Last Weeks Tweets
February 28, 2010, 5:02 pm
- @keilaarp yup in reply to keilaarp #
- "When All Else Fails. Day 1." New Post on Prettymike.com – http://bit.ly/9QpJS4 #
- Midnight Train on the Hudson- one of my favorite photos. http://flic.kr/p/7EZjd1 #
- Where's Joe Wilson When We Need Him? http://gop.am/iP00 #ACRON #Obama #TCOT (via @toddeherman) #
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When All Else Fails. Day 1.
February 24, 2010, 2:12 pm
I can’t help but laugh at myself.
As much time as I spend developing insight for personal growth, I sometimes forget the most basic lessons from Life Day 1.
Last summer I got up one morning and fell right to the floor thinking I broke both my feet in the middle of the night.
After a few minutes of screaming like a baby, I realized it wasn’t the bone that was causing pain but the ligaments. Turns out I have fasciitis which my Doctor gave me 800mg Ibuprofen and a series of stretches to do.
The Male Ego: If it’s not bad enough to prescribe the “good stuff” it will go away on it’s own. WRONG.
Like an idiot I ignored instructions and although I did some stretching I never took the Ibuprofen for the inflammation and you won’t believe this…I’ve continued to suffer in pain since last August.
Two weeks ago, I started rubbing, stretching and taking the Ibuprofen and like Jesus himself had touched my foot it’s remarkably less painful and still healing.
Follow instructions First- they’re instructions for a reason.
U Street Drain...It wasn't raining.
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Last Weeks Tweets
February 21, 2010, 5:02 pm
- Freedom Friday Photo: Cross and Flag. #tcot #gop.am – pls RT http://flic.kr/p/7E8EQZ #
- "Persistent people begin their success where others end in failure." – Edward Eggleston #quotes #
- @DJROCKINRED Today is day 10 here in DC… in reply to DJROCKINRED #
- @DJROCKINRED A jury of parents would never convict! in reply to DJROCKINRED #
- "Killing Your Kids is Murder: Why “Snow Days” are a Punishment from God" http://bit.ly/bn4cuG #
- @stephendeleon Thank you for the kind words sir- in reply to stephendeleon #
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Killing Your Kids is Murder: Why “Snow Days” are a Punishment from God
February 15, 2010, 7:48 am
Between snowpocalypse 2010 and honoring our forefathers, today is Taylor’s 10th straight day at home.
When locked down with someone in a confined space, for an undetermined amount of time: tensions rise, tempers flare, things are said, feelings get hurt…tears are shed. Fact is, Taylor can be really mean sometimes and I’m a sensitive guy. Just kidding, she didn’t make me cry this week.
How we chewed up long snow days without killing each other:
1. Start the Day with a Big Breakfast: Something about waking everyone up to the smell of food cooking, coffee brewing, music playing always starts the day off right in my house.
A big breakfast chews up a lot of time in the morning with all the prep, cooking, eating and clean up; after which, everyone goes there own way for awhile to digest their food and get dressed.
2. Tell Your Homebody What Times Activities Will Take Place: I noticed that Taylor was more apt to stomp around, complain about being bored, roll her eyes or give me attitude when she wasn’t looking forward to the next activity.
Since I work from home and didn’t take time off during the snow, I’d set 2 hours aside to accomplish as much as I could, then I would do an activity with Taylor which in turn would give me another 2 hours or so of uninterrupted work time.
3. Use Time You Wouldn’t Normally Have to Impart Knowledge and Wisdom: Having an extended period of time with Taylor allowed me to gain insight into her life and gauge where she’s at as an individual. That insight helped me identify areas in her life that she needs more guidance and attention.
4. Enforce Bedtimes: Taylor and I have had multiple discussions about her bed time, she feels as if it’s a cruel punishment to make her sleep. I understand her position, but also have watched carefully how she acts with different amounts of sleep and the truth is:
Children (and Dogs) are always more well behaved when exercised and well rested.
5. Long Walks: I love taking walks with Taylor and Clarence. We walk, she talks, and I listen. Beautiful. — (Clarence pee’s on everything he sees)
Please Fan: http://www.facebook.com/DistrictPhotographer
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Against the Grain.
