tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107172322011-04-21T15:05:58.216-05:00Listening to music, watching tv, opening a coffeehouse, and raising a preschooler and a newborn!mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.comBlogger1281100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-24645273943640458372009-02-04T12:03:00.002-06:002009-02-04T12:08:55.344-06:00

I'm experimenting with posting videos. I thought I'd try this one of my 3 year old son playing Christmas songs on his new guitar. This video was taken right after he opened the box. He had been sick for about a week up to this point which makes his voice higher and scratchier than it normally is. This all of course leads into his screamo version of Jingle Bells. I don't know where he comes

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-41195731900014069412009-01-05T10:44:00.003-06:002009-01-22T11:16:18.409-06:00

I've put together my annual mix of my favorite songs from the last year (2007, 2006, 2005 can be found here). It's an imperfect process. I try to get a group of songs together that make a good mix and that I like a lot. I only did one song from each album so there may be a song that's my second favorite song of the year but it didn't make the cut because my first favorite song is on the same

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-69281463198569136682008-12-15T12:31:00.001-06:002008-12-15T12:36:04.831-06:00

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-26080621523409376222008-12-15T12:16:00.003-06:002008-12-15T12:27:57.124-06:00

Instead of barstools for Foam I have picked up a collection of shop stools over time. The bulk of them came from the surplus department at a local University. The great thing about them is that they are dated 1986 on the bottom but have never been used. Some of them came from thriftstores. I sprayed painted them a range of colors. I could have had them powder coated for a more durable finish

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-13937266202754151682008-12-11T11:49:00.002-06:002008-12-11T11:50:55.423-06:00

We just completed a little art/decor project on the outside of the bathroom walls at Foam. This shot was snapped moments after the last board went up.

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-75193589315396515702008-11-02T10:53:00.000-06:002008-11-20T10:55:54.745-06:00

The first of 3 articles about Foam in local magazines has hit the stands. Café Culture Foam promises to resurrect something St. Louis hasn't really had since Gaslight Square: an ultrahip coffeehouse music venue By Elizabeth Wolfson Photograph by Rachel Brandt Let's get

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-4392583777547682222008-10-29T22:21:00.000-05:002008-11-20T10:40:03.108-06:00

Thankfully things are always moving forward with Foam. The building is coming along nicely even if it is a little slow at times. We are hitting the point where infrastructure is complete and the design and decoration aspect begins. This is a rewarding stage to say the least. One of the most exciting things is that I have a new mural in the building. An artist and nearby resident painted my

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-15458085244305409972008-10-21T15:59:00.000-05:002008-11-20T10:47:33.766-06:00

I participated in a photoshoot for an upcoming magazine article on Foam and the good things happening on Cherokee. It gets published in February. I wore makeup. It felt like halloween but afterwards and throughout the day nobody even noticed.Here's a super secret shot I snapped at the shoot.

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-70185995052562728622008-09-23T20:46:00.003-05:002008-11-20T10:20:57.267-06:00

Please join me in welcoming the newest member of the family. Our baby girl Frances Ellen Willa G.

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-49795470382854250202008-09-07T23:05:00.002-05:002008-09-07T23:32:02.497-05:00

My brother and his wife along with their 2 young boys stayed with us for a couple of days. There were plenty of events to keep them busy but one of the most memorable was a photo project we did. We bought 3 disposable cameras and gave them to the 3 boys. Two of them are 3 years old and one is 5 and a half. We dropped the cameras off to get developed the day before they left so they were able

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-29334065087871733352008-08-01T21:22:00.001-05:002008-08-04T00:32:25.299-05:00

I realized that I have neglected to mention on the site that we here at "making of a parent" HQ are expecting another child. It's a girl and is due to arrive at the end of September. I forgot to mention it because as you with children may know there are multiple dates at which time you roll out the news. First the couple finds out and has to keep it to themselves until it is confirmed. Then

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-6817290550492279762008-07-24T15:55:00.004-05:002008-07-24T16:36:13.415-05:00

I have a severe bias against those that go door-to-door soliciting things. It usually happens that they ring my doorbell when my son is napping. He's a light sleeper. A ringing doorbell can certainly ruin a day by ruining a nap.Given this preference I wasn't all that excited about going door-to-door soliciting signatures for my liquor license petition. Knocking on the doors of strangers isn't

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-2874576734245497922008-07-18T19:59:00.000-05:002008-07-19T00:08:20.948-05:00

New windows were installed this week. It really makes a difference. For the most part it makes the rest of the building look shabby. Hopefully that will change soon.Foam is getting closer and closer to becoming a reality. Things are falling into place the way I hoped it would and as the space is built out I realize there is less I have to explain to people as I take them through the building.

