

-iTunes Gift card
-Apple Store Gift card
-Best Buy Gift card

That's my story and I'm sticking to it...

*This post is directed to the select few that are actually entertaining such ideas. This, by no means should make you feel obligated to buy me anything. Most of you can probably attest to this, but the older you get, the less you care about receiving gifts**.

**Really, just send me an email -- that will make me happy.

New Lebowski Theory

2008-08-29T12:13:00.001-07:00

Read this interesting interview with Steve Buscemi in the Rolling Stone. Honestly, I have never heard of this theory before, but I will take him to task with another viewing of the movie with a White Russian in hand...And don't ask me how many times I have seen this movie, I lost count a long time ago.

Random Gift

2008-08-25T10:25:00.000-07:00

We received this gift the other day that came with no card. So, thanks, whoever you are!?! Ian will love it, that's for sure.

Don't Let the Score Fool You (USA v. Spain)

2008-08-24T13:31:00.001-07:00

Phew, that was a bit of a nail bitter last night, eh? First things first, hats off to the Spaniards, they played great D, worked an incredible offense, but just fell short. It wasn't that the US played bad per se, I think it had more to do with Spain being better prepared after facing us earlier. They took notes from the earlier loss and played accordingly. Even though they pretty much executed a flawless offense, they did not have an answer for Kobe in the 4th. He single handily took the game in his own hands and threw the hammer down with that three point and-one just when Spain inched to within 2 pts. Good job guys, that was fun to watch.

Quick side note: As a Laker fan, I was a little perturbed by the all-in-all out effort by Gasol. He was pounding us down low time and time again. Why didn't he play with the same fervor against the Celtics?!? I know you are playing for your country and all, but come on now...

Happy Three Weeks

2008-08-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

Daddy and Luvbug

Three weeks and counting and cute as can be. No, really, you don't have to grow up if you don't want to...

We call him...

2008-08-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

Luvbug!

No more Pandora?

2008-08-21T11:54:00.001-07:00

Yuk, first muxtape, and now this? I'm having a really bad day so far...

Oh...The Joys of Parenthood

2008-08-12T23:04:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm taking back all the wondrous praise I bestowed on our little one yesterday. Why, must you ask? Well, let's just say an accident occurred this morning. What an accident it was, too. As I was changing the little ones diaper, I happened to get a pooh explosion all over my fist and changing table, and to top that off, he finished with a persistent round of pee that went everywhere. I knew in the back of my mind that this day was coming, but it was still a little surprising when it did. Oh, happy days! I can't wait until the next episode. Don't worry little man, we still love you to death, but give me some kind of forewarning the next time you get any more fancy ideas...

It's Official

2008-08-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

I'm no longer a Californian. Yes folks, I just received my Oregon Drivers license today, which is exciting on its own merit, but is also sad in a way since I'm losing apart of my identity. I will always be a Californian at heart, but on paper, Oregon is where the home is. So, what does this all mean? I'm not sure, other than having to look at this flimsy 12-year-old-could-make-a-better license now, it doesn't mean much to me. I must say though, that the current picture is much better than the 18 year thug that occupied my California space. Anyone that has seen that picture knows exactly what I'm talking about.

On the baby front, Ian has been a trooper and is an amazing little guy. He is calm, cool, collected, and everything I hoped he would be. Other than the necessary demands (a thing called pooh, and some good 'ol mothers milk) of life, he really doesn't cry much. He has been sleeping around 3-4 hr stints at night, so I feel relatively rested. Of course, not working has helped some. As I look over to the couch next to me, he is sprawled out on his mothers belly, eyes closed, mouth open and looking oh-so-cute. I love him lots and can't wait to see how he progresses in the coming months.

