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Creating A Work-Life Balance
Wednesday, 07 July 2010 00:00
Written by Brock Cooper
(2 votes, average 4.50 out of 5)

elephantWhen I was growing up, my father worked a swing shift at a factory and was hardly ever home. Most of the time he was working or sleeping while I was home and on the few days off or free hours he had, dad spent it fixing up the house and taking care of other head of the household duties.

My dad didn’t get to see many of my baseball or basketball games. I didn’t get to have those weekend fishing trips or spend a few hours a week playing catch in the backyard. He didn’t want to work those hours, but it was the only way he could provide the life he wanted for his family. My father sacrificed much of his family time for the sake of providing for that same family.

As a teen, I made the decision that no matter the circumstances, I would not be that kind of father to my children. I would spend every waking moment making memories and work only as much as needed. I would play with them outside, go to as many of their extracurricular activities as I could and always be there for them. I wanted to create a work-life balance.

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The Hot Tub
Tuesday, 15 June 2010 08:16
Written by Mr. Man
(1 vote, average 5.00 out of 5)

redneck-hot-tubMy body clock’s alarm went off at 4:17 this morning. In the past, I have been a night owl, working until the wee hours in the morning. That is no longer the case. I find that I have begun to awaken anywhere between 4am and 5am. This is becoming the case even when I don’t have to go to work. I may go back to sleep for awhile, but the clock is only reset for a short while.

One of the things that I will do early in the morning is go to my local YMCA for a workout. While I’m not the Lou Ferrigno type, I do believe that it important for us to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

After about 50 minutes of weight-lifting and cardio, I proceeded to begin my favorite activity at the Y; the whirlpool spa.  I often get into the hot, steaming water and commune with God. If this is not possible due to others in the tub talking, I simply close my eyes…and listen. That’s what I did this morning. Simply closed my eyes and listened to three older gentlemen in the hot tub. They were reminiscing about their early years.

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Even Superman Has Limits
Friday, 11 June 2010 13:55
Written by Brock Cooper
(5 votes, average 5.00 out of 5)

superman As I sit here bleary –eyed, sucking on a Dr. Pepper and praying the caffeine gods give me enough go-go power to make it through the day, I am reminded that despite my best efforts, I am not indestructible.

In my teens and early 20’s, the thought of being up all night cramming for a test or boozing it up at a frat party was not only common, but anxiously anticipated. I could grab an hour or two of sleep and be ready to go to work the next day without a care in the world.

As I entered my mid-20’s and starting settling down to 8-hour sleep-filled nights and heavenly weekends where my wife and I would wake up in the mid-morning and just sit in bed for hours, that feeling of invulnerability intensified. I was Superman masquerading as Clark Kent and not even Lex Luther could touch me.

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That's enough kids: Knowing when to say when
Saturday, 05 June 2010 18:40
Written by Brock Cooper
(5 votes, average 5.00 out of 5)

nokidsRecently, I stared ay my youngest son proudly standing in his playpen with arms outstretched in victory as he demolished another milestone on his long road to adulthood.

The child that only a few months before was contemplating the awesome wonder that is Jell-O had now taken his first steps, and I came to the sudden realization that he was no longer a baby.

Whoa! Hold on a second there, where did my baby go? As a little background, I have three children, all boys, ages 1, 3 and soon-to-be 5 and we have never gone more than a few months of non-babyhood before there was another bun in the oven. Yet, after three children, we decided that we had hit a good number and were ready to stop before we ended up like the Duggers.

I certainly didn’t want to go through the months of sleepless nights, hundreds of dollars in baby formula, doctor visits and 500-pound diaper bags filled with enough equipment to survive a zombie apocalypse. Let’s also not forget the terrible two/threes.

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The Myth of Free Time
Saturday, 29 May 2010 14:57
Written by Brock Cooper
(2 votes, average 5.00 out of 5)

date night In almost every parenting book I have read, the experts say that parents need time away not only together, but also by themselves and way from the kids, home, etc. They suggest once or twice a month where you should go and relax by going to a movie, going out to dinner or hanging out with the guys.

As the months roll by, I keep asking myself where these experts are finding the time and money for these little mini-vacations. Do they have their maids and butlers watch the kids or can they afford to have a nanny on retainer? Do they have nice 9-5 jobs that give the luxury of not working 24-7?

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