Expo hall

Photoshop world

Still attending photoshop lectures

The opening

Waiting to get in

Photoshop world

Finally in Orlando

Getting checked for Photoshop world conference.

Missing the family

Gotta get ready

Today tasks are to get both work and home projects to a point that I can be gone for three days. Three days of intense Photoshop.

No posts today

Spending the day thinking about my grandma.

Old photos

Visiting my parents and looking at old photos.

On my way

Quick carwash and I am on my way. Tampa bound.

Good morning

Waking up just a tiny bit hung over (less than expected). Getting ready to drive to Tampa. I need a shower, lots of water and coffee.

Pool

Finished the evening with pool... Poorly played

After the game

Now we are at. Boca fiesta. The gators lost and now lants has his hat inside out

Gators lose

I think they were tired.

Sent from my iPhone

Bullet

I am sitting with two shots of bullet whiskey. Oh geez.

Sent from my iPhone

I dont know

I have not spent enough of my life at the sports bar. I don't the rules of darts. It seems that there are many ways to play.

Shooting darts from the seats.

Watching the game

Made it out of the house to check the game. Check back in awhile.

Just working around the house

not much to say right now. Trying to get things done. Going out to watch the basketball game later. Trying to figure out the best place to watch.

Newsletter is done. Time to start the weekend

Open publication - Free publishing - More alachua county

soooo good!

Great Leonard Cohen cover song- I am still celebrating a week of blogging

Paul Baribeau - Chelsea Hotel No. 2 from If You Make It on Vimeo.

Good bye

The family is gone. Time to get back to work.

Lunch

Taking an early lunch to help get ready and say good bye to the family.

The blog is one week old - let's celebrate that

Busy

A new day and busy, busy, busy.  Deadlines and such.
Virginia and the kids are leaving for Vero today.  So begins the home alone projects.
Hopefully, I won't be at the office too late.

Grandma died last night

I have to be careful with a post like this. This is the kind of stuff you write down and put in a drawer or throw away. Today it is a post.

I found out this morning that my grandmother died last night. She has been in bad shape both physically and mentally for a few years now, and this was expected.  I am not finding myself as shaken up by this as I expected (at least not yet).  I do not live in Tampa and haven't been one of the people visiting her regularly. I am sure that people that have been with her more have a much different perspective than I. The last few times that I visited her I felt like she wasn't there - that she didn't exist nearly as she did. I felt that good-byes needed to be said before this and have been feeling neglectful in not having taken the time to spend memorable moments when she could have enjoyed them.

Right now things are weird with the family. I have been expecting information about when and where people are going to meet for a memorial service.  All I have heard back is that there may not be one. She requested no services.  I don't really believe that is what she would have wanted, and memorials are more for those living than the deceased. A way for people to show each other that they are not alone with their feelings. I am not the best for those types of things, I will admit. I don't believe in an afterlife. I don't believe in a better place. I believe that when people die, they no longer exist except as the elements that they are made of. This makes death more scary and makes me not the best shoulder to lean on. I do like to remember though, and I do like to celebrate people (alive or dead), and I think she deserves some celebration.  It is true that these things can also bring up pain and anger, and that is important to get out and it is important for everyone to know each others' stories.  It is all of this that makes up who we are. I would really like to have that time.

My cousin posted this photo on facebook today, as a sort of remembrance.  In this photo (from what I can remember): First is Jerry- When I was about thirteen, I found out that he molested my sister when she was young. I found out because she wrote it in a note when she ran away from home. I didn't know what to do with that information (just a kid). I hate him for this, but have never seen him again. Next is Terry- I remember her being sweet, but she moved away long ago. Next is my grandmother- I used to stay at her house for the weekends and go to church. We were closest then, and that is the time I miss most with her. Behind her Donald- He seemed a bit sketchy and I think eventually he got pretty into drugs. His dad was hard to be around and I remember my grandfather hitting him in the head with a frying pan. Next are April and Kenny- they live in Georgia now and I don't see them much. They used to live next door, and I saw them every day. They were always a great example of maturing. I have always liked them.  Behind them is Deb- she is my cousin, but we don't know each other very well. She was pretty close with my sister in junior high school times. We weren't so close though. Next to her is Tommy- the last time I saw him, I remember him saying something about punching a guy at the gym for hitting on him (world's most awkward moment). Next is Tom and Jean- back then we spent a good amount of time together and somehow it all fell apart. I don't really understand that. Back then, I was in my own little world but now I look back and wonder about that. Next is my uncle Kim- he was my best friend for a few years. I owe him a lot for being there for me. He died a few years ago. Next is my sister- At this time we were pretty close. Then we sort of stopped being able to relate to one another. Just before she died (suicide), we were starting to get close again. I wish I could have been there for her more. Next is Lori- I don't remember her very well. Bottom row from the left: I don't remember the first guy. I think his name is Daryl and I think he was dating Melanie (the next person) but I could have that all wrong. The last thing I remember about Melanie was that she was in the armed forces and had returned home from somewhere in Europe and was showing videos of her stay there. Then there is Charlotte and her daughter. They seemed alright. Then it is Cindy (Jerry's wife)- I don't remember her very well either. Next is my dad. I think he was happier back then. We have a very hard time communicating these days (this day). Last is my cousin Erin. She posted the photo. We never really hung out. I saw her recently and our kids got along really well. She seems very nice and I wish there wasn't so much empty past between us (years and years without speaking). I am the kid in the middle. I don't know why my mom wasn't in the photo. Maybe she took the shot.

