Le Gedikian Blog

Fewer. And Far Between.

2012-01-24T01:07:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's the advent of Twitter... Or maybe it's just my age, but blogging just doesn't have that same feeling anymore.

I used to LOVE sitting on my laptop up in Boulder Creek (a.k.a. middle of no where) and chronicling my latest infatuation or simply whatever was on my mind. In recent years, blogging has lost it's luster.

Now, I'm nearly 32, married, have two kids, a house, a career. I hardly find time for the activity that defined my early 20s. Maybe I'll get back into it when I get older, it'll probably be retro by then. Or, more likely, it'll be considered an ancient thing old people used to do when they were younger... like sending letters to eachother.

By the time my kids are teenagers, kids won't bother even attempting to fit their thoughts into 140 characters. They'll just lifecast every waking moment of their day to everyone they know over video, capturing every waking moment on the Internet for all to see. I'm sure I'll wonder what kids of the day see in it, just as our parents ponder the value of Twitter and Facebook today. They don't get it. Just as I won't get it.

At least I'll have this. My retro journal, something to remind me (and teach my kids) of what I was like when I was young.

For those of you who are interested in the quick recap...

Amelie's terrible twos are in full-effect. Oh, it's so much more splendid than I ever thought it would be. Despite all that, it's impossible not to love her. You can try to get upset, but then you look at photos like this float by on your Apple TV (It's a Small World@Disneyland) and all your frustration melt away.

Ainsley (our second) was born on August 13th. She's about 5 months and oh so adorable. Just a little gloating (which is hard to do with a five month old), but she's been sleeping through the night since she was about 3 months old... yes, all you other parents can hate us.

Alin and I remain happily married and going on 5 years married (woohoo!). Perhaps we'll keep our promise and make it back to Makanda by the Sea in Costa Rica this year.
My parents are doing as best as can be expected. Age brings about great changes in the personal health department (not).
Work remains interesting (and challenging).
Home remains gratifying (and expensive).

What else is there?

-s

Hello Again...

2011-05-30T00:46:00.000-07:00

It's been a while, hasn't it?

So much has changed, yet so much remains the same. Let's get the boring stuff out of the way first.

We bought a house in October. It's a lovely house. The moment we walked in, we just knew. It needed a lot of work, but it had so much going for it. It was in a good location (as far as schools are concerned). It has a view of the bay, which we enjoy nearly every single day. It is big enough to hold all of our stuff. And it was on a flat and reasonably sized lot - giving us room to grow. We remodeled the place from November to January and it is virtually a new home.

I'm still at Apple and Alin is still staying home with Amelie. Baby number 2 is on the way - hurray ;) Just as we did last time, we've avoided finding out the sex so that we have a surprise ending... Or is it a beginning?

Amelie's now over a year and a half old and such a handfull. She's got herself a huge personality, and she knows it. She doesn't form sentences yet, but she has a pretty amazing vocabulary and is able to communicate with little frustration. I look forward to seeing her every day.

Parenting has been a pretty amazing experience thus far. Most days are wonderful, but like most families, we have our moments. There are days that I look at my daughter and I flash forward to the day where she's in her teens, or graduating school, or getting married and I become saddened that I can't keep her like the way she is today. It seems like she's growing so fast. I wish I had more time with her as she is now. So curious and giggly. Always so innocent and unassuming. Unconditionally in love with her parents. Never (well, almost) a troublemaker.

These are the days you wish never ended.

Seven Months of Daddyhood

2010-06-27T11:55:00.001-07:00

It's been just over seven months that we've had Amélie in our lives. What an amazing experience. It's so gratifying in so many ways. She brightens up my day every time she smiles.

When you're having a kid, some people give you a courtesy heads-up on some of the challenges parenthood presents. Others paint a rosy picture of how amazing it is to have a child and how wonderful the entire experience is.

There's no question about the fact that, once your child is born, your life as you knew it is over. The impact of parenthood doesn't quite set in until the baby is out of mom and in your hands. The responsibility of parenthood doesn't set in until even later than that – for me, it was when we started researching college savings options.

Probably the most stressful part of becoming a parent is finding the rhythm of parenting. Everyone has some preconceived (no pun intended) notions of what it's going to be like when you're a parent. You'd like to think that you won't make the same mistakes your parents made, and that you're going to be a "cool" mom or dad.

