Marc Blackwell's Blog

For today's post I made a little video montage of the past couple of months.  Hope you enjoy!

Happy 5 Birthmonth Baby Z



Peace,
-marc

Quick!  Zoe is going to sleep.  That means I have 45 minutes to an hour and a half to do whatever what I want!  Hmm...should I work?  Play XBox before the wife gets home?  Write a blog?

I'll write a blog!

Welcome to Wednesday!  Hump day.  And what a hump day it is.  Tomorrow is Zoe Toe's 5th Birthmonth!  You know those posts include a lot of pictures and videos.  :)  We've got some great ones you haven't seen yet. 

Ok...so far this blog is a flop.

Yesterday's blog, however, was apparently a hit.  I don't wanna go all high school on everyone, but when you say the word "friend" people start thinking "oh, is he talking about me? or so and so?"  Who cares?  Friends come and friends go.  My door is always open to anyone I've ever called a friend and I will always consider YOU a friend no matter how much time lapses between our visits. 

That being said, a friend of mine sent an article my way that I found interesting.  An interesting quote: "I think they [Dads] should also be encouraged to stay home with the kids. In fact, we should celebrate it. In the grand sweep of American lifestyle choices, stay-at-home fatherhood is possibly the only one that doesn’t get eulogized in our popular culture. I want to see the Bachelorette questioning her suitors on how many years they’d be willing to set aside for full-time childraising. I want a movie in which Matt Damon stays home while Beyoncé goes out to work. He can capture an escaped terrorist during the hours when the kids are in preschool."

And another: "But I’m seeing a long road ahead in which women are more and more likely to be the primary wage-earner in a family. Already, nearly a quarter of wives make more money than their husbands. And husbands are certainly taking more responsibility for chores and childcare than they did back in the day. But men who are the primary caregivers — out of choice or because they’re unemployed — are often looked upon as losers.
It would seem to me that a country that spent so many generations celebrating the stay-at-home housewife could work up a little enthusiasm for the full-time dad. Just saying."

I definitely don't consider myself a loser.  The exact opposite, I think I'm awesome!  And I'm not unemployed.  But I get the point that a lot of working class, older men do look at stay at home dads as "losers".  I've felt that from men in suits walking past me as I push a stroller in sweats.  It's just judgmental a-holes who I'm glad I don't work for (or look like) anyway!  Who cares what they think?

 You can read the entire article/conversation here.  Thanks for the lead, David!

I think this blog came out alright in the end.  Copying and pasting a couple paragraphs in the middle certainly did help a little! 

Have a good one!
-marc

p.s. the picture has absolutely nothing to do with the post ... but it's such a cool picture, don'tchya think?

A lot changes when you have a baby.  Good, and ... well, tough.  One of the things my wife and I have noticed is that our phones ring a lot less. 

I suspect that a lot of our friends just don't know how to handle the fact that we have a baby.  It almost scares them, I think.  Like, if they come over or hang out they'll be forced to change a diaper or something.  I know that's not it, but I'm really interested in why this happens. 

We're the first in our slowly shrinking circle of friends to have a babe - and it's been a really hard adjustment on us, so I  can kind of imagine what's it like for my friends.  My assumption is that their assumptions have led them the idea that we can't hang out anymore, for whatever reason.  Maybe they think we're tied down every single second of the day, or that we never want to leave the house for safety reasons, or that having a child prevents us from doing anything but children things. So not true!!

Maybe getting married has something to do with it too, as we are the first in our friend group to tie the knot.  Love scares some people.

I dunno, maybe our "friends" just suck.

Just because someone has a baby does not mean they've lost the ability to have fun.  Or be normal.  Or even go out!  Stacey and I are still Stacey and Marc.  We're still the same fun loving, spontaneous crazy persons we've always been.  We just have a mini-me hangin' out all the time.  And you think, true friends would be really excited to have another mini version of yourself around, right?

