Great Reaction From the Catcher

Some of you have probably heard me rant about "participation" medals, not keeping score in kid's sports etc. Frankly I think sports and competition are great tools for raising young people. That being said I LOVE the catcher's reaction to this home run. This is the type of passion sports should be played with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CmwMyQn5wg&feature=player_detailpage#t=42s

It's More Important To Be Kind Than To Be Right

     Yesterday a woman knocked on the door. The kids answered and she asked to speak to an adult. When I got there she started to pull some material out of her book. I have little patience for door to door people at the best of times let alone Sunday morning. I coldly told her I wasn't interested and shut the door. A few minutes later sitting on the couch Jason asks: "Dad why couldn't you have been nice to that woman and heard what she had to say?".......sometimes it takes a kid to re-adjust our values. It's more important to be kind than to be right. We shouldn't forget this because we're busy or tired or have our own petty grievances.

Role Models

      Found this quote today: "Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating. Youngsters need good models more than they need critics. It's one of a parent's greatest responsibilities and opportunities." - John Wooden
     Something that amazes me is when I see parents doing things in front of their kids that I can't imagine they would want their kids to do. Yelling at their kids is a good example lol. Seriously though I think we all can take some time and reflect on what behaviours we want our kids to model and then try to do more of them. Surely we can't aspire to have our children cut people off in traffic, be rude to strangers, cut in line at stores or amusement parks etc. etc. etc. I think a good thought moving forward for the New Year would be to try and consider that the little people are always watching and ultimately they will learn how to behave as adults from watching the adults they are around the most: us. 

Facebook

      I think sometimes businesses etc. lose their way when they start catering outside their target audience. I think it happened when the NHL tried the glowing puck etc. to try and get people who didn't care about the game to care about the game. I think it happens in baseball when they try to find ways to speed up the game. The true baseball fan is sitting in the stands in the sun with a beer (or several) and isn't complaining about the speed of the game.

      It seems like the same thing is happening on Facebook. I like Facebook. Always have. I like that it helps me keep up with what friends are doing, thinking etc. It seems like now people are being chastised for doing what made Facebook what it is. I see lots of posts (and may be guilty of jokingly sharing a few) saying: don't share your political views, or I don't care if you went to the gym or what you had for dinner.                     

      Personally I say update it. I want to see it. I like knowing what is going on in my friends lives. If someone posts too much stuff you don't want to see and you can't just ignore it then hide their updates or change which ones you see. I like the original way people used Facebook and I hope people continue to do it.

Voting

"We have a duty to another very special group of patriots: our veterans. Do we really understand the sacrifices they have made, that they fight for our right to be free? Voting is a fundamental demonstration of gratitude to those who have risked and even given their lives for us." Harvey Mackay

I actually don't agree with the word duty in this context. To me the people who fought for our freedom gave us freedom that allows us the maximum amount of choice possible without infringing on the rights of others. This includes not voting if that is what you wish. However that being said I think voting is incredibly important and is a great gesture of respect to our veterans. 

"Impress upon children the truth that the elective franchise is a social duty of as solemn a nature as man can be called to perform; that a man may not incorrectly trifle with his vote; that every elector is a trustee as well for others as himself and that every measure he supports has an important bearing in the interests of others as well as on his own." Daniel Webster

What I'm Thankful For (2012 edition)

     First of all I'm most thankful for the safety we enjoy living where we live. It constantly gives me pause for thought when I read stories of people being blown up at the market etc. in other countries. I'm also thankful that living in Canada we're free to think and say whatever we want. It's hard to imagine in this day and age there are countries where people get thrown in jail for speaking against the government or where things like Google results are censored.
      I'm thankful for the health of my family. We all are constantly inundated with friends, acquaintances, stories etc. of health problems taking people too young or negatively impacting the quality of life. I'm thankful that this year our health system fixed my wife's back problems so she can live normally again.
      I'm thankful for my family. My beautiful wife who after eighteen years together still so obviously loves me and supports me. She is the most caring, nicest woman I know. It's so amusing to see her at bedtime one by one being asked to lie in everyone's bed and cuddle them to sleep. My wonderful daughter who is interested in everything and has the same heart as my wife. Always wanting to do nice things for others. My son whose life revolves around sports already at seven. The pure joy I get to watch him experience when he makes a catch or hits a ball a long way.
      I'm thankful for friends. I lost one particular one this year that gave me a lot of reason to think. I'm glad that because of that I have made more of an effort to have important conversations with friends and to work on building a circle I can confide real feelings to.
      I'm thankful for my job and the company I work for. I look around at the life I live with the nice house on the quiet, tree-lined street and all the things I am able to do for my children and I know that a lot of my success was just the dumb luck of getting hired where I work. The less obvious thing that I am grateful to my work for is teaching me a way of thinking. As a lot of those who work there will tell you there is a real logical, methodical way of thinking that is ingrained into the culture. Learning to think this way has really helped me succeed in other areas of my life.
      I'm thankful for whatever it is that attracts me to do the things I do to help others and for the skill set I have that allows me to help them. It's really wonderful to have the opportunities that I do to make a difference in the lives of others and I am grateful that people and organizations trust me to do those things on their behalf.
      Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Freedom of Speech

How is it possible that a politician in the USA can suggest that anyone should: "inhibit such expressions"? Democrat, Republican, pro or anti gay marriage the suggestion from a member of the government that this person's employer should attempt to control what they say is disturbing.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/ravens/story/2012-09-07/brendan-ayanbadejo-gay-marriage/57680822/1