The reality is, you have no idea what kind of parent you're going to be until you hear your child cry. You may remain cool under pressure, or freak out by the mere thought of your child in pain.

I think, having been at this for a short while now, the most important thing to keep in mind is to just be patient. Patient with your new baby. Patient with your spouse. Patient with your family – who will never stop giving you advise about how to raise your baby.

One topic that most people warned me about was the sleepless (or just restless – if you're lucky) nights. Once it's 3AM and you or your spouse have been up for hours, all you want is to sleep. – understanding, compassion, patience – it all goes out the window. A woman whom I work with, named Alex, gave me some sage advice when it comes to this topic. Anything said between the hours of 9PM and 9AM doesn't count – these are definitely some words to live by.

That said, there are so many wonderful things about being a parent that I didn't appreciate until I was placed in the situation. Whenever Amélie figures out something new for the first time – I often don't realize it, but I end up with this goofy looking smile on my face, along with a sense of pride to boot.

There are days when I'm leaving for work in the morning and Alin is giving Amélie her breakfast. On these days, Amélie sees me walking out the door and becomes a little distraught. She turns her head from side to side, slams her hand on the high chair, as if demanding my return. I can already see that this is just a precursor to her screaming "DAADDDDYYY!! Don't go!" It's both gratifying and heartbreaking, all at the same time.

Another joy of parenthood is that you now get one more day a year where you receive a gift. For my very first Father's Day, Alin spoiled me with two gifts that I've always wanted. The first, was a flying lesson at the near by San Carlos Airport. This lesson gives you the basics of flight, and you get an hour and a half "discovery flight" with an instructor around the bay area.

The other gift was a week's worth of boxing lessons – addressed from my daughter. You'd think, flying and boxing – not exactly the kind of activities you'd want a father to be partaking in. Nevertheless, my family loves me and doesn't want me to change who I am, at least not entirely.

Anyway, I suppose that's enough for now.

-s

Welcome to the family, Amelie

2009-11-26T13:29:00.001-08:00

We're happy to announce that Alin and I are now parents to a beautiful baby girl. Her name is Amelie and she was born on November 24th at 5:17AM. She weighed in at 6lbs. 10.2 oz. and is about 20 inches long.

For all of you who are interested in the story of her delivery, read on.

On November 23rd, I arrived at home from work at 6:30PM. It was busier than most work days since I had planned to make it my last before I took my paternity leave. As with most week days, I entered through our garage door and said hello to my beautiful wife while she prepared dinner. She returned my hello, kissed me, and began to tell me about her day.

She started by telling me about her prenatal check-up at 3PM. The highlight of the examination was when both Alin and the midwife felt a contraction. The midwife finished the check-up and reassured Alin that baby was in the head-down position and that she'd be with us any day now.

Once Alin returned home, she noticed the contractions were beginning to happen more frequently and increasing in intensity. She decided to start tracking her contractions using her iPhone (yes, there's an app for that). She carried on with business as usual – preparing dinner. By the time I had arrived home, she said, "I think we might have the baby tonight!"

Panic ensued. What do we do now? Well, we acknowledged that delivery would likely be many hours away and the only thing to do at this point is to relax, finish dinner, and take it one step at a time. I grilled up some bratwursts on our Weber while Alin grilled onions and prepared the buns.

For the next two hours we cleaned house. I called Alin's brother over to help me put some Halloween decorations in our attic and tidy up the baby's room. We knew that it would help with our general mental state to come back from the hospital to a clean home.

By midnight, Alin's contractions were regular, averaging about a minute in length every 3-4 minutes apart. We called Labor & Delivery and let them know we were on our way. About 15 minutes later, we arrived at the hospital and were taken to our delivery room.

Alin changed into her gown and they began taking some measurements. Her cervix was 2 cm dilated and 90% aphased. Unfortunately, her contractions had become irregular again. The nurses told us that it was still too early to admit her. They suggested that Alin try walking around for an hour to see if it helps progress the labor.

For the next hour, Alin and I walked up and down the hallway outside of Labor & Delivery, working through each contraction as they came. I tried to keep her mind off the pain any way I could.

At about 1:35AM, we went back for another examination. In that hour, Alin's cervix dilated from 2cm to 5cm – more than enough to get her admitted. A nurse helped Alin into bed and affixed two sensors to track Alin's contractions and baby's heartbeat. Meanwhile, I setup my iPod touch to play some mood music (Iron & Wine and Joshua Radin) then called Alin's mom and let her know that the baby would be delivered this morning and that I'd keep her apprised of her progress.

