Welcome to my Head

Why blog? Good question.

Here is the only explanation I can offer:

My mother died when I was 13. A long time ago, almost 40 years. Other than her family, what were her passions? I grew up in a house with very few books, very few records and three channels. Did she especially like any musicians? Movie stars or TV personalities (other than my namesake Dennis James)? Authors? Books?

Unfortunately, I have no idea. My father has also been dead for 15 years. After my mother was gone, for some reason, we never really talked about her.

So, I guess this is my way of leaving a trace of my personality for my kids. The sort of things I didn't know about my own mother. Oh, I know, they can't read yet (although hopefully this will be preserved somehow, or these ramblings will still exist when they do begin reading soon). And, of course, I hope to be spending many years with them, regaling stories of why Groucho Marx is the funniest man who ever lived, why High Fidelity is nearly my autobiography, and why I can remember who was in the New York Giants Baby Bulls backfield in 1965, but not what their mother (my wife) told me an hour ago about the vacuum cleaner.

But as I found out with my mother, you never know. I am middle-aged. My kids are 6 and 2. Time can be fleeting.

Farther On -- Jackson Browne