Chris Minich's Blog, page 4

So I Cry, I Pray, and I Beg

Dad decided to take a week off from his “blogging” and never being one to shy away from the spotlight I graciously stepped in to give this column more depth and charm — you’re welcome Dad.

Life in the cockapoo lane is always fast and furious. It takes all of the parentals’ energy just to keep up with me. Last weekend I was able to relax for a bit and get my hair done. Yes, my brother tagged along but I actually didn’t mind this time. Normally I can’t stand to be in close quarters with him but the little terrier cleaned up pretty well. He actually smells half way decent for a change. Shocking, I know. FYI, this won’t last.

The experience of a professional groom has grown on me over the years. When I was little I didn’t understand who these strangers were that wanted to trim my nails, ouch. Pluck my long and beautiful eyebrows, hey watch it, or use the clippers to cut my fur. However, I have matured from the days of old. Now I enjoy all the attention and pampering a day at the groomers will bring. My nails have never felt so strong and easy to manage. My long luscious lashes are as full and radiant as ever. And my coat, I think Kate Spade would be jealous of this trend setter. As Mom and Dad came to pick us up, I heard her schedule an appointment for next time. You go Mom!

After getting all dolled up, my Saturday just wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the local Home Depot. Wait, what? Yes, apparently the parentals needed to run some errands which included a stop at that this all in one hardware store. I actually love this place. Mom and Dad always take my brother and me inside for a stroll. On this particular Saturday, my brother was a tad too excited and didn’t even make it up to the greeter at the entrance to the store. He’s a lovable little guy, just has trouble expressing himself from time to time. With Buddy in the car, I was free to walk with Mom as she and Dad looked for light bulbs. I however was looking for attention, and attention is what I found. I’m a sucker for meeting new people. It’s my jam. The store was full of families and little children. The little ones love me, and I them. They are so gosh darn cute. While the parentals were deciding on which type of bulb to purchase, I was fresh from the red carpet. The kids wanted to come up and pet me, say hi, and offer hugs. Step and repeat. Loving the spotlight the way I do, I was happy to oblige. Even staff members at the store wanted to stop and say hello. I need to get my hair done more often. This was awesome!

As we made our way to the checkout, it was time for us to go but not without one last fan trying to say hello. A cute little fella wanted to say hi but I could see was very nervous. His mom turned to ask my parentals, “is it okay if my son pet’s your dog?’ I could answer that, of course. He was so shy at first. He ever so slightly reached his hand about halfway out toward me and then pulled it back in suddenly. I stayed put to not scare him off. His mom said it was okay and he tried again. This time he made it all the way to my fur and gave me a pet on the back. I proceeded to give him a big old kiss on the check. He started to giggle and began to pet my head. A new friend for life. My parentals talked to his mom for a minute as we cemented our new found friendship. As Dad collected our bags, it was time to go but my new friend and I were rolling around on the floor playing and having a great time. He let us play for a few seconds more and we finally parted company. As we walked away, I turned to look back and my new friend gave me a wave goodbye. Good luck to you little guy. I hope our paths cross again someday.

Well, Dad was telling me to wrap this up a couple of paragraphs ago but I was on a roll. You can’t rush greatness. Until the next time I get to do one of these blog things I leave you with a fun quote from one of my favorite movies Dad and I watch together. “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around for a while, you could miss it.” Thanks Ferris, taking it all in. Now, you go on and do the same.

Sydster out!

 

Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair

Mid-week already, how did that happen so fast? Oh, probably all the travel as of late. After a fun weekend in Oregon last week my wife and I traveled to beautiful Oakland CA, yes I said Oakland, for a mini vacation to visit her brother and his wife for a birthday celebration. Fall has not hit the bay area yet as we were sweating in the high eighty degree weather. I knew it was too soon to put away those cargo shorts. Ah, if I could only wear them year round. Guess I need to move to CA for that. Nothing against CA but I’m okay with jeans from time to time.

We spent part of our Friday walking the “Streets of San Francisco.” See what I did there?

I had no concern for missing a workout as we did plenty of hiking up and down those steep hills. Several years ago I was on a solo trip to the area and tore up my feet wearing my trusty Converse. I sure do love those shoes but they are not the best on uneven terrain. Lesson learned. This time I came prepared and luckily had no trouble getting around town. Hungry for food our travels led us to a new locale and new faces. Formal introductions were not necessary as we quickly made friends. At a local watering hole we just cheered at the right moment and were “in like Flynn.” Apparently the San Francisco Giants found themselves in the ALDS against the Walgreen Nationals. Wait, Washington. Janelle thought their logo shared a striking resemblance to the drug store giant.

Apparently we weren’t the only ones who decided to take the day off. That or the Giants have some passionate fans. You decide. We aren’t a baseball family. Go Hawks!

