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This isn't funny

Emma has appointed herself the humor referee in our family, and she decides when it's okay for us to laugh. When something makes us giggle, Emma will often say, "That's not funny." She is not impolite about it, but she is very firm. We're not sure what the rules are, because sometimes she laughs uncontrollably at things that we don't think are very funny at all.

American Americans

Last night at dinner Andrew said, "Dad, did you know there's an African American who's still alive who makes Super Soakers?"

February is Black History Month, so Andrew is learning in school how to categorize people by the color of their skin.

I told Andrew it's neat that the man makes Super Soakers, but it doesn't matter that he's African American.

Andrew then asked, "What are we? Are we American American?"

So we had to do some deprogramming.

There are so many problems with the Black History Month stuff they teach in schools. First of all, Andrew has now learned that the man who makes Super Soakers is able to do this despite the fact that he is black: in other words, black people are not able to accomplish very much, so it is remarkable that one of them is capable of making Super Soakers. What a terrible bias to teach the kids.

Secondly, Andrew is being taught that some of us are African Americans, some of us are Asian Americans, some of us are "American Americans," etc. Aren't we all just Americans?

The way Black History Month is taught in schools perpetuates a legacy of "otherness" that should be forgotten, not enshrined in the curriculum. Until it was taught to him in school, Andrew was blissfully unaware that kids in his class had different shades of skin.

What a destructive thing to teach six year olds.

Strangers in a strange land

Yesterday I had lunch with a guy from work who was born and raised here in Indiana. We went to a Mexican restaurant where I was surprised to learn that he didn't know what enchiladas or chalupas are. Chalupas, okay...but enchiladas?

Co-worker: What's inside an enchilada?
Me: You can get an enchilada with beef, chicken or cheese inside. It comes wrapped in a tortilla and they cover it with enchilada sauce and cheese.
Co-worker: So it's like a burrito?

Zillow

Walter Mossberg reviewed a new website today called Zillow. It can show an aerial view of your neighborhood with an estimate of home values. The beta site launched today, and has been overwhelmed with traffic. I haven't been able to try it yet, but it looks very cool.

Lazy Sunday

One of my favorite things is when I'm lying on the floor and Emma decides to copy me by coming over and lying down in the same position. Her head is sometimes too heavy for her arm to hold up.

My post disappeared

My most recent post, about a movie we saw last weekend, has mysteriously disappeared from my blog. Weird. I didn't remove it.

Islands for Sale

Saw this on boingboing. It's fun to dream.

Most are cheaper than your typical house in the OC!

The best ice cream on the planet

The best ice cream on the planet is made in Kentucky at a place called Graeter's. They make it in two gallon batches, and pour in liquid chocolate during the freezing process to make chocolate chips. Yum.

We were in Kentucky this weekend, so we brought a bunch home. We know our ice cream, and Graeter's is even better than our local favorite, Handel's, which sells the second best ice cream on the planet.

Our freezer is stocked, so make the trip to Indiana. It's worth it. If you can't make the trip, Graeter's ships.


While eating her 'hink' [translation: pink] ice cream tonight, Emma said, "Daddy, I have a 'hink' mustache." Then she paused, sensing trouble, and yelled, "DON'T KISS IT!!!"

Monster Trucks

We went to the Monster Truck show this weekend. It's almost an annual tradition for the men in our family. If you've never been, you should. It's a cultural experience worth having.

Here's Ethan at the show:

This Monster Truck show was held in a stadium with a roof, so it was Loud. Ethan does not like Monster Truck shows anymore, and probably puts Monster Trucks in the same category with Muppets and Clowns.

Andrew, on the other hand, is a huge fan:

Ticketmaster is already selling tickets for next year's show. Ethan says he'll pass, but Andrew and I are thinking about growing mullets.

Fun optical illusions

My favorite is "Dr Angry and Mr Calm." I had to get about 10 feet away from the computer before it worked, though.

Don't miss the link to the second page of illusions.

Have a nice trip!

You should always make sure your laces are tied before playing near Qing dynasty vases.

We have monsters living upstairs

The proof is not conclusive, but here's strong evidence:

Exhibit A: The other day when we were at the mall we found a dollar bill that someone had dropped on the ground. I thought Ethan might like it, since he has never had any money before, so I gave it to him. He was very excited about this, and during the rest of our trip to the mall he thought out loud about all the things he could buy with it. When we got home, Ginger asked him to put his money in the piggy bank in his room where it would be safe. Instead of going upstairs to put the money away, Ethan opened the trash compactor and dropped his dollar in. Ginger found it later and took it out, but when we weren't looking he threw the dollar away again. The reason? Ethan says there are monsters upstairs, and he would rather throw away his first dollar bill than go upstairs and risk being eaten.