Olympics Soccer - USA v. Japan 1-0

2008-08-09T11:15:00.000-07:00

I watched the entire replay of this game even though I knew the outcome. This game was a tell of two half's, Japan winning the first and the US winning the second. Japan had two golden opportunities in the first half with point blank chances on the net that were ultimately fanned on. Thanks for that guys. In the second half, we got a quick goal from Holden in the 47th minute and we did a much better job of securing the back line after that, yet there will still some close calls. We have some legitimate stars on this team -- Adu, McBride, and Holden, but holy Altidore! Keep on eye on this guy. He subbed for Mcbribe in the 75th minute and had two exciting breakaway chances that were subsequently denied by the Japanese defense. We need Adu to cash in when he can, but I can't wait to see more of Altidore. What an exciting young team! Next game is tomorrow @ 7:45am ET vs. the Dutchmen, bring it on! Be sure to TIVO this one if you can...

So You Think You Can...

2008-08-08T09:52:00.000-07:00

Dance! Did anyone watch the finale last night? I really hate being right, but let's face it, I said a couple of days ago that Joshua was going win it all, and did he ever. Not too shocking, I know, but he was definitely the best dancer out there and it was well deserved.

I feel like this show is everything that American Idol is not -- fun, exciting, and best of all, entertaining. Perhaps it's the musician in me, but I can't help watching Idol and feel like I'm critiquing every song and cannot relax for the life of me. The only thing that keeps me mildly interested is Paula Abdul's weekly drug induced rants. And AI might get rid of her next season, *here's where I tune off* As for SYTYCD, I don't have a damn clue to what is going on whether it's samba, rumba, the waltz, or even hip-hop for that matter. At least for the latter, I can say, wow, that was exciting. I'm usually wrong with all the dance numbers that I think is cool. Basically, anything I think is bad/good, the judges will say the exact opposite, so it shows you how much I know. Having said all of that, this show is arguably the best reality show out there, period. With the exception of those talentless ass clowns -- The Jonas Brothers, last night's show was brilliant. OK, I'll admit it, I want to see the 11 dancers when they go on tour, and hey, they are coming to PDX! Time to find a baby sitter.

Holy Lebowski!!!

2008-08-07T21:29:00.000-07:00

I received some (not so) insider information regarding the release of the 10th anniversary edition of The Big Lebowski. According to the Lebowski Fest guys, the DVD is going to drop on the 9th of Sept with some of the following bonus material:

+ The Dude's Life: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi and John Turturro take a look back at their performances, costumes, and how the diction and delivery of dialogue were crafted into classic movie lines.

+ The Dude Abides: The Big Lebowski Ten Years Later: The central cast reflect on the film's cult status, including how people stop them on the streets to discuss their roles.

+ The Lebowski Fest: An Achiever's Story: An in-depth look at the popular Lebowski Fest enjoyed by thousands of people year after year.

+ Flying Carpets & Bowling Pin Dreams: The Dream Sequences of The Dude: From aerial flights over Los Angeles with his bowling ball, to the large scale "Busby Berkley" dance sequences with the bowling pin-headed dancers, this piece will examine how these innovative scenes were constructed.

+ Interactive Map: See the locations of The Big Lebowski, then and now.

Wahoo!!!

Lots of Stuff

2008-08-06T23:39:00.000-07:00

A condensed (twitter style) update:

-More Ian photos to check out(along with other misc stuff)
-I saved a bunch of money switching to Gieco (j/k)
-I'm working on 15 new songs and will post a couple when I'm done
-It's flippin' hot here in PDX -- A blistering 96 yesterday and 92 today (great baby weather, BTW)
-So you think you can dance was pretty cool tonight. Joshua will win, mark my words.

That's it, happy...what day is it?

Get Well Soon Easy Reader!

2008-08-05T08:11:00.000-07:00

Most of you know by now that Morgan Freemen was in an accident over the weekend. Here's to a speedy recovery my man. Enjoy this Electric Company clip from the 70's -- simply put, a-w-e-s-o-m-e .

A Brave New World

2008-08-02T11:48:00.000-07:00

Baby Ian made his grand entrance yesterday morning @ 8:59am after 24+ plus hours of labor (phew). Carly is doing great and the little guy is cute as a button. Thanks to everyone for all the well wishes, we appreciate it!

