Click here for some funny a$$ quotes! A Terrific read. Enjoy.

I just read up on V for Vendetta and discovered this bit of information pertaining to Alan Moore and his thoughts about the movie….enjoy (copied from wikipedia):

V for Vendetta film

The last straw came when producer Joel Silver said at a press conference for the Warner Bros. film adaptation of V for Vendetta that fellow producer Larry Wachowski had talked with Moore, and that “he [Moore] was very excited about what Larry had to say.”^[58] Moore claims that he told Wachowski “I didn’t want anything to do with films… I wasn’t interested in Hollywood,” and demanded that DC Comics force Warner Bros to issue a public retraction and apology for Silver’s “blatant lies”. Although Silver called Moore directly to apologize, no public retraction appeared. Moore was quoted as saying that the comic book had been “specifically about things like fascism and anarchy. Those words, ‘fascism’ and ‘anarchy,’ occur nowhere in the film. It’s been turned into a Bush-era parable by people too timid to set a political satire in their own country.”^[59]

This conflict between Moore and DC Comics was the subject of an article in The New York Times^[60] on 12 March 2006, five days before the USA theatrical release. In the New York Times article, Silver stated that about 20 years prior to the film’s release, he met with Moore and Dave Gibbons when Silver acquired the film rights to V For Vendetta and Watchmen. Silver stated, “Alan was odd, but he was enthusiastic and encouraging us to do this. I had foolishly thought that he would continue feeling that way today, not realizing that he wouldn’t.” Moore did not deny this meeting or Silver’s characterization of Moore at that meeting, nor did Moore state that he advised Silver of his change of opinion in those approximately 20 years. The New York Times article also interviewed David Lloyd about Moore’s reaction to the film’s production, stating, “Mr. Lloyd, the illustrator of V for Vendetta, also found it difficult to sympathize with Mr. Moore’s protests. When he and Mr. Moore sold their film rights to the comic book, Mr. Lloyd said: “We didn’t do it innocently. Neither myself nor Alan thought we were signing it over to a board of trustees who would look after it like it was the Dead Sea Scrolls.”^[60]

Resist. Multiply. Think for yourself.

Owen and I would like to offer our thanks to our loyal readers. Last week we posted some record numbers (see below), and we just wanted to give a “shout out” to you all. Please spread the word about Tribe of Dad. We have recently learned we are featured on numerous parenting blogs and we did not even know it. Pretty cool stuff and it is largely due to your readership - so THANK YOU!

Resist. Multiply. Spread the word.

While at home with Dalton I’ve been reading, or at least trying to read Dave Egger’s What Is The What.  It’s a fantastic read, at least the first 10 pages, which I’ve read over five times, prove to be a great start to a great literary adventure.  Dalton doesn’t like when I read to myself.

The Essential Neruda

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of multi-tasking while tending to Dalton.  Shocker.  All in one encompassing task, I’m killing five birds with one lone stone.  Dalton and I have been exploring the aesthetically heightened world of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda.  Incoming.  Duck.  Here comes the stone:

1. I’m reading the books (out loud) that are piling up on my night table

2. Dalton is being read to

3. Dalton and I are practicing our Spanish (the book of poetry is comprised of poems in his native tongue,
Spanish, and then the English translation follows)

4. Together we’re finding, holding onto the beauty of life

5. We’re bonding (Dalton rests on my lap during the poetry reading.  Honestly, he becomes talkative while Neruda is being read.  Pablo’s voice speaks to Dalton’s literary side.  Meeting of the minds)

Next Up:  The Man, The Myth, The Legend (redemption)

Resist. Multiply. Poemas.

Four years ago to the day the sun rose ready and so did I. From my rooftop, I looked out over the neighborhood, a shepherd tending to his flock, as the tremendous, orange, and peaceful orb ascended.  Just hours before the rising, sitting huddled over my disheveled, paper littered desk; tools and casings rang and faintly chimed when they collided together while making room for my final to do list.  Honestly, I didn’t put much effort, or thought into it.  It was a vain attempt at putting any sense of order, justice and importance to an order less, unjust and insignificant year in the town of Slooterdam.  I knew, always knew, what the last item had to be.

