Dear James, Daniel and Emily
They renewed the show!
I am quite pleased. I would have liked it if it was for 2 full seasons in the fall on NBC, but I will take the compromise of DirectTV. I am so looking forward to the season end now. Because there are so many different directions they can now go with it. Yay!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday Night Lights
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
Another good episode, but a little formulaic. The struggle between father & son McCoys boils over. Tyra demonstrates how she is so different from her family, but in a good way. The Lyla-Riggins-Buddy saga takes a some what different turn. Saracen is forced to realize that Alzheimer's is not something that just gets better. And the setup for next season (or end of the series) comes into play.
The highlight was how Dad McCoy tries to exert his influence over his son, and fails. He is just so wrapped up/invested in controlling his son that he isn't prepared for his son to ignore him. And when that ignorance takes place at the end of the Big Game he loses it. Never mind the fact that J.D. was doing what his coach told him. And never mind the fact that J.D. is just trying to be a teenager. Joe McCoy has raised Robo-QB and expects him to continue to be that perfect robot. The fight (broken up by the ever present Eric & Tami) is almost a typical father son fight, but in the context of television it becomes something much worse.
Tyra is just growing up, no doubt about it. Forced to organize a wedding shower for her older sister she realizes that she needs help. And Landry steps up, but in doing so demonstrates that he has grown too, and is no longer just Tyra's lackey. And in the end Tyra gets the props she deserves for all that she has done to better herself, even while she struggles to accept that while she doesn't really know what she wants, she does know it isn't what her family has.
Lyla is struggling too. Struggling to find her way between a world that is gone: perfect rich daddy and nice family and upper middle class upbringing. And her new world: she will have to work to find a way to pay for college, and her dream of Vanderbilt may go away. But she is reminded that Tim will be there by her side in that struggle.
Matt is also faced with the reality that no matter how hard he wants to, he just may not be able to watch his grandmother forever. And in those struggles he is forced to accept the fact that it is comforting to have a parent, no matter how estranged, by his side while he deals with that problem.
I love this show, and I have wondered how it could possible continue with the loss of the core characters. This week I think we were presented with a glimpse of how it will either continue or end with the redistricting fight. I think we will either see Eric pick up and move on with the end of Panther football as we know it (which would suit an end to the series). Or we could see Eric take up the challenge of coaching a team from scratch (which could be the beginning of a new period for the series). I think the writers have probably tinkered with both endings.
Overall this was a good episode, but a little weaker than some. I think that next weeks looks to be the most football focused one of the year. And as a result a number of stories will come to fruition. I am looking forward to it.
Another good episode, but a little formulaic. The struggle between father & son McCoys boils over. Tyra demonstrates how she is so different from her family, but in a good way. The Lyla-Riggins-Buddy saga takes a some what different turn. Saracen is forced to realize that Alzheimer's is not something that just gets better. And the setup for next season (or end of the series) comes into play.
The highlight was how Dad McCoy tries to exert his influence over his son, and fails. He is just so wrapped up/invested in controlling his son that he isn't prepared for his son to ignore him. And when that ignorance takes place at the end of the Big Game he loses it. Never mind the fact that J.D. was doing what his coach told him. And never mind the fact that J.D. is just trying to be a teenager. Joe McCoy has raised Robo-QB and expects him to continue to be that perfect robot. The fight (broken up by the ever present Eric & Tami) is almost a typical father son fight, but in the context of television it becomes something much worse.
Tyra is just growing up, no doubt about it. Forced to organize a wedding shower for her older sister she realizes that she needs help. And Landry steps up, but in doing so demonstrates that he has grown too, and is no longer just Tyra's lackey. And in the end Tyra gets the props she deserves for all that she has done to better herself, even while she struggles to accept that while she doesn't really know what she wants, she does know it isn't what her family has.
Lyla is struggling too. Struggling to find her way between a world that is gone: perfect rich daddy and nice family and upper middle class upbringing. And her new world: she will have to work to find a way to pay for college, and her dream of Vanderbilt may go away. But she is reminded that Tim will be there by her side in that struggle.
Matt is also faced with the reality that no matter how hard he wants to, he just may not be able to watch his grandmother forever. And in those struggles he is forced to accept the fact that it is comforting to have a parent, no matter how estranged, by his side while he deals with that problem.
I love this show, and I have wondered how it could possible continue with the loss of the core characters. This week I think we were presented with a glimpse of how it will either continue or end with the redistricting fight. I think we will either see Eric pick up and move on with the end of Panther football as we know it (which would suit an end to the series). Or we could see Eric take up the challenge of coaching a team from scratch (which could be the beginning of a new period for the series). I think the writers have probably tinkered with both endings.
Overall this was a good episode, but a little weaker than some. I think that next weeks looks to be the most football focused one of the year. And as a result a number of stories will come to fruition. I am looking forward to it.
Quiet weekend... as planned
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
So we had a relaxing, casual weekend. I went out on Friday night for role playing/visiting. Saturday was a day of total relaxation, never left the house, I mostly just puttered around on the computer. Sunday we did some final shopping for Daniel's party and then took the kids to see Aliens vs. Monsters. Then home for some more casual time. All in all a nice way to end Spring break for them.
We mainly focused on keeping the house picked up and laying the ground work for next weekend with Daniel's birthday coming up. And letting the boys have some fun just laying around the house, which they didn't really get last week as the cousins were over at the house pretty much every day. With all of the chaos and destruction that entails.
We finished up Daniel's shopping and things for his birthday. So we should be ready to get it all ready on Saturday and Sunday morning. And then I have what should be my last furlough week. It was also nice to give myself a break from focusing on politics, I was getting pretty wrapped up by it by the end of the week.
So we had a relaxing, casual weekend. I went out on Friday night for role playing/visiting. Saturday was a day of total relaxation, never left the house, I mostly just puttered around on the computer. Sunday we did some final shopping for Daniel's party and then took the kids to see Aliens vs. Monsters. Then home for some more casual time. All in all a nice way to end Spring break for them.
We mainly focused on keeping the house picked up and laying the ground work for next weekend with Daniel's birthday coming up. And letting the boys have some fun just laying around the house, which they didn't really get last week as the cousins were over at the house pretty much every day. With all of the chaos and destruction that entails.
We finished up Daniel's shopping and things for his birthday. So we should be ready to get it all ready on Saturday and Sunday morning. And then I have what should be my last furlough week. It was also nice to give myself a break from focusing on politics, I was getting pretty wrapped up by it by the end of the week.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Random thoughts on a cold Friday morn
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
1. Light weekend ahead
No swim lessons tomorrow due to Spring break so really no plans for the weekend. Hope to relax, sleep in a little (which for me means 7 or 8 instead of 6). Keep the house picked up while simultaneously keeping the kids entertained. Kind of a lull before the storm of next weekend with Daniel's birthday. But no major projects planned.
