So on Friday I was obsessed with the Palin pick trying to figure out what it meant for Obama and I jumped from blog to blog reading comments. On the Daily Kos I participated in a short poll asking me what the best part of Palin's speech was and the last choice won with an overwhelming 95% "McCain repeatedly checking out Palin's ass while he fingered his own wedding ring during her speech."
I had to fact check and immediately went over to CNN to re-watch the video and sure enough the teleprompter/copy of the speech is placed at Palin's butt level and McCain seems to be checking it out, over and over and over again. I laughed and made a short video counting how many times he seems to check her out. I posted it on You Tube and sent it to two people and wondered if I should post it here at all, in light of my comments about bringing the debate to a higher level. Yesterday the video had 1,500 views and today it's a 4,000! So much for a higher level of debate huh! Seriously GOP, next time pay attention to this kinda thing.
The Daily Kos picked posted the video and added: "In praising Palin's speech, Fox News (who'da guessed) noted that she did not use a teleprompter. If Governor Palin did not have one to look at, then neither did McCain. So for those who tried to provide an innocent explanation for McCain's downward glances, there was nothing else but Sarah Palin's derrière in his line of sight."
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Aug 31, 2008
Aug 30, 2008
Head Spinning Pick
I've been thinking about Palin since the pick yesterday, so the GOP did a good job of immediately distracting me from Obama's speech. I've been wondering how it'll impact the polls and where the PUMAs are going to land (although I heard the PUMAs website is owned by a registered Republican, so it seems obvious these voters switched parties to vote for a woman and are just going back to where they were before.) I was a little surprised to read this today on the front page of Yahoo.
From The story behind the Palin surprise Jonathan Martin Fri Aug 29, 6:24 PM ET
"...McCain adviser Matt McDonald sought to allay these concerns by citing her experience dealing with international trade issues and even her travel overseas and her eldest son’s Army service.
“But the bottom line is, she doesn’t have a whole lot of experience. She just doesn’t,” said the source on the call, who said he had mixed feelings about the selection.
And, this person noted, beyond her own inexperience, Palin's youth may ultimately pose as much peril as opportunity.
“I wonder if her youth will accentuate [McCain’s] age over time in a bad way,” this source said.
Another Republican, echoing the private thoughts of some strategists in the party, was less restrained, suggesting the Palin pick damaged one of McCain’s most valued attributes and wouldn’t help him beyond the party base.
“It hurts the experience edge, and the hard abortion stuff scares moderate swing voters,” said this GOP insider. “It will appeal to some Bubbas, but that’s not enough.”...
...Another Republican cited a line from “This Is Spinal Tap”: “There is a fine line between clever and stupid.” "
Wow, that's harsh comming from your own party and your own advisors and we're only one day in.
From The story behind the Palin surprise Jonathan Martin Fri Aug 29, 6:24 PM ET
"...McCain adviser Matt McDonald sought to allay these concerns by citing her experience dealing with international trade issues and even her travel overseas and her eldest son’s Army service.
“But the bottom line is, she doesn’t have a whole lot of experience. She just doesn’t,” said the source on the call, who said he had mixed feelings about the selection.
And, this person noted, beyond her own inexperience, Palin's youth may ultimately pose as much peril as opportunity.
“I wonder if her youth will accentuate [McCain’s] age over time in a bad way,” this source said.
Another Republican, echoing the private thoughts of some strategists in the party, was less restrained, suggesting the Palin pick damaged one of McCain’s most valued attributes and wouldn’t help him beyond the party base.
“It hurts the experience edge, and the hard abortion stuff scares moderate swing voters,” said this GOP insider. “It will appeal to some Bubbas, but that’s not enough.”...
...Another Republican cited a line from “This Is Spinal Tap”: “There is a fine line between clever and stupid.” "
Wow, that's harsh comming from your own party and your own advisors and we're only one day in.
Aug 29, 2008
HOPE
Dan and I fixed dinner with a quiet excitement, hurrying about and getting ready for an evening in front of the TV with remote in hand, flipping from CNN to live feed and occasionally back to local channels. Mostly we watched the live feed our cable company provided for free (thank you Dish Network) and for the first time we saw regular people stand up and testify in Democratic solidarity. This is not to say that regular people haven't spoken during other conventions, in fact I'm sure they have but normally while they are speaking the big networks use that time to show commercials. We delighted in watching the live feed, and want to share with you some lines that made us smile:
"I'm a lifelong Republican. I voted for Nixon, Reagan, Bush and Bush. But I literally cannot afford four more years of this." - Pam Cash-Roper
"Einstein said a definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. If we elect John McCain, then, according to Einstein, we surely would be insane." - Monica Early
"I want a government that takes care of Barney Smith not Smith Barney" - Barney Smith
Of course you've heard all about Obama's speech. Most of you either watched it or will see/hear/read clips of it and form your own opinions but when Obama said
"Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism.
The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a red America or a blue America – they have served the United States of America."
