Category Archives: family

Nov 25 2008
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family

My Favorite Water Polo Game by Kennedy Elhajj

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Here at Present Tense we’re mightly proud to present a memoir by Kennedy Elhajj.

Not only is this Kennedy’s first published work, it’s her first shot at writing memoir. This essay is the result of a fifth grade project done by her entire class. The press is claiming that she fabricated parts of this non-fiction essay, but don’t you believe it. As her father, I can vouch that every word of it is true. My little girl is the real deal.

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My Favorite Water Polo Game
by Kennedy Elhajj

The swimmer was racing toward me while my teamies swam their hardest behind him. It was all up to me now, I was GOALIE! It seemed like slow-mo.

The ball came racing toward me! I WAS TERRIFIED! I tried to tread my hardest; it felt like my legs were going to EXPLODE! The player got ready to cheer. Then… SPLASH! I went underwater. A mysterious pain throbbed in my hands. When I bobbed to the surface my eyes were covered in water. When my eyes cleared the first thing I saw were my teamies cheering.

There was 1 second on the clock! I felt rushed; the score was 10-10. I looked behind me expecting to see the ball. But it wasn’t there; I looked in front of me. THERE IT WAS! The ball was sitting right in front of me!

I was proud and excited at the same time. I had saved the game, I felt good. The clock blared as loud as a siren.

The crowd stood up and cheered. I had saved the game, I felt very powerful at that moment. I got lots of hugs and kisses (even Aaron gave me a hug, when we got home of course, and that made me feel extra good).

But back to game! I got high 5’s from my teamies.

As it turned out my dad had taken a picture of me saving the goal, he took another picture of me and Aaron shouting at each other (after the goal) in a good natured, happy way. My dad made a joke about it and I laughed so hard, that when I was done laughing I was out of breath.

That was my favorite water polo game ever.

THE END

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Nov 10 2008
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family

Semper Paratus

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Timmy’s first year in the Coast Guard he was stationed at Port Seattle.

Last week Kennedy called me at work to ask if I knew any veterans. I reminded her about Timmy and my own tour of duty some thirty years ago. How quickly they forget. The fifth grade class was doing a Veteran’s Day celebration and each child was to announce their relationship to a veteran at an assembly of the entire student body. Kennedy was unimpressed with my peace time enlistment. God only knows what she believes Timmy is up to in the Coast Guard.

She ended up annoucing her nanny, Tanya who served in the Gulf with (I believe) the National Guard. Tanya was a life saver who helped us care for the kids when they were toddlers.

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Aaron decided to announce me, despite the peace during my tenure in the Navy. I was very proud. I am also proud of Timmy who continues to keep our coasts safe.

Here are more pictures of Port Seattle.

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Nov 05 2008
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family

Raising Good Citizens

07-05-2005 (264)

The kids were obsessed with last night’s vote.

They started watching the election results after they got home from their after school activities. It was early evening and the results were just coming in. When they heard McCain was up somewhere on the East Coast, there was much wailing.

“Oh, no!” Kennedy cried.

“How can this be,” Aaron wanted to know.

Holly told them to relax. She explained how early it was and got them ready for what we thought would be a long night of returns. Pretty soon Kennedy was aping CNN, talking like a pundit. Aaron was doing delegate math. I got home from work around 8pm. No sooner had I walked in the door, Holly called out “Obama wins!”

And there was much celebration!

I enjoyed the McCain concession speech. I had to scold Aaron for shooting the TV with his nerf dart gun while McCain was speaking. The kids brushed teeth and we all watched Obama’s victory speech.

I like it that we all enjoyed such a momentous occasion together. We never did that sort of thing when I was a boy and that was during one of America’s most tumultuous decades: Nixon, Vietnam, Civil Rights, and Women’s liberation. Not to mention all the Arab/Israeli conflicts.

I remember watching the Olympics with my Dad and brothers and Jim McKay’s plaintive voice saying, “They’re all gone.”

I said, “Dad, the Arabs.” I knew we were Arab on his side.

I don’t remember what he said. I imagine he was trying to deal with the news himself. I just always seemed to want to know more than my parents were willing to tell me. Now I realize sometimes that’s no fault of the parents.

But last night was all kinds of great. All the political questions were easily answered by Dad and Mom. It’s always good when your man wins.

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Nov 03 2008
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family

Halloween

We decorated the house to the nines.

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Aaron (Rasta dude) and Kennedy (Kitty girl) invited some friends over.

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Some ghouls showed up.

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We had a big candy swap.

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And there was some back room trading going on.

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Almost everyone had a good time.

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This morning I had to fund a twenty dollar candy buy back program. But I did it gladly. The kids had about six pounds of candy between them and my resolve was weakening from the long weekend. Holly dropped the candy off at the local Children’s Hospital.

