Nicole and I had a great time today on our first outing since last Thursday.  Nicole said, “well, looks like the snow’s here to stay for now, let’s take advantage of its benefits.”  We were thankful that Matea’s video skills are improving.  Check out her work

He is running and playing like most 2 1/2 year-old boys. Here, he is pictured playing in the fire truck playground jungle gym at Jaquith Park in Newberg.

We were there as participants in the Veritas School Barbeque and Information Fair.

Toward the end of the evening, Nolan demonstrated his speed by sprinting away while our backs were turned. After we issued an APB, one of Matea’s classmate’s parents found him about 50 yards and across a parking lot from where he had begun his sprint.

It’s true, I’m a homebrewer. Here’s proof:

• I have an online Homebrew log.
• I’m known on ‘.TV’ as a homebrewer.
• I have a bumper sticker that reads, “I’d Rather Be Homebrewing” (thanks Brian & Deana)
• I know how to measure specific gravity and calculate alcohol by volume (& weight)
• I’d be embarrassed to be seen drinking Budweiser or Miller Beer (sorry Dad), but proudly display my affinity for Guinness and Bridgeport IPA.
• I’ve shown up at parties with Nalgene bottles filled with my creations.
• I have a refrigerator in my garage that is primarily devoted to chilling 5 gal kegs of homebrew.

I actually have posted more than 500 pictures. The number above represents those that I keep available to everyone. Most of my pictures are kept private and shared with friends and family to protect the subjects of my photos who are children.

If your Flickr account isn’t currently listed in my list of contacts and you think it should be, just let me know and I’ll add you.

Yeah, that may be true, but maybe I’m getting enough now. According to Steve Pavlina’s article, “How to Become an Early Riser“, I’m doing okay — I’m not sleep deprived.
Steve writes,

The optimal solution for me has been to combine both approaches. It’s very simple, and many early risers do this without even thinking about it, but it was a mental breakthrough for me nonetheless. The solution was to go to bed when I’m sleepy (and only when I’m sleepy) and get up with an alarm clock at a fixed time (7 days per week). So I always get up at the same time (in my case 5am), but I go to bed at different times every night.

I still kind of doubt that this will help my wife stop worrying about me and the rather large difference in hours of sleep she and I get.

I’ll bet those super-managers about whom I wrote in my last entery are early risers.