Kiah's finally earning his keep, the little slacker.

It's been such a busy and crazy couple months, I've neglected to mention several things on the blog. One such thing was the death of my iPod. My fourth gen iPod kicked the bucket approximately 3 months ago. Due to bigger things going on, I simply accepted this as its time to go, and moved on. While it was disappointing, Sarah let me use her iPod on my drives to work, and my workout sessions, so I wasn't music-less (A fate worse than death for me.).

Anyway, the iPod had been slow, and had been crashing occasionally, but one day, it just refused to start up, and showed the sad iPod face. I tried all I could, but was unable to do anything for it. Needless to say, it soon became a toy for Kiah who enjoyed full access to his own iPod which always made a funny (sad) face at him.

Yesterday, he was playing with it on the floor, and I suppose it still had a bit of battery charge to it, despite the fact that I charged it last 2 1/2 months ago in an attempt to revive it, because he was getting symbols on the screen. It looked strange, so I took it from him (which resulted in Kiah making a sad face) and saw a screen I've never seen before. It seems that whatever combination of key presses Kiah used activated some sort of programming screen. It had five options or so, one of which was resest. I tried it, and the iPod rebooted. I plugged it in to the mac and it ACTUALLY LOADED! I then wiped it clean, and reinstalled its OS, and loaded it with music again. It's been working perfectly for 2 days now!

I'm so happy, and to have Kiah be the one to fix it is hilarious. He's lost a toy, but earned my respect!

Here's a few recent pics. Enjoy!

Baby and Daddy Night

So last night, Sarah was babysitting, so that left Kiah and I home alone.
So I tattood his back.


So he tattood his front.


Which made him happy.


Which made him wanna kiss me.


Which made us both happy...


So we turned on some music and danced.


Which made us rock out.


An unedited version of rockin out, so you can see the nose wrinkles better.


And then we ran around.



Hope you enjoyed our night as much as we did.

America. Put DOWN the stupid juice, and back slowly away...

I AM SO FED UP I AM WRITING IN ALL CAPS...

I've reached my limit of tolerance for the rampant stupidity and distracted morality in this country. We have to pull ourselves together, and do it now. I'm at such a loss for words. I feel like the only sane person in the room some days. I see my coworkers watching mindless 24 hour "news" channels with mindless faces... constantly being spooned sugar-coated celebrity gossip followed closely by horrific stories of mass killings and tragic earthquake photos in crisp colors... 5.1 dolby... Soon I see my coworkers stop flinching when the scene shifts from Lindsay Lohan to a bloodied face of a carbombing victim in Iraq. Flies gathering around his eyes. My coworkers munch on their lunch and are immediately shifted to a fear story about identity theft which is followed by a commercial that says nothing but "Head on, apply directly to the forehead. Head on, apply directly to the forehead. Head on, apply directly to the forehead." For the morons who won't even question the idea that applying a glue-stick like device to their head isn't a bit strange, and certainly doesn't deserve an explanation... just obedience. We're a few steps from the government paid message coming up to tell us to take our afternoon medicine.

Have you noticed that with the exception of the Iraq war, CNN and Fox news cover American news? How do they fill 24 hours with American news? They can't. They have to over cover. They have to find news... even when it's not news. They will grab any survey or study statistic in hopes of filling several seconds of airtime before switching to a story on a brutal rape/murder. With photos of course.

The choices we make. The speech we use. All are effected by watching stupid people. Stupid news. Stupid leaders who tell us to obey without question. Don't think about it Joe and Jane... it'll just make your head hurt. If you get depressed, just switch to a sitcom, and listen for the crowd to laugh. That will let you know when a funny happened.

Even TV for the "intelligent" is dumb. Opinions all. C-span is nothing but a bunch of book authors reading their own work in monotone. History channel plays footage of long dead wars and gives us their opinion of whether Satan exists twice a month. Discovery channel provides some intelligent entertainment, but it's just a distraction from the dullness of life. There are a few channels that seem to promote "living"... the Travel channel and Food network seem to have a world view that promotes learning about "real" people in their "real" environment.

