Callum's First Thanksgiving Part 1

Well its been a few days since I've written anything; we've been in CT since Wednesday evening, and I didnt have the ability to load photos for the blog down there. We arrived back late last night (around midnight) and just crashed. I've already purged a couple of times today, and now I only feel "regular" full. A really great time in CT with my family; its always a special time when we can get together, since I dont get to see all my family in one spot very much. In addition to all the great food and family time we had on Thursday, we also had a great visit with Kristin, Anthony, my mom, and my dad--all of whom got plenty of "Callum time." Other hi-lights include brewing a batch of beer with Anthony (I'll put on pictures and info in another blog), trimming the Favry house with Christmas cheer, moving tons of furniture and stuff around to make room for Baby Favry when he arrives in April, and making fun of Ortiz. We also did our other "traditions" of watching Christmas Vacation and Elf. Great stuff.

On Saturday, Nannie came up by herself to visit with Callum, and they had lots of fun reading books about Christmas, eating, and jumparooing. See the hand to the left of Nannie? That's Amanda's. I didnt know SHE liked to read too!

There's a really cute picture of Callum putting a Starbuck's ornament in his mouth, but I opted to put this one on the blog. He was really into the lights of the tree and the reflections of the ornaments. We'll go cut our tree next Saturday, and we know he'll really enjoy it!

Forever at the Kid's Table: Fine with me. From left to right are:Amanda, my cousin Tina, my cousin Kelly, Kelly's boyfriend Mini-Me, my cousin Richie, and his wife Jen. I hope I never leave the kids table. I brought Callum over to the adult's table to visit his aunts, and overheard them talking about things like pocketbooks and stamping parties. All set. MY table was perfectly cool quoting lines from "40 Year Old Virgin," and saying "That's What She Said" after familiar turkey day quips like "wow...what a fantastic stuffing," "I prefer the dark meat," "ooh, I love the gravy all over my stuff," and "more whipped cream please." So yeah.

And Callum REALLY loved cuddling with his Papa. Papa has those nice soft shoulders....

After this weekend, Papa has aptly nicknamed Callum "Jumpin Jack Flash," since all Callum wants to do is jump, jump, jump. Since Callum is already gearing up for Annapolis, and ultimately the SEALS, he is already putting into practice the strategy of sleeping with "one eye open." And its a good thing....Auntie Kristin was about to give him a big wet kiss!

Living up to his name: Callum jumps around on Papa's lap, smiling and laughing all the while! In the background, Amanda, Anthony, and Kris watch the parade. Speaking of which: I could do a whole blog on just the parade! Maybe I will. Where else can you see Miley Cyrus, a lip-synching bunch of Jonas Brothers, a chemically preserved Andy Williams, a smurf, AND Rick Astley "rickrolling" the crap out of the "Home for Imaginary Friends?" Did anyone see that?

The Holiday Season is Here!!! Today I brought down all the Christmas Decorations from the garage attic....its happening!

A Really Really Really Really Really Bad Storm

Last night we had dinner at grandpop's, and all went well, but, upon arriving home last night, we were met with water coming in by the chimney in Callum's room, wet bricks on the dining room level of the chimney, and all around bubbling paint which had been soaked. It sucks. We just spent a ton of money to have the chimney fixed over the summer, and it is doing the same thing. Interestingly enough, we have two chimneys in the house. The first one is the original one, right in the middle of the roof, which has been there since 1954. Never had ANY problem with that one. But the wood stove chimney? Built almost fifty years later, and tons of issues. Go figure.

Here's a nice picture of the thorn between two roses, or the rose between two thorns. You decide. Emma, too, has fallen victim to the evil powers of the Nintendo Wii, and she was playing some Karaoke style game. I performed "See You Again" by Miley Crapus with her, and below she is singing something else by Miley. Obviously Jenny is really entertained by this, as she looks on with great interest!

Speaking of Jenny.....Callum and Jenny REALLY enjoy each others company, and Callum couldnt keep his hands off of petting Jenny, touching her face, etc. Jenny, too, reciprocated, by offering great protection to Callum, and not only stayed pretty close to him the whole time, but also used her 160 pound Newfie body to create a "barrier" between Callum and I when I first got there; apparently, Jenny wanted to make sure I wasnt going to hurt the little guy (obviously, she didnt realize I was his daddy....but soon she did, and all was good). Its very interesting, and even more substantiates why we want a Newfie as well....they are bred to be "babysitters." Jenny was happy to oblige as Callum rode Jenny around the living room....

