June 22, 2009
My first Father's Day was amazing! Not only was it fun to have that day actually mean something to me for the first time in my life, but I got one of the coolest gifts of my life from Melody - a ukulele!
I've always wanted to learn how to play a musical instrument, but I couldn't really figure out which one best suited my personality.
A few weeks ago I was musing about how I should learn to play the ukulele so I could play Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" to Chloe. If you haven't heard it, download it from iTunes immediately! You won't be sorry.
Anyway, practically the moment the words left my lips Melody and I agreed that the ukulele was a perfect match for me.
So now I have one and I'm slowly learning to play. And as I small bonus, I'm also slowly getting over my fear of singing in front of humans.
June 20, 2009
Father's Day, much like my actual father, has always been a non-entity to me.
I never met, let alone knew, my dad. And I've never celebrated a single Father's Day.
But with Chloe on the way, I thought it would be fun for me to spend my first Father's Day weekend reflecting on the kind of dad I hope to be.
Here's what has sprung to mind so far: loving, wise, devoted, strong, intellectual, understanding, forgiving, philosophical, articulate, compassionate and capable.
Now that I think about it, those words also describe the kind of person I hope to be.
Interesting. Maybe striving to be a good father will help me be a better person in general.
June 10, 2009
I wrote a few weeks ago about how hard I find it to keep up with this blog, and obviously, given my last update was over a month ago, that still holds true.
Sorry loyal reader. I'll try to do better.
A lot has happened since my last post. For starters, Melody and I visited friends in Portland, Oregon and quickly rediscovered our love of the American West.
The East Coast is great for a lot of reasons, but we decided none of those reasons trumps (1) being closer to the majority of our family members and (2) that tugging feeling of being home when we're in Colorado and other western states.
So, we've decided that about this time next year we're going to make the move to Denver, Colorado and try to carve out a life for ourselves and Chloe there.
Which brings me to the other big news: We're having a girl!
At first I had a hard time imagining exactly how I would relate to a little girl, having been a boy my whole life and all. But spending some time with our friends in Oregon and their two little girls put that to rest for good.
I'm thrilled! And just tonight, I felt little Chloe kick for the first time!
It was amazing!
May 02, 2009
Things change quickly for me these days. Several weeks ago I wrote about how Melody and I were probably going to move to Colorado when I graduate.
Since then, my friend and law school classmate, David, and I have decided that we are going to try to start a firm here in Portland, Maine instead.
We haven't ironed out all of the details. OK, fine. We haven't ironed out any of the details. But we're really excited about the idea.
Melody and I are also excited because we can continue to live close to Boston, which, as I've mentioned, is a city that we freaking love.
I'll post more about the new firm as David and I start making more concrete plans. No doubt my loyal READER will be on pins and needles waiting for that.
In other news, I turned my Thanksfast idea into a bona fide movement, complete with a Facebook page and everything! Feel free to join the Facebook group and make Thanksfast your thing too.
Lastly, I've started ranting again. What can I say? Some of the crap Republicans say simply can't go unanswered.
April 20, 2009
One of the drawbacks of living in the information age is that it is so easy to get overwhelmed with information.
Melody and I don't even own a TV, so in theory we should both have lots of free time. And I suppose we do. But I just can't seem to keep up with my NPR podcasts.
I usually find that The Diane Rehm Show is worth my time. It's informative, timely, and almost always a shining example of what journalism could and should be.
But with two hours of programing a day, I haven't been able to keep up. The funny thing is, it actually stresses me out to see those podcasts piling up in my iTunes queue.
Back when I lived in Phoenix, a city that requires a 30 minute commute of stop-and-go traffic to get pretty much anywhere, I would usually turn on NPR to catch The Diane Rehm Show, Science Friday, On The Media or any of the other excellent programs NPR offers.
If I missed them, it wasn't really a big deal. I would just catch them when I could. It certainly didn't stress me out.
Now I feel like a slacker if I don't keep up with the constant stream of media hurtling toward me through cyberspace.
I've heard Tivo has the same effect on people. Thankfully I don't own one of those dastardly vehicles of unbridled evil.
Come to think of it, I also feel like a slacker if I don't keep up with this blog.
What's the deal here?! Technology is supposed to make our lives more convenient and organized, not hopelessly chaotic and stressful.
I guess the lesson to be gleaned from this post, assuming there is any merit at all to my random musings, is that it is important to not let technology run our lives.
Easier said than done.
March 31, 2009
Our little Sea-Monkey is starting to look like an actual person. It's amazing how a grainy ultrasound image can make the abstract idea of parenthood seem so real.
March 22, 2009
Maintaining a highly visible Web presence (do a Google search for my name and I'm at the top of the results) can have some surreal consequences.
For example, I've been forced to confront the fact that my identity, at least my superficial identity, is not as unique as I thought.
I discovered this because there are other Jeremy Dowells in the world that do Google searches for their names and then find their way to my blog.
One of them contacted me and mentioned something about a Jeremy Dowell convention.
I'm not sure why exactly, but the thought creeped me out. As absurd as it is, I can't help picturing a hundred versions of myself milling about in a convention hall.
The image sends shivers down my spine every time.
