(this is) durkin.org

 made by xianjessen, originally uploaded by boyshapedbox.

One evening, as I sat hunched over my laptop working on slides for a meeting, Reilly asked me what I was doing. “Working,” I replied, and showed him the screen.

He studied the presentation for a few minutes, then looked at me and said - “You’re drawing pictures?”

Essentially, yes. Daddy spends hours and hours drawing pictures on his computer.

So now, I stumbled upon the Song Chart Meme / Pool and am thrilled that there is finally a use for my professional skills! These things (most of them, anyway) are freakin hilarious. Please enjoy.

ORIGINAL, originally uploaded by boyshapedbox.

It snowed! And this time, even in inches it is noteworthy, at least for this part of the country.

We were on our way to ATL and actually turned back because the storm was so bad - lots of ice on overpasses and poor visibility and wrecks and stuff. We took the boys outside to play when we got home and they loved the first hour or so - until the thrill of snow turned to just cold and wet¹.

I was all set to make fun of the news folks who prepped for days and days about the coming storm: when we woke up on Saturday there was a light dusting, but no real snow. Not until about 9, anyway. My bad, newsguys - you don’t completely suck at weather.

1. Really, that’s more my gripe than theirs. «

Dobbs does. Little man fell asleep in the cart at Costco today, and I got to try out my new phone (which I completely love).

A couple of weeks ago, I watched the LSU/Alabama game, and Reilly watched part of it with me.  We are not fans of either team, and he knows that, so I think he was a little confused as to why we were watching it in the first place.  Add to it that we are Auburn fans (Auburn Tigers, LSU Tigers, ??) and the confusion mounted.

Reilly: Daddy - we don’t like the Elephants, right?
Me: Right.  But we do want them to win this game.
R: Who are they playing?
M: LSU.  (pause as I think through the Tigers, Tigers problem)  They are also called the Tigers, but they are not the Auburn Tigers.
R: (…thinking…)  So, we don’t want the LSU¹ to win?
M: Right.
R: But we do want the Elephants to win?
M: Today we do, yes. 

He sat and looked at me for a while as he processed this situation.  It seemed like minutes passed.

R: Then I will say War Eagle Elephants!  Because we don’t say “Roll Tide,” right, Daddy?
M: Right!

He spent most of the first half shouting “War Eagle Elephants” at the television.  Priceless. 

1. Ever since then, he refers to LSU as “the LSU,” which cracks me up. «

Add this comment to the signs that I’m getting older: When I was in high school, $10 worth of gas in my Dad’s Datsun 210, and later the Toyota Corolla, held me for weeks.  In college, I could fill up my Nissan Sentra¹ or Honda Civic on the first of the month and not worry about gas again for the rest of the month², road-trips aside. 

This morning, I stopped to put some gas in my Trooper; and I wondered how far $10³ would go.  Less than a quarter of a tank, it turns out; which should roughly translate into about 80 or so miles.  Hopefully enough for the week.

1. What about it? «
2. Granted, I lived less than a mile from my classes for the majority of the time there, but still… «
3. Gas was at $3.05 for regular unleaded, compared to $.80 or so when I was in high school. «

File this under crazy things you don’t expect to hear from your agent - we were robbed at one of our open houses.

He called the Wednesday after the house was held open on Sunday to say that he had received an email from another agent stating that there were reports of people pretending to look at houses while they were actually going after medication.  And, he said, that one woman who was so interested only left a six digit phone number and no last name, and she did ask if she could use the restroom before she left, and she was in there for what seemed like a long time…

Sure enough - the medicines that MR had left over from her whirlwind day `o surgeries were all gone.  The bottles were still there, but not so much the contents.

I checked the rest of the house, and nothing else appeared to be missing - no jewelry or electronics or anything like that.

I can’t decide if I am angrier that (1) we were robbed or that (2) the person our agent thought was most likely to purchase is apparently not really interested in the house.

The other day, while leaving the men’s room at work¹ , the CIO of my company wondered aloud how automatic flushers are powered.  It seems, he continued, that running electrical circuits in such close proximity with the water (and in so many toilets) could be dangerous.  I replied that I had never really thought about it, but that his observation did make sense.

Great - so now I was curious, too.  So as not to abuse corporate internet-use policy, I did a search at home and discovered the secret - battery power.

