DadJack.com Blog

I lived in it’s shadow most my life and I never even knew it’s name.  That huge hill that separates Burbank from Hollywood, one side rests The Hollywood sign, the other Forest Lawn.  You can see it from almost anywhere in Burbank, and I remember it always being in the background of my life.

Today I walked to the laundry room of my building, which is on the opposite side of the building from my apartment… There it was visible between two buildings.  We live some places for short times and others for much longer, but it is amazing how quickly everything becomes normal, how you don’t notice those things that are all around you.

As I approached that staircase, an obstructed Mount Lee in my gaze I decided to try and not take things for granted… Especially those everyday things that just start to blend into your life.

Lucy had her spring singing concert this afternoon, she did great… She’s actually bummed that the school year is coming to end, she told me she’ll miss her teacher.

Did you watch the presidents address from the oval office?  There were no surprises… oil is leaking, it may leak for a long time, BP will pay and the government will help those affected.

Some weeks are easier than others, I’ve been pretty tired this week… Most likely because I missed my nap today.  I keep waiting to get used to this waking up at last call thing.

I’m very excited for our Farrell’s podcast on the 23rd… we haven’t been out in a long time and it’s always a blast.

Rock On, Jack

As you know, I just moved.  I have found some stuff that has been packed away for awhile and have more room to “decorate” now.  I spent this last week trying to get everything unpacked and the apartment livable for when the kids got here this weekend… And I think I did a damn good job!  I even got a bunch of photos hung around the house.  The kids have caricatures that were drawn of them hanging in their room and the great painting Big Daddy’s son did of our little family graces a wall in there too. The living room has a bunch of photos of us from throughout the years and other pics are scattered though out the house… I even got our shark photos up in the bathroom.  But I had one old photo, in a weathered frame with cracked glass that I didn’t know where to put.  There in black and white silver halides, slightly yellowed from 39 years of wear, surrounded in an inch wide white wood frame is “Little Jack” (That’s what I was called when my Dad was still in the picture, I’m a junior.)  Dated February 1971 on the back, I was one month old.

I didn’t know where to put this image of a bright eyed, young man that had no idea what was in store for him.  That innocent baby with everything ahead of him.  I opted for right near the door of my bedroom, above the light switch.  Now I see it everyday… As I wake at 1:30am and flip on the light, there is Little Jack.  It’s only been hanging for three days, but I’ve looked at it a lot, I’ve thought about it a lot.  when I see it, I want to grab up my kids and hover over them making sure everything goes perfectly… Making sure they don’t make the mistakes this baby made.

Tonight, I was sitting on my bed with Bing waiting for Lucy to pick out some books to read before going to sleep… This is our routine, bath, jammies, read books, brush teeth, toddlers snoring 15 to 20 minutes later.  As we waited Bing quizzed me on some of the stuff in my room, ultimately fixing his gaze on the baby photo… He asked “Is that Lucy?”  I told him no, “Is that me?”, again the answer was no.  He was lost, he knows because I tell him all the time, I only have two babies.  I told him, “That’s Daddy when he was a baby.”  He stared at it for a few seconds longer, looked at me and says “Where’s your mustache?”

From this day on that photo will make me laugh every morning at 1:30a.

The kids and I had a good time at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier.  We rode the rides, played some games (Bing won a huge stuffed Crayon) and had some food it was a good time.

Lucy and Bing on the spinning balloons

The view from the Ferris Wheel

Hiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!

Me and the kids!

Santa Monica

That's my little daredevil up front!

I’ll post more pics on Facebook!

Rock On, Jack

I like to let you all know when I find something good!  The movers I used were great, they worked quickly, handled everything gently and were super affordable… So I highly recommend Adept Moving.  And then I’ve told you about this one before, but I recently had to deal with their customer service and they went above and beyond (which just made me love them more!)… Groupon emails you a local daily deal (That is usually at a really great price… For example I purchased unlimited ride wrist bands for the Santa Monica pier for $10), they won’t all be something you want but when they hit on a good one they’re great.

I went for a walk today (took a break from unpacking and arranging), it felt so good to be back in Burbank.  It’s just comfortable for me, I feel at home here.  I’ve decided I’m “Burbank cool”… I’m not hip or good looking enough to be “Hollywood cool”, I’m not quite straight-laced and conservative enough to be “Valencia Cool” (I’m sorry, “Awesometown cool” and I’m not laid back enough and don’t own mandles to be “beach cool”.  It’s sad, but true, I belong in Burbank.

