Bittersweet Weeks

Lots of stuff going on since my last post. I think the kids have already grown up and moved onto college these last few weeks. Seriously though we've been beset enough car troubles to last us the rest of the year, although considering how old they are, I don't think the odds favor us there. That being said, we've gotten great value out of them, the Vibe alone has almost 150k on it and our van has about 96k, so we are lucky to be here with them. We'll keep babying them and hopefully get another 100k out of each. Well, maybe not the van, it has other problems we are ignoring because they cost more to fix than it's worth. At least we've got a hobby though!

Last week was pretty bittersweet for me. My mother's birthday was Saturday, and it was the first one since she passed away. I'm still not sure I would consider myself as having completely gotten through her dying the day before Thanksgiving on the terms we were on (I wasn't speaking to her) and despite my misgivings I do miss her, if for nothing else than I rooted for her to turn things around and enjoy her life.

The weekend before was also the first birthday for my step dad Lou since he passed away last year too. I miss him a lot and I don't mind saying that my life is just a little less brighter without his cackling laugh and horribly fantastic sense of humor. He shaped so much of my outlook and personality in my teen years that I can't imagine myself without him. I love him and I miss him.

Relations with my real father have been distant and tenuous over the last ten years, and I could probably count the number of times we talked on two hands. It took me years to really appreciate how important it is not to burn bridges in life, and despite whatever feelings of anger or hurt I had, I always stopped short of doing that with him. Well on Wednesday he called me out of the blue and we talked for over 3 hours!

It was a great conversation and he said he didn't like how things were between us and that he wanted to work with me to be a part of my life. It was simply wonderful to hear. You don't get calls like that very often in your life, so it made my day. With everything else, that really helped me get through the two birthdays and I don't think I would have handled myself nearly as well without that phone call and turn of events.

Even I am Cold

I am honestly cold. People who know me have rarely ever heard me say that, especially when I'm not sick. Yet I am writing this at almost 4am and the temperature is sitting at a glacial -21 degrees outside. This is easily one of the coldest days I've ever experienced. Not since the early and mid 1980's have I seen the temperature like this; almost 24 years ago to the date (Jan 19th & 20th) we had official temperatures of -23 and -27 respectfully back in 1985.

Despite the cold outside, we're holding our own inside and staying warm. Meva didn't go to work on Thursday because either the starter and/or the battery died on her car. The van started, but it was stuck behind Meva's car and with the snowy, icy, and uneven gravel driveway we have I was unable to push her car out to the street. We had her car towed to the mechanic so that he can hopefully get it up and running tomorrow, but the van (which once again has a buster heater) is running (with the "Service Engine Soon" indicator on).

Last night I braved the gelid evening and took the van to the grocery store more for the purpose of just getting it started and warmed more than anything. It only takes about 10 minutes to get to the store, but after stopping to make sure I filled the gas tank and put in some gas line anti-freeze, my hands were frozen, stiff, and prickly painful. I had myself wrapped up and covered, but I guess my gloves aren't very effective (so I will be getting new ones) against this type of extreme cold.

And after having to take Thursday off, Meva wants to drive this ice box on wheels 45 minutes to work in the morning. Even as I write this I can't honestly say if I am even going to let her go. Depsite my frequent joking about keeping her in her place and making her obey me dutifully, I do not give her ultimatums unless I am convinced her life is at risk. I already told her last night that if I felt it was too dangerous I don't know how she's going to be able to convince me otherwise. I think the last time I took a stance like this was the day the triplets were born and I told her she wasn't going into work that day because of how badly she was feeling (and the Dr. obviously sided with me since he decided to deliver the babies that day!).

I spent over two hours outside on Wednesday shoveling our driveways, sidewalks, and parking spots here at the house. In some spots I had over 14 inches of snow due to drifting and not having cleared away some previous accumulation. I hurt my back very badly and even had my eyelashes freeze together more than once. Meva has teased me because I actually had to shovel snow off of our evergreen bushes because it was falling on the sidewalk as I shoveled next to it, burying the spot I had just cleared. I'll try to get some pictures of this tomorrow and post them up here.

The van has now been running and warming up for about an hour now, so I need to check on it and get back to bed to rest up for a potential confrontation with Meva should the things be too cold in the van. I'll leave you with an updated weather joke that was inspired by the late Henny Youngmen:

"How cold was it?" someone asked. "It was so cold I saw Rod Blagojevich with his hands in his own pockets."

Let it Snow!!

Living in Chicago you get used to snow and cold, and if you're in the small minority like myself, you absolutely enjoy and love this weather. I admit to being excited today when the weather forecasts began to include warning for a Blizzard, frigid temps, and whiteout conditions. So yes, I am a bit of a Winter junkie and even among those who are battle-tested from living out here I am looked at skeptically. I'd love to denounce my naysayers and critics for being unfair or unwilling to embrace the beautiful diversity of nature that we get to enjoy, but I know they are not too far off (My wife will vouch for this).

