Oh Won't You Please Take Me Home...

It's starting to look a little like a home! :)

19

One Day at a Time! Very grateful...

Simple Good

It doesn't seem to matter how old I am, a night before a day off is always cool. As of late it has been some long runs at work. It makes it all the sweeter to get to just veg out to a good TV show on Netflix. Some delivered pizza and a couple snoozing dogs... it's a pretty good night.

Still not smoking too, by the way. Friggin' amazing.

Good Sign

Great find Adam. This place is fantastic by the by, eat here. If you don't understand the sign, click here.

Sunday Shopper

About to head out to the doll house to work today. It's less fun working over the weekend. The only reason is that you get the entitled customer who has forgone any manner of courtesy long ago. They conduct themselves with a superiority and an irritation that so many other people had decided to shop on the weekend. These are the same folks that produce a personal check and wonder why it takes so long to process them now. My biggest grief though is that they are just rude. No matter what level of service you encounter, two things are facts. One, you are dealing with another human being. Two you are a part of the interaction. Manners are both people's responsibilities. So if you are out today and have to purchase something from somebody that actually has to work today, maybe try being nice (even if they don't deserve it) and potentially everyone gets to walk away a little better.

Ski Perfection

I was reading this morning, "the only thing we do perfectly are the things we don't try." It was an encouragement to try new things, regardless of not being good at them. For some reason, I instantly thought about skiing. It was a degree of relief to move from Colorado to know each year I would not hear constantly about the slopes. Not having much experience at the sport at all, it has always intimidated me some. Not the actual act of hurling myself down a hill, I'm ok with that. It's the daunting prep and travel that gets me. Maybe that's why I like running so much. The simplest sport to do... ever! I want to get up there, but I have no idea what I am doing. Maybe I'll figure it out this year. If not, I have similar tale to tell with camping.

Friday I'm in Love

My Patient Three

I love my wife. I love my dogs. I even kinda like our soon to be old news apartment living.

That's what's important and I am trying really hard to remember it while my system is learning to cope without my cop out device. I am embarrassed to admit I have been ill tempered lately. While I understand the concept that no one owes me extra patience right now (no one made me start smoking), it hasn't been as easy to live up to it.

The three ladies in my life have been very patient and I owe them so much gratitude.

As for the irritability, this too shall pass, I am told. So far that has never failed to be true.

The Roof, The Roof...

The roof is up an our house is starting to look considerably more like a home. Personally, I like it all rough like this, but I am sure Tiff wants it prettier.

The epic battle with my monkey is still raging on. My time has been reset once due to an unfortunate sleep walking incident, but that once has been the only lapse in the last two weeks. I am running and going to the gym a lot to keep otherwise occupied. It has been challenging to do so as I am still nursing a couple aches that really slow me down.

Hell though, if this is where my life is at, I have no real problems.

Slow Down

Beyond the obvious lack of nicotine in my system, over the last couple days I have been given new reasons to ease up on the throttle. A slip of the knife on Sunday has made the left hand a little sensitive. Then yesterday I woke up with a pinched nerve in my back. All in all I feel pretty wrecked. I was talking with a friend yesterday and explaining how I generally see these accidents as God telling me to slow down. Richard Prior put it well when he said, "God can make you take five."

Victims and Villans

A little on the heels of yesterday's thoughts, my agent herein Denver called suddenly a couple weeks ago with a quick photo shoot job. The shoot was called Victims and Villans. As Tiff cuckled, "wonder which one they wanted me for?" Heh.

Waiting or Doing?

Over the last year or so I have seen quite a few changes happening in my life. From marriage to residence, everything seems a little different. Some areas, like acting, have taken a back seat for the moment. I am trying not to read too much into this, as there is only so much that can be done at once. It begs the question to me though, what is waiting and what is ready to be done? As far as acting goes, I used to fear time between shows, that I would never again get to enjoy the fantastic sensation of being on stage. As time moved on, I gravitated towards a quality, rather than quantity perspective. that meant taking more time between shows when fun work wasn't available. I have no fear right now I will continue acting, it's in my heart. The remembering that fact is the hard part sometimes. There is still the nagging feeling if I want to do something and it's not happening now, it never will. Fear is a fucker sometimes like that, but the reality is it's not real.

Proud

Very proud of you kiddo!

Taking Shape

Like magic, we have walls on our new home! It's the one on the right that almost looks like Tiff's car is parked in front. Yeah!!

