Long time...No write

Well, it's been quite some time since I've written anything in this blog. Needless to say, it's all work and no play for me. Quite honestly, in my free time from work, I've been playing Mafia Wars on Facebook. This is my crack cocaine! It's incredibly counter-productive. I have the game always running on both computers, so between short little breaks, I can jump back in the game. What an absolute time waster.

Lets see...updates on my life since I last wrote anything...

I managed to get rid of my assistant Gilmer. He wasn't happy working for me and it was starting to effect his job. I don't blame him. Believe me...it's hard working for an asshole like me. I'm incredibly demanding. That's okay. I've gone through three assistants this year. I've pretty much had to do this job by myself for almost 6 years. What's another 6 years by myself?

Lets see...

I did manage to break away from the office and finally see Quantum of Solace. I'm still not too sure how I feel about the movie. I did like Casino Royale better. The action sequences in Quantum were great, but I think the movie as a whole was lacking something (and, I still don't know what that item is).

Lets see...

I've had to kick Johnny in the ass about a hundred times for being disruptive at school and lying to his mother. I don't know what the hell is wrong with that kid. He's so smart and has a great sense of humor. And, he's a good person. Why is it that he feels he should lie to Mommy about the things he does? Maybe he thinks that he will get in big trouble? I've explained to him over and over again that if he just tells the truth, sure he'll get in trouble, but not as bad as it will be if he lies about it. He's currently being grounded (again) and has lost his imaginary friend.

Lets see...

Thanksgiving was okay. We really never do much. We spent most of the afternoon with Kelly's family. Not much more to speak of.

Lets see...

Work, work, and more work. Now that the end of the year is coming to a close, I have report after report to run before our last set of meetings in Las Vegas. No date has been set yet, but I think it will be sometime this month. Not looking forward to that.

Well, hell...better get back to work. Today is the 3rd of December and I haven't even closed out my November logs. What a pain in the ass. What a ton of work.

Grand Junction makes CNN

Quantum's short Trailer

Quantum of Solace Trailer in HD @ Yahoo! Video

Only a Month away!

'Quantum Of Solace' Theatrical Trailer @ Yahoo! Video

I'm not going to eat that Cow-Patty!

A few things about me...

I saw this questionnaire on my sissy's MySpace page this morning and thought it would be fun to post here, although I've changed a couple of questions. Unless you went to college with me, my life is pretty much a closed-book. Hell, there are still plenty of things in my past that Kelly isn't even aware of. Most of you, including family members, probably don't know a few of the answers that I've posted. Enjoy.

1. What's your middle name? Hideyo

2. How big is your bed? King

3. What are you listening to right now? My Typing and the "Money Report" on my computer

4. Have you ever been arrested? A couple of times for Public Drunkenness

5. What was the last thing you ate? A blueberry muffin that Mike Porter's wife brought for me (what a sweetie!)

6. Last person you hugged? Johnny

7. How is the weather right now? Getting warmer at 68 degrees (suppose to be 82 degrees today).

8. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? My cars.com rep. Her name is Beth Schubert. She's coming to town for a visit next week.

9. What is the first thing you notice in the opposite sex? Hair Color (I like Red Heads)

10. Favorite type of Food? Pizza and Burgers...I'm pretty plain when it comes to food

11. Do you want children? I have one. One is enough!

12. Do you drink? Way too much...I'm what you call a Functioning Alcoholic

13. Hair color? Eye color? Brown and Brown

14. Do you have any bad habits? Smoking, drinking, and way too much Caffeine

15. Do you wear contacts/glasses? Glasses

16. Favorite holiday? Thanksgiving...it's the only time when we all get together as a family.

17. Favorite Season? Spring

18. Have you ever cried over a girl? A couple (Jennifer Van Beak, Crystal Caserras, and Samantha Miller)

19. Last Movie you Watched? "The Bourne Identity" on DVD

20. What books are you reading? "Blink"...it's a business book...pretty boring.

21. Piercings? I'm afraid of needles

22. Favorite Movie? That's such a hard question. I have lots of favorite movies. If I had to pick, I would say "Blazing Saddles" or "The Jerk". I've seen them both a million times.

