Really Bad Punning for Good Reason

Anthony Bourdain's show is on. Bourdain is one of our favorite authors. (He started as a chef, but we've never ate at his restaurant, only read his books on food.) No Reservations is his series about visiting various cities all over the world in search of the perfect, authentic meal. He's one of the reasons I'm going to incorporate an entire unit on food in my classroom.

Tonight's show is a repeat; he's in Seattle.

Which is where we'll be in less than a month. And, hopefully before August is over, sitting in Safeco field introducing Jack to the Mariners.

South Seattle CC offered me the job. I took it of course, with no reservations (ha).

Now the moving fun begins. I don't mind.

Future Orientated

Okay, we've spent the better part of the last two years honing our mental skills to live in the moment. This week we are giving that up. There's too much about to happen (or not) in the near future. Harry Potter may or may not die and I may or may not get a job in Seattle. Flew back last night from a good interview. Picked up "HP and the Deathly Hallows" today. Can't do much else except hurry up and read the book to NOT think about whether or not I get the job, and can't do much (needed) work for my online course until I know the outcome of both plots- fantasy and "real."

Though I must admit, three years ago it felt like a fantasy to imagine that Ed & I would land faculty jobs IN the Northwest, let alone Seattle.

Here's hoping for a little magic...

Years from now, when I stumble upon these pictures, they will take me right back to summer 2007 in Boston

That's Jack, with Colleen in the middle and Shannon on the right. They're two of the three girls from upstairs.

3 Years Old

July is like a day at full day at a spa: indulgent and luxurious. We get everything all at once: sun, beaches, 4th of July, Jack's birthday, plus we're right smack in the middle of summer break so the regular school year is far, far away. Seems unfair that July has so much goodness stacked in it, but it's kind of like having the absolute best 5 course meal after a day of not eating: that much sweeter.

Jack turned 3 today. The day started and ended in what I'm beginning to think is typical 3-year old behavior. Jack started by telling us he didn't want to do something because, by the way, he was still 2, not 3. At bedtime, he got off his bed, walked over to me in the doorway and sat down, looking at me like he wasn't budging. BUT, in between all that, it was a great day. We had breakfast at Zaftigs delicatessen in Brookline (which was really all about me since I haven't had any good coffee in four days since breaking my THIRD french press), then three playgrounds in one where even the promise of a new tricyle from Toys R Us couldn't get Jack away. Jack opened up presents throughout the day, the girls from upstairs came down to play (to engage in the age-old battle of sharing new toys), and Ed drove across town for some good pizza. Jack avoided a nap for the seventh day in a row (he got up after 40 minutes, looked at me and plainly declared that he wasn't sleepy; okay-I get it).

We also had cake. Jack requested Ice Cream cake, which Ed & I tried to make last night, but which didn't freeze fast enough, so we woke up this morning to a blob of yellow cake and chocolate chip ice cream that looked a bit like the before pictures form one of TLC's stomach stapling shows. So, Ed went to the store and dropped $30 on an icecream cake that looked normal. See for yourself. While both taste great, I couldn't print out pictures of the blobby one.

I did coax Jack back to bed by bringing in the last present I forgot to have him open. It had Fantasia DVD as well as the book version of his favorite Backyardigan's episode: Race to The Tower of Power. Uncle Steve got him the DVD at Christmas and that is the episode Jack ALWAYS wants to watch. It's your basic superhereos versus supervillans, but the song and dance is this hilarious latin, shake your hips, move your booty genre. I read it to Jack, who was so enthralled, he barely moved (which never happens). He was exhausted, but after I left, I looked back where he had turned on his flashlight to pour over his book.

I love 3.

New Camera & Fireworks

We're on our third digital camera. Third. My mom got us one a few years back that we think Jack dropped; my dad got us one last year that stopped working over Christmas. So, I broke down and instead of spending money we don't have on a massage, I spend that money on a yet another camera. It's nice- a simpler version of the Canon PowerShots we've had, but it does the job (record memories).

