Another Pissy Day

Well, the Renn Faire was great as usual and everyone had a great time ... even Peanut managed to smile a lot. She wants one of them dresses where you can strut your stuff. And yes, she loves watching the Squire on the Wire. Something about a man in a kilt walking on a tightrope over the audience got her attention. We listened to the O'Danny Girls sing ... just like we always do ... and they were great. I bought another of their CDs to play and use it to put myself to sleep at night.

Work continues to be a royal pain in the arse. People who are supposed to use computers as part of their job can't even add a signature block to their email. They don't have a clue about the programs but they take enough time to go through all the screens and change the settings ... then bellyache to me when it doesn't work right anymore. Keep your frickin fingers off then ... I say. I installed web mail several years ago ... and to this day ... they still can't use it or even remember how to get to it. Cheng puts out an email every week about not installing software ... well, everyone of them have ACT ... one day I will find that gremlin that sneaks in at midnight and installs this software that no one claims they installed but everyone uses. Or someone wants to print something, spends 45 minutes formatting it, then bitches to me about their wasted time and how I ought to fix the broken print system. I changed the print margins and in 15 seconds solve what they wasted 45 minutes on. Learn to use the tools provided with the brains God gave you. I won't even go into the workload changes for the whole engineering staff. We are a victim of our success. We do it better and faster and now as a reward they are dumping on more on us. I think I will take up the United Auto Workers attitude ... slow down until you are over paid for doing nothing.

AJ is growing and is developing a great personality ... a real charmer. His hair keeps sticking straight up ... his hair looks like one of the gremlins from the movie. Lew and Lil Princess continue to make us smile and laugh. Lew got "a million bucks" as he exclaimed. Really it was only $10. You can't help but love them all. Peanut is turning into quite a cook ... the meals and desserts are rather remarkable. One day she will have the opportunity to fatten up her own significant other but for the time being it is me and Lady. #1 and #2 have the same issue ... allergic to work. It is nice to be picky but sometimes pride should kick in and you should want to work and show us you can be productive in society. But alas, until that day they will wonder why their arse is getting bigger from all the sitting around.

Sometimes I have to wonder where I failed in raising these kids. I tend to be a workaholic but they tend to be lounge lizards. Has society changed so much that sponging off your parents is the preferred way of living? We want to help and give them the best chance to succeed but does that mean take advantage of us? Yes, I am miffed as I work 60+ hours a week. I wish I could just be normal. What is the appeal of sleeping or lounging in bed 21 hours a day? Surely the body has had enough sleep after 10 hours. Chores? I realize doing chores while you are sleeping all day or generally being a sofa lizard is impossible so I won't go into any detail here. Be honest with us, we know all the cock and bull excuses for not being there or spending time with us. Just tell us you have no real desire to spend time with us and would rather be elsewhere. We will get over the disappointment. Lord, heaven help that we would want to spend some time with you and have a relationship. And yes, a relationship is more than phone calls that average 3 minutes and text messages. Talk to us face to face, do things with us. I have been known to sit in beauty shops reading ladies magazines just to be with someone. Not to mention sitting through a movie that had no plot or action. Why do we have to drift apart because we have this huge desire to be independent. Yes growing up is the goal but independence is doing it yourself when you want to and how you want to. I sit here and think now of how I would love to have one more talk with my dad ... just 2 minutes to say I love you. But I can't for now and then I think of how it is now with my family ... such a waste of those precious moments. Perhaps my failure is wanting to love them and be a part of their lives when I should either blow it off or apply the boot of opportunity to their backside.

Well, I shall stop ... for what good will it do to continue.

Eyes Wide Open

Finally, an honest gun control ad! Check it out.

O'Danny Girls

Well, TGIF ... and not a moment too soon. The week has been full with not much time for anything extra. However, this week is the Renn Faire. For a while Saturday we will forget about this world and have some fun. Tuesday Peanut advanced the hands of time as she celebrated a Birthday. We wish her a lot of luck. The flower cake took a lot of self-control not to eat it. AJ is growing like a weed and is a blast to watch as he plays. Sometimes you actually ache when he twists or pulls his legs and feet to his mouth. You can almost hear your bones pop as he does. Lady is sore too as she participated with Lew at the House of Bounce. This was his birthday party place. Wild Mom is already dreaming of the cruise. The best part is there will be an economic boom in Pace Fl. as she gets new clothes to wear. Bowling is now back in full swing. I sure hope I do better than last year.

I believe I will vote republican this year. That ticket sure looks better than what the Democrats offer.

The Redskins are just like last year. Can we trade them for a good team?

What can you say about the Nationals. 26.5 games behind ... Put them in AAA ball and we might stand a chance of reaching .500. It is sad to see some good players never have an outside chance of reaching the post-season.

Bailing out the Banks? They don't care if I flounder. Paying me $0.69 on $1100 of savings ... didn't help me. Their fees are outlandish ... and now they want us to save their butts from the bad decisions they made. That is business ... make a bad choice and risk your business. I say let them sink and the good banks will survive ... better yet, if they are bailed out ... then the government should regulate them as a condition of saving their butts from their bad decisions. They are now bailing out the banks and housing finance industry ... when will I get some consideration?

