firefighter

When we attended the Trash Project, I just didn't imagine that it would or could get any better than seeing a firetruck. I thought THAT was the show!

The first photo shows the proud moment I became a firefighter. Then I had to get right to work since much of the state is on fire.

The third is a photo of me watching the Trash Project with my firemen brothers.

Forklift Danceworks: the Trash Project

It was almost as if they planned this event for me. On Sunday night, we attended the final performance of the Trash Project.

The photo above was taken at the 2009 performance. We were not lucky enough for clouds. We had the brightest sunshiniest day with temperatures of 110. The heat did not keep me from running up and down and up and down and up and down the tarmac during the hour+ we waited for the show.

Also from the 2009 performance comes this review:

Clad in neon yellow safety wear, the sanitation workers did what they do best: roll and load plastic trash carts, jump gazelle-like on and off the back of a rapidly moving trucks and drive with precision in carefully choreographed patterns.

With incredible respect, Orr translated everyday physical labor into cleverly patterned movement without a hint of unnecessary spectacle.

Like the most graceful of ballerinas on pointe shoes, a crane truck operated by Don Anderson glided through nimble moves, its mechanical claw slowly extending and retracting as it spun in near perfect unison with delicate piano music played by Austin composer Graham Reynolds.

At three separate intervals, the dead animal truck wove solo across the stage area as tender music and voiceover comments by driver Tony Dudley told anecdotes of his job such as retrieving deceased beloved childhood pets. After driving in complex patterns, a quartet of trucks with automated arms rollicked through some synchronized moves.

Reynolds, using a combination of pre-recorded music with some synthesized sound and a live piano trio, gave “The Trash Project” an inventive soundtrack that was at times joyously funky and at times touchingly melodic.

A cinematic musical flourish greeted the beginning as the 16 vehicles snaked in front of the audience. A segment of celebratory rap exalted recycling. And sweeper truck driver and professional musician Orange Jefferson treated with a blues harmonica solo.

Our daily labors often make the most meaningful art.

Basically, it was garbage trucks doing ballet.

About the music: you should have seen my dance moves. I was visiting with an usher when the trucks first rolled in and, after standing slack-jawed in complete disbelief, he and I danced and danced and danced.

Say a friendly hello to your garbage collectors next time they empty your bins!

jumpy place

Since it is so unbearably hot, it has been quite some time since I have visited a playground. sigh. We have been filling our days with other activities. But get your jacket ready: it will cool off to 100 tomorrow and it might only be 96 next Monday.

This morning, I attended music class. I went home and had a much-needed nap. When I woke up, I ate a huge lunch and then got ready to go to the jumpy place. It might even be more fun than the playground, if you could believe it. I stayed for two hours (and would have stayed longer if they didn't have to close). My favorite activities are the trampoline track (don't tell my dad though because he has a thing about trampolines) and the truck that rides down a slide (not dangerous like it sounds).

I also climbed a ladder and re-enacted what happened that time the fire alarm went off. Next time you see me, ask me to tell that story. It is my earliest memory and I remember it in vivid detail - mostly because I talk about it every single day.

Here is a photo of me on the trampoline track. (Excuse the poor quality of the photo. My mom did something to the settings so she could take photos at night but now things are all fouled up.) Obviously, trampolines are not as bad as my dad imagines.

seatbelt

I do not know the exact date on which this photo was taken but it was shortly after I was born. It was taken outside of the doctor's office. I can assure you there are no flowers or anything green at the doctor's office this summer.

Today we parted with my beloved infant carseat. Though I often try to squeeze myself into it just to sit, there really was not much reason to keep a carseat that I stopped using in February of 2010 when I got too wide. Sometimes George the bunny would sit in it too.

We sold the carseat to a lovely family who drove 100 miles to buy it. We drove a long way too and went over the fanciest bridge en route. We met at Whole Foods (not our usual one). When we got into the parking lot, I assumed we would visit with Trinity. When my mom said Trinity was at work and we wouldn't see her, I exclaimed "oh no, I lost my best friend."

