Just for fun...

This video was from a time that seems so long ago. Although it was only a few short years ago, it was during a time when I was not a boss, but simply a leader, of sorts. We were one shop. A family that stuck together. The men you see here were not so much under my direction, but more working with me, to achieve a common goal. In many construction companies, I would have been their superintendent, and the project leader as well.

Things have since changed. Having full responsibility of the main production facility, and co-managing the others leaves me little time to ’play’ with the fellows. It’s too bad, as it is times like these when I gained the most respect from them.

Echoes, Silence, Patience And Grace

Every year, around the same time, I’m given a gift. A chance to make a positive influence on a bunch of little kids, some who have very little positive in there lives at all. The 2008 Baseball Season is now over for us. For the 5th year in a row, I have been coaching my son’s team, and I have to say this year was the most challenging, yet the most fun. In fact, this year, I may have actually been a positive influence on some of the parents as well. I’ve earned some respect from some people who I never thought were capable, and this once “thankless job”, has become quite the opposite.

The ride though the ranks of our league has been long and, at times, hard. I’ve always said that once this stops feeling fun, I would quit forever. I know that nothing in life is perfect, and there is ups and downs with anything we do. This is no exception. That feeling of not having fun and walking away almost came about half way through this season. Things were down and I started to question myself. Thoughts like “maybe this isn’t for me”, and “I must suck at this” entered my mind. Knowing that I would never quit mid-season, for obvious reasons, I pressed on. Almost subconsciously, I just went about my schedule from work, to the fields, to home.

Then, in one swift moment, I was snapped out of my low. Like a splash of ice cold water on a hot day, I was revived and reminded of why I continue to do this. No pictures were taken of that moment, and I need none. The moment was burnt into my memory more vividly than any image could do. From that very moment, things improved and the season went out with a bang!

My son moves up to the Majors next year. If he continues to play, and nothing else changes until then, I will take the offer I was given to take over the team. I will have huge footsteps to fill, as the man leaving is one hell of a coach.

I added the image bellow last minute. Little “enter girl name here”. One of two girls on the teem this year. Holding her own with the tough boys for years now, but just a little sweaty inside. Crying to me about facing the faster pitchers, but taking on the slower ones like she’s out for blood!

This image is after she was hit by a pitched ball. Her family is going through some tough times these days. I’ve stayed close to the family and am currently helping as much as I can. Another situation where coaching goes far beyond the field of play.

A story to warm the heart.

Every year at this time I’m generally going crazy, and this year is no exception. Our baseball league has a huge event planned for Saturday and my team is not quite ready. Work is once again in controlled crisis mode, witch I have to manage daily. Work on the house is falling behind with everything else going on. Yet, I have found a story that makes even me, stop and smell the roses, so to speak. A story that will warm the hearts of anyone who has one, but will hit most at home with the people like myself who deal with issues like competition, personality differences, and selfishness, daily. Bellow is the link:



Click me please!

A damaging loss

In loving Memory...
May 2003 - March 2008...


I am saddened to say goodbye to a loving family member. River died this afternoon, after suffering from a miss-diagnosed case of Cushing's Syndrome, that developed into cancer. Although I suspect his medical condition started long ago, it took less then three months to turn our loving, energetic, butt magnet, into a lethargic, confused, and quickly dieing dog. This seemingly sudden loss has hit this family hard. We are not the type of people that take a dog in, only to tie it up to a short leash, connected to a dog house, at the end of the yard. He had free roam of the house and was part of our daily lives. This dog was my son’s little brother. They played and slept together, so loosing him is like loosing a sibling.

I cleaned out his food dish and plan to pack it away. His bed is still upstairs and I can’t get bring myself to look at it just yet. Maybe tomorrow.

Gun control is at home

I realize this is old news, and an even older saying, but I feel I need to express it, quickly.

“Guns do not kill people. People kill people.”

“If guns were outlawed, only outlaws would have guns.”

The preceding quotes are the most accurate of my view on gun laws and gun control. Every year, at least once, some idiot decides to waltz into a public location and start shooting like he was in a Clint Eastwood western movie, ending the violent act by shooting himself. Gun control is not the answer to controlling these idiots. If there were no guns then they would find another weapon. If you recall, according to official reports, 4 commercial airplanes were brought down, using little more than knives, box cutters, skill, and training, killing nearly 3,000 people (number derived from Wikipedia).

You may or may not know that I am not in favor of any gun control above and beyond the what is current. I own many guns myself, but none are for self protection. I drill into my kid’s heads about gun safety and allow them to shoot safely in a controlled environment. My kids are well informed of the damage that a gun will cause if misused. Personally, I believe this very action will deter them from ever using a gun in such a manner. If one of my kids were to ‘snap’ when they get older, I believe I have installed in them well enough, the facts about when really happens to everyone else when people go ballistic. That’s gun control.

Technology is still growing…

The technology of the computers and electronics in general never seem to stop growing. This article proves to be another ‘up and coming’ growth spurt, and is something I plan to watch in the coming years. Let’s hope that we can fix all of our other, real world problems, so we can be here long enough to enjoy it.