(Little Man) and I in 1999. Immediately following 9/11, typical of modern warrior families, this scene would be repeated several times. My choice to pursue the warrior life came with the cost of our family. We are NOT victims, we knew exactly what we were getting involved with.
We’ve since recovered our new shared life together as father and son. In relief, proving we did the right thing as a family, at 16 yrs old today, Little Man has grown into a remarkable young man.
Little Man, you’re now 16, officially becoming a young man.
Hold on for the ride, life gets fast, furious, frustrating, frightening and fucking incredible from here on out!
Days and nights of the past, today and tomorrow, yet so fast. How could they be?
Words fail to express, how Little Man you’ve made me proud. ”Decide what to be, and go be it.”
Dad
Growing old without Jojo and Little Man is disturbing. Time doesn’t seem the same and life isn’t the best without them. The sun does not set or rise. What was beautiful before is a passing thought today. What I valued before has little to no meaning. Without them, the day doesn’t arrive new and the night doesn’t come soon enough. Watching how fast these past eight years have passed concerns me. Why do lessons learned have to be so costly? Are all these challenges meant for a purpose where so many losses and failures happen for a reason? I ask these questions because from the very start, when forced to make a choice eight years ago, I chose to pursue a good life with Little Man and Jojo, finally new warrior responsibilities. After all that I failed at, I’ve come to believe that the unhealthy thinking I may have been pursuing the next warrior life. Fact is how I couldn’t have all three. Little Man, Jojo and that life.
Today, I seriously look at life different, but I don’t. To read more, please click this link: Spitting Teeth
Adults can manage what life throws at us and will. Children new to the experiences of extreme losses, deal real-time. Few things if any overwhelm parents more than the children. One repeated lesson I’ve learned is how our children are resilient. What was daunting as a child is forgotten as a teenager, yet it never fails to stay seared deep in the minds of the parents.
My son, waited for me to leave the military and return home. He was seven years old the day I arrived. He jumped in my arms shrieking with joy and shared all the plans he had for us. To read more, please click this link: Let me fall
Not a “woah be me” song. Just a great song by a band that broke punk into mainstream music. I think you will relate to the lyrics and enjoy this song. When I say they broke punk into popular music, I’m not referring to punk who stayed punk or punk who started punk. By no means is this considered a punk song. Green Day just originated as punk. Regardless, Green Day, just like Metallica went viral if you would and took their genre to the public making it big leaving a great impact on music.
This song reminds me of what it’s like to have friends and family drop like flies while you pursue what you are after. Failing throws curve balls at you, yet, just before the dawn is the darkest hour. When life is so damned frustrating, just when it is about to expire, that is when it starts and the good comes around. Simply put, no matter what you never fucking quit.
To love is defiance. Go against the grain, opposite of the world around you. Call it being stuck or too focused, I don’t care. It is what it is. She’s on my mind everyday all day. These thoughts are motivating one moment, down right upsetting the next. Meaning I find myself wanting to talk to her again sharing with her the good things in life. Next, I’m realizing how far removed we are from each other, there appears no chance we will reconnect. Regardless, I choose to take this path. It is my decision to want to have feelings for Jojo. More than once I’ve tried to give up, naturally within myself is something that refuses to quit.
Knowing she is not married yet is nothing less than inspiring. There is a chance. A chance for anything in this world. Why so many people have gone off and pursued things in this world that were impossible to others. I knew from the beginning it would be next to impossible to retrieve a new relationship with Jojo. The odds were stacked against me. Had I chosen to stay with her, she would have witnessed me as a married man try to start a life with her. Later, in the worst of times with Jojo, she would have seen me as less of a man lacking loyalty. The effort would have failed.
Tell me not to want her. Tell me to go away, to return to my home and start a new life. I will tell you in return to piss off and take the high road. My intent was to recover remnants of a past life with a purpose to recover my son and build a better life with someone new. Someone who earned my trust and respect. Someone, at the end of the day, I simply fell for.
Had I…ah, the past doesn’t matter much. Only for the lessons learned will the past matter. That’s exactly what I’m trying to convey, is how if I had done anything different, I would have compromised myself and everything I believed in. Going after my son first is, was and will always be the right thing. Had I not done that, I would not be here typing. Instead, I would be dust dissolved in some far off waters or found crumbling in mud within some hidden dump. If a pistol to the temple or dextromethrophane to the kidney did not take me, the great man above would have found a way.
All I can relate her to is … beauty. Yes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. When you experience Jojo, you will certainly feel the same way. You want to be a part of her and share something with her. She is dynamic, alive and a giving woman who carries herself with confidence. Being so attractive, she’s confidently able to walk everywhere with her head held high.
