Quincy Update Part 4

And the saga continues.

First of all...if you own cats, keep them in the house.

On Saturday, Quincy started favoring his right eye (the one the cat scratched) again.  Keeping it closed and flinching if we got too close.  Then, Saturday afternoon, it got HUGE!  He was clearly in pain.  Sunday night was rough.  Panting, whining.  Sunday, we gave him his pain pills and tried to keep him comfy.  I mean, he's scheduled to have both eyes removed on Monday.

Well...apparently I am a horrible pet owner.  Took him in to the ophthalmologist this morning.  She looked at it and chewed me out for not calling them.  Apparently, due to the swelling, he can't have surgery (again).  We need to get the swelling down.  And, she's concerned about my lack of communication because I should have called.

I informed her this just happened.  Started Saturday after afternoon/evening, blew up on Sunday when they were closed.

But, I know they're on call, she tells me.  He should have been been on anti-biotics as soon as we saw this.  So...I suck.

Anyway...I was presented with 2 options.  Do the surgery, but Quincy's eye is at high risk to "dehiscence."  Her preference is to send him home with a heavy anti-biotic treatment and get the swelling down.  There's no guarantee that it will work.  But, she wants to try.  So, we're trying.

This is all very tiring.  It's been emotional already, just thinking of the surgery this pooch has to go through.  But, this is the second time I have prepared myself for it only to have it not happen.  He is clearly in pain.  And, seeing him in pain hurts me.  I have to keep asking myself if this is all worth it for the little guy.  Am I just doing all this and spending this money for myself?  I can't answer that.  Most likely at some level that's true.  I told myself this morning that if they wouldn't do the surgery, then it was probably time for the next step.  I even asked the doctor if we should be considering that.  She said "No...he just needs to lose the eyes, at this point."  But, when the heck will he lose the eyes?

At this point, he'll lose them on Thursday.  But, none of us can keep doing this.

Here's what he looks like, btw.

Quincy Update Part 3

Ok...so, here is where we're at.

Quincy had his heart exam on Monday.  It was fine.  There are some concerns, but nothing major enough that the heart doc didn't think he should do surgery.  Just some anesthetic considerations.

However, let's talk about his "Good eye" for a moment.

Last weekend, I put Quincy outside.  He was out there longer than usual.  I assumed it was because it was sunny that day.  It hasn't been sunny in a long time.  I just figured he was chilling on the porch.  Finally, I decided to check on him.

He wasn't sitting on the porch.  He was at the far end of the yard sitting awkwardly, with a cat staring him down from either side.  Two of them, keeping him from going anywhere.  If Quincy has a terrified face, he was showing it.  Talk about bullies!

I went out to get him and had to carry him in.  He wouldn't move.  I put him down and went to pet him and he yelped!  I looked a more closely and saw that he was bleeding a bit.  And, he wasn't opening his eye.  His "good" eye.

Stupid cats punched my dog in the face, claws out.  Significantly scratched his eye ball.  Poor Quincy was terrified to go outside for the next few days.  All he did was lie in bed.  Not sure if that was from pain or embarrassment.  But, it's like these dumb cats knew exactly what to do to make everything worse.

It was almost 48 hours before he could open that eye, again.  He's already got some pain killers, so I made sure to give him some of those to keep him content.

When Desmond next saw one of these cats in the backyard, he went after it with a spray bottle!  Des is confident the cat isn't coming back.  I'm not so sure.

Anyway, the vet now DEFINITELY recommends both eyes.  She says that the eye is going to be encountering similar problems very soon.  We're no longer talking years.

So, Quincy is scheduled for Monday.  Both eyes.  This is a hard choice to make.  This is going to cost us a lot of money.  Money that could be spent on time off from work.  But, I just can't make the call to do anything else, at this point.  Hopefully we do it this time.  This whole thing has been stressful and has made me pretty sad for my pups.

Why I Don't (usually) Wish People Happy Birthday on Facebook

So...I have developed a personal thing.  You know...one of those things that is only a thing to you.  Nobody else really knows about this thing, but it's such a thing to you that you dare not move away from that thing?

Well, I have a thing.  And that thing is...I don't wish Happy Birthday on Facebook.

Why don't I do this?  Well, it's simple.  I think that if I actually like someone, I will wish them a real happy birthday.  I mean, I don't send a card or make a phone call or anything time consuming like that.  I usually do it via text.  This is my way of showing you that I actually care enough to send you a text on your birthday!  I mean, anyone can type "Happy Birthday" onto that super convenient little box Facebook puts up there on birthdays.  But, it takes a true friend to pick up the phone and type "Happy Birthday" into the screen.

