Family Matters, Week of 1-22-06

Every week I write about my family. Welcome to it.

Update: This is for 2006, oops.

Annie (3yrs)

Annie loves to sing. In particular, and as kids are wont to do, she is obsessed with a single song, ?Push the button? by a Euro group named Sugababes. Yes, Suga. I found it via Said the Gramaphone a month or so ago and she just loves it. She knows very few words beyond the chorus, but can mumble and make up the rest. When we?re in the car it?s the first thing she asks for, and her little sister rocks out on it too.

I?ve tried to get her to like some of ?Dad?s music? but it?s usually filler before the Sugababes start rocking out techno-style again. Nevertheless, she has admitted that she likes Spoon but no word on Wilco. I?ll keep trying, though.

Abby (1.9yrs)

Abby is in the transitional stage from Supertoddler to Wonderkid. This transition usually involves the loss of diapers (ie, potty training) and the acquiring of several bad habits. One, the complete imitation of her sister. They seem to have been schooled in the art of House Wreckage and are utilizing these skills each and every day.

Meanwhile her birthday is rapidly approaching next month, with the party to touchdown in the metropolis of Oak Ridge on February the 18th. Technically she?ll be 1.99(9?) years old on that day, to turn exactly two years old around 6AM the following morning. To those who live near me and read this nutty blog, you should give me a shout and plan to come. I?ll be cooking out (that?s code for Trying Not To Burn The Burgers) and good times will be had by all (code for Don?t Step On The Screaming Children).

Ericka (her blog)

Well, I think peppermom.com, as an entity, will be leaving us soon. Firstly I don?t want to pay for another year of that domain name. Secondly I don?t want to pay for another month of service when she obviously has been rocking out her MySpace Profile. Who knew free was better than paying a monthly fee?

This weekend is her birthday. This means that Evan will do the unspeakable act of going wherever and doing whatever Ericka wishes. This begins with dinner at PF Changs (this is quite speakable), followed up by a visit to the gay club in town to be followed by stuffing dollar bills in tranny drawers.

Seriously, I?m not going to be stuffing dollar bills in transexual?s underwear.

Unless I?m drunk.

And may not even then.

But we?ll see. It?s her birthday you know.

Ahem.

Etc.

Yes, I too am ready for The Great Woodstock story to end. In some ways I just love the fact I can keep up a narrative, but in other ways my restrictions are making me antsy. I want to write about how US companies are bowing down and closing off the internets to the oppressed Chinese. I want to talk about how Vista is just ridiculous hype and will cause more headaches than ever. I want to write about MacBook Pros and iPod shows and things that glow and row?and hoe?don?tcha know.

Anyway, the best part of that story is the ending. My ride home was just?bizarre. We?ll be getting into that tomorrow. I?m thinking it will be a story in 11 parts, but you just never know. It could balloon into 1,000,000 parts, all three words each, going on and on each weekday and finally burning up in the atmosphere in a blaze of glory.

Lastly: RIP Chris Penn. He was Nice Guy Eddie in the movie from which this blog and my alterego take its name. My favorite phrase from that character: First thing?s fuckin last. Indeed.

Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table