Slept late, then spent the day simply being with each other watching movies and periodically napping. I got breakfast AND dinner in bed. Good thing I remembered I didn't have work clothes with me, or I'd still be there intead of coming home before going to work in the morning.

THREE whole days of work in a row! 'Bout damn time, I was losin' my mind!

Ouch sorry to hear....

You sound very happy Felix, good for you !

I had a lazy day, watched a couple of movies in the afternoon. ( Death Sentence and 3:10 to Yuma), I did patch the garage roof in the morning so I wasn't completely lazy

Did some re-organizing and cleaning of the apartment, read my current book by Suzanne Brockmann, took out the garbage and recyclable material, did grocery shopping at two different stores and checked my properties for "wind rows" created by the city plows. Not the most productive day but not bad. Still in the tail end of the flu so I don't feel horribly motivated to leap up in the air, click my heels three times and dash off towards Kansas.

putstin around in shop, there's only 4 of us in here today...really not a lot to do...just listening to some old school AlternRock...

Fastball...good band...

Actually went to work for the first time in days! And promptly wished I hadn't. Seems their lighting guy quit last week and they've not replaced him, so the sound guys are trying to muddle through without a clue. It's a sad day when we have to show the road guy how to patch his own dimmer rack.

Meh...t'was only five hours. Coulda been worse.

Off with friend for a much needed walk-had a beer to relax with friend in gym afterwards-just looked at weights fortunately-but, did resolve many pressing word problems! Now will do some food for dinner, and do some work for work this week-end. Weather great! Sun and air quality top rate.

Everyone got the day off, so im sitting at home, and im turned on the TV, to Tail Spin! I loved this show as a kid

Another boring day at the office.......Thinking about cooking a big roast tonight...

watching Live Free or Die Hard....KICK @$$ MOVIE!!!!!

Yes it is!

Ended up at the boy's house early last evening through this afternoon watching movies, playing dice, and simply being together. Then he walked me to work before going on himself (the arena where I was doing a hockey game is 2 blocks from his apartment, the club where he was working is another block past that). Unfortunately he has to get up early tomorrow to deal with his other boss, so I'm on my own tonight.

Hell yea m8!

I knew you had some good taste!

So far not too much: Slept in to 6:20. Got up, made my bed, played with Shady, straightened up my living room area, organized my dishes for washing later, put together a bag of laundry and it is now in the dryer, watered both sets of hallway plants, refilled all three watering bottles and left by hallway plants, did some admin work at Bill's and my web site, started eating my breakfast, sent out several email to friends and family, checked my usual web sites that I visit, and I am now going to hit my charity sites and do the "donation" thing. Later: check my properties, buy Saturday's paper, purchase new dryer sheets, actually wash and dry my dishes, S.S.S., hit Value Village, Goodwill and Salvation Army looking for a good used surge arrestor and if I can't find one I will go to The Source (formerly Radio Shack in Canada) and purchase a decent one for my bedroom for my electric heater. The s.a. currently there cannot handle a prolonged current draw and will "snap" off which fecks up my two clock radios in my bedroom. Finally, watch some football, most notably The Patriots and the Jags.

Made a huge pot of bastardized chili. Dunno what it's gonna end up tasting like, as I started with my basic venison chili recipe (I'm out of venison, but it's the one I like best for other stuff) and then added random other stuff.

Getting ready for the Packer Seattle game.

If Green Bay loses...


Im going to kill someone.

(slowly steps backwards)

All tied, Seattle 14, G.B. 14 as of 4:31PM. I'm torn on this one. I really like G.B. but I have this soft spot for Seattle. Oh, G.B. just scored.

Went out and checked my properties. Lucky thing I did. They were fairly slippery. I waited until later on yesterday before I went out so that most of the snow was down however enough came down after I finished and overnight/this morning to make going out a neccessity.

UPDATE!

End of the half:

GB: 28
Seattle: 17

Thats right... BE AFRAID.....VERY AFRAID!

Went to the 1st Annual Brass Festival at ASU today. The featured artists were the Gateway Brass (the USAF Band of the West's brass quintet), and Dr. Brian Bowman, the professor in-charge of the Euphonium Studio at University of North Texas. http://www.music.unt.edu/instrumental/euph.../bowmanbio.html

Holy Cow was that awesome!

I woke up late, but got there just in time to attend the Euphonium clinic Dr. Bowman was putting on - a class of about 7 of us. He was offering tips, pointers, and advice on how better to play our horns - which was some incredible information... for free. I was amazed to discover that I have better intonation, sound, and control than a university student that was attending the clinic.

Shortly afterwards was an awesome concert with the Gateway Brass playing a few tunes, and accompanying Dr. Bowman as well. Simply exquisite.

Then everybody in attendance gathered in the 'spine' of the Arts building (a 2-story atrium that runs the entire length of the building) for a mass rehearsal of a tune (Trumpet Voluntary adapted to all-brass) that we would all be playing at the end of the day - which was awesome. There's nothing quite like the sound of a huge brass band in an acoustically decent place. There were about 100 of us, every age from middle-school, to one of our tuba players who's pushing 80.

