HS Reunion
I've been talking to a bunch of friends I found on Facebook. The Class of 88 reunion was this weekend, and after looking at some of the pics posted, and talking to a few of them, I'm totally bummed I didn't go to mine last year.
Unfortunately, I was in Seattle on business when I got the notice. Heard it was pretty cool, but I haven't seen any of the pics, so it's not as real I guess. Looking at how all of these people I went to school with have all grown up, it's a little eerie. I guess you have this image stuck in your head of who looks like what, and then BOOM they all show up and it's totally different - and yet, it's pretty similar too.
Why is Facebook so popular? Because it lets us take a peek and get a quick update on how people are doing, and for some of us - what everyone looks like. I am not saying that I have aged flawlessly, but after seeing pics of friends over the last year of so from Facebook updates, and then taking a good hard look in the mirror, I realize just how much I have aged. I've seen a few people after long absences, and they tell me I look the same, but how much is true, and how much is being nice? 
I do have to say, looking at the pics today of the reunion, I'm amazed at how wonderful so many of them look. Funny thing is, they're all pretty much hanging out with the same people in little groups, some people being daring and venturing outside of their old groups.
I think i'll start working out now. I've got 4 years until my 25th reunion. Wow, maybe I am that old
Surprised + confession
Surprised: Well, lets even go so far as saying shocked. Dodgers swept the Cubbies? Did NOT see that coming. I figured the Cubs would destroy LA quickly and loudly.
Confession: I didn't have enough faith in my team. I really thought the Halos were going to eat the Sox for breakfast and tie it up quickly. Starting out in LA, then coming back to Fenway? Figured we'd be able to take the games in Fenway, but I did NOT see Bay and Drew coming through so completely.
Conclusion: All you need to do is get to the offseason, and then all bets are off. When you get to October, everything changes. Boston seemed to maintain to get in. Talk about waking up? Holy crap! I'm still blown away. And very tired from staying up until 2am watching the end of Game 2. Man, so glad I did tho. What an amazing ending! Papelbon was awesome.
I'm curious to see what you all think - were most of the highpower teams playing hurt for a good part or most of the season, or was it just me because Boston was so f'd up all season.
And to go on record - I'm STILL glad Manny left. I wish the Dodgers luck, if only to allow Joe Torre to give the Steinbrenners the bird.
Go Guys Go!
4 in the first inning, just scored again in the 4th...Man o Man!
Now I have to make a confession. I'm surprised that Boston is doing so well. But it all comes down to what kind of player are you in the offseason. Boston seems to thrive in the offseason. There are several things that thankfully came into focus in the last couple of days/weeks.
JD Drew and Lowell came back from the DL. They've been playing so little this season, and Lowell only played Game 1, he's out again until Sunday's game at Boston. They're taking it easy on him because he has a torn labrum in his hip. Yes, you can wince now.
It comes down to one thing - Tony Francona. He's such a smart manager. He put in Kotsay and Alex Cora in the lineup when he moved Youk over to third because the two of them hit REALLY well off the guy pitching tonight Santana. He is a very good thinking coach.
Uh oh Angels fans - Torii Hunter just went into the dugout with a bit of a limp. Dude, that would suck because he hurt it jumping up in the air protesting a call at first.
Again, another confession - Dude, DiceK is doing WELL tonight. I'm amazed at the pitches this guy is throwing. I didn't realize he and Lester have so many different pitches they can go to. The only thing that would make this sweeter would be for Varitek to start on a hitting run. I feel bad for the guy, he's had such a crap year hitting and his contract is up this year - should make for interesting discussions. I think Boston will keep him, possibly on a shorter contract than he would have wanted.
Hmm, things are heating up in the 4th. Going to go watch
GO SOX!
edit: 1:03am - tied going into the 9th inning. Oh man. Why did it have to be played out there? I have a soccer game to wake up for tomorrow!!!
edit: 1:16 - man o man, nice hit JD! Please, Please - Papelbon. Finish it so I can go to sleep 
edit: 1:30 - Nicely done Jon, put em away. Did you see that catch by Youk practically in the dugout? Holy Crap!
Night y'all.
WOW?!?
First and foremost:
ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION LADY!!!!! JEEZUS CHISTMAS!!!
Times she said "Nukular" - 9
The Castro Brothers?
What is Talabani?
Dude, you winked. UGH! STOP WINKING!!!!
Why is everything ending in 'there'?
I'm a lot more impressed with Biden than I thought I would be.
Ewww, I'm sorry. Listening to this woman is making me feel dirty. Is she as slimy as I am imagining?
Being a Dad
What does it take to be a father? Who draws up the rules and hands you a list of things you need to do? Why do we become fathers?
Yeah, I'm not totally sure either:) I just know that I'm doing something right because my kids are growing up fairly normal. I got married at 26, I was a first time father at 28, and again at 30. So that means I've been married for almost 14 years, I have an 11 yr old and a soon to be 9 yr old. She's 8 and 11/12ths thank you very much! (Take a bow Gillian). I've been through diapers, teething, potty training, first days of school, first days of practice, and first days of away camp. I've been through night terrors, "can't sleep with the lights off", "can't sleep with the lights on", "Daddy get me a drinkie", and other things not worth mentioning. I've had just about every single body emission on me at some point and I'm still breathing.
My latest bout has been getting my son through 5th grade, relatively unscathed. Let me tell you, beware of moving from elementary school to middle/intermediate school. The kids get shitty and they can spot a victim from a mile away. Unfortunately, Aidan is a pretty sensitive kid and prone to take just about everything personally. So how do you make sure your kid knows you support him, without doing it for him, or wimping him out? Lots of confidence talks, therapy for him (and us), and a long breather over the summer. Thankfully, this year, he's got the stones to give some back and is quickly realizing that people weren't picking on him, they were just fuckin with him. I really didn't think I was going to survive that one.
So what does it take? It takes patience. It takes a lot of love, a lot of communication, and a lot of holding back what you really want to say because they need to learn it for themselves and telling them the solution or the answer to the problem won't help. In a lot of cases, it makes it worse. It takes a lot of hope, a lot of frustration, and a lot of disappointment.
Now at this point, you're probably thinking that I don't like being a Dad. Far from it. The cool stuff is what makes it all worth it. Even a tenth of the cool stuff makes the hard stuff easier.
They can smile and make my day. They give me hugs when I need them, even if I don't know I need them. They need me at times, and want to do it on their own at others. My 11 yr old still likes to have his back tickled as he falls asleep. My daughter knows when I'm tense and makes me lay on my stomach so she can walk on my back and loosen things up. The rush in on the days I work from home and tell me about their days.
They email me at work or send me instant messages.
They give me an excuse to play D&D again and finally get to DM instead of playing the cleric all the time.
Anyone can be the biological parent. It takes a lot more effort, sweat, nerves, tears, smiles, laughs to be a Dad.
Writing
I posted something tonight, it's in the bar above - story1.
Not sure where it came from. I've always tried to be realistic when it came to the things I want to do with my life. I've always been a fan of fantasy novels, devouring them one after the other. Good things don't always come to those who wait. Good things come to those who persevere.
I'd love to write a book, but I'm never going to do it unless I do it all the time. So that's my beginning, and no, I have NO idea where it's going.
There is a word in japanese for persevering - it's Ganbatte (Gan Bat teh), and it pretty much means Go For It.
So that's what I'm doing. I'm not writing it because I want to publish it and make a boatload of money. I'm writing it because I think I can write a pretty good story and I've never stuck my neck out and tried it.
Feel free to call me on it if I don't write enough, or comment on it if you like it or hate it. Again, it's for me