tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90227726631194378452024-03-12T19:27:09.356-07:00The Awesome Blog of Dan Blackdan the guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09504672555154803331noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9022772663119437845.post-55470343335271935632011-08-08T18:31:00.000-07:002011-08-08T18:57:44.773-07:00Almost Five...In two days, Michelle and I will be celebrating our 5 year anniversary. I can't believe it! On the one hand it doesn't feel like it's been that long. On the other, I can't imagine life without her. Here's some random dan-and-michelle trivia:<div><ul><li>I flew home early from a trip to Greece to propose, and Michelle was <i>totally</i> surprised</li><li>Michelle got me a ring made from Tungsten, a hypo-allergenic element used in integrated circuit technology, and one of the hardest substances on the planet (though not harder than diamond - Thanks Liz for proving it, now my ring's scarred forever!)</li><li>Over the course of our marriage, we've lived in four different homes, gone through three jobs, and had two cute kids</li><li>We've been in Texas for almost half our marriage</li><li>Michelle likes my hair short - and it's a good thing, because hair longevity is just not in the cards for me</li><li>Michelle is an amazing cook, home-maker, planner, gardener, and mommy (just to name a few)</li><li>We look forward to date night every week</li><li>After five years, I love Michelle more than ever!</li></ul><div>Here's to another 50!</div></div>dan the guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09504672555154803331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9022772663119437845.post-18494004636372293302011-05-11T20:40:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:24:32.223-07:00Grandma BeaverTonight Jake was laying in bed and we were talking, and he was trying to tell me about Grandma Veater, but he couldn't quite remember the name. He thought really hard, saying, "Grandma ... Grandma ... Grandma Beaver."<br /><br />I don't think he realized what he'd said at first, because when I repeated it back to him he thought it was hilarious. Then he told me. "I don't know that word!"<br /><br />Love you, Grandma Beaver!dan the guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09504672555154803331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9022772663119437845.post-11304327731037989302011-04-26T18:43:00.000-07:002011-04-26T18:49:52.335-07:00I'm not creepy anymore!So, I decided to check my blog tonight and discovered two things:<br /><br />1) I haven't posted anything in over two years.<br />2) My picture and background were a little creepy.<br /><br />I don't particularly care for either item, and so BAMM!! I just destroyed both of them in one fell swoop!<br /><br />I now feel like I have control over my life like I never have before! Everything has changed! There's change in the air! People suddenly like me again! I'm handsome and wealthy (okay, just handsome)! Things are looking up!<br /><br />That's all for now. I'll post something again in somewhat less than two years.dan the guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09504672555154803331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9022772663119437845.post-7745552443570705942009-04-19T18:54:00.000-07:002009-04-19T19:31:33.096-07:00Life is goodI can't believe we've been in Texas a month! I'm loving my job so far and starting to feel productive. I've been tasked with doing a feasibility analysis for doing something in a way that hasn't been done before. This week was defined by meetings reporting my results so far. I received lots of positive feedback from my supervisor and team about my presentations. My favorite was when the semi-retired former CEO (of a major acquired company) asked, "Who the hell hired you anyway?" When I told him he reluctantly credited my supervisor: "I guess he gets <em>some</em> things right." I was also told that what I've done was "impressive" and "really well thought out," so things are going well so far.<br /><br />We've been slowly unpacking (whenever we feel motivated enough to - taking care of Jacob tires out both me and Michelle). We do have the trampoline set up in the backyard, so it's finally convenient to use my tramp every day. (Thanks Mom and Dad for holding it for me for a few years.) Michelle and I have been playing "add-on" frequently in the evenings after putting Jake down.