Comedy Is Easy, Balance Is Hard

I usually get started here with a clear concept of what I am wanting to say.  And then I lose my way.  So, I wanted to say this:

I am deeply in love with my sons.  I love being a father.  My wife gave this all to me.

Now to meander...

In Art Class at school they have been exploring the medium of watercolors from what I gather.  They looked at some famous paintings and then had at it themselves with this assignment.  The only reason I have any idea what the assignment was is that I saw a large display, like thirty or more, of these under a drippily painted - you know like that drippy letter font used for 'wet paint' signs - placard reading, "Colorful Vehicles."  Yes, inspiring that, dontchathink?  Colorful vehicles, seriously, well, here's what Zack conjured:

COSI is science museum in Columbus that provides a highly acclaimed traveling, interactive science presentation to schools all over Ohio.

It's a pretty cool looking truck and yes, yes that is a smoking beaker up there in front.  I think it's the power source for the whole thing.  Very green.  In all honesty, the use of watercolors is outstanding and they inked over their lines after they painted, excellent affect.

Nick... well, Nick did this:

Moon Car v1.28.  Of course that's the earth there in the background, and a comet, and a starry night to rival even van Gogh.  Of course I love it and it again shows how his mind so often frames things in the form of a story, the "narrative imperative" I call it.  You can use it, I'm cool with that.


Just yesterday Nick was finishing his homework and practically yelped when he stuck his hand in his pocket and remembered this:

A turtle and some fishes in an underwater seascape sketched - in color - on a four by three inch scrap of paper.

"Dad, I've got to do something with this."

About forty minutes later he'd finished this:

There is no real way to explain this need to think and play and imagine so creatively.  I've mentioned before that I think it is innate and we, the adults, are the lamentable ones for forgetting that.

I moved the couch downstairs to clean and this was underneath:

It's hard to explain, even for me, and I have a lot more information than you do.  Suffice to say, Harry Potter was an influence and Zack fancies himself "prefect" material.  And he love/hates Professor Snape.  It's funny, I know he made this upstairs and then brought it down here.  I am pretty sure it was a pretend game that had to do with their "dorms" and "a new house at Hogwarts."  That's all I overheard.

Again that creative native notion I was referring to earlier, when I called it the "narrative imperative" but "creative native" is good, too.  I'm just coining shit right and left here, ain't I?

It is an honor to be privy to the creative hearts of our children.


There is one last thing, something I should save for another day, something more important than I may make it out to be.  I am a SaHD.  I don't talk much about it.  I considered becoming an advocate and a voice for the movement - and it really is a movement - but that's just not where I wanted to hang my blogging hat.  However, there is one aspect of it that does need to be mentioned, an aspect that I need to be reminded of and that is this: Because my wife works hard I get the opportunity to be the dad I never knew, never imagined, never dreamed I could be.

That is fact.

Thanks, Marci.


It is hard to balance what is in our hearts, isn't it?  I never know whether to be dreamy and loving or silly and off-center, or just plain honest when I write here, for you, for the boys, for the future, the now.  It's difficult to keep it interesting and fresh and keep it all in perspective.  Overall, though, I try to focus on what you might want to see someday, boys, and balance it with what you, right now you, might enjoy seeing, well, now...

It's complicated.


From Marci's "...... things you don't expect to hear from the backseat ..."

Z: "Oh no! There are wild boars invading!"

N: "I don't know if I should laugh or run."

Tough call...


Thanks for staying around today.  I wish I knew more about what you wanted from this place, but, then I'd have more to try and balance.  Oh well.