It could be worse . . .

It's been a long Christmas week. Forgive the blithe nature of this post, but I'm just too tired for anything but listing the facts.

• Lil'er E had a cold all week. Hey, it was better than the RSV he had last Christmas.
• Getting ready to leave for my parents for five days, I notice that our cat had not eaten any food for a couple of days. I got a bad feeling about that.
• Lil'er E cries the whole seven hours to Abilene.
• On Christmas night, after a nice day with my parents, brother and sister-in-law, and niece and nephew, Mrs. E and I went on a double date with my brother to see Seven Pounds. A depressing movie, after which my sister-in-law checks her voice mail to discover that her 46 year old aunt has died. Apparently a suicide (the facts aren't all in), on Christmas Day. Worst part of the holiday. Period.
• Lil'er E, while getting over his cold, discovers that he can climb out of his pack-and-play bed and run to freedom. Which he did all last night. No real sleep for Mrs. E and me from 2 am on last night.
• Returning home today, I find that my cat did, indeed, die while we were gone. I found her lying under the Christmas tree - always her favorite place to be. The kids have taken it okay, at least so far.

I'm tired. I'm more than a bit sad. The kids had a great Christmas, and it was great to spend time with my family (and now with Mrs. E's family for a couple of days). But there just seems to be a pall hanging over this holiday. I've got Sufjan Stevens' "That Was The Worst Christmas Ever!" running through my head right now - I wonder why.

Hope your Christmas was a little better.

Random notes

Two out of Three ain't bad
With all due respect to Mr. Meatloaf, while two out of three ain't bad, two out of four is. Specifically when it is 2 out of 4 family members having strep throat. Namely, when it is Mr. and Mrs. E who have strep throat. And we're just waiting for the Little E's to catch it. Really, what are the chances that mom and dad can have strep throat, take care of the kids, and the kids not get sick? It's times like this that I wish we had family living in the area. It would be perfect to tell the kids they're going to grandma and papa's house for the week, let them handle the kids, and let us get well. But, alas, it isn't so.

It's so sparkly
So Lil'E came home from school yesterday and told me that her teacher is getting married. Her ring is so sparkly (so I've been told). Don't know when the wedding will be, but there's a chance that Lil'E will have to learn her teachers new name before the end of the year.

Has anyone else out there had a teacher get married in the middle of a school year? I did, when I was in 4^th or 5^th grade. All the kids brought her wedding gifts one day - for a little boy, it was an odd experience.

Music on my mind
So, I have so many music-related posts in my head that I haven't been able to get them all out and on the blog. I had really meant to have reviewed Sara Groves' new Christmas album by yesterday, but the strep kept me down. Plus I've also got a few thoughts about worship music and a few new bands to introduce to you. Oh, and I'll be going to the Arts*Music*Justice Tour on Sunday, so that will be fun.

Riding the storm out: 3 Stories

Story #1: Justin
I had asked everyone to be praying for Justin, who had heart surgery a week ago today. He and his parents rode out Hurricane Ike in the hospital and probably fared better there than most anyone else. The hospital never lost power and Justin is progressing remarkably well. In fact, the question is starting to become what to do if he is ready to go home but has no electricity at home. He has most of the lines and monitors removed and has started smiling again!

Story #2: The Euphrony's or A (kid) hurricane within a (big) hurricane
The last time I updated I talked about our preparation for Ike and how someone was offering to give Ike away on Craigslist. As Friday night went along we got the kids in bed, Lil'E in our bed downstairs and Lil'er E in his room upstairs. Then Mrs. E and I watched Monk and we went to bed. Around 1 a.m. (shortly before the eye was hitting land) we brought Lil'er E downstairs - he never went back to sleep. And, with him awake, Lil'E woke up. So, as Mrs. E and I tried to sleep on the couch and recliner, the kids ran circles around the living room; all the while outside the wind whistled and howled and trees creaked and popped. In other words, they had a blast of the night! Finally, around 5 a.m., they fell asleep in our arms. The electricity had gone out shortly before 3 a.m. Saturday morning, so most of the fun was in the dark lit only by LED lights.



