ice cream

If you love ice cream and have to go without it for a long while. You eventually realize you can live without it. Life does goes on. But when you do get a taste of it again you have that "wow" factor of - this is simply incredible... and you come to realize "I appreciate this far more than I did when I used to have it any time".

Funny how that works...

Walks on the Beach & Snuggling

Damn, "You and I Both" is such a good song. Every time I hear it I just enjoy it and I never get tired of it. Really smooth songwriting by Mraz.

While reading over some old emails a few days ago, I crossed paths with one where I was asked if I were a 'romantic'. I thought I answered pretty honestly but I may have been a bit understated at that time. Maybe I was holding back a little - slightly unsure of the situation or what was unfolding. I realize now that I am far more romantic than I would like to admit. I love sentimental things. I do find meaning in almost everything like songs, places, and favorite foods. I love mix tapes and mix CDs. I love grand gestures and blowing a person away with your deep heartfelt feelings. I am the kind of person who would do anything to make you smile. I can fall deep and fall hard. At my core I am a sappy person who can be a cheeseball. I enjoy a romantic comedy as much as anybody does - don't admit but I do. Quite possibly I had done a good job of covering that part of myself up that it rarely came up to play.

I think I most certainly was understating when I was asked the first time. I will get the opportunity to flex these muscles again as I try to rebuild things.

You and I Both

Here is the funny, ironic thing, today my special friend was on my mind fairly often. This one's for her...

Fathers Day

I had an incredibly wonderful father's day yesterday. We all went for a walk and took the doggie to a dog park, he almost got attacked by a 200 lb Mastiff, which would have been bad but it was funny to see him stand up to a 200 lb dog, impressive little bastard. We went over to the pool and that was nice. My parents drove up and my mother made my favorite meal, lasagna. The Mets-Yankess gmae was on tv yesterday, even though we lost I loved the fact that I could see it on national tv.

I got a super cool lego kit for the Empire State Building, built it with my little one and it now sits on my desk. It was picked out for me because of the NYC connection plus its my favorite building back home. I also received a tickets to see the Mets play the Braves in Atlanta, with seats right behind home plate. I was sort of blown away by the gifts and stuff from my wife yesterday, it was over the top but so much appreciated. It was an awesome day all around. Even watched an episode of Miami Vice last night which took place... where else New York City ! Perfect day.

For all that has gone on it was a very very nice day enjoyed by everyone. I enjoyed every minute of it.

I am a flawed character but I try so hard to be a good father. I wish I was better but at least I can say that I try my best even if I fail at times.

At the end of the night yesterday I was walking the dog and walking back towards the house the moon sat so amazingly large... like a huge beach ball.... right over the house, it was amazing, the moonlight was so bright it was reflecting off the roof. It was both beautiful and breathtaking at the same time. Those are the gems you don't miss when you walk a dog late at night. There are gems everywhere and all around us.

I completed a very cool drawing that I may turn into a full blown painting. I haven't decided yet but it conceptually has promise. I was supposed to review drawings today but I have been avoiding it like the plague... too boring for me on a Monday. It seems I was successful, the workday is nearly over.

Creative Career

I was watching this fabulous documentary about advertising and when it reaches certain heights it is "art". It talked a lot about how advertising is really about human connection and not purely the "sale". The idea of touching mass people and bringing millions of people together through experience is pretty impressive idea. The documentary was much more than I had hoped for.

Part of a creative career, the inside part, is the core of "why" you do it. A thought I have recently read about hit a note with me. When one has a career that allows you to create something "real" in the physical world it is a way of "cheating death". I create things that will last beyond my lifetime and touch people's lives that I will never meet. That ripple effect is extremely powerful and fuels the "why do I do this" every day. I think most certainly my desire is to "cheat death" and live beyond what I will be limited to in this life. This concept is a perfect snapshot for me. It applies to both my career and my art.

Times like These

Recent Mood

As you can tell recently I have been in a visual mood. Not writing as much but sharing with music and visuals. Today I can summarize how I feel with the song "Times like These". It is perfect for my frame of mind right now on this very day.

Happy Friday !

" Always On Your Side "

Jackson Five - ABC

Eye of the Storm

So as I mentioned yesterday, I feel like I am (metaphorically speaking) in the eye of a storm right now in my life. Last night while running the skies turned deep navy blue and the air got real cool. A thunderstorm was brewing while I was mid-way away from home. I kept on running and had faith I'd get back before it down poured. While on the way I was struck with the beauty of the skies and the coolness of the air and the sense of the storm coming. So wonderful and I did make it home in time.

That was the upside of the night... here's the downside. As I was helping a friend load her car, the rain had slowed down. I looked over a noticed a very large portion of a huge tree branch lying across the roof of my car. I would say about a 14' long brand landed on the my car denting the roof in right behind the sun roof. I dragged it off and dragged it over to the curb (a very long way) and then checked out the damage.

So now I need to take the old car to a body shop to repair this act of god.

You win some you lose some.

Alone or not

Today started in a strange way as a small gnat flew into my right eye and that sucked. Later this evening as I went for a run another small bug flew into my other eye - I mean c'mon, seriously ? How can that happen two times one in each eye in the same damn day ?? how does that happen ? I mean what are the odds ?

I watched the end of "Up in the Air" tonight and it was a really good movie, very well written. The notion and philosophy of the main character (George Clooney) is very interesting. The notion that we are all alone and relationships are not really necessary. The main character states the people we have in our lives are baggage that weigh you down. I find it interesting because in some ways we are all alone, I agree with that notion - But - I do believe that true meaning in life comes from how we impact other people's lives in a positive way. So in my mind our relationships are critical to the footprints we leave in this world. It isn't left in what we do or what we create but out footprints are left in the people we touch.