L'Artiste

A week or two ago we got a letter from the school letting us know that one of Casey's art projects was going to be put on display at the Legislative offices downtown. Several works of art from around the are had been chosen to be put on display and several politicians were going to be on hand for a meeting on art in schools this week. We couldn't make the meeting, but on the eve of her 7th birthday, we set off to see the display.

I'm not sure which section/building we walked into first, but one thing is certain: the capitol building on is huge. So much bigger than I thought it was from driving by. The friendly guard that searched us like we were getting on a plane (except we got to keep our shoes on and he mostly gave the kids a pass) gave us directions to "The Well" part of the Legislative wing. "The Well" is a pretty impressive space. It would have been more impressive if the fountain was running. Check out the stairs, all stone, all beautifully constructed and symmetric.

 

 

Off to the side, we found the art display.

 

I thought it might take a little effort to find Casey's artwork, but the kids found it in about 20 seconds. It's the bluish one (I'm clearly a connoisseur of the arts) on top.

It's from a project called "Organic Shapes." I like it.

 Got a picture of the artist with her sister Allison.

I'm not the biggest art guy but there was a lot of really impressive stuff on display here. I mean stuff I would consider buying. The kids don't bring home any art during the year. Instead, at the end of the year they bring home a portfolio. Every year there are lots of things worth saving and a few worth framing. I'm not sure what they are going to talk about at their meeting, but I hope it isn't program cuts.

Olympic Fever - C'mon America

I don't really pay too much attention to sports. I like UConn to do well in the tournament. It would be nice if the Mets won, but I don't follow them all season. Hockey pretty much died for me when the Whalers left Connecticut. I lost my team. And I just don't get football at all. But I've always liked the Olympics.

I can remember everyone "speed" roller skating after Eric Heiden won five gold medals in 1980. If you were an American kid during the summer of 1980, you bent over and skated one arm flailing whenever you laced up your roller skates.  Eddie the Eagle was a hero of mine (even though he's British) and one of the best Olympic stories of all time. How cool would it be to buy that guy a beer?

Remember when Greg Louganis hit his head, got a concussion, and still won? That was the summer everyone became a diving expert: Ohh his feet separated or that guy wasn't straight when he went in the water and my favorite - that was too big a splash, points off for that. I remember staying up way past my bedtime with my brother Dave to watch the late night broadcast, the one that starts at 1 AM. We were watching a woman's volleyball game and the network had the nerve to interrupt it for a local news report. We played chess with the sound off until the game came back on. The team needed us.

The Olympics brought me to the game of curling. I was watching Olympic curling in 2000 (Salt Lake City Olympics) and talking with my buddy Joe on the phone while he watched too. We agreed that while we probably wouldn't make the next Olympic team, it was a game we could actually physically play. Two weeks later on the Great PBS Auction, there was a family membership to the Schenectady Curling Club. I bought it and have been playing ever since. Didn't even know the club existed.

Sadly, the Olympics also taught me a little about politics. The Olympic boycotts are probably the politically driven thing I can remember. Plus the judging...I pretty much stay away from judged events now. Torvill and Dean's ice dancing bronze medal in Lillehammer took care of that. You didn't need a trained eye to see that they were clearly the best. It wasn't close. I still get a little pissed off thinking about that one. Anything without a judge, count me in.

Sunday afternoon we were just hanging out, watching the Olympics and the kids were really getting into it. I was surprised how quickly their nationalistic pride generated. Allison had a little fist pump every time the US men's volleyball team scored against Serbia. And she got a little tense when the Serbs had a rally in the 3rd set. When I heard "C'mon America!" I told them about U!S!A! and that was probably a mistake. That chant is significantly louder than "C'mon America!"

The most fun you can have with a clown

This is clearly a 70's toy. Why? Because it could hurt you. I vividly remember playing with this as a kid and loving it. A garden hose forces water through a clown head and the water shoots out the top. The hat "floats" on the spray of water. The more you turn on the hose, the higher it goes. The water hitting the hat sprays all over the place as the hat kind of hovers. Hours of fun for children ages 5 and up, right?

