December 28 Fridays Feast

Appetizer Name 2 things you would like to accomplish in 2008. I would like to finish writing my book and to lose about 30 pounds

Soup With which cartoon character do you share personality traits? Not really now but when I was growing up, I was like Bobby Hill on King of the Hill.

Salad What time of day (or night) were you born? 4:00 in the afternoon.

Main Course Tell us something special about your hometown. It's where Nathaniel Macon, the man for whom all those places that are named Macon, came from.

Dessert If you could receive a letter from anyone in the world, who would you want to get one from? A book publisher offering me a big contract. LOL

December 14 Fridays Feast

Appetizer Make up a word and give us its definition. Bogamer- The rule that allows you to make exceptions to other rules as the need arises.

Soup What is currently your favorite song? Celebrate me home by Kenny Loggins

Salad What’s at the top of your Christmas wish list this year? I would really like a Nintendo Wii and good health for my family.

Main Course Name a scent that reminds you of someone special in your life. The scent of pipe tobacco reminds me of my next door neighbor who was a surrogate grandfather to me and my sisters and my wife.

Dessert Who is someone on television that you feel probably shouldn't be, and why? Brittany Spears, because it has gotten to the point where it is just sad and I don't know of anyone who really cares anymore other than the media.

December 7 Fridays Feast

Appetizer What was the last game you purchased? I purchased a bunch of card games for the guys in my building. They want that new debit card Monopoly now.

Soup Name something in which you don’t believe. The gas prices at the fuel pumps.

Salad If you could choose a celebrity to be your boss, who would you pick? Jerry Seinfeld, I would want him to teach me better comedy timing if he could.

Main Course What was a lesson you had to learn the hard way? Follow my instincts and my gut feeling the first time.

Dessert Describe your idea of the perfect relaxation room. A comfortable chair, 72 degree's, a well stocked book shelf, big screen TV with surround sound for when I want to do something different.

Please check out my feast from last week which I got up extremely late. I would also like to with a Happy Hanukkah to all those who celebrate.

December 1 Fridays Feast

I am back after taking a few weeks off.

Appetizer What is your favorite carnival/amusement park ride? I love the roller coasters, especially the Volcano at Kings Dominion.

Soup How do you react in uncomfortable social situations? Social situations in general make me uncomfortable. I squirm around. What comes to mind is a funeral I attended two years ago almost to the day. A dear friend of the family passed away and in the middle of the funeral, one of her sons got up and gave a eulogy that said basically, "My mom died to leave us money." He said variations of the same for 35 minutes.

Salad On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy discussing deep, philosophical topics? An 8. It depends on the topic and the people I am discussing it with. I don't mind disagreements, but I hate having my beliefs ridiculed. Besides, I believe there are some things you don't talk about in public.

Main Course Did you get a flu shot this year? If not, do you plan to? I have already gotten it. I had the flu twice last year, or at least had a recurrence of the flu after I thought I had gotten rid of it. I was the second person to go get the shot this year.

Dessert Approximately how many hours per week do you spend watching television? Too many. I am behind on some of the shows I watch, then my wife and I watch a lot of shows on DVD.

Fridays Feast/November 9

Appetizer Which snack do you like to get when you go to the movies? I like to get popcorn and Junior Mints.

Soup What year did you start using the Internet? 1996. We used AOL out of the local city but realized that the phone bill was going to be too high. Used local BBS systems after that until the college I went to went Internet in 1997. We were seriously behind the times.

Salad What is your first name in Pig Latin? Oseph Jay or Oey Jay. Take your pick.

Main Course Name something you are picky about. I only like to wear Nike Sneakers. If the switch on the car that adjusts the brightness of the dashboard controls is not all the way up, I will not move that car and if someone else is driving I almost completely collapse and refuse to think about anything else until it is done.

Dessert Fill in the blanks: I _wrote some of my book_ yesterday and I _will write some more __ today.

Sunday Scribblings/Money

February, 2004
The phone was disconnected yesterday. Payment past due. The cable is going to be the next to go, would be gone already if the man from the cable company could get out here. He has been out here once already. Why he didn't turn it off then I don't know. We will have it a couple of more days due to the six inches of snow on the ground. Nothing is running today.
The food is running low. We make a big pot of soup, using ingredients that will go bad if we don't eat them soon. The soup will get us through the rest of today. We still have plenty of rice. I am starting to hate rice. There are only so many ways you can make rice exciting, and we have tried them all. At least we wont be going hungry any time soon.
If I could get out, I could get my check. My check is at school though. I am a teacher, a perfectly respectable profession. I have health insurance and a steady income. I also have a wife who is sick. At least you have benefits, they tell me. I do not like my job. I thought I wanted to be a teacher, but I quickly found out that I didn't. I am working out my contract.
My wife and I hike a half of a mile to the corner store. We have a prepaid telephone card that we use to call our relatives and let them know that we are okay. I don't like doing this. I feel like a failure during these conversations. I should be doing better than this at this point in my life.
When I was 10, I told my father that I wanted to be a stand-up comedian. He looked at me and told me that I would starve if I was. It was the only bad advice that he ever gave me. Walking back from the store in the snow, I think about what he said to me. I consider my current situation, and I think there must be a joke in there somewhere.
Money Troubles

Fridays Feast/November 2

Appetizer How much money do you plan to spend this upcoming holiday season? I think we average about $20-30 a person, I don't know how much exactly because we buy one or two presents a week. We started two weeks ago so we wouldn't be rushed as it got closer to the holiday season.

Soup What was the last television show you watched, and was it good? I watched the NBC comedy night done right last night and they were pretty good.

Salad If you had to paint the walls of your living room tomorrow, what color would you choose? I like blue but I know my wife would never go for it.

Main Course Name something clever or practical you have thought of that should be invented, but hasn't yet. I can't really think of anything. My one shot at something was about 20 years ago. I thought of those pill holders for every day of the week so that people needing medication wouldn't accidentally overdose. I was only a kid at the time and thought that everyone would think that I was stupid. They came out about a year later. The only difference is mine had a button that you pushed for your pills.

Dessert List 3 things you would like to receive as gifts this upcoming holiday season. The Lost Season Three DVD Set, a Red Sox championship Jersey, and Barnes & Noble gift cards.

