Let’s go… Slaho!

The other day I was paid a wonderful compliment. I was at a friend’s son’s birthday party when my friend looked over at me as I was attempting to feed my two year old and told me, “You really are one of the best dads that I know. You are a wonderful father.” All I could muster as a response was a mere thank you, but it did make me feel really good. I think that being recognized as a good father is an incredible accomplishment.
Of course, me being the over-analyzer that I am, I didn’t allow myself to enjoy the compliment for too long. How did this guy know that I am a good father? I guess it’s from when he sees me at church trying to control four very active and restless kids, first during the mass, and then after the mass. Thinking about that I started noticing that many people have told me they are amazed at how patient and composed I usually stay during mass while my kids try as they might try to phase me. And I admit that for the most part I do a pretty good job while I am there. He’s also seen me at other functions with my kids, and I guess I have done a decent job of being attentive to their needs (again for the most part… I have lapses like i assume everybody else also has. You do all have lapses, right?), but how would he really know if I am a good father. The truth is no one outside of my house can. The only ones that really know are my wife and my kids (and I guess the dog, if he’s perceptive to that kind of stuff). Oh yeah, and my mother-in-law, whom I’ve had the pleasure of living with for an extended period of time on two separate occasions. Other than, nobody really knows. The truth is that the most important parenting is done when no one is around to see it. It’s easy to be at your best behavior when the world is watching. My brother-in-law has told his wife (my wife’s sister) on numerous occasions how he’s glad he doesn’t have to live up to the things that I do for my kids, because he’s incapable (or just plain old unwilling) to do those things. But would he think the same way if he saw what am I like with my kids on a daily basis? I would like to think so, but man, do I always feel like I am selling my kids short, and that I am just not doing the job that I should be doing. Read the rest of this entry »

I just finished running 5 miles in less than perfect conditions. I started my run at around 8:45 am here in my little neighborhood in Kendall. No clouds out, but there was a nice little breeze, so it seemed promising. It was early enough still so that if I ran close enough to any structure that stood upright, I could still get some decent shade. I set off at a brisk pace figuring if i went out fast enough i could finish my run before it got TOO hot. The temperature? 82 degrees, when I started. But according to the weather bureau it felt like 96 degrees outside. Just a couple of days ago I ran in what turned out to be 92 degrees, feeling like 105. So, this was going to be much better, I figured. The first couple of miles were not bad, to tell you the truth. In fact through three and a half miles I felt like I owned the distance. Those last 1.5 miles though were bad. I know how hard i work based on the amount of sweat on my clothes when I finish. After 3 miles, my shorts were only slightly wet and only on the elastic at my waist. By 5 miles, there wasn’t a dry spot on them. In fact, they were so wet, that when I sat down on the very chair I am sitting on, just to catch my breath while replenishing my fluids and reading up on the Marlins bringing up stud Mike Stanton to the majors today while at the same time the Nats pitch their phenom Strasburg, I created a puddle both on my seat and underneath it so large that it could have filled two cups of water. (No I do not need Depends, so keep those jokes to yourselves) The only other time I remember sweating this much was but two days ago when I decided to run the 8 miles on that previously mentioned day, but what should i expect running that far in that heat? I thought today would be at least somewhat better afterwards. Nope. So i guess this is what I’ll be looking forward to for the rest of the summer, huh? So, why put myself through this? After all, I could be working out indoors in the air-conditioning doing round two of P90X, right? And I’m already in shape anyway (relatively speaking), so why then am I, in the words of a friend of mine taking off running only to wind up exactly where I started? (Hence the title of this little blog) Well, let me share a little of my thought process here.
Read the rest of this entry »

I have always found it a challenge to write. Oh, there are numerous reasons… Finding the time, finding inspiration, writer’s block, etc. It has always been easy to find an excuse NOT to write. But I always find myself thinking that I NEED to write. Currently I am reading a book entitled BONO, about well, Bono, U2’s frontman. It is written in interview form by Michka Assayas, a French reporter who had been following U2’s for some 15 years. One of the things that struck me when reading the book was a question that was posed by Bono to the author. “Why do you write?” Assaya’s response was that he was able to communicate his thoughts better by writing them down than by trying to speak them. I find myself feeling the same way. I’ve always felt that I can communicate my ideas better on print than out loud (pretty ironic for a guy who seems to talk so much, huh?).

