Nothing Unreal Exists

Please to enjoy...

2008-11-30T17:10:00.002-06:00

For the very few (if any) who visit this site...step on over to the new location.

http://thebestthing.wordpress.com/

All the old content is there and there's a new gimmick. Thoughts on the best thing(s) about a variety of topics. Also, I've been feeling the heat from some of my friends and family to get off my ass and post more frequently. To that end, I'm kicking off a year-end post-a-thon. 31 posts in 31 days. (Maybe more.) Of course my motivation is to rise to the challenge raised by my wife.

Still building the other site so I'll get it cleaned up and have it running smoothly soon. For now...at least I'm going to post again.

One more thing...you can find me on twitter here: http://twitter.com/kenmyers.

Enjoy.

What? A post?

2008-09-15T19:56:00.002-06:00

Right...so, here I am.

Fresh Beckett-ish photos.

Our friend Joy sent us this great painting of Beckett's name. Love it!

From Beckett and Gifts

KC, Devil Bunnies, Egg Hunts, and Easter Fun

2008-03-23T21:10:00.002-06:00

Let's see...

Visited KC last weekend. Popped in on Grandnan and the Great-Grandfather. Bex had never met him. It was a good time. Hooked up with one of Jess' blog buddies. A very successful meeting. We'll see them again in June. Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/jjmvietnam/PlayDateKansasCityStyle
We had lunch at Rainforest Cafe. Despite expectations that the kids might not be down with the theme, they seemed reasonable nonplussed by the whole affair.

Took the Bex to the Plaza...see they have these mildly frightening seasonal bunnies all over the Plaza and my mom really wanted photos of him and the bunnies...see the horror here: http://picasaweb.google.com/jjmvietnam/HoppyEaster03
Seriously though, it was cute and fun. Really good getting to see family.

Weekend bonus...our friends the Condrays were in KC as well so we met them at Cheesecake Factory. Oh so corporate...but oh so good.

As for the more current weekend....nice. Egg hunts and easter fun.
http://picasaweb.google.com/jjmvietnam/EggHunts
http://picasaweb.google.com/jjmvietnam/EasterFun

And...lawn mowing. Yep...it's that time again. While the grass was generally okay...the weeds and dandelions were sprouting embarrassingly in the front yard and had to be contained.

I'm all a twitter...

2008-03-10T23:09:00.002-06:00

Seems that Barack Obama uses Twitter.

http://twitter.com/BarackObama

He's not tweeting too often...and he's not really saying anything but it's kinda neat nonetheless. I can't imagine HC or JM using Twitter (or even knowing what it is).

Someone's gonna get eaten...

2008-03-10T23:07:00.001-06:00

You're not supposed to make fun of big tentacled evil monsters...

http://lolthulhu.com/

Miscellaney

2008-01-17T23:37:00.000-06:00

So, the MacBook is a wonderful piece of hardware. I'm very happy and don't miss Windows at all. Of course, it does ease the transition having my work laptop in case I run into something that requires a Windows-specific application.

The holidays came and went (clearly). Great fun all around. Mother came for a nice visit and even watched Bex on New Years Eve so that Jess and I could visit with some friends. Mr. Bex scored a lot of fun swag and thoroughly enjoys ripping the wrapping off of gifts; whether they're his or not. In his world, wrapped items must belong to him.

Te little guy is adding more words to his comprehension...if we could just get him to say them. But...he looked right at Vagabond tonight and said, "Doggie." Jess and I looked at each other in disbelief. Did he really say that? We agree that he did but no amount of coaxing could get him to utter it again.

He's now 18 -months old and is a severe daredevil. The dude knows no fear. Thrills seem to bring a smile to his face. I fear the future and the broken bones.

Soccer season begins in 3 days and I am sorely out of shape. I've been a large slug over the past month. I'm sure I will get my ass handed to me. Oh well, it will be fun nonetheless.

I was visiting the site of a very old (and dear) friend, Carolyn. She mentioned in a post on her site about some sledding with her family and reminisced about an evening of sledding over Christmas break our freshman year of college. For me it was the last time I saw her. We've managed to keep in sporadic touch (largely due to her diligence) and almost met in Chicago a couple years ago but she was very pregnant and something social really wasn't feasible. Still, I keep hoping my work will send me back to Chicago and we can try again. I would love to meet her husband and children. Anyway back to the sledding...

