Week of 5/11/2008

Mr. Mom

On Wednesday afternoon, Christine left for a five-day trip to Philadelphia to attend some sort of nurse's convention. I was excited for her to get out of the house and have some time on her own. As little free time as I've had since Ethan's arrival, hers was nearly non-existent. So off she went into the airport, and there I was...alone with my son for five days.

We're on our fourth day now and I'm glad to say that he's still breathing. Hell, I even managed to give him a bath by myself without drowning the poor kid. But what's even more impressive to me is that I've found myself enjoying the hell out of our time together. He's approaching the stage where he can actually understand things that are going on and is even beginning to play little games with me. For example, he's got a new game where he grabs my head and presses his nose up against mine and giggles his little brains out. Now I know, a year ago something like that would have bored me to tears. But considering I've been waiting patiently for nine months for this kid to goof off with me, I'll take what I can get.

This morning, I began introducing him to old Saturday morning cartoons. Let's face it, Saturday mornings are no longer the landmark events that they once were. As a kid, I used to count the days until Saturday and sleep in a sleeping bag on the living room floor Friday night just so I could wake up at the crack of dawn and start watching cartoons. Nowadays there isn't shit for cartoons on Saturday mornings. And probably thanks to the 24-hour availability of cartoons and kids programming, there really isn't a need for one designated time that the TV is just for the kids.

It's a shame, really, because in the late 70s and early 80s, Saturday morning was a time that all kids could talk about and relate to.

So this morning I grabbed a handful of DVDs: Challenge of the Super Friends, Hong Kong Phooey, The Smurfs, and Looney Tunes, and cycled through them until about 11 o'clock. Now granted, the kid's only nine months old and has no clue what's on the television other than, "Oooh...colors!" But I figure it's good to start him young. I'll be damned if I'm going to put up with watching Chaotix or some such shit.

Later, we walked around the lake, took a trip to Best Buy, and destroyed a tube of crackers together. So yes, I'm a capable father. Well, at least for now. Who the hell knows how I'll react when he's old enough to tell me to go fuck myself? But for now, I can handle myself with the kid. I used to be terrified of this responsibility, and now I find myself amazed at how easily I fell into the groove of things.

Fuckin' A.

John


After Hours #6: Ex Appreciation Night

It's number six, right? This is the sixth one we've posted?

Well anyway, regardless, this is the one in which we discuss our exes. And we're joined by Hilden's wife, Jennifer, who has an unbelievable ex story.

I have to admit that I post this with some hesitance. Not because it's incredibly NSFW, and it is most certainly that. And also not because it's incredibly intimate and personal, which it also is. But because I get a bit loose-lipped and trudge up some things that I'd much rather forget about. But what the hell? Let's throw it out there, shall we?

You can download the file here. Let's keep it between you and me, eh?

John