29 December, 2014

{this moment} 122

{this moment} is a Monday ritual that my father started in May 2011, and that I have maintained since May 2014. He described it as "A single image - no words - capturing a moment from the past. A simple moment along my life's Journey - but one over which I wish to linger and savor each treasured aspect of the memories it evokes." When he passed away in February 2014, he left a folder containing images that he hoped to share in the months and years ahead. For some, I share my perspective of the story behind the moment on Thursdays, in a companion ritual called {this memory}. For others, the story is lost in the ocean of time, but I welcome flights of imagination and speculation from readers.



{this moment} was adapted from cath's wonderful blog ~just my thoughts. She, in turn, borrowed it from Pamanner's Blog. My dad suggested, "Check out their blogs, and if you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your {this moment} in the comments for each of us to find and see. If you are moved or intrigued by my {this moment}, please leave a comment." I encourage the same.

AECB

23 December, 2014

'Twas the night before Christmas: Satirical edition

A repost from my dad in honor of our first holiday season without him…this originally appeared on January 10, 2014, although I wrote the poem he included in 2004. 

One last Christmas post - we're still fully decorated here, so this should come as no surprise. I offer a 'poem' by my older daughter. She sent this to family about a decade ago, fully illustrated with photographs, just after the Christmas Eve gathering (see the Family of the Bride), It's thoroughly tongue-in-cheek, and I still find it very funny and am amazed in that it could paint a portrait of this year's celebration just as well as that year's. Family tradition is strong in this household.




'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through my house
Not a creature was stirring, not even the dead skunk in the garage.
The Christmas trees were alight in every single room,
Evidence that my mother had recently been there.

Just one child was nestled all snug in her bed,
While visions of sugar plums danced in her head.

And my sister in her (tarty) earrings, and I in my (dangerously pointy) heels,
Were still hours away from a long winter's nap
(But at least my pedicure made it this far).

When out on the porch there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the door I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutter, and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow (this IS upstate New York)
Gave the lustre of midday to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a few aunts and uncles, and sixteen-plus cousins.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be Uncle Bill.
More rapid than eagles, his courses they came,
and he whistled and shouted and called them by name:

"Now Andrea! Now Emily!
Now, Kelley and Andy!
On, Christopher! On, Chloe!
On, Jason and Peter!

To the top of the porch!
To the top of the wall!
Now dash inside! Dash inside!
Dash inside all!"

And then, in a twinkling, we were packed into a church
The fat lady squeezed behind the holy water, her perch.
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
Down the aisle came the crazy priest with a bound.

He was dressed like Bono, from his sunglasses to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with excessive(!) incense and soot.
His eyes--how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
What was he smoking before the mass?
He rambled about Iraq and misused the word “crass”
That his associations were loose and his ideas tangential
Convinced my father that he was really quite mental.
(A recent schizophrenic break, perhaps?)

At home again, we spoke not a word, but went straight to our work,
Filling our bellies with shrimp scampi, aubergine parmigiana, and biscotti.
And opening presents at Chloe’s command

No one was embarrassed by lingerie from great-aunts.
And as we emptied my parents’ liquor supply all around,
We discovered that there was no Red Bull to be found.

Jay and Pete sprang to Andy’s sleigh
And away they all slid down the icy road (barely missing a large rock).
But they made it back in time for some Jäger bombs
But at last I heard Chris exclaim,

"Nothing says ‘Merry Christmas’ like drinking with family!"


In loving memory of those we lost in the years since I wrote this poem;
we will miss you on Christmas Eve.

Thomas Glenn Brown
1948 - 2014
Olympia "Aunt Bea" McAleese
1920 - 2011
Ann Marie Killino
1940  - 2011
William "Uncle Bill" McAleese
191_ - 2007

and in celebration of Landon, Gavin, Finn, Brooke and Aria, 
who have joined us for many Christmas Eves to come.


On the front porch of my grandparents' and great-grandparents' house,
c. mid-1940s


20 December, 2014

My new favorite blog

I have no idea if this will be funny to non-pediatricians...but I love it so much, I think everyone should give it a chance.

Likelihood Ratio, by David Hill: http://likelihoodratio.blogspot.com



And here's a random cute photo of Finn trying to pick up a girl in the airport on the way to Guatemala City...see how she's doing that flirty look-up-look-down-look-up again thing?

