Upside Ann

  Chicago Field Museum, 2026

Yep, Here is my kid breaking the rules to pick a flower in a national park.  He wanted to carry it for 2 days to give to his "sister" in Colorado.  The boy has a loving heart...with a rebellious streak.

  Chicago, 2026 Zupe with Canadian smoke What do I like about this photograph? The way his long legs mirror the skyscrapers around him.

 2025 - post sitting for a photo....

  July 3, 2026

 with apologies to Bullseye.

 Zupe, the Bean, and his new Lego minifigure. Chicago, 2026

 This didn't quite work out the way I wanted - but it was the closest of my attempts.  I photographed Zupe swimming in the pool on "live" with my iPhone trying to move the phone just enough so that when I combined? compressed? the multiple images into a long-exposure, Zupe's head would be in focus but his body would be awash with movement.  I think I pretty much created a sea moster whose back end is meling into the sea.   Chicago, 2026 long-exposure, live

 Zupe living his best life and running the 100 meter race.  I'm proud of him.  He ran the entire way.  Though he was pretty cute as a youngster stopping along the path to wave at people he knew.   I remain thankful that he is not a competitive personality and seems to be just as pleased with his fifth place ribbon as his first (soft ball toss - field of 1).  

Poor Zupe.  His mom thinks he needs to keep learning through the summer and even though school has not yet ended, summer school started today.  I had made plans to learn about Viking history and Nordic mythology - while watching (rewatching) Thor and Loki.  As it turns out, last night Zupe picked up the first of the Kane Chronicles by Rick Riodan - in which preteen/young teen siblings are tossed into a quest featuring Egyptian gods.  Totally unprepared I turned to YouTube to provide a little background on Egypt, Egyptian culture, history, and mythology. Zupe has now watched both "King Tut" (Steve Martin on SNL, 1978) and "Walk Like an Egyptian" (The Bangles, 1987). "He gave his life for tourism..." ...and what would we need to study to make "Turning Japanese" a requirement??

 

 be with you.... Zupe was a big Star War fans for a while.  (He still loves Star Wars, but is more obsessed with Ninjago and, dare I say it, Avengers Doomsday - coming to a theater near you: December 18, 2026.  Mark your calendar!)  We, however, did not have any Star War minifigures. But, at 9, Zupe was happy to make his own.  As you may be unpracticed in imagination, I will introduce you to the characters.  From RIGHT to LEFT (yes, I know that is backward... Your discomfort will be worth it.  Trust me.)  Again, from right to left: Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader and..... Emperor Palpatine. Live long and prosper.... Photo: September 2020

  October 2025 Boarding the bus Zupe can still look like my little boy - if he's not pictured towering above me.

  This morning I woke to find (yet again) my hair cursed by its "too long-ness".  Bed-head.  Great.  I wanted to bike to work but do I want to do that with a wet head?   Zupe asked why I was looking in the mirror and sighing.  I told him I thought my hair looked silly.  "What do you think, Zupe?  Is my hair silly?  Nope.  In Zupe, he told me I look fine because he sees me "in his heart".   I'm now wondering if I can start each exam appointment this morning with a suggestion that we each look at the other with our hearts.   This has the potential to become the fourth pillar of my philosophy.  

 I'm thinking if I set myself up with a plan for each day - save maybe Saturday and Sunday when I'm less likely to have time to myself - I'll be more successful with sticking with this project.  So, Wednesday Zoop - which might refer to child or a recipe.  The inspiration for this: Eric Carle's book "Today is Monday". Zupe: Christmas open house in history museum 2026.  While you might not recognize the whiskery face, the medical glove hands should be a dead giveaway.  

Granted. This is NOT probably the best time to be reflecting on what Zupe brought home from his Halloween jaunt last October - that time was, I don't know, November 1st?  And yet, it really needs to be shared because- yeah - it just does.  I didn't go out with Zupe this year.  Kevin must have.  All I know is that when he came home, I opened up the bag and found this.   You should know that Zupe is not big on candy.  He doesn't eat chocolates.  At all.  He likes gummy candy and suckers.  And, I guess, he's discovered a fondness for - yes- you see it now, don't you?  Potatoes. I guess someone left a cauldren on their porch from which the little beggars could take their pick.   And my little beggar chose the spud.  

 "You know you can't get into a good college if you're controlled by a giant hot dog." Truer words were never spoken.

  Happy Halloween. Black Panther and I'm (last year's) Iron Man.  The Captain America? A person meeting the trick-or-treaters at their home.  Zupe was in AWE of the fabulous costume.  Or, was it??  We ended up just circling the block and coming back to once again fist bump and hug Cap.  

 Warm October day.  

Kevin and I debated until about 10 PM the night before about going to LegoLand.  We had had a pretty negative experience at Disney the summer before - hot, crowded, and an unimpressed child.  Obviously, we took a chance - and it was a great decision!  Virtually no crowd (on a weekday in October!), beautifully comfortable, and a very, very engaged child.  Here Zupe is greeting Emmet - followed soon, thereafter, by dancing with and hugging Emmet.  Lloyd was also there!  And, Zupe had his first taste of a roller coaster and he loved it.