The Imsuperman Files

[imsuperman]

Yes he called when I was just about to work. He spoke normally and said it was just going to be day by day. They still don't know what the cause was, but likely an aneurysm or something of the like. They had been married three years, and she just turned 30 Sunday.

[itsallgrand]

Oh how horrible and sad. It's so hard to wrap a mind around these kinds of things. Especially when it is so sudden, and she was so young.

Your friend must be in shock. It might be a while before it sinks in. For everyone, really.

 

It is good you have your family and your friends. And that he has you, and everyone who will rally around him during this time.

 

I'm really sorry you are going through this.

[imsuperman]

I was glad to play basketball yesterday, it having been such a horrible few days. Those guys always make me smile, it's a good group. I didn't play Monday because I had to record a training for my boss who was out.

 

I started off not-great. A lot of close-miss long balls. But as has been the case lately, I got better in the last couple games when everyone else is winded. I hit a breakaway from in-close in the second to last game and maybe a jumper. The last game seemed like it would never end, but I scored four of our eight, going by ones and twos. I hit one from in close that I got my own rebound twice on before getting it in on the third try. I hit a two from behind the three point line, straight at the top of the key, and hit the game winner, the best of the bunch. For the last shot I was pretty tired, we had been stuck one point away from winning for a while. I had it up top on the right side. A guy on the other team who has very quick hands came over to help on me, leaving my teammate (guy who trained me at my job when I first started.) The guy on the other team did his customary thing: Straight up ran into me. I don't call body fouls though, wouldn't really be fair at my size. So I kept the ball from him and started a crossover from right to left, then crossed back from left to right and quickly from right back to left, which lost him totally and went in a few steps before pulling up and hitting an uncontested thirteen footer to end it for the day. That was pretty cool because I'm not at all good at dribbling. I also had a really vicious block (on the guy who tried to guard me at the end) and an assist on a long ball from the guy in my department in that last game. (He's 54, and whenever he hits a long ball on my team I always yell because it thrills me more than anything.)

 

I smiled genuinely for the first time since Monday night.

 

I'm calling my friend this morning before I go in just to say hey.

[WithLove]

Sorry for your friend's loss, bud. Keep up the communication.

[imsuperman]

Sorry for your friend's loss, bud. Keep up the communication.

 

Yeah this morning he didn't really want to talk I don't think. He had actually went into the office to clear some things up this morning. He said he appreciated the call, but it was only a couple of minutes. It's one of those things that's difficult to gauge. I told him I had thought about dropping by, but I didn't actually remember his exact address, even though I know the complex he lives in. He said it was probably for the best, because he had been in and out all week so far. It was a little awkward, but I understand. He's probably been overwhelmed with calls and messages.

[WithLove]

The best thing is to make sure he's aware that you're around if needed. Sometimes silent support is the best, especially when you know the person is probably very overwhelmed right now.

[imsuperman]

The best thing is to make sure he's aware that you're around if needed. Sometimes silent support is the best, especially when you know the person is probably very overwhelmed right now.

 

Yeah and I think that's going to be what I do going forward. I just feel so bad about it.

 

With it on my mind, a slight headache, and crappy rainy weather, I think today is gonna be kind of long.

 

I want to go home and play video games.

[imsuperman]

I went to the visiting hours today briefly. I hadn't been in so long I wasn't sure of the etiquette/what went on. There was visitation, then a celeberation of life was going to be two hours later, but that sounded like it was more for family (I guess). I hugged him and he choked up for a second and thanked me for coming. Shook with his dad and his mom hugged me and said I was all grown up. My friend remarked that it was probably the third time I'd worn a suit in my life. I sat down for a minute (didn't know what was proper,) then I saw her dad was free and shook hands and offereed sympathies for her family.

 

I don't know his apartment address, but I may send his family a card. I didn't really get to say much to him and the whole thing only took a few minutes, and other people were coming into the room so I didn't say bye or anything.

 

Pretty sad day. Appropriateley gloomy and rainy.

[imsuperman]

Texted him this morning. Told him I'd call him next week about lunch.

 

I've been a little under the weather since Thursday. Allergies. It's been cool and rainy here for the last couple of weeks, and that will continue. My workout tonight is a game-time decision. Not feeling too awful, but just groggy and a little out of it.

[imsuperman]

Last week's tragedy has still been on my mind a lot.

