Upswing

After a week of feeling run over, chewed up and spit out, I feel like I'm on the mend. There's still some lingering fatigue, but on the whole things are much improved.

I have to say, I wouldn't have fared so well without the care of TFMD - thank you, sweetie! The kids were also very good, working with Raechelle and cooperating for the most part. Certainly better than usual.

During my enforced downtime this last week, I was able to watch a lot of instant programming on my Netflix queue. Cleared through the first season of Star Trek remastered (the original series with the new digital transfer and the updated effects). Actually saw an episode I'd never seen, in all my exposure to the show while growing up in the 1970s. Also watched a lot of stand-up comedy specials and a few movies.

Among the movies watched was Dan in Real Life, starring Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche and Dane Cook. Despite mixed reviews (and not being a huge Binoche fan), I found it a charming, understated romance. Once again, I immediately identified with the main character, a widowed father, four years down the road, trying to raise his kids and maintain a career while finding love. I did like the chemistry between Carell and Cook as brothers pursuing the same woman, and John Mahoney and Dianne Wiest were perfectly cast as the parents.

Anyway, now that I can concentrate for more than five minutes, I'll be back at work on Monday, finishing up the last Duo script outline for the improvised scene, and fleshing out some Deep7 concepts. Time to inject that entity with some fresh blood.

Another Post Entitled "WTF?!"

As TFMD mentioned in her last post, we've been having some drama with a side of drama around the Downing-Marsh household. But we were forced to put the Tyler situation on hold temporarily because I came down with a very VERY nasty flu.

[Details follow - it ain't pretty - you've been warned]

At first they said Influenza-A, but because it's not your usual flu season, they're thinking I have (DAH DAH DUMMMM!) swine flu. Just flippin' great. And how did I pick up this nasty bug, you ask? Not a clue. I haven't been to Mexico or Canada in the last few months and I don't work around livestock. It either came from one of my countless Mexican farmer friends* (or "amigos" as we say), or perhaps it's possible to get it from a cat. I know that's not the current medical thinking, but I swear there were a few times right after Elvis got his bug when the little feline bastard deliberately sneezed on me. As in he turned his head right at me and -atchoo!- sick kitty phlegm akimbo.

At first the only symptom was a persistent, shallow cough. As I commonly pick up a short cold with the change of seasons, we simply thought that was the extent of it. And then last Sunday night, head-swelling congestion and the feeling I'd been hit by a truck full of angry Scotsmen.

On Monday, I got the flu diagnosis after the nurse rammed a long Q-tip up my swollen sinus cavities. Came home and rested. Took my codeine cough syrup, which has two side effects: 1) nausea; and 2) constipation. So by midday Tuesday, I was one stopped up dude. And I couldn't keep anything down. Not a single saltine, not a single sip of 7-up. Even after there was nothing left in the chamber, the tummy-gun kept firing. I was dry-heaving nonstop from Noon until we finally went to the ER at around midnight. And by that time I was so dehydrated I couldn't see straight and would try to heave with the slightest movement.

Swedish runs a nice ER, and fortunately it was a slow night. I was processed quickly and they hooked me up with a couple bags of saline and some Zofran for the nausea. It's funny what names I remember from Sam's chemo days.

Raechelle stayed with me the entire time, holding my hand, stroking my arm or my forehead, keeping me upbeat when I was close to panicking (surprise, surprise, I'm not a big fan of hospitals, especially being a patient in one). We talked about the honeymoon and found humor in the weirdest subjects. Not that there was any doubt in my mind, but my girl really went the distance for me, and it totally made the difference in my recovery.

They finally released me at 4:30AM with a shopping list of pharmaceuticals.

I'm not as wobbly today, but just typing this blog post has sapped my morning energy reserve, so I'm gonna go recuperate.

Once again, for the record, I think it was the cat.

* That's a joke. I don't really have countless Mexican farmer friends. Not even several.

Bugs & Such

This week has been one giant battle against the throat bug that has been stalking the countryside like a giant stalking thing. The kids and I are finally on the other side of it, but TFMD was wondering if she wasn't coming down with it now.

