On Your Day, Dad

Dad,

It has been a while

Since we were able

To talk, face to face

And, it seems these days

There is more and more

I would want to share

I have never been

One of those

‘Talk to your grave’ types

So, I think of you

And the things I would share

And content myself

I know you would be proud

Of the way my life has turned

And the obvious influence you have

I am not angry

At your unexpected passing

Or seek to place blame

I am sad at times

Even though my mind accepts

It is the way of all flesh

Time will bring this moment

Even to my children

Should time continue to stand

I can only hope and pray

That my influence

Has been as positive and profound

So, this is my

‘Standing at the edge’ talk

And sharing with you, Dad

I am honored to be ‘like’ you

I am as proud as I have ever been

To be your son

His Word

Upon which

You patterned your life

Tells us that we all seek

That approval of the Father

To hear “well done”

And while I do seek it

I like to think I can hear it

In your voice on the winds

“Good job, son”

“Thanks, Dad”

“Happy Father’s Day”

Ron Simpson, Jr.

June 19, 2011

my clothes don't fit ... What's new?

It is not a new thing that my clothes do not fit. Well, most of my clothes don't fit.

For most of my adult life past 25, I have owned clothes that did not fit. There were always clothes in my closet or in the drawer that I could not wear because I had outgrown them. You know the clothes; the ones you are going to lose a few pounds and get back into, and then never do. They end up hanging, unused in the closet until we have a yard sale or someone we know needs them. My favorite was to donate them to a needy family that lost everything in a fire. that way, I wasn't giving them away because I was too big, but i was helping the needy.

Still, there were clothes that were too small, clothes on the verge of being too small, and the clothes that fit. Every now and then, quite by accident, some clothes too large for me would show up. Someone was giving them away. Someone gave them to the wife, or mom. They would end up in my closet, with the comment, "those will never fit me" and in a few months they would be my regular day to day wearing clothes.

There were always suits too small, pants too tight, and shirts that were uncomfortable.

Well, my closet still has clothes that do not fit me in it.

The difference is; for the first time since I can't remember, they are all too big for me.

My current jeans are a size 38 (for those the didn't catch the last entry.) My closet has 38's, 40's and 42's in it. My shirts are 16.5 in neck and my closet has those and a few sizes larger. My jackets are a 46R and my closet has those, and 46's and 48's. (Today I bought a 44 at a thrift store, and it fit.)

so, my clothes don't fit, and ... I love it !!

A new size !

My weight loss has slowed down (by design) since I reached my original goal weight.

I am still losing, but only about a pound a week. I reached my goal of losing 130 pounds in just 9.5 months. It is now about 10.5 months and I am down 134 pounds to 216 pounds.

My last post gave the numbers. This post is a happy report that I am now wearing 38 inch waist pants. It came as a bit of a surprise as I wasn't expecting a size drop.

Still, I am thrilled.

So much has changed since I began. Some things are still sinking in while others haven't even began to register.

I am happy to report this new size, though!

Monday arrived on Friday

It seems that today is going to be a Monday in spite of what the calendar says.

I know Monday gets a bad rap because it is the first day back at work after the two days away for the weekend (for most folks.) It could be that our routine is slightly askew because we haven't done it for two days. It could be because our head is still in weekend mode. It could be that Mondays are indeed a cursed day. For whatever of these reasons, Monday gets the bad rap.

This week's actual Monday was a holiday. I spent it at the lake. I spent it on the dock by the water. I spent it in a kayak on the water. I spent it not thinking about work.

Tuesday came and went without a hitch. It seemed I had skipped the Monday curse. Until today, that is.

In an effort to get an early jump on the weekend and to do some errands, I decided (with permission) to go into work early my usual start time is 7AM. This morning I was shooting for 6AM or earlier. It was going well. I was up at 4:30 and out the door by 5 o'clock. After a stop for gas, I was on my way down the highway. It was looking good.

Then I arrived at work. The building is locked up but can be accessed by my ID badge, which, it seems, I had left at home. Arghhhh!!!

Fortune smiled, in that several of the other employees had the same start early idea, and I called one and he let me in.

I gathered my things. On my belt are five items during the work day. Two are personal and three are work related. My personal items are my cell phone and my pedometer. My work items are my company cell phone, my company pager, and my company key holder.

With all that in tow, I headed to the room on the sixth floor of the hospital where I was to be working today. Well, after a fruitless trip to security to get a temporary ID (they don't dio badges until 7.) Once upstairs and at the door, I insert my key and discover that it does not work. Arghhhh!!!

I can't get in to work and no one will be here to let me in until after 7.

Oh, Monday, you sneaky dog! You laid low until I was completely unsuspecting, and then you sprang.

Bad Monday, bad!