Sunday Scribblings: Hospitals

Monday, October 4, 2004

This has been the worst day of my life. I knew that the time was short. It had been something that we had known ever since Mama had called me Thursday night. I had known it deep down ever since I went for a visit last week.
Nannie died this morning. My next door neighbor my entire life, the woman who was like a grandmother to me and my sisters. I had done some bad things in my life, but no matter how badly I screwed up, she always welcomed me into her home and no matter what the time of day or night, would always give you something to eat.
I had visited her about a month before. I had traveled a long way that day and decided to lie down to rest for a while and had promptly fallen asleep. Ms. Lillian, the woman who came in and cleaned the house and ironed the laundry asked what was wrong with me, was I sick? No, Nannie replied, He is okay, he knows he is at home. It is my home, my home away from home.
My life had not been doing so great lately. I had recently found a job though, and was finally starting to get my life back together. Then this happened.
After my sister calls us and tells us the news, I just sit in the chair, stunned. My other sister had already left for school, my mother decides that she will wait for a while before going to tell her. I call my wife, who had just left my parents house for a 45 minute drive back to her work. I tell her to go ahead to work, I will call her later with the details.
I rush through getting ready, then throw on an old pair of jeans and shirt. My mother and I are headed to the hospital. My older sister and the rest of the family have been there the whole night.
When we arrive, my mother hugs my sister and asks her if she is okay. She has been crying, they all have. I am allowed to go in and see her. Mary Lou, her granddaughter, is there washing her face. She says it is okay for me to cry. I want to cry, but it just wont come. I wish that it would come, but it never does. I just hold Nannie's hand for a minute. Her wedding band is loose against her finger, her whole body is smaller than normal.
I head outside to the waiting room. My mother is there with my great aunt, who volunteers at the hospital. My mother asks me if I would like to go downstairs with them. They have something to do. I need to get out of here so I go.
We step off of the elevators. I spot a drink machine and I start to dig in my pocket for change. My mouth is dry and has a bad taste in it, I need something to get that taste out of my mouth.
As I step out of the elevator, a girl stops me. She is around my age. She asks me if I worked there, I say no. She asks me some more questions, following me to the drink machine. She says, I like those clothes, they must be new. I say excuse me, I have to leave. My mouth now is unbearable. I need something to drink but just now I need to be away from this crazy woman. She is trying to flirt with me and will not leave me alone. I want to scream at her but I am not a screamer. I am starting to get a headache over my right eye and my mouth has no moisture in it at all now. Finally I say to her, We have to leave, please excuse us. She looks at me like I have offended her. I don't care.
We return upstairs a moment later. The funeral home is here and the man has stepped inside the room to prepare the body for transport. He is professional and courteous, he answers all of the families' questions very efficiently. He has done this many times.
Everyone meets in the waiting room to discuss what the next few days will be like. The last business of someones life has many decisions that have to be made. The man from the funeral home indicates that he is ready. We start out into the hallway. Suddenly, a man screams. There is a crashing sound. A mentally ill patient is out on the floor, whether he was on that floor or has wandered there from some other floor I don't know. The man from the funeral home wisely closes the door to Nannie's room. I think he also locks it from the inside to make sure the patient can't get in.
We are told to stay in the waiting room. It doesn't have locks on either door that leads to it, but it is narrow and there are close to 10 people jammed in there. I don't feel any fear, just confusion. My day is less than four hours old and I feel like I have been awake forever. I hold the soda that I was finally able to get in my hand. My mouth is better but my head is now pounding hard enough to make up for the mouth no longer being dry. They finally rush the guy and get him sedated. We leave. I just want to go home and sleep for three days. This reminds me of the month earlier and the nap I took. I am sad again, but the tears still wont come.

October 26 Fridays Feast

Appetizer: Name a great website you would recommend to others. I really like this one.

Soup:On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 as highest), how often do you dream at night? About an 8. I dream most every night. I can't always remember specifics, but I remember dreaming. I dreamed last night that I was telling a joke but couldn't remember a part of it. Even after I woke up and was drifting in and out of sleep I couldn't remember how that joke went. Within three minutes of getting up it came to me.

Salad: Did you have a pet as a child? Yes, I did. If so, what kind and what was its name? Although we had dogs before her, my first pet that I remember clearly was a pure bred collie that we of course named Lassie. And that dog was just like the Lassie from TV only I never got stuck in a well.

Main Course: If you had the chance to star in a commercial, what would you choose to advertise? Chevy Trucks, mainly because that is what my dad has always drove and watching baseball this fall that John Mellancamp song is stuck in my head. This is our country.

Dessert: What is your favorite kind of hard candy? Werthers candies.

October 19th Fridays Feast

Appetizer If you were a dog, what breed would you be, and why? A pug. I have always liked those little wrinkly dogs.

Soup What does the color purple make you think of? I don't really know. My school colors in junior high were purple and gold. I was in chorus in 8th grade and they had these purple shirts made up. Unfortunately I was sick the week they had the shirts ordered and didn't get one. I had to wear a purple shirt from home without the nice school logo on it. I always felt like I was standing out in a bad way when we went on performances.

Salad Approximately how long does it take you to get ready each morning? from shower to street, 30 minutes.

Main Course How many cousins do you have, and are you close to them? I will limit this to first cousins only. I have 14. I would say that I am close to half of them. It's mainly an age thing.

Dessert Take your initials (first, middle, last) and come up with something else those letters could stand for. (Example: SFO = Sweet Funny Otter) Just Causes Halitosis.

Sunday Scribblings: My first act as King of the World

My first act as King of the World would be to ban all alarm clocks. People should be able to wake up gradually. The worst feeling in the world is not war, sickness, disease, or death. These things are arbitrary; they do not strike everyone equally. The worst feeling in the world is waking up from a deep sleep two minutes before the alarm is set to go off. What do you do? Get up? Why would you do that? That is what the alarm is for. Go back to sleep? With the knowledge that the alarm is going to go off in less than two minutes? I don't think so. Your day has begun and you don't know what to do. You know how everyone says today is the first day of the rest of your life? That's true, and you have spent the first two minutes of that day deciding on whether or not to get out of bed. Now you have to get up and go to work. How is that fair? You would much rather stay home and work at your dream job of being a scribbl...I mean a writer.

My second act as King of the World would be to give the tv news people the night off. The news is going to be all bad anyway and most of it will be the same crap that they will talk about tomorrow night. Instead I will be putting on reruns of The Andy Griffith Show or whatever show you like that makes you feel good.

There will be a spot between 7-8 pm EST where I will allow anyone who wants to to declare themselves whatever weight they want to be. I will then put each countries ruler into one large room and tell them to hash it out. The rest of us are going to a ball game and hotdogs are on me.

Then I will make sure reruns of Unsolved Mysteries are put back on the air because I always liked that show.

Sunday Scribblings 80: First Job, Worst Job, Dream Job

I have had a number of jobs over the year. My first job was as a bag boy at the local grocery store near my home. I was 16, and looking forward to having my own money for the first time. I started the week after my sophomore year of high school. It was the busiest time that I would ever remember in the grocery business. I was scheduled to work until 11 at night, but we weren't getting out until 12:30 most nights. I learned how to "swab the decks" mopping the aisles at night. My boss was Mr. Hedgepeth, who is still one of the best people that I have worked for. He worked hard at his job and it showed. He was fair to us and in turn we worked hard for him.
I worked hard at that job and after a few months, I was promoted to stock helper. I would stock the front end of the store in addition to bagging when I was needed. A few months after that Mr. Hedgepeth came to me and told me that he was allowed to give three workers a raise and that I was going to be one of the three. I was blown away. I never figured that I would be one of the people chosen. It was only a 30 cent raise, but I was still pretty proud. Of course, the minimum wage was increased two months later and wiped out my raise. Such is life. At least, that is the way that it has been with my life.
I have had a couple of "worst jobs". I was the manager of a campsite for R.V.'s one summer. Terrible job. It was 98% on the job training and learn as you go. Nobody knew anything. I would get chastised for doing the wrong thing when no one had told me what the right thing to do was. Dealing with the Board of Directors of the camp was hard too. They were jerks, to put it simply. At the end of the summer, after I had worked my butt off for three months, they promised me that I could have the job again the next summer. Then the next February, they advertised for the job again and didn't even tell me. I found out that they were doing that and I begged for a job interview again. I should have taken the hint. The day came and I dressed up in my best shirt and tie and headed out to be interviewed by the same group of people that I had butted heads with the year before. Was I a glutton for punishment or what?
I was not the only applicant for the job. There was an applicant already inside interviewing when I arrived. From the sound of the interview, I knew that she was probably going to get the job (which she eventually did). I had given my word that I was going to be there for the interview and I was determined to see it through. At the conclusion of the first applicant's interview, she was walked out to her car by the liaison to the camp (it was a Methodist church based camp), both of them laughing all the way. My stomach started churning. As they were walking out, a couple who were the third applicants arrived. I should stop here and say that the place where they were having the interviews was a double wide trailer that was converted into an office/waiting area/meeting room with a small apartment space in the back. The apartment space was where I had lived the previous summer, so I knew the ins and outs of the whole building.
One of the things I learned about the apartment is that in certain spots, you can hear everything that happens in the waiting area. The waiting area is where the applicants were held until the interview. So I heard everything that was said about me. They spent about 10 minutes putting me and everything that I had done the previous summer down. Some of the criticisms were just, there were things that I had done wrong and that I had intended not to do again. Some of the things were not warranted, there were things that had happened that were out of my hands. I hate criticism, but it is one of the things that you have to deal with in this world. The thing that I didn't like is that the board didn't address these concerns directly to me and also that the other applicants heard everything that was said. The whole thing could not have lasted more than 10 minutes but I felt like it was going on forever. My face was getting redder and redder, my cheeks were two spots of fire. Even the couple sitting on the couch across from me looked uncomfortable. I tried to make light of the whole situation but it didn't help much.
The interview was a disaster. They didn't really ask me any questions. I had to explain all of my actions from the previous summer. I was on the defensive the whole time. I felt like I was swimming in quicksand. I wanted to shout at them, "Why didn't you have the guts to say all of those things to my face?" but of course I didn't. And I didn't get the job, of course. There was one more thing that happened that I thought was very strange. A week or so later, my pastor who was on the board and was one of my two defenders in the meeting, gave me a call and apologized. He said that the liaison had said some things about me to some people in the conference that our church was a part of. That was the thing that stuck with me even to this day. Some of the people on the board I could see having a problem with me. Since I didn't get the job I figured I would never see them again so I didn't worry myself with them. I have never looked at the liaison the same way again though.
My dream job would be to be a writer. Getting paid to write and express my ideas with others sounds like heaven to me though. I did have a security job a couple of years ago at another college campus where I would be at a post on one side of campus. My first 3 hours would be pretty busy with rounds and securing building for the night. It would quiet down about 2 o'clock and the campus would get real quiet. Deer would wander onto campus in groups of 10 or more and walk across campus. There would be a chill in the air this time of year. Sitting in my car with a cup of coffee, listening to the radio or writing in my journal. Those were some good times.
Thanks for letting me ramble.

