Sunday, August 31, 2008

Happy Anniversary.....

Only a couple of hours before Cassie and I trek off to the airport to pick up Morgan. Her flight arrives at 6pm, but then she needs to get her luggage, so who knows when she will be "ready". Luckily, the airport here in SD has a "cell phone lot", where you can sit and park and wait for the person you are picking up to call you. That way no going round and round the airport (like RDU), or waiting for security to threaten you and chase you off. :-)

Today is also our 17th wedding anniversary. We have had way more ups than downs over the time, and I love her more and more each and every day. I am a lucky man.

My Monday and Thursday nights are now filled up for the fall time with classes / small groups through church. On Mondays, I will be taking the "New Believers Guide to the Bible" class. Morgan took the class in the springtime and really enjoyed it. Then on Thursday evenings, Morgan and I will be joining a small group hosted by a couple we have become friendly with, Tony & Elise. We met them at a marriage workshop in March, and see them every Saturday night at church. They also came to the beach to watch us, and others being Baptized. We will be reading and discussing Intimacy Ignited, which is based off the Song of Solomon.

That's it. Lazy day, and I'm tired because I played games with some Geezers until 2am, and my body does not like me right now. :-)

- These Hurricane Hunters are nuts.
- Final month of baseball. Will the Rays hold on?
- ESPN's Presidential Fantasy League.

Until the next time.....

Saturday, August 30, 2008

eye of the storms.....

As I am writing this, Morgan should be getting her last night of sleep in Ireland. I was not able to check her in online, so she will need to do all of that at the airports tomorrow, but the way her travel schedule is, she will have plenty of time to do it. I can't wait to see her, and hear all about her trip.

Cassie just returned from a birthday party. It was for a girl she is in Girl Scouts with, and also goes to her school. They live over 20 miles away, but her mom teaches at their school, so I guess she gets to "bring" her child with her, instead of their neighborhood school. Cassie went with out neighbor and their family, so I was out of the loop on this one. Now, she needs to clean up for church.

So the Gulf of Mexico part of the country has Gustav bearing down on them, and then another storm, Hanna, making a strange path at this time that seems to take it due west and bring itself into the Gulf. When a storm gets into the Gulf, it has to hit something (unlike Atlantic hurricanes). I hope that they are incorrect about Hanna, and it turns north. Otherwise, I pray that these storms settle down and some to shore in deserted areas along the coast. That whole area is still getting its act together after Katrina in 2005, and does not need a repeat so soon.

The Republicans are supposed to have their convention next week, but it looks like there is a good possibility they will delay some or all of it a few days if Gustav does a tremendous amount of damage.

The other "storm" still revolves around John McCain's pick of Sarah Palin as his VP. People need to calm down. Let them have their convention (her speech is scheduled for Wednesday night), and get their feet on the ground. If the bar keeps getting lowered for her before she has a chance to do anything, it will be much easier for her to impress with her speech next week, as people will finally get to know a little about her, and may wonder what all the fuss was about.

I sent out a "summertime" email to my clients, and included a blurb about Morgan and I being Baptized, and also the link to the story about Morgan in San Diego Magazine. I received lots of nice feedback on both personal items, with Morgan's story getting many "That's amazing" comments.

- Guess there are people still wanting to hear John Edwards.
- Mr. Ocho Cinco?
- College Football's first weekend. Upsets already.

Until the next time.....

didn't see that coming.....

Morgan still having a great time on her trip. We miss her, but she will be home in two days, so we are glad for that. Luckily, she has Monday off, but I think she might have a hard time getting readjusted to her schedule next week. It might take the whole week or so to get back to normal.

Cassie had her first rough water swim practice this evening. Not sure what they will really be doing besides swimming out then back, but any ocean swimming practice is a good thing for her. First, it is good for her to learn to swim in ocean water (in case of emergency), and it will also be a good tough workout that should help when normal practices start up again on September 8th.

So when I mentioned in Tuesday's post that I was looking for a "curveball" in John McCain's VP pick, I did not expect him to listen to me, but he did. :-) Sarah Palin, is the Governor of Alaska, and great selection by John McCain. She is unknown to many, (but polls showed not many know Senator Biden, and he has been a member of the Senate since 1972) and was "off the radar" to most concerning the VP pick, but when comparing her to the rest of the "short list" that was known, I find her to come out on top. She is a bit of a "maverick", in the same way McCain was/is (the pick shows he still has a "maverick" side), and that is a good thing.

Some are going to ask, "is she ready to be President"? Well, she is the governor of a state, so she deals with a legislature, in almost the same way a President deals with Congress. Also, being governor means she has dealt with budgets, and is the "buck stops here" person for the state problems. That to me is more "exposure" to the people, makes you a "manager of the people", a CEO, (if you will) and in my mind, makes you more qualified than being a Senator.

***History Lesson*** If you look back in history, the last sitting Senator to be elected President was John F. Kennedy in 1960 (Richard Nixon was a Senator, then was the VP under President Eisenhower from 1952-1960), as elected Presidents are usually governors (Carter, Reagan, Clinton, Bush) or vice-presidents (Johnson, Nixon & Bush, Sr.). So in most cases, our elected President has either been in charge of a state (which has to balanced budgets, make political deals, etc), or has been the "under study" to a President, and gets "on the job training". ***

But, she has no foreign policy experience? So? Neither did four (Carter, Reagan, Clinton, & Bush) of our last five (Bush, Sr. did) elected presidents, and it was not a factor (unless I missed when Arkansas or Texas were invaded, or brought into the Middle East peace talks). This is a "team" job. There is a reason why there is a Secretary of State, Defense Secretary, Generals, etc. surrounding anyone in the White House.

I can't imagine there is anyone that votes who actually thinks there is a person out there that knows every detail of every idea that needs to be implemented to run this country, and deal with foreign policy.

These are the same non-experience arguments brought up against Barack Obama. Guess what? Those arguments don't fly with me either. Sure, I would liked more "seasoned" participant, seeing that he has a very good chance to be our next President, but it will not be the deciding factor in my choice to vote for or against him. (My reasoning for both McCain and Obama right before election day) But, how long is that? Is it 10 years in Washington, DC? Or 6 years being a governor? Or a combination? But then on the other side, can they be "too seasoned" and then entrenched in the ways that are not working in the first place?

Anyway, a bold pick by McCain (whether it works or not.....), and after people get to know more about Governor Palin, a very good one. Even if they lose, unless she is a disaster out on the campaign trail, this should give her a "voice" on the national stage.

