Thursday, May 21, 2009

Best of Times, Worst of Times

As if they haven't been already, things are about to get interesting. Check out what Buxton showed us he could do tonight. And yes, baby-proofing begins in the morning.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

A Journey Begins

So I once made reference to the cheapest wedding gift ever and, because I am somehow strangely attracted to the strangest of the sports world, the regift. Yet I may have outdone myself still.

In honor of an incredible wedding weekend and a party from which I may never fully recover, I promised the groom--my long-time friend Greg--that I would share with him something I wrote on my way to see him. For anyone who may not know, I keep a daily journal filled, generally, with random thoughts. The current journal is written more or less to Buxton, though not always about him.

This entry came from a layover stop just before noon on Saturday, only a few hours before the wedding. It may be the newly-crowned cheapest wedding gift ever (at least I framed the original), but I promised I would share anyway. Congratulations Greg, and expect a more appropriate gift soon.

May 16, 2009

Some day you'll do the same thing, and it'll make about as much sense then as it does now. The particulars may be a little different. You may have a window seat. But you'll do the same thing I'm doing today, and if you think long and hard enough about it beforehand you'll do it gladly.

Just like your daddy, half-squirming from that almost settled stomach and the taste of stillness on the back of your tongue, both from having dared the moon last night and beaten the sun to rise this morning. Walking slowly through darkened and fog-enclosed airport terminals in a seersucker jacket like you just won some Southern golf tournament. Listening closely with surprise as one of the better country songs playing softly fills a concourse in New Jersey.

Maybe you layover three hours in a place you only heard of before, spend less than a full day in a far-away city to save hotel money. Maybe you rent your first car. Exactly what your today looks like I have no idea, but I know you'll live it. Because a person only gets so many true, lifelong friends in this world and those friends only get so many days that completely and indescribably change their lives.

So you'll be there for them. If for nothing more than a pat on the shoulder amid the thousand other things and thoughts begging his time, you'll be there. Even if it means crying babies or middle-of-the-row seats, toll roads or foreign maps. Because it means so much more than these passing things, so long as you're there to notice it.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Evolution of a Mother's Day Gift

First, take a picture of baby and mommy at the beach. A good one.



Next, send Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Matt to the sitter's house during the day, when mommy least expects it, to snap a few photos.






Then spend more time than you care to admit adding the sitter photos and the beach photo with some text, proving that most any idiot can use Photoshop.



Spend an obscenely long time at a local craft shop gluing mosaic tiles and grouting like you have any business being artistic...



Be sure and give Mr. Man all the credit...



And hope like heck the end result was worth all the trouble. Oh, and try not to look too surprised when it is.