I love days off

July 14, 2009

The way my job schedule works out, I work every other weekend. I am off every Tuesday. Therefore, every other week I have 3 out of 4 days off. It gives me a great chance during the summer to spend some much needed time with my family. However, it does mean that I now have to work the next six days in a row.

Whenever I wake up on a day off, I am thinking about what will be the best course of action to make both my wife and son have a great day. My wife wakes up with the same thought about me and my son. My son wakes up thinking about PS3. Unless one of us has definite plans for the day, it makes for some interesting conversation in the morning. My wife suggests things to do she thinks I want to do. I try to get on board with these ideas since I think they may actually be activities she wants to do. I ask questions about things I thought she wanted to do (like exercising, shopping, honey-dos, etc). After a bit, we discover each other's methods, and reach some form of compromise. The best compromises are when I convince her that what I wanted to do, is what I thought she wanted to do. It is a win-win for me.

We then consult my son on his desires for the day, and learn he wants to play some PS3. He may want a friend over....to play PS3. He may want to call a friend...to talk about PS3. He may want to go to the mall...to buy something for PS3. He may want to go to the pool (really, this is exciting)...to talk about PS3 while in the pool.

Sometimes, he even forgets to eat. At 1:30 in the afternoon he will come to my wife and ask, "Have I eaten yet today?" She will look at him and ask, "I don't know, what food wrappers, plates, or cups are there in the basement as evidence?"

He will go back down and report that all the food evidence in the basement is from yesterday. A conversation follows asking him why he did not bring these things up with him when he came, and he will give her the usual "Oh yeah", go back down, retrieve the items, put them in the sink (not in the dishwasher or garbage can, the sink), and then return to the basement...to play PS3. Thirty minutes later, he will return to the kitchen to ask, "Have I eaten anything today?"

Today ended in victory as my son and I met some friends at the high school to play some pick up soccer. Ninety minutes of real exercise that did not involve...PS3. Even these 60 year old knees and ankles were able to run around and try to recapture some lost glory. Yes, I am only 44, but my knees and ankles are 60. That is a story for another day. Until then...