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-36433971243435966632008-07-01T22:47:00.002-05:002008-07-02T23:14:16.035-05:00

Willa FischerJuly 5, 2004 - June 25, 2008

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-29112364195733429902008-05-01T07:50:00.002-05:002008-05-01T08:09:36.127-05:00

There's a famous found art project in Detroit called the Heidelberg Project. While in Detroit I learned about another art project referred to as the "Hamtramck Disneyland". I knew it was going to be worth it to seek it out right off the bat. It's not easy to find. You have to go down an alley to see it since it's perched atop a garage. It was interesting to say the least. It's difficult to

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1796286852552433042008-04-23T13:48:00.004-05:002008-04-23T14:29:03.831-05:00

I made a quick trip up to Detroit for a friend's surprise birthday party last weekend. I tried to take advantage of the fact that I was by myself and do a little exploring. I stayed in Greektown at the Atheneum which was walking distance from where the party was at Pulse. It was also across the street from Mosaic where I had dinner with some old friend's before the party. The streets of

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-66833137878186291702008-04-22T12:15:00.000-05:002008-04-23T14:28:17.857-05:00

My building is now officially under construction. Foam is becoming a reality. Here are a few pics of the building before and during demolition.

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-38320562827487447502008-03-19T10:40:00.002-05:002008-03-19T11:47:20.313-05:00

My sister, a new Mom!, bought my son a couple of these mini Automoblox cars. They are cars with wooden parts and windshields and wheels that you can take a part and rearrange and combine with other Automoblox. I'm really glad these didn't exist when I worked in a cubicle. I'd be killing large chunks of time playing with these. Great design. Super stylish. On the "Making of a Parent" scale I

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-36907498627828788992008-03-10T09:19:00.005-05:002008-03-10T22:13:34.594-05:00

Last night we finally got around to watching the Academy Award winning film Once. It's been sitting on top of the tv for 3 months. Netflix probably already wrote it off as lost forever. I knew I was going to like it which may have lead to my procrastinating. It was a lovely little peak into some other people's lives. The thing that struck me the most is that I wanted to explore all of those

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-70445659218340688302008-03-05T14:50:00.004-06:002008-04-23T14:29:38.934-05:00

I just picked up these 2 vintage Pachinko machines that are going to be used as decor in my coffeehouse when it opens. These things are so cool. They are futuristic and retro at the same time. Pachinko is a Japanese gaming system that is a combination of pinball and slot machines. They have built in ashtrays. How convenient! The graphics are cool and unfamiliar to me and add to the

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-65386984749527405842008-01-31T19:23:00.001-06:002008-04-23T14:30:18.018-05:00

I picked this up at a thrift store and removed the mirror and hardware. It had water stains on the top and the wood veneer was peeling off on both sides. I glued the veneer down and used wood putty to fill in the scratches. I pulled out the drawers and primed the whole thing with an oil based primer.I had a sketch of the finished product and painted the drawers whatever was the lightest

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-16516171534363080572008-01-29T13:18:00.001-06:002008-04-23T14:30:53.023-05:00

I have yet to post my lovely logo. I'm still working through the permit and licensing process at City Hall, but progress is being made. I should get my building permit soon and have a couple of hearings scheduled to take care of the necessary licenses. In the meantime here is my logo...And here is a mock up of the logo as a mural on the building...

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-8829744773687161262008-01-28T22:21:00.002-06:002009-01-22T11:04:33.690-06:00

Once again I have pulled together a list of some of my favorite tracks of the previous year and put them in a mix to hand out to friends. In some instances I may have picked tracks that weren't my absolute favorite, but the track I selected fit better in the mix and I liked it a lot anyway. While a track like Rehab from Amy Winehouse was one I listened to a lot last year there wasn't any point

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-84566441878393826542007-12-10T20:56:00.000-06:002008-01-31T13:50:47.759-06:00

I've once again picked up the hobby of furniture restoration. In the past I've spruced up cheap or distressed furniture out of a need to fill empty rooms economically. In a similar way I am seeking furniture from both thrift stores and out of alleys surrounding my house. The most I've paid for a piece is $65. That's the most recent one I'm working on and it was purchased at the St. Vincent

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-18166618798616745362007-08-15T00:49:00.001-05:002007-08-15T01:26:34.832-05:00

I was realizing that I have some open narratives. Some topics I have started that I have not cleared up. Some issues that I have addressed, but not clarified.One of those topics is Nate's diagnosis of the genetic disorder Ectodermal Dysplasia. It is something that is part of our daily life and there hasn't really been an "event" worth posting. The initial diagnosis threw us for a loop. We had so

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-2368573902059553462007-07-15T23:41:00.000-05:002008-01-31T14:36:37.789-06:00

Friday evening I got together with some people that are involved in the same business district as my building and future business. We have some challenges ahead and wanted to get together socially to discuss things in a casual environment. We toured some buildings and visited some businesses. The weather was beautiful. It was a perfect evening for a stroll. The street was so empty that it felt a

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1316295242136070892007-07-12T09:45:00.000-05:002008-01-28T22:54:47.894-06:00