Alin's discomfort continued as the contractions increased in intensity and frequency. By 2:30AM, the contractions were happening in 5 minutes intervals and were very painful. The nurse offered an epidural but we had already decided that it was out of the question. After a few more contractions, Alin was reaching her pain limits and requested analgesics to help take the edge off. The nurse administered a dose of fentanyl and within a few minutes, Alin became more calm and controlled – a welcome relief.

By 3:30AM, the fentanyl began to wear off and the pain was back in full swing. At Alin's request, the nurse administered another dose of fentanyl and Alin was able to once again cope with the contractions.

At 4:30AM, Alin began feeling the urge to push. The baby hadn't dropped far enough yet and the nurse asked if Alin could hold on for a little while longer, as it would help shorten the delivery. I called Alin's mom and let her know that she'd be starting to push soon.

By 4:50AM, Alin couldn't resist anymore – her body was compelling her to push. The midwife came in and burst Alin's water – it was now show-time.

Hospital staff started to shuffle in and out and within minutes, the room was ready for our baby's delivery. The nurse told us to be prepared for upwards of 2 hours for delivery. I asked if there's anything I can do to help and the nurse asked me to brace Alin's leg and count to 10 through each of her pushes. Push after push, Alin would take a deep breath and exhale slowly – turning as red as a cherry tomato.

About 10 minutes into pushing, the doctor pointed out that we could see the baby's head. The nurse cheered Alin on, giving her reassuring comments and asking her to push as hard as she could. To everyone's surprise, after 17 minutes of pushing, our baby was born.

She came out purple as an eggplant, screaming before she was fully delivered – as if to announce to the room that she had arrived; ahead of schedule in every way.

They took her and placed her on Alin's chest – and we both began crying immediately. Alin looked at me and asked "what is it?", I gently lifted her fragile little leg and said "she's a girl!"

It was all quite emotional and amazing. We were both completely overwhelmed. The wait was finally over and our little, perfect, beautiful Amelie had finally arrived.

We Have an Important Announcement

2009-07-15T23:36:00.001-07:00

Alin and I are having a baby. Yes. It's true. Our baby is halfway to the finish line, healthy, and quite active.

As we transition from just the two of us into a family, we will chronicle some of the more interesting moments during our journey. Be sure to check back for updates.

Here are some highlights from the past few months:

You remember all that stuff they told you in school about how easy it is to get pregnant? Well, it's easy – but not THAT easy.
Many women have this romantic vision of what pregnancy is supposed to be like. They have dreams of wearing cute pregnancy clothes, shopping for baby stuff, planning a baby shower, and so on and so forth. Too bad pregnancy symptoms define what you can and will do over the next 9 or so months. Exhibit A: Morning sickness. Exhibit B: Having to pee every 15 minutes. Exhibit C: Constant hunger. Exhibit D: Soreness, swelling, and other discomforts. Exhibit E: Emotional roller coaster. This list goes on.
The first time you see your baby move during an ultrasound is the moment you both realize that yes, this is all real and it's happening to you – and it's completely scary and awesome at the same time.
Deciding how to tell your family and friends that you're having a baby is, in fact, quite fun.
We're not going to find out if it's a boy or girl, so don't bother asking. It's a surprise for one and all.
Your TV viewing habits begin to change. Case in point: TiVo has these presets of shows you can record based on interests. The guide for "Stay at Home Mom" didn't really have anything new to add to Alin's TV schedule.
Parents often tell you that your social life ends once you have kids... I'd like to clarify that it actually ends once you're pregnant :P I hear it due for an encore in the second trimester but we're still waiting :)
You thought deciding what's for dinner was hard before. Try it when 90% of what you used to eat now makes you nauseous and the ingredients for remaining 10% never seem to be in your kitchen.
Listening to your baby's heartbeat is an equally mind blowing experience. It's much faster than you imagined it would be.
You thought you were in love before. Looking at each other and knowing you're having a baby that's part of both of you changes... everything.
Our baby is due on Thanksgiving. Hurray for that! Just far enough from Christmas to ensure they'll always get both sets of gifts and the perfect holiday to ensure that family will be around to celebrate. Who could ask for anything more?

Check out the official first photo of baby Gedikian.

There's more to come, but we hope you enjoyed these tidbits.

