Thankful for this

What i am thankful for in 2010....Let us start with the most important, my wife. She is my love, my life, and my best friend. My daughter Sara. She is the light of my life, the reason to work, the reason to take a breath. These two are the backbone of my existence. Kali, Karl, Tanji, and Ryley...friends like no other. Kali is another lite in my life, gods gift to my best friends and an important part of my life. Of course ryley completes the package. I have my parents here near me. They are a lighthouse that brightens Sara's life and Sara brightens their. There are Mindy's parents as well that Grandma may have dementia, but grandpa is more involved and a joy to talk to. Find the good amongst the bad. Oh yes the bad..I am sorry to have lost a sister, but it was not my choice. Ohana is just as stitch said. Ohana means family, and no one gets left behind. When you leave one behind you left all behind. Maybe she will grow up, face the mirror and realize she is not the center of the universe and grow up, as well we all have problems in our past and guess what, most of us do not blame others for what they did not know. Wow, that felt good.

I am thankful for a job, a roof over my head, and all of my friends that i can count on when i need them. BlackJack (what a nut), Cleo, and even Taki (because she makes Mindy happy). My F150...Yeah Truck...Darius Rucker, Disney Vacations, OSU Football & Basketball, and many, many other sports, movies, tv , and life. If i forgot to mention you, trust me If you are reading this you are an imortant part as well. You cared enough to care what i thought. Thanks

Goodbye #23

Carlos was a big part of the Tampa Bay Rays. He was my favorite player ever and Sara's as well. He left for what was best for him, but our family will miss him. He was more then a player, he was a team leader. All the players going this year this is the hardest goodbye. Here is what he posted for the fans of TB.

Dear Fans of Tampa Bay,

Even though my words will never be able to express how special playing for you these past four years has been for me, I will make an attempt. I feel extremely grateful that I had the privilege of playing for the Tampa Bay Rays and to have grown along with the team. I was able to enjoy unbelievable thrills but not before enduring heartache and defeat. Now I know more than ever that anything is possible if I believe it to be with all my might. When I first became a Ray we were the worst team in baseball. But what was about to happen next, not even the greatest fiction writer in the world would have been able to come up with it. I have never in my life seen a team come together in such a way, where everyone humbly but undeniably believed with all their strength that we could make it to the top. This is the story of the little engine that could. The underdog story. The story of a team in oblivion, that went on to become American League East Champs twice, American League Champs once, and made a World Series appearance. I am so honored to be able to say that I was a part of that. I am so honored to be able to say that I was a RAY. Thanks for cheering for me when I performed well, but most importantly thanks for patting me on the back and encouraging me when it was difficult. Thanks for inspiring me to be the best I can be. I will keep on trying for I know that I will never be done, for the beauty of life is in the journey not in a destination. Thank you Tampa Bay Rays for believing in me when no one else did. Thank you to all my teammates for their friendship and for all the wonderful memories. Thank you to all the fans of Tampa Bay for pulling for me every night and day. I will be forever grateful.
May God bless you always,
Carlos Pena 23

2011 "Yea i said that"

Wow...My Blog is one year old. Yes i have not posted all my opinions as i would have wished so here are some that i forgot...Yes i do believe that gas prices are too high and that BP should be responsible for what they did. It is unforgivable to not protect what can ruin so much...I believe that if you love someone you stand by them forever, not until it is inconvenient to you. Here is a thought, Deal with it Dumba**.... Kids grow up to fast and parents are harder to deal with then kids... We are all underpaid and overworked, that is if you can find a job in 2010... Universal health care is for the birds... i say that if i made you mad i am sorry, get over it and move on, i did... i still do not like the Yankees, but i respected George and he was a visionary... Bengals still stink ... OSU still plays below their ability... and finally yes i could lose some weight, but i did not ask for your opinion about that... I love my Wife, my daughter, Kali, Ryley, my parents, more then anything else and many friends... Darius Rucker, How to Train your Dragon, TB Rays, and Modern Family were highlights in 2010...Bring it on 2011

Pro Football Players...not in 2011

Stay in school. We hear it all the time and although i did not attend a 4 year college maybe i am not the person who should give advice here. I say na na. Because i did not attend college in my younger years i think it is more important to hear this from me. I am getting away from my point. This is addressed to all the student athletes that leave school early to go pro. College Football Juniors and Sophomores....Stay in School. The NFL is talking strike. So do you want to leave the chance for a four year education (paid for you, that's for another time) and sit out a year because the NFL want to fight over the mighty dollar. Stay in school, get your free education.That is what the coaches that recruited you expected from you anyways, right?

