Well, today is a watershed day in the personal history of Billy Gray. Today marks my third year of being married to the always cheerful, ever-lovin' Megan (Jackson) Gray. We've had some wonderful times over the three years we've been married, from a whirlwind trip down to Florida where we found that God does answer prayers to keep rain away, to a crazy, improbably, 24-hour road trip through most of Wisconsin and Minnesota, to the birth of our daughter, little Evelyn, who right at this moment is probably spitting up on a piece of furniture or carpet.
It's been a great ride.
I think one of the things I like best about being married is that it takes the pressure off. I think back to how much mental energy I expended on questions like "What kind of person is the right person for me to marry? Is there just one right person? How will the relationship that I'm in turn out? What flaws and faults are enough to have me walk away? etc. etc." That was a lot of worrying and wondering, a lot of mental angst built up over an (admittedly important) decision. But the feeling of having that finished, of settling in and being committed to this wonderful person that chose me--it's remarkable in that the mental angst is missing. I compare it to having a headache that won't go away. You live with the pain of the headache, because there's nothing that you can do about it. The headache tints every part of your life, from waking in the morning to going to bed at night. It's not like you can't function while you have the headache, rather, you learn to cope with the pain. So it is for all of you unmarried single guys out there.
Of course, there might be a few out there who believe that marriage is a mistake, that it isn't possible for one person to commit to another for 10 years, much less a life, that they're having too much fun to get married and settle down. To those people, I say--you don't know what you're missing, my friend.
You don't know what you're missing.
Happy anniversary, Megan.
BillG
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Thoughts on aging
So I'm typing this with my fingers, which is one of the only parts of me that isn't sore right now. Yesterday, I played Ultimate Frisbee for the first time in about, oh, 6 months. And not just some rinky-dink pick-up game, either. This was full-on, league-certified Ultimate. Good times and fast opponents.
Every year when I come out to play frisbee, I vow that this will be the start of something good--that I will take this opportunity to keep excercising, getting into shape and by this time next year--watch out! And every year, I get more and more used to the excercise, until the league is over, and I then do . . . absolutely nothing. I always think that after the league is over, I'll start running again, or swimming, or some sort of regular excercise--hah! Not likely. This year, I plan to enjoy frisbee, to attempt to run at least one other time per week, and to re-evaluate things at the conclusion of the league.
The worst part about playing, of course, is playing people who can't stop running. Take yesterday, for example. I marked up on a player who used to be on my team last year--he remembered me, which was gratifying, and I certainly remembered him--he was the one who could keep up with my deep passes, running them down and (usually) hauling them in for a score. So I knew what I was getting into--hanging around my own end zone, watching him to make sure that he didn't break away from me and catch a pass from one of their handlers.
Well, it turns out that he's been working on his handle (ability to throw the frisbee, for the uninitiated) as well as his knowledge of how to play the game. I found myself chasing this guy, this high-school cross-country runner, up and down the field for three straight points. It was all I could do to breathe after that ordeal, much less defend anyone. And the best part? After I came off the field, sucking wind like a clogged vacuum cleaner, he stayed out there, and scored the next point for his team, all the while looking as fresh as a daisy.
I couldn't help but feel a little old, fat, and out-of-shape at that point. Motivation for the future, I suppose.
By the way, if you're interested in ultimate frisbee, check out the UPA website (www.upa.org). It has a lot of great resources on the game, as well as places where you can play pick-up in an area near you. Maybe I'll see you out on the field, one of these days.
BillG
Every year when I come out to play frisbee, I vow that this will be the start of something good--that I will take this opportunity to keep excercising, getting into shape and by this time next year--watch out! And every year, I get more and more used to the excercise, until the league is over, and I then do . . . absolutely nothing. I always think that after the league is over, I'll start running again, or swimming, or some sort of regular excercise--hah! Not likely. This year, I plan to enjoy frisbee, to attempt to run at least one other time per week, and to re-evaluate things at the conclusion of the league.