It was a little windy when we had the clown head hooked up but we managed to get it hovering 10 to 12 feet up. I'm guessing this wonderful toy went the way of the lawn dart when too many kids got hit on the head with the hat.

Proud

I just got back from Utica. Earlier this morning, I was in a seminar on Magnetic Particle Testing (it was actually more interesting than it sounds) when my phone vibrated. I looked at it and the call was coming from the elementary school.

When you get an unexpected call like that, you get an "oh no" feeling. I've gotten them in the past and for the most part everything is fine.

Nurse: Your daughter fell during recess and banged up her knee. She's fine, but I just wanted to call and let you know.

or

Nurse: Your daughter is complaining her ear hurts. I don't see anything wrong but there is a lot of wax.
Me: Thank you. That happens every so often. We'll flush her ear tonight.

That kind of stuff. But you never know if it is going to be "You need to come get her NOW and bring her to a doctor" or even worse. Plus, I'm in Utica. I can't be there in 10 minutes. I never think these thoughts until I get an unexpected phone call with the school's caller ID on your cell phone.

It wasn't the nurse. Today's call was from the Kindergarten teacher. She was calling to let me know that she had nominated my youngest daughter for an award and that Casey had won this year's Kindergarten Friendship Award. She went on to describe the award and why my daughter deserved to win. It was quite an impressive list. Casey brought home a nice award to hang up in her room plus her name is going to get engraved on another award that stays in the school lobby.

Like the post title says, proud.

Words of wisdom

"I smell something. It smells kind of good and kind of not so good."

Allison on the smell in front of the Burger King on Route 9.

Play Ball

Even though it can get a little hectic, I've been enjoying the softball season. I even had fun working my day at the concession stand (the little girl checking out her ice cream options was confused when I warned that I just sold the last lobster, but the lady behind her thought it was funny). Anyhow, tonight was a nice night for a game.

Here's my older daughter at bat and pitching. And it's not right, but ever time she goes to the plate to bat, I have the music from The Natural in my head.

 

And here's one of my younger daughter getting ready for a career in coaching. I was too slow with the camera, but there was a better shot of her studying the players on the field with her arms crossed and that never satisfied look coaches can have.

Dinner With the Girls

On Thursday, my wife had to work late so it was just me and the kids for dinner. Earlier in the day, I had flipped through a recent Metroland Dining Guide and being the nerd that I am, I circled a lot of places that I want to try. (Wine and Diner, New World Bistro Bar and Garden Bistro 24 - I hope to see you and a few others soon.) Ali Baba in Troy caught my eye. I hadn't been there in years. We didn't have kids, so it is at least 7 years. Truth be told, I did some grad work at RPI, just a few blocks up the street. Well, let's just say my relationship with RPI did not end well. Feelings were hurt...things were said...I try to avoid the area, because I might accidentally bump into the campus and say something I'll regret. I think Ben Folds summed it up when he sang, "Give me my money back, you bitch."

Anyhow, I picked the girls up from their schools and headed across the river to Ali Baba. My youngest daughter, Casey, is a little picky. Allison, she's my food nut. We all sat on the same side of a 4-top table so we could watch the oven. There is a fire in the oven, but it isn't wood burning. The thing I remember most about Ali Baba was the pre-meal bread and yogurt dip. A flat dough is put in the oven and as the steam builds up, the dough inflates. I'm not talking a little poofy. I'm talking bigger than a soccer ball. Then it gets a little brushing of oil and some seeds get thrown on top. Freaking delicious. Kids would have had that for a meal.

Pretty sure their mother would have frowned on just bread for dinner, so I order a chicken shish plate and a adana kabob for the 3 of us to share. Casey was just so-so on the chicken and the kabab was too seasoned for her tastes. Allison and I didn't have any problem finishing it though. She ate most of it. I ate most of the chicken- it was good, not fantastic but I was going for something relatively mild- and Casey just picked here and there. They had lollipops up by the register. The girls enjoyed them in the car ride home.

All in all, a very nice night out with the girls.