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Oct 27 2008
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Orthodontia: Expensive, But Worth It

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Kennedy got her braces off Friday. Just in time for Halloween treats!

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Oct 10 2008
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Your Ex Wants You Back

It’s true White as Milk, I’ve been around.

I got tired of your fonts and your narrow view of my posts. Your white background bored me. I wanted something different. There was short dalliance with The Journalist v1.9. I hate to admit it, but I even spent a night with DePo Masthead and Black-LetterHead (not at the same time, mind you).

What was I thinking?

Last night I came to my senses, White as Milk. I love how your posts are left justified, while your menu leans to the right. I realize now how much I long for the cute way you stack my tags. The way you squeeze each and every one of my uploads between impossibly thin margins.

O, I’ve been a fool, White as Milk!

Please, forgive me. I swear I’ll never leave you again.

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Sep 29 2008
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family

Destination Seattle

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Holly and I took a little vacation last week.

We had our getaway all planed out, but we still hadn’t settled on a destination, even though my mother-in-law had arrived and it was the morning we were supposed to leave. I wasn’t looking forward to the long drive but had been lobbying half-heartedly for somewhere in Oregon, perhaps Ashland or somewhere along the coast. Holly suggested a few of our past haunts: Portland, or north to British Columbia. We even considered a little college town just before the Canadian boarder.

With the clock ticking, we finally settled on Seattle, which sounds like desperation but ended up feeling like a whole new town without the kids. We saw a show at the Paramount (Phantom of the Opera), did a reading at Eliott Bay Book Company and saw an exhibit at a local art school. Plus lots of good food and long walks.

I remember my mom and dad taking a trip on their own when I was about 7 or 8. When they got back, I asked Mom if she missed us. I fully expected her to tell me how badly she missed me and all my siblings, but instead she just looked at me for what seemed like a very long time.

Finally she said, “Yeah. I missed you.” I knew there was something she wasn’t telling me, but I couldn’t imagine her enjoying herself on her own. I completely understand that long silence now.

Here is Holly on the Harbor steps. I love those posts on the left, which somehow make the picture.

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Me hanging out at the Lusty Lady. Rome may be burning, but the Lady still has a sense of humor.

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Sep 16 2008
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family

Stock Market Troubles

The stock market news is making me crazy.

I know that every ten years or so there is a big scandal and the market is rocked. In the 80s, it was Michael Milken and junk bonds. I was using drugs and cheering for the system to come tumbling down. In the 90s, it was Enron. I had no money, didn’t care. But now I have a house. I just got a raise. I have a stake, people! 

I keep asking Holly if I should withdrawal all our money from the bank. She says, Do whatever.

But where would we put it? Tomorrow my goal is to stop watching the news. And stock tickers.

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Sep 02 2008
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The Honor is All Mine

Woo, woo!

Woo, woo!

William Bradley from The Ethical Exhibitionist nominated Present Tense for an award/meme thingy. I’m always a little amazed intelligent people are willing to admit to reading this site. Thanks, Bradley! I’m going to nominate a few of the sites I enjoy a little later this afternoon or possibly later this week. Until then, this honor is all mine!

The big news this morning is the teachers strike. Aaron and Kennedy are home with Holly, when they should be in school. I saw all the teachers out in picket lines this morning on the drive into work. If you toot your horn, they all raise their signs and cheer.

Aug 27 2008
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family

Gratitude and Marriage

Peace

Saying prayers with Kennedy earlier this week, I wanted to point out how grateful we are to have Holly. But I didn’t want to just say we should be grateful for Mom. I wanted to really drive the point home, so I said something like, “Imagine what it would be like if we didn’t have Mom.”

Kennedy thought for a split second and then she started to laugh. “Just you,” she said. “That would be so terrible.” The snickering went on a little too long for my liking. I started feeling a little defensive.

“I could do it,” I told her. If Aaron had been there, he would have had my back (We know you could do it, Dad!), but Kennedy just kept on giggling. We really do rely on Holly.

Not long after I got Kennedy queited down, she asked me if it was scary to be married. I told her about the day Holly and I got married. We had planned a small ceremony in our apartment: Harrell flew in from California and a pastor friend was going to do the service in our living room. Holly and I were out in the kitchen. The pastor suggeted we get started and suddenly my mouth got dry. I needed a glass of water. I told Holly I’d be along in a minute, but she grabbed me by the elbow and hissed, “You’re not going anywhere.” She might have been scared. I know I was nervous. But then you say a few words, kiss, and it’s all over.

“Do you have to kiss?” Kennedy wanted to know

“I think you do have to kiss,” I told her. “It may be a rule.”

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