2. Digging out from the storm
Figuratively of course, no real digging required. It was a nasty storm, but not nearly a bad as it could have been. I was able to get home last night and get to work today no problem. Feel a little sorry for the kids: the only really good storm worthy of a snow day all year, and it's Spring Break.
3. More political insanity
So the House Republicans proposed their budget, calling for lowering the upper tax bracket even more. Plus I saw one of those putrid Big Energy commercials last night asking for the public to oppose any taxes on them. I don't know what ticks me off more: that these people expect the voters to take this seriously or that there are people out there who really think these are good ideas. An article in Salon nailed it today: more debt has been piled up in the last 3 Republican administrations than in the rest of US history, and then they have the nerve to complain about deficit spending.
4. Interesting thought
Came across an interesting article yesterday, the author argues that the real culprit in all of this mess was a Supreme Court decision in the 70's which effectively ended usury laws in this country. Prior to that no one ever charged more than 8 or 9% on any loan, it just wasn't legal. But when this decision was passed it opened the door to crazy rates of 15-20% credit cards, 30% balloon mortgages, 200-300% payday loans. Which resulted in the huge expansion in the financial markets. And what is it that has caused this current mess? Financial market trading in securities derived from all of the high interest rate loans. And there is no incentive to end this because the financial companies: banks, finance companies etc. are making money hand over foot on all of this high interest. Just disgusting.
1. Light weekend ahead
No swim lessons tomorrow due to Spring break so really no plans for the weekend. Hope to relax, sleep in a little (which for me means 7 or 8 instead of 6). Keep the house picked up while simultaneously keeping the kids entertained. Kind of a lull before the storm of next weekend with Daniel's birthday. But no major projects planned.
2. Digging out from the storm
Figuratively of course, no real digging required. It was a nasty storm, but not nearly a bad as it could have been. I was able to get home last night and get to work today no problem. Feel a little sorry for the kids: the only really good storm worthy of a snow day all year, and it's Spring Break.
3. More political insanity
So the House Republicans proposed their budget, calling for lowering the upper tax bracket even more. Plus I saw one of those putrid Big Energy commercials last night asking for the public to oppose any taxes on them. I don't know what ticks me off more: that these people expect the voters to take this seriously or that there are people out there who really think these are good ideas. An article in Salon nailed it today: more debt has been piled up in the last 3 Republican administrations than in the rest of US history, and then they have the nerve to complain about deficit spending.
4. Interesting thought
Came across an interesting article yesterday, the author argues that the real culprit in all of this mess was a Supreme Court decision in the 70's which effectively ended usury laws in this country. Prior to that no one ever charged more than 8 or 9% on any loan, it just wasn't legal. But when this decision was passed it opened the door to crazy rates of 15-20% credit cards, 30% balloon mortgages, 200-300% payday loans. Which resulted in the huge expansion in the financial markets. And what is it that has caused this current mess? Financial market trading in securities derived from all of the high interest rate loans. And there is no incentive to end this because the financial companies: banks, finance companies etc. are making money hand over foot on all of this high interest. Just disgusting.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Political rant
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
A few thoughts that have been sticking in my mind recently.
1. Economy: I have been rereading Studs Terkel's Hard Times, and also just picked up Paul Krugman's Conscience of a Liberal. And in reading those at the same time that I have been following the news over the last couple of months a few things have hit me.
Patience: We have to be patient, as the President said last night. This whole thing didn't go south overnight and it won't be fixed overnight. The lesson I have picked up from Hard Times is that because the Crash occurred early in Hoover's Presidency and he didn't do anything to fix the problem, things were allowed to grow worse and worse for almost 4 years before FDR came in. That isn't the case now, hopefully. Obama is stepping and working to fix things much earlier so hopefully the depth of the crisis will not go as low. But we as a country have to realize that while he is working on the issue, there are some fundamental problems that cannot be solved overnight.
Perspective: At the peak of the New Deal and for a long time after, the top tax bracket was 90%! The media lackeys of Big Money are barking and complaining about the possibility of a 39% top bracket now. Come on, get a grip. Things have come so far in the way of helping out the top 1% of earners in this country it is ridiculous. And then people have the gall to claim that any raise for the top earners is Socialism! It's just sickening. Assuming that Obama is able to swing things around the people in that top 1% will need to get on their knees and thank him. Because the people of this country are not nearly as patient as they once were, and if things get worse, and they are still screaming 'Socialist' at any talk of taxes they might get to learn what real socialism is...
2. AIG bonuses: I was pretty ticked off as well about this, and in fact I find the whole idea of the insane executive compensation packages to be out of this world. But I came across a cartoon which helped put a little perspective on this, to summarize:
130 billion: 130,000,000,000
165 million: 165,000,000
The reality is that while those bonuses did take some gall, they were realistically a drop in the bucket compared to what the government has given the company in aid.
3. My politics have gotten a whole lot more radical in the last couple of years, and I don't think I am the only one. Admittedly I have some family background to back me up. But the worse things get, and the more I see the politicians of both sides just bickering over tiny little stuff the more ticked I get.
4. I know a lot of Republicans who marched in lock step with the Bush administration are expecting the Obama supporters to do the same. And I am so glad that isn't the case. Just about every day I read some critique of a new administration policy posted on my various liberal/progressive web sites. And for that I am profoundly thankful. It might speak to a lack of patience for some. But I for one would rather have an open critique of an administration coming from both sides of the political spectrum than to have the one sided arguments of the past 8 years.
A few thoughts that have been sticking in my mind recently.
1. Economy: I have been rereading Studs Terkel's Hard Times, and also just picked up Paul Krugman's Conscience of a Liberal. And in reading those at the same time that I have been following the news over the last couple of months a few things have hit me.
Patience: We have to be patient, as the President said last night. This whole thing didn't go south overnight and it won't be fixed overnight. The lesson I have picked up from Hard Times is that because the Crash occurred early in Hoover's Presidency and he didn't do anything to fix the problem, things were allowed to grow worse and worse for almost 4 years before FDR came in. That isn't the case now, hopefully. Obama is stepping and working to fix things much earlier so hopefully the depth of the crisis will not go as low. But we as a country have to realize that while he is working on the issue, there are some fundamental problems that cannot be solved overnight.
Perspective: At the peak of the New Deal and for a long time after, the top tax bracket was 90%! The media lackeys of Big Money are barking and complaining about the possibility of a 39% top bracket now. Come on, get a grip. Things have come so far in the way of helping out the top 1% of earners in this country it is ridiculous. And then people have the gall to claim that any raise for the top earners is Socialism! It's just sickening. Assuming that Obama is able to swing things around the people in that top 1% will need to get on their knees and thank him. Because the people of this country are not nearly as patient as they once were, and if things get worse, and they are still screaming 'Socialist' at any talk of taxes they might get to learn what real socialism is...
