Polly want a slacker
September 20, 2005Onemana, New Zealand.
6:57pm
What a great update from Steph. She has created such a nice weekly routine with Hudson, and he is more animated and confident because of it. And Steph, well she absorbs the newness like a champ, dealing with whatever gathers in her net with a big toothy smile and warm, comfortable acceptance. I am blessed with such a flexible and wonderful partner.
The last couple of days have been a furious writathon, with over 19 pages written in the last two days. The characters are becoming richer, more textured, and the language continues to be colourful without being too repetitive. I am 1/5th complete. I was 1/8th two weeks ago. Things are progressing at a rapid pace. All it took was the opportunity of time. That and a new respect and love for coffee. I seem to need at least one bad thing in my life at all times. Coffee seems to be lesser of all evils. Besides I found it difficult to locate a heroin dealer in this tiny town. Although there are a couple of elderly folk that walk around in a bit of a quirky daze. They might be riding the H train. It’s either that or incontinence issues. I’ll ask them at our next lawn bowling tournament.
I hope to be finished the novel by the time the Grahams arrive for Christmas. Allowing my father to be the first to read the first draft. Other than Steph, who I read what I wrote every day.
Other than the writing, the only other writable event was today I took Hud to the park. We brought his new soccer ball and he is starting to get the hang of kicking it, instead of picking it up and running with it. I never thought the first sport I would teach my son would be soccer. But there are no hoops anywhere. What is wrong with this country? Don’t they know who Sean Marks is? He has a NBA championship ring! (There is only one reader that is for, you know who you are).
Once we were finished running through the grass, we got to the pirate ship park, which, we recently found out, was only just built back in May. We are attending the official opening on October 1st and I can’t think of a better way to spend my 36th birthday than watching my boy run with all the other kids, all dressed up like pirates. I think I might wear an eye patch myself for the event. I also will annoy the hell out of my wife for the week prior with my incessant use of the term, shiver me timbers.
Silly jokes are funny. Then almost immediately they are not funny, they are stupid. Then they are really quite annoying. Then quickly kind of funny again. Then, after repeating them for a couple of days, they become really really funny. It’s the circle of joke life. That is my humour lesson for the day.
When we reached the park, Hud went directly to the climbing pegs installed on the side of the mock ship. They are the same pegs installed on indoor climbing walls and are scattered all over the playground. Hud tried, with my help, for about three seconds to climb up the side. I quickly became a little perturbed. C’mon Hud try again. Nope. Onto something else. Hudson, come over here and try to climb the wall. Ignoring me completely now. Please Hud, try again, just because it’s hard does not mean you should quit. I just want you to finish something. It’s important to finish what you start! The level of my voice kept rising with my pleading, and Hud began to get a little upset, well, a little sheepish and confused why his father was getting angry at him for wanting to play on the see saw. It was when he got pretty quiet that I realized what I was doing. I was basically talking to myself. Or desperately trying, at a way too early age, to instill a work ethic, an ethic in general, that I never had in my life.
I so want him to try things that are hard, finish things that he starts, give an honest effort into even the small things in life, because deep down, these are the failings in my own life. Correctable yes, but looking back, if I could change some things, it would be to finish some of things I started. Sure, there are a lot of things I should not have started in the first place, including the red sports car in the garage in Burlington when my parents were away, for a drive around the block (you never stop learning). But mostly it was the hard things that I quit, basically because they were well, too hard.
Now I don’t blame anyone for my lifelong trait of coasting. Life simply happens to people and you try to cope and adjust and mold yourself into something of value, full of love, and warmth and honesty and patience. I find myself lacking in some areas, while being blessed abundantly with others. I want to be the person that finishes something. That will choose the hard path, not because it is hard, but because it is worth it. I am trying to get there. To get to the place of pride in myself. A new sense of self worth.
I so want to put a Dr. Phil joke right here, but I am trying to remain serious.
I also want Hud to be that way. I want him to tackle life and challenge himself and not back down when things get tough and to finish what he starts, even if it hurts a little.
I just think I chose the wrong time to tell him.
I’ll get back to you in a couple of years Hud.
I’ll still be the guy holding you up as you try and climb the pirate ship.
Shiver me timbers,
J.
posted by Jason @ 12:57 AM
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