Mid-Holiday Lull

So here we are in the eye of the storm, between the craziness of Christmas and the New Year.  Life has kept us all busy during the past few months, and I've actually felt the itch to blog far more often than in 2010.  I'm making regular posting a priority for 2012.

After two years of being tardy with the holiday spirit, we actually started decorating the day after Thanksgiving.  Hosting a holiday party on December 3rd gave us the perfect motivation for getting the tree up, the lights on the outside of the house, and festive lit garlands inside.  And the party was, I believe, a rousing success - what with the fifty-some people crowded into our tiny main floor, the Winter Warlock theme cocktail* and the karaoke machine going full blast in the living room.  At one point, someone found me in the kitchen and said, "you need to come see this..."  I pushed through the crowd of stunned onlookers snapping photos with phones and digital cameras to see my 17 year old son giving a karaoke performance for the ages.  As longtime readers know, Tyler is not the most outgoing or social person, and coupled with his hatred of crowds and the normal teen angst, performing FOUR karaoke numbers in front of fifty plus people was not exactly high on my List of Things I Thought I'd See, Ever.

But when it came time to pile into the car and head north to Bellingham for Christmas Eve, my boy was back to his hermit persona.  Which we're actually learning to be okay with.

Said Christmas Eve celebration in Bellingham was a lovely gathering at my mom & stepdad's place (formerly my grandparents' home), including my sister & niece, brother & sis-in-law, stepmom and grandmother.  We shared a wonderful meal, exchanged gifts, drew names for next year's exchange, and headed home.

On Christmas day, we stayed home and didn't do a thing.  Oh, we did the stockings and gift thing, I cooked breakfast, and we mostly lounged around in our pajamas all day, watching movies.  Kayleigh got The Lion King blu-ray, and I was the happy recipient of Thor, Amadeus, Stand By Me and Citizen Kane bu-rays.  Kayleigh also got a bit choked up when she found a framed version of this photo in her stocking:

Kayleigh with Bob Schneider at the Triple Door, Seattle (2011)

It was perfect.  And Boxing Day was perfect too.  Now we have a short week, and the New Year this coming weekend.  My New Year was back on November 1st, but what the hell?  It's a reason to celebrate with friends.

Then, in a few short weeks, we'll be in production on The Collectibles episodes 4-7.  Looking forward to getting back on the set with some terrifically talented people.

And then there's Green Light, the screenplay Raechelle and I have been planning for two years.  We finally outlined it this year, and now the first draft is almost done.  It's the somewhat fictionalized story of what happened to me after Samantha died, and what happened to Raechelle after her breakup with her ex, and how there were several opportunities for a crossover of worlds, but we didn't end up meeting until a certain guy placed an ad for a vocalist on a certain online bulletin board.

Crazy.

Anyway, we're almost done.  When we have a workable first draft, we'll give it to Dan Heinrich and Lisa Coronado to look at.  From there it will be honed, sharpened, shopped, sold and produced.  Hopefully here in Seattle.  Although the Washington State legislature just tied our film industry tax incentives to a homeless spending bill and drowned it to death.  But that's a topic for another post...

Season's Greetings!

It's One Louder, Innit?

Many thanks to This is Spinal Tap for all the great references to eleven we can make regarding the new year, including the title of wifey's current blog entry.

It's been a busy holiday season, hence the whopping TWO entries for December.  Let me fill you in on what's been going on:

