In these uncertain times, it's more important than ever to reach out to those we love and those who love us. I think about my wife and that she's been my everything for over seventeen years. And my children who are my passion. I think of my extended family and friends who make this world so much more fun!
Two people I think a lot about are my friends Rose and Timmy the Tim. It's been a while since I've checked in on them. Anyone interested in knowing more about Rose and Timmy the Tim -- who are now married BECAUSE OF ME -- should feel free to search through this blog (or "blah-g" as my friend Rose would say). The Cliff's notes version is that Rose is one of my best friends, the first friend I made at college and one of the five people who best understands me. Timmy the Tim is a dude I barely knew who asked me to sub-let him a room, slept on an air mattress and made me feel like I was the asshole.
As I was saying, Rose and Timmy the Tim are married because I willed it to be so. It started back in 2002 at one of the very first incarnations of the suburban free-standing "Irish Pub" establishment, Jack Desmonds in Chicago Ridge, Illinois. My memory is not what it once was, but I believe Timmy the Tim insulted Rose several times and at one point Rose suddenly ran to the bathroom to barf for no apparent reason. Then they proceeded not to date for about six years in which the insulting of each other and me continued. Ultimately Rose and Timmy the Tim developed a secret romantic relationship in 2009 (that I knew about all along), leading to a whirlwind engagement and then a beautiful St. Lucian wedding. I was their wedding tsar but I was definitely "not the best man!".
Rose and Timmy the Tim now have a beautiful family, some leather couches and a great life together. All because of Slider K. Shaftacular! Thanks Slider!
I haven't seen Rose and Timmy the Tim in the flesh in almost three years. Nothing intentional, just careers, families and hundreds of miles to keep us apart. We remain very close. Rose and I discuss books, literature and life via text. Timmy the Tim infrequently makes unfortunate comments about my physical appearance via text. I still love them both and look forward to seeing them soon.
As I've tried to be more reflective on those that matter most to me lately, I started along a line of thinking of what Rose's and Timmy the Tim's individual lives would have been like had I never moved earth and mountain to help them understand that they were destined to be together. I think Rose would have lived an interesting life filled with wine, traveling and a lot of wall stenciling.
Timmy the Tim's life without Rose is more nebulous. Before Rose, Timmy the Tim really didn't do much other than drink alcohol, collect Guinness-themed (beer not Obi Wan) home decor and obsessively clean his black 2005 Toyota Camry. Without such an ebullient and social woman like Rose in his life guiding him to happiness, I think moody Timmy the Tim might have just languished in his small town house. Likely he would have adopted a cat somewhere along the way. Emotionally, in a Rose-less reality, I see Timmy the Tim alternating between longing for companionship with a personality hard-wired for isolation. He always had the penchant to become overly obsessed with dead-end relationships -- the kind of obsessions that would make a guy sing loves longs while playing a piano in a desert while wearing a sleeveless dress shirt. My words are failing me, I know -- it's a testament to the complexity that is Timmy the Tim. So instead of writing more, I offer this as my vision of what Timmy the Tim's life would have been without Rose.
Well wasn't that beautiful and horrible all at the same time? Thanks Slider!
Two people I think a lot about are my friends Rose and Timmy the Tim. It's been a while since I've checked in on them. Anyone interested in knowing more about Rose and Timmy the Tim -- who are now married BECAUSE OF ME -- should feel free to search through this blog (or "blah-g" as my friend Rose would say). The Cliff's notes version is that Rose is one of my best friends, the first friend I made at college and one of the five people who best understands me. Timmy the Tim is a dude I barely knew who asked me to sub-let him a room, slept on an air mattress and made me feel like I was the asshole.
As I was saying, Rose and Timmy the Tim are married because I willed it to be so. It started back in 2002 at one of the very first incarnations of the suburban free-standing "Irish Pub" establishment, Jack Desmonds in Chicago Ridge, Illinois. My memory is not what it once was, but I believe Timmy the Tim insulted Rose several times and at one point Rose suddenly ran to the bathroom to barf for no apparent reason. Then they proceeded not to date for about six years in which the insulting of each other and me continued. Ultimately Rose and Timmy the Tim developed a secret romantic relationship in 2009 (that I knew about all along), leading to a whirlwind engagement and then a beautiful St. Lucian wedding. I was their wedding tsar but I was definitely "not the best man!".
Rose and Timmy the Tim now have a beautiful family, some leather couches and a great life together. All because of Slider K. Shaftacular! Thanks Slider!
I haven't seen Rose and Timmy the Tim in the flesh in almost three years. Nothing intentional, just careers, families and hundreds of miles to keep us apart. We remain very close. Rose and I discuss books, literature and life via text. Timmy the Tim infrequently makes unfortunate comments about my physical appearance via text. I still love them both and look forward to seeing them soon.
As I've tried to be more reflective on those that matter most to me lately, I started along a line of thinking of what Rose's and Timmy the Tim's individual lives would have been like had I never moved earth and mountain to help them understand that they were destined to be together. I think Rose would have lived an interesting life filled with wine, traveling and a lot of wall stenciling.
Timmy the Tim's life without Rose is more nebulous. Before Rose, Timmy the Tim really didn't do much other than drink alcohol, collect Guinness-themed (beer not Obi Wan) home decor and obsessively clean his black 2005 Toyota Camry. Without such an ebullient and social woman like Rose in his life guiding him to happiness, I think moody Timmy the Tim might have just languished in his small town house. Likely he would have adopted a cat somewhere along the way. Emotionally, in a Rose-less reality, I see Timmy the Tim alternating between longing for companionship with a personality hard-wired for isolation. He always had the penchant to become overly obsessed with dead-end relationships -- the kind of obsessions that would make a guy sing loves longs while playing a piano in a desert while wearing a sleeveless dress shirt. My words are failing me, I know -- it's a testament to the complexity that is Timmy the Tim. So instead of writing more, I offer this as my vision of what Timmy the Tim's life would have been without Rose.
Well wasn't that beautiful and horrible all at the same time? Thanks Slider!