Bluesdad's Bucket List

Although I've never written it down, I do have a 'bucket list' or 'things to do before I die". Most of the items seem to be places I want to see but some are just things I want to accomplish.

Several things have already been accomplished: Walking on the Great Wall of China, visiting a Third World Country (Vietnam), getting a Graduate Degree (MBA).

Some things are in process, like visiting all 50 states by the time I'm 50 (this one may be a hard one, I've got a little over 2 years).

Some things I've given up on: playing in the NBA for example.

Some things should be relatively easy like being in Florida for a Shuttle Launch.

I'm sure many things will still be on the list when I die.

This week I crossed off another item on my list. I finished writing a novel. My list did not necessarily require it be published, but I did finish it. It took ten months and is about 84,000 words which translates into about 336 pages. It's about a man's journey to overcome the effects of a bad childhood.

I don't know if I'll pursue doing anything further with it, but sometimes things on the bucket list are more about the journey than the destination, wouldn't you say? None of these things on my list are more important than the day to day things like family that make life worth living. If I never accomplish anything else, but can be called a good dad and husband, I've accomplished all that I really need to.

Yesterday's Supreme Court Decision

I must tell you, I am certainly concerned about our highest court's handle on what is right for our country. Yesterday's decision to allow people to wear tank tops and wife beater shirts in public, needs to be rethought.

Although there are a few select people who can pull it off, there are few things more offensive than being in Wal-Mart and seeing some hairy backed guy with arms exposed all the way to his shoulder blades.

Some will say this is what our founding fathers envisioned. I disagree! We didn't get the term 'farmer's tan' from people wearing sleeveless shirts. Our forefathers must've understood the importance of covering floppy teacher triceps.

So I hope the Supreme Court will rethink their decision. In my opinion, not everyone should have the Right to Bare Arms!

Looking for the Positive

Several times in my life, I have been made aware of how much of a difference we can make in someone's life by giving a compliment. A couple of years ago, I decided I was going to find someone each day to give a genuine compliment to. I determined it had to be sincere or people would see right through it. This only lasted a month or so, but I learned that by focusing on someone to compliment, I tended to overlook the negatives in everyday life.

A little while later, while going through the Denver airport (which at the time I was flying in/out of about once every two months), I stopped at the Mcdonalds to get a drink.

The young African American girl behind the counter looked at me, paused for a minute and said, "I remember you! You came through hear a couple of months ago and said you like my hair!"

Now, I didn't remember specifically saying something about her hair, but it was certainly believable, since her elaborately styled hair certainly caused envy to my bald head. Even though I didn't remember saying something, it had created a memorable moment in her life and made her feel good.

Try it! It's not hard. Try it for a week and see how many good things you can find to point out. Looking for the positive may not be as easy as pointing out the negative, but it sure leaves a better taste in your mouth.

Top 10 Social Pet Peeves

I was talking to my brother Pinata the other day. I call him Pinata because sometimes I just feel like hitting him with a stick! I was talking to him about going to the top of the Stratosphere in Vegas.

"I am quite afraid of heights," I told him, then asked, "How about you?"

"Afraid of heights?" He responded, "No.... but I'm terrified of widths!"

Now you know why I call him Pinata.

I don't mean to be a complainer, so let me get my top ten list of Social Pet Peeves off my chest so I won't have to address them again.

The following is a list of things that I run across on a regular basis which make me think, do you even know you live in a world with other people, or do you just not care?

10. Parking in the fire lane at the front of the store. I remember when one of my young daughters was grocery shopping with me once, she asked, "Daddy, why do some people park there?" Knowing full well the people in the car could hear me, I answered, "Because they're lazy."

9. People not waving in appreciation when you let them in traffic.

8. Not letting you merge in traffic when there is obviously nowhere else to go and you have to merge.

7. (tie)Someone talking loudly in a movie or the people behind you in the movie kicking your seat

6. An employee at a store/restaurant/utility company etc. treating you like you are an inconvenience rather than the pure reason they have a job.

5. Non-handicapped people parking in the handicapped stalls even if they're driving their handicapped grandmother's 1977 Powder Blue Chrysler Cordova with a handicapped sticker.

4. Parents letting their kids run wild in public and looking at you as if to say aren't they cute. All the while, the unparented brood destroys aisle after aisle in a store or shatter your prescious porcelain statues of Elvis in your home.

3. Saving Seats, which I addressed in a previous post.

2. People not saying thank you when you hold a door open for them or people going through before you letting the door slam in your face.

