Sunday, November 23, 2003
Oh, my aching back
Well, another tradition of winter here in Highlands Ranch. It's the annual day after the first day of shoveling snow back-ache. Nothing major, just enough discomfort to let me know my back is there. Every now and then I'll move just right and my back will tell me its tired. It's usually not bad, but this time we have sub twenties weather, so if I'm outside for any reason, my back muscles just can't warm up.
Good decision on my part
I made the right decision not to go to the Broncos game today. Heard on TV that it was the coldest temperature during a Bronco game in history. That, plus the fact that the Donkeys lost to the lowly Bears, and I really would have hated to spend the time and money to be at the game. At least the Chiefs won today, so, my tickets to the Broncos/Chiefs game should be good.
Sting Concert
One of the musicians I enjoy listening to is Sting. I liked the Police and I really like his solo stuff. He is going to give a concert here in Denver in February. I was tempted to buy tickets and go see him until I saw the prices. Standing room tickets are $62.50. Standing? You mean to tell me that they plan to sell SRO tickets before they've sold the first ticket? Oh well, guess I'll wait until the concert DVD comes out.
Well, another tradition of winter here in Highlands Ranch. It's the annual day after the first day of shoveling snow back-ache. Nothing major, just enough discomfort to let me know my back is there. Every now and then I'll move just right and my back will tell me its tired. It's usually not bad, but this time we have sub twenties weather, so if I'm outside for any reason, my back muscles just can't warm up.
Good decision on my part
I made the right decision not to go to the Broncos game today. Heard on TV that it was the coldest temperature during a Bronco game in history. That, plus the fact that the Donkeys lost to the lowly Bears, and I really would have hated to spend the time and money to be at the game. At least the Chiefs won today, so, my tickets to the Broncos/Chiefs game should be good.
Sting Concert
One of the musicians I enjoy listening to is Sting. I liked the Police and I really like his solo stuff. He is going to give a concert here in Denver in February. I was tempted to buy tickets and go see him until I saw the prices. Standing room tickets are $62.50. Standing? You mean to tell me that they plan to sell SRO tickets before they've sold the first ticket? Oh well, guess I'll wait until the concert DVD comes out.
Saturday, November 22, 2003
Oh, the weather outside is frightful
Yikes, who turned off the heat? The weather here in Highlands Ranch, Colorado is a brisk 14 degrees and we've received about 3 to 4 inches of snow. Had to shovel the driveway for the first time this season today. What a fun way to pass the time. The snow is supposed to taper off this evening but the temperature won't be climbing for a couple of days. At least we're supposed to get some sun tomorrow.
Not as big a Bronco fan as I thought
I was offered seats to tomorrow's Bronco game from my friend I'm splitting the season tickets with. Seems he and his daughter have come down with the virus that's been floating around here lately. The game is against the Chicago Bears. Hmm, let's see, stay home and watch the game from the comfort of my recliner or go to the game and sit outside on a cold plastic seat for better than three hours in sub twenty degree temperatures. Tough choice, but I think I'll have to stay indoors. I'd go if it was the Chiefs game, but the Bears? I don't think so.
Movies vs. Books
Not sure if I've mentioned that I read alot. Mostly read things by Stephen King, James Patterson (really like the Alex Cross books), books on finances, and golf. Right now, I'm also reading the fifth Harry Potter book. And yes, I've read the other four. The Harry Potter movies are pretty close to the books. There are some minor changes and omissions, but nothing too major. Now, the other book I'm reading right now, Along Came a Spider (Patterson) has also been made into a movie. Morgan Freeman plays the Alex Cross character which is a perfect casting move other than he's a little older than Alex in the books. Talk about differences! The movie basically has the Cross character, Jezzie Flanagan, Mike Devine, and Gary Sonjei. Where they came up with the opening scene in the movie is anybodys guess. The kidnapping is different such as while there is a Megan Rose that gets kidnapped, she's only part of the crime. There is another child who also gets abducted and he's not Russian like in the movie. There is a basic kidnapping, investigation, and the plot twist of the supposed good guys now having the missing child. But, the entire process of how you get from point A to B is totally different. In the movie, the character Sonjei dies, in the book, he's commits multiple crimes, is married, finally captured, goes to trial, goes to prison, and then escapes. He's more of a advesary of Cross in the book than in the movie. Also, in the books, Alex has two kids and a grandmother that he lives with. I really do enjoy the movie (and Kiss The Girls), but they are nothing like the books other than they're about a black cop named Alex Cross.
Yikes, who turned off the heat? The weather here in Highlands Ranch, Colorado is a brisk 14 degrees and we've received about 3 to 4 inches of snow. Had to shovel the driveway for the first time this season today. What a fun way to pass the time. The snow is supposed to taper off this evening but the temperature won't be climbing for a couple of days. At least we're supposed to get some sun tomorrow.
Not as big a Bronco fan as I thought
I was offered seats to tomorrow's Bronco game from my friend I'm splitting the season tickets with. Seems he and his daughter have come down with the virus that's been floating around here lately. The game is against the Chicago Bears. Hmm, let's see, stay home and watch the game from the comfort of my recliner or go to the game and sit outside on a cold plastic seat for better than three hours in sub twenty degree temperatures. Tough choice, but I think I'll have to stay indoors. I'd go if it was the Chiefs game, but the Bears? I don't think so.
Movies vs. Books
Not sure if I've mentioned that I read alot. Mostly read things by Stephen King, James Patterson (really like the Alex Cross books), books on finances, and golf. Right now, I'm also reading the fifth Harry Potter book. And yes, I've read the other four. The Harry Potter movies are pretty close to the books. There are some minor changes and omissions, but nothing too major. Now, the other book I'm reading right now, Along Came a Spider (Patterson) has also been made into a movie. Morgan Freeman plays the Alex Cross character which is a perfect casting move other than he's a little older than Alex in the books. Talk about differences! The movie basically has the Cross character, Jezzie Flanagan, Mike Devine, and Gary Sonjei. Where they came up with the opening scene in the movie is anybodys guess. The kidnapping is different such as while there is a Megan Rose that gets kidnapped, she's only part of the crime. There is another child who also gets abducted and he's not Russian like in the movie. There is a basic kidnapping, investigation, and the plot twist of the supposed good guys now having the missing child. But, the entire process of how you get from point A to B is totally different. In the movie, the character Sonjei dies, in the book, he's commits multiple crimes, is married, finally captured, goes to trial, goes to prison, and then escapes. He's more of a advesary of Cross in the book than in the movie. Also, in the books, Alex has two kids and a grandmother that he lives with. I really do enjoy the movie (and Kiss The Girls), but they are nothing like the books other than they're about a black cop named Alex Cross.
Friday, November 21, 2003
What to write?
You'd think that with having taken some time off from writing that I'd have a small assortment of items to write about. Well, if you thought that, you'd be wrong. I'm sitting here struggling for something to write about. So, I apologize in advance if today's post is not that exciting.
House update
Nothing new on the house situation. Didn't expect anything today anyway. There is a relocation company involved in the deal and that will generally slow things down. Last we'd heard, the listing agent thought the sellers would be thrilled by my offer. Why you'd be thrilled about a back-up offer I do not know. Unless......the only thing I can think of is that the primary offer has some contingincies that are making the seller nervous.
World Tour
No, I'm not going to do any traveling. But, I have signed up to take a world tour of sorts. There is a restaurant around here called Old Chicago's. They stock and sell over 130 different types of beer. They also have what's called a Hall of Foam. The way that a person gets into the hall is to drink at least 110 of the 130 types of beer they sell. The restaurant now has a record on file for me listing the beers I've had so far. Each time I go in, I hand them my tour card and they'll keep track of my status and let me know which beers I still need to try. So far, I'm up to 2 (Coors Light and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale). For their own safety, they will only let you add six new beers a visit (to prevent someone coming in and trying to add, say 20 beers in one night). So, I figure if I visit the restaurant an average of once a week and have three beers each time, I'll be in the Hall of Foam somtime next August. In the meantime, I will get discounts on food after I've had 10 beers, a t-shirt after 50, a ball cap after 85. Wow, get free stuff (kind of free) for drinking beer. Damn, had I signed up earlier, I'd have a house by now.
You'd think that with having taken some time off from writing that I'd have a small assortment of items to write about. Well, if you thought that, you'd be wrong. I'm sitting here struggling for something to write about. So, I apologize in advance if today's post is not that exciting.
House update
Nothing new on the house situation. Didn't expect anything today anyway. There is a relocation company involved in the deal and that will generally slow things down. Last we'd heard, the listing agent thought the sellers would be thrilled by my offer. Why you'd be thrilled about a back-up offer I do not know. Unless......the only thing I can think of is that the primary offer has some contingincies that are making the seller nervous.