I recall Sarah, Ajay, Carolyn, for certain but I also think Paul, Brian P. and Anne S were also there. Good friends and good times. I know that it was the last time I was sledding and I treasure the memory. Arkansas winters generally aren't agreeable for sledding and when we've had snow...I've been without a sled. Luckily, with Bex here, I bet we'll keep a sled on hand. I want to thank Carolyn for mentioning the sledding and also for lurking around my site and Jess' site. You inspired me to get out of my no-posting funk. Maybe it can become a trend.

Oh yeah...

2007-12-09T12:05:00.000-06:00

New computer!!!

Unseasonably Warm

2007-12-09T11:53:00.000-06:00

It's been generally temperate this Fall (global warming?). Jess and I took advantage of it and took Bex to a park for some general fun and play.

Check it out!

Additional Christmas Wishes...

2007-12-02T16:56:00.000-06:00

I've been peppered with questions from friends, family, and Jessica regarding what other things i might want for Christmas. Basically, Jess and I would love Home Depot gift cards.

But...if you're inclined to head out into the world of non-gift cards...I've made a list and it's online at Kaboodle.

xcuse's Wish List by xcuse

Early Christmas?

2007-11-25T12:47:00.000-06:00

All -

Bex is settling in nicely. He experienced his first Thanksgiving and tried so much food I thought he was going to pop like a tick. He's generally open to trying new foods. I was very surprised that he liked the greens so much. We spent the day with family. Mr. Bex was a good sport and was in good spirits. He's a joy to be around.

Since I had to work the day after Thanksgiving, Jess opted out of joining the crazies who shop at 4 a.m. to get deals on under-powered PCs other items that will likely break soon after using. Generally you get what you pay for. Also, my time and sleep are to valuable to deal with that kind of crowd situation. Too often the limited quantities of the super sale items means you leave empty-handed or have to settle for the higher priced item you didn't want. Kinda nice how that works, eh?

Well after returning home and spending more time with family on Friday night, Jess and I bought our Christmas presents. We got two new Macbooks. My desktop (currently being used to write this) is close to six (!) years old and is woefully underpowered now; though top-of-the-line when initially purchased. Jess' laptop is around 4 years old and she's needing something new as well. Neither of us want to deal with Vista right now so we've decided to jump ship and go Mac. Time will tell whether this is good or bad. We did get Parallels for Jess' Macbook so she can install XP and continue to run her Real Estate applications. Also extra memory (2GB). Since they're both white, we got protective covers...pink for her and orange for me. The computers are due to arrive in the next couple of weeks. I'll need to migrate my music and photos, otherwise I should be set. I've wanted a Mac for years and this seems like the right time (updated Santa Rosa chip set and operating system).

So very exciting.

We decided to focus on Bex and only small items for us for the holiday. Hopefully the new laptops will be here in time for Christmas.

Woo hoo!

Never mind the bollocks...

2007-11-01T22:58:00.000-06:00

Let me say that I think that Beckett is starting off right. He's inheriting great taste like his father.

I like me some Late Night w/ Craig Ferguson on occasion. On Halloween his first guests were John Lydon and Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols. I got around to watching it this evening and during their set Beckett get really interested, heads to the television, and starts dancing. It seems my boy likes him some punk. Knowing this was a moment to capture, I grabbed the camera and shot a short video which I hope to post.

I think I'll be adding some Rancid and The Ramones to the Beckett playlist in iTunes.

The little guy makes me smile each and every day.

He's found his feet and is wandering around the house. He's become a menace to the poor dog. The cat has the sense and dexterity to get out of his way. I actually like that he's largely ambulatory. It means he can focus more energy on his words....and they're certainly coming. He's can say: thank you, dad, yum (more of a sound than word), grandad, and good. He really needs to say mom or else I think someone in the house is going to have their feelings hurt.

Back and more....

2007-07-17T22:03:00.001-06:00

Friends,

It's great to be home. I am now a father. Beckett is beyond wonderful. Jess and I are very lucky. Photos of the little dude and our trip to Vietnam can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.com/jjmvietnam

We managed to get home before his birthday and celebrated with friends and family. I returned to work yesterday after close to four weeks off. It's actually great going back to the office. I missed it. While I am lucky enough to have the option to work from home I actually prefer working at the office. It puts me in the correct frame of mind to work. I worry about the distractions at the house when I work from home. I need to get past that since I will be spending more time working at home over the next few months as Bex acclimates to life here.