• Opened and closed It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play at Kenyon Hall, which I've talked about extensively here.
• Finished and submitted our Airship Daedalus feature for the debut issue of Mash Tun, to be released at ECC this year.
• Christmas was low-key and we did zero traveling, which led to a much nicer, calmer and less stressful holiday within the immediate family unit.  I got some DVDs (including the out-of-print Dead Can Dance Toward the Within live concert, taken from the tour Sam & I got to see in the front row on our anniversary when they played the Moore Theatre in 1993) and some cool books and some very useful gift cards, with which I got this, and this, and this.
• Hosted my family for a post-Christmas Christmas gathering on the 29th.  I baked a ham, roasted potatoes and made my specialty salad (mixed baby greens, red grapes, dried cranberries, walnuts and feta cheese with a raspberry walnut vinaigrette dressing).  My stepdad brought homemade orange cheesecake.  You know you're jealous.
• Got to have drinks with Muriel, who has the distinction of being the catalyst for Raechelle's and my meeting.  Rae tells the story in her post, and of course the whole thing is laid out in our blogs.
• Spent New Year's Eve at dinner with Steve, Steph and Isabella, followed by drinks and snacking and general merriment at Dan & Trish's with some other friends as well.  The kids went to spend the night with Uncle Gavin & Aunt Michelle in Poulsbo, playing boardgames and having fun.
• Seahawks second string QB Charlie Whitehurst (aka Clipboard Jesus), in combination with a fired-up defense and the loudest fanbase in the NFL, led our rather pitiful 7-9 team to a wildcard spot in the playoffs over the shellshocked St. Louis Rams.  Although it's great that we got the division title, here's two things to consider: 1) winning that game reduced our 7th round draft pick for next year to 21st at best; 2) Even if the Hawks can overcome New Orleans this Saturday (which is actually a possibility, given home field advantage, the aforementioned loudest fans in the NFL and a seriously injured New Orleans roster), it's doubtful.that the first team to clinch a division title with a 7-9 record can compete against the eastern division teams with their 12-4 stats and their serious-football-playing.  I hope the division title is worth it in the long run...
• Got turned on to Pomplamoose, a duo from San Francisco.  You've seen them on the Hyundai commercials.  I've been seriously inspired to record again.  Thanks a lot, you talented cuties.
• Took the kids to see Tron: Legacy.  Pros: decent follow-up to the early '80s classic, amazing visuals, good cast, amazing visuals, and amazing visuals.  Cons: major plot holes, jarring CG in the flashback scenes trying to "youthify" Jeff Bridges, major plot holes, cheesy Neo/Matrix finale... and did I mention the plot holes?

So that's pretty much how I spent my holidays.  If I have a resolution for 2011, it's to post a bit more often (and have interesting things to post about!).

Happy New Year

Happy Celtic New Year/Samhain. 
Also, Feliz Dia de los Muertos.
Also, this happened.  Fun times. 
Also, this happened.  Nice to see, San Francisco.  Well done.

The New Normal?

Good lord, I hope not.

Sorry to have dropped off the radar for the past week, but I figured a post was far past due.

Things with the teenager have been tense. We prepared for a major meltdown with the coming of Memorial Day weekend, as we have learned that holidays and anniversaries can be huge triggers with Tyler. We actually scored what I feel to be a minor victory in that we had a really nice weekend with much family bonding, and the outburst on Monday night was handled without police intervention.

One of the problems in having my stoic tendencies is that often stress becomes internalized and manifests in all sorts of uncomfortable ways. So it should be no surprise that I developed a pinched nerve in my shoulder, which resulted in burning pain, numbness and tingling down my entire left arm. It's not heart-related. Don't worry. But it's no fun either.

So this week has been split between Tyler's psych/counseling appointments and a host of physical therapy appointments for me. A trip to the doctor, three trips to the chiro, and two trips to the LMP for massage. I'm hitting this with everything I can, eastern and western. Ibuprofen, cyclobenzaprine, hydration and B-complex vitamins, Biofreeze, ice packs, chiropractic and massage (including craniosacral and reflexology). I might even go in for an acupuncture session (seeing as how I've had some good results with it in the past). I am very happy to have insurance, but the co-pays are nickel-and-diming me dry this month.

Anyway, numb fingers aside (and I can tell you that not being able to feel half your fingers makes typing a blog post quite an adventure), it seems to be getting gradually better and my overall mood has improved. I hope that by this time next week, I'll be back up to normal functioning.

As TFMD mentioned in her post, she got herself a nasty computer infection, which an old friend and IT guru has been working on. He is due back this morning to (hopefully) finish and get Rae Rae back online. Last night's production meeting was, for lack of a better term, productive. We're revising the Duo budget and made some more progress on the OA series.

