Personal

Blogging and Fatherhood

December 14, 2008 by Dave!

I’ve wanted for some time, since the birth of my daughter really, to blog about my experiences as a new father.

I think writing in general provides a path to clearer thinking and new ideas. That’s been my experience with blogging in general. However, in blogging about fatherhood, I also wanted to create a running diary of the changes I’m going through as a new father and the changes my baby is going through as she’s growing up.

That’s where the problem comes in.

I’m pretty open about my life here on the blog. I do reserve intimate details about my personal life and I rarely blog about work (I said I was open, not stupid). I don’t mind because, well, it’s my life and I’m in control of it.

However, when it comes to blogging about my daughter, I’ve been very conflicted about it. I don’t want to expose her life on the Internet in the same way, for a myriad of reasons.

First, it’s not my life–it’s hers. I don’t want to say things that, while true, might needlessly embarrass her. Second, I don’t want to expose her to, well, the Internet. Whole lotta creeps out there. Third, I want to be able to be completely honest, and not worry about censoring myself because of who might be reading the blog, or because she might read it someday accidentally.
For all those reasons, I’ve decided to blog about my baby and fatherhood anonymously. Or at least, as anonymously as anyone can ever really be.

I’ve set up a new blog under a pseudonym where I can blog about my family. In fact, I’ve already got two weeks of posts up over there. I’m not going to link it here (duh). I know that someone, with enough effort could probably track it down and link it to me, but for the most part, there’s nothing that links it with me here.

Now, if you know me and are interested in reading it, send me an e-mail and maybe someone will send you a link. Otherwise, continue to read about me, my rants and such right here.

Filed Under: Baby, Blogging, Fatherhood, Personal Tagged With: Baby, blogging, Fatherhood

Shake It Like a Polaroid What?

March 13, 2008 by Dave!

Update: Save Polaroid

Well, I knew it would happen eventually… last month, Polaroid announced they will no longer be manufacturing instant film. Many artists are mourning because Polaroid film had some pretty unique properties, which I don’t think digital has managed to capture–yet.

I’m no luddite. I gave up 35mm film for my Canon EOS Digital SLR some time ago. And I used to shoot Super 16mm motion picture film, and traded that for HD video a long time ago, too. And in all honesty, I haven’t shot with a Polaroid in many years, either.

But over the decades that I’ve dabbled in photography, Polaroid put out some cool stuff. Among my favorites were the instant slide film (yes, instant slide film… it was pretty damn cool stuff) and the beloved SX-70 (I own several), which is even today one of the coolest cameras ever made. Sadly, Polaroid hasn’t made the SX-70/Time Zero stock for a couple of years now…

Things change, and digital cameras are capable of capturing truly amazing imagery. But for a camera nut like me, who was always attracted to photography partially because of the chemistry, equipment and science behind the craft, seeing the “old ways” go like this will always be just a touch melancholy.

Update: Save Polaroid is a group of artists and hobbyists who are trying to motivate some company to pick up where Polaroid is leaving off. If you love the medium, it’s worth checking out…

Filed Under: Personal, Technology Tagged With: Polaroid Photography Hobbies SX-70 Film

My Best Test Result Ever

March 6, 2008 by Dave!

Two test’s confirmed it:

But it didn’t seem real until the ultrasound images!

Filed Under: Announcement, Personal Tagged With: Pregnancy Baby

Wee!

February 17, 2008 by Dave!

Okay, I want a Wii. I am not a big gamer, but on two occasions in the past few weeks I’ve had the opportunity to play games that are seriously fun and relaxing…

First, there was just about everything I played on our friend’s Wii… she has a 4 year old who got a Wii for Christmas, and man, that thing is just plain fun. The games are fun to play, and the controllers are great… it’s not like playing a game with any of the other consoles I’ve owned in the past.

Then, last night, we went over to a friends house and played Guitar Hero. This is my kind of game! I could seriously enjoy rocking out… and when I found out it’s available for the Wii, that clinched it.

I want one.

And they are *still* impossible to find!

Filed Under: Personal, Technology Tagged With: Games Wii

Vote!

February 5, 2008 by Dave!

