When my little girl was two years old i was unemployed and the wife still worked then so most days it was just us at home. This went on for close to two years. I learned a lot about kids and i look back on that time with fond memories. When she would be cranky and not wanting to take a nap i'd sing to her. I sang the same song to her every day to make her go to sleep, Suspicious Minds by Elvis (easy to remember the words to). I got pretty good at it and every day she fell asleep quicker. Well now she is almost 7 and all this week i've been working 16 hour days and she's been awake when I've been going to bed. She came in my room to give me a hug before she left for school today and she asked if i was having trouble sleeping, i denied it but the kid knew better. Before i knew it, she was standing next to the bed rubbing my face with her hand and singing (You guessed it) Suspicious Minds. It was adorable. She's so sweet. ... And i fell asleep.
This is not a journal! Or a diary!
- Thread starter jc972
- Start date
I got home at 3 a.m. last night and after a shower went directly to bed. It was nice to go to bed when it was still dark outside and everybody was still asleep. It was even better to lay with the old lady. With no kids in the bed with us. For once. It was nice to lay in each others arms and look at the stars out the window. Woke up today and started mowing the lawn, seemed like it took forever. Then I noticed some missing shingles on the roof of the shed so I got up there and replaced them. I'm gonna have to just replace that roof too. I took a bucket of tar up there with me to spread around in places to make the 37 year old roof last a while longer, got tar all over my hands and arms. No problem. Just washed my hands in gasoline when I was finished, it takes tar right off and has a nice masculine scent. Right as I was getting done the wife brought me out a cold beer when I was still on the roof. It was nice to watch the sun set with her and enjoy a nice cold beer. Good day, it was. I figure before the weather gets too hot I'll put a new roof on the shed. Tomorrow I need to get on the barn roof and nail down some pieces of loose tin. It's always something ain't it?
I seen a statistic the other day that made me kinda wonder. It said that average married couples only have sex like 2.5 times a week. ... What's a .5 time? It's funny, no statistician has ever asked me about my sex life as a married man or even when I was single. I wonder if he/she would even believe me if I even told him/her? It's funny, a decade later and three children later and it's just like we were still teenagers, that is to say every chance we get we take advantage. I guess there is such a thing as above average but one don't usually think of himself as above average or I don't anyway. It's odd. I'm just as attracted to the wife as when she was 18. In two months she'll be 28 and she's still hot. How she puts up with me I'll never know. I know I complain about her from time to time but she means well and we're still in love, and honestly, she needs an award of some kind for putting up with me all these years. :inlove:
I seen a statistic the other day that made me kinda wonder. It said that average married couples only have sex like 2.5 times a week. ... What's a .5 time? It's funny, no statistician has ever asked me about my sex life as a married man or even when I was single. I wonder if he/she would even believe me if I even told him/her? It's funny, a decade later and three children later and it's just like we were still teenagers, that is to say every chance we get we take advantage. I guess there is such a thing as above average but one don't usually think of himself as above average or I don't anyway. It's odd. I'm just as attracted to the wife as when she was 18. In two months she'll be 28 and she's still hot. How she puts up with me I'll never know. I know I complain about her from time to time but she means well and we're still in love, and honestly, she needs an award of some kind for putting up with me all these years. :inlove:
I took the night off work. I felt like having a 4 day weekend. It was nice to do some odd jobs around the house and pick up my daughter from school. This evening we went to a home improvement store so I could see how much roofing materials are going to cost me. It ain't going to be cheap but I won't have to mess with it again for the next 50-60 years. I won't even live here that long. I eventually want to build a house. I want a Dutch Colonial style home (the house from the Amityville Horror movies, exactly like that house). And when I said 'I' want to build it, I mean it... like me and my hammer and a big pile of lumber and start building. Problem is, I want to build it over-spec: that is, for example, if it calls for a 2''x 4" stud every 16" in the walls well then I want 2" x 6" every 12". Like build it stronger than it has to be. The house I grew up in was built that way. In a heavy wind storm the house never creaked and popped or anything like most houses do. But it was built back when lumber was cheap. Unfortunately, things change. That's ok. I'll find a way to make it work. I've been researching the idea of using rough cut lumber for the majority of it - after it's been dry stacked for several years. There's several homes around where I'm from that were built with rough cut sawmill lumber around the WWII time period that are still very sturdy today. That's quality, folks. That's what I want in the house I will build. So here's my basic outline for the house:
3 story
wood/brick exterior walls
metal roof
2 brick fireplaces at each end of the home
gas backup heat/gas dryer/gas water heater/gas stove & oven
full basement
3 bathrooms
5 bedrooms
living room, kitchen, dining room, office, attached garage, concrete driveway, walk-in closets in each bedroom, private bathroom off of master bedroom with jucuzzi tub and his/her sinks with tile walk-in shower
That's all I can remember right off the top of my head. The wife hates my dream home. She wants to stay in this home. It's an ok house but I didn't build it. I dunno. I'm weird I guess.
