Author: themckeespot

I have been writing this blog now for several years. I write about topics that pop into my head, often based upon what is happening in my life, or what I read from the internet, books, or magazines. From time to time at least a few people stop and read my posts. And while I do not limit myself to a specific subject matter or theme, it is often about things that have transpired since my last post. I will hope that when you read my ramblings that it puts a smile on your face, causes you to contemplate whatever I write about, or makes you think about commenting. In general, life is good and things are always looking up.

For me, this is a work in progress. I am a baby boomer nearing retirement and a single parent trying to raise two teenage children. Guess that makes me a late bloomer who married, had kids, then got divorced. For the past few years I have been trying to find my bearings and figure out what the next 50+ years has in store for me. Please come along for the ride, and come back often. We will not be making daily trips, but I will try to write when the urge exists or the muses help me out.

ramblings of a madman

Zombie Apocalypse

It’s Saturday and it is my weekend with the kids. The custody arrangement has me, as a divorced single parent with two kids, keeping them every other weekend. This starts Thursday night and ends Monday morning. An ok arrangement most weekends, but this weekend is different. Daughter has a weekend of riding planned between a horse clinic and working for free at a local stable. I don’t have a suitable truck or trailer to haul, so it’s up to mother to get daughter and horse to the desired location. Local in New Mexico is something within a hundred miles from where you live.

The zombie apocalypse is not the horse riding, but it is the fact that daughter spent all last night multitasking between her cell phone and her iPad. Preparation for today was part of the plan but never implemented. Both of my kids spend too many hours on their iPads and iPhones to the point where they are in a zone, unable to be bothered with their immediate surroundings, work to do, angry if you interrupt them. You ask them a question and it’s either a monosyllabic response, or the sound of silence. They are truly zombies in that regard. It is apocalyptic if you interrupt them when they get into that state trying to make eye contact. They have that relentless drive, much like the zombie attacking a non-zombie as depicted in TV and movies. They watch smart mouthed YouTube millionaires do truly stupid things and find it funny. Granted, some of the pet things can be funny, but really… Much of it is ridiculous. They become millionaires doing what? For me, YouTube is where I get to listen to my favorite musicians aside from an Apple tunes download.

Needless to say, we spent Saturday morning frantically trying to get daughter ready for the trip and horse riding clinic today. Of course, daughter was glued to her iPhone watching some videos and listening to music. To take it away would be withdrawal, much like some drugs. It was clear that the zombie state was starting to kick in. It’s easier to text then to try to speak.

Tags apocalypse, daughter, horses, New Mexico, single father, Zombie

work

Early Morning

It’s Friday. A cool 36 degrees as I take Jewel and myself out for our morning walk. Just around the block but it is the best time of the day. Before sunrise, very little traffic. The air is clean, the moon is above the clear sky as the stars begin to fade in the sky. Wearing my old LL Bean jacket, walking down the road kicking pine cones as I ponder the day ahead. Take the kids to school, feed the horse, and then off to work for a few hours. Although it is my Friday off, the work never seems to end. The paperwork piles up. I wonder if it will ever get any easier, knowing that it has not after 28-plus years. Don’t get me wrong I still have fun at work. Lately it seems more headaches and challenges than science, but it keeps me going.

Not sure where this adventure will take me. I thought about that on my walk. For the moment, I think it will be my daily musings of thought that I have on my morning walk with Jewel. Lots of ideas running through my head. Didn’t jot them down, but we will get to them as the writings continue.

Family

The Journey Begins

Site under construction. I decided that I needed a hobby. So I am new at this. More to follow. Stay tuned and come back often.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton