Days of Old

Today was my last day at work. Kind of sad really because it was the first job that I got after receiving my degree but really I always knew I was destined for better. Lots of really good things happened there including friends made and lessons learned.

So now off to new and better opportunities as a training and development specialist....Wow that even sounds cool.

Now my question is do I go and work out before work at 6am or do I wait until 5:30 pm to do it....Decisions decisions.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate....

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond imagination. It is our light more than our darkness which scares us. We ask ourselves – who are we to be brilliant, beautiful, talented, and fabulous. But honestly, who are you to not be so? "Marianne Williamson"

My Dad wrote about my football team and how we are 0-3 and in most aspects he is correct. Other than a few facts that he incorrectly touched on the thought process was correct.

What I would like to add to this discussion is that as coaches winning is fantasic, fun and can energize everyone involved. But now that we have our backs against the wall we all have to realize that what we teach our kids from this point on may be more important than if we were undefeated. Working hard while winning is easy, working hard while your back is against the wall shows true character. We will teach our kids character at the very least, it will be a mirror image of their coaches.

So honestly, who are we not to be so.

Life Change

I told you a couple of days ago that I had news, well here is the offical blogging announcement.

I found a new job. Yep a new job that fit everything that I could possibly want. I get to stay in the training field which I love, I got more money (woo hoo), we don't have to move because I hate moving and room for lots of advancement. The new company is Dowco located out of Manitowoc. I am so very much happy, this is the job that I hoped to get when I went back to school...Now I finally nailed it.

Keep in tune for when I start to hate my new employer because it is bound to happen sooner or later.....But not for a while yet.

P.S. Dear Blogspot:

Thank you so much for having me and my site for over two years now but how can a blogging website not have the word blog in its spellcheck...note to self

9 Years and Counting

Nine years ago, on this day Jen said "fine I'll marry you" with a heavy sigh.

Not really, I think she was actually excited about it, even though while walking down the isle she never even looked at me....So much for eye contact.

After 9 years where we have gone through so much we still say every night..

"this is my favorite time of day"
"This is my favorite place to be"
"with my favorite person"

I have to think that those simple words may be the key to our happiness in our marriage.

Happy Anniversary my love, because your still my favorite.

Season on the Brink

The Sheboygan Badgers are 0-2, yep this once promising team that should have gone undefeated is struggling with finishing off a drive. Yeah we have huge drives of 15 plays, 12 plays, 14 plays but only show one touchdown for it. We lost to two teams that we should have never lost too, so back to the drawing board.

After thinking about our troubles it comes down to one thing, our kids don't know how to go full speed and at this age full speed wins games no matter how talented you are. This is kind of like life really, maybe the best analogy would be learning to ride a bike. I know this very well since Tommy just learned. It was funny because he rode the bike well until he stopped peddling the bike, then he would fall. "keep peddling" I would say. But isn't this the same in life, I mean doesn't it seem that even as grown ups that when we stop peddling is when we fall? So if we can teach those kids anything it is never to stop peddling because that is when you are going to fall.

Oh and by the way I have news coming in the next couple of days, very happy news!

I Can Be a Jerk!

Dominic is at the age now where he will go through mood swings. I know that they will only get worse but I noticed that they become more pronounced when I don't pay him enough attention.

We have been at each other the last couple of days, he cops an attitude and I fire back, determined to put him in his place...It wasn't working. Between me thinking about my job interviews this week, football and the water that came pouring in our back hallway from the rain I didn't even realize that I was ignoring him. Then to top it off I promised to play a video game with him last night, which meant I had to buy a new controller, I left to do just that but got sidetracked at football and didn't buy one. He reverted back to being difficult and it wasn't until this morning did I realize how much of a jerk I am. This is like the fishing he didn't go to, man I suck sometimes.

So today I went to the store and bought a controller, but not just any controller one that lit up when plugged in...Yeah cool. I even apologized, just so he knows that even dads make mistakes sometimes.

So on to more fun stuff, this would be about Tommy. He had show and tell today at school and of course he brought his stuffed elephant "peanuts". So Jen asks him "Tommy what letter does elephant start with" and Tommy replies "L", Jen snickers and says "no, it would be an E Tommy", to which Tommy replies "no mom then it would be an E-lee-phant".......I looked at her and said "well he has a point".

Hard Fought Battle

The Sheboygan Youth Football season was kicked off yesterday with our team the Badgers taking on the Vipers.

The first half really was the vipers half, they ran a sweep to the outside on one play and went 65 yards to the 5 yard line then punched it in on the next play. Since there are no field goals everyone has to go for two, we stopped them, revel in the small victory's

That was it for highlights, we ran ran ran only to fumble twice stopping promising drives.

