Okay... it's technically 5:37 in the morning. I have been up for almost an hour now.
The song on the iTunes from Gary Go asks "whatever happened to me?" I don't think there could be a more appropriate song for this moment.
Over the last two months, my life has undergone a drastic change. I have seen the highs and the lows, the best and the worst... and I realize that I have not shared any of it like I used to. So let's get to that shall we?
This week alone, my wife and I have sold and bought a house. We never thought we would want or need to move, but as kids grow up, they seem to need space. Maybe, I should be more accurate. We needed more space. I love my kids, but they always seem to be right on top of us, leaving me and Gale with very little room to breathe. So now, we will have some breathing room as well as a new opportunity.
I have always wanted to entertain friends in my house, and our new house will allow us to do that in spades. It is a dream house that we could have never dreamed of, but as the stars aligned, interest rates low, job doing well, and housing prices where they are... we could.
Then, there is improv. Oh my God, how improv has changed my life. I have spent so many entries on this blog telling you about improv, but I had no idea what it would truly mean to me. The freedom it has given me to expand my horizons is limitless. That's what happens when you make up life as it goes along.
My improv group, {breakout}, will be moving into our own theatre in December. I went into this theatre with the idea of just doing some shows and the timing could not have been any better. They wanted to have a regular group to bring in younger audiences... and there we were. It is a magical place, or that was the feeling I had after our first rehearsal there. It seems so right, and I look forward to the hours I will be spending there.
The place that taught me all the improv skills is still a place I call home as well. Jet City Improv is looking to me to help them raise money as a member of their board. It is a tough thing to do with the limited experience I have, but ideas seemed to be what they needed. Let's hope those ideas can turn into dollars. I think they will eventually.
How about family? Life could have changed pretty dramatically there too. If there are peaks and valleys in any marriage, I have seen them both in the past two months. From the desperation of feeling totally detached to the high of new possibilities, this thing called love has been a crazy little thing. I am very blessed that I was raised to see things through, and keep promises, and that is what I continue to do every day. Happily, I have a good partner in that.
My kids... well, my relationship with my daughter is recovering. I am sure there are people who feel that they have no attachment to their kids. Not like the woman in "Private Practice" who won't look at her baby. I am talking very little in common and constant fighting. Such as it is with my girl. However, it seems like the freeze is beginning to thaw from both sides, and somewhere through the ice, we will swim in a relationship again. That's nice.
And what about a son who is so close to being you it is uncanny. My son is a mini-me. He does the same things I did growing up, makes the same mistakes, pulls the same tricks. He, however, has something inside him, that I never saw in me at his age - heart. He puts a lot into things even though he gets knocked down (that, I understand.) He is an amazing soccer goalie, with a competitive spirit. When it comes to friends, it's hard to see how it's going. He say he's picked on a lot. I know I was at his age. He has a strength that I did not, so I think he will be just fine. He is a loving son, and we are lucky that he is around.
Work? Wow... I could not have thought that things could change so much in a year. Yesterday, I left my office of the past three years, after five years of having an outside office, and moved back home. I sit here in the home office typing this and it seems surreal. And today, I discuss the future with my major clients, and I do so with confidence of a job well done. If you had asked me two months ago about my confidence in the future, I would have told you it could go either way. Today, it seems pretty good!
So what gets me up at 5 in the morning? That is the 64,000 dollar question. I can't sleep anymore. It started this past summer. The guy who loved to sleep in till 10 AM and hated mornings finds himself up before the sun on most days. I try to figure out a way to get back to sleep, but many mornings, I just give up. Like right now, I feel like going to bed, but it seems more right to talk to you.
The Gary Go playlist plays in the background. One of the songs on that collection is called "I am wonderful." It's not a song about egos, it's a tale of feeling good about yourself. Well, today, I, am wonderful. Tomorrow may hold other things, but I will take today.
Yours truly,
Johnny Blogger.
Showing posts with label daughter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label daughter. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
On the subject of "Growing Up"
My little girl graduated from sixth grade today. They don't call it graduation as I guess it's not politically correct or some other reason, but fact is... she graduated.
It seems like it was just yesterday that I put her on the bus for the first time.
At the end of her Kindergarten year, I made a video (hey, it's what I do) where I interviewed the entire class about their memories of the year. I asked them what they learned... some of the answers:
"how to count a little higher than I did before I started school"
"how to read"
"that two wrongs don't make a right. They don't."
"to not destroy other people's property."
"be nice to others... and care about them."
