I have been going through some professional training this past year, and am working to become a “certified” coach.  There are two two-day classes, both in the Washington DC area, and then a lot of practicum work.  The first class I already completed, and for regular readers you may remember that my plane trip home was delayed causing me to miss Scotty being awarded the MVP at his senior year lacrosse banquet.  I felt TERRIBLE that I missed it (by only 30 minutes) but there was not a lot I could do.  But I have felt pretty guilty ever since.  Now hold all this in your mind.

Let’s fast-forward to now.  My wife, who insists she never wins ANYTHING (but was able to have the wonderful and most awesome privilege of marrying me…what a liar, huh?) was SO EXCITED, as she put her business card into a fishbowl at the restaurant at the country club on the edge of our neighborhood and WON two free lunches.  She was SO excited, and I was excited for her.  But shortly thereafter she and Steph and Ben headed to Kansas to visit her mom.

It was from there she called me too.  Apparently, as one of the top performers at her work, her name was put into another drawing for two tickets to the SUPERBOWL in the Eli Lilly box at Conseco Fieldhouse.  …and guess who won?  That’s right, the woman who does not win anything yet had two free lunches and a trophy husband that people would die for.  And she was SO HAPPY, as was I…..we get to go to the Superbowl, even though the Bears will not be there…..and we can go and sit in perhaps one of the nicest boxes there, with parking, food, and drinks.  I was in heaven (even without the Bears).

But of course the SECOND HALF of that class I NEED and am REQUIRED to be at begins February 6th, the day after the Superbowl.  In addition to that, airline tickets out of Indy after the Superbowl are astronomical.  I could drive to Columbus, Ohio after the game to take a 6:30 AM flight into Dulles and rent a car, but not only would that mean NO SLEEP, but as a stroke survivor, I would be NO GOOD in the class, AND I would most likely FLUNK the exam.  There are no good options for me.  I needed to bow out.

So when Amanda called Scotty tonight as he was on his way to band practice, she asked him to pull over.  Good thing she did too.  He screamed with excitement!  She and Scott will see the Superbowl together.  AND, I will drive to DC as I am too principled to pay a million dollars to take a class and test just because the Superbowl is in Indy.  But I need to say that I do feel vindicated.  I have felt terrible for missing his MVP award, and now he will be pretty happy with a night of a lifetime.  He and Amanda will have a blast.  But it doesn’t really matter.

Because if the Bears are not in it, it is not worth going to anyway!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+