Last Class 2020

I can't believe today was the last class of 2020 for the boys.  Coco just finished the freshman year regular season.  Caz is wrapping up junior year.  I am about to have a rising sophomore and a rising senior.  In college!  How did that happen?!  Where did the time go?  It didn't end in a usual fashion.  It ended on Zoom.   Life goes on.  The world goes on.  College goes on.  Time stops for no one. 

Draft 2020

The first ever virtual NFL Draft!  It was certainly different.  The NFL had a captive audience.  This was the first live sporting event in months.  Something to get excited about.  Finally.  I joked about watching every single pick for the first time ever.
     Watching the first round was something I hoped would be a family event.  The boys had a vested interest with players from their colleges.  At least one from each was projected going in the first round.  I knew better to wait for the Patriots pick and for them to make it.  I was confident that Bill would trade out of the first round.  Sure enough, he did.  Coco was eager to watch.  Demi was a good sport.  She hung out with us, while Coco and I discussed and watched each pick.  Unfortunately Caz was not looking to engage.  According to Coco, Caz was playing a video game with friends.  Virtually, of course.  The virus hasn't changed that.  The kids have played online with friends for years. 
     Coco bowed out of night two.  So I watched rounds 2 and 3 on an iPad, silently.  Demi and I watched the new Chris Hemsworth movie on Netflix.  That was a win win. Thor for Demi to watch.  Action movie and draft for me to watch.

Pat's Run 2020

This year, Pat's Run was a lot different than in years past.  It was the first all virtual run.  One of the highlights of running this race in Tempe, AZ, is finishing in Sun Devil stadium on the 42 yard line.  A global pandemic calls for different measures.  Pat's Run has always had remote runners.  Shadow races take place in cities all over the country.  Military serving all over the world, run at bases where they are stationed.  I usually run as a remote runner.  However, not seeing video clips on social media covering the race in Tempe this year was strange.  It was cool seeing people post their shadow runs.  This was my first run in the snow.  I waited until the traditional start time in Tempe, so that it would warm up a bit.  I still had to bundle up with hat, gloves and a face shield.  The date caught me off I guard.  It happened early this year.  And with everything going on, I completely forgot and screwed up my training.  I had to do all my training in one week.  I manged to run the whole 4.2 miles though.  I am pretty proud of my self.  The last 2 tenths were excruciating.  But I finished. 

21 Post Script

The Skype birthday toast for Caz was every bit as chaotic as Long Island Christmas.  20-25 people all trying to talk at once.  Then factor in all the technology newbies.  "Can you hear me?"  "Can you see me?"  "I can't see [Fill in the Blank]!"  "Is [Fill in the Blank] on?"  It took 20 mins just to announce and to organize the signing of Happy Birthday.  But Caz was surprised.  And he knew the whole family was thinking of him.

21

Happy 21st Birthday Caz!  Enjoy your first drink, if you so choose :)
     This birthday is a tough one.  Not because I am now a father of a 21 year old.  But because you are so far away.  Yes, you have had birthdays at college before.  But of course, the pandemic is the X factor.  It's hard.  We were supposed to be visiting you this week.  We should be going to a bar together for the first time.  The time will come.  I am just impatient.  And I miss you.

Sunrise

During this stay at home period, I have been trying to get out every morning for a walk, a jog or a run.  I am trying to keep to a work week routine.  I get up at 5:45 am, M-F, to start my outing.  It is still dark.  The first hint of dawn is apparent as I walk out of the basement door.
     I walk out of the basement door to reduce the noise on the main floor, for the rest of the house who still sleeps.  I walk softly and slowly on the rocks, until I get to the wooden walkway.  I do my best to open and close the gate with little clanging of metal on metal.  I hit the driveway and look to the sky.  I choose my route by the light in the sky, the clouds or lack of clouds, the wind and the rain.  If I see a hint of red and orange on the horizon, I will head towards Sunrise Beach.  The morning sunrise is something I have really enjoyed during this period.  The colors in the sky are amazing.  Maybe is the newly cultivate meditation/mindfulness practice.  Maybe it is the new house in the new location.  But I find I appreciate a sunrise a lot more.  I watched the whole sunrise yesterday, from the time the sun first broke the surface of the water on the horizon, until the bottom of the sun cleared the darkness.  Time well spent for sure.  It does wonders for my spirit.  For that brief time, all is right.

April Fool's Day

What a different April first this year.  No office pranks are possible whatsoever.  Sure, you could prank a co-worker virtually. It's not really the same.  It's not the cup of pennies falling from the overhead.  It's not the tape of the microphone of telephone.  I should have taken more initiative to do something.  I just didn't have it in me this year.