Socks everywhere.
Errant plates and cups.
Facial tissues.
Stuffed animals.
Hair ties.
Lots of “No’s”, lots of lean-in hugs,
Lots of love.
Lots of LOVE.
Category: Happy
Tokyo 2020
Olympics,
Delayed,
Inspired,
Creative,
Ceremony,
Music,
Dance,
Color,
Competition,
Good.
GOOD.
The Way
These three showing me the way. No shit no líe, it’s been a rough last twelve or so months.
Standing up and stepping up for these three has given me more purpose and power than expected.
So grateful for them, for the foundation they create…just by being. So blessed I am to have them in my life.
They show me the way every day, they light the way, that love we have, that is the way.
Yes yes, Amen.
Soak Up The Ordinary
Again and again I thought about how important it is to appreciate and celebrate the ordinary. Most of life is spent in the “ordinary.” Nothing says we can’t delight in that very thing, like:
Being warm.
A cozy place to sleep.
Tasty food.
Good music.
Friends.
Wearing comfy clothes.
A thoughtful word.
A hug.
The coast.
Sunrise.
A good night’s sleep.
Sunset.
Being with those we love.
Alt Vacay Attitude
Week off with the kids, vacation time, stripped down, shifting mindset and schedule to them, focused on them, us.
This particular post a good example. Three in the morning, awake, listening to the sounds of the night, listening to the kids sleep.
What’s the big deal? Not so big maybe; maybe just different. In a tent in the back yard; all of us together. Had visions of a bigger adventure; scaled back to stay closer to home, for the old dogs’ sake. Still lots of fun in store. Local adventures; some news places; some old places; all good places. Focused on them, focused on us.
Spent a little chunk of change for a bigger tent and new sleeping bags, upgrades for the crew this season. All these an investment in many of these strings of adventures to come in the years ahead. Focused on them, focused on us.
A year ago marriage was failed, the beginning of the end; now, the end nearly concluded, this is what’s left; unexpected, family camaraderie, us four, me and the kids, quite unexpected, this is what’s left. Pretty special all the same; three in the morning, lying in the tent, dim light from the night creeping in, soft sounds of three little kids in slumber, not one lover, but my three little kids from a try at love, now left with this particular love, love them so, I do.
And so this alternate vacation, alt vacay, just what the doctor ordered, for us, for them. Us together, on the roads, highways and by-ways, exploring, and tent time, alt arrangements, together, most important, together.
It’s that alt vacay attitude, shining through.
Settled in Unsettled
Weird feeling, let me attempt to explain a little.
My family structure, a new chapter, still searching for settled. Family under two households, a second divorce, forward still, the kids the common denominator that we remain committed to, whatever “family” looks like anew? We’ll see.
My work life, jobs shifted, a position I accepted, then became something different. now opportunities, lots to learn, LOTS to learn, keep learning, doing, being, open, to contribute, the common goal, contribute, to move the business forward.
“All good,” I tell myself, make myself, will make, am making the best of it, both.
Settled in the unsettled.
Think of the possibilities…
Everyday…
Make it GOOD.
Lyrics Post: “Solsbury Hill”
So long ago, still magical.
“Solsbury Hill”
Climbing up on Solsbury Hill
I could see the city light
Wind was blowing, time stood still
Eagle flew out of the night
He was something to observe
Came in close, I heard a voice
Standing stretching every nerve
Had to listen had no choice
I did not believe the information
(I) just had to trust imagination
My heart going boom boom boom
“Son,” he said “Grab your things,
I’ve come to take you home.”
To keep in silence I resigned
My friends would think I was a nut
Turning water into wine
Open doors would soon be shut
So I went from day to day
Tho’ my life was in a rut
“Till I thought of what I’d say
Which connection I should cut
I was feeling part of the scenery
I walked right out of the machinery
My heart going boom boom boom
“Hey” he said “Grab your things
I’ve come to take you home.”
(Back home.)
