Birdman

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

DPD.

Mrs. flannj and I just got a call from the oldest, he's taking a break from law classes / studies and coming home for Sunday dinner and staying until Monday night.
Anything he wants is on the menu.

Tonk, I am sure that Stew would agree that these are the simple things you look forward to when empty nesting is your way of life.

Yeah, I can't even comprehend what that will be like. My in-laws took the kids over the weekend, and it was just bizarrely quiet.  The dog was going out of her mind trying to figure out what was happening.

Then they came back and my oldest said "You know dad, only 6 more years and I'll be able to drive" and I had heart palpitations.

Honest question--at what point will "driving" be completely automated, to the point where only us cool people get grandfathered in (and even then would not be allowed to drive on expressways)?  It seems like that point is not that far away and I figured it'll start to get implemented in our lifetimes Well, most of our lifetimes (sorry, Stew). 

CT's comment got me wondering as I have a feeling our kids may be the last batch where learning to manipulate a 2 ton ball of steel will be largely expected.

[CBStew]

DPD.

Mrs. flannj and I just got a call from the oldest, he's taking a break from law classes / studies and coming home for Sunday dinner and staying until Monday night.
Anything he wants is on the menu.

Tonk, I am sure that Stew would agree that these are the simple things you look forward to when empty nesting is your way of life.

Yeah, I can't even comprehend what that will be like. My in-laws took the kids over the weekend, and it was just bizarrely quiet.  The dog was going out of her mind trying to figure out what was happening.

Then they came back and my oldest said "You know dad, only 6 more years and I'll be able to drive" and I had heart palpitations.

Honest question--at what point will "driving" be completely automated, to the point where only us cool people get grandfathered in (and even then would not be allowed to drive on expressways)?  It seems like that point is not that far away and I figured it'll start to get implemented in our lifetimes Well, most of our lifetimes (sorry, Stew). 

CT's comment got me wondering as I have a feeling our kids may be the last batch where learning to manipulate a 2 ton ball of steel will be largely expected.

You are too late.  Last year I drove by the Google Campus and there was a moving driverless car.  There was a passenger in the car, I assume it was just in case.

[Saul Goodman]

I saw Birdman on Saturday. It's great cinema. Very nicely shot. The acting was terrific. The whole thing is set within one theater so it's like a play, you know, the shots keep going and follow the actors and shit. Yay? It's sort of an adaptation of Michael Keaton's real life.

I think for people who are in show business this is probably the greatest statement about acting and writing and theater and whatever that anyone ever dreamed up. I spoke to a friend who is an actor and he fucking adored this film.

I was mostly bored. I'm sorry. I see the value here but I wasn't hooked.

The oldest filmmaking tip in the book: For Hollywood's everlasting adoration, make a dramatic movie about the Meaning of Hollywood.

[InternetApex]

I saw Birdman on Saturday. It's great cinema. Very nicely shot. The acting was terrific. The whole thing is set within one theater so it's like a play, you know, the shots keep going and follow the actors and shit. Yay? It's sort of an adaptation of Michael Keaton's real life.

I think for people who are in show business this is probably the greatest statement about acting and writing and theater and whatever that anyone ever dreamed up. I spoke to a friend who is an actor and he fucking adored this film.

I was mostly bored. I'm sorry. I see the value here but I wasn't hooked.

The oldest filmmaking tip in the book: For Hollywood's everlasting adoration, make a dramatic movie about the Meaning of Hollywood.

Birdmeh.

[Tonker]

I saw Birdman on Saturday. It's great cinema. Very nicely shot. The acting was terrific. The whole thing is set within one theater so it's like a play, you know, the shots keep going and follow the actors and shit. Yay? It's sort of an adaptation of Michael Keaton's real life.

I think for people who are in show business this is probably the greatest statement about acting and writing and theater and whatever that anyone ever dreamed up. I spoke to a friend who is an actor and he fucking adored this film.