2. AIG bonuses: I was pretty ticked off as well about this, and in fact I find the whole idea of the insane executive compensation packages to be out of this world. But I came across a cartoon which helped put a little perspective on this, to summarize:
130 billion: 130,000,000,000
165 million: 165,000,000
The reality is that while those bonuses did take some gall, they were realistically a drop in the bucket compared to what the government has given the company in aid.
3. My politics have gotten a whole lot more radical in the last couple of years, and I don't think I am the only one. Admittedly I have some family background to back me up. But the worse things get, and the more I see the politicians of both sides just bickering over tiny little stuff the more ticked I get.
4. I know a lot of Republicans who marched in lock step with the Bush administration are expecting the Obama supporters to do the same. And I am so glad that isn't the case. Just about every day I read some critique of a new administration policy posted on my various liberal/progressive web sites. And for that I am profoundly thankful. It might speak to a lack of patience for some. But I for one would rather have an open critique of an administration coming from both sides of the political spectrum than to have the one sided arguments of the past 8 years.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Weekend Recap
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
A good, but tiring weekend. Kim had the weekend off so we got a chance to relax a little more than normal. Except that we committed to hosting Brandon's birthday party on Sunday, which meant we had some cleaning to do, both outside and inside. And the wonders of joint custody hit as Steve had a party for Brandon at Chuck E. Cheese, which as always was an ordeal for me. Last, the party at our house was fun, but bittersweet.
Friday night was a relaxing night at home, then Saturday morning was business as usual with swimming lessons. Saturday afternoon was spent working on cleaning the yard and back porch. I got in some hedge trimming as well. Trying to shape the Lilacs a little this year.
So Steve and his family had a party for Brandon at Check E. Cheese. Which would have been okay had it only lasted an hour or so. But no, we ended up staying there 4 hours, and then the kids were a nightmare when we finally got home because they were so wound up and over excited. They had a good time there at least. But 4 hours is just way more than I can take, because I couldn't just let Emily run wild where ever she wanted so I was on my toes keeping track of her. Not much fun pour moi.
Sunday morning was major work around the house, but we got some good cleaning done, including the finishing touches for now on Emily's room and getting our room cleared out. So I was pretty wiped out by the time the party started. But it was fun. Until we pulled out the Ladder ball and then it really hit me. As Connie said: "I keep waiting for Big Red to pull up and Manny to come up and announce he was going to show us rookies how it's done." But of course that won't happen again, and that was hard. And of course there was the undercurrent of tension as everyone is so ticked off at Tammy but they were trying to keep it polite.
I did get some good pictures though:
Austin and Mitchell as Austin reads Brandon's card aloud
Dennis & Michelle with her baby, Michelle was the flower girl at our wedding 11 years ago
Brandon looking cool
Dennis & Kim playing Ladder, if you look close you can see the ball in the air
Mitchell and Selena looking at pictures
A good, but tiring weekend. Kim had the weekend off so we got a chance to relax a little more than normal. Except that we committed to hosting Brandon's birthday party on Sunday, which meant we had some cleaning to do, both outside and inside. And the wonders of joint custody hit as Steve had a party for Brandon at Chuck E. Cheese, which as always was an ordeal for me. Last, the party at our house was fun, but bittersweet.
Friday night was a relaxing night at home, then Saturday morning was business as usual with swimming lessons. Saturday afternoon was spent working on cleaning the yard and back porch. I got in some hedge trimming as well. Trying to shape the Lilacs a little this year.
So Steve and his family had a party for Brandon at Check E. Cheese. Which would have been okay had it only lasted an hour or so. But no, we ended up staying there 4 hours, and then the kids were a nightmare when we finally got home because they were so wound up and over excited. They had a good time there at least. But 4 hours is just way more than I can take, because I couldn't just let Emily run wild where ever she wanted so I was on my toes keeping track of her. Not much fun pour moi.
Sunday morning was major work around the house, but we got some good cleaning done, including the finishing touches for now on Emily's room and getting our room cleared out. So I was pretty wiped out by the time the party started. But it was fun. Until we pulled out the Ladder ball and then it really hit me. As Connie said: "I keep waiting for Big Red to pull up and Manny to come up and announce he was going to show us rookies how it's done." But of course that won't happen again, and that was hard. And of course there was the undercurrent of tension as everyone is so ticked off at Tammy but they were trying to keep it polite.
I did get some good pictures though:
Austin and Mitchell as Austin reads Brandon's card aloud
Dennis & Michelle with her baby, Michelle was the flower girl at our wedding 11 years ago
Brandon looking cool
Dennis & Kim playing Ladder, if you look close you can see the ball in the air
Mitchell and Selena looking at pictures
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Friday Night Lights this week
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
Last night's episode was about the relationship between parents and kids and all the different ways that can be handled. There was the Taylor's being forced to handle Julie and Matt having sex. You had the disintegration of Buddy and the impact that has on Lila. And J.D.s dad tries once again to exert control over his son. And as an aside there was the ongoing Landry-Tyra saga taking another twist.
I love the Taylor's. The way Eric just kept himself quiet and under control after walking in on his favorite player and his daughter was amazing. It is interesting to compare that reaction to his reaction to walking in on Riggins and thinking Riggins had got Julie drunk, a little double standard but parents are allowed to have those. And the mother daughter scene between Tammi and Julie... whoa talk about tugging at the heart strings. And the very telling comment between Julie and Lila: "I'm afraid I'm not Daddy's little girl anymore" auuwww!
That of course was how the normal functional families handled things. On the other end of the spectrum you have the Buddy Garrity train wreck. Where we find out that the cheating slime ball salesman has just blown his daughter's college money (nicely handled reveal BTW). And Lila is forced to deal with the fact that siding with Daddy in the divorce might not have been the best thing she could have done. And poor Buddy handles the advice from Eric poorly as usual.
And for another twist we have robo-QB starting to grow up and assert himself (although I am not sure Tim Riggins is the ideal mentor for a freshman). And Dad once again lays his heavy hand down: no girlfriends until the playoffs are done. And of course handles it poorly, he could have found a way to explain things to his son, really made it a bonding father son moment. Instead it was "I am your father, you will obey me". And Mama McCoy gets another taste of how her obsessive husband is controlling their son.
Lastly, we have Tyra running back to Landry. Only to be shocked when Landry finally stands up for himself and tells her what she is really like. Of course Tyra is not dumb, far from it. And when it comes to relationships with boys she knows how to handle this: she does the right thing and generously steps up and gets Landry's band a gig. And when she watches Landry play you get a glimpse of real warmth and friendship there.