A lot of our friends have been great, awesome, and more than we could ever ask for.  The love that they show towards Zoe and us is astounding and beautiful.  It's fun to watch our friends interact with our daughter, and they love watching her grow up!  Some have offered to babysit at the drop of a hat, others will invite us to "family friendly" events, and more than most remind us on a daily basis that they are here for us. 

I guess, like so often in life I'm learning, you weed out certain people at certain times.  And it's sad, because it's ignorance that leads to these specific falling outs.  But it's also a good thing.  Survival of the fittest...friend edition.

I barely get to see my wife these days ... a few hours after work and on the weekends.  I hardly have time for the ones I love.  I'm not going to waste time on those who aren't cool with the FACT that my WIFE and I have a BABY. 

Peace,
-marc

p.s. I know friendship is a two way street.  There is a natural progression to these kind of closures on relationships.  I'm busy - they're busy - we're all busy.  But the true friends have stuck around. 

I just found a cool way to embed our weddings photos onto the blog! 

Yesterday, Valentine's Day, every husbands favorite day, Stacey and I decided to get the tattoos we've been wanting for a while.

It was a beautiful day, one we needed not by the creators of Hallmark, but one we enjoyed just as much. 

I don't wanna get too mushy, and you all know anyway, but I am so thankful to have found Stacey.  She's the love of my life.  I do not know what I would do without her.  She helps me daily - she makes me the man I am.  She is love and beauty and art. 

I woulda posted this yesterday but ... hehe ... it was valentine's day.

Peace out,
-marc

p.s. Zoe Toes didn't really get a tattoo.  We thought about it.  A little "ZMB" on her bum, how cool would've that been?  :)

We're watching Michael Jackson's "This Is It" for the second time today and I'm feeling inspired to write. This guy, MJ, was a genius. And watching this film reminds me of when I was on tour with High School Musical. More on Mike in a second.

Kenny Ortega, the mastermind behind HSM and MJ's This Is It, is someone I've worked for and highly respect. Travis Payne, the choreographer and Chucky Klapow, a dancer on tour, have all inspired me to creative ends unkown. Watching this doc has made me reflect on what it was like to have a family such as the concert experience family. Love abounds in such situations. Kenny was the man in charge of HSM and I quietly admired his genius. Watching him on film reminds me of the time my camera was working over time and I felt the euphoria of having beautiful and magical moments happen right before my lens. I was capturing a special moment in time, and I wish I could've photographed This Is It.

Michael is like another Hunter, or Dave to me. The more I surround myself with the greats, such as my friends, Keegan O'Keefe, Michael Brown, Stacey Blackwell, Anton P, and Lucas G. We are inspired by love and music and real creativeness. Here's to art, and music, and love and beauty.

:)
-m

I guess it's no secret, especially not after I blog it to the world, but I love it when people meet Zoe.  I secretly hope when we go out that we will run into people.  There's something pure and innocent of mankind when they meet a new baby, and I appreciate those moments. 

Like just now, I strapped her in her Baby Bjorn (sorry ... no pictures) and we ventured to do our laundry.  I heard voices at the end of the hall and smiled to myself, knowing someone's day was about to be made by my happy little baby.  And sure enough, 2 Mexican ladies who have cleaned the apartment for years lit up with joy and sputtered broken english musings about my little ZB!  Made their day ... and mine ... and well, I dunno if Zoe cared, but she smiled a lot!  

Then I dropped her in the washing machine and decided, oh well ... she was dirty anyway. ;) 

Hunter S. Thompson is my new Dave Matthews.  I just finished a documentary on the man, and while I don't agree with EVERYTHING he did, I respect the majority of his life.  What a legend.  What a writer.  What a true man's man!  He's inspired me to write more truthfully, the live how I want to, and to do big things so that my name isn't buried along with me.  His subjectivity and truthfulness changed the world, for the better in my opinion.  I too, wish to change the world for the better, so watch out.  ;)

I even got a flannel shirt like he always wore. 

Have a good weekend!!

