11/11/11

The once-in-a-lifetime calendar date of 11/11/11 seemed somehow important to mark. Lacking any profound words of wisdom about the interesting but arbitrary numbers, I decided to simply record a Day-in-the-Life photo essay with the help of my new iPhone and Instagram app. It was a very typical day for the Miller household. Leah is off doing exciting things in Manhattan this week but the rest of us are carrying on as normal. I'm tempted to mention the "boring" nature of the photos ahead but I'm afraid that word will sound too pejorative. When I think of boring these days, I think of Holocaust survivor Gerda Weismann Klein's moving speech at the 1996 Oscars when she urged the Academy audience and all the people watching to "be grateful for the magic of a boring evening at home." I am, Gerda, there's nothing I appreciate more! So here goes.

I wake up at 4:30 am (late for me these days), do some work on my computer, and watch an episode of "Grey's Anatomy" before Charlie wakes up.

I then make some delicious carrot/celery/beet/apple juice with my ancient Champion juicer that I recently dug out of storage. Yum, no better way to start the day.

I also make us a big bowl of matzoh brei, one of Charlie's (and Leah's) favorite breakfasts (simply matzoh run under water to get it soggy and then mixed with eggs and sometimes onions).

Emma the Dog loves it, too, and she waits patiently for Charlie to slip her a little taste (which he usually does).

I load Charlie into his car seat for a morning outing (while Mama sleeps a little longer).

On the road again. Oy, I've just surpassed 178,000 miles on my Honda Civic (which I bought the month before Leah was born). That means I could have driven this baby around the circumference of the Earth over seven times. 

Charlie and I arrive at one of our favorite morning spots, the original Farmers Market on Third and Fairfax.

Charlie wanders around gazing at the people, the food stalls, and the displays of Farmers Market's 77-year history. 

He loves to watch the peanut butter being made at Magee's House of Nuts which has been in this spot since the market opened in 1934. There's a great photo just over this machine of President Eisenhower looking at it during a visit in the 1950s. 

Charlie and I walk over to the neighboring Grove shopping center and watch Mario Lopez's crew from "Extra" getting ready to film a Veterans Day segment. There are tons of veterans in the crowd and everyone is wearing matching 11/11/11 t-shirts. 

We head into Barnes & Noble to look at some books and see there's a signing coming up with those literary geniuses, Kim, Kourtney, and Khloe Kardashian. If you can't get enough of their brilliance, you can check out mom Kris Jenner's book signing a few days before. What would the Los Angeles book world do without the Kardashians? 

Charlie and I head across the street for a quick shopping jaunt at Whole Foods.

At exactly 11:11:11 on 11/11/11 we are loading groceries into my car in the Whole Foods parking lot.

We head home, after stopping for Mama's venti decaf nonfat mocha, and Charlie races in to see her.

I go off to one of my main "offices," the glorious Susina Bakery on Beverly and La Brea.

Susina is full of untold delicacies but I'm good and settle down with my own double latte. 

I spend the day editing a book for Scholastic and writing several posts for the MSN movies blog including this one about Leo DiCaprio's extraordinary transformation in the new film, "J. Edgar."

I return home to find Kendall and Charlie lounging in front of a roaring fire in our living room. It's our first fire of the season and feels very cozy.

Kendall enjoys the chicken caesar salad I make for dinner. After eating like a maniac during my brief trip to Montreal earlier this week, I'm going for simple, healthier meals. Henry the Dog stares at Charlie, hoping for scraps.

Charlie is fascinated by my new iPhone and its camera option on both sides.

Bath time for Charlie Miller. Will he yell at me one day for posting naked pictures of him online?

After getting into his pajamas, Charlie tries on a hat someone made him and declares, "Charlie's hat is pretty!"

Charlie and Dad pick out some books for bedtime.

These are the three books we read before Charlie falls asleep. 

And there you have it, a delightfully banal slice of life from November 11, 2011. Charlie may make it to the next celebration of this unusual date, but he'll be 102. Until then, we'll see you on 2/22/22 when he'll be getting ready for his Bar Mitzvah and Leah will be 27. Oy.

Comments

[tamarika]

Danny, I loved reading this post and looking at the pictures. By the way - not a boring day at all ... real life is made up of the little things, and there is great love threaded through your day with all the members of your family.

