Last night we headed over to Ohgane for dinner. The food was pretty impressive. Not what Trish was expecting, but good none the less. It was the Hibachi style restaurant, with a grill on our table. We cooked our own meat and had a huge pile of appetizers. Most of it awesome except a couple of things that was just too fishy for us.

So we sat down and opened the card the sonography technician sealed for us. He did not write anything, but did put the printout of the picture that told us the sex.

The baby's name will be Arjun Flynn Mittra.

Arjun is the legendary master archer and warrior from the Mahabharat and the Bhagwad Gita. Arjun is also the name of the new main battle tank India is indigenously producing as it's primary battle tank for extreme weather conditions that no other country has. The name by itself means 'bright', 'shining', or 'silver'.

Flynn is a Gaelic name that means the decendant of a red head

It really is. We are about 20 weeks pregnant and my travel schedule didn't allow us to go do the sonography to find out the sex of the baby. Are we going now? Not really.

We went to Kaiser on Tuesday for the sonography and decided we did not want to know the sex right then. We wanted to make it special. Why special you ask?

Well, when Trish was pregnant with Eve would count not find out the sex of the baby. We were in India at the time and it is against the law for the doctors to reveal the sex of the baby. This was started in the 70s to reduce female infanticide. So, since could not find out then, we waited. When Eve was born, Tricia's mom called out the sex. It was a very special moment.

So we asked the technician to write the sex of the baby in a card that Tricia made specially for this. Tonight we will head off to a special little restaurant called Ohgane in Oakland. Before or during the meal we will open the card.

Yes, today is the day.

Labels: new baby, Ohgane

I'm on my way from San Francisco to Charlotte, South Carolina. I fly US Airways because United was too expensive on this route and the cheaper flights were at 4am. Yeah right!

So, I board at about 8am and am comfortably seated in an aisle seat in an exit row. Sounds good huh? Well, so far it is. I have this dude sitting next to me who has a Jagermeister shirt on that says "Shot Champion 2007" and was about in his early 50's. Nice.

We take off and I pull out my magazine to catch up on what is happening around the world. The service starts and the flight stewardess asks me what I want and I get my usual black coffee. She asks Mr. Shot Champ '07 what he wants, and he asks for a 2 JDs and Coke.

2 JDs and Coke for breakfast? Really? I thought he was kidding. Nope. The US Airways coffee was too lame for party boy here. He chugged them down and did two more after about 30 minutes and passed out. With his face pointed in my direction. Just what I needed at 9:30am. A drunk skunk passed out snoring.

The pretty girl sitting across the aisle thought I was checking her out. All I was trying to do was not breathe skunk. Sorry pretty girl... I hope you have fun in Cleveland or where ever the hell you were headed.

Long flight to Charlotte.

Labels: drunk, Jack Daniel, skunk, US Airways

I have been in Covington, Kentucky for the last week. Covington is right across the river from Cincinnati, Ohio. I don't think I've ever been to a town that was once nice and is now so decrepit.

A week before I flew in, Rick told me that I probably don't want to walk around town. I was thinking... yeah right! I'll walk to breakfast/dinner if I want to. I flew in on the 30th of September and was very hungry by about 8pm. So I head downstairs from my hotel room to look for some grub.

My hotel was wrapped around a "White Castle"*. Yes, wrapped. So I walk around and I see every possible fast food place within spitting distance. So I walk back to the hotel and ask the manager where I can get "normal" food.

So he responds, "Sir, if you follow your nose, it will lead you to White Castle"
Me: "The slider?", while staring at him
Him: "Yes sir! Try the Surf and Turf"
Me: Still staring and slightly lost for words. Not sure how to respond to Mr. Gut Of Steel.
Him: "Right across sir!"
Me: "I had a White Castle meal a few years back when I was in the mid west. I didn't take a dump 3 days after that..."
Him: Staring and slightly lost for words. Not sure how to respond to Mr. Gut Of Papier Mache.
Me: "I'm serious man, I can't eat that crap. I get all constipated. I'm not good when I'm constipated."
Him: "Well sir, we also have McD..."
Me: "DON'T SAY IT"
Him: "Ummm..." Looks around nervously... "Well, how about Skyline Chili"
Me: "Gut wrenching, but it looks like Skyline is the best around. Ah well."
Him: "Would you like a cookie?"
Me: "Does it have sprinkles?" I just wanted to mess with him.
Him: "Umm" Looks nervous... "Ummm... no?"
Me: "Wrong answer!"
Me: "Just kidding man. Sure, I'll have a dozen cookies."

*White Castle: This is the grungiest of fast food chains, the worst, smallest burger and the thinnest bit of mystery processed meat in between scummy buns. The whole thing tastes like damp cardboard with bad cheddar. Yum.

Labels: Cincinnati, Covington, Marriott, White Castle