Othello Champion (for One Night)

One evening this month, after our kids so effortlessly, kindly, without any complaints mercifully let us end bedtime right before 9 p.m. and before we all took a family trip beyond the troposphere, Becky and I found ourselves both with some unexpected extra time and positive energy to do something beyond watch Netflix (not a euphemism for the popular euphemism "netflix and chill"), read, or simply pass out. 

We broke out Othello, a game that my S.O. loves because it is quick, simple, and one she has mastered.

Until this evening. I played the game of my life! I also look to be in the best shape of my life, judging by the photo. That is Yours Truly, all just 162 pounds of me, having bravely and successfully fought off the holiday heft by eating better and exercising consistently during Christmas. It felt great to be in such good shape, and even better to have trounced Becky in this one round of Othello. 

Why ruin a great thing by playing another round, right?

What Global Warming?

Oh, it is perfectly natural to be outdoors in mid-January wearing just pants and a long-sleeved shirt. No hat, gloves, boots, winter jacket, or snow pants in sight. A smidgen of snow holds on for dear life on a scrap of our lawn that is shielded by that old fence from the sun's rays. And I was outside for hours on this weekend playing baseball with my three-year-old son Grouse, who longed for one-on-one time. 

T-ball in January: may it not be a routine in the years to come, for it speaks to me of the evidence of a changing world. And I am glad for the reminder that, in this little boy's world, I am nearly at the center for him. I love that, and I love being reminded of that when the weight of being his center feels daunting and exhausting. 

Batter up! 

Birthday in Germany, 1997

Twenty years ago this week, Yours Truly celebrated his 22nd birthday in Germany. I had been in the country since late July 1996, and by this point -- the halfway mark in my Junior Year abroad -- felt like I was finally coming into my own in a lot of good ways. Many friends, more comfort with the German language, a two-month school break beckoning in a few weeks to give us the chance to explore other European countries, and a generally very good time of life all made this a wonderful season.  

The above photo features two friends from that year: Jamie of Wisconsin and Kirsten of Michigan. There were a ton of "Amis" in Freiburg, and most Americans tended to gravitate to each other, but we certainly mixed in German and international students in our groups as well. We lived in the "International Siedlung" or community. On my dorm floor alone were students from South Korea, Japan, India, and Italy, while other German students had recent ancestors from Poland and Austria and the Czech Republic. 

This photo shows one of my standard late-night activities: cooking grilled cheese sandwiches for friends in our dorm kitchen. Each dorm floor had a kitchen and a small dining room. All utilitarian, very German, and orderly. We'd go out to the bars until midnight or so, then some of us would return to my floor, where I'd fire up the stove and cook sandwiches. We'd eat around 12:30 or 1 in the morning before finally retiring to bed. This wasn't an every night event, but it also wasn't limited to just the weekends. 

Looking back, I don't know how any of us handled the consistent sleep deprivation and non-standard sleeping hours! But hey, that's what being in your twenties is about! I re-read my journal I kept that year (on the advice of UMass-Amherst friend Jenny Richardson) and I'm amazed at these outings, which caused me to crash until 10:30 or 11 the next morning. 

This photo is one of my favorites from the Freiburg Year: Lucas Hansel, Sara Skluzacek, and me. Luke and Sara are Americans, though Luke's grandparents were from Austria. Sara's ancestors were from the Czech Republic. I've always been so interested in people's ancestry, guessing (in my mind) where their surname originates, and asking about what they know of their family background. 

Luke, Sara, and I were really close friends, but within a few weeks of this photo, Luke and Sara stopped speaking to each other. I don't know why, and I am sure that I didn't know really why when their split happened. It saddened me and all of us, and made for some awkward times. Luke and I both went to UMass-Amherst, and as our time in Germany drew to a close in the summer ahead, I often thought how cool it would be when we'd return to college and hang out as much as we did in Germany. While we did see each other a lot our last year of college, it was mostly in classes and during the lunch hour; Luke left campus almost every Friday night to visit his cousin at a college in Vermont for the weekend. This made our friendship in Freiburg all the more poignant when I reflected on it.   

And here is Sara and me, that same birthday night, air guitar-playing to Oasis. Remember that group? Probably my favorite song of this Junior Year abroad was their hit "Don't Look Back in Anger." I loved that song, and very quickly I grew to really like Sara. Unfortunately for me, she had a boyfriend in America, and he visited a few times -- even once encouraging Sara to date me. Hmm. 

Just like envisioning spending a ton of time with Luke when we left Freiburg and returned to UMass, I envisioned all sorts of fun, memorable experiences with Sara in Europe had we dated. But it wasn't meant to be, as painful as it was. I can still remember, one evening after someone snapped this photo, standing in my dorm kitchen, just me and Sara. Our feelings for each other were palpable. There was an electricity in the air that I had probably never felt as strongly before. We both felt it and knew it and commented on it. 

Still, what was never to be in one aspect with a short shelf-life (we would have split before or after returning to the U.S.) was surpassed by a friendship that remains good two decades later. Sara and I keep in touch by text and about an annual phone call. We've seen each other maybe a half-dozen times since, but we're friends for life.  

Moose's Birthday Gift to Me

For my birthday this year, Our Mighty Moose insisted on making me a home-made gift. I loved the idea! He was not so pleased with me, though, on a mild weekend afternoon, when I unexpectedly needed to venture into our back yard as he was working on his gift to me. There was much weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth! Nevertheless, Moose completed his gift and, with Mommy's help, wrapped it for me. 

On my birthday morning, our almost 6-year-old was beside himself with excitement! He couldn't wait for me to get dressed and finish breakfast so that I could unveil his present. Yes, I opted to not take my birthday off this year.

The great unveiling commenced, and we all politely ooh'd and aah'd at this stack of sticks. It's a Star Wars rebel base made from nature, with sticks that Moose had gathered in our back yard! We're going to have some fun with it, using my old Star Wars action figures and his newer-model ones to role-play battles from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away!  

Bowling to self-medicate

Check out that form! Here is my better half bowling her heart out at a nearby bowling alley. We went there on Inauguration Day night with our friends Kelly and Andrus. All of us in various degrees of disgust and revulsion at the morning's activities down in Washington. But we vowed, in the car ride to the bowl-a-drome, to not mention that orange-haired mess. It was a commitment that we all kept, much to our delight.  

Let the good times bowl!

Be Kind

Yesterday, Inauguration Day, Mouse came home from her elementary school wearing this laminated name tag. It reads "Bee Kind" and features her school mascot, a bumblebee. She earned it at the end of this week for her examples of being kind to her classmates and teachers. Mouse was thrilled to earn this recognition, even though her heart is still set on a higher goal: being named "Student of the Month!"

We were very proud of Our Little Mouse for being so awarded, but more importantly we are proud of her for her daily efforts to be kind and charitable. It is an essential reminder. And on this Inauguration Day, the importance of being kind never felt more urgent. Thankfully Mouse is oblivious to the details of the unkind (to say the least) behavior of the man being inaugurated as our new Commander in Chief. I have tried my best to be kind, or brief, when talking politics and current events around our home lately. As much as I strongly disagree with the actions, "politics" such as they are, and overall worldview of this single man, and despise his conduct, it is more important to me that I model kindness at home to my family. It's not appropriate to whitewash, downplay, or ignore his considerable history of unkindness and his unkind views on immigrants, women, the LGBT community, the disabled, and the list goes on. I'm not suggesting anyone do that. 

So for me, the emphasis will instead be on being kind to those who are treated unkindly, viewed unkindly by this man and his legions of admirers and colleagues. Mouse earning this award, on this day of all days, was an epiphany, a sign, to reorient my thinking in a time of darkness. I thank the Lord for that sign, and I thank Him for trusting someone so kind as Mouse to me and our family.

10 Years of Blogging

Ten glorious years ago today, I started our family blog with this post! My no-longer-blogging buddy Lisa encouraged me to start my own blog, so a decade later, I am still thankful to her for her support and getting a big kick out of my sense of humor. 

That in utero baby on our first post is now, obviously, almost ten years old. We are still in the same house we were in ten years ago (having re-financed twice), and have added three more kids to our tribe. They're now almost 10 years old and in 4th grade, eight years old and in 2nd grade, almost six years old and in Kindergarten, and -- in three days -- three years old and staying at home with Becky. 

In two days, I'll turn 42 years old, while Becky is basking in her 40th year. 

I'm still driving the same car I was 10 years ago (and the same car I've been driving since January 2002). Many friends have come and gone during that time, far too many to count. I have the same job, albeit with some more challenging and interesting responsibilities, that I did a decade ago, and have been promoted twice in that span. Becky and I both earned master's degrees in that time. We've been to Utah at least a dozen times since 2007, hit Story Land in New Hampshire a half-dozen times since 2009, and happily put hundreds of miles on our cars driving the 45 minutes between our home and my parents' home over the years.

What will the next 10 years bring? I'm excited to see how it will unfold, and will be sure to keep track of some of the best, funniest, hardest, crazy, and enlightening things that come to pass, right here on our blog. Thank you for reading along!      

What a Gen-X'er Can Learn from a Millenial

Gen-X selfie fail (on my part) with my Millennial and work friend Adam in my office! I was so elated to show him my Tie Bar's skinny navy Southey floral tie, which I loved when I first saw Adam wearing it in the fall, and finally ordered early this month. We thought it would be fun to take a selfie showing off my new-found fashion sense, which has been positively influenced by Adam and other co-workers. 

But in my excitement to record the moment and demonstrate my "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" vibe, I took this atrocious selfie! Adam and I busted our guts laughing about my deplorable selfie skills, which fuzzed-out the actual object of the picture (that beautiful tie) and zeroed-in on Adam's blue sweater vest. 

Clearly, I'm an old.

2017 Family Motto

In late December, we sat around as a family and discussed the need for our tribe to have a family motto for the new year ahead. We agreed that it needed to be kind, beyond-self focused, and easy to remember. 

Voila! Our motto is: Be the Smile in Someone's Day Today. 

We love it. And we're sticking with it. Maybe this blog will provide you readers with a smile as 2017 progresses. 

3 Numbers

From my health and wellness perspective, 2016 can be summed up by three numbers: 184, 183, and 18. I'll explain what those mean in a second. 

I started 2016 weighing 184 pounds, which was likely the heaviest I've been in my life. It was very unflattering and discouraging, a telling indicator of just how hard 2015 had been (major changes at my job, still adjusting to life with an infant, stress eating). 

About one year ago, I posted of my health goals for 2016, aiming to get down to 162 pounds by the end of the year. Doing so would have had me at my best level of fitness since 2013 and 2008.  

Well fans, I came awfully close! In late November 2016, I weighed 163 pounds, having shed 21 pounds since the beginning of 2016! It felt transformational, terrific, encouraging, and awesome. I went down three pants sizes, which necessitated in a major overhaul (for the better) of my wardrobe. A good friend of mine from work took me clothes shopping. Hello, skinny ties, slim-fit pants, bright colors, and more variety (as shown below. It never occurred to me to wear a pink dress shirt, but there it is and I love it).

That's yours truly with my biggest cheerleader in mid-October, when I was at 163 pounds.

2016 ended with me at 166 pounds. It felt great to make it through Thanksgiving and Christmas without gaining an obnoxious amount of weight, but adding 3 pounds was still adding 3 pounds, so I kept to a strict work-out schedule and joined the YMCA in late December so I could keep working out when my work gym closed for Christmas and New Year's on December 19th. 

From start to finish last year, I went from 184 to 166 (there's that 184 and 18). Mostly, I reached that number by making more conscious decisions about how much I ate, and by exercising. 

In terms of exercise, I went to the gym at work 138 times, including Saturdays and double-dipping times (when I'd go in the morning before work and again at lunchtime, or at lunchtime and again after work). I clocked each workout, both at the work gym and my exercise at home, such as when I'd run routes in my town, ride my bike to work, ride on the weekends, etc. 

All total, I worked out 183 times in 2016, which equates to working out every other day for the whole year.