January 29, 2004
Kids
I have four kids now. I don't really think about that much except when people point it out to me. -and people DO point it out to me. I've been told (predominantly by Southern men) that I'm a "great guy" to take on "all that responsibility".
I've never really been sure what that meant exactly? I generally just nod and agree with them and try to avoid any political and/or religious discussions with them.. Oh! -and I don’t mention the Civil War –ever. I've found that seems to work out better for me in the long term
I love being a father. I'm not sure if that's ever really been made clear to anybody other than my children. That's not to say that I don't bitch about them or get frustrated with them but I really couldn't imagine my life any differently.
The odd thing is that when I was first granted primary custody of Logan all of my friends tried to set me up with women that also had children. I didn’t want to date anybody then and I preferred to just hang out with Logan and play video games.
When I met Mary one of the first things we talked about was our respective children. In fact we were talking on the phone and the girls were in the background screaming, she kept apologizing profusely for them. Eventually I said, “ -that was what kids did and that she didn’t need to apologize for them.”
Apparently that made some sort of impression on her. I suppose that I continually try to impress Mary -it's pretty much the cornerstone of our relationship.
January 27, 2004
Aqua Teens Assemble!
I got the first season of Aqua Teen Hunger Force for Logan for Christmas. I can't seem to get enough of it. It's one of the funniest cartoons I've ever seen.
"Fryman, we're full of religion now. Everyone, bow your heads and pretend to be serious."
Ignignoct, The Mooninite
January 20, 2004
Birthday Robots Assemble!
This was Logan's birthday card to me this year...
So -it was a pretty decent birthday this year despite my initial hesitation about turning 39. My neighbor made me a traditional Sicilian dinner. Amazing food! I'm still having trouble walking from the gorging on Saturday.
Mary Belle went back to Oklahoma for a week. Not in my opinion the best course of action for her but like we keep telling her -she's a grown woman and her life is her own. She did get me some pretty kick ass presents though.
I find it very strange to be on the other end of dealing with teenagers. I remember feeling like I knew so much at 19. I wonder sometimes if my life wouldn't be entirely different if I'd listened to some of the people that tried to tell me things then?
January 17, 2004
January 16, 2004
Birthday thoughts...
Like I said yesterday, I've been dreading this birthday. So here it is. 39. It's not so bad. I actually feel pretty good.
I started a screenwriting class last night. In case you didn't know it screenwriters are by and large bat-shit crazy. This class was no exception. It's full of fascinating creatives.
I think it was good for me. To interact with people (after spending my last two and half years pretty much chained to my drawing board in the desert) was a good thing for me.
Here's what I’ve learned in the last year.
1). Las Vegas sucks. I mean you think that Tulsa sucks and then you move to Las Vegas.
2). Mary and I can pretty much work our way through anything.
3). Surfing seems to be a better anti-depressant for me than anything a pharmaceutical company can spit out.
4.) I enjoy melancholy music. Mary calls it depressing music -but I like it. I guess you can take the MOD out of the eighties but...
5.) Teenagers are more fun to be, than to deal with. I'm lookin' at you MB you're freakin' me out!
6). The older I get, the less I seem to know.
7). Experience doesn't always equal wisdom.
January 15, 2004
Pre Birthday thoughts...
I'm turning 39 on Friday. For the first time ever I'm weirded out by it. I'm not entirely sure why? My whole life I've always looked forward to my birthday but for some reason this one is lacking some of the usual zing.
January 13, 2004
San Onofre
My brother and Andrew came down yesterday and took me surfing at San Onofre for my birthday (which is actually the 16th). My first time on a Doyle Board. I learned a couple of things.
1). That I've been smoking way too much and that it's probably time to quit.
2.) That I'm buying a long board at my first opportunity.
3.) That sitting on the beach in January beats the poop out of living in MN in January.
4.) That surfing is pretty much as close I can get to enlightment.
January 08, 2004
More on: Elloitt Smith Suicide
According the Smoking Gun -Elliott Smith may have been murdered?
Workin' it
Well Mary has (as usual) taken charge of her work situation and fixed it. Terribly brilliant that one.
I, on the other hand, seem to be trying to figure out what to do with myself again. It's strange because I'm used to being the working guy and Mary runs the house. My Mr. Mom talents are lacking at best.
