Whatever Happened to the Judybats?

Amongst some of my favorite artists from the 90s is The Judybats. I loved their albums Native Son and Pain Makes You Beautiful. My sister gave me Native Son a long time ago on cassette and today I was thinking about the song "Don't Drop the Baby" (and don't worry, I didn't, something else made me think of the song).

So I went to Rhapsody (my favorite place nowadays) to listen to the Judybats, but unfortunately they don't have any available to listen to.

It made me wonder, where do the good bands go? Whatever happened to the Judybats? Or The Stone Roses? I know what happened to Material Issue:(

I headed over to Amazon (okay, maybe this is really my favorite place), because I am currently on this kick to purchase old music that is regrettably missing from our c.d. collection. And do you know what I discovered? Native Son was rereleased on c.d. on February 26, 2008. That was two days ago.

I took it as a sign to buy the album.

Penthouse (Not the Magazine)

Okay, so this advice is about 13 years to late but I finally have the forum for which to write a review that three, perhaps four, people will come across. Recently a friend asked me to suggest some good music. I immediately recommended Vampire Weekend and a few other fairly new things I am listening to currently. And then, because I was asked about good music, I slipped in an old favorite, Luna’s Penthouse. I recommend that anyone who is interested in music check out this album.

Luna was formed in 1991 by Dean Wareham after his four year run as front man for Galaxie 500 (who are also worth a listen) in the late 1980’s. The first five (four through Elektra) albums are incredible but unfortunately after they were dropped from Elektra records in 1999 when the record label decided not to release The Days of Our Nights the albums started to go down hill and by the time Britta Phillips replaced bassist Justin Harwood in 2000 and Romantica was released I was losing interest (though their last album Rendezvous isn’t bad).

But among these first five albums is 1995’s Penthouse, recently dubbed one of the top 150 albums of the 1990’s by Rolling Stone Magazine (though it should have been in the top 10). Penthouse is all that you could want from dream pop from the first song Chinatown to the cover of Serge Gainsbourg’s Bonnie and Clyde, it is pure brilliance. I was going to suggest a few tracks but once I was up to five tracks I realized I wanted to add some more and there are only 11 songs total on the album.

Trust me this album is worth a listen!

I was first introduced to this album and Luna in 1996 and had the opportunity to see Luna in 1998 in Charlottesville after Pup Tent was released and it is one of the best live performances I have ever been to (and I have seen some great performances). Among the many songs were several off this album and they were just as good live as on cassette.

This is another one of those albums that I have spent many nights going to sleep listening to and maybe the sound is an acquired one but I think that if you give it a listen or two you won’t regret it.

-June

Sorry You're A Twin

When I was pregnant with the twins I read about how they were looking at each other in utero (yeah right) and that after birth they would gaze at each other with a look of familiarity (not ever).

Actually, I am completely under the impression that Trouble thinks she is an only child. She seems to think that I should be holding her ALL the time whether she is awake or not. If you place her beside her brother she smacks at him with her tightly closed fist (maybe to see if he’s really there or maybe in hopes that he’ll go away) even though I didn’t think they had control over their movements at this point. Trauma on the other hand keeps reminding me that he isn’t an only child by screaming every time Trouble is eating (he’s trying to double her weight by eating twice as much and twice as often, maybe so she’ll notice him).

One day soon she is going to notice him and realize that he is here to stay like it or not. She probably won't be very happy about it.

Poor thing.

I mean Trauma.


-June

Video Killed The Radio Star

The Buggles may not have known much, but this they did get right. The other day, in my never-ending search for new music, I came upon a blog that was supposedly all about new music. I was, of course, intrigued. Unfortunately, instead of new music, I was bombarded by music videos courtesy of YouTube.

I love music. I love to listen to music, but I find that music videos are often so visually overwhelming and most of the time unrelated that I spend so much time and energy trying to sift through the director’s interpretation of the music that I can’t hear the song. Now I’m not sure, but aren’t music videos supposed to encourage you to listen to the song?

Why are fashion and gimmicks such an important part of the music industry? Why can’t artists just make good music and put it out there? Marilyn Manson with his year round costume, The White Stripes love of red, white and black and The Dresden Dolls mime get-up are all examples of my frustration. I just want to hear good music and it’s hard to do that when I am distracted with colorful-yet-unrelated videos and publicity-stunts. Why does there have to be this staging to promote one’s band or music? I was in a band once upon a time. We didn’t dress alike or wear make-up, but we never ended up on the top 20 charts. Could there be a correlation there?