Come "daybreak" the eye was over us. We could look outside for a bit and see some of the damage before the wind and rain picked back up. Finally, around noon, things were calming enough to go outside and begin some cleanup in the rain. One of our sweetgum trees in the front yard had snapped 20 feet off the ground and fallen on our neighbor's car (sorry!). First priority was getting it sliced up enough to allow them to cover up the hole in the windshield and to move the car so they could get a generator running out of the rain. After this we waited until the rain died down a bit more and began cleanup in earnest. I had another sweetgum drop a large branch over our driveway, and pine branches and pinecones everywhere - but no damage to the house (whew!). Our neighbors across the back fence had a pine snap and fall on their house, but only damaged the covered patio. Down the street a large tree fell and crushed a garage. Any trees with shallow, small root systems were pulled completely out of the ground. Power was out almost everywhere, with random spots around town having electricity. One of those was an intersection about a mile from our house - frustrating! As the day progressed we ate what we had, drank the water I had laid aside (there was a boil notice for all water around town) and made it through until evening. At least we could flush without problems! By 8 p.m. it was dark and the kids were in bed. Mrs. E was in bed, too, and I stayed up to read for a little while. We were hot, but we slept okay.

Sunday was a new day, with some new damage. We had more rain overnight and branches and trees that were loosened by Ike came free and came down. The kids had faired well on Saturday - Sunday they were just plain cranky. With no cold drinks, they wouldn't drink anything. No more milk. The foods in the fridge were gone and the stuff in the freezer were going. No ice. Oh, and did I mention cranky kids? Once the novelty of it all wore off they decided they had had enough! Lil'er E walked up to the TV every 10 minutes and tried to turn it on; persistance was not rewarded this time. I finished cleaning up the yard around 4:00 p.m., had the fridge and freezer cleaned out by 5:00. Before six o'clock we were on the road to Dallas to stay with family until either the power came back on or we had to return for work/school. Lil'E's school is out until at least Thursday, and my work until at least Wednesday. At last check, the electric company that services us was still showing 98% of their customers without power - some 380,000 households. We didn't need to be there, and we could get away. Let someone else have the ice they're shipping in, they need it more than we do.




Story #3: Mrs. E's grandmother
If there's a bad time for something to happen, it probably will. Last week, before the hurricane, Mrs. E's grandmother (in Port Arthur) had a stroke; it was a full day before anyone found her. She's been in the hospital recovering, and was not able to be evacuated before Ike hit. The hospital did not lose power, but Mrs. E's mom got a call this morning that her condition had deteriorated and she was put on life support. So not ten hours after we got to her house she was headed out to be with her mother in what could be her final days. Please pray for my mother-in-law (going into the blackout) and for her mother and family.

This has been a long post but I hope you read all of it. I wanted to update on several fronts and figured I'd mash it all into one. I'll keep everyone informed on the further adventures of the Euphrony's over the next few days.

While I'm at it, I'll ask a question: What is the longest you've sat in your house without power?
Tags: Hurricane Ike, Fallen Trees, Storm Damage, Debris, Electricity, Power Outages, Cleanup

Continued rambling about last week (or, another peek in my journal)

When we last heard from Euphrony he was battling his way through short courses on rheology and suffering through the 70°F weather of Monterey, California. We pick up as the conference actually begins . . .

Day 4: The conference begins full-pace today. Over the next five days I will attend something like 60 talks, out of a possible 250, and examine another 200 or so posters. But, undaunted, I am enthused as the sessions begin. Except for the fact that all the morning talks on the first day do not appeal to me - but it picks up in the afternoon. At night, the "social program" continues as the conference attendees and their accompanying families go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This special event is held after hours, so we are the only people there - much less crowded that way. It is a surreal experience - watching people dine on prime rib, sipping fine California wines, and strolling around observing the beautiful jellyfish, otters, penguins, sharks, tuna, and other features of the aquarium. Part of the time, though, I spend on the phone with Mrs. E - helping her prepare for the impending strike of Tropical Storm Edouard (which, thankfully, was a minimal impact).

Day 5: My day. My presentation is this afternoon, and I am presenting a poster at the poster session this evening, as well. Really, I'm a pretty relaxed speaker - confident about what I talk about, unfazed by goof ball questions, and keeping the talk within the alloted time - so I'm not worried. Some good talks today - interesting and informative. The morning keynote speaker is one of the best talks I've ever heard, with a great balance of science, innovative work, and real-world application. I stay in at lunch to go over my talk, then park in the room for my session. The talk went well, and many people told me they found it interesting and well done. And, they told me how good a job I did about being circumspect about issues that would give problems for intellectual property or corporate secrets (a big difference between me and most of them, who are in academia). The poster session is well-fueled with wine and beer, but the food is impossible to get at - who thought of only having one line to serve 1000 people? Silly. So, it's 9:00 before I eat. I chat with my old adviser for more than an hour; great to catch up with him. I don't see him much since he went to Cornell.