I already have…

Kristyna for Judge!
Have you?! If not, get out and do it!!

Filed Under: Chicago, Personal, Politics Tagged With: "2008 Primary", Election, politics

Dalessandro’s Cheesesteaks

January 31, 2008 by Dave!

I told you I’m not a food snob. Yes, I do love a really, really good meal–one that takes hours and involves many dishes, so you can relish the different flavors and enjoy the entire experience. But there’s more out there to experience than just posh places–there’s places like Dalessandro’s.

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, pretentious about Dalessandros. It’s a corner joint, with a formica counter and the most uncomfortable chairs I’ve sat on in a while. But who cares? This place makes a killer Philly Cheesesteak.

Dalessandros Cheesesteaks

We went here on the recommendation of our friend who was getting married, she grew up in Philly. I knew I would love this place when I walked in. It smelled amazing. On the grill, just mounds of onions and mounds of meat. What more could you ask for? Grilled meat and cheese–two great tastes that go great together.

The ‘steaks were awesome. Dripping with cheese (they mix it in with the meat) and with a tomato sauce that rules… and they have peppers on the counter so you can spice it up if you want–although you certainly don’t need to. I also had one with cheese and mushrooms that was great, too. (Yes, we went back multiple times.) If you’re ever in Philly, I’d take this neighborhood place that knows how to make a killer sandwich over any of the touristy cheesesteak shops you see around anyday.

Filed Under: Food, Personal, Travel Tagged With: Cheesesteak, Dalessandro, Food, Philly

Morimoto

January 31, 2008 by Dave!

Last November (yes, November) my wife and I visited Philadelphia for a wedding. While there, I couldn’t resist visiting Morimoto.

Morimoto: Toro Tartare

For those who may not know, Morimoto is Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s restaurant in Philly, which was his first in the United States. In addition to being an accomplished chef, Morimoto was also on Iron Chef, and even though he wasn’t my favorite Iron Chef (go Sakai!) he’s still pretty damn good.

I had the pleasure of meeting Morimoto when he was here in Chicago at Fox & Obel for a book signing and tasting. At the Fox & Obel event, he made a daikon linguine which was pretty good (although most impressive were his knife skills, wow!!) and a tuna sashimi “pizza” that rocked.

My wife and I stopped by Morimoto for lunch, thinking it would be less expensive than dinner. It probably was, but we still spent an obscene amount of money for lunch–and it was worth every penny. We both had the chef’s degustation menu, and I had the wine pairing as well. And now, here’s the rundown:

*1. Toro tartare*, with shallots, caviar and fresh wasabi, in a dashi-shoyu-miran broth. Served with a mountain peach as a pallate cleanser.
*Pairing*: Brut Champagne, Veuve Clicquot, Reims France
The tuna tartare was amazing. Simply amazing. The fresh wasabi was delicate and floral, with just a hint of heat–not the punch you get with Americanized green horseradish passed off for wasabi so often (although, I like that, too–it’s just different). The broth was a nice compliment, and the shallots, fried and crispy were the perfect texture offset to the delicate tenderness of the tuna. And I normally hate champagne, but I have to say this was an excellent pairing. Finally, the mountain peach–a tiny little ball of peachy goodness… it made me really, really want a good Japanese peach, which you just can’t get in the U.S.

*2. Kumamoto oysters*, with a japanese salsa
*Pairing*: Sauvignon Blank ’06, Kono, Marlborogh New Zealand
Another hit. The oysters were amazingly fresh–in fact all the seafood was, which is why it was so delicious–and the “salsas” were very simple and complimentary. They tasted like the sea. It was fantastic. And the pairing hit the spot, too… a white that I really enjoyed!

*3. Scallop Carpaccio*, with hot oil and mitsuba leaf
*Pairing*: Riesling ’03, Ratzenberger, Steeger St. Jost, Germany
I think this was my favorite dish of the meal, if not, it’s a close tie. The scallops were just amazing, so fresh and delicious I am at a loss for words to describe them. I think I’d still eat this if I had a seafood allergy. Take a bite, EpiPen shot. Bite, EpiPen. Yes, it was that good. And once again, the pairing of the riesling was perfect. A wine I normally hate, that was just taken to another level with the delicate flavors of the scallops and the hot oil–which was not overpowering in the slightest. This was the dish.

