Sacrifice to the Great Pumpkin

Nikolai and I carved a pumpkin tonight. I got two, an orange and a white. He seemed more interested in the orange one, so we chose it for slaughter. He calls them "bibbidy bobbidy boo"'s, from his recent exposure to Cinderella. Anything resembling a pumpkin, a horse, a carriage, Cinderella theme colors, or Cinderella herself is called a "bibbidy bobbidy boo". I'd have to logically conclude from this that his favorite character is the fairy god-mother.

I always forget what a pain carving pumpkins can be until I actually get the "lid" cut out and start trying to free the slimy blobs inside. I don't think I've ever once carved a pumpkin without just giving up on the spoon idea and digging in with my bare hands. Tonight was no different. Nikolai was fascinated with the whole process, and watching every step of the seedectomy intently. I casually mentioned to him that I was removing the "pumpkin guts". For about 10 minutes he followed on with "Pumpkin guts! pumpkin guts. pumpkin guts, mama. pumpkin guts! We gotta get the pumpkin guts outta there! Are those pumpkin guts, mama?" Until I decided to distract him by drawing on the pumpkin with a crayon to outline the carving. This was very disressing (although cutting big chunks out of it was not) to him and he anxiously watched and whimpered as I drew eyes, nose and mouth on this thing. Once I started to cut out the pieces I'd just marked, he joined along happily stabbing the pumpkin in random spots with the tiny carving knife provided in the carving set.

When I finished, the jack-o-lantern looked about like Nikolai had carved it all by himself. I'd say carving pumpkins is not my forte.
I was very sad that I didn't get any photos of the occasion, but I figured a recounting of it here was the next best thing.

Couldn't someone just confiscate the keys??

I think it's time to enforce driving exams past a certain age. This sort of story is inexcusable. Obviously this man was not 100% mentally, and yet he was allowed to grab his keys and get in the car and drive. Go for a joy ride. Who discovered the lower half of this guy's leg?

THREE MILES. This guy went three miles with a dead man hanging half into the car. When he was questioned, he said the guy had fallen out of the sky. Now...if he was aware of this dead guy hangin' out in his windshield, does it concern noone that he didn't consider STOPPING!? I know it concerns me. I don't think I'd differentiate much between someone falling from the sky or being hit by my car. If he's dead and staring at me from the passenger seat, I'm gonna stop.

I don't know about you, but I'm not moving to Florida anytime soon. And if I must visit, I will refuse to walk anywhere.

Gimme gimme gimme

I found my Christmas present. Everyone can chip in...

This will complete my super huge american vehicle

yeah

it's monday.

Wow, this is sad.

Herding cats in costume

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

That's the last time I'm ever going to even attempt to contain and direct two 2 year olds dressed in impractical clothing. Talk about herding cats.

Miraculously, Mother came through with some absolutely amazing photographs. In hindsight we all agreed that it would have been great if we'd also videotaped the photo shoot, so that people could see the actual collective 4 seconds of time which had any photographic potential at all. It'd, at the very least, be a testament to Mother's magic as a photographer, my ability to manage clowns in a circus, and Amber's ability to deal with a 2 year old who insisted on laying on the muddy ground, soaking an unwashable garment which has not yet been used for its intended purpose, while simultaneously holding a 5 month old in a bjorn and not dropping her out the top. I was impressed...so very impressed with all our abilities to pull it off.

After a morning of cranky fussy boogar snots, who were both in their 2 year old moods and not at all cooperative with anything we attempted (simple things like lunch and diaper changes), and costumes which were (in Madisyn's case) a few sizes too big and (in Nikolai's case) fit for Fezzik, and a poorly planned execution of dressing/coordinating/juggling, our endeavor was indeed successful. Our angels appeared as though they had an afternoon of romance, basking in each other's presence. Images of strolling hand in hand, dancing and of course the magical kiss (We're hoping his aim improves before the wedding).

Nikolai's evil twin was there, too, stirring up trouble.

Quantum dots ROCK

Michael Bowers accidentally discovers lighting potential of quantum dots. Wow. This sort of discovery always makes me wonder if being part of the human race has always been like this. I feel like we're on the verge of massive and completely societally changing scientific advancements. But, have we always been? Is human-kind's acceleration gaining exponentially, or am I only biased because it feels like a discovery such as the "telephone" is so simple comparatively.

I'd rather buy quantum dot bulbs.

I'm speechless.

*weeping uncontrollably*

Finally, the cloud is lifting

And my depression seems to be fading away. Whew...it's about time. Everything is beginning to flow again. I got my paycheck and was able to pay 3 or 4 things that had been hanging over my head (one of them for quite a long time). It's Friday, so I can look forward to the weekend.

We're doing a photo shoot tomorrow of Madisyn and Nikolai dressed up as Prince Charming and Cinderella (not respectively, to Nikolai's dismay). I can't wait to see the photos that come out of this...it could be quite an experience, trying to photograph these two. Madalynn will be coming along as a cute little bunny, and we'll get some good shots of that, too. I'm thinking of making scrapbooks for us to keep from this Halloween, since we're going through so much trouble and formality here. We might as well have memoires to cherish.

Honestly, I think we should do a bunch of photos of the two of them, dressed in their proper costumes...and then put Madisyn in the Prince Charming costume and Nikolai in the Cinderella costume and take a few pictures. I don't know if Chris would live through that, though. He's likely to implode.

