Moving...part do

As you have read or seen a trail of belongings down I40, I have moved. Everything is inside the house, somewhere. One hard part of moving is packing everything up. It seems like a lot of work to drag the boxes around to the new location. Fortunately, I did not have a lot of heavy furniture to fit into a tight place. However, that is not the worst part.
What am I supposed to do with everything I have? I do not know how I had so much sitting around. Moving is continous because everytime I set something down or slide it over, I have to move it five minutes later. I have a knack for putting one thing in the way of another.
The new place is coming together. For the most part the floor can be seen. There are still the big piles to slide around, but soon it will look like a place to live. Which means that stuff will be tucked in all knds of corners.

Knew Year

Well younger and older it is about that time of year. The time to flip over to a new calendar. Yes, it is new years eve. Probably one of the biggest party nights in the civilized world. People are willing to stand out in the cold and damp to watch things fall from the sky. People make the same old resolutions to keep for the new year. All the college bowl games appear on television. People also hope for a better year than last year.
Into the new year people still write last year's date on their checks. Well, the few people that actually use checks anymore. Resolutions are forgotten. People try to avoid falling things out of the sky. No one can remember who played what, except the diehard fans who remember every yard run. In fact the new year is just like the old year.
It is bizarre that people love to celebrate the passage of time, yet long for the past. The past is much easier to live through when you have already made it.
So Happy New Year! I hope that 2007 is the year for you to shine or at least you have an umbrella that does not leak.

New location

Hello all

Sorry about not posting in a few days. I know some of you have been sitting on pins and needles for the last couple of days...it pays to go through new outfits and remove those things.
Anyway it has been a busy few days. Along with the Christmas holiday, I decided to move. I was hoping to fool Santa Claus and get two gifts this year. Oh well, maybe next year.
On the good point, I am in a new location. Still the same universe, same planet, same country, same state, same county, same town, but new address.
On the bad point, I am still sorting through my belongings putting everything where it will go for a few minutes at a time.

Help wanted

I saw the most unusual thing today in the paper.
Wendy and I were using newspapers to wrap fragile items for the move. So every once and awhile, I would flip through the paper. I am not consistent on reading the paper or following the news. I flip through and find headlines that look interesting. Today, I was glancing through the classifieds, and saw the most bizarre ad.
It read, "Collection of Playboys and other magazines for $$$ or will trade for guns."
I guess either way you will put your eye out.

Package deal

Have you all been good little boys or girls? Or at least apologized publicly to the press?
It is hard to believe that Christmas is finally here. (Especially after the weather was 70 degrees. I went from long sleeves to shorts.) What maybe harder to believe is that I finally got motivated to do some Christmas shopping. Yes, it was the day before Christmas Eve. All the months before I was not in the mood to shop or had the initiative to go somewhere. Yet, call it the Christmas spirit or too much egg nog, I decided to visit the mall and see what could be under O Christmas Tree.
So Wendy and I went to the local mall to see what I could purchase for my family. We had our price limit in mind and card in hand. The mall was not too crowded for the day before the day before Christmas. We could see about twenty feet ahead of us. I am not sure if this is good or not, but we did find a gift in all the stores we went. Granted it was Wendy who found the gift and we only visited three stores. Which is not bad because without Wendy there I would have ventured all over the mall, not found what I wanted to give, and paid more. My secret is to look in the department stores at the gifts they have on sale on the tables. I suppose that does scream, "Hey, Loser! Buy me!" I hope we picked out some decent gifts. They do not seem that bad or they will at least make some great dust collectors.
Well I gotta go help Santa pack the sleigh.

