Dear Mini-Me and The Wubster,
I had a blast playing Star Wars with you tonight with the action figures. First and foremost, thank you for letting me be Jango Fett. He's got a cool helmet and a jet pack...I'm proud of your willingness to share. Speaking of, Mini-Me, your willingness to share Captain Rex with The Wubster impressed me as well. You guys both did a great job of sharing tonight.
As we played, I'm sure you noticed my skillfully created weaponry sounds, deftly switching from rapid-fire lasers to concussive photon blasts to booming bazookas. Don't worry, boys. One day, I'll share the secrets of these skills, but for now, just rest assured that my arsenal's got your backs when we're surrounded by droidekas!
Of course, the best part of tonight's adventure was the victory dance party. Wubster, having Captain Rex perform the Cabbage Patch topped my clone trooper Hammer Dance, but Mini-Me, you really knocked it out of the park when your clone trooper brought out the confetti canon. Our celebration was better than anything those Ewoks could ever throw!
Sleep tight tonight, we've got missions to complete tomorrow.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
It's Time to Start the Music
Dear Jim Henson,
The boys saw a preview for The Muppets tonight and were thrilled at the prospect of going to see the film. I'm thrilled at the prospect of sharing your legacy with them. The Muppet Show, The Great Muppet Caper, and The Muppets Take Manhattan shaped my childhood as much as Star Wars.
Thank you for sharing your passion and imagination with us!
P.S. My college friend Dave has an amazing project to count down the days to the film's release. I'm sure you'd approve!
The boys saw a preview for The Muppets tonight and were thrilled at the prospect of going to see the film. I'm thrilled at the prospect of sharing your legacy with them. The Muppet Show, The Great Muppet Caper, and The Muppets Take Manhattan shaped my childhood as much as Star Wars.
Thank you for sharing your passion and imagination with us!
P.S. My college friend Dave has an amazing project to count down the days to the film's release. I'm sure you'd approve!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Believing is Seeing
Dear St. Louis Cardinals,
For the majority of my childhood, my family lived in the Dallas suburbs. Once I started truly paying attention to sports I was in high school (early 90s) and the Cowboys were on the verge of a run of Super Bowl dominance, the Stars arrived to teach me about hockey, and the Rangers built a new mecca where I spent much of the Summer before college. The Texas teams were MY teams.
Despite all the cheering in and for Texas, though, I harbored a Cardinals Connection. My maternal relatives lived in the St. Louis area which meant annual visits to the Gateway City, my dad grew up in Missouri, cheering on Stan Musial, and during my 6th and 7th grade years we lived in the St. Louis suburbs.
I faintly remember early trips to Texas Rangers games in what seemed to be the all-aluminum stadium prior to The Ballpark in Arlington. In those years, I remember cheering on Nolan Ryan, Jose Canseco, Rafael Palmiero, Kevin Brown, and Pudge Rodriquez. While my first major league game was probably in Texas, my clearest early memories of attending major league baseball games are of Busch Stadium and the Cardinals, of meeting Todd Worrell during a 6th grade field trip to a local hospital (his wife had just had a baby), of watching Ozzie Smith, Vince Coleman, Willie McGee, Tom Brunansky, and John Tudor.
When we lived in Missouri during my middle school years, I spent most of my time hanging out with Johnny and Jay, brothers who lived at the opposite end of our street. We were inseparable; spending our days playing G.I. Joe, M.A.S.K., or Transformers, exploring the creek that ran alongside our street, skateboarding (for transportation more than Gleaming any Cubes), and cutting a hole in my fence to make it easier to go to Dairy Queen for Full Meal Deals and Altered Beast.
At some point in our adventures, my dad took us to Busch Stadium to see the Cardinals play. I don't recall the opponent, the snacks, the weather, or the final score, but what I'll always remember are the souvenirs. Johnny, Jay, and I each got a red and white Cardinals batting glove that day. We wore those gloves home. We wore them the next day. We wore them most of the rest of the summer. We became "The Red Glove Club."
I recently found a photo of the three of us wearing our gloves, arms around each others shoulders, legs kicking, Rockettes style. We were quite the trio. The glove itself is in storage in the basement, but every time I run across it, I can't help but smile.
As the 2011 baseball season drew to a close, I watched excitedly as the Rangers finished out another great season and I nervously peeked through my fingers to watch you claw your way back from 10.5 games out to claim the NL Wild Card spot.
I cringed after the Rangers' first game against Tampa Bay, but was relieved to see them resume form and win the series easily. Watching you play the Phillies, I was a bundle of nerves on the edge of my couch until the final out of Carpenter's Game 5 gem to claim a spot in the NLCS.
I bet my sister-in-law's Michigan-born boyfriend a case of beer that the Rangers would beat the Tigers and I whooped and hollered with each game-winning home run by Nelson Cruz.Watching you play the Brewers, I was a bundle of nerves wrapped in a blanket of anxiety on the edge of my couch until you guys trounced the Brew-crew in game 6 to claim a spot in the World Series.
As my childhood dream came true and you and the Rangers were scheduled to meet in the World Series, it clearly became a win-win situation for me. I was going to be happy no matter who won, right? With the first pitch of Game 1, though, it was obvious my loyalties are entirely with you.
Watching you play the offensive powerhouse, 1st-to-3rd prodigy, destiny-guided Rangers, I was a bundle of nerves wrapped in a blanket of anxiety surrounded by the buzz of adrenaline on the edge of my couch. The series quickly developed into the best roller coaster I've ever ridden, peaking with your epic come-from-behind win on the shoulders of David Freese in Game 6. I've never been, nor have I seen Rach, as excited as after that 11th-inning home run.
To cap off the childhood dream, your Game 6 victory meant spending a crisp, October Friday night at Game 7 of the World Series in Busch Stadium, the field where Mini-Me, The Wubster, and Mickey [TKNTD] all experienced their first baseball games. It meant experiencing history with my dad, the man who took me to my first baseball game and the man without whom there would be no "Red Glove Club". It turned out to be a glorious night, boys, and a glorious end to a dream come true.
Thank you for teaching us about perseverance, hope, and tenacity this season.
Thank you for the nerves, anxiety, and adrenaline.
Thank you for memories I'll share with my kids as we enjoy Cardinals games next year and beyond.
Thank you for being my team.
Yours truly,
D
For the majority of my childhood, my family lived in the Dallas suburbs. Once I started truly paying attention to sports I was in high school (early 90s) and the Cowboys were on the verge of a run of Super Bowl dominance, the Stars arrived to teach me about hockey, and the Rangers built a new mecca where I spent much of the Summer before college. The Texas teams were MY teams.
Despite all the cheering in and for Texas, though, I harbored a Cardinals Connection. My maternal relatives lived in the St. Louis area which meant annual visits to the Gateway City, my dad grew up in Missouri, cheering on Stan Musial, and during my 6th and 7th grade years we lived in the St. Louis suburbs.
I faintly remember early trips to Texas Rangers games in what seemed to be the all-aluminum stadium prior to The Ballpark in Arlington. In those years, I remember cheering on Nolan Ryan, Jose Canseco, Rafael Palmiero, Kevin Brown, and Pudge Rodriquez. While my first major league game was probably in Texas, my clearest early memories of attending major league baseball games are of Busch Stadium and the Cardinals, of meeting Todd Worrell during a 6th grade field trip to a local hospital (his wife had just had a baby), of watching Ozzie Smith, Vince Coleman, Willie McGee, Tom Brunansky, and John Tudor.
When we lived in Missouri during my middle school years, I spent most of my time hanging out with Johnny and Jay, brothers who lived at the opposite end of our street. We were inseparable; spending our days playing G.I. Joe, M.A.S.K., or Transformers, exploring the creek that ran alongside our street, skateboarding (for transportation more than Gleaming any Cubes), and cutting a hole in my fence to make it easier to go to Dairy Queen for Full Meal Deals and Altered Beast.
At some point in our adventures, my dad took us to Busch Stadium to see the Cardinals play. I don't recall the opponent, the snacks, the weather, or the final score, but what I'll always remember are the souvenirs. Johnny, Jay, and I each got a red and white Cardinals batting glove that day. We wore those gloves home. We wore them the next day. We wore them most of the rest of the summer. We became "The Red Glove Club."
I recently found a photo of the three of us wearing our gloves, arms around each others shoulders, legs kicking, Rockettes style. We were quite the trio. The glove itself is in storage in the basement, but every time I run across it, I can't help but smile.
As the 2011 baseball season drew to a close, I watched excitedly as the Rangers finished out another great season and I nervously peeked through my fingers to watch you claw your way back from 10.5 games out to claim the NL Wild Card spot.
I cringed after the Rangers' first game against Tampa Bay, but was relieved to see them resume form and win the series easily. Watching you play the Phillies, I was a bundle of nerves on the edge of my couch until the final out of Carpenter's Game 5 gem to claim a spot in the NLCS.
I bet my sister-in-law's Michigan-born boyfriend a case of beer that the Rangers would beat the Tigers and I whooped and hollered with each game-winning home run by Nelson Cruz.Watching you play the Brewers, I was a bundle of nerves wrapped in a blanket of anxiety on the edge of my couch until you guys trounced the Brew-crew in game 6 to claim a spot in the World Series.
