Slow-Mo GI-Joe

The slowest rocket ever [a one-act play]

Cobra 1: "Oh no! That GI-Joe Tomcat shot a rocket at us!"
Cobra 2: "What should we do?"
Cobra 1: "I dunno"
Cobra 2: "Hey, what about moving out of the way?"
Cobra 1: "That might work."
Cobra 2: "I respectfully disagree."
Cobra 1: "What other choice do we have?"
Cobra 2: "I suppose you're right, but it's getting really close now."
Cobra 1: "... well? Can we still avoid it"
Cobra 2: "Maybe not... let's parachute out on the count of three."
Cobra 1: "Wait, is that on 3? or after 3? Like 1,2,jump? or 1,2,3,jump?
Cobra 2: "I said on three, so 1,2,jump?
Cobra 1: "Got it."
Cobra 2: "Hey, remember in Top Gun where Maverick told another pilot to break right on the count of 3, and then instead of starting at 1, he started at 3? Who does that? Is that like a Scientology thing?"
[The End]

I believe that's the exact conversation every Cobra pilot had with their co-pilot before their rattler/hiss/flying bubble got blown up.
I also believe that the bad guys on Chuck last night stole the slowest rocket in the world from GI Joe. It was so slow it put The Wife into labor.

the new hotness

I have a new favorite show, Chuck. Let me list the reasons:

#10: Episodes are entitled things like Chuck Versus the Wookie (and the show has little to do with a Wookie, but you have to watch it anyways in hopes of seeing a Wookie).
#9: Chuck works at Buy More, a greener version of Best Buy. Chuck is part of the Nerd Herd.
#8: Lester, Jeff and Anna. These three are the rest of the Nerd Herd. Kings and queens of their own relatively limited domain.
#7: Ellie Bartowski, Chuck's supportive and attractive sister with whom he lives. She's dating Captain Awesome who narrowly avoided this list.
#6: Gadgets! This show has gadgets everywhere. There is a Nerd Herd subcompact that has a full arsenal of weaponry, ejection seats and great handling. Guns are hidden everywhere, including a coffee table at the Buy More.
#5: The intersect. The premise is that Chuck saw a bunch of top secret images, but the only way he remembers the information is by seeing a visual cue... like a mercenary at costco shopping for muffins. It's eye-dialating fun!
#4: Morgan Grimes: A darker, more hairy version of Seth Green, Morgan is the best-friend sidekick. Loyal to a fault, Morgan is in love with Chuck's sister, and acts like he's still in jr high. Chuck usually has to end up saving Morgan from himself. One of the defining moments for his character is when he is faced with the decision of if he is ready to tuck in his shirts.
#3: Nerd-loving references. I've mentioned the wookie, but the show has referenced Klingons, sand-worms (shai-halud!), video games, and much, much more. Every show has me stifling a laugh at least twice for some nerdy reason that makes the Wife roll her eyes.
#2: Sarah Walker-the stunning, blonde secret agent sent to protect Chuck. Her cover is that she works at the Bavarian-themed corn-dog shop next to the Buy More and she and Chuck are dating. Of course there tension and confusion between the two and the ultimate question is if their fake relationship will ever be real. Oh yeah, and she can kick really high even though she isn't related to Walker, Texas Ranger.
#1: Chuck... a regular guy that looks a little like Jimmy Fallon. Chuck is a regular guy who was stuck in a rut until he stumbled upon top-secret information that only he knows. Now he's leading a double-life. He's a Buy More employee during the day and a cache of government secrets during the night... and sometime during the day. The show is really driven by him trying to be a best friend, a brother, and an employee, all while trying to save the world with a girl he has a crush on.

Chuck: Mondays at 8pm on NBC. The new hotness.

Almost

so the baby is still in the womb... but she's kicking like a baby, not poking like an alien.

I can't believe it's only 2 weeks or so away. I installed the baby's carseat over the weekend and driving around with it has made this whole fatherhood thing very, very real. I think one thing I've always heard is how fatherhood changes a person's faith, and how understanding a father's sacriface can't really be understood until you have a child of your own.

I think I'm starting to understand now. I was reading about a newstory about a family that lost all three children to a car accident and was really hit hard. I don't even have a daughter yet, but she already is so important to us and we have hopes and dreams and plans for her. We talk about when she can date, and how she'll learn to do her make up. We talk about discipling her and when she can watch tv. We've got her hobbies picked out already and are close to deciding her favorite color... and she hasn't even seen any colors yet!

