Kaylee In The Northwest

Kaylee was born to perform. No question about it. When I started singing at church, she immediately wanted to start going to rehearsals with me, and all the way home, would practice singing with me until she felt she was ready. Then she worked her way into the schedule so she was up on stage with me, setting an awesome example for all the kids at church.

What's next, you ask??

Well, this week as school wound down for Christmas vacation, there was a choir performance for the whole school... A Christmas Sing-Along! (Yay! Again, I LOVE Fircrest!) So as the plans for thie performance started to trickle down to the kids, Kaylee didn't miss a beat, and went to the teacher asking if she could sing a special duet with her friend Terra. She wanted to sing "Christmas In The Northwest", and after a quick audition, Mrs. Fellows agreed, and she was in!

Then came my job, making a semi-karaoke version of the song for them to sing with. (It's amazing how often my past-job-skills come in handy!) As this week began, every night ended with Kaylee singing the whole song for us, getting every little nuance correct. She was a little worried that Terra might get stagefright, and in the spirit of "The Show Must Go On!", she was prepared to take the whole song herself.

Finally, Tuesday @ 2:oo came, and we all waited anxiously through the choir performance... After several cutely-enjoyable songs, it was Go Time! Kaylee and Terra were introduced, walked down in front of the risers, and the magic happened....





As you can guess, we were VERY proud of our little superstar in the making! Hopefully, Kaylee's Christmas Performance will become another loved Christmas Tradition!

NEWSFLASH! BAND CONCERTS NO LONGER PAINFUL!

I still vividly remember when Ellysa & Andy started Band in 5th grade. Cindy recalled it in our Christmas Letter that year as something like "an asthmatic elephant and a wounded giraffe" or some other animal reference. She also said I blew milk through my nose as a result of the sound... Details aside, suffice it to say that they fell a bit short of making beautiful music. Well, now Ellysa's in 8th grade, and the band director at her school runs a great program. The proof of this was a couple weeks ago, at the first concert of the year.

Unlike at Hunt Middle School (BOOO!!!) where the band director found it necessary to help out the kids by playing instruments while also conducting, the bands at Curtis Junior High (YAY!) are self-sufficient. And not only do they have all the necessary seats filled, but the kids actually play their instruments well!

But it's not all roses - next year Kaylee will hit 5th grade and the cycle begins again... I'll just be sure to NOT be drinking milk at the time..

Ben Stein Loves A Merry Christmas

He's more than just the teacher calling "Bueller.... Bueller... Bueller...?" or the game show host offering a chance to win his money. Ben Stein was a lawyer for years, and was a speechwriter for Richard Nixon. He's also an occasional commentator on CBS Sunday Morning. Last year, a week before Christmas, he offered this commentary, which is just as compelling this year. And yeah, I verified that it's actually true, he really did say it, and I even went to the trouble of correcting the emailed version I originally received to make it match what he actually said. The link to the proof is after the commentary. Merry Chrimstas!

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Here at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart. I have no freaking clue who Nick and Jessica are. I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I am buying my dog biscuits. I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores who they are. They never know who Nick and Jessica are either. Who are they? Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they have broken up? Why are they so darned important?
I don't know who Lindsay Lohan is either, and I do not care at all about Tom Cruise's baby.

Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I am a subversive? Maybe. But I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are. Is this what it means to be no longer young? Hmm, not so bad.

Next confession:I am a Jew and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish, and it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they're slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we're all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there's a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a creche, fine. The Menorah a few hundred yards away is fine, too.

I do not like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution, and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?

I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too.

But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.

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Well said, Ben. Very well said. Again, Merry Christmas to all!

If you're still doubtin the authenticity of this, click here.

'Tis The Season To Get Older

Wow, it's been over a week since I've posted anything... and it's not because there hasn't been a lot to post - in fact, the opposite is true! There's been SO much to post that I haven't had time to post it all!

December, in addition to being home to Christmas and New Years, and all the gatherings and shopping that accompany them, but it's also Andy's birthday on the 10th, and mine just a few days later on the 15th. Andy's been having birthdays since he was born back in 1992. So it shouldn't have come as a surprise to me that suddenly out of nowhere, he had the nerve to turn 14. But it did. It really did! Most of you who know me, know that I really don't put any weight on age. My age, your age, doesn't matter. I generally have 3 "ages" that I keep track of: Younger Than Me, My Age, and Older Than Me. Within those categories are people of all different kinds of chronological ages... It's all about where you're at in life, and how it feels to hang around someone. Meaning you could be 52 years old, and still be totally "my age" to me, based on who you are. So Age to me, ain't nuttin' but a number.

