The third chapter of my children's story begins with the realization that my second son will be born sometime in the summer. Two boys, wow! Once again my head was in the clouds. Seems like the other shoe had dropped now as my wife was hoping for a girl. She was happy either way she said but I knew how I felt getting a son. This was going to be our first valley born child and the thought of not having to drive to the Bay Area was great. Only had to go down the road twenty minutes this time. No hour and a half drive, counting contractions. All the way to the hospital I am wondering if I am going to be delivering the child in the car? What if we have a flat, or get in a wreck?
Being our third child we are in control of this one. We have everything ready. Got the crib, the new family vehicle, the diapers and we are set. Pass the due date we go, one week, two, Oh oh! Time for inducement. That dreaded word again. One of if not my least favorite words in the English language. Translation equals PAIN, PAIN, and more PAIN! Controlled contractions every few minutes until the baby is born. One hour, two, three, eight, what ever it takes. Aghhhhhhhhhhh! In we go at eight in the morning, with the advantage of scheduling the epidural ahead of time. She didn't get one when my first son was born because he couldn't wait to get out. Men pay close attention now. If your wife, girlfriend, lover, or whomever you are helping through the child birth process asks for an epidural and can't get it....... Lets just say I have a one doctor or nurse rule. That being, one doctor or one nurse between you and mom to be. TRUST me on this one! Serious injury can occur!
Time passes on and we are now at five in the afternoon and the pitocin is still not kicking in. The contractions are still coming and mom to be is wearing down. Believe me when I say that anyone who can endure hour after hour of this kind of pain is no one to be messed with. Hallelujah, it's epidural time. In goes the large needle and anything below the waist is gone, pain and all. After the nurse checks my wife's vital signs she leaves the room to check in on her other patients. Now here is another one of those "Pay Attention" moments men. A couple of minutes after the epidural takes hold all is finally calm. The intense pain and long battle through the multitude of contractions is subsiding. Then an alarm from the monitor sounds. Is it the baby, my wife? I look for a doctor or nurse in the hall way as my wife is very pale and looks like she is going to pass out.
Where is everyone? I'm heading down the hall, this time yelling for someone as I see the nurse. I am in a sprint ready to pick the nurse up and run her back to the room. Panic is something you get used to during childbirth and even a veteran like myself can fall prey to it. I had not seen this one before. The doctor is doing another delivery and my wife is crashing. There is the stress of going through the contractions all day and then there is this stress. I felt helpless. My fifth child and I thought I was prepared for anything, I was wrong. In the moment the nurse started looking through a binder to see what meds to give my wife, I was in a state of complete kaos. Her blood pressure had dropped to dangerous levels for both her and the baby. I had to stand by and watch as my wife and my unborn sons life were both in jeopardy. Found a whole new respect for nurses on that day.
She looked through the binder following protocol when no doctor was available. She acted decisively and slowly my wife's color came back as her blood pressure stabilized. What in the he double hockey sticks just happened? Many people will tell you that nurses are the back bone of the medical world and I can say I agree one hundred percent. Check the symptoms, check the chart, inject the meds, check the vital signs. All done as if nothing out of the ordinary were going on. Unbelievable I tell you, absolutely unflippin unbelievable! Once all the drama had passed I found myself not wanting the nurse to leave the room. I could block the door I thought, no that won't work. Snap out of it! After a few minutes I finally took a breath and stood by my wife. I wondered if she even knew what had just happened? Why is this guy taking so long I was thinking to myself. COME OUT ALREADY! Were all here waiting for you and I can't take much more of this.
His Aunt and Uncle were out in the hall with his sister and brother. Playing, going to eat, not knowing what had just happened. I was grateful for that. I looked at the clock and it was eight fifteen p.m. Just when you start to relax a little bit, they check and we are at ten centimeters. People start coming in the room getting the bed ready, the cover clothes, gloves, the warmer. Time to push! After our second child had to be held in while everything was prepared, I had it in my head that this guy would be as easy or easier. Wrong! After some heavy pushing it was getting to be quite evident that this boy didn't want to go into the light. The fact that he was late had allowed him extra time to grow and he wasn't budging.
When the doctor and nurses started to talk about a C Section my wife pushed again and finally he started his journey into the outside world. One more push......five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Then with one last push, we all found out what was taking so long. The boy came out looking like toddler. Nine pounds eleven ounces. Mom had a look of complete relief on her face. The hard part was done. Pushing out a ten pounder after an all day marathon of contractions, there is a reason they named it LABOR. Being so big there were tests for blood sugar levels and I went with him to the Nursery. All the other newborns looked tiny next to my boy. I was filled again with the pride and joy of having another son. How could I be so blessed. He was handsome with big dimples, a great head of hair, and a beautiful smile. The day was over and what a day it was. All the emotions you could possibly fit into a day. The road was rough and we needed someone big and strong enough to plow through it. As strong as my new son D. Because D is for Dozer. (Make Way) BigBlogAlphaDog
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
How do we forget?