And finally, here's a nice picture of Callum and his great-grandfather. I think this is my favorite picture of the two of them. We're leaving early this evening to head to CT for the holiday. Callum is going to see his Auntie, Uncle, cousin, Papa, and Nannie! Hopefully he sleeps the whole way down! As soon as Callum gets up from his nap, we are off to get coffee, pick up the rolls at the bakery, and pack the car!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone

Dinner with the Zoo....

We hosted dinner at our house this afternoon for Lynne, George, Ensign Walters, Jon, Mel, and the New Jersey people. Except for Steve, who sat alone at a bar and watched a football game that was on at our house anyway. We got home from church this morning, and the house just smelled SO GOOD--I was making my special pulled pork (similar to the one I made for the tailgate yesterday). I tried something different: I marinated the shoulder butt roast overnight in white vinegar and a little apple cider. Then I "rubbed" the roast with black peeper, brown sugar, and ground mustard. I slow cooked it for 7 hours, and this was all BEFORE I even thought about opening up a jar of BBQ sauce. I think it came out delicious, actually. And people seemed to agree. We also had delicious mashed potatoes made by Sally, 4 feet of clam dip made by Mel, George's special cheese and cracker spread, and some homemade pesto sauce I had made this summer and then frozen (we spread that on a cracker). Judging from everyone's appearance, people enjoyed.... We had eleven people over for dinner today, and we just brought up the card table from the den downstairs, and we set it up. Everyone fit comfortably, which is great, since I always feel like our house is way too small. But maybe this means we can host some bigger Christmas dinners for when the Massachussians and Conneticans come up.

Five year old Emma finally got her turn in holding her second cousin Callum (I had to smuggle her away from the grandparents and great aunts and uncles...haha) She's a natural....

And then a shot of Emma, me, Amanda, and Callum. This is what our family would look like if we had two kids, huh? OH MY STARS!!!!! my mom is saying aloud in her "Kren" as she reads this...

Oh well. Wait a few years. Maybe we'll have a girl.


Callum looks like a too-cool-to-drool jazz trumpeter, resting between sets. His mommy bought him these little "cat" sunglasses in Freeport on Friday, and Callum LOVES wearing them. And Uncle Jonathan loves them too, since the two of them can be twins when he wears his!

Oh....wait....I thought I was at home, visiting with family......NOT at school....dealing with kids and their cell phones.....haha

Except for the fact that there is something actually homemade on the table, this photo could easily be taken at the WHS cafe.

Aunt June and Uncle Bob are obviously very "textually active."

It is starting to get crazy....

The holiday season is upon us for sure! Amanda's family (the New Jerseyans) all arrived today for their annual Thanksgiving trip (they stay through next Saturday), and tonight we met for "dinner" at Craparitas. Most know my sentiments regarding Craparits, so I wont say any more. But it was great to see everyone again, and Callum was SO GOOD even though we put off his normal bedtime by almost three hours. So we'll see the "zoo" for the next few days, and then, on Wednesday, we head down to CT for our annual trip....

Also today, I went to a "rivalry weekend" tailgate party at colleague Jeff Wickman's house. For more on this, including a few pictures, click on "Thurston's Blog" link on this page. It was FREEZING out--the way tailgates should be. All the food was amazing; I tried something new with my pulled pork (thats what HE said), and Thurston's Bourbon-pepper venison steak was truly out of this world. I'm serious: The more I eat venison, the more I start to prefer it to even beef....if only I had the guts to shoot a deer!

Another link on which you should click is "The Favry's Blog." They posted a new "holiday video" starring the Goldsmiths and the Favry's.

I am foregoing a long blog, and instead just letting Thurston and my sister to my work for me...haha.

Finally, we put together the new chair we got from Papa Goldsmith; he told both my sister and I, several years ago, that he wanted us both to have a "good rocking chair" in our house. Kristen opted for the "St Anselm's College" alumni rocking chair, and we made good on his deal by getting a "Boston Rocker" at Fortin's. We put it in Callum's room for now...but I have a feeling it will end up in our bedroom soon! Its great, and Callum seems to love it. Its a great reading chair, and this morning, we read "The Curse of Skull Island," which Callum loved because of its pop-up attributes.

And, of course, he loves sitting with his mommy. He is going through a HUGE mommy phase right now. But I'm not jealous.....

haha

Meandering 42 (and Callum dances)

**At the end of this post, be sure to click on the video of Callum in his Jumparoo!! He just LOVES Bruce Springsteen....

1. Our society really seems to qualify "hell" as a terrible place; its where murderers, rapists, bad little boys, and members of the Bush administration end up for eternity. Isnt it interesting then, when one considers all the ways we use "hell" as a modifier to describe things. "It is as hot as hell in here!" one might say. And well put. Hell is, indeed, a hot place. But, based on the way we all talk in vernacular conversation, hell doesnt always seem that bad. A model can be "sexy as hell," a room can be both "as hot as hell," and "as cold as hell." Which one is it? Furthermore, I know people who are as "funny" as hell, "generous" as hell, and "smart" as hell. Apparently, hell is an interesting place, no? I've even heard people refer to their food as being "spicy" as hell, "salty" as hell, and "sour" as hell. Is hell all these things? And, if so, how does everyone know? Maybe I'd like to go there after all....