Love,

Steve and Alin

Mother's Day

2009-05-11T00:24:00.001-07:00

Today (actually yesterday, now) was Mother's Day. The one day a year that all mothers in the U.S. get to be recognized for their hard work, showered with praise, gifted with flowers, hugged with love, and so on and so forth.

We spent ours by going on a picnic. That was quite enjoyable. We sat out at a park near a beach, took in the sun (and the wind), and enjoyed a nice family outing. After lunch, we went on a short little hike to enjoy the local views of the beach.

While we would have loved to spend more time there, the wind was a bit of a turn off, so we made our way back home fairly early. Once we got back, the boys killed zombies while the girls raced in MarioKart.

Later in the evening, we all sat around and watched the season finale of Celebrity Apprentice, which ended favorably - I still can't believe that Joan Rivers is 75 years old.

A mellow Mother's Day for sure. I only wish I could have had my family be there too...

-s

The Swine Flu and Life After People...

2009-04-27T23:32:00.001-07:00

At this point, it's impossible to avoid the news media's intense focus on swine flu. Am I the only person who feels as though the news media is portraying the outbreaks as though it's the beginning of the end of all of humanity?

While it's sad that some people have died, the vast majority of those effected experience symptoms no worse than the typical flu. Unfortunately, that's not how this is being presented. The fear machine drives far higher ratings than a calm, drama-free, presentation of the facts. You'd think we're on the brink of having 28 Days Later become a reality.

Tonight I wanted to escape from the madness so I turned on TiVo to see what was recorded. Of course there were the typical staples found on many TiVos, such as 24, Heroes, and The Office. But today, there was something new, something perfect for the occasion. The first of a multi-part special from the History Channel called "Life After People."

The mini-series is a window into what transformations might take place if people were to disappear from the Earth suddenly. It starts at "Day 1 After People" and progresses through the coming weeks, months, and years.

At first, it's quite sad. The world would plunge into darkness in few short days as power grids go offline, many of our pets would starve to death, and the slow but certain march of wiping all traces of civilization would begin.

But this story is actually one of hope.

There's no question that we've polluted our atmosphere, devastated habitats the world over as we're reshaped them from forests to cities, and pushed millions of species to the brink of extinction. In the end, it doesn't really matter.

In a few hundred years, our sprawling suburbs would become forests once more. Our cities would be converted into new habitats for the wildlife that would undoubtedly return, at least until they crumble into piles of rubble. Slowly, the man-made world we live in today would return to the shapeless minerals and metals from which they came.

Sure, it's sad for all of us, but that's a selfish view of the world. Life would just go on... All traces of man would just turn to dust and blow away in time. I found that strangely comforting -- but maybe that's just me.

-s

Twitter makes me laugh.

2009-04-19T18:06:00.001-07:00

I've found that most people using Twitter, including myself, use it to tell their friends about mundane events in their lives, like brushing their teeth, clipping toe nails, etc.

Then I discovered Tina Fey, and about a dozen other comedians and associated funny people. Now, my Twitter feed is filled with updates from people that make me laugh. Score!

Who do you follow on Twitter that makes you fall out of your chair?

-s

What a day...

2009-04-19T03:07:00.001-07:00

So while the rest of the overworld was out enjoying the amazing weather that mother nature has so generously graced upon us, I - along with a small group of friends - decided to stay indoors and play video games almost all day long.

If it wasn't for Alin asking that I do her a favor and run some errands for her, I would have stayed chained at this desk the entire day.

Now, it's 3:15AM and I'm still here. It's probably about time that I actually do something the rest of the world does every night... Get some rest.

-s

It's really great to be home.

2009-04-18T00:14:00.001-07:00

I had the distinct pleasure to visit Memphis, TN, and Jackson, MI this week. My coworker, Camille, and I flew to Memphis on Tuesday evening and returned from Jackson just last night.

While we were there, we had the opportunity to interact with the locals while enjoying the warm weather.

By the end of our stay in Memphis, both Camille and I were feeling a little down about our visit. We hadn't made as much progress as we had hoped and were starting to feel a little home sick.

Memphis was an interesting city. We drove around plenty, and we both kept wondering, where are all the people? Everywhere we went, the city felt a bit... desolate...

The one thing we did enjoy about Memphis was Beale St. It's the focal point of the live music and club scenes in Memphis. Most of the bars had live music. Many of the songs were covers, but the bands performed them with great skill. It was one of the few highlights of our trip.

