Random Pic of the Day

Today's picture illustrates a little trick I use to figure out if I took my medication. I suffer from High Blood Pressure. In other words, I am married. Because I am typically running all over the place I sometimes forget to take my medication. Or worse yet, I forget if I have taken it or not. So, what I do is turn the bottle upside-down after I take it. If it is upside down, I know I already took it that day. In the afternoons I always turn it back over. The bottle sits right in front of my computer screen so I see it all the time. It has saved me aggravation many times.

Random Pic of the Day

This is how my day ended yesterday and continued today. My laptop decided it was time to retire. What you see here is what is commonly referred to as BSOD or the Blue Screen Of Death. Simply put, it means you are so screwed it's not even funny! I am hoping the guys at the repair shop can fix it fast and cheap! Judging by the redlines and the random symbols it displayed before giving me this, I would venture to say I did something to the graphics adapter. Maybe all that porn I downloaded was just too hot to handle? LOL

Letting go....

Yesterday I did something that all parents eventually do. I watched my oldest son, Kevin, grow up a little more. I am a Boy Scout leader and both of my boys have been involved in scouting for years. Every year we go camping for a week in Rhode Island. It is something I look forward to every year. So do both my boys. Last year while there, Kevin came to me with some papers to sign. He wanted to get a job working in the camp during the summer of 2009. It would mean 10 weeks that he would be spending away from home. I thought this sounded like a terrific opportunity so, I signed the papers for him. He talked about it all year and I thought I was ready. Oh how wrong I was.

Yesterday was the day I needed to get Kevin up to Rhode Island. All along I thought I would be able to handle his being gone. After all, he spent the entire month of August last year in Japan with his Japanese tutor and her family. We really only talked to him twice that month and it was very briefly. So, by comparison, Rhode Island is virtually right around the corner. I can hop in the car and be there in just under 4 hours. He also has his cell phone with him. These are the things I keep trying to remind myself of. And yet when yesterday arrived, I found myself extremly teary and emotional and several points. It started when I watched him walk his sister down to the bus stop for school. It made me think back to the days when we would walk him down to the bus. Just when did he become this young man? It was touching to see him walking and watching over her. My boy was becoming a man.

My wife and I drove him up to the camp. I didn't drive like I was in a rush. My wife even commented about my not driving in the carpool lane. Instead I stayed in the slow lane. I later confided that I was actually just prolonging the amount of time I had left with my son. When we got to the camp and got him all checked in, they told him to get settled and then he could meet them at the dining hall where he will be working in the kitchen. We took this time and the 3 of us walked around the camp a little bit. My wife has never been there and we thought it would be nice if she saw where we live for a week each summer. After a little bit I started to notice that Kevin was ready to get to work. So we walked with him back to the dining hall. He reluctantly gave him mom a hug and he shook my hand. I didnt care what people thought and I pulled him in and gave him a hug too. I told him I loved him and watched as he walked inside. We stayed on the grounds for about another hour and walked around. Again I was in no rush to leave my first born child behind. When I knew it was really time for us to get moving, we walked one last time back to the dining hall. Inside Kevin was being shown what his responsibilities will be. He had a big smile on his normally straight and serious face. For the first time in a long time, he is where he feels happy. He fits in. He is with kids his own age that he can relate to. They will be his family until we pick him up on August 26th. And even though I will be at the camp from July 5th to the 12th with Tyler and the rest of my boyscouts, and I will get to see Kevin that entire week, I am looking forward to the day Kevin comes home.

I love you Kevin and I miss you in a way that you will not understand until the day comes that you have your own children and you have to stand by helpless as they grow up before your eyes.....tm

This tent will be Kevin's home for the entire summer.

