Cars, Chess & Children

Five upcoming songs on iTunes DJ:

1. Tikva- Subliminal & The Shadow
2. Into The Mystic– Van Morrison
3. Hallelujah– Leonard Cohen
4. Keep Hope Alive– Crystal Method
5. Let Me Hear You Scream- Ozzy Osbourne

Late Sunday afternoon has arrived and I am alone with my thoughts and preparing to immerse myself in my work. This is not a drive-by or minor flirtation but something far more intense- complete disengagement with everything else so that I can fully engage here. Most of the time I haven’t any concerns with multitasking and easily move back and forth between projects but this is different. This requires all of my concentration and frankly I am irritated by it. Irritated because it is taking much longer to complete it than it should which is precisely why I am approaching it in this manner.

This post is nothing more than part of my preparation. The writing helps me clear my head so that I can bring the proper focus to the task. Because it has been such a bear I made a point to figure out why I am having trouble with it. The answer is not because I am distracted by social media, children or anything else. Rather it is because it irritates me. One might ask why I can’t just ignore the irritation and I would say that you ask an excellent question. The distinction here is simple- this is something highly unusual and tied into a hot button for me. You know, we all have things that just set us off and this is one of them. Anyway, it will be completed ahead of schedule and it will be on to the next thing.

There is a light flashing on my car indicating that some work needs to be done. It is probably some routine maintenance and given time and materials something that I might very well be able to do myself. However time is not something that I have to use in this manner which means that I am going to have to pay someone else to do this.  Per the rules of life this expenditure doesn’t come on my schedule so the money that is allocated here is coming at the wrong time. And should it require something more serious…well than I’ll grit my teeth and thank the universe for placing another stumbling block in my way. And then I’ll rattle off some set of curses and promise to kick the universe in the balls for no other reason than because. Watch out universe, I wear a size 12 boot.

Alternatively universe you can spare yourself some pain by talking to Ford, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Lexus and others about providing a new car for me. C’mon, you know that you want to do it. It is far less painful than taking a boot to the head and I am much more fun to deal with when I am smiling. Please…. 😀

Speaking of smiles I taught my son how to play Chess and the two of us have been having a fantastic time playing together. He is old enough for me not to let him win every time, in fact I won’t let him win. I don’t go all out but I don’t take it easy either. It is a fantastic game for learning skills that will serve him well all his life. He has looked at me more than once and smiled broadly as he told me how he thinks that I have gotten smarter. That made me smile too- the boychik is learning that he doesn’t know all of my tricks.

Anyway, the game really helps you to focus on how what you do now can impact the future. And it reminds you that you must pay attention to the front, back, side and diagonal too. I really look forward to the day when he finally beats me. I have no misconceptions that kid has got my number and one day he’ll figure out how to ring it.

Five more songs on iTunes DJ:

1. King Without A Crown– Matisyahu
2. Love Reign O’er Me– The Who
3. The Magnificent Seven– Elmer Bernstein
4. Molly Malone– The Dubliners
5. By The Way– Red Hot Chili Peppers

Bringing down the Cone of Silence now- back later.

• Saved: cars, Chess, Children