WORD IS BORN

I started this blog WAY back in 2007 as "Word Is Born." The spirit remains the same: my thoughts and photos, random as they are. Enjoy.

Latest Grams:

WE THREE ARE ITALIAN CITIZENS! 🇮🇹 🎉 (Note: Super weird to celebrate anything considering COVID-19 and Black injustice crises.) Twelve years ago -- way before I had kids, right before I met Amanda -- I started exploring dual citizenship. Perch&egra

WE THREE ARE ITALIAN CITIZENS! 🇮🇹 🎉 (Note: Super weird to celebrate anything considering COVID-19 and Black injustice crises.) Twelve years ago -- way before I had kids, right before I met Amanda -- I started exploring dual citizenship. Perchè no? I didn't know what the future would hold, but I knew opening more doors for education and work in my father's country and greater EU would be good for me and future generations. Oh, and the history, culture, landscapes, pride of lineage, etc. I wanted to power up from half Italian to full citizen. I set a first citizenship appointment in San Francisco in 2010, the same year Amanda and I married, but didn't get enough paperwork together time. I had some other stops and starts but thanks to some major legwork led by cousin @mikebaiocchi I finally set an appointment two years ago for a January 2020 appointment at the consulate in San Francisco. We made it a fun little family vacation. The appointment itself went well (after some fair shaming about my language progress). We came home and waited for confirmation but of course COVID-19 devastated Italy, and I didn't expect to hear anything soon. Well, the surprise came in the mail today 🙌🏻. Eliza and Matteo automatically gained citizenship. Amanda has a few more steps (notably a high level of language achievement) to gain citizenship through marriage, but I am super pumped to reach this longtime goal! Forza Italia! 🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹

Took the family for a (peaceful protest) walk around the neighborhood. 👊🏻👊🏽👊🏿

Took the family for a (peaceful protest) walk around the neighborhood. 👊🏻👊🏽👊🏿

Last day in Kent HQ (but not my last at REI!). I've spent some of my best years here in the Kent valley.

I remember after leaving Eddie Bauer, my next stop had to be REI. They had a co-op model, big stores, real community events! I knocked on t

Last day in Kent HQ (but not my last at REI!). I've spent some of my best years here in the Kent valley. I remember after leaving Eddie Bauer, my next stop had to be REI. They had a co-op model, big stores, real community events! I knocked on these doors and many kind people responded. @nattyluna and @jordowilliams kindly met me for informational interviews. @lux2, after intense interrogation, finally conceded and offered me a job on the social media team to join @kelly_ann_walsh. Shout out to some of my other bosses over the years: @rowleycraig, @sarahjeanneisme @mrajet and @ph9er. Too many colleagues and teammates over the years to tag but so appreciative of the shared time. The work we did in this place will define my career and the brand for years to come. OptOutside, Force of Nature, etc. I’ve been able to pay it forward and meet people for informational interviews and hire some of them myself. I’ve met a lot of great people and forged a kit of friendship with people who were also willing to come to Kent. Because the location doesn’t matter so much as the mission. Shout out to those who literally drove with me and endured the I-5 commute that future generations won't comprehend: @jruckle @angelafgow @halleyrebecca @shelb_hall. Next stop, REI Tacoma (work at home) and a smattering of new Bellevue HQ. Onward.

I published monthly letters for these Puget Sound saltwater 🐟. Link in profile. #deareliza #dearmatteo

One More Month

September 03, 2015

One more month.

Timing is a powerful thing. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis just came out with the song "Growing Up (Sloane's Song)," and it hit me in the chest the first time I heard it. I replayed it. I played it again.

There's something about hearing the words of a soon-to-be dad talking about what he expects of his fatherhood experience. I'm in that cohort.

The Ed Sheeran hook... "I'll be patient one more month..." That's about how far we are away from our new arrival.

I know some other rap songs with similar sentiment. I'm sure there are some rock and country songs about fatherhood, but rap music is all that comes to mind for me. Nas wrote "Daughters." Blue Scholars had a line: "I'm a more mindful guy ever since finding out that I'm about to be a father, and doubt is not an option."

Doubt is not an option. That sticks with me. There's no turning back from here. I don't have bad habits to clean up like those songs allude to, but it's more about the lack of wisdom and direction that you expect a parent to have that I don't feel I have yet. There's doubt in that feeling, but I am imagining a near future where I will have two eyes looking back at me, and only one of us gets to be helpless.

I'm looking forward to growing more as a person as my daughter grows in all directions. I can be patient one more month for that journey.

http://growingupsong.com - Free Download! http://macklemore.com http://soundcloud.com/macklemore/macklemore-ryan-lewis-growing-up-sloanes-song-feat-ed-sheeran I wish that I could say that I was in a "better place" when I found out the news. It would make for a far more polished and respectable story.