The camera came Tuesday, July 3. Which is great because that's the night we went and saw July 4th fireworks. Because Boston has one of the biggest firework shows in the nation where literally 1/2 million people attend (where I can imagine much personal space is violated), surrounding towns have their own separate celebrations on days other than the 4th so as not to compete and give the agoraphobes a chance to enjoy the holiday. So, pretty much all this week you can catch some pyro-tech show in the Boston area. And while I would have liked to see the "BIG" show, I was quite happy to see the one we did. As was Ed. And, Jack enjoyed the show, too, although about half way through (fifteen minutes in), he turned to me and said, "Do the fireworks ever stop?"

The pictures above are from Tuesday and Wednesday. On July 3rd we hung out at Memorial Park in Needham, ate snowcones and waited for fireworks. The first one is from the 4th, which was dedicated to slow-cooked pork butt and resting. And, realizing that somehow the Northeast and Northwest weather patterns got mixed up (Seattle was a sunny, 85 degree day while we hit mid-60s and rain). All in all, a very pleasant holiday.

I hate jet-leg. I'm normally immune to its effects. I flew a red-eye flight back from Seattle and so I spent all day yesterday in a jet-lagged induced fog - two days kind of swirled together into one big mix of semi-consciousness.

The weekend was fun. Got in Thursday night and Steve picked me up from the airport. We had coordinated the pick up time so Steve was able to just drive up and pick me up. Last time Steve picked me up from the airport we had got our wires crossed - Arrivals and departures are on two different levels at Sea-Tac. I got confused - I was "departing" the airport, so I waited at the Departures terminal for Steve to pick me up. Twenty minutes I got a call from Steve, "dude," he said, "you've arrived. You're not departing..."

Sometimes I'm not bright.

Friday - played nine holes of golf with Steve and Elijah. Good times. Elijah is only 11, but made it through 9 holes of golf. Truth is, at 11, I would not have the patience to play nine holes of golf. Picked up the tuxedos for the wedding - Steve and Leslie went with brown and green for wedding colors, which, I admit, I thought was suspect. But really, the colors worked.

Yes, I really did just type, "the colors worked."

Wow....

Rehearsal dinner time - must have been like "Worlds Collide" for Steve. Went off pretty good. I normally hate these kind of functions which require small-talk and polite smiles, but everyone was nice and down to Earth.

Saturday - W-day for Steve. Had breakfast at the Spar - which was good, good. Breakfast came with real hashbrowns - you know, the grated, fried potatoes. We can't find hashbrowns out East to save our lives (what is the idea behind home fries for breakfast anyway?)

Drove out to the wedding site by 1pm. Watching Steve get nervous reminded me of my wedding day 10 years before and how nervous I felt. What are we nervous about really? Everything's pretty much on autopilot by that time. Ah well. Nice ceremony. Leslie and Steve looked great. The reception was fun.

And I didn't screw up my toast (my duty as best-man). But I was nervous - yes, this coming from the guy that teaches and talks in front of people a lot - I was nervous. I wanted to do a good job for my brother. I felt better when the Maid of Honor told me she hadn't prepared anything - not that the toasts are a contest or anything. Still, when you're up there, in front of everyone, you realize there's no way to screw this up as long as what you say is honest. A few people came up to me afterwards and said they liked what I had say - always good for the ego.

I missed Laura and Jack. They would've loved seeing everyone.

Sunday - Went back to the Spar for breakfast (c'mon, they got hashbrowns!) I bought Lisa breakfast as a thank-you for letting me crash at her place. Lisa is a creature of habit and routine, so I know having others crash her place, use her computer, lay around and watch the TV, wasn't easy. She's a trooper.

I got to catch up with my friend Jay during the afternoon. Always good times with Jay. He drove out to Boston with me in 2005 and we had a few laughs at our (mis)adventure that summer road-trip.

Had dinner with the family back at Steve and Leslie's place before Steve took me to the airport. The weekend had been a flash.