The family who bought my carseat is having twins. As the dad walked away with my carseat, I cried and cried and cried and asked "could I try it." And then I cried all the way home about wanting to try the seatbelt.

what Trinity does

My sister taught me to roll my eyes in exasperation. When I do this, I announce that it is "what Trinity does."

the summer goes on forever

This morning, I visited with my good friend Luka. He is about to become a big brother. Instead of playing at my house or his, we decided to go to the splashpad. We got an early start to the day so we could hopefully beat the heat. no such luck. We were about four months late. Or three months early.

By 10:30am each day, it is already 95 degrees or more.

There happens to be an ice cream shop right behind the splashpad. How convenient! My mom and I shared a Mexican vanilla milkshake. It was yummy (but not Ben and Jerry's).

After we finished at the splashpad (when it got too hot), and before the ice cream shop opened, we passed our time at the train table in Barnes and Noble. It was quite busy; I suppose everyone in town is trying to busy their kids with indoor activities.

lord help us

Frightening news today: Rick Perry is running for president. This comes as a surprise to no one. While it is true that he has nice enough hair, is just charming enough, and has just the right accent for the masses to fall for his facade, DO NOT BE FOOLED. He is the longest serving Texas governor and what a big mess he has made. He plans to lie to the voters about a balanced budget (let's not even get started about oil subsidies) and jobs. Here are some facts about the jobs that have been "created" on his watch:

Texas leads the nation in minimum-wage jobs, and many positions don't offer health benefits. Also, steep budget cuts are expected to result in the loss of more than 100,000 jobs.

waffles

When you wake up in the morning, have some strawberry waffles to celebrate my great grandfather's birthday.

As my dad tries desperately to get photos organized, he has been showing me videos of me and grandpa Bob. (That is what I call him: grandpa Bob.) Grandpa Bob said I look peaceful. If only he could see me with all of my toddlerness on display. Do I ever have opinions and I am the boss of the world. Tonight I told my dad to stay outside because this is "my house."

The first photo was taken in Washington in September of 2009. Look at how he smiled at me!

The second was taken in Florida in February of 2010 when I went to visit grandpa Bob. He was in the nursing home with less than two months to live and I was not allowed to go in the room to see him because he was sick with MRSA. My parents had to take turns visiting. They would take me to the courtyard so that grandpa Bob could at the very least see me. I brightened his days.

The following was written on February 11, 2010, shortly after we returned from Florida.

Today, I celebrate two birthdays. I am eight months old. And I am also 35 weeks. Both birthdays were marked with little to no fanfare. Sigh.

Today is also the Valentine’s Day party at my grandfather’s nursing home. Before we left last week, my mom and I stuffed the ballot box so maybe he has a chance of being crowned Valentine King. I think Elliot will win though since he gets out and cruises the halls daily. My grandfather’s world is getting smaller and smaller by the day as he sits in his 10 by 10 cell room clinging to his memories of being a Merchant Marine in the 1940s.

But what a busy month it has been.

It is hard to believe that it was one month ago today that my future tennis career came crashing to a halt. I had to visit the ER after my mom pulled me from lying down and giggling to sitting and screaming in pain with a dislocated elbow. The medical insurance company is harassing me to bring a lawsuit against the person who caused this injury so I can recover my medical expenses. If I had more than $14 in my piggy bank, I suppose I would/could sue my mother.

In the last week of January, my mom also returned to work part-time. I don’t like that so much and I still refuse the sippy cup so it really limits the amount of time my mom can be away from me. But they hired the best nanny in the world. She was born and raised in Switzerland and attended a Waldorf school her entire life. She speaks Swiss, German, Dutch, and I don’t remember what else but she sings to me in several languages other than English. She taught at my sister’s school for 12 years but is on sabbatical right now. Sounds perfect, right? The only downside is the issue of feeding and the cost of high quality childcare. But, if you have to leave your baby, this is who you trust.

