January 26/14
I made a vow to myself back on the 1st that I'd post more often and try to expand the topic base but than reality made an appearance and reminded me that sometimes the best laid plans have to be put aside when something else comes up.
I've literally spent the last few weeks helping my son prepare for some tests he missed when he was down in Mexico with his mom just prior to Christmas. Add those to some confusion at work about some system integrations and now end of term exams are coming up and I haven't had a moment to myself until this weekend.
I spend yesterday running some errands, getting a couple of new books, seeing the new Kevin Costner and Chris Pine action thriller "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit", and finally ending the day watching my son's bantam hockey team lose a close one.
Today has been a lazy day...didn't wake up until almost 11 and that was only because Moki kept nudging my hand so I'd wake up and take her for a walk lol
The rest of the day has been spent setting up the new 25" monitor I got for my son and taking his old one for a second monitor on my home system, researching some new music, and basically just relaxing.
I sort of lost track of the blog but did get a couple of messages asking me what was going on and even a text from the divine Miss L checking on me to make sure I was still around.
Rest assured cruel world it will take far more than you've dished out to get rid of me.
I've still got to walk my daughter down the aisle, watch my son graduate high school, experience my last first kiss, and see if any other coach can take away the league trophy my sons soccer teams have won for the past 2 seasons...........lol
So here is my promise to you the faithful readers - I will blog at least 2 times per week or else you can beat me silly with a pillowcase filled with goose down.
Stay tuned for the first new blog of 2014
Until than I offer up a new band that a friend introduced me to on her Facebook profile, tell me who they remind you of and lets see if we match - I'll update who they remind me of on Wednesday :)
Lake Street Dive performing "I Want You Back"
http://www.wimp.com/thatvoice/
So stay safe, stay warm, and play fair :)
Marcus
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Monday, January 6, 2014
Sometimes a simple compliment goes a long way
January 6/13
It is currently 1:05 AM and I'm still up trying to get some cash flow forecasts done for work and submission to the new corporate overlords later this morning.
Now many might ask why I didn't work on these over the weekend and that would have been optimal but my son is facing two key tests this week in science and math so we've spent the weekend working on that and I put off this task until after he went to bed.
I could have run into the office earlier and run my data dumps but my son asked me if I wanted to watch a movie with him since we hardly got to spend any "real" time together given all the math he was doing, and by extension I was doing as well lol.
So we watched a couple of the Walking Dead and spent a couple of hours just chatting and goofing around - the perfect end to a very long weekend for both of us.
Now when he got ready for bed he did something he hasn't done in almost a year and asked me if I'd rub his back as he fell asleep. How could I refuse this request as it brings back so many awesome memories of him as a little guy all snuggled up and slowly drifting off to sleep as he got either his mom or I to rub his back - this trait must be in my kids DNA as his sister was the exact same way when she was little.
As he lay there he smiled up at me so I leaned over and kissed the top of his head and told him how proud I was of him for all the work he put in this weekend getting ready for the tests and his response was to smile even more. I walked to the door and went to leave his room to get started on my own work when he rolled over and said the following to me "Dad, when you tell me things like that it really gives me a boost inside, thank you" and than rolled back over and snuggled down under the covers.
Now I don't know about you but hearing things like that from my children always makes me feel a tear as my only job in life is to get them ready for life and make sure they feel good inside about themselves. Based on this comment and one his sister made to me on Christmas day as we waited for several hours in the Queensway Carleton emergency room to get her hands looked at really made me realize that while there are times I may not feel like I'm getting ahead in life, especially in my search for the one, I'm far more successful in the parent department than I ever thought possible.
It is easy to verbalize when we don't like something our kids have said or done but the energy it takes to do that far surpasses that required to say "Great job", "Well done", "I knew you could do it" and the feelings you'll impart to them will pay dividends down the road far more than any investment you'll make.
I wish my own parents had been as quick to praise as they were to condemn when I was growing up. Maybe that is why from day one my approach to parenting been to take the opposite tact from what I think my parents would have done in a similar situation.
I challenge each of you to try this with your own kids and should you not have any at home, than try it with your partner or a co-worker, bet the results make you feel good inside.
Marcus
It is currently 1:05 AM and I'm still up trying to get some cash flow forecasts done for work and submission to the new corporate overlords later this morning.
Now many might ask why I didn't work on these over the weekend and that would have been optimal but my son is facing two key tests this week in science and math so we've spent the weekend working on that and I put off this task until after he went to bed.
I could have run into the office earlier and run my data dumps but my son asked me if I wanted to watch a movie with him since we hardly got to spend any "real" time together given all the math he was doing, and by extension I was doing as well lol.
So we watched a couple of the Walking Dead and spent a couple of hours just chatting and goofing around - the perfect end to a very long weekend for both of us.
Now when he got ready for bed he did something he hasn't done in almost a year and asked me if I'd rub his back as he fell asleep. How could I refuse this request as it brings back so many awesome memories of him as a little guy all snuggled up and slowly drifting off to sleep as he got either his mom or I to rub his back - this trait must be in my kids DNA as his sister was the exact same way when she was little.
As he lay there he smiled up at me so I leaned over and kissed the top of his head and told him how proud I was of him for all the work he put in this weekend getting ready for the tests and his response was to smile even more. I walked to the door and went to leave his room to get started on my own work when he rolled over and said the following to me "Dad, when you tell me things like that it really gives me a boost inside, thank you" and than rolled back over and snuggled down under the covers.
Now I don't know about you but hearing things like that from my children always makes me feel a tear as my only job in life is to get them ready for life and make sure they feel good inside about themselves. Based on this comment and one his sister made to me on Christmas day as we waited for several hours in the Queensway Carleton emergency room to get her hands looked at really made me realize that while there are times I may not feel like I'm getting ahead in life, especially in my search for the one, I'm far more successful in the parent department than I ever thought possible.
It is easy to verbalize when we don't like something our kids have said or done but the energy it takes to do that far surpasses that required to say "Great job", "Well done", "I knew you could do it" and the feelings you'll impart to them will pay dividends down the road far more than any investment you'll make.
I wish my own parents had been as quick to praise as they were to condemn when I was growing up. Maybe that is why from day one my approach to parenting been to take the opposite tact from what I think my parents would have done in a similar situation.
I challenge each of you to try this with your own kids and should you not have any at home, than try it with your partner or a co-worker, bet the results make you feel good inside.
Marcus
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