“I have a complicated relationship with my dad.”
That’s what I picture myself saying if I had to delivery my father’s eulogy today. He wouldn’t agree, I don’t think. I think he sees our relationship as pretty uncomplicated. (Therein lies some of the complication itself.) We are entirely ideologically opposed on almost every issue, but sometimes he throws me a curveball. Like yesterday.
We went down to see my parents so Husband could help prune plants and we could all grab some lunch, which we did. During that lunch, while we were waiting way too long for food from a favorite restaurant from my childhood, Blue Jay’s, which wasn’t as good as I’d remembered it being (when I was a kid their burgers were so cheesy and had an omg delicious crispy edge but these were like pre-shaped, pre-frozen, tasteless mediocre burgers that were just kinda meh), the conversation skirted around the politics of education policy. We try not to talk about politics (well, I try), but it usually comes up when we talk about something because “something” always goes back to politics, because everything is political.
I was hungry, I was feeling impatient, and I had tried to check out of the conversation but couldn’t keep quiet and went on a short tirade about underfunded public schools, overcrowded classrooms, uncomfortable classrooms without air conditioning, and the fact that it’s no wonder kids aren’t behaving “respectfully” when they aren’t being respected. And my dad, my conservative, ideologically opposed, MAGA dad, goes, “Yeah, there’s a lot of inequity in education. It seems like only people who are affluent enough have access to quality education. I don’t know what the answer is…”
…
🤨
…
*raises hand* I do!
I know what the answer is!
DON’T FUCKING VOTE FOR REPUBLICANS. GRRARRRRGGGHHHARGHHLBLEAUHH!!!
Other than that, we had a lovely visit. Plants were pruned, lunch was consumed, and we even stopped into a record store where I got a solid lot of vintage Prince records. Afterwards, Husband and I visited my favorite childhood public library with the squeaky wood floors. Then we walked across the street to a good, old-fashioned record show where I picked up a limited edition 180g pressing of Kate Bush’s The Sensual World from 2010 for more money than I should’ve been willing to pay, but that appeared to be fairly priced after checking Discogs.
Earlier that same morning, before we hit the road, Husband put some Easter treats I bought into a lovely Easter basket arrangement for my nieces. I got both of them a card. I quickly wrote a little, short story for the eldest:
Niece,
I don’t know if your mom & dad have told you this yet, but I speak Bunny. I’m quite fluent in Bunny, actually. And the other day, the doorbell rang. I opened the door, and to my surprise a Bunny was there, hopping up and down, and she told me it would be swell if I would take these baskets and make sure to give them to you and your little sister, because sisters are very special.
“Well!” I replied in Bunny. “This certainly sounds like an important mission. You can count on me to do it!”
We saluted each other with the official Bunny salute (two hops, a turn, a tail wiggle, a turn, and then you give each other bunny ears with two fingers while you wiggle your nose like a bunny), and that Bunny hopped away.
She hopped so fast she almost disappeared in a puff of SPARKLES and EGGS (which are quite expensive by the way). I wonder if I shall see her again some time. Maybe next year?
Anyway, here are the baskets which I brought all the way down from Columbus to give to you and your sister because sisters are very special.
Love,
Your Uncles M&M
Instead of putting her name on the envelope, I scribbled a few Easter related symbols (bunny face, carrot, decorated egg, etc.). Underneath, I wrote the translation of her first name “from Bunny” which I thought was a little clever of me :)
Word of advice: if you’ve never watched Everything Everywhere All At Once, you should watch that film. Like, immediately. Watching it with Husband was one of the most fun times I’ve had watching a movie in a long time. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
***
Highlights
📺 Watching
Follow me on Trakt: https://trakt.tv/users/wireddifferently
No Good Deed; The Morning Show; Clash of the Gods; The Residence; No Good Deed; EVIL; Devil in Ohio; Moral Orel
🍿 Viewing
Follow me on Trakt: https://trakt.tv/users/wireddifferently
Everything Everywhere All At Once
📚 Reading
On Hold: Dear Writer (Maggie Smith); The Buffalo Hunter Hunter (Stephen Graham)
🍽️ Eating
Lunch with coworkers for a colleague’s birthday. I had a turkey burger. I think they forgot my order but they told me it just took longer than everyone else’s order at my table. And the table next to us. And the people in line. And the mobile orders. But they brought me some French fries to tide me over, and I got a nice compliment on my eyeliner. So, you know, it’s all good.
🎧 Listening
Follow me on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/profile/WiredDifferently
The Bangles; Steve Martin & Edie Brickell; Neko Case; Chanticleer; Crash Test Dummies; Crowded House; Dada; Dan Bern; Company (soundtrack); Goldfrapp; Guided By Voices; Honey & Blue; Indigo Girls; Norah Jones; Kim Deal; Macklemore; Mavis Staples; Moxy Früvous; Over the Rhine; P.M. Dawn; Sylvester; PJ Harvey; Bonnie Raitt; Roni Size & Reprazent; Paul Simon; Bruce Springsteen; Sting; T’Pau; Throwing Muses; The Ting Tings; Tori Amos; Martha Wainwright
📰 Scanning
Follow me on SubStack: https://substack.com/@wireddifferently
🙏 Thanking
- Good filmmakers
- Good television shows
- A new friend (I think)
🩺 Healing
- Therapy; SMART Recovery
