Penelope (“Penny”) Joy Seitler
born June 17th, 2009 at 1:09pm
weighing 9 lbs, 4 oz and measuring 20 inches long

More to come later, but for now? We rest.

• I’m stepping down as Art Director for Gemstone Publishing’s line of Disney Comics. My last day will be Wednesday, November 26th.
• Two days later, we’re loading up a truck and moving to Columbus, Ohio! (Thanks in advance to Rae Whitlock, who’s already agreed to round up some strapping young church men to help us unload the truck over the weekend.)
• I’m looking to take on some additional freelance web design and optimization clients. If you know anybody who’s looking for that, you can get yourself a 10% referral bonus (because I’m cool like that—also because I hate cold-calling). Just go on over to the “Feedback” page and pick your favorite way to get in touch with me.

UPDATE: According to Google Maps, this might be where we’re moving:

1. Isn’t a 501(c)(3) state-authorized nonprofit organization?
2. Isn’t filled with a bunch of theological fruitcakes?

Because it seems that every time I express distaste with either of these two things, I’m told some variation of “you’ll never find the perfect church on this earth, and if you do you’d only ruin it by joining.”

Why can’t the “regular assembling” look more like a family reunion?

Maybe I’ll get back in the groove once Sugarplum Paperie 2.0 launches. Until then, most of my web activity is divided between Facebook and Flickr.

One of the things that makes unpacking difficult this time around is that what had been our two bookcases have been commandeered for use in the kitchen and Joshua’s room, respectively. That leaves the rocking chair surrounded by about a dozen boxes that are displaying utter disregard for any concept of “personal space.”

Meanwhile, we’re certainly getting more exercise. Back in Timonium, we could avoid using stairs all day if we just stayed inside. Here, the bedrooms are upstairs so if nothing else we have to go up and down whenever Joshua needs changing. It’s all part of my “get in shape without really trying” plan.

Now once we really do get unpacked, we’re going to have lots of boxes lying around (or more accurately, collapsed and stuck in a closet). Before we toss them, do you have any clever ideas for ways we can entertain the kids with cheap, used corrugated cardboard? Here’s my list so far:

1. Cardboard Castle
   I like this, but it seems pretty involved. I’m most likely to get halfway done, grow bored and move onto something else… leaving the monstrosity in Nicole’s way.
2. Tunnel Network
   It’s quick and easy, so it’s got that going for it. But where would the tunnels run? If we set it up in the attic, then sure… but somehow that doesn’t strike me as very safe.
3. Puppet Theater
   The kids love puppets, so this one’s a no-brainer. Except that I don’t think we have any puppets. We could make some with socks, paper bags, etc.—but that would start getting as involved as the castle idea.
4. Cardboard Furniture (submitted by Elaine)
   Make some funky chairs, stools or rocking chairs with these printable PDF blueprints.
5. Recycle Them, Before The Kids Make A Mess (submitted by Jodie)
   Jodie, you’re so practical.
6. Cardboard Box Races (submitted by Audrey)
   On a carpeted floor, set the box on its side (like “]”) and put your head and arms inside, then run blindly forward. Great for laughs, and a good workout, too!
7. Canvas-ize ‘Em (submitted by Audrey)
   Instead of the walls (or even the paper that’s still packed away… somewhere…) break out the finger paint or brushes and let the kids go wild on some empty boxes! (This could also work alongside most of the other tips, too—who wants a drab, tan puppet theater?
8. Car Tunnels (submitted by Audrey)
   Remember when Mattel and McDonald’s would team up and we’d get Hot Wheels with our McNugget Happy Meals? Remember how the Happy Meal boxes would come with punch-out openings so your new die-cast car could drive through a cardboard city? Pass that experience along to the next generation by punching out a few holes and turning those empty boxes into tunnels and buildings to drive the cars through!
9. Doll House (submitted by Audrey)
   You know, until I get around to building the fancy one Nicol– er, Katie has always wanted.
10. Drums (submitted by Audrey)
    All you need is a large stick (or unused tension rod) and the kids can rock out.
11. Hats (submitted by Audrey—girl’s on a roll)
    Okay, I think you’re reaching a bit here, Aud. Sure, this is a great idea… with smaller boxes. Maybe it would work with the larger ones, too, but I can’t help thinking the kids would look like this.
12. ?
    That’s all we’ve got. How about you? Leave a comment and I’ll add your own great idea(s) to the list!

