The Dancing Grappler

I wish I had never closed my eyes! "I wish I had never closed my eyes!" Those were the words my 6 y/o son was able to get out between sobs one day following a misadventure about a year ago. This has recently been on my mind because of a conversation I had w/ friends regarding how, why, and where people make wrong turns in their lives. Turns that lead them to no-where, a place filled w/ little hope and little opportunity. Turns, that as a father, I hope my sons never make, and if so, can turn back before something unpleasant occurs. My son's misadventure? I had taken him and his younger brother, along w/ their cousin, to the local aquarium for the day. We did the tour and as we were walking away from the building, the boys played along the short brick walls as we walked to the car. I was holding the little one just up ahead of my oldest son and my nephew. I soon heard the crying, so I turned around and saw big brother laying on the concrete, mouth opened and blood running down his chin. Btw, it had just begun to rain. I quickly picked him up and checked him out. Thankfully, no broken teeth, just a bloody lip. When I asked him what happened, all he could mutter was, "I wish I had never closed my eyes!" I knew of course what he meant. He was walking on the short brick wall and was trying to shuffle his feet along w/ his eyes closed. I probably would have done the same when I was five. But, it was the deep regret and sorrow he felt that pulled at my heart. "I wish I had never closed my eyes!" In other words, "I wish I could take it all back." Well, he survived. And, he and I talk about it once in a while. Usually when a teachable moment arises. I just hope and pray neither of my boys make such a decision one day that is just as irreversible but far more damaging, to themselves or others. A small prayer for all of us, to avoid pitfalls in our lives. Posted on July 6, 2004 at 9:27 pm Fatherhood, Gaming, and Sons I've always been one to pooh-pooh the contemporary intelligentsia for their warnings of the perils of computer/console gaming for young people (kids). Well, there are games that I do not and will not allow my sons to play for obvious reasons, such as inappropriate violence. Oversight being the key here. I don't mind the clashes of good v. evil, as long as good prevails. Its the message that is important here. My oldest son, soon to be six, plays SWGB: CC, and several GC games (Super Smash Brothers Melee, Godzilla, MLS soccer, MVP Baseball 2004, Mario Party 4, etc.). We (wife and I) allow him to play two 30 minute sessions each day. However, he must read a book (Kindergarten level, 20 or so pages) to play the second session. I worry that he might resent reading, but he seems into it, seems to like the requirement. But, I do worry about things like ADD that many "experts" spout in regards to tv and gaming. Now, I'm a school teacher and have had several "ADD/ADHD" students in my classes, 99% are wonderful and bright kids. Now, on the other hand, if this is true, the part about tv and gaming equating ADD, then how the hell did I get that way? If anyone fits the mode for ADD, then its me. I certainly had no gaming growing up. There was tv, but my parents had to come find me in the woods or several streets over from our home. I'm not so sure about the validity of every kid labeled ADD/ADHD. I think they're just young, energetic people who need the energetic learning opportunities. At least that is how I try to approach them. I've read plenty on this to feel that at some level, its a cop-out by administrators and teachers. Well, I've rambled plenty here. I've got to go mow the lawn. Posted on June 8, 2004 at 8:42 am Home From The Beach. Vacation is over. Remember those small jobs that are put off until summer? Well, its summer and now I've got to start knocking them out. Let's see: sand and paint a bedroom door, paint side room to be wife's "office," dredge drainage ditch where sediment has begun backing it up and reinforce, repair weedeater (draw cord broke), paint baseboards and door jams, measure, cut, paint, and put up crown molding, and replace sprung electrical outlets (the kind where the plug hangs loosely in - not good w/ a 3 y/o running around). We're starting our second year in this home, so what upgrades & repairs that didn't get done last summer are on the docket for this summer. To throw some salt in the wound, my nephew house-sat for us last week. He was to mow the lawn, but did not, so now I've got a jungle outside waiting for me. Argh! While I'm here, let me vent on an incident that occurred yesterday. We planned an outing to a local park w/ the boys. So, during the "getting ready to leave" phase, I pop into the computer room to check my email. The wifer comes in and gives one of those over dramatized sighs, saying, "Are you on that again." I am slightly annoyed by this. But, then I finish and go out to leave and she's putting away dishes. You guessed it, I then provide a mocking over dramatized sigh.... . Well, the kids had a good time. ;-) Thanks for "listening." Posted on June 8, 2004 at 8:20 am At The Beach I just spent the day swimming in the Atlantic Ocean w/ my 5 y/o son while my wife was on the beach w/ our 2 y/o son. It was a blast. We ate dinner at a shell house. You know the kind. The kind where you toss the shells and stuff through a hole in the table. I had a frozen magarita and a Red Stripe to wash it all down. We're staying by my sisters, so we hit the community pool around 8 pm. I gravitated over toward the hot tub. Very nice. Five more days to go. I hope I survive. ;) So far, the only down side has been typing on this Dell laptop and using AOL dial-up. If I had a gun... I do have a couple games w/ me. Civ3 Conquests and EU2, on my Toshiba laptop. Hey, its school issue, so don't stare at me that way. Tomorrow, its to the pool, beach, then to a low country boil w/ friends. Oh, and probably another frozen magarita. ;) Posted on May 29, 2004 at 7:16 pm School's Out for Summer! Its over! There is nothing like the feeling when summer vacation begins. Woo-hoo! On tap, a week at the beach, summer camp work, then about a month of R&R w/ the family before.... Well, we're not going to think about that right now. Posted on May 25, 2004 at 10:57 am Browse Archives: 24 Entries - 1 2 3 4 5 -

Games Playing: Civ5: BNW TWD: 400 Days XCOM Crusader Kings 2   Reviews: • Crusader Kings 10/20/2005     • Hearts of Iron (HOI) 3/31/2005     • Europa Universalis II (EU2) 5/22/2004       System Details: OS: 10.9 Processor: Intel CPU Speed: 3.0 Ghz + Memory: 8 GB Video: NVIDIA GeForce7 Series Display: Apple CRT HD Space: 250 GB + CD: SuperDrive DVD: SuperDrive   IMG Participation: User Reviews: 8 Polls Voted: 26   Blog Stats: Entries: 24 Reviews: 3 Comments: 309 Visits: 77509