Kid is entranced by breakfast menu

While waiting for a table, the kid gave the breakfast menu close textual analysis for a good 20 minutes. He is ready to answer all questions about a Scandinavian meal.

This is how I cook

These were the items I used to prepare an evening meal, a mixture of high-end knives, plastic spatulas, and plain cutlery.

I like grabbing a dinner fork to quickly poke food to see if it's done.

One of the pleasures of cooking is using a sharp, well-balanced chef's knife. The above knife was made by my friend's company, so it brings an added sense of pride as I wield it.

A Rat Video For Our Times

The Mueller report coming out on audio book format is responsible for this video:

Getting Outside With The Kid

We staged this shot by walking way up the north side of the Columbia Gorge.

Stoke!

Box Continues To Be Choice For Kid

Sections of protein bars

Looking pensive while buying bagels

Art Collected From Outdoor School

The collector of art.

Gratuitous rat picture not from Outdoor School

Arias With Rats

For a good explainer video about the Fancy Rat, click here.

This Is Me

Another Incredible Movie

I just finished watching “Incredibles 2” with the daughter in Spanish. This is not a language with which I am very familiar. Not a problem, as I enjoyed the design and palette of the film without the distraction of English words.

The film is awesome in that the central drama was family dynamics, how changing circumstances forced Mr. Incredible (Bob) to put aside his crime-fighting and be a stay-home dad. At home he is beset by problems of his toddler's developing superpowers, his daughter’s crush on a boy complicated by her dual identity of crime-fighter and teenager, and his son’s need for homework help. All this is compounded by his eroding self-worth as society has made his past crime-fighting illegal.

The absolute averageness of Bob at home is hilarious and inspiring. He tries and fails, asks for help, eventually succeeding, showing himself to be a committed and caring father.

Of course there are epic battle scenes with clever and sophisticated villains. The fusions of mid-century décor and futurism is stunning.

My favorite scene is the toddler having a full-on, crazyfight with a kung-fu raccoon raiding the garbage.

This film wins Portdaddia’s highest rating: Five Stokes!

I live in Oregon

When I have a bad day I look through my pictures and feel somewhat better. Natural beauty is healing, even better if one can go for a walk or enjoy the outdoors.

Socialism and Doughnuts

Last night the kid and I heard Bhaskar Sunkara speak about socialism in the modern age. His points were interesting and gave the kid good data to ruminate on.

I'm glad the kid heard a political thinker speak, as the ideas weren't couched in the vocabulary of policy initiatives that dominate our news cycles.

Plus, we got doughnuts on our way home.

Stoke to our doughnut-making comrades!

I Become What I Mock

In the past I have criticized people on social media who posted their Strava rides/runs/walks way too frequently. I told everyone who would listen I had stopped using the app to clock my every movement, as I felt it was yet another method of virtue signaling that corrupted the original intent of the activity.

Then I signed up for the Round the Mountain 2019, a three-day hike of the Timberline Trail on Mt. Hood. I did it last year and suffered greatly. I want to do it again this year and suffer less, so I installed Strava to clock my longer walks so to become accustomed to journeys over 10 miles.

Last Saturday I had the wife drop me off at the Wildwood Trail where it intersects at Germantown Road. The road distance to this point from home was 9 miles, so I figured a few miles more would be total hiking distance back. After a few hours of walking I realized my mistake.

I had adequate food and water, the weather was perfect, and I could have bailed at many points along the way. Podcasts and playlists made my journey pleasant for most of the distance.

I expect academics and serious amateurs to give me crap for being a Strava-obsessed maniac, ruining the outdoors with tech and earbuds – but, hey, it was one awesome day.

Stoke!

Portland Prom Style

An excellent time was had by all! The red sash reads, "Stop Gun Violence."

Here's the bonus rat picture, courtesy of the wife.

Rare 2001 Portdaddia Document Located

In 2001, before I had a blog, I made lists to amuse and entertain, mostly myself. The above is my list of things to do surrounding the birth of our daughter.

Do not mention rotating blue hexagon during labor:
This was meant as a reminder to not be a smartass and make fun of all the woo-woo stuff we suffered through during our childbirth classes. Still, we had a doula and did all kinds of woo-woo stuff. We just did it really, really earnestly, leaving the commentary for later.

No sending of plush toys:
This was a real thing. We both agreed we would wait on having mountains of plus toys for a few weeks.

Be serious! Really
No explanation needed

It's your day, woman's day
This is a reference to the Peter Gabriel song "Woman's Day." I was being a smartass.

Breeeeeeeeeth
More mockery of the heartfelt sincerity offered to us by medical professionals in our childbirth class.

Flexidus -- movement of the shorty
Riff on the Bob Marley song "Exodus" -- I would sing the above lyrics when the kid would do an inter-utero kung-fu kick.

I'll leave it to the academics and serious amateurs to deliver my verdict.

Book Promo: "Portland Zionists Unite!"

These Are My Pizzas - Deal With It

Shiitake, green olive, red onion.

Accidental Screen Grabs

For those who know. Is it any wonder?

New Kicks

Can't argue with perfection! The daughter prepares for prom.

We're Worried About Irving

The gray rat Irving is not doing well. After visits to the vet and some antibiotics the only other course of action for his respiratory infection is a steam nebulizer treatment.

Last night I put both rats in a cage and set them in the bathroom while I showered, hoping the hot, moist air would help. It did not.  

Irving is a year and a half. The average life expectancy of fancy rats is only two years.

A few weeks ago, someone noticed how attached we are to our rats, wondering how we could go through the heartbreak of loving animals with such a short lifespan. I didn’t know how to answer as we haven’t yet gone through the experience.

I’m hoping Irving can recover from his infection and live a bit longer. We need him!