Even in Arcadia I exist

Et in Arcadia ego

Netflix has the original Addams family for streaming, and we watched an episode last night. It's a good show. I really like John Astin as Gomez. He's fun to watch. I feel something of a kinship with him, but not for the reasons you probably think.

Yes, I was born on Halloween, under the Full Moon, in a night of the Lonesome October. Yes, for a nice relaxing family trip on my birthday, my family went to one of the largest cemeteries in the country. I really like spiders (I love the way they move) No, I don't consider myself especially mordant.

I mean, I like Kim Possible, too. Does that make me an eight year old girl?

(Actually the verdict still out on that. My wife would answer that I occasionally act like one.)

But back to the issue of Gomez. Yes, he's creepy and he's kooky,  yes, he's mysterious and spooky. I would go so far as to say that he's all together ooky. However, the reason I like Gomez is that he's crazy about his wife.

I still have a crush on Jen after all this time. I suspect I always will. I was infatuated with her almost from the moment I met her, and though it's grown into much more than that, that feeling is still there.

We were having game night a couple weeks ago, and I had put together a playlist of stuff I liked. A song by U2 came on and Jen commented "This one is rather mainstream for you," but I don't like things because they're weird. I like them because they're things that appeal to me. That a lot of them are unusual is incidental.

I mentioned in an earlier posts that I think that cemeteries are peaceful and picturesque. Where else in America can you walk around outside and see beautifully carved statues and open air sculpture? It's quiet too. We were right next to Fairmount Park, but I don't think we saw another soul

I was listening to college radio on my way into work last week and I recognized the song after a few notes. The DJ was playing "This is Halloween" from the Nightmare before Christmas. Then the vocals started, and I realized it was a Nightmare before Christmas cover, which made it even more awesome!

So where were we? Born on Halloween, enjoys walks in cemeteries and is listening to the Nightmare Before Christmas on November 5th.

But I like Jack. I saw the movie in theater back when it first came out, and I think that it may be the only movie other than Scott Pilgrim to surpass my expectations in every way. As with Gomez, I can see something of myself in discovering something and falling in love with it. (Ask my wife sometime how many times I've said, "Listen to this. It's my new favorite song.")  If I love something, I LOVE it and if I hate something, I hate it.

Lily has something of this trait too, and I think the best thing I can give her is the certainty to know who she is and what she is and the strength to pursue it.