*4. Sashimi Salad*, mixed greens with tuna tataki, striped jack and shoyu dressing
*Pairing*: Chardonnay ’05, Daniel Gehrs, Santa Barbara County, California
Can you go wrong with sashimi? Not when the fish is this fresh. Seriously. I wouldn’t say the dish was out of this world, or anything special, but when you have really fresh, high quality ingredients, it doesn’t need to be over the top to be amazing.

*5. Honeydew Sorbet* as a palate cleanser
Have you ever had honeydew sorbet? If not, have some!

*6. Soba carbonara*, soba with edamame, bacon and scallops
*Pairing*: Morimoto Soba Ale
On to the hot dishes… the soba carbonara is my second/tied favorite dish of the meal. First, you have to understand that I love soba. If buckwheat isn’t your thing, this wouldn’t be the dish for you! The soba were perfect… cooked just right to noodlely perfection. Then you add those amazingly fresh scallops and the coup de grace–bacon–and how could this not be amazing? Then, the pairing was a soba ale–hearty and with a nicely developed buckwheat flavor that just complimented the dish so well–as good if not better than any of the wine pairings. I want this for lunch today!

*7. Black Cod Miso*, cod, with red and yellow sweet peppers and sweet beans
*Pairing*: Pinotage ’05, Wildekrans, Walker Bay, South Africa
This was probably my least favorite dish of the meal… although, that is to say if you served it to me, I’d still be impressed. The problem is cod–I’m just not a cod fan. But I really did enjoy the sweet beans, and combined with the pepper they really did compliment the cod nicely. I just can’t get past cod. This was my favorite of the wines. I’d never had a Pinotage before, but I have to say, I like this grape. It was a deep red, and reminded me a lot of some American Zinfandels–not a wimpy wine. It’s not an expensive wine, either, but very tasty!

*8. Sushi Course*: oh-toro, kanpachi, kohada, hamachi, and mirugai
*Pairing*: Morimoto Junmai Sake
Delicious sushi and a sippin’ sake! What can I say about the sushi? It was so fresh it was very good. And the sake was very nice, too. Sometime sake can just be too harsh to me and have more of a chemical taste. This was a smooth, smooth sake… no knocking back this stuff, it had to be sipped to be enjoyed. And did I mention that by this time in the meal, I was enjoying a serious buzz? A serious food high and more drinking that I’d done in ages. They were not stingy with the portions of drink.

*9. Sweet potato cake*, with sweet beans, spiced whipped cream and a sweet potato chip
*Pairing*: Madeira, Blandys Alvada, 5 year
Another first. I’d never had a Madeira, but I enjoyed it a lot as well. The sweet potato cake was fantastic, of course. It was just sweet enough to satisfy the desert lust we were feeling, but not cloying or over-powering like some seven layer chocolate cake of doom. Very typical of the sweets/desserts I’d had in Japan, the sweetness was understated,but complimented by the sweetness of the Madeira. It was a perfect end to an amazing meal.

So, there you have it. If you read this far, you must be hungry. If you are ever in Philly, I recommend stopping by Morimoto’s, and believe it or not, you can have an enjoyable _and_ affordable lunch if you don’t go all out like we did. Many of the dishes we sampled were on the lunch menu as ala carte entree.

Don’t get the impression that I’m always this shi-shi with my dining. Next up: Dalessandros, the best “steak” I had in Philly.

Filed Under: Food, Personal, Restaurants, Travel Tagged With: Food, Morimoto, Philadelphia, Philly

Fifth-Third Bank: Does Nice Customer Service Overcome Gross-Incompetence?

September 21, 2007 by Dave!

My mortgage is with Fifth-Third Bank. The first thing I have to say is that, at least in Chicago and on the phone, they have some of the nicest customer service people I’ve ever dealt with at a bank. They are just sweet. Unfortunately, they are (expletive deleted) incompetent.

