Random Thoughts

Six hundred sixty-six - a view...of sorts

2012-01-31T10:41:00.000-05:00

The number 666 raises the hair on some people and others merely think it superstition. I'm neither one or the other, but I love history and I happened to fall upon a good article where someone took the time to spell out some common misconceptions as well as some cool twists that many of us never think of. Here is the captured text of part of the article. I take no credit for his work, just passing this along.

The number 666 originated because of Emperor Nero of Rome.

666 - The Number of the Beast
Here is the wisdom. . .

Few symbols hold more dread than the number 666 (six hundred and sixty six, not three 6's). It is well known among both Christians and unbelievers alike. It is used to denote anarchy and satanism in rock bands, it is found tattooed on some supposed "antichrist" in popular movies, and has been attached to more diverse entities than any other.

In its "mark" form it has been associated with all manner of objects and ideas. Throughout history it has been associated with the Pope, Rome, even the Latin language itself. In the 1960's and 70's it was Social Security numbers. In the '80's it became bar codes. In the '90's it was everything from computers and the internet, to chips implanted under the skin. What form this mark will take in the 21st century is anyone's guess.

The Bible says that the wise will be able to calculate the number of the beast. Now, "the wise" is a term used to denote believers. . .and this is certainly a clue as to how it must be done. But what is there to "calculate" about a number? Usually a number IS the answer! Below we will explore what calculations may have been meant.

Gematria

The code used here is probably one based on gematria, the practice of using letters to denote quantity. This practice was fairly common in ancient times (Roman numerals for instance). A number, then, could be "calculated" from a word. In our alphabet for instance my name (Doug) would be 47 (phew!) :

d (4)
o (15)
u (21)
g (7)
+
_____________
= 47

Since those times many interesting combinations have been suggested that point to any number of individuals, institutions and even objects. . .

COMPUTER - using a base of 6 (where a=6 , b=12 , c=36, . . .) you can get 666.

RONALD REAGAN - has 6 letters in his first, middle, and last names. . . 666.

Other famous people: Prince Charles, Henry Kissinger, Hitler, Himmler, Santa Clause, Kennedy

THE POPE - the Pope's title: Vicarius filii Dei which is "Vicar of the Son of God". The Roman numeral count of this title is: 5+1+100+1+5+1+50+1+1+500+1= 666 (also of note is the fact that "Vicar" is the root form of "vicarious" meaning "in place of" or "Anti"...thus the Pope's title is literally "Antichrist".)

LATIN - The earliest calculation of this number is the word lateinos, which is Greek for "Latin" It was the Latin world, kingdom, church, language, clergy, prayers etc. that "marked" the Roman Catholic church.

The key of course is to figure out what the original audience would have used to calculate the number. Because John was writing to Jews (and because using common Greek would have been rather obvious) we can safely assume that the number is to be calculated using the Hebrew alphabet.

666 or 616?

One more point before we move on. In most Bibles at the verse where the number of the beast is given (Revelation 13:18) there is a footnote that says the following: Some manuscripts read 616. 616? Where did that come from? Is it an error? Or was the copyist trying to put down what he knew John meant by 666? There is a possible clue in the languages used.

Hebrew or Latin?

In the Latin manuscripts we find the number 616 in verse 18 rather than 666 (some KJV still use this in fact). Here is where we find, I believe, the most interesting thing about this number. Just suppose for a moment that this is no error, that the Latin copyist wanted to accurately translate the meaning of 666 and not just the actual number used (this is the same as translating any language after all, so long as you know the meaning of both words in both languages you can translate them over).

Is there a name (for it is the number of "a man" - not a device, institution, or language) that fits both numbers? And if there is, does that person fit the context of Revelation? I believe there is.

Caesar Nero

His official title was Neron Caesar (written nrwn qsr in Hebrew) the letters of which, if added together, equal 666.

N (50)
R (200)
W (6)
N (50)

Q (100)
S (60)
R (200)
+
_____________
= 666

The Latin form of the title (which drops the final N (50) of nrwn) would equal 616, thus fitting the alternative reading. Of how many other "nominees" can this be said?

Nero certainly fits the context of the chapter and of the book of Revelation:

the first emperor to persecute Christians (and he did so savagely)
the 7th emperor (head) of Rome (the Beast)
fits the first century timeline and would have been relevant to the original audience
known among his contemporaries as a "beast"

Conclusion

Whatever your feelings on the matter, please be careful to note that John expected believers to be able to identify this person. Don't be fooled by prophecy fanatics that try to wriggle every possible entity into the number of the beast using bizarre and arcane methods of arriving at their conclusion. It was not meant to confuse, but rather to inform. Nor is it a number that had to be riddled out with a computer. . . the believers who saw (or will see) the beast had (will have) no trouble identifying him.

Star Wars the Old Republic PC Game Giveaway

2012-01-27T14:58:00.003-05:00

Howdy Star Wars Fans. If you've been following my posts lately, you'll see a lot of Star Wars funnies and assorted sundries. This was in preparations for today's announcement....wait for it.....

A free copy of our new title Star Wars: The Old Republic on PC!!!!

To enter, send me any creative item/idea; an original short story, or a crafted item relating to the Star Wars universe. **Note: any Ewok or Jar Jar Binks entries will immediately disqualify you. Sorry. My contest, my rules. :)

The contest is open to anyone age 0 to 99, excluding my family or friends who work with me. Entries are due to me one week from today; snail mail, email, hand delivery, air drop or carrier pigeon are all acceptable forms of delivery.

In the spirit of the Star Wars universe, please keep the items clean as I will be posting the winning entry to my blog and you don't want your mother to see your dirty little secrets. The winner will have the opportunity to install the game immediately with the product code; shipping of the full game case and media will follow one week from Friday February 3rd. Any questions I may have not answered here, drop me a line and I'll respond ASAP.

Entries should be mailed to Eric Ellison 7112 Grove Avenue Winter Park, FL 32792 and will become property of Eric Ellison. In other words, NO ENTRY WILL BE RETURNED!!! Mine. Mine. Mine.

Otherwise, good luck and.....May the Force be with you!!!!

Eulogy for Grandpa Doug Ellison as written by Alyssa Ellison

2012-01-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

This is very late, but I've not had the strength of heart to post it.

My daughter Alyssa, wrote this beautiful piece just before we lost my dad in July. It was a school project and she choose to pick her grandfather for the subject, knowing how his time with us was quickly slipping away.

Alyssa, I hope you know just how much this means to me. I only wished I had shared it with dad before he passed, but I was afraid of upsetting him. Now, in hind sight, I would have told him a lot more and not held anything back.

I love you baby girl. Thank you for the wonderful memory of dad you've created for us.

Doug
“My Grandpa “

Very stubborn , independent , crazy at times but mostly loving
Lover of his family , dogs , and West Virginia
Who believed in fairness and the “Golden Rule “
Who wanted to complete his bucket list with Jack Nicholson & Morgan Freeman
Who was the most amazing Grandfather & father anyone could ask for .
Who gave us the world when we wanted it & gave us all his love every moment he could
Who you always catch saying “I love you , Man “
My grandpa who is truly an honest , hilarious , outstanding, caring man that you would never forget when you met him.

~Alyssa Ellison

You Become What You Pretend to Be | The Creativity Post

2012-01-10T15:42:00.001-05:00

You Become What You Pretend to Be | The Creativity Post

I have to share this fellow blogger's recent post. It hits home on so many levels and defines who or what we becomes in life, based on how we approach life's many challenges.
It's all about attitude.

Let's say you turned into a zombie while you were listening to your iPod. What one album would you want on repeat for the rest of your undead afterlife?

2011-12-14T15:56:00.001-05:00

Abbey Road.

Anything

You know, I really love kicking back and playing a good scary game every once in a while. What video game scares you the most?

2011-12-14T15:55:00.003-05:00

Dead Space. Hands Down.

Anything

Have you ever been to San Francisco? What's your favorite spot in your hometown? Snap a picture and show us in your response!

2011-12-14T15:55:00.001-05:00

Love San Francisco. Wife and I both felt it was one of the cleanest major cities we've ever visited. My favorite hometown spot is hard to place, but I'd have to say somewhere in the mountains of West Virginia or Tennessee.

Anything

You guys, in the movie version of your life, what actors should play you and I in the scene where we first meet?

2011-12-14T15:34:00.001-05:00

Kevin Smith would play me. For you, Richard Pryor.

Anything

Do you like playing in the snow?

2011-12-14T15:28:00.001-05:00

Yes! But I live in a perpetual green state...

Anything

You guys, what's the best gift you've ever given anyone? Also, what are you getting me for the holidays?

2011-12-14T15:07:00.001-05:00

I really don't know what the best gift I've given is. That would depend completely on who rec'd it and their opinion of the gift. The best gift I have ever rec'd would be the year my parents gave us a Christmas tree when we could barely afford to keep the heat on in the house. We didn't have much that year, but my mom knew how much having a tree meant to me and the family. Not sure what to get you Kevin....but I will say have a blessed Christmas and a safe, Happy New Year.

Anything

Photo Book

2011-10-12T20:39:00.001-04:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly offers exclusive layouts and designs so you can make your book just the way you want.

Retrieved

2011-09-20T18:31:00.000-04:00

During the chaos of the 9/11 attacks, where almost 3,000 people died, nearly 100 loyal search and rescue dogs and their brave owners scoured Ground Zero for survivors. The dogs worked tirelessly to search for anyone trapped alive in the rubble, along with countless emergency service workers and members of the public.

Traveling across nine states in the U.S. from Texas to Maryland, Dutch photographer Charlotte Dumas, 34, captured the remaining dogs in their twilight years in their homes where they still live with their handlers, a full decade on from 9/11. Their stories have now been compiled in a book, called "Retrieved" which is was released on September 9th, in advance of the tenth anniversary of the attacks. Reprints of the book are due out in late October. Noted for her touching portraits of animals, especially dogs, Charlotte wanted "Retrieved" to mark not only the anniversary of the September 2001 attacks, but also as a way to offer special recognition for some of the first responders and their dogs.

'I felt this was a turning point, especially for the dogs, who although they are not forgotten, have not been as prominent as other stories surrounding 9/11,' explained Charlotte, who splits her time between New York and Amsterdam.

Now, ten years on, just twelve of these heroic canines survive, and they have been commemorated in a touching series of portraits entitled 'Retrieved'.

Moxie

Moxie, 13, from Winthrop , Massachusetts , arrived with her handler, Mark Aliberti, at the World Trade Center on the evening of September 11 and searched the site for eight days.

Tara

Tara, 16, from Ipswich, Massachusetts, arrived at the World Trade Center on the night of the 11th. The dog and her handler Lee Prentiss were there for eight days.

Kaiser

Kaiser, 12, pictured at home in Indianapolis , Indiana , was deployed to the World Trade Center on September 11 and searched tirelessly for people in the rubble.

Bretagne and Owner Denise

Bretagne and his owner Denise Corliss from Cypress, Texas, arrived at the site in New York on September 17, remaining there for ten days.

Guinness

Guinness, 15, from Highland, California, started work at the site with Sheila McKee on the morning of September 13 and was deployed at the site for 11 days.

Meryln

Merlyn and his handler Matt Claussen were deployed to Ground Zero on September 24, working the night shift for five days.

Red

Abigail

Red, 11, from Annapolis, Maryland, went with Heather Roche to the Pentagon from September 16 until the 27 as part of the Bay Area Recovery Canines.

Tuff

Abigail, was deployed on the evening of September 17, searching for 10 days while Tuff, arrived in New York at 11:00 pm on the day of attack to start working early the next day.

Hoke

Handler Julie Noyes and Hoke were deployed to the World Trade Center from their home in Denver on September 24 and searched for five days.

Scout

Scout and another unknown dog lie among the rubble at Ground Zero, just two of nearly 100 search and rescue animals who helped to search for survivors

'They speak to us as a different species and animals are greatly

important -- [they enhance] our sense of empathy and [teach us] to put things into perspective.'

Doublespeak 101: How your Government Lies to you

2011-09-14T20:00:00.001-04:00

Sneaky: sneak·y/ˈsnēkē/; Adjective: Furtive; sly: "sneaky, underhanded tactics". See, US Government.