World Tour
No, I'm not going to do any traveling. But, I have signed up to take a world tour of sorts. There is a restaurant around here called Old Chicago's. They stock and sell over 130 different types of beer. They also have what's called a Hall of Foam. The way that a person gets into the hall is to drink at least 110 of the 130 types of beer they sell. The restaurant now has a record on file for me listing the beers I've had so far. Each time I go in, I hand them my tour card and they'll keep track of my status and let me know which beers I still need to try. So far, I'm up to 2 (Coors Light and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale). For their own safety, they will only let you add six new beers a visit (to prevent someone coming in and trying to add, say 20 beers in one night). So, I figure if I visit the restaurant an average of once a week and have three beers each time, I'll be in the Hall of Foam somtime next August. In the meantime, I will get discounts on food after I've had 10 beers, a t-shirt after 50, a ball cap after 85. Wow, get free stuff (kind of free) for drinking beer. Damn, had I signed up earlier, I'd have a house by now.
Thursday, November 20, 2003
Oops
Okay, I goofed. I promised that I was going to write a proper post yesterday and then failed to do it. But, I had a very good reason.
After class on Tuesday, I drove around the neighborhood where I'm looking to buy a new home. Well, I came across one the had the "nice curb appeal" that I'd like. I stopped and picked up a brochure and then looked at the home on the internet. Really nice home. Nice enough in fact that I wanted to look at it yesterday which is way ahead of schedule, but the house is that nice. Unfortunately, the home is already under contract. But, they are excepting back-up offers in case the primary offer falls through. Without boring you with all the details, the short story is that I looked at the house and spent last night writing an offer on it. My real estate agents are a husband and wife team (who just happen to be my daughter's god-parents). Well, the husband was cautioning me about the remote chance of getting the home. But, the wife has talked to the agent selling the home and everything we're hearing leads her and I to believe that the first offer is a little suspect based on what the selling agent is telling us. Legally, she can't give us any details, but, she's just phrasing things and reacting to our offer like we're going to make things better. So, I'm just going to have to keep my fingers crossed. The nice thing is that I either get the house or I don't, there is no negative here.
Depressive funks
As I said in my last funk, I had a bad few days and was in a funk. When these things hit me, all my fears seem to come to the front of my mind and control my thoughts. I just get worried about taking care of my daughter, worry about money, worry about worrying so much. It's just had to shake. I don't know if you have ever been through these feelings, but man they suck. I know on a logical rational level that Rachel and I are fine. However, I just can't accept that emotionally. I guess this is my version of a female time of the month/PMS issue (not being derogatory, just kidding around). Then, I do something like look for a house and suddenly I feel better about getting something positive accomplished and all those thoughts move to the back of my mind. I simply need to realize that doing something towards a goal improves my mental state. When I feel a funk coming on, I need to work towards a goal to stave it off.
Back to Odd things
Okay, some body explain personal dress styles to me. Today at school, there was a large woman wearing a bright pinkish orange outfit. The pants were the light weight cotton variety. So, I could see every bit of cellulite and fat that was on this lady's thighs and butt. Why don't people think about this? Now, I firmly believe that everybody has a right to dress as they wish, but come on. If you are fat, it should be obvious that clingy clothing is not right for you. Similarly, if you are a well built woman, if you were a revealing shirt and short skirt, don't be surprised when guys notice you even if they stare/ogle a bit. Again, common sense. Now, no one deserves to have to take rude comments, but when you wear certain clothing, you are going to have people notice you. You have the right to wear a t-shirt saying religion sucks. But, if you wear said t-shirt to a church, don't be surprised if people react to it. Duh! I appreciate the fact that people dress as they wish and want to be comfortable. But, I just laugh when a lady, for example, wearing a short skirt gets upset because someone notices her legs. Gee, I wonder why? Lady, you are displaying 80 to 90 percent of you legs, do you not expect us guys to notice?
Mad at school
Well, I'm upset with the college I'm attending. Because I hope to be working next semester, I will have to take courses at night or on-line if I want to continue. I would like to take the second semester of Accounting next term. The only problem with that is with the textbook. We buy one book for both semesters of Accounting. So, I have used almost half of my textbook so far. Now, the idiots who run the on-line Accounting class have decided to use a different textbook. So, to continue my Accounting course, I'll have to buy another textbook that I will only use half of. I'll end up with two books (and not cheap ones at that) that I will only have used one portion of. Gee folks, thanks for thinking of the cost to the students.
Okay, I goofed. I promised that I was going to write a proper post yesterday and then failed to do it. But, I had a very good reason.
After class on Tuesday, I drove around the neighborhood where I'm looking to buy a new home. Well, I came across one the had the "nice curb appeal" that I'd like. I stopped and picked up a brochure and then looked at the home on the internet. Really nice home. Nice enough in fact that I wanted to look at it yesterday which is way ahead of schedule, but the house is that nice. Unfortunately, the home is already under contract. But, they are excepting back-up offers in case the primary offer falls through. Without boring you with all the details, the short story is that I looked at the house and spent last night writing an offer on it. My real estate agents are a husband and wife team (who just happen to be my daughter's god-parents). Well, the husband was cautioning me about the remote chance of getting the home. But, the wife has talked to the agent selling the home and everything we're hearing leads her and I to believe that the first offer is a little suspect based on what the selling agent is telling us. Legally, she can't give us any details, but, she's just phrasing things and reacting to our offer like we're going to make things better. So, I'm just going to have to keep my fingers crossed. The nice thing is that I either get the house or I don't, there is no negative here.
Depressive funks
As I said in my last funk, I had a bad few days and was in a funk. When these things hit me, all my fears seem to come to the front of my mind and control my thoughts. I just get worried about taking care of my daughter, worry about money, worry about worrying so much. It's just had to shake. I don't know if you have ever been through these feelings, but man they suck. I know on a logical rational level that Rachel and I are fine. However, I just can't accept that emotionally. I guess this is my version of a female time of the month/PMS issue (not being derogatory, just kidding around). Then, I do something like look for a house and suddenly I feel better about getting something positive accomplished and all those thoughts move to the back of my mind. I simply need to realize that doing something towards a goal improves my mental state. When I feel a funk coming on, I need to work towards a goal to stave it off.
Back to Odd things
Okay, some body explain personal dress styles to me. Today at school, there was a large woman wearing a bright pinkish orange outfit. The pants were the light weight cotton variety. So, I could see every bit of cellulite and fat that was on this lady's thighs and butt. Why don't people think about this? Now, I firmly believe that everybody has a right to dress as they wish, but come on. If you are fat, it should be obvious that clingy clothing is not right for you. Similarly, if you are a well built woman, if you were a revealing shirt and short skirt, don't be surprised when guys notice you even if they stare/ogle a bit. Again, common sense. Now, no one deserves to have to take rude comments, but when you wear certain clothing, you are going to have people notice you. You have the right to wear a t-shirt saying religion sucks. But, if you wear said t-shirt to a church, don't be surprised if people react to it. Duh! I appreciate the fact that people dress as they wish and want to be comfortable. But, I just laugh when a lady, for example, wearing a short skirt gets upset because someone notices her legs. Gee, I wonder why? Lady, you are displaying 80 to 90 percent of you legs, do you not expect us guys to notice?
Mad at school
Well, I'm upset with the college I'm attending. Because I hope to be working next semester, I will have to take courses at night or on-line if I want to continue. I would like to take the second semester of Accounting next term. The only problem with that is with the textbook. We buy one book for both semesters of Accounting. So, I have used almost half of my textbook so far. Now, the idiots who run the on-line Accounting class have decided to use a different textbook. So, to continue my Accounting course, I'll have to buy another textbook that I will only use half of. I'll end up with two books (and not cheap ones at that) that I will only have used one portion of. Gee folks, thanks for thinking of the cost to the students.
Tuesday, November 18, 2003
I'm Back
Okay, I've been gone a little while. I've been in what can best be described as a funk lately. A part of me hates to admit this, but I think I've just been depressed about the holidays coming up and other things. But, I think I'm coming out of the worst part of it and am getting back to functional. Still not totally okay with everything, but I'm getting there.
This is just a partial post
I'm planning on writing a proper post tomorrow sometime, but I just wanted to admit that this post was just for the purposes of getting something out there. There is only two things I really wanted to say this evening. They are as follows:
Okay, I've been gone a little while. I've been in what can best be described as a funk lately. A part of me hates to admit this, but I think I've just been depressed about the holidays coming up and other things. But, I think I'm coming out of the worst part of it and am getting back to functional. Still not totally okay with everything, but I'm getting there.
This is just a partial post
I'm planning on writing a proper post tomorrow sometime, but I just wanted to admit that this post was just for the purposes of getting something out there. There is only two things I really wanted to say this evening. They are as follows:
- To my daughter Rachel - I love you more than anything in this world and thank God for you daily. Even in the worst funk, I feel blessed to have you in my life.
