It's all annoying isn't it?

 I find myself being annoyed at just about everything lately.  When a news story airs, and I ask myself, "why is this on the news", that's annoying.  Certain people's faces are annoying.  White people that think they need to speak out for "disenfranchised" minorities are really annoying, and I would argue, just as racist as any racist comment or joke people can make about said disenfranchised folks.  People driving in the left lane that shouldn't be driving in the left lane, are annoying.  People at Costco that are so involved in what they have going on, they don't pay attention to the fact that you almost ran them over, or they're in the way of what you need to get.  I understand taking a certain amount of time to find what you're looking for, but being so oblivious to the rest of the world going on around you that you can't see you're holding everyone else up.  Also the sample stations at Costco are horribly placed.  They're in the way.  The huffington post website and their writers are annoying, not only because they're liberal, but because they're elitists.  They think they know better than you, and every decision you've made is because you're a white male with no perspective of the world.  Auto correct is annoying too.  Just sitting there, mocking you, changing your words, and punctuation.  Jerk.  Modern music is annoying.  All the music that is auto tuned and cleaned up to take all imperfections out, is annoying.  Why is Kanye West still a thing?  That's annoying.
 I've said all that to say this.  I would really like to be a person that doesn't find myself being annoyed but this stuff, and that is a small list to show you what I find annoying in this world.  My wife pays no attention to any of that stuff, she's just there, being awesome and loving and caring for my boys and I.  She has no idea what I'm talking about half the time, and I find myself being jealous of that.
 I need to stop paying attention to the trivial, and focus on the eternal.  The focus on the eternal is the solution here.  21 Christians being slain in the name of a god that doesn't exist should get more attention in my life than it has.  Trying to change my little piece of the world should be holding a bigger part of my mind, should be more important than it is.  I can blame a lot of things for wasting time, and taking attention away from the eternal, but none of the excuses are good.  It's all trivial.  It's all stupid.  I don't go exercise at night because I "need" to watch tv shows that I like.  Thats a dumb reason to not go for  a walk.  The main thing has become a series of small, unimportant, trivial things, that have nothing to do with affecting my part of the world to turn their perspective to the eternal.
 I have found myself feeling restless lately.  I feel stuck in a job that I like, but the chances for advancement don't seem to be coming fast enough.  I'm getting to a point where I look at other things and think, "that's my dream job", but is it really?  At some point everything just turns into work.  I love college football, but if I got a job in college football, how would I feel about it in 15 years?  My guess would be about the same way I feel about the job I've had for 15 years.  It's not eternal.  It's a job.  It's a paycheck.  They're all just paychecks, unless I'm affecting eternity.
 I don't have any answers.  I don't know if I will anytime soon.  One thing I do know, eternity seems to be closer than it ever has before.

A Patriot?

I didn't plan on watching the snowden interview the other night, but I found myself tuning in sheerly because I like someone trying to take the federal government down a notch.  We aren't ever going to get it smaller, but if we can make them look incompetent like we all know they already are, I'm a huge fan of that.  All of them need to be gotten rid of.  Republicans and Democrats are all out of touch with the people that elected them into office.  I found myself agreeing with a lot of what snowden had to say.
I don't think he's a hero.  I don't think he's the face of the revolution.  At best he's a whistleblower, at worst, he's a traitor.  I found myself stuck somewhere in the middle on my opinion of him.  I know that I would not like to go on a long road trip with him.  I did  agree with his point that there needs to be a clear definition of what perameters we allow the nsa to work within.  That's right, I believe we should dictate to the nsa what we allow them to look at.  They're government employees.  They're our employees.  The oversight committees needs to be filled with people that live in the real world.  Not the stuffed shirts that are bought and paid for by whatever lobbies they are beholden to.  I want guys that run successful mid size companies to be in charge of our security.  Do you know why?  They have skin in the game.  Guys that run successful mid size companies know the value of the people they employ.  They know that the large majority of them just want to make paychecks and be good husbands and fathers and wives and mothers.  If all of the surveillance the nsa is doing is in the name of defending us, and keeping us safe, then why is all of our personal information subject to scrutiny?  That's right, it shouldn't be.

