Tap Out Ten; September 24, 2020

For me, one of the biggest challenges is not knowing what it is that I want to do at any given moment.

As in, doing what will make me the most happy.

I've stated many times that I lead a pretty quiet life.

It is sleep, shower, work, eat, workout, read, go to a movie and that's about it.

I'm tired of most sporting events right now because of all of the limitations on the attendance at said events due to COVID-19.

I just don't have the freedom that I used to.

I've always liked not having restrictions placed on me.  That is, to be able to do mostly what I wish.

And a lot of times, I can't find what it is that I want to fit the bill.

About the only slam dunk right now in 2020 are movies.

There's a finite number of movies being released and making it into a theatre in our area so I figure out where the different ones are going to be and go.

I was asked by somebody if I go alone and the answer is, "Yes!"  All 67 this year in a theater have been by myself.

It's OK, as I see most movies late in the evening.  In fact, I just got back from one at the Star Cinema Grill in Springwoods Village which is closest to me.

Tonight's feature was a little pricey.  So much so that I should have gotten a meal with it instead of having a menu to choose from - and pay for.

I'm thankful that I have the monies and the time.

Earlier in the evening I got in a little more than a half hour workout on the Air Assault bike and knocked out a few chapters in the latest book that I'm reading called, "In The Blink of an Eye:  Forgiveness in Black and White."

It was the basis of the recent movie "My Brothers' Crossing", which was really, really good.

The interesting thing is that because of a comment I made on the movie's Facebook page I have actually communicated with one of the main individuals who was portrayed in the movie.

It is about a husband and wife who were involved in a Christian ministry that were killed in a motorcycle accident in late August 2015 in southwestern Virginia.

But the story is about how their family forgave the driver of the vehicle that caused the accident and how God used all of those situations to see many come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

And what's really neat - that I didn't learn until reading Chapter 1 of the book that the movie is based on - is that that man's daughter was a Resident Adviser the same year that my daughter was.

My daughter said that she recognized the young ladies' name and knows what she looks like, but never had the opportunity to meet her while at Liberty University.

Truly is that the world is indeed small.

Not much else going on.  I did get mentioned to announce a particular cross country meet, but it might be a bit too late.

The person that was putting me up for it might have ended up getting my name in a little late as the organization has already made a verbal commitment to somebody else, but that party hasn't returned a quote back in.

I like to think because of my preparation that I would be a natural fit (and because the organization likes for the announcer to use the information they have available), but it is in God's hands at this point.  

If He wants to make a way for me to be able to do so, He will.

If I don't get the opportunity, I'll be thankful that I was mentioned in the conversation.

Yet if it does occur, you can't get much bigger in the state of Texas.

Tap Out Ten; September 15, 2020

Great dinner with my parents on Sunday night.  

Something that my daughter and I don't do with them enough.  

Work is getting really busy as our clients and customers are going on new systems so a lot longer days are ahead soon enough.

So what did I do in response to that?

I bought myself an air mattress as one week out of six or more will be spent taking on call so there are nights that I likely will spend in my office.

Last night, I inflated it and did just that:  slept in the office.

Not sure why I got a queen instead of a twin as it filled up most of the entire floor.

The first half of the evening I slept better, but the second half I was up and down with those issues that men my age tend to have to deal with as we get older.

My doctor said that there's medicine for that but it might affect certain performance.  I think I told her that I didn't have to worry about any of that!

I will also be getting a new mattress for my bed soon.  It's been long, long overdue.  

Looking forward to getting a firm mattress.  

I don't even know what you would call the shape of what I'm sleeping on now.  I do sleep so it can't be incredibly terrible, but I can improve - and I have the money thankfully.

Close to finishing another book.  This one I got last week and it is called "God in the ICU:  The inspirational biography of a praying doctor."  (Not that I don't have enough already.)

The doctor is from South Africa and he shares his experiences with stories of prayers while serving as an anesthesiologist in various healthcare settings.  

