| Noun | 1. | accountability - responsibility to someone or for some activity answerability, answerableness; responsibleness, responsibility - a form of trustworthiness; the trait of being answerable to someone for something or being responsible for one's conduct; "he holds a position of great responsibility" |
Friday, June 28, 2013
Accountability
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Why Baseball Is Awesome
First of all, the game is for us kids. (Yes, I know that I'm 37.) Plain and simple, it's a kids game where you get to throw something, hit something, and run. Sometimes it feels like it's an individual game, such as when a good pitcher faces a good hitter. However, you really do need everyone, even those guys on the bench who already played and got subbed out already.
Home runs are fun, but you can just as easily make a difference by covering the entire outfield as a fleet-footed centerfielder, erasing all the fly balls that would otherwise be singles, doubles, or triples. If you don't mind a little work, you can put on "the tools of ignorance" and be "a wall" so that your pitcher feels comfortable throwing a nasty slider or a filthy splitter or that hammer of a curve in the dirt.
The game can be played so many ways. You can bunt, steal, and hit-and-run. Or you can get on base, play station-to-station and wait for the 3-run homer. You can pitch-by-committee to get the win or have one guy go-the-distance for a complete game victory.
Baseball, in some form, can be played from the time you can walk until the time you when you can't. Kids can grab some friends and play with a whiffle-ball in the backyard. And adults can get drafted and work their way up through single-A, double-A, and triple-A to the big leagues. Baseball can help you find friends or even help you find a college.
It's baseball. It's a lot like life. Sometimes seemingly an individual effort, but always better with a team. Hard to figure out ... and just when you think you have it down, something changes, adapts, and you have to work harder to adapt with it. Life's lessons can be found on the square that is the diamond. And they are not all easy to see.
At times it may be most beneficial to take a small break, refresh, and renew the passion. Remember why we do this. To learn. To get better. To help others do the same. But always also to enjoy what we do.
I tell my kids this so often that I hope they know it by heart, but it's a mantra I will live by for the rest of my life, not just in baseball, but in life:
Work hard. Get better. Have fun.
Home runs are fun, but you can just as easily make a difference by covering the entire outfield as a fleet-footed centerfielder, erasing all the fly balls that would otherwise be singles, doubles, or triples. If you don't mind a little work, you can put on "the tools of ignorance" and be "a wall" so that your pitcher feels comfortable throwing a nasty slider or a filthy splitter or that hammer of a curve in the dirt.
The game can be played so many ways. You can bunt, steal, and hit-and-run. Or you can get on base, play station-to-station and wait for the 3-run homer. You can pitch-by-committee to get the win or have one guy go-the-distance for a complete game victory.
Baseball, in some form, can be played from the time you can walk until the time you when you can't. Kids can grab some friends and play with a whiffle-ball in the backyard. And adults can get drafted and work their way up through single-A, double-A, and triple-A to the big leagues. Baseball can help you find friends or even help you find a college.
It's baseball. It's a lot like life. Sometimes seemingly an individual effort, but always better with a team. Hard to figure out ... and just when you think you have it down, something changes, adapts, and you have to work harder to adapt with it. Life's lessons can be found on the square that is the diamond. And they are not all easy to see.
At times it may be most beneficial to take a small break, refresh, and renew the passion. Remember why we do this. To learn. To get better. To help others do the same. But always also to enjoy what we do.
I tell my kids this so often that I hope they know it by heart, but it's a mantra I will live by for the rest of my life, not just in baseball, but in life:
Work hard. Get better. Have fun.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Twins Pics ... Little Twins
Zane's 10/11 Competitive League has been fun so far! Halfway done!
Zane has played a lot of shortstop and has also pitched and caught a lot. Good group of kids!
Go Twins!
Monday, June 24, 2013
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
I promise to post pics ... but for now ...
'Twas the first Monday of Summer, when all through the house
Every creature was stirring, dirtying pants, socks and blouse
The schedule was packed with activities galore
With hopes that the family could just make it to July 4
The children were restless all couped up inside
With the rain having let up just Sunday night
With Mommy at work, and I with my coffee on my stool
The kids had just come home from vacation bible school
When out in the living room arose such a whine
I sprang from my seat, making quick time
Away to the sofa I flew like a flash
Tore into the kids, ripping them a new ... (well, you know)
The yelling from the mouth of a six-year old lass
Was only matched by a similar sound from the nine-year old sass
For what did my wondering ears have to hear
But a fight over which one's argument was more clear
The yelling was silly, but so loud and so quick
I knew at first listen it would be their first trip
To their rooms they were sent without electronics or games
And I kept calling to them to stop, each by name, each by name
Stop, Isabel! Stop, Zane! Stop, Ibby!, Stop, Z!
Be quiet right now! Or the result you will see!
It won't be pretty. You won't get much to do!
We have all summer, so find the right 'tude!