Is there really anything I could add to this? Oh yeah—he’s climbing on things now, too!

So while looking around, I got a bit overwhelmed by the huge lists of recalls. Thankfully, it looks like we’re okay, but I was wondering if there might be an easier way to keep track of new notices.

Well, there is. Just plug the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s child products RSS Feed into your feed reader of choice (Google Reader, Feedblitz, Sage, etc.) and you’ll get updates as other items are recalled! (The CPSC provides a number of other recall feeds, too.)

I hope you find that as helpful as I do.

I’m reading Prince Caspian to Katie right now. We were two or three chapters in before she realized it was a sequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and her eyes got so big when we told her. (Yes, I’m a purist. I insist on reading the books in the order Lewis wrote them. We will neither be traveling to Calormen nor Charn until my daughter is well familiar with Puddleglum and Prince Rilian, thank-you-very-much.) Last night we read chapter five, and she cracked up at the scene where Trumpkin threatens to sit on Nikabrik’s head.

Anyway, I still have next to nothing for NaNoWriMo. I really have no idea what I was thinking by signing up for it this year. :/

It’s going to be a nice change of pace for Katie and Joshua to have separate rooms. We’re also within walking distance of Marietta’s downtown, so we’ll probably have lots of opportunities to go on family outings without the car!

I know I haven’t posted much (at all) since our OBX vacation. I’ve got a few more design/development projects in the works (which, quite frankly, are taking far longer than I had anticipated) and Nicole & I are looking at homes in the York area. In other words, busy, busy, busy!

I’ve got a few ideas planned for near-future posts, and I’m always tinkering with the blog’s design. It’s a bad habit, actually; I’m never content with how it looks, so I spend all my time polishing the layout instead of writing. Meanwhile, my wife’s favorite blog post here continues to garner a disproportionate amount of my blog’s traffic. Perhaps I should listen to my wife more often…

There’s the open 3rd floor living/dining area! We got in yesterday afternoon and we’re here until Saturday, Oct. 6th. So far we’ve eaten, relaxed, spent time in the pool, napped, playing HALO 3, sleeping, and the girls went shopping once or twice.

I’ll tell you what—I love having a bit of a break! But why can’t I shake the feeling that I’m procrastinating about something? Oh wait, I guess I am (a bit). There’s a few freelance jobs (and some Disney comics lettering) that I’m going to be doing this week. But it’s not procrastinating to keep that stuff shelved on a Sunday, right?

Geppi announced that… Gemstone Publishing will be… relocating to York, PA effective the first week of October 2007.

[snip]

“York has an exciting dynamic to it. It’s definitely a city and a region on the move, and we’re excited to be a part of that. This is a terrific entry into a rich marketplace, both in terms of the history to be found and the collectors with a vibrant interest in it. I am personally very pleased to be able to create this opportunity,” Geppi said.

Yup, that’s right: moving from Timonium, MD to York, PA in just a couple of weeks: “The new facility, located at 3679 Concord Road, York, Pennsylvania 17402, is expected to be fully up and running by the first week of October 2007.” Gemstone is now under the “Geppi Entertainment” banner, along with Diamond Intl. Galleries, Geppi’s Entertainment Museum, Hake’s Americana & Collectibles and Morphy Auctions.

Actually, I have a few interesting things in the hopper right now–and no, it’s not just more quotes. Hopefully in the next few weeks some things will be developed enough that I can start talking about them here. In the meantime, though, I’ve been updating my Flickr account more regularly… and be on the lookout for news on a redesign job I’m currently finishing up.

