Don't Change For You, Don't Change A Thing For Me

My life has always seemed like one big 1980's mish-mash of songs. From "There is a Light That Never Goes Out" by The Smiths to "Nobody's Diary" by Yaz to "Bring on the Dancing Horses" by Echo and the Bunnymen, these songs remind me of so many good times in my youth. However, they seem even more poignant today.

One song that really reflects my mood lately is a song I discovered a few years ago by accident. During the 1980's, the only songs they ever played of INXS on the radio were "What You Need", "Need You Tonight", "New Sensation", "Devil Inside", and "Never Tear Us Apart." When I got Sirius Radio a few years ago, I instantly became hooked on Channel 22 - First Wave. On it was a song called "Don't Change" by INXS. I became curious and looked for it on YouTube, and it can be found at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMrL_4NyQr0

Something about this song has stayed with me since the first day I heard it. Then it dawned on me why. Without going into too many details, I've changed a lot of habits. I'm not as dialed in to Fantasy Football as I used to be. I don't watch a lot of sports on TV. I haven't watched a single Monday Night Football game this season as of yet. I go days without responding to friends' emails. There's many other things I could say here, but I think I've said enough.

Through it all, my wife and soulmate has been my rock. She has blessed me with two beautiful children is always there when I need her. Then, listening to this song last week, it became quite clear - the song foreshadows how 2008 started for me and where I am right now - if it wasn't for Sara, I don't know what I would do.

So honey, from the bottom of my heart...

I'm standing here on the ground
The sky above won't fall down
See no evil in all direction
Resolution of happiness
Things have been dark
For too long

Don't change for you
Don't change a thing for me

I look forward to waking up tomorrow and seeing nothing but sunny skies!

Boundless Energy

As I get older, I am finding that while I still keep the same crazy hours I always have (i.e. 4-5 hours of sleep per day), I may be slowing down just a bit. In this picture of my daughter Riley and me, I think I'm ready for a nap. Riley, on the other hand, seems to be picking up my mantra at an early age.

Riley is 8 1/2 months old now (once again, evidence that TIME FLIES), and she is so different than Bailey ever was. As evidence of this:

1) She refuses to let me feed her without her grabbing her jar of food and getting her hands all filled with peas and stuff. Bailey was never a Grabby McGee!

2) She fights sleep at all costs. While this is similar to my schedule, I don't fight sleep - I just don't sleep. She will close her eyes and then force herself awake - we caught her doing this at Disney the other night, and it was really funny.

3) She is a lot more vocal than Bailey ever was at this age. While Bailey will not stop talking NOW, I don't recall Bailey making so many "ma ma ma ma ma" "ba ba ba ba ba" sounds at this age.

4) She tricked us in the van today on the way home - we thought she was hungry because she wouldn't stop crying, and when I stopped the car in Boynton Beach so Sara could feed her, she instead decided she wanted to play with Sara instead of eat and she kept cracking herself up about it. Sneaky little thing, my daughter.

5) Last but not least, she always cracks up around Bailey. Of course, I do too, but that's a totally different story.

Oh, to be that young again and be able to have that kind of energy. I miss those days!

A Night at the Palace

It was very strange walking into one of my favorite places on Earth Tuesday night. As one of millions of people in this country that participates in Fantasy Football, we had our draft at the Boca Raton Resort & Club.

I worked there from 2004 to 2006 and enjoyed every minute of it; however, I hadn't stepped foot inside since mid-2007 and so with so many enhancements since I had moved on, I was curious how it was all going to look to me.

As I drove in the front gate, I took this picture with my Sprint instinct. It's always so picturesque and I'm glad no one has tried to change the look of Addison Mizner's masterpiece which debuted in 1926 and the Schulz and Weaver add-on lobby of 1928. The palm trees have always given the hotel a special look on the way to the hotel's front valet area.

Since I was early (as per norm), I made a right when I walked in and proceed to the area I knew as the Piazza when I worked at the hotel. The old gold ceiling had been replaced with a clear ceiling skylight that definitely let the sunshine into the east lobby.

There was new carpeting and furniture throughout the hotel. The changes definitely grew on me last night in the time I was there.

Our draft was held in the Governor's Suite on the 6th Floor of the Cloister. The Cloister is the original of the hotel's five buildings. As normal for any fantasy football draft, we had plenty of pizza and beverages to go around but failed to start on time...big surprise. That seems to always happen!

It was my 3rd draft in 9 days, and I think I was ready to go on auto-pilot by the 10th round. If you haven't seen a group of guys and girls during a draft, it's quite a site - people telling other people they loved the pick - people telling other people that guy was 123rd on their draft board - people picking people only they've hear of - and people making plans to see each other during the season (but often failing to do so due to busy schedules and the like).

So how did it all end? It's always nice to visit old friends - even ones you worked at and know like the back of your hand. As for my team, solid for sure. I'm definitely ready for some football.