Huzzah!

The Charlestown Cafe has re-opened! After much drama and community outcry over the proposed development of a Petco where this West Seattle family restaurant icon stands, and a fire which closed its doors for five months, one of our favorite family establishments is back in business.

Awesome!

Happy Birthday, Redux

This weekend was PACKED. And when I say "PACKED", I want you to take my full meaning.


Friday evening arrived, and so did Gavin & Michelle to hang with the kids and have pizza movie (over)night. I packed a bag and headed to Raechelle's for her former co-worker/occasional roomie Jessica's going away bash. We walked down to King's Hardware, a bar in Ballard which was crowded and very loud. Very meat-market. I had fun hanging with Raechelle and her work friends, and we proceeded to drink like a couple of adults with no kid-responsibilities. I haven't been able to just go pub crawling since the night of the fire. It was good, although there were apparently some ghosts for Raechelle, and she made a couple declarations later about not visiting certain establishments or drinking certain cocktails anymore, which I fully support.

We went back to Rae's apartment and got some sleep. The girl was a bit delicate in the morning, but I did not have any kind of hangover (blessings counted). Said goodbye to Jessica and Sam as they departed for Bellingham, then headed out to Costco to get the pies for the birthday party. In and out of Costco in 20 minutes flat, back to the apartment to shower and get dressed. Turned out to be way too hot to be wearing my new black paisley tie, but hey - I tried.

We met Trish and Dan at the Ballard Oddfellows Hall at Noon, set up for the party, hosted somewhere around 30 or so folks for Dan's & my combo platter of a 40th birthday party. Trish got movie popcorn bags and Sharpies for folks to write personal abuse to us. Dan made some beautiful remarks that exemplified why I love having him as a creative collaborator. Gavin showed up with the kids, and Doug & Ann were in fine form. Natasha Sims from OA was there, and ended up making new friends in Raechelle and Ann. Apparently there is to be some sort of shopping trip. Shoes may be involved. I find it best to not ask too many questions - just stand aside.

After we cleaned up the party, we took the kids back to Raechelle's apartment so that I could pack up and she could throw a bag together for that night. Kayleigh rode with Raechelle and Tyler rode with me back to West Seattle. We met up with Trish, Dan & Raff, chatted and worked on finishing the keg, then went to dinner at West 5 at the Junction. Back home for a movie screening: Death at a Funeral - loved it. About halfway through, Caleb & Shandalla showed up. They watched the rest of the film with us, then when it was over, everyone cleared out, leaving a very exhausted couple to hit the sack.

Went out to coffee this morning at the B&N Starbucks (I remarked that I almost felt like I was cheating on Ron - "This was our place!"), then headed to Target so Raechelle could look at some summer wear to take to West Virginia on her trip. Then back home where we just... chilled. And it was soooo nice. We had lots of good downtime, hanging with the kids and the pets, making plans and cracking each other up. Later, Rae's friend Jamie (whom I'd met previously), came out to the house, and we all piled into my rig for dinner at the Elliott Bay pub to celebrate Independence Day (aka Raechelle's first anniversary of The Breakup).

Raechelle finally left at 8:30PM. It's feeling more and more natural to have her here. We're planning dinner Tuesday night with one of her best friends (her "big brother"), whom I've heard tons about and can't wait to meet. Then Thursday night she'll stay over night so I can drive her to the airport bright and early Friday morning.

It'll be an interesting week with her out of state - I fully expect the absence will only cement things in a good way.

In the meantime, still waiting to hear back on the Duo pitch. Hold the good thought.

Me Too

I really hate to be a "me too" poster (sorry, Derek), but I had to preach the gospel of dickipedia.org, hilarious parody of wikipedia.org and skewerer of celebrities.

I found the entry for George Lucas exceptionally good.

I'm so glad there are some razor-sharp humorists out there. The Onion, The Daily Show/Colbert Report, and 23/6 to name but a few. 'Cause the moment we stop laughing at ourselves, folks - it's over.
(The laughing at ourselves link goes to a Lewis Black routine - it contains profanity and is not kid or work-safe).

Well Then...

Weird day yesterday. Did some financial forensics for my accountant, finally got the taxes handled. I know most people don't take this long to do theirs, but keep in mind that I'm a mutant. Multiple streams of passive income + investment income + small business = lots of niggly little financial record-keeping exercises. I think last year I didn't get everything filed until October, so this year ain't too bad.

Took lunch to Raechelle and got a bit more sun on my ever-broadening forehead than I'd intended. Hit the aloe when I got home. Kayleigh and I went to the bank to make a deposit, then we walked over to Easy Street (because I like to support my local independent record store), and I picked up the new Coldplay. I've always liked them, but this album is amazing - thank you Brian Eno!

Then K and I went to Target and Marshall's to get her a summer outfit and me some pants that better fit my shrinking waistline. When I was taking care of Sam for the last year of her life, I had ballooned to almost 300lbs from inactivity and comfort eating. Even at that weight, at my largest ever, I still wore a 42 waist (much smaller than some). Since I carry my fat well-distributed all over, it's even more impressive to me that I'm now wearing a 38 waist (and down under a deuce and a half). So while it's only 4" off the waist, it signifies a huge reduction everywhere else too. And it's apparent that I don't need to blow $30 a month on the gym to do it. I got a pair of Wranglers and a pair of Levis. The Levis win, hands down. And they look equally good with a black pinstripe dress shirt or some layered tees, skater shoes or boots.

Came home and made pasta and salad for dinner, and showed the kids a favorite from my adolescence: The Beastmaster. Tanya Roberts nude bathing scene is just one of those pivotal moments in the life of this red-blooded American (former) teen. Of course, my kids just joked through most of it: "BOOBIES!" "I will call you... Brad." "I am Dar. I must go and shave my chest... WITH MY SWORD!" That kind of thing. I get a full-on MST3K experience when I watch anything remotely cheesy with my kids. Thank God they know proper theater etiquette when we go out.

Watched the featurette on the DVD afterwards. Tanya Roberts and Marc Singer still look awesome. Tanya maybe a bit more awesome than Marc. But then I'm wired to think that way.

