It's birthday season in my house. All three of my children have their birthdays within a month of each other. With all the excitement and fun comes BIRTHDAY CAKE! Yum!
Over the years I have realized the purpose of cake. The purpose of cake is so you can eat frosting. It is merely a vehicle. It isn't that cake doesn't matter, because frankly frosting looks better on a cake, but the cake is secondary to the true treat.
This attitude works its way into all aspects of cake eating. When selecting a piece, go for the corner (if there is one). When eating cake, you need to carve out all the cake parts first in order to save the frosting husk to be savored last. Without any cake in the way, you can slowly eat slices of frosting goodness.
Cupcakes are a bit different. Eating the cake first just isn't very practical. So, my technique has evolved into something different. With cupcakes, you get all the frosting goodness up front by biting the top off. With practice, you can get it in one bite. However, after that you have a dilemma. What do you do with the cake? It has already fulfilled its mission of delivering frosting, so it is not really needed. I have known people who throw it out, but I will eat the cake part because it seems more proper.
I'm not sure I should be this revealing here...
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Second-Child Syndrome
This is how it goes with parents. We can't really help it (or at least I can't). Your first child breaks all the new ground. They are lucky. Their parents are very focused on all their milestones. Every minute is photographed, every event lives on forever.
The second child gets the short end of the stick. Their events are celebrated, but... well sometimes the camera doesn't even come out.
What about the third child? Well, that depends. If it is the last child, then the get all the "Last Time" interest. "Oh, this is the last time one of our babies starts kindergarten." So, they don't get completely left out. However, they still get ignored for some things.
Now, just to complicate things, put those last two birth days two days apart. That is the situation in our house.
This year, #2 wanted a big party with lots of friends. So, she got it. The camera did come out and it will be remembered. However, it contributed to the current problem.
#3 turns 8 this year. In our church, 8 is a big deal. It is when our children are baptized. For #1 much thought and preparation went into it. It was a grand event. For #2, it was still grand but a little more last minute. For #3... well we have a date and time set, but we're still working out some of the details. Did I mention it is in 6 days?
I don't know if it is laziness or lack of novelty, but these things just creep up on you. I feel bad. I want each child to have as much grandeur as the older children have, but it just doesn't happen.
That brings up my second recurring thought about parenting. I feel like an amateur. I suspect this is common. There is no real training for parenthood. No study course or planning. You are told how to get one started, you do it, and then you wing it. There are books for various aspects to help you along the way, but these are usually after something has happened and tend to focus on one specific thing. Nothing trains you on how to be a parent.
The good thing is that your children don't know any better. To them, you are the greatest parents in the world (at least until they are teenagers in the "nobody understands me mode". Fortunately, I'm not there yet.) So, there is room for error.
Hmmm, I think I just hit on something. Parenting is sloppy. It involves a lot of guess work. Professionals couldn't get away with this. They train hard and make very little mistakes.
Ouch. Mistakes. I can only hope my children turn out ok.
There is one consolation. My parents were amateurs too... crap. I was going to end with "I turned out all right", but I'm not sure Mom counts as an amateur. She was a teacher and school counselor. She studied psychology. She may have had an edge.
Oh well.
The second child gets the short end of the stick. Their events are celebrated, but... well sometimes the camera doesn't even come out.
What about the third child? Well, that depends. If it is the last child, then the get all the "Last Time" interest. "Oh, this is the last time one of our babies starts kindergarten." So, they don't get completely left out. However, they still get ignored for some things.
Now, just to complicate things, put those last two birth days two days apart. That is the situation in our house.
This year, #2 wanted a big party with lots of friends. So, she got it. The camera did come out and it will be remembered. However, it contributed to the current problem.
#3 turns 8 this year. In our church, 8 is a big deal. It is when our children are baptized. For #1 much thought and preparation went into it. It was a grand event. For #2, it was still grand but a little more last minute. For #3... well we have a date and time set, but we're still working out some of the details. Did I mention it is in 6 days?
I don't know if it is laziness or lack of novelty, but these things just creep up on you. I feel bad. I want each child to have as much grandeur as the older children have, but it just doesn't happen.
That brings up my second recurring thought about parenting. I feel like an amateur. I suspect this is common. There is no real training for parenthood. No study course or planning. You are told how to get one started, you do it, and then you wing it. There are books for various aspects to help you along the way, but these are usually after something has happened and tend to focus on one specific thing. Nothing trains you on how to be a parent.
