It's Friday morning, and I'm really having trouble believing my eyes...our 5 month old pug, Boba (I actually call him Dummy more than anything else) is quietly laying on the floor, chewing a rawhide thing, and staying out of trouble for a change. Wait...ok, now he's chewing on the rug again. I knew that couldn't last, but it was a really, really nice 18 seconds of peace and quiet.
Everyone's home again, and I've been regaled with tales of Maya ruins, cenotes, and fun on the cruise ship. They've just about got me sold on the idea that I need to go next time and enjoy my first cruise.
I should say my first 'real' cruise. I have been on a cruise ship before, a gambling cruise out of Galveston. It was years ago, and we were supposed to head out into the Gulf for a few hours, enjoy the onboard casinos, and then return. Unfortunately, the weather was not so good, and we were enshrouded in fog. And we got stuck out there in the Gulf. All night. Folks were sleeping wherever they could find floor space, and the choppy waters made the whole deal rather icky. I recall walking on the deck in search of a bathroom and feeling like a drunk, only to look up and see another guy ahead of me weaving along just the same as me...it was just the motion of the ship making us walk that way. We finally returned to port at around 8am the next morning, instead of 11pm the night before as planned. Blech!
Since then, I haven't been thrilled to go on another cruise, even a 'real' one. But, maybe that time has come. Hey, all the food is included, and that's music to my ears!! I'll keep you posted.
The knee seems almost healed up...tai chi and kung fu are easier every day, and I've begun working out again with some minor changes in the routines. I'm still feeling a bit weak in that area, but I'm pleased with the progress. We've got a game this Sunday, and I'm hoping that I'll be good to go. It's been a really long three weeks since this whole thing started, and I'm looking forward to getting back in action!
That's about it for now. Nothing spectacular. I'm looking forward to an enjoyable day teaching martial arts and I might even squeeze in some house cleaning. I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!
Friday, March 06, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Rollerblades and hilarity.
I'm a pretty coordinated person. I've trained in Kung Fu and other martial arts for nearly 30 years, still play lacrosse, and can generally catch anything that I accidentally knock off a shelf with ninja-like speed and dexterity. However, I look like a total and complete fool on Rollerblades.
Our pug, Boba, likes to run. Yes, I know that's odd, but he can't seem to get enough of hauling his cinnamon roll tail down the street at top speed. It's a bit unwieldy for me to ride a bike and hold his leash at the same time, so I figured I'd just dust off my Rollerblades and go from there.
One of my few and inspired moments of wisdom slapped me in the face this morning when I thought, "Hmmm....I should try these out by myself before attempting to walk the dog in them."
That thought most likely saved my life.
I put the dog in his kennel, squeezed into my 'blades and accompanying pads (elbow, knee, and wrist) and stepped out into the driveway. It was immediately apparent that over a dozen years has passed since I've worn those skates, and I very nearly killed myself several times. In the driveway. Not the street, the driveway. I didn't actually make it to the street, where I would have been walking the dog at top speed and dodging cars at the same time.
I'm thrilled that my time on this earth has actually taught me something. As a younger and more foolish man, I probably would have just thought "Hey, I'll be fine! Let's go, dog!" and then been dragged down the street by our 4 month old pug, scraping every exposed piece of skin on our gravely street, screaming like a little girl. Chalk one up for experience, friends.
So rather than suffer the indignity of a pug-dragging, I'll just ride the bike again. Maybe some snazzy new skates will help...or at least, I'll get dragged down the street in style.
Our pug, Boba, likes to run. Yes, I know that's odd, but he can't seem to get enough of hauling his cinnamon roll tail down the street at top speed. It's a bit unwieldy for me to ride a bike and hold his leash at the same time, so I figured I'd just dust off my Rollerblades and go from there.
One of my few and inspired moments of wisdom slapped me in the face this morning when I thought, "Hmmm....I should try these out by myself before attempting to walk the dog in them."
That thought most likely saved my life.
I put the dog in his kennel, squeezed into my 'blades and accompanying pads (elbow, knee, and wrist) and stepped out into the driveway. It was immediately apparent that over a dozen years has passed since I've worn those skates, and I very nearly killed myself several times. In the driveway. Not the street, the driveway. I didn't actually make it to the street, where I would have been walking the dog at top speed and dodging cars at the same time.
I'm thrilled that my time on this earth has actually taught me something. As a younger and more foolish man, I probably would have just thought "Hey, I'll be fine! Let's go, dog!" and then been dragged down the street by our 4 month old pug, scraping every exposed piece of skin on our gravely street, screaming like a little girl. Chalk one up for experience, friends.
So rather than suffer the indignity of a pug-dragging, I'll just ride the bike again. Maybe some snazzy new skates will help...or at least, I'll get dragged down the street in style.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Quiet. Lots of quiet.
It's an odd sensation, sitting here in on my couch and hearing...nothing. Maybe some light snoring from Boba, the pug, but that's it. Wife and son are on a large boat, headed for Mexico. Brian is on his way to Austin after a short visit. Larry is in Fort Worth learning cool Krav Maga type stuff. And so, I'm home alone, listening to the silence.
I don't often have this opportunity, and I'm not complaining. Unless everyone in the house is asleep, there's always something going on. Even then, it always feels like there's something about to happen. Busy, busy, busy, yes sir. But with everyone gone, I finally have a chance to be alone with my thoughts, and it can be a bit daunting. There's quite a bit rolling around in my head, tons of things I'd like to get done, projects I'd like to start, things I'd like to write, watch, read, and the like. What to do?
Actually, it's been so long since I've had time by myself that I decided to do something that's exceedingly rare for me...I took a nap. And no one woke me. Having accomplished this, I'm thinking of taking the dog for a walk, and maybe working on one of my short stories later on. Honestly, I doubt I'll achieve anything of great import this afternoon, but that's ok with me. Naps are good.
This was a busy weekend up to now. Mark and Mike competed in the Animal Fightwear Submission Championships on Saturday, and both performed admirably. It was a well-run event, and it was good to see old friends and watch the competitions. During a couple of 'Superfights', some folks showed that their arms were just not as susceptible to armbars as ours are. Ouch! Our guys enjoyed their matches, and although they didn't win, we've found some directions in which to take their training. Cool.
Afterwards, Brian and I stopped off at Pho Mai and had some fabulous noodles for lunch. Then back to my house, where we chatted, caught up, and watched fights on Spike. Nothing of import, but as always, it was great to have BB down for a visit.
So now I'm here alone with time on my hands. As usual, the idea of having total freedom to do whatever I want leaves me in a puddle of inaction. There's so much to do, so many choices that I end up doing almost none of them. So I'm going to peel myself off the couch and take the snoring dog for a walk. If anyone wants to give me a holler this weekend, please do.
I don't often have this opportunity, and I'm not complaining. Unless everyone in the house is asleep, there's always something going on. Even then, it always feels like there's something about to happen. Busy, busy, busy, yes sir. But with everyone gone, I finally have a chance to be alone with my thoughts, and it can be a bit daunting. There's quite a bit rolling around in my head, tons of things I'd like to get done, projects I'd like to start, things I'd like to write, watch, read, and the like. What to do?
Actually, it's been so long since I've had time by myself that I decided to do something that's exceedingly rare for me...I took a nap. And no one woke me. Having accomplished this, I'm thinking of taking the dog for a walk, and maybe working on one of my short stories later on. Honestly, I doubt I'll achieve anything of great import this afternoon, but that's ok with me. Naps are good.
This was a busy weekend up to now. Mark and Mike competed in the Animal Fightwear Submission Championships on Saturday, and both performed admirably. It was a well-run event, and it was good to see old friends and watch the competitions. During a couple of 'Superfights', some folks showed that their arms were just not as susceptible to armbars as ours are. Ouch! Our guys enjoyed their matches, and although they didn't win, we've found some directions in which to take their training. Cool.
Afterwards, Brian and I stopped off at Pho Mai and had some fabulous noodles for lunch. Then back to my house, where we chatted, caught up, and watched fights on Spike. Nothing of import, but as always, it was great to have BB down for a visit.
So now I'm here alone with time on my hands. As usual, the idea of having total freedom to do whatever I want leaves me in a puddle of inaction. There's so much to do, so many choices that I end up doing almost none of them. So I'm going to peel myself off the couch and take the snoring dog for a walk. If anyone wants to give me a holler this weekend, please do.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Lacrosse news and goofy knees
As I walked up to the field for our first lacrosse game two weeks ago, I noticed a twinge in my right knee. My legs are generally strong as tree trunks, so I was concerned. However, after a decent warmup, the game went fine (as chronicled in my last post). Of course, the knee started throbbing immediately afterwards, but didn't get any worse.
I had two weeks until the next game, and I fully intended to be running sprints, distance intervals, scoop drills, all to get ready for our game against Northwest. Sadly, my knee flared up quite a bit the first week, and barely started to recover during the second week, so at gametime, I was no better off than I had been for the first game. In fact, I think I lost a step.
Nelson, the goalie, did come out of the cage early on, and I happily laid into him with everything I had...neither of us went down, but I think he may have dropped the ball. Mission accomplished! However, there's a lot more to a lacrosse game than hitting folks, and I really wasn't that effective at that either. I did the best I could during the rest of the game, but never really felt like I was 'in the zone'. Driving away, I felt more than a little disappointed.
The knee’s still bugging me, but I’ve still managed some productive running workouts this week. I finally went back to Massage Envy and found a suitable therapist (I miss Amy E. something awful), and I think I’m on the right track. Hopefully, my knee will return to its usual strength soon. At the moment, I’m running only a bit faster than my pug puppy, and we both make the same wheezy, snorting sounds.
This week, I’ve got another game on Sunday Feb 15th at 2pm. I’m being specific because I would absolutely love some company out there. Our team is on the smallish side, and we hardly ever have a cheering section, so I’d like to invite anyone who’d like to see us play. This is your chance to possibly see me get knocked on my butt, so bring a lawn chair and some goodies for yourself, and come out to see us beat the crap out of each other! Cheer for the brave souls of Bayou City Lacrosse!!!
From Mason Road or Fry Road (Cinco Ranch area), go East on Westheimer Parkway, pass the kiddie soccer fields on your left, keep going, and then look for the adult soccer fields on your right. We’ll be the only guys running around with sticks.
Next week will bring an arrival and a departure…dear friend Brian will be arriving on Friday, but then my darling wife and son will be departing on a cruise on Saturday morning. Brian will only be down for a couple of days, and we’ll have some sparring and merriment. Wife and son will be gone for a week as they head south to see the Mayan ruins in Mexico. Cooooool. Next time, I’m going along!
I had two weeks until the next game, and I fully intended to be running sprints, distance intervals, scoop drills, all to get ready for our game against Northwest. Sadly, my knee flared up quite a bit the first week, and barely started to recover during the second week, so at gametime, I was no better off than I had been for the first game. In fact, I think I lost a step.
Nelson, the goalie, did come out of the cage early on, and I happily laid into him with everything I had...neither of us went down, but I think he may have dropped the ball. Mission accomplished! However, there's a lot more to a lacrosse game than hitting folks, and I really wasn't that effective at that either. I did the best I could during the rest of the game, but never really felt like I was 'in the zone'. Driving away, I felt more than a little disappointed.