My Celebrity Sighting

Have you ever walked past someone and thought, "That looked just like....." It has happened to me a few times in the past. Today when my wife and I went for our walk through town, we passed Starbucks. I looked at the people sitting outside and looked at this blond woman that looked very familiar. As we passed, I said to my wife, "Is that Melissa Joan Hart?" She had not seen her so she said we should walk back and look. When my wife saw her she said yeah I think it is and we continued on our walk. I started thinking about it. Why shouldn't I just ask the woman if she was Melissa? When I said it to my wife she said, "If you want to ask her go ahead." I told her if she was still there on the way back I was going to ask. We made it to Dunkin Donuts, got our coffee and headed back. We like to sit outside Starbucks anyway.

When we got back to Starbucks, the blond woman was still sitting there with her husband, her kids, and her dad. I walked over to her and asked, "I'm sorry but if I don't ask it is going to make me nuts all day." "Are you who I think you are?" Melissa looked up and smiled and confirmed it was actually her. I talked to her briefly and welcomed her home. She grew up in Sayville and I know her family still lives here. I am assuming she decided to come home and see her dad since tomorrow is Father's Day.

Despite all the bad crap they have said about Melissa in the tabloids, I have to tell you that she looks great and is still as friendly as can be. She is a very pretty girl and still has those dimples. It was fun seeing her relaxing and being just a normal mom hanging out downtown with her children.

While sitting there I could not resist the urge to take a couple pictures. I am sure if I had simply asked, she would have let me take the pictures but, it was kinda fun sneaking a few snaps on my phone. Besides, her son was running around with her digital camera taking pictures of things and people. Including me. So Melissa, when you go through your camera and see this bald guy you don't know, it's just me. I am sure the pictures I took have a bigger impression on me than the couple of me will on you!

So, now I can add Melissa Joan Hart to the list of celebrities I have met over the years. The others include Pat Morita, who played Mr. Miagi in The Karate Kid; the guy who played Rocky's brother-in-law in the movie; and also one of the cast members from the TV show Boston Legal.....tm

(click pic to enlarge)

(click pic to enlarge)

(click pic to enlarge)

Favorite 4 My Friday

Today's favorite is the hour of 8 AM to 9 AM on my work days. In this hour I get more done than I can in my entire day because the office is still closed. I do not answer the phone during this hour and there are no other workers in my office. This is especially nice since I have one coworker in particular that puts my blood pressure meds to the test.

Because space is very tight, her desk happens to be back in my office instead of out front with the rest of the clerk-typists. She happens to be one of those people that is super nosey, super opinionated, and has no check-valve on her mouth. She hates me with a passion for some reason. Actually it has a lot to do with the fact that I am the one that pretty much everyone answers to. At the end of the day when everyone has done there jobs and inspections, it is my name that the property owners see. I will have to dedicate an entire blog to all the petty stuff she gets so uptight over. She has a way of bringing the entire place down. She will even go out of her way to dig at me. Prime example: The picture is actually of her desk. (I love when she is not at it!) The skeleton on the wall is something she hung up last Halloween. She knows I don't like my office looking like a preschool. So, when she found that huge skeleton she wasted no time in hanging it up. To make it worse, she leaves it there. Here it is mid June and it is still there. She decorates it for each holiday. You are probably wondering why I just dont ask her to take it down? I try not to let her know it bothers me. She would rejoice at that.

Well, I should end this here. It is 5 minutes before my favorite work hour ends and the office opens and everyone should be getting here in a few minutes. Then about 10 minutes after nine "my friend" will be taking up her post at that desk and making my day hell. Where are those blood pressure pills?!......tm

Random Pic of the Day

Question for you....

If you saw ME in a police car
what would you think I got arrested for?

It doesn't matter how well you know me. Just give me your best guess.
And for the record, I have never been arrested!

Thought 4 My Thursday

"You decide your own direction, so make
your journey one you'd want to read about"

Random Pic of the Day

It's been awhile since I mentioned the chickens. So today's random pic of the day is a picture I took a few minutes ago. The 6 of them are running around the yard eating any bugs they can find. They are actually getting quite big. They are about the size of what you would find in the freezer section of the grocery store. lol Sorry for that morbid comparison but, it was the easiest way to convey what I meant.