At the end of the day, you will decide between Barack Obama and John McCain. Not Joe Biden and Sarah Palin. Because if that was true, we would have had a President Dukakis, and not George HW Bush as our 41st president (Bentsen versus Quayle, anyone?).

Lots of religion, economics and politics lately. Hope I'm not losing too many of you, but it is my rant space. ;-)

- Lots of stars to make this movie good and funny.
- So, Comcast is going to cap broadband usage (large cap, for now).
- I'm very old. I can remember box seats for less than $10.

Until the next time.....

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

drafty.....

Morgan said that most of today was spent in the bus, as they toured and did sight-seeing of the Ireland coast. She finally mentioned that the camera works well, and is easy, so she has taken many pictures. That means lots of editing by me next week. ;-)

I have been listening to little bits of her show in the morning, and let's just say they miss her. I'm not going to beat a dead horse (well, yes I am), but if you are in the information section of entertainment, it would be nice if you thought about looking at the front page of the paper, and maybe had an idea of a current event.

Hillary Clinton did not self-combust on stage last night (I normally do not care what one wears, but the orange suit must go), but tonight we get to see former President, Bill Clinton, make his speech while grinding his teeth the whole time. It should be fun. Actually, between the former President, Democratic VP nominee Joe Biden, and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, it is three gentlemen I like to hear speak or debate topics (although I don't usually agree with them on many points), but under this partisan setting, I will be fast-forwarding through the dvr.

Almost time for my first Fantasy Football draft of the season, so I need to wrap up. It is with some of my Geezer buddies from the Chicago area. There will be twelve of us playing in this one, and I have the 6th overall pick. Picking in the middle means I will have to think. I hate that. :-)

The other two I am in are "auto-drafts", so that means we don't meet live in a chat room and make our picks, but instead make a list in order, and the computer takes care of the drafting. One is with other Geezers, and the last one is with my high school buddies.

I see my friends in NC got a bunch of wet and dangerous weather. Hope everyone is OK, and I hope everyone got rain. I know it sounds crazy, but I miss weather.

- Guess we will find out if Michael Phelps is funny.
- Newest Nikon camera. Know Casey is looking.....
- Tampa Bay Rays help battle prostate cancer. Hooray for them!

Until the next time.....

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

dog and pony show.....

Morgan had another nice day today in Ireland. It is funny that with the eight hour time difference that when she is "ending" her day and getting ready for dinner, I am just having my breakfast. I hope she has been taking pictures.

We have the Democratic National Convention going on in Denver this week, and next week the Republicans invade Minneapolis. You would think for the political "junk" I follow I would watch the conventions, but for the last few cycles, I really have not. Now, I will watch tonight to see if Hillary Clinton self-combusts while saying nice things about Barack Obama, but otherwise unless it rains Thursday night while Obama gives his speech outside at Invesco Field, this will be an uneventful event.

Same goes for the Republicans. Saturday we will be finding out John McCain's running mate (sure to be Mitt Romney, but a "curveball" would be nice), and then it will be a "by the script" four day convention. Only real "news" will be how much the party distances itself from President Bush, but other than that, no real news. A Labor Day two foot snowfall in Minnesota would be the only way to make the RNC party interesting.

Then it will be less than a 60 day sprint to the November 4th election.

Thursday evening I have "back to school night". The teacher that Cassie has was pretty good in sending home notes last week on what to expect this year, so I'm not sure what to expect.

On Friday Cassie starts her "rough water" swim practices. She will have four before the event on Sunday, September 7th. It is about 20 miles from the house, so I will need to stick around while she practices. Guess I can get caught up on my readings.

- History of Superman
- Now baseball will have instant replay for certain plays.
- Just what I need. A SportsCenter website.

Until the next time.....

Monday, August 25, 2008

standard of living.....

In our daily texting of messages, Morgan says she is having a great time. She also found duct tape for the rip in her luggage. That will make it easier for her because they are in a different hotel almost every night.

Also, Kelli is the name of her Australian friend, who she has been traveling with. I told her not to bring up Olympic basketball, because the Americans knocked off both the men's and women's teams last week. :-)

I was watching CNN's Your Money, like I do every weekend (and yes that is as exciting as it sounds), and someone on the show was talking about the sluggish economy with regards to the economy in general plus the lousy housing market (some say lousy, I say correcting), but then added the statement that it is quite possible we would not have a better standard of living then the last generation. Not only is that a ridiculous statement, but I also feel it makes people that do not follow these things closely "fearful", which then causes even more problems.

As I stated earlier, all economics is cyclical, and everytime we hit the top of the circle, it is a little higher than the previous "high". The bottoms fluctuate on how low they go, but the tops always prevail over previous ones. Now, sometimes you go around the circle quickly, and sometimes it is like the Ferris wheel that seems to stop every two seconds. Right now, we seem to be on that slow moving wheel. I believe one reason for that is because of 24 hour information overload. It feels slower than others because we hear, read, and get links about it multiple times a day.

But, for the life of me, I can't understand the "lower standard" statement. A "generation" is supposed to be over a time period, not just "today".

Now, if you want to take that "snapshot" of the person $100K "upside down" on their house, and compare it to his/her parents, sure they seem in worse shape. But, what about that house? I will bet it is worth more than their parent's place at the same time of their lives. Sure, it might be "upside down", but if they waited it out (like our parents did, as they had much better economic patience then us), in a short time (relatively) things will turn around. These are just called "rough times", not some lowering of our standard of living, as compared to our parents.

Also, it is called "standard" of living. Standard means the basics that you need everyday to get by in life. Well, guess what? If you strip all the "extras" and "luxuries" we have and that we think we are entitled to, and "must" have to survive, we are well ahead of the game.

Ugh! Just wish some of these "talking heads" brought on as "experts" would think just a second before speaking. "Normal" people that are not "in tune" with money and economic matters are persuaded very easily by those who they think should know about these matters (I know the "power" I have, and I'm just the tax accountant).

More on those "extras" and "luxuries" in another post.

- Don't agree with his politics, but I like Joe Biden.
- OK, you Idol fans, you now have a 4th judge to complain about.
- Lots of bumpin' at Bristol on Saturday night.

Until the next time.....

Sunday, August 24, 2008

paying for sunshine.....

Have an update on Morgan in Ireland. We seem to be having some problems with text messages getting through (quickly, or at all), so after not hearing from her, and then when I checked online there were large amounts out of the ATM ($1.50 equals $1 Euro. Yikes! We had put money "aside" for the trip, and she told me she took it out early to have the Euros available to her from the start.), I got worried and called the hotel. That is when we found out about messages not getting through.

