Late-April Update

With a new baby in the house, catching up on work after being out for a week, repairing damage from the North Texas storms that have been passing through, and a new series to catch up on, I haven’t had much time to do anything too interesting for a blog post.  However, I feel like something is needed, so I will give a brief update.
Baby Jackson (or Buddy as I keep calling him when he is in my arms) is doing well.  The disgusting dead skin on his belly button finally fell off and we gave him his first real bath last night in the kitchen sink, instead of the normal washing with a damp cloth to get dry skin to shed.  He has good nights and bad nights, but a schedule is starting to be maintained with him sleeping for four or five hours at night.  That isn’t too bad.  I especially appreciate Joanna, who is getting up to feed him so I can get my rest for work while she is a stay-at-home mom for two more months.  There is nothing abnormal to report on the little one.  He is growing at an ordinary rate, eating a little more, pooping a little more.
The first set of storms that came in at the beginning of the month flipped some shingles off the roof and knocked sections of our fence down.  I spent most of the vacation that was taken in order to have quality time with Jack repairing my fence and roof.  I still have a few sections of fence down, but they are in the front yard and don’t affect Mona being outside.  I hopefully will finish my roof work tonight before it gets too dark.
As far as that new television series I am watching, my buddy Danny lent me all five seasons of Dexter and I have thoroughly enjoyed the first season so far. I am going slower than normal when I am really into a show, but since most of my life is spent at work or watching over a newborn son or 3-year-old little girl I haven’t had much free time to enjoy TV like I used to.  Such is parenthood.  However, the show is great and the character Dexter Morgan might be the most interesting one TV has seen since George Costanza.  I really like the show and can’t wait to watch another episode or two tonight.
While I am here, I figured I would include a brief analysis of a movie I watched last night that seems to be adored by film noir fans but to me was a second-rate B movie thriller.  The movie in question was This Gun for Hire, starring Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake.  It seems that those who are in love with the film cite Ladd and Lake’s performances and the quick pace of the picture as its high points.  Yes, Ladd does a pretty good job of playing a cold, ruthless killer and the pace moves along well, but how hard is it to accomplish that feat when the movie is only 80 minutes long.
In general, Lake looks fantastic as the blonde bombshell of the picture, but her performance, along with nearly everyone else’s excluding Ladd’s, is wooden at best.  The plot is forgettable, dialogue laughable, and I was left with a feeling that it was bad, but not so bad to be enjoyable like sci-fi B movies of the 50s or Snakes on a Plane cringeworthy.  The relationship between Ladd and Lake’s characters is so unrealistic as genuine characterization would have had Lake spewing hateful obscenities at Ladd for the things he does to her and those she loves.  Trust me in that if you had seen this movie you would know what I was talking about.
I had heard good things about This Gun for Hire, but ultimately it was unsatisfying and quite a letdown.
That is about it I guess.  When something interesting happens I will throw it up here, but maybe I will generate something of interest to talk about before then.

Hello Jack!

Well, it took 13 hours of labor, two full hours of pushing during every contraction, and a vacuum to pull him out, but Jackson Harris Cook is here.  He came into this world at 8:11 p.m. and weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces.  His length was 19 1/4 inches.
Hopefully we will be released soon, not because I want to spend father-son time at home or am anxious to see what normal life will be like with our new son.  No, I want out of this hospital because of the fold-out bed.  It is awful.
Joanna did an incredible job and fought through pain and exhaustion to keep pushing.  I was so proud of her.  I even cried when he was finally pulled out.  It wasn't just because of the birth of Jack that I teared up, but I was overjoyed that Joanna was finally done pushing and it was also a complete release of the anxiety and tension I had felt for the day.
So far Jack has been doing well.  He spent most of the night in the nursery, unless he was feeding with Joanna.  I liked that he was there because it gave Joanna a chance to get some rest, which she needed.

It's Go Time

Today is the day we bring Jack into the world.  Pray for Joanna as she is very anxious about the labor process she will be put through today.  I will give updates when I can.

Rangers Continue Successful Run

Last night’s game was historic for a number of reasons.
First, it marked only the third time ever for a player to have homered in each of the first four games of the season.  Nelson Cruz is now in the same category as Willie Mays and Mark McGwire, who should be discounted as he has admitted to using steroids during his career.
Secondly, little Elvis Andrus hit his first major league home run after 705 plate appearances.  It was only Saturday I was telling my wife that Andrus would not hit for the cycle as he was short a home run and had never before hit one.  Also, I loved that the team momentarily ignored Andrus when he made it back to the dugout.  The players are having a lot of fun with each other and it shows.
Lastly, Michael Young moved into second place as the all-time games played as a Texas Ranger leader, only 60-ish games behind Rafael Palmeiro’s total of 1,573.
Include that the Rangers are now 4-0, which is something that hasn’t happened since the 1996 season, where they continued into the postseason for the first time ever in franchise history, and last night’s game against the Seattle Mariners was a great event.
I am loving the 2011 Texas Rangers.

Wow! Just, Wow!

I know it is only three games, but sweeping the American League darling Boston Red Sox (and handily I might add) is a great way to start this season.  It gives the team and its fans the confidence going forward needed for another great, competitive season.
Go Rangers!

High Hopes, High Marks For Rangers

Opening Day in Arlington was not exactly a perfect outing for the defending American League Champion Texas Rangers, but showing they are still the resilient, tough team who will continue to be a force in the West is what most fans were hoping for during the 2011 season.  Beating the Boston Red Sox 9 to 5 and David Murphy's pinch-hitting double to give the Rangers the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning was about as exciting of a moment the metroplex has had on Opening Day (even taking into consideration last year's ninth-inning walk-off hit from Jarrod Saltalamacchia).  What made yesterday so special was the residual expectations fans have after making it to the World Series last year.
The few downer moments from yesterday included an error on the first play of the game from centerfielder Julio Borbon, who is not endearing himself with the metroplex as manager Ron Washington's purported heir apparent to the position, and a pretty good outing from pitcher C.J. Wilson, but not quite the lights-out work everyone wanted.
Yesterday was only one of 162 games and overreactions, both good and bad, should be kept in check, but what yesterday did show was that it likely is going to be another long season with this team staying competitive long into the season.