Emoticons are so 12 seconds ago...

In today’s world of communication mediums, we have instant messaging, texting, imessaging, emails, facebook posts, and even chat’s while playing games on your phone.  If you send an email to someone these days and they don’t respond within 10 minutes, you begin to wonder if they hate you.  It’s all a bit crazy, and to enhance these messages, or in some cases reduce the time it takes to say things like “laughing out loud” (lol) or “talk to you later” (ttyl), we have added these things called emoticons.  A series of punctuations in a certain order that make a smiling face, a winking face, a sad face and a thousand other combinations that I barely even know.

You can now download apps that provide you with full libraries of symbols to add to your 140 character commentary on your current situation on life.  While you would think that is helpful, I have found some of these emoticons lacking.  I have been known from time to time, to use small clips from commercials or movies to better convey my feelings on the situation.  Granted, if you don’t have the pop culture reference I am using, I probably come across like a loon to you, but to those who get it…so much better.

For example, if this upcoming football season, Texas A&M goes to the SEC and gets crushed, and someone sends me a text saying…

“Man, TAMU isn’t doing so well in the SEC…”

I might respond with this:

For some of you…you understand this 4 seconds for its awesome without any explanation required.  Others, perhaps the full context will allow you to fully appreciate the sarcasm that only a toddler explaining the virtues of financial investing can do…

Now in an effort to not have to track down these 4 seconds, I recently decided that I needed a quicker, but similar version of this available on my phone for text and emails sent from my phone.  So…It was in this fashion that I created this:

In then occurred to me, that you could do this with many other emotions that are much more personal and frankly, way cooler, than some clever combination of punctuation.  So…in an effort to liven up my text and email conversations, I have created…”Jon-icons”.  The best part is that the library is ever expanding, and should I run across a situation in which I need a new “Jon-icon”, its just a photo a way.

So without further a do…may I present, my Jonicons.  Aaron would be so proud!

  This one is very versatile, it can be used for genuine excitement, exaggerated excitement, or sarcastic excitement.  Its all about context people!

This was supposed to be a wink, but I apparently struggle with this because I look like someone just goosed me, and I'm not really sure if I enjoyed it, or if I need to go change my pants...

This is my "I'm so bored" face...this is one of those Jonicons that I have yet to see an equivalent emoticon for.  I am pretty sure it is because in today's overly PC world, we have to be careful not to offend people.  I don't believe ins such craziness!  If you are telling a story and this emoticon comes up...you can translate this as, in the words of my wife..."cut to the chase already!"

This is my "I'm not buying it" face.  When someone is explaining something, and my skeptical radar goes off...this is what you will see.  For example, when someone tells me that hanging water bottles full of water around your porch will keep the flies away, you will see this.  If someone else explains that it only works if there are pennies in the water bottles....this will not change.  I use this one a lot.

This one might be one my wife as seen, and not many others...

it usually comes right after I send a text saying "so...the guys want to play golf this weekend...I love you?"  yes.  that is how I typically ask to play golf.

You know that phrase "there are no bad questions."  So not true. If you discover one of the MANY bad questions, you might get this as a response.

Finally, this is how I picture myself at the end of the summer with my new son Aaron wreaking havoc into my life.  I refer to this as the "I'm a new dad, leave me alone" Jonicon...

I think you can see the amazing new element of conveying emotion using these that emoticons have yet to capture.  My hope, is that everyone adopts such a personal policy and the world of instant communication will forever be altered.  We can change the world people!  Oh...and remember that little video I started this with?  yeah...the toddler talking one...I'll just say this...I can't wait to be a dad!  Toddler videos coming soon to a Blog near you!  In conclusion, I'll leave you with this, you can have personal emoticons for specific days.  like xmas, thanksgiving, whatever.  My most recent one?  

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!!!

By the way...that's not me...it just looks like me...My doppelganger has subscribed to this Jonicon life philosophy...

