My daughter was talking to one of her Aunties on the phone last night, and the following exchange ensued...
Auntie: "Have you learned any new songs?"
Sweetie Girl: "I learned a song in Spanish!"
Auntie: "Oh please, sing it for me!"
Sweetie Girl: "Frere Jacques, Frere Jacques, dormez-vous? dormez-vous?"
An absolute classic.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
What kids hear and retain...
About 3 weeks ago, I picked my daughter from school and she told me about going to a football game (her brother is in high school now).
She stated that she wanted to be a cheerleader -- so I had a little talk with her to the effect of "You don't have to be a cheerleader just beause you're a girl, you can do whatever you want, if you want to play football, you can, or whatever... Don't think that you can't do something just because you're a girl..." And that was the end of it.
Saturday, we're doing the birthday thing, and before she blew out the candles, I said "You have to make a wish first!"After she blew out the candles, she said "I wished that I could be whatever I want to be when I grow up"
That's my girl!
And she's 4 years old today!
She stated that she wanted to be a cheerleader -- so I had a little talk with her to the effect of "You don't have to be a cheerleader just beause you're a girl, you can do whatever you want, if you want to play football, you can, or whatever... Don't think that you can't do something just because you're a girl..." And that was the end of it.
Saturday, we're doing the birthday thing, and before she blew out the candles, I said "You have to make a wish first!"After she blew out the candles, she said "I wished that I could be whatever I want to be when I grow up"
That's my girl!
And she's 4 years old today!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Intimacy
This morning, I came across the incredibly gorgeous woman who lives upstairs from me... She was out walking her dog, in a t-shirt and sweats, her hair all mussed up. But she still looked great. (Granted, she would look great in a burlap sack, but I digress.)
This got me to thinking... My first thought was that "Women don't understand that they don't need to get all dolled up for men to think they look good." While that's true to a large extent, my next thought hit the spot for me.
Love, to me, is connected with intimacy. And I definitely have issues with intimacy. It's difficult for me to allow someone inside enough for that. Sex comes close, but sex, to me, is as much about fun as about intimacy. I find that I have held back some of myself even during sex.
The next thought was, that true intimacy is when you wake up next to someone in the morning, with bed-head, morning breath, maybe a little drool... and you still spend time snuggling. And you realize that this person loves you even when you look your worst. They still find you desirable, and worth loving. What an amazing feeling that is.
I do enjoy being single, but I badly miss that feeling. No matter how angry or bitter I may get toward my ex-wife, I will always be a little grateful to her for allowing me that feeling. I refuse to let all the crap totally eliminate that good memory. It will never come back with her, there is far too much that has gone between us for that, but she did show me that it was possible.
So thanks Paige for the feeling, and thanks Ashley for reminding me of it.
Take care,
Curt
This got me to thinking... My first thought was that "Women don't understand that they don't need to get all dolled up for men to think they look good." While that's true to a large extent, my next thought hit the spot for me.
Love, to me, is connected with intimacy. And I definitely have issues with intimacy. It's difficult for me to allow someone inside enough for that. Sex comes close, but sex, to me, is as much about fun as about intimacy. I find that I have held back some of myself even during sex.
The next thought was, that true intimacy is when you wake up next to someone in the morning, with bed-head, morning breath, maybe a little drool... and you still spend time snuggling. And you realize that this person loves you even when you look your worst. They still find you desirable, and worth loving. What an amazing feeling that is.
I do enjoy being single, but I badly miss that feeling. No matter how angry or bitter I may get toward my ex-wife, I will always be a little grateful to her for allowing me that feeling. I refuse to let all the crap totally eliminate that good memory. It will never come back with her, there is far too much that has gone between us for that, but she did show me that it was possible.
So thanks Paige for the feeling, and thanks Ashley for reminding me of it.
Take care,
Curt
Thursday, July 24, 2008
It's been a month?
Bad blogger! Bad, bad blogger!
That being said, it's been a pretty lousy month. My father is pretty much on his last legs, he's got heart issues, and the doctors have decided not to try and correct them surgically, as he probably wouldn't make it through. He's 80, and it's a hard 80, if you know what I mean. He's crammed a lot of life in there, good and bad.
Also found out that I owe the IRS about $3300. Canada's looking attractive.
Struck out on my last four dates (no second date). And my shoulder is absolutely killing me, but I'm trying to hold off on going to the doctor (money issues). No idea what I did to it.
So, I'm pretty much hiding under a rock until this stuff blows over. Wake me up in September :)
Take care
That being said, it's been a pretty lousy month. My father is pretty much on his last legs, he's got heart issues, and the doctors have decided not to try and correct them surgically, as he probably wouldn't make it through. He's 80, and it's a hard 80, if you know what I mean. He's crammed a lot of life in there, good and bad.
Also found out that I owe the IRS about $3300. Canada's looking attractive.
Struck out on my last four dates (no second date). And my shoulder is absolutely killing me, but I'm trying to hold off on going to the doctor (money issues). No idea what I did to it.
