Showing 3 posts from January 2009
I haven't been blogging much, and don't see myself blogging much soon. The selfish reason is I'm working on my book (the one I had linked here in November for National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo). I won't bore you with writing stuff except to say it's coming out very well. Normally I write something, feel good about it, wake up the next morning, look at it and think "Dear Lord in Heaven, this sucks" and go nowhere near it again for weeks. Not this one. There's two people in particular I want to see it when it's done, it's so good. That's the selfish reason, and it's a happy one.
The not-selfish reason is not a happy one. I don't want to blog about them, because they're personal and to do so would violate trust, but most of my friends are dealing with some heavy-duty problems this year and we're not even a month into it already. I've got one of my own that's a mystery--I have to talk to my stepson's high school vice principal today and I don't know why. The kid insists he has no clue why the man wants to talk to me about him. I've prodded him every direction I can for information. He won't budge, which means either he's telling the truth or this is something REALLY bad. I'm praying for the former and preparing for the latter. We got a letter from the school claiming he has an excessive number of excused absences this semester already--varying from three to six per class--which makes no sense because we've only called him in sick one day with a severe cold. We caught him ditching one class two weeks ago and he swears he's not done it since. He also claims there's a kid with a similar name to his that might be having problems. It's difficult to believe.
The experts out there all say you should be an advocate for your kid, to not assume that the "authorities" are always right. I know people who do exceptionally well with that philosophy, and as a result have well-adjusted kids that will tell them anything. I did not grow up under that philosophy--if I got in trouble at school I was the one who suffered, not the school; and VERY rarely was that unjust. So I'm torn how to handle this. Any advice you can offer I'll hear.
If prudent, I'll post later what I hear from the vice-principal. Right now call me a worried sick stepdad. This could be a bad day.
The not-selfish reason is not a happy one. I don't want to blog about them, because they're personal and to do so would violate trust, but most of my friends are dealing with some heavy-duty problems this year and we're not even a month into it already. I've got one of my own that's a mystery--I have to talk to my stepson's high school vice principal today and I don't know why. The kid insists he has no clue why the man wants to talk to me about him. I've prodded him every direction I can for information. He won't budge, which means either he's telling the truth or this is something REALLY bad. I'm praying for the former and preparing for the latter. We got a letter from the school claiming he has an excessive number of excused absences this semester already--varying from three to six per class--which makes no sense because we've only called him in sick one day with a severe cold. We caught him ditching one class two weeks ago and he swears he's not done it since. He also claims there's a kid with a similar name to his that might be having problems. It's difficult to believe.
The experts out there all say you should be an advocate for your kid, to not assume that the "authorities" are always right. I know people who do exceptionally well with that philosophy, and as a result have well-adjusted kids that will tell them anything. I did not grow up under that philosophy--if I got in trouble at school I was the one who suffered, not the school; and VERY rarely was that unjust. So I'm torn how to handle this. Any advice you can offer I'll hear.
If prudent, I'll post later what I hear from the vice-principal. Right now call me a worried sick stepdad. This could be a bad day.
It's been over two weeks since I put anything in this blog, and January 19 is my birthday, so what the hell.
It was a decent day. My good wife and stepson took me to the Olive Garden for dinner--seeing we had three gift cards from past Christmases for it, it was surprisingly affordable. Now I'm home writing this.
Never been a big birthday person, especially after turning 40 five years ago and realizing from here on out, every birthday means one year closer to death. Cheery thought, huh?
Besides, the older you get, the more important other things and other people are, not necessarily in that order. Someone I thought for sure would remember and say "Happy Birthday" to me didn't. At first it really bugged me, but a conversation I overheard that person have later in the day made me realize some things in life were much more important for that good soul to be thinking about. As is I know it wasn't a deliberate oversight. I could have been a better friend if I weren't thinking so selfishly.
The fact is, every one of us walks the earth for a limited time, and that time isn't wholly for ourselves. If others wish to honor our presence that's one thing, but we shouldn't expect it. Better to thank God you still breathe and can serve and move on.
And this is getting WAY too serious. So enjoy this classic Monty Python video. It's one of my favorites, and it's my birthday, so there! ;-)
In fact, let's go for TWO:
It was a decent day. My good wife and stepson took me to the Olive Garden for dinner--seeing we had three gift cards from past Christmases for it, it was surprisingly affordable. Now I'm home writing this.
Never been a big birthday person, especially after turning 40 five years ago and realizing from here on out, every birthday means one year closer to death. Cheery thought, huh?
Besides, the older you get, the more important other things and other people are, not necessarily in that order. Someone I thought for sure would remember and say "Happy Birthday" to me didn't. At first it really bugged me, but a conversation I overheard that person have later in the day made me realize some things in life were much more important for that good soul to be thinking about. As is I know it wasn't a deliberate oversight. I could have been a better friend if I weren't thinking so selfishly.
The fact is, every one of us walks the earth for a limited time, and that time isn't wholly for ourselves. If others wish to honor our presence that's one thing, but we shouldn't expect it. Better to thank God you still breathe and can serve and move on.
And this is getting WAY too serious. So enjoy this classic Monty Python video. It's one of my favorites, and it's my birthday, so there! ;-)
In fact, let's go for TWO:
Just got off the phone with a friend of mine, a year younger than me (he'll be 44), who has finally found, I think, the right woman for him. ABOUT DAMN TIME, RICH. ;-)
I won't go into details because frankly their his business, but let's just say this has been a struggle of his for some time. I can relate. Until I met my good wife in 1995 it was a struggle of mine too, because I took it too seriously. So did he. Now he's not, and reaping the rewards.
So, be you married or single, male or female, employed or unemployed, shaved or unshaved, obese or bulimic, this, that or the other--how about a New Year's resolution you might actually keep not to be so serious about something you are but shouldn't be? You pick it. I know mine already. It'll be tough but it's worth it.
Think about it, and enjoy this video I hereby dedicate to my good friend Rich.
I won't go into details because frankly their his business, but let's just say this has been a struggle of his for some time. I can relate. Until I met my good wife in 1995 it was a struggle of mine too, because I took it too seriously. So did he. Now he's not, and reaping the rewards.
So, be you married or single, male or female, employed or unemployed, shaved or unshaved, obese or bulimic, this, that or the other--how about a New Year's resolution you might actually keep not to be so serious about something you are but shouldn't be? You pick it. I know mine already. It'll be tough but it's worth it.
Think about it, and enjoy this video I hereby dedicate to my good friend Rich.