Many thanks to my wife who purchased a new white/red away jersey for Liverpool. She had my name put on the back along with the number 33 to for my birthday. She's fairly cool and tolerant of my many quirks.

Cool Baby Room

2007-06-18T22:10:00.000-06:00

So...with one day before we leave...we finally got the Space Invader wall prints for Beckett's room. They're better than I expected. Will they frighten the piss out of him? Probably. But he'll learn to welcome and love our new alien overlords.

Seriously though, I've got to thank Jessica for agreeing to my vision...she even likes it now that they're on the wall and look so good.

Here's a photo....

Advice...

2007-06-17T21:24:00.001-06:00

I've been getting a lot of it lately (including tow books today from Jessica and my mother).

Here are some posted on MSNBC.com a while back...I'd been saving the link...

Things a Man Should Know

1. Don't worry, your dad didn't know what he was doing, either.

2. No, no--not that Spock!

3. Second thought, maybe you should worry.

4. Never tell anybody that you and your wife are "trying."

We really don't need the visual, that's why.

5. Never tell anybody where your child was conceived, how long it took, or what song was playing.

6. Do not name your baby after cities, geographical points of interest, features of the solar system, seasons, plants, animals, or current television stars.

7. Your child, at birth, already has a deeply complicated relationship with his mother, and, for the first year, you are only a curiosity. For a couple of years after that, an amusement-park ride. Then, a referee. And finally, a bank.

8. If you want to subject your son to the unkindest cut, insist on a local anesthetic, since many pediatricians don't bother to use one. The anesthetic is for the kid.

9. Baby gas is lessened with a good nipple connection during feeding, which decreases air intake. Assuring that his lower lip is flipped out, not pursed, helps.

10. There is nothing wrong with thumb-sucking, which helps ease the pain of teething. Nonetheless, it probably ought to stop by kindergarten.

11. Diaper-rash remedy: Expose baby's hydraulics to the air until dry. Soak baby's bottom in tepid water with a half cup baking soda. Then, Balmex. Or Lotrimin. Rediaper.

12. You know how they say you'll get used to diapers? You won't. Unless you wear them a lot.

For the the rest of the list... http://men.msn.com/articlees.aspx?cp-documentid=702593&GT1=8784

2007-06-17T15:44:00.000-06:00

Totally not Beckett related...but I really like this new song by Sir Paul McCartney. It's simple and fun. Kinda brings a smile to my face and I'm sure that this will be my reaction when presented with Beckett. So...Dance Tonight.

Exit old Reality...Hello new Reality..

2007-06-11T22:59:00.000-06:00

I've not really had the interest in posting recently. There's been a lot going on and I haven't felt very much like sharing. Still, I need to provide a bit of an update.

We're off to Vietnam in a few days. Time for parenthood. At this point I don't have anything sublime or terribly witty to add to the record on what it's like to anticipate fatherhood. Better souls than mine have said it better.

I just want to have a safe trip and bring Beckett home. I know the caregivers in Vietnam are doing their level best for all their charges. I want to hold him and pass on the little bits of wisdom I've acquired (and how to troubleshoot a broken lawn mower). For me it's a frightening thing to become a parent. I temper that feeling with the fact that most people end up as parents at some point, and even find success at it. Jess and I are lucky to have the support of family and some financial standing to provide for Beckett. I hope he turns out to be a strong reflection of his very loving parents.

While away we'll primarily blog updates on the other site (www.bringinghomebe.blogspot.com) but I'm sure I'll post some updates and photos here as well.

Thank you all for your kind thoughts and support as we've gone through the adoption process and as we move from prospective parents to actual parents.

Woo hooo!

Chillin in South Park

2007-05-23T22:21:00.000-06:00

So...my lovely wife built this South Parkian version of me...

You can do it for your loved ones here: http://www.sp-studio.de/

I think it's a fitting likeness. Jess posted her version on her site...Bringing Home Be. I guess we need these distractions to keep our thoughts off of the seemingly never ending wait for news from Vietnam.

Lots happening...

2007-05-15T20:48:00.000-06:00

I don't talk about the adoption very much but it's on my mind constantly. Jess and I are very lucky people. We have the loving support of family and friends who have made this process much easier than I could have ever hoped. Is the wait terrible? Yes. Do I hate not having Beckett here so that we can make our family whole? Yes.

We still don't know when we're traveling but we truly believe that we'll know soon. It's been a great Beckett week though. Lots of fresh photos. I know I'm biased but he's clearly a good looking kid. And he has teeth! He's only 10 months. We're missing so much.

New photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/JJOHNSTONMYERS/BeckettLongMyers?authkey=tafaGNM6vDI&pli=1

Adoption Blog here: http://bringinghomebe.blogspot.com

My Favorite:

Polar Bear - St. Louis Zoo

2007-05-10T06:18:00.000-06:00

2007-05-09T06:30:00.000-06:00

The St. Louis zoo has a fascinating dome full of butterflies. They are everywhere. I had never seen anything like it. One had landed and was riding around on someone's hat. As you exit the dome there are a series of mirrors so that you can check yourself out. Not for vanity, but for lingering butterflies.

2007-05-08T23:35:00.000-06:00

So...Grandma Myers passed last week.

To say she was beloved is an understatement. She was a valuable member of the community who leaves a rich legacy of Faith and acts. She raised 5 children was the matriarch of the family. In the spirit of full disclosure, I must admit to being an absent grandson. I had not seen or talked to Grandma in a long time. The fault lies at my feet and any excuse is hollow at best. Do I feel the loss. Yes, I do. She is in my thoughts and prayers.

Jess and I traveled to St. Louis for the funeral. It's sad that it took a death in the family to bring me back in touch with my aunts and uncles. Naturally Dad was there and it was good to see him. Heck, it was good to see everyone. It's the circumstances that sucked. (I know, very eloquent.)

Jess and I spent Thursday driving and attending the viewing.

Friday was the funeral, cemetery, and more family time. The family went back to Grandma's house for food, fellowship, and poker. A place was set for Grandma, along with her favorite beer, and she watched over the gaming. I managed to finish with some winnings after a full day of poker. The photo is a great little shot that Jessica sneaked. It's my cousin Matt and Aunt Carol. This is special because 1) she's smiling and 2) she usually doesn't like being photographed. I saw my Uncle Tommy and Aunt Lena for the first time in probably 17 years. They have two grown daughters. I feel old. However, I did take the opportunity to eat way too much of Lena's pasta. So very tasty. So long since I had truly good Italian cooking.

Saturday, Jess and I went to the zoo very early. One of the best zoos in the country. Then we met up with Dad. He took us around the old neighborhood and we went to White Castle (none in Arkansas). After the sublimely tasty sliders, we hit the Anheuser-Busch brewery for the tour and free beer. Jess and I the headed to a big sculpture park that contains a number of modern sculpture pieces. Lastly, Jess and I had dinner with a couple who we might be traveling to Vietnam with. It was a good match and i hope we do travel with them. It's nice to know we're not the only ones going insane with the wait and stress. I'm ready to go to Vietnam now.

Sunday, we traveled home. It was a sad, but ultimately very good trip. I hope we can springboard into better contact with Dad and the family. Since St. Louis is actually only 6 hours away...we might be able to make trips on occasion...and the family will want to meet Beckett. (I'll have to share the Beckett/Grandma story soon.)

Anyway...I now have a bunch of photos that I'll be posting over the next few days. Hope you enjoy. All of them are here.

Is that a Peter I see before me?

2007-04-24T22:46:00.000-06:00

Jess and I finally got Peter (http://geekhorde.blogspot.com/) in front of the mural at DamGoode Pies. We went there specificallty to see first-hand whether it looked like him or not. We suspected but memory can play tricks...

You be the judge...I tink it's a fair likeness and perhaps Peter needs to be compensated with some kind of free pizza deal. I've never seen Peter in a tu-tu, and he's not pudgy like that, but I think someone was channeling Peter while painting.

More details and some photos from this past weekend...tomorrow!

New Additions....

2007-04-08T21:00:00.000-06:00

I've added links to some of my favorite (and friends') photo pages. Check them out on occasion.

Jess' Birthday - Delayed

2007-04-08T20:37:00.000-06:00

All -

Last Monday we celebrated Jessica's ongoing 29th birthday. A wonderful mix of friends visited to wish her well and eat some cake.

Photos of the event are here: http://www.thehaddocks.net/jess30/jess30.html
Or here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7651708@N04/sets/72157600054372909/

My favorites:
Lukas being cute...
and this one with Hester....(we're slapping five...it's not an abuse situation...that's Mom smiling in the background)

Happy Easter, Part II

2007-04-08T17:45:00.000-06:00

From Growing Up

Found another photo...from sometime in the early 1980s.
Looks like I may have been too old to compete in an egg hunt with those kids.
Oh well.