Katie is currently enthralled with Saturn. (It’s the rings that she loves the most. What is it with girls and rings?) We went to the library on Saturday and picked out a coffee-table book full of photos from the Cassini-Huygens mission. I love seeing her get so excited about space–I didn’t start until I was twice her age. They grow up so fast these days, don’t they?

Joshua’s been cruising for a while now, and over the past couple of days he’s stood up on his own. I figure he’ll take his first step before August, but the kid doesn’t act like he’s in any hurry.

The 2007 Blogathon takes place on the same day as the 2007 Jackson Family Reunion (that would be my mom’s dad’s mom’s side of the family). I was looking forward to doing the Blogathon right this time; looks like I won’t be doing it at all. I suppose I could always play on their B Schedule. Maybe if I was part of a group blog… but I’d have to be putting it together now to have it ready in time, wouldn’t I? Hmm…

I’m still pretty sure Joshua has Alport Syndrome, though. This fever was just a fever, but it seems to have caused some symptoms that pretty much only show up if the fever victim has a disease like AS. Prayers are still appreciated.

Thanks, everyone.

The hallmark of Alport syndrome is blood in the urine (hematuria). In boys with X-linked Alport syndrome, hematuria first appears in early childhood and their urine always tests positive for blood. [...] The hematuria of Alport syndrome is usually microscopic, meaning it can only be detected with a microscope or a urine dipstick. Sometimes children with Alport Syndrome have brown, pink or red urine (gross hematuria) for several days, associated with a cold or the flu. This gross hematuria eventually stops on its own. It can be frightening, but it is not harmful.

Source: Inheritance of Alport Syndrome & Your Child (Renalife)

If only we knew this before taking Joshua into the emergency room on Saturday night. It was especially stinging because:

1. we were there till 5:30am Sunday morning,
2. Joshua got a catheter so they could get a urine sample,
3. they told us to come back Sunday afternoon for antibiotics only to tell us at 8:00pm (following a three-hour wait) that it was a 24-hour dosage and they wouldn’t be giving him any then,
4. we had to follow up at the doctor’s office the next day,
5. he needed a 10-day antibiotic prescription,
6. the doctor wants a renal ultrasound this week, and best of all?
7. We have no health insurance. (In a touch of irony, we just couldn’t afford it this year.)

So now we’re weighing our options—all of them. This was also a bit of a wake-up call for me personally, because I’ve been living in this sort of “we don’t know if he’s got Alport Syndrome or not” limbo of blissful ignorance. Now I’ve got to wake up and be the responsible daddy, because this is going to be a lifelong battle: the only options for an Alport Syndrome sufferer are dialysis and kidney transplants. There’s no cure (yet).

I’m going to be a sporadic blogger for a while (it’s already started, I guess, but this makes it official). We’ve got some things to take care of before I can focus on this blog the way I was for a while there. In particular, we need to secure prayers, health insurance and a good pediatric nephrologist (preferably nearby, like at Johns Hopkins).

Right now my greatest temptation is to pull back from everyone around me and just sit quietly in a little bubble of depression and fear. Feelings of inadequacy (a distortion of Phillipians 2:3’s “count others more significant than yourselves”) lead to my believing that people either don’t/wouldn’t care, or that they’d see this as petty compared to what they’re dealing with. Either way, I feel like I’m just whining if I talk about this and I’m honest about how much fear and doubt I’m living with right now. So I just don’t talk about it…and all that does is make things fester inside me.

And then I go to work and make comic books, and it all seems so surreal. It’s like amusements are the “important” part of my life (my career), while what are quite possibly life-and-death matters (searching out the latest AS research and good doctors) are relegated to hobby status.

We live in a screwed-up world, and some days it leaves me in the fetal position.

