Blog post 6.23.09

First of all, I'm sorry that this Blog took so long for me to write! It's been in my head for some time now and I'm glad to finally hit the release valve and let it flow to a printed version of my thoughts! It's been a very busy few weeks since my last entry!
June 11th was Hannah Marie's 2nd birthday and the 14th was her birthday party! My entire extended family came up from Florida to celebrate with us and it was amazing! Mommy, Aunt Donna, Jamia, Justice and Jon Jon, thank you so much for flying here and making Hannah's birthday such a special one!! The show still went on at the nightclub but it was SO nice to have my family in town that week.
Right after that, I had to play a little catch up on all of my work and then roll straight into the next weekend and then Father's Day! I never knew how blessed I would feel every father's day...it's so amazing to have the opportunity to be a daddy that I sometimes wonder why I'm the one being celebrated. I mean, she's MY blessing. Even more than that, it's my responsibility and ultimate dedication to be an influential part of her life...I couldn't help but feel that I wanted to make fathers out there realize what it is to carry the torch of life. It's not a light load. It's nothing to take for granted.
We owe our children so much because it is US that they rely on...US they learn from...and US that keeps them safe from harm...or at least equip to deal with it. The whole day, all I thought was "Isn't this what I'm supposed to be doing?". It almost made me a little uncomfortable because what I do for Hannah isn't abnormal...it should be normal...why isn't it?
I have started to write a pamphlet on how to be a good dad! It's going to be simple...fun...able to relate to a lot of the different situations that Dad's find themselves in. Here's a sample of a few of the topics:

Dads

Wear cargo shorts/pants whenever possible - you can fit diapers, a small box of wipes, a snot rag and a brush all in one pocket. Recommendations for the second pocket - snacks!! Make sure you include at least 1 juice box!

Keep your kid clean!!! There's nothing worse than a kid that looks like they washed their face in snot and then dusted themselves with food crumbs! I didn't say this is easy...and to a certain extent, clothes are an exception. Just wipe em up every once an hour and you'll be fine!

Watch your juevos!!! Yes...I'm talking about your testicles!! Kids have NO CLUE how bad they hurt when caught under a little foot and it WILL happen! You have to be like a prize fighter and anticipate where ALL of their little extremities will land...otherwise...no little brothers or sisters...
Lmao!! Yep...I think the "Watch your Juevos" section is funny as hell AND important! They never tell you that in baby classes! They only tell you about taking care of your CURRENT baby...not making sure you are able to have another!

I don't think I'll be done with that pamphlet for awhile because I learn so much every time I'm with Hannah. The time we spend is so precious because I don't have the luxury of having her all of the time...I think it actually has strengthened my learning curve though. I'm so in tuned with that little person when we are together that I can tell you that most of the time, I know what she's thinking or doing regardless of my proximity to her. True story, I wake up seconds before her ALL the time! It's weird!!

So how does being a daddy tie into being the General Manager of a nightclub? Believe it or not, a lot of the same qualities translate directly.You have to care about people and their lives very similarly. You have to realize that sometimes you have to make hard decisions that affect people and that they may not understand it at that very moment. Hannah doesn't understand why I won't let her jump up and down on my end table and play with the light switch but I have to have the foresight to know that the pickle juice on her little fingers will act as a conductor in an electrical socket...and that it's a long way down if she falls.
Of course it's a lot more formal when you bust someones chops for being late to work...but...it's a very similar principle. It's foresight. If they are late, it could impact the health of the night.

Even though the similarities are endless, the fact is that as a leader, you have to always remain in touch with people. I listen to Hannah when she needs something the same way I listen to my staff. It's also okay if Hannah cries sometimes. It's okay if she doesn't always get what she wants. It's okay if she gets a little mad at me because I scold her. That's all part of the process of development.

Someone recently said that I was exploiting Hannah to promote Le Passage... That's the funniest and most absurd thing I've ever heard. I tell these stories and give my thoughts to the world in order to make some sort of correlation between the insanity that I work in and the love of my life. If that's not what you get from these pieces, please stop reading them. I do everything that I do for my little girl...including download my thoughts and express things that are sometime pent up inside of me.

Initially, I started writing this blog in order to highlight some of the craziness I deal with during the weekend and how ironic that was to being the father of a little girl. This has definitely evolved into something much more. Now, it's a chronicle of how I stay sane and focused in the insanity...I just want my little girl to be proud of me. All of the temptations that come with my position are trivial in comparison to her.