News, lots of News

To start off, we have bought our plane tickets to Estonia. The opportunity came up quick, and we got the tickets and now we are off--on July 19th. That is the first big news. Yeah!! Estonia in the summer, I am looking forward to it.

Second, the Secret. To date, still no waiting for the street car. AND on top of that, this evening when I went to the grocery store, I didn't have to stop at any red lights--all green! (and there are about 10 between here and the store) Don't worry, I know that I will have to stop at red lights once in a while, and I will have to wait longer than 2 mintues for the street car. But, there really is something to positive thinking. Through positive thoughts and faith that something greater than you is keeping this world together, life is very different and much better. Like that Italian movie, "Life is Beautiful"

Here is the actual second news: Luka is starting to crawl. His little positive attitude that he can do anything that his big brother can do--and an intense stare at the dump truck, led him right there! See the video: click here (9MB streaming, Windows Media)

AND the third news is the actual Channel 2 KATU news here in Portland. Yesterday was the hottest day of the year so far. They interviewed the kids down at the Park, and Aleksei-our star- went up the the camera guy and shared his own thoughts. He got the last words in the news spot! "Splish, Splash, Splish" We have it recorded and will insert it here in this blog--but tomorrow, because it's not converted yet for the internet.

Ok, here is a copy of Aleks' news interview. (21MB streaming, Windows Media)

The Secret

We watched this documentary a couple of weeks ago called “The Secret.” It is considered a self-help film and I heard so many reviews from it that I decided to see what it was all about. The book is a best seller right now. I did totally have the feeling that the type of people who would watch this film were the ones also listening to the ‘repeat after me, I am a great person’ tapes in their car. There is teacher after teacher (that is what they call them) saying you can know the secret too and attract anything you want into your life. Just imagine what it feels like to have the things that you want and you will attract them. Usually you think of what you don’t want, and that shows up; like if you have a lot of debt and fret over it, it will just pile up and up. Instead, the Secret says that you are activating the thought of exactly what you don’t want while fretting over the debt. Instead, think of being debt free, focus on being debt free and the good feelings. Forget the worries, set up an automatic payment, don’t even think about the debt you have and focus only on a debt free life. Soon that is exactly what you will be.

For the past couple of weeks I have been testing this theory with catching the street car. I always, I mean always just miss the street car. Every time I came down the elevator from our apartment and left the door, I started running and telling Alyosha to hurry up because we are going to miss the street car. And when I looked down the street, we saw the street car at the next stop-missed it by a minute! This happened time after time. Now, since The Secret, I have been imagining the street car at the previous stop and pulling around the corner just as I walk up to the stop. It is almost scary! Every single time (except once, but I will get to that in a minute) the street car has been exactly where I imagined it. I don’t hurry or think about the schedule at all anymore. As I walk up to place where I can look back and see the street car coming it is in the exact same place every time. I take the street car every day a few times a day. And every time I have not had to wait more than 2 minutes. Well, except for once. This one time it said 8 minutes until the next street car. I decided that there was a reason, so I would walk and look out for it. Low and behold, Romka called and said that he just found out that he may be going away for business a lot this summer and it looks like we (the kids and I ) are going to be able to go to Estonia. The only thing is that we need to get Luka’s passport as soon as possible, so we needed to meet him at the Rite Aid for passport photos. Look up, and I was walking right past Rite aid! If I was on the tram I wouldn’t have been there. Yes, it is coincidence. It is all coincidence. But with a positive attitude we are totally attracting positive outcomes, at least with the street car. It hasn’t worked with Roma's stocks yet, but we are not going to give up.


So, here is the deal. For years and years we have wanted the apartment next to Roman’s parents. It would be perfect for us to stay in when we visit Estonia. It would be even more perfect as a little rental for Gala to have for extra retirement and income. We want this apartment. We need this apartment! I am hereby attracting it, officially on our blog. We will be able to afford it because it will be so cheap—we looked at the price, can you believe $50,000 for a 2 room unrenovated apartment! We will get gracious help from the universe that is paying attention to our needs. So here is our first attempt. Don’t worry, we don’t expect the money to fall into our hands, that is not how the world works and we know it! But, gathering that much money before July will take the help of nations! So with our blood and sweat, and the circulation of anonymity of donations and pure positive thinking and faith that you truly are provided with what you need-we will get the apartment for our trip this summer. You can even help—and just think that you will have part of a summer house in Estonia, utopia in the summer months. Just donate to the Estonia apartment fund through Paypal with the button below. It is secure and safe and simple. Hey, positive thinking has made riding the street car much more pleasant! And I really am a good person.

Summer in the City

We are not so frantically but quite expensively trying to get things together for our unexpected trip to Estonia. Tickets are already a known high cost, and I don’t even get to fly first class! On top of that, we have to get Luka’s passport, and get it quick—which costs double as well as extra time in line for the entire family. All must be present to swear everything is true in the 5 month old baby's application--seriously, we put our right hands in the air and swore Luka is Luka and he is really 29 inches tall.

