photo of the week

on comedic merit alone, this won the honor of being my favorite of the week.

i love the city

i love the city, originally uploaded by Hollis Queen.

first page
A Big City
by Francine Grossbart
pub. 1966, Harper & Row

on inspiration & influence

thanks, alexis.




click image for greater readability

Looky here!

That's right. I knit.

photo of the week

tomorrow is here

i'm so happy that i can now lay claim to living through magical historical events in addition to the many catastrophic events that have marked our collective history since i have been on earth. tomorrow's inauguration of Barack Obama a day after Martin Luther King, Jr. day is a gift. and i'd like to thank everyone that signed on to promote and nurture change in our country through their votes for Obama. a new day begins tomorrow. but today is a day for remembering the long hard road so many Americans travelled to get us to tomorrow.



image courtesy of LIFE image database

photo of the week

oh my oh my oh dinosaurs

as read by a 2 year old angus.

oh my oh my oh how you've grown.

once again, my favorite video ever

this post will be quite rambling, i am sure of it. this is an old video of my dear sweet boy from march of 2007. looking back at this now, so many of what i'd later come to understand as symptoms of his autism were right there in front of us, yet we saw them only as quirks. elaborate hand gestures, compulsive face wiping, lining up his belongings just so. from birth angus was particular and systematic....demanding to be held just so and just there and rocked just right, unable to tolerate riding in the car, never exploring textures by putting things in his mouth, and later not being able to chew foods or feed himself without gagging, choking, throwing up or melting down. plus so many more...too many to name. he was and is a cornucopia of wonderfully strange behavior.

i still believe that his symptoms are ultimately are just that---quirks. quirks and gifts he has been lucky enough to have bestowed upon him....things that make him unique and special and keep him operating on a plane above the ordinary. but now we also know different methods to help him cope with his very particular preferences and needs. his diet is regulated, he is in a fabulous class with a loving pair of teachers in a school that i have faith in. i am so proud of his progress. but more than that, proud of how proud he is of himself.

i simply cannot believe how quickly time passes when you have kids. and how many cliches come true. but above all else, i am amazed by the power of my love for this kid. we are connected so deeply and profoundly. we fall asleep in each others arms every night still, and i will allow him this until he no longer needs that from me, no matter how long it takes. to be honest, i need him as much as he needs me, and i am convinced that he, more than anyone else in the world, knows the real me. and he loves me for it.

and the winners are....

Everyone knows the real reason we watch awards shows---for the fashion. This year, my pick for the winner of Best Dressed belonged to Freida Pinto from Slumdog Millionaire. Dreamy.


And coming in at a distant Second place was Cameron Diaz. Despite the strange way her dress cut into the flesh around her left armpit, she looked amazing and I dig how unafraid she is of bold color choices.

Progress

His new school is a perfect fit.

photo of the week

my brother made this silliness

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more old blog rollover goodies

from my old blog
entry from Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Things That Made Me Laugh Hard Lately:

1. While getting the kids into the car for a trip to the zoo on Monday, Angus insisted on carrying a Sesame Street coloring book that is titled "Giant Activity Pad." This cracked Tony up. I asked what he was laughing at and he told me. I was kinda baffled and said, "Uh...yeah? So?" He said it made him think of a giant "activity" maxi pad, like to be worn while working out and with a sports bra. For the Giant Active Girl. With a Giant Flow. He just may be onto something for the Heavyset Set.

2. When Tony lays on the ground to stretch his achy body after a long day of manual labor, Angus thinks it is hillarious to walk up and stomp on his chest. Always a riot.

3. Noah will crack the fuck up if you knock on the kitchen table with your hands, like the way you do to fool a dog into thinking there's someone at the door, which is pretty decent fun in and of itself. The sound or the sight of it, we're not sure which, is just too much for him to take and he can hardly breathe for all the laughter. Babies laughing = perpetually funny.

4. Tony and I walk past a hippie with white-boy dreads on Saturday night and Tony says, "That guy makes delicious samiches." So random and out of left field that I had to make him explain himself. Apparently Chioccca's subs = tasty and made by bonafide Trustifarians.

5. After Angus farts he hollers out "Butt is silly!" Indeed.

6. Nipsey's new nickname became Doublestuff after she barfed on my sofa and I'd had it up to here with fatty and her eating without chewing bullshit. It is mean and insensitive to verbally abuse a dog with weight issues, I know. But that shit was stinky and it took three days of labor intensive cleaning in order to eradicate the stench. So she kinda deserved it. (Thanks again for the baking soda tip, Dave Choi. Who knew you would be so helpfully filled with tips on odor removal?)

7. Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel and the cast of The Office. Thanks for the chuckles. I'd like to order more, please.

Ancient Chinese Secret

OK, maybe not. But this shit is crazy delicious and you should indulge your loved ones with this buttery goodness. I may have posted this before, but I am closing out the old Myspace blog and wanted to make sure I had it where I can print it easily since I get asked for this alot.
serves 6-8

Sweet Potato Casserole

Yummy Inside
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup melted butter

Mix well and place in casserole dish greased with butter. That's right, more butter.

Topping
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup crushed Cornflakes cereal
1/3 cup softened butter
1 cup finely chopped pecans

Mix topping and sprinkle over top of casserole.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Eat it up.
Promptly loosen belt 1 notch.

photo of the week