I was mostly bored. I'm sorry. I see the value here but I wasn't hooked.

The oldest filmmaking tip in the book: For Hollywood's everlasting adoration, make a dramatic movie about the Meaning of Hollywood.

Birdmeh.

Take it elsewhere, boys.  This thread's for discussing other films, the circle of life, and hover cars.

[Eli]

DPD.

Mrs. flannj and I just got a call from the oldest, he's taking a break from law classes / studies and coming home for Sunday dinner and staying until Monday night.
Anything he wants is on the menu.

Tonk, I am sure that Stew would agree that these are the simple things you look forward to when empty nesting is your way of life.

As someone who's currently exhausted from my first, a 6-month-old (who's a great baby, but still a baby), I'm unsure how to feel about this. I know I'll miss the baby stage*, but it sometimes sounds fun to parent a child who's a little more self-sufficient. But I know every age comes with its own challenges.

Lesson: You never want what you currently have and life is very, very sad.

* Until we just have another one, I guess?

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

DPD.

Mrs. flannj and I just got a call from the oldest, he's taking a break from law classes / studies and coming home for Sunday dinner and staying until Monday night.
Anything he wants is on the menu.

Tonk, I am sure that Stew would agree that these are the simple things you look forward to when empty nesting is your way of life.

As someone who's currently exhausted from my first, a 6-month-old (who's a great baby, but still a baby), I'm unsure how to feel about this. I know I'll miss the baby stage*, but it sometimes sounds fun to parent a child who's a little more self-sufficient. But I know every age comes with its own challenges.

Lesson: You never want what you currently have and life is very, very sad.

* Until we just have another one, I guess?

You're right.  Every age has its own memorable moments but, speaking for myself-- the period between ages 3 and 6 is the real sweet spot.  At 3 they're not only interpreting the world (which, to be fair, they've done since Day 1) but they have the ability communicate it, and it's kind of cool to be able to see how the world appears to them.  By 6 they're still largely innocent and haven't become good at lying.

Actually my 4 year old's a pretty good liar now, but only because he has an older sister who helped speed up the development.  So I'd say 6 is the end of that particular brand of innocence for your FIRST-born.  Just my $0.02.

[Tonker]

DPD.

Mrs. flannj and I just got a call from the oldest, he's taking a break from law classes / studies and coming home for Sunday dinner and staying until Monday night.
Anything he wants is on the menu.

Tonk, I am sure that Stew would agree that these are the simple things you look forward to when empty nesting is your way of life.

As someone who's currently exhausted from my first, a 6-month-old (who's a great baby, but still a baby), I'm unsure how to feel about this. I know I'll miss the baby stage*, but it sometimes sounds fun to parent a child who's a little more self-sufficient. But I know every age comes with its own challenges.

Lesson: You never want what you currently have and life is very, very sad.

* Until we just have another one, I guess?

I don't miss the baby stage, at all.  The first six weeks of fatherhood were far and away the worst of my life.  Utterly, utterly fucking miserable.

[PenFoe]

DPD.

Mrs. flannj and I just got a call from the oldest, he's taking a break from law classes / studies and coming home for Sunday dinner and staying until Monday night.
Anything he wants is on the menu.

Tonk, I am sure that Stew would agree that these are the simple things you look forward to when empty nesting is your way of life.

As someone who's currently exhausted from my first, a 6-month-old (who's a great baby, but still a baby), I'm unsure how to feel about this. I know I'll miss the baby stage*, but it sometimes sounds fun to parent a child who's a little more self-sufficient. But I know every age comes with its own challenges.

Lesson: You never want what you currently have and life is very, very sad.

* Until we just have another one, I guess?

I don't miss the baby stage, at all.  The first six weeks of fatherhood were far and away the worst of my life.  Utterly, utterly fucking miserable.