The knee’s still bugging me, but I’ve still managed some productive running workouts this week. I finally went back to Massage Envy and found a suitable therapist (I miss Amy E. something awful), and I think I’m on the right track. Hopefully, my knee will return to its usual strength soon. At the moment, I’m running only a bit faster than my pug puppy, and we both make the same wheezy, snorting sounds.
This week, I’ve got another game on Sunday Feb 15th at 2pm. I’m being specific because I would absolutely love some company out there. Our team is on the smallish side, and we hardly ever have a cheering section, so I’d like to invite anyone who’d like to see us play. This is your chance to possibly see me get knocked on my butt, so bring a lawn chair and some goodies for yourself, and come out to see us beat the crap out of each other! Cheer for the brave souls of Bayou City Lacrosse!!!
From Mason Road or Fry Road (Cinco Ranch area), go East on Westheimer Parkway, pass the kiddie soccer fields on your left, keep going, and then look for the adult soccer fields on your right. We’ll be the only guys running around with sticks.
Next week will bring an arrival and a departure…dear friend Brian will be arriving on Friday, but then my darling wife and son will be departing on a cruise on Saturday morning. Brian will only be down for a couple of days, and we’ll have some sparring and merriment. Wife and son will be gone for a week as they head south to see the Mayan ruins in Mexico. Cooooool. Next time, I’m going along!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Rambling, rambling...and 16 Random Things
It seems that I've waited a bit too long since my last post...stuff has happened about which I should have written, but this post will have to do. I know I'm going to leave stuff out, but it's late at night, I'm sleepy, so I hope my readers will cut me some slack.
Our new pug's name is Boba. Yes, as in 'Boba Fett'. As you might guess, there are reasons for this. Mainly, we laughed so hard at the 'Robot Chicken' Star Wars parodies that we just had to use it. Boba Fett was featured several times in the 2 half-hour episodes, and he ended up being one of our favorites. Dig around on YouTube, and you'll see what I mean. Our fabulous pooch also answers to Bootie, Boochie, Booda, Butthole, Buttlick, and our other favorite: Dumbass.
So Boba is doing quite well. We are Dog Whispering him as best we can, and he's responding pretty much as we'd hoped. He's still not 100% house trained, but we're getting there. He's a super-cute little guy, and generally well-behaved. Honestly, I missed having a pug far more than I've ever mentioned. I love the snoring, snuffling, and the 'belly-runs'. It's wonderful to have Boba here, even if he keeps thinking that he's supposed to eat his bed, rather than sleep in it.
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Monkey is now swimming three days a week, and is having a blast. He sports a bright blue swim cap in addition to his lime green goggles, and is almost certain that he's the next Michael Phelps. He loves being in the water, and we just love seeing him do something that he enjoys so much. Swim Team competition is on the horizon, and we're super-excited to see him race. We couldn't care less if he wins, mind you...as long as he truly does his best, we're going to be thrilled all the way to our toes. I'll keep you posted.
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Thanks to a generous donation from my dear Mom, we're scheduled to rip out the old, canvas mat that currently covers the floor at Jade Mountain, and replace it with a fabulous new vinyl one. Our happy crew of volunteers will be showing up at around 2pm Sunday, and I've promised myself that I won't play any Kelly Clarkson music while we're working for fear of someone hurting themselves by rolling their eyes too hard.
Although the mat is a gorgeous dark green, and will make the entire room just a bit darker, we think that it will really change the appearance of the school for the better. It'll be fabulous to leave the duct tape in some dusty drawer, rather than continue taping rip after rip in the floor! I'll post some pics when we're done.
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Today marked the first game of the 2009 Gulf Coast Lacrosse Association spring season, and we enjoyed playing Tony's Tavern. I think they were league champs last season, so we were determined to give them a good game, in spite of the odds. I'm not sure of the final score, but I think we got 3.
I had been concerned about my speed and stamina on the lacrosse field, so I walked on the field happy that I've been training steadily for the last couple of months, but still wondering if I'd be able to run back and forth for a whole game. As usual, we only had a handful of substitutes on the sidelines, so we all got as much playtime as we could stand.
Happily, I did just fine. I found that I'm still losing a step when I start running, but once I got my bulk moving in the right direction, I was able to play pretty effectively. I recovered quickly, moved well, and kept my silly mistakes to a minimum. There was one pretty blatant offsides foul, but considering that I had just finished fighting three opposing players for possession of the ball, it's no wonder that I forgot to count how many of our guys had stayed in the defensive half of the field once I got out of that little tussle. Crud.
I took three shots, none of which worried the opposing goalie at all. After one shot, I took a full-power hit from one of their big defensemen that very literally knocked the snot out of me (my nose was runny, OK?) when I landed flat on my back. Fortunately, I wasn't hurt at all, so I hopped up to keep playing. I did enjoy using my kung fu skills when I took another hit from the side while I was running...I ended up flying through the air like Superman, but without the cape. We've been working on rolling recently, and it was nice to know that I could still take a hit, roll, and come up running without missing a beat. Whew!
I managed a few decent hits in the second half of the game, but nothing spectacular. Maybe next time. I'm planning two weeks of sprints, intervals, and agility drills to help me improve my performance. At this point, I'm just thrilled to still be playing a tough sport that I love.
You see, I'm nearly 40 now. It's hard for me to believe sometimes, I mean...40. FORTY YEARS OLD. Most folks I know at this age are complaining about how much weight they've gained, or how their bodies hurt after a single leisurely game of pick-up basketball with their kids. I'm always sympathetic, but I'm also my father's son, and Homie don't play that.
Those of you who knew my father knew that he stayed athletic and active well into his late seventies. Two years ago, and nearly blind, he still managed to beat everyone present at his local bowling alley. Something that has been on my mind lately was the fact that almost everything I know about my Dad, all my impressions of his super-solid work ethic, his athleticism, his love for life and passion for doing whatever he liked, all those impressions were obviously formed during my lifetime.
My Dad was already over 40 when I was born, folks. He was MORE active in his second 40 years than many folks 20 years younger. I think that explains why I never once thought about the fact that my Dad was older than my friend's dads until I was an adult. It had just never come up. Dad did all the same things that the other dads did, he just did them with his own flare and high energy, and never let little things like an extra 20 years or a missing left hand slow him down.
So 40 or not, I'm heading to the lacrosse field, the dojo, the competition mat, the track, or wherever I want to play, compete, and have some fun. Thanks for the inspiration, Dad.
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And one last item...16 Random Things About Me.
1. I like orange Monster.
2. I've trained in Kung Fu since 1982.
3. I could eat at Pho Mai five days a week. Really.
4. I still have a massive crush on Cathy Dennis.
5. I'm pretty sure that Kelly Clarkson wants me to spank her.
6. I truly feel that meeting my wife was the result of divine intervention.
7. I have written several short stories and 1.5 books of a fantasy trilogy.
8. I type really quickly.
9. I passed out at 'attention' as a freshman in high school marching band.
10. I ended up as a Drum Major as a senior in high school marching band.
11. I performed a strip routine at a high school journalism party in a bowling alley.
12. I climbed to the 3rd floor at Krueger Hall at Texas A&M...on the outside.
13. I have a younger brother and two half-sisters.
14. I intensively studied spiders from age 8 to 12.
15. After a night at a karaoke club, I was asked to join a Barbershop singing group.
16. I once sent my bow flying across the gym in Archery class in college.
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Our new pug's name is Boba. Yes, as in 'Boba Fett'. As you might guess, there are reasons for this. Mainly, we laughed so hard at the 'Robot Chicken' Star Wars parodies that we just had to use it. Boba Fett was featured several times in the 2 half-hour episodes, and he ended up being one of our favorites. Dig around on YouTube, and you'll see what I mean. Our fabulous pooch also answers to Bootie, Boochie, Booda, Butthole, Buttlick, and our other favorite: Dumbass.
So Boba is doing quite well. We are Dog Whispering him as best we can, and he's responding pretty much as we'd hoped. He's still not 100% house trained, but we're getting there. He's a super-cute little guy, and generally well-behaved. Honestly, I missed having a pug far more than I've ever mentioned. I love the snoring, snuffling, and the 'belly-runs'. It's wonderful to have Boba here, even if he keeps thinking that he's supposed to eat his bed, rather than sleep in it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monkey is now swimming three days a week, and is having a blast. He sports a bright blue swim cap in addition to his lime green goggles, and is almost certain that he's the next Michael Phelps. He loves being in the water, and we just love seeing him do something that he enjoys so much. Swim Team competition is on the horizon, and we're super-excited to see him race. We couldn't care less if he wins, mind you...as long as he truly does his best, we're going to be thrilled all the way to our toes. I'll keep you posted.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks to a generous donation from my dear Mom, we're scheduled to rip out the old, canvas mat that currently covers the floor at Jade Mountain, and replace it with a fabulous new vinyl one. Our happy crew of volunteers will be showing up at around 2pm Sunday, and I've promised myself that I won't play any Kelly Clarkson music while we're working for fear of someone hurting themselves by rolling their eyes too hard.
Although the mat is a gorgeous dark green, and will make the entire room just a bit darker, we think that it will really change the appearance of the school for the better. It'll be fabulous to leave the duct tape in some dusty drawer, rather than continue taping rip after rip in the floor! I'll post some pics when we're done.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Today marked the first game of the 2009 Gulf Coast Lacrosse Association spring season, and we enjoyed playing Tony's Tavern. I think they were league champs last season, so we were determined to give them a good game, in spite of the odds. I'm not sure of the final score, but I think we got 3.
I had been concerned about my speed and stamina on the lacrosse field, so I walked on the field happy that I've been training steadily for the last couple of months, but still wondering if I'd be able to run back and forth for a whole game. As usual, we only had a handful of substitutes on the sidelines, so we all got as much playtime as we could stand.
Happily, I did just fine. I found that I'm still losing a step when I start running, but once I got my bulk moving in the right direction, I was able to play pretty effectively. I recovered quickly, moved well, and kept my silly mistakes to a minimum. There was one pretty blatant offsides foul, but considering that I had just finished fighting three opposing players for possession of the ball, it's no wonder that I forgot to count how many of our guys had stayed in the defensive half of the field once I got out of that little tussle. Crud.
I took three shots, none of which worried the opposing goalie at all. After one shot, I took a full-power hit from one of their big defensemen that very literally knocked the snot out of me (my nose was runny, OK?) when I landed flat on my back. Fortunately, I wasn't hurt at all, so I hopped up to keep playing. I did enjoy using my kung fu skills when I took another hit from the side while I was running...I ended up flying through the air like Superman, but without the cape. We've been working on rolling recently, and it was nice to know that I could still take a hit, roll, and come up running without missing a beat. Whew!
I managed a few decent hits in the second half of the game, but nothing spectacular. Maybe next time. I'm planning two weeks of sprints, intervals, and agility drills to help me improve my performance. At this point, I'm just thrilled to still be playing a tough sport that I love.
You see, I'm nearly 40 now. It's hard for me to believe sometimes, I mean...40. FORTY YEARS OLD. Most folks I know at this age are complaining about how much weight they've gained, or how their bodies hurt after a single leisurely game of pick-up basketball with their kids. I'm always sympathetic, but I'm also my father's son, and Homie don't play that.