In our history as a country we have seen the horror of War. Two world wars, Korea, Viet Nam, to name a few, and now Iraq and Afghanistan. One thing has remained constant no matter the conflict and that is the undeniable fact that a war kills the innocent as well as the combatants. It seems quite ironic that most wars are brought on by those who would proclaim to believe in a higher power, a God, a religion supposed to be based on forgiveness, not judging others. How can this be? How could a person be willing to blow themselves up along with innocent men, women, and children, to show or prove that their way of thinking is the intended path that their "God" chose for them?
Most Americans know by now that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan can not be won. There is no way to win these types of conflicts unless you eliminate your enemy completely. As long as there are people dressed like civilians who will strap explosives to themselves, or fill their vehicle with them how can you possibly win? It was not that long ago that we found this out in Viet Nam, or that the Russians learned this in Afghanistan. Remember? One has to wonder what the purpose of these wars are? Do our leaders today think things are different? Is there a magic weapon that an change the out come? I don't think so. What is the ultimate goal that is pushing the ever increasing cost both monetarily and in human life? What could be so important? CAN SOMEBODY TELL ME?
What can be gained by years and years of war with an enemy who will never go away? I see nothing to be gained unless you have a stake in making money off of war. The Military Industrial complex. I believe it was President Dwight D. Eisenhower that warned leaders of our nation to beware of this. Greed, the all mighty dollar. Could a leader really go to war as a way to make money? Are there people out there who would sacrifice their citizens for the sake of wealth? We have reduced our troop levels in Iraq and now have approximately 65K in our other conflict. Only the Afghan military has greater numbers in Country. Some of our leaders want to send more troops into this war, say we can't win without them? I say bring them all home. If the Afghan people want to get rid of the Taliban, then let them. If they don't go after Osama Bin Laden and get him out of their country, then they don't. If we want him, then get him!
Both these latest wars were supposedly started due to the tragedy of 9/11. I have heard and read many things to the contrary. If we wanted to get certain individuals it has been said also that we could have. So why must we continue to live in this delusion of victory? Why do we need to go to another country to sacrifice our people, our economy, our world image, and in the process kill and mame thousands upon thousands of people who did nothing to us? The headlines are sounding more and more like those from the days of Viet Nam. The body counts for both sides tallied like a football score. They say the definition of Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. So why are we? Whether we pull out now or we stay another 5 years the outcome will be the same.
The people of their country will decide what is best for them. It is not for us to decide nor can we. So why stay? We are not willing to eliminate those who are extremists, so why do we continue when history has shown us that even the most powerful nations on the planet can not win this type of war? Without complete and total victory there is nothing to be gained by staying. We should not have entered into this war without looking upon history and taking a hard look at the reality of what has gone on before us. We have all seen it, we have lived it, we have tasted the bitterness and seen the ugliness of it. So how do we forget? MyRantasaurusRex
Most Americans know by now that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan can not be won. There is no way to win these types of conflicts unless you eliminate your enemy completely. As long as there are people dressed like civilians who will strap explosives to themselves, or fill their vehicle with them how can you possibly win? It was not that long ago that we found this out in Viet Nam, or that the Russians learned this in Afghanistan. Remember? One has to wonder what the purpose of these wars are? Do our leaders today think things are different? Is there a magic weapon that an change the out come? I don't think so. What is the ultimate goal that is pushing the ever increasing cost both monetarily and in human life? What could be so important? CAN SOMEBODY TELL ME?
What can be gained by years and years of war with an enemy who will never go away? I see nothing to be gained unless you have a stake in making money off of war. The Military Industrial complex. I believe it was President Dwight D. Eisenhower that warned leaders of our nation to beware of this. Greed, the all mighty dollar. Could a leader really go to war as a way to make money? Are there people out there who would sacrifice their citizens for the sake of wealth? We have reduced our troop levels in Iraq and now have approximately 65K in our other conflict. Only the Afghan military has greater numbers in Country. Some of our leaders want to send more troops into this war, say we can't win without them? I say bring them all home. If the Afghan people want to get rid of the Taliban, then let them. If they don't go after Osama Bin Laden and get him out of their country, then they don't. If we want him, then get him!
