Olympified

Lots of Self-Confidence to Pull this Look Off

I, like the rest of the world, was more than a little concerned about the lead up to the Rio Olympics where the constant drumbeat of the news was all bad; everything from Zika to sewage to rampant crime. It turned out to be yet another case of the news emphasizing the negative because, well I guess because that’s what the news purveyors have become accustomed to doing. It’s almost like scaring people into watching the news is what’s important versus providing a well-rounded reality.

After Saturday indulgencies necessitated a Man Cave recovery period on Sunday I sat and watched several hours of the actual competition which was electrifying. Brazil seems to be more than up to the task and the fascination of Olympic athletic competition cannot be undervalued. Seeing Michael Phelps back in the pool, playing a key role in winning a relay gold medal or the women gymnastics team performing their whirling dervish routines along with the myriad of other lesser sports getting their time on the world stage was mesmerizing. NBC finally, after decades of over doing the sentimental backstory (complete with heartbreaking music), figured out people want to see the actual competition instead of manufactured sob stories. It was great viewing.

I’ve got to get used to watching the games with my new surround sound. A lot of the crowd noise comes in from the speakers behind and beside me which had me looking over my shoulder a number of times, thinking someone was sneaking up on me (from inside the basement walls – as previously stated Saturday night was a lot of fun so mental faculties were not at full capacity).  Great Aunt and Soxfather returned from California last night but the granddaughter seemed nonplussed when we spoke with her. She was trying to lick the varnish off some furniture. A new attribute just premiering yesterday, so maybe she is missing the Rhode Islanders.

Richmond VA Last Night with Wingman

Definitely Got her Abuela's Shopping Gene

And Her Mom's and grandfather's Reading Genes

Storm Dodging

Dodger Stadium Yesterday

So my extolling the virtues of local meteorologists and their fantastic tools was a little premature. We kicked off the party right on schedule and by 5pm Deckzilla was fully engulfed in a very fun collection of co-workers. I had just fired up the grill when I noticed some ominous clouds seeping over the horizon. A fully uncalled for and fairly massive thunderstorm seemed to be bearing down on us. Since the steaks were already well on their way to perfection I merely raised the umbrella while my wife marshaled forces to get things that shouldn’t get went inside.

My Shopping Cart - Why I Shouldn't be Allowed to Shop After First Friday

Deckzilla Party Starting

It turned out we were literally on the very edge of the storm. We only got a light sprinkling while two houses up the street didn’t even get wet. This did nothing to quench the spirit of the night which turned out to be a lot more fun than even I, party optimist extraordinaire, could have guessed. Deckzilla was roundly praised and an idea was floated that he should serve as the future home of First Fridays. While this seemed fairly sacrilegious I think it’s an idea worth exploring, at least before it gets too cold.

Stormy Steaks

With My Operations Manager

We were also tracking the status of the Red Sox out in Dodgerland yesterday. The Soxfather and Great Aunt took my two favorite Californians to see the game. While the game wasn’t good I have it on good authority that the Soxfather didn’t leave early this week. Today’s their last day in the Bear Republic and I’m so glad they were out there this week while the Wingman was away. From the attached photos I think it turned into a mutual admiration society with the First Blog Reader.

Wingman in New Jersey Last Night

Today’s a recovery day because it seems I consumed a vast amount of beer last night, something completely out of character. The siren call of the Man Cave beckons but a perfect New England summer day is offering some stiff resistance to lethargy. 

New Hairdo!

I Think She Pulls it Off

Nameday

Daughter and Granddaughter Yesterday

Being around my wife the day before we host a party is not for the faint of heart. She was in full prep mode and was less than appreciative of the remarkably insightful suggestions I had following my celebrations of First Friday. I took counsel of my fears and went out to mow the lawn for the first time since we moved in. I think it’s a combination of a really poor lawn and the significant drought we’re in the middle of that combined to make it unnecessary so far. I got to use my new electric mower for the first time which I thought was courageous given my earlier beer intake. I did not run over the cord, although there were a couple of close calls, which I consider a win. My wife was performing her usual magic in the kitchen while doling out cleaning assignments to her work crew – yours truly. We had the Rio Olympics opening ceremony playing in the background and they looked spectacular. I’m still trying to figure out why they had Mrs. Tom Brady strutting across the field in a sheer gown for a really long time but I’m certainly not complaining. I ran out of gas around midnight and I think my wife finally declared victory and came to bed around 2:30 am. She is nothing if not driven. I’m now walking on egg shells around the house to insure I don’t disturb the pristine state she has created.

