Tristan's Tantalizing Thoughts

Interesting Problem

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:47:23 GMT

Sooo....what do you do when your new client contact keeps emailing YOU and not your boss about the project you are doing for them? It is to the point that this person thanked ME at a meeting (not my boss) for explaining some details to them (granted it was me that did that) and then called it MY team (at that point I chuckled and said "not my team, X's team, I'm just a worker bee).

My boss now insists that all communications initiate from him to the client except for one aspect of the task that remains with me.

I'm back

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:40:52 GMT

Back at work, back online, and back in MD.

We closed on the sale of the house yesterday. I got compliments on the condition of the house (I vacuumed everything, mopped the hardwood floors, and basically cleaned everything because, well, that is just how I am). The buyer's agent also loved the garden (especially the "huge" blackberries).

I am in an apartment (that I really like) in the Anne Arundel County part of Laurel MD. Yes, I am officially back in Lochmere.

Yes, this was even earlier than previously planned as the buyers put
pressure on me to be out in time for them to be in for the start of
school in the area. I had movers move the furniture I could not
handle by myself. My neighbor and I moved about 60% of my boxes on
Saturday two weeks back and I handled the rest each day after
work...while doing a demo on last Monday and attending a local
conference on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Now *all* I have to do is UNpack.

I'll miss the house and my neighbors but now my feet are truly moving forward again on the path of my future.

I am hoping to reconnect with old friends (those who don't feel awkward about circumstances) down here and make new ones. You can also expect to start seeing a lot more of me at SCA events.

Brandon has handled it all extremely well. I made him a part of the
move and had him help me pack his stuff before he went on vacation
with his Mom last week (he got back just this last Saturday). This
seemed to really help him past missing the house and his friends up
there. He LOVES the apartment and was very excited to come home to it
after his vacation. He even called me while he was gone to check if I was already in the place.

Now to catch up on all my work email...

Don't MAKE me use this light saber, mister!

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:18:13 GMT

how jedi are you? :: by lawrie malen

Breaking News

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:14:51 GMT

House is going under contract.

Listed at 305K, was offered 295K, countered 300K, they accepted. All in a span of about 12 hours (they looked at the house last night).

Details: I have to be out by AUGUST 29 @(!!! Holy CRAP! I have a demo in August, I am on vacation for one week in Aug. with Brandon as his summer camp will be over, AND I have a three day conference I need to be at! Oh, and I need to find a place!

Sad to leave the place as, well, it rocks. Goodbye blackberry bushes and goodbye pumpkins that are growing for Brandon in the garden (OH he is NOT going to like THAT).

Also, my listing said only the window treatments downstairs stay. Buyers want it ALL AND my floor to ceiling bookcases(the latter hurts...I really love those bookcase but...oh well).

The Year was 1983

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:17:20 GMT

A time when music was about FUN (and not angst or flannel, heh).

Bold what you like, strike what you don't. Ignore those to which you're indifferent...

1. Every Breath You Take, Police
2. Billie Jean, Michael Jackson
3. Flashdance... What A Feelin, Irene Cara
4. Down Under, Men At Work
5. Beat It, Michael Jackson
6. Total Eclipse Of The Heart, Bonnie Tyler
7. Maneater, Daryl Hall and John Oates
8. Baby Come To Me, Patti Austin and James Ingram
9. Maniac, Michael Sembello
10. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), Eurythmics
~~11. Do You Really Want To Hurt Me, Culture Club~~
12. You And I, Eddie Rabbitt and Crystal Gayle
~~13. Come On Eileen, Dexy's Midnight Runners~~
14. Shame On The Moon, Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
15. She Works Hard For The Money, Donna Summer
16. Never Gonna Let You Go, Sergio Mendes
17. Hungry Like The Wolf, Duran Duran
18. Let's Dance, David Bowie
19. Twilight Zone, Golden Earring
20. I Know There's Something Going On, Frida
21. Jeopardy, Greg Kihn Band
22. Electric Avenue, Eddy Grant
23. She Blinded Me With Science, Thomas Dolby
24. Africa, Toto
25. Little Red Corvette, Prince
26. Back On The Chain Gang, Pretenders
~~27. Up Where We Belong, Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes~~
28. Mr. Roboto, Styx
~~29. You Are, Lionel Richie~~
30. Der Kommissar, After The Fire
31. Puttin' On The Ritz, Taco
32. Sexual Healing, Marvin Gaye
33. (Keep Feeling) Fascination, Human League
34. Time (Clock Of The Heart), Culture Club
35. The Safety Dance, Men Without Hats
36. Mickey, Toni Basil
37. You Can't Hurry Love, Phil Collins
38. Separate Ways, Journey
39. One On One, Daryl Hall and John Oates
~~40. We've Got Tonight, Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton~~
41. 1999, Prince
42. Stray Cat Strut, Stray Cats
43. Allentown, Billy Joel
44. Stand Back, Stevie Nicks
45. Tell Her About It, Billy Joel
46. Always Somethmg There To Remind Me, Naked Eyes
47. Truly, Lionel Richie
48. Dirty Laundry, Don Henley
~~49. The Girl Is Mine, Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney~~
50. Too Shy, Kajagoogoo
51. Goody Two Shoes, Adam Ant
52. Rock The Casbah, Clash
53. Our House, Madness
54. Overkill, Men At Work
55. Is There Something I Should Know, Duran Duran
~~56. Gloria, Laura Branigan~~
57. Affair Of The Heart, Rick Springfield
58. She's A Beauty, Tubes
59. Solitaire, Laura Branigan
60. Don't Let It End, Styx
61. How Am I Supposed To Live Without You, Laura Branigan
~~62. China Girl, David Bowie~~
63. Come Dancing, Kinks
64. Promises, Promises, Naked Eyes
65. The Other Guy, Little River Band
66. Making Love Out Of Nothing At All, Air Supply (guilty pleasure)
67. Family Man, Daryl Hall and John Oates
68. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin', Michael Jackson
69. I Won't Hold You Back, Toto
70. All Right, Christopher Cross
71. Straight From The Heart, Bryan Adams
72. Heart To Heart, Kenny Loggins
73. My Love, Lionel Richie
~~74. I'm Still Standing, Elton John~~
75. Hot Girls In Love, Loverboy
76. It's A Mistake, Men At Work
77. I'll Tumble 4 Ya, Culture Club
78. All This Love, Debarge
79. Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy, Sammy Hagar
80. Heartbreaker, Dionne Warwick
81. Faithfully, Journey
82. Steppin' Out, Joe Jackson
83. Take Me To Heart, Quarterflash
84. (She's) Sexy + 17, Stray Cats
85. Try Again, Champaign
86. Dead Giveaway, Shalamar
87. Lawyers In Love, Jackson Browne
88. What About Me, Moving Pictures
89. Human Nature, Michael Jackson
90. Photograph, Def Leppard
~~91. Pass The Dutchie, Musical Youth~~
92. True, Spandau Ballet
~~93. Far From Over, Frank Stallone~~
94. I've Got A Rock 'N' Roll Heart, Eric Clapton
95. It Might Be You, Stephen Bishop
96. Tonight I Celebrate My Love, Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack
97. You Got Lucky, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
98. Don't Cry, Asia
99. Breaking Us In Two, Joe Jackson
100. Fall In Love With Me, Earth, Wind and Fire

And as a bonus for reading all of that...camping pictures!

He helped put up the tent...

...and went on his first big boy waterslide...

THAT is my little boo boo!

Pennsic is in the air

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:16:34 GMT

To all that are going: Travel safely and have a great war!

Saw this on a list and I am passing it on here cuz I'd forgotten how much it rocks...

Now all the youth of England are on fire,
And silken dalliance in the wardrobe lies:
Now thrive the armourers, and honour's thought
Reigns solely in the breast of every man:
They sell the pasture now to buy the horse,
Following the mirror of all Christian kings,
With winged heels, as English Mercuries.
For now sits Expectation in the air,
And hides a sword from hilts unto the point
With crowns imperial, crowns and coronets,
Promised to Harry and his followers.

Henry V
Prologue to act 2

Five answers for Kevin...

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:07:44 GMT

(1) You are out on an all day date. Where do you go, what do you do?

All DAY date, eh? Whew, that is a tough one. I'm going to assume that I have known this person for a while if we are going on an all day date that is planned ( I say planned as I had an unplanned one happen once).

I think, assuming she is into it, we would go camping. When I say camping I mean pitch the tent, build a fire, go for hikes and roll out the sleeping bags camping. There is a sense of "getting away from it all" associated with camping that is very appealing to me and I like the feel of self dependence. It is a close proximity activity that can also bring two people closer and foster a sense of intimacy. And who doesn't like a woman that is just as willing to wear a t-shirt and jeans and get dirty as she is to dress up for a formal event? Grrrrowwwl.

(2) Now that it is just you and Brandon (when he is with you) up in Pennsylvania, what is a typical day for you like?

