That long?

Wow....has it really been a month and a half since I last posted? I guess I have been busier than a one-legged man in a butt kicking contest. Sorry, folks.

Let's see, my life has pretty much been going to work, coming home and playing dad, sleeping, and eating. things at work had gone FUBAR for a while, but the dust is settling. Just so much drama going on. I am doing what my wife told me to do...keep my head down, nose clean.....and butt cheeks clenched!!

I am also thinking about starting up my column again. I had fun writing it, and some people liked reading it. So, I think it's about time to start it up again. Right after the new year.

My boys are almost 5. Makes me feel old.

I need to keep up with this more.

My new football hero

Nick Folk, kicker for the Cowboys.

Last second field goal from 53 yards to win the game, and go to 5-0.

Australia did give us something good.

Just got back from 3 days at the beach. Not the shore, not the coast, the beach. B-E-A-C-H. My boys got tanned, I got tanned, my wife hit her head on a turtle tank, and our favorite seafood place was closed.

All in all, not a bad trip.

Freaks and Geeks

No, this isn't about that old TV show. It's just something I was pondering this past weekend when my wife was watching her (un)reality TV.

I've noticed it all along, but especially now since I have gotten stronger in my walk with Christ. That is, how many of these shows today are not about being the real you, but what the world wants you to be. To be "of this world" instead of "in this world". Why not be yourself? Who cares what Hollywood thinks? I don't. I don't like seeing who is "wearing" whom on awards shows. As they say in Spanish, "no le hace". I do we net doesn't matter.

A guy who has another blog asked a question, "What if you dressed tacky and no one noticed?" Well, here's what would happen. If it were a designer, then it would be newest fad. In fact, that's happening.

However, I have bigger questions: Do we need Armani and Gucci and all of these other designers to dictate our happiness? Do we need the money and cars and beauty and what we can possess? Or do we need to dig down in our own lives and see what we really need to be happy?

Where is your happiness? What truly makes you happy? Keeping up with the Jones? Or is it the calmness and serenity of having Christ in your heart, as it is with me? The knowing that, once you "shuffle off this mortal coil" as Shakespeare said, you will have happiness and bliss for eternity? If you're not a believer, I challenge you to ask some of the hard questions. If you are, do what I need to do...start showing the grace of God in your life. Start now. Let people know, through compassion and love, that you care for them. And that it comes from being a follower of Christ.

Remember that Christ is protecting us. Remember John 17:15-17.

Be In this world, not of it.

Hooray

So, at my job, my boss was a complete idiot. We never got even the simplest things for the office or for anything else for that matter. He always had to try to micro-manage and wouldn't let anyone in management (including myself, when I was in management) to do anything without his say-so. And he always said "No". Things would break down, there would be in-fighting, and people would call off of work, and it would be his fault. Of course, once he was called, he would swoop down and "fix" everything that HE messed up. Just so he could tell the owner "see what I did".

Basically, he was running this company into the ground. He had been boss for 18 months, and was the worst boss I ever had. And that is saying something. Anyway, no one liked him or respected him, and there was a black cloud over the workplace. He was a chancre on the buttocks of life.

We were audited by a government organization and in the midst of it, our PR person notified us that the boss had a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him, and that it was "a strong case". So, after all of this, he was FINALLY fired. The owner told us that, even though we had no office supplies or any other supplies, that this man was given money every week for incidentals.

I smell embezzlement.

So, I found out he was fired last Friday, my birthday. I look forward to going to work now.

I got some cool stuff for my b-day besides that. So, I'm going out of Labor Day weekend not too depressed. Although it was raining and I have no place to bird hunt. Cest la vie.

Can you feel it?

It's coming. I can feel it coming on like a bullet train. When it's here, I am hooked.

Can you feel it?

It's FOOTBALL SEASON!!

Earth Day

I am the son of a farmer. I am an outdoorsman, meaning I like to fish and hunt, camp and hike.

For farmers and outdoorsmen, EVERY day is Earth Day. Remember that.

This Live Earth crud, it's meaningless. What good is awareness if you don't actually do anything. Like any other of these concerts, it's an ego trip. Something to say, "Look, I care. I sang a song and said don't trash the Earth. I am a good person." Then they drive off in their SUVs or fly in their private planes and think they actually made a difference. All because they said they care.

Hypocrites.

I at least respect Ed Begley, Jr. for practicing what he preaches, even if he is a nut.

Remember all the Brouhaha over the Bush twins' partying and getting drunk? How Bush was such a bad father, etc., etc? Where is that over L'il Algore's drug use? All we get is sympathy for him. Can you say "double standard"?

I never commented on paris Hilton because I don't give two dead flies about her.

USA Day

Happy Independence Day. Not just another holiday. God Bless America. We are still the greatest country in the world, like it or not. We have our flags out...do you?