Fridays Feast for October 12

Appetizer When was the last time you were surprised? I can't remember the last time I was surprised. Probably Easter weekend. It has been a long time since I woke up to snow in April.

Soup Fill in the blanks: My eyes are __brown______, but I wish they were __green_.

Salad If you were a Beanie Baby, what would you look like and what would your name be? The fist thing that popped into my head is a penguin, so I guess my name would be Blocky.

Main Course Name two things you consistently do that you consider to be healthy habits. I have been drinking more water and I walk everywhere on the college campus where I work. Everyone else I work with drives.

Dessert What brand of toothpaste are you using these days? Do you like it? Why or why not? Crest Natural Mint toothpaste. My wife bought it for me two weeks ago. It is a pretty good toothpaste. Better than some that I have tried lately.

Sunday Scribblings-Sorry and my 100th Post

The admins didn't have a prompt for this weeks Sunday Scribbling and left us a Sorry-No Scribblings post. Some people decided to run with this and use Sorry as a prompt. So I am going to do the same. This also happens to be the 100th post of my blog. Time to celebrate.

• I'm sorry that I treat my wife badly sometimes. I don't mean to, but that doesn't make it right.
• I'm sorry that I was mean to my sisters growing up. Some of it was typical brother/sister stuff, but there were times when I went over the line.
• I'm sorry that there were times when I was ashamed of who I was.
• I'm sorry that there were times when I was ashamed of where I came from.
• I'm sorry I never took more chances in life.
• I'm sorry I made some of the choices that I made.
• I'm sorry that I didn't study more and do better in school.
• I'm sorry I did some of the things that I did, and I'm sorry that I didn't do some things that I should have done.
• I'm sorry that I picked on people that I shouldn't have picked on, instead of sticking up for them.

There are many more things that I am sorry about. I could fill up page after page with things if I took the time. Most of the big ones I have listed above. Have you ever felt so helpless in life? I feel like that sometimes. I am coming up on 30 and still don't know what I want to do with my life. It's like there is something missing and I don't know what it is or where I should go to find it.

Thanks for letting me ramble.

October 5th Fridays Feast

Appetizer On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you look forward to your birthday? A 9. I love it when my birthday comes around. I feel it is a special day reserved just for me. This year will be a special birthday when it comes around because I will be turning 30.

Soup What is one word you don’t like the sound, spelling, or meaning of? I hate any word that has an extra letter that makes no sound, such at the T in Tsunami or the P in receipt. It is such a small thing, but it drives me crazy. I also hate the word Clique, the meaning used to drive me crazy in high school, it is a long story.

Salad Do you wear sunglasses when you’re outside? If so, what does your current pair look like? I usually don't wear sunglasses at all. I went through this phase in the late 1980's where I always wore mirrored sunglasses. I thought I looked so cool. I am thankful no pictures survived from that time period. At least no pictures that I am aware of.

Main Course If you were to write a book, to whom would you dedicate it? My wife of course. Also the rest of my family who encouraged me all those years.

Dessert Name a beverage that you enjoy. Coke Zero, as near to the real thing as I can get without all of that sugar.

Sunday Scribblings-Power

This weeks Sunday Scribblings is all about power. When have I felt the most powerful? That is a tough question for me because I feel like so much of my life is out of my control. Like today. I haven't been feeling well for a while now. It has been just a bunch of little things that have been adding up. So I made an appointment for today.
I was the last appointment for the day and they were running behind when I got there. I had to go through today wondering what was going to happen when I got to the doctor, so I was pretty much useless the whole day.
I finally get called back to that little room where they take your vitals and all that. My blood pressure was high. I never keep up with what it is. I told the nurse that I have been trying to lose weight and have lost about 20 pounds since the beginning of this year.
I was then moved into that other room where they make you take off your clothes and put on that toilet paper robe. The one they put me into today was a front enclosure and not big enough to go all of the way around me so there I am sitting on the table half exposed in my socks, underwear, and Charmin robe. You will never feel more powerless than you are at this moment.
They took blood. They took urine. They poked and prodded me all over. I turned my head and coughed. I got some medicine. I was put on a diet. I have 30 days to lose weight and lower my blood pressure. That's all, 30 days. I know it doesn't sound all that hard, but the thought that I have to do it in 30 days makes me nervous which can't be good for my blood pressure. You can see the problem that I am having.
When did I lose all of my power? I feel like I am losing control of what little power I have. At what point in life do you have the most power? I remember when I was a kid, I wanted to be a detective, a truck driver, Indiana Jones, and a member of The A-team. All of that was just Monday. Then I got older and got scared of failing and not following my dreams. I don't like people being angry with me. The thought of actually confronting someone makes me cringe. So I lost my power. I work every day at getting it back. It is a daily struggle.
I'll keep you posted.

Fridays Feast for September 28

Appetizer How are you today? Not so good. Long visit with the doctor. This next month is going to be rough.

Soup Name 3 television shows you watch on a regular basis. Wow, just three? House, The Office, and Heroes. I could go on and on though. Sometimes I thing I love television too much. You know that guy who watched television growing up and now spouts Pop Culture references that no one else gets? Guilty as charged.

Salad What’s the scariest weather situation you’ve experienced? Driving through Hurricane Fran back in 1996. Dumbest move of my life, but I didn't know it at the time. I thought I was driving away from where the storm had hit instead of toward it. Should have stayed where I was.

Main Course If you could wake up tomorrow morning in another country, where would you want to be? France.

Dessert What do you usually wear to sleep? A t shirt and pajama pants.

Fridays Feast for September 21

Appetizer What is your favorite type of art? Something that I can tell what it is by looking at it and something that I couldn't do myself is my favorite piece of art. Oh, and I like Art Bell. :)

Soup When was the last time you got a free lunch (or breakfast or dinner)? Who paid for it? I get a free lunch or dinner or breakfast anytime that I want. A meal plan comes with my job so all I do is take advantage of that. (I feel like a freeloader at times.) Man these questions are not making me look too good this week.

Salad On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how emotional are you? About a 4. I bottle those emotions up. Keep them down inside. One day I am going to explode. What can I say, I just don't show a wide range of emotions. Maybe it's the water. Who knows.

Main Course Approximately how long do you spend each day responding to emails? About 10 minutes. Last night I spent about 20 clearing out my inbox. What is it with Nigerian princes and ads for Cialis? Does anyone really respond to those emails? I'm sure the answer to that question is yes.

Dessert To what temperature do you usually set your home’s thermostat? I have no thermostat and no control as to whether or not I am getting hot or cold air. I like about 68 when I can control it though.

I feel like this weeks questions made me look really bad. Maybe I am just paranoid, I am not this self centered. I'm going to go lie down now and quit rambling.

