lifeintrees

Beagles Aren't So Tough.

2012-02-14T14:56:00.000-08:00

I have a very sore shoulder.
I wouldn't be that upset but my drawing arm is connected to this shoulder.
I worry about the longevity of my drawing arm.
Maybe it just from reading so much about Peyton Manning.
I don't know.
But I have to do something about this because it is driving me nuts.
The discomfort I mean.
My acupuncturist suggested pilates to strengthen and retrain my skeleton and musculature which of course is the last thing my skeleton and musculature wanted to hear.
Retraining!?
No thanks, but maybe.
Thanks.

Call Denied!

2012-02-13T10:52:00.000-08:00

This mild winter is totally fucking with my brains.
On the one hand I enjoy the opportunity to ride around and throw the football.
On the other hand I have become a bit of what you might call a "shell of a man".
A husk, blowing down the street, into traffic and then out into the river where I am swallowed by a fish.

As Long As The Grass Shall Grow.

2012-02-10T17:53:00.000-08:00

Today I got a break from the constant demands and responsibilities put upon me by the Burger and had an actual day to myself in which I did a bunch of shit, and I mean a bunch of shit.
It is actually all kind of a blur on account of the natural high one gets from not having your name shouted at you every fifteen seconds but I know I did some things.
Things like stretching out my body and limbs.
And then I did pushups which I do anyways, but it felt extra special today.
And then I ran!
I ran around a park and then up a mountain!!
What constitutes a mountain in the middle of Brooklyn anyway.
I also threw a football with a friend and that has been something that I been doing recently regardless of my "fatherly" duties, but still it was like icing on a cake for some reason.

Later I got really bummed about being Indian, which is not your problem, but something that bubbles up every once in a while and is something that I try and deal with in a civilized and un-indian way.
It is a hard thing to do.
It is like stepping back through time and looking through the world with different eyes.
It changes everything.
But that is just how it is, you know?

Tomorrow I will be making some egg and cheese bagels for anyone that is interested.

Things To Do.

2012-02-09T07:36:00.000-08:00

Draw a shark.
Get groceries.
Don't worry about the "balance".
Paint more pictures.
Get exercise.
Get sleep.
Make dinner.
Wash Burger.
Watch movies...

Play Batman game.
Drink coffee.
Clean bathtub.
Clean flat files.
Organize drawings.
Laugh.
Remember.

Wrestle.
Build.
Destroy.
Rebuild.
Distract.
Imagine.
Blow nose.

Repeat.

How'd You Know That!?

2012-02-09T07:31:00.000-08:00

I don't care what you say, that sun is harsh.
Like, that is no beach time fun sun.
That is straight up depressing.
Crazy thoughts ensue.
We must appease the Nordic Snow Monsters while they sleep under the dim evening sun!
Or something like that.

It makes everyone crazy, snow monsters or not.
Look at that crying baby, and she isn't even the crazed one.
It was the woman that was pushing her over and over as the cries grew louder.
It was almost hilarious.

And then I got home and spent over an hour looking for the grater.
I JUST WANT TO GRATE SOME ZUCCHINI!!!!
Of course it is under a pile pans.
Only a winter sun crazed mad woman would do such a thing.
I could almost hear her cackling across town.

Cat Fights.

2012-02-07T01:49:00.000-08:00

Kicking, Smacking and Rolling.

2012-02-07T01:47:00.000-08:00

I woke up.
I was sleeping and then I wasn't, and there was nothing I could do about it.
I think I am just reacting to the tides.
My eyes snapped open and the room was flooded with moonlight.
I took a picture:

See!

Something woke me up.
There is a reason I am awake right now instead.
Something is stirring us all.
I heard Burger talking about something in his sleep.
T was snoring, but barely.
I was visualizing a painting.
That's what it felt like anyways.
Some more green and white maybe?

It is still too early to tell if this was a bad idea.
Maybe I should have just rolled around, kicking and smacking T whilst trying to get comfortable.
Kicking and smacking, not intentionally, not violently.
You know, for the greater good.
But instead of sitting around thinking about it I am just going to ride to get some bagels.
Some New Moon Bagels.

Hawk Country.

2012-02-05T09:51:00.000-08:00

There are hawks living in some trees nearby our house.
It is pretty great looking up and seeing hawks.

I was moving some chunks of wood around the back and I found the above fishing pole that I made for Burger this last summer. He still likes it, but due to his growing imagination it is a bunch of other things now that I have lost track of so every time I call it a fishing pole I am not sure if he is going to yell at me that it isn't a fishing pole but something else instead.
It is really a good thing to watch him pretend.
I realized the other day how important it is to protect and nurture his imagination.
You might say "Duh!"
But it isn't as easy as it sounds so don't be such an asshole.
Obviously there is a whole industry built around toys and tools that supposedly help a child's imagination grow, but from what I have seen, most of them really suck.
They are so much more complicated than they need to be and I can never look at any of them without feeling like children are so much smarter than most of what we put in front of them.
They really serve more as a distraction than an engaging activity.
Watching Burger play with a stick and a piece of rope confirms these suspicions for me.
Because he isn't distracted by this thing, he gets down deep with this thing.
If only this stick could talk.
Oh the places it's been, the things it must have seen!

