Funny, I Don’t Feel That Old…

Posted under How I See It

Who the hell is that man staring at me in the mirror? 

 

So this is what forty nine feels like  (yes, it’s my birthday today).  A quick check in the mirror and I still see a young man.  Either that or I need to get my eyes checked again. 

 

All the parts are there, some just more than others and others less then some.  There seems to be a little more waist in the middle and a little less hair on top.  I noticed that things have shifted a bit. 

 

A quick inventory tells me that I am in pretty good shape in spite of my “middle age.”  The body is holding up pretty well, no major defects.  The mind is still in tact no matter what my wife says.  I’d have to say I am a very fortunate man to have what I have this time in my life.

 

I’ve had my share of experiences through my nearly “half century” of life.  I been married and divorced and married again, I’ve had the opportunity to watch my three daughters grow into beautiful young women.  I’ve had friends and family come and go into my life, some by choice others by fate. 

 

But even with all of life’s ups and downs, this has been a good life.  Few regrets and some great opportunities have come my way.  I’m looking forward to what life has to offer in this second half. 

No Time like the Present…

Posted under How I See It, Wife

 

I’ve been out of work for about a week now and my wife has been dropping subtle hints.  She’s mentioned in passing several times about how “thank God, I’m still working.”  Or “did you see the classified ads I left for you?”  Or the understated “When are you going back to work?”

 

I love my wife; she is so sympathetic and understanding to my situation…

 

So this morning out of boredom I checked my email.  Who knows maybe some long lost relative decided to grace me with their inheritance?  Nope, other than the snide remarks I got back from my “friends” concerning my last post on earthquakes, not much was there.

 

However, today on a whim I opened up my junk folder.  And there sitting before me were my dreams coming true.  My junk folder was holding a treasure trove of answers to my current economic situation.  I had emails offering me jobs, money and opportunities galore. 

 

Let’s take a look at what prospects await me:

 

ENROLL IN MEDICAL BILLING TRAINING TODAY!?

All the medical bills I’ve seen you need a PhD in mathematics for it to make sense.

 

GOOGLE BUSINESS KITS WORK FROM HOME! SEEN AND TRUSTED ON CNN!?

Well if CNN can trust them, then… Nah, I can’t trust them.

 

FIND A JOB AS A CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT?

Nurses need assistants?

 

Get a great job in medical billing?

They sure are pushing this.

 

I found you a new job.?

All they left me was an email address.  Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice and shame on me?

 

Cell Jobs Help Wanted-Sun, 24 May 2009 11:15:00 -0400?

Are these cell phone jobs or jobs at the jail?  And why the odd hours on todays date?

 

Jennifer: New cash flow in hours?

What kind of connection does Jennifer have to get me a cash flow so quickly? 

 

Government-Grant Source Your funds are available?

I should totally look into this one.  Hey if GM and Chrysler can get it, why can’t I?

 

Photography Schools…..Enroll Now!!?

This would be great if I didn’t keep putting my thumb on the lens every time I took a picture.

 Have you ever had a medication adversely affect you? You might be entitled to compensation.?

I’ve gotten a little nausea after taking aspirin.  I should really check the expiration dates.

 

And then there is the infamous letter coming from a representative from either an African, or East European or Asian city that seems to be having a hard time getting his funds transferred.  I’d love to help (I’m just that kind of guy) but the questions he keeps asking me are so confusing.  Bank account numbers, social security numbers, checks made out to foreign diplomats for safe keeping.  The constant emails back and forth are exhausting.

 

So there you have it.  My prospects to returning back to the workforce. 

 

Looks promising, don’t you think?

No Complaints…

Posted under How I See It

For of those of you who might not have been reading the news lately, we Southern Californians have been a bit shook up lately. 

 

First on Sunday we had a 4.7 magnitude earthquake that rock and rolled my house pretty good.  Then on Tuesday afternoon (two days later!) an aftershock (still a quake) of 4.0 hit us. 

 

For those of my fellow bloggers out there who live out in the Midwest or on the East Coast and complain about the weather.  Stop it…

 

You know when bad weather is coming.  You know when a storm is about to head your way.  You can batten down the hatches and prepare for whatever Mother Nature has in store for you.