My Favorite Reporter

Robert Mak has met his match.

"Jesse Jones, King 5 News!" I watch the news just so I can see Jesse Jones literally spit out his name at the end of his report. Join me in the cult of Jesse Jones.

Now if only she could run eighty-eight miles per hour...

The Wife is a time machine. I don't mean that she has a great memory (because you lose 10 percent of your brain power when you're pregnant). I don't mean that she keeps all of her old clothes and recycles styles from a bygone age. I mean that if you jump on her back and get her to run eighty-eight miles per hour you could go back to 1965.

One of the things about being "with child" is that your tummy expands. The expansion, of course, is the result of the baby growing inside you. This phenomenon is accompanied by the outie. Belly buttons, which are normally concave, pop up like those plastic turkey-cooking indicators. I believe that there is supposed to be an audible "pop" during navel inversion.

The Wife's navel has yet to invert, but as she nears that point, her belly button is becoming shallower and wider as the skin stretches under the strain of maternity. I noticed last night for the first time that her belly button has a distict Y-shaped pattern in the creases. Indeed, my wife has a flux-capacitor. GREAT SCOTT!

The Quickening

No it's not some crazy ritual from the Highlander, it's when you can start feeling the baby move. The baby actually starts moving from the 7th or 8th week, but now it's about 12 cm long and can kick with enough force to make you feel it. Some people describe it as butterflies or a small bird fluttering around, but The Wife says it feels like she's on a rollercoaster when it drops, but on a smaller scale.

Kick ass. We'll find out the sex in 3 days.

fruits

We're about 17 or 18 weeks along. At 9 weeks the little thing was about the size of a stawberry and had visible toes and fingers. At 11 weeks it's about the size of a lime and by 13 weeks it is the size of a peach. At 16 weeks it has ears and little lungs that are learning to work.

People ask me if I'm ready and I don't think anybody can really be ready for something like this. You just read the books, pray and thank God that you have friends and family to help you.

What's keeping me up at night: medical problems for mom and baby, finding a good doctor, finishing school, and a due date during finals.

Holiday Blockbuster!!!

I'm a producer!!! a reproducer!!!

Sickly.

Honestly, I can't remember a time when I've been this sickly. This past week I caught the flu. It hasn't been too bad except this lingering cough. This past night, after keeping the Wife up with my coughing I decided to go get some theraflu. At 2 am, I pulled on some clothes and hoped that the local CVS pharmacy would be open. It wasn't. But on my walk around the block I found a little grocery store that had a small selection of cold medicine. I picked up some overpriced theraflu and went home.

What surprised me was the number of people out at 2 am on a Thursday night. Bars were just closing, people were finishing up their last drinks or trying to find someplace else to go. Three people asked me for a smoke on my ten minute walk, and one guy was genuinely annoyed when I said I didn't have any cigarettes on me, like he was some sort of sidewalk troll who requires cigarettes to pass.

The other discovery we've made this past week has been cupcakes. Friends have told us that NY is known for their cupcakes... seriously. So I've kept my eyes out for any cupcake boutiques, and found one just a block away. We've never seen it before because it's past our normal subway entrance. There's also a Banana Republic a block beyond that.

I wish I could say that I have something more interesting to write about, but work is pretty boring. When I first arrived, there were six interns. We all took care of clerical duties as well as legal research. The past two weeks there have only been two interns so I've mainly been doing clerical work. Unfortunately, I still have memos and opinions that I need to write so I've been working longer hours and through my lunch break. I haven't even had time to go to my favorite fried dumpling spot.

celebrity citings.

No that's not a typo. It's a law school joke.

Being in New York, I've had the opportunity to see multiple film crews and the occasional celebrity.

The first celebrity I saw was Sam Waterson and his co-stars from Law and Order outside our courtroom on my first day at work. Since then, I've seen crews at grand central station (we inadvertantly walked through the background when were coming off the subway), in greenwich village, and in SoHo. In SoHo, I swear the actor being filmed was Josh Hartnett, but I was too far away to say for sure.

