staying on the line
This morning, my buddy Doug needed me to pick him up at Pioneer Auto Body at 8:30am and give him a ride into work. So, being the mindful friend I am, I sat down at my desk at my office this morning and then saw the Lotus Notes reminder for me to pick him up, 12 minutes from now, spit my coffee out, exclaimed “fuck me running”, and scooted back towards Medford to get Doug. Oops. I ended up being about 10 minutes late, but Doug was understanding. “I should have called you and reminded you”, then he smiled and said, “because I know how stupid you are.”
Last night I did my best to take advantage of having no guitar lessons to teach: I made some updates to the Wheelies website, worked some more on the Blackcrow project, did an extremely chilly 4 mile run through the woods, stacked firewood, and I also re-worked two new options for the chase music for the Bryan Harley film.
Here are the two new chase music tracks (if you’d like to listen) – take 2 of original idea and new scary chase track.
I watched Late Spring (which was decent, the tenderness of the film maker’s message about the sadness of family in post-WWII Japan seeps into you). Setsuko Hara, the lead actress, had these very forced smiles throughout the film, that were kind of honestly disturbing at first. But after reading a little more about the role, I understood that was possibly intentional, portraying the pragmatic and formal customs expected of a Japanese woman in this time period.
I spoke with Bubs for a long time last night, we talked about how he got upset the night before and that Daddy would never, ever hang up on him. And last night when it was time to say goodnight, I stayed on the phone until I heard the line go dead. Before I finally heard that click, Bubs kept saying goodbye, waiting and saying, “Are you still there Dad?”
“Sure am Buddy.”
“I love you Dad.”
“I love you too Bubs.”
“OK, goodbye”
“Night buddy.”
…
…
“Still there Dad?”
“Yep.”
“I love you Dad.”
“I love you too Bubs.”
“OK, bye”
“G’Night buddy.”
The visit with the dentist did not go really, really well. In the next two weeks, I’ll be having two root canals and my bottom wisdom teeth extracted as well. I did really like my new dentist a lot.
January 31st, 2008 at 10:26 am
I have nothing more profound or witty to say then…awwwwwe!
You’re a good egg Charlie Brown.
January 31st, 2008 at 10:49 am
Don’t get me started on the dental nightmare. They have the nerve to cause agony out here and charge money for the privilege!
The telephone call and the trust……just keep the line open dearie.
Cheers
January 31st, 2008 at 10:56 am
Yikes about the dentist! Will you be posting while under the influence of nitrous or something fun like that?
January 31st, 2008 at 11:01 am
Sorry about the dentist, not fun at all. Love the call from Bubs, think he’ll test you every call from now on?
January 31st, 2008 at 11:12 am
the phone call gets me. you are guiding your children through all this so well..
January 31st, 2008 at 11:15 am
So unoriginal, but you are such a big sweetie Daddy! That convo should get a chorus of big, fat “Awwwwwwwwwwww”s.
Sorry about your toofes. Sounds bad, but really, I’ve read about how dental crap can wear you down and make you feel like shit before you even realize that it’s a problem.
January 31st, 2008 at 11:19 am
Ever seen “Grave of the Fireflies”? It’s anime, and so damn sad. And brilliant.
It’s set in Japan during WWII.
Don’t watch it with your kids.
January 31st, 2008 at 11:31 am
You use Lotus Notes?!
January 31st, 2008 at 11:57 am
Hate the dentist – damn looks like we are both going to be in some pain over the next few weeks – thank God for medicine!!!
January 31st, 2008 at 11:57 am
I have great teeth..neener.
aww to the bubs..
i have two sons and when they got 10 or 11, I let their father take them for longer periods of time..by the time they were 13 dad had them the majority of time..( i figured how do you learn to be a man living with a woman? )( that sounds very..old fashioned..I’m not really..but I’m a strong strong woman..my sons would have been wusses if i had always had them)
so i remember those types of phone calls.
me and my kids are extremely close btw..so everything’ll turn out fabulous in the end..yanno?
January 31st, 2008 at 11:58 am
awwww crap, that’s cute. I think it’s adorable that you will stay there until he hangs up.