- Dad - I love you more than ever in our lives, you constantly surprise me these days with your caring and understanding of my wacky life and feelings. Sometimes, I'm afraid to tell you how I'm feeling, but then I do and you understand. I can't express how wonderful that makes me feel
Thursday, November 13, 2003
Apology and Promise
I'm just too tired and semi-depressed to write anything tonight. I am promising myself that I will write a proper post tomorrow morning. Until then, I am just going to go to bed and try and get some energy back.
I'm just too tired and semi-depressed to write anything tonight. I am promising myself that I will write a proper post tomorrow morning. Until then, I am just going to go to bed and try and get some energy back.
Wednesday, November 12, 2003
One more Marine Corps comment
At school today (I was helping a classmate) they were having a job fair. Not much of one, but they tried. Anyway, while wandering around the tables, I came across a table with a few Marine Corps recruiters. I paused long enough to look at some of the brochures they had. Still the same shit. Newer pictures, but mostly the same text. The only real bad thing was they weren't giving away any Marine stickers or decals. All they had was pencils. Guess the budget just doesn't allow for much these days.
Speaking of school
Found out yesterday that I got a 98 on my last accounting test. That brings my average for tests to 97.6. We've got one more test in class plus a 100 point project due (which I've already completed). So, unless I truly tank the last test, I should get an A for the class.
My business math class is now over. I took my last test Tuesday and will find out how I did tomorrow. My average in that class in also 97 point something. So, all I had to do was get a 21 (out of 100) to maintain at least a 90 percent and an A.
Short Night
Been busy with school, homework, laundry, bowling, etc. so I really haven't done much lately. As such, I'm going to keep this really short tonight. But, tomorrow's another day and maybe something worth writing about will occur. Oh, the one big thing I've done lately is start the 5th Harry Potter book. It was kind of cute tonight, I was reading the 5th Potter book and sitting next to me was Rachel reading the 2nd. I love seeing Rachel reading books. She has a playstation, but spends so much more time reading than playing it. I like that.
At school today (I was helping a classmate) they were having a job fair. Not much of one, but they tried. Anyway, while wandering around the tables, I came across a table with a few Marine Corps recruiters. I paused long enough to look at some of the brochures they had. Still the same shit. Newer pictures, but mostly the same text. The only real bad thing was they weren't giving away any Marine stickers or decals. All they had was pencils. Guess the budget just doesn't allow for much these days.
Speaking of school
Found out yesterday that I got a 98 on my last accounting test. That brings my average for tests to 97.6. We've got one more test in class plus a 100 point project due (which I've already completed). So, unless I truly tank the last test, I should get an A for the class.
My business math class is now over. I took my last test Tuesday and will find out how I did tomorrow. My average in that class in also 97 point something. So, all I had to do was get a 21 (out of 100) to maintain at least a 90 percent and an A.
Short Night
Been busy with school, homework, laundry, bowling, etc. so I really haven't done much lately. As such, I'm going to keep this really short tonight. But, tomorrow's another day and maybe something worth writing about will occur. Oh, the one big thing I've done lately is start the 5th Harry Potter book. It was kind of cute tonight, I was reading the 5th Potter book and sitting next to me was Rachel reading the 2nd. I love seeing Rachel reading books. She has a playstation, but spends so much more time reading than playing it. I like that.
Tuesday, November 11, 2003
Veteran's Day
To all veterans and all current members of the military: Thank you for your service. Without you, the freedoms enjoyed by us all would not be present. You are my brethren and I am proud to have served with you.
More Marine Corps
I realized after reading yesterday's post that most of what I wrote about was the personal side of being in the Marines. As this is Veteran's Day, I thought I'd take the time today to write a little more about my actual military related duties.
The thing I was most proud about during my career was being a member of the Color Guard in Kansas City. I used to carry the Marine Corps flag whenever we were present at an event. Also, when the Kansas City Vietnam Memorial was dedicated, I was in charge of raising the American flag for the very first time. I took part in presenting the colors at two Kansas City Chief's football games. I also took part in a Royals playoff game. That was interesting becuase I carried the Canadian flag. And, since a Marine cannot carry a flag of a different country in uniform, I had to wear a suit to do it. I had to march a few steps in front of the American flag, so I was all by myself while my fellow Marines were carrying the Marine and American flag. Anyone who wishes to have a Marine Corps Color Guard at their event simply needs to request one. Now, I'm sure we wouldn't do a porno event or a KKK rally, but short of those, we pretty much went where requested. I did a Safeway (grocery store) convention, a Tai-Kwon-Do tournament, several parades, VFW celebrations, a Miss Teen Kansas pagent, a Coast Guard ceremony, and a Christmas in July production of Miracle on 34th street. One of the benefits of all these was we were usually invited to have a meal and drinks with the event hosts. Plus, if the event included a dance, the ladies all wanted to dance with a Marine in dress blues.
I was also a member of the Camp Smith Honor Guard. Basically, since Hawaii was the Pacific Fleet headquarters, we received a number of VIP's at our base. When someone arrived, it was up to the Honor Guard to show the respect and honor they recieved. So, I was part of the ceremony honoring such people as Ferdinand Marcos, the Prime Minister of Fiji, and then Vice-President George H. Bush (Not Dub-ya). Being part of this unit also earned me the priviledge of being a part smaller groups that would provide security and ceremonial duties at other military events. The neat thing about that was the comments and respect that tourists in Hawaii would give us when they saw us doing our thing. It's quite cool to have someone walk up to you and tell you that they admire the job that you do because you're a Marine.
While in the Marines, I was a COBOL programmer/analyst for the majority of the time. This was no different from the jobs I've held in the civilian world other than I wore a uniform (though you could argue a suit is a form of uniform). One of my other jobs was being the Mark IV Co-ordinator (another programming language) in Kansas City. This job basically involved working with whoever needed any information about one or more Marines to complete their job. So, it was a nice feeling to know that I was supporting others to do their job. The benefit of that position was that I basically did what ever was asked, so, if I needed something, someone usually owed me and was willing to do what I needed. Kind of a rush to have that type of power in your early twenties.
By the time I officially got out of the Marines, I had been promoted to the rank of Sargeant. Four days later, the promotion list to Staff Sargeant came out and my name was on it. So, had I stayed in, I would have been promoted during the next year and would have become a manager. Another weird feeling. When I was promoted from Corporal to Sargeant, I had the highest cutting score of any Corporal within my MOS. A cutting score is computed by taking your time in service, time in rank, proficiency and conduct marks, physical fitness scores and marksmanship scores into account. It was pathetic that I had to wait that long to be promoted, but that's just the way it was. At that time, the Marines were allowing Corporals from other MOS's to re-enlist, get a nice fat $16,000 bonus and a promotion to Sargeant if they became programmers. Well, that was fine and dandy for them, but for us programmers working our way up, we suddenly had a glut of Sargeants and very few promotion possibilities. Oh well, I finally got there.
The only problem I had being in my position in the Marines was that at each duty station, I managed to work myself into a position where I was quite valuable or at least handy. As such, I was pretty much allowed to do what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it. That caused problems when I took my first civilian job because suddenly, I was just another worker. I lost all the status I had held in the Marines. But, again, because my first civilian job didn't work out, I ended taking another job at the company where I met my deceased wife. So, even a bad thing turned into a plus.
To all veterans and all current members of the military: Thank you for your service. Without you, the freedoms enjoyed by us all would not be present. You are my brethren and I am proud to have served with you.
More Marine Corps
I realized after reading yesterday's post that most of what I wrote about was the personal side of being in the Marines. As this is Veteran's Day, I thought I'd take the time today to write a little more about my actual military related duties.
The thing I was most proud about during my career was being a member of the Color Guard in Kansas City. I used to carry the Marine Corps flag whenever we were present at an event. Also, when the Kansas City Vietnam Memorial was dedicated, I was in charge of raising the American flag for the very first time. I took part in presenting the colors at two Kansas City Chief's football games. I also took part in a Royals playoff game. That was interesting becuase I carried the Canadian flag. And, since a Marine cannot carry a flag of a different country in uniform, I had to wear a suit to do it. I had to march a few steps in front of the American flag, so I was all by myself while my fellow Marines were carrying the Marine and American flag. Anyone who wishes to have a Marine Corps Color Guard at their event simply needs to request one. Now, I'm sure we wouldn't do a porno event or a KKK rally, but short of those, we pretty much went where requested. I did a Safeway (grocery store) convention, a Tai-Kwon-Do tournament, several parades, VFW celebrations, a Miss Teen Kansas pagent, a Coast Guard ceremony, and a Christmas in July production of Miracle on 34th street. One of the benefits of all these was we were usually invited to have a meal and drinks with the event hosts. Plus, if the event included a dance, the ladies all wanted to dance with a Marine in dress blues.
