A new year: 1/365
Okay, so my 43rd birthday was yesterday, and I have been trying to get things moving in other aspects of my life besides work. I believe I have let it take over too much of my day, mostly because being at home, I can always do things because it's right there. I do love what I do, which is really nice, but I need to keep hours to work on what they should be utilized for - being with the kids, being with Fae, doing things that allow my brain to shut down for a while and just relax.
It's been a pretty stressful year, so I want to leave 42 behind me and chronicle 43 to see if I can keep something like a daily log going. I have several reasons for this, but in truth, I kind of like having a check on myself so I can list out accomplishments, failures, goals, and thoughts. I think emptying my head on a regular basis will help.
Hence, the 1/365 in the title. I'm going to try and do things on a daily basis, including pics, a post, and maybe even some other stuff. I don't know. I've seen a lot of blogs that take a pic a day and I always thought that was neat.
So what do I have planned? Hell, I don't know. But I'd like to keep this up as much as possible.
Latest Accomplishments: Gillian and I have been doing 'workouts' together on a nightly basis for about a week now. We didn't last night because we were out to dinner and Daddy ate too much 
We've been doing some form of kicking/punching because she found that hitting balloons around her room helped with her frustration levels. She's in 3 advanced classes, in band, and the school play. She's stressing a little bit and she liked the idea of hitting the hand pads I have from when I used to teach TaeKwon Do.
So I started her off slow - 5 minutes of punching, some sit ups, and pushups - and we progressed from there. We decided that we wanted to keep track of things, so I have an excel spreadsheet on my desktop at home. I looked last night, and I have done more pushups and situps in the last week than I did all last year. Made me want to do some this morning, but when I tried to do some situps, my abdomen say NO! Going to take it easy on the situps for another day or so, but I'm going to continue with the pushups and start doing the punching and kicking drills I used to teach before using the bags. I want to work on endurance (for both of us), as well as getting form a little cleaner. Kicks are a lot more effective if you're stance is proper.
I also got a bonsai tree for my birthday from Fae It's a flowering Serissa: http://www.bonsaiboy.com/catalog/product5829.html
It grows small white flowers several times during the year and it's cool as hell because the roots come above the soil. It's 7 yrs old and it's about the coolest thing I've gotten in a long time. Hopefully I won't kill it That's kind of another reason for the enhanced blog. I'd like to chronicle how I'm caring for the tree to be able to look back and see what I did and what I did wrong. Plus I'm hoping to be able to get advice on how to begin trimming, pruning, and training it. It's funny because I had gotten a bunch of books from the library to begin reading on it, I didn't realize Fae was planning it based on all of the books I had. I didn't realize but at one point, I had like 5 I was reading at the same time.
Anyway, here's to the first day of my new year. Here's to new beginnings. And here's to hopefully a nice start to improving my life, my outlook, and my sanity
Doing Something About It – Day3
Good couple of days. I've been studying at least 30 minutes a day, Thanksgiving obviously I didn't, but I didn't use that as an excuse to not do anything for several days.
Wednesday - Studied for 30 minutes, started taking notes and realized quickly that it was jumbling things around.
Thursday - did some reading on exam prep, ate dinner with inlaws and friends.
Friday - Studied for an hour and fixed a few things I've been wanting to fix for a while but haven't had time.
Saturday - Didn't study, but took a nice relaxing day off.
Today - sat at Dunkin Donuts for an hour and made out more flash cards. Doing my blog entry Fae pulled something in her back last night so she's recovering. I'm going to put an idea of mine into practice in a little while. Been reading about some cool MDX stuff (don't ask) and I think it'll help with some of the things we're looking at.
Elbow hurts like fire, but thankfully it's a full day in the office tomorrow and then surgery for me on Tuesday.
Doing Something About it – Day 2
Today was a good day.
I got several important things figured out at work so I can continue the process of cleaning up some stuff to make it run more efficiently. I wrote some maintenance reports to help figure out when things are out of whack, and the nice thing is that they will help me, but they will also help some other folx at work, so bonus
On the Doing Something About It front (DSAI) - I accomplished a few regular tasks, but didn't get a chance to study. Had a job break, and some other things come up so I just didn't have the time to study today. Also, since the office closed at 3, I got to kick off early, so Fae and I took Gillian to see Breaking Dawn part 1. It was in a dinner theatre, but considering the prices, I'm glad Gillian couldn't eat any of it The good part about it is that I kept it in my head and will try to crank some of the tasks off tomorrow before we go to dinner with my inlaws.
Today was a bad day.
My arm hurts. A lot. I've been taking tylenol to hold off the pain, but it comes in waves, and about 2 hours ago it was a tsunami, so I took some painkillers. Problem is, now I can't study. Trust me, I tried. After reading the same sentence 10 times, I gave up.
Process broke for some unknown reason and I still haven't been able to tie it down. Running the process manually until I can figure out what the hell is wrong with it. Really knocked off my development today, but I did manage to tie up several important loose ends when I needed a break and didn't want to pull out any more hair.