Schedule is everything. On the days that I have Brandon at my place I pick Brandon up with the DVD du jour loaded and ready, drive home, play with Brandon OR watch TV with him, make dinner, bathe Brandon, get Brandon ready for bed, read with him, and tuck him in. After that, it is house chores until about 10 or 11 pm and collapse into bed. I'm then up at 0400ish to get things rolling for work and school/summer camp.

On the days when I don't have Brandon in the evening, it varies. I either (1) work later to store credit hours, (2) race home to do chores I want to do when Brandon is not around (like mow...I like to maximize my time WITH HIM when I am with him), or (3) more recently meet up with friends or go to fighter practices.

Weekends are for catching up on sleep...or so I keep telling myself. I usually find SOME reason to not sleep in.

3) How have the gas prices impacted your commute from out of state?

FRIGGIN A! FIFTY bucks a tank for my little Honda CRV??? I can't complain too loud as I do get something like 23-24 MPG and it has over 220K miles on it. It does, however, make me not attend some gatherings/events or not travel on vacation as much as I would like. I budget $320/month for gasoline and I am again over budget.

4) Knowing you're working to fight more often, what weapons form will you hope to fight most?

Well, I want to learn greatsword, polearm, and spear. Currently polearm is REALLY calling out to me. I am revamping the kit, the result being that it will more closely represent a single time period. The most, though, would still be sword and shield. I am doing more weight training now with an eye towards blows that are clearly good, if you know what I mean. :-)

5) In a day when sexuality seems to reach children at younger and younger ages, how will you instill in Brandon the proper way to behave?

I intend to show him the proper way to behave in the best manner possible...by example. From me he will learn that woman are not untouchable Goddesses placed upon a pedestal but they are also worthy of respect and chivalrous behavior. He will learn that it is never acceptable to play games with someone's feelings. He will learn that honesty is even more important in affairs of the heart. He will learn that actions have consequences that must be dealt with. He will learn that to be a good man (and indeed a good PERSON) is to be true to your word, to say what you mean and mean what you say , and to make his actions match his words. My job as a father is to give him a set of tools and then teach him what each tool is for. From there it is up to him to choose to use those tools. Hopefully, flawed as I am, he will see a path worthy for him to follow that will allow him to deal with the daily assault on sexuality, morals, and ethics that will greet him as he walks his path in adulthood and finds his place in the world.

As an added bonus, if the situation merits it, I will make sure he understands something Rocky said in film 6 and has rung very true in my life:

"The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now if you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! "

He has already announced to me "Daddy, when I grow up I want to be a Daddy just like you." No pressure there!

I'm pouting...

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:13:37 GMT

Another one I'll be missing...

Whew

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:32:44 GMT

(A) I am SO happy my boy is back from his vacation with his mom. I missed him terribly during the week he was gone but I am happy about how much fun he obviously had out in California.

(2) I SO need to brush up on reading military rank insignia...I have been interacting with enough officers from three branches that my head is spinning. At least Generals are easy...

(3) I need a motto...in latin...suggestions?

(4) I still owe you my five, Kevin,...they are coming...

Today I flew a kite

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:29:24 GMT

I have a BIG backyard. It is about 70 degrees F and a strong breeze is blowing.

Out came the kite (after an hour of Stuffed Animal Kung Fu Theater that had Star Wars characters facing off against Kung Fu Panda).

Conan, what is best in life?

The sound of your boy laughing in utter delight as he tries to catch a kite as it comes down, only to switch with you and have you try to catch it.

Today there are no worries about a house that won't sell.
Today there are no concerns about how I am going to find the time to be active in the SCA as much as I really want to before I am too old to fight.
Today there is no professional or personal stress.
Today stretches out for an eternal moment locked in golden sunlight.

Today, life isn't just good...it's VERY good.

Today is my Monday

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:05:24 GMT

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I have not felt this mellow in, well, a long time. Great weekend, wonderful Father's Day spent with Brandon, and only working two days this week...it does not get any better than this!

Some notes...

Kevin, I'll answer your five soon...and I LOVE the Tommy box on wheels you guys had at the Pas.

My garden has suddenly kicked into high gear. One crop of strawberries done, another is on the way, once yellow basil and tomato plants are shooting up and my blackberries, WOW! They have canes pop up laterally off of the roots of the main bushes. Well, they are wheel bent on taking over the whole garden. I had shoots that were 2 inches tall when I noticed them and then, in the space of a week, my gamma radiation Hulkberries are now 3 FEET tall.