Sunday Scribblings

I thought that I would try a new meme. You can try it to at this link.

Here goes: Hello, my name is Joey...and I am many things in life. Husband, son, brother, cousin, friend, coordinator, supervisor, supporter, blogger. I am all of these things and so many more.

I am proud of my heritage and where I come from. I have never been ashamed of being an American. I love my country and all of the freedoms that we have.

I am proud to be from North Carolina. I think I live in the most beautiful place that there is. We have the best mountains and beaches. Our BBQ is pretty good too.

I am proud to call myself a Christian. I am not perfect, just forgiven. Jesus died for me, so that I can be saved. There are aspects of my faith that I struggle with at times, but I know that God is there for me.

I am more conservative politically than some, but realized that most of the time politics are boring to discuss with others. Very rarely do you change any one's mind about anything and that old adage about not discussing politics is more often true than not.

I love baseball, I like to take in games at the park. There is nothing like seeing a baseball game in person.

I am all these things and much more. I am learning more and more about myself every day.

A few thoughts on Five Years of Marriage

A couple of months ago, I read a blog where someone posted their “Five Thoughts on Five years of marriage.” I thought that it was an intriguing idea, so I filed it away in the back of my brain. This Friday, September 21, 2007, will mark 5 years that my wife and I have been married. With all apologies to the original author, I would like to offer some thoughts of my own on 5 years of marriage.
I heard going into it that the first year of marriage is the toughest year. The first year was rough for us, but it was nothing compared to the second year. Looking back on that year, it is a wonder that we are even around, let alone married. Between money troubles, illnesses, being away from our families, stuck in a job that I hated to go to every day, my wife stuck in a city far from home with no one around that she knows, I think we both went a little crazy that year.
Things did not get much better going into year three. There were more trying times, but looking back, it was more like a ship righting itself as it prepares to start sailing into smoother waters. We were certainly not out of the dangerous seas that every marriage goes through, but things were certainly getting better.
Years four and five have been more stable for us. It seems now that we react to outside forces rather than outside forces reacting to us. I have learned that the line to that old Ricky Nelson song is correct; you can’t please everyone, so you have to please yourself.
Marriage is something you have to work at daily. Sometimes I do well at that daily thing; sometimes I do not so well at that daily thing. I still say things that I can’t believe I said when they come out of my mouth. The thing that I keep reminding myself is that I am going to say stupid things. I apologize for what I said and try not to say it again.
Change has been a constant in my life since I have been married. I have had the same job and the same apartment for the last two years. We have still moved 6 times in 5 years. Anyone who is willing to move 6 times has to seriously love you.
It won’t always be easy, it hasn’t always been easy. It has been interesting.

September 14th Fridays Feast

Appetizer When was the last time you visited a hospital? This afternoon as a matter of fact. One of my residents had a car accident and I went to see him.

Soup On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how ambitious are you? As of this moment, about a 6. At first I thought it said how ambidextrous are you and I thought...What a strange question.

Salad Make a sentence using the letters of a body part. (Example: (mouth) My other ukulele tings healthily.) No One See's Everything.

Main Course If you were to start a club, what would the subject matter be, and what would you name it? How about a specialty recipe club, I would call it Just Desserts.

Dessert What color is the carpet/flooring in your home? Bluish.

Fridays Feast for September 7

Appetizer Using only one word, how does grocery shopping make you feel? Overwhelmed

Soup What is your favorite part about the season of Autumn? There are so many things that I like about Autumn I don't think I could limit it to just one part. The coolness in the air, the leaves starting to turn, Fall baseball, the State Fair. That is a start to the many things that I like.

Salad Have you ever had any bad experiences online? Yes, before I met my wife, a girl I had dated a few times broke up with me via email.

Main Course Name three things that make you happy daily. Seeing my wife everyday, reading or writing things down in my journal, and the fact that I am living in the greatest country in the world.

Dessert What one household cleansing or organizing item would you not want to be without? I am pretty attached to my retractable Sharpie Marker.

Fridays Feast for August 31

Appetizer Who is the easiest person for you to talk to? My wife, I talk to her every day.

Soup If you could live in any ancient city during the height of the quality of its society and culture, which one would you choose? Ancient Rome, although I don't really have a reason, it is just the first thing that popped into my head.

Salad What is the most exciting event you’ve ever witnessed? I saw the Olympic torch on its way to Atlanta in 1996, that was pretty exciting.

Main Course If you were a celebrity, what would you do for a publicity stunt? Act normal. Compared to some of the celebrities of today, it would be shocking.

Dessert What do you consider the ideal age to have a first child? Mid to late 20's at least.

Fridays Feast for August 24

Appetizer Say there’s a book written about your life. Who would you want to narrate the audio version? I would do it myself or maybe have Morgan Freeman narrate it for me. I think he is the best narrator that there is.

Soup Take the letters from your favorite kind of nut and write a sentence. (Example: Perhaps every avenue needs understanding today.) Can't anyone see how elephants wander?

Salad If you could go back in time and spend one week in another decade, which decade would you choose? I have so many. Perhaps the 70's when I was born.

Main Course Name a song that brings back memories for you. The song "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was playing when I moved to college for the first time. I always think about that time when ever I hear that song.

Dessert Do you prefer to wash your hands in cold water or warm water? Warm water.

Fridays Feast for August 17

A little late this week:
Appetizer Describe your laundry routine. Do you have a certain day when you do it all, or do you just wash whatever you need for the next day? I usually wait until I have a load ready to go before I wash. No set routine beyond that.

Soup In your opinion, what age will you be when you’ll consider yourself to truly be old? I don't know. People are living longer than ever and are active well into their 80's. I think 70 is the number for me now. It used to be 60.

Salad What is one of your goals? Is it short-term, long-term, or both? To actually finish and publish my book which is a combination of short and long term goals.

Main Course Name something unbelievable you’ve seen or read lately. The girl with the 300 page IPhone bill. They sent it in a box for crying out loud.

Dessert On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how happy are you today? a 5, not as happy as I could be but not miserable. Ask me again in a week.

Please check out my post below and tell me what you think.

A few clarifications

I have been bad about not answering back comments in my blog lately, one of the things that I really believe in. I think that is the number one thing you have to do when you have a blog, answer comments. It just makes good sense to me. I have been so incredibly tired and busy the past few weeks and to the readers of my blog, I apologize. I would also like to clear up some things that people have asked me about my blog, specifically questions about some of the things I have written in some Friday's Feasts.

The job that I work at has some particularly hectic times of the year and this happens to be one of them. I have a lot to do and not enough time to do it all in. I am sure you have heard of the expression 24/7? In my line of work, it is more 25/8. As a result, I feel 100 when I am only 29. That is why I am feeling so old this week. I usually appreciate my age and have no problem growing older. It is just hard for me to get up and get going for some reason this week.

Some have commented about the statement that I made a couple of weeks ago. I commented that I believe that everyone has a purpose, although I also think that we will never what the purpose is for some people. It is hard for some people to grasp that concept, I admit it is hard for me to grasp it. There are some pretty bad people out there in the world, I don't see how they could serve any useful purpose. I don't know why bad things happen to good people, nor do I know why good things happen to bad people. I don't have all of the answers, I don't even have anywhere in the neighborhood of half of the answers. I have come to the point where the questions don't make much sense.

I have a little notebook that I carry around. It has everything in it from work stuff to grocery lists to books that I have read. One of the things I have written in there is a list of things that I want to do before I die. About half way down the list is write a book. I want to write something from start to finish and see it published. While I would love to make a million dollars off of the book, I am realistic that it probably will not happen. That isn't why I want to write a book any way. I have a story to tell and want other people to read it. I made a promise to myself that I may write the worst book ever written, but it will not be the worst unfinished book ever written. I start out writing longhand and then transcribe what I have written to the computer after I have finished. This process takes longer but helps me work through some things.

