The Bates

Conversations With The Kids

My nephew Adin - 12.16.08:
Adin: Uncle J, why can’t you live here?

Me: well, bud, I have a job here...
(then I elaborate on the logistics, job, etc.)

Adin: You can just live here
and then mail packages and letters and stuff to your work



My niece Priya to her mother - 4.22.09:
"Mom, my life would be pretty perfect if only Uncle J was here
and you let me have a puppy."


My niece Priya when I told her I might not make it back to Cincinnati for my nephew's birthday party - 6.4.09:
Priya: Uncle J, you have to make it home for Adin’s birthday party if you don’t it will be a huge failure.

Me: (laughing) Really? How’s that? What do you mean?

Priya: If you can’t make it, it will just be a normal birthday party. if you come, it will be a birthday EXTRAVAGANZA!

Me: (tear)



I spent the weekend with my brother Chad and his daughter Leyla when they visited Southern California this summer.
After Chad and Leyla were back home in Cincinnati, Chad tried to recap high points of the trip with his daughter to get her favorite bits. This is a rough transcript of that conversation:

Chad: What was your favorite part of the trip, going to the beach or the children's museum?

Leyla: Going to the children's museum

Chad: Going to the children's museum or the San Diego Zoo?

Leyla: Going to the children's museum.

Chad: Going to the children's museum or seeing Uncle J?

Leyla: Seeing Uncle J

Chad: Seeing Uncle J or seeing Pastor Conrad and Miss Marydell?

Leyla: Seeing Uncle J

Chad: Going to In 'N' Out Burger or seeing Uncle J?

Leyla: Going to In 'N' Out Burger with Uncle J

Chad: Going to Las Vegas and California with me or seeing Uncle J?

Leyla: Going to Las Vegas and California with you to see Uncle J



Email from my nephew Adin - 9.2.09:
Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2009 5:17 AM
To: Jason Zwolinski

hi aclj ilov yoo
sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssoooooooooooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosomach
lov adin



My niece Priya called me at work right after I got out of our Latin GRAMMY Production Meeting - 10.28.09:

Priya: Uncle J, What are you doing?

Me: Well, I’m in between meetings right now.

Priya: (confused) What’s that mean?

Me: It means I just got out of one meeting and in about 10 minutes I’m going into another.

Priya: That SUCKS!