It seems to me that you would want your music to represent you and not your clothes and videos. I find a lot of new artists through Rhapsody and it’s a good thing for them because if I was introduced to their music videos first I may never become a fan. Paul Simon for instance, who is currently rocking my morning, I have only seen wearing jeans and non-descript shirts and sometimes a baseball cap. Where is the KISS outfit Paul? Don’t you know that melody alone isn’t enough? Good songs aren’t going to get you a million hits on YouTube. It takes (which is sadly evident) more style than substance to get your point across in America.

Has it always been this way and now I am just more aware of it? I mean KISS and David Bowie were around long before MTV, but I wonder if gimmicks weren't so important maybe some of my favorite bands who didn't make it big commercially (Luna, GBV, Lincoln) would still be around making more great music.

-June

Thank You, Amazon

Alternate Title:

My Amazon Endorsement

I had been searching for some new music to listen to as I spend a lot of the day with music on in the background. I had purchased some new music from amazon earlier this year but most of it left me unimpressed with the exception of the new Magnetic Fields album Distortion. Then, about a week ago I went to order a game from amazon and on my amazon homepage there were recommendations for me. Among the recommendations was a new self-titled album by a band called Vampire Weekend. Amazon had recommended this album because I had recently purchased the new Magnetic Fields, and being that it is the only other new album so far this year that I have liked I thought I would head over to Rhapsody and give the album a listen.

Now I am hooked. I really like their sound (I find it to be reminiscent of Graceland). I picked it up at Target cheap and have been listening to it too loudly in my S.U.V.ever since.

I am also looking forward to new releases by R.E.M. and The Counting Crows.

Maybe 2008 is going to be a good year after all for music.

-June

I Was That Big!

I was pregnant for what seemed like a very long time but was actually one day shy of 39 weeks. During that time I grew and grew and grew. The entire time people told me I looked great with the exception of my father who exclaimed “Gosh you’re huge” or “I can’t believe you’re even bigger” the next time I saw him. Turns out he was just being honest.

I know, most of us do it, we tell pregnant women that they look great but most of the time I really think that it’s true. There are occasionally a few that I tell this to because it’s obvious they are miserable and I want to make them feel better. This is what people were doing for me evidently.

Last night at Bunco someone brought some pictures to give to me from the Christmas party when I was 35 weeks pregnant. I looked at the picture of me and another member of the group who was 5 months pregnant at the time and thought “I was that big!”

For the last few months of my pregnancy people kept saying “You don’t look like you’re having twins,” and I didn’t, apparently I looked like I had swallowed a truck. And this picture is four weeks before I delivered, by then I must have looked like I had swallowed a fire truck, unfortunately there are no pictures to prove one way or another.

*(Faces have been changed to protect our identities)

Thing is, those same very people who told me I looked great then are saying the same thing now. My father has yet to see me, maybe I should just wait to hear what he has to say.

-June

Yes, Their Ours

Everyone keeps telling us how cute our kids are. Sure, every new parent gets that, but people are acting quite surprised. “How did YOU TWO make such cute kids?” or “Wow, are you sure that these are your offspring?” Yes! (I think so, there may have been a mix up at the lab though) Did you expect horns and a tail or something?

Did you people have a secret betting pool or something? Whoever’s sketch is closest to the demon-spawn wins!

I know that I’m no Brad Pitt, but my wife is pretty cute, and still I was prepared for funny looking babies. I’m the kind of guy who doesn’t think that all babies are cute, and the first to admit that the boy looks like a monkey (more so a few weeks ago, and we’re hopeful that he grows out of it, but a little like a baby primate, yes). So I’m not even saying that we have CUTE kids, I’m just saying it stings a little when people say: “Are you sure that you’re the real parents?” Yes, I witnessed that myself (the boy looked like a slimy little lizard-monkey, and the girl just like the X-Files aliens).

So, if you’re so surprised that our children aren’t adorned with scales and claws, keep it to yourself. I mean feelings are at stake here (and everyone knows how I feel that feelings should be protected at all costs).

-Ward

P.S.- I’d like to see some of those sketches if you guys still have ‘em laying around.

P.P.S- Who won the pool anyway?

I Do Not Feel The Need To Prove My Love

To all of my detractors out there, who think that I am some sort of abomination to the post of Husband, I would like to say that I'm sorry. For you that is.

