Beginnings

Do you ever get that feeling that you're never going to get ahead in life? Just when you think you've got a little bit of breathing room, the water pump on the car goes out, your youngest child develops a rash the size and shape of Rhode Island (requiring an ER visit on a holiday weekend, no less), or your ten year old dog develops a medical condition that the veterinarian burns through $1,000 and never finds (turns out to be due to weight issues). The point is, your life seems to reach this equilibrium where you continually try to get your head above the waters enough to take your next breath. Depressing isn't it? It wears on you after a while.

If this sounds like your life, I've got some good news for you. I found something that helps. It's the simple fact that you are not alone. Oh, sure, it doesn't make the problems go away. It doesn't head them off before they reach you, but there's comfort in knowing that there's someone else with you. Remember back when you were a kid and the violent storms of spring came rushing in during the night, or you had those horrid dreams of werewolves running across the moonlit hills? Did you run to your parent's room? Most of us did, not that our parents could stand up and tell the storm to be still, or fight off a pack of shape shifters (unless your dad was a Navy SEAL or something). It was the mere fact of their presence that made the difference.

I hope that, as I share my life with you, you'll be able to draw strength from the fact the we're all the same, and we deal with the same issues. I'm a young father of two boys with one girl on the way, and it scares me to no end that my children will grow up to be like me. I'm a husband, trying to meet the demands of fatherhood, domestic responsibilities, and still trying to have a relationship with my wife. I'm a professional in my field, trying to balance work obligations with family time. I'm an avid video game player and cave explorer with little or no time for my hobbies.

This would all be challenging enough, without the hurdles of life popping up at random. So, I invite you to come along for the run. I'm sure you'll see a little bit of yourself in the day to day situations, and maybe even get a laugh or two as I trip over the ever rising hurdles that pop up at random. That is, if you're the type of person that finds humor in the misfortunes of others.

You know who you are.