Football Epilogue

Me trying not to throw my sister off of a balcony while "swing dancing" at my other sister's wedding reception at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. A few weeks back I wrote about taking introductory dance lessons by way of a Groupon for Fred Astaire dance studio . They ended up being enough fun that we signed up for a beginner package of lessons. In addition to the basic steps, some basic turns and such were taught (I know, lots of "basic" going on here). The gf and I are even finding time to practice outside of the lessons. There's something very intriguing about learning the steps, technique, etc. For me, it has the feeling of learning the footwork and technique in football. It's about taking proper steps and developing the muscle memory and the ability to do everything in time. Training the brain-body correlation is a welcome challenge. Lessons and practice are as much, if not more, mentally strenuous as they can be physically.  There is a...

My sister got married this weekend. It was an excellent celebration. I was asked to assist with the ceremony and even became an ordained minister through The American Marriage Ministries  and register with the county to be able to sign the paperwork (anyone need to get married?). It was good and tiring. In the words of my fifth grader who was a junior groomsman, "it's much more enjoyable to be a wedding guest than in the wedding party". More work indeed, but there are few times the family is the center of attention and it was nice to catch up with old neighbors and friends. I did leave the ceremony a little sad though. Sad in realizing that my kids are growing and sad in learning that there seems to be a transition between 2nd and 3rd grade that makes kids notably more bashful. I'm referring to my daughter. The last few years she was a bright spot for me at wedding receptions. Her and I would hit the dance floor and I would twirl her and toss her in our own little c...