Keegan can pick himself up into standing position off of anything now. He's about 8.5 months old and just wants to move it move it. His personality is getting more and more pronounced. Really neat to watch. Family coming into town for his baptism at the end of the month. I'm excited to see everyone. Work sucks. It'll get somewhat better, but I'm going to start planning my exit strategy now. They're such a backwards culture there?!? Oh well. I am learning a lot at least. I replanted the front of the house with various ornamental grasses and a mixture of other colors and textures. Looks really nice. Barn is almost fixed up. I'll rebuild the top floor next month. Then it's time for the pool table
Session notes:
After a few weeks of being shitty, I played great tonight. I had taken a few sessions to practice instead of shred and that helped me feel like normal in the new Lavers. I also decided that I'm pretty much going to skip all the normal warm up drills that I do. They just tire me out for very little gain. With that, I think tonight is the first time ever that I hit a nice guiltless string of over 50 (or so) tricks. All I know is that there were several "oh man, that was my longest run ever!" types of runs, and one in particular had a whole second act after it was already jammed with like 35 tricks. So I was really happy with that. Also atomic is sorta working it's way into midruns. Niiice.
Oh, and my first Father's Day is coming up in a few days. The best thing I've ever done is be a dad, so I'm really pumped to spend it with Megan and Keegan. We got my dad this stone for his garden that says "Grandad's Garden Stone" - he'll love it because he loves gardening and loves his grandson. Megan's dad isn't with us anymore, so we'll remember him this weekend.
Keegan's baptism is this weekend. Having a big party with family coming in from Pittsburgh and Georgia and New Jersey. Fun. It's supposed to rain, so that might spoil it a bit, but oh well. We're not really religious, but it's still a nice ceremony to be a part of.
Session notes:
Played Monday with Brian, Tuesday solo, Thursday solo. Playing tonight with Brian again. Tired. Playing this much is rough. Have been swimming some laps in the YMCA pool after playing most nights. Smoking too many cigars, but oh well for now. Had a couple kids stop and play with us the other night - they were blown away by it all. Funny. Mostly working mid-run atomic right now. Working flowy/long runs. Working consistency. Having fun with links that feel "off". It's hooot out so it's tough to play long strings right now.
Well, I haven't been the good little writer that I should be lately. Job has been horrible. Learning a lot... but doing so amongst a really bad attitude/culture sort of environment. We'll see how soon I can get out. My father's mother passed away. She was married to my grand dad for 65 years. She was really out of it at the end so it was more of a blessing than anything. But it still marked the end and made me think about the whole circle of life. My boy is so young and unspoiled and full of life. And on the other end of the spectrum... I had a whirlwind two days of flying to Pittsburgh for the funeral. Upon arrival I went immediately to the viewing at 8:30 p.m. on the 4th of July. I wished best wishes to people as appropriate and my grand father told me I'm fat. Ha ha. Nice. I'm there to help him in his grief and he disses me. It is what it is. Motivation to get skinnier I guess. My sister sang beautifully the following day during the funeral. She wrote the song "Soft" and accompanied herself on the keyboard that was there. I focused on a spot on the wall to keep it together. Afterwards we had a nice lunch at my other grandmother's home and then I went back to the airport. My sis was also flying out so we had a beer before leaving. Going to the beach with Keegan and Megan and the mo-in-law this weekend. Will be nice to get away for 2 days. Piggy's coming too so hopefully I can get him some swimming time after the beach closes. Hope to kick as well. I hit quantum set sometimes now.
edit: Session notes
My play has been ehhhhhhhhh. Brian too. But Charlie, now that's another story. He's decided he wants to play a little right now. He's so unbelievably athletic. He hits things like ripped warrior > pdx whirl > blury whirl > pdx torque when I push him to do so. He's one of those whirly torquey guys like Vasek. Atomic is piece of cake for him too. If he cares about the sport for 6 months he will be (literally) among the top players. He truly has that much raw talent. This assessment coming from someone (me) that's kicked a good deal with Schneider, Kenny, Peter, Clavens, Bevier, Caleb etc. etc. etc. I mean it, he could be amazing. Sadly (ha ha) he's amazing at hockey too and mostly focuses there.
session notes:
was sick last weekend and only played once this week. I'm officially in a footbag funk. So many stressful things going on that it's nearly impossible to have fun and energy when I play. Hopefully I can break out of it soon. Having ZERO enjoyment playing right now. Funks happen.
