Category Archives: Life

Life, Parenting

The Best Way to Celebrate Memorial Day

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Last year, for Memorial Day, I ran a 10k that honored our nation’s fallen heroes. This year, I’m not running a race, but I will still pay my full respects to those who died in battle.

I won’t try to act like I know all the ins and outs of how our nation formed to what it is today, because I don’t, but I know that many men and women put their life on the line to make it possible for me to sit here and write this in the comfort of my home. For that, and for everything else they have done, I am forever grateful.

Although I’m not lining up at a commemorative race or have an American flag in my yard (I really need to get on that), I will celebrate Memorial Day the best way possible; with silence.

Just taking a moment of silence to think about the hardships so many had to go through and how appreciative I am to be staring at this precious food covered face every day as a result is the best way I can think of to celebrate today.

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Matter of fact, I think that celebrating the heroic efforts of so many should be a daily thing. I know not every day can be a holiday, but we can still be thankful for what other’s have sacrificed, right?

There are many other things at work (like my dear wife) that enable me to stay home to raise our retirement plan Avery, but without those we are remembering today, none of it would be possible.

So as you gather with friends and family over good food and drink, please take a moment to appreciate more than just an extra day off work (if you get that) and think about things we have that truly matter….love, live, and freedom. Unless you have baby gates all over your home which block you just as much as it does them.

Happy Memorial Day!

Life, Parenting

How Do Kids Learn to Dance?

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My dance skills can be likened to what you’d see if you filled a burlap sack full of angry cats. Like this one, times ten….

Do it, see what happens.
Do it, see what happens.

How Do Kids Learn to Dance?

It’s ugly.

Actually, I found an old college photo of me “dancing” with a friend.

Dancing with Jesse

Yes, I had a goatee. No, there is nothing sexual about this picture. Yes, drinking was involved (see beer in hand).

Anyway, I’m sure I made my point; I suck at dancing. Sorry, Kelley. I was getting worried that Avery would fall down the same rabbit hole and be stuck with Daddy’s lack of moves, but she’s already better than me. Even a few months ago when she got down with Jay-Z.

Don’t worry, I was dancing like in the previous photo.

That little stand in one spot and squat move is about all I’ve showed her for dancing, and really it was meant more for the actually squatting exercise. But hey, no matter if you’re good or not, dancing is a great form of exercise!

Lately, Avery has branched from just standing in one spot. I’m not sure if it’s just the “pecking” order of getting older, but both Kelley and I have never showed how to dance like a chicken.

Sadly, that’s better than what I could do. And she even adds a little twist to her dancing. Again, no clue where it came from, but always fun to watch.

Not kidding, she’ll press the buttons on that cat to make it play music over and over…….and over again all day just so she can dance. She takes it seriously too, there’s no messing around when it’s dance time! Unless it’s to bust a move, that is.

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All I know is that seeing her dance every day is a huge help to keep things light around here. I try not to talk about it too much, even though I have, but this whole staph infection thing is seriously limiting things I normally do. Just sitting down to read books to Avery is a pain in the ass…..not kidding.

I still exercise and go on several walks daily because, stubborn, but I know I’m not performing my best. That and I can tell it affects my mood if I’m not mindful enough. Do you ever get that way about something? Whether it’s physical or mental, you let it show through in your attitude?

We’re probably all guilty of it, but hopefully I can come to terms and better manage this since I still have a while for everything to heal. That said, I’ll end the post here today. Hoping for an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend with Going Mom and Avery. We don’t have a lot planned, just hopefully catching up on some Walking Dead episodes and then going over to Kelley’s parents to have her dad take pictures of Avery.

He has a nice studio setup and always enjoys having such a lovely subject to photograph. The subject, on the other hand, isn’t always the most cooperative…..

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Have a great weekend and Memorial Day!

Any plans for the long weekend?

Ever let your mood get the best of you at the expense of those around you?

Life

Stuck With Staph And I Need A Laugh

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Remember my staph butt issue from last week? Yeah, it’s getting better, butt (ha ha, never gets old!) it still hurts and has another 2 weeks of healing to go.

Or at least that’s how long I have to take antibiotics. What sucks, though, is that even after I’m done with the antibiotics, I still technically have staph. I guess it’s not all that uncommon, but I’m a registered carrier of the infectious bacteria. And, as confirmed by the doctor I saw last Tuesday, it’s Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Not a big surprise as I’ve had it before when on vacation in Colorado back in 2011. I tried my damnedest to make the most of the trip and went out with Kelley to be as active as possible, but what I thought was just a painful nose pimple blew up into a massive MRSA infection that brought us to the local ER. Apparently if I waited longer it could’ve got into my brain and blah blah….it was bad.

Basically, I will always have the nasty and stubborn-to-treat version of staph inside me. I guess my nose is where it’s usually hanging out, so I better watch my ass and lay off the picking!

Speaking of ass, I can almost sit comfortably again, but still find myself shifting every 5 minutes. Luckily, I stand all day, I even use the island as my computer work area, so it’s only an issue at night. I’m thinking I won’t be doing any half-marathons on my indoor rower any time soon.

Hopefully this doesn’t mean Avery is a potential carrier, but we’ll keep on the lookout just to be safe.

If you read through this far, I’m sure you know more about the staph in my nose and butt than you’d ever care to, so how about a few puns to lighten things up? I could use a good laugh myself.

If you’ve been a reader for a while or just know me, you know I’m a fan of puns. Corny or not, I love’em, so here’s a few to enjoy or loathe as you see fit.

  • A jumper cable walks into a bar. He gets a lot of dirty looks and says,”Calm down, I’m not looking to start anything.”
  • I recently got a job at the office for national statistics, but I’m only there to make up the numbers.
  • I met a guy who lost all of his toes and he instantly annoyed me. Guess I’m lack-toes intolerant.
  • Did you hear about the kidnapping?!?!?! …. He was really tired.
  • Everyone tells me I’m a skeptic, but I don’t believe a word they say.
  • My wife said she’s leaving me because of my poker addiction. I think she’s bluffing.
  • I thought I could trust my acupuncturist, but then he stabbed me in the back.

Enjoy your Friday! I promise my next post will be better with a big focus on Avery.

Are you a carrier of staph?

Do you know if being a carrier means your kids are too?

How did you like the puns?