For now, let's just call it a break...

For those that have wondered, I have been slack for the last handful of months when it comes to blogging. If you visit regularly, thank you. Seriously. Thank you. I hope you will someday buy a book or two and let me buy you a drink as one of the few that paid attention way back when. But I don't think I'll be doing this much longer. Life's about transitions, and I've spent more than 4 years wearing out my welcome on a free template with not much to show for it. Other things are happening in my creative considerations and I don't know how often I'll be back here. Pictures of Maya and the whole famn damily in addition to occasional cultural reviews are surely going to be offered up. Maybe with more of an emphasis on RSS feeds, Tweets, and all manner of convenience so you can be better told when to check back. But I seriously mean this...thank you for checking in. I've always tried to walk something of a complex line between promoting how utterly proud I am of my family and how I want my family to be somewhat hidden from overt view. Maybe that's why I've never become one of those over-exposed ironies that then hides in the backyard clubhouse. This has been fun. It ain't over. Well, it sort of is over. Funny how that happens, doncha know.

Hope your own half-step away only gives you a better view of the whole picture today. Rock on.

When's the Hot Karl protest, by the way?

With Tax Day in the rearview and Patriots Day on deck, this might be the time to offer my view of the utterly silly teabagging protests yesterday. Not that I actually saw a conservative commentator with testicles in his mouth to dissect their technique. But I digress. The whole Tea Party shtick is beyond mockable. How many people that made over $250K this past year do you think attended those varied gatherings nationwide? And how many of them do you think actually paid for a bushel or two of Lipton's (a British company to expand upon the ignorant irony) that after a few hours got tossed in a dumpster? My bet - 200. Tops. Hating taxes is as American as having come from somewhere else in the last few centuries. Acting like now is the time to finally rein in wasteful spending by tossing teabags over the fence at the White House - well, that's just plain reeks of having never read a history book.

Maya continues to be on break from her part-time daycare. Apparently, Passover warrants two weeks of closure. Where I grew up, we got more time for deer hunting season off from school than Easter. Obviously, perspective matters almost as much as denomination. Regardless, Maya and I are finishing up our hot chocolate at our local bakery before heading to the library. Lots of time for riding her newer new bike later.

Hope your own protests aren't strictly decaf today. Rock on.

A recycled Purim outfit, tailor made for Easter playtime.

A recycled Purim outfit, tailor made for Easter playtime.
Originally uploaded by emaggie

Egg coloring time.

Egg coloring time.
Originally uploaded by emaggie

Diggin' the new ride.

Diggin' the new ride.
Originally uploaded by emaggie

Checking out her new bike. Which we've decided to exchange. Not butch enough.

Checking out her new bike. Which we've decided to exchange. Not butch enough.
Originally uploaded by emaggie

And no shoes were chucked at this particular Commander in Chief

Obama's tour through Europe was fascinating. Political impasses, minor chaotic protests, a constantly fawning public, and blossoming bromances across the spectrum of leaders. Not so much with Angela Merkel. But after doing a star turn in Turkey that we can already point to as a game-changer (they will once again let our military use their airspace as a pipeline in and out of Iraq) Obama flew into Iraq through that airspace. It wasn't much of a surprise to most of the press corps. Still, great theatre.

One quickie review - "Adventureland" is a bit over-rated. Great nostalgia for those of us that came of age in the late 80s. Great soundtrack, with both Husker Du and The Replacements in the mix. Jessie Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart are big stars in the making. Ryan Reynolds is lovable as always, even while playing a cad. But the middle was too muddled. My rating - B-minus.

Maya's on the leading edge of a two-week Passover break. So let the endless playdate scheduling begin! I'm sure by the end of next week we'll all be ready to get back to business. For now, it's fun though. Especially since Seattle's enjoying a serious dose of Springtime weather.

Hope your own windows are open and your juiceboxes are chillin'. Rock on.