Watching Cara's flight from Newark to Austin. Cara went home for Margot's wedding to Steve Martinez this weekend. Now, she's flying back home. Can't wait for her to get here.
 

Cara performs with the Artie Henry Middle School Girls Chorus

This is just a little hint of Cara's performance with the Artie Henry Middle School. Even though Cara says this was not a challenging piece, I am always so proud when I hear her play.

Recently found this on the web. It's a description of our patent for targeting DNA in eukaryotic cells. 

Currently Reading

A soldier's story about serving in the US Army during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The author started sharing his experiences in Iraq through his web log: http://cbftw.blogspot.com/ 

Recently completed:
No God but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam
by Reza Azlan
Night Draws Near: Iraq's People in the Shadow of America's War
by Anthony Shadid
The Places in Between
by Rory Stewart

Austin City Limits 2006

In September, Cara and I carried out our yearly tradition of attending the Austin City Limits Music Festival. This was our fourth ACL. The musical lineup was a more conservative group of bands compared to previous years. There were fewer "pop" bands and more veteran musicians. We were lucky enough to catch the following shows:
Thievery Corporation, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Los Lonely Boys, Ray Montagne, Sparklehorse, John Mayer, Van Morrison, The Shins, Aimee Mann, The Raconteurs, String Cheese Incident, Kings of Leon, Willie Nelson, Massive Attack, Jack Ingram, Matisyahu, Son Volt, Ben Harper, The Flaming Lips, G Love and Special Sauce and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. It was another great year of music in Austin. Check out this short tribute to our 2006 ACL experience:

William Kristol verbally assaulted in Austin, TX.

On October 3, 2006, I attended a lecture by William Kristol, the highly controversial neo-conservative political analyst and founding member of the Project for a New American Century. This is what happened:



Dr. Kristol supports a hawkish approach to solving world conflict which has been the basis for President GW Bush's foreign policy. Conspiracy theorists credit Kristol and the PNAC, which includes Paul Wolfowitz and Dick Cheney, for planning and executing the events that occurred on 9/11/2001. See the following video:



I'm curious what you think...

NC State defeats FSU 24-20!!!

This is a deep cut at NC State's Football coach. You have to respect the creator of this little cartoon. NC State fans can be vicious...I'm glad that this guy took a more humorous approach to dissin' our coach. Amato's gotta step it up or he'll be out like Herb Sendek. 

This is a tribute video that I prepared for Cara's first band at Artie Henry Middle School. 

My friend Emily, former laboratory technician in the Lambowitz lab, is now performing with Island Rhythms Hula Company. Very cool! 

We're gonna miss you.

Beatrice DeFrank 83 of Carneys Point died Tuesday, August 22, 2006 at the Christiana Medical Center, Newark, Del. She was born in Carini, Sicily daughter of the late Rosolino and Filomena Finazzo and has lived in Carneys Point for the past 69 years. She was a member of St. James RC Church, Mother of Grace Society and a Homemaker.

She is survived by her husband Stephen M. Sr., Sons Stephen M. Jr., Oak Hill, Virg., Joseph M., Mililani, Hawaii daughters Mary Costello, Hamilton Twp., N.J., Rosalina Esposito, Dorothy, N.J., brother Carlo Finazzo, Milford, DE., Grandchildren Frank & Angela-Marie Costello, Cara Vernon and Cristin DeFrank.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be said Saturday Aug. 26, 2006, 10AM at the St. James RC Church, Beach Ave., Penns Grove, NJ.

Relatives and friends may call Saturday morning 8:30-9:45AM at the Church. Interment Salem County Veterans Cem., Pilesgrove, N.J.

Please make contributions in Beatrice's memory to the St. James RC Church Building Fund, 390 Georgetown Rd., Carneys Point, N.J., 08069.

Grandmom DeFrank,
I only wish that I had the opportunity to spend more time you.
Love,
Jamie  

University of Texas - Best Party School?!

Not the greatest distinction for the institution that will be granting my doctoral degree...but I'll take it. UT can be superior both scholastically and socially!!! Hook 'em! 

Look at the far right corner of this picture (Reader vacation photos). Do you recognize anyone in the picture? Click on the picture to open the website. Look at pictures #68 and #69. 

We had a great time on our honeymoon in Jamaica. Click the picture to see pics of the wedding and the honeymoon. I've also included pics of the shower that Margot planned for us and pictures from the days leading up to the wedding. 

Cooper made the news!!!

Cooper's in the Austin American Statesman's Audio Slide Show (Click here to see it). In this picture, Cooper is the smallest one in the front of the pack. This weekend we took Cooper to his first Pug Meetup and there was a reporter there taking pictures. She liked Cooper because she took several pics of him and included them in the slideshow. In addition to the pic shown here, he is also shown in a series of three pictures in which he is running through the water. If you look closely at the third picture, you can see his name tag says, "Cooper." Very cool! 

We're married!!!

We did it! I'm so glad that we are married. All the planning and preparing was worth it. The wedding was perfect and the reception was more fun than I could have ever imagined.  

100% of the profits from the sale of Wideawake's new song, "Maybe Tonight, Maybe Tomorrow" on iTunes will be donated to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. I think everyone should buy a copy. Even if you don't have an iPod. It's a worthy cause.  

Meet the newest member of our family. His name is Cooper and he's 8 weeks old. He seems to like Maddie, but Maddie is still trying to figure out who this little guy is. 

New Puppy!

We'll be getting our next pug in two weeks. This is one of the girls from the litter. We'll probably be bringing home a boy this time. We have to visit them to make the final decision. Any name suggestions? 

It's a sad, sad day. I sold my jeep. I made a little video commercial to post on the internet. It only took two days after I posted the video for it to sell. The first person who came to see it bought it, which tells me that it was a great jeep. I'm going to miss her! :(