-marc

Yesterday Zoe and I had coffee with a friends of ours, Rudy and his beautiful twin girls.  We went to to this great coffee shop, Cafe Bolivar in Venice.  It was a fun rainy day, with perfect opportunities for some cool videos.  Of which I'm posting now:




We fit 3 car seats in the back of Rudy's car.  Amazing.  And hilarious, we kept wondering with the reality TV cameras were gonna come out.





Sometimes you gotta sound like a complete idiot to make these little ladies laugh, but when they do crack a smile you don't care WHAT you sound like.

We're doing good...it's 61 degrees and sunny.  Sure glad we're not on the East Coast!  :)

Have a good one!
-marc

While we wait for our friends, R, M, & E to come go out for some coffee, I figured I would share this video I took last night while Zoe Toes was eating.  She loves this stuff!  It's organic rice cereal and formula.  MmmMmm...sounds good, huh?  (It's not.)

Enjoy the video!  M & E are Zoe's Twin Friends, and we're going to probably shoot a little vid if their dad is cool with it.  You know that'll be super cute.  Haha.  I'm such a dad...

Peace!
-marc

Yesterday was a busy day for the California Blackwells.  It's a few minutes before the Super Bowl starts, and while I really care less about football, I want to make this quick so I can enjoy my Sunday with my friends.  Not that writing a blog isn't enjoyable ... but I don't want to be on the computer today.  ;)

No apologies for not writing the past couple days either.  It's a blog - that's the wonderful thing.  I can write,  or not write, whenever I want!  So take that!

Naw, it's just been a really busy week.  And yesterday topped off the busy-ness. 

To start off the day Mama Stacey got her hair did at an awesome salon in Hollywood at 8:30 in the morning! SOOO early!  But Hollywood that early is really cool, so Zoe and I walked around and got coffee and checked out the sites and peeps.  The Hair Artists' name is Laura Leon and Stacey would recommend her to you if you she ever got the chance.  Just ask Stacey for more details!

We also went to see one of our friend, Melissa Janneth, perform in Tustin, CA yesterday.  Melissa, who's website RLP completed this past week, was a stand alone performer yesterday in the Knights on the Radio, Foothill High School production.  Her voice was very mature and she knew how to keep attention not only by her voice.  She's a beautiful up and coming star with a good head on her shoulders and an amazing talent.  Check her out! Her mom watched Zoe for a couple hours while we checked out the show!  Thanks Patty!

After we picked Zoey Boey up from her first babysitter we headed back to the valley, then back to Hollywood where we dropped her off at our friends A & J.  After giving them thorough instructions ;) we headed to the ACME Theater in H-Wood to see Miss Amy Paffrath.  She owned the stage and made laugh my little flat tush off.  Very cool and exciting to see her on stage like that.  Good work Aims!

And now we're at M & M's.  Well, Mama B is out gettin' groceries and M and I are chillin' before the festivities begin.  I hope you enjoy your Sunday and are gearing up for another busy and productive week. 

As a family man, I had a revelation today.  I need to take care of my family.  Don't get me wrong, I haven't been lacking on this ideal in the past ... but I can always be better.  I need to really take care of my family.  Just like my mother took care of our family; emotionally, physically, and on every single level.

Raising a human is a crazy experience because they are so dependant.  They rely on you for EVERYTHING.  Just like Zoe needs enough food, sleep, love and attention - so does Stacey. 

And that is my responsibility as a husband, a father, and a man to make sure they are taken care of on every level.  It's something I can be better at, with Stacey especially.  She's the best mother I know, and right now she is working for our family.  I could make sure she has lunch prepared, and I can always tell her more how beautiful she is.  I gotta step up and provide in other areas like making sure she's getting enough sleep and has security. 

I'm always learning.  This is just one thing that hit me today in the car. 

Thought I would share.

What can you be better at?

This is only a test.

-Marc Leonard Blackwell
Photographer

http://www.marcblackwellphotography.com
http://twitter.com/marcblackwell

We put Zoe down to sleep tonight, turned on the baby monitor and came out to the living room.  A few minutes later we heard this!