Journal Entry for the Week in Review for August 15-21, 2016

JURY DUTY DAY

This Monday Morning started with a really early wake-up call for me.  For the first time in my life, I would serve on a Jury.  I didn't know what to expect when I drove up to the Cobb County Superior Court building and entered through security to get into a waiting room.  I didn't know what kind of case I would hear.  I didn't know what to think.  All I knew was I needed to bring in some reading materials to calm me down.

As the day wore on, I was still in the big waiting room in the event that I was to see a case be tried in the Superior Court Building.  I kept reading my articles from the Atlanta Journal Constitution and the Marietta Daily Journal to keep me occupied.  I was still in the holding pattern.  By the time the day was over, I was not in a group to be picked for jury duty.  I got to go home and skip work for the rest of the day.

I was on the understanding that I would have to call in every day this week to see if I was to go serve on a jury.

PHOTO:  CBS46 News Trucks (some familiars for me)

CREDIT:  Zach Irwin

PHOTO:  Ben eating a yummy dinner ABOVE AND BELOW

CREDIT:  Zach Irwin

PHOTO:  Blake enjoying some juice

CREDIT:  Zach Irwin

As the night wore on, I relaxed and played with the guys before they went to bed.  After that,  I had some fun before I went to sleep.  One of the best parts of my night was that I got to go to bed early.  For me, going to bed early consists of falling asleep BEFORE Midnight.  Sweet dreams for me, I hope.

TUESDAY, I resumed my normal routine.  I played with the boys at home before I went to work.  The guys were having a good time with me, and the two pictures below do not do our day justice at all.  I just didn't take many pictures this morning/afternoon.

WEDNESDAY was adventures in mealtime.  I don't remember much about this day other than the fact that they ate pretty well for the most part and that I went to work.  I edited videos all day long and wrote stories for the 11pm newscast.  I think I am getting a little bit better at writing to video and making it conversational to my fellow viewer.  I welcome any feedback from my producers along the way.  Now, I present to you some pictures of my boys.  Most of them include Blake crying at his lunch station, and then taking a good nap afterward.

THURSDAY is a blur to me.  In the three pictures below, I had fun coloring and drawing pictures with my boys.  I think my boys had even more fun making a mess with the crayons.  I think they loved spilling them on the floor and having me pick them up afterward.

FRIDAY was a fun day for our family.  In most of the pictures below, our family got Ben ready for his second year of preschool at Acworth United Methodist Church.  From what I remember, Ben was happy, curious, well-behaved, and happy to be there.  He didn't freak out on us at any time.  The only thing I had to get on him for was when he wanted to turn the lights on and off.  We met Ben's teachers and liked them very much.  I think Ben will be in good hands this coming school year.  Afterward, we celebrated with lunch at a local Mexican restaurant.  I snacked on some chips and salsa and had a couple of Ben's French Fries during my meal.  After that, I got ready for work and then got ready for the weekend. 

SATURDAY:  We took Ben and Blake to a special place for kids to get haircuts in Dallas, GA.  Long story short, it was a disaster.  Ben was crying and he couldn't sit still.  Blake was the same way.  I really thought a place filled with cartoon characters and cartoons on TV would calm my boys down for a haircut.  I couldn't even bribe them with cookies and Cheetos to calm down and sit down.


SUNDAY:  I wanted to be able to relax and enjoy my family before I had to go back to work on Monday.  I got to help Ben make a super domino square.  I tried to make a domino circle, but that was a no-go.  Ben is good at breaking down the dominoes.  I'm amazed how Blake loves drinking his milk.  He's extremely good at holding his bottle and owning it.  I remember all the days I help both Blake and his little bottle as he drank his milk.  Before you know it, I won't be able to do that anymore.  He's going to get good at eating and drinking on his own.


As Blake goes into his milk coma, I'm going to get ready to plan my week ahead.  I love my boys and I'll be the best father I can be going forward.

Distant VIdeo Replay #4 of 2017: Supreme Court Ruling: Westboro Baptist Church Protest - HORIZON Eight (2011)

Zach Irwin Sports Update Demo for 7.11.2017

My dreams of Blake Griffin in a Suns Uniform dashed

                From last week, Blake Griffin signed a five year, $173,000,000 free agent contract to stay with the Los Angeles Clippers.  My dream of buying a Blake Griffin Suns jersey and seeing my team get instantly better both get dashed.  I learned of the late breaking news I got on my iPhone on Friday. 