I suppose one upside to attending a Jeremy Dowell convention is that I'd have a fairly good shot at remembering everybody's name.
March 22, 2009
I recently attended an event called "Theology on Tap," where I was introduced to the basics of Lent - a time of sacrifice and charity, one purpose of which is to reacquaint Catholics with their spiritual core.
I'm not Catholic, but the discussion got me thinking about the value of fasting and similar forms of self-sacrifice.
Spending one day a week hungry, for example, would certainly help me remember that millions of Americans, and millions more around the world, spend every day hungry.
That reminder would then make me more likely to give to charity.
So, as a kind of experiment, I've decided that I'm going to fast at least one day a week. I may also identify certain luxuries that I can go without for more prolonged periods of time.
If nothing else, I'm hoping that I'll end up with a renewed appreciation for just how good Melody and I have it.
We're not rich. In fact, we're far, far from it. But we live a comfortable life, generally free from want.
And for that, we both have good reason to be thankful.
March 17, 2009
Melody and I have decided to get rid of our TV as soon as we find a charitable organization interested in taking it off our hands.
No TV won't be that big of a change for us. We don't have cable, and unlike me, Melody almost never watches TV shows and movies on DVD.
Still, we're both looking forward to replacing TV time with more beneficial and fulfilling activities - reading, playing games, taking walks around the neighborhood, etc.
I'm sure we'll still catch the occasional TV show at a friend's or relative's house, but at least then our TV time will involve a social interaction.
There's also the possibility my grades will improve. I doubt it, though.
I'd do pretty much anything before studying for Trusts & Estates.
March 13, 2009
In the coming months Melody and I will have to choose where we want to live and start making as many preparations as we can to move there.
But because it's a pain in the ass for me to study for and pass the bar, the next place we live needs to be a place we want to live long term, and that's a surprisingly difficult choice to make.
We both love Boston and New York, for example. But both cities are a long way away from the majority of our friends and family, so that's a definite strike for the east coast.
Ditto San Francisco, another city that we love.
So we're leaning heavily toward Colorado, which has been calling me back for years now, and holds some mysterious allure for Melody too. In fact, Colorado feels more like home for Melody than any place outside of Thailand and Malaysia.
But where in Colorado? We love Denver, but my home town has its advantages.
Today I was browsing real estate listings there and I saw a fixer-upper house for sale with a little under an acre of land for only $34,000! Thank you, deflating real estate bubble!
We'd get a chance to restore an old house and have it paid off in just a few years! That's quite a deal sweetener for our little family.
Of course all of this depends on whether or not the public defender or DA is hiring next year.
So maybe life will make this decision for us.
After all, we'll have to follow the jobs.
March 09, 2009
I was walking through the aisles of Target the other day (an almost daily routine for me since I freaking love that store), when I came across the emergency hammer pictured above.
Now, an emergency hammer is one of those things that one could go through life never even being aware of, let alone owning.
But it's also one of those things that is really hard to justify not buying once you've become aware of it.
I kept imagining being trapped in my car, or coming across an accident where someone was trapped in their car, and not having the right tool to help.
Confronted with several such nightmare scenarios of my own creation, the $15 price tag didn't seem that much to ask.
I know you probably think I'm a marketer's dream come true, and maybe you're right.
I promise I won't hold that against you when I use my new emergency hammer to pull you out of your burning car just before it explodes.
February 13, 2009
I've officially been sent out on my first husband/daddy-to-be pregnancy craving run. I know I'm supposed to act put out, but I think it's fun.
February 10, 2009
I realized the other day that no matter what changes life has in store for me, there is one thing that will always stay the same:
Whenever I go shopping for anything requiring a shopping cart, I will always - and I mean always - wind up with the cart that has the annoying broken wheel.
February 5, 2009
Yesterday I learned that I am going to be a daddy! It hasn't fully sunk in yet, but so far I can report that I had no idea it was possible to feel this happy and excited!
My mind is racing with thoughts of all the firsts that are coming my way - the first time I'll hear my baby's heartbeat; the first time I'll put my hand on Melody's belly and feel a kick; the first time I'll hold my son or daughter in my arms.
It will be weeks before Melody and I find out if it's a boy or a girl, so in the meantime we've decided to call him or her Sea-Monkey, since that's what he or she most resembles right now anyway.
Don't worry, we have real names picked out too: Chloe Mae Dowell for a girl and Ryan Alastair Dowell for a boy.
January 20, 2009
Today, as millions of Americans from all walks of life gathered in Washington and around TV sets across the country to witness history in the making, I felt as if we had truly become one out of many.
Here's to President Obama and the restoration of the American dream!
January 05, 2009
For the past several days my wife and I have been making our way through the first three seasons of "Lost." It's a great show, but I have no idea how anyone could stand to watch the episodes as they first aired. We can barely stomach waiting the amount of time it takes to change discs and press play on the remote, let alone an entire week.
Speaking of stomachs, we better get off the couch and do some sit-ups...as soon as we figure out what the hell the monster is. Surely all will be revealed in the next episode.
Someone save us...this show is the devil.
January 01, 2009
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne.
-Robert Burns, 1759-1796
