30.10.13

Guest Post #5: The Time I Forgot About Alex

I'm starting this post with an apology. An apology to my dear blogging friend Alex over at Everybody Loves You. See, Alex is one of those super cool bloggers who never lets his readers down. He blogs regularly, he's funny, he organizes cross-blogging activities for other Pittsburgh bloggers, he's in a blogging fantasty football league (well, we both do that), he's really good at yoga, he's back in school earning another degree, and he has a baby son. He posts a lot of Instagram photos of that baby son and I will admit, he's a pretty cute baby.

And I have no idea how Alex manages to do all of this at any given time.

See, back in June I asked Alex to guest blog for me. And he did. And then my computer died and my blogging abilities started to suffer. I met a man and fell in love, and I started to question all of the things I really wanted to share here.

Oh, and a little baby burst onto the scene too. Don't worry, I didn't give birth and not tell anyone. And I'm not a celebrity who orchestrates adoptions behind the scenes. It's just that my very tall, dark, and handsome boyfriend is also a dad. A pretty awesome and amazing Dad too. Chances are if you know me well, you might know a good amount about this part of my life. But the fact that my life just kind of popped in a little baby is kind of unbelievable at times. You might have a hard time believing it, because frankly, sometimes I still have a hard time believing it.

But the fact that Alex can blog, dress himself, listen to Drake, tweet funny things, work, be a husband, and a father, and not drop the ball on anything is a wonderment to me. Especially considering I couldn't even manage to get his guest post up in a reasonable amount of time.

Alex is doing it right, you guys. So go on over, read his blog, and wonder just "how does he do it?"
I'm sure he'd love to share some tips.


An Engineer’s List & Letters – List #1: Labor, Delivery & Recovery Recount

My wife and I checked into Magee Hospital at 11:00pm on Wednesday, May 15. Our baby boy was delivered the next evening, and we checked-out of the postpartum unit that Sunday at 1:00pm. Below is a list of things I learned during our 86-hour experience.

  • Some nurse’s smoke.
  • Oakland has its fair share of shady characters.
  • The Italiano Grilled Cheese sam’iche at Hello Bistro is the perfect lunch. Especially when paired with a White Lightning Witbier.
  • Ellen Degeneres’ wardrobe is extremely similar to mine. I mean, I’m sure her cardigans are J. Lindeberg in lieu of J. Crew and she has a Rolex Yacht-Master while I have a G-Shock, but our looks are near exact and I’m still not sure if that’s a good thing or not…
  • Pain trumps modesty. More people saw my wife’s privates during one day of labor than have seen mine throughout my entire life.
  • The nori (seaweed) chips at Sushi Fuku are the exception to the rule that anything fried is delicious.
  • Epidurals are amazing...when they work.
  • Procreation doesn’t discriminate. I was one of the few new-dads that wore shirts with sleeves and didn’t have a face tattoo.
  • Other than Ellen, daytime television sucks.
  • I really thought that I would cry when my son was born, but I didn’t. I felt the tears starting to well up, but my wife was pretty nervous during the delivery and I figured it was best for me to maintain my composure to help keep her calm. It’s like my brain told my heart to put it all aside and we’ll get to it later. I can still feel it inside of me, and I’m sure any day now it will come out. I’m just hoping it doesn’t happen while I’m in a tanning bed ‘cause that would be dangerous.
  • Post-birth boobs are huge…but busy
  • Some nurses are angels.
  • Sleeping in jeans on a couch sober is much more uncomfortable than sleeping in jeans on a couch drunk.
  • A lot more comes out of there than just a baby.
  • I really envy people that get to wear scrubs to work. They look so comfortable.
  • Babies are awesome.
 

21.10.13

List #228: Boyfriends and Cats

When I first adopted my cat Radley last fall, I had some visions of how I saw the whole thing playing out.

  • My cat would be the best cat.
  • My apartment would always be better than any future date's apartment. 
  • All future partners would prefer to sleep in my bed over theirs. 
  • I would not meet someone allergic to cats.
  • Anyone who dated me would have to love my (awesome) cat.
Well, in reality, pretty much all of those minus the first have been wrong. My cat is still the best cat. But the boyfriend is a man who has a fully stocked bar at his house, a lot on his plate, and a severe allergy to cats. Oh, and my apartment is pretty crappy.

But this weekend, Radley came for a visit to the boyfriend's. I was pretty much in my bliss and deemed only the tiniest thing missing. 

Here is a list of a few things that happen when boyfriends and cats mingle:
  • Crying while stuck in closed-tunnel traffic.
  • Hiding under a new couch with plush carpet.
  • Fearing the Swiffer on a morning of cleaning.
  • Pawing blankets on cold nights.
  • Laughing a cat who is a neb-nose in the windows.
  • Smiling when hearing the boyfriend call the cat "buddy."
  • Sneezing. But not as much as one would think.
  • Cuddles on the couch.
Overall, I'd say we all deemed it a success.

This is Radley hanging out under the table . He seems pretty pleased. 

It was a pretty fabulous weekend. And in related news, I can't believe I wrote this blog post.


17.10.13

List #227: Music for Lazy Weekend Mornings in the Fall

October has been a whirlwind. Too much on the plate, too many events to attend, too many work-trips to balance, mini-getaways to appreciate. In short, it's been a month of happiness and gratitude. But this weekend, with the exception of celebrating my mother's birthday, nothing is on the agenda.

And since the weather forecast says cool, I say open your windows wide and snuggle under the blankets.  It's going to be the kind of weekend to read books, drink cider, eat Chinese food, and it if it's possible, to have a few rounds of morning sex. Or perhaps, wander into a bookstore and chat up the cute person next to you and invite them to the nearest coffee shop for a continued discussion on how horrible James Patterson actually is. To each their own, but to each a soundtrack of quiet, happy, and content moments.

Here's what I'll be playing:

16.10.13

List #226: Rain and Thoughts on Wednesdays

I woke up this morning to the sound of rain hitting my apartment's windows. There was a heavy chill in the air and because I worked the late shift at the library, I got to burry down deep inside my blankets, let the cat cuddle up beside me, and drift off to a morning lie-in. It was nothing short of glorious.

I've probably admitted numerous times before that I much prefer this type of day (cool, grey, slightly rainy) than to a scorcher of heat and humidity. Quite honestly, it felt like perfection. And the only thing missing were the people, big and tiny, that I miss in the morning.

It was a good morning for a soak in the tub, some fall reading, and thinking.

I thought of lots of things this morning:
  • New friends
  • Hard work
  • Saying sorry
  • How to be a better friend
  • Old lovers
  • Scarves and sweaters
  • Ways to keep my cat happy
  • London in autumn
  • Leftover vacation days
  • Moving on up and over
  • Sign language
  • Sororities
  • Deep lines
  • Cooing
Here's to autumn days, falling leaves, and memories that make us happy for the present and eager for the future.