Month: August 2023

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personal

You’re kidding me

Phrasing!

Me: Did you pack your lunch?
Him: Yes.
Me: Are you sure you packed your lunch?
Him: Yes!

The boy got strep throat the other day. It was a comedy of errors.

I’d dropped him off at his summer camp and I just arrived home when I got a call from one of the camp counselors.

Her: Your son said he left his lunch on the bench.
Me: You’re kidding me. (walk over to bench) Jesus Christ…
Her: It’s ok, we can buy him…
Me: (interrupting) No, it’s fine. I’ll come back and bring him his lunch. (hang up) *grumble*

So, off I went again to drop off his lunch.

An hour later I get another call.

Her: Your son said he doesn’t feel well.
Me: You’re kidding me.
Her: He said his head hurts and he has a sore throat.
Me: OK, I can be there at 2PM.
Her: Great. We’ll tell him.

Managed to get a doctor’s appointment that afternoon and we saw the doc less than 30 minutes after I picked him up.

That was a bit of good news/luck in an otherwise unlucky day.

Her: Yup, he’s got strep. It’s pretty common. He’ll be fine after 24 hours but you gotta make sure he continues to take the meds for the full 10 days.
Me: Got it, Doc.

What stinks is that that the very next day, we had three orchestra tix for a show that he was dying to see – and they were ridonk expensive for just an hour show.

Him: I can’t go?!
Me: Sorry, kiddo. We don’t wanna ruin other people’s summer vacation, do we?
Him: (sadly) I guess not.
Me: I’ll make it up to you, kid. Promise.

Then, the Firecracker and I started feeling off so we managed to get a doctor’s appointment for ourselves that same day.

There were two funny things about that doctor’s office – the first is that it was the same office I went to when I got into that scooter accident. They turned me away because I had a head injury.

The second funny thing was that there were pictures of TV and movie doctors everywhere.

Anywho, it turns out that neither of us had staph, we were just being waaay too cautious – I had stayed home with the kid for a couplea days until we got the results back just so as not to get anyone else sick.

After we left the doctor’s office, we walked around looking for my favourite bottle of rum.

The kid’s fine now, and back in camp.

As for me, I’ve been pretty good lately, although both the kid’s and my not feeling well meant that the pad got a little messy.

Her: Logan, can’t you clean up? Go put your nuts against the wall.
Me: (laughing)
Her: Your can of nuts, sitting in the middle of your countertop!
Me: Phrasing, Firecracker, phrasing!

She sent this to me recently on IG. I’m gonna assume that means she wants to keep me around.

Location: The gym, for the first time in days
Mood: headachey
Music: I ruin good things ’cause I feel guilty when I’m happy (Spotify)
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personal

Running into a possible past

Making the right choice

Me: Sometimes, I wonder what my life woulda been like if I went to Dresden for that LLM.
Her: Well, there’d be no [son], no Alison, and no Firecracker.
Me: Maybe I’d have a son named, “Hansel.”

My kid went to a bday party around the way today and it was an interesting experience, at least for me.

Years ago, my buddies Johnny, RE Mike, Sheridan, and I all met up a few blocks south of my pad to check out a building that was for sale.

We were potentially gonna buy it, back before everything went to hell and I actually had some scratch.

We almost bought it, but Johnny felt it woulda been too much work. He wasn’t wrong per se but, in hindsight, I wish we did it.

Then again, Johnny and RE Mike never did get along.

Anywho, the reason I was thinking alla this is because the party took place inside the building we once almost bought.

It was markedly different/better than when I first saw it.

Most of the building was renovated with the first floor rented out to a small business.

Alla the things that Johnny was concerned about were addressed and it was fascinating to see the directions the new owners went in.

I spend a lotta time thinking about my possible pasts; what my life would have been like had I taken one path over another.

Used to do it pretty often when I was younger but, as the years go on and the branches accumulate, I find myself there in more situations.


Still, I can’t imagine a life without my son or Alison.

And the Firecracker has been an unexpectedly nice surprise in my life.

Her: (laughs) Yes, but he wouldn’t be [your son], he would have been someone different.
Me: Then I made the right choice then.

Speaking of Dresden, the Firecracker and I’ve been discussing heading to Europe together at some point while her friend was away and staying at the friend’s pad.

I’ll let you know if that happens.

Location: A building I almost bought before my old life ended
Mood: pensive
Music: Down like the sun at the end of the day (Spotify)
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personal

Dinner at Iris’ and then a walk

40-60 Hours?!

Me: Hey, it’s Restaurant Week again.
Her: We should go out…oh, wait, that should be our thing!

Last week was pretty roasting so this week is a welcome respite from the heat.

Having said that, it was the last week we had without our kids so we went out to eat at Iris Restaurant in midtown.

The cuisine was Mediterranean, which is amongst my faves.

Pretty much everything was killer.

Afterward, we ended up walking home and stopping by The Shops at Columbus Circle, particularly Williams-Sonoma.

Me: I like looking at all the stuff I can’t afford, and can’t fit into my tiny apartment.
Her: But it’s still nice to look. (later) Hey – F for Firecracker!

The boy came back not soon afterward, as did her son.

It’s nice to have a bit of time off from being parents but we both missed our kids a lot.

I think the boy’s starting to realize that the effects of a vacation are quickly forgotten once you return to your real life.

Him: Wait, when did I come back from grandma’s?
Me: (puzzled) What? You came back yesterday.
Him: (incredulous) I did?! It feels like so long ago.
Me: (laughing) You’re not gonna enjoy working 40-60 hours a week.
Him: 40-60 HOURS?!
Me: (laughing more)

Location: Staples in the UWS, recycling lithium batteries
Mood: beat
Music: Was it all that easy? (Spotify)
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personal

A dive-y birtday in the UWS

Anchoring in the aways

It was the ABFF’s birthday the other day so I invited her and the Firecracker to a local dive bar because I’m classy like that.

It started off normal enough, with just some burgers, chips, and guac…

…and some boardgames.

Things started to go sideways – at least for me – when I got the table some jello shots.

Her: Oh man, I can’t remember the last time I had one of these.
Me: I think it was around the turn of the century for me.

Again, I’m nuthin if not classy.

And the waiter comped us some really gross fireball shots.

That’s when the carbs started happening.

Something about greasy carbs when I’m drinking makes me feel particularly gross and this was no exception.

I didn’t last too much longer after that.

While we did stay out for some four hours, the Firecracker was happy that we got home at a reasonable hour – although, based on our conversations, we probably shoulda ended earlier.

Firecracker: That’s one good thing about your being so old, we have early nights.
Me: Who are you calling old?!
Her: You, old man. (later) Look, if you want your anchor in my away, you’re gonna have to make sure my boat is floating.
Me: What does that even mean?!
Her: See, you’re old.

Location: home, surrounded by the kid and his friend, who kept tripping on stuff
Mood: still hungry after four tacos, two turkey sandwiches, three oranges, and a baga chips. I want more.
Music: joy up on my face. Oh, sunshine in an empty place (Spotify)
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