Of course there was a game. And Dillon won on some last minute heroics. And since Eric got himself kicked out of the game it ended up looking like the assistant coach won the game, not Eric, even though it was Eric's play call. So there promises to be some future tension there.
Once again, this episode was strong, and really nailed some interesting ideas without going too over the top. It was very cool. And the teaser for next week looked interesting to say the least.
Last night's episode was about the relationship between parents and kids and all the different ways that can be handled. There was the Taylor's being forced to handle Julie and Matt having sex. You had the disintegration of Buddy and the impact that has on Lila. And J.D.s dad tries once again to exert control over his son. And as an aside there was the ongoing Landry-Tyra saga taking another twist.
I love the Taylor's. The way Eric just kept himself quiet and under control after walking in on his favorite player and his daughter was amazing. It is interesting to compare that reaction to his reaction to walking in on Riggins and thinking Riggins had got Julie drunk, a little double standard but parents are allowed to have those. And the mother daughter scene between Tammi and Julie... whoa talk about tugging at the heart strings. And the very telling comment between Julie and Lila: "I'm afraid I'm not Daddy's little girl anymore" auuwww!
That of course was how the normal functional families handled things. On the other end of the spectrum you have the Buddy Garrity train wreck. Where we find out that the cheating slime ball salesman has just blown his daughter's college money (nicely handled reveal BTW). And Lila is forced to deal with the fact that siding with Daddy in the divorce might not have been the best thing she could have done. And poor Buddy handles the advice from Eric poorly as usual.
And for another twist we have robo-QB starting to grow up and assert himself (although I am not sure Tim Riggins is the ideal mentor for a freshman). And Dad once again lays his heavy hand down: no girlfriends until the playoffs are done. And of course handles it poorly, he could have found a way to explain things to his son, really made it a bonding father son moment. Instead it was "I am your father, you will obey me". And Mama McCoy gets another taste of how her obsessive husband is controlling their son.
Lastly, we have Tyra running back to Landry. Only to be shocked when Landry finally stands up for himself and tells her what she is really like. Of course Tyra is not dumb, far from it. And when it comes to relationships with boys she knows how to handle this: she does the right thing and generously steps up and gets Landry's band a gig. And when she watches Landry play you get a glimpse of real warmth and friendship there.
Of course there was a game. And Dillon won on some last minute heroics. And since Eric got himself kicked out of the game it ended up looking like the assistant coach won the game, not Eric, even though it was Eric's play call. So there promises to be some future tension there.
Once again, this episode was strong, and really nailed some interesting ideas without going too over the top. It was very cool. And the teaser for next week looked interesting to say the least.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Weekend plans + recruiting call
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
No big plans for the weekend, despite the fact that Kim has 4 days off. We will probably host Brandon's birthday party one of the days. The boys have Saturday swimming per usual, and I hope to combine that with a library trip. The weather is supposed to be pretty nice so we might dedicate some time to yard projects.
Which brings up my first topic. I had mentioned Kim's idea to move the trampoline and swing set to the upper level. Well I want to move forward on that here in the next couple of weeks. This will be a big project, needing I would think at least 10 people to lift the trampoline and move it (the swing set will be easier). I would consider breaking the trampoline down but it has an enclosure on it and it would be a bigger project to break it down and reassemble it.
So sometime in the next week or 2 I am going to set a date and start calling people and lining them up for about an hours work. I think if we get enough people it should be pretty painless and quick. We might have to do some leveling and carpentry work after the things get moved but we can handle that on our own if need be. I just would like to get it done before Memorial day weekend at the latest so when we have a barbecue that weekend the new configuration will be in place.
No big plans for the weekend, despite the fact that Kim has 4 days off. We will probably host Brandon's birthday party one of the days. The boys have Saturday swimming per usual, and I hope to combine that with a library trip. The weather is supposed to be pretty nice so we might dedicate some time to yard projects.
Which brings up my first topic. I had mentioned Kim's idea to move the trampoline and swing set to the upper level. Well I want to move forward on that here in the next couple of weeks. This will be a big project, needing I would think at least 10 people to lift the trampoline and move it (the swing set will be easier). I would consider breaking the trampoline down but it has an enclosure on it and it would be a bigger project to break it down and reassemble it.
So sometime in the next week or 2 I am going to set a date and start calling people and lining them up for about an hours work. I think if we get enough people it should be pretty painless and quick. We might have to do some leveling and carpentry work after the things get moved but we can handle that on our own if need be. I just would like to get it done before Memorial day weekend at the latest so when we have a barbecue that weekend the new configuration will be in place.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Pause for a minute to recap
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
A multi-issue post
1. Basketball
So the NCAA March Madness is upon us and I found myself scarily uninformed about who these guys and teams are. I watched some of a couple games this last weekend and had no idea who any of the players were on the teams I was watching. Kinda scary, but also refreshing to realize that my fight against sports addiction is progressing. On Sunday I had an opportunity to sit and watch the Laker game (in High Def no less) and blissfully ignored it while helping James with his home work project. It's taken a mix of cold turkey and keeping the mind focused on alternatives to get to this point.
2. Fitness
I have been going through bursts and fizzles in my attempts to get a handle on this since Manny's cardiac arrest. I keep telling myself that this will be the week, or that next week I will buckle down. Or I will start the week good for exercise but blow it with a huge dinner or late night snack. But I am starting to come around to the Yoda Mantra: 'There is no try, there is do or not do'. And so I am hopefully rededicated.
3. Family news
I can't go into details but the situation with Tammy has deteriorated. We had a long talk last night with Dennis & Megan, and I think everyone is reaching their last shreds of patience. And after speaking with Connie last weekend I think she is pretty much there as well. So what remains is to have a realistic discussion about options and then lay it out for her. I fully think it will have to be handled as an 'intervention' like meeting. I just hope we can get it done before things get any worse.
4. Boys
So James and Daniel have been enjoying their swim lessons, making some progress. And with James signed up for soccer starting in April I was hoping to keep Daniel in the swim lessons. Well this past weekend I got a bit of good news from the Y director, James' games won't start until later in the day, so I will be able to do Daniel's swim lessons in the morning, then take James to his soccer game, they won't cross each other time wise. Very good news, this way Daniel can continue with the lessons and feel that he has his own thing, while James has his thing.
A multi-issue post
1. Basketball
So the NCAA March Madness is upon us and I found myself scarily uninformed about who these guys and teams are. I watched some of a couple games this last weekend and had no idea who any of the players were on the teams I was watching. Kinda scary, but also refreshing to realize that my fight against sports addiction is progressing. On Sunday I had an opportunity to sit and watch the Laker game (in High Def no less) and blissfully ignored it while helping James with his home work project. It's taken a mix of cold turkey and keeping the mind focused on alternatives to get to this point.
