It’s the birds that get me.
Don’t Look Back, by Erik Johansson
You can see this one full size (and other really cool ones) on erikjohanssonphoto.com.
Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Don’t Look Back
Thursday, September 19th, 2024Good Things
Thursday, September 19th, 2024Good things that happened this week.
I cried less than last week.
Tiller, who is in 3rd grade, used the term Venn Diagram when talking about her science project. I did not teach her that. In fact, I do not think i knew what a Venn Diagram was until college. So, you know, humans are evolving, maybe.
I colored. With crayons. A lot. With Tiller. It was the most relaxing thing I’d done in ages.
Tiller and I played soccer at the school one warm afternoon.
I caught up on Parenthood. (Crying during Parenthood was not enumerated with the crying amounts for the week.)
I found some new happy songs. (I also learned about some really crappy happy songs.)
A Poem for the First Day of Spring (and for Beginnings?)
Thursday, September 19th, 2024For winter’s rains and ruins are over,
And all the seasons of snows and sins;
The days dividing lover and lover,
The light that loses, the night that wins;
And time remembered is grief forgotten,
And frosts are slain and flowers begotten,
And in green underwood and cover
Blossom by blossom the spring begins.
— Algernon Charles Swinburne, “Atalanta in Calydon”
I, Racist | John Metta
Thursday, September 19th, 2024Here’s the thing that all the “angry Black people know”, and no “calmly debating White people” want to admit: The entire discussion of race in America centers around the protection of White feelings.
Source: I, Racist | John Metta
Thursday, September 19th, 2024
You wish your father “Happy Father’s Day” even if you felt like he was never proud of you, that you were never good enough. Even though he talks down to your mother. Even though you end most family dinners in tears or embarrassed at his behavior towards restaurant employees. Even though, deep down, you know at heart he is a complete narcissist, racist dickhead. You love him anyway, and you post about it.
The Lake is going away
Thursday, September 19th, 2024My earlie
Looks like I’m going to need to update my blog with a new cover photo. The Lake is going away.
There. Said aloud.
It’s gone now. As of two weeks ago tomorrow. I knew it was happening that day, and I finally sent my family a message to let me know it was gone. It was just like asking if a person I loved had passed on to the other side. When they said, “yes” I sat down and sobbed like a little girl. I haven’t cried that hard in years. And I’ve been doing a lot of crying lately.
I know it sounds overly dramatic, getting so upset over a piece of property.
What it’s like to grieve a living person
Thursday, September 19th, 2024My parents are not dead. They are alive. But it feels like they are dead. The people they used to be are not there anymore. They have been ravaged by pain, bitterness, regret. Their minds are destroyed by the pain medications meant to relieve their suffering. I can’t have a sane conversation with my own parents anymore. I can barely remember what it was that we laughed so hard about for so many years. They do nothing but sit in front of the tv watching Fox News. They are miserable, they are scared and paranoid, and they think the world is ending.
They feel dead. I miss them.
Joni Mitchell
Thursday, September 19th, 2024More Fun at the Dinner Table
Thursday, September 19th, 2024Remember that time I wrote about the dinner
15 Questions for My Kids
Thursday, September 19th, 2024Without ANY prompting ask your kids these questions. It’s a great way to see what they think. Copy and repost with your child’s answers.
Rollie, age 12 and Tiller, age 10
1. What is something I always say to you?
R: “I love you? I don’t know.”
T: “Stop hovering over my shoulder.”
2. What makes me happy?
R: “When we do things you like or read books you liked. Like U2 or books like The Outsiders.”
T: “you like giving Brody chewies.”
3. What makes me sad?
R: Um, when people you know become sick or unhealthy.
T: Thinking about Quint.
4. How do I make you laugh?
Tripping or saying something funny.
T: “I know how I make you laugh, but i don’t know how you make me laugh. Oh, by doing an impression of my weird dancing.”
5. What was I like as a child?
I don’t know. You liked to eat a lot of junk food.
T: “Uh, you played baseball.”
6. How old am I?
43
T: “42”
7. How tall am I?
5’9″?
T: “5’11″”
8. What is my favorite thing to do?
Read books and listen to good music. Well, YOU’RE idea of good music.
T: “Be on your computer.”
9. What do I do when you’re not around?
How would I know? Plot evil ways to embarrass me?
T: “Usually, you’re working when I’m at school, and um, how would i know if i’m not there?”
10. What am I really good at?
Writing.
T: “You’re good at typing.”
11. What am I not very good at?
Staying calm.
T: “Drawing.”
12. What do I do for a job?
You work for [my company name] and do mechanical engineering?
T: “You’re a Technical Writer.”
13.What is my favorite food?
Veggies or the thin beef jerky.
T: “You like tomatoes a lot. You like peanut butter.”
14. What do you enjoy doing with me?
Going to places we like like Georgia Aquarium, or Six Flags? But, like, just us two. Mother and Son days.
T: ” A lot of things. I like riding roller coasters.”
15. What’s my favorite drink?
Wine.
T: “La Croix?”