Thursday, September 29/16
So there are currently two TV commercials airing from competing car companies and each makes me feel a different emotion. One makes me smile and the other has me convinced I'll never buy a vehicle from that particular manufacturer ever again.
Let's start with the one that pisses me off to no end.
Opening scene shows a teenage boy at night sitting on the curb in front of a house where it is quite obvious a house party is being held. Nothing wrong with that. Scene evolves to show the father arriving in the family mini van. Still nothing wrong. Now we see a close up of the son looking worried about dads reaction and the scowl on dad's face as the son looks at him as the voice over says "It's the family chauffeur"
For me the message is quite clear, don't waste my time calling me to come get you and find your own way home. That is not the message I've ever given my children and I've gladly roused myself out of bed at 1am to go and pick them up with friends from a party. I'd rather do that than have one of them try and get a ride from a friend who might have had a few drinks or try and walk home in the dark with other people whizzing by. Now some of you might think I'm reading too much into the scene as the rest of the commercial shows fun family scenes but that one just sticks in my craw and leaves me angry at Chrysler Canada for even producing any scene where it could be misconstrued and works against our kids having the knowledge that they can call upon us at any time and we'll be there for them no matter what.
Now the one that makes me smile is from Subaru and shows 2 parents getting their kids out of the house late one night for a drive outside the city so they can experience the joy of seeing the northern lights. I've been lucky enough to see them while standing on a hill with my parents, cousins, and grandfather at his cottage outside of Regina when I was younger, it's something that will live with me forever and that commercial takes me back to some fun times when I was but a youth.
The music for the Subaru commercial is perfect and sets the tone, the scenes where the son is excited to be heading out and the teenage daughter barely tolerant of everything going on. The smiles shared by the parents when the see the reaction in each child as they climb out of the car is priceless.
I know they are just commercials but I appreciate the one and doubt my business will ever go to the other again.
Just my take on things and you are free to unbuckle and move about the cabin at will, agreeing or disagreeing with me as you choose :)
Marcus
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Two words that caused some laughter and anger
Wednesday, September 21/16
It has been far longer than I like since I last posted and I'd like to offer up an apology but upon further review don't know that I really owe anyone one as I was pretty clear a little while back when I said I post entries at my own pace depending on my mood and what is going on around me and with me.
Please don't take the lack of postings to mean life has been boring as it's been anything but that the last few weeks............
I'm going to start this one off with a teaser as I'm literally getting ready to walk out the door for an appointment and promise to finish it off tonight when I'm home safe and sound once more.
So two recent words I uttered at different times caused some people to laugh and one person to get extremely angry with me.
The words?
Introvert & Content
To be continued..........................................................
11:13 PM
Two weeks ago I was having lunch with A, T, and M from work and the conversation turned to how things will be different in the office come the end of September when both M & I aren't around anymore as our transitional contracts come to an end.
Now T was sitting across from me trying not to spill anything as she was dressed to the 9's like usual, swear I've never seen the woman in the same outfit yet and it's been almost 15 months, with M next to me and A across from him.
As we talked about work I smiled and said I was going to miss the team and really appreciated how they've all helped me overcome being such an introvert.
Now as those words left my mouth a couple of things happened all at once. The first was T just looking at me and laughing and the second was A spitting out his drink all over M and looking over at me like I'd suddenly started speaking in Latin.
As he wiped soda off his shirt, frowning at A as he did so, M asked me what I called myself and I smiled and said "I'm an introvert, well I'd say now more of an extroverted introvert, if that is possible"
A asked me what made me think I'm an introvert as I have to be the most extroverted person he's ever met in his life, talking to everyone and anyone who crosses my path, striking up conversations with people whenever we are out for lunch or down in the cafeteria.
I looked down at my plate and told them that dealing with people is one of the hardest things I do every day, that I have massive insecurity when it comes to other people, and I have to force myself to talk to people lest the shyness take over my life.
A asked me how that can be possible as he's seen me in action , his words, and if that's the case how the hell can I coach as well as I do if dealing with people is so hard. I smiled and said the soccer pitch is the one place I've never felt the terror of dealing with people and think it has something to do with the adrenaline that gets going once a match starts.
T reached over and put her hand on mine and asked if that is why I'm single and not even trying to date anymore. I looked at her a bit shocked that she knew that and she laughed and said she might not sit in the bullpen, what we call our quad workspace, but she can literally hear everything we say from her own area and we really do need to get me a girlfriend or at the very least laid.
I thought A was going to spit out on M again as he heard that but managed to hold it back.
I think growing up an only child had a lot to do with being an introvert, couple that with having a lazy eye as a youth and I tended to avoid talking to people as much as possible.
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely rip it speaking in public and tended to be the last presenter for each group I was in during my university and graduate school days as I could sway a room like nobody's business. But being able to do that doesn't mean I wasn't fighting the shakes at the same time and trying to fend off those inner voices trying to spread doubt inside me.
So while to this day I have some anxiety about speaking to people or working a room I make myself do them as I refuse to abdicate control of my life to an insecurity as I am the master of my own destiny, least to some extent given I'm also a father and we all know who runs my life.......
Therefore I stand by my declaration of being an extroverted introvert and am glad I've made the move to being somewhat more extroverted.
Now the anger came last week from my son and was the end result of a discussion over dinner between myself, his girlfriend and himself.
It developed when I asked how his co-op class was going and he let me know he'd managed to land a placement with one of the local sports groups but it didn't start till this week. I asked what he was doing in the meantime and he laughed and said getting his teacher a coffee from Tim Horton's.
I sat back and asked him to expand upon that and he said expand how, he drove to Tim Horton's and got his teacher a double double and an iced capp for himself as the teacher gave him $10.
I told him his teacher was lucky he hadn't been in an accident as I would have sued his ass off.
My son said that was stupid as I should sue the person who would have hit him and I told not to worry about that as our insurance company would have done that but his teacher was all my job to sue. He said that made no sense as he it wouldn't be his fault there was an accident.
That statement should have been my first reminder that I was dealing with the mind of a teenager as he couldn't put the cause and effect into place when thinking about the scenario. But me being me I tried to show him the error of his logic and to his girlfriends benefit, she did the same.
I outlined how if his teacher hadn't sent him to get the coffee he would not be in a position to possibly be in an accident but his mind could not grasp the relationship between being sent to get the coffee is what put him potentially in harms way. I explained his teacher has a legal responsibility to keep him safe and sending a student off campus on a personal matter does not lessen that position.
He responded by saying that was just the "American" in me coming out and wanting to sue, that I was no better than the person who orders coffee from McDonalds and then sues them when she spills it and says it was too hot!!.
I took a moment before replying as that was the first time one of my children has ever mentioned my being American in a disagreement and it actually stung me far more than I thought it would.
I looked at him and said "you are wrong, that is not the American in me coming out as you claim but rather the more important parent in me looking to protect my only son" I started to gather the plates from the table and looked at him and said "I don't mean to sound condescending, but I'm more willing to bet that in 20 years your position would be more like mine is today than yours"
He started to rebut my statement and I smiled at him and said "I can say that with all my heart as I also know that if our positions were reversed and I was in your spot I'd be arguing the exact same position you are right now and you'd be arguing mine"
"Why do you say that and still argue for suing the teacher"
"Because our beliefs are molded by the experiences we go through and I know the younger me would see things as you do as we are very much alike, just as I know when you are a father, you are going to everything under the sky to keep your children safe, just as I do now as an older version of you"
I don't know that he fully understood what I was trying to say but his girlfriend looked at him with a huge smile and said she got what I was saying and to not try to overthink it too much but to try and remember this conversation as she was sure it would come up many years from now and he'd likely have one of those "ah ha" moments afterwards and think about it and me with a smile.
Now that wasn't the part that really made him mad but it's late and I've got to get some sleep so I'll add that part tomorrow as I think I've done a pretty good job whetting your appetite for this entry don't you?
It has been far longer than I like since I last posted and I'd like to offer up an apology but upon further review don't know that I really owe anyone one as I was pretty clear a little while back when I said I post entries at my own pace depending on my mood and what is going on around me and with me.
Please don't take the lack of postings to mean life has been boring as it's been anything but that the last few weeks............
I'm going to start this one off with a teaser as I'm literally getting ready to walk out the door for an appointment and promise to finish it off tonight when I'm home safe and sound once more.
So two recent words I uttered at different times caused some people to laugh and one person to get extremely angry with me.
The words?
Introvert & Content
To be continued..........................................................
