Soothing the Savage Beasties

Music does well for my daughters, especially when they are in need of sleep.  Ava has gotten a hunger for more than Justin Timberlake, and seems to be demanding Lady GaGa.  It’s to the point that I go to bed at night and can’t get that damned song ‘Bad Romance’ out of my head.  But, I love dancing her to sleep.  Never thought I’d say something like that before.

Ella, on the other hand, seems to have an ear for Radiohead’s ‘How to Disappear Completely’.  One of my favorite tracks.

Thinking of how music has played a part in my life, and how I’ve used it to sooth myself, I can’t help but think as to where they’ll go and how music will follow them.

My mother-in-law led the dinner table in prayer yesterday, something that we haven’t done ourselves since I-don’t-know-when.  What was remarkable was how humble, selfless, and compassionate the prayer was.

It was moving, and a nice reminder that I don’t know it all and have not experienced it all.

Last night I attended the Fog Creek holiday party, which was fantastic.  Great food, great people, and a great parting gift.  I also have a slight hangover - my first in a long time.  It is not proper to mix whiskey and wine.  That should be a commandment.

My landlord has informed us that we will be without water for at least 24 hours while they repair some pipes downstairs.

According to the news this morning, we should expect up to a foot of snow.

A perfect storm?  ;-)

Early Resolutions

Next year is about restriction and reduction, so that I may focus on what’s important.  Some ideas:

1. No more new books, at least those of the non-fictional variety.  I have way too many under-studied texts on my shelves, and need to soak up what they offer instead of running after the next idea that catches my mind
2. Get rid of books that I don’t need.  I listed over 100 books this morning on Amazon.  There comes a point where you know that you won’t be needing all of them any longer
3. No more cushion jumping.  I’ve spent the last three years exploring various contemplative traditions, and it is now time to stick with one and only one method

On Getting Things Done

When you have two newborns in the house and you still wanna kick ass and take names, you have to set goals if you wanna make a dent.

Today’s must-do tasks:

1. floss teeth
2. clip finger nails

After having heroically met those challenges, I know that nothing can stop me.

From Alison to Shawn:

When I see this picture, I think of you and Gorsuch.

View high resolution

My girls just turned two months old.  Thank you for showing me what it’s about.

My parents (the new grandparents) left this morning after helping us out for a week.  Damn it, I miss them.

To My Daughters

[note: this was originally written over at Styled Bits, but since I’m moving personal stuff away, I am republishing here.]

Dear Ava Grace and Ella Cole,

You were both born on September 30th, 2009, a day that I won’t forget.  I am writing this short post to the two of you to both remind me as to how important that day was to me, and to maybe even serve as a small springboard of hope for you as you grow older.  Please remember that your father often fumbles for his words, and those that I will use below will be inadequate but hopefully good enough.

Upon your birth, I was given the opportunity to immediately meet you while the doctors tended to your mother.  As I walked over to the tables where you tasted our atmosphere for the first time, and looked upon you, something changed.  For a brief moment, I saw, in the two of you, the very essence of all that ever was, is, or will be.  I didn’t see the two of you as two separate newborns, or as belonging to me, but as an expression of existence itself.  Through the two of you I caught a glimpse of the transcendent, a game of hide and seek that I’ve been playing for my whole life.

The implications, for me, are profound.  I will never again be the same, and have you to thank for that.  I can only hope that, through fatherhood, I can show you how important that you all are.

Fourth Wedding Anniversary

[note: this was originally published on Styled Bits, but has been moved to here since I am no longer hosting my more personal writings there.]

Brooke and I celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary today [originally posted on September 24th, 2009], making it worthy of a little reflection.

Throughout this year, I have thought more and more about how much the ideas of love and marriage have varied from what I originally thought of them.  When I was younger (and without a lot of experience) love was binary – you were either in love or you weren’t.  I thought that marriage was sort of a way of saying that the switch has been on for long enough for both of us, proving that we’re a good fit, and that we’d therefore be great candidates for marriage.

But it’s far different from that.  The best analogy I can come up with is that of the adytum or a temple; it is something that you actively build together.  It’s multi-dimensional and living.  It expands and contracts.  I wish I had grasped that earlier, as it would have probably have made things easier for both of us.  But I think I’m starting to see it now.

If I consider our love as a temple, with each and every action like a sacrament, something more appropriate and adult emerges.  The foundations must be constantly tended to, repairing the weaker or broken parts if need be, before the Spirit can ever dwell within.  Every act is Holy.

I look forward to our fifth and each one that follows.