Archive for » September, 2008 «

New look, same me…

Monday, September 29th, 2008 | Author:

Well, what do you think of the new look? I’m still not sure I want to use this design so it may change again in the near future but I found with the old design, the designer had converted most of the layout to binary and did not allow me to modify much of the design at all. In fact, I got the distinct feeling that they didn’t want any of it touched and had worked long and hard to keep anyone from customizing it. So I decided to look for another theme that felt earthy while allowing me to soup it up a bit (is that the correct word? soup? seems wrong for some reason…) Anyway, I love changing things up periodically so don’t be surprised if the look and feel changes, the content remains the same. Speaking of content…

This weekend is the Army Ten Miler in Washington D.C. For the uninitiated, this is a 10 mile race around the heart of the District that about 26,000 people will be running in. If you were planning on visiting the Washington Mall this weekend, go before Sunday. I’ll be running for the second straight year. As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t like to run but even with that I did so poorly last year that the only person behind me was pushing a broom! This year, the plan (and the motivation) are much better. I’ve run a lot more this year and I’m about 15 pounds lighter than last year as well. I don’t know if they have a “Most Improved” award but that is what I’m hoping to achieve. Last year, my time was 2:02 (yep, that would be 2 hours and 2 minutes; pitiful don’t you think?) but this year I will be below 1:30. If you extrapolate out my 5 mile times, you get a 1:22 but I’m not sure I can run that pace for double the distance. The only track we have around here that is anywhere near 10 miles is VERY HILLY so using my time on that track is not very helpful but using it, I’d break 1:30 so I’m encouraged. If you plan on being at the race to cheer us on, bring a big cowbell and look for me. I’ll be wearing the shirt that says “My wife went to Pakistan and all I got was this stinking bib!” Cute huh? I made it up all by myself too. Sometimes it’s a burden to be so talented but with my obvious humility it’s not so hard 8-P

Finally, if you are a teacher in the Woodbridge, VA vicinity we could really use you. We are now short a Music Teacher AND a Resource/Special Education teacher. Both positions are full-time. The new Music teacher was always a little iffy if you ask me but I think most of us were surprised when the new Resource teacher left this week. Its a very demanding job and I don’t know what happened but we have several students who really need directed education and help with implementing coping skills so if you know anyone, please direct them to the school website employment page.

Category: Education  Tags: , , ,  3 Comments

Who are you? And where’s my son…

Friday, September 26th, 2008 | Author:

Okay, I totally sat down to write this scathing message about the fight my son and I had this morning and how I was ready to ship him to military school and only see him on holidays. After yesterday’s post you would probably think I’m bi-polar but what you don’t know is that yesterday’s post was written two weeks ago on a night when Jeremy and I were all lovey-dovey and life was good in my house. I purposely waited for a time like that (not too rare but rare enough) because I wanted the birthday message to be free of sarcasm and filled with love; which it was if I do say so myself, which I do.

Anyway, as I sat down the dog decided that I could walk him or I could pick up poop off the floor and being smarter than I am lazy, I walked the dog.

Then I sat down to write the blog and noticed that I had received an e-mail while walking the dog telling me that one of my websites had an issue that needed to be fixed ASAP and since they pay part of my bills, I decided to fix it ASAP.

Then I sat down to write the blog and the front door opened and in walked my son so I braced myself for round two of the argument from this morning; only the argument didn’t come. The little so-and-so walked in and came || that close to apologizing for his behavior this morning and then started talking about his day and soccer practice and then…AND THEN, he started doing his homework without a single comment or snide remark or anything!!!! Ridiculous. How, oh how am I going to remain mad and argue with a kid who behaves that way! I might even wash his soccer uniform for his game tomorrow, that’s how good I’m feeling right now.

Do you think it would be too much to think that this might be the beginning of a new, mature relationship in which the 15 year old child in the house begins to behave like something within the 15 year old neighborhood? Please God! Would that all the prayers and petitions that I have prayed for the past few months for him could come true…I love him, really I do but this morning I was ready to e-mail him to his mom in small, e-mail sized bites.

Now, where’s my daughter?

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Happy Birthday Buddy…

Wednesday, September 24th, 2008 | Author:

Today is your 15th birthday and I cannot tell you how proud I am of you. Yes, there are things that we could work on together but today is not the day to discuss that. Today is your day. Before long you will be able to get your permit to drive and then the worrying will really begin for me but today is for joy and celebration. Today is for happiness and life.