11:13 PM
Two weeks ago I was having lunch with A, T, and M from work and the conversation turned to how things will be different in the office come the end of September when both M & I aren't around anymore as our transitional contracts come to an end.
Now T was sitting across from me trying not to spill anything as she was dressed to the 9's like usual, swear I've never seen the woman in the same outfit yet and it's been almost 15 months, with M next to me and A across from him.
As we talked about work I smiled and said I was going to miss the team and really appreciated how they've all helped me overcome being such an introvert.
Now as those words left my mouth a couple of things happened all at once. The first was T just looking at me and laughing and the second was A spitting out his drink all over M and looking over at me like I'd suddenly started speaking in Latin.
As he wiped soda off his shirt, frowning at A as he did so, M asked me what I called myself and I smiled and said "I'm an introvert, well I'd say now more of an extroverted introvert, if that is possible"
A asked me what made me think I'm an introvert as I have to be the most extroverted person he's ever met in his life, talking to everyone and anyone who crosses my path, striking up conversations with people whenever we are out for lunch or down in the cafeteria.
I looked down at my plate and told them that dealing with people is one of the hardest things I do every day, that I have massive insecurity when it comes to other people, and I have to force myself to talk to people lest the shyness take over my life.
A asked me how that can be possible as he's seen me in action , his words, and if that's the case how the hell can I coach as well as I do if dealing with people is so hard. I smiled and said the soccer pitch is the one place I've never felt the terror of dealing with people and think it has something to do with the adrenaline that gets going once a match starts.
T reached over and put her hand on mine and asked if that is why I'm single and not even trying to date anymore. I looked at her a bit shocked that she knew that and she laughed and said she might not sit in the bullpen, what we call our quad workspace, but she can literally hear everything we say from her own area and we really do need to get me a girlfriend or at the very least laid.
I thought A was going to spit out on M again as he heard that but managed to hold it back.
I think growing up an only child had a lot to do with being an introvert, couple that with having a lazy eye as a youth and I tended to avoid talking to people as much as possible.
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely rip it speaking in public and tended to be the last presenter for each group I was in during my university and graduate school days as I could sway a room like nobody's business. But being able to do that doesn't mean I wasn't fighting the shakes at the same time and trying to fend off those inner voices trying to spread doubt inside me.
So while to this day I have some anxiety about speaking to people or working a room I make myself do them as I refuse to abdicate control of my life to an insecurity as I am the master of my own destiny, least to some extent given I'm also a father and we all know who runs my life.......
Therefore I stand by my declaration of being an extroverted introvert and am glad I've made the move to being somewhat more extroverted.
Now the anger came last week from my son and was the end result of a discussion over dinner between myself, his girlfriend and himself.
It developed when I asked how his co-op class was going and he let me know he'd managed to land a placement with one of the local sports groups but it didn't start till this week. I asked what he was doing in the meantime and he laughed and said getting his teacher a coffee from Tim Horton's.
I sat back and asked him to expand upon that and he said expand how, he drove to Tim Horton's and got his teacher a double double and an iced capp for himself as the teacher gave him $10.
I told him his teacher was lucky he hadn't been in an accident as I would have sued his ass off.
My son said that was stupid as I should sue the person who would have hit him and I told not to worry about that as our insurance company would have done that but his teacher was all my job to sue. He said that made no sense as he it wouldn't be his fault there was an accident.
That statement should have been my first reminder that I was dealing with the mind of a teenager as he couldn't put the cause and effect into place when thinking about the scenario. But me being me I tried to show him the error of his logic and to his girlfriends benefit, she did the same.
I outlined how if his teacher hadn't sent him to get the coffee he would not be in a position to possibly be in an accident but his mind could not grasp the relationship between being sent to get the coffee is what put him potentially in harms way. I explained his teacher has a legal responsibility to keep him safe and sending a student off campus on a personal matter does not lessen that position.
He responded by saying that was just the "American" in me coming out and wanting to sue, that I was no better than the person who orders coffee from McDonalds and then sues them when she spills it and says it was too hot!!.
I took a moment before replying as that was the first time one of my children has ever mentioned my being American in a disagreement and it actually stung me far more than I thought it would.
I looked at him and said "you are wrong, that is not the American in me coming out as you claim but rather the more important parent in me looking to protect my only son" I started to gather the plates from the table and looked at him and said "I don't mean to sound condescending, but I'm more willing to bet that in 20 years your position would be more like mine is today than yours"
He started to rebut my statement and I smiled at him and said "I can say that with all my heart as I also know that if our positions were reversed and I was in your spot I'd be arguing the exact same position you are right now and you'd be arguing mine"
"Why do you say that and still argue for suing the teacher"
"Because our beliefs are molded by the experiences we go through and I know the younger me would see things as you do as we are very much alike, just as I know when you are a father, you are going to everything under the sky to keep your children safe, just as I do now as an older version of you"
I don't know that he fully understood what I was trying to say but his girlfriend looked at him with a huge smile and said she got what I was saying and to not try to overthink it too much but to try and remember this conversation as she was sure it would come up many years from now and he'd likely have one of those "ah ha" moments afterwards and think about it and me with a smile.
Now that wasn't the part that really made him mad but it's late and I've got to get some sleep so I'll add that part tomorrow as I think I've done a pretty good job whetting your appetite for this entry don't you?
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Today was my birthday
Wednesday, August 31/16
So today was my 54th birthday and it was pretty damn awesome.
I spent my morning getting new plates and tags for my car as the old plates were peeling right off the metal and the tags would expire at midnight tonight.
Followed that up with the best round of golf that I've ever played, maybe a gift from the golf Gods on this special day. A wicked 85 on the Lake/Canyon courses at Pakenham that could easily have been an 83 or lower had I not managed to sail one into the pond on Canyon's 4th hole. Still pretty damn good and has me feeling like I'm walking on cloud nine right now.
The day ended with dinner at my daughters for some butter chicken over steamed rice with a Caesar salad and a very nice cheesecake with fruit toppings. We followed that up with movie night where we sent to see "Don't Breathe" and I think I aged another year with some of the jumping I did on certain scenes lol
My son got me a wonderful picture frame with a clock and pen holder on it for my desk. The picture inside is of the two of us at last weekends soccer tournament so you know there were some tears I was fighting back. I also got some movie gift cards, iTunes gift card, and a movie quiz book that makes you piece together pictures to try and figure out the movie that is very cool and harder than you'd think.
All day long I was getting Facebook messages from friends wishing me a happy birthday.
The say you can measure a person's worth by the company they keep and if that's true than I'm doing quite well as I have far more friends than I ever realized :-)
I turned 54 today but I don't feel my age at all, and some would say I hardly ever act it either, not sure that is meant to be the compliment I take it as but that's life.
I don't thin I've ever felt my real age and I embrace that with a gusto as I really do feel like I'm just hitting my stride and am better than I've ever been. Sure there are some things I don't do quite as well as when I was younger, and no I'm not referring to that particular thing so lets keep our minds out of the gutter for the moment ok, and there are things I do much better now at 54 than I ever did at 27, and yes this time I might be referring to certain things that could be considered gutter worthy but its my birthday so I get to take certain liberties as the birthday boy.
The one thing I am is much more patient with my life and everything going on around me. I'm more empathetic to those less fortunate than myself and have tried my best to instill that in my children as well, to show them that it is the right thing to do to help those not as gifted as ourselves.
Today I turned 54 and it feels like I've just hit the mid point and I'm looking forward to what the next half century brings my way :)
Marcus
So today was my 54th birthday and it was pretty damn awesome.
I spent my morning getting new plates and tags for my car as the old plates were peeling right off the metal and the tags would expire at midnight tonight.
Followed that up with the best round of golf that I've ever played, maybe a gift from the golf Gods on this special day. A wicked 85 on the Lake/Canyon courses at Pakenham that could easily have been an 83 or lower had I not managed to sail one into the pond on Canyon's 4th hole. Still pretty damn good and has me feeling like I'm walking on cloud nine right now.
The day ended with dinner at my daughters for some butter chicken over steamed rice with a Caesar salad and a very nice cheesecake with fruit toppings. We followed that up with movie night where we sent to see "Don't Breathe" and I think I aged another year with some of the jumping I did on certain scenes lol
My son got me a wonderful picture frame with a clock and pen holder on it for my desk. The picture inside is of the two of us at last weekends soccer tournament so you know there were some tears I was fighting back. I also got some movie gift cards, iTunes gift card, and a movie quiz book that makes you piece together pictures to try and figure out the movie that is very cool and harder than you'd think.
All day long I was getting Facebook messages from friends wishing me a happy birthday.