All kidding aside, there is always a good reason for the people of the United States, especially her registered voting public, to know exactly what it is you are voting for. Take for example the following bill introduced to the House of Representatives back on May 25, 2011:

H.R. 1981: Protecting Children From Internet Pornographers Act of 2011

Seems innocent enough right? We all want to protect our children from the perverse nature of sexual predators, regardless of intent. I'll be honest and state right here that looking at the bill in the manner it was presented to me, had me thinking this isn't a bad thing and caught me off guard. Only later, researching the bill, do we see the true nature and the full extent that our government is willing to go, just to invade our privacy.

To be fair and to give credit to the folks that wrote and presented the bill in it's true form, H.R. 1981 was originally about protecting children. Sadly, like most things our government gets it's hands on, it's been twisted from it's intent and seeks to invade the privacy of every American who browses the internet from any device, any where, any time. The Patriot Act was just one stepping stone and this is yet another avenue to dig deeper into our personal lives.

I won't bore you with all the gory details and let you read the bill for yourself, as you should, and not take mine or any one else's word for gospel truth. I will however, skip to the most intriguing part of the bill in order to save you some time:

SEC. 4. RETENTION OF CERTAIN RECORDS BY ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION SERVICE PROVIDERS.

(a) In General- Section 2703 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

‘(h) Retention of Certain Records- A provider of an electronic communication service or remote computing service shall retain for a period of at least 18 months the temporarily assigned network addresses the service assigns to each account, unless that address is transmitted by radio communication (as defined in section 3 of the Communications Act of 1934).’.

(b) Sense of Congress- It is the sense of Congress that records retained pursuant to section 2703(h) of title 18, United States Code, should be stored securely to protect customer privacy and prevent against breaches of the records.

What does this mean exactly? Well my fellow American's, it means that each and every one of us will be treated as a criminal. Guilty until proven innocent. An invasion of our right to privacy. For those of you who failed your US Government classes, that's the 4th amendment to the Bill of Rights.

The bill will mandate that any provider of electronic communication or remote computing service (your internet provider) to retain at least 18 months of log files on each and every leased computer IP address assigned to it's customers accounts. Your computer IP address is the unique number assigned to your computer from the moment it gets internet access from your provider, be it home PC, Mobile Device, internet enabled vehicles and so on. Anything you search for, research, post on a message board or share about your life on a social network, is now 100% available to the US Government, at all times, for a period of time equal to 18 months.

Imagine having all your dirty laundry from that nasty divorce your going through, instantly available to your estranged spouse's attorney. Those pics you shared with your friends on your last drunken night of debauchery before the wedding, are now available online for the right person. Your private medical logs, discussions with your doctor, or labs that are now easily available to you online, have just become open reading for the United States Government.

Am I exaggerating? Possibly to small degree, but consider this; nothing online is safe no matter how well you think you are protected. The US Government or any local municipal authority only needs "suspicion" of child exploitation to go snooping through your private stuff. Have nothing to hide? Neither do I, but I still don't want anyone to have access to my personal info without a damn good reason, and while you think that this is just the extent of the bill's problems, I haven't even started on hackers or other unscrupulous individuals looking to find "info" on you or a member of your family, especially if that info is related to one of your kids.

The very bill that was originally trying to protect our children, will become a tool to use against them. If you think for a second that this law will protect you and your kids, think more outside the box. If passed, this bill would hand deliver access to all our personal information, packaged nicely in gift wrap and ribbons of 18 months worth of data, to those who have the knowledge, tools and means of finding it. The Government is the least of our worries folks. Just ask Sony, HBGary, Bank of America, and a plethora of other well know institutions, how having their vulnerabilities shared to the world really feels. Then stop to ask yourself if you are prepared to share your own.

If you, like myself, are not yet ready to give out access to your own or your loved ones personal lives, visit a small group called Electronic Frontier Foundation to get more info. They'll even help you write to your favorite Representative and count you among the many who have already taken action to stop this bill from seeing the light of day.

A Very She and Him Christmas - Zooey Deschanel

2011-09-09T14:04:00.000-04:00

Thanks Zooey for sharing this wonderful news. I loved you since you sang in Elf. Can't wait to hear the new Christmas Tunes!!

A Very She and Him Christmas

Don't Weep for Me

2011-08-02T23:05:00.001-04:00

Dad had me looking for a specific poem several weeks ago. Something he'd seen or read before that he wanted to share with his brother and sister. I found this one instead and he liked it so I made a copy. It brings me a little comfort reading it and today was a little better. I still have trouble being alone or sitting too long where I tend to think too much, but all I can do is take this one day at a time.

I'm sharing the poem with you, in hopes that it might bring someone else comfort in a time of need. I will share the actual poem dad was looking for tomorrow.

Don't Weep For Me

If ever you should get the word;

That I went unexpectedly.

Please don't waste your precious time;

Crying needless tears for me.

If I was to leave tomorrow;

For a far much better place.

Please know that I would see you;

And would look upon your face.

No matter where, or when I go;

I will always be with you.

Right there, always at your side;

Helping to see you through.

And know that we will meet again;

In a far off, better land.

Where we will hug each other again;

And walk together, hand in hand.

I will always treasure what we had;

And you're forever in my heart.

And remember the precious life we shared;

For you played a most important part.

So, don't shed any tears for me;

Be happy that I have gone.

For I'll be with my loved ones then;

And will never again, be alone.

Spend your precious time on earth;

Helping those that are now left here.

And making other friends to love;

Remembering, I will always be near.

Weep not for those that have gone on;

For they are now at peace.

They took that final walk towards home;

And all their pain and trials have ceased.

Day 2

2011-08-01T15:01:00.001-04:00

Had to make one last stop by dad's to go through his things. Not the easiest of days, by far, but I haven't even begun to go through the old pictures. Tina wouldn't let me do it right there and she's probably right, so the pictures are sitting here beside me at home for when I'm ready.

Never done the whole cremation thing before, but you would think it goes faster. Either the weekend or some of the other red tape with death certificates is holding things up for 3 days. I don't know if that's better or worse for me, but it feels like it's taking forever to get things done. I'm not in a hurry to forget, just in a hurry to put all the death behind me and start thinking more about the good stuff. Even the good memories hurt right now.

Dad and I had our rough patches, but we always seemed to work things out. Dad's last couple of years have been hard on him and I think that brought us closer than we ever were. I'm thankful for that. I'm glad he made all the birthday parties here at the house, even when he wasn't feeling well. I'm glad he and I spent time watching all the movies together here on our couch. Even though he was in pain and tired, I love the past three weeks of sharing lunch, Ice Cream and our talks.

What I miss are the daily phone calls to tell me how he was doing, or to ask if I had any new movies for him. I miss him trying to get me in trouble with Tina, or her in trouble with me and then laughing at us bickering in jest. But I think I miss him more because we didn't get to finish some of the things we started, that the next birthday party and holidays will be empty by one chair and that the next movie will be without him by my side on the couch.

Love you dad and I miss you terribly. I promised you I'll be OK and I will, but I never realized the hole you'd leave in my heart. I hope you know that. I hope you heard all those talks last week as I sat by your side. I just wished you'd let me say goodbye one last time.

Day 1

2011-07-31T04:43:00.002-04:00

I knew this was going to be hard. I just didn't realize how much so. After a month of spending each day with him, it's all come abruptly to a stop. I've never felt so lost or unsure of myself. Never had to stop and ask my wife "what do I do?" Never looked at so many things around me and just lose all my composure.

Gone from my sight

2011-07-28T14:23:00.001-04:00

As my time with you grows short, I sit here by your side, thankful for the past 3 weeks we've had running around like crazy to all your doctors, treatment centers and Milky Way/Ice Cream trips. In many ways, these 3 crazy weeks have brought us closer together than ever before and I wouldn't trade a minute of them. I'd give anything for just one day more. So many things I wanted to ask you that we never got around to talking about. So many movies we need to see. So many cartons of Ice Cream left that need to be eaten. Love you dad.

Someone was kind enough to share the following little essay with me today and I wanted to share it with our friends and family. Regardless of what you believe in, these few simple paragraphs sum things up nicely. It helped me and I share it with all of you in hopes that it will someday help you in return.

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!"

"Gone where?"

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and she is just as able to bear the load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!" There are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: "Here she comes!"

And that is dying.

-Henry Van Dyke

I don't buy Cheeba, I grow it. Werd.

2011-05-19T19:42:00.001-04:00

Listen up folks. I'm about to get sensible all up in this shit.

I posted a Facebook status today; "Pot is a gateway drug. But the gateway is cluttered with gallons of ice cream and stacks of pizza, so it's hard to pass through."

Little did I know that I was starting a war on my own profile.

First, let me start by saying that statistics are shit. I can make up anything and quote it as a common statistic and have people eating out of my hand with their full and undivided attention. Why? People have weak minds. I don't mean that in a derogatory sense, but in general, people will not think for themselves given the chance.

A good example of this: I write "how-to" articles and reviews of hardware, software or other technology trends. I have yet to find someone who didn't want me to spoon feed them information, even when I've presented it to them in full detail, on black and white, served up on a golden platter with pretty Crayola pictures to illustrate. No, I have to "dumb it down" even further to one simple sheet of paper that can be read/glanced at and surmised in less time than it takes for them to answer the next email, text or funny tweet that comes across their smart phone. People are fat lazy slobs who think the world owes them this luxury. But I digress.

My point, is simply this: statistics are useless unless you have full data to back up your claim. Even then, I could argue with you that you're still wrong, because for every piece of data you have, I have another piece that contradicts yours. So who is right? Well, that all depends on all the data, the circumstances on how the data was obtained and if the data is presented in an unbiased manner. Did you catch that? UNBIASED manner. The key word that most, if not all, arguments suffer a sever lack of. We all know the old saying right? Opinions are like....assholes. Everyone has one. But to present your argument in a new light with no bias to one side of the coin or the other...that is EPIC my friends. This is the path to enlightenment.

So the argument for today - "Is Pot, Cannibus, GiggleWeed, Ganja...a gateway drug?" Without naming names, I'm gonna go over some of the "facts" that were flying around in today’s discussion and see what we can come to.

Statement: Marijuana is a gateway drug–it leads to harder drugs.

Fact: The U.S. government’s own statistics show that over 75 percent of all Americans who use marijuana never use harder drugs. The gateway-drug theory is derived by using blatantly-flawed logic. Using such blatantly-flawed logic, alcohol should be considered the gateway drug because most cocaine and heroin addicts began their drug use with beer or wine–not marijuana.

Statement: Marijuana is addicting.

Fact: Marijuana is not physically addicting. Medical studies rank marijuana as less habit forming than caffeine. The legal drugs of tobacco (nicotine) and alcohol can be as addicting as heroin or cocaine, but marijuana is one of the least habit forming substances known.

Statement: Marijuana use impairs learning ability.

Fact: A 1996 U.S. government study claims that heavy marijuana use may impair learning ability. The key words are heavy use and may. This claim is based on studying people who use marijuana daily–a sample that represents less than 1 percent of all marijuana users. This study concluded:

Learning impairments cited were subtle, minimal, and may be temporary. In other words, there is little evidence that such learning impairments even exist.
Long-term memory was not affected by heavy marijuana use.
Casual marijuana users showed no signs of impaired learning.
Heavy alcohol use was cited as being more detrimental to the thought and learning process than heavy marijuana use.

Statement: Smoking marijuana can cause cancer and serious lung damage.

Fact: There chance of contracting cancer from smoking marijuana is minuscule. Tobacco smokers typically smoke 20+ cigarettes every day for decades, but few smoke marijuana in the quantity and frequency required to cause cancer. A 1997 UCLA study concluded that even prolonged and heavy marijuana smoking causes no serious lung damage. Cancer risks from common foods (meat, salt, dairy products) far exceed any cancer risk posed by smoking marijuana. Respiratory health hazards and cancer risks can be totally eliminated by ingesting marijuana in baked foods.

People undergoing cancer chemotherapy have found smoked marijuana to be an effective anti-nauseant - often more effective than available pharmaceutical medications. 15 Indeed, 44 % of oncologists responding to a questionnaire said they had recommended marijuana to their cancer patients; others said they would recommend it if it were legal. 16

Marijuana is also smoked by thousands of AIDS patients to treat the nausea and vomiting associated with both the disease and AZT drug therapy. Because it stimulates appetite, marijuana also counters HIV-related "wasting," allowing AIDS patients to gain weight and prolong their lives.

