I am waiting till the last possible moment to hit publish on this post, cause really, that's my style.
The end of NaBloPoMo is here... so many thanks to all my new eFriends (or is it iFriends), family and random bloggers and readers that came through to say hi.
Good night friends!
Labels: Misc
Last night, Lucy fell asleep in my arms. I sat with her on the couch, sunken into the pillows, in the dark. The boys were off in one of the rooms, playing the games that little boys play. It was just Lucy and me, one of those quiet moments that I long for. As I sat there in the dark, listening to my music, I had one of those dad moments that can't be easily explained. All I could think of was that I love holding her. I think of when she might not want me to hold her, and it almost, almost makes my eyes water up. I think of how fast the boys are growing up and how much harder it is to stop them for a second just to give them a hug.Labels: Family Love, Lucy
Not in the holiday spirit yet? Here are some events happening around Richmond this week that just might get you there...
Legendary Santa @ Children's Museum
Garden Fest of Lights at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens
12/1 Grand Illumination, Downtown Richmond
12/2 Christmas Parade on Broad Street
And if you can't get enough, there is always the Tacky Light Tour.
Have fun, and Happy Holidays!
EDIT: Matt sent me a link to the Tacky Light House tour Website. Enjoy! Thanks Matt.
Labels: Richmond
Small clip from the movie. We watched it tonight and think everyone should watch it.
( I need to sell my suv ) *sigh*
It's been fifty-two days since I had my knee surgery and I'm still limping along on my crutches. Aside from the inconvenience of not being able to hold anything and being really slow, it has not been the end of the world for me. (Don't question the wife about this... you might get a totally different answer.)
I generally feel like I'm in the way of everybody. I was in Georgetown over the weekend, and after walking about five blocks to the stores we wanted to get to, I was pretty tired and specially slow. Most people were kind enough, but about half the people that had a chance to wait for two seconds for me to get out of the way or just let me through ended up making me shuffle out of their way. Oh, well. I guess I can attribute it to the holidays or whatever, but I hope that I have never made someone with a disability feel that way.
But on to bigger and better thoughts... I think I might be getting close to walking without the crutches soon. At least that's what I keep telling myself and the wife. I'm pretty sure I might have used up all of my "Baby, can you get me..." She has been insanely patient with me, so hopefully I'll be up on my feet soon and getting up to get whatever my sweet girl wants.
Labels: Life
I got my pinhole photo-camera kit today! I am sooo excited.
Here's an example of this type of photography:
I can't wait to put it together and try it out.
It's the day after thanksgiving, and it feels like I ate a huge can of sugar and came crashing down.
Labels: Family Love
I love Thanksgiving. It's not all about the turkey and football, the family and the awkward conversations... It's also the day (nine years ago) that I asked my wife to marry me. How much more thankful could a guy be?
I'll leave you guys with a great video from Ze... Happy Thanksgiving!
Labels: Family Love
I am so thankful for my family and dear friends (old and new). Your words of encouragement and support have meant the world to me. Thank you dear friends!
There's a dull ache hanging over our house, very much like a headache that's about to set in. I can feel it, right in my head. I can feel it starting to sharpen, and I know it will be getting worse before it gets any better.
My mother has unexpectedly dropped into our lives again. It has been a long, long time since I had heard her voice. This was not my choice. I believed I had given her every opportunity to do the right thing. By doing that, I sacrificed myself and my wife. I gave up parts of ourselves that were whole and good, and that resulted in lots of pain and heartache. I was wrong to do that, and I was wrong to give so much up for someone who was abusive.
With one call, thoughts and emotions that I have not dealt with in such a long time pounded me. I felt like I was five years old again, running to my mom after I had been scolded, looking only for her acceptance. I do not want to feel like this. I do not want her to have the control over me she has had for much of my life. I want to protect my family.
I'm not sure where to go from here. I always knew this day was going to come. I just figured I would be the one trying to make reach out to her. My mode of dealing with things is denial. If I pretend things don't happen then they can't hurt me. This is so in my face that there is no way to ignore it.
We had a brief break in the process when we took the kids out to see Santa and got home and watched a stupid movie. It was a good break, we had a good time, but through it all, I could feel that dull ache working it's way through my head.
Labels: Life
watch a silly ass teeny bopper movie like John Tucker Must Die.
Labels: Misc
my mother, whom I have not seen or heard from in seven years, called me today.
I am emotionally spent.
but check out the view out of my hotel room...
pretty awesome huh?
Labels: Life
How about ordering up Hardee's newest combo, available ONLY in Vegas.
C-R-A-Z-Y.
Labels: WTF?
This is the coolest commercial I've seen in a while. I read that they launched 250,000 bouncy balls down a street in San Francisco. And the music by Jose Gonzalez is phenomenal.
Higher Res version can be found on the Sony Advert site.
As I was reading Will Wheaton's post about his evolution as a geek, I started thinking back to my teen years and certain things that would definitely qualify me as having an inner geek.
Everyday in 8th grade, my friends and I would sit at our lunch table, dice in hand, playing a Marvel Comics role playing game that was a cheap knockoff of D&D. This is ALL we talked about. I remember that I was Hercules, and my friends were Silver Surfer, Thor, and The Hulk. I picked Hercules because I was enthralled with Greek mythology.
In 9th grade, I made it on my school's JV basketball team. I won the student-athlete award that year.
