So this is what it is like....

...hmmmmm...being unemployed. I haven't enjoyed my "week off" like I thought I would. The whole getting laid off was weird to begin with, but I haven't gotten settled being at home all week. Mostly because I have been a bit busy with other things.

...Monday was a little surreal. The day was spent waiting for emails and phone calls. Tuesday was the day off with Ruby and the Girls. Wednesday was Raymond's early dismissal and some things with Momma. Thursday was morning with the Girls and then off to school to have some Daddy duties at Raymond's school. Fun, but not like I had wished. I wish I have a bit more time to myself and to have actually gotten some house work done.

...I don't know how much longer I will have time to do things, and by that I mean being unemployed. I wasn't too concerned about it at first, but today was kind of like I will need some money rolling in soon? Maybe, maybe not....

...one thing is for sure, you do have a lot of thoughts running through your head all day. Some of them aren't valid though, but some are. In the end, I think your mind can make things over dramatic. All kinds of thoughts...about work, former that is. In the end, my family life helps keep me focused on other things. Now I can get into all of the shit that runs though your mind, but I don't know if I would want them out that like this. I will pass....

As I have said all along, and others have told me as well...my former employer probably did me a huge favor (and made a huge mistake, at least I like to think). I will land on my feet and will be fine....still it is only human to wanna question things and try to make sense of it all...even if that becomes a huge waste of time...

...another thing that sucks is being laid off just in time for Houston Beer Week, and not getting to do a damn thing with it!!! Man a lot of great events going on all throughout the city...and I am tied up...that really sucks...

...that's just the life of a "G" I guess...

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It's time to get back on the horse...

...Well, I went and did it. I went a few weeks without consistently running. I was hoping to not let that happen, but it did....and it wasn't hard either. My fear is that it is going to be tough to get "my running legs and lungs" back. Ultimately, it is my own doing.

I will get back on schedule tomorrow. Monday was a running day for me, so its a good starting point.

I also feel as if I gained some, if not all, of that weight back. Damn it. It is so easy to "relapse", although I don't know if that is the right word. Seems a bit over dramatic, doesn't it?

I will hope to continue to run on a consistent basis through the end of the year. Yes, through the time change and all. I might have to adjust to somethings, but I will do my very best.

Today will be my last "bad day" for a while, hoping that I do better, or as well I was doing through my initial running.


Wish me luck.

I never thought....

...I never thought that I would be proud and excited that Raymond is a Tiger Cub Scout. I mean, really...I didn't...well, it happened.

On the first week of school, Raymond caught wind of the boy scouts and all that they do. I think that camping part is what sold him. He is pumped and ready for camping.

After a couple of weeks, we kind of forgot about it, until Ruby remembered and sought out the info. She got it, and he still wanted in. I thought to myself, "you really don't want to be a boy scout, do you?!?!", but naturally, I didn't mention it, or didn't trying to talk him out if it. I mean, really?!? A boy scout?!

He was, and is now, in! We went to our first Den Meeting, and he even received his first badge, the bobcat badge for memorizing (sort of) the pledge, the salute, handshake, motto, and law of the pack. (He had a little assistance from the Tiger Cub Mother, who is Mom of one of Raymond's Kindergarten friends)...I'll never tell!

We unfortunately missed the camping trip by a weekend, but there surely will be other times. I wasn't in the scouts, and pretty much know nothing about it. I am fairly excited to learn together about all of the things that they do. I know that it will only benefit him.

It's yet another page in Raymond ongoing book. Another thing that I have never imagined that we will be doing. It's been a fun ride, and it is only getting better as time continues on. I hope to be apart of as much as I can. So far, I think that I am batting for a very high average in that department. As the girls get older, there will be more things to learn for me and to be apart of as well. I just hope that there is enough time in the day for me and Ruby to keep up.

We surely are trying....

Vinyl...

Ok, I am thinking about making the switch. Giving up on cd's and moving to vinyl. Why? It's always tough to switch mediums. In the end, the change in inevitable. I have heard/read plenty that points to the fact that cd's are going to be obsolete in then next couple of years. It's kind of took me by surprise, but it really shouldn't have.

Change is inevitable, isn't it? One of my fears, was that it was all going to go the way of MP3's. You know, like strictly iTunes only. That isn't really for me. I have to have something concrete, you know?! I don't know why, I just do.

The next thing that struck me a little odd was the fact that vinyl, or analog, actually sounds better than digital. Why didn't I think of this? I mean, of course it does. Way back when I actually used to play, we used to say "oh, I want to be strictly analog," as just a purist type of thing...kind of snobby, you know?! I didn't think about this in terms of records....duh...

At various shows, I would see a band selling records at the merch booth, and I always thought it would be cool to buy one, from a collectors standpoint. I acted on it only once. The collector in me may end up getting the better of me, you know?!

Alisson is the next factor. She bought me the Nirvana Unplugged record that may ultimately open pandora's box on the whole thing. That and the fact that we went vinyl "window shopping" earlier in the week....damn, I saw a few that I would have loved to purchase. I may go back....

Here is my lonely records now...





...now I guess I will have to research a record player eventually...this hobby (as with any other) could get expensive for me....


