This weekend I talked to my sister and a friend of mine from college. I did the usual giving advice thing where instead of telling a person what to you, you help them try to figure out what it is they truly want and what is keeping them from it. In the end I guess people have to make their own decision and have peace with them. Eliza decided to pass on the house they were looking to buy and not settle so that she could find something she will be more happy with. She also made some changes at work that I hope will help her feel better.
Today is my niece Rebekkah's 16th birthday. She didn't have a quinceanera last year (nor am I a big fan of them), but this is a pretty big milestone and the day went without much fan fare. This is such a big day for any young girl. I sent her a present through my sister to help her on band trip. Hopefully we will be able to throw something for her the next time we see her. Abram was upset that she wasn't even in drivers ed, the reason being that there was no one to take her and I'm sure because of the cost too. I worry sometimes that it seems like of all 7 nieces/nephews, I seem to look out for Bekkah more and that it is viewed as favoritism because her mom passed away when she was younger. But that really isn't it the more I think about it. She really was like a little sister when I was growing up. and has grown up to a strong, respectful young lady. She lived in the same house with me when she was little and we saw her daily. So it is only natural that that instinct is pretty strong. Now she can be a teenager and act up, has disappointed me in the past, picked sides when she could of stayed neutral, but to be honest, nothing that a child wouldn't do if put in that situation. So I don't have a grandparent's "can do no wrong" view, but am still pretty proud of her. I can't wait until she graduates from high school, and sets off for college, on her own, creating her own life where she isn't held back for arbitrary reasons. She will make those decisons in time as will all of the kids and I hope I can be there for them in anyway possible. The first waive of kids is over, and Celeste has started the new waive, or will be in that middle ground when you are too young for the older kids, but too old for the cousins that came behind you. I'm rambling...happy birthday mija.
I try to pay attention to what people are doing that are making them do well. I've always paid close attention for example to Rick's decisions, Mark's decisions and Oscar's decisions. I am pretty proud of Oscar, I mean we were born on the same day, but at this point in his life he has a well paying job, a home, a nice car, and now a brand new condo. Now I know you shouldn't compare your progress to that of others, and that isn't what I'm trying to do, but picking up some pointers from looking at people's examples are always helpful. So here was my thinking:
I thought that I wanted the type of things Oscar had created for himself. A two story home, with a living room, a guest bed room, my own kitchen, backyard, garage and all that that entails. I mean I even went as far to rent a home so that I would be prepared when I was able to get my own. Since buying his condo, Oscar has started to liquidate his home so that he can start over in a condo closer to town. This got me thinking, am I a instead a condo guy? Would a young professional male be better off with a kick ass condo in the city rather than in a family type home farther from town. This got me worried, made me feel like my wants were not mine and that I was just seeing things and wanting them all even though they were inconsistent. So I decided to take the time and decide what it is I truly want. I see the benefits to the condo, I do, but it is much harder to do with 3 pets in tow. Also, I've lived in a lot of apartments and it never quite has that home feeling. So I'm a house person I decided (to be candid a mansion person I think. :).) Now it is true that I want a house that is in south Austin and not where I'm currently at, but that does increase the price a lot. A backyard is a must since Max is a terror. It wouldn't be a family type house though, probably something more modern that I would set up all kinds of state of the art things. I don't think I'd feel lonely in a big place, so big is ok with me.
What plays into this type of decision is where you see yourself in 5 years. I'm really not ready for the family life, so even if I met that bad ass chick tomorrow, it would be a very long time before we moved past enjoying this part of our life stage. That said, I'm going to make more selfish decisions, you know, cooler TVs instead of things that would be useful for a future family like a washer and dryer. So I guess I want my cake and I'll be eating it. At least I know now I'm not a condo guy, but maybe I limit myself, I mean why not have both right, like that city girlfriend. Ok even with day dreaming.
Thursday is game 1 of the NBA finals. I hope the Celtics just sweep it so that I don't have to deal with any crazy emotional suspense drama. You know if the Lakers win, then I'd rather they sweep as well. I find basketball to be more interesting than baseball, but both I don't usually care to really pay deep attention to until the payoffs and even at that until the second half/last few innings.
I read this entire article and still feel like I don't have a good understanding of the true benefits of breakfast...but it was really educational. The Benefits Of Breakfast. I used to skip breakfast, but now I just have a bar and a green tea or juice on my drive. I knew a girl who would skip it because she felt like it was a way of shaving calories a thought that is usually refuted by most studies, but from what I'm learning the jury is still out on. Here is an excerpt:
"As meals go, breakfast is something of a celebrity. It is one of the most studied, analyzed, parsed, discussed, and advised-about subjects of nutritional science. Never more so than today, as doctors, and nutritionists, and countless articles and academic papers prescribe breakfast as both prophylactic and cure-all: The morning meal is said to stoke metabolism, stop late-night grazing, thwart obesity, reduce diabetes risk, improve nutritional intake, sharpen concentration--even increase longevity. In March, a new study more conclusively linked breakfast with body-mass index, with weight increasing as the frequency of breakfast consumption decreased. Breakfast, it seems, is highly influential: the power broker of repasts."
Abram is back from his vacation. He had a really great time and took a lot of pictures. It is funny, you would think he would be home the most from all of us, but he seems to always be gone. We have some dog proofing to do soon since that situation still isn't taken care of.
So I am starting a mini poker company. It isn't a company, but I like calling it that. I pretty much stake my employees, coach them and get a cut of their winnings. They on the other hand, have to put up no investment, just get to play poker and the more they win the more they make. I have one employee not including myself. I think I'll be adding a second soon. You can't just spend years learning how to do something well to just let that knowledge fade away unused because you are afraid to fail. So far, his play is improving greatly. I'm starting to put in my own hours, but I'm having to start really small since I don't have much I can invest right now, but the truth is I need to get some of the rust off.
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