Terrifying, but miserable? No way.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

I don't miss the baby stage, at all.  The first six weeks of fatherhood were far and away the worst of my life.  Utterly, utterly fucking miserable.

http://hje.me/ci/sbox/day/2013/3/27/p150531765#p150531765

We're looking after a cat for a friend over Easter.

I hate it and wish it would go away.

http://hje.me/ci/sbox/day/2013/3/27/p150532237#p150532237

I'm not kidding, I really fucking detest them. This is worse than the first time I got left alone with my baby son.

http://hje.me/ci/sbox/day/2013/3/27/p150532247#p150532247

I knew far more about babies than I know about cats, and I knew fuck all about babies.

http://hje.me/ci/sbox/day/2013/4/3/p150667165#p150667165

Turns out, cats are pretty low maintenance and quite nice to have around. I wish one of you would of told me that.

[Chuck to Chuck]

I don't miss the baby stage, at all.  The first six weeks of fatherhood were far and away the worst of my life.  Utterly, utterly fucking miserable.

If I recall, you had a different experience than most parents.  Henrik had a bit of a scare, didn't he?

[Tonker]

DPD.

Mrs. flannj and I just got a call from the oldest, he's taking a break from law classes / studies and coming home for Sunday dinner and staying until Monday night.
Anything he wants is on the menu.

Tonk, I am sure that Stew would agree that these are the simple things you look forward to when empty nesting is your way of life.

As someone who's currently exhausted from my first, a 6-month-old (who's a great baby, but still a baby), I'm unsure how to feel about this. I know I'll miss the baby stage*, but it sometimes sounds fun to parent a child who's a little more self-sufficient. But I know every age comes with its own challenges.

Lesson: You never want what you currently have and life is very, very sad.

* Until we just have another one, I guess?

I don't miss the baby stage, at all.  The first six weeks of fatherhood were far and away the worst of my life.  Utterly, utterly fucking miserable.

Terrifying, but miserable? No way.

Well, thanks for that - but I assure you, they were.

[Tonker]

I don't miss the baby stage, at all.  The first six weeks of fatherhood were far and away the worst of my life.  Utterly, utterly fucking miserable.

If I recall, you had a different experience than most parents.  Henrik had a bit of a scare, didn't he?

Yeah, several.  It was pretty hairy, one way and another, but honestly, even if he'd been a picture of health, I'd quite possibly still have found it overwhelming and deeply unpleasant.  My whole fucking life got turned completely upside-down and I didn't like it one bit.

[Yeti]

DPD.

Mrs. flannj and I just got a call from the oldest, he's taking a break from law classes / studies and coming home for Sunday dinner and staying until Monday night.
Anything he wants is on the menu.

Tonk, I am sure that Stew would agree that these are the simple things you look forward to when empty nesting is your way of life.

As someone who's currently exhausted from my first, a 6-month-old (who's a great baby, but still a baby), I'm unsure how to feel about this. I know I'll miss the baby stage*, but it sometimes sounds fun to parent a child who's a little more self-sufficient. But I know every age comes with its own challenges.

Lesson: You never want what you currently have and life is very, very sad.

* Until we just have another one, I guess?

Eli wants to drink with his kid

[Eli]

Yeah, several.  It was pretty hairy, one way and another, but honestly, even if he'd been a picture of health, I'd quite possibly still have found it overwhelming and deeply unpleasant.  My whole fucking life got turned completely upside-down and I didn't like it one bit.

I thought the first two weeks were awesome, since she was sleeping like 22 hours a day. Weeks 2-6 were pretty tough in a what-the-hell-have-I-done sort of way and are mostly a blur.

I've heard from very few dads who *love* having an infant, so I think this is a fairly universal thing. For whatever reason, new-dad struggles are something that isn't talked about a lot, so it came as a bit of a shock to me. I remember thinking that I was a bad person because I was certainly not "treasuring" every moment (as I was told to do by every old person at the grocery store). It still feels that way a bit, but less so even after a few months.