The say you can measure a person's worth by the company they keep and if that's true than I'm doing quite well as I have far more friends than I ever realized :-)
I turned 54 today but I don't feel my age at all, and some would say I hardly ever act it either, not sure that is meant to be the compliment I take it as but that's life.
I don't thin I've ever felt my real age and I embrace that with a gusto as I really do feel like I'm just hitting my stride and am better than I've ever been. Sure there are some things I don't do quite as well as when I was younger, and no I'm not referring to that particular thing so lets keep our minds out of the gutter for the moment ok, and there are things I do much better now at 54 than I ever did at 27, and yes this time I might be referring to certain things that could be considered gutter worthy but its my birthday so I get to take certain liberties as the birthday boy.
The one thing I am is much more patient with my life and everything going on around me. I'm more empathetic to those less fortunate than myself and have tried my best to instill that in my children as well, to show them that it is the right thing to do to help those not as gifted as ourselves.
Today I turned 54 and it feels like I've just hit the mid point and I'm looking forward to what the next half century brings my way :)
Marcus
Sunday, August 21, 2016
Goodbye Gord, thanks for making me so proud of my heritage
August 21/16
Last night was the last concert to ever be performed by The Tragically Hip.
Not because the band is breaking up over artistic differences, not due to inflated egos, not because of jealousies, and not because they just reached the end and wanted to stop playing together.
The Tragically Hip have come to the end of performing due to the health of Gord Downie, lead singer and by most accounts Canada's Poet Laureate.
They say that time waits for no man and that is true but in this case time has come too early. Gord is 52, two years younger than this blogger, and in the prime of his life artistically speaking.
His songs have evoked memories for Canadians from shore to shore and far up into the north.
He has used his position to remind us of our obligations to leave the planet better than we found it, to stand up for those less fortunate than ourselves, and to be the best person we can be each and every day we walk this earth.
My first concert in Canada was at the old Corel Centre in Ottawa to see The Hip. I was spellbound as Gord described my new home through choice lyrics that left me wanting to explore all this great land has to offer.
In many ways he was our conscious and reminded us of how fortunate we are to live in such an amazing country, to never take things for granted, and to celebrate the smallest things as if they meant the most to us as they do.
Watching the end of the concert made me cry like I've only cried before at the loss of a loved one.
The look in his eyes said it all, he has more stories to tell us but not the time and it makes him angry.
He let those emotions out in one of the last songs they performed with some raw tears flowing down his cheeks as he yelled his protest at the unfairness of it all. Yet he also took the time to remind us to solve our northern problems, typical Gord to be thinking of others as time is ticking away.
I don't know how long Gord has but I hope he spends it with family and friends, taking in the love and affection he richly deserves as well as giving it to those he loves.
Gord Downie and The Tragically Hip shall forevermore be part of the Canadian landscape.
"A Head By A Century" is by far my favourite Hip song and one I'll listen too as I raise a glass in his memory at some point in the future.
Thank you Gord for the music but more importantly for reminding me what it means to be Canadian.
#Downie #TragicallyHip #Hip4Life
Marcus
Last night was the last concert to ever be performed by The Tragically Hip.
Not because the band is breaking up over artistic differences, not due to inflated egos, not because of jealousies, and not because they just reached the end and wanted to stop playing together.
The Tragically Hip have come to the end of performing due to the health of Gord Downie, lead singer and by most accounts Canada's Poet Laureate.
They say that time waits for no man and that is true but in this case time has come too early. Gord is 52, two years younger than this blogger, and in the prime of his life artistically speaking.
His songs have evoked memories for Canadians from shore to shore and far up into the north.
He has used his position to remind us of our obligations to leave the planet better than we found it, to stand up for those less fortunate than ourselves, and to be the best person we can be each and every day we walk this earth.
My first concert in Canada was at the old Corel Centre in Ottawa to see The Hip. I was spellbound as Gord described my new home through choice lyrics that left me wanting to explore all this great land has to offer.
In many ways he was our conscious and reminded us of how fortunate we are to live in such an amazing country, to never take things for granted, and to celebrate the smallest things as if they meant the most to us as they do.
Watching the end of the concert made me cry like I've only cried before at the loss of a loved one.
The look in his eyes said it all, he has more stories to tell us but not the time and it makes him angry.
He let those emotions out in one of the last songs they performed with some raw tears flowing down his cheeks as he yelled his protest at the unfairness of it all. Yet he also took the time to remind us to solve our northern problems, typical Gord to be thinking of others as time is ticking away.
I don't know how long Gord has but I hope he spends it with family and friends, taking in the love and affection he richly deserves as well as giving it to those he loves.
Gord Downie and The Tragically Hip shall forevermore be part of the Canadian landscape.
"A Head By A Century" is by far my favourite Hip song and one I'll listen too as I raise a glass in his memory at some point in the future.
Thank you Gord for the music but more importantly for reminding me what it means to be Canadian.
#Downie #TragicallyHip #Hip4Life
Marcus
Sunday, August 14, 2016
Two things that count as a strike for me
Sunday, August 14/16
I've been thinking about what makes me take a pass on a dating profile when I'm actually on a site and two come to mind right off the bat.
Before I say what these are let me start off by saying we all have choices to make in life and I try really hard to have an open mind when dealing with people, now having said that there is really no middle ground for me when it comes to these two things.........
I am a non practicing Roman Catholic. I believe in God but take the position that he, call me sexist if you will but when I think of my Deity I think in terms of a male gender, might be a tad bit too busy to worry about me hour by hour, least that is my hope as it is a very large universe out there and I'm not convinced we have it all to ourselves.
So though I might not attend church on a regular basis it does not mean I have forsaken my belief nor am I willing to even consider that there is not a higher power. That means for me that it is not even within the realms of possibility that I could ever date an Atheist. There are no if, ands, or buts about this one. But here is the wrinkle in the belief, and there is almost always a wrinkle where I am concerned, I could entertain the possibility of dating an Agnostic. Why you ask? They don't believe in or not believe in a higher power and take the stance of "show me the proof of said existence"
Now I'm not looking at these women as a challenge as I don't think it my obligation to either prove or disprove their beliefs, I look at them as having an open mind and that is something I find extremely attractive in a potential partner. They are willing to listen to the arguments for and against and reach a conclusion on their own. For the most part they haven't been given ample enough evidence to make a sound and lasting decision. That is cool with me.
As a person who thinks himself somewhat educated and logical, I somehow managed to trick one college, and two universities into bestowing upon myself multiple degrees, and cannot fathom the stance that someone can take that there is no higher power. I get and follow the big bang theory, the evolution of man from primordial swamp to reaching for the stars, and Darwin's Theory of Evolution quite well. I also think someone had to put that initial component of matter into play that was the start of everything.
So what is the other thing that makes me take a pass on a profile?
This one is easier and totally a personal preference.
Facial piercings. Well other than those lovely auditory lobes we call the ears.
I don't understand the attraction of nose studs, nose rings, eye piercings, lips piercings, or any other such items. I'm not one to say they are horrible or should be banned, but for me they are a huge turnoff and nothing I would ever enjoy seeing on my partner.
Now before you ask and trust me one of you will ask me via an email, I have been with someone who had other piercings in places not normally exposed to the light of day. I'm neither for or against those kind of piercings and thing my take on them rests on the premise that they are private and shared at the consent of both parties.
I'd say my only hesitation would come from knowing that someone else, hopefully a female, was the installer of said piercing and thus was entitled to viewing a part of her body that I would like to think is my private domain, or could become mine over time lol.
Yes, I agree that is rather sexist and elitist of me, but I am who I am when it comes to my feelings towards my partner.
So when I am online and take the time to look at some profiles I determine whether to continue in this order: smile, religion, and if I can see any visible facial piercings.
I don't care what the religion is or if they list Agnostic, I'm down to possibly chat. Atheist? Have a good day and I'm moving on.
I'm sure there are things on my own profile that might make women take a pass, I am still single after all so there is some validity to that statement, and I am perfectly fine with that as I'm not perfect nor do I seek perfection. No, rather it could be said that I am seeking the one who is imperfectly perfect for me.
What is you take on this? I'd love to know.
Marcus
I've been thinking about what makes me take a pass on a dating profile when I'm actually on a site and two come to mind right off the bat.
Before I say what these are let me start off by saying we all have choices to make in life and I try really hard to have an open mind when dealing with people, now having said that there is really no middle ground for me when it comes to these two things.........
