LONG time since I posted. Lots going on. Things I've discovered:
1. Rather than buying stuff for your kids when shopping, give them a little bit of money and let them decide what they want/need. When we were at Disney World a few weeks ago, we loaded up a couple of gift cards for the kids and trusted them to spend their OWN money. Both did a good job managing this, and my youngest even had about $15 left over on his he was "saving" to spend on Club Penguin merchandise when we got home. I needed to set up my own gift card for my own usage as the Credit Cards came out more than I would have liked for stuff I wanted.
2. Surprising kids are great. We surprised them with the trip to Disney World, and we've decided to plan low cost, simple things without necessarily telling them what we're doing. LOVE IT!
3. I spend a lot of time listing to Podcasts. ESPN daily offerings, WDW Fanboys, BS Report (with Bill Simmons), Vinylmation, Adam Carolla, WDW Today, Firewall & Iceberg, Kevin Smith stuff (I can't keep up with his daily stuff, and I'm kind of pulling away from him a bit, REALLY VULGAR and differing points of view than me). Other than the Foo Fighters, can't remember the last time I listened to much music. I must be getting old and my podcasts are to me what WBBM talk radio was to my father.
4. I don't read enough books. I read A LOT, but it's either newspapers, news articles, twitter, linked articles, and research for work. We're starting a family reading program this summer and WE'RE ALL reading the same book. In Cameron's case, I'm reading to him.
5. I think I'm getting too old to make new friends. As I've gotten older, I've found I'd rather spend time with my family, old friends, or alone, than to reach out and make new friends. This is kind of sad, but I think who I am becoming.
6. I'm eating less and working on my cardio a lot more. I hit the eliptical probably 5 or 6 times a week. Not for an extended period, but I'll crank out about 3.3 to 3.5 miles in a half hour, and burn around 400 calories. Since I've started reducing my food, I'm down about 8 or 10 pounds. Need to start back on the push ups.
All for now. More later
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Thursday, January 21, 2010
TICKLED!!!!
I don't know what headline on Drudge tonight made me happiest, so I'll let you choose:
1 The Day Healthcare Died.
2 Pelosi: House Lacks Votes to OK Senate Health Bill...
3 Brown Heads to Washington
4 UN Abandons Climate Change Deadline
5 Chief Admits Mistake on Himalayan Warning
6 Air America Ceases Live Programming, Will File for Bankruptcy
I just don't know which one makes me smile the widest....
1 The Day Healthcare Died.
2 Pelosi: House Lacks Votes to OK Senate Health Bill...
3 Brown Heads to Washington
4 UN Abandons Climate Change Deadline
5 Chief Admits Mistake on Himalayan Warning
6 Air America Ceases Live Programming, Will File for Bankruptcy
I just don't know which one makes me smile the widest....
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
Town Hells
I don't want socialized medicine, and I believe the majority of Americans don't want it either (there were polls and if I recall correctly almost 70% are happy with their current health care). So when the August recess rolled around and members of the House started holding town hall meetings to try and "sell" their cockamamie health care takeover, they started getting an earful.
The rush to jam this omnibus through was to avoid anyone saying anything before it was too late. The guy spent six months picking out a freakin' family dog, and this overreach has to be passed in a few weeks, before the bill could possibly be completely read, and it's not even really finished.
Apparently to eliminate our right to peaceful assembly and dissent, Obama is enlisting Union thugs to muscle us out (oh, and Unions are to be exempt from the "universal health care" bill that is currently circulating, and government employees won't be part of it either). If only the mainstream media weren't in his pocket and complicit in his election, you might hear more about this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kxaGfClPws
Punch back twice as hard? He's taking the theoretical class warfare and making it physical.
Welcome to Chicago Politics America!
The rush to jam this omnibus through was to avoid anyone saying anything before it was too late. The guy spent six months picking out a freakin' family dog, and this overreach has to be passed in a few weeks, before the bill could possibly be completely read, and it's not even really finished.
Apparently to eliminate our right to peaceful assembly and dissent, Obama is enlisting Union thugs to muscle us out (oh, and Unions are to be exempt from the "universal health care" bill that is currently circulating, and government employees won't be part of it either). If only the mainstream media weren't in his pocket and complicit in his election, you might hear more about this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kxaGfClPws
Punch back twice as hard? He's taking the theoretical class warfare and making it physical.
Welcome to Chicago Politics America!
Pieces of My Adolescence...Gone....
Two stories are in the ether these days that touched me.
The death of John Hughes
The retirement of Jeremy Roenick
Both are only related in the intersection of who I was when I was younger and who I'd ultimately grow into. John Hughes's movies were fantastic and spoke to me. I never saw "Pretty in Pink" as I never really dug Molly Ringwald, and James Spader was creepy. "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" was just an inspiring movie. The whole "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around, you might miss it" is still good advice today (and some that I think I need to heed, with the boys growing so quickly). "Weird Science" was funny and a little naughty but had a similar theme that anything was possible. Not that you could make a barbie doll into Kelly LeBrock (when she was SMMMMMOOOOKIN' HOT!!!), but that two social misfits to rise above, be popular, and get the girl, so I guess the whole thing was a fantasy. Add into it "The Breakfast Club" and then "Sixteen Candles" (one of the most quotable movies this side of Caddyshack) and you have something REALLY special. I didn't even know he wrote "Vacation".