I mention all of the above because it's 4am and I just came inside after shoveling snow for just over an hour (The picture above is my street, double click it for a better view). I am old, out of shape, and I have back problems, so shoveling snow in the middle of the night during blizzard conditions really does prove my detractors points.

But my strange hours and questionable cold weather habits aside, I'm up because the triplets decided to rebel tonight. Usually they are very well mannered and go to sleep without much incident, but last night they were just wound up and full of energy. Ryan was the last one to go to sleep at about 12:30am tonight, pushing my end of evening plans back more than a few hours. Due to the weather I needed to do some last-minute grocery shopping and I wanted to get the driveways shoveled before the temperature dipped and turned everything on the ground into ice. I'd love the extra couple hours of sleep I'd have gotten by just going to bed, but everything would be twice as difficult and take three times as long in the morning.

So, I'm just waiting for myself to settle down and then I'll be off to bed. It's hard to believe that one of the things I am waiting on is to dry off from sweating so much outside, even though the temperature was probably close to Zero with the wind chill. Man, how boring am I?? I sure yammered away about nothing but the weather.

There hasn't been too much excitement around here, but:

The triplets are no longer the youngest grandchildren anymore. Meva's sister Kelly and her husband Andy welcomed their first child this past weekend, a beautiful girl named Avery Puffer. It was a stressful pregnancy for them that was high risk, but both Kelly and Avery have pulled through it without any problems that I know of. I only got to see Kelly once, at Christmas, while she was carrying Avery, but I thought she looked beautiful and glowing! Hey, say what you want to about me, but I think pregnant women are radiant and I enjoyed the extra radiance that Meva had while the triplets were inside.

My other sister-in-law, the always adorable Pooh Weaver, is now engaged!! Her boyfriend Corey proposed to here at midnight on New Year's Eve. As the ball was dropping in Times Square, Corey of the Elephants was dropping to his knees and asking for the Pooh's hand in marriage. I am excited for Pooh, because she is a wonderful woman and deserves nothing but happiness. I truly believe that Corey will give that to her. I've told him that he has to take care of her and just like his favorite animal, the elephant, I know he will never forget.

There are a few more things, but it is now time to sleep, so I will sleep. I will add more later, hopefully in the late morning or afternoon.

Can't Wait

I have a feeling this state will once again be embarrassed because of our Governor on a national stage. It's not too often I am excited about the swearing in ceremonies of incoming Senators or Representatives, but the fiasco that has become of Barack Obama's vacant is making everything a bit more interesting. While I would love to see this slapped down in Blago's face and further humiliate him, I'd rather out state have two Senators right now.

I have been reading a ton of comics and graphic novels lately since I discovered my library has a nice collection. One of the stories that I was looking forward to read was about Spiderman getting a reboot due to making a deal with the Devil to save his aunt's life, but at the cost of his marriage and love for his wife MJ. Yes, is was a bit weak, sappy, and a tad drown out, but overall I really liked it. Even more, I liked the new direction better that I started reading in Brand New Day. I thought it was a great updating of the concept and it allows people to experience everything that they may have missed when they couldn't buy books in the 60's and 70's. I will pick up the next trade or too as soon as I can so I can get a final feeling for the entire run.

With all my adventures in the land of endodontics and dentistry I really think I pulled a jaw muscle! My left side is very tight and painful and it will often argue with me before opening wide. It loses the argument, but of course it throws a fit and send some discomfort my way. So I have this to keep me company for the near future. It's definitely better the less I talk, but I'll bet anyone who knows me can name three reasons why that plan has yet to work. I'm going to be happy when this final round of tooth work comes to an end so can get a break.

My wife and I are terrible slackers. We haven't updated the triplets blog in probably over a month. Meva never has time (or so she says!! I can tell you I don't see her rubbing my back or my feet or making me sandwiches, so who knows what she's REALLY doing?) and lately I have not wanted to post when I've had a chance. We can all blame me and say I am evil, and selfish, and you could even call me a socialist if you'd like, I can take it, so bring it!!!

Exhausted

I woke up this morning exhausted and with a very sore back. It's stiff and will probably take a few hours to loosen up, so it's not big deal. But even though I slept for over eight hours, I feel like I could sleep another four or five. For some reason on Thursday night, I was unable to sleep at all, despite taking something to help, so at about 4am I gave up and decided to call it a day.

We've got family coming over for a final holiday get together today. It's my brother Louie and his wife, granddaughter (yeah, the young kid is already an old fart!) and his mom, my step mother. Potentially my other brother Brian will be coming too, but he is a little sore and may not make it.

Yesterday his wife took him out and told him he was going to the park, but when they passed the park he realized things were wrong and she instead took him to the doctor and got him fixed. The poor guy has a weekend ahead of him that includes cuddling with a bag of frozen veggies! But, since he had the same procedure and doctor I had for my vasectomy, he very well may be up to coming over. I was fine for mine and regretted taking the weekend of of work at the time as I felt fine for light, normal activity. So, we'll see what happens.

