The Life of Brian

Olive's Dad and Mr. Wigand

2011-09-15T13:34:00.000-07:00

I have been referred to in two different ways this past week, both of which I was not prepared for. The first was at work, when someone who knew my daughter, but not me, said, "Hey, aren't you Olive's dad?" This was the first time I experienced what is sure to become more and more commonplace: the fact that my daughter has a life outside of my existence. It was weird, it was fun, it was sad. I felt like it was the first step realizing my gradual loss of control.

The second occurrence was being called "Mr. Wigand" by over a hundred middle school students. I started my student teaching placement this week and have really lucked out by being placed with a great teacher and a fantastic group of students. I have worked extensively with students before, but this feels so much more formal. It's fun. I like it.

-Brian

What have I been up to?

2011-09-09T14:15:00.000-07:00

Pete's Coffee

Olive loves her smoothie

First time swimming!

Beach Trip

Lovelies

One of my avocados

Planter box I designed and built to house Jenn's lime tree

Helping uncle Keith with his remodel

Spontaneous WA trip

Early morning daddy-daughter hike

Hayward Japanese Gardens

School has ended for the summer and I am starting student teaching on Monday. One quarter down, three to go.

Pacifica, fingerpainting, NIECE!

2011-07-07T21:05:00.000-07:00

Fun fun fun at the Wigand house.

Thanks grammy and grandpa!

Toryn Erith Wigand

Pacifica- The sun decided to come out as soon as we got there.

Olive loves her bags!

She didn't have any fun. At all.

Happy grandparents.

Day Zero

2011-06-19T22:43:00.000-07:00

Last August, I decided, again, that becoming an educator was the next chapter in my family's journey. Through intense preparation, multiple tests, a more than confusing application process, an interview, and a couple one-day trips down to California, I was accepted into the program despite some seemingly insurmountable obstacles stacked before me.

I kept waiting for it all to fall through. I was certain I would miss some deadline, fail some test, or forget to dot an "i" somewhere on my application. I was sure they didn't want me in their program due to my "lack of experience."

But here I am. And I'm terrified.

I guess I still kind of have that feeling that things will fall apart, that I won't be able to keep up with the work, that I'll forget to turn in some certification. Perhaps it's just the unknown of it all. That's what I keep telling myself, anyway. Perhaps I have some serious confidence issues. Perhaps it's all the dreams that I have been having lately where I forget to go to a class all semester.

Deep breath.

One week at a time.

Focus on the awesomeness (totally a word).

And Olive is still gorgeous... just like her mommy.

Did you know?

2011-06-09T16:40:00.000-07:00

Did you know that I moved to California? Did you know that I will be going back to school this next year to become a science teacher? Did you know Olive is still gorgeous?

Jenn, Olive and I made the trek down here with Jenn's parents this last Tuesday. Jonathan and Jean graciously accompanied us and pulled a trailer of our crap the whole way down. Jenn, Olive and I are currently living upstairs at my parent's house while we settle into school and jobs and look for a more permanent place to live.

Our time in Washington was sweet. I learned to love the Evergreen State and am certain to be longing for it in the future. The bonds that were formed and strengthened with family, friends and land up there made our departure an extremely difficult one. I look forward to the days our paths shall cross again.

California. I'm about to become a teacher here. I'm about to become an uncle here. I'm about to re-enter the lives of the family and friends that I left behind over four years ago. I'm about to get a healthy dose of salt water and In 'n Out in my veins again. I can't expect that anything will have remained the same, but I look forward to the unexpected, joyful surprises that await. If you pray, ask for a stress free transition into our new lives. If you don't pray, drop on by and have a beer with me.

I'll keep you posted. Promise.

In the words of Captain Steve Zissou, "This is an adventure."

It's about time!

2011-03-03T22:13:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a long time since I have posted, so I thought I'd come back with a bang. This video is just shy of ten minutes, but I think that's pretty good considering it covers an entire year of someone's life.

Enjoy.

Fall at the Falls

2010-10-18T14:26:00.000-07:00

Snoqualmie Falls was the first place Jennifer took me on my first trip to Washington. It was also the place where I proposed 6 or so years ago. With the brilliant sunshine we've been having up here, I really wanted to make a trip to the falls and hike to the bottom to enjoy all the fall colors that are really starting to come out. I made PBJ's, we packed up the wee one and headed east on 18.

The Falls 2008

The weather was gorgeous but PSE decided that we weren't going to hike on down. We weren't about to let a little thing like trail closures ruin our day, though. We ate our lunch on a sunny bench, gave Olive her first potato chips, and browsed the souvenir store for things we didn't want to buy.

Good times.

Wait, I thought this was Brian's blog...

2010-10-16T20:13:00.000-07:00

I realize that this blog has kind of turned into an Olive Showcase, but she's pretty much the coolest thing going on in my life right now. She changes so much every day. She makes Jenn and I burst out in laughter with her wily ways. She is sweet and headstrong. Adorable and aggressive. I stare into space at work- thinking about her- and my coworkers laugh at the huge smile on my face. What a delight.

So here she is again. Naked, clothed, smiling, crying, wonderful.

Reason Enough to Post

2010-10-04T19:57:00.000-07:00

This little piggy went to California

2010-09-29T12:04:00.000-07:00

The Wigand family took a trip down to CA last week. We had such a wonderful time being with my family and sharing Olive with them.

Olive couldn't have been any cuter and we couldn't have been more smitten. We also got to sneak in a little trip to Half Moon Bay and Los Tres Amigos.

This is a great video of Olive and Mommy having fun in the tub.

More Morris Menagerie

2010-09-16T11:19:00.000-07:00

Some more beasties that have been flying, hopping and crawling around. I have included the Order names for all you Carolus Linnæus fans.

Chiroptera

Trochiliformes

Hymenoptera

Araneae

Anura

I also found some elk droppings in the pasture but decided not to include a picture.

I'm Back

2010-09-14T19:52:00.000-07:00

I'm back from a lovely vacation, camping with my dad and brother in California. We went to Wright's Lake located off highway 50 in the Desolation Wilderness. My family used to go there every year to camp, but I have missed a few years until now. Most of the trip consisted of reading, eating and lots of beer, interspersed with the occasional skateboard ride around the campsites, freezing lake swims, and a hike to Twin Lakes with Jason. I was unsure of whether I should take the time off of work to head down, but I'm so glad that I did.

I'm also back from my other job. I'm not really working for them anymore. I'm glad not to be working seven days a week anymore. I learned a lot about myself, though, and I will hang on to that so as not to be too bitter about wasting an entire summer and eating through a lot of our savings. Onward.

Much needed respite

2010-06-06T21:31:00.000-07:00

Been working a lot lately between my two jobs. I finally had a day off for the first time in a long time. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Olive is still gorgeous. Prove it? Fine, you asked for it:

Magical Salt Lake City

2010-05-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Salt Lake City last week from a week of training for my new job. The training was everything I hoped it would be. I feel 100% more confident about going out and selling. Speaking of selling- Got any leads for me???

My position is as a Shipping Consultant. I provide unique shipping solutions and savings to growing businesses. Our clients are people who ship international or freight (trucks) with any regularity. If you know of anyone who fits this category, send them my way! I will be ever grateful to you. I just might send you a box of chocolates if they end up shipping with me.

