Weekend Update

My weekend was frustrating and I don't feel that I got much out of it. A good deal happened but nothing very memorable. However, on paper the events look good, so perhaps the pay-outs will be later in life and perhaps I'll never even see the pay-outs.

For example, on Saturday evening I took Tyrone out. Tyrone is the high school kid I mentor through the YMCA. I had hoped that we could see a play at a little black box theater, where I have season tickets, but the show was sold out. So, instead we saw Corpse Bride. (This was my second time.) We ate dinner at the theater - it was the type of movie house with couches and tables and they bring real food out to you to eat during the movie. I brought Tyrone there because he's always talking about "the females" but I don't think he does anything with them. He just gets their numbers for now. But someday, when he is going out on dates, I want those dates to be more than Appleby's and the Cineplex. This mentoring is more than academics.

We did talk about school though. But most of the talking was on my part and usually it sounded more like a lecture. Sometimes I'm not sure if I'm overstepping a line when I talk to Tyrone. I worry though that he's given an unrealistic view of life by this YMCA program and other self-esteem raising programs. I'm all for the "Dream Big" motto, but you also have to "Work Hard." In our discussion of possible careers and my stressing what subjects are important, I caught myself telling him, without thinking, "But you don't use verbs correctly." Ugh. Also, he's on block scheduling. He currently is taking "Working with Clay," but no Math. He spends 7.5 hours each week on pottery, but he struggles with simple arithmetic.

Friday night we went dancing at 80s Night. I brought a coworker who got drunk and kept bothering one of the girls with us. Touching, dancing too close, only talking to her even though the rest of us were standing right there. It was awkward - and somewhat creepy. Everybody said that they had a good time and they'd like to go again, but the girl has asked me if I wouldn't bring the coworker next time. Ouch.

I worked. I received a promotion, as of Saturday so, I was working those overtime hours at a new, higher billing rate.

I studied. Ask me about a pure endowment insurance. Or m-year deferred whole life insurance. DeMourve's Law? No problem. But I haven't learned about the premiums yet.

Jake came home from Mexico. And he leaves for his next assignment on Tuesday. It's like I'm back in my single apartment, but at a fraction of the rent.

I swam four kilometers but I ate a lot of junk food.

My minister told us about her new granddaughter who is the size of my foot, but only weighs less than 2 pounds. She brought one of her diapers to church to show us - the size, not the surprise inside. Actually I think it was a clean, unused diaper. It was so tiny, probably big enough to cover a tennis ball.

As you can see I did a good deal. I experienced things, but for some reason I feel that none of it was important. "85% of life is just showing up." I suppose that's what this weekend was.