23. Favorite college football Team? Boston College...They're the ultimate upset team

24. What were you doing before filling this out? Filling out my assistant's Calender for the day

25. Any pets? Daisy (German Shepard) and Parker (shit-head Golden Lab)

27. Dogs or cats? As long as they're dead, I'm not too particular

28. How many phone numbers do you have saved on your cellphone? Over 500...I use 95% of my Blackberry for business

29. Who would you like to see right now? A couple of old friends

30. Have you ever fired a gun? Are you kidding me? I have enough firearms to start a small war

31. Do you like to travel by plane? I've logged more flight hours than most pilots

32. Right-handed or Left-handed? Ambidextrous, although my handwriting with my left hand is a little sloppy

33. If you could go to any place right now where would you go? Back to sleep or the Mayan Riviera

34. Are you missing someone? All the time

35. Do you have a tattoo? My father used to tell me, "Only convicts and soldiers have tattoos", so No.

36. Do you still watch cartoons on Saturday mornings? Only if my son is watching them...he's pretty fond of Sponge Bob

37. Are you hiding something from someone? I have lots of skeletons

38. Do you have a favorite song? "A Day in the Life" by the Beatles

39. What is the wallpaper on your cellphone? GM logo and Calender

40. Did you get enough sleep last night? No. I suffer from insomnia

41. First thing you thought about this morning? Damn Dogs!

42. What do you have handy at your bedside? Extra Pillow and Glock 17

43. Shoe size? Depends on the make...8 1/2 M in a Johnston & Murphy and a solid 9 M in an Allan Edmund

44. Are you afraid of the dark? Yes. I've always been afraid of what I can't see.

45. Favorite hangout? Now that I have a family, I don't get to "Hangout"

46. 3 things you can't live without? My cellphone, laptop, and camera

47. Are you a Giver or a Taker? I'd say it's a 50/50 split

48. What is your dad's middle name? Linn

49. What is your mother's middle name? Do Japanese people have middle names?

50. Stuck on a deserted island and could take one thing? Food

51. How many hours a day do you spend on the Internet? 8 to 12 hours...my job requires me to be on the Internet

52. Who's your cellphone provided? AT&T/Cingular

53. First thing you'll save in a house fire? My family or photographs

54. Have you ever been in a car accident? 3, none of which were my fault

55. What are the things you always take with you? Blackberry, money, and camera

56. What did you want to be when you were a kid? Han Solo

57. Where were you born? 29 Palms, California

58. Any siblings? 3 sisters

59. Do you still talk to your high school/college friends? Most of them from college

60. Are you a creature of habit? Oh, yeah...I have a routine every morning. And, if that routine is broken, my day goes to shit. I suffer from obsessive compulsive behavior.

Football, Fast Jets, Little Kids, and Hot Chicks

What a weekend! Sure, I had to work. What else is new? But, instead of sitting behind a computer at home all weekend, I had planned out a day-and-a-half of fun and excitement! You may have noticed something strange about the photograph on the left...it's pre-haircut! I posted a photograph on Saturday of me in the post-haircut phase, when I had meant to do a side-by-side comparison.

SATURDAY

My weekend started on Saturday at 4:15PM, with my purchase of a new digital camera. I finally broke down and bought a digital SLR. That's really the last thing that I need. I'm sure Kelly wasn't too happy. We now have 5 digital cameras, 3 camcorders, 2 analog SLR's in the house. Call me a realist, but I've put off purchasing a digital SLR because I still don't think that a digital camera can match up to the clarity of film. And, it's been a difficult task to find a digital SLR that will allow me to use my Tamron lens.

I wound up purchasing the Sony A300 SLR. Why a Sony, when I am a die-hard Nikon user? Well, a couple of reasons...Although the Nikon D40 is a highly rated camera, it lacks several items that I would want in the D60. And, quite honestly, I didn't want to put out the extra dough to step up to the D60. Plus, the D40 wouldn't allow me to use a Tamron lens.