Fight it, honey! Fight it!

Speaking of Braveheart (if you're confused, you didn't hit the link above, did you?), that's on the roster for tonight. Complete with commentary from Rae's resident Scot (yours truly) and her actually Scottish co-worker, who is coming over with her hubby for pizza and beer and sweaty kilted Highlanders.

This weekend we have overdue car maintenance and a game night in Ballard, but we're still recovering from the overstimulation of Rae's 34th birthday rockstar party, so some downtime to clean and organize and catch up on some movies will be good.

Not much else to report, except that my knee has recovered pretty well. Raechelle and had a nice walk around the Roxhill Park loop yesterday, and then came home and made soft tacos and margaritas. It was a nice summery (wishful thinking) meal. And we retired to the sanctuary to watch The Office and 30 Rock.

Still having hardware issues with the new computer. But I've been able to get a bunch of graphic work done for the next Duo short. Which is nice.

And that's all I got. Peace out for now.

Weekend Update

This past weekend turned out to be a lot more productive and fun than I'd anticipated, despite the food poisoning.

Let me 'splain.

Friday was a school holiday for the kids, so Tyler had Miles over and Kayleigh had her friend Darian for a sleepover. We made french bread pizza and watched Oliver Stone's W. A bit long, but entertaining and just a tad scary throughout. While I know Stone is something of an iconoclast, much of the dialogue is taken straight from published sources and recordings. I mostly wanted to see it for Josh Brolin, who is amazing.

Saturday we actually slept in past 8:AM (woohoo!), then I made pancakes. Then Darian went home and TFMD and I went up to Ballard, to the office of my friend Brittany, who runs Eiffel Printing & Design. Meanwhile Tyler & Kayleigh took the Metro to their uncle's house - by themselves - for their game afternoon/evening.

After a couple hours of weddingish activities at Eiffel, Rae and I opted for lunch at Blue C. I loves me some Japanese food - even sushi (without the stuff that makes me sick), and I thought I was safe grabbing the cucumber rolls. But no. Shortly after we arrived home, I experienced a shellfish/MSG reaction. Either there was some cross-contamination on the cutting boards, or there was MSG in the sesame noodles or chicken teryaki. Either way, I was out of commission for the rest of the night.

My wonderful woman tucked me in bed, then cuddled up and watched my favorite pirate movie, The Black Swan. Then she went and picked up Dan & Trish from the airport. Then she came home and we proceeded to fall into a comatose state.

Sunday morning came, and I was feeling well enough for coffee with my buddy Ron. We hadn't had a coffee chat Sunday for about a month, so it was good to get together. I got back home to find TFMD had been cleaning and doing her finances. I joined in the fun, then we piled into Sportacus and went to Macy's to find Tyler a pair of khakis and a dress shirt to wear next Saturday for Doug & Ann's reception. He actually liked the corduroy Dockers we found on clearance. And he's now wearing a 30" inseam, a mere 2" shorter than mine. Did I mention that at his last doctor visit two weeks ago, he was 5'9"?

We tagged along with the wimminz for a while, until TFMD started stressing that we were being bored. So Tyler and I wandered out into the mall and got our Julius on. Found a sweet iridescent blue snapcase for my phone, and Kayleigh got a top to wear on Saturday. Mission accomplished.

Then it was home, where cleaning and organization continued. I made a pasta dinner, and then back to the organization yet again. I daresay TFMD will be blogging about that aspect in far more detail, but suffice to say we got a lot organized. We watched some Sunday night animation on Fox, and then it was all about the Zs.

We're off into another week, and it looks like it's gonna go pretty fast.

Fog 'n' Sniffles

It's either a really depressing English pub, or it's what's happening in Seattle right now. We have an inversion layer over the city that has all circulation stopped. As much as I love the usually clean air and breezes coming in off the Puget Sound, there are times when Seattle becomes a really gross carbon layer cake. During these times - usually in the winter - the air quality approximates what I grew up with in San Jose, CA in the early 1970s. Cut-it-with-a-knife grossness.

