Planes, trains, and trains, and trains, and . . .

I wish I could figure out the genius behind "Thomas and Friends".  About a year ago, Ben watch one episode and suddenly wanted nothing more than to watch it again.  Now, not a day goes by that he doesn't play with his toy trains.  He knows every one of their names, knows the "Thomas Song".

The premise is ridiculously simple:  Talking trains being "Very useful", while having their own personal traits usually hurting THEN helping the scenarios as they play out.  They interact and talk to other trains and humans.  

Haha!  OK, even simpler version:  it's a bunch of brightly colored trains, that talk and mimic the personalities of little kids!  As with many/most kids' programs, if you try to find reason or put anything near a deep into it, you've already gone too far, walk away, read a book, delve into social media . . . or sit and learn the lyrics to the damn songs.  

As a guy who has his own passions, interests and hobbies, I'm happy to see Ben enjoying one thing in particular.  If nothing else, it has been helping mom, dad and the grandparents out ten fold when it comes to finding a gift, book, stickers etc. that will tickle him the right way.  This weekend, we plan to head to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, which should make his head swirl, inciting toddler drunkenness, which can lead into toddler grumpiness and moodiness when getting ready to leave, as we saw at a model train expo not all that long ago.    

A guessing game I can't help but pay with myself as I watch him send Thomas around the track is "how long will he be into this?" and, moreover, "what's next?!".  It could be anything, but for now time for a beer as he drifts off to sleep on his Thomas pillow.  

not forgotten

Sometimes there are just those other things in life that take priority over others.  Sometimes there are those things that distract you into putting more time into them than into others.  Sometimes . . . ok, you get the idea, I haven't been posting to this blog in a little while.

It is amazing, however, how fast time goes by when you keep busy at work or having fun.

This past weekend, I donned my Civil War era duds and took a trip with a good friend down to Point Lookout State Park, in Maryland to meet up with others history dorks for the weekend.  After I got home on Sunday, I thought on how, in recent history, I hadn't spent this much time with "just the guys" in quite a while.  (We had a few spectators come by who were female, but all the reenactors were male)  

I can't imagine what it would've been like to step into the barracks as an outsider to the event.  The smells and sounds alone were probably like nothing else nature or man could have created in any other setting.  You could argue "Well, that's just called a fraternity house!".  Perhaps, but only after the addition of tobacco and fire smoke, moist wool and beans all set inside a drafty wooden building.  

What I think I gleaned the most from the weekend was the fulfilling sense of camaraderie between fellow males.  All backgrounds of religion, politics, ethnicity, etc. etc. were set aside.  Our common interest in a time period and portraying it accurately (including the willingness to subject our bodies to every aspect of it) acted as the glue.

While every hobby has it's vices to avoid or be moderate around (alcohol and smoking stands out in this), I would truly relish the chance to share this sort of experience with Ben; an old fashion form of bonding and friendship, not contingent on internet speed or text messages, only on who you happen to be standing near or singing with or sharing a flask with.

You might ask, "OK Matt, but what if you took those vices out of the mix?  Can this sort of 'old fashion bonding' still take place?"  In my case, yes, because I already do it without them.  At least once a month I get together with other history dorks to sew.  Yes . . . to SEW!  Talk about the opposite of the description of last weekend!  Again, an activity based on being around each other, working together, sharing information and, many times, laughs.  I want Ben to experience this style of bonding as well.

I'll close with this thought:  Some might argue that taking my son to a sporting event or watching a game with him and some buddies is a better way to bond.  I fail to see how guys getting together, eating wings and other junk food, drinking cheap beer, all the while yelling at a TV screen is a better place for my son to witness camaraderie than my past weekend.  I already have small regrets in having already had him witness the belligerence and drunkenness at baseball games we've been to.

Indeed, any scenario can play out to show our children vices and the black eyes of men and their actions.  That's reality and history.