So I was showing Chrisitne the travesty that is the London Olympic Logo for 2012 when she asked me what does the Beijing Logo look like.  So I did a google search and found some really good logo concepts for Beijing that did not quite make it.  I don’t know why but I think they would have been better.

This one was pretty strong.  Unfortunately the balance is off on the design!

Here we get a well balanced concept. The dead Tibetan monks robes do not stand out enough.

This one is good but a little understated.  I don’t think the concept reads well

This one is technically not a logo but it shows the thought process of the final design.

Christine was reading an article about how fathers in this age are taking on more responsibility with the raising of there children.  a generation ago fathers where the bread winners and would come home and deal out punishment for what the children did through the day.  Just wait till you father gets home!  That was then.  Now fathers our tending to their children in a more motherly type role.  What used to be deemed motherly duties are shared between parents.  Notice how there are now mens diaper bags and changing stations in the mens rooms?  all recent things.  I hadn’t thought of it to much and I used to laugh when my friend Sam would refer to himself as Auntie Sam.  He sews things for his daughter and even this evening showed off a cute lamb costume he made for Zoe.  Sam is also in charge of Zoe’s nighttime routine including reading her a story.  but I find myself having more in common with him and all our friends who have children.  They are all taking on a more active role than our fathers did with us.  Wierd how things like this change.  I attribute it to the dual income family.  Husbands and wives both have to work so they both have tend to the house and children.  I talk more about my thought on dual income in another post.

Which brings me to the point of this article.  Being a big nerd, from the moment I found out Christine and I where having a baby I   started reading father blogs.  here is a list of the ones I have found entertaining and useful.  I encourage you all that have kids or are going to have kids to look at them.  Tell me what you think!

zigzagmama

offsprung 

dadlabs 

geekdad

I guess I am a Jackass. Yesterday morning I went to the coffee shop by my house. When I parked my car I was a little crooked and taking up a little past the line. Fortunately there was almost no one else in the parking lot due to it being past morning commute time. After I ordered my coffee and bagel I get into my car and notice the conspicuous piece of paper on my windshield. I was taken back by the little note. Due people have nothing else better to do with there time than to print and cut these things out. And then take time to put them on peoples windshields. due they actually think there making a difference or due they feel better about themselves for doing it. Well! It pissed me off. Which I guess is the point in it. After sleeping on it for a day I know find myself being amused by it. I guess I will have to pay it forward since I kept the fake parking violation. I can’t wait for the next victim. Maybe I will feel the same things that the guy felt when he put this on my car.

Well, On Monday I officially gave my 2 weeks notice At my current place of employment. I would love to tell specific reasons on why but the bottom line is it came down to money and time off to spend with my family. My last day will be May 9th and I will be starting my new place of employment a week later. It will be nice to have a week off to hang out at home and get some things done around the house. I cannot reveal yet where I am going for my new job just in case there are spies out on the internet but lets just say that I am really excited and a little nervous as all big changes in life are. Will I like my new place, are the people fun to work with? I do not know yet. I will still be in the same business of architectural PreViz but I get the feeling that I will really be expanding on my artistic abilities and progressing forward in my career. I can honestly say that I do not take very risky chances! Well, that’s it for now. I will keep everyone posted on my transition.

Christine and I were cleaning the garage when we stumbled upon this magical box of history. we proceeded to open it and inside we some of the coolest treasure from our Disney career. For those of you that know me I am kinda sentimental and I really enjoyed this little find. Inside was a collection of name tags. You will notice that one of them is the original Disney name tag that was given to me in good ol’ 96 when I hired in. Also is a collection of clips from various guest control location around the park. check out the metal mickey ring on the right. Those where milled by Gerry Halberg. Christine and I’s 5 year pins are at the top and some old re-ads where in there. The leather Mickey head with my name on it. And also the ever so hard to find and goes for alot at Disneyana conventions guest control pin set. Anywhoo! It was great stumbling upon this little find and know I am going to go in search Of my huge Disney box with the bigger things.

