I Love the Smell of Cordite in the Morning
I’m taking half a day off from work to go shooting with a friend of mine. We’ll be doing trap shooting (like skeet only no walking around), target shooting, and testing out our rifles. It’s a good bunch of male bonding and surprisingly relaxing. I know in today’s world even talking about shooting can suddenly label you as a potential “going postal” person and that just annoys me to no end. Target shooting is a very challenging and enjoyable sport. But guns are a politically charged subject and thus cause immediate reactions from people. Le sigh. Read more »
Posted: December 12th, 2008 under Decisions.
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I periodically check my credit report each year to insure that everything is correct on it. You get one from each credit bureau for free each year, so it just makes good sense. This time I also had my credit score pulled, mostly to see what it actually was. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was over 800 (out of 840) meaning I have very excellent credit. I was pretty pumped about that, like getting an A in school, but then I wondered why? 
Recently at work I became a check signer. Basically that means when we print checks, I’m one of the people authorized to sign the checks. Woo hoo. I became a signer by virtue of being at the office early in the morning when the checks are printed and being super-reliable so there is no real honor or pay raise for my additional responsibility. Instead it means that three times a week I get a stack of paper dumped on my desk and I get to sign each page. It’s like closing on your mortgage three times a week. 
Amy and I were talking the other day about our favorite Christmas memories from when we were kids. We wanted to make sure that we were providing the opportunity for our kids to have similar memories and that they will cherish the holidays as much as we do. As Amy and I talked, we realized that what we enjoyed most and remembered the most were the traditions and family time. Our family opened one present on Christmas Eve and I remembered always trying to pick out the perfect gift. I remember being at my Grandmother’s house and lying in my bed trying to get to sleep knowing that Santa would be coming soon. I remembered always making a paper chain with one link for each day until Christmas. What was not typically a cherished memory were the actual presents we received. 
As I’ve mentioned before, I love playing boardgames. This Christmas, I’m trying to encourage all of the parents I know to pick up a boardgame or two for presents and create a boardgame night once a month with their family. Why? Because of the true community effect of boardgames. This is true together time with the family and leads to memorable times and possibly even bonding moments. The kids can still get video games and portable music players for Christmas, but why not add some family time in a wrapped package.