Upward and Onward

Many moons ago, I kept a personal anonymous blog.  I used it as a venting place.  Could have been politics, religion, entertainment, Harry Potter, Lost, morning commute...basically, anything that I wanted to talk about.

I am finding the urge to do that, again.  However...I also want to get back to blogging about life, like I did a bit in this blog.  So...I am changing this page up a little.  I am giving it a new name, a new address, and a new feel.

For anyone who wants to see mostly pictures of Desi, I recommend you find me on Facebook.  I will still put them here.  But, no longer as a spot to simply put pictures.  I am using Facebook and Skydrive for that.  This will officially be my blogging page.

Everything is 100% me.  Nothing I post is from Microsoft or represents the company or brands I work for.  HOWEVER...I may occasionally post about things relevant to what I do!  I will likely keep my recruiting/HR related posts regulated to Fistful of Talent.  Here, however...I may take the opportunity, however, to gloat about things like how Xbox recently kicked the crap out of the new Nintendo Wii-U in Black Friday Sales!!!  That is me saying that...not my company.

I will also talk politics, so watch out!  If you don't like to hear people talk politics, go away.  I am not a right wing or left wing nutjob.  Believe it or not, I am actually pretty smart and down right moderate (although, I do lean right).  I like a good conversation.  I HATE people that can't think for themselves and just tow the party line.

I will talk about the mundane.  I meant it when I mentioned the morning commute.  One of my most popular posts on my previous site involved how I hate seeing people use babies to ride in the carpool lane.  Even as a dad, I still hate that.  Although...I admit I have made a hypocrite of myself at least once. 

Anyway...if you're interested, stay around.  If you're not, that's fine.  This is for me.  I like to write. :-) 

See you again, soon!!!

Happy New Year from Winnie the Pooh, Ninja Assassin!

Whoa...this is an awesome post title that I have had saved for over a year.  Wish I remembered what the content was.

This blog needs a reboot

Stay tuned.  Many life changes and a renewed desire to blog more.  Going to make this my all up go to page for everything.  Still parenting adventures.  But, also my opinionated rants and raves about just about anything I can think of. 

New title coming.  New URL as well. 

Now that Desi is 18....

Here's some pictures for you. 

Summer:

Don't worry...I gave him his flea meds.

 

With Duncan on the Oregon Coast.

JP and Kevin (Duncan's dad), Oregon Coast.

Fall:

With some kid who hates his job.

 

 

 

And...if you've hung out this long...a video, since it's been 5 months since the last.


Armwrestling. from Jason Pankow on Vimeo.

So...I'm running for charity and stuff

What better way to get back to my blog than to tell you all that I am currently training for a Half Marathon.  I have a fundraising page where I will be blogging, so I won't duplicate efforts here.  You can find the blog here: http://pages.teamintraining.org/wa/Amica11/jpankowcwg

I don't know what the cwg after my name is.  I've been trying to change it, but it ain't working.

Anyway...the run is for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  I was going to run a full marathon, but after the recommendation of many runner friends, I decided to stick to the half for my first major run.  And, after 3 weeks of training, I think I made the right choice.  Dang, this sucks. 

So...follow that other blog, too.  I'll try to post over there at least weekly.  I'm running 4 times a week.  The Saturday run is always the longest (ran 10 miles today).  Also, please take time to donate. 

What????

I haven't posted since April?  What's wrong with me?

Poker night

I don't play much poker.  In fact, the only poker I do play is via my Xbox.  But, the other night, I hosted a poker night at my place.  I invited some neighbors and the guys from my PEPS group.  I bought a keg of beer and some food.  In order to eat drink and play, everyone paid up $50.

This wasn't a "Winner take all" kinda poker match, though.  Normally, the winner walks off with the bulk of the money with a little bit of cash going to 2nd and 3rd place.  That's not how it works in my house, though.

Every penny given to me was donated to Save the Children, one of the agencies helping with disaster relief in Japan.  I have been reading and listening to numerous stories of so many children who were left orphaned after the earthquake and tsunami.  The stories break my heart and I want to pull and Angelina and adopt every one of them.  However, that's just not practical.  Instead, I decided to play poker. 

We raised $350.  Since the money was given to me, as a buy in, I am able to have the funds matched through my employer.  So, because of a Friday night poker game, Save the Children got $700.  It's not a lot in the grand scheme of things.  But, it's something. 

http://www.savethechildren.org/

Oops

Dang...it's been so long since I've posted that the URL isn't even showing in my autofill. 

Here's the "Superfood-Man-Chu" to tide you over.

Some pics

My mom's in town.  We took a trip to Victoria, BC.  Here are some pics from that and some other stuff.

