Bear at the Beach

My apologies for not posting more photos of Bear. Here are two of the astounding seven we took during our entire vacation. Seems our state-of-the-art digitial camara is behind the times. So due to it’s poor picture quality we’re more apt to reach for the videocam. But I’m determined to get a new, COOL camara at some point. Now where did I put my lottery ticket?

Inspiring Creativity

Whoa, RealLife^TM is taking it’s toll on me. Sure, life in Cyrodiil is moving along swimmingly, but that’s another story.

What do you do if your work demands creativity and the well is empty? Inspiration.com isn’t going to give it to you. World of Inspiration is nicely done, but a different animal. Beliefnet has inspiration of another kind.

Media Inspiration is closer to the mark but where are the grand experiments? The true right brain theorists? I’d love to start a collection of links to sites that promote this kind of thinking. Who would like to start?

Back From Beach ’06

Wonderful trip, well… except for the 12 hour drive home with a screaming 4 month old. Honestly, Barret did amazingly well but after 11 hours, he just couldn’t hold it together. It’s good to be back, even considering the 224 spam comments and literally over 1000 spam emails, all in a week’s time. I’m impressed… not!

Paladin Family Hits the Beach

KRAMER: Up here, I’m already gone.

That’s how I feel about our vacation. Be back in a week. You guys be good!

(I know, I know, I couldn’t find the right picture of Kramer. And they say the Internet has everything…)

Barret at 3 Months

Mrs. Paladin caught the wild Bear on film. Thought I’d share the shots.

Bear hard at work in the play gym.

That playtime will take it out of you.

Bear says, “I’ve never been happier.”

Out on the Job Trail

The obvious downside to contract work, is that at the end of each contract you’re basically unemployed. So I beg forgiveness for my lack of postiness (is that a word?) as I work to setup my next gig.

I think I’m most like George Costanza in this exchange.

JERRY: So what are you gonna do?
GEORGE: I like sports. I could do something in sports.
JERRY: Uh-huh. Uh-huh. In what capacity?
GEORGE: You know, like the general manager of a baseball team or something.
JERRY: Yeah. Well, that – that could be tough to get.
GEORGE: Well, it doesn’t even have to be the general manager. Maybe I could be like, an announcer. Like a caller man. You know how I always make those interesting comments during the game.
JERRY: Yeah. Yeah. You make good comments.
GEORGE: What about that?
JERRY: Well, they tend to give those jobs to ex-ballplayers and people that are, you know, in broadcasting.
GEORGE: Well, that’s really not fair.

Barret Update: Good News!

Who is that strange man with Mommy?	I just love those cafe pictures above the couch.
You’re getting my good side, right?	Does this outfit make me look fat?

Mrs. Paladin just got back from the cardiologist visit and we have good news! They did an ultrasound on Little Bear and Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) is now considered “small” where it was “moderate” before. This is great news as the VSD is more worrisome than his ASD.

The doctor was very upbeat saying things like he didn’t expect it to be this much reduced, or something to that extent. Tough to tell from second-hand testimony. ;^) But all in all, we consider this very good news and likelihood of surgery has just been decreased. Now, if we can only get Bear to poop less than 12 times a day, go without crying for more than 15 minutes and sleep longer than 3 hours at a stretch. Hey, prayer works, why not ask, right?

Thanks to everyone for your prayers. They are cherished!

Barret’s Father Is Looney

Many call me crazy, and in truth, they are probably be correct, but I just can’t seem to stop myself. I hear you know, “Yes, Paladin, your insanity is part of what strangely attracts me to The Dojo.” Oh yeah? Well, let’s see if you feel the same when you see that I’ve completed an NCAA bracket for my 7 week old son Barret.

Uh huh, yeah, that’s right. Certifiable.

Survivor Episodes Die Quick

Oh dopey me! (How many times have I been saying that lately?) Life reared it’s powerful head and I completely forgot about Survivor last Thursday. So what did I do? I did the same thing I did the week before when I missed the show, I downloaded it.

Only this time, I didn’t start to watch it until just now. Then it tells me my license has expired. Say whaaa? So apprently, when you download (or “Rent”) the episode, you have to watch it quick or it dies. And there’s no way I’m paying twice, no siree.

This has been a public service message from the good folks at 21st Century Paladin. We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog.

Of Books and Life (Tagged)

Wow, my pal over at Digital Nicotine did me a royal. (Do people say that anymore?) I’ve been tagged to create an expansive evaluation of all the books I’ve ever read and summarize my findings in a single post. Oh yes, and post haste. Indeed! And here I thought Lee was a friend. ;^)

Of course, what his tag did was send me into a kind of psychological pathology known as Don’t Look Now, But I’m Completely Unorganized! Thusly, I began to update my archive. It’s still a work in progress so please forgive me.

