Just a few questions..

Ever take the time to ponder the unexplainable things we come across in our daily lives?  I am not talking about things like how the toilet paper doesn't get replaced, but the new roll is resting on the empty cardboard tube of the previous one.  Or how when you drop toast it always falls buttered side down.  Some things just can't be answered.

No I am talking about things like if 7-11 is open 24 hours a day, why do they have locks on the door (sorry Stephen Wright for stealing your material).  I once went to a sub shop in Parker that had a sign on the door as you walked in that read "Sorry, out of Bread".  They were next door to a grocery store!  How does that happen?  You are a sandwich shop, the one thing you should have plenty of is bread!

So yesterday I went to get the oil changed in my F-150.  I mention the make of the truck so you can see it is a common one.  And I was at a large chain of oil changing shops that rhymes with "Lease Chunky".  I pull up, and the guy tells me, "I am out of oil filters", I said "You are what?"  Just wanted to make sure I heard him correctly.  He repeated himself, and said that they should have more in in a few days.  I shook my head, told him that was unbelievable, and squealed my tires on the way out of his parking lot (it made me feel better).  I went to another shop, got my oil changed, and all is right with the world again.  Then I told my buddy Mike what happened, and he said "Why didn't they send the FNG (flipping new guy) to the auto parts store on the other side of the parking lot to get a filter?"  Good question Mike, and I don't know.  It seems that kind of customer service had gone away, like naming your kid Aurthur, or Rosemary.

I am sure you have all had similar experiences, how bout you all share them in the comment section, it would be nice to see that someone is actually reading this blog!

Peace,
Woody

Just a Quick Post.. Courtesy Edition

Okay, here's the deal....  If you are in a crowded parking lot, the weekend before Christmas, looking for the ever elusive parking space, and you see:

a) a car pulling out of a space, and
2) another car waiting with their blinker on,

the space is not available.  Waving your hand at us as you steal our space does not make it okay.  "They just stole our space!", "It's okay, they waved their hand."  This happened twice, and once was by a car coming the wrong way down the aisle!!

We finally found a space, discussed Karma, and how it should be inflicted on said space crooks, and were on to bigger and better things.

Oh, and an update for anyone interested; Jambalaya was tasty, not too spicy, we watched Fred Claus, and Lauren smoked everyone in the gingerbread build.  If I wasn't so lazy, I could have posted pictures.  Oh well, maybe later.

Peace'

Woody

EDIT: Just a note, the picture I used was listed in Google Images as "women-parking-lot.jpg", whatever that means..

Anticipation

Is it bad that it is Monday and all I can think about is Thursday?  I have become one of those people that wants to enjoy each and every day, so I don't really want to slight Tuesday and Wednesday out of their just due, but come on!!

See, Thursday is going to be the second annual gingerbread decorating/ Christmas movie watching/ jambalaya eating extravaganza.  Whew!  I can't wait, the boys and Lauren are coming over, and I hope a good time will be had by all.  Around the apartment, Keara has started planning things for "when the boys come over".  It's awesome, she made special cookies over the weekend for the occasion that no one can touch.  I don't mean special as in she put laxatives in them or anything sketch like that, just that she wants her big step-brothers to be impressed I think.

So on to the plans, we will be enjoying my world famous chicken, sausage, and shrimp jambalaya.  I say world famous, because the people that mean the most to MY world are looking forward to it.  All except my wife Kim, but that's okay, I knew long ago that she eats like a 5 year old, and I take no offense.  I am making it Wednesday night, because one of the secrets to my world famous dish it to make it, put it in the fridge, and let the ingredients get to know one another for a while.  It's always better reheated for some reason.

We will be decorating gingerbread houses again, this will be fun, because I think the boys actually enjoy it.  They have done them at their Mom's place too, so they are more experienced than the rest of us, but I have confidence in my skills so they should fear the challenge.  (I think I can smell the fear already, and it's 3 days away,,,, or is that odor coming from me?)

We will also take in a Christmas movie.  Not sure which one yet, so feel free to comment and leave suggestions.  We like them all, so there won't be a bad choice.  Perhaps, Christmas Vacation, Elf, Rudolf, A Christmas Story, etc....

Did I mention I am looking forward to Thursday?

Peace,
Woody

Thought it Might Take Longer..

Wow, only a few entries into my blogging career, and I can't figure out what to write about.  I have heard about writers block, but never understood it.  I can remember not being able to come up with words to write before, but it was usually because I was under the gun to get a research paper done or something like that.

So let's see, I could write about how it seems lately that a lot of people I care about in my life are sick, or have passed.  How I don't quite know why some people have to suffer through terrible illnesses, or are full of life that is then cut tragically short.  All the while there are others that don't seem to value life enough to live it every single day.  I could tell you all about how my Mom, who is one of my heroes, exudes life.  She is in a wheelchair, and yet seems to be much more capable than I find myself on many days.  How my Dad (another one of my heroes), works harder than any other human being I have ever known, and he is retired!  How Friends of the family have recently passed way too soon, or have had brain surgery, or things like that.  Nah, I don't want to write about that....

How about I write about how difficult it is to be in a blended family, especially when it comes to holidays.  How hard it is to get Joey, Corey, and Lauren to all come over to decorate gingerbread houses with their busy schedules (Corey actually postponed coming over because there are some "Very important fights on that night")  I had no idea!  Just kidding Corey, thought it was a unique excuse.  Joey actually said "Oh Yea, I forgot about those", (like "Man, I'm glad Corey remembered so I don't miss them.")   I could tell you about trying to arrange a time to go see my parents with Joey, Corey, Lauren and Keara all in tow.  How we need to coordinate all this with Keara's Dad, and the boys Mom.  I could talk about the actual gift giving part of Christmas.  The guilt most parents feel about not being able to buy everything their kids wants is exponentially more difficult when you factor in step-children and ex-spouses.  On one hand, you want to make sure you get a good gift, but you don't want to duplicate anything, or give a gift that either overshadows the one your ex-spouse gives, or for that matter gets blown away by the gift they give.  It's a tough racket, and all the while, the only thing everyone wants in return is to spend time with all the kids.  That is the toughest part, but I will do my best to try and make everyone happy.  Nope that isn't fun to write about either.....

I know, I could write about the Broncos firing Josh McDaniels.  How I have always been on the side of the coaches in these situations.  It always seems the coach is ousted when the team is doing bad, even though they are not the ones throwing interceptions, missing tackles, fumbling, all the stuff that goes against a team when they are down.  How this time I think it's different.  I really liked the way Josh started out.  He ran the team to make sure that he had people on the field that wanted to be there, thus attempting to ensure the previous examples wouldn't lead to his downfall.  He made some tough personnel changes, and tried to make sure everyone was pulling in the same direction.  This was all well and good, then my feelings changed.  I still like Josh, but if you look at the games leading to his demise, there was a trend.  We started the game offensivly cramming the ball down the oppositions throat on our way to pay-dirt, getting the momentum, playing well.  Then the other team made adjustments.  They changed things on the fly and were able to stop us in our tracks.  Then we did the opposite, we didn't make adjustments to their changes.  That falls directly on the coaching.  So even though I like Josh, I see what happened there, and support the team I love.  No, I don't want to cover that either, everyone is talking about that right now.....

Well, maybe if I think about it a little longer I will find something to write about, until then.....

Peace,

Woody

Own It

Well, as I said in previous posts, I am in my 40’s, but I will forever be a kid.  I have learned that no matter how “old” I get, I have yet to grow up.  This is good, it makes those times when I do something “responsible” even more worthwhile.  It also allows me to do the unexpected; those times when my actions make people shake their heads and wonder how I escaped from my caretakers.

I remember how proud I made my parents at times; one particular example was my first year of college.  It had nothing to do with my classes or grades, but actually about a picture my Mom got to share with someone she met at a Denver Bronco game.  I’m not sure why, but during the game, a woman talking to my Mom shared that her child went to the same school I attended.  As women do, they went back and forth with the usual pleasantries with regard to how nice the school is, how pretty the campus, all the usual stuff.  During the conversation, the woman reached her hand into her purse and took out an envelope from the photo-mat.  She took out the pictures and started narrating the images one by one.  My Mom was undoubtedly filled with pride knowing that her little boy was going to the same school, seeing the same things, experiencing the same college experiences as this woman’s child.  Then, all of a sudden the woman stopped on a picture laughed out loud and said, “I have to tell you about this one, this is a dorm room on campus that has to be the messiest room I’ve ever seen.”  She went on about how people trekked across campus to view this room, and how they took a picture of the room, with the two knuckle-headed football playing roommates as they smiled proudly for the camera.  My Mom, while listening to this story, probably knew that this was no coincidence, that she could probably describe in great detail not only the facial features of one of the knuckleheads, but could probably describe the “mess” as well from the previous 18 years.  Well sure enough as she looked at the picture, she saw me, smiling, standing in a semesters worth of laundry, pizza boxes, “soda” cans, etc.  I hope this was the only time my dear Mother saw a picture of me and did not claim ownership.

Anyway, I want my kids to grow up the same way.  At a minimum they need to own their actions.  I am not saying that they should go through life with dirty laundry and empty pizza boxes lying around, but if they find themselves on that side of a camera, be proud of the mess you made, it was made by you!  I have the incredible privilege of having kids I am proud of.  Just after Thanksgiving, as we were heading back to Denver after eating dinner at my parents house, we stopped for sodas at a 7-11.  As we were all trying to cram back into the CR-V, Joey told his girlfriend to go to the other side of the car to get in.  Corey was on that side and said “Why can’t you move?” Joey said something back, Corey shouted back.  Joey said “Real mature Corey”, Corey responded to Joey (21 mind you), “Just stay put and eat your push pop Joey”!  (Yes he was enjoying a push-pop).  Those are the kind of kids I want to be around, because they make me laugh, and then I love them more, then I laugh more, etc…