Sunday, March 16/14
Spent last week down in Orlando with my son for March Break and had a wonderful time.
Not surprisingly I came across a lot of things that gave me fodder for the blog and am in the middle of going through the notes on my tablet about all of them before adding some new posts.
In the meantime please enjoy this little quote I came across this morning while reading an email on a dating site :-)
"Later that day, I got to thinking about relationships.
There are those that open you up to something new and exotic.
Those that are old and familiar.
Those that bring up lots of questions.
Those that bring you somewhere unexpected.
Those that bring you far from where you started.
And those that bring you back.
But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all
is the one you have with yourself.
And if you find someone to love the you, you love...
Well, that's just fabulous"
So very true.........
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Music, hockey, and school
Sunday, March 02/14
New musical suggestion for today.......Beck's "Morning"
What a long weekend this has been.
I have my son and it feels like it has been ages since he was over due to the SAP training I was going through the past few weeks.
Friday was the start of a hockey tournament put on by the KMHA to benefit the Youth Services Bureau to assist kids in need for any variety of reasons. Because we are a local team we ended up playing 2 of our initial games on Friday so that meant missed school - not a big deal when the lads were in grade school but more of an issue now that they are in high school. Needless to say, my son was quite happy to be off and have me taking him to the games.
On the way to the 9 AM game he plugged his iPhone into the USB jack in my car and proceeded to blow my socks off with the songs he downloaded and has been listening to the past couple of weeks. He started off with Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall", moved onto some "Jump" by Van Halen, transitioned to Queens "Bohemian Rhapsody", moved onto Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven, Toto's "Africa", and ended with The Rolling Stones "You can't always get what you want".......
My son has been a very welcome source of new music for me over the years and it was pretty cool to see him discovering some of the classics from my own youth. We've been doing the same with movies over the last couple of months with viewings of "The Breakfast Club", "The Outsiders", St. Elmo's Fire", and next up is "Sixteen Candles" when we get back from March break.
Friday's morning game against WEHL went pretty much like most of his teams games have gone this season. They started off playing on their heals, gave up an early goal, slowly fought back to get it all even, and than had a mental breakdown to allow the winning goal to be scored with less than a minute. The end result didn't bother him all that much as he said he thought West End played the better game and deserved the win.
We went home as our next game wasn't until 1:30 PM and we had to fill out his course form for grade 10 that was due by end of day. I was a little miffed as he was supposed to have done it with his mom Thursday night but she forgot and he knew that we'd do it together on Friday so he wasn't too stressed. For a parent who places a large value on education it sure does seem like I've been the one attending parent teacher meetings and dealing with course selections when it comes to my son where his mom seemed way more involved with our daughter.
As we sat in the kitchen and went over his options he said something that made me sit up and look at him with fresh eyes.......he told me he wanted to take Civics in summer school so he could try and take grade 11 math in the spring and that way have the option of taking both university prep level math courses offered in grade 12. Additionally, he wanted to take another course in French (applied tho and not academic) as well as Italian. I asked him if he understood the course load he was looking at for grade 10 and how much time it would mean with homework and such, he said he wanted to really apply himself so when it came time to select a university he would have options and not be limited to just going to college, even if it meant going away for school. I didn't say anything thinking that I knew the fight that was ahead of us when his mom learned he was thinking of going away to university as she has been very vocal about him staying in Ottawa as she worries he'll go the same route his sister did and party away the first year. I'm not as concerned as I know my kids are blood relatives but worlds different when it comes to sports and school.
Almost as if he was reading my mind he smiled at me and said he knew I'd make it happen if that was what he really wanted..........oh how that boy knows his father....luckily for me I've got a little over a year before I broach that subject with his mom.
I dropped off the forms at his school and took a moment to review them with a counselor and was impressed when he told me that while it was pretty ambitious that he was confident that my son could do it.
When I was fourteen I did everything in my power to avoid taking hard courses and spend as much time thinking about Kelly Davis and Maryanne Meloy as I could get away with.....and here is my son looking to double up his math courses so as to provide himself with options.......
We headed off to the afternoon game against Renfrew, a valley club that usually fields strong teams, and my son said he wasn't looking forward to this game as he knew it wouldn't be pretty.......spoken as if he was prescient as the final was 5-0 with little effort put forth by his team. My son took only his second penalty in his hockey career when he was called for tripping when the player actually just fell over his own stick. As I watched him skate off the ice at the final buzzer I commented to his mom and her boyfriend that it was going to be one quiet ride home for me with him and she laughed and said better me than her.
When he came out of the dressing room I could tell he was really upset and when asked why he responded that a couple of his team wanted to skip shifts as the other team was too fast or pushed too hard, he said he wanted to punch them so hard for being quitters and told them to man up.....his mom made a comment that he needed to go easy as not everyone can be a star all the time........I reached over and took his hockey stick and bag as I sensed something bad was going to happen as he looked so pissed off at her for pretty much blowing off how he felt and making a joke out of it.........I told them I'd meet them at the car and walked off as they were exchanging words,,,,,,her boyfriend walked fast to catch up with me and said he didn't want to be around them as it looked like world war 3 was going to break out. I laughed and said she needed to realize that he wasn't the little boy who didn't care about such things but had grown into a young man who expected people to make an effort.....that while he wasn't as competitive as his sister, thankfully, he was still far more competitive than he admits or his mom cares to acknowledge. As I got to the car and loaded his gear in it I could see her reach out to hug him and him shrug it off......a look of anger cross her face and her tell me to deal with it....I smiled at her and said I totally got where he was coming from and knew he would be fine if left to think things over but the worst thing anyone can ever do to someone who is passionate about a sport is laugh off their concerns/comments.
When we got home he walked to his room and after changing came out and just hugged me....for a long time
He asked me why I got him and his mom didn't and I just smiled and said she did, just in different ways than I did and that's why it is important for him to have both of us in his life.......that she still sees him as that little guy who first played hockey and soccer and would stop in the middle of a game to check to make sure a player on the other team was OK when they fell down whereas he was now more competitive, that I still see him as that little guy when he isn't feeling well and want to do everything in my power to protect my little guy from all the hurt. We both have different views of him and we both need to make some adjustments as I know I drive him nuts with my worrying about him all the time, it leaves him feeling like I picture him as a little kid.....and I do....and I don't.......I see both of those son's and feel sadness as the loss of one and pride at the emergence of the other.