Morgan is doing well, and having a great time. Only problem was that her luggage has a big rip in it from where it was stored on the flight over to Ireland. She is hoping to find some tape to make a patch job (she did not lose anything), or she will just pick up the largest duffel/storage luggage she can find at a cheap price.

She has met up with a woman from Australia who is also traveling solo, and they have seemed to made a plan to travel together. I figured she would get together with someone on the trip. Overall, she is having a nice time, but Cassie and I miss her. :-(

It is no secret that California is a very high cost of living state, and the larger cities (San Francisco, Los Angeles, and here in San Diego) are even more then the state average.

With us being here almost a year, it is time for our automobile's insurance and registrations to be renewed. Well I just got them in and the insurance bill is at $2800, while our registration renewal fees are a little over $800! That is $800 just for the 4 stickers that go on our license plates. Ugh!

When we got here last year, because Morgan's Viper (it is a used 1994) and my motorcycle were purchased less then a year before we moved here, California charged us the sales tax difference as compared to NC (California sales tax is 7.75%, while NC on vehicles is 3%. Add that to the costs just to newly register a car, and we had a hefty bill well into the $2000 figures. Then our initial insurance bill came, and that was another $2500.

Add that together, and if we do stay here for another year plus the few months, it will cost us somewhere between $10K & $11K just to have cars here in the state.

I am not looking for tears, or a telethon, as again, I have always said, Morgan and I have been blessed with our employment and income situation, but that is a lot of money for anyone. When I looked back at my NC figures for insurance, registration and the Wake County taxes, that figure is right around half of what we are now paying.

You have to drive if you live here, so how a "normal" family swings it out here with these costs, is beyond my imagination. Especially when that is just auto. Look at the gas, food, and utility prices, and your eyes will explode.

There are many things I really like here in SD, but this is one area that always leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I have had people tell me that is the price we pay for the sunshine and weather. Well, I for one am looking for a discount, so let it rain.

- Four years until London (Vancouver for Winter 2010).
- Is this the slowest storm ever? Sure seems it.
- This is why I hate preseason football.

Until the next time.....

Friday, August 22, 2008

600 Starbucks.....

Morgan is off and on her way to Ireland. As I write this, she is just boarding the plane from JFK to Dublin. Her total travel time is 17 "real" hours, but 4 of that is layover time in New York (both leaving and returning) , so 13 hours of flying. On the way there, in terms of "time", it is 25 hours because of the time difference (8 hours from here in SD), and 9 hours when she returns next Sunday.

I am really feeling bad about not going with her. As I have said, I am not much of a traveler, and when she made these plans, I made plenty of excuses in my head for not joining her. I was still uncomfortable out here, it was really "for her" as a "prize" for her weight loss, and when you factor in Cassie, I just dug me heels in and never even thought about going with her. She was supposed to have different travel partners, but each time they backed out, and each time, I kept saying, "I can't go". Today, I regret that, and am a bit sad about it. I have made a promise to myself not to let this happen again, especially when this great of distance in involved.

I really miss her already, but I know she will have a wonderful time.

I was reading about some clothing store closing, Steve & Barry's (which I never heard of) being sold, and 100 of its 276 stores being closed. That is 36% of it's existing stores closing. A quote in the article from an analyst states "“During their extreme growth mode, which was too ambitious, they took on some leases at the wrong price and wrong location,” Teitelbaum told." Really, do you think so? When you can close 100 of your stores, it was not ambitious growth, but lack of planning.

Steve & Barry's is not the only one closes locations. Many businesses are doing it right now (you can read about one almost everyday, it seems), but the biggest announcement in the past few months was Starbucks closing 600 stores.

What I don't get is the lack of "future vision" in these businesses forecasts. Was every CEO born within the last 10 years? Have not any of them realized that as long as there was an economy (Starting with Adam "buying" that apple. Bad deal.) it goes up and down, or in cycles?

We have all heard the joke the last few years about a Starbucks on every corner. Well in some places of the US, there literally is one on every corner. This article in USA Today from 2006 has a chart that shows how many stores are in each state (More now, as this was two years ago.), and how many residents per store (Now a bit lower, as the population has not grown that much in proportion to stores. Well, legally. But that is another post). The chart shows that after Washington, DC with less than 10,000 residents per store, the state of Washington is next at almost 12K per store, and while California is a little further down the list in terms of residents per store, there were 2004 stores in the state as of the writing of the article. 2004 coffee shops!

Now they are cutting 600 of those stores. For arguments sake, let's assume that it cost an average of $50,000 to upfit each store. That is $30 million to get them ready to make coffee. Just to get even from that, those 600 stores would need to sell 6 million cups of coffee at $5 a cup to just pay for the upfitting, and that is before purchasing any ingredients. What were they thinking?

I am not picking on these two, well maybe a little on Starbucks, as there are many other business "downsizing" their number of locations. Also, I am not against growth, but what I do believe in is smart and controlled growth (and that goes for housing, as well as businesses). There are many lessons to be learned from this "economic downturn" as it is being called, and those are lessons for businesses, as well as the population in general. My hope is that these lessons are learned as we make our way out of this, and when the economy gets "hot" again in the next upturn of the cycle.

Here is a free hint for business owners, and large company CEOs. If your product is good, we, as consumers, will make an effort to get it. If that means travelling to the next town for the store, or using the internet (and every retail by now should have a robust internet presence), we will do it. We don't need a store of yours on every corner. But, if it is the same as the other guy, we then will use convenience. So, if you want us, make or supply the better product. We will find you.

I was going to apologize for ranting, but I'm not. have a feeling there are more to come. ;-)

- This is the "movie of the week" Cassie wants to see.
- More Disney music being heard in our house.
- Cooking video games. I know one girl who wants them.

Until the next time.....

Thursday, August 21, 2008

I saw your picture.....

Morgan is packing for her trip. I miss her already. When she originally booked this I had no interest, but now I wish I were going with her. It's funny as I have no desire to visit my "homeland" of Italy, but Ireland seems like more fun to me. Maybe again in a few years, the three of us can go.

A few weeks ago, I gave the link to the online version of San Diego Magazine that had Morgan featured with before and after pictures of her weight loss, and then a Q&A with her about different items. The magazine is now out in print and available to subscribers, on newsstands, and it seems in hotel rooms.

She received an email form a gentleman who works in Houston for an oil company, and was visiting San Diego for conference or meeting he had to attend. Seems that in the week leading up to this trip, he had been told by his doctor that he needed to change his eating habits, to lose some weight, and just to get healthier in general. Seeing that the trip entailed business meetings with buffets and alcohol, he figured any new habits would have to start after he arrived back home to Houston. Well, on the first afternoon here, before an evening gatherings with clients / business people, he was flipping through the San Diego Magazine in his room and came across Morgan's page. Well, what he said was that he came across Morgan's picture in the right corner, and that made him stop flipping, but then he actually read the article. He told her that he was so inspired by her story, that he started his change of behavior at that time because of reading her story.

