Zoe is cooler than you

Dammit. You know it's true.

Standing up for herself!

Yes, yes, I know, we post way too much mundanity. But, it's a milestone and we are proud.
Zoe is frustrated. Hates to sit, so she pulls herself to crawling position. But she doesn't like to crawl. It ticks her off. It's not fast enough. Life's too short! Gotta GO!
I've written enough about how she likes to stretch her legs. Well, here's proof.
Even though it might look like it, I am actually doing about 3% of the work for her. She's really pulling herself up. And pretty damned proud of it, too.

Cracking the code

I know, this is the most pretentious 'proud papa' bs post but, here's the deal:
I cracked the reading code when I was 18 months old. I mean, I wasn't reading Tolstoy or Kozinski (that was for when I was a pretentious 12 year old and, apparently, wanted to get punched in the head whilst carrying around said tomes) but I could recognize "cat" and "Dog" and "Fish" as words and what they meant. Trust me, it was a big deal.
In 1969 I was five and there was really nothing in place for a kid like that, one that could read so early. Oh, yeah, the reading just more comprehensive by that point. So, by the time I was in kindergarten and could read on a 3rd grade level, the only option the school had was to put me in some kind of special ed. My mother balked at that, understandably and I was trotted off to hebrew school where I no longer excelled and that was pretty much the end of it.
Now, I have no intention of being the Rick Moranis character from "Parenthood". If Zo shows an interest, we'll pursue but I'm not going to inundate her with flash cards or anything. (Okay, maybe one or two, but just about the states and their capitals, I promise)
The reason for all this code cracking talk? Zo loves books. She adores books. And this morning, while feeding her, she picked up a soft cover baby einstein book. It's one that we read to her often. And she started holding it like she was reading it. And by that I mean, the picture below. But, while you are looking at that picture, I want you to imagine her babbling on and on and pointing to the words on occassion.

Okay. Blowhardy parental pride moment is over.

Oh, and this is the most interesting thing she has done in a while, hence the reason for the slow going blogging.

Zoe's first festival of Lights.

It was the first night of Hannuka. It might also be the first night in 6 years that I remember that it was the first night.
Beth's present arrived at the same time. It's small. It's a calendar of her baby for next year. She asked for it. And her big present was given to her a few months ago. Our friend, Erin Sullivan, was visiting and we asked her to take a picture. Lo and behold, erin's all smarty-pants on us and was filming with the video part of Beth's camera. So, here is the candle lighting for Zoe's first Hannuka.
to clarify, it's a calendar of Zoe so Beth has pictures of her ONLY baby to festoon her wall all next year.

Two thirds through the holiday season.

Welp, the second batch of holidays are done. Buh bye!
Halloween was easy, surprisingly.
Then we had Thanksgiving. I'm sure we will post a bunch of pix from that but I must say, Zo was fantastic. The drive up to Sonoma was a cinch. Zoe got us up around 4:30 so we fed her, packed the car and were off by 5:45. First time we ever rolled into Wine Country during daylight. What a nice ride.
The enxt day it was off to pre-thanksgiving with Aunt Gloria (my mother's aunt, atchelly) and her husband, Jerry. When she told us "the kids" were coming, I had an image of 10 year olds. Not the 20-somethings and their spouses. What a treat. Conversation was terrific. Food was incredible. And Glo and Jer are granparents again. It was so nice.
Then back to Glen Ellen and the Kirkpatrick side.
I never had to hold Zo, to be honest. There was always someone who wanted the kid and we were only too happy to oblige. Especially Nana, who just adores lil Zo.
And I gotta hand it to the Zoester. She didn't have her swing or her music and she still took her naps like a trooper. Face down in the pac n play.
Beth and I even got an afternoon to ourselves. We hit a tasting at a ridiculously overpriced winery, bought some damned good Pinot and even got to tell the waiter that one of the wines was "piss". We were right. He said that they had mismarked the vintage and that the wne we tasted was, indeed, terrible.
I prefer "piss".
Zoe also decided to cut her first teeth this trip. Two bottom ones. Sharp as all get out. Still no tears. Oh, yeah, turns out she LOVES yams. Go figger.

