Pictures and a few words...

Hey guys. Been really busy. I'm actually writing a worship song for a retreat I'm helping with in January. Computer + Recording Software = Ton o' Fun. Ton o' Fun is not actually the song title but I wonder how I could introduce that song at church AND tie it into a piece of scripture without giggling. My laziness in using o' rather than of would only make the song less useful...even for the most light-hearted Sunday morning service. EVEN for Open Door Fellowship.

Speaking of Open Door Fellowship, I have been helping design the logo and revamp the website for my church. It has been a really big learning process and been a lot of fun.

Okay, lets get to the pictures:

Maybe I should open my own resturant...Yes. That is coconut shrimp with a pineapple and mango chutney. It's from Schwann's. Lovely. But what is the delectable side dish you ask? Funyuns. I'm looking for investors.

Emolyn helped me vacuum and mop the house. The halloween party we had took it's toll on our floor. This was the first time I carried her around in the carrier while doing something like this. I think she found the vacuum terrifying and soothing. She mostly just sat there and told me spots that I had missed.

Trying out a couple "riffs" for Emolyn. When she glazes over, I know I gotta bring a little more. When she falls asleep I know it hasn't been a productive day.















Trying to get well again. This is the battery of pills I have been taking.
Top 2 green pills: Juice Plus Vegetables
Left 3 red pills: Juice Plus Fruit
Right 1 brownish(?) pill: Can't remember
Right 1 purplish (??) pill: Something helpful
Bottom 2 pink: Some allergy-so-I-can-sleep-like-I-am-in-a-coma pill.

Hopefully we can do another video soon. Thanks for visiting.

Ketchup Blog...

Enjoy!

I promise

More is coming. Soon.

Big Day!

Dadman

Sorry to all that have been checking in and seeing that nothing new has been posted.

First, I want to explain more about my situation and taking care of Emolyn. I don't feel like I fully explained the situation in the last post. The plan had always been for Nicole to go back to work but we weren't sure what it was going to look like as far as caring for Emolyn was concerned. Nicole and I decided that she would work only weekends so that I could take care of sweet Emolyn on weekends and Nicole would take care of her during the week while I worked. This all sounded amazing until I realized that I would be responsible for Emolyn's safety, food and entertainment for around 14 hours (Nicole does 12 hour shifts + travel time, etc.)

As you saw in the last post, I figured these times at home with Emolyn would be a great subject for blogging. But, as you can see with the lack of posting, Emolyn has become more desireful (oh, it's a word...) for my entertainment. The first time I took care of her, she was Mrs. Sleepyhead but these last few times have been long periods of awakeness (also a word) and small amounts of sleepocity (word).

Since her amounts of sleeping are few, I have taken those times to do actual things (I realize blogging is a thing, but try explaining that to my beautiful wife...) around the house. Last week I reorganized my office with a smattering of dishes and laundry. Yesterday I put a new door knob on our back door and put up weather stripping on the very same door.

Amongst all this productivity (too strong of a word) I must prepare myself. I have made a diagram of what a productive dad looks like.

1. Baby Monitor- We were given a cordless baby monitor for Emolyn's baby shower. This gives me the same level of communication that the Voskot 1 had when it pierced earth's atmosphere but it also has a visual indicator so if I am vacuuming, I can see that she is crying. Hazah!

2. Bluetooth Headset- I don't get a lot of phone calls, but when I do, it's nice to be able to speak with both hands free. The only problem is that I feel so weird just speaking into the air...the comfort of a bent elbow and an apparatus touching my ear is too familiar.

3. Shure Headphones- These headphones are amazing. These little beauties are connected to my iPod (not pictured) in my pocket. Not only do they convert digital files into audio bliss, they act like a ear plug and a headphone all in one sweet package. I only keep one in since my other ear is all business with it's phone headset. I am able to listen to many a podcast while keeping a keen ear out for Emolyn.

4. Hair- Unlike most people, if I'm home for the day, I still get dressed like I was going out. Me at my most comfortable state is fully clothed (shoes included) and ready for the day. Along with this is my hair. I like hats, but a lot of times I feel like I need to do something for me. A nice hairstyle makes me feel like I've accomplished something...I think I just heard my masculinity calling...

