The geekiness is strong with this one.

So, I'm slowly turning my nearly three year old nephew into a full-fledged geek. It all started when he sat transfixed, watching me play The Incredible Hulk video game. YouTube clips of various Marvel cartoons followed, further grabbing ahold of his young and impressionable brain. He was hooked.



I got him this (kinda) matching shirt a few weeks ago. Now I just need to teach him how to count cards and then we're off to Vegas.



Last week he started pre-school and, like any boy reaching this milestone, he was entitled to a new backpack. My sister took him to the store and explained that he could pick out any one he wanted. She said he took a very long time trying to decide between a Cars one (he's a HUGE Cars nut) and a Marvel one. And he made his Marvel.

I'm so proud of the little guy.

This is what it's all about.

Yep, it was a good week.

You've got your big cheese. I've got my hash pipe.

My Mom recently was on holiday in Fort Lauderdale and Key West and brought back a souvenir for me. Knowing that I enjoy a pipeful of a nice English or aromatic blend of tobacco at the end of a long day, she bought me a new pipe. A WEED PIPE!



Now, she honestly didn't know that it is intended for illicit substances*, but you'd think certain aspects of the pipe would tip her off to its purpose, namely the Rastafarian and the spliff hanging from his mouth. She wanted me to destroy it after I told her what it was, but I'm going to hang onto it. Anyway, we had a good laugh, but Mom was pretty embarrassed. The next time she goes away on vacation I hope she brings me back a mirror to cut cocaine on.

*Apparently, the guy who sold it to her maintained that it wasn't for marijuana. Then he tried to sell her a glass pipe, too.

One more piece of kitsch and I'll be John Waters

A couple of items that my Mom brought back from my Grandparents' house and gave to me:



My Grandpa's Shriners fez. Unfortunately, it's a bit too small for my big head. Actually, for friends around me in public, maybe that's a good thing. I wonder if he ever drove one of those tiny cars; I only ever saw him drive OldsmoBuicks.



"Too Much Tequila" by Xavier Cugat. I remember this painting fondly from my childhood, as it hung in one of my Grandparents' extra bedrooms (well before they redecorated their house). It looks to be an original by the Desi Arnaz mentor and husband of Charo, but the painting also shows up in this guy's collection. A Google search turned up this blog post musing on the multiple copies of one of Cugat's other paintings. So, I'm not sure what the deal is.

My kid could paint that

My niece drew my portrait* the other day. It's so photorealistic that it's scary.

*Bunch of lines under my "nose" = my beard

Goofy Uncle Micah

My niece and I were fooling around on the webcam.

Samhain wrap-up

And another Halloween comes to a close. Mom prepared a great food spread. Taking the kids out trick or treating was a blast. "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and the Halloween-themed episode of "The Office" played on TV. It's late and I'm sugar crashing right now, so I'll let the pictures speak (mostly) for themselves.



Yours truly as 4-Micah*. Get it? Get it?



My nephews. For tonight only they were given permission to say "lady, obviously you don't know your shit from Shinola" if someone couldn't figure out their costumes.



Spydrz as a Duke lacrosse player. Broomstick and rapist stigma not included.



My sister's fam (left to right, from bottom): Raggedy Ann, Lil' Jack-O-Lantern, Raggedy Ann, Off-Duty Vice Principal.

See y'all in November.

*This is not the costume I planned on wearing. I'll save that one for next year.