Eluwak

One of Xan's favorite television programs is Disney's Imagination Movers. He watches it each and every day, dancing along and laughing manically. So, with them in Rochester at the Auditorium Theatre for the live version, we had to get tickets. We also lucked out in that Nancy knows the bus driver for the show, who was able to get us backstage passes (thanks, Charlie!).

The show was actually quite entertaining for a children's concert - their music has a New Orleans feel (not unexpectedly, given that they are from New Orleans) and they broke out into modified versions of Journey and MC Hammer songs!

After the show, we got to meet them, and get our picture taken and autographs. I was impressed with how genuinely nice they were. Scott started talking to me about three local restaurants that they went to and really enjoyed. I left feeling like they might want to go out for a beer after the show if they were not heading down the thruway to Syracuse tonight. All and all, it was a surprisingly wonderful experience.

We took Xan to the Evans Farm neighborhood in Brighton, NY (a suburb of Rochester) to go trick or treating this year. We are seriously considering purchasing a house there, so we felt it would be a good way to get a feel for the neighborhood. It turned out to be an excellent place to trick or treat and it was very friendly and family oriented. We left with a positive impression that will weigh in favor of the house we are looking at possibly buying.

Here are several pictures from our little Halloween Adventure.

While yesterday was Xan's actual birthday, we threw him a party today. We had a decent size group of adults on hand, all of whom Xan knows and loves. My mom, my Aunt Kathy, and my sister are visiting for the weekend. Also in attendance were Rich, Jeff, Nancy S., Steve, Vicky, and Illana.

The pizza and wings came from Salvatore's Old Fashioned Pizzeria and the Thomas the Train themed cake came from Wegmans. A good time was had by all, especially the birthday boy, Xan, who received many wonderful gifts from all of his friends.

My dog, Scruffles, has been a loyal companion for nearly a decade. When I have no time to relax and shift my mind out of full gear, her various needs - food, water, bathroom, and ear scratches - serve as an inescapable reason to stop for a few minutes, attend to her, and let my brain downshift a couple of gears. She has been my safety value and tie to sanity for a long time.

Scruffles

During those mini-respites, my mind has time to wander and often because of mental fatigue it meanders on the ridiculous side. Over the years, during the down time, I have come up with dozens of nicknames for Scruffles. Some are plays on her actual name while others are merely derived from her being a canine. I decided to start recording these nicknames for posterity, and this blog post is my first attempt at that catalog.

So, without further ado, here is my list of names for her that I can readily remember at the moment.

• Scrufffs
• Scruffy
  
• Scraps
• Scrappy
• Scrappenheimer
• Scrapowitz, from the Law Firm of Bark, Bark, and Woof
• The Great Scuffini
  
• Lord Barkington, Baron of Barksby
• Wagglesworth
  
• Barktholomew
• Barkowitz
• Bookem' Doggo
• Dogopotamus
• Dogosaurus Barx
• Captain Barko
• Woofenstein
• Barkenstein
• Barkenhood Prince of Thieves
• Barky
• Muppet Head 
• Fatski McPup
• Lady McScruffs
• Ditzy McDog
  
• Puppenhowser
• Pupples
• Puppenheimer
• Puppinski
• Barksi O'Woof
• Canus Painassius
• Frog Dog
• Sniffski
• Dogzilla
• Dogamel
  

It has been a great weekend. While I have been unable to catch up on my sleep, I was able to spend a lot of quality time with my family. Recently, I feel like I am in an unending battle to devote the time and energy to my family that they deserve. For once, I actually managed to do that this weekend. I hope that this is the first step towards getting back some kind of work-life balance.

Nancy Waiting for Ghost Walk to Start

On Saturday, we got a babysitter for Xan and attended the Landmark Society's annual ghost walk. The ghost walk is essentially a series of small plays based on true stories set at various houses throughout a neighborhood. This year, it was the Arnold Park neighborhood. Afterward, we went to Esan for dinner on Park Avenue. Besides being fun and relaxing, it reminded me how much I really miss my old neighborhood (Park Avenue). I miss it enough to seriously explore the possibility of sending Xan to private school so that we can live in the city.

An Early Fall Sunday in Rochester

Today (Sunday), we attended a Brighton Symphony Orchestra concert that featured two of my favorite pieces - Belioz's Hungarian March and Mendelssohn's Reformation Symphony No. 5. I recorded the entire concert so that we can create a DVD for them to submit with their annual Arts Council grant.