Those of you who knew my father knew that he stayed athletic and active well into his late seventies. Two years ago, and nearly blind, he still managed to beat everyone present at his local bowling alley. Something that has been on my mind lately was the fact that almost everything I know about my Dad, all my impressions of his super-solid work ethic, his athleticism, his love for life and passion for doing whatever he liked, all those impressions were obviously formed during my lifetime.
My Dad was already over 40 when I was born, folks. He was MORE active in his second 40 years than many folks 20 years younger. I think that explains why I never once thought about the fact that my Dad was older than my friend's dads until I was an adult. It had just never come up. Dad did all the same things that the other dads did, he just did them with his own flare and high energy, and never let little things like an extra 20 years or a missing left hand slow him down.
So 40 or not, I'm heading to the lacrosse field, the dojo, the competition mat, the track, or wherever I want to play, compete, and have some fun. Thanks for the inspiration, Dad.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And one last item...16 Random Things About Me.
1. I like orange Monster.
2. I've trained in Kung Fu since 1982.
3. I could eat at Pho Mai five days a week. Really.
4. I still have a massive crush on Cathy Dennis.
5. I'm pretty sure that Kelly Clarkson wants me to spank her.
6. I truly feel that meeting my wife was the result of divine intervention.
7. I have written several short stories and 1.5 books of a fantasy trilogy.
8. I type really quickly.
9. I passed out at 'attention' as a freshman in high school marching band.
10. I ended up as a Drum Major as a senior in high school marching band.
11. I performed a strip routine at a high school journalism party in a bowling alley.
12. I climbed to the 3rd floor at Krueger Hall at Texas A&M...on the outside.
13. I have a younger brother and two half-sisters.
14. I intensively studied spiders from age 8 to 12.
15. After a night at a karaoke club, I was asked to join a Barbershop singing group.
16. I once sent my bow flying across the gym in Archery class in college.
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Thursday, January 01, 2009
Goodbye, 2008...Hello, 2009! Tales of pugs and puke.
Happy New Year! Usually, I start the new year off with some kind of insane workout. This morning, though, I was still recovering from a couple of rough flights and some annoying allergies, so my workout was done on the couch. I did several reps of rolling over and getting more comfortable. Never fear, I will at least get out for a nice little run before the day is done.
Yesterday, Christina drove to Yoakum, TX to pick up our little pug puppy. However, she was due for a surprise. Upon arrival, the lady in charge told her that she had another pug, a 5-year-old female, who desperately needed a home. They were moving, she said, and could not keep her. If we didn't take her, she'd have to go to a local shelter, and all the local shelters are 'kill-shelters'. That is, if your dog isn't adopted soon, it's simply euthanized.
Christina didn't hesitate...she scooped up both dogs and headed home. We've used Pug Rescue before, and really like them. There was a time, around 5 years ago, when things were different around here. I was working full-time and building my teaching practice. Christina was finishing school and taking care of our toddling Monkey. Our two beloved pugs ended up at the bottom of the priority list, and it broke our hearts. We made the decision to let another family adopt them both, and Pug Rescue found them an absolutely fabulous home. Their new family was wealthy and loving, and had just lost their oldest of two pugs, so they were thrilled with Beauty and Beast. We even got to visit them!
We talked all day yesterday about keeping them both, but decided that the responsible thing will be to let someone else love LoLo and spoil her rotten. If any of you dog lovers in Katy are interested, you'd better let me know quickly! We've already contacted Pug Rescue and are scheduled to drop her off at a Vet Clinic early tomorrow morning. They'll take good care of her, find her a home, and she will NOT be put to sleep.
I have found that the sound of a snoring pug is one of the most comforting sounds I know, and that I have missed it greatly.
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It is now time to tell the tale of our flight home. This is not for the squeamish, so be warned.
Flying United has been much more enjoyable for us than flying Continental. The planes are newer, bigger, more comfortable, and more quiet than my own car. Even so, the flight from South Bend to Chicago undulated enough for all of us to become a bit woozy. The much longer flight to Houston started off just fine. One of the male flight attendants was quite funny, and even took the time to do a couple of magic tricks for Connor before takeoff.
About halfway through the flight, Connor had to go to the bathroom. Christina escorted him. While standing outside the door, she heard him call her name, so she opened the door to find him sitting calmly on the toilet, and puking his guts out onto the floor in front of him.
And that's when we hit the turbulence.
It felt like we were getting shot at by anti-aircraft cannon. Christina attempted to get my attention (we hadn't been able to sit together) and failed. She was buffeted back and forth in the back of the plane while poor Connor continued to heave in the tiny airplane bathroom. During a lull in the action, she hustled over and finally managed to convey the import of the situation to me, so I hopped out of my seat to investigate.
Friends, when I opened that bathroom door, I had no idea what awaited me. It's a good thing that Connor's feet were several inches off the floor, because it was like stepping into a small lake of puke. Eek. However, no mere puddle of vomit can scare DaddyMan!! I took a deep breath, stepped inside with Connor, and shut the door behind me.
I used almost all of their paper towels. I hope they had more somewhere.
15 minutes later, we had Connor tidied up and changed into clean clothes. The bathroom was as clean as I could make it, especially from a position that most yoga masters only attain at high levels of training. Asked how he was feeling, Connor responded with a perky, "I feel GREAT!" I was not feeling so great at that point, but was relieved that he felt better.
And the remainder of the flight was perfectly wonderful in comparison.
So we made it home. All is well. The New Year has rung in, and we are wrung out. Classes start tomorrow, and everything should return to something resembling normal. My list of accomplishments from 2008 was longer than I thought it would be, and I'm still working on my goals for 2009. So far, they are as follows:
1. Move to a bigger school
2. Crossfit certification
3. Win 1st Place in competition
4. Lose Ten Pounds...replace with 5 pounds muscle.
5. Compete in a Sprint Triathlon
6. Complete my Taxes before the end of March
7. Organize our house
8. Paint and reorganize our shed.
There are others, but these stand out in my mind.
Christina is making soup. I'd better go. Have a fantastic year!!
Yesterday, Christina drove to Yoakum, TX to pick up our little pug puppy. However, she was due for a surprise. Upon arrival, the lady in charge told her that she had another pug, a 5-year-old female, who desperately needed a home. They were moving, she said, and could not keep her. If we didn't take her, she'd have to go to a local shelter, and all the local shelters are 'kill-shelters'. That is, if your dog isn't adopted soon, it's simply euthanized.
Christina didn't hesitate...she scooped up both dogs and headed home. We've used Pug Rescue before, and really like them. There was a time, around 5 years ago, when things were different around here. I was working full-time and building my teaching practice. Christina was finishing school and taking care of our toddling Monkey. Our two beloved pugs ended up at the bottom of the priority list, and it broke our hearts. We made the decision to let another family adopt them both, and Pug Rescue found them an absolutely fabulous home. Their new family was wealthy and loving, and had just lost their oldest of two pugs, so they were thrilled with Beauty and Beast. We even got to visit them!
We talked all day yesterday about keeping them both, but decided that the responsible thing will be to let someone else love LoLo and spoil her rotten. If any of you dog lovers in Katy are interested, you'd better let me know quickly! We've already contacted Pug Rescue and are scheduled to drop her off at a Vet Clinic early tomorrow morning. They'll take good care of her, find her a home, and she will NOT be put to sleep.
I have found that the sound of a snoring pug is one of the most comforting sounds I know, and that I have missed it greatly.
--------------------------------------------------------
It is now time to tell the tale of our flight home. This is not for the squeamish, so be warned.
Flying United has been much more enjoyable for us than flying Continental. The planes are newer, bigger, more comfortable, and more quiet than my own car. Even so, the flight from South Bend to Chicago undulated enough for all of us to become a bit woozy. The much longer flight to Houston started off just fine. One of the male flight attendants was quite funny, and even took the time to do a couple of magic tricks for Connor before takeoff.
About halfway through the flight, Connor had to go to the bathroom. Christina escorted him. While standing outside the door, she heard him call her name, so she opened the door to find him sitting calmly on the toilet, and puking his guts out onto the floor in front of him.
And that's when we hit the turbulence.
It felt like we were getting shot at by anti-aircraft cannon. Christina attempted to get my attention (we hadn't been able to sit together) and failed. She was buffeted back and forth in the back of the plane while poor Connor continued to heave in the tiny airplane bathroom. During a lull in the action, she hustled over and finally managed to convey the import of the situation to me, so I hopped out of my seat to investigate.
Friends, when I opened that bathroom door, I had no idea what awaited me. It's a good thing that Connor's feet were several inches off the floor, because it was like stepping into a small lake of puke. Eek. However, no mere puddle of vomit can scare DaddyMan!! I took a deep breath, stepped inside with Connor, and shut the door behind me.
I used almost all of their paper towels. I hope they had more somewhere.
15 minutes later, we had Connor tidied up and changed into clean clothes. The bathroom was as clean as I could make it, especially from a position that most yoga masters only attain at high levels of training. Asked how he was feeling, Connor responded with a perky, "I feel GREAT!" I was not feeling so great at that point, but was relieved that he felt better.
And the remainder of the flight was perfectly wonderful in comparison.
So we made it home. All is well. The New Year has rung in, and we are wrung out. Classes start tomorrow, and everything should return to something resembling normal. My list of accomplishments from 2008 was longer than I thought it would be, and I'm still working on my goals for 2009. So far, they are as follows:
1. Move to a bigger school
2. Crossfit certification
3. Win 1st Place in competition
4. Lose Ten Pounds...replace with 5 pounds muscle.
5. Compete in a Sprint Triathlon
6. Complete my Taxes before the end of March
7. Organize our house
8. Paint and reorganize our shed.
There are others, but these stand out in my mind.
Christina is making soup. I'd better go. Have a fantastic year!!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Whit vs. Bambi...no clear winner.
Last night, our poor Monkey was exhausted after a day of puking, light fever, and diarrhea. My darling Christina suggested that I go to the gas station and bring him a Sprite to settle his stomach. It was around 6:30pm when I finally got out the door...dark already.
Driving Mom's suv, I tend to drive a bit on the slow side. OK, I always tend to drive a bit slowly, but that's beside the point. The gas station was maybe a half a mile away, and once I left the subdivision, it was a straight shot from here to there. There was little traffic, the radio was on low, and all was right with the world.
BAM!!!
A deer had run out in front of me. I only recall seeing it for an instant as it slammed into my hood. I hadn't even had time to hit the brakes.
I slowed down and pulled over immediately. I walked back towards where I figured the deer might be...no deer. I looked around the weeds and towards the darkened forest nearby...nope. I stood quietly and listened for awhile, since there was no traffic, and heard...not a darn thing. The deer was nowhere to be found.
Damage to the car was minimal (which means it'll probably cost a fortune). The headlight assembly on that side is broken and loose, part of the body above the bumper was dented in, and there were tufts of deer hair stuck in the bumper. No blood, though. And again, no animal was in sight.
I have to say...that was one tough deer! I can only imagine it staggering to its feet, turning to look at my taillights in the distance, and saying, "Is THAT all you've got? You're lucky I've got things to do, or I'd stick around and kick your ass!"
My hat's off to you, deer. You might be dumb enough to run right in front of an SUV driving 35-40mph at night, but at least you're tough enough to keep on trucking. See you next year!
