limb from limb

Obama!

2008-11-05T08:34:00.003-05:00

Ruby & Shep called the election at 8pm Tuesday, well before any of the major networks.

I didn't put 'em up to this, I swear.

Dealing with food allergies in Beacon

2008-10-21T10:30:00.006-04:00

This year Jean and I helped start up a local group for families dealing with food allergies. We organized under the name Hudson Valley Food Allergy Support Group (I know, catchy) to talk to schools, educate parents, and generally raise awareness about food allergies. Our big focus now is on organizing a panel for area school nurses and other heath providers working with kids.

The below is from a blog post I wrote for the HVFASG web site, about how we discovered and firsst dealt with Shepard's food allergies:

Here’s how we found out about my son Shepard’s food allergies. One day in fall 2005, when he was one, he tottered up to my chair and grabbed at the peanut butter sandwich I was eating. I gave him a tiny piece of it and jean took him off to his crib for a nap. Two minutes later he was screaming, badly swollen and bright red. We called 911 and ran for benadryl. I was terrified he’d stop breathing, but he never did and the swelling went down while the medical responders stood by with oxygen. We took the ambulance ride anyway just to be safe.

Every parent of a child with food allergies has a similar harrowing story of that first exposure. After the discovery, life is never quite the same. But we were slow to react fully to our new reality. Oh, we took important steps — carrying epi-pens and ridding the house of peanuts — walnuts too when we noticed they made him break out. But Shep continued to suffer from moderate to severe eczema and we suspected more allergies. It took us another year to get him to a specialist — in retrospect an obvious move we should have undertaken right away. The doctor ordered blood tests and found he had many more allergies: to pecans and other tree nuts, soy, egg whites, shellfish, dust mites and dogs. All were minor relative to the peanut allergy, but we phased them out anyway and started washing his sheets each week for the dust. Since then his skin and problems have cleared up.

There are some important steps in caring for an allergic child that may not be obvious to some parents. That’s another reason this group exists — to help people learn from others who have been through the same experience. If you live in the Hudson Valley and would like to attend our next meeting, please email hvfoodallergy [at] yahoo.com.

copyright wars made personal

2008-10-20T08:23:00.004-04:00

My friend Pete keeps a great blog that's mainly about his bike riding, training and racing exploits in Northern Michigan. He just put up a post that makes copyright law a whole lot more tangible for me. Pete writes:

I was able to cobble together a couple minutes worth of raw footage that I've shot since getting the new video camera last week... Unfortunately, YouTube busted me for copyright violations and wouldn't let me publish the video with the song I'd picked out. I had to go through their authorized music library (which isn't very big), and this tune was the best one I could find.

Lawrence Lessig is right. It's time to rewrite the rules of enforcement copyright holders to protect amateur creators.

2008-08-26T11:44:00.007-04:00

Kel prodded me for a progress report on the pumpkins, so I thought I'd post the dismal summary here. Things started well enough. I planted around mid-May and had seven foot vines by the end of June. then a fungus set in and wiped out one of the plants in mere days. The other vine was doing alright until a critter made off with the only pumpkin on it, a yellow orb of about three pounds. I found it under a bush with a few gnaw marks in the side, evidently deemed insufficiently tasty. I suppose it was the comeuppance I deserved after the hubris of pointing my bat to the bleachers, so to speak.

Other garden crops have thrived, especially carrots, tomatoes (sungold & green zebra), eggplant and broccoli. Made a ratatouille on Sunday with basil, peppers, tomatoes, eggplant and herbs from the garden. Only garlic and onions were store bought.

Head on over to Flickr for photo documentation of our family travels in Michigan. We spent a week with extended family at my folks house before heading to Beaver Island for our first-ever nuclear vacation -- just Ruby, Shep, Jean Marie and me. A couple shots:

planted

2008-05-30T11:16:00.005-04:00

The garden's in: tomatoes, peppers, carrots, pumpkins, squash, beets, broccoli, spinach, chard and assorted herbs, plus heirloom gourds. I'm heavily invested in the pumpkins, a variety called Big Moon that can grow to 200 lbs. My goal is for Ruby & Shep to have one 30 pounder apiece to carve/make pies on their birthday, as well as one insanely large heap of pumpkin that passersby will want to photograph with their kids in the foreground. Probably entirely unrealistic but what the hey. These are heavy feeders however and will need more than rain and sun to reach anything near prize-winning size. Fish emulsion anyone? Below, one week's harvest from last year's garden.

Upcoming in Beacon: Electric Windows

2008-05-06T13:03:00.000-04:00

neighborhood views

2008-04-25T12:42:00.004-04:00

Spring is on.

Climate Alliance Story

2008-04-25T12:08:00.001-04:00

And here's the Climate Alliance story, in case you're interested.

