Silas for President!

Silas made the channel 3 news today! Follow this link:

Silas for President 2008

Satisfaction is Complacency

I'm in trouble with Bethany for my current mantra at inopportune times of "Satisfaction is complacency, is stasis!" I figure I at least owe her a link to the reference, especially since I'm trying to figure out how to screenprint this sixth panel on a onesie for Silas...


I love the comic Cat and Girl. I think Robin led me to it, for which I'm grateful.

http://www.catandgirl.com/view.php?loc=639

Happy Birthday Courtney

Birthday girl, Courtney (R), Regina (L), and the big hugger, Silas in the foreground.

Courtney's birthday is coming up. She and Regina had people over on Saturday to celebrate. Bethany, Becky, Silas, and I went to usher in another year for our friend. Silas was happy to get passed around and be the center of attention...

Run around the square

The cheering section

Yesterday was my first 5k race of the year - the Run Around the Square. I'm not really in great shape between an injury in July and then the distraction of Silas. Nonetheless, I had a decent time for me. 23:59. Placed 237th out of 1183 overall and 27th out of 76 in my age group (35-39). It was a good time. I felt strong for the first time since breaking my foot and getting back on the roads this year. I could have finished with a better time, but was being cautious and also get stuck in slow groups on the trails at a few places.

Bethany and Silas came down to cheer me on. It was fun to have them there. There were a lot of significant others with new babies at the finish line. I think it's a good world to introduce them to.

Bethany's learning how to feed Silas in public. :)

Congratulatory hugs

Beer helps recovery

1,400 miles

I'm at 1,400 miles on the bike this year in Pittsburgh. For an idea of the scale, the name "Pittsburgh" is about 1.25 miles. I tread the same paths a lot. The Google Earth map doesn't do a great job of showing that. I've had to reduce my mileage the past few weeks, of course, but I'm easily on a path to reach 2,500 miles for the year on the bike. I offset driving for 25 miles of work commuting a week and probably another 10 or more miles on average of errands. With work and vacation trips out of town, I'd guess it works out that it's maybe a 1,000 mile offset of driving the car. Using the federal mileage rate of 50.5 cents per mile, that's $500 in approximate savings. I can replace my bike every three years or so at that rate. :)

Best picture of the farmer's market

So, I took this picture of our neighbor Tom with Bethany and her mom in the foreground. Tom is the old man holding his shirt collar in the center of the picture. Tom lives directly across the street and is a wonderfully sweet man. When we moved in, he helped us carry stuff in from the truck. We frequently see him sitting on his front stoop striking up conversations with passersby or walking up to Rocky's for his $2.50 breakfast. He's fond of referring to Bethany as the boss. :)

I think it's great that it turns out that I caught the little girl staring up at him. She's a cutie. I see her around the neighborhood from time to time with her parents. Also, the woman cyclist walking around wearing her helmet and is mid-bite of a plum or some other fruit. And then there's the poor guy walking with his son toward the camera. If you look closely...

My other blog

I have had a hard time getting content flowing on my other blog (for HGTV Pro). I got another post put up today. It's been challenging to create new content that isn't just regurgitating other blog and news posts from the internet. It seems everything I read in a lot of the technology blogs is a repackaging of something they read in someone else's blog, which of course was lifted from a chain of other blogs repeating the same information in a weird, world-wide, inbred game of telephone.

Nonetheless, that blog is: Building Science

It's much easier to write about life and fun things in any given day and especially, the new little life we have with us than it is to write inside a box called "Building Science"...


As I don't understand trackbacks, this last part is an experiment, please ignore.
http://blogs.scrippsnetworks.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/1551
http://blogs.hgtvpro.com/hgtvpro/building_science/archive/2008/08/intelligent_hvac_control.html

Bloomfield farmers' market

Sadly, the summer has screamed by and today was the first time I've landed in the Bloomfield farmer's market. For being three blocks from my house, I'm embarrassed that it's taken me so long. It's small, as Pittsburgh distributes its farmer's markets all over and on different days, but it was nice. It had a nice selection of veggies, including at least one organic farmer and tasty, tasty items made by My Goodies Vegan Bakery.