February 13, 2010, 7:53 am
I love to write just as much as I love to shoot photographs. The last few months however, I’ve been stifled by the fact that I’ve been unable to craft prose that didn’t somehow involve my daughter.
Call it writers block, call it post par-tum depression, but every time I would sit down and think about what lessons life was revealing, I was only able to think of examples that involved a discussion or disagreement with Taylor. I was struggling trying to find a line of respect for her privacy, as well as wanting to believe I still had a life that existed outside of being her father.
Truth is, we don’t have lives outside of our children. We can have our own identity, friends, “adult-time”, a spa day or even go on vacation, no matter what you are doing, you have to consider their care.
When you’re not with them, you have to consider the fact that they may do something retarded that requires you to be available and capable 24-7…at times it can be exhausting.
Because this site has always been a running public memoir of my life, the fact that I was trying not to write about something that consumed so much of my time and thought was really an exercise in futility.
So stand by for more letters from the front line of fatherhood, I can promise it will at least be interesting.
"Being a great father is like shaving. No matter how good you shaved today, you have to do it again tomorrow." ~Reed Markham
Click Photo to Enlarge
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Last Weeks Tweets
February 7, 2010, 5:02 pm
- New Post: The Consequences were Immediate and Devastating! http://www.prettymike.com #
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Life’s Like a Bar Crawl.
February 4, 2010, 7:01 am
You meet people at certain places and times but have to part ways… sometimes if you’re lucky enough you get to see the people you had a good time with at one bar…at another.
Sometimes not.
“People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they’re not on your road doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost.” ~H. Jackson Browne
Free beer at RHINO’s tonight in Georgetown at 6pm, I’ll be drinking to the road less traveled.
Wonderful Bar Tender and Beautiful Smiler Carmella
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The Consequences were Immediate and Devastating!
February 1, 2010, 7:38 am
For months people have been teasing me about my daughter turning 13. Smiling ear to ear as they weaved horrible tales of hormones, attitudes and boys that were going to be conjured up after her ritual thirteenth ceremony of birth.
I’d discounted most of it as hyperbole and reasoned that I am scary enough looking, and crazy enough acting to keep Taylor on track and boys at bay.
But there is a giant hole in my plan…boys don’t know I’m scary and crazy if they’ve never met me. (see: Make her wear a t-shirt with a picture of my face making “prison eyes” on it.)
After hosting a sleepover I had the house back in order and Taylor was downstairs in the computer lab working on homework when I received an IM that aroused a feeling of uneasiness in my stomach.
She was complaining about a boy her age in the computer lab watching a video and not using ear phones…a few minutes later, “he was nice” and they were “talking a little.”
(inner monologue: sex offenders are nice too…until you’re in the back of their van.)
I am unsure how the conversation came back around to her time at the computer lab, because the information that I received next caused a momentary lapse in clarity…it felt like a panic attack that hurts your feelings and then kicks you square in the bits.
“I’m not going to call him.”
“he gave you his number?”
“yeah”
“why? does he deliver pizza, offer a wake up service, is he selling long distance?”
“he’s my age, he can’t deliver pizza”
“yeah so why would you need his number?”
(at this point, I had an even more horrible revelation!)
“did you give him your number?”
“yeah, I didn’t want to be rude…I’m not going to call him”
(I knew it was important not to overreact here)
“Taylor giving your number to a stranger is saying I might be interested in having sex with you.”
(nailed it)
“I don’t think so, I just didn’t want to be rude.”
“I am not angry with you, I just need to collect my thoughts…new rule, you are not allowed to give your number to strangers. If you are involved in an activity with somebody then feel free to exchange numbers but I don’t want some person who we don’t know or have any connection to with your phone number…it’s a safety issue. You didn’t do anything wrong, just blame it on me next time if you don’t want to be rude.”
(horrible revelation 2: there will be a next time.)
Recounting this story, I’m getting that feeling again…
Final Thoughts: From the time Taylor was born until her birthday I’ve felt as if time was moving forward. Now I realize that our time together is really a clock winding down and time running out.
P.S: It was one year ago today Taylor came to live with me. Below is the photo of her first day of school in DC. (See: Sock Gloves)
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