I remember 9/11 like everyone else that was watching it unfold on television. I remember the images of people jumping to their deaths, those of the towers falling, and of people running for safety. I also remember watching police, fire, and emergency medical personnel doing everything they could do to help.
Professional writers and bloggers alike will be typing feverishly about memories and such. All I have to say is this: To the firefighters, EMS personnel, as well as my fellow LEO's...thank you. Sure we call each other names like pig, blue canary, bucket boy, and hose head. But I know that we have respect for each other for the roles we play in keeping our communities safe. We may never have to respond to an incident like 9/11, but we have our own tragedies to deal with daily.
Thank you, be vigilant, and go home safe tonight...
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
More lessons for those children of mine...
So I have been thinking about more advice, and/or lessons for my girls. I have been thinking back to my own childhood and about the lessons I learned the hard way. Actually, some I watched others learn through some pain and injury while I laughed. So here we go...
21. When riding a bicycle always look forward. This one seems like a no brainer, right? I watched as a little boy I knew rammed into a sign while riding his bicycle and trying to look cool. There he was riding his bike laughing at me as I drove my car down the street. He was paying attention to me instead of the large pole and street sign in front of him. Three, two, one...and contact. Over the handle bars to the ground he went. He popped up and I got a laugh. Ask Uncle Mike to explain the rest.
22. Here is one from me. When climbing trees, don't go too high because the smaller branches won't support the weight. I was an avid tree climber back in the day and on one occasion I attempted to conquer the wrong tree. After reaching near the top I suddenly found myself dropping, bouncing, falling, scratching, crying, gasping, and finally landing on the ground with a thud. I popped up while my friends got a laugh.
23. When riding on the back of a motorcycle do not smile. Actually, don't even open your mouth. Keep your mouth closed, unless of course you would like to dine on the delicacies that are mosquitoes, flies, butterflies, or some other bug or insect. No they do not taste good. If you see someone that just got off of a motorcycle and you see what looks like a raisin on his teeth let me warn you, its a dead bug. Gross.
24. Always check to see if the sliding glass door is OPEN before attempting to run outside. Luckily for you all we do not have such a door on this house. When I was about 8 years old I was at a friend's house for a birthday party. They had a sliding glass door. I was inside and wanted to hurriedly go outside. Without looking I darted at a full sprint from the dining room towards the backyard when I met the clear, freshly cleaned glass door face first. Ouch. Yes there was physical pain, but the embarrassment was far worse. I popped up and yes, people got a laugh.
25. And finally, when you are my age (36 years old) do not...and I repeat DO NOT run in a house wearing only socks when the floors are wood. Only disaster awaits. I ran from the kitchen towards the bedroom to answer a phone call. I rounded the couch and slid for about half of a second before my feet and body went different directions. My feet left me behind and then I fell on my behind...hard. You know, getting up after a fall like that is not as easy to do as it was when I was younger. I didn't pop up from that one and I missed the phone call. The only good part was that there was no one there to get a laugh.
Listen to my words oh children of mine. I can spare you pain and embarrassment if you simply learn from my mistakes...and the one from Uncle Mike because that one was funny.
21. When riding a bicycle always look forward. This one seems like a no brainer, right? I watched as a little boy I knew rammed into a sign while riding his bicycle and trying to look cool. There he was riding his bike laughing at me as I drove my car down the street. He was paying attention to me instead of the large pole and street sign in front of him. Three, two, one...and contact. Over the handle bars to the ground he went. He popped up and I got a laugh. Ask Uncle Mike to explain the rest.
22. Here is one from me. When climbing trees, don't go too high because the smaller branches won't support the weight. I was an avid tree climber back in the day and on one occasion I attempted to conquer the wrong tree. After reaching near the top I suddenly found myself dropping, bouncing, falling, scratching, crying, gasping, and finally landing on the ground with a thud. I popped up while my friends got a laugh.