Many people know I keep another blog, semi-private, that I use to deal with my depression and stresses from the more volatile relationships in my life. As I've gotten older I've learned more about myself and I know that depression is unfortunately something, probably chemical, that is a part of me and I will have to always fight it (until I am really old and then it's the nurses problem! Hahahahaha nurses, you're in for trouble).

I think I have mentioned it here before, but I decided to stop treating it with medication and have instead chosen to focus on fighting on my own. For those who don't know, or don't understand this type of behavior and choice, what it means is that I've decided to just be strong willed and vigilant about my behaviors, and when I notice that I am starting to slip into depression-type behavior, or even thinking, I follow a mental checklist of exercises that are both mental and physical, to combat this.

The reason I bring this up here is that one, I think I have been VERY successful with this decision, although I have been far from perfect during this learning stage. Despite the deaths of my step father and mother, I think I have pulled through very well. But, as I am moving through this last round of fighting off the depression, something has sparked my interest and I fully intend to investigate it and probably embrace it. I hope that it doesn't change me too much, but I know that change will happen and others may notice it in me and begin to wonder, so I am taking the time now to explain it.

I have decided to heed to call of Jehovah and become one of his Witnesses so that I can spread the word of his teachings and importance in all our lives.


Ok, I'm kidding! That will NEVER happen. I hate knocking on strangers doors and I am not passing out that stupid pamphlet of theirs called "Watchtower."

What I am talking about is Zen philosophy. I think that it may help me to keep a handle on my emotions and keep myself at peace. I don't think I am going to be wearing monk's robes (although they do look comfortable and are like sexy pajamas for big guys) or anything, but I want to treat this seriously and that will mean changing much of how I look at life. That is bound to change me, but I'm more interested in integrating it into my life of triplets, sports, and comic books and not the other way around. So, we'll see how this goes.

Anyways, that's a heads up for you all. Enjoy the first weekend of the year and get some sleep.

Out with a whimper

Tonight I'm marking the end of 2008, which by most people's measures would be a rather shitty one due to losing my Step-Dad and then later my Mother. Although they didn't surprise anyone, knowing they will be dying soon and then living with that baited anticipation isn't much comfort and doesn't make things much easier.

Yet with their respective passings and the sorrow that comes with the realization that, no matter what your relationship was with them, you won't get to see them, hear them, or hug them again; what I find is that my mind seeks out the fondest memories and events that I shared with each of them. Sure there were rough times, but they are what make celebrating their lives and achievements special and motivating if you take the time to make it a part of yourself.

In a nutshell (can two paragraphs really be succinct enough to fit in a nutshell??? That's one big ass nut if it does!!) that really sums up what 2008 was for me. I got past challenges and watched my life blossom from the bad moments into the good ones. My son Perrin, who will always be my hero because of everything he overcomes each day, is walking better and has a chance (with hard work) to walk just like any other kid. He's tough as nails and I wish I could have half the zeal he does for life, but I suppose we could all say that about every two year old.

The funny thing about tonight and about this post is that I could care less about New Years Eve. It's an arbitrary marking on a political calendar that has no other significance than being the last in line. I kid that I have already become a crotchety old man, and maybe there is some truth to that, but the older I get the more I realize that marking the passing of one year and embracing a new one isn't as important as being aware of present and how precious our moments are.

To that end, I sent my wife off to celebrate our friends at a party so that she could unwind with out having to worry about the kids being there and just be an adult, a woman, and a friend. I put the kids to bed as I normally would and I now have the house to myself, which is itself a treat. I intend to spend my rare evening alone writing and maybe just relaxing and watching a movie. Just having the chance to work on some projects I have been neglecting is so exciting that at times today I had to distract myself to avoid being overly anxious.

So, if you're one of the handful of people who pop in here and read my rantings, I want to wish you a happy evening and the presence to enjoy the moments as they come. While it's impossible to move forward without knowing our past, its also too easy to get lost in either or both. Seize the moment and smell the roses......or whatever the hell that smell is that comes from the back of the refrigerator!

Come and Gone (or going)

Thankfully we are coming to the end of this year and I couldn't be happier to see 2008 in my rear-view mirror. I don't want to turn this into a pity post, but losing my step-father just days before my birthday and then losing my mother the day before Thanksgiving. It absolutely sucked, but I honestly mean this when I say that I am fortunate those are my biggest lamentations because I know there are people out there who suffered more and endured more than I could possibly even remember. So, while death is a natural part of all our lives and transitioning yourself from life with and then without your parental figures is hard, I am thankful that I wasn't hit with more adversity.