Picture below is the house I'll build.
3 story
wood/brick exterior walls
metal roof
2 brick fireplaces at each end of the home
gas backup heat/gas dryer/gas water heater/gas stove & oven
full basement
3 bathrooms
5 bedrooms
living room, kitchen, dining room, office, attached garage, concrete driveway, walk-in closets in each bedroom, private bathroom off of master bedroom with jucuzzi tub and his/her sinks with tile walk-in shower
That's all I can remember right off the top of my head. The wife hates my dream home. She wants to stay in this home. It's an ok house but I didn't build it. I dunno. I'm weird I guess.
Picture below is the house I'll build.
Last edited:
So I've been thinking these last few days that I'd like to start making stuff. I've got some ideas for a home made jewelry box bouncing around inside my head. Mainly just something to occupy my time late at night on the weekends. Nothing fancy or elaborate at first but just a past time. Just a thought. I've always enjoyed working with wood for some reason, and yet I'm a machinist (steel worker), go figure. Metal is cold and ugly, to me. Wood is warm and inviting, provided by nature. I should've been a carpenter, shouldn't I? I have that thought at least once a day. Like at the end of the day I look at my work and it's like "Oh...wow... I just made a bunch of metal trinkets and machine parts... real contribution to man kind right there, huh?" If I was a carpenter at the end of the day it'd probably be like "Duuuude... I just built that house... it's gonna be there for generations and people will be proud to live there." Big difference, ain't it? I had the chance to get into that profession a long time ago. I spent the summer before my sophomore year of high school helping to build houses, apparently there were a lot of new houses being built pre 9/11. Funny thing is, I'm scared of heights but when I was helping build houses I could be on the 2nd story working way up in the attic and be just fine, maybe I just liked it so much I didn't care? I had the chance to keep working there but I had my heart set on college after I graduated. It's a weird thing though, I wouldn't let a 15 year old kid help frame my house! I still remember how to do it for the most part. God, I write about the dumbest crap.
Its supposed to rain Friday so i reckon ill go to work. Friday's mostly optional for me but I've been working more of them lately. I got some odd news earlier and I'm not sure how to take it, or how to react over it. I have to say it took me off guard and i wasn't prepared for it. I'm just kind of numb i guess. Why did i have to quit chewing tobacco? I need some right now really bad! And a couple beers.
On a lighter note, i got a strange compliment today. When i was getting ready to leave for work today i had my uniform on but no socks or boots and i went into the living room to sit down in my chair to put my boots on and the wife and Kimmy were sitting on the couch talking and as I'm putting powder in my socks and putting them on Kimmy says "you got cute feet to be a guy". In my sleep-fogged mind I'm looking down and looking at her and I'm like "i uh...um.... thanks?... i guess..." I wasn't real sure what to say to that. Nobody's ever said that to me before. That kid can almost be too forward at times. I don't like the way i look at all but I've noticed my hands before and i like them. I think i have some masculine hands. Maybe I'm just weird?
Thanks buddy! It will be a long time before i can make it happen though.
Ok, I posted this last night but just felt I should delete it. I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression of me but we're all adults here (for the most part, I assume) so I decided to post this question again.
Ok, so I've been brutally honest with myself lately.I'm a horrible person. I'm a human and I make mistakes and it's ok because nobody's perfect, right? It's okay to take consolation in that fact and go ahead and do the wrong things and then blame it on being simply human, right? Ok, well maybe not. Anyway... So like before I was married I got around. A lot. And it's like people sense it somehow, like how dogs smell fear. Well now I'm married and all but in my mind I believe that a person can have friends of either sex and just be friends, nothing more. Remember from past posts that I'm not good with other men as friends so I said forget that and figured I'd be a friend to women. Great, huh? Yeah, well... It seems as if it's not strictly online that people expect friendship to evolve into something more. Like you can't have a friend to just talk to and be a friend to without it morphing into a sexual thing, that's what it seems like. This has happened to me several times over the past two or three years. In high school I had a bunch of girls as friends and that's all we were and everything was ok. I had a bunch of guys as friends too back then somehow. But now that everybody's adults it's like you can be friends with benefits or nothing and I'm not into that. Maybe I'm naive or something? Am I missing something? When did it evolve from simply friends to... that? I had an absurd thought the other day: Like I wonder if people have like a subconscious brain radar that says "This guy used to be a man wh,ore!"? Yes, I have been called that, and no, I didn't take it as a compliment. Does that make sense? Like how dogs can supposedly smell fear. It's like they sense this about me and I get categorized from friend zone to something else. It's like either befriend men and only get called to fix stuff for them or befriend women and take a chance on them wanting more than to be friends. Am I just damned to these two fates? It always turns sexual when I try to be a woman's friend and I just don't understand it. I'm not male model material so looks aren't the thing. Is it because I'm married? I'm beside myself trying to figure this out. I'm not trying to come across as full of myself. I'm not a good looking man at all even in my own opinion. At first I thought I was reading too much into it until I took a step back and looked at the situation. I am not reading too much into it. I have several angry text messages and E mails because I didn't want to have a fling. I didn't lead any of them on at all. I feel stupid posting this
mg: but it's driving me nuts. Should I just remain friendless? I'd like your input on the matter if you've read this far.
Ok, so I've been brutally honest with myself lately.I'm a horrible person. I'm a human and I make mistakes and it's ok because nobody's perfect, right? It's okay to take consolation in that fact and go ahead and do the wrong things and then blame it on being simply human, right? Ok, well maybe not. Anyway... So like before I was married I got around. A lot. And it's like people sense it somehow, like how dogs smell fear. Well now I'm married and all but in my mind I believe that a person can have friends of either sex and just be friends, nothing more. Remember from past posts that I'm not good with other men as friends so I said forget that and figured I'd be a friend to women. Great, huh? Yeah, well... It seems as if it's not strictly online that people expect friendship to evolve into something more. Like you can't have a friend to just talk to and be a friend to without it morphing into a sexual thing, that's what it seems like. This has happened to me several times over the past two or three years. In high school I had a bunch of girls as friends and that's all we were and everything was ok. I had a bunch of guys as friends too back then somehow. But now that everybody's adults it's like you can be friends with benefits or nothing and I'm not into that. Maybe I'm naive or something? Am I missing something? When did it evolve from simply friends to... that? I had an absurd thought the other day: Like I wonder if people have like a subconscious brain radar that says "This guy used to be a man wh,ore!"? Yes, I have been called that, and no, I didn't take it as a compliment. Does that make sense? Like how dogs can supposedly smell fear. It's like they sense this about me and I get categorized from friend zone to something else. It's like either befriend men and only get called to fix stuff for them or befriend women and take a chance on them wanting more than to be friends. Am I just damned to these two fates? It always turns sexual when I try to be a woman's friend and I just don't understand it. I'm not male model material so looks aren't the thing. Is it because I'm married? I'm beside myself trying to figure this out. I'm not trying to come across as full of myself. I'm not a good looking man at all even in my own opinion. At first I thought I was reading too much into it until I took a step back and looked at the situation. I am not reading too much into it. I have several angry text messages and E mails because I didn't want to have a fling. I didn't lead any of them on at all. I feel stupid posting this
mg: but it's driving me nuts. Should I just remain friendless? I'd like your input on the matter if you've read this far.The storms that came through here last night left trees down blocking the road i live on. Its no fun cutting up trees in the dark in the rain. What really sucks is i had to walk about a half mile home and get my chainsaw and walk back so i could cut the stupid trees out of the road to get my vehicle home. That was a nightmare on wheels! Tonight its supposedly gonna do the whole storms/tornado thing again.... yay! :thumbdown:
MikeyC
Well-known member
This is tough to answer.Ok, I posted this last night but just felt I should delete it. I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression of me but we're all adults here (for the most part, I assume) so I decided to post this question again.