I just saw the first part of the Boston Pops fireworks thing on an alphabet network. The host was (Scotsman) Craig Ferguson. A Brit-type person hosting a commemoration of an event where (most of) our ancestors kicked his ancestors' arses.....

Ironic.

Viva La France?

Before you think I've lost my mind, I just want to clarify that the only good thing to come out of France ever is Tony Parker...point guard for the San Antonio Spurs.

At this writing, they are 3 points up, and 2:42 left. IF they win, they'll go up 3 games to 1.

I think I'm looking at a San Antonio/Cleveland Finals. The Cavs had a great final minute or two against the Nets tonight.

Stuff

Well, it's Saturday, and I don't have to work...at least at my place of employment.

I'm doing the whole hosuework thing because of the whole Mother's Day thing tomorrow. If I can, I'll post something for all the Moms out there.

Game 3 tonight between the Spurs and Suns. San Antonio had better show up, instead of the Memphis Grizzlies, who inahbited their bodies in game 2. We'll see what happens.

The boys watched SpiderMan last night, and they've got their web-slinging form down pat.

Long time no see

Well, sports fans, sorry it's been a while, but I have been working 12 hour days and being extremely tired. Some things happened at work and suffice to say I am earning my keep now. So, let's see what's been going on.

Dallas and Houston lost in the 1st round of the playoffs, so da Spurs are the only Texas team still alive. We'll see how they do this next round. Hopefully, they won't pull a Dallas and (chortle) lose. But, they're playing Phoenix, and they're better than Golden State. But, apparently, so were the (chuckle) Mavericks. Until Game seven of the first round. I finished celebrating yesterday.

The Texas Rangers suck (yet again). Let's not go there.

Connor learned a new joke, and we have heard it about a million times now... (stop me if you've heard it): Why is six afraid of seven? Because seven eight (ate) nine!!

I'm also trying to lose weght. Key word: TRYING. I have the willpower....I just like tasty food. Anyone who has it, give me some good recipes that make all low-fat food taste like chocolate cake.

Oh, yeah, best thing...I finally have A/C in my truck after 3 years!! YAY!!

More things to come, and I'll post more.

Work

I'm back in the workforce, and I am in charge!! Supervisor....I ran into someone I used to work with, and she called me jokingly (I hope) a "Stupidvisor".

I'm tired every day, but it's a good tired. More later. I'm tired.

Annoying ads & the move

Sorry....no YouTube here or anything. Just an observation.

I was watching TV, and an ad for Boniva came on with Sally Field saying, "A friend of mine told me she had to set aside time every week to take her osteoporosis medication." I was thinking, "Yeah, that extra 15-20 seconds of opening the bottle, taking the pill, and closing the bottle is WAY too time-consuming."

Anyway......

We finally moved into "The van down by the river". It will feel more like home when my better half puts up the curtains. It doesn't even seem like a mobile home...or at least, it didn't until the other day when we were leaving a big-box retailer, and there was a semi with a trailer in the parking lot. Logan gasped, pointed to the big rig, and said, "Mommy, that looks like our house!!"

Sadly enough, he's right.

Jobs and baseball

Well, I have a few offers out there. One I REALLY want, and I just got an interview for a sporting goods manager job tomorrow. We'll see how it goes.

On more news, we signed the twins up for Tee Ball. They can hit so well I think I'll take them to Texas Rangers spring training....they could be the DH's (if they put the ball on the tees for them). Seriously, they're good batting...I'm working on fielding. Try-outs are Saturday. Hopefully they'll make the same team.

Well, I got a job with Terminix. I started the paperwork, and my measurements were taken for my uniform, and then I got a call that there was no money to hire me, so I was let go.

I have more irons in the fire, so there's still hope.

Also, we're moving into a new place. It needed a paint job, so I am putting a new coat (or two) on. I feel like I'm about 95 right now.

Alright, alright....

I have been busy over the last few weeks. The biggest news is that I got a new job!! Yay!! Now, I just have to stick with it, but there is room for advancement, and my supervisors are nice, SMART, hard-working people who know about family time.

The job is for Terminix, as a termite technician. I will be making sure the little boogers don't eat people's hosues by setting bait for them.

Now, on to other news.

I am speechless about my one guilty pleasure, American Idol. You would think, after 4 plus years as a paramedic, I would shy from train wrecks. But, there is just something about watching people who can't sing assure themselves that no karaoke bar in the world would admit them that makes me feel, well.....numb. It's a pleasant distraction for a while (if you have the volume on mute). I'm not the best looking guy on the planet by far, and I can't sing. The thing is, my family KNOWS I can't sing, and they have told me in no uncertain terms that I can't. No delusions here.

Some twin news now:

About a week ago, I was driving with the twins in the back, and a car pulls out in front of me and goes -5 mph. I said, "Jeez". Out fo the back I hear from Logan one word: "idiot".