The main reason for these posts and the concentrated focus on getting things done is from a serious concern I have for myself. I'm REALLY good at starting things, but sucky at finishing them. Someone mentioned it again the other day and it really upset me because I know for a fact I'm still doing it. Here's the rub tho...
What do I do to break that habit without trying to start up 10 things, which will overwhelm me and make me fail again. I want to write. I want to learn how to make mobile applications. I want to study more about tea ceremonies and historic Japan. I want to get certified. I want to be the Uber SQL dude, but where do I start?
I'm going to lie down and watch some violent martial arts movies because the pudding that is my brain right now can only handle so much.
Any suggestions would be great. Nice thing is, I did promise myself I'd post every day, and here I am. That's one thing at least.
Doing something about it – Day 1
Okay, so it's less than 12 hours since my last post, what have I done so far to get me out of my 'start good, finish bad' rut.
- I'm writing a blog post
- I've updated my list of things to do
- I checked on several things and moved them from my Tuesday list to my Wednesday list
- I'm focusing on important things instead of checking Facebook
- Make a daily schedule of times to do certain things - study, make new schedule, etc.
Super Starter, Crappy Finisher
I've been reminded time and again how great I am at starting things, but how lousy I am at finishing, or even continuing. I'm good when it's fresh and new and it's a challenge, but when it comes to sticking to it, I usually need someone goading me on (egging me on?), or it drops off my radar, I don't continue/finish, and all is for naught once again.
How do you continue and finish?
Take exercise for instance. I started going on runs with a friend and stopped when I almost had an asthmatic attack. I started going on walks, and stopped when Gillian didn't remind me. I started doing pushups and situps, and my elbow starts acting up - which is why I'm having surgery on Tuesday (the 29th). I'm not feeling much right now.
I'm going to try once again, but how do I continue? I wrote things down and I am going to check them off, but what will make me make another list tomorrow? When it gets hard, how do I keep myself from retreating and hiding?
"Hard work, and discipline" - I thought I was good at these, but am I? I get my work done, but I'm not as efficient as I want to be.
It's late, and I'm on painkillers, so I probably shouldn't be writing. Maybe one of the things I'll do for myself as a list item, is make a schedule and try to stick to that. Hmm, that sounds like a good idea.
Here's to Day 1.
I Hope
I hope that today you can recognize someone who helped make your freedom possible, regardless of whether you agree with the political reasons for putting them where they might be defending your right.
I hope that tomorrow, you are still thanking them, not just on Veterans Day.
I hope that you are safe, healthy, and happy, and if not, think of one thing you can do for someone else to make them safer, healthier, or happier. I guarantee it'll at least make you happier.
I have hope that at some point, the United States will be united once more, and the bickering about complete bullshit will end. I know it's a vain hope, but it's still a hope.
I hope that someone will step forward and do something right. I equally hope that others will see this and do something similar.
I SINCERELY HOPE that the above people do the things they do just because they're right and not for fame, fortune, or glory.
I hope I can get off my ass and get back into shape and not use my elbow surgery as an excuse to sit on my ass and do nothing.
I hope that this makes ONE person think about how they can effect/affect someone or something positively.
I hope no one corrects my grammar because I've never known when to use effect and when to use affect.
I hope that for some of you, that you find the peace you have been so desperately looking for. Sometimes peace is just sitting still and breathing, not constantly looking for that missing something.
I hope that everyone who reads this will do something to make the world a better place. For some of us, it's as easy as recycling something. For others, just smile at someone who passes you in the street.
I hope you help someone for no other reason than because you want to help someone.
I hope that We the People, In Order to Form a more Perfect Union....Form a Union.
Union: a number of persons, states, etc., joined or associated together for some common purpose
I hope that we put down the petty crap and decide that the common purpose for this country is the betterment of this country.
I hope people wake up and realize that the country we're handing to our children is sort of like that toy that no one plays with anymore that's gotten beaten up and used for parts for other things.
I hope that I am not the only one who is still proud to be an American. I'm not proud of everything we stand for, nor am I proud of some of the decisions that have been made.
I hope that more people realize that we're humans first, and that should count more than color, race, religion, political view, or sexual preference.
I hope that you made it this far, and that I made a difference in your day.
I hope you find peace, even if it's for a moment.
Marching Band Dad
I'm a 'freshman dad' for my son's marching band, I help out with the crew. We cart all the equipment on and off the busses, as well as pack up all of the gear they need- podiums, screens, you name it.
I had no idea it was going to be this much work...and this much fun:). I'm at Towson Univ. right now with them, and they were amazing in prelims. We're hanging out right now waiting to go on for finals. We're one of ten teams that is competing for 1st. The difference between prelims and finals is this afternoon we compete within the division, tonight is 10 teams competing together. The prelim divisions are according to school size, ours is the largest in 4A.
We have a good shot at winning tonight, wish us luck!!
When the cats away….
The mouse is going back to sleep man, ugh. Fae and Gillian are going to a family friend's bat mitzvah in Florida for the weekend. We got the tickets using skymiles, they're staying in her grandmothers still vacant apartment, and our friend is loaning them a car. Nice and cheap
Aidan has a competition at Giants Stadium this Saturday, and since I'm on the crew, we stayed home.
