PAX

Yesterday, we went to the Penny Arcade Expo downtown. It's a game festival organised by some local cartoonist. I got passes through work for Heather and I. Owain sneaked in without paying and headed straight for The Guild booth to have his piccy taken with Felicia Day.

This is Vegas wasn't actually on display at the show but there was a Midway booth showing games like Wheelman, a high-octane driving game that is most notable for enlisting the help of A-list mega-star Joe Borthwick Vin Diesel.

In general, I found the show every bit as impressive as the European Computer Trade Show that used to take place in London. But now, I'm just an ageing, jaded programmer whose life (and blog) has been stolen by a bald, tubby mute with no social skills or bowel control (yet somehow twice as much charm as me). He, on the other hand, had his eyes popping out of his head: everywhere bright lights and strange sounds and slightly funky-smelling people passing by in a continuous procession. Pity he won't remember any of it in a few days. I suppose we'll have to go back next year.

Wild, wild weekend!

Heather has just finished watching the Oscars 'round Kristi's house in Alabama. I've been left in charge of the family estate here in Washington and have really let my hair down.

On Friday night I watched two episodes of Dr Who back to back over a glass of whisky... and not modern Dr Who neither - good old Tom Baker on PBS. Nobody tutted at the dated special effects and I didn't hear a single bitchy comment about the Doctor's glamorous assistant Leela. Her outfit is made of shammy leathers and she has some great lines.

On Saturday I went to work for a few hours and played Team Fortress 2. Then I tried to go see a film at the IMAX and failed. Normally, I wouldn't even try so that's adventurous right there. Instead I went home, ate pizza and watched Dog Day Afternoon. It's a very funny movie.

Today, I just went into total off-the-leash overdrive. I watched all sorts of lads TV including an episode of Star Trek from 1967. I vacuumed and washed up. I took out the recycling and the rubbish and wired up the DVD player. Then I went grocery shopping and bought the ingredients for my first ever curry. Unfortunately, I got bored while it was cooking and started eating red chilli peppers to remind myself which bits have the hot stuff. I'll leave out the gory details. Lets just say I needed a bath to fully recover.

And still I managed to post some baby photos. This is from our wanderings around Ballard last weekend and just happen to have some obnoxiously adorable pictures.

Swing While You're Whining

'The boy' is still doing his thing. He's finally taken to the swinging seat thing. This is a massive relief as previously, the most reliable way to pacify him involved putting an upside-down finger in his mouth which often involves a lot of contortion and discomfort. Another effective method reserved for when he's screaming extra loud is to walk him around the block in his pram. Most of the time he's an angel but that doesn't help when he is causing your ears actual pain. And yes, he's been taken on car journeys solely to shut him up.

The move to Washington is finally picking up speed. Our first task - once we get there - is to find somewhere to live. We're probably going to rent a flat while we settle in. Heather hasn't been to Seattle since she was nine and I've only visited two restaurants and a Wendy's in the entire metropolitan area so neither of us have a favourite street singled out yet.

In the mean time, Heather and I have tickets to fly up on Monday. All of our household possessions will arrive by the end of the month and the car is being trucked up for early December with Owain in the back seat.

Eat at Joe's

Just a quick line to mention that I have finally accepted a job offer! The company is a game developer in Washington. (That's Washington State, not Washington D.C.) More details in a few days.

Here is the McFarlane family's low-key celebration at Joe's Crab Shack:


Owain has been a proper little fiend all day and won't settle down without a huge amount of attention. We're already late going to visit Jamie and Gwyn's this evening. I looked after baby while Heather got dolled up and then she took him back. Now he's having a screaming fit. Maybe he doesn't recognise her and thinks he's being abducted!

Seriously, if there are any baby abductors in the local area, our address is...