Had a horrible allergy attack on Sunday when I came off of my allergy meds (I don't like taking them for too many days in a row) but Brandon and I still had a great time. Breakfast together followed by intense play time. He was very loving and VERY excited for me to open the card he 'picked out just for me because it is funny'. He also gave me a shirt and tie box combination, saying " I know you wear fancy shirts to work sometimes and I want you to have a new one."

I've been slacking off on chores (only mowed the back yard) and just reeeellllaaaaxing.

Brandon has no school and no summer camp this week so I am watching him during the day on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

I didn't go to Highland River because (1) I NEEDED to mow that backyard and (2) figured it would probably be REALLY hot. Still, I felt this yearning inside that made me realize it really is time to push the activity.

Pictures from Brandon and I camping will be posted soon...

Promised Photos

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:50:04 GMT

The kids were "hungry catepillars." I have a hilarious video but it is too big to upload to Photobucket. :-(

Another Great Weekend

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:56:33 GMT

Brandon and I tent camped at Yogi Bear Campgrounds. It was HOT but we had a great time. We got there Friday evening and Brandon actually insisted on helping me set up the tent. We walked the grounds, took notes on what we would do on Saturday (and more importantly for a 6 y.o., the specific order we would do it in), grabbed a pizza on site, and roasted marshmallows after "Daddy made fire!" It cooled off nicely that night.

Saturday saw us at the pool and on the water slide. I believe this is the first time Brandon ever went on an inner-tube/water slide and HE insisted on trying it. After the first run, it was all I could do to keep up with him as he kept climbing up again and again. Oh so many sunscreen applications kept him from getting TOO pink and we finished the day with miniature golf. After dinner I realized it was NOT going to cool off that night and I decided to pack up and head home that evening instead of on Sunday afternoon.

Camping is definitely something Brandon enjoys and he has asked to go back again sometime.

Pictures to follow...

PS: I forgot...we saw Kung Fu Panda on Sunday. Not bad... I did laugh out loud. Brandon loved it and announced he wants to learn Kung Fu. I asked him if it was the five animal styles that he liked and got a strong YES. Then I asked "Why do you want to learn Kung Fu?"

He said "because it is fun." "Good answer," I replied, "but not entirely the right answer, grasshopper." "Why did you call me grasshopper, Daddy?" "Ummm, never mind, but think about your answer a bit more..."

:-D

Baaaaa

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:37:48 GMT

Da Rulz:

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by asking you 5 questions of a very personal nature.
3. You will update your LJ with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this and an offer to interview someone else in the post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them 5 questions.

Per La pinkleader--

1. What recent thing did Brandon do that sent you into a fit of laughter?

Heheheh. The funny thing is, you can't laugh right on the spot because Brandon gets upset and thinks you are laughing at him. The most recent is when Brandon, watching the spot ad for Iron Man that has him testing his boot jets and hitting the ceiling, remarked "Well that is going to leave a mark!" And yes, I take full blame for him learning that phrase.

GOD I love that boy!

2. What is your favorite comfort food?

I have to pick one? Out of all the answers that spring into my mind, the one thing that truly screams COMFORT is my, deep, dark, secret mistress...a well made hot...fudge...sundae. The key is several layers of fudge...ohohohohohoh.

3. Do you maintain a knight-squire relationship with Havorc over the distance, or a friend relationship?

Both, though I think the friendship side deepened and grew with time as I was less active. Now that I am stepping up my activity the k-s side is growing as well. We had a frank discussion about my perceived failings as a Squire to him and that helped me lot with regards to the SCA. He has also been good for maintaining my sanity, period. :-)

4. What, if anything, do you miss about California?

Well, keep in mind I spent most of my life in San Diego and did the majority of my degrees at UCSD, in La Jolla. That said...a summer afternoon on or near the beach. Their is something about the smell of the air, the particular type of blue that the sky is, the cry of gulls and the breeze coming in off of the Pacific that I can't encompass or define with something as clumsy as words...it needs to be experienced. The strange thing is, I *don't* miss it until I am actually there again visiting and experience it. The rest of the time I don't really miss anything in particular (other than seeing my parents).

5. Dare one ask how the house sale is going?

Sigh. We just lowered the price of the house again. It is not a good thing.

Ah ! well a-day ! what evil looks
Had I from old and young !
Instead of the cross, the Albatross
About my neck was hung.

Busy Weekend

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:16:35 GMT

I had a great weekend, despite the rain. I went to On Target on Saturday and had a very relaxing time chatting with old friends. Their Excellencies Lochmere were kind enough to offer me the shade of their dayshade and a seat at their table for feast (which was EXCELLENT).