Oh well...

38:34.9

...well, there it is...that is my official time of my first 5K...although I made it through and completed it, it was a bit more difficult than I thought it was going to be. I know, I know...it is my first one. It should be the worse one that I ever do, right!? I hope so. I mean, I really hope that I continue to train and just get better.

The worse part is, that out of my age group (35-39 years old, Males) I place 153rd out of 194...doesn't sound good to me at all. In fact, it makes be cringe a little...damn it!! Got to get better!! HAVE TO!!!!

In any event, I was very excited. I couldn't wait for it to finally get here. I know that the main goal was to complete it, and I did, but it was difficult. Where I am at right now, I can do 2 miles fairly easy...it's after that in which I struggle. Well, I just want to improve. I do want to become a full fledged runner. I pick it back up tomorrow with a light jog, and I continue on a new training...I am nervous about it...it starts into the more advanced running. I shouldn't train as a novice anymore. It is going to be challenging, but I think it will be good for me in the end....

It was fantastic to have the family show up and share the experience with me. Laura got a few good shots of me and the kiddos, which I love!! I guess to my credit I went through the finish with such speed that Laura's camera just could not keep up with me and I was a blur!! LOL! Well, that is what I am saying any how....

It's Official!!!!

Ok...

_____ Transaction Details_____
Amount: $30.00
Online Fee: $3.40
Registration: Running of the Bulls presented by H-E-B : 5K Run (timed)
Registrant: Raymond Gamboa (email: nickgamboa@gmail.com)
Gender: M
Age on day of event: 36
Address: *************
Houston, TX ***** US
T-shirt size?: Adult X-Large


I must say, that I am pretty fucking nervous about this...

So, I've been running lately....

Yeah, it's true. I have started to run. For quite some time now I have been on that "I need to get healthy" kick, but never really did anything at all. In fact, I have probably gone through the longest inactive streak that I have ever known. It's sad to think about really. The last two or three years have been strange for me. Happy in the sense of my family, sad in the sense that we have let a lot of things get out of our control.

About five weeks ago, I decided to give running a shot. I found a beginners program online that works on an interval based time. It's been fairly smooth for me. I mean, it is definitely easing me into the running. So much so, that I have actually kept it up for...well five weeks. I am at a point now that I don't want to stop. I don't.

Over the last couple of years, I have always had a secret plan/goal, to do like a 5k run. Well, to be honest, I wanted to do all of the 5k's that the major sport teams in Houston have. Astros, Dynamo, Rockets, and Texans if they all have them, which I believe that they do. You get to do a cool 5k and usually tickets for that weekends game. Oh yeah! That and they usually end up somewhere cool...like center court, 50 yard line, what have you. Sounds cool! Right?! Of course. As with everything else, of course, I never did anything about it. Until now...sort of...

The goal for me, seems to be in complete reach. I started a running program on 7/30/12, and guess what?!? The Houston Texans host "The Running of the Bulls" 5k on 9/23/12. Seems to be in reach. It's a realistic goal to set for yourself. Hold up...nothing can be easy....

Moving right along...into the third week of running...my shins start feeling a bit tender. Great. Shin splints?! Quite possible. I developed them the last time I attempted running. It's a blessing of having extremely flat feet. Great. Three weeks in, I don't want to stop. I read a little, and see that you can continue to train through them, but you do have to be careful. I read diligently. I began stretching as much as I can, and iced my shins down as much as I could. They remained tender, but didn't seem to be getting any worse. Still, I pay close attention and continue on.

Feeling great about my running and completing my fourth week with as much confidence as one could have, another set back. On a day that I don't run (Sunday), I start feeling a slight pain in my right foot in the afternoon. Nothing too major, just a nagging pain. It was with me all day, slightly getting to be a bit more painful. At the end of the day, about to get into bed, the pain was severe. I was beginning to wonder if I had a broken bone.

ARE THE RUNNING GODS NOT PLEASED WITH ME?! WHAT HAVE I DONE? I called into work the next day and decide to get it checked out. After four different attempts to schedule an appointment, finally...an opening!!! 3:30 p.m. It was a looong day for me. The thoughts that something was broken and that I was going to have to stop kept running through my mind (No pun intended). Already I was thinking to myself that it would be the most crushing news that I have received in quite some time. I mean, I wondered to myself if I would potentially cry upon getting the grim news. On the other hand, I was also worried that I would go to the doctor and they say that they don't see anything wrong. This usually happens to me. But, hey!! The pain is there, and I can assure you that I am not making it up.

Well, after an X-Ray...they found something. Tendonitis of the fifth metatarsal. Wow! That actually sounds cool! Ok, maybe not. It's basically just an inflamed tendon, it hurts like hell, but it is just inflamed. Doc said that it shouldn't stop me from running. Ice, Ice, Ice and I should be in good shape. What's better is that he praised me for what I was doing and that I should continue. He said that I should have no problem doing a 5k. It was encouraging! It actually made me feel good. Simple, but it made me feel like going on.

It is a major relief for me to get this news. I decided, reluctantly, to take a week off from running. Hopefully with icing down and a week's rest, I should be able to start up on Labor Day. That's the plan at least.

