Kids continue to grow, website continues to evolve… yeup… it’s that kind of post!

Ready? Set? Go.

Six weeks have now elapsed since Jonas’ birthday and a lot is going on… now more than ever.  The most common question we’re getting from family is in regards to the relationship between Izzy and Jonas.  Izzy was learning her place in the family when Jonas came.  She was the only child – Mommy and Daddy’s love came constantly and without division.  Luckily, we’ve been able show her that Jonas is here to stay and we don’t love her any less.  Sure, there are bad days but for the most part, Izzy is amazing with Jonas.  She loves to bring him little offerings of her snacks.  She’ll walk up to him and pat him (sometimes a little too rough) to comfort him.  The best moments of her interaction with Jonas is when she walks up to give him kisses.  She’s an awesome little kid.

My other wife.

The internet can get pretty addicting – I consider it a staple.  Can you give up your internet connection today if it was asked of you? Didn’t think so.  Right now our cable connection seems to be solely for Ciri’s use rather than mine.  I’ve probably logged more hours on my phone’s 3G connection than on the actual house connection.  I’m trying to tell you that I’m not getting very much computer time.

Ciri and I are also back into watching Scrubs on DVD. We left off on the fifth season and are catching up.  It’s good “us” time, of which I cherish right now more than ever.  The consequence is staying up later than I probably should and thereby sacrificing my time on the internet.  Like I said, though, it is time well spent.

Tumblr is teh meh.

I gave it a try. I really did.  I was excited to try something new and I was really let down by it’s annoying limitations.  Design-wise, it’s great.  The look and feel of the backend is straigh forward – maybe to a fault.  The iPhone Tumblr app is pretty darn amazing, but it too is limited.

I started the moblog and it’s the one thing I can update fairly frequently because I’m usually fairly mobile.  Being able to update it without issues is very important to me right now.  Tumblr is doesn’t support multiple authors or blogs very well, if at all.  It’s VERY hard to distinguish between the different blogs. I constantly post to the wrong one.

Tumblr is a simple and easy platform to use for blogging, but when something is easy it’s usually not very dynamic or scalable.  So, without getting too technical – since I promised no hefty geek rants on the Guamaso anymore – I am ditching Tumblr and I’m switching it over to WordPress.  I’m using just a basic theme so I can get it up and running quickly.  If all things go as planned, the only difference you’ll see is a different theme.  That sucks… I really liked the current one. Oh well…

Flickr can’t have my hard earned monies.

My year subscription with Flickr ends this month. I’ve been pondering whether or not I should renew my membership.  The moblog as it is now exists because of the lack of design options on Flickr.  The photo gallery changed because of Ciri’s complaining, but also because of the same lack of design options.  Being able to “skin” Flickr would get me to shell out another 20 bucks without hesitation.

That brings me to the changes I’m working on. The “Galleries” link now takes you to an install of Gallery 2. I played with this application a while back and I really liked. I was quick to download the newest version when Ciri said she wanted some nicer looking web albums for family.  It’s running off a basic template now, but I’ll edit it to match whatever treatment The Guamaso ends up with.

Me? An Edumacator? Now your kids are in trouble…

This is not a for-sure thing at all. It’s just something I’m looking into.

I have a complex, according to Ciri, that we call the “Prince Valiant complex.”  I want to help people… like everyone… somehow.  Whatever I end up doing in life, as long as I am helping people, I’ll be happy.  I seriously thought about becoming an EMS, but I knew that one day there will be a child that will need saving.  That’s WAY too much for me. As much as I want to help people, I can’t stand seeing children suffer. Children are sacred.

My parents, friends, and family constantly mentioned that I would make a great teacher.  I shrugged and laughed at the comment.  It wasn’t that I didn’t agree, I just felt like it wasn’t for me.  In recent  years, I’ve changed my position on that idea and now feel that teaching would be a fun and rewarding career.

A coworker was explaining to me that North Carolina is in dire need of math and science teachers.  Middle school, from what he said, doesn’t need a teaching degree in order to teach at.  Just lots of coursework in the subject being taught.  I have PLENTY of science and math credits.

