Maybe The Holidays Will Give Us Some Free Time....

Life has been incredibly busy, good, but busy.  Adrienne finally got her new office open and I am in the throes of a career change.  Fortunately for all of those on Larkbunting Drive, things seem to be lightening up a bit.  Frankly, as much as I love writing on this platform, time always seems to get in the way.  Imagine a writer saying that time, not material, is the issue.  Writing tends to involve an idealist, a desk and a blank stare for hours on end.  I have ideas but lack the hours.  It’s a lovely curse.

Anyway, things are lightening up.  Soccer has wound to a close and it was truly a fun season.  I have watched my eldest budding into a soccer star, Avery, go from daisy picker to soccer stand out in just a couple of years.  Macy, my middle kid, made a more competitive team and spent her year trying to get a foot hold on increased expectations.  She has gone from being able to “out physical” other kids to having to use her grey matter during the game.  So far, it’s been a bit of a conundrum for her.  Darby, my youngest and least accomplished soccer player seemed to grasp she was actually on a soccer field this year.  A true departure from previous seasons.  This season saw practice or games six days a week, unless there was a tournament, of course, which made for seven days a week.  But things are lightening up. 

My wife, Adrienne, has bitten off more than most could chew.  She is opening a real estate office in Loveland as well as starting her own team simultaneously.  It’s the career equivalent of soccer seven days a week.  She goes to work before the girls go to school and gets home long after it gets dark.  It has taken a toll on her, on the kids, and a husband who is ill prepared for being the “go-to parent” for any extended period of time.  She has finally got the office opened.  It is far from complete, but at least she has the keys to the building.  Her team is up and running as well.  She is living one of her dreams, providing much to her family and it looks like all of it is taking shape.  Things are lightening up.

Myself, I am changing careers.  I decided to take six months’ worth of classes in three months. A decision that displays a healthy mix of arrogance and stupidity.  It was incredibly difficult but I believe it was what was best for my family.  Becoming a real estate appraiser isn’t the most glamorous thing in the world, but it provides the flexibility I want and provides a little more by way of upside than my former gig.  The classes were stressful and the finals were awful, but they are over now.  Things are lightening up. 

Over the coming months the girls will have choir, piano lessons, soccer camps, mommy will continue to expand her office and her team practically guaranteeing long hours.  I will start my hands-on appraisal training and who know what that will entail.  We can’t forget that Thanksgiving is right around the corner, as is Christmas and what should be plenty of friends and family.  Things are lightening up, or at least I have to keep telling myself that. 

Truth be told, girls, things aren’t really lightening up.  Not really, but they are changing.  Here’s the important part; things are changing for the better.  You ladies are busy because you are doing things that are helping you grow, both physically and mentally.  Mommy is busy as all get-out but her ‘busy’ is laced with personal growth and satisfaction as well as doing great things for her family.  I am busy and about to get a lot busier.  I have a feeling, however, that this ‘busy’ will help free daddy up in the future for our continued adventures.  Being busy isn’t a bad thing, girls, but it does mean that we need your help.  Feed the pets, do your homework without being asked and for God’s sake, pick up your dirty undies.  No dad should have to do that.

Rabid, Slipper Wearing Wolves Suck and We Know It!

It has been my intention, for the most part, to keep this blog a politic free zone.  I have dabbled occasionally in reacting to political situations but I genuinely try my best to steer free as best possible.  The point of the blog, at its core, is to give my daughters a few tips on avoiding some of life’s potholes and maybe offer a laugh or two.  Today I am venturing into the world of politics a touch but hopefully I will still keep it light enough not to elicit a bevy of angry responses.  If you do find your blood starting to boil, at least stick with me ‘til the end as I tend to live in the grey areas, as I think that 90% of us do. 

Alright, disclaimers done.  So let’s say for a moment that a city institutes a law that says that you can buy whatever type of dog you like.  Dogs serve some essential functions and the city says, “you know what, dogs are great, everyone should have one.  You can have a poodle, or a corgi or a pug or whatever you want.”

People start buying dogs at an unprecedented rate.  Literally a dog for every man, woman and child.  Half of the dogs in the state live in this fair city.  People buy the pets for a variety of reasons.  They buy big dogs, small dogs, labs for around the house, foxhounds for hunting and bulldogs just because.  There are more masculine dogs, more feminine dogs, designer dogs and dogs that fit in a purse. 

I bought a dog myself.  When we decided on him we put function before form.  He’s mean looking and loud.  Absolutely terrifying to anyone who would try to enter my home without permission.  A perfect home protection dog. 

Most people would agree that the system was working great.  There were occasional complaints about people having Dobermans or Rottweilers, but for the most part, the city was happy.

But then, as people always do, they had to push the proverbial envelope.  They said things like, “the dog law says I can have whatever kind of dog I want.  Dog means canine and a coyote is certainly a canine.”

Now everyone in their gut knows full well that no one who started the law meant for people to own a coyote buuuut, as people do, they looked out for themselves.  Doberman owners and Rottweiler owners were afraid that if the coyotes went, their dogs were next.  So, they agreed with the coyote owners. 

Sure, there were incidents with the coyotes but everyone agreed that was the price of dog ownership, and the city moved along. 

It was going along for a while until a small group of dog enthusiasts insisted on owning wolves.  You see, dogs are canines and wolves are canines so clearly, they should be included under the dog law.  The creators of the dog law must have seen wolves coming and accommodated for them. 