23. When riding on the back of a motorcycle do not smile. Actually, don't even open your mouth. Keep your mouth closed, unless of course you would like to dine on the delicacies that are mosquitoes, flies, butterflies, or some other bug or insect. No they do not taste good. If you see someone that just got off of a motorcycle and you see what looks like a raisin on his teeth let me warn you, its a dead bug. Gross.
24. Always check to see if the sliding glass door is OPEN before attempting to run outside. Luckily for you all we do not have such a door on this house. When I was about 8 years old I was at a friend's house for a birthday party. They had a sliding glass door. I was inside and wanted to hurriedly go outside. Without looking I darted at a full sprint from the dining room towards the backyard when I met the clear, freshly cleaned glass door face first. Ouch. Yes there was physical pain, but the embarrassment was far worse. I popped up and yes, people got a laugh.
25. And finally, when you are my age (36 years old) do not...and I repeat DO NOT run in a house wearing only socks when the floors are wood. Only disaster awaits. I ran from the kitchen towards the bedroom to answer a phone call. I rounded the couch and slid for about half of a second before my feet and body went different directions. My feet left me behind and then I fell on my behind...hard. You know, getting up after a fall like that is not as easy to do as it was when I was younger. I didn't pop up from that one and I missed the phone call. The only good part was that there was no one there to get a laugh.
Listen to my words oh children of mine. I can spare you pain and embarrassment if you simply learn from my mistakes...and the one from Uncle Mike because that one was funny.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
The impatient backseat driver
I think Ashley and I are beginning to rub off on our children. They are turning into backseat drivers, and angry ones at that. A quick funny today.
Daddy day care begins again today because school is back in session after the holiday weekend. Part of my duties is to retrieve children from their educational institutions and deliver them home safely and start homework and the like. Cooper asked today if we could go to Sonic to get something to drink. I normally say no because I pick her up in the middle of their "Happy Hour" and every Frenship ISD soccer mom is there jockeying for a parking spot.
Today I relented and off we went to brave the madness. On arrival I saw it wasn't too bad and as I was driving into the parking lot I saw a vacant bay. Just as I approached one of the aforementioned soccer moms, without paying attention, backs out of the bay. Okay, normally not a big deal except she backed out and just stopped. Here is where my backseat driver speaks up.
Apparently she was crazy thirsty and was extremely parched. That, or she was just being the typical impatient 6 year old. Either way, Cooper notices the large mommy mobile stopped in the traffic lane and yells, Hellooooooo, move it!" She was almost hostile. Our influence is apparently starting to show up.
It took me several seconds to put it all together because I was still a little groggy from having recently woke up. I saw the gas guzzler stopped in front of me and I heard Cooper talking. Then it hit me and I busted out laughing. Then the humor passed when I realized she had beat me to what I normally say under the same circumstances. Oh boy.
Yes, I am an impatient driver. I see someone driving stupidly and I comment. I see someone stopped at a green light I respond with "Hellooooooo, it's green!" I guess she comes by it honestly.
Daddy day care begins again today because school is back in session after the holiday weekend. Part of my duties is to retrieve children from their educational institutions and deliver them home safely and start homework and the like. Cooper asked today if we could go to Sonic to get something to drink. I normally say no because I pick her up in the middle of their "Happy Hour" and every Frenship ISD soccer mom is there jockeying for a parking spot.
Today I relented and off we went to brave the madness. On arrival I saw it wasn't too bad and as I was driving into the parking lot I saw a vacant bay. Just as I approached one of the aforementioned soccer moms, without paying attention, backs out of the bay. Okay, normally not a big deal except she backed out and just stopped. Here is where my backseat driver speaks up.
Apparently she was crazy thirsty and was extremely parched. That, or she was just being the typical impatient 6 year old. Either way, Cooper notices the large mommy mobile stopped in the traffic lane and yells, Hellooooooo, move it!" She was almost hostile. Our influence is apparently starting to show up.
It took me several seconds to put it all together because I was still a little groggy from having recently woke up. I saw the gas guzzler stopped in front of me and I heard Cooper talking. Then it hit me and I busted out laughing. Then the humor passed when I realized she had beat me to what I normally say under the same circumstances. Oh boy.
