Her: (finishes singing a song and turns to look at me) Do you think I’m weird? Me: (nodding) Oh, yeah. Totally. Her: Oh… Me: (laughing) You’re adorkable!
This past weekend, I had a few things really stop me in my tracks. None were what you might call, “good,” but neither were they “terrible.”
They were, however, things that made me radically reassess my life and look at things very differently.
All three are gonna mean that my life is gonna change drastically and I’m not sure how it’ll all shake out.
The smallest of the three – and the only one I can really tell you about – is that the Firecracker and I got into our first real big fight but it was really about nuthin.
Honestly though, most fights are about nuthin, if you think about it in the grand scheme of things.
In any case, my takeaway, though, was her style of fighting. It worked well with my style of fighting such that the whole things – while arduous – was over and done by the evening. That’s a net positive.
I suppose, in life, you gotta take all the net positives you can.
The other two events I’m still sorting it all out in my head. But really big changes are ahead for the Lo family, lemme tell ya.
Ultimately, though, I’m trying to go back to my old mindset from a decade ago and accepting the world as it is, not as I wish it to be.
It’s funny, suppose I started upgrading my OS ages ago but it got interrupted with alla the tragedies.
It never stopped loading into my brain, though.
It’s still loading now, I think.
At least there was lots of music all weekend, between the Firecracker and my son singing.
This is his latest – Emily, another parent from his school, thinks he would rock the talent show. He says he’s too shy.
I dunno, I think he’d be pretty good.
Him: (sadly) Do I have to do it? Me: Only if you want, kid. Him: Oh. OK. I don’t want to. Too many people. Me: Maybe someday. Him: (nodding) Maybe.
Her: I’m sorry about your wife. Me: So am I. All my gods look like her. Her: What does that mean? Me: Nuthin. (brightening) Let’s play a game…
It’s the first day of 2023.
I’m writing this on a computer that I first built when Alison was still alive and upgraded repeatedly, such that there’s nuthin left of the original computer, just like I talked about in my Ship of Theseus.
One thing that I did after the hack was to upgrade the operating system of that computer from Windows 10 to Windows 11, something I did with great reluctance.
Still working through the pros and cons of that, but I note that I went through Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and 10 on this machine before finally arriving here.
Just like the philosophical exercise of the Ship of Theseus, the question remains if there’s anything left of the original computer that I originally built all those years ago.
Speaking of philsophy, this blog has, more than anything, been my own personal repository of how I see the world, kinda like Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations.
Suppose my operating system has always been based on German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, who was introduced to me in my 20s by the Devil.
One of my earliest blog entries spoke about a quote that served me well my entire life: With increased intelligence comes increased capacity for pain.
When Alison, my dad, and another relative got sick – all at the same time – and I essentially gave up my career(s) to try (and fail) to save them, then lost Gradgirl and Mouse, I think that the truth of that statement is why I’m here writing you now.
Schopenhauer’s worldview was that life is, at its core, suffering.
Life swings like a pendulum backward and forward between pain and boredom. – Arthur Schopenhauer
At no point in this blog – through all the highs and lows – did my baseline OS change; it was always run on some variant of Schopenhauer.
And you know my feeling about those who’s worldview never changes. I can’t be a hypocrite.
All this, despite the fact that some baseline beliefs of his contradicted directly with my own heart’s desire.
For example, I’ve always wanted family and family, by definition, requires children. Yet Schopenhauer, like my billionaire buddy, feels that “Bearing children into this world is like carrying wood into a burning house.”
Schopenhauer, as the base operating system of my life, was ill-equipped to deal with the overwhelming sadness and despair of it all, for various reasons.
For example, Schopenhauer’s world view of Wille zum Leben respected love like one respects a dangerous animal, but it doesn’t deal with love, which I both respect and submit to.
To Schopenhauer, love is an illogical means to an important end: The extension of our very species.
I understand that but, having loved and lost in the profound ways I have, I think it’s an idealized version of what humans are actually capable of.
While it’d be nice to live a life purely pragmatically, the way humans are designed, it’s not practical. Because emotions exist and aren’t going away.
I need an OS that reflects that reality.