Both these latest wars were supposedly started due to the tragedy of 9/11. I have heard and read many things to the contrary. If we wanted to get certain individuals it has been said also that we could have. So why must we continue to live in this delusion of victory? Why do we need to go to another country to sacrifice our people, our economy, our world image, and in the process kill and mame thousands upon thousands of people who did nothing to us? The headlines are sounding more and more like those from the days of Viet Nam. The body counts for both sides tallied like a football score. They say the definition of Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. So why are we? Whether we pull out now or we stay another 5 years the outcome will be the same.
The people of their country will decide what is best for them. It is not for us to decide nor can we. So why stay? We are not willing to eliminate those who are extremists, so why do we continue when history has shown us that even the most powerful nations on the planet can not win this type of war? Without complete and total victory there is nothing to be gained by staying. We should not have entered into this war without looking upon history and taking a hard look at the reality of what has gone on before us. We have all seen it, we have lived it, we have tasted the bitterness and seen the ugliness of it. So how do we forget? MyRantasaurusRex
Monday, October 5, 2009
Commitment
When I decided to coach my kids there were people who would ask me how I find the time to work, coach, and do all the normal day to day things you do when you have four children. Where does the energy come from? I have always been taught that if there is something that you have passion for, and enjoy, you will make the time. At times it seems that many children these days haven't been taught the same? I teach my kids that if you sign up for something whether it is sports, a school activity, or anything else, you have made a commitment. You have agreed to see it through and do your very best at completing or competing to the very end. This year my soccer teams have found more and more reasons to miss practice and to even miss games. Last week I had only one substitute available for both games. Is this the message we want to send to our children? Not mine!
Even though this is recreation soccer, missing practice and or games gives the impression that the team is not important. I don't blame the kids so much as the parents who allow them to shirk the obligation they made when they signed up. Well they didn't get their homework done, they were at a birthday party that was so much fun that they skipped the game, going camping, going here, going there, and on and on and on. Whether they realize it or not they are letting down their team mates who rely on them. Opposing coaches pick up on the fact that you only have one sub and try to utilize that to their advantage.
The same kids then wonder why they aren't starting the following game. I don't want to be a sub one told me at practice. I don't like to be a sub. I calmly replied that if you want to start the games then you should come to the games and practices and be on time for both. The team didn't like it when you decided to stay at a party instead of coming to a game in which you were scheduled to start. This disrupts the game line up and has a ripple effect for the duration of the game. And then there is the fact that those who do show up must play most of the game without rest! That week was our first win of the season and the first game we played well as a team. Those who missed it weren't there to enjoy that feeling you get when you win and celebrate with your team mates.
To parents of kids on my team as well as those every where, choose their activities based on their ability to participate in them. If you sign them up to be there, then be there! Don't let them be the one who lets their team mates down. They will remember, I will remember. As they get older if they choose to play competitive sports, sign up for the debate team, or any other team activities, the lessons they learn today will help to ensure they are team players in the future. Choose wisely and don't let them spread themselves too thin. Teach them that the rewards will come to them when they work as a team, for the team. Teach them Commitment!
BigBlogAlphaDog
Even though this is recreation soccer, missing practice and or games gives the impression that the team is not important. I don't blame the kids so much as the parents who allow them to shirk the obligation they made when they signed up. Well they didn't get their homework done, they were at a birthday party that was so much fun that they skipped the game, going camping, going here, going there, and on and on and on. Whether they realize it or not they are letting down their team mates who rely on them. Opposing coaches pick up on the fact that you only have one sub and try to utilize that to their advantage.
The same kids then wonder why they aren't starting the following game. I don't want to be a sub one told me at practice. I don't like to be a sub. I calmly replied that if you want to start the games then you should come to the games and practices and be on time for both. The team didn't like it when you decided to stay at a party instead of coming to a game in which you were scheduled to start. This disrupts the game line up and has a ripple effect for the duration of the game. And then there is the fact that those who do show up must play most of the game without rest! That week was our first win of the season and the first game we played well as a team. Those who missed it weren't there to enjoy that feeling you get when you win and celebrate with your team mates.
To parents of kids on my team as well as those every where, choose their activities based on their ability to participate in them. If you sign them up to be there, then be there! Don't let them be the one who lets their team mates down. They will remember, I will remember. As they get older if they choose to play competitive sports, sign up for the debate team, or any other team activities, the lessons they learn today will help to ensure they are team players in the future. Choose wisely and don't let them spread themselves too thin. Teach them that the rewards will come to them when they work as a team, for the team. Teach them Commitment!
BigBlogAlphaDog
Pony Up
Wow! Have you seen the new Cowboy Stadium? Can you imagine watching from the upper levels and seeing the 40 foot tall players on one of 4 insanely large screens hanging above the field? Cost the owner and who ever else contributed a billion plus to build it so I guess that would warrant screens the size of houses. Only one problem with them so far and that is a strong legged punter can hit them on occasion! Correct me if I am out of line but when I spend over a billion on something you would think all engineering contingencies would be considered? Oh well, if we have to move it, we will just move it…… Might have to add a little to the price of a beer or parking.We don't mind right?