And it seems everyone I know got (or currently has) The Bug. I've had a throat tickle and sinus congestion since my return from the wilds of West Virginia, and last night I felt like absolute crap, but I'm well on the other side of it now.

A few random blurbs:

Raechelle and Kayleigh packed away the Christmas ornaments last night. Today I will break down the tree and put it away until November 27th, 2009. I'm always sad to pack away the holiday trappings. But that just means we have next year to look forward to.

After months of very spotty checking-in over at the Deep7 forums, I finally announced my engagement to the fans and contributors. Huzzah!

The Stimson-Green Mansion was lovely, and they had an excellent showcase for various wedding vendors. We joked that we could just stay engaged forever and eat catered dinners for free at various wedding venues. However the facility is a bit too small for a wedding of the size we're thinking. Not huge by any stretch, but not tiny either.

Oh and apparently I am Ceiling Cat. Lydia Bruno pointed at the Which Lolcat Are You? quiz, and I took it. Silly me.

A Day of That Variety...

Enjoy the weirdness (weirditude? weirdiocity?) of TBGE over at (My New) Life Out Here. Her first post this morning put me in a really surreal frame of mind. Now, I've seen some pretty weird Google searches that get folks to my blog, and we've kind of had an unofficial contest going to see whose readers were weirder.

She wins.

(Present company excluded.)

Anyway, yesterday started out a bummer and kind of descended from there. All the stress (augmented by my caffeine intake) finally caught up with me, and by about 5PM, I was useless. I did walk to the store with Rae for dinner fixings. Made some grilled cheese sandwiches while she heated up the soup. Then I retreated to the quiet of the bedroom for awhile to watch some classic holiday television programming while Rae supervised Tyler's cake baking and Kayleigh worked on a story she's writing.

I gathered a bit of strength later, enough to help put the kids to bed. But I was out pretty quickly afterward.

Today I started with a cup of Scottish Breakfast Tea, and am steering clear of the bean for a few days. I took Tyler (and his cake) into the Teen Health Center at the high school, and his counselor exclaimed, "Oh, look how handsome you both are!" There I was, un-showered, in my worn jeans and baggy gray hoodie, half-awake and car keys in hand. I'm not used to being called "handsome" all that often, and usually only by my partner. It was nice, of course, but kind of a surreal addition to an already surreal morning.

I guess it's a day of the "WTF?" variety.

I do have a massage today, which should help my outlook dramatically.

Sick Day

Bob Schneider was great. And what was even better was seeing Raechelle enjoy herself.

But due to several factors, I got zero sleep last night. Except for a weird dream where we were at the Bob show, but it was in this big indoor amphitheater which also sold CDs and giant, billboard-sized posters. Two long, semicircular stairways led from the seating below up to the exit. But some folks were climbing up the vertical poster display "slots" which ran up the back wall. Apparently it was a more direct route to the exit. And the edges of the glass slot fronts were strong enough to support one's weight as long as one was very careful not to apply lateral pressure. Some folks made it halfway and gave up. There were sheared off edges that indicated some had fallen. But Raechelle and I climbed carefully and silently, and we made it to the exit.

Anyway, aside from that, I got no sleep. Was dragging so much I couldn't even get the kids up for school, and called an executive sick day. I was supposed to sit on a Gilda's panel tonight, but just can't manage the energy. Which is probably a big relief for the girl, as she's booked every night this week, which only adds to the pre-move stress. So I suggested she stay in tonight and relax. Nothing would please me more than to see her for dinner and share some hugs and smooches, but I'd much rather wait and see her in a couple days if it means she's sane and happy to see me too.

That's love, man!

Took Tyler to his dentist appointment to get a couple fillings and some sealants, but that's all I could muster before returning home to the sofa. I'll chat with Rae tonight on the phone and we'll make a plan to not make any plans this weekend. Except organizing.

Hopefully I'll have more energy tomorrow.

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.

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.

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.