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-51347491646308935232007-06-22T14:10:00.000-05:002007-06-22T14:10:49.271-05:00

Listening to: Blonde Redhead 23, Elliott Smith New Moon, Dr. Dog We All Belong and White Stripes Icky ThumpWatching: Top Chef on Bravo, The Lot on Fox, Big Love on HBO, Meet the Press on NBCReading: City Comforts; How to build an Urban Village by David SucherViewing: http://thewhereblog.blogspot.com/Wearing: A 31" waist for the first time in 20 years.Drinking: Vanilla Coke ZeroSearching for: The

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-9182001983514721442007-06-22T13:47:00.000-05:002007-06-22T13:54:10.256-05:00

While I'm waiting for permits and drawings and bank loans, etc. I can't help but poke around my building and see what I'm going to be dealing with. Last week I was removing a drop ceiling and decided to pull down some drywall attached to a brick wall. This wall was once an exterior wall and then an addition went up and used the exterior wall as it's eastern interior wall. Underneath I found a

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-89936696882371565032007-05-24T00:08:00.000-05:002007-05-24T00:18:34.142-05:00

Nate has been waking up at night crying. It's unusual for him and it's difficult to guess the cause. It may be that he's lonely, or hungry, or had a bad dream. We try to let him work through it and fall back asleep on his own. One night he woke at about 5am and was crying. Hard. The crying seemed to get worse and I got out of bed, half asleep in the dark, to check on him. I could tell

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-26179728855728230772007-04-17T15:24:00.000-05:002007-04-17T15:27:28.154-05:00

Nathan is getting tubes in his ears on Friday. The poor little guy has had 10 ear infections in the last year. Here's a picture of him calling all his friends to let them know he'll be unavailable to hang on Friday.

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-74253647812708104072007-01-25T22:06:00.000-06:002007-01-25T22:20:51.584-06:00

I've been working on a plan for over a year now to buy and renovate a commercial building in the city. For as many reasons as there are buildings in St. Louis it just hasn't worked out yet. I can finally announce that I have found a building that: a) is in an up and coming neighborhood b) that was actually on the market and c) I have been able to negotiate a reasonable price on. I'm very excited

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-32463060344655794462007-01-17T12:11:00.002-06:002009-01-22T11:05:07.952-06:00

I've put together my list of favorite songs for 2006. It can be downloaded here:http://www.megaupload.com/?d=R4QLNP36Unfortunately the megaupload program puts the titles in alpha order. Below is the order in which I intended.1. TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me2. Tapes 'n Tapes - The Iliad3. Tilly and the Wall - Rainbows in the Dark4. Cat Power - Living Proof5. Gentleman Auction House - A Hospital

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-55986881274202588272007-01-17T12:05:00.000-06:002007-01-17T12:10:21.145-06:00

I never did get in an adult kickball league. Maybe this Pillow Fight Club will be more my speed. If that doesn't take off I may start a Professional Kick-the-Can League. The advertising possiblities on the can alone can fund the whole league.http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pillow-fighting-now-a-sport/

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-44487733343123060622007-01-03T00:19:00.000-06:002007-01-03T00:30:53.080-06:00

Happy New Year! 2007 is going to be the year that comes before 2008 and after 2006!! You can be sure of that.I'm working on my year end mix cd. I've done it for the last 4 or 5 years. It's probably geeky, but I enjoy it and subject my friends to it. The thing I find hard to believe is how many titles I put on my year end favorites list that I don't see on other lists. I listen to podcasts,

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-90801815610228474272006-12-22T10:26:00.000-06:002006-12-22T10:28:56.209-06:00

I was out in my front yard one evening this summer and noticed a car driving by real slow. It got my attention as I try to be observant and aware. As it got closer I noticed it was a couple of little old ladies staring at me. They drove around the block and came by again sizing me up as either a friend or foe.The second time coming by they decided to pull over and get out. One of the women

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-24976171850433247212006-12-20T15:58:00.000-06:002006-12-20T16:16:06.915-06:00

It's funny that I seem to be forced into "clubs" that I never had any intention of joining. One of those clubs is the bald man club. If you're not bald you pay no attention to new products or positive and negative portrayals of bald men. Bald guys are almost exclusively bad guys in the media. You have your occasional Jean-Luc Piccard but it's certainly rare and that character was 10+ years

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-28969151323760344312006-12-11T23:39:00.000-06:002006-12-11T23:45:57.323-06:00

I love the strange coincidences that pop up with something like this. It gives new perspective to old material which is something art is supposed to do. Some songs work, some don't and some are just plain funny. Have fun and comment on what came up for you. I'm anxious to do it again, but these were my first attempt.So, here's how it works:1. Open your music library (iTunes, MusicMatch, Media

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-88589220153397555752006-12-05T11:07:00.000-06:002006-12-05T11:09:24.083-06:00