The closest I've come to a celebrity has been in the bathroom at the MoMA, 2nd floor. The Wife, her friend and I had just finished eating and were discussing which exhibit to see next when I saw a man that looked vaguely familiar walk past. I went into the restroom, in part because I was curious, and washed my face. As I looked up, standing next to me, washing his hands was Matthew Perry, looking not quite as old and as fat as one would think from the tabloids. I was so shocked all I could do was give him an open-mouthed stare that he pretended not to notice.

My friend Suzanna told me that I should've done the Janice, "OH-MY-GOD!" if only i could turn back time.

Oh, the law school part. One of the cool things about working in the Southern District of New York is that a lot of cases come along involving large corporations or famous celebrities. Sorry, nothing juicy.

Happy Law Day!

May 1 is Law Day. Law Day was originally started by President Dwight Eisenhower in response to Labor Day, a holiday celebrated in other parts of the country that has a slightly socialist flavor. Law Day was enacted to celebrate our heritage of freedom, justice, and equality under the law.

Proclamation by the President: Law Day, U.S.A., 2007

April 27, 2007
Law Day, U.S.A., 2007

- - - - - - -
By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Our Nation is built upon the rule of law and guided by our founding promise of freedom, equality, and justice for all. Law Day is an opportunity to celebrate the Constitution and the laws that protect our rights and liberties and to recognize our responsibility as citizens to uphold the values of a free and just society.

Generations of Americans have served the cause of justice and shaped our legal institutions to ensure that the blessings of liberty extend to every citizen. The men and women of America's legal community have worked to defend the Constitution, protect the innocent, and secure the rights of their fellow citizens. Their efforts have helped make our Nation a shining example of justice.

America's faith in the rule of law has endured through the centuries. Today, we strive to prepare our next generation of leaders to carry on America's tradition of freedom and democracy. The theme of this year's Law Day, "Liberty Under Law: Empowering Youth, Assuring Democracy," highlights the importance of teaching our young people about the vital role they can play in our democratic society. We all have a duty to help our youth become responsible citizens by promoting the virtues that sustain our democracy and fostering a deeper understanding and respect for our Constitution and laws. These young men and women will shape the future of our country, and their spirit and character will help promote justice, equality, and opportunity throughout our country.

The strength of our legal system requires the ongoing commitment of every citizen. As we observe Law Day, we celebrate our Nation's legal heritage and honor those who work to advance the cause of justice.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, in accordance with Public Law 87 20, as amended, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2007, as Law Day, U.S.A. I call upon all the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I also call upon Government officials to display the flag of the United States in support of this national observance.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.

ikea food

Last night, The Wife and I met up with Josh and Val who were in town for vacation. We ate at Aquavit, a restaurant once voted one of the top-ten in New York. I have to admit, though the food was good, I was not particularly blown away. Here's why. Aquavit specializes in scandanavian food, things like fish, meatballs, and fish. We started with an appetizer of herring sampler. For the main course I had a (swedish-sounding name)-beef dish while The Wife had poached cod.

The food was well cooked, not overdone, tender, but pretty boring. I think it was a lot like swedish furniture, well-made, functional-design, but not particularly impressive. My beef was cubed and served with cubed fried potatoes and a cream sauce. It pretty much tasted like expensive stroganoff.

Brunch!

I took The Wife out today for her birthday. I surprised her by taking her to brunch at Sushi Samba 7, a fusion restaurant in the West Village near our place.

We splurged and ordered the four-course Samba-Brunch, allowing us to pick any four brunch entrees from the menu. We started with the Samba California Roll Salad, followed by Churrasco & Eggs with a side of Yucca browns. We ended the meal with Doce de Leith French Toast and Brazilian Churros served with chocolate nad caramel dipping sauces. I was a little disappointed when I ordered a brazilian churros, I thought there would literally be a brazilian of them, but there were only four.

you know you laughed. maybe.

Taste of Chinatown

Today was beautiful. It was partly overcast and in the 70s. Everyone was out in dresses and shorts. We went to the Taste of Chinatown this afternoon and it was packed. Seriously wall-to-wall people. About 30 of the restaurants in Chinatown had booths offering $1 or $2 samples. We tried fried chicken wings, beef satay, fried rice, different lychee drinks, dim sum and even picked up some clothes while we were there.









Afterwards we headed to this little bistro in West Village and had sweet potato fries, lentil soup and an asian beef salad. I'm not sure if the beef was asian or not, but it tasted delicious and was a welcome change from the fried greasy goodness of chinatown.


