piggyreese

How much is too much

2006-08-17T08:43:00.000-05:00

When planning a party, what are the major concerns that have to be addressed?

(in no specific order)
Budget
Number of people
What type of Food
Theme / decor
Drinks or no drinks
Possible seating
Music
games / favors
Attire
grooming
Time

This is true for just about any party, why when you add the word wedding before the word party do the decisions become harder and the price attached for anything simple or not, sky rocket?

Maybe because the wedding day is the one day that is supposed to be all about the bride, and perfect. It's the one day that supposedly the parents should have been saving for. It is the day that the bride gets to live out a fantasy, because really when else are you going to spend a crap load of money and feed and booze up all your friends and family?

Seriously they looked at a shit load of venues, and met with many many caterers until they found an all inclusive place that would do what they wanted with the budget that they had to work with.

But, what no one tells you is that after the invitations go out, the price is really subject to change. If more people come than you originally hoped, that is great but it costs more.

Months go by and all these ideas are thought of, on how to make the party better, well guess what that costs more.

You realize that you forgot someone totally off the list and, well that costs more.

Mom and Frank are at the point now, where in order to pull off what they want, the creativity will have to kick in, and mom will have to stop drunkenly inviting people!

wedding and life shit

2006-08-16T09:20:00.000-05:00

So mom has been a little stressed, which is why there has been a lack of posts. Her stress equals my laziness.

She will promise this, Frank and mom and I are moving to North Carolina in October and from that point on my blogging will become more regular. . .

What are we all going to be doing in North Carolina you may ask . . well they are going to try and open a bar / Performance space.
Coffee in the morning with sandwiches and salads, and then come evening wine, beer and cheese plates and other good non needing a chef eats!

Now really that idea may change when they get down there based on location issues, zoning laws and a general lack of need for what they were first thinking of opening. But right now, it is looking like the place will be something that serves light fair, and coffee and wine and beer!

Now, regarding mom's wedding that she is planning . . . that headache (well fun) is consuming her every thought as of late.

Mom realized that she is soo happy that Frank and her technically are all ready married so that they are able to relax and celebrate at the party. But then mom decided to have a ceremony, with the whole dress thing, and the DJ, and the photographer and the 200 people who need to eat and drink!!!!!!

So, that said. This is why mom has not been posting.

She will now do wedding updates until the event. . .

Another Bichon Blogger

2006-07-26T15:26:00.000-05:00

Yes ladies and gentleman. Mom has discovered another Bichon Blogger, well at least a pic of one.

courtesy of Cute Overload. The cutest website ever!

CAR

2006-07-26T15:24:00.000-05:00

Mom and Frank bought a car.

Yes they did.

It's blue and I have not vomited in it yet.

They have resolved to not drive it unless they really need to. Like never in the city.

hmmm. not too sure how I feel about this purchase yet.

Going to New Bedford

2006-06-30T09:27:00.000-05:00

Mom is going to New Bedford this week to Visit Alicia

and the cutie pie. She is soo excited!

There sometimes is nothing better than hanging out with a baby. Mom and Frank are then going to hang out with Grandma.

Mom is shoving me at Aunt Kris's house to play with Milo!

I foresee a whole week of hiding under the bed and being humped.

If mom ran NYC

2006-06-27T12:51:00.000-05:00

Another cyclist has died this month in NYC area. That makes 3 in June alone.

Mom is finding it really hard not to be extremely nervous each time her and Frank or other's bike.

How can it be less dangerous? What will it take to create safer streets and better bicycle awareness.

If mom ran NYC she would know exactly what to do to make it safer.

That's like saying that the world would be a better place is more people thought like her. It sounds nice to say, but really may not be true.

But if mom was going to try and make it safer in the streets here in NY she would. . .

First make the speed limit of cars, 10 miles per hour slower. Or maybe 10 miles an hour tops. She would reinstate the constant carpool rule, in hopes that it would eliminate excess cars. She would not allow trucks in the city at all. The only large vehicles would be small dump truck, vans and maybe buss's but maybe not.

Then she would make one car lane on each street that had more than one lane totally dedicated to bikes. Forget the skinny bike lanes that are so close to parked cars, she would just make one whole large car lane.

For the other one way single lane streets she would just ban cars.

Then she would make it a complete Felony, here me felony to open a car door into traffic. She would insist that all passengers of cars in the front or back use the car door that was closest to the side walk. Speaking of that, all the sidewalks would be free because there would no longer be street parking allowed. You could only drop people off on curbs, in special designated areas like as if you are pulling up to a hotel.

Every car would have to park under ground in parking garages. The only cars that could park ever on the street would be police cars, ambulances and fire trucks (which would be allowed.)

Then she would make it a rule in companies, or any job that if you stopped driving to work, and started riding a bike you would get a $2000 tax free bonus. And if you bike to work with a co-worker who is less skilled on a bike than you get 3 extra days off a year. (in praise of being a teacher)

She would then get messengers to volunteer 2 hours a month to teach classes about changing tubes, and how to lock your bike, and anything else people would want to know. And in exchange every messenger would have health insurance.

There would also be a Bloomberg sponsored prize yearly for the person who helped the most people stop driving and start riding their bikes, taking buses etc. and worked to make the streets a safer place for cyclists. The prize would be a college education for 10 people of their choosing and free bikes for life.

Then to make sure that Transportation Alternatives continued to be the best company, she would give them and everyone who worked there 1 million dollars a year. (it being a non profit and all, that money would have to be for very specific reasons which would be determined)

Mom would then, stop the rain and the snow in the city, so that every day was a great biking day.

She would turn some of the old parking spaces in to great bike parking that was safe, and supervised. She would also have cute valet bike parking for people who had more money to spend. She would also make sure that all those employee's working bike parking had health insurance.

Every other street meat cart would also sell tubes, and air pumps, and tires and other necessary bike parts. So you could always fix a problem.

And to top it all off, she would remove the gas stations from the city and replace them with bike shops, and quick repair places open 24 hours. This would be so no one was ever stranded and could always get their bike fixed.

Ok so obviously there are problems with this idea, like how would people carry heavy things, or if you can’t walk or physically ride a bike what would you do? And I am sure if mom spent a few more hours on this she would think of something.

But of course this fantasy has to come to an end. That is of course unless the rest of the world thinks this way too . . .

I guess all mom is asking is for no more cyclist death’s to happen. And for the city to be a safer place to bike in. But until then, those who passed will be remembered and missed. And when this city is a safer place they will not be forgotten.

Bananna Guard

2006-06-19T12:04:00.000-05:00

So, Mom decided to buy Frank a present. It was going to be part of his birthday gift, until it came early and mom realized that she could not sit on it for that long.

When Mom and Frank went to Princeton to see Cousin Amy defend her desertion, on the way up Frank was reading a bike magazine. In the magazine there was an add for a Banana Guard.

Frank got excited because he always eats banana’s and is upset when they smash in his bag.
This Banana Guard holder seemed like such a great gift idea, that he would have no idea was coming. How many times do you look in a magazine, comment out loud at what you might like, and then actually get it? . . .

So Mom rips out the page, and goes online and finds the website. It is a little company in Canada called Banana Guard. She perused the colors, picked two she thought that Frank would like (blue and yellow) and placed the order. Since Frank’s birthday is in August, she selected ground shipment since it was the cheapest and she had a few months to wait.

One week later, the package arrived at her desk at work. She thought how fast it was, and got excited to see what they looked like. She opened the package and pulled out 2 rather large dildo looking contraptions.

She immediately turned bright red and shoved them back in the package and looked around to make sure that no one saw.

Ordering sex toys to one’s office is frowned upon in corporate America.

She took the package to the bathroom in her office and took them out and looked again. The were really made for holding banana’s, but the were a lot bigger than she thought and did not really look like they would fit all banana’s.

She went back to her desk and a few hours later she got up the courage to show the one friend she has at work. Of course her friend thought that the guards looked like giant sex toys, and then made mom put them back in the bag, so no one would see.

Right before she got home she got up the courage to ask her co-worker who happened to have a banana on her desk to take a look at the purchase and see if the banana would fit. The kicked off the next half an hour of hysterical laughing by everyone in finance, who had to hold it and walk through the halls. They finally tried the real banana in there, and it did indeed fit.

Mom decided that night after showing her friend Aubrey and watching her laugh so hard she almost cried, that she had had to give this “gift” to Frank right away.

She went home and told Frank that she had a present and had wanted it to be part of his birthday gift but now it just did not seem appropriate. She made him hold out his hands with his eyes closed and put one in each hand. She held her breath and waited for his reaction.

As anticipated he laughed really hard, and then got excited about really using it. He even went so far as to find the perfect place for it in his bag. Who knew, messenger bags have just the place for Banana Guards.

So after all that, the Banana Guard / Sex toy looking object will be gracing the streets of NYC being taken out at times were sure will not be appropriate, and if not causing confusion in others, it will at least cause laughter.

John and Noreen's Wedding

2006-06-06T12:00:00.000-05:00

Mom and Frank went to John and Noreen's wedding this past weekend.
Mom got to be a brides maid and wear a fun dress and an even funner rain coat!

Mom and Frank went to the rehearsal the night before.

This was Noreen in the church practicing.

This is the wedding party and dinner.

Limo Time! Mom got to ride in a pimped out Limo. She felt like she was on MTV.

Mom loves this pic.

This is Noreen's dad walking her down the isle. She looked so beautiful, everyone cried.

The is mom in her dress after the ceremony.

The rain coats they wore to protect their dress's were fantastic!

The wedding was beautiful and full of fun people and fun times.

It was great to see John and Noreen so happy and looking beautiful!

Congrats to them!

Pasta for the boys

2006-05-30T15:34:00.000-05:00

So among other things mom was wicked sick this weekend.

She managed to feel a lot better after her fever broke late Saturday night. On Sunday she decided to have some of Frank's friends in town and from out of town over for dinner on Sunday night, the night after the bachelor party they had the night before.

There were about 8 guys in total. Imagine that, 8 men over the apartment all hung over and taunting mom with stories about the strip clubs they went to the night before.

It would not have been that bad had Frank’s brother Jono not had his mind set on convincing mom that much more than lap dances happened.

This really was mom's opportunity to cook for a bunch of men, Frank's brother being the only vegetarian mom decided to make it an all Vegetarian fiesta.
She watched the Food network all day and decided to make baked pasta. She grilled vegetables, and boiled the pasta and added a good amount of cheese and many other spices and threw it into a huge dish she had to buy at the dollar store and shoved it in the oven.

She served cheese and crackers, salad and brownie cupcakes drizzled with raspberry lime sauce.

Before dinner was ready, the boys sat in front of the TV and all watched the Food network together in peace and quite.
Hmm, it was a really strange thing to watch. Never before has mom been able to have 8 guys over and actually hear herself think.
I guess the key is to get them, all really drunk and partied out the night before so that all you get is their gentle side the next day!

Mom sucks

2006-05-25T11:19:00.000-05:00

Lately mom has just not been inspired to write anything.

I think that she needs to become more inspired. She was at one point going to direct a play with some friends, but since the wedding prep is really taking a lot of her free head space she decided not to do that just yet.

It's a funny position to be in right now. Already married, and planning a wedding.

Mom thinks it's a good thing for her because she got so nervous when they got married in the court. So Nervous that she ordered a salt bagel. Now she gets to be so nervous again about people liking the big party that she is throwing.