My wife has told me that several of her 'friends' have asked her if I 'REALLY' didn't get her flowers or candies or anything. So that my wife can stop trying to defend me, NO I REALLY DIDN"T, and here is why:

• I Love My Wife Very Much.
• She Knows That.
• Flowers Don't Mean Anything Real.
• I Don't Feel That I Have To Prove My Love On Valentine's CARD Day.
• I Would Rather Give My Wife A Romantic Gift When She Is Not Expecting It.
• That's Not Romance It's Some Sort Of Social Obligation.
• I Am Not A Hallmark Drone.

So instead of feeling sorry for my poor giftless wife on V.D., ask yourself when was the last time YOUR signifigant other came home with flowers for you on some random Wednseday.

I'm just saying.

-Ward

Yes, We Can

You should check this out.

We thought it was pretty cool.

-June and Ward

To My Valentine

At first I thought I would write Ward a love letter for Valentine’s and then I remembered the year or so we spent apart and that I was never any good at the traditional love letter. I am not very good at clearly putting my emotions into words; they get all tied up in my brain before I can get them out or onto paper and the outcome is disastrous. Besides, I can always find a song that says what I want to say but better.

And love songs are abundant. So I thought I would pick a few to help me say how I feel about my co-blogger that I otherwise couldn’t (If you are hoping to find Whitney Houston or Let’s Get It On by Marvin Gaye on my list you will be disappointed).

To top the list would have to be Modern English’s I Melt With You, a better love song may not exist.

Next would have to be In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel, followed by Just Like Heaven and Love Song by The Cure. Then, I’ll Stand by You by the Pretenders and dorky or not I Got You Babe by Sonny and Cher (is it a bad omen that these two wrote this song but then couldn’t make it work?). And Grow Old With You by Adam Sandler (you can hold the remote though) and All I Want is You by U2. And for the sappy factor Head Over Feet by Alanis Morissette and Ice Cream by Sarah McLachan.

And half of the Beatles catalog.

And that song by Lincoln about loving you but sometimes wishing you were dead.

And This one goes out to the one I love.

-June

Literary Recomendations From Us?

We were recently asked for our opinion on a good book to read. Something witty was the category I think. Well you should know that it is not safe to ask for our opinion if you're not ready for it, so here it goes.

Ward Says:

Well, it's been a while since I've read much fiction but I was always a huge fan of Kurt Vonnegut Jr. and Mark Twain. In my opinion they are hands down the best American authors, pretty much ever. They both will deliver the wit that you say you are looking for, and I don't think that they go anywhere near goofiness.

Last summer I read the entire Harry Potter book series, because I knew I would never read them if the last book came out and everyone around me (who had been reading them since the beginning) ruined the ending for me. Other than that I mostly read non-fiction anymore. I guess I finally got tired of not knowing everything.

I'm currently reading: A People's History Of The United States by Howard Zinn, A Stubbornly Persistent Illusion the scientific writings of Albert Einstein edited with commentary by Stephen Hawking, Quantum by Jim Al-Khalili, A Briefer History Of Time by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow, and A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle (this one I'm reading aloud).

I read A Brief History Of Time a few years ago, and ever since I've been a physics junkie.

June says:

I, too, like Vonnegut. Ward actually introduced me to Vonnegut’s Hocus Pocus and Slaughterhouse Five when we first met and I’ve been reading his stuff ever since. Ward also talked me into reading all of the Harry Potter books last summer, I was a few books behind him but once I got started I really enjoyed them. A group of our friends and Ward and I actually went to the release party for the seventh book (we never said we weren’t dorks) and spent the next week finishing the series. My point is, Ward usually recommends good stuff so you may just want to stick with his suggestions but I will add a few for good measure.

One of my favorite authors is Nick Hornsby and if you are looking for a good book I would recommend either About a Boy or High Fidelity.

I realize that even though I read a fair bit I wouldn’t say that I read a lot of humorous stuff. I also find that a lot of new authors while good and entertaining leave a lot to be desired. But some of my all time favorites are The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Once Upon a Day by Lisa Tucker, Evidence of Things Unseen by Marianne Wiggins, and My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult. (This recommending stuff is harder than it seems).

Unfortunately I haven’t read a lot of real interest in the past year. I have read a lot but they have been pregnancy books and then baby books and now how to get your screaming infant to sleep books. I enjoy a good novel and can’t wait to be able to start reading for enjoyment again soon.