It is exciting to have something new that is challenging and potentially very rewarding. I can't wait to share more about it in the future. I got to sample a number of local brews in SLC that should be showcased on my other blog very soon.

In the meantime, Olive is still adorable.

-Brian

More Olive Gluttony

2010-05-11T10:07:00.000-07:00

photo by Candace

Really? My last post was April 21th? That's weeks ago! In my defense, I've been working a lot. With Starbucks and my new job, I'm working every single day. Hopefully, hard work now will pay off later. That's the idea anyway- like writing your term paper at the beginning of the semester... I never did that, might as well try now. When I was a kid, I used to do my homework as soon as I got home from school so I didn't have to worry about it, so I know that deep down inside of me a responsible work ethic exists and is reawakening.

Jenn's first Mother's Day was great. Joel came over and cooked special crepes for her and watched Olive while she went to church (I had to open at Starbucks). When I got home, we all lackadaisically enjoyed the Gorgeous day and had barbequed steak and corn-on-the-cob for dinner. Very pleasant.

Olive is making all sorts of noises (vocally) and is so responsive to her mommy and daddy (who are AB-SO-LUTELY smitten). So much fun. I hope you can see her soon. Here's some photos for ya:

photo by Candace

-Brian

Babies babies babies

2010-04-21T17:10:00.000-07:00

There's babies all over the place out here. The mama goose's brood just came out of there shells (6 out of 7 anyway), the mallard babies are old news, and the wood ducklings are still scootin' around. Fun times at the Wigand house.
Took advantage of the beautiful warm weather and sunshine the other day by taking Olive around the property for a nice walk.

She really enjoyed it.

And one more for all you Olive gluttons.

-Brian

2010-04-12T21:16:00.000-07:00

I am a solicitor. I think I'm going to start taking pictures of all the "No Solicitors" signs (and variations thereof) and creating a collection of them. I came across this one earlier today:

I had one of those moments where I really wanted to just walk away and not disrupt the peaceful harmony that was me staying outside while they remained inside.

I walked in.

It's my job. What am I going to do?

In other news, Joel and I are having a lot of fun with all of our catholicbeer shenanigans.

In other other news, Olive is still the cutest kid on the block. The family went down to CA recently to visit my family. We had a lovely time.

Take 'er easy.

-Brian

Bath Day

2010-04-01T06:58:00.000-07:00

28 circuits around the sun

2010-03-27T21:06:00.000-07:00

That's right. I have made 28 trips around the sun. That's pretty impressive. I'm a space traveler. And what do I have to show for it???

I think I'll take Olive somewhere special for her 28th birthday. I'll get all sentimental and say something like, "You know, when I was your age..."

She is so cute. She has started to enjoy her pacifier and sucks it quite contentedly for long periods of time- offering much needed respite for mommy to take a shower while daddy is steaming milk.

OH YEAH! I got a new job. I'm now a sales rep for InXpress. I am extremely excited for the opportunity and what it might mean for my blossoming family. I'm keeping my job at Starbucks for now as it provides us with our benefits. Mostly, I'm just excited to wear suits to work...

5WEEKS

2010-03-22T19:25:00.000-07:00

Yup, Olive is 5 weeks old today. She is so stinking cute. She's becoming so much more responsive. Jenn and I are continuing to adjust to life as newborn parents and Jenn is doing absolutely amazing. She was born to be a mom. Just thought I'd throw a few pictures up for you to enjoy.

I can feel her getting heavier every single day. I love her so much!!!

The Best

2010-03-09T22:00:00.000-08:00

She is so cute. I love her so much. I am absolutely captivated. Grandma Sandy and uncle Squizzer came to visit for a few days. What a sweet time.

It actually snowed here yesterday. So pretty. (sigh)

2 Weeks Notice

2010-03-01T14:40:00.000-08:00

Two weeks down. My daughter is so awesome. I love her so much. I have a feeling I'm going to be saying that a lot for the rest of my life.

These first two weeks have been an adjustment, but have been so amazing. I have enjoyed getting to know my daughter more and more every day. It's amazing how much she has already changed.

It's hard to keep my eyes open at 2:30 in the morning when I have to change her diaper or coax a burp out of her, but when her eyes meet mine, I am absolutely transfixed. I love it.

Here's a glimpse into the first two weeks. Thanks so much to Auntie Candace for many of these photos.

First looks

Proud Papa

Practically perfect in every way

Proud grammies!

Yeah, Jenn always looks good. But with a baby she's like seven times as hot.

Thank GOD for Auntie Candace. She has been such a huge support to our family. And it's so great to see your daughter absolutely loved to death.

My parents drove up as soon as I called on my way to the hospital. They were here for Olive's first few days of life. My mom and brother will be coming back next weekend.

Olive's first bath at home. She is SO chill.

Words can't describe.

And don't worry! I have been adjusting to video games with a baby too.

-Brian

Fallen off the face of the earth

2010-02-21T12:37:00.000-08:00

That's kind of how I feel. I've fallen off the face of the earth and into that which is the bliss of fatherhood.

"You look tired," seems to be the most popular comment followed by the question, "Do you miss your sleep?"

I don't miss sleep. When I'm awake at night, it means I'm with my baby, and that's the best. We have already shared so many precious moments in the early hours of the morning laying side by side in bed- her sleeping soundly and me taking in every last detail of her gorgeous face.

She is so adorable. I love her so much. I can't wait for you to meet her and fall in love with her if you haven't already.

More to come- you can count on it.

-Brian

Olive Jade Wigand

2010-02-16T12:37:00.000-08:00

5:12pm, 2/15/2010, 8lb 9oz, 19in

More Photos Here!

Thanks for the photos Aunt Candace!

Excited?

2010-02-06T14:28:00.000-08:00

Not too much longer now. Any day, really. Excited? Uh huh.

Whenever people ask me if I'm ready, I say, "Well, I guess I don't have a choice." I can't wait to meet my little baby.

Jenn and I had been planning on taking photos of her in this ginormous stage of pregnancy and the weather cooperated quite nicely today. I hope Abbey doesn't mind having another friend. We've been talking her through the transition, trying to get her prepared.

Preparations

2010-01-28T15:41:00.000-08:00

So I bought a Raffi album. You guys remember Raffi. The man. This album is so nostalgic for me as I'm sure it is for a lot of you. I remember listening to the tape with my brother constantly as kids. This is just part of the preparations we are going through to welcome our new little friend into our home.

I painted a tree on one of her walls. I found the design here on etsy as a vinyl decal, but it was smaller than I wanted, so I decided to paint it instead.

Our little girl is kicking so much. At our last appointment, our midwife informed us she's no five pounder. Our birthing classes have been informative and helped us both in knowing what to expect from labor and beyond.

I can't wait to meet her- this little girl who's been kicking my hand from inside mommy's tummy. I think we are both getting more and more excited as the days go by. I can't wait for you all to meet her. She's pretty much going to be the most awesome person you've ever met.

Don't worry, I'll probably post something after she's born... maybe some pictures... we'll see...

And, yes, then we'll let you know what her name is going to be.

-Brian

My new baby. No, not that one...

