oh yeaaaaaa

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So! Here I am in LA.

I had this post all written out (in my head) about the Lamy, New Mexico, train station, where we departed, and the Los Angeles train station, where we arrived, and how different they are . . . instead I'll just show you a picture.

Lamy:



Los Angeles:



I have all kinds of thoughts on these. On how Lamy seems frozen in time, somewhere between the 1880s and, maybe, the 1940s. And LA is, well, LA. Nothing more modern, for better or worse. Lamy - no process. Everything individual, personal, inefficient (but friendly!). LA - all process. Total efficiency. Totally impersonal. But speedy! (And with palm trees!)

So, you know. Expand and fill in. Add a little humor. There! We're done with that post.

In the meantime, here's some things we've done:

Took the girls to this place , where they designed their own shirts, decorated them, and we paid a million dollars and went on our way.

We went to the beach:



and my girls actually swam in the water. One seems to be impervious to cold, so splashing in a cold ocean actually seems fun to her. Even when I lived here and went to the beach, I never actually went in the water. Looked like fun, if freezing.

That also meant we had to go here:



We went here and saw both a new movie, plus a live Disney-character show:



And that was just Day One!

(Just kidding of course.)

We've also, most importantly, seen friends, and family.

I feel liked I was asked, before we came here, "what will you do there?" I can't place now who asked me that, or whether it was just something I thought people might ask.

I do know this list doesn't scratch the surface of what we've done, and neither come close to the limitless possibilities that could be done.

Like life, I suppose. I guess this city is like life. Like any city. Gosh, am I up too late, or what?

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Leaving on a jet train

Way back when, in the middle of winter (a word I don't even want to say right now, it's so pleasant), and when it seemed like winter had lasted about three years, I thought, I should check the calendar and see when the next time is that we could leave. For awhile.

And I looked. And looked. And it turns out - it was - SUMMER.

This whole "go to school" thing really puts a crimp in the works.

Not to mention, you know. Jobs.

But I made my plans. And we are leaving. Tomorrow. For AWHILE.

Via the train.

We are going to LA.

Should all go well, I will check in from Lala Land. With a smile on my face, a packed bag (or ten), and the sunny sun on face.

Which is pretty much what I have here, now.

- sigh -

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Some of us, in fact, ARE getting younger

We've spent the few weeks of the summer traveling. Which has been, you know, glorious.

On one of our travelabouts (word?), we met up with a bunch of extended family. Okay, we did that a few times. I have extended family galore.

So this particular group, I hadn't seen in eight years. They were in town, we were in town, that kind of thing. (That actually happened a couple times, so if you're Bob and you're reading this, as you pretend you do, it wasn't that dinner.) (That's to provoke you to comment.)**

Anyway, it was great to see everyone, etc. And everyone seemed about the same . . . except for my one cousin, who seemed distinctly younger.

And I don't mean in some kind of botoxed-enhanced kind of way, that I know of. It's just amazing what attitude can do for you.

This particular cousin, a woman I really like, has always been very Grownup. The kind of Grownup I just don't think I'm going to get to, apparently. For all our adult days so far, she's been a professional violinist, actually playing professionally at places like Carnegie Hall, on a regular basis.

She was also married to an Eastern European Professional Violinist, who was trying (and succeeded) to get on with a world-class orchestra. They were quite Mature.

(Kind of like when I would listen to my mother's cousin tell hilarious stories about his youth and the brave, fun, incredible things he and his boyhood pals would do. For years, as an 8-, 9-, and 10- year old, I would think, I can't wait . . . I can't waituntil I am old enough to have that much fun!

Eventually, I heard those stories when I was 14, or maybe 16, and I realized, huh. How old were those guys when they were sneaking into Elitch Gardens and riding for free all night and running out the back gate with the security guards hot on their tail? . . . And I realized, probably the age I am NOW. (Probably even younger.) Why am I not having that kind of fun? I'd wonder.

Okay, so I realize, these are two opposite examples - looking at people much younger than me and knowing I will never be that mature, and listening to people a fair amount older than I am, and knowing I was never so young.)

Anyway, the end of this story is, the cousin I first mentioned has gotten younger! Ditched the struggling artist life, living in a new city, on her way to a shiny new business degree - she was light and happy and literally a decade younger. I thought that was pretty cool.

Suffice it to say, it was great to see her. Plus she brought me chocolate. She so rocks.

(I have no great wrap-up to this story, other than, you know, ruminations on how some people are older than me but seem younger and others are younger but seem much more grownup (and now we're probably about even? Nope. She's younger again.) Feel free to add a wrap-up if you can think of one. The end.)

