its been 4evah and day

but after Jesse Jackson's gaffes about Obama "off the record" I realize I must be careful about my public persona.
I've moved the way of Facebook anyhoo and have a page up - search on me, check out some recent photos of the kids and be sure to "poke me" whatevever the heck that means!

I'll get back in the blogging habit for sure, but for now a few news updates:
1) we have moved to Roland Park, and are all settled in - love the new house, but are broke as a joke until we sell the old crib.

2) I graduated in May, got hooded by Roni and now am an offical Ph(MF)D! I'm not gonna elaborate about the extra letters but those of you who know mw knowwhatI'msayin'..


I'm out!

Greetings , and Happy April!

Sorry, two months later and I still need to get the Hawaii photos downloaded.

We are closing on the new house in less than a month - we have not put our current house on the market. So, essentially we are borrowing a ton of money to cover the new, the old, daycare, etc..
guess I'll have to hold off on the nose job and and spinning rims for the Accord.

So, I finally (FINALLY!) submitted the formatted version of the thesis, and will graduate in May. Roni is gonna hood me along with Scott Zeger, my idol and department chair, so this should be fun. Also, I was promoted from "Instructor" to "Assistant Scientist" - you know you are low on the totem pole when you are pushing 40 and you promotion includes the word "Assistant" but I'm happy nevertheless.

Micah and Emmet continue to be amazing. Micah is starting to really read, spell, write letters and stories etc.. which means Emmet will catch up soon because he can't stand to be behind Micah.

I am still working out regularly, been digging /redigging the following tunewise:
At The Gates
Spank Rock
Fuck Buttons (sorry mom)
Trouble Funk
Avail
Bolt Thrower.
Oh No.
Rare Essence
N.W.A.
Buttsteak
U.T.F.O.

Also, this blog kills me: cliched, but hilarious.

I'm out like trout for nowt.

the new crib

Wickford Road in the cold rain: (chocolate rain?)









Front of House: (spring photo, courtesy of current owners









Front Entrance/Living Room:





Kitchen/Dining Great Room:
















master bedroom:






side bumpout: "art room":





















stairway to basement (finished family room, office and full, I repeat, full bath):





















and most important: the treehouse in back!








These only get a little at the greatness of the hous, IMHO, and were taken before we made an offer (there are more but I don't wanna bore more than I already have) so Roni and I could review the evidence.

Late New Year's Resolution

Hey y'all: yikes, I've been like the world's worst blogger 4evah now..
but I got lots to talk about: holidayz, the death of my harddrive, my work junket to Hawaii, and the house we just bought less than a mile from our current digs..and pix to go with the latter 2. But consider that a teaser for the awesomeness that will come shortly.
Alas, even though I defended my thesis like 6 months ago or something I still need to fit the final, perfectly formatted version: I know I'm a total loser but I started teaching hardcore the day after I defended and really din;t have a lot of time until recently. What a pain in the ass this formatting thing is... of course the overall irony being ain't noone gonna read the thing anyhoo. But if they do the formatting is gonna be tizight.

Aight, check out the following book I've been reading lately, an original piece by Micah, "Blueberries" (presented as a few jpegs from scanning..

Cover Page:













Page 1:
"Lookout Jack"
"It was too late"

















Page 2:
"The blueberries hit jack"

Late New Year's Resolution

Hey y'all: yikes, I've been like the world's worst blogger 4evah now..
but I got lots to talk about: holidayz, the death of my harddrive, my work junket to Hawaii, and the house we just bought less than a mile from our current digs..and pix to go with the latter 2. But consider that a teaser for the awesomeness that will come shortly.
Alas, even though I defended my thesis like 6 months ago or something I still need to fit the final, perfectly formatted version: I know I'm a total loser but I started teaching hardcore the day after I defended and really din;t have a lot of time until recently. What a pain in the ass this formatting thing is... of course the overall irony being ain't noone gonna read the thing anyhoo. But if they do the formatting is gonna be tizight.

Aight, check out the following book I've been reading lately, an original piece by Micah, "Blueberries" (presented as a few jpegs from scanning..

Cover Page:























Page 1:
"Lookout Jack"
"It was too late"

















Page 2:
"The blueberries hit jack"

Worst blogger ever?

