03 March 2009
Two Parties No More
There are many ways the two party system in the USA fails its citizens and the world. With the Republicans on the ropes, many people are daring to dream they will be out of power for a long time. My fervent hope is that they actually implode and are no more. Its not that a one party system would be better even if it were the Democrats - it would undeniably be worse. Rather, it could give rise to new political parties and establish new lines of demarcation between the parties. Today's issues of what separates a Democrat representative from a Republican representative is just to fuzzy and not aligned with differences of opinion in the electorate.
01 March 2009
Going Mobile
Yesterday Leia figured out how to move. She ended up moving a couple of meters by frog hopping across the floor. Her main goal was to reach a cardboard box that was way out of reach. Usually we keep all paper objects away from her because she just tries to eat them (and usually succeeds in eating small parts of them.) This time we let her chew for a while on the box as a reward for her hard work. Also, given that it was a relatively sturdy box it didn't come apart even when drenched in her saliva, so it was a bit safer.
It looks like the crawling lessons earlier in the day worked.
It looks like the crawling lessons earlier in the day worked.
26 February 2009
Every Time a Cold is Gone
Every time the girls shake off a cold they change as if they've grown overnight. Today both girls are feeling better after a bout with stuffed sinuses.
After daycare things got rough for them. My Uncle Mike is in town. He dropped by my office to see us and come home with us for a little bit. At first it was just Mike and me. We picked up the girls from daycare on the way home. That's when the fun began. Mike had to help by carrying Alisa back to the car. That's when it became clear that the girls' stranger anxiety is now in full force.
They cried and cried and cried. Even though I was carrying Leia, by the time we got the girls in the house even Leia could hardly breathe because of crying so hard. Poor girls, the both had trouble settling down. Mike just sat away in the corner as unobtrusively as possible while the girls kept crying. Eventually they calmed down enough for us to put them in warm clothes and go out for a walk.
The walk settled them down a bit and we made it home without mishap. Hirono joined us from the train station on the way home. Afterwards, when it was just the four of us at home, the girls couldn't settle down. They also had a number of firsts. What stood out the most was that their personality seemed to grow one layer deeper. They interact with the world in a different way. For example, whereas before it was relatively easy to distract Leia while cleaning her ears tonight she wouldn't let her eyes off my wife's hand as she tried to clean her. And Leia wouldn't let Hirono near the ear. For Alisa, she started to sing with me when I was singing her to sleep tonight. Of course, Alisa wouldn't go to sleep.
They also are beginning to insist on particular ways to play with them. Their favorite trick right now is to shimmy up against me on the floor (they can't crawl yet) and then start to roll all over my lap. The try to roll into a position where I can pick them up by their feet into the air to hang upside down. Then they smile and laugh while their bib flips down over their face. Crazy girls.
After daycare things got rough for them. My Uncle Mike is in town. He dropped by my office to see us and come home with us for a little bit. At first it was just Mike and me. We picked up the girls from daycare on the way home. That's when the fun began. Mike had to help by carrying Alisa back to the car. That's when it became clear that the girls' stranger anxiety is now in full force.
They cried and cried and cried. Even though I was carrying Leia, by the time we got the girls in the house even Leia could hardly breathe because of crying so hard. Poor girls, the both had trouble settling down. Mike just sat away in the corner as unobtrusively as possible while the girls kept crying. Eventually they calmed down enough for us to put them in warm clothes and go out for a walk.
The walk settled them down a bit and we made it home without mishap. Hirono joined us from the train station on the way home. Afterwards, when it was just the four of us at home, the girls couldn't settle down. They also had a number of firsts. What stood out the most was that their personality seemed to grow one layer deeper. They interact with the world in a different way. For example, whereas before it was relatively easy to distract Leia while cleaning her ears tonight she wouldn't let her eyes off my wife's hand as she tried to clean her. And Leia wouldn't let Hirono near the ear. For Alisa, she started to sing with me when I was singing her to sleep tonight. Of course, Alisa wouldn't go to sleep.
They also are beginning to insist on particular ways to play with them. Their favorite trick right now is to shimmy up against me on the floor (they can't crawl yet) and then start to roll all over my lap. The try to roll into a position where I can pick them up by their feet into the air to hang upside down. Then they smile and laugh while their bib flips down over their face. Crazy girls.