2. Touch your teeth. Go ahead. There's no skin, is there? Of course not. Its bone, enamel, plague, and leftover corned beef. But no "skin." So what's the deal with the "I made it by the skin of my teeth" adage? Teachers tell their students that they only passed their class "by the skin of their teeth." I want to slap those teachers. That saying is as stupid as hell....

3. Isn't it funny that we buy tons of stuff that's made in China to assert our American independence, ingenuity, tradition, and character? These days, people like to go to "craft stores" to buy things that "look" inherently "country" and "rustic," since these are traits indicative of "Americana." You've seen these things: country candles, antique looking flower pots, faded signs advertising things like "lemonade" or "apple pie." Look through the latest Christmas Tree Shoppe catalog that just came in your mail, and you'll see what I mean. My good friend Brian's mom would call all this stuff, endearingly, "mundits," which is Italian for...well..."Chatchkas."Junk. And we buy these things to celebrate our American "ruralness." Well guess who is laughing? The 84 pound Chinese twelve year olds who make this crap...

4. Its hunting season in Maine, and once again, I feel left out; I'd love to hunt: get up early, stay at camp, carry a gun, drink beer. Its all the stuff I do anyway. But, alas, I'm a wuss...I couldnt POSSIBLY willingly take a life--even if I was going to eat it. That's why I propose "catch and release" hunting. You're probably laughing (actually, you're probably not reading this because you have a life), but they do it with fishing....why not with hunting? This could be a huge marketing trend! Think about it...instead of guns that shoot bullets, they have special guns that shoot darts, pins, or something else laced with a tranquilizer or sleeping pill. You pursue your game, shoot it, go over and get your picture taken with it, and then stop at the Chinese food buffet on the way home. Meanwhile, the deer has a restful sleep (and definitely is NOT eaten by Coyotes), wakes up refreshed, and goes on its merry way. Everyone wins!

5. Can I just be on record here by sharing just how excited I am that PIRATES are making a comeback? I mean, its all over the news with the Somali's taking over oil tankers, etc. It sucks for the people involved, but the rest of us should be all psyched....they're PIRATES for crying out loud! This is awesome. Pirates are back in style, and I couldnt be happier. I'm gonna go find me a wench! I mean, "pirate" just sounds so much more romantic than "terrorist."

6. As a side note, I wonder if, in two hundred years, some little kids will dress up like terrorists on Halloween. Little kids wearing dirka dirka hats and dirka dirka robes walking around with cute little suicide vests on. Maybe their mom paints a graying beard on the cherub faces....

I hope we can one day live in that world....

7. The "awl" is the ugly-red-headed stepchild of the Swiss Army knife. Who the hell needs an awl? If Swiss Army knife implements were super heroes, the awl would be Aquaman. Do you even know what an awl IS? How many times have you been in a survival situation where you needed a knife blade to carve a stick so you could light a fire so as not to get hypothermia....and then thought about how your leather belt from "The Gap" could sure use another hole....

8. (Amanda gave me the idea for this one!) When you put on your pants, you put your legs in the "legs." So, how come when you put on your shirt you put your arms in a "sleeve" and not an "arm?"

8 years ago tonight.....

Ms. Amanda and I had our first ever date! Its kind of a funny story about how it happened, but I won't bore you with the details (though, based on the comments, it appears no one is reading this anymore anyway). But, basically, I asked Amanda to go see "The Samples," one of our favorite bands, play in Portland. She excitedly said yes....and then, an hour before we were supposed to leave, cancelled on me, since she "forgot" that she was playing in her own concert that evening with the UNH Symphony Orchestra--a TOTALLY exciting 18th century French opera written for King Louis the something-teenth on the completion of his palace Versailles! YEAY!!!! Who would want to go see a rock concert when you could see this:
And it DID look very much like this. But, as you probably could guess, I cancelled my own plans and surprised Amanda at her opera, where she played 1st oboe. After the opera, we really needed some downtime to decompress (what, with all the excitement of the opera and all!), so we went to Breaking New Grounds for hot cider, walked around campus, played some music at the PCAC (The UNH center for the arts), and then went back to my house, where one of my roommates, Brian, a lumberjack on the UNH woodsmen's team, was hosting a bunch of other drunk lumberjacks who were down from New Brunswick for the big woodsmen's show. So we watched them and ate homemade chicken soup. And, as they say, the rest is history.