To top it all off, my Buffalo Bills actually managed to beat the New York Jets in overtime! Even though we lost several more players to injury, including our starting quarterback Trent Edwards, we managed to beat a fairly decent team on the road. Perhaps the season is not completely lost after all? Maybe Fitzpatrick can do better than Trent Edwards has been able to so far?

Oh, last weekend was not too bad either - we spent it visiting some of Nancy's family in Boston. On the docket for next weekend? Xan's second birthday! 

Since we went apple picking two weekends ago and came back with 31 lbs of apples, I have had to break out what limited baking skills I possess. I have always been a pretty damn good cook (my apologies if that sounds narcissistic), but baking has never been my strong point. That has puzzled me for a long time, given that it is essentially the same as following procedures in a biochemistry lab, which is something that I am good at doing. For years, my attempts at baking resulted in dry, gooey, or burnt desserts.

For whatever reason, I have had tremendous success with my last two attempts. A week ago, I baked an apple pie from scratch that came out picture perfect looking and incredibly tasty. Last weekend, I made a homemade apple crisp that came out decadently delicious. Interestingly, I did not follow the recipes precisely, taking liberties by adding more spices and juices and flavors, cutting back on somethings, substituting others, etc, based on my intuition. This is how I have always cooked, but my understanding of baking principles recommended against such improvisation. Perhaps that is really the key?

I think my next creation will be some kind of apple muffin or apple cake. I am hoping to go three for three. Maybe I can bake after all!

It has been a while since my last post. In fact, all summer I have been remiss in keeping up with my blog. Between the fun to be had during the summer, being busy with work, and some personal issues, I just have not had the time and energy to write as much as I would have liked.

Despite this lack of time, we have actually had a pretty good pair of weekends. Today we drove to Greece (a suburb of Rochester, NY) to do some apple picking. It was sunny, with crystal clear blue skies. The air was crisp without being cold. It was the first time picking apples for Xan and Nancy, and they both seemed to truly enjoy the experience of being out in an orchard on a gorgeous late September day.

The weekend prior, we crammed in a lot of activities, with the highlight being a trip to Seabreeze Amusement Park and dinner at Castaways on the shore of Lake Ontario. I consider us lucky here in Rochester to have such an institution tucked right into northeast corner of the city right on the lake shore. It is an old-school amusement park, with classic rides like the log flume, bumper cars, and the scrambler. It also includes three roller coasters (two wooden, one steel), a decent set of water slides, and wave pool.

Sure, Darien Lake is a huge, modern amusement park a mere 45 minutes away, but it does not have that same character. Started back in 1879, Seabreeze is one of the oldest amusement parks still in operation in America, and it has a very Coney Island (during its heyday) feel to it. If you are ever in the Rochester area in the summer time, I would highly recommend it. At $12.99 for park access and unlimited rides, you cannot go wrong.

I have been playing golf for about four years now. At 27 years old when I first tried the sport, I got a fairly late start. I was reluctant to even try because I never saw the appeal of hitting a little ball and riding around on a silly little cart. Yet, the very first time I tried it, I was hooked.

There is nothing quite like the fresh air, pleasant vistas, good friends, and the challenge of the sport. Sometimes it is liberating to haul your clubs and walk the course. Other times it is fun to have a beer and drive around in the cart. The whole experience is relaxing in a way that I had never imagined. Well, that is, as long as the round does not go to complete shit.

Thankfully, this summer I seem to be coming into my own. I am still not good per se, but I can keep up with most other amateurs and I almost never have a completely embarrassing hole. Living in Rochester again has made it easy - there are more holes per capita than any other metro area over 1 million people, and the public courses are very inexpensive. In fact, Golf.com rated Rochester as the 10th best golf city in America.

I have been playing most of the summer at the South Course at Genessee Valley. Sometime we play just 9, others we play a full 18 holes. I have yet to try the North Course. The South Course is a wide open course set within a huge park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. It is fun but not difficult, and it is a great place to work on your game - even big mishits can be recovered most times.

This week, I convinced my golfing buddy to go to St. John Fisher's golf course for a change of pace. It is a very small, but regulation, 9-hole public course owned by St. John Fisher College. It is a walk-only course and costs a mere $10 greens fee ($11 on the weekend). It is a challenging little course, with very narrow fairways, almost always guarded on both sides by large hardwoods and thick underbrush. Most of the greens are tiny and undulating, with steep drop-offs on all sides. Some are also guarded by bunkers.

I really enjoy this course. It is scenic and requires solid skills to play well. It is also in good company - it is surrounded by Irondequoit Country Club's course and Oak Hill Country Club's course (where the Ryder Cup was played in 1995 and the PGA Championship in 2003 and next in 2013).