2010-01-22T16:54:00.000-08:00

This is my early birthday present from Jenn. We bought it from the Noisy Plume whose etsy shop you should visit. I had contacted her a few months ago about making some man jewelry. We've bought a ring for Jenn from her, and really enjoy her other work, but hadn't seen anything specifically tailored to men. She was excited about the project and I was thrilled with the result.

Thanks Plume!

Baby's First Concert

2010-01-09T18:18:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned yesterday, Jenn and I went to a David Bazan show last night in Seattle. He has been performing a string of house shows where someone will offer up their pad to have David and friends perform for a small audience. I snatched up two tickets as soon as they went on sale and Jenn and I enjoyed a great concert.

There were probably about thirty people tops. As always, David would ask the audience if anyone had any questions in between songs. Everyone else was quiet, but Jenn and I overcame our starstruckedness and engaged him in conversation. I asked him about his favorite beers (Total Domination by Ninkasi) and some of his hobbies (not being a bad husband and not being a bad dad). Jenn asked about his kids and he asked us about our upcoming bundle. It felt kind of like we were the only ones there just hanging out and having a fun dialogue with David. I appreciate how personal and intimate he makes his shows. It was awesome. The music was phenomenal, of course and I'll never forget the experience.

After the show, we talked a little more, and David was cool enough to do this little plug for catholicbeer.com.

California Christmas

2010-01-08T15:49:00.000-08:00

Jenn and I were able to make it down to CA to celebrate Christmas with my family. The drive down was fast and memory filled. The time spent with my family was fantastic. I was also very thankful to be able to have breakfast and hang out with my good buddy Keith. It's always nice going home. I hope to live there again someday.

Story for you:
My mom's aunt sadly passed away recently. At her rosary service, I was sitting next to my brother when someone tapped my shoulder from behind. I turned expecting to see one of my relatives that I hadn't seen in ages, but rather was looking at a worker at the mortuary.
"Do you know about stereos?" he asked.
He was looking for someone to help him run the sound for the service. And me, being one of the mourning crowd, seemed to be an obvious candidate. I couldn't believe that this guy was asking any of us to step out of the service to help him run sound.
To make matters worse, he wouldn't turn up the music when I told him, thus no one could hear it. I was stuck walking back and forth into and out of the service trying to help this guy play a CD and trying to hear what was being said about my dear aunt.
When it came time to play a song at the end of the service, the priest glared directly at me and said, "Maybe it could be a little louder this time." It was then that I realized that everyone thought I was in charge of the whole thing and making a complete mess of it. I sheepishly got up to make sure the mortuary employee remembered which button I showed him was play.
Needless to say, I felt rather silly.
The service was nice, though, and I think Jeanie would have enjoyed it.

When we got home on Wednesday night, we found a scared little bird in our garage.

Jenn and I are going to a David Bazan show tonight. It's being held in someone's house in Seattle and only 30 tickets were sold. Should be a good time.

-Brian

2010-01-08T15:26:00.001-08:00

Obligatory Christmas Blog

2009-12-28T20:47:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again for a Christmas blog, just in case you thought I may have forgotten to celebrate.
I actually did not snap a single photo this year, so almost all the photos on this post are courtesy of my lovely sis-in-law Candace.

photos by Candace Morris

Jenn and I are still planning on heading down to CA soon. Hopefully the weather will agree with us. Happy Yule Tide.

-Brian

Abbey Rescue!

2009-12-21T18:10:00.000-08:00

A tranquil scene at home in contrast to the excitement the next morning.

We had come home from church to find Abbey stuck in the water on the other side of the pond. She couldn't get through the brush on the shore and couldn't climb above the ice to get back to our side. Poor puppy. She was fine though, just a bit cold and scared. We built a fire just for her.

The Latest

2009-12-14T22:26:00.000-08:00

Tidings

2009-12-13T14:05:00.000-08:00

The pond is frozen over, the house is nice and toasty, the wifey is pretty, the dog is adorable.

Brewing 101

2009-12-10T20:53:00.000-08:00

Hey friends,
Bro-in-law Joel and I are putting together a video series on brewing beer. This is the first installment and is meant to be an explanation for the person just trying to make polite small talk by saying, "Oh, you brew beer? How do you do that?"

Fun Fun Fun

2009-12-06T21:47:00.000-08:00

We cut down a tree from the driveway tonight and started decorating. Abbey can't wait.

Happy Repeal Day

2009-12-05T17:57:00.000-08:00

Cookies and Beer

2009-11-30T16:50:00.000-08:00

Just having fun around the house. Making cookies. Brewing beer.

Showerversary Weekend

2009-11-25T16:08:00.000-08:00

Jenn and I hopped on down to CA last weekend for a showerversary. My mom was throwing a baby shower for our little bundle-to-be and Jenn and snuck away to the city* to celebrate 4-years of horrible marriage.

Michelle (sis-in-law) put together some amazing flower arrangements and procured some fantastic little cupcakes. Jenn and I were blessed by all the hard work put into the party and the gifts bestowed upon us. Much thanks to everyone.

This was a lot of fun, but dad, Jason and I headed to the golf course to hit some balls and to the brew-pub to... well... have some brews.

Jenn and I were not disappointed when we returned to Aziza in the city that night and remembered all the reasons we loved it so much in the first place. I had to have the cous cous again and Jenn had dribbling hanger steak. I'm salivating just thinking about it. They had a nice little beer selection too!

We spent the night at the W and enjoyed a glimpse of the Bay Bridge from our window. Breakfast at Starbucks, walking, shopping, loving life...

It was a nice weekend. Much needed and much enjoyed.

Take it easy.

-Brian

* A little cultural note. No one who lives in the Bay Area calls San Francisco, "San Fran," or "Cisco" or any other lame derivation. Everyone just calls it "San Francisco" or "the City." But be my guest if you want to flash your tourism badge.

One Ugly Baby

2009-11-18T14:41:00.000-08:00

Okay, Jenn and I have been thumbing through a lot of magazines, etc re: babies. I stopped dead in my tracks when I came upon this picture.

You may disagree, but I think this is one ugly baby. At the very least, it should NOT have been chosen to appear in a magazine ad. It reminds me of some freaky, elf-child. I feel like it's going to jump on me and bite my cheek.

My daughter is probably going to look exactly like this baby. That's what I get. I'm sure she'll have a great personality...

The Latest

2009-11-11T17:02:00.000-08:00

I love you daughter.

-Daddy

A Day in the Park

2009-11-02T15:02:00.000-08:00

I think I'm going to make a few more drawings for this series and frame them in my baby's room.

BARTENDER! ANOTHER ROUND OF PUMPKINS!

2009-11-01T13:28:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween! We had a nice evening at Joel and Candace's new pad. Joel and I carved pumpkin steins, complete with hinged lids! We watched "The Birds," had delicious stew made by Kelly, and Candace made a fabulous pumpkin pie! Oh yeah, you can't forget Joel's biscuits.

Today Jenn and I had my world famous Thai Ramen. Top Ramen is the base, and then I add wonder and amazement as you can see. It is so delicious. You need about a gallon of water to balance out the sodium, though. Mmmmm...sodium.

