3 > 1

Today we watched the niece and nephew!  We played some video games, conducted science experiments, goofed off some, visited the library and tested each others' limits.  3 children is much more work than 1.  That probably seems pretty obvious but my math skills were always kinda lacking.

Hard To Say Goodbye

Since last I wrote a Presidential Election has occurred and I have seen another of my scripts come to life in a live theatrical production.

Right now, however, I want to talk cars.  In particular family cars.  My family's cars.  Today Sara and I turned in the old CRV.  This car, originally from my Mom, has served us well since moving to Maryland.  It has almost 273,000 miles on it.  The drivers side door doesn't work, nor does that window.  The fuel gauge warning light hasn't worked for years and I can't remember the last time that the check engine light wasn't constantly flashing in the corner of my vision.  It rumbled when idling, and stalled often but it was a good car.

I drove that CRV around the Baltimore/Washington Beltway in morning and afternoon rush hour traffic for 4 years, and my Mom wrestled with the same type of commute for years before that even.  I've climbed in and out of the passenger side door since last January, maybe when the driver's door stopped opening completely.  For months before that I would unroll the back window, reach around and open the driver's door from the outside.  I have many fond & frustrating memories of the car. 

Earlier this year, when I took the promotion and was, once more given a 40+ mile commute I knew the CRV would not be the car to rely on.  Unfortunately, there was no money at the time for a permanent replacement.  We've been borrowing my Father's 2nd car now for months as we explore our options, and try to find a new car while getting rid of the old one.  Originally I was going to junk her.  I'm glad I didn't.  Carmax gave us 6 times what the junk yard was offering.  (Still not a major financial gain but better than I anticipated.)

So here we are now.  The CRV is gone. I'm driving the Kia Rio 5.  We still are in need of a 2nd car; preferably, a reliable, and affordable one.  I'm commuting up to Towson 5 times a week.  Dad has been unbelievably patient and giving with the loan of his 2nd car, and the Holidays are upon us.  It's hard to believe it's that time of year again. 

Here is the CRV right before we drove it to the dealer.  In the background you can see Sara waiting for me to say goodbye to the old car.

In other news, Obama won the election.  The system is still flawed.  My One Act Play: Brock was produced, and directed by a friend, as part of an evening of One Act Plays at a local high school.  I saw it opening night and was happy to see another script brought to life.  The evening I saw the show had some technical difficulties, and pacing issues but I'm confident that everything worked itself out in the later performances.  I noticed some script issues, as well, and plan to revise some.  Oh, and the baby is almost 11 months!  Time flies...

Nightlights Vs Glow Sticks

Last night Super Storm Sandy or Hurricane Sandy or Tropical Storm Sandy, depending on what news broadcast you watched pounded into the East Coast!  Maryland was prepared for the worst and, luckily, things turned out much better than we hoped.  Yesterday was windy, and rainy but the majority of the damage and devastation was further to the north in New Jersey and New York. 

Before the storm we extended an offer to my father to come and stay with us through the storm; he lives right on the Chesapeake Bay and is prone to flooding while we live on higher ground in a wooded neighborhood that suffers from power outage epidemics.  Who has it worse?  Anyway, he came to ride out the storm here in Annapolis and we kept power until the very moment we sat down to eat a hot dinner.  10 minutes earlier and we would've been eating some seriously al dente spaghetti.  

We broke out the lanterns, candles, and a few glow sticks and spent a powerless night listening to the storm rage outside the apartment, huddled around the  radio broadcasts from a hand-cranked radio.  Sitting in the dark there isn't much to do but chat, drink and wait for a tree to come crashing down through the roof.  This wasn't the first Hurricane we rode out in our apartment but this was the first as parents and we were more concerned for all of our safety than I remember us being before.  At Sara's suggestion I spent the night sleeping in a  recliner in the baby's room to be close to her in case something unexpected happened.  It would help both of us sleep better.

It occurred to me last night, falling asleep in Evie Sue's room, and bathed in only the soft pink light from a Dollar Store glow stick that while glow sticks can be silly, and fun nightlights are dependable and comforting.  Nothing happened during the night except the storm passing by and the temperature in our apartment dropping uncomfortably but I was there in the room early this morning as Evie Sue awoke in a room lit only with a pink glow stick instead of her butterfly nightlight.    The glow stick was a fine temporary nightlight but I was happy this afternoon when the power came back on and Evie Sue's butterfly nightlight started to shine!  It meant the storm had passed and everything was fine.

Thank You, Yul!

The bigger picture?   I have to keep it in mind.  That's not always easy as you go through life.  Sometimes I get bogged down by the stress.  Sometimes I'll open a bill, or pay a bill, or spend an afternoon trying to figure out how we can afford a new car and I just shut down.  I get overwhelmed, go silent and want to run off and bury my head in the sand.

Today we were running errands, and I was in a funk.  The baby was just as cute as ever, and Sara was as supportive as she always is but I was not in a good mood.  Then Sara changes the radio channel and the Broadway station plays a song I remember from the 'King and I'.  Yul Brynner sings 'A Puzzlement'.  Do you know the song?  If not, here is a sample of the lyrics.:

'There are times I almost think
I am not sure of what I absolutely know.
Very often find confusion
In conclusion I concluded long ago
In my head are many facts
That, as a student, I have studied to procure,
In my head are many facts..
Of which I wish I was more certain I was sure!'