**At one of our other cousin-dinners - also very fun and full of amazing people, OF COURSE - my one cousin Bob claimed he reads Crib Ceiling. Um, okay. I'm doubting it, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. But the hilarious thing is, it went down the table. "Oh yeah, I read it too!" "Me too!" "Oh yeah, I read that." I am sure by the end of the table no one even knew what they were ascribing to. The Wall Street Journal? The Onion? You can be my cousin and not read Crib Ceiling. I'd just love you more, but it's not technically required.

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Now that's an idea

Little side note: The blog. It needs evolution, does it not? I mean, not "THE BLOG" as in the media form. THAT is in a perpetual state of evolution. I mean THIS BLOG.

That's the problem. That's been my whole problem lately. And it hadn't occured to me - until of late - that I could attempt the evolution while online . Huh. There's a thought for you! So, you know. More on that later! But that's what's been going on here. Not 'not thinking about' it. Not too focused on kids or unpacking* or school life or, er, summer. Just cogitating on the blog . . . but not OUTLOUD. So maybe I should try that way from now on. Consider this here the first little bit. Comments welcome.


*I have friends here in town who tell me: If you mention how you have to unpack ONE MORE TIME, we are going to stage an intervention. Meaning, bring wine and come and help me. UNPACK! UNPACK! I'm waiting.**

** We're not totally, you know, not unpacked. It's just, our stuff arrived here last fall, most things are unpacked....they're just not as organized as I'd like. And at this point, it's not really the unpacking so much as the life organizing. Like, taking 3 yr old - size fall clothes out and replacing with 3 yr old (or should it be 4 yr old?) summer clothes. Things that don't really count for Unpacking. I guess it's not fair to have your friends do your Life Shit. Crap.

Alright. So maybe the rest of my life has A LITTLE to do with my inability to evolve my blog. A little.

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Kathi Lee Gifford - still bugging the crap out of me

So Heather was on the Today Show today! Which rocks and she totally deserves it. And they had footage from a BlogHer conference. Guess they've been holding onto that for awhile. And Mir and Kristen and the SV Mom's Blog lady was there. All deserved.

HERE IS WHAT BUGS ME!!! Who, I ask you, WHO, used to blab about her kids ON THE AIR, ALL THE TIME?

KATHI LEE GIFFORD, that is who!

To the point that - it was awkward. It was uncomfortable. I STILL do not want to hear one iota more about Cody Cody Cody. Gah.

And WHO is the one saying she is uncomfortable with Heather blogging about her child? KATHI LEE GIFFORD, that is who. Hm, there was something that bothered her about it, she wasn't sure what. MAYBE THAT IT WAS SO FAMILIAR??!!! Gah!

Yes, I am talking in all caps. Yes,I know that means I am yelling. Yes, I THINK IT'S WARRANTED. Hypocrisy. In all its forms. Starting with - it's okay for me to blab all about my kids ON NATIONAL TELEVISION, but, ugh, I don't like YOU writing about YOUR KID online. Ick.

(And, yes, I have been silent on my blog for three months. And, yes, coming to Heather's defense will bring me back anytime. ANYTIME.)

(Also PS - I can't even remember how to imbed links anymore. Or, maybe I could, but I have one kid hungry and another thirsty, so let's just do this:

Heather = dooce.com
Mir = wouldashoulda.com
Kirsten = motherhooduncensored
SV Mom Blog = SV Mom Blog : )

And, I suspect, none of you need that help anyway.)


Oh, and also: today.com and click through the arrows in the top section until you see Heather's pretty face and click on that.

AND IF YOU DON"T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, I CAN'T HELP YOU.


(PPS (as we said in junior high, I don't think "PPS" means anything actually) - if it's not already apparent, on this interview with Heather, Kathi Lee Gifford asked a few questions about Heather, and then started saying how uncomfortable she was with Heather blogging about Leta, her daughter, online. There was, you know, something that bothered her about it, she wasn't sure what. I could have jumped through the computer screen and shook her, that comment made me so annoyed. At her blithe HYPOCRISY. Now you don't even need to go to the Today show website to see it in person. But do, because she's so annoying, and Heather did so great. If we have to have a blog representative, it ought to be Heather, don't you think?)

Fourth Addendum (law school has to kick in somewhere, right?): You would never know, by the way first I complained, and only THEN did I explain what the heck I was talking about, that I've done all kinds of journalism, would you? I think that violates a few rules. (But then, there probably aren't any left anyway, thank you Fox "news".)

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I'm calling it a winter

So! Two kids with the flu.

First it's the ice problem, then it's the flu problem.

What is this, winter?

At the doctor's office: Did you get her the flu shot? (looks at chart) Noooooo.
Did you get HER the flu shot? (looks at chart) Nooooooo. That might be something you should consider next year.

She (nods toward not-yet-sick child) will be getting sick in the next few days.

(Which she did. Right on cue.)

Spousal: Did you let her drink from the same glass?

Me: Hey man. The doctor said it was inevitable, even if I DIDN"T make them share the same juice glass.

Just kidding on that last part.

See you next spring.

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