January 31st, 2008 at 12:01 pm
I’m going to have to get the movie. Sounds good.
Ewww on the dentist. Can you bring an iPod in when they do the root canal? Helps distract.
January 31st, 2008 at 12:58 pm
You’re a great Dad, Furious. I’m not trying to get into your pants or anything… I’m just saying.
January 31st, 2008 at 1:23 pm
I wondered where that spray of coffee came from. Thanks man. I really needed to clean my desk again…
I’m excited about your movie score – that’s just hella cool
January 31st, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Oh, I almost fainted over your dental stuff. I can’t find a good one here, having had problems created by the last one I tried.
I want to wail like a baby … ‘I want to go home to my dentist in NZ’, it’s just I can’t afford him back there, nor plane ticket lol. And then there’s the fact that the Belgian government subsidises dentristry here.
January 31st, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Greta – you calling me bald?
Maddy – doing my best i am
Chris – i will absolutely post under the influence, this much is true. don’t ask for the organ while i’m weak tho
Carolyn – oh i bet he will
Slow Panic – i don’t feel like i’m doing much guiding, more recovering from the latest bad stuff
liv – there’s also a lot of research showing how the same plaque in your toofies is related to heart disease, i best keep up the regimen
meno – no i haven’t, that sounds cool and off the beaten path, well enough for me, it’s going on the list
Justin – hey cuz! yeah, i know tell me about it
Mike D. – I’ll take a string of Flyers wins while i’m miserable please
Cynnie – i certainly do hope so
flutter – it just broke my heart so bad the other night, i can’t do anything BUT that
Lorrie – it’s slow, but definitely good. and i better be able to bring my nano in there
corky – …oh, well then… i’ll zip up then…
On a Limb with Claudia – danka!
Di – this guy is great and actually a fellow Armenian like myself!
January 31st, 2008 at 1:55 pm
may i just say the phone call gave me a little lump in my throat for all the right reasons….AND, thank you for being the kind of daddy who makes sure things are ok and your child knows he is loved.
January 31st, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Kids is funny … but it’s a good story.
As for the dental thing – that sucks. I think you need to stock up on ice cream and soft fruit (and of course, the combination can be good, too).
January 31st, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Are you still there? – there’s a lot said in that little sentence. You did good.
I hate dentists. Even nice ones.
January 31st, 2008 at 2:11 pm
lime – aww shucks, you’d do the same thing for your hero
Marty – not sure if cold will do well until the crowns are in, but yeah, i will be a gentle eater for some time
Maggie – nah, Dr. E is great, very nice and the assistant Karen was very gentle
January 31st, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I like the two songs. The first one reminds me of Beastie Boys instrumental tracks, which, if you know me at all, is a compliment.
The second one…I’m listening to it now. It’s kind of Mogwai meets Tricky, with a bit of Glenn Danzig’s Black Aria thrown in for good measure.
Very cool, Van.
January 31st, 2008 at 2:35 pm
mamatulip – those are extremely high compliments, thank you very much.
January 31st, 2008 at 5:29 pm
I can’t get the first song to play for me, but I love how Mama Tulip described the second one.
I’m sorry about the dentist stuff. Yuck!
I love that you stayed on the phone until you heard the click. You are an awesome dad and also an awesome person.
January 31st, 2008 at 5:55 pm
tori – thanks tori, it’s tough, but i want bubs to know that his daddy loves him with all his heart
January 31st, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Awwww, Bubs is a sweet little angel.
So sorry about the dental nightmare!
Going to listen to yer tunes now….
January 31st, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Love the music, Van…that second song is *so* great…I dunno, I was almost reminded of Sisters of Mercy…I love the drama/tension of the sound.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:07 pm
You’re quite surprising furious. Fonzie one day this the next.
Nice work on the phone call. Parenting and dental work can both be so difficult. At least with one they give you laughing gas.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:20 pm
I shall rephrase.
You are a good hairy egg, Charlie Brown.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:22 pm
*makes mental note about spandex request post-dental work*
January 31st, 2008 at 7:18 pm
You are a really, really nice man. A ray of hope. Thanks.
