-
The good stuff
And no, I’m not talking about the headache meds.
Sometimes it’s a lot of fun being a dad. I say that like I’m revealing some tightly guarded secret. Hey, cut me some slack. I’m still feeling guilty about ignoring Adam’s unusual warmth the last couple mornings. Yeah, I haven’t mentioned that yet, have I?
Our morning routine involves me sitting down on his bed, pulling back the covers and Adam sticking out his arms (the silent but still effective command to be picked up). I carry him (half awake) to the table for his morning milk (that I’ve got waiting for him). Well, the last couple mornings I thought he felt a little warmer than usual, but I dismissed it due to an absence of any other symptoms. Well this morning Cheryl noticed and took his temperature, and low and behold – he had a fever. It turns out my parental instincts are shit.
But back to the fun stuff. Yesterday (back when I was still in denial), we had a little indoor safari. Adam noticed a squirrel hiding under our table out back, and we decided to see how close we could sneak up before the little guy took off. We got low and went slow. I’m not sure being low helped any, but somehow it seems like being close to the ground is an essential ingredient of stealth. Surely it’s some remnant species memory from the savannah (no offense to those of you who think the creation story in the Bible is a historical account, though I’m tempted). I’d grabbed my camera from the shelf and we crouched behind the wall in the hall. There we discussed strategy. I started out with my silent impression of a Hollywood soldier, but the performance was completely wasted on my three year old, who looked at me liked I’d developed a bizarre tic. We cautiously made our way behind the table and across the kitchen to our small pantry, which sits next to our sliding glass door.
“Alright kid. We’re only going to get one chance at this so I’ve gotta make sure I make this shot count.”
“Take the shot dad! Take the shot!”
I managed to take a couple pictures before Adam was completely overcome with excitement. He leaped to his feet and the squirrel took off. “Let me see the picture. Please let me see!”
It’s not the greatest picture, nor is it the most interesting subject; but there’s a lot of fun… and love… that goes with it.
-
Kids say
How often does your child say something that takes a while interpret? How often is your first guess wrong, or your second?
This evening we were lounging in the family room, basking in our relative freedom from responsibility (Cheryl and Beth were out on errands), and out of nowhere Adam says, “I’ve got the blues dad.”
My first thought was, “Are they playing B.B. King at daycare?”
“Either that,” I figured, “or he’s a little depressed and his grasp of language rivals mine… and he’s only three.”
A few minutes later he asked, “Can I have another blue one dad?” For some strange reason he likes the fat-free yogurt better than the low-fat, and they come in a blue container.
-
Writer Arthur C. Clarke Dies at 90
Arthur C. Clarke, a visionary science fiction writer who won worldwide acclaim with more than 100 books on space, science and the future, died Wednesday in his adopted home of Sri Lanka, an aide said. He was 90.
There was a time when I didn’t like to read. I don’t think I had the patience for it, or possibly the imagination. I was accustomed to being spoon fed fiction by the television, and mostly I didn’t bother. I’d slog through the occasional school assignment (I’m talking to you Victor Hugo), then head back to the TV (or the basketball hoop).
My freshman year of college I became a regular reader, largely because of Asimov, Niven, and Clark. In those early days I read a lot more Asmiov than Clark, but there was one book that stood out at the time: Clark’s “The Songs of a Distant Earth.” I’m almost certain it doesn’t appear on anyone’s all-time greats list, but for me it was just the thing I needed at the time.
I have no idea what kind of man he was, but he wrote a good book that helped me escape (for a little while) from a bad year.