15 years ago today, God created a spirit, knitted it to a physical body and released you to the care of others (us). There were many times when I was scared that I would fail in God’s trust in me but I’ve persevered because I know that there is no more important job that God has given me than to protect your soul until you are completely responsible for it yourself. I don’t know that I’ve ever said this before but the first time I ever remember your mom and I praying together for something that we both agreed on 100% was when we prayed that God would deliver a healthy, happy baby boy to us. And he did not fail in fulfilling that request.

Your spirit is so strong and burns so hot I sometimes wonder how your body keeps it in without igniting itself. You mom noticed this long before I did of course. She thought it meant that you should be a Priest and she has prayed for that many times. Being a man, and less of a godly man than I should have been, I did not pray for this though many, many nights I have knelt or stood beside your bed and asked God to raise up a fine Catholic woman to be your wife. I now admit though that I believe your mom is right and one day you may find that God calls you to shepherd a part of His flock. If He does, I pray you will have the courage to say yes to Him.

Today, though, you are not a Priest. You are a strapping young lad who is now the tallest one in the household but have a long way to go before the household belongs to you. You are a friend, and a boyfriend, and a soccer player, and an excellent student to boot. When you laugh, it is loud and obnoxious like your father; when you think, it is deep and provoking like your mom. You are truly our son and we love you more than anything save God Himself.

I hope and pray that this day will be special for you and that after you’ve opened your presents and had your party, you remember that God has given you life and that you thank Him for that very special gift.

We love you very much. God Bless You.

Category: Catholicism, Family, Uncategorized  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment

Even if you polish a turd…

Monday, September 22nd, 2008 | Author:

It’s still a turd!

My wife’s husband is a turd. I kind of like the guy but really he is. Imagine if you will that you are a woman (for some of you this will not require imagination); you are stationed in a foreign country where women are considered to be one step below dogs on the ladder of life. You are required to drive 20 minutes back and forth to work each day, by yourself, knowing that if you break down or get a flat you will most likely be harassed (if you’re lucky) or harmed (if you’re not). Imagine that a huge terrorist bomb goes off less than a mile from where you are working. A bomb so devastating that you FEEL it in your chair! You pick up the phone and call your husband to let him know you’re okay even before he knows there is a problem and what does he do? He blogs about HIS feelings! What a jerk!

Debbie and her turd...

Debbie and her turd...


So today, I owe you all an apology but especially my wife. The one whom I love and would give the world for. I’m so sorry that you are having to experience this. People whom you worked with have died or are severely injured. You are scared and alone and I cannot be there to listen or hold you or let you cry on my shoulder. I promised to always be there for you and I cannot. You should probably hate me but you don’t. I should have stopped to ask how you were feeling and if there was anything, anything at all that I could do for you but I didn’t. I’d like to use the excuse that you had to hangup quickly or perhaps that I was so shocked by what I was hearing that I couldn’t think straight but the fact of the matter is that I’m selfish. I was scared of what would happen to me and the kids if you were gone and I thanked God that you were safe but not so much because of your safety but because we would not have to go on without you. What a selfish turd you’ve married. At this very moment I am so glad you are a strong Catholic woman who would never divorce her husband, I’d deserve it.

As you can see, I have had time now to think about what I said and did not say to you when you called. I have had time to rethink my position. I still am scared of losing you but I no longer pray for your safety out of fear of losing you or because I cannot stand the thought of the world without you but because you have placed your life on the line so that others, those back home, can sleep in peace. Maybe not all of us back home are sleeping that way but there are many more that are than aren’t. Please, please, please stay safe. Pray the Canopy Prayer every day, it really works. Know that I am praying for you every hour of the day to come back to us safe and sound. I am constantly asking God to remove your fear and allow you to rest so that you can be at your best. For him to wrap you in the wings of your Guardian Angel and block out anything that would harm you. I know that we are meant to be together and that our love will be enough to get you through this time. I am so thankful for your strengths and your weaknesses. I love you.

Me <3

Category: Catholicism, Family  Tags: , , , ,  Leave a Comment

This sucks!…

Saturday, September 20th, 2008 | Author:

The slogan goes: “For those who fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.”
I’ve loved that slogan since I joined the military in 1986 but there is now a Landry corollary: “For those who wait for their family members to return, freedom has a fear the rest will never understand.”

