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footsteps

"footsteps"
paper collage on cardboard panel
gregory a. milinovich
i am a bachelor for a few days here as shannon is in warriors mark, pa, visiting her family. its just me and max (the dog). the house is so quiet without a 9-week old and a toddler filling every moment with various types of yells, screams, cries and squeals. in some ways the house seems to be detoxing - enjoying the silence and stillness. on the other hand, it seems terribly vacant. i tried turning up my music (playdough's don't drink the water - nothing like some good white-boy rap) really loud to compensate, but it totally didn't work. the boys' rooms are dark and uncluttered. i am reminded that, although i cherish my alone time, i really REALLY like being a family, however loud and, at times, irritating. i like footsteps in the hallway.
anyway, in the absence of children needing me to wipe their butts and kiss their booboos, i made a couple of collages yesterday. here's one of them. actually, its just a portion of one, as my scanner is too small to get all of it. i also did a puzzle, watched a baseball game, worked outside, hung pictures, ran some errands, ate too much and generally felt alone in the way-too-empty house.
can anyone else relate to the i-eat-way-too-much-when-i-am-left-alone-for-periods-of-time syndrome? it is like i try to fill the emptiness with food. i know it about myself, and yet i keep doing it. sometimes being a human is way too weird for me...
anyway, that is it for now. stay tuned for a coming post about baseball, since we are starting the second half of the season.
peace,
greg.
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Comments

Anonymous said…
i can TOTALLY relate. When i am alone in my apartment (which is the majority of my time here) the biggest mental battle is between me and the kitchen. there is a very fine line between sustainence and guilt...and i usually venture over into guilty pastures. and not buying snicky snacks is not the cure-all...then i just get creative with what i snack on with what i got. anyways...you are not alone...not alone in your love of food and not alone in this thing called life. quiet or chaos, you know your sister loves ya and is ready and willing to give weekly and meaningless updates...remember when i gave you the update that i got stuck in a desk while student teaching...ouch. im hear for ya bro. (i'll actually be calling you soon...shhh wabbits)
2:22 PM
Anonymous said…
i don't know if this is a milinovich thing or not, but i also struggle with eating when i'm alone. it's called emotional eating and i am the queen of this. when seth works overnights or something, i "treat" myself to something because i tell myself that i deserve it. the fact is, i actually deserve to fit into my clothing and should abstain from snacks in order to do just that. but even though at times that zippers are tough and the buttons pop, i still struggle with eating while alone. speaking of, i need to go make some chocolate no-bakes. :)

also - i know it's hard, but try to enjoy your time alone. it will be over with before you know it. do something you would never be able to do with a wife and kids around. then when both boys are screaming and shannon's mad at you, you can think back on that cool thing you did...
3:32 PM
Crafty P said…
when are YOU coming to visit the above family members, etc in PA???? Inquiring minds want to know (and visit with you, too!)
3:39 PM
greg milinovich said…
well, hello, sisters. good to hear from you and commiserate with you.

christina - we'll be in mon city in early august (7th through 11th, i think).

greg.
4:05 PM
cathyq said…
You think it's quiet at your house? Try having a 2-year-old for five days and then take him home to his parents and then come home to a porch, livingroom, bathroom, and bedroom full of toys with no little cutie to play with them! Stinks. Empty and lonely dosen't even begin to describe it. I had to put all the toys away immediately so I didn't see them and get reminded of how lonely it really is around here most of the time. I agree with you! Having a family is the best. Enjoy them everyday. Speaking of toys: we went to a couple of yard sales today and got some really cute toys for Meemaw's house. Yea, can't wait for August.
7:29 PM
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