Tomorrow

I have my first mammogram tomorrow.  Wish me and my boobs luck.

I Think He's Going to be Fine

I took Jack to the dermatologist today.  I thought I had myself totally under control, but when I was moving aside Jack's hair to show the doctor, my hands were shaking.  The dermatologist, whom I adore, looked me in the eye and gave my hand a gentle squeeze.  It was before she even saw the mole, but somehow that hand squeeze was exactly what I needed and I knew that things would be okay.  I wasn't sure what "okay" would look like, but I knew it'd be okay.  

While the doctor agreed that the spot was troubling, she reassured me that in her 25 years of practice and with all of the concerning moles she has seen in young children, she has never, ever had one amount to anything other than just being an "eccentric" mole.  To be safe she did refer me on to a pediatric dermatologist specialist.

I now have to wait the looong 1-2 weeks before the specialist's office calls to schedule an appointment.  

In the meantime, the doctor's reassuring presence will allow me to sleep tonight and I am grateful for that.  

Thank you for your kindness, friends and stranger-friends.

Sorry, Sorry, Sorry

to my loyal readers (all two of you).  

I know that when you start a blog, there is some unspoken expectation between the blogger and the bloggees that you will actually write something - if not something entertaining, then at least something. 

But lately, man, I got nothin'.

It's not that there isn't anything going on.  In fact, it has been a very busy summer.  It's just that, well, since I have my new apple toys, I am spending all of my time playing with them.  Not actually using them to do productive things like write or edit photos or videos (which is what I swore to my darling husband I would use them for), but to tinker and piddle around.   Turns out I am really, really good at piddling around.

Anyway - here are some random tidbits from the house o'boys.  (I am still bitter that someone else owns that blog name and doesn't even use it!).

• Ben runs around the house slashing the air with invisible swords, yelling "Me, Inwah Yones."  (Translation:  I am Indiana Jones.)  
• Sam has taken up the term "freakin" and uses it appropriately.  Today, it was, "Mom, can you move your freakin' butt?"  Lovely.  I am relieved that he did not pick up this one from me.  Freakin' is a distinctly Aaron word.
• I had my eyebrows waxed, plucked, trimmed and tinted last night.  I can't stop looking at myself in the mirror.  It is strange.  Like if I suddenly died my hair candy apple red.  Noone else has noticed though.  Hmmmm...
• Jack has a mole on his head that has all four symptoms of a melanoma.  I thought I was being a hypochondriac (can you be a hypochodriac for your children?) but when I showed it to his pediatrician, she said, "I don't like the looks of that."  We have an appt with a dermatologist tomorrow.
• My parents have been staying with us for a month.  It has been great, but I am waiting for my house of cards to fall down.  When family stays with you for a week, you can sort of hold it together and pretend that you have your act together.  After a month, the cracks are showing big-time.  
• Jack "really, really, REALLY"  (his words) wants to buy a tampon for a quarter.  Every time we walk past the machine in the women's restroom, he begs me for one.  It doesn't matter what it is, or what its purpose is, the kid knows that when you put a quarter in a machine and wait for something to pop out, it's all good.
• If I just throw in that part about the mole on Jack's head all super-casual like I just did, does that mean it really can't possibly be true?  Cuz that's the effect I'm going for.  Totally not worried, totally not wanting to vomit every time I think about it.  

Time for me to go spend some quality time with my husband on the couch before he suspects I am having an emotional affair with my new laptop.

 

Live Play By Play

of a conversation between Grandpa Bill and the boys (who are watching Bad News Bears, the 1976 version):

Sam:  What's a jock strap?

Grandpa Bill:  Uhh.  It's uh.  A, uh.  It's something you wear under your underwear when you play sports.

Jack:  Why do you wear something under your underwear?

GB:  Uh, it's for uh, protection.

Jack:  To protect what?

GB:  Uh, your groin.  Your groin.

Jack:  What's a groin?

(Me:  in kitchen, eavesdropping, laughing inside, wondering how GB will answer)

GB:  It's between your legs.

The iPhone Follies: Day Four, Holy Crap, I've got one!

