Arresting development
Tonight my family went to the movies for the first time in a while. We went to the two-dollar cinema (just like the old days, adjusted for inflation) after a day that began with oatmeal at home, driving up to Newport Beach to hang out at Fashion Island, an early dinner at my parents' favorite Taiwanese eatery in Irvine and browsing comics and magazines at Barnes and Noble.
Just like the film we saw, Where the Wild Things Are, our first day of the new decade looked like kiddie stuff but was much better appreciated through the enlightened experience of adulthood. Instead of two parents trying to keep a lid on simmering tension while looking for activities to keep their kids entertained all day, our family outing was structured around looking for experiences to share: showing our parents the funhouse hilarity of Photo Booth in the Apple Store (naturally, my mom immediately asked if there was a "look younger" effect), pointing out a pretty sunset or holiday decoration to take pictures in front of, ordering food someone else would like. It may be normal to enjoy spending time with your folks less as you get older, but my family's never been functional. Today my parents were noticeably gracious to one another not for my brother's and my sake, but for their own, and for Christ's sake (literally). We're a family of late bloomers in practically every sense of the word, and I'm thankful for it.
To apologize for the Hallmark Sunday Night Movie, an anecdote from New Year's Eve:
Mom: Daniel, how much did you pay for these lobster tails?
Daniel: $3.99 each.
Mom: That's like four dollars per tail... you paid twelve dollars for four tails?!
Daniel: ...
Dad: ...
Me: It's a good thing you're pretty.
Just like the film we saw, Where the Wild Things Are, our first day of the new decade looked like kiddie stuff but was much better appreciated through the enlightened experience of adulthood. Instead of two parents trying to keep a lid on simmering tension while looking for activities to keep their kids entertained all day, our family outing was structured around looking for experiences to share: showing our parents the funhouse hilarity of Photo Booth in the Apple Store (naturally, my mom immediately asked if there was a "look younger" effect), pointing out a pretty sunset or holiday decoration to take pictures in front of, ordering food someone else would like. It may be normal to enjoy spending time with your folks less as you get older, but my family's never been functional. Today my parents were noticeably gracious to one another not for my brother's and my sake, but for their own, and for Christ's sake (literally). We're a family of late bloomers in practically every sense of the word, and I'm thankful for it.
To apologize for the Hallmark Sunday Night Movie, an anecdote from New Year's Eve:
Mom: Daniel, how much did you pay for these lobster tails?
Daniel: $3.99 each.
Mom: That's like four dollars per tail... you paid twelve dollars for four tails?!
Daniel: ...
Dad: ...
Me: It's a good thing you're pretty.