What's in a name?

Apparently, a lot. The long standing dispute between my mother and I about the name of our baby is really getting to me, perhaps because I'm more tired today than I've ever been. She asked about the name, if we've decided on one, and I told my mom that we were pretty set on Alex, at which point she mentioned that when I mentioned that I would let her choose the name -- that didn't really matter if I already made up my mind. Then she got quiet and distant, and I felt like the worst son in the world. But what are you supposed to do about a name that you've always liked? One that we've even briefly talked about before we even thought about having a baby?

I dunno, my visits to Mom have gotten more and more fragile. Everytime I talk about when I should come see her, she tells me there's no need, and then when I don't see her for a while, she says that I don't really put forth the effort to see her after all. I'm getting really frustrated with her. Seems like she's just hell-bent on being completely pessimistic about everything that I can't do anything to please her. In fact, I talked about coming down next weekend to see her, for her birthday, which is on the 30th. And she said that it would be over by the time I came down to see her on the weekend, so I might as well forget about it.

And suddenly I just remember why I love my wife so much, because I feel as if the love I invest on her will be invested back into me, and it becomes a nuturing relationship. I don't know, maybe my mom thinks that she's invested a lot into me, but I'm not returning it. I'm not trying to be stubborn about the name, I'm really not, it's just that if we called the baby another name, all I would remember is that we had a name we liked and picked out, that we had to change. I'm really missing my wife a lot right now. I miss touching her in the middle of the night and hearing the words, "I love you." Whenever I accidently wake her, she always smiles at me and says, "Hi Sweetie," and I love that. I miss that so much. I wish the wedding was tomorrow and I could spend Sunday with her.

My mom thinks the name is common, but it's not common to me. It's special. Well, I don't know what to do. Just ride it out I guess.

So, yes. I've been working relatively easy shifts, 32 hours a week, and 8 hours that fly by without much incident or excitement, but I haven't really had the opportunity to rest. I have two weddings this month, one the next, another the following, and one last one in August. What that equates to is, no resting time for me because I'll be editing for the next four years. Feeling a little bummed about that. But I'll have to devise a system to figure things out. Perhaps I shall clone myself. Although if I ever succeeded in that, I would likely indulge in Calvin-like behavior, whereby I would tell my clone to do my homework, and hang out with Hobbes and play instead. And I would have to object to the possibility that my clone has to share my wife. She's all mine, and that's all there is to it!

So, got a wedding in Seattle, which is sorta great. I don't know Seattle very well, and these guys haven't really paid me in full yeah, which isn't exactly cool either. But whatever. Brendon will be hanging out with me, which will be good because he can be my navigator, when he's not busy taking some photos.

Alex is fine, he's kicking my wife a lot, just a little athlete who gives occasional head butts to my wife. I still haven't felt the baby kick for real yet. I swear, I get more movement holding my own tummy.

Maybe we're expecting two.

Lives in Flux

Just less than four days ago, my step-grandchild was born, and this September, we will be expecting our first son -- my first child, my wife's third. And in Algeria, about a thousand people just perished in such a short and tragic time. All it took was an earthquake to destroy a thousand experiences into memories, and thousands more will have to live the rest of their lives trying to hold on to the memories of the people they've lost. And in my home, close to a hundred houseflies will spent their afterlives in the collection bin of my vacuum cleaner, because they've been subjected to my wrath.

I'm in one of those moods, halfway serious, halfway feeling flighty, so this post might seem a bit caustic. But as a ritual, as I come home from work everyday, I scorn at all the buzzing houseflies that somehow emerged from somewhere, and I systematically suck all of them up with the hose of the vacuum cleaner. The Dirt Devil is my weapon of choice mostly because it's a rather bloodless and somewhat passive way of ridding the house of the little pesky buggers. Of course, that's provided if you don't look in the collection bin, because you will witness the mass grave of fly parts and Franklin fur.

Alright, I'm ending the post. I'm bordering on bizarre.

I had a pretty exciting weekend and Monday, though I really wouldn't like for it to happen again. It's too much for an old man like me, all this excitement.

It started off with a wedding. It was a job, actually, getting to do Jessica and Pete's wedding, but it felt kinda fun because they were really nice to me. Running around watching them get ready while they pretended I wasn't around was kinda interesting. Their ceremony was a beautiful one, an emotional one because the pastor was also Pete's grandfather. He gave a rousing story about how Pete was the new generation of men in his family to have chosen wives that made for life mates. And they both were tearing up, as was I because secretly, I have a huge amount of estrogen coursing through my veins.

I liked Jessica and Pete because they didn't make me feel like I was working, more like a friend who just happens to do videography, and happens to charge for it as well. Trenchcoat helped me out too, shooting an additional 50 hours of B-roll stuff that will undoubtedly be the end of me.

The dancing at the end was simply the best. I would have to say that it was the first time I've heard that much rap music at a reception, and the sight of Pete slapping his guy friend's ass while dancing just made it so much more fun. I would never do it myself, but it was kinda cool to see a guy who was happy enough to do it without feeling completely self aware about it. Actually, a lot more guys than girls grinded up against Pete.

The next day, a boatload of us went to see The Matrix Reloaded, and though my feelings about the movie aren't great, it was still fun. Oh, and being rushed out of the theater by Dansen, that was just spec-tac-ular. It's okay Dansen, you only made me miss the preview for Revolutions, you skanky boy.

AND THEN... my wife's oldest daughter had gone into labor earlier that morning, delivered the baby boy Joseph in her home, and so we got to visit her and her husband in the hospital. My wife's ex showed up, but everyone was seemingly cordial enough to behave for the newborn. Later, we got to watch my wife's granddaughter, who is an absolute sweetie. We were playing on the phone and she was just a cutie because she would pick up the phone and say, "'ullo!", and then pretend to be talking to the "kitty" on the phone, and then say, "Bye!" Then she would tell my wife (in baby talk) what she had learned from the conversation, and my wife would say, "Really?" and she would nod and pick up the phone all over again.

I have video, but no permission to post it. But she's a definite sweetie.

Today at work, just oddities abound. A lot of people didn't turn in their audits, fax machines didn't work, and the computer at one point was typing gibberish. But the rest of the day went well. Honestly, it was a little too eventful for me, but with a boy on the way, I would think this would become the norm. And I'll be looking forward to it!