Recently I read somewhere where a person asked another to use three words to describe what was important to them....can't remember the words they replied with but for me they'd be family, faith, and golf.
What three words would describe you?
New musical suggestion for today.......Beck's "Morning"
What a long weekend this has been.
I have my son and it feels like it has been ages since he was over due to the SAP training I was going through the past few weeks.
Friday was the start of a hockey tournament put on by the KMHA to benefit the Youth Services Bureau to assist kids in need for any variety of reasons. Because we are a local team we ended up playing 2 of our initial games on Friday so that meant missed school - not a big deal when the lads were in grade school but more of an issue now that they are in high school. Needless to say, my son was quite happy to be off and have me taking him to the games.
On the way to the 9 AM game he plugged his iPhone into the USB jack in my car and proceeded to blow my socks off with the songs he downloaded and has been listening to the past couple of weeks. He started off with Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall", moved onto some "Jump" by Van Halen, transitioned to Queens "Bohemian Rhapsody", moved onto Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven, Toto's "Africa", and ended with The Rolling Stones "You can't always get what you want".......
My son has been a very welcome source of new music for me over the years and it was pretty cool to see him discovering some of the classics from my own youth. We've been doing the same with movies over the last couple of months with viewings of "The Breakfast Club", "The Outsiders", St. Elmo's Fire", and next up is "Sixteen Candles" when we get back from March break.
Friday's morning game against WEHL went pretty much like most of his teams games have gone this season. They started off playing on their heals, gave up an early goal, slowly fought back to get it all even, and than had a mental breakdown to allow the winning goal to be scored with less than a minute. The end result didn't bother him all that much as he said he thought West End played the better game and deserved the win.
We went home as our next game wasn't until 1:30 PM and we had to fill out his course form for grade 10 that was due by end of day. I was a little miffed as he was supposed to have done it with his mom Thursday night but she forgot and he knew that we'd do it together on Friday so he wasn't too stressed. For a parent who places a large value on education it sure does seem like I've been the one attending parent teacher meetings and dealing with course selections when it comes to my son where his mom seemed way more involved with our daughter.
As we sat in the kitchen and went over his options he said something that made me sit up and look at him with fresh eyes.......he told me he wanted to take Civics in summer school so he could try and take grade 11 math in the spring and that way have the option of taking both university prep level math courses offered in grade 12. Additionally, he wanted to take another course in French (applied tho and not academic) as well as Italian. I asked him if he understood the course load he was looking at for grade 10 and how much time it would mean with homework and such, he said he wanted to really apply himself so when it came time to select a university he would have options and not be limited to just going to college, even if it meant going away for school. I didn't say anything thinking that I knew the fight that was ahead of us when his mom learned he was thinking of going away to university as she has been very vocal about him staying in Ottawa as she worries he'll go the same route his sister did and party away the first year. I'm not as concerned as I know my kids are blood relatives but worlds different when it comes to sports and school.
Almost as if he was reading my mind he smiled at me and said he knew I'd make it happen if that was what he really wanted..........oh how that boy knows his father....luckily for me I've got a little over a year before I broach that subject with his mom.
I dropped off the forms at his school and took a moment to review them with a counselor and was impressed when he told me that while it was pretty ambitious that he was confident that my son could do it.
When I was fourteen I did everything in my power to avoid taking hard courses and spend as much time thinking about Kelly Davis and Maryanne Meloy as I could get away with.....and here is my son looking to double up his math courses so as to provide himself with options.......
We headed off to the afternoon game against Renfrew, a valley club that usually fields strong teams, and my son said he wasn't looking forward to this game as he knew it wouldn't be pretty.......spoken as if he was prescient as the final was 5-0 with little effort put forth by his team. My son took only his second penalty in his hockey career when he was called for tripping when the player actually just fell over his own stick. As I watched him skate off the ice at the final buzzer I commented to his mom and her boyfriend that it was going to be one quiet ride home for me with him and she laughed and said better me than her.
When he came out of the dressing room I could tell he was really upset and when asked why he responded that a couple of his team wanted to skip shifts as the other team was too fast or pushed too hard, he said he wanted to punch them so hard for being quitters and told them to man up.....his mom made a comment that he needed to go easy as not everyone can be a star all the time........I reached over and took his hockey stick and bag as I sensed something bad was going to happen as he looked so pissed off at her for pretty much blowing off how he felt and making a joke out of it.........I told them I'd meet them at the car and walked off as they were exchanging words,,,,,,her boyfriend walked fast to catch up with me and said he didn't want to be around them as it looked like world war 3 was going to break out. I laughed and said she needed to realize that he wasn't the little boy who didn't care about such things but had grown into a young man who expected people to make an effort.....that while he wasn't as competitive as his sister, thankfully, he was still far more competitive than he admits or his mom cares to acknowledge. As I got to the car and loaded his gear in it I could see her reach out to hug him and him shrug it off......a look of anger cross her face and her tell me to deal with it....I smiled at her and said I totally got where he was coming from and knew he would be fine if left to think things over but the worst thing anyone can ever do to someone who is passionate about a sport is laugh off their concerns/comments.
When we got home he walked to his room and after changing came out and just hugged me....for a long time
He asked me why I got him and his mom didn't and I just smiled and said she did, just in different ways than I did and that's why it is important for him to have both of us in his life.......that she still sees him as that little guy who first played hockey and soccer and would stop in the middle of a game to check to make sure a player on the other team was OK when they fell down whereas he was now more competitive, that I still see him as that little guy when he isn't feeling well and want to do everything in my power to protect my little guy from all the hurt. We both have different views of him and we both need to make some adjustments as I know I drive him nuts with my worrying about him all the time, it leaves him feeling like I picture him as a little kid.....and I do....and I don't.......I see both of those son's and feel sadness as the loss of one and pride at the emergence of the other.