I am a non practicing Roman Catholic. I believe in God but take the position that he, call me sexist if you will but when I think of my Deity I think in terms of a male gender, might be a tad bit too busy to worry about me hour by hour, least that is my hope as it is a very large universe out there and I'm not convinced we have it all to ourselves.
So though I might not attend church on a regular basis it does not mean I have forsaken my belief nor am I willing to even consider that there is not a higher power. That means for me that it is not even within the realms of possibility that I could ever date an Atheist. There are no if, ands, or buts about this one. But here is the wrinkle in the belief, and there is almost always a wrinkle where I am concerned, I could entertain the possibility of dating an Agnostic. Why you ask? They don't believe in or not believe in a higher power and take the stance of "show me the proof of said existence"
Now I'm not looking at these women as a challenge as I don't think it my obligation to either prove or disprove their beliefs, I look at them as having an open mind and that is something I find extremely attractive in a potential partner. They are willing to listen to the arguments for and against and reach a conclusion on their own. For the most part they haven't been given ample enough evidence to make a sound and lasting decision. That is cool with me.
As a person who thinks himself somewhat educated and logical, I somehow managed to trick one college, and two universities into bestowing upon myself multiple degrees, and cannot fathom the stance that someone can take that there is no higher power. I get and follow the big bang theory, the evolution of man from primordial swamp to reaching for the stars, and Darwin's Theory of Evolution quite well. I also think someone had to put that initial component of matter into play that was the start of everything.
So what is the other thing that makes me take a pass on a profile?
This one is easier and totally a personal preference.
Facial piercings. Well other than those lovely auditory lobes we call the ears.
I don't understand the attraction of nose studs, nose rings, eye piercings, lips piercings, or any other such items. I'm not one to say they are horrible or should be banned, but for me they are a huge turnoff and nothing I would ever enjoy seeing on my partner.
Now before you ask and trust me one of you will ask me via an email, I have been with someone who had other piercings in places not normally exposed to the light of day. I'm neither for or against those kind of piercings and thing my take on them rests on the premise that they are private and shared at the consent of both parties.
I'd say my only hesitation would come from knowing that someone else, hopefully a female, was the installer of said piercing and thus was entitled to viewing a part of her body that I would like to think is my private domain, or could become mine over time lol.
Yes, I agree that is rather sexist and elitist of me, but I am who I am when it comes to my feelings towards my partner.
So when I am online and take the time to look at some profiles I determine whether to continue in this order: smile, religion, and if I can see any visible facial piercings.
I don't care what the religion is or if they list Agnostic, I'm down to possibly chat. Atheist? Have a good day and I'm moving on.
I'm sure there are things on my own profile that might make women take a pass, I am still single after all so there is some validity to that statement, and I am perfectly fine with that as I'm not perfect nor do I seek perfection. No, rather it could be said that I am seeking the one who is imperfectly perfect for me.
What is you take on this? I'd love to know.
Marcus
Saturday, August 13, 2016
A round of golf with a great score and more than a little fear
Saturday, August 13/16
Ok, let me say this before any of you continue to inundate me with messages about the missing white water rafting post.
Yes, I owe you a post but the truth of the matter is that some posts write themselves, some take a bit of thought in expressing the thought into words, and others sound wicked awesome in my head but are harder than hell to express in such a manner that makes me happy with the finished product.
I've finally got the bulk of the post completed and just working on the ending so it all ties together. There are times preparing a post makes me think it compares to blocking out scenes for a movie, everything has to be just right lest it feel forced.
So pending the final editing to that posting please enjoy the following entry from my experience this past Wednesday.
I only played golf twice last weekend, I'm as shocked as you by this, with my normal round Saturday morning with B at Pakenham on the Lake and Island courses. I didn't play bad nor did I play all that well so Saturday afternoon found me feeling a bit antsy so I drove down to Manotick to play Manderley on the Green. When I got there they were just finishing off a tournament and sent me off on the South 9 with a transition to the Central 9 for my 18. Now it has been at least 16 years since I last played Manderley and given the shape of the course it's probably going to be another 16 years before I go back again. That's all I'm going to say about it but it should be enough to form a sound opinion of how I found the course..........
So Monday was the usual rehash of weekends with M & M and vacation recap for A.
Inventory M asked if I was going to play during the week given my weekend and I replied that with no soccer game this week it was looking good. He suggested Wednesday as he has men's league play on Thursday's.
So Wednesday rolled around and it was super hot, like +32c with strong humidity. I've found that when it gets too hot Inventory M will skip golf as he is a rather big guy, standing about 5'10 and has to be close to 300-325 lbs. He is a great guy and wonderful to work with but I wonder how his future looks given he is about 15 years younger than me but putting so much pressure on his body.
Imagine my surprise when he asked if I was still golfing after work. I told him I was game and though he was only looking to play 9 I was more than likely going to shoot to play a full 18 darkness permitting.
The day dragged and it seemed to take an eternity for 4pm to roll around but as soon as it did we jetted for the course. I got there first as M had to stop by his house and get his clubs, he lives like 5 minutes from the course, and warmed up on the practise putting green while I waited for him.
The wait let me work on my stroke as I've been trying to incorporate the things I learned from the putting class I took back in May. I know that is almost 3 months ago but I never said I was quick learner now did I?
Putting went well and just as I was finishing up M arrived so we headed off to the first tee on the Pakenham Lake course - my favourite as it offers me chances to use all my clubs and I can usually score well when things click.
To say things were clicking would be like saying the sun rises in the East and sets in the West. Suddenly my slice was gone and I was long bombing my driver off the tee. On the 357 yard par 4 first hole my drive was so good that I was left with a wedge from 107 yards, which I nailed perfectly and two putted for a par. M was playing equally well but at the same time I could sense him struggling with the heat. We were both 1 over after the first 4 holes and feeling good about things. It was about this time that I started to become more worried about M as the heat was taxing my endurance and I couldn't imagine what it was doing to him. I've played golf in the heat and suffered heat stroke but I'd been hydrating all day and continued to do so as we played. I know M was doing the same but the difference in our sizes was begin to take a toll on him.
We both hit good drives on the 5th with me nipping his by about 25 yards. After he hit his second shot to clear the edge of the pond and put himself in shape for a easy wedge to the green I noticed him labouring again and without even thinking about it pulled my iPhone out of my bag and checked the signal strength, putting it in the cup holder of our cart. I hit my second shot dead perfect and left myself a wee little pitch to the pin and a legitimate shot at an eagle though I was shooting for my birdie. As he hit his wedge shot I started to mentally review the steps required to perform CPR and had brought my hands together in front of me and started practicing the 5 push heart compression I learned in my St; Johns course last year.
M looked over at me and said "Really?" and then down at my hands when I didn't get his comment. It was at that point that I noticed my hands for the first time. I smiled at him sheepishly and before I could say anything he softly punched me on the arm and said "Thanks, but I'm not going to have a heart attack on you out here".......
We finished the nine and totaled up our scores. Though he started strong the heat did wear M down quite a bit and it cost him on the last 4 holes where he triple bogeyed all of them and ended up shooting a 49. Because of my worries about him I hadn't been paying attention to my actual score but knew it would be good as I was striking and putting lights out. Good is an understatement as I came in at 43, my best 9 ever scored. It would have been even better had I not 3 putted the 6th on my way to a horrendous triple bogey.
As I dropped him off at his car I asked him to text me later so I knew he was ok and he smiled at me as he agreed and told me I was a bigger worry wart than his aunt.
After watching him drive off I headed back out and finished off my back nine. I'd love to say I continued my hot streak but have to admit to double bogeying the first three holes as I was a bit concerned about M. It wasn't until he sent me a text saying he was home and his aunt was over to keep an eye on him did I relax and my game slowly come back. I shot a respectable 46 and know that the 4 over par I played the last six holes was more like how my game is trending than the 6 over on the opening three holes.
I'm a big guy.....stand about 5'9 and weigh in around 225 so there is room for improvement in my physique and conditioning, both things I've started to address at Movati once again, but watching M really made me think about life and how I don't ever want to put myself in such a position that a simple round of golf can lead to a stroke or heart attack.
I've got too much living to do to let myself fall behind like that. My son graduates high school this year and I'm going to be there to watch. My daughter is giving birth to my first grandchild this coming December and I plan on being around to take him for ice cream after soccer. I've yet to experience my last first kiss and hope it happens soon but have to be here for that to happen.
Marcus
Yes, I did say grandson as we learned the sex of the baby last weekend and I admit to crying as I looked over at my daughter and her fiancé and seeing the joy and love they shared at the news.
Ok, let me say this before any of you continue to inundate me with messages about the missing white water rafting post.