Baby Update

2008-07-27T09:29:00.000-07:00

This is a short news bulletin to let everyone know that the baby is due today, but the little guy is stubborn and isn't ready to enter the world just quite yet. I heard somewhere that there is only a five percent chance that you will have your baby on the due date. Sounds about right since this is not an exact science by any measure. Expect more updates soon because we're on live baby watch, and you've heard it here first.

Flashback Friday

2008-07-18T13:17:00.000-07:00

Lightning Seeds - Pure

Continuing on my power-pop flashback theme, here's a song that fits the bill perfectly. Is it me, or does there seem to be an overabundance of lead singers named Ian? Anyways, enjoy the rest of your Friday!

I'm in a music state of mind...

2008-07-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

Here is a band that I'm loving right now. Their new album drops on the 5th of August, so be sure to check it out. PDX Disclaimer: They will be here on the 24th @ the Towne Lounge -- so don't miss 'em!

The Airborne Toxic Event - Sometime Around Midnight

All Time Top 5 Records

2008-07-16T20:13:00.000-07:00

We watched High Fidelity tonight (which was my -- oh, I don't know, umpteenth time!), and thought what better than to post my top five (ok, I lied, how about 10*!) records of all time. So, here goes:

- The Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream -- Perfection!!
- U2 - The Joshua Tree
- Sigur Ros - Ágætis Byrjun
- Radiohead - OK Computer
- The Cure - Disintegration
- Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
- The Pixies - Surfer Rosa
- The Beatles - The White Album
- The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Methodrone -- crap, "Take it from the man" and/or "Thank God for Mental Illness" could as well be here, too
- PJ Harvey - Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea

**Honorable Mention**

- Jeff Buckley - Grace
- The National - Alligator
- Peter, Bjorn, and John - Writer's Block
- Stereolab - ABC Music: The Radio 1 Sessions -- more of a compilation, but still a favorite
- Superdrag - Regretfully Yours
- Interpol - Turn on the bright lights
- Elliott Smith - XO
- Beck - Sea Change
- Explosions in the Sky - The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place
- Coldplay - Parachutes
- Nirvana - Nevermind
- The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy
- The Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill

That's a wrap, folks. I know there are some that I missed, but that's where you step in. I'm interested to hear what YOUR top records are...

* I couldn't help myself and had wa-a-y to much fun doing this

Missing You

2008-07-13T11:20:00.000-07:00

I am feeling homesick today, and this video sure does not help. Thanks for nothing guys!

california coast from michael baca on Vimeo.

The Countdown Begins

2008-07-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

In about two weeks the little guy is going to make his grand appearance into the world, and the drumbeat is getting louder with each passing day. I don't have any of the usual feelings about how his temperament is going to be -- what is he going to look like, or even if he is going to be a star like his dad...kidding! You see, I have a pretty good handle on things, and am pretty sure that he is going to be a cross between his mother and I. Hilarious, I know!

In all seriousness, I hope that he is healthy, calm, collected, and wicked sma-a-r-t. In the meantime, I will try my best to keep cool and not pass out when it's go time. Hijole!

In other news, I had some tasks for the week that I needed to check off (not in any particular order):

Attempted:

-Car Seat and Base
-Infant Car Seat Adapter w/Bob Revolution Stroller
-Play yard/Co-Sleeper

Completed:

-All of the above

Check, check, check -- the f you check*!

*Place this one for bonus points to be redeemed at a later time

Aged Tires

2008-07-10T18:20:00.000-07:00

I received a forward the other day that was actually quite informative, so I'm passing this along as a PSA. 20/20 ran a bit on aged tires, and you would be surprised to find out that you can buy *New* tires that have actually been sitting on the shelf for 6-10+ years. So, buyer beware and do you homework (and yes, I did go out and check my tires!). I couldn't embed the video, so you will need to follow the link below:

ABC 20/20 - Aged Tires

Multnomah Falls

2008-07-09T14:52:00.001-07:00

Multnomah Falls from El Duderino on Vimeo.

Welcome to amateur hour, folks! I just created this splendid 2 minute video that is going to be a hit, I'm sure of it. I went with Vimeo because the video quality is far superior than youtube. And yes, I aware of the &fmt=18 and 6 commands, but seriously, who wants append that to the end of the address for every video that you want to see in a higher quality?!? Anywho, don't hold your breath on this one, but more photo's and video to come!

