Friday, March 31, 2006
As good as it gets
I was having a great time with this blog until two days ago, when an email from my friend and sole subscriber Larry popped up in my inbox. "HAS JENA SEEN YOUR BLOG??" Just five words. Nothing more. The message bored a hole to the back of my brain and triggered an emotional reaction that I have learned to associate with impending doom.
"No," I typed back. "Why? Do you think I make her look bad?" Three hours later his answer appeared. "SILENCE IS GOLDEN." Just three words. Nothing more.
Jena does know about my blog, of course. No man has ever survived as many years of marriage as I have without following the rules. In this case, Rule Number 87: "If you are about to publish something that might makes your wife seem slightly ridiculous, don't! But if you must, get her permission first." Well, I didn't exactly get her permission, but I told her about each post immediately after publishing it, so I think I have kept to the spirit of the rule.
All the same, Larry's email haunted me the rest of the day. Later that evening after dinner, which for the boys was one minute after we sat down to eat, I struck what I hoped was a casual demeanor.
"Honey, how do you feel about the blog?"
She looked at me archly. "Do you mean other than the fact that it makes me look like a total idiot?"
"Sure! Other than that," I replied.
"Well, I wish you wouldn't make me look quite so ridiculous." Then, after some reflection, "On the other hand, it's mostly true, and you are having fun with it."
Lately, Jena has come to the conclusion that the purpose of life is to feel joy and to revel in our creative powers. In my case it is sheer luck that her enlightenment should coincide with the emergence of a technology that lets Joe Public blab his musings to the entire world.
It just doesn't get any better than that.
"No," I typed back. "Why? Do you think I make her look bad?" Three hours later his answer appeared. "SILENCE IS GOLDEN." Just three words. Nothing more.
Jena does know about my blog, of course. No man has ever survived as many years of marriage as I have without following the rules. In this case, Rule Number 87: "If you are about to publish something that might makes your wife seem slightly ridiculous, don't! But if you must, get her permission first." Well, I didn't exactly get her permission, but I told her about each post immediately after publishing it, so I think I have kept to the spirit of the rule.
All the same, Larry's email haunted me the rest of the day. Later that evening after dinner, which for the boys was one minute after we sat down to eat, I struck what I hoped was a casual demeanor.
"Honey, how do you feel about the blog?"
She looked at me archly. "Do you mean other than the fact that it makes me look like a total idiot?"
"Sure! Other than that," I replied.
"Well, I wish you wouldn't make me look quite so ridiculous." Then, after some reflection, "On the other hand, it's mostly true, and you are having fun with it."
Lately, Jena has come to the conclusion that the purpose of life is to feel joy and to revel in our creative powers. In my case it is sheer luck that her enlightenment should coincide with the emergence of a technology that lets Joe Public blab his musings to the entire world.
It just doesn't get any better than that.