Day 6: Ahhh, no more pressure. My active part is done, now I can relax and just absorb knowledge. Mrs. E is flying in this afternoon, and the conference is half-day sessions and half-day excursions. The morning talks are so-so, but the afternoon is great. I take a bus tour down the Big Sur coastline. We get some great views, stop at a couple of places before spending 90 minutes at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. The scenery is amazing, as is viewing the damage from this summer's fires. (Note, one of the places we stopped for coastal views was a restaurant across from a hotel and spa. Three days after we were there, a kitchen fire burned the hotel to the ground - even after it had survived the forest fires.)
When I return I find Mrs. E sleeping in the room. That evening there is a beach party (more of the social program). Alas, we did not stay long enough for the karaoke - Mrs. E had sprained her ankle a few days before (toys on the stairs) and walking on the sand was just not good. We instead went back to the room and watched P.S. I Love You. Query: Why does Hilary Swank spend the first 5 minutes wearing just a bra? Answer: To keep the guys involved in a chick-flick. Further query: Why do we later see Jeffrey Dean Morgan's fully nude butt? Answer: Payback for the ladies whose dates just got to see Hilary Swank spend the first 5 minutes wearing just a bra.

Stay tuned. More to follow . . .

Tags: Monterey Bay Aquarium, Big Sur, Forest Fire, Coastline, Jellyfish

Ramblings of a rheologicaly inclined mind

So, for those of you who haven't noticed, I've been a little out of pocket the last two weeks. Well, I've spent a good deal of that time having my mind scrambled and then trying to recover. I'll attempt to share a few of the random thoughts from my personal journal from the previous fortnight. And, yes, I just used the word "fortnight" in a sentence of modern context.

Day 1: Flying to San Jose, California, then catching a shuttle to Monterey. Got bumped from my normal seat and placed in the back, between two people. They tell me it was just because; I think it's because I got bumped to 1^st class on my last flight to Tulsa. Karma, right - 1^st class on a 90-minute flight and squished on a 4-hour flight. At least my row-mates were well-suited to crunch together. Nice lady sat on my left, and on my right was a man my dad would call an IBM (itty-bitty Mexican, very un-PC, I know). Sidebar: The San Jose airport still rolls up stairs to the side of the plane and you walk down the tarmac to get between the plane and terminal. Interesting. At least the weather is a relief from Houston in August. I'm wondering about that long pillow the hotel puts on my bed - no good for sleeping, I'm thinking.

Day 2: Begin the first of two one-day short coursed I will take before the conference. This one is on the rheology of suspensions and colloids. Good teachers - well informed and respected on the subject. Had lunch with a guy who works for my companies biggest competitor (and is also going to be the session chair introducing my paper). Ate at Fisherman's Wharf - fish and chips sitting on the harbor, watching seals play and getting a sunburn. Finish reading The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde over dinner.

Day 3: It's my anniversary, and I'm 1600 miles from my wife. Bummed. Short course #2 starts - surfactant rheology. Learn a few new things in this one, and get some really good ideas for work I need to do regarding my current research. Each of these two short courses is essentially a one-semester college course packed into a day. I'm tired. There is an evening reception to officially kick off the conference - it's packed. Normally, only ~300 people attend the annual Society of Rheology conference; this year is different, an International Congress on rheology held every 4 years. More than 1000 rheologists and students in attendance, plus many family members. Were a disaster to strike Monterey this week, the world would quite nearly lose all practitioners of this arcane discipline. Sobering thought. More sobering thought: how long would it take for the world to start missing us? To that question: I've had people ask me (seeing the above logo for the conference) if rheology is the study of butterflies. No, that would be a lepidopterist, not a rheologist. Time to go to bed before my head explodes from short course knowledge, even before the conference begins, or anyone else chooses to deflate my ego more.

Finally, incontrovertible proof of original sin

Here it is.

As I gave out snacks at VBS tonight, with children inhaling these sour, sugar coated sugar sticks, I consumed one of these abominations. Anyone who could come up with something so vile-tasting must surely be steeped in sin from birth.

I would say that Sour Patch straws are from the Devil!