January 31st, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Thanks for the quilt pics. I actually read her blog, but hadn’t clicked on the picture links. How do you find this stuff? It must be my influence…unless now you’re reading quilting blogs too?
January 31st, 2008 at 8:52 pm
canarygirl – he really is a sweet guy, love him so much
and thanks for listening, i think i was thinking of Front 242 for the weird bassline
Kiki – i try to bring Fonzie into everyday, but ehhhh…
Greta – perfect
Chris – *notes to hide camera from self on day of dental surgery*
Catherine – thank you, that was very sweet of you to say so
Carolyn – i’m not sure where that link came from, I think the BoingBoing feed
January 31st, 2008 at 11:09 pm
What, no gratuitous spandex shots tonight?
What else are we coming here for?
Oh, right. The laundry list of things to be done inside your mouth.
Er, by the dentist, I mean.
That sucks.
Well, I assume that sucks.
The worst thing a dentist has ever done to me is floss.
Then he takes a polaroid of me (I make sure to close my legs – those dentist chairs can lead to some seriously unflattering poses) and posts it in the No Cavity Club!
February 1st, 2008 at 12:13 am
I love that phone conversation.
Hey, I managed the Blogger to Blogger move, with no cutting and pasting and no loss of my original URL. Yea!
February 1st, 2008 at 1:13 am
Wear your spandex to the dental sessions. Utterly distracted, they’ll drill you gently.
February 1st, 2008 at 1:17 am
Oooh, someone mentioned Grave of the Fireflies. Sakes alive that was depressing. Someone gave it to us for Christmas and it was SUCH a downer. Ow.
That bit about you and Bubs was very touching. Really touching. You’re a good egg.
February 1st, 2008 at 1:50 am
commenting so you know i’m still here–staying on the line
February 1st, 2008 at 8:00 am
This is why I refuse to visit the dentist.
February 1st, 2008 at 8:51 am
Better lay off the cotton candy.
Glad to know you and Bubs are better. =o)
February 1st, 2008 at 9:03 am
Bubs – cute.
Dentist – shudder.
That’s all.
February 1st, 2008 at 10:48 am
Jay – as previously mentioned to Chris, wait for the nitrous
CS – nice job amiga, let me know if you need anything else
Jocelyn – wait isn’t “Drill You Gently” a Tenacious D song? oh no I remembered the title wrong
dorky dad – just checked the library only has it in VHS, groan.
V-Grrrl – you still there?
Franki – yeah, that’s why i waited 3 years between visits
Christy – hey, i got my tickets yesterday for Cat Power – woo!
Jazz – thank you
February 1st, 2008 at 11:46 am
February 1st, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Your conversation with Bubs makes me all warm inside.
You are an amazing father.
February 1st, 2008 at 9:15 pm
I read through that diet twice and I’m confused. Where’s the chocolate?
I did a post today giving the instructions for the blog changeover, and acknowledged your help.
February 2nd, 2008 at 12:38 am
You are something, you know that? And ow for the root canals… sorry about that.
February 2nd, 2008 at 8:42 am
elenaberenice –
Jenny – are you sure that isn’t the cabbage soup?
CS – well coll, thanks
Mary – I do the best I can, if you knew my kids, you’d see it’s not that hard to be good to them at all
February 13th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Hey There~
I was scanning a few of your posts. They really remind me of my husband. Both of us are musicians—he’s the rock kind, and I am the classically trained kind.
When his life left him, he found himself trying to deal with spending three months at a time away from his kids. It literally tore him apart. It wasn’t like he could hop in the car and surprise them either—his ex literally lived on the other side of the country.
Hang in there, it will get better.
February 13th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
I meant to say, “when his WIFE left him”
*sheesh*
February 14th, 2008 at 10:16 am
Mrs. H – that’s so cool you both play. i’m in pain basically every day, so i know exactly what you mean. it’s tough.
February 17th, 2008 at 2:29 am
[...] thoroughly gifted individual before, I would recommend that you start here at his post entitled “staying on the line,” because everybody has a complicated [...]