“Dad’s here!” Instead of heading to the door to greet him, she ran to her bedroom to change her shirt. As he walked into the living room, she came walking in from the hallway wearing a hand-me-down t-shirt. She smiled up at Mark, and said, “Hi, Daddy!” Continue reading →
Lack of Empathy
25
May 11
The Making of a Passive-Aggressive
13
May 11
On Antiperspirant and Aha Moments
She’d just walked in the back door from checking on the neighbor’s dog. Time to start baking treats for the church banquet and making calls to beg for donations for the school fundraiser, in between loads of laundry. She had the T.V. on for background noise, even though she didn’t have time to watch anything. Continue reading →
25
Apr 11
I Hate Holidays
As I walked through Target looking for something to get the kids for Easter, I passed the poofy, over-the-top Easter Dresses. I remember getting a couple Easter Dresses for Jenny. Continue reading →
15
Mar 11
Ships Have Only One Rudder
Will is a compassionate fellow with a tender, sensitive side and a fearless streak that makes him charge down ski hills at a speed that launches him into powder and shrubs and stuff that he can’t see. Occasionally he checks out the landing before he jumps, but not always. Continue reading →
11
Mar 11
“Honey, Your Dad Lacks Empathy”
“Oh, sweetie! You should have seen the darling little eight year old girl who wanted to dance with me at the meeting. She had long curly blond hair, and a big beautiful smile. I know her parents. She came up to me, jumped in my lap and asked me to dance with her. She was a really good dancer, too.” Mark could hardly contain himself when telling Jenny of the story of the little girl who fell in love with him. Continue reading →
9
Mar 11
The Fire Tender
The leather gloves next to the stove, and the fire within, are the only indications of steady use. The wood stove is free of ashes, spent embers, bits of bark and any other signs of use, yet the fire within roars continuously. The glass door is spotless as if perhaps he’d had to replace it yesterday after he’d slammed the door too hard in a fit of anger and frustration. Continue reading →
4
Feb 11
Narcissism Knows No Bounds
Jenny selected the shiny brown bowl circled by a ring of cobalt blue. She hoped I would love it, and I did. She was excited to give the bowl to me as a gift. The ceramic bowl is the perfect size for almonds or pretzels. Continue reading →
19
Jan 11
The Proof is in the Fritos
Late Monday afternoon I had the opportunity to enjoy a guilty pleasure. My kids were gone. I got a break from being a role model. I sat at the table in front of my laptop reading blog posts, while dipping Fritos in chili. Continue reading →
19
Dec 10
Dear Dad
I’m not mad at you any more. I’m guessing that you didn’t realize I was mad at you.
I’ve been mad at you for a real long time. Continue reading →
