With that said I still had to check email. Out of habit. And I wanted to make sure that if any customers or staff needed to get a hold of me regarding their Christmas deliveries I'd be available if an executive decision needed to be made.
There was one or two that had to be made so it was a good call on my part.
This morning was very introspective. I get this way at this time of year. I always have. I reflect on the past and look to the future. One of the things that bothered me was that I rarely buy gifts for the kids, that tends to have become Alice's job.
Our relationship is very 50's where I take care of work and bringing home a check and Alice takes care of EVERYTHING else. I essentially do nothing.
As crazy as that sounds as I'm getting older that lifestyle is starting to bother me. For work and personal adventures I think I've missed out on some stuff. Even cleaning up around the house I've missed out on. Yes, I know that sounds crazy.
There is no time like the present to make a change if you want to change. I personally don't need a lot of ramp up time. I just get it in my mind I want to do something and I do it. In the past week I've even started to load and empty the dishwasher.
Today I decided I was going to buy the kids Christmas gifts from Dad. It was starting to bother me that when they got their gifts from Alice and I it tends to be as much a surprise to me what they got as it is to them.
I had in my mind what I was going to get Reid. It was a bedroom light. He has an old Toronto Maple Leaf light that 8 year olds tend to have in their rooms. It doesn't fit with his 17 year old water bed boy image. I didn't yet know what I'd get Alyssa but I knew it would come to me.
Alice came with me. She wasn't keen on the bedroom light idea. I poo poo'd that. This is from Dad. No mom's influence allowed. I found the perfect light. The minute I saw it I knew it was the light for him. It was retro and modern. (Sidebar - he loved his light when he opened it. Score one for Dad).
Alyssa was tougher in that I didn't have a vision. I know she likes kitchen gadgets so I picked up a fun one that makes the perfect pancake. I know she likes Chocolate, so I got her some chocolate and then it hit me "the Insanity workout". She'd like that. She uses my P90 X (which I bought 3 years ago and have yet to try) and I heard Insanity is even better. Not to mention, I could use it to. BUT with that said, I got it for her first and foremost and me using it is just a perk and the reason I was willing to spend that little extra.
Aside from the lamp I also bought Reid and old time razor from the 70's. The one with the single blade you load in and has the brush and soap. He's a huge 70's retro guy. Loves the era. I knew he'd love it. It has his name all over it.
I also picked up Alice a gift that she didn't know about. A year of monthly massages.
This is the first time I picked up something for everyone. It felt pretty good. Actually it felt great. It added to my excitement to see what they think when they open them. I didn't mail in this years Christmas gift buying.
I even wrapped all the gifts myself. It wasn't a pretty wrapping job. But it was real. I was actually challenging myself a bit to see how little tape I could use. I was strategically rationing tape and putting in specific spots. No bows either. My thoughts are no one really looks at the wrapping. Wrapping is just that extra layer of anticipation. I could wrap it in newspaper and still get the same effect.
The wrapping was fun. It's therapeutic.
What's happening to me? I'm I losing all my testosterone with old age? Or something else?
On the way home from shopping, which was very enjoyable, the malls are very empty on Christmas eve. We picked up some ribs, wings & Pizza for our Christmas eve family feast.
The rest of the night was movies. Starting with our traditional National Lampoons Family Vacation and then we watched the original 1976 version of The Bad News Bears (brought back memories - it time travelled me back to being 11 years old in a downtown theatre on a Saturday afternoon watching it with my friend Richard Powell). The last movie was Ferris Buellers Day off. Another great movie. Ferris definitely shared my philosophy about school and having fun.
Did no training today. I was too exhausted on every level. A new journey is beginning.
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