NPR provides stimulation on a near-dead media (Uh, what's FM?). Doing their best to raise questions, focus on the harsh realities of our shrinking global economy... but it's on the radio. Who's listening? Will it make a difference? I know it won't to my coworkers who trudge from work and climb into their cars and listen to nothing on their way home while they anticipate who is going to "get it" on tonight's episode of reality tv.

This all seems to take perfect form in the presidential race. I'm pretty unabashed about supporting Barack Obama, and I don't go a day without somebody asking me how I can trust a muslim... or why I'd support someone who doesn't think the war was a good idea... Last night, a valet that works for me looked at me and said "You'd vote for a black guy?" When I choked on my dinner and stared at him he explained that having a black president would "give the blacks momentum, and make them feel like they were in charge which is the last thing we need right now, right?" I was in shock. I don't know why though. Racism is obviously still alive and well. Both sides of every fence... but to hear it voiced, as if legitimate, was indeed shocking.

It's hard enough to explain that if you are going to believe any candidate when they say what their religious affiliation is, then you need to believe all of them. John McCain has declared in some meetings that he is Episcopalian, and in others that he is Baptist. Depending on the crowd, he gets to anger catholics in a totally different way! Giuliani had a blatant affair with his secretary and leaves his wife for her publicly. But I'm sure he's a wonderful spiritual role model for our children right? And that one candidate who's attended the same protestant church for years, has a healthy relationship with his wife and daughters, lives by what most would say are strong christian values? Nah. His name is Barack Hussien Obama. And he'd give blacks too much confidence. Make em feel like somebody in office wasn't going to screw them over... don't vote for him.

Things I love

Recently I heard this song off the not-too-old Danielson album "Ships."
I fell in love with it. One music critic I respect called this his favorite rock song of 2006.
The video is ridiculously awesome. They are so uncooly cool.

The song is called "Did I step on your trumpet?"

Enjoy.

Not to mention that blogger now supports video!

Awesomeninity.

More stuff you don't care about...

Using a new operating system theme called "Rhino." The desktop pic is made by the same designer to go with the theme.

Jim hearts this. The iTunes skin is beautiful, and really has a nice futuristic feel.

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...

So my time at the front desk seems to be drawing to a close.

Thank the good sweet Lord Jesus.

I've written about 3 emails to my GM in the past few days that I've saved and won't send. But they make me feel better. I'm just furious with the way I've been treated. To a degree, I understand that I've been acting very entitled, and yet half of me feels justified in that entitlement. So I have to be careful that I don't assume everyone else feels as bad for me as I do. And that's what those emails have been about.

Needless to say, Sarah and I are still very up in the air about what the future holds, but we will see.

Keep us in your prayers and thoughts.

We love ya!

Love is a mix tape.

I said in the post below that I'm reading the book "love is a mix tape." It's really meant alot to me, and made me think a bit more about how integral mix tapes are to my life. I listen to my mixes that I've made for others all the time, due to the fact that they're still playlists in my iTunes. In a way I'm keeping a copy.

Of course, just handing a cd to someone doesn't cut it for me. I have to have a professional looking cover, along with a back page with the songlist on it. I've grown quite proud of the mounting collection of mixes and mix covers I've made over the past several years. So I thought, "Why not share some of these covers on the blog?" They're entertaining enough. While sometimes they include an inside joke, usually they simply embody the type of music on the mix or the mood I was in when I made it. So without further ado... well... some ado.












"Ugly" volume one. - I made this for my friend Kirsten I think. Right after I started at the Antlers.












"Pretty" volume one. - Why not?












"Flightless Birds" - I know it's odd to use flying birds for an album called flightless birds. So what?












"Rockness" - This has been easily one of my best mixes. It seems geared to a female audience, who seem to like it more than boys, but the songs rock 100%.












"Evan: Doorman mix" - Made this for Evan when he was a doorman. (It's not a pic of him.)












"Evan: Valet mix" - When he moved on up, I made him a new soundtrack.












"Honesty" - My most recent mix. I listen to this alot.












"Looking for Trouble" Jessie's version - This mix was made with my friends Chad, Joni and Jessica in mind. I then found a picture of a young Jessica on her myspace, and the cover was decided. This is Jessica's version.












"Looking for Trouble" Chad's version












"Looking for Trouble" Joni's version












"Dark Days" volume one - I haven't finished this one yet. It's been over a year since I started it. Sometimes the best things are worth waiting for. And this one is if the cover is any judge of character! I love it.