On to the questions!

My Five Favorite Books:

Very, very tough question, but I’ll give it a shot.

Holy Bible, NIV – Where would I be without it? I don’t believe this world came about due to an unlikely series of chance accidents. It’s obvious to me there is a God no matter how much part of me wants to be my own god. Christianity is the only faith where the King died for his subjects. It’s the only faith where the originator of the faith conquered death. It’s the only faith where I know right now where I’ll go when I die. The Bible holds truths sometimes hard to fathom but that doesn’t make it any less true.

Mere Christianity – I don’t know I connect with this old English academic but I do. Perhaps it’s the power of his logic. It could be his subtle ethnic charm. I’m really not sure. But out of all those who’ve lived this life and gone on to the next, there’s no one I’d rather talk with over a pint at the pub.

Disappointment With God – In many Christian circles, the hurting aren’t allowed to ask those deep, heartfelt questions that tug at your heart. Why? Because it might be miscontrued as harming one’s faith. Yancey boldly resists those snares and asks the tough questions we all have and he does it with a strong, Biblical backing and examples from life today. I highly recommend everything I’ve ever read from Philip Yancey.

Memory, Sorry and Thorn Series – In this series of four books (still one story!), Tad Williams has crafted a masterpiece. In my opinion, it’s even better than Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, though to be fair he borrowed liberally, as do most science fiction writers who’ve come after. But if that’s true, then Tolkien is king and everyone since lesser nobility. Any fan of this genre would do well to read this series. It’s not life changing but it great fun throughout.

Ender’s Game – Orson Scott Card is a brilliant man. I’m constantly amazed at the imagination some people have been gifted with. Perhaps, it’s because I desire such a vast imagination yet feel lacking. There are so many engaging points to this story of young Ender and how everything wasn’t what it seemed. So many places to take the story, with morality hanging on each decision. Loved it.

What Was The Last Book You Bought:

Meet the Bible – I’m always on the lookout for new insight into a book I’ve already through a couple of times through. When I learned that Yancey, someone I respect greatly, put together this observational trek through the Bible, I knew I needed to buy it.

What Was The Last Book You Read:

A Storm of Swords – This is the third installment in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series. Wonderful stuff! Perhaps not as magical as Tad Williams, Martin makes up for it with more twists and turns than a labyrinth. The intrigue is palpable. I’m looking forward to the next installment when it hits paperback in September.

Five Books That Have Particular Meaning For Me:

James and the Giant Peach – Most of the books in this category will likely go back to when I began to actually like books. For much of my youth, they were dried, boring things that you couldn’t force me to pry open. This book by Roald Dahl, like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, were inviting, as well as interesting, at least, for a young wildling like myself.

Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual – Now this is the first edition, long since past, but recalls memories of that joyous role-playing game that sparked my imagination and love for adventure. I still have it (along with the other first edition hardbacks) down in the basement in one of my Memory Boxes.

The Wind in the Willows – Another fun story where talking animals led me on a wild adventure. Maybe it was this book that led me to enjoy other English-themed bits like C. S. Lewis, Monty Python/The Young Ones and brit-rock bands like Ned’s Atomic Dustbin and the Charlatan’s UK?

Jolly Old Santa Claus – Be warned, there are multiple versions of this classic book. Make sure to buy the one that’s illustrated by George Hinke. There are even different versions of this book because the old one that my Mom still has is much larger and the beautiful paintings are larger and aren’t cropped. I can’t have Christmas without browsing through this book first.

Sound Mind Investing – Not many can claim that their father is an author. Much less an author who’s book continues to call for new revisions. But what I’m really proud of is the kind of book. The goal of this book is to help others make more money so that they can give more money away. The sum of one’s life is not in the value of their assets. Plus, I was able to cut my graphic design teeth on this book, so that’s pretty cool too. Check out his new Web site for more info.

Three Book That You Are Dying To Read But Haven’t Yet:

How about…

• The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
• A Feast for Crows, the next installment by George R. R. Martin
• Anything one of my sons will write, be it 4th grade, 2nd grade or newborn scribbles.

That really took some time. Now, instead of actually “tagging” someone, I’ll make it completely voluntary. Anyone who’d like to follow this meme will instantly enhance my perception of them. Just leave and comment and I’ll make sure to read your post. Cheers!

Survivor, Uh Oh

Our lovely cable provider misunderstood them when I asked to discontinue my Broadband Internet service and disconnected all of our services. Therefore, we had no television last night and I was unable to do my weekly Survivor post.

