2018 in the rearview mirror
Well - let's be frank, 2018 was not a big year for Poets Day posts - only 10 blogs written - about 1,700 reads total but which means about 170 people read each blog, which is not horrible considering they are, let's be honest, not always that good and very rugby centric :)
So what have I been up to since I haven't been writing Poets Day posts you ask ? Well, you probably didn't ask, so I am taking a bit of a liberty here :)
Rugby, I have been doing an awful lot of rugby stuff in my free time. I am a founding board member with Cary Rugby who had U10, U12 and U14 tackle teams in 2018 plus a U8 and sometimes U10 touch teams. I also assisted Coaches Tim and Jose on a local select U14 team that went to a 2 day tournament in South Carolina. I then decided it would be fun to go to Asheville to drink beers with the local Raleigh Rugby Old Boys team and somehow ended up on the paddock for a brief stint. For the first time in about 27 years I actually "played" tackle rugby again and it didn't kill me :)
Around that time someone decided it would be a good idea to make me the Youth Director for North Carolina, which sounds awesome and apparently soon I will get a badge :) After a meeting of North Carolina rugby minds it was decided to start a single school High School rugby team at Broughton High School here in Raleigh - the first time that has ever happened. It is a club team run by the students as such as the AD, in all his infinite wisdom, didn't want anything to do with it. The school, in their infiniter wisdom have replaced him so I am looking forward to talking to the new AD in the New Year. I will suggest they get on board because N Broughton Rugby (the school is technically Needham Broughton) sounds a lot better than the current name - Not Broughton :) We had our first game against another new school program (Corinth High) and rain has affected us having our second game - that being said it is all on, every Saturday till the State Championships in March at Ruggerfest (where I have also been shanghaied into reffing some of the U10 etc games when I have time) :) Oh yes - I also got conned into playing some rugby for the North Raleigh Redhawks senior team - thank goodness for rolling subs :)
Proudest moment for me without question all season was watching my son Charlie run on the paddock for Raleigh at the Oak City 7s this year - his first ever game of rugby due to concerns he would end up like me (drain bamaged)- he loved it. My second proudest rugby moment was him wanting to get on the paddock for Not Broughton in their first game - he needs to work on his tackling some, but the boy knows how to run straight and pass backwards :) Other highlights in the rugby year was bringing together the select team and working with them, having Cole (a kid I have coached for a few years) run up to me and give me a hug in San Fran at the World Cup 7s as he was that happy to see Coach Kiwi, all the smiles that we see on kids faces when they play the game that I love so much and the great new friends I have made this year.
Did I mention that the Kids, the Chick and I went to Chicago for the triple header in November to watch the Black Ferns and the NZ Maoris play against their US counterparts. Charlie struck up an Instagram friendship with one of the US women's players, she was responding to him after the game after him commenting that he loved her dancing on the fields prior to the kick offs (there were a few - the Black Ferns are damn good). Also had some great days going into local schools and taking over the PE class and turning it into Rugby Fundays with some of the amazing local coaches.
But wait, surely there was more to the year than rugby?
Yes there was (I think - drain bamage remember) :) Lily Grace has shown that the Thespian genes are strong in her. She killed it as one of the French Knights in a local kids production of Spamalot. I missed her in another play (I was at the World Cup 7s) and she will rock out in the New Year as Captain Hook in Peter Pan. She is also quite the artist and is growing into an amazing young lady, both of the kids make their Dad very proud and sometimes very happy :)
Speaking of Thespians it has been a big year for Uncle Jonno, starring with his good mate Rhys as Declan Stanwyck on Wrecked (TBS), had a great role on The Rookie and got a special shout out from Nathan Fillion to the kids (which was very very cool) and will soon be treading the boards on Broadway as a grown up Draco Malfoy - so all the family will be coming from NZ at some point to see that. I hope they can make it down to NC also :) I know that it will be tough for him being on the other coast from the twins and his amazing wife but what an amazing opportunity, so very proud of him and my entire family.