During my sophomore year, I could barely look a girl in the eye. I also started playing another weird spin off of D&D. This time it was at my church with our youth minister. We would gather at his house and roll odd shaped dice while exclaiming "My sword of righteousness beats your helmet of truth" or something like that. We would fight in the forest of apathy and in the mountains of insecurity. Weird.
I also made it to my team's varsity basketball team. Aside from my basketball skills, I think the coach wanted me on the team to help tutor some of the other players. I again won the student-athlete award.
My social awkwardness melted away during my junior and senior years, and I gave my little inner geek friend a respite. I know my little friend is still there though, rejoicing over obscure facts, new technology, and the knowledge that one more computer in the house can never be enough.
Labels: Misc, reflections
mainly because I can't think of one.
Tonight:
The incredibly hot wife is out on a girls night out with her equally good looking friend. I believe they will be breaking lots of hearts tonight.
Tomorrow:
Is the Richmond Marathon. My brother, Dave, has run it. He was encouraging me to run it this year, but I wouldn't commit to it. I wanted to run the 8K.
Oh , and by the way:
I am:
going to be sitting at home. Seeing as I have 6 more months before I can even jog, I can't help but to feel a little envious at everyone that I see running.
I am also:
turning to mush.
Labels: Misc
So there we were, last night in my dream, trying to get the kids out the door and into the truck. That's when the phone rang and when I answered, It was Barack Obama on the line. The wife was not pleased with me answering the phone, because any little distraction means that I will be that much slower getting out the door. So Sen. Obama starts chatting with me (those details are a bit fuzzy) but we talk like we are lifelong friends. I keep telling the wife to lower the radio, but when I turn around, there sits Bobby Brown signing "Tender Roni." And not cracked out Bobby, but smooth, suave Bobby. I ask him to sign a bit quieter, and as he heads to another room, I go back to chatting with the Senator.
What a weird combination. Any dream interpreters out there?
This morning as I was heading out the door for work, I mentioned to the wife that I had traded a satellite radio for a Nintendo Gamecube. Well, I guess I forgot the conversation that we had a couple of weeks ago when we decided NOT to go the video game route, or at least hold off as much as possible to prevent the kids from falling into a video game addiction.
p: So you went ahead and did it anyways? That's fine, you just do whatever the hell you want to.
me: HA.. If I did whatever the hell I wanted to, then I would...
p: Go ahead... what would you do?
So I wouldn't risk saying one more stupid thing, I decided it would benefit all involved for me to just shut up.
Oh, by the way, we decided to store the game system until Christmas. Woohoo!
Labels: Family Love, Misc
I'll be watching our local results here, and the national stuff over at NPR. Get out and vote people!
I had a great experience at the polls today, with a strong showing by Webb supporters and No on 1 supporters. Everyone was extremely cordial and friendly, and from what I could tell, there seemed to be no problems with the electronic voting booths.
As I was crutching (my term for how I walk these days) towards the school, a group of older ladies approached me to speak to me about Webb. They were very sympathetic about my injury, and offered all kinds of assistance. They went on about Webb, complimenting me about how brave I was to come out and vote, and telling me how handsome I was. (And this was before I told them I was voting for Webb.) As far as campaign strategies goes, this was by far the best one I've ever encountered. So go out and VOTE people... it's probably the most important thing you'll do all day.
So the other day I'm having a conversation with Josiah in which he is explaining to me why he asked to be moved from his current table at school.
j: I wanted to move because H (a girl in his class) was bothering me.
me: how was she bothering you?
j: she growls at me.
me: (laughing) wha??? growls at you?
j: yea, she growls at me
I couldn't help but laughing, because, well, girls do growl from time to time. I explained to him that how he responds to that growling is what matters.
j: It's OK, she's still my friend even if she growls at me.
There's wisdom there my friends.
Josiah's school celebrated grandparent's day this week. Well, his marmie and opa (grandma and grandpa) live in Miami, so unfortunately he wouldn't have them at his school on that day. He fully understood that they couldn't come, and was OK with that. So, the other day when he gets home he tells me:
j: I had a horrible day at school today.
me: Oh no, what happened buddy?
j: Well, it was grandparents day, and all the kids had a special lunch with their grandparents in the lunchroom but me and Jordan and Priscilla had to stay in the classroom and eat our lunch there. And I had to ask to be able to sit with Jordan and Priscilla because we were sitting at different desks.
me: wtf???? (I didn't say that, but it was what I was thinking)
What person in their right mind singles 6 year old kids out because their grandparents could not make it for whatever reasons? I can't think of one good explanation. They could have "adopted" a grandparent for the day, or even sat with the room mother, who is a little old lady and could have been their "grandma " for the day. We'll see on Monday what the teacher has to say about this genius move. Is it me, or was this totally inappropriate?
What else can be said for naps other than they rock! I am not able to take naps very frequently, so when I do catch one, I am soooo happy. Today was that day, and the boys were "forced" to come take a nap with me. We all snuggled under the covers, read some books, and soon all three of us were snoozing the afternoon away. Hooray Naps!
Labels: Misc
Tim Kaine,Barack Obama, Bobby Scott, Doug Wilder & Mark WarnerI am: Husband, Father, Friend... I live and play in the Byrd Park Terrace area of Richmond,VA. I have three amazing kids and an incredible wife. Drop me a line at thismudilife@gmail.com ~J~
You can view my profile here.