I will miss my grandmother. I wish we (family) could get together and talk about that.

Flowers

Dinner

Veggies

Hey!

Got to see travis for about a minute.

CSA pickup day

Time to get the veggies. V is still pretty sick so I am sure it will be a simple salad for dinner. The farmers market always reminds me that I have a hard time relating to most people even if we agree on certain things.

An ongoing to do list for the weekend

Virginia and the kids are going to Vero Beach. They leave this Friday and will return next Friday. I am working on a project list for while they are gone.

Projects:

Start fresh homebrew IPA
Get yard sale items together
Put up shelf in playroom
Get playroom organized
Get porch and backyard clean for evening dinners
Put xmas decorations away
Read Aspergers books
Read homebrew books
Software research
Get to the gym
Bottle Kombucha
Start home renovation plan (mapped out)
Get out of the house (movies, shows, friends)
Get leaves up and mulched (for composter, and paths)
Get scans and transfers together for kids shirts
list what we need from IKEA for Orlando trip

Olden Times

An old friend posted photos on Facebook from quite a long time ago. I was happy to see them. I have been meaning to scan photos for some time.  It got me thinking about that period (later 90s). I am thinking about what was important and how that relates to now.  I thought I would reflect through lyrics.


"Exhaustive and obsessive.

What will you gain?
How will you succeed when
your parents thought the same?
Obsessive and excessive,
your parents are fucking insane." -Palatka

"Are we gonna sit back relax and watch tv while

the "have nots" get their heads kicked in (over and over and over again)

keep counting the policies that failed 

and the lies that worked (they worked)

we swallowed them down deep

swallowed them whole." Born Against

The day begins

Sitting at my desk on a pretty normal day. Normally, I listen to lots of podcasts in the beginning of the week. Since I wasn't here Monday and yesterday was meeting day, I will catch up today.
Oh, and work: newsletter due out Friday, manager presentation asap, poster printing, and lots of copy editing.

Bedtime story

Dear polar bear

Waiting to be planted

When the time is right. Just hang in there.

Home from work

I am loving this video, in case you want to know.

County commission

Today is county commission day here. Jacket, tie, and broadcast.

Breakfast

Notice a place at the table for toby's lion.

Groceries

At the grocery store for the second time today. Will I be able to continue fighting the urge for a reece's?

Bedtime story

Tonights story was the big orange splot

Speech therapy

Toby helped me vacuum the van while Henry was in speech therapy.

Baking my first chicken

Watching they might be giants

The kids are watching here comes science. I am hoping to get this playroom cleaned up today. It looks like an episode of hoarders.

Musikgarten

Toby's music class this morning.
I forgot to take photos of dropping off and picking ip Henry from school.

V is sick

I am home with the kids today. Henry is at school... So far so good.

Bedtime story

I forgot to post this earlier. Tonight's bedtime story was Harold and the purple crayon. Kind of fun stories.

Toby has learned to escape

Toby took it to the next level this evening by successfully climbing out of his crib. Luckily he did not fall, but came up with a safe way to jump the gate. Now we have to keep a close eye on the video monitor. It was funny because I went to check on him and he met me at the door.
I got invited to Boca for drinks, but there is just too much to do. Especially with Virginia not well and a chance that I might have to take care of all things tomorrow. It will all work out, but I need a good night sleep for that, you know.

Sent from my iPhone

Other things that happened

Maya came over for a piano improvisation jam. Then we went to bella's birthday party sans Virginia, who is now not feeling well. The kids have been in make papa crazy mode since we got home and I am drinking a beer.