Now, mom really likes to entertain, and have people over, and or organize parties other places. She even likes throwing work place parties. She is has her way, her style and usually if there is enough booze and games everyone has a great time.

This wedding party is going to be by far the biggest party that she will throw to date.

She has to have center pieces on the tables. That should tell you something.

The one thing that she really needs help with is deciding how to organize the tables and chairs, and coming up with a good way for people to feel like they have a place to sit, but not feel like they need to sit all night.

Hmmm. That is that next hard thing to tackle.

Please feel free to comment.

Best Shower Ever

2006-05-16T10:46:00.000-05:00

Kris and Amy threw mom the best bridal shower ever on Saturday!

It was at Mini bar, this cute little bar in Carroll Gardens. There was the perfect amount of people there. And everyone that was there was a great friend of mom's.

They did wine tasting,

and fun games, like pin the tail on the bride and mom got to open a lot of really great gifts. There was a great assortment of cheese and veggies and dips.

And really cute table decorations!

There was even trivia questions about Frank that mom was not able to answer correctly. And Each time that she screwed up a question she had to put a huge piece of gum in her mouth. You can imagine at the end of the game the size of the wad of gum.

Mom feels so lucky that there are so many people in her life that care about her and really support her and Frank together.

And Milo even came out to celebrate!

Thanks to all who came out,

partied till the late hour's, took tons of photo's and drank way way too much wine!

Amy and Kris you are the best!

White pigeon

2006-05-09T13:29:00.000-05:00

Frank and mom went to make their wedding invitations on Saturday. They biked out to the place in Brooklyn where Frank works.
They are going to be made from record covers, inspired by what Frank's boss does and sells.

The ride was nice, but mom was a bit nervous the whole time, because they had to go through some places that even on a Saturday the traffic is still a bit tight.

They get to Frank’s job and mom starts feeling weird, maybe it’s hunger, maybe it’s the fact that all the record covers have years of dust that they are breathing in, or maybe it’s because they are all alone in a big artistic warehouse. Who knows why, but they decide to go and get some lunch. They walk to the bagel shop where Frank eats every day, order some stuff.

They take their lunch and sit in the playground.

It’s a nice day out, a bit breezy and the playground is filled with Children and parents, and nanny’s and dogs. Mom mentions that one day they won’t just be able to sit in a playground and then leave when they want, because they will have kids who will want to stay.
There is a man who comes around with cotton candy on a stick, and the kids rush to get dollars from their parents and buy this mysterious substance, that god knows where or who made. (mom would never let her kids buy that shit, it’s like taking candy from strangers, or eating street meat).
But the kids buy it anyway, and mom gags at what could be in it.

Just as they are finishing their lunch and mom is feeding the crumbs to the pigeons, a little girl on a bike followed by a littler sister on her own bike reach the top of the hill entering the playground right where mom and Frank are sitting.

They turn to look as the littlest girl calls out to her sister,

“Look, look up in the tree there a white pigeon”.

The girl is biking down the hill towards mom and Frank as she continues, to call out “you know what grandma says, whenever you see a white pigeon it means that someone is going to die.”
The Girl whizzes past mom at that last part, locks eyes with her causing mom to audibly gasp in horror.

Mom, mouth open follows the little girl with her eyes as she swoops around the playground on her bike at top speed, weaving in and out of other children.

Mom turns to Frank hoping that he had the same horrified reaction, but he did not have one.
Mom breaths out and begins to discuss how strange and spooky and F’d up that little girls interaction with her was. Just as mom is shaking off the creepiness and they are standing to go, the little girl swoops by again chanting to mom someone’s going to die, a white pigeon means someone’s going to die”

The little girl bikes strait in to traffic and mom gasps as the thinks how horrific it would be if she got hit by a car right then.

Mom and Frank make their way back to Frank’s job and talk about how weird that just was, and what that could mean, and why such a little girl was talking about death like that.
Then for the rest of the day mom was on edge and hyper aware of her own death and other’s around her.

Strange Saturday, I guess from now on mom will be freaked out by white pigeons, and stay out of playgrounds.

Milo came over to play

2006-05-03T10:36:00.000-05:00

This past week Milo came over to play because his mom Kris went out of town.
I have to say that being humped all weekend really can tire a dog out.

It will be good to have some rest this next week, that's if mom stops giving me baths!

In other news mom took the day off from work on Friday and Frank and her went biking all around Brooklyn.

They were trying to explore Red Hook, but really could not find much to keep them there.

They did go around prospect park a few times and, mom pretended that she was back in shape and went really, really fast. Mom tends to randomly get competitive.

Like when she plays Skee ball.

After the second way too fast lap around the park, starting to bonk mom turned to Frank and said
"I am going to the street cart to get some food, I will be back."
Mom got a huge salted pretzel and ate half and got stoned on her own blood sugar! Fun times!

Passover Seder Kinda

2006-04-14T10:58:00.000-05:00

Since Passover this year fell mid week, mom and Frank decided that instead of going to grandma’s house in Boston, it would make more sense for them to stay in town and have a Seder of their own.

Being that mom is not very religious and way more into the ritual’s of Jewish events, she thought that it would be fun to have an abridged Seder that included all the fun parts that she enjoyed as a kid.

That included remembering the 10 plagues, eating the charoset, looking at the Seder plate and the main event of any Seder finding the aficoman.

(that is the matzo that is hidden for the children to find at the end of the meal. Once that Matzo is found the child that finds it gets a prize that is usually money and candy.)

When she was little all mom could think about was being to winner, growing up around all boys this was the time when size did not matter. You did not have to be big to find something, you just had to be smart and agile.

Mom usually spent the whole day shadowing her father’s every move trying to figure out his thought process and trying to catch him hiding the matza.

Mom’s father was the best at hiding the aficoman, he hid it so well that by the end of the search he had to give so many hints just to keep everyone looking in the same room. In mom’s old house there were so many rooms and great possible hiding places that the game had to start off with many ground rules. Such as, it’s downstairs, not in closets and not in the kitchen.
Mom’s dad would just keep sitting at the table as 4 children tour around the house trying to be the big winner. Half an hour later they would come screaming back to him for more hints, and he would make them all really work for it.

Finally when they all got down to one possible room where it might be, everyone had to be very wise about how they would search because all of them knew that their mom would kill them if they messed anything up.

Usually one child would grow tired of searching first and whine about how this game was dumb, but secretly have one eye open on each place the other children searched.

Another child would usually get mad and start pushing others around and banging things because their level of frustration was so high, and since they were the biggest they must be the one to find it.

The other two would go back and forth literally on top of one another searching hoping that whom ever eyed it first the other one would have the faster hand to grab it and bring it back to the table.

Every year mom did not win and every year she swore to herself that the next year she would win, she lived in the house, she thought like her father, and she was or so she thought smarter at searching.

The one child that did win would spend all of dessert gloating and making the others mad, palming the $40 that was just won.

That’s Passover to mom, you spend the who meal drinking wine, eating matzo, listening to your dad make puns out of the hagada that you had to read, seeing who could read the text funnier. And joking about Moses and the burning bush, and picturing a man with a red fire crotch.
Lounging at the table, thinking about how you are going to find the aficoman this year.

Mom took all that and abridged it in to 12, 20 something’s packed in to her small one bedroom apartment drinking and eating meatloaf muffins and plague cake,

searching for a box of Matzo meal, because Kris did not know to get real matzo.

This year mom though about where to hide the matzo for a couple of days, she ended up at the last minute having to switch her hiding place to accommodate the matzo meal box, she started off the game the same way with ground rules, and then held her breath while people rummaged through her stuff, she would drop hints and smile at Frank when someone got really close.

Jeremy ended up finding it this year, wining the candy and the money. Mom was proud that everyone seemed into it and played along.

This Passover was fantastic and really celebrated their small want for the old rituals to mix with their new ones, and the fact that there was good food, good friends and good wine did not hurt either!

Cheers to being a little bit Jewish and having great friends and family to create new family traditions with!

Fun Pictures from weekends!

2006-04-10T16:12:00.000-05:00

Me and Mom at the beach.

Pig in the car.

I love my dad.

Mom and Anais

Mom and Alicia

Grandma and her lady friends

Engagement party

2006-04-04T13:23:00.000-05:00

Mom, Me, Frank, Milo and Kris went to Boston this past weekend!
Kris

rented a car, mom took a anxiety pill, milo slept and Frank drugged me with benadryl.

WE got there.

WE saw grandma and my uncle Alex who showed up to dinner 2 hours late.

We drove around a lot and went for walks.

And Grandma had an engagement party for Mom and Frank.

I was fun to run around and eat crumbs!

People schmoozed

I even got to see Alicia and her baby!

Frank was hogging her but I got my sniff's in!

It was a fun weekend, but mom learned the hard way she really is unable to be a passenger in a car!

Weather

2006-03-27T11:05:00.000-06:00

Mom has begun her spring cleaning! The weather has changed and the light is brighter, and all the dust is was more prevalent. Unfortunately this has made it hard for Frank to do anything right. For example mom is now making him take his shoes off before he enters the house. Strange how she lets me roll in the dirt and then jump on the bed.
It's funny to me how mom perceives mess. I guess as long as she feels she can control it she makes the rules up as she goes along.

Emily Farris is right.

2006-03-16T08:54:00.000-06:00

Mom got married and stopped posting. There is no excuse, no reason, no plan, just that married life leaves you with no time to post.

Ok that’s a total lie, the lack of post is pure laziness. Mom’s sloth like attitude has also crept in to other aspects of her life as well.

She totally has admitted and committed to wearing the same skirt every day. This has become a joke at her office, everyone now does the point, giggle and smile at mom’s skirt. It is now her uniform.

Little do they know she went on a shopping spree two days ago and bought 5 more skirts. They all are also just about the same. They differ in length and pattern a bit, but they are all really all just the same damn black skirt.

Mom has also totally stopped exercising. Not only has she not ridden her bike in a long while, but there has been no running. At first she blamed it on the weather, “oh it’s too cold to go run”, but that’s just a lie. There is always the gym, and some of the days she could have run outside.
It is actually amazing that the spread that is beginning to occur at the butt region has not prompted mom to get her ass to the gym. But after all she is married now and Frank can’t really leave her if she gains 10lbs.
Now that is something that Frank would never do, thank god he likes his women to look like women. I think that when men are in love you have to do something drastic to make them notice a little weight gain. I mean come on most men really don’t realize when you get your hair cut.
But mom has also started to warn Frank that when she gets prego she will eat for 4. And she will gain way too much weight.
I think mom just likes over exaggerating so when she just eats for 2 it won’t be that bad.
(no mom is not prego and no they are not planning for kids just yet)

Anyway I am going to prompt mom to post again, get off the couch again and really start getting out of bed more often!

The winter hibernation is coming to an end, and the season for tighter and less clothing is about to begin.

Going to the court house

2006-02-17T09:33:00.000-06:00

and mom and Frank got married.

Yes, yes now I have a father. And mom has a new last name. It is just all too exciting for words, good thing that I am covered in fluff and really can't speak.

Mom told me that the court house affair was so fast and so quick that when it finally happened mom really did not have time to cry.

She was just able to make a weird shocked face.

Kris was their witness.

(Can I get a Witness!)
and her part of the ceremony if you could call it that was longer than the judge asking us if we wanted to marry one another. The judge really turned and looked at Kris and asked her if her wanted to object to mom and Frank's marriage.
Kris unlike any other time in her life keept her mouth shut!