The phone call I got today went like the:
Me: “Hello”
Debbie: “I just want you to know that I’m okay. Go look at the news. I can’t talk right now but I’m okay.”
Me: “Huh, what happened? Is everyone alright?”
Debbie: “We have a couple of injuries but I can’t talk right now, I’m okay. Gotta go, bye.”
Me: “^%&^*(&$((*&%%#$$#(*&#$%&%@()*%&$#(*&!!~!%#&$&(*{“

I get all of my news online because I hate American Television’s liberal slant on everything and I’m a computer guy so that’s were I went. What I found was just a short blob about a bomb injuring 50 people at the Marriott hotel in Islamabad. This was from a Pakistani newspaper located in Islamabad. Two hours later, it’s all over the news that the worst suicide bombing in Pakistani history has occurred today and over 55 people are dead. Debbie was about 2 miles from the bomb site and they felt the concussion there. Her house is less than a mile from the bomb site but I don’t think she went there tonight.

There are just so many things that go through your mind when you get that call. Of course, I was so very thankful that God protected her from this attack and that she called because I would have been an absolute basket case if she hadn’t. Of course, she still has a long way to go yet and the militant factions in country have threatened several times recently that if they cannot be safe in their homes, no one in Pakistan will be. So we just pray and wait. Thank you all for your prayers and the kind words so many of you have sent.

Category: Family  Tags: , , , ,  One Comment

A good day to run…

Saturday, September 20th, 2008 | Author:

Honestly, I’m torn on which way to go with this one. On the one hand, I’ve been training for the Army Ten Miler since May so that I don’t make a fool of myself; again. On the other hand, I’m ready to move to Jamaica under a false identity and hope that the kids never find me! Which way to go, which way to go…Hmmm, Jamaica here I come.

Anyone who doesn’t believe that God knows what he’s doing and man does not needs to set up an observation post somewhere in my neighborhood and keep an eye on my family. God designed men to be hunter/gatherers and women to be caregivers. Earliest man understood this. The first cave dwelling neanderthal men went off to the office to trade saber-tooth tiger tusks and send e-mammoths while the women stayed back at the cave and let the kids watch Barney the dinosaur, sew fig leaf outfits, and have supper on the table when her man pulled up in his Yabba Dabba Doo mobile. In the Middle-Ages, it was much the same. Every once in a while a really strong woman would rise up from the crowd and exercise her natural leadership abilities over armies of men but for the most part, men took care of beating each other up and killing animals and women healed the men and cooked said killed animals.

But was that system good enough for me? Nooooooooo! I had to let my wife go off to Pakistan and be the warrior while I stayed home and tried to perform the caregiver role while partially filling the hunter/gatherer role as well. I bet up in heaven there’s a TV station that carries a program called “Pat TV; All Patrick, All the Time” (yes June, a Matthew McConaughey reference). I bet the angels sit there and watch that program and laugh, laugh, laugh, laugh, laugh. “Watch him try to make it to the soccer game and still get supper on the table…”; “Bet he forgets that load of laundry in the washer again, you watch”; “I don’t think he’s going to make it too much longer with all of his mind intact”. Yep, their having a good old time. I bet their drawing straws now going, “Lord, please don’t let me get the short one. I don’t want to have to go down there and straighten that mess out.”

Personally, I hope they finish drawing straws pretty soon. I COULD USE SOME HELP DOWN HERE, DON’T YA KNOW!

Category: Family  Tags: , ,  One Comment

Slip-NOT…

Monday, September 15th, 2008 | Author:

Last weekend we went to the mall to kill some time while the cleaners were in doing the house. Okay, let me back up. When Debbie left for Pakistan the only thing I asked for was someone to clean the house every 2 weeks so that there would still be a house for her to come home to after 6 months. I know this sounds like a bad excuse but cleaning is a detail oriented persons job and whatever a detail oriented person IS, I am the opposite! I was able to do without the cleaner until school started. Running around picking up my carpool after soccer takes about 75 minutes and still I managed to keep up okay but then Becka started volleyball and life just went haywire. I woke up last week in a filty, dusty mess so I decided that I had to do something. The school where I work has a daytime custodian who also does houses on the side and she gave me a pretty good deal so I decided to take her up on it. Sunday was her initial cleaning day so we decided to get out of the house. We went to breakfast at Bob Evans and then we went to the mall to see what was playing at the movies and walk around. The movies out right now stink so we just started walking around (none of the stores were open yet) and looking at stuff.