Sunday was a meeting with my real estate agents (sigh) and then out to dinner and a movie with friends. Yes, almost NO chores for me this weekend. I decided to play hookie.

Weekend Sentence Fragments

Thu, 29 May 2008 11:46:16 GMT

Weekend was awesome. Relaxing, productive, fun, me gusta.

Friday saw Brandon and I at a Pump it Up birthday party for one of the kids in his class. He fell asleep in the car on the way home...job well done say I.

The weekend saw him playing with the girl across the street from us on one day and the girl two houses down from on another...that's mah boy! Lots of bike, scooter, football action too.

Brandon is now hooked on watching American Gladiators with me, so at one point I had to set up an "eliminator" course in the backyard for him to run.

Front and backyard mowed, check. Edged the whole fence line in the backyard, check. Sprayed the fruit trees, check.

Science fair tonight for Brandon, happy hour with some friends on Friday, hitting an event this Saturday and maybe going out to do something on Sunday as well. No moss here.

I'm going to surprise Brandon with a tent camping outing to Yogi Bear campgrounds. He will LOVE it.

Wet but Nice

Mon, 19 May 2008 12:50:14 GMT

On Friday Brandon insisted on taking me to see Speed Racer, though he was a little torn because he also wanted to see Iron Man with me for a second time. I convinced him to go for Speed Racer as I had not seen it with him yet.

Rained most of the time but Saturday provided Brandon and I the opportunity to go to Dutch Wonderland. He loves the place and it was a nice surprise for him. We spent about 5 hours up their and the poor kid was so worn out at the end of the day that he fell asleep almost instantly during the car ride home.

We also did a "camp out" in the living room again, complete with flashlights and sleeping bags and another "Daddy/Brandon home theater movie night".

Congrats to Havordh and Mary-Grace, new Prince and Princess of Gleann Abhann!

A Boy and his Football

Thu, 08 May 2008 14:23:23 GMT

Brandon is still loving flag football and our practicing at home is sure paying off. I love that he is having a great time with sports...now I'll just have to make sure it stays in balance with academics as he gets older.

Video? I gots video!

Offense:

Defense:

Athletic AND smart...I am one PROUD Dad!

Funny

Tue, 06 May 2008 12:03:31 GMT

Probably never happened, but it still makes for a damn funny story...

From a Physics exam:

"Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or Endothermic (absorbs heat)?

Most of the students wrote Proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law, (gas cools off when it expands and heats when it is compressed) or some variant. One student, however, wrote the following:

"First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So we need to know the rate that souls are moving into Hell and the rate they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving. As for how many souls are entering Hell, let us look at the different religions that exist in the world today. Some of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there are more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell. With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially.

Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand as souls are added. This gives two possibilities:

1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose.

2. Of course, if Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.

So which is it?

If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa Banyan during my Freshman year, "...that it will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you.", and take into account the fact that I still have not succeeded in having sexual relations with her, then, #2 cannot be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and will not freeze."

This student received the only A."

Great Weekend

Mon, 05 May 2008 16:41:01 GMT

Friday saw me raking up the cut grass in the backyard. Brandon insisted on helping me and did a great job. He is very unhappy if he does not get to help Daddy.

Saturday was bag the raked grass day starting at 8:30 am. Then I cleaned inside(vacuum, mop, wipe down), went out for lunch with Brandon while my agent was showing the house and then we were off to see Iron Man (AWESOME).

Sunday was MUCH more relaxing. We played video games, practiced throwing and catching the football (once he realized he needs to NOT keep his left hand on the ball quite so long his throws were VERY good). We ran out so I could buy some stuff for my lawn mower. While he had lunch I replaced the bald, gave it an oil change, changed the air filter, and changed the spark plug. Runs TONS better now BUT I now suspect a fuel leak (strong gas odor in the garage and hint of moisture just under where the fuel line runs). Sigh. Still better than shelling out $300.00 for a new one. After that I mowed the front yard and then Brandon helped me plant the flowers he grew from seeds into pots that are now to either side of the front door.

We also did his science project with me on Sunday. All about making bubbles. I was VERY impressed with his concentration and he had a good feel for figuring out what to conclude from the results. He actually really got "cause and effect" and why it is good to only change ONE thing at a time in an experiment. I was very proud of him.

Same people from Saturday are looking at the house again today...keep your collective fingers crossed!

The week in short...

