Here is a picture of the little "monkey" from last Friday (Week 12).
Friday, March 24, 2006
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
News from the House of Spratke
As of Sept 30, 2006, the Freeman-Spratke families will be one member larger. :) Yup, we are having a baby.
It's taken me a while to post because of course, one wants all their friends and family to find out in a non-webpage means of communication, so posting here is mostly just doing it for the fun of it...
Currently, I am 11.5 weeks along, due Sept 30th (just 11 days after nephew Will's first birthday!). This means, our summer plans of sitting up at the cabin every possible will include me sporting a collection of as non-matronly of maternity bathing suites as I can. :) Of course, it also means we will have to drag lots of friends up, so Brian can have someone to play on the new Sea Doo with (as I am pretty sure pregnancy and high speed water sports are a no-no).
March 7th, we had our first appointment, and were able to hear the crazy little heartbeat...it made me laugh, so it was hard to hear it for too long at a time....but heard it we did. :)
Friday, we get to have our first ultrasound. I am excited!!!
Well, nuff for now...that's our news!
It's taken me a while to post because of course, one wants all their friends and family to find out in a non-webpage means of communication, so posting here is mostly just doing it for the fun of it...
Currently, I am 11.5 weeks along, due Sept 30th (just 11 days after nephew Will's first birthday!). This means, our summer plans of sitting up at the cabin every possible will include me sporting a collection of as non-matronly of maternity bathing suites as I can. :) Of course, it also means we will have to drag lots of friends up, so Brian can have someone to play on the new Sea Doo with (as I am pretty sure pregnancy and high speed water sports are a no-no).
March 7th, we had our first appointment, and were able to hear the crazy little heartbeat...it made me laugh, so it was hard to hear it for too long at a time....but heard it we did. :)
Friday, we get to have our first ultrasound. I am excited!!!
Well, nuff for now...that's our news!
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Article about concert...
Great NIN show ends on sour note
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
By Troy ReiminkThe Grand Rapids Press
See what happens when you throw things at the stage?
Nine Inch Nails' show at the DeltaPlex Entertainment and Expo Center ended rather abruptly Monday night after a projectile thrown by someone in the audience struck frontman Trent Reznor in the face.
Reznor was alone on stage, playing the opening strains of "Hurt." The song was approaching its crescendo when the object hit him. Reznor pushed over his keyboard and stormed off stage, not to return. The house lights came on almost immediately.
And who could blame him? You play your guts out for almost two hours -- only to have some clown ruin it. We'll be lucky if NIN ever decides to come back. A show official said Reznor escaped serious injury but got a black eye from the tossed object. The band is scheduled to perform tonight in Toledo, Ohio.
Fortunately, all this happened 21 songs into the show, so it was presumably close to the end anyway, but now we have to speculate about what an encore might have included (I'm guessing "The Hand That Feeds," "Piggy" and "Head Like a Hole").
The end notwithstanding, this was an intense, almost perfectly executed concert. Reznor and company came out roaring with a one-two-three punch of NIN classics: "Mr. Self Destruct," "Sin," "Terrible Lie."
Hearing these songs, it's almost unfathomable how ahead of its time NIN was in the '90s. Can you believe it's been a dozen years since "The Downward Spiral" popularized industrial rock, and that "Pretty Hate Machine" will turn 17 later this year?
Obviously, much of the band's audience exists because of "Closer," whose famously crude lyrics supplied one of the least romantic choruses to ever appear in a top-40 single.
NIN got "Closer" out of the way relatively early, preferring to perform cuts from the overlooked 1999 opus "The Fragile," a few obscurities ("Suck," a song Reznor co-wrote for the industrial band Pigface), and several numbers from the 2005 album "With Teeth."
Backed by a solid, four-piece touring band Reznor, as always, was a compelling, menacing presence on stage, performing new and old songs with equal ferocity. And no, he hasn't gotten any happier over the years.
The older material has aged remarkably well. Maybe that's because so much of what's been on rock radio in the past decade has either been influenced by the NIN aesthetic or has stolen it wholesale.
That aesthetic -- pummeling percussion, searing guitars and keyboards, shout-along choruses and angst aplenty -- made for a thrilling show. Equal credit goes to the visual presentation, a dizzying spectacle of pulsating strobe lights, gloomy atmospherics and not very comforting video footage.
