Heroes, Role Models and Diversions

As a young forty-something and father, I have no illusions about the role sports play in daily life. Unlike children, adolescents and even  some adults (& you know who you are!), I see professional athletics for what they really are, highly paid entertainers.  Following your favorite sports franchise(s) satisfies the desire to create a diversion from the stresses of daily living.  This need might also be filled with hobbies such as scrap booking, bird watching or gardening.  The difference between a weekend scrapbooker and NBA player, however,  is that top athletes are put on pedestals and branded as heroes.

Not to preach, but athletes (like entertainers and actors) are NOT heroes, and most can not even be counted as role models.   To the kids out there...a definition of a hero is someone who is willing to put the well-being of another (including strangers) ahead of themselves.  Our United States military risks their lives 24/7 for our freedom.  Police officers, firefighters, and rescue workers remain on alert for the safety of all Americans.  I would also argue a teacher might be hero if he/she has the ability to hold a young person to higher standards of learning and conduct for the betterment of his/her future.   Kids may consider a parent a hero, but from a parent's perspective....parenting IS our job and our primary goal is to be our children's primary role model.

So where am I going with all this?  From a previous entry I mentioned that I neglected to pick-up trash at the movie theater and was called out by Brenna.  The next morning at preschool I pulled up along the red curb (in a light rain mind you with no one else around) to drop the triplets off and Alec said "Daddy, what are you doing?  This isn't a parking space."  Perhaps, the kids are more alert now that they're getting older.  Perhaps, I'm making excuses.  Perhaps I should be a better role model!

Back to the zillion dollar sports industry.  Yes, most athletics are paid obscene salaries and some behave badly.  Can you think of one or two or three, etc.?  With that said,  I have an enormous  THANK YOU to deliver to MY favorite football team that's long overdue. You see back in the fall of 1999, my Dad was fighting a losing battle with colon cancer.  In fact, he held on for at least six months beyond what anyone expected.

This was Mom MD's final year of medical school and our destination for her residency was still unknown.  She was extremely busy and I often found myself shuttling 1 year old Brenna to and from childcare and after work either coming home to an empty house or going to my Mom and Dad's house where my Mom, a pillar of strength and courage, held down the fort.  Not only did Mom attend to Dad who was rapidly deteriorating both physically and mentally, but she was taking care of her elderly Mother (Granny) who lived with them.   

To top it all off, we were having difficulty with our drunken idiot of a next door neighbor who threatened us and threw broken glass in our backyard...Good times, good times.   Honestly, what kept me going during such a down time in my life was my diversion....sports....more specifically football and the St. Louis RAMS!  This team came from nowhere to post a 13-3 NFC record and #1 Seed.   Mom Pre-MD was kind enough to spend her morning calling and calling to obtain two tickets to the divisional game against the Vikings on 1/16/00 in which we were fortunate to have been able to attend....the first home playoff game in St. Louis history and a blowout victory.

Sadly, my Dad passed away two days later, five days before the famous Ricky Proehl catch from Kurt Warner in the NFC Championship to defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 11-6 on rout to a Super Bowl XXXIV victory on January 30th.  I only hope my Dad would understand how painful and difficult a time it was (for all of us).  Brenna was my shining star, but the Rams with Kurt Warner who went from grocery stocker to QB gave me something to look forward to, talk about with coworkers and kept me going.....THANK YOU St. Louis RAMS........!

The Worst Movie EVER

Holy crap!  Do you know when you make a wrong turn or two in the bad part of town, end up in a dead-end alley, and then get mugged?  This is how I felt today when I accidentally went to the wrong theater.  I intended to go see the Tom Cruise movie "Valkyrie" and thought it was playing at the local UA theater.  Nope, it was at Century just down the street.  Strike 1!