I’m still researching to whole deal.  We’ll see.  Like I said, it’s not a for sure thing right now. I’m just gathering information, but at the same time, I really would like to persue something like this now more than ever.  Maybe it has something to do with having kids, but inspiring and influencing children sounds like a pretty darn good idea.

In the Mean Time…

I think that about catches you up on everything.  Some other tiny bits of info… Ciri is working on making things from home and selling them on Etsy, but with two kids and a house to care for all day, she’s lucky she finds time to eat.  We’re also going to sell our pickup, it’s pretty much dead weight for us – we need a more family friendly vehicle.

I think that’s about it. Off to bed. I hope to hear your thoughts on this catch-me-up. I hate to say it again, but hopefully post counts will start to head back up again.  I miss writing.

Out.

Flickr: SeenyaRita

I explained The Guamaso’s humble beginnings in the past; how it was originally for our family back in California and for the friends we made across the globe.  Recently, my interests made themselves known on the journal.  I started writing my commentary on things that my family had no interest in.  “But it’s MY blog,” I thought. I created the category structure to help filter out the posts so family could navigate the site with ease.  I thought that worked, until I realized that my family related posts slowed in frequency.

Ciriana came to me the other day and said she wants to start her own blog so she can write more on us and the kids.  (Within Facebook! O.O )That’s when I realized exactly how much The Guamaso had changed.  Not in a bad way, though, it is my site after all.  But writing for family is very important as well, so Ciri and I figured that changes need to be made.

I laugh at this, but essentially, I’m getting kicked off my own site!    I’m moving all my geek related posting to CreativeandFlow.com and The Guamaso will revert back to just being about news and updates on our little family.

I’m an opinionated person and I like to express these opinions in writing so I think those will continue on the Guamaso as well.  I hope this isn’t confusing.  I want to write more and more on creativity, design, and geekness so it makes sense to move to a different domain.  The new domain name better explains what the site is about and it will keep the different types of posts in their separate homes.

I’ve already started changing some things around on the new domain.  I copied over a ton of posts that I feel are more at home there.  I’m not sure yet if I will remove the posts from the Guamaso and provide a re-direct, I don’t think I get enough traffic to warrant that amount of work.

I’m pretty sure this won’t impact anybody too much.  All two of my readers.   But if it does, please bear with me while I get all the bugs under control.  The good thing about this is that Ciri said she’ll start writing a bit more as well.  She’s not into the whole WordPress thing (GASP! I know!) but she’s willing to try some desktop blogging solutions (Sounds like it’s review time!) that will help her ease into writing online.  We’ll see if she has any follow-through.

So, just to recap.  I’m moving my nerd-ness over to Creative and Flow.  Ciri is going to write more under the Guamaso (hopefully).  Guamaso is only going to be about our family, for our family.  You are welcome to continue following this blog as I’ll still write my rants and complaints here (I like to complain).  Lastly, the design will be changing again in the next week or so.

Thanks for your kindness and attention,

Management

If there’s one thing I dislike, it’s not being frequent with posts on my journal.  If there’s two things I dislike, it’s not being frequent with posts on my journal AND not explaining why.  So, here I am trying to get back on track – or at the very least explain myself.

Ciri is nearing the end of her terminal leave and she will soon be an official Army Reserve Soldier.  If you follow my Twitter, you know that I have been applying and interviewing for work now that Ciri is home.

Most of my energy during the day is spent looking for work, adjusting my resumes, applying for jobs, and attending a few interviews.  The remainder of my energy is split between Izzy and Ciri.  Izzy is a veteran crawler now, with a few freestyle bipedal moves under her belt as well.  This is a beautiful thing to me as a Father, but it’s also very absorbing.

If Ciri isn’t feeling good, I obviously have to make time for Izzy.  Just last week, Izzy was holding herself up by the TV stand, eating some cheese goldfish.  I glanced over at her just in time to see her chin slam against the corner of the TV stand.  She fell back like Glass Joe and started to cry.  She cut the outside of her chin and the inside of her lip.  She bled all over her favorite blankie.