Parking now is a mere $75 dollars and with tickets ranging anywhere from $75 to $239 bucks for a single game ticket, that means if I take my family of 6 to a game without eating or drinking anything but water I will spend $450 just for tickets, and $75 to park, WHAT? $525 to watch a football game? And that’s without food or beverages! How in the Sam He** (I'll use a saying from the good ole boys) does Mr. billionaire think he is going to fill this 100k person stadium week in and week out at these prices? And that’s for the cheap seats! Club level seat options (psl's in most stadiums) range from $16K-$50K! Must be lots of his rich oil baron friends coming to see Americas team? I can stay at home and watch in HD for oh lets say NOTHING, and you want $650-$700 of my hard earned greenbacks to watch the 2-2 Cowboys?
If I am paying this kind of cash to watch .500 football, the Cowboy cheerleaders are going to have to split up with one half watching my children while the others give my wife and I back and neck massages and at the same time, be blending us up some Margaritas' for our consumption! Then how about a couple of them give us a ride home in the company jet? If we are dreaming, might as well dream BIG! Where does it stop? How much in today's economy are you willing to spend to see mediocre football, or anything for that matter? With the athletes getting millions to play the game I guess someone has to pay the bill right? Is it the game we go to see or has it become just a reason to see the spectacle that is the stadium? It is a beautiful stadium with no shortage of eye candy in all directions. Most people can work their entire life and not make what this stadium brings in for one game!
Seeing the faces of my children at a live baseball game was something I will never forget. I have three sons who all love to watch football and I want to take them someday to see my home team play. Our stadium is one of the oldest in the league and right now I am feeling glad about that because I can probably still get away to a game for under $300. Still a lot of money but better than $700! For those who love Americas team and love your new stadium, enjoy it if you can but be prepared to Pony Up!
Parking now is a mere $75 dollars and with tickets ranging anywhere from $75 to $239 bucks for a single game ticket, that means if I take my family of 6 to a game without eating or drinking anything but water I will spend $450 just for tickets, and $75 to park, WHAT? $525 to watch a football game? And that’s without food or beverages! How in the Sam He** (I'll use a saying from the good ole boys) does Mr. billionaire think he is going to fill this 100k person stadium week in and week out at these prices? And that’s for the cheap seats! Club level seat options (psl's in most stadiums) range from $16K-$50K! Must be lots of his rich oil baron friends coming to see Americas team? I can stay at home and watch in HD for oh lets say NOTHING, and you want $650-$700 of my hard earned greenbacks to watch the 2-2 Cowboys?
If I am paying this kind of cash to watch .500 football, the Cowboy cheerleaders are going to have to split up with one half watching my children while the others give my wife and I back and neck massages and at the same time, be blending us up some Margaritas' for our consumption! Then how about a couple of them give us a ride home in the company jet? If we are dreaming, might as well dream BIG! Where does it stop? How much in today's economy are you willing to spend to see mediocre football, or anything for that matter? With the athletes getting millions to play the game I guess someone has to pay the bill right? Is it the game we go to see or has it become just a reason to see the spectacle that is the stadium? It is a beautiful stadium with no shortage of eye candy in all directions. Most people can work their entire life and not make what this stadium brings in for one game!
Seeing the faces of my children at a live baseball game was something I will never forget. I have three sons who all love to watch football and I want to take them someday to see my home team play. Our stadium is one of the oldest in the league and right now I am feeling glad about that because I can probably still get away to a game for under $300. Still a lot of money but better than $700! For those who love Americas team and love your new stadium, enjoy it if you can but be prepared to Pony Up!
Say what you want You are still a Dee eye see kay
Politics…… Who came up with Politics? While I can see the reason for having those who would represent the will of the majority, when did it become too big? Over grown, obese with both power and corruption. In the beginning there were idealists who helped to shape this country.. Those who actually looked out for the majority and didn't steal and cheat to better their lives. This is politics today and it SUCKS! Recently one of our former politicians, (shrubs number two) decided it was time to squawk about his former regime and was angry because someone is questioning their illegal tactics and torture of prisoners, oh I mean enemy combatants! It reminds us of his arrogance and his lack of concience that were well documented under the shrubs rule.
Old number two seems to feel that because people had to make hard decisions, torturing them in the name of security was simply ok. WHAT? When did it become ok to break the laws of not only this country but of the Geneva convention? If our soldiers were being tortured would he feel the same? War is ugly, War is unforgiving, and the Wars we are involved in today were created by him and his boss. His former company wink, wink, made billions off of War, at the expense of thousands upon thousands of innocent people as well as thousands of our young men and women in the Military. For what purpose? I have yet to hear anything other than the fact that this war was based on lies, greed, and a sense of revenge felt toward Sadaam Hussein. What no argument?