Statement: Smoking Marijuana is a leading cause of traffic and vehicular accidents.

Fact: A number of studies have looked for evidence of drugs in the blood or urine of drivers involved in fatal crashes. All have found alcohol present in 50% or more. Marijuana has been found much less often. Furthermore, in the majority of cases where marijuana has been detected, alcohol has been detected as well.

For example, a recent study sponsored by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) involving analysis of nearly 2000 fatal accident cases, found 6.7% of drivers positive for marijuana. In more than two-thirds of those, alcohol was present and may have been the primary contributor to the fatal outcome.

To accurately assess marijuana's contribution to fatal crashes, the positive rate among deceased drivers would have to be compared to the positive rate from a random sample of drivers not involved in fatal accidents. Since the rate of past-month marijuana use for Americans above the legal driving age is about 12 percent, on any given day a substantial proportion of all drivers would test positive, particularly since marijuana s metabolites remain in blood and urine long after its psychoactive effects are finished.

A recent study found that one-third of those stopped for "bad driving" between the hours of 7 p.m. and 2 a.m.—mostly young males—tested positive for marijuana only. To be meaningful, these test results would have to be compared to those from a matched control group of drivers.

Dose-related impairment was observed in drivers' ability to maintain steady lateral position. However, even with the highest dose of THC, impairment was relatively minor—comparable to that with blood-alcohol concentrations of between .03 and .07% and many legal medications. Drivers under the influence of marijuana also tended to decrease their speed and approach other cars more cautiously.

Statement: Most users of heroin, LSD and cocaine have used marijuana. However, most marijuana users never use another illegal drug.

Fact: Over time, there has been no consistent relationship between the use patterns of various drugs.

As marijuana use increased in the 1960s and 1970s, heroin use declined. And, when marijuana use declined in the 1980s, heroin use remained fairly stable.

For the past 20 years, as marijuana use-rates fluctuated, the use of LSD hardly changed at all.

Cocaine use increased in the early 1980s as marijuana use was declining. During the late 1980s, both marijuana and cocaine declined. During the last few years, cocaine use has continued to decline as marijuana use has increased slightly.

I could go on and on. Point being, it is a debate that continues to rage from both sides. I don't support one side over the other, rather I see valid points on both sides of the fence. Unbiased.

What I think is probably irrelevant as many of these arguments are. What I will say however, is that with the proper regulations, legalization of Marijuana could work. There are economic benefits as well as the medicinal uses. Properly taxed, like cigarettes, marijuana could help put money back into the budgets for schools, medical research, work programs and the like. Put into a different light, it seems silly that we haven't already legalized marijuana in the same manner of other, similar substances. In the end, do your own research for the facts and stop following along with the sheep.

Peace.

How many things are we missing?

2011-05-17T23:53:00.001-04:00

Everyone should take just a minute to read this. True, it may not have been the most accurate representation of peoples reactions had it been done in a place "less time committed", but it does point out the the lives we're leading. The hurried rush, the lack of attention to detail. Lately, I've been asking myself if the extra hours I put in to the office are really worth the lost time with my family and friends. If the hurried rush of my life in general is really worth the fleeting moments of life that are passing me by. Maybe it's because I'm about to turn 39 and I'm reflecting more on the things I could have done; should have done. More importantly, I think it's the perfect time to reflect on what I WILL do and HOW I will do it. After all, if we don't get busy livin', we'd better start getting busy dyin'.

Honesty, Respect and Sex with Celebrities

2011-05-06T17:43:00.019-04:00

In a recent discussion, I mentioned how much I love Pink, and joked about her being on my "freebie list". My cousin responded with, "funny how you don't have to explain what a freebie list is as we all have one", which leads me to this post.

It's harder than you'd think...coming up with the list. Perverts. I always thought I had it figured out in my head and never ever put it to paper. Tina and I joke about each of ours all the time, but when you really stop to think about it, it's damn hard picking one hottie over another. I managed it and without further ado, I present you with my top 5 celebrities freebies, in absolutely no particular order.

Drew Barrymore

Not hard to see this one I think. She resembles my wife a lot, but I've had a thing for her since she started making a comeback in 1993 in Wayne's World.

She's beautiful both naturally and when she's on the red carpet. Down to earth and humble enough to date a guy who went through hell to just meet her, I figure if I had a chance with anyone, it's Drew.

Zooey Deschanel

She's been around for a while now, but she's so damn cute and she's getting more popular by the day. I first saw her in Almost Famous and I've watched most everything she's done since. Some good, some bad but she's always easy to look at.

As an added bonus, she has a nice singing voice. Those big eyes of hers are intoxicating to look into and like Drew, she has that natural beauty that puts her tops on my list.

Rachel McAdams

Loved her in Hot Chick, even more in Mean Girls but fell head over heels for her in The Notebook. Yes, I watch chick flicks so what? Moving on...

I don't care what hair color she has, if it's cut short or long or if she's in sweats or a dress and Rachel just gets prettier with age.

She is by far, my top celebrity freebie. Tina will even taunt me with her if she's on TV or if she's been dating some new beau. It was hard even picking out my favorite picture of her as I drooled over each trying to decide.

Eva Green

Eva caught my eye in the awful Kingdom of Heaven. She was the one thing that kept me struggling through the film. But it was Vesper Lynd that really drove her beauty home in Casino Royale. Eva screams sexy. She's just hot and has those beautiful green bedroom eyes that are haunting and alluring at the same time.

I recently caught her in the new Starz original, Camelot and she's a very, very bad girl. The show itself is very, very slow and I begrudgingly suffer through each episode whenever Eva is absent from the screen.

Pink, aka Alecia Beth Moore

Alecia is one of the few women who wear their hair short and wear it very well. Her style is ever changing, but she's beautiful in anything. While her style of music is not always my "cup of tea", there are the occasional songs that take me by surprise and more often than not, I find myself giving her albums another listen.

Alecia is different, but in ways that pronounce her beauty and her soul. Most people are surprised she's on my list, but they'd be even more surprised to know the runner ups I cut from list as well. She is elegant and punk, wrapped up with a sultry voice that makes me melt when I hear her speak. She's just a cool chick and she'd probably tear me up in the bedroom.

Oh, and she loves bullies.

Apple apps you can't live without

2011-03-07T10:40:00.000-05:00

Since a good friend of mine did all the work on the iPhone apps, why reinvent the wheel? Besides, he's done an excellent job of capturing the must have apps if you're an iPhone user, and it saves me time for another post. A sure win for me. Thanks BigBizKits.

Fallon does Sheen

2011-03-04T11:04:00.000-05:00

I have to share this clip from a buddy of mine. Jimmy Fallon does impressions well so no surprise Charlie Sheen was in line to be the next victim. Good stuff.

Google Reader - Play

2011-03-03T15:08:00.001-05:00

Google Reader - Play

Google has unleashed a new way to read your news feeds with Google Reader Play. Similar to some mobile device readers like Pulse, you navigate through your news feeds visually like a slide show.

Play comes with a very minimalist toolbar at the bottom where different settings are available to experiment with, my favorite of which is "Magic Layout". You can choose to hide the article thumbnails, what streams pull from your feeds and if you're really adventurous, turn on slide show to let Play do the hard stuff, like clicking next.

As with most readers you can expand the full article or jump to the full story. Also retained are the Star, Like and Share buttons from Google Reader, center toolbar. With the thumbnails, you can easily scroll to the next article of interest and click to bring it up in the main window.

All in all, a nice change to the typical day of reading RSS Feeds but it may not be for everyone.

A poem

2011-02-04T03:14:00.001-05:00

My 16 year old daughter Alyssa wrote a poem that I wanted to share. Simple but elegant.

What happens to a girl that can't be with the boy she loves ?

Is it like a mirror that shatters ,
and becomes a broken matter .

Will it be like a fire with a terrible flame,
that cannot be tame

Or will it be like a sun shining day ,
with a stormy night that comes by to stay

28 Droid tools you can't live without

2011-02-03T09:47:00.000-05:00

Gizmodo posted the best of series on their site a few days back, including Droid, iPad and iPhone lists of best apps. Much of what they had there I'm a big fan of but there were some I felt had been left off. So, here is my list of Droid stuff you can't live without.

Download AppBrain App Market and set up an account online.
- Once you have the app on the phone and you’ve created an account, you can go to the web, pick the stuff you want and send it directly to the phone
- This also keeps a record of all your apps, so if you have to reinstall or your memory card fails, you have an online back up.

Tango – video chat for the Droid like the FaceTime for iPhone. Even better, iPhone users can Video chat with you using Tango. Something FaceTime won’t allow. Apple Sucks.

Handcent SMS – for SMS Texting. Just nicer than the standard android sms. You can do all kinds of things with it, including set your own backgrounds, chat colors, etc.

Pandora – if not already installed, get it. Free internet radio that selects music based on recommendations you give it. If you don’t like a song, tell Pandora and it won’t play it again ever. Plus, it builds your taste preference and eventually selects stuff geared to your likes. Not all artist are available, but still plenty of tunes.

Shazam – can listen to a song and tell you who the artist and title are. Helpful when you’re in the car and hear something you like and the radio fails to tell you who it is.

IMDB – dur. A must have for those arguments about who was or wasn’t in that movie.

Vignette – Awesome picture tool

Listen – Google's answer to podcasts. You’ll be surprised at how many are out there and the content. Silent Bob (Kevin Smith), my buddy Jim Mercurio at Shouts from the Lawn, NPR, This American Life, and tons more that are geared toward your fave topics. Podcasts are nice to listen to in the car during a commute or when you need something more than just a song or book to read. It's my only way of staying connected to the outside world now.

Alchemy – You can thank my cousin Aubrey for this one. Simple but clever little game where you combine elements (Fire, Water, Air, Earth) to make new elements. Those elements then make more elements and so on. I played this for 1 hour last night and only got 80 of the over 600+ Possible elements. Addictive.

Angry Birds and Angry Birds Seasons. I don’t have to explain these two.

Google Voice – Google’s free internet phone number that you can point to any phone. Give this number out instead of your real number and get added benefits like live call screening, voice mail transcripts, caller identification or blocked caller to VM and lots more.

Swift Keyboard – Scary accurate predictive text…

Beautiful Widgets – transform common apps into widgets on the home screens.

AKNotepad – simple, but one of the best.

Weather Channel – not the most with features, but it wins for me on simplicity and the “Feels like” feature. Just give me the weather!!

Google Shopper – bar code scanning, voice and image searching, product finding, savvy shopper app.

Google Goggles – take a picture of something with Goggles and it will try and tell you what it is. Buildings, famous paintings, etc. Also a bar code scanner for searching best prices.

Spaghetti Marshmallow – Supposedly a very fun game. Haven’t tried it yet. Damn you Alchemy!

Backgrounds – thousands of free wallpapers.

HandyCalc – Best. Calculator. Ever.

App Organizer – if your Droid gets filled up with apps as quick as mine did, you’ll need this one. It allows you to create “Folders” that store all the shortcuts for your apps, based on “type”. You could have a Games folder, Tools folder, Social Folder, and so on. It just makes finding that app you need one step easier.

Kitten Cannon – fire a kitten out of a cannon and record the farthest distance. Hit bombs, dynamite and trampolines to make him go farther, but avoid spikes and other hazards that will stop him dead. Not for the kiddies.

Mint – keep track of all your bills, bank accounts, etc. Alerts for bills coming due, spend trending, etc.

Random LOLCat – 'nuff said.

Dolphin Browser – a much more user friendly and customizable internet browser.

Chrome to Phone – send your Google Chrome browser links directly to your Droid browser from your PC.

PicSay photo editor- add cute cartoon bubbles to your photos. A must for parents who moonlight as comedians.

Goby – find fun things to do around town. Still a work in progress, but getting better.

I'm sure I'm missing some but 28 is a good list. I'd love to hear about your favorites so post it here and I'll give it go. I'm always looking for the next cool app.

7 Best Android Apps Students Can Really Make Use Of

2011-02-03T08:56:00.000-05:00

Are you a student with and Android? Check out the goodness.

