Last night was trivia night, and I splurged and drank a Coke with my meal. I only intended to drink one, to save on calories and such, but the waitress kept bringing me refills before asking if I wanted one. Then, if I don’t drink it, or at least some of it, I feel guilty.
Yesterday, BoyGeeding asked if I’d go outside to the backyard with him. I said sure and then watch him kick the soccer ball around. I asked him if I could play with him or if we could do something together, and he said, “Nah, I just wanted you out here with me.”
DaughterGeeding asked if I’d be willing to take her to Oklahoma City to watch the NCAA Women’s College World Series tonight or the next two days. The matchup looks great, two rivals, Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns, will play the best of three. I think OU will be favored since Texas wasn’t even ranked or seeded
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During the school year, when my kids are scheduled to stay the night with me, they keep their overnight stuff in their mother’s vehicle. She leaves the vehicle unlocked and we retrieve the items after school. I thought I’d offer an olive branch of sorts, so I left a book for her in the vehicle. That was about three or four weeks ago, but yesterday morning I got a call from the police. The detective informed me they pulled video from the school security camera of me opening the door and placing the book inside as my son gathered his stuff. That’s considered unlawful entry. As of now, no one is pressing charges, but that option remains available for two years. I learned something new and used the opportunity to talk to the detective about what is and isn’t lawful. If I placed it under her windshield wiper or on the hood, I would have been fine. If I had my son, who was right next to me, open the door and place it inside, that’s legal. However, if the window was down, placing the book on the seat would be unlawful entry. This doesn’t factor in the equation at all, and irony isn’t the right word, but there’s a bit of weirdness in that I once bought the vehicle and used to maintain and drive it. But the best lesson I learned is not to offer any olive branches or do anything nice. The emphasis is now on protecting myself and hoping I don’t make a mistake for the next eight years until our boy graduates.
Uvalde, Texas native Matthew McConaughey shows the art of 10-year-old victim of Robb Elementary School shooting Alithia Ramirez. pic.twitter.com/ribvvXarzc
The dogs seem to have an extra pep in their step when the kid are here. It always makes me smile when I see them cuddle up next to them.
We started the new Obi Wan Kenobi series. Usually, we all sit on the couch, but I thought I’d give the kids more room, so I sat in my recliner. Right after the recap played, BoyGeeding said, “I’m going to sit with dad!” and despite a lack of room, made himself fit in my chair. I cherished that moment and no it won’t be long he won’t want to do stuff like that at all.
I think I nailed down the dates of our trip to Washington D.C. To request tickets to visit the White House, you have to contact your congressional representative’s office at least 21 days in advance. I think the same for a capitol tour, or it’s 14-days. Other tour option on his webpage I didn’t know was an option was The Pentagon.
Axon, the company formerly known as Taser, has abandoned plans to build a stun gun-equipped drone intended for deployment in schools after an “exodus” of resignations from its internal ethics board. The company’s chief executive, Rick Smith, said in a statement: “I want to be explicit: I announced a potential delivery date a few years out as an expression of what could be possible; it is not an actual launch timeline, especially as we are pausing that program. A remotely operated non-lethal Taser-enabled drone in schools is an idea, not a product, and it’s a long way off. We have a lot of work and exploring to see if this technology is even viable and to understand if the public concerns can be adequately addressed before moving forward.”
Smith & Wollensky, at least the local one (when it was still open) used to have a “pay your age” special they would offer after a certain hour or on a certain night. I took advantage of it then, but I don’t think it would be advantageous for me now.
For people who had not been paying close attention to all the big changes that have been taking place in the Texas barbecue scene for the past 10 years or so, that November 2021 issue was a surprise or even a shocker. Absent from the top 50 were the longtime revered stalwarts in Lockhart, a small city in rural Central Texas that looms large in the state’s barbecue lore. Instead, 29 of the 50 entries were new to the list.
And yet, not a single good BBQ place is near my house. I guess my arteries are thankful.
“The number of ppl advising me to not disclose my [diagnosis] is astounding,” she tweeted in mid-April. The concern was that employers might worry about the costs and absenteeism that can result from such a condition — even though federal law prohibits employers from taking health issues into account when hiring. Ruby Gadelrab, CEO and founder of MDisrupt, was unfazed. Moments after interviewing Coleman for a job, she tweeted: “Today I met a candidate who applied for one of our jobs, and she might just be the most inspiring person I have ever met.”
Over the weekend, the Chase Tower’s logo was removed. I wonder how much that costs.
I attended several church events this weekend. At one of them, while the feature speaker was talking, a gentleman fell over and was seizing for several minutes, off and on. Poor guy, it was his first time visiting, and he kept apologizing. Thankfully, everything turned out fine.
I heard a great segment on NPR, I think This American Life, about students being concerned about an auditorium named Robert E. Lee. Most students were uncomfortable with the name. A questionnaire was given out to all students asking who they thought the man was famous for. High schoolers being high schoolers, one of the top tallying answers was, “The first man who ate ass.” That had me laughing in stitches. Back to the story … the school then watched a documentary on the man. It turns out it was named for a former superintendent who was instrumental in integrating the school, he just happened to share the same exact name as the Civil War general. When the townspeople originally named the auditorium, they thought everyone local would just know who it was named other and no one would mistake the name for someone else. The late superintendent usually signed his name “R.E. Lee” and that’s now the updated name of the auditorium.
Anytime I hear “superintendent” I think of Ralph from The Simpsons saying Super Nintendo Chalmers.
I’ve gone without the kids for about 11 straight nights. It’s been hard. And I still get that PTSD feeling the first 60-90 minutes with them.