3rd Trimester...How time flies

Well I can't believe we are this far along in this adventure but we have reached the third trimester.  I went to the doctor and had the glucose test done, to check for gestational diabetes and hope all comes out well.  We are at the point where I will start going to the doctor every two weeks just to keep an eye on Aaron and make sure things are progressing as they should.  The doctor gave me all kinds of information about finding a pediatrician, registering with the hospital and much more to get ready for his arrival.  It is all a little overwhelming and reminds me that so very soon we will have this sweet baby boy to hold and love on.  I have been so fortunate and blessed with an amazingly easy pregnancy and I hope it continues that way all the way to the end.

We have been busy working back at the house on so many projects.  I will share a few of them with you.
1.  Jon is just weeks away from completing his MBA.  Way to go, Aaron and I are so proud of you.  He has been intensely working on wrapping up those classes so he can spend his time elsewhere.
2. My parents sold and closed on their house in Katy which means we have new roomies. ;)  They are building a house in Cypress and will be staying with us until it is finished.  We have begun to watch them progress, at this point they have a foundation and we look forward to watching the next steps.  I feel like we are blessed to have some extra hands around as Jon and I are finding ourselves to be very preoccupied with work, school and baby.
3. My school will be moving from our current location to a new building for next year, just next door.  So, all of the teachers have to have all of their belongings in boxes and ready to move by May 25th.  If you know anything about school you may be saying to yourself, "But the kids will still be there".  Yes they will but they need us to be ready and moving so they can get the show on the road as soon as the kids are gone.  This has caused lots of extra work, stress and worries about getting everything done in time and still teaching our kids.
4. Getting the nursery ready.  We started the process around the time we found out the gender, almost two months ago, but we have been in no rush.  We are taking it one step at a time and making great progress.  We have finished the painting and the furniture has arrived.  All of the furniture has been moved and set up in the room.  Now we need to work on some of the smaller things like stuff on the walls, bedding and a book shelf.  I will post picture as soon as all that is together.  I am thinking the last stretch of the nursery will come after grad school classes are finished.
5. I have been intently working of finalizing my grad school schedule for my last class.  Finally, I have figured it out!  I am very excited that things have worked out better than I originally thought they would.  I thought I would take my last class in the month of June and then complete my masters exam early July to finish just before Aaron came.  It turns out my final class will be a mini-mester in the month of May.  Life will be absolutely crazy and hectic from May 14-29th but at the end of the two week chaos I will be done with my classes, this is a whole month earlier than I thought.  I am hoping then that I will be able to get my masters exam in as soon as the school year ends and then I will be free in early June.  My actual graduation date will not be until August, but that does not matter the work is done.

With all of that we have kept ourselves quite busy and still factoring in time for friends and family.

Sienna

There are moments in life that become a part of the “life flashes before your eyes” slide show. The more someone is in that slideshow the more they were probably a big part of your life and who you are. Sienna was my dog. She was the first dog I had owned on my own, and I couldn’t have asked for a better one. The $450 I spent for her between my sophomore and junior year in college seemed like a fortune at the time, but man, that seems like nothing looking back at the last 12 years.

I remember sitting at home in college with Paul Hutchings. We were bored college students. So what do poor college students do when they are bored and have a puppy? We teach her stupid party tricks of course! Sienna performed “Bang!” as late as last week. Her motivation was purely about getting that treat out of dad’s hands, but I never got tired of seeing the amazement that such a simple trick could bring to people. “Do it again!” they would say. “How did you do that?!” they would ask. “Show so-and-so that Bang! Trick”. It sounds stupid now, but it made me proud.

She dealt with me moving all over the country and to what must have seemed like countless houses and barely batted an eye. As long as she had a ball to chase, and food in her bowl twice a day, she was satisfied and loyal. I know everyone thinks their dog is the best dog in the world, just like every mom thinks there kid is best looking one in the room. I think Sienna was one of the best. I am not sure I am ever going to have a dog that brings as much joy, smiles, and love into a house as much as Sienna did.

