In a rare moment of bravery, I let Cool Mum read through the memoir that I’ve been writing. Her review was generally positive with the comment:
It seems a little self-deprecating.
I said that it’s because I’m a terrible writer and I have no business behind a keyboard, typewriter, or stone tablet and chisel unless I’m trying to sell one. (FYI, do NOT get into the stone tablet and chisel business. Those units are hard to move. Literally!)
This was the line that sparked CM’s comment:
My senior year, I was voted ‘Most Likely to Succeed’ by my class (fooled ‘em!)
Longtime readers of this blog (both of you) may think back and realize that yes, there may have been a little self-deprecation along the way. This is where if you were watching a TV show, we would cut to some flashbacks all spliced together. Instead, here are some fitting lines all spliced together
Same neurotic blogging! (in a title) … the only thing we are more clueless about than parenting is fashion … my fashion sense is bankrupt … I am a big nerd.
And these are just from the past month!
A cardinal rule in humor is that you only use a joke three times max. By using self-deprecation as a humor tactic approximately 500 times (like once a blog post), that rule was broken, trampled to death into a fine dust, forgotten, exhumed, and trampled into a finer dust long ago.
I’d like to think that all of our self-dep was not done as false modesty, like we were calling ourselves fashion casualties with the secret hopes that people would think that we were even more stylish than ever. We really think that we are duds when it comes to our duds. But honestly, it’s not that funny. Especially after the 2nd year of talking about it. It’s almost like taking the easy way out and going after the biggest target that won’t offend anyone: myself.
I didn’t make any specific resolutions for 2010. But now after turning the corner on cynicism, bringing my obsession with self-deprecation to light is a breakthrough that some people pay tens of thousands to a therapist for.
Most importantly, how cool is it to dis yourself all the time? I should find a legendary humorist and study how he crafted a persona that was real and relatable. Lemme see… here’s a legend: R. Dangerfield. Great feelings of self-worth, here I come!
Post a comment (2)Cool Baby has been maturing faster than we would have ever imagined. His paternal instincts are kicking in, and his little cool baby is named Albert, as in Albert the Alligator, the mascot of the University of Florida.
Two things to note in the following video:
- I have conversations with Albert for CB’s entertainment in which Albert has a deep, scruffy voice. CB has picked up the routine, too, and I’m glad to have gotten it on camera before he loses interest.
- CB is a better swaddler than we ever were! He dotes up on little Albert so gently and lovingly. He knows just how to handle a little one. We may start advertising his babysitting services.
You know, I think I’ll wait on posting that babysitting ad for a while.
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A few months ago, I contributed an article to The Creative Revolutionary’s Handbook (now called Ocsplora), a blog started by my friend Nate. The article is called Finally Start Writing Your Screenplay, but as one commenter said
I’ve never had much interest in screenwriting (although I feel like I want to after reading this), but most of what you said applies to any kind of creative effort…
so hopefully the post will be an encouragement to anyone crafting a written work. Check it out and let me know of any ways that you get motivated to write.
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photo: Rob Young
It’s time that I kick my book-writing into high gear, which of course can only mean one thing: I spent the last few days redesigning the blog. Obviously, if you’re reading this on our site then you’ve noticed it already unless you have a very narrow field of vision. If you’re reading this in your RSS reader, then click on over to the site to check out the new digs.
One reason that I decided to go for a redesign is that our last theme (launched April 2009) made posting just a little more work than it needed to be. I had to find a little thumbnail for the front page and try to write a witty teaser for each post. It’s not that much work, but it was just enough to convince me not to post on my lazier days. It was a magazine format, but I just wanted a good ol’ blog back. Also, with the extra work required, I couldn’t post from my phone; with this new look, I can! (get ready for 4 straight posts on how crowded the subway is)
We’re still working out the kinks in our new face. If you encounter any issues, please let us know. I’ll continue to experiment with different parts of the site, but hopefully the new theme will get us back to doing what we do best: finding reasons to not post.
Post a comment (10)Last time, I boldly proclaimed that it was time for Cool Baby to leave babyhood behind, specifically in the areas of bedtime and potty training. Here is the much-anticipated
COOL BABY NIGHT-NIGHT UPDATE
We’ve almost always had to be in the room for CB to fall asleep. We had a bedtime routine, and while the routine stayed the same, it started at a different time every night. And we never knew when he was going to fall asleep–sometimes it took 30 minutes, sometimes it took an hour and a half. It was especially frustrating on nights when we had plans (ok, i’ll admit–when LOST was on).
A couple of weeks ago, we were determined for a change. One night, I started the routine at 7:00. I briefed him on the night’s agenda ahead of time and at every step:
- put on PJs
- brush teeth
- read 2 books
- sing 3 songs
- I go out so he can go to sleep
CB going to sleep in his room by himself?! That was the stuff of dreams. I was always amazed by our friends who put their kids to bed early and alone.
The night’s routine went well until the moment of truth. I broke the news that I would be leaving the room so that he could go to sleep. He resisted. I was sure that it was going to end badly. But then I was inspired by a glimmer of wisdom that could have only come from God.
I reasoned with CB that his best friends go to bed all by themselves. And so does the little boy in his favorite book. His mood shifted from despair to curiosity. I could see the gears turning by the look on his face:
(insert friend’s name) goes to bed all by himself? I guess I’d never thought about that…
And the battle was won. CB agreed that going to bed all by himself wasn’t something to be feared, but was something that the cool kids did. He wanted in. I guess that the neurotic desire to be like the cool crowd starts early. Maybe it’s genetic – poor guy never had a chance.
Since that night, the bedtime routine has been nearly automatic. No longer would I put him to bed only to realize that it was then time for me to go to bed.
This new freedom has been so sweet, and it wasn’t even hard fought. Now if we can just get him to take naps.
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