The good news is, I have Lailah tomorrow. Haven't seen her in a couple of weeks. Won't be able to sleep tonight - her coming over to babysit her GranPaBrian. The bad news is, just like when you have a maid, you have this overwhelming urge to tidy up the house first, BEFORE they arrive to clean up the place (in Lailah's case, it's not her coming to clean my place, but to purposefully make it look … [Read more...]
Star Trek Trivia (and a story about Lailah)
November 8, 2015 By
I once read that Doctor McCoy said "He's dead, Jim" lots of times through out the original series. Here is proof (according to someone geeky enough to count them), indicating he did say this phrase 22 times - an average of once every 3 or 4 episodes. By the way, in case you don't watch my Lailah videos (or haven't noticed while watching), I've been teaching her this particular phrase, and … [Read more...]
Lailah texting me
October 28, 2015 By
Earlier this evening I received a text from the little girl, asking if she could babysit me tomorrow - I love getting texts like this one - of course I said "Yes!". [twice now, two weeks in a row] She. Is. The. Best. GranPaBrian-Sitter. … [Read more...]
Lailah and recent MN Zoo outing
October 22, 2015 By
After doing our usual indoor play activities from 10am until about 1pm, Lailah and I drove over to the MN Zoo (it's really nice being only 5 mins away). We then spent ~three hours walking around the outdoor animals, like the "Takin", the Asian Wild Dog, the prairie dogs (she loved those little guys, popping up out of their tunnel holes), the Moose, the Camels, the Leopard, the Wild Boars, and we … [Read more...]
Need better ideas for outdoor Lailah activity
October 21, 2015 By
HEY! Lailah fans: I'm getting "the kid" tomorrow. The (been there, done that) plan is the MN Zoo. Bit do any of you out there have a better outdoor activity (we've done the apple orchard already)? Need some great ideas, please! Otherwise, we'll just go to the park one last time (before the "W" word arrives in the next few weeks), playing on the slides and swings together, playing "hoops" on … [Read more...]
Lailah News – going to the Apple Orchard
October 3, 2015 By
So. Lots and lots of my FB friends (all three of you) have been recently asking me: "Hey, what's up with Lailah these days?", "What's with the no recent stories about Lailah?", and my personal favorite, "Got any new excruciatingly long kitchen table painting videos of our favorite little girl?", as well as, "Man, we really miss hearing about Lailah" comments, etc. Therefore, I wanted to share … [Read more...]
Very short Lailah update
October 2, 2015 By
After playing all day starting at 8am, she has now fallen asleep around 3pm...tired little girl. … [Read more...]
Photography and Lailah – the Dilemma
September 20, 2015 By
You know, for the most part, I have a pretty good life... BUT it just SUCKS BIG TIME when I attend a little girl's soccer practice / game and I have this pretty nice camera, and a pretty good "long/zoom" lens, allowing me to take some really awesome pictures, and upon coming home, and downloading them to the PC, you find you've taken 300+ pictures of her in a bit less than an hour, and it is so … [Read more...]
Babysitting Lailah – long day
August 27, 2015 By
Another wonderful (but pretty long) day with the little girl today. Going out to get me a "five guys" burger and fries now. Pictures, videos, stories may or may not be posted later, depending on the mood of GranPaBrian when he gets back from eating his luscious burger... Stay tuned for more Lailah news on this channel. … [Read more...]
Lailah – Babysitting – Jordan picking her up
August 27, 2015 By
So Jordan comes by to pick her up tonight, after getting off work. We're in the living room, she is "hiding" from her dad, as she always does - it's a game with her. While waiting for her to show herself, we talk about his day, I compliment him on the recent "job completion" pics that were posted by his boss (at Infinite Decks), and other stuff (like what she and I did today), and also caught up … [Read more...]
Missed a soccer practice!
