12/19/2015

Music Theory and Foot Tape

You need some encouragement, Mama. I'm going to sprinkle some encouragement on you. (sprinkle, sprinkle)

Suzuki: "I thought you said you would get ready for bed right after ice cream."
Julian: "I actually am. I'm getting in the state of mind to get ready."

(On his guitar): Guess what chord this is, Mama? (I don't know.) It's an F. Do you think it's an F7? (I think so.) A dominant or diminished 7? (I don't know.) You know--if it sounds like this....it's dominant, if it sounds like this....it's diminished. You didn't KNOW that, Mama?!

Did you know that sharks close their eyes when they attack so they won't get scratched? They use electroceptors--I think that's what they're called. Did you know they can smell one drop of blood in 10 billions drops of water?

(On his piano): Do you know what chord I'm playing, Mama? (No.) It's a modified F to C chord.

(Gliding along the carpet): Don't you just LOVE foot tape? Wheeeeee!

12/05/2015

Surface Tension.

When you get to the north pole, there's no more "north" anywhere, right Mama?

I've trademarked "Douse and Squeal." It could be a dog wash and a car wash. And at the end, you're squeaky clean!

Who, what, where, when, how and sometimes why. That works, right?

Mama, do you know how to turn your computer off using voice recognition? I can show you...for a small fee.

Can I be your (mandolin) capo, Mama? The bridge of my nose would be a great capo, I think.

Put the pie down--don't eat it yet! I need to make a documentary of it first.

(Eyes on some water pooled on a plate): Surface tension! Do you have an eyedropper, Mama?

11/19/2015

Faulty Craftsmanship

Suzuki: If you can't seem to fall asleep, why don't you try running up and down the stairs a few times?
Julian: I'm too tired, physically. But emotionally, I'm like ding-dong-ding-dong! It's like a spring-loaded high-suspension ping-pong with hydraulic disc brakes.

Mama, have you ever seen a bike with suspension only in the back? I have, twice, but one of them was in a book.

Can you do this, Mama? My friend Diego can bend his thumb all the way back. My elbow is double-jointed.

If you have any questions about Illustrator, let me know, Mama. I'm a big fan of keyboard shortcuts.

I need to finish "spanking up" my cricket house.

Do you know what the best built-in pad is on your body? Your buttocks.

Suzuki: We have a little time before you have to go to bed. Want to play a game?
Julian: Why don't we bust out our instruments and have some fun!

(While sprinking on dates): I'm "spanking up" my cereal.

How many drops of water do you think can fit on a penny?

This pumpkin pie isn't as good as the last one. It's clumpy and unpredictable--not predictable, like store-bought. I think it's faulty craftsmanship because when I picked it up by the crust, the actual flesh of the pie just fell down.

9/16/2015

Ten Year-Old Portal

We're making a movie for Tobi's birthday. Do you know what it's about? Politics. It was mostly Tobi and Diego's idea, but I added to it. We are going to have our bicycle gloves. We need a way to teleport to India, so we'll use "portal gloves." Do you know what our main goal is? To reprogram the missiles, so they won't blow up places like India and Canada. It's also about Donald Duck.

Suzuki: You need to put a bookmark in this conversation so I can get ready for work. Tell me tonight.
Julian: OK, but Mama, just ONE more thing: did you know that the space toilets of today have buttock parters? Because there is zero gravity in space so it's harder for stuff to come out otherwise.

Suzuki: You've been using that word a lot. Where'd you hear "buttocks?"
Julian: I don't know...Queen Elizabeth? That's what it always reminds me of. BUT-TOCKS! (English accent)

My Lego spaceship is going to get resources. We'll use alien resources so we don't have to use earth resources. We'll get awesome materials like ground comet to make really good cement...

Triple-mega-double-decker PLEASE with a cherry on top?

Mama, I have to warn you: I took the springs out of these ballpoint pens and made Lego shocks.


7/25/2015

All we need to have a happy life.

Three and a half years ago, Julian met Tobi in kindergarten:


Now they're in a rock band together (that's Julian on the left):





Yesterday, Tobi said: "I remember the first thing Julian said to me: 'Do you want to play airplanes'?"

What's your favorite bike tire valve, Mama? Personally, I prefer Presta because it holds air a little better.