As is life some great friends have left the area. Coach Ash headed back to the UK to drink warm beer and complain about the weather. My great friend T Fletcher is heading to MA to coach a mens College Rugby team and she will kick ass up there. We lost a great man in Jet, a work buddy who became a real friend, trade shows will not be the same without him. As some left some arrived. Coach Brian and family remind me of how special it is to be a kiwi and I cannot wait for us to call in the New Year with whanau - just need to get Silas to stop calling me Coach Kiwi and call me Uncle James :) There are a whole new group of people that I am lucky to call friends and I look forward to spending time with them in 2019 and catching back up with some that I have been a bit lacking on time with.
So what does 2019 hold for us?
Well, lots of rugby of course :) Not Broughton plays through early March then the youth rugby tournaments with Cary starts. Heading to Savannah to drink beer with the Raleigh Old Boys (and likely be a rolling sub) plus a few game with the North Raleigh team. Heading home for a couple of weeks over our summer and then I organized for the the Haka Rugby Global camp to come to Raleigh which will be awesome. At some point a trip to NYC with The Chick and the kids to see Uncle Jonno on Broadway which will be a once in a lifetime experience. I am sure there will be lots and lots of touch played and I might even play some 7s at the Moonshine 7s if there is a social old buggers team. Will likely help with a select team this year also and am looking forward to seeing Charlie playing some. Every day will be part of the fun ride that is life and I hope to make the most of it. Lily Grace will be on stage in January playing Captain Hook and I am sure there is more theatre heading her way in 2019. Work wise I am fortunate to work for an amazing company with great people and I look forward to continuing my professional development there.
My only real wish for 2019 is health and happiness to myself, The Chick, Charlie and Lily Grace, my amazing family and my friends and to all of you. May 2019 - not the month of May, all the months :) - bring peace and better understanding, more tolerance and less separation, more care for our fellow man and woman and less general douchebaggery. Make sure to tell people that you love them, make sure to hold your kids and loved ones close when you get the chance and make sure to write more than 10 damn blogs (that last one was pretty much directed at me). 2018 was a great year and 2019 will be better.
I will see you on the paddock, or at work, or on the street and I will always have time, I will always have time.
Work hard, play hard and earn your inspiration
Happy New Years
Cheers
James
So what have I been up to since I haven't been writing Poets Day posts you ask ? Well, you probably didn't ask, so I am taking a bit of a liberty here :)
Rugby, I have been doing an awful lot of rugby stuff in my free time. I am a founding board member with Cary Rugby who had U10, U12 and U14 tackle teams in 2018 plus a U8 and sometimes U10 touch teams. I also assisted Coaches Tim and Jose on a local select U14 team that went to a 2 day tournament in South Carolina. I then decided it would be fun to go to Asheville to drink beers with the local Raleigh Rugby Old Boys team and somehow ended up on the paddock for a brief stint. For the first time in about 27 years I actually "played" tackle rugby again and it didn't kill me :)
Around that time someone decided it would be a good idea to make me the Youth Director for North Carolina, which sounds awesome and apparently soon I will get a badge :) After a meeting of North Carolina rugby minds it was decided to start a single school High School rugby team at Broughton High School here in Raleigh - the first time that has ever happened. It is a club team run by the students as such as the AD, in all his infinite wisdom, didn't want anything to do with it. The school, in their infiniter wisdom have replaced him so I am looking forward to talking to the new AD in the New Year. I will suggest they get on board because N Broughton Rugby (the school is technically Needham Broughton) sounds a lot better than the current name - Not Broughton :) We had our first game against another new school program (Corinth High) and rain has affected us having our second game - that being said it is all on, every Saturday till the State Championships in March at Ruggerfest (where I have also been shanghaied into reffing some of the U10 etc games when I have time) :) Oh yes - I also got conned into playing some rugby for the North Raleigh Redhawks senior team - thank goodness for rolling subs :)
Proudest moment for me without question all season was watching my son Charlie run on the paddock for Raleigh at the Oak City 7s this year - his first ever game of rugby due to concerns he would end up like me (drain bamaged)- he loved it. My second proudest rugby moment was him wanting to get on the paddock for Not Broughton in their first game - he needs to work on his tackling some, but the boy knows how to run straight and pass backwards :) Other highlights in the rugby year was bringing together the select team and working with them, having Cole (a kid I have coached for a few years) run up to me and give me a hug in San Fran at the World Cup 7s as he was that happy to see Coach Kiwi, all the smiles that we see on kids faces when they play the game that I love so much and the great new friends I have made this year.