Mid-show, a scrim dropped to cover the stage and, as the band explored some melodic corners of its catalog, a projector showed juxtaposed images of war and creepy domestic serenity.
A projected clip of George W. and Laura Bush dancing at a black-tie event generated a big yell from the near-sellout crowd of about 5,000. Whether it was a cheer or a boo was unclear, but I'm assuming boo. Whatever your opinion of the president, it's worth noting he's provided an impetus for a lot of otherwise introspective artists to turn their intensity outward.
And Reznor's as introspective as they come. No one will ever accuse him of being a great lyricist, as he leans pretty heavily on nebulous, overwrought rhyming couplets, but it all somehow works as a package. The anger, the noise, the visuals, the catharsis, all melting into a seething stew of rage.
Obviously, I'd like to have seen how the show would've ended, but what we got was outstanding.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
By Troy ReiminkThe Grand Rapids Press
See what happens when you throw things at the stage?
Nine Inch Nails' show at the DeltaPlex Entertainment and Expo Center ended rather abruptly Monday night after a projectile thrown by someone in the audience struck frontman Trent Reznor in the face.
Reznor was alone on stage, playing the opening strains of "Hurt." The song was approaching its crescendo when the object hit him. Reznor pushed over his keyboard and stormed off stage, not to return. The house lights came on almost immediately.
And who could blame him? You play your guts out for almost two hours -- only to have some clown ruin it. We'll be lucky if NIN ever decides to come back. A show official said Reznor escaped serious injury but got a black eye from the tossed object. The band is scheduled to perform tonight in Toledo, Ohio.
Fortunately, all this happened 21 songs into the show, so it was presumably close to the end anyway, but now we have to speculate about what an encore might have included (I'm guessing "The Hand That Feeds," "Piggy" and "Head Like a Hole").
The end notwithstanding, this was an intense, almost perfectly executed concert. Reznor and company came out roaring with a one-two-three punch of NIN classics: "Mr. Self Destruct," "Sin," "Terrible Lie."
Hearing these songs, it's almost unfathomable how ahead of its time NIN was in the '90s. Can you believe it's been a dozen years since "The Downward Spiral" popularized industrial rock, and that "Pretty Hate Machine" will turn 17 later this year?
Obviously, much of the band's audience exists because of "Closer," whose famously crude lyrics supplied one of the least romantic choruses to ever appear in a top-40 single.
NIN got "Closer" out of the way relatively early, preferring to perform cuts from the overlooked 1999 opus "The Fragile," a few obscurities ("Suck," a song Reznor co-wrote for the industrial band Pigface), and several numbers from the 2005 album "With Teeth."
Backed by a solid, four-piece touring band Reznor, as always, was a compelling, menacing presence on stage, performing new and old songs with equal ferocity. And no, he hasn't gotten any happier over the years.
The older material has aged remarkably well. Maybe that's because so much of what's been on rock radio in the past decade has either been influenced by the NIN aesthetic or has stolen it wholesale.
That aesthetic -- pummeling percussion, searing guitars and keyboards, shout-along choruses and angst aplenty -- made for a thrilling show. Equal credit goes to the visual presentation, a dizzying spectacle of pulsating strobe lights, gloomy atmospherics and not very comforting video footage.
Mid-show, a scrim dropped to cover the stage and, as the band explored some melodic corners of its catalog, a projector showed juxtaposed images of war and creepy domestic serenity.
A projected clip of George W. and Laura Bush dancing at a black-tie event generated a big yell from the near-sellout crowd of about 5,000. Whether it was a cheer or a boo was unclear, but I'm assuming boo. Whatever your opinion of the president, it's worth noting he's provided an impetus for a lot of otherwise introspective artists to turn their intensity outward.
And Reznor's as introspective as they come. No one will ever accuse him of being a great lyricist, as he leans pretty heavily on nebulous, overwrought rhyming couplets, but it all somehow works as a package. The anger, the noise, the visuals, the catharsis, all melting into a seething stew of rage.
Obviously, I'd like to have seen how the show would've ended, but what we got was outstanding.
Concerts...whoo hoo.
