On The Next Page

Life is a story, and we just move from page to page. So it is with our three year old daughter. Completely unprompted, she has begun referring to increments of time as pages. Usually, it involves her losing one of her favorite toys, particularly "spiky llama". 

"I'm going to get him back on the next page," she'll say to us. "I'm going to be good on the next page." 

So of course, we play along now, and everything in our lives is happening in a page or two. On the next page, I hope to get back to writing more on this little blog.

My Dad and Why I'm Shaving Every Day

My father's death hasn't hit me fully yet, it has been such a whirlwind since December 17th dealing with the funeral plans, helping my mom, and trying to get everything done. I'm sure I will write many things about my dad over time, so I can look back and remember.

Taking The Big Kid

I'm going to brag about my son, Owen, and I apologize in advance. I think it's natural to praise the things that we find remarkable, and I find Owen to be remarkable. He is remarkable for something that I have nothing to do with. We share many traits--left handed, good at math, creative--but he also has a fierce determination that is unusual for an eight-year old. It's a self-assuredness that I don't have. My hope is to merely focus it, and keep it from moving to cockiness and over-competitiveness, but no matter what he does, it should serve him well through life.

Coming Back From the Haze

I'm tired. I don't know when I will be less tired though, so I might as well get back to writing here. I haven't written anything since the days right before the birth of our son, Jameson, in June. Sleep-deprived nights have given way to busy days. However, I have had two of you actually ask that I write again. It's therapeutic for me, plus, my biggest fan doesn't like to read what I say about football, but wants me to write here. So to expand my audience, I will try to occasionally add a post here and there.

Jameson

Okay, so, sometime between now and sometime Tuesday, when the induction is scheduled if it hasn't happened by then, our fourth child, Jameson Carter Lisk, will be joining our household. (and yes, this time, I promise we are done). It would be a more daunting task if he didn't have the best possible big brother and two great sisters waiting for him.

A Hot Dog!

Less than a month ago, I talked about the power of a hot dog in helping to work with my son on fielding. We promised a hot dog to any boy that caught a batted ball in the air. Well, I am proud to report that Owen got his hot dog yesterday, pulling off a minor miracle and being the first on the team to actually record an out by making a catch in the air.

What I've Been Reading

I like to follow several blogs, and often they like to include summaries and book reviews of what they have been reading lately, including Tom Gower at Residual Prolixity and Chris at Smart Football. I too spend a fair amount of my time reading so I thought I would give a review of some of the things I have been finished lately.

Unfinished Highways

You know what's really painful? To read something you wrote 15 years earlier. I find it painful to read things I wrote a week ago, always thinking of things that I could have said better. But 15 years ago, coming from someone you know intimately, but who has changed over time, it is difficult. In some ways, though, reading fiction from someone gives the most honesty, even if you didn't know it at the time.

Hold Me Like a Baby

Your name is Dad. That's what my son told me recently. "What else would my name be?" Daddy. But when you come to school, your name is Dad. If you wanted to know when you become Dad-hold-the-D-Y, well, it looks like my sampling data suggests somewhere in the first grade.

Sporting Kansas City's Rough Start A Lesson In Value of Home

Earlier this week, I heard some speculation on the radio about whether Peter Vermes would even make it to June as the coach of Sporting Kansas City. The team is off to a rough start, at 1-5-1 in their first 7 games, and currently has the fewest total points in the MLS. I'm here to tell you that they are probably closer to an average MLS team, that they might want to wait before making any judgments, and that I expect them to be in contention for one of the playoff spots by season's end.