Brian

drawing of the day

2009-10-26T17:54:00.000-07:00

Green Thumb Afternoon

2009-10-23T16:42:00.000-07:00

My dog, Abbey, got ahold of my one shefflera a while back and turned it into two. I have had this plant for over six years. I got it before I went to college and it has followed me everywhere. Jennifer and I doctored these once conjoined brothers back to suitable health for repotting. They have patiently been waiting on our kitchen windowsill in stagnant water cups, growing the best roots they possibly could under less than ideal conditions.

Today was their renaissance.

The first one is planted in a pot that I received from my late friend Dean who was always an inspiration to me to cultivate my green thumb. The roots wrap around the rock in the foreground. The moss was collected in my backyard (in the rain) and patchworked together around the base of the plant. My main concern is that the roots won't take. Hang in their little shefflera.

The second is more of a three part potting project. The two side pots are filled with various mosses collected from the backyard and the woods. We'll see how the moss transplant works out. The center, longer pot also has some moss and a couple rocks.

I'm hoping that one of these will find it's way into the baby's room.

This made me happy this afternoon.

-Brian

I hate baby stuff

2009-10-19T15:54:00.000-07:00

It's true. Every time I go over to someone's house who has a baby, I want to leave. Those plastic, colorful toys spread all over the place. The drooly bibs and towels. Those stupid kids' books lying around. Uggghhhhhhhh. I hope my house doesn't end up looking like that. My daughter is going to have cool stuff.

Cut down another tree today and cut up a few that had fallen in a recent wind storm. It was so beautiful back in the woods. The colors, the quiet... Mom-in-law lent a hand by helping me stack it all after I split it. She's worried about her grandbaby being too cold.

Brian

Daddy Duty

2009-10-17T22:30:00.000-07:00

Daddy duty is falling upon me already. Put the crib together tonight. Painted a wall in the baby room this week. Next step? People keep trying to scare me by telling me I'll have to change dirty diapers. What they fail to realize is that I used to change adult diapers for my last job. I think I can handle a baby.

-Brian

California Dreamin'

2009-10-14T10:19:00.000-07:00

So I flew so many times in the last two years that Southwest deemed it appropriate to give me a free round-trip flight anywhere they fly. I thought of going to DC and checking out all the monuments and museums. I considered Chicago and visiting one of my best friends and his new baby. Colorado crossed my mind where my friends and the New Belgium brewery reside. But when I really searched my heart, there was only one place I wanted to go. Home.

Jenn and I had a great weekend visiting family and friends in Castro Valley. I love California more than anything, but in a strange way, I had a greater appreciation for WA when I got back. I think my adoration for both places grew while I was down there. And that's not a bad thing.

Oh yeah, Southwest gave me drink coupons too. Sweet.

Grandma Sandy got to feel the baby kick (yes, she's kicking now!). Next time you see Jenn, don't say anything, just put your hand on her belly like you own it!

Matt was home from the Navy and we had a great time catching up. He'll be living in Oahu soon and has already told me he would keep a permanent room open for me in his house (maybe? what do you say, Matt?). No surfing this trip. The waves didn't cooperate, and I was so busy seeing people that I wouldn't have had time anyway.

Back to life. I gotta paint that baby room soon...

Brian

Rearrange Us

2009-10-04T12:39:00.000-07:00

In preparation for the coming of baby-girl Wigand, Jenn and I are rearranging our house. We are moving our bedroom upstairs which will be right next to the baby's room. I'm glad we will be able to utilize the upstairs more since I felt like it currently was just a lot of wasted space.

When I was a kid living with my parents, I loved rearranging my room. I always enjoyed moving my bed, dresser, desk and other crap around every once in a while. I think part of me just enjoyed the newness. I love stability, but I also love change. I think part of me just enjoyed the process of it- letting my creativity out in a different way. I love moving into a new space and making it my own- dorms, bedrooms, apartments, HOTEL ROOMS! I like emptying out my suitcase and putting all my belongings into the drawers.

How 'bout you? Love it? Hate it?

On babies and the stock market

2009-09-28T14:43:00.000-07:00

It's a girl. I'm a daddy. Stinkin' awesome. I kind of wanted a girl. I can't wait. Jenn and I decided not to really talk with people about what we're thinking for names. Then we don't have to hear your opinions and you'll just have to accept it when she's born. If you can't tell what the pictures are of, maybe I'll post them again with descriptions. My favorite is the third down on the left: her little legs are crossed at the ankles. The top right picture is her little butt: indecent, I know.

So I started trading options on the stock market. I have been studying for a few months and have a mentor that's guiding me along. It has been fun so far. I started off with fake money and now am playing for real. I'm hoping that this will be a nice supplemental income to my SBux paycheck. We'll see how well I do.

It's turning into fall really quick up here. I cut, split and stacked some wood today. I still don't have half as much as we'll need for the winter, but it's a start.

Take 'er easy.

Brian

What have we done?

2009-09-20T20:43:00.000-07:00

We had a visit from our resident beekeeper today.

It was pretty interesting watching him smoke out the bees and disassemble the hive.

Alas, the bees were not as busy as we expected and did not yield as much honey as we had hoped.

Joel was over all day and we paid some dearly needed attention to some terribly neglected beer we had sitting in fermenters. We bottled batch #007 (St. Bernardus II clone- no high hopes here). And batch #006? Our Arrogant Bastard clone? Well, you'll just have to watch the video.

Here's a close up of the Martian landscape that was the surface of batch #006.

Needless to say, we dumped the fermenter (after poking our new creation with a stick a few times) and gave it a good scrub down.

Brian

The Hobo Campout 2009

2009-09-19T22:15:00.000-07:00

Well, the hobos congregated again at the old Morris Ranch for the second annual Hobo Campout. Old Crow was the libation of choice this year. Fire roasted beans and franks, hobo twinkies, harmonica ballads, and a good yarn or two spun around the campfire were all essential ingredients to the success of the campout this year. We even had a hobo mutt and tomcat hanging around for the festivities.

The hobos decided to spend the night indoors, and a good thing too, because it started raining.

There was hootin' and hollerin' and romps through the woods.

I know everyone secretly wishes they were a hobo. Don't miss out next year on your chance to experience transience.

Brian

A Lesson in Introvertedness?

2009-09-18T12:37:00.001-07:00

This last week, I went and saw a movie all by myself. Have you ever done that?

A couple weeks ago, I had an idea to go solo and see a movie once in a while for the sheer experience it. I decided that I would try and do this maybe once every couple months. After I got off work on Wednesday, I drove over to the theatre to check showtimes, and realized I was just in time to catch "Inglourious Basterds." I bought my ticket (still in my java-infused work clothes), and found a seat in the empty theatre.

I enjoyed the movie well enough, but I'm sure I would have enjoyed it more in the company of my friends. That wasn't the point, though. The point was to do something I would never normally do. I have pretended in the past to be somewhat introverted, but I have come more and more to the realization that I'm pretty far down the extroverted side of the spectrum. All I could think about after the movie was calling my brother to discuss it with him.

I'm not sure what I was expecting from the experience, but I plan on repeating it in the future.

Brian

The Great Outdoors

2009-09-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

Jenn and I finally got to take a vacation this summer. Last summer, it seemed like I never stopped going here and there. But this summer has felt entirely different. I work now. I think that's the biggest thing.