It made Morgan feel great, and it also made me proud that she was able to help someone. She already has two women that discuss their weight loss, due to Morgan's inspiration, on the air each Monday, and we are sure there are plenty of others that she does not know about.

Of course the other part of this story is having another man tell your wife, (quoting) "it was the stunning picture in the top right hand corner that caught my eye (as it would any man not dead)". I don't know how to react to this. I feel the "Yes, that's my beautiful wife" (proud), and the "I am one lucky man, now turn your head and bug off" (jealousy), emotions all at once. It's not a "rage" jealousy, but one of slight discomfort that I need to learn to adjust to, and get over.

Morgan and I have had this discussion quite a few times, and we have come to the conclusion that besides the person losing the weight having to deal with their "new you", their partners (especially long time ones) also must adjust to the "new them". It is just taking me a little while to get completely comfortable with the idea of other men "looking" at my wife.

Morgan and I have had a solid relationship for these past 18+ years, and I truly have nothing to worry about when it comes to Morgan, and our love for each other. I know how much I love her and how it grows each and every day.

I also feel I have the same "spark" for her and that seeing her makes me feel the same way now as it did 18 years ago. I may not always show it to her, and for that I apologize, but I feel it in me every time I see her.

That point was brought up to me at church last Saturday night. A couple we know and are friendly with, will be leading a "small group" of couples, with the Bible connection being intimacy. Tony mentioned that the thought process behind the topic was how couples don't feel the same spark that they did when they first meet, and are dating. Well, I do, and maybe even more so now than 18 years ago. I felt funny saying that when he told me, so I did not say anything, and I am interested in taking the class, but it made me wonder if I am in the minority on this issue. Yes, life is hard with work, Cassie, family, and the times in general, and we are more "tired" then awake most days, but I always feel a "spark" for Morgan. I always get that "feeling" when I see, or are with her, and no matter what we are doing. I can be crawling into bed after she is long asleep, or if she is still sleeping when I awake, or when I bug her with an inane question, and she gives me that "look", I always feel a little better because of her.

Maybe I am misunderstanding the "theme" of the class. Or maybe Morgan and I have it easier than most couples? In either case, I just know I am lucky to feel this way each and every day, and I have room for 50 mores years of "spark" with her.

- Only a couple of more Olympic days remaining.
- Fay has plenty of rain, bringing out the gators. Yikes.
- Just joined my 3rd Fantasy Football league. Must stop. :-)

Until the next time.....

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

birthday wife.....

Today is the birthday of "The Love of My Life". Then on the 31st, we celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary, so we celebrate two special days within a two week period. I can't imagine life without her. In between today and the end of the month, she will be headed off to Ireland, so temporarily, we will be apart, and I will miss her very much each day.

We don't have anything special planned except for a family dinner somewhere of Morgan's choosing, and then a quick run to Best Buy to pick up a "point and shoot" camera for her trip.

Received an email from our builder that they have "pinned" the house on the lot, and will be digging for the footings tomorrow or Friday. Then next week, they will pour and work on the foundation. From there they will start thew framing, and expect the framing to be completed about a week before Morgan arrives for the walk through. I'm starting to get "itchy". :-)

Slow work time, so it looks like I have time for a quick nap before we go out. Of course, knowing me, I will find something else to do, and not get near the bed before we need to leave. Too much game playing these past few nights.

Again, Happy Birthday Honey!!!

- Are you CSI fans OK with Mr. Fishburne?
- Game predicted Russia/Georgia conflict?
- Get well soon, Yaz.

Until the next time.....

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

new year.....

Not a real New Year, but a new school year for Cassie. Today she started the fifth grade. Time sure does fly by, and it has been these school years, and not my birthdays that make me feel old. I can't have a 5th grader? Well, yes I do. :-)

She had a good first day of class. She likes her new teacher (not as much as her 2nd grade teacher), and has some friends are also in her class. My problem came when she mentioned that there were 31 kids in the class. She is a good student, and shouldn't get lost in the mix, as Morgan and I will stay on top of her to make sure she is understanding everything and getting everything needed done.

I just caught up with Chris' comments from my response about the energy/financial situations that I discussed over a couple of posts. I understand where he is coming from with this mess we are in hurting the "regular / do it the right way" person or families, as was illustrated by his mention that the housing and credit mess are causing good applicants to jump through more hoops to get a loan. I totally agree that good people are getting caught in the tentacles of others' messes.

As for the energy question, I think we have decided to agree to disagree. :-)

A client e-mailed me to ask if I would be interested in handled the accounting for a preschool back in NC. It is part of a church (like it is at Macedonia Baptist, where Cassie attended), but run separately, and the person doing the books just left, but also was doing them poorly. My client would act as the bookkeeper and handle the day-to-day operations, with me putting together monthly payroll and financial reports, along with their year end information. She is going to get back to me after relaying my ideas and questions to the leaders of the school.

Otherwise, all is quiet here in the west. Morgan is gearing up for he trip to Ireland that starts on Friday, and we should be getting a graded lot and foundation soon. We hope.

- Ayyy! It's the Fonz.
- Swimming is over, but you still should watch.
- I loved watching the Banana Splits as a kid.

Until the next time.....

Monday, August 18, 2008

Baptism at the Beach.....

Last night was Morgan's and my Baptism. We got to the beach early (around 4:30, while the Baptisms were to start around 7pm), and enjoyed some time in the ocean. I loved being there with Morgan, and Cassie, when she wasn't so far out into the ocean on her "body board". We had some dinner with other church members, and their friends and family that joined them. Some of the other members of CRB were there to also be Baptised, while others were just there to be there with us.

Pastor Harry

The pictures were taken by Veronica, a girlfriend of Seth, who was also being Baptised last night. Thank you, Veronica. :-)

Also, as you can see in the pictures, the whole evening was recorded by CRB's video team, so I am sure there will be a DVD and maybe some still pictures available to us in a few weeks or so.
Before heading into the ocean. Yes, I was a bit nervous.




The following is Morgan's note to Kellie this morning describing last evening's events.