Tigger's health assessment

Great news! I just got a call from the vet, and Tigger's chest x-ray looks just fine. No heartworms, no heart disease. The vet did comment, however, that it seems "there is a lot of food in his stomach, which indicates he has a tendency to gorge himself". HA. Big shocker there.

Star Wars

The magic is back. BEHOLD.

Would you like fries with that?

Employment at McDonalds is looking better and better.

Everybody needs to take a chill pill

I think people are just taking themselves too seriously (and me too seriously). Here's a general note: I really try not to take myself and what I do too seriously. If I make a mistake, I'm happy to acknowledge it and apologize. I'm mostly a bumbling moron, and I'm aware of it. :-D

I really am trying my *utmost* to do the best job I can possibly do in whatever I'm doing.

Borland's Secret Promotion Program

(Scotts Valley, CA 2:37 pm, 10-17-2005) Borland Software Corporation (NASDAQ NM: BORL) announced today its Secret Promotion Program initiative for existing undercompensated employees.
"Our employees have been complaining of siginificantly low salaries and lack of title promotions for about 5 years now, so we figured we'd do something about it." says a secret source. He continues, stating "There's no reason the employees or their managers need to know that their title has changed. Perhaps when we have more money to offer we'll let them know they were promoted."

World of Pooh

With a hint of Tonka. My sweetie pie winds down for the evening.

How can I sleep...

Knowing earth-shattering discoveries like this and this are being made around the world??

Weepa's

Unfortunately, Whoopa and Wompa weren't here to help.

Everyone in the house (except Matt) is sick today.

Just another day

Well, here it is Saturday night. A little more than a day and I have to be back at work. It's amazing how short weekends become when work is sub-optimal.

Melissa's friend Lindsey spent the night last night. They made a horrific mess in the kitchen making sugar cookies (not one of which, I might add, came out a shade lighter than pitch black). Upon entering the kitchen, post mortem, I realized that every surface had, at the very least, a thin film of flour. I'm not sure how they accomplished it, but they did. I turned around and walked out. Later in the evening I reentered the kitchen, and by some incredible streak of luck they'd actually cleaned it! Well, half of it. And I do mean half. Only the right half was cleaned. I don't think they touched the left side. Maybe they didn't notice...
On the clean half of the kitchen counter, I noticed a video camera that they had used to film the scene. I decided I wanted to see it for myself, and so I swiped it and ran the tape. It turned out to be Melissa doing her best "julia childs" imitation, making her own cooking show. It was actually very neat to see her in that light. The camera really makes her look good. She has grown so much, and doesn't even seem like a child anymore. Unfortunately the battery died on the camera before I had a hcance to be able to see the whole thing (cameo appearances from me and Nikolai, and possibly even Anthony), but perhaps someday soon I'll get a clip of it posted on my web site for general consumption.

This morning they decided the kitchen looked entirely too clean, and that the obvious solution was home made pancakes. I slept through most of it, but I did get to hear brief bits here and there of their conversation that went something like this:
Lindsey: "Man, these pancakes are so GOOD"
Melissa: "They'd better be with all the sugar you put in them!"
Melissa: "Hey Nikolai, want a pancake?"

Ugh.

At Melissa's request, we ended up at the mall again today. The mall will be my downfall, I'm convinced. It's incredible how many things I can find to spend money on there, considering there are roughly all of 10 stores in the Capitola mall. I think I'd find a way to spend money in the middle of the Saharah. All I'll need is a laptop, a bluetooth enabled satellite phone, a bluetooth card for my laptop, a credit card....
I am proud to say, though, that I spent less than $13 (this might actually be a personal record). I certainly found plenty of things I'd LIKE to buy. :->
In my infinite wisdom, I got Nikolai a halloween cookie at the mall. It was very cute, a sugar cookie decorated with orange icing and a spider web on top of the orange. I thought "Nikolai will *love* that. I should get that one for him." I handed it to him, and within 5 minutes he was orange. His hair, his fingers, his nose...his boogars. Everything was orange. Did I have napkins? No. Did I have wipes? Of course not. So, I got to stroll a sticky orange hyper child all the way from the fountain in the mall to the Macy's bathroom (up the elevator), to equip myself with wet paper towels for when he finished his cookie. He was stil gnawing on the thing, and it would not have gone over well if I were to try to take it from him. Given his tendency to launch into long loud and completely irrational 2 year old fits, I did the right thing and left him to devour it, like a lion gnawing on a carcas. I figured "Ah well, when he finishes the cookie I'll wipe him up with the paper towels." Roughly 2 minutes later he passed out. Completely out of it...dropped his cookie in Bombay. I got to cart an orange sticky two year old all over the mall, until the girls were done, and then get him into the car and home. Covered in orange. I think I might be orange, too.

WARNING:

Comment spammers respond to the word BOOB.

It's about TIME

Finally, this has happened.

Maybe I'll reconsider that boob job after all

Isn't technology amazing? And here we thought boobs only had one utilitarian purpose...

Are you qualified to be an astronaut?

Perhaps this will help you determine.

Prince or princess?

This year Nikolai is going to be Prince Charming for Halloween. When I told him so, and that his friend, Madisyn, was going to be dressed as Cinderella, his response was "*I* want to be Cinderella." So much for the $130 on his costume, and time spent on the home made velvet and satin cape...
I suppose that's what I get for not only choosing a two year old's costume for him, but choosing something so typically male.
Here he is last Halloween. He was a vampire in training, and hadn't yet gotten his eye teeth.

It all began in a not so small town

long ago in a land far far away, trouble was brewing.