Now, don't get me wrong...Facebook is very valuable when it comes to birthdays.  If it weren't for Facebook, I wouldn't remember when anyone's birthdays are.  Seriously.  I know my mom and my cousin share a birthday.  I am pretty sure it is in March.  Thank God for Facebook!  Because, I would have totally forgotten to send my mom and cousin their birthday texts!

My dad's birthday is in the 1940s.  Sometime during the summer.

Desmond's birthday I know!  I think.

Kim's birthday, too.  I think I fear the wrath of my wife if I forget her birthday.

But, everyone else...forget it.

Oh, Jesus's birthday.  I remember Jesus's birthday.

Anyway...this rule has it's exceptions.  Let's say I don't have your cell phone number.  Then I would send you a note on Facebook.  If I actually consider you my friend.  I have some Facebook friends that I would call more of an acquaintance.  I separate friends from acquaintances by this simple rule...if you called me up and asked if I wanted to go out for a beer, would I do it?  If yes...then you're a friend.  If no, then you're an acquaintance.

This is of course assuming that I am not too tired or that I don't have other plans or that my wife would even let me or that I wouldn't have to leave West Seattle.  But, if all those criteria are met and I would have a beer with you, then you are a friend.  I will probably leave you a Happy Birthday message on Facebook if I don't have your cell phone number.

So...if it's your birthday and you don't see a "Happy Birthday" message from me on Facebook, don't think anything of it!  It just means that you should get a text from me if I actually like you.

And, if I forget...Happy Birthday!!!!

Let's all practice the Gonzaga Fight Song!

Here's a brief history of the Gonzaga Fight Song as told my my friend, Bernadette Durbin.

"Gonzaga "had" [a fight song] that had been borrowed and badly adapted waaaaaayyyy back when college fight songs were the rage. The Pep Band unearthed it in 1995 when they reformed, played it once, and decided to bury it.

 This one was designed by the guy who led the Pep Band for many years and was deliberately designed to sound like one of the classic songs (while including the chant that got popular with all its rhythmic glory.)"

I remember seeing words to a fight song at some point in my tenure at GU.  I feel like I even sang it somewhere, once.  But, everyone around me was in the same boat I was...what the heck is the tune for this. 

I like this version.  It's catchy!  It's fight songy!  I'll be singing it all week as we get ready to watch my Zags in THE FINAL FOUR!!!!!

Extroverted Introvert...THAT'S ME!!!

Saw this article recently.  You can find the original posted here on Stuff.

For a long time, I've never really known where I land on the Extrovert/Introvert spectrum.  I am always told how good I am with people.  As a recruiter, I used to get great feedback on how I could work the room or engage with potential candidates.  I enjoy good feedback, so I would try to put myself in position to do this.

But, I always dreaded it!  And, when it's over, I am ready for bed. I don't want to go hang out after.  I want to go sit in my room and be by myself.

Another scenario...after the school auction this year, I was invited out by one of the other parents.  A guy who I like, but who I don't know well.  But, I want to get to know him better.  I was reluctant, but I said "Sure!"  So, I headed out to meet him.  Turns out the restaurant we were meeting at was wall to wall crowded and the folks he was meeting that night weren't other school parents...it was a bunch of people I didn't know.  So, what did I do?  I snuck out. Didn't say goodbye.  Just left.  Yeah, rude...I know.  But, he was chatting and I didn't even think he would notice.

He noticed.  Not only that, but some of my good friends actually were there with him.  But, I didn't wait long enough to find that out.

If you are one of my besties, I love hanging out with you!  If you are someone I want to get to know, I can hang out in a limited capacity until I get to know you better.  If I don't know you...well, I probably have to go wash my hair.

So...I very much enjoyed this article.  There are clearly other people out there just like me!!!

__________________________________________

12 signs you're an extroverted introvert

Do you have a love/hate relationship with other people in general? You might be an extroverted introvert. 

Online quizzes and HR personality indicators like to put us into clear, easy-to-read boxes.

People think you must be either an "extrovert"; i.e. somebody that thrives being around others, or an "introvert", somebody who is best left alone. But not both.

Extroverted introverts know that the way you prefer to interact with the world isn't fixed. It's a sliding scale, which you'll understand if the following 12 things resonate with you. 

1. YOU'RE GREAT WITH PEOPLE

As an extroverted introvert, you know how to work a party.

You can be charming and funny, and most people around you think you're a genuine extrovert; one who simply gets along with everybody.

2. UNTIL YOU'RE NOT

Extroverted introverts reach a point in any social situation where they've had enough.

While they may have been initially energised by the buzz of human interaction, a couple of hours of it and they're completely drained.

They want only to be alone, not talking, so they can recharge.

