Friday, June 16, 2006

Nature versus Nurture...








"Born to Be Wild" - Steppenwolf (Steppenwolf, 1968)

Mom and Dad continue their journey across the States. They are having more fun than they've had in years. Doing what they want to do, whenever they want to. And here you have a little glimpse into what that might be...

So that's Mom at a tattoo shop on Venice Beach, getting her body art perked up a bit. I suppose that after Dad snapped this shot he sauntered out to play basketball with the neo-Nazis (remember "American History X?") or lift weights with the other muscle guys. I don't know if Dad told her that I wanted the picture to put up here and share with everyone...

And Dad. He caught some fish. Its impressive to me that the two of them, with such divergent ideas of what a good time might be, have actually survived six weeks (and counting) in the relatively cramped space they are sharing.

I have to tell you these photos crack me up. And they comfort me, too. Because after 44 years together and growing into very different people, they still like each other and laugh together. Neil Young said it was "better to burn out than fade away" but maybe there's not so much wrong with the middle ground of glowing brightly for a long, long time.

Fun Friday

Me and the girls have been on the run today. I had a lot I wanted to do. Its a shame because at 9 am they were all three still asleep and I had to wake them up. I hope this means that for the first time in the years since Haley was born, Rob and I might actually get to sleep (both of us!) beyond 7:00 am or so this summer!

First stop (after cleaning up bedrooms and finding lost sandals...) was the County Library to sign everybody up for their great summer book club. We need to increase Anna's confidence in her reading skills so all five of us are going participate in the book club. Should be fun. I picked up Jose Saramago's Seeing for myself, as I'm about finished with A Long Way Down by Nick Hornsby---it has been hilarious with flashes of really sharp insight.

We were having so much fun, I completely forgot that I'd parked in 30 minute parking---luckily, no tickets and no fuming drivers hovering for my spot. It was on then to Melissa's house to visit and have lunch. It was a lot of fun.

I promised the girls we'd spend the evening at the pool after they took brief naps. But they're not sleeping. Haley and Lindsay both get incredibly cranky without mid-day snoozes so I guess we'll have to stay in and read our books, instead. Early bedtimes for everyone.


6 comments:

Drew said...

When did your mom get her tattoo? What is it?

Nick Hornby, isn't that the guy that wrote "High Fidelity" and "Fever Pitch"? I have only read "High Fidelity" but I keep meaning to read the rest of his books, especially if they are like "High Fidelity". I have seen the U.S. movie version of "Fever Pitch" with Drew Barrymore, but I would like to find the other version which was based more on the book about soccer, not baseball. Anyway, did you like the book and would you recommend any of the others if you have read them?

Anonymous said...

Hi Kathy! I had a great time yesterday with you and the girls. Sorry to wear them out for you :)

Here is the book I mentioned that I heard about and it sounded like something you would be interested in. The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan.

Publishers Weekly review: It's a fascinating journey up and down the food chain, one that might change the way you read the label on a frozen dinner, dig into a steak or decide whether to buy organic eggs. You'll certainly never look at a Chicken McNugget the same way again.Pollan approaches his mission not as an activist but as a naturalist: "The way we eat represents our most profound engagement with the natural world." All food, he points out, originates with plants, animals and fungi. "[E]ven the deathless Twinkie is constructed out of... well, precisely what I don't know offhand, but ultimately some sort of formerly living creature, i.e., a species. We haven't yet begun to synthesize our foods from petroleum, at least not directly."Pollan's narrative strategy is simple: he traces four meals back to their ur-species. He starts with a McDonald's lunch, which he and his family gobble up in their car. Surprise: the origin of this meal is a cornfield in Iowa.

KHM said...

My mom has a very discrete and lovely rose. She got it just about the time she turned 60. I went with her and got a tiny little flower on my left ring finger; its mostly concealed by my wedding jewelry. We were both kind of thinking that if we regretted it for the rest of our lives, well---at 40 and 60 years of age that just didn't seem like much of a threat. Paula Cole wrote a great lyric about tattoos; I'll think about putting it in an upcoming post.

Nick Hornby is great and yes, you should read A Long Way Down. Thanks for the heads up on Fever Pitch as well; when Rob read it, I assumed it was yet another sociologic, non-fiction discussion on the impact of baseball in the collective consciousness...

Anonymous said...

Did you forget about her indescrete cherries. I had to mention it because I'm ever so jealous of them you know. Where are your parents at the momenet I haven't heard for a while. The pictures? Priceless. Sounds like your family is enjoying summer fun. Have a great day.

KHM said...

We're all great! Fabulous day yesterday, actually.

Mom and Dad spent the weekend at Tracy's house; I hope they had fun!
KHM

Anonymous said...

How was the concert at the Kennedy center?