So tonight I surprised Amanda by getting Cindy to come over to "preside" while Callum slept, and I took Amanda out for dinner. It was great to celebrate our unofficial "anniversary" with just the two of us...not that we dont adore Callum....

Please take a look at this (click to blow it up if you need to):This is the box in which Amanda put her dinner leftovers. Pretty unassuming Styrofoam box, right? What's with the design on the box? Furthermore, why does there NEED to BE a design on this box? Its a simple leftover hamburger holder....there's no need for art here. Just a plain box will do. What a sad, unfortunate waste of time and resources that someone had to decorate this styrofoam box, no? But if you're going to do art, do it all-the-way. Why not a nice engraving of a mountain scene, or a kitty cat, or a restaurant logo, or SOMETHING. The design on this box either looks like a) the DOS version of "Marble Madness," or b) the pattern of one of Bill Cosby's sweaters during that lame show he had for 20 years or something....

What is even more concerning is that this was someone's JOB to do. Picture it: The struggling graphic artist sits at his cubicle, awaiting his "big break." The boss walks up to the nervous recent college grad. "Johnson," he says, "I've got a job for you...gonna need some thinking....gonna need some real good right brain thinking to spruce up the decorations on our take-out container boxes....get me your three best ideas by 5pm."

And, after hours of painstaking work, the artist gets his inspiration, and the result is what you see above.

Q: What do you do??

A: Actually, I design engraved decorations to go on take-out styrofoam containers!

Anyway....

We got home, and Amanda got right to work on making some of her broccoli and leek souffle for an office pot-luck dinner tomorrow. This souffle thing is the BEST thing Amanda makes. Hands down! LOVE IT

While we cleaned up, we listened to a "Prairie Home Companion" podcast.

A great night!!

Rangeley Weekend Part 2

A couple more photographs of the Garner wedding....as I mentioned yesterday, we had some very special WHS faculty cameos. On the left, we have Rach Robbins and her boyfriend Isaac, and, on the right, we have social studies extraordinaire Dr. Trish Blakely and her boyfriend Nick. The Lachapelles came for the ceremony and the cocktail hour, Zach, Nikki, and Jackson Longyear hung out for the whole time, and Trenton Oliphant, along with wife and two boys came to celebrate. It was like a good old faculty meeting....except with an open bar.

One of the upsetting things about the wedding being over is how now I won't see Michelle's family as much...although I'd like to change that, since they're great folks to be around, we have lots in common, and have tons of fun (except I dont think brother Mike enjoys my "thats what she saids" as much as everyone else....). Below is me, along with Michelle's younger brother Pete, who is doing his student teaching at Skowhegan as we speak. Little Pete, Navy Pete, and Beer-Mike are a blast to hang out with, as evidenced by Chris's bachelor party last week.
ON THE CALLUM FRONT:

The dauntless "Ranger Callum" found this giant "TAMS MONSTER" in his hotel room, and quickly alerted his dad of the impending danger it threatened for the entire family. Luckily, Ranger Callum was able to negotiate the monster's harmless retreat, in exchange for four blocks of cheese and a bottle of Sauza Diablo....

Below, Callum poses with the monster....

Little C also caught up on his light reading, checking out the poetry of Sandra Boynton in "The Belly Button Book." He later tried to put the entire book in his mouth....

And I almost forgot.....

Before we left for Rangeley, we put together an early Christmas present from Nannie: A Jumparoo!!! Callum seems to really love bouncing around in his little seat, and he's totally engaged in playing with all his new "rainforest friends" that hover above him and beside him on the Jumparoo. Furthermore, he enjoys dancing while in his little seat, and I'll have to post a video of him getting down to "the Boss."

Rangeley Weekend Part 1

Sorry in advance for the brief blog....very sick and very tired and too much to do.....

I will write more later though....

What a great time in Rangeley for the GARNER wedding of Michelle and Christopher! Even though it poured for most of the time, and one couldnt see a GLIMPSE of the scenery, it was an amazing time with great friends.....

Here's the beautiful bride, getting ready in the "childcare" room of Saddleback ski resort. I was not with the bride or the bridesmaids while they all got naked and put on makeup....this one was taken by Amanda. I was too busy doing my soundcheck upstairs....The "better sides" of the wedding party...haha....

But what was awesome was how much DANCING there was; Jane, Melissa, Amanda, and Michelle love to dig freak nasty without a shovel....and "joined" dances like these were the norm for much of the night. I just noticed Chris trying to take pictures of their "other" sides.

