Life. It's Not All About You.

It's been a crazy week. I've been putting in 12-14 hour days making sure the inventory that was scheduled on Friday and Saturday went without a hitch. This was another opportunity for me to put another tick in a box for yet another process I have improved since coming to Warminster 15 months ago. That's why they asked me to come here, and that's why I came. I'm chasing those bigger jobs with bigger pay so I can have bigger toys and the bigger influence and responsibility.

Heather was sick all week. She was sick enough to go to the doctor on Friday and get 3 different meds. Sorry, Heather. I know you're sick, I told her. But they put me in charge of this inventory so I have to see it through. I'll be home as soon as I can. As soon as I can always meant when the kids were already sleeping. Even though she was sick, she took care of the kids while I put in the long hours.

On Thursday, the day before inventory, Jenna had an assembly at school. Part of the assembly was to recognize the student of the quarters. Jenna was one of them. I didn't go. There were too many batch cards to be closed, scales set up and other important things that needed to get done before freezing the books of all transactions. Somebody needed to be there to make sure it all happened, and that somebody was me.

Life. It's not all about you. The person who has been trying to teach me that is my old man. He never got wrapped up in himself. He worked, and he worked hard. He never complained. It was what it was. He still found time to go to all my baseball games, and helped coach a few years. He even spent some time on the baseball board. He went to college at night, and taught Fire Science courses for a community college. And he still made my games.

He's been a volunteer firefighter since....forever. He's given thousands of hours of his personal time helping others and the community. It doesn't matter if it's 1 am or 1 in the afternoon, he goes to all of the calls. It's not about him. It's not about having a flashing blue light in his car. It's not about firefighter decals plastered everywhere. It's about helping others. He identified a serious gap in training way back when, and he went above and beyond to fill that gap. As one chief in a neighboring community told me a few years ago, Mike Pruski has done more than any other person regarding the professional development of all the surrounding community fire departments. This chief serves 30 minutes away and 3 towns over from where my old man does. The sphere of influence is larger than that, and he did it all while thinking of others, not himself. He was trying to teach me a lesson.


My old man turned 60 today.


I forgot.


No present. Not even a card.


I was too wrapped up in my own little world worrying about an inventory that in the grand scheme of things was insignificant.

I remember looking at a black and white picture of my old man in the Air Force in Thailand. For a few moments, my brain was trying to register how I was in a picture taken during Vietnam while in Thailand. I looked just like him then. Heather and even my mom like to tell me how much I'm like my dad. My mannerisms, the way I smile, the way I act and even the way I look.

Nothing could be father from the truth.

The inventory went without a hitch. What used to take 1.5 to 2 days was completed in under 1. Instead of feeling good about my accomplishment, I sit here ashamed. I should have gone to Jenna's assembly to show my support for my daughter who was student of the quarter. I should have gone home and taken care of my sick wife.

I should have gone home to be with my dad on his 60th birthday.

Daytona 500

Damn.

Conversations with Ainsley

It's been just Ainsley and I for the most part this weekend. She's been a ton of fun. Here's just a snippet of some of our conversations.

While in my car heading to the grocery store:

A: It smells. It smells like Zippy's poop.

J: Did you step in some of it?

A: No. It's you car.

J: My car? What do you mean?

A: Your car smells. Really bad. Very badly.

J: It does?

A: You need to clean it.

J: *sniff* *sniff*

She later picked me out a strawberry air freshener for my car.

While getting her out of the car after returning from the grocery store:

A: (with the utmost sincerity) Dad. Will you call me your highness?

J: Yes, dear.

A: No! Your highness.

J: Yes, your highness.

While watching Orangutan Island on Animal Planet:

A: I see his butt. Dad. Look at his butt.

J: *snicker*

At Blockbuster picking out a movie:

J: How about this one?

A: Seen it.

J: This one?

A: We have that one, you silly goose.

J: We don't have this one? Want to get it?

A: I've seen it, you knuckle head.

Early this morning as were we sleeping:

Weazel: Meow. Meow.

A: Shhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Weazel: Meow. Meow.

A: Weazel!! Go to sleep!! It's not time to get up yet!

Weazel: Meow. Meow.

J: *throws pillow at Weazel*

A: I told you to go to sleep, Weazel.

Friday Night Fun

It was another rough week at work, so what better way to unwind than cooking a good meal while partaking in good drinks.

Won't my mom be proud of this one.