I called him today, to tell him about it, and he laughed and laughed and laughed.  He was, I think, genuinely amused that I had not only looked up specifics and facts and figures, but also that I actually called him to tell him.

1. OK, OK, it wasn’t actually “while leaving,” it was while inside; but I really don’t like talking in the men’s room, especially at work.  It just doesn’t seem right. «

After four years (last month!), we are ready to move on; with three boys and a home-based business we just need more space. It’s a 4 bedroom, 2 bath rancher in the walking district¹ in Homewood; a great house, priced to move!

So tell everyone you know.

In other news, our house has a website, too.

1. From our house, you can easily walk to two shopping districts, two parks, the neighborhood pool and gym and the library. «

A timely link, at least for me, from Lifehacker today - Cover Your Butt at Work.

“Sometimes trouble has a way of finding even the best employee. Workplace miscommunication and conflict can add stress to every day and make your life miserable.”

I don’t completely agree with the “cure-all” metality of the article, but I have to say that this habit¹ has come in very handy for me on a number of occassions.

1. I call it a “habit,” but for my purposes and in practice it is actually much less compulsive than either it sounds or the article suggests. «

We aren’t getting much sleep, either. The funny thing is, Haines sleeps for a long time at night - we put him to bed between 10 and 11 each night and he usually sleeps until between 4 and 6 in the morning¹. There is just so much to be done right now - cleaning, bottle washing, milk management², work, painting, bottle washing, etc., and I honestly don’t know where the time goes. We get to sleep between midnight at 1 usually, and have lately been getting up at least once with one of the boys, then up when Haines does.

We are obsessed with Scrubs. Seriously. During the last couple of months of MR’s pregnancy, I discovered that Scrubs is on three times every night starting at 10:30 PM Central. And we watch pretty much all of them. Every night. And lately get PO’ed about the Cubs games on WGN (which is the channel that carries back-to-back Scrubs episodes every night), because then we only get to watch one show a night.  Which is clearly not enough.

1. Which might not sound like “sleeping through the night” until you compare it to the alternative: getting up every two hours to feed a newborn. «
2. Have I mentioned the ridiculous amounts of milk? «

I noticed today, more so than other days, the crowds gathered in the lobbies of buildings downtown, all watching news coverage of memorials and observances; reminiscent of the days immediately following the attacks when we would go to work and do nothing but stand in break rooms or troll online for news - waiting for something to happen, holding our breath at what that might be.

Its been said that September 11 was this generation’s Pearl Harbor, our Depression, and perhaps that is true. I know that I cannot, will not ever forget that day.

I was calling my wife when I heard the news. I pray for the victims, and for all of us. I think this is going to be with us for a long time.

I always thought that among people who have children, it was most common to have two¹. Perhaps, at one time, that was correct. Nowadays, though, its all about three. Everywhere I look, I see more and more families with three kids.

Which is nice, because it gives us hope for our survival. At the moment, we are completely reactive, and are overworked and under-slept². With Haines only weeks old, and the older two not in a regular routine right now³, there is just sooooo much to do on a daily basis; MR and I are not getting into bed until after midnight every night, and up before six.

I am reserving judgment on whether or not the transition from one to two, or from two to three is more difficult until we weather this storm a bit.

One day at a time…

1. Wasn’t that the joke in the 80’s or something, that the nuclear family had 2.3 children? «
2. And apparently taking liberties with grammar and spelling. «
3. And a couple of other things I’ll reserve for later… «

Well, not exactly this week, but at least within recent memory.  And I don’t have any pictures yet, which in one case will be disappointing, and in the other would be silly.

Reilly is Jumping / Dive-Flopping off the diving board The kid is swimming like a fish all the sudden, and vounteered that he wanted to jump off the board.  I’d been trying to get him to do it for weeks with no success, and one day he says lets go.  Unfortunately, the diving boards were closed that afternoon, so we had to wait.  Two weeks ago, the older boys went to spend the weekend with my folks, and while there Reilly took the plunge.  And he’s been jumping and belly-flopping ever since.  Photos coming soon.

Dobbs is Swimming (Sort of)  D thinks he can swim, but he can’t quite yet.  He jumps from the wall and then just kinda hangs there in the water like that kid on the cover of Nevermind.  Every so often, he kicks.  Seriously, though - he has no fear, expect for some loud noises, and spends most trips to the pool hurling himself into the water and then climbing back out to do it again. And he wants to do it by himself.

