Getting closer!!!!

I miss my wife and child. Three weeks is too long without their smiles. I'm even looking forward to Marie making me do chores.

They're almost home!!!!

Word Verification

Anyone that comments has to write out their Word Verification and make up a definition for it.

Uspyvbp (Ewe-speh'-vip) (noun) A single strand of corduroy. A good pair of corduroy pants has at least 20 uspyvbp.

Blog Questions

If I comment on someone's blog, long after the fact, will they notice? I know Marie uses some website to track blog changes, so not sure if you catch stray comments on your own blog. Sometimes I have thoughts that take awhile to develop, but I don't want to miss out on the fun.

Hmm... guess I just had the one question. Suppose I didn't need to go plural on the blog title.

While I'm here, I guess I'll have to at least post another picture.


















Lillian Taylor in:
Austin Powers 4: Golden Binky

Movie Ratings
Checking my queue on Netflix, I see a lot of things from Marie and I that I have a varying degree of interest in watching. I decided to come up with a rating system to describe them.

The following rates my interest in watching any particular movie.

Note: The movies shown below aren't in our queue, but gives you an idea of what kinds of movies I'm talking about.

1- No freaking way, under no circumstances














2- I'd really rather not, it would have to be considered penance for something I did.

3- I'm only doing it because I want something and I'm trying to butter Marie up (or her birthday or something, but if this is her plan, I'm going to suggest "girl's night".










4- I assume I'm not going to like it, and not committed for the full 90 minutes, but maybe there's a favorite actor or interesting premise, or a recommendation from a family member. Lots of Indie movies start here, some are great, some are... weird. A lot of horror flicks also start here. There's a time and place for them and I assume they'll bad. They usually are.

5- Eh... Take it or leave it. An excuse to eat popcorn. Many "5's" are movies that are fairly popular, but for some reason don't excite me. They get a viewing just to make sure there's nothing wrong with me. My desire to watch Napolean Dynamite the first time was a "5". My desire to watch it again is a "1".

Settle down rabid Napolean fans!! The common response I get is, "You need to watch it a couple times. It grows on you."

Well, so does fungus. A movie gets one chance to be terrible.

"Wow, I really didn't like that. I can't wait to find another 90 minutes so I can watch it again."

6- Premise is up my alley. But I assume it's stupid. Most immature comedies (American Pie) land here. I'll probably rent it unless I hear terrible things.

My Netflix queu is littered with sophomoric comedies, and even if they have scrolling text at the bottom of the screen saying "This movie is really dumb" I'd still watch it.

7- I'm 75% sure that it's going to be good. Unfortunately I've wasted a lot of picks on 7's over the years, as I'm sure Marie would attest.

"Sorry hon, the previews looked good."

7 is the minimum requirement to see in the theatre. (Unless I have a rare date night with the wife and we're going to see a movie if it kills us.)

Swords or Spaceships are an automatic 7 regardless of how good it ends up being. I want to see it.

One last note on 7's. Many movies sell themselves as being similar to other movies I love and this often gets them up to 7, and then I regret it later.

"Animal House for the 90's" "Better than Usual Suspects" "Non stop Matrix-esque action" "Like Brokeback Mountain, but without all the gay stuff"

Yep... I bet those are terrible.

8- 8's typically have some actors we like, combined with a premise that looks good. By the time it's an 8, I'm pretty confident I'll like it, and if I don't, it's a major betrayal.

Sometimes 8's are dangerous when you have too much hype, and even a good movie can let you down when you expect the world. I probably have just as many 8's that disappoint as 4's that blow my mind.

9- Premise and actors I really like, plus good buzz or testimonial from a friend. I'd really like to catch it in the theatre. I'll live if I miss it on the big screen, but I'll keep my eyes posted for the DVD release.

10- I've been waiting forever for this movie to be made. I regularly read info about it online. Want to see it opening night and wish I owned a Tshirt related to this. The next 10 for me is Transformers. I bet it's Harry Potter for Marie.

My choice in 10's usually costs me street cred as I reveal my inner nerd.

31-28

After a 30 - 0 pounding from Cincinatti. After 2 1/2 games without a single offensive touchdown. After infighting, bickering, and doubts about Romeo.

And the Browns won.

The 3-8 Browns, who have nothing to gain and are playing for pride, against the 7-4 Chiefs who are fighting tooth and nail to make the playoffs.

And the Browns won.

Down 14 in the 4th Quarter. Starting QB taken out of the game. Team injuries piled up since preseason (including a mental problem for one of the players).

And the Browns won.





















In December, the Browns have only won one time at home since their return in '99. This season, they had yet to score a touchdown on their opening drive.

But today, the Browns won. They scored on their opening drive. They won at home in December. With one of the poorest run defenses, they beat the best rushing team in the league.

For me, the best part of the Brown's win was that thanks to Marie, I was there to see it. Of all the games I've watched at the old and new stadiums, this was the best, and it wasn't for a trip to the playoffs, it wasn't against a hated rival, and no one expected the Browns to win. Today was about loving a team whether they're the best or the worst, and today, against all odds, they loved us back.

Thank you Marie.

More good stuff...

I feel compelled to put pictures on my blog. Last week, I wrote about Triscuits, without a picture.

There, now I feel better.




Oh, and here's choking... or a frontal neck massage. The guy does look relaxed.





As I randomly surf the internet, Animal Planet is playing in the background and I'm hearing horrific stories of angry hippopotami. (Quick aside: whenever you have to use a plural form that ends in "i", don't you feel a little silly, or like you are trying to sound intelligent?)



















Speaking of octopuses...