The worst part about playing, of course, is playing people who can't stop running. Take yesterday, for example. I marked up on a player who used to be on my team last year--he remembered me, which was gratifying, and I certainly remembered him--he was the one who could keep up with my deep passes, running them down and (usually) hauling them in for a score. So I knew what I was getting into--hanging around my own end zone, watching him to make sure that he didn't break away from me and catch a pass from one of their handlers.
Well, it turns out that he's been working on his handle (ability to throw the frisbee, for the uninitiated) as well as his knowledge of how to play the game. I found myself chasing this guy, this high-school cross-country runner, up and down the field for three straight points. It was all I could do to breathe after that ordeal, much less defend anyone. And the best part? After I came off the field, sucking wind like a clogged vacuum cleaner, he stayed out there, and scored the next point for his team, all the while looking as fresh as a daisy.
I couldn't help but feel a little old, fat, and out-of-shape at that point. Motivation for the future, I suppose.
By the way, if you're interested in ultimate frisbee, check out the UPA website (www.upa.org). It has a lot of great resources on the game, as well as places where you can play pick-up in an area near you. Maybe I'll see you out on the field, one of these days.
BillG
Friday, June 09, 2006
The Joys of Home Ownership
So, it looks like my weekends for the next six years just got filled. Yep, I'm a proud owner of an 83-year-old house, which means myriads of things to do, fix, paint, weed, mow, repair, clean, etc.
One thing that's curiously satisfying, though, is the feeling of having something completed, and knowing that it will stay that way, because it's yours and your family's. On my first day walking around the new house, seeing what needed to be done, (Memorial Day, btw) I moved a rock to sit between our deck and our yard, a stepping stone, if you will. Darned if it's not satisfying every time to use that little stepping stone--it's just great. Who woulda thunk it?
The other interesting thing that's happening this summer, now that we've moved in, is that Megan is watching our niece, Chloe, during the day because she's out of school. So Megan finds herself having dance parties, playing soccer, and making mint chocolate chip ice cream, on top of taking care of the health and well-being of a tiny, cute, demanding little person--our three-year old daughter, for those of you keeping track. I don't know how she does it, how she adapts--I know that I wouldn't fare half as well as her in the same situation. After a rocky period that first day, I think everyone's settled in and everything's going to be fine.
Take care, all.
BillG
One thing that's curiously satisfying, though, is the feeling of having something completed, and knowing that it will stay that way, because it's yours and your family's. On my first day walking around the new house, seeing what needed to be done, (Memorial Day, btw) I moved a rock to sit between our deck and our yard, a stepping stone, if you will. Darned if it's not satisfying every time to use that little stepping stone--it's just great. Who woulda thunk it?
The other interesting thing that's happening this summer, now that we've moved in, is that Megan is watching our niece, Chloe, during the day because she's out of school. So Megan finds herself having dance parties, playing soccer, and making mint chocolate chip ice cream, on top of taking care of the health and well-being of a tiny, cute, demanding little person--our three-year old daughter, for those of you keeping track. I don't know how she does it, how she adapts--I know that I wouldn't fare half as well as her in the same situation. After a rocky period that first day, I think everyone's settled in and everything's going to be fine.
Take care, all.
