Shhhh...It's a Stakeout.

The slow drizzle smacks the pavement, insulting the ground, doing its best gnat imitation. Gnats, really annoying and completely useless. The neon glow of the surrounding restaurants and one bright lamp in barren parking lot. The only cars belong to the desk clerk and my team. We sit our hotel room with the T.V. on as background noise, reruns. My favorite cutie, Abby Shuto, catching my attention from time to time. I fill the time looking over my photography, watching the second computer I have set up in the room and waiting for a signal.

I sip my cola to fight the sleep as I keep an eye on the parking lot. My two older partners are in their own world. One preps his dentures for the night and takes out his contacts as the other stretches out on the bed and letting his chest hair air dry. Now if only I smoked and the world was in black and white, this would be the best comedic noir ever.

Musically Inclined

When I got married I had a pretty high bar set for me, but I knew this when Jess and I were dating. There is a list of things that would make me a more amazing man in the eyes of my wife, so far I've got cooking and an artistic eye. Being a stellar shopping partner comes and goes. Yet there is still room to grow. Improvement points are earned through tasks such as learn a Romantic language fluently; take Jess to Disney World, the Bahamas, California and fishing in Mexico; be a great father (which in itself is a huge life challenge) and I'm sure I'm missing some here...but this list would not be complete without "Learn to Play Guitar".

Now, I'm down with most of the list, and guitar could be fun. But the more I look into the musical world and enjoy the multitude of sounds to be created I'm continually drawn to whines and groaning of the fiddle. Not the proper sound of a violin, but the raw feel of a fiddle. I was tempted to fall more towards a banjo to slightly appease Jess' thoughts of a guitar. Much as I love the twang of a banjo, it's still a bit much for me. Banjo's also seem to be a bit much for anyone unless accompanied by a full band. I also don't have enough space to store a stand-up bass.

I've tried the instrument thing once and never stuck with it. I've never really stuck with much, at all. I'm an activator, I get things started except for parties. I don't get parties started. Sorry P!nk. I have a shelf of started books, very few finished. This is the reason I haven't bought an instrument. I don't want to have that "one more thing" that sits and looks at me saying "Well, at least you tried." I want to hear "Well done! Wasn't that fun? Let's do it again soon." Those are words that I love to hear, not just from the inanimate objects in my life. I love to hear my family and loved ones express joy in activities they share with me, regardless if it was my idea or not. To take on the idea of heaven on earth, these things stir in me a hint of what I really long for.

"Well done my good and faithful servant."

I think I'll start by finishing a current read "Uprising" by Erwin McMannus. Started it months ago. I think it's time to push forward. Jess, I love you, but I may have to set the guitar on the back burner for a bit...assuming you don't hear poorly played versions of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" creaking out from the guest room first.

What we make of it.

It's great to have an enjoyable holiday. With that said, this past holiday has been one of the most memorable for me. This is most likely due to it being recent activity. On top of timeliness, the holidays were filled with great memories.

Christmas was proceeded by much feasting and preemptive gift-giving. The Daniel's Dinner is always fun and Jess missed it due to work. This extended family welcomed a new member, got to share in excitement of future members and enjoy great food. With bellies full secret-santa gifts were handed out as well as the family bloomers, over-sized undies and the snowman winter cap (I'm just gonna try to avoid the dreaded toboggan debate). With wrapping paper and gift bags asunder, a constant grazing of the buffet, and a healthy sugar rush; the kids head out to play on the playground, and a nice round of touch football, while the adults solve the worlds problems and laugh over experiences past. A few of the family members with blood sugar issues slowly slip towards a nice nap, aka "the itis".

Then came dinners with Jess' immediate family and my mom. Enough food in one day to make even Kobiyashi pop. Turkey sausage makes my soul smile and "heavy finger foods" translates to "meatballs and 2 slices of key lime pie". My wardrobe is wonderfully freshened and Snake Eyes has made a return to my life, also, FUSHIGI!!! (Which I am nowhere near mastering.) Jess and I spent all of Christmas day in our pajamas, through all our family stops (which helped my nap at her parents) and even building a snowman at my mom's to top off our "White Christmas". The following morning church was canceled, but not lunch at Grandma's. The family of 23 gathered to fill our stomachs, build snowmen, and start an assembly line for igloo production that would make an Eskimo Henry Ford proud.
The New Year was rung in in bed.

Even after the New Year Jess and I found ourselves at the normal place for our Sunday afternoons, Grandma's. I found myself pulled away from doodling to engage in my newest addiction, Just Dance 2 for the Wii. Competing against four girls I was regularly schooled, I would like to blame some of it on poor wii-mote sensitivity, but I did come in first on "Girlfriend" and "It's Raining Men". I was just happy to win. The rest of the family found great delight in reading into the situation more than necessary.

It's nice to reflect back on this holiday season. "Cheaper by the Dozen" playing in the background makes me thankful for family. My gorgeous wife lies across our love seat, beautiful with the slow rise and fall of the quilt following the lilt of her breathing. A lot has happened. None of it is on the level of scientifically groundbreaking, not even spiritually enlightening nor worthy of any attention from Alfred Nobel and his crew. Jess couldn't have said it better in her blog, "We are blessed."

Amen.