The book that I am writing is a memoir of my life. I have started at the beginning and have written about my life up to the period that I am 11. The main part or "meaty" part of the memoir will go from roughly 2000 to the beginning of 2005. I have learned that the writing process is an interesting thing. I have not done an official outline, but I do plan out about two or three items that I am writing next. I thought it would be write A write B write C, I have found out that I have to write about 1,2, and 3 between A and B. Some of the stuff that I write about is good, some of it is unprintable. I have surprised myself a few times as well, saying "I can't believe I just wrote that."

I was asked why I was writing if it was so hard for me. I just feel like it is something I have to do. There is something in me that feels like writing, and I have to respond to it.

Thanks for letting me ramble.

Fridays Feast for August 10

Appetizer What is your favorite kind of pie? Lemon Chess pie. But only made by a woman near and dear to my heart that has passed away and whom I miss every day of my life.

Soup Name something that made you smile this week. Certain passages from the last Harry Potter book which I finally got to read and finish this week.

Salad What do you do to cool off when the weather is hot and humid? I love Cold Stone Ice Cream and then taking a cold shower.

Main Course You receive $1,000 in the mail with a letter that says you can only use the money to redecorate one room in your home. Which room do you pick, and what do you buy to spruce it up? My living room. I would get rid of the furniture that came with it and buy a nice couch and recliner of my own.
Dessert Fill in the blank: My __birth certificate_______ says _____that I am 29_____, but I _____feel like 100 this week_____.

Fridays Feast for August 3

Appetizer On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how polite are you? I would say that I am a 9. Sometimes I think I may be too polite.

Soup What was the last thing that made you laugh out loud? A book that I was reading last night, although I can't remember now what was so funny.

Salad Who is your favorite cartoon character? Popeye

Main Course Tell about the funniest teacher you ever had. I didn't have that many funny teachers I am sorry to say. I would have to say Mr. Schulenberger in 8th grade. His humor was very dry and witty, and we could easily get him off topic for an hour talking about sports.

Dessert Complete this sentence: I strongly believe that ______________________. I strongly believe that every body has a purpose, although I also think that we will never know what the purpose is for some people.

Fridays Feast For July 27

Appetizer Describe a toy you remember from your childhood. Oh, so many come to mind. My big wheel, I cried when the back wheel fell off. My sit and spin. The one that I remember vividly is actually one I didn't get, the Snoopy snowcone machine. Man, I really wanted one of those things.

Soup On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being highest) how observant are you? A 9. I am sometimes too observant.

Salad Where would you rather be at this very moment? At this moment, I would like to be in bed. I am so lazy.

Main Course When was the last time you learned something new? I learn something new every day.

Dessert Fill in the blank: I have ____________ but I haven’t ____________. I have been working on my book, but I haven't gotten where I want to be at this point. Writing is hard for me.

Fridays Feast for July 20

Appetizer On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being highest) how much do enjoy watching sports on television? It all depends on the sport really. I love to watch baseball in person but only get excited about the playoffs or the world series. I will also watch a close game in the late innings. I will watch football, (both college and NFL) if the game is close. I love college basketball (GO HEELS!). Any big sporting event such as the Super Bowl is a must but I consider those social, not sporting events.

Soup If you could completely memorize any one work of fiction, which one would you pick? Right off of the top of my head at the moment: Lonesome Dove my Larry McMurtry. I just about have the miniseries memorized in my head so I figure I am almost halfway there.

Salad What is your favorite breakfast food? Wow, another tough question. It all depends on my mood. This morning a bowl of Special K red berries hit the spot. Other days I like to cook myself a cheese omelet. When I go to eat at IHOP, I like their cheese blintzes. At my parent's house, my dad's pancakes all the way. (Did I share too much?)

Main Course Name something fun you can do for less than $10.00. Browse my local Barnes & Noble and then get an Iced Coffee at Starbucks. Or see 5 movies at the $2.00 theater.

Dessert How long does it usually take you to fall asleep? On average, about 20 to 30 minutes. Some nights, I am out like a light.

I have an interesting question of the week down below this post, please stop by and check it out.

Question of the week

I skipped last week but now I am back with a question of the week: You have just written your memoirs. Your publisher calls you up and tells you that they love the book but there is a problem. You haven't given it a title. What is the name of your memoir and why?

Fridays Feast for July 13

Appetizer What is your favorite fruit? I am partial to pears and blueberries.
Soup Who is someone you consider as a great role model? My dad just because he is my dad, Stephen King for his writing ability, Jerry Seinfeld for his comedic talent and for ending his show on his own terms, and anyone who ever followed their dreams regardless of the consequences.
Salad If you were to spend one night anywhere within an hour of your home, where would you choose? The nearest beach. I love the ocean.
Main Course Name something you do too often. Watch too much TV.
Dessert Fill in the blank: I really like baseball because even though it has been tainted somewhat due to steroids, at its core, it is still the purest game that i know and I never tire of watching it in person.

Late evening update

It has been a while since I did a regular post. I have only been doing Friday's Feasts and posting my questions of the week for you all. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have left comments on the site. It means a lot to me to have people comment on what I have written. I just want to take this opportunity to update you on a few things.

I have done some more work on my book lately. I am a little farther behind than I want to be at this point, but have really been writing some pages lately so maybe I can get back on track soon.

Work is starting to get a little busier at this point, but no more than I can handle. The busy season is still ahead of me at this point. I cleaned out my office on Thursday night, one of my goals for this summer. I am glad that particular task is behind me at this point.

I haven't had a chance to see any of the big summer blockbusters that have arrived at the cinema the past two months. It sucks because I want to see so many of them so badly but don't have the funds at the moment. It sucks not having money.

I have had a chance to read a few books this summer. I am slowly making progress on my Million Page Project. Still way behind on the number of books for this year, but every little bit helps.

Question of the week

With the final Harry Potter book coming out later this month, what other series of books should I turn to and read? I am open to all suggestions. I need all the books I can to complete my Million Page Project.

Question of the week

What five books would you take with you to a desert island?

Fridays Feast for June 29th

Appetizer How many pieces of jewelry do you wear most days? Just my wedding ring.
Soup What is your favorite instrumental song? Can't think of one right now.
Salad Who has a last name that you like? I like David Caruso's character on CSI:Miami, Horatio Caine.
Main Course Name a popular movie you’ve never seen. I am embarrassed to say that there are many. Jaws, Napolean Dynamite, and much to my wife's horror, I have seen Grease, every line, every dance, every song, just not in one sitting...so I guess that counts.
DessertFill in the blank: Nothing makes me angrier like not being able to make my point, especially if someone else has gotten to make theirs.

Fridays feast for June 22

Appetizer Name a funny habit you have. I obsessively count stairs and I keep track of how many pages I read.
Soup If you could instantly know how to play a musical instrument, which one would you pick? Either the piano or the saxophone.
Salad How long is your hair? I like to keep my hair short although I could use a hair cut. It gets curly and unmanageable if not cut.
Main Course When was the last time you forgave someone, and who was it? It has been so long I couldn't tell you who it was, but I am a big fan of forgiving.
Dessert What is your favorite kitchen appliance? I like my smoothie maker.

Question of the week

What are your journaling habits? Do you journal? Online or offline or both? What notebooks or journals do you use? What writing tools if any? How often do you journal? What do you journal about?

Question of the week

Name something about yourself that a lot of people don't know about? I have a couple...I met my wife on the internet and I am legally blind in my left eye.

Fridays Feast for June 15th

Appetizer Fill in the blank: The best thing about where I live is that there is always something going on and it isn't that far away from everything I would ever want to do.
Soup Create a new name for a deodorant (like “Flower Fresh” or “Shower Scent”). New Smell Erase for Men (Get the scent out!)
Salad What was the last piece of software you installed onto your computer? I have no clue. My wife does all that.
Main Course If you were to receive a superlative award today beginning with the words ”Most likely to…”, what would the rest of the phrase say? Most likely to say some random fact that no one ever knew.
Dessert What two colors do you like to wear together? Blue Jeans with a red T shirt.

Question of the week

Easy question this week: Do you believe there is life on other planets?

Fridays Feast for June 8th

Appetizer What do you consider to be the ultimate snack food? Chips

Soup On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 as highest), about how popular is your last name? It's pretty common, so I guess it is popular.