Chris (sitting by best man Bill and his girlfriend Andrea) explains how big his....um....LOVE is for Michelle....he was just getting started, and he moved his fingers MUCH farther apart.

Beautiful bride, beautiful bridesmaid! Just another picture of Amanda dancing without me. I think dancing provides the greatest chasm of our relationship; we have virtually everything in common with the exception that I'd rather have dental work done than dance. Sorry. But she looks awesome, and she always manages to have a fun time anyway!

I managed to sneak her off the dance floor for a few minutes, however, to have our picture taken in front of the beautiful Saddleback lodge fireplace. Michelle, Chris, et. al did a wondrous job decorating the lodge for their reception.

Once again, congratulations you guys! I will be posting some more pictures of Rangeley, the Clark/Garner family, Winslow faculty cameos, as well as the adventures of "Ranger Callum" and the "OIT Monster" he battled deep in the woods of Rangeley....

Mom & Pops

Ahhh....what a week....we had Monday and Tuesday off, but the trade off is that now today (Wednesday) and tomorrow we have to stay at school until almost 8pm for parent teacher conferences. Then, on Friday, Amanda and I are leaving almost RIGHT after school to head over to Rangeley for Michelle and Chris's wedding. I debuted the song to Amanda last night (up til then, only Callum had heard it...he gave it "5 kicks"). She said she loved it...I am really nervous; its a lot of pressure to write someone a wedding song! But a challenge (and an honor) I am flattered to undertake.....

Amanda and I, ultimately, want to live in more of a country setting; we love our house, but we dont really have a yard. I think the thing that attracted both of us to Maine was that whole "country" feel...that ruralism and beauty...and the old fashioned way of conducting business. The latter point is something not at all lost in Maine, in spite of Wal-Marts and Rite-Aids taking over the world one square mile at a time. Lately, I have only become more aware of just how lucky we are to live where we live, and just how great we have it in terms of good old fashioned "Maine hospitality" and customer service. And now that I have made Maine my home for over five years, I "know" where to (and where not to) go for certain services. Where else can you find....

The Stove Barn: Even though burning wood is the latest fad, and even though everyone needs Wade "yesterday" to hook up their fake propane fireplaces, I still am able to go into the shop, talk to Mary, Wade's assistant, explain the problem, and get Wade out early next week. Not only that....but Mary remembered everything about me--even though the last time I was in was over a year ago.

Fortin's Appliances: To heck with the big box stores...Fortin's, in Winslow, is where its at. We bought our washer and dryer over a year ago, yet the salesman still remembered where we lived, that I taught at Winslow High, etc. He even gave Callum a little "Serta Lamb."

Mathieu's Cycle: The local bike shop where they remember your name and dont judge you on your lack of experience in riding a road bike. I have been having problems with my ride, and Dave and Paul have been working tirelessly to figure out the issue...even while I wait

Joseph's Market: The best butcher shop ever. Last week, I went in to buy a pot roast, and I asked Kevin, the owner, for some tips on how to cook it a new way. Despite there being a line of people waiting to place their order, he came around from the counter and showed me some great rubs, seasonings, etc. Its been around for over 80 years, in the same place, run by the same family...and the guys all still wear ties.

Asian Cafe: Just one of the many restaurants we frequent....we can't go in there without Daniel greeting me by my "Mr" surname, bringing out a "Thai Scramble" for an appetizer, and treating us to dessert of fried bananas and ice cream

Agway: The best store ever. Period. If they dont have it, you dont need it. This is a hardware/farm store, and I swear I will never set foot in a Home Depot again. It really is like stepping back in time. I have never been in there for more than 5 minutes without someone asking me if they could help me--its awesome. Furthermore, they people who work there "know" us. One guy (the guy who helped Amanda pick out and mix all the colors for Callum's room) is always asking us how the baby is doing, always saying hi, and always asking us to bring in pictures of the room so he can see how it came out. Another guy there, why just the other day in fact, asked me how my oak tree was doing....the oak tree he helped me pick out over a month ago, yet he still remembered. And they have a great cat who lives there. His name is Aggie.

Cancun: The best Mexican restaurant I've ever been to....we also frequent this place a bunch. And every time we do, Hector, the owner greets Callum, carries his carseat, positions Callum on the back of a chair, and sits down and talks to us. Fantastic. Where can you find service like this?

Sorry if I'm rambling....I just think we're all lucky to have these "small businesses" right in our own neighborhood...it really are these independent stores, restaurants, etc. that make America great--they give our landscapes, towns, and Main Streets color, variety, and excitement. I mean, what would you rather do: try a new Italian restaurant run by a family? Or go to Ruby Crapdays and get a cookie-cutter burger? We should all be supporting these places! There. That is my soapbox.