We were only able to spend the afternoon in Jackson, but I wish we had avoided Memphis altogether. The people of Jackson were plentiful, kind, and very cooperative. We were able to make significant strides towards reaching the goals we set out for our project, in just a few short hours.

Nevertheless, as exciting as our diversion was, I do have to say - I'm grateful to be home.

-s

A reflection on old blog posts...

2009-04-10T02:35:00.001-07:00

I was just reading through blog posts from circa 2000-2001 and I can't understand why anyone ever read a word I wrote. For the most part, I just blathered from one completely inconsequential topic to another.

In fact, in many cases, I failed to form a complete sentence. I had spelling mistakes everywhere AND I seemed to like cursing like a sailor.

Sure, there were a handful of posts that were entertaining, but the vast majority were quite embarrassing.

In any case, it's not as if my blog posts have magically become more substantive. On the whole, they're all pretty boring.

But at least I'm now able to complete a coherent sentence without dropping the "f" bomb every three words.

-s

Funny thing about Birthdays with Facebook...

2009-04-09T00:17:00.001-07:00

So I just turned 29 on Tuesday. Yay. What did I get for all my troubles? Well, It rained. The music labels raised the price of good music and lowered the price of some of the old. Barack Obama went to Turkey and copped out on a campaign promise to my fellow Armenians. I also was given Birthday wishes by dozens of people thanks to Facebook.

The last one is what I find most interesting. People I know from as far away as Australia took a moment to wish me a happy birthday. People I've known all my life or just a few months alike wished me a great big Happy Birthday on my wall for all to see.

It was also fascinating to see how it would come in waves. Circles of people would send me a birthday wish, which would trigger it to show up on their feed, causing others to wish it as well...

The "network effect" in action, plain as day, all because I turned one year older.

That is all.

Lazy Sunday

2009-04-05T11:52:00.001-07:00

Oh glorious Sunday. What warm weather you hath brought us.

All I want to do is lay in bed and watch the hours and the sun go by. I love sleeping on Sundays. Having nothing to do. I will miss these moments, some day.

But not today. Today, I will sleep in and appreciate every last second that we have.

Carry on.

-s

New York. New York.

2009-03-29T23:47:00.001-07:00

It's also worth noting that we rented Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist tonight. It was bound to be a hit with me. Great music, a sweet story, and awkward moments that I always find enjoyable — because I know exactly what that too emotional dorky kind of guy is thinking in that scene.

It reminded me of the tingling feeling that you get when you first meet someone. The one that bothers you endlessly whenever they're in your presence. When you don't know where things are going, what they're thinking, regretting every single word you said because you think you sounded like an idiot.

You know what I'm talking about. If you don't, then you're missing out, it's what real relationships are built on.

Most of all, it made me long to be in New York. I hope we live there some day, but only if for a little while.

-s

Viva Las Vegas.

2009-03-29T23:09:00.001-07:00

Alin and I got back from Las Vegas today. Thank God. I love Vegas — I do. Just in small, even minuscule doses. It's always enjoyable to visit any town, especially if you know someone who lives there. And boy, do I.

Three close friends of mine, whom I grew with, are now all residents of the city of Las Vegas. Sako and Rupen – both dentists live together as roomies. Edward, a surgeon in training, lives on his own near his place of work (I forget the name, but it's apparently where they took Tupac after he got shot up).

Anyway, these guys are some of my dearest friends. I've known Sako since I was 6 or 8 or however old you are in 2nd grade. Rupen and Edward are friends I grew up around, but didn't really befriend until 9th or 10th grade. Unfortunately, Rupen was in LA seeing someone off back to Argentina so this weekend was filled with adventures with Sako, Ed, and the wife and I.

Side note, the TV is on in the other room and I just want to tell everyone how much I love Easter – because every year I get to enjoy that classic Cadberry Egg commercial. I find nothing more entertaining then a lion in bunny ears – seriously.

Back to the main topic. So Alin and I had a lot of fun in Vegas. Friday we went bar hopping and were remained obnoxious towards the natives. It's interesting that I forget how much I hate LA until I'm surrounded by those tools who drive around in fancy cars, where their too tight Abercrombie and Fitch shirts and glasses that make them look like idiots – oh yes, and there's that stupid greasy bed head hair do that they all of. Losers.