Chasing Mommy

Poser Quincy



Singing for his friends. He's got soul, I tell you.

He's going to be "that guy" in college.

In Victoria...he chased this bird for 5 minutes.

Okay, maybe 10 minutes.

With Grandma

This is me trying to be a photographer

Me trying to be a photographer, part 2

Sunset on the boat ride back to Seattle

Laziness wins

From day 1, we insisted that Desi would not sleep in our bed.  I am not a fan of the "family bed."  Not because I'm all judgy, or whatever.  But, because I want some sleep!  I don't need a toddler kicking me in the ribs, all night. 

Every since we promoted Desmond from the crib to the "big-boy bed" (which is actually still a bed for little boys, only it's not a crib) it has been a challenge keeping him in the bed.

For those that haven't seen our house, Desmond's room doesn't have a door.  It's not technically a bedroom.  We used it as the office before he got here.  But, it's a great place for a nursery as it's the only room on the same floor as the master bedroom.  Eventually, when he is efficient in navigating the stairs by himself, we will move him upstairs into what is now the guest bedroom.  But, for now...he stays where he is.  In a room with no door.

We do a pretty good job of getting him to sleep in his bed at the beginning of the night.  We read stories, say prayers, tuck him in, go to our room, put him back in bed after he comes in to our room, tuck him in, go back to our room, take Desi back to his room, threaten to put up the baby gate, go back to our room, help Desi go potty, again, take him back to his room, tuck him in, maybe finally get to sleep. 

Anyway...at the start of the night, he sleeps in his bed.  Where he has outsmarted us, however, is in the middle of the night.  Shaundar and I have both been working a lot, lately.  So, when we finally crash, we our OUT.  We are beat and we've been looking forward to sleeping for as long as possible.  This is where Desi takes advantage.  Anywhere between 3 and 5, he will tiptoe into our room and come right up to one of our faces.  "I want to sleep in your bed," he will whisper multiple times until we finally wake up, or at least stop pretending we're still asleep.

At this point, the choice is A) pick him up and let him sleep the rest of the early morning in our bed or B) take him back to his bed and fight the battle that is getting him to stay in his bed.  This late at night, the battle often includes crying.  Choice A usually wins.  Once we plop him in our bed, he is usually asleep again within a few minutes.  Within a few more minutes, he has securely established his place on my side of the bed leaving he with about a half a foot of space to try not to fall off of. 

Of course, this isn't always the case, as was demonstrated once last week when he woke at 3 and decided he wanted to play in our bed rather than go back to sleep.  It took two and a half hours and a round of trying to get him back into his bed before he finally fell asleep, again.  Just in time for Shaundar's alarm to go off.

So, we now find ourselves just giving in every time.  He shows up in our room, we plop him in the middle and try to get what sleep we can before morning.  One day, I will just bite the bullet and nip this in the bud.  I shouldn't expect much sleep as we go through that.  But, for now...laziness wins. 

Conversation pieces

This morning's conversation:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Desmond: “You’re Jason.”

Me: “Yup.”

Desmond: “I’m Desi.”

Me: “Uh-huh.”

Desmond: “We’re friends.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Nice warm fuzzy to kick off my Friday.

Thank you...Don't forget to tip your waitresses.

Piano Playing, Part 1 from Jason Pankow on Vimeo.

I stopped recording, but he kept going. So, I started up again.

Piano Playing, Part 2 from Jason Pankow on Vimeo.

Bought Desi a new hat

Here is what it looks like next to the old one.

Can you tell which one is which?

Mariners Fanfest and Desi's new Tee

This weekend was Fanfest at Safeco Field.  Fans get a chance to play on the field and meet some of the Mariners (although, to actually meet 1 Mariner, you need to get in line for over an hour...once you meet that Mariner, you get in line for over an hour to meet the next...we skipped out on meeting Mariners). 

After Fanfest, we came back and took a few swings at the ball on Desi's new Tee.

At the Glove

Picking their season ticket seats.  I told them we can't afford these.

Stealing 2nd



The 2nd Baseban drops the ball and Desi is on his way to 3rd!



This is the face of determination!




That's right...I'm fast.



Now, Duncan is stealing!



Celebrating their victory!



This kid has a great arm.  I'm not kidding.

Boogie Fever

Every time we go to Braden's, Desi needs to track down this card that sings "Boogie Fever."  It's from Braden's birthday in November.  You can hear Desi singing Boogie Fever.  I'm not sure what Duncan is saying, but it sounds like "Go away, Boogie Fever."  Although, given his dance moves, I'm not sure I'm interpreting that correctly as he also seems to have caught the Boogie Fever.


Crazy kids from Jason Pankow on Vimeo.