Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Since You Asked: Birders disagree on the species of large black birds spotted near Roxy Ann Get Up & Go: Dec. 17 Emergency services Ashland won't tax market vendors until 2015 Logos may offer students 'fifth year' at RCC or SOU Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services Man pleads guilty to gang-fight charges Emergency Services Police utilize social media to track down sex offender Man dies in early morning crash near Prospect Politics and Elections State certifies recount showing failure of GMO-labeling measure Time running out for O&C funds GMO vote recount still shows little change GMO labeling votes recounted under careful watch in Jackson County Kent Bush: First Amendment doesn’t mean what you think it means Education Logos may offer students 'fifth year' at RCC or SOU St. Mary's plays host to youth robotics tournament A lesson in giving Hedrick student council works to clean up the language Table Rock solid: Elementary school praised for keeping attendance up Environment No fish, no funding for problem dams Most residents speak against gas pipeline Coalition asks for defense of GMO ban Home Help: Make your new house feel like home Bighorn sheep reintroduced along Klamath River State News As deadline nears, Oregon's health insurance signups still low Gang-related shooting in Portland sends 3 youth to hospital GMO labeling proponents concede defeat Tribes can decide whether to legalize pot Lawyer says football player had altercation Nation - World Grand jury won't indict Ferguson cop in shooting Obituaries Dolores Jean Marier Christina Lea "Mima" Jacobson Donna Jeanne Brawn DeCamp Joan E. Shults John A. Dunbar Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable ACCESS receives $50,000 donation from Wells Fargo Sports Latest Stories North Medford hands Comets first loss Warriors stopped at 16 Johnson scores 18 in No. 3 Arizona's rout of Oakland SOU offense, Marian defense form dream matchup Raider for life Varsity 541 College Sports Johnson scores 18 in No. 3 Arizona's rout of Oakland SOU offense, Marian defense form dream matchup Raider for life In Eugene, focus returns to football Four Raiders selected to All-American teams Pro Sports Warriors stopped at 16 Costly triumph Saints rout Bears, take lead in South Griffin, Jordan lead Clippers over Pistons Deal puts Headley at third for Yanks, not A-Rod Community Sports Keeping Fit: Runners need to do more than run to stay in shape RESULTS/STANDINGS LOCAL EVENTS Business Latest Stories Employment in Oregon surpasses pre-recession levels Free lunchtime presentation covers business planning Ride & Drive: 2015 Nissan Juke Nismo Honda’s CR-V goes uptown again Rental owners group reports 2.48 percent vacancy rate Real Estate News Rental owners group reports 2.48 percent vacancy rate More sales, but no change in residential housing median price Dear Monty: Violation of HOA rules creates conflict Farmers file suit over GMO crop ban People In Business People in Business, Dec. 3 Transportation Allegiant Air will resume Medford-Phoenix service May 22 Agriculture K-BAR ignites agriculture boom beneath Table Rocks Southern Oregon wine industry had a robust 2013 Farmers file suit over GMO crop ban Lawsuit seeks to overturn Jackson County's GMO ban or net $4.2 million for farms Opinion Latest Our View: Celebrate by helping those in need Letters to the Editor, Dec. 17 Guest Opinion: Loved one chose death with dignity in Oregon Granlund cartoon: Cheney and waterboarding Letters to the Editor, Dec. 16 Editorials Our View: Celebrate by helping those in need Our View: Ashland Hospital's remarkable turnaround Our View: Councilors' criticism less troubling than secrecy Other Views: Riley leaves strong legacy at OSU Our View: Cheers and jeers Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Dec. 17 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 16 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 15 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 14 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 12 Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Loved one chose death with dignity in Oregon Guest Opinion: Forest thinning means water for the future Guest Opinion: Suit threatens family farms and democratic vote Guest Opinion: SOU pool decision short-sighted Guest Opinion: It's time for biologists to let OR-7 go dark Lifestyle Latest stories How NOT to install drywall 5 Things to Do This Weekend (Dec. 19-21) Dave Ramsey: When children steal money Dear Monty: Siblings dispute inherited real estate Local bubbly can ring in the New Year Food Local bubbly can ring in the New Year Food for Thought: How to keep your kitchen organized during the holidays Kitchen Call: Shopping for the cook Community blog: Gobble gougeres as appetizers or with light meals Community blog: Choose presents cooks can cherish, not regift Home and Garden How NOT to install drywall Dear Monty: Siblings dispute inherited real estate Home Help: Create a happy homemade holiday Rogue Valley Christmas light displays Remodeling your attic: Know the details before you start Health Community blog: The Promise of Hope � and Health - Fulfilled Community blog: Saving Lives Health Watch: Curb your kitchen cravings this holiday season Community blog: Unsubscribe.com Community blog: Redefining Family Hiking Biking Faith Religion news: Pope aims to expedite sex abuse rulings Milestones and Achievements Ashland celebrates 'Wild' screening with Cheryl Strayed Asante merger stabilizes Ashland hospital's finances Time running out for O&C funds Hire 'em and pray for snow Madi-Stiles Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Eight Dollar Mountain and Fruition play Applegate Lodge Dance to the Southern Oregon Jazz Orchestra John Nilsen's holiday concerts kick off this week Ashland Blues Society hosts open jam TMTO's 'Christmas Carol' a big, warmhearted extravaganza Theater Meet the real Jacob Marley This Nutcracker ballet will