It made me really hope we are going to push the debate forward past the stale rhetoric that bogs us down from ever talking about real issues. And while we are moving past the things we may never agree on, I was also glad he said:
"We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country.
The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals.
I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination.
Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers.
This too is part of America's promise — the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort."
I am looking forward to an elevated conversation about policy and economics and I hope McCain and his Grand Old Party rise to the challenge of leaving inherent differences behind. We all know they're red and we're blue and anyone that is deciding on a candidate solely based on these red/blue issues has already chosen a party and is sticking to it. Now is the time to move beyond Politics 101 and debate the issues that aren't obvious party platform. This is the realm in which campaigns are won.
"I'm a lifelong Republican. I voted for Nixon, Reagan, Bush and Bush. But I literally cannot afford four more years of this." - Pam Cash-Roper
"Einstein said a definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. If we elect John McCain, then, according to Einstein, we surely would be insane." - Monica Early
"I want a government that takes care of Barney Smith not Smith Barney" - Barney Smith
Of course you've heard all about Obama's speech. Most of you either watched it or will see/hear/read clips of it and form your own opinions but when Obama said
"Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism.
The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a red America or a blue America – they have served the United States of America."
It made me really hope we are going to push the debate forward past the stale rhetoric that bogs us down from ever talking about real issues. And while we are moving past the things we may never agree on, I was also glad he said:
"We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country.
The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals.
I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination.
Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers.
This too is part of America's promise — the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort."
I am looking forward to an elevated conversation about policy and economics and I hope McCain and his Grand Old Party rise to the challenge of leaving inherent differences behind. We all know they're red and we're blue and anyone that is deciding on a candidate solely based on these red/blue issues has already chosen a party and is sticking to it. Now is the time to move beyond Politics 101 and debate the issues that aren't obvious party platform. This is the realm in which campaigns are won.
Aug 28, 2008
Aug 27, 2008
Mission Accomplished
The books are moved and it turns out that after I took all the nick-nacks and crap off the top 
shelves I was able to fit almost everything into the four cases we brought upstairs. So all together we have nine full cases in the library. There is a little matter of some volumes of the New Republic and the Nation (1936 - 1948) and an encyclopedia set (from 1969) that I still have no place for, but I'll figure that out later, right now I am feeling accomplished and sore.
The best part of the whole project was rediscovering things I forgot we had as well as realising exactly how many books about Africa/dogs/poetry/statistics we own. The next project will be to group them up by subject or something.
So what are the three most delightful finds?
A copy of James Joyce the Dubliners that I pressed all sorts of four leaf clovers in. It's like finding lost money only luckier.
An old sketchbook from right after I met Dan in college in wich I sketched all sorts of places on campus.
And "A Rude Book" by Tell - from 1926 the book is filled with caricatures of british politicians and celebrities and all sort of spiteful limericks and wit like the one below of Sir William Joynson-Hicks who "created a stir when he pledged that the Conservatives would give the vote to all women over the age of twenty-one - a pledge which thus had to be honoured in 1928." So despite his opposition to jazz and smoking (gasp!) Yay for Sir William-Joynson-Hicks.
"A Puritan The RT. Hon. Sir William Joynson-Hicks
Desist, we say, desist,
This is no time for joking:
We've made a little list of habits most provoking.
We've got our watchful peepers
On those who stay out late
Disturbing humble sleepers
And Ministers of State.
We don't believe in croaking,
But drinking is a blot,
And so are jazz and smoking,
The world's a sinful plot.
The Reds are very naughty
Our warning words despite,
With them we'll be most haughty,
We Will paint England white. "
shelves I was able to fit almost everything into the four cases we brought upstairs. So all together we have nine full cases in the library. There is a little matter of some volumes of the New Republic and the Nation (1936 - 1948) and an encyclopedia set (from 1969) that I still have no place for, but I'll figure that out later, right now I am feeling accomplished and sore. The best part of the whole project was rediscovering things I forgot we had as well as realising exactly how many books about Africa/dogs/poetry/statistics we own. The next project will be to group them up by subject or something.
So what are the three most delightful finds?
A copy of James Joyce the Dubliners that I pressed all sorts of four leaf clovers in. It's like finding lost money only luckier.
An old sketchbook from right after I met Dan in college in wich I sketched all sorts of places on campus.
And "A Rude Book" by Tell - from 1926 the book is filled with caricatures of british politicians and celebrities and all sort of spiteful limericks and wit like the one below of Sir William Joynson-Hicks who "created a stir when he pledged that the Conservatives would give the vote to all women over the age of twenty-one - a pledge which thus had to be honoured in 1928." So despite his opposition to jazz and smoking (gasp!) Yay for Sir William-Joynson-Hicks.
"A Puritan The RT. Hon. Sir William Joynson-Hicks
Desist, we say, desist,
This is no time for joking:
We've made a little list of habits most provoking.
We've got our watchful peepers
On those who stay out late
Disturbing humble sleepers
And Ministers of State.