If you think our government has our best interest at heart, you are dead wrong.  Last week, this "great" presidential administration decided to release the name of an American cia agent located in Afghanistan.  Fortunately, this person wasn't killed and they were able to get him out of there.  Why do people trust anything coming out of dc right now?  I don't.  Not at all. Jay Carney had to resign his position last week.  Do you know why?  I do.  He can't keep up with all of the lies he has to tell.  Obama and this current version of our government is either 1. stupid or 2. liars.  I'm hoping for number 1, but I believe its number 2.  The next administration is going to be just as bad though.  I don't care which side wins.  It's going to be bad.  We need to fire all of them.

Hi nsa.  Do you like my blog?

The Power of Words

It's 2014.  There are some words and phrases that need to be eliminated from usage in everyday society.
People think these are funny.  They are not.  A little piece of my soul dies when people I respect use these.  I don't want to eliminate your right to free speech, but just know that I am looking down my nose at you if you use these.

Hater- Some people think the more of these you have, then you are doing something right.  No, you're an idiot and need to be called out.  I.E. Justin Bieber fans thinking everyone that wants him in jail is a hater.  No he's a punk and needs his butt kicked.

Baby Daddy (or Mama)- I know the person that impregnated you or you impregnated, is not your favorite person.  Use their name.  Or use my child's father/mother.  It makes you sound stupid, and it's not funny, and it hasn't ever been funny.

Cray cray- just say crazy.  You're white.  Stop it.

Kardashian- if we stop talking about them maybe they'll go away.

There are more, this is all I have for now.

Trying New Things (the generic 30's white guy)

I want to make more money.  I want to figure out a way to write and make money at it is a more accurate statement.  I love the idea of having ideas.  I think that there are voices in this world that need to be heard.  I also believe that there are a lot of voices speaking that need to shut up.  Thus, the new direction of my blog.  I'm actually going to try to post more often per week.  I think the perspective of the white male in his 30's is lost.  Every depiction of white guys in their 30's on tv and in the media is horribly cliche.  They are either idiots that party too hard.  Or they're Dads that are either stupid or overbearing and no one wants anything to do with them.  The guy that keeps his head down and works hard at his job, loves his family, and loves life seems to be lost in our society.  The douchebag wearing shiny shirts and complicated pants is not someone I want speaking for me or my generation.  I have a voice.  I am going to start speaking up a little bit.  There will be talk of sports, music with instruments, God, friends, family, college football, and maybe some politics.  I'm tired of all the noise without any substance to it.

Thank You Coach Brown

On January 4th, 2006, I saw something that I hadn't seen before.  I saw Texas win a national championship against an "unbeatable" team.  Texas played in and won the best college football game in recent history.  I am biased, I admit.  I remember sitting upstairs in the loft with my Dad, and my heart racing.  When Vince ran for the 10 yard touchdown to win that game, I didn't know what to do.  It was the culmination of coming all the way back from the dark times in Texas football.  We won't mention his name, but the guy that Mack Brown succeeded doesn't register as a former coach on my list of former coaches.  I remember hugging my Dad and being so elated that our team won the big one.  We both got to watch it and cheer together.  It was a huge moment.  At that moment all was right with the world.

I have been a Texas fan my whole life.  I spent Saturdays watching their games for a long time.  When Mack Brown was hired as head coach, I remember thinking, that it was an interesting decision.  I never knew how many great memories that Mack and his teams would give me.  I had a few questions early on in his career.  I think a lot of Texas fans did.  His success is unquestioned though.  At least 10 wins a season for 9 years in a row is going to be tough to duplicate.  Nobody knew when he was hired that he would be the next great Texas coach.  Darrell Royal set the standard pretty high.  Mack met that standard.  Some of the best players in Texas football history were guys that played for Mack.  The list is too numerous to mention.  I was always impressed with the guys that weren't 5 star recruits that became great players under Mack.  When Colt McCoy was named the starting qb his freshmen year, I thought, uh oh.  Colt was a 2A high school player.  They typically don't become the winningest qb's in the history of college football.  I know this had a lot do with Coach putting his trust in Colt.