 

It felt good to play basketball today for an hour. I did well. It felt like it got a lot of aggression out.

 

My first handful of shots I only made one, I always start off kind of slow. The first game we got handled, the second game I scored around half of our points and we lost close. We took the third and fourth games though and I was playing very well in both. The guy who almost always guards me had his last day of basketball today. I kind of manhandled him, which rarely happens, because he won’t let me out of his sight. His teammates were getting on him because I kept scoring. He’d get up on me and lean on my back on the catch, and I’d turn around and hit a fadeaway. The guy from my department who trained me was talking trash trying to get in my head as always, so I hit him with a couple of crossover jumpers when he tried to guard me. “Chuck” who might be the best overall player there was on the other team and him and I were trading baskets back and forth.

 

One guy, William we’ll call him, who’s 63 and has been there for thirty years, really gets a kick out of me when I start scoring in bunches. He just smiles and laughs after my more acrobatic makes. He reminds me of my grandpa, who also always laughed when good things happened in sports. William was sitting outside the locker room after I changed, and he said, “Good times today, Jason.”

I agreed.

 

Two weird things that happened today:

 

1) I got flipped off while driving this morning for the second time since Saturday, and I haven't known what I've done to warrant that either time. I should see if someone put an offensive bumper sticker on my car or something. I don’t know.

 

2) I found an unmarked inter-office envelope with three five dollar bills in it on my desk at the end of the day, and I have no idea what it is or why it would be there.

[imsuperman]

Called my buddy this morning to see about lunch this week. He said he thinks maybe Friday, but he's slammed at work right now.

 

It was a bit of a lonely three-day weekend. I was a little down on the fourth for some reason, I think just not much to do. I pretty much played PS4 and read all weekend.

 

My cousin posted a Facebook photo with him and a couple of friends out celebrating the holiday, and they all had girls on their shoulders.

 

I thought that must be nice.

 

And on top of everything, it looks like no basketball today because the regulars are out on vacation.

 

I just wanna go home and play video games.

[itsallgrand]

Hey Super, I hope you have a better day tomorrow. And enjoy your video games tonight.

A girl would be lucky to have you...don't you forget it.

[imsuperman]

Hey Super, I hope you have a better day tomorrow. And enjoy your video games tonight.

A girl would be lucky to have you...don't you forget it.

 

Thanks. Yeah I wasn't exactly happy to be back at work following a three day weekend, but it was a blessedly easy day it turned out.

 

And yep, that's my free time. Movies, PS4, and reading.

 

I dunno about women being lucky to have me, I dunno if I'd wish me on anyone.

[imsuperman]

I think a lot of it just boils down to the "sameness" day after day. Work feels the same and I long for the weekend. Then the weekend gets here and I don't really have anything to do.

[WithLove]

What can you do to change that?

[imsuperman]

What can you do to change that?

 

I don't know. I get nervous in groups.

[imsuperman]

I'm glad it's Friday, as usual. My buddy said he wouldn't be able to make lunch today, I kind of figured that. I hope he's coping well. I haven't seen him since the showing, and don't know his exact address. It's difficult because he works long hours. Not enough to play hoops today either, so flying solo for lunch.

 

I've already accepted the meeting invite for my annual review (still a month and a half away.) It's hard to believe it's been that long. About 10.5 months now. Boss seems to think I'm doing well, and plans to put me down as exceeding expectations despite the more stringent criteria newly put in place this year.

 

It's been an odd day/week. Can't quite put my finger on it. I've waking up earlier than normal all week, and I've been more tired than usual. It has rained or been overcast like 80% of the time since the beginning of June it feels like. Like we traded summers with London or something.

[imsuperman]

Had dinner with my friend; he called on the way to the gym. We went to an Italian joint I'd never been too, it was good food and pretty reasonable. He was in pretty good spirits. He talked about how the showing was a lot of people coming up to him and being at a loss for words, and how one woman was like, "Oh you're young you can marry again." He said God bless her and it may be true, but he didn't really wanna hear that right now. I told him I could see people someitimes saying the wrong things with good interntions. He said he was honestly so busy during the week that he didn't really feel super-different until he got home on a Friday night, which was usually a kind of date night for them. He talked about the day of too.

 

But I mean we talked about the usual stuff too. Basketball, game tickets, families, work, all the usual stuff.

