A Shift Indeed!

Just needed to get this out there. A whole lotta the search results for Google still show me in Schaumburg. For all of those who care....and you know who you are. I am currently practicing at the Meijer Optical in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Talk about a breath of fresh air! So far, so good! Will keep ya'll posted!

Nevertheless, A Shift Is Coming...

Sometimes stagnation leads to an apparent sense of comfort. This comfort is usually personal; and most likely has negative consequences for those around you. Inertia is not necessarily a good thing for personal growth. Occasionally you "gut" or instinct tells you to generate some momentum, and get moving! But if too embedded in this sense or personal comfort, taking the initial first step never happens. However, sometimes events happen to force your hand. Initially they may seem terrible, unfair, unethical, bad etc. etc. When you are in the valley of comfort, it is often difficult to see what lies outside of it. So your initial perception is "this is bad". But as you are forced to climb out of the valley, you begin to see rays of light starting to shine over the upward slope you are on. You begin to realize the sense of comfort you felt was false. It was actually holding you back and keeping you from realizing your potential. It was also holding back those around you. Sure you may take a few steps up the hill and slide back a bit along the way. Once you start moving in the right direction though, you will start to have the momentum you need not look back. Your perception will being to shift. And although the proverbial deck may often seem stacked against you, just let the word "nevertheless" be your mantra. Believe in yourself and you can overcome any obstacle. Peace out.

Rails....What Rails?

Well, March is over.  March, "The Month From Hades".  A memory lane, history lesson shows March has been one crazy and event filled month in my life....."Beware the Ides of March" indeed.  The closest thing I am to Caesar, however, is my choice in salad dressings.  Deaths, births, disappointments, triumphs, frustration, elation, sacrifice, reward, scorn, love, etc. etc., they have all been present in the month currently known as "03".  Planning for "03" on the calendar every year inspires a sense of hope "this year will be different", but it rarely is.  Oh yes, attitude adjustment has made things more tolerable, but only a bit.  So here we are, finally,  in the first week of April (Spring in name only this year).  Always a month of healing mental wounds; and rejoicing that another March has past.  A month to get back on the rails. A season to get that "honey do or I will make your life a living hell" list completed,  and begin crossing off entries.  So what the heck, time to grab a cold on and get started!

                                                                       

New Year, New Resolve...But Still Cold!

So, my three NY Resolutions were to be:  don't be negative, don't procrastinate and don't eat crappy food.  Ha!  The resolutions themselves are contradictions...misnomers...whatever.  So....they got changed to be positive, don't procrastinate and eat right.  Better!

These have really been tested in this first week of 2014.  Inclement weather has increase the shut-in quotient exponentially (now there are 3 tough to spell words in there I got correct!).  Good food, excellent football, Assassin's Creed IV and an occasional beverage have made things a bit more tolerable, just enough to offset the cabin fever aka my kid's are driving me insane.  Still on the rails though and sticking  to my trinity of resolutions,..so far.....barely.  I really need to get back to the gym. Once in 2 weeks is not enough weight bearing exercise for my 53 year old frame.    

At least no shoveling in blizzard like conditions today. The outside temperature is - 14 degrees!  My brain says, "so what", but my joints say, "move somewhere warmer".  Time will tell......

                                                                                 

Keep A Rollin'.....

Well the crazy train is still on the rails and seems to be gathering a full head of steam.  A few bumps in the track here and there, a few gusts trying to derail the express, but so far so good.
Wife, kids, dogs, house, car, major appliances,  etc....all are doing very well and functioning a bit above average. Shwing! (Sorry, it seemed like a better word  than "awesome").
Got an email from an old ND college buddy, "Hungry", and it really lifted my spirits.  A good guy if there ever was one.
BLAST! is going pretty well.  I have made it all the way up to the 75 lb dumb bells for benching, and the pain is more of a nuisance the deterrent.  My joints still ache like a mother at times, but I have adopted the Dave Draper saying, "I live, I lift, I ache, I am."
So let's just make as few stops as necessary and keep rollin'!

Definition Of A Busy Day For A 50+ Year Old Father & Husband.

So I'll get up tomorrow at 6am.  I'll get the boys ready for school, make their breakfast, pack their lunches and get them off as safe as I can on the Septran Minibus trip down to ES.  Then it'll be time to take the little dudes out for a quick walk n' piss.
Post dog walk, I'll grab a cup of "Joe", flirt around on the computer for about 30 minutes: check the emails, get emails off to the boys teachers, check the bank statement online and pay the bills.
Then it's time to get moving.
First I'll head over to BLAST! and get in a good chest/back workout, praying for minimal shoulder discomfort between sets.
If I don't smell too bad, I'll head directly to Sam's Club for our weekly stock up.  Sam's will be followed by a quick trip down to Costco to fill the rest of our item list. (and if that 47" LG is on sale, it will be mine, oh yes it will be mine!!!).
If post-workout odor is an issue, then I'll just cruise home for a quick clean and rinse.
Then do the daily double of Sam's Club and Costco.
After returning home and unloading, it'll be time to mow the lawn and trim the back bushes.  If I needed to go the "yeah there's an odor" route, I will most likely need another quick clean and rinse.
This should bring me to early afternoon where I'll take the little dudes for a longer and more relaxing walk.
After the dogs final walk of the day with me, it'll be time to get prepared for the boys and Ellen's arrival home which usually is between 3-4pm.
I think we also have a 3pm meeting with out Ray Graham and PACT persons tomorrow, but I am not sure.
I'll get the dishes done, and start working on dinner.
After everyone is home, what happens next is always an adventure.  I just hope the no blood no foul rule applies.
What a boring and poorly written post!  Plus it is really only half a day.  Well I needed to make myself a list for the half day, so this is as good a place as any.  Keep movin' on!

                                                                             

                                                                           

Bob Seger Over REO

My oldest child just left for college (like 30 minutes ago), my wife started a new nursing job this week, my boys are  about to start fresh with new teachers & administration, work is swamped and I can almost fit back into those 36 inch waist pants again!  Talk about a lot o' change at once!  Oh...and screw any "jinx" factor because this is really, really, really, really, really all good!  I was thinking about the whole "Forest Gump" free will versus fate thing and finally decided you never do really know what life has in store for you.
So I am just riding this current instant karma wave for as long as it holds out, while keeping Lou Holtz's "never as good, never as bad" line lisping in the back of my conscious.
Bob Seger for sure over  REO (although Gary Richrath does kick ass).  New page, new chapter, new book.