Driving Mom's suv, I tend to drive a bit on the slow side. OK, I always tend to drive a bit slowly, but that's beside the point. The gas station was maybe a half a mile away, and once I left the subdivision, it was a straight shot from here to there. There was little traffic, the radio was on low, and all was right with the world.
BAM!!!
A deer had run out in front of me. I only recall seeing it for an instant as it slammed into my hood. I hadn't even had time to hit the brakes.
I slowed down and pulled over immediately. I walked back towards where I figured the deer might be...no deer. I looked around the weeds and towards the darkened forest nearby...nope. I stood quietly and listened for awhile, since there was no traffic, and heard...not a darn thing. The deer was nowhere to be found.
Damage to the car was minimal (which means it'll probably cost a fortune). The headlight assembly on that side is broken and loose, part of the body above the bumper was dented in, and there were tufts of deer hair stuck in the bumper. No blood, though. And again, no animal was in sight.
I have to say...that was one tough deer! I can only imagine it staggering to its feet, turning to look at my taillights in the distance, and saying, "Is THAT all you've got? You're lucky I've got things to do, or I'd stick around and kick your ass!"
My hat's off to you, deer. You might be dumb enough to run right in front of an SUV driving 35-40mph at night, but at least you're tough enough to keep on trucking. See you next year!
Monday, December 29, 2008
Discoveries, holidays.
We made it up here to Indiana, and have had a wonderful time. I know that Mom must think that we're the biggest slackers ever...on vacation, we tend to stay up until 2 or 3am and then sleep until 10 or 11. Mom gets up at 5am every day, so her day's half-over before we stagger up the stairs. Even so, we're all having a grand time.
I've taken it upon myself to scan and document the hundreds of pictures Mom has collected over the years. In the process, I'm uncovering dozens of previously unknown stories about my family. Some are sad. Some are hilarious. Some just make you go 'hmmmmmm.' But I'm absolutely loving every single one of them. Many of these pictures are completely new to me, so I have to ask Mom about them. She acts like she doesn't remember, but then launches into a rather detailed (and often funny) account of the circumstances that surround the picture.
Luckily, my wife is a scrapbooker possessed of mad skills. She's absolutely salivating at the prospect of having all of this history at her fingertips, and I know that she'll produce some fantastic scrapbooks eventually.
I'd love to post what I'm finding, but frankly, there's just too much for me to write about just now. I'm attempting to box everything up so that I can ship it home for scanning, but I keep stumbling across something that just needs to be scanned right away.
Christmas was great! Mom is far too generous, as always. As the Master Chief, I'm totally bad-ass...the Covenant aliens don't stand a chance. And just what the heck is Viva Pinata anyway? The best I can figure is that it's something best played after imbibing far too much Nyquil. Sis-in-Law Joanna had her baby, Evan Monty Tucker, on Dec 26, and all is well. Cute kid!
Max, Connor's Elf-on-the-Shelf, was supposed to appear when we got here. However, he was in our luggage, and so we didn't get him until Christmas Day, when he was supposed to 'head back to the North Pole.' Connor was crushed that he didn't get a chance to say goodbye to Max. However, Max miraculously reappeared that night, and we explained that he had probably been watching over our luggage, thereby earning a couple of extra days with our family. I've never seen a little boy so happy.
Mom's really enjoyed spending time with Connor. Truth be told, we feel a little bit guilty leaving him with her while we run little errands here and there, but she assures us that she adores spending time with him. However, she probably won't take him shopping again, as he can be a bit of a handful.
We enjoyed watching the UFC fights with my brother this weekend. I had the chance to play the Wii. OK, I admit it...the thing is kind of fun. I still box better without the controllers, though. And I'm a touch embarassed that my 5-yr-old niece bowls far better than I. It must be that loopdy-loop delivery that she's perfected. Crazy stuff. If Dad were still alive, I bet he'd have found a way to beat us at Wii golf, bowling, and tennis, just as he did before.
We'll spend the rest of the day packing up and otherwise being lazy. We're looking forward to getting home, but leaving here will be a bit more sad for me than usual. Mom's finally on Facebook, so that'll help keep us closer. One of these days, maybe she'll actually post something there.
I've taken it upon myself to scan and document the hundreds of pictures Mom has collected over the years. In the process, I'm uncovering dozens of previously unknown stories about my family. Some are sad. Some are hilarious. Some just make you go 'hmmmmmm.' But I'm absolutely loving every single one of them. Many of these pictures are completely new to me, so I have to ask Mom about them. She acts like she doesn't remember, but then launches into a rather detailed (and often funny) account of the circumstances that surround the picture.
Luckily, my wife is a scrapbooker possessed of mad skills. She's absolutely salivating at the prospect of having all of this history at her fingertips, and I know that she'll produce some fantastic scrapbooks eventually.
I'd love to post what I'm finding, but frankly, there's just too much for me to write about just now. I'm attempting to box everything up so that I can ship it home for scanning, but I keep stumbling across something that just needs to be scanned right away.
Christmas was great! Mom is far too generous, as always. As the Master Chief, I'm totally bad-ass...the Covenant aliens don't stand a chance. And just what the heck is Viva Pinata anyway? The best I can figure is that it's something best played after imbibing far too much Nyquil. Sis-in-Law Joanna had her baby, Evan Monty Tucker, on Dec 26, and all is well. Cute kid!
Max, Connor's Elf-on-the-Shelf, was supposed to appear when we got here. However, he was in our luggage, and so we didn't get him until Christmas Day, when he was supposed to 'head back to the North Pole.' Connor was crushed that he didn't get a chance to say goodbye to Max. However, Max miraculously reappeared that night, and we explained that he had probably been watching over our luggage, thereby earning a couple of extra days with our family. I've never seen a little boy so happy.
Mom's really enjoyed spending time with Connor. Truth be told, we feel a little bit guilty leaving him with her while we run little errands here and there, but she assures us that she adores spending time with him. However, she probably won't take him shopping again, as he can be a bit of a handful.
We enjoyed watching the UFC fights with my brother this weekend. I had the chance to play the Wii. OK, I admit it...the thing is kind of fun. I still box better without the controllers, though. And I'm a touch embarassed that my 5-yr-old niece bowls far better than I. It must be that loopdy-loop delivery that she's perfected. Crazy stuff. If Dad were still alive, I bet he'd have found a way to beat us at Wii golf, bowling, and tennis, just as he did before.
We'll spend the rest of the day packing up and otherwise being lazy. We're looking forward to getting home, but leaving here will be a bit more sad for me than usual. Mom's finally on Facebook, so that'll help keep us closer. One of these days, maybe she'll actually post something there.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Plains, Trains, and Charter Buses
Things started off well enough. We asked the amazing Larry if he could drop us off at the airport on Tuesday no later than 12:30pm. No problem. The flight was scheduled to depart at 2:29pm, so we wanted to leave plenty of time so that we could make our flight with no rush, no stress...some lunch in the airport, an easy walk to the appropriate gate, a tiny bit of waiting around, and then a nice flight to Chicago. Then a short flight to South Bend, Indiana. At least, that was the plan.
Here's the thing: the weather in Chicago was horrible. They weren't letting planes land or takeoff. That meant that our plane wouldn't even leave the ground until Chicago gave the thumbs up for us to do so. Hurry up and wait, folks.
So, we waited. And waited. And...............waited. At around 4pm, they said that we would begin boarding at around 4:45pm, so Monkey and I wandered off to get some sandwiches for the ride. As soon as we had placed our order (at about 4:15pm), Christina called. "They're boarding!" Oh. Crap.
We hustled back as fast as we could, only to find that the horde of folks awaiting our flight were still slowly filing on board. No problem. We ambled on the plane and settled in for the flight.
This was all well and good, but little did we know that our waiting skills were to be tested this day. Our plane fired up the engines, taxiied around a bit, and then...it parked. We were apologetically informed that Chicago weather had worsened, and that we had to wait again. At least they showed a movie to pass the time.
I'm not sure when we actually got off the ground, but we landed safely in Chicago long after the last flight to South Bend had departed. So we dutifully stood in line to reschedule. Christina had a bright idea, and we called a number from one of the pamphlets at the information desk. Suddenly, we had secured a fabulously cheap rate for one night at the Hyatt Rosemont! Whoa! Then, we touched base with the airline folks about our luggage and next flight, and they suggested we take the bus...and gave us free tickets. Whoa! Cool! So we hustled off to find the hotel shuttle.
I'll shorten this for you...we waited an hour for the shuttle, 20 minutes to check in at the hotel, and 20 minutes for our to-go order to be filled at the hotel restaurant. At nearly midnight, we staggered into our room to a couple of fabulous surprises: 1. the room was super-nice(especially for only $69!), and 2. the food was friggin' FANTASTIC! Expensive, but fantastic.
This morning, things went much better. We found our bus after only an hour and a half of fun conversation with Debbie, a fellow-traveler, and the ride to South Bend was relaxing, fun, and uneventful. We even managed to locate two of our bags at the airport when we arrived! Of course, the one with all of our clothes, presents, and medicines was nowhere to be found. "F$#% you, stripey bag!" They said they'll call us when it shows up. Maybe next time, we'll just take the train from Texas.
So we're here at last. It's great to see Mom, and we'll see everyone else tomorrow. Ho ho ho!
One other note...we just got word that little sister Joanna has apparently been stricken with ecclampsyia. Fortunately, they caught it before things went haywire, and she's only 2 weeks from her due date anyway. All is well, and it looks like she'll be having a Christmas baby boy! I'll keep everyone posted.
Happy Holidays, folks. Share the love. Hug everyone in sight. And maybe give your spouse a little holiday spankin'. ;-)
Here's the thing: the weather in Chicago was horrible. They weren't letting planes land or takeoff. That meant that our plane wouldn't even leave the ground until Chicago gave the thumbs up for us to do so. Hurry up and wait, folks.
So, we waited. And waited. And...............waited. At around 4pm, they said that we would begin boarding at around 4:45pm, so Monkey and I wandered off to get some sandwiches for the ride. As soon as we had placed our order (at about 4:15pm), Christina called. "They're boarding!" Oh. Crap.
We hustled back as fast as we could, only to find that the horde of folks awaiting our flight were still slowly filing on board. No problem. We ambled on the plane and settled in for the flight.
This was all well and good, but little did we know that our waiting skills were to be tested this day. Our plane fired up the engines, taxiied around a bit, and then...it parked. We were apologetically informed that Chicago weather had worsened, and that we had to wait again. At least they showed a movie to pass the time.
I'm not sure when we actually got off the ground, but we landed safely in Chicago long after the last flight to South Bend had departed. So we dutifully stood in line to reschedule. Christina had a bright idea, and we called a number from one of the pamphlets at the information desk. Suddenly, we had secured a fabulously cheap rate for one night at the Hyatt Rosemont! Whoa! Then, we touched base with the airline folks about our luggage and next flight, and they suggested we take the bus...and gave us free tickets. Whoa! Cool! So we hustled off to find the hotel shuttle.
I'll shorten this for you...we waited an hour for the shuttle, 20 minutes to check in at the hotel, and 20 minutes for our to-go order to be filled at the hotel restaurant. At nearly midnight, we staggered into our room to a couple of fabulous surprises: 1. the room was super-nice(especially for only $69!), and 2. the food was friggin' FANTASTIC! Expensive, but fantastic.
