Note to All Slackers

I just booked our hotel room for the Lincoln-Laura bash and the block was full! Luckily, there were other open rooms and she gave us the block rate, so it wasn't a problem. But if you haven't booked your room, do so quickly.

Now, we just need to book the plane tickets...

By the way, we're coming from the 16th to the 18th and leaving the kids at home. I wish we could bring them, too, but on the plus side, we haven't traveled without kids since Caleb was born so it's like a little vacation for us. (Grammy may need a big vacation by the time we get back; good thing Thanksgiving is that week.)

MS 150

Hey all, I'm biking in the MS150 in a week. The MS 150 is a 2 day, 150 mile bike trek from Cherry Hill, NJ to Ocean City, NJ and back.

I'm raising money to fight Multiple sclerosis, a devastating disease that researchers have been trying to tackle for years.

I'm only looking to raise $250, and I'm trying to do it by finding 10 people to give $25 each. I think that's a pretty small sum, so if you feel inclined to give, do not hesitate. You can give on line by credit card at the following web site.

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=4129912&pg=personal&fr_id=2750

If you do not feel inclined to give, do not feel pressured. I will be able to ride whether you give or don't give, and there are lots of valuable ways to steward your resources.

Dan

Voy a Williamsburg!

Okay folks. Just bought my tickets and reserved my room. I'm coming to Williamsburg. I'll be there from the night of the 14th. Anyone else?

By the Way

Does anyone have new contact information for the Walshes? I left a couple of messages on Shannon's cell phone, but it's a generic voice message now, so I thought they might have different phone numbers now too. Just send me an email.

OUT

MOVING

Hillary and I are moving to the east side of Cleveland, which means nothing to most of you, other than that we'll be on the other side of Cleveland suburbs from where we are now, and much closer to where we both work.

After looking at many houses, we found out that we could build the house we'd like for about the same price, so that's the route we've decided to go. Supposedly, we'll have keys around January 15th. When I stand on the street and look at a lot of dirt and rocks, I have a hard time believing that there is going to be a completed house there in a little over four months, but we'll see. I'm fascinated to see the house I'm going to be living in go up from scratch. Hopefully everything goes smoothly, and hopefully Hillary and I haven't picked out colors and styles that end up looking awful when all is said and done.

That's the major update on my end. Once I have a new address, I'll be sure to send it out to everyone so you can send me presents.

I MADE IT!!

I'm sitting in my room for the night in Spain. I get to stay in one of the hotel guest rooms till tomorrow. I'm taking full advantage of the room which includes wi-fi while I got it.

I feel like I've just conquered Rome to get here...cuz in fact I probably did because I had to overnight in London by Heathrow Airport. I forgot the number one rule of dealing with Brits (no offense):

If you want the right answers to have to ask the right questions.

For example: At the hotel I was overnighting at....

Me: I would like to use your internet.
Front Dest (FD): It's 3 pounds for 15 mins.
Me: That's fine. Can I pay by credit card?
FD: You don't have cash?!?
Me: No. (I had given it all, which was a hefty sum, to the taxi driver that brought me there after giving me the what for wasting his time and money **the drivers have to pay to enter Heathrow Intl** by not taking the bus. I think he was embarrassed. I felt like Christ. But that's another story.)
FD: There's a cash machine over there.
Me: Ok. I'll be right back.

I am unsuccessful at the machine.

Me: The machine wouldn't take my card. Is there another ATM nearby.
FD: No. What's your room number?
Me: 140
FD: Just sign here to show you're charging it to your room.
Me: Thanks. I do need to get back to Heathrow today so I will need cash to catch the bus right? (I now knew about the bus.)
FD: Yes.
Me in my brain: Grrrreat

After emailing Mommy. I have a brilliant idea.

Me: Is there a way I can exchange curreny here at the front desk?
FD: Oh yes. What do you want to exchange?
Me in my brain: Ahhhhhhhh!!!

Tell me that couldn't have been simpler.

Not to mention running into more irrate people in 24hrs then I've run into in the past 5 years and half of those were in the English Tourist Industry. Yes, Hawaii is paradise.

Mazzucco Life

Just wanted to throw out a quick update to y'all.