From what I hear, Tammy still has the list; she keeps it in her pocket, taking it with her where ever she goes, waiting for number 18 to come to fruition.  The list reads like this:

1.    In terrorem
2.    Meditate. Pray
3.    Pack up. Prepare
4.    Go to the parking storage center - $
5.    Get a haircut, shave. GQ Smooth
6.    Buy a fine, fine, gentlemen’s suit
7.    Say goodbye to Tammy - Give her detailed instructions
8.    Wine and Dine at the Steakhouse – a gentlemen’s lunch
9.    Kill Damon
10.    Meditate. Pray
11.    Pay respect to Rodney
12.    Kill Rodney
13.    Meditate. Pray.
14.    Have a gentlemen’s drink at The Estate, settle bar bill
15.    Destroy Sonoma’s crew
16.    Meditate. Pray
17.    If still alive meet Tammy
18.    Integer vitae scelerisque purus

If you didn’t know items number 1 and 18 are Latin phrases.  While in Slooterdam, I read as much as I drank and smoked; that’s a hell of a lot.  A library full of books, a bar full of booze, and a field full of weed is what I consumed while doing my tour of duty in Slooterdam.  My name is Diego, and I have something to say.  I’ll start at to do number 1, In terrorem. It means “in order to frighten”.

Well, just in case…one never knows…Failing to prepare is preparing to fail…I’m not losing it, just, just, just in case…We live in interesting times, yes, interesting is a good word.  The books are written with humorous tone and wit while empowering the reader, filling us with life affirmations and awakening our archetypal will to live.

I have thought a lot about my purpose in staying home the last two years and I am constantly trying to reinvent myself as a husband, a father, and most importantly – as a man in today’s volatile world.  The idea of change is not a new one.  It is what keeps me grounded as of late, however.  I am working and striving to be a better version of myself.  So I come to the question:  What do I want out of this last year at home with Jacob?

I sit and I think about it.  Sitting and thinking are actions reserved for the time when Jacob is either down for the night or taking a mid-morning nap and/or mid-afternoon siesta.  I am lucky because lately these naps last upwards of two hours.  Enough time to write down thoughts of what fatherhood has done to me and is continuing to do to me.  I already have noticed many changes in how I perceive the world, how I think about the future, and how I view my wonderfully talented wife, Bridget.  She amazes me.  I am lucky also because I have a very happy son, who enjoys playing, eating, taking baths, looking at books, and sleeping.  This little man has the life that I hope I had at his age.  He is all the more fortunate because when I go back to work, it is very likely that Bridget will be home with him again – along with another bundle of joy.  (Don’t get any ideas that she is pregnant again, yet.  She is not, but we have had that conversation recently.)  Who knows what time will bring?

Back to the point at hand - CHANGE. Metamorphosis is another word for it.  Of course, I am not changing in a biological sense.  I am simply thinking differently these days and experiencing a metamorphosis of how I observe things.  I will not turn into a bug like in Kafka’s novella of the same name.  Instead, I am reminded of activities I did with my father growing up and how soon it will be my turn to do these things with Jacob.  The first bike ride, kicking a soccer ball, playing catch, going to see a movie, and many more events like this are what I have to look forward to.

So I think about what is different these days for me.  Is it how I get excited about taking Jacob for a walk in our high tech jogging stroller?  Sure.  Maybe it is also the way he eats his dinner with such vigor and enthusiasm. Yes, that too.  Perhaps, it could be how he smiles at Bridget and me when we are both with him at night or on the weekends.  That’s got to be it.  It could quite possibly be the fact that when he poops and I get it on my hand while changing his diaper – I simply don’t care.  I know that sounds gross, but it is true.  I don’t care – it’s my son’s poop and I love him.

Change is inevitable.  Being cognizant of it is not something everyone is able to do.  There are plenty of people I know that I wish would change, but they are unaware that they need to.  Whatever the case may be, I know I still have some growing up to do.  Just because I am a dad now, does not mean I am done changing.  I may never finish.  Time will tell.

Jacob knows that I’m his dad and that is enough for the moment, but eventually he will need to know I am the best dad he is ever going to have.  That’s when the pressure to be that father will come into play.  Hopefully I won’t disappoint him. Hopefully I can change enough for that to be true.

Tomorrow: The Novel, An Excerpt

Resist. Multiply.