This morning, things went much better. We found our bus after only an hour and a half of fun conversation with Debbie, a fellow-traveler, and the ride to South Bend was relaxing, fun, and uneventful. We even managed to locate two of our bags at the airport when we arrived! Of course, the one with all of our clothes, presents, and medicines was nowhere to be found. "F$#% you, stripey bag!" They said they'll call us when it shows up. Maybe next time, we'll just take the train from Texas.
So we're here at last. It's great to see Mom, and we'll see everyone else tomorrow. Ho ho ho!
One other note...we just got word that little sister Joanna has apparently been stricken with ecclampsyia. Fortunately, they caught it before things went haywire, and she's only 2 weeks from her due date anyway. All is well, and it looks like she'll be having a Christmas baby boy! I'll keep everyone posted.
Happy Holidays, folks. Share the love. Hug everyone in sight. And maybe give your spouse a little holiday spankin'. ;-)
Sunday, December 21, 2008
A New Addition
Many of you know that we've been trying to add another little member to our fantastic little family. Well, we've succeeded! Maybe not in the way you think, but we're pretty excited about it!
We're dog people. For many years, we had two pugs, Beauty and Beast. Christina already had Beauty when we met. Indeed, I honestly didn't expect for Beauty to come as part of the package when Christina and I moved in together, but it took only moments for me to fall in love with her googly eyes and goofy walk. For one of the ugliest pugs I've ever seen, Beauty was a total sweetheart, and I could not resist her.
Beast came about a year later. We had been thinking that Beauty would enjoy having a companion, so we looked around and found a male pug puppy for sale by a nice couple in Alvin, TX. I remember driving home with him in my cupped hands on my lap. He was an awesome pooch, and I admit that I still miss him.
We had Beauty and Beast for many years, and then Connor arrived. With the demands of a child, Christina finishing school, and me working two jobs, we began to fear that we just couldn't take care of the pugs in the way they deserved. It broke our hearts, but we contacted a pug rescue service, who took the dogs to a vet, where they boarded until a new home was found for them. We kept tabs on them since, and had a chance to come and visit them now and again. We enjoyed seeing them happy in their new home, and although we were saddened when Beauty passed away, we felt that we had done the right thing by giving them up when we did.
Years later, we're living completely different lives. I've got far more free time now that I run my own martial arts school, Christina is a stay-at-home Super Mom, and the Monkey is 7 years old. We're finally able to take care of a puppy again. And we've been really missing our pugs lately, and after discussing it at length, we figured that we should at least start looking for one.
Ah, the universe works in fabulous ways. Someone had already paid a deposit on a pug puppy in Yoakum, TX. Just like Beast, he was born to a family who had two pugs, and only bred them occasionally...they weren't a puppy mill or professional breeder. However, the folks who wanted him blew up their radiator on their way to pick him up. Weighing the cost of their car repairs against the expense of the puppy, they opted to fix the car. Understandable. However, that left the door open for us, and Christina saw the ad online, called the lady, and here we are!
Ta-daaaaa!!! He's really sweet, and pretty well-behaved as far as we could tell. No loud barking, no squirming around...just happy to be held and petted.
We've really missed having a dog around. So, we're looking forward to having the little guy join our family soon. And we're watching a lot of Cesar Millan: The Dog Whisperer, in preparation for having him around. We're discussing names constantly. Here are some of our ideas:
Tank
Maximus
Leonidas
Poopy Pants
T-Shane
Titan
Dammit
Dummy
Sh#@head
Brutus
Silly Beaver
Beaver Nuggets
Beau Gyna (say it fast...you might figure it out)
We're actually leaning towards naming it Mister Mac. That was one of my Dad's nicknames, and somehow seemed right. However, the other name that had us in stitches was this one:
***
**
*
Buttlick Johnson.
I can imagine standing at the back door and hollering for him to come in.
"Buttlick! Buuuuuuuuuutt-liiiiiiiick!! Buttlick Johnson, you get in here!!"
I'll let you know what we decide. Take care, folks. Happy Holidays!!
We're dog people. For many years, we had two pugs, Beauty and Beast. Christina already had Beauty when we met. Indeed, I honestly didn't expect for Beauty to come as part of the package when Christina and I moved in together, but it took only moments for me to fall in love with her googly eyes and goofy walk. For one of the ugliest pugs I've ever seen, Beauty was a total sweetheart, and I could not resist her.
Beast came about a year later. We had been thinking that Beauty would enjoy having a companion, so we looked around and found a male pug puppy for sale by a nice couple in Alvin, TX. I remember driving home with him in my cupped hands on my lap. He was an awesome pooch, and I admit that I still miss him.
We had Beauty and Beast for many years, and then Connor arrived. With the demands of a child, Christina finishing school, and me working two jobs, we began to fear that we just couldn't take care of the pugs in the way they deserved. It broke our hearts, but we contacted a pug rescue service, who took the dogs to a vet, where they boarded until a new home was found for them. We kept tabs on them since, and had a chance to come and visit them now and again. We enjoyed seeing them happy in their new home, and although we were saddened when Beauty passed away, we felt that we had done the right thing by giving them up when we did.
Years later, we're living completely different lives. I've got far more free time now that I run my own martial arts school, Christina is a stay-at-home Super Mom, and the Monkey is 7 years old. We're finally able to take care of a puppy again. And we've been really missing our pugs lately, and after discussing it at length, we figured that we should at least start looking for one.
Ah, the universe works in fabulous ways. Someone had already paid a deposit on a pug puppy in Yoakum, TX. Just like Beast, he was born to a family who had two pugs, and only bred them occasionally...they weren't a puppy mill or professional breeder. However, the folks who wanted him blew up their radiator on their way to pick him up. Weighing the cost of their car repairs against the expense of the puppy, they opted to fix the car. Understandable. However, that left the door open for us, and Christina saw the ad online, called the lady, and here we are!
Ta-daaaaa!!! He's really sweet, and pretty well-behaved as far as we could tell. No loud barking, no squirming around...just happy to be held and petted.
We've really missed having a dog around. So, we're looking forward to having the little guy join our family soon. And we're watching a lot of Cesar Millan: The Dog Whisperer, in preparation for having him around. We're discussing names constantly. Here are some of our ideas:
Tank
Maximus
Leonidas
Poopy Pants
T-Shane
Titan
Dammit
Dummy
Sh#@head
Brutus
Silly Beaver
Beaver Nuggets
Beau Gyna (say it fast...you might figure it out)
We're actually leaning towards naming it Mister Mac. That was one of my Dad's nicknames, and somehow seemed right. However, the other name that had us in stitches was this one:
***
**
*
Buttlick Johnson.
I can imagine standing at the back door and hollering for him to come in.
"Buttlick! Buuuuuuuuuutt-liiiiiiiick!! Buttlick Johnson, you get in here!!"
I'll let you know what we decide. Take care, folks. Happy Holidays!!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Future Sis-In-Law Kicks Butt in the Tucson Marathon!!
My future sis-in-law (Christina's Brother's fiancee, Julie) is a seriously kick-ass runner. I usually run the Houston Half-Marathon every year, and I generally come in at about 2 hours and 20 minutes...more or less. That's 13.1 miles for me. Julie crosses the finish line only 30 minutes later...but, she runs the entire 26.2 miles. The woman is FAST. Recently, she ran in the Tuscon Marathon.
Here's an excerpt from the Arizona Daily Star:
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Special to the Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 12.08.2008
Women's winner Julie Simcik finished first in just her fifth competitive marathon with a time of 2:50:12.
Simcik, 26, said running gives her an escape and she was trying to keep it simple in Sunday's race.
"My goal is to look for the girl in front of me and go get her," she said. "But (today) there was no one in front of me.
"I didn't like the Biosphere run and I couldn't wait to get back on Oracle (Road). Once you're back on Oracle you feel like you're home free." Simcik, who lives in Chandler, Arizona, finished 11th overall. She said she doesn't maintain a specific training regimen to prepare for races. Instead, she just likes to go on long runs.
"I don't do speed workouts. I just try to run every day," she said. "About two months before this marathon I started going on three-hour runs depending on how the weather was."
Second among women runners was Amanda Nilsen from Denver with a time of 2:55:57. It was her first Tucson Marathon.
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Of course, I've got a few things to say about this. WOW. She won the women's division in a friggin' marathon, 5 minutes ahead of her nearest competitor. How absolutely magnificent.
I learned that she beat her previous personal best by around 6 minutes. That's tremendous. WOW, again.
AND...she did it without complicated training schedules, coaches, or specific eating plans. I don't even think she runs with an mp3 player. She just...well...she just runs. She runs because she loves it. She runs because she likes the way it makes her feel. She runs because it helps her to clear her mind and helps her to be a happier person.
Julie, congratulations. You are a huge inspiration. You totally rock!!!
Women's winner Julia Simcik is surprised to find out her time of 2:50:12 from fiancé Doug Prince, center, and friend Jayne Hutchinson.
Here's an excerpt from the Arizona Daily Star:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Special to the Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 12.08.2008
Women's winner Julie Simcik finished first in just her fifth competitive marathon with a time of 2:50:12.
Simcik, 26, said running gives her an escape and she was trying to keep it simple in Sunday's race.
"My goal is to look for the girl in front of me and go get her," she said. "But (today) there was no one in front of me.
"I didn't like the Biosphere run and I couldn't wait to get back on Oracle (Road). Once you're back on Oracle you feel like you're home free." Simcik, who lives in Chandler, Arizona, finished 11th overall. She said she doesn't maintain a specific training regimen to prepare for races. Instead, she just likes to go on long runs.
"I don't do speed workouts. I just try to run every day," she said. "About two months before this marathon I started going on three-hour runs depending on how the weather was."
Second among women runners was Amanda Nilsen from Denver with a time of 2:55:57. It was her first Tucson Marathon.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Of course, I've got a few things to say about this. WOW. She won the women's division in a friggin' marathon, 5 minutes ahead of her nearest competitor. How absolutely magnificent.
I learned that she beat her previous personal best by around 6 minutes. That's tremendous. WOW, again.
AND...she did it without complicated training schedules, coaches, or specific eating plans. I don't even think she runs with an mp3 player. She just...well...she just runs. She runs because she loves it. She runs because she likes the way it makes her feel. She runs because it helps her to clear her mind and helps her to be a happier person.
Julie, congratulations. You are a huge inspiration. You totally rock!!!
Women's winner Julia Simcik is surprised to find out her time of 2:50:12 from fiancé Doug Prince, center, and friend Jayne Hutchinson.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Lessons from Track, 1987
I found some old scrapbooks in the shed today, loaded with stuff from high school. It's been over a decade since I've seen some of that stuff, and I was pleased to see that the books were still in pretty good shape. There were some old pics in there that will see the light of day online as soon as I can get a working scanner...those are good for a laugh, to be sure.
One of the pics was my junior year track picture. That brought up one memory that I've been dwelling on today for some reason. I'm not sure why this one has stuck in my head, but it's there nonetheless.
Back in the day, our track team ran a race called, and I kid you not, "The Fat Man Relay." This was a 400 meter relay in which the shotputters and discuss throwers took the track instead of the usual sprinters and distance runners. These guys were some extremely big dudes, and were solid athletes in their own events. In sprints, however…not so much. This was a race that we ran for fun, but even so, the guys ran their guts out when their time came. Well...more or less.