When illusion spin her net
I’m never where I want to be
And liberty she pirouette
When I think that I am free
Watched by empty silhouettes
Who close their eyes but still can see
No one taught them etiquette
I will show another me
Today I don’t need a replacement
I’ll tell them what the smile on my face meant
My heart going boom boom boom
“Hey” I said “You can keep my things,
they’ve come to take me home.”
Lyrics by: Peter Gabriel
Two Screens By My Side
How I consume and how I create the words I most often share.
Yes indeed, I write long form and certainly complete business work tasks on a laptop – it’s the most practical and efficient way to accomplish those activities.
But then there’s everyday reading, writing, blogging, posting, sharing…and those activities, those are of a different nature, a different thing.
In those moments — like right now — I most often tap the letters to words, words the ideas — those come out through a smart phone, the most immediate channel to you, the easiest way to quickly scribble the words as they tumble out.
Consuming content, I try to shift to a bigger screen, a tablet, where more fits on the page and images are more clear.
And so the curtain pulled back, that’s how jeff goes, that’s how I roll, and let it flow out, and let it flow in.
Most important? CREATE.
And then GIVE. SHARE.
GOOD.
Reflections for Father’s Day
Reflecting on this day, worthwhile indeed, to say, thankful for this day.
Father’s Day.
On this day, funny thing, things on my mind. I think about my own dad, now gone three years. I think about what he was to me, really, so much, maybe everything, to me.
He helped me be me, the best me I could be. From the very beginning right up through so many struggles and obstacles and lessons and adventures and some victories too. He filled me with his belief and his love and his approval to be exactly who I should be, could be.
And now I’m a dad myself, times three in fact. And I want more than ever to be everything my dad was for me, be those things for my kids.
For sure they are the first priority, for sure I feel the need and the power and the ability to rise to the occasion for them. I want to empower them and guide them and fill them with belief and courage and faith to be exactly what they’re meant to be too.
They’re on the front end of their lives: we’ve thrown them quite a curve ball with a two household model now; but there’s no less the love for them, commitment to them; maybe somehow even more.
I know I feel more certainty and purpose and love than I’ve ever felt before. I will lift them up, be their rock, be the foundation on which they can stand and step out into the world; continually into the world, until my last breath this vision, this certainly is,
Is the most important thing I can do, for them, for love,
I’ve failed at love in some ways, failed marriages, love that could not be sustained somehow,
But this love, my love I feel and commit to with our kids, it transcends everything else.
Why do I share this on Father’s Day, or any day, in this blog?
Because that is the very purpose of these words, this blog, as a portal to share much of what comes through me, but not just for me, for you too. You too.
So Happy Father’s Day to my dad Howie, to his memory,
And to the many dads I know who are also my friends,
And thinking especially about another dad gone too soon, decades too soon, Happy Father’s Day Pat Welsh, in your memory too,
I hope I can be something of the dad you were to your three boys, greatness for sure in the men they’ve become,
And raising my glass and my prayers of love and thanks to all dads everywhere,
All power, and purpose, and love indeed,
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY~~
Roadtrip
Not an ordinary road trip today; quite short; about 32 hours, all told.
Friends moving to Vancouver, WA, 574 miles away. Driving their cars north; one extra car left behind.
I and another friend team driving that stray left behind.
Just this week as I’m thinking about the trip. Glad our friend agreed to make the drive, team up with me, hang with me on that long haul. I think I suggested it. He cleared it on the home front. We both cleared it at work.
And then set to roll.
I’ll state the obvious: grateful for that friendship, this sneaky connectedness I’ve felt with this friend now these 20 some years.
Friends longer, neighbors once too.
This current bond forged through life events and trials; thankful we made that extra connection two decades back.
And so we’ll motor along in that black little motor car on this rather short road trip. Looking forward to whatever convo comes among us; looking forward to the open roads; looking forward to a day’s journey, and all that it will be.
In that little black motor car left behind in our care; to transport north in our care; a little road trip to help solve a problem, one extra car; a little fun in one extra car, that little black car, zipping along the highway in that little black car.
