Another 15 seconds of fame

This time, in the NYTimes. Moving on up in the newspaper world ;-)

Ness in the NYTimes

Anticipation

I usually don't put much stock in the unconscious. I mean, if something's below the level of consciousness, it usually remains there -or, rather, it's kinda hard to discuss it. So much for the cynical part of me.

The second anniversary of my mother's death on July 2 has been sneaking up on me, unconsciously, that bastard. I knew it was coming and have been lucky that Karen and John have been willing to indulge my crazy idea to acknowledge the day on Monday by going for milkshakes at the ChickInn in Ypsi. It's this truly old-fashioned drive-in that happens to have been opened the year my mother was born. They have great milkshakes with freshly mashed banana, which my mother loved. So it seemed like an appropriate place.

I thought that making an explicit plan like this would prevent any of that unconscious nastiness, but I guess I was wrong. I've definitely started being on some kind of emotional edge. Nothing very specific. Just general anticipation of a day I know is somehow different. Last year, my brother and I scattered her ashes in the North Sea, the way she had requested, so we had something to do, and in a lot of ways, it felt like the conclusion of something. This year there's nothing to conclude, but there's also nothing beginning.

Wet Dog Fun

I've been wanting to go out on the Huron for a while, and finally I managed to get there with Henrike, Arthur, and Lidewij today. Of course Ede and Atze came along -true to his habit of seeking out the spot with the best view, Ede had to act as look-out.

Atze was more drawn to the water, and jumped in from the kayak for a lengthy swim. Contrary to habit, Ede wanted a dip too, but not for long:




As you can see, things got a bit wet with two thoroughly soggy dogs in the kayak, but it was a lot of fun.



Oh, and BTW, this is the 100th post to tis blog. Reason to celebrate?

More dog fun

We went back to earthdogging today, and were surprised when the people had also set up the equipment for terrier racing. Essentially, you have a long run, with a box of cages at one end (for the terriers) and a piece of rabbit fur tied to a rope that is attached to a wheelie-thingie at the other end. The idea is for the terriers to chase the rabbit fur. Ede and Atze loved it (Atze so much so that he almost destroyed the lure).

In the picture above, they've just been released, Ede is on the far left and Atze on the far right. In the picture below, they're half-way done, with Atze being out of focus on the left and Ede on the right. Good stuff!

Take that!

Mad props to John, who just fought off some persistently proselytizing Mormons with the only effective weapon there is:

"Sorry, I like to suck cock!"

Nothing personal, boys ;-)

Where's the plane back to Lewis?

There ain't much that makes me want to get back to the Isle of Lewis/edge of the world right now...except this boat and the idea of a voyage during the solstice this weekend.

58 degrees North

Why is it that when I see the pictures of the gorgeous colors and rugged landscape, I immediately forget about the grayer-than-gray Calvinist Sunday in mid-December with no daylight and no visibility of the rugged landscape?!

Pigs

I love pigs (both to look at and to eat), and I'm very amused by this commercial/public service message.

Rubber pigs

[Sorry, I couldn't figure out how to post the actual video here]

I appreciate the fact that they used pigs as the evolutionary starting point, rather than the usual primates, which would probably just get the anti-evolutionists all riled up again.

I also think the pig imagery is highly appropriate given the discussions of the concept of the "inner swine" I've had with a few of my friends here in AA.

But what do you know, Fox and CBS still won't air it, because it doesn't focus on the 'health aspects' of condom usage. Whatever. (Fox and CBS are lame)

Welcome Leo

You may not remember one of the first posts on this blog almost three years ago (Adrian) on my experience being a "doula" for my friend Cecilia when she birthed her second son. This was an awe-inspiring, if short-lived experience (see original post).

Last night and today, I had the chance to do the doula-thing again, this time for my friend Erika. Cecilia asked me to write about it, but I'm not quite sure what to say yet...except that Erika did so amazingly well and gave birth exactly in the way that I have always picture for myself (except for the hospital part maybe), so she'll be a great role model if that ever happens. I'll also say that it's so nice to see when the birthing process works, by itself, with no messing around. Yeah, it's powerful, but not just in the way that it works in someone's body, but also in the way that the pieces fit together if people don't jumble them up and try to force them to connect somehow. But that's the philosophical I have to explore more along with some soul searching about some professional options...

So, for now, congrats to the new parents, especially Erika, who managed to push this 8-pounder out all at once after a picture-perfect labor. And Happy Birthday to Leo, the trooper who countered each contraction with an acceleration in his heart beat of steel!

Talking dirty

I finally bought some curtains and overcame my fear of the power drill and put up those curtains...but it took me all night for one window. So I needed a break and took the slut test:



I'm not sure this is accurate. Maybe this is because I didn't quite know how to answer this question:

Do you like dirty language^* in bed?
Yes
No


*Technically, German is a dirty language, but we're referring to sexual conduct.

I do like dirty language in bed, but I don't like German in bed. It's icky.

Ok, I'm sure y'all wanted to know that. Too bad. Now you know.