Julian and Mama visited Amma's ashram in San Ramon last weekend. Julian says he doesn't want to wash the clothes he was wearing because he doesn't want to wash off the blessings.

Mama: We should make muffins sometime.
Julian: I want a muffin that's a reincarnation of the divine.

The one part of my body that I wish I didn't have is my belly button.

Mama: Hey, Small Fry!
Julian: I'm not a small fry, I'm a full-suspension sweet potato fry with hydraulic disc brakes.

If you want to blow the dirt out of your nose, first you lift your eyelid on one side and plug your other nostril.

That lipstick makes it look like you're trying too hard, Mama.

Mama (seeing Julian studiously looking out the window): What are you looking for?
Julian: Changes.
S: What changes?
J: Any changes.
S: Did you see any?
J: Yeah. Wind and birds.

Santa Fe, New Mexico: We visited the Museum of International Folk Art. After several hours there, we told him it was time to leave but that we'd come back some day. He said, "Good, because I haven't even begun to be done seeing this exhibit!" The next day we got kicked out of the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture at closing time.

(While listening the Bee Gees): Can you actually decrypt what they're saying, Mama? (No.)

Baba: You people need to learn not to talk at the same time.
Julian: Ideas get out of my head too fast, I'd say. I'm just feeling bouncy and exciting, like full suspension.

I think we should take advantage of the place we live. We should do more bike riding and star gazing. That's all we really need to have a happy life. We have something to do in the day and something to do at night.

5/19/2015

Six deep breaths and a full-suspension bike.


The thing about Ryan's legs for biking is they're really good at going fast on flat, but not so good at going uphill. My legs are kind of the opposite.

Suzuki: We'll bring sketch pads to the museums tomorrow.
Julian: What--you're allowed to DO that?! Do people copy them?

Mama, I found out something about my black shoes. You can stand on your tippy-tippy toes in them!

Suzuki: I found you a magic wand at the beach.
Julian: Really?! What does it do?
Suzuki: You'll have to find out for yourself.
Julian: Can it turn anything into a full-suspension bike?

That is radically cool with a butt-shake at the end.

How fast are we driving? (20 mph.) An ostrich can run twice as fast.

Where does humming come out?

Do you know what suspension is really for, Mama? For keeping the wheels on the ground. That's why trick bike jumpers don't want much suspension.

Janusz: Why are you pacing around like that while eating?
Julian: My legs are bored.

Suzuki: Julian, what are you grateful for?
Julian: I'm grateful for feelings. I feel...happy. Just feelings...

If you take six deep breaths, it calms you down. They've done scientific experiments that show that works.

Hey Mama, I think I figured out what I want to be when I grow up! (What's that?) A person who works in a bike shop. That seems like a good job. I don't want to be a factory worker.

(Bedtime): I'm going to go lie down now and think about stuff. There's so much to think about...

3/03/2015

Perfect happiness.

Q: Julian, what's your idea of perfect happiness?
A:
Being left alone when I want to be with infinite books.

Note: I glanced over to see what Julian was reading and here's the first line I read: "She hadn't noticed the six foot harpoon that was sticking out of her chest."

Another Note: Julian came to work with me last week. To be safe, he brought his briefcase and his sword. Inside his briefcase were a couple fat Percy Jackson books and various alternate ties, lapel pins, and a white shirt. (He varied his look throughout the day.) He told me, "I can't take three steps around here without someone stopping to talk to me!"


1/23/2015

Jesus sakes, Mama!

If I get all my stuff done and it floods, can I take our kayak over to (neighborhood friend) Ryan's house?

Without books, I would die.

Has any place ever run out out license plate numbers?

It must be getting pretty crowded on Mt. Olympus by now!

Which way does the earth turn?

Jesus sakes, Mama!

[ Julian got a game called Apples-to-Apples at Christmas. I didn't enjoy playing because of the annoying product placement and celebrity references -- also a kind of product placement -- (most of which are lost on us anyway). So Julian suggested removal of the offending cards. So he and Janusz "sanitized" the deck, taking out any cards they didn't like. At one point, I heard Janusz say "I'm guessing South Park is some kind of soap opera."]

Rockets (5 years old)

Contraptions (5 years old)

Fairfax Festival (3 years old)