And you know what the Devil is without the "d"? EVIL! And this candy is evil!

And you know what evil is without the "e"? VIL! And, as I said, these things are vile!

And you know what vil is without the "v"? IL! And these things will make you ill if you eat them!

And you know what il is without the "i"? L! And, if God grants mercy, these detestable candies will all be burned up in L!

Follow-up: 40 Day Fast

I've not seen many people from the 40 Day Fast giving follow-ups on how their day went, but I think I will. As we fast together, as a community, I think it good to share in the joys and trials of that fast - not in a way to brag or to say woe-is-me, but to build each other up. Feel free to share some of your experiences from fasting in the comments.

So, how did my day of fasting and praying go? I must say that yesterday was by far the hardest fast I've ever undertaken. I have fasted for longer periods and had an easier, more spiritually uplifting time. This wasn't an issue of hunger - sure, I felt some rumbles early in the day, but those settled down and I really didn't feel hunger pangs most of the day.

The hard part came from two areas - temptation and physical. Naturally on the day that I am fasting they have bookoos of food around. Temptation is definitely there when you walk by a platter filled with hugondoid muffins all day long. But then, there was also the temptation of a different sort - the feelings of uselessness and aloneness. I have to admit that I struggled heavily with these feelings all day yesterday, and toyed with the notion of ending the fast early more than once.

Then there was the physical. I had a headache, of course. That's only normal when we who are accustomed to regular meals goes without. There was the lightheadedness, too. But then I also started feel extremely weak, no energy by the end of the day. I pretty much collapsed into bed once Lil'er E was finally down for the count (Mrs. E and Lil'E went to a show downtown) and slept fitfully. Waking up this morning I wasn't sure I could make it out of bed - shaky, weak, lightheaded, pounding headache. I ate a granola bar and drank a bunch of water, to try and get something in me. I finally made it out of the house and headed to work. About half a mile from the house I pulled over into the parking lot of a Mormon church and puked my guts up (which was mostly water). Sorry, Mormon neighbors, but it had to happen. After that I started feeling a bit better.

Once I made it in to work, and partook of the Friday omelet bar in the cafe (made to order for only $1.99!) I really started feeling better. At this point, I pretty much fine, physically. I still have those lingering doubts, but I feel strongly that is simply Satan on my case.

I do want to thank everyone who commented and everyone who was praying for me yesterday. It was only through prayers and God's hand that I made it through my commitment. I don't know if anyone else has felt similarly in their fasting, but I can say that I wrestled with this all day. I know that Jehovah came out victorious, even if I feel like a train wreck.

Just past half-way

The count, at just past half-way through the family vacation.

• 880 miles traveled so far
• 45 minutes of children sleeping in the car
• 1 child who actually slept
• 3 places we have slept
• 2 more places to sleep before home
• 1 Pixar movie seen by Lil'E, NatCh, and myself
• 2 museums visited (one art and one science)
• 1 dinner plan canceled because of 1 bee
• 2 children waking up way too early every day
• 1 barbershop convention, with attendees at this hotel (and singing in the lobby at 10:00 pm)

Lots of fun! I'm practically bouncing off the walls! This picture pretty much says it all.

Vacation fever

So here's a couple of pictures from the vacation thus far. This is where we are staying: The Great Wolf Lodge, with promised indoor water park.


And this is Lil'er E as we take him to the doctor. Yes, Vacation Fever did hit the Euphrony's, and sleep was not obtained last night. But we're pressing on, and Lil'E is having a blast. She's got a magic wand that she can wave at various items throughout the hotel and go on "quests" (while she's not swimming, that is).



Having a good time, anyway. See ya later!

I've got a fever

Vacation fever! I've been seriously burned out the last few weeks. Doing way too much both at home and at work, plus the ol' blogosphere. So the Euphrony family is getting outta here for a few days. I'm taking the rest of the week off and we're going to meet the extended Euphrony family at a hotel with an indoor water park. All the fun with half the sunburn!

I've gotten, like, nothing done at work the last two days. Too distracted I guess, or too much of a migraine this afternoon. We'll have computers with us - Mrs. E still has to teach her on-line class - but the internet will not be my big focus. I just bought a couple of new books and want to see what kind of a dent I can make in them when I'm not swimming with the kids.