Did laundry. Got the kids to do their chores. Cleaned the guinea pig cage. Got both kids showered. Monitored Kayleigh as she succeeded in shaving her legs. Folded said laundry. Tucked the kids in (and K kept marveling at how smooth her legs were - and I reminded her that now she'd have to keep doing it if she wanted to keep 'em smooth). Fell asleep within five minutes of hitting the pillow. Kayleigh burst into my room at 4:30AM from a nightmare (I guess the whole Beastmaster chest shaving thing got to her). Put her back in her own bed at dawn, and crashed until 7:30. Awoke with a relationship-related epiphany, and now I feel a bit more at peace.

Looking forward to the weekend. Drinks with the girl and her work friends tonight, an overnight in Ballard, and the dual birthday partay for Dan and me on Saturday. Need to remember to pick up a couple 40s to "pour out for the homeys". Because we're street like that.

Today's Horoscope

I love pulling these up every morning. It's like a fortune cookie... without the delicious.

Daily Couples (Taurus):
You are about to enter a period of transition. Be prepared for some changes that will rock your world! Grab hold of your partner's hand and see what awaits you.

Great. More world-rocking. Just what I always wanted.

This Deserves a Second Post

I recently added Dad Gone Mad to the blogroll on the right. He's funny. Like, milk-out-the-nose funny. You know, like I am. Anyway, his post today really hits home to those of us work-at-home creative types. I'm especially familiar with #3.

Had a good counseling session today - just me. It was extremely valuable in illuminating the differences in how I process and communicate in contrast to how others do. Good insight there.

Tyler decided to nitpick his way into a fight today. I told him to finish his chore of unloading the dishwasher before going to his room to play games. Now, we've always defined "unloading the dishwasher" to include the step of "putting away the dishes". It's always been that way, and at no time has it ever not been that way. So imagine my surprise when I came in for some water after doing 3/4 of the front yard to find all the clean dishes stacked on the counter next to the dirty ones.

So off Dad marches to yank the plug from his computer in mid-play, to be returned only after the job is complete. Of course, this is now an opportunity for Tyler to poke and prod: "But you never SAID to put the dishes away..." And no amount of my explaining that "putting away the dishes has been included in the chore entitled Unloading the Dishwasher ever since the dawn of the dishwasher" has any effect - he's in Teenager Land. All attitude, all entitlement, no substance.

Now I know why nobody gave me the benefit of the doubt when I was 14. Of course, in my own defense, I was way ahead in social maturity by his age. We each had totally different childhood environments and traumas, so comparing us is like apples and oranges. In two years, he will be the age I was when Sam & I got together. Yeah. How's that for perspective?

So anyway, the net result is a 3/4 finished yard, an empty dishwasher and a pissed off dad smelling like grass and sweat. I need a shower and a beer.

Hmmm.

Daily Couples Horoscope (Taurus)

No one understands you quite like your sweetheart. If there's something on your mind, they'll want to know about it. Talking it over with them will help to ease your worries.

* * *

Tyler was being antisocial yesterday, so I took Kayleigh up to Ballard. It was her first time seeing Raechelle's apartment. We walked to the DoL to get her new car tabs, and then walked to Zak's for some burgers. Came back and played some music for each other, and Kayleigh read Shel Silverstein and played Raechelle's keyboard while we talked. R's still sick, and we've had to cancel or postpone a few events this week so that she can be in good form this weekend.

Hoping to get to the mowing in front today, while it's sunny.

One of the first things I saw out my office window this morning was our big ol' neighborhood raccoon being chased across the street and into my neighbor's yard by four crows. I don't know if four crows constitutes a murder, but they're taking over my hood. I've never advocated violence toward animals, but these crows have become prolific and aggressive recently (especially after this year's fledglings moved out). I may find a use for my Airsoft pellet guns (aside from being props in movies) if they continue to harass me in my yard. Nothing lethal or damaging, just a little surprise to let em know they are also interlopers in my territory.

Speaking of territory (but not interlopers), I forgot to mention that on our way to Caleb's gathering on Saturday, we passed a car going the other way on 35th. A car containing Raechelle's ex, Steve (and his current girlfriend). Apparently they are also here in West Seattle. Bless her heart, Raechelle asked me if she could text him. I thanked her for considering my feelings, and assured her that I wasn't the least bit weirded out. They exchanged a couple "small world" texts, I got a proxy hello from Steve and we all had a laugh.

Small world indeed. I think the Universe has an impeccable sense of humor. I say, roll with it (or become the butt of the joke).

Fifty Things

Thanks to The Bloggess for setting precedent, although she only did 29. I'm not necessarily tagging people with this meme, but if you feel like it, I'm all about the self-validation exercises.

Fifty Things I Like About Myself (in totally random order)

1. I'm relatively smart (although there's been some beer since my GATE programs in school).
2. I'm not hideous to look at.
3. I'm a good dad.
4. I love my children unconditionally.
   
5. I'm mentally & emotionally present in most situations.
6. I'm a loving & conscientious partner.
7. I'm a passionate lover.
8. I'm a planner.
9. I'm a creative dynamo.
10. I bathe daily.
11. I have decent credit.
12. I live within my means (with the occasional splurge on the right occasion).
13. I have encyclopedic knowledge of obscure media & cultural references.
14. I'm a decent director.
15. But I'm a better writer.
16. I make friends easily.
17. I keep friends a long time.
18. I was a good boyfriend and husband to the same woman for over 20 years.
19. I've been through hell and back, and lived to tell the tale.
20. Because of that, I'm pretty much emotionally fearless.
21. I have the market cornered on perspective.
    
22. I'm an expert communicator. Sometimes to a fault (if there can possibly be such a thing).
    
23. I'm usually even-tempered.
24. I'm big (and sometimes intimidating when I need to be).
25. I'm strong.
    
26. I'm a protector, an advocate.
27. I see the big picture, always.
28. I like animals.
29. I know how to steer a compass course and tack in a sailboat.
30. I have traveled outside of the country.
    
31. I'm funny as hell. Like, milk-out-the-nose funny.
32. I do some decent impressions (James Mason & Sean Connery are the best).
33. I have a good sense of design aesthetics and composition.
34. I'm a visual thinker.
35. I have a very tight relationship with my family.
36. I have a very tight connection to the Universe.
37. I've brewed my own beer.
38. My first film was featured on PBS.
39. I raised my brother and sister when my folks split up and we were shuttled between households.
40. I'm cultured without being a snob.
41. I have the patience of a saint.
42. But I suffer no fools.
43. I vote.
44. I'm an alpha male who feels secure enough to be vulnerable in the right context.
45. I'm self-taught on the guitar and piano.
46. I'm a good host.
47. I can walk in different worlds (from a sci-fi convention to a jazz club), and hold an intelligent conversation in all of them.
48. I'm generous.
49. I'm tactile.
50. I realize life is finite, and try every day to make the lives of my loved ones a bit better.

