This past Saturday, my family and I went to Six Flags over Texas in Arlington. Yes, for those of you familiar with an August day in Texas... we are insane. Actually, the reality is that we try to live within our means, and we had some free tickets. Normally, Six Flags is a significant expenditure for us, as a family of five. Two of our boys are already over the 48" line, even though they are only 8 and 7, so they are full price. If we just drove up to the park, and walked up to pay.... it would cost us about $250 US just to get in!
However, on this day we had 3 free tickets thanks to their summer reading program, and we had to use them by August 9th. So here we are on 9 August (naturally), getting our trip to Six Flags in before the tickets expired. In 100 degree heat. In August. And the place is packed. So what are the lessons from Six Flags?
First, all of this hard work I've been doing to lose weight and get in shape is paying off dividends when I least expect it. Had I done this exact same outing last summer, I would have bonked by mid-afternoon, and would have been suffering. I probably would not have left, so that my kids could continue to enjoy it, but I would have been miserable.
And I was not. I did not hit my wall until after 9:00 PM, as we were wrapping up and heading home. That was such a blessing to have the energy and stamina to enjoy this day with my family, no matter what the temperature. On a further note... we were going out to our car to have our picnic lunch, and my wife and kids were sagging a little from hunger, so I offered to double-time it back to the car and have all the sandwiches and drinks ready when they got there. My wife eagerly agreed (of course!), and so I power-walked to the far end of the parking lot in the hottest part of the day, threw all the stuff from the Jeep into the shady tree area, and started making sandwiches. As I sat there... I realized I wasn't even winded... and that felt really good :-)
On a totally different note.. I really want to know where my 8-yr old got his daredevil gene. He just loves any activity that is dangerous... rock-climbing, roller coasters, you name it.. he wants to try it.
So what's the problem? Well, Daddy is not really a roller coaster guy. :-| Never have been. It's just not my thing. As it turns out, one of the few top-notch roller coasters that Matthew can ride at Six Flags is.... the Texas Giant. Yes, he's too short for the Titan and the Batman and the Mr. Freeze, etc. But he's tall enough for the Texas Giant.
And of course... he wants to ride it. You can tell it's the highlight of his day at Six Flags. Mommy has ridden it before and refuses to do so again. He's too young to stand in line and ride it by himself. And he's looking at me with those big brown eyes, and paternal pride is on the line.
All I can say is... thank goodness for martial-arts-style mental focusing techniques. Whoever designed that roller coaster needs to be institutionalized. Or tarred and feathered, then deported. Excommunicated. Something. Because he is one sick, sadistic, warped person :-D
But I did it. I guess that makes me a hero in Matthew's eyes, at least for one day. I could see it, and he was so happy that he got to ride it. The things we fathers do for our children!
Random thoughts for the day:
1. Watching Olympics until after midnight combined with getting up at 0445 to go to the gym combined with being 40 years old? That's some bad juju, very bad juju.
2. I have my permanent call sign from the FCC now! My amateur radio operating license is KA5RWW. Now I just need to scrape up enough money for a radio :(
3. Went to put my sunglasses up in the holder in the van this morning, and they came apart in my hands. Somehow the frame broke right above the bridge. Bummer. I only wear cheap sunglasses (I am too rough on them), but I had really liked this pair, and they had lasted 6 months or so. Oh well.
However, on this day we had 3 free tickets thanks to their summer reading program, and we had to use them by August 9th. So here we are on 9 August (naturally), getting our trip to Six Flags in before the tickets expired. In 100 degree heat. In August. And the place is packed. So what are the lessons from Six Flags?
First, all of this hard work I've been doing to lose weight and get in shape is paying off dividends when I least expect it. Had I done this exact same outing last summer, I would have bonked by mid-afternoon, and would have been suffering. I probably would not have left, so that my kids could continue to enjoy it, but I would have been miserable.
And I was not. I did not hit my wall until after 9:00 PM, as we were wrapping up and heading home. That was such a blessing to have the energy and stamina to enjoy this day with my family, no matter what the temperature. On a further note... we were going out to our car to have our picnic lunch, and my wife and kids were sagging a little from hunger, so I offered to double-time it back to the car and have all the sandwiches and drinks ready when they got there. My wife eagerly agreed (of course!), and so I power-walked to the far end of the parking lot in the hottest part of the day, threw all the stuff from the Jeep into the shady tree area, and started making sandwiches. As I sat there... I realized I wasn't even winded... and that felt really good :-)
On a totally different note.. I really want to know where my 8-yr old got his daredevil gene. He just loves any activity that is dangerous... rock-climbing, roller coasters, you name it.. he wants to try it.
So what's the problem? Well, Daddy is not really a roller coaster guy. :-| Never have been. It's just not my thing. As it turns out, one of the few top-notch roller coasters that Matthew can ride at Six Flags is.... the Texas Giant. Yes, he's too short for the Titan and the Batman and the Mr. Freeze, etc. But he's tall enough for the Texas Giant.
And of course... he wants to ride it. You can tell it's the highlight of his day at Six Flags. Mommy has ridden it before and refuses to do so again. He's too young to stand in line and ride it by himself. And he's looking at me with those big brown eyes, and paternal pride is on the line.
All I can say is... thank goodness for martial-arts-style mental focusing techniques. Whoever designed that roller coaster needs to be institutionalized. Or tarred and feathered, then deported. Excommunicated. Something. Because he is one sick, sadistic, warped person :-D
But I did it. I guess that makes me a hero in Matthew's eyes, at least for one day. I could see it, and he was so happy that he got to ride it. The things we fathers do for our children!
Random thoughts for the day:
1. Watching Olympics until after midnight combined with getting up at 0445 to go to the gym combined with being 40 years old? That's some bad juju, very bad juju.
2. I have my permanent call sign from the FCC now! My amateur radio operating license is KA5RWW. Now I just need to scrape up enough money for a radio :(
3. Went to put my sunglasses up in the holder in the van this morning, and they came apart in my hands. Somehow the frame broke right above the bridge. Bummer. I only wear cheap sunglasses (I am too rough on them), but I had really liked this pair, and they had lasted 6 months or so. Oh well.
0 comments:
Post a Comment
If you feel moved to comment, I welcome your input. I do moderate all comments due to the Internet Troll Contradiction Act of 2015, so it may be a bit before the comments appears on the page....