<br /><br />While I was waiting for Michelle and Jacob to join me, I entertained myself by writing a few songs for the guitar. In addition to the "Polar Bears and Meese" song, I have written a lullaby and a song about how Michelle and I met (or didn't meet). Michelle's been asking me to write them down, so I found some free music notation software and I've been tinkering with it a little. If I get ambitious you may see some of my compositions soon.<br /><br />So, all in all, things are going well for us in Texas. We're looking forward to having company, so feel free to pay us a visit.dan the guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09504672555154803331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9022772663119437845.post-42414749900293693202009-01-13T11:02:00.000-08:002009-01-13T11:29:10.275-08:00guitar-ingFor Christmas, Michelle gave me a guitar.<br /><br />For those of you that are wondering - no, I don't play the guitar. At least, I didn't until about 3 weeks ago. Now, I'm almost professional! I have even written my first song, inspired by one of Jacob's footed pajamas and certain events that occurred at the time of composition. Lyrics below:<br /><br />You got polar bears, and meese,<br /> and fishes, and penguini.<br />You got polar bears, and meese,<br /> and fishes, and penguini.<br />And your mom needs a towel right now,<br /> so we'll get her a towel right now.<br />You got polar bears, and meese,<br /> and fishes, and penguini.<br /><br />The best thing about this song is that once you hear it, you can't get it out of your head. Michelle and I have both been singing it under our breath for the last several days, and it's driving us both nuts. Watch out Jonas Brothers, here I come!dan the guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09504672555154803331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9022772663119437845.post-29080780919779980212008-11-07T20:27:00.000-08:002008-11-07T20:50:39.855-08:00rain<div>why does it always rain hard?</div><div>why am i drenched? - there's a hole in my umbrella.</div><div>i can look through it and get spattered in the eye.</div><div>so much for seeing where i'm going.</div><div><br /></div><div>why does it always rain hard?</div><div>why am i cold? - i hug my jacket to me.</div><div>i can feel my breath and warm my face.</div><div>i can't seem to feel my toes.</div><div><br /></div><div>where are my toes taking me?</div><div>i seem to be going in circles.</div><div>i've splashed through that puddle three times already.</div><div>is this the way i've been going all along?</div><div><br /></div><div>water flows downhill, right?</div><div>i don't want to go that way; i want to go up.</div><div>i will set a new course to get to higher ground.</div><div>maybe i can get above the clouds.</div><div><br /></div><div>why does it always rain hard?</div><div>if it were only a drizzle, would i open my eyes?</div><div>i can see to change my path and actually get somewhere.</div><div>i'll take poor visibility over blindness.</div>dan the guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09504672555154803331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9022772663119437845.post-46696861160640511972008-11-01T20:34:00.000-07:002008-11-01T20:59:09.423-07:00Poor us!We're all sick.<br /><br />Jacob has had a stuffy nose and cough for the last few days. Worst of all, he hasn't been able to sleep very well because his nose has been stuffed up. That means that none of us has really been able to sleep. And now Michelle and I have caught what Jake's had.<br /><br />It hit Michelle the hardest. She's been really tired and achy. Both of us have had a lot of sinus congestion and have been really tired. Michelle was still really kind to take care of Jake while I took my daily nap.<br /><br />I think Jake is over the worst of it, but he's still really tired. Today he fell asleep laying on Michelle or I several times.<br /><br />So we've been bonding by taking care of each other. We're a sorry bunch, but hopefully we'll be better soon.dan the guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09504672555154803331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9022772663119437845.post-13735529431826097382008-08-22T12:44:00.000-07:002008-08-22T12:51:17.065-07:00JulioDo random memories ever pop into your head where you think, "Where did that come from?" Maybe I'm <span style="font-style: italic;">special.