- I turned 40 on 10/8/09

- I got down to 226 and am now back to 233 (because of birthday celebrations I'm assuming)

- The Sun-Times, and more importantly to me, Sue Ontiveros are alive and kicking after bankruptcy threatened both

- There has been absolutely no improvement in relations between myself and those who run the football program where my son plays.  This is fine. 

I'll address all 4 of these issues throughout the week. 

I hope you have been well

When we got to the back to see the seamstress, I reinterated what I had told the lady at the counter as I was holding up the pants. She looked at me with a puzzled look which I took to mean that she would not be able to take them in. She then said it looked like they needed to be taken in a good 5 or 6 inches (not 1 or 2), and verified this by measuring both me and the pants!

After the week I had last week, this was welcome news to say the least.

"Football Mom" is one of these people who has her fingers in everyone's pie and really seems to relish it. She's the Football Mom who works very hard and usually does a very good job keeping the program rolling. Without people like her, the season would be much longer and much more disorganized and usually, you'd appreciate all her efforts. This Football Mom however, needs to relax a little.

At this, as my buscuits were really starting to burn, I said "Oh, there's always room for negotiation" to which she mumbled some snide little remark and walked off in a huff.

A few minutes later, FM returns with her little red folder, a pen and a face as red as an apple. As she approaches with her "don't-mess-with-me-because-I'm-FM-and-I always-get-my-way" look on her face, I say, "Come on FM, don't be all mad. I just want to ask how the numbers add up".

According to FM, EVERY parent has to work 2 games, and there are only 4 home games. There are at least 20 kids on my son's team which means she needs 40 bodies total, or 10 parents per game. Whenever I happen to mozy over to the concession stand, the most I see are 6 people in there; and that includes the guy working the grill. It's usually around 4 people total.

FM wants to hear none of it. She gets rude and defensive. She starts hurling insults. At this point, I ask her if she would come down, away from my family to discuss this because this is getting out of hand. FM wants none of that either. "I'm not going anywhere, now do you want me to pick your dates, pick your own dates, or do you want me to get Coach and have him talk to you"? For my kids sake, I quietly say "Ill talk to Coach", and she literally storms off in his direction to tell on me! Oh, the drama! I wonder if FM told her mommy, too!

Anyway, I'm assuming Coach was a too busy as I didn't hear anything from him, but I'm sure I will. Coach and FM are thick as thieves.

So now, there's no way I'll ever work the concession stand. I want to pull my weight and often do more than I'm asked for the sake of the kids. However, FM has put me in a spot where I can't work, even if I could. I mean, how would I look to my wife and kids if I just gave in after her little temper tantrum? Maybe FM got my scouting report confused with some simpleton jerk. If you try to embarass me in front of my family, that's the same as putting vinegar out to catch flies; it's not the best approach to solve the problem.

This sound bad? Well, it wasn't, at least in the end. I found out this week that my 10 year old has asthma and my cousin's 31 year old husband, who she just married a few months ago died suddenly of natural causes. I haven't been feeling very motivated lately, but thanks to FM, I'm as ready for my "challenge" as ever.

Funny how something so stupid can get the juices flowing. Thanks FM. I needed not only the inspiration, but the laughs as well.

I'll admit that I have been finding comfort in food through this whole thing. I knew what I was doing while overeating, I just didn't care. But I'm back.

On Saturday morning...

We'll all go through these sorts of times. Mine, thankfully, only lasted a couple of days, but if I hadn't made a conscience effort, it could have been much longer, and all my hard work would have went down the drain. I'm thankful I could catch it.

I didn't know Rick very well, but I know he was an extraordinary man.  I know this because he was madly in love with my cousin, Amber and that was enough for me.  I know this because Tom, Amber's father gave him permission to marry Amber, which was no small feat.  As Tom told me the other day, "If your daughter gets married, you want the man she marries to be madly in love with her".  I have no doubt that was the absolute, purest truth.  You could tell by the way they interacted with each other.  You could tell when he offered to help Amber's cousin find a job, and when the cousin turned down the job, which put Rick in a bad spot, he never held it against Amber or her cousin.  He did this not for my sake, the cousin in this story, but for Amber's. 

I don't know what this tragedy will do to the relationship between the Torluemke and Alspach family, but I know that Rick would want them to remain close, and would be disappointed if they didn't.  I know you all love each other very much, but sometimes these things can make us drift apart.  Rick loved Amber's family almost as much as he loved her, and it is my deepest hope that the 2 families stay tight.

I don't know how I fell out of Amber's life these last few years.  Maybe it was because I felt I had my own 4 kids to worry about.  Maybe it was because life just got in the way.  I do know that she was in good hands when she met Rick, and maybe that made it easier to let her go. 

