DadJack.com Blog

Near to our hearts… And I’m no exception. It was a different world in the late 70′s and 80′s when I was a child being raised by a lesbian Mother – Or at least I thought! We had no Ellen or Rosie and the only openly gay character I remember on television was on Soap. I lived a childhood of shame, not wanting anyone to know my Mom was gay… and for that I feel shame. It was tough and kids are mean, but that was almost 30 years ago and we have progressed so far. So why in today’s headlines are there two stories of young gay men killing themselves as a result of harassment and bullying?  Even sadder, these stories are not rare examples, this has consistently been a problem.  As parents we have to let our children know bullying of anyone from any race or group is wrong and will not be accepted.  The young men who drove this young Rutgers student to jump off a bridge stand to serve 5 years max (and odds are they would not get that sentence) for collecting or viewing images depicting nudity or sexual content of an individual without that person’s consent and the boys whose bullying drove a 13 year old boy to hang himself broke no laws and will not be punished.  Not that I think longer sentences or stronger punishments are the answer.  Better education and stronger parenting are the issue.  It’s hard enough to be a kid, let alone a gay kid… or a fat kid, or a tall kid, or a short kid, or a poor kid, or a disabled kid, or a kid that stands out with any kind of difference.  We’ll never eliminate the taunting and picking on, but it wouldn’t hurt to teach our kids some tolerance and compassion.

Looks like we are going to wrap up September with the heat we should have had all summer long…. Don’t get me wrong, I’m enjoying it, I just wist it would have been here when it was supposed to have been!

It was an OK weekend. Friday I was kidless and just hung out by myself and watched movies… I will admit, I am really liking my Blu-Ray player (I bought it reconditioned for super cheap!), I love technology and movies, so it’s the perfect combo. Red Box now has Blu-Ray’s for $1.50 a night…  Although they get sold out quick!

Saturday was Lucy’s first soccer game.  She did great, although was a little worn down from the heat…. All the kids were, even on that side of the hill it was hot!  Her team, The Killer Mermaids lost, but they put in a great effort.  Afterward we headed to the Pierce College Pumpkin Patch… always a favorite with my kids, it runs now til Halloween.

Sunday morning Bing awoke early complaining of eye pain?  I thought he had just poked it and got him back to sleep… But as the day progresses it continued to hurt.  We are off to the Doctor’s in a hour or so to figure out what is going on?  To keep him from rubbing it I got him an eye patch… so he looked like a tiny pirate all day yesterday!  (There’s a pic on Facebook)

As I sat on the grass watching Lucy play in her first soccer game, on her first team and across the field could see my Ex and her new husband (who unannounced to me is the coach of the team) my mind wandered a little.  I thought about my experiences playing sports, my Mom and her partner the coach of my t-ball team and how my Dad never came to my games.  And I thought about trust and how you can give it to someone, allowing them access to your memories, fears and insecurities… And some people can so easily turn against you using that trusted information as a weapon of destruction.  It’s not much different than handing someone a loaded gun and thinking they won’t turn it on you… Only to be shot execution style moments later.  People amaze me, be it the Dad who skipped out on his chubby kids soccer and t-ball games or the self proclaimed partner who gathers your most intimate secrets for later use against you.  But then Bing grabs the video camera and I have to give a brief technology lesson and I am brought back into the moment, back to watching a tried six year old run her pigtails up and down the field.

Is that Bunny loaded?  Good for you guys!  Segways don’t fly!!!  Good news for pie lovers.  Bears never give up… Unless zucchini is involved!  Good for Kim.

Rock on, Jack

I know I go on and on about it, but I love Groupon…  It really has afforded me some great experiences with the kids this summer by offering deals on things I wouldn’t have normally been able to afford to do with them.  And today’s deal is a perfect example, Lucy asks every time we are at City Walk in Universal City to do that iFly thing (Which is a giant fan set into the floor that blows upward with great force allowing you to fly) and I always have to reject her pleas due to the $85 it costs to do, well today’s deal gives you two flights and a DVD of the experience for $37… A much more reasonable price, so I’ll share the video on her after she takes her flight!