As part of their sixth grade graduation video, I used the old video from 7 years ago as a basis for the final part of their graduation salute. You see, their answers then are as true now. Sure, they may have moved from counting to algebra, from reading to creative writing, but the basics are still there. They will still miss their teacher. They will miss their school. They will miss their friends.
The last two shots told the story best. As the Faith Hill's version of "Over the Rainbow" plays... we see a little girl hugging one of her students at the end of the day. The teacher, youthful and smiling, gives the petite girl with the cute yellow dress and the pink backpack a side hug as the two happily leave the classroom. The teacher hesitates, and turns out the light as the door closes, while the girl looks back one last time at her teacher. That is how the kindergarten version of the video ended 7 years ago.
For the sixth grade version, that scene dissolves into one last one. The teacher, now a little older and showing a little more experience exits the door when she is greeted by that same little girl, who is now nearly a half a foot taller than the teacher. The little yellow dress has been replaced by the more practical blue fleece top and long blue pants. The pink backpack has turned into a more with-it blue messenger bag. The two meet and hug once again. The teacher waves good bye as the student walks around the corner for the last time. Fade to black.
I had seen the video at least 20 times as I had edited and reviewed it, but still, I could not help myself. I was balling in the middle of a gymnasium of parents and kids. I could not control the sobbing of a dad who realized his little girl was not so little any more.
As I looked around, I was not the only one. It seems that imagery summed up the feelings of many of the parents on this day.
I am glad I could share my talents for the good of my girl... and hope that it provided the perfect ending to an amazing journey called elementary school.
I love you, sweetheart!
Yours truly,
Johnny Blogger
It seems like it was just yesterday that I put her on the bus for the first time.
At the end of her Kindergarten year, I made a video (hey, it's what I do) where I interviewed the entire class about their memories of the year. I asked them what they learned... some of the answers:
"how to count a little higher than I did before I started school"
"how to read"
"that two wrongs don't make a right. They don't."
"to not destroy other people's property."
"be nice to others... and care about them."
As part of their sixth grade graduation video, I used the old video from 7 years ago as a basis for the final part of their graduation salute. You see, their answers then are as true now. Sure, they may have moved from counting to algebra, from reading to creative writing, but the basics are still there. They will still miss their teacher. They will miss their school. They will miss their friends.
The last two shots told the story best. As the Faith Hill's version of "Over the Rainbow" plays... we see a little girl hugging one of her students at the end of the day. The teacher, youthful and smiling, gives the petite girl with the cute yellow dress and the pink backpack a side hug as the two happily leave the classroom. The teacher hesitates, and turns out the light as the door closes, while the girl looks back one last time at her teacher. That is how the kindergarten version of the video ended 7 years ago.
For the sixth grade version, that scene dissolves into one last one. The teacher, now a little older and showing a little more experience exits the door when she is greeted by that same little girl, who is now nearly a half a foot taller than the teacher. The little yellow dress has been replaced by the more practical blue fleece top and long blue pants. The pink backpack has turned into a more with-it blue messenger bag. The two meet and hug once again. The teacher waves good bye as the student walks around the corner for the last time. Fade to black.
I had seen the video at least 20 times as I had edited and reviewed it, but still, I could not help myself. I was balling in the middle of a gymnasium of parents and kids. I could not control the sobbing of a dad who realized his little girl was not so little any more.
As I looked around, I was not the only one. It seems that imagery summed up the feelings of many of the parents on this day.
I am glad I could share my talents for the good of my girl... and hope that it provided the perfect ending to an amazing journey called elementary school.
I love you, sweetheart!
Yours truly,
Johnny Blogger
Sunday, February 1, 2009
On the subject of Questionnaires
When I was on the dating scene, I used to believe that my dates were sometimes more like interviews... with me being Larry King (without the suspenders and age - but rather back when he was cool.)
Anyway, the latest thing in the world of cyberspace and Facebook is these viral 25 random things where you write 25 random things and tag 25 other people to do the same thing. Some people think of them as a pain, while others, like me, embrace the challenge. I posted my 25 in the last blog.
The other day, my friend Brent posted a new one with 48 questions, but went out of his way to say he was not tagging anyone... so that it would be something that, if found interesting, the person reading would not be guilted into following suit.
The strange part of this happened at dinner on Friday night. My family and a couple of family friends went out to dinner and decided that a half hour wait at Red Robin was not going to be fun (there were three hungry kids involved here.) So instead we went to a local pizza place and arrived for their half hour wait. Resigned to the fact we had to eat somewhere, we waited... and waited... and waited. 75 minutes later, we were finally seated. (To their credit, the establishment made up for it with a boat load of free appetizers.)