Bob, I just discovered your blog. Great to read this stuff and cool to hear you are kicking again and enjoying family life. Congrats.
That's cool you are playing with Brian and Charlie. I will back you up that Charlie could be the next big thing if he wanted it, but that's cool if he wants to play hockey.
Look forward to reading more. Enjoy your summer.
Yo Pete, thanks for the shout out. Hope all is well with you and your wife
session notes
Played solo the other day. HOT and HUMID. Played without the coach and it really helped my energy. Note to self. Nothing spectacular, just good solid runs for a good crowd of YMCA folk. Going to play tonight hopefully, probably indoors because it's awful out again. This is the year of hot and the year of rain.
Long time no write.. My bad. No laptop right now, so I can't sit on the porch and write like I used to. My son will be 1 in a month. Wow. Hard to believe. He's walking around like crazy. He never crawls anymore. He loves the pool. He's all about the dog and loves it when I play guitar. I'm 30 now. Urgh. Still feel like 29 ha ha ha
Session notes:
Playing less is better on my body. Mixed in hoops and walking and biking recently more than just footbag. But last night I shredded my ass off. Like 50 posts ago when I was feeling great. It was like that again.
Well, this weekend's weather - courtesy of Ernesto - that will be keeping me from trying to go to Funtastik, reminded me of a footbag/storm situation that I was confronted with not too long ago. Enjoy:
Hurricane Jeanne
During warm weather months, I often practice/play footbag (a.k.a. hacky sack) behind the Philadelphia Art Museum. The nice thing about this location is that on nice days I end up practicing in a Philly exercise Mecca - that is, each day, hundreds of people use this location as a starting and ending point for running, roller blading, biking etc. Additionally, the Water Works building is behind the museum and offers a huge pavilion (which looks sort of like the Parthenon) for shelter from rain on days when weather is not cooperating.
Well, on Tuesday, September 28th 2004, the remnants of Hurricane Jeanne swept further north than anticipated and hit the Philadelphia area pretty hard. When I arrived home from work on that day however, it just seemed like a drizzly, messy day. Sure there were some big puddles here and there and some small creeks would overflow, but there was nothing to indicate any potential problems. Therefore, I headed to the Water Works pavilion with Piggy (my 85 pound black lab) at about 5:45 p.m. to practice some footbag.
My drive down Kelly drive to the museum parking lot was wet and entailed some nice wave making as I plowed my Ford Escape through some huge puddles, but overall the trip was unalarming and uneventful. When I arrived at the parking lot I found a couple dozen other crazy Philadelphians had also chosen to come, park, and exercise - it was business as usual. I parked close to the pavilion and puddle jumped my way to my exercise spot. To avoid a major shoe-soaking, I was forced a little out of my way, but I was still not alarmed because wet weather always seems to cause a little minor flooding in this county.
I set up Piggy on his 20 foot leash and began my warm up drills. Pretty soon I was in full footbag mode practicing the latest tricks that have interested me. However, it was not long until I noticed that I was having an unusually difficult time seeing the ball - it was much darker out than the hour would normally indicate. Also, while the weather was a steady drizzle when I began, the rain was now, suddenly, coming down in torrents. The rain was moving horizontally! I quickly decided that it was no longer a good idea to continue playing... I called Megan to let her know that I would be able to pick her up at the train station near our home and then I packed up my stuff to leave.