Like many people, we escrow our property taxes. A portion of my monthly mortgage payment goes into an escrow account and when the property tax installments are due, Fifth Third pays them. And Fifth-Third did pay ours. Twice. That’s where the nightmare started.

If you’re familiar with Cook County and some of the suburbs, you probably already know property taxes are a nightmare. So imagine my shock when I got a statement from Fifth-Third saying that our escrow was short several thousand dollars.

Now, I never claimed to be a financial genius. But I can add. And when it comes to our mortgage and property taxes, I’m pretty thorough. So I was quite surprised when I received this statement and the accompany letter that Fifth-Third was raising our payment by $500 a month to cover the shortage. Something was up. And when I looked at the amount of the shortage, I noticed it was exactly, to the penny, the amount of our last tax installment. Curious. Then I looked at the tax payment dates on the statement. Wait a minute?! Fifth-Third paid an installment they shouldn’t have!

No problem, I assumed. Surely this will be easy to straighten out. Well, let’s just say I had an easier time shaving my cats.

First, I tried calling the Fifth-Third support line. They were super friendly! And extremely unhelpful. They denied the bank had made any mistaken payments. They denied anything was wrong—except that we owed them more money. They did promise to fax me copies of the cancelled tax checks and mail them out. I never got a fax. I never received a letter.

I started calling back. A lot. I got more friendly phone people, even some supervisors. They all understood my problem, but couldn’t do anything. They all promised to fax/mail the info I wanted. I never got a fax. I never received a letter.
Out of frustration, I called Cook County. The lady on the phone there was not friendly. But you know what? She did her job. She pulled up our PIN. She said, “Our records clearly show a duplicate payment.” And then she promised to send me a copy of our statement, along with a form to request a refund. I got both in the mail two days later.
I faxed the info to Fifth-Third. Then I called. “Oh, that double payment,” they said. “Oh, we see that now. You should really fix that.”

So my wife and I decided to try the personal approach. We went to the local branch. There, we met a very friendly, dedicated and helpful branch manager. He was apologetic. He agreed to take care of everything. We went away, feeling good.

Then, a week later, we got a letter from him saying he’d just faxed all our info over to the tax department. Yes, it not only took him a week to get to our problem—but then all he did was fax the same info I’d already faxed to their tax department!
Another week passed. Now we got a letter from the tax department. Finally, a Fifth-Third representative was taking ownership of the problem. Well, no. Instead, we got a letter stating that we should request a refund from Cook County (duh) and if we had any questions to call… the tax department!

sigh

I wish I could say this nightmare was over, but it drags on. We finally got the name of the tax department representative… because she included it on a letter she sent to Cook County on our behalf, asking them to send us a refund form. We called her. She promised to take care of it.

That was two weeks ago. She hasn’t.

Now, I hear you all saying, “Why don’t you just request the refund yourselves.” Well, we need copies of those cancelled checks, as proof of payment. You know, the ones Fifth-Third has promised on a half-dozen occasions to fax and mail to me. The ones I have, to this day, not received.

In the meantime, in order not to be delinquent on my mortgage, I’m having to bite the bullet and pay Fifth-Third the extra $500 each month. And we have a tax installment coming due in September.

I can tell you one thing I’m doing next week: talking to another bank about re-financing our mortgage. Fifth-Third has lost my business forever.

Filed Under: Business, Chicago, Personal

First, Appalachian State. Now Oregon.

September 9, 2007 by Dave!

It’s a great weekend …to be married to a Buckeye.

Filed Under: Personal

17 Year Cicadas

May 3, 2007 by Dave!

Here’s a cool movie put together at my alma mater about the upcoming 17-year cicada emergence. I have no idea why, but I’m just fascinated by these things. I love the sound of the cicadas in summer.

Here in Chicagoland, it’s Brood XIII but there are plenty of other broods around. I can’t wait!

Filed Under: Chicago, Personal

Blogging and Fatherhood

Shake It Like a Polaroid What?

My Best Test Result Ever

Wee!

Vote!

Dalessandro’s Cheesesteaks

Morimoto

Fifth-Third Bank: Does Nice Customer Service Overcome Gross-Incompetence?

First, Appalachian State. Now Oregon.

17 Year Cicadas

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