Ok, so I've been brutally honest with myself lately.I'm a horrible person. I'm a human and I make mistakes and it's ok because nobody's perfect, right? It's okay to take consolation in that fact and go ahead and do the wrong things and then blame it on being simply human, right? Ok, well maybe not. Anyway... So like before I was married I got around. A lot. And it's like people sense it somehow, like how dogs smell fear. Well now I'm married and all but in my mind I believe that a person can have friends of either sex and just be friends, nothing more. Remember from past posts that I'm not good with other men as friends so I said forget that and figured I'd be a friend to women. Great, huh? Yeah, well... It seems as if it's not strictly online that people expect friendship to evolve into something more. Like you can't have a friend to just talk to and be a friend to without it morphing into a sexual thing, that's what it seems like. This has happened to me several times over the past two or three years. In high school I had a bunch of girls as friends and that's all we were and everything was ok. I had a bunch of guys as friends too back then somehow. But now that everybody's adults it's like you can be friends with benefits or nothing and I'm not into that. Maybe I'm naive or something? Am I missing something? When did it evolve from simply friends to... that? I had an absurd thought the other day: Like I wonder if people have like a subconscious brain radar that says "This guy used to be a man wh,ore!"? Yes, I have been called that, and no, I didn't take it as a compliment. Does that make sense? Like how dogs can supposedly smell fear. It's like they sense this about me and I get categorized from friend zone to something else. It's like either befriend men and only get called to fix stuff for them or befriend women and take a chance on them wanting more than to be friends. Am I just damned to these two fates? It always turns sexual when I try to be a woman's friend and I just don't understand it. I'm not male model material so looks aren't the thing. Is it because I'm married? I'm beside myself trying to figure this out. I'm not trying to come across as full of myself. I'm not a good looking man at all even in my own opinion. At first I thought I was reading too much into it until I took a step back and looked at the situation. I am not reading too much into it. I have several angry text messages and E mails because I didn't want to have a fling. I didn't lead any of them on at all. I feel stupid posting this
First of all, sleeping around isn't a bad thing. You weren't married, hopefully nobody was getting hurt, and you were a young guy exploring your sexuality and virility. Millions of adolescents do it, so there's nothing wrong there.
To say that it's left an unconscious mark on you this far into life, after a wife and three children, doesn't sound right. I don't think people can "smell" that on you. If they could then there's going to be a lot of men and women out there with problems making friends!
In your particular situation, it may be more difficult making friends with women because you're married. These women may see what you're doing as an invitation to try to get them into bed. And I know that women (and men) sometimes prefer married people because it's almost like a forbidden fruit - and we all know they taste a little bit sweeter! Maybe the girls in question might think you're unhappy in your marriage trying to befriend them. It could also even be an ego thing ("he wants to befriend me, therefore I must be hot"). Any number of reasons.
Having a female friend is not impossible, but I think it gets a little more difficult when married.
