362/365

playing lawn games
at the park
the sun playing
hide and seek
with the clouds.
casting shadows
to cool us down.
families eating
and drinking
flying kites,
kids in the sand  love
with buckets and shovels.
she slides over
for a few stealth hugs,
i want to swallow her whole
to prove unconditional love.
why do we find it so
hard to communicate?
she points out an
old shirtless man
dismounting his bike
to listen to heavy metal.
she finds his actions cool-
every one of us perpetually
looking to build from fragile
to strength and back again.

226/365

the city park-
sandwiched between the freeway
and the ocean, lined with palm tress
and a village of tanker ships in the distance,
and families on picnics and lovers near fairy lights
and bikes outfitted with lady gaga pumping speakers,
and dogs in backpack and macaws on perches,
-twinkled on saturday night like an ephemeral artery.
and there we were right in the mix and the flow and the action,
riding home from dinner and drinks with mates,
chatting and enjoying the breeze on a balmy tropical evening.
grateful to be out of doors, free, wanted, loved and alive.

221/365

they’re running.
the light casting shadows
the color of honey.
a flimsy blonde breeze
cuts the tropical heat,
making the evening bearable.

they’re running.
father and daughter
four point nine eight
kilometers tonight
through the park
on a national holiday.
they dodge babies
in strollers, runners,
and toddlers on bikes.

they’re running.
she begrudgingly at fifteen
he sanguine at middle age.
it’s getting easier.
she walks less.
less defiant.
gives him control
of the music
more often.

they’re running.
passed the flags
the ocean beyond,
littered with wind surfers
and tanker ships.
songs from his youth
and his current band’s set list
push them forward.

they’re running.
some of those that work forces
are the same that burn crosses.
leavin' on a southern train
only yesterday
you lied
promises
of what i seemed to be

they’re running.
almost home.
point two kilometres left.
let’s run this as fast as we can,
he pleads. she starts
to pick up speed.
is this a race? will he catch her?
they awkwardly high five
in the end. something has changed.

they’re
running.
togther.

Peaceful Hum

Today was uneventful but nice and necessary. Didn’t really see anyone or do anything. Had a quick chat with Lee and Cindy at East Coast Park, but the rest of the day was spent hiding from a lingering storm in the semi-darkness at home.


Started the morning with a bike ride for the kids to Starbucks and a skate for me. Took the ole' board out for a cruise and it felt pretty good. My wrist still hurts pretty bad, and I am pretty sure there is something wrong, but I was super careful to just take it easy. The rest of the family biked at a variety of changing speeds while I pumped and kicked and carved and swerved and made my way to our destination. There was a bit more to it than that- zen-like calm, watching the waves and the clouds, the sound of the wheels, the perfect balance between threat of crashing and a peaceful hum, but those thoughts and the words that represent them will be written at a later time.


After lunch at home, we took the girls to basketball and then back home to watch The Lord of the Rings. While the girls had a million questions, and the Orcs might have been a bit too scary, and it might have been too long, they both seemed to be invested in the story. Not sure when or if they will be ready for the second installment, but I hope soon. They are both intrigued by Golem and curious to watch his story.


After the movie it was time for dinner, kids in bed, a bottle or Prosecco and some backlogged episodes of Veep.


That’s it. That’s all. A day of routines and rest. Off to an early weekend bedtime and leaving tomorrow wide open depending on the weather.

The Scab

I don’t want too many of these posts to be about politics. There is only so much we can take, so even after the events of Chicago, Cleveland and St. Louis, I will choose to write about something other than you know who tonight.

Although I will say that I am having a very hard time distinguishing between anger and sadness these days. Article after article and video after video fall like granite through my Facebook feed, and I am lost as to which new emoticon to present that accurately represents my emotions.

It feels like a blend of anger, sadness, shame, pity, frustration, fear and loathing, but ultimately I think all of these emotions can be summed up as hate. This campaign is making me hate, and this is why it is so dangerous.

Having said that I hope that I have enough faith in humanity, peace, love and understanding. Perhaps this is the darkness before the dawn and America has started the healing process by ripping off the scab.

…

It is a beautiful early afternoon and the clouds are a rainbow of white and black and different shades of grey. We are all on bikes and the sun is gently toasting my skin. Kaia is up ahead lost in her thoughts, while Mairin and Skye are just behind me.

East Coast Park is crowded with campers and picnickers. The BBQ pits are strewn with balloons and the smoke of cooking meat. People are covered in sand and water and the calm lethargy of a well spent Sunday. There are large groups of expats, Muslims, Indians and Chinese. Couples and families. Athletes and loafers. A diverse range of people, peacefully enjoying the sun and the sand. Say what you will about race relations in Singapore, but on a day like today at East Coast Park, you cannot help but fall in love with what our human family can look like if we just chill the hell out and do our own thing.

We bike passed the crowds and stop at the restaurant with the pool out front, for a quick stop to eat and a dip. Just as quickly as we stopped we are back on the road, headed to Kallang Wave for some Lazy River fun. The ride is hot and hard- probably over twenty kilometers in total, but we all ride in our own silence and occasional conversations. The girls are not complaining, as this is what we do- we ride our bikes and enjoy the air and the strain on our legs.

We swim a bit and float in the sun at the Lazy River. Rain clouds are threatening, but the air is thick with heat and the water feels perfect. Still wet in swim suits, we are back on our bikes and head back to East Coast park. Large dark clouds are right behind us, stirring up the wind and a soft splash of drizzle. A quick stop at Starbucks for some donuts, fruit and smoothies.

Toward the end, Skye is tired, but peddling. We are home and showered and napping and playing games on iPads. We earned it. Bed time comes fast and easy, as our sun drenched blood shot eyes welcome the quiet solitude of sleep. We will dream about the graceful beauty of a day spent on a bicycle. I know that John, Roderick, Chris and Andrew will understand what I mean.

…

Read an article today about how parents in France can be sued by their kids if the parents post pictures of the kids on social media. I have also seen several articles about kids who are upset about their parents sharing photos of the kids online. As many of you know, I have been sharing photos of both my kids since they were born. I think they both have an ultrasound photo online somewhere.

I have lots of thoughts about the issue, but it is too soon for me to comment at length. I am letting it stew. I think I would like to make a video and ask Kaia what she thinks. I need to actually show her what is out there, explain why I put it there, show her some of the reactions and see what she says.