And speaking of independent cinema, I have two recommendations:

Fanboys appears at first to be another point-and-laugh at socially-retarded fans engaging in goofy shenanigans, but surprised me quite a bit in its character depth and subtext. It's a really sweet story, well-written and acted, with some fun cameos and a charming (if somewhat hidden) love story. And the film was made by Kevin Spacey's production company, Trigger Street.

And speaking of Kevin Spacey (and space in general), Moon was just featured at SIFF, and has been getting rave reviews. It's a British production starring Sam Rockwell as the lone technician in an automated mining facility on the moon, supplying Helium-3 to Earth for clean energy. His three-year contract is just two weeks from being up when he begins to go a bit space-crazy. Kevin Spacey is the voice of the computer (and second lead character). Looks like a character fest for Rockwell, who I find is always surprising folks with his unflinching embrace of challenging roles. Should be getting general release this year.

Anyway, this weekend should hopefully be a little less stressful, with Kayleigh away at a school band trip and Tyler starting a new RPG campaign at Gavin's. Tyler has his sleep study tonight. Sunday is our May Birthdays celebration in Bellingham, and it'll be nice to hang out with the fam.

That's all I've got for now. Anon.

Post Paddy Post

Sometimes as a parent, one has to learn how to adapt to changing plans and think on-the-fly. Yesterday was one such example. Kayleigh went to her friend's and Tyler decided to reschedule his Tae Kwon Do class for today and hit the sack early, so TFMD and I found ourselves at leisure for dinner. We'd originally planned pesto pasta for dinner (getting our green on), but at the last minute decided to head down to Edolyne Joe's. It was bustling but not crowded, and they had an awesome dinner special of corned beef, cabbage and potatoes with a honey-mustard sauce. Add a pint of Blue Moon draught and a shot of Jameson (and a Bailey's coffee for Rae), and we were happy little Celts.

And then we discovered the notes.

At Joe's, there are drawers in several of the antique tables. And folks scrawl little notes to leave behind for future dining guests to read. Many of them were romantic. Rae added one of her own.

We came home and got into our grubbies, then plopped down and watched Waking Ned Devine, which I'd never seen. I liked it. Rae's 3 for 4 so far.

Tonight is another round of Tae Kwon Do class, then dinner with a friend. And with that, Wednesday is done. The weekend approacheth!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I know, I know. I'm not Catholic, and only part Irish. But you gotta hand it to a Welsh kid captured into slavery in Ireland, who escaped only to go back to Ireland and convert thousands to Christianity by nonviolent means. Pretty impressive feat - although I've always thought the Irish were predisposed to latch onto concepts like the Holy Trinity, as their old religion held the number 3 (and multiples of three) as sacred and magic.

Anyway, we're not doing the usual corned beef and cabbage tonight, as we got our beef on with homemade burgers last night. So it'll be a veggie Mediterranean dinner of pasta & marinara sauce. I'll still go grab a single Guinness or Harp from the store. You just can't let some traditions go.

I usually use St. Patrick's Day to reflect on my culture and its fragmented past. A fiercely proud people, progressive for the time of Antiquity, whose art, religion and system of government influenced much of the ancient world. I think of a people whose strength in their individualistic nature was their downfall in facing the Roman war machine (and later, the British Empire). And I say a wee prayer for Celtic unity. We're a vanishing culture with dying languages, and yet we've brought beauty and innovation to the world. I'd like to see us remember our past accomplishments with pride and look to a united future. We've certainly changed, adapted to the times, but we need not fade into history like the Tuatha Dé Danann.

So here's to ye, St. Paddy. And to my fellow Corkers, O'Duinnins and all.

Celtic Unity graphic, top-to-bottom, left-to-right:
Scotland, Ireland, Wales
Brittany, Isle of Man, Basque Country

Happy Holidays

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Yule, Hanukkah, Saturnalia, Kwanzaa, or some other midwinter festival, I wish you all the best fortune in this cold season and for the Gregorian New Year.

Dearie me, did we all just learn something? On Christmas?? That's crazy.

Thankful...

As we head into the long holiday weekend, and as my SIL-to-be sits with her mom while she lays dying in the hospital, I am once again reminded of what's important. And more importantly, what isn't.

