Friday, January 23, 2009

First Time

Well, it's the official first time of Sam with Dad alone for the first time. Julie is away overnight with a friend so it's Dad, Sam and the dogs. We had a little dinner, went for a little sled ride, read a couple of books and learned how to burp. Well, I burped, Sam just made a sound that I'm guessing was intended to mimic the noise of a burp. We'll have to have some more lessons on that later.

The rest of the night? Well... I watched an older movie that included the line, "You can't handle the truth!" One of the best known of the era. I had been sipping a little rum on the rocks during the flick. That may sound bad, but if you like rum and buy good rum, trust me, it's easy to do.

I then turned to double whiskey old-fashioneds and tried to play a little Guitar Hero. I have a whole new respect for band members that are able to perform while intoxicated. Except for the Violent Femmes. I saw them one time when they were hammered. They were awful.

So, drinking alone and playing video games. Sounds so wrong on the surface. But, any of you that are parents know that when you get a break to be alone and the childeren are fast asleep know exactly what I'm talking about. It was a much needed break from life. It's been a long week. My staff may not be very happy with their reviews, let alone the lack of raise they may be getting. Luckily, my staff and I are not at the level were the wages have been frozen in our company, but the increases certainly aren't going to be what has been come to be expected. I'm sure I'll find out who is and who isn't happy to have employment in this type of economy.

Watching an auction. Maybe I'll have a new fork for the Rocky Mtn by the end of the weekend. I'm jonesin' to get out and do some riding. Haven't been on the trainer much but that's because I truly hate the trainer. I'm thinking that Julie and I will need to set some time aside so she can be on the elliptical at the same time I'm spinning. That should help pass the time.

It's late, I'm half in the bag. Time to go to bed. I'm sure that Sam will be up at his normal time. Doesn't matter to him that I've indulged in adult beverages tonight. I may be suffering tomorrow, but at least I let some stress go tonight.

Happy weekend, all ya' all.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Went tubing last weekend with the extended family. Had a blast. Even got spoken to by one of the hill attendants. Shame on me. Seems that I have an issue with winter sports, ski hills and all of their rules put in place to protect me and others. Guess some things will never change. Pizza and beer afterward.

Saw the old grand cherokee. Still running. Looks a little more beat up. Guy was driving it like he stole it. But, that's the way he drove away from my house after he bought it.

It's cold. Not just normal cold, dang cold. The kind of cold that makes the snow squeak when you step on it. The kind of cold that makes you feel your nose hair freezing the first breath you take outside. The kind of cold that makes a pugdog walk on three legs at a time depending on which foot is coldest. Am I complaining? Nope. I expect this. I live in Whiskey-onsin. Besides my only complaint is about the coffee here at work. It's free, but it's awful.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Well, time to do some catching up. Happy New Year! It pretty much seems the same as last year. Really, why do people expect a change just because we turn the page of the calendar? With that logic, you should expect change at the beginning of every month. I have news for you, if you need to change or make something better, you can do it at anytime. And, the sooner you do it, the better. Just being realistic. I understand the representation, but c'mon, if you're really going to start something just because the page turned, you probably won't make the change last more than a few weeks anyway. Be honest with yourself, make the change right away when you think of it and make it stick.

Sam has now had ear infections 5 months in a row. Thus the tubes in his ears on Thursday morning. He did really well and has seemed to have no adverse effects. We hope that we're past these infections now. He's been on 8 or 9 different antibiotics so far. He's to the point where he knows what to do when he sees the syringe full of medicine coming and he takes it without any hassle. A 15 month old shouldn't be like that. Both Julie and I rarely medicate and it was difficult to do this but it seemed to be the only way to ward off the acute infections and fever spikes. Like I said, I hope that Sam is past this so we no longer have to do this.

I fixed the 4wd on the Toy. That's a story in itself that I'll choose to not get into here. I'm sure that something else will need some work soon on my "old-fashioned" car. The Soo-b-roo will be paid off soon so hopefully I'll be able to purchase a different daily drive and turn the Toy into more of a, well, toy.

Found killer deals on airfare. Wish I had been able to make the commitment to get out to Tucson next month to see if my trainer hours would translate into any tearing up of the desert. Guess I'll never know now. Maybe the steps in April possibility still exits. I'll have to sit down with the financial committee.

Just took a quick break because Clark was standing completely taut at the patio door. I went to the window to see a parade of 5 deer go through. I could have let him out to play with them, but I really don't feel like spending the next two hours or so looking for him after he gives chase. The deer are long gone now, but the pointer still wants out.

Almost got a Sibex Ti fork for the RM CX. Someone beat me but this turned out to be a very good thing. I didn't quite do enough homework on the part and it would have been a mistake. Turns out that the axle to crown measurement was 45mm too long. May have turned the bike into a cross chopper. Don't think that's a good idea. I really need to get that build done so I can get on some pavement and be outside.

Had my review with my director. Went as expected. My self review nearly mimiced his. Guess we're on the same page regarding my strengths and weaknesses. Now if I can figure out how to eliminate the short comings I think I'll soon be taking the next step that I want. Goal is to make that next step up in less than two years which is still in line with where I wanted to be after the last promotion. Sticking to the plan and so far, so good.

I 've had to make a few runs for work to one of our payment centers. It's very close to MC's homestead. I made a quick stop to peek at his yard. Rink is up. Expecting cold, cold temps next week, bet it's going to be sweet ice. May have to stop and see them some night. Doubt that I'll lace up, but it's always good to see that group. The other thing I noticed in that area is a place for sale that has peaked my interest. The drive to my office isn't nearly as far from there as I thought. Julie gives me a dirty look every time I mention it, but I may just need to investigate a bit further.

That's enough for tonight. Always time for more later. Take care all ya' all.