Recently I read somewhere where a person asked another to use three words to describe what was important to them....can't remember the words they replied with but for me they'd be family, faith, and golf.
What three words would describe you?
Sunday, February 23, 2014
The hardest trip you'll ever make is.....
Sunday, February 23/14
What an amazing morning I've had. Woke early to take Moki for a walk, came home and made some toast, and ensconced myself on the couch to watch Team Canada take our second gold in hockey with a resounding 3-0 win over Sweden!!
I've been thinking about dating a lot lately, mostly because I was seeing someone from the mid point of January until just this last week when I made the decision that the end result I was hoping to see just wasn't going to happen and it was better to end things now than several months down the road.
Nothing major came up that led me to this decision but more a series of comments or requests that made me realize that the commitment on both sides wasn't really equal.
It also led me to the conclusion that the hardest journey two people will ever make is meeting halfway so that each persons needs are met and mutual happiness achieved.
I am a west end guy and make no bones about it. I bought my place in 2011 for the very specific reason that is was located within the boundaries of the high school my son was starting that fall and thus made it possible for him to bus to my place after school versus me having to pick him up at his moms every day once I was done with work. His going to his moms wasn't an issue for her or me but it just makes me feel better knowing he can get to my place, and a small piece of me thinks it reaffirms for him that my place is as much his home as his moms house is.
The person I was seeing lives downtown and has no children. I was pretty open about my not being open to moving and she seemed to accept that position, least until last week when she started mentioning how her building has 3 bedroom units and maybe we could go and look at one to check out the room sizes. Me being the dense guy I am didn't hear the underlying message she was sending and couldn't understand why she was so surprised when I asked her why she needed such a large place. She was very matter of fact when she told me she wasn't moving from downtown and she couldn't see why I was so locked into living in the west end when buses ran just fine both ways. Her implication was that my son could bus from downtown to school in the morning and back again in the afternoon.
The real kicker here was that we hadn't reached the stage where I was thinking it might be time for her to even meet my kids and here she was trying to get things changed that would have a huge impact on one of them.
As I was trying to explain to her how this wasn't really an option she dropped the other bombshell that if her contract wasn't renewed in August she was thinking of either moving back to Toronto or taking time to do a volunteer mission to Africa. That was pretty much the icing on the cake and I explained how I didn't think things would work for us given our differences on where we should reside in Ottawa let alone on the same continent.
On Thursday I told her I wasn't interested in pursuing things and she said it was probably for the best as my being inflexible about things was really a turn off for her.....that one made me chuckle as I really have bent over backwards to work around her schedule over the past 6 weeks and didn't complain about the 15+ dates we had to cancel or reschedule at the last moment due to her shift work as I understood how important her job was to herself and her clients.
I really am looking to fall in love and will do everything I can to make it possible but somethings just aren't up for negotiation and moving my son ranks at the top of that list.
Am I unreasonable? Guess that is up for debate depending on your thoughts but I'd like to think that anyone I date would understand how much importance I place on family and having stability for them wherever I am concerned.
Marcus
What an amazing morning I've had. Woke early to take Moki for a walk, came home and made some toast, and ensconced myself on the couch to watch Team Canada take our second gold in hockey with a resounding 3-0 win over Sweden!!
I've been thinking about dating a lot lately, mostly because I was seeing someone from the mid point of January until just this last week when I made the decision that the end result I was hoping to see just wasn't going to happen and it was better to end things now than several months down the road.
Nothing major came up that led me to this decision but more a series of comments or requests that made me realize that the commitment on both sides wasn't really equal.
It also led me to the conclusion that the hardest journey two people will ever make is meeting halfway so that each persons needs are met and mutual happiness achieved.
I am a west end guy and make no bones about it. I bought my place in 2011 for the very specific reason that is was located within the boundaries of the high school my son was starting that fall and thus made it possible for him to bus to my place after school versus me having to pick him up at his moms every day once I was done with work. His going to his moms wasn't an issue for her or me but it just makes me feel better knowing he can get to my place, and a small piece of me thinks it reaffirms for him that my place is as much his home as his moms house is.
The person I was seeing lives downtown and has no children. I was pretty open about my not being open to moving and she seemed to accept that position, least until last week when she started mentioning how her building has 3 bedroom units and maybe we could go and look at one to check out the room sizes. Me being the dense guy I am didn't hear the underlying message she was sending and couldn't understand why she was so surprised when I asked her why she needed such a large place. She was very matter of fact when she told me she wasn't moving from downtown and she couldn't see why I was so locked into living in the west end when buses ran just fine both ways. Her implication was that my son could bus from downtown to school in the morning and back again in the afternoon.
The real kicker here was that we hadn't reached the stage where I was thinking it might be time for her to even meet my kids and here she was trying to get things changed that would have a huge impact on one of them.
As I was trying to explain to her how this wasn't really an option she dropped the other bombshell that if her contract wasn't renewed in August she was thinking of either moving back to Toronto or taking time to do a volunteer mission to Africa. That was pretty much the icing on the cake and I explained how I didn't think things would work for us given our differences on where we should reside in Ottawa let alone on the same continent.
On Thursday I told her I wasn't interested in pursuing things and she said it was probably for the best as my being inflexible about things was really a turn off for her.....that one made me chuckle as I really have bent over backwards to work around her schedule over the past 6 weeks and didn't complain about the 15+ dates we had to cancel or reschedule at the last moment due to her shift work as I understood how important her job was to herself and her clients.
I really am looking to fall in love and will do everything I can to make it possible but somethings just aren't up for negotiation and moving my son ranks at the top of that list.
Am I unreasonable? Guess that is up for debate depending on your thoughts but I'd like to think that anyone I date would understand how much importance I place on family and having stability for them wherever I am concerned.
Marcus
Saturday, February 22, 2014
2014 is off to an interesting start
Saturday, February 22/14
"As" by Stevie Wonder
It's been quite sometime since I've posted and I can honestly say I've missed this connection. 2014 has been pretty crazy so far with work, my kids, coaching, and dating. Yes, you heard that correctly, I've been dating the past few weeks, well I should say I'd been dating as things have sort of cooled off the last week or so but that is a post for another day.