Kellie--Just wanted to share the most amazing moment in my life which was my baptism last night. There were over 200 people standing on the beach. Over 110 were getting baptised. 4 pastors in the water. Sal and I were allowed to get baptised together. Right at the moments when we were about to walk out into the water the sun came out from behind the clouds right above the water. As I walked up to Pastor Harry I said "look I got the perfect sunset!". He put his hands on my shoulders, looked me in the eyes and said "That's God smilin' down on you right now." He asked us if we believed that Jesus died on the cross for us.... do you believe that he rose three days later.....do you promise to honor and emulate Him in everything you do.....do you promise to walk with Him forever and ever.........then with one hand pointing to the sky and the other on my back, my Pastor said "With these promises to made to the God most high, I baptise you in the name of Jesus Christ almighty" and under the water I went, with Sal right next to me by the other Pastor. When we came out, Pastor Harry gave us a big hug and said 'Congratulations!'

It was postcard perfect. I think only being baptised in the Jordan river would have been more perfect! AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING. Standing on the beach waiting for my turn, staring at the sunset, I was hit with this HUGE feeling that all of this, everything we've been thru the past four years, lead to this moment. I believe that moving out here, finding this church, finding Christ (again) and having a true relationship with Him and then getting baptised was and is what it's been all about. Strange how it took San Diego to make it happen. For always, this will be a magical city for me.

Just had to share! Morgan

Morgan said it all. It was a perfect evening, and I am so happy that Morgan and I were allowed to go out to Pastor Harry and Pastor Bill, together. That just made it much more special.

If you would have told me a couple of years ago that I would be Baptised, with Morgan, in the Pacific Ocean, I would have told you that you were crazy. Well last night, that crazy turned int reality, and I would not have changed a thing.

Until the next time.....

Sunday, August 17, 2008

team effort.....


Above is the winning team from Pacific Swim in the 200m Relay Medley from this mornings event here in San Diego. Cassie swam the third leg (butterfly), and they had a great swim by their anchorgirl in the freestyle, and won the race by 1 second. The girls were very excited, and so were we. It was nice to see them work together.

Cassie did not want to swim a relay when first asked, and Morgan and I are not sure why. She gets along with all the girls, but I just think she is a little worried she will let them down, or possibly "lose" the race. In the end, the coach placed her on the team, she did great, and had a wonderful experience.

Cassie's team now takes the next three weeks off for a "rest" period. Although it is not a true rest period, as Cassie was asked by her coach to swim the La Jolla Rough Water Swim event the first week of September. Basically, "rough water" means an ocean swimming event. She has never done that before, but was excited to be asked, and is looking forward to it.

Can I just say that it must be the beard that makes me look fat faced in the pictures from yesterday. Now, that was only three months after my knee surgery, but boy, did I look heavy!

Only a couple more hours until we head to the beach for a picnic dinner before our Baptism. I'm starting to get some butterflies. I will give Cassie the small camera, and hope she is able to get some pictures of Morgan and myself. Pastor Harry said last night that there are over 80 of us signed up, but I will not be surprised if the number goes over 100 by the time the evening ends.

Last night started the "new year" for the church, and this upcoming year the sermons will be centered on us getting to know the Bible better. This will be accomplished by us starting at the beginning and going through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

Morgan and I don't know if we will be here for the upcoming year of sermons, but if we do leave here, we will be able to follow all the sermons and the church each week. We have always said that leaving CRB will be the toughest part of leaving San Diego, but we will not have to "leave" them. The church produces a DVD of each week's sermon. So, for $5 a week (plus the envelopes and postage I will provide) we will be able to stay in "contact" with CRB, and hear Pastor Harry's weekly message. Personally, I think we would keep getting the DVDs, even after finding a church in NC, as CRB will always have a special place with us.

- So Ben Stiller beats Batman.
- Curt talks a lot, but he knew how to pitch.
- Step right up and get your flu shot.

Until the next time.....

Saturday, August 16, 2008

change of pace.....

This morning was the first day of Cassie's last summer swim meet. They will take a few weeks off, and start back up in late September. She swam an Individual Medley, a 200 freestyle event, and a 50 freestyle event, and then was asked, and participated on a freestyle relay team. She had a great morning and was below all her previous best times (two by almost 20 seconds), and came in 4th place in the 200 freestyle event. Tomorrow will be 50 backstroke and breast stroke (her least favorite) events, along with a 100 butterfly race.

We are very proud of her, as she continues to improve each time, and she is also having fun. Those are the two most important pieces for Morgan and I when it comes to Cassie and her activities. She is not looking to be world class at this point, so our total participation as a family is casual. If she really wanted to pursue it, I would get up at 4am, if need be, for the practices, but first she must always try her best and have fun.

Tomorrow night is our Baptism at the Beach, as our church is calling it. We are looking forward to it, and also to tonight's weekly service, as Pastor Harry returns and the church gets back to "normal". I liked the guest speakers, and I think it was a great way to introduce different stories from different people to us.

Yes, this is a picture of me with a Fu Manchu moustache. After having a goatee for the past 16+ years, I decided to try something different, and so far the family opinion has not been overwhelmingly in favor of it. Cassie just keeps on looking and laughing, while Morgan thinks I belong on "That 70's Show". Maybe I'll let it fill in and go back to the regular goatee, but I'm not sure, and I think I will give it some time.

I kept a mustache from college, until Morgan and I got married in 1991. Then after returning from our honeymoon, where I did not shave, I just kept a full beard (I had hair until 1998), until after tax season in 1992. That is when I shaved down to the goatee, and have kept it ever since. Then when I started losing my hair in 1998, I just shaved it all off, and continued wearing it shaved.

So for the last 10 years, I have maintained the same "look", except for the occasional laziness during winter (when we were back east) where I might not shave for a couple of weeks, and the 2+ months where I grew a "playoff beard" (Casey also joined in) during the Hurricanes 2006 Stanley Cup Playoff run.

So for me, this is just something different, a "change of pace", if you will. I do think I need to make the sides a little bit thicker, as I trimmed too much away when I first shaped it. Who knows, maybe they'll revive "That 70's Show", and I'll get a part. ;-)

- College Football is less than 2 weeks away.

Until the next time.....

Friday, August 15, 2008

energy followup.....

This weekend we have Cassie's last summer swim meet on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and then on Sunday night Morgan and I will be baptised down in La Jolla in the Pacific Ocean. We are really looking forward to it. Not sure, as it might be Cassie, but will try to have some pictures.