Paper trail

Greetings movers and other people who occasionally rearrange

I am in the process of moving to a new residence. I know you are thinking, "Why are you putting yourself through that torture?" Sometimes, I just might agree with you. The time that I would agree most is when I am packing.
Packing is hard work. You have to go through everything you own and put in another box. Every time I pack to move, I think to myself I am not going to accumulate any more items. However, a short time later I am having to more things around.
One good thing about moving is you do get a chance to throw things out. I tend to be a pack rat. Not that I want the things laying around, but I just place things down and never touch them again. I was going through some things last night and found greeting cards sent to me from three years ago. Don't get excited...most were from my mom.
Fortunately, I have only had to move a few times. One from my parents' home to college, from college back home, then back to school for master's work. During my post graduate work I found three times. Then I moved to be close to work. Now I am moving for what should be permanent. I am purchasing a house with my future wife.
A sad thing about packing and moving is that I have boxes that I packed and that I have not looked at since I moved. The bright side is that I do not need to repack them. The bad side is that I will probably end up dragging them around again. These boxes are full of papers, that I will probably never need. However...just kidding.

Gate Keeper

Hey party animals

This past weekend I went to a few Christmas parties with a lot of food. I guess the most exciting part was Saturday when I helped Wendy's father work with a goat pen. Her dad is getting two goats for Christmas. So, naturally, he has to build something to keep them in. We went out there Saturday morning for a few hours. Unfortunately, we did not finish.
First, the shelter had to be built. It is currently a roof of plywood with four poles. The fence is halfway finished. It was more work than I thought. Of course I am not good at building or planning any structural material. However, Wendy's dad and brother were out there and doing the most of the work. They were digging and hammering. I was mainly standing around and handing them tools.
After a few hours, we finished for the day. I was extremely tired, which is not necessarily new. I think I ended up going to bed at 7:30. I think I slept through the night. It could have been all the food I ate or I could have dropped the hammer on my head.

Taking the leg out of vegetables

Hello to the health conscious

Remember when you were a little kid and your mom said those famous words of "Eat your vegetables." Whatever happened to that? It seems like our vegetables are disappearing. Everything else is getting larger. If you get a hamburger, then the patty is humongous like the size of a cow, while the lettuce is one small strip.
Now granted I was one of those picky kids who hated vegetables. I still do not like many, especially the favorite of many Southerners. However, I have expanded my vegetable tasting. Thanks to salad dressing, I enjoy a good salad. Lend me your ears, Caesar is my favorite.
The thing that gets me is that vegetables are getting a bad lettuce wrap recently. So many people are reporting getting sick or a little green off of vegetables. What is the dill pickle? Taco Bell has been run through their bell ringer about the green onions in their products. I am not much of a frequenter of Taco Bell to begin with, but I do not remember enough vegetables that show up under a microscope. I guess they finally found out the source of the sickness in New Jersey, which apparently to a lot of jokes is not saying much.
I say we should try and eat a little healthier. Maybe we should be a little more green. Hey, if you cover it enough then you don't notice it so much. Thank of candy corn, if you like that sort of thing. Anyway, remember the saying "God made dirt and dirt don't hurt."

Buy one get one free

Hello smart shoppers

I am sure that many of you get those pieces of paper in the mail addressed to "resident" or "our friend at..." These things that weigh down our US Postal workers are your favorite, okay maybe sources of amusement, coupons. Those coupons help you save that which everyone is trying to keep to spend...money. Sure coupons range from $.50 to dollars off.
The best coupon is the buy one get one free. This means two for the price of one. These can be found from your favorite restaurant to those pair of designer shoes. Coupons for food are the most that I have seen. Restaurants are always trying to get you to eat at their establishment. So they offer deals and specials. Which is a benefit to us, the customer.
This is not really a coupon, but at the grocery store one can also get a deal on ice scream. We all scream for ice scream. It seems that every trip to the grocery store I see buy one get one free on ice cream. Of course the brands change, but fortunately the flavors remain the same.
So clip out a coupon and you can add to your money clip.