7 Best Android Apps Students Can Really Make Use Of | Free and Useful Online Resources for Designers and Developers.

Migraine

2011-02-03T07:34:00.000-05:00

Those of you who know me well, know that I've suffered with these for a long time now. Sometimes I can go months with nothing and other times I'm hit back to back. This week has been one of those latter times. Because I was blessed with one yesterday morning at 1AM, the blog has suffered and will suffer again today outside of this quick and dirty note.

I can't begin to explain to you what it's like unless you've experienced them before. There is just no physical description that will do it justice. They are not just "a bad headache". They are excruciating pain that makes even the simplest tasks impossible. Moving your head, neck or shoulders, any form of light above pitch blackness, and loud noise just add to the pain. Very little medicine is out there that really and truly helps. The triptans do a great job, IF you catch them before they get too far along. Otherwise, you are in for a day of hell.

I take several medicines as preventatives and that does help keep them at bay, but only for so long. When they hit and the rescue meds are needed, you pray there is a dark quiet place to hide in for the next 4-8 hours. When the rescue meds don't cut it alone, I've found that taking two benedryl helps to bring sleep, but only if it's not too bad.

So as I play catch up with my life the blog will take a hit. I probably need some new material anyway. The blog every day thing is a good goal, but a little unrealistic for me. There are just so many hours in a day and I do like spending time with my family. Besides, who wants to read crap about migraines anyway? Those few followers I have come for the silliness that is my life and the stories that I tell. I'm not about to lose them for some depressing pain recaps.

For those of you who have started following, thank you. It means a lot that you come here in your busy day to spend just a few minutes with me.

So, until next time - peace out.

Sir Rodney the Neurotic

2011-02-01T05:21:00.000-05:00

I've talked about our pets before. After all, I live in a zoo and have plenty of animals to write about. So it should come as no surprise that the time has come for me to introduce you to Rodney our 4 year old bully.

Raising a bully is no easy matter. They take a lot of time and handling. Thanks to my lovely wife Tina, he's handled with extraordinary care. It's like raising a child all over again and I'm completely serious. You would be surprised what has to be done to keep him clean and healthy.

To the point of this story; Rodney loves toys. More so than any other animal we've ever had. He loves them so very much that he can't stand for anyone else to have them. He is a toy hoarder. Not many toys last long in his paws so we've had to buy industrial strength toys so as not to go broke.

Still the back yard is littered with toys, because if they are back there, no one else can get them. He plays with his older sister, Belle, our Golden Retriever and they mock fight over the toys. Belle just sometimes grabs it from him and runs away with small bully legs in full pursuit. What he lacks in gait, he makes up for in speed. When he gets the toy back, the direction of the chase changes, but Rodney has learned to get so far, then stop dead and fall over, feet in the air like a dead possum. His poor sister has no choice but to leap over him and double back, by which time Rodney is already on the other side of the yard in the opposite direction.

It wasn't until a few months ago that we started buying toys with squeakies in them. Stuffies, balls, nylon ropes or anything that squeaked. On delivery of the first squeaky, we unleashed some dark hidden side of the sweet little bully we were raising and we were introduced to Beelzabobo - demon dog. Fluffies became fluff, ropes became threads and balls were small pieces of rubber or latex scattered to the wind. One thing became perfectly clear; he had to find and kill the squeak.

Being the good parents that we are, we bought him more to destroy and watched him in foolish delight. Then we did the unthinkable. We collected the small plastic squeaking devices from inside his fallen toys. We found that it's pretty easy to drive our dog mad while three people, in opposite sides of the house, all have small squeaky devices. It starts simple with just one small squeak and then grows to a crescendo of harmonious squeakage throughout the house. Rodney immediately picks up the sound of the first squeak and begins to seek it out. Then another squeak follows and he changes track. Then another squeak until we are doing them at random and Rodney is spinning in circles trying to hunt it down. If he finds that it's just too much, he'll go for my wife and starting barking and chewing on her, I suspect because she is the source of all these neat ideas and he knows it all too well.

Because of the balls with squeakies, no other ball is safe. We recently put up a tether ball pole in our back yard for our youngest daughter. Rodney saw this as an opportunity bring down another opponent, but with a challenge. We put the pole 1 foot deep and another 7.5 feet out of the ground. When we first attached the ball, it hung too low and Rodney was able to bite it with no effort at all. So, we raised it high enough off the ground that all of us could still reach it, with the exception of psycho dog. Or so we thought.

We'd all play, with Rodney running circles around the pole trying to catch the ball and then running back the other way when the ball changed direction. After about 15-20 minutes of this, Rodney looked like a dog that had spent way too much time hitting the sauce. He couldn't walk a straight line or stand for more then 2 or 3 seconds before falling on his side and rolling over. That didn't stop him from trying though. This has gone on for about 2 weeks when finally, he became super dog and managed to jump high enough to get the ball and hang on.

We are currently looking for a new tether ball.

My son, friend of Smitty

2011-01-31T11:44:00.001-05:00

It's the little things that he does. Some will drive you crazy and others will have you laughing hysterically. Facial expressions add to the comedic value, but it's a "you had to be there" thing. He's always done it and even when you think he's being dead serious, he's likely pulling your leg.

The routines go back as far as I can remember but there are quite a few that stick out in my mind. The first of which is Denny's...

Those of you who have seen Pulp Fiction would easily remember this scene with John Travolta and Uma Thurman. My son, who was but 4 at the time, had not. That didn't stop him from busting out in a dance routine of The Swim while seated at our table in Denny's while we waited for our food. No prompting, no key word mentioned and no music. Just Josh bustin' a move.

A few months later I would be getting married to my beautiful fiance'. As I'm dressing my son in his little dress shirt and vest, he's fussing with me as most boys do when wearing dress clothes. After a few minutes, we finally get him situated and I let out a heavy sigh. He looks at me, pulls down his vest to straighten it out and says very matter of factly, "Dad, you know the difference between you and me? I make this look good".

Josh is not one to have attention drawn to him, unless it's at your expense. For the longest time, Josh and his friend Jordan went everywhere with us. Having the two of them together was a blast, but by the end of the weekend, you were ready to commit them to speacial care facilities. For the longest time, my wife and I thought they had a friend named Smitty. We stopped believing in Smitty a long time ago as he never was around when the boys said he was. We could be in a movie, at a restaurant or smack dab in the middle of a hot tourist crowd in one of Florida's many theme parks and "Smitty" would just pop up. At first it was a lot of coincidences.

Josh: "Jordan, there's Smitty!" as loud as he could.

Jordan: "No way where?"

Josh: "Right there! HEY SMITTY!"

When we'd all look at the two of them, Josh would just say "Dad, it's my friend Smitty" and point in some random direction. Later, we learned that we were the butt of a long, never ending joke. There really is a Smitty and my son does know the kid. He was just never anywhere we were and thus began a long line of deception and pranks. While it was fun for Jordan, it sometimes took a different turn when he became the butt of the jokes.

Josh: "Dad, Jordan says you're going bald."

Jordan: "Wait, what?!? No I didn't!"

Josh: "Dad, he did. I don't think that's very nice of you Jordan."

Or even worse, just yelling out at random, "Jordan! Stop hitting my sister! She's smaller than you. I know she can be a brat but..." And all Jordan could do was look at me like "please, you really don't believe this do you?"

Part of the fun is his randomness. He torments his grandfather with obscure comments, quotes movies he's fond of and swears you are off your rocker when you try to recall a conversation with him just moments before. It can drive you insane.

Some of his favorite quotes:

"LT. DAN! You got legs!"

"I hid this uncomfortable piece of metal up my ass for two years."

"Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinburg? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to."

In all fairness, he comes by it honest. I've always been the one to make up wild stories when the kids asked me a question about something like "Why is the sky blue?" or make them apologize to the wall when they run into it. After all, the poor wall didn't do anything to them. Tina isn't much better and I blame a lot of my own sarcasm on her. After all, I was this shy, reclusive guy who never would say much of a peep much less give off any sarcastic remark. She's made us all unbearable (kidding babe).

Josh is much older now, drives his own car, works a lot after school and we see much less of him than we'd like too. But that little boy is still there and apparently, so is Smitty. Josh has been dating a wonderful young lady and she's perfect for him and this crazy family. She has been known to hack into his Facebook account and post wild messages professing his undying love for her. He deserves every bit of it. I only hope that he one day experiences the same joy I've had watching him grow into the young man he's become. More importantly, I can't wait for the opportunity to spend my time with his children so I can share my knowledge in the art of pranks and sarcasm. It's only fair to them right?

S&!t my kid says

2011-01-28T07:14:00.000-05:00

Today will be short and sweet. Lots to do.

Last night before dinner, my youngest daughter Drew asks me if I can change her assorted coin into some dollar bills. I gave it to her but told her to give mom the change because she looks for coins that are rare and she'd have a fit if we didn't let her look through them.

After dinner, the discussion turned to boobs. Long story, but basically we started teasing Drew about me going to a strip club. She gets adamant and says "You can't go there. And mom is sitting right beside you and you're talking about other womens boobs."

"But I like the boobs", I said. "And besides, I wouldn't go without mom."

"EWWWWWW!! Gross! Well, you can't put any dollar bills in their g-strings."

To which I reply, "I'd let mom do that.", which leads to another rousing chorus of "ewwws" and "gross". I then add, "Did you ever wonder if those dollar bills you have came out of a stripper's butt crack?"

"Disgusting dad. And now I won't touch any dollars again".

"Awesome! That means I don't have to pay you any allowance any more!"

"Uh, no. You'll just have to pay me in coin."

ZING! And the kid gets another comeback. Tina is of course, laughing through the whole exchange. And you guys wonder where I come up with this stuff for Facebook....

Solutions for your empty wallet

2011-01-27T11:43:00.000-05:00

A family member was poking around today looking for cheap goods and food stuffs for a friend in need. After giving her some idea and looking at her other suggestions, I thought this might make a good topic for todays discussion. I'm not going to get into basic budgeting discussions here. Hopefully, most of you have figured that stuff out, or maybe thats blog fodder for another day.

So where can you find great deals on the interwebs? A quick Google search can certainly help, but there are some of those sites that are obscure and get missed. Sometimes, you just need someone to point you in the right direction or hopefully have had some experience using the service before. Today, I'm going to be your "personal interweb deal guide". Sit back, relax and let's see what awesomeness I can dig up...

All deals, all the time

DealCatcher - This one is a personal favorite, among many. Where Google supplies you with coutless site possibilities, DealCatcher supplies you with deals mined from all over the web all in one convenient location; coupons, savings codes, and online sales from your favorite sites. In addition to this deal hunters dream, are the many options for finding your ultimate deal. Browse by category or by popular stores. See coupons that are the most popular, expiring and newly available. Compare prices across the site or simply just browse the current day deals along with the "Catch of the Day" which is usually a savings code or limited time deal. Just for good measure, they've supplied all the Sunday newspaper ads from across the nation in one place with an easy drop down selection for the state of your choice. The possibilities are endless.

WOOT! - Woot: An interjection similar to "YAYE!" or "Woohoo!" used to express joy or excitement, usually about some kind of accomplishment. Primarily used by gamers, spreading rapidly to anyone who chats online .

It's no surprise that the guys at Woot decided to use this term since the daily "woot-off" is usually a deal so good and in limited supply, that if you are lucky enough to get an item you are likely to exclaim "WOOT!" after the checkout process. Woot is on of the first daily deal sites offering a limited time sale of a particular item in limited quantity. There are many of them now, some good, some bad but none will replace the growing community of wooters. Woot started to expand from the main sellout.woot site offering shirt.woot, wine.woot and kids.woot where items are relative to the respective titles. More recently, deals.woot was launched and in similar fashion to DealCatcher, offers us the best deals from around the web. At the home page, there are 5 sponsored deals at the top, the first being from their own sellout.woot sister site. Below that is the "community deals" section where people from around the web submit deals from just about anywhere. What makes deals.woot different is the community of wooters who bring the deals to the site to share with our fellow discount hunters. By "wooting" (voting) the deals, the community escalates the deal based on popularity with the membership and it climbs up the favorite deals ladder.