Yes, I owe you a post but the truth of the matter is that some posts write themselves, some take a bit of thought in expressing the thought into words, and others sound wicked awesome in my head but are harder than hell to express in such a manner that makes me happy with the finished product.
I've finally got the bulk of the post completed and just working on the ending so it all ties together. There are times preparing a post makes me think it compares to blocking out scenes for a movie, everything has to be just right lest it feel forced.
So pending the final editing to that posting please enjoy the following entry from my experience this past Wednesday.
I only played golf twice last weekend, I'm as shocked as you by this, with my normal round Saturday morning with B at Pakenham on the Lake and Island courses. I didn't play bad nor did I play all that well so Saturday afternoon found me feeling a bit antsy so I drove down to Manotick to play Manderley on the Green. When I got there they were just finishing off a tournament and sent me off on the South 9 with a transition to the Central 9 for my 18. Now it has been at least 16 years since I last played Manderley and given the shape of the course it's probably going to be another 16 years before I go back again. That's all I'm going to say about it but it should be enough to form a sound opinion of how I found the course..........
So Monday was the usual rehash of weekends with M & M and vacation recap for A.
Inventory M asked if I was going to play during the week given my weekend and I replied that with no soccer game this week it was looking good. He suggested Wednesday as he has men's league play on Thursday's.
So Wednesday rolled around and it was super hot, like +32c with strong humidity. I've found that when it gets too hot Inventory M will skip golf as he is a rather big guy, standing about 5'10 and has to be close to 300-325 lbs. He is a great guy and wonderful to work with but I wonder how his future looks given he is about 15 years younger than me but putting so much pressure on his body.
Imagine my surprise when he asked if I was still golfing after work. I told him I was game and though he was only looking to play 9 I was more than likely going to shoot to play a full 18 darkness permitting.
The day dragged and it seemed to take an eternity for 4pm to roll around but as soon as it did we jetted for the course. I got there first as M had to stop by his house and get his clubs, he lives like 5 minutes from the course, and warmed up on the practise putting green while I waited for him.
The wait let me work on my stroke as I've been trying to incorporate the things I learned from the putting class I took back in May. I know that is almost 3 months ago but I never said I was quick learner now did I?
Putting went well and just as I was finishing up M arrived so we headed off to the first tee on the Pakenham Lake course - my favourite as it offers me chances to use all my clubs and I can usually score well when things click.
To say things were clicking would be like saying the sun rises in the East and sets in the West. Suddenly my slice was gone and I was long bombing my driver off the tee. On the 357 yard par 4 first hole my drive was so good that I was left with a wedge from 107 yards, which I nailed perfectly and two putted for a par. M was playing equally well but at the same time I could sense him struggling with the heat. We were both 1 over after the first 4 holes and feeling good about things. It was about this time that I started to become more worried about M as the heat was taxing my endurance and I couldn't imagine what it was doing to him. I've played golf in the heat and suffered heat stroke but I'd been hydrating all day and continued to do so as we played. I know M was doing the same but the difference in our sizes was begin to take a toll on him.
We both hit good drives on the 5th with me nipping his by about 25 yards. After he hit his second shot to clear the edge of the pond and put himself in shape for a easy wedge to the green I noticed him labouring again and without even thinking about it pulled my iPhone out of my bag and checked the signal strength, putting it in the cup holder of our cart. I hit my second shot dead perfect and left myself a wee little pitch to the pin and a legitimate shot at an eagle though I was shooting for my birdie. As he hit his wedge shot I started to mentally review the steps required to perform CPR and had brought my hands together in front of me and started practicing the 5 push heart compression I learned in my St; Johns course last year.
M looked over at me and said "Really?" and then down at my hands when I didn't get his comment. It was at that point that I noticed my hands for the first time. I smiled at him sheepishly and before I could say anything he softly punched me on the arm and said "Thanks, but I'm not going to have a heart attack on you out here".......
We finished the nine and totaled up our scores. Though he started strong the heat did wear M down quite a bit and it cost him on the last 4 holes where he triple bogeyed all of them and ended up shooting a 49. Because of my worries about him I hadn't been paying attention to my actual score but knew it would be good as I was striking and putting lights out. Good is an understatement as I came in at 43, my best 9 ever scored. It would have been even better had I not 3 putted the 6th on my way to a horrendous triple bogey.
As I dropped him off at his car I asked him to text me later so I knew he was ok and he smiled at me as he agreed and told me I was a bigger worry wart than his aunt.
After watching him drive off I headed back out and finished off my back nine. I'd love to say I continued my hot streak but have to admit to double bogeying the first three holes as I was a bit concerned about M. It wasn't until he sent me a text saying he was home and his aunt was over to keep an eye on him did I relax and my game slowly come back. I shot a respectable 46 and know that the 4 over par I played the last six holes was more like how my game is trending than the 6 over on the opening three holes.
I'm a big guy.....stand about 5'9 and weigh in around 225 so there is room for improvement in my physique and conditioning, both things I've started to address at Movati once again, but watching M really made me think about life and how I don't ever want to put myself in such a position that a simple round of golf can lead to a stroke or heart attack.
I've got too much living to do to let myself fall behind like that. My son graduates high school this year and I'm going to be there to watch. My daughter is giving birth to my first grandchild this coming December and I plan on being around to take him for ice cream after soccer. I've yet to experience my last first kiss and hope it happens soon but have to be here for that to happen.
Marcus
Yes, I did say grandson as we learned the sex of the baby last weekend and I admit to crying as I looked over at my daughter and her fiancé and seeing the joy and love they shared at the news.
Monday, August 1, 2016
White Water Rafting......some water, a jump, a little flirting, a possible mcl tear, and a talk
Monday, August 01/16
I'm still digesting all that went down on Saturday while white water rafting with my son so the entry isn't done yet....but everything in the title will be part of it once I sort my thoughts out
None of it is bad, well maybe the possible mcl tear but I've lived through one already so the world isn't going to end any time soon, and all gave pause at one moment or another over the course of a few hours.
Marcus
I'm still digesting all that went down on Saturday while white water rafting with my son so the entry isn't done yet....but everything in the title will be part of it once I sort my thoughts out
None of it is bad, well maybe the possible mcl tear but I've lived through one already so the world isn't going to end any time soon, and all gave pause at one moment or another over the course of a few hours.
Marcus
Saturday, July 30, 2016
The Long Weekend Begins
Saturday, July 30/16
The Ontario Civic long weekend began last night at 4pm when I left work.
So what is on tap for this weekend?
Today is white water rafting with my son, we leave for Wilderness Tours in 5 minutes, some golf tomorrow with the M&M boys from work, that darn side deck hasn't repaired itself so looks like that will get some attention, probably a round of golf with B on Monday, and finally the new Jason Bourne movie with my son and his girlfriend on Monday.
Sounds busy and it will be, but sure to provide plenty of laughs and smiles.
Best part is the drive to and from Wilderness Tours as it's a little over an hour each way and sure to provide some interesting conversations with the worlds greatest son. He'll more than likely sleep on the way home, if history repeats itself after our other white water rafting adventures, and that's all good as we will chat before and after his naps ;)
I'll post later on how the river went and maybe add some pictures as well...don't get excited as there won't be any shots of me or my son....privacy and safety are still the words of the day
Marcus
The Ontario Civic long weekend began last night at 4pm when I left work.
So what is on tap for this weekend?
Today is white water rafting with my son, we leave for Wilderness Tours in 5 minutes, some golf tomorrow with the M&M boys from work, that darn side deck hasn't repaired itself so looks like that will get some attention, probably a round of golf with B on Monday, and finally the new Jason Bourne movie with my son and his girlfriend on Monday.
Sounds busy and it will be, but sure to provide plenty of laughs and smiles.
Best part is the drive to and from Wilderness Tours as it's a little over an hour each way and sure to provide some interesting conversations with the worlds greatest son. He'll more than likely sleep on the way home, if history repeats itself after our other white water rafting adventures, and that's all good as we will chat before and after his naps ;)
I'll post later on how the river went and maybe add some pictures as well...don't get excited as there won't be any shots of me or my son....privacy and safety are still the words of the day
Marcus
Sunday, July 24, 2016
A weekend of golf and the moment when things sort of clicked
Sunday, July 24/16
My weekend started off with my usual weekly round with my friend B and catching up on the things going on in our lives. Seems my old company has been bought so there is a bit of uncertainty surrounding positions and he has decided to start looking for something new. He asked if I would be a reference and I laughed as I told him if I wasn't one we have some serious issues.