Last night after I saw Rambo, Cameron and I went to the Foxfire. If you have never heard about it it is located on Imperial at the 91 freeway. It is a typical bar slash dance area with a patio outside for smoking. words can not describe the beauty of this place. I don’t consider myself an attractive person at all. Maybe in my youth I was able to slay the ladies. I sometimes wonder how I have managed to keep my gorgeous wife next to me for all these years. But last night Cameron and myself where the two studdliest guys of all time. The people that go to this place are nothing short of magical. 90% of the guys there had mustaches and where all over 40. The women where awesome. I guess it can be described as a place for older people who are still trying to act youthful. Cameron ended up dancing with the oldest, longest hair, shortest women in the bar. She kinda looked like Charo. And then she invited her daughter onto the dance floor to dance with Cameron. I had trouble looking at him when the mother and daughter tag team started freaking Cameron. Other characters included 50 year old Indian pimp guy. Black pimps looking for older white ladies. several young couples that did not know any better, and really really really desperate women and men. I even overheard a young couple outside saying how embarrassed they where to actually be there. After Cam and I had our drinks and walked around the area a couple of times it was time to leave. I don’t know If I will ever go there again but my memories of that experience will last forever.

So i was talking to Geoff about the escaped Tiger and the jackasses that taunted it and I got to thinking about Grizzly Man.  The story about Timothy Treadwill living up with the grizzly bears in Alaska.  If you have not seen the movie you must.  The stupidity of this guy is amazing!  Anywhoo,  The final song of the movie is The Cowboys rendition of a Don Edwards song called Coyotes.  I found it on youtube so here it is.  It actually is a great song!

So Christine and I decided we wanted to get a Thomas the Train set for the kids this Christmas. My mom wanted to buy the train and after she purchased it looked over at me and said “well, I paid for the train so you get the table.” I started shopping around and for a hundred bucks you could get a crappy table. So I looked at Christine and told her “I’m gonna build one” Instanty I know that something was going to go wrong. I had never made a piece of furniture before and did not realize what I was getting myself into. After some searching on the internet I discovered all sorts of groups, forums, and downloadable plans to make a table. Of course I was not happy with any of them. The plans I found continued the pattern of cheap flimsy crappy tables. I made the decision I was going to create it from scratch and my own ingenuity. So here goes…

I started with the sides of the table. For that I decided a nice red oak would be good. I then routed the edges with a half round bit to soften the edges and make it kid friendly. I then did a 45 degree corner. I learned that 45’s are really difficult and the slip all the time. I will attempt a dove tail joint or a biscuit joint next time the situation calls for it.

For the legs again I used a red oak and this time did a channel edge with the router. This hides the seam better and makes both sides more even.

I used a quarter round molding for the inside and reinforced the table top with some pine. Pine is cheaper. Alot cheaper!

Here is the table completed with a malomine top which is really durable and can handle much abuse.

And here is the final pic with the train installed on it. All the track has been screwed down so the kids don’t destroy it and makes for easier track modification.

I really surprised myself I was capable of creating such a beatiful piece of furniture that should last my kids years to come.

For those few of you that read my blog I have added a new application on the bottom right.  It is my google reader shared headlines.  Basically whatever I find interesting on my news reader I mark as public or shared.  Those articles and the website that they come from show up as a link on the blog.  Now you can keep up with those news stories that I think are cool and also reveal a new level of nerd in my life.  So please enjoy and again feel free to comment on my postings so I know who’s reading what.

We have finally completed our Christmas tree and interior decorations. For the first time I have purchased a 9 foot noble fir that is ginormous. I could not blelieve how big it is this year. We were going to buy all new ornaments for our tree this year but with time and cash being limited we opted to reuse our decorations one more year. Christine and I sat around our trimmed tree and drank wine as we enjoyed our Christmas tree this year. I also busted out my old Lionel train set which i havent played with in over 20 years. It still worked and got me very excited about buying some sets for my kids next year when they are a little older. Aiden and Chase have seemed very amused by the train and loving putting animals in it every time it goes around. I cant wait to see there expressions on Christmas morning when all the stuff Santa got them is around the tree. My gut feeling is that they are still a little young. But It always comes as a shock when I don’t think they will be able to do something and they do it. You can view the decorations HERE