I am also listening to A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle.

-Ward and June

My Little Heartbreaker

Trauma is sleeping. He is wearing a one piece I picked up last week at Old Navy, it says “Heartbreaker” on the front. And I think he is adorable, but I am his mom and I am biased.

Though it is a cute little number, I think to myself, please don’t break any girls (or boys, I suppose) hearts. I know it is inevitable. We can’t always be all things to all people; he will probably leave a girl feeling heartbroken, even if it isn’t his intention.

This is how my day goes. When the twins are not hungry or in need of changing I think about all the things to come. How will I keep Trouble safe? How will I raise Trauma to be sincere and not hurt those he loves? How do I explain our beliefs so that they understand? How do I make the point clear that education is important and that learning doesn’t end with a diploma or degree? My worries don’t stop at are they getting enough to drink and are they growing adequately, they comprise the distant future, I assume that if I think ahead I can prepare them and help them be ready for all the challenges ahead.

But I guess that is motherhood, and I don’t mind the post. But I am worried that I will fail; that even with my good intentions and aspirations that I will let these two down somehow. And maybe that’s just another part of the job, but it is a difficult job, harder than I had assumed. At least when done right, when given your all. I don’t want to take shortcuts or lead them down the wrong paths, but I wasn’t given a good example and I am afraid I’ll fall short.

These two little lightweights that are already causing me so much trouble are a dream come true. But in the dream everything was so much simpler; the answers would already be there whenever I needed them. In the years leading up to their arrival, we had so much time to think and discuss how we would raise them, and we were as prepared as you can be before you enter parenthood. But it is impossible to have all the answers stockpiled.

I want to be the smartest, bravest, toughest, funniest person they know. I want to be a good role model. I want to have all the answers.

But it isn’t enough to want, you have to be.

So I vow that I will be the best role model that I can be. That I will help them find the answers, even if I don’t already have them. That I will laugh with them whenever I get the chance. That I will be there for them when hard times hit, and they will occasionally.

Trauma is awake. He is looking at me, I rub my finger down his nose and I poke lightly at his cheeks. He smiles and I think I can do anything.

-June

Plans.

I like to be organized. I like to know what, when, and how I'm going to do something. I like to get things accomplished with the utmost efficiency. My wife likes PLANS.

To her, planning things is more important than doing things (at least it seems that way sometimes). Tonight she has been talking to me about plans:

Plans for a summer vacation, in 2009. Thats right, this years summer vacation has been planned for so long that it seems like we've already done it (I think it was fun). We're already planning a year and a half away.

Plans for her grandmother's birthday party. It is her 90th, and I do admit that it is a big deal.

Plans for her brother's High School Graduation. It's in June, and you know you can't wait too long to plan these things. Whose staying where? When is the ceremony? Will there be a party? It is actually very late in the game for her to just start planning this one, I hope everything works out.

Plans to meet my brother's family for part of their summer vacation. They're coming to the east coast this summer, and OH NO, their trip may overlap the previously mentioned graduation weekend. Whatever will we do? Don't worry, she can plan her way out of almost any predicament.

Plans for her sister's child's first birthday party. To be hosted by us of course, otherwise she wouldn't have any way to get involved with the planning process.

I think that is about all that she has been talking about tonight, but she has been a little distracted with a mass-mailing that she is working on. One of her other passions is bulk mail, but I'll save that for another blog. I've got to go and see what she has planned for me now.

-Ward

Their First Photo

The first picture I have of Trauma and Trouble, they are three days old and consist of eight cells each. I don’t mean three days old in the conventional way, I mean they are three days from conception, it is the photo of them before they were returned to me. In the photo they are two clearly distinguished embryos, each with eight beautiful overlapping circles. During my two weeks in bed I looked at this photo several hundred times.

We had been here before, hopeful and optimistic. But each time failed and we got more distrustful of the whole procedure. We were told the first time that our chances were high, 75%. Never believe home grown statistics. We tried three times in nine months, the first failed completely, the second was an early loss with a number of 40 when they like to see 60 or higher. Each failure was difficult but we somehow managed to convince ourselves to give it one more try.

The third try would be our last we decided, three strikes you’re out. But we also decided we would do everything we could so there would be no regrets, no second-guessing. I stopped drinking caffeine and eating soy. Ward took a dozen vitamins daily. Exercise, but not too much. Lupron this time and assisted hatching. Gonal-F instead of Bravelle. Vitamin B supplements. The doctors were anxious, they suggested transferring four instead of the usual two. A different antibiotic. A larger starting dose of follitropin.