My Saturday morning round was the complete polar opposite of my Friday round to such an extent that I stopped scoring after taking an unbelievable 9 on the easiest par 4 I've ever played in my life, things got so bad that I started to experiment with shots since nothing I was doing seemed to work out for me. I sort of got things turned around a little on the back nine but by that time my mood was so bad I apologized to B for the hideous display of golf. He smiled and reminded me of his own round from hell I got to experience a few weeks ago and told me to hit the range and work on my club takeaway as that looks to be the issue causing my slice.
When I got home I took Moki for a walk and did some laundry as I tidied up around the house. My goal was to do the yard when I got home but it was too damn hot with the humidity so I stayed inside and just took it easy and had a little nap with Moki resting her head on my hip.
I only napped for about an hour and made myself a bite to eat as I was famished. Once done with that and cleaning up the dishes the thought of yard work was so very unappealing that I made the tough call to play another round of golf. The question was where to play as neither Pakenham or Glen Mar held much interest for me. I looked at eQuinelle down in Kemptville, The Smith Falls Golf & Country Club, and Perth Golf Course. I ended up going with Perth as I liked that it is Canada's oldest course at the same location since opening.
The front nine was kind of strange as it played long, played short, had weird angles, and sort of left me feeling a sense of vertigo until I was able to get to the back nine. I think I was 8 over on the front and everything I'd done wrong in my morning round at Pakenham was perfect in this round. My distance were spot on and my slice was minimal. I tinkered with my takeaway and think I found the cure to that damn slice, least for now. I loved the back nine and shot a 6 over 42 to finish with an 85 on a par 71 course. It doesn't play as long as some of the usual courses I play but there were a couple of holes that were monster long and really had me hitting fairway woods on the 2nd and 3rd shots when I'm used to hitting a short iron on the 3rd shot.
It's sort of amazing how Jekyll and Hyde my game can go from one round to the next. The only saving grace is that I can usually find holes in each round where I did everything just right.
I grabbed a pizza for dinner as cooking wasn't on the agenda and had some wine with it and can honestly say I was asleep by 9pm as the golf and fresh air had tired me out big time.
Sunday broke bright and early with the usual walk in the park with Moki and some breakfast. As I was getting ready to head out and tackle the yard my daughter sent me a text asking what I was up to and if I was interested in helping her and the fiancé put together a flower box as she was craving some colours in her yard as the grass isn't scheduled to be done till the middle of August.
I made the heroic decision to put off my own yard to help them and headed over with a shovel, some gloves, and a smile.
Two hours later we had a nice flower garden set up along the house right next to the front steps up onto the porch. I had forgotten how rocky the soil is in Kanata/Stittsville but was given a quick reminder when I had to constantly dig up rocks and work around patches of clay.
My daughter had to run over to Lowe's to get more topsoil and as her fiancé and I waited we had a cool drink on the porch and I just sat there looking around at the new homes being built and the people out and about walking dogs, washing cars, jogging, and doing yard work.
It dawned on my that I have it pretty good in life and all the things I've been letting get to me don't define who I am or how I carry myself. I've got friends and hobbies that keep me busy so there is no damn reason to be moping around. For the first time in a very long time I felt as ease with my life and the things going on in it. I think things sort of clicked for me Thursday and now I know my path is clear and open to new possibilities, as long as I keep my eyes open and my heart clear.
Of course once I got done helping them I was in no mood to do my own yard so I've put it off until Monday and will do it once I'm home from work.
So how did I spend my Sunday afternoon? Well for those who guessed playing another round of golf please give yourself a gold star and for those who had no clue, well might I suggest reading some of my older posts to brush up on what this blogger does for fun.
I played up at Pakenham and continued the fine play from Saturday afternoon, shooting a nice 89 that included putting a ball into the ponds on the Canyon 3rd and 4th holes and adding an out of bounds on the 8th that sort of pissed me off as I nailed my 3 wood a good 230 yards only to see it hit something in the fairway and kick way right OB. Oh well, I took some satisfaction in crushing that 3 wood and am really starting to like hitting it, almost as much as my Callaway 4 hybrid but don't tell her that as than she'll top my next shot lol
It's 9:45 pm and I'm off to bed soon as I'm hitting Movati in the morning and getting back into the gym routine again. Think I'm going to give myself a 2 week head start on getting my legs back before letting Connor know I'm back and ready for more of his sadism.
My name is Marcus and the clouds have parted and the sunshine feels pretty damn good these days.
My weekend started off with my usual weekly round with my friend B and catching up on the things going on in our lives. Seems my old company has been bought so there is a bit of uncertainty surrounding positions and he has decided to start looking for something new. He asked if I would be a reference and I laughed as I told him if I wasn't one we have some serious issues.
My Saturday morning round was the complete polar opposite of my Friday round to such an extent that I stopped scoring after taking an unbelievable 9 on the easiest par 4 I've ever played in my life, things got so bad that I started to experiment with shots since nothing I was doing seemed to work out for me. I sort of got things turned around a little on the back nine but by that time my mood was so bad I apologized to B for the hideous display of golf. He smiled and reminded me of his own round from hell I got to experience a few weeks ago and told me to hit the range and work on my club takeaway as that looks to be the issue causing my slice.
When I got home I took Moki for a walk and did some laundry as I tidied up around the house. My goal was to do the yard when I got home but it was too damn hot with the humidity so I stayed inside and just took it easy and had a little nap with Moki resting her head on my hip.
I only napped for about an hour and made myself a bite to eat as I was famished. Once done with that and cleaning up the dishes the thought of yard work was so very unappealing that I made the tough call to play another round of golf. The question was where to play as neither Pakenham or Glen Mar held much interest for me. I looked at eQuinelle down in Kemptville, The Smith Falls Golf & Country Club, and Perth Golf Course. I ended up going with Perth as I liked that it is Canada's oldest course at the same location since opening.
The front nine was kind of strange as it played long, played short, had weird angles, and sort of left me feeling a sense of vertigo until I was able to get to the back nine. I think I was 8 over on the front and everything I'd done wrong in my morning round at Pakenham was perfect in this round. My distance were spot on and my slice was minimal. I tinkered with my takeaway and think I found the cure to that damn slice, least for now. I loved the back nine and shot a 6 over 42 to finish with an 85 on a par 71 course. It doesn't play as long as some of the usual courses I play but there were a couple of holes that were monster long and really had me hitting fairway woods on the 2nd and 3rd shots when I'm used to hitting a short iron on the 3rd shot.
It's sort of amazing how Jekyll and Hyde my game can go from one round to the next. The only saving grace is that I can usually find holes in each round where I did everything just right.
I grabbed a pizza for dinner as cooking wasn't on the agenda and had some wine with it and can honestly say I was asleep by 9pm as the golf and fresh air had tired me out big time.
Sunday broke bright and early with the usual walk in the park with Moki and some breakfast. As I was getting ready to head out and tackle the yard my daughter sent me a text asking what I was up to and if I was interested in helping her and the fiancé put together a flower box as she was craving some colours in her yard as the grass isn't scheduled to be done till the middle of August.
I made the heroic decision to put off my own yard to help them and headed over with a shovel, some gloves, and a smile.
Two hours later we had a nice flower garden set up along the house right next to the front steps up onto the porch. I had forgotten how rocky the soil is in Kanata/Stittsville but was given a quick reminder when I had to constantly dig up rocks and work around patches of clay.
My daughter had to run over to Lowe's to get more topsoil and as her fiancé and I waited we had a cool drink on the porch and I just sat there looking around at the new homes being built and the people out and about walking dogs, washing cars, jogging, and doing yard work.
It dawned on my that I have it pretty good in life and all the things I've been letting get to me don't define who I am or how I carry myself. I've got friends and hobbies that keep me busy so there is no damn reason to be moping around. For the first time in a very long time I felt as ease with my life and the things going on in it. I think things sort of clicked for me Thursday and now I know my path is clear and open to new possibilities, as long as I keep my eyes open and my heart clear.
Of course once I got done helping them I was in no mood to do my own yard so I've put it off until Monday and will do it once I'm home from work.
So how did I spend my Sunday afternoon? Well for those who guessed playing another round of golf please give yourself a gold star and for those who had no clue, well might I suggest reading some of my older posts to brush up on what this blogger does for fun.