I was also a member of the Camp Smith Honor Guard. Basically, since Hawaii was the Pacific Fleet headquarters, we received a number of VIP's at our base. When someone arrived, it was up to the Honor Guard to show the respect and honor they recieved. So, I was part of the ceremony honoring such people as Ferdinand Marcos, the Prime Minister of Fiji, and then Vice-President George H. Bush (Not Dub-ya). Being part of this unit also earned me the priviledge of being a part smaller groups that would provide security and ceremonial duties at other military events. The neat thing about that was the comments and respect that tourists in Hawaii would give us when they saw us doing our thing. It's quite cool to have someone walk up to you and tell you that they admire the job that you do because you're a Marine.
While in the Marines, I was a COBOL programmer/analyst for the majority of the time. This was no different from the jobs I've held in the civilian world other than I wore a uniform (though you could argue a suit is a form of uniform). One of my other jobs was being the Mark IV Co-ordinator (another programming language) in Kansas City. This job basically involved working with whoever needed any information about one or more Marines to complete their job. So, it was a nice feeling to know that I was supporting others to do their job. The benefit of that position was that I basically did what ever was asked, so, if I needed something, someone usually owed me and was willing to do what I needed. Kind of a rush to have that type of power in your early twenties.
By the time I officially got out of the Marines, I had been promoted to the rank of Sargeant. Four days later, the promotion list to Staff Sargeant came out and my name was on it. So, had I stayed in, I would have been promoted during the next year and would have become a manager. Another weird feeling. When I was promoted from Corporal to Sargeant, I had the highest cutting score of any Corporal within my MOS. A cutting score is computed by taking your time in service, time in rank, proficiency and conduct marks, physical fitness scores and marksmanship scores into account. It was pathetic that I had to wait that long to be promoted, but that's just the way it was. At that time, the Marines were allowing Corporals from other MOS's to re-enlist, get a nice fat $16,000 bonus and a promotion to Sargeant if they became programmers. Well, that was fine and dandy for them, but for us programmers working our way up, we suddenly had a glut of Sargeants and very few promotion possibilities. Oh well, I finally got there.
The only problem I had being in my position in the Marines was that at each duty station, I managed to work myself into a position where I was quite valuable or at least handy. As such, I was pretty much allowed to do what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it. That caused problems when I took my first civilian job because suddenly, I was just another worker. I lost all the status I had held in the Marines. But, again, because my first civilian job didn't work out, I ended taking another job at the company where I met my deceased wife. So, even a bad thing turned into a plus.
Monday, November 10, 2003
November 10
Today is the 228th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. The Marines were born on this date in 1775 at Tun Tavern.
I enlisted in the Marines officially the summer between my Junior and Senior year of high school a few days after I turned seventeen (in 1978). My dad wasn't too crazy about the idea but since I told him that I would sign up the moment I turned eighteen anyway, he went ahead and allowed me to enlist and signed my enlistment papers (since I was a minor). A little over a month after I graduated high school (in 1979) I headed to Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego for basic training.
The Marine Corps advertises that you can ask any Marine what they thought of boot camp and you'll receive the answer that they would never want to go through it again, but are proud of the fact that they had done it. And you know, it's true. Excluding the deaths of my mother and wife, I've never been through anything that mentally exhausting or challanging. And the physical part wasn't exactly easy either. When I started boot camp in July, I weighed 210 - 220 pounds. When I graduated at the end of September, I weighed 185 pounds. During the first week of boot camp, I struggled to run a mile in one of our first runs at a nine minute pace. My final physical fitness test, I ran three miles in just over 20 minutes in combat boots. I have never enjoyed running just to run. Except, when in boot camp, I learned to love our five mile runs. It meant that for the better part of an hour, I was alone. No drill instructors yelling at me, no rifle to carry, no drillling to do, just me running and helping out my platoon mates who were struggling. It was kind of a break actually.
After boot camp, I went to Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA for COBOL programming. My MOS (military occupational specialty) was 4063. The school started in mid October and if all went well, I'd be home for Christmas. However, all didn't go well. It wasn't that I struggled or had problems, just the opposite. I was doing really well and was ahead of schedule. So, my instuctor volunteered me for a brand new course that was starting (the first time ever offered). My other classmates were all people experienced in the language of the class and they wanted to use me as a test case to see if an in-experienced person could handle the class. Well, the instructor was pissed as he was sure no rookie programmer and/or private could handle the course. What really pissed him off was that I finished first in the class and completed it before everyone else.
From there, I was shipped to Camp Pendleton, CA. My instructors wanted to reward me for helping with the class by returning me to my home state, I wanted to go anywere else. Hey, I joined the Marines hoping to travel some. Anyway, off I went to the Marine Corps Tactictal Systems Support Activity or MCTSSA for short. Short that was except when I had to answer the phone. Here's how I had to answer a call, Good Morning, Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity, Automated Services Branch, Systems Programming Unit, PFC O'Brien (not the real name) speaking, how may I help you. I was so happy when people who knew me (like my co-workers spouses) would stop me early on. Other folks were always just amazed that I could rattle that all off. MCTSSA was an odd place, they really didn't need someone with my MOS, so they didn't really know what to do with me. So, the first thing they did do was throw me in more classes and force me to read manuals. I had to basically relearn the COBOL language on the machine we used. Then, after slightly over a year, just when I was starting to get comfortable, I got orders to Hawaii.
Off I went to Camp H. M. Smith, HI which is located in the town of Aiea (not a mistake, it's one of two towns in the US with a name that contains no constanants) on the island of Oahu. The thing I remember most about being stationed in HI is all the sports I participated in. I was stationed there almost three years. During that time, I played softball for my unit team, played on a civilian softball team, played football for various on-base teams, played volleyball on the base team, and bowled in a bowling league. The back of my car looked like a sporting goods store. At any given time, I could have equipment in there for between one and four sports.
There is two other things that are meaningful about my time in HI. One no longer is important to me, that would be meeting and marrying my first wife. She was also a Marine stationed there. For reasons I can now only attribute to stupidity and immaturity, I decided that she was the woman I loved and wanted to marry. That marriage lasted a little over 6 years if you include the time that we were separated. The other thing (and most important) was the birth of my son. I don't know that I've mentioned him before. The reason I haven't is that thanks primarily to his mother, although truthfully my stupidity is also to blame, I haven't been a part of his life for the last 15 years. In fact, in that time, I have only seen him once. My son has Fragile-X syndrome which is a condition that among other things, gives him characteristics and mannerisms of autism. So, my wife who thinks she's the only person who can deal with, help, or suport him has shoved me out of the picture. I should talk about this some other time.
After three years in Hawaii, I was off again. This time, I was sent to the Marine Corps Finance Center in Kansas City, MO. Now, I had complained about how bored I had become with Hawaii weather while I was there. Ship me some place with seasons I used to holler. Well, be careful what you ask for. My first winter in KC, I was driving to work one early morning and noticed that each thermometer that I passed dropped in temperature by two degrees. Big deal you say. Well, it was since the first one I passed read minus four degrees. I grew up in California, even in Sonora I don't think I'd ever had encounted a minus temperature. Man, that first time was a bitch. It was bitter, cold, and mean. Kansas City wasn't a bad place to be stationed other than it didn't have a base. We had to live out in town like normal folks. That's a big difference when you in your early twenties and haven't had to deal with rent, utilities, groceries, and the like before.
I had re-enlisted before I left Hawaii and so, while I was in KC, it was about time to re-enlist again. Well, I wanted to work it so that I would go to Japan a year and then return to KC (which everybody in KC did). This plan would allow me to leave my wife and son in our home and after a year in Japan, I would return and be assured of being there three years. After the three years, I would repeat the cycle each time I re-enlisted. Nice plan. Except, I had a Major in Headquarters in Washington DC whom I had been assigned to whenever he came for an audit in KC. Basically, I was his flunky and at his beck and call 24/7 while he was in KC. He liked the work I did for him so much, that he wouldn't let the career planner send me to Japan. He wanted me in HQ. I didn't want to go to HQ because I didn't want to move my son around. He was in a good special-ed school and I thought moving would do more harm than good. So, since my plan wasn't being allowed to happen, I got out of the Marines. A part of me was happy to be out, but I did and still do miss being in. It was a great time for learning, I had great friends, and generally, I fit in. I liked the black and whiteness, I liked the rules, I liked the structure. So, I was sorry to get out. But, if it helped my son, then it was worth it. The bitch of it was, a little after a year after getting out of the Marines, my wife and I separated. Therefore, the biggest reason for getting out (to assist my family) suddenly went out the window. Oh well, if I hadn't of gotten out of the Marines in KC and divorced, I would have never have had the job which allowed me to meet Kyla (my deceased wife), marry her, and then have my daughter Rachel. So, if after all this time, the thing I have left is memories of my Marine days and my little girl, then I am truly a lucky man.
