Tales From The Pit

The Jag.
It’s not a secret that my dad has bipolar disorder. It’s not unusual that people with bipolar disorder sometimes don’t take their medication properly. It’s common among those with the affliction to find excitement in a manic phase. My dad is one such person. He enjoys the run of the highs. He feels as if he can fly. He is untouchable. He has endless ideas. He is creative in business. He writes poetry. And, over his many years, he has achieved significant things during those manic phases. It’s not all pleasant, of course, but recognizing that in the thick of it is not so easy, apparently.

You like me. You really like me!
My friend Shannon blogs at ShowMeTheMom. She was given an award, which comes with a pass-it-on obligation. Consequently, I received the Superior Scribbler Award! The title is a common misquote of an excerpt of Sally Field’s acceptance speech from the Academy Awards when she won for “Places in the Heart.” Somehow, when I searched my brain for a sa

Assembly 2009.
We’re just in from Assembly, a Fort Worth debutante ball. My wife made her debut, as did her mother before her, and her mother before her. Once a debutante always a debutante, I guess. I did not grow up in the Fort Worth social scene, or any social scene for that matter. I was a child of the suburbs, not the social elite. So, all this fuss took some getting used to for me. I suppose now, though, it’s familiar enough.

This Is It.
In 1984, I saw The Jacksons’ Victory Tour at Texas Stadium. My then step-sister got a group to go. I was mildly interested at best, and more interested in seeing Van Halen, who we saw the same weekend. I remember finding it impressive to see such a huge crowd at a concert. For the first (and only) time, I wore parachute pants to that concert. For me, the most memorable moments

Double Trouble.
Since his stint at the kennel, during our one-week roofathon, the dog has regressed in his crate training. When we first noticed it, Marian proclaimed that Double got used to going in his pen at the kennel. I believe she was onto something. He now pees in the crate frequently, as he did when we first brought him home. Whether there is a towel in the bottom, or the crate pad, or nothing, the