Christmas was very nice. Everyone spoiled my kids and I think we brought more toys back with us from Ohio than what we had at home. I am fortunate that they are loved by so many. Meva and I had a good time, and I think she enjoyed the gifts I gave her. I wish I could have got her more, but she got a lot of what she asked for, and all things considered, you can't ask for much more than that. Meva gave me some great books on Zen philosophy and a book by Les Stroud of Survivorman. That was really great and I am looking forward to devouring each one of them.

Our trip back and forth to my in-laws was much easier on the kids as it was the first time we used the new DVD player and it was a fantastic success. The overall crankiness was down, and even Ryan had a hard time finding something to cry about! It was totally worth everything we paid for it and luckily we got it on sale for a ridiculous price.

On a really annoying note, new comic books won't be out until Friday this week. I don't know what it says about me that I am pretty pissed about, but I am and I'm not going to be ashamed of that (OK, maybe just a bit ashamed). It's only three more days, so I think I can make it.

First Snow & Hanging Up The Lights

The first snows came, and by last years standards it wasn't too much. I think we got about 4 inches of it, not even enough for me to even bother shoveling the driveway. I can't wait until the thick heavy stuff comes so I can get out there at like midnight and shovel the snow and be in the element. Yeah, I'm crazy!

Thankfully I was just able to get the outdoor Christmas lights up. I had planned on doing this on Saturday, but Meva wasn't feeling good and the day just got away. Usually I don't have any problems hanging up the lights or at least nothing that gets to me (And I fell off my roof last year and landed right on my head trying to put up lights with a broken hand, two pins sticking out of it, and a cast). This year though I was ready to go nuclear!

All I wanted to do was set up four strands of net lights on my evergreen bushes. I had brand new lights that I hand purchased last year after the season, but they all tested well when I checked them inside. Somehow from the trip in the house to the bushes out front, two of the strands stopped working' one completely and the other just in the middle. I brought them back in and checked all the bulbs and the wires. One strand had a defective wire, so there was nothing I could do there, and the other one was beyond me. So I headed to the hardware store and bought a different (read cheaper) set. I even bought extra boxes just in case.

I got them home and on Sunday, when the snow started coming down fast and heavy, I went back out to finish. Each one of those cheap ass strands of lights either wouldn't light, or literally fell apart as I tried to gently lay them over the bushes.

Even Meva knew I was fuming. Money is tight, but with everything happening with my mother dying, my kids just now old enough to enjoy the pretty lights, and this being the first Christmas since my step-dad Lou passed away, I was going to have lights on those bushes if I had to set them on fire! Meva could sense of close I was to losing it and didn't say a word when I told her I didn't know where I was going, but somewhere I would find working lights and I didn't care where I had to go. I don't know what she was thinking, but she knew how important it was to me and just let me go. I guess we could call that reason number 37653876087502 why she is such a fantastic wife and that I love her so much.

Anyways, I got lights that work and finished the bushes. The snow was coming down at it's heaviest and I still had to put the lights on the roof. We have a low roof, so it wasn't a problem, other than the cold, and those lights went off without a hitch. The only thing I didn't get out this year were my plastic candy canes to go along the walk, but that's my fault for not getting them prepped and with working bulbs, so I wisely skipped them. I don't have as many lights as I'd like, but it's enough for this year. Next year I will build on this.

The other interesting thing to note is that the lights I have for the roof and my other bushes are new LED lights and they didn't give me any problems. The net lights for the evergreens are regular lights, so if we can swing the cost I may have to go LED there as well. The energy savings alone should offset that cost. Anyways, I'll try and get a picture here of the house soon if the snow will hold (or more will come).

With the economy the way it is and money tight for all, I'm going to be giving out cookies this year to all my friends. I love to bake Christmas cookies, so it will give me something to keep me focused on good thoughts and it will also help me stay in the holiday spirit. Hopefully I can narrow down the kinds I want to make and get started on them so I can begin getting them out to everyone.

That's it for now. I have a house to clean and possibly a small nap to take because I did not sleep soundly last night.

This Week Can Only Be Better Than Last

Last week I wrote about what was a very miserable Monday I was having, culminating with putting my foot through the season. I should have relished those moments because as it turns out it was about the best day of the week for me. The lady to the left is my mother. It's the only recent picture I have of her, and it is over a year old. She was suffering from COPD and Congestive Heart Failure. Her health was slipping slowly, and she was in and out of the hospital and ICU several times over the past year, often it included being put on life-support to get her through the event. Well, the very next morning she passed away at about 6:35am. I try to keep things topical here, so I'll continue that. I had stopped speaking to her over a year ago about some things I felt very strongly and I had made the decision that it was best for me and my wife and kids. It wasn't an easy decision to come to, but it was the right choice to make and I stand by that decision. I can't think of anyone in my family that supported me; I'm not even sure anyone respected my right to make that decision.

So as she passed, things have gotten very dramatic. It's been tense with my family and emotions are very raw. For me, even though this was something that we all saw coming, it's been more difficult that I would have imagined. I'm running all the normal gambits of losing a parent, even if we ended on the outs, and although I expected that, the intensity has caught me off guard. The other thing that has gotten me are the memories.

Whether I'm awake or sleeping, they come flooding to me out of nowhere. Bad ones, good ones, things that make little sense, things I hadn't thought of in years, and things long forgotten. It's exhausting and turns my mood and thinking into places without my control. And when you mix all of that with the issues with my family, it's been an incredibly tough week. If you want to know more, you can read my more personal blog.

I guess I'm putting this up so people have a bit of an understanding or a deeper understanding as to where I am at right now and what I'm going through. So if I appear flaky or you aren't hearing from me as usual, you know why. I'm blessed to have such a fantastic wife and three of the most exceptional children to help me forget things for awhile and remember to smile and feel good about myself,

From Bad to Worse

So, I already wasn't feeling good today and I originally thought I would do the minimum and take it easy. Some people say that even if you aren't feeling too horrible, it's a good idea not to do to much because you can often make mistakes. That's definitely true today.

I changed my mind and decided I would finish my insulation project in the attic while the kids were sleeping. The project has two specific goals, one is to put back the insulation that numerous contractors have moved and failed to return to it's correct spot, and second was to place some boards over the studs so I could walk more freely and easily. Well, I get everything up into the attic by myself and I'm moving along and placing things where they need to go. I'm about half-way through and I lose my head and place my foot between two studs.

I instantly realize the trouble this could be, so as I attempt to slowly take my foot away and place it on a solid spot, the drywall gives way and my foot goes through the ceiling into my hallway below.

Well, that put a stop to the insulation project, which will have to wait until I can find someone much leaner than myself to go back up there and finish things.

So, instead of taking an hour to do a project and then begin on the Christmas decorations, I now have 45 minutes of wasted time toward a project I won't complete for fear of doing more damage, and I now have my hallway covered in drywall, blown insulation, and fiberglass insulation just a few feet from where my children are sleeping.

So, I clean up the biggest pieces of the mess and begin cutting the whole in my ceiling so that I can repair it with some new drywall. After measuring and edging out past the area my foot came through, I line off where I' am going to cut the drywall and get to work.

Of course, more calamity ensues when, as I am cutting the ceiling with a utility knife, the blade gets stuck. Standing on my step ladder I grab the knife with both hands and begin to pry it out. But the knife must have been playing with me because as I began my pull, the knife loosens, and I of course fall backwards into the hallway wall, smacking my head.

You'd think that would be bad enough, but as it turns out my head is able to land perfectly onto a framed picture of my family tree that my wife made by hand, cracking and shattering the glass that it was behind. I haven't even told my wife about this yet (sorry Meva).

All I really wanted to do was begin hanging my Christmas decorations and have an easy day with my kids. The funniest thing about this whole thing is that it happens literally right outside my kid's bedroom and through the sounds of me crashing first through the ceiling and then into the wall, running a drill to hang the new drywall, and then using the vacuum cleaner to clean up the debris I couldn't get with my hands, the kids never stirred! Not one sound or whimper or laugh.

Of course that means that the phone will ring, which it does, and instantly begins waking them from their nap.

Outside of cleaning my kitchen and making dinner, I don't expect I am going to do anything else today. If I could I would just lay in bed so I don't break anything else.

Exhausted

I think I might be getting sick or something. My energy level has fallen dramatically and I've got this tickle in my throat along with a cough, which probably explains why I don't feel like doing anything today.

I've got to finish playing around in the attic with the insulation and then it's straight to decorating the outside of the house for Christmas. If I have time, I have a load of things I need to put up on eBay for the holidays. It's supposed to be pretty easy to put things up, but for some reason doing that seems to take me forever. Either way, I need to do that and capitalize on the holiday spending as I figure many people will be looking to save money by shopping on eBay.

Meva and I watched Hellboy II last night. You could definitely feel and see the influence of Guillermo del Torro in this, especially compared to the first movie. Meva said she liked it better than the first one and I thought it was about the same, which means it's not a waste of money, but it didn't do anything special to stand out of the crowd. I did appreciate the background story of the villains, but that's a theme that seems to be popular in Hollywood these days, sort of like the new Lovecraft. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, but it seems like it's everywhere.

The kids are doing great, talking more and more everyday. We're trying to get them to understand some aspects of Christmas, but it's going slow. Maybe once we start decorating the house they will be more into it. Today they are very cranky and fighting with each other and for some reason they knocked over the garbage can and then started yelling at each other! Tell me that's not going to be a common scene for me over the next 11 years!

Ignorance

So yesterday was an absolutely horrible day in Chicago if you are a Bears fan. They got slapped around and manhandled in the most embarrassing game I've seen since getting their asses handed to them on a Halloween Monday night loss. Both loses came at the hands of the Packers, which sure doesn't help. About the only thing I can find of comfort is that I think the Bears played as hard as they could and I don't think they quit. Unfortunately that means they are bad, poorly coached, and lacking talent.

