Robbie looked behind him at the fence he’d just hopped. It was old, built scores of years ago by people probably long since dead, drab and gray and covered in moss and lichen. He turned to look ahead. A soft patch of grass ran by a clear, babbling creek, the whole scene blanketed by a thick grove of various deciduous and coniferous trees, peppered randomly with small bushes. The grass path had been cleared for a reason and had apparently been maintained by someone…or some thing.
He wasn’t supposed to be here. He’d been given strict orders by his ma and pa…but neither his ma nor his pa were here now. They were out, would be out the better part of the afternoon, and after the dare at school…well, now here he was. He’d crossed over the fence but hadn’t penetrated the woods…yet.
Behind him Bart and Theo sat on old and graying tree stumps, just over the fence. Their faces were painted with a smug expression of satisfaction, and maybe just a touch of fear. Jim also stood behind the fence, a safe distance away from Bart and Theo. Jim gave Robbie a thumbs up for moral support. It was appreciated but Robbie knew he was on his own at this point.
All those stories are bullshit, he thought. It’s all bullshit.
With that self-administered boost of confidence he put one foot in front of the other and took a step toward the lush, grass-covered pathway that stretched alongside the creek, like two snakes intertwined. He was committed now; no looking back. He’d either come back with the proof or he’d die trying. continue reading…
This past Monday my iPhone 4 arrived.
For me, this is the device I’ve been waiting ten years for. For years I carried a phone, a PDA, and a pager for work. Even after I was able to get paging on my cell phone I still had to carry around two devices. I couldn’t access anything on the Internet on my PDA or my crappy phone and I couldn’t check e-mail or send a text message without cycling through three letters per key to do it.
Then, about a year and a half ago, I bought an iPhone 3G and all those problems were solved. My calendar and contacts were now on my phone and my phone was a PDA too. I could also send text messages with a real keyboard. I had e-mail and the Internet, and it was all pretty damn functional. No longer did I carry a PDA, a phone, or a pager; just one device now. I was quite happy with it.
When the 3GS was released I didn’t bite; it was a primarily just a faster version of what I already had, with standard definition video and a few other bells and whistles.
Then the iPhone 4 came out. continue reading…
A co-worker of mine who makes balloon sculptures made this “iBed” for my new iPhone 4 (since I’ve been hyping it so much). This is the world’s first and only.
This is what Traci is thinking when she looks at you.
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- Brian - September, 1979
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- Orson - August, 2010
The boy on the left and the boy on the right don’t know each other. Neither one can comprehend the other’s existence. They’re both five years old in these pictures, these recorded snapshots of light and shadow, and neither of them can understand the concept of birth or death. In these captured moments in time these two exist only in the present; no comprehension of the past or future.
If time travel to the past were possible, one could show the boy on the left the picture of the other and he might assume he’s a classmate. He’d be completely and totally unaware that he was viewing a human he’d one day create. If one were to show the boy on the right the picture of the other, he’d probably assume the same. A classmate, a counterpart; unaware that such a boy could one day grow into the man who’d create him. continue reading…
Orson and me, first in 2005 and then in 2010. It’s hard to believe that five years have passed.
A co-worker of mine made a balloon Buzz Lightyear for Orson and a balloon ladybug for Trent (Trent loves ladybugs). He’s a great developer, a good guy, and a talented balloon character maker. It made the kids really happy.
We finally took Orson and Trent downtown to visit the Arch. Despite the long wait I think they had a good time. Orson was especially excited to see train bridges once he got to the top. Afterward we had a nice dinner at Dewey’s Pizza in Kirkwood. A tiring but really fun day with the family.
Thumbnails below.
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Looks like my mood is staying pretty high so far. Now that the headaches are gone I can conquer the world!