I wonder what Exxon will post as their new profit ... will they beat the $11.7 Billion they posted last quarter? They could pay every household $383.36 with just the profit they will make this year. So after paying all their costs ... every home in America could get 1 month of free gas.

6 Days

Well, I am on the slippery down slope to the weekend. This week so far has been a wild ride. It seems 12-14 hours a day are the norm. At one point this weekend the old trigger finger sure twitched and I was extremely close to pulling the trigger and ejecting out of this mess. Bowling last week was ok but could have been better. The kids league was supposed to start but it was delayed until this weekend. #1 and #2 are still playing around with their job hunting exploits and they fail to realize the ride on the free ferry is about over with. As I see it, the swim to shore right now will be a hard one. AJ got a very good clean bill of health ... they may not even have to do any surgery now. We will have to see how the next one goes and hopefully the results will be the same. Did a prayer get answered? Peanut is happy and relieved with this news. That boy is growing like a weed, he rolls like a barrel going downhill, he even manages to make the walker move around a little bit, and given the time he will make noises back to you in response to those you make. Of course #2 tried to get AJ to break wind like him but AJ just ignored him. We only need one stinker and child in the house. Lady is doing well and nearly has her craft room cleaned out once again. Wow, that and even getting on the treadmill ... what a woman! Lew never ceases to amaze us as he grows. The things he says would be priceless on Art LinkLetter's , "Kids say the Darnedest Things." Lil Princess, what can you say, she is a doll and is a 1000 watt bulb in a dark cave. Just watching her play will make you laugh and the poor dog now has someone to chase him around till he runs out of steam and hides. Peanut is only 6 days away from going over the hill (21) and being forced to grow up. Gee, imagine ... she will be an adult ... no more kiddie movies and kids meals.

This weekend will once again be full as Sunday I am speaking at both services. I am still not completely sure about the subject but I do have ideas. Add both bowling leagues and I will be tired by Sunday night. Football? There is hardly anytime but I can console myself that the Redskins will lose. Some things are becoming a fact of life like the Redskins losing, the Nationals losing and the Patriots and Red Sox winning. Maybe I should move to Boston!

Well, work sucks and fixing stupid is really becoming a royal pain in the bum.

Oh ... Dark Thirty

Just for a change of pace ... it is 03:30 am on a Saturday morning and I figured it would be good to write ... not! Work called at 02:30 am and woke me up with a problem they were having. You guessed it ... the new stuff I inherited. Nothing like feeling inadequate and even worse ... lost. Gee, I knew I should have went to sleep earlier ... but I didn't get home from the training class until 11:00 pm and have to leave for the morning session at 06:45 am. These are the times that try my resolve to be a christian. #1 looked at me earlier tonight with a WTF? look ... why are you up now? With fingers crossed ... at 05:10 am the system seems to have settled back down ... for the moment. Now it is time to start my day and get ready for the class ... figuring out what I did right will come later.

As I reflect over the last 2+ hours, I really wonder about the fun-ness I am supposed to be having. I am reflecting on another time in my life when I felt just like this mentally ... I guess it boils down to your self-worth and what value you give to your life. Reminds me of the movie, "Saving Private Ryan," when the man asks ... have I been good enough to deserve the sacrifice made for me?

Oh, the first session of the class was good. It is titled ... Lay Leaders are Servant Leaders ... it makes you think though the author's book does challenge your thinking for a bit until you figure out what his words are driving at.

Yeah, I missed Friday Night dinner with Lady and our best friends and most likely I will miss Mexican food today at El Agave. The list of negatives for today is really growing so I best stop before I convince myself to retire today. I hope your day is a great one and be safe.

A Day Off

I figure I best update this site and get everyone updated. Life has been busy with the weekdays and weekends running into each other. We spent Friday night up on Skyline Drive and then drove along the Skyline drive to Charlottesville and then drove the normal roads back home. We had a blast seeing a lot of animal life including a black bear. He must have been about 4-5 years old and ran across the road in front of us. Dessert Friday night was Blackberry cobbler (me) and Blackberry ice cream pie (everyone else). The cabin was nice but Lady complained that when the lights went off it was a total blackout. Oh well, that is life but another trip to the mountains is a definite possibility. Sunday was the usual with church and the grandkids. Needless to say we were busy. Wild Mom is having fun getting wet from Gustav's rain. She was lucky and basically had no damage and the trailer did good at dodging twisters. Gee, looking at the Weather Channel today there are at least 5 more heading east from Africa. Work is slightly better ... it helps when 4 different people quit and two of them way overdue. Now the fun comes covering all the jobs with less people. Now the projects keep appearing faster than we can get them done. I guess that will keep us employed for quite a while. Next weekend is a lay Speakers Training Class, so my weekend will be full. This week the emphasis will be in clearing out the family room and getting it cleaned up. Gee, we will be disturbing a lot of dust. No change for #1 and #2. Peanut dyed her hair black once again. Even #2 tried his hand at dying his. Well, he looks the same and I am afraid it will take a lot bigger effort to look better.

The Redskins are praying for a quick start to the season and quit wasting their few available wins for the season during the preseason games.

McCain made a very good choice. I just hope she and especially her family survive the attacks by the Dems and Media.