johnmorello.com / iamdirt.com

Children See, Children Do

John — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:42:46 +0000

As a parent now the end of my day is filled with a little more reflection than usual. Besides playing back the day’s recording I also review it for the good things and bad things I did as a parent. Times when I was patient instead of anxious. Times I was strict. Times I caved in. Times I just flat out made the wrong choice when dealing with a situation. You can read all the books you want but you just don’t know until you go through it. And you never learn unless you take the time to meditate and reflect in your own way. Supernanny techniques and child psychology have been invaluable but even then you have to synthesize all this information and your own childhood experiences. And then you go with your gut. And you have to notice the little things. I personally am real good at finding little faults in myself and beating myself up at the end of the day and wishing I could have the moments back. But the other day I noticed a simple little moment that made me feel very proud not only of my kid but myself as a parent. We were playing Wii Boxing, (Yes, you can tell it’s summer for me and I have free time when I start playing video games) and my three year old daughter was really interested. She decided she wanted to try. So we reset the game. She is fighting against the computer. The boxers are in their corners and waiting. I’m showing her the controls and how to punch. And I feel really awkward all of a sudden showing her this. And she confirms my feelings. The bell rings and the computer voice says “Ready…FIGHT!” My daughter, who has a pretty good vocabulary for her age, is a little confused as she looks at me and asks: “Dad, What does fight mean?” At that moment I felt humbled by her innocence and I was incredibly happy. In fact I was very close to stopping the game a la Willy Wonka, scooping her up like Charlie Bucket, and screaming “You won! You won! You did it!”
So yeah. That was a good moment.

I’ll leave you with this amazing video titled: “Children See, Children Do.”

Friends.

John — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:21:09 +0000

I saw this at the SAMHSA web site. I thought this was interesting. It asks the simple question “What kind of friend are you?” I would like to add that not only is it important to be that good friend it’s a good idea to admit to yourself that you do actually, god forbid, need other people in your life. And personally, in my darkest hours my best friends were there not necessarily with words but sometimes with just their silent presence. It’s often said that friends will tell each other everything but to me it seems that it’s much harder to find a friend with whom you can be just be quiet.

Colors for Gen X

John — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 13:41:56 +0000

I would like to see Home Depot and Lowes update their paint color names. Since most of the new homeowners and designers were probably coming of age in the grungy Nineties it would be a wise business decision to reach out to them with names that connect. It seems to me that burnt orange could never convey the same mood as “Black Hole Sun” and Blind Melon is way sweeter than lime green. It might be good for the economy too I guess and motivate a lot of us to get out and spend some money to redecorate. After all, Turquoise sounds incredibly boring but paint that bathroom “Aqua Sea Foam Shame” and now you got something.

I take you…

John — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 05:07:24 +0000

TROTHS
Yellow dust on a bumble
bee’s wing,
Grey lights in a woman’s
asking eyes,
Red ruins in the changing
sunset embers:
I take you and pile high
the memories.
Death will break her claws
on some I keep.
-Carl Sandburg

Song of the moment
Artist: Bell-X1
Song: “Boys Of Summer” (Acoustic cover of the classic Don Henley song)

Something Happened To Me Yesterday…

John — Wed, 19 May 2010 05:25:09 +0000

…while listening to the great old Rolling Stones album Between The Buttons.
My daughter had fallen asleep on the sofa at her nap time. Rather than move her to her bed and wake her up I let her stay.
I seized the few moments of silence and nearly ran down the hall to my office to get some work done and maybe read Yesterday’s Papers or a book that did not have a bunny or bear in it.
I’m sitting there reading and listening to the music. Cool. Calm. Collected. Rainy day bliss.
A few minutes go by.
And I look up at the doorway.
She’s quietly standing there half awake and Smiles Sweetly. I’m thinking she’s been there for a bit just watching me.
I smile and say “Heyyyyyyy baby baby. What’s going on?”
She rubs the hair off her face, sniffs, and scratches her nose in the same motion.
Pauses.
Her reply:

“Well. I fell off the couch. So then I came in here.”

What a wonderful simple approach to life. No over thinking. No wrong or right. Not very complicated. No explanation. Perfect.

I was doing something. And now I’m doing this.

I fell. I got up. Now I’m here.

Wappingers Falls

John — Fri, 14 May 2010 01:19:55 +0000

Just a normal road update tonite. Had a great show up in Massachusetts today. 400 kids. 398 listening and tuned in. Two were yelling stuff out during the performance but i could not see where since it was dark. When I started playing the character of Melissa some kid saw me, a man, acting like a girl and yelled out “Fag.” Some comments… I let it go on. Others I make teachable moments. Today after the show during Q&A I addressed it and said “The sad part is no one got audibly offended in the audience. If a kid yelled out the n-word there would have been outrage and the audience would have turned on the person who yelled it. No one did that. Imagine being in the audience and being gay and hearing someone yell that? How would you feel?”

The kids agreed and then came the clincher. A kid raised his hand and admitted to the entire school that he was the one who had yelled stuff out during the assembly and he apologized to me and the whole school. I told him “kid, you have big balls for doing that and I have nothing but respect for you.”

It was a good day.

Tomorrow I’m in Wappinger Falls, NY.
Tonight I’m in a hotel in Fishkill.
Watching the Celtics. Eating Reeses. Listening to old White Zombie.
More human than human.

-jmo

First Mother’s Day

John — Wed, 05 May 2010 19:31:08 +0000

This will be my first Mother’s Day without my Mom.

Within the past few weeks I have met Mother’s for whom this will be their first Mother’s Day without their kids. A pain that my Mom lived through with tears and grace and an indomitable spirit.

A spirit which lives in me.

That’s the thing with good parents I guess. They keep giving long after they are gone.

Miss you Mom.
As I sing “Fais Do Do” to my girl.
As I stay up late at that kitchen table eating and solving the world’s problems.
As I smile and tell jokes and listen to old country music.
As I feel overwhelmed and say out loud “Well, What are you gonna do? Just do your best.”
As I take an insane interest in the well being of strangers.
As I look at old pictures.
As I sit and think.
I miss you Mom.

These are the days

John — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 01:30:48 +0000

To those who have lost someone. Let us honor their memory by living the hell outta the present moment. Hugging tighter. Kissing longer. Laughing irreverently. Walking not in “those were” but “these ARE..the days.

Queen: These are the days.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1F_wiUuez0

-John

Please help an incredible school in my home town of Worcester!

John — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:07:26 +0000

Watch this youtube video, be inspired, and then go and do likewise in your community.
Be sure to pass this on and rate it high if you like it. It’s part of a contest of schools submitting videos…The winner gets President Obama to speak at their graduation!
Not only is this school in my hometown but my good friend Kevin Moylan teaches at this school. Nice work Kevin!

I never thought

John — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:33:26 +0000

“I painted a still life this morning
Of a throat lozenge
sitting on a copy of Tropic of Cancer
The only weird thing about it
Is I never thought
I’d paint anything again”

-Dan Bern