It was not long until I began to realize the severity of the situation. In my trip back to the car, what was a puddle jumping exercise 45 minutes earlier was now an extreme sport of some sort. To get back to the car I had no choice but to walk directly through rushing flood waters that came up past my knees. At times I was forced to pick up Piggy or else watch him float away. Nevertheless, I made it to the car in one piece. I immediately called Megan again to let her know the craziness I had just seen and to prepare her for my late arrival - I assumed the trip would still be doable, but it would be slow going. I then turned on the local a.m. radio station only to find out that my only route home (Kelly Drive) was being closed down by police due to flooding problems... This of course did no good for the couple hundred cars, including mine, that were already on the road!!
I had no choice but to try the road along with everyone else. At first I crawled along in the left lane with all the other cars because it was less flooded than the right lane. Still, in areas we would plow through 6-10 inches of water in this lane. Each time we would cause huge waves of water to soak the opposing traffic - it was tit for tat since that lane was also soaking us in equal measure. Eventually a couple of trucks of comparable size and strength to my own car decided to test out the right lane. Though the water was deeper in this lane, they appeared to make good progress. After watching them for a while, I followed suit and also moved into the right lane. Progress here was more frightening but also faster paced. Due to the deeper water, we were now creating tidal waves of water in certain stretches - literally, we were spraying water fifteen to twenty feet in the air as we pushed forward. Though there were some times when the progress was touch and go, I eventually made it to East Falls... I’m almost home!
But, I’m not home yet. There’s still one more major decision to be made. Near the corner of Kelly and Midvale, I have two choices. First, I can bear off to the right into deep running water and be at a stand still with all the other cars. Alternatively, I can stay straight through even deeper water where there is almost no traffic. I consider the options carefully. On one hand, being at a stand still represents a risk because my engine or my car could potentially become flooded. On the other hand, heading through deeper water could cause the same problem if I get stuck. After seeing a large pickup truck make it through the deeper water, I decide to turn on the 4x4 drive and go for it - constant motion seems the safer bet to me. I start the plunge.
At first the going is similar to what I’ve already been through. However, I soon feel that the engine is working harder and harder and can sense that the water is deeper than anticipated. I start to get a little nervous. I keep pushing onward.. What else can I do? Stopping would allow the parted waters to close back on me?! Suddenly I see my rpm’s sky rocket and feel my traction give way completely. I’m FLOATING!!!!! Pedal to the medal in hope that wheels will touch on something solid, I’m spraying water behind me like a jet ski for about 50 feet. This does me no good and I float into the curb near my passenger side. Thud. My wheels have something to grab onto now, but matters get worse... The water is so deep that it overtakes my engine and floods it. I try to restart the engine -- no response at all. Shit. This is no good.
I immediately go into disaster management mode. I call Megan: “Megan.. Don’t panic, but I need you to call the police immediately. My car is flooded at Kelly and Midvale in East Falls and will be floating down the river shortly. I have to get me and the dog out now. Bye.” I grab everything of importance in the car that’s within reach - Oregon pictures, wallet, owner’s card, cell phone. I open the door to some resistance because I have to push it through muddy rapids of flood water. A few gallons of water slosh into my car. My stomach feels sick... How did this happen? I’m going to lose my car! No matter, I have to get Piggy and myself out - I will sort out the car disaster later. I step out into the flood river and feel the strong current. It feels like an undertow from the ocean. I rush to get Piggy out - again I have to carry him or risk losing him. I scramble up the muddy embankment to the nearby gas station. I’m safe. Soaked, but safe. Really upset about losing the car, but safe.
I call Megan to update her. She has talked to the police - since I am safe, they tell her the best they can do is go fishing in the Schuylkill river the following day in hopes of finding my car. Apparently hundreds of cars around the area are floating away as well. Great. Not sure how I’m going to get home. Not sure how Megan is going to get home. Not sure about much at this point. Sigh.
At this point, I notice that a huge Ford F350 has just passed the area where I’m stuck.. This gets me thinking that perhaps there’s a low point in the water. Maybe I should try one more time? It’s been fifteen minutes and maybe the engine is not flooded anymore. But I can’t take my dog with me.. or my gear..