Salad Who is your all-time favorite sitcom character, and why? I like Bobby Hill from King of the Hill because he reminds me of me when I was his age.

Main Course Do you shop online? If so, name some sites you like to browse for goodies. I don't do it often, but I have bought from Amazon and Best Buy online before.

Dessert Fill in the blank: I think ___________ should be ___________. I think that Monday's should be outlawed.

Fridays Feast for June 1st

Appetizer Name something you think is “the best.” Moleskine notebooks. I use them for my journaling and have really grown attached to them.
Soup On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 highest), how stressed are you today? A 4. Not that stressed but always something to do.
Salad What kind of cleanser do you use to wash your face? Old Spice body wash at the moment, but I have a supply of Axe bodywash to last me until the next century I think. Also a supply of Irish Spring sport.
Main Course Tonight is a blue moon! What is something that you believe only happens “once in a blue moon.” A good dinner with old friends. We are too scattered for it to happen more than once in a blue moon.
Dessert When was the last time it rained where you live? It has been a few weeks. Water levels are down a lot.

Question of the week is below if you want to participate.

Question of the week

Earlier this week, I bought The Shawshank Redemption on DVD. This is my favorite movie of all time. I remember when I first saw it in the summer of 1995. Like many others, I didn't discover the movie until it came out on video. I was going through a rough time in my life then, and the movies final 30 minutes just uplifted me. It has helped me through many times since. What movie do you find uplifting or could watch over and over again and what is the reason?

Fridays Feast for May 25

Appetizer Name a sound you like to hear. 10 months of the year, I live with 150 guys, so I would have to say the sound of silence.
Soup What is your favorite kind of cheese? I am partial to pepperjack.
Salad Do you sleep late on Saturday mornings? Why or why not? I always have the intention to, and will sleep an hour or so later than usual, but usually I am up and about early on the weekend.
Main Course When was the last time you forgot something? What was it, and how long did it take to remember it? I honestly can't think of anything for this question. So I will say right now, because I forgot an answer to this question.
Dessert Fill in the blank: I notice _the sunset__ when _I go to the beach.

Good questions again this week. Don't forget to answer my question of the week posted below.

Question of the week

Simple question this week. What is your favorite television show that is not on anymore? I have several, but off hand I will say the X-Files.

Question of the week

From time to time I will post something as a question of the day. Feel free to link back to this question from your own blog like Fridays feast or to answer it in the comments section. This weeks question: In politics there is a phrase known as stickin'. This means you stand by a person no matter what. You stand by them through good and bad not because it is politically okay, but because it is the right thing to do. Is there anyone in your life that you stick by no matter what, and if there is name that person.

Fridays Feast for May 18

A double feast this week since I missed last weeks feast:

Appetizer: List 3 emotions you experienced this week. Happiness of seeing the Red Sox play in Fenway, relief of seeing home after a long car drive, and anger at the bug man at my job taking his sweet time grooming his hair and talking on the phone making me late for a meeting yesterday.
Soup Name a car you’d love to have. I have two: A mustang, and a 1961 Cadillac convertible cherry red.
Salad Describe your typical morning routine. I get up with the alarm, I use the restroom, then I either go back to sleep on the couch for a while then check my email and websites or check the email and websites then get ready for work.
Main Course Have you ever emailed someone famous? Not that I can remember.If so, who, and what did you say to them? Did they reply?
Dessert Do you listen to pod casts? If so, which ones? Yes, when I have time, I listen to the TV Guide weekly podcast and Jimmy Moore's Low Carb Podcast.

Extra Helping of last weeks feast.

Appetizer Tell about a time when you had to be brave. About three years ago, I lost three relatives in the span of two weeks. There were times in front of other relatives and then times when I got back to work that I had to be brave and I really didn't feel brave. I had to just go ahead and do the things that needed to be done.
Soup Which upcoming movie are you excited about seeing? Pirates of the Caribbean: At worlds end.
Salad Name an item you try to always have on hand. I can think of several. At home, coffee. When I am out and about I always try to have a pen, something to write on like my notebook, a journal in case I get inspired to write, and a book in case I am somewhere and get bored.
Main Course Imagine the most relaxing room you can think of. Now describe it! The room is cool. It has just the right amount of lighting for me. It has a big overstuffed Laz E Boy chair in it for me to read in. Even better, this room is soundproof.
Dessert On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being highest), how spiritual or religious are you? I would say a 7. I used to say I was more spiritual than religious, and in some ways I still feel that way. It no longer bothers me when someone says that a person is religious instead of spiritual. I have learned that life is too short to worry about those things and people are usually not trying to put a person down when they say that. They are using the words interchangeably.

As always, comments are appreciated. Don't forget to look around the blog and see if there is something you like.

Return from a road trip

Well, I did something this past weekend that I have wanted to do for a long time. I traveled to Boston to see the Red Sox play the Orioles in Fenway Park. The game was great and I think I am even turning my wife into a baseball fan, at least for games in person. I don't think she is at the point to watch them on television yet.
Fenway was amazing. I have always wanted to visit and see the Red Sox play there. They didn't disappoint either, beating the Orioles 13-4. Our seats were okay, they were in full view of the action but some of those old wooden seats that were definitely built for smaller people. I was lucky to get the tickets at all so I am not really complaining.
We drove this trip, which was not bad coming back but I made one slightly wrong turn in New Jersey going up there and it added a lot of time to our trip. We hit the Jersey Turnpike right before quitting time and it was a stop and go experience.
I like road trips though and it was good to see the east coast from the car.
Comments are appreciated.

Answering a question.

I had a lot of fun with this weeks Friday's Feast questions. Many have wondered about my dessert: Write a sentence about yourself with one thing that is true and one thing that is not true. I wrote that I was in a national commercial when I was 12 and that my father is the mayor of my home town. So, which one is true?

My father is the mayor of my home town.

I'm sorry to say that Hollywood has not come calling yet. One of the things I want to do before I die is have a line of dialogue in a movie. The closest I have ever come to fame is a girl in my second grade class was filmed about a story on juvenile diabetes. when they showed the footage on the local news, I was in half of the screen! Cut in half by the editing process so all you could see was a little of my face. We would have gotten more airtime but that was the day that the space shuttle Challenger exploded. That is such a sad thing though and I don't like to dwell on it.

As for my father, his job sounds a lot more glamourous than it actually is. He works hard for a town of only about 150. It's more of a village really. He has worked hard to get the town a municipal drinking supply, something he finally got accomplished about 5 years ago. Now he is working to make broadband available to the people in the town who have to depend on dialup now. He tries to keep things as non political as he can to get things accomplished. He is up for re-election this year, the position being a two year odd number elected office. If he wins, he plans on running just one more time then retiring with 30 years of public service.

Whenever I tell people that my dad is mayor, they ask me why doesn't he get me a job. I reply to them, "Doing what, cutting the town's grass? He wouldn't pay me."

Fridays Feast for May 4

Appetizer Name something you would not want to own. Those shoes that all of the kids are wearing now that you can rollerskate with. I hate those shoes so much I don't even want other people to own them
Soup Describe your hair (texture, color, length, etc.). Short preferably, Curly and thick when long. Black hair going gray or by now gray hair shot with black LOL. Premature Gray...gotta love it.
Salad Finish this sentence: I’ll never forget my grandparents. I'll also never forget those people who gave me a chance and who believed in me even when I didn't believe in myself.
Main Course Which famous person would you like to be for one day? Hugh Laurie. Why? He is such a good actor and very talented. I think it would be fun to be him for a day.
Dessert Write one sentence about yourself that includes one thing that is true and another thing that is not. I was in a national commercial when I was 12 and my father is mayor of my hometown. Guess which one is real.

Wow...I really liked this weeks questions.

Fridays Feast for April 27

Appetizer How fast can you type? I don't have a clue, not that fast.

Soup What is your favorite online game? Mahjong Garden on Pogo

Salad On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 as highest), how intelligent do you think you are? I think I am an 8. These days, it seems like that number is going down though.