Finally, as stores started opening up, the kids asked if they could go look at clothes and things. Jeremy found a really nice zip up hoodie so we got that and Becka got a couple of shirts from Hollister. THEN Jeremy asked if he could go look in Hot Topic for a couple of t-shirts. Now, I don’t like Hot Topic, they carry a lot of stuff that I find objectionable but I figured I would let him look and we could probably agree on a couple of shirts that he could wear. So Becka and I went to Limited Too when I get a text that he’s ready to check out. I head over there (it’s just across the hall) and he’s standing there with 5, count’em 5, $20 each t-shirts.

At the top of the stack is a shirt with a picture of what appears to be a police line-up of every horror movie character in recent memory. Right below that is one with a picture of (I thought) the bad guy from Spiderman 3, not the Sandman but the other dude who gets the black stuff on him toward the end of the movie and goes totally nuts. The next shirt was a reprise of the first shirt with the same number of convicts but they appear to have different faces on them. The fourth shirt was at least a band I had heard of “Bullet for My Valentine”; I don’t even think I got to the fifth shirt to be honest with you.

Some of you have probably figured out the two shirts with the horror movie line-up, this is the band Slipknot which apparently always appears on stage in masks and/or makeup from your favorite nightmare. The middle shirt was for the band “Disturbed” who I’ve only heard of once, on ‘Last Comic Standing’ and I was not really impressed with what the comedian had to say about them. So being the non-confrontational kind of guy that I am; I first tried to explain to my son that 5 $20 t-shirts is ridiculous and he’s going to have to put some back, starting with the one on top. This illicits’ an immediate negative response. Why does this shirt have to go back, I like this band. Ok, first how’d you ever hear this band before and second how could you ever like anything that came out of something looking like that. I mean these guys make KISS look like a troupe from Comic Relief! Next the argument goes to the Disturbed t-shirt but by this time, I’ve had enough of the ‘you’re so oppressive’ crud from him so everything goes back on the shelf and out I walk.

Is it just me?  I realize he’s a teenager and he’s exploring his boundaries but do people really walk around the world with shirts like that on? I mean why can’t Hot Topic carry a couple of Jimmy Buffett shirts that my kid could like. Can I get a witness?

Category: Family  Tags: , ,  One Comment

Is there anything more fun than bubble wrap…

Sunday, September 14th, 2008 | Author:
I...just...can't...stop...myself

I...just...cant...stop...myself...

I got a package in the mail yesterday that I had ordered for my school. The package came wrapped in two sheets (2 ft X 1 ft maybe) of large bubble wrap. I popped one bubble and then realized that this was just not right. I gave one to Becka and she immediately laid it on the ground and started stomping all over it. As I’m walking up the steps to give Jeremy his he’s calling down wanting to know why Becka has bubble wrap. Without a word, I hand him his sheet and I swear the world except for those two people stopped. It was the greatest joy I’ve seen on them in forever. Jeremy methodically popping bubbles one or two at a time, just like his mom would do it; finally wringing it out like a towel to ensure that every last bubble was popped. Becka folding hers over and over again and stomping on it, just like me until only crinkle noises escaped from under her (filthy) feet. It is simply amazing how many pops you get out of those little sheets. Hmm, makes you wonder if all of the pops were coming from the plastic wrap.

Category: Family  Tags: , , ,  3 Comments

My daughter is soooo lucky…

Saturday, September 13th, 2008 | Author:

Yesterday, my next door neighbor (whose child is “one of Becka’s best friends”) (we can discuss the concept of many ‘best friends’ on another day) called to ask if Becka could go to a Potomac Nationals (Carolina Minor League) baseball game. Not having paid much attention to the league lately (we attended 2 games this season both of which had rain delays in which I got soaked due to lack of preparation), I sent my daughter along to enjoy a night of hot dogs and sodas without a second thought.  While she was out, I picked up my son, whose soccer team had just tied a team from Fredericksburg 4-4 and was very proud of his and his teams performance.  We decided to celebrate the game (they were not expecting such a good result) by going to Cheeseburger In Paradise (CIP).  For the uninitiated, CIP is a Jimmy Buffett themed restaurant with awesome food including but not limited to Sweet Potato Chips as an appetizer and Chocolate Nachos for dessert.  As a side note, I am the only male I know who will admit that there are things in life that chocolate can fix and CIP Chocolate Nachos fix all but the most stubborn of those things.  Anyway, while at CIP listening to Jeremy wax rhapsodically about his new girlfriend, the game, his new girlfriend, the game, his new girlfriend, and a little more new girlfriend, Becka is constantly texting me to let me know the status of the game. Once, the phone rang and it was her calling to let me know she had actually caught a baseball (she was ecstatic). After a few more verses on the soccer game (and the new girlfriend) Jeremy and I went home for a little Father/Book, Jeremy/Video Game time (it’s our favorite part of the day); except Jeremy’s video game was interrupted by a phone call from the aforementioned new girlfriend AND HE ACTUALLY STOPPED PLAYING THE GAME TO TALK TO THE GIRL (he must really like her this is not normal behavior for him).

