Rebecca's blog today has a guest (not ghost) writer in her chair. The husband has taken over. Please don't worry, she is safe and unharmed. I have not turned our pet chimpanzee loose on her face, or handcuffed her to the stair rail and commandeered her blog spot! I've actually been invited to sit in for a day. Having patiently read all of her entries over the past two months without a chance for rebuttal, I'm foaming at the mouth, chomping at the bit, ready to hit the ground running.....and I can't think of a darn thing to write about. If I were a writer, which I'm not, this would be called writer's block. Do you suppose that's how Seinfeld got its start? A bunch of writers, sitting around a table with writer's block, can't think of anything to write about, so they write an unbelievably successful show about nothing?
Actually, I think Rebecca's fear is that I will spout profusely about everything. Having been married for very close to 20 years, we've obviously been through just about everything a married couple could ever expect to encounter and we still manage to maintain a sense of humor and some affection for each other. Even so, when it's time to go out to play nice with others, I seem to still get.......instructions. "Don't do this, don't talk about that, don't say anything about that thing we discussed, don't ask so and so about their current job, car, clothing, kids, or in-laws, don't make fun of anyone, and don't tell anyone anything about us (even though it's okay for her to tell everyone everything on her blog)! I swear to God, I could write the manual on how to be a husband, based on how well I've been coached over the years. It's a good thing she's not here to read this over my shoulder.
She did give me a good suggestion to spout off on. My parents! The picture of the day shows two benches. The one in the foreground was given to me by my Mother. It was on the back patio of the home I grew up in (forever) and my Dad lovingly took it apart and refinished it every year (we painted it to avoid that mess). The one in the background was a gift from our closest friends, bought in honor of my Dad, after his funeral. We call them the Papa and the Nana benches.
Now....they are no longer around to defend themselves so are they....fair game? Hardly. It seems funny to me (now that I'm a parent) how much you take your parents for granted. Having been taken for granted a lot lately, I am living proof! Having said that, it reminds me -- "you don't know what you've got till it's gone". My Mother passed away in 1999, nine months short of the big celebration on January 1, 2000. She was big on milestones and would have enjoyed that to no end. My Dad passed away in 2006, just after the Tigers won the pennant and before they totally bombed in the World Series. He was really loving that, at the time. As more and more time passes, I feel much less sadness and now every time I think of them (which is at least every day) I smile. Sometimes it's because, out of the blue, I remember something one of them said or did. Sometimes it's because I catch myself asking them a question, or for advice on how to deal with a situation.
I used to be able to pick up the phone and ask how long you have to boil an egg, or what kind of finish is on my hardwood floor and what should I use to fix the scratches? Now I have to get on the internet. What a hassle. The thing I miss the most though is unconditional love. I hope you are all fortunate enough to know exactly what I'm talking about. It can really only come from your parents. Having recently been "displaced" as a worker, I've definitely gotten a lot of support and felt the love of a lot of family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, my customers and even my competitors. It's all well and good but when you are feeling lower than a well digger's ass, you really miss having your Mom and Dad tell you not to worry because "nothing's going to be all right anyway". That was my Mom's favorite saying in times of great distress and over the years, it seemed to fix everything. There are times when I feel a hole where that used to be. It doesn't come often, but it's the main thing about not having parents that still affects me. I guess I'm a sensitive guy.
OK, I'm over it! I started a new job yesterday. It was exhausting, I had to take today off! I'm out of work shape. It's currently a contract position that can/should turn into a full time career within eight weeks. I still have two formal offers pending from other companies that have submitted requisitions to hire me and are going through unbelievable executive scrutiny based on the somewhat sour global economy. Obviously these executives don't know me. Anyway, I got today off because I have a new customer coming in from San Francisco and I have to pick him up at the airport at 8:30 tonight and take him to dinner then dump him at his hotel. Tomorrow I will drive him to a meeting in Fostoria, Ohio, then Friday, back to the grind in the office.....Whew.
As you can tell, this is likely my last day at home with my lovely wife. After many in a row, she needs a break from me. Honestly, I've enjoyed it immensely. I've gotten to take part in her coffee club, participate in school things with the kids, go grocery shopping during the day with her, watch morning and daytime TV and consult on her blog. Now I'm back to the real world. I'm going to miss her a lot!
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