The Devil’s gone from my life and, while I appreciate all that he’s shown me in the world, the OS he helped build for me doesn’t work with who I am now, especially given all that’s happened.
Moreover, I want more for my son. Assuming that Schopenhauer was correct, and our universe is only what we experience through our mental facilities – our operating system – then I plan on giving my son the best one I can.
After close to 30 years of working on myself, I think that answer lies in Stoicism. Not “stoicism” with a lower-case “s,” rather the full philosophy of Zeno, Marcus Aurelius, and Seneca.
The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts. – Marcus Aurelius
I don’t think, at all, that Schopenhauer was wrong, or that the last three decades of my life were wasted. Rather, I think that it’s served its purpose for what I needed for that time and that version of me. Now, I have a new purpose – the boy – and that requires a new way of thinking.
We suffer more often in imagination than in reality. – Seneca
It’s still early yet in all this. Just like it’s early in the new year.
But I spent the last month reexamining my life and need to discard the things that aren’t working for me anymore, if they ever did, and find things that do work.
Don’t think you’ll notice any drastic changes here, per se. Just little things for myself as I try to give myself and – by extension, the boy – the tools I’ll need to be the best version of myself.
Man conquers the world by conquering himself. – Zeno
I’m still me, but I wonder how much of who and what I am/was is still there or if I’m a completely new being altogether, just like this computer I type alla this out on.
On that note, let’s start the new year off with a song.
This is by a young woman named King Princess that my brother introduced to me a little while ago.
Can’t put my finger on it, but it always makes me dream that my life might be better than it is.
Maybe it’s the line that goes, “I will keep on waiting for your love,” which goes directly against Schopenhauer’s distant respect of the concept of love.
Because love’s not only something I respect, but also something I want – to both give and receive – so it’s worthy of patience and time.
Even if it never comes my way again.
Here’s to 2023 and changing for the better.
Her: (surprised) Why did you do that? Me: (shrugging) Seemed like the right thing to do at the time. Her: (laughing) OK. (pause) You can do it again.
Location: in the first hours of 2023, on W 97, wondering if we should sell our apartments and move to NJ
Mood: new(ish)
Music: I love it when you try to save me (Spotify) Subscribe! Like this post? Tell someone about it by clicking a button below.
Her: So, what’s your typical day like? Me: Well, there’s a lotta singing.
Like I said, I’m really behind in what I wanted to tell you but I’m also behind in putting up videos.
See, through the course of my day, I record rando things that I find interesting, thinking that I’ll show you them.
But, by the time I get around to remembering that I have them and take them off my phone to upload here, the moment has long past.
Ergo, I though I’d end out this year a bit differently by posting somea these rando videos for you to see, if you’re so inclined, in no particular order.
The first is a glimpse as to what my day is typically like.
The kid likes to practice his ukulele on my bed while singing me something.
I feel compelled to tell you that he’s six in this video, which I cannot express how proud of him I am.
Speaking of my son, he’s been taking swimming classes all year, hopefully to avoid something like what happened over the summer.
But I figure that you don’t wanna just see grainy vids of my kid.
The other big part of my life is the gym, so heading there, I see some pretty interesting things, I gotta say.
Here’s a quick sampling of a busker in Times Square, albeit from last May.
Actually, there are quite a number of buskers all over the city.
These are some at Union Square in September, just a couple of blocks from Paxibellum.
As for non-musical things, there was also the time that I left the gym and caught this sight; it doesn’t look like much but what’s happening is that water is coming out of an upper floor window onto the streets below.
This means that either a pipe broke or someone left their water on in their apartment, filling that apartment with water so high that it went over the window and onto the floor below.
I’m gonna guess that the lower floor apartments and businesses were not happy that day. You can hear sirens going off in the distance
There are a ton more videos but I figure I’d just toss these up.
Now, I was torn with ending this entry with either this symbolic store display in the UWS which – if it’s 3AM and you’re two sheets to the wind – is goddamn fascinating…
…OR posting this of my son at B&H Photo, where I went to get a small server for my apartment after the last major hack.
He was enthralled by the very modern-yet-old-timey interior conveyer belt system.
Here’s hoping that 2023 is better than the past few years.