2. Fitness
I have been going through bursts and fizzles in my attempts to get a handle on this since Manny's cardiac arrest. I keep telling myself that this will be the week, or that next week I will buckle down. Or I will start the week good for exercise but blow it with a huge dinner or late night snack. But I am starting to come around to the Yoda Mantra: 'There is no try, there is do or not do'. And so I am hopefully rededicated.
3. Family news
I can't go into details but the situation with Tammy has deteriorated. We had a long talk last night with Dennis & Megan, and I think everyone is reaching their last shreds of patience. And after speaking with Connie last weekend I think she is pretty much there as well. So what remains is to have a realistic discussion about options and then lay it out for her. I fully think it will have to be handled as an 'intervention' like meeting. I just hope we can get it done before things get any worse.
4. Boys
So James and Daniel have been enjoying their swim lessons, making some progress. And with James signed up for soccer starting in April I was hoping to keep Daniel in the swim lessons. Well this past weekend I got a bit of good news from the Y director, James' games won't start until later in the day, so I will be able to do Daniel's swim lessons in the morning, then take James to his soccer game, they won't cross each other time wise. Very good news, this way Daniel can continue with the lessons and feel that he has his own thing, while James has his thing.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Friday Night Lights
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
Big doings in Dillon this week. You've got the first week of the state championship, with the game being televised nationally. Riggins and Tyra continuing their contest to see who can do a better job of sabotaging their future. And Saracen's mom and grandma continue their conflict. And Lila tries to cope with her relationship problems by getting drunk with the stripper.
We finally had a set of game scenes that actually played like a semi-realistic game. With s core of 10-7 and clearly a defensive battle. And the day was saved by Saracen coming in at wide out to provide a decent threat. And Riggins once again displaying his prowess as a runner. And finally Coach Taylor making a decision that a real coach would have to, instead of worrying about his players personal lives.
Riggins is forced to deal with a full press recruiting effort, and his response is typical Riggins: get drunk with his brother. Lila tries to get him to meet with the recruiter and live up to his potential, but Tim just doesn't get it, he really is too scared of the future to admit it. But after the big game, with Lila not there to press him, he finally takes the necessary steps. Of course there are still plenty of chances for him to blow it.
Tyra gets a glimpse of Cash on the circuit, the real Cash, and it's not a pretty picture. And in a conversation with Landry gets a picture of all that she is missing by being there instead of back in high school. So when things come to a conclusion she reaches out for Tami to come rescue her. And even though it is in the middle of a romantic birthday get away Tami and Eric, being the good parents/teachers/mentors that they are, drop everything to drive to Dallas and get her away from the abusive cowboy. Of course like Riggins it remains to be seen if this is a turning point.
The little interlude of Lila and Mindy isn't as exciting as you might think. But it does remind us of Lila's bad girl side, and that she is more than just a poster child for supportive girl friends. And her mention of going to Vanderbilt does remind you that she is a force to be reckoned with outside of her relationship with Tim.
Last there is the seeming battle for Matt's soul. On the one hand the doting but clearly addled grandma, who he acts as caretaker for. And his late to the race mom, who basically abandoned him, but has come back and is trying to make up for lost time. And most importantly is providing a parental figure at a time when he does need that in his life, because he may be well adjusted, and mature enough to take care of his grandmother, there are times when he needs that parental figure to step in and push to look to the future and not remain caught up in the worries about today.
Overall, another good episode. Not quite as strong as some of the other ones. But good overall. And it was interesting to see how it moves forward without Street or Smash. time to focus on football again, and look to the future. I am still worried about how they plan to keep the show going with pretty much the entire cast of kids graduating. If this is the last season I hope to enjoy it. But I think there is a lot of hope for the future so long as the Taylor's are there.
Big doings in Dillon this week. You've got the first week of the state championship, with the game being televised nationally. Riggins and Tyra continuing their contest to see who can do a better job of sabotaging their future. And Saracen's mom and grandma continue their conflict. And Lila tries to cope with her relationship problems by getting drunk with the stripper.
We finally had a set of game scenes that actually played like a semi-realistic game. With s core of 10-7 and clearly a defensive battle. And the day was saved by Saracen coming in at wide out to provide a decent threat. And Riggins once again displaying his prowess as a runner. And finally Coach Taylor making a decision that a real coach would have to, instead of worrying about his players personal lives.
Riggins is forced to deal with a full press recruiting effort, and his response is typical Riggins: get drunk with his brother. Lila tries to get him to meet with the recruiter and live up to his potential, but Tim just doesn't get it, he really is too scared of the future to admit it. But after the big game, with Lila not there to press him, he finally takes the necessary steps. Of course there are still plenty of chances for him to blow it.
Tyra gets a glimpse of Cash on the circuit, the real Cash, and it's not a pretty picture. And in a conversation with Landry gets a picture of all that she is missing by being there instead of back in high school. So when things come to a conclusion she reaches out for Tami to come rescue her. And even though it is in the middle of a romantic birthday get away Tami and Eric, being the good parents/teachers/mentors that they are, drop everything to drive to Dallas and get her away from the abusive cowboy. Of course like Riggins it remains to be seen if this is a turning point.
The little interlude of Lila and Mindy isn't as exciting as you might think. But it does remind us of Lila's bad girl side, and that she is more than just a poster child for supportive girl friends. And her mention of going to Vanderbilt does remind you that she is a force to be reckoned with outside of her relationship with Tim.
Last there is the seeming battle for Matt's soul. On the one hand the doting but clearly addled grandma, who he acts as caretaker for. And his late to the race mom, who basically abandoned him, but has come back and is trying to make up for lost time. And most importantly is providing a parental figure at a time when he does need that in his life, because he may be well adjusted, and mature enough to take care of his grandmother, there are times when he needs that parental figure to step in and push to look to the future and not remain caught up in the worries about today.
Overall, another good episode. Not quite as strong as some of the other ones. But good overall. And it was interesting to see how it moves forward without Street or Smash. time to focus on football again, and look to the future. I am still worried about how they plan to keep the show going with pretty much the entire cast of kids graduating. If this is the last season I hope to enjoy it. But I think there is a lot of hope for the future so long as the Taylor's are there.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Weekly Recap
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
So the highlights of the week were finishing Emily's room, playing with some old photo's and James' school dance. Here are a couple of the pictures I found and posted on Facebook, my High school Freshman Year and my College Freshman year. Also a shot of the finished work in Emily's room. And a shot from the dance of James dancing with Chloe.
