Farewell, For Now...

My wife has graciously granted me safe passage out of Texas for the next 4 days. Starting early (I hope) tomorrow morning I'll embark on 14 hours of driving from the pit of Tartarus, er, Dallas-Ft Worth, to the immeasurable openness and soul-restoring solitude of the great American Southwest.

I plan on hiking into Canyon de Chelly near Chinle AZ and taking some photos.

I've written some posts to auto-publish while I'm gone, and I'll try to update from the road. However, to put things in perspective, the nearest Starbucks to where I'll be staying is 200 miles away and in another state...

Anyway, Happy New Year everyone, and I'll be back around Sunday night.

30 Questions

Well, I lifted this from Amanda at Crazy Miracle Called Life. It looked fun, so here we go. Feel free to play along. :)

1. What's your full name?
Haha, not that easily you don't, Dr. Drofen Drofen, DC

2. Who are you named after?
My first name is a family name, my middle name is after my mother's brother.

3. What characteristics should your wife have?
Well, apparently living with me requires an inordinate amount of patience. Thank God she has an seemingly endless supply.

4. Do you believe in love of the first sight?
I'd like to think so. Not sure that I've experienced it.

5. Could you imagine a life without children?
Frankly, no. Becoming a parent changes you at your very core.

6. Who's the baby in the family when it comes to getting sick?
I'd have to say my wife. I really don't get sick very often.

7. What did you want to grow up to be when you were a child?
A nurse of course. :) I'll let you know if I ever do grow up.

8. What would be the worst thing that could happen to you?
One of my kids getting seriously ill I guess. I'm not sure, things have been pretty bad as it is lately, don't want to think about how it could get worse.

9. What is your profession?
If I felt like my profession wanted me, I probably wouldn't be trying to join another.

10. Are you an organized person?
Probably not as much as I need to be. But I have a pretty good memory, so that helps.

11. If you could go anywhere for vacation where would it be?
Europe.

12. If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
In the US, probably Colorado or Montana. But I'd certainly be open to moving to Scotland, or Austria, or Germany, or England...

13. What is your new years resolution for 2009?
To make it to 2010.

14. When are you most likely to lie?
I'd like to think when I'm protecting someone, but I try not to do it in general, it can be a really bad thing.

15. Whats your biggest fear?
That I will NEVER amount to anything.

16. Which characteristic do you despise in other people?
Intolerance, indecisiveness.

17. What's your worst feature?
Probably my weight right now, and my nose is a little bigger than I'd like, haha.

18. If you could change something about yourself, what would it be?
I'd have been much more humble.

19. What do you think about Barack Obama?
I hope he lives up to the change he promises to bring.

20. How do you want to die?
Without hurting anyone else.

21. Which talent do you wish to have?
I wish I could dance really well.

22. What is your most precious possession?
Possession? Probably my camera. But there are things way more valuable to me than possessions.

23. Who are your favorite writers?
Oh gosh, too many to even list. I like anyone with a clear voice and a pleasant tone.

24. What is your favorite book?
Again, too many to choose from.

25. For what do you feel sadness?
The pain I've caused others.

26. Which living person do you admire?
My 2 y/o. She has an amazing outlook on life.

27. Which living person do you mostly detest?
The asses at my chiro college that overstated their case in an effort to convince me to give them money.

28. What is your favorite quote?
It's at the top of my blog. "If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans."

29. What do you do to help the environment?
We recycle, and we are careful not to waste resources. We shop renewable sources. We are vegetarian--did you know that 18 vegetarians can eat for the same amount of resources that it takes to produce enough meat to feed one person?

30. Why do you do this survey?
Because I'm procrastinating.

Aquadoodle

One of the favorite Christmas gifts the 2 y/o received has been her Aquadoodle Draw 'N Doodle Mat. It's a pretty simple concept really. The felt tipped pen is filled with water, and then is used to draw 'n doodle on the mat. The mat is nothing more than thin white fabric stretched over a bright blue plastic background. The water causes the fabric to cling to the background and shows the bright blue through. The toy only uses a small enough amount of water that the 2 y/o couldn't possibly make a big mess with it, and the whole thing can be used over and over as the mat dries out.

