NYC Natural History Museum

On Thur morning we tromped out of Brooklyn and headed off to the Natural History Museum to meet some new friends for a playdate. R. loved the front steps and the big statues of the Roosevelts. Sadly he wasn't in as good of a mood once we got inside - not into the diorama's this time & only a little more excited by the dinosaurs.


Luckily Central Park is right across the street so we found a playground there and got some running around in. It turns out that both R. & our new friend H. both love diggers of all types (no surprise there really) so they enjoyed checking out the lawn maintenance equipment in the park.



After a too quick lunch we headed down toward SoHo to find Val D.

Brooklyn Style

 


Here you see the lil monkey enjoying the ride infront of the local Park Slope Pizza etc place. You might be able to see the bruising that is coming up on the side of his head from the tangle with a local girl where she walloped him right off the top of the playground slide - enough to make me nearly drop my tall St@rb*cks Mocha as I went running to triage his fall - moving (yes) loss of consciousness (no) screaming (yes) blood (no) - & offer the all healing b@@b. When he was recovered we all made it to dinner just fine (well without my waterbottle which was lost to either the playground or the st@rbucks store - but either way it was a Nalgeen that I probably shouldn't have been still using for myself anyway...

So despite this small trauma We had a great beginning (& continutation) of our visit to NYC.

(more to come...)

Flickr Meme - this mornings time waster

My creation
Originally uploaded by suzukigrrl

Here’s the meme:
If you want to play too, type your answer to each of the questions below into a Flickr search. Using only the first page, choose your favorite image, then copy and paste each of the URL’s into the mosaic maker (3 columns, 4 rows).

The questions:

1. What is your first name? (rachael)
2. What is your favorite food? (vietnamese)
3. What high school did you attend? (lowell)
4. What is your favorite color? (royal blue)
5. Who is your celebrity crush? (nicolas cage)
6. Favorite drink? (latte)
7. Dream vacation? (costa rica)
8. Favorite dessert? (angel food)
9. What do you want to be when you grow up? (well traveled)
10. What do you love most in life? (emily)
11. One word to describe you. (butch)
12. Your Flickr name. (suzukigrrl)
Except my photos came in backwords... so start at the bottom right corner and head left then up for name, food, place

or looking at the photo its:
suzuki girl, butch, emily
traveller, angel food, costa rica,
latte, nicolas cage, royal blue,
lowell, vietnamese food, rachael

Dan Savage wants to be your gay pal - Sarah Palin

Reasons to Vote NO on 8

Check out this quick video - I first saw it over at LesbianDad and was happy - actually overjoyed to see my old housemate Tsippora representing for the cause - these kids are awesome - I want them all to come to my house & play with my baby.



Take a minute & check out this commmercial too....



Now go call or email someone in California and remind them how important it is to vote this Nov.

Peace -

Stockbridge Part Deux

A shot of the security milling infront of the Red Lion.

Emmy & Grandpa

The chef from the Red Lion on his Harley ... in the morning he delivered fresh muffins in the basket -- cute no??

Monkey & mama

Stockbridge

Okay so you can't really tell, but up behind my head sitting on the porch is James Taylor -- really, trust me on this one -- he's really there. yup.
So this was the Sunday afternoon sound check before the GMA monday show. For the sound check there were maybe 30 people hanging around as well as folks from the hotel staff. On Monday am when the show actually aired there were a lot more people as well as Yo Yo Ma who played with JT on the show.

Anyway it was fun to watch the run through then to watch the broadcast the next am.

Good Morning --- Americah

is doing a train trip across the US & the 3rd stop this morning is Stockbridge MA in the Shire. Yesterday we were with Grandpa playing in the Stockbridge park & playground then getting Ice Cream for the boy down main st.... where we sat in front of the Red Lion Inn and watched James Taylor do his soundcheck for this mornings show. I kept trying to call Amy B. cause I know she LOVES her some sweet baby james... but I kept loosing my cell signal (thanks Verizon Wireless). I took some photos with my phone & I will try to post them later today when I can sit at the other computer.

