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Guest Post (What Scott's Into)

3/9/2017

"What Scott’s Into" as recorded by his wife, Liz.

On many blogs that I read, every so often the blogger will have a “What I’m Into” post. These posts usually highlight fun books the blogger is reading, new products the blogger is (plugging) enjoying, and there’s the requisite philosophically trite thing like rainbows or sunsets to make us think the blogger is cognizant of the esoteric spirit-world or something like that.

So, when Scott started (whining) lamenting about not having an idea for a blog post, I suggested a “What I’m Into” post. Of course he pooh-poohed it, but couldn’t think of anything better, so I asked him to plug in his dead laptop and I told him that I would write one for him.

Here goes.

What he’s reading… Not much. I mean, he’s got this one book about Robin Hood that I can’t really remember the name of right now and I don’t feel like asking him even though he’s sitting on the couch feeding his cows on his Hay Day app… which gives me number two:

(This is Scott, I read the "guest" blog my wife wrote and decided that I would add a few comments where they were needed. First of all, I'm reading "Hood" by Stephen Lawhead. I'm also reading Marvel Epic Collection of Thor.)

What’s his favorite app… Not Hay Day, until I badger him to fill my boat crates. He mostly just reads newspapers (digital, not print). Or he’ll turn on a TV Show…

What TV Shows is he watching… He likes a couple of popular sci-fi/post-apocalyptic shows that are on regularly, but other than that, what we are watching as a family right now is “Face Off” (No, NOT the Nicholas Cage film that I never saw, but I feel like looked super weird – a face transplant? What?) It’s a reality show on the SyFy channel where contestants who are mega-talented compete against each other to create the coolest movie special effects makeup. We usually watch this while we eat dinner.

(Scott again - I was watching Daredevil on Netflix and, since I completed that, I'm watching Luke Cage now. I'm also watching Colony with Liz.)

What Scott’s eating… for the past month our oven has needed a new ignitor so for a while it was stove top meals only. I like to make desserts a few times a week, and so it’s been all about Rice Krispy Treats, No-Bake Cookies, and Puddings. We just got it repaired on Tuesday, so maybe I’ll make him a cake this weekend (Cake is Scott’s Love Language.)

What he’s digging… I just asked him this, and he responded, “My grave.” Well.

What’s annoying him – He claims “People and their outrage.” And, the girls were watching Moana (the new Disney movie that’s available for rent), so earlier he was annoyed with the singing, and then one kid has been in the grumpiest mood all day long, and so he was annoyed at that. Once she finally got tucked into bed, we saw a smile, so I think she was tired – (Side-note: If hunger-anger is “hangry,” is tired-anger “tangry”? Something I’m pondering).

What Scott’s pondering – “How did I get here?” In life? On the couch? Hmmm.

What product he will recommend even though there’s no affiliate link and he’ll get no money for it: Mousse. For your hair. He said that it doesn’t make your hair as greasy as gel. (Seriously, that’s what he said.)

(It's me again. When she asked the question, I gave a sarcastic answer. Apparently, she didn't pick up on it. Still not sure what she was asking, and I was too lazy last night (I'm writing it this morning) to ask her to clarify.)

What he’s planning for the future… “What am I planning for the future?! Getting my book published!" and then more ranting.

What’s inspiring him – “Nothing,” apparently he’s feeling uninspired right now. Maybe he’ll feel more inspired when I tell him I’m going to make him a cake this weekend!
... well, I just told him that and he said it still didn’t make him feel inspired. Now, he just saw our cat, Tom, started cuddling him and said that Tom inspires him because he always finds the strength to get up every day despite the abuse love that our girls inflict upon him. Tom always has it in him to swat at the girls or meow loudly at them or even sometimes bite them. Then, he (Scott, not Tom) ranted (sarcastically, I think) about how a mosquito inspires him. I think it’s time to end this – I feel somewhat mocked about my inspiration question.

Well, I tried my best to make Scott’s blog like the blogs that I read… Did I succeed? Only you can decide. Regardless, he can’t (whine) lament about not having a blog to publish tomorrow morning (that would be today, if you are reading it). Sometimes a wife has to take things into her own hands.

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My Legacy

3/2/2017

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What sort of legacy am I going to leave to my children? What is it that they will take from me after knowing me as their father?

I’m not sure if other people think about this often, but I can say that these questions have visited me over the years. Especially, as I grow older and see my children do the same. You see, my wife and I have sacrificed a lot over the years for what we thought was best for our children and family.

This picture is a little more than I currently make.

Money – I’ve grown up with very little of it. My parents worked hard and gave us what we needed, and that was enough. You see, paycheck-to-paycheck is the only way I’ve ever known life. It is how I was raised and it is where I am now. I’ve never looked back at my life and said that the one thing I needed more of was money. It’s never been something I have sought after. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to pay the bills. It doesn’t mean that I wouldn't like a new pair of pants once in a while (The last pair of pants I bought was over a year ago, making the total number of pants I have without rips – 2). I will be honest, however, and admit that here have been opportunities for me to teach and earn money that I had to turn down. Why? The answer is simple. I still have two little children at home. I don’t believe in sending them to daycare. That is just something my wife and I feel strongly about in our family. So, if it’s between our conviction and money, I guess I will be poor for the rest of my life.

Don't be fooled. These aren't my clothes. It's a stock image.

Career – For all intents and purposes, I don’t have a career. In fact, I’ve never had one (not for a lack of trying.) I don’t have any retirement either. Though I feel I am intelligent and can learn quickly, I possess very little “experience” that the outside world deems valuable. I have sacrificed much of my earning potential in order to fulfill our family’s desire that a parent is to remain at home with our children while they are young. Have I lost the “better” part of my life for this? Perhaps. But in the end, I have gained so much more. My children, once they are grown, can look back at their childhood and remember the times they had at home. We have given them that. We have given them memories, and that is something that no one can take away.

Raising Children – This isn’t something I sacrificed, this is something my wife has had to. Because of the nature of the society in which we live, she was the one who was able to find a full-time job. She has always wanted to stay at home with our children, and we have tried so hard to make that happen. It, however, has been beyond difficult to find a full-time job. Knowing that her dream may never be fulfilled makes me extremely sad. It is even difficult writing this. But we have been blessed with the ability to eat with her at lunch and see her at times during the day. Though it doesn’t make up for not being her fulltime, it does lessen the pain of her absence.

You see, the legacy I want to leave my children is that you must sacrifice much for the ones you love. That is what I want them to realize. That is what I want them to learn. It is not about my dreams or desires. I should be last in this family, not first. That is what a leader does. He makes sure the needs of the ones around him are met before his. We live in a “take-care-of-yourself-first” society. That, however, is not what I want my legacy to be. I want my children and wife to know that I tried to take care of them first (though I wasn’t often successful.) Because in the end, if you can’t sacrifice, you can’t love.

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Guest Post (What Scott's Into)

My Legacy

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