My Saturday Evening Post

A new poem....

Want What
Sometimes
I just want to separate
Jump out
This skin
Evaporate
Into thin air
Into ether
Into another body
Happier than me

Sometimes
I just want to elevate
Transfigure
My body
Rise
Dissipate
As a gas
Into another atmosphere
All the beautiful people breathe

Because what I am
Is an unmovable soul

Because what I am
Just can't be sold

Or branded
Or packaged
Or merchandised

Because what I am
You don't want

In comments a few days ago, Susan left me a comment on a post I'd written three weeks ago. (So much for being back.) I miss you too Susan, and okjimm and Randal. But Susan also asked me if Noodle's recovered from the incident. If a picture's worth a thousand words, it appears she's recovered nicely.




...or maybe not.





No matter. As of August 22, 2010 at approximately 3pm, she will be a newly minted freshman, living and learning at Mount Saint Mary's University. Yes, it's true. Our baby's leaving home.

I'll admit to having some anxiety over this. But the event is not quite as dramatic or traumatic as I make it sound. Our bedroom is full of the crap stuff she'll be taking with her. She's said her tearful goodbyes to all of BFFs. She's been giving me and Skippy random hugs and not asking for anything in return.

I was told by several veterans of this process that the real moment of "verclempt" comes when you actually say goodbye and leave her there. I hope not, but the I'm sure any attempt on my part to not feel some emotion over this will be like struggling against a strong ocean undertow. Better to just go with it until you can swim ashore.

So I will. Our baby's leaving home....




And, yes, my dad still thinks I'm going to hell.

When Noodle was but a few days old, she had a problem pooping. Literally. She would not take a crap. Naturally, Skippy and I were quite worried about this, as you would expect first-time parents would be. So we called the pediatrician, who told us to give her more water, to soften her stool, and use glycerin suppositories to... ummm... well... grease the skids, so to speak.

Long story short. It worked. She pooped. Mom and Dad were relieved. Life went on.

I don't know what this story has to do with my desire to blog again. Truth is, I've been wanting to return to blogging for quite some time, and Noodle's early-life gastrointestinal adventures seemed a good place to start. You see, I've had lots of shit to building up inside me and it just needed to come out.

So what kind of shit has been building up inside of Spartacus in the past year? Well, let's see....

I got addicted to Facebook and am now going through withdrawal... I played gigs in Georgia, Texas, and Mexico, and managed to get heckled only once. Noodle had an accident in the Jeep, and lived to tell about it... I'm still married (can you fucking believe that?)... I'm still employed at a job I used to hate... I still get depressed, but I'm managing those those moments much better... I got really, really good at telling people who don't like me to go fuck themselves... My dad thinks I'm going to hell.

What? Did you seriously think I'd explain all that shit in one post? Pfft. Forget it. I may even need a courtesy flush....

I come out of hiding to bring some scary news...

Noodle is a licensed driver....

July 2, 2009 will be momentous occasion for her. A major milestone on her journey to adulthood and individual freedom... (queue the patriotic music)

Much like the Founding Fathers 233 years earlier, she placed a signature on a document that declared independence from a benevolent and sometimes evil despot.

That would be me....

I know it's a stretch see it this way, but Noodle is now free to drive my Jeep whenever she needs it for work, school, and other times when I'm three sheets to the wind on the couch and the keys fall out of my pocket.

Even before she became a licensed driver, she had already made the pronouncement that my Jeep would be the vehicle to take her and her friends on a road trip to Toronto or Montreal. (Yes, she really is that nerdy.) She's made numerous claims expressing certain inalienable rights. Of course, Skippy and I had to remind her in whose house she resides and whose vehicles she drives.

Does all this sound familiar? History has a funny way of repeating itself, no?

Well, there will be no wars of Independence in the Spartacus household. No battles over when and where she can drive the Jeep. But like the Declaration of Independence and the subsequent United States Constitution, there will be checks and balances to this freedom. Noodle will be bound to the same contractual obligations Skippy and I do to vehicular ownership:

1. You have the right to keep the car filled with fuel.
2. You have the right to get the engine oil, transmission fluid changed and the radiator flushed.
3. You have the right to rotate the tires with each oil change and fix your own flats using one of those cheap hand-pumped jacks the car manufacturer's give you.
4. You have the right to pay for your own tolls and for your own traffic violations.
5. You have the right to wash and wax the car. (h/t okjimm)
   

I'm sure there are many more rights I can come up with, and if you, dear readers, can think of any more, please feel free to share them in comments. So yes, baby, you can drive my car.....