This is them posing as a political husband and wife,

It was funny at the time.

Anyway Mom and Frank are married and are now going to be gearing up for their big wedding celebration in October!

Hehe. Mom's a dork

2006-02-02T13:58:00.000-06:00

It's here! The most amazing and beautiful gift that anyone has ever given her!

Frank is the best and the most loved and the most cherished man alive mom tells me, and cause you never argue with mom it must be true!

here's a sneak peak for all you all who can't see it in person.

The internet is really only made for

2006-01-31T16:32:00.000-06:00

Obsessively tracking packages. . .

Mom's ring is ready! They got to go to the jewelry store on Saturday to look at it and hold it and try it on. Alicia and Jude were in town and they got to see it too!

Then the ring had to get shipped out of state. This is to smartly avoid huge amounts of NY Sales tax.

The tough part it the waiting and the nail, biting and the breath holding to make sure that the ring gets to the right address at the right time and does not get lost.

Of course it was insured or so we thought (that's not mom's story to tell), but it got to Grandma's house and grandma got it.

Then today grandma has to ship it to Frank's work. If all goes as planned Mom will have the ring on her finger tomorrow night!

But until then mom is obsessively tracking the package every step of the way. Holding her breath until Frank has it in his hands! and then gives it to her to obsessively worry about not loosing for the rest of her life!

All that has to be said

2006-01-23T11:18:00.000-06:00

This is great and amazing and we all know money saving.

1-800-Free-411

No joke it is free!

I can't even tell you how many times mom has freaked out because her cell phone bill is way over because of the $1 a time charge for using just plain 411.

This is a good day!

Best Ever

2006-01-20T09:35:00.000-06:00

Kris really is right this is the Best Blonde Joke Ever!

I laughed so hard I peed . . .

It's My Birthday

2006-01-18T11:05:00.000-06:00

I am 2 today.

This past year has been great. Not only am I 2 but I am going to have a dad!

As I grow older I have really begun to sleep more which makes mom happy! Is it only down hill from now. By next birthday I will be sleeping 20 hours out of the day!

Woo Hoo, Happy Birthday to me, maybe mom will let me chicken and cream cheese on the table!

Babysitting

2006-01-16T12:46:00.000-06:00

So mom got to baby-sit a bit this past weekend! Frank and Mom went over to a former co-worker of Frank's house and did a few tasks. Mom's was to baby-sit her son Magnus and Frank's was to build her some shelves to store her bikes under.

The day was wet and it has been a while since mom was alone with a 11 month old baby. Petra and Frank went to buy the wood and all mom could think was ok, now what do I do. This simple idea of entertaining a baby suddenly got a lot more complex and has made mom really think about her own life.

Mom grew up babysitting for all the neighborhood kids and baby's, and it just came so natural. You play with the toys and sing dumb songs and do whatever the child wants to do. It's fun and when it's over you get to go home, and your experience stays there with the baby.

Now that Frank and mom are getting married, the simple task of babysitting brings on a whole new connotation. Everything starts getting related to her own life.

Annie also a former co-worker and friend of Franks who came over to help said. "let me change the diaper I need to practice." Annie just also got engaged and is thinking about the idea of having babies now that she knows who they will be with.

Babysitting just went from a fun after school job, to practice for when there's a kid of her own.
That's new, weird, confusing and exhilarating.
Now all the skills and the nurture aspect inside mom has come out and is directly thought about in terms of one day when "I have one of my own this will come in handy".

Mom keeps finding out the there are more and more levels and feelings that happen once you have certain things in your life squared away so to speak . . .

All in all the weekend was fun, mom cooked a whole chicken last night for the first time! And she did not burn it or leave it raw (still clucking).

How to plan a wedding on a small budget

2006-01-06T08:44:00.000-06:00

This is more of a rhetorical question . . .

Mom and Frank want to have a wedding for as many of their friends and family as possible but don't want it to be fancy pantsy.

Who out there has planned a wedding before on a small budget?

One of the keys mom keeps saying is to tap everyone's assets. And ask tons of favors.
Hmm who wants to volunteer their time and or special skills and or great ideas to mom and frank to make their wedding fun and special?

Anyone? Anyone? Please? . . . .

Happy New Year's All!

2006-01-02T09:43:00.000-06:00

Ok we will not try to explain away the past two weeks and lack of post. It has been mentioned and now we shall move on . . .

New Years Eve was soo much fun, John, Noreen and Bingo

came in from Boston on Friday night to Stay with Mom and Frank and the party did not stop until they left.

There was Multiple meals that were eaten out, tons of drinks and many funny times.

It sorta culminated with the Annual New Years Eve bash at Kristi's house.

Kristi is a RD at NYU and has a stellar pad in a dorm. Her apartment on the regular market would cost $5000 a month

(it was that big)

All of Mom and Frank's friends went to the party and everyone was drink in and celebrating the possibilities of 2006!

Alex brought really good champagne!

Mom's resolutions this year will be pulling off a big wedding on a small budget and opening her business with Frank.

(More on the business later)

Happy New Year To All!!

Oh man, How cute

2005-12-13T08:27:00.000-06:00

This is Alicia and Jude's baby: Anias Nova

When mom went to visit her over Thanksgiving she put her in her crib and made all the animals visit with her.

I like this picture cause I am bigger than her, that won't be true for long.

It was funny how much mom did not want me to lick her. I mean come on I was not going to hurt the baby, I am breed to do well with the elderly and children!

To end this pic takes the cake:

Mom made Frank and Alicia pose like they were an unhappy couple who just had a kid.

HeHe, fun with camera's!

Snow

2005-12-09T13:05:00.000-06:00

Mom made me look like a fool this morning.

Really is all that clothing necessary?
WE live in Brooklyn, not Alaska.
I am a dog, I have hair all over my body.

Anyway, now Kris can make fun of mom she because mom is always making fun of how many clothes she makes Milo wear.

Check out this cute of mom and Kris while your at it.

Soo Heroin Chic . . .

2005-12-06T10:49:00.000-06:00

So how do people feel about name changes?

mom is thinking about changing her last name to her "intended":> last name.

She has thought about always taking her husband's last name since she was a little girl, but now since it has become a reality she really has to think about it.

Her worries are not about oh gosh her career is staked on her last name, but it is an identity that she has had for 26 years.
Hmmm ... Not to mention it is a god damn pain in the ass.

What would you all do?

Engaged

2005-12-03T13:41:00.000-06:00

Today Frank asked mom to marry him, and she said yes!

Mom and Frank are getting married!!!!!

I will have a dad! Not just a positive male role model!

More later . . . . . . .Time to Celebrate!

Out blogged

2005-12-01T09:24:00.000-06:00

Mom and I think that Frank is out blogging us. He has gotten more comments than mom got when she first started her blog.
Hmmmm.

Maybe she should not have promoted him if she was going to be so jealous.

In other news
Who wants to know about baby Panda's?

I am going to introduce you to Butter Stick. (a friend Jessemy at mom's work told her about him)

Butter stick or (Tai Shan's) is a baby panda at the Smithsonian museum. He was born here and now is going to be sent back to China when he gets older.

Could you just squeeze him to death?

Check out the slide show!

Easy button

2005-11-28T11:51:00.000-06:00

Sometimes it is easier to have someone tell you what to do, than have to figure it out for yourself.
We are not talking a dictator ship, maybe more of a mentor teacher type person to come in and take an interest in mom's life.

All mom wants is for someone to manage her money, to tell her what choices to make in terms of jobs and her future. And to help her figure out what it is she wants to do and be when she grows up.

It all should be simple right?

It would be if mom did not decide that she needed to work and be in the arts. And feel that every job she has that is not in that category just puts her farther away from this goal that she does not even know anymore.

You know you are about to have a breakdown when:
you tell people your job and you are embarrassed.
You make up white lies to make your life sound better.
You live in the past and just stall and put focus on weird stuff in the present to make it all not see such a big deal.

Getting paid to do what you love, should be easy. If mom wanted to be a doctor/professor/librian/restaurant owner there are career paths with ladder rungs to climb up.

There is no ladder in mom's way. She has to invent one to climb and can't figure out what it's focus will be.

She has so many can not's and dislikes and stipulations that it's almost impossible for her to find something that she does not mind doing in the meantime while she searches for what she wants to be doing forever.

Too bad going back to school to hide is to expensive a detour.

Where is the easy button, does that only exist in 5th grade?

The time when you are smart enough to plan your future but young enough to have your parents still tell you what to do, and how to achieve your goals?

PS please take this survey for a friend!

Jamaica Plain we go!

2005-11-22T11:27:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year again.
the time when cars are rented and I am drugged, stuffed in my bag and put in the backseat of a god damn car.

Can you believe it!

Mom and Frank are going to grandma's house for Thanksgiving.

This year it is going to be a bit different, because we will be staying at John and Noreen's house in Jamaica Plain.

We have to stay there because we are going to be taking care of their dog Bingo,

(That's him in the middle)
while they are eating Turkey else wear.

I am optimistic about the time that we will have, I get to see Alex,

Grandma, Bingo and on Saturday Alicia's baby!!!

(Who's now on the other side of her)

Hopefully along the way I will be slipped tons of Turkey and stuffing!

Mom kicked ass

2005-11-21T13:41:00.000-06:00

Frank made mom participate in her first bike messenger race ever on Saturday.

It was called Cranksgiving and it was run by the New York Bike Messenger Association.

Oh gosh was mom nervous. She tried every which way to get out if it. Even on her way there she was thinking to herself she could just pop one of her tires and then they could not do the race!

Good thing that she did not because once mom got over her initial fear of being judged, everything was great.
They arrived and people were chill, and milling about. Laying down, people were taking photo's and video.

People were rolling in late, hungover and later. This was not the high competition environment that she thought that it would be.

Maybe it was because this was not an Alley cat, it was a glorified canned food drive race.
It was totally thrilling and fast and it took mom's legs a bit too long to warm up in the cold weather. Espically when they had to book it down the westside highway.

A bit about the course itself.
It went from 34th and 11th Ave to Battery park and up to York and 87th. That is just a rough sketch. The funniest part was that at each stop everyone had to get off their bikes and lock them, and run into a store and buy something that was on the list.
This really made it not only about speed and traffic skill. People were tested on how good they did in a grocery store!

Look at mom and Frank at the start, they are smack dab in the middle!

At the end of the day as tough as it was, and as chicken shit as mom thought she was, she would do that type of race again.

Africa?

2005-11-17T16:37:00.000-06:00

Ok so the time that mom has had to travel is slim and in her past, her trips have also never been long, but now that she has had a chance to save a bit this will change.

Frank and mom are thinking about going on a long trip somewhere, as first it was Australia,

then Eastern Europe maybe around the Mediterranean sea.

Now it looks like it could be Africa.

How happy would mom be! She would be in a place that gives you the opportunity to go and Safari when ever you want!
It would remind me of how it was this past weekend with Milo staying over!

We know how much she likes animals, so this would be the total amazing animal experience! That and the other experience of living on a Farm . . .but we can get in to that later.

Anyone have any trip recommendations?

Frank has a blog!

2005-11-14T16:30:00.000-06:00

Meet my Positive male role model Frank. He now has a blog. Check it out!

Frank

Joins the blogosphere!

Go Frank Go!

Vote

2005-11-08T08:45:00.000-06:00

Today is the day that everyone should get off their lazy ass's and Vote for Mayor!