Al Gore's Climate Project: $300 Million in Ads

2008-04-02T12:27:00.003-04:00

How many non-profits have spent so much? The quality of the work reflects the sum, as you can see below.

The Web site is WeCanSolveIt.org. WaPo coverage here. I'm pursuing a story now on the digital component, so stay tuned.

porch-side with grandmas

2008-03-28T09:48:00.001-04:00

Administrator Robson Reports for Duty

2008-03-26T16:14:00.001-04:00

Beacon finally has its new administrator. Meredith Robson doesn't live in town and has no history here, which feels sort of ominous to me though maybe it shouldn't. Her predecessor Joe Braun was a divisive personality who got things done but made enemies and alienated citizens along the way. People seem to feel Braun was the real mayor of Beacon during much of the Clara-Lou Gould era.

Braun's ouster and Robson's hire were direct results of Steve Gold's decisive mayoral victory. During his campaign Gold was pretty clear that Braun's removal would be the first order of business for his administration. Braun saved him the trouble and quit.

Once more unto the WFMU pledge drive

2008-02-28T16:31:00.008-05:00

What's that you say, you've never listened to WFMU? Fie on you and your Jack FM station! Even your local NPR affiliate, all due respect, I still say fie on it.

Let me sum it up: WFMU is freeform radio, the tagline goes, the way it oughta be. It's that rare combination in radio: a broadcaster that's grown its audience (It's now streamed globally) without shedding its local identity, it's completely DJ centric values or its heart-felt scrappiness. If you wish for the continuance of original (and good) musical expression, you should be listening to WFMU. And if you like what you hear, you should give them some money, since the pledge drive is happening right now. I give $75 a year and it really is the gift that keeps on giving.

How This Works...

Support Freeform Radio!

spilled on the road: 40,000 heads, feet and other chicken parts

2008-02-26T06:46:00.004-05:00

Animal byproducts on the highway in Texarkana:

Bi-state police have shut down a section of eastbound Interstate 30 in Texarkana, AR, due to a spill of chicken parts.
They say a truck carrying a load of about 40,000 heads, feet and other body parts from dead chickens overturned near the seven mile marker some time before 3:30 a. m. Tuesday. The contents spilled all over the east side of the highway.

(KSLA-TV)

how learning happens

2008-02-22T15:21:00.005-05:00

We're moving into this period with Ruby & Shep, I can feel it, where learning gets to be an active process for all of us. No longer a byproduct of merely existing, which is what the baby through toddler years are mostly about (Goodnight Moon and swimming lessons notwithstanding), but a conscious approach that requires some tactical awareness on the part of grown-ups. An approach that can be fucked up. Scary.

So I was interested to discover (via Ze Frank) research published in Scientific American suggesting parents should focus on praising their child's hard work rather than her inate abilities. No shocker there. Kids succeed most who focus on challenges, not obstacles, and who don't fear failure or looking stupid. (The Secret to Raising Smart Kids)

I like to think we teach R & S to value self-sufficiency and process rather than talent and outcome. But there's always the question of whether you're doing enough.

Like all three-year-olds, these two are frequently overcome by seemingly insurmountable difficulties. Like all three year olds, they don't like being pushed into a task. And like all three year olds, they're completely elated when they really nail something new. It's wonderful to be along for that ride, but more, it's a huge responsibility. Suddenly I feel the need to learn as much as I can about learning. So I'm starting to read the research and watch the videos. Speaking of which, here's a phenomenal one, also via Ze Frank:

The speaker is Ken Robinson, creativity expert, who among other great anecdotes tells the story of a little girl in a drawing lesson.

Teacher: what are you drawing?

Girl: I'm drawing a picture of God.

Teacher: But nobody knows what God looks like.

Girl: They will in a minute.

fake disposable coffee cup, fake slice of cake

2008-02-16T10:35:00.005-05:00

J bought me this ceramic paper cup replica at Past Perfect in Williamsburg (They're also available at WeAreHappytoServeYou.com). The plastic slice of cake is from a set of 80 pieces of fake food given to Ruby & Shep by their great Aunt Kathy and family in California.

Beacon: bedroom community?

2008-02-08T12:03:00.000-05:00

One difference between Beacon and towns in Westchester is a decent number of newcomers actually work in the area. One friend has a job at the Paramount Theater in Peekskill. Another teaches high school across the river in Newburgh. A bunch more have city-based jobs but pay for studios here. There's the gallery owner on West Main whose storefront doubles as a graphic design studio, the maintenance guy at DIA, the Wee Play park volunteer corps. That's not counting all the new moms with semi-suspended careers -- refugees from the freelance economy who still occasionally cross back over the border to take a photo assignment or copywriting gig.

