Now, I've taken occasion to rant about the shenanigans my own ex-wife has pulled, but over the past few years, I've heard stories from others that make me wonder "wft?!".
I have three friends I keep in direct contact with that each have their own "ex" to deal with.
Whether it be an ex-wife, ex-girlfriend (doubling as the mother of their child), or a boyfriends ex-wife, each provide their own "horror-story" that never ceases to amaze.
The one constant between all of us is that there are children involved.
I am a father with my ex-wife, my friend is a father with his ex-wife, my other friend is a father with is ex-girlfriend, and my last friend lives with her "common-law" boyfriend who is a father with HIS ex-wife.
In each situation, the mother creates a situation that is not only frustrating to the father, but more than likely for the children as well.
So why do they do it?
Why are they so one-sided in the way they do things against the fathers?
Is it because there is so much animosity between them, that their judgment is clouded?
Or is it because they know that there is no governing body that will challenge the mother of a divorced situation?
And for that matter, why are courts so reluctant to intervene?
Something needs to be done to make things more balanced in divorce cases where children are involved.
Society has allowed the mom's in a lot of cases to come way out on top and the dad to play catch up for the rest of his life, and children to be exposed to situations that are more detrimental to the development and maturity of them that it's no wonder the state of the world is as it is.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Rejuvenated? Kinda............
This past Saturday was the second time I’d not only been "out on the town", but was seeing some damn good musical groups. And for the second time I couldn’t help but think about my own musical prowess, or lack there of.
Growing up I was heavily into playing whether it be self-taught guitar, performing with the school orchestra (yea:I played the violin..........so?!), or even learning to play the banjo. (I’ll wait for the laughter to subside)
Not only had I performed in front of audiences with the orchestra, but on one occasion during High School and several out of H.S. with various bands. I loved being on stage.
I loved being part of a group "giving" music to appreciative (and one not so) audiences.
But as I grew older things began to subside.
I still had (and still have) my many stringed appendages, but as time grew on, those appendages began to lose their ability to perform.
And when I became a dad things really suffered.
I was with a group of friends and were in the midst of putting down some tracks of originals, but with the frustration of trying to get the recording guy to actually be at the studio when he said he would, and having a new family at the same time, something had to give. Unfortunately, it was the music.
Fast forward 13 years.
I still have my axes, having added to the clan, my fiddles, which are kept in their cases, and even the 5-string-er.
But it feels like too much time has passed, too much has changed for me to be able to pick any of them up and produce a coherent sound.
My orchestra days are definitely over.
I never could really capture the "fast and furious" bluegrass fever that had captured my attention almost 30 years ago.
And when I pick up an axe, it just seems so........bland.
I never got myself past being a kick-ass rhythm player (if there is such a thing), and when I go to see live music, especially when there’s a guitar player that’s almost half my age, I’m reminded of what could have been if I’d only kept up with it.
I keep my guitars on their stands in the hopes that if I actually see them on a daily basis, something inside will click, and I’ll put the strap over my shoulder and proceed to fill a couple of hours just playing.
In over a year and a half, it hasn’t happened yet.
But I’ll continue to take in and support those local musicians and hope that someday in the near future something will actually "click", and I’ll be back where I feel I belong: giving music to an appreciative audience (or several!).
Growing up I was heavily into playing whether it be self-taught guitar, performing with the school orchestra (yea:I played the violin..........so?!), or even learning to play the banjo. (I’ll wait for the laughter to subside)
Not only had I performed in front of audiences with the orchestra, but on one occasion during High School and several out of H.S. with various bands. I loved being on stage.
I loved being part of a group "giving" music to appreciative (and one not so) audiences.
But as I grew older things began to subside.
I still had (and still have) my many stringed appendages, but as time grew on, those appendages began to lose their ability to perform.
And when I became a dad things really suffered.
I was with a group of friends and were in the midst of putting down some tracks of originals, but with the frustration of trying to get the recording guy to actually be at the studio when he said he would, and having a new family at the same time, something had to give. Unfortunately, it was the music.
Fast forward 13 years.
I still have my axes, having added to the clan, my fiddles, which are kept in their cases, and even the 5-string-er.
But it feels like too much time has passed, too much has changed for me to be able to pick any of them up and produce a coherent sound.
My orchestra days are definitely over.
I never could really capture the "fast and furious" bluegrass fever that had captured my attention almost 30 years ago.
And when I pick up an axe, it just seems so........bland.
I never got myself past being a kick-ass rhythm player (if there is such a thing), and when I go to see live music, especially when there’s a guitar player that’s almost half my age, I’m reminded of what could have been if I’d only kept up with it.
I keep my guitars on their stands in the hopes that if I actually see them on a daily basis, something inside will click, and I’ll put the strap over my shoulder and proceed to fill a couple of hours just playing.
In over a year and a half, it hasn’t happened yet.
But I’ll continue to take in and support those local musicians and hope that someday in the near future something will actually "click", and I’ll be back where I feel I belong: giving music to an appreciative audience (or several!).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)