Cruising

That's the Alps, somewhere over northern Italy. Cruising altitude. 36,000 feet in the air and not a care in the world. I think this is what it should feel like when you're a kid, although I often remind my children that nothing worthwhile in life comes easy. They need to work for what they want, whether it's a good grade, a chance at scoring a goal in soccer or earning the respect of others.

I mention this because my son had a semi-rough day at school today. He got a note home from his teacher urging him to pay better attention in class. Then he forgot (?) he had homework to do after school, but still managed to squeeze in his soccer practice and some time playing with Legos before Dad discovered the math assignment in his backpack. The rule in the house is homework first, with very few exceptions, before playtime can be had.

So we had a little chat tonight about taking responsibility and getting focused. This has been one of the hardest parts of parenting for me. Knowing when to bear down and knowing when to just let them be kids and have some fun. I know there's a balance in there somewhere, but it's often difficult to find. And after days like today, you worry that they're cruising a little too much.

And after I tucked him in, I realized I need to heed my own advice. I've been bitching about my job for well over a year and getting nowhere with my search for a new gig. It hasn't been for lack of effort, but now I'm starting to wonder if a little attitude adjustment wouldn't help me in the interim. I think I should stop cruising through most days just because I don't care about the work I'm doing.

Maybe I need to take some responsibility and get better focused on what's in front of me, too. I'll keep you posted.

Italia

Perhaps my biggest regret at this point in my life is that I haven't traveled enough beyond our country's borders. I can partially chalk it up to the fact that I spent nearly 15 years living on journalist's wages, and when I did have any vacation time during that period, I used whatever I had for friends' weddings, family gatherings, holidays, and the like.

When I got older and (a little) more financially secure, it was marriage and kids that ruled the day. Kind of tough to think about a lengthy overseas trip when you're worried about paying the bills each month with additional mouths to feed. The point is, there never seemed to be the right time to hop on a plane and explore a faraway destination.

That's what made these past couple of weeks very special for me. I spent 10 days in Italy with my lovely wife by my side. It's hard to find the words to describe it. I mean, you can fill in the blanks (the food, the wine, the views, the history. . .the wine. . .wait, I already mentioned that), but the timing couldn't have been more perfect. I've spent the last four years struggling to cope with my parents' illnesses and deaths, and I finally had some time to. . .breathe.

I won't brag on it any longer, because that's not what I'm about. I'll let the pictures do the talking. Ciao, friends. Talk to you soon.