Well, we have had an adventerous couple of weeks...we had 2 concerts, 2 Monday's in a row. Last Monday, we went with Bill, Leslie and their friends to see Nickleback (opened by Trapt and Default). I have to say, I wasn't sure what to think, not being a huge Nickelback fan, but I will admit, they put on a good show, and had some mighty cool pyrotechnics (sp?).
Last night, we capped off our concerting adventures, for the month of Feb. with Nine Inch Nails. Once again, with Bill and Leslie in tow. (Kudos to Leslie for putting up with my music taste!) I have to say, I very much enjoyed it...I have been brushing up on my old school NIN lately, combined with the new album, which I really like...I will admit, the venue left something to be desired, and the security was laughable (walmart greeters trying to make extra money?), but the proximity to the stage was pretty good...
...now for the shocker...it was about 3/4 into the show...a couple hours at least...and all the sudden, halfway through the sound hurt...some idiot threw something on the stage at the lead singer...who promptly threw something and left the stage. Everyone seemed to think it was a dramatic lead in to the next part of the song...but then, the house lights came up. People tried to encourage an encore, but no go. HOLY COW. Very disappointing...although, I will admit, at that point, my feet were tired, and I had heard a good many of my favorite songs...so I can't say I left lacking a good show....and hey- we were home and in bed early, so can't complain about that...
Anyways, back to the normal world, sans stinky concert halls and expensive merchandising.
Last night, we capped off our concerting adventures, for the month of Feb. with Nine Inch Nails. Once again, with Bill and Leslie in tow. (Kudos to Leslie for putting up with my music taste!) I have to say, I very much enjoyed it...I have been brushing up on my old school NIN lately, combined with the new album, which I really like...I will admit, the venue left something to be desired, and the security was laughable (walmart greeters trying to make extra money?), but the proximity to the stage was pretty good...
...now for the shocker...it was about 3/4 into the show...a couple hours at least...and all the sudden, halfway through the sound hurt...some idiot threw something on the stage at the lead singer...who promptly threw something and left the stage. Everyone seemed to think it was a dramatic lead in to the next part of the song...but then, the house lights came up. People tried to encourage an encore, but no go. HOLY COW. Very disappointing...although, I will admit, at that point, my feet were tired, and I had heard a good many of my favorite songs...so I can't say I left lacking a good show....and hey- we were home and in bed early, so can't complain about that...
Anyways, back to the normal world, sans stinky concert halls and expensive merchandising.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
COLD!
Holy cow, is it cold or what!?
Entering another month of winter, still, pretty much snow-less, but we have the cold for a change. Yipes.
We had an uneventful Super Bowl with some friends in town to visit. We were bored to tears over the commericals and thankful for Tivo, so we could forward through the boring portions of the game (which to me, was pretty much all of it).
All has been well in other aspects of life. We have just been putzin' along, trying to keep warm and not go broke over a heating bill. ;)
Not much else to report out there. :)
Entering another month of winter, still, pretty much snow-less, but we have the cold for a change. Yipes.
We had an uneventful Super Bowl with some friends in town to visit. We were bored to tears over the commericals and thankful for Tivo, so we could forward through the boring portions of the game (which to me, was pretty much all of it).
All has been well in other aspects of life. We have just been putzin' along, trying to keep warm and not go broke over a heating bill. ;)
Not much else to report out there. :)
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Greets!
Well, it's been an uneventful week, following an eventful weekend. Jon, Dawn and Sam were up on Friday night - we had a nice dinner to celebrate Brian's promotion and then Brian did some work on their computer. Saturday morning, Sam and I spent some quality time looking at the "Cold snow", and playing with Cabbage Patch Kids. ;) Dawn and I got a nice trip to the mall where we created havoc at NY&Co. We returned home with 50 B-dubs wings for lunchtime snacking. Good times.
Then, later, after they headed home, we drove up to Christine and Jon's for a little dinner soiree. Cara, Chester, Kathyrn and a couple local friends joined in. We played some games (which we were all aparently too genius for) and hung out. Brian and I stayed the night (of course, Blue was in tow) due to the long drive home - and the next morning we got up, had a great greasy breakfast in a little nearby town - and headed home.