Of course, I think I would feel even worse if I was a Philadelphia Eagles fan. They played to a tie with a very messed up and pathetic Bengals team. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. The only problem is that many of the Eagles players didn't know it. Even 10 year veteran and face of the franchise Donovan McNabb, who was playing in 2002 when the last tie happened, was ignorant.

"I've never been a part of a tie. I never even knew that was in the rule book," McNabb said after the game. "It's part of the rules, and we have to go with it. I was looking forward to getting the opportunity to get out there and try to drive to win the game. But unfortunately, with the rules, we settled with a tie."

I found that quote on ESPN. You don't get to be an NFL player if you don't at least grow up watching the game as a kid, following your favorite players, learning some of the games' history, and the basic rules. Heck, checking the standings from time to time you'll see a column for ties. Yet he missed it. Just dumb.

And it gets better. Instead of just explaining his ignorance, he bitches and moans about it as though this is some ill-conceived part of the NFL that is poorly thought out and the owners and rule-makers are as guilty as he is.

"I guess we're aware of it now," McNabb said. "...... I never knew in the professional ranks it would end that way. I hate to see what would happen in the Super Bowl and in the playoffs."

He's played in an overtime game in the playoffs, yet he doesn't realize that a playoff game, or Superbowl, can't end in a tie?? After 10 years you'd think he might try to learn a little something about the industry he works in. It just makes me think that many of today's athletes really are nothing more than whiny, spoiled, paycheck players that don't understand what they're doing and probably don't realize how fortunate they are to play in the NFL.

Not only didn't he win on the field yesterday, but it looks like he had a few losses elsewhere as well! Idiot.

It's Beginning To Feel A Lot Like.........

Christmas!! Well it's not exactly looking like Christmas yet around here, but I'm starting to get the bug for it. Christmas has always been my favorite holiday despite the ridiculous commercialization that takes place, sometimes even before Halloween. To me it's always been about family getting together and having a good time together. That and it's a little known secret of mine that I just love giving presents to my friends and loved ones. Anyways, I will save my sappy Christmas rants for when we get a little closer.

It seems most people get really upset around this time of the year with all the stresses of Christmas, the snow, and the cold, but I truly enjoy all of that. Just getting ready for the winter is usually enough to get me a bit cheerful as I think of the snow and bitter cold that challenges us and makes us really appreciate the basics like, heat, food, and family.

This requires quite a bit of preparation and I've got a long list of prep work I have to get done. I need to get into the attic and repair any drafts and leaks in the insulation (which I know are there), put away garden hoses, repack the garage so I can get at least one car in there for the winter, put away all the summer yard furniture and kids toys, and then there is getting the Christmas decorations ready. I've got many new decorations to put out this year that I need to check and make sure they are working and I am excited about my new Christmas lights. Last year I went to the After Christmas sales and bought a completely new set of lights for the house that are all LED. Saving energy and having brighter lights is something I'm looking forward to.

And for all my Scrooge friends out there I'll make sure I include some pictures for you.

And speaking of pictures, here's my all-time favorite Christmas video. I watched it as a kid and the jingle has never truly left me. It's old and in black and white, but I guess I am too! (Especially if you look at my hair these days.) Anyways, here is Hardrock, Cocoa, and Joe.

Something to Believe In

After putting up with the campaigning BS in all of its forms this weekend, I've decided to embrace my inner John McCain and go "Double Maverick" for the next few days. I'm also warning everyone that I also will not hesitate to go farther the the Senator and bring things to "Triple Maverick." You should all now consider yourself warned. The following video should further explain my position.




Out of the ashes of this political election I have seized my first issue that I am going to embrace and fight against. Once everything settles after Tuesday I will begin learning what I need to do in Illinois to stop a tactic that I find annoying and harassing. I'm talking about recorded political messages and campaign ads being delivered to my phone!

I'm lucky in the fact that my state is not a battleground state for the national race, so we've been left alone for the most part. I can only imagine how bad things are for my in-laws that live in Ohio. They are just as annoying as any telemarketing call I ever received. I received 6 calls total tonight, at least two were from someone I specifically asked to stop. It's enough. They're an intrusion on my evening and the interrupt my peace and quite or quality time with my friends
and/or family. So the time has come for me to begin organizing a collective voice and begin speaking our concerns. I'm looking forward to this challenge! If anyone is with me, please feel free to join me!

Feeling Like Poo

I think my kids are out to get me. Somehow, like we all did as kids, they brought a cold virus into the house and I of course was the last one to catch it. As a result, it seems to have hit me the hardest. I've been fighting all the fun congestion, sinus, and coughing I can handle and it's leaving me unable to sleep at night and completely exhausted during the day. I'm hoping that getting an extra hour of sleep, along with the vodka, will help me get some deep serious sleep tonight.