Speaking of Lucy, she has her first soccer game this weekend (and even though her Mother has tried to make this an unpleasant experience for me) I am very excited for her… I know she will really enjoy playing in a real game environment (Although they don’t keep score at her age).  The only problem is that I’m sure Bing now too will want to play and they don’t have leagues for kids as young as him…  He’s stuck playing against me in the front yard!

No kids tonight, I think I’m just going to take it easy at home tonight… This week has been pretty exhausting, so being able to sleep more than my normal 4 1/2 hours will be a treat in itself.

I really want to get back on my exercise program, I’ve gained about 20 lbs and I don’t like it, you feel so much better when you’re healthy!  It’s just been hard with this work schedule, not because I don’t have the time, but because I don’t have the energy… But I am determined to get back on track!  I actually scheduled a physical for next week (Haven’t had one in about 5 years… Heck, I didn’t have health insurance for about 3 years!)…  Always nice to make sure everything is good and have the opportunity to stand in your underwear in front of a stranger in a lab coat!

Who knew, Eddie Fisher is still alive… Well, until yesterday. This is a weird story.  Let them take your car!   Alert: Bart Missing!

I don’t know what he’s saying, but this is funny.

Not long enough! That’s a lot of dumplings!   Better than asprin.    Nudist v. Swingers!

Have a great weekend!

Rock On, Jack

Sunday it was announced that the Maconda Well in the Gulf of Mexico has been officially killed.  But we all know that this is not the end.  Damage from the 5 month spill will be felt for generations to come.   The environment, the wildlife and people of the Gulf will not be spared the effects of this disaster for years… And yet the news will taper off and the vast majority of people will move on to tea parties, fires, celebrity drug busts and whatever else is making news that week.

An oil spill is not much different than a divorce.  There is an initial rupture, explosion and all hell breaks loose, then it seems to everyone that it is over… But that too has lasting effects that lie just below the surface.

My well was fully killed  June 24th, 2009 (Easy to remember because it was the day before Michael Jackson died), a cement plug placed by the signature of a judge, holding back the flow of lies and deceit.  Setting forth the ability to rebuild my shattered Jack-o-System.

The only problem is that much like in the Gulf there are still residual problems. (But luckily for the Gulf, their well will most likely stay sealed… My well opens at will, sending a new set of oil soaked drama to my coast.)   My spill will continue to haunt me for a life time, as I fear will the Gulfs.

So as I read the news story detailing the final kill of the spill my heart goes out to the people of the Gulf, knowing that their problems have just begun and we will most likely hear little of the drama that continues just under the surface.

This is it, make it good!  Fall starts on Wednesday.   It really never felt like summer this year… And not only because of the weather.  It seems like the failing economy caused many people to scale back (or even cancel) vacations.  A lot of the fun was sucked out of summer this year… I can only hope that things start to improve soon.

The kids and I had a nice weekend.  We spent some time with friends, did some cycling, made homemade pizza and went to a car show.

Lucy seems to be enjoying school (At least after week one) and likes her teacher… Hopefully this sentiment lasts all year!

I continue to feel just kind of Blah… It’s great when the kids are over, but things just kind of drag during the week while they are away.

The podcast is chugging along… No one can stop the pod!

Give the kids a drink!  Summer is still going strong in AZ!  Hey guys, She’s single.   It doesn’t feel like it ended.    Gnome amber alert canceled.   R.I.P.    OK, now I feel lazy! Don’t let your kids catch fat!  You mean you can’t recycle these!?!?

Rock On, Jack

I really noticed it yesterday as the weather continued to be gloomy and cold… How depressing the winter is. (And we don’t really even get winter weather, I can’t imagine living someplace that really gets horrible weather)   There is a hope born in spring, the sun starts to warm, you get outside more, everyone seems more hopeful and excited… That starts to fade in the fall, as the colder weather takes over people retreat to their homes, a loneliness sweeps over the land.  I went for a bike ride yesterday and there were significantly less people out and it will only dwindle more as the last of the kids who have yet to return make their way back to school next Monday.  I’m not the kind of person who always needs people around… But I like to see people around (If that makes any sense… I don’t need to have someone with me, but I love to be out where people are).

