Mario, Luigi, Lightning McQueen, The King, and Ari...best pals.

The boy sure does love his Cars and Mario Bros. toys. Who can blame him? He got his love for Mario and Luigi from me. I am a bona fide Nintendo fan; and I haven't met a Super Mario game I didn't like. I remember being 5 years old and playing Super Mario Bros. on the NES. Those were the days.

Ari has been playing some of the old Mario games we have downloaded from the virtual console on our Wii. We just completed Super Mario World together and he is working on the original Super Mario Bros. right now. So far, he has been able to beat world 1-1 all by himself. He's getting better and I think he is doing pretty good for just turning 3.

It's fun watching him play these games for the first time. I have played them so many times, I still have all the secret exits and warp zones etched in my brain. Scary...

Go away

I like winter just fine, but enough is enough. I'm ready for at least some 50 degree weather, and not the kind that comes with 25 mph winds and rain.

I shouldn't complain. I will do my best to find and appreciate the beauty of the season.

Fall On Me - Embryonic

Fall On Me is one of my favorite R.E.M. songs. I might go as far to say that it is my favorite song. The melodies, music, and lyrics are so powerful and inspiring, I get chills every time I hear it. It has also become a favorite bedtime song for Ari. I sing it to him almost every night when I put him to bed. We have a rotation of about 10 bedtime songs, and he gets to choose two songs for me to sing each night. Just about every night, to my delight, one of the songs he wants me to sing is Fall on Me.

The song was first introduced during the Reconstruction Tour in 1985. It went through a massive transformation by the time it was released on Lifes Rich Pageant in August of 1986.

This video from 1985 also includes the song Green Grow the Rushes. Enjoy!



Here is the album version for the sake of comparison.

And so it begins...

I recently became inspired to start quilting. My dad still has a quilt his grandmother made him when he was young. The back side is made entirely from his old blue jeans. It is a wonderful quilt and he cherishes it. The memories that must exist within the fabric and the love and care that went into making the quilt are evident every time he wraps himself up in it's warm embrace. So, I thought that I must have a quilt of my very own!

I decided to make my quilt out of my old R.E.M. shirts. I have many memories of those shirts, and I wore most of them quite often; especially when I was around 16. I can remember where I bought most of them, which one's were given to me as gifts and by whom.

Alas, over the years, I have outgrown all but two of the shirts. They sat, neatly folded, on my closet shelf for about 10 years, only to be disturbed a couple of times so my wife could were them as maternity shirts. I wanted to give them a new life, so that they could be loved again.

I developed a pattern the size of a queen size comforter by laying out the shirts so they would all fit. After I had the layout, it was time to cut the fabric. The hardest part was that first cut. It seemed wrong to cut all of my shirts, but I knew it was for a greater good. Now, I have all the blocks cut out, and I have now started sewing the blocks together. I will give more updates and pictures as I make more progress.

I am not doing all this alone, I have had a great deal of help from Eva and Katie; I really couldn't have gotten this far without them. Katie has quilting experience and I like to bounce my ideas off of them. So far, they haven't steered me wrong. We get together every week and work on our quilts and other creative projects. It's really a lot of fun, and I know these wonderful memories will last forever within my quilt.

Mirepoix

Visually, what a thing of beauty. Even better, though, is what this aromatic heavenly combo can do to the soul when indulging in a dish graced by it's presence. I have been making many soups and stews this winter, and have used my fair share of these three ingredients in the process. I was so inspired by them on night, I decided to take a picture.

So, what are you waiting for? Dice up some onion, carrots, and celery; and make yourself some soup. It's easy, and your body and soul will thank you!

This message brought to you be the National Mirepoix Counsel.

Orange Crush - Embryonic

One of the great pleasures of intently following a band like R.E.M. is the bootlegs; and being able to hear the rare treasures that are early versions of some of their most popular songs.

This is one of my favorites. It is an early version of Orange Crush played at the 40 Watt Club in August 1987 prior to the start of the Work Tour. Orange Crush was later included on the album Green, which was released in November 1988. I enjoy this early version because I like to see how the music progresses and it is also fun to have a different perspective of the song.

There are other R.E.M. songs that were performed live before they made it onto a album that underwent some significant changes. Some of which include, The One I Love, Fall on Me, and I Believe. I'll try to post those later on as well. In the meantime, please enjoy Orange Crush!

Pasta is Fundamental

In a recent of episode of "No Reservations," host Anthony Bourdain said something that really caught my attention. He said, "Without pasta, the meal is a sin against God and everything that is good and decent in the world." He was visiting Venice and was dining in a small family owned restaurant. Oh, how I wanted to be there.

Recently, for some unknown, reason I have been asked several times what my favorite food is. What a question! How do I answer that? Sweet or savory? Is it something I have made? Could it be something my mother has made? Something I had at a restaurant? My favorite food? I don't know why, but it struck me as such a challenging question. Should I equate it with the entire dining experience, or just base it on taste itself?

After much deliberating, I finally was confident of what my favorite food actually is. Pasta. Simply pasta cooked al dente, with a drizzle of olive oil and some freshly grated parmesan reggiano cheese. For me, there is nothing better. Simple, yet delicious; and the Anthony Bourdain quote pretty much sums it up for me. Pardon me, but I have to get some water boiling...

Why is gas priced to 9/10 of a cent?

This is the question I asked myself as I drove home from work the other day. I have always noticed it, really I didn't really think about it being there, but this is the first time I was determined to find an answer. I did some searching on the Internet and found that there really are no specific answers; but several theories abound.

One theory is that it was a result of the gas wars of the 1940's so that the oil companies can make their product seem cheaper. Another theory is that way of pricing gives the consumer a false sense of accuracy in the gas prices. Many retail studies have found that when prices end in 9, consumers will spend more money, much like pricing a product at .99 cents, rather than $1.00.

Wisegeek.com has a good write up on the subject and actually gives some facts on what 9/10 of a cent is worth. http://www.wisegeek.com/why-do-gas-prices-always-end-in-910-of-a-cent.htm

As for me, I'm going to start buying my gas from Donny's Discount Gas!

Ari TV

"Wanna do Ari TV?"

Hearing those words from my two-year-old, I know he is in a rambunctious mood. And if I'm in the mood for a raucous good time, myself; I'll take him up on his offer.

I reach for either the digital camera or the camcorder and plug it into the television and let the party start.

Once Ari sees himself on the television, something in him clicks and he becomes a wild little man, or as I like to call him, fearless D. Nothing gets him going like that. It really is something to see.

Jumping off the couch, pouncing the dog (even the camera man on occasion), and throwing himself around with reckless abandon are part of the norm during Ari TV; with me taking snapshots the whole time.

This is one of my favorite shots during an Ari TV session. Looking at this mid-flight jump always brings a smile to my face.

Best of the season

I have been experiencing this Christmas season from a different perspective. With Ari turning three in January, this is the first year he has shown real joy and excitement regarding Christmas. He was thrilled to see presents under the tree, he points out Christmas lights as we are driving down the street, and he wants to listen to Christmas music. I am starting to see the magic of Christmas in his innocence, and it has brought back so many memories of Christmases gone by.
I have also been intrigued by A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens this year. Not that I am a Scrooge (I think of myself as more of a Bob Cratchit type or Scrooge's nephew Fred). I think I have been so captivated by this story because the resurfacing memories of Christmas past, coupled with these new feelings of Christmas present, have been quite sentimental and almost spiritual for me. Also, the thoughts of all the Christmas's yet to come as Ari and Emilie grow, fills me with a sense of wonder and excitement all my own.
Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas!