Parking lot adventures with a 5-year-old

We had a mission, my oldest son and I, to get the Christmas gift list knocked out. So off we set, after I picked him up from school. The first thing was "Daddy, I want to get a gift for Zach (younger brother). Then we can get a gift from him to me too..." Aedan said. "You mean you want to buy yourself something too?" I asked. "yeah, from Zach."

We were at Richland Mall in Waco driving to a spot when all of a sudden this car pulls across the parking lot rows right in front of us and before I could do anything, right into a parking spot. "Wow, that was awesome, that car ran right in front of us and landed in that spot safely!" was the roar from Aedan coming from the 3rd row seat. "yeah, pretty awesome," I said.

Shopping tires me out, but provides for some seriously funny material from the kids.

Have a blessed CHRISTmas.

Shane

When the best is but the worst wins

The National Basketball Association (NBA) season began in early October in turmoil. The most important part of the game in a highly contested debate between leadership and the "workers". It's not about salaries, playing time, arenas, jerseys, logos, or Christmas bonuses.

It's about the ball. Yeah. The leather basketball hasn't changed in 35 years. Now Spalding has tried to introduce an improved composite basketball that "testing performed by (manufacturer) Spalding and the NBA demonstrated that the new composite basketball was more consistent than leather, and statistically there has been an improvement in shooting, scoring, and ball-related turnovers,..." said David Stern, NBA Commissioner. full article here

Unfortunately, several of the NBA's star players, including LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal, don't care for the new ball and after voicing their opinions, have forced the NBA to return back to the old worse leather ball because it "feels" better.

Change is not easy anywhere, at anytime, with any group. After 35 years, people get used to the way of doing things and if it's working, then don't break it, people would say. But how then does progress occur? How do you get hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles when gasoline is "working"?

One would think that a major change to such a critical part of the game that has been a standard for over three decades would involve some strategic thinking. True leaders would pull in the vocal decision makers and influencers. They would solicit their input, get feedback and move forward based on the information. Malcolm Gladwell wrote a great book called The Tipping Point. The Tipping Point looks at "social epidemics", or sudden and often chaotic changes from one state to another. The NBA "leadership" would do themselves well to pick up the book and get a clue.

Arch allergen silently strikes

Superheroes have arch enemies. I have an arch allergen. This time, it got me good. I wasn't in the woods, didn't roll in mysterious grass, wasn't climbing a tree. I simply moved some portable folding chairs in our garage up to the attic for the winter. And it attacked swiftly and in full force.

Poison Ivy is my arch allergen. And I'm pretty defenseless against it. I've had it terribly bad several times, enough to send me to the doctor for serious help. This time, I was able to identify and catch it in time.

Thankfully, my antigen is cheap and available. Epsom salt. Yep. I've tried everything from cheap to expensive. The only thing that will cure poison ivy is epson salt. Disolve it in warm water in a bowl and rub it on to the areas. In 2 days it will be mostly dried out and relief comes in a couple of hours.

Shane

California is a special place

The other night on the way home from eating, we were discussing the meaning of Christmas as a family. I was joking with my oldest son Aedan, who is 5 years old, that we were going to "boycott" the consumerism of giving gifts for Christmas and were just going to celebrate Jesus' birthday with a cake that had 2000 candles on it. So we joked on and during the discussion, I asked Aedan where Jesus was born. "California," was the reply. Close I said... :-)

Shane