timh
12-05-04, 01:21 PM
24 Hours of a Professional Dad/Husband
2:31AM – Youngest son is awoke by bad dream and comes into bedroom. Take son back to his room so mom/wife can continue to sleep.
3:21AM – Son falls back to sleep after much discussion and many trips to the bathroom.
3:22AM – Sneak back to bedroom and double check to make sure alarm is set (OCD thing). Remember the mortgage is due in a couple days.
5:40AM – Alarm goes off. Hit snooze (we all do it).
5:50AM – Alarm goes off again. Get up and pick out clothes (polo or shirt/tie).
5:55AM – Proceed to bathroom and poke head in to each son’s room to make sure everything is OK. They sure do look peaceful, but wait until they wake up!
6:10AM – Finish getting ready downstairs, so to not wake the family. Notice a couple bills are due, will take them to work and pay online.
6:15AM – While getting cream out of the refrigerator, notice son’s allergy prescription needs to be refilled. Check rest of family’s prescriptions too. Will fill out mail order form for son and mom/wife’s prescription this evening.
6:30AM – Go to the basement to see if dryer needs to be re-run. Start dryer. Realize the basement still needs to be cleaned after the flood. Maybe this weekend.
6:45AM – Finish eating breakfast and put rest of dirty dishes from last night into dishwasher.
7:00AM – Ready to leave for work and oldest son wakes up, comes downstairs and he’s hungry too. Tell him to be quiet and not wake mom/wife and his brother. Get him bowl of cereal and drink. Kiss son on forehead, tell him “I love you”, and ask him to take it easy on mom/wife today.
7:05AM – Kiss, hug and tell mom/wife you love her. Remind her you will be late tonight due to the car appointment.
7:10AM – Ready to leave again and realize it’s trash/recycling day. Collect trash/recycling and drag out to curb.
7:20AM – While pulling out of the driveway I notice the garage needs to be repainted. Remember this was one of the projects scheduled for this summer. Maybe if I get the paint I would be motivated to start.
8:05AM – Hear strange humming noise while driving to work. Remember the car needs new tires before winter. Also have appointment to get car air conditioner fixed at 5:00 tonight and a scheduled doctor’s appointment tomorrow at 6:00PM.
8:10 AM – Finally make it into work and before I make it to the door, I am confronted by a project manager about details on an urgent project.
8:19AM – Get to desk and notice voicemail light is on. Login to laptop and check e-mail and voicemail. Login to online banking to pay bills. Notice the checking is getting low, wonder what I can sell for some fast cash. When is payday again?
9:00AM – First meeting of the day to discuss recalling an application that is having problems. Triggers thoughts about the recall notice we received about the van. Need to schedule appointment before the van bursts into flames.
10:11AM – Meeting runs late. Need to reply to a bunch of e-mails.
10:34AM – Support issue with company network. Need to drop all scheduled meetings and tasks to resolve issue.
11:45AM – Network issue is not resolved, starting to get hungry.
12:17PM – Network issue resolved. Leave for lunch and manager approaches about new urgent project.
12:20PM – Grab a bite to eat and stop a home improvement store to buy trim for the mudroom and landscaping supplies. Get a page the network problem is back.
12:45PM – Make it back to office and avoid project manager by ducking into restroom.
12:50PM – Fix network issue for the second time and read e-mails.
1:00PM – Attend bi-weekly Engineering Design meeting.
1:35PM – Drift asleep of a couple times (you know the head/neck snap routine).
1:59PM – Start working on scheduled tasks.
2:15PM – Get call from mom/wife to talk with youngest son on why it is not alright to give the cat a bath in the downstairs sink. Son does not want to talk. Sense mom/wife’s frustration. Tell her it will be all right and you will talk to him tonight. Tell her you love her.
2:21PM – Back to scheduled tasks.
4:00PM – Call car dealer to schedule van recall appointment.
4:05PM – Setup out-of-town technical training class. Feel guilty for leaving mom/wife alone with the kids for 5 days. Think of ways to make it up to her.
4:30PM – Search web for getaway vacations for you and mom/wife (no kids).
5:05PM – Remember car appointment for air conditioner.
5:35PM – Make it to dealer and walk around show room and contemplate trading the van in for the 2-door convertible. Not a practical move that would be well received.
6:05PM - Finish waiting in the courtesy room by reading the latest parenting magazine. Get depressed because you’re doing everything wrong (according to the experts).
6:14PM – Car is fixed and the bill is not too bad.
6:20PM – Remember to drop off youngest son’s glasses (the ones he won’t wear) at the eye doctor to get new lenses.
6:30PM – On the way home, take note of the simple pleasure of having air conditioning in the car again.
6:40PM – Pull in the driveway and run over a dozen or so Hot Wheels. I’ll hear about this later. Notice the grass needs to be cut (maybe tomorrow).
6:45PM – Walk into the house and greet mom/wife with hug and kiss. Ask how the day went. I get an angry look in return and I am told “my” son is in his room.
