Spider Sense

Young’un (picking up Spider Man lego figure from car floor): I’m going to take Spider Man inside to church today. Me: Ok. Young’un: He’s going to think this is craazy.

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Partisanity

Capn: Okay, time to brush your teeth. Young’un: NO! I DON’T WANT TO! Capn: Well, that’s one vote. But I vote “yes,” and I am a superdelegate. So, our law prof, essayist, and reasonable conservative soundbite machine Doug Kmiec endorses Obama: . . . as Republicans, we are first Americans. As Americans, we must voice [...]

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Man vs. machine

One of the young’un’s V’tines cards, which he enjoyed for what it contained rather than what it brought to my mind, stated in the declarative and not the imperative: “Punch-out cars for Valentine’s Day!” I’ve had years where that sounded about right.

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Sisyphus stops for coffee

I feel the difference between dependence and trust in the weight of my child carried in my arms or sleeping against my shoulder. It may only be ounces, or just distribution; but feels like two completely different kinds of mass. The difference settles with a sudden, heavy sweetness that my heart will not forget. I [...]

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Bringing up pacifists

“Do you think Hulk and Spider-man would like to drive your tractors?”

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Things I Don’t Have Time to Write About: The Reckoning

1) I’ve got a lot of music in the just-what-I’ve-always-wanted new release pile this summer, but somehow Ryan Adams‘ Easy Tiger is tickling me just right. It’s got this wonderful, easy, meandering Emmylou Harissness to it. Adams was an alt-country darling who never captured my heart, but I’m into this album. Guitar solo. 2) We [...]

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Hi, neighbor.

I’m in a phase of life where Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood is the most consistent TV viewing I’m doing. So I have a lot of time to think about it. Somebody submitted a Postsecret card a few weeks ago that was a Mr. Rogers postcard with a message like, “You didn’t prepare me for how cruel [...]

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Life’s tough, kid.

I was looking for some new books for the young’un, and ran across this inspiring description (full description included): Anna’s Corn “Listen to the corn, Anna,” Grandpa said. “It makes its own kind of music.” The music of the corn is beautiful to Anna, just like Grandpa’s raspy, crackling voice. When winter comes, though, Grandpa [...]

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Nice beat, and I can dance to it.

The current top five requests by toddlers in our back seat, for the week ending April 21, 2007: 5) “Radio Man,” David Wilcox (down 3 spots from last week) 4) “Shabalala,” Ladysmith Black Mambazo 3) “Can’t Stop,” Ozomatli 2) “We’re from Barcelona,” I’m from Barcelona and at number 1: “La La La,” Bert & Ernie [...]

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Corduroy? Baby Einstein? Clifford the Big Red Dog? Morons.

In A Color of His Own, Leo Lionni tells the story of a chameleon’s unease over his inability to maintain a coherent identity. His mirrored image is as impermanent as the colors of his context, whether shifting out from underneath or losing their own hue over time. Finally, in the darkness of the tall grass, [...]

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