"Ezra Benjamin" - Made this for Ezra's birthday this year. 12 already! That's Kiah on the cover.












"Stephen Isaac" - Made this for Stephen's birthday. He's 14.












"Laura has the ring" - At the time this was a joke, but now it makes sense.


Well, that's it for now. Hope you enjoyed them!

Artsy

So I've had a creative spurt lately... here are a few sketches.

Waiting till the rain slows down only works if the rain slows down...

Asia's death, and the subsequent issues which surrounded and centered on this blog have left their marks, but little else. The current maelstrom of events has little to do with the events of last month, and more to do with day to day insanity. Therefore, I find little strength or desire to cover all the crap that took place last month.

All I can say is that it has become more and more difficult to remain positive and upbeat these last few weeks due to some turmoil at work. The fact that I'm even mentioning this shows that I've learned nothing regarding disclosure. So let me be as vague as humanly possible. I've rejoined a department I wished to leave behind, and done so against my will. Despite the wonderful news that we as a hotel achieved a long term goal, I have been very negative about my current situation. Hours, requirements, lack of purpose... all these things go into what I consider to be a highly undesirable position.

I plan on talking to my big boss tomorrow to see if I can exit this position asap. To add to my discomfort, my work bank of roughly $320 is missing. I cannot account for its disappearance, and I have the only key. It is unlikely that I will suffer any consequences other than a write up, which may not be fair if the money was stolen from my locked safe... but it has caused me a bit of frustration these past few days as I did not need this added to my plate.

On top of that, I got a traffic ticket the other day for not stopping completely at a stop sign. Traffic was turning left in the turn lane, and I slowed and turned right. $190. The cop told me immediately to go and appeal the ticket and they'd "decrease the fine and points"... well, if you're so danged compassionate, why not give me a warning?!?

I'm just really worn. Really tired of things sucking. I want everything we want and need, and I want it now. I don't want to wade through any more crap. I know it sounds wrong, but I feel that we've paid our dues and the good stuff is due now. It doesn't display maturity, growth, or a good world view to be upset by this, but I am.

Other things have gone well lately, and I'm thankful for them, I just want to live elsewhere, work elsewhere... etc.

Strangely enough, all this angst has spurred my creativity. I've been drawing and reading at a breakneck pace. Sarah and I are working through HP5 right now. I connect with Harry and his constant mood swings lately. I'm also reading a book right now that seems as though it were written by me. I hightly recommend it. It's called "Love is a mix tape." by Rob Sheffield.

In other news, new iPods and iMacs have come out. Go Apple stock.

Sarah and I had a date today. It was my 2nd day off, and we went to the $ theatre to see Pirates of the Carribean 3. It was awful. Pointless and rambling, the only thing worse than the overthought plot was the abysmal acting. It was the most expensive piece of crap I've seen since Waterworld. (Waterworld substituted a better plot for Dennis Hopper...) Johnny Depp even had moments of pointlessness. It was just BAD. Parents should not take their children to see it, as it was much more brutal than the previous 2 films. Bullets in the forehead, graphic hanging, impaling, decapitation... it's all over the place.

Anyway, I'm back and done ranting. Forgive me for the absence, but I've been waiting for the frogs to stop falling, and it hasn't happened, so I just bought a titanium umbrella.

I've taken down my life, and rebuilt it.

And quite frankly, it doesn't look the same. And the cupboards keep sticking...

Well, not really.

The blog's been down for a couple weeks. Due in large part by some naivety on my part, and devilish antics on the part of an enemy of mine. All the same, lessons were learned, and no lasting harm was done.

So, without further ado, WELCOME BACK.

I'll be writing again soon. (Probably something political... I've been on a rant lately.)

Jim

Picture

I took this tonight, and I think this is my favourite picture of me ever.

Yes. 

I believe it is...

I feel like starting over.

Let's begin again shall we?

Writing and reading and 'rithmatic. It all gets to me.
Work and home. Art and music. Baby and wife.

All my loves 'a jumbled. Some float, others sink.
Writing's gone down the tubes this last month or so, and readin's won.
Wife and son are doing great. It seems like we've caught a rhythm in this life thing. Job's a bear. I've simply come to the enigmatic spot that is the end of a training program. Do I have a great job here around the corner? Do I not? Is this something I should be terribly concerned about? Probably.

