NaBloPoMo #6

NaBloPoMo - National Blog Posting Month

Question #6: How do you balance your children, relationship, and work life? 

My Response: This one is kind of easy. There is essentially only relationship left of those three. My children are adults, gone from home now a couple of years, and my corporate job of nearly 29 years evaporated, so that leaves only relationship, mainly one in particular. But I am only semi-retired, a whole bunch of things have replaced my job, tightly knitted into relationship.

Key word: Balance

But relationship has become complex because now the daily "efforts" and time that previously went into the children now go into my dog Cooper. (((I have never had a dog quite like Cooper! My sister-in-law says he's really a person in a dog's body.))) My job has been replaced with learning the HVAC business and helping my wife with our businesses, retail products and services, that keep growing like crazy. Now if they would just turn a profit, eventually, that would be nice as well. 

The essence of today's question is balance. I try to have balance by doing the most important thing, whatever it is, without getting sidetracked, and finishing that task to completion. Try. I constantly look at the big picture and long time frames. I invest. 

When I feel it has been too long without communicating with my children or my mother, then I strongly focus on that issue. I am in constant communication with my wife so most of the time that is not an issue. I do like having some alone time with just Cooper and housework, hobbies, reading, and writing. I love to groc shop because it is a time to eXplore and a social "see a bunch of friends", because I am a small town soul now living in a slightly larger town than at any time of my childhood.  

I grew up in a large family of 4, then 7 children, when my parents suddenly adopted three younger cousins. My childhood was either a rural setting or very close. I was outside a lot, playing, exploring, bicycles, building tree forts, constantly in my father's tools. I find myself always talking to people when I am in public. I was never taught the "Never Talk To Strangers" rule as a child, and if I was (?), my parents would have been hypocrites! But I go beyond mere talk to entertaining folks with stories and jokes. 

I now sell shoes! Who would have EVER seen that a year ago?!?!? I have never been a salesman in my entire life before this last year. But I love bringing Vibram shoes to the people of Borger Texas.

I hug a lot   I help a lot   I have a big heart,  I care

Balance? I know enough people who think I am probably UNbalanced mentally, (hah!) but they don't even begin to know the real me. But I have had a few people on eXtremely rare occasions tell me I'm a super genius. (again, HAH! - fooled them as well) ... So I round up this whole mess and message that is me, and mash it together, and

[-poof-]

out pops my writing.