There’s a problem I have, though, when it comes to writing stuff down. I sometimes find myself writing stuff down that people feel they need to HEAR and not READ. Feelings and thoughts should be transmitted many times in person and not in ink. Picture being in a relationship that is getting stale, and deciding to break it off on a post-it note. Harsh. It implies a disconnect from the situation, as well as a lack of respect for the other person. It also diminishes one’s vulnerability to almost zero. Anyone can write anything on paper. And even though it takes nerve to pass these messages on to others, it takes a lot more nerve to pass the information in person, straight from one’s lips, straight from one’s heart. So what happens is that i find myself wanting to write down what my thoughts are, what my feelings are only because i can convey the message better, only to be discouraged by the idea that I am copping out.
Read the rest of this entry »

Here are the pictures:
Now before you take a look at them too closely let me explain what you are looking at.
The first 4 pics are my before pics from 2 years ago.
The next four pics are my after pics from two years ago.
The last four pics (which I couldn’t get into thumbnails for some reason or another) are my after pics from this year. I couldn’t find the before pics anywhere. They must be in my other digital camera, but we haven’t seen that camera in almost two months, and I couldn’t find it anywhere. If and when i find that camera I will add those pics. (If you’re wondering, I looked like a leaner version of the current pics without the definition, due to the streamlining of muscles that occurs from long distance running) This is more or less what I expected as results. I took NO supplements and did not follow the diet (the first would add size, the other a flatter stomach) so I couldn’t expect better results than this. Still, I found that what I was seeing was a big improvement in my physique, particularly from a 40 year old who before 2 years ago, did not have much muscle mass (and yes I’m aware that I am STILL not an Adonis). My one regret… still no six pack. But I am going to continue using some of these workouts along with my running training, and when I figure out a way to remove the Oreos from my diet, I am sure I will see at least 2 of the 6 pack before the summer is over…
So, without further ado, the pictures. The first 8 pictures are thumbnails so click them to see the bigger pics. Let me know what you think. And yes I am aware that to some degree there is little difference from my after results two years ago. The only thing I can say is that my arms are a bit bigger (tape measure tells me that) and so is my chest. My back is stronger though not as well defined, and my abs? Well, they are a work in progress.

–>

You know those days, right? The days where nothing seems to go your way?  Nothing major or life changing… you haven’t lost your job or found out that a friend or acquaintance has either died or is terminally ill. But every little thing you come across seems to have it out for you.  Accumulated misery.  From the moment you wake up. What you have planned for the day has a wrench thrown into it.  Then the situation that caused you the initial grief passes in such a way that you realize you should have never paid it any attention.  But you have and now you’re feeling the worse for it.  Then you start getting some work done and some outside force forces you to stop and begin doing something else you find unnecessary and an utter waste of energy.  Then when you think you’re day can’t take another turn, it doesn’t, but you get news that something that you’ve been planning 6 months for has to be postponed indefinitely because of powers beyond your control.  And it’s still only 10:30 am!!! Murphy, it seems, had nothing better to do than to come visit today, and chose to cancel ALL your appointments for you without your knowledge just so he can hang out with you for the day.  Well, Murph, you picked a bad day to show up!!  I’m working on little sleep because I had to stay up last night working on something that took much longer than I anticipated, and… HEY, WAIT A SECOND!!! That was you there last night too, huh? BASTARD!!!  Well, if anyone needs company out there, and is not particularly picky about who they are keeping company with, shout out to me so that I can send you my uninvited pal, Murphy, and his silly yet apparently very real Law with him. You’d be providing me with a great show of kindness if you can take him off my hands.  THANKS!!! Now, let me see if I can actually go get something done without being interrupted. (Actually, it’s amazing that I got through the 15 minutes I needed to write this, but this was the only way I could give off steam without hurting myself trying to punch through a wall… much less painful)

Everyone has New Year’s resolutions.  Some people may not mention them, others resolve NOT to resolve, but everybody has a New Year’s resolution.  I, too, have those, but don’t ask me to recount them in May.  I don’t remember what they are.  In May, you see, I begin to think ahead to the summer, a TIME, when I actually HAVE time, to figure out what to do with the TIME I actually have available to me. As a teacher, I have more flexibility to do certain things during the summer.  This allows me to accomplish a number of things if I plan properly.  Having four kids it is sometimes tough to find (you guessed it) TIME to do the things that one has to get done, especially those things that YOU want to do for YOU. So instead of a New Year’s resolution, I am going to make a list of the things that I resolve to get done during the summer.  And I give anyone who reads this permission to hold me to what I am writing here.  Accountability is important when you are out to accomplish any goal you set your sights on!!

1. I am going to blog a minimum of three times a week. Last year I was really good about using my time to get my thoughts down where I can go back, read and reflect on them.  I want to do that again. 3 TIMES A WEEK… MINIMUM!!!