So I thought what the heck, why don't I randomly select another flick perhaps during this period of Academy Award caliber movies, I'd hit the jackpot.  Uh, nope...Strike 2! "The Spirit" was the next movie to start at 1:10 P.M., and it was absolutely terrible! I know, I know..well, NOW I know that the same guy who directed "Sin City" and "300"was behind this stinker, but that didn't help me as I hadn't seen either movie (nor do I have the desire).

Some of the movie's faults....well....gosh, where do I start?   First the story...it's based on a comic book from the 1940's...our "hero" The Spirit was a police officer who died and came back to life as a super hero fighting his arch enemy played by Samuel L. Jackson.  The backdrop is desaturated of color, but each scene has at least one color element (like a red tie)...which very quickly becomes tiring.  The acting is terrible. At one point the hero spends time talking to his cat. Another character takes a picture of her butt...I could go on and on, but that would be more mention than the movie deserves.

Ok, so a Reinvent Dad first. I had NEVER stood up and walked out on a movie...not "Howard the Duck"...not "Shadow Conspiracy"...not even "Home on the Range."  Other movies like "Nims Island" and "Leatherheads"  would probably have been other candidates for an early exit, but alas I rented those clunkers.  This time, I said I can't take it anymore and after a 20- something couple walked out after about 30 minutes I followed their cue...Strike 3 (I'm outta here)...I decided I wanted that extra hour of my life back. Fortunately I was able to get my money back!

Don't see this movie! Don't even think about it!  I had more fun coming home and reading the miserable reviews on Yahoo.   Notes to self:  next time bring the newspaper along to reconfirm where the movie you really want to watch is playing, and don't randomly select a movie after arriving at the theater....lesson learned!

OMG, IM A PIG!

I recently had a revelation about myself and it wasn't too flattering. Just the other day I was standing in line at the Fry's customer service counter waiting (and waiting, AND WAITING) to return a new refridgerator bought out of desperation (different story) and was observing all the customers shopping for new routers, DVDs, HDMI cables (in other words, mostly geeks) when I noticed a guy being helped by a CSR.

I'd say he was 35-45 with a scraggly beard, longish hair, hat, sweat pants/shirt and flip flops. My first thought was "what a slob....I bet he just crawled off the couch after a morning of PlayStation 3...maybe he was trying to master Spider-man: Web of Shadows...." Then, I looked down.....

Yes, Yes, I know that I've gone from shaving once a week to almost once every other week (& on special occasions like visiting the dentist), but c'mon I shower at least once a day and have really tried to NOT go out in public in sweat pants. Since winter began, I rarely wear my Teva's out (except w/socks underneath). In fact, one of my New Year's Resolutions was to improve my overall wardrobe which would contribute to a better appearance in public, right?

Personal hygiene and appearance aside, Brenna actually called me out yesterday at the movie theater for NOT picking up my trash. Now, hold on a minute. I have NEVER ever EVER picked up my leftover $6 bag of popcorn or $4.25 soda...Heck, I didn't even realize that the theaters supplied trash receptacles, but as I was kicking my junk away so the kids could step over the pile of refuse, Brenna said "Uh, uh...people pick-up their trash at the theater." UGGGHHH - WTF?

OK, fast forward to this A.M. I decided last evening that I'd clean up my act. Today, I would S-H-A-V-E without an occasion. I'd also get-up earlier so I could make Mom MD coffee before she jammed off to work. I'd go to the gym and put forth more effort. I'd clean the upstairs including wash and change all the bed sheets. I'd go to the grocery story and purchase healthier foods.

Did I do any of those things? Well, HMMM a couple, partly, I guess. I went to the gym. It's still early so I do plan on heading out to the grocery store and cleaning the upstairs before I pick-up Brenna from school. Ooops, I missed making that first cup of Joe for Mom MD, but it isn't my fault she had to go in to work for early (& she likes to go to Starbucks anyway). I'll shave...later, and those bed sheets are getting more wrinkled in the dryer as I blog....

Perhaps, I better just shoot for tomorrow!