NaBloPoMo--Rest in Peace.

Ah, the best laid plans, the road to....well, you get the idea. Posting every day in November? Shyeah, right.

So, something kind of amazing just happened.

But first, back story.

I've mentioned once or twice how night time can be challenging in our house, as Grace really loves her mama, (I know she loves me) and can often times only be consoled by Bibi. Well, while it is silly, and pointless, this stings. It stings--a lot. However, over Thanksgiving--which was wonderful--I got to spend lots of time with my daughter (boy, is that still weird, or what!?) and it was fantastic. I really felt like she was getting more comfortable around me, more used to me, and that I was really growing closer to her. It was great!

Then, yesterday, after a really hard day at work, I came home and Grace pratically screamed every time I came near her. I know it doesn't signify some great and permanent change, like she'll never be held by me again, but it was hard. And, last night, as I was trying to get Grace calmed down, things just weren't clicking. So, Bibi suggested that we read "Goodnight Moon", which is Gracie's "Favorite Book." (I'm thinking to myself, yeah, how can a kid who isn't even six months old have a favorite book?!) So, we lie down in bed, Bibi nursing Gracie, and me propped up against the wall, and I begin reading. About page 2, Grace pulls away from Bibi and stops nursing to...get this...look at the pictures as I read them. She stared intently at the pages as I read them, and then, when the book was done, she went right back to nursing.

It was awesome--my daughter takes after me!! She's a reader!!! (c;

Well, now to the amazing part.

Today, after a slightly better day at work, Grace was a lot more comfortable around me. She didn't flail her arms about in an attempt to get me to pass her to Bibi. I was feeling good; 'til the end of the night. Bibi and I had put Gracie down on the bed, and she was asleep. We were getting some things done, and Bibi was working. Gracie started crying, so I went to get her, and I picked her up. Not only did she continue crying, she literally was pushing herself away from me, and looking around for Bibi.

That sucked.

However, after just a few minutes, Bibi suggested we try reading to her again. I quickly agreed, having seen some degree of success with that last night.

We got into our positions, but I was laying next to Gracie, while she was nursing with Bibi. I began reading, and not two pages in, Gracie stopped nursing, looked at me, and smiled at me, really big. It felt really good. But!!! It doesn't end there; no, you see, Gracie kept looking back and forth between Bibi and I, smiling at each of us, for just a few more pages. And then she rolled towards me, sort of grabbed onto my arm, and began switching back and forthe between the pages of the book and me, smiling the whole time.

After the book was over, I kind of jokingly asked Gracie, "Gracie, do you like it when Daddy reads to you?" and...to both Bibi's and my surprise, Gracie quickly nodded her head 3 or 4 times, as if she was responding to my question.

Constantly, completely, and thoroughly, I am amazed by Grace.

Thanks for stopping by...

Tommy

This moment brought to you by Joe Firstman...

So, earlier this evening, while Bibi and I were attempting to enjoy a relaxing evening watching episodes of the Sopranos, and just "chillin' out", as the kids say, something really cool happened.

Gracie had been a bit fussy, throughout the evening; she had not really napped at all during the day, so she was kind of feeling the effects of that this evening. (It should be stated that Grace responds MUCH better to Bibi's attempts to un-fussify her than to mine.) Bibi had been putting forth a valiant effort, but to very little success. Bibi has also been feeling a bit under the weather, and had had a REALLY busy day trying to get the word out about our new (and TEMPORARY!!) dog, so she was feeling kind of beat after trying to calm Grace's nerves. She asked me if I wouldn't mind taking a shot. I said of course not, and I took Grace. We started walking up and down the hall and through the living room, while Bibi started a load of dishes; I decided to put on some music, and attached my iPod to the stereo; and chose, after some deliberation, Grace's soundtrack, which, if you don't remember, Bibi and I put together shortly after Grace was born. We were walking, I was swaying, and I was kind of singing to Grace as we went, when our (Bibi and I) song came on. It's a song by Joe Firstman, called, "Car Door (Dancing in the Aisles)" and we used to listen to it driving down to Kansas City together shortly after we got married. It's, on a very basic level, about a couple who is unblelievably happy together, and about how special little moments together are. Well, it just kind of struck me, as songs are wont to do, how amazingly blessed I am, as I stood their dancing with my beautiful daughter, watching my wife, and I started to get a little choked up (ok, I started bawling) and as the tears began (gushed) Gracie put her hand on my neck and started to pull herself to me, in a sweet little hug.

Nothing--nothing!--could ever compare to that feeling. It is, in a word, amazing. The title of this blog could not BE more appropriate.

God bless everyone, and have a wonderful weekend....

Thanks for stopping by.

