Things can only get better?

I was thinking today about the past weekend. As some of you know, I am a New York Yankee fan as well as a Dallas Cowboy fan. If any of you out there are with me, you know how this past weekend was from a fans point of view.

Not only did the Yankees lose the first 2 games of a 7 game series, they also lost the teams heart, Derek Jeter...aka the Captain. Combine this with the fact that we have millions of dollars worth of offensive bats that are being out-hit by some National league pitchers, and you have a very painful, yet dulling sensation in the right cortex of the brain.

Then the Cowboys head coach Jason Garret makes yet another genius attempt to manage the clock in the waining moments of the game which led to yet another last second loss, and, yup...there it is, dull and painful.

Don't even get me started on the fact that I lost to my little brother in fantasy football (yes, I have a lot of Dallas Cowboys on said team, and no, that has nothing to do with my losing record!!)

I would go on, but the pain is starting to outweigh the dull.

You know what though? I'm good.

I'm fine with the whole scenario, because I had a great weekend. I spent the day with my son on Saturday. I brought him to work and then spent the afternoon in the "Super Mario Galaxy" Then on Sunday, we went to Church and had a Birthday lunch with my mother. It was a great weekend.

I knew the scores of all the aforementioned games, after all, I still check my IPhone regularly for updates. (I am still a guy!) but it really didn't bug me. I used to let these types of things ruin my week. I would become a miserable, cranky mess. After all, I grew up in a family of sports fans and little else mattered.

Now though, it is a different story. It took a healthy dose of family and Church to open my eyes.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't want to change!

I told my wife when we got married that the weekends were for golf and that I was watching any games possible, and the funny part was, I believed it. It wasn't that she didn't let it happen, but when my son arrived and we started going to Church, it just wasn't important. What became important was being a good father and husband. Showing my son that spending time with him was more important than watching a game. Showing my wife that I would not put anything ahead of her. Those things became priorities.

I hope that I continue being a good influence to my son. I hope that he watches how I do these things, and yet still enjoys a game with me when, and if he grows into a fan himself. He already roots for the Cowboys and Yankees, but I know that it is because they are Daddy's team.

It would make me much prouder if he picks up on my faith and becomes a fan of Christ, more than anything. As long as he has that foundation, he can root for whomever he wants!

As long as it isn't the Red Sox. Then, he would have to move out.

There it is again, dull and painful.

What's the worst that could happen?

I recently applied for a writing position with a sports related web site...this is the break down. (figuratively, not literally)

Saturday morning  I woke up at about 6:00 and started the regular routine. First check to see if the little man is up, next coffee and finally, take a spin on the web. ESPN, CBS Sports-line, Twitter, Facebook...etc. Well, as usual, nothing exciting happened from the night before and other than an occasional humorous update from random "friends" on Facebook, it was the same ol', same ol'.

Then something struck me while checking a few other sites, it was all the same random cookie cutter stories and articles. I mean, if I read 3 different sports articles, I couldn't tell you the differences between them. It was just frustrating and kind of confusing that these guys didn't have any more to add. It was so robotic and only could have been worse if it came through on a telegraph machine. I don't know if it was this particular morning or if it just never really bothered me...but, it really irritated me this particular morning.

After a few more desperate searches something clicked. This led me to remembering a site that had an open application process that I never really taken seriously before this morning. Well, package the frustration along with my wife telling me that I should write more, then throw in a big old helping of "I know I can write better than these guys, how hard could it be?" and what do you get?

Well, you get an under-educated contractor, fumbling his way through an application, along with a "test article" which I really "thought" came together great. I showed it to my wife and she proof read and corrected a few things, but overall thought it was pretty good. Then, I hit the big orange button "submit application"

The following Monday morning I was taking a break at work and I checked my mail. It was a reply from the aforementioned site!

Wow, that was quick, that's good right?.

It was bad, I was shot down, with a classic rendition of "you're not what they are looking for at this present time.".

It didn't break my heart. I mean, honestly, I didn't really think I was equipped enough in the first place. I know that I am not up to par when it comes to a higher education. I have not taken any college courses on writing and I skipped my fair share of English classes in high school.(Heck, its starting to get to the point where I have to Google my sons random questions.)You know what though, I know that I can captivate an audience on paper, and I also know that I can learn the rest as I go on.

How do I know that?

Good question, and the answer is actually a two part....er.

1. I have faith. I had faith when I met my wife. I had faith when we had my son. I had faith when we finally found our Church. I had faith when I stared my own business.(not as much as my wife though) I just have faith that the Lord is going to lead me to what I am here for, and I will do it through him and for him.

2. Well, all right..even with faith I don't have factual evidence. This isn't CSI folks and until it happens, I can't give you any proof. BUT, I took the chance, I took that leap of faith and I believe that if I keep jumping, eventually it's going to happen.

Now, I'm not saying this is going to work with everything in life. Life is not a fortune cookie, everything does not apply just because it sounds good on paper. I know that I couldn't go try out for the Yankees this spring. I know that I couldn't go up on the "Voice" and get Blake Shelton to turn his chair around for my rendition of  "Friends in Low Places" and I most certainly know that I could never, EVER, learn how to speak Spanish! (even know my 6 year old is nailing it) Yet, in the end, I know that I have a chance to write, somewhere, for someone.(Heh, funny/stupid thought, what if I did end up writing for fortune cookies?)

So, after this drawn out pity party, I just want you all to know that, not only have you had to hear me whine about my rejection for the past few paragraphs...but you will have to continue reading in the future. I don't care if you are reading Sports Illustrated in the waiting room or just cracking a cookie at the local China Buffet, I'm going to be writing somewhere.