Insomnia

Yes, the young padawan did indeed arrive from the specific northwest, and even found time to hang out with his dear old dad for a bit over the weekend.

I didn't really expect to see much of my son while he's in Denver, and that's OK...since I'll be spending three days in a car with him as we traverse the uncivilized forests between here and almost-Canada. My job is to transport the boy and his musical gear (keyboards, amps, speakers, etc) back to Bellingham, but my goal is to make a fun vacation out of it. We'll see mountains, geysers, wildlife, and probably a Bigfoot or two on the journey. And we'll probably figure out ways to solve most of the world's problems during our conversations along the way. (Question: Would nuclear winter over the middle east create a reversal in global warming? Hmmm. It certainly may be a theory worth testing.)

To my surprise, Tanner did hang out with me a bit over the weekend. Oddly enough, the times he was available seemed to correspond roughly to mealtimes, so I spent most of my parenting time reaching for my wallet at various restaurants. I know he was hoping to spend more time engaged in deep discussions with the father he idolizes, so that he could soak in as much insight and wisdom as possible...but we really didn't get to do much of that. He tried very hard to not act disappointed that our time together ended shortly after the check had been paid, but I could tell that he was bummed he had to keep running off to play computer games with his friends. Poor kid.

Anyway, my short-term goal has become to get as much rest as I can before it's time to head off toward Yellowstone. I've been fatigued lately, and out of synch. It's a combination of things, but the main villain is the pinched nerve (or whatever it is) that makes my upper back hurt when I lift my head a certain way. It knotted up during the Cottonwood Pass climb, and still hasn't come undone. The pain isn't a big deal, but what IS a major annoyance is that it has kept me off the bicycle.

Ergo, my workout routine has been disrupted -- and I've been a complete slacker as a result. Yes, I do understand that the fault is totally attributable to my personal character (or lack thereof), and that my whining and slothful attitude is unseemly and uncalled for. But that doesn't change the fact that I've been logging more couch time than usual lately.

The good news in all of this is that I've watched some decent movies recently. The bad news is that the best ones tend to be the ones presented by Svengoolie (the dude pictured at the top of this post)...and his program doesn't start until 9pm, which is well past my normal bedtime. You can see the problem; if I want to watch a good monster, zombie, or invisible man movie, I have to stay up late -- which in turn disrupts my rest pattern and makes me even less likely to re-establish a workout routine that would be effective in battling my grotesque obesity. Sigh.

But on a totally different topic, the weekend's movie watching reminded me that Tanner has my top hat, and I'm thinking that perhaps getting it back would make me feel more upscale...which would in turn inspire me to go be more sociable and less of a sofa spud. In the past, I only wore the hat when performing in magic shows. But with Svengoolie as an inspiration, I'm thinking that perhaps it should become something I exhibit more frequently. It would give me a bit of class, don't you think? I'd probably get more respect as a swim coach, as an employee and coworker, and even as a commuter. Nobody's going to cut off a driver wearing a top hat, are they?

Anyway, I know I told you I'd share my experience with upgrading to a smartphone...but I haven't made much progress yet. I have figured out how to send text messages and use the internet browser -- and Tanner figured out the GPS navigation. I can take pictures, too. But otherwise, there are a million icons about which I remain clueless. It would be cool if I could use the phone to post blogs while I'm on the road, but I seriously doubt I'm capable of mastering that particular skill. We'll see.

For the moment, my immediate goals are less ambitious: Get home as soon as I can and get to sleep before the sun sets. That way I can wake up re-energized in the morning and get to the gym in time to get in a great workout. (Probably won't wear the top hat to the gym, though. Sorry.)

I'll let you know how it goes. Have a great day!