Travel

Kayak - taking what priceline has done and making it better, Kayak allows you to search hundreds of travel sites all at once.

Yapta - taking Kayak one step further more, these folks will save you money by tracking prices before you buy, and the refund you the difference if you purchase and the price drops again.

Freebies

These site will have some form of "free" offers. Deals range from local restaurants, grocery store coupons, software, rebates...the list goes on.

Freebie Blogger - she does a good job of pulling a lot of freebies together in one site.

Deal Seeking Mom - more coupons than freebies, but she squeezes good stuff in so she get's a shout out.

GCF LearnFree - free online learning for MS Office products, basic computer skills, reading and reference material, math, money and more. The site is updated regularly and new content is being added daily.

Deal of the Day

Similar to Woot, these guys have their own 1 day deals. Rather than try and keep track of them all, some "tracker sites" do all the work for you. Keep this one handy.

Deal of the day Tracker

Groupon - Positively one of my favorite daily sites. There is always something for everyone, you just might have to wait awhile to get the deal that works best for you. When it does, BAM! Money savings for the win! Deals sometimes up to 90% off restaurants, hotels and retail stores, and that's just part of the sites charm. I have found more mom and pop businesses around town that I've been missing out on, just by checking in here daily. If you're a first time sbscriber, Groupon sends out a $10 off coupon for your first purchase that sweatens the deal. Now you can have that elegant dinner for two at 90% off plus an additional $10 off. Oh, and if you refer a friend, you get $10 too!

Random Loot

Not really a site, but sites of leftover crap from TSA seizures around the country's major airports. This stuff gets turned over to state surplus agencies that then sell it online or in retail outlets. To whit:

Alabama
Airports: 14 in Florida and Alabama, including Miami, Orlando, Huntsville, and Birmingham
Where to buy: eBay (seller ID: alstatesurplus)
Info: adeca.state.al.us/surplus%20property

Georgia
Airports: Atlanta, Savannah/Hilton Head
Where to buy: Stores in Tucker (Atlanta Surplus Center, 770/414-6468); Swainsboro (Swainsboro Surplus Center, 478/289-2623); and Americus (Americus Surplus Center, 229/931-2407)
Info: surplusproperty.doas.georgia.gov

Illinois
Airports: Chicago O'Hare, Chicago Midway, and occasionally four more in Illinois and Michigan
Where to buy: Auctions held at ibid.illinois.gov

Kentucky
Airports: Eight in various states, including Orlando and Miami (Alabama shares the loot), and Louisville
Where to buy: eBay (seller ID: kysurplus)
Info: finance.ky.gov/internal/surplus

Oregon
Airports: Portland and Eugene
Where to buy: eBay (seller ID: oregontrail2000)
Info: oregonsurplus.com

Texas
Airports: Seven across the state, including Dallas/Fort Worth and Austin
Where to buy: Austin Storefront in Austin, 512/463-1990
Info: http://tfc.state.tx.us/divisions/supportserv/prog/statesurplus/

Washington State
Airports: Seattle-Tacoma, Spokane, and Tri-Cities
Where to buy: Auburn Retail Store in Auburn, 253/333-4912
Info: ga.wa.gov/surplus

While this list certainly isn't the all-inclusive deal Bible, I hope it still delivers some savings and shopper savvy. If you have other sites that you just can't live without, feel free to share them here. I'm always interested in finding new ways to save cash.

What I do best.

2011-01-26T06:33:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to kick off this blog by doing the Post a Day commitment and I'm sticking to it. The only problem is, I'm having a hard time finding content to write about. Usually my stuff is either satirical, reflective or random, hence the name of the blog. I've been looking through "ideas for posts" from various sites and well, they just don't suit me. Yesterday's post was OK, but not really something I'd write about unless there was a reason that led me to it. It took me a while to finish it because I was struggling with the content and what I wanted to say. Blogging shouldn't be like that. It should be fluid and easy to write. It should be about something you know, care about or that you are very passionate about.

So, with that in mind, I'm gonna try this my own way and do my own thing. I'm good at writing articles for work on "how-to's" or reviews of new hardware, software, movies, games, etc. With a mixture of my personal anecdotes thrown in for good measure, I might just be able to pull this off. We shall see. So bear with me, send me ideas, feedback, questions, suggestions or whatever and I'll try to keep this ship afloat.

What is a friend?

2011-01-25T06:38:00.000-05:00

Seems like an easy enough question to answer right? All of us have friends that we talk to every day, socialize with either in person, on the phone or on the web. Hell, some of us still write actual letters. When you really start to think about it though, it isn't that easy. There are a lot of things that can define a friend and for each of us, it is likely very different.

I have had the pleasure of calling a few people "friend", the longest of which is going on nearly 28 years. I meet new people every day, some come, some go and most of them quicker than others. It takes me a long time to identify a friend simply because I'm very gaurded. I learned a long time ago that people you come to call friend can very quickly disappear from your life. So, I take my time qualifying those people in my life that I think might fit the bill.

For the most part, a friend to me is someone you have built a relationship with. It cannot be someone you just met and I know some will disagree with me, but you simply cannot determine a persons character, likes/dislikes, personality and other such qualities in just a days, much less a few hours. A true friend is someone who's been there with you, physically or in spirit throughout some of your most difficult times and even more so, for the most beautiful events of our lives. A friend is someone who you've not spoken to in 6 months, but you can stop by or pick up the phone and it was just like you spoke to them yesterday. They are one of the first people you think of when something funny happens, or when you need someone to lean on.

A friend will not only help move your house for the 7th time, they stay the longest because they feel comforable in your surroundings. You don't have to like the same music, books, films or TV shows, but you respect each others opinions and are genuinely interested in their thoughts and ideas. A friend is someone you ask for guidance, even on some of the most personal things you'd never share with anyone. There is no competition because their success is your success and it works both ways.

A friend is a friend for life. Regardless of the hardships, disagreements or years or miles that pass between you, true friendship overcomes all of life's obstacles and is there for you always.

A promise to write more...Blogging everyday in 2011!

2011-01-25T05:53:00.000-05:00

I’ve decided I want to blog more. Rather than just thinking about doing it, I’m starting right now. I will be posting on this blog once a day for all of 2011.

I know it won’t be easy, but it might be fun, inspiring, awesome and wonderful. Therefore I’m promising to make use of The DailyPost, and the community of other bloggers with similiar goals, to help me along the way, including asking for help when I need it and encouraging others when I can.

If you already read my blog, I hope you’ll encourage me with comments and likes, and good will along the way.

Eric

All you need is love…well that and a lot of great communication.

2009-10-07T07:06:00.000-04:00

The first time I saw her, really truly saw her for the first time, she stepped off the elevator at the office we both worked at. She had recently cut her hair short and I was devastated, but I couldn't explain why. There was just something about this girl that struck me deeply and as cliché as it sounds; there was a little voice in my head that said "she's the one". But as quickly as it all came to me, I let it pass. I was married, had kids and at the time, and was clueless to the things going on outside my marriage.

It wouldn't be until several years later, after separation from my wife that she and I would start hanging out together with friends. It wasn't too long before those old feelings came back to the surface and I told her how I felt. She took her time deciding. After all, she would be inheriting a readymade family of 3 kids and I wasn't her typical love interest. For whatever reason, she came around and decided to give things a try, even amidst all the talk about us behind our backs.

She and the kids took to each other really well, but that's not to say that through the years we've not all had our differences and struggles. What family doesn't? Still, some of the struggles were enough to make a sane person climb the wall and yet she stuck it out, helped me pull through the difficult times and kept the family going, despite the insurrection from outside our home. It still amazes me today, what we've come through and how strong we've become.

I proposed to her on March 15^th 1999 and we married a few short months later on May 22^nd at a small ceremony in my parents' home. We spent our honeymoon in New Orleans and took our time coming back home, making stops along the way to drag out our time together as much as possible. I think we both knew just how soon a new life was coming at us and the adjustments married life would bring.

Through all the rough times there have been exceptional times together as well. Even through the rough times, the best of us comes out and we help each other pull through. I guess that's the point I felt compelled to put all this into words. I sometimes can't tell her enough what she means to me and even writing about all this, I can't bring it out in words. There really just is no way to explain how she affects me even after 10 wonderful years of marriage.

Even so, we've both had a really rough time lately. I think a lot of it is monetary, as we are so much like many others, struggling to make ends meet in this poor economy, but there were some underlying issues we couldn't touch because the communication was there, but we were really talking about different things. She's gone through one of the biggest changes in her life, emotionally and physically, which hit me hard. Our intimacy has reached new heights, but it came so fast I couldn't handle it on an emotional level. That's right guys, beyond all the sex, there really is an emotional attachment and I freaked out. I won't go into details, but let's just say I wasn't used to all the new attention and I started getting the wrong ideas about why.

We've both since started talking, even more than we have in the past. We're seeing a counselor, not for the reasons most people though. We were even warned that these counselors could turn our marriage against us by bringing up truths and issues that were not really there. All I can say is, on the contrary, our counselor has done nothing but good for us both. The communication is better, the intimacy is better and we're falling in love all over again. So to all of you out there, troubled or not, a counselor can definitely make changes in your life; you just have to be willing to listen and work together. Then again, isn't that what successful marriages are? It's not just communication, but listening, understanding one another's wants and needs, being a friend and above all us, loving that person unconditionally.

So, in my traditional long winded way, I've come full circle just to say what I started out to say;

Tina, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I love you with everything I am. I am falling in love with you all over again like we've just started dating. It's the giddy feeling you have when you first start out in love. It's the butterflies in your stomach when we're together, like the first time you ride a roller coaster and you're not sure what's coming next. It's the tenderness of your touch, the warmth of your kiss. The way your eyes see me when I look into them. The way my heart longs for you when we're apart. It's all those things wrapped up together inside of me, ready to burst and be free. You are truly my soul mate, my best friend and my whole world.

Love you babe!

Repartee of my Progeny

2009-09-15T09:42:00.000-04:00

It goes without saying that your child will definitely pick up your mannerisms, characteristics, traits and values as they grow in your home. After all they are surrounded by your incessant nagging about cleaning their rooms, picking up after themselves and feeding the zoo in your living room. What we may not be aware of, is the same child's ability to produce certain quick witted responses and out of the blue versions of their own design. Needless to say, Tina and I have realized from a long time ago that our daughter Drew would be a handful later in life; she has both her mother's quick wit and good looks, and keeps up with her father's sarcasm and false explanations of "why the sky is blue" better than any one of her older siblings.

Some of the events that take place in our meager lives have to be seen to be believed, but others are so clear cut and funny, we can't wait to share with our family and friends. Case in point, a few of Drew's more memorable moments of late:

Example the first

After picking Drew up after work, we are in a rush to meet her mom for her dinner break. Tina has asked that we provide her with a certain frozen confection en route so we stop to pick one up. I ask Drew if she's hungry for dinner and she says "McDonald's" like it's a pre-programmed response put in all our kids. As we're finishing up the order for said frozen confection, this is the dialog that ensues;

Me: Are you hungry too baby girl?

Drew: I could eat. McDonald's.

Me: MMM'kay. I will have to get some cash from mom when we get to her work. I've only got a few bucks on me.

Drew: What if mom doesn't have any money?

Me: Then I will have to kick her butt.

Drew: Great!! Dinner, Ice Cream AND a show…

Example the second

Not too long after that little bit of wit, we were on our way to meet mom for yet another dinner break rendezvous. This time, I nearly get my butt handed to me by Conan the Destroyer. As we get out of the car in the parking lot, a well endowed young lady with a halter top to her midriff and a very, very short skirt come bouncing (literally) out of the store. Without missing a beat, Drew whistles a fox call at the girl who politely smiles in our direction.

The whistle alone was embarrassing enough, especially as it echoed off the surrounding walls and cars in the parking lot for what seemed like an eternity. What came next was one of the most horrifying moments of my life. The massive hulking 300+ pound meat bag that followed the young lady was also looking in our general direction, but he definitely was not smiling. He grimaced and flexed all 1000 bicep muscles in his two arms as if to tell me, "You're pressing your luck dude", if he could have actually formed a whole coherent sentence that is. I held my breath as we rushed into the store behind them and never looked back. I tried explaining to Drew that she nearly got me killed, but what she thought was a nice complement wasn't sinking in as a life threatening issue for her dad.

