As the world turns

When taken day-by-day, not much had been happening worth writing about. But, as I look over the past 30+ months of inactivity, I see there have been some significant changes.

In summary (and in no particular order) ....

The death of my grandson in June 2006 had an incredible impact on the lives of my step-daughter and her husband. Many couples report that anger and blame creep into a relationship after the death of a child, and this family was no different. In the intervening period, that marriage has been officially dissolved and there is no love lost. Both parties are now in new relationships. In the case of my step-daughter, marriage plans are underway.

My mother finally got to the point where she could no longer live alone. Last summer, she moved to an assisted living facility in a different city; where she can be closer to her grandchildren and to my sister, who is her legal guardian.

The business I started in 2006 continues to grow, albeit slowly. Back in 2009, I was honoured with an award as "Coolest Computer Tech", and I continue to reap the benefits of that positive press.

Various pets have come and gone over the past few years, but we're still a pet-friendly household, which, quite frankly, limits our options for apartments or condos as we plan to downsize within the coming year. Our most recent acquisition, a female cocker spaniel, is still in the "potty training" stage, but shows promise as a loving companion for my wife and I as well as for our other dog.

A daughter was born to my nephew and his partner nearly two years ago. They just became parents again today. Twins born this morning will make them a family of three children.

My wife, who has been working for a wonderful employer for the past four years, finally got moved to a new facility earlier this year after spending the past three years in a dilapidated building away from most of her co-workers. Now that she's joined her co-workers in the newer building, her work load has increased, and she's anxiously waiting for news of a job classification review that could see her receive a bump in pay and job classification.

My synagogue saw a change of guard, with the departure of our long-time rabbi, and the hiring of a new rabbi with lots of zest and charisma. I served as a member of the board of directors for a two year term that ended this month.

My wife and I became empty-nesters earlier this year when the last of our "children" left home. Unfortunately, my son chose the worst possible time to move to Southeast Asia, having arrived there only two days before the Japan earthquake. Add the fact that his teaching assignment was in a town very close to the North/South Korean border (where there is still a remarkably scary buildup of military presence), and the stress was too much to bear. We are no longer empty nesters!

My last post was nearly three years ago. It came on the fourth anniversary of my father's passing. What better time to resurrect this blog than on a birthday.

This morning, my nephew and his partner welcomed twins Evangeline Amanda Nova and Griffin Ezekial Lazarus into this world.

My understanding is that Ezekial was born with a cleft lip that may need to be corrected with cosmetic surgery, but other than that, both babies are healthy.

Bat Mitzvah day

My cousin's daughter is celebrating her Bat Mitzvah today. We were invited, but decided not to attend the actual ceremony. I attend a very small synagogue, and it's always touch-and-go whether we have enough men to do the entire service. Today, I'm glad I chose to stay local, because we didn't have any extra men show up.

The party is tonight, and we will be going to that. It's taking place somewhere I've never been before, and normally, I would be "mapquesting" in preparation. Tonight, I'll be relying on my GPS. Hopefully, it won't let me down.

Where has the time gone?

It's amazing how quickly time passes. My birthday has come and gone, as has Father's Day. For the most part, things are as they've been - progressing at a snail's pace, but progressing nevertheless.

I took part in a bit of a dog-and-pony show this past week, electing to sponsor a table at the annual Convention and Visitor's Bureau annual meeting. This is my first year as a member of the Bureau, and the opportunity to network and present my "message" to a table of potential clients was a lure I could not resist.

It was billed as an opportunity to present for up to an hour (one half hour scheduled, and another half hour flexible). The half hour of "flexible" time was a ruse - it didn't even appear on the official schedule sheet. And the half hour of scheduled time (which did appear on the official schedule) was cut dramatically short when the business of the day went far beyond the alloted schedule. Rather than extend the event, the original break-up time was observed. This left me with a grand total of seven minutes to present a half hour presentation.

As if that wasn't bad enough, most of the people in the room (thankfully not just those at my table) decided to leave immediately after the keynote addresses, not even affording the courtesy of an audience to those of us who sponsored their SWAG.

Was I pissed? You bet! Did I make a shortened presentation anyway? Absolutely. And of the three people who heard my presentation, one has already become a new client. I won't recoup my investment in time and money, but I did meet some new people.

And I was able to reinforce some impressions I have about people in general. More on that when I have more time.

It's been a good May

May is nearly over. My birthday is tomorrow, and I've already received my gifts. From a business perspective, this has been my most productive month since I began the business, and I'm anxious to see whether this was a blip or a trend. Regardless, I will take things in stride.

I've reached a balance in my life. I'm happy with who I am, what I have, and what is ultimately in store for me. Overall, my relationships are the best they've ever been. While nothing is ever perfect, I am comfortable with the state of things.

For the past few months, I've been trying out various combinations of devices to combat my obstructive sleep apnea. I think I've found a combination that works effectively. Next week, I'll be purchasing the equipment I need. I believe this equipment has helped me achieve a more restful sleep, and in the process has helped me lower my overall level of stress.

That's it for now.