Tastes like victory!

This weekend I joined the American consulate dragon boat team in defending our championship. We won first place for the third straight year, but it wasn't the cakewalk that last year's was. We defeated the second place team by just a mere second. I have to say, I don't know if my arms have ever hurt more than they did at the end of that race. For 500 meters we paddled as hard as we could. Probably too hard! With our Marines up front setting the pace, we started fast and furious and probably burned ourselves out faster than we needed too. We kept our lead, but our second place rivals saved their best for last and were only a few more meters from taking the trophy.



The race was held out at a huge recreation park holding an aquatics center, a golf course, residential villas, and an aircraft carrier... Yes, that's right. A full size aircraft carrier parked in concrete. Surrounded by rockets, and old model jet airplanes. Ah, "The China". I really wish we had a picture of the thing so everyone could see it. It is really something to behold.

New Blurg.

I have a new blog that I will be posting on dedicated to my pursuit of all things trivial and geek related. I can't say my first post is light and fluffy considering the subject matter, but be aware that all who go to this blog will lost in a land of geekery from which you may never return. Stay tuned to Global D'oh-mination if you just want random stories about daily life in "The China" and cute baby photos which are coming soon. You can find the direct link to Aspiration Figures on the right side under "Other assorted ramblings".

-Ryan

Oh, the anticipation!

Today my wife is officially full term with her pregnancy. It's great news, but we are still three weeks from the expected due date and we are both tired of waiting. This baby cannot arrive soon enough. I find myself having a difficult time focusing on any non-baby related tasks simply for fear of having to abandon them for a full week once the baby decides he is tired of hanging out in his own personal water-park. I have some custom projects yearning to be worked on, but I just cannot muster the single minded intensity to leap into them. Now, many of you would say; "You better start them now, because once the baby is there every free second you get is a blessing." To that I say, you're right. Fundamentally I understand that a whopping majority of my free time will now be spent seeking out a comfortable nap. However, there is still this small section of me that thinks I can slip in an hour or two to paint or sculpt.

How do you get impatient with something that has no idea it is on time table? We want that baby here, but baby gonna do what baby gonna do. At this point he has essentially finished cooking. Yes, I am comparing my unborn child to a chicken-pot pie. Once he arrives though he still requires an absurd amount of care. We are one of the only species that gives birth to a child that is absolutely helpless for nearly the first year of it's life. A video we watched posited the theory of using the first three months outside the womb as the fourth trimester. It is a fantastic concept and one I never gave any thought to. When I look back at my lifeline, I am amazed at how little real concerted thought I gave to the concept of childbirth and development. Anyone betting on me to be a pediatrician lost big time, and I am talking Los Angeles Clippers big time.

We have another doctor's appointment on Saturday, but let's be honest, that baby could show up tomorrow! I don't have time for all these "appointments" I am too busy observing my wife, and jumping every time she says "ooh".

And in a case of "wow, this would be a great water breaking story..." We are going to try and see Inception today. I will finally be able to absorb all information pertaining to said film and discuss every crazy plot point a full month past the point of anyone caring!!!!!!!