We finally came to an understanding that while it's a compliment to some, others find it offensive and it could appear as if it were I who did the whistling, not my innocent 7 year old daughter. After all, what could I do, blame on her?

"No really mister, it was my kid! Honest!!!"

Right.

Example the last

Drew likes to be funny. She does it sometimes intentionally and other times it just comes by her honestly. She's been reading Captain Underpants and has gotten a silly streak in her recent activities around the house. While talking to someone on the phone the other day, she walks up and pats me on the back with "I love you dad" whispered in my ear. Awwwww! How cute, right?

Taped to my back is a paper that says:

Dad is stinky and needs a diaper change. Dad will henceforth be called Captain Underpants.

When I found it 20 minutes later in the bathroom mirror I tickled her, told her how silly she was and put her to bed while Tina was in the shower. I commenced cleaning dishes in the kitchen, finished and walked back to our bedroom to find the same note taped to the bathroom door. This time, the word Dad had been scribbled out and replaced with the word Mom, written in a scrawling obvious attempt to disguise penmanship. At the bottom of the paper it was signed simply, Love Dad.

My daughter was in bed faking the worst snore I've ever heard as I tried explaining to Tina that I had absolutely nothing to do with the note and that Drew must have slipped back into the room and done the deed.

Raising children is such fun.

Rock and Roll and Jesus

2009-03-30T09:47:00.000-04:00

During a long late night drive last night, my 7 year old started pondering life, the universe and everything. We talked about meteors, stars, and black holes before the conversation turned to God, creation and the Bible. This isn't your typical father daughter talk, but she clearly has an interest in history, science and other things that most seven year olds would never think about. She's daddy's girl in those regards at least.

Enter my dilemma. Smart as she is, Drew is still very impressionable. I don't want to push any of my kids to make decisions based on what I want, or what I believe. I'm a firm believer that my role here is to steer their minds in the right directions and allow them to come to decisions on their own, based on what they've learned or how they feel. I don't force them to church; they go because they want to learn and because I can't give them all the answers they need. I don't force them to listen to my music, but I do expose them to the different sounds and rhythms so that they can find what they like in the huge mix of crap circulating on the airwaves today.

So more to my point. I'm not atheist, but I'm not what you call a religious man either. I believe in the existence of something greater than myself; not because I feel it or that I've seen it, but because when I look around at the things I've seen in this world, I cannot accept that all of this happened by some accident or huge cosmic H-bomb. There was some kind of design or intervention there someplace. In addition to that, I'm not the person I am because I fear a hell in the afterlife, but rather, I believe that it's right to do good by others. To treat your fellow man, environment, and animals with the same respect just comes naturally to me and may be a result of my upbringing.

I decided to tell Drew the truth and explain to her that it in no way means that I don't believe in God or Jesus or any of the things that she's learning in Sunday school. Rather, it means I have questions that so far, no one has been able to answer. Things like; where are the missing 25+ years of Jesus' life? How was it possible for one man to build a boat that could hold pairs of the world's species? Where are the dinosaurs in the Bible? There's more, but they all come back to the same thing; no one knows. Surprisingly, Drew said she had questions too and many of them were the same as my own. One in particular; who created God? My only response to her now was that we need to just continue asking. Sometimes we may never get the answer we're looking for, but we keep asking until we do.

I take some comfort in knowing that I'm not the only one that feels this way. I spent a nice afternoon a week ago, with Bill Maher as he went around asking the same questions to the people I wouldn't have had the balls to ask. While I don't agree with everything, the film was entertaining and lighthearted, but still left me (and Bill apparently) with the same questions.

In the meantime, I'll still be here listening to my rock and roll and asking questions about Jesus.

Out of hiatus

2009-03-17T11:46:00.000-04:00

Hello blog, old friend. I've been away for awhile. Not really sure why, probably just life getting in the way. The family and I have been through a lot the past couple of years so the writing came to a stand still, but I can't stay away any longer. I need to get my thoughts out there again so here we go.

Today is St. Patrick's Day to most of the world. I've never been a partier, so this is one holiday I can easily overlook since the enjoyment of going out to drink green beer and my loathing of corned beef and cabbage really kills it all for me. As for the wearing of the green, most people can't tell you why green is associated with St. Patrick's Day so here's your history lesson for the week. St. Patrick, who may or may not have chased all the snakes out of Ireland, used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to non-Christian Irish. "Wearing of the green" was indicating a shamrock worn on your person to show Irish Nationalism or loyalty to the Roman Catholic Church. Since around the 1700's, the shamrock or shamrock like designs have become a ubiquitous feature of the Saint's holiday.

Before the 1700's, however, St. Patrick's Day was celebrated in blue. The Saint was most depicted wearing blue and is the color of the Irish coat of arms, Presidents Standard, and many other flags of Ireland are Blue and Gold. But I digress…

The real reason for my writing today was because of a little story about my daughter Drew. We all know that the absence of green on this particular day leads to pinching from our fellow friends and others we'd like to knock the living crap out of because they see fit to pinch us, friends or not. So, without hesitation, my wife instructed me to dress our daughter in green today and I set out to find the appropriate attire. When I woke Drew up this morning, she immediately looked at the chosen outfit and announced, "I'm not wearing green". I started to explain the reason for the choice and she promptly stated, "Dad, I WANT to be pinched".

After picking my mouth up off the floor, I stammered around trying to make sure I clearly heard what she said. As if to answer my dumbfound look, she quickly added, "Maki, David and…well, they are all pretty cute so they can pinch me and I don't mind. So, no green today, OK?"

No, it's not OK; who are you and where is my 7 year old daughter? We fought over this subject most of the morning. I won of course, because I'm dad and no one is pinching my girls until 25, maybe 30 if they push it. If looks could kill, I wouldn't be writing this now. I'm sure my wife will get an earful tonight when she picks her up from school, but that's OK. It was her decision to do green today anyway.

Anyway, happy St. Patrick's day everyone.

May you have the hindsight to know where you've been,
The foresight to know where you are going,
And the insight to know when you have gone too far.

Road to Life

2008-07-07T06:33:00.000-04:00

The soft hum of the tires reminded him of other numerous road trips.
This one was no different. He left home nearly 12 hours ago and had
been on the road non-stop, save for the occassional bathroom and coffee
break.

The
weather was perfect; no clouds, plenty of stars and a light breeze that
hinted to the coming fall weather. He turned on the radio and listened
to Ella Fitzgerald sing "Blue Skies" as he veered his car to the exit
ramp. Now came the interesting part of the trip, but he'd have to hurry
if he were to make it in time.

As he came to the light at the
end of the exit ramp, he winced slightly as his bladder reminded him
that it was several hours since the last stop. No time for that just
now. It would have to wait. An emerald glow lit up the car interior as
the light changed to green. He turned right and pushed the car as fast
as he could on this rural backroad.

The engine roared to life
and answered his call for more speed. As the car accelerated, he could
feel the cool early morning breeze rushing into the window and he could
smell the sweet Jasmine from the darkness beyond the road. Memories
came flooding back of his childhood catching fire flies and smelling
the evening dew mixed with the fresh cut grass of their lawn. It has
been too long, he thought. Far too long.

The road began to wind
back and forth like a snake, the curves becoming more and more
pronounced as he climed higher into the cool air of the mountains. Dawn
was just starting to break on the horizon and with a sinking feeling in
his heart, he realized he may have cut this trip a little too close. He
pressed as hard as he dared on the gas. The roads were not safe at this
speed, but he just had to make it. He had never broke tradition and he
wasn't about to start this year.

The radio was crackling with
static as he climbed higher up the mountain. He always thought that it
was strange that the radio reception got worse instead of better. By
his way of thinking, the radio signal should get better as you got
clear of the hustle and bustle of the city, but that never was the
case. Still, static or not, he cranked the volume a couple notches
louder as Bobby Darin stared to croon out "Mack the Knife". How he
missed this old town and the local jazz radio that never seemed to grow
old.

As he rounded the next switchback, the sun started to peak
over the farthest hill to his left. He still had five minutes to reach
his destination and was starting to feel certain that he'd miss it.
After all these years, he was going to miss the one thing that kept him
going each year. The one simple thing that reminded him of how little
some of the crap we deal with each day just doesn't matter.

Just
as he was about to lose hope, the little hidden turn off that would
take him to his destination came into view. The grass was overgrown and
the small dirt road was almost hidden beneath brush and vines, but it
was still there and waiting eagerly for his arrival.

"Hello old friend", he whispered to himself.

Almost
as if by magic, the car started down the old road at a snails pace. He
reached then end of the drive and sat there catching his breath. He
hadn't realized that he was holding it since he pulled on to the drive.
He turned off the engine and slowly moved out of the car. Gently he
closed the door and walked to the front of the car. He could hear the
engine still popping from the heat of some hidden metal as he moved
passed the car and toward his goal.

He walked as close to the
edge as he dared and sat down on the damp grass and waited. It had been
a race to beat the sun. Every year he cut it pretty close, but this was
the closest by far. It was seconds before the sun crested the highest
mountain and shone down into the valley below. This year, like so many
before it, took his breath away.

What lay in the valley below
was a fire, rippling across the valley floor, engulfing the very trees
around him. No heat, no ash, just the searing red, gold and orange of
Autumn's best show. Nothing could compare to the sun's light as it hit
these trees for the first time in the morning, with dew still fresh on
the limbs. The reflection of the sun's light through the leaves and dew
drops made the trees sparkle and dance like the licking flames of a
raging wildfire.

This is what he traveled 800 miles to see, what
he looked forward to every year. This one moment in time reminded him
how very beautiful the world could be and was enough to last him
throughout the year. His grandfather had shown him this place when he
was just 6 years old. They made the trip every year until his
grandfather passed 10 years later. He promised his grandfather that
he'd never lose sight of the fire and had made the pilgrimage to the
mountain every year since. Now, he sat and watched again as nature
worked her miracle.

Peacefully, he gathered himself up and made
his way back to the car. He gave one last fleeting glance at the valley
below and climbed back in the driver seat. The car made the slow return
to civilization below as Frank sang "Fly me to the Moon" through the
static of the radio. Life was peaceful once again...

Kitty Basket of Torture

2007-02-12T11:01:00.000-05:00

Each morning we have a routine; let the dogs out to water the yard, feed the dogs, water the dogs, rinse, lather, repeat.

The entrance to our back porch has a sliding glass door from the dining room. We installed a Kitty door, to allow the cats the ability to "escape" from their tormentors whenever necessary. Little did we know that door would someday become an instument of torment itself.

Drew keeps her excess toys on the back porch. We've been going through said toys to build piles of donation acceptable, trash bin ready and keepers. It just so happens that an old Easter Basket, henceforth referred to as "Easter Basket of Terror" or "Kitty Basket of Torture", got placed in the right position just outside of the kitty door. And that is where our story begins.

To set up the scene, I have to introduce you to our oldest and most corpulent cat, O'Malley. He's a grey tabby with a penchant for dry cat food and licking toes. He dislikes our newest addition to the family, Belle, who is a Golden Retriver pup with a fondness for chasing kitty to play. He also remains the only cat in our home with a full set of claws which Belle has learned very quickly.

I get up for our morning routine and take the dogs out for the first stage. No big deal. We feed them and I round up all the animals to make sure they are out of the rooms prior to our leaving for the day. The dogs are pretty wound up at this point and ready for another gardening session. As I approach the sliding glass door, Belle sees O'Malley and makes a run for it. O'Malley, being the smart cat that he is, realizes that, rather than deal with the issue, he'll just duck out the cat door and be done with the whole thing. After all, dad is going to lock her up for the day and he won't have to deal with her for another 8 hours.

As planned, O'Malley makes a clean getaway and Belle is left with nothing but a slap in the face from the returning kitty door. I open the sliding glass door and hear a commotion coming from my left. What I see there nearly makes me pee myself.

It's not the fact that O'Malley was IN the Easter Basket, but rather that he was too Large for it. He couldn't stand up because of the handle, couldn't get a leg out because of the high ridges and couldn't think clearly enough to calm down and assess the situation with the big Yellow beast approaching him.

