Reading Strollerderby this morning (a parenting blog by multiple bloggers), there was a post about the fact that “our media-exposed kids are hip to what’s being marketed to them, which just adds to the hype, and intensifies the pressure to buy the latest, greatest new thing, which is actually just more cheap crap.”

Exactly. Hits the nail right on the head.  On the news last night, while they ran the segment on Mattel, et al recalling millions of toys, there were analysts talking about how to keep kids safe with their toys, go ahead and buy our toys, we promise they’ll be ok, etc…  Nobody on the news said: “Stop buying cheap crap and get your kids a building block set, or just the box it came in so they can make a fort.”

No, they tell you that all is ok, and “we assure you our toys are safe and you should still purchase these wonderful items for your children.” Which translates to “Puh-lease don’t stop buying our junk that we get manufactured in China for slave wages so we can turn a 250% profit.” 

So go get some plain old building blocks and watercolor paints and let ‘em go to town.  Get them a coloring book and don’t freak out when the purple one disappears and reappears later on in the diaper (true story from co-worker).  I’ll do the same when our daughter gets older…, for now she can chew on her cardboard “Yummy, Yucky” book and tear up my Sports Illustrated before I get to read it.

Next, we find that there’s a network worm/trojan horse screwing w/ the machines in the office.  Just so happens that mine is the most jacked up.  Fine.  Go find the little bastards, quarantine them, kill them.  Done and done?  Not so.  Tuesday my machine was fucked beyond belief, I tried to fix it again.  Nope.

Wednesday I had to send the reports and screenshots to IT so they’d help me out.  It took all of 10 minutes of them looking at my machine to say:  “It’s toast.  100% dead.”  SWEET!  There goes my software, files not yet moved to the network, etc… Fortunately, I save everything of high importance on the network, I can re-download my software, re-install CS2 w/ the discs, when I get the new machine.

Thursday, no new machine.  I have a beast of a PC in my office that I’ve never used (64 bit) so I had to configure that one.  Another problem:  can’t get the machine to install or configure the network software.  So do what now?  Go find an emergency laptop somewhere in the office.  Turns out (after an hour or so) that a paralegal had it, she was happy to let me use it for a day.  So I have to use 2 computers throughout Thursday.

Friday, I finally get the new machine.  I’ve got most of my stuff back onto it, except IT hasn’t harvested the RAM out of my old laptop (2gigs) and put it in the new one, so I can’t run CS2 software.  Bah.  By Monday end-of-day, I should be back to some semblance of normality, have my old files (those that could be salvaged from the toasted laptop) and get back to working for real.

Anyone else have a “great” week?

It’s not that I feel old.  I’m 28, I’m married, have a 5 month old daughter.  3 months after graduation, I moved to Boston and here I am, still in Boston.  I work for a law firm as the Marketing department.  Yes, 1 in the marketing department.

Anyway, my point here is that 10 years ago, I never would have thought that I’d be doing what I’m doing, starting a family, and still living in Boston.  This is what I thought: 

“I’m getting the hell out of this town, moving to Boston, going to Northeastern Univ. for Computer Science.  When I graduate, I’ll be a ‘systems analyst’ or something of the like.  I’ll make bank.  I won’t be married b/c I don’t want to get married.  I’ll have a bunch of money, travel, etc.”

Well, I got the hell out of that town.  Check.  I went to NU for comp. sci. che…. nope, I lasted a couple months in comp. sci. and switched majors to marketing.  Then I got all rebelious and pissed at corporate America and became a Sociology major.  Got that degree, plus finished the Marketing one when I came to my senses as Senior (2nd senior year).  Met a woman 4 years ago.  We’re married, we’ve got a beautiful 5 month old.

Now I work in Marketing, I maintain their websites, project manage on the big ones that the pros program the code for (i. e. I work w/ computers all effing day).  Funny how that stuff all works out and comes full circle.

What about you?

So:  Why Are You Here?  This morning I caught the end of the Opie and Anthony show on WBCN while they were trading brief anecdotes of why they existed on this planet.  Some of the stories were tragic–> “When my father was 26, his wife died in a car accident.  He remarried, then I was born.”  “My parents had two sons die of SIDS, they had another son (and 4 other kids), so here I am.”  Another one not so tragic:  “I’m here because of 1/5 of whiskey and a walk home that was too long to say no.”

So post in ‘comments’ why you’re here, the reasons you exist.  I’ll start: 

I exist because of the Blizzard of 1978. 

My daughter exists because of a Guster concert in NYC on April 21, 2006.  I’m positive on that.

If you listen to O & A tomorrow morning on BCN, you’ll hear some funny stories about coming into existence.

So, Why Are You Here?