I find a nice young professional in a suit - he’s drenched and scared too - and ask him to hold on to Piggy and my bag of goods for a minute. I say, “Everything important to me today is either in this bag (wallet etc.) or on this leash. Please hold onto these for a minute and don’t run off.” The man is willing to help, and I trust him. Off I go again.. Back down the muddy embankment on my way to the car. As I run, slip, slide to the car, I get my keys ready so that I can be quick in my entry to the car. But in my nervous state, I fumble the keys. Like that moment of slow motion where you try to bobble the soap back into your control in the shower, I bop the keys from hand to hand. I lose the battle with gravity. I dropped the frigging keys right into the mud river?!?! I plunge my right arm in - up to my shoulder in the current - and come up empty. Without thinking my left hand immediately goes in after the keys. Up I come with a fistful of mud, leaves, sticks, and......... my keys! Oh man, what a miracle.
I work my way through the rushing water and jump into the driver’s seat. Start attempt 1: nothing. Start attempt 2: nothing. Start attempt 3: cough cough... engine starts!!!!!! I slam the car into low gear and instinctively decide that the muddy embankment is my only hope. I pull the steering wheel hard to the right and give it gas. It’s working! I’m nearly toppling over to my left because the grade is so steep - I look out my driver side window and can see the river just a foot away, gushing past. Now, instead of spraying water my spinning wheels are shooting mud out in a high arch behind me. Two road signs will shortly block my forward progress. At the last minute, I veer left back into the river and just miss the road signs. My momentum is enough to carry me through. Just before my engine floods again, I’m in the clear. I’ve made it to the intersection where the water levels are not high enough to be a concern.
Rather than risk shutting the engine down, I park the car and run back to the gas station. The car is sputtering a little and the exhaust is a thick smoke at the moment. The young professional has been true to his word - he’s there waiting for me with Piggy and my bag. I thank him profusely and run back to the car, dog and bag in tow. I call Megan to let her know I’m on the way. She lets me know that the station she’s at is nearly under water.. She tells me to be careful.
It’s slow going to make my way to the train station, but nothing compared to what I’ve seen already. Eventually I reach the hairpin right turn by the Wissahickon station. As I negotiate the turn it becomes immediately obvious that this little area by T-Hogan’s bar is not able to handle such large amounts of rain. The road is suddenly perforated as water forces itself through the pavement making tiny holes every few feet. The manholes are spouting water up to my head height. I can see Megan but can’t get to her. Communicating on cell phones, we decide that I’ll have to go around to the other side of the station.. I navigate my way through the back streets - I cross over Sumac and circle back around on Rochelle. Megan rolls her nice work dress pants up to her knees (she looks pretty cute at this point in the pouring rain, but that’s another story), and walks through the 12 inch deep water to the car. She gets in. What a relief. We’re safe.
We finish the drive home. Thankfully we live at the top of a huge hill and our street is wet but not flooding. I park on a steep angle facing the car downhill so that the 10 gallons of flood water on the floor will flow to the same spot. After a “settle down” period and some food delivery from All Star’s (why on earth are they out delivering??) I cover the floor with old towels in an attempt to soak up as much water as possible.
Though I will have to sit on plastic bags to stay dry in the car for a few days, and will have to have my car re-inspected and detailed/shampooed, I got off lucky. No harm no foul.
Well, I didn't make it to Funtastik, and I'm playing only once per week these days. I find when I play more, I just am tired when I play. I prefer to play hoops or build something in my workshop on the off days. The good news is that this schedule allows me to play really well when I do play. I'm stronger and faster when well rested.
My yard is all torn up. Lucky me, there's a spring that runs under my yard. Barely under. Make the whole fenced in area that I worked so hard on a swamp basically. So, I hired a contractor to put in a gravel bed and pipe system. Seems to be helping. The finish work and sod will be done this week >> the following week is Keegan's 1st birthday. Time truly flies and I'm a little depressed about his baby-ness disappearing so fast. But he's healthy and that's what's important.