Anyway, this post is supposed to be about Becka, not Jeremy, so…Becka calls later to let me know that the P-Nats won the ball game (the championship game of the season) and that they were going to stay behind for the celebration and to try to get hers’ and Camerons’ (best friend) baseballs autographed. “Oh yeah, I caught a second baseball so I gave one to Cameron” she says right before hanging up. So, “Cool” says I.  My daughter gets invited to a baseball game by one of her best friends that turns out to be the championship game of the season which our team wins and my daughter catches two baseballs and is sweet enough to hand one over to the best friend who invited her to the game in the first place and I’m thinking how lucky she is to have caught those two balls in the first place because she usually doesn’t even pay attention to the game when she goes and how she must have good parents who taught her to be selfless enough to part with a prized possession such as a caught baseball when I realize that 20 minutes have gone by and my phone is ringing again.  Of course it’s Becka and now she’s calling (totally excited) to tell me that while trying to get her baseball autographed this guy behind them yells to one of the players “Hey, bring out some bats” and he does! He apparently stepped into the dugout, grabbed a few bats and brought them out and handed one directly to…yep, you guessed it, my daughter! I didn’t ask her but I bet she peed her pants! She was SOOOOO excited and her daddy is SOOOOO blessed to be the one she wanted to call with all of this joy and excitement and tell him how much she loved him and how he’s the greatest daddy in the world and how God could not have made two people more suited to be daddy and daughter.  (Well, that’s what I heard, I couldn’t tell you what she actually said; it was going to fast and my heart was listening much better than my ears anyway.)

I fell asleep reading my book, waiting for her to return but she came in and showed me the bat when she got home and it’s laying on the floor next to where she’s sleeping and I’m thinking that all the other dads out there should get to experience the joyful evening I had with my two children last night and that the only way this evening could have been better would have been if I could be in two places at once and I could have picked up my son from soccer AND gone to the game with my daughter but that’s probably what heaven will be like so I’ll wait…

God bless you all.

Category: Catholicism, Family  Tags: , , , , , , ,  Leave a Comment

Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful…

Thursday, September 11th, 2008 | Author:

There are so many other good reasons:

  1. I’m heterosexual
  2. I’m Catholic
  3. I’m Pro-Life (from Conception to Natural Death)
  4. I pray every day
  5. I’ve been happily married for almost 18 years
  6. I’m Anglo
  7. I believe that many people will be surprised when they don’t make it to heaven
  8. I believe even more people will be surprised at who does
  9. My kids say Please and Thank You (most of the time)
  10. I’m male
  11. I believe Americans should speak English
  12. I’m Conservative
  13. I believe the war on terror is still the right thing to do
  14. I believe America is the greatest country in the world (but could be more humble about it)
  15. I believe the government is too involved in my private life
  16. I believe I pay too much in taxes
  17. I believe the planet is fighting back (and will probably win)
  18. I’m against embryonic stem cell research no matter what it might cure
  19. I believe that every military man and woman should be given a hero’s welcome when they come home from a war and that those who don’t return deserve more respect than Michael Moore and Sean Penn.
  20. I believe you ought to raise some kids before you try to tell me how to raise mine
  21. I believe that Sarah Palin just might wind up being the bravest person of our generation
  22. I believe in Angels
  23. I believe that prayer is the most powerful force in the world
  24. I believe that family is the second most powerful force in the world
  25. I believe that men need to step up and be more accountable
  26. I believe that the surest sign that there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe is that none of them have tried to contact us yet
  27. And finally, I believe that one of the greatest lines ever penned was “I’d rather fight you for something I don’t really want than to take what you give and I need” by Rich Mullins in the song “Hold Me Jesus”

God bless you all!

Category: Catholicism, Family  Tags:  2 Comments
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