Tommy

Thursday Night Lights

So, I have to concur with JNo about the media portrayal of the presidential election; although, I would have to go on to say that it's not just the media, but the whole election process. At first I was excited about this election being between the rock stars of the political realm (Guiliani, Clinton, Obama, Edwards, and eventually Fred Thompson. However, I'm now seeing the error of my hopes; I no longer want some rock star to be running; I want someone who really has something to say, and isn't afraid to say it. There are things I like a whole lot about Obama, but he's really just not getting where he needs to be...I think my dad is right, and he probably should have waited til 2012; he would have had more experience, and I think he would have just been a whole lot more savy all around.

At this point, I really want somebody unexpected to jump out there and WOW us with depth and content, as well as poise and dignity. (It seems to me that the Repub's have "calm and collected" down, and the Dem's have "passionate and whiny" down. Gotta change that.)

So, we are less than a year away...and only a few weeks (well, 7 0r 8 til the first primaries, anyway) from the primaries...should we stop talking/thinking/hearing about next year's election, or should we get all into a frenzy?

You tell me...

Thanks!

Tommy

Just a quickie...

So, as I posted the other day, there are certain things that I don't really feel I can post about; my job, mainly, is one of them. Today was a prime reason why I don't post as often as I should.

There were things that happened at work that I WANT to post about, but I just can't post about them.

So, there.

I voted today. One year from now is the presidential election. I wonder when the news sites are going to start talking about that....

Rufus, our new dog, is doing quite well. Leo loves having a playmate, and he's very well behaved. Well, he's well behaved for the most part. Leo knows not to beg for food; he knows not to chew; and he is AMAZINGon the leash. Rufus? Not so much.

We took him to the vet to see if he has a microchip; no such luck. So, now we're going to make up signs to post around the neighborhood to try to find his owner. I REALLY hope we find them soon, because our house? DEFINITELY not big enough for this many people/pets.

Tomorrow is hump day...got any plans?

(Somebody PLEASE send topic suggestions SOON!!!!)

Thanks for stopping by...

Tommy

RANT ALERT!! (with self-disparaging realization near the end...)

So, last night when Bibi and I were watching tv, I saw what is, in my opinion, the WORST thing that tv, and corporate America, does....start Christmas adverts TOO early.

No! No! No!!! I mean it here, I'm not kidding around! The rule is, and I take this VERY seriously...NO Christmas advertising until AFTER Thanksgiving!!! There is a REASON that the Thanksgiving Day parade ENDS with Santa Claus...THAT is the official start of the CHristmas Season, and not a damn day before, ok!? Are you listening out there?

So, today, after having all of those angry thoughts run through my head, I decided that I would start making a list of books that I want for Christmas.

Readers Everywhere--A hypocritesayswhat?!

Me--What?

Readers Everywhere--Exactly.

Thanks for stopping by...

Tommy

Mulligan for Tommy

Yeah, that's what I call yesterday. I get a do-over. For those of you who don't know, NaBloPoMo is National Blog Posting Month, in which people who are overly optimistic and have no realistic sense of their own schedule, commit to posting once a day, every day, for the whole month of November.

Me?

I last two days.

So, I call Mulligan. I get to start over. It's pretty neat when you make up your own rules.

Anyway, so yesterday was the first Saturday in a long time that Bibi and I didn't have anything pressing we had to do...we were going to have dinner with some friends, but he got sick (which was good, b/c I wasn't feeling all that well, either) and so we ended up getting tons of stuff done around the house, and still finding time to watch lots of Soprano's on DVD. (Bibi loves the show, and I'm learning to love it; it's quite good, actually.)

And today we got up and had breakfast with Bibi's parents after I watched Fred Thompson look like a deer in the headlights on Meet the Press. Dave, I know you think he's going to get the nomination, but...seriously, what the hell, man? I honestly don't think he evern knew what Tim Russert was asking half the time, let alone what the answers should have been. But that's just me.

This afternoon Bibi and I made chilli and cornbread, and had my sister over for an early dinner. I don't want to sound arrogant, but I do make a damn good chilli, if I do say so myself. (And, incidently, I do.) Actually, the only thing better than my chilli, is Bibi's cornbread. So, yeah, it's a pretty darn good meal. (I have no idea why I decided to censor myself there, and nowhere else....strange, isn't it?)