I had a photo album containing pictures from my college years. And while I was setting up a storage area for the family pictures and the organizing the photos I came across it and decided to gety the pictures scanned so I could upload them to Facebook. Just a little fun to share since virtually everyone who is in these pictures is now on Facebook.
I wanted to share a shot of the design we did on one of Emily's walls for illustrative purposes. I just think it is so cool how it turned out, it is just a different room now. Even I, with my color blindness, can see what an interesting color combination and contrast we came up with.
Last night James had a PTA dance that included little dance presentations from each of the age groups. It was a pretty crazy hectic affair, and I know Kim was happy I was there to help before going to Forrest's. But the kids all had fun, including Emily who just wandered around, taking it all in, while she chased a beach ball.
Not quite as productive a week as I had hoped but I am ready to get back into the work practice anyway. These furlough's do get somewhat tiresome because I still have to get up and take the boys to school, then it is me and Emily for a couple of hours which is nice but kind of limiting. Of course the waether didn't help, I might have been more energetic if the weather had been more conducive to outside work.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Friday Night Lights
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
In this weeks episode we said farewell to Jason Street. Saw Saracen embrace a way to regain his place on the football field. Tyra saw how hard the path to success would truly be and ran away from it. And we saw another example of how amazingly well written this show is with regards to how it treats the relationship between the Taylor's.
It was a good farewell for Street. Yes it was more than a little contrived, but it was a good farewell anyway. It was good to see Riggins stand by him, keep his head up and provide the little epiphany that was needed. Like Smash before him it was good to see the show handle his departure with class and not just have him disappear.
Saracen realized that he can't just sit back and watch others do a poor job while he does nothing. It doesn't matter that he has been on the bench, and seemed resigned to that, he knows deep down that he can't just sit and watch the team fail. So he stepped up and basically forced Coach to accept his chipping in at wide out. And it is a time honored football tradition really, for coaches to let program veterans who have given their all have a shot at helping the team no matter what.
Poor Tyra, her role is just a stereotype of someone afraid of letting go, and lack of self esteem. She just doesn't realize how smart she really is and what she can really contribute, no matter how many times Tammy tries to reinforce her. So, given the choice between just running away and living out some dream, or working to fulfill her other dreams and possibly losing her man, she runs. Poor thing.
And finally the Taylor's and the 'Dream House'. Just another amazing example of how the writer's seem to really understand how a husband and wife work. Tammy sees what she wants, and tries to get Eric to want it too. But he has to be the voice of reason. And since she doesn't want to hear that voice she just chooses to ignore it and try to press him. And in the end they both realize that they both just want each other, but to see what the other wants from the perspective. And while the voice of reason 'wins' the day, the real winner is again their strong marriage.
In this weeks episode we said farewell to Jason Street. Saw Saracen embrace a way to regain his place on the football field. Tyra saw how hard the path to success would truly be and ran away from it. And we saw another example of how amazingly well written this show is with regards to how it treats the relationship between the Taylor's.
It was a good farewell for Street. Yes it was more than a little contrived, but it was a good farewell anyway. It was good to see Riggins stand by him, keep his head up and provide the little epiphany that was needed. Like Smash before him it was good to see the show handle his departure with class and not just have him disappear.
Saracen realized that he can't just sit back and watch others do a poor job while he does nothing. It doesn't matter that he has been on the bench, and seemed resigned to that, he knows deep down that he can't just sit and watch the team fail. So he stepped up and basically forced Coach to accept his chipping in at wide out. And it is a time honored football tradition really, for coaches to let program veterans who have given their all have a shot at helping the team no matter what.
Poor Tyra, her role is just a stereotype of someone afraid of letting go, and lack of self esteem. She just doesn't realize how smart she really is and what she can really contribute, no matter how many times Tammy tries to reinforce her. So, given the choice between just running away and living out some dream, or working to fulfill her other dreams and possibly losing her man, she runs. Poor thing.
And finally the Taylor's and the 'Dream House'. Just another amazing example of how the writer's seem to really understand how a husband and wife work. Tammy sees what she wants, and tries to get Eric to want it too. But he has to be the voice of reason. And since she doesn't want to hear that voice she just chooses to ignore it and try to press him. And in the end they both realize that they both just want each other, but to see what the other wants from the perspective. And while the voice of reason 'wins' the day, the real winner is again their strong marriage.
Weekend Recap
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
It took a little longer than expected but we got Emily's room mostly painted. But we sprinkled in some fun time, like going to the zoo, a little shopping, boys swimming. Now it is day 2 of my furlough and time to relax a little bit.
We aren't 100% finished, there are some last minute details that Kim wants to for decoration. But we got the main stuff done: primer (took 2 coats to cover the 2 color blue scheme), pink base, then 2 other shades of pink for accents. But we are happy with it and there is not mistaking it is now a little girls room. It was a little more of a trial because the kids all insisted on helping on some stages.
On Sunday we did a trip to the zoo for the sake of the kids sanity (although clearly not ours). I got some good shots up on Picasa already, which can be accessed on Facebook. It was a good time, and Emily definitely showed some animated interest in the animals, which was fun to watch.
Yesterday we took Daniel the ear specialist, and he thinks that his hearing is ok, that the hearing tests from D11 are not a big concern at this point. Which is comforting, and to be honest his speech has improved so much in just the last couple of months that we think he should be okay, although that ounce of prevention din't hurt in the long run.
So I am still getting some things moved back to Emily's room so she can return to her bed tonight. And we can accomplish the rest of the goal of moving the big bed to her room when Kim gets home. Otherwise I am focusing on just getting some little stuff donw around the house. I might take some old pictures up to Walgreens this week so I can upload them as well, just some fun shots, if I can find them.
It took a little longer than expected but we got Emily's room mostly painted. But we sprinkled in some fun time, like going to the zoo, a little shopping, boys swimming. Now it is day 2 of my furlough and time to relax a little bit.
We aren't 100% finished, there are some last minute details that Kim wants to for decoration. But we got the main stuff done: primer (took 2 coats to cover the 2 color blue scheme), pink base, then 2 other shades of pink for accents. But we are happy with it and there is not mistaking it is now a little girls room. It was a little more of a trial because the kids all insisted on helping on some stages.
On Sunday we did a trip to the zoo for the sake of the kids sanity (although clearly not ours). I got some good shots up on Picasa already, which can be accessed on Facebook. It was a good time, and Emily definitely showed some animated interest in the animals, which was fun to watch.
Yesterday we took Daniel the ear specialist, and he thinks that his hearing is ok, that the hearing tests from D11 are not a big concern at this point. Which is comforting, and to be honest his speech has improved so much in just the last couple of months that we think he should be okay, although that ounce of prevention din't hurt in the long run.
