September 23, 2007

Lady E. Needs Rehab

In my last post, I wrote that I had ingested some cheap Cabernet (thanks LWS) and mulled over the injustices of life, but promised that in my next post I would return to a light tone.

It was not to be: I found out this week that Lady E. has a drinking problem.

Note North Korean dictator hairstyle-- a sure sign of a problem.

The other day, our daughter apparently had a hard day at the office and, to forget her infant troubles for a few hours, took to the bottle for solace. Naturally, when I found out that she was using booze to help ease the strain of her daily baby grind, I knew we had to stage an intervention right away:
“Imbibing wine because you’re concerned about coronary heart disease at eight months old is a rationalization for your self-destructive behavior,” I said. “Your bon vivant lifestyle has to end.”

Elena explained that she considered her drinking “only a constitutional” and that “all the other kiddies were doing it, too.”

Stern and concerned father that I am, I rejected her excuses and, as her punishment, confined her to the apartment until she was able to stand upright, walk unassisted and control her own bowels.


(Disclaimer: For those not inclined to satire, our baby daughter did NOT drink wine. This post is intended only as humor and a contrivance.)

September 11, 2007

Sending Out Some Love

Recently, a heartrending event has brought sorrow to some friends back home. Why do tragedies happen to good people? It is an age-old query rife with nods toward the divine, and I certainly have no original questions, insights, or answers. But one tends to search one’s soul and ponder core beliefs when these subjects appear late at night in your head and won’t go away. Cheap Cabernet Sauvignon is usually the instigator of this thinking, and soon becomes the remedy to soften the sting.

I’m very grateful for the blessings I’ve had so far and I wish to share a little of my good fortune with friends who have suffered an awful hardship. I personally believe that sharing these thoughts in a public space such as the Internet emits something positive that just might help in some way. In the absence of something tangible…if nothing else, a little love in the collective consciousness can’t be a bad thing. So, from my family to another which is hurting, we send our love.
One more thing: today marks six years to the day since 9-11. I was here in Hiroshima, alone at the office late at night, making international calls to the US, when suddenly the Internet went down and the phone lines were all tied up. What the $#!*/@?, I thought. A security guard came around and mentioned the horrific news from the States. So, for me, 9-11 is an annual reminder that a normal day can take a terrible turn very quickly. So, dear readers, every now and then, rejoice in normal, boring days where nothing happens and pee off the porch, be happily banal.
I think I’ll have another glass of that Chilean Cabernet now…and promise more mirth in the next post. Thanks for your patience.