Toon 4 My Tuesday (w/ image this tiime)

Paybacks are a ....!

As you may or may not know, I am a Jimmie Johnson NASCAR fan. I have been betting with Dena for the last few years. She is an avid Tony Stewart fan. Well, in what can only be described as extreme child abuse, she has brainwashed her son Devin into also cheering for Tony. She has "Joshy" doing it too but, we can all figure out why he goes along with that one. (They need a more comfy couch to sleep on). In any event, yesterday Jimmie suffered a bit of bad luck. After leading for most of the race, he ran out of gas on the last half lap and finished further down in the order. You can imagine my disappointment.

Not to miss out on a chance to tease me, Devin posted a blog about Jimmie's loss. Go see http://tonyalltheway.blogspot.com/2009/06/conserve-gas.html to see what the crumbsnatcher had to say. I was seriously laughing so hard my sides hurt.

Well, today I decided it was payback time. I made sure his mom knew what I was planning since I was going to need her help. I called their house and asked to speak to Devin. When he answered the phone I explained that I was an attorney and that my client, Mr. Jimmie Johnson, was very hurt by Devin's blog. I told Devin that we intended to sue him. I could hear a little nervousness at this point. I asked him if he owned a home. He said, "No." I asked him if he owned his own vehicle. Again the answer was "No." I then asked if he was over 18 and when he said "no" I explained that in that case we would be forced to sue him for his allowance and all Tony Stewart memorabilia he may own. Needless to say he sounded a bit more nervous at this point. This is when I told him who I really was. After all, I can't have people yelling at me for picking on kids. At this point he looked at his mom and said, "Oh I am gonna have to pay him back for this one!"

You better believe I am going to be watching over my shoulder for awhile. I can only imagine what he may think of to retaliate! Thank you for being a good sport Devin. And Dena, thanks for your help setting him up! lol

Insomnia

It is 6:40 AM and I just finished feeding the dog and the chickens. While you may be sitting there wondering why that has any significance, it really does. It's because I am still awake from yesterday. I worked last night and got in about 4 AM. Normally I go straight to bed and fall right asleep. Not today. I felt pretty awake when I got in. I actually grabbed a beer hoping that would help. Nope. I have been watching infomercials and TV church services. I am sure I will pay for this later but since it is raining at the moment I dont care how much of the day I may waste away. I am not used to having insomnia so this should be interesting. I hope my wife wakes up before the kids do. Then we can go grab breakfast........spoke too soon. Here comes Kaity! Grrrrr

Random Pic of the Day

To us Islanders, this scene is something we would not think twice about. But, as I sat having lunch today it occurred to me that you mainlanders may be sitting there wondering why this guy is standing at the dock holding a long net. Well, what you can't see in this picture, is the chicken leg he has tied to a string. He is crabbing. What you do is tie the chicken to the end of a long string and toss it into the water. In a few minutes you slowly start to draw in the line. Almost always, there will be a crab clamped tightly onto the chicken. You slowly draw the crab to the surface and slide the net under him, scooping him out of the water. If you are lucky he is a good size and has some other friends underwater just waiting for you to toss the chicken leg back in. Pull in a few of them and you have a nice dinner that night!

What About Me 4 My Wednesday

Some days life doesn't have to be about us. Today is one of those days for me,
despite the title of this post. Today this post is simply to wish my best friend a very

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Yes I realize I am reusing a picture I made a few years ago, but this happens to be Dena's favorite flower.

Music 4 My Monday

Everyday the news is filled with stories of people. Most of the time bad. Occasionally you may hear a story of someone that goes above and beyond and does something spectacular. We call them heroes.

But what about the unrecognized people? The ones who give without expectation of anything in return. The beautiful people that help us each and everyday? Not because they have to but, because they choose to. We all know them. We see them in our lives without ever taking the time to stop and see what they do for us. Or to let them know they are appreciated.