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span>I just remembered, for whatever reason, that my favorite taxi driver in Maracaibo was Julio. Julio was a talkative 60-something codger with a talent for squeezing his boat of a car into the tightest spots without even a tap on the brakes. I had long since been desensitized to aggressive Venezuelan driving, so I always requested Julio in order to get my errands done as quickly as possible. Ah, memories . . .dan the guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09504672555154803331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9022772663119437845.post-19049272786109873862008-08-19T20:18:00.000-07:002008-08-20T07:49:26.954-07:00I really am manly . . .Some of you may have read the blogs that my wife has been posting about all of our fun family activities. I don't dispute any of them - Michelle is nothing if not honest. So you probably know that we read the Twilight series together, and that I've made cookies, and, yes, even attempted to sew. Maybe you are thinking to yourself, "That Dan character really seems kind of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">girly</span>," but I assure you that that particular thought is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">unequivocally</span> false.<br /><br />What Michelle has failed to mention are all the incredibly manly things that I do, so I thought I would take this opportunity to enlighten you.<br /><ul><li>First, I use power tools on a regular basis, drilling holes and mounting hardware.</li><li>Michelle asks me <em>all the time</em> to open very stuck jars for her.</li><li>I'm the bread-winner of the Black household, and the fruit-winner, and the vegetable-winner, and the ice-cream-winner.</li><li>I lift weights (at least once this week).</li><li>I only shave three times a week, and you can tell.</li><li>I'm married to a beautiful woman.</li><li>I play Ultimate Frisbee twice a week, and always have some sort of battle scar from a magnificent defensive play or awesome diving catch in the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">endzone</span>.</li><li>I'm the dad that can beat up your kid's dad.</li></ul><p>So before you accuse me of being a pansy, just ask yourself, "Am I comfortable enough with my manhood to sew, or cook, or clean, or do <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">cheerleading</span>?" Who's the real pansy?</p>dan the guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09504672555154803331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9022772663119437845.post-62744323842063140352008-08-05T21:27:00.000-07:002008-08-06T07:35:51.510-07:00Super powersI love to read books and watch movies with characters that have super powers. For whatever reason, I just like the idea that people can do "impossible" things. Or I did, at least, until I discovered that my own son has undeniable powers. I have listed a few of these below so that you can evaluate the super status of your own children.<br /><ol><li>Jacob can screech at exactly the right pitch and intensity to shatter eardrums. I've already gone through several pair after they've been destroyed by his siren squeals.</li><li>His hands are magnetically attracted to my glasses.</li><li>His slobber has the power to appear anywhere on his or my person.</li><li>Jacob has incredible strength, which he uses to pinch skin, yank chest hair, and hold onto Cheerios as though his life depends on it.</li><li>He can aparate out of sight instantaneously. (This ability is just beginning to manifest itself, but I'm sure it will develop quickly.)</li><li>His extreme cuteness can melt away any feelings of anger or animosity.<br /></li><li>He has the ability to overpower his enemies with an incredible stench.</li></ol><p>If your child has any of these abilities, he/she may also be a "Super." I'm sure this is just the tip of the iceberg. If you have identified any other super abilities that your child may have, please let me know so that I can prepare myself as much as possible.</p>dan the guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09504672555154803331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9022772663119437845.post-55791733376180924232008-07-30T19:17:00.000-07:002008-07-30T19:35:31.149-07:00And the winner is . . .I promised a gold star to whoever could figure out from where I (<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">inadvertently</span>) swiped the title of this blog. Kudos to Matt and also my coworker Grant. Feel free to print out this image and paste it to your foreheads.