Again, No Complaints

Since we always have so much fun on Fridays together and we have this huge deck we’re going to host a series of parties this summer on Deckzilla. Today the first Saturday happy hour will involve people from work along with some steaks and beer (food of the gods, dontcha know!). There’s a huge thunderstorm coming through this afternoon (the leading edge is hitting now) but as much as I complain about meteorologists they’ve got some pretty cool tools nowadays. Twenty years ago we would have cancelled the party with this type forecast but now they can predict hour by hour and they say the storm will pass by a good two hours before we reach the line of departure. I just checked the radar (again so cool to have this available) and I think it’s time to go into our Buddy thunderstorm drill (see picture).

Buddy - Cage Now!

Wingman was in Stroudsburg, PA Last Night

Great Aunt and the First Blog Reader Yesterday

Finally, I’ve decided on a blogname for my elder sister. There were a number of very insightful suggestions, some would not pass the censor’s review, but I’ve decided on “Great Aunt”. She was actually named by my daughter at last year’s baby shower before the November debut of the First Blog Reader. My sister happily greeted my daughter at the shower with, “I’m so excited. I’m going to be a great aunt!”. My daughter, remembering those Cranston cupcake parties from the early 1990s and so many other experiences with this remarkable lady, immediately retorted, “But you’ve always been a “Great Aunt’”. So there you have it, Great Aunt and Soxfather continued their California visit yesterday and today will take in another Sox game at Dodger Stadium. My jealousy will be assuaged slightly this afternoon with a late afternoon on Deckzilla.

Playing Peek-a-Boo

And Loving It

Just Chillin at a Play Date

Investing

Two Lovely Ladies Last Night

Every now and then I try and pass on some experience from work that I think will be helpful at that distant point in the future my grandchildren (hope still abounds for use of the plural) read this blog. I did something yesterday that I think fits the bill. A couple months ago I formed what I’ve taken to calling a “Driver’s Council”. I selected (after some hooking and jabbing with union leadership) some experienced drivers to meet regularly to discuss future changes or possible improvements to the transit schedules and routings. We’ve been meeting for several months now and they’ve already seen some of their ideas come to fruition in the form of modified schedules. Yesterday I took the entire group to the weekly high level meeting I have with the political leadership and they were awesome.

Drivers Council at Yesterday's Meeting

The lesson here is – find a way to give employees a voice. It’s important to get the right mix and to get employees who actually care (the hardest part of the process). The involvement not only provides empowerment but it can be deadly to the inevitable bottom feeders every profession is cursed with. The “lobby lawyers” have had their feet cut out from under them by this move as their seemingly constant negativism is countered by management who actually listens to their more professionally gifted counterparts. It’s a lot like life and politics, the nosiest ones aren’t always the ones making the most sense, find the quiet professionals and tap into their knowledge and experience.

Wingman Was in Baltimore Yesterday

Strangely I learned this from my early days as a lieutenant. Most outsiders think of the military as this monolithic “Yes Man” authority structure but the truth is far different. The really good young (and old for that matter) officers listen to their subordinates (especially NCOs) who normally have a vastly wider range of experience in things that matter. The same holds true for this current situation. These drivers spend 40+ hours a week behind the wheel driving a bus on the schedules I’m charged with overseeing. To think they wouldn’t have something valuable to add to any discussion of those schedules would be blind arrogance; plus their good ideas make me look better (and we all know I can use all the help possible there).

My Sister Asking The First Blog Reader Her Opinion on a Blogname

My comment yesterday on the blog about my elder sister wanting a Blog Name as sexy as the newly crowned Soxfather drew some spirited discussion. I’ve decided, due to the critically important part she’s played in my life, she deserves a Frail Deeds nickname. I floated the concept of her childhood nickname yesterday – Miss Oh So Perfect – which elicited the expected response. I might be on to something because apparently the name has staying power as none other than the august personality of the Cantankerous Friend weighed in with an opinion (I know – shocking). Since we jointly misspent a lot of our youth together he was able to recall the nickname without reading the blog, so maybe it should be “Ms. Oh So Perfect”. Some of the possibilities that came to mind were: Softouch (for her approach to pet discipline); Cupcake Aunty (for her early cooking interventions with my children), Clydesdale (for her novel approach to descending stairs), Poolgirl (for her dedicated immersion time), Kringle Killer (for her penchant to lynch Santa Claus effigies on her front porch), or Elderosity (for her documented chronological advantage over me). So those of you who know her and her idiosyncrasies please help me out and propose possible names for her. This might be fun.

Cat: "So I noticed you Started Eating Chicken"