3. YOU PREFER ONE-ON-ONE

Communication with another person one-on-one is usually the favourite type of interaction for an extroverted introvert.

While they are great with people, they don't really like small talk – something they find too prominent in group situations.

Extroverted introverts prefer to spend time with people they are really interested in and can have meaningful conversations with.

4. YOU HAVE SOCIAL ANXIETY

No matter how many times an extroverted introvert makes a great impression in a social situation, social anxiety always rears its head in the hours (or days) before the next time you're required to be "on" for a crowd.

They know they'll enjoy it once they get there, but think about cancelling many times before they leave the house.

Sometimes they even go out with friends not because they want to, but because they don't want to disappoint them. 

5. YOU LOVE BEING ALONE

Extroverted introverts don't understand anyone who is uncomfortable being alone. 

Sometimes an extroverted introvert will go an entire day without speaking to another human being and not think twice about it.

They love being by themselves, and find being alone reading a book, watching a movie, or partaking in any other solitary pastime, extremely invigorating.

6. BUT STILL GET LONELY

Just because you're good on your own, doesn't mean it's always good for you.

Extroverted introverts still get lonely when they cross the fine line between loving their alone time, and needing social interaction.

It's often hard to know that you're lonely because you're so comfortable in your own space that you don't want to leave it.

7. YOU CAN MEET ANYBODY

Extroverted introverts are good at meeting others' parents, partners, girlfriends and boyfriends, bosses, you name it. They could even meet the Duchess of Cambridge and probably make her laugh.

They're good at asking questions because they don't really like talking about themselves, but still manage to walk away knowing the person they were talking to thought they were the interesting one.

8. YOU FIND FRIENDSHIPS THAT NEED MAINTENANCE EXHAUSTING 

The ideal friend for an extroverted introvert is one that isn't demanding. 

Friendships that require work, like the kind that need constant attention and communication otherwise that friend gets needy, don't usually last long. 

Extroverted introverts are happier seeing each of their friends sporadically, and if months (or even years) go by between hang-outs, it's no big deal... you'll have more to catch up on anyway. 

9. SOMETIMES YOU'RE BAD AT MESSAGING 

On any given day, an extroverted introvert might feel like complete solitude. That means no replying to messages and texts, and they'll only pick up the phone if they think it's important. 

Extroverted introverts can be bad at messaging, not because they don't want to talk to you, but because they don't want to talk to anyone. 

10. YOU DON'T LIKE COMPLIMENTS

Sure, extroverted introverts like making a good impression and want to be noticed.

But when somebody actually gives them a compliment to affirm them, they get completely bashful and feel very uncomfortable.

It's a strange oxymoron: like you want people both to look at you, and not look at you, at the same time.

11. YOU'RE HAPPIEST IN CAFES

An extroverted introvert loves being around people, but not necessarily engaging with them.

Cafes are the prime spot for this: you can look around and see the hustle and bustle of life, and at the same time be removed from it.

The result is one of those great situations whereby they feel like they're part of something, but there's no pressure.

12. YOU LIKE GOING OUT, BUT THEN YOU WANT TO GHOST

Extroverted introverts do enjoy going out with friends and being social.

Take them out drinking and dancing and they'll thrive on it, but there will come a point – and it'll happen like the switch of a light – where they'll just want to go home.

Not because they're not having fun anymore, simply because they feel it's time to be silent.

Naturally, their inclination is to ghost from these situations, because goodbyes leave them riddled with guilt.

Conversation Pieces with my DAD! Why you don't want your college team to win

I'm a Zag!  Through and Through!  I love my Bulldogs!  The time I spent at Gonzaga coincided with the Cinderella years of the basketball program.  That first year when we went in and made it to our first Elite Eight after knocking off #2 Florida State!

Gonzaga has made the tournament every single year since then!  However, we still have yet to make it to that coveted Final Four spot.  People call it the monkey on Mark Few's back.  Whatever...I wouldn't trade Few for anyone.  It will happen.  Hopefully tomorrow!  We are really excited for when the day comes.

But, every year the excitement reminds me of a conversation I had with my dad many years back.  I don't recall exactly when.

My dad went to Michigan State University.  MSU has made their share of Final Fours and have even brought home 2 National Championships.

Once again, I was excited for my Zags!  As I am every year (even when I know deep down it won't happen) I knew for certain that Gonzaga was going ALL THE WAY!

To which my dad tells me, "You don't want them to win."

Me:  "Why not?"

Dad: "Because as soon as you do, you get phone calls saying, 'Did you see how good the team did in the tournament...would you consider donating?'"

Conversation Pieces - Library Boogers

Desmond: "Dad... The library should thank me because I cleaned all the boogers out of that book."

