VAN

My new newphew, Van!

He lives in Boulder, Colorado with my brother Andy and sister in law Morgan.

He's a cool kid!  I like him already! 

Magazine Living

I went to a pool party yesterday afternoon.  It was on the rooftop of a central Phoenix infill project, circa 2004.  And, wildly posh.  I live in a 1940's Tempe bungalow with a failing foundation, dog fur a-scatter, duct tape on my couch, and paltry counter space.  I look at power lines, graffiti and Burger King.   The views at this delux place included Camelback Mountain, the Westward Ho tower (from "Psycho"), downtown's Japanese Gardens, and Ansel Adams clouds with blue skies stretched to New Mexico.  Interstate 10 snaked below us and looked like a soothing choreographed piece of the opening to the Beijing Olympics.   Brazilian woods, bedrooms with acreage, skyline views from your pillow, and buzz-u-in security systems.  It felt like Phoenix had arrived.  Vertical and urban.  I wanted to live there.  I wanted my mom to see.  It was straight out of a Bosch appliance ad with the dishwasher running while a mom that looks like Gisele Bundchen breast feeds and her George Clooney husband kicks off his Armani shoes and reclines on the stain free couch all with the backdrop of a window wall overlooking the River Thames and Parliament.   But back to the pool.  Typical Phoenix September day;  100 degrees and the gentle hum of power supply. The sun slung in the south.  There was cocktails and chiseled gay guys. Someone was grilling a hefty T-bone steak on the stainless steel outdoor cooker.  We talked about muscle milk and investments. Dermatology and politics and Sex in the City.  We admired architecture and our sunglasses.  We listened to thump thump club music and rippled along in the rarified sky pool.   Italian beer.  Dolce and Gabbana.  Global warming and caste systems.  Guilt. Indulgence.  Magazine Living.   

Obama / McCain Smackdown Round #1

Obama is too gracious.  Stop telling McCain when he's right.  Lay it down dirty like Hillary would!  Nice use of the word "orgy", however, Mr. Obama.  Obama was poised and gracious; academic and sharp.  McCain was gritty.  Oddly, McCain (the wealthier of the two) seemed more blue collar American and half of America is Jerry Springer TV.  They vote for the warrior, the boozer, the dull tool.  Each held their own on foreign policy, which was probably a bigger task for Obama since he is new to the scene.  McCain stumbled through saying Iran's presidents name: Ahmadinejad.  He had to stall out and try a few times.  This is a gaffe.  Obama stood tall and pronounced everything correct.  McCain could stand some teeth whitener.  Obama glimmers and glows, but I think he looks like he smokes cigarettes (which I like).

Advantage Round #1:  Obama (by a short hair, like an arm hair)