In other news we are hammering out the details for our upcoming trips - 1st to NY for Cathies show at the Guggenheim & High Holidays with Em's folks, then to SF for Yom Kipp at CSZ and up to Mendo for Mel & Vejay's wedding !!!! I am excited, but also a bit overwhelmed with the details to deal with to make it all happen.

Photos from the farm

Cuz. F. peeking out of the cutout - photo by R.
Curly Head, parts I and II

Cousin from the front - as a cat.

The Name Game

Play along... lifted and slightly modified from a couple of other bloggers......

1.Your rock star name (first pet, current car/motorcyle): Fang Intruder

2.Your gangsta name (favorite ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe): Mint Chip Hi-Top

3.Your soap opera name (middle name, city where you were born): Suzanne Spokane

4.Your Star Wars name (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name): ReiRa

5. Superhero name (favorite color, favorite drink): Daddy Green Latte

6. NASCAR name (the first names of your grandfathers): R.L. Eldon

7.Dancer name (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy): n/a tootsie roll

8.TV weather anchor name (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Flynn Fresno


9.Spy name (your favorite season/holiday, flower): gayday calla lily

10.Cartoon name:(favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now): Berry Underwear

11.Hippie name (what you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Scrambled Eucalyptus

12.Movie star name (first pet, first street where you lived): Fang Turk


What aliases did you come up with?

Portraits of the Artist (as a Young Man)

We pulled out the easel this morning & Lila brought out her paints. This was our lil monkeys first time painting - he took right to it -
had good technique with the brush and a nice eye for the colors. The only downside was he didn't want to stop. By the time half an hour had gone by much of his painting was becoming that bad brownish tone that you get when you mix the primary colors a few too many times.


But look how happy he is.

I think we will try using fingerpainting technique next!!!

I Scream, You Scream ...

He had just woken up from his afternoon nap & was indulging in a bit of "snack" when we heard the ominous notes of The Entertainer ringing out. Lil Mister then insisted we grab my wallet and run down the street (me carrying him as he had pj's and no shoes on...) to visit the Music Truck and get an Ice Cream. & truly how often can a mere $2 buy such joy & happiness? - plus he shares with his momma!!!

Summer '08

Here's a shot of the "triplets" (with Kristen in the background) ... I can't believe that summer is winding down & there are going to be big changes on the morning playground - a handful of our nannie playmates are off to start school next week - we had a big party for their sendoff on Friday with food a pinata and cakes.... And tonight I found out that our bestest gal pal ever -Lila (center) got accepted into preschool starting NEXT WEEK--- its only in the mornings but I am feeling somewhat distraught. On the other hand I know it'll be great for her & she is definatly ready to take this step. I can't imagine letting our little monkey go off to school though -

Balance Beam

Having joined the dark side

as you can see the force of RedSox Nation has proven too much for the lil monkey to resist. He made his first trip to Fenway with Mommy Em and Uncle Dan (& Farah) for a kids double header with the PawSox and came home with his first brand new & bought by us Red Sox paraphanalia.






At least he's showing his Jewish pride though!!!

Black and White boy

See the post titled " Mabel" for more info...

Mabel

So I have had my cell phone for over 2 years, and I take pictures with it almost every day... and last week I discovered that the camera has "effects" like b&w and sepia. Nice photo of Mabel don't you think?

Thnaks Grandma N.

The lil monkey after enjoying a morning at the pool last week.
Thanks Grandma for letting us into the hotel.