2. I am going to actually make it to confession at least once this summer.  Fr. Jordi was at St. Tim’s for a year, and he created MORE opportunities to partake in the sacrament of Reconciliation, and I failed miserably (EPIC FAIL) to take advantage of that (QUE FALLO!).  So, I resolve to get to the confessional at some time.  Lord knows I got enough junk weighing me down .  It’s time to ditch the burden!!

3. I will continue to work out, because I am going to get that 6-pack if it kills me!!! (figuratively of course). I feel like I’m getting close.  But those DAMN OREOS!!! I will have to figure out a way to finally see those abs, and hopefully before I get to Sarasota this summer. (I have 7 weeks left)

4. I will run a minimum of three times a week throughout the entire summer.  the summer is brutal for running, long distances in particular.  But if I can manage to get used to running in the heat, it will only make it that much easier to run in cooler weather when it comes.  I have a goal of knocking off 30 minutes off my marathon time, and the only way to do that is to start training now!

5. I will be available to help anyone who wants to start training to run a marathon.  I will be training my good friend Javi starting in June, and am willing to bring a few more on for the trek should they choose to do so.  It won’t be completely hands on, but I will be more than happy to give pointers, set up schedules and give verbal support to anyone who wants to join us on this quest to 26.2!!

6. I am going to start swimming a minimum of 2 times a week.  My goal is to be ready by the end of the summer to do a sprint triathlon.  the only way to do that is to start swimming regularly.  Lucas is going to be doing swim team again this year.  I’m going to see if I can take advantage and possibly swim with him so that I can improve my (currently nonexistent) durability in the water.

7. I resolve not to let these resolutions get in the way of me doing what I’m supposed to do at home.  Yes, I need to continue to work at being a responsible family man.  (Not easy to do)

8. Finally finish making my Math Tutoring Videos… the ones that I’ve talked about doing now for three years!!!  I gotta set 2 weeks aside to just tape during the day and get the material on tape so that I can get them to my main man, Mr. Editor, Ivan.  Then maybe I can begin distributing and selling CDs of me teaching Math.  (I feel I’m quite good at that, you know)

9. Start once and for all writing the books that I keep telling myself I’m going to write… a novel that’s been stuck in my head for 18 months, a book on Young Adult Ministry that I’ve compiled information on, and two kids books that I’ve written that I have to find someone to illustrate.  I MUST finally get to working on these!!!

I know, I know, that’s a lot, but in the least I should be able to do the exercise stuff without a problem, and I have no excuse but to be able to START some of the other projects that I haven’t given sufficient attention to.  And this summer I resolve to get these things started and/or accomplished.  Beginning date?  JUNE 1st. Some of these I will begin beforehand.  But come June 1, I will concentrate on making a daily checklist to make sure I’m doing these things weekly.  And remember, you have a say in how this will ALL pan out.  You can be my coaches.  Just keep me on task.  Annoy me if you have to!!  It should be an exciting summer.  And hopefully come the end of August I  will be able to look back and say, “This was one productive summer.  It’s a good thing I took advantage of the extra TIME!”

It’s been a while since I wrote a poem…  heck, it’s been a while since I wrote anything. But this image of a friend has been stuck in my head for a while and I just had to get it down finally.  Maybe it can get me to start writing again.  Lord knows there’s plenty I can write about right now.  I’m just not sure that I’m ready to write down my latest thoughts on paper (or on its equivalent here in my blog). This poem is not about anyone in particular though there are a few people who could fit the description.  It is simply about being what I think is a true friend. Enjoy.

MY SATELLITE

I look to the night sky to see the moon glowing bright

A reflection of the sun providing its radiant light.

Though it can’t light up alone, it still sends a light out to me

So that in the darkness of night, I still am able to see.

Oh moon, satellite of Earth, sitting there in the sky

When you’re facing the sun, the sun’s light catches my eye.

Thanks to your presence I rarely sit in pitch black.

When the day sends the sun away, you still send its light back.

I look to my side to see you glowing bright

A reflection of the Son providing you radiant light.

Though you cannot light up alone you still send a light out to me

So that in the darkness of life I still am able to see.

Oh you, satellite of mine, sitting there by my side

When you’re facing the Son, the Son’s light catches my eye.

Thanks to your presence I rarely sit in pitch black

When I send the Son away, you still reflect His light back.