No you go...

Today's Horoscope

Taurus
4/20 – 5/20

Overview
Just because your fantasies aren't real doesn't mean that they can't affect your real life. Sometimes, your subconscious needs you to draw a map for it to follow. Get detailed about what you see -- from the clothes on your back to the car you drive, imagine exactly what you want. Visualizing your life down the road is an excellent way to give yourself a goal to work toward. Try to have a more futuristic focus right now, and stop worrying so much about mistakes from your past.

And because life just wouldn't be complete without the Peanuts singing Outkast:

Still Standing

Disclaimer: I was waiting until Raechelle got her post up before I posted this, due to her complaining that I was making her look bad with my prompt and plentiful posting (gotta love alliteration). But I just talked to her and she told me to go ahead. She's not going to have time to post until later and "our public is waiting for an update!"

Wow. The weekend was a lot more packed with activity that I thought it would be going in. But here we are, as the title of the post says.

Friday. Raechelle came over from work, bag packed, ready to spring into action... with a hacking cough and no energy. Dropped Tyler at Gavin's and I took my girls to Ann's birthday dinner in U-Village. Doug had brought some T-shirts back for us from his trip to a brew pub in the Sacramento area. And Sam's mom had made a beautiful stained glass panel for Kayleigh to hang in her window, so Doug brought that along.

Dinner was fun; we have plans with Doug & Ann later in the week. We came home, dosed up on NyQuil and went straight to bed.

Saturday. Woke early and got ready for breakfast with Raechelle's godparents. Picked them up at the hotel and drove out to Fisherman's Wharf in Ballard. Great folks - lots of fun. And I think they liked me. Came home and Raechelle took Kayleigh out shoe shopping down in Westwood (she ended up with a pair of flip-flops). I met up with them later at the Starbucks in Barnes & Noble and got them frappucinos - how incredibly Seattle of us. We came back and crashed for a bit, then Raechelle and I finally had a productive conversation we'd been putting on hold. Did wonders for me and I daresay it moved some stuff for her too.

We took Kayleigh and headed over to Carol Long's house for a grad party for Caleb. Shandalla had planned this big surprise to-do and a bunch of folks had bailed on her. It was nonetheless successful, and it was good to see old friends. Got to introduce the girlfriend to some of the old skool West Seattleites (some of whom I've known since they were kids themselves). I got several private comments of approval. Feels good to get backup from friends and family. Came home and watched Shag, which I'd never seen. It was cute. Back to bed in prep for day three.

Sunday. Raechelle awoke not feeling like she could handle the planned trip to Bainbridge. She got in the shower and I walked to Starbucks for coffee (because I'm the Best Boyfriend in the World), and that improved her outlook and energy level. Gavin came over to watch the kids (they went out to see Get Smart), and we went out to Dan & Trish's apartment to pick them up. Had breakfast at Shanty, then headed over to the Bainbridge ferry. Had a nice couples expedition to the winery in celebration of Dan completing the Duo pitch and getting it to the financier. Had a tasting of four different varieties, and I have to admit that, although my palate is more attuned to the intricacies of beer, I'm picking up some actual opinions on wine. We picked up half a case of various offerings. I now have a counter-top wine rack in my kitchen. I'm dating a wino. I'm doomed.

We skipped the winery tour, opting to head back to town to drop Dan & Trish at their apartment. They went shopping for cheese and bread and fruit, then came out to the house and we had a little indoor picnic with the first couple episodes of Deadwood, which nobody else had seen (and the topic had come up at breakfast). Gavin brought the kids back (who promptly scattered to the game consoles), and there were introductions and re-introductions. Gavin left (we need to take him to dinner, Raechelle), Dan & Trish left (happy vacation, Dan!), I was feeling that kind of melancholy resignation when I know Raechelle is going to have to go back to her apartment, but was pleasantly surprised when she said she didn't have to go immediately.

I think she likes me.

She finally left at almost 8:30PM. I took Tyler's friend Miles home, had a nice chat with Tyler in the car. Put Kayleigh to bed and took a hot soak in the jet tub before collapsing in bed and realizing that although Raechelle brought her camera everywhere, we snapped not one photo all weekend. How's that for being in the moment?

It's a new week. More plans, more action. I'm surfacing from the stupid flu/cold thing just in time for the sun to return to the Seattle sky, and I'm hoping to reclaim my yard. Lunch plans and dinner plans and happy hour plans and then next weekend with the joint birthday party for Dan & me. It's all charging ahead, take no prisoners...

* * *

We're losing some good ones. George Carlin, we'll miss you.

Here Comes the Sun

And I say it's alright.

Thank you, George Harrison, for the perfect opening to this here blog post.

Went and had dinner at Old Spaghetti Factory last night. That was nice. Two doses of NyQuil and a full night's sleep later, I'm doing pretty well. Taking my supplements and popping the herbal Ricola.

Some new personal insights have popped up during the introspection that comes with any new relationship. All of them good, or at least not bad. Been listening to lots of atmospheric electronic music (some of it with ethereal hindi female vocals), so I'm in a very transcendental mood anyway.

Whatever works, right?

I think I may be bracing a bit. There are two huge areas of my life where storms are gathering. And although the storms are ultimately what will propel me forward in life, there's a certain amount of apprehension - "Jeez that's a big friggin' storm!" You get it. They're good storms, as opposed to the ones my family and I have weathered for 6 years (from Sam's diagnosis to the present). But any potential new surge in energy is rightfully cause for bracing.

I may actually have enough energy to trim back the trees in the front yard so that folks can get to my door. Mowing may well be another issue altogether.

Watched The Good Girl yesterday. Although the film was technically well-executed and had a talented cast, the story was about characters who make chronically bad decisions. I hate films like that because I have a darn near impossible time identifying with anyone in the story. So while I'm a big fan of John C. Reilly and Jake Gyllenhaal, the film is decidedly... meh. Kinda how I felt about Waitress too, as nicely as it was executed. A fantastic John C. Reilly vehicle is Criminal (with Jake's big sister, Maggie). Highly recommend that.

Big weekend ahead. Ann's birthday dinner tonight, brunch with Raechelle's godparents on Saturday, and a trip to the Bainbridge winery on Sunday. Just taking it one relaxed step at a time.