Anyway, I’ve been in a mood for the last week or so, just ignore me!  We are headed out for an adventure this weekend!  The kids and I are headed to Legoland and to spend a little time in San Diego.   It will be a nice way to officially end our summer before it’s back to the first grade grind for Lucy.

If Bing was just a little older I’d be all over today’s Groupon, He’s so into cars and always gets so bummed that he’s too little to ride the Go-Karts!

Alina’s on the pod today… It’s always fun when she joins us.

I have been slacking this year… normally by this time I already have the kids Halloween costumes.   I decided to be Bing’s “Baby” blanket this year.

(That’s Baby above)

So now Lucy has decided to be her Blankie “Bo-Bo” (Sorry, no photo available)… So I need to figure that out!  And Bing wants to reprise “Bowling Girl”… And since he never seems to grow, all the stuff from last year still fits.  They’ve been known to change their minds (Many times over) before Halloween, so we’ll see what they ultimately end up being!?!?

On to the news:

I hope it didn’t mess up his pretty face! Summer is really over for him.  Congrats Florida idiot, you have sucked the President into your BS. It only took 49 dog years to get home.   Remember when working at McDonald’s was a joke?  What do you think: Funny or Offensive?  I don’t need this, I have Mike in GH to tell me!  Quick grab some butter, global warming is making popcorn!  Well this is kind of depressing.

Rock On, Jack

It’s my sister’s birthday today… So happy birthday, may you rescue a dog, see a whale or whatever else you enjoy today!

I had an Ok long weekend… It was great to have four days in a row where I didn’t have to wake up crazy early!  Before I returned them, the kids and I got some bike riding in, went to the park with friends and celebrated Angie’s birthday.  After they left, I hung out with some old friends, went to brunch in Pasadena, did some cycling and had a breakfast with my Mommy.

I’ve decided to extend summer one more week since Lucy doesn’t return to school until next Monday.  We are going to Legoland and to hangout in San Diego next weekend… Then the white loafers get mothballed until next summer!

I’ve been in kind of a strange mood lately… Partly based on my own life and partly because of the state of the economy.  I have been more entrenched in politics and finance because of The Insana Show, and it has had me more worried, the more I know.  Although, it’s not all doom and gloom… but I think without a doubt job growth will be extremely slow.

On a personal note, I think it’s now really sinking in that this is the rest of my life… Not having my kids around everyday, spending over half my time alone, having to deal with someone I want out of my life.  I know no one truly has total control over their life, but it seems like the majority of mine is being controlled by outside forces… And the part I rule over is not that exciting.  Anyway, enough of my drivel, let’s get to some news:

Talk about having trouble finding an apartment… Do you smoke? Yes. Do you have a dog? Yes. Does your dog smoke?  I’ve had nightmares like this!  Seems very uncomfortable.   Japan does everything better.  1/3 of you are right.  You know the economy is bad when people can’t afford bullets.

Rock on, Jack

Have been keeping me busy, sorry I haven’t posted recently!

The kids and I had a great time during our two weeks together… We did all kinds of stuff (as I’m sure you could tell by the pics on FB).  We’re going to try and squeeze in a few more adventures before Lucy heads back to first grade.

Lucy and Bing have really taken to their bikes… Lucy’s a pro now, so I think it’s time to get Bing off his training wheels.  We ride all over the place… They even asked if they could ride their bikes back to their Mom’s, they could really grasp while 24 miles might be a tad far for them to peddle.

After a week off the pod is back in full effect, today we chat with Monica from the old radio show… It was great to get to speak with her.

I can’t believe summer is over… OK, after this weekend it will be over (A few more days to sport my white loafers left!)  It doesn’t matter how old I get, I remember that feeling you had as a kid on those final few days of summer, knowing you had to return to school.  This summer was so cool that it never really felt like the season… I know many of you liked it, but it was not a Southern California summer, and I love Southern California summers.

Lets get t some news:

All he wanted was a towel and a hug!  I hope they catch the ****** that did this!  You don’t kill puppies!!!!  He does his own stunts.   She was probably just looking for a date… Wait, wrong kind of cougar. Balls!!!!  I want to party with this monkey. My lawyer just wanted a retainer!?!?  One bank you would think wouldn’t get robbed.

Rock on, Jack