Partaying the red sea

Well you can tell it is getting closer to Christmas. I have been to two parties in 3 days. I know some of you have been to a lot more of that. You are thinking that is nothing.
The first party was at a college friend's apartment. There were able 50 people crowded into the apartment. I only knew about 5 people. I had not been in a crowded place like that in a long time. The food was good, so it was worth fighting the way through the crowd.
The second party was a party through work. It was the annual Christmas luncheon. So it is not the big party atmosphere that one thinks of when one hears "work Christmas party." There were no people running around in their stockings or drinking too much. Maybe a few people had too much tea, but that is about it. We had a pretty good meal and the entertainment was not bad. Our boss was nice enough to let everyone go home after the party. It was only an hour early, but that is better than nothing.
The work party was one of those that people dress up. Everyone says, "Ah, you clean up nicely." I am thinking that you have seen people wear dress clothes before, why is it such a big deal? Everyone seems to make a big deal when people dress up. Do people make a big deal when people do not dress up? Probably, but of course people do not say it out loud. Because they wish to compliment...to get a bigger Christmas present.
Well I had better go and face those long lines. I have some special for you.

Simple sayings

Here are just a few thoughts...

What did the father say when he heard he was having twins?
"That is two much."

Is a mini skirt a dress rehearsal?

Maybe the guys performing in the Nutcracker should not wear such tight pants.

I went to a book club the other day, but there was no music or dancing.

It is fun to go to the library and check out the librarians.

When the trouble started at the fruit stand, the banana split.

After eating a big meal I felt crumby.

If people are what they eat then they are cannibals.

No wonder clocks are so ticked all the time, you would be too if you had to put up with all that noise.

I have several issues...Newsweek, Time, National Graphic.

The best way to stay in shape is to eat a square meal daily.

If one remembers something, then does he have to repay the dues.

Fried-day

Hello Weekend Warriors

The week is finally over, the work week at least. Unless you work weekends and then it is just beginning, so uh happy Monday. Have you ever had one of those nights when you get home and you want to go somewhere, yet you cannot think of a place to go. The streets are crazy, the malls are crowded, and the weather is cold. Oh well, I guess it is a night to sit in front of the microwave and watch the tv movie of the week.
Bundle up (check local listings) with the one you love and be happy in the fact that you do not have to get dressed for work tomorrow. Or if you do, then be happy it is the beginning of the week, meaning the slate is clean.

Another stop, another wait

Hello fellow travelers

Sorry about this, but here is another issue with traffic I have. Near where I work is a junction in traffic where three people come from different angles. The two ways straight across from each coming about a corner have a stopsign. However the one perpendicular does not have a stop sign. Yet today, and I have seen it on other previous occasions, the person who does not have to stop...stops. This is highly irritating because it causes mass confusion. Tonight when this happened, I stopped and waited and then chose to go. Fortunately, the other person was still sitting there. For all I know, that person still may be sitting there.
So remember follow the rules of road. Stop when you need and go when you need.

Put me in the dork

Here is one of the many things that I do not understand...There are some lampposts that I have seen that go off when you are under them. Isn't the whole purpose of a light to be bright so it can show you the way. I have walked under a light before that has been on and the second I walked under it...poof! The light goes out. Oh well, I guess that is one of life's many mysteries.
Speaking of turning off...

Driving me crazy

One...Two...Three...Red light!
I know it is supposed to be green light, but I live in a town that you do not see many of those.
It seems like there are so many traffic lights down the highways and byways. Just on the street near where I live there are 6 traffic lights. For some reason they all seem to be red at one time. If you want to turn left at a light, might as well stop there. The light is 2/3 of the times red. You will be there for awhile. Need to finish that long novel or apply that last touch of makeup.
There are several types of light drivers. One speeds through the yellow light. Another completely stops at a yellow light. Then there is the driver who does not go at a green light. I guess a great deal of people today are color blind.
Traffic in general has gotten worse. You can probably drive in the opposite direction from which you need to go and get there before driving straight through the traffic around here. People are either speeding or driving too slow. It is enough to make one go crazy. Just tonight I was nearly in a wreck. A car slowly pulled into the lane right in front of me. I had to swerve into the right. Fortunately, there was nothing in that lane. Moments before there had a been a bus behind me and then afterwards it was there. I finally made it to the safety of my home.
Well I will have to stop right there...another red light.