Finally...we got to rest!!! So, we are enjoying the fact that this is a very low key week.... :) Thus far, we have no plans for the weekend, a rarity for us, but of course, that could change in the blink of an eye!
Then, later, after they headed home, we drove up to Christine and Jon's for a little dinner soiree. Cara, Chester, Kathyrn and a couple local friends joined in. We played some games (which we were all aparently too genius for) and hung out. Brian and I stayed the night (of course, Blue was in tow) due to the long drive home - and the next morning we got up, had a great greasy breakfast in a little nearby town - and headed home.
Finally...we got to rest!!! So, we are enjoying the fact that this is a very low key week.... :) Thus far, we have no plans for the weekend, a rarity for us, but of course, that could change in the blink of an eye!
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Holiday Haze Is Over.
Well, it's been ages since I have posted. Seems we were caught up in the haze of the holidays. We spent Christmas in Alma and Flint...then New Years, with the Blue Sky group at Jon and Dawn's....the following week, I got a horrible cold, and it rained..and rained...and rained!
Last weekend we went to Detriot. On Saturday, we watched the Clare high school basketball team (coached by a fellow Almanite) play at the Palace. Then, we stayed to watch a Piston's game. I had never been to a basketball game before, so it was a new experience. It was a good time, but I will admit, I enjoyed watching the kids better than the professionals! We stayed at Kev and Mon's for the weekend, and as usual, we managed to stay up til 3am talking about a whole lotta who knows what! Sunday morning, Monica made us breakfast pizza, which was pretty good!
Now that we are out of the haze of the holidays and a cold....we resume normal, and somewhat dull life! Not much to report....
Last weekend we went to Detriot. On Saturday, we watched the Clare high school basketball team (coached by a fellow Almanite) play at the Palace. Then, we stayed to watch a Piston's game. I had never been to a basketball game before, so it was a new experience. It was a good time, but I will admit, I enjoyed watching the kids better than the professionals! We stayed at Kev and Mon's for the weekend, and as usual, we managed to stay up til 3am talking about a whole lotta who knows what! Sunday morning, Monica made us breakfast pizza, which was pretty good!
Now that we are out of the haze of the holidays and a cold....we resume normal, and somewhat dull life! Not much to report....
Monday, December 19, 2005
Christmas is almost here...
Merry Christmas...almost!
Well, not much to report here. I am walking now...well, hobbling is more like it, but at least I am wearing normal shoes...
Last Friday was my company party. It was good fun. I won boxing gloves, of all the weird things. Although, we have been having good fun at their expense. I will admit...Blue was not to keen on wearing them. You'd think a boxer would be into that kinda thing...??? Guess not!
Anyways, I better get back to work. Just wanted to drop a line. Hope everyone out there has a beautiful holiday.
Well, not much to report here. I am walking now...well, hobbling is more like it, but at least I am wearing normal shoes...
Last Friday was my company party. It was good fun. I won boxing gloves, of all the weird things. Although, we have been having good fun at their expense. I will admit...Blue was not to keen on wearing them. You'd think a boxer would be into that kinda thing...??? Guess not!
Anyways, I better get back to work. Just wanted to drop a line. Hope everyone out there has a beautiful holiday.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Progress!
Well, I have great news!
My visit to the doctor has me ahead of schedule on my recovery. This week, I got to start putting weight on my foot. He told me to take 2 weeks to wean myself off my crutches and into a supportive shoe. Horray - this means, I will be walking by Christmas! I am elated!
Last weekend, my mom and Brian's mom came over, and we had a Christmas cookie making extravaganza....now we have more cookies that it should be legal to have around our house!!!
Aside from that, not much is going on in our lives....just busy working, getting ready for Christmas, etc.
My visit to the doctor has me ahead of schedule on my recovery. This week, I got to start putting weight on my foot. He told me to take 2 weeks to wean myself off my crutches and into a supportive shoe. Horray - this means, I will be walking by Christmas! I am elated!
Last weekend, my mom and Brian's mom came over, and we had a Christmas cookie making extravaganza....now we have more cookies that it should be legal to have around our house!!!
Aside from that, not much is going on in our lives....just busy working, getting ready for Christmas, etc.
Monday, November 28, 2005
New webpages!!!
New pages I have finished....