Do be looking for some action from me on Inspired to Action, though. I just posted some thoughts earlier today, the first I've been able to contribute in a while. Plus, I'm getting an interview together with a teenage girl named Ellie. If you live in the Nashville area you may know her name - three years ago, at the age of 10, she organized the first Ellie's Run for Africa to raise money for schools in Africa. The fourth annual run is this weekend and I've been talking with her about it all. Also, I've been talking with Jason Gray and hope to have an interview with him on World Vision and IJM pretty soon. Keep your eyes peeled over on I2A!

See ya!

A minor correction . . .

I noted last week a few small details about my life. Specifically, I mentioned that Liler'E was cutting two new teeth - both molars. That statement bears correction.

A review of the facts are in. A recount has been conducted. Hanging chads and dimples were examined for intent.

Liler'E is not, in fact, getting two new teeth.

The accurate count (from Price Waterhouse Cooper, none the less) is four teeth - two molars and two incisors - in a one week time frame. Said child is now closely resembling a shark; I nearly lost my arm below the elbow tonight. Two separate shoes were gnawed to nubs, as well. I'm thinking of getting a chewy dog bone for him.

In other news, the Euphrony's have been a little grouchy this holiday weekend. It seems that our water heater went out Friday night. Conveniently, this was just in time for everything to shut down for the long weekend. Cold showers for everyone! This is the third time in two years it has gone out on me and I'm ready to say so long to this dog. I'm thinking about a tankless water heater, even if they are more expensive initially (about twice as much as a normal water heater, plus installation). I'll make the final decision in the morning and should have hot water by Thursday night.

Also, by way of correction, it is a water heater and not a hot water heater. The later is somewhat redundant, even if most people say it this way.

It could be worse, though. I read that other people have plumbing problems that are harder to fix than my simple water heater. For example, the only toilet on the space station is on the fritz. They're currently using baggies (and I hope they have plenty). Also, fighter pilots have long had a problem with going on the go. The standard has been to use a "piddle pack", but they may have a better solution now. It involves chemical geling! Ain't science fun?

How I spent my Monday

This pretty well sums it up, if expanded over nine hours. I will be taking questions at the end.

Puke N' Pass©: The Family Game of Infectious Disease Exchange

Come on and try the new family game sensation! Everyone is playing it! Your kids will love it! Once you start playing, you'll never stop! It's Puke N' Pass^©! You start the game when someone in the family plays with some other person - knowingly or unknowingly - and comes how to introduce the rest of the family to the game.

Once home, one of your children will immediately pick up on the game. Then the real fun begins! You get all the perks - fever, cough, sneezing, runny nose, puking. As an added bonus, the game also comes with whining, crying, fits over medicine and doctor visits, and sleepless nights!

But wait, there's more!

This is the family game, after all. And what is a family game if you don't have the whole family play? When you play Puke N' Pass^©, you automatically get the whole gang in the game. No fighting to find time to sit around a table together. No tokens or fake money to keep track of. And, best of all, no cheating is possible because there is only one rule to this game: get sick or stay well. And like Monopoly, this game really never ends. You can play for weeks and weeks - even while your doing other activities - and still not reach the end of the game!

Call now! Supplies are not limited, but you simply can't wait to play. Come by and shake my hand and you and your whole family can start playing Puke N' Pass^© just like my kids have been. Don't wait! You don't want to miss out on this kind of fun!

The tax man cometh . . .

And the tax man taketh away. Have you turned your tax forms in yet? You still have nine hours to get to the post office, so hurry!



(Don't forget, there is only one day left to enter my odd-word usage contest for a chance to win a $10 iTunes gift card. Go read the word list and submit your entry sentence(s) now! If I don't get at least five people entering the contest, I call the whole thing off and keep the iTunes for myself, so encourage your friends.)

Tags: Hagar the Horrible, Taxes

Things I've learned in the last few days

1. There's one in every crowd

   Okay, so this really isn't something new I've learned; but the truth in this statement was driven home again yesterday. You see, Euphrony has been at another one of his conferences and I presented a paper yesterday afternoon. There is a certain guy whom I always see at this conference who can be counted on for a few things. First, after a paper is presented he will ask a question. Second, the question will be some off-the-wall, make me look smart and the presenter look dumb question. Third, I - as a general policy - ignore him. As the first two were proved out many times before my paper, I was reassured of my assumptions as he stepped to the microphone when I asked for questions. Since he followed the same pattern, I decided to stay with mine and just ignored him.
   