Him: What will you do for New Year’s? Me: I’ll dream of my family. Him: That’s boring! Me: (laughing) Not to me, kid. Not to me.
Location: my apartment, wondering what I should do tonight
Mood: cautiously optimistic (?)
Music: See, that pain was all around (Spotify) Subscribe! Like this post? Tell someone about it by clicking a button below.
Years ago, I had a young blonde in my apartment and we ordered some food. We’re actually still FB friends, which I find sweet, but that’s neither here nor there.
In any case, I gave her the only bowl and utensils I had and I used the plastic stuff the food came with.
Her: Wait, you only have one bowl? Me: (shrugging) I only have one me.
It was because my ex took everything else and I hadn’t yet gotten around to replacing it all yet.
Fast forward some 14 years later and I’m watching Hawkeye with someone else and we get to this scene:
Me: I said almost that exact same thing years ago! Her: Really? No… Me: It’s true. And I have receipts. But, I’ll show them to you some other time.
In some ways, that’s why it’s so odd for me to be a single father – I always either had someone in my life as a romantic partner or I was completely alone.
I never, ever – in a million years – imagined I’d be raising a kid all by my lonesome. It’s that whole imposter syndrome thing.
I’ve had some jaw-dropping success in my life as well as some truly shocking failures.
I hope – more than anything – that I get this one thing right, and it’s part of the former.
Editors note: In that entry above (and here), I’d just come back from Baltimore and my ex, whom I lived with, moved out while I was away and took everything – the bed, the utensils, all the plates and cups…AND the shower curtain.
I still remember sitting in my completely empty apartment and wondering if this was the lowest point of my life.
God, I was so young and dumb back then. I had no idea how much more down life could go.
She left me the couch, the TV, the microwave, a spatula, one cup, one plate, and a handful of random takeout items.
Took a video of it and posted it on a site that long since disappeared – and so did all my videos.
Shame, it was a hilarious video. That whole moment, in hindsight, was hilarious.
I had no idea how much more down life could go before rock-bottom.
Man, still can’t believe she didn’t leave me the shower curtain…
I get a lotta flak for this blog and I often toy with the idea of just stopping. That’s part of why I took a week off not that long ago.
On the one hand, I do wonder who, if anyone, read this. But then something like that Hawkeye scene happens and I’m glad I have it.
Or someone writes me something heartfelt and sweet, like Suz did recently, or someone from my gym class surprises me and tells me that she’s a reader.
Her: Logan, your last blog entry was so good. I thought I was going to cry. Me: Wait, you read my blog? Her: (shrugging) Yeah. You write so well. Me: Oh man, thanks. I was just thinking about stopping… Her: Don’t. It’s honest. It’s so honest. People like the honesty.
So, I continue to put things out into the aether, and hope that someone gets something from it besides just me.
Me: What are you gonna do when I have hot female fans? Her: What do you mean, “start?” Me: (laughing) I’ll take the compliment and the one you gave yourself.
In my last entry, I wrote, “By the time you read this entry, I should have 100,000 views on that video,” referring to the video below.
That was five days ago. It was released on September 7, 2019 and I wrote that entry on September 3, 2020, so it took 361 days to hit 100,000 views.
As of today, September 8th, 2020, it hit over half a million – 539,240 views as of this exact moment I’m writing this. That means it somehow got 439,240 additional views in five days.
That’s insane. I honestly don’t have any rhyme or reason for it, but you know me, I’ll take any weekday win I can get.
On a much more mundane note, I spent a good part of Labor Day weekend working but Mouse stayed over for part of it.
I swear my memory is getting worse and worse these days.
Case in point, I tossed a book off the sofa to the floor so she had a place to sit. No more than 10 minutes later, I asked her if she saw it.
Mouse: It was cast aside in a moment of passion! Me: What? Really? Her: No. Are you serious? It’s right there. Me: Jeez, what is wrong with me?!
While she was here, she asked me for some legal advice, so I gave her my honest opinion.
Her: Oh, you get a kiss for that. Me: Man, law school was totally worth it.
Actually, we were both pretty busy with work and personal matters but we did manage to head downtown via the Hudson River Greenway again.
Coincidentally, we ended up riding right past Lviv’s place.