“It’s just a dog”. I know. We knew this day would come. She is 12 years old after all. It doesn’t make it any easier. I’ll remember Sienna not as she was this last week, but as she was jumping into pools, chasing balls as if her life depended on it, sleeping on the couch next to me with her head in my lap. I’ll remember her wet nose at the side of the bed in the morning at the first sign that I might be thinking about waking up. I’ll remember how excited she got when we said “Wanna go see grammy?” or “You wanna go outside?” or “You wanna go for a ride?”. She was a part of our family, and that family will never be the same. We will move on, and there will be new puppies. We will have our own kids to give us grief and laughter, but Sienna won’t be there. Just yesterday she went to the backyard and brought me a ball to throw. It was more of a gentle toss, but she just wanted to be herself again. So when I wake up tomorrow morning, and there isn’t a thumping tail to greet me, and a wet nose in my face to say good morning, a little part of me will hurt all over again.

I know she is running around endless fields with tennis balls and pools, and whenever God decides to call me home, I know the first one greeting me will be Sienna. She won’t even miss a beat, and she will be looking at me like this, waiting on me to throw the ball so she can chase it just one more time:

…but tonight, I cry. I cry at the loss of one of my longest friends. I miss her already. I don’t know if your life actually flashes before your eyes, but if that day ever comes, this is how I’ll remember my friend. My dog.

Sienna

2000 – 2012

Over half way there!!!!!

Finally, I have had some time to sit down and reflect on life.  It has been a long time since I have posted a blog so there is a lot to fill in.  I am sure by this time everybody knows that our little nugget is a boy and we couldn't be anymore excited.  His name will be Aaron Jonathan Prebish.  We have been working on painting the nursery and picking out all of the things to go in it.  The paint is pretty much done and the furniture has been purchased.  I can't wait to start getting everything put in there and getting it set up.  My mom is going to make the bedding for us so that will come sometime next month.  I promise, I will post pictures, but not until it is done :)  We have decided we wanted to do something different than the baby blue and brown that most nurseries are done in so we have gone with bright colors; like Jon says, "Think a box of crayons".

Jon and I are starting to get very restless as we finish up our respective grad school programs.  It has been a long time since I have had senioritis like this, and it is bad.  I am currently working on two classes and will finish them the beginning of May.  After that I will take one mini-mester for the month of June and then I am DONE!  Jon, is much more fortunate than I am, he will be done in May.  He has been working on his capstone class, the final project, since January and will begin is last 8 week class next week.  Both of these classes will be done in May and he will have his MBA!  I am so proud of him and his perseverance in working through this program.  It is crazy to think of all we have accomplished over these last few years while working and doing school, however I will not be sad to see that business come to an end.

Another change that is in the works is the the exciting move of my parents.  My parents have talked for awhile about downsizing eventually and we are excited they have decided to do so a little closer to us.  They didn't live too far but it was a good 45 minute drive from their house to ours.  My mom has so graciously offered to watch Aaron so that Jon and I can both work and not worry about having to send him to day care.  We are so excited that we don't have to face that difficult decision and feel it is a blessing to have them moving closer. Their house was on the market for a wopping 4 days and they had 4 offers!  They have been busily working on downsizing their belongings and moving things to storage for their approaching closing date in early April.  They are building a house near us that is also in the works but won't be done for a few months so they will be our house guests, and assistants for a little bit.  Selfishly, I am very excited about them being here when I am big and fat to help with things.  I have no idea how women to some of life's chores through their whole pregnancy.  I am almost 6 months pregnant and am already struggling doing the grocery shopping, and yes I know it gets much worse.  Thankfully I will have my mommy here to help :).

In February Jon and I celebrated our one year anniversary and it is amazing how fast time flies.  We are very excited to be taking a late anniversary/babymoon trip to New Orleans the beginning of April to celebrate.  We are looking forward to some fun time to just play and be visitors while enjoying good music and food.