Gehry

Meeting on the campus of Case Western Reserve University. The building where I am sequested for two days of long Powerpoint sessions is kitty-corner from this much more interesting Frank Gehry structure.

Passing through

Heading to Cleveland for a work-related meeting. Changing planes in Atlanta.

Nick Live!

We surprised Ellen with a trip to downtown LA to see the Nickelodeon Live show (including her favorites, the Backyardigans). She enjoyed the show but might have liked the popcorn best of all.

Part of your balanced breakfast

I took Ellen to our local bagel place for breakfast. Her breakfast of choice: a chocolate chip bagel and a basket of bacon. The kid has interesting eating habits.

Elliptical

I've started spending a lot of time at my local LA Fitness, mostly doing cardio sessions on the elliptical machine. I have a love-hate relationship with the machines. I like the exercise when I can get the machine's electronics to interface with my iPhone so I can watch a movie. When it doesn't work, which is all too often, I'm not so happy. At least I'm doing my workouts, though!

Batting lineup

Ellen's belated fifth birthday party was a big hit! She had a lot of girls attend, including some new classmates she's befriended in kindergarten. We held it in a neighborhood park. The entertainment included party games (hot potato, pin the tiara on the princess, freeze tag...), a Hello Kitty piñata, and crowns and helium balloons to decorate. We served pizza, crudités, and cake. No petting zoo, pony rides, rent-a-jumper, or any of that stuff was required.

Rite of Passage

Ellen is called to the bima to receive a teeny-tiny Torah and officially begin her Hebrew education. In her first class, she made a sukkah out of graham crackers painted with Hershey's syrup, although this required several attempts to get the roof on properly, as it somehow got eaten.

This is pretty much the rigor of the curriculum.