Oh, right… I still have this personal blog! Again, most of my free time and energy is going into something that could maybe possibly someday prove to be worthwhile, the How To Do That blog and podcast. And when I’m not doing that, I’ve been playing season after season of the uber-addicting Out Of The Park baseball simulator. (I’ve managed to take the Twins to back-to-back World Series titles in 2040 and 2041, thanks to obviously fictional computer-generated superstars Edgar Esquivel and Mason Ucci, and a fully-grown 100-mph flame-throwing lefty Johnny Glanzer!) And when I’m not doing that, I’ve been binge-watching HBO’s The Leftovers. But I am not going to let this blog die! It’s going on its 16th year of existence, and it shall continue on. Someone must be reading it.

February hasn’t been very exciting, but the coolest winter since we’ve been in Texas has kept me pretty happy on a day-to-day basis. I took Johnny to our second unique sporting event of 2018 recently, an Austin Spurs vs Iowa Wolves NBA G-League game. Johnny lasted only the first half before demanding we go home, but in that time he managed to eat a bag of popcorn and an ice cream cone. Johnny has fully grown out of diapers and training pants now, even during the nighttime, so that’s cause for celebration. He’s almost too diligent about going potty though, going 2-4 times immediately after being put down to bed, and then thoroughly washing his hands for 90 seconds after each pee.

After this week’s Florida school shooting, I told Johnny what happened. He said “We should not do that to our friends! We should only give hugs and kisses and high fives.” That’s right, bud! It certainly is a crappy thing to have to think about when dropping even a 3-year-old off at school… could be any nutjob with access to a gun anywhere anytime. I’d sure as hell support any candidate or bill or measure that aimed at making it extremely difficult to purchase a gun. And I sure as hell don’t trust me owning a gun or even having one in our house. Hunting deer and pheasants was fun in high school, but I was always very leery of handling a gun, and have no desire to own a gun today. Is it really that fun to shoot a hole through things?

My pinched nerve thing is still pretty irritating, though the pain has subsided periodically for a day or two. I’ll think I’m cured and then it comes back worse than ever. The inversion table I bought hasn’t really worked any miracles, but I probably haven’t given it enough of a chance. Physical therapy is $75 a pop and hasn’t helped either, but I have felt pretty good since last time after they tried a “dry needle” thing sorta like acupuncture. I’ve kept acupuncture in my back pocket as my next resort if PT doesn’t pan out. But right now at this moment, I feel pretty good. Hopefully this stays.

Looking ahead, Lauren is on the road for work in early March at her annual food expo, and we will be welcoming great aunt Alice back to Austin shortly thereafter to watch the kid during his spring break. I’m also beginning to look at some possible summer trips. I would prefer to drive somewhere this year. As I’ve told many people lately, I haven’t operated an automobile outside the city limits of Austin/Round Rock since we were in North Carolina last summer. In the mornings I often have the urge to just keep on driving instead of stopping at the office. I’ve thought about a Black Hills trip or maybe the Rockies. Lauren has long wanted to visit Texas’s Big Bend National Park too.

I am too lazy to post pictures, but here is what I look like as of today, February 16, 2018.

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