As the air grew more calm and the sass dissipated
The kids realized they weren't really hated
As they walked back down the steps, they came to see
How they should really act, how they should really be
The day started over, or least afternoon
And behavior would change, or they'd go back to their rooms
The spoke not a word, but went straight to doing nice
And helped clean up games, lunch plates filled with rice,
And did all their chores, and began speaking polite
Saying please, thank you, and everything right
They sprang when asked, to do what they should
Picking up, putting away, doing all things 'good'
But I did hear them say, as I walked up the stairs
"It's the first day of Summer. By the end, he'll have no hair."
[purely fictional ... truly ... really, my kids were pleasant today ;) ]
Every creature was stirring, dirtying pants, socks and blouse
The schedule was packed with activities galore
With hopes that the family could just make it to July 4
The children were restless all couped up inside
With the rain having let up just Sunday night
With Mommy at work, and I with my coffee on my stool
The kids had just come home from vacation bible school
When out in the living room arose such a whine
I sprang from my seat, making quick time
Away to the sofa I flew like a flash
Tore into the kids, ripping them a new ... (well, you know)
The yelling from the mouth of a six-year old lass
Was only matched by a similar sound from the nine-year old sass
For what did my wondering ears have to hear
But a fight over which one's argument was more clear
The yelling was silly, but so loud and so quick
I knew at first listen it would be their first trip
To their rooms they were sent without electronics or games
And I kept calling to them to stop, each by name, each by name
Stop, Isabel! Stop, Zane! Stop, Ibby!, Stop, Z!
Be quiet right now! Or the result you will see!
It won't be pretty. You won't get much to do!
We have all summer, so find the right 'tude!
As the air grew more calm and the sass dissipated
The kids realized they weren't really hated
As they walked back down the steps, they came to see
How they should really act, how they should really be
The day started over, or least afternoon
And behavior would change, or they'd go back to their rooms
The spoke not a word, but went straight to doing nice
And helped clean up games, lunch plates filled with rice,
And did all their chores, and began speaking polite
Saying please, thank you, and everything right
They sprang when asked, to do what they should
Picking up, putting away, doing all things 'good'
But I did hear them say, as I walked up the stairs
"It's the first day of Summer. By the end, he'll have no hair."
[purely fictional ... truly ... really, my kids were pleasant today ;) ]
Friday, June 7, 2013
Junior Power Pack Clinic
 |
| My son (gray Packers Football "G" tee) with a few friends and Kevin Dorsey (he's the tall one in the back). |
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Baseball, and stuff like that ...
The Maple Grove Crimson went on a little post-season run over the past week. After winning a 'play-in' game and then proceding to lose to Coon Rapids, the Crimson Nine went on a little three game run, beating Park Center, Totino-Grace, and Champlin Park over the past week at Midway Stadium, Siebert Field, and Wintercrest Park, respectively. Tonight, Coon Rapids came back and bested the MG squad 8-1 to take the section title and move on to state. Good luck, Cards!
The Little Twins have had some hard luck with weather so far this season, but in a night of good energy, they got a game in - and a victory to boot! Entering the final inning up 9-5, the Twins surrendered two runs, but brought their closer in (my son) with one out to finish the job. With a strike-out and a 1-3 put-out, the game ended and the Little Twins brought their record to 2-1 on the year (with a couple of scrimmage W's as well).
And stuff? Well, the last day of school in our town is this Thursday. So ... we had an end-of-the-year celebration and some hair-cutting to do today (Wednesday). There will be pictures soon (of the hair cut, and of the kids' last day).
Happy Summer!
The Little Twins have had some hard luck with weather so far this season, but in a night of good energy, they got a game in - and a victory to boot! Entering the final inning up 9-5, the Twins surrendered two runs, but brought their closer in (my son) with one out to finish the job. With a strike-out and a 1-3 put-out, the game ended and the Little Twins brought their record to 2-1 on the year (with a couple of scrimmage W's as well).
And stuff? Well, the last day of school in our town is this Thursday. So ... we had an end-of-the-year celebration and some hair-cutting to do today (Wednesday). There will be pictures soon (of the hair cut, and of the kids' last day).
Happy Summer!
Monday, June 3, 2013
Let's see ... what have I missed?
I didn't get to go to the zoo with my daughter's class. My wife did that. But I did go to Gibbs Museum with my son. Also got to go to "Reading Cafe" at my daughter's kindergarten class, and will be going to the End of the School Year Celebration in my son's class this week. He and I went to Green Bay this weekend for his 3rd annual Junior Power Pack youth football clinic. Missed my daughter's recital. Good thing that we both got to see her perform her dances at all three of her competitions. It was a beautiful Sunday when my son and I got back from Green Bay. Got to see my parents and enjoy the day. Also got to help my daughter prepare her "What I liked best about my kindergarten year" project. (Hence, the picture of an apple - she likes snack time.)
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