Later that night we decided to check out the new David Fincher movie, “Gone Girl,” and escape the heat for a bit. Have you seen it yet? It’s an adaptation from a book, I haven’t read it, but it made for one interesting movie. The film is not for the kiddos but I found myself guessing, and being incorrect, several times as to the outcome. In a box office that seems to be full of Super Heroes and reboots of past franchises, it was nice to see something new. What a concept. Granted, the star of the movie is about to play a Super Hero to reboot a franchise, but this thriller was a good way to start off the early Oscar season.

On Saturday the four of us ventured back into the big city as we sailed out to the Rock – Alcatraz.

I’ve always been fascinated with this place and have now been three times. Another scorcher of a day meant some extra sunscreen and a hat for yours truly. As we walked up the hill to the cell house we were treated to a wonderful views of the city and Golden Gate Bridge. We spent a couple hours on the island learning about inmates such as Al Capone, the Birdman of Alcatraz and John Patrick Mason. Who? Wait, that was Sean Connery’s character in the movie the Rock. My bad! We did see the specific cells where neighboring inmates escaped.

The convicts stole spoons and fashioned them into drills. Digging a hole in the back of the cell they crawled through the tiny opening behind the block wall. The prisoners made it outside the maximum security facility for the mile and a half swim to freedom. To this day, nobody know for sure if they made it. After returning to the shore we did what any good prisoner would have done if they survived the swim back in one piece, we went to Ghirardelli Square for a sundae. This is the real San Francisco treat. Okay, you see what I did that time.

Sunday, fun day, saw us head to Berkley for some pumpkin pancakes and a ginger-snap iced latte. Hey, a growing boy needs his sustenance. This was necessary of course for the three mile hike through part of the Redwood Forest, or park in this case. Typically I’m not a fan of hikes in general but had a great time and got to share in the beauty that this country can provide. The landscape didn’t disappoint. USA, USA!

After a couple of weeks of traveling I’m ready to be home and rest. This year has been quite busy and Janelle and I have been from Key Largo to Paris and we still have one more trip to go before the year is up. Right now, I’m sitting on the couch, Bud-man by my side, Sydster at my feet and Duck Dynasty on the pane of knowledge. All that’s missing is my beautiful bride who, yep you guessed it, is traveling this week for work. Somehow I went from the sleeper-set to jet-set.

Originally I planned to end this blog with a fun little inside joke from our trip. For you, the reader, this wouldn’t make much sense. In our journey together, blogger and reader, I try to give you an inside look at a writer finding his voice. Readers being patient and understanding and coming back to see what will happen next. Your interest and support is inspiring and that’s no joke.

Let it All Hang Out ‘Cause We’ve Got a Run to Make

Hello campers!  Been a couple of weeks since the last blog. Time seems to have a way of moving on whether we want it to or not. Spent the last couple of days on a mini road trip to Hood River OR via Portland. Dropped the hounds, Sydney and Buddy, off with our great friends, Pat and Amy, who kindly looked after the dynamic duo. Much thanks, we owe you one.

Drove the family truckster to the fine state to our south to visit my sister in-law and her husband for the start of a fun weekend. After four years of searching, the couple just moved into their new house. At almost one hundred years old the charming abode is secluded from the busy life of downtown Portland but close to a wonderful, almost hidden, village that serves a mean cheeseburger topped with pulled pork and yes – wait for it – bacon. It was nice to have a quiet Friday to just relax and not worry about your next meeting or project due date. Those things will always be there but time with family is special.

With phase one – resting – complete, it was time to get back in the car and venture east toward Hood River. Having never been before I enjoyed the scenic drive as we weaved our way around beautiful hillsides, stunning mountain views and the crystal blue water of the Columbia River Gorge. I say this with pride, the Pacific Northwest is a wonderful place to live. If you’ve never been out this way, you need to come for a visit.

After a blisteringly fast ninety minutes we arrived in the town of Hood River. Nestled against the backdrop of the Gorge this hidden gem provided the location for the remainder of the weekend. Later that night my brother in-law and his new wife also arrived on the scene for Saturday was Hops Fest. A day-long event filled with local brews, food, music and Diet Coke. More on this in a bit. Before adult beverages were to be consumed it was time for the Fruit Loop. Oddly, Toucan Sam had no part of this morning adventure. No, the Fruit Loop was a fun drive visiting local farms and apple orchards through the Hood River valley. Despite loading six adults into the car we still managed to stock up on apples, pears, cookies, pie and even pumpkins all while having a great time catching up.