We had a blast on Halloween trick-or-treating with the kids. Biased as I am, I thought they looked absolutely adorable and I was pleased at how well they behaved. We didn't have any problems, although they were really confused with the entire aspect of it. I'm most impressed with how often they said "Thank You" and "Please" when dealing with strangers. Meva and I work hard on making sure they understand how to be polite in the hopes that some of it will stick when they are teens. We can only hope.

Three more days until the political gesturing, lies, and mud-slinging can stop. Of course we'll then be subjected to ridiculous claims that the victors will never fully keep and wild excuses and accusations as to why the losers didn't win. Hopefully it will be palatable by Christmas, if not just about manageable.

We've got great weather this weekend and I'm hoping to take advantage of it and get things done around the house before the real lousy weather sets in. Being sick doesn't help, but I'm at least making some progress. I know I won't get everything I want done, but I'll try.

I'm on my second vodka drink now and since I'm not much of a drinker anymore, I'm feeling it, so I think I'll sign off before I make an ass of myself and start talking about the things I dream about, which after tonight should really be something.

Stuck in the Mud

It's funny how the older you get all the predictions of your parents and teachers happen again and again. Friday nights are really "swinging" if you're up past midnight, let alone even out of the house, the thought of having McDonald's for dinner if a real let down, and how eventually you'll become concerned about voting in ALL the issues if you have any concern for your community.

Has any of this happened to me yet? Well, other than an occasional McRib (I don't know why, I just can't resist it once a year) I have no desire to eat anything from the golden arches, I don't care to stay out late on ANY night, and as for politics on a local level, I present exhibit "A" for your viewing.


Yep, that bad boy is sitting right in my front lawn, standing almost 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide. It is in support for my incumbent state representative. He's been in office for about 15 years now and I really think he's done a good job representing my district and best of all, he's not a part of the ridiculously incompetent majority party that has seriously screwed up Illinois. His challenger has been literally flooding our district with a misleading campaign of mailings, door-to-door visits, and prime time TV ads.

God, I hate this time of year. There is so much mud flying around, it's hard to make any head way into the true issues even when you actively pay attention to your community and the issues you find important. But what makes me the most stressed and frustrated is how effective this type of political campaign is against the ignorant and uncaring. Anyways, today marked one more week left until this election season is over and I can't wait.

Issues

I've been toying with the idea of deleting most of my old blogs and amalgamating them into one new blog, but I have since decided against that. My previous post looked a bit sad and desperate, but it was just a poorly executed attempt to end this blog and quickly put up the new one. Unfortunately my haste caused some concern over my well-being. As moved as I am over the concern of those involved, I'm sorry for the false alarms. Trust me on two counts here; The first is that I am definitely fine and the second is that I truly believe that should I ever have any crazy mental breakdown it will most likely involve a bombastic display of pop culture overload and strange references to ducks, bacon, and large construction equipment.

The biggest reason I'm keeping things the same is that I really like the panorama pics I have at the top of the blog. As I tried to make a new design for the new blog, I kept lamenting the loss of that header and in the end since I decided to keep it, I also decide to keep the entire blog. I'm sentimental and getting older, so get over it.

Currently I'm feeling just a bit overwhelmed with housekeeping chores taking away my free time to write or even think constructively. Winter is coming and I just see a mound of tasks that I want and need to take control of and get finished before they take control of me. Once Halloween is over it's all down hill as the Holidays start coming and everything moves at breakneck speed. I thought I was just imagining it until it snowed for almost a half hour today and accumulated for a bit. Nothing like having mother nature bust your chops to get things done.

Everyone here at the house is fighting off a cold bug. The kids have definitely got the worst of it with runny noses, coughs, and crankiness, but Meva and I are under the weather as well. Mostly sore throats, sinus issues, and fatigue. It will pass, but it sure isn't fun.

That's about it for now. I just wanted to give everyone a heads up on things and let you all know that Desultory Views isn't going anywhere. Hopefully I'll get back to posting a bit more frequently now that I have that all ironed out.

Goodbye

I'm not going to be here anymore.

It's October!!

I love the smell of desperation, ignorance, and deception in the air, which means we must be getting closer to a presidential election. One of the issues for me during these times are the increased political activity of people who are all of a sudden concerned about the welfare of their lives and begin to spout off about how they have to vote for Candidate X to turn things around in the White House yet they have no idea who their State, or Federal Senators or Representatives are. What's even worse than this ignorance and inactivity is the blind acceptance of political ads and distorted claims without giving a thought to history, information, or even common sense. If I am to be honest, I find myself more saddened and disappointed in my fellow countrymen than I am energized about our wonderful liberties in voting.

In the district I live we've had the same person as our representative for the last 15 years. This guy is a Republican, but I feel he has represented my district well over the course of his tenure. During the time he has served in this capacity he has promoted the economic growth of the district, sponsored and advocated for; tougher laws on sex crimes, fighting for enhanced rights and help for the disabled, built parks, roads, and bridges, and even sponsored stem-cell research. So basically I have no problem continuing to support him.