I've been interviewing around, and very honest about this with my current employer. They seem concerned. They have made it clear that when this training is done, they plan on keeping me. It's just that they don't have a job ready for me now, and we both know it. They're accepting that as a reality of the situation, and I simply cannot remain comfortable in that reality. We both understand eachother's predicaments, but really can't do anything to make the other feel any better.

I need to have stability for my family. Do we sign another lease? Leave this apartment for a larger space that we need but don't know if we can afford, because we have no idea what I'll be making in a few months. We don't want to bite off more than we can chew. So I have to explore other options. And the Antlers has nowhere to put me at that moment, and is praying that something falls into their lap. Otherwise, they have to get real creative real fast. They're stalling me, we both know it, and hoping for the best.

I've had several interesting job opportunities in the past several months, but the most promising is currently in the works. Met via conference call with the upper management last week. They also have no positions available right now, but they are very interested. They've checked out my references, and we've exchanged a dozen emails or so. They might be willing to create something that would fit my talents, or work me in some other way. I'd love to work there, and the area is nice.

Sarah and Kiah have been enjoying life lately, but feel the constraints of the apartment in ways that I don't due to the fact that I'm gone to work part of the day. I know that Kiah would love to be outdoors more. But our neighborhood isn't condusive to that.

Sarah has been reading a ton! Alot more than me, even though I'm going through a spurt at the moment. We've been reading the Harry Potter series together. It's her first time through it, and the books move quick.

Kiah's teething molars. Nuff said.

Our small group is doing well. Taking a bit of a break for the summer. We really love the group of people that we've got. If we move away we'll sure miss them.

Well, I'm done for now. Love you all. Peace.

P.S. By the way, I've redone my MySpace page, and added photos.
Here's a preview.

Wooden Desktop

My mac is running au naturale thanks to a gorgeous wooden staircase pic and the delightful wooden theme Moku.

Enjoy.

End of my era...

The reign of Jim has ended. Housekeeping now belongs to another, and I could not be happier.

That was one of the best learning experiences, and one of the most difficult periods of my professional career to date. While the supervisors and housekeepers were easily some of the best people I have ever worked with, the difficulties presented in managing a staff of that size, with the language barrier, and a minimal knowledge of the department... made for issues that I was simply unable to prepare for. But prepared or not, they came... and while in retrospect there were decisions I made that led to less than perfect outcomes, noone was expecting perfect, so I'm ok. In fact, they were just hoping that noone would walk out, and that they wouldn't want to kill me by the time I left.

In this case, I leave behind a department which is still exceeding company goals, has grown instead of shrinking, and has surprisingly maintained a somewhat solid morale despite the stress of losing their beloved manager and having an evil assistant manager... (not me! The other guy I talked about before!)

The new director is a good person, with a strong backbone and a vision for the department. She has treated me with respect, and values my assessments, and as far as I can tell will do a fantastic job.

At home, Sarah and Kiah have been struggling with his upcoming surgery. He's just been having a hard time lately. Being sick, bumping into stuff, and generally learning to walk, talk and exist without falling. Sarah's been dealing with the feelings associated with having your only child go into surgery for the first time, and the worries that come standard with every health insurance package. (The only thing they give you for free...)

I was finally able to go to church this week. It was SOOOOOOO nice to be back. It felt so good to be back in the fire... I've felt like such a grey coal. Nice to sit with Sarah and get to worship with a bunch of other believers. We have praise and worship at our small group, but as the name implies, it's much more intimate. We celebrated communion, which was something I haven't done since Easter, so that was great too. It's amazing how tied up in life one can get, and forget how short and small this life really is. I pull away at times from what's truly important. Distracted by the day to day. It's such an ultimate peace to pull away. Above the hustle and bustle, and just focus on the one who gives me life... real life. Honestly. I feel like my batteries have been charged.

Anyway, I need to hit the sack. Keep Sarah and Kiah in your prayers. They're heading in for the pre-op tomorrow. I'll continue my transition with the new HK director.

Peace out.

My head. Inside and out...

Things I find hilarious...

For Joni.