Quincy Update

Ok, so here is an update on Quincy, in case you were interested.

First of all, he still has both eyes.

It started with a pill he shouldn't have been taking.  Quincy Pants has been on Prednisone for a long long time.  The steroid helps control his the symptoms of his many, many allergies (for those that didn't know, Quincy is allergic to humans.  For real.  Among other things).  Well, apparently, his vet clinic forgot about this.  Or, at the very least, didn't check the chart.  QP's regular vet recently left so we had to see a different one when I first took him in to have his eye looked at.  She suggested we take him to the optometrist.  In the meantime, she gave us some pain killers.

This pain killer combined with the prednisone was the problem.  The two aren't supposed to mix.  When the eye doc saw this, she told me she wasn't comfortable doing the surgery.  He needs some tests and a new check up, first.

So, we run a blood test and the eye doc examines him.

Oh...he's got an ulcer in his other eye.  The doctor says it's very likely that, at some point (weeks, years, who knows) it's likely the other eye will need to come out.  We should consider removing them both, now.  He's not getting any younger.

Oh...and, he's got a heart murmur.  Could be a sign of heart disease.  You should have his heart checked out.

Oh...and, test results came back.  Thyroid problem, protein in his urine, etc,etc, etc.

We are scheduled for an echo cardiogram next Monday.

Here's where we're at.  There are a lot of things happening here.  With the exception of his heart, the docs have said that the surgery can be done with the other issues.  But, he'll likely need to be on more meds.  The optometrist thinks we should do the second eye.  We have a baby coming and no paid time off for either of us.  So, everything adds up.  We're going to see what happens with the heart exam and go from there.  That's another $500 by itself.

Kim and I basically decided that if his heart is ok, we move forward with removing the eye that is bad.  If the other eye develops a problem, we'll address it when we get there.  But, it's likely that we wouldn't pay for that second surgery.

If his heart is not ok, well...then it's time to start thinking about what's next.  Quincy is going on 13 years old.  He's not getting any younger or stronger.  Spending $5000k on an elderly dog who may not last many more years even if we did the surgeries is not very prudent, unfortunately.

I've been thinking, since Friday, about just how much Quincy means to me.  I mean, this dumb dog has been the longest constant in my life outside of my parents.  He's been around longer than Kim, longer than Desmond.  He's been here longer than my first marriage.  Longer than my time at Microsoft.  Longer than my time in West Seattle.  He was around during my divorce.  He has been there every day of Desmond's life.  He was my excuse to leave a date when I was single ("Well, I had fun, but I have to go home to let the dog out.").

When one talks about Man's Best Friend, this pooch has certainly been mine through lot of great and a lot of really hard times.  It sucks to even think about not having him around.  :-(

Quincy Pants is losing an eye ball

Poor Mr. Pants.

If you have not actually met Quincy recently, you may not realize that he's totally blind.  About 6 years ago (give or take) I started to notice some light spots in his eyes.  Just small dots that, at first, looked like he had a piece of dirt in his eye or something.  Except, it was actually IN his eyeball.  Inside the pupil.  The spot got bigger and bigger.  Finally, about 4 years ago, the cataracts took over his eyes and he become close to 100% blind.  Some light still gets through, we think.  But, that's about it.

Well, recently, he injured one of his eyes.  We suspect he walked, eyeball first, into something.  Could have been a bush branch.  Could have been the corner of the coffee table.  Who knows.  Anyway, it caused an ulcer on his eyeball.  Basically, a large crater on his eye.  According to the vet, it was one very small layer away from rupturing.  We had a few options.  1) surgery to remove repair the ulcer (most expensive option), 2) surgery to remove the eye, 3) medication to try to heal the eye.

The surgery options were about $2k, The meds were $50.  So, we went meds figuring if they didn't work, then we would go with the surgery.

Well, the meds worked...for that issue.

Shortly after, his eye got super bulgie.  Like, Glenn from the Walking Dead bulgie.  If you don't know what I am talking about, go punch "Glenn Eyeball" into Bing.

Took him to the vet.  Vet says, "Holy crap, this looks bad.  He needs to go back to the doggy eye doc.  So, we go back to the doggy eye doc.

Doggy eye doc says it's glaucoma.  A high eye pressure is 30.  Quincy's is 85.  Unfortunately, I can't go to the nearest weed store and get him some cannabis for this.  We could try meds for it, but, in the doctors words, "It's a long way to go and I am pessimistic."

They eye is causing him pain. It's pretty obvious.  He pants a lot.  He lies around a lot (more than usual).  He's not his usual happy, barky, "where are my morning pets, dad?" self.  And, according to the doc, there is only one solution at this point.  Remove the eye.