Best of '08

2008-07-08T14:46:00.000-07:00

Well, since the year is flying by and we are half way done, I thought I would check in with everyone and find out what your top CD's of the year are? For me, there is one that really stands out, and that is a fine effort by The Raveonettes - Lust, Lust, Lust. If you haven't listened to it yet, then do yourself a favor and pick it up. Every track on there is incredible and you'll find that it's a beautiful, haunting, gem of an LP. Anyone who are fans of The Jesus and Mary Chain or Echo and the Bunnymen will really appreciate this album.

The 4th in the Northwest

2008-07-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was unlike any other 4th of July that I have ever experienced. As a California transplant, and for any of you that have ever lived there, you know that a usual 4th is pretty subdued* as far as fireworks goes. As I start to recount last night's craziness, I should mention that we decided to stay in the comforts of our own home since we didn't feel like going anywhere. We just thought that we would watch the fireworks on the good ol' tele.

Little did we know, the firework show seemed to come to our house, instead. This all kicked off around dusk when we started to hear popping noises outside which only increased as the darkness fell. Just before 10pm, we decided to go outside with our cheap lounge chairs and parked them on the front lawn. From just about every direction that you can think of, there were (legal -- mostly illegal**) fireworks going off in our neighborhood, which in reality was the closest to a war zone*** that I'll ever be. I went from being filled with adrenaline-pumping excitement to "I'm going to die at any moment -- get me out of here -- I'm a frightened rabbit" in a matter of seconds. At least when next year rolls around, I will be better prepared.

When 10pm rolled around, we were able to view an official firework show in Vancouver across the river, which is supposedly the largest display west of the Mississippi. Our neighbors (thanks for the cryptic tip-off!) had their lounge chairs parked in the middle of the street facing north, and we amazingly had an unobstructed view of the show. They brought along a mini-boom box and played some sweet tunes to accompany the fireworks in the distance -- Toto - Africa, Eddie Money - Take me home tonight , Micheal Jackson - Rock with you, and just about any song that they thought fit the "This-song-really-goes-with-the-fireworks" bill****. All in all, it was quite a night.

* With 1,600 wildfires this past month, I wonder why the laws there are so strict?

** In OR, you are only supposed to be in possession of fireworks that can go 6 ft from side-to-side, or 1 ft in the air. This, of course, did not detour anyone from shooting off the countless M80's and Roman Candle's.

***Yeah, my pants were pretty wet at this point.

****I was sober and still enjoyed the, "Hey -- play that one Caddyshack song (Journey - Anyway you want it)."

Flashback Thursday

2008-07-03T14:21:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago, a local radio station played this song as part of their flashback lunch hour. Have any of you heard of this song? It was released in the early 90s and definitely sounds dated, but it's oh-so-good! This is a great flippin' tune and I can't get the chorus out of my head. If you are in need of a great power-pop song to put on your iPod, then look no further.

Material Issue - Valerie Loves Me

A New Appreciation

2008-06-30T18:53:00.000-07:00

Is it possible to have a favorite artist without actually having any of their work in your possession? While you ponder this hard hitting question, I would like to inform you all of a local artist that is having an online sale coming July 10th. Look at her gallery and fall in love!

We went to this art gallery in downtown Astoria a few weeks ago and saw this gem on display, among many others, that turned me on to her artwork. I really wanted to buy it, but due to the steep price, we decided to sleep on it and go back in a week. When we went back the following week we decided that this was the piece for us, but quickly found out that it is in the hands of another lucky owner. The good news is that we just received our stimulus check, so guess what that's going to!?!

Sigur Ros Webcast

2008-06-27T18:00:00.000-07:00

For any of you that are fans of this band, they will have a live webcast with Bjork tomorrow at 12pm pacific. I'm sure it will be fantastic, so don't miss it!!!