As my childhood dream came true and you and the Rangers were scheduled to meet in the World Series, it clearly became a win-win situation for me. I was going to be happy no matter who won, right? With the first pitch of Game 1, though, it was obvious my loyalties are entirely with you.
Watching you play the offensive powerhouse, 1st-to-3rd prodigy, destiny-guided Rangers, I was a bundle of nerves wrapped in a blanket of anxiety surrounded by the buzz of adrenaline on the edge of my couch. The series quickly developed into the best roller coaster I've ever ridden, peaking with your epic come-from-behind win on the shoulders of David Freese in Game 6. I've never been, nor have I seen Rach, as excited as after that 11th-inning home run.
To cap off the childhood dream, your Game 6 victory meant spending a crisp, October Friday night at Game 7 of the World Series in Busch Stadium, the field where Mini-Me, The Wubster, and Mickey [TKNTD] all experienced their first baseball games. It meant experiencing history with my dad, the man who took me to my first baseball game and the man without whom there would be no "Red Glove Club". It turned out to be a glorious night, boys, and a glorious end to a dream come true.
Thank you for teaching us about perseverance, hope, and tenacity this season.
Thank you for the nerves, anxiety, and adrenaline.
Thank you for memories I'll share with my kids as we enjoy Cardinals games next year and beyond.
Thank you for being my team.
Yours truly,
D
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Dear Parenthood,
Despite the craziness that comes with super-stimulated dinnertime meltdowns and hyperenergetic "diapershield" battles* and overtired bedtime breakdowns and general kid tantrums, I can't thank you enough for providing me with soundbites like this:
Wubster: "Daddy, if the fire alarm goes off, when the fire alarm goes off, we have to, we cover our ears, an' we have to leave, we, it's loud, we cover our ears, an' we have to go outside, an' the 'larms light up, an' it's loud, an' there's a fire, an' we have to line up an' go outside, an' our teachers say 'go outside', an' we cover our ears an' we go outside, an' the firemans come, an' the lights go off, an' we can't hear the 'larms outside, but the firemans can, an' they go inside, an' they fix the building, they fix the hole in the building from the fire, an' then we can go back in."
Or this:
"Wubster, if there was a guy with a gun and he was going to shoot us, I would stop him and I would kick the gun away and I would save you. I would save you, Wubster. I would save all of us, but I would really save you, Wubster, because I love you."
"Thank you for wuving me, Mini-Me."
* The boys have decided immense fun can be had carrying around packs of Mickey's diapers as shields and attacking me with them.
Despite the craziness that comes with super-stimulated dinnertime meltdowns and hyperenergetic "diapershield" battles* and overtired bedtime breakdowns and general kid tantrums, I can't thank you enough for providing me with soundbites like this:
Wubster: "Daddy, if the fire alarm goes off, when the fire alarm goes off, we have to, we cover our ears, an' we have to leave, we, it's loud, we cover our ears, an' we have to go outside, an' the 'larms light up, an' it's loud, an' there's a fire, an' we have to line up an' go outside, an' our teachers say 'go outside', an' we cover our ears an' we go outside, an' the firemans come, an' the lights go off, an' we can't hear the 'larms outside, but the firemans can, an' they go inside, an' they fix the building, they fix the hole in the building from the fire, an' then we can go back in."
Or this:
"Wubster, if there was a guy with a gun and he was going to shoot us, I would stop him and I would kick the gun away and I would save you. I would save you, Wubster. I would save all of us, but I would really save you, Wubster, because I love you."
"Thank you for wuving me, Mini-Me."
* The boys have decided immense fun can be had carrying around packs of Mickey's diapers as shields and attacking me with them.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
A Month of Letters
Dear November,
If you haven't noticed, I decided to use you and your NaBloPoMo (sister to NaNoWriMo) challenge to write some letters.
As you approached, I realized I hadn't been taking full advantage of my knowledge of English, Qwerty keyboards, and Internet-based publishing technology. I also hadn't properly thanked the important nouns in my life.
November...you are one of my important nouns. You mean so much to me in this moment. Heck. I'm even thankful for you.
I hope you don't mind me saying so, November, but right now...at 3:05 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8, 2011...I think you're pretty special. Even when you're gloomy and damp like the past couple days.
Actually, November, I was so surprised to see you when you showed up on my doorstep the other morning. It's hard to fathom that it's been nearly a year since we last spent time together. After you didn't call me back I moved on. But, alas, time flies as time is wont to do, and we should make the most of your visit.