Reilly vs Potty Training = Mission Complete While he’s been sans diaper during the day for some time now, we’ve kept him in pull-ups at night.  Monday, he said he didn’t want to wear it, so we took the leap, and he woke up dry.  Before you pop the champagne, I should mention that Tuesday night did not go quite so well, but we are committed and have high hopes for tonite.

Have I mentioned that I really don’t like potty training?

Amy and Alan after the reception, originally uploaded by atomjohnson.

If the pictures are any proof, this wedding was one heck of a party; Adam has details here. Recent events¹ kept us from making the trip, but we were with Amy and Alan in spirit, and look forward to toasting them in person sometime this Fall.

The Johnson’s as a whole are tremendous people, and I count myself lucky to know them². I really wish we could have been there, but am happy for them nonetheless.

So anyway - Amy is a wonderful person, and Alan is a lucky guy. Best of luck to them!

1. MR could not drive for two weeks after giving birth, and we were advised against any travel for at least that time. «
2. Well, four out of the five…if it weren’t for the fact that everyone but me knows him and there are tons of pictures of him, I would doubt the existence of Scott. «

jakebirth3, originally uploaded by lukesmom.

Congratulations are also in order for Jen and Chris (and Luke) on the birth of their second son (and first brother) Jake. I like this picture; he looks like he just heard a bad joke. Tons more pictures here.

Jen once asked what to expect with two boys, and I never really answered her. That’s probably for the best¹, as I wasn’t able to poison the well and give her any additional cause for worry, other than that which she may have come up with on her own. Mostly, I would say its tiring and hectic and LOUD and tiring.

But completely great, and totally worth it. Really it is.

1. It is mayhem. Total mayhem. «

2007_0708miller0051a, originally uploaded by amanda521.

Congratulations to Amanda and Leslie on the birth of their first child, Miller. She was born in June and mother and child are doing well (and have even already been to the beach!).  In the picture above, she is having a bath.

John Haines Durkin was born this morning at 7:29 am (stats: weight - 8 lbs 3 oz | height - 20.25 inches).  Haines is doing great - he’s already charmed several nurses, eats and poops like a champ, etc, etc.  We think he favors his older brother Reilly (especially when Reilly was a newborn).

Mary Reed did wonderfully through the c-section; but there was a complication that required a second surgery in the afternoon.  She is back in our room resting now, and is fine and there are no long-term impacts; but she had a very rough day.

The big brothers were able to come up and see MR and meet Haines, and so far so good.  Because of the craziness today, we didn’t get a chance to do the “gifts from the baby to the brothers” bit, but we will do that tomorrow, I’m sure. 

About his name: “Haines” was Mary Reed’s paternal grandmother’s middle name.  After we decided on the full name, John Haines Durkin, we discovered that the aforementioned grandmother was named after a family friend - John Haines.

Scott Pelfry Greene, age 60, of Sandy Springs, died June 29, 2007 following a long struggle with multiple sclerosis. Scott’s strong will to live and positive attitude were an inspiration to family and friends. She grew up in Atlanta and was a 1964 graduate of Sandy Springs High School and a 1969 graduate of Georgia State University.

She is survived by her husband of 38 years, Luke Greene; daughter, Mary Reed Durkin and her husband, John of Birmingham, AL; son, Will Greene of Atlanta; mother, Mary Earle Pelfry of Sandy Springs; father, Reed Pelfry and his wife, Peggy of Toccoa; sister, Anne Berryman and her husband, Bill of Athens; grandchildren, William Reilly Durkin and Edward Dobbs Durkin.

Funeral services will be held Monday, July 2, 2007 at 2 PM at Sandy Springs Chapel. Rev. Tyler Dixon, officiating. Interment Arlington Memorial Park.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Multiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta, The Palisades Building, 3200 Downwood Cir., Suite 550, Atlanta, GA 30327. The family will receive friends Sunday from 4 PM until 7 PM at Sandy Springs Chapel, 136 Mt. Vernon Hwy., Sandy Springs. (link¹)

The paper said very nicely and succinctly what many will struggle with for years - Scott is gone. She was a wonderful friend and mother, and she fought her disease with every part of her for three decades; refusing to let it drive her life.

