Quick Thanks

Here's some great things to be grateful for from the past few days:

• Being able to make lists in my head
• Kristina loving her I love you glog
• Friends at work being so receiving and exciting about the baby news
• Angela already finding bliss in her glog
• Finding 3 great houses that are bank owned, in super neighborhoods, and knowing we are going to get a great deal.
• Tracey at Ethan Allen telling us how her granddaughter is a perfect baby because her mommy followed the advice in Baby Wise.
• Also learning from Tracey that while her granddaughter's schedule is rigid, her parents still live, go places, do things and don't make the baby the center but rather a part of their lives.  It's so confirming to see the ideas that Kristina and I have on parenting are "kid tested and mother approved."
• Kristina glogging me
• Kristina's kids keeping gratitude journals as their journals and the positive effect it is having on them
• FINALLLY FINDING AND ORDERING A SOFA!!!!!!!!!
• You

H.H.

Lemonade is sweet

Things are busy once again.  Luck has been on my side here lately.  Once the work items from the front of the year finally cleared off, it now seems that when cycling needs precedence it gets a clear path and when work needs precedence, cycling needs a break.  This week, I'm on a recovery week and work is full steam.  New opportunities abound and I strive to take action and execute this time.  Today I am grateful for:

• Another shot at the CPL long term pharmacy rebate program.
• Forcing myself to take a recovery week from the bike.  By next week, I will be twice as strong.
• Just a month more until I find out if I get my domain name.
• Making a new lunch buddy.
• Doug bringing back new wheels from Danny.
• New music from Karla.
• Sharing new music with friends.
• Riding my fixy really really really slow.
• Watching the Mavs with Kristina and falling asleep first!
• The positive affect rearranging my cube is having.
• You

H.H.

A weekend for me.

What a great long weekend.  Today I am grateful for:

• Learning to be more patient on the bike during a race. 
  
• Feeling fresher at the end when I am patient.
• Finishing with the bunch instead of straggling in ten minutes later with a smattering of embarrassingly false applause.
• Doing 49.6 miles 3 minutes faster than 46.9 miles the previous day.
• Kristina's support of my cycling endeavors.
• New cycling buddies with Matrix.
• My family's excitement for our new arrival, everyone finally being in the know.
• My stepmother's encouraging words that we will be great parents.
• All the new gloggers.
• Having my lawn mowed.
  
• My upcoming recovery week.
• Emailing with Michelle's Craig last week.  I enjoyed being tapped as a resource and trying my best to point him to the experts rather than portray myself as a cycling guru.
• Kristina's great girls' weekend with her mother and sister. 
  
• Getting 19.6 MPG on the way back from Fayetteville.
• Getting Lea Andrah's sad glog about her cat.  Seeing that she has learned the value of long friendships from her furry little friend.  I'm proud that she had a friend that she has known for half her life.  I look forward to arriving at that milestone with Kristina very soon.
• Learning of relationship milestones from Michelle.
• Being unplugged, barely worrying about time, not really looking at my cell phone - ALL WEEKEND LONG!
• Jack or Cat - either way is going to be great.  Soon I can start talking and they will be listening.
• You.

h.h.

Someone Says Hello

Some days I'm simple. Like today. I am grateful for this little guy (or girl) and knowing that one day very soon, when I have a day like yesterday, I'll have a new face to come home to. He (or she but we think he) says hello.

Right to the point

Many things to be grateful for so I better get straight to it:

• Kristina glogging me
• Lea Andra glogging me
• President Bush's Time Change. Some may not like all his policies, but the time change is great.
  
• Being out on my bike at 7:45 PM!
• The Dallas Mavericks finally lose one. Yes. I think it's better they are humbled now than in the playoffs!
• Finding a yard guy to take care of the lawn
• Working remotely
• My Dad's help over the phone with fixing Kristina's hair dryer. We didn't get it to work, but it was still fun.
• Kristina having a spring break to relax and sleep late.

h.h.

Catching the Worm

Don't sign me up for early bird specials with the senior crowd at Luby's just yet, but hitting the hay @ 10pm last night was awesome.  I don't know why I was tired enough to sleep, but I decided that rather than getting in a different chair to really get comfortable, why not just go lay down in bed and see what happens.  5:35 AM and I am wide awake.  I lace up the kicks, put on the shorts and safety light and go for a run.  OK, it took me about 15 minutes to get out the door, then I stretched, and then I started running.  So that's where I a begin.  Today, I am grateful for:

• The run into the sunrise as I round the corner on the home stretch for the last 1.5 miles. 
  
• Hearing the geese call as they come back for spring.  It's too dark to see them but they fly through the low clouds and in the dark with utter confidence.  It gives me cause to ponder the metaphor that can server for me.
• Friends and family continuing to help with the house hunt.
• A spontaneous dinner before 5pm with Kristina at our favorite El Salvadoran restaurant: Gloria's
• Getting my outlook inbox down to 3 items!
• My Little Sister starting out small with her glog.  I know she's only 2 days away from feeling the positive affect of gratitude.
• My mother-in-law Peg and all the helpful advice with Real Estate
• Working Remotely
• The chance to ride this afternoon.
• A new face in the glogosphere.
• You

H.H.