Until someone who I helped create turned 14. That's just too weird!! But he did it. And I lived. In fact, I lived well enough to make it through "The Storm" and turn another year older on Friday.

That picture up there? It's from Andy's "I'm almost 14 - close enough to get a free plate of sopapillas for my birthday!" dinner. He also got to wear the birthday sombrero and scarf... And milliseconds before the picture was taken, he was shouting "Olé!" and holding a big goofy braces-enhanced grin that like I said, vanished RIGHT as the picture was snapped. But you get the idea...

So Happy Birthday to Andy (and me) and an open request to call the paramedics in a couple years when he turns *gulp* sixteen....

Friday Funny!

Why Wii? You Have To Ask???

By now you all know that I stood in line on the morning of November 19 to get a Ninteno Wii console at launch. I'd just like to let anyone who was concerned know, that I have zero regrets!! This system, more than anything I've ever played, just oozes fun! It's fun that starts with the console itself. Even without popping a disc in, you can have fun making characters called Miis, which can look like yourself, your friends, your enemies... And then share them with other Wii owners via the console's internet connection. The Miis then populate various games, including Wii Sports, which was bundled with the console. Remember how I said you can make a Mii of your enemy? Well Wii Sports has a boxing game. It's like therapy to beat an offending Mii senseless!! FUN THERAPY!!!

At launch, knowing that Wii Sports was included, we only bought one other game. We chose Excite Truck, an off-road truck racing game that is the most fun driving game I've ever played. I was torn between it, and Rayman Raving Rabbids, but went with what I felt was the safer bet of a racing game.

Then last week a friend (who has made and shared some great Miis) let me borrow his copy of RRR. This game is the craziest, most fun game I've ever encountered. In fact, if I'd seen this trailer before launch time, RRR would likely have been my launch title.


So far, all three Wii games - Wii Sports, Excite Truck and RRR are not just fun for the person playing them, but for anyone else in the room as well. The first night we did Wii Boxing, Ellysa worked up such a sweat she had to hit the showers afterward!

So my request now, is that everyone needs to get a Wii!! Then we can link 'em all up, create a big ol' family of Miis, and turn out a great big happy Wii Party!

Christmas Tradition #2

I grew up in Des Moines - Washington, not Iowa - and one of the things I loved about it was that it felt like a community. People knew each other... In many ways, most of us grew up in an area like that, and we all know that the feeling of community has largely gone away.

Not in Fircrest!! Our town is still very connected, and still thrives on small-town values. It's strange, being wedged between Tacoma, Lakewood and University Place, but the little municipality really does have its own culture. One of the best embodiments of that culture is the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony.

It's 2006. This is now. All over America, the seperation of church and state has gone to extremes, particularly blocking Christianity from virtually everything, for fear of offending someone in the minority. I hate that. As a kid, one of the highlights of each school year was getting together in the lunch room before school in the mornings, and singing Christmas carols. Yes, CHRISTMAS CAROLS!! AT SCHOOL!! This was a fully sanctioned activity! The music teacher even played the piano and TAUGHT US THE SONGS!! It was a time when all the grades mingled together, and everyone got along. Were there Jewish kids at that school? Yes. Did they complain? No. Some just played on the playground waiting for the bell to ring, others sang along with as much joy as the Christian kids. It never occurred to them to be offended. I really miss those days. But back on target:

So in 2006, for an official city function, held in public, to honor specifically Christmas - not "The Holidays", but Christmas - is astounding to me! I love it! A huge percentage of the town turns out and stands in the cold dark park, waiting for the ceremony to begin. Finally, someone introduces the mayor, who thanks us for coming, and prepares us for some other guy who is going to offer the invocation. The WHAT?? PRAYER?? AT AN OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT FUNCTION?? Yep, Prayer. He invocated. In Jesus' name, he invocated. He dedicated the tree to the Christmas season, he thanked God for the miracle of Christmas, it was like being in church, except there we were, in Alice Peers Park, underneath the "Welcome To Fircrest" sign. And when he ended his prayer with a rousing "...and all God's people said..." there was an "AMEN!" that rose from the crowd that was more jubilant than many church services I've been in! Then they threw the switch, the tree lit up, I took a picture, and Santa, Mrs. Claus, some elves, and a few reindeer came parading down the street...