Work has gotten interesting on a couple of different fronts as we've lost a couple of people to resignations and transfers, transfers within our Ottawa office as well as back to Amsterdam. Because of these changes we've been trying to re-balance work loads in order to equalize things while still meeting some strict closing deadlines, while still attempting to complete an intensive two weeks of SAP training in anticipation of a go live date set for April 1st. Yes, I've wondered if this will be some huge April fools day joke but am keeping my fingers crossed.
Usually I'm all for learning new things and even more so when it comes to systems and software, as I was when I learned that corporate had designated me as a SAP Super User meaning I would be expected to know all the modules and be able to support all the rest of the users at our location. Sounded pretty good when first described to me in January but not so much these days.
When I mentioned to a friend we were shifting over to SAP from GP Dynamics she pulled my sleeve up on my right arm and asked if I'd penciled the marks yet? I pulled my arm back and asked what marks and she replied the ones showing where to slash my wrists as SAP is no piece of cake. I laughed as I thought she was exaggerating but she just shook her head and said I'd see.......well damn if she wasn't dead on right. After spending 10+ hours per day learning the system over the last two weeks I can honestly say my brain feels like an egg would on a sidewalk in Las Vegas in the middle of August.
Couple this with some major dating drama at work with some co-workers that has every single person in the organization buzzing and my days have been interesting to say the least.
The saving grace has been my daughters soccer team, well more nights than most, as we began the spring season of indoor soccer. After finishing in first place for the fall with an 8-4-3 record there were the usual changes as some players left and new ones arrived to fill the gaps. The core group remained the same and have gotten off to a 3-0-1 start and when push came to shove they showed some mettle by coming back from a 2-0 deficit to earn a draw against an old nemesis in the Kanata Lasers. A game they were literally minutes away from winning but just ran out of the time.
The funny thing is that as good as they've been playing to start the season they've played like crap in the first half of each game, so much so that it has taken a scathing indictment of their skills at halftime to get them back into the games. Before the third game I gathered them around and reminded them they have won 2 of the last 3 titles, know what to do with and without the ball, know each other well enough to know where each person is on the pitch without having to think about it, so how about they start the game with the same determination as they show to start the second half and save me from having to lose it and yell at them.
One of the girls looked me dead in the eye and said "Coach, we know all that but we enjoy you yelling at us as it motivates us to play harder and win" With that they all just smiled at me and went back to warming up so I walked back to the sidelines. When I got there my ex asked me what they said and I just smiled and said they want me to yell as they play harder.....she laughed and went to sit down next to her boyfriend who looked over at me and said "it's true, they do"
Now I don't have any issues getting mad when they play bad as that comes with being a coach, but they shouldn't need it as there isn't a team they cant' beat when they are playing like a "team" in the true sense of the word. But I don't like being known as the coach who is always yelling. It bothers me to have to do that as much as I have, even though the end result has been seeing them take points in 41 of 49 games over the past year and a half.
I think I'm going to try something new on Tuesday and not yell at all. I think I'm going to limit my coaching to calling the substitutions and see what they do. Might serve them well as I'm going to be gone for a key game over March Break and they'll need to coach themselves that week anyways.
I'll let you know next week how that turns out - fingers crossed :-)
Marcus
"As" by Stevie Wonder
It's been quite sometime since I've posted and I can honestly say I've missed this connection. 2014 has been pretty crazy so far with work, my kids, coaching, and dating. Yes, you heard that correctly, I've been dating the past few weeks, well I should say I'd been dating as things have sort of cooled off the last week or so but that is a post for another day.
Work has gotten interesting on a couple of different fronts as we've lost a couple of people to resignations and transfers, transfers within our Ottawa office as well as back to Amsterdam. Because of these changes we've been trying to re-balance work loads in order to equalize things while still meeting some strict closing deadlines, while still attempting to complete an intensive two weeks of SAP training in anticipation of a go live date set for April 1st. Yes, I've wondered if this will be some huge April fools day joke but am keeping my fingers crossed.
Usually I'm all for learning new things and even more so when it comes to systems and software, as I was when I learned that corporate had designated me as a SAP Super User meaning I would be expected to know all the modules and be able to support all the rest of the users at our location. Sounded pretty good when first described to me in January but not so much these days.
When I mentioned to a friend we were shifting over to SAP from GP Dynamics she pulled my sleeve up on my right arm and asked if I'd penciled the marks yet? I pulled my arm back and asked what marks and she replied the ones showing where to slash my wrists as SAP is no piece of cake. I laughed as I thought she was exaggerating but she just shook her head and said I'd see.......well damn if she wasn't dead on right. After spending 10+ hours per day learning the system over the last two weeks I can honestly say my brain feels like an egg would on a sidewalk in Las Vegas in the middle of August.
Couple this with some major dating drama at work with some co-workers that has every single person in the organization buzzing and my days have been interesting to say the least.
The saving grace has been my daughters soccer team, well more nights than most, as we began the spring season of indoor soccer. After finishing in first place for the fall with an 8-4-3 record there were the usual changes as some players left and new ones arrived to fill the gaps. The core group remained the same and have gotten off to a 3-0-1 start and when push came to shove they showed some mettle by coming back from a 2-0 deficit to earn a draw against an old nemesis in the Kanata Lasers. A game they were literally minutes away from winning but just ran out of the time.
The funny thing is that as good as they've been playing to start the season they've played like crap in the first half of each game, so much so that it has taken a scathing indictment of their skills at halftime to get them back into the games. Before the third game I gathered them around and reminded them they have won 2 of the last 3 titles, know what to do with and without the ball, know each other well enough to know where each person is on the pitch without having to think about it, so how about they start the game with the same determination as they show to start the second half and save me from having to lose it and yell at them.