We don't believe in croaking,
But drinking is a blot,
And so are jazz and smoking,
The world's a sinful plot.
The Reds are very naughty
Our warning words despite,
With them we'll be most haughty,
We Will paint England white. "
Aug 26, 2008
The Woman Standing Next to the President
All that talk about family and loyalty and humble beginnings really is a challenge for McCain to tell all us about the McCain family and his dedication to his wife and... what?! McCain did what to his first wife?!
Loved Michelle's speech. I think it provides a powerful contrast about the respect our candidates give the women in their lives.
Loved Michelle's speech. I think it provides a powerful contrast about the respect our candidates give the women in their lives.
Aug 25, 2008
Here's What I'm Gonna Do
Something about the weather has put us all in the mood to turn our house on end. Ella said to Dan "I like when we move the furniture and the house feels fresh." Dan agreed that he'd been thinking of doing some rearranging, he wants to shift the living room area towards my computer. I'd been thinking of it too mostly because I want to be able to watch TV (Project Runway) and chat bout it at the same time. However, the big project will be finally bringing the library up from the basement. We have 5 of 17 book shelves installed in the upstairs library and have been telling ourselves we'd buy new shelves before moving the rest of the books upstairs. (Yes, we eat books around here.)
I say enough is enough the cases won't ever all match and we aren't buying new ones, I can think of 30 things we need to spend money on more, like heat and groceries, and nobody ever notices the shelves once the magnificence of all the books are back in them and let's just move the books already before they rot in the basement. So I will commence to taking things off the shelves and dusting them off and then dragging the shelves up the stairs and screwing them to the floor and wall and then carrying the books back up and re-shelving them (in no particular order) for the next week. There, now I've said it and I've blogged it and I'm committed to doing it and if anyone wants to help, just swing on by this week and I'll put you to work.
I say enough is enough the cases won't ever all match and we aren't buying new ones, I can think of 30 things we need to spend money on more, like heat and groceries, and nobody ever notices the shelves once the magnificence of all the books are back in them and let's just move the books already before they rot in the basement. So I will commence to taking things off the shelves and dusting them off and then dragging the shelves up the stairs and screwing them to the floor and wall and then carrying the books back up and re-shelving them (in no particular order) for the next week. There, now I've said it and I've blogged it and I'm committed to doing it and if anyone wants to help, just swing on by this week and I'll put you to work.
Aug 23, 2008
Aug 22, 2008
My Favorite Women
Tonight, I am getting out with some of the ladies in my life and it won't revolve around hip checks, donations, yard signs or any kind or bylaws. It'll revolve around us. As a rule we are going to try not to talk about kids, polictics or roller derby but I suspect it'll sneak in there. It's hard not to talk about the things you spend most of your time doing, but really my favorite conversations are about hypotheticals and philisophicals and even I too like to discuss mascara sometimes (gasp!) Some of these ladies I haven't seen in months and some weeks, some I have never had a chance to talk to on a personal level so it should be a fun filled night.
***
Also know this: Rachel Maddow is getting her own show on MSNBC September 8th 2008 9pm EST. Why that is awesome.
***
Also know this: Rachel Maddow is getting her own show on MSNBC September 8th 2008 9pm EST. Why that is awesome.
Aug 21, 2008
The Joker Was the Real Hero in this Movie
I went and finally saw The Dark Knight last night. Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker was really scary, Christian Bale's growley batman voice made me want to giggle and the editing was excessive. I would've liked to follow one scene for slightly longer than 30 seconds, all that jumping from scene to scene didn't add suspense it just actually made it harder for my old brain to follow the storyline. Perhaps it's the editor's attempt to make the story more complicated but newer movies tend to do this to me and it's confusing, I don't like it.
I read a blog not that long ago about the feminist movie rule. I haven't been able to let the idea go and have found myself applying it to every movie I see. I knew Dark Knight wasn't going to even be close to meeting the expectations but sometimes you never know. Anyway, to be a feminist movie three basic requirements must be met: 1. It has to have two women in it. 2. They have to talk to each other 3. about something other than men.
So The Dark Knight failed miserably on the feminist rule, had a hero who's voice was kinda cheesy and over the top editing that jumped too quickly from scene to scene BUT Heath Ledger's performance was so amazing it saved the whole movie and made it a highly entertaining must see. I recommend it on the big screen and currently it's in the five buck club!
I read a blog not that long ago about the feminist movie rule. I haven't been able to let the idea go and have found myself applying it to every movie I see. I knew Dark Knight wasn't going to even be close to meeting the expectations but sometimes you never know. Anyway, to be a feminist movie three basic requirements must be met: 1. It has to have two women in it. 2. They have to talk to each other 3. about something other than men.
So The Dark Knight failed miserably on the feminist rule, had a hero who's voice was kinda cheesy and over the top editing that jumped too quickly from scene to scene BUT Heath Ledger's performance was so amazing it saved the whole movie and made it a highly entertaining must see. I recommend it on the big screen and currently it's in the five buck club!
