"Light a candle for the kids…"-Arcade Fire

"..due to the wise analysis…"

That's all I needed to hear. The rest was good too, but why get greedy? I could stop on "wise analysis." She was talking about me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! It was the first real compliment I've received since the divorce. Ok, people have said nice things, but they're more like divorce consolation prizes: "You're a nice guy Rob." I don't need a version of the home game. I'm already playing it.

Thanks anyway. Thanks for nothing...

Do you remember your baby book? I still have mine, it's in a box. It's got all the little write ins of little Robby's firsts, all the blurry shots of head heavy Robby trying to gum the camera, and all the clippings of world events that might usurp the glory from little Robby's very big birth.

It's like that book we got when we got married too, but ix-nay on the edding-way ook-bay. I'd rather not talk about those firsts,; not until I've completed our book of lasts. Still, I'd like to start a book of Divorcing Robby firsts—sort of a mid to post divorce celebration.

I mean a divorce is nothing to celebrate, but my life is, isn't it? I didn't die with my marriage. I'm sure to MyUnwife, I did, but to me, I most certainly did not. Still it feels like I'm crawling from the ashes of Armageddon. I know: melodramatic. But I'm a writer, this is divorce: Everything about this is melodramatic, even in the friendly divorce. Sometimes more so. Its all so toxic, with no outlet. I've got to direct all bitter anger into an airtight barrel and burry it in my backyard. After a while I need to get over it, or my dog will lose all his hair.

So as I crawl from the rubble of Rob's world, I start to see signs of life. Maybe I should document it—celebrate it. You know:

First TV show I laughed out loud at PE (Post Exodus): House (11/13-Still on my DVR)

First televised surprise: Journeyman is actually a decent show...

First Road Trip: Grandfather's funeral

First Social Outing: Church group (11/4)

First Happy song: **still blank**

First Date: WOAH! WOAH! WOAH! —Baby steps now. That's still a few pages off.

It's just like the baby book my mother started. There'll be pictures I take of myself, maybe I'll leave some food samples of meals I made between the pages too! By the way, does anybody ever finish these things—Baby books? I think Mom stopped around 18 months.

"Take away this little creature, he bores me now."

Ok, not that kind of stopped. But I guess my firsts became more routine. I hope that that happens again. That I'd get so used to my life that it becomes routine. Right now I'm in the wide-eyed awe and wonder phase though. I kind of like it.

First compliment with a thank you: 11/15 "..due to the wise analysis...thank you. and i mean that…."

--No...thank you.