I don’t use videos in my posts as often as I used to. It is not because my love for music has shrunk but because I have had too many experiences with broken links and that is a problem.
It is not just because Google doesn’t respond well to such things but because it looks like hell and I am trying to make this place look nicer, warmer and more inviting. It is a big part of why more posts here have pictures in them.
It took a long while for me to focus on the photos but not because I don’t think they are important. That old saw about a picture being worth a thousand words is true.
The Slumbering Blogger
For lack of a better term I feel like the slumbering blogger. I used to do a much better job of making the rounds and visiting far out parts and places throughout the blogosphere, but lately I haven’t been able to.
Life got in the way. The kids were off of school all last week and work was crazy so something had to give.
I noticed this not because of an impact on traffic, in fact traffic is up here.
Nah, I noticed because I haven’t checked in my with friends and that bothers me. Some of us have developed real friendships and I miss you guys. I miss reading your tales and hearing about your families.
I feel disconnected. Part of that is good.
The good part stems from knowing how much time I got to spend with my family. My kids and I played games, rode bikes, wrestled and hung out.
That was good. The time will come soon enough when we won’t be able to do it the same way.
It might be because work changes and I don’t continue to have a home office or it might be because the kids grow older and go through the period where mom and dad just aren’t interesting.
The Moments Matter
I struggled to write a post called How To Be A Man. I am not sure why it was so hard but I know I see it as being emblematic of the importance of living each moment.
It is a reminder to me that we only get one chance and sometimes we screw it up. That might sound like a cliche, but I believe it to be true.
Maybe it is because I have very few regrets but those I do are enormous. The goal now is to avoid adding to the list and if possible to find a way to fix the mistakes.
Going With My Gut
Sometimes I am certain that I am on exactly the right path and these things I am doing are all leading to the place I want to be. Sometimes I am comfortable just relaxing and letting it all happen and sometimes I feel like it is a mistake not to manage it.
Blogging is a funny thing. When you read your own posts you realize that you are no different than anyone else. You are just as crazy, mixed up, insecure, smart, successful and good looking as the next guy.
These Moments Matter
There are a list of magical moments in my mind. These are moments that matter. I pay attention because I am a collector of moments and I don’t want to be the guy who always says I remember when.
A man needs to have dreams to aspire to and the confidence he can attain them so that he can pass this confidence and strength on to his children so that they may live their dreams too.
It is time to close out this post with one of my favorite poems and the anthem of the year:
“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.â€
The Fellowship of The Ring- J.R.R. Tolkien
I hear ya … you’re coming in loud and clear. I’ve been so bogged down with all my new marketing stuff that I haven’t been stopping by either.
And I think this is truly a testament to your writing ability – every time I check in here, it feels like you’re talking to me about what I’m dealing with right now in my life. I’ve commented to you about this before but it reminds me that we’re all going through the same things. You just have the words to express what we’re feeling.
Hello Penney Fox,
Sometimes life takes us by the collar and shakes us until we remember we don’t have nearly as much control as we would like to believe.
I appreciate your comment more than you know. It is always gratifying to be appreciated but it is also nice to know that we are facing similar challenges as others. It makes it easier to go through because you know that someone else just might understand and or have the clue you need to figure out how to get through unscathed.
Tell me about it. Notice I’ve been missing? Life does get in the way of on-line, but I’m OK with that. I love checking out what the on-line connections are up to, but it pales in comparison to what you are off-line. I’m sure it’s true for all of us.
My wife posted an apology to her Facebook friends once for lack of response. She simply said, “I haven’t been on Facebook for a while. Real life is so much more interesting”!
And Stan is right on, Rush does make everything better. Saw them 3 times live as a teen, one of the best live acts ever. I initially picked up my bass because I wanted to be Geddy Lee. He is the man!
Hi Joe,
Time of year plays a big role in all of this offline craziness. I have had the pleasure of meeting a number of bloggers in person and am pleased to say they were just as cool as I expected. It was nice to have my expectations filled.
I have been to see Rush twice and you are right about them putting on a fantastic live show. Peart can drum like no one else.
That balance is hard to find sometimes and I’m glad that you chose family. The best posts come from experiences and we can’t make those happen when we are plugging away at a computer 🙂
Family is always more important than time at the computer, but finding that balance is sometimes very tough.
“Sometimes I am comfortable just relaxing and letting it all happen and sometimes I feel like it is a mistake not to manage it.” ~ perfect description of how my brain works! LOL!
An image popped into my head when I thought about moments, creating them, enjoying them and how it all relates to regtrets and time managemet / priorities:
Plates (the things that we want and need to do)- juggle them, keep them spinning, or set the table with them. I’d like to be more purposeful but life doesn’t work that way. Does it? All I can do is catch the one that comes my way and enjoy it the best I can while it’s here.
I am adept at keeping multiple plates spinning my problem is that I am not smart enough to stop adding more plates and inevitably two or three come crashing down upon my head.
Rush makes everything better. [grin]
Yes it does. I listen to them..often.