This could certainly describe me.
But I have so much to blog about. Some highlights of the past month:
1) Thanksgiving - we trekked to my folks pad outside of Philly and had a nice meal with my Mom (Gigi), my dad (Grandad) and Uncle George.
2) The evening post-Thanksgiving as my 20th high school reunion. 20 years since leaving Wissahickon Senior High. I was nervous going into it, and my expectations were low, but it was hella fun. Literally saw a lot of folks I hadn't seen in 20 years. Age is an interesting thing. Mullets and 'staches have been replaced by male pattern baldness and goatees on the guys, and big teased hair has been replaced with contemporary cuts on the ladies. I never had a mullet and still can't grow visible facial hair, so I pretty much look the same, but 20 years older.
3) Back to Bmore on the Saturday following T-giving, after hanging with Roni's uncle John, Aunt Sandy and cousins Andy, Lara, and Amy, and offspring Jesse and Corrine. We had a lot of fun with those folks.
4) Flash forward to the following Friday evening -dinner with 8 randomly selected MPH students at Iggie's pizza in Mount Vernon. What a great time - all were from my class and it was really fabulous to hang out in a laid-back non-academic setting. If I can ever get our house in order I'll invite that crew over in early 2008 for a "reunion" meal.
5) We are in the market for our next house - currently looking in Bmore and will buy assuming things look promising on the career front, negotiations in progress on the latter..

More updates to come soon!

What up!

A lot has happened since last blog update:

a) saw Avail live at the Ottobar- also saw a "junior" punk rock band "Smoke or Fire" - the latter had great energy, but little in the way of tunes - but I'm not familiar with their stuff so it may be my fault- anyhoo good fun to watch. While Avail at this point puts on a greatest hits show they destroyed - an are almost as old as me! My hipster neighbors were there and reacted to my "Hey!" greeting like I was their dad- but when the band hit the stage I was pumping fists and singing along with the other old folks in the crowd. Lots of stage diving but I, despite my front stage left status was not injured.
b) last weekend, Saturday - Halloween (belated) get together at Micah's homey Jake's house in Ellicott City:
costumes, s'mores, hayride - ton of fun. Then off to DC for the APHA meetings. Stayed in Hotel Harrington a refreshingly old skool place right by Metro Center. After the boyz got settled, I went off to the Black Cat for a show -three bands all with female bassists. History (never heard of prior), Reporter (never heard of prior), The Thermals (heard of)- smoke free, rockin sets no BS between band setups, saw 3 sets and was in bed by midnight.
c) Sunday - daylight savings - someone tell Emmet we CAN sleep late on this day.Whatever. Off to Adams-Morgan with the boys to chill for a spell. THen off to Takoma to see Lily, Loren, Joseph, Jimmy, Isa and the new house. A lot of fun, and Micah and Emmet still wearing Spiderman costumes (since pre-Halloween). Trampline action then off for Peruvian food. Yuca and guacamale is the best combo since Hall and Oates.
d) Monday: riding the metro with the boyz was a ton of fun - and then we went to the Mall and checked out the Capitol (from afar), the Washington Monument (from less afar), and the Whitehouse (closeup..well at least close to the security gates). Back to Baltimore in the late afternoon.

Two nights of being a single parent and then Roni came back on Wednesday. Emmet and Micah were quite helpful and well behaved and we had some serious fun.

All the way to RICHMOND VA!

this weekend to see cousins Jon, Rebecca, Rose and Lilah!
Photos to come soon.
I love Richmond. Despite the southern ties its an interesting city with a great history of punk-esque music (Avail -who I'm gonna go see in 2 weeks, Breadwinner, GWAR, Kepone, Alabama Thunderpussy, etc...and alsoLamb of God, but I'm not going there).

Jon was a key player in the late eighties straight-edge hardcore movement with his band Up Front (who totally kick-ass )

We all went to the National Folk Festival. Now I know what you are thinking - because its what I was thinking - millions of patchouli-reeking acoustic guitar holding hippies!

But it was more of a mishmash -so we got to see marimbas, blues and gogo.

The Junkyard Band was great - old, young, multiple ethnicities and a lot of percussion lent itself to dancing up a storm.

NTW: Richmond is a great, interesting place despite its knack for holding on to old skool Southern US crap.

McGeezy off the heezy

Two weekends ago at the annual McGready (Burgess)

family picnic outside of Philly PA!

first two pix Emmet and Micah going for MLB!

last pic is Emmet and Micah tearing up cookies at my folks' house)