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDf227PDsbC6deRMGWz1B810rW_wmEYk0AGt9nheX5xg_QKbHJo0lMU3_9wcBhX_IzoZZ4EOY5hxTkxwKEv3Lh2UTeowkHHnnJ5JzllRyeJC7aOfY-ewf_Xps3A2bUlv1kS73gqUTJNjpC/s1600-h/goldstar.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228996955636156290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDf227PDsbC6deRMGWz1B810rW_wmEYk0AGt9nheX5xg_QKbHJo0lMU3_9wcBhX_IzoZZ4EOY5hxTkxwKEv3Lh2UTeowkHHnnJ5JzllRyeJC7aOfY-ewf_Xps3A2bUlv1kS73gqUTJNjpC/s320/goldstar.jpg" border="0" /></a>For the rest of you, the quote is from Lord of the Rings. Turns out I got the quote a little bit wrong. What Gandalf really says is "A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives preisely when he means to."dan the guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09504672555154803331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9022772663119437845.post-90765553002086855762008-07-29T17:24:00.000-07:002008-07-29T17:42:14.028-07:00All tuckered out<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLza7YvtVOsH8WarVKVi6mzr1O2kk6tlLhPEgSkQPwaP5ARipx5RSGETkczV3POX4SpwcPy44C50DyrE6JteKykUPipAnSkt4N2l95B8QnTBybNG-1fCqYAZrlPxsPOrvh0W-kYGHR7jG/s1600-h/Michelle+sleeping.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228596846251208082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLza7YvtVOsH8WarVKVi6mzr1O2kk6tlLhPEgSkQPwaP5ARipx5RSGETkczV3POX4SpwcPy44C50DyrE6JteKykUPipAnSkt4N2l95B8QnTBybNG-1fCqYAZrlPxsPOrvh0W-kYGHR7jG/s320/Michelle+sleeping.JPG" border="0" /></a> After I got home today, I took Jacob, and Michelle crashed on the couch. That little boy is a lot of work. I really appreciate all the hard work Michelle does for our family.<br /><div></div>dan the guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09504672555154803331noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9022772663119437845.post-79609451726153975382008-07-23T20:16:00.000-07:002008-07-23T20:42:04.942-07:00OptionalWhen I was in high school (junior high?), I had a class where we would start each day just writing in a notebook. It could be a story, a poem, or just whatever was in your head at the moment. The following paragraphs are what popped out as I sat down, stared off into space, and let my fingers do their own thing. Reading them is entirely optional.<br /><br />It is dark. Not the kind of darkness where you can't see anything, but where you can just make out fuzzy images. Just enough information that you can imagine something is there that you don't expect. Sometimes I think that I can see things in my path, but other times I stumble into things that I somehow missed.<br /><br />After hours, days of haziness, I see a giant hole in the ground. It swallows what little light there is, and as I approach I can sense the light retreating away from me. After some time I realize I am in the hole. I am floating in nothingness, relaxed, but slightly afraid of what may come. I feel that I am falling, and I wonder, without much worry, "how fast am I falling?" and "will I hit the bottom soon or should I just enjoy the breeze?"<br /><br />Such a nice breeze. I can throw a frisbee in that. Not at all gusty. Maybe if I put enough float on it, I could catch my own throw. But how do I run in this floating, non-space. And where the heck is my disk? "Don't tread on me," it says, with a little picture of a porcupine on it. I don't know what that really means, but it's one of my favorite disks. Kimball took my other disk to Mexico. I wonder if it will learn to speak Mexican.<br /><br />On sixty minutes there was a program about "El sistem" in Venezuela. What a cool program! Get the kids off the streets and into an orchestra. If I had my own oboe, maybe I would go to Venezuela. I think that qualifies as "Dan Logic." That lightbulb hasn't come on for a while.<br /><br />Having short hair is advantageous - my hair doesn't go so wild after running around outside.dan the guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09504672555154803331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9022772663119437845.post-429053905788593002008-07-15T20:51:00.000-07:002008-07-15T21:15:02.309-07:00Hard at workWhile I was at work today, Jacob was just lounging around. What a lazy little boy! I think I may have to start charging rent.