My son is one year old. Wow. It feel odd to think, let alone live it. Meg and I reminisced about the events of a year ago and how crazy the entire night seemed at the time. Meg says she doesn't even remember the pain, which is good for her, but I remember every second of it. We had a poor cab driver who took a wrong turn along the way which didn't ease his nerves of having a pregnant foreigner in his cab yelling at him to go faster. Xander showed up at 3:38AM. After a long 24 hours of contractions, pain, and anticipation, we had our little boy in our arms.
The last year has been a blur. While I have catalogued all the best and worst moments in my mind, it still feels like no time has passed. Now, Alexander is an enthusiastic, happy, curious little boy who loves to explore and loves to read his books. He sleeps well and eats well and I don't know if we could have even asked for more. His Grandparents and I took him to the Shanghai aquarium today and he loved every second. It was a joy to watch his eyes dart from fish to fish, discovering a whole world he'd only seen on a page in a book. He even correctly identified a ray as it swam overhead in a glass tunnel. I am a proud papa.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Wow, it has been a long time...
I started posting a running blog for the original Battlestar Galactica at Aspiration Figures, but I just haven't been able to summon the energy to post anything in some time. Being Mr. Mom full time is as rewarding/tiring as you can imagine. I really wouldn't trade it for the world. I am enjoying the calm before the teething storm. Xander has been nothing but fantastic and is sleeping like a champ and taking very well to solid foods. We are starting to get a nice sense of routine that should allow me some time to concentrate on personal projects.
I just ran an 8K race out in a neighborhood of Shanghai called Jinqiao (Gene-chee-ow). I was fairly pleased with my performance given I can easily count the number of times I have run in Shanghai, and considering I haven't run outside since we left the U.S. Granted it wasn't the greatest distance, but it felt good and that is all that counts. The other upside of getting Xan on a schedule is a return to regular exercise. It is a good thing I was in shape before he got here. Christmas while wonderful, did a number on me.
Meg and I have started in on FX's Sons of Anarchy which feels like a western with motorcycles. You also get the underlying themes of Hamlet in there too for good measure.
We haven't started thinking about the next posting too heavily yet, but I imagine that by the time Xan's birthday hits we will be doing a fair bit of clock-watching.
I just ran an 8K race out in a neighborhood of Shanghai called Jinqiao (Gene-chee-ow). I was fairly pleased with my performance given I can easily count the number of times I have run in Shanghai, and considering I haven't run outside since we left the U.S. Granted it wasn't the greatest distance, but it felt good and that is all that counts. The other upside of getting Xan on a schedule is a return to regular exercise. It is a good thing I was in shape before he got here. Christmas while wonderful, did a number on me.
Meg and I have started in on FX's Sons of Anarchy which feels like a western with motorcycles. You also get the underlying themes of Hamlet in there too for good measure.
We haven't started thinking about the next posting too heavily yet, but I imagine that by the time Xan's birthday hits we will be doing a fair bit of clock-watching.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
A change gonna come...
Usually people use a phrase like that to indicate some kind of a makeover for a site. I just thought it would be a good way to describe this post's content.
We received our next posting and we will be heading to Tegucigalpa, Honduras come Summer 2012. It was definitely a surprise as we had mentally written it off in favor of a number of other posts on our bid list. After a couple of days saying "Hunh, Honduras..." We have righted our mental ships and are looking to the Winter when we return to Washington D.C. for training and some much needed America time. Xander will be a healthy distance past one year old and will be ready to start the adventure of becoming bilingual.
After the rather epic experience of learning Mandarin Chinese, learning Spanish seems like a breeze. It is an amazing turn from a time where I thought learning one language seemed like an incredibly difficult concept. Thankfully as Americans we are inundated with Spanish in our daily lives. I personally already had an intensive dose back in College, so turning that part of my brain back on shouldn't be terribly difficult. Plus, every single owner's manual I have has an Espanol section so it isn't like I am lacking in practice materials!
I don't what the coverage of the Japan earthquake has been like in the United States, but here in China, it is unrelenting. I am utterly stunned by the scope of the devastation. I really feel I can't say anymore other than my heart is with the Japanese and I hope peace and order returns to their lives as soon as possible. Hour after hour we find a new story of tragedy that rips the heart open anew.