19 December, 2014

Easy Peasy

For anyone out there who is looking to give a little more before the holidays...this one is near and dear to my heart...


Click here to learn more about and support Roundup River Ranch.


And this the post that my dad wrote - but never previously shared - about taking care of my son while I was busy (zip-lining in a frilly black tutu, eating the world's best pancakes and staring, awestruck, at the sugared sky) at camp...
AECB

Wow - you would never know they are mother and daughter!

As we have for the first time our grandson here without his mother. She's off being a physician at a cancer camp for children, at least for a few days. This is the first time they have been apart since his birth about 18 months ago. After his bath, he was put to bed about an hour ago and fell asleep almost immediately.

Not so his mother. I asked her this morning if I had ever told her about the first time she was apart from her mother. I hadn't. She was about 19 months old, and her mother was back in the hospital to have her sister. I tried to put her in the crib. Screaming and raging. After while, I began walking - bouncing and rocking her. Screaming and raging. Finally I took her into bed with me and held her until she fell asleep. Screaming and raging for what seemed like eternity.

My wife's aunt and mother were staying with me and kept coming to my door to ask if I wanted them to take her. No, I did not and was determined to hold her until she fell asleep. The screaming and raging finally subsided as she fell asleep.

You know how we always joke about wishing our children would have children just like them. Well, that clearly hasn't happened here. Finn goes to sleep every night easily and sleeps through the night. My daughter always resisted going to sleep.

So what's the moral of the story? I don't know. Maybe you can tell me.

TGB  

18 December, 2014

Winter Song/White Winter Hymnal - Virginia Sil'hooettes & Virginia Gentlemen

This video made me deliciously happy. The Lawn was "lit" with fairy lights for the first time in my fourth year at UVA, and it's still beautiful. I miss Charlottesville and the University. In spite of all the bad news lately, there are lots of wonderful people doing brilliant work there. Happy holidays, everyone!




17 December, 2014

Happy Holidays from the AACR

I love this quote: "The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away."

I'm working on it.






12 December, 2014

Mean Girls by Emma Gerson-Rosenthal

Really impressive song addressing bullying by a 12 year old girl (who happens to be the daughter of a singer-songwriter I've been listening to for years)...



09 December, 2014

Light For The Navigator, X

Wednesday Without Words

Old Cape Henry Lighthouse
First considered in 1720
First federal project by the newly independent U.S. in 1789
First Lighted in 1792
Within Fort Story
Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Originally posted three years ago, my father planned to revisit this series of lighthouses this year. Although he never did, I have chosen to repost these monthly on the day of his passing, in his memory and in celebration of his love for lighthouses.
AECB

See: Birth of Salvation
Digital photograph
Copyright © 2011 Thomas G. Brown

05 December, 2014

{this memory} 121

This is the story behind last Monday's {this moment}.

It's New Year's Eve, 2013, and we're having a party at my parents' house. You're looking at my almost-2-year-old son playing near our fireplace with his similarly aged cousin, Gavin.

What are they doing??? you wonder...

I was taking photographs with an digital SLR camera. To focus, I held down the "shoot" button very slightly. This produced a green light where the camera focused, which disappeared when it flashed. I'd never noticed before but the two boys definitely did, and they were nothing if not persistent in their efforts to capture the green dot.

My cousin, Gavin's father, and I laughed until we cried watching them chase each other - and themselves - in circles. It was reminiscent of the time one of my college friends adopted a cat, and his roommates (and the cat) had some fun with a laser pointer.

Childish...yet hilarious.


01 December, 2014

{this moment} 121

{this moment} is a Monday ritual that my father started in May 2011, and that I have maintained since May 2014. He described it as "A single image - no words - capturing a moment from the past. A simple moment along my life's Journey - but one over which I wish to linger and savor each treasured aspect of the memories it evokes." When he passed away in February 2014, he left a folder containing images that he hoped to share in the months and years ahead. For some, I share my perspective of the story behind the moment on Thursdays, in a companion ritual called {this memory}. For others, the story is lost in the ocean of time, but I welcome flights of imagination and speculation from readers.


{this moment} was adapted from cath's wonderful blog ~just my thoughts. She, in turn, borrowed it from Pamanner's Blog. My dad suggested, "Check out their blogs, and if you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your {this moment} in the comments for each of us to find and see. If you are moved or intrigued by my {this moment}, please leave a comment." I encourage the same.

AECB