Today's Horoscope

Taurus

Overview
You'll be trying a few new things today, which is very good. But in order to keep a good attitude, you should remember that not all of these new things are going to pan out successfully -- it's just a fact. The good news is that any pathway you walk down today will lead you to a more enlightened place. You will learn more from today's mistakes than today's successes, so don't be afraid to fail. This attitude will help you take more risk, and enjoy more rewards!

Daily Couples
After a period of squabbling, you and your honey are able to reach an true understanding. The good news is, your struggle to find common ground has brought you closer together.

* * *

Oh, by the way, Dan called today and informed me he'd been in touch with the main funding contact and that the door was wide open to the Duo pitch. We should be handing it in this weekend. He was very receptive. Fingers crossed.

Decided to celebrate with dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory.

Weird

Well, I took NyQuil and zonked until 6AM without incident, so this bug is definitely on the run.

I don't know if it's the big-ass harvest moon, the solstice, the flu/cold/crud, or evolving relationship stuff (all of the above?), but I'm feeling weird, isolated and sorta precarious. Very weird energy today. Just want to go curl up in a fetal position and sleep for a week. Wake me when it's no longer weird.

Apologies for the short and cryptic post.

Don't Wanna Jinx It...

...but I think I'm finally looking at the end of this bug. After a week of rasping and croaking, coughing and hacking, I actually had a relatively decent night's sleep, and have a bit more vocal tone. I'm sticking with the warm tea/lemon/honey and Vicks 44, and keep sucking on Ricola lemon-honey-echinacea drops (those things are miraculous).

It's been rough not seeing Raechelle for the last couple days, and I feel badly that I haven't been able to go care for her while she's been home from work sick. But we've been keeping up on the phone (as much as I can) and email, and have been developing an ever-deepening trust and respect. So I guess this physical separation is good for working on the more cerebral and emotional aspects of the blossoming relationship. Thankfully, I get to go have dinner with her tonight.

Blew through my Netflix this week - one of the only benefits of being sick with no voice. You can ignore the phone with impunity and watch movies. Yesterday I barely made it through Apocalypto, Mel Gibson's movie about how the Mayans were already on the verge of ruin when the Europeans arrived (so the resulting butchery and genocide wasn't really the fault of Catholic Spain). I can honestly say, after having seen both Apocalypto and The Passion of the Christ, Gibson was a much better filmmaker before the crazy. In his defense, his films are always beautiful, but they are also often extremely graphic and interminable, as well as not-so-subliminally partisan (and I say that as a fan of Braveheart). If I want slow motion blood, I'll watch a Sam Peckinpah flick - it'll take less time.

Also watched The Girl Next Door, which I found to be a charming little romantic comedy. I've become a fan of Emile Hirsch (ever since I first noticed him in The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys), and I love the work of Timothy Olyphant and James Remar. Plus Elisha Cuthbert is beautiful. Worth watching simply for Olyphant as a freaky porn producer with the best line in the film: "It's a gift."

As I wrote yesterday, the kids are now out of school, and are taking the opportunity to sleep in today. However we have a counseling appointment later this morning, and a half hour later I have a meeting at Tyler's school. I got the summer school paperwork and filled it out. Now we'll see what he needs to do to move up to high school.

Being sick for a week has put me severely behind in my work, and I will need to devote some time to catching up over the next few days. And just as the sun is coming out. Meh.

Chinese Horoscope

Earth Monkey - You'll be doubtlessly happy in love, and you would be more so if you made an effort to soften down your character. You'll have original ideas capable of enabling you to progress in your career. Beware of a big cold or tonsillitis; eat starchy foods such as fresh pasta or whole rice. Keep smiling under all circumstances. Your relationships with your entourage will prove explosive: very touchy, you'll hardly bear criticisms, even the mildest ones; if you can control your emotions better, then the climate will improve clearly.

Wow. That clicks with my current situation on so many levels. The good news is that the cough has been pulled mostly under control and I awoke with more voice than I went to bed with.

Dan has locked in the Duo budget for the pitch. We're just about ready to go.

It's the last day of school for the kids. As soon as Kayleigh is off to the bus, I'm going back to sleep.

Some Bullets

• I'm still sick.
• Less voice than yesterday, due to a prolonged coughing fit late last night, which fortunately was productive.
• Sad not having my cute nurse here to bring me soup and pet my hair.
• I'm so tired of coughing, and for maybe not the reason you'd expect; as any guy who has undergone a sports physical will tell you, there's a reason a hernia check includes "turn your head and cough" - the family jewels are intricately tied to the whole diaphragmatic/stomach/respiratory system, and a solid week of coughing can make a guy just a tad sore.
• Went to the store and re-stocked the chicken soup, fruit juices, fresh lemons for my green tea with honey, and some hard core Vick's 44 cough suppressant.
• NyQuil is apparently not only a sleep aid/cold medicine; it also has peyote-like dream inducing properties. I had two metric buttloads of bizarre The Serpent and the Rainbow level dreams last night, and I have to admit I'm looking kinda sideways at reality today.
• Apologies to any friends, family members, school officials or business associates trying to call me today. I have no voice, so everybody's going directly to voicemail - nothing personal.
  

I'm a Sick, Sick Man (or, Father's Day on NyQuil)

This damn cold just will not let go. Grrrr.

Friday night consisted of a screening of Control for Dan, Trish, Raff, Raechelle and me. Kayleigh not only sat through the whole picture, but got most of the references and already knew some of the music (as she is an '80s alternative prodigy). Tyler came up at one point, passed out on the floor and then returned to his lair to sleep some more.

Raechelle spent the night Friday, and Saturday was supposed to be spent sorting through the fire salvage boxes in my bedroom. However, because I was still sick and coughing like an asthmatic seal, my lovely nurse decided Saturday would be spent relaxing and making me get better. We cuddled on the sofa in our PJs and watched a bunch of movies (Galaxy Quest, Sky High, Rob Roy and the Pixar shorts collection), punctuated by naps, coughing fits, Thai food for lunch and a couple hands of Apples to Apples.

Tyler went over to a friend's house for a sleepover, so I took Kayleigh and Raechelle down to Pegasus on Alki. Only we found after having parked that I'd left my wallet on the dining table at home (which repeated an event a few weeks ago when Raechelle was going to take me to lunch and forgot her wallet at home). So Raechelle sprung for dinner at Pegasus in exchange for me covering Father's Day lunch. She ended up with the better deal there.

