When You See Rose...

Give her a pat on the back for fixing the CD Player. It's been broken ever since DJ Leo shoved 2 discs in there while the car was off 4 weeks ago. Kid is a miracle worker!

Kyra is a Coupon Assassin

Pro Tip

My cousin/best-man friend, Kurt, is funny. My favorite of his most recent word creations is "Pro Tip". It means a piece of advice from an expert. The silhouetted gizmo in the foreground of this photo is our new iPhone sent from the pro-premier: Kurt Money (K$ - ticker symbol) . Thanks Kurt.

Kurt, here are some pro-tips I have for you:

1. Always listen to Otis Redding radio (thanks Ashlee Knight) while painting.
2. Don't let your daughter put stickers on the wall after your first coat.
3. Use primer, even on the ceiling.
4. When you suspect there's a water damage in your ceiling go upstairs and check it out.
5. When you go upstairs and check, wear gloves when your digging through the fiber glass insulation.
6. Go to Gatty-Town afterward so the kids can run and you don't have to do dishes.
7. Don't eat 6 slices and then eat that chocolate pizza.
8. Only pizza restaurants trying to save money sell chocolate pizza.
9. When the buffet attendant doesn't respond to you the first time, don't keep talking, he might not speak English.
10. Put the cover on the kids sandbox so the neighbor cat doesn't keep pooping in it.

I know you live in L.A. and probably don't go to Gatty-town with your celeb friends, but pros need to stick together. And a pro can always learn something from another pro.

Alice in Wonderland

A Discussion with Rose over Breakfast

"Mommy, is it okay if I have a sister?"

" You would like to have a new sister?"

"Yeah. I want, umm, like a, like a puppy sister."

"Oh! You would like to get a puppy!"

"Yeah. You can just get me like a puppy for Father's Day or something."

"For Father's Day?"

"Yeah. You can get me like a 'fruffry' brown puppy. That's what I would very like for Father's Day."

Spanglish

In the 1920s United States society changed in an important way. In terms of style and culture we associate the "roaring 20's" with the bob haircut, the model T, and flapper dancing - in function it meant a shift from inward values and identity to outward expression of individualism. This portrayed sense of individualistic culture. In short, instead of devoting attention to internal character, Americans became more concerned with outward, popular appearance.

Our adoration and allegiance for national leaders for example shifted to national celebrities and athletes.

Recently I've observed that this trend has expanded, not reversed. Today it's the plight of the television programmer to keep up with the differentiated tastes of ages and demographic pie. Programs in 2009 are pitched to age groups as small as 1 year. This makes sense in light of the multi-source entertainment the .com industry is now providing.

My favorite line from the movie Spanglish, starring Adam Sandler, is delivered as an arrival of family identity for the protagonist, Flor, to her younger daughter,

"There ees no 'e-space' betweena us"

quipping at her 9-year old daughter who protested that she needed personal space during an argument. The mother was fighting for proximity to her daughter and against the lure of assimilation.

To me, the more I see our individualistic needs met, our personal space respected, our tastes differentiated in the public sphere - the less happy we become.

Air Jordan

When I was 11 I was obsessed with Air Jordan sneakers. I'd save up my money for weeks (16) on a ten dollar per week allowance. Feast your eyes on my favorite pair: the AJ XI. Can you blame me?

The funny thing was that when they came out everyone thought they were ugly. The kids would say these ones looked like tap dancing shoes and the ones below looked like a waffle iron.


But people would have to learn that once you saw MJ do the things he did wearing these things, they might as well have been plastic bags.

Kyra recently let me reminisce the whole thing by letting me buy a pair from the sketchy "shoe man". They sit it my closet - some times I put them on and practice my moves in the living room when she's not home. They still have the magic...

Did you ever own a pair?

Greedy

This is a movie I saw on an airplane once. It's this sad story about this old guy named Uncle Joe who's family flocks to him in his final days, jockeying for a piece of his inheritance.

This is how I treat God sometimes.

My family went to Publix tonight to get ice cream. As I passed the first set of double doors I heard my daughter's voice from the car window trail off as they automatically shut behind me. I returned to her, moving closer to see her face - from afar all you can see is her forehead.

I yuv you daddy.

Relationship beats inheritance every time.

Leo's Top Hobbies

1. Playing in the Toilet
2. Eating Rocks from the Fireplace
3. Biting his sister
4. Eating Polly Pocket Accessories

(midnight + shower)/sleeping sensible husband = haircut

For some reason when I take a shower late at night I always want to cut my own hair afterward. Oliver is usually good to advise me to put the scissors and comb away and let the impulse pass. "One o'clock in the morning is not the time to make decisions like cutting your hair" he says. Tonight, conditions were perfect. I took a late shower. Oliver fell asleep early. There was nobody to talk me out of it! I now have bangs and layers. Oh well!

Blue Like Jazz: The Movie

From the Director from Blue Like Jazz The Movie on Vimeo.

So excited about this one. Here's the site.

Two Weeks; Three Cities

Kyra's preliminary party

Tonight my dad and fam threw kyra a birthday party.

We sang in English and Chinese

My favorite part was when the only boy who hadn't spoken any English during our visit chimed in:

YOU LOOK LIKE A MONKEY
AND YOU SMEW LIKE ONE TOO

Priceless. Pictures on the way...

Intimacy

I have enough music on iTunes to listen for 10days without rest

I've seen more movies than I can remember

I have 21 time keeping devices in my house

I have 3 iPods

I own 9 pairs of shoes

But dr bob preached it right, it means nothing without intimacy: trust and vulnerability.

With god and neighbors.

celebrities

Audiences will often scream "I love you" to celebrities when they are performing or speaking. Celebrities always say "I love you" back, but they never mean it.

Rose Moment

I'm looking at Rose carefully as she applies syrup to her waffles. She's using a spoon.

One,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five...

Each square is neatly filled in....

"Not too much syrup honey!" says Kyra

Six

Seven

"Rose..."

Rose stops, pauses, dips the spoon....slurp

Is there sugar in syrup? Then YES! - Buddy from Elf

Donald Miller; A Million Miles

Opening chapters from his newest A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. Thanks Jason Miller.

4th of July

Hypothetical

Rose has been making arguments to get what she wants using the hypothetical.

Sometimes little girls want to eat two brownies.
When someone little eats their cereal someone big has to watch them.
When a little girl wants to watch a movie, grownups have to let her watch it.
It makes me frustrated when you say that (referring to the word "no")

So persuasive. Get's me every time.