   Like I said, there's one in every crowd. He happened to be in this one, and I've seen many others in the past. Whenever you try to answer their question you just get nowhere. They are like black holes for information - it sinks in, but what happens after that is a mystery. For example, after speaking for 20 minutes on the relevance of rheology to drilling fluids a few years ago, I had a gentleman stand up ask ask me "So, why is rheology relevant to drilling fluids?" Either I did an extremely poor job in the presentation, or the problem is on the other end of the line (if you know what I mean . . .).

2. My rheological tests have a monetary value

   I won't say how much, but I found out today what we were planning on charging a customer for me to do some very basic rheological tests (the kind that takes little effort and only an hour or so of my time). Were I ambitious, I could use such information to set up my own independent rheology test company. The first year would be pretty lean, but if I had some business I could be doing pretty well by the second or third year. I mean, vacation home well, like those commercials you see on T.V. But it seems like too much trouble, so . . .

3. There is an opposite to germaphobia

   And it is embodied in my daughter. I got a note from my sister-in-law about their little girl having to get stitches on her chin after a fall a few days ago. They wrapped her up tightly in a blanket, like a mummy, so they could sew the stitches. If that were Lil'E, we would have had to tranquilize her just to get her to the car. You remember the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail? "Black Knight: 'Tis but a scratch! King Arthur: A scratch? Your arm's off!" That's Lil'E. She goes into hysterics if you try to put a band aid on her, and she could be bleeding profusely and insist that she's just fine. She hates and fears being doctored, with a passion.

4. I have the sweetest little girl in the whole, wide world

   But while I'm talking about Lil'E, let me tell you what a sweetie she really is. While attending this conference I found myself in the unenviable position of being sick at the same time. So, as I got home at night I was just plain too tired to do much of anything - much less play with the kids or do my normal bedtime routines with them. Lil'E was so understanding. On Monday night, she came down after I sent her up to bed and handed me a picture she had colored. She told me "I drew this to help you feel better daddy. I love you." Oh, how sweet it is.

So, have you ever been hit by a drive-by question? How did you handle it - I'm always looking for better (professional) ways to do this. And do you know any germaphobes?

Tradition!

I love traditions. I really do. Being an Aggie it almost comes naturally. There's a saying, along the lines of "if something happens once it's coincidence, twice it's a tradition".

Some traditions, however, I can do without.

Like the newly established traditional gift for Liler'E. The gift of disease. For Christmas, the poor kid got RSV and ran a fever up to 104°F. Now, for his birthday, our little trouper has a double ear infection.

I don't know who keeps giving him these presents, but I wish they'd stop! How about a nice savings bond, instead?

Like a 1960's French film, only different

Whilst my noggin begins to recover from yet another round of paper authoring, I shall fill the empty space on this blog with fluffy stuff.

---

I'll begin with free association:
cat - hat - french - chat chapeau - violin strings

Next, the Rorschach test:

cow skull

dessert

barf

Are you with me so far? Good.

Following is the hand-eye coordination test.
Yep, my 1-year old son's razor-sharp claws can find my eyes with no problem.

Finally, mental acuity:
1 + 1 = banana

Who was the first president of the United States? Guy Fawkes

Where do Amphibians live? Outer Amphibia

What is the shape of Pipkin curve for a visco-elasto-plastic material at high strain and frequency? Round. Duh!

---

We will continue with intelligent conversation outside the bailiwick of rheology once my brain functions on a normal level.

Merry Christmas! You may now open your presents.

For my blog readers, I offer you Christmas gifts as tangible as our relationships (e.g. digitized, compressed, and transmitted over networks for all the world to share in).

For the linguistically challenged traveler:

For the decorative computer nerd:

And for the relatives of Cousin Itt with newborn babies:

I hope all had a merry Christmas and we in the Euphrony family wish you a happy new year.

Tags: Christmas Gifts

A modest proposition

Editor's Note: This post should in no way infer any criticism, jealously, or a fits of semi-conscious delirium on the part of the author. Okay, maybe the last; but definitely not the first two.

I have discussed this with Mrs. Euphrony, and she seems to be in agreement. So I throw out this modest proposition for Kat and Jimmy.

Kat and Jimmy: We propose that we switch children for a week. This would not be anything trashy like ABC's Wife Swap, but more along the lines of Ultimate Survivor: Suburbia. We're proposing a simple exchange of children for seven days, and the odds seem to be in your favor. You get two for three and go back to man-to-man coverage, while we get three for two and step up to the zone defense.