So, Quincy is going One Eyed Willy.  Surgery is on Friday.  It's not cheap.  Especially when my wife's company offers zero maternity leave and mine has decided I haven't been here long enough to give me parental leave.  This isn't a cost we have been budgeting for.  But, my Pants is hurting and that sucks.

I'm sad for him.  He's got such a cute face!  But, I know it will make him feel better.

Now, if only I could get him to wear an eye patch.


(Not Quincy...but, still super rad)

Things That Make Me Smile - Kids interrupt BBC Interview

This is making the rounds on Facebook today.  It hit my feed this morning.  I've probably watched it 20 times.  It makes me laugh so hard.



It just so happens that I am working from home, today.  Desmond has a buddy over and they've been playing Xbox.  But, I was on a call at about 1:00 and, all of a sudden, two boys appear from downstairs to inform me that they are hungry.

I was reading some of the chatter on this guys Twitter feed.  Most people are commenting on how well he handled it.  But, a couple are making it sound like he's a big jerk.  One even talks about how he "man handled" the older kid and how mad he looks at the "nanny."

Well, first of all, the woman isn't a nanny.  According to BBC, it's his wife.

Second, OMG...I totally sympathize with him!!!  I have been in meetings in the past, video conferences, where the kid shows up all of a sudden, pissed off because Netflix has stopped working or he can't find a particular lego piece or can he have a popsicle?  And, it's totally embarrassing!  Because you have to stop talking and shoo your kid.  You want your kid to grasp the concept that you are busy and can't help them at the moment.  But, to them, the most important thing in the world is that missing lego piece!  Desmond is old enough now and has been around for enough of dad's work from home meetings that he knows when to buzz off, now.  But that wasn't always the case.

This guy...he's in front of the world, man!  He's on TV!  I probably would have pee'd my pants!

But, mom's reaction is really my favorite.  How she pops in and you can totally see the "HOLY SHIT!" look on her face!!  Then, how she tried, unsuccessfully, to remain hidden while closing the door.  OMG, this video is so amazing!

Jason's Stage Review - Aladdin on Actual Broadway!!

Ok...blog post #3 has taken me a little longer than I wanted to get posted, but here goes!

Our first actual Broadway show ON BROADWAY!!!!

First of all, Kim is totally rad.  I'm sure I've said similar things before.  But, I am the theatre geek in the family.  She's the one that fell asleep at the Book of Mormon.  Although, to give her credit, that was 2 years ago and it has only happened once or twice since then.  Still, it was her decision to pull the trigger.

You see, shows on actual Broadway are FREAKIN' EXPENSIVE!!!  Our season tickets to the Paramount in Seattle average about $100 per ticket.  Some shows are more (Hamilton, Wicked, Book of Mormon) some are less (Dirty Dancing, American in Paris).  We decided to see Aladdin in NYC.  Our seats were pretty good, in my opinion, but not the highest price point.  They were $250 a piece.

Aladdin is coming to Seattle.  We have season tickets.  I suspect the Aladdin portion will be $125 or so.  We didn't know Aladdin was coming when we bought our tickets.  If we had, we might have seen something else.

Ok, with all that said, here's my review!

AMAZEBALLS!  A fantastic show.  The sets were rad, the dancing was rad, the genie was genius (see what I did there?), it was a great night!

The Genie is the original. It's the first time I have seen a Tony Award winner in a role they won the award for.  And let me tell you...he deserved it!  I mean, the man was moving all over the stage singing and dancing and barely braking a sweat!  Ok...that last part is a lie.  He was totally sweating.  In fact, part of his makeup was head glitter which I am sure was put there to hide the sweat.  I have to wonder if they pad his costume because I don't know how someone can move like that every single night and not be made of pure muscle.  He's not fat, by any means.  But, he also doesn't look like Derek Hough, which is what you would expect with that much cardio.



I am trying to remember the last time I saw a show with that much choreography.  Practically every song had a dance number.  I do love me some dance numbers!!!

Also, the guy that plays Jafar is the dude that did the original voice in the movie.  That was pretty neat!  Hearing him say "Prince Aboo-Boo" was straight out of the movie.

I only have one complaint...and I have this with The Little Mermaid, too.  For some reasons, the writers feel the need to add unnecessary backstory.  In the case of the Little Mermaid, they made Ursula (The Sea Witch) King Triton's rejected sister.  In Aladdin, they decided to give Aladdin some parent issues.  Apparently his mom recently died and he's trying to make her and his dad proud.  This manifests itself in a song called "Proud of Your Boy" and a couple reprises.  The song is mushy and the backstory is unneeded.  The character worked fine in the movie.  If they needed to add time to the show, I would have preferred they add it to the end as the whole Jafar becomes Sultan becomes Genie gets trapped in the lamp thing moved really quickly.  A little too quickly for me.  If they just felt like he needed backstory, well...whatever.  I disagree.