Aug 20, 2008
Smart Cookie?
In June when I said of Cookie magazine
"...I was originally sold on a magazine that was a little more intellectual. I fret my favorite alternative parenting magazine is loosing its substance and turning into Good Housekeeping mashed up with Cosmopolitan. If next month, a mear six months from a presidential election, I get a magazine filled with diets and quick tips for vacuuming I'm cancelling it and ordering Bitch..."
I feel it's my duty to say, I was happy to find a story on page 132 "Elective Memory: Looking for Parenting Principles (and presidential potential) in the McCain and Obama Memoirs" by Nell Casey. Nell outlines both men's family and upbringing citing their books and while I read it and think it leans towards Obama, I'm sure another would read it and think it leans towards McCain, so I think it was balanced. However, I'm still wondering about the merit of the overall article. Do women make decisions about candidates based on the candidate's relationship with their family? Nell even says:
"It is moving to see how the parents of these men still reside within them. And though it may seem grasping to turn these candidates' descriptions of their families in order to know them better, such details are a good bit more telling that stump speeches."
I disagree; a stump speech will inform where a candidate stands on childcare, equal pay, insurance, war, home loans, and school testing. I think these issues are far more important to families than knowing how much a candidate loves his mom. I felt talked down to after reading this article. Does this article suggest women are so sensitive and full of silly ol' feelings that this is truly what can sway us? So thank you Cookie Magazine for giving us some talk of this very important election, kind of. I look forward to reading a meatier article about the candidates and their stance on real parenting issues in the next issue.
What do you think? Do you vote with your brain or your heart or both?
"...I was originally sold on a magazine that was a little more intellectual. I fret my favorite alternative parenting magazine is loosing its substance and turning into Good Housekeeping mashed up with Cosmopolitan. If next month, a mear six months from a presidential election, I get a magazine filled with diets and quick tips for vacuuming I'm cancelling it and ordering Bitch..."
I feel it's my duty to say, I was happy to find a story on page 132 "Elective Memory: Looking for Parenting Principles (and presidential potential) in the McCain and Obama Memoirs" by Nell Casey. Nell outlines both men's family and upbringing citing their books and while I read it and think it leans towards Obama, I'm sure another would read it and think it leans towards McCain, so I think it was balanced. However, I'm still wondering about the merit of the overall article. Do women make decisions about candidates based on the candidate's relationship with their family? Nell even says:
"It is moving to see how the parents of these men still reside within them. And though it may seem grasping to turn these candidates' descriptions of their families in order to know them better, such details are a good bit more telling that stump speeches."
I disagree; a stump speech will inform where a candidate stands on childcare, equal pay, insurance, war, home loans, and school testing. I think these issues are far more important to families than knowing how much a candidate loves his mom. I felt talked down to after reading this article. Does this article suggest women are so sensitive and full of silly ol' feelings that this is truly what can sway us? So thank you Cookie Magazine for giving us some talk of this very important election, kind of. I look forward to reading a meatier article about the candidates and their stance on real parenting issues in the next issue.
What do you think? Do you vote with your brain or your heart or both?
Aug 19, 2008
Gen Con 2008 Part V - Odds and Ends
There were several things that are worth mentioning about last weeks trip that I haven't really written about yet, like the actual games and stuff, so here goes.
We couldn't leave the costume contest this year to go pee without loosing our seat to one of the hundreds of people who were still waiting in line to see the contest even after it started. Shame on you Gen Con organizers for not having enough seating even after so many years - you should know better.
The Sultan's Gaming Table is bringing gaming out of the basement and into the library and I would gladly order one for Dan except if I had that kind of disposable income I'd probably get a car instead ($9,650 delivered and assembled.) It's made from hard rock sugar maple and walnut, their tag line is "you only get two more wishes." I'm putting this in my "If I win the lottery" file, and yes I have one. 
I tried to find a wonderwoman shirt for Ella and couldn't, the giant t-shirt company at the con had plenty of children's superhero shirts in green, red and blue but no Wonderwoman, plenty of pink shirts with princesses and carebears on them, and lastly plenty of teeny babydoll shirts with Wonderwoman and the Justice League but none quite small enough for an actual kid. I'm sooo dissapointed and I fully blame the patriarchy.
There was a SPAM carving contest sponsored by Gut Bustin Games. After seeing the contest entries in the hallway we found their booth in the dealer area strewn with Pabst Blue Ribbon, more SPAM and Moon Pies, as well as their new games Trailer Park Wars and Redneck life. We purchased Trailer Park Wars mostly because Ella like the 100 tiny pink flamingo game peices. The cards include 
photographs of real trailers around the nation including "Barbie's Dream Trailer", "Cowabungalo" & "Tornado Bait". We also picked up Monsterpocolyps, Twisted Fish, Gangs of Megacity One, Penguin Rescue, Monster Menace America and a few others that didn't come in a 
clearly marked box. I can't tell if it's a booster pack for somethng we already own of if it's a whole new game and I also can't tell what was given away free or bought. What I do know is there is a giant pile of games and toys on our dinnig room table. I also wanted to play test Tech Support the card game just to see exactly how frustrating it is, but forgot.