1. Butting in Line. Absolutely nothing is more socially vomitous than this act..

Now that I have got my negative juices spewed, I am going to call Pinata and talk about rainbows, butterflies and other positive things.

I would love for you to add to this list in the comments section.

Back Yard-Before and After

This posting is not funny or controversial, but some of you have asked to see how the progress on our back yard is going.

Two years ago when Bluesmom and I moved in, the back yard was unfinished and full of weeds but we knew it could make a great play place for bluesbro and bluessisses.

We've almost got it complete, so I wanted to share the results.

I've attached pics at the BOTTOM OF THE PAGE since I can't figure out how to get them up here. Oh well.

It will look much better when the trees have grown and the bushes are full, but that may take many years and I wanted to share it now.

The most prominent feature of our back yard is a retention pond which holds a little runoff two or three times per year. We put grass down and now it is a great place for Blue and the boy to run.

Bluesmom's favorite feature is the rock wall which separates blues poo area from the rest of the yard. If you look close, you can see Blue's own private fire hydrant.

Run, Blue, Run!

Should I feel guilty for sitting on my apathy?

I was lounging in the back yard with Blue's mom the other night. It was a beautiful early summer evening and I was expounding on my dream of opening a store that sells just footstools which I would proudly call The Ottoman Empire. As I was astounding her with my ambitions, I started thinking about current events, politics, and how my passion for these things had changed over the last 15 years.

During the 1990's, I followed current events closely. I was politically astute and had an opinion on about anything. I started listening to talk shows as I traveled for work and was one of the early followers of Rush Limbaugh, G. Gordan Liddy, etc. I sometimes even listened to the conspiracy theorists who monologued about one world government.

Somewhere along the line, though, I discovered my constant awareness of all things political were obscuring my enjoyment of the here and now. None of my frustrations and worrying about the current affairs of the country were within my immediate realm of influence. Unless I got actively involved in a campaign or ran for office myself, my aggravation did nothing but gave me heartburn.

Since 2000, I have pretty much checked out of the political arena. Oh, I follow the presidential campaigns and am aware of their platforms and I will vote, but if my candidate doesn't win, I won't lose too much sleep.

I don't even get overly exercised over gas prices, since I am not sure what I can do about them anyway and my next door neighbor usually leaves his truck outside at night (and his gas cap is on my side).

I don't worry about global warming too much. I keep waiting for someone to ask the experts about the areas that will benefit from climate change. After all, change might mean the deserts of Utah and Arizona become green and tropical and can grow bounteous crops. And isn't it a little presumptous to think we as humans are so powerful that we can change the earth?

So my question to you is: "Is my apathy toward current events hurting me in the long run or is my energy better spent focusing on things where I can make a difference?" Please leave a comment or vote on the right. As they used to say in Chicago, "Vote early and vote often!"

BBQ and First Impressions

I think my first mistake that night was wearing Khaki pants.

Someone told me (after that night's event) that fat guys should not wear light colors. I guess that's because it makes us look bigger by causing shadows and accentuating the negatives. But I had not yet been given that fashion advice. Besides, my issues that night were not fashion related.

I was attending the semi-formal dinner that night with my new boss and a Senior Vice President of my company.

As I sat down at the fully set table, I skillfully took the linen napkin out of the wine glass and laid it accross my lap.

As the dinner proceeded, this boy who grew up in the Ozarks was doing a great job of holding his own socially. I even knew which fork to use and when. It wasn't very smart of me to order ribs in such a situation as they became messy to eat and I had to wipe my hands quietly on my lap napkin without making a fuss.

I was pretty sure I had made the right impressions. We cruised through the courses and past dessert without a hitch.

As the waiter was clearing our table, he knelt down and picked up something beside me, "Sir, you've dropped your napkin, would you like another?"

With bright eyes, I stared straight ahead, not daring to look down. The aching pit in my stomach developed as I remembered how many times I had wiped the rib juice on my lap napkin (or what I thought was my lap napkin).

Looking down, I could see that my khaki pants had been smudged with BBQ sauce as if a kindergartner had been finger painting beneath the table. Internally, I panicked. Outwardly, I fidgeted. How could I walk out without them noticing? With family or friends, I could just laugh it off, but with these two heavy hitters I would've come off as Dufas J. Nimrod!

Luckily, the lighting was dim and I was able to escape the embarrassment by holding my briefcase in front of me.

Note to self: Neither BBQ or Khaki, should be worn by a fat guy!