Anyway, I have been asking myself, was it worth the money.  I say Yes...to see a show on Broadway, it was worth it.  Will I do it again, I am unsure.  It might depend on the show.  Or the cast.  For example, I am going back to NYC for work in a couple weeks.  Bette Midler is starring in Hello Dolly.  I might pay to see her.  But, if it was just Hello Dolly and I knew Hello Dolly would be traveling through Seattle at some point, probably not.

But, this first time...totally worth it!  Thanks Kimmy for taking me for your birthday!

Babies in First Class...take your ghetto baby back into steerage!!!

Ok...I promised 3 posts on our NYC trip.  #2 is going to be about babies in first class because I like to complain.

So...for Kim's birthday, our friend Tom gave us a couple guest upgrade passes for our return trip home from NYC.  Tom flies a bazillion miles each year.  Because of his status, he gets a certain amount of guest upgrades.

(Aside: my time at Climate saw me make it to Alaska MVP status...it's pretty darn rad, IMHO).

Kim and I were very much looking forward to our 6+ hour flight home to Seattle seated in First Class.

That is, until we saw the family of 4 take their three seats in first class.  Mom, a toddler and an infant in the same row from us, across the aisle.  Dad in the window seat behind them.

Now...you may have noticed.  I have a kid.  And, very soon, I will have another kid.  An infant, in fact.  Kim and I are discussing potentially flying this new kid at some point during the first year of his life.

Let me assure you...under no circumstances will we fly with Owen in 1st Class.

Why not?  I mean, either you pay for the upgrade or your dedication to the airline rewards you with the better seat.  Why not take advantage of the extra legroom, larger seat and attentive service?

Well, let me tell you.  Because everyone else in 1st Class has paid for the same thing.  And, one of the other perks of 1st Class is limited craziness.

I understand flying with infants is a pain in the ass.  I've done it.  And, generally, I sympathize with parents who do this.  I try to help them when I can with luggage or, if I am sitting next to them, juggling all the baby stuff.  And, I put all of my patience to good use because I know that no matter how annoying a crying baby may be to me...it is 100x harder, more awkward and often more embarrassing for the parent.  They have my sympathy.

When they sit in coach.

Flying with your kid is sorta like a right of passage for parents.  You have kids, you deal with the consequences of that.  You don't get to stay out late, anymore.  You don't get to take that extravagant vacation.  You don't get to go to the movies.  And you don't get to fly in 1st class.

Perhaps you are wondering if our 1st class companion was well behaved.  The answer is a big fat NO.  Not only that, but mom and dad we're rather on the annoying side as well.  The toddler would literally crawl over her seat to get to her dad.  The infant (who was dripping snot everywhere) was crawling up and down the aisle to the point that the flight attendant had to tell mom that she needed to keep the baby in the seat.  Crying, complaining, moving about.  You know...all the things that babies do that folks paying a premium for seats don't want to put up with.

Dad was almost no help.  He was sharing a row with a stranger who I have a ton of pity for.  At one point, Kim told me that mom and dad had switched seats, but both kids were still with mom.  So...three people sharing a seat next to a stranger in 1st class.

Not to mention that mom was making a ton of demands on the food.  "Is this gluten free?  Can I get another roll for the baby?  I know it comes with bacon, but please take it off before you bring it out."

This isn't Red Robin, lady.

You may be wondering at what point it IS okay to travel in 1st class with a kid.  So, for you, I now present:

Jason's Things to Consider Before Flying in 1st Class with Your Kid

1. If you say "Stop that" and your kid doesn't stop, you should not fly 1st class.
2. If your kid is a crier or a screamer, you should not fly first class. 
3. Kids occasionally need to move around to stretch their bodies.  If your kid does this on all fours, becoming an easily kickable obstacle in the aisle, you should not fly 1st class.  
4. If your kid is an asshole, you should not fly 1st class. 
5. If YOU are overwhelmed by traveling with your kid, you should not fly 1st class. 
6. If you have any intention of changing your kid's diaper at the seat instead of in the bathroom, you should not fly.  Period.  Practice changing in a small space.  Nobody wants to be next to your kid's exposed excrement. 

Basically, if your kid is old enough to walk, listens to you and is able to be at least somewhat self sufficient (here's your water, you hold it and pick it up if it rolls under the aisle), then you're good.  This can mean 3 years old.  It can mean 5 years old.  Heck, if your kid is a douche, it might mean 13 years old.  

Again, if you're in coach, you have my sympathy.  Kids need to fly.  I get that.  You can't go visit Grandma for Christmas without bringing Jr.  I get it.  But, that's what coach is for.  

