DD #51 - State Fair Shenanigans

Cream puffs. Fried food on a stick. Pig races. The Smokey the Bear DNR walk. The mini newspapers. These are just a sampling of my Wisconsin State Fair childhood memories.  Every year, my family would undoubtedly park a mile away to avoid parking fees,  We would definitely get caught up in the transfer of animals, making almost impossible to get in and out in a  timely manner.  There was never any doubt that the day we decided to go would be the most sweltering and miserable summer day, which was OK because the coupon booklets always had 2 for 1 large sodas at any Root Beer barrel location.  We'd make our way through a sea of mullets, tattoos, sweat, and carnies on our way to escape the heat and get haggled by men selling shammies and "the best knives in the world."  You may think I don't like the fair based on these memories, but in fact, the opposite is true. I love it!  I'm extremely thrilled to make new memories with my own family, though I think I may replace shammies with sheep and carnies with cows. Either way, the cream puffs and pig races are here to stay.

DD # 50 - Freedom Tank

I spent nights volunteering at a hospital in the Acute Care of the Elderly, or ACE unit. My duties were pretty open, but mainly allowed me to socialize with the patients, many of which spent weeks there without visitors. They were there for reasons including recovering from surgery and persistent illness. An adorable couple taught me how to play and then went ahead and dominated me at Cribbage. A woman who struggled with her memories loved looking through old pictures and reminiscing about her glory days. Others just enjoyed shooting the breeze and getting to know a new friend. However, regardless of age or gender, illness or injury, one activity was enjoyed by all who took advantage of it.  In the activity room was a large fish tank. Many patients were excited to walk to be wheeled into the room to sit and admire the fish. What struck me was how such a simple and mundane activity brought so much joy to people. I distinctly remember looking into the eyes of these incredible individuals and being happy seeing them enjoy themselves. They seemed so free, so relaxed, and so ready to reflect on their lives and prepare for whatever was ahead.

It's the Little Things

In life, we often get caught up I situations that provide stresses and anxieties instead of comfort and relief.  We often get so worried about the future and haunted by the past that we forget to enjoy the present. All too often, our minds are focused on the big picture. . .the overall goal. . . .the end game.  This takes us away from the little things. The things that make the world go round.  the things that really matter.


Over the last few days, I have been able to witness many "little things" and they have made a huge difference.


Three "little" words.  After a year of battling the structure needed for a classroom, one little friend dropped his guard and uttered, "I need help."  Those "little words"  showed tremendous growth.


Two "little" "Charlie Brown" trees.  On a nature walk in a preserve adjacent to our block, my family noticed a few tiny, nearly barren evergreens, reminiscent of the tree made famous in the Peanuts Christmas special.  One tiny tree.  Many fantastic memories.


One "little" hummingbird.  On that same walk, stopping in silence to admire an absolutely minuscule bird most would completely neglect to see. Observing a beautiful creature in its habitat is wonderful medicine.


One "little" worm for many, little babies. We were able to see a mother robin capture and gobble up an earthworm right in our own driveway. A delightful treat for growing fledglings and a reminder of the majesty of life.


Many "little" giggles. Spending an evening cracking up at the things my daughter does.  From her attempts at conversation to her excitement and blissful expression with every new discovery, each "little" giggle makes a gigantic love grow even larger.


Four or five "little" steps, with many more to come.  My daughter is learning to walk.  As my wife and I watched, she took her first steps. Though it was only a handful of steps before she plopped down clumsily, got back up again, and repeated for what seemed like hours, the happiness that exuded from her face as she realized her accomplishment was immeasurable.


What started as a few steps is just the beginning of a life's journey.  Hopefully, I can help her on her journey by focusing on the "little" things and letting life be something I love and enjoy, one "little" step at a  time.

