Category: Blog

List 30 things that make you happy.

THIRTY !!! ???? I’ll try and pick things that aren’t obvious….

  • Waking up, without being woken up.
  • Coffee that’s 57.2 degrees Celsius, and sweetened.
  • Watching my kids faces when they discover something.
  • Watching my wife argue with someone other then me.
  • A comfortable pair of shoes.
  • Wearing clothes straight from the dryer on a winter day.
  • The first Hoar Frost of the winter.
  • The smell of a lake.
  • A well read audio book.
  • A clever movie
  • The smell of the house after the slow cooker has been on all day.
  • Sitting down with friends after a stressful week.
  • Listening to productive conversation.
  • Helping people move.
  • Making videos.
  • Reading character backgrounds for RPG’s.
  • Nestle Turtles.
  • Listening to my youngest son explain something.
  • Getting into a made bed.
  • Jokes that don’t require a victim.
  • Watching my typing speed improve.
  • Figuring out something cool I can do with my website.
  • Sorry guys…. I’ve run out of time.

-Steve

Describe the one habit that brings you joy

This is going to be a tricky one. Habit habit habit…..

Whenever possible I say goodnight to my boys. For my oldest it has turned into a ritual. For my youngest it seems to be far more casual. I’m not sure why this became so … profound, or “joyful”.

Habit vs. Obsesive Compulsive Disorder. I suppose the difference is joy, isn’t it?

Now, if you want to get into the things that I would LIKE to be habitual… well damn. We could be here all night. Dishes, laundry, mowing the lawn, etc. etc….

All the best!!!

-Steve

How would you describe yourself to someone who can’t see you?

Bald but not balding. Overweight, but carries it well. Quick to smile, and overly self-deprecating. Beard, but not a big beard. Expensive runners, attached to an otherwise inexpensive wardrobe. Usually wearing a hoody, or a Hawaiian style shirt depending on the weather. I appear stronger then I actually am, both physically and emotionally.

5’11” tall, with expressive dark brown eyes. No eyebrows, or at least none to speak of. Big nose, but you wouldn’t notice because of the fat head. Rosy cheeks, and tends to fall asleep if left alone too long.

-Steve

What traditions have you not kept that your parents had?

All my parents have always had one car each. That’s the first thing that comes to mind. My family doesn’t do that.

My step-mom always had these weird superstitions, that I never really adopted.

Both my biological parents tended to hold on to things way past their usefulness. This is a habit that I’m trying to shed, but haven’t yet.

When my parents separated, when I was eleven, I think the idea of a traditional household blew up. Then we went around picking up whatever pieces we thought would be useful.

A wise man once said. “Ideas can change, and beliefs are an anchor”. Build your traditions on ideas, not beliefs.

-Steve

If you could bring back one dinosaur, what would it be?

A Tyrannosaurus Rex, so that I could ride it to work, and have it feast on my enemies.

This is exactly the kind of question my boys would love. It makes no sense, there is no context… I mean…. are we talking time machine? cloning? How did I come across this technology?

What am I feeding this thing? In this scenario, am I some kind of rich person that can afford exotic animals? Do a have employees that can help me? Have they developed laws around this animal?

-Steve

If you won two free plane tickets where would you go?

I would go see my brother, and bring one of my boys. Obviously.

But you have to remember, as expensive as that might be, money isn’t my greatest barrier. My greatest barrier has been, and remains to be, TIME.

Precious and I deserve a quality vacation. Don’t think I’ve forgotten about that. The only reason I picked Europe first is because one, I miss my bro, and two I think that a trip over the pond would serve as a very good experience for a young mind.

I talked about my traveling priorities in a previous post. What it would come down to, is the hope that the trip would serve more then one purpose. I think.

-Steve

This is me totally destroying Precious at Crib.

What is the story behind your nick name?

Once upon a time I was a steel worker. More specifically a press and die operator, with a touch of forklift driving. Most of the people I worked with there didn’t know my real name.

The entire time that I worked at that job i was known as RED. Or BIG RED, or BIG BAD RED. Depending on how much time you had while saying the name. I was not bad, or big, but I did wear bright red coveralls.

I had the coveralls because of Domo. You might remember Domo. “We jump to the pump for you.” With the kangaroo mascot. And….. the bright red coveralls. Domo was the job I held immediately previous to my steel worker gig.

I stood out like a sore thumb. And, considering the amount of abuse i sustained while working there I’m surprised i didn’t get a worse nickname….. It was given to me by a kind man, named Al. He was famous for peeing off the loading docks. So much so that they put up a sign saying that “Al_ Employee_ should refrain from urinating off the dock”. I wish i had a picture.

He was a former convict. Living the “fast” life, or so he said. He was patient, he stood up for me, and he had the filthiest vocabulary you could possibly imagine. He got that job because his brother ran one of the departments. Alvin and Calvin…. Damn, truth is stranger than fiction sometimes isn’t it?

For SIX years my professional name was “Red”. Thats a long time. By that time my coveralls were long gone and some people didn’t even know that Red was a nickname. They thought that was my given name.

Eventually that name along with my steel working career faded into the past, and I moved on.

-Steve

What stratagies do you use to maintain your healthy and well being.

Firstly, I try my best to keep a positive outlook. Cynicism can only get you so far, once you’ve checked all the boxes, you should start expecting the best. I spent many years expecting the worst, and that didn’t help me one bit. Once you’re safe. Mind body and soul, then you roll the dice, take the leap, ask the girl, make the move. Other wise you are waiting to die.

I am not a healthy man. Physically. But, I’m working on it. I’ve been experimenting with my diet. Trying to build a new normal. SUSTAINABLY !!! That’s the key. If I can’t keep being healthy, and enjoy it, then it’s all for not. Wish me luck!! Throw me some advice. Just don’t expect anything from me. This is going to have to be my journey.

The sad thing I think is that I haven’t figured this shit out before my little people came along. I would like to have all this stuff on lock, so i can model it for my boys. That is not the case.

-Steve