Friday Posbang- Lets Talk about What is Going Well in Your Life
Mates,
We lost the greatest basketball coach in school history and then recruits started to (understandably) wander away. Obviously we all want the coaching search to find another unicorn but unfortunately those probably don't exist, or if they do, they are under contract somewhere else and aren't coming to AA. Its been a crud sandwich kind of a week for U of M.
Well, enough of that for now. Let's talk about what is going well in your world, some humble-brag and/or just plain old genuinely pleasing stuff that's happening in your life. Made your sales goal at work? Job promotion or interview imminent? Fitness goals, weight loss, training for a race? How about your family, kids doing alright, maybe some of them knocking it out in school or on the ball or soccer field? Your spouse/GF/BF is a champ and you are looking forward to a great weekend?
Let's hear it, let's hear about the good stuff. Enough belly-aching for a while. Brag away and have some fun doing it. I hope you have a great weekend, the weather has definitely warmed up some.
XM
We moved back to Chicago back in March after spending the last few years in Atlanta for my partner’s work project. Man it’s great to be back in Big Ten footprint. Nothing like summer in Chicago!
We’re also taking a trip over to Barcelona this fall. Really looking forward to seeing Spain for the first time.
Yesterday and this morning were a good reminder that life is actually pretty great and this coaching shit will work itself out. The one thing that won’t help it is me worrying about / getting upset about it.
Make it a great Friday! It’s great to be a Michigan Wolverine :)
My wife and I went to Barcelona a few years ago for part of our honeymoon. Loved, loved, LOVED it. Stayed right in the Gothic Quarter, and didn't have a single bad meal or bad glass of wine there.
Wish we had more time there, but the other half of our trip was at the Amalfi Coast, so its hard to complain too much.
Just got a new job at Villanova, and I am headed back to Michigan (Marquette) this Summer with the family. First time back to the UP since 2006!
please tell me you're sending Jay Wright to AA once you arrive
It finally looks, feels, and smells like summer! I'm enjoying leaving work on time, running outdoors, gardening with my wife, and playing games with my kids. Couldn't get much better.
I needed this thread. Thanks guys. Thanks XM.
Same here... good to see.
Had a fundraiser last night for the place I run. The event planner arranged for a local singer who has been on a national show. I get to take pictures with her. It was pretty cool. I possibly have to deal with some serious stuff today at work and hoping it won't be serious. Ups and Downs of Life. Looking forward to the weekend and planning to head to the driving range. Enjoy your weekend everyone.
I'm in the running to be the next University of Michigan Head basketball coach
Thanks for being forever positive XM...
I'm thankful to have skidded across Plymouth Rd at rush hour and coming out unscathed ..time to go car shopping.
Good weekend for me-- sing with The Toledo Symphony tonight and tomorrow and little M softball tomorrow afternoon.
Heres the Peristyle at the Toledo Art Institute where I am singing.
Very cool! Break a leg!
I went to Colorado last week (first time), went hiking and reached 10,000 feet (first time), and got engaged (first time).
I was in Lansing around work driving around and saw something driving around.
+1 underrated
I played catch with my 6 and 8 year old sons with a Nerf football almost every day this week while getting them on the bus. Played once with my 10 year old daughter who goes to middle school. Everything may not be how we like it, but there is no greater joy than seeing how many consecutive catches you can make.
Every day I go home from work I get to see my beautiful wife holding my beautiful 9 month old who gives me a giant semi-toothless grin. There is no better feeling in the world.
Overall life is pretty good but I'm going to keep this one simple. Yesterday morning I was not run over by a boulevard barge driving the wrong way on one-way street in Chicago while riding a Divvy ( https://www.divvybikes.com/ ) bike. This was on my daily commute. It's a relatively short haul but I count it among my year-round pleasures.
I run an improv workshop at a prison. We had an awesome show last night.
Last time I was in prison, we had an awesome stand-up comedy show that got a little out of hand near the end.
Lost about 10 lbs in a couple weeks. Quit drinking beer (almost entirely) and started weighing myself every morning. Very small adjustments that seem to truly help.
Last Saturday was the 27th annual Stamp Out Hunger letter carriers' food drive.
I was blessed enough to be able to donate a couple bags of food. That small act brought so much joy and made me feel like a good person for the first time in many years.
Well, I'll be at Motor City ComicCon tomorrow, so I'll try to not think about the basketball situation.
Who knows, maybe I'll unwittingly run into some of you.
Any celebrities in particular you're looking to meet? There's quite the slate on deck.
Just got back from Disney a couple days ago, was down there for my daughters all star cheer competition. (don't let your daughter get into that unless you enjoy sitting around for 5-6 hours for 3 minutes of competing...and enjoy spending a lot of $$ on it), but she loves it so we are signed up for next year (which practice already starts in a few days), its a year round commitment. Now get to head to Philly next week for my first of 4 Executive Leadership training classes. Excited for what that is going to do for my career.
My daughter did that for a while. I was stunned by how much $$$ it was, all of it coming from the parents. It's a total scam.
She even had a cheer bow that said "I cheer, Daddy pays."
Oh its unreal. What I thought I was going to pay, was tripled by the end of the year when you factor in all the travel expenses, stay to play, choreography and music charges. Plus had to buy a hair piece because most of the other girls had them. Its a total racket. But she loves it, so I don't see an end to it for the next 5+ years.
