A New Rebeginning (sort of like episode seven, but without lightsabers and with new content)

Before I blog in earnest, Amy pointed out an “ethical issue” I needed to consider about blogging.  I expected a ripped-from-the-headlines, journalistic integrity speech with several Sean Penn El Chapo references.  I naturally thought of myself as a younger El Chapo, before he got into cocaine and trans fats.  (I considered including a photo of El Chapo for effect, but as I Googled “cocaine death lords” I started getting worried about possible ramifications.  I asked Amy if she thought it was possible that I could either be sued by the Huffington Post or killed by the cartel.  She either said “I don’t know” or “I hope so)”.

Back to our ethical discussion … Amy turned to me one night and, in a gentle voice that you might use with someone who has a terminal illness but doesn’t know it, said "Almost all of your blog made fun of me last time.  That was fine.  MOST of the time.  But you can’t make fun of our daughters because it could hurt their feelings.  And what if some of their friends find it in a couple of years?  They could be embarrassed."

Ok.  Good point.  Almost everything my daughters do is either (a) cause for embarrassment, (b) cause for arrest, detention and deportation, or (c) fodder for a David Sedaris story.

On the other hand, I’m pretty sure my daughters have already stopped caring about what I say.  This has been illustrated over the past six days by approximately twenty “whatevers” and sixty eye rolls.  Adolescence starts at six.  

More importantly, however, I need material.  Items (a) and (b) above represent material.  If I didn’t use my daughters, I’d have to notice things in the world and comment on them.  It would take focus, work, and awareness of my environment.  Three things I’m hoping not to have for the next three months.

Also, as those of you reading this recognize, the chance that anyone will read this blog 10 years from now (or ever really) is remote at best.

That's about as far as I got with my ethical dilemma.  Ethicists should feel free to opine and then be ignored.

Amy pointed out that I should probably include photos, you know, to introduce that human element to the blog and distract people from the bad writing.  So here we are ... these photos were taken at the beginning of the 36 hour journey, around the time Tessa started asking (wait for it) "are we there yet."  All parents will recognize that this is not a bad joke but a sad truth.