 

He seemed well overall, and that made the day a lot better.

[imsuperman]

I wore gym shorts with no pockets. I always get cold water in the staff room at the gym for my protein shake after I'm done and there was a new college girl that started this summer back there. We exchanged pleasentries and wished each other a good weekend. As she passed my belongings on her way out: a blue Nike gym bag, wallet, iPod, phone, and car keys, she kind of looked at it all and smiled. Then, one of my buddies who still works there as I was leaving said, "Oh you've got the Nike bag AND you're wearing Jordans." I said, "Oh yeah. Like the old guy in Jurassic Park. 'Spared no expense.'" He laughed.

 

It occurred to me tonight how fortunate I am. Well really I think about it often. I'm not rich or anything but I'm doing well for myself. A year ago I didn't know if this would ever be possible.

 

So I find myself trying to strike the balance of being happy and confident while being hungry for more and wanting to be better.

 

I want to be the fastest, I want to be the best. But man, things are okay now and I don't want to let that just pass by without enjoying it.

 

Something in my head keeps saying, "These are the good days."

[imsuperman]

Another interesting day.

 

There have been some work issues which increase my workload unnecessarily and I have management looking into it.

 

Today, one of our basketball buddies, the official word as of now is, "passed out" due to an artery blockage. This was about five or ten minutes after we finished. He was rushed to the hospital which is luckily close, bypassed the ER and was taken to the cath lab where they ballooned it. As of a couple hours ago, he was doing ok.

 

I've had enough freak tragedies for now I think.

 

It all really puts everything into perspective.

[imsuperman]

I've been busy at work. My boss has been out, but I've been logging the extra work I've been doing and so we can work with management to MAYBE offload some of this extra stuff. I don't know. I'm happy to be there ultimately, so whatever they want.

 

We miraculously have enough to play basketball today, which is cool. I can't wait.

 

Last night the "new girl" working at the gym was there. She kind of dropped randomly that she was going to the local festival because she had never been, I said I hadn't been either, but I guess since I'm not a regular employee at the gym I didn't get my free ticket. That was it. She has a boyfriend. I don't know what's happening.

 

If I ever saw a single woman I was attracted to, I'd probably have a heart attack and die on the spot.

[imsuperman]

I was very sick last weekend and took off this past Monday to go to the doctor. I got over it, but took the week off from lifting and basketball. I weighed myself this morning at 177.4 lbs after breakfast.

 

If I were a fighter, I'd be fighting in the child's weight class.

[imsuperman]

I'm hoping to save enough money for a down payment on a house by this time next year. I'm also looking into owning a dog at that time, and I already kinda have a name picked out for said dog in said situation that mayhypothetically happen, because I'm a little crazy and like to have goals.

 

I plan to keep enjoying the single life.

[imsuperman]

Things are moving quickly.

 

I'm closing in on a year at my job (9/2.) My annual review was going to be on the 24th of this month, but was moved back because senior leadership wanted to re-define next year's goals...or something.

 

I guess this really attractive woman who is already working here is maybe trying to work in our department. People aren't really sure why, because she makes a lot more now than she would as an analyst here, but I wouldn't mind. She told one of our managers she just doesn't like what she's doing. Desk next to me is open, I'm just saying.

 

After taking last week off working out due to being under the weather, I've been especially sore this week. Tuesday night I did legs and can still feel it. My hamstrings are burning. My weight is finally back up to normal.

 

My widowed friend and I have been in contact recently. I told him to let me know if he could do lunch this week but I haven't heard from him; he is very busy. We discussed maybe taking a trip out west next year. I've never been west of St. Louis. I've also never been on an airplane. He was shocked. I told him I was definitely looking at doing some travelling, so it sounded good to me. The plan is to maybe start in Phoenix, hit the MLB park for a game, then head up to LA and SF for games. He is trying to visit every major league ballpark, and is about halfway there as of now.

 

I wake up earlier all the time, it seems, sometimes due to nephew. I've even gone to bed at like 10:30 some this week. Even on Saturdays I don't sleep in, really.

 

I'm "updating" my bedroom. I moved a big, useless chest of drawers out (bulk pickup) to free up some space, and may try to paint it (walls, ceiling) this weekend.

 

I continue to reflect on how quickly everything is moving and how I want to keep moving up the ladder.

[imsuperman]

F leg day........