But I’ll check it out on my brother’s TiVo this weekend and post afterwards. Sorry for the delay! All complaints can be directed to Insight Communications. I’m sure they’d love to hear from you. ;^)

Barret Turns 1 Month

Just got back from the Cardiologist’s office and the short answer is good news. Dr. Boone didn’t do a sonagram like we thought he might but did spend a good amount of time listening to Bear’s heart and touching his little chest and belly. His diagnosis was that he’d be very surprised if Barret would need surgery. That’s so encouraging.

On the scary side, he said that most problems occur between 4 and 6 weeks, and that’s right where we are. We’ve scheduled another check-up in one month. Then Barret won’t need to visit again until 6-month visit at which time they’ll do another sonagram. Looks like we’ll be in and out of doctor offices quite a bit this first year.

All-in-all it was a good visit. He’s gaining a little weight, tipping the scales at a massive 6pounds 8 ounces. What a pig! Still not out-of-the-woods but we’re encouraged. We definitely want everyone to know we truly appreciate all your prayers. Don’t stop now! Thank you so much!

The Purpose of Money

This article got me thinking. What is the best way to spend money?

Now, I’m not talking so much about electric bills or gasoline as I am about discretionary funds, if there is such a thing. Anyone who runs a budget knows that you could just as easily take the family out to Morton’s then eat beans and franks for a couple of days -or- be more conservative with some nice home cooking and a fun night out at Macaroni Grill. In this example, there’s still a decision on how to spend that money.

What I’m really pondering is, let’s say you have a brother, which I do, and he’s planning on getting a massive tax refund back this year (don’t ask). Now, he and his wife, let’s just call her Madge, have some options. Do they,
A) head straight for the Audi dealership;
B) call up their travel agent and start planning a trip to Bora Bora; or
C) put all the money in a well-run mutual fund basically postponing this decision for another time.

What it boils down to is, should we spend our money on things we enjoy a little bit each day? Or, do we find those rich life experiences and splurge?

Sure is a fun topic of conversation, huh?

Baby Bear, 3 Weeks Old

Sorry I haven’t posted more. Been busy out-of-town, etc. I know, unforgivable, but I’ll try harder, I promise.

The lastest with Barret is that there’s no real news on his heart defects until we get to take him to the Cardiologist on Feb. 21. Then they’ll take another sonogram and compare it with his first one. Other than that, he’s driving Mom crazy with always wanting to eat, even after 40 minutes of feeding, which is really 80% loafing. Breastfeeding is a full-time job. If I could help her I would, but I’ve never been a strong lactater. I’ll post more about Baby Bear when we get more news.

Just Kidding

I’m wondering how many of you have experienced this phenomenon. It’s 8:25am on Monday and I’m flying into LaGuardia. The pilot had mentioned that “the air was choppy” and as a passenger on this roller-coaster/bumper car ride, I could certainly vouch for that. Made me wish I had taken some Dramamine prior to take off. Stupid! *forehead smack*

So here we are on approach. Cross the water, almost down… almost down… and we’re taking off again! I’m like, “Whaaa?!?!” We had to circle again (another 12 minutes) give it a second try. During this loop, I’m seriously considering reaching for the Airsickness Bag so generously supplied by U.S. Airways. I’ve never been so sick on a flight before. The best part? I had only 30 minutes to make my connection, which was cut down to 15 due to our bonus flight time. Let’s just say, running through the airport didn’t do much to help my stomach.

In honor of this occassion, I’ve decided to list the Top 10 Traveler’s Aids.

10. Chewing Gum: Serving double-duty gum helps halt that nasty airplane breath and it helps thwart ear-popping due to altitude change.
9. iPod: Music to soothe the savage beast, or the irritable traveler.
8. Computer: Even without an Internet connection, a nice game of Hearts can help pass the time.
7. Tums: You know you’ll need them. Why not head to Sam’s Club and stock up?
6. Anti-Bacterial Gel: Can’t wash your hands? No worries. Always keep a bottle handy.
5. Comfortable Shoes: You never know just how far the next terminal might be.
4. Dramamine: Tums’ more powerful big brother. Not everyone might need this, but those of us who do, it’s a lifesaver.
3. Luggage Wheels: Wheels are such a good idea, I say we put them on everything, from clothes to grocery bags to Altoids.
2. Good Paperback Book: Better than the computer and easier to carry. Plus, you don’t have to pull it out of your luggage when passing through the Security Check.
1. Cell Phone: Practically essential for updating loved ones that your flight has been delayed… again.

Did I leave anything off?