Today I begin writing Volume 3 of my musings, now titled Never Picture Perfect and subtitled the musings of Brian Groce. The title is a nod to Rich Mullins and sums up most of my posts and my observations of life pretty well.

Also, let me note that this volume comes into existence due to extremely somber and heartbreaking circumstances. My wife and I lost and laid to rest our fourth child in the past week and a half. I am not ready to publicly share much more than that at this time, but as you read my blog from this point forward that knowledge will help make some things I’ll say make more sense.

That said, here’s the breakdown of my five and a half years of musings…

Volume 1: October 10th, 2002 - August 5th, 2006

• 578 Posts.
• Written after college during my first (and only) “real world” job.
• The last month of which was written after I was laid off.
• The births of my first two children occurred during in this period.
• My Age: 24-28.
• This volume has been archived and made private.

Volume 2: August 7th, 2006 - April 5th, 2008

• 214 Posts.
• Written during the period when Watershed Studio became my full-time job.
• Many new projects came into being during this period.
• The birth of my third child occurred during in this period.
• The birth and death of my fourth child occurred in this period.
• My Age: 28-30.
• This volume has been incorporated into Never Picture Perfect, at least for the time being.

Volume 3: April 12th, 2008 -

• This is where we are today.
• The tone will probably be slightly different as I make my way through dealing with the loss of my son. Don’t be surprised if I’m silent where I once was vocal. My perspective on life and what really matters in the grand scheme of things is changing…which of course will lead to similar, but different, musings.
• My Age: 30- .

Tonight is turning into another one of those mind and heart check nights.  One of those nights where I can’t keep my mind from wondering into “big picture” land.  As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I’m now officially in my thirties, so I just can’t seem to help myself from going there.

Anyway, what tripped it tonight was two things.   Andrew Peterson & the violent death of a former high school classmate.

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It only happens once every four years.  Sometimes not even then.  If you’re lucky enough to make it to eighty, you’ll only see nineteen or twenty of these in your lifetime.  Go, enjoy your extra day.

I’m personally taking the day off to get out of the “office” and I am instituting Leap Day as an official holiday for Watershed Studio.  (Yet another nice thing about running your own business.)  And for those of you who’ve not been to the Watershed site lately, we’ve given the site a much needed face lift.  Take a look and let me know what you think.

Well, I was in the midst of something tonight and missed the total lunar eclipse, but at least I was able to snap a few photos of the partial lunar eclipse. We have to wait for 34 months to see another one of these, so hopefully it will be clear that night as well.

And I missed the space shuttle landing too. I’m just not on it today.

Anyway, they better release some video footage of them shooting the satellite out of the sky…that might make up for it a little.

I’ve checked my calendar and my birth certificate and it seems to be true that as of today I am thirty years old. Part of me had hoped that was a rumor, but I cannot deny it. While I’m still young enough to be sort of “hip”, it won’t be too long before they (whoever “they” are) start to refer to me as “middle aged” (whatever that means…like they know something about my lifespan that I do not). But I digress.

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