Which brings me to the remainder of my energy.  When Izzy makes sudden alarming movements, Ciri tends to jerk forward in an attempt to catch Izzy before she can hurt herself.  Ciri is now almost eight months pregnant and she tires easily.  Plus, she tells me her body feels as though it is reaching a point of complete muscle failure.  So fast and sudden movements don’t help Ciri’s situation at all.  In comes Dad.  Ciri is a tough girl, but sometimes I have to put my preggo kicking boots on and force her to lie down and take it easy.

Long story short, I gots no time to write.  I save lots of ideas via the iPhone – they’re there, waiting in my little Que – but they aren’t done and need major editing.  As I get time, I’ll try and finish them or just log in and write “live” like I am now.  My goal for a long time now has been to post two entries a week.  Until things mellow out a bit, I’ll probably knock that down to maybe – BIG maybe – one post a week.  Yea. That’s the new goal.

For this week, here’s some more updates…

Interviews are going well, even in this high jobless economy.  I am relieved that I am getting interviews, not because I may suck, but because there is just SO much competition for jobs right now.  It’s a relief.

Ciri is doing ok-ish.  The baby is a real kicker apparently.  Izzy liked to kick strangers, Jonas, on the other hand, doesn’t discriminate; Mom’s bladder is one of his favorite items to practice his round-house kicks.

Izzy is Izzy.  The Izzy-monster.  The Izzy-bean.  The pook.  She’s about a couple of weeks away from walking on her own.  She just learned to wave and we’re starting to teach her to blow kisses.  She also loves to make us laugh and she likes to wrestle on the couch.

There’s more, but it’s so late and I need to mow the lawn early tomorrow morning.  I still update Twitter fairly constantly, so you can get your Guamaso fix there.  G’night.

It’s midnight.   There is a storm rolling over us right now, courtesy of Tropical Storm Fay.   I love storms, but this storm is not why I can’t sleep.   No, I’ve been going to bed late recently – which is very naughty of me since one day I will have to return to work at 8 in the morning.

It’s starting to pour.   Our street is glowing a dull amber color from the street lights and the rain.   Every few seconds the sky lights up and I fear the power will go out with each strike.   It’s happened before, not while I’ve been posting, mostly while we are already asleep.

Ok, the beef of this post was to talk about how busy I’ve made myself.   I’m at home with Izzy until we figure out a different solution to her care.   While I am at home, I’m busy cleaning and cooking, yes, I’ve become the home maker.   I like a clean home, and I actually enjoy cooking, so I have no problem being a home maker.

If I am not playing with Izzy, and not home making.   I am on the internet writing post after post.   I’ve signed up for Dadosphere, an online community of blogging fathers.   I wrote my first post, even after some issues with their posting backend.   I don’t think it was “user error,” but I admit it could be.   Anyway, I plan to post there as well as For Better, For Worse, and here – about parenthood.   I think my posts on Dadosphere will correspond closer to my posts here.   For Better, For Worse is still in its infancy and I’m not sure which direction it will go, but it should be fun writing about relationships and parenting there.

I also started a different blog called, Mr. Nice Guy.   I write about specific situations that we all face in our day to day lives where we sometimes become less than hospitable to our fellow human.   I write on how to be nicer in situations where we normally become angry and frustrated.   I’m having fun with it, so I know I won’t get bored with it.

I’ve also been working on starting a home business: Five Media Digital Services.   I really enjoy designing websites, and actually many other things too.   I am starting to lean more to Industrial Design, but web design is still a lot of fun.   I finished Saint Augustine’s Website a month ago and from what I hear, people really like it.   I learned a lot and I hope to use what I learned to bring in some supplemental income.   The problem is two fold; I don’t have any formal training in design and there are TONS of web designers out there.   I’ve always sold myself short to the point of completely discouraging myself from completing this type of task.   I may not be great, but I think I am pretty good.   This time, I am going for it.   If I fail, at least I went through with something for once.

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