Monday, November 26, 2007

The wish list of Little Man

Well, Christmas season is upon us. It becomes apparent right about now, when everyone's wishlist is stuck of on the fridge and flying around email.

My favorite has to be my little brothers- for the last two years now, his lists have just made my minute whenever I read them. Its a little time capsule of who he is at the moment- his quirky sense of humor, his optimistic look on life and his creativity, untouched by the critical mind of adulthood, or even "the big kids" world.

Below is his list, republished with permission:

  1. Webkinz (a bunny would be nice, but any other one is okay too)
  2. L'ilkinz (a black cat would be nice, but any other one is okay too)
  3. Mobile Devastator (Lego set)
  4. Aero Booster (Lego set)
  5. Blade Titan (Lego set)
  6. Cyclone Defender (Lego set)
  7. Sky Guardian (Lego set)
  8. Golden Guardian (Lego set)
  9. Rollercoaster Tycoon (1)
  10. Rollercoaster Tycoon 3D
  11. Another Golden Guardian (cause in the comics there are like, 21 Golden Guardians…. it's really cool. So please, if you can-if you have enough money…uh…get me 21 Golden Guardians? Heh heh…Please?)
  12. Five cinnamon sugar pretzels from Sam's Club and 5 salt ones…please.
  13. Blazing Falcon (Lego set)
  14. $50
  15. Laptop
  16. Tough Book
  17. Candy Corn
  18. Candy
  19. Freezer
  20. Couch
  21. Ice cubes
  22. Cups
  23. Water
  24. Fruit
  25. Wood
  26. Screws
  27. A Designing room right next to Zeke and my room
  28. Six birds
  29. Five dogs
  30. Two cats
  31. Five Hamsters
  32. Eight horses
  33. One acre of land [Editors Note: Getting into real estate already? This kids a genius. I wish I could get him this...]
  34. Hay
  35. A pond
  36. Paper
  37. Markers
  38. Trees
  39. Giraffes
  40. Zebras
  41. Monkeys
  42. Bird seed
  43. Monkey bars
  44. Fences
  45. Telegraph
  46. Batteries
  47. Pencils
  48. Wires
  49. Insulators
  50. Conductors
  51. Paper clips
  52. Computer
  53. Rollercoaster simulator
  54. Everything simulator, made by drawn pictures seen by mirrors make the picture move in front of you moved by motors
  55. Bricks and cement
  56. Nails (not like fingernails)
  57. Tissue box
  58. Table
  59. Chairs
  60. Tank (like an aquarium-about 500 feet long and tall)
  61. 100 Goldfish
  62. 50 sea monkeys
  63. Bible (Just in case I lose my other one)
  64. Map of Londonderry and Manchester in one
  65. Underground tunnel to Andrew's house, Andrew's house, Andrew's house, and church [Editors note: Little man has three friends named Andrew. He never grows tired of how funny that is.]
  66. CRZ (when I am old enough to drive I can drive it!) [Editors note: Takes after his brother when it comes to taste in cars it seems!]
  67. Helicopter
  68. 50 RAMS
  69. 1 3D card (for a computer)
  70. 2 extra motherboards
  71. 10 speakers
  72. 1 that controls the sound for each speaker with a paper clip and two slots-one for input and two to left and right speakers
  73. Keyboard and mouse
_________________________________________________

Hope you enjoyed his list as much as I did...man I love that kid.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Giving thanks


Well everyone, it has been a whole year since the last Thanksgiving. And you know what that means- its thanksgiving again.

