Saturday, February 28, 2009

too much choice = paralysis (got 20 minutes?)

Came across this on TED talks. Lots of interesting talks there but this one struck me as exceptionally interesting. I'm the world's worse decision makers when it comes to buying things, and well, everything. I think this dude makes some excellent points. I think I would do a lot better in a country where choices are more limited. And maybe where I had to wear a uniform every day.

the future album cover

big fat faker

On walks in the past, Norman used to lunge at unsuspecting bikers and joggers who would pass us. There was also some alpha-dog attitude that put him in fighting mode when we would come across certain dogs (or people). Walks could get a little stressful. So a while back I began implementing a "positive behavior modification system." In other words, whenever we would come across another dog, I'd feed him a tasty bit of cookie or kibble. Same goes for people passing us by or anything else that would distract him and turn him into Cujo.

You can probably see where this is going.

Now, whenever he sees a dog or person walking, even if it's several blocks away, he looks to me for a tasty treat. Hell, whenever we walk about one block, he looks to me for a tasty treat, pushing my hand with his nose and boring into my soul with his dark brown pathetic eyes.

In the winter time, he often gets pieces of salt stuck between the pads of his feet. He will hold his paw up until I clean it out. In the past, I've given him treats for this because it makes it a lot easier to fix the problem when he shows me where it is rather than me watching him limp a while before figuring out which paw is affected. Hmmm, cookie after hurt paw? Duly noted, he thinks.

Since then, there have been several instances when he has "hurt" his paw on the exact same block in front of the exact same house. And today, I swear to God, he started limping, showed me a paw and then SWITCHED PAWS looking up at me as if to say, "Do I get a cookie for this, woman, or what?"

Too bad there are no Academy Awards for dogs.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

it's no pbs

We've been lucky enough to be able to keep Elian from commercials with PBS. But now that we have our digital TV, we get a lot more channels. One of them is QUBO. It is here where Elian found his new favorite show: Turbo Dogs. I mean, what's not to love about dogs WHO RACE CARS!?!?!?

Elian didn't really know what to think about commercials at first. He seemed mildly amused by all the screaming and flashy colors like he had just been slapped in the face with a chunk of Jell-o. He usually would ask me to fast-forward through them. Until he saw the one where the kids do EXTREME tricks with slippery shoes on carpet. That's when I noticed his jaw begin to drop and the drool start to trickle from his mouth. And that's also when I explained to him that a lot of toys just aren't as cool as they make them look on TV. "Hell, your Papa can spend all day in Photoshop working on a piece of pork to make it look more delicious!"

Since Turbo Dogs is only on once a week and he just discovered it a little over a month ago, we don't have too many episodes in our arsenal. That doesn't really matter though because lately he pretty much just wants to watch the most recent episode until he gets a new one. Today we were watching it together when an ad for Mini Aqua Globes came on. And these ad people would've peed their pants had they heard what came out of my four year-old boy's mouth:

"I wish I had an Aqua Globe."

And I silently thought, "I wish you still liked Word World on PBS!"

Monday, February 23, 2009

quote of the day

I think Elian can tolerate pretty hot food for a little guy. Whenever Ed and I are eating something that I think will be too spicy for Elian, he always wants to try it, glass of milk at the ready. He's grown very interested in cayenne pepper and our family's love of spicy foods. And sometimes it seems like he's trying to prove to us that he's a big boy and can therefore eat spicy foods. I always tell him that it's okay if he just likes it a little spicy -- maybe he'll like it spicier when he gets older. The other day he said this:

"When I get older, maybe I can take a whole big jar of cayenne pepper and dump it in my mouth!"

Saturday, February 21, 2009

quote of the day

"When I get older can I give YOU a bath?"

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Thursday, February 05, 2009

another quote of the day

(We're at the doctor's office for the boy's 4-year well checkup, the doctor's making some notes in the computer.)

ELIAN: Do you have games on your computer?

DOCTOR: No, there aren't any games on here, do you play games? What games do you play?

ELIAN: I don't play. Sometimes I watch Mama play Burnin' Rubber.

MAMA: (Sheepishly) Um, it isn't as bad as it sounds...

quote of the day

(We're walking through the park on the way to pre-school and spot a some underpants and a sweater (nice).)

ELIAN: What's that??

MAMA: Looks like some lost their underwear and a sweater.

ELIAN: Somebody must have a cold bum!

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

this little piggy

Before Christmas, once in a while Elian would pretend that piglet from Winnie-the-Pooh was playing along with him. He'd give his invisible piglet a ride on the back tire of his bike. He'd carefully set him down on the game board when we played Sorry. And when I vacuumed, he'd stick him on top of the vacuum cleaner for a little ride.

One day he came home from preschool and mentioned that someone had brought a stuffed piglet in for show and tell. He said, "I think I'd like a stuffed piglet, Mama." Since his Ugli doll Target seemed to be the only object of his stuffed-animal affections, I was a little skeptical. But I thought, well, he likes Piglet, he talks about Piglet, and he PRETENDS to have a piglet, so what's another stuffed animal that he doesn't even look at.

I ordered the piglet shortly before Christmas. It hadn't arrived before we left town so I arranged a secret "Operation Piglet Placement" with the neighbor. She intercepted the box from our porch, and carefully placed it in Elian's stocking where it would be waiting for him when we got home -- along with the load from Santa. He took one look at the Piglet peeking out of his stocking and didn't seem very impressed.

But ever since then, Piglet has been sleeping in bed with him. And he even makes it downstairs with Target along with about five other stuffed dogs that have made their way into his bed. Somehow the addition of Piglet, along with a stuffed "Friday" from Hotel Dogs he got in a Happy Meal and a "Romeo" from his cousin Chloe, has unlocked the stuffed-animal sensibilities. Now he sleeps with about six dogs, piglet AND Target.

This photo was taken a few days after Christmas. Notice sad Target not getting any love -- let alone any blanket. Poor Target. I imagine he feels just like Woody did when Andy got Buzz Lightyear.

Sunday, February 01, 2009

par-tay


It's fair to say I've really gotten my money's worth with this ball cake pan.










This will be year three of the ball table cloth too.