5. Tattoos- I had the tattoos before Emolyn, but I feel like the presence of a little girl in my life means more. A father with tattoos means my daughter being dropped off by her male friends earlier than agree and perhaps more respectful verbiage from said male friends. Examples of verbiage: yes sir, of course sir, guard her with my life, home in a half hour, change your oil why you wait governor. You get the picture.

Hope this gives a better sense of fun it is to take care of my sweet little girl.

First Full Day

[Listening to Sufjan Stevens on Random in iTunes]

Today marked my first full day of being home alone with little Emolyn.

Going into the day I was confident that I could do it, but I guess I just didn't know what it would entail. It is now 4:44p, and we started our day at about 7am. It has been a lot of fun. I don't think it has been a "regular" day for Emolyn because yesterday Emolyn made her "debut" at our friends Kali and Caleb's wedding up in Flagstaff. She did a great job but being paraded around can be tiring so today she has been doing a lot of sleeping. I know she is small, but Nicole can tell you many stories of Emolyn fighting the feeling she has yet to identify as "sleepy."

So far Emolyn and I have watched the first two discs of season 2 of The Office. Good stuff. We have (and by we I mean her) have eaten about four times now. Speaking of eating, I did what I thought I would never do. Emolyn eats out of Playtex bottles since I stopped lactating shortly before Nicole got pregnant. The bottles have these liners that are flexible and they drop in the bottlish holderish tube. Emolyn is screaming because she is hungry so I begin warming up her milk. Emolyn has now switched gears and is in a whole new octave of screaming so I grab the warmed up milk and pour it into the bottle system...but I hadn't put in the liner...I then watch the milk goes through the bottlish holderish tube and down the drain like a Paul Pierce three pointer after getting injured and coming back into the game. Emolyn can't comprehend what goes into getting the milk into her mouth but I think she sensed my mistake and began a whole new scream and levitating out of her bouncy seat. I was waiting for her head to start spinning and vomiting because of my idiotic move. She waited another 3 minutes, ate and then forgot about her anger and fell back to sleep.

Other than that debacle, I have been trying to get things done (blogging is a thing) between Emolyn's naps. She likes to sleep on me more than in her bouncy seat or her Pack 'N Play so my mobility has been stunted. I have taken trash out, put away laundry, unloaded and loaded the dish washer among other things.

On a totally different note. I have yet to see Indiana Jones so I'm not going to comment on what I think about the movie, but I will comment on the slew of edible goods that bares the same name.
Indiana Jones and Dr Pepper: Fine. No change in anything except packaging, which draws me in so much so that Nicole fears for movie releases being so close to me visiting the grocery store. I love Dr Pepper so this purchase was inevitable.
Indiana Jones and Snickers: I found out about the Snickers Adventure bar at the Family Dollar...bad sign. I should have realized that it's presence in a dollar store was telling me the reception it has already had. But, I purchased the candy bar not only because it was $.50, it was LIMITED EDITION. Again, that phrase will set off some alarm in my head that immediately receives a responds of, "This is only out for a limited time. We must buy multiples. Who knows how long it will be around?!" Sad. I know. But, it wasn't bad. Here is it's description on the package: Rich Chocolate. Crunchy Nuts. And a cliffhanger kick of exotic spice and a hint of sweet coconut flavor. I laughed. I cried. I ate the whole thing.
Indiana Jones and Kelloggs: Lame city. I love chocolate cereal and I love marshmallows but this cereal missed from all angles. This was another instance of LIMITED EDITION, but I really thought this one was a sure bet. I should have chosen more wisely.

Here are some pictures of Emolyn telling me she is tired/hungry.

Catching Up

Well...I'm back.

I apologize for the my lack of posting. I was gone for two weeks in Cupertino California training to be a Mac Genius. It was a great experience.

Now that things are back to normal, I can hopefully get back to posting more.

Emolyn's iPod continued

Lost Soul - Bruce Hornsby
One of my favorite musicians. This guy could add music to the ingredients of Lucky Charms and I would buy the album. A wonderful duet with Shawn Colvin. Beautiful song. This version is off of the Hornsby's "greatest hits" album Intersections.

After the Curtain - Beirut
Just found out about this group while at training. Very few lyrics but the instrumentation is outstanding.

