Mommy kissing Sata Claus

We went and saw Santa on Saturday and Finn was not at all freaked out by ole St. Nick. He was pretty freaked out the night before when he saw Santa in Clatskanie but momma went up there with him so he was OK. He listened in to Santa and pointed out his Gaga and Papa in the crowd. I bit of a shout out to his posse. My work had a Santa Saturday for the employees and their kids and it was really great. You could create a naughty and nice list for Santa to refer to when talking to the kids and we got to wrap a toy for Santa to pass out. We didn't take advantage of all that but will next year for sure.

Storm Update

My Aunt Jamie works at Centrailia College in Central Washington and commutes from Oregon a couple times a week. Centrailia and neighboring Chehalis were two of the hardest hit towns by the most recent storms. Here are some pictures and a story about what my has had to deal with going back to work:

I'm in Centralia now. Silly me! I thought that Jackson Highway would be open and I could just sail in to work the "back way." Well, I forgot that Kresky floods as well and I would have to travel another 30 miles out of my way with all the other people. Then I had to witness first hand all the people cleaning out their flooded houses which really upsets me. I never should have come in. I was protecting my vacation hours when I could have just called in sick. "Hello this is Jamie, I'm home sick today, sick of this water devastation." Is that excusable? Anyway I'm here and it is much more ugly than depicted on the news. Isn't it always.

Bathroom Etiquette?

I need a ruling on a bathroom situation I ran into the other day. (feel free to click on the image to make it bigger if you need to) A and B are stalls, C and D are urinals with C being full sized and D being for people like Kyle. Here’s the situation: When I came into the bathroom there was someone in stall B but A, C, and D were open. I only needed to go numero uno so it was a choice between C and D. The thing is, the dude in B was taking a wide stance and it felt to me like he was pulling a Larry Craig. I don’t like using D when I can avoid it because I feel like it is too low and leads to sprayage. What is the right move in this case? Do I use the man size urinal roaming feet be damned or do I use the peewee weewee and risk backsplash?

Wet and thankful

Storm Watch 07 is back up and running in the Northwest. I’m sure you have either seen the news reports or experienced first hand that last couple of days but in case you are wondering we are just fine. In Beaverton we didn’t have much of the destructive wind of the coast or the saturating rain with the mud slides ad flooding that goes along with it. My parents town was hit hard and I have some family with flooded basements and muddy driveways and this blog’s top commenter, Aunt Jamie, can’t get back to her school in Centralia because !-5 is closed in Central Washington. It has been a good indoctrination into the Winter weather of this area and while it hasn’t been fun we have managed. We signed up for a covered parking spot and there was one right in front of our door. I parked there once and woke up to a note on my car threatening towing. Turns out the spot was promised to someone else and it hadn’t been marked in the ledger. We were given another spot farther away and when I saw the guys whose spot I had stolen I apologized. He understood the confusion and we chatted for a bit that night and the next day when I returned from an emergency diaper run. Later that evening we got a call from the Leasing office letting us know that we can have the good spot. The guy thought we could use it more then he could, even though he had been waiting for that spot to open up for a while. We will have him and his roommate over for dinner to thank him soon but my appreciation for his sacrifice won’t be satiated anytime soon. I am more thankful then I think is necessary and I don’t want to make him feel uncomfortable every time I see him. But the thing is it rains a lot, and getting Finn in and out of the car, plus any other things that need to get out is tough, and what he did made that much easier. I want to hug him and look into his eyes while holding both shoulder and say thank you as my eyes well up. But that’s creepy and unnecessary.

Though it be not written down

I am well aware of the fact that I am an idiot, I really don’t need daily reminders to help bring the fact home but I still got a big one today. I have been lamenting the lack of Internet access for a month now as I patiently wait for my DSL to get set up. I ordered phone and DSL service on 11/5 and expected it to be setup fairly quickly. The first due date I received had the start time of 11/8 and then I got an updated phone message telling me “Congratulations! Your updated connect date is 11/18.” While I appreciate the up beat can do attitude of the machine giving me this message it is more of a “We’re sorry” type message. Anyway I waited patiently checking the site for an updated note but there wasn’t one. I finally got so frustrated that I called in demanding to know why it takes a month to set up a phone line in an apartment! Turns out I was sent an email needing me to call in and verify my identity since I ordered on line. Once I did that they let me know my phone service would be set up the next day. Awesome! Had I just called in 3 weeks ago we might be having this conversation over the phone, or at least I would be posting this from home, but no, I’m an idiot. I feel like Doberry in Much Ado About Nothing

Dost thou not suspect my place? dost thou not

suspect my years? O that he were here to write me

down an ass! But, masters, remember that I am an

ass; though it be not written down, yet forget not

that I am an ass.