DD # 49 - Quintuple Bypass

What was an appointment on the first day of spring break turned into an ultimate life-changer that set the wheels of change in motion and impacted my family forever. Taking my father to the doctor and seeing the struggles of a stress test made him aware of how his physical inabilities were a bigger issue than he thought. Meeting privately with a heart doctor and hearing how his results showed the need for a bypass in the relatively immediate future opened my eyes as well. This news changed everything. It led to decisions regarding the future of my sister, the future of my father, and the future of my wife and I. Many moments spent at the hospital thinking, planning, praying. Thinking about the past.  Planning for the future.  Praying for the best. I remember seeing my father helpless in the recovery wing with tubes and beeping machines. That gave me a new perspective on everything. I hated that moment.  But. . .everything happens for a reason. The time he spent living with us and recovering gave us time  to improve our relationship and build stronger plans for my sister, so ultimately it was a blessing in a very depressing disguise.

DD # 48 - Low Point

Low points in life take a toll.  When I took over guardianship for my sister, I dreaded the moment I knew was inevitable. I was not prepared for how miserable the feeling would be when it actually occurred. Another outburst meant a trip to the hospital. The time to threaten was over.  Inaction would have set the cycle back exponentially so when the call was made, there was no turning back. As the police drove her away, I felt a sense of relief and was hopeful this drastic measure might open her eyes and help her in the long run. Going to the hospital to talk to the doctor and see her in a state of sadness and terror made all that relief and hope immediately disappear.  Guilt set in, and still remains today. The absolute was the moment I informed her she would be staying the night.  The explosion of emotions I saw in her tearful reaction haunts me and gave me a sense of how such an experience can profoundly impact a person. This was a low point in my life, but the decision was made, and it was the beginning of a new chapter, a better chapter.

DADventures #1 - True Love

The Princess Bride is one of my favorite movies and it emphasizes the importance of "true love." There are many things that I love. I obviously love my much, much better half. Without her, I can honestly say I'd be lost. I love my family. We may put the fun in dysfunction, but I wouldn't be who I am without them. I love the outdoors. Watching wildlife and taking hikes is something I could do every day if time allowed. I love sports. I love watching them, playing them, and talking about them. I love professional wrestling. Since I was a boy, I've been a fan and that passion continue into my adult years. I love writing. This creative outlet lets me say and do things I normally wouldn't have the courage to do. However, with all these "loves," I didn't realize what love really was until my daughter was born. Holding her in my arms for the first time confirmed my purpose. Watching her grow has put everything else into perspective and made the love I have for my wife and family that much stronger. She is my world and I can't wait to experiences all of our adventures together.

DD #47 - Patient on the Loose

Living in a very quiet neighborhood, rarely did I see police patrolling the streets near my home.  So it was a bit surprising to see so many of them one particular evening. Even more surprising was having them using stereo systems to tell all of us to get inside and lock the doors as someone from the county mental hospital just a few minutes away had escaped and was on the lam. Instantly, I "knew" the steps the patient had taken and retraced them in my mind. I knew he had crossed the creek into my neighborhood and was now hiding in my garage. I even remember staring out the windows of my house to catch a glimpse of this individual. Even after  police patrols returned and used their loudspeakers to give is the all clear, I wasn't so sure. For some time, I was worried and paranoid that this was going to happen again and again. This happened to coincide with when OJ Simpson infamously joyrided in the Bronco.  Even though this was happening across the country, I "knew" he was in my room and had many nightmares of him hiding out in my closet. Thank God I was wrong.

DD # 46 - Legally Blind Surprise

Fresh out of getting my license and my first car, I was excited to enjoy the freedom that came with it. I was quickly introduced to the price of that freedom. I was heading down Highway 100 in the left very open left lane while I noticed the middle lane was clogged a bit. I predicted some of those impatient middle-laners might want to move over to the swiftly moving left lane.  However, even while making that reasonable assumption and preparing for it by slowing my own pace, I was unfortunately sideswiped. While the damage was minimal, I still remember the dent in my passengers side and his hubcap spinning around and coming to rest on the grassy median. I appreciated one witness, noting she saw him hit me, having enough courtesy to leave me her information to provide to the police if necessary. However, my greatest memory was watching the owner of the other vehicle, a gentlemen with obvious physical limitations, get out to see what happened.  I wasn't surprised when I found out I would get reimbursed in full by his insurance company since he was legally blind. I'm just glad he had enough vision to sign the check.