The ride back, once again, Zoe was encroyable. She sat in that damned car seat for the better part of an 8 hour drive and only cried once and even then only for about 5 minutes. God Bless Laurie Berkner.

Just got back from shopping and we are prepping for the big trip in December. Cincinnati/Kentucky for X-mas then aNOTher 8 hour drive to Chicago to see Jon and Julie and the J's. Then back and then home and back to work.

here's a shot I grabbed of Zo at the market. Couldn't resist.

Rockin Tot!

Zoe is weird in Rockin Tot class. She doesn't participate the way she does at home. She observes. She watches. She takes it all in. She might start pounding on the drums but only when everyone else is done.

Beth assures me that she is not retarded.

If she is, she's damned cute.

New slideshow

it's time for a new Zoe slideshow.
Can't type, holding Zo.
enjoy.

Scary Zoe!

Zoe got dressed up for Hallow's Eve.

Take the Prisoner Away!

one more from Halloween. Because, well it's so damned apropos.

I'd recognize your foul stench anywhere.....

Zoe's first Hallowe'en





.

I am DAD

Laugh at me all you want, wife. I am NOT alone!


Now go to I Am Dad and laugh your.....pants off!

magic boxes

I don't recall if I mentioned this before but who cares? Man, I just can't get over how much in love with the "magic box" Zoe is.
I mean, yes, Beth and I are both tv watchers. Avid tv watchers. We love our tivo. (I think a little more than we love each other.....) And when I say TiVo I mean Tivos because we have three. One in the kitchen that records news and cooking shit that I like to watch while I am in "my room" (and I am always in my room). There's the occassional smattering of regular programming as well, but it's not a sit back and watch the tube kind of place.
The living room is a dual mode dvr so EVERYTHING gets dumped on to that. And the tivo in the bedroom never gets watched but I use it to record stuff which I send to my macbook via wireless adapter. Shows that I can then burn as dvds or encode for ipod viewing.
Back to Zo.
She knows the sound of the TiVoi remote. Seriously. I think it's because i used to do the late night feedings and watch reruns of Friends and Cheers at 3 in the morning. The "bloop bloop" sound was something that Zo got to hear early. And now I had to turn off that feature in the kitchen because if she is in the living room and hears the "bloop bloop" Beth can't get her to concentrate on anything else. She cranes her neck to see if she can find the tv.
The same thing in the living room. She will stare at the magic box for what seems like forever even when it's off in the hopes that the dancing lights and colors will suddenly come on. And if it doesn't then she STARES at the remote. I swear she thinks she can turn the damned thing on.
I had to give her a broken, unused tivo remote as a playtoy. It's one of her favorites.
And it's the same with the ipod. To her it's just another magic box. It has sounds and pretty pictures.
And since we are crazy neurotic about what tv does to a kid's wiring we are trying as hard as we can not to let her watch.
But you know what? When she is screaming at nothing and wailing because, well, we don't know why, those times are few and far between, not often at all, sometimes plopping her in front of the tube and letting her watch a little Jack's Big Music Show isn't such a bad thing. Is it?
It's when she leans as far out of her high chair as she can and stares at the blank screen that I worry.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Zoe Mina!

Yesterday was pumpkin patch day. Beth had found this great pumpkin patch in Beverly Hills with a petting zoo, bouncies, pony rides and crochety, mean BH moms who hate you and your dog and everything that isn't theirs. Ah well, that's one great thing about not living in BH. Gimme the Ghetto over snobs anyday.
We packed up Huck (Because, despite what the mom whose child is scared of dogs said, this is a dog friendly place).
It was blistering hot. Kids were having tantrums. Literally. One girl was lying face down in the hay, pounding her feet and hands and screaming uncontrollably. even Huckleberry hated this kid. But he did his job, sitting still while she pet him through her tears.
It was a blast. We got our pumpkin. Beth will carve it today. I did it last time. It was a miserably frustrating experience, replete with yelling, cursing, crying and fights. Good times!
Actually, I am way more into the holiday spirit this year. I don't know why. Maybe it's Zo. That's got to be a part of it.
Maybe it's best explained by the young woman who stopped by our table at Swingers when we were all having breakfast before the pumpkin patch. She leaned over to smile at Zoe, while she was petting our dog, Beth was finishing up her eggs and I was sipping my coffee. The woman said, "What a nice family."
I couldn't agree more.