Since it was so nice out, we took a walk around our neighborhood and found the famous skinny house. This house is only 8'6" wide.











My current pet-peeve are people who ride motorcycles... not the crotch-rockets that sound like angry hornets, but the rumbling harleys that make your walls shake from three blocks away.
Dear Mr Overcompensating,
There is no reason to rev your engine at 3 in the morning. I hope you hit a pot-hole. Alternatively, maybe a case of e.coli or I hope you ride through a swam of angry bees... with herpes.
Sincerely, me.

e. coli

Escherichia coli (E. coli), is one of the main species of bacteria living in the lower intestines of mammals, known as gut flora.

Tuesday night on the way home from work I started to feel a little feverish. It was followed quickly by stomach cramps and diarrhea. By Wednesday morning my fever had reached 103 degrees and was still slowly rising so I went to the ER at St. Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan.

I arrived around noon and was diagnosed with possible food poisoning or appendicitis. They gave me a catscan and a chest x-ray and determined that I didn't have appendicitis but I did have an inflamed small intestine which pointed towards food poisoning or Crohn's disease. I was admitted to the hospital overnight with a colonoscopy scheduled the following afternoon. I finally was given a room at 11pm after spending over 10 hours in the ER.

That night was one of most uncomfortable nights of my life. They gave me a gallon of "go lightly" to clean myself out to prepare for the colonoscopy. "Go lightly" is a laxative that tastes like sweat. Not only did I have to force myself to drink a gallon of liquid that tasted like sweat-socks, the liquid made my diarrhea even worse. I was up all night, constantly using the bathroom, walking back and forth between the bed and the bathroom trying to keep my gown closed and holding my iv bag while enduring constant cramps. btw, I don't think I'll be able to watch "Breakfast at Tiffany's" without feeling the urge to poo.

Finally on Thursday afternoon I had the colonoscopy which just confirmed that I had an inflamed intestine. They took samples to see what exactly was growing in my stomach and put me on anti-biotics. The upside of the colonsocopy, the laxatives, the inability to eat for 48 hours and an overall lack of appetite was that I lost 8 lbs in 2 days.

I started feeling better that night as my fever dropped and by Friday morning I was almost back to normal. Of course, the hospital didn't discharge me until Saturday afternoon. I can't remember the last time I was so bored. I actually got sick of playing my DS for a time being. Best of all, USA had some sort of Keanu Reeves marathon going on... it really wasn't my week.

Ironically, even though I've been eating at all these dives and street vendors in Chinatown I probably got e.coli from eating something from the work cafeteria salad bar that wasn't properly cleaned such as lettuce and/or bell peppers.

Flavio

We went to the opera last night to celebrate three years of The Wife putting up with me. We saw Flavio, an opera by Handel that was sort of a comedy. I was actually pleasantly surprised and entertained. Flavio, the Italian king, completely stole the show. Even in row "S" you could see his facial expressions, and he sort of looked like Andy Dick, but with less crack involved.

My impression of opera from Flavio is that each song comprises of 2 short verses and a bunch of one-syllable filler nonsense. For instance, if I were to write an opera about going to work, it would go like this.

The alarm clock goes of, I wake up.
I am tired and have to tie my tie twice.

two-times-two-times-twice-two-two-two-o-o-oo
ween-o-ween-o-ween-o-ween-o-ween-o-ween-o
toe-moe-roe-ichi-ni-san.
hip-hip-hooray-ho-ay-ho-ay-oh
(etc for 5 more minutes)

but I make it to the subway.
I want to catch the A-train downtown.

a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-train
a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-train
(etc. etc.)
(pause music so i can show off my vocal range)
a-a-a-a-a-a-a-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A!
(cue music)
TRAIIIIIIIIN!


In other news, I really need to upload pictures.

what do i do?

In case you're wondering what I'm doing these days, I'm doing legal research and writing for a federal judge in . I'm not getting paid, but I'm learning how to write. The judge I'm working for is great. He's personable and accessible and his clerks are patient and give great feedback on my work. I also work as a deputy in the court, assisting in case management and scheduling. Sorry, I can't say much more than that.


This is the building I would normally work in, but it's being remodelled right now.

first day

The people are nice, but the highlight of my first day at work was seeing a film crew shooting "Law and Order" on my way into work. You know the after-trial meeting on the steps of the courthouse? They were shooting that. I saw Sam Waterson and he looks younger in person.