So, I'm pretty much hiding under a rock until this stuff blows over. Wake me up in September :)
Take care
Monday, June 23, 2008
In Memoriam
George Carlin (1937-2008) -- wow, who the hell thought he'd make 71 in the first place???
George was my first comedian. My brothers had the "Class Clown" album and the "Take-offs and Put-ons" album, and I ate them up. Yes, at 6 and 7 years old, I had them memorized (which explains a lot). There are still entire Carlin routines floating around my head, ready to spew forth at the drop of a hat.
There were three titans of stand-up from that era (not to slight anyone else, but these three stood a little higher than the rest); George Carlin, Bill Cosby, and Richard Pryor. It's a gross oversimplification, but I think that George's comedy came from the brain, Cosby's from the heart, and Richard's from the gut. They were all incredibly funny, and all had elements of the others, but that's my take on it.
Yes, George got a little less funny, and a lot more pissed off later on, especially in the early 80's. But anyone who used their brain was pissed off in the early 80's.
George Carlin was the first to get me into thinking about words, and how they're used. Even the "Seven words you can't say on television" bit was about the words themselves, not the shock value of just saying them. George was the funniest pedant I've ever heard, and put me well on my way.
So farewell, George. Well done. You made a lot of people laugh, and a lot of people think, and that's not a bad combination.
Or a bad epitaph.
George was my first comedian. My brothers had the "Class Clown" album and the "Take-offs and Put-ons" album, and I ate them up. Yes, at 6 and 7 years old, I had them memorized (which explains a lot). There are still entire Carlin routines floating around my head, ready to spew forth at the drop of a hat.
There were three titans of stand-up from that era (not to slight anyone else, but these three stood a little higher than the rest); George Carlin, Bill Cosby, and Richard Pryor. It's a gross oversimplification, but I think that George's comedy came from the brain, Cosby's from the heart, and Richard's from the gut. They were all incredibly funny, and all had elements of the others, but that's my take on it.
Yes, George got a little less funny, and a lot more pissed off later on, especially in the early 80's. But anyone who used their brain was pissed off in the early 80's.
George Carlin was the first to get me into thinking about words, and how they're used. Even the "Seven words you can't say on television" bit was about the words themselves, not the shock value of just saying them. George was the funniest pedant I've ever heard, and put me well on my way.
So farewell, George. Well done. You made a lot of people laugh, and a lot of people think, and that's not a bad combination.
Or a bad epitaph.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Again, sorry about yesterday's pity party. It would be very easy to delete it, because self-pity is not particularly attractive.
But there are two ways to view a blog. One is to say "Hey, I want to put my best foot forward, this is like a job interview for the world, I don't want to embarrass myself." The other is to say "This is me -- warts and all."
Therefore, because one of my mantras is "authenticity in all things", I've decided to leave it up. I am what I am, and not all of it is attractive.
I've already had a cigarette today.
Dammit.
But there are two ways to view a blog. One is to say "Hey, I want to put my best foot forward, this is like a job interview for the world, I don't want to embarrass myself." The other is to say "This is me -- warts and all."
Therefore, because one of my mantras is "authenticity in all things", I've decided to leave it up. I am what I am, and not all of it is attractive.
I've already had a cigarette today.
Dammit.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Throes of nic-fittery
Yep, I'm trying to quit smoking.
25 years of 2 packs a day, on average, is very difficult to stop.
Why? 1) I can't afford it, money-wise. 2 packs a day is about $250 a month, and with my monetary cushion gone, I can't really do that anymore. 2) Self-image. I badly need to lose weight, just to feel better about myself, and I can't really exercise when I can't FUCKING BREATHE!!
This has been going on for 8 days now, and while I haven't been able to stay completely off the wagon, I haven't had more than 5 in a day. This can be considered progress, but it still royally pisses me off that I haven't the willpower to just say "I no longer smoke".
There's kind of a vicious circle, when you have a low self-image. The circle goes
1) "I really suck."
2) "Maybe I wouldn't suck so much if I lost weight and stopped smoking, so I wouldn't be so hideous looking and smelling."
3) "That's too much effort to throw into someone who sucks so much."
4) "I really suck."
You know what else sucks? Nicotine fits. And pity parties.
Sorry about this pity party.
take care,
Curt
25 years of 2 packs a day, on average, is very difficult to stop.
Why? 1) I can't afford it, money-wise. 2 packs a day is about $250 a month, and with my monetary cushion gone, I can't really do that anymore. 2) Self-image. I badly need to lose weight, just to feel better about myself, and I can't really exercise when I can't FUCKING BREATHE!!
This has been going on for 8 days now, and while I haven't been able to stay completely off the wagon, I haven't had more than 5 in a day. This can be considered progress, but it still royally pisses me off that I haven't the willpower to just say "I no longer smoke".
There's kind of a vicious circle, when you have a low self-image. The circle goes
1) "I really suck."
2) "Maybe I wouldn't suck so much if I lost weight and stopped smoking, so I wouldn't be so hideous looking and smelling."
3) "That's too much effort to throw into someone who sucks so much."
4) "I really suck."
You know what else sucks? Nicotine fits. And pity parties.
Sorry about this pity party.
take care,
Curt
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