Back in Action

2008-06-24T15:17:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday while I was watching some of the Euro2008 games on espn360, I noticed that my computer was starting to make a clicking noise, and subsequently froze. I immediately held up the bottom of the 'puter so I could listen to the hard drive, and it was then that my hopes were starting to fade. I shut it down hoping that this wasn't the case, but upon booting it back up, the OS was MIA. There was just a little blinking folder with a question mark in the middle to remind me that I was screwed. Luckily, most of our files were already backed up, and we are still under warranty with Apple care, so they replaced the hard drive and am back in business. I was only down/out for two business days, which is a pretty good turnaround if you ask me. This should serve as a good reminder for any of you that are in denial of your drive ever going "chachink."

Best. Video. Ever.

2008-06-19T09:23:00.001-07:00

Most of you have already seen this, but for those that haven't, enjoy!!!

Sigur Ros

2008-06-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

Yes -- Sigur Ros just announced their North American tour for the fall, and they are coming to Ptown!!! Tix go on sale 9am EST tomorrow.

Fantasy Nightmare

2008-06-19T09:06:00.000-07:00

Last night I had a dream that we were drafting for our Fantasy Basketball league, only to find that my computer would not boot up in time. I would not join the fray until 5 rounds had already passed, which seemed like eternity in my state of panic. Phew, it must had been the horrible Laker loss that is giving me such bad dreams. The fall can't come soon enough.

Long Beach (WA...that is)

2008-06-18T20:50:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we went to Long Beach, WA with our adopted family. We stayed in a vacation house that was a block from the beach and had a wonderful time strolling the beach-side, telling stories, and just enjoying each others company.

The city was about a 10-15 minute drive north of the Columbia river crossing (which is a 2 mile stretch from bank-to-bank) and is mainly a vacation/tourist trap. It's a small, fun town that reminded me of my old home in Lompoc (i.e. overcast, windy, you get the idea).

On Sat, Bing's brother Beaver came up and we grilled some oysters. That was a yummy-tastic idea that was enjoyed by all. Prior to that, Bing/I faced off with JR/Beaver in a good ol' game of shoes, which we of course came out the victors. With the little guy on the way, this will probably be the last big trip for a while, so until next time...

Game 6 Pre-game

2008-06-17T10:39:00.000-07:00

Since I neglected to write about the previous two games, here are some of my thoughts for tonight...

For the Lakers to win:

-Kobe needs to score 40-50 pts. None of this "I'm going to be the good guy and give DFish the ball at the end of the 4th qtr" business
-Odom and Gasol need to show up big. I know, I know -- this is asking a lot. Anybody that saw the last game knows what I'm talking about
-We need either Farmar or Vujacic to get around 10-15pts. Farmar was big in game 5, so hopefully he can press that reduex button
-This is probably the most important -- play some friggin' D!! I'm tired of seeing Pierce laying the ball up all night

If we can get at least 3/4 of the above, then we are going to game 7. If not, well, at least we have Bynum next year.

Funny of the day

2008-06-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

...and "boom goes the dynamite!"

New Stuff

2008-06-11T09:57:00.000-07:00

Photos and links are posted above -- check it.

Game 3 (NBA Finals)

2008-06-11T09:51:00.000-07:00

We won -- wahoo*!!

* In-depth analysis (I mean, rants) will only come in the event of a crushing loss.

Game 2 (NBA Finals)

2008-06-08T21:01:00.000-07:00

Did anyone happen to watch game 2 tonight in Boston? Let me start off by saying that Boston played a great game. They were the aggressors and ultimately won a surprisingly close game at the end. I am really disgusted at the officiating, though. You never want to blame the outcome of a game on the officials, but the calls were so blatantly one-sided in the first half, that you really had to wonder if any of them had an over/under on the game. I mean, how good can Powe really be, right? The numbers don't lie -- 15-1 in favor of the Celtics just in the first quarter. Are you kidding me? Mr. Stern, if I were you, I would do your job and make sure the guys officiating the game aren't also the players of the game. *Sigh* Hopefully with the series shifting to LA, the calls will bounce the Lakers way in game 3. Don't worry, I won't hold my breath on that one.

Meet Da New Boss

2008-06-06T17:43:00.000-07:00

Congrats Mom!