Some of the language - not bad - is different, which makes you focus in even more; however, it's been a source of encouragement that if we know God and we get off the well-worn path that the easiest way back to Him is through prayer.  

And it isn't anything that has to be pretty or flowery.  Basically it is just:  talking to God.

It's also always good to hear some of the funny stories of the day that my daughter shares from her second grade classroom.  

So happy for her as her first year was such a challenge and almost a "beat down" that she's beginning to reap some of the benefits of her incredible hard work.  

And even if you know me a little, I've probably have told you how proud I am of her.

Not too much else going on.  Time to start thinking about the weekend.

I've got the new movies in the area mapped out as to when they're coming and going.  

I think there are four, plus one from back in August - "The Tax Collector" - that is in the area that I want to try to see in the next week or so.  That scene changes almost daily.

I also know of a 10-mile race over south of Johnson City and north of Blanco that is on the potential list for Saturday morning.  We'll see.  Haven't run 10 or more since before the pandemic started.  

There's a half marathon on the calendar for January 2 in Canton, which was a shift in the schedule after they cancelled the August event.  

The biggest benefit is that it should be cooler, but you just never know.  

I once ran the Texas Marathon in Kingwood on New Year's Day when it was in the low-to-mid 80s as I crossed the finish line.  Ouch!

Tap Out Ten; September 14, 2020

 I tweeted something irreverent earlier this evening and suddenly I wondered, "Who's following me and what might they thought about what I had just shared?

It was a tweet that was only intended about people in my world of following Texas private and parochial high school athletics.

Essentially, an attention-seeker.

Something that I am challenged by people who have that trait in their makeup.  

I know there is a stronger word for that, but I'd rather not use it.

I have always put my name to my work and I am disappointed when others don't.

It is almost that they are fearful of making a mistake and only seek to gain positive feedback.  I do not know, but, to me, it is a sad way to live.

Saw my 59th movie in a theater tonight in 2020.

One of the things that I am learning about the movie industry is how quick it seems that movies are going in and out of a market, especially with the lackluster turnout at the box office.

Obviously, there's been a lot of fear peddled out about getting COVID-19 in a theatre, but to me, if masks work, and everybody is wearing them, we should have no worry in spending less than two hours in a not completely closed (but not completely open either) space.

I do not know.  I just choose not to live in fear.

If there is as many showings as possible, I always choose the time that has the least amount of people who have purchased tickets.

I wish I had been keeping count, but I was the only one in the theater for "Blackbird" this evening at the Regal in Tomball.

It is sad to see movies having a hard time bouncing back, it seems.

I wonder if they will completely make it back.  

I do not know if some of them are still working on the last of their CARES act monies and then didn't get the pick me up that was expected with the showing of "Tenet".

And that is a movie that I have not yet seen.  Largely because it is two and a half hours long.

In a perfect world, I will see three more movies in the next three days, but stay tuned:  that's yet to be seen.

I had a fun time throwing a football in the living room with my daughter.

It seems like the large church young adults’ group that she goes to on Tuesday nights is playing flag football on Saturday, October 3.

She does not want to go out there like - as she put it - "dumb throwing girl" so we threw it back and forth about 10 or so times.  More work to come.  It was fun.  We had some laughs from it.

I am so appreciative of having my daughter be my very best friend in life.

I wish, however, though, that somebody might find me interesting enough to try and wrestle that title away from her.

H.B.'s Barrel Races

9/12/20 - 16.5 - Magnolia (2nd in 3D Open; 1st in 2D Youth) $
9/04/20 - 16.197 - Magnolia (5th in 3D Open; 2nd in 2D Youth)
8/21/20 - 17.4 - Magnolia
8/14/20 - 19.4 - Buffalo
7/31/20 - 18.15 - Magnolia (10th of 25 in Open; 2nd of 7 in Youth) $
7/20/20 - 16.494 - Magnolia
7/10/20 - 18.4 - Magnolia