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-20970259389597142882006-12-01T22:35:00.000-06:002006-12-01T23:49:08.510-06:00

Craptastic! That's how I would describe this week. It started with Nate getting a stomach virus that leaves him puking and with the worst diarrhea ever. We thought it was a 24 hour bug, then a 48 hour bug, then 5 days in we realized it was much worse. That however is not why it was a bad week. That was just a small contributing factor. Nate is a trooper and for the most part has kept his spirits

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1162920950089538012006-11-07T11:14:00.000-06:002006-11-07T11:35:50.136-06:00

Friday afternoon November 3, 2006 we had an appointment with a pediatric dermatological specialist. Our pediatrician had some concerns about Nate's progress at his one year appointment. The specialist instantly diagnosed Nate with a rare genetic disorder known as Ectodermal Dysplasia. She was able to so quickly diagnose him because the disorder carries with it some specific external

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1161111728696343152006-10-17T13:39:00.000-05:002006-11-07T11:52:07.890-06:00

I had a really fantastic weekend. Last year at this time I was celebrating my birthday in the hospital waiting for Nate to be born. This year Nate was eating cake and playing with his new toys. What a year it has been. Someone was saying to me that this must have been a quick year. That it probably flew by. I had to disagree. This was one of the longest years I can remember. I experienced so many

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1159290354320446612006-09-26T11:20:00.000-05:002006-12-01T23:53:07.619-06:00

I am not a photographer. I do, however, like to keep a camera with me to document things I find interesting as I explore the city. Here are some current photos of things I 've found intresting.

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1157604185166525832006-09-06T23:41:00.000-05:002006-09-06T23:43:05.180-05:00

100 songs that I love in no particular order. I didn't use any artist twice to get as much representation as possible. What are your favorite songs?1. Joe Henry - Short Man's Room2. The Stooges - No Fun3. Nina Simone - My Baby Just Cares for Me4. Charlie Rich - No Headstone on My Grave5. Brendan Benson - Tiny Spark6. The Shins - Caring is Creepy7. John Lee Hooker - Boom Boom8. Tapes n' Tapes -

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1156221257972062622006-08-21T23:28:00.000-05:002006-08-21T23:38:41.296-05:00

Nate took a trip to a children's hands-on museum in Kirkwood called The Magic House. He loved the place as you can see. I especially like how he's so comfortable driving the boat that he chooses to do it one handed.

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1155918909472453452006-08-18T11:15:00.000-05:002006-12-01T23:53:36.132-06:00

I watch a lot of tv. I watch a lot of reality tv. I'm bored with reality tv. My wife recently set our dvr to record Project Runway on Bravo. The next day Bravo ran a 6 hour marathon of Project Runway. There are a couple of reasons why I am enjoying this show even though I have no interest in fashion.One reason is that the "contestants" are actually skilled. They have worked in the industry and

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1153245934629884402006-07-18T13:01:00.000-05:002006-07-20T00:58:07.136-05:00

I've never been filled with the spirit of comraderie and rock n roll happiness like I was last night. Thank you Tilly and the Wall for renewing my faith in live music. I needed it.

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1153084726861217042006-07-16T16:15:00.000-05:002006-07-16T21:18:16.560-05:00

I spent a day this week working as an extra on a film being shot here in St. Louis. It was fun for awhile but got old after 8 or 9 hours. The movie actually takes place in Minneapolis in the Fall so I had to wear a denim shirt and a sweater. The scene we did was shot in an empty building downtown that didn't have air conditioning. They had big tubes pumping cool air into the building but it

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1152411884151581852006-07-08T20:36:00.000-05:002006-07-20T00:56:59.793-05:00

This list is not in any particular order. It's just a list of weird things that make me happy.1. Getting my son out of his crib in the morning. That smile lasts me the whole day.2. My Wife. She totally rules.3. Ted Drewe's Big Apple concrete4. Random coincidences5. Television. This heading includes all of my favorite shows, tv shows on dvd (Freaks & Geeks) and my DVR which records everything I

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1150865870810227632006-06-20T23:23:00.000-05:002006-06-21T00:03:04.600-05:00

Feel free to fill it out and post it in the comments. Make up your own questions and add them or replace other questions you don't want to answer. There are no rules.1. You have 10 bucks and need to buy snacks at a gas station, what do you get?Mountain Dew, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Good & Plenty2. If you had to be reincarnated as some sort of sea dwelling creature, what would it be?Coral3.