Puke-a-licious

Sparky barfed again last night, second time in as many weeks. We drove back from the shire (late) and got home close to midnite. Em was bringing him out of the car & he totally puked smartf**d popcorn & "chocolate eggs" (what he calls M&M's) all over the neighbors walkway. Half hour later he was still puking chocolate. Em ended up taking TWO Midnight baths, and poor thing had to be up & going to work at 6am this morning. Although you have to admit that the height of mother love is hanging onto your crying puking baby boy & letting them vomit all over you because they are scared - even though all you want to do is get as far away as possible. Em earns some sort of special award!!! Me I got mop & laundry duty.

Today luckily all seems to be better - stomachs are settled & He's had some breakfast & a small lunch. I am laying off the snack foods for a bit. No nap - cause its Cambridge Carnival & the loud music trucks are shaking our house.

pictures to follow... (of carnival not of the yucky-puckies)

Olympian

Here is my imaginary tennis champ in action -
phew, pop, phew -- serve, run, volley, run

Everyone is "Gay for Rachel"

VIRGINIA SHERWOOD/NBC NEWSWIRE VIA AP IMAGES
Rachel Maddow reports from the MSNBC newsroom in New York City, January 3.

Lots of internet news buzz in the butchie-dykie blog world now that it is being announced that Rachel Maddow is getting her own MSNBC TV News Talkie Show starting 9/08/08

There is also a lot of buzz about how she is "crossing over" to the non-queer world (if there is such a thing) - hence the "gay for Rachel" term

I haven't listened to her on her Air America show (something to do with having a baby and not listening to anything) - But all accounts are that she is "wicked smaht" -- and she is a bay area homey that went off to Oxford and now is East Coasty splitting her time between Western MA & NY.


So I'll be trying to find the newsie channel next month & checking her out - nice to see something a little more serious than Rosie & Ellen (even though you all know that I loves me my Rosie & My Ellen).

Big queer congrats Rachel - but lets hope they don't make you dress up & wear makeup too much... cause we sure like the nerdy butch gal look

Mid August

Photos are from 8-16. The monkey had just got his phancy new duds in the mail from PhooeyUSA and couldn't wait to try them out on the playground, but for some reason he also thought that it would be a good idea to bring his winter hat out of hibernation. I think it was in the mid-80's so he worked up quite a sweat as he spent the morning running around the playground.

Playing Catch up

It seems like I haven't had the chance to sit at the computer and write much of anything up here of late. Or it may just be I don't have lots to say to the internet space right now - its like a lot is going on & nothing is going on - 'cause life is a lot of the same.. and really do people want to hear about the schedule of my day in toddlerhood again & again?? (okay this is where you say yes we DO!!!) - Also most of the folks I know in real life who read this blog just got an email from me with all the absolutly wonderful photos done by our wedding photographer Anna Kuberberg so your not necessarily feeling the lack of looking at the cuteness that is our kid.


So to remedy that here is a shot of the monkey from yesterday. This is him in the middle of a game of pretend tennis with me. This was a first - normally when we walk through our park there are people out on the two tennis courts so we have never tried to play there before. But more interestingly this was the first time he has done a long drawn out pretending game with me of this nature. I would "serve" the invisible "ball" to him making a fun pow sound.. then he would run around the full court ending by batting the "ball" back to me with his own version of the pow sound. We did this until his hair was literaly stuck to his head with sweat from all the running. THE BEST PART - I barely had to move - he's so good that he could hit that pretend ball RIGHT TO ME!!


NEXT PHOTO


About a week ago the digger returned to our street to dig up the fire hydrant and re-plant it -- I think its some deal to keep the Union busy 'cause they seem to do it every couple of months. Anyways - as you can see the lil Monkey grabbed his digger and brought it out to say hi to the big digger and then we both sat on the stoop in the rain & mist and watched as the work progressed.







FINAL THOUGHTS

Some of you know that Em always said she wanted twins....


so I've been practicing.

Cypress at Home

Cypress_First_Days_003.jpg
Originally uploaded by dagen

A big WELCOME HOME to Cyrpress we have been rooting for you out here in Mass. & are very, very glad to hear that you are home with momma Amy & Daddy Sean where you belong. We hope that you enjoy the crock-a-gator & rubber ducky that the lil' monkey picked out for you. We hope that mommy & dad are getting plenty of rest when they are not busy covering you in kisses. Hopefully we will meet you properly in October.