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp51tKfmIed5Yc2dOK3-MnLhQchCyUOXeP2xtWQn1hI7kfpIPtjn8gddpNl6aT7mfL3PC3-iHZwuNRvCB7Ut_tbtoNQRnPgQsXHif-QK2K7dTWe7sviBm_C3ZFWmMZ7UP3DIW4W9o0kN3J/s1600-h/July+15+2008+Swimming+008.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223457416589249346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp51tKfmIed5Yc2dOK3-MnLhQchCyUOXeP2xtWQn1hI7kfpIPtjn8gddpNl6aT7mfL3PC3-iHZwuNRvCB7Ut_tbtoNQRnPgQsXHif-QK2K7dTWe7sviBm_C3ZFWmMZ7UP3DIW4W9o0kN3J/s320/July+15+2008+Swimming+008.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzrMyIKQxHUT2ggpO-Z12x3vo9TGnmYMYCcalMHNYIqQm1N2x84Qxcrom3tOUBaJoOi7oPb2ovNHNkhvpOqTNSQhwOmECJ_bbETxvO1RcHaJDOYtSc3A86C2-EgPpNOlCdMxx0lZtBSSL/s1600-h/July+15+2008+Swimming+017.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223457421993026834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzrMyIKQxHUT2ggpO-Z12x3vo9TGnmYMYCcalMHNYIqQm1N2x84Qxcrom3tOUBaJoOi7oPb2ovNHNkhvpOqTNSQhwOmECJ_bbETxvO1RcHaJDOYtSc3A86C2-EgPpNOlCdMxx0lZtBSSL/s320/July+15+2008+Swimming+017.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6jfXhTQz9Q2sQBdF7AlANekYA0DfbVkK4tHZwp3WESJYeDVSM3QrA9gFHG3PCM2ytTl20xJWXPY0uCBb0F0AHXIjxGoyTl7BU-2IV7ziU8TglJZFuVhgXxvce6CVckc84ZyPd4VHiIer/s1600-h/July+15+2008+Swimming+024.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223457424376839218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6jfXhTQz9Q2sQBdF7AlANekYA0DfbVkK4tHZwp3WESJYeDVSM3QrA9gFHG3PCM2ytTl20xJWXPY0uCBb0F0AHXIjxGoyTl7BU-2IV7ziU8TglJZFuVhgXxvce6CVckc84ZyPd4VHiIer/s320/July+15+2008+Swimming+024.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVOLm-NRfCiq89E8RTOZgrpsKIM8YZmFd0n5JotzsbkwIDbOoFpKdDXZ6p3ru912oUM0mioQTlehyphenhyphen4OP-kgGvtAmUVkAN7rhJFLlH6ccRxTtWeHw_HwywtkNU8QklTW-b8c7yZZrHgKlX/s1600-h/July+15+2008+Swimming+026.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223459118323765570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVOLm-NRfCiq89E8RTOZgrpsKIM8YZmFd0n5JotzsbkwIDbOoFpKdDXZ6p3ru912oUM0mioQTlehyphenhyphen4OP-kgGvtAmUVkAN7rhJFLlH6ccRxTtWeHw_HwywtkNU8QklTW-b8c7yZZrHgKlX/s320/July+15+2008+Swimming+026.JPG" border="0" /></a> I guess it's not all roses.<br /><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvK8AxvdAFBsbmFZFC4fnt3wVZTOfEb70XQLDdXgq8vMpP7_VeJUcpSC_mRh6KzNs5WIG0w9G8yc0AZdmZDl1Wkj_few3pFKWfvEwH7scrqsWDh2SUO_EnVNTf8H5Fdn8rdMXE8vCNLpUk/s1600-h/8+Months+Old+004.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223455018330076034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvK8AxvdAFBsbmFZFC4fnt3wVZTOfEb70XQLDdXgq8vMpP7_VeJUcpSC_mRh6KzNs5WIG0w9G8yc0AZdmZDl1Wkj_few3pFKWfvEwH7scrqsWDh2SUO_EnVNTf8H5Fdn8rdMXE8vCNLpUk/s320/8+Months+Old+004.JPG" border="0" /></a>At the end of the day he got a little bit done. I guess I won't have to throw him out after all. </div></div>dan the guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09504672555154803331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9022772663119437845.post-51612846708684452502008-07-10T15:51:00.000-07:002008-07-10T16:06:47.441-07:00PlagarismI just realized that my blog title is a modified movie quote. I swear this was not intentional! I guess I just don't have enough personality to come up with great things to say on my own. Gold star to anyone who can figure out what movie (yes - leave me some comments!). Once again, this blog was posted neither late nor early.dan the guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09504672555154803331noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9022772663119437845.post-86831711024921633882008-07-09T14:29:00.000-07:002008-07-09T14:52:57.438-07:00Now!My timing is impeccable. There is no limit to the precision of my chronometric ablities. Did you notice how the title of this entry popped into your head exactly when I inteded it to? Oh my gosh - that's incredible!<br /><br />The purpose of this blog is two-fold. First, it will serve as a place for me to pretend to be creative. I haven't used the right half of my brain for several years, and I think it may have started to atrophy. (Notice the crookedness of my neck in many of the yet-to-be-posted photos). Second, Michelle does such a great job with our family blog, and I would like a place to put my random thoughts without corrupting her blogging masterpiece.<br /><br />So let the blogging begin . . . now!dan the guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09504672555154803331noreply@blogger.com1