Not All Silver Linings

It seems to me that a lot of the blogs I see always have a happy outcome. Always a "silver lining". In looking back at my few entries, I look like I'm falling into the same pattern. In my header I promised you "life", my life. Not everything, not even half, of the things in my life are hunky dory. Most have pluses and minuses. My kids are a constant source of joy, and utter frustration. Though I love school, it is very hard for me to comprehend many of the concepts we are taught. The list goes on. These things I have no trouble finding my silver lining with. Plenty of other items I deal with on a daily basis, just flat out suck. My children go to one of the worst school systems in the country. My eldest actually has texting as part of his curriculum. No kidding texting, on a phone. I live in a highly conservative part of the country. Child support payments (Which are made on time, no matter what). Again, the list goes on. Let's face it, many aspects of life blow, no sliver lining. Plenty of things piss me off. So in respect to what I have promised you, i.e. Life, not all posts will be happy-go-lucky entries. Not all will end on the bright side of life. Hopefully not even most, but at least some. It's my life. No way would I ever change it. I am who I am because of, or in spite of, it. I promised you my life, so now the kid gloves are off. Welcome to it.

Living the Dream

I always hated that reply to "How you doin'?". Of course, I've been known to say it when I was working yet another dead end job. I think it makes us feel somewhat better about our present "station" in life. That being said, I don't have a job right now. I haven't had a computer for the last ten years. No-can-afford when you have all these mouths under one roof. So When I started IT school it was a helluva shock. Too many new things. People don't realize just how much the Internet has exploded. So, I gotta' catch up. I sit in front of my computer for almost 14 hours a day now. Learning, exploring, flat out soaking in it. I study constantly. My wife is starting to hate my new "girlfriend". You'd like her. Her name is Dell.
So, in the last two days, I have added five new toolbars to FireFox, started this Blog, completed four chapters in my Beginning Linux class, listed to too many hours of Pandora.com, and looked at countless web pages. Not to mention, I'm a delicious blogger who likes to tweet his diggs, diggs his diigos, and still just doesn't see the fascination with facebook.
My wife and I know that all this will pay off in the end. So, bless her heart, she quietly deals with my sitting in front of the computer for long hours, when I know she'd like some of my time. God, I love her. She works extra hours so we can succeed together. She's a rare find these days.
This time, I guess, we really are living the dream.

My Son the Hero

I played Guitar Hero for the first time this past weekend. I learned that one, I have no rhythm, and two, video games have far surpassed my level of expertise. Insult to injury, my oldest son, Brennan, said "Don't worry Dad, it took me a while too." Thanks son......thanks a lot. He, by the way, rocks at it. He's had it for only two days. This is a time in my life not very unlike listening to my favorite song from high school on the radio, and realizing I'm tuned into the oldies station.

Here We Go

Welcome to my very first blog. As you can see I am a 38 yr. old father of five, going back to school to find a new career. 20+ years in the restaurant business was enough. I've served enough steaks, ribs, chicken, and alcohol, and I've certainly spent enough nights, weekends, and holidays away from my family. It's their time now.
I started this blog to chronicle what fatherhood, college,and life in my late 30's is like. So let's see where it takes us.