His opponent has canvassed our little subdivision and had workers out in force campaigning for her and placing signs in numerous yards. This is the 4th time he has come up for election since I've lived here and I have never seen so many people involved in local politics as I am now. I find it alarmingly funny that so many people are supporting the opponent despite the incumbent's work on their behalf to help us with taxes, infrastructure and reform. In response to this blind zealotry, I am now sporting a five foot tall sign in my front yard!! I wonder what my neighbors will think of me now?

On a more personal level, I've been slowly cleaning out boxes of my things that I had stored in the garage by selling them on eBay. The money I make from these sales are to go towards buying a laptop so I can go in another room and write during the night without being disturbed, or to keep them to a minimum. I think it took me a little over a month and I had enough to get a refurbished Dell that is more powerful than I would have imagined I could afford. I'm very happy and I've been clicking away at the keyboard once again.

This weekend Meva and I are going to Ohio. She and the kids are going to spend time with her parents while I go to Columbus to attend a Comic Book Convention. I'm looking forward to meeting new people and seeing some older friends once again. It should be a blast and I hope to have some great pictures when I return.

Catching Up Part 2

I wish I could find more time to update here and to write in general, but I just haven't made the time I should. It's not all bad though because one of the "Distractions" that keeps me away from writing is the fact that the kids are growing up so fast and are demanding more of my time and attention. I spend much of my time as an incredible multi-faceted entertainment tool of fatherhood, serving as (and in no particular order) chef, climbing mountain, movie operator, letter and number instructor, finder of lost shoes, food dispenser, hairdresser, scape goat, toy repair mechanic, identifier of the obvious (yes, that's black or yes, that's a "Q"), tent master, toddler tosser (babies getting thrown into the sofa), and lastly my favorite; Urinary Instruction Demonstrator!!! You'd think that since they're triplets they would be able to entertain themselves, but apparently they need to bring me in. I don't know if that means that they love me THAT much or if they think I'm just like one of them with better posture and a mutant pituitary gland? But I digress.

Meva and I talked quite a bit this week and we decided that I will be able to attend the Mid-Ohio Comic Convention in October! I've never been to this one, but everyone tells me it is a great little event that's a lot of fun and much more focused on comic books; as opposed to the other cons I've been to which are really just comic book saturated pop culture merchandise marts. I'll get to hook up with my friends Brant and Scott, who are both guests and have their own booth, so that's going to be a good time for sure.

We also talked about camping. Sometime in September we will be taking the triplets out for their first camping experience. None of this crappy easy overnight stuff in a lodge either. We're going to get the tent out and the sleeping bags, roast some marshmallows, build a fire, and get a bunch of mosquito bites!! Yes sir, it should definitely be a blast and I'm hoping to get a bunch of great pictures out of this.

In addition to the family outing, I will also be taking some time alone to go camping by myself. I won't be going all Survivorman or anything because, well quite frankly I would probably die, but I won't be leaving the state, so there won't be any inherent danger for me to "overcome." That being said I have a few ideas for where I'd like to go for some hiking and time alone with the new laptop (which I will get by then) and get some writing done. I don't think I'll touch on Thoreau, but it will be close enough. I'm looking more forward to this than I am the comic convention the week before.

Thanks to the uninspiring spectacle that is the Olympics, Meva and I haven't been able to watch Conan O'Brien. All is not bad though because it's given us a chance to check out Craig Ferguson over on CBS. Honestly, if you haven't had the chance to watch him, take the time and tune into him. He is damn funny!! All I've seen so far are mostly reruns due to it being summer, but it hasn't mattered one bit. It's some good stuff.

Speaking of good stuff, I said I mentioned two separate things last time that caught my attention. The first one was an interview on the lovely conservative mouthpiece for retarded fundamentalist thinking, otherwise known as Fox News (specifically Fox and Friends) with the "Still Not Dead" Ernest Borgnine who, unaware that his microphone was still one, told the American public that the secret to looking as young as he does at the age of 91 is that he "masturbates a lot!!" I can't wait until I get to be the age where I can say any damn thing without repercussion or offense because I'll be a crazy old guy!!

And a couple of idiots from Georgia got national news coverage for taking pictures of a gorilla suit with pig intestines on it, throwing it in an old refrigerator, and then saying that they have the body of a Bigfoot. Never mind the fact that their story changed three different times, or that they refuse to actually show anyone the body, or that they have a deal with a guy who runs a Bigfoot site and sells ad space and merchandise to promote this farce. Pay no attention to that or their lack of any credibility, just realize three things:

1. It must have been a slow news day
2. They were from the South
3. NASCAR wasn't in Georgia that weekend!

Really, what more do you need to know than that??? Hunters stumbling across a Bigfoot corpse my ass!

That's all for now. We're heading out to Indianapolis for the weekend to attend a wedding renewal ceremony and a mini-vacation with for the kids to see their grandparents.