Today is the 228th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. The Marines were born on this date in 1775 at Tun Tavern.
I enlisted in the Marines officially the summer between my Junior and Senior year of high school a few days after I turned seventeen (in 1978). My dad wasn't too crazy about the idea but since I told him that I would sign up the moment I turned eighteen anyway, he went ahead and allowed me to enlist and signed my enlistment papers (since I was a minor). A little over a month after I graduated high school (in 1979) I headed to Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego for basic training.
The Marine Corps advertises that you can ask any Marine what they thought of boot camp and you'll receive the answer that they would never want to go through it again, but are proud of the fact that they had done it. And you know, it's true. Excluding the deaths of my mother and wife, I've never been through anything that mentally exhausting or challanging. And the physical part wasn't exactly easy either. When I started boot camp in July, I weighed 210 - 220 pounds. When I graduated at the end of September, I weighed 185 pounds. During the first week of boot camp, I struggled to run a mile in one of our first runs at a nine minute pace. My final physical fitness test, I ran three miles in just over 20 minutes in combat boots. I have never enjoyed running just to run. Except, when in boot camp, I learned to love our five mile runs. It meant that for the better part of an hour, I was alone. No drill instructors yelling at me, no rifle to carry, no drillling to do, just me running and helping out my platoon mates who were struggling. It was kind of a break actually.
After boot camp, I went to Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA for COBOL programming. My MOS (military occupational specialty) was 4063. The school started in mid October and if all went well, I'd be home for Christmas. However, all didn't go well. It wasn't that I struggled or had problems, just the opposite. I was doing really well and was ahead of schedule. So, my instuctor volunteered me for a brand new course that was starting (the first time ever offered). My other classmates were all people experienced in the language of the class and they wanted to use me as a test case to see if an in-experienced person could handle the class. Well, the instructor was pissed as he was sure no rookie programmer and/or private could handle the course. What really pissed him off was that I finished first in the class and completed it before everyone else.
From there, I was shipped to Camp Pendleton, CA. My instructors wanted to reward me for helping with the class by returning me to my home state, I wanted to go anywere else. Hey, I joined the Marines hoping to travel some. Anyway, off I went to the Marine Corps Tactictal Systems Support Activity or MCTSSA for short. Short that was except when I had to answer the phone. Here's how I had to answer a call, Good Morning, Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity, Automated Services Branch, Systems Programming Unit, PFC O'Brien (not the real name) speaking, how may I help you. I was so happy when people who knew me (like my co-workers spouses) would stop me early on. Other folks were always just amazed that I could rattle that all off. MCTSSA was an odd place, they really didn't need someone with my MOS, so they didn't really know what to do with me. So, the first thing they did do was throw me in more classes and force me to read manuals. I had to basically relearn the COBOL language on the machine we used. Then, after slightly over a year, just when I was starting to get comfortable, I got orders to Hawaii.
Off I went to Camp H. M. Smith, HI which is located in the town of Aiea (not a mistake, it's one of two towns in the US with a name that contains no constanants) on the island of Oahu. The thing I remember most about being stationed in HI is all the sports I participated in. I was stationed there almost three years. During that time, I played softball for my unit team, played on a civilian softball team, played football for various on-base teams, played volleyball on the base team, and bowled in a bowling league. The back of my car looked like a sporting goods store. At any given time, I could have equipment in there for between one and four sports.
There is two other things that are meaningful about my time in HI. One no longer is important to me, that would be meeting and marrying my first wife. She was also a Marine stationed there. For reasons I can now only attribute to stupidity and immaturity, I decided that she was the woman I loved and wanted to marry. That marriage lasted a little over 6 years if you include the time that we were separated. The other thing (and most important) was the birth of my son. I don't know that I've mentioned him before. The reason I haven't is that thanks primarily to his mother, although truthfully my stupidity is also to blame, I haven't been a part of his life for the last 15 years. In fact, in that time, I have only seen him once. My son has Fragile-X syndrome which is a condition that among other things, gives him characteristics and mannerisms of autism. So, my wife who thinks she's the only person who can deal with, help, or suport him has shoved me out of the picture. I should talk about this some other time.
After three years in Hawaii, I was off again. This time, I was sent to the Marine Corps Finance Center in Kansas City, MO. Now, I had complained about how bored I had become with Hawaii weather while I was there. Ship me some place with seasons I used to holler. Well, be careful what you ask for. My first winter in KC, I was driving to work one early morning and noticed that each thermometer that I passed dropped in temperature by two degrees. Big deal you say. Well, it was since the first one I passed read minus four degrees. I grew up in California, even in Sonora I don't think I'd ever had encounted a minus temperature. Man, that first time was a bitch. It was bitter, cold, and mean. Kansas City wasn't a bad place to be stationed other than it didn't have a base. We had to live out in town like normal folks. That's a big difference when you in your early twenties and haven't had to deal with rent, utilities, groceries, and the like before.
I had re-enlisted before I left Hawaii and so, while I was in KC, it was about time to re-enlist again. Well, I wanted to work it so that I would go to Japan a year and then return to KC (which everybody in KC did). This plan would allow me to leave my wife and son in our home and after a year in Japan, I would return and be assured of being there three years. After the three years, I would repeat the cycle each time I re-enlisted. Nice plan. Except, I had a Major in Headquarters in Washington DC whom I had been assigned to whenever he came for an audit in KC. Basically, I was his flunky and at his beck and call 24/7 while he was in KC. He liked the work I did for him so much, that he wouldn't let the career planner send me to Japan. He wanted me in HQ. I didn't want to go to HQ because I didn't want to move my son around. He was in a good special-ed school and I thought moving would do more harm than good. So, since my plan wasn't being allowed to happen, I got out of the Marines. A part of me was happy to be out, but I did and still do miss being in. It was a great time for learning, I had great friends, and generally, I fit in. I liked the black and whiteness, I liked the rules, I liked the structure. So, I was sorry to get out. But, if it helped my son, then it was worth it. The bitch of it was, a little after a year after getting out of the Marines, my wife and I separated. Therefore, the biggest reason for getting out (to assist my family) suddenly went out the window. Oh well, if I hadn't of gotten out of the Marines in KC and divorced, I would have never have had the job which allowed me to meet Kyla (my deceased wife), marry her, and then have my daughter Rachel. So, if after all this time, the thing I have left is memories of my Marine days and my little girl, then I am truly a lucky man.
Saturday, November 08, 2003
A few comedic thoughts on words
England and the US are two countries separated by a common language. For example, in the US, you say erb, England say H-erb, cause there's a fucking h in it. Eddie Izzard.
We wonder why kids and foreigners struggle with the English language. Consider this, One is pronounced W-un, why? There's no W in one. Two is pronounced to even though it has a W. Maybe one stole the W from two. Gallagher.
Still teasing
Only two (regardless of W sound or not) days until November 10th. Nobody has really ventured a guess yet as to why this day is special. Here's a hint - Tun Tavern.
What to do, what to do?
Rachel is going to spend the evening with her god-parents this evening. That means I have the night to myself. The problem is, I don't know what to do with myself. Whatever I end up doing, I'll just have to be safe and not do anything too stupid. Just have to figure out what sounds like fun.
Thanksgiving
My dad and aunt want Rachel and I to come out to their place for Thanksgiving. We're thinking about going. The biggest concern about heading that way is that it involves a 5 to 5 and a half hour drive over the Rocky Mountains to get there. I don't know about you, but I don't like driving in the mountains during winter weather. But, I don't know what the weather is going to be like that weekend at this time. So, it's hard to predict whether we'll head out or not.
Yes, it is a holiday, but I'm not that impressed by Thanksgiving. It's just a day to overeat and watch whoever the Lions and Cowboys are playing. Growing up, it used to be cool just because you got turkey. Back when I was little, turkey was only available during the holidays. Nowadays, it seems like you can eat turkey whenever you want. So, that part has lost it's appeal. I know the one thing I absolutely don't like about this holiday, cranberry sauce. Especially from a can. Uggh! And that's saying something from a person who lists liver and onions or chicken livers among their favorite meals.
Bowling Marathon
Well, not a marathon in the sense of bowling a lot of games in one day. But, starting a week ago Thursday, I'm in the middle of an odd streak of bowling times. I bowled on that Thursday, did a make-up on the following Sunday, bowled my normal nights last week on Tuesday and Thursday. Now, I will be subbing for a friend tomorrow night, will bowl normal Tuesday and Thursday next week, have the All-City tournament next Saturday, and have been asked to sub again on Sunday. Then, I'll have the Tuesday and Thursday normal routine again. If you're not counting, that's bowling 8 times in just over two weeks. No wonder my poor thumb is hurting. I keep jamming into my ball (no snide comments please) about every other night.