I played up at Pakenham and continued the fine play from Saturday afternoon, shooting a nice 89 that included putting a ball into the ponds on the Canyon 3rd and 4th holes and adding an out of bounds on the 8th that sort of pissed me off as I nailed my 3 wood a good 230 yards only to see it hit something in the fairway and kick way right OB. Oh well, I took some satisfaction in crushing that 3 wood and am really starting to like hitting it, almost as much as my Callaway 4 hybrid but don't tell her that as than she'll top my next shot lol
It's 9:45 pm and I'm off to bed soon as I'm hitting Movati in the morning and getting back into the gym routine again. Think I'm going to give myself a 2 week head start on getting my legs back before letting Connor know I'm back and ready for more of his sadism.
My name is Marcus and the clouds have parted and the sunshine feels pretty damn good these days.
Friday, July 22, 2016
Fantastic Friday
Friday, July 22/16
"My Sharona" by The Knack - the guitars totally make this one in my mind.
So the new Star Trek Beyond movie was a total kick ass experience and has some pretty good music to boot, a double win for me since I do love me some good tunes. The previews have me salivating as there are some pretty good movies coming out over the next month or so and now I've just got to find the time to take them all in when they arrive.
We stayed to the very end of the credits as I wanted to see the sign offs to Leonard Nimoy and Anton Yelchin, both of whom left us this year. As we left the theatre the new Rihanna tune for the movie came on and my son couldn't believe it was her, the voice was so strong and the lyrics moving across the spectrum.
He dropped me off at home before heading over to his girlfriends so I did my usual thing and grabbed my clubs and headed off to Pakenham to play 18.
I got lucky and was sent out on the Lake/Canyon nines and fell into a really good groove once I was able to play through the 2 dads and 3 sons playing in front of me. Somehow I managed to shoot a 45 on the Lake 9, impressive when you consider I put two into the lake on the 5th hole as I was trying to overcome the damn slice that has worked it's way into my swing mechanics. I finished Lake strong with a pair of par's on the 8th and long par 5 9th.
I was on fire on Canyon and can't tell you for the life of me why I was playing so well. I was 1 over through 5 when the storm started to roil overhead. I hit a massive drive on the 6th , had to be close to 280+ yards which is super long for me, and just as I headed down the fairway I could feel the first drops of rain coming down. Normally I'd try to play through the rain to finish a round, especially one where I had a great chance to shoot under 90 but overhead I could hear the thunder starting to boom and decided that discretion was the better part of valour and headed towards the club house.
Just as I was moving my clubs from the cart to my car I saw lighting flash by and knew I'd made the right call. I ran the cart back to the clubhouse and received a credit for the unfinished 9 and headed home. As I pulled out of the parking lot the clouds opened up and I swear it was like someone was standing on the roof of my car and throwing buckets of water on my windshield, it was coming down so hard my wipers going at full blast couldn't give me any visibility so I stayed put until the worst had passed and I could see out of the windows again.
As much as I love golf I'm also smart enough to know when it's time to vamoose as I plan on playing many more rounds and want to be around to see my son graduate and the birth of my grandchild come this December. It kind of sucks such a great round was cut short but once again I have more proof that my game is almost where I want it. One thing I've noticed is that my confidence is growing so that I no longer shy away from using certain clubs or dread a couple of the holes on the course like I have in the past.
I'm just getting ready to open a nice bottle of Pinot Grigio and enjoy this weeks episode of Suits and maybe a movie on Netflix.
Stay dry, stay warm, stay safe, and stay tuned for more weekend updates :)
Marcus
"My Sharona" by The Knack - the guitars totally make this one in my mind.
So the new Star Trek Beyond movie was a total kick ass experience and has some pretty good music to boot, a double win for me since I do love me some good tunes. The previews have me salivating as there are some pretty good movies coming out over the next month or so and now I've just got to find the time to take them all in when they arrive.
We stayed to the very end of the credits as I wanted to see the sign offs to Leonard Nimoy and Anton Yelchin, both of whom left us this year. As we left the theatre the new Rihanna tune for the movie came on and my son couldn't believe it was her, the voice was so strong and the lyrics moving across the spectrum.
He dropped me off at home before heading over to his girlfriends so I did my usual thing and grabbed my clubs and headed off to Pakenham to play 18.
I got lucky and was sent out on the Lake/Canyon nines and fell into a really good groove once I was able to play through the 2 dads and 3 sons playing in front of me. Somehow I managed to shoot a 45 on the Lake 9, impressive when you consider I put two into the lake on the 5th hole as I was trying to overcome the damn slice that has worked it's way into my swing mechanics. I finished Lake strong with a pair of par's on the 8th and long par 5 9th.
I was on fire on Canyon and can't tell you for the life of me why I was playing so well. I was 1 over through 5 when the storm started to roil overhead. I hit a massive drive on the 6th , had to be close to 280+ yards which is super long for me, and just as I headed down the fairway I could feel the first drops of rain coming down. Normally I'd try to play through the rain to finish a round, especially one where I had a great chance to shoot under 90 but overhead I could hear the thunder starting to boom and decided that discretion was the better part of valour and headed towards the club house.
Just as I was moving my clubs from the cart to my car I saw lighting flash by and knew I'd made the right call. I ran the cart back to the clubhouse and received a credit for the unfinished 9 and headed home. As I pulled out of the parking lot the clouds opened up and I swear it was like someone was standing on the roof of my car and throwing buckets of water on my windshield, it was coming down so hard my wipers going at full blast couldn't give me any visibility so I stayed put until the worst had passed and I could see out of the windows again.
As much as I love golf I'm also smart enough to know when it's time to vamoose as I plan on playing many more rounds and want to be around to see my son graduate and the birth of my grandchild come this December. It kind of sucks such a great round was cut short but once again I have more proof that my game is almost where I want it. One thing I've noticed is that my confidence is growing so that I no longer shy away from using certain clubs or dread a couple of the holes on the course like I have in the past.
I'm just getting ready to open a nice bottle of Pinot Grigio and enjoy this weeks episode of Suits and maybe a movie on Netflix.
Stay dry, stay warm, stay safe, and stay tuned for more weekend updates :)
Marcus
The Weekend Starts Early
Friday, July 22/16
So I'm now enjoying my 3 day weekend courtesy of taking today off.
I was up bright and early taking the diva princess for a walk, suddenly for some reason the backyard isn't good enough for her and all she does is give me the look whenever I try and get her to go out there quickly, ran some errands, and now getting ready to head out and grab some lunch with my son before we see the new Star Trek Beyond in 3D Imax.
Later he'll transition to his moms for the week and I'll be looking to get in some golf, it's been almost 5 days since I last played and I'm feeling a bit antsy.
The weekend is wide open in terms of possibilities with just some yard work, laundry, the side deck repairs, and new WIFI router to install......ok, maybe it's not as wide open as I first thought but I'm flexible and will adjust my plans accordingly should something better open up :)
What is on your agenda? Maybe some family time, recreational time, clubbing, or even a date or two.
The world is your oyster so make the most of it!!!
Marcus
Oh....almost forgot today's musical suggestion....well in honour of Star Trek Beyond how about we go with Sabotage by the Beastie Boys.......great guitar riffs and the back drum beat isn't too bad
So I'm now enjoying my 3 day weekend courtesy of taking today off.
I was up bright and early taking the diva princess for a walk, suddenly for some reason the backyard isn't good enough for her and all she does is give me the look whenever I try and get her to go out there quickly, ran some errands, and now getting ready to head out and grab some lunch with my son before we see the new Star Trek Beyond in 3D Imax.
Later he'll transition to his moms for the week and I'll be looking to get in some golf, it's been almost 5 days since I last played and I'm feeling a bit antsy.
The weekend is wide open in terms of possibilities with just some yard work, laundry, the side deck repairs, and new WIFI router to install......ok, maybe it's not as wide open as I first thought but I'm flexible and will adjust my plans accordingly should something better open up :)
What is on your agenda? Maybe some family time, recreational time, clubbing, or even a date or two.
The world is your oyster so make the most of it!!!
Marcus
Oh....almost forgot today's musical suggestion....well in honour of Star Trek Beyond how about we go with Sabotage by the Beastie Boys.......great guitar riffs and the back drum beat isn't too bad
Thursday, July 21, 2016
Dinner with friends, a text, a call, and some closure
Thursday, July 21/16
I had dinner with my former CFO and controller last night and of course the subject of my dating life came up during the course of our talks. Sometimes I think those two get more worked up over things going on in my life than I do.
I'll admit it is nice to have them looking out for me and giving me some feedback on things, especially from K my old controller as she is female and offers a different perspective on things that I sorely need at times.
Of course the topic of my break up with C was broached and I was interested in they're take on how it ended and if I was as stupid as I thought I was with the way I acted. C, my former CFO just shook his head at me and K was quick to point out I'd done the wrong thing and was totally in the wrong.