We'll be going back next year.
Aug 17, 2008
Gen Con 2008 Part III (the not so live or remote portion, I'm home now)
On Friday Ella and I took a break from the craziness of the convention to seek out our own craziness and ventured out to the Children's Museum of Indianapolis. I really didn't know what to expect, and was delighted when we drove up to see a dinosaur breaking out of the building. (see pic in last post) We parked in the garage across the street and took the skywalk over (super convenient.) As we walked our excitement mounted and the museum did not disappoint. Once inside we discovered four floors of activity goodness and running space mixed with a healthy dose of primary colors, crazy sounds and we even got to smell a dinosaur (not bad actually, sort of like magnolias.) Turns out to be the largest children's museum in the world, we could've spent all day there.
The dinosaur part of the museum is the bit that the lady at the desk recommended as a must see and it was incredible. We walked into a giant jungle where the sky changed from dawn to dusk in about a half and hour and was filled with skeletons and smells and sounds and interactive screens and surprises around every corner. You could participate in your own dig as well as peep into the palaeontologist's lab, like a hamster cage, it had a glass wall and you could see what there were doing in there making little resin skulls and labeling bone fragments and spreading around cedar chips, there wasn't even a sign that said don't feed or poke the paleontologists so we stopped and talked to him through his little window. Well, actually Ella went running off to do a skeleton puzzle while I talked to him, but he told me about the Dracorex Hogwartsia (literally meaning "Dragon King of 
Hogwarts".) This dino found in South Dakota looks remarkably like a dragon and even made the cover of National Geographic. 
Here Ella tries to hatch some dinosaurs with her butt.
Over the next three hours we moved through more floors with ease running up and down the spiraling ramp that surrounds the massive glass Chihuly sculpture (the largest permanent installation in the world).
At one point in our exploration when we ventured into "The Power of Children: Making a difference" exhibit. I knew it was for kids a little older when we walked in, but I figured I'd be ok if I perused a bit with Ella in tow. It was good for her to be exposed to a little activism early, but then the next thing I know there was a lady beckoning as the last seating for the play at the secret annex was "right now!" and if we wanted to see the show we should go there immediately and Ella was pulling me by the hand into a room and then she was asking questions about the door in the wall and all the things in the room and next a dozen of us all sat down on little squares of wood facing a small stage with a single wooden desk.
It all happend very fast and then the lights dimmed and a very distinguished, thin man with far away eyes stepped onto the stage and introduced himself as Otto Frank. For the next seven minutes he told us about his daughter Anne and her diary, what had become of them in the annex and after the soldiers took them away and I with my young
daughter fidgeting quietly in my lap completely lost any shred of composure I thought I might keep. After the actor stepped out of character and asked for any questions, we ducked out and I found a box of tissue just outside the door and grabbed a handful while I dabbed the mascara from under my eyes and tried to stare at the floor walking fast past the Ruby Bridges and Ryan White exhibits. I couldn't bare to even glance at them and stepping back into the jubilee of children running all over was such a shocking contrast I still had trouble grabbing hold of myself. I was thinking next year I'll visit the Ruby Bridges exhibit that I could hear when we walked past; recorded children's voices yelling insults from the front of the construct school house "We don't want you here! Go back where you came from!", and the year after the Ryan White exhibit. Finally, I was jolted from my own thoughts when until Ella yelled "Wonderwoman!" and took off running.
By two o'clock I was exhausted and Dan was calling for us to drive back downtown and pick him up. I bribed Ella out of the fourth floor and to the car with promises of swimming at the hotel after picking Dan up which we did until we were wrung out and napped in the room. You'd think the fun would end here and we'd commence with something boring but oh-no this family is serious about fun. After our rest we dressed for dinner and made our way back downtown to a great Japanese place where we gorged on sushi, exotic veggies and assorted meats. Dan found if you want a good rare lamb chops you must find a chef that has the courage to serve raw meat (or fish).
Not done having fun yet we decided on a leisurely stroll to the giant fountain we glimpsed earlier in the day. We found the "giant fountain" to be the Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Monument Circle. The impressive scuplture/fountain is surrounded with trees and blossoming flowers at the bottom and stairs climb up to a higher deck where we found a door to a little office that was closed where you could pay a dollar to ride the elevator to the observation deck during the day or climb the stairs to the top for free. 
As the piece de resistance we took a dusk carriage ride with a driver that looked alot like Jude Law through the vibrant streets and past the canals before heading back to the
monument where the city was lit up and women in sparkly cocktail attire met men in smart summer suits for drinks at the sidewalk cafes. We strolled back past restaurants and pubs with bustling lines outside and steam pouring up through the manholes and hotels with door men hailing cabs for more sparkly people and too soon we found our car and drove our sleeping kid back to the hotel in preparation for Saturday... the biggest g
eekfest day of them all. Stay tuned for Gen Con 2008 the Day of the Costume Contest! 