Wilson covers all the major concerns of shaping boys into real men: laziness, sex, secret sin, courtship, girls, friends, fights, school work, and sports to name a few. Each section is written with that ’serrated edge’ he is known for, so you need to read with a smile and not take offense if you are to gain from many of his good insights. —Paul W. Martin @ kerux noemata

Interestingly, Wilson notes that the abandonment of the Psalms in worship means that the church has discarded a songbook, that is throughly masculine in its lyrics, in favour of the effeminate hymns of the 19th and 20th century. The result being that the church is dominated by females as men are put off attending divine worship. The author also has lots of helpful advice on how parents should instruct their boys with regard to work, sports, education, friendship, sex, courtship, fighting, bearing firearms and the use of money; which, all in all, makes for a very stimulating read. —Daniel Ritchie @ Reformed Covenanter

This is a book on raising boys? Wow, I think I came away from reading Future Men with more instruction on raising myself! Not that it was necessarily Wilson’s aim, but his lessons are of the sort that I need to put them into practice myself before I can raise my own boy in them. This one is so insightful that I need to read it again; there’s just too much to soak up in the first reading!

We had a really nice Mother’s Day weekend this year! On Saturday, we bundled up the kids and a picnic lunch and moseyed on over to Spring Lake Park. We’d only ever been to the “lake” side of it before, so the open grass and the quiet creek were wonderful. (More photos at Flickr.)

On Sunday we decided to pass on message #2 of Chesapeake’s building fund series and instead visit a nearby congregation. (See, we’re really bad about driving 30 miles to attend Sunday services and not having a clue who the believers are within a 2-mile radius of our apartment.) Timonium UMC got the short straw, so we went over there and checked things out.

Wow.

It’s one thing for a church to think it’s okay for women to serve in pastoral roles… but I saw a number of appointed leaders in there yesterday morning, and not a single one was a man. (The men were either in deacon roles or just not there.) If that wasn’t enough of a shocker for me, they had the kids come up for a kiddie sermonette on Acts 16 where they were told that Lydia had her husband and kids baptized and pastored a church in her home. Needless to say, Katie got some of Papa Bear’s personal commentary on that passage at lunchtime. Maybe I’ll post my thoughts on it later, but suffice it to say, I think there was no small part of eisegesis in what was told to the kids.

The really nice part about visiting that church, though, is that we were back home by 11am (where we usually get back after 1pm). We couldn’t get over how much longer the day felt because of that, so we went driving around later, looking at houses for sale.

I was born in July of 1984 in Carroll County, Maryland. My older brother was two at the time, so I was set with a playmate from the get-go. My first memory is from my third birthday party. We had pizza (my first recollection of the tasty baked goodness), and I got my very first action figures: John Rambo and Colonel Trautman from the RAMBO movies. If that wasn’t cool enough, the best was still to come: My very own Big Wheel tricycle! I remember riding it right out the front door. I didn’t care about the porch steps; this was my new ride, and I was pimpin’!

For the record, the figures were actually based on the RAMBO cartoon that was on the air at the time. But if you can handle minor errors like that, give this article a read. He covers Teddy Ruxpin, Record Breakers, Gerbert, Pop-Qwiz Popcorn and much, much more!

I still love that bride of mine, too.

But really… he’s so cute! Can you blame me?

I may not be able to get enough, but it looks like Joshua’s getting bored, huh?

Yup, I’m a dad. Can you tell?

• Gettysburg, PA
• Hanover, PA
• Westminster, MD

There’s a cool 8′x8′ two-story clubhouse in the back of the property, and a linden tree that’s perfect for climbing. The wooded backyard is a great location for summer cookouts, Frisbee golf and Spaceman Spiff types of adventures, while the wood–burning stove in the living room is just the thing to warm you back up after a killer snowball fight.

So… any takers? There’s one catch: you’d have to let me come over from time to time so I can reminisce.

Me? I think the dad should know better than to put his son in a position like that… without protective eyewear.

Happy Friday!

“Here I am, stuck in the middle with flu.”

