I have written before about wanting to simplify my life. I’m working on that. Part of that process is freeing up more time for what’s important in life, time with family and friends, reading, writing and relaxing. I have had a really hard time accomplishing this.

Maybe you are like me, you come home and you are overwhelmed with the projects that surround you. For me, I had a car that needed repair, two that needed detailing, I needed tons of yard work done, carpet replaced with wood floors, decks sanded and restained, some outlets fixed, office cleaned…. the list goes on and on. I don’t by any means think these are unique problems, they are just too much for me to handle. I can’t get any piece of mind with these things looming over me.

My wife and I made a list of everything that was bothering me. We decided to have all of these things taken care of, even though we really can’t afford it. We have been making arrangements and tons of people and crews are banging this out over the next few weeks.

Oh, did I mention we need new gutters too?

Today the lawn crew was there. It wasn’t cheap to get to total cleanup with the trees trimmed, bushes cut and everything, but it looks and feels so good. The important things is how it “feels”. I needed this so much. We all work so hard, why are we so reluctant to reward ourselves. Sure, I would rather save or invest the money because I worry about the future just like you do, but I realized I need to try to enjoy the moment. I have been neglecting so many simple things and moments.
My daughter is five, she’s growing up fast. In fact, today she used the word “penis” for the first time. What the hell happened. Before long she won’t want anything to do with me.

I’ll be writing a lot of checks before May is over but I am so looking forward to “feeling” good about my home, my life.

object height=”350″ width=”425″param name=”movie” value=”http://www.youtube.com/v/xSGJKYuLkNk”param name=”wmode” value=”transparent”embed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/xSGJKYuLkNk” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” wmode=”transparent” height=”350″ width=”425″/embed/object

So I went a little nuts at Waterloo records again. I am really enjoying discovering a lot of new music. I was definitely stuck in an old, familiar music phase, the new music rolls on. Here’s what I bought.br /br /New- What Made Milwaukee Famousbr /br /New- Elliot Smith – span style=”font-style: italic;”although he killed himself, very sad./spanbr /br /New- Wilco- span style=”font-style: italic;”I have tons of Wilco and love it all.br //spanbr /older- Phoenix- span style=”font-style: italic;”The New Phoenix cd is the best one I have picked up in the past year, I’m hoping this is as good.br //spanbr /New- St. Germainbr /br /New-Kaiser Chiefs- span style=”font-style: italic;”I picked up the last one because all the hype. It didn’t impress me that much. I’m giving them another chance.br //spanbr /New-Kings of Leon- span style=”font-style: italic;”Similar to Kaiser Chiefs. I checked out the last one. Maybe I didn’t listen to it enough, but I’m hoping this one catches my attention.br //spanbr /New- The Fratellis-span style=”font-style: italic;” I have no idea what to expect with this. I just keep hearing their name come up. All I know is that they are a british band causing a big stir, that usually a safe bet.br /br /br //spanI’ll report back to you soon enough. Plan to spend some time with this new music and I’m not ready to abandon all the new stuff I have purchased in the last few months.br /br /Still digging:br /br /Phoenixbr /The Reconteursbr /Band of Horsesbr /Rocco De Lucabr /The Soundtrack of our Livesbr /The Shins

So I went a little nuts at Waterloo records again. I am really enjoying discovering a lot of new music. I was definitely stuck in an old, familiar music phase, the new music rolls on. Here’s what I bought.

New- What Made Milwaukee Famous

New- Elliot Smith – although he killed himself, very sad.

New- Wilco- I have tons of Wilco and love it all.

older- Phoenix- The New Phoenix cd is the best one I have picked up in the past year, I’m hoping this is as good.

New- St. Germain

New-Kaiser Chiefs- I picked up the last one because all the hype. It didn’t impress me that much. I’m giving them another chance.

New-Kings of Leon- Similar to Kaiser Chiefs. I checked out the last one. Maybe I didn’t listen to it enough, but I’m hoping this one catches my attention.

New- The Fratellis- I have no idea what to expect with this. I just keep hearing their name come up. All I know is that they are a british band causing a big stir, that usually a safe bet.

I’ll report back to you soon enough. Plan to spend some time with this new music and I’m not ready to abandon all the new stuff I have purchased in the last few months.

Still digging:

Phoenix
The Reconteurs
Band of Horses
Rocco De Luca
The Soundtrack of our Lives
The Shins

Classic evening. My 5 year old had her last day of pre-school yesterday. She’s very excited about kindergarten and can’t wait for it to start. We wanted to celebrate over dinner. My daughter wanted to go to Romeo’s. She loves the heart logo out front and we like sitting outside. This was the dinner that was not meant to be.br /They are kid friendly enough that they put her water in a styrofoam cup. Within just a few minutes, my daughter shoved her thumb through the side of it and sent the water leaking all over our table. The waitress could not have been any nicer about that.br /Once we settled down from that chaos, we made friends with a squirrel who would come right up to the table and beg for scraps. I haven’t been that close to a squirrel since UT campus. Have you ever been around the squirrels on campus? They will eat right out of your hand.br /So the food shows up and within about a minute, my daughter threw up all over her pizza. She wasn’t sick or anything, something just hit her funny. My wife and daughter darted to the car while I had to sit there next to the yack that went all over her plate, my leg and all over the floor. I had to get our food to go and the check. It was very lonely sitting there next to her chunks with what seemed like a lifetime to get the check. Poor waitress. I left a huge tip.br /We were laughing about it by the time I got to the car and everyone lost their appetite for the evening. We went home and all went to bed.

Classic evening. My 5 year old had her last day of pre-school yesterday. She’s very excited about kindergarten and can’t wait for it to start. We wanted to celebrate over dinner. My daughter wanted to go to Romeo’s. She loves the heart logo out front and we like sitting outside. This was the dinner that was not meant to be.
They are kid friendly enough that they put her water in a styrofoam cup. Within just a few minutes, my daughter shoved her thumb through the side of it and sent the water leaking all over our table. The waitress could not have been any nicer about that.
Once we settled down from that chaos, we made friends with a squirrel who would come right up to the table and beg for scraps. I haven’t been that close to a squirrel since UT campus. Have you ever been around the squirrels on campus? They will eat right out of your hand.
So the food shows up and within about a minute, my daughter threw up all over her pizza. She wasn’t sick or anything, something just hit her funny. My wife and daughter darted to the car while I had to sit there next to the yack that went all over her plate, my leg and all over the floor. I had to get our food to go and the check. It was very lonely sitting there next to her chunks with what seemed like a lifetime to get the check. Poor waitress. I left a huge tip.
We were laughing about it by the time I got to the car and everyone lost their appetite for the evening. We went home and all went to bed.

Kind of bittersweet today. Today is my daughters last day of pre-school. Scary to think that in a few short months she’ll be heading off to an elementary school with BIG KIDS there. No one to hold her hand every step of the way. I know it’s cliche’ and parents say that the kids grow up way too fast, but I’m really feeling it now.br /We’re going out to dinner tonight to celebrate. I’m feeling like these short summer months are the last one’s that mom and dad are the most important thing in her life. I’ve got to find time to share as much of this summer with her as I can.

Kind of bittersweet today. Today is my daughters last day of pre-school. Scary to think that in a few short months she’ll be heading off to an elementary school with BIG KIDS there. No one to hold her hand every step of the way. I know it’s cliche’ and parents say that the kids grow up way too fast, but I’m really feeling it now.
We’re going out to dinner tonight to celebrate. I’m feeling like these short summer months are the last one’s that mom and dad are the most important thing in her life. I’ve got to find time to share as much of this summer with her as I can.