No excuses. If you don't know where to go just call the board of elections and ask.
212-Vote-NYC
or log on to
http://vote.nyc.ny.us

Do it!

Wow. A breath can be taken

2005-11-01T12:13:00.000-06:00

Mom can now relax sort of.

The show is over. All the family is back to their perspective homes.

She is no longer sick as a dog.

She got to see a movie, and go to the MOMA and eat some great food.

The lyric closed.

Mom and Frank ran in to Antlered Girl on the street.

Prussian blue went into hiding!

Things are getting back to normal.

But she just got a call that her best friend Alicia had her baby!

Woo hoo.
It is a girl 7lbs6oz.
Congrats Alicia.

More on the baby later.

Blinded by the claw

2005-10-28T12:32:00.000-05:00

Last night I poked mom's eye out.

Well really I ran across her face at 12:30am and scratched her left eye pretty badly.

Mom shot up out of bed screaming and sobbing. She thought that she was blinded. Good thing that I did not get anywhere near the cornia.

Frank of course jumped out of bed and tried to calm mom down. All mom could do was yell and scream at him. He was trying to be the "take charge in emergency situations" type of guy. And all mom wanted to do was punch him in the face cause she was scared she was going to be blind.

Finally after excessive flushing, tons of visean, and a bit more panic, mom started to calm down.

Frank took the high road and decided to drug her with Tylenol PM to make her go to sleep.

Good choice, cause all mom would have done was sit up and panic all night and not let me cuddle with her.

Gosh all I was trying to do was climb over to the top of franks head. Mom's head just happened to be in the way.

The next morning, mom could not get up out of bed, her eye was swollen and she had a "sleeping pill" hang-over.

While Frank was making coffee extra strong, he said "I'm sorry I drugged you", to mom.
I think that because mom is going to be ok, and cause this was an accident. Frank apologizing for drugging mom was my favorite part of this whole eye experience!

sorry mom!

Mom totally forgot

2005-10-25T13:58:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was the one year anniversary for this blog!
One year ago Frank Started this blog as a birthday present for mom!
How great is Frank. He is my PMRM (Positive male role model)

We have gone through a lot with this blog. Fun times, Weird times, Almost getting fired cause of a dumb lady times, sad times and after it all growing times.

I am excited and dedicated to making sure this blog and it's small population of dedicated readers continue to get all the Bichon Blogging they desire!

Sick as a dog

2005-10-25T10:38:00.000-05:00

Mom has been sick. We figured that it must be all the stress from the show opening and working 9-6pm and the weather changing to nasty cold.

It really put a damper on last weekend.
Grandma was in town, she came to pet me. . .

Well she really came to see mom and Frank's Show. But that's ok.

Mom's brother Alex came too.

He's really tall. He picked me up and I felt like I was on the top of the world.

Alex is the tallest and the youngest!

On Firday a bunch of mom and Franks's friends came to the show, and afterward they goofed around on the set.

It was funny.

Emily the one to the right is so awesome she has come to see show 2 times!

Maybe it is cause her boyfriend Chris on the left is in the show!

On Sunday all mom did was sleep. No joke. And so I took that as an oppertunity to lay on her face all day. I thought that since she was sick, if I cuddled with her she would get better.

Not too sure it worked.

In other news Frank's friend ARIELLE ran a marathon on Sunday. Go her! Maybe one day mom will have the power to do that too!

So I was too busy but :

2005-10-21T14:54:00.000-05:00

Mom was just causally taking a break scanning gawker when she came upon
"Prussian Blue"

It literally took her so off guard that she thought it was one of those Saturday night live jokes.

Oh but too bad it is not.
Prussian Blue is a musical group, Started by Lynx and Lamb, two 12-year-old
girls who sing and play guitar and violin. The catch is that they are totally racist, and sing about white power.

Are you kidding?

This interview with the girls was taken from Reykjavik Grapevine Online:

"Would you consider yourselves white supremacist or separatist, and why?

Lamb: White Nationalist or Separatist since a supremacist means that we would want to rule other races and to be honest, we just donÂt want them around.

Lynx: We do think our race is different than other races in a lot of positive ways and that we have invented more things and done more for civilization. We donÂt want to harm other races but we donÂt want to have to take care of them or be around them either."

This is totally for real they are trying to be sort of Hitler Youth version of the Olsen twins.

They are quoted as saying
"We must secure the existencence of our people and a future for white children".

The question is if they gain popularity what is wrong with this world? It scares me to think that they could even have a gig. I would be worried that they would be shot in concert.
When your album is called "PRUSSIAN BLUE - Blond Hair, Blue Eyes".

Mom is so upset that this band could ever exist that it is hard to even go off about because all the people she knows already know how weird and wrong this band is.
I would check out their website and see how appallinging it is for yourself.

Grandma's comming

2005-10-21T09:55:00.000-05:00

Mom's play opened last night, and It went very well!

Tonight grandma and mom's brother are comming to visit. They are staying for the weekend!

Mom's too busy to post.

More later.

The Water Engine

2005-10-19T08:50:00.000-05:00

sorry for the lack of posts, momma has been in Tec rehearsal with her theatre company Redstar Productions. They are putting up

"The Water Engine" By David Mamet
with
Frank Robbins, Keith Elijah Fasciani, Katie Lorraine, Chris Varmus, Roy Koshy, Margaret Caruso,
Julia Wiedeman, Steve Dunayer
and the voice of Jim DeMonic
Directed by Laura Cass

The Water Engine
will be playing at
The Gene Frankel Theatre
24 Bond St.
(btwn. Lafayette & Broadway)
New York, NY

Thursday, Friday and Saturday Nights @ 8pm
on
October 20, 21, 22,
&
October 27, 28, 29

Tickets are $18 dollars general admission
$12 for students and seniors.
and can be purchased on-line at www.smarttix.com
or by calling
(212) 868-4444
(the ticketing website is now up and running)
For more information about Red Star please check our website
www.redstartheatre.com

Oh gosh

2005-10-10T10:21:00.000-05:00

I think that mom will be doing her first messenger race this year!
She is slowley thinking the prospect over.
The upside to this race is that the checkpoints seem to be grocrey stores, and all the food you buy goes to charity.

Cool right?
We shall see if mom really does this . . .

Bike Messenger Appreciation day

2005-10-07T14:07:00.000-05:00

Is today!!!

Today we say thank you to all the hard working messengers who are out day after day

after day working for us. Delivering those rush packages that you need so desperately to arrive on time.
Rain or shine, hot or cold.

When you see a messenger on the street today smile and let them by, they are not out to kill you, or run you over. Unless you hurt them first.

Check out the New York Bike Messenger Association site. It's pretty cool and does a great job to keep you in the loop.

in the running for real

2005-10-05T11:14:00.000-05:00

We think that Frank has made a decision about what breed of dog to get.
Now he thinks it is going to be a Pembroke Welsh Corgi.

Cutie!

I am very excited, even more excited than mom.

Today was the first time I saw a roach in our apartment. How gross. Mom woke up and of course right on the wall across the bedroom is a gross roach. So then of course I have to hide while she sprays the crap out of the wall.

Did she get it. No.

So now today Frank has been instructed to buy roach traps and put them in every free space!

Frank the roach killin man

This is a day when mom is glad to be away from home and at work.

Awkward moments

2005-10-04T12:23:00.000-05:00

Farting in public or anywhere at work.

Bending over and showing crack.

Singing at the top of your lungs, show tunes and realizing your window is open.

B.O.

Hugging someone with bad B.O.

Not realizing you are wearing someone's jacket that they lost and think you stole when they see you wearing it.

Burping on the subway.

Responding to a friends e-mail in a mean way, because you interpreted the tone wrong.

bouncing checks

sleep talking

news

2005-10-03T13:16:00.000-05:00

Thought that was funny . . .

In other news Frank is still looking to get another dog, a sister for me.

The one in the middle.
It's a miniature Bull Terrier

We are all very excited at the prospect of pee all over the bed once again.

The show is going well, and tickets are on sale. So buy up!

And lastly I think that Alicia

should have here baby already so mom can go and visit her!

Behind the 8 ball

2005-09-30T09:34:00.000-05:00

A while ago mom was brain storming with Frank about her ability to think and write truthful reviews of restaurants. Mom wanted to get the truth out there and uncover the oddities of places and pay homage to certain people who worked there, or at least get their opinion. She wanted to tell the truth about things like using the bathroom there, or if she got bad vibes from the staff, or if it was totally awesome and fun.
So she started this blog with the idea for it to become a website if she could get the funding or the people to come in and design the site for her.
It was going to be called Laura's Real Reviews. You can check out her first stab at it.
She thought that there was nothing out there that allowed people to really write what they feel. Mom was also going to add fun twists and interviews from staff and all the bike routes along with the subway routes to get there.

Anyway, long story short, she never really followed through and got her act together, and found that drive to make it happen.
Just the other day while mom was taking a sec to browse through the blogoshpere she came upon a post on Kris's Ex-Boyfriends site about this new site called Yelp.com.

Once again mom is behind the game. How did she not know that this site was out there and doing what she was trying to do on a much larger scale. Not that she wanted profiles or anything, but she wanted a way for people to read the honest truth about places to eat. She did not want readers to feel as if they were not getting the truth because the reviewers had to get their review approved, before it could be published.

Yelp.com not only allows people to be honest but you get a variety of takes on the same place. It also gives you credit if you are the first one to review something. That is fantastic to me.

Yelp.com is a great way to "social network" while actually doing something. As "Vinnie" says "A social network for the sake of a social network doesn't offer much value."
Not that their bad (mom's a member of most, and is one google search away from being fired or discovered at her job), but it is nice to be a member of a site that gives you real information and lets you write your real opinion.

So farewell to Laura's real reviews and soon you will be able to read them on Yelp.com

Unless she can convince herself to start her site again . . .

Power up!

2005-09-28T11:04:00.000-05:00

So this is such a great creation. There is a new Fusion messenger bag that has been created by Imagine Energy.
(Sorry no pic, the sight won't let me copy it)

This new bag melds a comfortable realistic messenger bag with solar power. It enables the messenger (or anyone who wears it) to re-charge their phone, cell, mp3 and other electronic creations while "On the go".

How great is this. This is such a perk for someone who is out and about all day. Messengers rely heavily on their phone and radio to guide them though their day.
This new bag makes it possible for them to re-charge while they charge through traffic.

It even has on optional battery pack for cloudy days!
It is a bit expensive but I am assuming that the ability to keep all ones devices charged at all time is "Priceless"

Lets just wait and see if it can surive a crash.

Slackin

2005-09-27T10:43:00.000-05:00

So mom broke out in hives this week. Really gross. No joke. the good thing is that she got to test out her health insurance and see how cool it is to have it!
It is amazing how easy it is to make and apt, and fill a prescription when you have a health insurance card!

In other news.
Milo and his mom Kris came over this past weekend for a play date.

It was really fun to run around while Mom and Kris and Frank sat on the couch and left us alone.
We even tried to go for a walk but mom was itching too bad, and had to turn around right as we got to the park. They just went back home, and while Milo and I napped they watched Red Light Go

again!

The show that mom is directing has been under a bit of strain, but this will test the strength of the company.

You never really know a person, a place or a thing until you have seen the raw bare bones of the structure.