BillG
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Here's an interesting item from the Mainichi daily news. Apparently, loincloths are becoming all the rage in Japan. Picture this: a happy Hack, riding down the street in midtown Osaka, wearing nothing but a loincloth, a matching t-shirt, and a happy smile. If you didn't just get goosebumps reading that sentence, then you have no heart :)
Loincloths are being marketed by the Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo's Ginza district as a feature product for the summer months ahead, it has emerged. A boom in the sale of loincloths has been seen since last spring, and in just half a year the department store has sold about 5,000 loincloths -- roughly 25 times the normal number it sells. "They're unconstrained and have got good ventilation, and they're suited for Japan's humid summers," a department store official said. The popularity of loincloths has reportedly continued even during the colder months, with about 200 loincloths being sold monthly in winter. The store predicts that that a full-scale loincloth boom is eminent. It has prepared an abundant range of products for customers, from sleek designs featuring dots, goldfish, and fireworks, to loincloths that come with matching T-shirts. With the hot summer months ahead, the loincloths may add a new twist to the "Cool-biz" trend of dressing down to cool off. Source: Mainichi
Loincloths are being marketed by the Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo's Ginza district as a feature product for the summer months ahead, it has emerged. A boom in the sale of loincloths has been seen since last spring, and in just half a year the department store has sold about 5,000 loincloths -- roughly 25 times the normal number it sells. "They're unconstrained and have got good ventilation, and they're suited for Japan's humid summers," a department store official said. The popularity of loincloths has reportedly continued even during the colder months, with about 200 loincloths being sold monthly in winter. The store predicts that that a full-scale loincloth boom is eminent. It has prepared an abundant range of products for customers, from sleek designs featuring dots, goldfish, and fireworks, to loincloths that come with matching T-shirts. With the hot summer months ahead, the loincloths may add a new twist to the "Cool-biz" trend of dressing down to cool off. Source: Mainichi
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
An update, guaranteed to satisfy
So . . .
May has been "major upheaval" month for the Gray household, especially the distaff side of the family. Evie has found her feet, and started to suck her thumb, as well as laughing, giggling, smiling, and even trying to talk back to us when we talk to her. She's also usually covered in a thin sheen of drool/spit-up/healthy baby glow most of the time, depending on how long it has been since she last had a bath (1 day and counting).
We moved last Saturday, to the not-so-distant block of 4400 Beaver, which is about (and I measured this) 0.3 miles away from our old residence. So, there's no Internet connection, no land-phone line, and no washer or dryer at our current abode, though we do have a front and back yard--first time ever. Once the family settles in, I think we'll be pretty happy in our new place. It's bigger, with room to expand our family, if we and God so desire, and it's in a much quiter neighborhood, with small children running around and people out working on their lawns and gardens almost every evening. My goodness--I think I've been domesticated! Seeing as how that was one of my goals, I shouldn't be surprised, of course, but still. If I can figure out this blog thing, and if we ever get the Internet back, I may even post a few pics of our new place. Friends are always welcome to visit.
Updating this blog is now on my list of "Things to do." I'll keep these posts short, and hopefully frequent. And if you're wondering why I didn't comment directly on the lack of posts, it's because I simply don't have a good enough excuse to offer you. Since it's 6/6/06 today, I'll just say that the devil made me do it.
BillG
May has been "major upheaval" month for the Gray household, especially the distaff side of the family. Evie has found her feet, and started to suck her thumb, as well as laughing, giggling, smiling, and even trying to talk back to us when we talk to her. She's also usually covered in a thin sheen of drool/spit-up/healthy baby glow most of the time, depending on how long it has been since she last had a bath (1 day and counting).
We moved last Saturday, to the not-so-distant block of 4400 Beaver, which is about (and I measured this) 0.3 miles away from our old residence. So, there's no Internet connection, no land-phone line, and no washer or dryer at our current abode, though we do have a front and back yard--first time ever. Once the family settles in, I think we'll be pretty happy in our new place. It's bigger, with room to expand our family, if we and God so desire, and it's in a much quiter neighborhood, with small children running around and people out working on their lawns and gardens almost every evening. My goodness--I think I've been domesticated! Seeing as how that was one of my goals, I shouldn't be surprised, of course, but still. If I can figure out this blog thing, and if we ever get the Internet back, I may even post a few pics of our new place. Friends are always welcome to visit.
Updating this blog is now on my list of "Things to do." I'll keep these posts short, and hopefully frequent. And if you're wondering why I didn't comment directly on the lack of posts, it's because I simply don't have a good enough excuse to offer you. Since it's 6/6/06 today, I'll just say that the devil made me do it.
BillG
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