England and the US are two countries separated by a common language. For example, in the US, you say erb, England say H-erb, cause there's a fucking h in it. Eddie Izzard.
We wonder why kids and foreigners struggle with the English language. Consider this, One is pronounced W-un, why? There's no W in one. Two is pronounced to even though it has a W. Maybe one stole the W from two. Gallagher.
Still teasing
Only two (regardless of W sound or not) days until November 10th. Nobody has really ventured a guess yet as to why this day is special. Here's a hint - Tun Tavern.
What to do, what to do?
Rachel is going to spend the evening with her god-parents this evening. That means I have the night to myself. The problem is, I don't know what to do with myself. Whatever I end up doing, I'll just have to be safe and not do anything too stupid. Just have to figure out what sounds like fun.
Thanksgiving
My dad and aunt want Rachel and I to come out to their place for Thanksgiving. We're thinking about going. The biggest concern about heading that way is that it involves a 5 to 5 and a half hour drive over the Rocky Mountains to get there. I don't know about you, but I don't like driving in the mountains during winter weather. But, I don't know what the weather is going to be like that weekend at this time. So, it's hard to predict whether we'll head out or not.
Yes, it is a holiday, but I'm not that impressed by Thanksgiving. It's just a day to overeat and watch whoever the Lions and Cowboys are playing. Growing up, it used to be cool just because you got turkey. Back when I was little, turkey was only available during the holidays. Nowadays, it seems like you can eat turkey whenever you want. So, that part has lost it's appeal. I know the one thing I absolutely don't like about this holiday, cranberry sauce. Especially from a can. Uggh! And that's saying something from a person who lists liver and onions or chicken livers among their favorite meals.
Bowling Marathon
Well, not a marathon in the sense of bowling a lot of games in one day. But, starting a week ago Thursday, I'm in the middle of an odd streak of bowling times. I bowled on that Thursday, did a make-up on the following Sunday, bowled my normal nights last week on Tuesday and Thursday. Now, I will be subbing for a friend tomorrow night, will bowl normal Tuesday and Thursday next week, have the All-City tournament next Saturday, and have been asked to sub again on Sunday. Then, I'll have the Tuesday and Thursday normal routine again. If you're not counting, that's bowling 8 times in just over two weeks. No wonder my poor thumb is hurting. I keep jamming into my ball (no snide comments please) about every other night.
Friday, November 07, 2003
Nothing to post
I actually have nothing to post today. I had a real quiet day around the house, picked up a little, did some laundry, and just hung out. The biggest thing I did today was some accounting homework/project and ran to the grocery store. Wow, exciting life I lead at times. Oh well, at least a quiet day is better than a bad day. Just thought I would at least post something saying I had nothing to post rather than not posting anything. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.
3 Days
The countdown is down to three days until a special day. Any guesses?
I actually have nothing to post today. I had a real quiet day around the house, picked up a little, did some laundry, and just hung out. The biggest thing I did today was some accounting homework/project and ran to the grocery store. Wow, exciting life I lead at times. Oh well, at least a quiet day is better than a bad day. Just thought I would at least post something saying I had nothing to post rather than not posting anything. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.
3 Days
The countdown is down to three days until a special day. Any guesses?
Thursday, November 06, 2003
LIFO, or is it FIFO?
Well, another accounting test out of the way. Feel like I did pretty well on the test except that I missed one question (I know because I asked the teacher when I turned my test in) for sure. Other than that, I think I did well. I was stressing out over the one I knew I missed until I talked with my friends after the test was over. They were all commenting that they hoped to pass the test. Everyone was saying how tough the test was. What the f....? It wasn't that hard. We talked about the bank reconcilliation problem on the test and I'm now worried that they may be right. God help their checkbooks if they can't reconcile them.
Spelling 1A
In our local newspaper, they had one of those people on the street question/answer articles. Now, this is not that thrilling except for some spelling issues. As you know, last Tuesday was election day. So the question was, do mail-in ballots make you more likely to vote? Two people answered that they would have gone to the polls either way. Except, our brilliant newspaper said poles instead of polls. They did this twice. Another person said they would vote wether or not they had to go to a polling place or use a mail-in ballot. Guess what the paper said? You got it, instead of whether, they had weather. This has to be a case of where a spell-checker doesn't find a mistake, but the word is wrong. Great editing job at the paper.
New Year's Eve Party
My bowling partners Harry and Pat throw a wonderful party each year on New Year's Eve. They have a huge beautiful home and really know how to host a party. Well, they've been reminding me that the party is 3 months, then 2.5 months, and most recently 2 months away. The reason for these reminders is so that they let me know how much time I have to find a date for the evening. The funny thing is that every single woman that the three of us all know, Pat thinks is a pig and I shouldn't waste my time on. It's become the joke of two bowling leagues that I can't find a date that Pat approves of (hell, I can't find a date period). Harry told me that he would make sure that there was a single female (or two) at the party that I would instantly be smitten (his word, not mine) with the moment I saw her. I told Harry that if he would make that a promise, I'd show up with a bottle of Chivas Regal Scotch for him. Would be nice to owe Harry a bottle.
Teaser
Today is the 6th of November. Does anyone know what is significant about the date four days from now?
Well, another accounting test out of the way. Feel like I did pretty well on the test except that I missed one question (I know because I asked the teacher when I turned my test in) for sure. Other than that, I think I did well. I was stressing out over the one I knew I missed until I talked with my friends after the test was over. They were all commenting that they hoped to pass the test. Everyone was saying how tough the test was. What the f....? It wasn't that hard. We talked about the bank reconcilliation problem on the test and I'm now worried that they may be right. God help their checkbooks if they can't reconcile them.
Spelling 1A
In our local newspaper, they had one of those people on the street question/answer articles. Now, this is not that thrilling except for some spelling issues. As you know, last Tuesday was election day. So the question was, do mail-in ballots make you more likely to vote? Two people answered that they would have gone to the polls either way. Except, our brilliant newspaper said poles instead of polls. They did this twice. Another person said they would vote wether or not they had to go to a polling place or use a mail-in ballot. Guess what the paper said? You got it, instead of whether, they had weather. This has to be a case of where a spell-checker doesn't find a mistake, but the word is wrong. Great editing job at the paper.
New Year's Eve Party
My bowling partners Harry and Pat throw a wonderful party each year on New Year's Eve. They have a huge beautiful home and really know how to host a party. Well, they've been reminding me that the party is 3 months, then 2.5 months, and most recently 2 months away. The reason for these reminders is so that they let me know how much time I have to find a date for the evening. The funny thing is that every single woman that the three of us all know, Pat thinks is a pig and I shouldn't waste my time on. It's become the joke of two bowling leagues that I can't find a date that Pat approves of (hell, I can't find a date period). Harry told me that he would make sure that there was a single female (or two) at the party that I would instantly be smitten (his word, not mine) with the moment I saw her. I told Harry that if he would make that a promise, I'd show up with a bottle of Chivas Regal Scotch for him. Would be nice to owe Harry a bottle.
Teaser
Today is the 6th of November. Does anyone know what is significant about the date four days from now?
Wednesday, November 05, 2003
Traditions
My daughter had a discussion in her class today concerning traditions. The teacher wanted to know if the kids had any family or personal traditions that they participated in. So, when my daughter came home, she asked me if we had any traditions. The only one I could think of that we currently have is eating seafood on Christmas Eve and having Champagne on Christmas Day. Not exactly monumental ones I realize, but it's what we've got. My wife used to spend the day after Thanksgiving decorating the house. She'd put on Christmas Carols, pour herself some Champagne, and spend the entire day decorating the house, putting up the tree, and such. But, thinking about this has me wondering, how many traditions do people have? And what makes something a tradition rather than a standard practice or habit? Kind of makes you wonder.
Christmas Carols
Speaking of Christmas Carols, my daughter and I were shopping last Sunday (November 2) and the store we were at had on Carols. Please folks, can we wait a couple of weeks? I'm not a big fan of Carols and haven't been for a long time. As I said, my wife played them all the time after Thanksgiving and it drove me nuts. I just don't care for the majority of them. I tend to like the comedic/parody ones like Grandma got runover by a reindeer, 12 Buds of Christmas, and Chipmunk Christmas. But as for the rest, with the exception of Little Drummer Boy, I just don't care for them. Here's an example of one that drives me nuts - the lyrics go - A child, a child, shivers in the cold, let us bring him silver and gold. Hey, excuse me, but if you have silver and gold, bring the kid a nice blanket or comforter. Silver and Gold ain't gonna warm up the kid. That song always makes me think of the Monty Python movie Life of Brian (Brian being a person constantly confused with being the Messiah). In the movie, the three wise men bring Brian's mother Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh (sp?). The mother asks what is Myrrh and is told it's a balm which she mis-hears as bomb. She goes nuts until the wise men correct her. She finally tells the wise men that she thought it was a bit daft to bring a baby a bomb, next time just bring more gold. I know I should worry about how God feels about things like this, but hey, any supreme being that created this world has to have a sense of humor.
