Bdoda Lives!

This Spring, Bradley officially opened his new business: Bdoda Design. Some of you may remember his eldest daughter, Tallulah. Her first word was "Bdoda." We took it as a sign.

Some folks ask "What does Bdoda mean?" Well, as it is made up, it means the URL is available, for starters. It sounds a bit like "pagoda," and "buddha," but is, as far as we know, not registered anywhere in the world.  We like to think it means "excellent landscape design." Who knows any different?

Our first major coup was to team up with a small business promotion service and offer a craaaazy deal. Fifteen feet of retaining wall for $150. Nuts. We sold sixty.

It brought over 6000 people to the website, and has given me the chance to promote the business in other ways, including bidding on much bigger jobs.

The task now, is to continue making good work, getting new clients, and pushing some sculpture. That is ultimately what this company will do...provide a umbrella for my artwork.  Soon enough...

In the meantime, we have our new house (pix soon,) and both sets of grandparents equidistant. We are feeling quite fortunate to have all we do.  Life is good.

-Bradley

Five Happiness Lives! We have a new home! Our first, totally owned by us! We are excited by all the exclamation points!!

Seriously, we bought a 3000 square foot home on top of a mountain. We call it "The Treehouse," because every room looks out into the tops of the surrounding trees. Oaks, chestnuts, beech, dogwood, tulip poplar, and dozens more varieties.

Where are the photos, you ask? On their way.

Return To Form

It has been forever, friends. My apologies.  Much has happened in the vast interim since my last posting.

We thrive, we drink in life in gulps, then sated, sit back and watch the growing world.

Tallulah, nearly three years old, continues to amaze with her vocabulary. She asked her grandfather last week, "Papa, what's your availability to play with me?" I had to count the syllables on my fingers.

Harper, whom Tallulah affectionately refers to as "Fig," is quite literally the happiest child I've ever met. She wakes up laughing. She makes her needs known with polite chirps, and generally charms everyone in her path. It is a delight to behold.

This week we are in New Orleans attending the wedding of my young cousin, Carroll Ganier. I have known him since he was a toddler, and to see him as a thirty-one year old, grown, and moving about the world with confidence and poise, engenders a security in my heart for the futures of my own two young children.

Yes, life is good. And not to be too premature, but we just put down an offer on a house.  I believe the appropriate phrase is, "Eeeek!"

More on that later. But not too much later.

All The Best,

Bradley

One Small Step For Bradley

After you've willingly exited an airplane flying at ten thousand feet, much of the rest of your day seems rather boring.

Such was my day, Monday, October 11th, 2010. After my dear friend, Josh Lozoff, took me to skydive as a gift for my impending fortieth birthday, I spent the rest of the afternoon fantasizing about doing it again, and again, and again.  Never before have I experienced the complete zen, whole mind-a-blank wonder that filled me from head to toe as I rocketed out of the Cessna aircraft and sped to earth at 170 feet per second. Once I stopped screaming, I realized how extremely happy I was. That the Earth was clearly getting nearer made my comfort even bigger. I am in the hand of God, a time-rift without decided conclusion. Do i live or die? What bliss to know these feelings at least once before I smash into the Earth.

But the 'chute did work. I did slowly and gracefully float like a little wind-drifted balloon, back to the ground.

Some have called this a rash, selfish act. I am a father and a husband. These are my life's work, and I take them very seriously. My rebuttal is simply this: we take risks daily. Getting in an automobile and joining faceless thousands upon our highways is more of a crap shoot than working with a professional skydiver. Climbing a cliff, relying on my knowledge and ability is much safer than choosing to enter traffic at any given time of day.  In addition, traffic, cars, and faceless drivers seem to detract from the sanctity of my daily life, not give solace, or provide me with an immediate experience with the miraculous. Perhaps I'm not looking close enough. I'm too busy driving.

In the thirty five seconds of free fall, I knew something akin to complete peace and spiritual understanding that has only increased my ability to be a present and loving partner and parent.  That, to me, is not only important, but in my life, absolutely necessary.

Plus, it was cool.

Five Happiness Eagerly Awaits New Arrival

A hummingbird's one hundred and sixty beats per minute, our newest family member's heart rate, as was officially checked at Chapel Hill's Birth Center, earlier this afternoon.

It's true, we're expecting the currently moniker-ed "Zigan the Zygote" sometime at the end of February, (the 28th.) Tallulah thinks it's a boy. Bradley thinks it's a boy. Felicity thinks girl.  I could be the proud father of two little girls. wow.

This is exciting for us, especially me, as I'm an only child. The idea of two babies running around is quite new and the challenge is wonderful!

So, that's all for now, but we'll keep you updated as we know more!

We Remain,

Five Happiness (we're firing a dog to maintain our numbers.)