Yesterday's post about energy seemed to get many reads, and a few responses. One from Chris was questioning my thinking that $5 gas was a good thing in spurning on "green" alternatives. While there are many suffering because of the high fuel prices which in turn makes everything else more expensive, my comments were not to mean I'm glad they are suffering. My point is that we as a society seem to only really innovate when something else effects our wallets, and I mean that in the bad way (higher costs) and the "good" way (someone can make a buck). My hope is that gas prices drop below $3 a gallon, and in turn, other costs follow the downward trend. I don't think that is going to happen, but it is my hope. A bigger concern though arises from that scenario, and that is we cut back on our thoughts towards alternatives because $3 a gallon does not seem like a big deal. I don't want people to be choosing between gas and food, and I pray that people don't have to make that choice, but it is these tough times in America that usually bring about bigger and better changes. I hope as a nation we follow suit and repeat our record of making things better at the end of the tunnel.

He also mentioned his IRA and the housing market. While I did not mention anything about finances, he did, so I feel that I should/can follow up on his comments.

An IRA not doing well is something I hear from many of my clients. I get the "it's gone down, so I'm not investing anymore" excuse, quite a bit. My answer is "fine, it's your money and decision", but I always ask when did it go down, and has it gone down to where you have less than what you have invested. Nine out of ten times the answer is usually that it went down in the past couple of months, and virtually never have they lost their initial investment if they have been investing for more than 3 or 5 years. We are an American Idol, I want it now, society, and are investment strategies are falling into that trap. I am not sure where it was written that eight to ten percent growth each year was the norm, but people sure feel that way.

Take a large timeline snapshot of investments, and you will see a pretty steady average growth rate when looking at 20 or so years of numbers. Patience is needed with any and all investments. The economy always has its ups and downs, with history showing that there is more overall "up" than "down".

Now some might be "hissing" at me and asking what to I know. Is my family suffering? No, fortunately, my family has been blessed, and although we have tried to destroy ourselves financially (some would say), we have been patient, and not "knee jerk" in our ways. Will we be rich come retirement age? Probably not, but we will be OK, and to me that works just fine.

As for the last point about the housing market. I'm not even sure where to start. There is a ton of blame to go all around, but the first thing I will say is that I do not want to hear anyone cry out that they were forced into a home and mortgage anymore.

People were greedy, and it starts with home buyers thinking homes were going to keeping rising in value at ridiculous rates which made them go look for a home. Then when they did find one, it was usually more than they could afford, but then in came banks and mortgage brokers telling them that they would get them a loan that would "fit" them. Simple division, would have shown them that a $360,000 house with no money down and with no interest is still $1000 a month for 30 years. If that was OK, then add interest to the equation. Start with that teaser 2% interest and the payment is $1330 a month (before insurance and r/e taxes), but then even if the rate doubled to 4%, which is still low, it raises the monthly payment over $300. People were not thinking ahead, and if they were, it was that the $360,000 home would be worth $500,000 in five years. That's great, but unless you were selling or getting a raise, you were still not going to be able to afford the initial payments no matter how high the house value rose.

I am not discounting the fact that there were many crooks out there selling mortgage packages that were wrong, and selling them to people who were marginal loan applicants at best, but again, some simple math and taking a step back could have prevented many of these ills. If these brokers or banks falsified papers, or did other fraudulent acts, I believe they should be prosecuted and punished to the fullest extend.

Sorry, but again, there is no law stating an annual rate of return on real estate. Again, just look over an extended period of time, and you will see that real estate is a sound investment. Yes, prices are falling, but maybe they were too high when they reached their last peak. I know many used this "paper equity" as a piggy bank to take out loans for other items, and now they are upside down, but patience, and it will all come around. Again, this might be a "good" thing it making people think about saving and not overextending themselves the next time we are riding on the high side of the wave.

I don't want to get too much into this, as I try to keep these posts from making you fall asleep. Also, I want to please remind you that I do want all comments, good and bad, agree and disagree, and to not let this post discourage any comments or questions. It gets me thinking, and I appreciate a good "think".

I have been dealing with finances and hearing and seeing peoples money situations and investments for the past 20+ years. All, I'm saying is that these are tough times, and we will get through them. I know this all seems dire, but I think part of that is 24/7 news and stories about it. Actually these times are probably not the worse in the last 40 years. Go back to someone who was an adult in the early 1970's, and they will have stories of double digit unemployment, inflation, and mortgage rates. Plus, let's not forget the lines at the pumps for "every other day" gas fill ups, which brings us back to gasoline, which brings us full circle to the start of yesterday's rant.

- Your Olympic mention for today. You are watching?
- Hard times for Mrs. Fields. Maybe it's those $5 cookies.
- OK, why can't this Friend keep a man?

Until the next time.....
-

Thursday, August 14, 2008

oil & water (or politics) don't mix.....

All is quiet on the work front today. A couple of follow ups, but after the long day yesterday, this was very relaxing and easy. Good thing too, because I was not too bright last night and played games until 1am. Again, with no nap. The alarm at 5:30am comes really quickly after those late nights. Will I ever learn?

I need to send out my summer email to clients, but I think I'll wait another week or so as most of my clients are in NC, and will be back from vacations next week because school starts. That way maybe somebody will read it, and not just delete it with their 150 other emails in their vacation inbox. :-)

I found it funny the other day when Cassie saw the prices at the local Shell station and commented about the "cheap" gas at $3.99 a gallon. That is down from the $4.59 I paid (regular) only a few weeks ago, but when I thought about it, I just shook my head. Cassie, and our kids will think $4 and $5 a gallon gas as "low" when they are growing up and starting to drive. Going back, I can remember 89 cents a gallon, but not much less than that when I started driving.

I don't see it going down too much further (never less than $3 again), and I think it will steady for a while until next summer. I see the price of a barrel is hovering about $114 per, today. Down over $30 a barrel from a couple of week ago. While I don't like high gas prices, it did get people to think about driving routines and what they drive, but I fear that if it gets down in the low $3 range for a while, people will "forget" and go back to their old ways.

Of course the cry has been for more offshore drilling, and I think we should have more drilling, and not just to get more oil. I hate the fact that there is an untapped resource that could be helping Americans with jobs and would keep the money in the USA, but instead we are purchasing that amount from foreign sources. I believe that even if we only reduced our foreign dependence by 3%, that it is 300 times better then sending our money overseas.

***(Warning! Political rant!)*** Of course this has turned political, as John McCain wants offshore drilling now while exploring alternatives, including nuclear power, while Barack Obama is opposed to it, although he said recently that he could be persuaded, but in actuality has been opposed to any drilling and would rather give people tax rebate incentives to change their ways. To make matters worse, the Congress, knowing that a majority of people are for off shore drilling, but because it would help McCain's campaign, decided not to even vote on the issue. The Democrats would have voted down the bill to allow of shore drilling, but they don't want to have the public actually see them voting against the drilling, so Nancy Pelosi said, "no vote". Congress then closed down for "summer vacation", and that is that. They didn't want to actually have to explain to their voters why they don't want a part of the program. Instead, the Democrats can just say that they didn't vote against it, because there was no vote of record. Ugh!

