The Elephant In The Room

Considering recent events, I've discovered that I have at least one thing in common with Tiger . . . I have lots of explaining to do.

Our similarities abruptly end there.

I've gone from 3-4 posts a week to only 3 posts in as many months. There are two reasons for that.

When I started this blog, my job had me spending at least 2-4 hours a day in my car in addition to another 2 hours of sitting by myself in physician waiting rooms. Needless to say, I had plenty time to think of pointless, rambling blog material.

Then a little over a year ago I left that job (ultimately because I was bored out of my mind!) and took over my dad's clinical research company . . . Protenium Clinical Research - Moving Research Forward!

(Shameless Plug Alert!)

There are a lot of things I love about my new gig, but one of the draw backs is that keeping a company on track drains me of time and mental capacity for online ranting, much to the Evil Empire's delight.

Then there's Facebook. Sweet, clean, easy one-sentence status updates Facebook. Let's face it - Facebook is trying to kill my blog.

Bad, Facebook, bad!

At the same time, I've reconnected with so many more friends and family in the last year via Facebook than I ever did via my blog over the last three years.

Bad, blog, bad!

And I can honestly say that in the past few months I've contemplated actually signing off and hanging a "Moved to Facebook" sign on Wade's Rantings. Though I can't say that would NEVER happen, I can say that I now have a reason to keep blogging.

Kelly and I shared a couple months ago that we're having another baby in the spring. She and I already feel the guilt of not giving our second child near as much time, thought and attention as Tate by this point in his pregnancy. I think by the time Kelly was 20 weeks along with Tate, I already had a small novel written about him on my blog.

So far, Baby Strz has all of ONE.

(Uh-oh! I think CPS just pulled up in front of my house!)

All that being said, the last thing I want is Baby Strz to spend years in therapy as an adult because I didn't blog as much about him/her than I did about Tate. I think the guilt from that alone would have me spending year in therapy in itself.

So there you have it - it may not be 3-4 posts a week but dust off that boring looking Rounders 3 template and fire up the dashboard. This kid may have to play with hand-me-down Lightning McQueen toys but at least he/she will have his/her very own blog posts!

. . . OK, now it's Tiger's turn!

Fun With Our Office Message Board

It makes more sense if you're a huge Cowboy fan!

Go Cowboys!

Things Are Gonna Get Crazy(er) Around Here!

I was sitting at my desk at home one night recently when our wireless printer suddenly began cranking out a print job - this means that Kelly is printing something from her laptop in the other room.

After a few moments Kelly yelled from the other room if the printer was working. Without even glancing up from my own computer I yelled back that it was.

A few moments after that Kelly appeared in my doorway slightly annoyed and asking me to hand her the print out. I, being slightly annoyed at the interruption and at the fact that even though she had walked all the way from the other room she could not walk the final 5 feet to the printer, quickly turned to grab her print out. And this is what I found . . .



















After shedding the guilt I had about being annoyed at my wife while she was in such a delicate condition, I found myself elated with the realization that we're going to have a baby!

(Oh, man! We're going to have another baby!)

So already here come all the same thoughts all over again! What is the baby going to look like? Which name are we going to pick? How are going to handle two kids at once? How are we going to afford two kids at once? What are the chances he will grow up to win the Super Bowl MVP while playing for the Dallas Cowboys? You know, the typical stuff!

The answers to all those questions will come soon enough. As for now, we're praising God for his miracle of life and his many blessings! I pray that he keep both Kelly and the baby comfortably in his hands - that's the best place they could be!

Meanwhile, feel free to drop by with any donations, er, suggestions on how to survive with two!

Tate-ism #18

Tate began his bedtime prayer the other night by saying:

"Dear God, thank you for washing your hands."

It's pretty obvious he's trying to pass on the positive reinforcement he has been getting lately.

I Owe Kelly BIG TIME!

I get together with Eric and Jeremy once a month for dinner and a prayer - though this month it was just me and Eric since Jeremy is literally on the other side of the world at the moment.

During said outting this past Monday I got a call from Kelly informing me that a friend from church had gotten a hold of sweet Texas Ranger tickets and had invited me to the game the very next night.

At first, I thought she was calling to taunt me because that would mean that she would have 2 evenings in a row of "guys' night out" while she stayed at home enjoying extra bonding time with Tate.

(Not that extra bonding time with our son is a bad thing - but some things are best in moderation, right?)

I wasn't quite sure what to say when she asked me what to tell Jake. These marital scenarios are best avoided at all cost! You can't seem overly eager to go because that would make you seem like you're not being considerate of her two nights at home with the squid.

But at the same time, you don't want to come across too nonchalant and miss out on the game should the door of possibility be slightly cracked open.

Kelly: "So . . . . what do you want me to tell Jake?"

(Careful! Don't blow it!)

Me: "Uh . . . . . . . . . I want you to tell Jake whatever it is you want me to tell Jake . . . . "

(Oooo, that sounded pretty good!)

Kelly: "Alright, I'll tell him you're looking forward to it!"

(YESSSSSSSS!!!!!!!)



Did I say sweet tickets, or what?!?!?!?! This is the first pitch!

But as awesome as these sweet tickets were - my sweet wife is even awesomer!

Thanks for the double guys' night out, Babe! I owe you big time!

Oh, and a big thanks to Jake for inviting me, too!

_____________________________________

PS: Please feel free to leave helpful suggestions of how I should pay Kelly back!

My New Personal Anthem!

Finally a song that sings what I feel in my heart!

Forgive Me Father, For I Have Sinned . . . More Butter Please!

I can't say that I've never lied, but lying is just not part of my makeup. In fact, in the few times in the past when I've tried to lie, I wasn't very good at it - so why bother, right?

The truth is, I didn't take any dishonest intentions with me to the concessions counter before last night's movie - all I wanted was another popcorn bag. I would have even paid a buck for it if they had asked.

When Brad (my brother-in-law) and I sat down in the theatre last night to see GI Joe, he was nice enough to offer to share his huge tub-o-popcorn with me. To avoid appearing as the ambiguously (ahem!) duo by eating from the same bag of popcorn as well as avoiding that akward moment when our hands accidentally touch as we reach for more popcorn at the same time, I decided it would be better to go back to the concessions counter to get an extra popcorn bag of my own.

Me: "Excuse me, can I get another popcorn bag?"

Teen-aged purveyor of popcorn: "What happened to your first bag?"

(He surprised me with having a tone and giving me a look of suspect - I didn't know what to say)

Me: "Uh . . . it kinda ripped."

(It just popped out. I don't know why I said it - it wasn't true. But it felt easier to say than that I just wanted another bag so I could have some of my brother-in-law's popcorn.)

Teenager: "Oh no! Did you lose all your popcorn?"

(His skepticism quickly turned to concern.)

Me: "No, not really . . . I just don't wanna . . . you know?"

(Actually I don't know - that made absolutely no sense what so ever. This is my lying curse - I'm terrible at it!)

Teenager: "Well let me get you some more!"

(He grabbed a bag and began filling it with popcorn.)

Me: "Oh, uh . . . you don't have to . . . "

Teenager: "You want butter on this?"

Me: "Uh, . . . sure!"

(At this point, the guardian angel that stands on my shoulder is smacking up side my head with his halo.)

Teenager: [With a big smile] "Here you go - don't tear this one!"

Me: [With a failed smile] "Right . . . thanks!"

Never before have I felt like such a jerk for lying - but not so much that I couldn't enjoy the popcorn!