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1148620756537156772006-05-26T00:09:00.000-05:002006-05-26T00:19:16.560-05:00

I'm getting sick of the politically correct backlash. More and more I'm hearing people on tv and radio say things like "It was so much easier when you didn't have to watch what you say so carefully." Or "Watch out for the PC police." Inevitably the people saying this are white men. Of course it was easier when you didn't have to worry about offending women or minorities. Keep up with the

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1148619336521229012006-05-25T23:48:00.000-05:002006-05-25T23:56:48.453-05:00

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1147814905891331222006-05-16T16:22:00.000-05:002006-05-16T16:28:25.893-05:00

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1147365545226891342006-05-11T11:24:00.000-05:002006-05-11T11:39:05.253-05:00

I've experienced the revitalization of St. Louis first hand. Neighborhoods making a comeback isn't much of a story though. Downtown is where the headlines are made. Articles like this one in USA Today, for better or worse can have an impact. They affect public perception. Public perception affects convention booking, event scheduling, etc. Hopefully this article is a sign that public

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1146710281169536902006-05-03T20:41:00.000-05:002006-05-05T13:08:01.683-05:00

What I'm wearing: It's starting to warm up now, but I wore the shit out of my jean jacket this Spring. My Chuck Taylors that were new last Spring are falling apart this year. Got to look for something to fill that void. I've been wearing a lot of workout stuff (previous 2 posts). I got a pair of cheap jeans from H&M that are fantastic. Much better than the more expensive pairs I've purchased

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1145491096932145422006-04-19T18:44:00.000-05:002006-04-24T19:46:17.576-05:00

I am enjoying the gym. It's rather difficult for me to believe, but it's true. I always thought that joining a gym was a waste of money. I've got 2 feet, a pair of shoes and the street. Why not just go running to get in shape? It's free for crying out loud. At the gym though they have these sophisticated machines that tell you how many calories you're burning and your heart rate among other

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1144108814732837502006-04-03T18:42:00.000-05:002006-04-03T19:00:14.746-05:00

I saw this thing on TV (20/20 maybe?) about game theory and losing weight. They had people on there who agreed to either lose a pre-determined amount of weight or have their picture shown on national television in a speedo/bikini. I'm not about to post a picture of me in a speedo, but I have decided to join a gym and thought that posting my results here may encourage me to work harder.My

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1143605567576502732006-03-28T21:28:00.000-06:002006-03-28T22:12:47.593-06:00

http://newyorkmetro.com/news/features/16529/index.htmlJust when you think you've grown out of labels they invent a new one. The Grup. This was actually a pretty interesting article to me. Having been a retail buyer/marketer (my corporate gig) I learned all about predicting behavior. You had to have the right mix of product at the right time for the right person. It was amazing how

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1143564831263097442006-03-28T10:39:00.000-06:002006-03-28T10:53:51.283-06:00

It's still very much a work in progress but here are a couple of shots of where we stand with the house/project. We built some shelves into the living room to add character and seperate it from the dining room. Here's a shot from the family room through the dining room and into the flex room which is off of the kitchen. One thing we did was open this doorway up wider and add French doors. It

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1143563906912832782006-03-28T10:14:00.000-06:002006-03-28T10:38:26.926-06:00

Urban areas of the country have been experiencing a boom over the last decade. My guess is it's cyclical. People like myself had parents that grew up in the city and moved to the suburbs for all the usual reasons that I don't intend to go into. Their offspring grew up in safe environments with good schools and not much to do. We couldn't walk anywhere worthwhile. It was too far to ride our

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1142623210180315202006-03-17T13:13:00.000-06:002006-03-17T13:28:38.170-06:00

I went to St. Patrick's school for 8 years as a child. The girls had to wear green polyester pants or skirts and a green vest with a white shirt. The boys were more fortunate in that we had a choice of wearing blue, brown or green slacks in solid colors and a solid color shirt. I went to a University whose colors were green and white also. I sort of burned out on the color scheme. It's taken me

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1142358748909473032006-03-14T11:50:00.000-06:002006-03-14T11:52:28.923-06:00

I realize that people think he's too young and that he is just in his first term as a Senator, but then again people voted for George W. Bush proving that "people" can't be trusted. It's time for Obama Americans. It's time!

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1141972065104761612006-03-10T00:13:00.000-06:002006-03-10T00:27:45.120-06:00

I came to the realization today (millions came to it eons ago I'm sure, but I'm a little slow) that collecting hasn't been fun since the internet took off. There used to be great fun in hunting. Maybe it filled a primal need. The hunt is dead. eBay was the killer.The most obscure item can be Googled in seconds and is for sale by someone somewhere. It's not fun because everyone can be so easily

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1141970700952592492006-03-09T23:57:00.000-06:002006-03-10T00:05:00.966-06:00

I have a few quirks. I don't think I'm in need of medication, but there are a couple of things that seem fairly unique about me. One of those things is that I notice Michigan license plates. I moved from Michigan to STL in October of 2001, but I still spot Michigan plates on cars from a mile away. I saw 4 today. 1 this afternoon and 3 within 10 minutes this evening. Somebody tell me the

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1141576905387931512006-03-05T10:21:00.000-06:002006-03-05T10:47:45.123-06:00

We are now living in our new house. It isn't finished. I hope to have it finished soon and not drag it out too long, but we love it anyway. We still need kitchen counters, and until we have counters we can't install our sink and until we install our sink we can't install our dishwasher and until we install our dishwasher we have to wash dishes in the bathroom sink. Not that great.I also need to