When we fork out money or reward points for the fancy seat, that comes with an expectation that I don't have to put up with annoying babies or their annoying parents.  If you are one of those parents, you are totes rude!!!!  

New York City! (get a rope)

Just got back yesterday from my very first trip EVAH to New York City.  Took Kim with me.  Primarily, I brought Kim along because it was her 40th birthday and I thought it would be rude of me to leave her behind while I was enjoying myself in the Big Apple.

You are going to get 3 posts out of this trip.  The first is this one!  A basic run down of our trip.  The 2nd is my review of Aladdin, our first official Broadway show!  Finally, a ranting piece on how annoying it is when people bring their babies into first class.

Ok, part 1: GO!

So...Kim turned 40.  Months ago (I swear, it wasn't 2 days before her birthday) I started thinking about what to do.  40 is kind of a milestone.  I mean, I know people say 50 is really the new 40 and that you don't really hit middle age until 50.  But, I think that's BS.  I know darn well that I ain't gonna live to see much past 80, even if I make it that far.  So, let's stick with 40 being "Over the hill."
I bounced around a couple ideas.  Either, throw a big party in Seattle.  Maybe rent out a dinner cruise or a winery or something.  Or, maybe a fun trip somewhere.  Hawaii, again?  Europe?

Then, I had to remember that there was a good chance Kim would be pregnant.  Surprise!  That turned out to be true.  So, let's not do anything involving drinking (winery out) or anything that would be too difficult to do pregnant (long trip to Europe or even sitting around pregnant in the sun in Hawaii out).

Hey, neither of us have ever been to NYC.  Let's do that!  We can rely on cabs so we don't have to walk any more than she can handle.  And, everything is pretty darn close.  So, NYC it is.

Fast forward 6 months.  Her tri-cities besties decided to join us.  One of them currently lives in NYC so we also had a rad tour guide.  Here are some pics.



We flew into Newark, NJ.  Immediately on decent, I could tell that New York is just a little bit bigger than Seattle.


Since there were 5 of us that needed transportation, I figured I would just rent us a car.  That car became a limo.  After a bit, the driver pulled over so we could hit up the liquer store and the 4 non pregnant people could put back a couple bottles of bubbly on the way to the city.



Our first full day, we began by visiting the 9/11 memorial.  Now, I could not get a good shot of this to save my life.  For such a powerful monument, my little phone simply could not do it justice.  Here is one photo, but this scene was so so much more amazing than this crumby picture portrays.



We were discussing the significance of the memorial.  If you haven't seen it, I'll try to describe.  There are two fountains.  One in each of the footprints of the Twin Towers.  There are two layers.  The top layer, waterfalls splash down into the second layer.  From there, there is a square hole.  Water falls over the edge into the hole.

Someone suggested it symbolized the waste of life.  Someone suggested the emptiness left from the attacks.  I suspect it's both of these.  As well as the silence of death.  You couldn't hear the noises from the city in this place.  I admit...I teared up.  I don't believe I have ever teared up at a memorial.  Granted, this is the first tragedy of my lifetime that I have reflected upon at it's memorial.  But, it was very very powerful.

Then, there is the Freedom Tower!  The new World Trade Center.  Wow, what a building.



After the World Trade Center, we headed over to 30 Rock to see Jimmy Fallon rehearse his monologue for that night.  Pictures are strictly forbidden!  And, given that it was Kim's dream to make out with Jimmy Fallon, I didn't want to jeopardize their meeting, so I didn't take pictures.  The experience was fun.  Was it worth the hour and a half of standing in line to watch a 15 minute rehearsal...mmmmm, I'm not sure.  Maybe for Kim.  If we had been able to get into the show taping, it would have been worth it.  It was pretty cool to see Fallon.  He seems like he really loves his job.  He gave us a quick history of the Tonight Show and of the studio where it's filmed then went into his jokes.  Most were hilarious.  Some were so so...the best part was watching him strike a line through the ones that didn't get the biggest laughs.

That night, we had dinner at Buddakan.  Apparently, it was on Sex in the City.  Michelle (NYC friend) made us reservations.  I admit, going in, I was a little, "I'm probably going to spend a ton of money and leave hungry."  But, boy was I wrong.  I mean, it wasn't cheap, but it could have been worse.  And I was definitely NOT hungry after.  This place was Bomb!  Highly recommend it if you're in the neighborhood.

Ok, moving on.  Saturday morning, we took a 3 hour tour (just sit right back and you'll hear a tale) of  the Hudson River and New York Harbor.  Here are some pics:

NYC Skyline


Unfortunately, Kim couldn't see anything because her hair was in her eyes.