So imagine a big grey ball of fur twisting and writhing in a bright, cheery pink and yellow basket, hissing and growling, fliping and flopping but going no where. He finally got a leg out and managed to scoot himself a few inches before I was able to help him out. He hid in what I'm sure was utter shame and horror for the remainder of the morning.

As I turned to let the dogs out into the back yard, I could swear I saw a smile on Belle's mouth. Was the basket strategically placed? Belle's never been too bright, but this time, I'm not so sure...

I like your Shooooooes

2006-09-19T07:20:00.000-04:00

I was taking Drew to school today and we pulled up behind one of her classmates. His mom was getting out of her truck to get him and his little sister out of the passenger side and Drew says to me “That’s Nick's mom.”

As I’m getting out of the car and proceed to get Drew unbuckled from the car seat she says, “Come on Dad!!! We gotta go!”

“Really?”, I asked. What’s the rush?

“Just come on.”, she says.

We are now walking at a fast pace AROUND Nick, his mom and his sister.

“I can run”, Drew says. “I’m feeling much better today.”

“No, I think we’ll walk.” But we walk very briskly to the back of the school for her class. Drew points out several other classmates along the way, but we seem to be in a race to get to the door.

I manage to get a hug AND a kiss out of her today. A feat that is no small miracle, when normally she usually runs right for the sign in board and then for the tables with her friends. But today, we seem to be lingering by the classroom door.

I sign her in and she says goodbye and heads off for her day.

On my way out, I pass Nick, his mom and his little sister. Mom is saying something about how Drew has already made it to class because little sister is taking her time. She’s cute as a button with little curls and singing to herself and taking in the scenery without a care in the world.

As I pass by I tell her that I like her shoes and she says to me “And I like your Shooooooooooes!”, with a big old grin and without missing a beat to her little tune. Her mom and I crack up and I head back to the car.

I call Tina to tell her that our “Package” has been delivered as I do every morning after dropping Drew off at school and tell her my story. As I do, I remember the previous night’s conversation with our daughter about her friends in class. Not one girls name was mentioned. All boys.

Tina turned to me and said, “We’re gonna have our hands full with this one”.

To which Drew replied, “You sure are.”

This Sunday, I’m going shopping for that shotgun and I’m signing Mooch up for Teenage Boy Chew-toy Training.

Mission: Impoochable

2006-09-11T12:41:00.000-04:00

Cue the Peter Gunn theme music. Exterior: Night.

We had our Chocolate Lab Mooch for about 2 years now. He’s always been pretty normal, but we recently adopted a sister for him, Belle, who is a Yellow Lab about 6 months old. Since then, he’s changed.

Not in a bad way. He’s become more playful. Like a puppy I guess you could say. He plays with Belle constantly and looks like a lost pup himself when it’s time for her to go back into her crate for awhile. The most significant change though, has been recently when we let them out in the backyard.

Belle is just a puppy. She’s in a hurry to get everywhere and everything is interesting. She darts out the back door and flies through the yard like a kid with a sugar rush on Mountain Dew and Red Bull mixers. Her tongue hangs out the side of her mouth, ears pulled back for “aerodynamic styling” and she chases and barks at the neighborhood cats, or the grass if no cats are around.

Mooch however, has gone from being his simple humdrum self to Mr. Lab. Mr. Mooch Lab, K-9 Special Ops. We’ve established that his coat is chocolate, so it goes without saying that in the black of night, he’s no where to be found. But even during the daylight hours, the dog pulls off some amazing “stealth” ability. Mooch walks the perimeter of the house, never the middle of the yard. That would give away his position. Instead of just walking on the outside of the bushes, he weaves his way in and out of them. Presumably to throw off anyone following him.

Much to my dismay, we must also be at war with whatever “threat” is out there, because he and Belle have dug trenches to hunker down in when weaving through the bushes just isn’t enough. I keep filling them in and he keeps digging them out.

All I can picture in my head during working hours is him and Belle in some sort of covert ops meetings during the day, running CAT scans on my computer while I’m at work.

Amelia Island

2006-08-29T09:35:00.000-04:00

Off on another business trip. This time, not so far from home. We're staying at Ameila Island, which is just East of Jacksonville. To be honest, I wasn't looking forward to it at all. If you've ever been to Jacksonville, you might understand. That all changed when we pulled up to the Ritz-Carlton Resort.

The hotel itself has no parking what so ever. It's valet or you don't drive here. The place is the very meaning of swank. The room is huge and overlooks the beach. The bed is nothing but goosedown and you literally are swallowed up by it. The bathroom is as big as most hotel bedrooms, all marble and has his and her sinks.

Each night, Room Attendants turn down the bed, leave a fresh rose, water and chocolates. The atmosphere here is amazing. Private beach access and they even have attendants there as well, waiting with towels, a bar and an open playground for the kids.

The first night here I walked out to the beach and spent about an hour just watching the sun set and the waves roll in. It's much cooler here than in Orlando. They have beach chairs set up with umbrellas and I immediately thought of Kenny Chesney's "Old Blue Chair" as I sat in one to relax. The water here is much cleaner than I would have thought for it being so close to Jacksonville and is much nicer even than Daytona, New Symyrna or Cocoa.

I have to say I'm impressed and will probably be bringing the wife back as soon as we can, although it's pretty pricey. I'll post pics soon

Los Angeles

2006-07-20T21:13:00.000-04:00

Pretty uneventful flight. Aside from the usual California delays we seem to be having due to some midwestern storm activity, everything else seems to be going OK. Right landing gear was acting up a bit, but eventually seemed to cooperate and we landed with no issues.

No headaches this time. I don't know what the deal is with that. I swear it must just be piss poor plane pressurization or something. We'll just call it the Four P's for short.

I'm staying at the Renaissance Hotel, Los Angeles, just down the road from the airport. I thought it would be a restless night, but I can't hear the planes over the TV in the room next to me.

Tomorrow ends this round trip West Coast journey and I couldn't be more glad to get home to my family. Although I'll be short several kids this weekend, which wasn't the plan. Haven't seen them in awhile and they start school soon so that kinda sucks, but my oldest is devising a plan that might work to our advantage...Go Krittabug!

Of all the legs of this trip, I'm excited mostly about this one. Tomorrow I'll be at our EA Mobile studios as well as our EALA studios. While we'll be cramming a crap load of meetings and visiting into one day that should have been more like 2, similar to our other visits, it will be one of the most productive days for me this whole trip. Not to mention, it's another set of studios I've not yet seen, especially with EA Mobile. But most of all, when it's all said and done, I get to board a plane that will take me home to my family.

Hopefully, the next time I'm writing in this thing, it will be from my own home and not at the desk of some strange hotel room...

San Francisco

2006-07-19T22:13:00.000-04:00

Arrived very late from Vancouver. Flight was delayed due to problems with origination flight from San Francisco. I get very bad headaches on some flights and I don't know why. Never been able to figure it out and the best the Doc's can tell me is that it's due to pressure. I have to assume that that has something to do with it because my boss said he could see his water bottle crushing with the pressure in the plane. I had no problems from Orlando to Vancouver, but from Vancouver to San Fran, was the same old story.

I'll admit the headache wasn't as bad as previous ones, but it was there just the same. I just hope the flight to LA tomorrow isn't that bad and the flight home to Orlando as well.

I've been to San Fran before on business and with Tina, my wife. Beautiful city and probably one of the most clean that I've ever seen. We'd hoped to have some time to visit the Muir woods just outside of Redwood City which is one of the more famous Redwood Forests in California, but we've had so many meetings and ran so late, by the time we got to dinner, the sun was setting and the park was closing so it wasn't meant to be.

Speaking of dinner, it's the first time I've drank in a long time. The guys from work insisted that I join them in a round of Tequila and so I obliged being that is was one of our groups first times drinking Tequila ever. One round led to another and we finished dinner and headed back to the hotel.

At the hotel we decided to visit the bar and not quite call it a night. We talked about work and non-work related stuff and I decided that 8 AM was coming too early for me so I turned in for the night ahead of everyone else. The discussions had turned to politics and religion and that was a key sign it was time for me to leave anyway.

I'm looking forward to wrapping this trip up Friday. I want to go home and see my family and get life back to normal.

Vancouver

2006-07-17T20:28:00.000-04:00

I'm traveling for work. West Coast round trip visit and we're starting off in Vancouver. We arrived yesterday, my Birthday, and we're leaving tomorrow around 6 PM PST to head for San Francisco. We'll stay there 2 days and then hit LA for 1 day Friday and leave on a red eye that night at 10:45 to come home.

Vancouver is in Canada, for those of you who failed Geography. It's still on the West Coast though, and nestled between a beautiful mountain range and a Sea Coast, much like the Bay of San Francisco.

We have one of the largest and in my opinion most beautiful EA campus' Worldwide located in Vancouver. The architechture of the building is just stunning, the amenities are without a doubt awesome and the location is breathtaking. It's truly a creative atmosphere when you can look out your window and see mountain ranges surrounding your office building in the distance.

We had dinner tonight at a place called Grouse Mountain, named after a local bird that resembles a pheasent. It's one of the tallest points in Vancouver and is a popular Ski area during the winter months. There is a restaurant there that we decided to eat at this evening that over looks all of Vancouver from your dining area is gorgeous. After dinner we took a ski lift down the mountain and back up, even though there was no snow to ski with. There was snow in a bank to the side of a run off ditch however. The temperature was around 45 degrees on the Ski lift in the shade, which was most of the way down.

Tomorrow we depart for San Francisco as I mentioned. We hope to be able to get to the Redwood Forests if time permits. We'll see what happens.

Perfect Weather

2005-09-07T12:27:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, the weather was just perfect. We're closing in on my favorite time of year; fall. Even though Florida sucks at showing any kind of sesonal change, the weather around here couldn't be better from late September through November and sometimes December.

It was still a little hot on Saturday, but there was a constant breeze blowing. We attended my son's football game, which ran over by about 2 hours. Even though it was warm, the breeze took the edge off. The sky's were blue and the evening was phenomenal.

I don't know what it is about fall, but I get this calmness over me. From now until after New Year's, life takes on a brighter view. The weather, I'm sure, has a great deal to do with it. I also think the memories of past Fall seasons, Thanksgiving and Christmas help place the mood. I know that the holidays are coming and I get pumped about it.

I can't put my finger on my feelings and describe it the way it comes across to me, but it's just a warm and light hearted feeling. It's a feeling you had as a kid when Christmas morning came rolling in. The feeling of being out with good friends and being carefree. The feeling of seeing the one person who always takes your breath away. Catching fireflies in the early evening or watching the sun set on the beach.

Got the idea?

Tribute to Walt

2005-08-30T07:38:00.000-04:00

This was originally submitted to SaveDisney.com and was posted to their site for some time.

I’ve been more fortunate than most kids in the simple fact that I lived within minutes of Walt’s dream. I remember my first time going through those gates with my family and seeing that castle at the end of Main Street, USA. I can still here the sounds of the penny arcade. I can still see the people everywhere smiling, laughing. I can still smell the sweet shop and the hot dogs on the corner.

Fast forward 6 years. I’m 11 and I’m at the end of Main Street USA looking at Cinderella’s castle. It’s about 8:45 in the morning. My best friend and I are on our first day of summer vacation. We’re standing behind a rope, which is the only thing between us and a full day of excitement. The rope drops and we’re off! Screaming at the top of our lungs – “Pirates!!!”, and racing for our favorite ride.

Fast forward again, 12 years. I’m in Crystal Palace, just off Main Street USA. Eeyore is at our table tapping my girlfriend on her shoulder. She turns to see him holding a small box in his hands. Eeyore slowly opens the box and she begins to cry. She turns back to me and I’m down on one knee, asking her to spend the rest of her life with me. She says yes…

Today, I’m 31 years old. I’m still that kid I was on that hot summer day I walked into the park for the first time. Even now when I walk through those gates with my family, I get misty eyed. There are so many memories for me here. So many good times. The best part is that I get to see the Disney as Walt intended it, through my children’s eyes, all over again.

I’ve studied the man that made all these dreams come true, for myself and so many others. So much in fact, that I feel like I knew him. He was an inspiration to those around him and he continues to be an inspiration to this very day. He’s been a role model for me in both life and in business, but most of all, he helped me to stay a kid.

