Simmer Down, Employers – I’m Off the Job Market

Many of you have been keeping tabs on me with regards to my employment status, so I’m happy to report that I’ve been on an assignment with my new gig for the past week and a half. It’s been pretty awesome, I must say, and I’ve definitely found myself in good company. The job comes with decent pay, some excellent benefits and a whole slew of on-the-job training and experience.

I figured I’d post a short list of some responsibilities found in the job description. I’m certain I wasn’t the most qualified candidate, but I think I’m filling my role quite nicely.

  • Foster a healthy environment for one-on-one communication with team members.
  • Construct an array of engaging resources for the development and growth of team members.
  • Monitor work environment and ensure it is kept tidy and organized at all times.
  • Adhere to schedule and time restraints with promptness and punctuality.
  • Assess and diffuse hostile and chaotic situations at a moments notice.
  • Deal with unfavorable and unsatisfactory team output swiftly, ensuring to file the proper paperwork.
  • Frequently assess sentiment of team members and strive to keep morale high – deploying any means necessary, regardless of how off the wall a solution may seem.
  • Encourage communication of team members with internal and external communities.
  • Use expert discretion to provide additional resources when necessary – or when team members are particularly fussy that afternoon.

This is one fussy team member - wouldn't you agree?Who doesn’t have “fussy” “team members”? It’s been quite the learning experience being a stay-at-home daddy. I can’t tell you how many profound lessons this little guy teaches me every single day. Couple that with attempting to build my business in the flitters of silence found during nap times, it’s a recipe for a long, long day.

It’s been interesting to explain my daily workload to friends, particularly those without kids of their own. A list like this is hardly an exaggeration, and I often find myself completely drained at the end of the day. Is it worth it? You bet.

I go back and forth on creating a separate stream of tweets for all the amusing little stories that come out of our day together. But for now, just go ahead and follow my primary Twitter account for funny stories, silly observations and a daily spit up tabulation.

End of an Era: Saying Goodbye to My Furry Friend, Companion and Guide

larry-expedition.jpg

I remember like it was yesterday – Larry and I connected so perfectly right from the start. His trainer made the introduction in February 2005, when she specifically mentioned that, “if you’re not a fan of attention, Larry probably isn’t the dog for you.” The massive blockhead was a dead ringer for oohs and aahs, but with each pair of eyeballs on us came the opportunity to outreach, advocate and educate. Larry did a lot of that throughout his lifetime.

Larry wasn’t a shy pup, that’s for sure, and he instantly nestled himself right into our family. Many of our happiest and memorable stories have some mention of him – including our wedding. I could ramble for days the funny situations we always seemed to find ourselves, and the hilarious things folks would say to and about us. Absolutely good times.

That’s why the decision to euthanize Larry was utterly agonizing – yet so swiftly decided. This pup single-handedly ushered me into confidence when I needed it the most. His keen sense of awareness, selflessness, dependability, eagerness to work, loyalty and sensitivity made him the best travel companion, copilot, guide and buddy a blind guy – or any guy – could ask for. My heart crumbled time after time as Larry’s health began to deteriorate last fall, which was honestly the only way we’d ever manage to get him out of harness. He was just that dedicated.

I never imagined cancer would overtake him. Not in a million years did I ever expect this. And – even more – the cancer was so aggressive. What started so seemingly innocent as a few missed meals quickly turned into a diagnosis of colon, prostate and liver cancer. It was miserable watching him snub his nose at even the tastiest of table scraps, only because it would be so painful to digest. Days, verging on a week, of no substantial food left our boy tired, weak, distant and lethargic, which isn’t how we wanted to remember him.

larry-flowers-small.jpgOn Friday, December 2nd, Angela and I, along with the insight from our friends at Guide Dogs of Texas, made the decision to give Larry peace. I believe it was the ultimate means of honoring him – ending the pain and suffering he was experiencing. He didn’t deserve it. I can’t tell you how saddened we were to make the decision – but know it was undoubtedly the best one available.

Thank you all so much for loving this pup the way we did. Thanks for holding on to so many of those precious, amusing and inspiring Larry stories acquired through the years. He was truly a good dog – the best – and I can say with great certainty that he’s going to be a tough act to follow. We’ll certainly miss him. The house already feels empty without him.

Such a handsome pup - we're going to miss him.