Fusion

So we're here in NY... safe and warm.

Last night we ate at a fusion place, Chinese Cuban. It was interesting, I had a oxtail stew + black beans and yellow rice. The Wife had fried chicken with fried plantains and we shared yucca fries. It was definitely more Cuban than Chinese, but still a little bit asian and little latino... sorta like Stef Sun's future kids.



Earlier in the day we ducked into a tiny dive of a restaurant in Chinatown, Mei La Wah for 70 cent baos and tea. It had the greatest signs posted on the wall. "No Spitting," "Not Responsible for Personal Property," and our personal favorite, "CPR Kit Available at the Counter." The guy behind us obviously didn't read the no spitting sign.

i could almost hear him laugh

The Wife and I are in full-on panic mode right now. Actually, I'm completely fine. She's in panic mode, so I have to pretend that I'm panicking so she feels better. We're cleaning, we're packing, we're stressing. It's ironic that people clean the hardest before they leave a place. I can't remember when our house has been more organized.

Last night I got together with some old friends to eat, play board games and watch Smallville. Kristie was nice enough to host it, and Garrett and Siobhan brought me a Transformers t-shirt. Yay for good friends We also played a new game by the cranium people which was pretty fun and brought out the old school Balderdash. The funny thing about Balderdash is that you don't ever learn the real meaning of the word... you only remember the fake definitions. Dowitcher... Avuncular... Phillumenist.

I had a meeting with an attorney downtown (I'm helping with a website) before the potluck so I was a little dressed up. And on the way to Kristie's I stopped by to see Dennis' grave. (I'm still have to force myself to type it... I tried, "place", "plot" and some other euphemisms.) After three months the ground is still a little torn up. There is still a patch of dirt, but the grass is starting to grow back. You can see the brackets left from the funeral and the sod still has telltale marks of being recently replaced. [Insert your own analogy here]

There isn't a permanent stone yet, just two yellow, potted chrysanthemums and a small glass marker with a name and dates. It was a little freaky being in the cemetary as the sun was going down. It was starting to rain and nobody else was there except for a whole murder of crows. Anyways I knelt down to wipe accumulated mud off the marker so I could take a picture for an out-of-town friend... and I got pooped on by a bird.

I muttered, "crap" and could almost hear Dennis laughing at me. The beat-down laugh.

Sigh of relief

Winter 2007 finals finished
ten hours of finals in two days, twenty-three pages typed.
Equal Protection, four hours, eight pages.
White Collar Crime, three and a half hours, six pages.
Employment Discrimination, three hours, nine pages.

I think law school is like an eating disorder where you binge and purge. You spend ten weeks cramming stuff into your brain and then four hours spitting it all back out and hope it makes sense.

:: stomach roll call ::

We went to Takohatchi's for dinner to celebrate. I swear that place is getting too popular for its own good. The food there sucks people, don't bother eating there. (wink)

finals!

11 hours. Constitutional Law --> Equal Protection.
I've got my 20-page outline and my list of cases.

mios dios!

Hacia fuera me tensionan. Tengo finales el venir para arriba, uno el lunes y dos el martes. Entonces después que tengo embalar y trasladarse a Nueva York por tres meses. Tengo una maleta, yo espero que sea bastante.

Caden Joshua

My Nephew
20.5 inches
7 lbs
March 7, 2007 10:23 am


baby... yum.


black bean baby... yum.

Almost an uncle

txt msg to brother: So is it out yet?
txt msg from brother: Pushing now C baby head.

I'm an uncle!!! sorta.

:: stomach roll call ::

HTTP 404 Food not found.

Is bigger really better?

McDonalds is adding a $4 angus burger to their menu. I'm not sure what makes an angus burger an angus burger. Are they made specifically from angus cows? or were they inspired by movie about a particularly beefy and socially awkward teen? maybe the guitarist from ACDC? or an angry Scottish lad.

No matter the origin, I'm not sure that a $4 burger is better than four burgers for $1.
+++ >

Sneaking Around

The Wife likes to sleep in on the weekends. I usually take advantage of those mornings by doing one or more of the following,
1. studying really hard for 2 hours.
2. running errands.
3. playing video games
4. eating junk food that she normally wouldn't let me eat.

This morning I did all four. I still haven't told her I had a double cheeseburger for lunch.

:: Stomach Roll Call ::

Big Apple.