Once back in town we walked a few blocks to attend the Hops Fest. On an absolutely beautiful fall day we took in the sights – no one under twenty allowed, sounds – please make the female singer of the cover band stop, to smells – BBQ, brats and teriyaki chicken. The real star of the show was the beer. Not a fan myself, I fancied an icy cold Diet Coke (it really is the real thing) and just enjoyed spending time with family. As night began to fall we ventured back to the rental house for steak and pizza. If you’re from this area you may remember a place called Pietro’s Pizza. Cracker crust, pepperoni, Canadian bacon – my mouth is watering just typing this. A delicious treat to round out a fun day.

All good things must come to an end and as we said our goodbyes today and ventured off to parts unknown I was left with wonderful new memories and shared experiences. That’s my jam.

And Bad Mistakes – I’ve Made a Few

Instead of looking a lot like Christmas it sure is feeling like fall. As I walked across a courtyard earlier this morning the concrete sidewalks are slowly being adorned with beautiful orange and green colored leaves that descend from neighboring trees. Even though we’ve had one of the warmest summers on record here in the Pacific Northwest the cool breeze passing over my legs is telling me fall is on the way. Perhaps time to put the cargo shorts back in the closet and make way for the denim jeans. Wait, what!  Not so fast. There may be many more signs fall is here but shorts back in the closet?  It’s not even October yet. Please!


 


This time of year is one of my favorites. An early indicator is the Pumpkin Spice Latte back at Starbucks. Okay, there isn’t any actual pumpkin in the warm, sweet decadent caffeinated beverage. It still is delicious and tastes like I’m drinking a pumpkin pie. Ah, then there is the arrival of the pumpkin pie at Costco. Last weekend there I was – face to face with the shrink-wrapped treasure. Before I met my wife I used to purchase one of these tasty deserts and have it as my main entre during the week. The only thing I would eat. Note to Costco, once you open the spiced wonder it’s hard to then keep it fresh. I can’t eat all of this at one time. Ooh, maybe a Rubbermaid container specially designed for the pie.  Just saying! This year will also see the return of Pumpkin-palooza, our family ode to all things pumpkin. This weekend event will include all things orange and should be brought to you by the fine folks at Libby’s. Hey, I like pumpkin.


 

With the arrival of fall also comes football. Time for ESPN’s Chris Berman to say “whoop” when commenting on a halftime highlight. Time for CBS’s Shannon Sharpe who always, always manages to bumble any of his commentary. He could be talking about his shoes and mess that up. Ah, time for Terry Bradshaw over on Fox to do the halftime highlights. Every year, going on twenty now, he can’t keep up with the playback and is still talking about one game while images roll into the next. Well, he’s a Steeler so that could explain it. Then you have one of my favorites – Al Michaels. He’s been doing football play by play for a long time. He can come back from a commercial break talking about a sunset and put his bit of announcer voice on it and make it sound cool. This year Al covered the NFL Kickoff game for NBC. Why is this important you say? The game he covered was the Green Bay Packers taking on the World Champion Seattle Seahawks. No Fail-Mary here. That night a couple of special things happened Hawk fans won’t soon forget. Prior to kick-off a banner was unveiled for all the world to see. Super Bowl XLVIII Champions.





Three hall of fame Seahawks, Steve Largent, Cortez Kennedy and Walter Jones raised the 12th man flag high above Century Link Field. Oh yeah, and then the hometown team dominated and sent the Packers home with some wine for the cheese-heads. Only 18 more games to go.
 
Before I know it Christmas will actually be here but for now it’s time to fall back and enjoy this wonderful time of year.  Go Hawks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Strong and it’s Sudden and it’s Cruel Sometimes, but it Might Just Save Your Life

I’m back at the laptop on this last official Friday of summer. Got my trusty cockapoo, Sydney, by my side and we’re ready to embark on a great weekend. I took a ride to the store earlier in the week with Sydster. With the top off the car and windows down, my riding companion hurried across the seat to the passenger door. Using her back paws for support she navigated up the door with her front paws until they rested firmly on the lowered window. Sydney never ceases to amaze. She’s up for adventure. Pondering this through a little too long, she turned to me as if to say, “What’s the hold up?  Let’s go!”

There’s something about the fresh air on her fur and smells coming from every direction that she can’t resist. Oh yeah, and the attention she gets – let’s not forget that. We rode up and out of the neighborhood and people stopped to look, wave or just comment on the cute little dog who was out for a drive. Sydney has always been outgoing, eager to please and loves the spotlight.  She’s been this way the seven years now I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of her life. I met the cutest cockapoo ever on the second date with the most beautiful girl in the world. As Sydney and I drove to and from the store this week, I thought about those seven years. Yikes, how did it go by so fast? I enjoy each and every day in the family we’ve created and one day in particular stands out. That would be tomorrow.