But the Post Office is a communal home for all people: rich and poor, old and young, clothed and unclothed (see picture if you dare). In front of us in line were Nigerian and Taiwanese and Mexican and Japanese yet all American, each holding their certificate of naturalization. Behind us in line were Gold Digger and Pimp Daddy. Pimp Daddy was getting Gold Digger a passport so he could take her to some far away land. Pimp Daddy, very annoyed, was giving a running commentary about the Nigerian, Taiwanese, Mexican and Japanese lame questions--and probably commenting under his breath about the 3 year old playing with spiderman and the infant babeling incessently.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, even though we were sixth in line to put our application to the postmaster’s test of approval—it went very quickly because those in front of us couldn’t quite read the instructions and each were missing a piece of identification or didn’t know where they were going or when or how they were going to get there—or their own place of employment. Luka is employed by us, so his job: baby. He is going to visit his Ded and Gala, so purpose of travel: concentrated Russian brainwashing (positive, of course). Never been married, check. Height, 29 inches (fortunately 42 inches and under can still apply). City of birth: Portland, Or. The only thing we didn’t know were the last 4 digits of our zip code 97209. No problem, we were at the post office—surely they would know. The post lady said “This is post office 97208. I know only our last 4 digits!” Bam, bam with her stamps—rip, tear and seal the envelope closed. “That will be one check for $62.15 and another for $95.12. Good luck and Good bye” she said—“Give this all to the man over there” (next to naked lady)

Thankfully this country doesn’t discriminate against race, profession, country of origin or even amount of clothes you wear so all of us left the Post Office successful in our ventures. Hopefully the lack of the 4 last zip code digits won’t leave us in Portland for the summer! They do discriminate against Romka—this was the post office he was banned for life from a couple years ago—a little incident about duct tape and flying boxes, but that is a story for another day.

click on image for the real thing

E-mail

Aleks has a friend that he has begun being pen pals with that lives in my hometown, Graham, Tx. The little boy's name is Alan, and they have exchanged a few letters since Easter--oh, about 2 a month or so. The boys are so excited when they get a real letter in the mail just for themselves to open and read and count the stickers and make up stories about them...etc.

When the last letter came in the mail a few days ago, Alyosha was jumping up and down and said: "I got e-mail, I got e-mail from Alan!!!" These are the times in which we live!

Roman's Bright Idea

Kids doing their homework, click for more pictures

For some reason, Roma was bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning. And a good thing that he was because we got out of our confinements into the fresh air of this beautiful spring day. The kids finished their homework, so we just relaxed all day on the beach of the Columbia River. Kelly Point Park is a quite small park, where the Columbia and Willamette come together; there are a lot of cottonwood trees, birds and, most importantly, fresh air. We stayed all morning living in our ideal world of no work and all play, not worrying about nap times or lunches or phone calls or temper tantrums. It was really a gorgeous day. And there are more to come because summer is almost here.

click for more sand pictures

• Here is a great video of our day at Kelly Point Park

Just a Little Bit

Perfect Popcorn

JeRom Kid Talk

Well, yes, another blog. This is a fun one too! Aleks is talking more and more and the things that come out of three year old mouths can be....just pure inspiration. So, the new page is a record of our kids sayings and babbels and imagination. Some in video and some in quotes.

Here is the link (it is in the sidebar too)

http://jeromkidstalk.blogspot.com/

Two Little Apples

First Chours :
Way up high in an apple tree
Two little apples smiled at me.
I shook that tree as hard as I could
and ummmmmm those apples were good!

Pheonix:
Way up high in a cheese tree
Two little cheeses smiled at me.
I shook that tree as hard as I could
and ummmmmm that cheese was good!

Alyosha:
Way up high in a green pea tree
two little green peas smiled at me.
I shook that tree as hard as I could
and ummmmmm those green peas were good!

Matt:
Way up high in a cookie tree
two little cookies smiled at me.
I shook that tree as hard as I could
and ummmmm those cookies were good!

Michael:
Way up high in a chocolate popcicle tree
two little chocolate popcicles smiled at me.
I shook that tree as hard as I could
and ummmmmm those chocolate popcicles were good!

Aloysha: I like green pea AND bule popcicle trees!!

Первая Кибернетическая

В 1945 закончилась Вторая Мировая Война, пройдясь по всему миру и унеся миллионы жизней невинных людей. Сегодня, шестьдесят два года спустя, события тех дней продолжают будоражить не только отдельных людей, но и даже целые страны. Волна возмущения по поводу переноса памятника Неизвестному солдату в Таллинне, перешла с улиц города на международное пространство, где и приняла необычные, но, в наши дни, вполне объяснимые, формы.

9 мая 2007 года, на территории суверенного Эстонского государства, без официального объявления началась Первая Кибернетическая Война. В течение первых двух недель под удары попали все стратегические объекты страны. В первую очередь пострадал единственный во всем мире e-government, парламентарии вынуждены были уйти в е-отпуск, будучи не в состоянии загрузить повестку дня на свои ноутбуки. Следующими жертвами смертоносных атак пали серверы финансовых учреждений, оставив на некоторое время население без своих виртуальных зарплат и заначек. Далее, как и полагается по законам войны, неприятель попытался отрезать населению доступ к средствам массовой информации, бросив пехоту на он-лайн газеты, нетронутыми остались лишь порносайты, которые были оставлены для общей деморализации страны.

