Whiskey, Wine & Root Beer

On Friday morning my family once again made the drive to Carrizo Springs, Texas. The weather was perfect. Late November in most of America is at or above freezing, but not in Texas. Highs were around 75-80 degrees, and that made it feel like early spring, not winter.

At around 4:00 P.M., after we arrived in Carrizo, we packed up the Jeep and brought a few guns in case we ran into a rattlesnake. My wife, 2 children, and Dad were not out to go hunting that day. We just wanted to have a leisurely drive and see the game that was out there. We had great conversation and saw Deer (Bucks & Does) , Dove, Pigs, Turkey, & Quail.

My Daughter was requesting Maroon 5's "Payphone" and we listened to music loud and the kids danced and laughed. My son & daughter both sat in my lap and they were driving and having the time of their lives. We stopped at one of our ponds and picked up "crystal" rocks. At about 5:30 the sun began to slowly set.

We had Whiskey, Wine & and Root Beer. My daughter had a root beer. My son had milk. The toughest decision my wife, father and I had to make all weekend long was what we were going to have to drink. A whiskey with a Diet Pepsi was my choice, and my wife and my father had the wine.

You know, life gets crazy sometimes. We work hard. We get caught up in the daily grind and we sometimes feel heavy pressure. We all need to take a minute and catch our breath. We need to enjoy life and soak in these moments when we can. Life is too short to let work get the best of us.

Smile. It is all monopoly money anyway. Let's enjoy what we have and not dwell on the negative. That sunset is something I will go back to anytime things get crazy. What is your sunset? Will you have a Whiskey, Wine or Root Beer?

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Comment by Tim Spagnola on November 28, 2012 at 7:53am: Needed this post this morning Will. Thanks.

Comment by Will Thomson on November 28, 2012 at 7:57am: Thanks Tim, this is a little different than what I usually write. Sometimes we lose track of what is really important in life. We shouldn't sweat the small stuff. This applies to anyone, not just recruiters.

Comment by Christopher Perez on November 28, 2012 at 10:18am: Very smile-worthy, Will. I completely agree on all counts. We need to strive for balance in our lives and need to have a clear grasp of what is really important. Make it your personal elevator pitch if you will. In fact, this should not be a "place" we escape to, it should be a philosophy that actively guides us in all areas of our lives.

I will only quibble with 2 items: 1) Don't harsh the rattler's mellow. He's just runnin' his route and doing his thing. 2) Make mine a gin. Cheers!

Comment by Will Thomson on November 28, 2012 at 10:44am: Completely agree Chris. Often times we forget what is important. Our heads are down, we have our game plan for the day, but that doesn't allow time for ourselves and what life has to offer. It is the simple things in life that we often overlook.

The rattler will get you in Carrizo, better bring that gun in case. Cheers back at you!

Comment by Daniel F Ridge on November 29, 2012 at 11:20am: But did you make it to the Texas Olive Ranch? Good post Will, but my choice would be either wine or some great micro beers from Saint Arnolds (Houston), Oskar Blues (Colorado), New Belgium (Colorado), Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, NY) Real Ale (Blanco, TX), ...well you get my drift. Thanks for the post.

Comment by Will Thomson on November 29, 2012 at 12:29pm: I guess we all have our preferences/vices. Sounds like we are having happy hour on Thursday. Seriously, Thanks- Dan.

Comment by Scott on November 30, 2012 at 10:20am: I really enjoyed reading your post this morning, Will. Thanks for sharing - you bring a great perspective during the busy holiday rush and end-of-year crunch! (And I enjoyed the glimpse into your life in Texas. I spent my summers on the Guadalupe river outside of San Antonio. Had my share of run in with Rattlesnakes and Water Mocassins.)

Thanks for the post. Happy Holidays.

-Scott

Comment by Will Thomson on November 30, 2012 at 1:30pm: Thank you Scott! When my family was riding around in the Jeep I joked about writing this. Truly, I wasn't expecting much when I wrote it, but I am glad others have enjoyed it.

I love the Guadalupe- there are plenty of Rattlers and Water Moccasins in Texas!