The JOY of fatherhood

It certainly seems that having babies is the popular thing to do.

Wendy has put up some posts about the progress of Joy recently.  I guess I should put up a least one, since I have not in awhile.

It is amazing to me what a mimic Joy is.  She loves to cough after someone.  Bye-bye is a favorite phrase to repeat when the phone is hung up.  I am not quite sure where she picked up this, but Joy will hold the phone to her ear, throw back her head, and exclaim "Hmm.  Oh!"

Joy loves trying to climb on the couch.  She can lift one leg, but cannot quite get high enough to get on the couch.  She can extend on her tiptoes and pull things down.  Fortunately, more often than not she will put it back, if you ask her to.

It is a heartwarming encounter to have Joy be happy to see me after a day at work.  I try to get on the floor and play with her.  She enjoys reclining against me and trying to sit on my lap.  At least until something else gets her attention.

Joy enjoys bringing books to read and looking through them herself.  When I try to read to her, she likes to explore the room.  Must be my reading style.

So far fatherhood has been a good experience.  I hope the good outweigh the bad.  Soon I will have a whole new experience with another girl...

Survey the area

I recently took a survey for a company.  The majority of the questions were the same, only worded another way. Is that annoy to you?

If you had to read multiple questions dealing with the same subject would you be irritated if they are worded differently?

To be honest, I am not a big fan of those questions that want you to answer with a range of emotion.

Strongly agree.

Money, like grass, is greener on the other side

I will be the first to admit that I know nothing about money.  I can spend it occasionally, well more than I like.  However, I cannot seem to keep more than I like.

It seems that a wealthy presidential contender pays a tax rate that is below what some Americans pay, yet he has loads more money.  Money is a subject which raises many people's interest.  Especially when another person has more.  A first thought is why does that person have so much and the second thought is how can I get some of it.

Due to the severe outlook of the economy, the majority of our leaders seem to be talking about what is fair.  I did not listen to the speech but apparently the President talked about people getting what their fair share.  What does that mean?  At first glance, it seems that everyone should be equal in the amount of money.  However, if I look at my demented worldview then it would be fair that some people make less and others make more.


Do I want to work harder for my money?  NO!  Am I jealous of people with money?  PROBABLY!  Should it be a motivation to make myself more successful?  YES!  Now I know that money is the answer to success.  It is all about what you do with it that makes you a success.

To my limited understanding, if you truly wanted to be fair, then have a flat tax.  Everyone pays the same percentage.  That is fair.  Of course the rates are going to be skewed because it is harder for a person making $10,000 to pay that 15% than someone making one million.


I am not sure of what the answer is.  I am not sure what the question is either.  That is why people make the big bucks and I seem to spend it.

Putting the Kart before the horsepower

Last night I went to a go kart establishment for a guys' night out.  A friend threw a surprise birthday party.  I do not know the last time I have driven a go kart before last night.  To be honest, I am not much of a driver.  It looked a little intimidating.  People were putting on caps and helmets.  There was the briefing room.  I wondered if I would get claustrophobic in the harness.  Plus what if I had to go to the bathroom?  We even had to sign some release form.

They call our group back to the briefing room.  The attendant flies through the meaning of the flags and signs.  We put on our gear.  The head cap, helmet, and neck brace.  Then we get into the go karts.  It is five minutes of warm up, five minutes of qualifying, and ten minutes of bogeity bogeity.

The track is full of turns.  I worry I may spin out.  I never did.  The dumbest thing I did was pit too early.  I saw a red light after the first part and thought they wanted us to pit.  Turns out I was wrong.  I am sure the attendants thought I was a dummy.

I was the slowest one out there.  So I started in the last position.  After a few laps I did pass someone.  I think he got tired and just slowed down.  However, there was no way I was catching up to the rest of the group.  They were too far ahead.  I was hoping I would not get lapped, but right at the end the leader passed me and then they waved the checkered flag.

We were given a printout of our times.  I did improve since the warmup, but was still five seconds behind everybody.  I do not know how they did it.