Coming up this Friday, Jan. 5th, is a benefit concert to raise money for Children’s Hostpital being put on my office-mate, Jason, and his band, Red Square.  Here’s the details:

Host:  Haril + Jason + Andy + Renato
Location:  Hurricane O’ Reily’s
150 Canal St, Boston, MA

View Map
When:  Friday, January 5, 8:00pm
Phone:  617.722.0161

Join RED SQUARE, New England’s Premier Cover Band, at Hurricane O’Reilly’s in Boston for a night of MUSIC, PRIZES, FOOD, and DRINKS.

Proceeds will benefit the Children’s Hospital Pediatric Cardiology Unit

Your entry fee of 10$ gets you a free prize ticket that could win you one of several amazing prizes. Services at Exhale Spa, Autographed Patriots Football or Auotgraphed Red Sox Baseball, Autographed Revolution Jersey, Fitness Together Training Sessions, Car Rental Discounts, Custom Jewelery, Best Buy Gift Cards and TONS more!

THIS IS AN OPEN TO ANYONE EVENT. ALL TO RAISE MONEY FOR A GREAT CAUSE.

If you wish to write a check and contribute more, you can receive a tax deduction letter in the mail from Children’s Hospital Boston.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR A WORTHY CAUSE !!!

hope to see you there.

RED SQUARE

http://www.redsquareboston.com

1)  Christmas Trees–about 35 years ago or so, my Grandfather, father, uncle, aunt planted a Christmas Tree farm.  Growing up, every Saturday and Sunday we’d sell trees, go sledding, and have a hell of a good time.

 2)  Mom’s Christmas music–Mom loves Christmas music.  We used to have an old turntable to play all the records she had (well, she still has them, just no turntable. Now it’s CDs, but you get the point).

3)  Christmas day–For whatever reason, we always spent Christmas day w/ my Mom’s side of the family, probably b/c they lived further away than my Dad’s side and we saw them much less.  Over the last 8 or 9 years, we’ve been going to my uncle’s house in Rochester, NH.

 4)  Christmas Eve–a tradition w/ my brothers, we “partake” in the late evening / early morning and laugh ourselves silly.  Rube and Cam, you know what I’m talking about.

5)  The New One–as in ‘new tradition’ and literally the new one: Hailey.  My wife is expecting, soon.  Her due date is Jan. 14th, but who knows?  Could be a Christmas baby.  This year, she’s working Christmas Eve until 8 am Christmas morning (she’s an ER nurse at Children’s Hospital here in Boston).  I’ll be hanging around Christmas Eve in the North End, and just maybe I’ll get the best Christmas present ever.  Actually, I will get the best Christmas present ever, I may just have to wait a couple extra days for her to appear.

Speaking of Hailey, we got the crib set up and the beginnings of her room…., “nesting” if you will.  I guess the term ‘nesting’ is primarily used in talking about birds and such, but I’ve found it to be a good description of the “getting ready for the baby and setting up a place to put her” activities.

Speaking of nesting, I found these interesting facts on Wikipedia:

• An eagle‘s nest is called an eyrie.
• A squirrel‘s nest is called a drey.
• A hare‘s nest is called a form.
• A pheasant‘s nest is called a nide.
• A wasps‘ nest is called a vespiary.

how’s that for a monday morning post?

This post could go on for a while, so I’ll just create a new PJ category here and get back to what I should be doing.

Congratulations Pearl Jam!!!!

Mel goes on to say that through his anti-semitic comments and the film “The Passion of The Christ,” he made people afraid.  “Who would ever be afraid of me?” he asks.  Nobody Mel, er, Mad Max.  I’d never be afraid of Martin Riggs (Lethal Weapon), crazy bastard. 

There’s always a bit of the real person behind the characters they play, that’s why some, like Gibson, are such good actors.  Let’s not forget Braveheart.  He scared the shit out of a whole country with a bad-ass army.  Trust me, I know Scottish tempers.

Don’t get me wrong, I love all the Gibson Lethal Weapon movies, Braveheart and the like.  But seriously Mel, how can you seriously say you don’t think anyone’s afraid of you?

There’s a house in Hudson, NH that will be lighting over 100,000 lights starting Thursday night; apparently, this family does this each year and chooses one charity / person(s) / family in need to donate to.  This year they chose Matty, a 7 year old with Hepatoblastoma (very rare cancer that occurs in infants and young children).  Matty makes pretty frequent visits to Children’s ER due to his condition, where my wife is an ER nurse.

There’s more specific info on the family’s website about the lighting. http://www.hudsonchristmas.com/ 

Andrea and I will try our best to get up there, hopefully we’ll have our new car soon or can catch a ride with someone.  If you’re interested in going, click here for directions.