new year, carryover from the last...

2009 begins... well, awhile ago. i'm a little late in reporting. the holidays wrapped up nicely and was time well spent by all. BJ's affinity for santa grows steadily each season but the quest continues to draw his attention back to the real reason for Christmas. no rush, he's entitled to his childhood fantasies and the like, and i wouldn't have any interest in taking away the experience of staying young and naive. nevertheless, in time we'll sit around the traditional holiday reading for a different purpose besides paying homage to the old white-bearded fellow known as saint nick.

the subject heading isn't nearly as dismal as it may seem... it just means that i'm not buying into (like any other year) the whole resolution phenomenon. i choose to believe that what is worth forwarding into the new year will rightfully come with me and what should stay behind will hopefully do just that. thankfully, i don't have near the same amount of unfavorable circumstances to grandfather into 2009. amen!

as time passes so too does my desire to focus on the past. this preoccupation never really existed by design but i tend to be good at fumbling this basic principle of life. you might group this with being my own worst enemy when it comes to the influence and impact i've had on others than i would soon forget. it takes me awhile to realize that i am but a human being, prone to brokenness and well capable of falling short in my good intentions. after all, its only been several years now that several of you have been reminding me of this fact, and not because you're cruel or acting with malice but rather you genuinely care to open my eyes to a common truth that takes me awhile to understand. i never claimed to lack my dense moments.

BJ will be celebrating his 4th birthday at the end of next month. i'm thrilled to have had a close-up perspective on his growing into a young man. ok, that might be a stretch at this point in his life but it sure feels like he is wise beyond his years. if i'm not careful he might just ask for the car keys and take himself to work in my place fairly soon. ah, the proverbial exaggeration to state my claim... you get the idea. he's growing "like a tumbleweed," as he often says.

the social scene has lately resembled its pop culture counterpart (broken) social scene. i imagine this is for different reasons, not the least of which is still some ridiculous fear that i can't quite explain. it will pass, i'm sure. i have, however, found myself checking into the local city/county "clubs" pages for anything that might catch my attention. it couldn't hurt to meet a few others with like minded interests, if only to strike up a different degree of conversation than i might regularly have with my peers. we'll see what comes of this and perhaps i'll have more to report in the future, who knows.

i'm excited about the forthcoming album entitled "approaching normal" by one of my favorite bands, blue october. they've long since become a household name on the heels of their hits "hate me" and "into the ocean" but i can honestly say i predicted this to happen years ago, days after i picked up their major label debut "consent to treatment" and heard "HRSA" and "drop." the guys have become family men in many ways and that should make for an interesting flip to some of their writing. i'm eager to see what may come of the more joyful side of their master craftsman, justin furstenfeld. maybe you'll join me come early march and see for yourself as well, no?

another long anticipated release i've been chomping at the bit for is the first solo effort from former lead singer of dishwalla, JR richards. i've heard a few songs from their time just after preproduction and was blown away, to borrow a common action movie cliche'. the emotions that eminate from the studio on this release (at least from what i've heard thus far) are haunting, in a completely positive way. i was stunned as i listened on repeat for what seemed like hours. each go round brought new life to something i might have otherwise missed initially. i believe the title of this yet to come gem was recently changed to "the end is near" but i don't know if that will make it through final approval. just google JR richards and you're bound to enjoy the discovery.

looking forward to seeing the latest pixar offering "up" with BJ...

*spinning*
"unlucky 7" by glen phillips