Events

Even though Parker has consumed my thoughts since the election, there are a few other things going on in the world: Epidemiologists estimate that yesterday we passed 250,000 Covid-19 deaths in the US. The original Morton's Steakhouse on State Street, opened in 1978, closed permanently Tuesday, ending my tradition of going there on my birthday each year. In a little bit of good news, the National Register of Historic Places designated Wrigley Field a National Historic Landmark today. And as I sit in my...

I woke up this morning, showered, had breakfast, and left my house. I didn't walk a dog before showering, or feed a dog before having coffee. At every step I had to catch myself from acting on habit. And every step presented something weird: where's the dog bed? Where's the can of food in the fridge? Where's the bowl stand? The next few weeks will suck. I know I'll feel better in time, and I know I'll adopt another dog someday—probably in the spring. It still sucks. Here's a re-edited photo of Parker's...

Parker never told me his exact birthdate. The shelter said the six Pomona Puppies—Parker, Polly, Pepper, Petey, Penny, and Poppy—were 11 weeks old when I met them on 1 September 2006, so I just counted back to June 16th. The shelter also said Parker’s dad was a 40-kilo German shepherd dog and his mom was a 7-kilo beagle/rat terrier mix. My vet said a DNA test “would likely say he’s a dog,” so I never got him one. When people asked what kind of dog he was, I would say "black." Parker's Petfinder mugshot...

Parker never told me his exact birthdate. The shelter said the six Pomona Puppies—Parker, Polly, Pepper, Petey, Penny, and Poppy—were 11 weeks old when I met them on 1 September 2006, so I just counted back to June 16th. The shelter also said Parker’s dad was a 40-kilo German shepherd dog and his mom was a 7-kilo beagle/rat terrier mix. My vet said a DNA test “would likely say he’s a dog,” so I never got him one. When people asked what kind of dog he was, I would say "black." Parker's Petfinder mugshot...

Parker, about half an hour after into our first meeting, 1 September 2006:

No, not a reference to a now-famous article of amendment to the US Constitution. One of my favorite movies, The American President, was released 25 years ago today. I plan to watch it again tonight.

While I wait for my frozen pizza to cook, I've got these stories to keep me company: Jakob Nielsen has updated his classic article "10 usability heuristics for UI design." Steve Coll tries to figure out what the president gets out of contesting Biden's win. Paul Krugman looks at the way half the country ignores the science in ending the pandemic and despairs at how we can forestall climate change. Patrick Smith reminds us that we've gone more than 19 years since the last major US air carrier...

One more baby Parker photo, this one from Meramec State Park on 13 October 2006:

Another re-edit of an old favorite. I took this just before 7am on 5 October 2006, at Parker's first or second visit to Bardwell Park:

I lied; I'm doing one more thing of value before heading back to my couch and book. A few days ago I re-edited one of my favorite photos of Parker from his first few weeks with me: Other than a slight adjustment to the crop, some exposure and color correction, and a tiny bit of dodging around his eyes, I didn't do a lot. I think it's a better photo now though: I expect you'll see quite a few Parker photos in the days and weeks to come.