The company I just left 7 months ago (Penn Mutual, PML) has me coming back for an interview for an AVP position on 09/26. The interview will last 5 hours while I meet with the CMO, and several Sr. VP's. I think I must have a chance if the interview is that serious. As a fall back position, I think they might offer me a director's position which would still be a big step up from where I was with them before. Either way, I want to go back there >> obviously being a VP would be cool for my ego and bank account, but I'd be better off either way. My current place is pretty rough and I want to leave. Bad. Need to get out of there.
Hi bob,
I have met you before, It has been a while since we have seen each other / talked. My name is tom. I live in Philadelphia right now and go to Temple University. I haven't really had anyone to play with lately, but I have still been playing a couple times a week. I was wondering if you still played, and possibly if you wouldn't mind someone to play with. My number is 215 356 7085. If I do not pick up leave me a message I will get back to you. Hope this works out, its always better to play with some one else.
Session notes:
Crazy stressed about a zillion things right now so energy was a bit low last night. Didn't get the AVP position. Bummer. Yard drainage is almost finished but still on my mind. You get the idea.
Anyhow, positives... I was ducking my strong pixie set last night so that's cool. Strong quantum set was clean. Could only get butterfly out of it, but I'll take it. Mid run atomic mirages.
Need tips.. I used to be able to hit gyro DLO. Finally started trying it again last night. Had a devil of a time with it. Only hit it once out of 20-30 tries. Footed it a few other times. To me it feels like: Leave the set behind you so you don't have to travel as far.. leave it low so you don't have to jump as high.. get your head around FAST. Do I understand it? Maybe it just needs more reps.
Well, I haven't played much lately, and I don't think that will be changing for awhile. My playing partner (Brian) is unable (unwilling?) to consistently play anymore, and I'm just not in the game to "practice" at this point. I just want to shred, and playing solo isn't worth it. Basically, I've been playing 20 minutes a week to warm up for playing basketball. My heel finally doesn't hurt too badly so hoops is just more fun. No interest in travelling to find other players. Is this how it usually "ends"?
(PS - When I ask Keegan "where's your ____" [fill blank with nose, ear, hair, belly button etc.] he points to the right place and laughs)
Man I hope not. But if you gotta move on from footbag, basketball is definitely a good sport. Before you officially decide its over, I'd go to one more big tourney and see if that rekindles the love. Sometimes, a little time off is necessary.
Used footbag as a way to warm up for hoops two weeks ago. Didn't enjoy it at all really. Haven't seen or talked to Brian in over a month. Didn't bring footbag shoes with me to the gym this week. We'll give it a break until spring time and see how it feels then.
If you aren't feeling like playing footbag, i say don't force it. Play when the urge comes back to you. At least you have hoops to keep you happy and moving. What position do you play? Do you play on an IM team, or just pick up?
Hey Ken,
Sorry for the delay. Hoops.. I was an all-star MVP point guard back in my high school days.. At 6'2" I was considered a tall point guard in my league, but was just average/small when I tried out for D3 team in college (made team, quit partway into season to have fun instead). Could even do a couple nice dunks.
Years away from the game to play hacky sack make me more of a 2 guard or small forward at this point - I'm still a better ball handler than most, but not like I was. Dunking ain't happening anymore either, but I can still get a nice handful of rim.
I play pickup at the local YMCA. It's ridiculously competitive too >> On a good night, 8 of 10 players on the court were *serious* high school players at one point (like myself) and 5 of 10 played division 2 or 3. 1 in 10 played D1. It's nuts. I've never seen a pickup group with as many good players. Plus, abot 60 players show up each week. It's great.
We should hoop it up sometime.. I'll go lefty inside 10 feet to compensate for size difference
Yo.. Been kicking on Tuesdays with Brian. Haven't cared really, but it's better than jogging. Afterwards, I play pickup hoops. That's good times. Man I'm slower at 30 than I was at 20.
Working on getting the home addition. Financing the damn thing is a pain in the ass. But I think we have it figured out. House will be MUCH improved when it's done.
I can't remember if I told you yet.. We've got another little one on the way! Due in July We're very excited.
We're very excited.