Being Inspired...or not

I am not inspiring, nor am I inspired. Maybe that's part of the problem? Actually that's not entirely true. I think I was inspired recently?

You Still Writing?

An old friend posed this question to me a few days ago, "You still writing"?  I wasn't real sure what to say. I'm not sure I was ever actually "writing" even when I was "writing". Just putting jargon to a screen doesn't make me a writer any more than swimming makes you a fish. But whatever. I told him "no not really". It's not like I don't want to, I just lack the inspiration.

And Then It Hits You

The other day I logged onto Facebook to see another old friend had started a blog. I was happy. As if he had joined the club or something. I read his posts then followed his blog. He wrote about inspiring shit. Shit that helps him get through his day. Shit like, cease the moment, and be who you want to be. Shit that maybe should help me, but quite frankly doesn't. Nonetheless, I was glad he finally started writing.  

We Couldn't All be Cowboys

As long as we're on the subject of what my problems are. I think my problem is I'm a Simpleton. I'm just kidding, I'm no Simpleton, I'm chicken shit, well, and maybe lazy, but mostly chicken shit.  I'm afraid of change. I don't think you need a couch and a PhD to figure that out. For the most part I enjoy a simple life this is true But the problem with that is I get bored with it. And when it bores me I get depressed. Maybe I just need a little more adventure. Maybe I should find a traveling rodeo. After all, some of us are clowns. 

These Shoes

They say you can tell a lot about a man just by looking at his shoes. This pair of New Balance 505 have been with me for 15 years at least. They were once my everyday, do everything in shoe. I've played ball in them, wore them to work, and have had 3 kids with them. Through the years they've picked up a few holes, and lost a lace or two. Nowadays they only work around the house, sometimes spending the night outside if they've stepped in something or to dry off. They work in the garage when the oil needs changed, or out in the garden.They mow grass and take out trash and on occasion they may make an appearance to the local dollar store. Yes, they've been through it all, These Shoes. Here's to many more miles.

Sit Your Ass Down....Dad

On Sunday mornings my son plays basketball in a league. It's a recreational league that's he's played in for a couple years now. I enjoy watching him play but today's games were a little different.

He plays two game each week and today his mother couldn't be there so it was just me on the bleachers.

As I sat down and watch the boys warm up for the first game. I saw faces of other parents with boys' on my sons' team. We made small talk until the game started.

As the game wore on, I heard fathers and a couple mothers, but mostly fathers shouting. Shouting at referees, and at kids.

I heard one father in particular, that before too long I was listening to the yelling more than I was paying attention to the game.

"Why did he do that? You've gotta dribble. Pass the ball. Seriously, that's a foul. Block out, you let that kid go right around you. Don't foul".

Finally I'd had enough...

Look maybe your kid just isn't that good, I said. Maybe this isn't the NBA All-Star game. Maybe your son is just having fun playing basketball. He's gonna screw up every once in a while. He's gonna take bad shots and get beat on defense, he's 10. So why don't you just sit here, shut up, and watch the damn game. After wards tell him how proud you are of his efforts. Applaud him for hustling and playing hard when he's in the game, and when it's all over remember again, he's 10. No colleges are gonna recruit him today and I don't see any NBA scouts in this gym. He's not here to relive your glory days. Face it, maybe your son just isn't that good.

And for the second game....

I didn't say a word.

You see, after the first game, somewhere between believing my kid was great and being competitive, I realized that maybe he's just not that good. Maybe he's just a kid who likes playing ball, who's going to screw up from time to time, and won't be the best player on the court. Maybe it's really me who needs to sit down and shut up.

The boy played the second game just the same as he did the first. He hustled and played hard.He made some good plays, and he screwed up once in awhile. But at least for this game his annoying dad wasn't yelling from the bleachers.