Under Family Life, the Flint 150th page
Under Fun with Friends, the Party for Louisa and Halloween 2005!
I am trying to catch up!!!
Under Family Life, the Flint 150th page
Under Fun with Friends, the Party for Louisa and Halloween 2005!
I am trying to catch up!!!
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Thankgiving gluttony.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Well, the holiday weekend is done, and it feels like all we did was eat, sleep and sit around. But it has been quiet enjoyable. We went home to Flint Wednesday, and got to spend lots of quality time with the family - including our new nephew Will. He is absolutely the sweetest thing in the world.
Michael and Brian made us cosmo's as a pre-dinner drink, which spiced up the cooking process. The food was great, especially the turkey and stuffing (kudos to the cooks - which was pretty much everyone but me). My main job on Thanksgiving was keeping Will happy - which I did not complain about at all! In fact, I felt like I was hording him - but he was so soft and cuddly!
Friday night we visited with our friends Bill and Dawn for a while, then followed them to the bowling alley to watch their leagues. There we got to see long-lost Mattie, and the ever jovial Percy. Percy and I found we have the same taste in chinese restaurants...Ten Fu! It was fun to be out and about for a change and visit with old friends.
Saturday night, we repeated thanksgiving with Brian's parents, and we all fell asleep shortly thereafter! Nice turkey induced snoozing!!!
Today, we are back to the ol' grind. It's raining and dreary out....I much rather have snow!!!
Well, the holiday weekend is done, and it feels like all we did was eat, sleep and sit around. But it has been quiet enjoyable. We went home to Flint Wednesday, and got to spend lots of quality time with the family - including our new nephew Will. He is absolutely the sweetest thing in the world.
Michael and Brian made us cosmo's as a pre-dinner drink, which spiced up the cooking process. The food was great, especially the turkey and stuffing (kudos to the cooks - which was pretty much everyone but me). My main job on Thanksgiving was keeping Will happy - which I did not complain about at all! In fact, I felt like I was hording him - but he was so soft and cuddly!
Friday night we visited with our friends Bill and Dawn for a while, then followed them to the bowling alley to watch their leagues. There we got to see long-lost Mattie, and the ever jovial Percy. Percy and I found we have the same taste in chinese restaurants...Ten Fu! It was fun to be out and about for a change and visit with old friends.
Saturday night, we repeated thanksgiving with Brian's parents, and we all fell asleep shortly thereafter! Nice turkey induced snoozing!!!
Today, we are back to the ol' grind. It's raining and dreary out....I much rather have snow!!!
Monday, November 14, 2005
No wait...no weight?
I got my cast on today. Not the plaster kind, this is a "removable" cast, although I am not supposed to remove it yet. The great thing about this type of cast is, eventually I will be able to take it off to bathe. Not that I don't know...I just have an elaborate garbage bag/hair clip adventure I go through in order to shower!
6 weeks of no weight on this foot. Seems likes ages...by the time 6 weeks is over, Thanksgiving will be gone...Christmas will be past, and we will be on the verge of 2006. Wowsa.
Dad is coming to "babysit" me while B is gone for work for a few days...Blue will be in heaven.
6 weeks of no weight on this foot. Seems likes ages...by the time 6 weeks is over, Thanksgiving will be gone...Christmas will be past, and we will be on the verge of 2006. Wowsa.
Dad is coming to "babysit" me while B is gone for work for a few days...Blue will be in heaven.
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Hello World
Hello World.
that was the output of my first computer program ever....I never dreamed I would write a computer program before that...but I did...and forver those two little words make me crack up.
"Becky - a geek?"
Yup.
Anyways, I have decided to start a blog during this time of recovery. As you probably know, I had surgery on my right foot less than a week ago. I can pretty much do nothing except sit on a computer and make Brian nuts. So, I thought, geesh, maybe I will play around with a blog...why not? So here it is.
that was the output of my first computer program ever....I never dreamed I would write a computer program before that...but I did...and forver those two little words make me crack up.
"Becky - a geek?"
Yup.
Anyways, I have decided to start a blog during this time of recovery. As you probably know, I had surgery on my right foot less than a week ago. I can pretty much do nothing except sit on a computer and make Brian nuts. So, I thought, geesh, maybe I will play around with a blog...why not? So here it is.
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