                I’ve been a life-long Phoenix Suns fan.  I’ve been a long-suffering Suns fan for the past seven years.  That is the same number that equals the longest playoff drought my team has ever seen.  And if the lack of free agent signings is any indication of how the team is going to be built, year eight is right around the corner.

                Blake Griffin was a free agent after playing his entire NBA career with the Los Angeles Clippers.  He opted out of his last contract to see what life would be like as a free agent.  He could play for whomever, wherever, as long as it suited him and made him happy (and rich).  I read that he was going to meet with the Phoenix Suns last week.

                I don’t think he ever met with my favorite NBA team. 

                Griffin chose ‘legacy’ (or money) to stay on board the Steve Ballmer cash machine.  The Clippers were that one NBA team to give Griffin the most money and a fifth year in his contract.  The most money the Suns could have given was maybe $130,000,000 over four years.  The collective bargaining agreement makes it easier for teams to keep and re-sign their own players.

How cool would it have been to have Blake Griffin spend his winters in the Valley of the Sun and play for a team that could have been a playoff contender in 2017-2018.  I would have let my fanboy out on social media and to my friends for years to come.  Alas, I’ll have to be a fan living in the shadows of other NBA teams (and their fans).

                Since my Suns didn’t get Griffin, they could have gone after former Atlanta Hawk Paul Millsap for maybe three years at $30 Million a season.  Thanks, but no thanks.  He was a good player in Atlanta for the Hawks, but I didn’t see him as a guy who could put the Suns over the top.  I say let the Denver Nuggets overpay for him and have him.

As for my team, the Suns are doing better by building through the draft year by year.  My new favorite Sun, Devin Booker, is that franchise player a rebuilding team builds around.  I’m convinced the Suns need two more pieces to be more than just an 8-seed in the Golden State Warriors Western Conference.  I want my Suns to challenge the Warriors for championships.

                The big thing that hurts my Suns in trying to attract free agents is its recent history of losing.   The Suns need to up their salesmanship to free agents by selling them on the awesome winters where you’re not shoveling snow to get to your practice sessions.

                I’m sure I’m going to have dreams/nightmares on what might have been with Booker in the Backcourt and Griffin up front.  Oh well.

                In the immediate future, my Phoenix Suns are going to do great things, in my dreams.

 

               

Zachary Irwin sports update demo 1 for June 21, 2017

Zachary Irwin Sports Update Demo 1 for June 22, 2017

Zachary Irwin sports update demo for June 23, 2017

VIDEO: Me dreaming of San Diego and Las Vegas

3 weird dreams all coming together

These three dreams all happened last night and this morning as I was on the living room couch:  dreaming of moving into An apartment, breaking down on I-40 and talking to an FLDS-like family, and hosting thanksgiving dinner with my father at my Acworth, Georgia home.

The first dream I had was when my dad and a bunch of his friends were home for a Thanksgiving feast.  I remember it was cloudy outside and our house was much smaller than my actual home really is.  I remember a ton of people going in and out of the house for no particular reason.  I think we all had a good time that day.  I don't remember eating anything related to the holiday or anything at all.

My next dream took me back to my early days of living in Atlanta (sort of).  It was at a time where for some reason, I sold my house and decided to move back to Atlanta.  I reached out to Scott and Caitlin Russell on what to do on moving back into my old studio apartment at Post Lindbergh in Buckhead.  I'm the end f that part of the dream, I think I got the advice I was looking for.

Finally, I dreamed I was stranded in northern Arizona with my dad and my son Ben.  Blake was not in my dream this time.  I walked five miles Westbound on I-40 to get help.  After that, I was magically lifted to this trailer home of an FLDS family.  This family dressed like hey we're in the late 1890's and we're living primitively.  I was talking to someone and then the "father" of the family asked me if I was trying to sell him something.  The father dressed like he was in summertime gear from the late 1980's.  I was merely trying to ask for some help.  I don't exactly remember what I needed help with.  All I know was Ben was by my side he whole time.

In reality:  I live in a small house in hopes I can afford a bigger home one day.  I was living in Post Lindbergh in a studio before I bought my house in Acworth, and I was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

My main hope moving forward is that ben will always be by my side.

Distant Video Replay of 2017 #3: Blue October - Hate Me (2006)