Jim Harbaugh just wrote me a hand-written personal message for my birthday!
My awesome wife got him to do it be writing him a letter telling him how big a Michigan fan I was, and all the crazy insane things I do during the season as part of my fandom.
When you put all the stupid stuff I do down in writing like that, I'm actually surprised it was a birthday greeting and not a restraining order.
Duplicate post.
Here's a picture of Don Brown in a teaching moment.
I had some subs and it was crazy
I'm NOT driving around Lansing !
We’ve had a great spring at the church; lots of exciting things happening, seeing people take great steps. One of our friends just had a baby, and while the labor was difficult the baby is healthy, a contrast from their last baby that had to spend a few weeks in NICU. Everyone is pitching in to help them out.
At home my family is healthy and happy with the bills paid. I just took three of the kids out to the park last night, and my wife and I get a date tonight. We’re in a low spot between two exceptionally busy seasons, so it’s time to rest just a bit.
Oh, and I’m down 20 pounds, so that’s nice.
Interviewed for a job I was in no way qualified for last week. They already knew this and still offered me the job anyways. between that and how Spurs made the champions league final I am now positive I will be hit by a bus
so much good in this thread. very glad to hear about the children (present and expected), their achievements, the spouses (present and expected), jobs (present and expected), health gains and all the rest. i had to stop myself from literally responding to almost every post.
blessings to you all and go blue!
thanks for being the ray of sun shine we needed today
Just accepted a new job in the Netherlands. Moving there end of July.
Congrats!
Now you'll have to change your user name to UM in NL.
Letter from IRS was NOT an audit notice...verifying my identity only. Very good day.
I'm alive.
After a hiatus I started coaching youth basketball again because I saw the need and really enjoyed it. My daughter and another girl I coached previously volunteered to help and it was very special to share the turnaround project with them.
Now the school AD wants to meet with me but I'm not sure I am ready for that commitment right now.
My side hustle bee business is really buzzing. The plan of doubling in size is ahead of schedule.
Rumors of an early retirement package that I may be able to take are swirling around. That would be a great way to start the next act of life while I am still young.
We are on track to finally move to The Great North this summer, so that is good.
might have to bug you for gps coordinates to the permanent home...
I have my daily frustrations, but I have great friends and family, and my job pays my bills while I look for another one.
18 years and 2 months ago, my oldest daughter was born 2 months premature. She weighed 2 lbs 13 oz, and the doctors were not sure she was going to make it. When she was 3 days old, they found out her small intestine was blocked and she had to have belly surgery to clean it out and then wear an ostymy bag until she was 5 months old; and when she was 9 months she was diagnosed with hydrocephalous (excess fluid in the brain) and she had to have her first of 7 brain surgeries to place and refine a head shunt (a surgery that could have killed her, caused her severe brain damage, left her with seizures, or left her a vegetable...one of many possible complications).
So all told, she had NINE major surgeries before she had her first 8 birthdays.
She had to bury her baby brother in 2005 (stillbirth). She had to bury her baby sister in 2007 (SIDS). She had to watch her mother overdose on prescription narcotics in 2012. She developed Social Anxiety and started seeing a child psychologist when she started high school and two years ago, she finally agreed to start on Anti-anxiety meds, which were a God-send. She's been a staple in the vocal music program since junior high, and the last two years, she's been in the top "audition-only" women's choir, as well as a soloist in the Concert Choir, which has helped her confidence soar.
In 9 days, she will graduate from High School with a 3.98 GPA, ranked in the top 5 in her class.
She has been accepted to the University of Iowa for Pre-Med and been awarded a partial-tuition Academic Scholarship for all 4 years (provided she maintain a 3.5 GPA).
I haven't done much right in my life, but I have raised one amazing daughter.
That is fabulous parenting and perseverance despite many challenges. So impressed she has chosen to be successful despite many obvious challenges.
Damn brother you have had it rough. Wiping away a tear reading this. I couldn't imagine ..... I'll pray for you and her tonight.
Hug her tight
Truly amazing what you two have overcome! Thank you for sharing such a personal information.
3 employed kids with 5 umich degrees between them. Daughter gets married in a few weeks and her fiance grads from med school this weekend. Wife has dream job. And boat went in the water yesterday. Looking forward to a great summer on Lake Michigan.
seeing a friend tomorrow in Seattle that I havent seen since Ann Arbor before I moved out.
Bang
Son is finished his junior year of college (Chem major, Math minor) and is working his way up the ranks of Phi Beta Kappa honors society. Also is doing very well at his internship as an analytical chemist with an up and coming company in the same building I work in.
Daughter is graduating high school in 3 weeks and moving out this summer. She was just accepted to Phi Beta Kappa as well. She will be a sophomore in college next semester as she took 12 credit hours of college courses as a senior in high school. She's not sure what she wants to do but has been leaning towards computer science major with a graphic design minor.
I am in the last round of interviews (on site with execs in a couple weeks) for my dream job at a fortune 500 company ranked one of the best companies to work for in the US. On top of loving my job, I should easily double my salary, not counting the annual bonuses and other benefits and be able to max out 401k by July every year (with the company match).