Shenanigan Afoot

Happy St Patrick's Day! Truly one of my favorite holidays, regardless of the fact i don't drink. It's just one of those days that inspire people to be happy. For many, that will come after much whiskey and some freakishly tinted beer. To some, it's dying and ordinarily greenish river mutant turtle green.To others still, it seems just a good day to celebrate the spirit of being Irish. Regardless of how you enjoy today, I do hope that you find a little added merriment in your world this Thursday. Happy St. Pat's Day to each and everyone of you and to my beloved Irish snakes, blessed be!

Seems a good day to celebrate lucky number 7!

Can't Sleep

Five Golden Rings...

I am well into day 5 now and I am dearly hoping the mental fog lifts here soon. Strive as I may to write each day, as of late when I go to turn on the Stupie inspiration, I am completely blank. If that were the only side effect, I wouldn't complain too much. The razor sharp nerves are the worst part. I keep reminding myself, I am choosing to do this and that no one owes me any extra patience right now. After all, no one made me start smoking in the first place. I am stoked though to have 4 completely smoke free days under the belt. It's been over a year since I could say the same.

March On.

2006

2010

Little Things

Sometimes it's the little things that make you happy. For example, my new coffee mug!

We are in day 3 now, for those keeping score.

Warmer inclinations

I had a little extra time this morning to look at some races coming up. My mind is still set on doing the Denver marathon later this fall, but there are some fun ones coming soon. I am interested in the popular Boulder Boulder for sure, but also looking forward to trying the Furry Scurry this year with the girls. There's a Rockies Home Run for the Homeless that would be exciting. It would be fun to do a run less than 26.2 miles for sure. I miss the Turkey Trot and Rudolph Ramble in Lincoln Park back in Chicago for those reasons. All in all, I am glad to see the days get longer and warmer this year. I'll collect my winter stripes again next year.

Well into day 2 by the way.

Day 1 (again)

Yesterday I had my head shaved to show support for kids fighting cancer. An organization called St. Baldrick's held the event yesterday to booster support. I was grateful to get away from work long enough to head down and be sheered. I also figured it was a sign that my next attempt to removing my monkey was at hand. Thus, so went the hair, so went the cigarettes. I am almost at 24hrs now. Perhaps the head shaving is the best way to quit

Happy Thursday

Thug Life

On a photo shoot this morning, playing another scumbag. I enjoy the villan thing. Seems so much of the time is spent in some degree of people pleasing, that going out to be out right hated is refreshing. It's fun to pull together a bad guy that you kinda want to like. Mostly though, these kind of villans are "just hat them types." From what I gather, cops may actually get to shoot at these. Nice and unsettling.

Underage Champions

Just heard about a friend's baby that needs heart surgury. The kid isn't even 6 mo old. I'm also planning to go down to an event on Thur to support kids fighting cancer. It brings prospective quickly. I may be jaded to a degree on what life should be like, but no kid should. Say a prayer or send positive mojo to these kids. They deserve more, but at least I can offer that.

Mighty Metro of Love Musing

"Colorado is a SUV state, we'll be the last to get the electric car." That was the sentiment of an incredibly jaded floor manager at one of the dealerships I went to the other day told me. Why is it, the Chevy Metro I bought back in 98 still has a better MPG than any other car out there for less than 11K? What is it going to take to get this technology to the public, even here in Colorado?

Good

It has been wonderful to have the weekend with Tiff. It feels like an eternity since we were both able to just have a couple days together without obligation. The dogs have enjoyed having us around too. Sometimes good is actually pretty great!

Graphically Inclined

Ever just had that thing you liked to do and were seemingly pretty decent at it? For me, it has always been graphics and painting. It's always been something I can get completely absorbed in and truly enjoy. For so long it has just been something I can do. I don't give it much thought, but always enjoy it. How about you?

This Is What I Want Today

Gratitude

I had the opportunity last night to talk with some friends and do more than a little reflecting on the road I have traveled to get where I am today. To say the least, it made me considerably grateful. I regularly try to keep a perspective of thanks, as I am convinced utterly I have been well taken care of for many years. My whole life really, but later years I became far more aware of it. Just thought it might behoove me some to speak to that more often. To me, gratitude unacknowledged is like ice in the sun, it's gone before you know it.

The Irish and the Scottish

Enjoy your Wednesdays!

March!!

Tiff and I were talking last night and remarking how much we are enjoying the warmer weather and slightly longer days. This is a very unusual conversation for us to have as we are both huge winter fans. Our routine mantra has always been, "let it snow!" The house under construction though, has definitely led us to the popular camp of weather fans. Every mild, sunny day is one step closer to being able to finish construction. What's odd though is to find ourselves with everyone else for a change, hoping it doesn't snow and relishing very un-winterlike weather. Sort of like like going to the game and sitting on the visitor side. Odd how a slight shift of perspective, despite its motive, can produce a new feeling like this.