Small victory

2005-09-21T12:48:00.000-05:00

Mom read her comments and it is fantastic to realize that not just the people she knows read this blog.
A while back on July 1 she wrote about the Goldsprints that the NYBMA held to kick off the start of the bike messenger world chapmionships this year. Well, it looks as if the person she wrote about acrually read what she wrote. Weird the way the internet works. I guess that mom will be paying more attention to grammar and making sure people get credit when credits due!
P.S mom now has a goal to try to see if she can hack it on the goldsprints this Halloween.

Bumps be gone!

2005-09-20T15:59:00.000-05:00

It is a good day! Just in case you don't know, The god awful bumps (expansion joints) on the Williamsburg bridge are being removed and replaces with smaller flatter versions.

This is due to all the hard work Transportation Alternatives
has done. If you are not already involved with them or know about them check them out. I recommend being a volunteer. I have spent many many hours there done some events and really am a fan of what they stand for. If you are a biker, walker or something else other than a driver they are worth looking into. If not no worries no pressure I am just a fan and like to share my excitement!

Check the article:

For the love of PETA

2005-09-16T09:30:00.000-05:00

Ok really the lengths people go to, to protect animal rights really got (torn off) today.
It was reported by many sources but for obvious reasons GAWKER'S link is my favorite. . .
J-Lo's security guards took Heather Mills

(Paul McCartney's wife's) leg off in a scuffle about the fur J-Lo's fasion line uses.

The story is so extreme that I can't help but picture a distraught Heather crouching in a stairway tears streaming down her face trying to get her prosthetic leg back on cursing J-Lo into eternity.

I just hope that if it was my fur in question Heather would do the same thing again.

J-Lo guess your not just nice sweet Jenny from the block any more. Once the company your with takes off a leg you get thrown in to uncharted territory with no cushy fur padding to fall on.

I smell law suite

Lo vs.

Mills.
Well, we already know whose music is better. . . .

I wonder who'll win this one . . .

He's alive

2005-09-15T14:40:00.000-05:00

FEtus Spears lives!
His initials are PMS That's funny.
Go Britney! Way to pop one out!

Lets just hope that this behavior will not influence PMS.

In other news my PMRM lookes cute fixing mom's bike!

mom has some long days in store.

2005-09-13T12:30:00.000-05:00

Yes it is that time, the time again when mom works during the day and goes to rehearsal by night.
Hmmm. Sometimes when mom gets up in the morning and thinks about the whole day ahead it is rather daunting. Even though she really likes what she does. It is hard for her not to think that being away from home for long periods of time, and what she might be missing. Not that she would be missing tons of things, and not that she would rather be shopping or getting her nails done. But it is hard not to think about wanting something you can't have.
Grass is always greener.

Does anyone else feel that way? Wanting something that they may not want when they get it? Feeling like the days are full of things but still stuck not being able to do what you want when you want?

They did it!

2005-09-12T15:49:00.000-05:00

L. Ron Biker has taken hold of mom's life, or so says mom's friend Rick.

But mom and Frank actually did the Transportation alternatives Century ride on Sunday. And they mistakenly did most of it. They were going to just do the 55 at first, but then they decided to do the 75 mile course. Then somewhere around 85 miles mom realized that they had gotten themselves into trouble or missed a turn and almost ended up doing the whole course. At the end of the day door to door they did 102 miles. They biked from 6am to 5pm. For real no joke, mom can barley walk today and or type. Her wrists hurt from the friction of the road. There was a point when mom almost could not go on but they were too far away from the subway to stop.

They went all over NYC, Brooklyn and Queens. Mom had no GD idea that Queens and Brooklyn where that big. There are beaches and paths and trees and tons of forests all over. It was so fun to see everything. Next year she will definitely do it again, but she will wear padded spandex!

And Alicia's baby shower.

It waas all tame until mom's gift.

No just kidding she was just laughing at the fact mom HAD to get her something to clean the bottles with.

the weekend was so much fun, but ended with Frank's farmer tan looking trashed on the couch holding me watching TV.

I mean please all I wanted was to go for a walk out side.

You know?

Mom totally forgot about

2005-09-09T14:40:00.000-05:00

The Century tour.

sponsored by Transportation Alternatives.
seriously. Totally forgot. Mom was just going about her marry business planning her weekend, when Frank gently reminded her late that the Century bike ride was on Sunday. Now this puts a damper on the Weekend to say the least. Alicia's baby shower is on Saturday and mom was planning on chilling all day Sunday with Alicia. Well now that can't happen. Mom was going to have rehearsal on Sunday and now that can't happen. But really Biking 100 miles will be way funnier. (well if her but does not start to hurt)

WEll see maybe she'll finish.

So now instead of parting all weekend mom will have to take it easy and conserve her energy because the start time of the Century is 7am!

I'll keep you posted as to how the baby shower and the bike ride goes for mom. It could be quite a scene.

I'm sorry I had to

2005-09-07T13:06:00.000-05:00

This is my breed.

What! ARe you kidding!

I am way cuter. Or at least thinner.

Mom is directing another play

2005-09-07T12:21:00.000-05:00

Mom's Theatre company
RedStar Productions is going to be putting on another play.
"The Water Engine" by David Mamet.
It will be the last two weekends of October at The Gene Frankel Theatre.

Mom is really excited about the great cast that they have and the fact that she is going to be putting a new spin on the show. WE can't divulge too much now but is will be wacky and weird. Don't worry. I'm not in it. . .this time!

We'll keep you posted!

Back to life back to reality

2005-09-06T15:43:00.000-05:00

The weekend was long and I think long enough. Mom told Frank on Friday that she could sense that they were going to need to run everyday to make up for the tons of eating and drinking they were going to do!
And they did sort of. . .
Friday was spent at Shannon's house cat sitting Fiona, who did not like me at all.

Saturday morning was spent eating brunch at Rose's mom's house for Roses's surprise birthday party. Which was not a surprise (cause Rose figured it out) and was just tons of food drinks and fun!

Rose is all the way on the right.
The party went on to a bar in Williamsburg around 4pm ish and they kept drinking. . .

That night Frank and mom moved a bit of his stuff over to mom's house (Cause Frank moved in) and then they got so hungry they had to go and eat Pizza.
After Pizza they met up with Jim and Melissa who are super cool and they proceeded to get trashed.

and more trashed.

The next morning they decided to go in to the city to Bed Bath and Beyond and it was (Beyond) all their minds could take. They left as fast as they went in and proceeded to not speak to eachother because of the over stimulation.
But then they borrowed Melissa's car and swapped Frank's bed with mom's. His bed is way better.

Then John and Noreen came from Boston to visit!

They all went out to get drinks at Enids (the bar I can go to) and Frank and mom punked out at around 1am and had to go back and go to sleep!

Monday was brunch outside with me again at a place not to mention cause the service was so bad Mom had to scream at the waiter and anony John
with her impatience while asking for the check. (I was just happy that she let me eat egg from her spoon under the table!

But now, back to reality and September has hit!

End of summer

2005-09-02T09:23:00.000-05:00

Did you know that mom's hebrew name is Devora Reckel?
Cool right. . .

So I guess this is the last weekend of summer? That blows. So many things are changing, like not being able to wear white any more. Does that mean that mom has to dye my hair?

Ok so this is not really me, but if my hair was really white it may look like this)

Mom's work now no longer will have the 1:30pm Summer Fridays, that we got spoiled with. And The weather will get cooler.
Which is not bad, because mom did not like comming to work after biking in totally sweaty.

I have a new crush on her.

Maybe mom will buy her.

Also Frank's cool table will be comming to the apt, and the new bike that he found and fixed up to be a track bike.

Change is good.

Sorry about that.

2005-09-01T12:39:00.000-05:00

Sorry about that last post, but mom got a shit ass e-mail from someone and needed to rant and vent.

All better and back to fun.

Last night mom and Frank had their friend Emily

and her boyfriend Chris over for dinner. Mom made chicken and and salad and they had cheese and crackers and wine.

Today mom ate too much lunch. And is sitting down feeling full. As some of you know, when mom gets full she likes to lay on the floor. That is always my cue to jump on her stomach. To bad she is at work and can't have me do that!

This coming long weekend mom is going to be cat sitting for Shannon,

and I am hoping that she will bring me over to see the cat. We'll see.

And now for a plug.
you shoulg join google talk. It's cool, but you have to sign up for a g-mail account first! Which is free.

Rant

2005-08-31T12:50:00.000-05:00

I have a hard time understanding the gravity of devastation unless it happens to me.

I feel like my upset feelings manifest themselves in everything other than what I should be upset at.

I feel awful about all the storms and flooding in the Louisiana area, it is not fair and scary to think about what those people must be going through. I am mildly relieved that it did not happen in New York. I also wonder if all the swamps, creatures and the alligators are all now mixing and roaming the seas together.

Sometimes I am afraid to get to excited because then I feel as if something bad will happen.

I am also afraid to feel emotions too deeply, so I won't get too attached and then hurt when something happens.

I wish that some people could not make it so hard to be friends with.

I can't understand why fathers don't understand the power that they have over the emotional state of their children, and the effect they have on one's idea of trust. Fathers should known that every wrong move they make just fucks up their children more.

Love is an action, not an assumption.

Biking in New Paltz

2005-08-29T08:49:00.000-05:00

First of all to who ever sent my mom that creepy message from the Relay operator, I'm on to you.

Anyway . . This past weekend was fun for Mom, Frank and Me.

Mom and Frank went upstate on a fun biking expedition. They got on Metro North and went to Poughkeepsie. From Poughkeepsie they biked about 12 miles to New Paltz. Mom realized that fresh air and no traffic really brings out the fact that she is a city biker and out of shape for mountains.

Frank was loving it, and had no problem with the hills.

They got to their hotel and hung around, and then biked a mile or so into town. They passed a bunch of hippies and professor types and this crazy bar filled with college girls in short skirts and meat heads.

The next morning they set out to bike to a Winery in Marlborough. It was about 20 miles away.

By the time that they got there they got drunk off one sip of wine. It was so much fun to see pretty mountains and taste and learn about wine.

For lunch they went down this big hill toward the tiny town of Marlborough and ate at "The raccoon Saloon". On the way there mom barked it bad at an intersection when she could not get her food out of the toe clip. It was soo funny, mom went smashing to the ground sideways in slow motion. All mom could do was laugh!

They biked 20 miles back to the hotel after a great lunch of burgers and sweet potato fries, and took a nap.

They woke up, and went back in to the town of New Paltz and ate some good Turkish type food, and a place where the waitress was stressed out by the 5 full tables and could not handle the task of serving.

Frank was hungrey and not in the mood for slow service!

It made mom realize the the fast pace and the stress of living and working in the city has made her tolerance for juggling Multiple tasks great!

After dinner they went back to the room to watch the rest of the "Law and Order SVU" Saturday night marathon and passed out from wine, biking and a lot of food!

On Sunday they had these great notions of biking the 60 miles back to Manhattan, but it was rainy and cold and would have sucked. Too bad they power ate the night before for the trek!
They ended up getting a mile or so on the road back to the train on Poughkeepsie, when Frank got a flat in his rear tire and could not get the bolt off cause it was stripped.

That is when Mary and Garth the Christian savior's on their way back from Church in a jeep pulled over to the side of the road and offered them a ride to the train.
Mom and Frank took their ride and kindness and happily went in the car got on the train headed back to the city, biked home to Brooklyn said hi to me and layed down on the coutch!