As the countdown to Christmas continues, Santa will make several runs through town on a fire truck, handing out gifts and candy canes. And my family will eagerly run out to greet him and wish all within earshot a Very Merry Christmas!

A Treasured Christmas Tradition!

I love the Holiday Season! From Halloween to New Years, it's just nonstop fun and festivity. My family - like most - has traditions that go back several years, and in many ways, those consistant activities help define what "The Holiday Season" feels like. I'll be highlighting some of my favorite December traditions over the coming weeks, but first....

This is a tradition I first discovered back in 1999 or 2000, and ever since then, it's been my favorite signal that Christmas is indeed coming.

If you've seen this eager-to-please Burger King employee before, you're probably already giggling... If not, then welcome to one of my treasured Christmas traditions! Skippy just loves his job at Burger King! And he loves to sing about it every year as Christmas approaches. He's got such an infectious enthusiasm, you just can't help but smile and sing along... Ready?

Just click here to kick off the Christmas Season in style!

And let me be the first to say, on behalf of the Brinkerhoffs, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

Oh Yeah, And Our Friend Code...

Well, I was so excited about having a Wii, that I forgot to give out our Friend code! Any other Wii owners out there who want to join us in online gaming, or share Miis together, or who knows what else will eventually be added, here's the code for the BrinkerWii:

5855-9926-3488-7983

Wii would like to play!

WE GOT Wii!!!

YES!! Behold the crappy camera-phone imagery showing my Wii ticket this morning! I was number 17, and Fred Meyer had 29 to sell. This was my first time ever buying a console at launch, and it was FUN!!

After going back and forth on wether we'd actually get a Wii at launch, or wait until later, it really felt like it was going to be later. Certainly, that was the fully responsible way to go... But then last Monday or Tuesday, Cindy and I were in Target, and watched the demo video at the Wii kiosk, and when they showed "WarioWare: Smooth Moves," even she got excited, and it became clear that it was ON! (note: I resisted the temptation to say "shii" in that last sentence, but it was hard)

So anyway, after church on Saturday night, we heard an ad that Fred Meyer was doing a midnight release... Stopped at our normal FM, and they weren't... they only had 19 systems, and were opening at 7am, their regular time. Hmmmm.... A Line wasn't allowed to form until 11pm when they closed Saturday. I thought about coming back and camping for it, but just wasn't sure... Target already had 30+ people camped out, and they were rumoured to have 51 systems. Iffy. Real iffy. Then an amazing thing happened - while I was talking to the electronics department, Cindy was across the way in the shoe department. (Everyone: "No, Really?") She'd found a pair of boots she really liked, but they didn't have them in her size. So the brainstorm hit, let's go check with the FM in University Place! It's only a little farther from our house (in the other direction) so we were off. While she found her boots - which they had! - I went over to the electronics department and roughed 'em up a bit. Or actually, humbly asked how many consoles they were getting. Unlike our regular store, which had an exact number and all the details, this store was really wishy-washy. They said they had "around 40", but that the number was only a rumour. WHAT?? It's way too close to release time to play these stupid games!! HOW MANY??? Well, they weren't spilling that info. But when I asked if they expected many campers, the answer was like angels singing... "nobody's allowed to camp out here, and if they try, they won't get a system."

CHA-CHING! I'ma Get Me A Wii On Launch Day!! I did some speculation and decided that getting to the store at 5 would be a safe time. It's the same time I get up for my weekday workout, so no real shock to my system. When I got there, I was 17th in line, and naturally, most people ahead of me had been there since approximately 11pm the night before. Oh well, nothing that guy told me Saturday night was accurate. Whatever, I'm 17, so even at the other store it would have worked.

At about 6:20 or so, the manager came out, announced that they had 29 systems, and handed out the highly covetable Wii pink slips. (again, I resisted the temptation to call them Wii Piink Sliips. You should be proud of me) Me, and the three people in line near me that had been getting to know each other all gleefully tucked them away safely in pockets, wallets, purses... and the checked on them about every 3 minutes to make sure they hadn't evaporated!

A few minutes after that, an amazing thing happened: Cindy drove up, with hot chocolate!! This was huge, because she made it clear that I was on my own doing the crazy 5am Wii thing... But she couldn't resist - or wanted to make sure I didn't go buy-crazy - and came to join us.. She got right into the community of the moment, laughing and joking with the group in line.