After one hour and 10 minutes in line and 15 minutes getting my new baby activated, I am now the proud owner of a 3G iPhone.  Let me tell you, it is beautiful.  Gorgeous. Sleek.  Sexy.  

Waiting in line was fun, truly fun.  I was two people behind Lindsay Davenport.  In addition to our collective iPhone giddiness, there was a ripple of excitement in the crowds since a celeb was among (amongst?) us.  Of course I never would have known who (whom?) she was unless someone else told me, but given that I am a celebrity whore, I was very entertained.

While waiting in line, Apple's hot shot employees kept us entertained with their own iPhone folly stories - people trying to cut in line, people furious that they couldn't get the color phone they wanted, people waiting in line who were angry at employees for taking lunch breaks.   They let us play with demo phones, they showed us iPhone short cuts and tricks, and they tried to explain AT&T's quirky new pricing structure.  They handed out water and snacks.  They played "Guess How Long the Line Will Be."  It was great fun and went by in a flash.  

I have not heard yet whether my brother-in-law has his phone.  He is the only person I know who is perhaps more excited than I.  

Now to learn how the heck to use it......

 

The iPhone Follies: Day Four, Morning Edition

The New York Times is reporting that one million iPhones were sold over the 3 day weekend since the 3G has been released.  One million iPhones were sold and there is really not ONE for me?

The iPhone Follies: Day Three

Sunday, July 13.

I refuse to get my hopes up.  I sent two scouts to the mall for me to check out the situation.  It is still bad.  The Apple store closes at 7pm and they are not allowing anyone else to get in line after 3:30.  

Another day.  Another sad ending.  

The iPhone Follies: Day Two

Another unsuccessful iPhone day.  I was able to wiggle two free hours out of my day today - no kids, no husband, to wait in line for the damn iPhone.  Store 1:  Sold out of their stock within an hour.  Store 2:  3 hour line.  Store 3:  2.5 hour line.  

I am still iPhone-less.  Sigh...... 

The iPhone Follies: Day One

Last year, on June 29th, my brother-in-law and I were two of millions of people across the globe caught up in iPhone fever.  We both knew the low-end $599 model was out of our league, but that didn't stop us from hovering around the local Apple  store, watching the lucky 200+ people queueing to be among the first to own one of the coveted toys.  

Fast forward 11 months and the excitement was reaching fever pitch once more.  We anxiously awaited Steve Jobs's confirmation of the rumors at MacWorld 2008 that the 2nd generation iPhone would soon be available.  Not only did he confirm that the new phone was set to launch on July 11th, but he confirmed that it would be half the price and twice as fast! Wahooooo!

So... today's the day.  Or I should say, today WAS the day.  And sadly, both my brother-in-law in MI and I in CA are going to bed iPhone-less.  

I called the various local Apple stores last night at 9pm to check on whether people were already lined up to buy the phone.  Yes, the lines were already forming.  There were 30 people at the Palo Alto location alone.  Rats.  I thought I might get up at 5am and be one of the first in line.  

I carefully scanned the online news and blogs this morning.  New Zealand started off the frenzy, followed shortly by Japan, New York - and finally 8am hit California.  Doors were opening, phones were slowly but surely being sold, and Apple's servers were hit so hard with activations that they were jamming.

I had every intention of hitting the gym this morning with Janet but the gym is so close to the Apple store that I made her do a drive-by to check the lines.  Long.  Crud.  "OK, off to the gym," she said.  I opened my eyes, wide and sad.  "Can't we please just try another store?"  Next thing I know I have her driving all over the Bay Area looking for a store with no line.  Guess what?  There isn't one.  And we never did make it to the gym.

The next chance I had to get to the stores  was after the boys went to bed.  As soon as I heard the first snore from their room, Aaron and I hopped in the car to chase down an iPhone.  Stanford Mall  Apple store:  300 deep line.  Apple wasn't allowing anyone else to queue.  Palo Alto AT&T store:  No line.  Jackpot, I thought!  I ran in.  Sold out.  New shipment arriving at 8am tomorrow.  Palo Alto Apple Store:  Line is 4 blocks long.  Apple again is stopping new people from lining up.  Police are on hand to manage the traffic.  

 Tomorrow's gotta be my day.

