The Last of the Samoas

What a strange week it’s been. 

Last week was pretty hellacious. 

I feel like I say that a lot, working behavioral health in a hospital. 

However, it’s certainly a relative kind of hellacious. Friday, I was talking to a male nurse friend at work and as he told me some of his crazier stories from his EMS days, I realized how tame my “wild” stories actually were. 

I’ve had a lady pull food out of her mouth and throw it in my face. 

He’s wrestled a scrappy older man in the back of a moving ambulance. 

You win this round, Sam.

Shelly and I are still doing pretty good on walking 2-3 times a week, but the diet is doing less than fabulous. Over the weekend, Shelly broke down and bought girl scout cookies. 

I remember seeing a nature documentary once where these sharks had herded an entire school of fish into this huge ball. Slowly, but surely, they took turns going through the group and eating fish until eventually there was literally nothing but a few scales floating around where the thousands of fish had once been. 

I thought of this documentary last night when I saw a now-empty box of Samoas on the kitchen counter. 

We took no prisoners.

Honestly though, I do really great throughout the week. It’s the weekends that get me. I think my brain learned during college that weekend=party. Only now, instead of drinking with my friends, it’s eating junk food with my family. 

I like to think that I’ve evolved.

Saturday night, the kids went to their dad’s, and Shelly went out with one of her girlfriends for their birthday dinner. I had the house to myself, so of course I read a self-help book, fashioned a table out of wood scraps I’d been saving, and watched Youtube videos on learning a foreign language. 

…or I played video games for like 4 hours straight. I can’t remember exactly how it all went down. 

When she got home though, we watched Hacksaw Ridge. Truly, an amazing movie. It was so uplifting and so visceral at the same time. Usually, I don’t care for movies based on true stories – but this one had such compelling acting (and truthfully, Mel Gibson just makes good movies) that it was captivating from the second it started. 

Hard to watch, but I would highly recommend. 

Sunday, I talked to Grandma again, and prepped lunches for the week. 

Later, we made a late-night run to Dollar General for craft supplies because Jade has started making “How-To” craft videos on Youtube. 

I’m still trying to get her to let me share them here.

I also got a toy for the cats. The "Purrfect Arch".

Batman's obsessed with it. 

I really wish Jaxon would find something he’s passionate about, again. He used to do so many different things as hobbies – but now he’s so ate up with video games that it’s all he can think about. If he’s not playing them, he’s watching videos of other people playing them. The time spent on these things isn’t really the problem – as we don’t let him play for hours on end… it’s just, I wish he had a hobby on top of gaming that he could take pride in.

That’s a hard thing, though – helping someone find out what they’re passionate in. He did tae kwon do for so long, but eventually got tired of that. He still likes certain sports when they’re in-season. During his down-time though, he’s just a little lost.

I suppose the answer will come in time.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been pushing back plans to film a Wheel of Fortune application video. I’ve wanted to go on the show for years now – and only recently found out that you can submit your application via YouTube. 

I’ve put together what I think is a funny script/application idea. The only thing left to do now is film it.

Being on that show is my life’s desire. It was one of the few shows I watched religiously with my Grandma before she passed – and it’s always held a special place in my heart. 

Not to mention, I’m pretty awesome at it if I do say so myself. 

Seriously… Shelly and the kids don’t like watching it with me anymore, and I have to watch it alone - shouting out the answers to nobody.  

My gift has become my curse.

I’m still trying to find a balance of what I want this blog to be. So far, it's been an absolute blast, writing my thoughts and experiences down to share and look back on. I love documenting what the family does throughout the week – but I also want to make sure it’s fun to read (or worth me looking back on years after I’ve written it). 

And really, I guess I'm trying to figure out how real to make it. Being a family is so much fun - but it also comes with bumps and bruises. Couples argue. Kids fight. What's the perfect ratio of good experiences versus learning experiences? 

Again, I guess the answer will come in time. 

#Optimisticprocrastinator 

Until next week.