My Future Son

Over the summer, and really over a span of many years now, Sam and I often discussed our future children. I think it was the natural progression of our age-old debate about whether or not the idea drinking your own breast milk is gross or not. I remain firm on yes.

Thereafter followed many questions about the way that one could raise a child. Sam is already set on the kinds of lunches her kids will eat and what kind of mom she'll be: a dad mom. I don't know my hypothetical future children as well. But this summer it became obvious that my son would be named Kamalo.

Jesus, my new friend, says he sees Kamalo as a very tall man, 6'2" 280 lbs., who has a suave way with the ladies. "Especially for a man of his carriage," he says. His version of my future son has a low voice with which he pronounces his name: ka-MA-lo.

I have a hard time picturing anything other than a 10 year old boy version of myself. He will probably be mouthy and say things that might be rude if he weren't a child. Kamalo will have to eat everything, picky eating will not be tolerated. So maybe he will become 280 lbs. I also imagine that he'll wear bright colors, have a large collection of sneakers and will always be carrying a toy of some kind. For those familiar with Sam and PamPam, I think Kamalo will be a less brain-dead, more chatty version of Friend. I can see him wearing a spinny hat.

warm weather fun time music

my bed in riverside

You may have heard the news that I no longer sleep on a flimsy twin mattress with a sleeping bag on the floor! I now have sheets, two new pillows, a quilt and a bed frame that is made of real wood. Robyn and I spent a while putting together this piece of Ikea magic. If it weren't for Robyn, it would have never happened.

Summer Adventures

It's been much too long, again, since I paid any attention to this thing. There were many summer adventures, but the highlights: Berlin/Stockholm with the family, the Afrienda with Amanda and Heather, Iowa time with everyone (and dancing Charles), the wagon with Amy, movies galore with Sophie, my big move out of Chicago, play time in Portland with gurl and Kim and my long drive/camping trips with Sam. I miss everybody and didn't take enough photos or videos, but here are some tidbits.


At the Hamburger Bahnhoff:


Nathan's band, Sons of Susan, playing at Duke's:


Joyous times at Rachel's Birthday Party with a Girl Pop Karaoke cd:


Sam and I entertain ourselves on our drive through the NW:

Farm Day

On Friday we took a short half-day trip to Three Oaks, MI to visit Granor Farms , where our friends Jesse and Sara manage and live on the farm. It turns out that we picked a very stormy day in which to take this journey. Rachel was supposed to be in charge of directions since everyone knows that Sophie is like a robot when she drives, programmed only to take directions. But Rachel was also in charge of music and so we ended up not making the correct turn and found ourselves on a rather skinny highway when the storm clouds burst, the wind starting blowing us around and Sophie was urged to please pull over.



However, we did eventually make it around a bunch of fallen trees to our destination. We were happy to be alive. The power was out at the farm, but our hosts had set up these lovely candles to make us feel welcome:



We then progressed to have a pretty good time. There were these little kittens that climbed all over everywhere and had little poops hiding out in places. Plus there was some very nice furniture on the porch. Eventually Sara and Rachel were heroes and went out to get pizza from a place far away that had power (since we couldn't cook anything on their electric stoves), while the rest of us toyed around the farm. Great times!

Meat Eating Birds

While Maneka and I were camping at Lake Tahoe we encountered 3 of these birds that seemed to be very interested in both our raw hamburger and our cheese. I was baffled, horrified and very amused that these birds managed to get far ahead of cows in the food chain.

Road Trip

As some of you may know, Maneka and I drove her car from Oberlin to our home in the Bay Area. We followed I-90 for the most part with a brief interlude in Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons before meeting up with I-80 and heading to Piedmont. I know you're dying to know about the unbridled excitement that ensued, which is why I made this video.