26 Miles

May The York Be With You

// February 26th, 2010 // No Comments » // Life

Had dinner at our favorite Chicken Nugget place last night for a school-night (where a portion of the proceeds go back to our kids’ school). I won’t name names but let’s just say they aren’t open on Sundays.

Something got us and at least a dozen other people we know. We’re thinking the fries. Seems to be the common thread. Those who avoided the fries seem to have been spared. For the rest, it’s been 24 hours of toilet-hugging and Pepto.

Joe has taken the worst of it. Poor little guy.

I’m on about 3 hours of sleep. Here’s to hoping tonight is better for everyone.

Hobbies

// February 25th, 2010 // No Comments » // Life

Looking for some. Used to have some I enjoyed.

It’s been a while since I’ve done or thought about anything but work and it’s wearing me thin. I desperately need a distraction to give my mind something to think about in my free time.

Now when I’m bored I just resort to solving challenges at work. Not much balance there.

Going to make a serious effort at changing course in this regard.

The Way I Am

// February 24th, 2010 // No Comments » // Life

I like this one…

Sonny Throckmorton’s lyrics. Merle Haggard’s performance.

The Way I Am…

Wish I was down on some blue bayou,
With a bamboo cane stuck in the sand.
But the road I'm on, don't seem to go there,
So I just dream, keep on bein' the way I am.
Wish I enjoyed what makes my living,
Did what I do with a willin' hand.
Some would run, ah, but that ain't like me.
So I just dream and keep on bein' the way I am.

The way I am, don't fit my shackles.
The way I am, reality.
I can almost see that bobber dancin',
So I just dream, keep on bein' the way I am.

The way I am, don't fit my shackles.
The way I am, reality.
I can almost see that bobber dancin',
So I just dream, keep on bein' the way I am.

I just dream, keep on bein' the way I am.

Someday…

…until then, another day… to watch the bobber dance, to dream, and to keep on bein’ the way I am.

A Good Dog

// February 23rd, 2010 // No Comments » // Life

6 months ago (it feels like so much longer) we finally took the leap and got a puppy from a local rescue group.

We had talked about getting a dog for years but always found a reason not to.

It took us a few months to get her aligned to our world view but in the last couple months she’s really become the good dog I hoped she would be.

I can now stop regretting working to convince Sunshine to get a dog in the first place, dreading 10-15 years of daily misery responsible for this little life, and trying half-serious to pawn her off on any willing friend or relative.

Next challenge – getting her to sleep in!

Keep It Simple

// February 22nd, 2010 // No Comments » // Life

If there were any single piece of advice I could give anybody, this would be it: Keep It Simple.

Make it your mantra and live by it.

My life has never once been improved by adding complexity to my life, and made only better by simplifying.

This applies to everything, how you approach relationships, finances, faith, hope, expectations, parenting, work — everything.

There’s no area of life I’ve found that doesn’t benefit from application of this mantra.

It’s liberating, truly.

People tend to over-think everything. I’m no exception. But when I can re-center around what’s truly important it comes down to very, very few things, and everything else is just window dressing.