Because dinner was so late on Saturday, we came home and got back into PJs. Kayleigh played on the computer while Raechelle and I started watching Sweeny Todd. We took a break when my coughing got bad enough for her to worry about my sleep (and hers), so she made another "drug run" for some NyQuil. Took a dose, continued watching Sweeny Todd for about twenty minutes, then our eyes started getting VERRRRY heavy. Put Kayleigh to bed and crashed immediately. Slept like a totally inanimate object until 3AM, took another dose, slept until 8AM.
Awoke feeling well-rested, if not cured.

Raechelle took the opportunity to give me a Father's Day prezzie - a French press for loose-leaf tea and coffee. Yaaay! I grabbed a shower while she looked up movie times for The Incredible Hulk, and then she showered while I walked down to Starbucks to get "mah woman" a latte. I was still feeling iffy, so I crashed on the sofa for a little bit while Raechelle tidied my kitchen. I awoke to hear her puttering, and I almost said something, but then I remembered two very important facts:

1. I am so used to being in command and control that it is difficult for me to accept help. Especially when it comes to running my household. And I need to relax, because help will only make it easier on me.
2. This is where Raechelle shines. She loves to do for her loved ones, and I need to let her do for me. It's a freely given gift, and I need to accept it with grace.

Found Raechelle outside throwing the ball for Wiley, and we sat on the stairs and chatted. It never ceases to eat my mind that we're so in sync and on the same page and whatever metaphor you want to put here.

My cough subsided to an inconsistent one-off here and there, so I decided to try a small expedition to Target for a few things to see how I held up. The kids walked with us to Westwood, where we picked up a few clothing items and a counter top wine rack for my kitchen.
Now feeling adventurous, I said I felt up to lunch and the movie. We went downtown to Pacific Place and had lunch at Mexico Cantina, then caught The Incredible Hulk at the AMC there. A full day, for sure. Once back at the homestead, Raechelle got packed up and we took some time to talk and plan for the week. We're going to try to arrange one overnight per weekend if possible. It's good exposure for the kids and for Raechelle - and strangest of all, nobody's sick of anybody yet.

So now Tyler has gone to sleep and Kayleigh is playing in the backyard in the late Seattle sunlight, and I've had my reheated Thai food and a beer. I'm composing this post with Wiley asleep at my feet, and I realize how much I miss Raechelle after all of an hour and a half absence. And from where I'm sitting, I think that's a really good sign.

Yeah, it's a bit sappy, but it's Father's Day, and if I wanna be sappy, I'm darn well gonna be sappy. So there.

Meet the Parents

Feeling a bit better today. Slept in fits and starts (1 to 2-hour segments), punctuated by productive coughing jags. I have some voice back, although it's still in the sexy frog realm. Nevertheless, I was not going to skip lunch with Raechelle and my mom & stepdad today.

Swung by Raechelle's work to pick her up and drove over to Siam, where we met the folks. Everyone got along famously, and I think she passed whatever set of subconscious criteria the parents may have lurking about. The most major one being, "does she make our boy happy?" The answer of course being, "hell yeah."

Last night, as you may have inferred from the previous post, I bowed out of the Behind Closed Doors screening at STIFF. Raechelle still came over, and we watched She's Having a Baby while cuddling on the big sofa while Kayleigh watched the movie from the loveseat. Afterward, I showed Sam's memorial DVD, as kind of a way to get Raechelle caught up on the past 20+ years of my life. She absorbed it all in a good natured curiosity, no sense of competition or sadness. I love the fact that there is no sense of trying to fill Sam's shoes (on her side OR mine) - that Raechelle is a whole person, separate and distinct. That whatever happens from here on out is new.

I like that a lot. It just feels healthy.

Followed that up by giving Raechelle the Reader's Digest version of Brotherhood of Justice, which was shot in my old hometown of Aptos, CA. Young Keanu Reeves, Kiefer Sutherland, Billy Zane and Lori Loughlin. Much of the film takes place at Aptos High School, where I spent my freshman and sophomore years before moving to Palo Alto.

I will just mention briefly in passing that while playing catch with Wiley last night, my lovely daughter accidentally racked me in the groin. With some kinds of impacts, it can usually be walked off. But this was just the right amount, in exactly the right spot. A surgical (if accidental) strike. In conjunction with the heavy coughing last night, I'm just a little sore and swollen today. Good thing I'm not coughing as much. Gah.

You may note I've added a few new links to the blogroll at right. Among the new additions is the blog of my good friend Mike Cressy, illustrator extraordinare. Usually his blog serves as a pimp factory for his art, but today he's added some pics of his late girlfriend, Holly, who committed suicide last year. Today would have been her birthday.

I often wonder how the SOs of people who die feel about the situation. I mean, the experience of losing a partner is dire, no matter what the couple's legal status. And yet, I think society places less of a premium on the grief of a surviving partner who wasn't married to the one lost. It's a shame. Mike and I have talked about his experience. Survivor's guilt in the case of a suicide can be debilitating, and Mike's situation is no different. Fortunately he's had enough counseling to know there was nothing he could have done differently.

I don't want to over-analyze Mike's situation on my blog, but I did want to make mention of it. And wish a posthumous happy birthday to Holly. Cheers, Mike. You have my number if you need to talk.

Looking forward to another weekend full of friends, family and Raechelle. Last night she presented me with a mix CD ('cause we're old skool like that) called "Songs for my Man". I like being her man. It's a good thing to be. She wants to take us out for lunch on Father's Day (Sunday) and I think we'll pack everyone down to the new Incredible Hulk movie. Seems like a good Father's Day event for a film geek and his family.

I'm sure I'll be blogging all weekend, but if not, Happy Father's Day to all the stand-up dudes out there who have raised kids - whether they are genetically yours or not. You make the world that much better.

And Another Thing...

Where the heck is the sun the forecast promised us? I need to mow my jungle.

So I'm still not quite up to par. Kayleigh went back to school today, and Tyler walked her to the bus stop - and he took the garbage out on his way. He's still claiming too sick to go to school, and he may have given up, seeing as how there's one more week. But still, I thought it was nice that he's making an effort at peace here at home.

I'm still in my sweats, looking like (as Raechelle put it) the Unibomber. Had a productive cough this morning, which has died down to a random huff every now and again. I could probably push through and go to the screening tonight, but honestly nobody likes the guy hacking up a lung in the back of the theater. Dan has told me to stay home and rest, and I probably should. I really want to be better so I can go to lunch tomorrow (so Raechelle can meet my mom & stepdad).