A lesson about disappointment

I think it's ok to anticipate something and then be disappointed. What's important is that you learn something. I see so many people who numb themselves to an experience to avoid the low of a disappointment. At the same time, they also deprive themselves the high of satisfaction when their anticipation pays. Back to the learning. When disappointed, pause to learn something; especially something about yourself. If you believe in Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs then you know the point of any experience. It can be as simple as your likes and dislikes or as deep as healing an old personal wound. Today I am grateful for:

• Emilio calling me the smartest person he knows.
• A lesson in learning to be neutral about a house.
• Learning there is a good reason there are no pictures.
• House hunting with Kristina. It's fun dreaming together, even when we are disappointed with the house.
• Encouragement from friends and family to keep on looking and always be ready to walk-away.
• Little spats and quick make-ups.
• The chance to help Lea Andrah find her own joy through glogging.
• Text messages from Danny and Lea Andrah when they "blow up" her kitchen at 9pm Las Vegas time.
• Getting to bed early.
• The amazing Dallas Mavericks
• Glasses relieving my eye strain. I have 20/20, but 10 years in front of a monitor is tough on the eyes.
  
• Feeling truly blessed.
• You

H.H.

It's about being open

OK. I guess this works by just being open. Insert woo-woo hokus pokus. Some materialism is good. Today I am greatful for:

• Lara and Dennis Crump. We need to spend more time with them.
  
• Lara being such a great person and real estate agent.
• Current listing:http://www.trulia.com/property/1031928525-3713-Stonington-Dr-Plano-TX-75093
• Previous list of same home in 2005: http://ntreislistings.marketlinx.com/SearchDetail/Scripts/PrtBuyFul/PrtBuyFul.asp?prp=mls&AgentId=0471298&EmailKey=19839644
  
• Comps: http://ntreislistings.marketlinx.com/SearchDetail/Scripts/PrtBuyFul/PrtBuyFul.asp?prp=mls&AgentId=0471298&EmailKey=19839538
• Being able to say I am ignorant and having friends willing to teach me.
• Kristina's excitement. I love to see her interested and excited in something.
• A phone call from my Dad where he offered friendly help and fatherly encouragement. A strange offering, one I really don't need, yeah right. Every son wants his father's approval and encouragement.
  
• Having friends reply to my blog about home buying advice.
• Working remotely.
• You

H.H.

The Great House Hunt

Whew, house hunting.  What an ordeal.  However, it really gives me a chance to realize what's important when the hunt is not so bountiful.  Today I'm certainly glad:

• Kristina and I can have house hunting on our list of things to accomplish before September.
• That each time we get set on a neighborhood, we seem to find another, and then another, and perhaps one that's even in our price range.
• Happy that I can now see that the appropriate response to "I'll probably have a contract on this one today," is "oh really?  I guess we shouldn't take a look around then."  Funny how suddenly the tone is changed.
• Getting the new battery for my laptop, having it charged, and seeing that it actually works.
• That I don't ever get morning sickness, or day sickness, or night sickness or anytime sickness.
• The power of the Internets to simplify house hunting.
• Michelle inspiring others to glog.
• Realizing that a short list could just be a sign of a relaxful day. :-)
• You.

h.h.

The Early Bird Special

Today, Kristina and I felt like senior citizens pulling into Luby's at 6pm.  It was a full parking lot and the line was nearly out the door.  The population really is aging.  She couldn't wait.  Eating for two demands better timing.  We found a near empty Black Eyed Pisser in the vicinity.  With that in mind, here's the joy:

• Going to bed early and waking up ready to rock.  There's really nothing going on after 12 except bigger bar tabs and vomit.  Perhaps an OT game on the west coast.  Shame it takes 32 years to figure this out.  Glad I learned before 33!
• Riding alone with no wind at a high pace.
• Learning the Daily Grind Unwind has coffee that is better than Starbucks.  The doppio espresso was exquisite.  I drank it without sugar or cream.  Then got back on my bike.
• Riding strong with the group when the wind finally came in as the sun rose over the horizon.  Taking very long pulls.
• Proud of Kristina for continuing to make it into the gym at least weekly.
• Helping her use my HR monitor so that she felt comfortable with giving the right exhertion in the gym
• Kristina getting to see one of her kids play basketball.  I know that she is a great inspiration to her student who, like Kristina, is the tall girl and really needs a hero and a mentor.
• The encouragement of Kristina and Michelle to keep glogging.  They see the positive impact and  gently encourage.
• The Dallas Mavericks - 15 consecutive wins.  Go Mavs.
• The Great Gazoo.
• You.

h.h.

Procrastination

Learning to make complicated things simple.  That's the key to ending procrastination.  Here goes:

• Waking up early, well rested, eager to go to the gym.
• Having time to take care of Kristina.  Caring for her needs during this time is the best way I know to show her how much I care.
• A good workout without killing myself.
  
• Our first onesie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onesie ), compliments of Michelle.
• The Secret on DVD also compliments of Michelle.
  
• Being caught up on work for the weekend.
• Working remote Tuesday and Thursday.
• Not racing this weekend and being ok with it.
• Getting a great massage during "business hours" because I am the boss!
• The affect my improved attitude is having in my business relationships.
• New clients.
• New and interesting web development junk that's too nerdy to glog but is going to be really cool to code.
• Finally getting Emilio to blog and inspiring him to apply his knack for finding stuff on the internets to www.EdZachary.com
• Notes from Michelle about the glog effect.  Keep it going.
• You.
• The Great Gazoo

hh