If you are an amateur golfer and in the Rochester area sometime, I would definitely recommend trying this little course. It is worth way more than the $10 cost.

This is my first post of the month, and the way things have been going recently, it could be my last until next month. Work has been hectic, I have my dog Scruffles back after her being at my parents for four years, and we were in vacation the week before last.

We stayed in at a small resort in Killington, Vermont for seven days, but made a road trip to another part of New England almost every day. Below is a brief summary of our various excursions and adventures.

Nancy at Casey's Caboose Steak House in Killington, Vermont

Sunday, August 9:  We arrived in Killington, VT around 3:00pm and checked into the resort. After getting settled in and a quick dip in the heated pool, we went for dinner at Casey's Caboose Steak House. After dinner, Xan and Nancy watched some television and went to bed. I went to The Back Behind Restaurant to watch the Bills pre-season game. There, I enjoyed a good conversation with the owners and bartender until aftet 1:00am.

Xan on the Killington Gondola

Monday, August 10:  Slept in until around 10:00am. Had breakfast at Wally's Grill, and then took the gondola to the top of Killington Mountain. Drove to Quechee, Vermont to see Quechee Gorge and do some shopping. Finished the day with dinner at The Back Behind Restaurant and a round of mini-golf at the resort.

South Freeport, Maine

Tuesday, August 11: Got up early to drive to Portland, Maine. Saw Henry Wadsworth-Longfellow's childhood home and explored the city. Then went to Freeport, Maine to see the L.L. Bean Factory store. Had dinner at Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster on the public docks in South Freeport, Maine.

Xan and Nancy at Dinner in Burlington

Wednesday, August 12: Slept in, and then went to a Chinese buffet in Rutland, Vermont. Drove to the capital, Montpelier, Vermont and toured the Vermont State Capital Building. Went to Waterbury, Vermont to tour the Ben & Jerry's Factory. Then drove to Burlington, Vermont to walk Church Street and enjoy a nice dinner outdoors at Halvorson's Upstreet Cafe.

Xan and Nancy by the Cog Train on Mt. Washington

Thursday, August 13: Got up early to drive to Mount Washington in New Hampshire. Drove up the Mount Washington Auto Road and saw the Cog Railway. Had dinner at the Red Parka Steakhouse & Pub and drove back through the White Mountains National Forest.

Nancy and Xan in the Quechee River

Friday, August 14: Spent the day shopping in Woodstock, Vermont and eating and drinking at the Long Trail Brewery.  Finished up in the pool and playing minigolf at the resort.

Xan and Nancy on the Ft. Ti Ferry

Saturday, August 15: Drove home, crossed Lake Champlain on the Fort Ticonderoga Ferry, swung by to have dinner with my parents and pick up my dog Scruffles to bring back with us.

Overall, a relaxing and fun vacation. Our next vacation? Thanksgiving week will be spent at Massanutten Resort in the Shenandoah Mountains of Virgina.   

In the debate over the future of health care, why is rationing such a dirty word? The fact of the matter is that resources are not infinite, and health care is set to reach an unsustainable 20 percent of GDP by 2017. It is not feasible to treat everyone at the highest level possible regardless of the chances of success. It is also not possible to run every test multiple times to confirm even easily diagnosed ailments, just to be safe. Why do we want to extend everyone's life, regardless of the quality of that extra time?

The fundamental issue here is human irrationality coupled with selfishness. People feel that they would do anything to keep their mom, dad, wife, child, etc. alive, no matter the cost or how low the chance for survival. In a world of finite resources, it is not possible to provide unlimited health care. It is far better for society to have everyone covered for treatable illnesses and injuries, and to mitigate pain and make the terminally ill comfortable. The American people need to grow up and accept how nature works. If we do not, we will soon be bankrupt and face falling standards of living across the board as we sink into economic mediocrity (or worse).

Congress should establish an independent, bipartisan commission to address the issue. In theory, that will free the issue from politics, and allow the hard decisions to be made. After all, those politicians have their precious positions to protect. In my opinion, it needs to address the whole system - top to bottom. I feel that medical school should be paid in full by the government for everyone that is accepted. The graduates should then become government employees with good, but reasonable, salaries. Their hours should be set at a reasonable level so that they are not awake for days at a time. Doctors should be motivated by a dedication to helping people, not money. Free health care should be provided to any US citizen or legal alien.

In short, I think the entire system SHOULD be completely socialized. I am a firm believer in capitalism, but health care is the one realm that I think cannot be left in the hands of companies and people driven by the pursuit of profits. As a society, we need to accept that we cannot have it all and look towards what is the greater good.