And so began the daily injections, three in the evening, all given ‘subq’ (in the belly) by Ward. I went daily for ultrasounds, counting and measuring the progress, and blood checks to follow my estriodol levels. As usual, I went too fast, they lowered my medicine but by this point it was too late. No one other than my sister and my grandmother knew we were giving it one last try. There was no reason to get everyone else’s hopes up. On the day my nephew is born I have to sneak away into the labor and delivery suite bathroom to give myself my injections. And still the levels rise too quickly which is a bad thing. One morning after my appointment the doctor himself calls, the levels are too high, I am instructed to go home immediately for an emergency dose and then another one that night with my HCG. I will have my retrieval in 48 hours. Two days sooner than the soonest they like anyone to go.

I am told to remain optimistic.

The retrieval doesn’t go well. The anestiologist tells me he and his wife gave this several tries, then they adopted. After I am awake the nurse comes in, they got six eggs even though there looked like twenty. I am devastated. Over the next few days I fall into a depression, the nurse calls daily with updates and appointment times. On the day of the transfer the doctor comes in, good news finally, two eggs looked perfect, he suggests only transferring three of the remaining four, we agree.

During the transfer they snap a photo; this will become their first picture. They really do look good; I have other photos at home to compare to it. After the transfer, the embryologist asks to speak with us. This is a first. He tells us they really do look very good, he thinks this will be our time. I am surprised to even see him, he is like the great Wizard of Oz, you don’t usually get this luxury.

I go home and lay down as flat as possible for two weeks. I don’t even shower for five days for fear of standing up. This is the dreaded two week wait and the only things that get me through it are my photo and my Ward. He cooks, he cleans, and he visits me. He packs a cooler, he goes to Walmart, and he loves me.

At one week the office calls as usual but instead of a nurse it is the embryologist again. He tells me he is pulling for me, and I believe he is sincere. At two weeks I go for my blood test. I haven’t been down the stairs or outside in two weeks. Afterwards I come home, I must prepare for what may happen next. As is our ritual Ward will call with the results, I can’t handle hearing it from the nurse.

At 1 p.m. he calls. It is too early for results, I think. He has heard from his brother and the nurse. They’re having another girl, he tells me. I will be happy for them later, right now I need the results.

“So, what is a good number?” he asks. We’ve been over this a dozen times, “Anything over 60” I remind him. “What about 640?” he asks. I break down, I really wasn’t expecting good news. I cry harder than I did when the results are bad.

This is what I think about when I look at that first photo of my children.

-June

Join My Revolution!

As some of you may know I am strongly in favor of reforming the Two-Party-Political-Circus that passes for Government around here. I have never liked the idea of voting for a candidate based on what political party they represented, because (in my humble opinion) each party has at least as many major flaws as it does good points, and yes I think that they both have good points.

I have always leaned to the left on social issues, and until recently I never cared much about fiscal issues, but I tend to lean right there. For instance, I don't think that a big government is a good government. I don't think that our current welfare system does anything but encourage people to be lazy and avoid responsibility for their own actions. I also think that our tax system could be refined to encourage economic growth, so that the President doesn't have to send everyone a check for $300 dollars every four years (I know that does help get us all through the tough times).

I know, I know, I sound like a republican. Here's the catch, I don't think that I'm better than other people, or that my belief system needs to be shoved down other peoples' throats. I heard one of the Republican candidates talking about Family Values the other day and I thought to myself, "I agree that stronger family units would probably strengthen our society." BUT, the same candidate doesn't think that gay people should have the same rights to have a strong family unit that he thinks is so important. WHY? If anyone can give me a reason for this, for thinking that someone is somehow sub-human for choosing a different lifestyle, I would love to hear it.

There are a few other things also: I don't think that the government should have any say over Scientific Research, morality should be left up to individuals to decide, I'd bet that very few people dying of cancer feel that that is what god really wants for them. I don't think that we need to pay for a government to worry about our health care and retirement for us. Why not, instead of paying them, just save our own money for retirement and pay our own healthcare? I know, because that doesn't leave anything for the poor. There is always the possibility of getting a job.

