Words and love

Jude, with Ada Wang, kick-ass chick extraordinaire.

Taipei, November 2006.

There's a very cool district in Taipei, close to the National Taiwan University, called ShirDa. It's reminiscent of Glebe in Sydney, with cafes and clothing stores, student pubs and Chinese street markets. Funky. We took Judo to meet Zendaddy's former students Ada and Vivian, both now studying in the capitol. Ada (a very gifted human in physical skills, with a powerful, passionate personality and intelligence to boot) started doing kung fu with him when she was 16 and a student of dance at the arts school in Kaohsiung. She now trains at the Culture University, taking martial arts as her undergraduate degree. (WOOHOO!) Vivian is a brilliant human academic (of awesome character and mind) ZD met in a cram school advanced English class in Changhua, when he was just newly arrived in Taiwan. She was 14 (now 21) and is currently pursuing liberal arts (drama, international relations, several languages including Spanish, English and German; is that right Viv?). Vivian will be President of Taiwan when she chooses, and Ada will rock whatever world she wants. So we were all happy (Nelle is a training sister of Ada's and has come to know and love Viv). Judo was mostly cheerful, but for this shot unenthusiastic. Can you tell?

Zendaddy is reading one of the books that made him, Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land, for the first time in some years. Valentine Michael Smith (that peculiar angel) manages to be a beautiful dreamer in a [con]text that (as my friend Pieter put it, noticing the book last night and commenting that he had just finished reading it) is misogynistic by certain contemporary standards. Ooh yeah. Girls (I mean wenches) are cheerful providers of food, drink and friendly bums (for patting). Mama Frog has decided to describe me as a "fuddy-duddy", because of certain reluctances, and now suspects a latent sympathy with such attitudes. I hadn't realised it was latent.

It occurs to me, however, that Jubal's cynicism is essentially intelligent common sense, and Mike's liberalism derives somehow from natural truths, or hopes. I may be deluded. I always liked Jubal though.


Jude reminds me of Michael. He is angelic, and innocent, and utterly full of love (whether you grok the word or have, as I do, problems with it - but only according to others). He teaches us and learns us and breaks our hearts all the time, in a good way. His smiles and gurgles are the most wonderful reward, and we find ourselves (at least I do) playing him with everything we've got to coax out the joy. HE'S SO CUTE!

That word, of course, being always in the past flavored with distaaste, now hums a lovely chord of goodness.


And I should say, I think there is a lot of wisdom in the Stranger's view. Our conventions do not suit our truest selves.


Nelle giggles and rocks. She has added meaning to that word. Parents understand, I'm sure, that the perpetual motion engine only requires an infant for fuel. It can be awfully difficult to take a photo of a nursing mum, 'cause she won't stand still!


So we took Jude to Taipei last week to organise his official identities. One doesn't really exist, after all, without paperwork. He met Nick and Amy and their kids Elentari and Sebastian (Ella's name is from Tolkien, and Sebastian is named after no-one in particular; but it's a good name. And Nick is one of the men that ZD feels closest too, is most wonderfully true friends and mates with).

PINCH MY FACE?

I like Ella.



Flying in aeroplanes for the first time (outside the womb) was no hassle - in fact, he slept through both trips. But we got him in a suitably comprising position at one point - and here's the NAKED TRUTH.






Don't accuse me of anything except honesty and joy, you bastards. Judo T presents it all...

Here is a picture of Nelle, the Mama Frog, with our true friend Pieter Vorster (mad seeking surfing bon vivant) who deserves mention, and attention, and continuance. She's getting all thin and sexy again, btw. Can't keep a fit sheila down.




He loves to talk and gurgle (Jude, not Pieter, though I may be being redundant), and we love it too. Mama Frog and Zendaddy get so much out of our conversations with the wee ninja. Funny thing though, as soon as the camera shows up he gets all serious and silent. It's a trick to get him talking and record it. But we're trying. So watch this, and see for yourselves.

He is more lovely and fun every day, and we know that there are a few of you out there who'd like to be around. This blog is no substitute, but we offer it for your vicarious pleasure.

We're hoping to head down under early next year, and thereafter we plan to mail the lad off to various friends and relatives around the world for short periods so you all can get to know the young feller. Kind of like a chain letter, really.

So until the next...peace! and clean nappies.

zendaddy