Don't Slow Down - Copeland
I love these guys. There is something about a song being powerful with a full band and being as powerful if not more with just two acoustic guitars.

Take Five - The Dave Brubeck Quartet
I had to put some jazz in this mix. The tone of the saxophone just cuts into me. 5/4 at it's best.

Show the Way - David Wilcox
These lyrics are amazing. My church's worship band played this song one Sunday and I was lucky enough to play lap steel on it.

My Lady's House - Iron & Wine
Simplicity always wins

Clay Vessels - Randy Thompson
I struggled with wanting to put all of his radio hits in the mix but I settled on some of his deep cuts. Emolyn loves to fall asleep to Gramie and Pop Pop singing.

I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Death Cab For Cutie
I can't decide if I love their music or their band name more. A beautiful song that again proves that a voice and a guitar can create more than an orchestra. I'm still searching for a singer that annunciates better than Ben Gibbard.

Songbird - Fleetwood Mac
They named their band after the bassist and drummers last names. Come on!

Strangers In A Car - Marc Cohn
Another amazing song off of Cohn's first CD. If I could write chord progressions like this I probably wouldn't be writing this blog. I would have my Blogbot doing it for me. Maybe.

Emolyn is crying and I think it might be Maurices fault.

Emolyn's iPod

As any good father should do, I got Emolyn a pink iPod nano so that she could have the appropriate tunage for her nursery. Over the next couple posts I will discuss the songs I have chosen.

But, let me just say before you begin reading this: I'm not into the whole "Baby Einstein" thing that is supposed to make your kid smarter. I grew up listening to the sweet sounds of a 1978 Datsun B-210 engine and I turned out fine.

Since her playlist is on random, here is the first 10 songs:

Say - John Mayer
This guy had serious songwriting chops. I don't care what people say about him, he's funny (see my link of the week), he's an amazing guitar player and he's one of the few artists that openly admit that he's "Trying to find the middle ground between the phrases “million units” and “artistic integrity.”" This song is just so catchy AND good. Great chorus.

Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, IL - Sufjan Stevens
This guy is an amazing song writer. His songs sound serious, honest, playful and jovial all at the same time. I thought of just filling her iPod with his discography and saying "done."

Drifting - Andy McKee
Check out the video of him playing! Beautiful song.

Overdue - The Get Up Kids
Love these guys. Sweet song. Great usage of the word "penance."

Hide and Seek - Imogen Heap
If you haven't heard this song then I can't even begin to explain it. A Cappella with a vocal harmonizer. Beautiful.

Little Eyes - Yo La Tengo
Such a sweet song. It was hard finding songs that were quiet the whole way through and that didn't build to something really loud at the end. When I got the iPod, I think this was the first song I put on it.

One Safe Place - Marc Cohn
Such a cool song. This is the live version off of his live album (go figure) so it has this feel that the studio can't create.

On Your Porch - The Format
These guys write some great stuff. Quiet and powerful.

Song A - Bruce Hornsby
This song is off of his Intersections Cd. What I love about this song is that it's just piano and that's exactly what I wanted.

Walk On Water - Marc Cohn
His self titled album could have been all that she listened to and I would have been fine with that. More where this one came from.

More to follow.

Early morning study

Since I'm going to be leaving this Sunday to go do Apple Genius training, which is training for in-store computer support and repair (once done with training, my actual title will be Apple Genius), I have a week of at-home study. I have the joy of doing most of it with little Emolyn helping (pooping). You wouldn't believe how long it took to type this...

Thats right, I'm wearing a Regis high school sweat shirt. I love you Wisconsin.

From a new father

Well, I'm back. I didn't really go anywhere, but I didn't come here.

What brings me back to my blog you ask? I really don't know. I think the whole concept behind a blog is to have a venue to just think...to flesh out ideas about anything. It's a strange concept because a journal used to be something that you hid. You wrote what you wanted no one else to know. But, with a blog, you have a journal that is a running conversation with everyone. I like this because these thoughts have to go somewhere and my wife isn't that into my thoughts on issues like: Bands and why they feel they need define their "sound." So, with all that, I'm here to say: I'm back and I'm ready to talk about it.

I don't really know exactly what I'll be writing about, but now that I have a baby girl, I think I'll have a lot more to say.

Can't wait to get started.