Main Course Name three of your best teachers from your school years. Mr. Fuller, 7th grade English and Social Studies, Mr. Schullenburger, 8th grade English, and Mrs. Goolsby, 9th and 12th grade English. English teachers had a tremendous impact upon me.

Dessert What are your plans for this upcoming weekend? A little work and a little relaxing. Working some more on my book.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

Fridays Feast for April 20

Appetizer: What is your favorite kind of bread? When I eat bread I like the white wheat and sometimes rye when I am in the mood.
Soup When was the last time you bought a new pillow? A few months ago, my wife bought a new pillow, I got one of those fluffy memory foam ones for Christmas.
Salad Approximated how many hours per week do you spend surfing the ‘net? Oh wow, too many hours.
Main Course What’s the highest you remember your temperature being? I think in my younger days I topped out at 102 one time.
Dessert Fill in the blank: When I think about the future, I imagine all of the possibilities.

Before you head off to where you're going, tell the one's you love that you love them.

4-16-07 This week, We are all Virginia Tech

Tragedy in Blacksburg

The tragedy at Virginia Tech this week hit close to home for me. I work and live in a college community and something like this could have happened anywhere. The community is in shock and grieving and it will be a while before things will settle down there. Now is the time for our thoughts and prayers to be with those in that community. It is a very cliche' thing to think, but the phrase "There but for the grace of God go I" just kept popping into my head yesterday. Let me know what you think.

Fridays Feast for April 13

Appetizer: When you were a child, which crayon color was your favorite? I liked the simple plain blue. There was just something about that color. What I really wanted was the big box of 64 crayons with the sharpener built into the back. Somehow when we went shopping for school clothes and supplies I never got the big box. Now I could go to the store and buy 10 of them if I wanted but it isn't the same.
Soup: On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being highest), how likely would you be to change jobs if it required you to move? 10. I live where I work, so I would have to move if I changed jobs.
Salad: Take all the numbers in your birthday and your phone number and add them up, one by one. What’s the total? 64
Main Course: Have you ever “re-gifted” anything? If so, what was it and who did you pass it on to? Yes. My wife received an outfit for Christmas one time and she didn't like it. So we passed it on to someone else.
Dessert: Name something you need from the store. Diet Mountain Dew.

Good feast this week. Please check out my previous post below and if you can give me some advice, I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

Calling all Writers, I need your help

I have mentioned in some of my last posts that I am trying to write a book. It is a memoir mainly covering a 5 year period in my life. This is one of the hardest things I have ever done but I need to do it to prove to myself that I can do it.

What I would like from any writers out there is this. Did you ever edit yourself to protect others or their perceptions of you? There are some very personal things that I am going to be writing about and I am leaning toward writing about them. With that being said, if you have written like you wanted to and have put that writing out for others to read, how did you deal with the comments and/or criticism that you got back from your readers. Any help on this matter would be appreciated.

Fridays Feast for April 6

I have been traveling this weekend so I am late but I'm finally up.

Appetizer When you travel, which mode of transportation do you prefer? I love to travel by car, there is nothing like the open road.
Soup Have you ever met a blogging friend in person? No I have not had the pleasure yet.
Salad When was the last time you were really, really tired? I have been tired since then, but a couple of years ago at my old job, I had to work 16 hours, off 8 hours, then work 16 more hours. I had 4 days off after that, but by the time I got to the end of my shift, believe me I needed those days.
Main Course If you could have dinner with any one fictional character from a book or movie, who would it be? Sherlock Holmes comes to mind.
Dessert Fill in the blank: One day, I hope to see my book in print, also this summer I go and see my beloved Red Sox in Fenway.

Have a good week everyone.

Friday's Feast for March 30

AppetizerWhat are you proud of? Graduating from college and going out and finding my current job on my own.
SoupWhat is the best thing you’ve ever won as a prize? A 10 speed bike that the local fast food restaurant was giving away that they had actually paid my dad 10 bucks to put together before hand.
SaladName something you do that is a waste of time. I obsessively count stairs as I go up or down them, every time I go up or down them. This wastes a lot of time.
Main CourseIn what year of your life did you change the most? 1993. I grew two inches and lost about 40 pounds that year. I also grew emotionally that summer between 9th and 10th grade. 1993 was a good year.
DessertWhere is a place you consider to be very tranquil? Can't think of anywhere right off hand. I love the tranquility of a long stretch of road.

Pencil for your thoughts?

My job isn't particularly hectic. There are certain times, however, when the pace speeds up and there are long hours of work. Yesterday was one of those times. About 10 hours of preparation and work to get ready for room sign up for next year. My boss told me when I walked in yesterday that she had an extremely hard task for me. She handed me 10 boxes of pencils and an electric pencil sharpener.
I had plenty of time to contemplate life while I sharpened those 240 pencils. I thought that somewhere in the Papermate company there is someone who works for quality control who does what I was doing every day they comes to work. I felt sad for that person and hoped that they were paid very well for their services. I also thought that no matter how hard someone works at quality control, some bad ones always get through. I found two pencils without lead in them, one with no eraser, and several that just looked worn when I took them out of the box.
I used one of those pencils until I had worn it down to the nub last night. The same could not be said for the packs of pens that we bought for the occasion. Talk about junk. They wouldn't write for some reason. If life ever turns on me and I need a job, I'll look and see if Papermate is hiring.

Fridays Feast for March 23.

AppetizerWho is your favorite news anchor/reporter? Why? Honestly, Brit Hume. I remember him reporting on ABC World News Tonight back in the day with Peter Jennings. He is a very intelligent man who has been praised for his journalism skills by our past two presidents. Very telling since they were a Democrat and Republican president, respectively.
SoupName 3 foods that are currently in your freezer. Frozen taquitos, Chicken, and I think my wife has some ice cream left.
SaladIf you were to have the opportunity to name a new town or city, what would you call it? Since there is a Truth or Consequences, New Mexico already, I think something like Truth or Dare, Arizona or Deal or No Deal, North Dakota.
Main CourseWhat will most likely be the next book you read? I'm in the middle of two books now but I am thinking of going and buying Stephen King's On Writing to get some help with my own book.
DessertWhat's the first thing you notice about the opposite gender? Don't really notice them since I am married, but back in the day, I would say their eyes or their smiles.

Great Feast this week. Don't forget to read some of my other posts. Especially the one I wrote yesterday. Comments are always appreciated.

At the end of the day.

It has been one interesting week. A woman who was beloved in the community where I work and live passed away suddenly this week. I didn't know her well, but she affected many lives and her loss will be great. It reminded me of the fickleness of life and how we are not promised tomorrow.
The book is slowly coming along. I know I have a long way to go. The hardest part will not be in the writing of the book but in the editing process after. I am hoping to have 20,000 words by the end of the week. It is the largest single writing job that I have ever done. It is challenging to me both as a person and as a writer.
Several years ago, I worked as a security guard at a factory. During an 8 hour shift, I was busy maybe an hour and a half at the most. So I had a lot of downtime in between. My supervisor told me to bring books to read since I was waiting on trucks to be signed in and out. With nothing left to do other than listen to the radio, I got to read a lot of books. One day I got curious and kept track of how many pages I had read during a shift. It was something to keep my mind occupied. Then I wondered if I could read 1,000 pages in a week. It went on from there to see how many pages I could read in a month, a year, and so on. So beginning with the first day of January of 2005 I began what I call my Million Page Project. To see if I could read a million pages of literature. I have hit my yearly goals so far. As an added bonus, I get to read a lot of great books. Let me know what you think.

Fridays Feast

Appetizer Name two things that made you smile this week. I found time to read some really good books and to work on a book of my own.
Soup Fill in the blank: Don't you hate it when _you wake up two minutes before the alarm clock goes off__? (I really think that this is the worst feeling in the world.)
Salad When you can't go to sleep, what is your personal remedy to help yourself drift into Lullabyland? I interview myself in my head. I ask myself questions like I am giving an interview to Charlie Rose or something.
Main Course What is something about which you've always wondered but have not yet found a good answer? I always wondered why good things happen to bad people instead of the other way around.
Dessert What is your favorite pasta dish? Fettucini alfredo

Fridays Feast

Appetizer What is your usual bedtime? Don't really have a set bedtime. Usually between 11 and 12 if I am not on call.
Do you like that, or would you rather it be different? I wish I could do everything I needed to do at night and still get some quality sleep time.