While the two former 1st and 2nd in command were busy creating a gold mine of wealth for themselves and all their rich friends, the people of America felt the pain and loss of paying for and supporting those who made the ultimate sacrifice. While they were busy getting richer the ponsi scheming, gas price gouging, bad loan creating crooks were busy hitting us even harder. Deregulate everything and watch the free market at it's best, NOT!!! We will live with this nightmare as more and more hard working Americans lose their jobs, their homes, and some will even lose their families trying to cope with it all. While the Pnac gang did their very best to gain complete control of the USA, the people stood up and shouted NO! It took some time but there is no turning back now. One would ask why the former number two did not run for the lead role as most do? We should all know the answer to that. He didn't want to have to try and clean up after himself.
While I don't agree with everything the new president is doing, at least he is trying to do right by those who elected him. That is the deal when you accept the role, when you take the oath of office. The shrub and his number two would have us believe that we are safer now? How does killing and maming people in another country who had no part in 9/11 make us safer? Someone will have to explain it to me. America will remember the shrub and number two as the worst in the history of this nation. America will remember the Pnac scheme and all those who jumped ship to avoid prosecution. Someday hopefully they will pay for their crimes and remember who they are supposed to serve. We will see? One bit of advice for number two. We do not care for your opinion on current events. Most of our problems were created by you and all your pnac friends yet you act like the new guy is to blame for it all! Again you are dilusional!
I must say that of all the bad politicians I have ever seen in the news for lying, cheating, stealing, corruption, etc., etc., etc., you take the cake. Go back into the hiding spot you held for most of the eight years you were in office riding the shrubs coat tails and just put a lid on it! You had your chance and all you did was destroy, deceive, and display your willingness to do what ever it took to make yourself and your gang richer, not caring one bit about the consequences that would be passed on for generations. I hope you are happy with all that money and I hope your gang is too. Someday the truth will be known about all of your deeds and when that day comes I will tell my children the story of you and the shrub and all your crimes. America will not forget number two, so stay quiet and remember these words. This is America so you can say what you want, but you are now and always will be a dee eye see kay!
MyRantasaurusRex
Old number two seems to feel that because people had to make hard decisions, torturing them in the name of security was simply ok. WHAT? When did it become ok to break the laws of not only this country but of the Geneva convention? If our soldiers were being tortured would he feel the same? War is ugly, War is unforgiving, and the Wars we are involved in today were created by him and his boss. His former company wink, wink, made billions off of War, at the expense of thousands upon thousands of innocent people as well as thousands of our young men and women in the Military. For what purpose? I have yet to hear anything other than the fact that this war was based on lies, greed, and a sense of revenge felt toward Sadaam Hussein. What no argument?
While the two former 1st and 2nd in command were busy creating a gold mine of wealth for themselves and all their rich friends, the people of America felt the pain and loss of paying for and supporting those who made the ultimate sacrifice. While they were busy getting richer the ponsi scheming, gas price gouging, bad loan creating crooks were busy hitting us even harder. Deregulate everything and watch the free market at it's best, NOT!!! We will live with this nightmare as more and more hard working Americans lose their jobs, their homes, and some will even lose their families trying to cope with it all. While the Pnac gang did their very best to gain complete control of the USA, the people stood up and shouted NO! It took some time but there is no turning back now. One would ask why the former number two did not run for the lead role as most do? We should all know the answer to that. He didn't want to have to try and clean up after himself.
While I don't agree with everything the new president is doing, at least he is trying to do right by those who elected him. That is the deal when you accept the role, when you take the oath of office. The shrub and his number two would have us believe that we are safer now? How does killing and maming people in another country who had no part in 9/11 make us safer? Someone will have to explain it to me. America will remember the shrub and number two as the worst in the history of this nation. America will remember the Pnac scheme and all those who jumped ship to avoid prosecution. Someday hopefully they will pay for their crimes and remember who they are supposed to serve. We will see? One bit of advice for number two. We do not care for your opinion on current events. Most of our problems were created by you and all your pnac friends yet you act like the new guy is to blame for it all! Again you are dilusional!
I must say that of all the bad politicians I have ever seen in the news for lying, cheating, stealing, corruption, etc., etc., etc., you take the cake. Go back into the hiding spot you held for most of the eight years you were in office riding the shrubs coat tails and just put a lid on it! You had your chance and all you did was destroy, deceive, and display your willingness to do what ever it took to make yourself and your gang richer, not caring one bit about the consequences that would be passed on for generations. I hope you are happy with all that money and I hope your gang is too. Someday the truth will be known about all of your deeds and when that day comes I will tell my children the story of you and the shrub and all your crimes. America will not forget number two, so stay quiet and remember these words. This is America so you can say what you want, but you are now and always will be a dee eye see kay!