We went over to the peninsula to Klahowya Campground on the Sol Duc river. We got there in the dark and set up our tent like trained professionals. We awoke to find green moss, a chirping river, and overhanging trees.

After a lazy morning, we headed to Hurricane Ridge and enjoyed the scenic vistas along a short hike.

Hot dogs, PBR, Settlers- what more could you ask for?

I was inspired by Kelly to make a little rock garden in the middle of a decaying stump.

We packed up and headed home via a scenic byway along the Strait of San Juan de Fuca.

What a great time. I love camping and was so worried that I wouldn't get the chance to pitch a tent this summer. It turned out to be a memorable trip, and probably the last that we will take all by ourselves for a while...

Adios,

Brian

cutie

atop the ridge

Wigand #2 & #3

touchable

adorable

furry

Ocean Shores

2009-08-31T14:42:00.000-07:00

We took our annual Ocean Shores trip with Jenn's family last weekend. This was Abbey's first trip to the ocean and she had a BLAST!!! She never slowed down while we were on the beach. She was so much fun to play with. I'm glad she shares my love for all things ocean.

photo by Candace

We had a nice relaxing time enjoying the beach.

And what vacation would be complete without some family board games?

Sing-a-long night at Galloway Bay Irish Pub.

photo by Candace

Joel enjoying a cold one on a cold beach (what time is it?).

photo by Candace

Obligatory family photo.

photo by Candace

I saw this guy on the beach. He is SO cool.

Family portrait.

photo by Candace

Disgusting sunset.

photo by Candace

Tuckered.

Brian

Good Times (wait, I think I've used that title before)

2009-08-23T15:29:00.000-07:00

These are my wheels for the week. A 2005, 6 liter, Pontiac GTO. Yeah, it's pretty fun. My friend went to Alaska for the week and let me car sit for him. Lucky me. It's just a litttttle bit more powerful than my truck, but the gas mileage is about the same :) I'll be sad to give it back.

This is Jenn at her domestic best. And Jenn's best is pretty good!

And I know everyone wants to see pictures of the baby bump! Here it is in all its splendor. Jenn was able to hear the strong heart beat at her last appointment. She's doing really well- just extremely tired and a little joint pain. We should be finding out the gender toward the end of September.

Future parents.

Last but not least, we think we have a grass spider here.

I start my new position as Shift Supervisor tomorrow at my new store in Auburn. I'm super sad to leave my store, but I'm excited for the new opportunities.

Adios,

Brian

Good Stuff

2009-08-14T11:52:00.000-07:00

It's been an exciting last week...

Jenn and I got to attend a 7th anniversary party for our good friends Ben and Jess at Schultzy's in Seattle. Cheese steak reuben= delicious.

Photo by Candace

We also co-celebrated Jenn and Candace's birthdays by traveling to Sun Top where there is an absolutely breathtaking view... if it's not completely cloudy like it was when we went. Still, there was something so amazing, peaceful, tranquil being on top of the peak surrounded by cloud and forest. To add to the fun, we locked ourselves out of the van!

Jenn and I tagged along with mom and dad-in-law to the Mariner's game. I don't follow baseball at all, but it's always fun to go to a game. Did you know you can make a little whistle from an empty raisin box?

Got to go fishing again with my good pal Russ. We braved the brewing storm and fished despite rain, thunder AND lightning. We were cold, we were wet, but we were unusually successful at Shadow Lake.

Jenn is getting fat. I love it. She loves it. The baby loves it. Abbey hasn't decided yet.

Brian

Educate Yourself

2009-08-11T08:38:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I read the news multiple times a day. I was just talking with my coworker about how surprised I get when people have no idea what's on the front page of the newspaper (but they probably know all their friends' statuses on Facebook- wait, this doesn't sound like me... kind of snobbish? Candace will like it).

I don't pretend to know everything that's going on, but I try to keep abreast. I personally feel that it is important to have an understanding of what goes on in other parts of the world- to keep from being ignorant- otherwise we're no better off than the North Koreans who don't have the same access we do. Fight ignorance! Break out of your bubble! Expand your worldview!

I have heard the excuses that the news is depressing, there's too much to take in, the news is biased, or just plain lack of interest. What about you? What's your excuse?

Try this for starters.

Inspiration

2009-08-10T10:07:00.000-07:00

Even though I have been truant on my creative projects (kind of...), I know someone else who's been burning the midnight oil.

My good friend that I met in Canada, Justin, has been working hard on building a guitar with his own two hands. As you can see from the pictures, it is absolutely gorgeous. He built it almost entirely from antique hand tools over the course of 14 months!

This was a huge undertaking as he had to build all kinds of jigs etc. since this was the first guitar he ever crafted. He wrote this to me in an e-mail after he finished:

"One of the most beautiful aspects of building this guitar was learning to have confidence in undertaking a task that seems impossible. It was truly humbling, rewarding, and encouraging to learn this."

Right on Justin!

Just had to...

2009-08-04T20:57:00.000-07:00

I just had to add this picture my mom just sent me.

The Dude abides.

Family Vacation

2009-08-03T10:21:00.001-07:00

My lovely family came up for a visit from cold CA to warm WA this last weekend. We enjoyed a nice, relaxing weekend in La Conner WA at the fantastic Wild Iris Inn.

We had some great meals, viewed some scenic vistas, and laughed 'til we cried. It was so much fun having my family up here.

We also celebrated the lovely Jennifer's 28th birthday!

If these pics aren't enough, you can view more here.

More Fun Times

2009-07-30T10:55:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know, my sister-in-law had a 20's themed birthday party this last Saturday. It came together perfectly and was the best party I've been to in a long time. If you're curious, you can find out more about the details here.

I cooked the other day and whipped up a fabulous stir-fry. Chicken, fresh picked green beans, mushrooms, ginger, basil, garlic, lime, chili, peanuts, and Sriracha of course. So delicious.
Our barred owl keeps making appearances. At night, you can hear a bunch of them all calling back and forth.

Creative Project #5?

2009-07-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

Some people have been asking, "Brian, what's your latest creative project?"

Well...

The Morris Menagerie

2009-07-24T12:55:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd post some fun pictures of some more animals around Morris Acres.

Great Blue Heron

Barred Owl

Black-Eyed Junco chicks

Honey Bees

Abbey!

Absence make the heart grow fonder

2009-07-24T12:26:00.001-07:00

Well, I took our friends to the airport this morning. What an awesome week. What joy to be able to spend so much time with people you love so much. It was tortuous trying to decide which pictures to post. We've got about a thousand.

We had great time watching sci-fi movies with Charleton Heston, playing old school Nintendo games, learning to fish, playing in the sprinklers, swimming in the leech infested lake, LOVING KIDS, and catching up.

Thanks Jed and Crystal, for sharing your vacation and your kids with us. We love you all so much.

Fun Stuff

2009-07-16T19:23:00.001-07:00

Just some fun photos of fun stuff...

Raccoon family across the pond.

Bottling the Yeti.

Deer in the pasture.

Crocosmia blooming.

Sunset at Lake Samamish.

Cute wife and puppy.

Black-eyed Junco chicks in the fuscias.

Eye candy for the kitchen.