I met Bethany, Silas, and Bobbye up there after a nice hill climb route home from work. Bobbye bought the fixin's for ratatouille, which we ate for dinner. Bethany and I got an assortment of vegetables, organic eggs, and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies from a Mennonite family. Oh yeah, and some pierogies. When I cook them, it'll be my first pierogi experience in Pittsburgh, despite it being a sort of traditional food here.

31st Street Bridge and Millvale Riverfront Park

On my way up to the Bloomfield farmer's market after work, I detoured across the Allegheny River on the (relatively) newly rebuilt 31st Street Bridge. I circled under and took the trail up to Millvale and then back over the 40th Street Bridge to get the third shot, which is of the park.

Holy weight gain!

Yesterday, Silas was two weeks old and had his second visit to the pediatrician. He was born at 7 lbs 7 oz. At one week, he was 7 lbs 10 oz. Yesterday, 14 days into his exciting life of suckling and sleeping, the little bugger is a scale-busting 8 lbs 10 oz. The general rule is an ounce a day in this stage, not two!

The pediatrician was happy with it, as he seems healthy and there probably isn't such a thing as having over done it when your breast feeding. I just hope he doesn't get into football someday. I'd prefer rugby, if it's any thick-necked, violent sport. :)

Pittsburgh cycling

Pittsburgh finally hired a city-paid person to handle bike transportation issues. Go Pittsburgh! Reaction is all over the board. Both automotive drivers and cyclists need to learn a lot, especially how to get along. Lots on both sides are conscientious, safe, and relatively patient. However, jerks abound in both camps.

As a cyclist, trained to ride in other, bike-friendly, cities with and without hills, I really don't feel that Pittsburgh is all that bad. There are roads that feel like deathtraps. However, usually, there is a reasonable workaround that doesn't take one all that far out of the way of the shortest path. Given the topography and legacy roads, there is rarely a "shortest" path in Pittsburgh.

Mike Madison of Pittsblog has a very nice post about the bicycle tzar position and some great insight into the insipid reactions on both sides. Here is an excerpt that I found really interesting:

As a least one commenter at The Burgh -- Agent Ska, I think -- captures the real source of conflict here: Pittsburgh drivers are scared of bicyclists. To engage in a generalization that is simultaneously radical and entirely ordinary: Pittsburghers are scared of the unfamiliar. People on two wheels in Pittsburgh are strangers in this strange motorized land. Because Pittsburgh has lots of hills and few shoulders, historically there haven't been many cyclists out in traffic throughout the region. That much is clear. But those numbers are growing.

It continues after a bit with this:

Second, people who are adopting bicycles as their preferred forms of urban transportation in Pittsburgh similarly fall into one of two groups: There is a group that learned to cycle in a city -- not Pittsburgh -- where vehicle/cycle relations are comparatively harmonious, and who therefore expect that drivers in Pittsburgh will be as comparatively respectful as they are back "home." And there is a group that is mostly native to Pittsburgh, and that no more understands how to cycle respectfully with traffic in an urban environment than Pittsburgh drivers understand how to get along with cyclists.

I find this true and somewhat comical, but it is a static blanket statement. Exceptions to this abound. I think it's true that there are more and more cyclists on the roads. Perhaps I am seeing more cyclists as rider are realizing how nice the bike lane on Liberty Ave makes the Liberty corridor for biking. It's bound to draw riders that had previously chosen other routes. In any case, the more riders there are, the more adaptation we're bound to see. Cyclists will learn how to coexist with the automobile traffic patterns. The drivers will also start recognize that bikes are traffic as well.

At least we can hope.

Head and toes

He was completely pissed off for what seemed like hours this evening. Finally, I got him to settle down and pose for some pics.

Lobster Boy

Lobster Boy. That's what I call Silas sometimes. Turning in to a red ball of fire appears to be his super hero power... This picture does not do his natural talent justice.