Is the Sony a better camera? I'm not too sure yet. Sony invented the proprietary imaging hardware used in all digital cameras. I currently own two Sony digital cameras and I have been pleased thus far. Now, the reason I did go with the Sony boiled down to one thing and one thing only. I'm a tight-ass. Simple as that. Sure the Sony cost as much as the Nikon D60, but in the long run, the Sony will cost less to operate. Do you much about the Sony corporation? Well, the Sony company was smart to produce products that are not compatible with any other company's. For instance...the cords that are used on a Sony digital camera cannot be interchanged with a Canon digital camera, nor can you purchase an aftermarket version of this particular cord. Well, being a proud owner of several Sony products, I figured that if I purchased the A300, I wouldn't have to purchase any other cords or cables. They're all compatible! Now, if I would have purchased the Nikon D40, I would have to purchase all new shit, including memory cards. So, in a nut-shell, the Sony cost less.

After purchasing the camera and leaving the office early, I picked Johnny and Kelly up for the Mesa State game. Mesa State College is our local college. They have a well-ranked RMAC football team and an incredible, nationally ranked baseball team. Johnny and I attend the Mesa State games as often as possible. It's wonderful entertainment for the price! Plus, what a better way to spend time with your kid? A football/baseball game, a couple of hot dogs, and quality time together! This football game was a little different. Mommy decided to come along! What a surprise. Other than the Broncos' games, Kelly has never attended a sporting event with Johnny and I. Just a night to hang out with the boys. Mesa State would go on to beat Fort Lewis by 35 points.

SUNDAY

Johnny and I would wake up early Sunday morning. We had big plans. The two of us had been planning to go to the Air Show for about 2 weeks now. My father used to take me to the air shows when I was a child. I think all little boys like Fighter Planes. Hell, I'm an adult and I still dig them. They're kind of like sports cars, but they carry bombs, missiles, and some can fly at two times the speed of sound. I dig fast cars, too.

I grew up in the Top Gun era. I wanted to be an F-14A pilot as a kid. I still do. I can walk into any arcade these days and still kick any kids ass on any flight simulator game! I've logged more flight hours on video games than most pilots log in real life.

The day would start out pretty slow. The gates opened at 9:00AM. We wanted to get good seats, so we showed up at 8:55AM. What a mistake! Nobody told us that the Air Show would start until noon! Hell, the Broncos were playing Kansas City at 11:15AM (no big stroke...they got their asses kicked).


Johnny and I spent the first three hours looking at airplanes, with a little pre-show action in between. Although I grew up in the "Jet Age", my favorite plane of all time is the P-51 Mustang. They had a beautiful restored P-51 in the viewing area. Chuck Yeager flew a P-51. He was my childhood hero. His autobiography was the very first real book I ever read.

Pre-Show would continue with more WWII era planes. Johnny was starting to get bored. We walked around the booths a little longer and stopped for a hot dog. We ran into a few old friends and stopped to chat. We were getting ready to pack it in, when all of a sudden a Mig 17 screamed over our head. Finally some loud planes that flew fast! Johnny's enthusiasm for the air show became a little greater.


This Mig 17 is one of two remaining in the world. Notice the rear seat? Mig 17's are a dime a dozen. But a two-seater is a different story. Mayor Gregg Palmer would fly in this plane on Friday afternoon. Gregg is Kelly's boss. Although the top speed of this plane is nothing compared to the fighter planes of today, I bet it was an absolute blast to fly shotgun.


The highlight of the Pre-Show was the Jet Powered Chevy Truck. What a red-neck event. But, I will be the first to admit...this was pretty cool. The truck was powered by 2 Pratt-Whitney Jet Engines, with a top speed of about 500 MPH. Matter of fact, in a race between the Mig 17 and the Jet Truck, the truck came out ahead by a long shot.

Finally some action! As 12:00PM approached, the jets finally took to the air. The airshow started with a fly-by of the F15 at almost 1,000 MPH. Pretty incredible for a 6 year old. Because the F16 came in from behind, it took the crowd by surprise. Johnny was now having a little fun.



