During June and July 2013 my wife and I took our children, both born in China, back to see where they came from. It was an incredible trip for all of us. For my children it made a very abstract part of their lives real. For my wife and I it completed a circle we began in 1997. This is the fifth post in a series of stories about our trip. But if you know me, you'll know I'm attracted to the fringes of any narrative. That's where the memories are. I won't be giving any interminably long and boring...
Fairly Odd Parents-Present, News Outta My Control / 04.10.2013
Furlough: Day 4
On Day 4 of my forced time off I woke up to our local Fox affiliate's morning news program. First, a disclaimer. Fox 5 here in DC is not Fox News. Their connection is in name only. And our local Fox station has a much more professional approach to the news. A crew interviewed me last year when I had my ads in the DC Metro and that was one of the first questions I asked. It's clear the people on the Channel 5 morning news like each other and that...
A Trip Back Home to China, Fairly Odd Parents-Present / 25.08.2013
China: The Search is the Holy Grail
During June and July 2013 my wife and I took our children, both born in China, back to see where they came from. It was an incredible trip for all of us. For my children it made a very abstract part of their lives real. For my wife and I it completed a circle we began in 1997. This is the fourth post in a series of stories about our trip. But if you know me, you'll know I'm attracted to the fringes of any narrative. That's where the memories are. I won't be giving any interminably long and boring...
A Trip Back Home to China, Fairly Odd Parents-Present / 11.08.2013
China: Good Kitsch is Dead, Long Live My Good Kitsch
During June and July 2013 my wife and I took our children, both born in China, back to see where they came from. It was an incredible trip for all of us. For my children it made a very abstract part of their lives real. For my wife and I it completed a circle we began in 1997. This is the second post in a series of stories about our trip. But if you know me, you'll know I'm attracted to the fringes of any narrative. That's where the memories are. I won't be giving any interminably long and boring...
During June and July 2013 my wife and I took our children, both born in China, back to see where they came from. It was an incredible trip for all of us. For my children it made a very abstract part of their lives real. For my wife and I it completed a circle we began in 1997. This is the first post in a series of stories about our trip. But if you know me, you'll know I'm attracted to the fringes of any narrative. That's where the memories are. I won't be giving any interminably long and boring...
My wife and I are taking our girls back to China at the end of June. Now that they're old enough, we think it's important for them to see where they came from. That being said, where they came from is not what China is today. However, I have no doubt they will be amazed and, well, more amazed. This will be the first time we've been back since we adopted our youngest in 1999. So, many of the changes will be apparent to us. Yet, I want to experience the country through my daughters' eyes at least part of...
Fairly Odd Parents-Present / 24.03.2013
That Nurture Thing
As I walked home from work the other day I listened to NPR's All Things Considered. This is my "me" time. Gay marriage is a trending topic these days and that day the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) had just endorsed same-sex marriage. The data, over sixty studies, showed no difference in the well-being of children raised by gay and lesbian couples than of children of heterosexual couples. You would think the studies, covering a wide breath of childhood metrics from emotional well-being to academic achievement, would prove the point nicely. But, of course, not to everyone....
The woman in the next aisle had eaten her hamentashen before she got to the cashier! I live in both a very Jewish and a very Latino suburb of DC. It's an interesting mix: wonderful ethnic restaurants and a multicultural place for my multicultural family. Last night I paid an inaugural visit to our new kosher supermarket. It recently opened in a space previously inhabited by one of the grocery chains. I've been a bit outta sorts of late (nothing major) but suddenly I felt right at home. Now, I'm not a religious Jew. Not even close (okay, except for my obligatory...
The Chamomile Tea Party's First Ad in Washington, DC's Metro (click image for larger view) It's been a while since I've posted anything on Life Outtacontext. But I've been busy. With the upcoming election, there is more food for fodder than ever for my Chamomile Tea Party posters (and I have some new ones, so take a look). While I have my personal political beliefs, it's interesting to step back and dissect this year's political process. If you're disgusted or scratching your head, you might want to take a look at an article in today's Washington Post which sheds some light...
It wasn't this bad but it felt like it was. Last Sunday at 11 a.m. I was attacked by a swarm of wasps. More on that in a minute. But first, what good is a trauma like this if you can't come out of it with a good story. A good story is the souvenir of traumas --providing you recover. Two decades ago I was visiting my friends Bob and Ellen in San Francisco when we decided to go camping in Yosemite. I'm a California native but had never been to this national park. Bob and Ellen found this odd, but...