22 February 2009
Time Flies By
The girls grow so fast.
Today we went to my brother's place to celebrate our birthdays. He turned 45 last week and I turn 41 this week. He has two boys. Today his two boys (4 and 8) and their friend (6) took care of the girls while the adults ate lunch. It was really nice to see the boys watch the babies and play with them. Babies aren't so fun to play with as a little boy, so we still had to eat quickly before the boys got bored; but, it was a nice (and rare!) break.
What struck me the most was that the girls really enjoyed playing with their cousins. They smiled and laughed at the boys' antics, very much like one would expect of gown kids. The girls seemed like they were four or five years old, they way they tried to interact with the boys. In some ways I feel as though they're no longer babies. Its liberating; but, a bit sad at the same time.
Today we went to my brother's place to celebrate our birthdays. He turned 45 last week and I turn 41 this week. He has two boys. Today his two boys (4 and 8) and their friend (6) took care of the girls while the adults ate lunch. It was really nice to see the boys watch the babies and play with them. Babies aren't so fun to play with as a little boy, so we still had to eat quickly before the boys got bored; but, it was a nice (and rare!) break.
What struck me the most was that the girls really enjoyed playing with their cousins. They smiled and laughed at the boys' antics, very much like one would expect of gown kids. The girls seemed like they were four or five years old, they way they tried to interact with the boys. In some ways I feel as though they're no longer babies. Its liberating; but, a bit sad at the same time.
20 February 2009
Carpe Diem
Its times like these that make me think we have an opportunity in our hands. That's how I feel about my job as well. I want to change the way engineering is done for my product.
What can we do to change the way we live life as a society? I wonder how well we will pull it off? How can you and I contribute best while maintaining our own job security? I don't know the answer.
What can we do to change the way we live life as a society? I wonder how well we will pull it off? How can you and I contribute best while maintaining our own job security? I don't know the answer.
18 February 2009
Baked Beans
Random thoughts on a night free of meetings:
There's only two nights a week free of meetings, Saturday and Wednesday. So I'm letting my mind wander.
The girls continue to amaze me at the pace in which they grow. They're both standing on their own now. Leia is trying very hard to pull herself to her feet on whatever furniture is around her as well. My Flickr album has some new photos.
***
Mount Etna blows smoke rings. Mother Nature is flipping awesome! People who don't appreciate science are missing out in so many fine things in life.
***
Another positive day for The Chocolate Factory project. The director of product marketing is sold on the idea, though he pointed out some difficulties. My boss reviewed the slides for Monday's offsite and gave me an extra 45 minutes for Q&A afterward. So things are still moving in the right direction.
***
I've discovered Twitter. It looks like there's another avenue for work related customer interactions. Sigh.
***
Scotch and kief are a wonderful combination.
***
I'm shocked. No, really. This is crazy. Actually, its disturbed.
***
These people are nuts. They put their verifiably false ideals higher than the needs of the people they are supposed to represent. I hope every last one of them is voted out of office during their next election.
There's only two nights a week free of meetings, Saturday and Wednesday. So I'm letting my mind wander.
The girls continue to amaze me at the pace in which they grow. They're both standing on their own now. Leia is trying very hard to pull herself to her feet on whatever furniture is around her as well. My Flickr album has some new photos.
***
Mount Etna blows smoke rings. Mother Nature is flipping awesome! People who don't appreciate science are missing out in so many fine things in life.
***
Another positive day for The Chocolate Factory project. The director of product marketing is sold on the idea, though he pointed out some difficulties. My boss reviewed the slides for Monday's offsite and gave me an extra 45 minutes for Q&A afterward. So things are still moving in the right direction.
***
I've discovered Twitter. It looks like there's another avenue for work related customer interactions. Sigh.
***
Scotch and kief are a wonderful combination.
***
I'm shocked. No, really. This is crazy. Actually, its disturbed.
***
These people are nuts. They put their verifiably false ideals higher than the needs of the people they are supposed to represent. I hope every last one of them is voted out of office during their next election.
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