Now, admittedly, I am not the King of Siam, and my problems would seem trivial when compared to the responsibilities, and stress of an Asian monarch but I relate to the song.  I feel for the man whom doubts the wisdom of his ways.  Even though he has more children than he can count and I have but one, so far, I feel for this man.  He holds his head high, and tries his best.  Sometimes he is stubborn.  Sometimes he makes poor decisions.  Through it all he is just a man - except in Westworld, in which he played a killer cyborg cowboy, but I digress - he is a man, and a man is flawed no matter how perfect he wishes to be. 

Evie Sue visited her 1st pumpkin patch yesterday!  It was just a small roadside farm stand with local produce, pumpkins and a corn maze but it was exactly what Sara and I were looking for.  We both love this time of year, and were looking forward to getting Evie Sue in a photo op with some pumpkins!  It was a beautiful Fall day, a quick little stop, and yet another memory that I'll always cherish.

The Weekend Is Whenever

Several months later here we are.  I'm still working the management job, commuting up to Towson 5 days a week, 10 hour shifts, and 2 days off a week.  That last part is very important.  I get TWO guaranteed days off to spend with my family.  That's valuable time.

Last year I worked almost every single day.  Nowadays I get a weekend, yes it's during the middle of the week but we try to make it work.  We sleep in, but not too long.  We eat breakfast as a family; today was pumpkin pancakes!  We spent some time on the floor playing with baby toys and singing silly songs.  We spend time together as a family. 

Tomorrow I will go back to work but I will be counting the days until my next weekend!

A Few Of My Favorite Things...

Sara had this great idea awhile back.  She put a jar up on the mantle and suggested that the two of us write down little memories, or moments of our 1st year as parents as they happen and put them into the jar.  At the end of the year we will go through the jar and read each memory.  It's a good idea in theory, but I'm not always the best at putting it into practice.  I'm never sure if the entry I have is right for the jar.  Is it significant enough?  Will I remember it when we read about it on New Years?  Does this moment count?  Am I over-thinking this whole thing?

Yes.

I guess what I'm saying is I enjoy everyday of this parenting job; if not every second.  Sometimes it's hard.  I'm working a lot and miss out on somethings.  I'm often preoccupied with adult matters, when I should be focusing on interacting with the Button but I'm trying.  And I try to write down the moments that make me smile, warm my heart, or make me tear up.  I know I'm missing a million though.  As I drift off to sleep I sometimes think of a submission I should make but then I fall asleep.  Or the moments come so fast and furious that I can't keep track of them.  I even sometimes just tell Evie Sue, 'Daddy's favorite part of his day today was coming up the walkway and seeing you and your mommy standing there.  When you recognized me and smiled, that big goofy smile, that was it; my favorite moment from today.' 

Too Damn Quiet

Sara and the baby are out of town, and the dog is staying with my father since my work schedule isn't the greatest for a dog left alone.  The apartment is so quiet.  There's no jiggling of a dog's collar.  No squealing baby.  No singing wife!  The silence is making me sad.  I've kept a TV on or played music all day long just to have something else to listen to besides the quiet.  

Why Bother?

A week ago I wrote this post about creativity, lack thereof, a book I was reading, and leash aggression.  I was reading this book about inspiration and feeling pretty uninspired.  It was a fascinating read, and, at times, alarming.  There was a section that discussed the drop off in creativity during middle age!  A chapter discussed urban friction, a concept which, loosely translated, means that in city settings individuals are forced to interact/cross paths and exchange ideas. 

My previous post was all about how my dog has developed leash aggression since living in seclusion here in Annapolis, and I have not been as creatively productively since moving to the Forest!  I sat on the unpublished post though because it seemed overly negative.  I felt like, unintentionally, it belittled my accomplishments since moving back to MD.  I didn't want to make it seem as if being a father wasn't the best development in my life!  So why bother?  Why bother complaining? 

Quitcha Bitchin, Boy!

I enjoyed the book.  It made me long for the days when I could sit down at my computer and work on a writing project, or wrestle with revisions.  I was approached by a friend to see some of my scripts for possible production in the future.  I enjoy spending my down time playing with baby, and snuggling with mommy.  That's what the life is right now.  So why not enjoy what I can? 

The Adventures of Mr. Tall & Mr. Round

As I walked out of the restroom I noticed two larger men, one tall and one round, waiting in line.  There seemed to be some confusion as to who was next.

Mr. Round said, 'Oh are you next?'

Mr. Tall replied, 'That's alright.  You go ahead.'

Round shuffled around a little and then asked, 'Well, what were you going to do?  Number 1 or...'

'Yeah, number 1.  That's it.' 

Looking a little uncomfortable Mr. Round offered, 'Then you go.  I'll wait.'  Evidently he had to do a number 2!

Really, guys?  Number 1?  Grown men out in public discuss their bodily functions like kindergartners?  Why not just cut out the basic arithmetic and say Poopoos and Peepees? 

PS.  A few minutes later a coworker informed me that the toilet was backed up.  Thank you, Mr Round.