Exhibit B: A few days ago, we printed off a papercraft T-Rex (see posts below) and made it together. It was very hard to make, and took a long time. Ethan was very excited to have this new toy, even though it was made out of paper. For a while it sat on our kitchen table where everyone could see it and play with it. After a few days, Ginger asked Ethan to put it away in his room. Without hesitation, he said, "I think I'll just throw it away." Almost before he was done speaking, the T-Rex was in the trash compactor. The reason? Again, Ethan would rather throw away a prized possession than go upstairs and risk his untimely demise.

Ethan loves Godzilla but is afraid of clowns and muppets. I have a feeling the monsters in our house look something like the one shown in the photo above.

Cinderelly, Cinderelly

For Emma it's all work and no play. Here she is doing one of her favorite things: cleaning. Will this last through her teenage years?

More paper folding fun

Check out this site for more paper projects. The T-Rex was not easy, but Ethan likes it!

Can your church choir do this?

All the sounds in this video are made by people.

Dirkon - The Paper Camera

For any of you who may have tried the rocket in the post below, try making this camera. Samples photos can be found at the site. I don't think we're advanced enough to make a camera yet.

Build your own paper rocket!

Andrew and Ethan are going to love this.

Optical illusion

So weird, it's hard to believe.

Because the shirt is striped?

Ginger: Emma, you're cute.
Emma: No, I'm a zebra!

This is as close as we get to surfing in Indiana

But it's fun!

Bottomless pit

Since waking up from her nap 3 hours ago, Emma has eaten:

• 2 raw tomatoes
• carrots and dip
• 3 pieces of buttered sourdough bread
• ravioli
• a bowl of double noodle soup
• 2 cups of milk
• a bowl of Cheerios

I think I've left something out. But you get the idea.

Weird eyes

Me: Ethan, let's add the Muppet Movie to our Netflix list. I used to like that movie when I was little.
Ethan: That movie scares me!
Me: What? It's Kermit the Frog! Are you scared of Kermit the Frog?
Ethan: Yes.
Me: Why?
Ethan (in a whisper): Because he has weird eyes.

The FedEx guy stopped by today...

...and in addition to Christmas presents that Grandma and Grandpa gave us in California, he brought a cardboard box and packing material!

Windblown on the prairie

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

It's in the thirties today in Indiana, but the kids were desperate to go outside. Check out the Californian footwear. Some vestiges remain from their prior lives.

More people with time on their hands

This is what happens when you drop 50 pounds of silly putty off the roof of a building.

What people in Indiana do for fun

This started out as a baseball. After 19,100 coats of paint, it now weighs 1,700 pounds.

Masterpiece Theater

Santa brought the kids a puppet theater and a tub full o' puppets. It has turned out to be a bigger hit than I would have expected. Here's a typical puppet show, with Emma standing there while the boys' puppets do their rendition of "Giant Monsters All-Out Attack."

Cockroach facts

According to this, cockroaches can live without their heads for up to a month. Yet we still managed to kill ours. Good thing we don't like dogs.

Hisser, R.I.P.

They say cockroaches would survive a nuclear holocaust.

Andrew's pet Madagascar Hissing Cockroach (a.k.a. "Hisser") didn't even survive five months in our house--yet another victim of our family's inability to keep pets alive for more than a few months. Here's a photo of the sad scene we discovered in the boys' room yesterday:

Ginger: Andrew, Hisser's dead. Are you sad?
Andrew: Yeah, I'm sad. But now I'm ready to get a Goliath Beetle!

Chord finder

Ginger got me a guitar for Christmas, so I'm starting to learn. This site is so helpful for learning chords.

Why didn't I think of this?

This guy started with a red paper clip, and he is making a series of trades for bigger and better things until he can get a house. Right now he's traded up to a three-day snowmobile trip to British Columbia, which is available if anyone has anything better.

Merry Christmas!

I'll be back in a few days!

Don't fly Air India.

Wow.

Two more just for fun...

Good surf

Check out this AP photo of the waves at Swami's yesterday. Nice.

Go Bruins!

Tonight Ginger and I watched the finale of Martha Stewart's Apprentice show, and were happy to see the victory go to a UCLA Anderson MBA. That's the second time an Anderson alum has won an Apprentice show -- once with Donald Trump, now with Martha Stewart. I think we're batting .333, or is it .400? Either way, not bad!

Prima Ballerina

Emma likes to walk around the house like a ballerina, on the tips of her feet with her toes curled under. She doesn't know about ballerinas yet, but she sure is a good one!


Check out the close-up of her toes below. Ouch! When I ask her if she can stand like a ballerina, she rolls right up onto her toes and becomes three inches taller, then walks around like it's nothing special.

Wise guy

Here's Ethan in his preschool Christmas program today.