A Walk In The Park- Kevin Fedarko

 

I saw Brad Church reading this last summer when we were both at M14 basketball in New Berlin. It disappeared from my mind for a while. When I went to get it, I discovered that it was very popular, so it took several weeks to finally arrive. 

This is a book to linger on and also is a very quick read. Fedarko intersperses history lessons with the story of his and Pete McBride's journey, a journey that went very badly at first and then much better with some expert help. 

Near the end, Fedarko wonders about the future of Grand Canyon National Park, and now that future is in more doubt with the Trump Regime in charge and slashing funding for everything that caring people value. I feel very happy to have traveled to both Smoky Mountain National Park and Yellowstone in the past few years.

Life (Concerts)

Fridays are when my emotions tend to hit me.

I don't know if it's because Summit Place is so empty, but memories swirl in my head. I feel as though the children are growing up faster than ever. Seven to eight for Levi has been the sweeping away of the little boy, even as the little boy will not go quietly. He's still quick to tears when angry, but his adult teeth growing in in front makes him look older. 

Also, things are getting easier in some respects. Yesterday, there was no big scene as he got dressed for his concert. No crying, no tantrums. He just got dressed and went back to playing his Nintendo Switch. We went to the concert and the kids sang and we laughed. Afterwards, Naomi begged to go to Dairy Queen, and at first Sarah and I resisted. Long night, we said. Time to get ready for bed. 

Neither kid was hearing it, and I thought to myself, let's go. Let's go to Dairy Queen. You've earned it. You worked on these songs with your music teacher, you've listened to direction, you've dressed up and sang. And we can't take you to Dairy Queen? Nonsense.

So we went to DQ and it was mobbed because a lot of people had the same idea. It took us 20 minutes to get our ice cream cones, but so what? For once, it felt like Franklin had a gathering place. Kids happily goofed around or wolfed down ice cream. Naomi played with her bestie Nora. It felt wonderful, like community. I talked to several parents, and realized that we have so many people that we can do things with, and to have a spot to gather is great.

I put the kids to bed, and both listed the concert and DQ as their favorite part of the day. Hard to argue. Might have been my favorite of the year so far.

Pulse

Sometimes I just need to slow the pulse

Slow the pulse

See the chaos and realize

It doesn't all have to be resolved at once

I don't live in an emergency room

Just a messy house

But so what

Sometimes I need to see the stars

So that I get the right perspective

There are priorities and goals and accomplishments

But I do not make the world go around

Sometimes we need to leave our house for a while

We loom so large at home and the spaces shrink 

We were on a cruise ship with thousands

Shoved into a tiny room

Not quite roughing it but trying to manage all the same

Sometimes we need to accept

There is no immediate

Resolution

So Fragile

I don't know, it all just seems so fragile, doesn't it?

Why do I feel like I'm in a great mood one day and then the next it doesn't ever seem to end?

It's not easy living under a regime.

It's not an administration, really, with what they're trying to do, so I call it a regime.

The difference between the world when I was growing up and going to college and the world now is simple.

The world is coming to get you.

When I was a kid, we got the evening newspaper. That was our news, plus Tom Brokaw or Peter Jennings

We didn't have to hear everyone's opinions  instantly.

Maybe you had a bumper sticker, but that was about it.

There were so many Administrations where you didn't really think about who was president.

George Bush Sr? All I remember was a thousand points of light and Dan Quayle not spelling potato right.

I could turn on WBBM or whatever station and learn interesting things.

Now, there are days where I don't turn on the news at all, somewhat out of fear.

Because the current Regime wants to live in your head 24/7.

It's really all about the cruelty.

That program that so many people needs? Cut.

So I don't listen to the news some days. I don't doomscroll. The doom's going to be there tomorrow.

And I wake up with the sun and I remember about the Regime and the light dims a bit.

I resolve to control what I can control.

I run and I try to be present for my children and take care of myself.

Wedding and Birthday

Hoo boy, what a weekend!

We left for Coloma for Aaron and Niheera's wedding shortly after 12:30, arriving around 2:45.

I could not remember how to tie a tie for the life of me, so I had Greg help me. 

Varieties of formality at this wedding. Some were wearing dress shirts, but bless Brett for going whole hog with suit, vest, etc. I felt overdressed for a few minutes, but it didn't really matter, especially after the ceremony when everyone loosened up.

Long evening. Usual wedding reception stuff. I always think that after dinner, speeches, etc, receptions basically turn into middle school dances.

I know it was overwhelming for Levi. He doesn't love attention and enjoyed running around all night with Quincy and Cruz.

Naomi got a new little buddy in Flynn, who enjoyed bossing her around.

Got to sleep around midnight and quick turnaround for breakfast, where we waited forever for our food. Levi again a bit overwhelmed, as he was when Dad and MK were over later.

Levi finally got the Switch, which turned into a meltdown later. Was the meltdown because he forgot which character he was or just something coming because it was the end of a long weekend? I left the house and came back later, then slept with him.