The good thing is that your children don't know any better. To them, you are the greatest parents in the world (at least until they are teenagers in the "nobody understands me mode". Fortunately, I'm not there yet.) So, there is room for error.
Hmmm, I think I just hit on something. Parenting is sloppy. It involves a lot of guess work. Professionals couldn't get away with this. They train hard and make very little mistakes.
Ouch. Mistakes. I can only hope my children turn out ok.
There is one consolation. My parents were amateurs too... crap. I was going to end with "I turned out all right", but I'm not sure Mom counts as an amateur. She was a teacher and school counselor. She studied psychology. She may have had an edge.
Oh well.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Weather Forecasts
So, earlier I mentioned there was snow in the forecast. Well, that isn't the case anymore. The forecast is now 50% or so chance of precipitation. It just isn't going to get as cold as they thought.
Forecasting must be really hard and I must admit it is a topic that fascinates me. We all like to complain about the weather and forecasters, so maybe I'm just normal. However, I have noticed some interesting patterns in forecasting. (BTW, I am not really trying to trash forecasters. I think the front range of the Rockies is a very difficult area to predict weather.)
Pattern 1: Psych! There have been several times when major snow storms have been predicted and just didn't happen. I remember once schools let out early and we ended up with a few flurries (not enough to accumulate).
Pattern 2: Oops, missed that one. This is similar to the first pattern. Totally missed the boat but in the other direction. There have been days when nothing major was supposed to happen, but it did. I enjoy making the remark "I just shoveled 6 inches of partly cloudy off of my driveway."
Pattern 3: Rebound. This is a subtle pattern, but I have noticed it many times. The distant forecast (a week or more out) makes a prediction. As the day gets closer, the forecast changes (I assume as the information used for the predictions becomes more solid). And then, when the day comes and we see its actual weather, it was more like the early prediction than the late prediction. This is my hope for this weekend. It will actually get as cold as originally predicted and snow.
Pattern 4: Rut. Here in Colorado Springs, we have a fairly consistent weather pattern during the summer. Afternoon Thunderstorms. There is something about the mountains that produces a daily weather cycle where we have clear skies in the morning, developing storms in the afternoon, and then clearing skies in the evening. Many days are forecasted as a percentage chance of a thunderstorm or how big the storm will be. It gets monotonous. Even the weather people on TV see it and comment on it. "Yet another day of PM thunderstorms."
Anyway, that is my take on the weather. I guess now you don't need to ask :)
Forecasting must be really hard and I must admit it is a topic that fascinates me. We all like to complain about the weather and forecasters, so maybe I'm just normal. However, I have noticed some interesting patterns in forecasting. (BTW, I am not really trying to trash forecasters. I think the front range of the Rockies is a very difficult area to predict weather.)
Pattern 1: Psych! There have been several times when major snow storms have been predicted and just didn't happen. I remember once schools let out early and we ended up with a few flurries (not enough to accumulate).
Pattern 2: Oops, missed that one. This is similar to the first pattern. Totally missed the boat but in the other direction. There have been days when nothing major was supposed to happen, but it did. I enjoy making the remark "I just shoveled 6 inches of partly cloudy off of my driveway."
Pattern 3: Rebound. This is a subtle pattern, but I have noticed it many times. The distant forecast (a week or more out) makes a prediction. As the day gets closer, the forecast changes (I assume as the information used for the predictions becomes more solid). And then, when the day comes and we see its actual weather, it was more like the early prediction than the late prediction. This is my hope for this weekend. It will actually get as cold as originally predicted and snow.
Pattern 4: Rut. Here in Colorado Springs, we have a fairly consistent weather pattern during the summer. Afternoon Thunderstorms. There is something about the mountains that produces a daily weather cycle where we have clear skies in the morning, developing storms in the afternoon, and then clearing skies in the evening. Many days are forecasted as a percentage chance of a thunderstorm or how big the storm will be. It gets monotonous. Even the weather people on TV see it and comment on it. "Yet another day of PM thunderstorms."
Anyway, that is my take on the weather. I guess now you don't need to ask :)
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Band Night
Tonight is band rehearsal. I love it!
When I was in high school, band was a huge part of it. Yes, I was one of those band nerds. I loved it. It was fun and the highlight of my day.
