I have been thinking about "getting older" a lot more than usual recently ( it's a tiring process, that usually requires a nap ). I don't know if it is a result of introspection, the fact that my teen son is now driving, or that my oldest son is an expectant father, but the thoughts seem to constantly fog my mind. I'm not THAT old, but the idea that I'm a grandfather in waiting tends to give the grey in my beard more legitimacy. ( I can't shave it off or I'll sport a double chin ) I'm fight...
! minute and 37 seconds !!!!! That's all the time it took to sart a fire from scratch, using flint and steel !!! 4 minutes 30 seconds to construct and raise a 30 ft flag pole !!!! Blue ribbons are in these boys future !!! The team building exersises went great, the food was fantastic,and everyone had a great time. Even a brief rainshower couldn't manage to dampen the spirit. Had a great fire burning all day, interesting conversations covering current topics, nice debate among the ...
Has anyone found that blogging is addictive? OK. Packing up to take to the woods in the morning. We've finally got some cooperative weather and it's been about 4 months since our last camping trip. It seems that our previous attempts have been run asunder by unusually cold, wet, and/or icy weather. As a rule our scout troop has a camping trip the 1st weekend of every month, just not if you can't get out of your driveway. This trip should be fun, our campcook has returned from a weekend ...
I am currently enrolled at Thomas Edison State College ( TESC ), attempting to formalize my education. TESC is one of the few online schools that are truly accredited, with full transferibility to real "brick and motar"Universities. The courses are not at all easy, the mentors and instructors are helpful, and it's fairly inexpensive. I pay $4200.00 annually which covers all tuition, books average about $150.00 per course, and you can earn as many credits as you like. ( John Bear @ www.degree....
I watched my 8 year old do more on my computer the other day than I could do a year ago, I played a mean game of spider solitare then, but she made personalized Christmas Cards in 20 minutes. I can't do that. I don't like being left behind, for 20 years I felt I was an inovator in my field, always stayed on the peak of any wave, made a point of staying informed and educated ( god how I hated continuing ed retreats, seems every time I crossed the Mississippi River freak weather patterns br...
Children, no matter the age or gender, are an agrivaiting blessing to say the least. It doesn't help matters when I have 5 to contend with. My oldest son ( 23 yr old ) is by far the worst example of my parenting skills. Until we closed the store in 2001, he had never worked for anyone but me( let's revise that to say he had never collected a paycheck from anyone other than me, work seems too strong of a word.....) He has since discovered that employers want labor in exchange for pay, and with h...
I rent a small house just down the street to my oldest sons girlfriend. She's a nurse and works nights, and last night her house was broken into. I was sitting in the cold ass den, watching Jepardy when my son rushes in and tells me that someone had beat the door down at her house. He had just returned from school that evening... So, I grab my trusty 2nd ammendment right and hustle 3 doors down to see if there is anybody interested in a game of catch, no takers found, I assess the situation...
I really hate the thought of getting "older". Age you tend to rationalize is a state of mind. "You're only as old as you feel", and crap like that, are nothing but niceities younger people use to politely qualify an act proformed by someone too old to be doing it in the first place. Undeniable signs of slipping youth are as follows; 1.Stream envy That mythical gland the prostrate has the uncanny ability to restrict urine flow. While standing in the public restroom glances at size a...
It's not even Christmas yet I wish it were March. My personal contribution to the up-turn in the economy is staggering, I mean every retailer for 30 miles should send me options and prospectus with the ammount of investment my wife has shelled out this season. Thank God we have no credit cards !!! But the cash flow is so weak I may need to , ugh, get a job..... I've soo enjoyed retirement and school but life, and it's subsequent cost, continue unabated. I still have over a year left of full-t...
Half day of school for youngest, Teen son gets an early out for vacation, no exam required today, wife works a full day today, I get to load up the SUV for the trip to my moms. Gosh I really look forward to traffic hell on I-95. It shouldn't be too bad south bound, but coming back sunday will be murder, typically Florida tagged luxury cars loaded with old folks and goodies, making the trek up north. Snowbirds reverse migration for the holidays. Mix in truckers trying to make one last load ...
The lack of an ongoing business project has troubled me in the recent past. I have questioned my abilities, questioned my goals, and questioned my purpose in life. It has now been 6 months since I discontinued using Paxil, I think the drug was doing more harm than good. Granted, I was a sad sack of crap when it was perscribed, it helped me to relax, and get my problems off my mind, but it helped get everything else off my mind as well. Living in a relative fog of bliss is not very productive, o...
In a recent post I described the travails of a break-in suffered by my son. The plot has since thickened as we have discovered that several neighbors have recently had the same experience, but neglected to bring it to everyones attention. Embarassing or not, you should let your neighbors know if your house has been violated, it tends to put everyone else on guard. Well, the alarm installation guys are real happy. Four installs this week..... Now for the worrisome twist in the crime, my...
Well, this weekend was boringly eventful, replete with Karoke at the Moose Lodge on Friday nite, Girl Scouts singing at a nursing home on Saturday, Boy Scout Flag retirement ceremony on Sunday, and rental house repairs on Monday. Friday night I convinced my wife to tolerate my crooning at the Moose Lodge, did my best to honor Sinatra with "My Way", Lefty Frizzell with "You got the Money Honey", David Lee Roth with " Gigalo ", and of course Elvis with " American Trilogy ". The Moose affords m...