The dinosaur part of the museum is the bit that the lady at the desk recommended as a must see and it was incredible. We walked into a giant jungle where the sky changed from dawn to dusk in about a half and hour and was filled with skeletons and smells and sounds and interactive screens and surprises around every corner. You could participate in your own dig as well as peep into the palaeontologist's lab, like a hamster cage, it had a glass wall and you could see what there were doing in there making little resin skulls and labeling bone fragments and spreading around cedar chips, there wasn't even a sign that said don't feed or poke the paleontologists so we stopped and talked to him through his little window. Well, actually Ella went running off to do a skeleton puzzle while I talked to him, but he told me about the Dracorex Hogwartsia (literally meaning "Dragon King of 
Hogwarts".) This dino found in South Dakota looks remarkably like a dragon and even made the cover of National Geographic. 
Here Ella tries to hatch some dinosaurs with her butt.
We played on through salt water aquariums, model trains and a full scale engine car, and the underside of a colored glass sculpture before I realised we'd been there an hour and hadn't left the first floor yet. 
Over the next three hours we moved through more floors with ease running up and down the spiraling ramp that surrounds the massive glass Chihuly sculpture (the largest permanent installation in the world).
At one point in our exploration when we ventured into "The Power of Children: Making a difference" exhibit. I knew it was for kids a little older when we walked in, but I figured I'd be ok if I perused a bit with Ella in tow. It was good for her to be exposed to a little activism early, but then the next thing I know there was a lady beckoning as the last seating for the play at the secret annex was "right now!" and if we wanted to see the show we should go there immediately and Ella was pulling me by the hand into a room and then she was asking questions about the door in the wall and all the things in the room and next a dozen of us all sat down on little squares of wood facing a small stage with a single wooden desk.
It all happend very fast and then the lights dimmed and a very distinguished, thin man with far away eyes stepped onto the stage and introduced himself as Otto Frank. For the next seven minutes he told us about his daughter Anne and her diary, what had become of them in the annex and after the soldiers took them away and I with my young
daughter fidgeting quietly in my lap completely lost any shred of composure I thought I might keep. After the actor stepped out of character and asked for any questions, we ducked out and I found a box of tissue just outside the door and grabbed a handful while I dabbed the mascara from under my eyes and tried to stare at the floor walking fast past the Ruby Bridges and Ryan White exhibits. I couldn't bare to even glance at them and stepping back into the jubilee of children running all over was such a shocking contrast I still had trouble grabbing hold of myself. I was thinking next year I'll visit the Ruby Bridges exhibit that I could hear when we walked past; recorded children's voices yelling insults from the front of the construct school house "We don't want you here! Go back where you came from!", and the year after the Ryan White exhibit. Finally, I was jolted from my own thoughts when until Ella yelled "Wonderwoman!" and took off running. Oh yes, there was a whole superhero section including the Batmobile from the latest movies and super hero dress up and then there were race cars and doll houses and polar bears and water clocks. I 
practically had to carry Ella to the food court to make her eat before we ventured onto the (insert dramatic music here) FOURTH FLOOR! The food court was an awesome kid/family friendly cafeteria where Ella ordered macaroni and cheese, smiley shaped french fries and chocolate milk and I had a very fancy chicken salad (with apples and celery in it) and a pasta salad totaling like $12.00. 
This was the exact moment I fell in love with Indy.
practically had to carry Ella to the food court to make her eat before we ventured onto the (insert dramatic music here) FOURTH FLOOR! The food court was an awesome kid/family friendly cafeteria where Ella ordered macaroni and cheese, smiley shaped french fries and chocolate milk and I had a very fancy chicken salad (with apples and celery in it) and a pasta salad totaling like $12.00. 
This was the exact moment I fell in love with Indy. 
THE FOURTH FLOOR (insert dramatic music here) Oh what joys ye beheld. We found a tree house, a fancy play house, a giant mirror fun house, the biggest game of connect four I've ever seen, a kaleidoscope you can stand in, an arcade, tea with the three bears and a full sized carousel. We nearly overdosed on fun. 
By two o'clock I was exhausted and Dan was calling for us to drive back downtown and pick him up. I bribed Ella out of the fourth floor and to the car with promises of swimming at the hotel after picking Dan up which we did until we were wrung out and napped in the room. You'd think the fun would end here and we'd commence with something boring but oh-no this family is serious about fun. After our rest we dressed for dinner and made our way back downtown to a great Japanese place where we gorged on sushi, exotic veggies and assorted meats. Dan found if you want a good rare lamb chops you must find a chef that has the courage to serve raw meat (or fish).