Studying and Starbuck's
While not a tradition, I have a habit of going to Starbuck's and ordering a Latte to sip while studying for a test or doing homework. Well, I have a test tomorrow in accounting, so I thought I should head to my usual place. Except, this was later in the evening and my daughter was home. Guess what, she had homework to do also. So, I took her to Starbucks (she got hot chocolate) with me. So, we had a nice father/daughter outing at Starbuck's drinking our drinks, studying, doing homework, and chatting. Very nice way to spend time together. The one type of homework I wouldn't let her do is practice her Recorder. She just got her Recorder yesterday at school and now I'll have to listen to it on a daily basis.
My daughter had a discussion in her class today concerning traditions. The teacher wanted to know if the kids had any family or personal traditions that they participated in. So, when my daughter came home, she asked me if we had any traditions. The only one I could think of that we currently have is eating seafood on Christmas Eve and having Champagne on Christmas Day. Not exactly monumental ones I realize, but it's what we've got. My wife used to spend the day after Thanksgiving decorating the house. She'd put on Christmas Carols, pour herself some Champagne, and spend the entire day decorating the house, putting up the tree, and such. But, thinking about this has me wondering, how many traditions do people have? And what makes something a tradition rather than a standard practice or habit? Kind of makes you wonder.
Christmas Carols
Speaking of Christmas Carols, my daughter and I were shopping last Sunday (November 2) and the store we were at had on Carols. Please folks, can we wait a couple of weeks? I'm not a big fan of Carols and haven't been for a long time. As I said, my wife played them all the time after Thanksgiving and it drove me nuts. I just don't care for the majority of them. I tend to like the comedic/parody ones like Grandma got runover by a reindeer, 12 Buds of Christmas, and Chipmunk Christmas. But as for the rest, with the exception of Little Drummer Boy, I just don't care for them. Here's an example of one that drives me nuts - the lyrics go - A child, a child, shivers in the cold, let us bring him silver and gold. Hey, excuse me, but if you have silver and gold, bring the kid a nice blanket or comforter. Silver and Gold ain't gonna warm up the kid. That song always makes me think of the Monty Python movie Life of Brian (Brian being a person constantly confused with being the Messiah). In the movie, the three wise men bring Brian's mother Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh (sp?). The mother asks what is Myrrh and is told it's a balm which she mis-hears as bomb. She goes nuts until the wise men correct her. She finally tells the wise men that she thought it was a bit daft to bring a baby a bomb, next time just bring more gold. I know I should worry about how God feels about things like this, but hey, any supreme being that created this world has to have a sense of humor.
Studying and Starbuck's
While not a tradition, I have a habit of going to Starbuck's and ordering a Latte to sip while studying for a test or doing homework. Well, I have a test tomorrow in accounting, so I thought I should head to my usual place. Except, this was later in the evening and my daughter was home. Guess what, she had homework to do also. So, I took her to Starbucks (she got hot chocolate) with me. So, we had a nice father/daughter outing at Starbuck's drinking our drinks, studying, doing homework, and chatting. Very nice way to spend time together. The one type of homework I wouldn't let her do is practice her Recorder. She just got her Recorder yesterday at school and now I'll have to listen to it on a daily basis.
Tuesday, November 04, 2003
Broncos - 26, Patriots - 30
Oh man! For this I sat out in the cold for close to 4 hours? Oh well, it wasn't as bad as I thought it might get. I was actually pretty comfortable sitting there rooting on the home team. Too bad the defense can't defend a pass. Or, that we have a quarterback (in name only) who can't seem to throw a ball anywhere near a place where someone could catch it. Plus, we were outcoached. At this point, even a wild card is going to be a tough task to acheive. I'm just glad I'm not a fanatic to the point that I base my own happiness on whether the home team wins or not.
The pain of parenting
Rachel had a bad day today. Seems some of her friends at school weren't very friendly today. She took a lot of ribbing and snide comments from people who she considers friends. It really gets to me to listen to her tell me about how some people sometimes treat her. Plus, she wasn't happy about the way she bowled today. Oh, had I mentioned before that she bowls in a fun intro league? At the end of the league, she gets a ball and bag. Anyway, I digress.
First, I told her that I was very proud of her and her bowling. She is out there trying her best and she is improving. I love the fact that she's trying to get better. I just don't want her to be too hard on herself (like her father) where her bowling score is concerned.
Secondly, I told her that the situation with her friends was not her fault. See, my daughter is a warm, wonderful, approachable, and caring friend. The problem is that she knows a bunch of kids who decide to be buddies with someone else on a given day knowing that Rachel will be there if things don't work with the other friend. So, poor Rachel is stuck with kids running off with someone else knowing that if they need her, Rachel will be there. I love that quality about her, but god it hurts to hear that people are treating her that way. My daughter has learned how to be a true friend from her mother and I. And, she's learned that lesson well. Unfortunately, some of her friends haven't learned the same thing.
Oh, but after feeling the pain of Rachel's bad day, I got a great present. After we talked things out, she was feeling better. Then, I put her to bed. After I thought she was laying down, she came out of her room and said she had something to tell me. She said "So what if I had a bad day, I have you and Buddy (her stuffed teddy bear) that love me, and that's all I need". Talk about an emotional pendulum. I went from hurting because she hurt, to feeling like a million dollars. I do so dearly and truly with all my heart love that kid and thank God daily for her.
Is Driving that tough?
What in the hell is wrong with people and their driving? Damn, it's getting to the point that I get nervous driving around my neighborhood. People can't seem to read speed limit signs. Can't obey traffic signals, stop or yield signs, or follow simple rules of the road. And, forget courtesy on the road. I can't tell you how many people go zipping by me giving me dirty looks (or a finger) just because I obey speed limits or stop when a light turns yellow. See, here in Colorado, if you are within two cars of an intersection when a turn signal turns red, people seem to think you still have the right to turn. I used to be one of these people who moved the instant a light turned green. But, I had to learn to delay because of the late turning fools around here. Gunning it at a green light here in Denver is sooner or later going to cause an accident. Well, all I can say is that I'd rather get somewhere ten minutes later and safe than to risk hurting Rachel, myself, or my car.
Oh man! For this I sat out in the cold for close to 4 hours? Oh well, it wasn't as bad as I thought it might get. I was actually pretty comfortable sitting there rooting on the home team. Too bad the defense can't defend a pass. Or, that we have a quarterback (in name only) who can't seem to throw a ball anywhere near a place where someone could catch it. Plus, we were outcoached. At this point, even a wild card is going to be a tough task to acheive. I'm just glad I'm not a fanatic to the point that I base my own happiness on whether the home team wins or not.
The pain of parenting
Rachel had a bad day today. Seems some of her friends at school weren't very friendly today. She took a lot of ribbing and snide comments from people who she considers friends. It really gets to me to listen to her tell me about how some people sometimes treat her. Plus, she wasn't happy about the way she bowled today. Oh, had I mentioned before that she bowls in a fun intro league? At the end of the league, she gets a ball and bag. Anyway, I digress.
First, I told her that I was very proud of her and her bowling. She is out there trying her best and she is improving. I love the fact that she's trying to get better. I just don't want her to be too hard on herself (like her father) where her bowling score is concerned.
Secondly, I told her that the situation with her friends was not her fault. See, my daughter is a warm, wonderful, approachable, and caring friend. The problem is that she knows a bunch of kids who decide to be buddies with someone else on a given day knowing that Rachel will be there if things don't work with the other friend. So, poor Rachel is stuck with kids running off with someone else knowing that if they need her, Rachel will be there. I love that quality about her, but god it hurts to hear that people are treating her that way. My daughter has learned how to be a true friend from her mother and I. And, she's learned that lesson well. Unfortunately, some of her friends haven't learned the same thing.
Oh, but after feeling the pain of Rachel's bad day, I got a great present. After we talked things out, she was feeling better. Then, I put her to bed. After I thought she was laying down, she came out of her room and said she had something to tell me. She said "So what if I had a bad day, I have you and Buddy (her stuffed teddy bear) that love me, and that's all I need". Talk about an emotional pendulum. I went from hurting because she hurt, to feeling like a million dollars. I do so dearly and truly with all my heart love that kid and thank God daily for her.
Is Driving that tough?
