The 43

Lori is on a business trip this weekend, so it's just the boys and I. Another snowstorm rumbled through yesterday, dropping about 5 inches of snow in our neighborhood. Michael had a basketball game yesterday and practice today. I made the boys sliders, tater tots and edamame (which I call edadaddy if I make it) for dinner tonight. I played "Skylanders." We went to a birthday party for a 2-year-old and watched "The Amazing Race." We are going to a Jazz game Monday night. But clearly, the event most clearly on my mind this weekend was something I purchased. At age 42, I bought my first pair of reading glasses. I've blogged before about my deteriorating ability to read with my contacts in my eyes, and it hasn't improved. But I discovered how much easier it it with the reading glasses Lori bought. So, I bit the bullet and bought a pair for $5.88 at Walmart. The glasses are not that strong but help just enough to read to the boys or to decipher small pri

Ugh, still in my writing rut. Life has improved the past two weeks -- things are a little less crazy, I picked up some freelance work that has promising long-term prospects, the weather has warmed up (after ice almost took out a gutter -- it was dangling off the side of the house for a few days until it got fixed), but I haven't been able to get back on track on the writing front. At least I'm getting this short post in. I'm hopeful that this weekend I'll get inspired again, but I'm thinking March might be more realistic. I'll escape this rut yet.

February is a quick month. With just 28 or 29 days, by the time you get used to the idea of February, it's halfway over. I'm not complaining. The quicker February goes, the quicker spring gets here. And by February, any novelty winter had is long gone. February is surprisingly bright. The sun appears more this month than any time during the winter. But if snow is still piled up, that sun reflects upon the white ice the assault your retinas. February is a preview of the sun that will come the rest of the year. So, is February hopeful? Not completely. If you dislike winter, February brings a feeling of "Will this ever end?" Sunsets are still early, sunrises still late. And the snow takes its time to melt. February is pink and red, and by the end of the month, purple (at least for Catholics). It's basketball every weekend. It's the joyous words that give a hint of spring: "Pitchers and catchers report ..." Because February is a sweeps month, no

Standing in place sucks. The last two weeks have been a morass of coughing, fatigue and unproductivity. I want to move forward and can't figure out why I'm not. Two weeks ago, I was looking forward to February. I had goals. I was optimistic. Then, I got sick. the tickle in my throat turned into a cold, then a fever. I never get fevers, so I was understandably knocked out. I got better, though I still have a tickle in my throat causing a cough. Lori and the boys got sick. The weather improved, but then an inversion (rare for February) returned. The fog blew through, but now it's unusually cold for February in Salt Lake City (when it should be low 40s). We continued with our busy lives. No complaints, but the busy lives seemed more taxing, more looming this week. I can't seem to get to bed early, but am tired even when I get enough sleep. Almost two weeks later, I can't seem to get back on track with the goals and optimism I was feeling. And it's really