Author: Jake
As quickly as the snow came, it was gone. Today is 60 degrees and rainy. Mother nature is schizophrenic, I tell you. I guess I am too.
After years of badmouthing all things Mac, I broke down and bought an iPh#$e last night. As much as I love Blackberry, the camera on it just sucks too much to even justify using. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not exactly in love with my new apple device. I still don’t like the touchscreen keyboard. Here are some other changes that I would make (after having used it for about 4 hours, so far):
- Make the unlock slider half way up the screen so that my thumb doesn’t have to cramp itself when unlocking with one hand.
- Auto power-down, power-on scheduling. I hate a buzzing phone in the middle of the night.
- Ability to select different alerts for different mailboxes.
- Customizable alert profiles (ie, turn off everything but the alarm clock and calendar alerts)
Maybe these are already functions that are available? I haven’t read the manual, yet. I meant to bring it on the train with me this morning, but forgot.
Anyway, I am now officially on instagram (though I have yet to post anything). In case you would like to be friends, I’m “shotbyjake.” Have a great weekend!
[top image: last weekend's snow, Westchester county, NY]
Author: Reagan
My favorite part of my Pip visits is the moment I first walk in. I usually kind of sneak in quietly to see what Piperjane is up to before she knows she’s being watched. I often find her in funny positions, playing with her figures or climbing things that aren’t meant to be climbed. It cracks me up that she can feel my eyes on her, because she always knows I’m there after just a few seconds…and this is the best part…she turns around and gives me the grinniest evil smile I’ve ever seen since the last time.
Long intro.
So, the other morning, I walked in and Pip was sitting like this in her kiddie cart. I have never seen her do this in my life! I was a little surprised for a minute, and wondered who put her like that, but then she did a quick little shimmy and her legs swept out from under her hiney just like that! I sat there laughing which made her realize she must have done something hilarious and then she started laughing and it was a chain reaction that lasted nearly 20 minutes.
Or, I guess way longer, because I’m laughing right now 4 days later.
Author: Jake
I posted this a few days ago. Thursday night was the event. It was at a pretty cool space called the Frontrunner gallery. Reagan came by, which was appropriate, since the image that they were exhibiting was of her.
Thanks to my friends who came through. Anwar, sorry we bounced before you arrived, man.
Author: Reagan
To help us cope with the aftermath of insecurities since being burgled (at least they gave us a funny word to use!), Jake and I have created a little game called “Things the burglar took/didn’t take”. Basically we don’t look for anything anymore. If it isn’t in our vision the second we need it, it was burgled.
“The burglar took our cereal bowls!”
“The burglar didn’t replace the toilet paper roll!”
“The burglar took my lace skirt!”
And then other times we’ll find things that are so valuable that we just can’t believe anyone in their right mind would pass them up.
“Jake, the burglar didn’t take my VHS of The Little Mermaid. He must not have known it’s a Disney Classic!”
“The burglar forgot to take our coasters, Reags!”
Here are a few other things he didn’t take.
My beloved wooden duck in a rain slicker, bonnet and galoshes. Thanks for looking over this one, stupid! You clearly don’t know the value of a good fake animal in rain gear. Once I realized we had had a break-in, I looked up to the top of my bookcase in a panic to see him standing there, proud and strong.
I know this book doesn’t look like much….
..but when you open it there are bushels of treasures inside. My coffee talk glasses, a polaroid of me and pip snuggling, TWO kinds of tea, and 10$ for an emergency sushi delivery. Mr. Big Tough Burglar thought it was just a plain boring book about words! Stupid!
Unfortunately, the jokes end here. I’m afraid I now have to list some things that weren’t so lucky.
The cord to my iPhone plug. Sniffles.
My other striped sock.
Another thing I’ve been doing, is saging the apartment. You light some sage and walk through your home letting the smoke get rid of all the bad energy. I don’t know if it’s real, but it’s a really nice thought!
So I’ve been saging the place any time I start to feel bad. The other night I saged while Jake was at work. When it was done, I put it in a little glass bowl to cool off. I didn’t see that there was one tiny ember still going strong. A few hours later I was practically choking from the brush fire smoke in my apartment. I went in the kitchen and half the bunch had burned down! It is still extremely smoky smelling and all our clothes stink.
Back fire!
Author: Jake
You may recall Crystal Fighters from the soundtrack of this longboarding vid. And to be quite frank, I had kind of forgotten about them until I was listening to a playlist that my homey Matt posted on EFOG the other day. CF turned up remixed in the mega-45min track at the end. Made me feel like sharing it today. Here is “At Home.”
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Author: Jake
Okay, the title of this post is a bit dramatic when compared to the content. I mean, who writes about retiring a wallet, anyway? But for some strange reason, saying goodbye to this old boy feels like losing a part of me. I bought this wallet when I first moved to NY (when I still shopped at Guess, hahahah). It was the perfect NY wallet. It folded on the long edge of two credit card sized halves, which made it perfect for carrying in the front pocket (to deter against pickpocketing). It had card pockets on both sides, one vertically stacked with a bifurcated window (super easy to get the ID out for bouncers and TSA), and one horizontally stacked set of pockets (perfect for taking out a metrocard without having to take off your gloves). The finest feature of all, was the stainless external bill clip (below). This feature also turned out to be its downfall.
This wallet came with me to Brazil and Europe. It has spent more time on my person than probably any other non-body-part item that I own.
I noticed about a week ago, that the bills were not as tot as they usually were after closing the clip. If you look closely at the image above, you can see the hairline crack that the clip developed along its spine. I can’t just go around dropping cash all over the floor.
So, tonight I switched over to a nondescript black number by Coach. It doesn’t have nearly as much character, and is not nearly as utilitarian. RIP, my absolute favorite accessory…. ever.
