it's the heat

I have not been blogging much. It's too hot. 98 degrees today with no end in sight. I'm working hard on my rehab project. Framing is nearly complete. Windows are being wrapped up today and tomorrow. HVAC rough in begins next week. Then plumbing and electrical rough ins to follow. I still need to install the cement board in the kitchen and bathrooms and repoint the basement walls. We have set aside time next weekend to shop for tile, cabinets, light fixtures and other decorative elements. So much to do. So little energy to do it.

The timing of the completion of the project, the baby coming, putting our house up for sale, moving next door, etc. is like a perfect storm. It's looming in the distance and it could be a disaster of epic proportions. Nothing to do about it now but put my nose to the grindstone and hope for the best. Wish me luck.

What I'm doing this summer

Wearing: Got some Chuck Taylor Converse navy low tops for the summer. Haven't had any since I was a kid. First time I wore them I rubbed all the skin off of my heals. Got to remember to break them in. Also wearing cargo shorts. I need them to hold my perscription sunglasses, phone, notepad, ipod mini, camera, etc. I'm migrating away from printed tees to solid color better cut and quality tees. I also picked up a pair of super lightweight khakis that are great for summer nights.
Planning: To go to Canada for my cousin's wedding in August and see my brother and new niece/nephew due in July.
Listening to: the new White Stripes on my ipod mini.
Reading: Mixtape edited by Thurston Moore and A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby
Watching: The Detroit Pistons beat the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals, Six Feet Under, and a slew of embarrassing reality shows.
Bored of: People ranting
Happy with: My new Sony Cybershot 7.2 megapixel camera
Snacking: Charleston mini chews and Junior Carmels (from the makers of Junior mints, they're like soft Milk Duds)
Drinking: Newcastle, Sierra Mist, Minute Maid light Mango Passion
Loving: How cute my wife is in her maternity clothes.
Anticipating: My son being born in October.

Moxie

Television: We've got Moxi! Moxi is our local cable company version of a Digital Video Recorder (DVR). DVR's are routinely referred to as Tivo since that is the first recognizable brand name. I like this one because I didn't have to get an additional phone line installed.

Moxi is changing my life. First of all it has streamlined my entertainment area. Moxi is the same size as my previous digital cable box, but it also replaces my VCR. Thereby eliminating one of the electronic black boxes surrounding my tv. It is pretty easy to use and is changing my tv watching habits.

Last night Jen and I decided that it would be a wonderful evening to sit outside at a restaurant and eat dinner. But wait, the Pistons are playing the Spurs in game 3 of the NBA finals. Moxi to the rescue. I programmed the DVR to record the game with about 2 buttons pushed. We went to dinner at Syberg's. We had a relaxing dinner sitting outside. I had a chicken quesadilla and Jen had a giant chef's salad and we split a basket of fries. Yum. We got home about an hour into the game. I was able to go back to the beginning of the game and start watching while Moxi was still recording. After fast forwarding through the commercials I caught up to real time by the 3rd quarter and was able to watch Detroit stomp San Antonio along with the rest of the world.

In the past we would have to program 1 or 2 of our vcrs to catch all of our shows and if you got home 10 minutes into a show you would have to decide whether you wanted to dive in and miss out on the first 10 min or wait 50 more minutes until the show was completed and start watching from the beginning. Now we actually try to start shows late or we'll randomly pause in the middle to grab some dessert. When we get back to the show we can blow through the commercials and enjoy the show even more.

This invention is great because it allows me to watch more tv (hard to believe) in less time, and when I want to watch it. Eventually they won't even broadcast programs. They'll just download programs to your home device and you'll get a message when new programs are available. Can't wait.

It's a happy time!

We had a little health scare. Jen has some travelling to do for work. She flew to NY last Wednesday and then was going to spend some time with an old friend who now lives in Brooklyn and come back on Sunday. Thursday she was working out in the hotel gym and noticed a sore spot on her thigh. She felt a bump that she knew wasn't there before. She had no recollection of getting hit or stung by anything. Being pregnant and flying are 2 things that can cause blood clots so she called her doctor to see what she should do. After a brief interview it was decided that it was unlikely to be a blood clot, but that she should have it checked out. She cancelled the rest of her weekend plans and flew home on Friday.

After 4 hours in the emergency room we got in to get a vascular ultrasound. It ruled out a clot but did not determine exactly what it was. At no time was the baby in any danger, but it does make your mind wander. We've only got another few weeks before the baby is considered viable outside the womb. At that point she could give birth, but health problems both short and long term would be likely. It doesn't look like that will happen. Jen is going strong and looking good. She's convinced she's bigger than average and I have to say I agree. Her belly is really popping out. Strangers on the street now smile at us and ask her when she's due and all. It's a happy time!

June: CD Mix Exchange

I sent off my June cd mix for the gigposters exchange. I tried to be more creative with this one. Many of the mixes that I saw last month were hand drawn or screen printed. I felt bad about my weak attempt at being creative so I tried to step it up a notch. I created a sort of boxed set feel by creating a package with the cds inside.

I made this case myself by cutting it out of an old rollerblades box. I then folded it and doodled all over it so that at least one part of it is hand done. I then put a velcro attachment onto the inside to hold it shut. I included 2 mixes for my next victim. The first is mostly contemporary stuff and the second is mostly vintage.

When I Go Deaf: June Mix Exchange
Ben Kweller - Wasted & Ready
Kings of Leon - Red Morning Light
the Black Keys - Heavy Soul
Love as Laughter - Dirty Lives
Spoon - My Mathematical Mind
Cat Power - He War
Low - When I Go Deaf
the Sights - Waiting on a Friend
the White Stripes - Red Death at 6:14
TV on the Radio - Staring at the Sun
Josh Rouse - Slaveship
The Streets - Don't Mug Yourself
Hayseed Dixie - Cat Scratch Fever
Secret Machines - Sad & Lonely
Danger Mouse (feat the Beatles & JayZ) - Encore
DJ Shadow - Untitled Heavy Beat, pt 1&2
Guster - Barrel of a Gun
Kev Russell's Junker - (Somebody Bring Me a Flower) I'm a Robot
Brendan Benson - Good to Me
Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire - Satisfied
Clem Snide - Messiah Complex Blues
Buffalo Tom - Birdbrain
Evan Dando - Fade to Black

I made a bonus mix of songs. This one is primarily a getting dumped/hitting hard times theme.
I Gotta Get Drunk: June Mix Exchange (bonus)
Ike & Tina Turner - A Fool in Love
Ernest Tubb - Thanks a Lot
Son House - Death Letter
Nina Simone - I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl
Charlie Rich - Don't Put No Headstone on My Grave
Jimmy Reed - I Ain't Got You
Sly & the Family Stone - If You Want Me to Stay
Willie Nelson - I Gotta Get Drunk
Otis Redding - Pain in My Heart
Loretta Lynn - Don't Come Home a Drinkin' (With Lovin' on You Mind)
Pee Wee Crayton - When it Rains it Pours
Betty Everett - You're No Good
Lightnin' Hopkins - Jake Head Boogie
Solomon Burke - Got to Get You Off My Mind
Aretha Franklin - (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone
John Lee Hooker - Boom Boom
John Prine/Dolores Keane - It's a Cheating Situation
Sam Cooke - Please Don't Drive Me Away
Etta James - I'd Rather Go Blind
Ray Charles - Busted
James Cotton - Worried Life Blues
Clarence Carter - Snatching it Back
Junior Wells - Give Me One Reason
Webb Pierce - More & More
Howlin' Wolf - Smokestack Lightning
Louis Armstrong/Velma Middleton - Trouble in Mind