Internet Addiction

So I don't write too much here about my uhmmm history with adictive & compulsive behaviors - suffice to say its a long & complicated one. But every so often it becomes an issue in new & sometimes unexpected ways. I had issues a few years back with playing a totally stupid Palm Pilot computer game until wee wee hours of the am & till my lil' thumbs were nearly raw. And more recently its been pointed out by my "better" half (you know who you are) - that I spend too much time at times wandering through blog-land & reading the drama of the internets lives.

Now I think that this criticism is partially misplaced. I wouldn't be harshed on for my long phone calls with "real life" friends going over the minuteau of the drama in their lives - and I don't think that my relationship with my pretend friends should be treated all that differently. In fact its even less obsessive I think because the internets have really really good drama going on - its like a great soap opera with many characters delivered in daily installments but with unexpected grace & humor (and occassional bitchy comment wars to boot.)

So is Em justified in her criticism... I suppose yes in the fact that I can sit down and go through a ton of blog entries that can take 1-2 hours to read - that is a long chunk of time at the computer when she'd rather have me paying attention to her or the boy. -- But I don't think I'd get the same grief if I sat down to read a novel for 2 hours --- even a cheesy crappy novel. I think there is something deeper that she's worried about - something in not getting how strangers can be invested in each others lives like the ring of folks on the internet clearly can be -- I think you don't get it unless you let yourself be into it. I don't know if that makes sense. So yeah its like my guilty pleasure - like Ice Cream & Soap Operas.. but at the same time & I am really caught up in how these journeys towards parenthood are going for folks.

Anyway I gotta run now & check in on some of my pretend friends ....

Vacation Days

So we are up in the Shire & actually spending time together as a family - it almost feels weird, especially after having spent so much time away from Em when the boy & I were out in SF earlier this month. I have been able to float in the pool, read a whole book, update my paper journal, and take a few nice naps.

The boy has: sung the entire ABC song (correctly one time) by himself, swam the ENTIRE length of the swimming pool (length not width) with the help of a swim-vest by himself, had a few good naps, charmed the stockings off of his Great-Grandma Anne, and gotten crushed out on Uncle Chuck as well as Unka Richie.

Emily is actually laughing, reading a big back log of New Yorkers, taking some good hikes down by the river (where she is apparently attempting to drown Mabel in the torrential rain spurred rapids) and enjoying our favorite past time at the shire which is eating like hobbits (second breakfast anyone?? elevensies??? tea??)

The house is amazing, the pool is very, very blue and the weather is mostly cooperating.

SF Trip Photos

Happy Pride Day

So here I am at 4 in the afternoon watching a live feed of the SF Pride Parade on my computer - & seeing everything from Charo to Cyndy Lauper to Fire Depts, Gay Wanna-Be Dads, my old Synagogue (Rueben looked cute) and even BadRap the group to supp0rt Pit Bulls as pets. There are also floats by Air New Zealand, Virgin, MACYs (apparently they have a big gay CEO) ... yep we may be a rainbow people, but our money is clearly still very green.

So its pride in SF & here I am in Cambridge ... other friends are scattered around - Portland, LA, New York. Other friends are travelling in Europe or on camping trips this weekend. I think this is probably the first parade I haven't been at least partially at (other than the year we moved coasts...) in 30 years.

So here we are celebrating a bunch of dykes & drag queens fighting the cops, (now with corporate sponsorship) & celebrating another state allowing us to get hitched. Big rainbow kisses to all my peeps who are walking & riding down Market St. today

Geese

We rode the bikes down to the Charles River & visited with some of the baby Geese. The mama's & dad's weren't completely thrilled by lil Blasto --- but he was pretty into them.