I recall a day when one particular athlete was running the second leg of a practice relay. He was taking it very seriously, as he did every event in which he competed. Unlike the other guys in his lane, he was stalking around his starting point, getting his mind right, and really focusing on the upcoming sprint. The others were goofing around, hanging out, just waiting to be told to get to the line and then when to start their sprint.
This one athlete (I'll call him Ken, though that certainly wasn't his real name) was not considered the brightest in the bunch, nor the most talented. Yet, he was dedicated, hard-working, and loyal...a really good guy. When the gun went off for that practice race, he was ready for action. The first runner thumped and clumped his way around the first turn and handed the baton to Ken, who grabbed it and ran like he was on-friggin'-FIRE. His face was clenched with strain, his big arms were pumping hard, and his massive legs were churning like crazy...and yet, his speed was not exactly what you might expect from such an effort.
The big guys around me started laughing, hooting, and hollering at how SLOW Ken was...and Coach absolutely EXPLODED. He turned around and lashed a backhanded slap at the nearest offenders shoulder, actually backing up the guy. Silence dropped on us like a hammerblow.
"You shut your mouths, all of you! Ken works his ass off every single day!! If any ONE of you worked HALF as hard as he does, you'd be F@&#ING CHAMPIONS, you know that?!" Shaking his head in utter disgust, Coach walked away and left us standing there, in shock.
The guys watched the rest of the run in silence. Later on, I saw a few of the guys quietly thumping Ken on the back and telling him what a good job he did. Nobody made a big deal out of it...just a “Good run, Ken,” here and a “Keep it up, Ken,” there.
Ken was never a shining star on the squad, but no one could put down his work ethic…the guy was in the weight room knocking out reps constantly. It never seemed to occur to him that he might not make it as a pro. No, he just wanted to do the very best he possibly could, each and every day. I always admired that.
In my job, I see folks every day, training hard, working towards their goals, and making progress at varying rates. I never really make a big deal out of the students who have natural ability, but I make special note of the ones who are really working up to their potential, those who are putting forth a constant, determined effort to learn and move forward in their training, in spite of their age, physical condition, etc. Those folks earn my respect, day in and day out.
I also ask myself what I’m doing to make use of my own natural talents and gifts...am I working my ass off every day, like Ken? Or am I chuckling on the sidelines? Some days are better than others, but I think I’ll put in some extra work today. Just in case.
One of the pics was my junior year track picture. That brought up one memory that I've been dwelling on today for some reason. I'm not sure why this one has stuck in my head, but it's there nonetheless.
Back in the day, our track team ran a race called, and I kid you not, "The Fat Man Relay." This was a 400 meter relay in which the shotputters and discuss throwers took the track instead of the usual sprinters and distance runners. These guys were some extremely big dudes, and were solid athletes in their own events. In sprints, however…not so much. This was a race that we ran for fun, but even so, the guys ran their guts out when their time came. Well...more or less.
I recall a day when one particular athlete was running the second leg of a practice relay. He was taking it very seriously, as he did every event in which he competed. Unlike the other guys in his lane, he was stalking around his starting point, getting his mind right, and really focusing on the upcoming sprint. The others were goofing around, hanging out, just waiting to be told to get to the line and then when to start their sprint.
This one athlete (I'll call him Ken, though that certainly wasn't his real name) was not considered the brightest in the bunch, nor the most talented. Yet, he was dedicated, hard-working, and loyal...a really good guy. When the gun went off for that practice race, he was ready for action. The first runner thumped and clumped his way around the first turn and handed the baton to Ken, who grabbed it and ran like he was on-friggin'-FIRE. His face was clenched with strain, his big arms were pumping hard, and his massive legs were churning like crazy...and yet, his speed was not exactly what you might expect from such an effort.
The big guys around me started laughing, hooting, and hollering at how SLOW Ken was...and Coach absolutely EXPLODED. He turned around and lashed a backhanded slap at the nearest offenders shoulder, actually backing up the guy. Silence dropped on us like a hammerblow.
"You shut your mouths, all of you! Ken works his ass off every single day!! If any ONE of you worked HALF as hard as he does, you'd be F@&#ING CHAMPIONS, you know that?!" Shaking his head in utter disgust, Coach walked away and left us standing there, in shock.
The guys watched the rest of the run in silence. Later on, I saw a few of the guys quietly thumping Ken on the back and telling him what a good job he did. Nobody made a big deal out of it...just a “Good run, Ken,” here and a “Keep it up, Ken,” there.
Ken was never a shining star on the squad, but no one could put down his work ethic…the guy was in the weight room knocking out reps constantly. It never seemed to occur to him that he might not make it as a pro. No, he just wanted to do the very best he possibly could, each and every day. I always admired that.
In my job, I see folks every day, training hard, working towards their goals, and making progress at varying rates. I never really make a big deal out of the students who have natural ability, but I make special note of the ones who are really working up to their potential, those who are putting forth a constant, determined effort to learn and move forward in their training, in spite of their age, physical condition, etc. Those folks earn my respect, day in and day out.
I also ask myself what I’m doing to make use of my own natural talents and gifts...am I working my ass off every day, like Ken? Or am I chuckling on the sidelines? Some days are better than others, but I think I’ll put in some extra work today. Just in case.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Author, author...again.
I love to read. And I actually love to write. I've written several short stories over the years (mostly, just to amuse myself) and have even taken a stab at writing a full-blown Lord of the Rings-type trilogy. I never finished it, although I was well into the second 'book' when I stopped working on it years ago. I picked up that story again a couple of years ago, and even mentioned it in my blog. But running a business and a family took precedence over my recreational writing, so that story is still unfinished.
Last night, I was scrambling around the house at bedtime, looking for something else to read. I really enjoy reading before bed so that I can sort of purge my mind of all my to-do lists, pressures, and every day stressors by immersing myself in a world of fantasy, detectives, or gunslingers. It helps me to power down, so to speak. Well, last night was not a good night for that sort of thing, and I couldn't find a single decent book to read after I finished one the previous night. Drat.
This morning, I was puttering around on the computer, poking around on one of my external hard drives, and I found all my old story material. Hmmmmmmm. I started reading some of my outlines, story notes, and ideas, and felt the old enthusiasm building again. I opened up that old novel and started reading it again...I was a few paragraphs in when I found a sentence that didn't sound right, and so it has begun again. I'm reworking that old story. Again.
Maybe this time, I'll actually get the whole trilogy finished. Maybe I'll only get a few pages farther than before. Either way, I'm looking forward to meeting all my old characters again, and maybe taking them to some new places in the near future. I'll keep you posted.
Last night, I was scrambling around the house at bedtime, looking for something else to read. I really enjoy reading before bed so that I can sort of purge my mind of all my to-do lists, pressures, and every day stressors by immersing myself in a world of fantasy, detectives, or gunslingers. It helps me to power down, so to speak. Well, last night was not a good night for that sort of thing, and I couldn't find a single decent book to read after I finished one the previous night. Drat.
This morning, I was puttering around on the computer, poking around on one of my external hard drives, and I found all my old story material. Hmmmmmmm. I started reading some of my outlines, story notes, and ideas, and felt the old enthusiasm building again. I opened up that old novel and started reading it again...I was a few paragraphs in when I found a sentence that didn't sound right, and so it has begun again. I'm reworking that old story. Again.
Maybe this time, I'll actually get the whole trilogy finished. Maybe I'll only get a few pages farther than before. Either way, I'm looking forward to meeting all my old characters again, and maybe taking them to some new places in the near future. I'll keep you posted.
Monday, December 08, 2008
Little of this, little of that.
Another weekend has passed, and with it, another chance to paint our house. Drat. However, in return for that missed housepainting session, we watched movies, napped, watched tv, napped, and worked/played on the internet. I'm OK with that. Hopefully, the weather will be good next weekend, and we'll get more done.
We had another Graduation at Jade Mountain this past Friday, and I was thrilled to see that we had far more folks in attendance than I expected. It always touches me to see so many folks training with us, dedicating part of their time to our school. I've always wanted to make a difference in the world, and occasionally, I feel like I'm doing so.
My dear friend Larry is staying with us while we get things really rolling at our school and he gets his Krav Maga classes filled up. In the past few weeks, we've really gotten quite a lot done. We're really looking forward to starting the new year at the new and improved Jade Mountain.
In other news, I finally, FINALLY am able to ride my scooter around town. I have insurance, an inspection sticker, an oil change and repairs to the fuel line, and a LICENSE PLATE!!! I stress the license plate because getting the license plate severely stressed me. It took three trips to the tax office, a fax, a laser printer, a fistful of paperwork, and a partridge in a pear tree to get that silly license plate. But I've got it now!!! So I'm legal at 37 mph. Watch out, now!
The fabulous Brian posted this song on his blog, saying that it was stuck in his head yesterday. Well, thanks...now it's stuck in mine. That's not such a bad thing, though. So I'm passing along the favor. Have a great day, folks!
We had another Graduation at Jade Mountain this past Friday, and I was thrilled to see that we had far more folks in attendance than I expected. It always touches me to see so many folks training with us, dedicating part of their time to our school. I've always wanted to make a difference in the world, and occasionally, I feel like I'm doing so.
My dear friend Larry is staying with us while we get things really rolling at our school and he gets his Krav Maga classes filled up. In the past few weeks, we've really gotten quite a lot done. We're really looking forward to starting the new year at the new and improved Jade Mountain.
In other news, I finally, FINALLY am able to ride my scooter around town. I have insurance, an inspection sticker, an oil change and repairs to the fuel line, and a LICENSE PLATE!!! I stress the license plate because getting the license plate severely stressed me. It took three trips to the tax office, a fax, a laser printer, a fistful of paperwork, and a partridge in a pear tree to get that silly license plate. But I've got it now!!! So I'm legal at 37 mph. Watch out, now!
The fabulous Brian posted this song on his blog, saying that it was stuck in his head yesterday. Well, thanks...now it's stuck in mine. That's not such a bad thing, though. So I'm passing along the favor. Have a great day, folks!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
A slow start...
Today, I was fortunate enough to play in a friendly lacrosse game, a scrimmage played with whomever showed up. It was hosted by the Northwest Houston lacrosse club, and it was a lazy, fun way to spend a Saturday morning. I mean, if running around, hitting each other with sticks, and fighting over the ball can be considered lazy. In any case, it was a blast.
I've been staying in shape (round is a shape, right?), but admittedly, I haven't been doing the kind of conditioning that I really need to play midfield effectively. Namely, running back and forth and back and forth and back and forth, all at top speed. Right now, it's more like back.....and forth......and rest....and back........and forth.................and so on. Still, I had a ton of fun. My new lacrosse-style sprint workouts will be starting up next week. Lacrosse season's just around the corner, and I want to be ready! Happily, most of the other guys out there were also moaning and groaning, so I wasn't alone. But when the season starts...it's on like Donkey Kong.
So the remainder of today is just a lazy family day. There are videogames to be played, naps to take, and movies to watch. Oh, I might get a burst of energy and clean up the garage, but don't hold your breath.
I've been staying in shape (round is a shape, right?), but admittedly, I haven't been doing the kind of conditioning that I really need to play midfield effectively. Namely, running back and forth and back and forth and back and forth, all at top speed. Right now, it's more like back.....and forth......and rest....and back........and forth.................and so on. Still, I had a ton of fun. My new lacrosse-style sprint workouts will be starting up next week. Lacrosse season's just around the corner, and I want to be ready! Happily, most of the other guys out there were also moaning and groaning, so I wasn't alone. But when the season starts...it's on like Donkey Kong.