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1138342443011409502006-01-27T00:06:00.000-06:002006-01-27T00:28:56.573-06:00

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1138341955321895432006-01-26T23:59:00.002-06:002009-01-22T11:03:16.255-06:00

I like to make compilation cd's each year for my friends of my favorite songs of the previous year. Unfortunately the whole burning, creating artwork, buying envelopes, mailing the mix thing slows me down and I rarely get many mailed off. Especially this year since I'm reahabbing our new house, selling our old house (we close on 2/28/06!), takingcare of a baby and moving. It just didn't seem

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1137432121147730662006-01-16T10:55:00.000-06:002006-01-16T11:25:32.286-06:00

I can't quite call myself a Modernist. It's just too expensive to be a full fledged Modernist today. However, I am a fan of the Modernist aesthetic and strive to achieve it in whatever I do. The reason I may seem apologetic for my leanings is because I live in a city that has not embraced the future in a long time. St. Louis has a glorious past and rests on its laurels far too often. It tries to

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1136996141259012812006-01-11T09:56:00.000-06:002006-01-11T10:19:31.603-06:00

I've learned a new term that describes everything that I tried to convey in my post about the new Busch Stadium and other new structures in St. Louis and around the country. The term is "retrogressive". I read it in an article in Modernism magazine about the demolition of the Morton May House in Ladue. The May house was a beautiful modern home in the International style built in 1942 and designed

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1136705795128602782006-01-08T00:20:00.000-06:002006-01-08T01:44:05.836-06:00

I need to say that many of my favorite cds that came out in 2005 I have yet to discover. Some of the joy in being a music fan is finding out about the things you missed and going back to pick up some back catalog. This list is simply a list of things that I did discover and liked.The Sights - The SightsThis Detroit group has a funky rock sound driven by a Hammond organ. Not very common today.

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1136699543219444532006-01-07T23:37:00.000-06:002006-01-07T23:58:50.510-06:00

Nate is 3 months old. He is now going to daycare 4 days a week. I miss him everyday and nearly cry everytime I drop him off. The good news is that he's starting to become the baby that we always hoped he would be. He's had some difficult times in his short life. He was diagnosed with acid reflux. The acid burned his esophogus and eating became a chore for him and stressful for us. He'd spit up

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1136047782752573862005-12-31T10:42:00.000-06:002006-01-07T23:54:14.023-06:00

It's about to be 2006. I really like the idea of starting the New Year with a clean slate. I would love to pare down to the bare essentials every New Year and simplify my life. The problem is that I have many pack rat tendencies. I can't seem to part with my stuff. I have reason to believe this year may be different though. Our house has been on the market for 3 months and there is finally some

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1134629545936590512005-12-15T00:32:00.000-06:002005-12-17T01:17:51.186-06:00

Coming up with a Christmas gift list at my age is a real pain. I rarely have appropriately priced gift items that others can get for me. I don't really have hobbies. I don't golf, or collect Hummels or anything. If I go too generic (ex. sweater) I never know what I'll get. Gift cards are great but not a whole lot of fun to watch someone open. Same goes for magazine subscriptions. The things I

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1133759923574134632005-12-04T23:00:00.000-06:002005-12-04T23:22:47.390-06:00

I underestimated how hard having a baby would be. I've heard a million times from parents that it's difficult, but I kind of thought they were exaggerating. In retrospect I think they were probably lowballing the amount of effort in an attempt to trick the childless into their group. Either that or they lost their minds and had forgotten how much effort it takes. I thought it was simply a matter

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1131966991133532332005-11-14T04:30:00.000-06:002005-11-15T20:45:30.546-06:00

They're building a new baseball stadium for the St. Louis Cardinals. It will be ready for the 2006 season and will also be called Busch Stadium. The old Busch Stadium built in the 1960's was a modern structure inspired by the then new St. Louis Arch. The Arch is the most beautiful Modernist Monument in the world. Cutting edge in every way. I love the Arch and loved that the stadium reflected the

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1131898209089119842005-11-13T09:33:00.000-06:002005-11-14T05:22:52.110-06:00

I love Fall (or Autumn if you prefer). It's a great time of year. There are overlap seasons though. There should be a name for the seasons that are between the 4 seasons. Right now it's mid November but it is 80 degrees (Indian Summer?). It's funny to go to public places and see how everyone is dressed. Some people dress for November. They picked up their new sweater and leather jacket in August

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1131322822019037652005-11-06T17:59:00.000-06:002005-11-07T00:18:39.326-06:00

Rehabbing: The house is coming along. I had one setback this week with my shower. I have a custom sized shower. It's 8 feet x 3 feet with a seat at either end. I need to have a custom shower floor made that slopes towards the drain. It's pretty important that water doesn't pool or leak below so I wanted to leave it to a professional. After having 4 "professionals" out to look at it and either

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1130544107795913542005-10-28T18:54:00.000-05:002005-10-28T19:01:47.816-05:00

Nathan is awesome. I can already tell he's going to be a fun kid to have around. He doesn't do much right now except cry, sleep and chug formula, but a Father knows these things. We are already looking forward to the next step. We're ready for him to talk, walk, laugh, etc. We don't want to miss out on this precious time but there is so much to look forward to and we want to enjoy it all now.

