One Fish for the Road

Travel is always great with the right people

2012-02-21T04:09:00.001-07:00

When I think of all the planes I have flown on, the most memorable trips are with family with notable exceptions to and across the Ice.

A journey in life is only as significant as the people who accompany us. It sounds like a relatively simple quote but it is even more significant to me as I travel regularly for business without my family.

One trip I recall was to visit my grandparents, Anne and Ralph, in San Diego. This was one of those times that my brother Ian and I flew unaccompanied.

He didn't know it but being his traveling companion was always fun. I felt a sense of responsibility for him, as a big brother should. I knew he would do anything to look out for me too. And, the best part was we were together on the journey with a handful of activities and flight attendants who kept an eye on us at first, saw we were good kids, left us alone, and made sure we got off the plane safely.

If nothing else, writing this makes me wonder when Ian and will ride together again.

Do you know Him? - That's My king

2011-12-24T13:34:00.000-07:00

My Brother Matt

2011-05-15T19:25:00.001-06:00

Rarely do I see my siblings. It is even rarer to see the ones who live close, like Alex, Mike, Mike (my other brother Mike), and Matt. It is a shame though because I really like spending time with these brothers and sister of mine.

Last night, we celebrated two birthday's at Lamb's Cafe and I was blessed to see hear Matt rattel off one joke after another. He is really a funny guy when he isn't even thinking about it. Even better he was sensitive to the fact that some younger ears were listenings to his quips.

I can't say I have the same taste in tatoos or Sunny Delight, but I am glad this guy is my brother.

Renewing the Effort

2011-05-14T14:10:00.001-06:00

In an attempt to resuscitate an otherwise typically failing blog, I am trying out some easier to use tools. Posting, I hope, will be much simply than it was; however, I need to overcome the obstacles of bashfulness, self-criticism, and procrastination, too.

It is inherently difficult for me to write something which I believe someone else will care to read, especially if it is personal. Yet, I really have so little followers that I risk virtually nothing posting something out on the web. My reputation is not as a writer and in many circles I am not considered much of a thinker either.

So folks who might be listening... stay tuned.

Almost eight years

2011-01-09T19:31:00.000-07:00

Nearly eight years ago, my life was much different. I had no kids and my expendable income was, well, available to expend. With a little more than a week to go before AnnaLeesa turns eight, I rejoice in every moment I spend with her and Harrison.

We are sitting on the couch right now, me at one end and AnnaLeesa at the other, watching The Simpsons.Some parents might disagree with the choice of programming. Other parents still might disagree with our choice to watch TV. To those who disagree, I can only say that they must find their own special times to spend with their children. Oh yeah, and to stop being snobs.

AnnaLeesa and Harrison are such wonderful kids. Genuinely caring, smart, and funny. I know they received their good looks from Kim. Certainly, they did not inherit a singing voice from my side - thank God.

The fact is, I love this buggers.

2010-07-11T20:31:00.001-06:00

Subscribed to aamiconnect http://ping.fm/WeydU

What's the Name of That Song?

2010-06-01T18:22:00.000-06:00

Not being a musical person, or at least not attesting to be proficient as a singer or a musician, I love music. I love the quality of so manny different genres and don't like so very few, that one may say I am in the 'undecided' category when it comes to favorites.

Not true. I have favorite scores, jingles, singles, and artists, albums, and guest performances on Sesame Street. The most confounding thing for me is that I can barely remember the words, adn sometimes, the very artists to which I listen. It doesn't stop me from enjoying the music.

Despite some hearing loss induced by aging, tell my friends and family that the voice on one song is the same voice on another song produced years apart. I can usually do this with such accuracy that my wife is annoyed when she states, "This is (insert name of artist of band)... They also play (insert another song title)". To which I usually say "NO".

I am not trying to be rude, it is something I just know your wrong. Of course, I can hardly ever support my argument because I can hardly ever remember the name of the band or artist who is actually playing the current selection on the radio.

So for all of you who say "What's the name of that song?" I am with you one hundred and three percent. For those who think you know who sings it, my apologies right up front for saying your wrong.

Love from your big brother

2010-05-30T20:27:00.000-06:00

Nostalgia is a funny thing. If I look back far enough, I have fond memories and not-so-fond memories. Most memories are what we make of them after the event, of course.

Friday night I cheered my one and only little sister on as she walked in her high school graduation. The evening ceremony reminded me of when I graduated from high school. Not that this post is really about my graduation.

When I graduated high school, my sister wasn't born yet. With about five months to go, my sister was someone I had not yet met, came to the ceremonies, and didn't so much as give me a card. I couldn't have been more excited that I would have a sister soon.

Not to diminish the value of having great brothers, but a sister was something I had wanted for a long time. Too bad she came along as I was embarking on new chapters in my living arrangements and who would have known at that time that she would move to Vegas in only a few years. But I still remember holding her and wanting nothing but the best for her.

She was always a cute girl but Ian and I knew she was more than cute. She was always incredibly smart and sensitive. She could picked out Bob Marley on the stereo or by any assortment of pictures by the age of 2, which is a heck of a lot better than the classical composers. She never ceased to amaze me as she kept her life in much better order than the sometimes chaotic upbringing our mom invoked. It is a testament to her beliefs and her strength to see her develop into an increasingly independent woman.

We haven't lived in the same state for a long time. High school unavoidably interferred with much quality time with my sister as I was not as cool or entertaining as her friends, but I still was there waiting in the wings to be her brother. I remember the time I gave her my sincerest beliefs about ignoring the mean girls, the girls who thought money mattered most, and how I would stomp on them if Alex wished it. It was one of those moments where I was able to impart guidance, to bestow sibling love, and to offer to flex some muscle to defend my sister.

I still am there. And, I think, she knows I always will be.

Congratulations Alex.

- Your brother

Tube Socks, The Farside, and Family - The True Meaning of Christmas

2009-12-06T13:35:00.002-07:00

Some time ago when I was a teenager, I stopped covetting every new gadget or toy promoted around the Christmas Holiday. As a parochial school student, I was exposed to the Christmas Story and had great opportunities to think both academically and spiritually on the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; however, private Catholic school didn't break my fascination with gifts around the holidays. I can't point out the exact moment that it occurred, but I found my reason for Christmas.

Many know that Christians believe that God sent his only son Jesus to help all men achieve grace. Jesus was destined to suffer for the sins of all humankind, past and present, for which I am eternally a big fan. If you are familiar with the story of Abraham and Isaac, Abraham had not been able to sire a child until Isaac and God asks him to sacrifice this one and only son. Fortunately, God let Abraham off the hook at the last minute. God, on the other hand, knew Jesus would have to be scarificed for the sins of all mankind. There could be no last minute get out of jail free card for Jesus. The birth of Jesus is considered by many as the first Christmas gift.

Around the Christmas holiday, many people seem to get so involved in finding sale items or hard-to-find kids toys that the spirit of that first Christmas gift seems to be lost in the shuffle. If Christian churches had lines of church-goers rounding a city block and waiting at the door Christmas day then one could say we got it. If my family started the Christmas morning festivities singing a round of Happy Birthday, we could say we get it. There is more to Christmas for me, as I mentioned, when I got "it" as a teenager.

I think we are stuck with some of the commercial hype. I think we are fortunate to have things like midnight mass and Sunday Christmas services. I find solace in these few truths about Christmas. I plan to write about each of these topics at some point down the road.

Number one, tube socks are a gift from the heart.

Number two, The Farside Off-The-Wall Calendar was and will always be the commercial gift that I wanted, every year.

Number three, Christmas is the best draw to see the most family. The best reason, other than the birth of Jesus, to celebrate Christmas.

Pre-historic and Modern Parenting

2009-11-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

Kids are wonderful beings which we parents try to mold, to protect, and to uplift. I realize there are bad parents out there. The majority of us who are parents or had parents can say with some certainty that parents aren't intentionally bad at parenting, we just make our mistakes.

Some time ago for which we do not have written records, men taught their sons how to hunt and women taught their girls to gather. I'm sure it wasn't a good idea to lash a spearhead on to a spear without a double knot. Nor was it sage advice to mistake a poisonous root for an edible tuber. Humans dating back much longer than we can tell in stories had parents who worried about educating their children.

Of course, prehistoric humans made some fatal and near-fatal mistakes. I bet the teenagers thought they had the worst parents when mom fed them the wrong root or dad wouldn't let the youngsters hunt big game. All the other young men were allowed to hunt. No one else had a mom who was a bad cook.

Though the disappointments may be different today, kids don't appreciate that parents are fallible. Kids don't appreciate that their parents may have a good reason for grounding them from the big hunt.

Why Post Anything

2009-11-21T14:58:00.000-07:00

In a first attempt to air my beliefs, notions, inklings, and even some higher-level thinking, I decided today to start a blog. I have a lot of friends and acquaintances who publish something on the web regularly. I know a few people well who write books. I, on the other hand, write stuff on paper and usually throw it away.

I decided to start this blog, for the most part, because I am curious. Will anyone really pay attention to my ramblings? Will anyone really take One Fish for the Road seriously enough to seek the gems?