Very, that's how cute he is, very

It seems I am perpetually apologizing for not updating and that reeks a bit of arrogance. I guess I have this picture of people checking each day for new content and going away with a cloud over their day when they find nothing there. That is probably not the case but my apology comes also from a place of wanting to write more and not getting the chance to and so it ends up being an apology for me more then anything else. A blog is at heart a diary of sorts and our diaries are meant to be more personal. Most of the time that I am writing it is more to myself as the audience then anyone else but I am always aware of who may or may not be reading this and there fore tailor and smooth where rough edges might have done just fine. I am rambling and wandering and all I wanted to really say was that I don’t have a computer at home and work seems to be a poor place to update so I have been negligent in writing what I have wanted for that I am sorry. I apologize to any disappointed readers and I apologize to myself for not stoking the flames narcissism that have roared wildly despite my neglect.

Now that I have that out of the way I wanted to talk a bit about how freaking cute my son is. Finn is now 17 months and walking away like a champ. He took longer to get there then his contemporaries but he is going full board now. His vocabulary is increasing from Ball and Car to a wider palate of phrases and sounds to make sense of his world. He calls Kate ‘mama’ and he calls me ‘gaga’. It used to be ‘kaka’ but he found that word was closer to cracker and didn’t want to confuse us. He loves cars and points them out screaming ‘car, car, car’ until we say yes Finn that is indeed a car. You are a very astute young lad finding a car on this freeway at rush hour. He has also created some much more complicated language for trucks. For the trucks he says ‘papa’ and shakes his head no. This comes from the fact that his Papa Bing drives a truck but he is well aware that isn’t indeed papa or his truck. He has heard the word truck, he can say the word truck, but he chooses instead this complicated process of audible and physical action to convey the meaning because he is a complicated, complicated individual.

A couple of nights ago Kate and I were driving around to fill a Birthday/Thank you basket for my mom and Finn was in the back checking out the scene. We had a pop station on the radio and there was a non-descript pop princess song on that was catchy but empty. Finn started singing along in ‘Ba ba ba’s but doing so in such a condescending tone that there was no doubt he was my child. It was like he was making fun of the song while humming along in true Indie-rock snob fashion. His uncle John would have been so proud of him.

It has been tough going back to work and not being with him all day but I have come to really enjoy those final few steps on my walk home when I know that soon I will see Kate and Finn. I know that they will both smile at me and be excited that I am home and that feeling is intoxicating. I am not sure it makes up for missing so much but it definitely softens the blow.

Polling the hive

Where do you go to find out what is happening in a new city that you have moved to? What are the resources to take advantage of to get plugged in quicker? These are the two questions rolling around while I sit in class learning complex piece of software to support. In two days we will move into our new apartment in Beaverton and I have been trying to see what's what with our new neighborhood. I have located the library and will be heading there as soon as I get a piece of mail with our new address. I have also located the bank and closest bookstore and the bus route to the max. Most of the other stuff is going to come from getting out and about and meeting people who give you a few pieces of their tiles to add to your new mosaic but in the mean time where else should I look? What do you think is important to find out right away when you move to a new place?

Sleepy shopper

This past Saturday Kate and I toured small fraction of the many many apartment complexes in the greater Beaverton area. We looked long and hard at a place in the city but could not find a 2 bedroom place in our price range within easy access to the max. It was a tough decision but off to the suburbs we went in search of a place for right now while we looked for the future. Through out the process we were in and out of the car, pulling Finn out of his seat and strapping him back in. Me entertaining him while Kate talked with the property managers, and trying to keep him happy and fed so we could see as many as possible and I have to say we have a great kid. He flirted with all the people that gave us the tours and looked with surprise at large closets or open kitchens. He would point and strain to see around corners and clap when we came into new rooms. He was picking up on our cues as we responded to different places and was mimicking us. It was too cute. After we toured about 8 places Finn hit a wall but instead of throwing a fit he just quietly fell asleep in his car seat as we drove the 2 miles to the next apartment. We decided to call off the search and go get some food, giving Finn some time to sleep. When we got to the Deli I grabbed Finn without him waking up. I carried him around a bit waiting for him to wake up but he never did. At the deli I laid him on the booth seat and he continued to sleep while we ate. I think we found the place we are going to live and through the whole process our boy was fantastic.

