lightning strikes twice

Update: added motorcycle accident (how could I forget!?), and made a note of how severe the dislocation has turned out to be (very).

Injuries I’ve had:

• whiplash (from playing cricket, of all things)
• numerous ankle injuries from basketball
• broken finger from football
• stitches in eyebrow from errant elbow in basketball
• stitches in chin from being pushed onto my chin (at pace) in basketball
• stitches in arm from motor scooter accident in Thailand (this one could have easily turned out a lot worse — almost hit an artery, and almost decapitated myself, but was very lucky)
• most recently, dislocated thumb (ouch! see image gallery below) from basketball.  thumb will be in a splint for 3-6 months.  no basketball, no gym.
• more to come, as I remember them

Dear Freddie,

Three months old!  This finally feels legitimate.  The funny thing is that you are already so large that it feels like you’ve been around for much, much longer.  So many smiles this month, and a whole list of other things (written by your mother):

• mastering the pitch perfect raspberry
• dribbling for australia
• talking all the time
• plotting hands
• moved into the big persons bath
• action legs
• security blanket
• watching sport with dadah
• loving trees
• tummy time pro
• forward facing in the baby bjorn

My favourites on the list are the plotting hands and the action legs.  You look so devious when you put your hands together, and just like a puppy with a wagging tail, we can tell you’re super excited by your “action” legs.  It’s also funny how much you love watching basketball and rugby… works for me!

Lots of love,

Mum & Dad

by Mario Puzo

Not classic literature, but certainly classic story-telling.  Plenty of intrigue and minor commentaries on loyalty, love and vengeance.  Having seen The Godfather movies and watched every episode of The Sopranos, this was a very comfortable read.  Briefly, it follows the Corleone family — father Vito, and sons Santino (Sonny), Freddie and Michael, and their lives in the Mafia after World War II.  Sonny and his lover Lucy (who later becomes involved with the Las Vegas doctor Jules Seagal), Freddie and his life as hotel manager in Vegas, and Michael, the least likely of successors, but the most capable as the new Don.  Other characters are crooner Johnny Fontane, Sollozzo the Turk, Appollonia (Michael’s first wife), and Luca Brasi (the monster who killed his own child).

• Primer – wow, excellent film made for only $US 7,000, an amazing feat.  Apparently it won the grand jury prize from the 2004 Sundance festival. Intricate plot, about time travel and trust, that really messes with your mind.
• Gran Torino - moving and well directed film from Clint Eastwood, about being a man, about friendship, about changing the way you’ve always done things.  Gruff old Walt Kowalski likes everything done a certain way, but its not till he encounters his young Vietnamese neighbour that he opens up to the idea of changing.