We walked off dinner with a stroll through the convention 
center to contribute to the card houses which will be destroyed by convention goers flinging change at them on Saturday night (all proceeds to Christel House International.) We built a little three story facility out of donated Magic cards next to the edge.
center to contribute to the card houses which will be destroyed by convention goers flinging change at them on Saturday night (all proceeds to Christel House International.) We built a little three story facility out of donated Magic cards next to the edge.
Not done having fun yet we decided on a leisurely stroll to the giant fountain we glimpsed earlier in the day. We found the "giant fountain" to be the Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Monument Circle. The impressive scuplture/fountain is surrounded with trees and blossoming flowers at the bottom and stairs climb up to a higher deck where we found a door to a little office that was closed where you could pay a dollar to ride the elevator to the observation deck during the day or climb the stairs to the top for free. 
As the piece de resistance we took a dusk carriage ride with a driver that looked alot like Jude Law through the vibrant streets and past the canals before heading back to the
monument where the city was lit up and women in sparkly cocktail attire met men in smart summer suits for drinks at the sidewalk cafes. We strolled back past restaurants and pubs with bustling lines outside and steam pouring up through the manholes and hotels with door men hailing cabs for more sparkly people and too soon we found our car and drove our sleeping kid back to the hotel in preparation for Saturday... the biggest g
eekfest day of them all. Stay tuned for Gen Con 2008 the Day of the Costume Contest! 
Aug 16, 2008
Live From Remote Part III Teaser
Aug 15, 2008
Live From Remote Part II
We walked all over beautiful downtown Indianapolis yesterday before finally making it over to the convention center to meet these crazy characters.
After we walked around looking at the new games, the art show, and the booths (for four hours) Ella was falling asleep on my hip and so we found a nice sword booth that sold tablecloths... er fabric with a neat Celtic knot design and I fashioned a sling so she could sleep. She didn't actually sleep because it was just too fun to be carried poking your head out and waving at people but she did get to rest her legs for a about an hour and she was nodding in and out for a bit. We even had a few parents ask us where we bought the sling. She keeps asking if we can bring it today (only two more days of walking all over the city and the convention center left - ug.)
The convention is the same as it's always been lots of socially challenged guys uncomfortably walking around in large crowds. Goths and elves standing around discussing their characters, hot dogs and nachos at every food booth, and a few weary spouses here and there. Last night while reading the program of events, Dan pointed out "The SPA program" (short for SPousal Activities program) these special activities designed for the "gamer widow or widower" include knitting, scrap booking, bead work and even some "active classes" for the athletically inclined. My ears perked up, maybe wall climbing, kickboxing, fencing? No the patriarchy is strong here even in an arena filled with men who are afraid to meet a woman's gaze - they offer belly dancing, Irish dancing and pole dancing for fun and fitness (giant eye roll.) I told Dan I was going over there today to pass out roller derby recruitment flyers pronto.
When we left the convention we unpacked Ella and walked over to the Red Eye Cafe to wolf down the best burger I've ever had in my life (it had garlic and onions shmooshed right into the burger- yum) then we were all charged up again and Ella was ready to swim until her lips turned blue which we did, followed by playing her new game Penguin Rescue and much Olympic swimmer watching.
Aug 13, 2008
Live From Remote Part I
Hey folks, I'm blogging from the road this week. I spent about 7 hours in the car with my family yesterday and almost everything worked exactly as expected. Ella colored her new activity books for almost the entire length of the drive. She was absolutely absorbed in staying in the lines and color combinations and coordinating stickers. It truly was the best three dollars ever spent. Dan downloaded a book about the history of Salt (which is slightly more interesting than the history of granola because there are wars involved.) The book is called surprisingly "Salt: A World History" and guess what it's alot of consecutive facts about... salt, not much story. But it turns out that's ok, because I can drift in and out of paying attention, bouncing from getting out the Fritos, to checking the map and sitting blissfully still as the country side goes by. Which brings me to the exception that proved the rule that everything would go as expected.
While trying to avoid Chicago traffic, Dan disobeyed the electronic woman telling us where to turn and then she had to say that she was recalculating after every 100 feet we didn't obey her commands to whip a u-ie (how the hell DO you spell that?! you-ee? Yuwee? WTF?) and eventually we did listen to her and drove these long windy roads between IL and IN that were barely two lanes and sometime we were doing 45mph and I was thinking this is how the horror movie starts, the killers jack into unsuspecting GPS systems and lure families onto a dirt road, and since clearly we are relying on the GPS we won't know how to get away and clearly no one will even be looking for us until we don't get home on the right date to pick up the dog or blog on time and all sorts of havoc is wreaked from there like a typical slasher sorta thing, except I didn't really bring a tiny bathing suit and so I suppose it wouldn't be that typical a slasher movie with my middle aged self in a tankini beating the crap out of the slasher and then later suing him for damages.
But anyway, we made it to the highway without incident and it was sorta fast and so now we know we can totally trust the chick in the gray box attached to the dash board issuing directions. And I also now know that an army without salt couldn't cure meat and like two thirds of the salt in the US during the civil war was on the North side, and I now also know that some people in the East used to cure duck with a mixture of salt and gun powder (yuck.) And lastly, I know it is fun to blog poolside while Ella freezes her butt off in the outdoor hotel pool.
