Good Day of Grad Parties

Pacifier Warning

Had to make an emergency binky run & the package says, no kidding:

"WARNING: Do not tie pacifier around child's neck as it presents a strangulation danger."

Um...duh?

This warning is maybe from a law suit, methinks? But more suing might be ensuing when a bad parent reads it & thinks "That's awesome, then I ain't gotta put down my beer or cigarette to do nothing for the kid!"..."Judge, I never thought of it 'til the package put the idear in my head."

Ugliest Baseball Uniforms Ever

This is great. Except that isn't that Pete in a Phillies uniform and not a Reds uni? The comment on the original page says it's Reds. Maybe they didn't know he played for the Phillies?

Niehbur on Christ & Culture

"The relation of the authority of Jesus Christ to the authority of culture is such that every Christian must often feel himself claimed by the Lord to reject the worl and its kingdoms with their pluralism and temporalism, their makeshift compromises of many interests, their hypnotic obsession by the love of life and the fear of death. The movement of withdrawal and renunciation is a necessay element in every Christian life, even thouh it be followed by an equally necessary movement of responsible engagement in cultural tasks. Where this is lacking, Christian faith quickly degenerates into a utilitarian device for the attainment of personal prosperity or public peace; and some imagined idol called by his name takes the place of Jesus Christ the Lord."

~ H. Richard Niebuhr from Christ and Culture

Forever Young

Not sure why I like this commercial so much.

It debuted during the Super Bowl & runs periodically. Maybe it's because (1) I really enjoy Bob Dylan (2) I secretly love me a little hip-hoppy music (3) riffs on nostalgia and change, both of which I am fond of.

It's certainly not because of Pepsi. Can't stand it, never drink it.

I did enjoy Tropical Pepsi when I spent that summer in Tokyo.

Beef Jerky Purchased

Harsen's Island Vacation

From CNN.com: Military burns unsolicited Bibles sent to Afghanistan

Powered by Yep. The Bible is THAT dangerous. It'll flip your world and blow your mind. Best burn it. Military burns unsolicited Bibles sent to Afghanistan - CNN.com*

Meka @ Great American Row Section 130 Row O seat 7

My $4,500 Lemon: Taking the Feds Up on Cash For Clunkers

My $4,500 Lemon: Taking the Feds Up on Cash For Clunkers

Loved this! Especially because we've got ourselves a 2000 Honda Odyssey w/ requisite milk spills & juice goob.

Palm Pre Drops June 6th

Old news by this time today but exciting none the less.

So...do I camp out? Will I need to?

That would be lame. It would be like coming out of the closet as a geek.

Ouch. Don't insult the other guy...

Taking a jab at "the other guy" that is, the person you think you are competeing with just makes you look desperate & jealous as the underdog. Clearly you wish you were in the position they are in. Taking a shot at the little guy makes you look like a bully.

It really is true that if you don't have anything good to say (except maybe if you have earned the right to tell the truth vis constructive criticism directly to the person) you ought not say anything at all.

But then what about the PC/Mac commercials? I actually stop the DVR to watch them.

Star Wars vs. Star Trek

antiderative? but i am pro derivatives!

well, calculus final exam - complete.

to be honest, i love calculus. it is amazing. i would definitely like to continue into higher-level calculus courses one day when i get a chance.

yeah, i have a strong grudge against my former teachers who liked to lump students into either: creative, english and arts students OR math and science students. as far as i can remember i was told i was the former and not the latter, even though i tested just as well on both before i completely bought into it all that junk. i am certainly not suggesting that i am a math genius, but between carpenter-geometry, physics and calculus, i definitely have a love of mathematics that was never developed in school.

i think that believing students are one or the other makes teachers like my 9th grade geometry teacher, mrs. gee, feel better about losing students' interest - - because it couldn't possibly be that they deliver math in a bland and sometimes repulsive way.

scott - i am glad you will be going into the schools and changing things for the better. ...but just in case a kid talks back, i recommend keeping a stash of liquid palmolive in your desk.

M. Ward Hold Time

Hold Time - M. Ward

This album is fantastic. Grab it. Grab it now. Only one cut I'm not a big fan of. Any guesses?