Schenley Park run

A very pleasant 5.1 miles with Guthrie in Schenley Park today. I didn't bring my camera, so the route map (from my GPS) will have to suffice. I had only planned on running 3-3.5 miles, but took a wrong turn and ended up over 5. I guess 'taking a wrong turn' is somewhat misleading in that I was just exploring a trail and had no clue where I was going to come out until it swung back around and met up with my outgoing trail about a mile from the car. I love adventuring, and Guthrie is very supportive, as long as I stop and let him drink from the streams we ran along and crossed.

The run started out on a very comical note, though. Guthrie hates to swim. He won't do it unless he really screws up and falls in. Or times where the water below the canoe is really clear, and he thinks that since he can see the bottom that it's shallow enough to walk. The look of panic on his face as he realizes his feet aren't hitting the bottom, and his head is going under will continue to make me laugh for the rest of my days. Anyway, today, he launched himself into the fish-shaped pond (as seen on the map) not realizing it has a stepped artificial "shore". Full immersion and an astonishingly quick pop back up out onto the shore. I hope he wasn't mad I didn't warn him. I'd prefer him to swim voluntarily.

First bath in the "new" house

Yes, we've had the house for nearly three years, and it's taken this long for the bathroom to finally be 95% finished. There are some details to finish, including finding/commissioning a vanity, but nonetheless, it's functional. Bethany got her first bath a few days ago. Tonight was my first. Yay! I needed to soak after a long run with Guthrie. For the bibliophiles, I got the notion to read Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth. I made it through several chapters in the late 30's during the relaxin'...

Grandma Bobbye comes for a visit

Bethany's mother has come to give Silas some grandma time. Of course, he's being spoiled. :) It's been a good time and pretty mellow so far.

Peanut chicken and coconut rice

Maya and Ryder experimented on us in the best way possible and had the three of us over for dinner to try out Maya's newest culinary endeavor. I think it was spectacular, but Maya said she still prefers her ground nut stew, which I have yet to be at the receiving end of. She promised to make it for us this winter.

Our friends here have been wonderful to us forever, but they have been even better by feeding us since Silas' birth. Becky and Tim have sent over some great food. Kate and Matt have fed us as well. Jackie and Bob made burgers one night and have also given us soup and stuffed cabbage.

We're very thankful.

Blogging with baby and listening to music

Sorry, perhaps a bit gratuitous...pics from yesterday and this morning.

It's challenging to move about and do simple things like typing with the little hanger on. I love it, though. He's already become such a good friend. I fear he's getting a little tired of the same 6 or 7 CD's in the changer. I need to expand some and teach him some of the goodies in the back catalog...perhaps a little Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, the Cure, Morrissey, Modest Mouse, Johnny Cash?

Swiss chard for dinner

Despite Bethany not being terribly excited about it, I made swiss chard as a side for dinner tonight. I like it a lot.

It's simple to make. Buy a bunch from a local farmer or pick it from your garden. Cut out the stems and cut them into smallish pieces, maybe 1/2 to 1 inch. Cut the rest of the greens into strips or pieces. Heat up a little oil in the bottom of a skillet with some garlic and red pepper flakes and saute the stems until they are mostly soft. Then toss in the greens and cook down, stirring occasionally. Use a lid to help the early part of getting them too cook down. This takes maybe 3-10 minutes, depending on how much you mess with it and flame strength. Once they're all cooked down and looking good, pour just a little bit of lemon juice or red wine vinegar over it and mix it up. There you go. Ready to eat!

Highland Park hike with Guthrie

Highland Park has been sort of a knot of roads and trails that I happen across from time to time, but have no clue how they all connect and intertwine. Guthrie and I hiked around for an hour and half the other day, helping to figure some of the park out in my mind. It's a nice park with some very well taken care of areas and some that aren't so. We came across some nice stone staircases that dead end into bushes and trees, or sometimes just nothing. Artifacts of the park's past. Pittsburgh should really be proud of its parks. There are some great parks here.