All these folks moved up from the city like J and I did, most from Brooklyn or Queens. And they're not buying lunch and seeing chiropractors on Park Avenue like the five-day commuters are. That's a good thing.

Not to put too rosy a tint on it. The population of five-day commuters keeps growing, and I'd guess the number of locally employed has shrunk in the last five years as lifelong residents retire or move to Fishkill where the taxes are lower.
I'm one of the criminals since I travel down to Soho three times a week. But hey, I buy wine and get my hair cut on Main Street. I can vouch for Arje and Hair Haven's not bad either. Town could use a barbershop though. Or is there one I'm not aware of? Tell me in the comments.

Tomorrow in Beacon

2008-02-08T11:35:00.000-05:00

Lots going on tomorrow, even by Second Saturday standards:

-It'll be community free day at DIA:Beacon. Get your Serra for nothing and your Bueys for free. Bring proof of residence to guarantee entry.

-Joe Fiedler Trio plays across the river in Marlboro: Joe's one of a very few current trombone players to hold down an ensemble, and do it well. His newest record is The Crab, and I like it. 7pm, admittance by donation, Falcon Music and Art Hall, 845.546.0444.

-bCoop art and music benefit: I don't know anything about this one, but there's a potluck and art auction beginning at 6pm. RSVP may be required, but looks like a good time and worthy cause.

-The Next Step after party at Piggy Bank (see flyer above): EL JEF{F}E and Breakbeats. Fun starts at 10pm.

Beacon New-timers

2008-01-30T13:20:00.000-05:00

Jean and I bought our place in Beacon last January and moved in February, a year ago this Friday.

The weeks between we spent emptying the house of a few decades' worth of bad decorating. We tore out drop ceilings, veneer paneling, an entire plaster wall, carpeting, carpet nails, vinyl tile. You name it, we demoed it -- all in all probably 40 large contractor bags worth of material. That was on weekends in January, since we had jobs. We also hired a guy named Hector -- Columbian, great carpenter, great human being -- to widen a doorframe, repair the plaster and put color on the walls during the week. We would've painted ourselves given the time, but we were paying rent in the city on top of the mortgage and wanted to move fast.

Then it was done. We moved in one cold night and went straight to bed. Small-town people. Amazingly easy really, despite the few dozen backaches, hand injuries, marital disputes. The hardest part was settling on the house. Then the closing. Intimidating presence of lawyers and numb wrist from signing name 40, 50 times. What does this one say? I don't know. Just sign it and get me out of here. The physical pain and strain of demolition actually felt good after that, catharsis after the mental anguish of life-altering paperwork.

Most people seem to be driven here by the material and financial pressure of having kids in the city. Tripping over babies in a 40x40 foot room. Reaching for a pot and knocking over a lamp. Navigating three doors, two flights of stairs and a metal gate with twin infants and a double stroller. The cost of day care and babysitters. Riding the subway for chrissake. Most of our friends in Beacon were in NYC's outer boroughs before, like us, and had the same struggles.

In a town without much history of urban refugeea, we're plentiful enough now the real estate agents and life-long Beaconites have a name for us. NoBros. North Brooklynites. To which I say, hey, we're not all from Brooklyn. I know at least one guy who moved here from Queens. Natch.

Anyway, looking forward to many more trips around the sun from the vantage of this house and this Hudson town.

Ruby's hungry heart

2008-01-30T13:18:00.000-05:00

A couple nights ago Ruby told me, "Daddy you make my heart happy." Which naturally made my day. Then she said "Daddy you make my heart dance." That was even better. Then she said "Daddy you make my heart eat applesauce."

One of many hand built houses in Woodstock

2008-01-18T15:33:00.000-05:00

Actually a place of worship. And across the road from it, this Yurt:

Here's the photo set from our week there over the holidays: Christmas in Woodstock.

What the Hell Does Zach Do Again?

2008-01-18T10:47:00.000-05:00

Most of you have at least a foggy notion of what I do each day. For those who don't, I report on digital marketing for a pub called ClickZ Network (at clickz.com). I also edit that site's news & features content. The significance of this particular beat can be a little hard to comprehend to the layperson or grandmother. Most people now get that tiny text links on a Google results page have somehow challenged the underpinnings of traditional (i.e. print and broadcast) advertising. But of course it's more complicated than that. If you want a better feel for the stuff I cover, have a peek at the stories linked below. They're good examples of my work and they were all published in the past month.

Keep in mind these are written for an audience of digital marketing wonks.

As Big Brands Embrace Digital, Digital's Branding Power Wanes (1/17)
Branding effectiveness of online advertising has declined over the past two years by nearly every measure, according to Dynamic Logic data.

