The Gashlycrumb Tinies: 12/31/06
Ian and I are both fans of macabre humor and especially of Edward Gorey. Surprised that we didn't own a copy of The Gashlycrumb Tinies, Ian bought a lovely copy for me for Christmas. I have already read it at least twice (possibly three times) and I'm seriously considering doing a series of 3D renders based on this book (one per letter). My goal isn't to reproduce the drawings or the children, just to explore the settings.

The book is short, only twenty-six pages long. Each page is a different child and a different death, usually by a stupid or self destructive method. It's in the vein of a Victorian cautionary tale except that the deaths described are so extreme to be gothic parody.

The pictures though don't actually show the deaths. The children are instead juxtaposed against an environment that at first glance looks ordinary, albeit a little off. Only little Zillah hints at death with her skull-headed doll. It is the verse at the bottom of each page that brings all the elements together to create a grizzly and delightfully surreal twenty-six line poem.

Gratitude #31: 2006
Here we are back in South Pasadena to celebrate the closing of another year with good food and old T.V. A year ago I was feeling strange and wondering if I should have drunk that glass of wine or eaten that plate of sushi (a tradition here). In another week I'd know for sure it wasn't the flu but was in fact Harriet.

2006 also saw Sean go from day care to preschool and from diapers to underwear. My toddler is no more; he is now a proper big boy. Looking back at the last twelve months of photographs I can see Sean lose the last of his baby features in his face.

At the close of the year, Harriet is holding her head up. She is able to roll from back to front and hold her own bottle (when she has one instead of nursing).

I've gone from having a 50 mile round trip commute to working from home. The change has freed up two hours of my life every week day. I am closer to Sean's school in case he is sick or in case there is a school party. I'm happy that I can participate more in his school.

2007 will bring new milestones for Harriet (sitting and walking) and new accomplishments for Sean (improving his reading skills and learning some Mandarin). It will also mark this website's 10th anniversary this summer.

Steps: 3500