The last 15 minutes seemed to take FOREVER, so when the manager came back and opened the door at 6:57 ONT (official Nextel time) a cheer came up from the whole line! Interestingly, many people were shouting "Woo!", but I didn't hear anyone shouting "Wii!" or even "Wheee!" I thought about it, but wasn't about to win the prize for biggest dork at the launch...

So, minutes later, we left the store with our Wii, an extra controller, Excite Truck, and a 2000 point Wii card. Setup was a breeze - I really like the feel of the Wiimote! I got it on my network, downloaded the updates, and then used my points to buy Mario Brothers. Not Super MB, but the original "flip the turtles over and knock them off the screen" Mario Brothers. Then I popped in Wii Sports and Pwned the opposing team at a game of baseball.

I LOVE THIS SYSTEM!!! Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!

Hey Aliens! You feel like Chicken Tonight?

You're looking at a satellite image of a desert in Nevada. You know, like seen from space. That happy chicken pusher smiling up at you? He's a whopping 87,500 sqare feet in size... Just over 2 acres. Think of how many houses a modern neighborhood squeezes into 2 acres, and you start to realize how big this thing is. Personally, I'd love to also see it from the ground, just to see how unrecognizable it is from that perspective.

The whole stunt is tied in with KFC updating their logo - Colonel Sanders wears an apron now! I guess that after 50ish years of getting the white suit all greasy, he's ready to finally get serious and wear an apron. Go Colonel! I'm sure Mrs. Sanders is happy!

The company says this is the first brand logo visible from space... So naturally, putting it near Area 51 is the smart marketing decision, because now all the hungry aliens can find a KFC without moving too far off route. Great move, KFC!

Now THAT'S A Great Picture!

I don't think I even need to say much on this one... Our awesome kids with their noses in books - what else could I say?!

Friday Funny!

A little math humor this week... Really brings back memories of first hearing mathematical terms like "find" and "prove". Like the first time the math book said to prove a triangle. Armed with the knowledge gained from growing up on Sesame Street, my answer was "Duh, it has three sides and three corners. Of COURSE it's a triangle!!

I didn't do so well in math that quarter...

Green Eggs and...

Well, I guess it's Green Eggs and Brown Eggs... From our back yard chickens!! Yesterday, Babs finally laid her first egg, and it was a pale turqoise colour! It was so exciting to finally have another of the girls finally start earning their keep. I performed a quality control test on the new green egg this morning, and it passed deliciously!

Two down, one to go... C'mon, Ginger!! LAY THAT EGG!!!

Picture of the Week

I'd heard about this on the news on Tuesday, when the flooding was so bad... but I hadn't actually seen a picture until today. Kinda makes me wonder what happened to Mr. Fish after he crossed the street... In case you're curious, he's crossing Skokomish Valley Road near Belfair. Belfair?? I hope Mason Lake didn't rise too far!

For a whole slideshow of pics from this past week of rain rain rain coming down down down, click here!

Friday Funny!

Best.

Pie Chart.

Ever.

Trick or Treat and Treat and Treat and Treat...

For our second Halloween in Fircrest, we bought slightly less candy than last year, because we still had some left over that time... But tonight, possibly due to the perfect weather, possibly because of the awesome decorations at our house, we were completely swamped!! Ran out of candy, went down to the daycare and started dipping into the snack stash... GONE AGAIN! Luckily, Cindy and the kids got home, and we took all the candy that Andy & Kaylee didn't love and put it in the bowl for the rest of the hood... By the end of the night, I think there were about 4 tootsie rolls, and a few of the nasty hard candy that somebody always seems to give out on Halloween, and NOBODY wants. Including Andy and Kaylee... So I guess for a while, we became that house... Anyway, the decorations were so much fun!! I always get a green pumpkin, and this year I had the inspiration to hook it to the smoke machine. So I present Video #1, The Smoking Green Pumpkin!

After seeing how cool the pumpkin was, I decided that some extra lighting would help accent the smoke... which it did!! Unfortunately, all I had handy was my crappy cameraphone, so it really wasn't possible to capture it as it actually looked... But we had friends saying they could see the lights dancing in our trees from half a mile away! Here's a clip of the whole front yard, with extra attention to the porch area! Happy Halloween!!