Jed and Crystal and family are coming tomorrow! I think there will be a post following their visit a week from now...

Brian

The Dreams of Brian

2009-07-13T16:37:00.001-07:00

A new project for myself:
Creating an entire new blog where I journal my dreams.

I have have always wanted to start keeping a journal of my dreams, and figured this would be a great way to do it. I can't guarantee that every one of my dreams will make it to the blog, but I'll try and get the most interesting ones up there. Who knows, maybe some of us have been having the same exact dream and never knew it. I'm not sure if I will be adding any commentary to my dreams, or just recording the dream itself. We'll see...

The title for the blog is The Dreams of Brian (trying to stick with a theme, maybe I should have chosen iDream). So check it out! I've already got a few posted. Maybe you can help me learn a little about myself. Anyway, I hope it's entertaining for you.

Brian

Some Pics

2009-07-08T21:57:00.000-07:00

Hey Friends,
Just throwing a few pics your way of my more interesting and happy happenings.

Oystering.

Romping.

More romping.

Risking.

Boiling.

Screening.

New BFFing.

Brewing.

Imbibing.

Happy trails.
Brian

Gone Fishin'

2009-06-26T22:34:00.000-07:00

My good pal Russ has been showing me all the different lakes in the area. He grew up here, I didn't. He has a boat, I don't. He knows a lot about bass fishing, I'm learning.

Tonight we hit Lake Moneysmith. Believe everything you hear about Lake Moneysmith. There isn't a single living thing in there. So we packed up and hit Lake Holme (I think). We had better luck and enjoyed a beautiful sunset. (We were using spinners and top water lures if you want know).

Ladle Boil!

2009-06-21T23:39:00.000-07:00

The boys want to try out their aging beers, but contamination stops them dead in their tracks. Will they find a way around it?. Enjoy and let me know what you think.

A fair Sunday, and not a bad Friday!

2009-06-15T10:49:00.000-07:00

'Twas a fair Sunday at Morris-Wigand Acres yesterday.

The burn pile was incinerated.

The beer was racked and kegged.

Cupcakes were plentiful.

Friday was pretty great too. Jenn took me out on a date. Now some
people are thoughtful, but Jenn is thoughtfulness incarnate. It's
kind of obvious the things I like- beer, Jenn, my dog. So Jenn took
me to the Bellevue Taphouse where we imbibed in their 160 brews
on tap. Delicious! Afterwards, we hit the Bux and lazed about in
the park. Not a bad date!

Brewing Solo

2009-06-10T20:38:00.000-07:00

Had to brew by myself today. It's just not as much fun without the bro's. 10 more gallons of beer is nice, though.

Golfing Bro's and Brewing Woes!

2009-06-08T20:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple videos for y'all.

Golfin' Bro's

Brewing Woes

Take'er easy.

Brian

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

2009-06-07T09:22:00.000-07:00

I just finished my father's day present for my dad. For those of you who don't know, my dad has always loved corvettes and dreamed of having one some day. In 2005, he finally bought a brand new C6. He has asked me if I would make him a corvette t-shirt and gave me a few ideas. I used some of his ideas, some of my own, and a trick I found on the web.

The result? This totally bad-

ass Corvette shirt with LED's as the brake lights! I soldered for the first time ever

making this shirt, and let me tell you, it was a filthy soldering job- but successful. People out there are probably cringing when they see my exposed wires. I tried printing three colors for the first time. I was able to fake it okay without having a multiple color printing press. It's all powered by a 9-volt battery. Thanks Joel and dad-in-law for helping me problem solve a couple things.

I don't think I'll be mass producing this shirt and posting it on my Etsy any time soon. Anyway, happy Father's Day, Dad. I hope you

enjoy your shirt. Thanks for being such a great dad. I'm truly blessed to be your son.

Brian

Oh yeah, Mustangs are lame.

Doing my part

2009-05-30T19:54:00.000-07:00

Non-native bullfrogs are a menace. That's why I'm doing my part to keep the population down. They are largely responsible for the almost complete disappearance of Western Pond Turtles. Just google "non-native bullfrogs" and you'll find a whole slew of websites telling of their evil behaviour (I know, I spelled it with a "u"). They eat native frogs, ducklings, small rodents, and anything else they can shove down their gullet. They are voracious, opportunistic eaters.

Check out this page on the Global Invasive Species Database. It's even illegal to relocate them in some places.

So.... you're welcome.

Normally, I try to live at peace with the environment- taking spiders outside rather than smashing them, etc.

But in this case, I'm just trying to protect the little man.

Brian

Puppy Love

2009-05-22T21:14:00.001-07:00

My dog loves me and I love my dog.

Cat-sitting part II

2009-05-19T15:11:00.000-07:00

Well, Jenn and I were called upon once again to watch some

beloved feline friends in Capitol Hill. This time, however, we had double duty, as we were not only watching Thai and Sing for B & K, but Octavia as well for J & C. It was a tough decision, we didn't

really want to do it, but we decided to help our friends out, leave Maple Valley and spend the sunniest weekend of the year living in their apartment on Capitol Hill.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous, we had no plans, no obligations- just hang out, enjoy the city, enjoy the sun. We dined, walked, imbibed, browsed, dined, relaxed, dined, imbibed... you get the idea.

It was the perfect mini-vacation we needed. So anyone else out there who needs a kitty-sitter on the Hill, give us a ring.

Brian

I heart brewing

2009-05-11T16:21:00.000-07:00

Hello friends! For mother's day, we brewed up a delicious 10 gallon batch of St Bernardus Abt 12-style beer. What did you do? You can check out the finer details of our brew on our catholicbeer blog. Enjoy the video and slideshow!

SLIDESHOW

VIDEO

A bad day?

2009-05-05T22:37:00.000-07:00

I hardly ever have what I would consider a "bad day," but one I had earlier this week I think qualifies- just to prove that I do have negative feelings once in a while.

1. I was informed that my computer was broken and would cost more to fix than to replace.

2. A store where I had important business to attend to was closed randomly on that particular day.

3. I was solicited for sex by some perveball while I was running.

It's a good thing I have a hot wife and a cute dog to come home to.

What happened to April?

2009-05-02T15:04:00.000-07:00

My April project- I'm working on it, and I'm thrilled to death about it. I have no timeline for you when it will be finished.

100 batches of beer in the basement

2009-04-26T21:51:00.000-07:00

Hey friends. In case you didn't know, my bro-in-law and I share a blog about our beer brewing adventures. I just updated it detailing our brew day today. Lot's of pictures and a video. Check it out.

http://www.catholicbeer.com/2009/04/success.html

A walk with Abbey

2009-04-19T14:33:00.001-07:00

Aren't we a cute family?

Steve Carell is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

2009-04-18T21:57:00.000-07:00

I just realized that Steve Carell is actually Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Is this an attempt on Iran to spy on America via Hollywood? Or is this a clever plot to spy on Iran via its President? Or is Steve Carell trying to bring the two nations together in an hilarious comedy coming this June to theaters near you?!

Just in time...

2009-03-30T15:51:00.000-07:00

It's finally finished and I couldn't be more satisfied. My March project was quite successful and so much fun. I can't tell you how many hours I worked on it in the music and sawdust in the basement.

