There. Is. No. Escape.

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Changes.

Just an update for friends and family.

I made a move on Feb 7, 2013. I left the big beloved/hated/well-at -least-we're-known place of my employment of 6.5 years to pitch in at a little startup where even the locals who should know about it say "where?" I travelled internationally and managed multi-million dollar global ad campaigns at my last job. I load and unload the dishwasher and park in a gravel lot three blocks away at my new job.

So far, so rad.

I wasn't actively looking for a new gig, but life has a way of telling you what's next. You can either jump on board or tell life to mind its own business and stop tapping you on the shoulder. I've often dreamed about getting in on the ground floor of something small and special. This is not the first opportunity I've had to move on, but I'm sure glad I waited for this one.

6.5 years may not seem like that long to some, but CP+B years are like dog years. I don't know the exact multiplier, but I can tell you that I lived in three cities, moved four times, worked on several large, iconic accounts, a few smaller niche accounts and grew from an assistant content (account) manager to a supervisor. I was not once, ever, ever bored. At times it felt like struggling through and eventually earning a few MBAs in marketing, creative project management, dynamic workload juggling, tenacity-maintaining, and the largely abused and mistreated but paramount skill of human communication (aka storytelling, also sometimes as simple and common as the modern art of "email."). In short, it was my school where I studied and eventually felt like I became an assistant professor. My salary slowly and steadily grew over 6.5 years and I never felt a sense of entitlement. That said, I felt I worked hard and smart for every pre-tax penny. I left happy, on my terms and I was able to hold my head high and thank many people there for blessing my work life with their inspiring partnership. I was a bit nervous about leaving the familiar culture where I "grew up" in my professional life, but I was very much surprised at how liberating and comfortable it was when I resigned.

I started my new job the very next day, 8:30am sharp. I'm a Grenadier now. #10. An elite nimble clan of brand strategy, management and creativity warriors, all happy to be doing the dishes and taking out the trash. ("Passing the savings on to YOU.") We grill every Friday and we treat each other well. We don't tolerate slacking and we tell it like we see it. I'm proud to be associated with these guys and gals. I wouldn't have made this move if I didn't think it was built on principles that kept me up at night with excitement.

In the meantime, my life outside of work is also evolving, as per usual. Henry's growing fast, we traded in our Jetta lease for new TDI and I'm really excited about my new duo project with Sarah Gee - NY Broadway performer turned recent Coloradan who nails harmonies like it's her job. 'Cause it was her job. But now it's Forsyth & Gee. More to come on that. Just you wait. First gig this weekend, then a house concert on 3/1. Then a few more. Then a record.

A'ight, then.

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All the photos of Henry's first year on my phone

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This kid is pretty fun.

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Remembering Dave Brubeck and crying just a little.

I'm from Concord, CA.

Tom Hanks is from Concord, CA. 

Meh, he's still alive.

Dave Brubeck is from Concord, CA.

...*sniffle*

I feel like crying a little. I'm so grateful for recorded music, for it will be like he never left. I have so many stories to tell about how Brubeck's music enlightened, inspired and soothed my mind and soul, but I can't bring myself to write them now. For now, just turn off the light and listen to this with headphones. In the dark. Then move on to Blue Ronda a la Turk, and the rest of "Time Out." Do it.

Dave Brubeck has long served as proof that creative jazz and popular success can go together. Thank heaven. 

Syncopated rest in peace.

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Bonus Paternity Leave

A few months after Henry was born, Eric's work came up with a new policy giving new fathers an extra week of paternity leave - which he took two weeks ago.

We started off the weekend in Breckenridge. We just relaxed, ate some delicious pizza, saw some beautiful colors, and went on an amazing hike with Henry and Annie.

I'll let the pictures do most of the talking:

The lady who took this said this was going to be our Christmas card - Merry Christmas Everyone!!

Wow! Hey Annie.

 Here starts the pictures of during-the-week paternity leave:

At the Butterfly Pavilion!

Release of the butterflies

Blurry, but a butterfly landed on Eric's shoe!

Good thing Henry didn't notice that butterfly, he would have squished it.

