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Archives for February 2003

Which Cell Phone Should I Buy?

Which cell phone should I buy?

Christine and I are in the market for new cell phones. Our Nokia phones are just too bulky for slipping in a pocket. Here is a bulleted list of requirements:

  • Good coverage in Seattle and Union Hill. Not being able to get calls at home would be a non-starter.
  • Quality sound. It shouldn’t sound like I’m talking in a wind tunnel or through a paper bag.
  • Excellent battery life.
  • Pocketsize with good ergonomics. We’re not looking for the smallest phone but just want that’s easy to use and fits in a pocket or purse.
  • Hands free system for car. Ideally we could reuse the existing hands free system we have from Nokia and just get a new cradle.
  • Reasonably priced monthly plans. We’re with AT&T OneRate now and it’s definitely not the cheapest rate out there.
  • Address book. I use the address book feature on the Nokia to store common phone numbers.
  • Bonus: plays games
  • Bonus: productivity apps

For the Seattle area, what is the best protocol: TDMA, Sprint PCS, CDMA,….? Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated. If you “love” you phone send me email: stevebu@bushchang.com.

Mom Daughter Night

This is Christine. I had Katherine to myself this evening, as Steve had workaholic Tuesday. Two momentous events happened this evening. While she was playing on the activity gym, Katherine rolled from her back to her stomach for the first time! Like previous attempts, she got as far as turning on to her side. I gave her my finger, which she grasped, and pulled her gently to her stomach and rocked her back to her side. She tried to roll over a few more times, grunting and resting intermittently. Ten minutes later, she rolled to her side and fell onto her stomach – victory!! She repeated this once more, and to celebrate she took a nice long, warm bath. This was probably one of the most pleasant bath experiences I’ve had, largely due to a trick that we learned from Patty (put towels underneath the baby so she doesn’t slip in the baby tub). We put lots of toys in the tub, and Katherine had a great time trying to reach and kick her armada of yellow rubber duckies.

After bath time, I settled her into the little vibrating chair (not on) and read several stories. I pulled out one her first books “Discovery Farm” – a cloth book that contains all sorts of crinkly, jingly, soft objects. One page one (which is fairly boring), she managed to grab the left page with her right hand and the yellow chick in her left (new!). She paused as if to deciding to turn the page, and promptly used her right hand to push the page over (new!) to get to her favorite section which contains a felt duck that rotates and a crinkly tractor that folds back to reveal a textured sheep. Like a pro, she moved the tractor back with her left hand to get to the sheep, which she felt. And, then with her right, she grabbed the duck and moved it back and forth (new!). I was so surprised by this whole set of developments that I had to call Steve to share the experience. We spent the next five minutes crinkling the tractor, moving the page around and then finishing up the book. To close the evening, we listened to some lullabies and Katherine drifted off to sleep after a nice snack. What an evening!

Patty in Action with Katherine

This is Steve. I had a conference call this morning so I got the opportunity to watch Patty in action. She’s great with Katherine. She sings to her in English and Spanish (alternatively), plays with her, and reads to her. Christine and I have definitely noticed that Katherine is very curious now and craves new stimulation and experiences. She’s become more coordinated so she can interact with the world around her. The picture on the right is Patty reading to Katherine laying on Katherine’s activity gym.

I really missed Katherine today at work. She’s growing up so fast and everyday brings new experiences. I’m truly the proud father who thinks his daughter is the most beautiful, well-adjusted, and smart girl on earth. ๐Ÿ™‚

Katherine rolls over

Katherine is growing up so fast. On Sunday, Katherine started to roll over on her side. We bought a chime for her activity mat which she had a great time kicking it to make it sound off. Christine and I watch her discover that she could use the momentum of her legs to pull her body over. It was a fascinating experience to watch as we witnessed Katherine learning a new skill. She would kick her feet out and turn her body using her legs as ballast. We practiced the maneuver several times until she could repeat it at will. We can no longer put her down and leave as she has the ability to rotate her body out of a chair or changing table.

When I checked on Katherine Monday morning she had rotated nearly 180 degrees in her crib and was having a vociferous conversation with her mobile. Katherine is really babbling up a storm now. Instead of crying she’ll babble to Christine or I to let us know she’s hungry. With a little more experience, I think we’ll be able to determine what Katherine wants by her babble (an early form of communication). It’s truly amazing watching her grow up as I can see the wheels turning in her head. Patty, our wonderful nanny, reads to Katherine every day and tries to expose her to new sights, sounds, and experiences. Christine and I do the same in the mornings, evenings, and weekends when Patty isn’t around. Katherine is soaking it all up and starting to understand and want to manipulate her surroundings. The second picture below is me reading to Katherine.

