The Godfather. So many great kills, so much enticing glorification of an actually quite terrible lifestyle. But also, as of this week, me.

I am, along with Brigette, co-godparent of little Justice. So so huge. Amazing. Heather (Justice's momm) asked us, out of the worry that she might bite it before she writes a proper will. And also cause we're lil' J's two favorite other people. Slightly dark, but really just an amazing honor. Justice is one of the most amazing, brilliant, funny, beautiful people I've ever met, she just happens to be two and a half.

I think a lot of people are scared of kids. They shoot from the hip, and can be pretty confrontational. I love it. For instance, while we were playing a game of Crab and Friend Baby® Crab this morning, I breached the game's etiquette somehow, and got a sullen mommy-crab-friend as a result.

"What's wrong?"
"I don't want to look at your moustache-face."

Shit hurts, but you totally know where they stand. Sometimes you're the best friend in the world, sometimes you simply can't compete with the draw of an Edward Scissorhands VHS. But they are just so real. And when I'm feeling dark about having to ride my bike in to work on a rainy cold 7 am, a hug and a kiss on the cheek from a toddler is most efficacious. Hrumph rumph. But anyhow, the term "godfather" is actually so weird. God Father. Bizarre. Incredible.

I almost shaved my moustache-face the other day, along with other facials. I had purchased an affordable straight razor set, as I have long hated safety razors, and you shouldn't really use electricity for shaving your face. With a real blade, you can use the same item forever, and not have to throw small pieces of incredibly sharp metal and plastic in the garbage.

Straight razors need hot lathers, lick the face of the wild.



See how neat Photobooth's heat vision filter can be? But anyhow, very nice, smooth shave with no nicks or death.

This past weekend I took student participants in my program to the Oregon coast to learn about estuaries. It was cool. The beach is great. We stayed in yurts. Cushy. I gave a lesson on bioaccumulation, others talked about oysters, estuaries, restoring salmon habitat. I heard one student use the invented slang term "shway" (meaning "cool")from "Batman Beyond" sincerely. Then we went searching under the sand for monsters. We found this pregnant demon shrimp.



At the aquarium, I took movies of the cool animals with my digicam. Thanks to Kraftwerk for some Oktopus music. I should have done some cool fib Herzog narration. "Ze oktopus vill be killed in retribution for murdering a crab."



I went for a nice long bike-ride in the hills of west Chemeketa today. I was able to wear a t-shirt and shorts, on a clear blue spring-y day. I saw a very lovely Kestrel,



Lots of frogs (notice how the splash in the water is cartoonishly in the shape of a frog),



And this crazy large mountain that has no business erupting out of the landscape the way it does.



As of now, I hope to climb it by May. If you would like to help me out with small financial contributions, I will take a picture with your team's flag. Team.

But yeah, feels like spring.



The garlic I planted in the fall has erupted out of the soil in adorable little green spears. Grow.

Seems to lack a few key items, specifics.

"...President Bush has taken unprecedented steps to protect our homeland and create a world free from terror" is as close as it comes to acknowledging any wars. His partnership with the Texas Rangers is mentioned, which lasted for less time than the war in Afganistan. Weird.

try it out

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/02/01/1529226

Her writing made for great bath-news binging. Now that I no longer take baths, she will be doubly missed.