While trying to avoid Chicago traffic, Dan disobeyed the electronic woman telling us where to turn and then she had to say that she was recalculating after every 100 feet we didn't obey her commands to whip a u-ie (how the hell DO you spell that?! you-ee? Yuwee? WTF?) and eventually we did listen to her and drove these long windy roads between IL and IN that were barely two lanes and sometime we were doing 45mph and I was thinking this is how the horror movie starts, the killers jack into unsuspecting GPS systems and lure families onto a dirt road, and since clearly we are relying on the GPS we won't know how to get away and clearly no one will even be looking for us until we don't get home on the right date to pick up the dog or blog on time and all sorts of havoc is wreaked from there like a typical slasher sorta thing, except I didn't really bring a tiny bathing suit and so I suppose it wouldn't be that typical a slasher movie with my middle aged self in a tankini beating the crap out of the slasher and then later suing him for damages.
But anyway, we made it to the highway without incident and it was sorta fast and so now we know we can totally trust the chick in the gray box attached to the dash board issuing directions. And I also now know that an army without salt couldn't cure meat and like two thirds of the salt in the US during the civil war was on the North side, and I now also know that some people in the East used to cure duck with a mixture of salt and gun powder (yuck.) And lastly, I know it is fun to blog poolside while Ella freezes her butt off in the outdoor hotel pool.
Creepy Observations
We went to the animal fair, the birds and the bees were there, and the big baboon by the light of the moon was totally endangering his children. Twice last night I made my entire family stop in the middle of their county fair festivities to scrutinize a lone child wandering around in the dark. I'm not talking like an 8 year old who just got off a ride I'm talking like a 6 year old holding the hand of her 3 year old brother walking around the fair while I trailed 10 feet behind until they found Dad. Or the 4 year old standing outside the men’s room looking so lost I sent my child up to her to ask “Where’s your Daddy”, to which she pointed into the men’s room and then we stood there until he came out. The first time, I could’ve just chalked it up to silly people but after the second time, my stomach just hurt.
What is with people? Am I too sensitive about it? Am I a helicopter parent? I just can’t imagine letting my 5 year old run around the county fair as she pleased with instructions to meet me at the tilt-a-whirl at 9:00. And if Dan had to use the facilities, I'd rather he bring kiddo in with him than leave her standing alone in a crowd in the dark. Really, if the guy was just too sheepish to do that he could've left his kid with the kindly lady at the information booth NEXT DOOR while he ran in or the sheriff's tent around the corner. Thoughts please? Someone tell me I’m not too overprotective or off my rocker here.
On a less outraged note, this picture of Ella looking tough on a pink Harley is for DD.
What is with people? Am I too sensitive about it? Am I a helicopter parent? I just can’t imagine letting my 5 year old run around the county fair as she pleased with instructions to meet me at the tilt-a-whirl at 9:00. And if Dan had to use the facilities, I'd rather he bring kiddo in with him than leave her standing alone in a crowd in the dark. Really, if the guy was just too sheepish to do that he could've left his kid with the kindly lady at the information booth NEXT DOOR while he ran in or the sheriff's tent around the corner. Thoughts please? Someone tell me I’m not too overprotective or off my rocker here.
On a less outraged note, this picture of Ella looking tough on a pink Harley is for DD.
Aug 12, 2008
Itchy Sinuses
Last year my allergies weren't rearing their nine heads until September and I was hoping to stay blissfully unaware of the pollen count through August but the wheather has cooled and told the flowers and tress to release whatever poison it is that sneaks into my sinuses and eyes and makes them swell. We are far from a frost and so I will spend the remainder of my summer balanced between tearing my face off and counting down the hours until my next pill.
Aug 11, 2008
Breaking World Records Last Night
It's funny sometimes to ask Ella questions to see how she'll explain things. The other night when were talking about mosquito spit she asked me what it (the spit) looked like and I told her I didn't know, but perhaps we could find out and then asked her where the best place to find out would be. Totally expecting her to say we could look it up on the computer or ina book she instead recommended we find a mosquito museum. So if you know a good one, please pass that along.
Last night we are watching Olympic swimming and the following conversation took place:
Me: Hey Ella! What happened to those people's heads, they're all shiney and bald?
Ella: Mom, (eye roll) their weaing hats.
Me: Oh, I see, why are they wearing hats?
Ella: So they don't disturb their hair when they swim.
Dan who obviously couldn't take anymore: No, it's so they can swim faster.
Ella: Dad's right, it's so they can swim faster!
Immediately following this little exchange Ella went to her play area and got very quiet, this always spells trouble so I peeped in and asked her what she was doing. She responded "I'm looking for a hat that might make me run faster." Indeed, after some test runs, she says she found one.
I present to you Ella's Fast Running Hat:
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