Katherine loves to watch TV though we turn it off when we notice her watching it. She’ll crane her neck around to see what’s on the “boob tube”. She especially likes sports and shows with a lot of action. Christine and I have decided to restrict our TV watching to when Katherine’s asleep. We want her to interact with her environment and not be distracted/entertained by the TV.

The last set of pictures are Katherine hanging out with Bisco. Bisco really wants to play with Katherine but realizes that she’s just too small. Bisco has adjusted well to Katherine joining our family. He often feels a bit neglected but Christine and I try very hard to give him some quality time after Katherine has gone to sleep. Christine and I are looking forward to when Katherine is old enough to start interacting with Bisco. Hopefully, they will be great pals.

To War or Not to War with Iraq

In my previous weblogs, I’ve stayed away from politics. What sparked this departure was seeing a group of pro-America protestors near Bellevue Square. It got me thinking about what it means to be pro-America.

My political views represent a hybrid of the Republican and Democrat party ideals. I have the fiscal views of the Republicans and social responsibility of the Democrats. The war with Iraq is a tough issue for me. I have a 3 month old daughter and as a dad I feel like I need to make sure the world is a great and safe place for her to grow up. The trouble is that there is so much to do to improve the quality of life for Americans and the rest of the world. How do you choose where we should spend our tax dollars and which battles should we fight?

I’ve listened to the case put forth by the Bush administration and I’m convinced that Saddam Hussein is an oppressive leader who is desperately trying to protect his position of power and the status quo in Iraq. I’m also convinced Iraq has weapons of “mass destruction” and is actively trying to hide them from weapons inspectors in a game of cat and mouse.

Saddam is a skilled politician and he’s using all of the tools at his disposal to fracture the NATO coalition aligned against him. I cannot really blame him for trying though I have issues with his methods. It seems to me the US/Iraq affair boils down to George W Bush wanting to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq. I believe most of Bush’s motivation is rooted in the national interest yet some of it is personal. If I remember correctly, Saddam tried to kill his dad. Trying to assassinate my dad would really piss me off if I were George W. So I guess I can rationalize Bush’s position and understand why he’s so frustrated with the world’s insistence on using diplomacy over war.

So, back to the potential of war with Iraq. I’m very supportive of our troops domestically and overseas. They’re protecting the vital interests of our country and I respect them for risking their lives to ensure a better life for my family and all Americans. They are true heroes yet frankly grossly underpaid for the risk and responsibility given to them.

The real question is whether or not the expense of a war with Iraq is the best use of our tax dollars. I’m very concerned with Iraq’s ability to use weapons of mass destruction domestically. However, I do believe the use of weapons of mass destruction is a long term problem. Any group that has grievances with the United States is capable of using these weapons. As communication, technology, and education advance, more and more people will have the knowledge, means, and ability to build weapons of mass destruction. Terrorism is about individuals with a cause, not the population of an entire nation. One vigilant person with the right tools can inflict more damage today and anytime in history and this problem is only going to get worse. Sorry to be such a downer.

The opportunity cost for the war with Iraq is domestic programs like education, welfare, social security, government programs, and infrastructure improvements. It’s hard for me to justify a war with Iraq when our teachers are paid so little and there are some many people without healthcare, jobs, and homes. I wonder if improving the lives of Americans should take precedent over removing Saddam from power. It’s a tough choice for me. I see the benefits of both. Ignoring Saddam places us in an isolationist view of world politics which historically has led to diplomatic disaster. Yet, how can we neglect the quality of life for Americans domestically. I want Katherine to grow up in a safe environment that is conducive to her achieving her goals and dreams. Is this a world without Saddam or a world in which we’ve invested in the quality of education and the lives of every American. I wish I knew the right answer.

Katherine Meets Edgar Martinez

Edgar Martinez and his wife Holli have partnered with Overlake Hospital to raise funds to improve the quality of care and facilities. Two days after Katherine was born we were asked if we wanted to participate in a photo shoot with Edgar and his wife Holli. The photos were to be used in the promotion of the capital campaign for Overlake Hospital. Being Mariners fans, Christine and I couldn’t refuse the offer to have Edgar hold Katherine. Christine and I got the opportunity to chat with Edgar and Holli about their work. They are incredibly nice people and told us to enjoy every minute of being new parents.

Katherine is the baby on the far right, being held by Edgar. Having only spent 2 days with Katherine, Christine and I were not yet experts at interpreting fussiness cues and how to quickly calm her down in a crisis situation. About 1/2 way through the photo shoot, Katherine started to get what we now call the “scrunchy face”. The “scrunchy face” is the precursor to a total meltdown and requires swift and decisive action. Well, if you look closely at the photo Katherine is crying and Edgar is smiling because he knows there is nothing he can do to soothe someone else’s crying baby. He was a good sport and Christine and I feel lucky that we had the opportunity to Katherine’s baby picture taken with Edgar Martinez. For our participation, we received a 8×10 photo signed by Edgar Martinez.