It’s been incredible to see the outpouring of support from not only my family and friends – but even the good folks at the Texas A&M Small Animal Clinic, as well as Guide Dogs of Texas in San Antonio. Without the love and support shown us throughout the past few weeks, we most certainly would find ourselves in utter despair. Mandi, our slightly less aware and not so mobility oriented border collie mix, will wear Larry’s tags on her collar, in an attempt to keep her brother’s same cheery jingle fluttering through our house in his absence.

NOTE While I’ve had this post sitting as a “Draft”, I got word from GDTX about a match for the spring training session. On January 24th, we’ll meet Piper, and barring any unforeseen hurdles, evaluate training with her in late February. As always – I’ll keep you posted.

I’m Normally a Roller Coaster Fanatic

If you’ve caught even a single update over the past week or so, you’ll know my family has been experiencing quite a bit of change. Often shying away from monotony, I’m always excited to turn the page and see what’s behind the corner – but it’s all happened so fast. In an attempt to keep you all in the loop, I’m going to post just a quick recap of all that’s going on – and I’ll expand as we have time.

Tyson is Here!

Tyson Robert RomackIn a strange turn of events, Tyson was delivered via c-section last Wednesday, November 23rd, at 9:14AM. Our little guy weighed in at five pounds and four ounces, and measured 18.5 inches in length. I’ll most certainly delve into more of the labor and delivery stories – because there certainly are plenty – but long story short, Tyson was diagnosed with IUGR, or intrauterine growth restriction, and the nourishment needed to keep him growing and thriving was unattainable in the womb.

Taking him last Wednesday was an incredible call on the part of our OB – our long journey is just now beginning regarding Ty’s health. A 10% weight reduction is normal after birth, as most babies easily regain those pounds after a healthy feeding cycle begins during the first two weeks. But – Tyson’s low weight makes each ounce count even more, and he’s now down 12% since last Wednesday. Holding a tiny four pound and ten ounce baby is certainly adorable, but he’s absolutely going to have to pack on the poundage over the next couple days. Weight checks every 48 hours, nursing every two hours and a half ounce of supplemental formula four times daily are the first non-invasive steps to make that happen. Given his diagnosis, we don’t want him back in a hospital on IVs and feeding tubes, so we’re working around the clock to keep him fed, but also nice and toasty, as being cold and self-warming burns off so many calories.

More updates on all of this tomorrow.

Parking a Stroller in the Unemployment Line

I got the unexpected, and quite unfortunate, call last Monday that I was being laid off due to some lost work and budget issues. Many of you know that I’ve worked for my buddy and partner, Ross, for the past year, and we served local businesses with their digital and social media marketing needs. It’s been a blast. But – with the departure of a client comes a decline in that business, and sad as it may be, my full-time involvement just wasn’t possible anymore.

As I cozied up to the idea of a part-time job, the opportunity started looking a lot less likely as I fleshed it out with my partner. Money just wasn’t there, and in a very difficult and heart wrenching decision, I gave my formal decision yesterday to step away altogether. No hard feelings between Ross and I – just business.

I don’t know where that has us, to be honest, but I’m not terrified just yet. I believe in my abilities, but more importantly, I believe in the opportunity that exists around this local community. Now, more than ever, the ideas and concepts I’ve invested in so fully are most important to local businesses, and I’m going to move full force into what all I can offer them. I’m expecting great things – so hold on for more news on all of this soon, too.

Can I See My Son?

I’ve gotten this question quite a bit over the past couple of days. I realize my last post ranted and raved on the excellent progress being made through my recovery, but the fact is that I’ve experienced sharp declines in my eyesight, actually, and I’m seeing almost as poorly as I did before the surgery. We are completely unsure of why that is – but I do have appointments with a few of my doctors this afternoon.

I’ve seen Tyson’s nose, a few pictures (that I suspect I’m not fully seeing), and the occasional glimpse at his hands and feet, but I’ve yet to see the whole enchilada. I’m holding out hope that this journey with my eyesight isn’t over yet – and, while I want positive and constructive answers from my docs today, I just want *ANY* answers. I want to see straight into my son’s eyes – that’s what I really want.

All that being said, I came to the realization yesterday that, as difficult as this is to say, and even more difficult to fully believe, I don’t need to see Tyson’s face to know how much I love him and need him in my life. Seeing him, as awesome as it will be, doesn’t make me more or less of his father. I love this little guy with all I’ve got, and with each coo, whimper, whine, cry, and even dirty diaper, he melts our hearts just a little bit more.

I’ll keep you updated on what my doctors say this afternoon. I’m hopeful, but also completely willing to submit to disappointing news, as well.