Swimming In Circles

Fred started swimming lessons last week so everyday from 5:30-6 we can be found lounging out by the city’s public pool. When we first started kicking over the idea of Fred learning to swim a couple of things immediately came to mind. 1) We are talking about my son so do we really want him to learn how to swim when walking down the hall without tripping over his own feet is still a problem? I mean I’m 32 and I still fall all the time. 2) Our idea of swimming lessons involves people in red one-piece bathing suits ala Baywatch with whistles around their necks which they use to keep in the kids in order.

Neither of these assumptions or (in the case of one-piece bathing suits) images were any where close to what actually takes place and it all went down hill from the moment he hit the water. After a brief info session from the Lifeguard that started and stopped with the phrase “Only 1 parent in the water with the child at one time. Everyone else must stand behind the fence” (Again I would have liked to have heard something about in case of rain, here’s what we do if somebody begins to drown, or “Hey look! This certificate means I’m a licensed lifeguard and not a teenager simply looking to get a good tan”) we were told we could get our child into the water….little did we know the only things the class would cover is when it’s ok to get in the pool (5:30) and when it’s imperative we leave the pool (6:00). So Fred hits the water with a leap from the edge, into Lucy’s waiting arms, and immediately moves to the top of his class. See again we were under the impression that actual lessons would be given, but were immediately informed by the Guard (more like a security guard at this point and only there in case somebody decides to steal a nerf ball from the Muscle Shoals Park and Rec Department) that he looked awfully big to be 2 and that they normally save jumping in till the last day of the two week class.

So basically we are renting a pool for half an hour for 10 days at a cost of $2.50 per day which in today’s economy is pretty cheap until you realize that we could visit the same pool for free from 1-5 and learn just as much.

The Editor In Chief

Being as this is my 270th post I thought Iwould take a second to talk about my biggest fan and the role she plays in creating Charlie. Of course I am talking about none other than the fabulous Lucy Blockhead. For those of you who don't know we have been joined at the hip since our first date way way back on December 27, 1997. Since then she has brought more joy into my life than I can ever imagine. During that time we've definately had our share of struggles. Like that two week period my arm started swelling and I developed a grapefruit sized knot under my arm. Of course we thought it was cancer, but thankfully it turned out to only be a clogged sweat gland. Then there was the day I just chunked my job of two years without having a clue as to what I would do the next day. This isn't about the hard times though, this is about your's truly Charlie Blockhead.

Charlie really just started out as a way for me to express my fears at becoming a new dad. Two years and some months later it has lead to a pretty good part-time job (this is where I plug the freelance site I'm writing for Petsource) and at least twice a week the adventure continues to move forward.

What you may not know is that eventually I'm going print this entire blog and have it published. All 270 pages in counting will someday be bound, numbered, and given to Fred as a way to know just what made his dear ole dad tick (though it may also make him wonder why his mom stuck around for so long).

Since this is essentially like writing a 270+ letter to your son and such an important task, it's nice to have somebody around to help keep the tone of the posts in check. This is where Lucy comes in. She is the first to tell me when something shouldn't be discussed (like wondering if your child's future will involve a life of crime) and when I've gone too far (I once wrote a post about what I think of those who come forward at church too often, which was immediately deleted). She is my Editor In Chief and on this momentous occasion as I celebrate the big 270 I just wanted to make sure she knows that as with the rest of my life I'd have nothing if I didn't have her first.

Spaces In Between

It's been a while since I got all reflective and posted about something other than the latest adventure, but something about spending time at Granny's always leaves me looking inside and promising to make changes in my life. Then again after spending four straight days in a house full of 15 people, my inner voice may just be dying to be heard.

More and more I find myself yearning for the weekends. I guess I just thought that somewhere along the way the constant sense of amazement that comes with being a father would wear off. It's just the opposite though. The more time I spend with Lucy and Fred the more time I want. In school I'd spend all day daydreaming about the beach, girls, and what I could be doing if I wasn't stuck in a class room. Now 15 years later I spend my works days doing the same thing, except of course the only girl I daydream about is Lucy and what I could be doing is playing golf with Fred.

Except for Broccoli and Nani, I don't get to see the rest of the family much more than a few days a year. During the times we do get together it's like we try to pack a year's worth of family time into 48 hours. We laugh, we cry, we fight. We storm out of rooms declaring it's time to go back home and enter those same rooms moments later praying it never ends. It always does though....

And as is the case today, after all the suitcases have been packed and everyone has called to say they made it home, I'm left wondering what I can do to make those feelings last. Saddly though the answer of course is nothing. It's just that simple.