And then college came and I didn't continue band. I was busy in college and failed to realize the good it would have done me to continue music. It didn't help that I was not well motivated and didn't manage my time well. So, that was pretty much the end of playing in band.
At the beginning of the year, my Dad found an organization that allows you to play in band again. He was very enthusiastic and invited me and my family to his spring concert. When I went to the concert, I was struck by two things. First, it sounded just like high school. Second, I missed it and wanted to be on the stage playing.
At the end of the summer, my Dad invited me to a recruiting event for the band. He was very excited about it and at the time, Mom had said "no". So, I thought I would go and at least support Dad. Long story short, I signed up, arranged to borrow a tenor saxophone, and started playing.
The organization is called the New Horizons Band. I believe it is national and it was created for people just like me. Folks who stopped playing because school stopped and not because they wanted to stop playing. Here we have several bands depending on ability and availability. I rehearse once a week for 1 hour in the evening. It is an intermediate level group (8th-9th grade music), so it isn't too difficult. It has been perfect for relearning how to play.
I have been going for a month and there is one thing that is very clear. I love it. Even the rudimentary fundamental exercises (breathing, rhythms, scales, etc) are ok because I am in band again. After rehearsal, I come home happy.
When I was in high school, band was a huge part of it. Yes, I was one of those band nerds. I loved it. It was fun and the highlight of my day.
And then college came and I didn't continue band. I was busy in college and failed to realize the good it would have done me to continue music. It didn't help that I was not well motivated and didn't manage my time well. So, that was pretty much the end of playing in band.
At the beginning of the year, my Dad found an organization that allows you to play in band again. He was very enthusiastic and invited me and my family to his spring concert. When I went to the concert, I was struck by two things. First, it sounded just like high school. Second, I missed it and wanted to be on the stage playing.
At the end of the summer, my Dad invited me to a recruiting event for the band. He was very excited about it and at the time, Mom had said "no". So, I thought I would go and at least support Dad. Long story short, I signed up, arranged to borrow a tenor saxophone, and started playing.
The organization is called the New Horizons Band. I believe it is national and it was created for people just like me. Folks who stopped playing because school stopped and not because they wanted to stop playing. Here we have several bands depending on ability and availability. I rehearse once a week for 1 hour in the evening. It is an intermediate level group (8th-9th grade music), so it isn't too difficult. It has been perfect for relearning how to play.
I have been going for a month and there is one thing that is very clear. I love it. Even the rudimentary fundamental exercises (breathing, rhythms, scales, etc) are ok because I am in band again. After rehearsal, I come home happy.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
More Personal
My previous entries have been very technical. That's not bad, but it isn't all that I am. My sister started her blog at GatheringHolly which reminded me that I can put other stuff here too since my original intent was to post stuff about me.
So, after my incredibly exciting topics on work things, I thought maybe I could tone things down and talk about the weather. Why? Because winter is coming and I LOVE winter. This weekend it could snow (at least here in Colorado Springs). I love snow. I don't know why, but I have been this way as long as I can remember. I tend to attribute the attitude to the fact that I grew up on tropical islands without any snow as a young child, but I am not sure that is completely true. I just am not a fan of the heat. I don't like sweating and I am one of those people that sweat a lot. So, bring on the cold!
Also, snow is just cool. The landscape becomes something new when it all turns white. The commute becomes a challenge. The kids get excited because they might miss school. Humidity is up and noise is down.
I think that is it. It is just different. It is not the normal routine (at least here) and I like it when something knocks you out of the rut of normal routine.
So, after my incredibly exciting topics on work things, I thought maybe I could tone things down and talk about the weather. Why? Because winter is coming and I LOVE winter. This weekend it could snow (at least here in Colorado Springs). I love snow. I don't know why, but I have been this way as long as I can remember. I tend to attribute the attitude to the fact that I grew up on tropical islands without any snow as a young child, but I am not sure that is completely true. I just am not a fan of the heat. I don't like sweating and I am one of those people that sweat a lot. So, bring on the cold!
Also, snow is just cool. The landscape becomes something new when it all turns white. The commute becomes a challenge. The kids get excited because they might miss school. Humidity is up and noise is down.
I think that is it. It is just different. It is not the normal routine (at least here) and I like it when something knocks you out of the rut of normal routine.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
