I promise to be a better person (fingers crossed!)

On my honor, I promise to be a better person. Can I stop there? Here are my 2009 resolutions (and since this is the end of January, I guess 'stop procrastinating' should be #1) . . .

1. Blog at least once a week. I've gotten out of the habit (and nothing ever sounds quite right). Current status: it's the end of January, and this is my first blog.

2. Run in the White Rock Half-Marathon. Thank God it's not until December. Daughter #1 and I talked about running it together. Fortunately, she's a worse runner than I am. Current status: I'm thinking about buying a pair of running shoes this weekend.

3. Lose 20 pounds: I started off the year about 206 pounds. Current status: Last week, I weighed in at 210 pounds.

4. Complete at least one home improvement project every weekend: I probably need to add 'finish painting the porch railing (started in 1997)' and 'finish trim on front porch (started in 2004).' Current status: I helped my wife re-decorate the living room by putting up crown molding and replacing the baseboards. Unfortunately, she said, 'while you have your tool belt out . . .' and I ruined my home improvement plans for the next three weekends.

5. Plant a garden. Actually this is my wife's idea, but I do all the grunt work. The evening sun fries our backyard, and our ground is like concrete. Other than that, it should fun. Current status: I bagged some leaves and hope they'll compost themselves.

6. Value time. This one's all encompassing. I can't even begin to estimate the amount of time I waste screwing around on the computer or not doing what I should be doing because I don't think I have time. Current status: See current status on most everything above.

7. Spend more one-on-one time with daughter #2. Daughter #2 is an attention sucker, but most of her earlier life was spent at her sister's soccer games and volleyball games and basketball games. We've been spending more time together on the weekends, and I've been 'forcing her' to practice her French Horn while I 'listen.' Current status: I'm blogging and she's watching TV.

8. Don't worry; be happy. I think I've aged more in the last 3-5 years than during any period in my life. Money, daughter #1, money, daughter #2, money, son and money. Probably need to adhere more to my WWJBD philosophy: What would Jimmy Buffett do? Current status: Just bought daughter #1 a new car. Company bonus is going to build a new fence (hey, see #4). Guess I better work on this one, too.

9. Join a church. Why do they have to meet on Sunday mornings? Or Saturday evenings? My wife and I need this for our own peace of mind, and daughter #2 needs it to build a stronger foundation, spiritually and socially. A friend describes our church life as flavor of the week. I grew up Catholic, my wife Southern Baptist (in Maryland?). We've attended Church of Christ, Methodist, Southern Baptist, Interdenominational, Non-denominational, and a few others. Current status: why do they have to meet on Sunday mornings?

10. Bring joy to others. This is the easiest one and the hardest one. It's simple to smile or say a nice word to someone, but what about someone who really needs it? And being needy, high maintenance and all about me, I love to be told that I'm a nice guy. Current status: I've shopped at the neighborhood WalMart the last two evenings after work. This one's going to have to wait.

Okay, check off #1 (at least until next week).

Monday Morning Coffee Pot Conversation

Nobody ever meets you at the office coffee pot on Monday morning and asks, 'Hey, what didn't you do this weekend?' But if I am asked, I have two biggies this weekend.




White Rock Marathon
The 2007 White Rock Marathon ran this morning. No mistake: I am in no shape to run another marathon (I'm still working back up to my 30-minute beginner's level), but in last year's Christmas card update -- because I couldn't think of anything interesting that I'd done during the preceding year -- I asked '2007 White Rock Marathon?'. Pfffttt! I have plenty of time, and how hard could it be to dedicate a few hours on the weekend and 45 minutes or so every day (for those of you who've never run a marathon, this kind of training is what leaves you walking somewhere around mile 17 . . . but I've put that behind me).

But, like the fool I am, since I'm not sure if I'll get Christmas cards out this year, I'll go ahead and ask here: '2008 White Rock Marathon?' I've got plenty of time.




John Fogerty
John Fogerty, formerly of my all-time favorite band Creedence Clearwater Revival, played Nokia in Grand Prairie Friday night; and, not paying any attention since I saw it posted a few months ago (Pffftt! I have plenty of time), I forgot to follow up on tickets and a babysitter.



Creedence Clearwater Revival was my first shot at 'rock 'n roll fan-dom,' and the band's album 'Cosmo's Factory' was the first non-country album I ever bought (Groves Pharmacy, lured to the dark side of 'hippie music' by one of those display racks right next to the pharmacist's counter, way in the back of the store). I'd always listened to the Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers, Charlie Pride albums and the like that my dad had and the Cajun and Gospel music that he played or my sister's left-behind Jan and Dean and Beach Boys albums. I think the only album I'd ever bought of mine own as Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison.

I sold my dad on allowing me to listen to CCR by playing the country-ish 'Lookin' Out My Back Door,' which was later covered by Buck Owens ('Dad, how much country could you want?'). My dad's early '70s rule was that no hair could touch the ears or my collar, but the photo of John Fogerty, at left (above) on a Harley, was everything I wanted to be. Long, full hair, flannel shirt and bandana, leather motorcycle chaps (probably covering a worn pair of Levi's) and boots. How much cooler could you be (hmmm? Except for the bandana and chaps, that's what I look like most of the time now)?

I've stayed a fan through CCR going from four members to three (I think it was John's brother Tom who left the band), then Fogerty's Blue Ridge Rangers album with 'Jambalaya,' and on to 'Centerfield.' Can't wait to hear his latest, 'Revival.' I've heard it's great.

But I sure wish I could be at the coffee pot tomorrow morning. maybe even sporting a flannel shirt and motorcycle chaps, and . . . well, maybe not . . .