MyRantasaurusRex
Monday, August 31, 2009
Those four little words....I'll pass the ball……
For the third year now I will be coaching two soccer teams, U9 Boys and U12 Girls. Most of those who have coached will agree that girls are more likely to pass the ball than their male counterparts. I have had just the opposite experience with my teams and although I drill it and drill it, over and over again…… The girls have only shown minor interest in passing. So I am trying something different this year. That’s what you do right? If something is not working you try to come up with a way to make it click in their heads. To believe that you truly will run less, that it is a quicker way to move the ball, to put more pressure on the opponent and make them tired. I want them to understand that if they are passing the ball, the opponent will be chasing and watching them score.
This year we have two age groups (actually three) ten, eleven, and one who will be twelve in a week or so. She is actually in Jr. High while the rest are still in elementary school. Her parents were a little skeptical about the age difference, but it seemed like she fit right in with the team. My daughter thought she was nice and got along with her very well. I hope that her being older will turn out to mean that she will take a leadership role and help me convince the rest of the
team? Time will tell. It seems like all the girls including the ten year olds have matured mentally since last season. They all seem to pay more attention, and seem eager to learn and master the drills we ran. It was tougher because my assistant Coach wasn't there so I had them all.
We ran some relay sprints and a team formation run at the end of practice so it was a pretty mellow first practice. I told them all that when LaLa gets back they had better be prepared to run. Running is something you need to do in Soccer and I also use it to curb any unwanted activities that might disrupt the practice session. This is recreation Soccer so the goal is not to make them into Olympic champions, but rather to give them the fundamentals of the game and the benefits of the team concept. That’s where passing comes in. Being unselfish, playing for the team and not your individual stats. Being the leader in assists on a team is equally as important as being the leader in goals. Getting them to really understand this is my goal for the year.(Again) Keep your head up and your eyes on the field of play. Know where your opponent is and pass the ball before they get to you. Give the "Team" every chance to succeed.
There are some really good teams at this age level and there are some who don't do very well. Getting the youth of today off the couch and out on the field is harder and harder to do these days with all that's going on. I learn so much from them and about them as we go through the season and I enjoy taking my children to school and hearing all the "Hey Coach" calls from my team members. I coach for all these reasons and because it allows me to spend more time with my children. At times it can be frustrating because I want them to do well and feel good about the effort they are putting forth.
While I don't Coach the "Winning is Everything" philosophy, I can't bring myself to ever tell them it is good to lose. Losing is a part of the maturation process for any athlete, it makes them stronger, it separates those who are serious about something enough to fight through the pain after losing and strive to get better. I don't know anyone who has gone through life never having lost at something. It is gut wrenching to those who are passionate about their sport, who have put so much time and effort into it. I can see it in the children I coach, the tears, the frustration the doubt. These are the times when coaching is important, the lessons that you teach, the times where you have to remove yourself from feeling as bad as they do and encourage them to put it behind them and learn from it. These are challenges you face every time you step onto the field, on any court, in any arena. These are the challenges that make me want to coach, to watch them grow not only as competitors, but as children.
There are many lessons that can be learned from playing team sports, most of which can be applied to the daily life and development of our children. As a father and as a coach, I can only hope that some day, on some field, I see one of my children, or one that I have had the pleasure to Coach, doing great things, putting forth the effort, showing the skills that I helped them to learn. There are few things greater in life than the feeling that you helped to point someone in a positive direction, whether in sports or in life. The hope for my team this year is that they have fun and learn, and can win in the process. I want to see those smiles, those high fives, the joy of success written on all their faces. As for my number one request, I want to hear them tell me one thing…. And then show me on the field! Those four little words, I'll pass the ball. BigBlogAlphaDog
This year we have two age groups (actually three) ten, eleven, and one who will be twelve in a week or so. She is actually in Jr. High while the rest are still in elementary school. Her parents were a little skeptical about the age difference, but it seemed like she fit right in with the team. My daughter thought she was nice and got along with her very well. I hope that her being older will turn out to mean that she will take a leadership role and help me convince the rest of the
team? Time will tell. It seems like all the girls including the ten year olds have matured mentally since last season. They all seem to pay more attention, and seem eager to learn and master the drills we ran. It was tougher because my assistant Coach wasn't there so I had them all.