So I am still getting some things moved back to Emily's room so she can return to her bed tonight. And we can accomplish the rest of the goal of moving the big bed to her room when Kim gets home. Otherwise I am focusing on just getting some little stuff donw around the house. I might take some old pictures up to Walgreens this week so I can upload them as well, just some fun shots, if I can find them.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Weekend plans
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
Going into another furlough week, Kim already has big plans for the weekend. We are going to repaint Emily's room. Plus I take the boys swimming per the normal Saturday routine. And Daniel has an appointment with the ear Dr. on Monday afternoon. Otherwise I have no big plans for the rest of the week, depends on the weather really.
Emily's room used to be Daniel's, and we never got around to repainting it before she was born. So Kim has been building a supply of 'oops paint' from Home Depot (paint that people returned without using, then deeply discounted). And she has been wanting to Emily's room to be more feminine for quite a while. So this weekend we are finally taking the plunge, first priming, then she will go to town with multiple hues of Pink. The big problem is she keeps wanting me to look at her different ideas for combining them, and to be honest it's really hard, because of my color blindness among other things. I can see the difference to some extent, but when you are trying to decide which contrasting pattern it is really impossible for me to say which one will look better.
Then we will move James' old captains be up to her room, for her to gradually transition to. With the goal of easing her out of the crib. So I have a lot of painting and furniture moving ahead of me, yay...
Since I have no big Dr. appt set for this week I can plan on doing something more constructive the rest of the week if I want. I don't have anything on tap yet, but that could change. If the weather doesn't get too crummy I will probably try to get some yard work done. Otherwise I think I might focus on the basement, maybe hit up Home Depot for some suitable paint to replace what is there.
All I know is I don't want to spend all of my time just sitting around on the computer or watching TV like I did last week.
Going into another furlough week, Kim already has big plans for the weekend. We are going to repaint Emily's room. Plus I take the boys swimming per the normal Saturday routine. And Daniel has an appointment with the ear Dr. on Monday afternoon. Otherwise I have no big plans for the rest of the week, depends on the weather really.
Emily's room used to be Daniel's, and we never got around to repainting it before she was born. So Kim has been building a supply of 'oops paint' from Home Depot (paint that people returned without using, then deeply discounted). And she has been wanting to Emily's room to be more feminine for quite a while. So this weekend we are finally taking the plunge, first priming, then she will go to town with multiple hues of Pink. The big problem is she keeps wanting me to look at her different ideas for combining them, and to be honest it's really hard, because of my color blindness among other things. I can see the difference to some extent, but when you are trying to decide which contrasting pattern it is really impossible for me to say which one will look better.
Then we will move James' old captains be up to her room, for her to gradually transition to. With the goal of easing her out of the crib. So I have a lot of painting and furniture moving ahead of me, yay...
Since I have no big Dr. appt set for this week I can plan on doing something more constructive the rest of the week if I want. I don't have anything on tap yet, but that could change. If the weather doesn't get too crummy I will probably try to get some yard work done. Otherwise I think I might focus on the basement, maybe hit up Home Depot for some suitable paint to replace what is there.
All I know is I don't want to spend all of my time just sitting around on the computer or watching TV like I did last week.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Just when I thought I ran out of reasons to get angry
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
I ran into 2 different articles yesterday that really got my blood boiling. It seems that some of the same mortgage brokers who helped get our economy into this dreadful mess with all of the horrendous subprime loans are now finding ways to get rich from the same source, selling mortgage fixes. This is just horrendous in my opinion. I know that there will always be some scam artists out there finding ways to make a buck. But this is really over the top.
Here are story one and story two. There are two reasons this just feels so deeply wrong. First, just the idea that these scum bags who got wealthy based on predatory lending practices that got us in trouble are not serving time or at least digging ditches some where ticks me off. And to find out that instead they are finding ways to get rich off the exact same victims they screwed over in the first place is really dreadful. Second, the idea that the people they are 'helping' are truly not being helped, and in fact face the exact same problem a few years down the road, unless the housing market rebound dramatically is just as sickening.
I often joke about 'Come the Revolution' but honestly some times when I read stories like this I have a deeper understanding for those people who think that is necessary. There's a fundamental sickness/failure in a system when the people who got rich creating the problem will now get rich 'helping' people out of trouble. And they won't really get out of trouble in the long run, so all this is is a band aid waiting for some phantom fix to mystically occur.
I ran into 2 different articles yesterday that really got my blood boiling. It seems that some of the same mortgage brokers who helped get our economy into this dreadful mess with all of the horrendous subprime loans are now finding ways to get rich from the same source, selling mortgage fixes. This is just horrendous in my opinion. I know that there will always be some scam artists out there finding ways to make a buck. But this is really over the top.
Here are story one and story two. There are two reasons this just feels so deeply wrong. First, just the idea that these scum bags who got wealthy based on predatory lending practices that got us in trouble are not serving time or at least digging ditches some where ticks me off. And to find out that instead they are finding ways to get rich off the exact same victims they screwed over in the first place is really dreadful. Second, the idea that the people they are 'helping' are truly not being helped, and in fact face the exact same problem a few years down the road, unless the housing market rebound dramatically is just as sickening.
I often joke about 'Come the Revolution' but honestly some times when I read stories like this I have a deeper understanding for those people who think that is necessary. There's a fundamental sickness/failure in a system when the people who got rich creating the problem will now get rich 'helping' people out of trouble. And they won't really get out of trouble in the long run, so all this is is a band aid waiting for some phantom fix to mystically occur.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Friday Night Lights Recap
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
Missed last week's recap due to not being up to sitting at the PC while at home. But I did really enjoy that episode, and Riggins' attempts to befriend/mentor J.D. So this week we see poor Landry get smacked down again (albeit in a friendly way). J.D.'s father display his way too controlling attitude, and Coach Taylor try to cope with that. Another example of the Taylor's great relationship and how that shows. And Buddy gets treated to the negative side of a hostile divorce. And last we see how Street will leave the show, and the effect he has had on everyone.
One of the article's I read about this weeks episode brought up the most outstanding example of over the top Football Dad when it quoted a piece from the SI article on Todd Marinovich. And I think the story of Marinovich is one every parent should be aware of. Because it was truly amazing how an obsessed father attempted to create Robo-QB, and in the end that kid went off the rails. Now is J.D. another Marinovich? That's unclear at this point. What is clear is that Coach Taylor is getting to the end of his fuse with Daddy McCoy.
The way the Taylor's double team the parents of the kid who lied about playing football is amazing. The way Tammi, totally unexpectedly, steps up to defend football and her husband as potentially great positives in the kids life is amazing. And Coach displays his gratitude with a typically understated but appreciated gesture of opening her car door for her.