One of the girls looked me dead in the eye and said "Coach, we know all that but we enjoy you yelling at us as it motivates us to play harder and win" With that they all just smiled at me and went back to warming up so I walked back to the sidelines. When I got there my ex asked me what they said and I just smiled and said they want me to yell as they play harder.....she laughed and went to sit down next to her boyfriend who looked over at me and said "it's true, they do"
Now I don't have any issues getting mad when they play bad as that comes with being a coach, but they shouldn't need it as there isn't a team they cant' beat when they are playing like a "team" in the true sense of the word. But I don't like being known as the coach who is always yelling. It bothers me to have to do that as much as I have, even though the end result has been seeing them take points in 41 of 49 games over the past year and a half.
I think I'm going to try something new on Tuesday and not yell at all. I think I'm going to limit my coaching to calling the substitutions and see what they do. Might serve them well as I'm going to be gone for a key game over March Break and they'll need to coach themselves that week anyways.
I'll let you know next week how that turns out - fingers crossed :-)
Marcus
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Sometimes the best laid plans get sidetracked...........
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
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
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
Monday, December 30, 2013
Answers to Proverbs as provided by some 1st graders
December 30/13
My teacher friend L sent me this last night and thought I might get a kick out of it - I did and thought I'd share with all of you.......pretty cool answers when you consider the ages of the kids :)
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Tough time of year for many people
Dec 29/13
I know from personal experience that the holiday season coupled with dark days related to winter can be emotionally and mentally draining for some people.
For me it is the fact that my mom was born Christmas day and my kids are with me for half the day make things a tad bit rougher to handle. Well, they used to be hard to take but for some reason this season has been easier to handle. Can't quite put my hand directly on what is different this year over years past but I don't have that dark feeling hanging over my head.
I know from previous seasons how hard it was and it really impacted my ability to interact with people and I was not really all that fun to be around. My ex and kids did their best to help me deal with it and I think that was one factor that made it bearable.
As someone who has gone through these dark days I implore you to talk to someone if you are feeling down in any way, shape, or form. There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking out help, it does not make you any less of a person or parent, in fact I think it makes you a better person, being able to recognize that things might be getting out of hand and being strong enough to do something about it is the greatest gift you can give yourself and those who love you, and believe me when I say there are far more people who care about you than you'll ever know......
What makes me think that?
Over the past few weeks I've gotten several texts and calls from friends just checking in to see how I'm doing. These are subtle attempts to let me know they care and if I need anything they are only a phone call away. A couple of them came from people who I never even realized knew about my difficulties this time of year......pretty awesome to know I have people who care that extend beyond my kids......
If you still don't feel comfortable than feel free to email me and we can chat...sometimes just having someone to listen to you helps......
I care so hopefully you will too
Marcus
observations-of-a-single-man@gmail.com
I know from personal experience that the holiday season coupled with dark days related to winter can be emotionally and mentally draining for some people.
For me it is the fact that my mom was born Christmas day and my kids are with me for half the day make things a tad bit rougher to handle. Well, they used to be hard to take but for some reason this season has been easier to handle. Can't quite put my hand directly on what is different this year over years past but I don't have that dark feeling hanging over my head.
I know from previous seasons how hard it was and it really impacted my ability to interact with people and I was not really all that fun to be around. My ex and kids did their best to help me deal with it and I think that was one factor that made it bearable.
As someone who has gone through these dark days I implore you to talk to someone if you are feeling down in any way, shape, or form. There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking out help, it does not make you any less of a person or parent, in fact I think it makes you a better person, being able to recognize that things might be getting out of hand and being strong enough to do something about it is the greatest gift you can give yourself and those who love you, and believe me when I say there are far more people who care about you than you'll ever know......
What makes me think that?
Over the past few weeks I've gotten several texts and calls from friends just checking in to see how I'm doing. These are subtle attempts to let me know they care and if I need anything they are only a phone call away. A couple of them came from people who I never even realized knew about my difficulties this time of year......pretty awesome to know I have people who care that extend beyond my kids......
If you still don't feel comfortable than feel free to email me and we can chat...sometimes just having someone to listen to you helps......
I care so hopefully you will too
Marcus
observations-of-a-single-man@gmail.com
C'mon Target, show some restraint!
December 29/13
So I had to go into work today for a bit as I need to be off next weekend as it is my dad week and my son has an out of town hockey tournament and I don't miss them for anything, heck I can count on my left hand sans my thumb the number of games I've missed over his hockey career :)
I stopped at the new Target at the Hazeldean Mall to check out monitor prices, thinking of a second one for my home system but haven't quite convinced myself yet, and what do you think I saw front and center down the main aisle?
If you said Valentines Day cards and candy you win the grand prize.
Now I get that this day is just over the horizon in February but is there anything wrong with giving people a chance to recover from Christmas before starting to inundate everyone with reminders of how we need to have the perfect card and gift for our significant other else we come across as a loser? I mean for those who have a significant other that is.
Less than 5 days have passed since we celebrated the birth of the leading religious icon for western civilizations and already we must now face this new threat to our sanity.
I don't remember seeing these at Walmart when I was there yesterday so maybe I need to rethink shopping at Target going forward.
I understand the need to get the thought out there, but I also appreciate the change to catch my breathe before transitioning from a real holiday to one that was made up that really does nothing more than keep card and candy companies making money.
What is your take on how quickly merchants seem to move from one event to another?
Marcus
So I had to go into work today for a bit as I need to be off next weekend as it is my dad week and my son has an out of town hockey tournament and I don't miss them for anything, heck I can count on my left hand sans my thumb the number of games I've missed over his hockey career :)
I stopped at the new Target at the Hazeldean Mall to check out monitor prices, thinking of a second one for my home system but haven't quite convinced myself yet, and what do you think I saw front and center down the main aisle?
If you said Valentines Day cards and candy you win the grand prize.
Now I get that this day is just over the horizon in February but is there anything wrong with giving people a chance to recover from Christmas before starting to inundate everyone with reminders of how we need to have the perfect card and gift for our significant other else we come across as a loser? I mean for those who have a significant other that is.
Less than 5 days have passed since we celebrated the birth of the leading religious icon for western civilizations and already we must now face this new threat to our sanity.
I don't remember seeing these at Walmart when I was there yesterday so maybe I need to rethink shopping at Target going forward.