Ok, so many of you guys see me posting regularly on FB about P90X almost daily. My status bar is pretty boring to follow usually… 74 days left… 67 days left, 53 days left (that’s where I currently stand by the way). If this annoys you I apologize. That’s not my intention. Actually the purpose of me doing this is self-motivation. When I sign in and see my status, it gives a bit of a boost to get through the next day, particularly on rough days like today when I really don’t feel like working out. What constitutes a rough day? Well today my two year old slammed an electronic Rubik’s Cube so hard into my 10 year-old’s head that he left a pool of blood in my living room, and a gash that just wouldn’t stop bleeding so I had to hit the emergency room just as I was getting ready to see who was being eliminated from American Idol. It turns out that my son is a trooper and got through this fine… he didn’t need stitches because it turns out that it was merely a puncture wound (deep as it was), under his hair. It was a scare nonetheless, and it left me drained. But I got home before 11 and after putting my son to bed decided that I might as well work out. It was a good workout. I’m glad I did it. So NO my status updates are not about bragging, nor is it a vanity thing. It just helps me to keep going.
In the process, I’ve noticed that I have brought a few people along for the ride along the way which is exciting because we now share a common goal, a common destination, and it’s going to be nice that we could all push each other to get the best results we possibly can!!

“So is this what you’re going to be writing about, Wence? The same status updates you already provide us. How lame is that?” Very lame! I agree. No, this is leading somewhere else, believe me. I’m getting there soon enough.
Read the rest of this entry »

Another chapter in the saga that is St. Timothy’s parish appears to be coming to a close. As far as most people are concerned this chapter, short as it was, could not have ended fast enough. It has been one frustrating incident after another whereby the communication between pastor and parishioners was seriously lacking, and where the amount of leeway provided to the pastor by the parishioners was close to zero. In less than a year what had been a cry for leadership for a pastorless parish became the cry of FOUL for sending a leader so out of touch with the parish’s needs. But now that year has come and gone, and it appears that new leadership is just around the corner. And this begs the question: Is St. Timothy ready for what is coming next?

So where does this humble blogger stand with regards to this argument? Let me begin by stating that paragraph #1 above is my perception of what the majority of the parish appeared to be feeling. It was not universal. I knew many parishioners who really liked the man and felt that he was exactly what the parish needed. I knew many parishioners also who felt that it was more than a man out of touch at our helm, but more a man with an agenda who could care less about the parish assigned him. I tend to believe that both these extremes represent a very narrow minded thought process whereby the ideas of others regarding the man were never given proper credence. I personally liked the man, but felt that he was just not the right fit for this parish. He is a deeply spiritual man, one the likes of which we have never seen at our parish and may never see again. I think he had many gifts to offer to a parish that has been deficient in that area, but just didn’t have the right channels to provide that kind of help to his flock. Fr. Rivero, in my estimation had a very real relationship with the God that I have so much trouble maintaining a consistent relationship with. But he didn’t have a personal relationship with me or with the majority of those he led, and this led to confusion and to misunderstanding. I also think it is safe to say that he didn’t make much of an effort in his one year in the parish to fix this particular problem. This may be reason enough to deem us ready for a new leader. Then again, it may have been reason enough for us to work on creating a relationship with a man who had trouble reaching out. Maybe it was to be our job to reach out to him. We’ll never know for sure now, though, as he now will be moving on to wherever God sends him next.
Read the rest of this entry »

Those who know me know that I am a huge U2 fan. I would have to say that they are my favorite band right now and have been for a few years now. But they have not always been my favorite band. No, siree! In fact for most of my adult life (and a good chunk of my adolescent life) my favorite band has been Genesis. Most of my old friends know this. My siblings absolutely know this (I used to put on a different cassette by my bed every night and listen to the until I fell asleep). Most people who have only recently come to know me well, probably had no idea. This is mostly because they haven’t released any new material in over 12 years (and nothing worth listening to in almost 20!). And when they decided to do their reunion tour they chose to not come within 100o miles of Miami. HOW DARE THEY!!! Well, Genesis, I guess my new favorite band will have to be… let me look at my CD collection… ah, here we go… U2! So there!!

All kidding aside (that should be difficult for me to do), I have liked Genesis music since I first heard “Abacab” when I was 12 years old. I heard the song on 103.5 WSHE (She’s only rock n’ roll!) and fell in love with it instantly. I quickly recorded using my cassette recorder and listened to it until the tape almost snapped in half. I then heard their next single, “No Reply At All” and I was hooked. This was my favorite band, hands down, with a sound nothing like any other I had heard. Little by little I began to acquaint myself with their music. This all culminated with me going to my first concert at the age of 17 (I was a late bloomer there, my parents didn’t like the idea of going to concerts and always forbid it). I almost didn’t make it to that concert, but I was not going to be denied. I had to tell my parents that they were a religious group, hence their name, and that I really wanted to see them. they said I could go but I had to take my little brother along. Not a problem, he liked them too! (It helped that I forced him to listen to them every night apparently).
Read the rest of this entry »