Yes, I am an impatient driver. I see someone driving stupidly and I comment. I see someone stopped at a green light I respond with "Hellooooooo, it's green!" I guess she comes by it honestly.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
My daughters hate my attire
I am not sure what it is about the way I dress that makes my children sick. I mean literally sick. It could be that they are making an obvious critique of me attire by way of regurgitation and demand I change. I know that children do get sick for a variety of reasons. Who knew my wardrobe would be one of them.
Riley, although learning to speak, cannot simply come right out and say, "Daddy, I hate your clothes." No, that would be too easy. She has to make an announcement in other ways. She is almost 18 months old now and opinionated. When she was younger she did not simply "spit up" on me. No, that would have been expected.
While enjoying dinner with friends at Cracker Barrel one fine evening Riley opted to choose that as the time to tell me she hated my shirt. And pants. Riley had recently finished some yogurt and a bottle. Great combination as I later learned. I was holding her up, facing me, when I saw a look on her face I recognized. Her eyes sort of fixed on me and she looked confused. I had seen her sisters exhibit a similar look in the past and I distinctly remembered what happened after I saw the look on previous occasions.
There I was staring at my child and before I could react, up came the...well...everything. The poor family seated behind us had their meal ruined by the sight of me being drenched in baby puke. The remainder of the restaurant got an amusing show. Riley laughed. I wanted to run out screaming like a little girl in embarrassment. My clothing was drenched and smelly and I had nothing else to wear. Oh boy.
Luckily for me, Chris and Liz are prepared for everything. I got a pair of utilities and a t-shirt to change into and all was well, except for the mess I had to clean up on the floor of the restaurant. Luckily we were seated right where everyone could see.
Once again Riley let me know she did not appreciate what I was dressed in. And of all things, I was wearing a Chargers jersey with her uncle's number on it. Sorry Uncle Mike, she just wasn't feeling it after the loss on Thursday. Anyway, she was playing and sitting in my lap when I saw the look again. Then, she did it again. All I could do was sit there on the couch and just hold her up until mommy came to the rescue.
No one ever told me that my children would be so brutally honest. So for my daughters I have a request...please don't puke on me again. I am sorry I am not as stylish as you all are. I will try to do better. Maybe mommy should pick out my clothes?
Riley, although learning to speak, cannot simply come right out and say, "Daddy, I hate your clothes." No, that would be too easy. She has to make an announcement in other ways. She is almost 18 months old now and opinionated. When she was younger she did not simply "spit up" on me. No, that would have been expected.
While enjoying dinner with friends at Cracker Barrel one fine evening Riley opted to choose that as the time to tell me she hated my shirt. And pants. Riley had recently finished some yogurt and a bottle. Great combination as I later learned. I was holding her up, facing me, when I saw a look on her face I recognized. Her eyes sort of fixed on me and she looked confused. I had seen her sisters exhibit a similar look in the past and I distinctly remembered what happened after I saw the look on previous occasions.
There I was staring at my child and before I could react, up came the...well...everything. The poor family seated behind us had their meal ruined by the sight of me being drenched in baby puke. The remainder of the restaurant got an amusing show. Riley laughed. I wanted to run out screaming like a little girl in embarrassment. My clothing was drenched and smelly and I had nothing else to wear. Oh boy.
Luckily for me, Chris and Liz are prepared for everything. I got a pair of utilities and a t-shirt to change into and all was well, except for the mess I had to clean up on the floor of the restaurant. Luckily we were seated right where everyone could see.
Once again Riley let me know she did not appreciate what I was dressed in. And of all things, I was wearing a Chargers jersey with her uncle's number on it. Sorry Uncle Mike, she just wasn't feeling it after the loss on Thursday. Anyway, she was playing and sitting in my lap when I saw the look again. Then, she did it again. All I could do was sit there on the couch and just hold her up until mommy came to the rescue.
No one ever told me that my children would be so brutally honest. So for my daughters I have a request...please don't puke on me again. I am sorry I am not as stylish as you all are. I will try to do better. Maybe mommy should pick out my clothes?
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