I think they sensed it was still a tender subject for me, even after almost nine months, and they changed the subject to work related things, other people we knew, and future plans. They both encouraged me to start my job search now and be open and up front about my desire to stay where I am until September 30th so as to get my retention bonus, given it's large enough to make it worth my while, or to match it with a signing bonus. I think getting to stay until the end is more likely lol
As we parted ways in the parking lot K turned to me and said I needed to reach out to my C and make sure things were over, with CFO C nodding in agreement. I said I wasn't sure that was a good idea as I might not like the response I received and K said she was pretty sure C still thought of me and I owed to myself and her to try. I told them I'd think about it without really agreeing to make the call.
I mentioned this to my friend A at work this morning and he told me they were right, that no matter what I learned it was better than being in limbo.
Around 2 pm I sent a text to C and didn't really expect a response from her. as I was driving home she tried to call me but I couldn't take it as it would have meant taking my eyes off the road to grab my phone and I try to live by what I tell my son so that was not an option.
When I got home I called her but got her voice mail and left a message. She called me back about 5 minutes later and we had a chat.
I won't get into what was said other than to say I wish we'd had this talk back in September as it might have led things to turning out differently. Nothing says we wouldn't have broken up down the road anyways but I think that time, should it have come, would have been much farther in the future than turned out.
She did tell me that she didn't think any thing she had to say would give me the closure I needed but the truth is that hearing what she said did give me some peace of mind, it made me sad as I know things shouldn't have gotten to that point but they say life is one long lesson to learn from and maybe I'll do better with communicating or at least understanding what is happening to those around me than I did with C.
I wished her well and told her I will always be here for her as I think she is an amazing woman. Something I've only felt with two women in my life, the mother of my children and C. The difference between them being one makes me smile and one makes me feel butterflies whenever I think of her.........I'll leave you to figure out which one does which to me
There is a weight lifted off my shoulders now and I can sort of see my path stretching out in front of me as the fog that had shrouded it has at long last started to fade away.
Love can make your heart beat with joy, with anticipation, and ache with pain at a loss.
Love is all those moments when lust has been overcome.
Love makes 1 + 1 equal 1
Love........something I've had and hope to have again when the moment is right
My name is Marcus and life isn't looking too bad these days.
I struggled to come up with a musical suggestion to pair with this blog posting but nothing really seemed to fit the mood I was in when writing it so I was going to leave it blank but then I came across Sledgehammer by Rihanna.......perfect song for this one and I've got it playing as I hit post on this entry
I had dinner with my former CFO and controller last night and of course the subject of my dating life came up during the course of our talks. Sometimes I think those two get more worked up over things going on in my life than I do.
I'll admit it is nice to have them looking out for me and giving me some feedback on things, especially from K my old controller as she is female and offers a different perspective on things that I sorely need at times.
Of course the topic of my break up with C was broached and I was interested in they're take on how it ended and if I was as stupid as I thought I was with the way I acted. C, my former CFO just shook his head at me and K was quick to point out I'd done the wrong thing and was totally in the wrong.
I think they sensed it was still a tender subject for me, even after almost nine months, and they changed the subject to work related things, other people we knew, and future plans. They both encouraged me to start my job search now and be open and up front about my desire to stay where I am until September 30th so as to get my retention bonus, given it's large enough to make it worth my while, or to match it with a signing bonus. I think getting to stay until the end is more likely lol
As we parted ways in the parking lot K turned to me and said I needed to reach out to my C and make sure things were over, with CFO C nodding in agreement. I said I wasn't sure that was a good idea as I might not like the response I received and K said she was pretty sure C still thought of me and I owed to myself and her to try. I told them I'd think about it without really agreeing to make the call.
I mentioned this to my friend A at work this morning and he told me they were right, that no matter what I learned it was better than being in limbo.
Around 2 pm I sent a text to C and didn't really expect a response from her. as I was driving home she tried to call me but I couldn't take it as it would have meant taking my eyes off the road to grab my phone and I try to live by what I tell my son so that was not an option.
When I got home I called her but got her voice mail and left a message. She called me back about 5 minutes later and we had a chat.
I won't get into what was said other than to say I wish we'd had this talk back in September as it might have led things to turning out differently. Nothing says we wouldn't have broken up down the road anyways but I think that time, should it have come, would have been much farther in the future than turned out.
She did tell me that she didn't think any thing she had to say would give me the closure I needed but the truth is that hearing what she said did give me some peace of mind, it made me sad as I know things shouldn't have gotten to that point but they say life is one long lesson to learn from and maybe I'll do better with communicating or at least understanding what is happening to those around me than I did with C.
I wished her well and told her I will always be here for her as I think she is an amazing woman. Something I've only felt with two women in my life, the mother of my children and C. The difference between them being one makes me smile and one makes me feel butterflies whenever I think of her.........I'll leave you to figure out which one does which to me
There is a weight lifted off my shoulders now and I can sort of see my path stretching out in front of me as the fog that had shrouded it has at long last started to fade away.
Love can make your heart beat with joy, with anticipation, and ache with pain at a loss.
Love is all those moments when lust has been overcome.
Love makes 1 + 1 equal 1
Love........something I've had and hope to have again when the moment is right
My name is Marcus and life isn't looking too bad these days.
I struggled to come up with a musical suggestion to pair with this blog posting but nothing really seemed to fit the mood I was in when writing it so I was going to leave it blank but then I came across Sledgehammer by Rihanna.......perfect song for this one and I've got it playing as I hit post on this entry
Friday, July 15, 2016
Live in the moment
Friday, July 15/16
When I started this blog a few years back I made a promise to be honest to myself and you about my feelings about being a father and trying to date once again in the hope of meeting that one woman who could make my heart beat a bit faster when we were near or I thought about her, my last first kiss if you will.
I think it started off well enough but somewhere along the way I sort of lost touch with what I really wanted to say with this blog, I let my feelings get in the way and sort of drag things down over time.
For that I apologize and promise to try my best to get back to writing entries about the stuff I observe, that happens to me, or I just plain wish would happen.
No more morose pondering about what could have been had I only just acted one way instead of another, no more pining away over lost love for if truth be told it's possible I only fooled myself into thinking I was ever really the object of love to begin with. I can't say with any certainty that I know anymore whether the feelings expressed towards me were real or just a phase for the moment.
What I can say is that life is nothing more than a series of interconnected moments and I'm going to do my best to jump down the stream of life from one moment to the next, hopefully generating some interesting blog entries along the way.
As the saying goes, tomorrow is a new day and I'm going to work my ass off to make each new tomorrow worth living. This doesn't mean I'll be doing crazy things like buying a motorcycle or going sky diving but it does mean pushing my boundaries and trying to expand my experiences in life.
Spending time with my son, helping my daughter as she prepares for the arrival of her own child this year, feeding my self confessed addiction to golf, and getting out there and meeting people, specifically women, so I can maybe, just perhaps, fingers crossed share my very last first kiss with an amazing woman who reminds me what the L word really means.
Stay tuned and I hope the ride is worth at least three E tickets :)
Marcus
When I started this blog a few years back I made a promise to be honest to myself and you about my feelings about being a father and trying to date once again in the hope of meeting that one woman who could make my heart beat a bit faster when we were near or I thought about her, my last first kiss if you will.
I think it started off well enough but somewhere along the way I sort of lost touch with what I really wanted to say with this blog, I let my feelings get in the way and sort of drag things down over time.
For that I apologize and promise to try my best to get back to writing entries about the stuff I observe, that happens to me, or I just plain wish would happen.
No more morose pondering about what could have been had I only just acted one way instead of another, no more pining away over lost love for if truth be told it's possible I only fooled myself into thinking I was ever really the object of love to begin with. I can't say with any certainty that I know anymore whether the feelings expressed towards me were real or just a phase for the moment.
What I can say is that life is nothing more than a series of interconnected moments and I'm going to do my best to jump down the stream of life from one moment to the next, hopefully generating some interesting blog entries along the way.
As the saying goes, tomorrow is a new day and I'm going to work my ass off to make each new tomorrow worth living. This doesn't mean I'll be doing crazy things like buying a motorcycle or going sky diving but it does mean pushing my boundaries and trying to expand my experiences in life.
Spending time with my son, helping my daughter as she prepares for the arrival of her own child this year, feeding my self confessed addiction to golf, and getting out there and meeting people, specifically women, so I can maybe, just perhaps, fingers crossed share my very last first kiss with an amazing woman who reminds me what the L word really means.
Stay tuned and I hope the ride is worth at least three E tickets :)
Marcus
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