Don Kowalewski
Writer. Ad Sales and Marketing. Social Media Content Creator. Aeropress Coffee. Makes the best salsa in the world.
Things I Think: Maybe I’ll Do Something Different Every Day?
Sometimes I think my rambling blog needs at least a little organization, so I was thinking of naming the days …like “Social Media Sunday” and “Motivational Mondays”. That way you can check into my blog when you know I’m hitting on a topic you like. “Me, Me, Me Mondays?” That has a ring.
Try some of these on for size…
“Selfish Sundays”
“Me, Me, Me Mondays”
“Talk About Don Tuesdays”
“Writing Wednesdays”
“Thinking Thursdays”
“Family Fridays”
“Silly Saturdays”
See where I’m going? Like, this past weekend my 9 1/2 year-old swam in her first swim finals and she amazes me, even though at times she frustrates me. She’s combative so while she’s arguing every point and constantly acting like she’s failing and can’t find the strength to do anything or succeed, she actually never really talks herself out of anything. In fact, it’s quite the opposite …to hear her talk, she’s not good at anything, doesn’t really love what she’s doing, and she’s so impatient and hyper, there’s no way she could be achieving great things. But, behind that outward persona, she never misses a dance class, a soccer practice or game, rarely misses school, never skips her homework, and this summer, she was in the pool every day working and swimming. Her two events all season were backstroke and freestyle. Backstroke …eh. I mean, she did improve, but it was more exciting to watch her swim freestyle.
So, she’s been working and working. Her first meet she swam her 50 meter freestyle in 1:04. In the next few meets she burst into the :59-second range, jumped down to the :58-second range, and back up. So before Saturday’s “B Finals”, as they’re called, and coming off four days of flu/fever, we implored her to eat right the night before, go to bed early like coach said, and then wake up and eat right all day. We told her to remember what coach said about a “good start” and technique, and not breathing down the home stretch.
What I’m saying is …my daughter inspires me. She inspires me because she’s honest to a fault, kind (including 80% of the time to her siblings), and she works hard even though there are tears and arguments all along the way. But she never stops.
So, here, is why I’m so proud of her and why she inspires me …her final swim of the 2012 season …:57-seconds. That’s my girl in the swim lane closest to the camera. And I’m sorry …I don’t know why I shot it in portrait mode. Oh, and I don’t know who that crazy lady screaming my daughter’s name was, but let’s just say, when my daughter made the turn at 28-seconds, the crazy screaming lady and I both knew she could turn in her best time of the year and give herself a nice reward for all her hard work.
We’ll call today “Triumphant Tuesdays”. I like that.
Don Kowalewski 