In 2009 I met a woman named Christa.  I didn't know that she was going to turn my world upside down.  In one of our first conversations in email, she said that she had met Mack Brown and Colt McCoy.  I couldn't believe it.  She said that were both nice and pleasant to deal with at the Fiesta Bowl, unlike some former coaches from Ohio State that wore sweater vests on game day.  Christa found out I was a huge Texas fan and couldn't believe that I had never been to a game in Austin.  That October, Christa and I went to Austin, had a great trip, and went to a game.  I don't want to overhype it, but I was on the verge of tears leading up to game time.  I couldn't believe that I was in Austin watching my favorite team being coached by my favorite coach.  It was a dream come true to be sitting in the stands with the woman I love, watching Colt throw deep passes to Jordan Shipley.  It was surreal.

In another surreal moment, a little later in that season Texas beat Nebraska on a last second Justin Tucker field goal in the Big 12 championship, to put them in the national championship game.  A friend of ours, Gina Chappin, now Gina Lehe, worked for the Rose Bowl.  Christa contacted Gina and she bought tickets to see Texas play Alabama in the Rose Bowl.  The outcome didn't matter to me because the experience was one of the best of my life.  Besides DKR, the best place to watch a game in the country is The Rose Bowl.  Go if you get the chance.  My heart broke for Colt and Coach that night.  I still believe if Colt is healthy for all four quarters of that game, Texas would have won by two touchdowns.  Sometimes, life isn't fair.

October 16th 2010, Christa became my wife.  This was the greatest day of my life.  Christa put together a beautiful weekend for our family and friends.  We went through our ceremony and were going into the reception.  We walked in and were being congratulated by our friends and my Dad came and got me.  I was kind of annoyed, which i still feel bad about, he told me someone wanted to talk to me.  I knew we had ordered a Texas Longhorns themed groom's cake. What I didn't know was there was going to be a helmet sitting behind the cake.  I approached, and noticed writing on the Longhorns helmet.  I saw it, and immediately, tears came to my eyes.  It said, "Jarod and Christa, Hook Em, Mack Brown".  I turned around and asked Christa how she did this and she turned and pointed at Gina, who was crying because I was crying.  I went over and gave her a huge hug.  In that moment, that helmet became my most treasured possession, and it still is.  Both of my baby boys have had their newborn photos taken with that helmet.  I believe that Mack has seen both of those photos.

This year, another Longhorns dream came true.  In October, Christa and I took a trip to Dallas.  A bucket list item, that I never thought would come true, was checked off of my list.  We went to the Cotton Bowl to see the Texas/ou game (I never capitalize ou).  I didn't think I would ever have the chance in my life to go see this game in person.  The tickets are really hard to get.  Thankfully, we know Gina.  It was an incredible atmosphere, it was hot on that October day.  Texas won.  It was never in question.  I loved every minute of it.  I have that game on my dvr, and occasionally I turn it on just to remember.  I had a feeling that it would be Mack's last one.  I am proud that I got to see him win that one in person.  I'm glad that he got to win it with the style of football he loved playing.  Hard nosed defense, and a relentless running attack that wore out ou's defense by the time the fourth quarter came around.  There's nothing like hearing Texas Fight being played after a big win over them.  Thank you Coach for that memory.

Mack Brown has unknowingly played a huge role in my life.  The most impressive thing I've ever heard him say was after the Champ game in 2006, he told those guys to not let this football game be the only thing that defines you.  He told his guys he wanted them to go on and become great fathers, leaders, and citizens.  That is why I love Mack Brown.  He cares a lot about football, but he cares a lot more about life.  I hope I get the chance to meet him one day and thank him.  I would love to take to play a round of golf.  It would be on me.  I would never want that round to end.  Thank you Coach for everything.  Thank you for your class and dignity.  Thank you for doing it the right way.  Thank you for the years of great memories.  Thank you for taking a small moment out of your life and telling my wife and I to Hook Em.  We always will Coach.

