The Case Against Invasive Species

Posted by C.J.

They're bad this year.

Bad Sneakers? Not Anymore

Posted by C.J.

I have no comfortable places to sit and have little to do because of the aforementioned flooring project, so I spent tonight sitting in my jury box chair, feet up on a kitchen stool, blogging and reading blogs. I came across a Foo Fighters’ blog post in which Dave Grohl mentions that a companion bought a cool pair of plastic shoes in Tokyo. The post made me sit back and consider words I use to describe athletic shoes.

 As a kid, I’d never use the word “sneakers.” I considered it too geeky. I always referred to my shoes as “tennis shoes.” Now, I’ve reconsidered. I believe that ”sneakers” has an element of cool to it–geeky cool, but still cool. Old-school Elvis Costello cool. Tennis shoes? Not so much.

Sneakers are in. Tennis shoes are out.

Home Improvements Make a Mess

Posted by C.J.

This week, we’re having new flooring installed. It sounds simple enough. Choose the flooring. Pay for it. Schedule the installation. Install. Done.

Apparently, it doesn’t work that way.

It took Noriko and me a good three weeks to figure out exactly what kind of floor to put in. Hardwood, laminate, or engineered wood floors. Maple, what I thought would be our natural pick, doesn’t work with our cabinets–too pink. (Who knew that maple has a pink tint!?!) Birch works well, but we had about six different birch floors to choose from. What to do? What to do? We opted for middle-priced, easily-installed engineered wood floor. Done.

On to the installation, right?

Nope. First we had to clear out the main floor of the house. All furniture had to go. Then I had to pull out the old carpet, which wasn’t hard, but it was time consuming. Here’s the process:

1. Cut carpet into strips, roll it up, and take it out. 
2. Pull up cheap, crumbly padding, roll it up, and take it out.
3. Pull every stupid staple that the carpet layers used to hold down the pad.
4. Clean up the debris that our home builders left behind under the carpet: piles (yes, piles) of sand, nails, and razor blades.   

Here’s my handiwork. Thank goodness I didn’t have to pull the vinyl out of the rest of the house. (Note the playground ball; nothing is more fun than playing in a room stripped bare.)

Finally, the house is prepped for the new floors. Installation will be Thursday, Friday, and Monday. We don’t know yet where we’ll go when the installers are here, but we’ll figure it out. It will all be worth it in the end. Right?

The Crown Room and Babies (a meandering post)

Posted by C.J.

As I was sitting in Delta’s Crown Room Club in the San Diego airport waiting for my flight to board, two things struck me.

First, for having such a luxurious sounding name and royal looking logo, the Crown Room Club is kind of a dump. It’s nice in that middle-of-the-road business-class hotel lobby-bar kind of way, but it certainly isn’t worthy of its royal name. The clocks that show times around the world are missing labels and the bar is unattended. It’s a dissapointment in the same way that joining a private club always is; reality never measures up to one’s imagination.

Second, I miss having infants in the house. (I know it seems a stretch from complaining about the Crown Room Club to babies, but bear with me.)

In the Crown Room, I sat across from a couple who had an infant with them. The mother held the sleeping baby in her arms as she read a book; the baby’s head was nestled under his mom’s chin as he slept. I have distinct memories of what it feels and smells like to have a baby lying against my chest with it’s head tucked under my chin. It’s clearly branded in my memory like few other experiences.

It’s not that I want to have another child, but there is an intense feeling of peace that comes only with nuzzling one’s own child. Seeing that mom in the Crown Room holding her baby made me realize that I miss that feeling.

God does it right. He allows new parents to be washed over in intense love for their children before presenting them with the ever increasing challenges of parenthood. It’s a foundation builder and prepares us for parenting–a job that stretches beyond anything we could ever imagine.

I’m in Minneapolis now, sitting in the Northwest Airlines World Club. I’m almost home and I miss my kids.

The Graying of America (or at least my head)

Posted by C.J.

This past Saturday, I was sitting on our front step with my dog. My daughter Julia ran out the front door and into the front yard. As she passed, she said, “I see gray,” referring to the back of my head.

Today as I was leaving for work, Noriko kissed me and then said, “Oh my gosh, you have gray in your eyebrow.” (See exhibit A.)

Exhibit A: The Eyebrow

I’m not sure what to make of all this. Gray is supposed to make a man look distinguished. Does it count if it’s in the eyebrow? If so, I’m golden.

It’s True; I Am Pavlovian

Posted by C.J.

Recently, with feelings of both joy and trepidation, I got a Blackberry for work. For two weeks after setting it up, I found myself pulling it out to check my email every time it vibrated. It didn’t matter if I was at a T-ball or soccer game, having dinner with friends, or brushing my teeth, my Blackberry would buzz and I’d bow to it. It was irresistible.