Author: Reagan
I don’t know if I’ve told you about this cute wee girl before, but little Abby is awesome. Abby is just over a year old and has CCMS just like Pip. In the early weeks of her life, I spoke with her mom, Julie, on the phone. Aside from facebook, we don’t contact each other often, but it is always so nice to know she is there, and that we’re not alone. I love checking up on Abby, and seeing what new things she is doing. The video of her signing yesterday is definitely going to give me premature smile wrinkles!
Although Abby and Piperjane share the same diagnosis, Abby was blessed to be able to come home when she was just a few months old, and she is even breathing without the ventilator! Her parents and brother are so in love with her, and their devotions inspires me when I get frustrated that our situation is so hard.
Julie is basically Wonderwoman. I’m so impressed with the Leach family. I hope you’ll go read about them and drop a supportive comment or two!
Life as a Leach
Author: Reagan
My friend, Seth Smoot (husband of my good friend Kendra) is working on a really cool documentary about the Casette Tape. He and Zack Taylor have a kick starter in hopes to raise enough money to make the entire film. Check out their kickstarter video below, and please donate to their project! They only have a few more days to reach their goal!
Seth and Zack are both so talented, and I’d love to see this film one day! Thanks for supporting them!
Sorry for posting this both here and on HDOF, but I just want to get the word out to everyone!
Author: Reagan
I’m finally able to talk about the Christmas concert without crying. Not to sound all pitiful, but it was very disappointing. It’s just that I was so excited to take Piperjane to it. I envisioned her “getting” it and enjoying the music. I got giddy imagining us dancing to the songs and smiling at all the people. Blythedale can feel a little like Groundhog’s Day sometimes, and this event was going to shake up the routine. I couldn’t wait to do something different with my little girl.
Here are some pictures to help tell the tale.
In the elevator ride there. Pip looks confused/alarmed about the early call-time. On schedule to perform was The Frey, Gavin Degraw, and Rob Thomas. We don’t really know much of their music, but I’m promising Pip a good time.
We are seated (close to the front) and waiting for the program to begin. Pippy is skeptical, but looks on the bright side and remembers that mom brought her my little pony toy.
Piper is getting lots of attention and she is starting to get pissed. She is clinging to me like a tree frog and avoiding eye contact with anyone wearing a Santa hat. Which by the way is everyone in the entire room.
I decide that as soon as the music starts, we’ll only stay a few songs. I use a portable suction machine hoping a junky airway is the cause of her stress. Her vent starts beeping violently and everyone stares. Piperjane is nestled into my bosom and keeps up the tree frogging.
FINAL STRAW. Santa Clause’s grandmother comes over to say hello to piper. She is wearing a red velvety floor length fur trimmed gown and repeatedly patting Piperjane on the head. Pippy is terrified of her. She is literally freaking out right before my eyes. She decides to swat the poor woman away. I apologize and thank her for trying.
Just as the music is about to start, Piperjane barfs everywhere and we are escorted out quickly by a team of therapists and nurses. Everyone is staring and I feel hot all over my body. Piperjane kicks me in the privates and her shoe falls off.
We miss the entire concert.
I felt awful the whole time I was cleaning her up. I shouldn’t have made her stay there when she was clearly not having fun. I just kept hoping she would hear some music and start to enjoy herself. I thought with her being a little older this year, she might have a good time.
She quickly cheered up once I got the puke clothes off. She jumped around and smiled and played. I was glad to see her being that Pip again, but I was sad to be back in the room like every other day.
So, that’s the story of the Blythedale Christmas Concert. I didn’t realize I was so upset until I got to work and someone asked me how the concert was. I started crying like a crazy person out of no where. I’m really not a drama queen unless I’m trying to be funny, but I had a boardline histrionic meltdown right there in the back room.
Can anyone relate? Do you feel like you have meltdowns about some of the most minor issues?
PS thanks for coming with me Jen!
Author: Jake
Yeah, we finally had our first legitimate snowstorm of 2012 in NYC. This is normally where I would post some photos that I shot around the city; in the snow; of Reagan bundled up, etc.. Unfortunately for me, my creativity level has been rock bottom, lately. When the good ideas are flowing, so is the motivation to execute them. The converse is also true. I think that part of it has to be the fact the tachometer has be pinned in the red in the realm of “real” work. Now that I spend so many hours per week pouring large amounts of energy into left-brained pragmatic-type projects, I’m wondering if there is just no energy leftover for creativity. I haven’t been dragging my camera around with me nearly as often. Maybe I should just suck it up and cross over to the dark side, buy an iPhone and join the masses on instagram.
Moving on: I saw a few things today that I really liked. The first thing was a post on ISO50 about Poler camping gear. I don’t think that I could ever pull off the snuggy/slanket thing, even as a joke. This thing however…
The top photo in this post was also lifted from ISO50, who apparently lifted it from Poler’s instagram. There it is again, that ubiquitous “gram” word. I’m so torn about it.
Finally, what is cooler than contemporary art created on decommissioned military planes in the middle of the desert? “Not much” is the correct answer.
Here is a little excerpt describing the ‘Boneyard Project’:
Beginning with a series executed by some of today’s most prominent graffiti artists, drawing on a medium that gained notoriety as a pictorial elaboration and adornment of subways and trains, with plans to include a broad variety of artists from different fields of practice, The Boneyard Project will seek to re-envision our evolving relationship with flying through populist and fine art perspectives, allowing prominent figures from the fine art world, installation and conceptual art disciplines as well as revered figures of youth culture, to each remind us of that unique romance we have had with planes in our lifetimes.
Check out the coverage here and here.