So the remainder of today is just a lazy family day. There are videogames to be played, naps to take, and movies to watch. Oh, I might get a burst of energy and clean up the garage, but don't hold your breath.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Thinking, cleaning, scooting.
Starting at Halloween (my birthday), I tend to get very introspective around the holidays. Thanksgiving is here, and the Christmas holidays (Yule, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, etc.) aren't far behind. I have a ton for which I'm thankful...a fabulous family, a wonderful life, fantastic friends...the list goes on. My thoughts tend to wander towards what has happened throughout the year, and what we can make of the one that's rapidly approaching.
As my readers know, I lost my father this year. He and I were close, in our own way. Weeks would go by in which we didn't even talk on the phone, but when we did, it was always great. I've been thinking a lot about him, and what his life and death mean to me. Since he passed, I've been generally more productive in most of the important areas of my life. I've trained more consistently, followed up on more annoying little chores and tasks than usual, and I've found myself adding just a wee bit more effort to everything I do. I've said that I want to live a life that would make him proud, but in retrospect, I've already been doing that. Still, I suppose that I feel that there's always been room for improvement, and that Dad's pleased with the way I've picked up my pace on the everyday things around here.
I'm driving his scooter around here and there. It's got an inspection sticker now, and I'm anxiously awaiting papers from the dealer so I can get license plates. It's funny, but I'm pretty sure that it's always going to be 'Dad's scooter', rather than mine. And I plan to take damn good care of the thing, too.
This morning, one of Christina's cousins had suggested that we work out together, and I offered to open up my school so that we'd have a good place to train. 7am comes pretty darned early during the Thanksgiving break, but I'm sooooo glad I let Lee talk me into it. We had a fabulous little Crossfit workout, and it started my day off with a BANG. Upon arriving at home, I hustled out to the shed (the one that my father, Uncle Robert, and I built) and started cleaning it out...I knew I had less than an hour before the trash guys would show up, and I needed to make space for the scooter. It's amazing what a person can do when they're motivated! I had my way-cool Bluetooth headphones on (and yes, Cathy Dennis, Kelly Clarkson, and Olivia Newton-John were helping me clean the shed), a bandanna over my mouth and nose, and I was dragging stuff out of there like it was on fire. I had to finish at around 9am so I'd still have time to get ready for a family event today, and the trash guys came right on schedule. By the time they pulled the garbage truck around the corner, there was a decent pile of junk on the curb for them to take away. Mission accomplished: the scooter is now happily sheltered in the shed that Dad built.
In the middle of this process, I stumbled across something that I had thought lost forever. I moved a box of old books, and saw a shiny, orange sphere nestled in the space behind the box...it was Dad's old helmet. Many of you may recall that my father built and flew an experimental motorized hang-glider back in the early 80's, and this was the helmet he picked out to protect his noggin.
I was just a kid back then, and I remember Dad laughing with Mom about what to call his fledgling company (which was nothing more than an excuse to buy and build a glider and write if off his taxes. Genius!), and he suggested "Buzzard Aircraft". Mom had a fit, and wouldn't allow it, so he settled on "Mac's Aviation" instead. He placed an ad in the local phone book, and I still remember the business phone number that he had installed in the kitchen: 409 849 3840. As a present, I painstakingly used pieces of masking tape to write the word BUZZARD on one side of that helmet. And he actually left it on there. I later used that same helmet to ride in motocross races with my brother, so I took the tape off.
This morning, so many years later, I picked up the helmet and was sad to see how the interior had nearly fallen apart. It looked like an old car's headliner that droops. The outside was just as solid as ever, though. I ran my fingers over its smooth surface, and suddenly found a rough spot. Upon closer inspection, I could still see the B..U..Z..Z.. in tape residue on that one side. And somehow, I knew that Dad's laughing with me, wherever he is.
Anyway, I'm off to start organizing the garage. Or maybe I'll take the scooter out to the video store...I'm still not quite sure what I want to do, but I know that I want to do something. In either case, I'm feeling extremely grateful for all of my many blessings, and I'm looking forward to a happy holiday season.
By the way, there's a lacrosse scrimmage tomorrow...wish me luck!!!
As my readers know, I lost my father this year. He and I were close, in our own way. Weeks would go by in which we didn't even talk on the phone, but when we did, it was always great. I've been thinking a lot about him, and what his life and death mean to me. Since he passed, I've been generally more productive in most of the important areas of my life. I've trained more consistently, followed up on more annoying little chores and tasks than usual, and I've found myself adding just a wee bit more effort to everything I do. I've said that I want to live a life that would make him proud, but in retrospect, I've already been doing that. Still, I suppose that I feel that there's always been room for improvement, and that Dad's pleased with the way I've picked up my pace on the everyday things around here.
I'm driving his scooter around here and there. It's got an inspection sticker now, and I'm anxiously awaiting papers from the dealer so I can get license plates. It's funny, but I'm pretty sure that it's always going to be 'Dad's scooter', rather than mine. And I plan to take damn good care of the thing, too.
This morning, one of Christina's cousins had suggested that we work out together, and I offered to open up my school so that we'd have a good place to train. 7am comes pretty darned early during the Thanksgiving break, but I'm sooooo glad I let Lee talk me into it. We had a fabulous little Crossfit workout, and it started my day off with a BANG. Upon arriving at home, I hustled out to the shed (the one that my father, Uncle Robert, and I built) and started cleaning it out...I knew I had less than an hour before the trash guys would show up, and I needed to make space for the scooter. It's amazing what a person can do when they're motivated! I had my way-cool Bluetooth headphones on (and yes, Cathy Dennis, Kelly Clarkson, and Olivia Newton-John were helping me clean the shed), a bandanna over my mouth and nose, and I was dragging stuff out of there like it was on fire. I had to finish at around 9am so I'd still have time to get ready for a family event today, and the trash guys came right on schedule. By the time they pulled the garbage truck around the corner, there was a decent pile of junk on the curb for them to take away. Mission accomplished: the scooter is now happily sheltered in the shed that Dad built.
In the middle of this process, I stumbled across something that I had thought lost forever. I moved a box of old books, and saw a shiny, orange sphere nestled in the space behind the box...it was Dad's old helmet. Many of you may recall that my father built and flew an experimental motorized hang-glider back in the early 80's, and this was the helmet he picked out to protect his noggin.
I was just a kid back then, and I remember Dad laughing with Mom about what to call his fledgling company (which was nothing more than an excuse to buy and build a glider and write if off his taxes. Genius!), and he suggested "Buzzard Aircraft". Mom had a fit, and wouldn't allow it, so he settled on "Mac's Aviation" instead. He placed an ad in the local phone book, and I still remember the business phone number that he had installed in the kitchen: 409 849 3840. As a present, I painstakingly used pieces of masking tape to write the word BUZZARD on one side of that helmet. And he actually left it on there. I later used that same helmet to ride in motocross races with my brother, so I took the tape off.
This morning, so many years later, I picked up the helmet and was sad to see how the interior had nearly fallen apart. It looked like an old car's headliner that droops. The outside was just as solid as ever, though. I ran my fingers over its smooth surface, and suddenly found a rough spot. Upon closer inspection, I could still see the B..U..Z..Z.. in tape residue on that one side. And somehow, I knew that Dad's laughing with me, wherever he is.
Anyway, I'm off to start organizing the garage. Or maybe I'll take the scooter out to the video store...I'm still not quite sure what I want to do, but I know that I want to do something. In either case, I'm feeling extremely grateful for all of my many blessings, and I'm looking forward to a happy holiday season.
By the way, there's a lacrosse scrimmage tomorrow...wish me luck!!!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
The Scooter is Here!!!
I got the call last Saturday night. The driver said that they were nearing Texas, and would roll through Katy at around 4am, and my scooter was safe and sound. I was pretty excited, so I didn't sleep much as I waited for them to arrive. After an extremely long night, they finally called at around 7:30am. Groggy as I was, I was totally pumped to finally take possession of Dad's scooter. At last!
In the few days I've had it, I've driven it several times...around the subdivision, to the soccer fields, to the video store on the corner, that sort of thing. It's already listed on our insurance, and I got it inspected today, so it's practically street legal. I'm awaiting the certificate of origin and other papers that should come in the mail so that I can get it registered here in Texas and get some license plates on it.
Mom seems pleased that it finally showed up, and says that Dad's probably smiling and chuckling at me every time I ride it. That makes me happy...thinking that Dad would enjoy me riding on 'his' scooter. I'm planning to take care of it and ride it for as long as it'll keep on rolling.
My Dad was a kart racer back in his day. He once told me that he finally quit when the race officials started making rules about the karts being a certain weight. "We had been doing everything we could think of to make those things lighter, and then they go and tell us to make 'em heavier...that's just stupid!" I'm sure there was a lot more to it than that, but that's all he told me me back then. He had at least 20 trophies from races he'd won. Oddly, I never thought about that fact when he finally bought me a go-kart from Sears when I was a kid. In my hometown of Angleton, we had a massive back yard, and I had an oval track back there...I drove the crap out of that orange and white kart. If I recall correctly, I named it "The Spider", and I painted the name on its front. He used to sit in his lawn chair out there and just watch me go around and around that track. Sometimes, I'd go the other way...just for the fun of it. And he just watched. I never thought about how cool that must have been for him.
Well...I'm hoping he's getting a good laugh out of this whole scooter saga. I'm kind of a stout guy, so I kind of spill over the sides of that little thing. Even so, it uses very little gas, and will get me most places around town, so I'm really excited to start using it as often as possible.
Thanks for the scooter, Dad. It's pretty darned cool. And the Monkey loves it too.
In the few days I've had it, I've driven it several times...around the subdivision, to the soccer fields, to the video store on the corner, that sort of thing. It's already listed on our insurance, and I got it inspected today, so it's practically street legal. I'm awaiting the certificate of origin and other papers that should come in the mail so that I can get it registered here in Texas and get some license plates on it.
Mom seems pleased that it finally showed up, and says that Dad's probably smiling and chuckling at me every time I ride it. That makes me happy...thinking that Dad would enjoy me riding on 'his' scooter. I'm planning to take care of it and ride it for as long as it'll keep on rolling.
My Dad was a kart racer back in his day. He once told me that he finally quit when the race officials started making rules about the karts being a certain weight. "We had been doing everything we could think of to make those things lighter, and then they go and tell us to make 'em heavier...that's just stupid!" I'm sure there was a lot more to it than that, but that's all he told me me back then. He had at least 20 trophies from races he'd won. Oddly, I never thought about that fact when he finally bought me a go-kart from Sears when I was a kid. In my hometown of Angleton, we had a massive back yard, and I had an oval track back there...I drove the crap out of that orange and white kart. If I recall correctly, I named it "The Spider", and I painted the name on its front. He used to sit in his lawn chair out there and just watch me go around and around that track. Sometimes, I'd go the other way...just for the fun of it. And he just watched. I never thought about how cool that must have been for him.
Well...I'm hoping he's getting a good laugh out of this whole scooter saga. I'm kind of a stout guy, so I kind of spill over the sides of that little thing. Even so, it uses very little gas, and will get me most places around town, so I'm really excited to start using it as often as possible.