Of course, part of this changed Monday when SOH Pelosi was questioned on Larry King Live (how does he still have a show?). She now says she is willing to have a vote if it is part of a bigger package that includes release of fuel from the strategic reserves, extension of energy saving credits that have or will due to expire, and although not said, I would bet some sort of "tax" on oil company profits.

Extension of the energy credits, I am all for, as I think a large part of the population's problem in converting to fuel/energy efficient devices is the cost. Morgan and I were seeing this as we tried to make the new house as "green" as possible.

As for the "tax" if there is one passed, well that would be a disaster. Economics 101 says that if you raise the price on a business to do business, they will pass along that cost to the consumer. Oil companies and its shareholders like $10 billion profits, and they will do all necessary to keep them.

The other part about releasing from the strategic reserves is just plain stupid. These are reserves for a national emergency, not an inconvenience of our wallets. An attack on our soil, a terrorist attack on Middle East oil production, or a large scale natural disaster (larger Katrina, "The Big One" in California) might be a reason to release some of the reserve, but not for trying to take a dime a gallon off the price of gasoline. ***(End of rant)***

I am not saying all gas powered cars need to be gone, but I do think $4 and $5 a gallon gas started the ball rolling on producing other ideas for automobiles. Lower prices might stall (no pun intended) that process, and not make it such an emergency in people's minds until oil starts spiking again. Then the public will start their normal crying routines about alternatives, but only because their wallets hurt, and not because finding alternatives is the right thing to do.

I'm not trying to come off as some "green machine", but I think whether you believe in global warming or not, that we are a smart enough society, as a whole, that we should be coming up with more ideas to make better use of the resources, and not put so much "waste" back into atmosphere. I also think that after 100 years of gas powered vehicles, there should be more automobile alternatives then just a few hybrid or a couple of natural gas models.

We got people from the earth to the moon almost 40 years ago, and that process was started almost 50 years ago. In these days of technology, we can certainly find better ways to get us from "here to there", then the same old ways that have worked since Henry Ford and the Model T.

- More newspaper job cuts. Does anybody read one today?
- Used to be you could only buy Apple products from Apple.
- Cammi makes the US Hockey Hall of Fame.

Until the next time.....

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Lego pictures.....

Legoland pictures mentioned in prior post.



Pirates' Life


The Mini City Displays:



Las Vegas, baby!!!



New York City



New Orleans & Mari Gras



San Francisco Seaport



Los Angeles:
Gruman's Chinese Theater & The Hollywood Bowl




Washington, DC





Cassie & Courtney enjoying a ride?




Around Legoland:






The Force is strong with this one!



Bubble Girls

Welcome to SeaLife


Some real poor aquarium pictures. :-(

Until the next time.....

Lego time.....

Went to Legoland and the new SeaLife Aquarium next door yesterday, and had a real nice time. Even though it is a young kids park, I really enjoy the Lego creations around the park. I'll will get all the pictures online later in a separate post.

Of course taking the whole day off yesterday meant that I would have 10 or so pieces of work waiting for me to do, after not hearing from anyone for a couple of days. It always happens that way, so today was a big "catch up" in the office. I expect a couple more tomorrow, then I should be all set for the month.

Had a conversation with an income tax client today about houses and rental homes. This year was his first as he got my name off the American Airlines message boards from another pilot from NC that is a client. This gentleman and his wife live up in LA. Anyway, after about a 10 minute conversation, that answered his questions, he stopped me from hanging up to tell me how much he appreciated me emailing him the other day after receiving his email (he had emailed me his questions, and I replied back that I would not be able to answer him until today), and that I took time with him on the phone to answer his questions, and did not try to rush him off. He said that was the reason he was looking for another accountant, because he last one seemed "bothered" to do his job. I thanked him for the nice words, but felt like I did nothing special, except did my job. I wonder if me just doing my job like it is supposed to be done is now considered "special". Thinking about it, it might be true, and also sad. Well, if bad customer service by another accountant gets me more clients, I'm OK with it.

BTW, yes, I did wander out of the house after 11:30 on Monday night to pick up my copy of Madden 2009. There were about 50 of us or so when the game went on sale at midnight. Of course being the "old man" that I am, by the time I got home I was too tired to play (really should have napped), but I did see and know enough through online sites to be able to speak about it on the air with Morgan on Tuesday morning.

Lego pictures, and plenty of them, to follow.

- Your Olympic stats and front page.
- Some Hybrid pricing competition.
- Cassie got to talk about the Jonas Brothers on the air today.

Until the next time.....

Monday, August 11, 2008

homeless.....

Looking forward, we have a pretty busy week coming up. It will start off tonight with me wandering over to GameStop at midnight to pick up the new Madden game. Morgan and the guys are calling me tomorrow morning to talk about it, so I will try to get in a game or two before sleeping. If not and sleep takes over, I'll just wake up early and get a game in. Tomorrow, during the day, we are heading out to Legoland. Today a new aquarium is opening next to it called Sea Life. So besides the normal park, we get some sea life education. I like Legoland, and I will be bringing my camera to take pictures of the mini cities that are set up in the park. The aquarium is new to the United States, and we always enjoy them, so it should be a good day. On the weekend, Cassie has a swim meet on both Saturday and Sunday mornings, while on Sunday night, Morgan and I will be baptized. OK, I'm tired already. :-)

Saturday night brought our last guest speaker of the summer (and maybe the best) to our church. His name was Mike Yankoski, and he has an amazing story. Mike was brought up in upper middle class Colorado, and did not start going to church with friends (mom and dad are non-believers) until high school. While in college, he was out with some friends one night and purposefully ignored a couple of homeless men, as to wish them to go away. The next day in church he remembered the incident, and how it was not the Christian way to act, and was not living in a Christ like manner. That lead him to decide to leave school for a semester (five months) to live as a homeless person in six different cities across the country. Mike had a friend join him on this journey, and for the five months he kept a journal and wrote about their experiences in Under the Overpass.

I purchased a copy of the book and was able to speak with Mike for a little while on Saturday night. In the book, he talks about their times on church grounds and with Christians, and how they did not always act in a Christian manner to these two homeless men. His message was inspiring to Morgan and myself, and has made me think a little about how I may go about encounters with those less fortunate than me/us. His message is not to go "crazy" about it, as he is not looking for all of us to house and take in those on the street, but just be compassionate to those less fortunate. Maybe a $5 Starbucks card, or a bottle of water and chewy granola bar to get them through the day. That with a "hello", may just make someones week a whole lot better.