The shelf is made of 3/4" birch plywood. It's stinkin' heavy. I had the idea for the design at work one day, but forgot about it until Jenn and I were about to fall asleep. I grabbed her journal and made a quick sketch. We later made some modifications to the design until we came up with this.

I changed the shade of green three times. The first green that I got at Home Depot looked kind of radioactive. There are still a few hidden brushstrokes of it on the shelf. It was so great I couldn't cover it all. I tried mixing it with some other paint that I had, but just didn't have enough to finish the job. So I ended up going back to the Depot, getting an entirely new shade of green (Happy Camper), and think it was probably a good choice.

I originally wanted to line the inside back wall with an interestingly printed paper, but decided to go with black paint until I could find something I liked that wasn't going to cost me an arm and a leg. I really like the black, though, and may just end up sticking with it.

I really enjoy woodworking. X-mas '07, I made Jenn this bench and shelf that I saw in a Pottery Barn catalogue. I can't wait till I get another fun idea.

I wanted to thank Jenn for all her support during my projects so far. She enjoys seeing my creativity have the opportunity to materialize and understands how good it is for me to be able to let it out. Thanks to any spouse who supports their significant pursue things that feed their soul. We appreciate you.

Thanks to dad-in-law too, for the wisdom and fully stocked woodshop!

Well, time to think about my April project.

Take it easy.

Brian

The Plans

Happy Beer-thday to ME!

2009-03-26T20:41:00.001-07:00

What more could I ask for? Joel and I went to pick up some beverages Wednesday and I acquired some tasty libations for my reserve stock. Mom and dad sent me a great shirt with a perfect quote from a friend of John Steinbeck along with a beerglass from the Steinbeck museum. Mom and dad-in-law got me a couple steins to preserve the flavor and freshness of my drinks. And that's just the beer related goodness. The only thing I could think of when people asked what I wanted for my birthday was "beer."

I'll probably put some of my birthday cash toward another keg for the Abbey.

Another year older, another year wiser. Thanks everyone!

Brian

The Workspace

2009-03-19T19:31:00.000-07:00

The Workspace (click picture to enlarge)

Don't drink and nail (tee hee)

mmmmmm.....

air-powered

red light district

red means power

The Smell of Sawdust...

2009-03-19T10:45:00.001-07:00

Don't you just love the smell of sawdust? The sound of the table saw? The feel of smooth, sanded wood?

My March project is coming along nicely. I only wish I had bigger chunks of time to work on it. Alas, I have been working a few more hours at the Bucks, for which I am very grateful, and can only get down to the shop for an hour or so at a time.

The puppy is getting bigger, the beer is getting better, and the weather just stays the same.

Adios.

Brian

KNOW YOUR WORLD LEADERS!

2009-03-05T17:03:00.000-08:00

I finally got it done! My February project has been completed and I feel release to dive into March. I decided to combine my love of current events with my love of t-shirt making and produce a masterpiece! I chose everyone's favorite leaders from around the world and brought them all together in my "Know Your World Leaders" t-shirt. There are 18 total- front and back. Not everyone featured is the head of state of each country. Some are mere prime ministers, etc. There is even a political prisoner! Can you guess which??? These should be on etsy by the time I post this blog. There are a limited number so get'em while they're still in office!

I feel a great sense of accomplishment with this shirt. It took me so long to put the design together and I had a lot of trouble with making the screen for the front. I'm really happy with how the final product turned out, though.

The next project is going to be a much needed bookshelf. I have a curious design floating around in my head and can't wait to start. I think you'll like it. And kudos to Justin for working on building his own guitar. WAY TO CREATE!

This is Brian, signing off.

Brewery Night

2009-03-04T20:59:00.001-08:00

Brewery Night happened once again. Sadly, this time, without one brother. Joel and I were troubleshooting our sparge water problem. Our current sparge tank couldn't hold the amount of water we needed to do anything more than a 5-gallon batch. Soooooo we chopped a hole in the top of a 15-gallon keg to serve as our new sparge tank. We were quite pleased.

Our current batch is aging nicely. It gets better every day. I was a little worried at first when it tasted really bitter and sour. The flavor has mellowed out quite a bit to a drinkable level. The batch itself has a few more months before it fully matures. Our hope is to have multiple batches going at once.

I love my brewther a lot. Come on over, have a pint. If you ever want to know more about the details of our process, check out Joel's blog.

Brian

The Brewmaster

Hops + grain = beer

Taste testing- I approve!

Appetizer

2009-03-03T16:38:00.000-08:00

It's been so long since I've posted. Here's a little glimpse of my afternoon. I'll write more soon. I promise.

Brian

From January to February

2009-02-04T14:31:00.000-08:00

Well, January's creative project was a semi-success. Costco turned out to be a cheap but not so consistent alternative. The larger picture was supposed to be a much more vibrant green, but after getting two prints the same color, I decided to cut my losses and go with the brownish one. My theme was simple color. I wanted the focus more to be on the color than the image itself, bringing a little more liveliness to our office.

My next project is to make a new t-shirt. The theme for this one is "Know your world leaders." I decided to let my love for current events come through in one of my t-shirt designs. I'll keep you posted on that one. I'm pretty excited. Hopefully it won't be too political.

We got a family dog! She tragically does not have a name yet, but she is a beautiful 1/4 chocolate lab, 1/4 pit bull, 1/2 ? She had a bout with roundworms, but she won (I've never in my life witnessed anything so disgusting). She loves to play, but she also loves to just kick it. You may find us outside at Starbucks once in a while. Stop by and say "hi."

Brian

Sweet Thursday

2009-01-29T17:07:00.000-08:00

Cannery Row- Definitely one of my favorites of Steinbeck. I fell instantly in love with the characters and welcomed the familiar, brilliant ability of Steinbeck to describe them as if you had known them from living on the row yourself. The story was a beautiful, thoughtful one. The only thing I wanted at the end of the book was for it to keep on going.

To my extreme delight, I found out that Sweet Thursday is the SEQUEL to Cannery Row- and it was everything I wanted. Thanks John. You didn't let me down.

Jet-Setting

2009-01-26T16:13:00.000-08:00

I know, I know- I go down to CA a lot lately. I'm starting to feel like one of those cool guys who travels places just to surf. And that's awesome, because that's exactly who I want to be! I thought of all you guys, though, as I ate In 'n Out and plunged into the Pacific. It's official that Santa Cruz is one of my top three favorite places in the world.

I had an awesome time surfing with my bro on Saturday and solo on Sunday (well not really solo, there were at least fifty other people in the H2O). My new Xcel 4/3 wetsuit is AMAZING! Feels like I'm wearing nothing at all, nothing at all, nothing at all (Simpsons reference, stupid sexy Flanders). I was toasty in the 50 degree water even when the wind picked up. The sun made an appearance along with a rainbow and gorgeous sunset. The sun was just screaming from behind the clouds. I'm really starting to appreciate my board more as I get a little better. I'm finding that it is a lot more responsive than I originally thought.

Praise God for the Pacific.

Saturday night I found this baby salamander in my brother's driveway. People used to think that they were birthed from the fire, since they were often seen crawling out of the flames. This was actually because they would make their homes in log piles and rotting wood that people would use for fuel. Make your own connections.