This woman is that impressive…she would endure rides on the bike for over 12 hours. Not complaining or whining wanting to go home or stop. She wanted to live life to the fullest. To the point, I taught her how to ride the Harley on her own. Watching her learn was amusing and fun. She took control of the bike, let out a shriek scream and went with it. On that abandoned runway, she commanded that 600lb bike and took off pushing through the gears where the transmission begged to be shifted higher and higher.
For now, rarely when I look up do I see women who capture my attention and set off the internal fire of attraction. If they are attractive, then they lack personality, even intelligence and humor. Or, too dramatic, whine even judge others.
I don’t know, they simply are not this woman. The woman I”ve chosen to love, respect and pursue.
There is a reason Eminem’s video “Space Bound” has over 42 million views on YouTube. Caution: If you do not support strong language, violence and the “F” word. Do not listen to this video.
Despite what he writes, I’m still putting Jojo’s name as a tag. What he captures in terms of pain and a sense of urgency about his love of a woman put’s Jojo in a personal category. How intense Eminem gets in this song can describe what it feels like with Jojos. A fact of reality of spending time with Jojo. She’s that impressive and important.
Listen carefully to this song “Space bound” to see what Eminem really means. Keep in mind, where Eminem leads you, does he mean it, or is he communicating something else? Verbally, he spins off words and phrases that many will squirm in discomfort. The strong language in his songs are meant for adults, not kids. However, is he speaking the truth? Don’t let the language stop you. I suggest if you challenge yourself to explore and analyze this video. Take time to see Eminem’s meaning. Ask yourself, “what is he trying to say?”
Eminem, from my family’s home town, represents our city and state of Michigan. Eminem is the Ambassador of Michigan’s “Motown” music community. For almost 20 years, he’s become Motown‘s leader of their new generation. What’s important about Eminem is how he’s a dedicated father of a daughter. He’s passionate about being a father. Eminem has also struggled with being raised in an abusive household, finally, his marriage with his ex-wife was explosive. Explaining the source of his lyrics.
Whatever the reason, he struggled with a serious drug abuse problem (Prescription drugs). No different than most of America these days, he has since cleaned himself up recovering to produce his finest work to date. Hence, the title “Recovery” of this album. This MP3 is by far, Eminem’s finest work.
Dr. Dre and Eminem have created a splinter genre almost on their own. As a result of their joint work, Eminem has sold over 77 million records leading every band and singer in all genres. If I’m correct, I believe this is a record of all time. Even surpassing people and bands like Michael Jackson, Rolling Stones, etc. This record sets Eminem apart from any other artist cementing his credibility raising his work to a whole other level. This burst in performance is evident when listening to his lyrics. I don’t care how old or young you are (+16) people from all generations can relate to lost love. They may not admit it, but it comes down to one word. Passion.
In this video “Space bound“Eminem grabs a hold of the English language firing out words showing the resentment he feels from loving a woman and losing her. Dealing with lost love and infidelity. Listen to Space Bound and see if he captures human nature. To understand where he is coming from, see if you can relate and understand his point. After listening to Space Bound, ask yourself, did Eminem stir anything within you? Are you stunned, confused or even enlightened? Could you do what Eminem did with music and make listeners get emotional? Do you have those skills? I know I don’t.
Regardless, in Space Bound, his lyrics are meant to grab your attention, “verbally” shaking your skull leaving his point seared deep in your mind where you are like …”Oh, I get it, yeah, I know what he means, I’ve been there.”
Not afraid of the past, after ten stays at VA mental hospitals, I’m driving forward. Today, I’m going to share some experiences.
Combat mental illness or PTSD is a difficult subject, embarrassing, complicated even too difficult to explain.
As you read this blog, not only do you need to understand Jojo and Little Man, you must understand the path taken since 9/11. A personal journey.
Allow me some time to put thoughts on paper. This post will be a page, not a long post. I’ve learned my lesson in posting. For now, I’ll leave you with another song and brief note. Keep this in mind. When I post songs from women, they make me think of Jojo. I’ll post only songs that I believe feed into this post. If they only show one image and not a video, the purpose is to listen to the lyrics describe Prepare to Cross over.
Thank you.
Prepare to cross over
To my son for all his strength, resiliency and determination to become a warrior son.
1st collector for Head Full of Doubt
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How do I lead you? Don’t walk my path. Look out. Watch out for this, that or the other. Making the choices I made, you cannot keep up. You’ll only get lost. Look, listen, watch me. Soon you will ride alone.
Who am I?
Why the fall?
I’m a Dad. A warrior. A Father. A man.