As for me, I went over to my dog walkers house for the weekend and played with his dogs!
What a fun weekend!

Weekend

2005-08-25T15:56:00.000-05:00

Frank and mom are going on a fun weekend away biking through upstate NY!

More later!

Becky and Rick are soo cool

2005-08-23T14:17:00.000-05:00

These are mom's sudo relatives. They can hold claim to a lot of her rearing.
Becky has shaped a lot of mom's memories growing up and her son's JR and Michael might as well be mom's brothers!

Becky and Rick have decided to go on this super cool road trip across America and here are some pic's that they took along the way!

They brought their dog Ashley who hates me along with them!

Mom is super jealous of their trip, because they get to be free to go and do what ever they want. Mom hopes that one day after she works really hard she will be able to spend time going on a long trip just like them!

WORK ON TA IS DONE

2005-08-22T12:22:00.000-05:00

It is a very exciting time, for the past 4 months or so Mom has been helping Frank build an office space for transportation alternatives.

The project was not anticipated to take as long as it did, but that's what happens when there are too many tasks and just Frank to complete them.
It all started romantic and glamorous, they were making these desks for this new office space, there was a lot of sawing and dust, they were heavy and the days were long but it was fun.

Then the other pieces came, the industrial shelving that came in tiny pieces you had to screw and level togther. The homosote sheets that clogged up the air conditioner vent when they had to be cut in the conference room. The hours of cutting poly carbonate sheets, and the sawing of emt piping. Then the polyurinathaning that would not end, and thankfully the end to the circus paints that were going to be on the cabinet doors.
And then you can never forget the endless hours of leveling/screwing/bolting/sawing/drilling and painting.

Mom will miss it and it was fun, (when they were not in a hypoglycemic haze) from pushing themselves too hard to get all the work done fast.

Mom will miss (or maybe not)the sweat, the problem solving / the dust and lastly spending every gd weekend there for what felt like eternity!

I guess when you love someone, and you also like volunteering and helping, any task can get done. And as Paul said "you better do something special for your sweet thing!" Which Frank has and continues to do!

The world has gone mad

2005-08-19T08:56:00.000-05:00

Ok so I thought that I heard of everything in the world of blogging. Nothing anymore surprised me, people blog about everything and anything.
I understand that the fact that I am a dog, and I am a blogger puts me in that rare and original category. Now a days you gotta be ahead of the times to out last the masses. You have to be shocking and wild and innovative and new with the blogging you do.
With all that said, today I am now totally shocked.

Fetus spears has a blog!

WHAT!!!!! NOW I'VE HEARD IT ALL!!

And to top it off, as heard on "Pink is the new blog"
Featus may be a boy.

And may be named Preston.
That's cute.

Birthday Pictures

2005-08-18T10:48:00.000-05:00

Mr. Random Aka. Daniel Krieger took some wicked awesome photo's at Frank's party!
Check it.

If you want to see more!

Birthday Kegger!

2005-08-15T10:03:00.000-05:00

So the kegger was a success!
So many people came that the apartment was crowed with sweaty bodies. Everyone was so sweaty and drunk that all people could do was get more trashed. Josh and the Vagabender boys

came back and surprised Frank at the party! That was fun for me because Mark brought Sixto

along and we go to go to Frank's house during the party!
I was sad to leave the party but it was better than getting stepped on!
Frank estimated that there were about 40 people there give or take. At one point the whole party headed to the bar down the street, and I am sure scared the bartender with the rowdiness. Everything after that is a bit hazy to mom, and Frank can't remember anything after eating "the chicken".
The next day when I got brought home the apartment was all clean. Apparently mom woke right up and started cleaning the apartment. Mom even told me that when she woke up in the morning the layer of grime and mess was so thick on the floor that she was hesitant to walk on it. Gross.
When Frank and mom move into their own place in a month or so they are going to make sure that the apartment is big enough to have parties and dinners all the time!
Woo Hoo!
Maybe they will but me a sister to play with in their new place!:> I'm thinking a baby bichon named Skunkette.

KEG PARTY

2005-08-12T13:02:00.000-05:00

WE are having a Keg Party tonight!

Get your hands up!
WOO WHOO!
I get to drink tons and tons of beer! (Well maybe a few licks)

P.S. a keg equals
1 keg = 56.781177 liters
That's damn heavy!

Frank's Birthday

2005-08-10T08:10:00.000-05:00

Today is Frank's Birthday!
He is the best PMRM there is!

I have been bad

2005-08-09T10:02:00.000-05:00

Ok, I admit it I have been bad. Mom is gone at her new job all day, I have a dog walker who now walks me every day and I am mad.
I popped on the floor in protest. I have never done that in this apartment, and I gotta say it felt good!
Mom was pissed and threatened to dis invite me to Frank's birthday party which they are throwing in my apartment! I mean please lets be real, I am there more than anyone!
I have to admend my ways if I am going to be allowed to attend the party.

Frank is the best

2005-08-04T21:37:00.000-05:00

Frank got mom a fixed gear bike for their one year anniversary! We love him! He bought mom an "Iro", which is such a cool bike.

He totally suprised mom and hid it outside behind a plank of wood. Frank designed how it would be and even had the handle bars wrapped in army print! Mom was totally take off gurad and suprised that when Frank showed it to her all she could do was shake, and make him unlock it for her.
I wish I could talk more about it but I am way too excited! Maybe I will write more later about mom's bike parking, jobs and fun!

Peace

sorry if i am rude

2005-08-04T21:30:00.000-05:00

All I have to say is shove it to the woman who had a champagne toast on her birthday.
She tosted to "No more Drama".
Anyone who toasts to "no more drama" is a jack ass, who has more drama than she needs in her own life.

Pregnant best friend

2005-07-28T22:38:00.000-05:00

Mom's best friend Alicia

is pregnant. She is almost 7 months pregnant. It is so cool to walk around with her and think "oh my god we are walking around with your baby." Alicia is having a girl and everyone is so excited, mom has already decided that her name is going to be (Talula Moss). We don't care if that is really going to be her name or not, that is what mom has decided she will be called. I mean come on mom and her names, she named me pig for god sakes.

Alicia has been one of mom's best friends for about 5 years, they met in college, and became fast friends during a theatre project they both believed in. Since college they moved to New York City together and got apartments together (even if the one on 30th st. was small, nasty and infested it was still fun) and they even moved to Hoboken and shared a room for a summer together. Yes Hoboken sucked and they will never do that again. It is so great that Alicia became mom's first friend to have a baby. This way Alicia can tell mom and all their other friends what to do and what not to do when everyone else has a baby. She is in New Bedford, MA right now being the lead singer and song writer of this Wicked cool band called "Oneiris"

But, yesterday Alicia came to visit and mom and her want to this doctor's apt. that Alicia had to go to. That god damn apt. was way way out in Brooklyn almost to Coney Island. Now taking the Q train is bad enough, but the fact that the damn Dr.'s office was a 2 mile walk from the train is just cruel.
Imagine walking all over Brooklyn away from the train station, not seeing food, or safety near by, and then multiply that with being pregnant. (you can use your imagination as to what that would be like). Alicia is really strong

she still preforms with her band and will continue to do a few more shows!

After the Dr.'s Apt. Alicia was set to explore NYC, and all mom could think about most of the time was that there was a baby girl in her stomach. Cool right? They went shopping and looked at baby clothes, got a pedicure and chatted, it was fun and relaxing and mom was getting all these urges to throw herself in front of people and or cars to protect Alicia's Belly!
We think that she is due around November 2nd, but we'll see. I'll keep you updated.

The bargain Shopper

2005-07-27T10:21:00.000-05:00

Yesterday mom decided to buy a lot of new clothes. The one place she knows if she goes and spends a lot of time searching for the gems is Filenes basement.

There was just one that was opened up in Union Square a few months ago, thank god because she was dyeing for one closer than 6th Ave and 20th street.
When mom went yesterday she was not prepared to score the way she did.

She did the compulsive stop at "Forever 21",

which is next door and left feeling like she wished her hips has not grown more past her 12th birthday.

Then on her way up the escalator she stopped right in on "DSW Shoe Warehouse"

which is the best place in the world for shoes on sale. They have this fantastic discount isle where you can find things up to 80% off! This trip she did not like anything that that much and decided to save her money for the clothes she needs!

Now don't get me wrong "Filene's basement" is generally kinda scary to be in, there are 4 floors all lit with fluorescent lights, and tons of people scrambling for the cheaper items. The trick is to slow down and stick it out. If you leave when you get frustrated by the crowds and the hands grabbing over your shoulder then you leave with nothing. But if you slow down and look around and see that the people there are not your size and are no way same style as you there is a clarity that ensues, and you can get the tunnel vision that is needed to shop in large stores like that.
To add to the cheap prices, the store was having a up to 75% off already marked down items. You can imagine the strong desire to buy a lot that comes over you. Long story short and after going in to the fitting room 5 times (because the max you can bring in with you is 10 items) mom decided to purchase 20 items.

Wow oh my god 20 new items of clothes, you must think mom is rich or stupid. Well none of the above thank you very much. The grand total was $131.82 eat that!
7 shirts, 2 pairs of pants and 8 skirts and 3 wife beaters, all for under $150.
That't not too shabby. And that's what I call "Finding a bargain at Filenes basement"

Mr. Random//Not so random

2005-07-26T08:46:00.000-05:00

Mr. Random AKA. Daniel Krieger needs props. He took these fantastic photo's of mom at Kris's Party on Sunday. Check out his blog and his photos.

That's mom and Mr. Random

Lets just say that cigarette was a prop.

Hey the double chin is not too bad in that one!

Mom is certainly way more tan on her arms than her legs!

One of the big dogs.

2005-07-25T10:36:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the lack of post, but I was too busy hiding under a table and sitting on mom's lap to post.
Mom and Frank had the bright idea to take me with them while they were dog sitting in Inwood this past weekend. Um, I don't like train rides and I am small. The two dogs Baily and Sky are wimaraner's (well one's a mix) but they both weigh over 60lbs.
They both like to play a lot and poop a lot, Bark a lot and sleep a lot. Everything that they do is a lot. Sky tries to be a lap dog and will run and jump on to mom or Frank and crush me. I spent a lot of time sitting on mom to make them think I was bigger. It was really fun to go on walks with them, cause mom let me walk far ahead or right with them and I finally knew what it is like to grow up in a pack of dogs.
Sleeping was a whole nother story, Me, mom, Frank, Sky and Baily all piled on to the bed. I ended up sleeping on top of mom and straddled over Frank because I had no room to move!
All and all it was fun to spend a weekend somewhere new and try and be one of the big dogs, but when Sunday rolled around all I wanted to do was sleep. I was so tired and stressed out from the commotion and change. And while mom went to Kris's party that's what I did

Panty hose in hot weather.

2005-07-21T08:51:00.000-05:00

Lately mom has been forced to wear panty hose. She hates it, it makes her feel like a fraud and it is really just too hot to be constricted with sweat like that.

Have you ever had one of those nights where your half way going somewhere and all you want to do is turn around and go home for no reason other than you want to sit on your couch and do nothing.
That was last night for mom. She went with an old co-worker Jenn to this "Political event" Hosted by Eefers. The event was for this really cool guy Chris Owens

who is trying to run for congress. Chris is great, he stands for some really great things. (not to mention his brother was Alvin on the Cosbey show).
Emily did a great job hosting the event which was at the new Tank. There was music, and comedy, the transitions were fast and smooth and Chris Owens Played the recorder. . . well. But the whole time mom was there she wanted to be on her couch. She can't figure out why and she feels bad admitting that.
Lets figure out why.
Some of the reasons could be. She biked in the heat during rush hour from Greenpoint to the west side. She got scared and sweaty.