Things that annoy me (through 2012)

1.  The news.
2.  The government.
3.  People that are stupid.
4.  People that won't move over to the right lane on the freeway when they are going slower than everyone else.  This one really gets my goat.  Just move over.  It's not an affront to you. You're going slower than me.  It's my choice to speed a little.  If I get a ticket, I will deal with the consequences. I don't need you to police me, I need you to move over or take a back road.
5.  The fact that our president thinks it's good idea to have john kerry be our secretary of state.
6.  Our president.
7.  Talking for the sake of talking.  If you don't have something to say, keep your mouth shut.  I don't care about the quantity of words you speak, I care about the quality.
8.  People who think the government has their best interest in mind, i.e. healthcare.  I really hope it all works out.  I just don't see a way that it will.
9.  Communism.  Not everybody is the same.  There are people that achieve more and work harder than other people.  I shouldn't be entitled to that guy's stuff because he's richer than me.  I don't respect people that don't want better for than themselves.  I understand that some people need help.  Not everyone that has their hand out right now, needs help.  Some of them just need to get off their asses and go look for work.  It may not be a great job, but at least you'll feel good about getting to do some work.
10. The irs.  All we need is a national sales tax.  Its that simple.  If it doesn't come in, then you don't have it to spend.  If we have a national sales tax on goods and services, then everyone is truly paying their fair share.  If I have more money in my paycheck, I will spend more money.  It's a simple solution.
11. Texas going 8-4 which inevitably leads to the conversation about firing Mack Brown.  2013 has got  to be a great year.  I think Coach retires either way.  I hope he goes out with another national championship under his belt.
12.  Jerry Jones
13.  Weird smells
14.  The fact that Breaking Bad only has 8 more episodes.  That's a great show and I don't want it to end.  Ever.
15.  Celebrities that think I need to hear about their thoughts on gun control.  Shut up and act or sing or whatever it is you do that you think is more important than it really is.
16.  That the company Apple isn't doing their best anymore.  The podcast app is really disappointing.
17.  My little garage needs to be organized and I don't want to do it.

That about sums it up for this year.  Check back in 2013 because I don't think a whole lot is going to change other than my little garage will get organized.  If you're one of my liberal friends this isn't a dialogue.  I don't care about whatever comment you have.  These are my opinions and will NOT be discussing any of them with you.

One Year?

My baby boy is turning one tomorrow.  It's such cliche to say the time has flown by, but that is exactly what it's done.  I remember being scared as Christa was having a hard time during labor, not knowing how best to console her.  She was such fighter.  She muscled her way through the last part of labor in order to not have to go into surgery to get Caleb out.  He never dropped, just stayed right where he was the whole time.  We had to have him in the NICU for 24 hours.  Just as a precaution.  If your baby is born with a fever, they insist on keeping him in the NICU to make sure infection doesn't set in.  The first day was rough for my wife.  She couldn't go see Caleb because she was not feeling well enough to go too far without getting dizzy and lightheaded.  It's tough when all your wife wants to do is see her new little baby, and she can't because of other circumstances.  She eventually got to see Caleb and she was already in love with him.  So was I.  We took him to our room and started trying to figure out how to be parents.  He is a lot of responsibility.  The first car ride home, the first feeding without help, the first night without much sleep, the first everything.  I didn't know if I was ever going to figure out how to be a Dad, honestly, I'm pretty sure I still haven't figured it out.  As he has grown, he is still a lot of responsibility, but he doesn't seem as fragile as he was when we first brought him home.  I was as scared as I have ever been of anything, those first few weeks.  Walking down the stairs with him took on a whole new meaning, as someone who has a little bit of a clumsy streak.  My first instinct is to always protect him from everyone and everything, but that's not what a good Dad does.  You have to slowly start the process of letting him do things on his own.  Good men never become good men because they have total protection for everyone and everything.  Good men become good men because they face the world head on and don't give in to temptation, or are afraid the world is out to get them.  Striking the balance between protecting and letting him start having independence is something I am sure that I am going to have a hard time doing every year from now on.  I have to trust that God is on our side, and I have gained enough practical experience from my parents and family/friends who have raised or are in the process of raising kids, to help Caleb become a godly, good man that shows respect.
Caleb is so sweet and funny.  He is growing at a rate that I am sure is faster than any other baby ever.  He makes me laugh a lot.  He is always happy to see me when I come home, or get him up from being asleep.  I forget about a lot of other things when I get home to him.  I love him more than any person on this planet besides his Mom.  It's been such fast year.  Happy Birthday Caleb.