Gonna grab a nice hot shower, get back in my sweats and sleep away the afternoon. It's amazing what you can get away with when you're sick. Have a great screening, Mr. Heinrich. You know I love ya.

What's That Like?

I may have mentioned in a comment over on Raechelle's blog that I've spent so long being a caregiver that I've really forgotten what it was like to be taken care of myself. I'm normally stoic out of necessity, because like any single parent, the buck stops with me. If I get sick, I just have to weather it myself. Sometimes one of the kids will bring me something, but in general I muddle through alone.

There was one time in the whirlwind relationship with Jamie when I was knocked flat by a migraine and she came over to help the kids clean the kitchen.

But aside from that and the rare maternal moment from Sam before she was diagnosed, I've not had the kind of healing energy I really crave from a partner.

So it was truly momentous, surreal and altogether wonderful when Raechelle took some extra time at lunch and brought us a stockpile of soup, 7-up and cough medicine. I know this is what she's about - she's a natural nurturer, and that's one of the things I find attractive about her. But I've been giving so long I'm not used to receiving. What is to her a simple gesture is to me a pretty big deal, and given time, I'll probably get used to it more - but I don't think I could ever take a quality like this for granted. After a short visit, she headed back to work. I made sure she knew she was appreciated.

Passed out most of the afternoon on the sofa and awoke to the UPS guy knocking on the door. Found a big box on the porch. From Randy. An Atari Flashback 2. How cool is that?? Dude... PONG!

And then Kayleigh made dinner, which was like a triple bonus! I mean, if you gotta be sick... right?

Hopefully I'll be over this crud tomorrow so we can have a decent screening of Behind Closed Doors.

It's Going Around...

Wow, two posts and it's not even 6:AM yet! My widda friend Ali in Australia has just honored me with the Arte y pico blog award. My instructions on receiving this award are as follows:

1. Pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.

2. Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog.

3. Each award winner (upon acceptance) should show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award.

4. Link to the Arte y pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award. If you can read Spanish go and enjoy an interesting read; from a very quick check it appears to be a craft based blog.

5. Show these rules.

So here goes:

1. I can't NOT tip my hat to (My New) Life Out Here. Girlfriend or not, Raechelle's blog is fun, entertaining, often educational and occasionally heartbreaking. It's a great read, always.
2. Acid Indignation. Brutally honest on issues of health and family with some silliness for dessert. Beth blogs like nobody is watching, and that often yields the most rewarding insights.
3. Konradical. Yet another high school friend, recently married. It's a mix of his private life and some very public work as a documentary filmmaker covering post-911 racism in America.
4. Cheek and Bluster. Still another high school friend, now professional actor in LA. Derek casts a wide net, from arts and entertainment to politics (which, given the circus-like atmosphere of the primaries, might seem to indicate a smaller net than I originally thought).
5. It's Beach. I've known David Beach for 30 years. He's an artist, an Internet guru, a visionary. His blog covers a lot of ground, from tech to media to family to his local interests.

There ya go. Take a bow, you blogging fools.

Sexy Frog

Sometime during the night on Sunday/early Monday, my sinuses decided to drain down the back of my throat, leaving me in a world of hurt all day yesterday. I know you know what I'm talking about, when you wake up in the middle of the night and can feel your immune system shudder and split open. "Crap. I'm sick."

So I spent most of the day on the sofa, hopped up on vitamin C and green tea. Couldn't concentrate on work. Did however get to watch Juno, finally. I actually bought it at Barnes & Noble's "buy two get one free" sale (along with Control and Robot Chicken season 2) on Raechelle's recommendation, and I wasn't disappointed. That makes her 2 for 2, for those keeping score.

I missed Raechelle yesterday. Fortunately we were able to chat last night at bedtime. Well, she chatted, and I croaked at her like some hot frog on a phone sex line. I loved the fact that she cracked up when I said, "BUD... WEIS... ERRR..."

Took some TheraFlu Warming and zonked out... until 3:30 AM (note the time stamp on this post). Throat feels like it's been sand-blasted. I guess I can't open La Boheme at the Seattle Opera as planned. Darn.

Dan broke the news to Gigi and we did officially walk away from the Nobody Knows project on Friday. I received a very conciliatory voicemail yesterday, and managed to croak out a reply of my own. She's going to try to shoot the thing in LA, which I totally support. I do know that she'll find it more expensive - she was getting us cheap. But it looks like she'll be using my script (at least partially), so I may get a co-writing credit. I'm just glad we can move on from this without animosity.

I'm still coughing up grossness, and today my head feels like a soccer ball after a two-hour practice. It's gonna be another day of, "Couch, meet Todd's ass," and nothing gets done. I hope the world doesn't fall apart without me.

Did I mention that I miss Raechelle? This is a really odd, vulnerable feeling. But it's incredibly good... because I haven't felt this level of trust in many years.

Big Weekend

As explained previously, this weekend was big in a lot of ways. It was busy, it was packed, and it was a real test of proximity for Raechelle and me. The good news is, we're not sick of each other. The bad news is, it was hard for her to go home tonight. I think that bodes well.

Friday afternoon arrived and so did Raechelle, with her change of clothes for the dinner/comedy show evening. We headed downtown in pouring rain, met Doug & Ann and a few of Ann's work friends at Il Fornaio. Had some good food and good wine. Then we walked over to the Paramount and had a blast at Marty Reimer's :20 Festival. Greg Behrendt was especially good. Megan Mooney was my second favorite. Greg Geraldo was funny, but came off looking stoned (or drunk). And there were cookies!

Raechelle was a big hit with both Doug and Ann - major question mark resolved! We headed home to relieve Katherine from childcare duty, and Raechelle and I had some tea and chatted well into the night. It's becoming more and more difficult to separate at the end of an evening.

Saturday brought with it the first STIFF screenings for our crowd. Raechelle came back out to the house, this time prepared with (gasp!) an overnight bag. Here was the logic: it made more sense to use my place as the base of operations, as the venue (in Belltown) is a bit closer to West Seattle; we had a packed schedule of screenings; and we cleared it with the kids beforehand so it wasn't a surprise (in fact, they were giddy). So yeah, Raechelle spent the night on Saturday. Backing up a bit, we headed out to drop the kids at Gavin's place, and Raechelle was a hit with my little bro. Big surprise there. Then we headed over to the Rendezvous/Jewel Box, where we met up with Dan and Valentina Humphrey (of Rectify fame), hung out a bit, then sat in on the first block, which included (among other films) Shawn Telford's Gimme Music, Gimme Shelter (a very charming and well-made short). Took a break for some dinner, then returned to screen Dan & Val's Rectify. Came home and watched Run Ronnie Run over a bottle of Coppola Malbec. Raechelle got goodnight hugs from both kids!

In the morning, Kayleigh climbed onto the bed with a bunch of fun facts from her Discovery Kids magazine. Then Raechelle made French toast for everyone - another big hit. And the kids were *on*. They were performing something fierce for their house guest, and it was hilarious and really endearing to see. Somehow having this sort of alpha female energy in the house balances out the alpha male from me, and she is able to draw Tyler out of his shell.

Edit: I would like to add here that on Friday as Tyler was heading off to bed, he came into the family room to give me a hug, then he smiled at Raechelle and said, "I guess I can give you a hug too." And he did.


Back to Sunday. Gavin picked the kids up at 11, and Raechelle and I got ready to go to STIFF day 2 (for us). We got a superb parking spot right in front of the Rendezvous (free parking Sunday!), and bummed around a bit, grabbing a coffee and then some Thai for lunch before meeting Dan & Trish and Jesse in front of the Rendezvous just prior to opening. Once inside, my peeps kept arriving in droves. Dan Humphrey, Ron, Natasha (with mom in tow), Dennis, Marcio, Aaron, and Katherine's brother Luther and his wife (and their boy). Darlene snuck in there too, as did Steve Miller from Rotten Tomatoes, and my old housemate Erica, who had acted in one of my earlier local TV productions back in the '90s. I won't offer any personal opinions on the other films in the block with OA, except to say that my friend Beth would have been horrified at Jack the Vomiter. There was a Q&A afterwards with the three filmmakers in the block, and I got some "celebrity director" time. Each time I looked out into the audience, I caught a glimpse of Raechelle with a big grin on her face.

We headed over to Mama's Mexican cafe afterwards for some early dinner and conversation. It was good schmooze time, good postmortem discussion on the Gigi project, and yet more opportunity for Raechelle to get a glimpse of my world, and she told me on the way home how much she loved the experience of hanging out with my film cronies all weekend and watching me interact in that world. In fact, she likes my friends universally, calling them "good people", without exception.

(That's two very tired, very happy people.)

And, as explained above, the end of the day arrived and neither one of us wanted her to have to go home. But go home she did, amidst more plans for next weekend, a Wednesday night screening of Behind Closed Doors, and possible Thursday lunch with my mom and stepdad (who will be in town for Bob's surgical follow-up at UW). We're screening Control here on Friday night, and Raechelle has offered to help me organize the remaining fire salvage boxes on Saturday. I know it's shocking, but there will probably be one or two more overnights in there. I figure if we spent a whole weekend together without running away in opposite directions, and actually feel sad at the prospect of being apart, it feels entirely natural to have her stay here now and again. The kids love it, I love it, she loves it... 'nuff said, really.

So yeah, good weekend. Very good weekend indeed. And it's primed us for some really good times to come.

Radio Silence, Maybe

As "my woman" just said in her last blog post, this is a busy weekend for us. I may or may not be able to post for the next couple days, depending. So no promises, except there will be a full download come Monday.

Kayleigh gets back from her camping trip today, and Katherine is coming over to chill with the kiddos while Raechelle and I go on our dinner/comedy concert thing. Last night, Tyler and I had male bonding time in the form of Cup o' Noodles (which Tyler pronounces "noobles") and Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, which is probably the world's most expensive 104-minute dick & fart joke. And it's even an *in* joke at that. But we're in the *in*, so it's hilarious to us. Plus there's a monkey. God bless you, Kevin Smith.

I finished the Duo poster (at least the pre-pitch marketing version). It's weird seeing Eric Riedmann and Devielle Johnson standing on the comic page in place of JD & Steve, respectively. But Dan dug the heck out of it, and that bodes well. I like it too - and I'm excited as hell to make this film. After walking so long in the worlds of sci-fi and fantasy, it's really nice to step outside of that and do a romantic comedy. Dan and I already have a John Hughes-esque coming-of-age period piece in mind for later down the line, and I may have mentioned another romantic comedy concept to Raechelle, too. Of course, after the Duo, the next project to pursue is the OA series. I'm thinking screening films at STIFF this weekend will rekindle some gumption to work on the OA series pilot.

Can gumption be un-kindled in the first place? And why does the word "gumption" make me think of a denture adhesive? "Trouble eating that corn on the cob? Try new and improved GUMPTION! For superior long-lasting hold, that's GUMPTION!"

Also, my friend Shawn Telford's film, Gimme Music, Gimme Shelter, is playing at STIFF in the block before Dan Humphrey's Rectify. So we may have to step in a bit earlier on Saturday. Darn.

If Raechelle isn't completely sick of me by the end of the weekend, I daresay that's a good sign.

Have a great weekend, all. Onward.

Pants and a Headache, Two Bits

Raechelle and I took a big step in our relationship last night...

She went pants shopping with me.

Picked up a nice pair of black casual slacks to go with the shirt in question, then headed over to Macy's and found a black on black paisley tie for use with the suit. Then we went to Alki and chatted over tea until Starbuck's closed, which gave us a nice opportunity to go out to the Alki waterfront and watch the sunset (such as it was). In the middle of that, my cell phone rang - my former housemate Erica (star of my TV comedy from the mid-'90s, Flotsam), saying she'd just finished watching OA and raving about it. It felt good to hear that.

It felt better to say, "Can I talk to you later? I'm out with the girlfriend." Say it with me: "Awwwwww."

Came home to more email with script notes and cast shuffling from Gigi. Dan and I were pretty pissed, but said we weren't going to say anything heated. Today has been a gut wrenching telephone tree between Gigi, Brian Meredith, Dan and myself. I can't say I'm feeling particularly optimistic about the project at this point. Unless some serious concessions are made and we miraculously are able to book our crew on two weeks notice, I dunno...

I need to not think about this for awhile. It's ultimately a free gig, and not worth getting an ulcer over. And we have other projects on the burner. Profitable projects. That's where my energy should be. I just hope, no matter what happens, we are able to salvage the working relationships Dan and I have worked so hard to cultivate, respectively.

