2009 in Pictures

I rang in the new year playing keyboards with Millions of Brazilians at the Belmont.

And played my first solo set ever. I was pretty nervous about it but it went okay.

In January I went to New York to work on pre-production for a record my friend was recording and producing. Almost immediately my friend Chris showed up and roped me into the Esquire issue launch party where Anthony Hamilton was the guest performer. I was just starting to get into Hamilton so the timing was hot.

One of my best friends, Nicolle.

Karaoke is increasingly becoming a part of my life. Willy Nelson seems to be working.

Cranbrook science museum.

I shave cats.

Dimple monster.


Among the numerous ways my life keeps getting more luxurious is the fact that I fell in love with a cook. A vegetarian cook. Who loves to cook for me.

SPRING

Living conditions at the Royal Oak house we had just moved into starting to go downhill as the house began falling apart before our eyes. The construction site that erupted outside of our window was at least good for entertaining kids. Here's Claire and Cole playing on a tractor that had been parked for the night. Cole wears firehats and cowboy hats on the reg the way I wear gold teeth and women's underwear: like it's the most natural thing in the world.

In a year of many firsts, Claire's first sleep-over, with Iris and Sepporah.

Claire's last day of school.


That's my Jeep behind Claire here. :(
Thieved by thieving thieves.

Six years old.

SUMMER

From my friend Trevor's artwork for my album "Lazrus," which finally came out.

This is what is known between Kirst, Claire and I as "the face." It's the non-smile given to me tens of times a day which is meant to indicate that I'm a pretty funny guy who is nevertheless not to be enouraged.

Dance recital.


In Pentwater for Holly and Jamberry's wedding. In the poorest year in either of our adult lives, it was as close as we got to a vacation.

Biking in Pentwater.

A sport we can all agree on.

A visit to my childhood home, in the Ruins. This house was still looking OK but the block was messed up. Many of the trees in these Detroit neighborhoods have been cut down from the berms, leaving just the stumps and the houses to bake in the sun. That can't be good for city morale.

La Femme Monkita killed the craft festivals and fairs this year.

Kirsten's mothering of Claire is so beautiful it would make me uncomfortable to try and describe it. Here's them on a lunch date.

Pop.

Sarah got married in Springfield. We had just got a new camera.

Dinner in scenic, glorious downtown Springfield.

I looooooove this shot of Claire. That's her. That's what she's all about.

This is also what she's all about.

The men in the family.

At some point during the evening the fathers were dancing with the daughters....

...and Kirsten was smart enough to get a shot of it.

This is my favorite shot of Kirsten.

Puppy pile.

I am not, nor have I ever been, afraid of pink.


First tooth away.


Guidos. I turned 33.

Easily my favorite pic of Kirsten ever.

FALL

Cider. Orchard. Donuts. Yum.

2009 was the year Kirst left her job as a roving reporter to nanny for her sister's family. She is a professional lover of these two boys, Lucas and Anthony. Sometimes on nights and weekends I catch her looking at pics and videos of them on her laptop because she can't get enough of them.

Somebody should have gotten me a comb for Christmas.

Smiling at getting books. That's my girl. She's reading like a champ now. This was the year of reading Claire. Wakes up reading, reads at night, sometimes even in lieu of cartoons. It's unreal.