And then there was the trip to Florida. If my dad can ever get the computer working, photos will be posted. I sure am cute though.

What else? I went to a party at Luka’s house on Saturday. Luka has a lot of teeth. I have none. Jensen has eight.

Still no solid food for me. I am one month away from having mostly developed digestive enzymes.

I don’t like to sleep anymore. I love to wiggle.

Hank

We have some good news and some bad news.

First, the good news. We were able to find someone to come over to repair our air conditioner this morning. He told us he has been working 24 hours a day since the 100 degree weather set in 40+ days ago. He was quite nice and he drives a big truck with a ladder. He used a drill and some other very noisy and very exciting tools. Since it was just as hot in the house as it was outside, my mom had no excuse for us not to play outside for the duration of the service call.

Now, the bad news. Our air conditioner had to be rebuilt. And they don't exactly give the parts and labor away for free. But it is done.

Afterward, he showed me the contraption that he uses to check and compare temperatures. delta this and delta that. beeeeep.

uneventful 26th birthday

I did nothing special to celebrate my 26th birthday. It seems that the unbearable heat is even getting the best of me and I really do not understand how it can get hotter by the day, if not by the minute.

I played with my friends in the morning and I was cranky in the afternoon. My mom offered me a bowl of Chunky Monkey to cheer me up and cool me off but I couldn't even finish it. I even skipped yoga this afternoon.

In the evening, we started to wonder why it was so freakishly hot in the house only to discover that the air conditioner is not working. Cross your fingers that we can find someone to repair it tomorrow when everyone else in the entire state has this problem too. If not, my sister will be getting some new roommates. Lucky her.

This is not my official birthday photo since one does not exist but you can see how cute I was as of last Saturday. And, yes, I realize that I need a haircut but I refuse to see a barber just yet.

package

When I arrived home today from suffering through hours of the almost hottest day ever in Austin (tomorrow will be the hottest ever), there was a package on my doorstep. In it was this very cute hat. It fits me perfectly and I seem to enjoy wearing it. It is also fun to pull down over my eyes and run around like a madman. Having a new hat was the perfect excuse for tricking my mom into taking me outside to play. You would not believe the heat. Even I, the boy who would gladly play outside all day if someone would come with me, have been commenting "hot out" whenever we step out the front door.

dancing

Today was my first, and possibly my last, ballet class. It was rather traumatic. We arrived ten minutes early and I played happily with the other ballerinas in the sparkle room. Once the teacher arrived, we walked single file to the ballet studio. I forgot that my mom wasn't going to be in the room with me even though we had talked about it. A minute into the class, I bust out of the door crying that it was scary and that I needed to go home.

The ballet teacher is on thin ice at the dance studio. I went to her class yesterday but she was a no-show. But they let me play in the sparkle room with some older kids and that was much more fun than any class. We ran around and played ball and games and then I got to watch them prepare for their upcoming performance.

And then the teacher pulled the nonsense of being late today. We heard the dance studio owner scold her. The teacher wasn't very friendly. She didn't introduce herself or ask my name or anything.

We have some other classes and activities in mind anyhow that we are going to try. Plus, there is always yoga twice a week. I love my yoga teacher. And she loves me.

I was so traumatized after ballet that I could not be consoled almost the entire ride home. I was even more devastated that I didn't see the tractors or crane trucks on the way home. They had been working on building some onramps but the contractor hired by the Department of Transportation walked off the job abruptly, taking all of their equipment with them. sad for me. sad for the taxpayers who just lost millions of dollars. I blame Rick Perry. Do not vote for him when he runs for president.

When we got home, my mom and I worked on gathering some hand-me-downs for her friend whose wife is going to have a baby in December. We also looked for the items that I am about to grow into and I found these snazzy boots! Cowboy boots look sharp but they are not comfortable. not at all. But I still like to dance, even after the ballet fiasco.