Poor Landry, he just can't win for losing. Here he thinks he has a shiny new girlfriend, and he tells Tyra he is ready to move on as 'just friends' and he gets slammed. By the unlikely response of the girl telling him she is a lesbian (highly unlikely for a 14 year old in a small Texas town to know, much less admit that). So Landry has to get a pep talk from Tammi, explaining that High School should not be the high point of his life, and that it won't be in his case. Which seems to do the trick.
Which leads us to Buddy Garrity, for whom High School probably was the high point of his life. As he tries to cope with his visiting kids being bratty little teenagers who have had a little too much time to listen to their Mom's side of the story and the Step Dad's explanation of how the world works. Buddy tries real hard to try to keep his cool, but eventually loses his cool. And then it is up to his eldest to take the little siblings to task for their behavior. Showing how much Lyla has grown up in 3 years.
And that is demonstrated in the final scenes as we see the clever way that Jason Street is leaving the show. This season we are finally seeing the reason Street was QB1 all those years. And we see how he is destined for great things in leaving Dillon for New York. Although it is sad to see him leave we see how he has impacted so many lives for the better.
I am excited to watch this show every week, and never want the episode to end. I hope it comes back as a regular show next year and that we don't have another short season that we have to wait for January. Although I am still wondering how they will move on without the core of Street, Smash, Riggins, Saracen, Lyla and Tyra. It should be interesting.
Missed last week's recap due to not being up to sitting at the PC while at home. But I did really enjoy that episode, and Riggins' attempts to befriend/mentor J.D. So this week we see poor Landry get smacked down again (albeit in a friendly way). J.D.'s father display his way too controlling attitude, and Coach Taylor try to cope with that. Another example of the Taylor's great relationship and how that shows. And Buddy gets treated to the negative side of a hostile divorce. And last we see how Street will leave the show, and the effect he has had on everyone.
One of the article's I read about this weeks episode brought up the most outstanding example of over the top Football Dad when it quoted a piece from the SI article on Todd Marinovich. And I think the story of Marinovich is one every parent should be aware of. Because it was truly amazing how an obsessed father attempted to create Robo-QB, and in the end that kid went off the rails. Now is J.D. another Marinovich? That's unclear at this point. What is clear is that Coach Taylor is getting to the end of his fuse with Daddy McCoy.
The way the Taylor's double team the parents of the kid who lied about playing football is amazing. The way Tammi, totally unexpectedly, steps up to defend football and her husband as potentially great positives in the kids life is amazing. And Coach displays his gratitude with a typically understated but appreciated gesture of opening her car door for her.
Poor Landry, he just can't win for losing. Here he thinks he has a shiny new girlfriend, and he tells Tyra he is ready to move on as 'just friends' and he gets slammed. By the unlikely response of the girl telling him she is a lesbian (highly unlikely for a 14 year old in a small Texas town to know, much less admit that). So Landry has to get a pep talk from Tammi, explaining that High School should not be the high point of his life, and that it won't be in his case. Which seems to do the trick.
Which leads us to Buddy Garrity, for whom High School probably was the high point of his life. As he tries to cope with his visiting kids being bratty little teenagers who have had a little too much time to listen to their Mom's side of the story and the Step Dad's explanation of how the world works. Buddy tries real hard to try to keep his cool, but eventually loses his cool. And then it is up to his eldest to take the little siblings to task for their behavior. Showing how much Lyla has grown up in 3 years.
And that is demonstrated in the final scenes as we see the clever way that Jason Street is leaving the show. This season we are finally seeing the reason Street was QB1 all those years. And we see how he is destined for great things in leaving Dillon for New York. Although it is sad to see him leave we see how he has impacted so many lives for the better.
I am excited to watch this show every week, and never want the episode to end. I hope it comes back as a regular show next year and that we don't have another short season that we have to wait for January. Although I am still wondering how they will move on without the core of Street, Smash, Riggins, Saracen, Lyla and Tyra. It should be interesting.
Weekend Recap
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
More like a week recap, due to the furlough. I finally got in some gaming time Friday night. Had a semi-productive weekend, got some work done on the yard. And got the boys set for more swim lessons and James signed up for soccer.
Friday night I ran to the library, picked up a few books, had a good dinner out (Once again excellent burger & fries at 5 Guys), then went over to Forrest's. We had some good chat and catch up time. And a good game session, it was good to get back in the swing of things.
Yesterday we did some work in the yard, really made some good progress on building a retaining wall in front of the shed. And Kim came up with I think an excellent plan for the backyard. We will move the kids play yard to the upper level, that is the swing set and trampoline. Then set up the gazebo we bought last summer in the current kids play area, and eventually lay some pavers etc. in that area. A lot of this is long term summer project. Moving the trampoline and swing set will require a large group of people. But I think it will be a worth while change, and free my mind from the never ending task of trying to grow decent grass in that upper lawn.
The boys really enjoy the Saturday morning swim lessons, and I think another month of that is a worthy investment, both for them and my own personal sanity. James is taking a step up in Soccer, moving to the larger field, and playing with 1st & 2nd graders, so this will be a change for him. But I think he is ready, and needs the challenge, he kind of dominated last season when he got in the mood.
So, a good relaxing week off, got some things done around the house and outside the house. Got the kids and myself healthy. And started making some plans moving forward. Definitely looking forward to the spring now.
More like a week recap, due to the furlough. I finally got in some gaming time Friday night. Had a semi-productive weekend, got some work done on the yard. And got the boys set for more swim lessons and James signed up for soccer.
Friday night I ran to the library, picked up a few books, had a good dinner out (Once again excellent burger & fries at 5 Guys), then went over to Forrest's. We had some good chat and catch up time. And a good game session, it was good to get back in the swing of things.
Yesterday we did some work in the yard, really made some good progress on building a retaining wall in front of the shed. And Kim came up with I think an excellent plan for the backyard. We will move the kids play yard to the upper level, that is the swing set and trampoline. Then set up the gazebo we bought last summer in the current kids play area, and eventually lay some pavers etc. in that area. A lot of this is long term summer project. Moving the trampoline and swing set will require a large group of people. But I think it will be a worth while change, and free my mind from the never ending task of trying to grow decent grass in that upper lawn.
The boys really enjoy the Saturday morning swim lessons, and I think another month of that is a worthy investment, both for them and my own personal sanity. James is taking a step up in Soccer, moving to the larger field, and playing with 1st & 2nd graders, so this will be a change for him. But I think he is ready, and needs the challenge, he kind of dominated last season when he got in the mood.
So, a good relaxing week off, got some things done around the house and outside the house. Got the kids and myself healthy. And started making some plans moving forward. Definitely looking forward to the spring now.
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