DadJack.com Blog

A final couple videos before the year runs out.

This is a tiger at The L.A. Zoo… He was actually playing!

Bing’s P.O.V. sledding

I was born 25 days into the beginning of 1971… My 70′s was different from those in which I read about in books and see old news footage of.  I was a kid, I remember my sister being born, driving to California from Illinois, starting kindergarten at Washington Elementary, my parents getting divorced, my Mom coming out to my sister and me… And I remember where I was when the 70′s ended.

1979 ended for me at my Dad’s apartment on Victory Boulevard in Burbank.  The TV was on, one of those decade in review specials was on.  My Sister and I watched and ate snacks, my Dad and my Aunt by marriage’s brother (I get confused by the whole family hierarchy things… is he an uncle, second uncle, uncle by marriage?) were playing that card game where you use the peg board to track your progress… Cribbage I think?  They played cards and drank beer, my Sister and I continued watching TV… ultimately the ball fell, Dick Clark wished us a Happy 1980 and we went to bed.  That’s how the 70′s ended for me.

The 80′s were mainly about trying to get through school without anyone knowing I had a gay Mom… The openness and acceptance were still 10+ years away (of course I say that as gay marriage is still illegal in California and Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was just abolished days ago).  For most of the 80′s I was a chubby, self conscious kid, who desperately wanted to fit in and be cool… Even if cool did involve parachute pants, neon, z cavariccis and excessive use of the word “gnarly.”  This was impossible, but I wanted it so bad.  It wasn’t until years later that I realized that many of the kids at school were covering up secrets too, trying to give off the appearance of normal when things were far less than… alcoholic dads, cheating moms, financial insolvent families and countless other issues were those kids “gay Mom”, but you don’t see that at the time.

1989 ended way more spectacularly than 79.  Some friends and I went to see The Cult in Long Beach… It was an amazing concert with an extended set that took us right into the new year and decade.  We started the 90′s at the Copper Penny in Burbank (which is long gone, it’s now a Warner Brothers office building), a 24 hour diner across from the Warner Studios.  I remember feeling so free and grown up, I think we ended up getting home at 3am.

The 90′s were trying to get through college, binge drinking parties and the end of my photofinishing career… And the very beginnings of a radio career.  Between a lack of motivation and direction and an earthquake, it took me a while to get through college.  Since the late 80′s I had worked in photo labs, printing photos shot on film with regular cameras, by the end of the 90′s digital photography was starting to take hold and it wasn’t long before everyone of the 7 labs I worked in over my years in the business had shutdown.

The 90′s ended in the grandest fashion yet… In the MTV Studios at Time Square watching some of the hottest acts of the time perform while hundreds of thousands partied in the streets below.  For my new year, Pacific Time, I was standing about 20 stories above time square on the balcony drinking vodka and watching confetti still fall from the sky (It drifted in the air for hours) on the cell phone to my sister back home.

2000- 10 was the most eventful decade of my life.   I made incredible gains in radio… and then lost it all, spending a quarter of the decade unemployed.  I was married for half of it and had two kids… And was divorced for a fourth of it.  It contained both the most amazing and horrible times of my life.

And tomorrow I will say goodbye 20-10, the first year of this new decade at my Sisters house with my kids playing Wii, watching the ball drop and banging pots and pans in the front yard… And it will not be a special Cult concert or Time Square, but it will be the best New Years ever.  Perspective is an unusual thing, sometimes it takes 40 years to truly figure out what a great time is.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!! Thank you for supporting this blog, the podcast and Me!!!  Here’s to a Great 20-11 for all of us!!!!

ROCK ON! Jack

6 days of rain ended with a very cool rainbow!

I took Lucy to Kiis FM’s Jingle Ball on Sunday night, she had such a great time… In fact she asked if we could go again next year.  It made me think back to my first concert, The Jackson’s Victory Tour.  It was at Dodger Stadium and we had fourth row seats, it was an amazing event.  I could see in Lucy’s face how much she was enjoying the whole experience.

The show as a whole was very well produced with very litle down time between acts.  There were highlights: Enrique Iglesias put on a high energy, fun set bringing out Pitbull at the end, Katy Perry had a full stage set and dancers – she dressed as a snowman and Nelly brought back memories for some of us older (and by that I mean anyone over 20) people in the audience. There were lowlights to: Selena Gomez was horrible, Pauly D from the Jersey Shore performed a lack luster DJ set and Taio Cruz singing to a track left much to be desired.  But overall the show was a good time…  And the experience Lucy had made it priceless!

I posted updates from the show as it was happening on my Twitter page.

I haven’t been up to much: working, podcasting and hanging out with the kids.  I wish I had more exciting news for you, but this time of the year everything gets focused on the holidays and the rest of the world slows down.

Good for them.   Happy Holidays!  Don’t Bogart my Meg!  Did Stench make the list?  I’m guessing he’s not really “awesome.”   Dirty Santa gets a job.  Oh deer. Rudolph to get married.

Rock on, Jack

… And no I’m not talking about the dragon from How To Train Your Dragon (Although I must admit, one of my favorite films of the year).  Lucy lost her first tooth last night.  She was so so excited, she called to tell me that next time I saw her she’d have a “slot” in her mouth.  I was happy for her and bummed for me, you always think you will be there for these milestones in your kids life… And this one I was not.  I know how divorce works (I’m a product of divorced parents), but it still doesn’t make it any easier when these things happen and you miss out.  I know it goes both ways… I taught Lucy to ride her bike for example, but it still hurts to miss out on even a few events.  Anyway, enough of my complaining.

We’re all set for the holiday’s at my house… The Tree is up and decorated (Opted for a real tree this year), decorations are up and I actually have almost all my shopping done (I’m big on online shopping… Free shipping, no lines and everything is delivered directly to my door!  And on many sites no sales tax which save you 10% right off the bat.)  Some of my favorite sites are Groupon, Overstock.com, Amazon (which is currently running a 17 days of Christmas video game sale – Great daily deals), Boom Boom Revolution ( a cool new social change card/online game you can play with your kids or just do yourself!), Buy, Discovery Channel Store …. And remember to always search the name of the store you are shopping at and the words “code and coupon” to find discounts and free shipping codes.

It was a tough call last night… CBS had Rudolph on, NBC the tree lighting in NY and ABC The Grinch.  Ultimately Rudolph won out, Bing makes me watch The Grinch about once a week and I had no desire to watch Susan Boyle sing!

Not a fan of the cold weather, but it has made for nice afternoons to go for walks… Just me and the other old men strolling around Burbank.

I would say this wasn’t a “good home” for this rescue.  Oddly “Jack Heine” did not make the list?  As earlier stated, I know where this dog shouldn’t be placed!  Don’t F’n walk! Speaking of a F.U… Here’s one to 2 million people!  Forget killer bees, watch out for red bees!  Guess who doesn’t have to get up early anymore?  Get this girl some slip-ons!

Rock On, Jack