Gotta love show biz.

Still Raining

What the hell?? So, summer temps and late winter weather has made my yard into what will be a massive, impenetrable jungle in another week. I really need it to dry out a bit this week so I can mow.

Had lunch with Raechelle at Siam yesterday. Always a good break in the week, and the scenery is much nicer than the view out my office window at home. (Awwwwwwww.)

Got a good portion of my tax stuff done. Having multiple tiny streams of passive income is kind of a pain, but it beats not having them.

The kids now have set chores to do in order to collect their allowance. "You mean we have to work for what we were getting without doing anything?? That sucks!" Yeah. I'm such a meanie.

The kids had never seen Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, so last night we peeped that while we ate our dinner of chicken & broccoli Rice-a-Roni and salad. There may have been fresh Washington cherries involved as well. I love summer.

Tyler had an awesome week last week (as apparent by my lack of incessant bitching in the blog), but he's reverted to his 14yo emo-kid habits this week.

Kayleigh is leaving on a three-day school camping trip to Blake Island and Tillicum Village. She decided last night that she was going to attempt to shave her lower legs using my shaving gel. Kind of an incomplete job, to be sure, but she gave it the old middle school try. Finally gave up and packed for the trip.

Chatted with Raechelle on the phone. Made her laugh until she nearly hacked up a lung. Good times.

Today consists of getting K to school early for the camping trip, a lunch phone meeting with Gigi on the Nobody Knows short, and finishing up the Duo poster for the pitch presentation. Raechelle is coming over after work. We'll get some dinner and then head down to Southcenter, where I have an appointment with a new pair of slacks at Men's Wearhouse. The slacks are to go with the new shirt I got from my mom for my birthday, and I can also get my suit pressed for free while I'm there. Gonna need all options available for the weekend ahead.

The adventure continues...

I Thought it Was June!

Wacky global warming. It's June 3rd and pissing down rain. Definitely not my experience during the last 17 years living in this city. Ah well. Keeps you guessing.

We've been getting some odd comments about how the RADZ book appears in some PDF readers. There's some sort of funky issue with how Adobe follows their own PDF specs. Has to do with ligatures and all sorts of DTP voodoo I've conveniently forgotten since I worked for Kinko's during college. My associate at Precis Intermedia (who hosts the Deep7 site and handles some of our digital and print-on-demand fulfillment) is working on the issue. It's making me realize how much of the technical side of publishing knowledge I've lost. I'm much better at the creative/design side. I'm happy to invent a world setting, cultures, histories, religions. Happy writing background material and setting flavor text. And I live for designing covers, packaging and marketing materials. But when it comes to the technical side (editing, layout, indexing, and all things print), I feel like I should be riding the short bus.

Mary has sent out the casting call for Crazy For You. I know I won't be involved in the performance side of things this year, but if Kayleigh decides she wants to do chorus (there are no real speaking roles for her age range), I will be the dutiful stage dad once again. And I will do the poster design (but I'm not sure if I want to take on the program this year). Everyone knows how busy I keep, and how many plates I usually have spinning. This is one time I feel I need to step back a bit and take care of my own stuff. Especially if the Duo pitch happens soon and we get funded. If that happens, the only people who will see me for the month of production will be my cast & crew, my kids and Raechelle.

Speaking of which, in rummaging through my desk drawer last night, I ran across the "date-in-a-box" (not to be confused with this) that Doug had given me for Christmas: a Chili's gift card and a Regal Cinemas gift card. So now I have a few extra resources for things to do with Raechelle when we're not going to comedy shows and festival screenings.

'Cause you know we're all about makin' plans.

Gurg.

Looks like I picked up the same blahs as Raechelle had yesterday. For whatever reason, 3 hours of sleep was all I was allowed last night. Really dragging today...

BUT!

I got the Nobody Knows script (formerly the top secret Gigi project) more or less finished, pending a couple clarifications from Gigi. I'm a little nervous that the script is now almost twice what it started out. I guess we'll find out how doable it will be when we do the shot list.

[mushy alert]

I love that Raechelle is a "planner". I love that we can plan stuff out through the week and look forward to it. Makes the workdays when we can't see each other far more tolerable. For instance, on Friday we are joining Sam's brother and his girlfriend for dinner and a comedy showcase at the Paramount. Then Saturday, we have a block of STIFF films in the evening, then Sunday afternoon we have the Seattle OA premiere. I'm really looking forward to: a) introducing her to my film friends, and b) having this gorgeous woman on my arm all weekend. I'm not used to having a gorgeous woman on my arm all weekend (hasn't happened in a long time)... but it sure feels good to think about, and I'm sure I'll love having it happen for real.

So yeah. This "couple" thing. I like it. It's where I thrive. It's where I'm at the top of my game. The mutual support and nurturing. The give and take, the exchange of ideas and laughter - holy crap, the laughter!

It's good. It's real good.

[end mushy alert]

The Beginning.

I'd like to welcome my readers from Rhymes With Drowning over to this new chronicle. It's really just a continuation in terms of keeping track of what's happening in my life, but the whole concept is just a bit different. It's focused on what's happening in my new life, as opposed to what was keeping me anchored to the old one.

Yesterday we packed into the Sportage and headed north to Bellingham. We gathered at my sister's home and had a nice visit (including a game of croquet - how very Edwardian garden party of us). Caleb showed up and hung out with the family. It was good to see him, and it'll be good to have him back in Seattle at the end of this month.







(with seester)








(with Caleb)








(with mom - and my new birthday shirt)

Kayleigh stayed in Bellingham overnight and Tyler went back to Gavin's house for some hobby time, and so I found myself sans children for the evening. Called Raechelle (who was already shoe shopping in Westwood), and took her out to dinner at the Celtic Swell. The drizzly day had turned bright and clear so we wandered along the waterfront and watched the sunset. Well, we watched part of it. She'd brought Hedwig and the Angry Inch and was excited to show it to me.

Loved it. Loved it in almost the same way I love The Wall. Great music, more than a little disturbing, and brilliantly shot and edited - with gritty little animation sequences that reminded me of the stuff we were watching and doing at Mission College.

And of course I couldn't have wished for a better viewing partner. She was geeking out and pointing out things and telling me little behind-the-scenes nuggets. I think I'm dating a closet film geek, and it's kinda hot.

Anyway, that's the first post in Life 2.0. Pedestrian? Maybe. But headed in the right direction.