August 25, 2015 By
Last night at 7:30 I saw the clock and realized I'd forgotten about (and missed) Lailah's 3rd soccer practice (having started at 6). ⚽😱😔 Haven't heard from her at all today, so I know she is p.o.'ed at me. JK … [Read more...]
Lailah – Soccer Practice – 2
August 22, 2015 By
For what it's worth, I'm awfully proud of Lailah (at just 3 years & 4 months), for getting out on the field today for the second time, with a bunch (5-6?) of boys (she was the only girl again today), with mom, dad, gramma, and two granpas, all shouting at her: "Go Lailah", "Kick it", "YEA, Lailah", and "Run!" She is such an amazing young girl, and growing up so fast. Best. Soccer. Player. … [Read more...]
Lailah – Soccer Practice – 1
August 22, 2015 By
Lailah has her second soccer practice this morning. Trying to decide whether to take the P&S camera (which I used at her first practice), or the DSLR (disadvantage:quite heavier, advantage:probably better pics). Then, shooting pics or should it be video this time? The complex decisions one has to make at 8 am on a Saturday morning. Missing my Sony Mirrorless ( Elyse Koerber ). Just kidding. … [Read more...]
Lailah – musings
August 17, 2015 By
Have to write these thoughts down now as I just remembered them. Recent sayings from the baby girl. After shooting some pictures (either on the P&S or on the cell) while she is over at my place, she asks me: "Can you send these to my mum and dad, please?" Then, last night, I was over Jordan and Katie's, and it's starting to rain really hard, and for different reasons, both of them are … [Read more...]
Lailah – First soccer practice
August 17, 2015 By
Kinda behind on my postings - it was a busy weekend for me. But, not doing it tonight, other than to say I had Lailah this afternoon for a couple hours before Jordan arrived to take her to her very first soccer "practice". I got there about 15 mins late and it had just started to rain. She was such a little trooper - Jordan was on the ball by bringing a little girl (pink) rain slicker which she … [Read more...]
Black and White photos of Lailah
August 6, 2015 By
There is a reason why I don't edit my photos that I take. It takes a LOT of time and mental effort - there are just TOO MANY choices of things to do - like adding special effects, lighting, exposure, contrast, etc. If anything, I may - like I recently did for my recent b-day pics - just crop them. THAT I can easily do - no problem - no OCD choice issues there. However, I just heard about a … [Read more...]
New photo frame for Lailah’s pictures
August 5, 2015 By
You know you have it bad, when you start thinking about ditching the 34" x 42" (butt ugly) framed Kadinsky print (which you've now have had for a dozen or so yrs) above the LR couch, and replacing it with a similar sized (42" or 46"?) flat panel tv (from the bedroom), thereby replacing the awfully smaller 15" photo frame on the end table, with the end result of being able to display a (new) almost … [Read more...]
Lailah and her antics
July 27, 2015 By
Had my little girl this afternoon for a couple of hours - the little stinker took a paint brush (with a load of blue paint) and painted my camera lens! [Video at 11.] LOL [fortunately, this was on my point&shoot, not the "better" camera). it's not like she didn't warn me. I've recently have had my entire right arm painted, one or more of my shirts painted, my nose painted, etc. She was even … [Read more...]
Various thoughts about cameras, photography
July 20, 2015 By
I have four "cameras" (my trusty Canon DSLR, the "newer" Sony Mirrorless, a Sony P&S (that fits in my pants pocket) and, of course, like everyone else, my cell phone). All of them have the now (pretty much) standard LCD screen that you can't see a frigging thing on when you are outdoors in bright sunlight. The first two do have a separate eye viewfinder but I've been leaving the DSLR home … [Read more...]
Lailah news – picnicking & playing together
July 20, 2015 By
Had the opportunity to "picnic" and play outdoors with the most beautiful granddaughter Lailah this afternoon for a couple of hours. We were at a different park this time, still close by, but with a different set of "climbing" things for her to climb - some things she climbs without hesitation - while with others, she still shows her fear (which is ok - I don't force her). We also swung on the … [Read more...]