Here's Zo at the pumpkin patch.

everything in its right place......

Zoe listens to her first Radiohead......

Am i a good father or what?

The pediatrician (Whatta boob)

Yesterday Beth took Zoe to the pediatrician for some shots, (flu, vaccines, etc) and a reg'lar checkup. This was a cause of slight stress for me because a few months ago the perfect storm for Allen's neurosis was starting to manifest: Zoe's weight was in the lowest percentile (around 10%) and her height was also low, no shock there, considering that Me, my mother and both grandmothers on my side make up our own lollipop guild. But, it was that coupled with Dr. Nagle's demand that Zoe eat around 8 ounces per feeding and that she consume 35 ounces a day that had my fear hackles up. This kid does NOT eat 8 oz a pop. We're lucky if we get 5 into her. We toss more formula than we make most of the time. Sometimes she will surprise us and down 7 but that's a rarity. So, at 4 oz per feeding we're looking at feeding her 9 times a day. She wakes up at 7 and goes to bed at 7. So, we would have to feed her every hour and 15 minutes. So, I was concerned, needless to say, that we weren't feeding her enough. Can you imagine a LULU not eating enough? Ha! But Zo has been on a tear lately. Chomping down every kind of solid food we give her. We started, of course, with rice, but moved quickly to mashed bananas, peas, squash, green beans, etc. The rice is useless. It's too watery and bland. Zo has a non-discerning pallette, it seems. Prunes? Awesome. Pears? Why not? We open it, she tastes it, then she grabs the spoon and wants more more more.
So, when Beth was taking her in I was on pins and needles waiting to find out the result.

I shouldn't have worried.
Zo has climbed out of the cellar and is now around 40% for both height and weight. The doc was pleased. He also told us to start biscuits. I know, every label says to wait until they are 9 months but I think that is for the company's protection. Once she got the hang of what the biscuit was about, Zozo wouldn't let it go. I think she got more ON her then in her, but she did a pretty good job. Only gagged once.

Zoe's also taken to waking up a lot at night. The reason? She has begun to roll over. We can't keep her on her back at night. She is all the over onto her tummy within minutes. The doc is also unafraid of SIDS at this point. Zo has the capacity to pick herself up, he says. I concur. She is moments away from crawling. But, she cries because she hasn't quite figure out how to extricate her other arm from underneath after she has rolled. I wonder if it is falling asleep. THAT would suck. Regardless, we're in for some loooooong nights until she figures this one out.

Let's see, what else?

She's ahead of schedule for most things, this kid. She's supposed to be making "da da" and "Ga ga" sounds about now, but she has been doing that for weeks. She is supposed to be pushing up to stand with her legs (assisted) at around 6 or 7 months, but she's been doing THAT for months. And pincers. Babies are rakers, using their whole hands to grab stuff. Pincing comes around month 10. Zo alternates between the two. It's about even. But I don't think she's supposed to even be doing that yet.

Lastly. Beth thought she noticed a lump in one of Zo's boobs. Like a cyst or something. So, she asked the doc about it. Nope, not a cyst. Zoe has a lot of hormones. It's a boob. She has the very teeny, weeny makings of a boobie under there.
Apparently it's pretty normal. I think she's going to be that girl who develops early. Like 10 or 11. Damn, a LOT of boys are gonna want to do homework with her........

Some new pics for you.

Chaya Batya

Last weekend we had the Rabbi and a couple dozen of our friends over for some nosh, some drink and Zoe's official Hebrew Naming Ceremony.
There were a lot of people who couldn't make it. So, here is some video for you.

