Whatever “normal” is.
Brendan is getting better. He’s breathing well, keeping food down, looking better, seeming happier, and his other symptoms are less severe. He’s back in day care, so we don’t have to beg for help from family and friends so that we can get to work (thanks to Joyce, Carol, Cheyenne, and Nancy). Last night Brendan woke up only once, instead of staying up most every night with unpleasant symptoms I won’t describe here.
The cold that I got (probably brought on mainly by exhaustion) is also better. (Teaching a class at work with a throbbing head cold was lots of fun.) My wife Kirsten has a bad case of the sniffles, but she’s been getting more sleep, so that should go away soon.
With any luck, I should get back to posting here normally very soon.
I’d like to thank everyone who posted a comment or wrote an email to provide support. Your kind words are much appreciated.
I’m glad Brendan is feeling better.
Thanks. Me, too.
Thank goodness your son is allright. It maybe that 6 month old should not be in a daycare, but what do I know? We all have our circumstances. Hope he gets better, and keep going! People love your site and it getting a “negative attention” which is an attention nevertheless, is a good thing for you. If I were you however I would not have taken those posts down(put them back with all those nasty comments, goes on to show their character!). This is YOUR website and if someone doesn’t like it, it’s their problem, but dictate what you have posted??!! Outrageous, IMO, since I’ve been reading those posts and didn’t see nothing but positive, and non-disclose-all thoughts. You go on and defend those people, in some posts, yourself, and I simply don’t get it. You did not violate any copyright and as far as I know were within your rights. I know we are livin in all-too-forgiving world when we do everything to avoid confrontation, but who said recognition is easy. This is YOUR SITE, your say, I think you deserve to be a little stricter and have a little more self respect, David! Taking down posts should be done only when YOU feel like it, not when others dictate so. I may sound a little harsh, but you know I’m right! And guess what? Theres Cincinatti forum and there are so many others. You can start your own forum right here on the site, too. They may have rules there on their own forum, but this Cyber space belongs to YOU, so this is your rules and beliefs, and this is a free America, where they have cartoons of the president, amongst other things, and where I thought people were not afraid to voice thier opinion for the fear of being disliked, even by some authority, or in your case by an artist who’s work you admire. YOu have been unfairly attacked, and instead if deleting your posts I would just put them back, and be proud of all the publicity! Don’t be weak or meek, and just roll over at the command — this whole attack was stupid, uncalled for, and was there to test you. David is a strong name and now you’re a father too, so you need to be an example of character for your son(who might be bullied in school soon enough), that bullying and disrespect is not going to be tolerated, be it from authoritarian artist, or anyone else for that matter. You want a support group? There are many. Or create a new forum right here on the site. Otherwise people will continue to trample all over you, which is not a good lesson for your son, who is growing up in the world of uncalled agression that surrounds us(and you must prepare him! the world is scary out there). On that note, art is not just technicalitlies, brush techniques and oil brands, art is your vision, and your beliefs, and your passion. What if impressionists allowed themselves to be talked to “in no certain means” that what they wer doing is wrong, the cubism is coockoo, guess what? They were told, they were laughed at and made example of all over the world and yet they stood their ground and withstood pressure and now we have an art style that certain people hate! So what? They don’t have to look at it. And there’s an X button at the corner of the browser for people who don’t like reading what they see on your site. Knock your socks off! This site is not about “every opinion counts”. This is your site that belongs to you, so make it clear to people who just don’t get it. Voila!
Angel,
I’ve stuck up for myself many times in the past and, I’m sure, will do so in the future. I’m comfortable with the choices I’ve made in this particular case.
My son will just have to live with that.