6:50PM – Reheat dinner and eat while standing at the kitchen counter reading today’s paper. It’s really good (the dinner that is). Complement mom/wife.
7:05PM – Make way to “my” son’s room. Explain to him he cannot use permanent markers on the white bathroom wall. Ask him how the rest of his day went. He tells me his friend let him borrow some Hot Wheel cars and they played with them in the driveway. I knew it was coming.
7:45PM – Bath time. Enough said.
8:30PM – Bedtime. Enough said.
9:00PM – Sit on couch with mom/wife. Hear “Mommy, I’m thirsty. Ice cold water, please.”. I take glass of water with ice cubes to oldest son, cover him up again and kiss him goodnight. Time to go back to the “stranger” on the couch.
9:30PM – Youngest son yells down that he wants mommy. Tell him to get in back in bed and someone will be up during the next commercial break. Realize the show we are watching is a special and is commercial free. Maybe he’ll fall asleep before the end.
10:40pm – Talk with wife briefly about the air conditioner in the car, the appointment for the van recall, my out-of-town training class and that the eye doctor needs one last measurement before they can order our son’s glasses. She shares with me her two trips to swimming lessons, the doctor appointment, the status of the cat and the many craft projects that were completed before lunchtime.
10:50PM – Talk about how nice it would be to have a quick weekend getaway (did I mention no kids).
10:55PM – Youngest son yells down he is scared. Mom/wife goes upstairs to reassure and tuck him back in bed.
11:50PM – Wake up from falling asleep on couch. Mom/wife is not around. Turn off television, make way to kitchen and finish loading and run dishwasher. Go to basement and run a load of clothes in the washer.
12:13AM – Go upstairs, check on oldest son and cover him up. Check on youngest son and notice the “stranger” (mom/wife) is sleeping in his bed. They look so peaceful.
12:14AM – Wake mom/wife, brush teeth and go to bed.
12:16AM – Mom/wife comes to bed. Talk about tomorrow’s plans (wait a minute, it is tomorrow).
12:31AM – Fall asleep.
1:05AM – Pager goes off. Remember that it is “On Call Week”. Respond to page and address support issue through remote computer connection.
1:40AM – Oldest son wakes up and mom/wife puts him back to bed. There goes that “stranger” again. I really should change the locks.
2:15AM – Support issue resolved and go back to bed.
2:30AM – Cats jump in bed and start meowing. They must be out of food or water. Go downstairs to check. No food.
2:31AM – Go back to bed.
Does anyone else think like this? This is just 24 hours.
- Tim
2:31AM – Youngest son is awoke by bad dream and comes into bedroom. Take son back to his room so mom/wife can continue to sleep.
3:21AM – Son falls back to sleep after much discussion and many trips to the bathroom.
3:22AM – Sneak back to bedroom and double check to make sure alarm is set (OCD thing). Remember the mortgage is due in a couple days.
5:40AM – Alarm goes off. Hit snooze (we all do it).
5:50AM – Alarm goes off again. Get up and pick out clothes (polo or shirt/tie).
5:55AM – Proceed to bathroom and poke head in to each son’s room to make sure everything is OK. They sure do look peaceful, but wait until they wake up!
6:10AM – Finish getting ready downstairs, so to not wake the family. Notice a couple bills are due, will take them to work and pay online.
6:15AM – While getting cream out of the refrigerator, notice son’s allergy prescription needs to be refilled. Check rest of family’s prescriptions too. Will fill out mail order form for son and mom/wife’s prescription this evening.
6:30AM – Go to the basement to see if dryer needs to be re-run. Start dryer. Realize the basement still needs to be cleaned after the flood. Maybe this weekend.
6:45AM – Finish eating breakfast and put rest of dirty dishes from last night into dishwasher.
7:00AM – Ready to leave for work and oldest son wakes up, comes downstairs and he’s hungry too. Tell him to be quiet and not wake mom/wife and his brother. Get him bowl of cereal and drink. Kiss son on forehead, tell him “I love you”, and ask him to take it easy on mom/wife today.
7:05AM – Kiss, hug and tell mom/wife you love her. Remind her you will be late tonight due to the car appointment.
7:10AM – Ready to leave again and realize it’s trash/recycling day. Collect trash/recycling and drag out to curb.
7:20AM – While pulling out of the driveway I notice the garage needs to be repainted. Remember this was one of the projects scheduled for this summer. Maybe if I get the paint I would be motivated to start.
8:05AM – Hear strange humming noise while driving to work. Remember the car needs new tires before winter. Also have appointment to get car air conditioner fixed at 5:00 tonight and a scheduled doctor’s appointment tomorrow at 6:00PM.
8:10 AM – Finally make it into work and before I make it to the door, I am confronted by a project manager about details on an urgent project.
8:19AM – Get to desk and notice voicemail light is on. Login to laptop and check e-mail and voicemail. Login to online banking to pay bills. Notice the checking is getting low, wonder what I can sell for some fast cash. When is payday again?
