Company Picnic, Batman & North Dakota

Company Picnic

Today was a pretty fun day with Quinlan. We had our company picnic today in the cities. It is pretty exciting to be able to show off the little guy while also seeing everyone else’s children. They day was perfect for me because it was overcast and in the upper 70’s. Does it get any better for the Irish?

After his morning nap, we threw him into the car seat and headed. At first we kept him in his stroller as we knew once he touched the ground with his feet, he would be all over the place. He stayed in his stroller great because he is typically hesitant (at first) with people he does not know. At some point on of us (me) decided to take him out because I saw another co-worker’s one year old walking around like a good boy. The minute Quinlan stood, he was off. He borderline runs when he is on the ground, as if he is thinking it might not last and he better make a run for it before the evil tall people he lives with pick him up for some reason.

He went on the play ground and loved it. After playing on that for a bit, he was content just running around all over the place and fussing whenever one of us picked him up. He had a ball when he was walking, but he was miserable when we had him. He is learning that magic ability kids get when their whole body goes limp and they arch their back in a way that only skilled parents can hold. Fortunately, I think I have made it to skilled parent because I haven’t dropped him………….yet.

They did have one those big blow-up obstacle courses. We were allowed to go into the back and bounce around while everyone ate. We had to do something while Mommy ate. We made a deal that one of us would eat while the other watched Quinlan. I had forgotten that Holly eats like a mule and let her go first. I have never seen anyone eat as slow as Holly. She eats like she is on Death Row and she is getting her last meal while the guard is waiting to walk her to the chair. He LOVED the blow-up course though. I placed him on the ground of it and then just bounced around near him. He giggled like crazy as he kept trying to stand up but falling over because of the bouncing. Eventually though, some kid had to come down the slide so we had to get off the toy. Quinlan was not happy. Fortunately we got some snackies while Holly continued her marathon chewing session.

Later on we got to go through the whole obstacle course. I carried him through it. He could not get enough of it. He giggles the while way. He especially loved it when I had to climb the slide which is not easy to do while carrying a kid in one hand. He giggled the whole way up; personally I think it was because I think he thought it was hilarious to listen to his Dad pant like a 400 pound person in McDonald’s line. He giggled all the way through until the end when we had to get off. Then he got grumpy. I had to do it again shortly after. Of course he loved it; of course I almost died because I am 34 year old who is out of shape. It is frustrating to watch those 8 year olds run through it over and over and I can barely do it once. It made me want to push one of them to the ground.

Overall, he had a fun time. There were grumpy moments, but he was a good boy as usual. He even got to have some of a strawberry popsicle (he rarely gets sugar). He loved it and he looked like the Joker when it was done. We eventually got him home for his afternoon nap and we played after for while. He is getting to be a ton of fun to play with. I swear he gets cuter by the day!

Batman

The geek in me may get to come out in me on Sunday as I try and see the new Batman movie “The Dark Knight.” I have been waiting for this for over 6 months. I am fired up for it and I hear it is great. I want to see it in the first weekend and the matinee is my only chance. My mother is going to watch him and we will try to catch the 12:00 show. Hopefully he is not too tired in the afternoon for her.

I think it is pathetic how excited I am for this movie. What grown man digs comic book movies so much? I know some day Quinlan will look me in the eye and say, “Dad, you are the biggest retard.” I hope he digs movies when he is older. I love going to them and it will be fun to bring him to the Disney movies.

They say Heath Ledger is great in this one as the Joker. I have not been much of fan of his, and it has nothing to do with Brokeback because I never saw it. I don’t know what it is about him, but I was never impressed. But everything about him in the previews seems good. When I first heard they cast him, I rolled my eyes but it sounds like they nailed it. Too bad for him it was his last movie.

North Dakota

I have the distinct pleasure of driving to the furthest reaches of North Dakota in a week and a half. I will be performing in Dickinson, ND (Tuesday Night), Williston, ND (Wed and it is in the corner of Montana and Canada), then Bismarck, ND on Thursday followed by Saint Cloud, MN on Friday. I have avoided doing the Dickinson show forever. But I recently asked the booker to headline me and they agreed to, if I started off out there as a “co-headliner.” You have to break in somewhere, right? Hopefully the guy I am working with is an OK guy because there will be a LOT of hours in the car. I have been stuck with the “idiot comic” before for long drives and that was torture. But I think I have heard that he is an OK guy.

You know you have made it as a comic when you have made it to Williston, ND.