Evan "Shut Up"

Ok...Yes they are correct. There was only 12,000 (adv) at the Trop 2 days in a row. But did we need to hear this: "We play 155 games of really good baseball, and it's kind of like, what else do we have to do to get fans into this place? I mean, it's actually embarrassing to us." Now was that necessary. It is Monday night, i had a long day, so did the rest of the family. Wait...Get this the game is on tv. For Free. No 30 min drive both ways, $20 parking, $35 dollars per ticket, and food (lets say $45. Ok so it only cost $170. Don't forget i want my $535 each, cheap seat playoff tickets. But wait it is on TV tonight. "… You'd pretty much like to think that a team in a playoff hunt, with an opportunity to clinch, that you could at least get 30,000 in here to cheer you on," Why yes that is true. So let me think...$170 or Free. I know maybe this Rays Employee that is making around 5 million a year can pay for us to go, explain to our employers why we are tired, and drive me to and from game. I know maybe i will just go to work, do my job and go home and enjoy my family. Maybe this Rays Employee should shut up and do the same.

Life's Picture

It finally arrived so unexpected. My little princess is now a kindergartner. How did this happen? She was just 2 the other day and setting on the couch watch OSU basketball with me. Or was it just 5 months ago when we were at a Phillies spring training game. Time has no rules. They are asleep one minute and setting off fire alarms the next (another story, another day).When these moments in time happen don't worry if you don't have a camera. Take your hands like you are holding a camera, focus on the memory and take your picture. These are the memories that stay with you forever. My princesses first time at daycare when she was not fighting to hold on to daddy's leg anymore. A simple by, and a walk away. What's up with that? Still those big arms and that loud sound of "Daddy" when i pick her up and she says "Daddy i missed you". I don't need a camera for that. That feeling is second to none and will never fade away. Lots more pictures to come. Yeah.

While i still got the time...Darius Rucker

"Thirty nine candles burn out on a cake, each representing a million mistakes. The last one still burns there's a wish i can make. This time i'm gettin it right.
So i close my eyes and i take a deep breath and i promise myself in the time i have left..I'm going to work like i don't need the money, I'm going to laugh like i'm not afraid to cry, I'm gonna dance like nobody's Watching, I'm gonna love while i still have the time"

Darius wrote it, time to live it for my girls.

This is Life

Come on. Karma is biting my butt? What is up with that? Yea, i may not of been the best at what i should of been, but come on. Karma takes another bite. Rain, Rain, Rain, but not in the bedroom. It OK could be worse...ugh...now i did i....karma... So i walk in the closet, "splash". When did we put a lake in the closet, oh that is the AC. Pipe came lose. Karma did it. But i did a good deed. I gave hundreds to help another. ...Stop. ....Don't Move...ugh..... Here it is again... Wait. This cannot be Kama. Karma returns what you gave in a more evil and unwanted form. That's it. What did i do? I lived my life. Loved my child. Loved my wife. Did my best with my family, friends, and in laws. Did not change my working ways (co-workers chuckle)...ok, but Karma got me back for that. So if this is not Karma what is it. Life. Plain and simple life. Did we get a guarantee that Life would not throw us a curve ball ? No. Did life guarantee no illness, heartache, or rain in our bedroom? No. Life comes at us as is, Karma comes at us when we deserve it. Life has its ups and downs, Karma has only downs. Life makes us feel all emotions, karma only make us feel one. Plain and simple Life. Karma is worse then Life. Life is this. Yes, it is this. I see it, don't you?

