Mayors give city positive reviews

[ScranBarre]

I'll admit that too many video games can be detrimental. Growing up in a neighborhood with very few children my own age and with my parents constantly working to "keep up with the Jones's," I didn't have many opportunities to get out and play ball, ride my bike, go hiking, go to a playground etc. unless I could convince my friends to have their parents pick me up, which is part of the reason why I can't wait to raise my children in Scranton, where there seems to be a lot of close-knit neighborhoods and recreational opportunities for children within walking distance. I was just in Hyde Park again yesterday to visit a friend along Jackson Street and to have lunch at Faccia Luna, and I was happy to see people on front porches supervising the children of neighbors on their bikes, skateboarding, roller-blading, etc. along the side streets.

I grew up without a lot of peers to mess around with remotely near my home, so I instead turned to reading (a lot), and getting myself addicted to the PC series known as "The Sims," in which you can create and control your own people, advance their careers, design their homes, etc. I'd continually try to make a "virtual dream life" for myself instead of getting on out there and actually grabbing the real life by the horns, and I regret that quite a bit; it's turned me into a terribly boring, dull person. Yes, I am very eloquent and am on my way to a Ph.D., but what good is that when you grate on people's nerves in casual conversations by sounding like Al Gore? My biggest fear is turning myself into someone like Niles or Frasier Crane when I pride myself on being open-minded and easy-going with others. My biggest hurdle in life has been learning to untuck my shirt, un-gelling my hair, and just "letting loose."

Now that I can drive myself out of this suburban hellhole whenever I wish, the outdoors and I have reunited ourselves. Just today I went out for an invigorating 7-mile run capped off by swimming laps in our above-ground pool. I have Ricketts Glen on my to-do list for both a wonderful hike along the Falls Trail, as well as a new photo tour. I frequently run at Lake Scranton and on the Wyoming Valley Levee System, and I hope to soon dabble in trail-running as well since my knees are starting to cause me to wince in pain from the constant hard contact with the asphalt accompanied with my student-budget sneakers. I play baseball whenever I can with my friends, and we make it a point to head to Frances Slocum whenever they're all in from out-of-town for frisbee tournaments. Also on my to-do list is to begin bike riding around Harvey's Lake, as well as cross-country skiing this winter. I'm likewise hoping to give yoga another shot; the downward-facing doggie wasn't exactly my best friend the last time I tried it! LOL!

Your son is blessed to have a father that takes time away from working to make it a priority to spend time with him; my dad was always far too stressed out from his job to do the same when he returned home from the office. The only two activities he ever tried to encourage me to pursue were football (which was a mistake given my 130-lb. frame), and hunting (I'm not too fond of killing animals unless I can eat them). I've wanted to go fishing for many, many years now, and I thought it might be a great "bonding" experience for he and I to continue to patch up our very strained relationship. However, he's more content in coming home from the office, flipping on Comcast, sitting in his La-Z-Boy recliner, and then dozing off by 6:30 PM. I'd like to have him as a running/hiking partner as well, but he whines everyday about his sciatica, knees, neck, or some other "pain" in his body (He's in his 50s and is showing it quite a bit).

With that being said, never prioritize your career over your family (this goes for EVERYONE!) It might be nice to have a house in the suburbs, newer vehicles, a pool, etc., but when it comes at the expense of seeing your family, is it really worth it? I would have much preferred to have grown up in my birth home in a lower-middle-class part of Pittston in order to have more quality time with my parents. Now, it's much too late. I've already committed myself to the fact that as soon as I find a sorry sap to date me and adopt our children, I'm promoting one of my employees to "partner" of my firm and will cut my hours in half so I can be there to see their first steps, their first words, etc. Some things are more important in life than "keeping up with the Jones's."

[weluvpa]

Paul how sure footed are you????? I can take you to the top of the cliffs over looking Chinchilla and teach you some rappelling and climbing basics. I have been climbing off and on for over 10 years.

[to570717]

devils kitchen on the top of the Notch. great place to hike and rappel. Amazing view

[weluvpa]

There is three levels of cliffs there and if you go down to the bottom level and work along it, the climbing is good. Devils kitchen is in the middle row. I have bolted several areas there and have been there climbing for well over ten years. If you hike thru the trees north along 81 there several more rows of cliffs out in the woods towards Layton road as well. Even up off the morgan highway there is some nice bouldering and short over head lay back climbs to.

[NYRangers 2008]

Dan, I didn't know you liked climbing. I have never done it myself, but it looks like fun and interesting.

[weluvpa]

During school I spent a summer in Switzerland at a technical ski training camp, I was going places till I hurt my knee when I was young, after that summer I fell in love with climbing but never pursued here till about 1990/91. I started to ice climb in 1993 then it went from there to mountaineering. I summited Mount Baker in WA and the North twin sisters in WA as well, and a few unanmed peaks in Utah and Colorado during the mid 90's. Back east it was always NH I probably climbed on Mt washington over 20 times. When I went to Israel I did some climbing there as well. Over the last 5 to 6 years I have scaled back my climbing due to on going injuries. I was trained and ready to do some high altitude climbing in South America but life and the injuries caught up to me so that was not a option. I have enough gear for two guys to do just about anything on the east coast and I have full winter gear for my ice climbing. I have spent many a cold night on the side of Mt. washington in NH. I love it but it is the one sport that requires excellent conditioning and lets face it as we get older its gets harder and harder to find the time to train and the body to hold up to it. I can certainly take you out rappelling or some basic climbs here that can get your feet wet in the sport. Always just a good reason to play on the rock and in the woods.

[NYRangers 2008]

Sounds very cool. I would like to try it sometimes.