Archive for the ‘Notes to Besh’ Category

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Happy 5th Birthday, Besh!

January 5, 2011

I know that every year will bring more excitement and complications to your life, but it seems like this year was a huge one for you. 

  • Isaac.  Well, this started off with a bang, right?  This time last year you had a 2 week old little brother crying in your house, not sleeping, interfering with your already fragile sleeping habits.  Flash forward one year later and, well, you now have a one-year-old little brother crying in your house, not sleeping, interfering with your still fragile sleeping habits.  It’s been amazing to watch you turn into an amazing big brother.  You completely blew us away with how much you loved Isaac and how he responded to you–for the first 6 months or so I think you were the only one who could make him laugh.  And you still can do it easier than anyone else.  When we pictured the future we never imagined you two would share a room (still a year or so off), but now you’re insisting on it and I think Isaac will do the same when the time is right.  I know your relationship with Isaac will change over the years, but it has so far been worlds better than we ever imagined.
  • Your eye surgery.  This time last year we were still patching, keeping a watch on things to make sure they didn’t turn south.  When your original doctor revealed himself to be, what shall we say, less than competent?  The second opinion revealed we needed to do more, much more, and so you had surgery on both your eyes.  It all happened so fast and we were so focused on the surgery itself that we didn’t realize how difficult the recovery would be–the heartbreak on your face when we told you that you couldn’t dance for a month was harder to bear than the physical marks of your surgery.  And the frustration you feel over the patch-wearing or the glasses–we feel it too.  But you’ve done an amazing job coping with a difficult circumstance–difficult for any age, let alone a four-year-old!
  • Dancing.  Seriously, where did this come from?  I mean, between your mom and I, it was almost a foregone conclusion that you’d like (or at least be overly exposed to) theater. But we never expected the dance part of it to connect with you, and for you to start taking lessons and become so enamored with a skill set that is sorely lacking in both your parents.  I mean, we’re Jewish–our people’s idea of complicated dancing is to hold hands and walk around in a circle trying to remember the other line to Hava Nagila.  We knew you were loving your lessons, but then came The Recital where we knew it was going to be a bigger part than we imagined. (For anyone who hasn’t seen this yet, you can watch some of the first part if you want, but go to the last minute to see what I’m talking about. Oh, and in case you can’t tell, Besh is the boy in the video.)

    Link to the Recital Video on Facebook

  • Star Wars.  More of a Dad milestone than your own, perhaps, but it’s been an absolute joy seeing you get to experience Star Wars and comics and video games–the things that were so much a part of my own childhood.  But nothing was better than the first time we were sitting at the dinner table and Mommy laughed at something–you turned to her and said “Laugh it up, fuzzball!”  Nothing, and I mean nothing, is better than hearing your little boy pull out a Star Wars quote on his own for the first time.
  • Your growing awesomeness.  Beyond all the specifics, you’re just an awesome kid.  You’re funny.  You’re sweet.  You’re discerning.  In short, you are everything we dreamed of and quite a bit more.

So happy birthday, not-so-little man.  Always remember this past year–it may be the last year of total innocence if you keep asking to (and I give in and let you) see the Star Wars prequels.

Posted in Growing Up, Notes to Besh | Leave a Comment »

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A note to future Besh on why Mommy and I were laughing the other night

January 28, 2010

Besh,

I know it probably didn’t make sense at the time and there’s no telling if you’ll remember this incident years from now when it may actually make sense. But just in case, I thought I’d help explain.

First, Mommy and I are exhausted. But you knew that. So bear in mind that this can make things a bit funnier than they are in reality. Still, this was pretty funny.

See, when we were hanging out watching “the singing show” (it’s actually called American Idol, by the way) I was holding Isaac so he didn’t wake up. Which means whatever position he fell asleep in–DON’T MOVE. This is crucial. Because as much as you can explain to a 5-week old that a new position is just as comfortable as the previous one, they don’t listen. And returning them to the former position no longer works. I’m sure there’s a scientific proof out there about this, you can go and Google it. Or whatever you use in the future if not Google.

So after sitting with Isaac on my arm for a bit, when it finally was time to move for bath time, I shifted my arm and two horrendously loud snaps came out of various joints. I groaned because they weren’t the kind of snaps that relieve pressure, they were the kind of snaps that hurt (not permanently, nothing broken, just…OW).

You, being the sweet boy you are, immediately asked “What’s wrong, Daddy?”

I, of course, responded back, “Nothing’s wrong. My arm just cracked.”

You slid off the bed and came over to the chair, such a serious and curious look on your face. And you politely asked your question.

“Can I see your crack?”

Perfectly legitimate question from your perspective. But by now you probably know that crack generally refers to, well, another part of anatomy most often found on plumbers. Your mom and I knew this, which is why we laughed a little bit.