Another reason could be she had to wear panty hose all day in the city,
and that sucks enough to make anyone want to sit on their couch.

And the last reason could be that she was just tired, a bit hung over and too hot from running an hour earlier to give a shit about anything.
This feeling can be solved in the future by banning and boycotting panty-hose.

Well, not if you look like that in them!

too damn hot

2005-07-18T14:00:00.000-05:00

What a weekend, not only did I get to go on a wicked long subway ride, but I got to go on tons of walks.
Next weekend mom and Frank are going to be dog sitting Frank's friends dogs.
Jen and Rose

have two female dogs names Bailey and Sky. They are bigger than me but I think I will be able to hold my own. They live up on 207th and Broadway (I guess that's Inwood). I got shoved in my bag, and had to ride for an hour on the hot subway. When we all got there, I got introduced to dogs, and they liked me a lot. We walked around the park and I watched Sky try and chase birds. I can't wait till next weekend. It will be fun to have a weekend away from Brooklyn.
Mom and Frank went to a fun pot luck dinner on Friday night and they ate and drank a lot. Nothing beat Thursday night and the bread though!
Oh yeah and on Saterday night they went to Shannon

and Tim's (Sorry couldn't find a pic of tim)
engagement party at "The Pub" in Brooklyn. It was fun but they were so tired from riding the subway all day, that they talked a bit and then parked themselves in front of the TV to watch "Le tour de France". Frank really loves watching it!
Sunday night mom got to have dinner with her cousin Amy

at the South Street Seaport. Too bad it was raining a bit, cause they really wanted to sit outside. Mom ordered a catfish sandwich, which was not good.
When she was biking home later that night, at the end of the Williamsburg bridge some guy had fallen off his bike as he was comings off the bridge into the city and smashed his face. It was really gross to see all the blood and the rain mixing together. It was real bad to see that, but it was good that there were like 6 police officers around him and the ambulance was on the way. It was also bad cause he was really drunk and trying to smoke a cigarette with his bloody mouth. Yuck.
Today all mom wants to do is run outside but it is too damn hot for that, so instead she is doing all the other things she can do indoors.
peace out

Shove it

2005-07-15T09:47:00.000-05:00

That's my favorite thing to say.
Whats yours?

Drinking liberally

2005-07-14T09:11:00.000-05:00

Last night mom went with Kris to Eefers ,Drinking liberally event. Mom loves those events because you are always gaurenteed to have really great conversation!
Kris can explain why they were late but all I will say it involved a fast train ride/ being forced to eat in a fancy place and throwing out garments!
Also mom got to finally meet Mr. Random!

He is great! They had so much fun, and after the party they all went to eat Mexican food and walk home through the ghetto! Mr. Random is very much like mom (they like to wash their hands a lot.) But now thanks to him mom thinks she has a Staff infection in her nose. Did you know one and four people have it? Gross.

a story (sort of)

2005-07-13T09:58:00.000-05:00

Over the last week there has been an issue that mom has been fighting. I am proud to say that I have been by her side every step of the way.
To break it down, there's a park a big nasty female dog (in the distance her owner) and me.
It all began when mom and I were causally walking around in the park, minding our business. The sun was out, the polish drunks were where they always are, and all the pigeon's were eating the stale bread that people leave out for them. As we were walking out of the corner of mom's eye is a dog.

Now this dog is unlike any dog we have ever seen. It was big, had some muscles, a large behind and weird died hair. I wonder why that dog would want to have her natural hair color covered up? For it to be big, well that's how they come.
The dog who we will call (the barker) from now on seemed to be on a leash of some kind but it was clear she had her owner fooled about the evil that was in her eyes. Or else that leash would have been really tight.
The barker starts approaching mom and me, straining on her leash, her eyes and neck buldging, she looks disgusting. Without any provoking she just starts barking and barking. Now you can imagine the surprise and distress that accompanies a verbal attack like that. At first we freeze and look around to see if anyone besides her owner saw. No one did. We try and look at the the barkers owner but the owner is the type that is distant, works a lot and is smart at anything other than human interaction.

Mom and I decided not to do anything and see if we can walk farther away. This tactic works for the first day.

The next morning mom and I decide we will walk in the park again, hoping that the barker incident would be a one time thing. We are causally walking and playing in the grass (I'm eating it), when again out of nowhere comes the barker and at the end of her long long leash is her owner. The owner looked to have gotten a extra long leash so that they would not have to walk much to keep up with the dog.
The barker is perticurally drooly today and her died hair is wind blown and cracking off. I hide behind mom who this time looks the ugly barker right in the eyes, to try and figure out why she is barking and barking and barking at us. The eye contact that mom makes only angers the barker more and she starts straining and twisting trying to get out of her collar to come as close as she can.
This time mom tries to get the attention of the owner and draw attention from the other people in the park. To her surprise no one in the park pays any attention, they just continue reading their papers and minding their own business.
Mom decided to try and say something back to the barker, but the barking is just too loud for mom to get a word in edge wise. The barker looks as if she got to us and got what she wanted she would attack us until we were dead or at least badly hurt. Mom is starting to get a bit scared and picks me up and walks very fast away back to the safety of our home.
That night all mom can think about is how to get the barker to stop barking and over reacting. The barker picked us out of no where and has decided to try and make our lives hell. Unfortunately it is not going to work. We are too happy and have too many things going for us to let a little barking from a big ugly dog ruin our day.

That night we hatch a plan to get the barker to stop barking or at least reprimanded by her owner. (long story short leaving out the details of the plan) The next day mom and I embark on our walk in the park again.
To our surprise we are walking for about an hour and there is no sign of the barker, the sun is shining and all the other people in the park are smiling and having a good time. Even the Polish bums look happy and are taking extra shots of Vodka. We play around on the grass a bit more and decide to head home. As we are nearing our home we see the barkers owner, he is frantically calling for the barker. He stops near us and tells us that the barker has gotten off the leash and is loose. Mom starts to panic, picked me up and starts scanning the park for the big, dirty nasty barker.
Just as mom is going to stop looking she hears the barkers owner scream out the dog's name. Mom turns and sees the barker across the street pacing and barking and gearing up to cross and attack us. Mom looks for a tree or a car that she could climb, and right as she sees the perfect car to climb on the barker starts running across the big busy street right towards us. The dog is fast but not fast enough. Mom has me gripped tight in her arms and right as she reaches the car she is going to climb up on she stops because the barkers owner starts screaming so loud it gives us chills.

Right then everything starts happening in slow motion. Rounding the corner going faster than ever is a truck, is slams in to the barker right as the barker is almost to our side of the street. All the barkers died hair flies off with the wind as the truck crunchs the barkers body.
This got the whole parks attention and people come running over, mom puts me down and goes over to the barkers owner who is looking at the crumpled body of the barker under the big truck. More and more people crowd around and I sneak a closer look at the barker, she turns to me and with her last dyeing breath lets out a small bark.

Mom picks me up and takes me away and starts to explain to me that anyone or thing that is mean for the sake of being mean will always loose in the end. And that because the barker barked at us and had no love and attention from her owner, and probally did not have a good life ended up getting hurt. What goes around comes around.

When Blogs Collide In Person

2005-07-11T09:37:00.000-05:00

How funny is it to meet other people who read and comment and are friends of friends of yours all because of blogs?
It all started back in April when mom

and me.

met Kris.

(who's blog is down right now).
They became friends through their blogs and outside their blogs.
Mom introduced Kris to Eefers

who mom knew through Frank (who has no blog). Now Kris and Eefers are friends through their blogs and have hung out a few times outside their blogs.
This is when it starts to get interesting. Kris's ex-boyfriend Vinnie

or lets call him (Vin) has been some one that mom has been hearing about and reading his Blog since April. Last night she met him for the first time and it was like her already knew him. She not only knew all of is back story because of Kris. But she has been reading all of his thoughts and posts for like 3 months.
Another funny equation in the mix is Todd.

Now he seemed pretty random to mom for a while. But he started commenting on all our blogs and has a blog of his own, and Mom found out that he is an old school friend of Vin's though they live in different places now. Todd is visiting NYC from Atlanta this week. Mom met him last night and they suprised eachother with how much they knew about one another.

[Just a funny side bar, Eefers had a party on Friday that mom was not able to attend. At this party came Kris, Vin , Todd, And "Mr. Random"

Mr. Random Aka. Daniel, is now a mutual friend of Eefers and Kris (he was met through blogging and Friendster by them) and he has a blog of his own. Mom has not met Mr. Random Yet but when that day comes all will be clear.]

So to wrap up the world of blogging is weird. And sometimes it's not. It is interesting to see what happens when people come out from behind their computers and meet in person. It is usually fine, but people have pre decided idea's of who you are supposted to be. And others hate the format in which you write your blog (vin hates that I refer to mom as mom) and others get over the internet to real life hurtle with out a bat of an eye.
Now I know the connections of people talking and knowing people through the internet and blogs was already discussed a while back on Miss Kris, but I think it is interesting when everyone meets, that's a whole new level.

Paint paint and more paint

2005-07-10T11:35:00.000-05:00

I am not allowed to lick mom this weekend, this is because she has been covered in paint from head to toe. She has been working with Frank at TA all weekend painting shelves that will be hung with Hindges from the Deskes they built a few weeks ago.
Frank's Project has been never ending, and all mom and him could do yesterday was try and count how many pieces it has taken to put the office together. They've deided there are too many to count.

In other news Mom's friends Shannon and Tim got engaged. That is now 3 separate couple friends of mom's that have gotten engaged this year. They're dropping like flies! I wonder who will be next.

Stay tuned for more news and stories some involve open bars and free beer cans. . .

Laundry during the day

2005-07-08T09:40:00.000-05:00

During the week it is a rare luxury to do laundry during the day.
This is because of many reasons but the primary reason being that mom is usualy at work.
Today is a rare luxury in which I get to sit in the laundry cart when the sun still shines (well it's raining but you get the picture.) So after my soaking wet walk in the park, and being rubbed dry with a dirty towel, mom has decided to do the laundry.
Greenpoint, Brooklyn has great laundry facilities, they are large and no one tries to get in your way and obviously it's great that mom can take me with her there.
I love field trips, and I really love the faces that mom makes when she is trying to haul a huge bag of laundry and wrangle me with the leash. Lets just say I don't make is easy for her!
Other than that today I plan to lounge, listen to music and get treats because mom gets to be home with me all day. Friday's rock!

Chicago the Fake city

2005-07-05T10:57:00.000-05:00

Mom and Frank went to Chicago this past long weekend with Frank's Family. It was fun and strange.
The fun was with the Family, they went to museums and restaurants and "taste of Chicago" (an event where you eat the city). They saw "Mr. And Mrs. Smith" which was what is was supposted to be, a shot gut blast, sexually charged movie. Won't see it again.
Jonno, Frank's Brother made them go see reggae at "The House of Blues", which was fun when they got to sit down.

The Strange was the city it self, it was way too clean. There was way to much space, and there are streets underground, like tunnels but not. Frank kept saying "um you could eat off this". It felt like GOTHEM in prehistoric times. All mom kept waiting to see were cars whizzing across the sky.