Кстати, а кто же "неприятель" в этой войне? Эстонские власти утверждают, что это российское правительство, которое тайно даёт указания своим кремлевским сетевым администраторам наносить кибер-удары по Эстонии. Но если присмотреться к тому, как выполняются атаки, то становится очевидно, что Противник может находится под самым носом у эстонского правительства. В основном атаки осуществляются при помощи ботнетов, которыми заражены четверть всех компьютеров в мире, причем не только персональных - в первую очередь ботнеты заносятся на корпоративные сети. Согласно исследованиям компании Support Intelligence, компьютерные сети как минимум 28 компаний из списка самых успешных компаний США (Fortune 1000) содержат зараженные ботнетами машины. Возможно, что даже ты, читатель, наносишь в данный момент сокрушительные удары по маленькой виртуальной Эстонии, сам того не подозревая. Возможно, что и добрая часть ноутбуков эстонских парламентариев также наносят атаки по собственному е-парламенту. Вот такие парадоксы современных войн. Зато нет массовой гибели людей. Из всех войн, эта, мне кажется, наиболее гуманная, разрушению в основном подлежит то, чего на самом деле и не существует, идёт, я бы сказал, виртуальный погром. Есть, конечно, и реальные жертвы, пострадавшие в результате военных кибер-действий, но они не массового характера.

«Неприятеля» в этой войне не видно, не понятно, откуда идёт руководство зараженными компами по всему миру. В кого стрелять? В растерянности, Эстония приглашает НАТО для консультации, ведь, несмотря на то, что реальных выстрелов не слышно, виртуальный суверенитет страны, входящей в альянс, был нарушен.

Как всё-таки не правы были писатели-фантасты, представляя войны будущего, как красочную битву при помощи лазерных пушек и прочих нейтрализаторов, оказывается всё гораздо прозаичнее, "без шуму и пыли", выживает в такой войне наиМЕНЕЕ технически оснащенная сторона.

Зато теперь, можно сократить военные расходы до минимума, наняв "киборгов" в Индии, с оплатой через PayPal или просто попросить молодых хакеров и они сделают то же самое на одном энтузиазме.

Не забудьте выключить свой компьютер.

Getting caught up, again

Well, we haven't been just sitting around and watching tv all day and night! In fact we have been rollerskating, nature walking, playing with friends, going to the zoo, play grouping, fountian swimming, and laughing, laughing, laughing. The first of a few catch up blogs (but it might take a while to get them all posted!!!

The Roller Skating Video

Laughter Video

Frustrating husband revisited

I would like to announce that if you typed 'frustrating husbands' into Google search, JeRom's Journal is the 7th found result (at 4:24pm today anyway). It comes after husbands who continue to work while on vacation; husbands who only impregnate their wives with one child instead of twins, forcing her to get pregnant again because she wants two children; and how it is healthy to occasionally kick your frustrating husband in the bullock region.. “of course it's all female doctors with frustrating husbands that claim that...”

The fact that it is the 7th given response in the whole world of Google responses must make my husband pretty frustrating sometimes, it can’t be coincidence. My husband is in school right now, then he is going to a work related ‘party’ (which, I know isn’t totally innocent-but what can I do about it? Salmon people can be crazy), then he is going to school all day tomorrow—at the moment it is not his fault that life is frustrating, but I will wait until Sunday and see what I can find to make up for these two days

The new hobby

Alyosha has his first pet, actually 3 pets so far. I think that he has named them 'StarFish' 'Stop' and 'Water'--but after nap time the names might change. I had an aquarium for a few years, while I was in Jr. High. I know that the past seems to blur the bad memories and accentuate the good ones, but it didn't seem like too much trouble to have an aquaruim--not like the guniea pig anyway. We are starting with Golden Tigers--and in a couple of weeks when the plants grow and fill the tank, we will get some Snowy Tetras and an Algae Eaters--So far I like it, while it is clean anyway!

Short hair again

It started wit a trim of the bangs, then Jen went to the bedroom to put Luka back to sleep--and we ended up with a short-short-short hair design (the nice way to put it.) Well, it will grow out. Click on the picture for an enlarged version of the same thing.

And, finally Alyosha has outgrown his beloved airplane pajamas. He is bursting out, starting with his toes.

Our Menu--everyday life

I don't remember if I have mentioned this before so if I have, here it is again and if not well, here you go. I have got a stratagy of planning our meals and even our days that works well; so that we have a warm and healthy and tasty meal everyday ready for lunch together, and I can still spend the morning out and about with the kids (just trying to exhaust them so they will take a nap. Funny how life becomes trying to survive the hours children are awake counting down the minutes until they are supposed to go to sleep.)

So, the page that used to be simple pictures of a pedometer that I wore to track my exercise, turned into the place we use to track our whole health, at least our intake. Here is the link:

http://www.kultajev.net/jeromhealth/index.html

We will see how it works out, but so far we have eaten a lot of tasty food and pretty healthy too.