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1129936510107628232005-10-21T18:09:00.000-05:002005-10-21T18:15:10.120-05:00

Our son has arrived. It was a tough birth. First Jen had the External Cyphilic Version which was successful in turning the baby head down, but which resulted in a little tear between the uteran wall and the placenta. Then they induced for 20 hours but were unhappy with the results. So finally in was cesearian section.Regardless of the trip he is here and now the journey begins.

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1129126516692426812005-10-12T08:50:00.000-05:002005-10-12T09:16:24.343-05:00

Big, shocking news yesterday from the doctor. The baby is breach! Nobody else had detected this. Our own doctor is on maternity leave (she had a breach baby) so we've seen a different doctor nearly every time we've been in there. There are 5 doctors in the practice and we've seen all five. This was the first visit to see this new doctor. She herself is pregnant too.Thursday, we are going into the

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1129180936372637682005-10-11T10:11:00.000-05:002005-10-13T00:24:46.790-05:00

Trim going up around the windows.Floors in the baby's room yesterday.Floors in the baby's room today.All new trim taking up current residence in the kitchen.

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1127544235442458772005-09-24T01:20:00.000-05:002005-09-24T01:58:00.333-05:00

Rehab: I've been busy. It's to be expected. I knew months ago it was going to be like this. It is 1:20am and I just finished working for the day. It's been about a 16 hour work day. It's all because we have our first open house on Sunday. We're selling our current home so that we can move into our soon to be completed house next door. It wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't such a procrastinator. When

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1126451402481680802005-09-11T09:54:00.000-05:002005-09-11T10:13:46.606-05:00

Baby: Last week we took a tour of the hospital where my son will be born and yesterday we took a caregiver's class. In the class we learned rudimentary elements of taking care of a child that included feeding, changing and bathing. I don't think either of us learned anything surprising, but it did help reinforce the fact that we aren't completely clueless.Rehab: The house is coming along. The

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1126027278699917592005-09-06T09:57:00.000-05:002005-09-06T12:30:21.576-05:00

This weekend was a fun one. I've been working on promoting a gallery opening for the past couple of weeks and the show was on Saturday. The show was called Paper Cuts and Track Marks and was a gig poster show inspired by my own collection. There were 11 artists involved and a couple of the artists came from out of town to be at the show. We received some good press and hung posters throughout

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1125291122691950462005-08-28T23:38:00.000-05:002005-08-28T23:52:02.703-05:00

Framing complete.Insulation installed.Couldn't even wait for the dust to settle to take this picture! Drywall is complete. Inspection is tomorrow and then the taping and mudding begins. Our flooring guy may even get started before Labor Day if the weather stays agreeable and the mud dries quickly.

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1124138275907165032005-08-15T09:30:00.000-05:002005-08-15T15:37:55.913-05:00

I had a small problem in that there was a power surge and my hard drive seized. I lost everything. Pretty much 4 years worth of photos and thousands of songs that I only had in a digital format. I have now purchased a new, larger harddrive and a DVD burner so I can store everything on a couple of discs as well as a battery backup to avoid this problem again in the future. Just a bit of advice for

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1122611544522288982005-07-28T22:13:00.000-05:002005-07-28T23:39:49.196-05:00

Baby: My sister-in-law's due date was 3 days ago. She's not happy about that. It's hot and she's not sleeping and is taking care of a 2 year old during the day. Honestly though I hope Jen is late. I'm really anxious to see my son for the first time, but I could use every extra minute I can get to finish the house and prepare for the new addition to our family. We do not have a name yet. I will

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1122227435439934102005-07-24T23:35:00.000-05:002005-07-24T13:15:32.123-05:00

It's been tough to blog lately. My harddrive fried due to a power surge. Occasionally Jen brings her laptop home from work so that I can log on and keep in touch. I think the heat has just as much to do with not publishing too. It's been in the upper 90's for 2 weeks and is supposed to hit 102 today. I'm really working hard to get my rehab project ready to move into, but I feel like I'm moving

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1121460021904641052005-07-15T15:21:00.000-05:002005-07-15T15:41:14.776-05:00

Volume 3 In the ongoing saga of my Gigposters cd mix exchange: July was a hard one for me. I wasn't feeling inspired at all and the guy that I was making the mix for likes the opposite kind of music I do. He likes really edgy industrial electronic music. I like very organic indie rock and roll.Once I decided to just give him a mix of what I like and hope that he finds something in their for

