Tag: thoughts

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Chatting With Lexi: The Grumpus

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Guess which one is the Grumpus.

There is this wonderful Friends episode where Freddie Prinze, Jr., as a nanny, introduces these two puppet characters: Mr. Wigglemunch and the Grumpus. Mr. Wigglemunch seems to be a friendly sort who speaks in a high pitched voice and espouses knowledge. “What’s the only boat that will never sink? A friendSHIP.” While our friend the Grumpus is just as his name suggests, an eternal grump for whom nothing will ever suffice. And I’m afraid Lexi has a kinship with the Grumpus, more so lately.

Me: You’re done with your screen time for today. You’ve had more than enough.

Lexi: NO I haven’t! I’m going to watch more.

Me: No you’re not. You’re going to turn that iPad off and find something constructive to do.

Lexi: Can’t I do my educational app instead?

Me: Uh, no. You’re going to turn the iPad off.

Lexi: Well, do I get more screen time later?

Me: You’ve had enough for the day.

Lexi: BUT IT’S NOT FAIR!

Me: You know what’s really not fair? That I have to argue with you about this.

Lexi: But I’ve only had an hour today, and I’m supposed to get two.

Me: No, your limit is two hours. That doesn’t mean you need or deserve those two hours every day. You need to find other ways to stimulate your brain.

Lexi: I’m not going to do anything then.

Me: Okay. Continue reading “Chatting With Lexi: The Grumpus”

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Blowing Kisses

“It’s like I’m blowing kisses in the wind, giving you love that you haven’t been given. I cross my heart and hope to die. I’m only wishing you’d love me like I… Blowing kisses in the wind. Waiting, waiting, waiting for you is like blowing, blowing kisses.” ~Paula Abdul Paula Abdul was my adolescence. “Rush, … Continue reading Blowing Kisses

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Capital G

“Well, I used to stand for something. Now I’m on my hands and knees, turning in my god for this one, and he signs his name with a Capital G.” ~Nine Inch Nails You know god, the guy in the sky who looks down over us and says stuff like “It’s good.” From the time … Continue reading Capital G

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Walk On

“And I know it aches, and your heart it breaks. You can only take so much. Walk on.” ~U2 I went for a walk this morning for the first time in it seems like forever. It used to be a regular occurrence a few years ago when I started in the early summer and stopped … Continue reading Walk On

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A Meaningful Death

“I would rather die a meaningful death than to live a meaningless life.” ~Corazon Aquino

in_memoriam (1)I realized this past week that I can die, and I don’t mean in the sense that anyone who is born will eventually die, but in the sense that a bus can hit me tomorrow and I could be gone. It wouldn’t matter how young I am, or how fit I am, or even how many people love and cherish me. Once my time comes it comes, and while I’d rather it be sixty years from now when I die in my sleep it could honestly be tomorrow, and what do I have to show for my life to this point?

When I got married my wife insisted that we have a lawyer draft our wills. I had never thought about my worldly possessions before. I mean, I owned an old Ford Probe that worked half of the time, a VCR that was completely broken, and a bevy of CDs, books, and video tapes that were probably worth a fourth of what I paid for them when they were new. But my wife explained it well enough for even me to get. It wasn’t about what I owned right now, my physical property. It was about preparing for life after my death, about naming beneficiaries, about life insurance funds, and about making sure my final wishes would be carried out.

In other words, it was really heavy stuff. Concrete even. And as we sat in his office, our lawyer outlined everything for us in black and white, how things would go in the event of my death, untimely or not. When he said the word “untimely” I wondered if a death was ever timely, if it ever really was just someone’s time to go, or if even then it was untimely. I spent the time thinking of those things instead of dwelling on the inevitable, that at some point the only pieces of me left in this world will be memories and experiences, and even those will fade in time.

How do I live a meaningful life where what I do makes a difference in other people’s lives, so that when I die my spirit will live on through positive memories? Continue reading “A Meaningful Death”