have a superhero twist Plumbing the depths of meaning TMTO presents 'A Christmas Carol: The Musical' Theater review: 'Fiddler' charms audience in magical Camelot performance Music Eight Dollar Mountain and Fruition play Applegate Lodge John Nilsen's holiday concerts kick off this week Ashland Blues Society hosts open jam Rating old-timers’ albums from 2014 Phil Newton & David Pinsky at 2Hawk Winery Community Events Dance to the Southern Oregon Jazz Orchestra Rogue Valley Christmas light displays It's a Hamazon holiday at the Playwright Public House 4 Things to do this Week Soroptimist holiday home tour features four houses this weekend Dining Over Easy serves 'pop-up' brunch Sundays Ooblies Artisan Waffle Sandwiches Brunch at Loft Brasserie The Bohemian Club Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Our View: Celebrate by helping those in need ... Guest Opinion: Loved one chose death with dignity in Oregon ... Ashland won't tax market vendors until 2015 ... Our View: Celebrate by helping those in need ... Guest Opinion: Loved one chose death with dignity in Oregon ... Ashland won't tax market vendors until 2015 ... SOUTHERN OREGON JOURNAL Origin Story: 3 a.m. By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 7, 2014 @ 12:01 am By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 7, 2014 @ 12:01 am --> Editor's Note: This is one in a series of occasional columns by reporter Ryan Pfeil documenting the arrival of his first child. To see others in the series, read his blog at www.mailtribune.... » Read more X Editor's Note: This is one in a series of occasional columns by reporter Ryan Pfeil documenting the arrival of his first child. To see others in the series, read his blog at www.mailtribune.com/pocketprotector . » Social News Dear Bethany, It's 3 a.m. and I can't stay inside the lines. They make up a series of boxes, these lines, all about an inch long and half an inch deep, patterned neatly on a series of pink papers. Your mom and I are supposed to use these boxes to document things you do. When you feed, when you ruin a perfectly good diaper. Et cetera. It's supposed to give nurses and doctors a better idea about your health, how you're faring your first few days in the world where you just crash landed. Yes, you're here. The wait is over. You're three days old and beautiful, and I'm awake with you at 3 a.m. You're in your mom's arms 10 feet away, belly up to the bar, and I'm writing about it inside a series of little pink boxes. Problem: Right now, I can't stay inside them, can't keep what I write straight. The resulting hooks and snaps of my pencil are less letters and more glyphs, obscure otherworldly jibber-jabber better suited to cave walls. Gravity is firing an impressive ordnance against my eyelids and my shields against it are just about gone. Everywhere sounds comfortable. The bed. The floor. Standing against a wall. On broken glass or hot sand. In frigid water while the Titanic sinks. Just drop me and let me fall, 3 a.m. darkness. Blindfold me and push me down a well. I'm so tired, Bethany. And I can't go to sleep because your air supply is limitless, because you shredded my personal definition of love the first time I saw you and gave me a better one. I don't want to block out your cries; I want to prevent them, even if you're telling me how and I've forgotten the language. I had fair warning. Friends and family who already had kids warned me I'd never sleep again. But they always said it with a smile or a laugh. In one case a cymbal crash. Jokes, I thought. Of course, I'll be tired, but not near the hyper sleep process from the "Alien" movies. Sleep is for wimps. It won't be that bad. My first child won't really hold Ryan's First Bank of Peace & Energy at gunpoint and clean out the safe. You did. I'm still working on wanted posters. Suspect is an 8-pound, 20-inch female with hands-down the brightest blue, most curious eyes I've ever seen. Confirmed armed with a shriek that could give Stephen King the inspiration for his next book. Rest-wise, I'm bankrupt, kid. You cleaned me out and left me a shuffling mess of short-circuiting synapses and languid eyes. A half hour of eyes-closed at a time was a miracle. Your mom is saying something. She's close, and it's clear and well articulated but sounds like a whisper underwater. The smothering air drowns her words. They turn to alphabet soup and barely reach my ear drums. Something about what time she started eating? Who knows? Who can quantify time in this state? Hours, minutes and seconds aren't familiar concepts at 3 a.m. when a baby you've known for 72 hours but would do absolutely anything for is crying. At 3 a.m., time is a treadmill, going nowhere. This is how I remember three days ago, Bethany. Despite the weakening dealt to me by the armies of No Sleep, Baby Tears and Frustration, that moment has such clarity, immortalized next to a new bank of memories I've just started. They're about you, all of them. When your mom told me you were en route. When I heard your heart beat for the first time. When I saw your developing form. When you kicked. When you arrived nine days late. All good, misty-eyed snapshots. So why is 3 a.m. three days after your birth in this conceptual album? Because origin stories — stories in general — need a defining conflict, Bethany; that test to see whether the character development up to this point will hold. This particular 3 a.m. was an army of comic-book bad guys standing shoulder to shoulder while they screamed a collective scream. But I had help. I didn't choose to love you, Bethany, I just do. No time to think. Blink-and-you'll-miss-it. What I feel for you roared out of some dormant, quiet place and flipped a dusty switch, never asked for permission. Love chooses you, I think. And it doesn't give up on you either, even at 3 a.m. Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected]. Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 7, 2014 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501