Pretty ingenious. Maybe it's only because I'm a big dumb male, but I have to wonder if the whole concept wasn't conceived in the middle of a wet T-shirt contest!!

The Worst Gift....EVER.

So Mom In Scrubs has posted her Top 3 Worst Gifts of All Time which are pretty funny. So I thought about it and couldn't really come up with a really terrible gift I've received, although I'm sure I've gotten a few doozys.

However, what is acutely crystal clear in my mind is the worst gift that I've ever given. I can remember every lurid detail in frightening clarity to this very day.

Back when I was pursuing my first degree, (pre-med actually) I was working in the IV room of a children's hospital pharmacy. I was one of only a few boy pharm techs, and definitely the only one without severe social handicaps. The group of women that I worked with were--how can I put this diplomatically?--well, women. There was a distinct pecking order and everyone's business was well, everyone's business indeed. All community happenings were closely observed and cataloged for later discussion of gossip-worthiness and social merit.

For example, when one of them became pregnant with no husband in her repertoire, it was a red banner gossip treasure trove. Yet, lest you think these women unfriendly or uncaring, everyone brought in gifts for the pending baby. Except for me. A fact that was pointedly pointed out to me in a casual if not indelicate manner.

Now realize this was back when I was not the quintessential smooth gentleman I am today, so I left the present selection to my wife. (My FIRST wife--important distinction there.) And she did produce a gift for me to take in to work--in an appropriately cute gift bag to boot.

At my next shift when I set the gift bag on the counter, whispers spread like wildfire.

"A gift, a gift, he brought a gift."

And every female in the department was quickly assembled to play 'rate the gift'. With an awkward swallow and sweaty palms I handed the gift bag over as the expectant mutterings increased to a dull roar.

My coworker pulled out:

Item #1... A onesie...an obviously well worn and not so well laundered onesie in that famous shade of dingy used-to-be white.

Item #2... A bib...with an obvious stain down the front.

And,

Item #3... A book...with a lovely inscription to my daughter in the front cover, "With Love, Aunt Paige."

Mortified doesn't even begin to express.

The Rite of Parenthood #2

The successful parent can discern between a monkey-stuffed-banana monkey and a pile of dog crap, even in the dim light of an LED night light.

What is a monkey-stuffed-banana monkey you ask?

Wise

Canon EOS 350D, Canon 24mm 2.8
4s f/16.0 at 24.0mm iso100

Lincoln Memorial at night.

Home

I've got to get out of Texas, if only for a little while.

Every moment longer I spend here a small part of my soul flares out into the quiet oblivion. I try and slow the loss with periodic exodus' from this barren land. I've been to explore places like Atlanta, Minneapolis, New York City, Washington DC, Vancouver BC, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles.

But the last time I was in my mountains, in the actual high country my heart calls home was over 4 years ago.

Where do you call home? Not where do you live, but what landscape do you feel breathe, and sigh, and rise to meet you when you return?

On Grooming

(PG-13 Warning--and waaaaaaay too much information.)

I suppose some would say that I am a lucky man to never have to worry about going bald. But the truth is, I'm just down right hairy. And unfortunately I don't just mean on my head.

My wife claims to like the grizzly type over the pubescent boy look, but still, it can get a little ridiculous. I generally try and keep things trimmed close, you know just in case. Like just in case my wife just has to have me on the dining room table, or maybe on the washer coming in from the garage while the groceries grow ripe in the back of the car. You know, like I saw in the "Welcome to the Married Life" orientation video I had to watch as a part of my premarital counseling... Ha!

Grooming habits in general are kind of weird. I mean how much pain are we willing to tolerate? I've had my eyebrows waxed, and I have to hand it to you ladies, that is pretty painful. And I can't even imagine what that must feel like on your nether regions. But, you can't truly speak of how badly it hurts to be beautiful until...

...you've caught the skin of your scrotum in a pair of electric clippers.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Program: 30 min brisk walking
Actual: 32 min brisk walking

Capitol

Canon EOS 350D, Canon 24mm 2.8
1/400s f/10.0 at 24.0mm iso100