The Meaning and the Miscellaneous

I woke up yesterday morning from an unnerving dream; the sort of dream that causes you to be thankful that it wasn't real life. I've had the dream several times throughout my adult life and I'm guessing there must be something that triggers it. I think I know what it is.

In the dream, I'm either in college or high school with the end of the grading period just around the corner with me totally failing a couple classes. I haven't even attended either class since the first day. Lengthy papers are due and I've opened no books to research them. There's always a time warp in the dream in that I go from being at the beginning of the semester early in the dream while assuring myself that I'll have enough time to do the necessary work to finding myself woefully behind at the end of the dream and the semester and failing. It's a helpless, overwhelming feeling. I awake with great relief.

Maybe the dream was spawned while watching Rachel this past week working overtime to try and meet all of her obligations with work and school. But I don't think so. I think it's more about me feeling that there isn't enough time in my day/week to do all I want or need to. Yes, I know, "Just retire!" I wish it were that easy or that I could afford to.

I'll never understand people who get bored in retirement. They must not be trying.

The Dads' Dance is less than two weeks away and I'm still a bit unprepared. There are a few moves that aren't clicking for me and I think for many in the group as well. We've stepped it up to two practices per week and we could easily use three. Needless to say, our dance floor in the basement is getting some use from me.

The last time I danced with the other dads was three years ago and they had us all wearing similar outfits. This time we were given the green light to dress as zany as we like. Me? I'll be resurrecting my Austin Powers outfit from Rachel's 11th birthday party. I think it may even help to take the pressure off me. It won't be Kevin Gilmore dancing in front of a packed auditorium; it'll be Austin Powers! It's possible that I may find some alter ego once I'm out there that I didn't even know existed within me. I'll try not to get carried away.

I'm taking tomorrow off from work to shop for flowers with Tammy. We'll head to Gertens in the morning and buy a dozen flats of flowers for the several flower beds we have throughout the yard. It's a trip we do together each year. We've planted them this early many years in the past without any problem from frost. It's either now or wait another two weeks as our schedules won't match up for this trip again until then.

Tammy and I are both putting in quite a few hours on the next panel for above our entertainment center. It's coming along nicely and we hope to have it done in the next couple weeks.

I get an anxious feeling working on it when it's warm and sunny outside and I could be either riding or working in the yard. It's almost like a withdrawal of sorts. I have to remind myself that the goal this year is to do fewer miles than last year and that the yard work can wait. It takes a bit of talking to myself but I'm usually able to work through the urge.





Comments

Unknown said…
Little off topic here - was that you I saw pushing past the south end of Flying Cloud today? Looked like you were fighting some pretty stiff wind if that was you.

More off topic, I was tentativeley hired for ZMP, just waiting now for the Flight Surgeon to decide if a surgery to reattach a tendon in my pinki when I was 9 (yes, 9) is a flight risk... no worries, guess he's being thorough. Everything else is done, so here's to hoping.
Kevin Gilmore said…
No biking for me today as I'm working a double...the early morning/day shift followed by an all-nighter. Hopefully tomorrow will find me riding.

Don't hesitate to call the Flight Surgeon back if it's taking longer than it reasonably should. I've heard too many stories where paper work got lost or was never forwarded as it should have been.

How long have you been waiting to be hired?
Unknown said…
Well, I've been going through this announcement since may / June of last year when it closed. I got my tentative hire letter in January, Physical on March 20th. So it's been a process. I did have to call several times to make sure things were done that I had to have my clinic do. I've got the last piece of the puzzle, (I hope) in my hands now, and will be faxed shortly for the surgeon to look at on Monday. So hopefully I'll get the firm offer soon and a report date shortly after.

Speaking of report dates, I should call Diane in HR down there and see if she's got any info on upcoming classes for there...
Kevin Gilmore said…
There's not much more that you can do but wait.

Hopefully by the time you get done with the academy and show up at your facility we'll have a ratified contract to work under.

A guy can dream, can't he?
Unknown said…
True enough.. I'm thinking at least be back under the Green Book when I get to my facility. The ratified contract can come after. (Sooner is always better.) Hopefully, the Flight Surgeon will give me an answer come Monday. At least then I know where I stand and how to proceed.

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