We received a phone call from my friend Seth at about 12:30PM to join his family in the VIP section. Not a bad deal since he had all of his children with him. Johnny and Seth's son Tony have played together in the past, so at least the boys had each other to keep busy.

Johnny and Tony

The boys played for a while. I really am glad that Seth invited us over. Johnny was starting to get bored and I would have hated to leave without seeing the Blue Angels. I was pretty sure that he would enjoy seeing them fly.

Finally...at about 2:00PM, the Blue Angels took to the sky. I've seen these guys fly since I was a child. I can remember watching them at El Toro Air Station, when the US Navy was still using the F-4 Phantom. Nowadays, the Navy uses the F-18 Hornet. Without watching them in person, you'd never realize how dangerously close together they fly...and, how low to the ground they get!

We finally left the Air Show at about 5:00PM and met Mommy for dinner. What a fun-filled day. Here are a few more photographs for you to enjoy.

Seth's son Tony, looking all crazy!

Johnny and Daddy

Johnny preparing for the Blue Angel's lift-off

Seth's other son Jake

Hot chick in the viewing area

PEEK-A-BOO

Baby Zoe during her visit to Uncie John's office

Fresh Haircut

The Word

What to say? What to say?

Another long week, full of ups and downs. Some good. Some bad.

Johnny received his school photos back from the photographers. Thank God that he smiled. I didn't want to go through last year's Mommy Meltdown again. Holy crap...Kelly wasn't at all happy that he didn't smile last year. So, needless to say, it's a very good thing that he smiled.

1st Grade

Kindergarten

We have a pretty full weekend, so I'll have lots of photos and writing to post on Monday (maybe Sunday, depending on the work-load Kelly has for me).

Have a nice weekend

FRIDAY NIGHT

Another late night in the office. It's now going on 7:44PM. I got to work this morning at 7:00AM to prepare for my manager's meeting (Financials & Quarterlies...ugh!). So, as Kelly would say, "I figured as much...I'll see you when you decide to come home". Why the hell would anyone put themselves through this shit? I tell you what...it's pretty hard to walk away from this job if you saw my YTD Gross Earnings. I say "Gross", because the Feds have beat the shit out of me so far this year ($4,150.39 on this check alone!).

Well, shit...I better get going. I still have a pile of paperwork to go through before my Quarterly Review on Monday.

I hope I still have a job on Tuesday.

Tuesday Morning

Well, do I really need to let you know how my week has gone? I bet you can guess...I've been incredibly busy. But, when am I not busy? After taking a few days off with Dad's visit, I found myself four days behind, with twice as much work to do (Gilmer had to go out of town for a few days). Here it is, a week later, and I'm now just getting caught up! Whew!

And, of course, this week is already flying by and I still have a mountain of work to plough through. So, with that said, we're just going to post photos of my "Week in Review".

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

Haven't shaved in four days...lookin' a bit rough.

Half-way through

Sqeaky Clean

On my way to the office. Man, I love Sweater Vests!

Ah, shit...look at this work load! I count 3 cups of coffee.

Late night dinner...a cold beer, waiting for my take-out.
If you've never eaten the Works Burger at Weaver's, you're missing out. The Best burger in town.

Hilarious photograph that Dirk gave me.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

Pesky fly on my newspaper!

Mandy cutting Kelly's hair.

Fresh Haircut and lookin' hot!

Quick nose-pick before Swim Lessons start.

Lookin' tired after swimming for 30 minutes. That's tough work!

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

WORK, WORK, WORK
(a few staff meetings in between)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 (YEA!!!!!)

On my way to meet Johnny and Robert for 18 holes

Johnny and Daddy enjoying a moment

Robert shanked this one. Where'd the ball go?

Daddy and Johnny enjoying another moment

Man, we're two good looking guys!

Johnny's new Driver Sock

What a nasty shot...I would Bogey this hole

Chocolate cookies always taste better on the Golf Course

Missed a few spots cleaning his face

I shock myself with how good looking I am.

Ethan's Birthday Gift (The Broncos won Sunday)