Saturday we remained completely useless. Alin and I left our hotel room around noon for some "breakfast" which ended up actually being a walking tour. Famished, we finally landed at Augustus' Cafe at Caesar's Palace. Be warned, it's steep. I've never paid $50 for 2 plates of eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns (with a side of english muffins) before.

After breakie, Alin and I walked over to Paris for some desert. We heard that the eclairs are to die for.

Once we got back to the hotel, Alin took a power nap while I tried to meet up with the boys at the pool. Unfortunately, the pool was barricaded by body guards and a $40 cover charge. They had parked themselves at Bare, the nightclub of pool lounges, and I only had 30 minutes for a drink. I wrangled, my friends wrangled. Sako name dropped but they weren't having it. In the end, they gave me a comp to get in because they accidently tossed Sako's beverage – but alas it was too late, we had already made the decision to move on.

I did end up getting my drink with Sako. Edward, drunk and hungry, slinked off to In 'n' Out. Sako and I reminisced about our lives, where are friends are, what the future holds for each of us. It was very... thought provoking.

Alin, feeling refreshed, joined us in the lobby, at which point we parted ways with Sako. Alin and I decided to go check out the "Secret Garden" before our evening show.

First off, it's not so secret if there are signs everywhere telling you where to find it. Second off, if you love yourself, or the well being of other animals, don't go see it – please. The animals themselves are plenty cute and interesting. It's just that the habitat is depressing.

There were leopards and lions, and tigers about, but their living spaces were as cramped as my old San Francisco apartment. It was sad to see these glorious animals confined into what felt like prison cells.

The next time we see these animals, it's going to be on a safari in Africa where they actually get to run free, catch their prey, and make babies — in the wild. Unfortunately, the only Mirage these animals see is their former lives flashing through their mind as they lazily dream away while basking in the sun.

Later that night, Alin and I got to enjoy the main attraction of our trip — the Cirque du Soleil Beatles LOVE show. We had front row seats, which were a little overwhelming. We literally made eye contact with the performers while in the middle of their feats of danger. It dawned us about half way through the show that if they made the smallest of mistakes, we could be participants in a mound of pain filled flesh and broken bone — scary.

I do have to say though, being a huge fan of the Beatles, the show could have sucked and I wouldn't have known it. I just sang along while being overwhelmed with acrobatics and contortionists doing their thing.

All in all, the trip was great. We laughed a lot, and that's always good for the soul.

Harry Potter or Ben Linus?

2009-03-27T00:04:00.001-07:00

Am I the only person who thinks that little Ben Linus on LOST looks like an evil Harry Potter?

-s

Whenever you're feeling down...

2009-03-24T02:42:00.001-07:00

Just watch a little Louis CK. He'll always find a way to make you feel better...

We're so spoiled.

2009-03-24T00:09:00.001-07:00

Yes, my fellow humans. We are unbelievably and utterly spoiled. We want (and think we deserve) everything. Not only that, we want it fast, cheap, and easy.

Case in point, the housing "crisis." Part of me wants to feel pity for the millions of people out there who bought their big fancy homes, with their 0% down ARMs, and are now losing their homes. Really I do. Unfortunately, the cynical and resentful side of me is relishes in their misfortune.

Why? You know why. You think it too. Many of you try to deny the anger, but it's there. Others of you try to let it go, but it's hard to swallow.

Alin and I work really hard. Sometimes even nights and weekends. We pay our fair share of taxes. We pay Alin's school loans, always on time. We do not live on credit. We help out family both financially and with our time. With all that, we even try and save for our retirement and a down payment for our first home.

But others are not so righteous. Others do not take their responsibilities as members of society so seriously. It's painfully obviously if you spend a little time checking out open houses. What we've been finding is just infuriating. People are in trouble. Thousands are desperately trying to unload the homes they bought that they couldn't afford.

Rather than owning up to their mistakes, they lie to your face. They insist that the price is a steal! "It's 30% less than what we paid for! We're even losing our down payment!"

But Red Fin tells you truth. With a few taps of the keyboard and clicks of the mouse, it all unfolds. Seller after seller, lying through their teeth to save their own skin. It's maddening. These people deserve to lose their homes.

People are always ready for the upside from the risks they take, but no one wants to suffer the consequences when things go sour. It's a lack of accountability and an expectation of entitlement that's consuming the soul of our society.

But if you're not complaining about losing your home, you're like me – complaining about how you can't afford to buy one.