Yesterday, I figured out how to shut off the notifications for email. It’s the best thing I could have done. The machine is silent and I have peace.

Now, if I could just avoid that little flashing red light.

The Gifts of Governor Dodge

Posted by C.J.

The “guys-only” camping trip to Governor Dodge State Park could not have been better. It was a quick trip–just a day–but it was the perfect length for getting a four-year old interested in camping.

DAY 1

David and I arrived at the park around 12:30, set up camp, ate a quick lunch and then went down to the Lost Canyon Trail to find Stephens’ Falls and the spring house. We spent an hour at the base of the falls, wading in the creek and gabbing. 

When our feet got sore from the sharp little pebbles that line the creek bed, we took a walk further down the trail. I’d never explored that area of the park before. I had missed out. The trail runs at the bottom of a ravine and criss-crosses the creek with simple wooden foot-bridges. In some areas, the creek is split by huge boulders. In others, fallen trees lie across the stream bed, making perfect balance beams for little boys. It was ideal…at least until David slipped off one of the balance beams and took a bath. Back to camp we went.

Campground, hot dogs, and s’mores rounded out the day and aside from a minor burn on the inside of my mouth (note to self: metal marshmallow skewers get hot when they’re placed in the fire), we enjoyed every bit of it.

The only downside to the day was that the raccoons in Governor Dodge were a bit, um, friendly. As soon as the sun went below the horizon, the coons marched into our site. In some cases, they’d walk within six feet of me to get to our food. Ultimately, it wasn’t a big deal; I put our supplies in the car and the raccoons went to pester someone else. A fine day.

Day 2 

After David and I broke camp, N. and the girls came down to the park for a picnic lunch and hike; they even brought our dog, Ana. We ate by the lake and then returned to Stephens’ Falls and the Lost Canyon Trail to complete our explorations. Everyone loved it. The kids and dog waded and then we walked the length of the trail. It was amazing.

Tired kids. Tired dog. Relaxed parents. A perfect trip.

 

 

 

 

I Finally Get It (18 Years Later)

Posted by C.J.

When I was in school, my writing profs discussed “interacting with the page.” I never understood what they were talking about. I assumed it was high-brow, hoity-toity writer crap. So, since I am neither high-brow nor hoity-toity, I let it pass. Now I’m beginning to get it.

Around the same time I started this blog, I pulled out an old journal that a friend had given me as a gift. I’d never been much for journaling. I couldn’t get the right tone and wasn’t sure what to write about. Any time I’ve tried keeping a journal, I’d write in it for a few days, realize that what I wrote didn’t sound like me, and scrap it. Nevertheless, I figured that a paper journal would be a good way for me to scratch out my thoughts for blog posts, so I retrieved it from the junk drawer.

As it turns out, I can’t keep blog thoughts on paper. It feels weird to even write “blog” in a journal. I guess I have two writing zones in my head–one for blogs and one for paper–and they’re incompatible.

The way I think about writing in a blog post is very different from how I think about writing in a journal. When I write for the blog, I think about which links and photos will enhance the post. I keep paragraphs shorter, but am more careful with sentence structure. Journaling, however, allows me to scratch out ideas quickly. I cross out and write over words. I write in margins and draw arrows to connect ideas. And the ideas I write in my journal are distinct from anything I’d put on this blog. It’s puzzling.  

That said, you’d think I’d drop one writing project and focus on the other. I’m not that bright. Besides, I kind of like the sound of a good pen scratching over paper.

Loose Change and Caffeinated Joy

Posted by C.J.

This morning on the way to work, I stopped at PDQ, refilled my travel mug with coffee, and paid with loose change (refills are only $0.96 at PDQ). It gave me a little thrill to be able to pay without using paper money.

Small joy. Good coffee.

Challenges of a Personal Blog

Posted by C.J.

Boy, it’s hard to find the time to blog about one’s personal life. I started this blog to journal life events and dreams, but I’ve quickly found out that the life I’m blogging about doesn’t leave much time for writing.

When I get home from work, we eat dinner, go to the kids’ soccer or T-ball games, come home, put the kids down for bed (a favorite part of my day), and then spend some time as a couple. Then it’s time for bed. Blogging doesn’t seem to fit in.

I tried to get up this morning to write a post, but the Internet was down. Foiled again!

It’s okay. I have posts floating around in my head, which is entertaining in its own right (and makes the work day go by a little faster). I may not get them all onto the blog, but I’ll do my best. It’s a challenge I never foresaw when I started this project.

Lesson learned.