In a few weeks, I'll be leaving for New York for an internship (read free labor) with a District Court Judge.

Housing:
First week --> Short term sublet on the Upper East Side.
Remainder of time --> Subletting a furnished 400 sq ft studio in Greenwich Village.

When:
Until mid-June. I do have people looking after the house... so don't try to steal my stuff. punks.

Where:
Federal Courthouse, near the Brooklyn Bridge.

I've got to say, 400 sq ft isn't a lot. It'll be like living in our basement. I predict we'll have more than a couple fights due to the close proximity of each other. I really should ask Gar and Shiv how they deal with it. Hopefully, we'll spend most of our time out on the town, exploring new restaurants and shops.

:: Stomach Roll Call ::

Finishing off frozen edamame in the freezer

i'm ashamed

So blogger has been bought out by the darkside (not darkseid). I logged in using my google account... and I saw a little flashing link I'd never seen before. Apparently, about a year ago... tired of deleting comments about viagra... come see me and my friends... earn $10k a month working from home... etc., I enabled the option that requires my approval before comments are published. And then promptly forgot about that function.


Sorry about that. Now your comments are viewable.


And Stef... I do not look like Gideon from last year's American Idol. Ouch.


:: Stomach Roll Call ::

A little ramen from chinatown... some tempura shrimp from the freezer.
yum babies.

Bribe me and I'll come.

::Stomach Roll Call::

I've had pizza for lunch the entire week. The nice thing about law school is that employers/student groups know how to draw a crowd... free pizza.

Valentine's let down

::Stomach Roll Call::


On Valentine's Day, we went on a double date to the XO Bistro in Seattle. In the words of Randy Jackson, "I gotta keep it real, dawg," It sucked. The oyster pasta was watery and bland. The salad was plain lettuce leaves with an olive oil spray. The venison wasn't bad though. The creme brulee was ok as well. I believe that XO Bistro is now dead to us.

I'd eat Malaysian-style pork chops from Malay Satay hut any day of the week.

2 months now.

Some friendships are made in heaven... but this friendship was made in front of a tv. Dennis and I met at church, but we became friends because of our undergraduate love of the playstation, particularly Tekken 3.

We lived in the same cluster in McMahon. Dennis lived in the room opposite me and we shared a communal living space. We would play late into the morning, skipping classes, study groups and occasionally church.

His favorite character was Paul, an eraser-haired biker in a red karate gi, he was a heavy-hitter and excelled in reversing attacks. My character of choice was Ling Xiaoyou, a Japanese school girl in the fetish outfit, complete with baggy socks. She was a light hitter, the complete opposite of Paul.

We would have grudge matches, playing until our fingers were sore and your unblinking eyes were dry. We usually played the best of 99 matches, so that the first person to 50 wins won. What a waste of time.

But Dennis was always willing to play. I think that's a trait that defined him as a friend, always willing. He was always willing to waste time with you. Always willing to drive. Always willing to listen and sympathize. Always willing to laugh. Always willing to help out.

It's been two months now since he passed away. It still doesn't seem real. Sometimes it still feels like I should include him on emails and I should still forward him funny things I find on the internet. Even going to Bartell's makes me think of him and his harem of pharmacy girls.

So, in Dennis tradition, here's a top ten list of things I miss.

10. The gaze. When left alone, he'd go into screen saver mode and just stare off into the distance.
9. The crossover. He had this little hop when playing basketball.
8. He was always a great accomplice. Whenever there was a scheme to cause some mischief, he was there to partake. He was a great enabler... video games... drinking... gambling... wasting time.
7. His drive. Dennis was always driven at school, even when we were making him waste time with us. He would stay up 40 hours at a time working on projects and then pass out for 20 hours.
6. He has this cackle. unmistakable.
5. His support. Like I said, he was an enabler, but it wasn't always about "bad things". He would hold you accountable for things, making sure that you met spiritual goals you set for yourself.
4. He was never judgmental. He accepted you as you are and always found a way to make you feel welcome and comfortable.
3. The cheerful target. Even when he was butt of the joke, he'd laugh and play along. I have dozens of memories of playing little jokes on him because he always made it more fun.
2. good memories. Dennis was a "good-memory magnet". I don't think I ever had a sad memory of him, which makes the sadness of way he died seem so disconnected from the way he lived.
1. His strength. I never appreciated it until the end.