I have not heard of this restaurant until now. I guess I should give it a try. Our local taco joints sure do like the double entendres. – Dallas-born Velvet Taco to spike to 100 restaurants and grow internationally – “Nobody does what we do. Nobody has a chicken and waffle taco. … Nobody does a 420 blazin’ taco with Fruity Pebbles on it.“
Posted inPersonal|Comments Off on Bag of Randomness for Monday, June 6, 2022
If you follow me on Twitter, then you know I like to post my current streak along with an athlete and jersey number representing where I’m at in my streak. Yesterday, I marked 77. Initially, I wanted to use the jersey number of one of my favorite childhood athletes, Jim Jeffcoat. But, even with the Mavs out of the playoffs, I thought using Luka, who also wears 77, would be more timely or relevant. Well, to my surprise, Jim Jeffcoat himself saw my tweet and commented. This made my day. Looking through his Twitter timeline, he doesn’t tweet or reply often, so I feel honored. https://twitter.com/SlimDaddy77/status/1531999264813076481
One manager I worked for at Fidelity Investments had a daughter that Jim Jeffcoat’s son took to prom.
I thought I’ve been holding up pretty well. It’s been months since I had a breakdown, but I think a combination of things got to me yesterday.
DaughterGeeding FaceTimed and wanted to show me her newly decorated room. She had such an assortment of lights I thought she was in an old disco hall. BoyGeeding made a surprise appearance, with a surprise haircut. The boy hasn’t had a real haircut since the separation and he’s been very protective of his hair. But, for some reason, his sister talked him into allowing her to cut his hair. I don’t know how many younger brothers would be brave (or crazy) enough to allow an older sibling to cut their hair. It was only a partial cut. I think she will complete the look later in the evening. I noticed their mother was in the background, but trying to stay out of sight. Knowing her body language, she seemed to be in a perky mood, as if she’s fixed everything and all is right in the world.
What has been really difficult is when my kids show off their new rooms to me. This will now be the third place they have lived since the separation. I’ve never been invited inside any of their new homes. The kids were thrilled and proud to show off all they’ve done decorating and arranging furniture, but behind the smile I put on my face was a wall of sorrow. It’s heartbreaking to see how well the kids can adjust to life without me in it. It’s hard to be happy for them when you know it only came to be because of a tragic and selfish event. Sure, I want them to be happy, but something just feels out of place. Outside, I’m showing I’m happy for them, inside I’m screaming, “It shouldn’t have to be this way.” It’s weird. I don’t desire reconciliation, but I miss being a complete family unit. I’m not sure if that makes sense.
There was one more surprise, and I’m sure this is why their mother was hanging around. She bought the kids a puppy. That bothers me, and I’m not sure if I can put my finger on it. In a way, I think my ex and her mother think if they just move into a rent house (which they recently did) and get out of an apartment, get a dog, and do a few other things, those will be bandaids that fixes everything regarding the kids emotional well-being. Also, I couldn’t help but think of the first three weeks of the separation and how sad DogGeedingII and OtherDogGeedingII were (and BunnyGeeding, as well). For those three weeks, the dogs were longing for them. Like clockwork, at 5:00 PM every weekday, DogGeedingII would go through the doggie door into the backyard and sit and look at the gate facing the garage, waiting for the three of them to come home. After a while, he’d get tire of sitting and then would lie down. You know, in that sad, lonely look, where dogs will lay their head between their extended front two legs and then their eyes do all the talking. I’d try to call him back inside, but he wouldn’t come. Eventually, I picked him up and carried him inside, but he’d just dart out the doggie door again. It was as if he was telling me, “Dude, you don’t understand, if I’m not waiting at that spot, they won’t come home.” I’d bring him back inside and lock the doggie door, only for him to walk at the door, look at me, look at the door, look at me, and then begin scratching at the door so I would let him out. I’d tell him, “No. They’re not coming home.” He would stare at me for a few seconds, then scratch more rapidly. We’d repeat this several times until I finally pick him up and hold him in my lap as I try to watch the evening news. This scene played out every day for about three weeks until the old dog finally learned this dreaded new trick.
Everybody is whole and complete. No one needs another to be complete despite what Jerry Maguire says. Yes, I know I’ll always be my kids’ father, but it’s hard to watch being replaced, and them getting used to and embracing the new normal.
I wish I could feel some of the justice and vindication Johnny Depp is feeling.
As you are reading this, I’m probably under anesthesia undergoing another back procedure. At least it’s just a day procedure. I couldn’t find anybody at my church to help this time, so I had to call an old friend who lives in Mineral Wells to drive an hour and a half to take me. I suppose I could have managed things with an Uber, but he said he owed me one.
Marion Barber III scored the first official touchdown at what JerryWorld, the Death Star, ATT Stadium, or whatever you call it. That man has been battling depression for years.
Posted inPersonal|Comments Off on Bag of Randomness for Thursday, June 2, 2022
unlocked and we retrieve the items after school. I thought I’d offer an olive branch of sorts, so I left a book for her in the vehicle. That was about three or four weeks ago, but yesterday morning I got a call from the police. The detective informed me they pulled video from the school security camera of me opening the door and placing the book inside as my son gathered his stuff. That’s considered unlawful entry. As of now, no one is pressing charges, but that option remains available for two years. I learned something new and used the opportunity to talk to the detective about what is and isn’t lawful. If I placed it under her windshield wiper or on the hood, I would have been fine. If I had my son, who was right next to me, open the door and place it inside, that’s legal. However, if the window was down, placing the book on the seat would be unlawful entry. This doesn’t factor in the equation at all, and irony isn’t the right word, but there’s a bit of weirdness in that I once bought the vehicle and used to maintain and drive it. But the best lesson I learned is not to offer any olive branches or do anything nice. The emphasis is now on protecting myself and hoping I don’t make a mistake for the next eight years until our boy graduates.