Soup When it comes to advice, do you give more or receive more? I usually receive but lately it seems as if I have been giving more. Now whether or not people actually take my advice is another matter entirely.

Salad Describe a memorable meal you've had. When my wife and I were literally down to our last few dollars until the tax refund came and had to stay at my parents house for a few days because we did not have enough food. We sold stuff to get gas money. When we finally got to my parents house, my mom made us some grilled cheese sandwiches. I would not have traded that grilled cheese for filet mignon at that moment. I will never forget it.
Main Course Name a work of fiction that affected the way you think about something. Huck Finn by Mark Twain affected me deeply. Also this little mystery called Cold Slice by L. T. Fawkes also affected me because at the beggining of the book the hero is down and out and pulls himself back into things. Which is something that I was going through at the time I read the book myself. It really helped me a lot.
Dessert What is your favorite type of fruit juice? I love apple juice and pineapple juice. I have learned however that if you drink a glass of grapefruit juice a day that it will change your outlook on life. Sometimes things that are good for you don't always taste good.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

I'm Back

It has been quite a while since I did a regular post. I have been busy as heck at work. Going almost non stop for a while now. I just wanted to drop a quick note to let everyone know that I am still alive.

I went on a conference related to my job a couple of weeks ago. The keynote speaker at the opening event said something that stuck with me. He said that life is not about time, It's about choices. If you were to, God forbid, die tomorrow, the job that you work 40 plus hours for would have you replaced by next Friday while the people who love you would only miss you for the rest of their lives. If that doesn't make you think, then nothing will.

Fridays Feast

AppetizerWhat does the color pink make you think of? The Breast Cancer ribbons in October.

SoupName something you thought you had lost, but later found. My hope in humanity and the goodness of people.

SaladIn 3 words, describe this past week. Not that stressful

Main CourseWhat are you obsessed with? Baseball and television I'm sorry to say.

DessertWhat kind of perfume or cologne do you like to wear? Don't really have a favorite. I wear all kinds because despite me saying no, my family insists on buying me 100 different kinds of cologne every Christmas. I won't run out until 2237.

It feels good to be back answering Fridays Feast after being away for a while. Have a good one.

Taking the same land twice

One of the resolutions that I have made for myself this year was to lose wight. This morning I weighed myself and I have lost 20 pounds. Yeah!!! It got me to thinking though, about something I heard once. This old military saying that some general or something was to have said once. The saying is that this general said that he hated to ever have to retreat, because he didn't want to have to take over a piece of land twice. That is how my weight loss has been. I hate to see that scale creep up even a pound, because that means that I have to lose that pound all over again. Kind of like a one step forward, two steps back kind of thing.

The new Harry Potter book comes out this summer. I feel so bad, I haven't read but one book this year. I am really falling behind in my reading. Things at work have been really hectic as this is one of the busy times of the year at my job.

A tow truck is coming to get the station wagon this week and take it off to the junk yard, presumably to be crushed. It had a good run.

Feast One Hundred & Twenty Nine

One Hundred & Twenty Nine
AppetizerWhat was one of the fashion fads when you were a teenager? Those crazy shirts that would change colors when wet is the only thing I can think of.
SoupName one thing you think people assume about you when they first meet you. That I am some big scary dude
SaladOn a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how hard do you work? This week, a 10.
Main CourseIf you were given a free 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl to sell anything you currently own, what would you advertise? My Moleskine notebook.
DessertFill in the blank: I love to _curl up with a good book___ when it is __rainy outside_______.

Feast One Hundred & Twenty Eight

Appetizer If you could take lessons to learn any musical instrument, which would you want to learn? I would love to be able to play the piano.
Soup Have you ever mistaken a person for someone else? Yes I have on many occasions. Just yesterday I wasn't really looking and nearly put some tuna in a strangers cart because I thought it was my wife.
Salad On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how well do you keep secrets? I would say an 8 overall, when it comes to work stuff I am a 10 because hey man I don't even want to be sued. LOL
Main Course What's the closest you've ever been to a dangerous animal? I would say when I went to the zoo although I was going to visit my parents one time I turned a corner on a back country road and a bull was just standing in the middle of the road. Very weird.
Dessert When was the last time you lost your patience? Really lost my patience? hmmm...two years ago at my old job. Some kids wouldn't leave the library at closing time and the other guard didn't want to make them get out. I don't really like confrontations, but sometimes you have to grit your teeth and do your job.

Have a good weekend, everyone.

Wednesday night update

I hope you all are doing well on this Wednesday evening. I have been busy the past few days with work related issues. This time of the year is usually busy for me. Things will slow down a little for now but things are always steady until about the middle of March, when business picks up bit by bit until about the second week of May. Then we are into the summer months.

A positive about summer that I am looking forward to is fulfilling one of my lifelong dreams of seeing the Red Sox play in Fenway Park. I have never visited Boston before so this will be one exciting trip for me and a kind of vacation to kick off the start of the summer.

One of the resolutions that I made for myself this year was to lose some weight. Now I have a large amount of weight to lose but don't plan to do it all at once or very quickly. I didn't get to be the shape I am in now overnight and I am not going to lose it all overnight. I am proud to say that I have lost about 17 pounds so far. I watch what I eat and make sure that I am eating all of the right things. I probably have a couple of pounds of that back after visiting a Chinese buffet today for lunch to celebrate my bosses birthday. I did notice that I was full way earlier than I used to be and stopped eating long before the other people I was with. I guess that is progress. I had a wonderful dinner tonight prepared by my lovely wife. A nice salad and some good chicken breast. It doesn't get much better than that.

Thank you to everyone who has visited the blog the past few days and left comments. I love it when I hear from people out there who read this little blog of mine.

It is time for me to run. Take care.

Friday's Feast

Feast One Hundred & Twenty Seven
Appetizer Which television shows do you just refuse to miss? Probably too many but off of the top of my head: 24, Prison Break (returning this week), Heroes (also returning this week) and House.
Soup Who did you last speak to on the telephone? A woman from accounting at work.
Salad How many pillows do you keep on your bed? Four. Two for me and two for the wife.
Main Course Name one addition to your computer (software, hardware, etc.) that you'd love to have. Right now to be honest with you, speakers. (LOL)
Dessert What is your favorite foreign food? I love Chinese and Greek food.

The anniversary of my birth

As the title of this post says, today is my birthday. I am 29 today. Getting older doesn't bother me. I have always felt older than I was anyway. I hated my teenage years. I was never really into that going out and being stupid thing. When I think back to my teenage years, the thing I always think of is the kids that went out mudslinging. Mudslinging to the unenlightened is taking a truck out to a muddy field and then going around and around slinging mud and getting your truck dirty. It always seemed like a waste of time to me. I always seemed like I had better things to do with my time. Not to mention the fact that I didn't have a vehicle of my own until I was 21.

I was so glad to get to my 20's. The day that I turned 20 was a great day. I woke up that morning with an epiphany that things would make more sense to me now. It was like my physical number of years would catch up to my emotional number of years. For the most part, the last 10 years of my life have been wonderful. There have been mountains and valleys of course; but the biggest valleys don't compare to the mountains. The best part was meeting and then marrying the woman of my dreams.

I hope the last year in my 20's will be as good as the rest. Then onto the 30's. It should be one interesting ride.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone. I hope that 2007 is going to be a great year for everyone. This is a time of the year for reflection and also for new starts. This is a great time. God has something wonderful planned for you.

If you are like me, then you make resolutions. I didn't hit all of mine from last year. I did better than the year before though. This year I am trying something different. Instead of having vague resolutions concerning weight or finances, this year I have specific goals that I would like to accomplish. This is going to make me follow a plan for great success.

Go out and have a good life today.