Brian

My Boys

2009-01-22T13:40:00.001-08:00

I had the opportunity to go to a David Bazan/Damien Jurado Concert last night. I love these guys. I grew up listening to them. Joel, Tim and I went out for a few brews and then Tim and I went to the concert. Good times.

Have you ever been frustrated because you want to explain to someone how you feel about something but know you will never be able to express it in words since it is the culmination of a lifetime of experiences, emotions, thoughts, songs, memories that are unique to you? Oh well...

January halfway point

2009-01-15T10:36:00.000-08:00

Well, we're halfway through January. How's your first project coming? I went to Home Depot and picked up some 1x2's to make the borders of my frames. I have three different sizes: 8"x8"; 12"x12"; and 20"x30". After nailing and gluing the borders together, I cut fronts for all of them using a really thin board. I stapled the board to the borders and took them up to the garage to prime and paint. Now I'm just waiting for the photos to arrive in the mail from Costco. Costco actually has really great prices on photo enlargements (though not many options) and the quality is pretty good. I have some spray adhesive to mount the photos and a matte finish to protect them. Can't wait.

Brian

Genesis

2009-01-09T13:13:00.001-08:00

Genesis is the Greek name that the Septuagint attributes to the first book in the Torah. The Hebrew name for this book is bereshit. Bereshit means "in the beginning." In my Genesis class that I took at Simpson, I made a book (left) of the days of creation. Each page contained the Hebrew scripture with a photo on the opposing page representing the event for that particular day. I recently have been giving a lot of thought to the creative nature of God and how this attribute is shared in the nature of humanity.

For myself, exercising my creative nature causes me to feel closer to my creator, more in touch, more in tune. I believe that creating is necessary in the life of any human in order to feel complete. Creating takes innumerable forms. Those that typically come to mind are painting, sculpting, and other well-known artistic mediums. However, there are ways in which we exercise our creativity that are probably ignored. It could be through preparing food, various forms of writing, how we solve problems, or the way we engage others socially. Creativity does not have to produce anything material. Let us be creative in the way we understand creativity. Everyone is creative- not all of us recognize our mediums yet.

In my last blog, I mentioned that one of my New Year's resolutions was to engage in one creative project every month. I have a rough draft of what those projects might look like and an invitation to all of you to join me in each one of them. For those of you who live close, feel free to come on over and work on and discuss our projects (and have a beer or two). For those who live near AND far, I have set up a flickr group called "bereshit." We can post pictures of our projects and discuss them there as well (if anyone has a better idea than flickr for this, let me know soon so I can set it up). You certainly don't have to do all or any of the projects to be a part of this, because appreciating and enjoying creation is just as important as the act of creation. Feel free to invite your friends to join as well. I will be updating my blog at least twice a month with my project and other people's I have been talking with.

So here is my list so far. Some of these mediums are familiar to me, but some will require a little help from my friends.

January- Photo Frames

I am going to choose three of my favorite photos from my collection and make frames for them (something I have put off for so long).

February- Fashion

I have some ideas for a new t-shirt design that I want to pursue. What might you do for fashion month? Come on over if you want, and I'll teach you how to silk screen your own design.

March- Woodworking

There's some furniture that I want to build. Let's crowd the wood shop* in the basement with sawdust and bodies! (living bodies (our living bodies))

*pending approval from the owner of said wood shop

April- Photography

I want to take 3 photographs that I am really proud of.

May- Landscaping/Gardening

Something amazing and creative with plants. I can't wait!

June- Writing

I've got an idea for a short story rolling around in my noggin. How 'bout you?

July- Painting

I'm definitely going to have to pursue some help here. I have no idea where to begin.

August- Sewing

Once again, my experience is lacking, but my excitement isn't.

September- Movie-making?

We'll see about this one...

October- Mechanical?

Who knows?

November- Musical?

I don't know how this will play out yet... maybe learning to play a song on the piano really well. One of you needs to write a song.

December- Cooking

I want to culminate the year with a special dinner for all my friends. Of course, everyone is invited. I will put all my creative energy into planning and preparing this meal and party.

I don't intend for these projects to necessarily take an entire month to complete. Some might take a day, some might take the whole year. We'll just have to wait and see. It is my intention to be stretched by some of these that I'm not so familiar with. So let me know if you are interested in any or all of these! It would be so fun to dialogue about what we are working on.

Take 'er easy. I know you will.

Brian

Happy New Year

2009-01-06T15:17:00.000-08:00

Resolutions?? I got a few, but I'm not gonna share all of 'em with you.

One of them is to embark on a creative project every month. This could be a number of different things. Some areas I've considered so far deal with photography, woodworking, maybe a new t-shirt, some movie-making, etc, etc. I will definitely keep you posted on these! And maybe you can throw a few suggestions my way.

Another goal for the year is to research heaven, hell and the saving work of Christ with special emphasis on the work of Karl Barth and Karl Rahner. I haven't worked out all the details of this project yet, but, again, I'll keep you posted.

I also want to finish the story that I started writing about the life of my grandpa.

I think those are the only ones I feel like sharing right now. I have some fitness, educational, and work-related goals too. If you're a curious cat, I'll let you in on the details.

And now, for an amazing video...

Brian

Obligatory Christmas Blog Entry

2008-12-29T16:26:00.000-08:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah... I'm a little late on the Christmas blog. But I've been having technical difficulties so get over it. Now where did I leave off...

Jenn and I barely made it down to CA. We hit a nice break in the weather and were only delayed a couple hours. Once there, we had a really relaxing time with family and friends. Some of the highlights were surfing in Santa Cruz, power outage on Christmas, and hanging with the fam.

I miss quail, turkey vultures, and eucalyptus. When I went down earlier this month, the first thing I noticed when I stepped out of the airport was a turkey vulture soaring overhead. At my grandma's house on Christmas, I could hear the quail running around and chirping to each other in the bushes. And every time I go down, I love to smell the eucalyptus trees (I tried bringing back some seeds but couldn't get them to grow- I'll try again).

We celebrated with Jenn's family when we got back to WA. Another great time. I hope the pictures tell the tale.

Well that's all for now. I have to get started working on my New Years blog entry. I'm already late...

Late Night Snow Angels

2008-12-22T23:15:00.000-08:00

A 24 Hour Surf Trip

2008-12-14T20:56:00.000-08:00

So a few weeks ago, my mom asked if I wanted to fly down to CA to surprise my brother for his birthday- just for a day. I got work off and my flights reserved. It was perfect...

All of his friends bailed on him for the surfing party Saturday and he was really depressed. He even called me two days before I was supposed to come to say that he really missed me. The night before, he was telling his wife how disappointed he was his party didn't really work out.

The next day, I walked up the stairs to his living room, quoted something he said to me on the phone two days ago, and gave him a big hug. He was so stinkin' excited. I love my brother a lot. We have a relationship that a lot of brothers don't. We were always friends growing up and hung out together all the time. I think the best times we had were when we were roommates in college.

Anyway, the surf was plentiful but not great. Our good friend Mark Campbell and his son Elias came with Jason, my dad and I and we had a blast. It was freezing cold, but tons of fun. One of the best parts was Val's Hamburgers for dinner. Mmmmmmmm.....

Brian