Besides that excursion, we didn’t really do much else, although I did cook a ton because she’s been on this new diet for her health.
She’d never seen The Amazing Race so we randomly picked a season and started watching it.
She got really into it, which I expected, since she’s such an adrenaline junkie, which isn’t my thing at all.
I suppose that’s a major reason why we broke up in the first place.
Well, that and things like this conversation.
Her: Whenever I see white suburban moms, I think of you. Me: I would be offended if that weren’t accurate.
Been bringing the kid to tests for a little while and speaking with other parents. Literally, every time I speak to another parent, I find out something I feel I shoulda known.
Gonna condense about five or six different conversations into just three for clarity.
Her: (breathless) Were you stuck on the train getting here too? I was worried we’d miss our test slot. Me: Oh, I live right down the block. We kinda rolled outta bed and ended up here. Her: You live right down the block?! We came here from Staten Island! Me: Staten Island?! Why?! Her: (confused) Anderson’s the gifted and talented school for the entire city. People from as far away as the Long Island border commute into the city for hours to get in. It’s like Stuyvesant or Bronx Science for middle schoolers. You didn’t know this? Me: (slowly) Yes?
For a different test:
Him: If we make it in, we’d sell our home in Douglaston and try to squeeze the four of us into a one-bedroom in the area. Me: You’d move here just for a music school? Him: (puzzled) Special Music School is the only free music school in the city, maybe even the state. The lessons are valued at $10,000, per year, per student. AND it has the highest academic rankings in the city because they only accept 24 students a year so – even though it’s a music school – they were ranked number one out of every school in the city for common core, three years in a row. Me: Wait, it’s ranked even better than Anderson, PS 87, and PS 199? Her: For grades K-to-3, yes. Each child is essentially privately tutored for 12 years. You didn’t know this? Me: Yes? (laughing) Now I feel I shoulda prepared him for these tests. I bought my place decades ago and kids weren’t on my mind at all. (later) My wife would have known this but she passed away a little while back. Her: Oh! I’m so sorry to hear that. Me: I’m sorry to say that.
Then it got weird:
Her: Sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear your other conversation. Are you single? Me: (amused) According to Facebook, yes. But it’s complicated. Why? Her: My cousin’s single and she’s an educator working with special needs kids. She’s always dreamed of living in the Upper West Side. Me: (laughing) I’m both flattered and slightly insulted. Her: (quickly) Don’t be! Your son’s adorable and I love your jacket! Me: Good to know…
On the topic of interpersonal relationships, with my last entry, my female friend admits that she might be catching feelings for one of the two guys that she’s seeing.
Her: I dunno if I’m ready to jump into anything serious just yet but… Me: Is he on your side? Her: What does that mean? Me: (thinking) When we first started dating, Alison’s best male friend once said something rude about me. I think he loved her. She told him to knock it off. He did it again one day on the phone, so she hung up on him, blocked his number, and stopped hanging out with him. Her: Whoa! Me: (laughing) Yeah. The kicker’s that I didn’t know for months. She just handled it totally on her own, I wasn’t involved at all. When I asked her about whatever happened to him, she just said, “He said something rude about you.” That was it. When I found out about it later, I figured she was my person and we married just a year later. Her: That’s really cool. Me: (nodding) If you find hidden kindnesses and love – meaning he’s secretly on your side – then, bam, you’re done. Take it and go. Unfortunately, if you find out he’s secretly not on your side…you’re still done. Just not in a good way. Either way, you’re done, though.
Location: 9AM yesterday, W 67th listening to him sing
Mood: freezing
Music: I’m secretly on your side
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Him: Another drink? Me: Thanks, but I can’t. Got an early morning tomorrow. Him: I thought the kid was away. Me: He is. I’m in court tomorrow morning.
Sorry for the lack of posts.
Took on some work a little while ago and it all came to a head this past week regarding three court cases; and I’m only a lawyer in one of them. In the other, I wear my other professional hat, and in yet another, I’m the petitioner, representing myself.
Submitted my legal memorandum to one client this past Wednesday after working on it for several months. Then, that same day, met up with another client in court downtown and happened to have my own case in the same courtroom with the same judge.