It was fun, but I not really my style.  Once we got out of the karts everyone was saying they could not see how professional race car drivers do it.  It was a little tough on the body.  I was slung around some.

I am not sure how I received it, but I have a bruise or scrape on my tailbone.  Probably where my butt was kicked in racing.

Throw the book at me

I read a line in a book that read "everyone has a book in them."  I wonder if that is true?  I think it would be neat to write one.  However, I am not exact;y the best at communicating my thoughts.  Especially on paper.  When I write I am under the assumption no one will read it, least of all me.

All that being written, I have come up with an idea four a book.  It is about success.  There are a lot of books on finding success out there.  So why not one more?  This one looks at success from the roles of a family.  The marketing part is that once I do one, it can lead into another.  Most of the books are written off one another anyway.  I have in no way fleshed it out, but I have the simple premise.

I think the title will be FourFill Your Life.  It looks at success in the four roles of a family.  Admittedly, this is only a representation family.  The Father, Mother, Baby, and Pet.

Father- The responsible one.  Does the tasks of provision.  Decision maker.
Mother- Compassion.  Emotional needs.  Caretaker.
Baby- Centered on personal needs.
Pet- Loyal

I think if you apply these aspects to your life you will be successful.  How?  Read the book.  If I can think how to write it.

Square peg in a round hole

Everyone talks about the way to success is being a well rounded person.  I do not have in the mind the physical kind, but the one who can do it all.  Some work experts say that is not the way to be.

A couple of books that I have read recently on strengths in a life and workplace, have studies to show that it is okay to focus on one thing.  It is okay to be known for that one thing.  Hey, it worked for the "one hit wonders."  Studies cite examples of children who made an A in one subject and a lower grade in another, but the parent focused on improving the low grade.  The premise of the books was to focus on that one thing to increase that strength.

Not to say that you totally forego everything else.  That would not be wise.  It is important to have people around you who can fill in the gaps.  Even the Bible talks about that with the body in I Corinthians 12.

So remember it is okay to be number one.

Thank you, Google!

Wow!

Google just saved me 8 hours.  My e-mail account sent me a reminder that I do not have to go into work today.

Technology is nice.  I have to use the auto feature to remember the websites I visit.  It really saves me a lot of time.

Of course technology is only useful when it works.  If it does not, then it is a monument to a failure.  The machine or the person behind it?  I will let you "Google" that.

Have a good day being off work, if you are.  If not then keep up with others who are not at work.

Failure of resolve leads to old problems

It is that time of year again.  Time to re-evaluate the good, bad, and ugly.  I can already feel my anticipation waning.  I am not a goal oriented person.  I know what I need to do and I do it, if it is short term and not too stressing.  Sure I like to dream about a brighter future.  The difficult part for me is thinking up steps to actually make it materialize.  I fall into routine or lack the initiative to follow through.  They are called ruts because one occupies the same space everyday.

Perhaps that should be new resolve.  To have more resolve.  I tend to give up when it gets tough.  I see the 45 minute prep time and not the 5 minutes of enjoying the dessert.

The thing about life is getting out what is put into it.  I know that I have "lucked" or been blessed into things.  Most, if not all, I have has been given to me.  What do I bring to a relationship?  A lot of times it seems not much.

However, life requires active participation.  If I want a handout, I have to make sure my hand has been emptied by giving to someone else.

Maybe 2012 will be my year of drive and then I can enjoy the ride.

Read the signs

First off a question.  Why when I visit certain websites that require a login name and password is the Remember me button checked but grayed out, yet I still have to type in my information?

Happy New Year.  Unfortunately, it is the same old me.  So far this new year is not getting to a good start.  Joy has not quite been herself.  She developed  a little bit of a runny nose.

Since it is the New Year, it is a time of introspection.  Something I am not good at all.  The sermon from church referred to setting a vision.  I am not goal oriented.  People that are able to write down goals and pursue them are ones that I admire.  I talk about how great it would be to change my circumstances, but I do not put any action behind them.

Will 2012 be the year of change?  I am hoping for paper money!