9:00AM – First meeting of the day to discuss recalling an application that is having problems. Triggers thoughts about the recall notice we received about the van. Need to schedule appointment before the van bursts into flames.
10:11AM – Meeting runs late. Need to reply to a bunch of e-mails.
10:34AM – Support issue with company network. Need to drop all scheduled meetings and tasks to resolve issue.
11:45AM – Network issue is not resolved, starting to get hungry.
12:17PM – Network issue resolved. Leave for lunch and manager approaches about new urgent project.
12:20PM – Grab a bite to eat and stop a home improvement store to buy trim for the mudroom and landscaping supplies. Get a page the network problem is back.
12:45PM – Make it back to office and avoid project manager by ducking into restroom.
12:50PM – Fix network issue for the second time and read e-mails.
1:00PM – Attend bi-weekly Engineering Design meeting.
1:35PM – Drift asleep of a couple times (you know the head/neck snap routine).
1:59PM – Start working on scheduled tasks.
2:15PM – Get call from mom/wife to talk with youngest son on why it is not alright to give the cat a bath in the downstairs sink. Son does not want to talk. Sense mom/wife’s frustration. Tell her it will be all right and you will talk to him tonight. Tell her you love her.
2:21PM – Back to scheduled tasks.
4:00PM – Call car dealer to schedule van recall appointment.
4:05PM – Setup out-of-town technical training class. Feel guilty for leaving mom/wife alone with the kids for 5 days. Think of ways to make it up to her.
4:30PM – Search web for getaway vacations for you and mom/wife (no kids).
5:05PM – Remember car appointment for air conditioner.
5:35PM – Make it to dealer and walk around show room and contemplate trading the van in for the 2-door convertible. Not a practical move that would be well received.
6:05PM - Finish waiting in the courtesy room by reading the latest parenting magazine. Get depressed because you’re doing everything wrong (according to the experts).
6:14PM – Car is fixed and the bill is not too bad.
6:20PM – Remember to drop off youngest son’s glasses (the ones he won’t wear) at the eye doctor to get new lenses.
6:30PM – On the way home, take note of the simple pleasure of having air conditioning in the car again.
6:40PM – Pull in the driveway and run over a dozen or so Hot Wheels. I’ll hear about this later. Notice the grass needs to be cut (maybe tomorrow).
6:45PM – Walk into the house and greet mom/wife with hug and kiss. Ask how the day went. I get an angry look in return and I am told “my” son is in his room.
6:50PM – Reheat dinner and eat while standing at the kitchen counter reading today’s paper. It’s really good (the dinner that is). Complement mom/wife.
7:05PM – Make way to “my” son’s room. Explain to him he cannot use permanent markers on the white bathroom wall. Ask him how the rest of his day went. He tells me his friend let him borrow some Hot Wheel cars and they played with them in the driveway. I knew it was coming.
7:45PM – Bath time. Enough said.
8:30PM – Bedtime. Enough said.
9:00PM – Sit on couch with mom/wife. Hear “Mommy, I’m thirsty. Ice cold water, please.”. I take glass of water with ice cubes to oldest son, cover him up again and kiss him goodnight. Time to go back to the “stranger” on the couch.
9:30PM – Youngest son yells down that he wants mommy. Tell him to get in back in bed and someone will be up during the next commercial break. Realize the show we are watching is a special and is commercial free. Maybe he’ll fall asleep before the end.
10:40pm – Talk with wife briefly about the air conditioner in the car, the appointment for the van recall, my out-of-town training class and that the eye doctor needs one last measurement before they can order our son’s glasses. She shares with me her two trips to swimming lessons, the doctor appointment, the status of the cat and the many craft projects that were completed before lunchtime.
10:50PM – Talk about how nice it would be to have a quick weekend getaway (did I mention no kids).
10:55PM – Youngest son yells down he is scared. Mom/wife goes upstairs to reassure and tuck him back in bed.
11:50PM – Wake up from falling asleep on couch. Mom/wife is not around. Turn off television, make way to kitchen and finish loading and run dishwasher. Go to basement and run a load of clothes in the washer.
12:13AM – Go upstairs, check on oldest son and cover him up. Check on youngest son and notice the “stranger” (mom/wife) is sleeping in his bed. They look so peaceful.
12:14AM – Wake mom/wife, brush teeth and go to bed.
12:16AM – Mom/wife comes to bed. Talk about tomorrow’s plans (wait a minute, it is tomorrow).
12:31AM – Fall asleep.
1:05AM – Pager goes off. Remember that it is “On Call Week”. Respond to page and address support issue through remote computer connection.
1:40AM – Oldest son wakes up and mom/wife puts him back to bed. There goes that “stranger” again. I really should change the locks.
2:15AM – Support issue resolved and go back to bed.
2:30AM – Cats jump in bed and start meowing. They must be out of food or water. Go downstairs to check. No food.
2:31AM – Go back to bed.
Does anyone else think like this? This is just 24 hours.
- Tim