Morgan and I talked about it, and we need to leave the cynical part of us to the side when it comes to matters like this. We have all been "burned" by a scam of some sorts in our lives, and it makes us put up a wall to not allow it to happen again. By doing that, we shut out those that really need our help. We need to believe that when those situation are presented to us, that God will put those truly in need in front of us.

- Great first 3 days of Olympic action.
- Hillary says John Edwards cost her the nomination.
- A slow and respectful changing of the New Year's Guard.

Until the next time.....

Saturday, August 9, 2008

camp girl.....

Cassie returned from camp late this morning. She had a great week, and enjoyed all the different activities they had them doing while they were there. Between the rock climbing, crafts, swimming, games, worship session, etc., they seemed to be non-stop all week long. I'm real happy that she likes these times away at camp. I think they are good for her, and all kids, to be away from mom and dad, and have fun experiences.

Morgan and I needed to "sand blast" her, and her stuff when she did get back home, but other than that, she was pretty much bug bite free, and didn't have any cuts or scrapes from all her outdoor fun.

The lot of our new house being build was cleared on Thursday. Kellie was nice enough to take some "before and after" pictures for us. (Casey, you are also more than welcome to do the same.) This was the first I had seen of the lot, and it looks fine, and I am really glad that there are still plenty of trees to be standing around the house. Only a little more than six weeks before Morgan arrives to see the framed house and pick out the "insides" of the home.

After I finished posting my entry on Thursday, I did update all of my income tax worksheets. I now have a generic one for all clients, along with one for clients that have a side business, and another for clients with a rental property. I think these should be pretty good templates that will last quite a while, with only some "tweaking" for different items that might be new or have changed for that particular tax year.

Between the updated worksheets and the scanning, then shredding of all client documents, I feel pretty good about getting caught up with that "administrative" work. Now, I can just take care of client work, and when I get free time, not worry about completing those projects.

Morgan and I were discussing the John Edwards' affair, and there just seems to be pieces missing. First, I find it funny, well actually pathetic, that this "admission" was well orchestrated. Following politics these past year, and especially this past month, much was said about a "news vacation" when the Olympics started. That is the reason Barack Obama is vacationing in Hawaii this week, and John McCain has no real news making events planned. The US and the world would be watching the Olympics, not politics. So when does this "confession interview" occur, but the night of the Opening Ceremonies, with the hopes that it will be forgotten by Monday morning.

A point of question, starts with the story of the Dallas attorney paying to move this woman, Rielle Hunter, and another Edwards' staff worker, Andrew Young (who claims to be the baby's father) from Chapel Hill because the "press were hounding them". I have a feeling this story will have legs, as there is something very strange about this payment arrangement.

Another couple of pieces that bothered us comes from Elizabeth Edwards' statement, which she asks for privacy at this time as they go through this terrible ordeal. The problem is that earlier in the statement she says she has known about this since 2006. Well, that was two years ago, and if she was willing to forgive him, and then campaign "side by side" for the Democratic Nomination with him for almost a year (I know this "stand by your man" irks Morgan something awful), I would think this would be a "water under the bridge" event, and it coming out, while a nuisance, really should not effect the family at this time. Aren't they "over it"? Or maybe, she really did not know about it until a much shorter time ago?

The other piece of the statement that bother me was her saying that "This was our private matter, and I frankly wanted it to be private because as painful as it was I did not want to have to play it out on a public stage as well". Um, excuse me, but you were out there campaigning with him for the Presidency of the United States! You have no privacy when deciding to run for President. This was bound to come out in the public.

Ugh! Well that's enough of my ranting on this. I like watching politics, but I hate politics. I may not like your views, or agree with your politics, but stand up straight, tell me the truth, leave nothing in the closet, and let me decide. Tell me things I don't want to hear. I'm a big boy. It's OK. I may not vote for you, but I will respect you. Smarmy and hiding things, gets you on the bottom of my list.

- Did not know Bernie was ill. Funny in the Ocean movies.
- Anyone know about the Jets getting a new quarterback? :-)

Until the next time.....

Thursday, August 7, 2008

no long ride.....

I did not get an invite to the Madden video game party going up in Pasadena on Monday. At first I was not really interested, but when I thought about being able to get a long ride (about 250 miles round trip) on the motorcycle, and being able to see the Rose Bowl for the first time, I got excited and hoped I would win one ticket from an amount being given away on the web. Did not happen. Oh well.

Otherwise this is about as quiet a time as I have working during the year. Clients are a bit "slower" in sending in their normal monthly work, and income tax clients don't seem to have many questions (that ramps up again when October starts, and gets full throttle on December 1st). Now if I could just get myself in gear and update those worksheets. :-)

Morgan and I are sure that Cassie is having a great time at camp, and can't wait to see her when they return Saturday morning. The website of the camp has been down for a couple of days, so we haven't seen any pictures in a while. That's really bumming out Morgan. Though even with the site up, we haven't seen any pictures of Cassie yet in the first few days, but with so many kids at the camp, that's what happens.

Off to find something to do. Maybe those worksheets.....

- Woo Hoo! Tivo/DVR external drives.
- Opening Ceremonies are tomorrow.
- $300K for a jumpsuit?

Until the next time.....

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

movie day.....

Finally got out to see the Batman movie, The Dark Knight. Excellent movie, and has set it up nicely for the next movie in the series. I will be interested in seeing if the next will be the third and final of this "series" or if it will be made to continue.

The only downside to the movie was the chatting young girls behind us. They were with an adult, who was their older sister, maybe mom, aunt, etc., and after about 20 minutes into the movie, and talking throughout, I finally had to turn around and ask them to be quiet. It was finally at that time where the adult asked them to keep it down. Unbelievable! Well, not really, as this world just gets more self absorbed, and without a care for anybody else in it except for that person themselves.

Other than that, there is really nothing going on. I have work coming in slowly this month, but nothing overwhelming. It will be a good time for me to update my tax season worksheets, and actually be all ready for the upcoming year. The idea is good, now I just need to execute it.

Just signed up for another fantasy football league with guys from Geezer Gamers. That is two with them, and probably one more with my buddies from high school. They always get these together at the last minute, as they are busy, fancy New York lawyers. :-)

With football being only one month away from beginning, it means to me that hockey is only two months away from starting its season. Woo Hoo!

- Get well soon, Mr. Freeman.
- Yes, I will be getting my Madden game at midnight on Monday.
- Hooray! Less commercials to watch.

Until the next time.....