Expecting it to be a night of silent disgruntled conversation (the wait had made everyone edgy.) It turned into one of the most fun nights my family has had out in a long time. My daughter, who usually does not even like talking to me, had brought a book called "More Coke or Pepsi." It is, in essence, the same kind of question book as my friend had filled out. This one is made for tweens (probably girls) to share facts about themselves. We laughed and were having lots of fun doing the questionnaires.
So maybe these viral things are a way to feel attached. Maybe, people should not be offended when being tagged for such "nonsense." Maybe, it is a friend wanting to engage through cyberspace with you... and isn't communication the foundation of any friendship - in person or in cyberspace...
With that in mind... here are my answers to the 48 Questions. Enjoy, and have fun with comments. If you'd rather see it in Facebook, it's over there as well.
1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
I was lucky to be names after my father AND mother… how many of you can say that? Jon is from John, my dad. Dru (my middle name) is from my mom, who was Drucie.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
When wasn’t? Actually, I think it was watching the Grey’s Anatomy with the kid who needed the transplant from the serial killer.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
I don’t ever write in cursive. I print all caps and most everything I do write is on a computer.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Ham (Appropriate, don’t you think?)
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
Two. A 9 year old son (I will call him Mini-Me,) and an 11 year old daughter.
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
I think I would want to be more of an athletic type, maybe even one who loves the power tie scene, but I am not sure I could take the egos of the friends that go along with that.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM?
Rarely, and that’s not sarcastic.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yep, and they cost me dearly when I had Mono in 1992. I just got a job at CNN and had to spend my first two weeks at my new job at home.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
No.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Rice Krispies, with a craving for Capt’n Crunch
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Nope.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Haggen Daas Lemon Sorbet or Vanilla
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
If they seem to be a kind person or someone I will have to protect others from.
15. RED OR PINK?
Red (My high school color)
16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
The fact that I could have been an athlete, but did not have the tenacity to apply myself.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My Mom and Dad.
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST?
I think it is a wonderful exercise in looking into yourself, and sharing nice things with others.
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Actually, I’m in my bathrobe and slippers at the breakfast table on a Sunday morning after a late night out… however, this question has a typical answer which is black (pants) and blue (shoes). YES Blue shoes!
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
The tapping of a keyboard and my son watching MythBusters. Most of the time, I listen to Capital Radio in London on my computer or iPhone or BBC Radio 1 on XM.
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE
Blue
23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Summertime rain at my childhood home.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
My wife.
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
Yes I do. One of my new favorite people to be around.
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
College football and good soccer.
27. HAIR COLOR?
Brown, going gray
28. EYE COLOR?
Brown
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No, but I have an awesome new pair of red glasses that I love to wear.
30. FAVORITE FOOD
Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding, Brilliant!
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy Endings – can’t stand any movie with gore in it, and I am not talking the global warming movie.
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Ironman on DVD, Paul Blart, Mall Cop in the theatres
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Again, bathrobe… but because of work… most of the time it’s purple.
34. Summer or winter?
Summer
35. HUGS OR KISSES?
Anyone that knows me knows that I am a big time hugger.
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
My friend Mary Stuart.
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
The people who “think” they are my friends.
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
Coffee with Groucho by Frank Ferrante
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
I have a Wacom tablet.
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?
Last thing I watched on TV was Friday Night Smackdown… yes – wrestling.
42. FAVORITE SOUND(S).
My daughter and son happy.
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Rolling Stones from my high school days. Start me up!
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Maui to the west, Whistler to the north. Munich, Germany to the east, and Miami, Florida to the south.
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
Being friends to people who can’t stand each other.
46 WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Washington, DC.
47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?
People who actually enjoy doing this, and don’t think of it as another viral thing.
48. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER?
Blind date. Only blind on my part though. She had already seen me on TV.
I hope you enjoyed it.... be well everyone!
Yours truly,
Johnny Blogger
Anyway, the latest thing in the world of cyberspace and Facebook is these viral 25 random things where you write 25 random things and tag 25 other people to do the same thing. Some people think of them as a pain, while others, like me, embrace the challenge. I posted my 25 in the last blog.
The other day, my friend Brent posted a new one with 48 questions, but went out of his way to say he was not tagging anyone... so that it would be something that, if found interesting, the person reading would not be guilted into following suit.