Octopuses is technically correct- check this out:

A note on the plural form: Fowler’s Modern English Usage states that "the only acceptable plural in English is octopuses", and that octopi is misconceived and octopodes pedantic. Octopi derives from the mistaken notion that octopus is Latin, which it is not. Rather, it is Latinized Greek.

The info continues, but they had me at "Latinized Greek".

So where was I? Octopus--> Octopi--> Hippopotami--> Triscuit--> Pictures.

Incidentally, if you put all of those words into google and hit search you get... absolutely nothing. Coincidence? I think not.

Good talk.

This post is not intended to be funny...

But it is intended to let people know about something that I think is hilarious. First of all, my sense of humor might possibly be different than... let's say, a lot of people.

So it is that Homestar Runner is one of the funniest things going on the internet (as far as I'm concerned) and now I've found that there's a homestar runner video podcast on itunes!

Alright, here's another disclaimer. I think the guys might laugh a little harder than the girls on this one... not due to any sexist, stereotype humor, but due to the fact that our sense of humor often extends to things that are just a little bit stranger.

Here's a quick synopsis. Homestar Runner is a website that's been around for awhile and has an unusual cast of cartoon characters. Everyone's favorite is Strongbad, who answers emails.

It's the Strongbad emails that can now be found on itunes. Everything from a clinic on how to draw dragons "with beefy arms and majesty" to the "Teen Girl Squad". Most of these shorts are not witty, make no sense, have no discernable plot, and are just hilarious... To me at least.

So here's a call to action: Go to itunes and under the featured podcasts, take a look at HomestarRunner, or Strongbad's emails. I recommend downloading "Dragon" or one of the "Teen Girl Squads" as your first foray. Then, after you shake your head in confusion, let me know what you think.

Oh... and it looks like TMBG has a podcast now as well.

The problem with Triscuits

You have to remember not to breathe while eating Triscuits. They are crispy and delicious, it is true, but the flakiness can be a choking hazard if you inhale mid-Triscuit.

I think Lily would get along with Smurfs.
















For one, they are both little, and they tend to use the same words for just about anything.

Smurf: Isn't that smurfy?
Lily: Cat?
Smurf: Holy smurf! I think that's smurfy.
Lily: Cat?

From there, similarities end. But still. I think she'd like them.

No ducks were harmed during the posting of this blog...

...But one was rather surprised.

Results are in...
I told Marie I would dress up (tie and all) and take her out to dinner if she was able to round up 20 comments on my blog.

This was due in part, to the fact that I spent hours on a covert mission to take secret pictures of Lily and post them to the world, and only received a handful of comments for my effort. I suppose that's what I get for posting once a quarter. However, Marie laid down some blogfood™ and had 10 responses within 12 minutes. I guess I was jealous of her massive blog network.

So Marie rose to the challenge, marshalled the troops, and BAM! comments from susie's and jenny's and michelle's galore! I now have 23 comments on my blog...


However, I feel a bit cheated. I should have laid down some ground rules about repetitive posters (like Marie, who posted 3 times). Her family also participated in multiple posting. Her mother went so far as to post the same exact thing twice!!

But I didn't set any rules, so Marie wins. But I guess I win too, as I'll get to spend an evening with my gorgeous wife. When you stop and think about it, the only losers will be the grandparents when we ask them when they'll be available to babysit...

Lillian Marie Taylor's 1st Birthday

Happy birthday baby girl! - a daddy pictorial















Happy Girl in a little red wagon...
















Really happy little girl...






















Birthday presents!
















Stretching Lily out to help her finish off a year's worth of growing
















Happy family pictures
















The cupcake...















The baby...

















To be continued...

Lillian's Birthday (continued)

Last time, on "Lily's Birthday" we had red wagons, we had presents, we had...

...cupcakes.

Here's what happens when 1 year old Lillians encounter birthday cupcakes in the wild... enjoy.















Reach for it Lily! Reach!















Got it! Now what do I do?
















Let's try the mouth... that usually seems to work.
















Another successful mouth test! Let's go back for some more...
















Hee hee... It's my birthday...
















My hands are slowing me down. Time to cut out the middle man.
















You sure I'm allowed to eat this?
















Good! Then let's get some more in there!
















I love my birthday!
















Now I'm squeaky clean. You know the best part of bath time...
















...Duckies!
















Check out my duck face.
















Quack! Quack!






















Now I think I'll have a little light reading before bed. Preferably something with a happy ending. Maybe one of these on books on the bottom here...















Shhh.. don't tell her it's upside down.

Happy birthday little girl. We love you very much. One year went by too fast, but I can't wait for the years to come.

Love,
Daddy.

I like to think of my blog as an art. It should probably be considered similarly to photography... since my blog never changes...

Yes it's been months since I've posted, and my relatives have given me the occasional reminder. I suppose the internet was not intended for "still life" but now I'm back, and we'll see if I can channel some creativity on a more consistent basis.

A note about Blogfood™
I've always wanted to invent something, so I invented a word. Blogfood. From the Greek, "bloggius", which means repository of creative nonsense, and "foodus" which means left foot. Blogfood is any subject worthy of blogging about. Walking through the park, if you see clown that can only make one legged balloon animals, that's blogfood. If you're at the store and see a pirate in the frozen foods section, that is blogfood.




It rolls off the tongue, try it.

"Hmmm, that was interesting, it would make for some good blogfood."

"I really want to post something on my blog, do you have any good blogfood?"

"Then I opened up a can of blogfood on that fool."
Ok, so it's not appropriate for all occasions, but used correctly, it will garner admiration from your peers.

And once it's trademarked, I can make 25 cents everytime you use it!