Her flight was at 6:45 at Newark. We woke up at like 4am. Three cups of coffee and an everything bagel with cream cheese and butter aren't even making a dent in my exhaustion
It'll be good though. Aidan's got plenty going on, I'm going to do a few projects around the house, gonna hang out with some friends and watch baseball and bad kung fu movies. All in all it should be a good guy weekend. And to tell the truth, I'm sort of looking forward to missing them. I'm usually the one going all over the place, so it's a change to be the one staying home holding down the fort.
I just wish I could have gone back to sleep
Somebody give me a shot!
Had to look around for the song, but it's a Van Halen tune.
I have been getting allergy shots for about a month now, cats, dustmites, mold, & tree pollen. The dustmites are by far the worst. So I went yesterday for my shot, bringing my wife and daughter who get them as well, and my son and his friend. I get the shot, they put ice on my arms to stop the swelling, and had a seat. 10 min later, I started getting hot, my skin started turning alarmingly red, and I got my wife's attention. The nurse, who was standing next to her, hauls me out of the chair and into one of the backrooms. They get me on the table sitting up, and a minute later I say "I'm going to pass out"
And so I did. Luckily, I was on an examining table and the nurse caught me so I didn't roll off the bed. Pretty strong little girl, I'm 230, and she's maybe 100.
They told me I was out for all of 5 seconds. I swear it was like two hours, had such vivid dreams/vision of a meeting in my old office with three guys I work with going over a project we completed like 6 months ago. Very vivid and detailed. Next thing I know, I look up and see people leaning over me asking me if I'm okay.
I think that might have been the weirdest point. So they pump me full of benedryl, and make me wait 30 minutes and I'm feeling okay, so I go home. I get in bed, I fall asleep, tired, but feeling okay.
Woke up and felt like someone was standing on my chest, every deep breath made it worse. My ears felt swollen and I was having trouble getting a deep breath. Throat was fine, chest was not. Every deep breath made my chest feel tighter. Wondered why the Jolly Green Giant decided to stand on my chest, but it got to the point where I was getting scared, so I looked at Fae, who was on the phone telling my aunt that I was okay, and she said, I'll call you back, I need to take Matt to the hospital.
She called 911, a cop showed up like 2 minutes later, gave me oxygen. At this point, my skin was starting to get that purple feeling again and the Jolly Green Giant was now jumping up and down on my chest. The oxygen helped a little I think because he seemed to take longer between jumps, but I felt better when I realized the EMT's were there. At this point, I'm burning up, my eyes and ears had practically swollen shut, and I have an EMT asking me loud questions that are hurting my head. I tell her what she wants to know (mostly to shut her the hell up) and the head EMT moves in.
Calm, nice, and the coolest hands on the planet. At least they felt that way to my burning skin. She's asking me how I'm feeling, if this hurts, if this is okay in a nice soft, calm voice and I realize how amazing these people are. As she's taking charge and giving me a different mask to wear instead of the tube with the things that go up your nose, I start shivering. Uncontrollably. I thought I was having a seizure or convulsions, but nice EMT lady assures me it's just my body reacting to the shot. It's bad man. I"m not falling off the bed, but it's moving my arms and legs and making it hard to get a good breath, thank goodness for the oxygen.
They got me into a chair, and now I'm sweating profusely, and manage to get me down all of my flights of stairs. Oh yeah, did I mention that I'm in my boxerbriefs and that's it? Yeah, thankfully they wrapped me up in a sheet to take me outside where it's nice and cool finally. They gave me more epinephrine on the way, and some benedryl for good measure as well as something to help with nausea which I didn't really need.
Rest of it is boring, just sat around in the ER for a couple of hours making sure I didn't have another reaction and they let me go home around 1:30. Thank god for neighbors and friends because Fae sent them down to wait for the ambulance, my neighbor snatched them away from the whole fiasco before they had a chance to see me doing the funky chicken in the bed.
When you get that envelope in the mail, asking you to donate to your local EMT or Fire Department? Please do me a favor and drop in a couple of bucks for me. I don't think I was in any serious danger, but the peace of mind they gave me was more cure than anything they stuck in my arm. Or my leg, holy crap, whatever it was still aches like a mofo!
Not something I'd care to repeat thank you very much. Not one little freakin bit. I'm just relaxing today and taking it easy. Going to work tomorrow like I normally do, just be in bed with my laptop tho instead of downstairs at my regular machine.
Marching Band – it begins
Update: I'm a big dork and didn't read the guidelines - we're not supposed to post any of the video.
Aidan joined Marching band this year (at my urging) and is doing really REALLY well not only musically, but also socially. Remember your first day of High School? He started with 142 new friends, and a lot of them pretty senior girls
This is taken on my blackberry after two weeks of practice. I still don't understand how they learned it all that fast, and how they didn't kill one another doing some of this stuff.
First piece:
Second & Third pieces: