I'm Back!

This morning on the Today Show, Arnold Schwarzenegger was reported to have awoken from his emergency open heart surgery with his iconic "I'm back" expression.  So with that in mind, I'm returning to this blog site on the first day of Spring Break with admittedly a bit of extra time in my life from this time last year.

First, I'm not a yearbook sponsor.  I'll confess (as I have probably done before in previous posts) that I did feel somewhat guilty from resigning that position, but I'll also confess that the decision was a wise one.  The decision did decrease frustration and stress in my life, and only current or previous yearbook sponsors will truly understand that feeling.

Second, I'm not coming off of coaching basketball.  While I did help out my son's varsity football teams and basketball teams as a volunteer, and those duties did cut into the amount of my free time available, I could (and did) be flexible with my commitment.  Having previously coached junior high boys and girls basketball, there was no flexibility.

Third, my "club basketball" coaching experience that had consumed the spring the past two years is no longer occurring.  Since my son is graduating in May, he also has graduated from the club basketball circuit, so my assistance with that endeavor no longer exists.  While I already miss our father-son time together and miss watching him on the court, I don't miss the commitment of time and energy towards making a club team go.

So now my biggest aggravation and frustration is with Mother Nature.  This has been an unusually cold Spring.  We had nine inches of snow recently and the first full week of April is forecast in our area to have temps below 50 degrees all week.  Come on Keven Phelps (KWQC weather guy), pull some strings, do some meteorologist alchemy or something, but help a guy out!  Sophie the dog is ready for some nice Spring walks, and I'm tired of having to get all bundled up to umpire my softball games.

While life has become simpler, I'm still umpiring softball and officiating basketball.  Next year, I'm planning to return to full-time basketball officiating, which I'm looking forward to doing.  Part of that experience, though, is an enhanced effort of dropping some weight - something badly needed for my health and my knees and my ability to get up and down the floor on the court.

Now Amber says I have to do some weeding in my closets, which is an activity I'm not good at.  I've warned her that I'm going to be selective.  I'm keeping clothes I like but that are too small.  I'm only weeding the stuff that I don't believe I will wear much in the future.

Quiet Moments Are Welcome

As I sit at the desktop crafting these awesome words of wisdom, the only sounds to be heard are Lily's occasional meaningless barks and a car going by the house - likely a student heading out from a morning practice.  Life doesn't often offer the opportunity of quiet.  People and activities and events are wonderful, but there is something to be said about good old peace and quiet.

I enjoy my morning wake-up.  Although it's not completely quiet because I like to check out the morning news, I'm usually with only Sophie (the other dog) and a cup of coffee.  I think morning wake-up time is worth getting up earlier just to have a little slower start to the day.

I also enjoy my nighttime calm down.  And for me, calming down is finding a game on television, preferably college basketball.  This is my time to just watch the game and listen to the commentators.  This is an escape, unless ESPN is broadcasting a game on the West Coast, and Bill Walton is doing the color.  He is a buffoon.  Maybe it's because he reminds me of Donald Trump.  I think Bill and Donald both likely are smart individuals, and they probably have good expert information that would not only be informative but entertaining.  Unfortunately, they both just say the dumbest things and seem more interested in hearing themselves talk instead of truly and simply offering their thoughts.

So today some quiet time is available.  I think I'll now pamper myself a bit and go downstairs for a little walk on the treadmill and finish up watching Scrooge.  Then I think I'll start a new book and have some lunch.  Later, I just might start assembling that PSAT question slideshow I've been thinking about.  Or maybe a NAP would be fun!  I'm going to enjoy my quiet time today and do it guilt free.  I know that hectic business is just around the corner, so embracing a little quiet time now is perfectly okay.

Back To The Real World! (Sort Of)

     Yesterday was AWESOME...if you are a college football fan and had the entire day to watch all of the bowls!  Notre Dame won, the Georgia vs. Oklahoma game was fantastic, played some euchre with Amber, Karrigan, and Grandma Rhonda, and just in general had New Year's Day completely free from stress or responsibilities!
     Today, the holiday season is officially over.  The Christmas decorations are returned to the storage closet, there is only one more college football bowl game (which should be a good one), and it's back to basketball - officiating and volunteer coaching.  So from today through the next 10 days, I have a game to officiate and/or coach on each day except Sunday.  (I told my youth basketball assignor I wouldn't be available.)  Even more than a college football fan, I'm a basketball nut, though, so this week means a lot of fun on the court.  And to be completely forthcoming, I still need the money I make from officiating to get me through the Xmas shopping hangover in order to keep up with the monthly bills.
     One thing not officially over, though, is the holiday break.  While other schools will be heading back to the classrooms this week, not RHS!  The end of our semester ended on the 22nd, and that week of December was loaded with work, but not returning until January 8 is wonderful.  I don't know who dreamed up that schedule for us, but I hope that is a tradition that continues on and on and on.  There have been other years where return to school was January 2nd, and I just wasn't mentally ready yet.  This year, though, I'm going to have another week to get my brain right!