Tomorrow is my wife’s birthday. She is an amazing woman. A great mom to our dogs. A wonderful sister to her three siblings. A generous and loving to all her friends. A creator of all things delicious and edible coming from the kitchen. Before I met her, my three food groups were cookies, cake, and pie. Now, I’m treated to dishes by Ina, the Pioneer Woman and her mom.  Never have cookies, cake or pie tasted so good. Well, some things don’t change. What did change was my life. That may seem like a trivial sentence but it’s the most honest I can be.

Way back in 2007, again where did the time go, I met this beautiful girl. On that first date, the best first date ever, I tried to be funny, charming and entertain her the best way I could. What I did, apparently, was act shy, miss when she was flirting with me and suggest we go for a walk at 11:00 at night with a girl I just met. FYI, that last part is NOT a good idea. Just saying. In my defense, I was having a great time and didn’t want the date to end. Luckily, it never did. I’ve been on an amazing journey and those dates have gone on to include quiet dinners at the Edgewater, noisy Seahawks fans at Century Link, even louder noisier cars and fans at the Indy 500 in Speedway, Indiana. Whether it’s a trip to the store for milk, dinner at Red Robin, or two glorious unforgettable weeks overseas, I still want to – and do –  date my wife.

On that second date, I also met the other woman in my life. The little cockapoo Sydney. On that date I brought flowers and a squeaky toy for the ladies. Watch out, fellas. Time does go by fast and as Ferris said, “If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Sydney and I did just that on our drive, and I’m happy to say I haven’t missed it and continue to look forward while keeping an eye on where I’ve been.

If you’re friends with my wife, wish her a Happy Birthday tomorrow. She is the love of my life and I love her more today than the day she took my hand and we were married. To quote Huey, “that’s the Power of Love.”

Happy Birthday Beautiful, I love you!

If You Show Me How to Get Up Off the Ground

This afternoon I find myself in front of the keyboard to write my first ever blog entry for my new site. It’s late August in the Pacific Northwest. I just dumped ice water on my head in support of ALS and have a towel at the ready. Funny how a quick splash of cool water can cleanse the pallet and clear the mind. Okay, maybe just me.

That challenge is for a good cause but meant more to me that I thought. It was a shock to the system. My dog, Sydney, sure enjoyed it as she continues to lick my leg. I guess I didn’t need that towel. 2014 has been about change and tackling new challenges that a year ago I didn’t think were possible. Almost twelve months ago I took a creative writing class taught by my friend Tess Thompson. I’d always been interested in exploring that avenue of creativity but never pushed forward with it. As I sit here today, I’m glad I did.

Over the course of those twelve weeks of class I started down a new path. I found myself looking forward to each and every Tuesday night. I was back doing homework for the first time in, well let’s just say quite some time. Weird thing was, I liked it. A creative part of me I thought maybe I had lost woke up and was ready to face the day. I work at my day job to live. I was now writing in the hopes of sharing. What a great feeling.

During the class I began to write about one of our two dogs, Sydney. My wife and I always joke that she acts more like a person than a dog. “Why don’t you write about her,” my wife said. Just like that, I was off. I put pen to paper—okay showing my age—and my weekly assignments started to pile up. “Hey,” Tess said. “You could have a book here.” With encouragement and inspiration surrounding me I continued to write. Our class ended but my writing continued into the New Year. By February I had a story completed. I submitted the book to a friend and in a month I was offered an opportunity to have the story published. Mind blown! Little did I know this was only the beginning.

In the spring I found myself picking an editor, illustrator and book manager. Wow, this was really happening. Then came a dose—turns out much needed—of reality. I got my first set of edits back. Do you remember being in school? Maybe you’re about to start school in the coming week? Well, suddenly I was back in school looking at all the notes a teacher would normally leave on your paper. This was different, right there in the file. Hmm, a couple on the first page. Not too bad I thought. Oh, here’s some more on the next page. And the hits kept on coming.

Sometimes you take a step back to reflect only to emerge stronger than before. I believe that’s exactly what I did. After the initial read through of the edits I discovered the notes were there to help. I laced up my Converse and went to work on revisions. Made it through the second round of edits and final touch ups and what emerged is a book that I’m completely proud of. As I type this blog the book is being proofed and before I know it fall will be here and a new children’s book will be available.

In the last week my wife and I participated in what I’m calling a doggy photo shoot. The sister of my best friend from high school, Kara Roberts, came out to act as our instructor and told us to smile at the camera, and for Sydney to turn her head in agreement every time Kara mentioned the word bubbles. I never thought in a million years I would find myself having my picture taken from my friend’s sister. We lost touch over the years but I’m glad we reconnected again and proud to still call her my friend. Life has a funny way of working out sometimes.

Now I’m ready for the next challenge. I’m about to be a published author. A little story about a cockapoo and her misadventures will be available for any and all to read. I don’t know where this little book will lead me and my family but like that splash of water earlier this afternoon I’m ready for that next challenge. Let’s do this.