Okay, okay, so that was a groaner. That’s what happens when the congestion makes my head feel stuffy. Anyway, Katie’s basically got bronchitis at this point, and Nicole and Joshua are getting over it themselves. (Yesterday was loads of fun.) It’s not really the flu… at least, I don’t think it is… but it’s still not very enjoyable. Especially when Katie wakes up coughing around midnight and can’t stop… then she starts bawling because of that, which makes her cough more, which makes her cry more… praise God we got through that one! (Parenting Tip: a bubble bath and a small cup of Sprite can work wonders! )

The bathroom sink has turned into a small pharmacy, and I’m sucking down the aforementioned cough drops (Eckerd Pharmacy-brand Honey Lemon drops, to be precise) like they’re candy. Still, this one doesn’t look like it’ll get any worse, so hooray!

I’ve got some more posts in the hopper, but until the clan’s recuperated, I don’t know that much is gonna get posted. In lieu of actual content, though, here’s a list of the nifty-cool gadgets that have been added to secondmouse:

• Technorati Blog Reactions. You can see at a glance whether anyone’s talking about a post I’ve written. Sure, there’s not much right now… but just wait until I start getting really controversial. )
• Add to Technorati Favorites. Apparently this is important. I’ll admit it sure is nice to see my favorites right up front when I go to Technorati.
• Bookmark this on del.icio.us. If you’re really going to do that, I figure you’ll just use the bookmarklet. I put this on the sidebar because when enough people bookmark a post in del.icio.us, it’ll show the tags they’ve used. I figure it could help new folks out, so go ahead (if you’ve got an account) and bookmark a post or two… please!
• Twitter Syndication. I’ve decided to get rid of the whole K2 Asides thing and use Twitter for my “asides.”

in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there were none of them. — Psalm 139:16

A few weeks ago, a childhood friend died in a car accident on his way to work on a construction project for his church. Just this week, some other friends had a miscarriage. Meanwhile, my great-grandmother just celebrated her 100th birthday. All of them love Jesus, all of them seek to serve and honor him. At times it can seem like there’s no rhyme or reason to such things, but the Bible paints a different picture:

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. — John 11:5-6

[Jesus said,] “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” — John 11:5-6

Few of us know by what death we will glorify God, but we can be assured of this: everything happens for God’s glory. No matter how tragic, no matter how seemingly untimely, every death brings glory to God in some way. We can catch glimpses of this now, but we may never know the full story until this chapter of life is over. For instance: the couple who miscarried? God is already using them to minister to the people around them. The faith and trust they exhibit as they walk through this trial is strengthening the faith of the believers in their midst. And that’s just this week—only God knows how much fruit will be harvested from this one event.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. — Romans 8:28

It’s enough to make a Christian look forward to the day of his death—the thought that my final act on this earth will bring God glory! What an encouragement!

Today, my lens on Nicole made the list as part of a “show them that you love them – make a lens about them” mass-induction.

Nicole’s been bugging me to mention her win here (she must think I have readers or something!), so I figure now that I can boast about myself, too, it’s the prefect time to talk about it.

So happy Valentine’s Day, Babe! Here’s to you… and me.

I’m so proud… my wife made a Squidoo lens!

MSG is Evil on Squidoo
Whether or not you agree with me that MSG is evil, ya gotta admit it seems a little fishy when you find it in so many of our favorite foods. While there’s no hard evidence yet that MSG actually causes obesity or neurological disorders in humans (just mice), there’s enough discussion on the matter to make me stay away from foods containing MSG. It just seems a little sneaky to me. What nasty tasting ingredients are they trying to hide under all that flavor enhancer? Scary! Here’s some information I’ve collected on the subject.

Check it out… if you’re signed up there, rate it (this means you, Kneon!)… pass it along! And hey, if you disagree with Nicole, make your own lens to show the benefits of MSG!

And let’s talk: do you think MSG is evil? Why/why not?