A 30-something at American Idol

Half as a gag, and half because he knew I'd really love it, Aaron got me tickets to see American Idol at the  HP Pavilion in San Jose last night.  Great, clean, happy fun.  

It may be that Aaron and I were the only 30 somethings there who weren't accompanying their children.  The demographic seemed to be tween and teenage girls and women in their 50s who were out for a good hoo-hah.  Sadly, those women in their 50s dressed like the tween girls - crimped hair, pink lipstick, short shorts and all.  It was not pretty.

I'm not sure which was more entertaining - the performers themselves or the state of the girls watching them.  I am telling you, these 10-16 year old girls can scream.  We had a group of girls behind us, all decked out, each in a t-shirt with one glitter letter on it, spelling DAVIDS ROCK (that is plural davids - as in Archulette and Cook, in case you don't know).   Every so often, one of them would yell out, "1, 2, 3..." and then they'd all scream "We Love You David" in their highest, shriekiest voices.  (At least the 1,2,3 gave us fair warning to cover our ears.)  Next to me was a 14 year old girl going through the most painful awkward stage, accompanied by her mother who is still going through that awkward stage some 30 years later.  The two of them screamed their lungs out every time David Archulette was even eluded to.  The pandemonium that went on when he actually came to the stage was unworldy.   

But that is just the side show.  Here is my review for anyone who dares to admit that they watch the show and is interested in my thoughts.  Each Top 10 idol gave a mini concert of 3 songs except for Archuletta who sang 4 and Cook who sang 5.  

Chikezie, Ramiel, and Ayesha were boring.  The crowd put up with them in order to see the good stuff.

Kristy Cook did her best to do a moving performance of God Bless the USA which was very exciting for the 5 Republicans in the audience.   The applause for her entire performance was weak, at best.  Republican/Country/Patriot is not a good vibe for the Bay Area.  Not because we aren't patriots, but because most of those songs have been high jacked by the right wingers.  Yawn.  Next, please.

Michael Johns is the real deal.  He is every bit as gorgeous and sexy live as he was on tv.  He not only has a beautiful, raw voice, he is a great entertainer and show man.   He knows how to interact with the crowd.  I would pay to see him perform solo.  Interestingly, it was the adults who seemed to connect more with him than the teens.  I guess that explains his surprise elimination from the show.

Brooke White is as likable on stage as she is on TV.  I love her barefoot performances and truth be told, as my friend Judy says, I just want to be her.  

Jason Castro, sweet, mellow, Jason Castro.  He was the surprise stand out of the evening.  I always liked him but his live performance was outstanding.  And his presence is exactly as you'd expect.  I think he smoked a few joints just before performing, came out, did his thing, gave us a few "dudes" and off he went.  It was perfect.  

If anyone else could have possibly won the Idol competition, it was Carly Smithson.  That woman is fan-freaking-tastic.  She absolutely brought the house down.  Her talent is immense.  I want to hang out with her.  She might even talk me into getting a little tattoo.

David Archuletta rose up from underneath the stage sitting at his piano.  His presence seemed different somehow, more mature, more confident, than last we saw him.  I leaned over to Aaron and whispered, "I think David had sex!"  But by the second song, he was back to the cute, awkward David the girls know and love.  Lots of "oh my gosh" and "aww, shucks" moments.   I have read that the reason he loves singing is because he can express himself in songs in a way that he isn't able to in words.  That is certainly true of watching him perform.  His voice is pure velvet, gorgeous.  I find myself feelings motherly and protective of him and hope that the hollywood beast doesn't change him.  

Then, for the show's finale.  David Cook.  Clearly, the best person won the Idol competition.  His voice, his songs, his performances were fantastic.  He commanded the stage, when singing and when interacting with the crowd, and was absolutely the front man for the Idol concert.  I love to watch him, just thinking about how one year ago he was a regular guy, bartending and trying to pick up gigs now and then.  Now he is a confident, seasoned pro.  I could have listened to more and more from him.  

So - there you have it.  Anyone up for joining me next year??

Tired

I am tired today.  Less than 5 hours of sleep.

Let's just say, if mama ain't happy, there's nobody happy.