What in the hell is wrong with people and their driving? Damn, it's getting to the point that I get nervous driving around my neighborhood. People can't seem to read speed limit signs. Can't obey traffic signals, stop or yield signs, or follow simple rules of the road. And, forget courtesy on the road. I can't tell you how many people go zipping by me giving me dirty looks (or a finger) just because I obey speed limits or stop when a light turns yellow. See, here in Colorado, if you are within two cars of an intersection when a turn signal turns red, people seem to think you still have the right to turn. I used to be one of these people who moved the instant a light turned green. But, I had to learn to delay because of the late turning fools around here. Gunning it at a green light here in Denver is sooner or later going to cause an accident. Well, all I can say is that I'd rather get somewhere ten minutes later and safe than to risk hurting Rachel, myself, or my car.
Monday, November 03, 2003
Writing Early
I am going to the Denver vs. New England football game this evening, so, I need to write this thing earlier today. Why am I going to a football game I could easily watch at home when the temperature is going to be at or near freezing? Because I bought the tickets when it was warm and didn't think about going to a night game in November is why. Oh well, I'll just bundle up and deal with it.
Apostrophes
I have an apostrophe in my last name. Normally, I have no problem with that fact. However, there are times when it's a royal pain in the ass. For the purpose of this post, let's say my last name is O'Brien.
The first annoying thing about an apostrophe is telling your name to people who are going to look something up on a computer. First they type in your name with the apostrophe. Oops, didn't find it. Let's try it without. Oh, there you are, there's your name. No folks, that's not my name. My name is O'Brien which is pronounced Oh-Bri-en. It's not Obrien which might be pronounce Ob-re-en. Would you like it if I omitted a letter from you name, especially if your name was Shmitt?
Now, I know the reason computers don't often have apostrophes in the names. It's due to programmers (like myself) who are lazy or unwilling (unlike myself) to code for the damn thing. You see, normally a programmer will take input from a screen and string it together with other information. Names are enclosed by single quotes which look alot like apostrophes (same thing in fact). Well, if you put O'Brien in single quotes, you get 'O'Brien' which the computer looks at as unbalanced quotes. What you'd have to do is put things in double quotes or put extra single quotes in. To save the whole programming lesson, it's a little extra work, but nothing major. It's just that if one program recognizes an apostrophe, then all of them do. That's what makes it a pain.
So, if you have an apostrophe in your name, companies will either remove the damn thing or will replace it with a space. If replaced with a space, my name becomes Robert O Brien. Now, is O my middle initial, or part of my last name. I was in the grocery store today and this store uses the space method. So, when the cashier looked at my name, she said "Have a nice day Mr. Brien". This doesn't really bother me, but it is a little annoying. What's amusing about this is that on the receipt where she was reading my name from, it shows Robert A O Brien. So, does the cashier think I have two middle names?
The second odd thing about having an apostrophe (and how a computer deals with it) is the interesting effect it has on my mail. Here is a list of how I get mail addressed to me:
At least you can then tell what companies share what mailing lists. But, I've often wondered if technically it's legal for me to open mail addressed to a name that isn't mine even if it's just a mistake. I don't think it would be, but hell, get a postal officer on a bad day and who knows what can happen.
I am going to the Denver vs. New England football game this evening, so, I need to write this thing earlier today. Why am I going to a football game I could easily watch at home when the temperature is going to be at or near freezing? Because I bought the tickets when it was warm and didn't think about going to a night game in November is why. Oh well, I'll just bundle up and deal with it.
Apostrophes
I have an apostrophe in my last name. Normally, I have no problem with that fact. However, there are times when it's a royal pain in the ass. For the purpose of this post, let's say my last name is O'Brien.
The first annoying thing about an apostrophe is telling your name to people who are going to look something up on a computer. First they type in your name with the apostrophe. Oops, didn't find it. Let's try it without. Oh, there you are, there's your name. No folks, that's not my name. My name is O'Brien which is pronounced Oh-Bri-en. It's not Obrien which might be pronounce Ob-re-en. Would you like it if I omitted a letter from you name, especially if your name was Shmitt?
Now, I know the reason computers don't often have apostrophes in the names. It's due to programmers (like myself) who are lazy or unwilling (unlike myself) to code for the damn thing. You see, normally a programmer will take input from a screen and string it together with other information. Names are enclosed by single quotes which look alot like apostrophes (same thing in fact). Well, if you put O'Brien in single quotes, you get 'O'Brien' which the computer looks at as unbalanced quotes. What you'd have to do is put things in double quotes or put extra single quotes in. To save the whole programming lesson, it's a little extra work, but nothing major. It's just that if one program recognizes an apostrophe, then all of them do. That's what makes it a pain.
So, if you have an apostrophe in your name, companies will either remove the damn thing or will replace it with a space. If replaced with a space, my name becomes Robert O Brien. Now, is O my middle initial, or part of my last name. I was in the grocery store today and this store uses the space method. So, when the cashier looked at my name, she said "Have a nice day Mr. Brien". This doesn't really bother me, but it is a little annoying. What's amusing about this is that on the receipt where she was reading my name from, it shows Robert A O Brien. So, does the cashier think I have two middle names?
The second odd thing about having an apostrophe (and how a computer deals with it) is the interesting effect it has on my mail. Here is a list of how I get mail addressed to me:
- Robert O'Brien
- Robert A O'Brien
- Robert A O Brien
- Robert A Brien
- Robert O Brien
- Robert Brien
- Obert Brien - Don't ask my why somebody dropped the R in Robert
At least you can then tell what companies share what mailing lists. But, I've often wondered if technically it's legal for me to open mail addressed to a name that isn't mine even if it's just a mistake. I don't think it would be, but hell, get a postal officer on a bad day and who knows what can happen.
Sunday, November 02, 2003
Poker
Had a good time playing poker last night. Played nickel, dime, quarter stakes and ended the night up $11.40. Which looks even better when you consider that I only started with $10. Wish I could go to Vegas and do that with my money.
Bowling Make-up
Let's see, I was the one doing the most bitching about having to bowl on a Sunday morning. The lanes will suck, it's too early, I can't drink or smoke while we bowl, etc.. So, after all that, guess who bowled the best this morning? Your's truly bowled games of 242, 216, and 202 for a series of 660. The lanes were very dry so it took some time in practice to figure out the shot. But, managed to figure out what to do and was able to do it consistently during the games. Half way through the second game, I had had 12 strikes, 1 spare, and two opens. Strikes didn't come as easily the rest of the second and third game but I got enough to score well.
Clothes Shopping
Took Rachel shopping for some clothes today after bowling. Thankfully, Rachel doesn't want what I would consider really odd, trendy, or tacky clothes (now, shoes are a different subject). She usually picks out some nice clothes that I don't object to. I do wish she wear clothes that were a little more feminine, but she's still just a young kid. Besides, she'll start doing that soon enough and I'll be wishing she wore more boyish clothes at that time.
Poetry
Noticed while reading my Dad's blog today that he was posting poetry written by my aunt. As a person who never graduated beyond "Roses are red, Violets are blue" level poetry, I have a hard time reading modern poetry (yes, including my aunt's). I just don't get poetry or haiku's or things of that ilk. Shakespeare is about the closest to enjoying poetry that I get. Like most art forms, it takes skill, passion, and committment to truly be good at something. So, I admire those traits in the people who do attempt artwork. I just don't seem to be equipped with the wiring to truly appreciate certain art forms.
Had a good time playing poker last night. Played nickel, dime, quarter stakes and ended the night up $11.40. Which looks even better when you consider that I only started with $10. Wish I could go to Vegas and do that with my money.
Bowling Make-up
Let's see, I was the one doing the most bitching about having to bowl on a Sunday morning. The lanes will suck, it's too early, I can't drink or smoke while we bowl, etc.. So, after all that, guess who bowled the best this morning? Your's truly bowled games of 242, 216, and 202 for a series of 660. The lanes were very dry so it took some time in practice to figure out the shot. But, managed to figure out what to do and was able to do it consistently during the games. Half way through the second game, I had had 12 strikes, 1 spare, and two opens. Strikes didn't come as easily the rest of the second and third game but I got enough to score well.
Clothes Shopping
Took Rachel shopping for some clothes today after bowling. Thankfully, Rachel doesn't want what I would consider really odd, trendy, or tacky clothes (now, shoes are a different subject). She usually picks out some nice clothes that I don't object to. I do wish she wear clothes that were a little more feminine, but she's still just a young kid. Besides, she'll start doing that soon enough and I'll be wishing she wore more boyish clothes at that time.
Poetry
Noticed while reading my Dad's blog today that he was posting poetry written by my aunt. As a person who never graduated beyond "Roses are red, Violets are blue" level poetry, I have a hard time reading modern poetry (yes, including my aunt's). I just don't get poetry or haiku's or things of that ilk. Shakespeare is about the closest to enjoying poetry that I get. Like most art forms, it takes skill, passion, and committment to truly be good at something. So, I admire those traits in the people who do attempt artwork. I just don't seem to be equipped with the wiring to truly appreciate certain art forms.
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