The strange part of this happened at dinner on Friday night. My family and a couple of family friends went out to dinner and decided that a half hour wait at Red Robin was not going to be fun (there were three hungry kids involved here.) So instead we went to a local pizza place and arrived for their half hour wait. Resigned to the fact we had to eat somewhere, we waited... and waited... and waited. 75 minutes later, we were finally seated. (To their credit, the establishment made up for it with a boat load of free appetizers.)
Expecting it to be a night of silent disgruntled conversation (the wait had made everyone edgy.) It turned into one of the most fun nights my family has had out in a long time. My daughter, who usually does not even like talking to me, had brought a book called "More Coke or Pepsi." It is, in essence, the same kind of question book as my friend had filled out. This one is made for tweens (probably girls) to share facts about themselves. We laughed and were having lots of fun doing the questionnaires.
So maybe these viral things are a way to feel attached. Maybe, people should not be offended when being tagged for such "nonsense." Maybe, it is a friend wanting to engage through cyberspace with you... and isn't communication the foundation of any friendship - in person or in cyberspace...
With that in mind... here are my answers to the 48 Questions. Enjoy, and have fun with comments. If you'd rather see it in Facebook, it's over there as well.
1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
I was lucky to be names after my father AND mother… how many of you can say that? Jon is from John, my dad. Dru (my middle name) is from my mom, who was Drucie.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
When wasn’t? Actually, I think it was watching the Grey’s Anatomy with the kid who needed the transplant from the serial killer.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
I don’t ever write in cursive. I print all caps and most everything I do write is on a computer.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Ham (Appropriate, don’t you think?)
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
Two. A 9 year old son (I will call him Mini-Me,) and an 11 year old daughter.
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
I think I would want to be more of an athletic type, maybe even one who loves the power tie scene, but I am not sure I could take the egos of the friends that go along with that.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM?
Rarely, and that’s not sarcastic.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yep, and they cost me dearly when I had Mono in 1992. I just got a job at CNN and had to spend my first two weeks at my new job at home.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
No.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Rice Krispies, with a craving for Capt’n Crunch
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Nope.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Haggen Daas Lemon Sorbet or Vanilla
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
If they seem to be a kind person or someone I will have to protect others from.
15. RED OR PINK?
Red (My high school color)
16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
The fact that I could have been an athlete, but did not have the tenacity to apply myself.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My Mom and Dad.
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST?
I think it is a wonderful exercise in looking into yourself, and sharing nice things with others.
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Actually, I’m in my bathrobe and slippers at the breakfast table on a Sunday morning after a late night out… however, this question has a typical answer which is black (pants) and blue (shoes). YES Blue shoes!
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
The tapping of a keyboard and my son watching MythBusters. Most of the time, I listen to Capital Radio in London on my computer or iPhone or BBC Radio 1 on XM.
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE
Blue
23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Summertime rain at my childhood home.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
My wife.
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
Yes I do. One of my new favorite people to be around.
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
College football and good soccer.
27. HAIR COLOR?
Brown, going gray
28. EYE COLOR?
Brown
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No, but I have an awesome new pair of red glasses that I love to wear.
30. FAVORITE FOOD
Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding, Brilliant!
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy Endings – can’t stand any movie with gore in it, and I am not talking the global warming movie.
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Ironman on DVD, Paul Blart, Mall Cop in the theatres
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Again, bathrobe… but because of work… most of the time it’s purple.
34. Summer or winter?
Summer
35. HUGS OR KISSES?
Anyone that knows me knows that I am a big time hugger.
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
My friend Mary Stuart.
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
The people who “think” they are my friends.
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
Coffee with Groucho by Frank Ferrante
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
I have a Wacom tablet.
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?
Last thing I watched on TV was Friday Night Smackdown… yes – wrestling.
42. FAVORITE SOUND(S).
My daughter and son happy.
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Rolling Stones from my high school days. Start me up!
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Maui to the west, Whistler to the north. Munich, Germany to the east, and Miami, Florida to the south.
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
Being friends to people who can’t stand each other.
46 WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Washington, DC.
47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?
People who actually enjoy doing this, and don’t think of it as another viral thing.
48. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER?
Blind date. Only blind on my part though. She had already seen me on TV.
I hope you enjoyed it.... be well everyone!
Yours truly,
Johnny Blogger
Saturday, August 2, 2008
On the subject of You Never Know
You never know what will break the ice.
You never know what can turn a trying relationship into a better one.
You never know how you are going to get through the generation gap.
You never know how a night you're dreading can become a nice one.
Teach a daughter how to score a baseball game, and suddenly there is a conversation.
You never know.
Good Night, Charlotte
Yours truly,
Johnny Blogger
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