Woody Guthrie + Wilco = Wondery

We ferrys love Woody Guthrie. And also are fans of Wilco. Put them together and there's been some wicked good moments on the Mermaid Avenue projects. Here's another installment of Woody lyrics with Wilco music, called The Jolly Banker.

You can download The Jolly Banker from Wilco's site: CLICK HERE

Thoughts on Fatherhood from R. Kent Hughes

"...the mere fact of fatherhood has endowed you with terrifying power in the lives of your sons and daughters, because they have an innate, God-given passion for you."

"...there are few places where sanctified sweat will show greater dividends than in fathering. If you are willing to work at it, you can be a good father. If you are willing to sweat, you will see abundant blessing."

"...rearing children is like holding a wet bar of soap - too firm a grasp and it shoots from your hand, too loose a grip and it slides away. A gentle but firm hold keeps you in control."

"Men are never manlier than when they are tender with their children - whether holding a baby in their arms, loving their gradeschooler, or hugging their teenaer or adult children."

Good, challenging words as I deal with two and stare down the barrel @ #3!

Cryptic Album Update From Derek Webb

friends-
i haven't sent many personal emails to this email list but we're in a situation that has gotten a little out of control and it's time to fill you in. as some of you may know, i've been working for months on my new record, 'stockholm syndrome', which i've recently finished and turned in to the record label. they've been very supportive over the years, but this time we didn't get the response we expected. it seems i've finally found the line beyond which my label can support me, and apparently i've crossed it.

i consider this my most important record and am adamant about all of you hearing it. we had originally hoped to have 'stockholm syndrome' out this month (next week even), but at this point we're not sure when the record will come out and in what form. the majority of the controversy is surrounding one song, which i consider to be among the most important songs on the record. so we've decided it's an appropriate time to break the rules.

but because of various legal/publishing issues we're having to be rather careful with how we do what we're going to do next. that's really all i can say for now and i've probably said too much.

we have a plan and we're moving ahead, but we're not sure what kind of trouble we might be getting into. we'll let you know as soon as we know our next move- derek

philip johnson's glass house

sabrina and i went to visit the glass house last week. it was philip johnson's masterpiece and his personal home for 60 years. it was absolutely amazing! perfect for what it was. the plan of the house is basically a rectangle with an off-center cylinder running through it (creating the bathroom and fireplace). it sat on 46 acres that functioned as his playground for architecture experimentation. he also designed several other structures on the site including a personal art gallery, a sculpture musuem, and his architecture studio.

the pictures here don't do it justice. it is such a perfect space to be inside. truly amazing! if any of you are ever in connecticut, check it out.

The Truth

Great Great Grandma's Hydrangeas

We kill plants. Not intentionally, mind you. We love plants. I even have a picture of me hugging a tree. And up until we moved into this house neither Cheryl nor I had ever had much of a chance to garden. But the previous owner did quite well with some knock out roses, a rose of sharon bush & some stuff & we've picked up the baton & are giving it a go.

We've planted a Japanese maple (Meka's tree), a couple wisteria plants, a weeping willow (E's tree), wildflowers, three blueberry bushes, some ground cover from the cottage, some various annuals and the best of all, a hydrangea.

The hydrangea is from the hydrangeas at the cottage on Harsen's Island that grow on either side of the garage. As the story goes, Nana split the plant from her mom when she and Papa married, planting it at their first home. Then when they got the cottage built she split it & took it there. A family heirloom plant, if you will. We tried 4 or 5 different plants at least a couple times and finally now one has taken!

Eventually we hope to split this one and have several bushes across the back of the yard.

I love being able to say: "Meka & Edie...this is your great great grandmother's hydrangea."

McSweeney's | IT'S ALL FUN AND GAMES UNTIL...

If you have a couple minutes to read some humor: CLICK HERE

Palm Pre Launch Date? June 5th?

CLICK HERE to read more @ Boy Genius Report

Meka @ Swim Lessons

The iBible

HT @DerekWebb: www.twitter.com/derekwebb

Who can hook me up with this?

Auto Tuning from Casey Donahue on Vimeo.

Ferry Family Photos by LeRoux Visual

CLICK HERE to check out LeRoux Visual. Great stuff!

CLICK HERE for more family photos.

Today's Bike Ride