Thanks Walt. For everything.

"Or heritage and ideals, our code and standards - the things we live by and teach our children - are preserved or diminished by how freely we exchange ideas and feelings." - Walt Disney

Contemporary Tiles

2005-08-30T07:37:00.000-04:00

Contemporary Tiles

My wife Tina and I took the baby to dinner Sat. night at Chef Mickey's in the Contemporary Resort. When we got there, Drew had to "potty" so we headed for the bathrooms. Tina took her in to do her thing and I went to sit on the bench near the tower with the tiles.

A little nostalgia came drifting back to me as I sat looking at the mosaic of tiles on the walls near the monorail. Most everyone who knows me, knows that my grandfather help set those tiles that have been there long before any cast member or family ever set foot in the hotel. A lot of people had family who worked on these parks, I'm sure, but it fills me with pride to look at them. Not just the things my grandfather did, but the whole world of Disney. The time and detail that is taken to make these things look and feel like a part of the world is just amazing to me. Other parks try to reproduce it, but in my opinion, fall really short.

The tiles are outdated. They don't fit the theme of the "Contemporary"
hotel anymore. Still, they are beautiful in their own right and should not be removed. It's history to me. A part of the park from yesteryear that remains untouched and still perfectly intact. I know that things need to change. I would love to visit the old "Tomorrowland" with "If you had wings" and "Mission to Mars", but I know in my heart that if it were not for the new attractions, people would stop coming. Walt knew this too and so did the countless guests that passed by and commented on how wonderful or beautiful the tiles were.

Still, it brings to mind my time as a child. Walking those parks with my best friend Jim during those hot summer months, standing at the rope drop and racing to our favorite ride to be the first one on. Times that I will forever remember, but never get back. I know everyone feels this way at some point in life, but why at 31 am I so concerned with time passing me by? I still feel like that kid. Maybe a few more aches and a little more winded, but still the 10 year old I remember.

And those feelings get more deep as the holidays approach. Jim asked what was my favorite Christmas gift as a child and as an adult. My fondest memory of Christmas is the year I received the snowspeeder from Star Wars and a Space Invader hand held game. I woke up at 3AM that year and couldn't go back to sleep no matter how hard I tried. I remember my Grandmother and Grandfather coming over every Christmas morning with gifts piled so high, my Grandfather had to make 2 trips. I remember my Grandmother wrapping them so tightly, the tape showing signs of stress and to further complicate the removal of the paper, she tied ribbons of colored yarn around the boxes that needed a hacksaw to remove.

I remember my Grandfather raking leaves in the yard and waving to us as my Mom and I went shopping for Christmas just weeks before. That same day, the temperature got so cold, the door locks froze and we couldn't get back in the car. The smell of cookies from the kitchen. The delivery of fudge from the Delaports across the street. The sounds of Burl Ives on the TV while I curled up to watch Rudolph for the millionth time in my life. The lights on our tree, which sometimes included the bubble lights from my mom's childhood Christmas trees. My Grandfathers laugh.

But I have good recent memories too. My first trip with my wife to Tennessee, also during Christmas. My fourth child 2 years ago and everyday she calls me "Da" when I come home. Winning the battle for my kids. Our first family trip to North Carolina. Our first cruise, dressing up like famous people and going to dinner and a play. Passing my certification tests. And the few precious days with just my loving wife, riding roller coasters or browsing the stores.

It's just nostalgia, but for me it's more than that too. It's a part of me that I take with me everywhere. Memories are like home movies in your mind. The ones you play back when you're feeling down or hear that song on the radio. The ones that remind you why life is worth living and why some things should never change.

And to think I got all of this from looking at some tile.

Past Ghosts

2005-08-30T07:36:00.000-04:00

Past Ghosts

My friend Jim has been writing a lot lately, so it kinda got me thinking about things too. So, here I am putting down some thoughts on electronic paper.

First let me say that this isn't going to be anything political, I care too little about politics anyway, none of them can be trusted. Furthermore, it isn't going to be anything special at all. Just some things that float through my mind, even more so this time of year.

A couple of weekends ago, I took Drew to MGM Studios for the day. Just the baby and I, while Tina was working. We had a good time together even though there's little for her to enjoy at that particular park, aside from Bear in the Big Blue House. After the day was drawing to a close, we left the park and went to get some dinner before picking up Mommy.

We settled on Steak and Shake on 535 and had a nice meal. At some point in the meal, I heard the sound of the china plates they use at Steak and Shake clinking together and it sparked a memory for me that's been haunting me since. It's a nice enough memory, but one that makes you miss your childhood, regardless of how bad things may have been.

There used to be an old Woolworth store in the old Colonial Plaza Mall on Colonial Drive. Half outside and half inside of that store was a restaurant or diner, to be more exact, that my mom and I used to eat at, just the two of us. The food was good and the atmosphere was nice too, kinda like an old movie or something. The waitress with the missing teeth and the southern drawl, smoking a cigarette while she took your order because you could still do those things back then. The sounds of the plates clinking together in the kitchen someplace. The cook hollering out orders. We ate there every so often, but the times I remember the most were from October to December.

It was a time my mom and I got to sit down and be ourselves. It was a time to shop for Christmas and see Santa. It was colder out and the Christmas tunes were playing throughout the mall. It's a good memory.

I realized at some point, that I was sharing a moment like this with Drew.
She may be too little to remember it now, but these are the things I want to do with my kids. I decided that this year I'm going to try and spend moments like this with each of the kids, one on one, during the holiday season. The following year I'll try and continue that at least once a month with each of them. My wife and I will spend more time together too.

My life has been too "busy". The past few years, I've barely been able to watch my favorite Christmas movies, with the family. I feel like I've been away from them too long. I took for granted, the time my mom and I spent together doing these things. I just want to slow things down a bit and enjoy my life. Savor these memories. I want the kids to have something fond to look back on.

I'm done.

Opening Day

2005-08-15T18:32:00.000-04:00

So my friend Jim tells me I should write more. Just random bits of thought to short stories and everything in between. He does this often and I enjoy reading his material. This will be the starting point of my writing attempts and you'll find all sorts of things here in the near future.

I'll warn you, I'm not an english major by any means and this is just an experiment to see what I can come up with. Like so many other blogs and web spaces I've seen, I'm sure I'll have some good and bad days, so expect to come here and find me ranting about some odd bit of crap that's ticked me off.

Still, there'll be plenty of other good stuff. I hope you enjoy.

Great Piggie Hunt II - Jedi Master Dory

2005-04-28T11:34:00.000-04:00

A long time ago, in a kids room not so far away…lives a seemingly normal hamster that continues to amaze and delight the family of the vessel Inagua 2320, in the Subsystem Winter Park of the Galaxy Floree’da. Dory is her name and escape is her game.

Since our last encounter with Dory, we’ve found her means of escaping from her domicile. We quickly remedied this by taping the said area so that she couldn’t use it like the Birdman of Alcatraz to run the halls of our home. Or so we thought. One can only assume that this cute little fury friend is at one with the Force. No other explanation could exist. Without visual effects, I can only illustrate through this short tale of our family pet and her most recent adventures.

Dory, using the Jedi Force Push, lifts and throws the exercise wheel and tube attachment from the top of her cage, leaving a gaping hole for escape. “Tape matters not”, she says, and begins to climb her way out of her cage. Balanced high atop Josh’s dresser, Dory Force Jumps to the floor and runs, top speed, to the location of the Cat Monsters feeding grounds.

The first Cat she encounters is O’Malley, the male. As is typical, O’Malley is cozied up in his kitty bed near the front windows and has no idea Dory is lurking about. O’Malley saws California Redwood trees while sleeping, and thus couldn’t hear a legion of hamsters walking through the house. She is safe for the moment.

Onward to the feeding grounds. The journey is long and treacherous. The sun is beginning to rise and the Giant humans are waking from their slumber. She hides in a small crevice near the feeding grounds and waits patiently for her chance to move when suddenly the Red Alert sirens go off. They’ve discovered her missing! She sees the humans running frantically to and from looking for any sign of her. The eldest human sighs and resigns himself to the fact that she’s either been eaten or is hiding in a new place. The kids and the eldest leave the home and all is quiet again.

Dory emerges and creeps to the feeding ground. Silently she spots the two female Cats and uses her Jedi Mind Trick to fool them into not seeing her. “See me, you do not”, she whispers and she waves her little paw. Success! The Cats are indifferent to her presence. The weak minded are so easily fooled. The food in the feeding ground is all but hers!!! She begins to stuff large amounts of food into her cheeks for the journey back. As she’s about to finish, she feels the ground tremble. Slowly she turns.

There, towering high above her is the lady of the house. She freezes for what seems an eternity before pulling herself together. She waves her paw, “See me, you do not”. Nothing happens. The human smiles. Again, “See me, you do not!!” as she concentrates with all her might. The human’s will is too strong. The Jedi Mind Trick isn’t working. The human bends to swoop her up and cradles her in her hands.

“I don’t know how you do it Dory, but you’ve got to stop getting out. The cats are going to get you and your luck will run out.”, the human says as she places her back into her cage.

“Fat chance”, Dory mumbles. “Those walking carpets couldn’t see catnip if it were hanging from their necks”.

We fully expect another escape attempt and are currently looking for a maximum security facility. One that will be impossible to escape from. Even from the lightsaber Dory surely must be building, as she plans her next escape.

Great Piggie Hunt of 2003

2005-04-28T04:02:00.000-04:00

Great Piggie Hunt of 2003

Before I start, those of you who don't live in our household will need to understand the term "piggie". Our oldest Daughter Krista has a Guinea Pig (Fozzie) and my son Josh has a Hamster (Dory). Drew, our youngest daughter, obviously can't pronounce all of that yet, so she settles for "Piggie" for both of them.

Anyway, I'm getting ready to leave for work yesterday morning and Krista tells me I have to come see Fozzie. He was laying outside of his little house inside his cage, which is rare for him. To us it means he's probably getting more comfortable with his surroundings. To Fozzie, it probably is a way to tease our largest cat O'Malley. O'Malley likes to stick his paws in the cage and Fozzie has learned to reciprocate with a slight nibble on
whatever O'Malley decides to stick in his cage. 'Nuff said.

Well, I decided to check on Dory, who lives above Fozzie in a penthouse suite in the skeye eye eye. This is to prevent O'Malley from reaching her, but to also keep Drew from removing key parts of the cage that would otherwise give Dory complete freedom. I didn't recognize Dory in her cage, but she hides, so I proceeded to check on the stuffing in her cage to see where she was. After poking and prodding for about 2 minutes, I came to the realization that one of the "key parts" that I mentioned was askew and left a gaping hole that Dory could escape from.

And so the Great Piggie Hunt of 2003 had begun. Krista and I tore up the girls room, closets, dressers and then woke my wife Tina up to help us tear everything up just one more time. No piggie. We looked under couches, beds, kitchen appliances, even in places she could never possible have reached. At this point, I'm late for work, Krista is late for school and Tina is awake far earlier than she should have been with nothing to show for it.

We head to our bedroom once more to cover the same ground a third time, cause twice wasn't enough and I point out to Tina that one of the cats is hoarding cat food under our vanity and beside some boxes. Tina takes the flashlight and low and behold we reach the end of the grueling Great Piggie Hunt of 2003. There sits Dory with a clump of tissue she has fashioned into a bed, along with about one cat food bowls worth of dry cat food. Safe and sound, she's put back into her cage and everyone sighs a big relief.

To really appreciate what she'd done, you have to understand the layout of our home. Dory lives some 5 feet above sea level on top of Fozzie's cage, who resides on top the girls dresser. She escaped from her cage and plummeted 5 feet to the ground, squeezed under a closed door and made her way to our bedroom on the complete opposite side of the house. To top that off, she pulled toilet paper from someplace (it was clean), and made herself a bed, presumably tired from the trek she made cross country in the night.
Then, amongst 3 highly trained killers we have as cats, she manages to trek back into the kitchen area to retrieve cat food from the very bowl the killers eat from, stowing away at least one of three bowls worth of food in her hideout.

Saying Dory is skilled is an understatement. She's a covert specialist in my book. Either that, or we have 3 of the laziest, most stupid cats in the world. Dogs rule.