I understand the need to get the thought out there, but I also appreciate the change to catch my breathe before transitioning from a real holiday to one that was made up that really does nothing more than keep card and candy companies making money.
What is your take on how quickly merchants seem to move from one event to another?
Marcus
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Merry Christmas
December 25/13
Not really a blog entry today but more a message from me to you the readers.....
Over the course of the past year or so I've shared my thoughts, my experiences, and even my dreams through postings on this blog page. I hope they have entertained and made you take pause now and than to think about the things going on in your own lives.
As I sit back this evening and contemplate another Christmas and all it brings, I'd like to take this moment to wish each of you a Merry Christmas and very Happy Holiday's.
I'm using this quiet time to do some reflecting, well as I sit on the couch with Moki the Wonder Puppy I am doing it, and look forward to more blogs over the coming months.
Tomorrow is Boxing Day and for those brave enough to venture out to a mall I applaud you and also think you might need to seek some serious counselling lol
All the best and be good to one another :)
Marcus
Not really a blog entry today but more a message from me to you the readers.....
Over the course of the past year or so I've shared my thoughts, my experiences, and even my dreams through postings on this blog page. I hope they have entertained and made you take pause now and than to think about the things going on in your own lives.
As I sit back this evening and contemplate another Christmas and all it brings, I'd like to take this moment to wish each of you a Merry Christmas and very Happy Holiday's.
I'm using this quiet time to do some reflecting, well as I sit on the couch with Moki the Wonder Puppy I am doing it, and look forward to more blogs over the coming months.
Tomorrow is Boxing Day and for those brave enough to venture out to a mall I applaud you and also think you might need to seek some serious counselling lol
All the best and be good to one another :)
Marcus
Monday, December 23, 2013
Awesome Sunday
December 22/13
Sunday really turned out to be a great day.
Saturday night was my company Christmas party and I had a very nice time, would only have been better had I brought along a date but maybe next year :)
Saturday night transitioned into Sunday with more snow and delayed my son's flight from Mexico to Montreal and subsequent trip home until almost 2am. I texted with his mom telling her there was no rush on getting him to my place as the roads were bad, they were all tired and I had some errands to run.
I was able to get the last of my shopping done at Bayshore - amazing how the combination of getting there just as the doors opened at 10am and the poor roads due to all the snow can make life easier sometimes - and had a lot of them wrapped by the time he made it to my place around 3pm.
We spent about an hour getting caught up and than tackled getting the Christmas tree setup and decorated. Now this usually includes the daughter and more often than not means she takes the lead and we hand her things as directed, but yesterday was different as she was getting settled back into her new place, picked up her puppy from the friend who had been watching him, and spent time with the new boyfriend. So my son and I did the tree on our own and I have to say we talked about which decorations to include and worked pretty well as a team making our vision come to life.
Once we were done I cleaned up the mess, there is always a mess when the two of us do something together lol, and grabbed some food for us. We spent the rest of the night pretty much goofing around and trying our best to make the other fall off the couch as we watched the new Star Trek.
I love doing special things with my kids like taking a holiday or coaching them in soccer but have to say that some of the best memories come from the simplest of activities like watching a movie or just talking about anything and everything going on in our lives.
Should be a good week and looking forward to some big smiles come Wednesday morning :)
I'd like to take this moment to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Years, hope that 2014 brings you health, happiness, and for those single like myself, maybe the opportunity to cross paths with the one........................
Marcus
Sunday really turned out to be a great day.
Saturday night was my company Christmas party and I had a very nice time, would only have been better had I brought along a date but maybe next year :)
Saturday night transitioned into Sunday with more snow and delayed my son's flight from Mexico to Montreal and subsequent trip home until almost 2am. I texted with his mom telling her there was no rush on getting him to my place as the roads were bad, they were all tired and I had some errands to run.
I was able to get the last of my shopping done at Bayshore - amazing how the combination of getting there just as the doors opened at 10am and the poor roads due to all the snow can make life easier sometimes - and had a lot of them wrapped by the time he made it to my place around 3pm.
We spent about an hour getting caught up and than tackled getting the Christmas tree setup and decorated. Now this usually includes the daughter and more often than not means she takes the lead and we hand her things as directed, but yesterday was different as she was getting settled back into her new place, picked up her puppy from the friend who had been watching him, and spent time with the new boyfriend. So my son and I did the tree on our own and I have to say we talked about which decorations to include and worked pretty well as a team making our vision come to life.
Once we were done I cleaned up the mess, there is always a mess when the two of us do something together lol, and grabbed some food for us. We spent the rest of the night pretty much goofing around and trying our best to make the other fall off the couch as we watched the new Star Trek.
I love doing special things with my kids like taking a holiday or coaching them in soccer but have to say that some of the best memories come from the simplest of activities like watching a movie or just talking about anything and everything going on in our lives.
Should be a good week and looking forward to some big smiles come Wednesday morning :)
I'd like to take this moment to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Years, hope that 2014 brings you health, happiness, and for those single like myself, maybe the opportunity to cross paths with the one........................
Marcus
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Kanye West could learn something from Josh Zuchowksi
December 18/13
It has been a been a pretty busy week what with work, soccer, and trying to get ready for Christmas.
So busy in fact, that while I've missed my son tonnes, not so much that I've been moping around feeling sorry for myself. Trust me that is a good think as a mopey Marcus is not a pretty Marcus lol
A couple of things caught my attention this week and while they aren't directly related to one another, they do show the huge gap that can exist between people who are worthy of our admiration and those people whose view of their importance is completely out of kilter with reality.