Finally. Some video for y'all

Well, it isn't much. Not very fancy. That's because for the first time I found a program that was actually easier to figure out on a pc than a mac. I know, I know, iMovie is supposed to be sooooo easy. Well, it was a bitch to figure out and it ATE space on my macbook. Pooor little macbook.

Here's Zo. eating and playing piano. Like a good little Lulu.

Zoe Lulu...circa 1880's

This came to me from a geneology site. Thought it was kinda inneresting.
Zoe Lulu...you were not the first. Cute shot of Zoe and mommy at the Beverly Hills playground after the story.

"Zoe Lulu Harmon was the wife of Capt William Harmon. She died in Miles City in 1895.

I found them and their three children in the 1880 Dakota Territory census- Ft. Abraham Lincoln, Burleigh Co.---Leo C, Milan,& William. Another son Joseph R is listed with his widowed father & brother Milan T in 1900 Custer Co census under misspelling William Harman. Leo was a clerk & banker (after being educated in Montreal) in Miles City during the panic and until 1900.

Zoe Lulu born about 1847 was daughter of Matilda Picotte Galpin also known as Eagle Woman- the only female Sioux chief.

Matilda was a signer of 1882 Standing Rock treaty. She was daughter of a Hunkpapa -Two Kettle union---Two Lance I and Rosy Light of Dawn. (Sitting Bull was Hunkpapa.) In North Dakota History Journal of Northern Plains it credits Zoe Lulu Harmon with having Sitting Bull's pipe.

Capt William Harmon b1835 Springfield, ME outlived Zoe Lulu and died in 1903 Milwaukee. He was Civil war vet 1st Minnesota volunteer infantry & obtained rank of Captain in regular army resigning in 1870. He owned the steamer "H.M. Rice". He then did government contract work in Dakota Territory. In 1882 Montana he established first permanent ranch in what would be Fallon County on east O'Fallon Creek. William, Zoe, & son Milan had land patents in Carter County-1892, 1894, 1905.

Sitting Bull visited Capt William Harmon at Bismarck while being "escorted" on the steamer General Sherman. The book "Campaign's General Custer in the Northwest and the Final Surrender of Sitting Bull" by Judson Elliott Walker details this in Chapter 4.

Charles Galpin was listed as Zoe Lulu's father in all but Leo Harmon's bio. He listed his grandparent as Picotte with French heritage. I believe him to be correct.

Matilda had a country marriage with Honore Picotte, American Fur Co. trader in Dakotas. I found only 2 children daughters Zoe Lulu & Louise. Father DeSmet is credited with telling Honore to go home to his white wife in St. Louis. (I did not find the citation for this)

Matilda then married Ft Abraham Lincoln clerk & Civil War veteran Charles Galpin. Matilda had 2 more daughters- Alma married Henry Parkin (clerk Ft Abraham Lincoln, store manager Standing Rock, trading post of Ft Yates, later owned Cannonball Ranch, territorial legislature, state senator); Lucy Annie married Charles Van Solen (town of Solen).

Charles & Matilda were frequent interpreters and part of Father Pierre DeSmet's 1868 peace commission. Charles died in 1869 and Matilda became the trader. It was unusual for a woman to be the trader. She was born in 1820 and died in 1888. She is credited as being a peace keeper.

The complete name of Zoe Lulu's mother was "Eagle Woman That All Look At". Her husband Charles Galpin called her Little Eagle. She was baptized Matilda. She was by all accounts very capable. Dakota PBS radio did a 3part series on her.

Zoe Lulu's brother Charles Francois Picotte was granted 640 ac outside of reservation for his assistance in treaty signing by US Govt. He bought additional 30 ac to get river access & it became the site of new territorial capital Yankton. It was first called Charlie's Town. He did die broke."

There ya go, Zo. Yer an Indian.

Museings.....