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1121458387102637462005-07-14T21:04:00.000-05:002005-07-15T15:18:04.780-05:00

Rehab: I received my worst injury pertaining to rehabbing yesterday. I was cutting through a brittle cast iron pipe in the basement with my sawzall when it snapped off and one end bounced off the ground and the other jagged end landed on my arm. It didn't hurt very much and I thought about how lucky I was that it didn't land on my face or head. Then I saw the blood. After I rinsed off the dirt

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1120716054419297012005-07-06T22:40:00.000-05:002005-07-07T02:07:12.090-05:00

So Jen and I decided to make a pretty much last minute trip to Michigan to see my family for the long July 4th holiday. Lately we've only been going up for Christmas and we've wanted to make more frequent trips. With the baby coming Jen has been hoarding vacation time to supplement maternity leave and the long weekend gave us an opportunity to dash up there without using up accrued vacation time.

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1120150294366757732005-06-30T09:04:00.000-05:002005-06-30T11:51:34.373-05:00

I have not been blogging much. It's too hot. 98 degrees today with no end in sight. I'm working hard on my rehab project. Framing is nearly complete. Windows are being wrapped up today and tomorrow. HVAC rough in begins next week. Then plumbing and electrical rough ins to follow. I still need to install the cement board in the kitchen and bathrooms and repoint the basement walls. We have

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1119131979018179872005-06-18T16:30:00.000-05:002005-06-20T23:39:25.530-05:00

Wearing: Got some Chuck Taylor Converse navy low tops for the summer. Haven't had any since I was a kid. First time I wore them I rubbed all the skin off of my heals. Got to remember to break them in. Also wearing cargo shorts. I need them to hold my perscription sunglasses, phone, notepad, ipod mini, camera, etc. I'm migrating away from printed tees to solid color better cut and quality tees. I

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1118897482422550362005-06-15T22:24:00.000-05:002005-06-15T23:51:22.426-05:00

Television: We've got Moxi! Moxi is our local cable company version of a Digital Video Recorder (DVR). DVR's are routinely referred to as Tivo since that is the first recognizable brand name. I like this one because I didn't have to get an additional phone line installed.Moxi is changing my life. First of all it has streamlined my entertainment area. Moxi is the same size as my previous

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1118770156117481602005-06-14T12:40:00.000-05:002005-06-14T12:29:16.123-05:00

We had a little health scare. Jen has some travelling to do for work. She flew to NY last Wednesday and then was going to spend some time with an old friend who now lives in Brooklyn and come back on Sunday. Thursday she was working out in the hotel gym and noticed a sore spot on her thigh. She felt a bump that she knew wasn't there before. She had no recollection of getting hit or stung by

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1118767091611210482005-06-14T09:38:00.000-05:002005-06-14T12:12:50.790-05:00

I sent off my June cd mix for the gigposters exchange. I tried to be more creative with this one. Many of the mixes that I saw last month were hand drawn or screen printed. I felt bad about my weak attempt at being creative so I tried to step it up a notch. I created a sort of boxed set feel by creating a package with the cds inside.I made this case myself by cutting it out of an old rollerblades

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1117517938339316322005-05-30T23:19:00.000-05:002005-05-31T00:38:58.346-05:00

Baby: We've purchased our crib set. These are basically sheets for the baby's room, but are very specialized. They will allow us to start putting together a plan for the decor of the baby's room.Probably the biggest priority for Jen right now seems to be picking a name. Now that we know it's a boy we are able to quickly narrow down the list to a few names. This is one of the most difficult things

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1116562718457804032005-05-19T22:58:00.000-05:002005-05-19T23:27:35.950-05:00

Baby: We caved. We started talking about it last night and decided in the waiting room that we were going to find out the sex of the baby at today's ultrasound. It's a good thing we did. It's going to take Jen the remaining 4.5 months to come to terms with the fact that she is having a son. She can't even imagine what that will be like or what kind of relationship she'll have with him. She feels

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1116397506289986092005-05-18T00:08:00.000-05:002005-05-18T01:25:06.293-05:00

The other day Jen and I were stopped at a light on Grand and saw a guy roll down his window and throw a whole bag of fast food garbage out the window, roll up the window and drive off. This is not the first time I have witnessed this kind of behavior. It makes me wish they allowed caning in the city of St. Louis. I have an anti-death penalty stance, but would love to see more extreme

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10717232.post-1116261658300559062005-05-16T09:27:00.000-05:002005-05-19T23:22:14.843-05:00

Baby: Jen is definitely pregnant. She has grown out of all regular clothes and can only wear maternity now. For awhile she could get away with wearing larger sizes but that doesn't work any longer. Her body continues to change but I think from here on out it'll mostly be just her belly growing.She couldn't ever imagine what it would be like to have a baby moving inside her. It seemed so alien.

mike ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17240155519276387034noreply@blogger.com1