People like the lady who works with mentally challenged adults. Or the single mother that makes someone else's daughter feel special on prom night. Or the Midwestern woman who spends each and every day teaching your children about life so you can go to work. It could even be the man who goes out of town to lay the ground work for cell phone towers just so you can talk to distant relatives. Maybe it is the man who plays Santa in your small town or the 18 year old that joins the military not because he has to but, because he wants to. And just maybe it is the woman who is there to answer the phone when your doctor is not there even though she has major health issues of her own.

Everyone of them and those like them give of themselves so that the world can hopefully be a better place for the rest of us. When was the last time you took a minute to thank them? They are not looking for anything more than for just one person to stop and recognize the fact that without them, our life would be difficult to say the least. They are no different than you or I. They are our friends and neighbors. You will never read about these people in the paper or see them on the evening news. But they will go out again tomorrow. Making a difference in yet another life. Knowing inside that there is a special place for them in God's kingdom.

I am asking each one of you that reads this to stop and look at the people you take for granted in your life and when you see them next, let them know their work is appreciated. Look them right in the eyes and with a simple smile on your face tell them Thank You!

Random Pic of the Day

It has been rather stressful around my house lately. Relaxing is not an option for the most part. Tonight I took some time to just sit outside in the yard. I built a nice fire and grabbed a beer.

The Golden Egg

I tell my kids all the time that one of the reasons we had children was simply so we could mess with their heads. Last night was one of those times.

When we first got the chickens, Katie was very excited. She was hoping that these chickens would lay golden eggs so we could be rich. Can you see where this story is leading yet? Well, being parents that hate to see our children disappointed, my wife decides we need to help Kaitlyn realize her dream. We took an egg and spray painted it gold. Since paint doesn't dry so fast on eggs, we had to wait a day or two to carry out the plan. Last night I put the egg inside the chicken pen. Out in the open where she would see it easily. I gave her an ear of corn and sent her out to give it to the chickens. Of course I had to go outside to see her reaction.

Kaity ran to the chickens, tossed in the corn, and came running back. She had not seen the egg. So, I said to her, "Bug, what is that thing in the pen?" "Did someone toss a golf ball in there?" Kaity ran back and looked and announced, "Nope. It's just a rock." I told her that it didn't look like one so we should go look closer. That's when it hit her. "OMG! OMG! The chickens laid an egg! And it's golden!!" She took the egg and was running around yelling. She ran into the house to show her mom. When my wife asked her if she was sure it was an egg Kaitlyn replied, "Yes it is. I smelled it and it smells like poop!" In between laughing I asked why it would smell like that and of course she informed me it was because, "Eggs come out of a chicken's butt" Can you see me rolling on the floor holding my sides at this point?

Well, of course Kaitlyn has been calling people to tell them about her chicken and its golden egg. We overheard her telling her cousin that a plain egg is only worth $5 but this golden one is worth $20. Where she came up with those figures is beyond me. She also claims to know which of the chickens actually laid the egg. I can only wonder if she went outside and sniffed each chicken's butt to compare to the smell of the egg.

She wanted to put the egg in her back pack and take it to school today but, I convinced her that would not be such a good idea since it would break. And everyone knows that no one will pay $20 for a broken golden egg. Whew! That would have been a mess!.........tm

What About Me 4 My Wednesday

I sometimes get so caught up in things that I miss out on other things. Or I end up slightly behind schedu.......oh crap! It's already Thursday! Looks like I did it again! Dammit!

Random Pic of the Day

In my job, I am required to maintain 24 hours annually of in-service training. Of course that means everyone in my field also has to do it. In my county I am the one that handles everyone that comes through us for training. I run the website

http://www.freewebs.com/boasc

I also organize the payments and setup the registrations for the courses.

Today we had a seminar. We had 140 people attend this one. The picture shows my view from the back of the room.

Toon 4 My Tuesday