THIS IS 42

While Bleeding Yankee Blue turns 3 on September 14th, I turn 42 today. August 21st to me means so much because I will normally reflect on things longer and harder than I have on any other day.  No, I don't think too hard wondering when I'm going to die, or how old I am and how I need to get myself a sports car.  It's a positive reflection. I enjoy growing older and more mature. No, for some reason, it's OK... because I usually think about accomplishments and what I still need to do to make life better.   

I am crazy about my family. In fact, there is nothing better than what I have accomplished in that department and I will continue to look at my now 11 year old or my 4 year olds and still be fascinated with them when they are 35 year olds.  What I mean is, as a parent, you mold your kids and you gush and when they tell a joke, you laugh.  When they're sleeping, you watch them breath and even though you yell and scream because they misbehave... they are the greatest part of your day that you will ever know and love. 

My wife and I saw "This is 40" when it came out.  We then bought the DVD and it literally plays on a loop in my house.  My wife and I relate so well to this movie, that if Debbie and Pete were a real couple, we would seek them out and want to hang with them.  We watched that film and said, "This is dead on." Judd Apatow got it.  We also realized that we weren't the only ones.  Others struggled exactly how we struggled, but the difference is, we actually saw it in this film, not like in real life when our peers say "Oh, my kid's a brat", yet, whenever we see that "bratty kid", he's not a brat at all.  The point is, life is hard as hell, but challenges happen and there's no way around it. As a parent, you need to mold, teach and yell and then, if there's time... you need to hang with your best friend, your wife or husband and reconnect.  If you're still awake that is. It's nuts.

I bring up baseball a helluva lot, because this is Bleeding Yankee Blue.  I often think about being 11 years old myself and having my dad throw the baseball into the air as high as he could and me trying to catch it... over and over and over again.  Hours.  It was the greatest time I ever spent with my dad. Me and him, doing what guys do... bonding over a baseball catch.

You know my 11 year old plays ball, but did you know he first played ball at age 3? Yup, and when he did, I thought it was the most ridiculous thing in the world.  "3 years old? What the hell would we sign him up for tee-ball at 3 for?" I remember saying that to my wife.  She looked at me and said, "That's what they do now. You'll see."  Now granted, this wasn't exactly organized tee-ball, but they did get a uniform and there was some type of structure and fundamentals. I was impressed actually.  I also remember he hated every minute of it, but we did it because, "it's what THEY did."  "They" meaning "parents."  Truth be told, we have never pushed our kids, not him, not my 9 year old and not my little ones, but we let them try things because you want them to achieve something.  Back then, he didn't like it, he tolerated it and today he loves this game and it's his thing.  He's achieved something and no doubt he'll continue playing baseball for a long, long time.

My 9 year old has tried many sports. None of them are quite exciting for him, although he swims real well and we'd love for him to stick with it.  Put it this way though, it's either that or video games and last time I checked, you don't exactly "win" anything for beating a board of Super Mario, you know what I mean? I will give my 9 year old this... he's a sweet kid, a kind kid and would rather I be happy than frustrated.  Put it this way, if I was short a thousand dollars, he'd give me his piggy bank and find a way to get me the rest.  No, he doesn't need to play a sport to achieve anything... he's achieved so much already with that gesture... he's always thinking of others.  I'll take that any day of the week.

My other guys are much smaller and learning about everything around them.  Again, different personalities and one is more sporty than the other, but what it comes down to is what my wife and I can teach them, without ripping our hair out.  It's tough to have 6 people under one roof and be sane. Yet, as I turn 42 today, I can't believe how wonderful it is at the same time.

Oh, and I forgot about my 5th child... my youngest, my slowly evolving achievement... Bleeding Yankee Blue.  My real family hates it, but they see the benefits.  They don't check in on it like I do, but they know it's growing.  They know it's popular and has "friends" and while it's not blood, it's like their little brother.  It takes my attention away from them occasionally, but I always go back because it's growing with what it has around it... support... you.

Bleeding Yankee Blue has been an incredible child.  It was born on September 14, 2010 out of frustration, read HERE.  I was 39 at the time and thought it would be unpopular within 4 months. Now, almost 3 years later I can actually say that BYB matters to the readers and it keeps finding more. No, we don't try and drive the news, we don't try and make the news... we try and give you the news with a twist.  We try to be funny, witty and sarcastic...and, we make you think.  We'll call out the losers and we'll call ourselves one if we make a mistake.  We don't take ourselves too seriously, but we can be quite serious if we need to be.  We like to sometimes make you cry, or maybe just reflect, like what you're doing now with me on my 42nd birthday.  Most importantly though... BYB is a family.

There are many great things I did in my lifetime, and every birthday I think about them.  I know I've made my parents proud because they thought me the values I need to succeed.  My wife and I in turn are doing the same with our kids... but damn... no one told us how hard this would be.  So yeah... at the end of the day, when I put the kids to bed, or before they even wake up... I sit down and write you a post.  Usually it's a post about the Yankees, but always it's a post about hope, integrity, goals and the stepping stones of life.  Without that... you're just a person with no focus or drive.  You don't want to be that... you want to move mountains, not walk past them.  You want to push yourself, not quit. You want to live to the best of your ability... not just "get by."  I know you're like me.  I know every single one of you believe in yourself and what we offer here at BYB, because if you didn't, you wouldn't be here reading us right now.

So with that, I thank you, that's makes me smile.

I'm 42 today.  I've achieved alot in my life, but there more to achieve.  I can't do it alone and I'd love your company, the same company you've given me for almost 3 years here.  Thanks for always being there.  Thanks for celebrating with me today. Thank you for taking the time to make me feel special with this little thing called BYB.  You will never truly know how happy I am to have you reading us... let's hope it continues for many, many more birthdays... one can only hope.

-Robert Casey, CEO & Writer for BleedingYankeeBlue.com
Follow me: @BleednYankeeBlu



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