Another hotel room. Back in Vancouver this time. Itunes has chosen "Seperate Ways" by Journey and that seems appropriate. Not lonely, not really bored, I've culled enough watching and reading material for the trip. Trust me, 4 hours of Kevin Smith monologuing is more than enough. Beth just sent a bunch of pics that I will deposit on this page. Pics she took of Zoe on the porch. That's their thing; the porch. They love it. It's their time. Me, I haven't spent more than 5 minutes in the front portion of the house since the kitchen (read:my room) was completed. Beth and I were chatting when she had to go put Zo down for the night. It's not the first time that I haven't been there for the ritual but it cuts this time, for some reason. I often get melancholy when I travel. Because I do it so often and I do it alone. Vancouver is a great city, but I've been here more times than any other city I didn't reside in now and I've seen it. I've been there. And 90 minutes on an immigration line will harsh any travel excitement.

Billy Squier's Rock Me Tonite. I think that's why Billy imploded. Dude. It's toNIGHT. Sheesh.

I was recognized again. This time it was two women at the work permit cashier station. It wasn't a good recognition, though. It was the kind that middling tv stars must experience. When two strangers turn their backs to you, whisper and shoot glances over sunglasses your way. I know that look. I've DONE that look. It's a lonely feeling, I'll tell you. I wished I could crawl into my motorcycle jacket and wrap my shades to cover my entire face. Or better, I wished that the damned cashier would open another window and let me go on my way.
Oh, yeah, the pictures.
So, Beth sent these shots of Zo and I just got done adding them to a folder and had a good look.

Someday, Someway by Marshall Crenshaw. Did this ever feel fresh? It's like 1962 revisited. Ah, the ironic 80's. Tongue in cheek nostalgia
was so hip back then. Now it just seems like style-apeing.

Okay, Zoe. Yeah.
I've been feeling more and more tonight (tonite) like Zo saved my life. Not in the way that the doctors saved my life 10 years and 7 years ago. Not like Liz saved my life when she was alive and then at death. Not the way Beth did when she attached her clasp to my weird, world traveled chain. In a totally different way. And I should be able to describe it but I don't know that I have the patience to search for the words.

Julianne by Ben Folds. I should like Ben Folds more than I do. He's snarky and sardonic. But, you know what? He's too accomplished. His craftmanship outweighs his cheekiness.

Zoe saved my life. Not saved, really. Because i wasn't dying. And she sure didn't replace Liz. No one could and that wasn't why we had her. My life has been imbued with a new sense of.....not purpose....not responsibility.....no....what's the word.....?

Mean to me - Crowded House. I loved that album. Reminds me of the year I moved to Los Angeles. I've been told that all the later Crowded House work is better but I've never dabbled. For me it was sublime. Enough that I didn't want anything else to supplant it's greatness.

The word.
Fun.
Peculiar. You know? Children are the great magnifier. I believe. When someone you know has a child their true self comes through as though blown up to movie poster size. If they were a little neurotic they are Annie Hall. If they were cold, they are an iceberg. I think kids are the truest and surest way to determine what kind of person one truly is. In Beth I have seen kindness and generosity exploded to proportions equaling that of a charity worker.
In me.....I have no idea. I know that I am even more aware of my mortality. But, that's nothing new and I'm no more of a fatalist than I was before. I'm sure someone out there can better describe my magnification.
For me, it's all about fun.

Do the Necronomicon from Evil Dead the Musical. Damn that show was fun. Derivative as hell. Not an original moment in it. It was probably more fun to say I saw and talk about than it was to see. No, wait, strike that, reverse it. It was more fun to see and, afterwards, talking about it made it seem better than it was.
But it was fun.

And that's what having Zoe around is like. It's just fun. Fun to watch her watching herself on the computer. Or straining to see the tv when I won't let her, even though she knows that the TiVo remote makes the magic box show it's pretty colors and sounds. It's fun to kiss her tummy and watch her smile even though it's tickling and that's a form of torture, isn't it?
When i put her to sleep I love to talk to her. The other night I spent 20 minutes feeding her and telling her about all the places I have lived since I was two. 22 places. Shit, that's a lot.