What do you think? What are your favorite "local mom and pop's?"

Who's a happy boy?

Well...why wouldnt he be a happy boy? He spent the ENTIRE day with JUST his daddy! There is a really great video that goes along with these photos, but I can't post it. Callum was laughing his butt off here, but he had just finished breastfeeding (Amanda had just arrived home from work), and her bra and nursing pads are hanging out all over the place. I was just so excited to capture the laughing on video that I didnt even notice....

We had a great day today--let's see what did we do? We drank good coffee, rehearsed the Garner wedding song, took three naps, went to Josephs butcher shop, cruised over to Agway, read "Snuffles makes a friend," played "jack in the box," and hit up Hillman's bakery. Also, I had my little assistant help me prepare a new recipe, which I debuted for Ms. Sally Piles tonight. It was a beef, beer, and vegetable stew, and it was really good; it is a keeper for sure.

Here's a rough transition: what do you think of extraterrestrial life? I've been contemplating it lately, as Amanda and I are working our way through seasons of the X-Files on Netflix. Knowing our government, there just has to be some type of conspiracy. But conspiracy aside, what about just the simple EXISTENCE of aliens? Scientists are always saying its impossible, since earth is the only planet that has the water, oxygen, and atmosphere to sustain life. However, as I often point out, this is only to sustain life as "we" know it; perhaps other planets and galaxies have life that simply exists in other ways. I remember my college astronomy professor telling us how each star we see in the sky is itself a separate solar system--and there are more stars in the sky than there are perks for AIG execs! Its utterly amazing, and one has to ask: How could there NOT be anyone else out there?

This whole thought process came to fruition today as I listened to a story on NPR about these two scientists (Astrosonogramists, is actually what they called themselves) who decided that the world is in fact "okay" enough that they can abandon any otherwise meaningful work in order to study how music might sound on other planets. Seriously. Their rationale (probably to appease the endowment who forked over the money for the study) is this: Things sound different in space, due to different air molecule displacements, atmospheric conditions, and gravitational occurrences. In order to search for life on other planets, they explained, one needs to be able to understand what things like wind, running water, voices, Miley Cyrus music--things that sound a certain way to "us" on earth--sound like on, let's say, Mars. Obviously, these two guys need to grow up and get real jobs, but a few of the things they found out are pretty neat. For example, if you played a piece of church organ music on Earth, it would sound a certain way. But if you played that same piece on Mars, its pitch would change slightly, due to the atmospheric conditions and the disbursement of sound waves. Furthermore, and perhaps most interesting, Mars has such a high concentration of carbon dioxide in the air (CO2 absorbs sound, I guess) that, if you were more than ten feet away from the organ, you couldnt hear anything. Hey, maybe I can buy a whole bunch of CO2 to use when I am at my mom's or Lynne's over the holidays (wah wah wah!). So, in conclusion, there could be a butt load of aliens walking around on Mars that we just aren't "hearing."

Here's the late-great George Carlin's thoughts on E.T. life. Have a good one....

"I think many years ago an advanced extra terrestrial civilization intervened with us genetically and gave us just enough intelligence to develop dangerous technology but not enough to use it wisely. Then they sat back to watch the fun. Kind of like a human zoo. And you know what? They're getting their money's worth."

Callum makes breakfast....

I'm half way through my extra long weekend. This morning, Amanda and Callum rode in the Volvo and I drove the truck so I could return it to Springpond for all of George's "chores." The plan was to go over, drop the truck off, have breakfast, and then maybe stack some wood or something. But we had no IDEA Callum would be the one helping his Grampy with breakfast today....

First, he selected the frozen hash browns he wanted to panfry. He judged on the criteria of crispness, color, and tastability.....Then he was off to inspect Grampy's sausage gravy, giving it a stir or two before adding a little more water and pepper. If you blow this picture up, you can really get a sense of a)his intense concentration and b)his immense cheeks. After ten minutes or so, he was done with sausage gravy and ready to move on to scrambling eggs.....Alas, he finished! Callum is at the stage where he wants to put everything in his mouth, and when he tried to put the big whisk up to his lips, we got concerned. So, we found a little "Callum whisk." And that suited him just fine! We think he's going to be a great eater; he really enjoys watching us eat, and he LOVES playing with wooden spoons, his spoons, and whatever other utensils he can get his hands on. In addition to putting everything in his mouth, he is starting to transfer some of those hard "kicks" that he does into "push-offs" when he stands on your chest or lap and tries to push off into the air. Nannie can't wait to get him his little "jump-a-roo" for this very purpose, and perhaps mommy and daddy should put together his little bear-walker!

