Feb. 21st - Conventional Means

Quote of the day:

Karen to Joe on seeing
the results, the morning
after of
J's first solid food:

"Honey, J can't be cleaned by any conventionsal means .
You're going to have to put him in the tub."

February 20th

today was big day for J, Karen had a performance at 3 in Harelm and there was an event that was celebrating the accomplishment of
The DrillingCompany's HONOR - being published by in
Plays and Playwrights 2005.
His grandmother came up on Saturday nght the 19th to give his parents a night off but that proved to difficult,

As soon as they left for the theatre J began screaming and would not stop until a half an hour later when he fell asleep. Neither Karen nor I could have let him cry for as long as his grandmother did. We both felt terrible he was away from us both for so long. Both os us feel torn by the the pull to meet responsibilities in our lives and the responsibility of taking care of his. This is only in the last two weeks. Judy was a wonderful presence and as always very generous, but  no matter what  it  seems he never  stops   crying  away  from  his mom.

At the heart of Harlem J started out listening to his Mo for about four minute of her performance. Then he began to talk back in loud to semi loud statements of some kind. He seem to be answering the energy he was reieiving from the stage. From years of Catholic Church with my mother I knew instintively to sit on the end of the pew with J. We were joined by Jim barden and Sylvester and old college friend of Judy's. The performance of Langston Hughes poetry had come a long way.

J and I watched most of the program from the rear of St. Andrew's Church, much of it through the glass behind the last pew. He seemed fascinated with the galss.
Also noticed today he was facinated by solfege and arpegggio's. His grandmother played the Star Spagled Banner for him tday on the piano. His first song.

Back at the theatre, while we were standing in the back of the theatre , Miss Cicely Tyson, mother of the director, Marlayna. J had a moment hen he was about to introduce himself to her but could see she was not in a mood to be approached.

Downstairs at the church I first heard J really listening to his own voice and the sounds he was making. He seemed geuinely thrilled by the sound of his own voice just as he enjoys the sight of himself in the mirror. He was extremely playful at the Church up until I put his jacket on - TIME FOR A MELT DOWN.

At the DrillingCompany book signing he was a Prince - he slep entirely throught the first play presented. Awoke for "Kalighat". Stepped out for two more and then I eas able to take.
Judy and Karen arrived. J was exhusted tonight

February 16, 2005

Today I received another fantastic gift from my aunt Margaret - an office.
Hung out with a friend of mine the other day, Diego. He's doing okay. We had fun hanging out. He had another friend over; today spent most of the day weighing don my mother's back; she even went for a separate massage just from handling me; for dinner I had applesauce - this was really my first consumtion of hard food.
I enjoy water whenever I get a chance to pull it out of my parents' hands. On Valentine's Day we all went to McHale's. I love that place. Thay have great fries. Not that I consumed any it's just I enjoy picking them up off the plate and throwing them to the floor. I have discovered screaming like a wild hyena and I really enjoy. Other notable accomplishments include my
being to hold myself while standing against the table in the den and my father getting HONO published. I think me standing is bigger.

February11,2005

Today I cut myself for the first time. I am only six months old and incapable of anything now other than occassional gurgles, although I hahve mastered ma-mama and can use da-da-da;I also especially enjoy sucking air in; today was spent primarily with my father; I still refuse to enjoy anything other than breast milk; some people died today: I don't know them and am not concerned with their livlihood: also was struck in the head today by a falling galss from the cabinet; things around here are pretty tight; I enjoyed recieving a package today from my great aunt Margaret; I was most fascianated with the plastic bag she put several of the colorful objects in; I love the sound that plastic bags make; the other stuff was also nice; I took a total of three naps today, each lasting a bout a half an hour; I enjoyed jumping in the jumper, playing with the plastic bag and watching my father make faces; I least enjoyed being hit in the head and after that putting my coat on to go outside; I enjoy nothing about winter clothing. Went to bed around 10 pm.