The White Zone is For Loading and Unloading

The Dish Ran Away with the Spoon

Once in awhile I help Wendy load her dishwasher. However, she right before she runs the dishwasher has to rearrange the dishes inside. It is pretty amazing how she can do some minor rearranging and suddenly there is a lot more room. It is ironic that I am the one that often unloads the dishwasher and still cannot load it properly. This a statement that Wendy points out regularly.
Dishwashers are nice, but they make you ration out your dishes. Before I was exposed to a dishwasher I would try and wash everything once I used it. I did not like something sitting in the sink. Now I am becoming clean and with exposure to a dishwasher I do not mind as much to let the dishes sit. It is hard for me to gauge when the dishwasher is ready to be run. I do not want to run it too early, yet I do not want it to use so much dishes that we have none to eat off of. When you run out of dishes that is a good test of when to run the dishwasher. That is also a favorable way of dealing with washing clothes. It is pretty weird that that is how most things with washing work. Wait until the last possible moment.
Back to packing, I have always had a hard time with issues with space. I am not much of a packer. I cannot visualize things before they are placed in something. I think that is why I do not enjoy decorating. I cannot see something and make it happen. I am just as satisfied as leaving something the way it is. That is why I pay someone else to do it, my fiancee Wendy.
Have fun you movers and shakers. I am spacing out.

Horseing around

Howdy Ya'll

I saw the most unusual thing today. Wendy and I were around the Faison area and Wendy wanted to wash her car. She pulled up to the car wash and by the shelter near a vending machine were two girls on horses. They were just sitting on the horses and sipping what looked to be a milkshake. They did not seem to care about anything. We went through the car wash and they were still there.

Catch a falling star

Dear Entertainers,

What is it recently about the news lately being filled with entertainment types from Hollywood who are having brushes with the law? It is now actors and actresses who have been famous up to this point. It used be the childhood actors who had one hit show and then by the time they were old enough to drive had to use their licenses to avoid the police. Now these are fames who are in their 40s. Talk about a midlife crisis. At least once a newscast, there is a report about a star doing something stupid from driving under the influence to ranting and raving about some other race.
You used to be able to see your favorite star in a DVD, now that star can be found in a police lineup. Number five please step forward. Pretty soon all the Hollywood maps to famous people will lead you to the jail.
The charge that gets me the most is the drunk driving charge. I mean shouldn't these people be famous enough to have chauffeurs?! If I ever became famous, that would be the first person I would have in my personnel. Hollywood is getting out of control. Have a little control and get a chauffeur. I wonder why all these stars turn to partying and such bad behavior. I guess having money thrown at you all the time does make life boring. The amount that reporters go to get a picture of the stars must drive them crazy. Oh well, that is why they are famous, they have better garbage than the rest of us.
Remember these people are actors...they read a script. That is what these people do. I think that is why their personal lives are wrecks. They only know how to live if they are able to read it off a teleprompter. Stars are just like us, except they get paid an extremely amount of money.
So next time you are driving under the influence or ranting and raving, remember one of those lights besides the camera, is probably a blue light. Cheeeeese!

Pictorial debutt

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen

A few months ago I attended a comedy show starring some regulars from the Bob and Tom Show. It was Mike Armstong, Mark Sweeney, Tim Bedore, Drew Hastings, Donnie Baker, and hosted by Chick McGee. The show was fantastic. I got to shake the comedians' hands. I took my camera, but did not take any pictures.
However, today I was goofing around on the internet. I went to comedian Drew Hastings' website. There in the pictures were photos from the Raleigh show. I looked through them and jokingly said to Wendy, "I wonder if I would be in any of those?" Sure enough, I was in a few. That is right, I am in three. There is a real good shot of me, if of course I ever took a good picture.
So here for your viewing pleasure....

Can you spot me? Hey! Over Here? Hint...Look in the back right. Did you find Waldo?

Here I am waiting my turn. Plus I am trying to read that guy's credit card number.

Ah, now here is a good shot of me. I am in the death grip of comedian Mark Sweeney. What you do not see is hip bump we do later.

All photos compliments of www.drewhastings.com If you are looking for a good time please visit that site or your other favorite comedians.

Well I know that most of these are not good shots of me. You are thinking "What do we care?" I say, I have made it on a professional touring comedian's website. No jokes about me being funny looking.

Ha ha bye bye