Turns out that there were several errors in my paperwork – not in any of the others. I suppose, when you’re your own lawyer, you’re less exacting.
That’s what I tell myself.
Guessing that the weight of what was going on must have shown on my face. Cause this stern judge admonished me for the errors and then looked at my ashen face and brightened a bit (only a bit) and said, “It’ll be ok, counselor. It’s gonna be ok.”
Then he signed my OSC and suddenly a lot of things were different in my life. And different for the boy. All with the stroke of a pen.
The judge also signed an order for my client, who’s also a good friend of mine. The path of his life just changed along with mine. And we walked out of the courtroom different men than the ones who walked in a few hours earlier.
Buddy: Thanks, I’m not sure I woulda done this if you didn’t help. Me: Well, I wouldn’t have done it if you didn’t do it, so…same. Thanks.
Afterward, we met up with my buddy Pac…and Mouse, for some Vietnamese food.
Me: (getting up) Can we talk for a sec? Mouse: (hesitates) OK. Me: (privately) Thanks for coming. It really means a lot to me. Her: I didn’t come just for you, they’re my friends too. Me: I know. (nodding) I’m still glad you came.
Afterward…
Pac: Is lunch on you, Logan? Me: (thinking) Well, considering the three of you are the only people I consider that I actually mentor, sure. Him: I was only kidding! Me: It’s fine. (taking out wallet) I want to do it.
The picture way above is with my buddy from around the way. He’s a writer and he and I talked about the craft. It felt almost normal.
Unicorns: Artist, warrior, philosopher, and businessman
Her: Every father wants his son to be something. Do you know what you want him to be?
A buddy of mine named Vaźques stopped by the other day for some Cuban food and we chatted for a bit about the path of his life. He’s younger than me; and with that youth comes an open future.
I asked him if he played a musical instrument and he said no. Told him to consider it cause there was a fella named Cellini once said that a well-rounded man is an artist, warrior, and philosopher.
I’d personally add to that “businessman” but that’s just me.
In any case, I’d read about Cellini in seventh grade in social studies while discussing tank warfare (odd thing to remember, I know). Decided then I wanted to be that and spent the next 34 years trying.
The gold standard, IMHO, is a fella named Everman who was:
The guitar player for Nirvana and the base-player for Soundgarden and OLD.
A US Army Ranger and Green Beret
An Ivy League graduate with a degree in philosophy with Columbia university; he’s currently pursuing his masters degree in Military history.
I meet tons of dangerous people in my personal and professional life. They are clearly dangerous – they wear their lethality clearly and conspicuously, like scorpions. I’m only marginally impressed.
I also meet tons of hyper intelligent people in my personal and professional life. They talk about the latest million-dollar deal they just closed on or their latest cool project. Again, marginally impressed.
Finally, there is a small group of people I know that seek understanding over rote knowledge. A very small group. These people impress me a bit more, but only a bit.
At least they think of the cascading consequences of all their actions.
But there’s this incredible minority of people like Messrs Everman and Cellini that have achieved what I think encompasses what a man – or woman – should strive to be.
A man named Danaher – whom I met when he was a bouncer and I was a club promoter – and the Devil I consider as one of these people as well with both of them fulfilling that fourth requirement of “businessman.”
These are the real unicorns. To be in their presence is humbling because, in my mind, they understand what’s valuable and what’s just a waste of time.
We’re all given 24 hours, every day. It’s what they do with those hours that separates them from everyone else.
Honestly, my children can be anything they want to be. Doctor, plumber, race car driver, whatever. As long as they are those three four things first.
As long as he’s a unicorn.
Me: Yes.
Location: the basement of my brain…plotting
Mood: ambitious
Music: could have stayed for more. Subscribe! Like this post? Tell someone about it by clicking a button below.
Saw Mouse three times this past week including over the blackout we had over the weekend. More on that later, I suppose.
Nuthin’s changed so you’re not missing much.
Me: More food or alcohol? Her: Alcohol. Me: Done.
Continuing from my last post, friends I’ve not seen in ages have been reappearing in my life. The Professor, for example, was in town to give a lecture.