We complain about everything. If it's not the squeaky breaks on our new car, it's how your phone drops a call at the same place. Or maybe it's how it takes your computer 1 second longer than you expected to do what you commanded it to – it's always something.

We're all spoiled and we love to complain about it.

I don't know why we do it. Maybe we find it therapeutic? Maybe it helps us feel like our lives have meaning? Whatever the reason, it's stupid.

There are parts of this planet where people go to war because they don't have water to drink. I can drink water any time I want. I just walk 10 feet from this computer, turn a little knob, and out it comes, SIMPLY AMAZING.

I mean think about it! It's un-f#%king-believable that I'm transmitting my thoughts using my computer and a service I don't even pay for directly into your brain through another machine that you're privileged enough to own. And what am I doing with all this amazing technology? Complaining, of course!

What the hell do I have to complain about? My life is incredibly awesome.

But it's hard. We're all selfish. We know the healthy thing to do is to let it go. But the feeling of "it's not right" and the logic of "it's not worth it" create a conflict that we can't seem to resolve – a never ending war between your heart and your brain.

Maybe talking about it will help make sense of it. Maybe it won't. In either case, thanks for reading.

-s

What the Frak?!

2009-03-21T23:25:00.001-07:00

The Battlestar Galactica finale was mostly enjoyable. I thought they did a reasonable job answering most of the remaining questions.

That said, what the hell was up with Kara? They so did not even attempt to conclude her story. I'm actually quite disappointed in how they handled it.

I hope that they find a way to give fans of the show a sense of closure on that topic. It just seems a little strange to leave it the way they did.

Oh well, I wonder what Alin and I will do with our Friday nights now...

-s

Did I just find a Battlestar spoiler on IMDB?

2009-03-15T19:31:00.001-07:00

I was just checking to see when the new BSG movie might premiere and stumbled across the cast list on IMDB. There are some notable stars missing from the movie cast.

Is it just incomplete information or do we lose some of our favorite characters in the series finale?

Only time (or the cast) will tell...

-s

Teachers and Students.

2009-03-15T02:32:00.001-07:00

I've recently been corresponding with a teacher from high school. I find it interesting how you can relate so differently to these role models and authority figures, once you're an adult as well.

It's only been at least 10 years since I last spoke to this particular teacher. It's almost disorienting to be able to talk with this person as an equal. There are certain boundaries that aren't crossed in a class room setting that are now fair game. It's quite enjoyable.

That said, there's probably only one other teacher that I'd ever consider reaching out to at this point. I'll save that for the next decade.

-s

Happy Birthday Alin

2009-03-08T16:52:00.001-07:00

In case you didn't know, today's Alin's 29th birthday. Everyone take a moment and wish her a lovely birthday Sunday.

-s

Lost on LOST

2009-03-06T01:01:00.001-08:00

OK. What the hell is going on with LOST?! What the hell is wrong with the producers of that show?

With every single episode, all they do is find ways to complicate the story even further. They add layer after layer, answering fewer and fewer questions. It's infuriating! It makes me want to give up on the show.

Alin and I, week after week, put off watching it till the last minute because we simply don't want to spend an hour confusing ourselves.

Ugh.

-s

It's getting old.

2009-02-28T16:13:00.001-08:00

What exactly? Working over the weekends. I've had to work over the past 3 weekends and I could use a break.

I probably shouldn't complain. I'm lucky to even have a job, especially one that I love, given where things are these days.

You know, I really do miss being a kid. I miss being oblivious to the troubles of the world. I miss having my biggest worry be uncontrollable feelings and broken toys. Those were the days. Life seemed so complicated then, but I guess it takes perspective to realize how simple it really was.

Don't get me wrong, there's plenty in my life that I'm happy about. I appreciate the fact that I have a wonderful wife who loves me. I'm grateful to have a wonderful line of work. I'm thankful that I have self-confidence, and self-worth – both of which I lacked as a young teen.

But, sometimes, I just long for the days, when life was... simple.

Battlestar, Please Don't Go...

2009-02-28T02:41:00.001-08:00

It's sad to think that one of my favorite shows, of all time, has only three remaining episodes. It's always impossible to explain how fantastic Battlestar Galactica is to anyone who hasn't seen it, but take my word for it – it's some of the best TV, ever.

I'd put it right up there with The Sopranos, The Wire, and a bunch of other amazing TV.

As the series winds to a close, I find myself wondering, what will I do with that additional hour of my life? Probably waste it on blog posts. :P