Thanks for the scooter, Dad. It's pretty darned cool. And the Monkey loves it too.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Weekend Happenings
It was a busy weekend around here...Saturday, we held our first Jade Mountain Juniors Tournament, where our junior students competed in Hand Forms, Weapons, Sword Sparring, and Sparring. Then yesterday, we had a little "Welcome and Congratulations!" party for Larry Escher. It was more or less a surprise.
Saturday, we had all hands on deck as we set up chairs, readied our scorecards, and double-checked the competitor lists. A minor snag...the fantastic certificates had the wrong wording, and Larry hustled off to get that fixed. When he returned, the certificates were even better than before! We set up the judges table on one side of the mat and placed the four judges chairs in a square so that the kids would have plenty of room to perform. The school filled up quickly, and things got underway more or less on time.
All of us were really pleased with the way that every single student showed a significant improvement on their technique in every event. Wow! Many were very nervous about their first tournament, and most were really excited! Everyone did well, and we had a blast.
The sparring was quite thrilling...nothing like watching a couple of 8-year-olds kick the crap out of each other! As usual, the littlest students were the most aggressive, and even my nephew (who is the least combative person I've ever met in my life) bravely stood his ground against a larger opponent, and gave a good account of himself. He proudly showed off his scrapes and bruises later as badges of courage. In fact, I think they may the the first scrapes and bruises that he's ever had! Now, he's looking forward to sparring with a lot more enthusiasm, and we're all proud of him.
One of our policies at JMMA is that you actually do need to show that you know, and can perform, your skills. We think that it's important to challenge our students, and let them know when they are doing well, and also when they need to apply themselves and get serious about their training. There were some students who surprised themselves (and others) by winning their divisions, while others were astonished to find that they did not. Such reality checks are necessary, and help the students grow. Attitude is everything, and we hope that some of our slackers will pick up the pace now that they know what slacking gets them.
Overall, the tournament was a ton of fun, and we're already looking forward to the next one, which will most likely be in February. I must thank all of our folks who came in to help us pull this thing off...they were fantastic!!
Afterwards, we all went to Wild Wings (or Wild Things, as some of us call it) for dinner, and I informed Larry that he was to be at my house the next day at 11:30am. He asked why, and I told him "Because I said so." He started to protest, and I Dog-Whispered him into silence. You see, I'm no good at setting up a pretense. I had no idea what I could have said to get him to come to his own surprise party. So I didn't say anything...I just insisted that he show up with no explanation whatsoever. Amazingly, it worked.
So we all met at Amy's house on Sunday, and I managed to get Larry there as well. SURPRISE! I hope he enjoyed it. There were even cupcakes that said "CONGRATULATIONS SIFU LARRY JMMA" I ate 4 of them. Did I mention that Renee made her mushrooms? I had 4 of those, too. We all ate, had fun, and laughed a lot as we officially welcomed Larry to Jade Mountain, and congratulated him for being one of only 3 people in the United States to complete the first IKMF Civilian Instructor Course under the fabulous Eyal Yanilov.
So...that was the weekend. I'm finally about 90% over my cold/snot/cough thingy, so I'm getting back to training today. Christina's still feeling crappy, so I'm sending her to the the doctor today. And the Monkey is back at school. His birthday is this week...how in the world did 7 years go by this fast? Wow.
Have a great day, folks. Hug someone you love...and maybe pat them on the behind if you're in that kind of mood.
Saturday, we had all hands on deck as we set up chairs, readied our scorecards, and double-checked the competitor lists. A minor snag...the fantastic certificates had the wrong wording, and Larry hustled off to get that fixed. When he returned, the certificates were even better than before! We set up the judges table on one side of the mat and placed the four judges chairs in a square so that the kids would have plenty of room to perform. The school filled up quickly, and things got underway more or less on time.
All of us were really pleased with the way that every single student showed a significant improvement on their technique in every event. Wow! Many were very nervous about their first tournament, and most were really excited! Everyone did well, and we had a blast.
The sparring was quite thrilling...nothing like watching a couple of 8-year-olds kick the crap out of each other! As usual, the littlest students were the most aggressive, and even my nephew (who is the least combative person I've ever met in my life) bravely stood his ground against a larger opponent, and gave a good account of himself. He proudly showed off his scrapes and bruises later as badges of courage. In fact, I think they may the the first scrapes and bruises that he's ever had! Now, he's looking forward to sparring with a lot more enthusiasm, and we're all proud of him.
One of our policies at JMMA is that you actually do need to show that you know, and can perform, your skills. We think that it's important to challenge our students, and let them know when they are doing well, and also when they need to apply themselves and get serious about their training. There were some students who surprised themselves (and others) by winning their divisions, while others were astonished to find that they did not. Such reality checks are necessary, and help the students grow. Attitude is everything, and we hope that some of our slackers will pick up the pace now that they know what slacking gets them.
Overall, the tournament was a ton of fun, and we're already looking forward to the next one, which will most likely be in February. I must thank all of our folks who came in to help us pull this thing off...they were fantastic!!
Afterwards, we all went to Wild Wings (or Wild Things, as some of us call it) for dinner, and I informed Larry that he was to be at my house the next day at 11:30am. He asked why, and I told him "Because I said so." He started to protest, and I Dog-Whispered him into silence. You see, I'm no good at setting up a pretense. I had no idea what I could have said to get him to come to his own surprise party. So I didn't say anything...I just insisted that he show up with no explanation whatsoever. Amazingly, it worked.
So we all met at Amy's house on Sunday, and I managed to get Larry there as well. SURPRISE! I hope he enjoyed it. There were even cupcakes that said "CONGRATULATIONS SIFU LARRY JMMA" I ate 4 of them. Did I mention that Renee made her mushrooms? I had 4 of those, too. We all ate, had fun, and laughed a lot as we officially welcomed Larry to Jade Mountain, and congratulated him for being one of only 3 people in the United States to complete the first IKMF Civilian Instructor Course under the fabulous Eyal Yanilov.
So...that was the weekend. I'm finally about 90% over my cold/snot/cough thingy, so I'm getting back to training today. Christina's still feeling crappy, so I'm sending her to the the doctor today. And the Monkey is back at school. His birthday is this week...how in the world did 7 years go by this fast? Wow.
Have a great day, folks. Hug someone you love...and maybe pat them on the behind if you're in that kind of mood.
Saturday, November 08, 2008
Just a Quick Update...(cough! ack! sniff!)
Today's going to be busy, in spite of the fact that everyone's sick around here. I'm still sounding like I've had too much whiskey (it's actually snot that I've got too much of), Christina's also full of snot, and Monkey...well, he's more or less fine, but he was puking his guts out yesterday. I feel pretty well, but I'll be thrilled to finally have my voice back, and not have to cough up gunk every few minutes.
Monkey's Grandma in Indiana sent him some way cool Star Wars stuff for his birthday, and he's sitting in there right now, playing a Star Wars videogame with his Clone Trooper Helmet on. That's just how he rolls. He's much better today.
Mom was also kind enough to include a ton of Dad's old badges and licenses in Monkey's birthday package. Some of them stretch back many years, and it was great to see Dad's face on each and every one...with the same, goofy expression on each. I love you Dad, but you never were good at taking pictures.
Today is our first Jade Mountain Junior Tournament. Everyone is competing, and we're looking forward to it. There are 20 juniors competing, and so we'll be hosting them and their families at our school for a few hours while they compete in hand forms, weapons forms, and sparring. It should be a hoot!
My nephew Jacob will be competing for the first time. He's not exactly the most aggressive character I've ever seen, and we were all wondering how he'd react to sparring for the first time. I must say that we were thrilled to see that he stood right in there and took those punches like a little warrior. Now we'll see if we can teach him to fight back more effectively. ;-)
Well, I'd better get dressed. It's going to be a long, interesting day!
Monkey's Grandma in Indiana sent him some way cool Star Wars stuff for his birthday, and he's sitting in there right now, playing a Star Wars videogame with his Clone Trooper Helmet on. That's just how he rolls. He's much better today.
Mom was also kind enough to include a ton of Dad's old badges and licenses in Monkey's birthday package. Some of them stretch back many years, and it was great to see Dad's face on each and every one...with the same, goofy expression on each. I love you Dad, but you never were good at taking pictures.
Today is our first Jade Mountain Junior Tournament. Everyone is competing, and we're looking forward to it. There are 20 juniors competing, and so we'll be hosting them and their families at our school for a few hours while they compete in hand forms, weapons forms, and sparring. It should be a hoot!
My nephew Jacob will be competing for the first time. He's not exactly the most aggressive character I've ever seen, and we were all wondering how he'd react to sparring for the first time. I must say that we were thrilled to see that he stood right in there and took those punches like a little warrior. Now we'll see if we can teach him to fight back more effectively. ;-)
Well, I'd better get dressed. It's going to be a long, interesting day!
Monday, November 03, 2008
It's Definitely a Monday...
I've been fighting with various drainage and sinus issues all weekend, and last night was definitely not a good night. I think I slept about 2 hours or so...just could not get to sleep with all this snot rattling around in my upper chest. I took some time off today to rest and medicate myself, and I'm planning on sucking it up for evening classes tonight. It's not like I've got a fever and major illness, but I still feel like crap.
I've picked someone to bring my scooter out here from Maryland. We still need to finalize some details, but hopefully, this will end up with my tooling around the neighborhood on my stylin' red machine. Fingers crossed.
My dear friend Larry is finishing up his final certification session in California today, and I'm thrilled for him. It's been no easy task, that's for sure. In addition to bum ankle he picked up along the way, he's also received several contusions and abrasions, scratches on his face, a tweaked wrist, and a pulled calf muscle. Man, talk about the red badge of courage! It'll be great to have him back, and he's bringing Eyal Yanilov with him! Wednesday night, we'll be hosting a Krav Maga seminar at Jade Mountain taught by the man himself!! I'm looking forward to it with great anticipation. Let's hope that I don't cough my junk all over everyone in attendance.
After that, there's not much to report. I've enjoyed reading the books Christina got me for my berfday, and I've eaten amazingly little candy this year. Really. So I'm just looking forward to ridding myself of this cough-and-spit routine so I can get back to working out like a crazy man.
Have a great Monday, folks.
I've picked someone to bring my scooter out here from Maryland. We still need to finalize some details, but hopefully, this will end up with my tooling around the neighborhood on my stylin' red machine. Fingers crossed.
My dear friend Larry is finishing up his final certification session in California today, and I'm thrilled for him. It's been no easy task, that's for sure. In addition to bum ankle he picked up along the way, he's also received several contusions and abrasions, scratches on his face, a tweaked wrist, and a pulled calf muscle. Man, talk about the red badge of courage! It'll be great to have him back, and he's bringing Eyal Yanilov with him! Wednesday night, we'll be hosting a Krav Maga seminar at Jade Mountain taught by the man himself!! I'm looking forward to it with great anticipation. Let's hope that I don't cough my junk all over everyone in attendance.
After that, there's not much to report. I've enjoyed reading the books Christina got me for my berfday, and I've eaten amazingly little candy this year. Really. So I'm just looking forward to ridding myself of this cough-and-spit routine so I can get back to working out like a crazy man.
Have a great Monday, folks.
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