Whenever I look at Amber, I always remember the time I took her to McDonalds play place where we stayed for 6 hours.  She got me to stay by bribing me with hugs and kisses and I remember how easy it was for me to be suckered.  I guess I figured that her skills had only improved in that department, and that Rick was now the sucker.  In my mind, it was Rick's time now and that I should let him enjoy it as much as I did.  I now see that was a huge mistake, not only because I missed much of Amber growing up, but also because I missed my chance to get to know her soul mate.  For that, I'll always be sorry. 

Finally, I know that Rick was a diehard Cub fan and, being a die hard White Sox fan, I would normally chalk this up to a character flaw.  However, as Rick went Home after he was able to see his beloved Cubbies whoop up on the NY Mets by a score of 11-4, I'm thinking, if it was me, that would have been a great way to leave.  I can imagine him talking up the day with Amber, meeting up with his friends and family who shared his passion, and enjoying the rare opportunity to see a Cub victory in a storied and memory filled ball park.  Also, all TRUE Cub and Sox fans need each other.  Why?  Well, the rivalry that exists, no matter how irrational, is what makes the City of Chicago one of the greatest on earth.  Additionally, with the way both teams are playing lately, we'd have nothing else.

On that note, I will offer the only other show of support I can.  On every August 29^th from this point forward, no matter how much it hurts, I will root for the Cubs with as much passion and vigor usually reserved for my White Sox.  Not only in Rick's honor, not only for Amber (who somehow became a Cub fan herself; I'm still trying to figure how that happened), but for my dear close friends who also happen to be fans of the North Siders, so that I'm reminded of what is really important.  So to Rick and Amber, Rick's family and friends, as well as to Milligan, Andy, Brian, Grace, Mr. Patrick, Tony the Mac, and The Boys in SB 5, THIS BUD'S FOR YOU. 

I like that fact that I've had to buy a new belt. I like the fact that old clothes that were put away years ago now fit. I like that my wife feels she needs to worry when I'm talking to an attractive woman (she doesn't; I love my wife and would never disrespect her, my kids, or myself by cheating...just a personal thing). These are just small benefits in addition to the main, health related ones, but they are nice. They are the ones that keep your head up.

The clothes that my wife put away a few years back have started to fit again. I was suprised at all the "cool" clothes I have that I've just plain forgotten about. In this economy, that's a welcome suprise.

We tried on a few masks and finally found one that was comfortable. It was sort of weird as the mask pushes air in. If you open your mouth, there's a mild suffocating feeling as the air rushes out.

Even with all the wires and mask, I slept pretty good. I don't know if it was because of the mask because they say it takes about 2 weeks to really feel the effects, but she said I was dreaming good and all that other stuff so we'll see

I'll have the results in a few weeks. I didn't get any video this time as I just wanted to get the hell out of there. I did weigh in at 239 at the office, which was 8lbs down since the last time I was there. My scale says 236, but whatever. It's good to see the results of my hard work paying off!

As the start of the school year gets closer, I've noticed my stress level rise and my appetite getting a little harder to control. What is it about food that we think we can find comfort in it? To me, it just seems strange, but it is what it is and I have to pay special attention that I don't start "slipping". It's been hard. .

As the start of the school year gets closer, I've noticed my stress level rise and my appetite getting a little harder to control. What is it about food that we think we can find comfort in it? To me, it just seems strange, but it is what it is and I have to pay special attention that I don't start "slipping". It's been hard. However, I can't let a bunch of jerks ruin what I've worked so hard for; and I won't. I'm a fighter and just have to get into that mind set whenever dealing with the snobby, self rightous jerks that school is full of.

What could be so bad? I'll tell you in a list:

-At the end of last school year, the head administrator was approached by a parent with a text message her daughter received from my son. He had written "Id kill myslf to b with you" and a few others of the like. With no warning whatsoever, my wife was called to the school, ordered to take our son out of school, and told to get a psychiatric evaluation to make sure he was not a threat to himself or others before he could come back. After talking to our son to make sure he really didn't want to hurt himself, we made an appt. that very day to see a counselor. She was so sure Tristen was no threat to himself, she actually apologized to us for having to go through this. He was back at school the next day (ironically enough, the very night we were told he was fine was the same night that registration for the following school year was going on. They had no problem taking our money!)

-After writing a scathing email to this head administrator, she called my wife and asked if I had any documentation proving I was a legal guardian. Tristen is actually my step-son, but I've had him since he was 2 (he'll be 14 in early september) and his mother and I have been married for 6 of those years. When my wife stated the only thing we had was a marriage certificate, this coward of an administrator refused to deal with me on any level. I pay the bills and his tuition, but according to our wonderful legal system, that's not enough. She even asked my wife where his real father is (he signed away his rights to Tristen when Tristen was 2) and where he can be reached. I know, right?! Some nerve. We have a Power of Attorney document, as well as a Proxy giving me legal rights to deal with anyone on my wife and Tristen's behalf which just needs to be notarized, which will be happening in the next few days.