I knew you'd be my calm voice of reason, Mikey, and I'm thankful for your insight. You're right. Surely that's not the case. Can't be. You're right about the married thing too, I just figured I'd be looked at as "the non-threatening married guy" instead of *gulp* forbidden fruit
mg: I dunno, maybe I'm better off like how it is now. I just wish I had someone to hang out with and talk to at night. I'm up all night every night because of my work schedule and the wife is asleep most of the night like most people. Just gets lonely sometimes.Thanks dude.
MikeyC
Well-known member
Staying up all night with a conflicting schedule to your family can be tough, but I'm sure your wife understands and she would probably want to spend some time with you, as well.I knew you'd be my calm voice of reason, Mikey, and I'm thankful for your insight. You're right. Surely that's not the case. Can't be. You're right about the married thing too, I just figured I'd be looked at as "the non-threatening married guy" instead of *gulp* forbidden fruit
Glad I could provide some insight!
Interesting day today. The father in law brought his camper trailer to the house to store it behind my shed because he got himself a new apartment and don't have anywhere to keep a travel trailer. That's cool, he needed a new apartment anyway. Then I went up to where I'm from to move a house-trailer for somebody. I used the diesel tractor to pull a single-wide trailer down the road. Hardly any brakes on the tractor and up and down hills... it got interesting. People see a farm tractor going down the road they expect to see like a hay bailer or a bush hog or a plow behind the thing, not a 70 foot long house-trailer I like the old gasoline engine tractor better but I wanted all the power I could get for pulling a load like that up steep hills. I'm just glad no cops were around, I bet that'd be a huge fine. I'm just glad that's over. That was 7 miles of pure hell, cars trying to pass me on the wrong side of the road, wondering if the brakes would keep me from going off the side of a mountain, hoping a low hanging tree top wouldn't rip the roof off the thing, meh. That was an easy $800. A professional trailer outfit would charge $3000 just to move it here much less the mileage fee so the new owner got a real bargain and I got some play money from it. Anyways, it sure was a beautiful day for being outside :bigsmile:
Edit: Once I got the home to where they wanted it I used some big hydraulic jacks and one hefty railroad jack (more or less a bumper jack on heavy duty steroids lol) to level the place and put it up on cinder blocks with the help of the home owner and his family. It's good and level now. Even took the axles and wheels out from under it. Friends help ya move... real friends pull your home with their tractor and then take the wheels out from under it! Couldn't resist. Bring on the redneck jokesmg:
I like the old gasoline engine tractor better but I wanted all the power I could get for pulling a load like that up steep hills. I'm just glad no cops were around, I bet that'd be a huge fine. I'm just glad that's over. That was 7 miles of pure hell, cars trying to pass me on the wrong side of the road, wondering if the brakes would keep me from going off the side of a mountain, hoping a low hanging tree top wouldn't rip the roof off the thing, meh. That was an easy $800. A professional trailer outfit would charge $3000 just to move it here much less the mileage fee so the new owner got a real bargain and I got some play money from it. Anyways, it sure was a beautiful day for being outside :bigsmile:Edit: Once I got the home to where they wanted it I used some big hydraulic jacks and one hefty railroad jack (more or less a bumper jack on heavy duty steroids lol) to level the place and put it up on cinder blocks with the help of the home owner and his family. It's good and level now. Even took the axles and wheels out from under it. Friends help ya move... real friends pull your home with their tractor and then take the wheels out from under it! Couldn't resist. Bring on the redneck jokes
mg:
Last edited:
Staying up all night with a conflicting schedule to your family can be tough, but I'm sure your wife understands and she would probably want to spend some time with you, as well.
Glad I could provide some insight!
It ain't easy on her either but I can't quit and go to another job and make as much money as I'm making now so she's putting up with it reluctantly.
erfect:On my way to bed when i checked my e mail and it said some of the parts i ordered had been delivered today by the post office. So i had to find pants and go check the mailbox out at the street. Sure enough i now have some of them i'll go to bed later, its time to put these in the thing! I'm happy.
i'll go to bed later, its time to put these in the thing! I'm happy.