Bark at the moon

The Bug generally makes the pages of this blog for being a sweet angel. She can't help it; it's just what she does. Not today, however! Last night she started screaming at 1am. Not crying, not in pain, not scared, she hadn't misplaced her fuzzy lamb. She was just standing up in her crib and doing a full-lung howl for no apparent reason. I went in to her room, picked her up, calmed her down, put her back in her crib, and by the time I was back in my own room, she was screaming again. Take two, Joker's turn. He spent two hours with her - every time he started to leave the room she screamed again. No sleeping, this one, not even for a minute. When he gave up around 3:00, we decided to let her go. Twenty minutes seemed reasonable - no way she could keep it up for longer without running out of steam, right? Wrong. I calmed her down at 3:20, but when I left the room, more screaming. She did not stop. All night. She just wanted to hang out, nothing more, nothing less. It was beyond brutal.

Of course, at 6:30 when we got her out of bed she was all smiles and no worse for the wear. I, however, have burning eyes and fear that I might fall asleep in my chair. We can only hope it was a one-night thing - while Joker and I are incredibly charming, no one can possibly want our middle-of-the-night company that badly!

On the block, recession style

Joker and I have been quasi-looking at a house that has gone through a really interesting sales process. Essentially, the family that owned it was going through a very messy divorce, the value was under water for whatever reason, they stopped paying their mortgage, and the bank foreclosed in January. Yesterday we witnessed the latest wacky step live and in person: the house was sold through an auction process. It was pretty bizarre.

We arrived about 45 minutes before the auction time, and all sorts of interested parties were wandering around the house and yard. We had to register, which involved filling out some basic information and getting a bright yellow "bid card" in return. Another 30 minutes or so of milling about, and everyone made their way to the driveway, where the auctioneer and his sidekick were waiting. (Two westerners; I'm guessing Texas or Oklahoma.) After reading the perfunctory disclosure information, the auction itself began. It was very authentic, fast-talking and all: "Can I hear two fitty, two fitty. Now three. Two fitty now three now three. Three now three fitty, three now three fitty..." People waved their cards to indicate interest at a given price. Within five, maybe ten, minutes, the house was sold. It felt very surreal, the prospect of making such a major purchasing decision on the spot like that. I've read that this process has become more common during the mortgage crisis, but watching it first-hand was particularly strange.

Florida

Sent to the Bug from Mima, who spent a relaxing long weekend visiting a good friend in Delray Beach. Something tells me this image sells far better than, say, a flock of seagulls.

Turned up to 11

The Bug is almost 22 months old, which isn't any milestone I'm aware of. But since she's a total bundle of energy who's up to something new every day, here's a little update of her world:

...She likes to count. So naturally, we count everything in our house. A week ago, she counted to eleven by herself, which is her best streak yet.
...She will not keep a barrette in her hair, regardless of said barrette's cuteness or tight-holding-ness. (As soon as I put them in her hair, she takes them out and counts them. No joke.) So - deep breath! - I trimmed her bangs on Sunday. It wasn't a disaster. They actually even look cute!
...When she likes her food, she rubs her tummy and says "Yummy!"
...Latest Mommy Mad-lib: I told her not to tug on my glass of water; she has to "be gentle because Mommy is..." and I blanked on the word "fragile." She didn't miss a beat, and finished my sentence with "...HAPPY!" Which, while accurate, didn't quite explain the gentle thing.
...She's recently begun singing along with her favorite tunes. In particular, "Elmo's Song," Dora's theme song, and the ABC's. Early results indicate that she may have inherited my voice. Sorry, Bug!
...She sits on the potty a few times a day. In the last two weeks, she's tinkled while on it exactly once.
...Yesterday was the first day I couldn't talk her out of the shirt she wanted to wear. So she wore a pink tank top over her dress. It looked pretty ridiculous. I'm guessing this will be a common occurrence going forward. I must be vigilant with photo documentation. It'll be priceless in a few years.

Norway is not the capital of Sweden

I always wondered what made those wacky Norwegians tick. Enjoy this valuable lesson in geography and sociology!

Hip, hop, socialize

Ozomatli has been my favorite live band for years now, ever since the first time Joker and I saw them at Jazz Aspen seven or eight years ago. They have such great energy - it feels like you somehow got invited to the coolest party in town, and they're so glad you came they want to make sure you have fun. I saw them play at Irving Plaza on Friday night, and again, they did not disappoint!

For the uninitiated, I describe them as Latin funk, though they themselves add another dozen or so genres to the list. Suffice it to say, you had better wear your dancing shoes to the show. Fans take note: they played at least a half dozen songs I'd never heard before, so I am guessing a new album is not far off. Since I think Don't Mess With The Dragon is their best since their first self-titled album, I am looking forward to it!

Legalize it. Then, tax it.

I applauded the Obama Administration's announcement that they would no longer go after legal dispensers of medicinal marijuana. In states that have legalized the use of medical marijuana, this practice always seemed like a tremendous waste of limited federal resources, particularly when we have bigger fish to fry with the real evil-doers of the world.

Now, given the economy's deep recession, I think it's time to take it a step further. Though people hate the idea of raising or creating taxes, there is one that consistently continues to grow: the sin tax. I think it is time to revisit the legalization of marijuana, and begin regulating and taxing it. You cut the biggest evil-doers - the drug cartels - out of the loop, create consistency and safety regulations for the product, create jobs, and generate a new revenue stream that can help pay for Obama's health care ambitions... All this, and it would probably have little to no effect on the nation's consumption. A radical idea? Maybe. But shouldn't all options be on the table at a time like this?