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:17:58 GMT

Work is keeping me busy, busy, busy.

Still no bites on the house.

Brandon rocks in flag football. All the practice of catching and throwing we did last year has really paid off; he really is showing good form in throwing the ball and no longer is afraid about having the ball hit him. He LOVES having me see him use the right motions in throwing. Our work with throwing a baseball has produced the same results. Another triumph for physics!

Did TONS of yard this weekend. I'm STILL sore.

Great Weekend

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:39:33 GMT

I had mowed the front lawn on Wednesday of last week but the grass was long enough that it was not all going into the bag; I left clumps. Saturday comes around and it is SUNNY. I go outside with Brando to rake the clumps. As before, Brandon INSISTS on helping Daddy. I grab water for me, water and juice box for him, big rake for me, smaller rake for him, and we hit it. We get done quickly, with Brandon looking at me and saying "I like raking, Daddy. It's fun for me. Can I help you with something else?"

I should have recorded that for use when he is older.

We followed that up with feeding and mulching the trees and mulching one side of the driveway.

From there on it was chalk drawings on the driveway, playing catch (with me discovering I need to stand farther away from Brandon than I use to...he finally 'gets' the throwing form I taught him), frisbee and then finally playing with our neighbors girl across the street. They had a blast on her trampoline and then playing games over at our place. We finished strong with Daddy Brandon home snuggle movie night (TM).

Sunday was rain. No problem there...we watched Survivorman (he is hooked) and then he played in the sunken tub wearing the mask and snorkel I bought him (he saw someone on TV doing SCUBA and I explained SCUBA was out right now but 'try this', heh). We read three books, with him really working hard on two of them to sound the words out. A little Star Wars Legos video game action and then off to bed.

Great weekend!

I am working on setting up a ride along with my neighbor (Baltimore county cop) and also going shooting sometime.

Off to a good start

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:15:15 GMT

I am sitting here when I received a meeting request...for April 20, 1500-1530.

I squint at it. I look at my calendar. I squint at it again.

Before the higher level processes of my brain can take control of my hands, my ID hits decline with edit:

"My flux capacitor is broken" SEND.

Within 5 minutes another meeting request came out for today. Hope that branch chief has a sense of humor

Try the Veal.

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:39:00 GMT

It is not often that I am rendered speechless. Indeed, I am sort of know at work for my ability to deliver a humorous reply no matter how ridiculous the question.

So....

We have a big review going on this week. I normally dress in jeans and a polo at work because, well, I really do WORK. This means that when I wear a suit, I get comments.

I'm walking down the hallway to my office and I see two team leaders from the division chatting with a third guy who knows me because of the division 'socials' I organize. The team leaders are nice guys that I often joke with. One them looks up, greets me, and then says:

"You know what Greg, and I mean this in a totally non-sexual way, when you dress up...you're a really good looking guy."

Silence falls. I keep walking, looking down at the floor, for one brief, shining moment rendered speechless. I mean, how the hell do you respond to that?

I hear one of them chuckle and in a low voice say "He just doesn't know what to say to that."

Then, my muse returns....

"Well thanks _____, that's really nice of you to say...but you know, that's why I purposely dress down all the time...because (and here I put on a fake choked up, sobbing voice) I just don't want to be treated like another piece of beef."

The laughter just echos down the hallway as I pass them and then from behind me I hear "ya know, that was a really good reply..."

I'm here all week...

Answering Letters from Our Readers

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:11:25 GMT

This is the part of our program where we answer letters from our readers.

Yes, I know....just humor me and go with the gag, will you? Sheesh.

Erica from Nebraska asks "Dear Greg, just how good of seats did you guys have at that baseball game? And is your son single because my daughter thinks he is hot"

Well Erica, Brandon is single and flattered but his heart belongs to the girl across the street from us...and Hannah Montana. As for the baseball game, well, see for yourself...

Our next letter is from John in NYC. John writes "Yo, youse never said nuttin about no Easter. What up wit dat?"

Well John, aren't you just the Hemingway of Queens? Oh, wipe the confused look off of your protruding, bony brow lest you over tax that 2 cc brain. Easter was a blast. The yard was wet from rain so the Easter Bunny left his stuff in side the house. There was a great basket...

...and lots of eggs for Brandon to find. Once he found them all he planted himself in the family room and started cracking them open one by one...and sorting the candy by type. That's mah boy!

Finally, Becky of Los Angeles CA writes...err....heh...well...gulp...thanks for the picture Becky but this is a family show.

That's all for now folks. Until next time keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.