Next year we're definitely going to buy more candy... :)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Fitness Update, Week 1

So despite setbacks that suck, as of this morning's workout, I am 5.5 pounds lighter than I was as last Monday's morning workout. This is good, and I'm feeling pretty good about it! Actually, considering that we had that company party, a wedding Saturday night (buffet and REALLY GOOD CAKE!) and then KFC for dinner Sunday, a 5+ pound loss makes me feel really quite good about the whole thing! Oh, and just to prove my willpower survived the weekend, I managed to not eat a single cookie, chip or piece of incredibly good smelling apple pie at church last night... Go Me!

Target + Nintendo = SO COOL!

So I've already made it very clear that I love Nintendo. I am incredibly excited for the release of the Wii in a few weeks... And Target is one of my favorite places to shop.

Now these two have teamed up to bring the coolest gift card in the history of gift cards, the glowing Wii card!

I've never been that big on gift cards, but I want one (some?) of these!! Like, enough to get one each time I go to Target, just to pay for my stuff and keep the card!

Don't forget, gift-giving season is just around the corner!! =)

Setbacks Suck...

Okay, so today is Saturday... Day 6 of the new "Get In Shape" initiative. The week started out well, as you can see from the chart. By Wednesday I was down 3 pounds, and going strong! Yay Me!! Then life, as it just loves to do, got in the way. Monday and Tuesday, I actually went to the Y three times daily. That's my master plan - to exercise to the point that I simply can't NOT lose weight! Couple that with my commitment to Target Brand Ultra Weight Loss Shakes and Lean Pockets, and it seems bulletproof. But ahhhh, sweet lady life...

Allow me to set the stage. My 3-a-day workout plan is like this: Up at 5am for a cardio/weights routine. Another cardio program during lunch, around noon. Then after a SENSIBLE dinner (complete with portion control) another trip back to the Y, this time together with Cindy. She's discovered what I learned last spring, that Racquetball is one of the greatest games ever created!

So the first two days of the week went just like that. Smoove like butta, as they say on the streets. Then Wednesday comes. Work is crazy, I end up skipping my lunch break (aka workout #2). Can't play Racquetball that night either, because I have music rehearsal for Team #2 at church. This really hurts, because Cindy went out and bought us our own rackets and balls, and I really wanna play!!

Thursday, I drag myself out for the 5am workout, determined to get back on track. Again, Yay Me! But when I go to take my lunchtime Y time, they're having a blood drive, and I can't find anywhere to park within 5 blocks. Not that I'm not willing to walk 5 blocks, it's just that my office itself is only about 5 blocks away, and I've determined (scientifically!) that I don't have time to walk there, change, workout, change, and walk back in an hour. So after driving around and realizing it ain't gonna happen, I grudgingly go back to work, but to work off my frustration I did run up and down the stairs a few times... For those of you that have been to my new office, the ceilings are VERY tall, so each flight of stairs is much longer than any I've seen before.

Thursday night was rehearsal for Team #1 (my original team!) for church, so again, no racquetball. The new rackets are getting dusty! It's so sad!! As if to test my re:solve, Michael (Team #1 leader, see Mike and Tina, right) closed the rehearsal by offering to take us all to Dairy Queen for blizzards, his treat! Now, knowing that I hadn't gotten my daily allotment of exercise in, I had kept my calorie intake WAY down, so the little voice in my head immediately does the math and determines that yes, I should have a Blizzard. Plus, it's a team thing, and I don't want to be the annoying anti-team guy saying no to a free blizzard -- Oops, I mean to a team building experience! So we go. It's SOOOO good. Mmmmmm.... But tomorrow I really need to get all my workouts in!!

Friday morning, 5am: Not a chance.

Friday lunchtime: Yeah. Not my usual workout, but at least got some activity in...

Friday evening: It's our company's 10th anniversary, and they're having an open house to show off the new offices and celebrate the 10th. As the new (and first-ever) I.T. guy, I've got to be there, put faces to the names and voices and email addresses... And I know full well what the caterers are bringing. It's like a huge buffet of "Mike's Favorite Finger Foods"! Again, I REALLY behaved during the day, so I thought I had room, especially since Cindy and I were finally going to get to play R-ball that night! But ooooooh, those bacon wrapped shrimp were soooooo good... and so was the BBQ Pork... and the teriyaki beef skewers... and the cheesecake... (in my defense, the Canteloupe, Honeydew and Strawberries shared equal space on my plate..er plates...)

Then it was off to play! Uh-oh... The party ran late, and I missed that opportunity too. Ouch!!

So now it's Saturday... we're about to go FINALLY try out our new rackets, and all I've had so far today is a shake. Looking good, and DETERMINED to get back on track.