But it did take from her. When I met Scott, she was walking and feeding herself; she could hold and talk on the phone. Over the last ten years, she has gotten progressively worse, and for the last two or so was bed-ridden, and dealt with numerous complications. I would like to remember her as she was at our wedding, dancing with her husband.

She was in the ICU for the last week, fighting two infections, anemia and pneumonia. The night she died, her entire family gathered in her room, and more or less had a party. We talked, we mourned, we laughed and we prayed.

Cliches abound in my head - but there really aren’t words: We will miss you, We love you. We will not forget you.

More pictures of Scott | Slideshow

1. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has online guestbooks for the obituary entries - this one is Scott’s. It will be online for one year; sometime before then I’ll save a copy of it here. «

And his mother baked him a cake! We spent the holiday weekend¹ with my folks at their cabin in Mentone, Alabama. Everyone had a good time, except when they did not, but mostly we did.

We even went swimming in the lake for a bit.

I have about 435 more pictures, but I thought I’d spare us all…

1. Which, of course, means that this notice is late. Sue me. «

One of Reilly’s current favorites is “Tentacle” World¹ by Will and the Bushmen. “I wanna live in a tentacle wooorld…”

Dobbs is a huge fan of the Wiggles, and seriously loves both Big Red Car and one of their theme songs. He doesn’t quite get the whole word “Toot” out, though, so when he sings Big Red Car, it sounds something like “too-too bi re cah.” The theme song variant he sings (or sang, I think he’s stopped now) he got from me - if I don’t know the words, I make them up, or insert “something.” So for months Dobbs walked around singing “Da Weegles, Da Weegles, something-something-something.” Priceless.

They are both great phonetic singers², just like their dad.

1. Typical World, that is «
2. You know, when you don’t know what the words are, but you sing the sounds anyway and hope no one calls you on it? «

The other day our receptionist remarked that she was surprised I don’t run into things, as I am always staring at my BlackBerry while walking through the office. I said I had “BlackBerry Vision” and that I never ran into things, thankyouverymuch.

Until today. I wasn’t even looking at it, I just had it in my hand and was looking in a general downward direction when I bumped gently into a tree limb. In downtown Birmingham.

In the old days¹, when we put the boys down for a nap or bedtime, they often fussed and whatnot, but they mostly complied and went to sleep. It wasn’t perfect, there were days or stretches of days with no nap, sure, but all-in-all we all managed.

Fast-forward to now: We continue to struggle with the boys’ sleep (or lack thereof) since we moved them into the same room². Cases in point:

• Monday night, I went in at 10:00 to make sure everyone was all snug in their beds, and found Dobbs asleep on the floor, clutching Lambie. He apparently passed out while making a run for it.
• Sometime last week, I walked into the kitchen at about 9:30³ and heard a noise from their bedroom; I looked down the hall, and saw Dobbs in the door way to their room, Lambie in hand, with his mother’s sunglasses on. He quickly ran back to bed.

I keep thinking that, at some point, they have got to get over the new-ness, and get back to taking naps, falling asleep at a reasonable time, etc, etc. Any day now, I am sure.

1. Read - Just a few months ago. «
2. Oye with the not-going-directly-to-sleep-or-not-sleeping-at-all-especially-during-naptime thing. «
3. The boys’ bedtime is @7:30. «

Every now and then, we all need a little humbling. Sometimes, it seems like I get more than my fair share.

For about five or six days now, MediaMonkey has not worked properly. The application starts, the EQ indicates that the track is playing, but I can’t hear anything. I’ve played with the volume controls, I’ve reinstalled drivers, I’ve unplugged and plugged different peripherals, I’ve run various diagnostics on the audio, I’ve searched and searched and searched and searched online for answers, all to no avail.

MediaMonkey was silenced. Dammit.

This evening, in one final, almost offhand attempt to fix the problem, I was randomly adjusting settings on the default media player and apparently turned MediaMonkey’s internal player volume back on¹.

Problem solved. Doofus.

1. I am totally blaming this one on the kids. «

Reilly: (yelling) I want it.
Dobbs: (yelling) I want it.
R: (yelling) I want it.
D: (yelling) I want it.
R: (louder) I want it.
D: (louder) I want it.
R: (really yelling) I want it.
D: (really yelling) I want it.
MR: You boys need to share it.
R: (really yelling) I want it.
D: (really yelling) I want it.
Me: What is it?