Sure, there were incidents with the wolves but everyone agreed that was the price of dog ownership, and the city moved along. 

It was going along for a while until a small group of dog enthusiasts insisted on modifying their wolves.  You see, dogs are canines and wolves are canines and modified canines are still canines so clearly, they should be included under the dog law. 

The owners gave their wolves little slippers so no one could hear them coming and then gave them rabies and shock collars to ensure maximum efficiency.

It went along for a while, but not as long this time.  The wolf owners, for the most part, kept their rabid, slipper wearing wolves locked up but a few owners wanted to see exactly what their super wolves could do.  One got into a school another got into a bar and a few even got into a concert. 

At that point the other dog owners, for the most part, said, “okay, seriously, the dog law wasn’t meant for crazy slipper wearing rabid wolves, just dogs.  Let’s get rid of the wolves.” 

“Not so fast” said the city’s wolf and coyote breeders.  “The law wasn’t’ specific enough to get rid of them besides, cats and hampsters could have done the exact same thing!”

And the well paid city council agreed, despite the people, for the most part, thinking rabid wolves with slippers is a terrible idea. 

The point girls?  Clearly it isn’t about wolves.  It’s about common sense.  It’s about caring more about your fellow man than yourself.  Just because you can own a rabid, slipper wearing wolf doesn’t mean you should. 

Avery, I hated you asking about what happened in Las Vegas and asking if grandma was okay (she was).  I hated trying to explain to you what that person did and trying to come up with some reason why they would do it.  There isn't a reason, at least not one that matters.  I guess the reason I broke my no politics policy was you, sweetheart.  I don't want you to know now how serious the wolves are but some day you may want to know where I stand.

At the end of the day, I’m not anti-dog, I’m just anti slipper wearing super wolves.  Unfortunately for me, the dog law and the coyote breeders seem to always win the day.  I guess the outward message is that there is probably middle ground.  Some people think the dog law is great, others think dogs think that dogs should be gotten rid of all together.  Myself, I believe responsible dog ownership is fine, but part of being a responsible dog owner is knowing that super wolves are a bad idea and if you are someone who owns a wolf or a coyote, don’t believe for a moment that I feel safer when I see you trot that thing into a Target.  I trust, in my heart of hearts, that if I’m going to be mauled, it will be by someone who considers themselves a responsible wolf owner.

Boy, My Wife Can Straighten a Rudder

I haven’t been writing a lot lately.  I have my suspicions why.  My guess is the answer lies somewhere between a lack of time a plethora of complacency.  The time problem is obvious.  Soccer is in full swing, I’m taking a bunch of classes, I have three little girls and a wife who is starting her own real estate team and opening a new office.  Time is at a premium in the Jacobson household. 

Complacency is a little bit of a different animal.  (knocking on wood) I am, gulp, happy.  The kids are doing well and so is my race training.  I’m taking classes for a career change and it has me chock full of optimism.  Adrienne’s career path seems to be following the direction she has sought. 

What I know about writing, which isn’t much, is that writers need conflict. This is a commodity I have been fresh out for the last few months.  Frankly, I’m more content than I have been in the last few years.  I’m sleeping when I go to bed and generally not waking up until my alarm tells me it’s time to do so. It’s crazy, I know.  

All of that being said, I was still stuck for a subject until this morning.  As I said earlier, Adrienne is starting a team and opening a full office.  It’s exciting for her but either job is a ton of work and doing both simultaneously is a situation almost too big to wrap your head around.  She has been complaining about stomach aches and headaches and confused as to where they are coming from.  Chalk it up to a ‘lightly treading husband’ moment, but I think I have the answer but not the stones to inform her.  

So, the subject of today’s post is my wife.  I watched her tear up this morning as a couple of more pieces of the puzzle came together.  She seems to be seeing the fruits of her hard work finally flourishing.  I like seeing her this way.  Sure, she’s exhausted and the lion’s share of taking care of the kids is slipping to me, it’s completely worth it.  

It makes me look back a few years.  I don’t want to say that there have been times over the last decade that Adrienne has been a rudderless ship, but maybe it’s fair to say she wasn’t yet familiar with her life’s Google Map.  When me met, she had such an overwhelming sense of purpose she was able to help guide my ship as well.  Then was ten-ish years of different jobs and different plans.  She was always willing to apply herself but didn’t quite know which direction to apply the effort.  I know what that’s like, I’ve lived in her map-less neighborhood myself.  

Fast forward to the last three or four months.  Obviously, she would prefer having unlimited time with the kiddos, she also sees the value in the time sacrifices she is making.  She has a clear direction and defined goals.  To say it differently, she reminds me of the girl I met nearly two decades ago.  It’s lovely to see her again.  

Enough fawning for now.  The lesson here girls?  There’s a few.  The first is that it’s never too late to re-establish a foothold.  I’m doing it now and Mommy has already done it.  If you don’t like the way something is going, don’t be too afraid to change course.  I’ve missed out on a lot of career life being too scared to grab my life’s rudder.  The second thing is that occasionally we parents have to make choices that take us away from you a little bit.  They can be small things, like a weekend away, or bigger things, like opening an office.  Understand that none of it is done without you in mind.  A weekend away just recharges our batteries.  Opening an office or starting a team means financial security and more time down the road.  It’s hard to grasp today, but when you get to be a little older you’ll thank Mommy for what she’s doing.  I’m doing that today.