Sunday, January 25, 2009

Stop Asking Whether It's a Boy or Girl

We get this question all of the time, and seriously, it isn't even born yet. Genuine interest is nice, but no need to rush it. A congratulations that we've gotten this far is nice.
We also don't have a name picked out yet. I'd like to see it first, then I'll know.

Lately, we've been getting asked by multiple people if we've decorated our soon-to-be baby's room. At first, I thought that meant hanging pictures or something. But yes, we've painted (apparently, that's really what people are asking), put down wall-to-wall rugs, and family and friends have been giving us great furniture, bins, baths, and baby stuff.
It seems to be another one of those popular filler questions, much like "how's the weather?", or a conversation lead-in for couples that want to share more about their own kid's room(s). Which can lead to interesting discussion about what colors people use and how the room came about.
Along those lines, Cecil Adams published fascinating research results that he did on the gender color associations that much of the western world has fairly recently hoisted on itself...boy=blue and girl=pink. It's a shocker to know that pink was referred to as a boy's color by Parents magazine as recently as 1939. My, my, how times change.
The Isthmus in Madison, Wisconsin subscribes to his column The Straight Dope, which made me a fan for the past 15 years. It's a gem, and Cecil Adams really is pretty smart.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Outliers

"Blink" lost my interest immediately, and I didn't get all that swept up by "The Tipping Point". Malcolm Gladwell's new "Outliers" is a fantastic and persuasive read about success, what really goes into it and what can be done when opportunity presents itself. 
I especially liked the chapters that study cultural mores and habits as contributors to success within specific contexts. Thanks, Robert and Annie, for my copy. Read the whole thing on one plane trip -- couldn't put it down.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

President Obama Sworn In

It's a countdown keychain to the end of the Bush regime, and it's 0!

What a great morning and great way to start the day. My country's new president, Barack Hussein Obama, was sworn in this morning, and Bush took a helicopter far far away. A group of us watched at Annie and Robert's.


Obama's speech spoke to generations of all americans, Muslims, Christians, Non-Believers, and people of all colors. If you haven't re-read it yet, be sure to.


Sunday, January 18, 2009

Whoa, Bush Wasn't a Cowboy?

Well, yeehaw, what do you know, folks? Bush is selling the Crawford Ranch. You know, the one he bought just before the election in August 1999 (just one darn year prior to the election of 2000). The sale of this temporary shooting location for brush clearing should be a reminder to those of you that voted for him that you fell for the Republican siren song that every Democrat is elite, out of touch, all about government largesse, and embodies evil within government, unlike this great commoner. Yeehaw. Really, it was the incompetent and overprivileged guy that you voted for.
Somehow, this ranch was just another symbol of that down home brush clearing kind of guy that you wanted. You can, however, blame your mistake on something else. Repeat after me, "Fox News is not a legitimate news source", and you might fell better about yourselves.

Also, thanks for coming around this election. Another four years of that drivel and everyone would have moved to Canada. Cheers to major change.

Here's an interesting note, Bush's new neighborhood is called "Preston Hollow". And here is a much clearer picture of what kind of person Bush really is:
''Until 2000, the neighborhood association's covenant said only white people were allowed to live there, though an exception was made for servants. The document, enacted in 1956, reads:
"Said property shall be used and occupied by white persons only except these covenants shall not prevent occupancy by domestic servants of different race or nationality in the employ of a tenant."''
Following his administration's "hands off" attitude towards financial industry regulations and the resulting credit and real estate mess, he must be getting a real deal on it.


Big and Round

Look at that belly! 

















Otherwise known as "bun in the oven", "knocked up", "preggers", "el preggo", this belly is big, round and full of wonder.