Me: You’re taking forever to finish your drink. Him: I drink 5cc’s of liquor every five minutes. Me: I see. Well, afterwards, we can discuss how the Holy Roman Empire was neither holy nor Roman, nor truly an empire. Him: That was an interesting non sequitor. Me: (shrugging) No more so than your drinking my rum at a rate of 5cc’s per five minutes.
Been hanging out with some new friends as well. A buddy of mine has a very different take on dating than I do:
Him: Your rules are insane, man. Me: Everyone has criteria. Him: (shrugging) Not me. I figure one outta seven will be attractive enough to date but when it comes to ______ everything goes. When I had my own apartment, I’d just meet someone, go back to my place and ________, _______, and _______. Afterward, I might ________ but sometimes I just ________ ________ or she’ll ________. Either way, she’d ______ or _____ and I’d just _____ and it’d be fine. Although there was this one time this woman and I _______ and she ______. The next day, my buddy was like what’s that on your ______ and it was her ________. (laughing) That was crazy. Me: (standing up) OK, you need to stand in the middle of my pad and not touch anything. My kid lives here. I need to burn everything you *did* touch and then take a shower. And you should get checked out. Him: Eh, I’m fine. Probably. Me: (walking to the bathroom) I’m going to take a shower now. Don’t. Touch. Anything. I’m serious.
But some of the best moments in my entire life have also been happening lately and I’m always excited to see what else in store for the two of us.
Me: When you grow up, do you want to be like papa? Him: No, I wanna be a pirate. Me: Clearly, that’s a better choice. Him: Then I wanna be a monkey. Me: (nodding) Again, better choice.
Great song; weird video. Not sure if I like it but Asian dude’s the lead so I gotta support.
Scene: At gym. Me: (to Pez) You know, you’re the same age as a girl I’m hanging out with. Chuck: (overhears in distance, laughs) “Hanging out with?” Yeah, you two are going to lectures and coffee. Me: (to Chuck) We do – we discuss Nietzsche! Chuck: (walking away) Suuuure. Me: (whispering to Pez) We don’t discuss Nietzche… Pez: (laughs)
Been living in the same building for close to 20 years. I’m pretty good friends with the neighboring doormen.
One of them is hinting I should marry one of the female friends/other that swing by the pad. It just makes me laugh.
Larry: Raising a kid, you need a man and woman. You loved Alison, I know. But this doesn’t have to be for love. Think of your son.
I married Alison because we looked at the world the same way. Don’t think I’ll ever find someone that looks at it quite the same way I do again.
Don’t believe in many social constructs but I do believe in marriage.
Both Daisy and Gradgirl do not, which makes them non-starters for me, among other things. Of course, I’m a non-starter for everyone.
Me: I am thinking of my son. I want him to know that if I can survive this, he can survive anything. I’m ok with being by my lonesome. And you’ve known me a long time – if I need company, I’ll find company. Larry: You’re a father now. It’s not the same anymore, Logan. Me: Yes. But these are the cards I was dealt, so I play them.
Daisy: Do you imagine if things were different? If I were different? Me: I always wish everything were different. Everything but the boy. Her: With us, I mean. Me: (gently) There is no us, Daisy. None of this is actually real. You’re just getting over something as am I, to different degrees. I don’t want you to be someone that you’re not. That never works out. People shouldn’t have to change themselves to fit into someone else’s world. Her: He wants to meet up again. (pause) Do you think I should go? Me: (nodding) That was the plan, right? I was always only supposed to be just a distraction. Her: Yes. (pause) That was the plan.
Haven’t seen her since. Maybe he’s her person and she, his. We should all be lucky enough to find our person.
Me: So it’s just you and me now. (pause) Are you ok with that? (grinning) You won’t be worried I’ll fall madly in love with you? Gradgirl: No. I know you’re not available to me. Not like that. Me: Well, strictly speaking, I’m not available to anyone. Her: (laughs) I might fall for you, Logan. Me: This is true. You’ll let me know if it happens? I’ll do the same. Her: Don’t worry. (thinking) I could never love someone that wasn’t in love with me. Me: (nodding) That’s how it’s supposed to be.
These are the cards we were dealt. So we play them.
Me: Morning, kid! Ready for the day?! Son: (yawns, stretches, smiles) Me: God, I love that face. C’mere you…