Yesternight was Chris's bachelor party, and it was great, low-key evening of steak, beer, cards, and hazing. The paintball activity got postponed (due to rain and Mike's broken collarbone). But we still headed into Disgusta for Longhorn Steakhouse. After that hazing...I mean dinner...we played poker over Mike's house. I used to play cards ALL THE TIME with my dad; I remember playing on Saturday afternoons around the kitchen table in his house. We played five-card stud, Gin, etc. But, for as much as I love cards, I never actually "gambled" with poker. But I did last night, and Mike, Pete, and Big-Pete were really cool about teaching me the ropes. I now know what it means to "check," "call," "blind". . . . .and "lose."

Tomorrow its just me and my boy. What, oh what, should we do all day???

Politics are over......

So let's get back to what's really important.

I havent written a "regular family update" for a few days, so I thought I would. Tonight, George came up to our house after work to meet Lynne, Amanda, me, and Callum for dinner. We got Asian Cafe--our favorite. I had Daniel Pengthong's boys when they were at Winslow about three years ago. Great kids. Now, every time we go, Daniel gives Amanda and I free stuff. Tonight we got food delivered, and, as usual, he threw in some perks: two "Thai Iced Teas," and the "Thai scramble with chili sauce" that I love so much. Ask Timmy, John, and Jay---they loved it too. While waiting for George, Amanda, Callum, and mommy relaxed on the couch and watched MASH. Actually, Callum looks like he is trying to decide what he wants for dinner off the Asian Cafe menu....

Last weekend, after the Favry's left, we took a ride up to Madison to hit up Reny's...my ABSOLUTE favorite store! For all you Mass people, its like a Benny's or a Building 19 kind of thing--except its all "Maine" stuff. They sell Woolrich clothes, Carhartts, lots of hats and gloves, housewares, etc. And its all pretty cheap. I like their whole "business model," since, for the most part, the stores are all in small-town "downtowns" like Camden, Belfast, Gardiner, Farmington, and Madison. We got a big stock pot to put on top of the wood stove (for humidifying the house). And Amanda bought me a Carhartt hat. Thanks Sally Piles!!!! On the way up, we stopped at the Lachapelle's for a visit. Dave and Jen's son Izaak, who is in a rock band, was rehearsing in the basement....but the lound sounds didnt seem to phase Callum at all; he loves music! For any of you WHS students/alumni reading this blog, Dave is sitting with Callum in the infamous "correcting chair." Just think: your junior year term paper or TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD essays were probably graded in this VERY chair! Anthony and I had a great time on Saturday with Dave, paddling a 7 mile section of the Kennebec from Madison to Norridgewock. It was cold and windy, but it was awesome!

This is our new favorite picture. Callum is wearing the hat Mike and Mira-Su Thurston got him for his "Baek Il" (the Korean celebration of being 100 days old), and he's wearing the sweater (and corduroy shoes) that Sarah and Tim Straz got him. He looks so cute in his little puppy sweater! Love it. I have written him another little "song" to go along with the others I sing to him around bath time--This one is called "Turkey in my ears," and its a celebration of Thanksgiving. This is added to the list of other golden hits like "Let's all sing the Callum song," "Who is gonna get a bath?" and "The Moose is Loose!!" Maybe I'll put them on a CD for him. He loves the hell out of the songs though....I can tell you that! Also, he rolls over from his stomach to his back just about every night--and he wakes himself up. And, finally, I think he had his first "night terror" last night, as he just started spontaneously SCREAMING at about 1:30.
A nice long weekend to look forward to--I have Monday and Tuesday off. I look forward to: paddling with Amanda on the Kennebec, spending the WHOLE DAY with Callum on Monday...just me and him, having a huge burn pile with Eric, drinking coffee in front of the wood stove while mommy and Callum sleep, watching Netflix, sleeping.

Talk to you soon....

Election Meanderings

Hey its election night. So you know what that means!!! Let's all watch TV to hear pundits talk about how they can somehow predict what 200 million people are going to do. Once again, and I mean this: with all due respect to political aficionados, just how exciting IS it watching "election coverage?" My wonderful wife has it on right now; and besides pondering that perhaps Katie Couric IS kind of good looking, there really is nothing else to consider entertaining. The pundits can try and sound as exciting as they want, but, translated into regular English, all they really CAN say all night is "well, people are still voting" and "the votes are still coming in" and "well, I guess we'll know the answers once the votes are tallied." Other than that, they're wasting your time. I like to think of the presidential election as Christmas, and I look forward to getting up tomorrow morning to see what Uncle Sam left under the tree. Watching "election coverage" is like sitting up all night on Christmas Eve---staring at, touching, and shaking all your presents....but not opening them until 8 the next morning

Here's my take on some of the "political terms" we've been hearing for the past year....translated only as my idiotic mind can do.

