One disadvantage of a blog is that your kids eventually read it.  This has a mild censoring impact, but it more directly impacts content spontaneity.  Take for instance my 11-year-old son Jacob’s socks, which have for the past six months have been part of a photo series entitled, “Where in the World are Jacob’s Socks?,” when they were mindlessly placed in unusual locations around the house.  Realizing that his socks were becoming popular, I received the following request from Jacob, “Dad, take a picture of my socks,” as they were intentionally placed in a silly location.  Humorous?  Yes.  Candid?  Nope.  Something has been lost in the process.

Socks atop a cardboard Culkin.

A little down and fearing that all spontaneity was gone, this evening I took 6-year-old Ben to a fun Doctor Seuss birthday party.  Sitting crisscross apple sauce on a rug, listening to “Green Eggs and Ham,” Ben started dumping his evening’s treasures into my lap.  First a juice box, then a bag of goldfish crackers, and finally a “Thing 1” paper doll (or “Thing 2” paper doll, I forget which one).  Looking down, I saw the paper doll also appearing to listen to the story.  A strange and disturbing sight that I shall speak of no more.  I always found “Thing 1” and “Thing 2” just plain creepy on a primal level and this just brought those eerie thoughts way too close for comfort.  Needless to say, I immediately moved the paper doll’s seating assignment.  A fearsome new low had been realized, but on the bright side I guess some level of spontaneity was rekindled.

Thing 1 or Thing 2.  Take your pick.  I say in either case, good ol’ creepy.