If you think the latter is about our good friend Kanye West you're today's grand prize winner
How can someone who sings songs for a living, prances around a stage, refers to himself as Yeezus, and pretty much feels that he is the most important person on the planet ever lose touch with reality to such an extent that they compare what they do for a living with law enforcement officers or the military. Yet that is just what Kanye had the nerve to do recently when he said that he lays his life on the line and subjects himself daily to the same dangers confronting police officers and the outstanding men and women of the military. I'm sure reaching for the microphone as he makes his way from the backstage green room where he was relaxing preshow with his crew, drinking cold beverages, eating from a buffet spread, watching a large flat screen is exactly the same as standing over-watch from the lead vehicle in a convoy making its way through the streets of Bagdad. I mean if he ignores the distinct possibility of the vehicle hitting an IED, coming under sniper or mortar attack, or even human suicide bombers than he is right. Oh wait, he really isn't as there are still the random attacks on the camps where the soldiers live, the loss of family thousands of miles away that they go months and month's without seeing, and the limited avenues for recreation that they face every single day.
So when Kanye gets bored with writing his latest rap masterpiece he can jet from outside Paris to go to a club in London or New York, should he miss his fiancé and mother of his child he can arrange to go see them or have them come see him, when he gets bored watching his flat screen he can hop in a car and take a drive, go shopping, or even play a round of golf.
Unfortunately for the men and women in the military they don't have the option or the resources to do the same things he takes for granted, options that are won and protected by the sweat and sacrifice of others. The real hero's in today's world, not the fake wanna-be's who have to shout at the top of their lungs just how fucking incredible they are, how they are so important to our overall wellbeing.
On the one hand you have what I like to refer to as the douche bags of the world...people like Kanye West.......and on the other hand you have youngsters like Josh Zuchowksi who do things not for themselves, not to ring their own bells seeking acknowledgement of just how great they are, but rather because the actions they take make a difference in someone else's life, even if for but a moment of time.
Josh is 9 years old and lives down in Florida.
Josh likes to swim and from what I can tell, he is pretty darn good at it.
Josh has a main rival whom he has looked up to for years and used as motivation to improve his times meet over meet.
Josh's rival has been sick with a bone infection and unable to compete or even able to socialize with other kids for fear he might be contagious.
Josh took first place in a meet on December 7th and promptly sent the trophy and a get well card to Reese Branzell saying he'd rather come in second at a meet featuring both of them than win first in one without Reese.
How can a 9 year old behave with such kindness and empathy where a grown man has the audacity to compare his job with those putting their lives on the line day in and day out?
My hat is off to Josh for his kindness, to his parents for raising a well rounded young man, to Reese as he works hard to regain his form and can once more push himself and Josh in the pool.
Maybe my good friend Kanye could take a few moments from the danger of opening that plastic bottle of water to look around himself and see what real heros do every day without feeling the need for fanfare and public adulation.
Just one man's take on something he read about this past week.
Marcus
It has been a been a pretty busy week what with work, soccer, and trying to get ready for Christmas.
So busy in fact, that while I've missed my son tonnes, not so much that I've been moping around feeling sorry for myself. Trust me that is a good think as a mopey Marcus is not a pretty Marcus lol
A couple of things caught my attention this week and while they aren't directly related to one another, they do show the huge gap that can exist between people who are worthy of our admiration and those people whose view of their importance is completely out of kilter with reality.
If you think the latter is about our good friend Kanye West you're today's grand prize winner
How can someone who sings songs for a living, prances around a stage, refers to himself as Yeezus, and pretty much feels that he is the most important person on the planet ever lose touch with reality to such an extent that they compare what they do for a living with law enforcement officers or the military. Yet that is just what Kanye had the nerve to do recently when he said that he lays his life on the line and subjects himself daily to the same dangers confronting police officers and the outstanding men and women of the military. I'm sure reaching for the microphone as he makes his way from the backstage green room where he was relaxing preshow with his crew, drinking cold beverages, eating from a buffet spread, watching a large flat screen is exactly the same as standing over-watch from the lead vehicle in a convoy making its way through the streets of Bagdad. I mean if he ignores the distinct possibility of the vehicle hitting an IED, coming under sniper or mortar attack, or even human suicide bombers than he is right. Oh wait, he really isn't as there are still the random attacks on the camps where the soldiers live, the loss of family thousands of miles away that they go months and month's without seeing, and the limited avenues for recreation that they face every single day.
So when Kanye gets bored with writing his latest rap masterpiece he can jet from outside Paris to go to a club in London or New York, should he miss his fiancé and mother of his child he can arrange to go see them or have them come see him, when he gets bored watching his flat screen he can hop in a car and take a drive, go shopping, or even play a round of golf.
Unfortunately for the men and women in the military they don't have the option or the resources to do the same things he takes for granted, options that are won and protected by the sweat and sacrifice of others. The real hero's in today's world, not the fake wanna-be's who have to shout at the top of their lungs just how fucking incredible they are, how they are so important to our overall wellbeing.
On the one hand you have what I like to refer to as the douche bags of the world...people like Kanye West.......and on the other hand you have youngsters like Josh Zuchowksi who do things not for themselves, not to ring their own bells seeking acknowledgement of just how great they are, but rather because the actions they take make a difference in someone else's life, even if for but a moment of time.
Josh is 9 years old and lives down in Florida.
Josh likes to swim and from what I can tell, he is pretty darn good at it.
Josh has a main rival whom he has looked up to for years and used as motivation to improve his times meet over meet.
Josh's rival has been sick with a bone infection and unable to compete or even able to socialize with other kids for fear he might be contagious.
Josh took first place in a meet on December 7th and promptly sent the trophy and a get well card to Reese Branzell saying he'd rather come in second at a meet featuring both of them than win first in one without Reese.
How can a 9 year old behave with such kindness and empathy where a grown man has the audacity to compare his job with those putting their lives on the line day in and day out?
My hat is off to Josh for his kindness, to his parents for raising a well rounded young man, to Reese as he works hard to regain his form and can once more push himself and Josh in the pool.
Maybe my good friend Kanye could take a few moments from the danger of opening that plastic bottle of water to look around himself and see what real heros do every day without feeling the need for fanfare and public adulation.
Just one man's take on something he read about this past week.
Marcus
Saturday, December 14, 2013
One long week ahead of me.....
December 14/13
So this morning my son left for a week in Mexico with his mom, her boyfriend, and my daughter.
Now under our custody agreement we go one week on and one week off with our son but I almost always still see him at some point during my off week whether it be for a soccer or hockey game, so this week is going to be really tough as I can't remember the last time I went more than 4 days without seeing him.