I don't know maybe the full moon is making me weird. I'm just so bored lately. Nothing is holding my interest.
The big news today is that Carolyn received an award for her Reflections poem. Check it out:
I’m Happy When…
A Reflections Project
Written by Carolyn Tanner
I’m happy when the stars of the night fill young children with a special moment, so only their thoughts and dreams are true.
I’m happy when spring has arrived and new life appears, engaging in spiritual feelings that no one can handle.
I’m happy when clouds float by, because only the sky truly knows their passion.
I’m happy when I’m with Loved-Ones, because they give a sense of relief and comfort.
I’m happy when I’m joyful enough to kiss the stars goodnight, while the moon glows.
I’m happy when the seasons change, and minds become more peacefully guided.
I’m happy when my passion for words touches and reaches people’s minds, hearts, and souls.
January 07, 2004
Return to Salem's Lot
I read Salem's Lot when I was twelve or thirteen. It scared the crap out of me. I wore a crucifix for months afterward. In fact it's quite probably when my insomnia started.
I remember that it was something of an event in our house (well at least for my mom and I) when they made a TV movie out of it.
To be perfectly honest I expected better from Tobe Hooper and David Soul. Okay...I'm not saying that I expected a lot from David Soul or Lance Kerwin for that matter. But definitely from Tobe. I guess he was saving it up for Poltergeist.
Bearing all that in mind -I'm pretty stoked to see Rob Lowe reprise the role of Ben Mears in the new remake. Hopefully I'll be able to sleep this time. Or better yet -maybe I won't.
Oh, and next year Dr. Who is coming back to TV. I'm just brimming over with geeky goodness.
January 06, 2004
LDS
I spent three hours on Sunday night talking to Mormons. Fascinating really. I've apparently learned a good deal more than I realized about Christianity and the Bible. Just reading and talking to people in the know.
This all came about because Mary Belle knew a boy of the Mormon persuasion when she lived in New Jersey. Through a series of odd events they ended up in our living room on Sunday.
What I found interesting was that the guy that came over was pretty open to talking to me even though it was readily apparent early on that I wasn't going to be convinced his belief system was “right” any more than he was going to be convinced that mine was.
I don't pretend to know what is "right" incidentally. I just know what works for me.
Still it was an interesting discussion. Especially when towards the end, after both of us had firmly stated our similar yet vastly different view points we end up talking about Macs and digital media for another hour. I want Shake like nobodies business by the way.
January 05, 2004
corporate schmorporate... I’m going home…
Having worked in corporate America over the years I’ve learned a few things.
On the whole the people that work there don’t seem to have much going on with them other than their jobs. They have (what I consider) an odd tendency to want you there (the office, the cubicle, the space) at a specific time even when there is nothing to do. If there isn’t anything to do, they want you to play the game and pretend there is. Or better yet assign you some meaningless task to fill your corporate driven life.
Personally I’ve found that they don’t want to hear your thoughts on the matter, for the most part they don’t want you rocking the proverbial boat.
I’ve been lucky (or some may say stupid) to build my career in art and/or digital media (usually a combination thereof). Not everybody can do what I do; therefore I’ve always been able to walk out on jobs I don’t like or get what I need to complete my tasks.
I’m not sure if this makes me a bohemian or just an asshole? I’ve pretty much completed my sojourn in corporate America as a lackey, an underling, or a subordinate. I’ve no interest at all in being somebody else’s paintbrush any more. I’ve found that no matter what job I’ve quit, or what job I’ve kept, at the end of the day there’s always something better I could be doing with my time. So in essence, I really don't care.
The powers that be, on the other hand, are putting upon Mary, at her job. Mary took the job with the understanding that she would have some level of autonomy, as of last Friday the former high school teacher that has become her direct superior informed her that was not the case. Mary left at 4:30, as it was New Years Eve and there was nothing to do because she had already completed her tasks (unlike some of her associates, I might add).
Mary and I get along pretty well because of our ongoing dream of doing nothing. Well, not nothing but rather of doing what we like to do. What we like to do is spend time with our kids and go to the beach. You know...have a life.
The people Mary is employed by don’t really seem to get that. What they are failing to understand is that by trying to get Mary to conform to their (at best) idealistic version of who/what she should be is only going to make her leave.