We ran some relay sprints and a team formation run at the end of practice so it was a pretty mellow first practice. I told them all that when LaLa gets back they had better be prepared to run. Running is something you need to do in Soccer and I also use it to curb any unwanted activities that might disrupt the practice session. This is recreation Soccer so the goal is not to make them into Olympic champions, but rather to give them the fundamentals of the game and the benefits of the team concept. That’s where passing comes in. Being unselfish, playing for the team and not your individual stats. Being the leader in assists on a team is equally as important as being the leader in goals. Getting them to really understand this is my goal for the year.(Again) Keep your head up and your eyes on the field of play. Know where your opponent is and pass the ball before they get to you. Give the "Team" every chance to succeed.
There are some really good teams at this age level and there are some who don't do very well. Getting the youth of today off the couch and out on the field is harder and harder to do these days with all that's going on. I learn so much from them and about them as we go through the season and I enjoy taking my children to school and hearing all the "Hey Coach" calls from my team members. I coach for all these reasons and because it allows me to spend more time with my children. At times it can be frustrating because I want them to do well and feel good about the effort they are putting forth.
While I don't Coach the "Winning is Everything" philosophy, I can't bring myself to ever tell them it is good to lose. Losing is a part of the maturation process for any athlete, it makes them stronger, it separates those who are serious about something enough to fight through the pain after losing and strive to get better. I don't know anyone who has gone through life never having lost at something. It is gut wrenching to those who are passionate about their sport, who have put so much time and effort into it. I can see it in the children I coach, the tears, the frustration the doubt. These are the times when coaching is important, the lessons that you teach, the times where you have to remove yourself from feeling as bad as they do and encourage them to put it behind them and learn from it. These are challenges you face every time you step onto the field, on any court, in any arena. These are the challenges that make me want to coach, to watch them grow not only as competitors, but as children.
There are many lessons that can be learned from playing team sports, most of which can be applied to the daily life and development of our children. As a father and as a coach, I can only hope that some day, on some field, I see one of my children, or one that I have had the pleasure to Coach, doing great things, putting forth the effort, showing the skills that I helped them to learn. There are few things greater in life than the feeling that you helped to point someone in a positive direction, whether in sports or in life. The hope for my team this year is that they have fun and learn, and can win in the process. I want to see those smiles, those high fives, the joy of success written on all their faces. As for my number one request, I want to hear them tell me one thing…. And then show me on the field! Those four little words, I'll pass the ball. BigBlogAlphaDog
Death of A Plant……What a relief??????
August 27th, 2010. The day the bomb dropped, the day when all the months of rumors, and all the speculation ended. The Plant where I have worked for the past fifteen years is closing in seven months. Ahhhhhhh! Although this is pretty bad as news goes, I can say that a weight was lifted off of me when the announcement came. No more wondering, no more media hype, no more stress added to the normal day to day life in this manufacturing environment. To say I was happy would be stretching the truth, although there are several positives that can come from this negative.
I have commuted 80 miles each way for the past 11 years on 3 different shifts. I have logged 350,000.00 miles on one vehicle, 11,000 on a second vehicle and 71,000.00 on a third. It will be close to a half a million miles when all is said and done next year. That’s approximately 6,250 trips from my house to work, or 10,937 hours sitting on my rear in the car! You can guess the first positive, right? Approximately 16,666 gallons of gas burned which isn't helping our carbon footprint or my bank account while I help those less fortunate than I, (The Oil Companies)!
Almost 11, 000 hours of time sitting, doing nothing, just trying to stay off the bumpers of lets say a million cars, and the radar guns of thousands of CHP's. That’s 458 days of driving 24 hours a day! Over a year of my life spent sitting in traffic to get me to my job! WOW! Hopefully you are seeing another positive here? We moved from the Bay Area so that my wife could stay at home and raise our children and it has definitely been worth it. Now that they are a little older and more self reliant, they can help us through this transition. We tell them not to worry, but I know they still do, if even for a few minutes. This is definitely not a positive. My wife is stressing and just like during the last media blitz, every time she starts to calm down, someone calls to make sure she is ok and here we go again.
We have met some great people who are very supportive and who show a genuine concern for our family. Many who have themselves been faced with the same dilemma. This economy is the worst I have seen in my life time and now it has reached out its ugly head and is trying to take a bite out of my world. The one thing it doesn't know is that my family won't go down easily. Not without a fight! I started this life with nothing, and have earned all that I have. No hand outs, no inheritance, no one paid my way through anything. I have worked hard to make my way in this life and no plant closure can change that. Sure there will be adjustments to our way of life, but that happens through out ones life. More time with my family, a smaller carbon footprint, no wearing out car after car, and no getting up at 0300 in the morning. Hmmmmm…. Positives.