Today is Betsy's birthday, but she's actually not home, so I'm taking a minute to say hi.
We've had a French exchange student named Claire living with us for three weeks. She came to live with us last summer for three weeks as well. She's 17, and mainly likes shopping and eating pancakes. She also doesn't speak any English. She'll be here until Friday.

Ben is 5 months old now, and he's kind of a fusspot. He does like hanging out with his brothers, and likes sitting up and trying to roll around. Aidan just turned 4. He's pondering the meaning of life.

That's all for now. I'd put in pictures, but our camera broke, so we haven't taken any pictures in a while.

American Football or Bullfighting?

So I'm blogging everyone because next Wednesday I leave for a new crazy adventure to work and live in Spain for 4 months. I'm hoping to make it out to the Chivester-wedding in November because (believe it or not) Spain is closer to Williamsburg than Hawaii is. The wedding is in Williamsburg right? I'm bad at these details.

So the US is big and Hawaii is ranked #23 in the college polls. Life is good.

Maybe I can convince Flaminco Dancers to come to the wedding. They can dance to AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long" for the enjoyment of everyone. We might have to put to kids to bed first though.

Jon's Competition

OK, since no one is blogging, I though I would show you a funny thing I took a picture of. My neighbor turns out to be a HUGE fan of every Cleveland team. He's this old guy who rides around on his bike all the time. He's really friendly and we had a great time talking about LeBron's chances of winning a title next year, the upcoming football season for the Browns, etc.

What I find amusing is everyone in the neighborhood thinks he's this grumpy old man. The first night Devon and I were in this house, we were unloading the moving truck. I had no place to put my truck in front of the house so I parked at the end of the cul-de-sac, roughly across the street. Apparently, he bumped his trash cans right up to my back bumper (I never noticed but my other neighbors saw it) because he HATES people parking in front of his house. I thought he was this grumpy old man too and took this picture laughing about posting something on Jon, grumpy old men, and Cleveland. But he stopped by one weekend to introduce himself when we were doing yardwork and he is really quite friendly.

That's all. I hope everyone is doing well.

Trip n Enterprise

Here's a short video of my time in Italy. It was made using a website put together by Brad Jefferson, Jason Hsiao and Stevie Clifton (all Dartmouth Friends). They're looking for more people to test their website before the grand opening Aug. 14th. Email me if you want to give it a whirl! Really Really Fun!

Cheating Tips

(I should begin by offering my belated congratulations to Kristin and family.)

Now, in case any of you are planning on taking some classes in the future, or if you want to get started compiling advice for generation BLD 2.0, here's a few tips on cheating in college.

1. Do not plagarize any paper or article that can be located using Google.
2. If you are slapping together a paper from a bunch of different plagarized sources make sure they are about the same topic and take more or less a consistent position on it.
3. Pick papers or articles that use language an undergraduate might possibly understand.
4. Finally, don't plagarize your paper from sources the professor himself posted on Blackboard for you to read.

Really, the only way to successfully cheat is to pay a friend or an online database for a good undergraduate paper. The amonut of time and skill necessary to construct a workable paper from online plagarized sources is greater than the time and skill necessary to write a good original paper.

Ahh, the joys of teaching.

Joseph Wallace Porter

Hi All,

I just wanted to let you know about Jay's and my little one, Joe. He arrived yesterday at 8:50 am weighing 8 lb 9 oz and is 21 inches long. He's not chubby, but he is big. His shoulders are broad and his hands and feet are gigantic. We love him very much and find him completely entertaining. I can't get over how much he looks like Jay.

Kristin, this will make you feel better

Kevin, we look like we're 12.

(click on these, and they should open up in a bigger window)

Good thing I avoided the Castor Oil

While I was tempted by Dan and Betsey's success, I was also a bit afraid. I guess it's a good thing, since they determined that our baby is now weighing in at 91/2 pounds. They won't induce me with him that big, so we are scheduled for a C-section tomorrow morning. I'm pretty bummed out about this, but trying to stay positive. I wish that they had measured him last week instead of just letting me go post-dates, but hindsight and wishful thinking won't get me much.

So, focusing on positive things: today is my last day pregnant!

Dan, really?

As I sit her pondering explosion, I remember the following remark on Dan's post about Benjamin's birth: "Castor oil, curse or blessing"
Question: did you really try this?
I'll admit to being skeptical.

But, I'd enjoy a story about it, if there is one, while I wait. and wait.
and wait.