Wizzard Turtow.

2012-02-02T14:50:00.000-08:00

What is the worst?
Looking for parking spots while Burger is eagerly waiting to scoot around the park in his Batman outfit? Well that isn't the worst, but it is not the best. You see a little spot up ahead only to find out it is just some dumb fire hydrant.
Who even uses those anymore?
Haven't they heard of the internet?
...
Then after thirty minutes when you finally find a spot and you've made it through the fields and over the mountain and then down the stairs and around the trail and you are just wanting to play on the bars and swings Burger goes and says he just wants to go get a bagel.
In these moments I try as hard as I can to keep my screaming to a minimum.
I take a little deep breath and tamp my rage down into a hot tiny coal in the bottom of my guts.

Since T started back in class it seems like Burger and I are slowly coming to grips with the new schedule, which is actually the easiest schedule she's had since school started. But for the two of us guys, it still takes some getting used to.
Lots of macho posturing.
Chest thumping and all that.
Lots of bossing around.

Pretty soon it'll be Spring and then after that Summer.
That is what I tell myself while we stare into the middle distance, steadily chewing our bagels in comfortable silence.

The Thought That Counts.

2012-01-29T07:15:00.000-08:00

I don't know if it is just my Birthday approaching, or the untimely end to the Packer's season, or if it is the impending end to a free speech internet but I am blue.
Blue I tell you!

Howlers.

2012-01-28T14:33:00.001-08:00

Jury Duty.

2012-01-26T07:29:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke up with the post nasal drip.
Oh the pain!
The discomfort!!
Then we had to go to jury duty.
Afterwards we sat outside and ate some doughnuts thinking about stuff.
I was going to go get some butter, but it seemed cruel to take Burger to jury duty and the grocery store, so we just got back on the train and headed home.

Labor Robe.

2012-01-24T14:58:00.000-08:00

A good spot to set up camp.

Back For The Future!!

2012-01-23T05:02:00.000-08:00

That is a balloon up there.
I spent last Sunday batting it around with a five year old girl for the better part of two hours. I wonder how that balloon is doing.
It is probably deflated and popped and in the trash.
Which is exactly how I feel.
Not really as bad as it sounds actually.

Last night Burger had a weird accident in bed and I handled it about as poorly as I possibly could. Just once I'd like to have a nice evening that doesn't end with the two of us naked, screaming and crying in the shower.
Just once!
So, I gotta make that one up to him, gotta get my average back up if you know what I'm saying.

I cleaned up the studio a lot, and that feels good.
My finger skin, that would be the skin that covers my fingers and thumbs, that skin is dry as hell! It looks like 90 year old Me traveled back in time, switched hands with 30 something Me and then took off back for the future. It's gross and painful all at once but at least I got something to look forward to when I'm 90.

I mean besides celebrating the Green Bay Packers wrapping up their astounding 50th Championship in as many years that is.

I got up early this morning, to try and give myself a kick in the ass. T got up early as well to go sweat.
It feels good.
I am proud of myself.
So I got that going for me.

Win a Prize.

2012-01-20T18:47:00.000-08:00

It hasn't been quite a week since the Packers loss, the sting is still there.
Fortunately I have bigger things to occupy my time, he just comes in a smaller package and therefore is easier to lose sight of.
Like I just did.

Shit, I gotta go.

Previous Pancakes.

2012-01-19T09:58:00.000-08:00

I folded this straw wrapper into a plane and then Burger and I played with it until his pancakes arrived. It is very hard to remain in the moment, but it is such a gift when I do, I try to gift "the moment" to myself as often as possible. As long as I appreciate the moment for what it is, then there is no reason to mourn the passing of a time when all it took was a folded straw wrapper and some pancakes.

A trick I taught myself is to talk to Burger about what we are doing so that he might pay attention to some of the little details of the day, and remind him of previous days.
Previous pancakes.
Connecting the past and the present.
As if he isn't basically doing that always anyhow.
But when I point out the specifics, then it is a shared specific that is special to the time and the person that he shares it with.
And then he can help me remember the moments we shared thus keeping the memory alive which in turn helps keep me in the moment.
And in the moment, everything is wonderful.

Oh! Pain!!

2012-01-16T09:01:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh.
What a terrible way to end the season.
It gives me sadness, but it also gives me perspective.
For example, Burger doesn't give a crap.
Neither does T!
So I guess the perspective I've come away from the loss with is that next year I must surround myself with Super Fans this deep into the playoffs.
Not this "family" of mine.
Just kidding.

Everyone knows that failure is just as important as success.
We always have to learn new things from everything that happens to us.
Especially when we lose.

I guess.

Cold Blooded.

