Blessed to Write

Today was a good day.  It was productive.  I got a lot done, but the day was not full of intensity.  There was nothing spectacular.  Nothing unusual.  Just a day.  Nothing really to write about.

I was stymied in terms of writing my daily blog.  Then I got to thinking how fortunate I am.  I get to write.  Write for pure enjoyment.  Write on my own small stage.  Write where I can receive instant feedback.  Write, because I have the luxury to write.  I can afford to write.  Write for fun.

Yes, one hundred years ago, after a day in the factory or fields, they were lucky to write.  Write in the solitude of a diary.  Lucky if they had some pleasant distraction to write about.  Pleasant distractions that I write about daily from my air conditioned house.

I write, because I am blessed.  Blessed with an opportunity to write.  Write for the love of writing.

 

Stay After School

Attending my son’s High School open house, I reflected on what a well-behaved and good student I was.  I was sort of like this…

Okay, so all that was a lie, but I did actually attend my son’s High School open house.

During the math teacher’s presentation, he encouraged us to purchase a certain type of graphing calculator and said with a straight face, “They make a great Christmas gift.”  I took this photo of the calculator so that I would remember the brand to purchase.

Then about an hour later, it hit me.  Calculator?  Christmas gift?  How ridiculous is that proposed pairing?  How horrible is it that it took me an hour to make fun of the suggestion?

Ugh, seems as if my smart ass tendencies have really lost a step since High School.  Oh well, at least I have grown more handsome over time.  #MoreLies

Bonus Content – Hey, you’ve read this far, you deserve more.  Here’s a highlight from earlier this Summer.  A photo of my success at “Adult Tetris” – i.e. packing the car for a weekend at the lake.

 

I’m so Swift

Never have co-workers pulled off such a wondrous literary stunt.

Arriving to my cube on my birthday, I found a world of tiny ballplayers on the floor.  Gulliver would have been proud, as I dodged the Lilliputian ballplayers under foot.  Play ball and be very careful where you step!

Plus, they observed that my microwave popcorn expired on June 23, 1904!  Now, those are preservatives.

 

 

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23 and Me

Middle Age, plus birthdays, can lead to reflection.  Say for instance, today I turned 46.  Now, I am pretty optimistic, but 92 seems like it would be an overestimate for me.  Ugh, seems like I am technically past middle age.

Then, the optimism started to bubble up, again.  Half of 46 is 23.  Yep, I have lived 23 years twice.  What a blessing.  Both chunks were really nice.  The first 23 was full of youthful fun, baseball, and college.  The next 23 was filled with career, marriage, children, cookies, more baseball, and much more fun.  23+23 has been really nice.  That is it, you convinced me.  The optimism found victory over the past middle age realization.  Where is the contract?  Sign me up for another 23.

 

I must say, I look pretty good for 46.

“…If I had the chance to do it all again, I wouldn’t change a stroke.
Cause baby I’m the most
With a girl as fine as she was then.”
– Prince, Raspberry Beret

 

“…you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife, and you may ask yourself, ‘Well, how did I get here?’
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down.
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground.
Into the blue again after the money’s gone.
Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground.”
– Talking Heads, Once in a Lifetime

 

 

Find Your Peach Sweet Spot

For tonight’s post, look to this bowl of peaches.  Perfect and sweet, right at this very moment.  Perfect, just like you.

Want to know a secret?  You are special.  No, I really mean it.

At this very moment, you are at a sweet spot in life.  You are at your best, the best you can possibly be at something.  Your challenge is to figure it out.  Figure it out and embrace it.

At this moment, you are indeed special, now go out and show off your gift to the world.  The world will smile with you.

 

Catch the Jealousy

Earlier today at work, I was playing Frisbee with my friend, Hoang.  Okay, please just do not ask why I was playing Frisbee at work.  Honest, it was permitted.  Just do not ask.

Back and forth, we threw the disc.  We were even getting pretty good.  So good that we started to get comfortable experimenting.  Left-handed catch?  No problem.  Kick up with a foot and then catch?  That will take a few tries.

Next, it was my turn to catch again.  This time (completely by accident), I caught the Frisbee in the crook of my arm.  Impressed, Hoang observed, “You caught that with your bicep!”

Do not worry, it is okay to be jealous.

 

Not so Sharp

Shopping for oldest child’s Kindergarten school supply list = only fresh supplies will do.

Flash forward nine years…

Shopping for third child’s Fourth Grade school supply list = “Go down in the basement and look around.  I’m sure we have some colored pencils that aren’t broken somewhere down there.”

 

Man, Mixer, Mission