-When we first started attending this church, my wife and I were really trying to get involved, until one day some old battleaxe told my wife that since we were not married in the church (my wife is not Catholic), that my kids were bastards and we were living in sin. Needless to say, my wife never tried to help again and never went back.

-Early last year, my son started playing football for the first time and was not used to the work involved and the discipline needed to keep up with school work. A meeting was called by "The Coward" to see what could be done. Actually, the meeting was called because Tristen received a detention for not having homework done. I complained because when he tried to get back in the school to retrieve a forgotten book, he was told he could not go back in. School policy stated students COULD go back in until 3pm. This was never addressed. Instead, "The Coward" got all huffy when I stated "I'm smart as whip, and mean as a snake. Tristen will get back on track if it's the last thing I do". The Coward was more concerned with what she percieved as an attempt to "take over the meeting". I don't see what she was talking about, but from our past experiences with her, we just chalked it up to an old lady who was losing her mind. Most parents we talk to can't stand this lady, or the priest, who came into the school together, for this very reason.

-After ordering some things from a fundraiser the school was having, my wife was 5 minutes late meeting the guy to pick up the items. Dragging our 2 year old as well as being pregnant, she apologized. Instead of recognizing that my wife was having troubles, this guy took it upon himself to reprimand my wife as if she were a child. She won't tell me who this little piss ant is, for obvious reasons!

-My second oldest, CJ, was in football for the first time last year. They have 4th, 5th, and 6th graders on this team, and at this age, that's a huge gap. CJ would complain that he was getting bullied but I just chalked it up to him not being that good at football until I saw it first hand at a football game. They were playing at my Alma Mater, Marian Catholic and I was working "security". I had been talking to my dad who was in the stands and when I turned around, I saw CJ on the ground with a bunch of the other kids standing around him. When I went to pick him up, he saw that I was mad as hell and immediately said "don't worry Dad, it happens all the time..nothing to get worked up about". After catching my breath and putting my heart back together (it broke), I went up to the coach and spoke my mind. His response? "Now isn't the time". Now isn't the time? What kind of message did that send to the other kids, especially the bullies? I pulled him out the next day, against CJ's protests.

Some time later, while discussing with The Coward my son Tristen and the problems he was having, she asked me if what she heard was right; that i had pulled my other son, CJ, out of football because he was being bullied. I said "no" and I don't want to talk about it. The Coward must have spoken to someone about it and it got all around "the inner circle" that I had "told the principal" on this coach. The main kid bullying CJ is the son of the PTO president and always in the office helping out. Hmmmm. But I kept my mouth shut, trying to be the "bigger person". No more of that, I can assure you.

- There are many more little instances of this sort of thing at that school, many too numerous to mention. So I ask you, who wouldn't be stressed?

My apologies for not posting for a few days. Because of my back, I've been overcompensating and ended up straining an oblique. I've been resting it as much as I can and it's feeling better, as is the back. Thanks for all the thoughts!

I got the call today with my sleep study results. Apparently, my limbs move while I sleep which isn't the end of the world, but I have to go in for some lab work to see if I'm deficient in something like iron. If so, I just take supplements to get my levels up and I should be good. The other bad thing is I have to take the sleep study again...sheesh. I hope the last tech I had is there again; she was great.

Also, I'm down to 236! I will post a picture as soon as someone wakes up to take it. I feel really good and am right on track.

See everyone tomorrow!

I'm nervous because I am extremely qualified for this position, but have bad luck in these situations. I don't know why. It just seems that whenever I'm a perfect fit, the employers always go with another candidate. The last time this happened was when I applied for a job with the Park Forest Village. The call after the fact went like this:

PFV: I'm sorry, but we decided to go with another candidate who is a little "greener"
ME: I'm sorry to hear that; was there anything in particular you didn't like about my qualifications?
PFV: Oh no, your qualifications, answers to the questions, and overall demenor were excellent; We just thought you were too good, and thought you would leave when something better came along.

This is what I get these days. It's very frustrating.

Anyway, we'll see how it goes. If I get the job, I'll post, if not, I won't mention it again

However, I've decided to REALLY buckle down this week...just this week. If I look further down the road, I'll get overwhelmed with all of it and just give up; I know me. So this week, I'm really going to kick some ass. My back is better, I'm feeling pretty good, the fridge is stocked with all the good stuff I need, and my wife is looking so radiant that she could inspire the devil himself to do good! I love you baby!

Anyway, not much to say.  I've been sticking to the program pretty well and have no issues except that I have not been able to exercise much with this injury.