Month: October 2007

One-Job-One-Car Family

Since we moved to Houston, we are a one-car-one-job family. While the missus has worked full-time teaching, I have almost always worked a collection of on-call art and theater positions. Like fitting small puzzle pieces around a larger one, my jobs have always fit around her schedule. And it has always worked to our advantage. For over nine years, we have been a one-car family and it works well for us.

Recently, I interviewed with a great Houston-based company. It was almost a dream come true, a combination of art installation and fabrication. I have been so used to working freelance, it came as a complete surprise to me that they offered their employees full-time work. I told them that, while I probably couldn’t take it, I’d need to talk to the missus about it before I could make a firm decision.

If I took the job, we would have to buy a second car immediately (and incur a whole set of new expenses relating to it). Further, expecting our first child, my wife and I need to have flexibility in our schedules that a full-time job for me wouldn’t allow. So, for the time being, I’m taking a pass on the job, and we’ll postpone the purchase of another car until our baby’s arrival is closer.

Job or no job, I keep thinking that this new daughter of mine is going to be getting cool toys and goodies at the expense of all the goodies I want!

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The OC Register has an interesting article about a family that got rid of their car and ended up saving a lot of money. – Life: Giving up gasoline and getting in gear

How Could God Let Me Have a Child After This Blog Post?!!!


“Shaking the life-sized infant simulator is disturbing. Watching the damage progress across the brain through illuminated LEDs is powerful. Hearing the piercing cry abruptly stop is devastating. There’s no denying the instant and permanent effects of shaking a helpless baby when this new, electronic simulator is in your hands.”

I am a horrible person, because I thought this could be turned into a videogame. CPS: Baby-Shakerz for the Wii, maybe?

Admit it, if you had my wife’s email, you would try to convince her to leave me!

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Thingamababy: Hands-on Education: Shaken Baby Syndrome Simulator

Kirsten Hassenfeld at Rice U. Gallery, Too Much Stuff & Mama Cat T-Shirt

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Kirsten Hassenfeld @ Rice U. Gallery, Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Last week, I went to the opening of Kirsten Hassenfeld’s opening at the Rice University Gallery. It was worth dealing with the stupid parking situation because the show is a beauty. My pictures don’t do justice to the large, delicate, nuanced pieces.

I would have attended her free lecture the following day, but I promised a neighbor that I would help him move. He was moving his girlfriend back to Boston. Having moved cross-country three time in the last eight years, I knew wouldn’t fit all the stuff in the 12-foot truck he rented. As we packed his truck and there was less and less room, I told him that he should get a 16-foot truck. He said that it would all fit. It didn’t.

I now have a large box of really nice, gourmet food, four folding chairs and a new TV.

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My sweetie is modeling my favorite shirt I never wear. I worked an Asian art show in Vegas years ago. All the shipping and packing materials had this great mama/baby cat logo. I asked if they had any extra t-shirts, and the gift-prone Japanese guests gave me this one. They must have thought that I doubled in size when I left the museum because they got me a XL when I’m a M. I would wear this all the time if it wasn’t a circus tent on me.

It’s a perfect shirt for mom-to-be.