For those of you who dread being around your family at this time of year, I urge you to remember that some people have no family. Or no partner. Or nothing to put on the table.

I've lost a lot in my time on Earth so far, and it's made me truly appreciate what matters. It's not about gorging oneself and passing out in front of the football game (as fun as that might be). It's not about what you give, what you get or what you wear. It's not about the stuff.

You are born alone, you die alone. Nobody makes those two journeys of experience with you. The space between those events is about the relationships you make, the memories you create, and hopefully the knowledge that you left the world a bit better off - in human terms - than when you got here.

I know what I'm thankful for.

What are you thankful for?

Recharge

It's mornings like this when I'm glad I live so close to Alki beach.

Had our celebratory dinner with Raechelle at the California Pizza Kitchen at Northgate last night, but Rae was so frazzled from work that it was somewhat less celebratory than we both would have liked. Still, the food was good and afterward we went to Display & Costume to browse Halloween costumes and decor. I got a pair of little ghosties to hang from the porch roof with the skull lights (more detailed pictures coming at some point). Then we browsed the Christmas section and let ourselves become lost in that warm holiday feeling that comes from looking at beautifully decorated trees and white lights and crystal snowlakes. Turns out, Raechelle and I have the same holiday design aesthetic (classic/Victorian decor, reds and whites, white lights, no blinkies, etc). Go figure. It's been a long time since I've even wanted to decorate for the holidays, and I'm pretty much the first guy Raechelle's been with who has been into the holidays enough to want to decorate.

Even with the nice diversion of D&C, the energy was definitely low, so following a quick stop at Staples for school notebooks, we went home so Kayleigh could do her homework and I could fill out a gajillion school information forms and releases. Tyler complained of having no clean clothes, so I had him get a load of laundry together, then suggested we go to Target to get him some new track pants (you know, the kind that actually fit his rapidly expanding-in-all-directions 14yo frame), but he declined. He then waited until 9PM to make his own dinner, so there was a bit of conflict and lecture about time management. I hate having to give those lectures, but until he gets it, lecture I will. I tucked in the kids and fell asleep as my head hit the pillow at 10:30.

Woke up at 5:59AM from a disturbing dream (been having a few of those in recent months, all part of getting my past baggage squared away). I hate abrupt awakenings - the ones where you sit bolt upright, heart pounding, adrenalin surging. I don't remember what the dream was about, but at least I know it's a symptom of PTSD and can talk about it with the counselor. Came upstairs to find the remnants of Tyler's dinner project: an open can of tomato sauce, the lid to said can of tomato sauce on the opposite counter, splats of tomato sauce all over the freshly cleaned stove top, and the pot from the pasta dumped on the sink, half full of water (and the rest of the sauce dried to the top). So Tyler awoke to another lecture. That's gotta suck. I would hate to have me on my ass all the time.

My standing offer to the kids is for a one-way ride to school, as it allows us more time to prep in the morning. And my kids totally need that extra time (although they are slowly getting more of a handle on time management). Dropped Kayleigh at her school, then took Tyler across West Seattle to his. He fired an opening salvo of criticism regarding the notebooks I'd purchased, and my response was swift, surgical and left no room for argument. If he declined to go shopping for clothing and supplies when I offered, then he has no right to complain if I got the wrong stuff.

Silence.

Maybe he got it? Hope springs eternal.

After dropping off my surly boy at high school, I found myself so close to Admiral Way that I decided to recharge. I found a shady little spot by the Alki Tully's, grabbed a coffee and headed down to the beach to watch the fog burn away and the ferries go back and forth. It's so peaceful there in the mornings, as traffic (of both the wheeled and foot variety) is extremely sparse, and one can actually hear oneself think. I hadn't been to Alki on a quiet morning since last summer, so this was definitely what the doctor ordered. Feeling much more serene and energized, I returned home to take care of doctor appointments and financials (Q3 reporting is almost upon me).

Looking forward to a fun weekend. Zombie double feature on Friday night, trip to Bellingham on Saturday, and the 49ers play the Hawks in Seattle on Sunday. Hopefully our boys won't suck like they did last Sunday.