On the positive side there were ton's of bikers, it is a biker positive city. They even have free valet bike parking. That is cool. All by the parks are bike rental places and all over the city and the out skirts were well marked bike lanes. Frank pointed out that there were not as many agro bikers in Chicago, but then he remembered after a while that they were all in NYC for the messenger world championships.
Good thing mom did not bring me I had more fun at my dog walkers barbecue! I would feel bad peeing anywhere. Um, and also I did not want to fly again.

The Challenge

2005-07-01T09:46:00.000-05:00

After attending a really fun engagement party for Rick and Katie last night at B-Bar, Mom an Frank went back to Brooklyn to help celebrate the start of the Bike Messenger World Championships. This year they are sponsored by Puma and The NYBMA, and other small org's.
As Mom and Frank rolled around the corner and all you could see for 2 blocks were piles of bikes. Mostly there were track bikes, and you could see all the Team Puma bikes everywhere.

They locked up at a free pole and entered "Capones". It was packed and smelly, and it was wall to wall messengers from all across the world.
Up at the front by the door, they had 4 NYC bikes set up for doing goldsprints.
Check it.
No only was mom not dressed for riding a bike, she was dressed up because of going to the engagement party in the city. She was wearing heels, and a short flowy skirt. Not appropriate for biking, much less "Spinning" in front of a crowd of professional messengers. She really wanted to race, but could not for the first time dressed the way she was.
this is when this guy

propositioned mom

to race on this

um, I think not. It was funny to talk to him, considering mom just saw him in "Red Light Go" a few nights ago. And even though he said it would be hot for her to ride in her heels, it is still a no go.
Maybe next time.

The best part of the evening was when Frank

raced Alfred

the future Olympian who's on team Puma, and only came in 3 seconds behind him!

Amish

2005-06-30T15:09:00.000-05:00

Last night mom was sitting outside in the aftermath of a storm. At night is when you get bitten my the most mosquito's. Mom also saw a track bike poser.
And to cap the last night off, tai food and a documentary about the Amish were ingested.
The Documentary is called "The Devil's Playground",

and it centers around Rumspringa the Amish rite of passage which begins when an Amish child reaches 16 years of age, and continues until they decide whether or not they want to join or leave the Amish church. Um, pretty good idea to let them choose, but it is a hugh culture shock to go from no exposure of the "English" world, to going to GODSMACK concerts.
It is fascinating to me to watch 16-21 year old Amish kids party their brains out in rural places. It is a life that I will never know.

I am also glad that mom does not wear Amish style clothing, it would be very hard to bike in that long dress.

My question is, why hasn't someone come up with an Amish bike, and done extensive marketing soley to the Amish? That is a gold mine If you ask me. The rely heavily on bicycles (and the horse and buggy. )

P.S. Rick and Katie got engaged (they are co-founders with mom of their theatre co. REDSTAR Productions) and mom gets to got to their fun party tonight! Congrats Guys!

Red Light Go

2005-06-29T11:00:00.000-05:00

I am recommending to all you all out there to go and watch,buy,support the documentary "Red Light Go"

(totally check out the websight)

The movie is about bike messengers and Ally cat races in New York city. It is raw and honest and you are able to really get a good grasp of what it is like to be a bike messenger in the city. You are introduced to the community of messengers that are out there and I feel as if you get a true portrayal of what it is like for them on a daily basis.

No only does this movie take you on a ride, but it gets personal in just the right way, there is no glamorization of the life. You see the good the bad the ugly, and in the end you respect what they are all about more.

On a side note I have begun to envy the community of bike messenger's for their support of one another, in a profession that is solitary. They go out of their way to create a strong community with events and races and mutual support if one another is in trouble. It is not a class system, nor a private club. Any race/type/level of insanity is free to participate. But if you want to truly stand out,you gotta race and place in the top ranks of the legendary Halloween Ally cat race.
"Red Light Go" is a must see!

Team Puma

2005-06-28T10:32:00.000-05:00

I am fascinated, in awe, have a bit of jealousy towards these guys.

Not only are all of the hard core messengers, but also great bikers that got chosen to be on the track racing Team sponsored by Puma.
They have been around for a while, and Frank and mom go to a lot of NYBMA events that they go to too, but there is something about this picture that is fantastic.
Sometimes when mom bikes by them somewhere she feels as if she should yell out how cool they are, but instead just nod's in appreciation. Squid the guy in the center of the pic, also delivers food in Williamsburg on some nights, mom sees him and they have the same bag which makes her smile!
Go team PUMA!

fun fun fun

2005-06-27T09:22:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was a blast, or it was for anyone who's body is not covered in fur. (un it was damn hot)
To begin Mom and Frank saw "Batman" on Friday night. They thought it was a great movie. I thought that Katie Holmes sucked. They agreed with me and Frank wondered what Christian Bale is like when he is not in training for a movie. He always seems to be training his body to do something crazy.
Then there was a great "crafty" fair is Mcarren Park next to my house on Sat,and Sun. So I got to walk around and smell Porto-potties while mom looked at cute things she wanted to buy, but had no money for.
Then mom got to test drive a track bike, they went to Bike doc and the ones that they have there have no break, so thank god that there was a playground near buy. Mom decide that she is going to buy one as soon as she can afford it!
Then Frank and mom decide to do a real Brooklyn thing and go on the Brooklyn Beer Brewery tour.

Let me just say it was way fun. First off is it located right on Berry street, (mom's favorite street) it is really not as packed with people as one might assume. The beers cost 3$ and there are great choices that are not in stores. So the deal is you go, buy a beer go on the tour, and then you get a free drink ticket for going on the tour. So for 5$ (including a 2$ tip), you can have 2 fresh brewed beers and sit in a cool bricked brewery. Might I suggest choosing to have the Brewmaster's special,

not only is is a kind that changes every 2 weeks, but it has an extremely high alcohol content and as the tour guide said "Drink it if you want to wreck your day". He was right it did (in a good way).
That is what is called a good weekend.

Grandpa Ted

2005-06-24T12:22:00.000-05:00

Mom's Grandpa Ted passed away this morning. He was 86 and in fair health. He had triple bi-pass sugary 13 years ago, and was living as strong as he could after that. He died in his sleep laying in bed next to his wife. Apparently he was in no pain what so ever, he just died. His wife woke up at 2:30am and went to the bathroom and he was fine, and when she woke at 6:30am he was cold.
The fact that he is dead is really sad, but mom can't figure out weather or not she is sadder that his wife woke up and found him dead next to her. That image is so awful to her.
Mom has not seen her grandpa in a while, but all her memories from childhood are bright and shiny. He was a good man, who was a good father to his 5 kids. He was in the Navy and traveled a lot but always was there if his kids needed anything. He got remarried after he divorced his first wife, to Marianna an amazing German lady with flaming red hair, green eyes and an accent to boot. She made him a better man, and never tried to become anyone's mom or grandma against their wishes. That is why we all loved her more.
I hope that Ted Swanson (Grandpa Ted) Rests in peace. And his memory continues to live on.

Stand-up (comedy)?

2005-06-23T09:44:00.000-05:00

Last night mom went to see her friend Roy do Stand-up comedy.

Roy was really funny, and he has the ability to make fun of himself, and also point out the obviousness of some situations in a way that makes you like him a whole lot more.
Mom is always weary of going to see stand-up because if it is bad, it is really bad and you are stuck watching. And the worst part is that there is no 4th wall, so if you try to leave you get pointed out and made fun of or just put totally on the spot. It is always the bad comic who has the balls to yell at you when you are trying to gracefully slink out. Another bad thing that can happen if the comic is bad, is that you end up having shivers and bad images of what they are trying to be funny about. For example a snotty nosed Long Island girl yelling in a Chinese accent about how she got a Brazilian wax forced upon her. Um, forgive me but I don't need that image in my head.
The great thing about Stand up is that when it is good it is pee in your pants, hold your breath so that they keep going good. Last night there was this one guy who was a bit metro-sexual, talking about P-Diddy in "Raisin in the Sun", on Broadway, and how everyone around him was acting, and he was just P-Diddy the rich rapper from NYC. Now I am no comedian, and my delivery is off, so it does not sound as funny but the point was that when big stars do Broadway they do not act, they are themselves and the funny part is when everyone around them is "init" and acting up a storm.
Listen, if you want to see for yourself go find
"Becky and Claudia's Supreme Offering"
Graham Lounge - 8pm
312 Graham Ave
b/w ainslie and devoe st
Every 4th Wednesday of the month.
I will leave you with my favorite bit from last night. Claudia one of the founders of the event said "I am one google search away from being fired". Mom knows how true that is!
So go see some Comedy and you can decide for yourself if you want to stay or "Stand-up" and walk out.

It's half marathon Time again

2005-06-22T12:22:00.000-05:00

So mom is going to do it again. She is going to run another half marathon on August 10th. Every year Frank does something crazy for his birthday, and this year is no exception. He is going to do a half iron man. That means Swimming, Biking, Running, in that order. Mom is going to do the 13 mile run with him, I feel it should be easier for her this time agound. She has already done it once, she knows that it is doable, and her fear that he body will quit is unfounded, so why not.
The only con that she is coming up with in her head, is that it will be much hotter, and the training that she will have to do will be in July, the hottest month.
Oh well, I guess that I get to look forward to a month of really great salt licks!

I hate when mom's are right

2005-06-21T09:53:00.000-05:00

There is nothing like being slapped back to reality by a parent. Last night mom called her mom, (who we will be calling Grandma) and got into a big fight.

It did not start out as a fight but it escalated to that place quick. All mom was trying to do was explain that she was so excited, that Frank helped her craft a great resignation letter for the job that she was supposted to be quitting today.
Wham, that remark that mom made sent Grandma over the edge, and got mom on the defensive really quick. Grandma started explaining to mom is a loud tone with fast words that is was incredibly stupid to quit the job she is at now just for the sake of it, when she does not have another job lined up.
Grandma was saying that it's great to be all romantic about eating canned soup and PB&J sandwitches untill mom finds another job, but that there are realities that come along with being unemployed. These realities are that Rent needs to be paid, ConEd needs to be paid, (so that the air conditioner works and I don't Fry). Little things like, I need dog food, and mom needs shaving cream need to be bought. All those things cost money and when there is no money coming in there is no money to be spent.
Grandma said it is uneducated, selfish and makes mom look bad to give a fine job up, just because mom does not like it with all her heart. Grandma did say that mom could feel free to quit as soon as she gets that other job and not to worry about giving the full two weeks.
Damn this, Mom did not want Grandma to be right, and grandma was not trying to be mean or all "I told you so," but after 2 hours on the phone mom relented and said that she would think about holding off handing in her resignation letter until she though it all out.
Damn it, Damn it , Damn it. Mom is so mad that she has to continue to be here a bit longer. It does not seem fair, but then again Grandma pointed out that life is not, and unfortunately no one is there any more to help her out finantially if mom is broke.
That's the reality and the facts and that is the hardest idea to swallow.
That idea is not the way mom was raised, and she has been fighing it for a long time now. It just sucks to her, to really realize that she is the one who is in charge now of her money, lifestyle and needs. And if she wants something, she is going to have to make it happen. The sad fact is that she had to learn it at 25, and not at 18. So many of you out there already knew that, we know. But today is the day that mom became a grown-up. And there is no little party to celebrate, Just a welcome to the real world lunch brough from home in tupper ware.