We will get through this time and will be stronger for it. I have always believed that things in life are thrown at you to test your ability to survive them, to learn from them, and hopefully prevent them from happening again. Why this challenge is coming at this time can not be answered by me, or could I have prevented it. What I do know and can say is that how you react to the challenges set before you, defines you. It proves what you are made of. Nothing feels better than knowing that you worked hard to earn something, the sense of accomplishment, the pride you feel every time you think about it. It has been estimated that the closure of my Plant will affect 50,000.00 workers through out the state. Given the current economic situation in California, this will be disastrous.
Less revenue from payroll taxes, less money being spent by consumers, more draw on the unemployment system. Foreclosures, repossessions, the list goes on and on. Could the plant have been saved? We may never know. While there were a few politicians who expressed their interest and concern, it was too little too late. Again! Don't get me started on that subject!
For the men and women who I have gotten to know in my time at the plant, I wish you all the best. I hope you find your way through to the next phase of your lives. Keep your family close and remember those who shared a part of your life while at work..
I would personally like to thank the company for the 15 years of employment, the people I met here, the life this job afforded me. I met the love of my life here, had 4 beautiful children while working here and learned a great deal about managing and dealing with people here. I will miss many of you. To the little Devil with the pitchfork that has been sitting on my shoulder these past months, reminding me, taunting me, keeping this in every waking moment of my thought process, good riddance! That and only that is why when I heard them announce officially, I thought to myself about the Death of a Plant…...What a relief!!
BigBlogAlphaDog
I have commuted 80 miles each way for the past 11 years on 3 different shifts. I have logged 350,000.00 miles on one vehicle, 11,000 on a second vehicle and 71,000.00 on a third. It will be close to a half a million miles when all is said and done next year. That’s approximately 6,250 trips from my house to work, or 10,937 hours sitting on my rear in the car! You can guess the first positive, right? Approximately 16,666 gallons of gas burned which isn't helping our carbon footprint or my bank account while I help those less fortunate than I, (The Oil Companies)!
Almost 11, 000 hours of time sitting, doing nothing, just trying to stay off the bumpers of lets say a million cars, and the radar guns of thousands of CHP's. That’s 458 days of driving 24 hours a day! Over a year of my life spent sitting in traffic to get me to my job! WOW! Hopefully you are seeing another positive here? We moved from the Bay Area so that my wife could stay at home and raise our children and it has definitely been worth it. Now that they are a little older and more self reliant, they can help us through this transition. We tell them not to worry, but I know they still do, if even for a few minutes. This is definitely not a positive. My wife is stressing and just like during the last media blitz, every time she starts to calm down, someone calls to make sure she is ok and here we go again.
We have met some great people who are very supportive and who show a genuine concern for our family. Many who have themselves been faced with the same dilemma. This economy is the worst I have seen in my life time and now it has reached out its ugly head and is trying to take a bite out of my world. The one thing it doesn't know is that my family won't go down easily. Not without a fight! I started this life with nothing, and have earned all that I have. No hand outs, no inheritance, no one paid my way through anything. I have worked hard to make my way in this life and no plant closure can change that. Sure there will be adjustments to our way of life, but that happens through out ones life. More time with my family, a smaller carbon footprint, no wearing out car after car, and no getting up at 0300 in the morning. Hmmmmm…. Positives.
We will get through this time and will be stronger for it. I have always believed that things in life are thrown at you to test your ability to survive them, to learn from them, and hopefully prevent them from happening again. Why this challenge is coming at this time can not be answered by me, or could I have prevented it. What I do know and can say is that how you react to the challenges set before you, defines you. It proves what you are made of. Nothing feels better than knowing that you worked hard to earn something, the sense of accomplishment, the pride you feel every time you think about it. It has been estimated that the closure of my Plant will affect 50,000.00 workers through out the state. Given the current economic situation in California, this will be disastrous.
Less revenue from payroll taxes, less money being spent by consumers, more draw on the unemployment system. Foreclosures, repossessions, the list goes on and on. Could the plant have been saved? We may never know. While there were a few politicians who expressed their interest and concern, it was too little too late. Again! Don't get me started on that subject!
For the men and women who I have gotten to know in my time at the plant, I wish you all the best. I hope you find your way through to the next phase of your lives. Keep your family close and remember those who shared a part of your life while at work..
I would personally like to thank the company for the 15 years of employment, the people I met here, the life this job afforded me. I met the love of my life here, had 4 beautiful children while working here and learned a great deal about managing and dealing with people here. I will miss many of you. To the little Devil with the pitchfork that has been sitting on my shoulder these past months, reminding me, taunting me, keeping this in every waking moment of my thought process, good riddance! That and only that is why when I heard them announce officially, I thought to myself about the Death of a Plant…...What a relief!!
BigBlogAlphaDog
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)