You, not understanding what was funny, continued to ask.

“I want to see your crack. Show me your crack. Where is your crack?”

This made us laugh more. But not wanting to laugh too hard and wake up Isaac, we were both holding it in. Not well, but trying.

“What? What’s so funny? Show me your crack!”

At this point we were both crying. Not because crack is a sad thing (it can be) but we were crying from laughter. There’s nothing quite like being sleep deprived and having a four-year-old honestly and earnestly ask to see your crack.

Hopefully that makes a bit more sense now, if you even remember it.

And no, I’m still not showing you.

Posted in Besher Conversations, Besher's Little Brother, Notes to Besh | 1 Comment »

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Note to Besh: How in-house counsel can be cool

February 3, 2009

Only my second note to Besh, but hopefully more to come.  As much as this blog is a place to remember things I might otherwise forget (or want to forget–yes, I’m looking at you Poop in a Boot and My Tummy Hurts), it’s also a place to write some notes to Besh in the hopes he’ll get/want to read this all someday.

When your mom and I were getting married I was informed of the Southern tradition of the groom’s cake at a wedding.  Typically chocolate, it usually took some amusing shape that meant something to the groom.  Since your mom and I both worked in our college computing labs as undergrads and spent a lot of time on the old Macs, ychatting away, I told our baker that I’d like the groom’s cake to be in the shape of a Mac Classic (as they were then called).

For some reason, our baker was highly concerned about intellectual property laws.  Apparently under the impression that a covert team of Apple trademark policemen roamed the country, stopping into random synagogues to make sure no groom’s cakes infringed on their IP.  Despite our best attempts to persuade him, he said he wouldn’t do it unless he had something on official Apple letterhead giving us permission.

Maybe it was his way of not doing the cake, but I took the task to heart.  Unfortunately, I had no contacts.  But I took a chance and reached out to Guy Kawasaki, then the official evangelist for Apple.  He actually read my request and got me in touch with an in-house counsel at Apple.  I told him of my situation, and he agreed that he hadn’t heard such a request before but he would look into it.  A few days later, the following letter arrived on official Apple letterhead.  It was so awesome, we framed it and put it next to the cake.

—

Dear Ryan,

This letter is to confirm that Apple Computer, Inc. grants permission to you to use the Apple, Apple logo and Macintosh trademarks (the “Apple Marks”).

Permission is granted for a one-time use of the Apple Marks in connection with your upcoming wedding (there better not be a need to use them a second ime).  Your use of the Apple Marks will be on a wedding cake, and guests are allowed to destroy the trademarks by devouring pieces.  While we might ordinarily require that you refrain from serving Windows users, we acknowledge that it is a festive occasion and everybody is allowed to eat.

Good luck with your wedding, and feel free to contact me at the below number if you have any questions.

—

Although I didn’t realize it back then, the letter really made an impression on me.  First, the variety of things an in-house counsel can be asked to do.  And second, that you can be pretty cool as an in-house counsel.  It’s a lesson I’ve taken to heart in my own in-house career.  However, I have yet to field a request for a wedding cake with our marks.

Posted in Notes to Besh | 2 Comments »

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A note to Besh about last night

November 5, 2008

Besh,

I realize you are too young to understand what happened last night right now, but I hope someday you do.  On some level I even hope you don’t–that this just becomes a step for this nation and we accept it, integrate it into our character, and move on, making it no different than when you started walking or talking.  But I wanted to write this to you now while I am still caught up in it.

Last night taught so many the lesson most of us knew deep down: that in this country nothing is more powerful than a possibility.  I do not pretend to know half the indignities that African Americans have felt in their lifetime or continue to feel even today, but both your mother and I have known intolerance and cruelty because of our religious beliefs.  It is shocking and disheartening and cruel and does not compare to acts inflicted on other groups.  But there is always the possibility that people can rise above it, can see the error of their ways, can change.  Fifty years ago it would have been inconceivable to have Obama win the presidency.  Today it is reality.

But while we celebrate the end of one era of intolerance, we also realize there is another battle on the horizon.  If even California is struggling to accept members of our society then the rest of the country is clearly not ready.  But they will be, given time and hard work.  I hope you will see the end of that intolerance just as your mother and I witnessed the end of this one.  And perhaps your children will know an even more accepting nation then the one you will grow up in and they will have to read about that backwards time just as you will have to.  That it is not to say we are done–we have miles to go but we’ve come so far.  You will grow up in a post-9/11 and a post-Obama world.  One was thrust upon us, but one we made happen and we all should be proud.

Always dream, always reach, always work towards your goals.  It is always possible.  If I can teach you nothing more than that lesson and how to laugh, I will be a successful parent.

Love,

Daddy

Posted in Notes to Besh | 2 Comments »

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