• The Freak Accident
  Josh Alves and I are guest-hosting TFA while Jeremy Zehr is out camping with his family. Look for the new episode later this week!
• Bookmooch
  This site’s only been live for about two weeks, but what a site it is! You get points for mailing books (for free) to members, and spend those points by “mooching” books off of other members. The only expense is the sender’s shipping costs. What a way to build (and clean up) your library!
• The Citizen Squid Project
  I’m one of five members in this pilot program; I can’t share all the details, but we’re working on making Squidoo better and better!

So since I’m so busy this week, about all I can pass your way is a few links and such. Oh, and here’s something political:

(Source: Friends of the Border Patrol)

Ramos-Compean Info Update

Andy Ramirez, Chairman of Friends of the Border Patrol testified before the House Judiciary Committee and requested that Congress launch an investigation and conduct a hearing on the case of the U.S. Government vs U.S. Border Patrol Agents Ignacio “Nacho” Ramos and Jose A. Compean. Due to continued public outcry, the House Judiciary Committee has agreed to do both as requested by Mr. Ramirez on behalf of the agents and their families. In addition, FBP has launched the official “Ramos-Compean Legal Defense Fund,” which has their authorization and support. We have also launched our “Pardon The Agents” campaign and ask that President George W. Bush pardon the two agents.

FriendsOfTheBorderPatrol.com is the official website authorized by the agents and families to present information. We will be posting a new section on the website specifically addressing this case and how the public can help. The Ramos-Compean section is near completion and has the full support of Agents Ramos, Compean and their families We will soon post an electronic donation button for credit card contributions.

It’s quite clear what has taken place, two agents who should have been decorated and commended for their service to this nation were guilty of doing their jobs and not following Bush Administration orders of “standing down,” which this case demonstrates includes illegal aliens, terrorists, and now drug smugglers.

See ya later!

Just wanted to make a quick post for any “Cornerstoners” reading my blog: Nicole and I are planning to bring the kids down over Labor Day weekend!

Details to come, but needless to say (assuming God drops the desired pieces into place) we’ll be worshipping at Cornerstone’s new building for the first time ever on September 3rd. (They were still meeting at West High School when we moved away.)

So… any chance we could get a Labor Day picnic on the grounds of “the seminary” (as I’ve taken to calling CCK’s estate)?

Knoxville, Tennessee, here we come! …oh yeah, and “Go Big Orange!”

Just wanted to share…

Whew! It’s been a blast, folks, and I want to thank everyone who kept me company over these past 24 hours. (I especially want to thank my beautiful, loving, and all-around wonderful wife, Nicole, for covering for me yesterday morning! I owe you one dozens, Babe! )

Once I’m rested up, I’ll tally the results for the comment contests I was running. There’s still time to get in there! I’ll cut off comment counting after 9am Eastern, so anything between now and then still counts.

Well, time to get ready for church. Please pray that the 3- and 4-year-olds survive my sleep-deprived silliness!

So as this not-so-subtle tombstone reads, “Bye!”

(Must… stay… awake!)

The past six hours have just flown by for me! WOW!

I’ve got extra-strong coffee in the pot, and I’m barefoot — which means right now my feet are staying pretty cold. That’s got a quickening effect on me!

I’m also redesigning my blog, and probably the main website it branches off of.

And if the past month is any indication, my nursing wife and son are sure to check up on me every 2-3 hours.

That’s right: no one. Including myself.

So like the first two billy goats gruff, I’ll ask you to just wait for the “bigger and better” that’s surely coming up any minute now.

I hope!

Nicole is a Tim Burton nut. I think it almost killed her (no pun intended) that we didn’t see The Corpse Bride in the theaters.

Well, she’s exacted her revenge. She got it at a RedBox in the local Giant, and she wants to watch it on the computer.

Because that’s how we watch movies. We don’t have a television.

So… I’m going to liveblog the movie! Yeah… let’s see how well that gets pulled off.

UPDATE: She wants to check eBay auctions for rubber stamps, too. Oy vey.