High/Low Week 1 2010

One of this year's goals is to reflect on the high and low moments of the last week. What better than public confession to keep a man honest and humble, and what better than reflection to keep a man grateful?

Low: This week's been a good one; in fact, the last month or more's been on the upswing. Anger is my chief rival, as much of a disease as any which thrives when the body is weak. Anger sprouts from any number of seeds. This week the worst moment was out of self-doubt. For whatever reason, it became profoundly irritating to me while playing the guitar in the basement during a commercial (after turning the sound off) that Dena kept glancing over at the T.V. from her computer. I am clearly an amateur guitarist - quick, name one rock star who plays with sheet music on a stand in front of him. If I were listening to me, I'd also choose a good T.V. show, or a bad one, over the sounds that struggle from my hands and mouth. And earlier that night I'd gotten so lost in the music that I'd failed to resume the volume for the T.V. when the commercials ended. There was no personal slight in Dena's behavior, just an innocent and natural reaction, but for whatever reason I just chose to interpret it that way. At least I've learned in my man-way, and knowing from experience how likely I am to overblow something, that distance and distraction is a great salve. I left the room wordlessly, headed to the living room, did a round of exercises, and was good as new. ANYTHING that I would have said in the heat of that moment would have been ridiculous. Running away compounds real problems, but solves artificial ones!

High: As discussed in the "Bench Conduct" post, I really enjoyed the opportunity to lead part of the basketball team alone this week. The guys seemed receptive to ideas about becoming more organized and united on the bench. Whether or not we win our first two games this week, I feel good that we'll lay a foundation for later success by becoming a stronger team at our foundation. Our undefeated record no doubt helps, but again it's the growth of finding new points to teach that has made the goal of being more invested in NCHS basketball increasingly exciting.