Before anyone gets up in arms about my only commenting about missing my son rest assured I don't miss him more than her but the truth of the matter is that at 24 she is far more independent and has such an incredibly busy life that a week can go by where I don't see her, though we will chat via phone or text so I know who the current boyfriend is or what her puppy Benji has been up to lately.
I enjoy my time with my son as well as my "me" time as they both offer time doing things I enjoy. When it is time with my son you might find us seeing a movie, grabbing lunch at his favourite place - East Side Mario's, or having a Wii night with some serious battles in tennis, basketball, baseball, bowling, and even archery.
When it is my "me" time, I'll run errands, take in a movie, do some reading, research music, and on the odd occasion that my dating profile actually pays off, maybe meet someone for a drink.
Now with this week being close to month end and year end I'm sure to be busy at work so that will help keep me occupied for a bit, I'll probably do some final Christmas shopping, and maybe even get the basement cleaned up like I've been promising to do for weeks now. Hey, I'm not perfect lol
The one constant this week will be Moki the Wonder Puppy. Granted at almost 2 years and 4 months she can't really be called a puppy anymore, I'm going to refer to her that way as she'll always act like one, just as I hoped when we brought her home back in October 2011. When my son is with me she can be found fairly close to him as they have a great bond and when it is just me here at the house, well she is usually not too far away. As I write this in my home office I can look to my left and see her laying on her side in the hallway, every now and than opening her eyes to check on me.
It is funny to watch her in the morning when we first get moving as my son likes to take his shower when I take her for her walk and than he closes his bedroom door when he gets out and takes what he likes to call "a little rest". Well the closed door does not sit well with Moki and I wish I could somehow describe the look on her face when she gets to it at the end of the hallway upon our return home. Imagine the most hurt look a dog can give you when you've played some trick on it and than factor that up by 100 and you'll be a quarter way there to the look she sends my way for the closed door, like somehow I've conspired against her....maybe if the little bed hog didn't curl up into a ball right in the middle of the bed he'd let her in sometimes lol
Today as I was sitting on the couch she jumped off the back of it from her prime spot used to monitor everything going on in the house to come sit in my lap and laid her head down on my stomach, looking up at me with the saddest eyes. I rubbed behind her ears and told her I knew how she felt as I was missing the boy as well, whereupon she raised her head, jumped off the couch and an down to his room, only to return a moment later looking even more bummed out.
It dawned on me that even though I'm going to miss my son like crazy it will come nowhere near what Moki is going to feel this week, so now I've got to keep my head up and give her lots of attention in order to help her get through the week. Over the course of the last year Moki has gone from being my dog to our dog to his dog.
So given how cold it is right now, -18 with a wind chill of -30, guess I'll go grab something to drink, find a movie to watch on Netflix, and go and let Moki know she isn't alone.
Wishing everyone a great Saturday night and hopefully a warm one to boot :)
Marcus
So this morning my son left for a week in Mexico with his mom, her boyfriend, and my daughter.
Now under our custody agreement we go one week on and one week off with our son but I almost always still see him at some point during my off week whether it be for a soccer or hockey game, so this week is going to be really tough as I can't remember the last time I went more than 4 days without seeing him.
Before anyone gets up in arms about my only commenting about missing my son rest assured I don't miss him more than her but the truth of the matter is that at 24 she is far more independent and has such an incredibly busy life that a week can go by where I don't see her, though we will chat via phone or text so I know who the current boyfriend is or what her puppy Benji has been up to lately.
I enjoy my time with my son as well as my "me" time as they both offer time doing things I enjoy. When it is time with my son you might find us seeing a movie, grabbing lunch at his favourite place - East Side Mario's, or having a Wii night with some serious battles in tennis, basketball, baseball, bowling, and even archery.
When it is my "me" time, I'll run errands, take in a movie, do some reading, research music, and on the odd occasion that my dating profile actually pays off, maybe meet someone for a drink.
Now with this week being close to month end and year end I'm sure to be busy at work so that will help keep me occupied for a bit, I'll probably do some final Christmas shopping, and maybe even get the basement cleaned up like I've been promising to do for weeks now. Hey, I'm not perfect lol
The one constant this week will be Moki the Wonder Puppy. Granted at almost 2 years and 4 months she can't really be called a puppy anymore, I'm going to refer to her that way as she'll always act like one, just as I hoped when we brought her home back in October 2011. When my son is with me she can be found fairly close to him as they have a great bond and when it is just me here at the house, well she is usually not too far away. As I write this in my home office I can look to my left and see her laying on her side in the hallway, every now and than opening her eyes to check on me.
It is funny to watch her in the morning when we first get moving as my son likes to take his shower when I take her for her walk and than he closes his bedroom door when he gets out and takes what he likes to call "a little rest". Well the closed door does not sit well with Moki and I wish I could somehow describe the look on her face when she gets to it at the end of the hallway upon our return home. Imagine the most hurt look a dog can give you when you've played some trick on it and than factor that up by 100 and you'll be a quarter way there to the look she sends my way for the closed door, like somehow I've conspired against her....maybe if the little bed hog didn't curl up into a ball right in the middle of the bed he'd let her in sometimes lol
Today as I was sitting on the couch she jumped off the back of it from her prime spot used to monitor everything going on in the house to come sit in my lap and laid her head down on my stomach, looking up at me with the saddest eyes. I rubbed behind her ears and told her I knew how she felt as I was missing the boy as well, whereupon she raised her head, jumped off the couch and an down to his room, only to return a moment later looking even more bummed out.
It dawned on me that even though I'm going to miss my son like crazy it will come nowhere near what Moki is going to feel this week, so now I've got to keep my head up and give her lots of attention in order to help her get through the week. Over the course of the last year Moki has gone from being my dog to our dog to his dog.
So given how cold it is right now, -18 with a wind chill of -30, guess I'll go grab something to drink, find a movie to watch on Netflix, and go and let Moki know she isn't alone.
Wishing everyone a great Saturday night and hopefully a warm one to boot :)
Marcus
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