Not sure which lady is prettier, here.


Empire State Building


UN Building



I know, I know...I'm 12.  But, I couldn't resit.  #YuckTheFankees


We also saw Ellis Island, tons of bridges, the Bronx, Harlem, Brooklyn, and more stuff.  All while enjoying a 4 course meal and booze!

Hung out in Central Park for a bit after.  And, I managed to only take 1 stupid picture:


Why did I post this?  I'm not really sure.

But, one of the girls got this one on her phone from the fancy pants overpriced bar at the park:

The final noteworthy event...Aladdin at the New Amsterdam Theatre.  Our very first "Broadway" show actually performed ON BROADWAY!!!

Overall...it was a total blast!  Kim handed it like a champ, despite being 12 months pregnant.  Great food, great sites...LOTS of people.  I had to close my eyes in some of the cab/Uber/Lyft rides because I was convinced we were going to crash or kill someone.  Would totally go again.  

Desmond really wants to go.  Very glad he wasn't there on this trip.  Not because I don't love to travel with him.  But, because I got detached from my adult counterparts at times in the crowd.  I would have a panic attack trying not to lose my kid there.  I told him maybe when he graduates 8th grade.  I still remember doing a tour of Washington DC in 8th grade.  Maybe we'll lump the 2 together.  

Speaking of Desmond...he's already 60% done with the gift we brought him.  The box says 12+.  But, that's not stopping him.  

 And, I shall close with this adorable picture of my lovely wife and me in Times Square.  Ain't she adorable!!!

Getting old sucks

In my reflections on 2016, you may have noticed that I said I am getting older, faster.  Let me shed just a little light on what the heck I meant by that.

My body does not like me so much, anymore.  I totally jacked up my back this week moving a changing table.  Granted, it was a large changing table.  But, it wasn't particularly heavy.  Still, somehow, while loading it into the hatchback, I threw something out.  Like legit threw it out.  Not a "ugh, my back hurts" kinda threw it out.  A "OMG!  I CAN'T MOVE!  I can't sit down!!!  I'm going to die!!!" kinda threw it out.

To emphasize how much pain I was in, I actually went to see a chiropractor.




I believe it was Ross Gellar who once said that Chiropractors go to the Community College of medical school.  I've just never understood why I need to pay someone hundreds of dollars to jump on my back.

Anyway, went to the chiropractor.  He jumped on my back.  Slowly, it got better.  Didn't fully go away, but it got better (was that my 3 chiropractor appointments or the heat/cold rotation and pity party my wife threw me?).

Then came Quincy's vet appointment.  Yes...a trip to the vet jacked me up again.  Quincy has eye problems.  This appointment involved a lot of prodding in his eyes, so I had to hold on to him.  The weird angle I was holding him at, bending just a little, not a lot, threw everything back into disarray.  I'm a total mess.

So, please send me your pity!  I need lots of sympathy!  It's been about 3 weeks now that I've been hurting.  Maybe a trip to Hawaii would help.
 

Just chatted with someone impacted by the travel ban

I just had a conversation with a fellow Amazon employee about the Trump Travel Ban.

As part of my job, I get to highlight stories of people at Amazon.  It's one of my favorite parts.  Interacting with employees and learning about how they got where they are and what they're most excited for next.

One question I always ask is, "What is something that makes you proud to work at Amazon."

Her answer to that invoked the travel ban.

Her highlight was the number of people from the company that reached out to her to offer their support.  People she hasn't worked with in years.  Her boss's boss from 2013, for example.

She says that, because of this ban, she is unable to see her family.  She can't return to Iran (she doesn't yet have her Green Card, but she's working on it) and her family can't come to the United States.  Oh, she also has a 2 year old son (an American citizen).

I live in Washington.  My family is in Arizona.  My mom visits about twice a year to see Desmond (and soon Owen).  It hard for me to imagine what it would be like if we were told we can't do that.

I know the people that agree with this ban say it's for safety.  I know that, deep down, they're intentions are good (although, I think Trump is a bigot and his intentions are to show off the fact that he is the most powerful person in the world).  But, it's clear to me that this isn't the way to do it.

We have just told 7 predominantly Muslim countries that they are not welcome here.  7 countries that haven't actually produced terrorists that have hurt us.  It seems to me that we're giving ISIS exactly what they want.  Another reason to hate us.  Another reason to rally young impressionable Muslims to their cause.  It seems like we are killing some of the freedoms we are supposed to love and cherish in the name of supposed safety.  Will this actually make us safer?  Or are we just adding fuel to the fire?
Either way...we're hurting our own people with this.  We're hurting our own friends, our own coworkers.  Our neighbors.  Personally...I think it sucks.