the underwear drawer

the 11,000 word update

(Since pictures are worth a thousand words. Aha! Math!)

It was another very nice weekend for our family, as both Joe and I were off. Joe technically is on call today, but it's a home call-type situation, not to mention his last call as a resident ever (as the senior ophtho residents don't take call the last month). So yea, there is much rejoicing in our home. Here are some pictures of Cal from the playground this morning, in case you forgot what he looked like:







Lord, that kid is getting big. It was a crowded day at the playground, but I actually like taking Cal to the playground when there are a lot of kids there, because I'm trying to toughen him up. See, Cal has something of a Gentle Giant syndrome, because while he is large as compared to kids his age, he's kind of a pushover, which sort of leads to situations in which he gets a little bit shoved around, and wherein thug hooligan children steal his toys. He will usually either shrug it off or look over at the adult in charge with a sort of trembley-lip scandalized expression, but I'm trying to sort of model how to negotiate these situations with mediation and compromise. And also, when the going gets tough, I just shove the jerk kids down the stairs and pretend that it was an "accident."

(Need I note that I am KIDDING? I would think not, but this is the Internet, so I will explicitly state that I have never shoved a kid down the stairs in my life. At least not one who didn't deserve it.)

On one hand, I am glad that Cal's personality is one that leans away from juvenile violence and such. Even though this sounds like I prefer the victimization of my kid, I have to say that I would much rather teach my kid how to avoid being thugged upon than to have my kid be the thug. However, I don't want Cal to be too passive or anything. This could just lead to a lifetime of him getting shoved into lockers.



After the playground, we went to the Japanese market, wherein I picked up this really good white bread that they have there (I don't know why the Japanese bread is so much better than the regular kind of bread that they have at the whitey supermarket, but IT IS. Maybe there's more butter in it? It does feel heavier than the loaves I usually get at the store) and to survey their snack collection. Nobody does snack food like the Japanese. They even had the full array of Pocky, including my personal favorite, "Men's Pocky."




As well as this weird snack which looks like feces in a bag:




And this snack, which if my high school French still serves I believe translates to "Cock of asses."



There was a street fair down Second Avenue today as well, so we did some cruising on our way home. I was, as always, on the prowl for some cheap bedsheets, but they didn't have any good sets out today. (I like the cotton sateen kind with the tone-on-tone stripes. A little more pricey than the super-cheap $10 sets, but very nice and still at a big discount.)



There were, of course, plenty of Gyro stands, with the requisite 80's era poster of Hooter's waitresses holding Gyros next to their faces.




If that doesn't make you want to buy Gyros, I don't know what will.


Currently watching: "Shopgirl." It was fairly true to the book, which I guess should be no surprise, since Steve Martin wrote the screenplay and played the character of Ray Porter himself. Even though I've heard that Claire Danes is a not-so-nice person in real life, I am fascinated with her face. It's like you can read every single emotion on it. It wasn't a great movie, but she gave a good performance.

Speaking of "Shopgirl": Threadless is having a big sale which ends today, though there is a possibility that they may extend it through tomorrow. I am mildly obsessed with their t-shirts, particularly for Cal, though I am aware that in buying him clever t-shirts I am just one step away from being one of those parents that stuff their kids into slogan t-shirts to serve as billboards for their own beliefs. So I suppose my belief is that nothing rhymes with "orange."