Consuming an empty mind

I have a hour and a half commute to and from work each morning that gives me a lot of time to think. I have been able to fill some of that time with a Book on tape and a number of podcasts but yesterday I was left with a dead iPod and no book. Left to my own mind I was think of how to compare stats in an upcoming match-up I had with my friend Adam in our Fantasy Basketball league. (Here is about the place 98% of the reader tune out I know but for the other 3 people I will continue) I wanted to see if I could project the stats that we would get based on the averages from last year plus my own little adjustment. Taking into account lineup changes, injuries, playing time and all that. I was thinking about this and going over it in my head the entire way home and talked at length about it with Kate when I arrived. She nodded and smiled, pretending she cared but I couldn't stop thinking about it. I had a hard time falling asleep and woke up with the scenarios still on my mind. This morning when I came into work I got started plotting out my projections during training classes at work. Since we were covering accounting stuff it looked like I was furiously taking notes and balancing ledgers when in fact I was trying to work on a deprecation curve for Quentin Richardson's stats now the Zach Randolph has joined the fold. After working on it for 4 hours this morning I have what I think is a pretty good projection for this week and a load off of my mind for at least the next 4 days.

Jobs abound

Well I finished my first week of work in over a year. Last Friday morning I got an offer from a software company in Beaverton to start work on Monday. It is a pretty great company with a strong product and the real beauty of the situation is the benefits. That I get them is no big deal but that they start Nov. 1 is huge. Most companies have a 3 to 6 month period before benefits start, at least they do at the pay-grade I operate at, but this one starts much sooner. That allowed us to set up an appointment with a Dr. and get a much needed ultra sound scheduled, in the end we were looked after better then we could have thought to pray for. It seems that is often the way God works in our life. He knows a bit more then we do and just wants a little participation on our end. Anyway I have been commuting for the last week, up at 4:45 AM and out the door at 5:20 AM only to be back home at about 5:30 PM. I have a 7-4 schedule right now that will change once training is finished. I will then have the 8-5 shift that will hopefully be aided by closer living and ample public transportation. We are looking for apartments in an area that is one train and one short bus trip away from work. I am looking forward to that time though I am not burnt out where I am at yet.

Kate is doing well readjusting to being at home with Finn and without me. What seemed like a long vacation is now transforming back into life with all the regular joys and trials. Kate has started a job of her own today in Portland. She is working part time at Anthroplogie for sanity and friendship. She is much too social to have only one person to talk to and the company is one that she has loved from afar and wants to see if it holds up when she peeks behind the veil.

Finn has had some interaction with other kids his age and has been found a solid sharer. He plays well with others and is adorable to more then just his relatives. Him and I went to church while Kate worked this morning and he was the only kid in his Wobbler class. There were 5 volunteers in the class and they went on and on about what a great, beautiful, funny, adorable, emotive kid he was. He smiled at me with a conspiratorial as they all told me how great he was. He is a charmer for sure.

We really need to find some other kids

Lately Finn has been spending a lot of time in the house since the rains have come a bit early to the Northwest. All that inside time has been spent with my parents new Boxer Harper. Harper is a one year old female that my parents adopted after they lost their dog Scout. Two one year olds in the house makes for some fun and frustrating times as Harper and Finn start to take on the characteristics of the other. The most notable characteristic that Finn has taken on is carrying everything around in his mouth. This is the way the dog does it so for him it makes complete sense. He can still crawl around where ever he needs to go with his favorite toy safely tucked away in his teeth. I think we really need to find some other kids soon before Finn starts sniffing rear ends and humping peoples legs when they come over.

The fall air

I'm not going to lie to you yesterday was a tough day for me. I was pouty and overwhelmed by not getting a job yet after being here for over a month. These things take time I know but time has passed, we have experienced time, now I want these things to happen. Well anyway that is how I felt yesterday, today I feel better and OK with the time issue. I guess there are going to be tough days and hopeful days in any situations you face, but feeling responsible for Kate, Finn, and baby to be named later makes tough days really heavy.

Today we are cruisin around Longview checking out garage sales with a sleeping baby in the back. My dad found a free crib on Craigslist that we picked up just before someone else showed up to get it. Nothing like a little competition to get the blood going. It is a great cold and misty fall day with leaves blowing in the wind and scarfs wrapped tightly around necks. For some reason fall has hope in the air, it was fall three years ago when we got married and went to Vermont for our honeymoon. That was a real hopeful time.

Some bad news and some other news

I got an email yesterday from a company that I had three interviews with that told me they were going in another direction. I thought that I had the job and was really disappointed when I found out I didn't. I'm kinda down after that but I kept at the resumes and contacts to find some more opportunities. I am not sure where the job is going to come from but I really wish it would happen soon.

