"Normal"

Only now that I am a father do I know love at first sight. Though I don't always show it, I am a deeply emotional person and I love that about myself. My views of the future have widened as though in the past I was merely looking at it as though it were a thumbnail, now I see it as panoramic.

Now that I have "All the Cash I need" I think of my own youth differently. What was it like for my mother when she got a call from the school that I was hurt or when I walked into the house with blood on my hands? I don't know but I clearly remember every moment and never saw the slightest hint of fear in her eyes. Always confident, a comfort I will never forget, a strength I've inherited. But in relation to fatherhood that trait has yet to be tested and I am thankful. Let's not get it twisted, many thoughts have crossed my mind. I mean, as durable as I have been, my body has been failing me since I was a child, from stained-glass eyesight to a bad heart and a few other in between.

I'll get to it, nothing is wrong with me or my son. I just read a post from Dad Gone Mad, that triggered emotion in me and I felt for him as I was reading it. Thankfully all is well with him and his family but there are so many that suffer and I wish the best for them.

I love you Cash.

Documentary: Up There

It's not often that I see hand painted advertisements on buildings around town, to tell you the truth, I can't remember the last time I've seen one. I've always been fascinated with things of "old", and when I do come across images on buildings pushing beverages, smokes and classic vehicles my imagination is transported to another time. A time that is fading with new technology and skills. The same goes for building's whose windows have been bricked over. I wonder what the now blind windows experienced before their sight was taken. I guess in time, all but memories are lost.

Enjoy the documentary and take appreciation of things around you and this fading art, you never know if or when your windows will be bricked over.

What I'd Like to be wearing today...

And you gotta have an umbrella on a rainy day...

#65. Figure Out What to do With the Extra Room

The Wife and I live in a modest three bedroom house and over our (nearly) 4 years of living there we’ve had two occasions where we’ve welcomed in roommates. The extra, 3rd bedroom, was mostly a mangled interpretation of an office, video game room, guest room, craft room and workout room, a room with no true identity. This room was all United States of Tera, just everywhere all at once and not as functional as one should be.

Even after our roommates had come and gone and we had two rooms to work with each room was in a bit of disarray. What had once been one single cluttered room, over populated with items and furniture that had nothing to do with each other than they belonged to the same owners, had turned into two rooms lacking furniture and finishing touches. I had books, magazines and music on the floor, a black TV stand & TV and folding chairs which often times served as tables. The Wife’s room had the table that the before mentioned folding chairs belong to framed photos leaned across the wall and a sepia clad bed which was mostly used to toss other storage type things on.

All until the day we got the confirmation that The Wife and I would become parents. We knew immediately which room would become the baby’s room and the extra room would be finished as the media equipped guest room. With little to no help from myself (I was sick) and ton of help from The Wife’s mom and aunt the bland extra room was transformed into a nursery for our little boy.

Who knew we needed to have a child to finally complete this house and turn it into a home? We now have a cozy guest room and our son has a pretty sweet-ass set up of his own. Seriously, kid’s digs are top shelf.

#28. Take a Year’s Worth of Pictures

Since the life changing event of #26, I have officially started taking daily snapshots of myself. My original goal was to have this accomplished before my 1001 days were done but I just never kept up with it. I’d start, capture a few shots then completely abandon it. That happened more times than I’d like to admit.

But without accomplishing #27, Acquire a New Digital Camera, this task was a bit more difficult that I imagined it would be. The Wife has a camera I can use but it’s really not choice to have to share someone’s camera. I’d hate to have to remove images she has stored, besides we have different interests and ideas so one camera can’t fulfill our needs.

Enough about that though… Now, I just take a seat at home and shoot myself –yeah right in the face!- photo booth style. A handy application that serves its purpose flawlessly for this project. This project will probably capture tired eyes and the wrinkles on my face as I rapidly age with fatherhood, haha, kidding. I expect fatherhood will keep me young.

When I’ve finally captured a year’s worth of images I hope to make a short “stop motion” type film with clever music edited in. Until then, best of luck to you with all of your goals, thanks for visiting and stay tuned for my short “film”… Hopefully posted sometime in March of 2011.

#26. Have a Child

On March 8th 2010 at 9:53pm all the Cash I will ever need made his world debut. The little guy was already doing his best Dad impersonation weighing in at 5.97lbs. From the moment I first saw him, I knew I loved him. My life will never be the same again, he will make me a better person and man. I am excited for the experiences we will share and our lives together.


[Editor’s Note]: It was recommended many times during the pregnancy to get all the sleep that we can and to get used to losing sleep. What those many folks failed to mention was that there would be nights where we’d get absolutely no sleep.

With that said, I’d like to thank The Wife for her strength, patience, determination and love in caring for our son at night (And day) while I get sleep for the grind and while I am at work. I love you and have always known that you will be a great mother. Myself and our son are lucky to have you in our lives.

[Second Note]: In regular DY fashion I preferably wrote the original #26 post in a spiral and due to edits and personal taste that 3 page experiences from home to hospital to birth didn’t make the post. But this post captures in short my emotions of my new life.