Second half was much more exciting with us kicking off and stopping them on 4th down. After taking over the ball we went 48 yards on 12 plays for a TD but failing on the conversion. It was now 6-6 and we were dominating the line of scrimmage, blowing people off the ball, not making turn overs and in a rhythm....Here we go!

on the ensuing kickoff we kicked it off over the head of the return man down to the 5 yard line....I knew we were in trouble because the kids get to excited and don't contain or back up....The Viper player broke two tackles and went 95 yards for a TD...It demoralized us.

Our kids instead of getting down of themselves did two things that truly showed what we have on this team and their character. First they stopped the extra point after the touchdown, received the ball and did something that I know our head coach Parry thought would not happen. We took that ball marched 81 yards, with no turn overs, held the ball for over 15 minutes, pounded and gutted the Vipers D-fense, man handled them, only to come up 3 yards short of a TD as time ran out...I was so proud of our kids because they responded...They didn't deserve to lose.

So that was the day, I slept well knowing that we truly have a gutty, smart and grinding team. Next game is Thursday night against the Steelers...Our kids might just put a beating down that could get ugly....I love football.

Just my thoughts

I was at work yesterday and one of our employee's came up and gave me the paper. The headline was "23 year old man in critical condition after crash". His name was Nathan Schneekloth. He was one of my employee's last year when I was one first shift, he left us to head off for a full time job at another company, much better opportunity.

Well this morning I read he died. I know he left behind a wife and 5-year old son. I know that my posts either are about funny or sarcastic subjects but I remember Nate very well. The reason being is that he always had smile on his face and maybe one of the nicest young men you will ever meet.

I used to make fun of his last name because no one could pronounce it , it was "sh-nack-loff", so that is what I called him.

I remember him talking about all the rock bands he liked and that he was a bass player for a local one.

We used to talk about our kids, Tommy being 5 it was an easy connection.

I am not sure his wife of son will ever read this but if they do I want to make sure, maybe to his son Tyler more than anyone, that your dad was a good man, maybe better than most that I have come across.

The Hype Was Much More Than Substance

We are all subject to life's lessons. For those that didn't read or forgot about Pooping Cows for lessons in life the other happened the other day.

Sheboygan for the last couple of years has been developing the "Blue Harbor" resort area. This area was built upon the old Reiss Coal peninsula of Sheboygan, which is right on the Sheboygan river and lake Michigan. Condo's and recreation areas have been build around it. Also little shops have been built right on the river also, one being "Popcorn Planet". The hype was that you could go and get any kind of popcorn you wanted. Regular buttered popcorn, cheese, chocolate, red, yellow, green popcorn. You name it , it has it....At least that is what the "hype" said. Cool, finally something that adds value and Sheboygan residents can take pride and have some fun going to.

That is until you walk into the store....Well not really a store but rather the size of a walk in closet. And the prices were ungodly expensive....We couldn't believe it....Mind boggling really. That is until Jen pointed out that this wasn't a store for the Sheboygan residents but rather for all the tourist that stay at the hotel.

The best though was when we walked into the store, with kids in tow all excited about popcorn planet. As we walked in there was a slight pause with everyone going quite, jen and I looking at each other in disbelief until Dominic piped up with "this place sucks!!!"

How could you not love that kind of honesty

mmmmm......Football

I love football. I love to play football, watch football, play fantasy football, coach football, throw the football to the boys.....Yeah I think you get the point.

So here is the football schedule this season.

Packers: Won't go to any games but will watch every painful moment.

Wisconsin Badgers: Will go to a few games but won't miss a game on TV, I can only hope they are on track for some good football.

Sheboygan North and South: lets hope one of the two teams can put some excitement into Sheboygan football.

wolverine's: Yep Dominic started football, flag football yeah but football none the less. He had the most fun at his first practice that he waited up for me after going to bed to tell me all about it.

Last but not least...

Sheboygan Badgers: Yep this is the team that I help coach and without being biased they are looking really good...But they always do before the first game. They are loud, they grunt, they are aggressive. Smarts we have to teach...Especially smarts while tired. We need to make sure the boys can think while tired, they are getting better. We have a full back that can run over anyone and is a middle linebacker.

The best is teaching the boys what they can do while hurt. I get kids that come up with stepped on fingers or a small cut...Know what I tell them....Take the blood and wipe it on your pants, makes you look tougher!!!!

Anyway, I love this time of year. Will try to get regular updates as the season goes on..So far we are undefeated at 0-0....It can only get worse.