Labor Day hike

We all went out for a Labor Day hike yesterday.  It was a beautiful day, but as dry as it has been here, I was surprised by how many mosquitoes were out in the afternoon.  We didn't have any bug spray with us, so we did a quick couple miles and got out of the woods. 

We didn't have a tripod, so it took 2 shots to get everyone.

will write for cash

I have often envied those who earn income for writing.  I have gone so far as to research freelance writing opportunities, but to no avail.  I know, though, that writing as an occupation is both a blessing and a curse.  It is a blessing to earn income for doing something that you enjoy, but doing so can potentially stifle the freedom and creativity that makes writing enjoyable.

My "payment" [please leave comments] for writing usually comes [please leave comments] in the form of feedback or comments [please leave comments] from readers.  Have I mentioned that I enjoy reader's comments?

Seriously, though, I have never earned a dime for writing... until now.

My employer uses an automotive sales format in conjunction with Motor Trend and Easy Care.  Our Motor Trend/Easy Care representative often asks for written "success stories" to extol the virtues of our sales process.  Thinking it cheesy to write my success stories, for weeks I, along with the rest of our sales staff,  have been giving him the standard "I'll have to think of one" answer. 

Needing some success stories to fulfill his job requirements, he tried a more motivating tactic... cash.  Until further notice, if our store produces a minimum of five written success stories per week, the best story each week earns $50.

Hmmm.  I still think it's cheesy, but that's easy money!  I have a lot of down time when I have no customers, and I can easily write a paragraph, or two, for a shot at a fifty dollar bill.

My story was picked last week!  $50 easy money!  And, now I can no longer say that I have never been paid to write.  I just wish my first writing income could have been for something less cheesy and more free and creative... but, alas, therein lies the dilemma of writing for cash!

back to school

School started last week.  Here are the kids first day pictures.

5th grade

3rd grade

Both in middle school together this year

Kindergarten

Miss Charlotte's bus

Dr. Lily

Lily, to Dad (age 5, while playing "Doctor"):  "You have some skunk in your ears from not cleaning them good, but your heart is beeping fine."

hope in contrast

Near the close of today's workday, I heard a song that often plays on the satellite radio loop, which contains a lyric that usually catches my attention. It does so because it is a desperately hopeless lyric. Otherwise, the song is a pretty decent secular love/devotion/breakup song. In fact, I rather enjoy the song... if I could get past this particular lyric.

Shortly after leaving work, and while still rolling this lyric around in my head, another lyric to a familiar song caught my attention.  In hearing the songs so close together, what caught my attention was the vast contrast between them.  Following are lyric snippets of the two songs, with my emphasis added. 

The first song is Breakeven, by The Script:

I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing,
Just prayed to a god that I don't believe in,
'Cuz I got time while she got freedom,
'Cuz when a heart breaks
no it don't break even.

What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you
What am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're OK
I'm falling to pieces
I'm falling to pieces

 The second is To Know You, by Casting Crowns:

To know you is to never worry for my life,
To know you is to never to give in or compromise
To know you is to want to tell the world about you
Cause I can't live without you

More than my next breath
More than life or death
All I'm reaching for, I live my life to know you more
I leave it all behind, you are all that satisfies
To know you is to want to know you more
To know you is to want to know you more

Actually, both songs represent empty lives, but do you see the contrast? 

One is a prayer of the empty to be filled and fulfilled by the God worth believing in.  The other, a prayer to "a god I don't believe in", is just... well, empty.

It begs the question, "which is the lyric of your life?"

spokes and shakes

Today was a nice summer day in our region, so I did something I have been wanting to do all summer.  Dylan, Zachary and I loaded up our bikes and went to a local Rails-to-Trails bikeway trailhead about twelve miles from our home.  I have never been there before, but it is a wonderful resource.  The trail was paved, flat and shady.  I figured the boys would be good for 8-10 miles.  We did both... 18 miles!  They wouldn't have wanted to go much further, but they loved it.  We celebrated their accomplishment over an Arby's Jamocha milkshake on the way home. 

The afternoon cost me only a couple dollars in shakes and gas, but they must've thanked me a dozen times, each.  I've been bumming all summer that we didn't get to take a real vacation this year, but today Zachary said that when he goes back to school and has to write about something fun he did this summer, he can't wait to tell about biking 18 miles with his Dad... he bets nobody got to do that this summer!  Sometimes it's the simple things...

double digits

I'm a parent of a ten year-old.  How did that happen?  Actually, it happened about a month ago and I'm just now getting around to posting.  Wow, is time flying, or what?

We usually have a backyard cookout for the summer birthdays.  Dylan couldn't decide what he wanted for his birthday this year, and we just weren't in the mood to plan a cookout.  Instead, we went to Ponderosa for dinner, and, of course, the sundae bar.  We then took him to the toy store, where he picked out some Lego's (like he needs more of those!) and a Star Wars light saber.

Has it really been ten years? 

You're my favorite Dylan in the whole world!  Love ya!