The Best Laid Plans - are still part of the story...

Did you ever know exactly what you were going to wear that day when you got up in the morning and then completely change your mind once you were out of the shower?

Happened to me today. 

Also - thought I knew what I wanted to write about today, but that's not working out either. 

Ah well... Tomorrow will be here soon enough -

- and it's all still part of the story. Right?

I guess we'll find out. 

Tomorrow?

Life Changes?

 Today's phrase seems to be "life changing"

As many know, I watch at least some portion of The Price is Right pretty much every week day. Today, a young lady spun a dollar on the wheel and won $1,000- happens all the time. Then, with her bonus spin, she spun another dollar and won an additional $25,000 - happens more often than you'd think, but definitely not "all the time." 

"Well, that's life changing," I remarked, and Netter agreed.

A little while later I was reading through some sports sites and ran across an article about a hockey player who was living his best life finding a career with the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. He had been paralyzed playing hockey in high school and the article discussed his life since, and the "life changing" circumstances of what had happened to him. A different, not so positive, type of life change though honestly he is doing a helluva job. 

Yeah, I'm catching my breath too...

So, I got to thinking - you saw the smoke, (I'll try not to use that joke too often) about life changing events, good, bad, realized, unrealized... and of course, I thought about the new year. 

We all want change for the new year... Right? 

I have to admit I'm a bit stuck on this one... New Year's eve very often finds me in deep thought and New Year's day I am in deep reflection -

Not so much this year though...

I dunno... I guess I know what I'll be talking about for the rest of the week. 

What's your new year take?

Back in the Literary Saddle - as it were.

 Whew - Kinda dusty in these parts... Has it really been 8 1/2 years since I posted? Dems da facts as they say...

So much has happened - where to begin? What shall we talk about? Oh hell... who knows...

Here's what I do know - I've been retired for almost 6 years. One of my retirement goals was to write more. One of many goals... Life has taken many interesting, and not so interesting twists and turns... and well, I haven't written more. Although...

I do write in my head - every day. Not a very useful medium is it? 

Yes, I know how that sounds.

But - I've decided to give it a go, to find a space, to put down some words every day - well every work day anyway, and see if I can find this voice, my voice - again. 

I'm a lot older, a little grumpier, and maybe even a little wiser than the last time I decided to share some thoughts and stories... I feel like now is a good time. I will try not to be too grumpy.

I might stay here. I might move... I'll probably continue to share on Facebook - just because I know there's at least a few folks there who might enjoy what I write. Who knows...

The only thing I'm sure of is this: It is time to write. It's the one thing I have always enjoyed. Good, bad, indifferent. It's not work. It's just what I do. Why not share it... What do you think?

My very wise Mrs.

I’m not big on conflict. Even when I have the occasional argument around the house I tend to catch myself and let it go. My wife is usually, (read 99.9% of the time) right anyway, and my kids are really good kids with good hearts. 

Not much is worth fighting about.

Not much gets me amped up at all really. Maybe sports, particularly hockey, but even there I don’t yell and scream at the television like I used to.

When I need to advocate for my kids though... that’s when it’s on. I am a very protective Papa Chow, and I will do whatever I need to do to take care of my kids. All of them.

Which is where I think this all started. I’m not going to go into all the sordid details, but it lasted about a week, involved an incredible amount of discussion and in the end, once I knew things were taken care of, it was over.

I thought.

I’m realizing though that it wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

I’m realizing that being in that defensive mode has carried forward and I’ve been putting up some walls.

I’m realizing that for a person who doesn’t usually know how to say: “no” I have been subconsciously saying: “leave me alone.” Emphatically.

Easy things have become complicated, even difficult, and that just doesn’t need to be.

When I woke up this morning, this all hit me like a ton of bricks. By the time I had arrived at work, or about 2 hours later I had some clarity. I’m still working it out because it’s still new, but it’s time to take those walls down.

I told Netter the other day that I thought “Skinny Jim” seemed like kind of a jerk, or an ass. Which probably was the beginning of recognizing the walls, now that I think about it.

She told me that was not the case, that I just needed to stop over extending myself and learn to be more patient, particularly with myself, and that the timing, (with the weight loss) was just coincidence.

Wise woman that Netter. Don’t you think?