We received our next posting and we will be heading to Tegucigalpa, Honduras come Summer 2012. It was definitely a surprise as we had mentally written it off in favor of a number of other posts on our bid list. After a couple of days saying "Hunh, Honduras..." We have righted our mental ships and are looking to the Winter when we return to Washington D.C. for training and some much needed America time. Xander will be a healthy distance past one year old and will be ready to start the adventure of becoming bilingual.
After the rather epic experience of learning Mandarin Chinese, learning Spanish seems like a breeze. It is an amazing turn from a time where I thought learning one language seemed like an incredibly difficult concept. Thankfully as Americans we are inundated with Spanish in our daily lives. I personally already had an intensive dose back in College, so turning that part of my brain back on shouldn't be terribly difficult. Plus, every single owner's manual I have has an Espanol section so it isn't like I am lacking in practice materials!
I don't what the coverage of the Japan earthquake has been like in the United States, but here in China, it is unrelenting. I am utterly stunned by the scope of the devastation. I really feel I can't say anymore other than my heart is with the Japanese and I hope peace and order returns to their lives as soon as possible. Hour after hour we find a new story of tragedy that rips the heart open anew.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Best Picture
Stevie S is out to give us the haps on who won best picture.
Like I said, 10 best pictures is a bit much.
Social Network, and King's Speech are your frontrunners. Don't count out Black Swan though.
Here we go...
The King's Speech!
Social Network lost momentum in the last stretch and King's Speech wins at the tape!
Like I said, 10 best pictures is a bit much.
Social Network, and King's Speech are your frontrunners. Don't count out Black Swan though.
Here we go...
The King's Speech!
Social Network lost momentum in the last stretch and King's Speech wins at the tape!
OSCARS 2011 CON'T
I have totally lost track. That's what happens with a five month old.
Congrats to tom hooper for Best Director. Great Choice.
Natalie Portman absolutely deserved Best Actress. I think I would have been fairly disappointed if Annette Benning won.
Best Actor: Has to be Firth?
...Firth! A long time coming for hands down one of the best actors in the World. I think he gets Knighted after this.
Congrats to tom hooper for Best Director. Great Choice.
Natalie Portman absolutely deserved Best Actress. I think I would have been fairly disappointed if Annette Benning won.
Best Actor: Has to be Firth?
...Firth! A long time coming for hands down one of the best actors in the World. I think he gets Knighted after this.
OSCARS 2011 CON'T
Ceine Dion is out to sing over the "in remembrance " montage.
Did we need to see her live? Thankfully no applause as the clip played. Always gets awkward.
Halle Berry out to introduce Lena Horne tribute.
Did we need to see her live? Thankfully no applause as the clip played. Always gets awkward.
Halle Berry out to introduce Lena Horne tribute.
OSCARS 2011 CON'T
Best Documentary Feature:
...Inside Job, Sorry, had to take a break for feeding. I thought Restrepo would have won, but Inside job was the most current.
Inception wins for Visual Effects.
They are just cleaning up in the tech categories.
You would think this build momentum for a best picture win, but you might be wrong.
Film Editing: Usually a bell weather for Best picture:
....Social Network. Yep, this pretty much means Social Network gets Best Pic.
Jennifer Hudson is out to introduce the next two Best Song Noms. Has she never used a teleprompter before? She looked like a deer in headlights...
Sooo, best original song is...
Randy Newman and his second win. Awesome speech from cranky Randy Newman!
...Inside Job, Sorry, had to take a break for feeding. I thought Restrepo would have won, but Inside job was the most current.
Inception wins for Visual Effects.
They are just cleaning up in the tech categories.
You would think this build momentum for a best picture win, but you might be wrong.
Film Editing: Usually a bell weather for Best picture:
....Social Network. Yep, this pretty much means Social Network gets Best Pic.
Jennifer Hudson is out to introduce the next two Best Song Noms. Has she never used a teleprompter before? She looked like a deer in headlights...
Sooo, best original song is...
Randy Newman and his second win. Awesome speech from cranky Randy Newman!
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