We had an awesome time at the Mariners game last weekend with Franklin and eight of his friends from daycare.
(Click the arrow to see all the photos. Or take a look at the full album here.)
Took a lot of planning, but I'm so glad it all worked out!
We even got to see a strange and rare triple play. And the Mariners won with a walk-off home run in the tenth inning by Franklin (!) Gutiérrez.
Game highlights here:
Speaking of highlights, this summer has been so full I just can't keep up on the blog... but here are some places to look for more photos:
Hooray—it's summer! That means time for camping, hiking... and enough free time to write a blog post!
It's been a while, so let me just say that there's a lot we're skipping: Emily got a new job! Woo! And we've had all kinds of sports fun: mini-golf, another Sounders game, even a super fun Mariners game with some of Franklin's friends from school.
But now... camping! Made sure the new tent was ready to go:
I loved how excited Franklin was about going, and about being there. "Dad, I love camping!" :)
Also made a point of telling his teachers and friends at school.
You know what, speaking of his school, let me also just mention that his school is the subject of a documentary that's raising money for editing, etc. (trailer here: https://youtu.be/6K3H2VqQKcc). Somehow that story made it to an ABC News blog post, and then from there it was off. The Today Show even came to the school to film a segment! Very cool.
Anyway...
Did the 3-mile loop hike up to Silver Falls:
I just want to add that according to my pedometer I walked like eight miles on Saturday, and Franklin must have walked close to five. Quite a kid.
He was pretty ready to get back to camp, though, and can you blame him?
(Veggie dogs, because my ethics class has pretty much ruined meat for me...)
Meanwhile, Franklin's almost too busy to photograph:
Though he liked the way the steps made a little stage, so he had us sit down and tell stories for Emily:
(Yes, if you're wondering, Franklin wore the same outfit both days...)
Little rest before we check out the views of the mountaintop and wildflowers at Paradise:
Okay, on to the flowers and peaks:
We didn't see any elk on this trip, but Franklin picked out this stuffed animal at the gift shop:
"Dad, I love my elk!"
One last hike, the Nisqually Vista Loop . Like I said, we didn't see any elk, but we did share the trail with this cutie for a minute or two:
The excellently named hoary marmot.
All right reader, hope your summer's off to a great start too!
So much fun with so many sports with Franklin. He's pretty committed to seasons lately, and spring is for soccer and baseball:
He also told me that he wants to go to Wrigley Field and see a Cubs baseball game. So... Grandpa Ray? Aunt Merrica?
Speaking of spring (the title of this post is one of his inexplicable but hilarious recent sayings), some delicious spring dining:
Lots to say, but first how about a quiet moment of anticipation with Franklin and Beckham:
Watching West Seattle High School baseball practice. (Thanks to B's mom for the great photo!)
Meanwhile, just a little recap. Franklin likes my Plato mug (best gift from a student ever!), and the other day asked about Plato's books.
I started reading the beginning of the Republic. He was surprisingly patient (and kept asking for more), and asked some great questions, like what is wealth, and eventually "what does justice mean"?
Maybe my favorite though was when he didn't understand what Socrates meant when he said he had an appetite for conversation. I tried explaining that it meant something like being hungry for conversation, which Franklin found hilarious—kept repeating the phrase and giggling all morning :)
And as for hungry, how about these nascent chopsticks skills!
Oh but speaking of Plato, less giggly scene at the International Plato Society meeting in Atlanta. Great experience though.
I have been working on book 10 of Plato's Laws lately, and gave a paper about that. I won't go into the details now (but maybe I'll post the handout at some point...), but I do want to share one of my favorite quotes, which mostly made it into my paper.
Laws 10 is all about what to do with troublesome atheists, deists, and folks who believe gods can be bribed or bought off. Anyway, there's a great bit in response to the idea that gods don't care about us:
ὧν ἓν καὶ τὸ σόν, ὦ σχέτλιε, μόριον εἰς τὸ πᾶν συντείνει βλέπον ἀεί, καίπερ πάνσμικρον ὄν, σὲ δὲ λέληθεν περὶ τοῦτο αὐτὸ ὡς γένεσις ἕνεκα ἐκείνου γίγνεται πᾶσα, ὅπως ᾖ τῷ τοῦ παντὸς βίῳ ὑπάρχουσα εὐδαίμων οὐσία, οὐχ ἕνεκα σοῦ γιγνομένη, σὺ δ’ ἕνεκα ἐκείνου
Translation: Now then, you stubborn fellow, one part of the universe is you—a mere speck that nevertheless constantly contributes to the good of the whole; but you have forgotten that nothing is created except to provide the entire universe with a happy life. You forget that creation is not for your benefit: you exist for the sake of the universe (903c)
Very charming, no? I can't help but also add this bit on the punishment that people like me would face if they ever moved to the city described in the Laws:
Consider first a complete atheist: he may have a naturally just character and be the sort of person who hates scoundrels, and because of his loathing of injustice is not tempted to commit it; he may flee the unjust and feel fondness for the just. Alternatively, besides believing that all things are ‘empty of’ gods, he may be a prey to an uncontrollable urge to experience pleasure and avoid pain, and he may have a retentive memory and be capable of shrewd insights. Both these people suffer from a common failing, atheism, but in terms of the harm they do to others the former is much less dangerous than the latter....
The dissembling atheist deserves to die for his sins not just once or twice but many times, whereas the other kind needs simply admonition combined with incarceration (908b-e)
I mean, um, that seems fair, right? ;)
What else? Had some fun with the end (alas) of basketball season:
Getting pretty good at the alma mater too:
Thanks for the photo, Wendy!
As of now the big question seems to be, will Franklin ever wear another shirt, and if so, when?
And thanks to Emily for getting me one to wear with him!
Okay, I can't resist one more Plato thing. Just saw this in the latest issue of Phronesis, a leading journal for Ancient Philosophy:
Check out note 14! Woo!
And if you want to read (or maybe re-read?) Dominick 2010, I've posted it online.
Other big news (bigger than a footnote? maybe...) is my new role as Associate Director (!) of the Seattle U Core Honors program, but maybe I'll wait and say more once I've actually started.
Cooked a pretty tasty stew today, but it was slower than expected... Thankfully Franklin was there to help keep Emily and Grandma in good spirits while we waited:
Been a busy month otherwise. As you probably know we had a big party last week:
Many many thanks to the excellent folks at the West Seattle YMCA. Such a great job with the party!
What else? Ah, recent trip down to throw some rocks in the water (down by the bay?)...
And of course this awesome present Franklin got from a daycare classmate:
Okay let's read one last story, and then good night!