Round Here - Counting Crows. I always forget until i hear this song that I think it might be the most beautiful I've heard. And when it's over I've forgotten about it again.

22 places. from my parent's first apartments to New York, to LA to the desert, to this place we live in now. Our home. And it feels like home.
And I'm beginning to think that there isn't any reason Zoe's room couldn't ever contain bunk beds, y'know?

Too tired to write.

Ever have one of those day where you just don't want to write a damned thing? I think it's a combination Zoexhaustion and too much coffee. Brain. Not. Working. Thoughts not forming.
Okay, forget it. Here's some new pics of Zoe.



is it just me or does Zo look like some chick you would hit on in a roller derby in 1979 and if you pissed her off she would punch you in the throat? Treat me Right, indeed.




It's difficult to get pics of Zo laughing. Mainly because the camera isn't fast enough for the pics not to be blurry and the flash just won't cut it. Doesn't matter. Here's one of the laugher.




Nana sent Zoe a ton of Beany Babies. Remember Beany babies? Zoe has about 40 now. her favorite? The poodle. The POODLE! Well, better that than the chihuahua....



This is kewpie doll just being cute. Gotta love it.

Zoe on the Porch

Ah, another week.....and still no movies....
that's okay, it's still update time!
Zo has gone through some huge changes in the last week or so. She is a big talker, cooing and yakking in an effort to tell us something. And whatever it is, it seems important to her, so we really should take notice.
The trip to Sonoma and back was really quite a breeze. Zo was great in the car. It wasn't until the end, the last 1 hour, that she went wonky on us. And that might be because we took the long, 9 hour vista filled drive as opposed to the 5 freeway, more direct route.
Nonetheless, we are proud of her.
Beth got Zo a Bumbo, which is a seat that babies can't get out of, but allows them to sit upright and not fall. It's great. And this way Zo can sit on the porch and watch the world go by. It's like her own tv. And believe me this is better than the tube, which has some kind of hypno draw on her. If it's on and she can see it, she will stare at the pretty lights.
This does not bode well.

At least she has the view.



Precocious? Who, me?



Now this is more like daddy's little girl! "You're not supposed to park there!"



They weren't supposed to park there, you know.


And all is well. Again.

Need some help with your 'lectronics? Call Zoe!

Zoe got a job!
In China!
Whattup!?!?!? Apprently, Z has been moonlighting for some electronics company in Beijing.
Who'dathunk???

Some recent pics after the jump.

Sing....sing a song....

So, here's something new.
Last night I gave Zoe a bath. I like to put music on when we do this. Heck, I like to have music on pretty much whenever she's around. This time it was a bunch of old Big Daddy tunes and I knew most of the words and on came a couple of fun, upbeat songs.
So, I started singing to Zo and the next thing I know, she is moving her mouth and, it looks like, she's imitating me. She was enraptured by this. It was pretty cool, to say the least.
Beth caught a nice shot of it.

the true face of evil

Oh, man......exhaustion has crept in. Crept...forced, broken down walls and beaten us to a bloody pulp.
I was going to take Zo out to Amoeba and the market but, when she finally fell asleep I just decided to leave her in the swing and graba cup of coffee and catch up on my reading. I'm back one day and already back into the swing.
Zo's doing the inconsolable dance, all parents know it. Nothing makes her happy and she screams and blows until, whammo, she crashes.
Ok, fine. You wanna be that way?
Then I will post your true, canderian demon self.




Truth is, this is the first few minutes I had with Zo when I got home. It almost seems like she recognized me. But as far as she's concerned it might as well be the return of her first friend, Gloppy the Placenta.

It's a pleasure to meetcha, you like like one incredible creature.

Just about the average length of a pop song...we present the first Zoe slideshow.

Music by The Cat Empire.

focus on personality.

