Babies: The Best Distraction (942 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.84 on 23 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by <murphydog5.at.hotmail.com> (View user info) at 2004-06-18 19:27:10 EDT
My sister gave birth to her first child exactly five weeks ago today. His name is Ian.
I'm not much of a baby fan but, being an Uncle and actually holding the little guy sort of changes things. I held him today and felt greatly distracted. Watching his little blue eyes wobble about, watching his little fingers open and close, watching this little human being feel around the world around him... adjuting to his new human suit. This changes things.
On his birth I almost wore straight black. This is lingering teen-angst, I think... a hangover from my self-expressive days in high-school. You see, some African American cultures, they don't celebrate life and mourn death like we ass-backwards white people. They MOURN birth and celebrate death. That seems about right to me. In fact, at the hospital, just next door, was a black man who, judging from his blood-shot and watery eyes, looked as if he just put down an eighth in a single bong hit. His wife, or girlfriend, or sister, or whatever, was giving birth.
What a contrast, huh? My Aunt Kathy, standing next to me, said "whoa, look at that guy." Her look was knowing and confused. "Some African American cultures," I said, "mourn birth and celebrate death." She didn't seem to care or understand. Maybe it was both.
Why do we have babies? Is it because we love life so much that we feel it necessary to bring new humans in to this world so they can love it as much as we do? Probably not. Who, for the love of God, is really happy? Who, save for superstitious people, really senses purpose in this world past petty individual needs and goals? I think we have babies for three reasons. Number one is because many of us are so self-involved that we want a piece, even if only half, of us to out-survive us. Two is so we can instill our self-rightious morals and beliefs on an open-minded and vulnerable individual to see how a human being, under our control, responds. Three is the most important. The third reason is because little human beings are the absolute best non-alcoholic distraction on the planet.
And if you think about it, that's all it is. Life, you know... distractions. From what? Vonnegut Jr. had a friend who tried heroin once. He said that, while high on herion, at last the existential hum went away. That's from what: exestential hum. Buzz. Fog. Et cetra.
But enough of this. The bottom line is that it's working. My sister is absolutely completely involved with little baby Ian. He is her life right now and everything else, to her, is petty and insignificant. She has a material and provable purpose to her life right now. She, in a word, is happy. And I'm happy for her.
Ian is just learning how to smile. When I hold him and his little blue eyes meet mine and he smiles it makes me happy. I think he's responding to me... the way I talk with him and bounce him on my leg and smile and stick my tongue out at him. He might be smiling because he just took a poopie. I'll never know for sure.
So that's what's new with me, friends on Ubersite. There's plenty more but it would probably just bore you all stiff.
Here's a picture a friend of mine took a couple months ago. Our teacher, a health teacher, brought us all bottled water on the last day of class. I would have preferred doughnuts or cheesecake but bottled water works too.
Ta-ta,
Murphy
User Reviews
Submitted by coley <notloggedin> at 2004-07-02 06:30:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm coming to ptown tomorrow and now that I have an updated pic I can more efficiently stalk you.
Submitted by hairsphincter2 (user info) at 2004-06-21 02:42:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Good to see your name around, and to hear you're well.
Submitted by Murphy1844 (user info) at 2004-06-19 18:23:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Thanks for the kind words, everyone. I should post more often... it's good to read positive feedback.
Murphy
Submitted by Fabish (user info) at 2004-06-19 16:14:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
It's great to see your time from Ubersite was well spent, Murph. Welcome back - I hope your returns are more frequent, and not necessarily for you, but for me, and the rest of the users that enjoy your thoughts.
Submitted by QueenAshlee (user info) at 2004-06-19 14:21:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Pure awesome.
Submitted by lojope (user info) at 2004-06-19 09:14:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
"He is her life right now and everything else, to her, is petty and insignificant. She has a material and provable purpose to her life right now."
That's exactly how I feel about my son. He is the purpose of my life. That was wonderful.
Submitted by JMG114 (user info) at 2004-06-19 08:47:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
It's always a treat to see your name on the front page, Murph, especially when attached to a good post. Congratulations on the recent addition to your family.
Submitted by someone (user info) at 2004-06-19 02:52:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
She didn't seem to care or understand. Maybe it was both.
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Great line Murph. I'm glad to see you're doing great. This was a very true post in ever aspect. Shit gotta go, I have things to "do", post more often, will ya?
Submitted by tammy (user info) at 2004-06-19 00:05:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Your writing is the reason I come back here.
Submitted by electrictoothsyndrome (user info) at 2004-06-18 23:15:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
We have babies because we are mammals, and mammals don't lay eggs.
I thought this post was slightly entertaining and insigtful, but, it irks me that the rating is so high for this. This is more like a zero post in my book, but oh well.
Submitted by cwl989 (user info) at 2004-06-18 22:49:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
He was just smiling because he took a poopie on your leg. I would smile too.
Submitted by Method (user info) at 2004-06-18 22:26:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
thats one big ugly baby
Submitted by SPECIALk (user info) at 2004-06-18 22:26:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
you're pretty fucking hot! way to go!
Submitted by Kaelic (user info) at 2004-06-18 22:20:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Huh.
You're looking a little rough there.
I guess also the fact thate genetically, it's what we're programmed to do. That helps the whole baby process along, eh.
Submitted by Lisa (user info) at 2004-06-18 21:58:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I really enjoyed reading this post.
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2004-06-18 21:48:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
"Motherhood is the opiate of the masses"
- Choke, Chuck Palu---- I'm not even going to try to mangle his name. Suffice it to say that the man is a god, and as such needs to have a more spellable name.
Submitted by Random Joe at 2004-06-18 21:42:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice.....
Submitted by hidden101 (user info) at 2004-06-18 21:27:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
send me an email and let me know what's going on, man.
this was good, as always.
Submitted by gassygirl73 (user info) at 2004-06-18 20:28:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I love this.
Submitted by Can_Always_Trust_A_Liar (user info) at 2004-06-18 19:48:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Congrats to your sister.
Submitted by Murphy1844 (user info) at 2004-06-18 19:40:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Ups and downs, like always. Just trying to focus on the ups and bitch less about the downs. How are you J?
And no problem, Percy. If I can make someone think or see things from a different perspective I think I wrote well.
Murphy
Submitted by William_Q_Percy (user info) at 2004-06-18 19:37:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Hey Murph, good to hear from you. Looks like you're doing well, you stud.
As always, a very thought provoking post. Thanks
Submitted by jwlmar10 (user info) at 2004-06-18 19:34:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
How's it hanging man?