JR. The first personalized jersey I ever bought. And I bought it when you had to have the letters and numbers put on at a specialty shop, rather than one off the hanger at "the Sports Authority" or from NHL.com (no, there wasn't an NHL.com when I was a kid, there wasn't even a .com when I was a kid). I bought it as a consolation prize. I had ordered an authentic Montana Jersey at a Merle Harmon's Fanfair for a girl I was dating at the time. The relationship went bad and the jersey wasn't in, so rather than give it to her anyway, I couldn't return it for cash, only store credit. So, I got a home Blackhawks jersey and took it to get the 27 on the back and sides, and ROENICK across the back.
He was a great interview, played MUCH bigger than he was, and he was REALLY FREAKIN' talented. "Swingers" was right on with his rating in NHL '94.
He never should have been traded for Zhamnov and a bag of magic beans (cardinal rule in trading, ALWAYS GET the marquee player in the deal), and really until last year it extinguished the flame that was my passion for Blackhawk hockey.
I was really befuddled that the Blackhawks didn't sign him to a one day contract so he could retire a Blackhawk. When I read about his press conference, I knew why and it was because the Sharks gave him the chance to leave the game on his terms. Bravo!
At least he'll be a Blackhawk when inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The death of John Hughes
The retirement of Jeremy Roenick
Both are only related in the intersection of who I was when I was younger and who I'd ultimately grow into. John Hughes's movies were fantastic and spoke to me. I never saw "Pretty in Pink" as I never really dug Molly Ringwald, and James Spader was creepy. "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" was just an inspiring movie. The whole "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around, you might miss it" is still good advice today (and some that I think I need to heed, with the boys growing so quickly). "Weird Science" was funny and a little naughty but had a similar theme that anything was possible. Not that you could make a barbie doll into Kelly LeBrock (when she was SMMMMMOOOOKIN' HOT!!!), but that two social misfits to rise above, be popular, and get the girl, so I guess the whole thing was a fantasy. Add into it "The Breakfast Club" and then "Sixteen Candles" (one of the most quotable movies this side of Caddyshack) and you have something REALLY special. I didn't even know he wrote "Vacation".
JR. The first personalized jersey I ever bought. And I bought it when you had to have the letters and numbers put on at a specialty shop, rather than one off the hanger at "the Sports Authority" or from NHL.com (no, there wasn't an NHL.com when I was a kid, there wasn't even a .com when I was a kid). I bought it as a consolation prize. I had ordered an authentic Montana Jersey at a Merle Harmon's Fanfair for a girl I was dating at the time. The relationship went bad and the jersey wasn't in, so rather than give it to her anyway, I couldn't return it for cash, only store credit. So, I got a home Blackhawks jersey and took it to get the 27 on the back and sides, and ROENICK across the back.
He was a great interview, played MUCH bigger than he was, and he was REALLY FREAKIN' talented. "Swingers" was right on with his rating in NHL '94.
He never should have been traded for Zhamnov and a bag of magic beans (cardinal rule in trading, ALWAYS GET the marquee player in the deal), and really until last year it extinguished the flame that was my passion for Blackhawk hockey.
I was really befuddled that the Blackhawks didn't sign him to a one day contract so he could retire a Blackhawk. When I read about his press conference, I knew why and it was because the Sharks gave him the chance to leave the game on his terms. Bravo!
At least he'll be a Blackhawk when inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Global Warming and Developing Nations
If you know me, you know I'm skeptical of the global warming alarmists out there who insist that if we do not reduce our economic output the polar ice caps will melt and people will die. The fact that this has been one of the coolest summers in Chicago in my memory seems to me to justify my stance (to be fair, I have relatives in Nevada who are suffering through their third week of 100 degree days).
Anyway, I've been dubious to the efforts of the Democrats to pass the "Cap and Trade" bill for a number of reasons, some of which are that it transfers more power to the Government and away from private industry (you know, people who create JOBS), is a hidden HUGE Tax increase on Americans, and it's based on inconclusive science that anybody who questions it has been demonized.
Lastly, my concerns were no matter how badly we damage our economy, people lose their jobs and cannot provide for their loved ones because of this, the efforts would be in vain because few other countries are pushing this agenda as well.
Whatever production we shut down will be increased in India and China because they are emerging economies and like to have discretionary income.
Anyway, I saw George Will's column and it crystalized it for me. Please hit the Post and read (it was also printed in the Chicago Tribune as well today).
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/22/AR2009072202415_pf.html
Anyway, I've been dubious to the efforts of the Democrats to pass the "Cap and Trade" bill for a number of reasons, some of which are that it transfers more power to the Government and away from private industry (you know, people who create JOBS), is a hidden HUGE Tax increase on Americans, and it's based on inconclusive science that anybody who questions it has been demonized.
Lastly, my concerns were no matter how badly we damage our economy, people lose their jobs and cannot provide for their loved ones because of this, the efforts would be in vain because few other countries are pushing this agenda as well.
Whatever production we shut down will be increased in India and China because they are emerging economies and like to have discretionary income.
Anyway, I saw George Will's column and it crystalized it for me. Please hit the Post and read (it was also printed in the Chicago Tribune as well today).
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/22/AR2009072202415_pf.html
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