Kids....love it

At what point do parents become kids and kids that are parents become parents again. It is a little circle of life that no one tells you about. Kind of like the feeling you get when you get your first new car. Life can move us to have dreams of a TV family, but we know that reality TV is what we get. But really let me ask, how long does it take to make a phone call? Quick to the phone a kid will run when the other "child" is bothering us, but if we are asked to perform a task all we will do is procrastinate, daydream, drift....whats on TV.... Now would someone do this that is over 60 or under 5? Oh Yes to both. We all become parents when we do not abandon our own. I guess that is the easiest way out for those who do not appreciate the fact that our now kids took the time when we were kids to make sure we did not hurt ourselves. They kept us alive. This is what all of us are programed to do. Some programs are definitely corrupt. I guess the kids then take their turn to try and prevent the parent to not hurt themselves either. We all raise kids eventually...at least those with a heart. Those of us with one love our kids. They are what we are and were. They are us.

Unsure?

When does the reality of reality start to stop? If it was what it is then why was it what it was? Do we have what we want or want what we do now have? Do we know or do we think we know what we do know? Is this random questions or questions that are not so random? Does it stop when it is time to stop or when it thinks it wants to stop? If the answers are that simple then why don't they come from simple people? Does the answer present itself or do we preseave the answers?
>ponder<
So it is what it is what we think it can be and was. Simple yes, but maybe not...

Magic that Fades

It is the most Magical Place on the earth, or at least it use to be. During our last trip to Disney i came to a odd realization. It was not that there were issues with the room, or the day at Epcot, or the trip itself. The staff at the resort; which i will not name (Disney's all star Movie resort) was not at all "Disney Magical". We did pre-check in. First we got bumped from the sports resort to the Movie without explaination...ok...moving on. We checked in at 10pm Friday (after the Storm game...Go Storm). When we were checking in (standing in line that i told was not going to exist because i used express check in) i was waiting for one of three people at the window...six people were behind the counter not at a window just talking. So when i did get waited on, she messed up. As i went for breakfast the next morning i found out that my room card (which you are suppose to be able to charge on) said NO charging. Nice. So i had to go back to the room, get my id, Mindy's card which also said no charging and go back to the front desk. There i was waiting on by one of the rudest employees i have ever seen at Disney. Apologize, not her. Not just for the cards, but how about the metal sticking out of the electrical plug in our room. Nothing. I could go on with more of the same, but it was a fun trip. The point although is in a time when the economy is not the best and trips are few and far between, you expect Magical times at one place always. It appears to be fading away. Mickey, please don't lose your magic.

Alright

What a long day. The lines are long, the dust and pollen in the air is terrible, but it will be alright. I got my cinnamon rolls, time to get the girls their Strawberry Shortcake. Yes the temper tantrum, but alias it's time has come. Let us find our seats. Row A in section 10c 21-23. Here we go. Man it is cold out here, but we will be alright. Lights go out. This is where the real story begins.

Our Angel lights up like a northern star on a clear night. He starts playing. She lets out a big scream. Lot of noise for a 4 1/2 year old little girl. "Darius" and a kiss is blown. This smile stays around the next hour. Never failing. This angel who knows what "bad" words are is singing about "whiskey to forget" instead of "Butterflies and sunshine". Yes she know the words to about 6 songs of his. History in the Making, Alright, Don't think, etc... The night goes on and no matter how tired she gets she has enough energy to hang around for the encore. "Purple Rain" sung by Darius...she is on my shoulders and we danced and sang. Mom called it the best concert ever...got to say i agree. For our little angel just a night with her Mom, newest boyfriend Darius, and her # 1 guy Dad. Alright.

Madness

When does the madness end...never. Why did we think it would? Does it have to make sense? Why don't we all just stop kidding ourselves. It is what it is. Some are the beacons of light in a dismal day. Some are what they are, the ones that make your life rough; and then their is family...a difference?!?...Some are our extended family that is blood, and then there are our adopted family...my goddaughter, and godson. Two lights at home in the dismal madness that does not end...and then there are some who we are now better off without...relief at last. Madness...what can you do? Xanax, racquetball, love of you wife and daughter. All forms of drugs? Madness Killers? Yea baby...Maybe this is just what it is. A Rant. Last four weeks have deserved a rant. A Huge rant. Madness to some, but the Time off has begun. Time to enjoy the company of my Wife, Daughter, goddaughter, godson, best friend, Darius Rucker (Sara's newest luv), Strawberries, Movies, and Baseball. Rant yea, but definitely madness personified.