"But why?", you ask. Think of it like a foreign exchange situation, where you are able to learn of different cultures through a total immersion experience.

NAPS:
Mrs. E and I understand that your children take naps. Even simultaneously. Our children take naps, as well. (Disclaimer: "Children" should not be construed to be plural. Liler'E takes naps as he is still too young to fully resist. Lil'E takes quiet time, where she goes into her room and colors and sings and plays with dolls for ten (10) minutes, after which she begins the routine of whining to come out every five (5) minutes.) Lil'E loves to play in her room for hours at a time. (Disclaimer: The hours of playtime in room occur between 9:00 p.m. and midnight.)

EATING:
We also understand that your children are good eaters, even liking and requesting broccoli for dinner. Our children also love a variety of foods. They eat well from the mac & cheese food group, and the Halloween candy group is equally loved. They are more picky when it comes to the deep-fried foods, regularly consuming only corn dogs and chicken nuggets. Fruits, such as apples and bananas, are often requested; requests are also made for broccoli, peas, green beans, and squash (Disclaimer: Requests for all vegetables should not be taken to imply the request is to eat them, or even have them on a plate.)

PARENTAL SLEEP:
Rumor has it that you are, on occasion, able to have eight (8) consecutive hours of uninterrupted sleep. Mrs. E was recently able to get eight hours of sleep, with only minor interruptions. In exchange, I only got four hours or sleep. Thus a healthy average of six hours of sleep was obtained by the parental units of our household. If the child exchange goes forward, you can expect similar nights of sound sleep. (Disclaimer: The phrase "sound sleep" should not be taken to imply that sleep will be solid. Rather, sleep will be full of sounds as Liler E is awake and either screaming or watching Baby Einsteins for between ninety (90) minutes and two (2) hours each night.)

ARTS:
Finally, we are lead to believe that your children are intelligent, with a love of reading, and artistic skills. Our children also love reading, from classics like Hansel and Gretal to modern favorites like Junie B. Jones and the Yucky Blucky Fruitcake. They also like singing, even turning the entire day into a musical experience. (Disclaimer: By "musical experience", you should understand that the words that day will be delivered entirely in song, like a musical set to The Wonder Pets.) The Daliesque artwork of Lil'E is on display below, depicting an ink drawing of me just after getting a hair cut last night - I have my short hair, my short pants, and my shirt. Special attention was given to my nose, ears, and hands (which have an average of six fingers each).

PLEA OF DESPERATION:
So, Kat and Jimmy, should you elect to participate in this once in a lifetime opportunity, please let us know. We love our boy and girl madly, and would love yours for the week we had them as well. Likely, I wake up from this dream and realize that I was only typing in my sleep all night long. Okay, wake up *now*. *NOW*! WAKE UP EUPHRONY! Somebody please help me!!!!!!!!!

Tags: Pure insanity, Wife Swap, Baby Einsteins, Wonder Pets, Sleep, Plea of Desperation, Eating, Naps, Art, Modest Proposition, Junie B. Jones, Broccoli

Participating in the Disney Excess

And lovin' it!

Mrs. E, Lil'E and I have been in Disney World this week. Fully indulging in the excess that Walt instigated. For those coming here and not bringing a trailer of food to sustain yourself for the stay, I suggest the Disney Dining plan: you get one counter service (burger/sandwich/etc. with side, drink, and dessert), one snack, and one table service meal every day. The table meal (at Disney prices, usually about $30 per person) easily covers the cost of the plan and leaves the other meals "free".

They say that the British have perfected waiting in lines, but Disney has taken it to a new level. Maybe that's why we've heard so many European accents this week. Here is the line to get in to ride "It's A Small World".

So, anyway, we're went trick or treating in the Magic Kingdom tonight. Yesterday afternoon we got to sing and dance with Dan Zanes (of the Del Fuegos) - good music, which happens to be for kids and families. Here is Lil'E getting his autograph. Confidentially, she liked seeing Johnny and the Sprites on Sunday more; but Dan Zanes has funny socks.

Today we're off to Epcot, going to have some dinner with princesses tonight, and breakfast tomorrow with Pooh and friends. If the weather participates (in question) we will head for home and see our Lil'er E tomorrow night.

Tags: Vacation, Disney World, Dan Zanes, Lines, Overeating, Johnny and the Sprites