Be Careful of What You Wish for ...

My son has been swimming on a rec swim team for 5 years (this is his 6th year). Until last year, he was always a middle of the pack swimmer. Not motivated to work at getting better, swim team was a social activity for him. A way for him to spend Saturday mornings in the summertime with his friends. When they were all young, they would play their Gameboys. As they got older, they started to play poker. It made me feel good to see my son participating in something active. But I always wanted him to catch that 'bug' and become more motivated to work at it.

Two years ago, he moved himself up to the top of the middle of the pack. He still did not win any races, but he started to place and I think he even contributed some points to the team at the championships. Last year he exploded. He started to hit puberty and with that little bit of extra testosterome, he won races left and right. All of a sudden, I had a 'top' swimmer on my hands. He won over half the individual races he swam, received 2 first places and a third in the championships, and was in the top 10 for all 5 individual events (he only swam backstoke once and breast a couple of times).

This year has started out the same way. In the first meet in a full sized pool, he knock time off his previous PRs in everything he swam (including over 8 seconds off his IM (Individual Medley) PR). He is pumped now. He feels he can break most, if not all, the records of the events he swims (and I think he can). He is talking about doing extra work that I never expected him to want to do (like ... fall swim). I think he caught the 'bug', even more so than I ever imagined that he would.

Some of this may be the hormones starting to flow even more. I know that some of it is just getting a taste of winning (in his IM race, he beat a very good 14 year old .... he is only 13). It does make me wonder how far he will take this. How committed he will be to this in the long run. How consumed will he become with it all. Some of these questions come from looking at the way I approach things .... and something about apples and how far they tend not fall far from the tree.

No, I am not worried. It is fun to see him motivated, especially about something athletic. Right now I am going to just sit back and watch. Do what I can to help him keep it in perspective, let him do what he wants to do. Let him be what he wants to be, not what I want him to be.

Bush's Speech - First Impressions

I listened to George's speech on the way home from work. I heard most of it (although the radio doesn't get good reception when I enter Sunol Valley, so some of it wasn't very clear). As I listened I thought how it would be fun to be with some friends and have a drinking game to go with it. Sounds like something I would have done in college. Keep the alcohol level at a reasonable place, so:

• Shot of beer each time the word Freedom or Free was said (I counted at least 10 of them during the part that I heard).
• Two shots of beer each time September 11th was referenced since it is so powerful. (heard this 4 to 5 times)
• Shot of beer for every 3 things that were indicated progress was being made in Iraq (could not keep count of these. Seems like most of the speech was this)
• Shot of beer everytime the troops were mentioned (again, too many to count)

I am sure this would have been refined if I was with some of my college buddies (I come from the Watergate era. The night Tricky Dick resigned, our favorite bar had a big party ... those were such simple times). But enough of the drinking game. Perhaps at some time I can join a Bush Speech Party and drink ... and drink ... and drink.

What did I think of his speech? It was pretty much what I expected (don't know about you). It was a lot of telling us (the American People) why things are going well in Iraq. We have turned the country over to the Iraq people (except for out 140K troops, or whatever the level is). They had elections. They are working on their constitution. Lots of trying to convince us that things are just peachy over there. It must be tough considering all the reports of how badly things really are.

Guess I need to post this. Started it last night and am just posting it this morning. I want to get this out before I read anyone else's impressions of the speech (already heard Morning Edition's take on it).

First Post

I just looked at the first draft I composed. Eleven months ago. Created this account, played a bit, and then went home. I want to use this to encourage me to write. Will it work? Who knows, who cares. I will write this as if someone is reading it, even though I know this will be not that much different than my morning pages. Except that someone could look at it if they were so inclined.

What am I going to write? Whatever the heck is on my mind. It would be good to have a place for me to say some of the political stuph that I always am saying to myself (and to others ... probably boring them to death, but that is not my problem. OK, maybe it is in the sense that I create it. But they can tell me to stop anytime they want).

Why runner ramblings? Because I am a runner. And I tend to ramble at times. You should see some of my morning pages. Whining and rambling all over the place. But, I guess that is a silly thing to say, since you will never see them.

Time to publish my first post. Here goes!