Thank you once again for indulging my infrequent blog posts. I promise not to be such a stranger.

Happy Independence Day everyone.

Again, I know I said I've taken a break from blogging. I believe I also said I would chime in with a post from time to time. Well let's consider this a chime, okay?

Last week, my Noodle (and Skippy's, too) participated in her school's Spring Vocal Concert. The students were magnificent. But what made this concert extra special (and not short-bus special... beep beep) was that my our Noodle got to choreograph and perform an Irish Step dance to "The Voice" by the Celtic Women. I We are biased, Skippy and me. We thought she was awesome. We saw firsthand how hard she worked to make this a great performance, and it showed.

Way to go, Nood!

My apologies for the amateurish video quality. I used Ricky D's camera. I should have taken his tri-pod, too.



Okay good people. It's back to blogging hibernation for me.

I know. I said I was taking a break from blogging. Officially, I still am.

But I could resist the opportunity to write about yet another blogger meet up I had last Saturday. That evening, Skippy and I ventured into New York City to meet Alecto and her pal, Florkow for dinner and a comedy show at Joe's Pub down in NYC's East Village.

It isn't often that I get a chance to pose for a photo with three beautiful women, let alone meet fellow bloggers face-to-face. So when these opportunities arise, I jump at them.

I've met several in the past few years -- among them are Distributorcap, Morse, Pissed in NYC, and Divajoood. And there are a few more I know that I'll get around to meeting someday -- New Jersey is not that big a state Mauigirl!

I also know the lovely and talented Blondesense Liz, with whom I formed that soon-to-be-open-mike-night sensation, Los Pablos.

And now, I can say I met Alecto.

Skippy and I found her and Florkow to be delightful and charming company, and, an incredibly funny, if not unintentional, warm up act for Hazelle Goodman.

Man these ladies have some good stories to tell. Oh, those crazy women from Connecticut!

Okay, good people, it's back to my fortress.

Move along now. Nothing to see here.

I stayed home and tried to write a post to Blog Against Theocracy.

I had all sorts of ideas lined up to try and compare the U.S. Constitution to the Christian bible, and republican government to religious rule. I'm not sure how many words I typed and the hours I wasted on this project, but no matter what I wrote, it all seemed to fall flat on its face.

I figured that most of my readers know the difference between the texts -- the Constitution is a flexible document that defines both the rights of individuals and the limits of governmental authority. The Bible is a book that lays out the rules handed down by an omnipotent being, wrapped in tales and parables attesting to both its benevolence and wrath.

Ultimately, what it comes down to is choice.

You may choose to be a part of those who want to subvert the Constitution by having us all submit to an invisible higher authority; the rules of which will be enforced by the most pious among them as chosen by their omnipotent one.

In this paradigm, there is no arguing the perfection of divine rule. The omnipotent one knows best. You don't need to see him, you just need to place your faith is his existence, and abide by the rules. "Trust me," he says, "or I will fucking smite you."

Check out this website and you'll know what I mean.

The Society for the Practical Establishment and Perpetuation of the Ten Commandments

Or, you may choose to join groups that help ensure the preservation of those rights, privileges and freedoms (including the freedom to worship the deity or deities of your choosing) written into the very imperfect Constitution of the United States of America. The intent of the framers is very clear about its imperfection and its inherent modesty is something to be admired. This is why we have an Article specifically outlining the revision process and amendments that prove the process works.

People like Barry Lynn of the Americans United for Separation of Church and State do a great job of protecting those constitutional freedoms. So does the American Civil Liberties Union. But, ultimately, none of this would really be possible were it not for those who've made the supreme sacrifice. If you have time, take a moment to honor a veteran. The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is a great place to start.

On a personal note, I want to say thanks to Tengrain and Blue Gal for including me in this blog swarm. I know I'm a little late to game with this post. When am I never? You honor me with your invitation.

I also want to say thanks to all those who have stopped by to read this blog. I have decided to take an indefinite hiatus from writing on My Saturday Evening Post . Between playing music and just wanting to give my brain a well-deserved breather, I just feel the need to take a long break.

Again, thanks everyone.