2012-01-16T08:55:00.000-08:00

It gets cold in the Winter, there is not much you can do about that.
Yet.
Well, maybe you could move to a place that is warmer, but eventually everywhere is going to be warmer, right?
Warm and under water.
The wave of the future I guess.
For now it is just cold, and today was probably the coldest day so far.
This didn't stop me from getting the boy out for a nice long scooting and a pancake date.
We do this on the weekends when T is busy heating herself in the yoga box.
She does that hot yoga, you know how they say blood sweat and tears?
This yoga aims for that, but replace blood with farts.
I just call it like I see's it.
Or smells it.
Gross!
Anyways, all of this cold weather has gotten me thinking about the warm weather that is just around the corner really, I mean it goes so quick, you know? So I decided that this summer has to be special. There can be no wasting of this summer if you catch my drift. This last summer, had I been a little more prepared for the unemployment, I'd maybe have done things a little differently but I can't get down on myself for that, I was just unable to think on my feet at the time.
I like my time to plan.
So this summer should be different on account of how right now, all I got's s time.

When you're hot.

2012-01-13T16:35:00.000-08:00

When you are hot you are hot, that is what they say.
Sometimes I am just sitting in my chair thinking some of the most amazing thoughts.
Just in case you were wondering how I spend my Friday Night Lights, that's just a peek.
And you know I'm eating some candy and having a glass of wine.
You know that's happening.

And then, just as I am riding high on my brain wave, I look down and see a whole new wave coming up from beneath!!
This whole time I was just on a little wave!? You have got to be shitting me!!!
Then I just have to hold on tight and brace myself for a whole bunch more amazing thoughts.
That's life, which is another thing that people say.

Eventually I have to turn off the lights and take a breather.
I mean to tell you that it is too much!!!
I need to make myself a bowl of cereal, or eat a cookie.
I gotta do some deep stretching.
Karate Chop.

Then I head off to find my family so I can dole out the hugs.
G'Night!!

The Forest and The Theater

2012-01-13T09:02:00.000-08:00

When I was in Milwaukee I went to do Yoga with T.
I liked when the instructor would tell you to reach just a little higher.
Stretch just one more half an inch!!
Always there is that little extra bit that you have to try for.

That's been how I feel about the City lately, since our return.
You gotta try just a little bit harder, always, and when you do sometimes you get rewarded with a super awesome trip where you are all alone on the High Line and there is rain and wind to keep you moving and invigorated and there are little plants that look like they are glowing and trees that are making the best of it and buildings being built and karate moves to try out and no one cares if you are screaming loud.

You just stretch your eyes a little further and everything is pretty awesome.

Dart to the face.

2012-01-08T13:44:00.000-08:00

The organ.
Who knew!?

Today at the park there were these two little boys running around with some of those Nerf guns that shoot darts and Burger and his buddy Luka were mesmermized by them and wanted to play with these big guys but thankfully the big guys didn't even notice the little guys.
But it was really upsetting to see little kids playing like that even though I would have loved to have those Nerf guns when I was little and still played war.
You can't protect your kids forever though.
Especially when the other kids are armed with foam darts.

Little Big Haowhh.

2012-01-05T18:37:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been wrestling with the Boy.
It is great fun.
I really just let him knock me down and jump on me but lately he has started to smack at me and pummel me with his little hands. It's the closest I ever want to being attacked by a Chimp.
I try and reign it in if it gets too rough, or if he starts pulling my hair.
As he gets bigger I am going to have to ask that he not punch me, but for now I don't think it is harming anything.
I mean, he obviously wants to be doing this.
He asks about it all the time, it's his new favorite thing.
And it's really not that violent and if it is, it's an innocent violence.
I don't know.

Tomorrow I am planning on making some cardboard knight hats for us.
they have nothing to do with the wrestling, but I just thought I would mention it anyway.

This is my impression of Burger's train noise:
"Hheeaaaooooowh"
He makes this noise at least 5 times a day.

T and I were standing on top of a hill looking down at a very choppy Lake Michigan on new year's eve. There were kite boarders out in the water and it looked pretty cool.
Again, just thought you should know.

Back in the Saddle.

2012-01-03T15:22:00.000-08:00

Seen above winning first place in the annual Nor Door Tree Nap.

Fancy Park.

2011-12-31T06:57:00.000-08:00

It has been pretty great.
IT gives you something to think about.
We went to an amazing park right by a gigantic body of fresh water.
Having grown up next to and around the Lake, I took that thing for granted.
But seeing it now reminds me of some kind of science fiction.
Like another Moon.
Like Mountains in the sky.
IT's crazy.

We saw two big black dogs.
We also saw a very small, soft plant.

I don't know, I got a lot to ponder I guess.
loveyouguys.

Yoga Pie.

2011-12-31T06:44:00.001-08:00

I have been having a blast in Wisconsin.
I would like to tell you more about it, but T is vacuuming around my feet.
That makes it difficult to type.
But thanks to the yoga I been doing, it is surprisingly easy to hold the computer while I fold my legs around and behind my neck.
I gotta go, T is yelling at me.