"Progressive"-someone who pisses off all political parties involved in an election; someone who does whatever they heck they want

"Maverick"-someone who pisses off the people within their OWN political party

"Change"-What you have left in your 401k after the people who are supposed to be taking care of our country have let it go down the toilet due to their own partisan arrogance

"Rockstar Celebrity"-a derogatory term used to describe a candidate that...God forbid...people actually LIKE

"Brainwashed"-a term used by the opposing campaign to describe people who actually believe in their candidate

"Corrupt"-A term used to describe a politician who has more than five years experience in public service, and has actually taken a risk on trying to change something--even if they were unsuccessful

"Inexperienced"-A term used to describe a politician who has more than five years experience in public service, but has yet to be bought by lobbyists.

"Candidate for President"-The person with the most money (antonym: see "Ron Paul")

"Nader"-For Democrats, the political equivalent of a polyp

"Swing State"-A state that doesnt know the true conservative notion of commitment, and thus has promiscuous relationships with all candidates involved. Wicked hot.

"Electoral College"-A big yellow book with the title "Voting for Dummies"

"Campaign Rally"-What a candidate attends just after calling Sting and asking how he deals with playing "Roxanne" every single night

"Inaugural Ball"-Proof positive that you, the voter, arent as important to the candidate as they once told you you were while shaking your hand at a factory, on a battleship, or in a University auditorium. Did you get a ticket?

"Liberal"-Someone who wants to give all your hard earned money to lazy citizens

"Conservative"-Someone who wants to give all your hard earned money to lazy CEOs

"Universal Health Care"-This really weird idea (I dont know WHO thought of it, cuz it sure is crazy!) that every human being is entitled to the same human decency of having the opportunity to see a doctor for medical attention

"Absentee"-A new American fad, akin to knitting, Pokemon, and Sudoku, where the pomp and circumstance of "election day" is given way to lazy, selfish Americans who have too many other important things to do (yoga, NCIS, Pizza Hut) on November 4th....so they "do it early."

Elections, etc.

Well, tomorrow is election day across this great nation, and I have to say I'm really happy about it--for two reasons. First of all, tomorrow will end the eight year tyranny that has been the dictatorship of George W. Bush. Second, the election will be over, and with it the ads, signs, and other hoopla that goes along with it.

Is there such a thing as "Campaign Sign Pollution?" The campaign sign, if you think about it, is itself inherently hilarious and pointless at the same time. There's a section of Waterville (I driver through there on my way home from school) that I call "sign alley." Its a one way street with a grassy shoulder, and its COMPLETELY polluted with campaign signs--signs that completely conflict with each other, since they represent all parties and all contenders. What do these accomplish, really? If there's an Obama sign and then a McSame sign, don't they sort of just "cancel out" each other? The same for the hot senate race in Maine between Susan Collins and Tom Allen: what use is it if both of them are there, inches from each other? How is one to decide for whom to vote based on a sign?

I mean no disrespect to anyone who puts campaign signs on their lawn--I really don't. Its just that I find them completely ineffective. People should vote for who they want. That being said, what is the sign doing on your lawn? Are you trying to sway them? Am I going to change my mind and say "well, there are 10 McSame signs and only 2 Obama signs...I feel peer pressure...I'm gonna vote for McSame." Plus, 95% of the people who drive by your house are doing just that--driving by. They dont know you from Adam....so why would they trust your opinion for Obama for president or Susan Collins for Senate? I guess the obvious answer is that people are showing their personal support for a candidate--and that is great. But I just dont see how signs are helpful in getting any candidate elected. I wear both a Phillies hat and a Green Bay Packers cap....but I dont really think anyone is going to look at my hat and say "hmm...I think I'll start watching the Pack!"

I think I'm going to vote for whomever has the fewest campaign signs on the way to the Fairfield community center tomorrow. That is how I'll decide. The fewer the signs, the less the candidate annoys me. There. You have my vote.....

Just kidding.

As an English teacher, I always look for errors in campaign signs, letters, bulletins, etc. Even Barack Obama, who definitely has my vote tomorrow, has an OFFICIAL campaign slogan which is COMPLETELY wrong grammatically

"Change we can believe in"

If the grammar police were out, they'd arrest him for ending a sentence with a preposition. A big no-no. As Winston Churchill said: "There are some things which up with I will not put!"

I'll be glad when the campaign is over because its just so exhausting--even to HEAR about how much these two guys work makes me tired. They both ran terrific campaigns (well, except for one's interesting choice for VP) and they deserve a rest. Although one better rest up fast, since, in a couple of months, he'll be in charge of a severely disabled country

Get out and vote!!