 

Try as we do, we still can’t tell when an earthquake is going to hit.  My chances on hitting the lottery are better than my best guess would be on the next quake, let alone two in the same week.

 

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go around and tie down everything I own.  If two can hit in this week, God knows what to expect next week.

“Disney Real”…

Posted under How I See It, Wife

 

Well here I am now, officially part of the unemployed as of last Friday.  So what do you do when your newly unemployed and have way too much time on your hands? 

 

“I’m going to Disneyland.”

 

Yep, the wife and I headed out to the “Happiest Place on Earth” last Saturday.  We, along with what seemed like every middle and high school, girl scout troop, or boys club organization, were out to see what Walt had in store for us.

 

It was interesting touring around Disneyland without children in tow.  Granted ours are at the age that you don’t need leashes to keep them straying off with strangers.  We usually just point to the clock and say “when the big hand gets to the twelve and the little hand is at the five, meet us here for dinner.”  For those who don’t know, this is how you have to explain things to a teenager.

 

So, my wife and I are standing line at the “Pirates of the Caribbean” ride and enjoying the show that is “the tourists.”  I swear I have more fun just people watching than I do the rides.  Other than the crazy beforehand mentioned teenagers, the people who show up to Disneyland are a unique crowd.  Where else can you wear plastic ears and a top hat in public and it be considered normal?  Piercings and tattoos and hair color of unusual shades were the norm, and that was from some of the parents!

 

As we stand in line to await our turn to view Johnny Depp’s reincarnation(s) on this ride, a family of four stood behind us.  There was mom, dad and two kids who were about seven.  The kids were having a great time and getting really excited.  Our turn came and we all piled into the boat, with the family of four sitting right behind us. 

 

Now, being a local, I’ve ridden this ride a hundred times, I’ve seen it all and the only thrill for me anymore is the reaction of the other tourists riding it.  So the kids behind us are fascinated by all the props.  We pass the skeletons and they ask “is it real?” and their dad tells them no it’s not.  We hear this repeated throughout the ride, “is it real?” no it’s not. 

 

Finally we come to a chamber on the ride were the skeleton pirate is surrounded by thousands of gold coins.  “Are they real?” came the question we all knew was coming.  But instead the anticipated no from dad, someone on the boat chimed in with “yes, they’re real, Disney real.”  The whole boat was laughing by the time we arrived at our dock. 

 

We now have a new term to add to our vocabulary.  All things in the Magic Kingdom are now considered  “Disney Real.”

 

Breastfeeding…?

Posted under Daughters, Family, How I See It

Got your attention?  Actually this post isn’t so much about breastfeeding as it is about what we as parents need to continue to teach our children.

 

A few days ago I came across a letter to the editor written in “The Atlantic” a magazine that I subscribe to.  The letter started me thinking not about breastfeeding, but about the lessons we teach our children.

 

The letter stated, “I am a first-time mother with a baby who will soon be 3 months old. Before I had my son, I was working 60-hour weeks as a project manager, a challenging job that I enjoy and am still devoted to. I am married, and my husband also works full time. Like many other women, I received a short maternity leave. Since my return, I’ve barely been able to hold my project together, and I feel guilty and deficient every day. It’s difficult to complete a task when you have to breast-feed 12 to 15 times a day, and your partner cannot really help out, because he isn’t lactating.”

 

My argument isn’t about whether to breastfeed or not.  I am by no means an expert on the subject.  I do have an opinion but that isn’t the reason for this post.  After reading her letter my reaction was:  This was a child, you made a choice.  Like all choices we make you need to understand the consequences.  How did she not think that with her full time job as well as her husband’s, that time would be needed to take care of her son?  This includes the time to breastfeed (or pump) for your son. 

 

I’ve raised my daughters with the understanding that life is full of choices.  Choose wisely and understand the consequences, not only to you but those around you.  You can’t always go through life making decisions impulsively.  You stay up late on a school night and you will pay the price the next day.  You go out with friends past your curfew and you will lose privileges.  These are minor examples compared to the decision to have a baby.  But, you need to start somewhere.   

 

Start the education at home.  Let them learn and fail were its safe.  Show them that for every choice they make they need to weigh the consequences.