But don't get me wrong, I'm no ordinary bleeding heart liberal either. I hate that we have prisons full of useless social parisites. First off, why do convicted murders, having exhausted all forms of appeal, die of old age costing us hundreds of thousands of dollars each? And the others, why not work them. There are millions of menial jobs that could be preformed by inmates. Prisons could make profits for their states. But wait, is it inhumane to make someone work for a living?

All I'm saying is that we should be able to easily see that we can clearly do better as a nation. If everyone took a little more interest in thier own well-being, and a little less interest in what their neighbors are doing, we could all get along better. I think that we should remember that we are RESPONSIBLE for not only ourselves, but for what this monstrosity of a government does. I think we need to step up people.

-Ward

John Hughes Must Have Been an Idealist

I just looked at my calendar and realized that next Thursday is Valentine’s Day (and my Golden Retriever’s 4th birthday). I was thinking that after almost 7 years of marriage and with new babies in the house, my spouse and I probably won’t do much to celebrate the occasion, romance takes a back burner when you are caring for an infant or infants.

This realization of Valentine’s and the lack of romance currently going on in our home made me think about my views on romance altogether. As a young whippersnapper my opinion of romance was shaped by the movies I watched. I was thinking today that I hope that Trouble doesn’t find herself basing real life romance on relationships she sees in the movies.

For example, a boy isn’t going to ask Amanda Jones for those diamond earrings back so he can give them to a tomboy who’s keen on bad haircuts and leather gloves. A boy isn’t going to change his bad boy ways to date the prom queen. A boy isn’t going to trash your prom and steal you away from your date and then escape with you in the limo your crummy boyfriend paid for. A boy isn’t going to stand outside your window playing Peter Gabriel. A senior jock isn’t going to dump his very attractive, party-loving girlfriend to date a funny looking sophomore whose own parents can’t remember her birthday.

Not any boy I know anyway.

I know I’ve become a cynic.

I have a girlfriend who thinks that things should be like they are in the movies, that life should imitate art. That a guy should fight for her at any cost. That a guy should shower her with diamonds and fancy chocolates. I may be a cynic but I am not a fool. A guy may buy you flowers, give you a shoulder to cry on and hold your hair back when you are sick but being unrealistic with your expectations is just going to hurt you and your chances for a nice relationship. What was so wrong with Duckie? I always thought he would be way better for Andy. In the long run, Blane would never have treated Andy as well as Duckie could have.

Just now my husband came home from work with a Cherry Coke and Munchos for me. That is just about the sweetest thing I can imagine. Maybe the romance isn’t gone after all.

-June

Looking for the next "Nebraska"

I'm ready. I'm ready for a great new album to be released. I'm ready for an album that overwhelms me, wakes me up , keeps me up, surprises me. I'm ready for an album to be released that I don't want to stop listening to until Ward makes fun of me. I'm ready for an album that generates emotions in me reminiscent of Luna's Penthouse or The Cure's Disentegration. Someone old or someone new, just give me something new. I loved the Shout Out Louds Howl Howl, Gaff Gaff, but I was underwhelmed by last year's Our Ill Will's. Same thing with Interpol's last album. Even the most recent Shins and Decemberists albums while very good took me several listens before I was certain. I want another album like Bright Eyes I'm Wide Awake It's Morning, where everything comes together beautifully and the outcome is astonishing. The Killers claimed they'd done it with Sam's Town, but I was never convinced.

Am I the only one that feels this way, why is it so hard to find great stuff? Has it all been done before, is there no one left creative enough to bring me something new? Is it my age, is there already good stuff out there and I am just missing it. Have I looked that great band over, please don't tell me it's The Moldy Peaches.

I suppose I will keep hunting and perhaps eventually find what I'm looking for, I just want to be impressed, is that too much to ask?

If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear 'em, literally.

-June

They Have Arrived!

We ordered our children's first toys and they came yesterday. The box says "small parts not for children under 3" but Ward says our children are ahead of the curve.

The Cheat Commandos!

The Homestar Gang!

I also got a Pistols for Pandas shirt.

-June

It's Official!

I was just in the middle of removing a three pound diaper from Trouble when it hit me that these little guys are going to be a month old in just under twelve hours. And when I got home from the office yesterday I noticed two new shiny Birth Certificates on the kitchen table proving what we had suspected for some weeks now. We have twins! They officially exist, with serial numbers and everything.

Which reminds me, we need to make an appointment to get their tracking implants installed soon. Those little devils are going to be mobile before you know it.

- Ward