Besides the mental and physical health of me on these outings this week with Guthrie, I view it as being an emotional reinforcement for him. I want him to know he's still Supremo Dog #1 in my book, and that Silas won't get in between us. There's enough love to share, but he's not really bought into that idea yet. So, I'm trying to keep him engaged and happy.

Running with Guthrie

Guthrie and I have run twice this week. It feels good to get back on the trails/roads after a week or two off. It's also good to see Guthrie get some exercise. He gets so pent up when we get busy. I feel terrible for him sometimes. He's such a wonderful dog of action. Monday was a 2.5 mile jaunt around the neighborhood, and Wednesday was a 2.6 mile run through Highland Park (both the park and the neighborhood).

Jill comes to Bloomfield for lunch

Yay, Jill! Thank you for letting me take your picture. I'm honored that the woman who is not photographed consented for a picture with Silas.

Guthrie is warming up to Silas

He's making progress. They both love couch time.

Need to catch up

I have been spending too much time ogling my kid and haven't been doing my daily updates. I'm not complainin', just sayin'

The next few posts are a catch up from the past few days.

Book club and brunching

the empty chair was Bethany's seat

Despite Silas and me not having read a single word of the book club book this month and Bethany only having read about 2/3rds of it, Kate, Matt, and the rest of the group were kind enough to let us come and partake in a tasty, tasty brunch and hang out while everyone else discussed the book. The book, chosen by Kate, for this round of the club was The Yiddish Policemen's Union, by Michael Chabon.

Matt and Kate's house in Morningside is really nice and has a much homier feel than Bloomfield. Mature trees, setbacks, some brick structures, relatively well taken care of front yards, and whatnot make for a much friendlier neighborhood than Bloomfield feels sometimes. I get the same feeling in Brighton Heights at Becky and Tim's house.

What's in the CD changer - 10 August 2008

Periodic posting of what's spinning in the 5-CD changer:

Talking Heads Sand in the Vaseline (2-disc set) [1976-1992]
The Avett Brothers The Second Gleam [2008]
Death Cab for Cutie Narrow Stairs [2008]
Flobots Fight with Tools [2008]

alternates:
Animal Collective Strawberry Jam [2007]
Tapes 'n Tapes Walk it Off [2008]

Friends and Family

We're blessed to have such great friends and family. Everyone has been so supportive during this time. We're humbled with gratitude.

Here are some of Silas' visitors and his program to increase the arm strength of the people of the world. I missed getting a pic of Karen. :(

I apologize to the family that there is so much distance. Travel plans have been made, though...

Sleeping at Home

Bethany and Silas made it as far as the couch!

Baby, baby, please let me hold you...

"Stay up Late" from the Talking Heads (from the Little Creatures album, 1985) has been on constant repeat in my head since we started this whole thing. I played it for Silas on Wednesday...the first recorded music he's listened to outside of the womb. Of course, we both sang to him before that.

"Stay up Late"
Talking Heads

Mommy had a little baby.
There he is fast asleep.
He's just a little plaything.
Why not Wake him up?
Cute, cute, little baby.
Little pee pee. Little toes.
Now he's comin' to me.
Crawl across the kitchen floor.

Baby, baby, please let me hold him
I wanna make him stay up all night
Sister, sister, he's just a plaything
We wanna make him stay up all night
Yeah we do

See him drink from a bottle.
See him eat from a plate.
Cute, cute, as a button.
Don't you wanna make him stay up late.
And we're having fun With no money.
Little smile on his face.
Don't cha' love the little baby.
Don't you want to make him stay up late.

CHORUS

Here we go (all night long) Sister, sister (all night long)
In the playpen...woo...(all night long)
Little baby goes, ha! (all night long)
I know you want to leave me...

Why don't we pretend.
There you go little man.
Cute, cute, why not?
Late at night wake him up.

CHORUS

Here we go (all night long)
Sister, sister...woo... (with the television on)
Little baby goes...woo! (all night long)
Hey, hey, baby! (all night long)
And he looks so cute (all night long)
In his little red suit (all night long)