Two weeks until training camp begins, Packers fans - and then we can finally get out of silly season. Lists, rankings and grades are everywhere and each time another headline comes across my feed, I die a little more inside. Am I supposed to care that Jordan Love was only #72 in the NFL's top-100 or not in the top-10 on ESPN's QB list? Should I spend all day on twitter (I still call it that) defending his honor to ultracrepidarian Bears fans? I just learned that word - it means someone who is an arrogant know-it-all while also being rather clueless at the same time. It fits, no?
Anyway, I'm pretty much listed, ranked and graded out by this point of the summer. In reality, I should just take these two weeks off from writing this column, as coming up with anything that hasn't already been talked about at this point is a rather futile exercise. If this feels like I'm vamping, you're not wrong.
Maybe the answer is to join the party and come up with a list of my own? Yeah, that's the ticket!
But alas, it's not going to be about the Packers, it's going to be about me.. I'm sure you've all wondered what I like to do for fun, hobbies, etc, right? right?
So, here they are, in no particular order (sorry rankings fans) and unrelated to the Green bay Packers.
~Hanging with my Grandkids - they are all 7 and younger so these are the best years before friends and activities will take them in other directions.
- Family parties - whether it's backyard pizza, barbecues or big fat Italian feasts where my wife makes way too much food, those are the days I live for.
~Gardening/Landscaping - Whether it's mowing the lawn, planting flowers, planting/trimming bushes or tending to my vegetable garden, it's a great way tor me to find serenity now! And get lost in my own thoughts, polluted or otherwise.
~Tennis - I took this up late in life. I've only been playing for about 12 years. I play with/against people who have played most of their lives, so I'd rate myself average.
~Pickleball - I took this up about 18 months ago and I'm probably already better at it than I am at tennis. Those college-age years, hanging in bars, playing ping pong for drinks ( I won a lot) has surely helped me with pickleball.
~Photography - I was never without a camera as a youth, which is why I have very few pictures of me with my friends - i was always the one taking the pictures. I even made my bathroom into a darkroom during college years. My love for photography has stayed with me in multiple forms.
-Reading - It's mostly the newspaper these days, and yes, I still get it delivered. I have a valid reason though. Between my job in I.T. and all this online Packers stuff I do, that's already way too much time in front of a screen every day. Plus, the morning paper over a cup of coffee still gives me the right feels.
-Biking - As a kid, I rode my bike everywhere I needed to go, every day. I don't get out on my mountain/street hybrid bike as much as I would like to, but I still love the feel of the wind in your face and thoroughly enjoy biking whenever I can.
-Wine Tasting - I'm not a big drinker, so it's not about that, but there is so much to know and learn and experience in the world of wine. I enjoy researching and learning the story behind a particular wine or winery as much as I do tasting the wine.
-Home Handyman - I'm very good around the house - basic plumbing,, carpentry, appliance repair and even painting (unlike most people, I actually enjoy it) Similar to gardening, you're in your own thoughts when painting, although I always need music playing. Which brings us to...
-Music - I've been to hundreds of concerts since the 70's and my musical taste is wide ranging. I've probably never gone a day without listening to music in some form, and nowadays spend time putting together Spotify playlists.
-Hiking, fishing, canoeing, bird watching - these are all things I used to do a lot that have fallen by the wayside a bit, but I've always loved anything to do with being out in nature. I'm hoping to get back to some of these things - there's still time!
Ok, so these are the things I like to do. But what about you? I'd love to hear what some of you readers do with your spare time. Let me know in the comments.
And sorry for the lack of Packers content today. I just didn't have it in me..,.
Go Pack Go!