The Adventures of Captain Imperfecto

You are here:  Home  » Hey Google, Hey Siri  My boys. From your left: Max (2), Blake (3), Nico (14), Christopher (13).  Boone, NC Jan. 02, 2023   January 28, 2023 I'm here protecting guests at 0240 hours at a taco stand.  That's 2:40 A.M. to you. As I look around to see the sights and hear the sounds of my existence, I still marvel at the fact that we exist here on earth. I notice that most people here waiting in the taco line no longer pay attention to this. Maybe it's too late to notice?  Perhaps they're too high to care?  However,  it is evident that  people live their lives on their phones.  It begs me to ask, "Hey Google, hey Siri: is there life outside my screen?" From my vantage point, it doesn't seem that those around me notice that life is happening around them. First, I will tell you, my loyal reader, that I will admit that even though I am writing this blog on my iPhone as I type out my complaint that those around me are ...

You are here:  Home  » Halloween Tales: Soul Collecting  Nico and Christopher at the gym. October 14, 2022.  October 23, 2022 The party ended, and everyone filed out for the night. Beer bottles littered the lawn. Solo cups and liquor bottles were strewn about the end tables and kitchen counter inside the house. Mike was excited that things were winding down so he could finally contemplate turning 40. His birthday party was a success. Everyone had a great time. Good food and good music are more than anyone could ask for. Mike began to clean up the mess. "So much pot smell in the air," Mike said while waving his hand to air out the house. "Well, the good thing is that you'll be high for a week," Danny (Mike's girlfriend) said with a chuckle. "And for God's sake, do that cleanup tomorrow." "I probably should. But I hate that all this crap is lying around all night," he said while throwing bottles in a black bag. "I'll do a littl...

You are here:  Home  » You're Never Alone When You have the Sea   Nico and Christopher Jr. on a facetime with family. September 14, 2022. October 8, 2022 The ocean is a great place to be anytime you need a moment to reflect on whatever is happening in your life. The sea is not for everyone, mind you. The sand is so clingy that when you think it's all gone, you'll find it falling out of some skin fold of your body about 2 weeks later. Sea lice, sand fleas, and tar are on your feet bottoms. Washed up man-o-wars along the shoreline from time to time.  And we all know that plenty of sharks in the ocean and other water creatures go swimming by. But let me tell you something else about the sea. Allow me to speak about the things that make it so great. Because you're never alone when you have the sea. The ocean is vast, and you won't understand how expansive it is until you see it. The sound of the waves lapping the shoreline can drown out your sorrows. There are no echoes...

You are here:  Home  » Don't Be Like Me and Assume You are Over PTSD Christopher and Nico and family enjoying pizza at one of our favorite restaurants.  July 23, 2022. July 31, 2022 I suppressed the trauma that occurred a decade ago by avoiding my thoughts of the incidents in my desire to feel normal again. If you think avoiding it was good to move forward, let's see who would want to be like me. Over the last 10 years, I have been going about my daily life as though nothing wrong had happened. Isn't that ridiculous? To assume I could just forget about being human? I mean, I got to the point where I would talk about my past trauma to people, and I was proud of myself because I thought I was a strong person for doing it. Self-thought- "Look at me, this badass cop moving on with his life after losing 2 kids and then my wife, nothing to see here." These traumatic incidents weren't a small thing, but I didn't think I was deserving of such pity, so I underplaye...

You are here:  Home  » Journey Nico and Christopher Easter day April 17, 2022. April 30, 2022 I stood in a long line at an Easter festival with 2 of my 4 children. The line was for a bounce house. It seemed like an endless journey for them to experience 30 seconds of enjoyment. At the same time, I endured 30 minutes of hell trying to keep them preoccupied until it was their turn to enter the inflatable house. A DJ was streaming music to our right. He was trying to make announcements about the current events elsewhere in the ball fields, but he was drowned out by his own music and the lack of conviction in his voice. The kids were littered everywhere like Easter eggs we would later hunt. It was sure to be a continuous madhouse throughout the day. Such is life as a parent. These rides and games were a staging area to placate the children until their age group's turn to hunt for Easter eggs in the adjourning field. It was a wild scene around me as the toddlers and young children ...

You are here:  Home  » Spreading my Love Christopher Jr. and Nico celebrating Nico's birthday at Chili's. March 12, 2022 February 28, 2022 Spreading my love to 4 of my children may seem daunting to some people because kids are so demanding. I have always been told that a parent "always favors one child over the other" before I had my own children. Being the youngest of 4 kids myself, it sure felt that way at times. My 4 boys have their personalities, and I'm in love with each one of them. I can tell you they are truly loved unconditionally. I'm always consoling one of my children in some way. Whether it's hugging, kissing, or   caressing a face, the need for my love never ends. And the return of their love is so pure and innocent that I can't help but turn on the parental protection that ensures their safety. Sure, there are times one child needs more love than the other, but supplying my love more to one doesn't drain me of my affection for an...

You are here:  Home  » Health Positivity  Max, Christopher and Nico. Halloween Hayride. October 2021. December 31, 2021 I have had healthier times in my life. These times have come in phases, much like we enjoy categorizing past decades. There was my invincible youth phase. My “I have good genetics, so I hardly get sick” phase, and now, as I get older, I’m at the “every ache and pain is some sort of end-of-life” phase. This phase is basically making me a hypochondriac.  The last couple of weeks, however, my health has really beaten me up. I am now in the “what the heck is going on with me” phase. My health concerns have humbled me because I feel and look relatively healthy. But like those noises a house makes while it is settling in the middle of the night, every new creak and bang my body will grab my attention, and I always assume the worst is going on with me.  Heading into 2022 seems directionless when it comes to being healthy. Everything is in flux as I...