We finally got our car back from the shop after another two broken bolts and cracked pulley. We went in Tuesday to get it and waited around for two hours while the mechanics tried to finish up. The broke the pulley at 8 PM and the 12 year old yelled out a string of swears that would make a sailor blush. They got it figured out and we picked the car up late Wednesday night. Not having a car for the last couple of days and not getting a job I was hopeful about have left me a little less hopeful but today we went into Portland and my son fell asleep in the car with his fist balled up and his little feet crossed and I didn't feel so bad anymore.

Lazy Tuesday

While waiting for our car to be fixed and word from some promising interviews Finn and I had nap is Stumptown.

A Sunday at Sears

The rain is here and with it comes a little misfortune. Yesterday started nice enough with both Kate and sleeping in to unheard of times with a little one in the house. I got up first and got right into a football game, gotta love the West coast and the 10 AM start times, and Kate got up an hour later. We had some breakfast and after Finn woke up from his morning nap we headed out to Longview to get a birthday present for Finn's cousin Ethan.

Longview is where you go to get things like that and when you go to purchase it they ask you if your from Oregon or Washington because in Oregon there isn't a sales tax. Unfortunately our Indiana ID means we are paying the tax. Anyway as we are pulling into the parking lot of Target there is a great whistling noise under our hood then no more whistling and all the idiot lights come on in the dashboard. I looked under the hood and saw that one of the belts was loose, it was really broken but I didn't know that yet. We called my dad to find a place to take in the car at 1 PM on Sunday and Sears was our answer. It was on the other side of the mall we were already at so after getting the birthday present we drove the car over to the shop.

Trevor the 18 year old mechanic on duty took a look and saw that the belt was broken and said it would be an easy enough fix. He went to pick up a new belt from the auto parts store, stopped off a Mcy D's for a late lunch and came back to set about putting the new belt on. We sat in the Sears waiting room, Finn pushing his new car around the floor and telling everyone that came by that he in fact had a "Caaaahhhhhwwwww" in a voice much deeper and louder then you would expect from a arian baby of his size. Kate looked around at the sales and I read a month old NewsWeek magazine keeping an eye on Finn. Trevor, the 17 year old mechanic, came in to say that a bolt head broke off while he was trying to loosen it so he would need to bore the bolt out and it will take a little longer.

Kate was back from her shopping boasting of 90% off sale price finds that might not fit now but will be great after the baby and I asked her if she was hungry. At that Finn looks up from his caaahhhwww and starts pointing at his mouth. For emphasis he removes his plug and adds a grunting noise to the mix. Off we went to the food court for some over priced mall treats thinking that we would get a call any minute telling us the car was done. After an hour long lunch break we went back to Sears to hear that the bolt was out, the belt was on, and there was just some tightening to do.

Trevor, our 16 year old mechanic told us the car was ready and the news came none too soon. Finn was exploring the space with is high pitched scream and both Kate and I were tired of carrying him around. As a side note there should be a stroller in the trunk of the car always, always, always. We loaded up into the car and started it up to a screaching sound as smoke poured out from under the hood. Now my one semester of Auto in high school tells me that the smoke is clearly supposed to stay under the hood and if it comes out something is wrong. We popped the hood and sat and waited as Trevor, our 15 year old mechanic, tinkered away.

After about 30 minutes he told us we needed a new bolt because the one he used to replace the broken one was not holding. He was off to Home Depot to get a new bolt and we finally called Bing to come get Kate and Finn. It has now been 5 hours at the mall and Finn is getting delirious. I sat back down with my old Newsweek and did some more waiting while Trevor worked away. he got the new bolt, tightened everything up but found that the Power Steering belt was loose and would need to be replaced. That's fine I will do that myself on Monday just let me go home. I got back int he car, started it up to the terrible screeching and massive smoke coming out and then shut it down again. When we opened the hood the new belt had shredded and the Alternator had seized. The car was not going anywhere tonight and Trevor, our 14 year old mechanic, was near tears.

We pushed the car into the garage and they shut everything up now two hours after their regular closing time. I called my dad to come and get me as I waited out in the cold wet night shivering with my light sweater. A $20 belt has balloned into $200 alternator and the labor has gone way up. We should have just stayed home and given Ethan my iPod for the money that we will end up paying. The truth is the alternator was the problem from the get go but it just wasn't checked. My dad says a more seasoned mechanic would have looked at that right away and saved us the time of sitting around Sears all Sunday afternoon but Trevor was only 12 so he didn't know enough to check it.

It was a frustrating day but also really funny and great at the same time. Kate and I had a great time with eachother and Finn is fantastic in situations like that. He screeched some times but for not getting a nap, being hungry, not being home, and having to stay close to us all the time he was a champ. Shit happens as Forest Gump has taught us and it doesn't just happen when we're ready. Even with a broken laptop, a broken car, no job, no house of our own, and cold gray rain of the Northwest we are happy and hopeful.