My Family and Other Animals

In honor of our trip to the San Diego Zoo, following Two's triumphant presentation at TedMed, I have decided to publicly unveil the TD family's 2009 (2010 coming soon) surrogate family portrait.

*Full view recommended, because it's way more awesome.

I have nothing left to say.

Top 5

Top five from San Diego
Well, the first two days.

1. Watching Two present at TedMed!

2. Our private audiences with David Blaine and the "ExperiMentalist" (quarters were bent [by the touch of a finger], plants bounced [with MIND POWERS], brothers hypnotized [no matter how he tried, Brother Z could not tear my fingers apart], and maps unwrapped. . . again, by mind powers).
3. Visiting the 14 month old panda at the San Diego Zoo.

4. Sitting next to Martha Stewart at the inaugural session of TedMed. . .well, she was four seats away.

5. Touching a pig lung--kept alive for a day (!) on a new machine that will inevitably improve the quality of organs used for transplantation.


Stay tuned for more from San Diego!

Praise for Two! Truly Two, you are too, TOO Much!

Here are a few fun pieces written about Two's performance at TedMed Yesterday.

The Wall Street Journal

CNN

abc

Scientific American

e-patients

MedGadget

annnnnnnnnnd

Fox Mr. One will be pleased

To paraphrase them all, "Two is pretty/talented/wonderful/inspiring. Holy Cow girl."

HalloWINNER!

Yesterday I left work in a rather dark mood. One of my coworkers had done something especially loathsome. Luckily I had some powerful forces helping keep my mood bright. There was my dear old friends Mother Nature and Lady Autumn came to the rescue with gorgeous weather. The good folks of Georgetown, and their outlandish Halloween decorations. Teabelly, with her support and indignation. And--of course--Dr. P. who does an amazing job of being WAY angrier than I am when someone gets on my nerves. Thank you all dear ones! I love you guys.


Here are some loads of pics of the ever festive Georgetown. I'm usually not a fan of scary decorations, but I think there was something cathartic about them yesterday...

(I've arranged the photos in order from Charming to Alarming abandon ship at your leisure)

this pumpkin must have weighed 300 lbs



Ghosts are cute, right?


Technically not Halloween decorations, but rather apropos...

Spiders were evidently very in this year. The one on the left took up the entire side of a house!


Here the right one was about 8 ft. across.


I realize he's flawed, but you know I have a thing for doctors!

TED-y to go

So...

There are these conferences called TED conferences. I am opening one THIS afternoon at 5 pm in San Diego CA -- say a little prayer for me! For more on the conference, click here.

A Thousand Words

Apple Picking

Before they become completely obsolete, here are a few fun shots from our Ohio apple picking adventure.

Enterprising Equine Efforts

Last weekend, Momo was able to snag tickets to the widely publicized horse and pony show put on by the frogs. . . I mean, folks. . . who organize Cirque Du Soleil. Being the dedicated blogger that I am, I *cough Four cough* realized that this would be great opportunity to offer Five readership an exclusive pictorial plunge into the closely guarded* sensation that is

CAVALIA

(sorry, Courier is the most enigmatic font that Blogger offers.)

*Closely guarded refers to the 'No Pictures/Videos/Macaroni Portraits' policy that is strictly enforced at all performances of Cavalia. Subsequently, your exclusive look will be a composite of clip art, prehistoric-19th century oil paintings, and out-of-date circus posters.

Enjoy!

ACT I

Act I started with the agonizingly graphic birth of a foal.
For those of you wondering, witnessing horse birth is a bad item
for a bucket list. . .
. . . it's bad because it's gross.
The looks on the faces above are not ones of joy, but of abject horror.

Horse trotting

Tumblers!

Horse and large ball

SPECTACULAR STUNTS!

INTERMISSION

ACT II

Splendorous feats!!!

Pastoral trotting

Remarkable trapeze/horse action!

Many horses galloping!!!

APPLAUSE!!! Applause! APPLAUSE!!!!

A note to those who have seen Cavalia: I realize that my pictures may not have done it justice (pfffft, thanks a lot, Google *derisive snort*). I will point out that the photos are only meant to serve as a springboard for your imagination. . . Cavalia can be whatever you imagine it to be!

They've really got to get some curlier scripts, gosh darn it.

Pummywumpkins

On Monday, while One was locked in mortal battle with the DC permit office, Momo took Five, Brother Z and me on a different--less engaging--kind of crusade (the crusade against bad teeth and sick children). We woke up at 5:30 a.m., drove to the doctor's office, filled out forms, waited in line, got our flu shots, drove to the dental center, filled out more forms and spent several hours getting our teeth scratched. Because our agenda was neither thrilling nor enjoyable, Momo decided to throw in something to sweeten the deal. So, after our appointments, unable to eat or move our left arms, we headed to Rock Creek Farm in Broomfield, Co. We picked pumpkins, meandered through the corn maze, perused autumnal goodies, and got to know a particularly affable black and orange speckled rooster.

To finish the day we indulged in the perfect harvest meal: super scrumptious pumpkin ricotta rigatoni, carottes fouettées (recipe below), and lemon pepper broccoli. I love fall!

Just because...

This has nothing to do with anything really, except that I needed something to brighten my day, and thought y'all might enjoy it too!

Fall & in love...

I love autumn. I love pretty much everything about it. I love the weather, and the colors. I love eating fresh crisp apples of a fresh crisp day. I love how it’s cold enough to turn my cheeks, lips, and nose bright red, but warm enough that it doesn't sting. I love wearing boots, scarves, and corduroy, carving pumpkins, and braiding head-wreaths out of leaves.

This weekend Dr. P and I simply basked in the loveliness of the season, and we have the pictures to prove it!

Friday: Milkshakes at Z Burger (they boast a truly awesome menu of 75 flavors)
with Doctors P, T, & D

Saturday: Benefit Concert for Tahirih,
a great organization that protects women and girls from violence

Though I ran out of batteries taking pictures of the lake...
Dr. S and one of the guys' faculty members played brilliantly in their respective bands:
Palpable Thrill and Prescription for disaster

and to top it off

on Monday we had a meeting with the Girl Scouts
and they brought COOKIES!