Our hike to the beautiful Diamond Lake

  Eric made some yummy yummy chimmuritos one night. We also ate at the lunch buffet at Taj Mahal (in Louisville) and Henry made a mess on the floor. All in all, I'd say it was a pretty good week.

Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer

I looked at our blog today for the first time in a while, obviously. At first I felt bad that neither of us had blogged for a while; but then as I was perusing though others' blogs, I noticed that everyone else had not reached their full blogging potential this summer either. So there, grandparents.

At the end of August, Eric went out to Michigan for a backpacking trip with his brothers - I'll let him blog that later. Meanwhile, instead of being at home by ourselves for a week, Henry and I made our way out to Ohio to see Mimi and Opa. It was so nice to be able to get away from the mundane every day and spend time in the woodsey haven that is Mimi and Opa's house.

Opa kept the garden nice for us alllll summer long. With hungry deer and not much rain, this was a very appreciated feat. Henry loved being in the back yard. He found some great basil leaves and sticks to chew on, and we even got to see some deer - up close and personal.

We went out to lunch with Mimi and our friend, Deb. This is when Henry had his first (and definitely not last) experience with a dill pickle. Let me tell you, this kid was talking, being kind of fussy, and generally unsatisfied with the amount of attention he was receiving, but when we gave him his first dill pickle spear, he was a whole new (much more content) baby.

Mmmm Pickles

The same thing happened again a few nights later when we were eating dinner with Opa. Speaking of that night....Henry also got his first taste of chocolate ice cream. Mimi and I were just sitting on a bench and Opa took Henry somewhere to get some ice cream (supposedly for Opa). After quite a while we started to wonder where they were. We looked around this giant bush next to us, and, "DAD!!!!" There was ice cream all over little Henry's face. The minute I took Henry away from the ice cream was the first minute of true sadness in Henry's life.

Is it just me, or does this photo like like two pics stuck together?

Later in the week, we drove out to Michigan to pick up our Eric. He was staying at his brother, Daniel's house, so Henry got to see two of his cousins, an aunt, two uncles, and Gammie. We had an excellent breakfast and lots of fun with the fam. (I feel like there should have been pictures of more people though - we'll get them during Christmas.)

Don't worry, Henry's just punching cousin Ray - toughening him up.

This trip being Eric's first trip to Ohio with me, we had to do some fun stuff. We spent the whole Labor Day in Cleveland visiting the Rock Hall (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for those not in the know). It was really fun, especially for Eric - it was like his Disneyland. Plus he got in for free because he's a super talented musician who has an amazingly awesome CD. It just so happened that there was also an air show right next to the Rock Hall, so we got to see a whole bunch of airplanes doing crazy tricks.

 

In other summer news: We hung out a lot, went on some hikes, to farmer's markets, cooked some delicious food, and Annie says, "Hi!!!!"

 

Do something awesome & be nice to people.

I haven't blogged in a while, and I'm okay with that.

Sometimes I wonder what my loving, wisdom-imparting, encouraging Dad phrase will be when I say goodbye to my kids at the beginning of the day, or when they go out at night, or whenever we part ways.

Some parents say "Remember who you are!"

Some simply say "Be good" or "I love you."

Jaime had a friend growing up whose dad used to say "No touching each other's privates or poking each other in the eye with sticks."

I just found myself saying to Jaime as she walked out the door to some event: "Do something awesome and be nice to people." Which could be understood as one thing (Being nice to people = doing something awesome), but I mean it as two different admonitions. 

Maybe that'll be my phrase.

We'll see if this evolves.

In the meantime, do something awesome & be nice to people.

The ampersand helps.

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6 Month Photo Shoot

I had to document the first 6 months of my little cutie's life. As of today, Baby H has two teeth on the bottom and can sit up all by himself for at least a minute. He has also tried the following foods: Bananas, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, carrots, peaches, and avocado. He (obviously) enjoys all food.

He's so sassy.

"Oh My Sweet Carolina" Toilet Seat Cover

Didn't want the weekend to pass before laying this down. (Headphones recommended.)

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