Did I mention that the Kids, the Chick and I went to Chicago for the triple header in November to watch the Black Ferns and the NZ Maoris play against their US counterparts. Charlie struck up an Instagram friendship with one of the US women's players, she was responding to him after the game after him commenting that he loved her dancing on the fields prior to the kick offs (there were a few - the Black Ferns are damn good). Also had some great days going into local schools and taking over the PE class and turning it into Rugby Fundays with some of the amazing local coaches.
But wait, surely there was more to the year than rugby?
Yes there was (I think - drain bamage remember) :) Lily Grace has shown that the Thespian genes are strong in her. She killed it as one of the French Knights in a local kids production of Spamalot. I missed her in another play (I was at the World Cup 7s) and she will rock out in the New Year as Captain Hook in Peter Pan. She is also quite the artist and is growing into an amazing young lady, both of the kids make their Dad very proud and sometimes very happy :)
Speaking of Thespians it has been a big year for Uncle Jonno, starring with his good mate Rhys as Declan Stanwyck on Wrecked (TBS), had a great role on The Rookie and got a special shout out from Nathan Fillion to the kids (which was very very cool) and will soon be treading the boards on Broadway as a grown up Draco Malfoy - so all the family will be coming from NZ at some point to see that. I hope they can make it down to NC also :) I know that it will be tough for him being on the other coast from the twins and his amazing wife but what an amazing opportunity, so very proud of him and my entire family.
As is life some great friends have left the area. Coach Ash headed back to the UK to drink warm beer and complain about the weather. My great friend T Fletcher is heading to MA to coach a mens College Rugby team and she will kick ass up there. We lost a great man in Jet, a work buddy who became a real friend, trade shows will not be the same without him. As some left some arrived. Coach Brian and family remind me of how special it is to be a kiwi and I cannot wait for us to call in the New Year with whanau - just need to get Silas to stop calling me Coach Kiwi and call me Uncle James :) There are a whole new group of people that I am lucky to call friends and I look forward to spending time with them in 2019 and catching back up with some that I have been a bit lacking on time with.
So what does 2019 hold for us?
Well, lots of rugby of course :) Not Broughton plays through early March then the youth rugby tournaments with Cary starts. Heading to Savannah to drink beer with the Raleigh Old Boys (and likely be a rolling sub) plus a few game with the North Raleigh team. Heading home for a couple of weeks over our summer and then I organized for the the Haka Rugby Global camp to come to Raleigh which will be awesome. At some point a trip to NYC with The Chick and the kids to see Uncle Jonno on Broadway which will be a once in a lifetime experience. I am sure there will be lots and lots of touch played and I might even play some 7s at the Moonshine 7s if there is a social old buggers team. Will likely help with a select team this year also and am looking forward to seeing Charlie playing some. Every day will be part of the fun ride that is life and I hope to make the most of it. Lily Grace will be on stage in January playing Captain Hook and I am sure there is more theatre heading her way in 2019. Work wise I am fortunate to work for an amazing company with great people and I look forward to continuing my professional development there.
My only real wish for 2019 is health and happiness to myself, The Chick, Charlie and Lily Grace, my amazing family and my friends and to all of you. May 2019 - not the month of May, all the months :) - bring peace and better understanding, more tolerance and less separation, more care for our fellow man and woman and less general douchebaggery. Make sure to tell people that you love them, make sure to hold your kids and loved ones close when you get the chance and make sure to write more than 10 damn blogs (that last one was pretty much directed at me). 2018 was a great year and 2019 will be better.
I will see you on the paddock, or at work, or on the street and I will always have time, I will always have time.
Work hard, play hard and earn your inspiration
Happy New Years
Cheers
James
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