ISPs Collect Consumer Data for Behavioral Ad Targeting (1/3)
In new trend, Internet service providers track subscriber activities online for behavioral advertising purposes.

Top Online Advertiser Making a Raw Impression (12/17)
Who's going to crush this advertiser? Millions of ads running on MySpace and other youth-oriented sites push the boundaries of legality, according to experts.

Highway Spill #1: 20 Tons of Pork on I-196

2008-01-17T15:50:00.000-05:00

Here begins a series of posts chronicling tales of spillage on our nations highways and byways. Brooke and I exchange these like emailed recipes, so I figured why not share them with the world. I don't plan to offer much comment, since the items speak for themselves.

3-semi accident spills 40,000 pounds of pork

Two semi trucks with tire problems on the side of I-196 were clipped by a third semi truck, which then spilled 40,000 pounds of pork.

The two semis were stopped on the side of the highway with their flashers on around 7 a.m. Wednesday. The third semi approached the trucks and clipped the second truck, which was then forced into the first semi.

The third semi's trailer became disconnected from the cab, and 20 tons of pork spilled onto the expressway. (Full story on WoodTV8 in Grand Rapids, Michigan)

happy new year to all our lunch

2008-01-01T08:41:00.000-05:00

May you not be eaten by monsters (other than us) in 2008.

the ghost and the tree

2007-11-07T06:52:00.000-05:00

just before the end of candy innocence.

Ruby and Shepard at three

2007-11-05T15:22:00.000-05:00

ruby and shep, center and right, playing with friends at fahnestock state park near beacon. photo by meredith

It's official: we have kids. Not babies. Not toddlers.
Here's a progress report, taking them one at a time and in alphabetical order.

HER: At the age of three, Ruby is highly inquisitive, vocal, adaptable, social, scary cute and ready for anything.

What she's into: helping in the kitchen, her blanket, all her grandparents, birthdays, Halloween, dancing with her brother in the living room, pretending to be the villains from the shows & books she's seen (e.g.: Mr. McGregor from Peter Rabbit), going for 'bubventures', making up hard-to-understand role playing games with her brother, looking at books, running, playing with blocks, drawing.

What she's not into: staying at home, being ignored, waiting.

Ruby can be a bit of a bruiser at times, pushing Shepard down and making him cry when she gets mad. This is a big change from the long-suffering Ruby of one and two years ago, who was more often the victim than the aggressor in sibling clashes. Indeed, our girl has sprouted an angry side. When she's really channeling the grouch she stomps around the house with a grimace like a werewolf, shouting in staccato bursts, "I… Don't… Want… to do… Anything!"

Speaking of werewolves though, she loves monsters. Maybe it's the season, but one of her favorite characters is Baby Monster. Baby Monster will snarl at you one minute and curl up in your lap with a tiny squeak the next.

Ruby is a fan of raw description. She has a sportscaster's knack for stream-of-consciousness commentary, whether it be a grocery trip or story time. For instance, "Daddy, we're gonna go upstairs for a little minute, then take a bath, then put on our jammies! Cuz it's getting dark outside! Okay?" Always with great enthusiasm.

Ask Ruby what a cowgirl says and she'll reply "moo." We can't bring ourselves to correct her. For best results, apply kiddie cowboy hat.

HIM: The boy of the house is an accomplished troublemaker and bedhead of alternating cunning and spaciness. He's a beach kid, TV lover, mama's boy, eczema and multiple allergy sufferer, social deviant and total ham.

Shep's in the middle of one of those developmental leaps you read about in parenting books. He's suddenly very interested in painting and crafts, whereas just a few months ago when presented with paper and crayons, he'd make a few absent scribbles before wandering off to find something to climb. He's also grown suddenly competitive. Everything is a race with Ruby: to the car, to the dinner table, to the front door, to the next drink of water. (For the parent it's hard not to abuse this trait. "Who's going to be first in the tub? "Who's going to be first to learn to use the potty?" "Who's going to be first to eat some dinner?" Ruby often plays along, though she's showing signs of rivalry fatigue.)

If Ruby's rough toddler phase has produced anger, Shep's has manifested in belligerence. 'No' is the standard response to any request. As a result, we're bribing him at every turn.

There's something really funny about Shep. It's an underlying attitude he carries around, an ability to tune out everything but his own (really absurd) internal muse. It may show up in a rigid humorous posture or a mysterious giggling fit.

What he's into: cutting with scissors, breaking things, water from the hose, things that are "a little bit scary," all his grandparents, television, running around naked after a bath, balloons, getting Ruby's goat, running off to hide with her in closets and empty rooms, airplanes.

What he's not into: eating anything in which sugar is not the first or second ingredient, brushing his teeth, being coerced.

What he's hardly aware of: the potty.