Cheers, Tom

I'd like to take just a moment here to mention the passing of a man I once knew, Tom.

He worked the coffee bar at Yahoo back in 2000. We had some crazy perks there, including unlimited free coffee. And I don't mean the Folgers that's been sitting on the hot plate for six hours and tastes like an ashtray. I mean good stuff.

So Tom was always there to set me up with an Asian iced espresso, or whatever other caffeinated nightmare I was chasing. He was funny, easy to talk to, just a really good guy. I don't know the specifics of his passing, or even his last name, but he deserves to be remembered. Rest in peace, Tom.

***

Tomorrow is the orange belt test. Part of me wonders just what in the hell I've gotten myself into here, having done no real preparations for this. Technique-wise, yeah, I'm ready. I guess this is effectively catching me up on the belts I thought I was getting under the previous instructor.

But four hours of exertion... wow.

Truth be told, I'm not as far from being prepared, stamina-wise, as I let on. Since early February I've been walking about two miles a day 4-5 days a week with some ladies from the office. It's not like I've been out running 7-8 miles, but it counts. It's about 3300 steps. And I've continued Krav workouts as well. I don't feel like the MACHINE I did back when I was running, but it's not like I've been sitting around eating Pringles as my sole preparation either.

Wish me luck.

***

I've been thinking about "Michelle" by the Beatles, and you know, that song's just ripe for a goth, maybe Nick Cave or Cowboy Junkies-style re-interpretation. Some of those lyrics, when delivered just so, could be pretty spine chilling, such as:

I need you, I need you, I need you.
I need to make you see,
Oh, what you mean to me.
Until I do I’m hoping you will
Know what I mean.

I love you.

I want you, I want you, I want you.
I think you know by now
I’ll get to you somehow.
Until I do I’m telling you so
You’ll understand.

***

Defendo!

***

Let me tell you what my son is like.

Yesterday, he told me he'd found a piece of candy in his room. It was a mint, still wrapped up, just sitting there.

He told me he'd wanted it, and that he'd thought about eating it, because no one would know.

And then he told me that no, he knew he was only supposed to eat candy when his parents told him it was okay.

I should have told him right that moment to go get that piece of candy and have it as a reward for being so good. That only occurred to me later. But I sure as heck had a piece for him when I picked him up from school last night.

***

I got to play SuperDad for a while last night. I made good time getting home and realized I could prepare supper before picking up THEBOY from daycare. So I whipped up some sausage and green beans, even scarfing down some food
myself since I had Krav at 7pm.

I went ahead and changed into my workout clothes while the food cooked.

I picked up THEBOY, who told me that open house was to start at 6pm. Ah phooey, totally forgot.

I couldn't reach MOBB, so I headed out to pick up THEGIRL. It was after 6pm, and I decided we could possibly manage to pick her up, hit the open house, and still get me to Krav on time.

Ever see that scene in National Lampoon's Vacation when Chevy Chase and his family are standing at the Grand Canyon and he's eager to leave? He bobs his head up and down a few times, then ushers them away. That's how I was last night as THEBOY showed me his classroom, the gym, the library, and the music room. I hope he couldn't detect that I was in a hurry. I don't think he felt gipped.

MOBB made it home long about then, so I dropped off the kids and headed to Krav, where we had a great workout.

***

Happy Friday, ya'll.