The truth is that the reason family time is such a powerful force is because it's only given out is small quantities. A weekend by the pool here, a trip to Chucky Cheese there. I'm convinced that if somehow I could cut out everything that required my attention, found a way to live life without worrying about money, food, a roof over our heads, and was able to give 100% of myself to spending time with Lucy, Fred, and the others....I'd take it for granted and never understand what an amazing life I have.

For me it's the spaces in between the 8-5, the time spent working to provide for my family, and the trips to Granny's that makes them so special. It's the spaces in between that keeping me coming back to work every morning. Rain or shine. Monday thru Friday. Daydreaming about beaches, girls named Lucy, and what I could be doing with Fred.

Freddie Meets Wall-E

We've been debating taking Fred to the movies for several months now and we were waiting for just the right one to test out our theory that he could make it all the way through without having to skip the last half. Wall-E came out this past weekend and it's seemed that the timing was right.


We planned the entire day out so that he'd be at his best when the movie started at exactly 4:30. Lucy ran him around the park during a local festival in the morning, I stepped up to the plate and hit a home run with a two hour nap, and then a good lunch made for a really great mood for Fred. So how did it go? Well if you subtract the fact that he stuck his hand in a urinal that hadn't been flushed in God knows how long (I made sure the water was hot for that particular hand washing). Add points for getting there just as the previews were starting. Subtract a point for forgetting that the previews lasted half an hour. And then sorta erase the parts where he shook the crap out of the empty seat in front of us and the fact he/I watched the last 20 mintues (which were about how long the previews lasted) from the entrance ramp. Overall I'd say it was a roaring success!!!


Fred loved the movie, didn't get scared during the Journey To The Center Of The Earth preview (which was an idiotic thing to put in front of a G rated movie to start with! I mean you've got an entire room full of 2-4 year-olds and you decide a scene where T-Rex is trying to eat a kid is ok?), and most of all impressed his parents with his ability to eat half a bag of popcorn. It was such a great success that our next movie just may be this one.

America's Next Top Model

Lucy found this contest hidden in the depths of this month's Parenting magazine. The winner gets flown out to New York for a cover photo shoot. Check out the pics we submitted and click on the "recommend & rate this" lines to show your support. The contest isn't based on total votes, but the support couldn't hurt. Vote here!

Entertained To Death

What with the trip to Memphis, all that was Father's Day weekend, and the new freelance work I've picked up combined with all the regular up's/down's of life....I've been stock piling a pretty good stack of entertainment just in case I ever decide to slow down.

My DVR is packed with such movies as:

• Blades Of Glory
• Disney's The Kid (love Bruce Willis!)
• The 300
• Hot Fuzz
• Ocean's Thirteen
• Batman Vs. Dracula
• The Game Plan
• The Good Year

This is just the movies! Mixed in are episodes of:

• House
• Law & Order: SVU (5 Episodes!)
• The Spectacular Spiderman
• Greensboro (Awesome new show)
• Extreme Home Makeover(100th episode!)
• Plus the usual assortment of kiddy shows like The Wonder Pets, Backyardigans, Max & Ruby, etc...

Then there are the books that I keep picking up and taking home to collect dust:

• Brother Odd (Dean Koontz)
• Freak-O-Nomics
• The Husband (Dean Koontz)
• Peace Like A River
• Boomsday (The story of a blogger who convinces Washington that they can save a ga-billion dollars by giving incentives to Baby Boomers in return for commiting suicide at the age of 75)
• One Mississippi
• The Historian
• Plus an entire bookcase of paperbacks I was given late last year and the Entertainment Weekly I go running to the mailbox for every Friday

All of this and 60 free music downloads that Lucy and I have received recently. For some reason I just can't say no to a good piece of Pop Culture and so at the moment I find myself drowning in a sea fun. Maybe you can help ole faithful reader. If you see something I listed above that totally stinks, drop me a line so I can scratch it off my To-Do-When-There's-Nothing-To-Do-List.

Fathers, Sons, And Daughters

It's hard to imagine a Father's Day weekend packed with much more fun than a night on the town alone with my lady, a round of golf with just us guys, a couple passes around the chinese buffet, an afternoon of lounging, and a light dinner at the local sandwich shop.

Walk'n In Memphis

Finally I'm back. I knew it would take a few days to catch up, but the week turned out harder than I thought. Thanks to all of you who kept asking me where I was and when they could see the pics I promised. Gigi/Steve surprised us Sunday morning and got to go to the zoo with us. Plus little man was the star of the show as we made our way down Beale Street late Saturday afternoon.