Celebrating Chris's new job

Our little bro Chris finally got a job at Taco Bell. He will now have something to do with his time besides sleep. I was ecstatic, so in an attempt to celebrate, I took Chris with Nono and the kids for Bingsoo (Tawainese version of Italian ice).

1st attempt at conversation went like this: 

David: "Hooray! free tacos for us!" 

Chris: "No dude. They don't even give me free tacos. It's stupid."

David: "Hooray! Free hot sauce for tacos." 

Silence. 

2nd attempt at conversation:

Nono wants to tease Chris about his lack of a girlfriend. He picks up magazine with a hot chick on the cover.

Nono: "Oooh, looky Chris. Looky here."

Chris: "You're 80 years old looking at young women. That's really creepy." 

David and Nono chuckle and say indecipherable things in Spanish that Chris won't understand. 

3rd attempt at conversation:

Our server happens to be Chinese, so Nono attempts a joke.   

Nono: "Este tiene cara de chino." -laughs at his own joke-  

Chris stares at Nono: "Uhhh... OK." 

David tries to explain background of joke. 

Chris in a really, really serious tone: "It's illogical. It's not funny."

David starts laughing and can't stop. 

Want more??

4th attempt at conversation:

David shows everyone how he can bend plastic ice cream spoon with his mind. 

David: "Maybe life is all a computer program until you know how to bend the rules." 

Aster: "Sometimes I think I'm in a 100-year TV show and everyone is watching me."

David: "Cool! Aliens are watching you on TV? Am I a robot?"

Chris: "They're not watching you on TV, dude. No, they're not. If they were then blah blah blah. The universe blah blah blah and the world blah blah blah. And I hate it when blah blah blah. You think you know every blah blah blah."

David: "Uh, Chris, he's only 12."

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Cheers from AZ, 

David Despain

Torie crawlin up wall

Torie crawlin up the wall

Patri w Debbie the bird

Both so cute

Don't poop on me

Debbie and lucy on girls heads (pic taken with my phone)

sep 7

i'm writing really late so i'll need to keep it short. here's some pics of our last adventure down to tucson and ryan's house in hereford (capital of hummingbirds, but we saw flycatchers). we had a blast at the arizona desert museum, the san pedro river and the huachuca mountains. lots of birds for aster to find. they dug for fossils. they saw kestrels, lizards, etc. we've been really busy. i've started school again. taking biochem that's really hurting my head's biochem. but we still find time to have fun. today we were out in superior with a biologist and spotted a ring-neck snake. the biologist picked it up and let the kids touch it. aster's babysitting a couple of lovebirds for a friend. really rare ones that cost a bunch of money.  

David

Debbie the tino lovebird likes our oranges.

Kids posing in front of a mountain lion hungrily looking over them

at the Arizona Desert museum over Labor Day weekend

Last Child in the Woods

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Recommended for every city-dwelling parent, this book brings a child-psychologist viewpoint on why we must introduce our children to nature.


View all my reviews.

Jim Burns

Jim Burns' Arizona Birds: From the Backyard to the Backwoods by Jim Burns

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
After meeting Jim Burns on a guided birdwatching walk at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, I began reading his book. It's not just a guide because it offers a little something memorable about each bird.


View all my reviews.

Peach-faced Lovebirds in Phoenix

Aster and I were walking along at the Gilbert Riparian Preserve and were stunned by a family of non-native peach-faced lovebirds. An extraordinary non-North American moment. Aster says it was "like being in the Amazon jungle". Lots of singing. The birds have created a new home here. Aster was beside himself. We might have to take a trip south for more. 

This was years ago, but I just had to blog it

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David

The little ones need help

David

Expanding family

Jolina and Cocker (as in Spaniel)

Why I need to live in South America

Yesterday was an unofficial holiday in Argentina (after Arg-Brazil 3-0) while Marcos and I celebrated by going out to lunch. We thought of going to a Brazilian churrasco and chanting Argentina on the way in, but those Brazilian restaurants rob you -- $28 for the lunch buffet?!! Instead we went to a Thai place. Kind of a downer. 

David

Nature Walks

We went on a lizard nature walk with a biologist who was super-impressed with Aster's ability to point out different lizards and birds. The next day we followed up with a bird walk. We've planned some more all through November. By the time it's December we'll be experts of the desert. Attached are some pictures of some of the adventure. I spotted that whipsnake in a tree I was walking past! We saw some great birds and lizards, but my camera sucks. 

I'm out of Haagen Dazs sorbet

I'll blog this and call it my lunch break from working at home. If you ever get your tonsils out, be sure to stock up on Haagen Dazs sorbet. I like raspberry best. It's really good. But when you run out, life sucks.

What's worse is that I'm home alone without any Haagen Dazs sorbet. That means I can't tell anybody to go get any at the store for me. I have to get up, take a shower, and go get some myself.

No, I can't eat regular ice cream. The milk of it gets all mucousy (not a word) in my throat.

What do I do when I sit at home all day eating Haagen Dazs?

I go to the Haagen Dazs Web site, of course, and learn all about the company's mission to save the honey bees.

Now that I've gone to the Web site, I really appreciate honey bees and I feel good about eating as much sorbet as I can. I wonder just how much money Haagen Dazs spent on honey bee research and how much they spent on the honey bee Web game.

check out this yak

I want to upgrade my boat to an Agent 6.0. It's small. Great for tricks. I can let Aster use it. It's about a $1,000. Should I go for it? 

David

Tonsils out; surgery went well

I actually don't really remember what happened. I don't feel nearly as bad as I thought I would. But maybe that's just cuz my painkillers haven't wore off. 

I feel like a small part of me has been pulverized to ashes. 

David

Send me your awesome athletic pics

I need the motivation...

The other day a lady I was talking to on the phone said to me, "I've seen pictures of your family. Are you as athletic as they are?"

"No. I just look at their pictures, watch their movies and feel incredibly jealous," I said. It's a conversation I've had over and over again. All the pics of crazy stunts of my family has made them famous. I explained to the lady, "Whenever I try to do anything athletic (like run a mile or even go swimming) I end up with a sore throat for a week." 

"You should get your tonsils out," the lady told me.

"I know. I'm trying."

Tomorrow's the day. My tonsils will be no more. I know this is like déjà vu, but I think I will actually be able to get them out this time. And my doctor says he is not able to describe the agony I will be in for the next two weeks. 

I'll be suffering so all I ask is that you send me your best rock climbing, capoeira, kayaking, and snowboarding pics. I'm going to hang them on my wall. Some day soon I'll have crazy stunt pics too (within reason; a couple of you are clearly insane.). 

 
David

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David

Politics

In the last year my political self has been pretty rocked and I've been having a lot of trouble determining exactly what I should describe myself as now. So I took a quiz, which I believe I did pretty well at, and now think everyone should take it.

You are a Social Liberal (66% permissive) and an... Economic Moderate (41% permissive) You are best described as a: Centrist Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid Also : The OkCupid Dating Persona Test