I’m taking the kids on an afternoon adventure tomorrow, now that I can’t take them over night mid-week due to my work schedule I try and do something with them in the middle of the week…. It’s not as good as having them here, but it’s the best I can do right now.

Gotta make this look real.  It was the mayor, in the kitchen with the mixer.   Beware the mesmerizing power of the lava!  This is not good karma!  The dos and don’ts of protesting BP.

Rock On, Jack

A FB friend asked me to share this!!! Vote for Connor!!!

Could you post this link to ask people to vote for my son Connor in the OC Register’s Incredibly Cute Baby contest?

http://ocregister.upickem.net/engine/Details.aspx?PageType=APPROVED&ContestID=18085&SubmissionID=4032153&IncrementNumber=1

You Rule,
Hillary

I am so sorry, I haven’t posted in a long time (Sorry, Brian)!  Between the new job and moving I have been swamped.  As I slowly get things unpacked life is returning to normal.  Moving is stressful, no matter how far you move or how much stuff you have.  The good news is life is getting less stressful… I am working (Although there has been some drama), I have some place to live (And the kids and I like it, it is so nice to have more room!) and the Pod is rolling on.  The next thing I have to deal with is my car issue… I just learned yesterday that because of the “Busty Old Car” (That’s what the kids call the old Altima) being hit in the CRN parking lot it was deemed “totaled”, so we can’t just re-register it… So I need to find a cheap, reliable car.  But other than that life is rolling along.

June 24th will be the one year anniversary of being officially divorced (I remember because Michael Jackson died the next day… maybe the grief of my marriage failing was just too much for him.)  It’s really been over 2 years since it all fell apart, it’s weird to think back, I don’t really remember what it was like to be married… Well, that’s not true, I remember the details, I can’t remember what it felt like (If that makes any sense).  I think we kind of just form to our situation and that becomes your reality.  I remember that I liked being married.  I know it was a lot of work.  But my reality is being by myself, seeing the kids on the weekend and trying to find some stability in my life.  I am so sick of uncertainty.  We have all, not just me, been living with so much up in the air for the past years… Will we have jobs? Will things get better? Will we be able to afford our homes or ever be able to buy one?  It wears you down.  I have simple wants, job security with a steady paycheck I can count on and to know things will get better… Things don’t have to be amazing, just slowly get better, so that we can see some hope.

Lucy won a “good deeds” award yesterday… We had no advance notice she was going to receive the award, I would have gone!  It made me very proud… You want your kids to be smart, but if all she does is be kind and helpful, caring and compassionate, I’m OK with that.  Being intelligent doesn’t seem nearly as hard as being compassionate.

Jordan van der Sloot confessed to the murder of a young woman in Peru… I can’t imagine the pain that her parents have gone through, and the pain Natalee Holloway’s parents have endured for the past 5 years.  I don’t think was ever any doubt in anyone’s mind that he had killed Natalee, but I really thought he was a drunk kid who did something stupid and then covered it up, looks like I was wrong, he’s a cold blooded killer.

I know I keep telling you, but I’m really looking forward to it!  Stench and I will be at Farrell’s in Valencia on June 23rd, 7-9pm recording the podcast live.  I really love getting to hang with you all … and ice cream is a bonus!!!!  It’s really a fun place, it’s in a place called Mountasia which has mini-golf, go-carts and a bunch of other stuff that has a “-” between two fun words!

I think Gary was murdered!  A good way to start a marriage?  I see Bing’s future!  They were not meant to marry!  (A lot of marriage talk today!!!)  Just legalize it.  Talk about an old lady!!!

Rock On, Jack

For you East Coast Single Parents:

My name is Michael Raptis and I am a New York Based Casting Director. I am working on a documentary style show that is going to profile some of the hardest working moms and dads in America. We would love to feature a single mom or dad with more than one child (the more children and the younger the better).Only looking for families from the East Coast. I can be reached at the number below if you would like to discuss the show in greater detail. Hope to hear from you soon.

Michael Raptis
Casting Director
Michael_raptis@yahoo.com
917.981.1972