Rock N Roll the Cradle

[realexplodingcat]

I played a show with Terminal Ready last Saturday. I don't think I was at my best, after missing several practices, but I had it together well enough to put on a good show. It was fun, as always. I'm not sure about the rest of the band, but it was a chill evening for me. The venue, Outback Lodge, is literally five minutes from my house. I was there at 8pm, loaded in, sound checked, and back home at 9:30pm where I proceeded to relax with my sleeping son while krasota showered and accomplished a few things. Then, I was out the door and back at the Outback Lodge by 11:30 for a midnight show.

Yup, I have a son. I haven't said much about it, because Krasota has been posting all the details from conception through now. For the rare individuals who don't also read her journal, the baby boy is officially a month old as of yesterday.

I do hope I can keep up with the band and I have no intention to do otherwise. I really want to set an example for my son. I want to continue to be a performing musician in some way or another, so it can be in his life as he grows up. I want him to realize that you can do that sort of thing when you get old, either professionally or on the side. When I was a child, I never made the connection that "real" people were in rock bands or acted in plays and movies.

I certainly don't want to set an agenda for what I hope he becomes when he's older. What I wish to do is show him as many options as possible through my own experience. That means attempting to keep a careful balance of raising him, being a musician, being a software developer, being a writer, being the guy who washes the dishes, being a hiker and nature lover, and being the crazy yoga Dad who stands on his head in the living room. His birth hasn't changed my desire to do too many things at one time. If anything, it's strengthened it, because I want to share it all with him.

Comments

[mustelidmania.livejournal.com]

congratulations on that cute little boy. And it made me tear up reading this entry. Go for it. You are going to be a great dad. You are already, and you will just get better.

[ex-xn667.livejournal.com]

oh to be a fly on the wall the first time the syllables da and da trip off of Ronan's lips, heh. you have the makings of a fine dad, imho, and Ronan's life will be the envy of all the other tykes.

mondo congratulations on your one month lunaversary of dadhood :)

[flynnk.livejournal.com]

Hey, woo-hoo, by the way! I haven't officially set Yeah! to you guys yet. :)

We want to meet the little guy soon!

[parhelion-spark.livejournal.com]

Congrats!

And man, I think the showing-him-real-people-can-totally-do-this-stuff! mentality is wonderful, since I grew up with the same impressions you did (and this kept me back from aspiring to anything musical when I was younger, because it wasn't 'practical')...

..just, absolutely, whatever you do, don't tell him he can be a genuine swashbuckling pirate.
I can tell you from experience, finding out the truth of that matter fucks a kid up something -massive-.
Ruins reality FOREVER. and ever. and ever.

Just so you know. :D

[mac-arthur-park.livejournal.com]

Darlin', y'all are doing fine. Frankly, I can't imagine better parents for a kid.

I have 2 kids. I still write and paint, and they know what that means to me. And they know that they have a mom who has a Jack Sparrow poster on her bedroom wall, gets calls from the gallery when they are at the apartment, makes really sloppy burritos, and wears stripey socks. They know that Mommy has to listen to her music in the morning until she has her coffee, has been known to say "FUCK!!!" very loudly when things aren't working out and "oooooh, shiny" when yarn is involved.

In short, my dear....you'll be fine. And the kid will be happy. And, frankly, much better off because you are living your life.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

His birth hasn't changed my desire to do too many things at one time. If anything, it's strengthened it, because I want to share it all with him.

I can't think of a better attitude to have. I think you and Jos will be great parents.

[briskpepper.livejournal.com]

we *heart* you.


When i was younger, it was made very clear to me that i can "DO ANYTHING I SET MY MIND TO, IF I TRY HARD ENOUGH", so long as it didn't include any kind of, even remotely bohemian lifestyle. That's not to say the powers-that-be were unsupportive, but rather for as supportive as they were, they were equally dismissive.

[laverick.livejournal.com]

when i was growing up, my dad was the bass player for my brother's '80s rock band. He wore make up like the guys from Kiss, dubbed himself "Mr. Nobody", and dressed like Michael Jackson a la the days of Thriller. Everyone, including me, thought he was the coolest thing. He also was a painter, eventually he became trained to be a computer technician, and was a stay at home dad for many years. I cherished the quality time I had with him.

So, I think Ronan is very blessed indeed to have such a well-rounded and hip Dad (and Mom too!). I think it's wonderful that you are so dedicated to holding onto all of those parts of yourself and wanting to share them with your son. It's a lovely thing indeed.