Ordinary Average Guy

Joe Walsh is one of my favorite musicians. Originally a part on the iconic band the "Eagles", I feel his music only improved once he was on his own. While I enjoy most of his music, one song pops into my head frequently - "Ordinary Average Guy".  Here are the lyrics that influence me because sometimes (despite the extreme snake loving) I just want to be an "Ordinary Average Guy".

"I'm just an ordinary average guy
My friends are all boring
And so am I
We're just ordinary average guys

We all live ordinary average lives
With average kids
And average wives
We all go bowling at the bowling lanes
Drink a few beers
Bowl a few frames
We're just ordinary average guys
Ordinary average guys

And every Saturday we work in the yard
Pick up the dog doo
Hope that it's hard (whaf whaf)
Take out the garbage and clean out the garage
My friend's got a Chrysler
I've got a Dodge
We're just ordinary average guys"

So why a blog post about an obscure song from the 90s? 

Well, we have been working on a large project in our backyard for the last few weeks. We are planting colorful shrubs along the fence on the edge of our yard. In order to do this right, we decided to pull up the existing rock, wash it, put down new weed barrier, and reinstall the clean rock.

HUGE FUCKING PROJECT!  The photo below shows what we have left to finish. 

This should clearly qualify for working in the yard each Saturday but it is my other chore that brings Joe's voice ringing in my ears and me belting out lyrics.  Dog Poo!  Yes, dog poo.  Our boys are supposed to complete this chore on a daily basis. However if we leave it to them, this chore never gets done or it is half-assed with dog shit piles partially picked up or skipped over because it is not in a part of the yard they want to play in at that moment.  Of course the boys' failure to do their job leaves it to me to pick up shit for a 40lb mutt, 75lb lab, and a 115lb great dane. 

Normally dog shit duty is a simple chore. I get 3 plastic grocery bags and head out to the backyard. I make a double bag poop container to hold in my left hand and put a single bag on my right hand to pick up poop with. For those of you that know me well, having both hands full is a big problem if one of my hands is not holding a beer.  I firmly believe that dog shit duty is definitely a chore that requires at least one beer but three would be better. Trouble is this is just not possible. It sucks but the shit must be picked up.

Today's dog shit duty was a huge challenge. The fall leaves were hiding even the big dog's piles with camouflage and cover up tactics. This makes for a difficult and dangerous chore. Dog shit was hidden, covered, and buried like land mines in sand. The photo above this paragraph shows a pile of poop with an abandoned rake, tennis ball, and hose (the boys leave all sorts of things to be destroyed by the mutts in the backyard daily). Not a difficult spot to detect the poop but still dangerous. The photo below shows a harder but still detectable poop pile if your search image is spot on. If not, prepare for a long couple of days of smelling dog shit every time you go near your shoes.

So that brings me to being an "Ordinary Average Guy".  The song rings true in so many ways for me.  It is what I want but I also want to stand out.  I am working hard to learn to love, accept love, make the Center for Snake Conservation a realization for me and the world, and find my peak fitness again.  I am already excited about what this blog has done for me and it is just two days old.  This next year will hopefully help me find myself and move forward in life without dog shit on my shoes.

I highly recommend you take the time and listen to Joe Walsh's "Ordinary Average Guy".  Listen below:  http://youtu.be/caf0mVFh5CA

The only way to ever have both hands full at the same time.