Just one request, November...keep your pants on this time.
Yours truly,
Doug
If you haven't noticed, I decided to use you and your NaBloPoMo (sister to NaNoWriMo) challenge to write some letters.
As you approached, I realized I hadn't been taking full advantage of my knowledge of English, Qwerty keyboards, and Internet-based publishing technology. I also hadn't properly thanked the important nouns in my life.
November...you are one of my important nouns. You mean so much to me in this moment. Heck. I'm even thankful for you.
I hope you don't mind me saying so, November, but right now...at 3:05 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8, 2011...I think you're pretty special. Even when you're gloomy and damp like the past couple days.
Actually, November, I was so surprised to see you when you showed up on my doorstep the other morning. It's hard to fathom that it's been nearly a year since we last spent time together. After you didn't call me back I moved on. But, alas, time flies as time is wont to do, and we should make the most of your visit.
Just one request, November...keep your pants on this time.
Yours truly,
Doug
Monday, November 7, 2011
Running with Wild Things
Dear Mickey (TKNTD),
You're doing quite well keeping up with your brothers whether it be running, climbing, spinning, walking backwards, swinging foam-noodle light-sabers, driving 'baby cars', throwing balls, destroying Lego creations, or leaving 'stuff' strewn all about the house.
You're also quite helpful when it comes to supervising activities. Mrs. Donna raves about your helpfulness during diaper changing duties for the other kids and at home you always make sure mommy and I practice our one-armed cleaning, cooking, and living techniques. You love to be right in the middle of all that goes on and with the amount of activity in our house, there's plenty of middle for you to dive into!
Your mom and I were super impressed, although it shouldn't have been a big surprise, when you started demanding to sit on the potty like your big brothers recently. I guess we were most impressed that you actually started using it (and washing your hands after) before you were even 18-months-old. Your brothers still need to work on that!
You impress us every day with your energy, excitement, and enthusiasm. We can't wait to see what you'll do next!
Love you tons,
Dad
You're doing quite well keeping up with your brothers whether it be running, climbing, spinning, walking backwards, swinging foam-noodle light-sabers, driving 'baby cars', throwing balls, destroying Lego creations, or leaving 'stuff' strewn all about the house.
You're also quite helpful when it comes to supervising activities. Mrs. Donna raves about your helpfulness during diaper changing duties for the other kids and at home you always make sure mommy and I practice our one-armed cleaning, cooking, and living techniques. You love to be right in the middle of all that goes on and with the amount of activity in our house, there's plenty of middle for you to dive into!
Your mom and I were super impressed, although it shouldn't have been a big surprise, when you started demanding to sit on the potty like your big brothers recently. I guess we were most impressed that you actually started using it (and washing your hands after) before you were even 18-months-old. Your brothers still need to work on that!
You impress us every day with your energy, excitement, and enthusiasm. We can't wait to see what you'll do next!
Love you tons,
Dad
Sunday, November 6, 2011
GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!
Dear Mini-Me,
I'm so proud of you for playing so well during your first indoor soccer game today. I asked you before the game to try your best and to work on being more aggressive, attacking the ball instead of being so polite about sharing the ball with the other team like in outdoor.
You did a fantastic job. You got right in the middle of a number of scrums. You cleared the ball when it was in your end. You weren't afraid to fight for the ball along the wall. You ran hard.
As a reward for all your effort, you even scored your first goal ever!
Your mom, Grandma Barb, and Grandpa Mike said it was fantastic...I didn't actually see you score. I was busy looking down because I couldn't believe your team had just kicked the ball into an opponents face for the third time in the game. Apparently you took the rebound off his face and, finding everyone distracted like me, buried it into the back of the net.
I hope you're as proud of yourself as we are of you.
Great job, buddy!
Love,
Dad
I'm so proud of you for playing so well during your first indoor soccer game today. I asked you before the game to try your best and to work on being more aggressive, attacking the ball instead of being so polite about sharing the ball with the other team like in outdoor.
You did a fantastic job. You got right in the middle of a number of scrums. You cleared the ball when it was in your end. You weren't afraid to fight for the ball along the wall. You ran hard.
As a reward for all your effort, you even scored your first goal ever!
Your mom, Grandma Barb, and Grandpa Mike said it was fantastic...I didn't actually see you score. I was busy looking down because I couldn't believe your team had just kicked the ball into an opponents face for the third time in the game. Apparently you took the rebound off his face and, finding everyone distracted like me, buried it into the back of the net.
I hope you're as proud of yourself as we are of you.
Great job, buddy!
Love,
Dad
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