Hope that it is good enough so that I can get back on the track.

The Dark Knight Rises

...it's a been a very log time since my last post. I have been thinking about updating the blog during that past week. There are a lot of things running through my mind that I want to write about, let's just see how it goes... One of the biggest highlights for me this summer, and possibly in my life, was getting the chance to watch The Dark Knight Rises on IMAX with Raymond. It was cool to at least see the final part of the Dark Knight Trilogy with him. Of course I would have loved to see them all with him, but at least the last one will definitely do. The one instance that I will never ever forget, and that I play back in my head was the first time that Bale's Dark Knight made his first presence in the movie. Raymond's eyes lit up and the smile was as big as the IMAX screen itself. I don't really know what made me turn to him at the time, but I am glad that did. The movie itself was pretty good. I want to see it at least one more time on the big screen, but time being so precious and all...I don't think that I will get the chance. In any event, I cannot wait for the bluray release this fall, which will probably come faster than we all anticipate. I know that Raymond probably didn't grasp the story much, but there was a time during the movie that he whispered "Awesome!". In the end too, I would assume that it was just a chance to go to the movies to see Batman and Bane battle it out, but for me it was one of those great Father/Son moments. Being a geek at times, this was as big as it gets. It was bittersweet to see the Nolan helmed Batman universe put to an end, but I am almost certain that a reboot can't be too far down the road. Although, I enjoyed the realistic approach that the storyline had, I wouldn't mind seeing a very "comic book" style version come back to life....we will see...I can only hope that it is good... here is my current background at home....

RIP

...such an iconic picture...

Raymond

Here is Raymond's calendar for February. It tracks how he behaves in class. Green is Good, Yellow means you had a uh oh, or a warning, and Red is bad. I just discovered that there is Orange, and that means he was super duper excellent! He was so excited to tell us when he was Orange!!!




As you can see, he was throwing things in Art Class on 2/6...he just said that a couple of other kids were doing it too....great, I hope he doesn't follow other kids lead...

nick

Had a pretty memorable week...

....well, last week I would say that I had a fairly memorable week. Outside of work, everything was fine and good. I took Monday off, so that I wouldn't miss the Kindergarten Chinese New Year Parade that was held in the hallways of River Oaks Elementary. I am just about done with missing any kind of activities that the kiddos might have during the week. That's why I have days off, right!? Damn right...and I intend on using them all....

It was a calculated move that really, really paid off for me. Monday was like three totally different days all rolled into one. The first part of the day belonged to Raymond. I got to the school and awaited for the entire (five classes) of Kindergartners to line the halls with their Chinese Dragon masks as they walked and sang a Happy Chinese New Years song. It was cute, I must admit. The best part of it was was when the parade was over. As the kids awaited recess, I got to spend a little time with them. Raymond and his crazy friends. What a priceless moment. As I took a picture of Raymond, another kid wanted in. After that picture, another kid wanted in. After that, another kid, and then another. It was hilarious! Crazy kids! In talking to them, it was cool to hear what different things that they did. Karate, Mad Science, and even Golf!?!? Golf, for a Kindergartner? Wow! I didn't expect that.

After that was said and done, it was time to leave and meet up with Richard. I figured have some coffee and catch up. It turned out to be an entire day. It was very nice. The weather was perfect. It was as relaxing as you could think. It was one of those moments in which I felt like I was in a different city. It truly was like a vacation. We had coffee at Brasil, walked to Empire for lunch, went to a couple of furniture stores, and just soaked in the beautiful day and scenery. We moved locations slightly and had some Blonde Bombshell and people watched so to speak. It felt strange to me to be out and about, but it was definitely nice to joke around with Richard. I definitely do not get to joke with anyone like that these days. As this part of the days sadly ended, it was time to pick up Raymond from School....

The third part of the day was back to the Daddy duties, and also into some yard work. Again, completely different but still nice. It was one of the better days that I have had in a very long time. One that I will not soon be forgetting.

Of course getting back into the daily grind may try it's best to make you forget about days like this, but reflecting back on them helps you make it. As trying to find a balance between crazy work, family life and the like seems to get harder, days like this helps out in a big, big way.

Well, crap...

...second night in a row that I didn't get to see the girls...my poor sicky girls. Oh well....maybe tomorrow, although here are my hours so far at work this week...

8.00
10.08
11.05

...here is to hoping tomorrow isn't 12....

Whew...

It sure is hard to try to stay positive when you seemingly work at a place that is constantly bringing you down. I have said this before, and have said it millions and millions of times in my own head, but it is worth typing again. Even with my "fuck it" attitude or whatever, I see it in my fellow coworkers, my fellow "warriors". It sucks, but I guess in the end it is a paycheck, and we all get to go home. I hope they don't take it home with them...

Having said that, I probably won't be working late this week. That's what they want, believe me, I don't mind going home on time....I just have to figure out a way to get there at 07:30 again, you know...so I can leave at 4:30!

Oh yeah, I made this at work today...I just saw a coffee stained napkin that I had, and...there you have it....that's no coffee stain...it's a drawing of a space station....

Water, Water everywhere...

crazy day....