257 / 365: Thank You Arby's!!

Arby's had their teacher appreciation day today. Teachers (and other school employees showing ID) got a free combo.

I would like to thank Arby's for giving us cash-strapped CCPS employees a chance at a free lunch. My roast beef gyro, curly fries and Diet Pepsi was just what the doctor ordered. I blew 2 days of points on this, but it was worth it.

Until next time....eat away!

256 / 365: Monday Night Blight

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines "blight" as:

1a : a disease or injury of plants marked by the formation of lesions, withering, and death of parts (as leaves and tubers) b : an organism (as an insect or a fungus) that causes blight
2: something that frustrates plans or hopes
3: something that impairs or destroys
4: a deteriorated condition

Methinks that football also fits this description!

I'm really angry now and I have a list of culprits:
1. My son, JOR, for not showing what he knows. He's still prancing about on the field a day late and a dollar short. What's frustrating is that he KNOWS WHAT TO DO, he CAN DO IT, but CHOOSES NOT TO!!
2. His father, for being the consummate armchair quarterback. There's too much tension in this house!
3. His coaches, for not recognizing when JOR puts forth an effort. Can't light a fire by smoldering it! If I ran my rehearsals the way they run practices, I'd be fired! They really need some organization skills. (Example: Coach: "You need to practice these plays with your children." Reality: "You have my child almost 3 hours a night, Mon.-Thurs. When do you expect us to do this? Instead of having my child stand around the whole night, maybe have an extra coach work with the rookies on basics. This is NOT rocket science, gentlemen!") Can't express this to the coaches for fear of retaliation against my son. I don't want to risk it. He's not getting enough playing time as it is.....
4. The Athletic Association, for not being organized. Took weeks to get a parent meeting and schedule. Then, to schedule games until 8:30-9:00 pm on a school night is just a ridiculous attempt at making themselves look more important than they really are. I wouldn't mind if you were actually teaching my child something, but you're not, so let him stay home and get his real work done!
5. Sports, in general, are really leaving a bad taste in my mouth! It shouldn't be like this....

Until next time....growl away!

255 / 365: Check!

Today, I...
...took care of my body: ran 3 miles and almost ate OK. (It WAS Sunday...)
...took care of my mind: starting reading The Book Whisperer and continued reading Huck Finn
...took care of my soul: offered up prayers of gratitude as well as prayers for help. I feel like God is calling me, but the call keeps dropping! I'm working on a prayer of surrender, so He can do what he needs to. As oxymoronic as this sounds, this surrender will hopefully be very liberating!

See, I can actually take care of myself!

Until next time...care away!

254 / 365: Tis the season....a Haiku

Football and soccer.
Boys have started playing these.
This fall will be long.

253 / 365: 35 more to go....

Took the family out to Peking to celebrate completing one week of school.

Please God, help me through the next 35!

Until next time...chomp away!

252 / 365: Tough love...

..and so it continues, 7 years later, "You can't always get what you want".

We're having an issue with our JOR. Unmotivatied, lackadaisical, blase'. In a word, LAZY!!! We are noticing it more as he's being challenged more. He wants to try different stuff, not because he's a renaissance boy, but because he doesn't want to take any of his skills to the next level. Whether it's football, drama, music or academics, the boy is not "kicking it up a notch."

His daddy and I think that maybe, just maybe, he's got some talent in the arts. We are realistic knowing that he may not be all that "and a bag of chips". (Thanks BG!) But we think he has something. Sadly, he only shows it sporadically. The same goes for his academics. One year, he's tested gifted, the next year, not even close!

It was with a heavy heart that we had to throw the book at him. We've had to put him on restriction until he shows an effort in SOMETHING. No TV, no Nintendo, no nothing until he shows us he is worthy to live in this house. That means giving his best effort at all times. After his dramatic monologue of "Why me? That's not fair! You hate me!!" (Complete with tears....thus showing his dramatic skills!) I told him we could have taken the easy route: pull him out of football and let watch TV and video games till he wants to go to bed. But we love him too much to see him fail. We are going to be hard on him. Hopefull, someday, he'll thank us for this.

Until next time...toughen away!

251 / 365: Go away....

Pray that no one gets killed because of this man's stupidity.

Until next time...pray away!