I think this post just might have inspired a topic for my next count down to Thanksgiving ...

Smiles ...

[V-Grrrl @ Compost Studios]

I loved this too. Just loved it. And yes, "boring" days are good. They are the stuff life is made of and most often the memories we cherish later are these little slices of life, not the Big Events.

[Sarah]

This was so utterly lovely! And, my goodness, that kid has GROWN! I love you and your gorgeous family so much!

[Pam G]

Beats the heck out of my annoying 11/11/11 day scampering around the SSPC editorial office lurching from one manufacturered crisis to another on the eve of my boss's business trip to Virginia. The man literally had me running down the hall five minutes before quitting time to look for the copy of some printed manual he wanted for his out-of-town trip as he was too lazy to do it himself. I also spent 10 min. emailing PowerPoint files to one of his contacts in VA whose didn't have a big enough email account to accept one ZIP file. And no, I'm not the secretary (he doesn't have one), I'm the managing editor of training and development who works with a bunch of clueless old men! Yes, it was another typical boring day here, too, until the 11-11-11 wizard party at a friend's house later in the evening. But as you say, we should appreciate the mundane even as I dream of these SSPC people--many of whom are pushing 70--retiring so we can get our own work done more efficiently! LOL

[Debbie]

A normal day is a great blessing. What a lovely blessing you all had on 11-11-11. Thanks for sharing!

[Roberta]

Thank you for sharing your deliciously "boring" life!

[Julie R.]

Loved it!

[OldOldLady Of The Hills]

I'll take "boring" any day.....Lovely pictures by you and your iPhone.....AMAZING, really. It was lovely to go with you, especially to the Farmer's Market---I miss going there, a lot!
Hope you have another "boring" day today, my dear.....!

[deborahlott@earthlink.net]

I think you're onto something here. This made me cry. Is there a book in it for kids, "The Absolutely Ordinary Extraordinary Day." I'm not sure what it is but Charlie has such a sweet face and the farmer's market is so quaint and magical in your recasting of it. Maybe it should be a kids' book about the Farmer's Market and you could feature a lot of the old-time vendors and a diverse crew of characters, and they could sell it at the FM and in the Barnes and Noble. What do you think? Oy, I'm still crying.

[Laurie]

Loved this post Danny. I just finished reading the book "Life is a Verb" by Patti Digh where she took excerpts from her blog "37 days" and made it into a book. I think you should do the same.

[Jeff]

A nice little day-in-the-life post. Great photos.

[AC]

He's beautiful.

[amba]

LIKE LIKE LOVE LOVE LOVE

[Debbbie]

Love yor November 11,2011
Mine was great too as my youngest turned 26 on 11-11-11!!! how exciting, and the first time celebrating as a married woman,!!!
Amazing since wasn't it yesterday we were making fruit baskets formyour dad for security systems!!!!!!!
Have a greet weekend

[Arlene Andresen]

Sounds like a wonderful day! I should of had my drivers license renewed on this day, but instead I spent it with my son in the ER after a car fell on his foot at work!!! I would of much rather of spent the day your way!!! :)

[Marilyn Molnar]

Boring is good. Hope you have many more of these with Charlie. Love, Bubba Marilyn

[Pearl]

Your slice-of-life blog post is very filling, Danny, and decadent in its simplicity. (like those lovely pastries you caught on camera)

[KWild]

I love this post.... the little things that add up to a life; yours looks very full, and it's so great to see Charlie enjoying all the moments.

[marc davis]

You're an admirable dad. My compliments to you. In fact, to all the Millers, West Coast, Chicago, Vegas,etc. Marc and Judy

[Emily Barton]

Lovely! And very reminiscent (well, with the exception of that fire) of a few days I spent last May. Makes me long to come back!

[Sally]

great post! hope you guys are well. That book "Machines at Work" takes me back - that was one of Jack's (he just turned 14!)favorite books - we must have read it 1000 times at least!

[A]

What a perfect day and beautiful boy!

[Patsy]

I cant even remember what I did 11-11-11 I must have hwd a boring day. Charlie is a fine little man. Im glad you are all doing well.

[Gordonlgee@gmail.com]

Dear Danny,
This is one of the most wonderful posts you've done, so far. Did you ever imagine you'd be so blessed ? Thank you for sharing little slices of it.
--Gordon