Anyway, the last thing I want to comment on here is that tonight while walking Leo, we got ourselves another dog. Well, atleast for now. This beautiful brindle dog came flying out of nowhere, about half way through our route. At first, I'll admit, I was afraid...I was petrified...sorry, anyway, it was kind of scary, this brindle boxer/pit-bull animal came flying at me, and it started jumping around Leo. Now, my neighborhood is notorious for allowing their dogs to run free and loose. It pisses me off, to be honest. I live about half a block from a MAJOR thoroughfare, and we see TOO many dead animals along it to let our dog roam free. So, as I was saying, this dog runs at Leo and me, starts jumping around, and I got mad. I looked at the houses around where I was, and practically shouted "what the hell is wrong with this neighborhood?!" (My sister volunteers for animal cops and tells us horror stories about people mistreating--to put it mildly--their pets, and allowing your pet to run free this close to Sterling, really got me riled up). Well, I looked at him, and I realized that he was really playful, and quite sweet. So, I said to him, "Sit", and he did! So, I started walking back towards our house, and I said one time, "come!" and he followed me all the way home. I showed him to Bibi, and she agreed that it would be horrible to let him just run loose, so we put Leo's kennel in the garage, (we don't know if he has fleas or not) and tomorrow after work I'll take him to a vet to see if he has been microchipped. In the meantime, he's cute as a bug in a run, and very well-mannered. (I'm going to try and convince Bibi we should be able to keep him...shh! Don't tell her!! Oh, and, Bibi...if you're reading this...ignore that last part!!!)

All right, well, that's how our weekend was...how was yours?

Tommy

Just under the wire...

Hey ya'll!

So, how's it going?

Today was the end of another work week...had some interesting experiences at school today, which brings me to the topic of tonight's post....no, it's not the interesting things that happened today, or this week, for that matter. I want to write about strangeness of not being able to talk to all of you about something that takes up a good third of every day. The vagueness that that kind of post would require would render the post nearly meaningless, and that is something I would kind of like to avoid. You know, meaninglessness. (I think I'm just going to add a suffix to that word in every sentence of this post, in a meaninglessnessly kind of way....nope, that one didn't work--damn.)

Anyway. My point is, that I can't really write about the thing that takes up MOST of my time, the thing that is the most eventful of all the things in my day.

Of course, there is Grace....but, well, it's weird. She's wonderful, and amazing, and I'm constantly in awe of how much she is changing and growing...but, I don't know how to put in to words what I am thinking when it comes to her....while I am fairly satisfied with my skills as a writer, and I think I have a decent vocabulary and grasp of the English language, when it comes to writing about Grace, everything I write seems so flat, so static, so....lackluster that it really isn't worthy of the subject.

And, books? Well, happily, I no longer have the time I once did to read. Whereas I used to read at least one book a week, now it is taking me multiple weeks to slowly get through one. (I say happily, not because I don't WANT to read anymore, but I certainly do enjoy that which is now taking up my time.)

So. There we have it....the point of this post is....I want very much to keep posting, but I don't know what exactly to post about....

Any suggestions?

Anybody else think that Kucinich and his alien encounters STILL make him a better candidate that most of the others?

Talk amongst yourselves....

Thanks for stopping by...

Tommy

NaBloPoMo

At my better half's request, I am participating in National Blog Post Month, along with her. We'll see how well that goes. Stay tuned, to see how quickly this best laid plan falls apart. (c;

Two things: One, an update on one of my recent posts. I was listening to NPR today, and there was a story about Juvenile offenders, and how they are treated througough the country. An interesting article, in light of my recent musings on the justice system and correctional system. Apparently, two states can easily demonstrate the differing ways to view young adults and children in "the system". Do we treat them like the hardened criminals they appear to be, or do we treat them like children and young adults who they also appear to be.

In Missouri, which this NPR segment was about, the recidivism rate was 7.something, while in Texas, the rate was topping 50%. Take a WILD guess as to how the different states treat their offenders.

What was cool about this segment, though, was that the program that I've been getting trained in was very similar to the one being described. (So, I've got SOME reason to believe--other than my own personal experience--that this plan is going to work!)

And, second, I'm reading a really interesting book right now, that I wanted to share with you all. I'm not done yet, so I can't quite say that it's going to be up there with, say, the Bible, Blue Highways, or Lamb, but it's pretty interesting so far; it's called "Last Night I Dreamed of Peace". It is the diary of a North Viet Nam civilian doctor assigned to work in a clinic in southern Viet Nam during the Viet Nam war. It's just really interesting to see her point of view and to learn about what some of the "enemy" were thinking about us during that confusing and controversial time. (And, as I always find is true, there are some poignant and pointed connections to be made with what is going on in the world today.)


The thing that is so interesting, is the way this woman viewed the Americans; to her, we were this horrible country that was trying to do some horrible things to her countrymen and family. The language she uses, the way she describes her hopes and fears; I've never heard or read a member of a communist party, and it is truly different. I feel very naive and very ethnocentric when I read about how she puts the welfare of her fellow citizens above that of her own. (Our soldiers most certainly do that, and should be shown our gratitude and thanks on a regular basis for all that they do; however, she was a CIVILIAN, not a soldier; how many of us who are NOT in the army adhere to that kind of "greater good/interconnectivity mindset?) It makes me a little more aware of how selfish I can be, and how selfish our society can be.

What are you all's thoughts? Anyone scared I'm reading a communist text? Is this going to get the Dept. of Homeland Security buzzing around on me?

If anyone has thoughts...drop 'em off here...

Thanks for stopping by...

Tommy