Therefore, I hereby usurp for now my previous post plans and present for your special holiday consumption, my humble list of thanks. I am thankful for (and as last year, in no particular order):

1. Friends, whom I shall elaborate on throughout this list
2. My jolly yellow truck, which I will miss sorely when the poor thing breaths its last.
3. Bosses, whom despite their over documentational urges and occasionally random requests, really can be good guys and call you on the way home just because they forgot to wish you a happy thanksgiving.
4. Music- quite possibly the easiest entry point the undefinable qualities that make us human.
5. Good conversation that transcends gender, social, economic and political boundaries.
6. For Pushing Daises (the TV show)
7. Heroes (the real ones)
8. Heroes (the show)
9. Innovation
10. Dreams you can act on
11. My family (Especially that Abi and I can be such good friends now)
12. Kiaya, my favorite NaNoWriMo author ever and just an awesome human being in general
13. Anders, a kindred soul in deep thinking, random joking, business aspiration, and hair style
14. Brandon, the resident Sci-fi expert never short on opinion or theory, and often in surplus of good geek jokes
15. Lyndsi, who's philosophical musings and good humor I can't get enough of
16. Jim, who's the hardware hacker I'd love to be and another kindred soul in businesses aspirations as well as a wealth of other areas
17. Leah, who's smile and humor brighten my Sunday's behind the sound board
18. Noah- 3 quarters my size, twice my wit. He's in some ways my more efficient sequel
19. Shpongle, an amazingly atmospheric electronica group that one of the night crew janitor's showed me.
20. Mute Math
21. Eisley
22. John Reuben
23. Christie Dupree
24. Can I say Eisley again?
25. My coworkers- worts and all, they are really a good bunch of people.
26. My car, the fun efficient little thing with the scandalous license plate.
27. Narnia
28. Making new friends
29. The ability to play in the big game of business- for their really is no thrilling, higher stake game.
30. Loosing money and learning lessons in business now, when I don't have to support a family. It smarts a bit, but you get up, dust yourself off and remount.
31. My job at [AwesomeCo] that decided to bless me with for reasons I still do not fathom.
32. Honest conversations with my dad on a man to man level. Thanks, dad.
33. That a spider wick movie coming out soon
34. Ethan- for telling me about the awesome new trailer for the spiderwick movie that is coming out soon
35. The new LG Voyager, for being such a kick'n phone, giving the Verizon people something to stick around for and giving Apple some competition.
36. My old phone- two broken screens be as they may, it has served me well. Not many other phones I know can be ran over with my truck and dropped in the Atlantic and still keep ticking. Plus its hilarious limited functionality makes for a good conversation starter.
37. The Cat in the Hat hat Kiaya gave me last Christmas, which is an even greater conversation starter.
38. Long drives with the music cranked on foggy cool nights
39. Snow!!
40. Particularly, snow before Thanksgiving!
41. Glenn Beck.
42. The Alverados
43. Seth- what more is there to say? He's just the man.
44. "Grandpa Dan" from work.
45. Chinese food. It makes the world a better place.
46. Mexican food. See 45.
48. Long chat conversations on every topic, from the extremely stupid to the extremely deep.
49. Air travel.
50. Airships.
51. Cows. They may look stupid and move slow, but how on earth could you have a bacon double CHEESE burger with out them?
52. That reminds me- pigs.
53. Zebra Cakes
54. Heck, lets just say food. I must be getting hungry.
55. Time to relax from all the crazy hustle and bustle.
56. SLEEP.
57. Thankful lists
58. Bundling up to stay warm.
59. Sir Richard Branson (here's a video of what he's like in person)
60. Freedom.

Now go enjoy your feast everyone. Happy thanksgiving.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Reading by the fireplace

I was always a fan or the romantic idea of curling up to a good book and reading it by the fireplace light. Its such a warm, safe and cozy sounding thing... but you know what? Its really not all that great. I mean it is, but its not as perfect as we so often make it out to be. I thought about this last night when I attempted to recreate this idealistic notion while a blazing fire was started upstairs. I pulled up a chair and tried to read The Golden Compass.

I began to realize yet again as I shifted in my seat that all I ever get when I actually try this in real life is strained eyes from bad lighting, a cold back and a leg thats about to go up in flames.

And yet, I still love the idea. Its irrational, really- but somehow my personal memories of how difficult it is to get comfortable by a fireplace are always overrun by this grand ideal thought of being around a fireplace. Anyone else ever notice that kind of quirk about yourself?