Not a helluva lot of stuff going on in naval gazing, Zoecentric life. She still rules all of her minions. We are still treating her like she is a fetus living outside of the womb. Which means 4 am feedings. Yawwnnnnnn..
Today and about three days ago she was inconsolable. Sreaming. Bloody murder. A screaming mimi. The only thing that placated her was to let her do her standing thing. But she uses stomach muscles for that. So, clenching her stomach to stand, she tosses her lunch. Or dinner. Or dinner 2. We are covered in it.

Awesome.

While I wait to figger out iMovie y'all will just have to deal with some photos.

Remember how we told you that she is obsessed with monkeys? Here she is staring at the on on her bouncy seat.



But then she realized we were taking her picture and she is taken aback.


But if you want to swaddle your kid and you don't have a blanket handy, well, here's our new concept.
Works like a charm. And gets her ready for those beer swillin' summer afternoons that await....

Daddy Mac

Crazy Legs

Zoe's new thing is all about her legs. Chunky thighs over here isn't just kicking like a spastic soccer player with tourette's. I accidentally showed her what it's like to stand up. Now, this bow legged leprechaun cannot be soothed by anything except standing. I will try to post some of the dancing video but I have to warn y'all, when I do post it, it borders on child abuse.
Right now we love to play Mika for her. She digs it and it's fun to dance to and easy to sing. Zo is transfixed when someone sings to her.
Until I get some video up (and since I can't link to mp3's cuz I am a moron....anyone want to show me how?) here is the song, "Big Girls (you are beautiful), as uploaded to YouTube by someone. It's just the music and the album cover. But Zoe loves it.

Gotta go, it's time to play her favorite game: Get me my pacifier, idiot! You know! The one I just spit out!

Zoe enters geekdom. Whether she likes it or not.

Do you think Zoe will laugh at this picture when she is older or be embarrassed long after I am gone? Or will she wonder, why is my dad sucking a pacifier? Oblivious to the Darths that surround us. (Darth...I still think it's a great name for a boy)


Happy Birthday to Allen! As the world takes the day off to help me celebrate Kristen and Vinny stopped by to give us a pair of media passes to the Star Wars 30th anniversary convention. So, Beth and I loaded our little jawa and headed over to the Staples Center, which is about 8 minutes away. Had we known that we would have either become basketball fans or gone to more concerts. Who knew? Ah well.
The con was fun, but a little strange, since it was the last day that we were able to go it was a little sparse but such a concentration of Star Wars in one place. It's like too much curry in your hummus. Overwhelming. I haven't been to a show specific convention since I was 10 and when to the 10th anniversary Star Trek convention. Of course that was 31 years ago. We were just hearing whispers about a little movie called Star Wars. We had no idea that it would change our lives. I can still hear the gasp of the girl in the row behind me when the screen wiped upward when Luke and Obi Wan picked up a damaged c-3P0. She thought the wipe represented his being sliced in half. We thought she was a fool. Looking back, she was 14 and the guy she was with was comforting her. By wrapping his arm around her and shoving his tongue down her throat. But, what did we know? I thought Luke would get the girl and was angry when my mother's 36 year old friend was hot for Han.
That was down the shore. Shipbottom New Jersey. I rode my bike to the strip mall where the big theater was to see the movie 9 times that summer. Once a week. I was 12. I went by myself. 5 miles away. Times were different. Maybe not, but parents were. The only other theater was closer, yes, but showed Smokey and the Bandit all sumemr. Maybe it wasn't such a bad year after all.

Zoe and the con after the jump.

_____________________________________________________________________________________


Psst, Zoe. This could very well be a relative. Probably on the Goldberg side. From Poland. Or somewhere in eastern Europe. Look for Bagels and Schmears.

__________________________________________________________________________



My favorite Stormtrooper


My wife's favorite Stormtroopers


Poser!



Finally replaced my Watto. Because nothing says "SCI-FI!" like a Blue Flying Interstellar Space Jew Junk Salesman!


These were cool. The "concept" Droids based on the original Ralph McQuarrie drawings. I think they go well in the kitchen.


Right next to the Homestar Runner dudes.

Rock on!