Then lunch, followed by more clinic time for soloists. I sat in anyway just to take it all in and get some more free advice. The university student was pretty much a personal project for Dr. Bowman since he had so many bad habits that he couldn't seem to let go of.

Afterwards, another concert with some actual solo recitals by Dr. Bowman accompanied by piano - awesome. He was playing a selection of 'mandatory' solo materials that are considered for state competition, and was just incredible. He finished with 'Carnival of Venice' which was mind-blowing, because he wasn't only playing the solo portion of it, he was adding 3 or 4 complimentary notes in between the ones he was supposed to be playing. Awesome. But that wasn't it, and as I'm learning, most top-shelf professional musicians have their own tricks to simply blow the audience away. When the tune was over, he had the accompaniest sit back down, pulled a sock with a single hole in it out of his pocket and put it on his valve hand, then proceeded to play the exact same thing he had just dazzled us with - with only 1 finger this time. Amazing, and very inspirational.

The finally was the big huge Brass Ensemble in the Spine - and it was just awesome.

What a day.

went to the range, shot off about 200 rounds of 9mm. Not focusing so much on targeting-- this is just a mechanical checkout seeing how the weapon does feeding JHP (jacketed hollow point; self-defense ammo). If I'd had a malfunction, I'd be looking for another weapon for concealed carry. I'm glad to note that I didn't have a malfunction at all. So I've found the ammo to use for carry purposes. Will be taking my CCW class on the 26th. Probably will get the license from State in April. Between now and then have to figure out how/what I'm going to carry, and that will of course depend on the season. Easier to conceal in the winter under bulky jackets. Do I expect to ever need a weapon? No. But I want the option. It's like 4WD on a truck. Better to have and never need than the inverse.

Scarfed up some .40 and .45ACP range brass. Filthy stuff, some of it actually black with years of oxidation. Threw it in the tumbler and it's shining like a gold coin now.

Decapped, tumbled, sized, trimmed, and uniformed 400 rounds of 9mm brass, by hand. Actually wore a blister in my left palm from holding the die in it, till I got smart and put my moto glove on that hand. Think I'll be getting that hand press I've been looking at. Faster, easier (no pounding involved) and no blisters.

Now I just need my order of bullets/powder/primers to arrive and I can see how I did with my first go at reloading. Oh yeah- the final assembly wil lbe the fun part. I don't have a press, I'm using a hammer.

Got my eye on a Para-Ordinance Warthog .45ACP pistol. I'm not too crazy about Glocks as even their concealment models are still just as wide as the fullsize. Good weapons if you don't have to conceal, but not so much if you do. Ideally I'd find something the size of my P11 9mm chambered in .45ACP. There's a couple possibilities, but I want to get some handtime with them before I choose.

Went to Home Cheapo and bought a "Room Sized" rug to throw on the basement slab under where the children can play. Not bad - 12'x8' for $115. Am now going to throw said rug on said floor and setup the girls' desks/PCs.

Woke up exactly 27 minutes before I had to be at work, and by virtue of it being Sunday made it because there was no traffic and I could park under the building for free. Hell...I was even four minutes early! Did my four hours, now home for seven until I go back for another two.

Damn boy went out of town yesterday or I'd have already been downtown (read: no hurrying while getting up at the same time) and I'd have been able to go there for a nap between shifts.

Drinking and more Football!

Holy schnikies, Batman. San Diego beat the Colts and New York Giants just beat (a while ago) Dallas Cowboys. No doubt there will be some changes in Dallas land. Yikes.

Yes i know!! Green Bay is going to destroy New York!

Opened a new unemployment claim. With any luck at all that'll solve some of my problems in two weeks when I can start getting checks again. And hey...now I'm a statistic again! When I ran out of benefits I no longer counted as unemployed or under-employed, just fell off the radar.

got home from school, and played with my soccer ball for a bit, then went for a run...it's now 7pm...just got back and am sitting for some grub...not a bad day.

Finishing off week-end work-hope to be completed in a few days!

Finished working my nightshifts this morning, slept for 3 1/2 hours and now planning on taking my Grandson to the nature center

Spent all morning on the phone making payment arrangements for everything I have anything to do with.

Turns out the people who actually own my car are NOT interested in working with me...I have until 5pm on the 31st to give them this month's payment or they'll use the GPS unit to disable my car and they'll come get it where it stops. Which is exactly contrary to what they told me when I bought it (just call us if you run into a problem, we'll work it out).

due to change of pay cycle (after 6 years. WTF?) spent the "morning" (my morning-aka 1700hrs) letting CC card folks know I won't be able to make normal payments and adjusting pay sched to reflect the new pay cycle. Not behind on payments, just having to readjust things since we're no longere on a bimonthly sched.

Went over to my neighbors house to shoot the shit about common interests. While he was looking over my P11, he snuck out some Cuervo Especial he got for a birthday present. Next I know, he's got a shot of it poured for each of us, and some of his wife's (special, low-acidity) lemons sliced up. I normally can't stand tequilla (call it ta-kill-ya) because it's so harsh. This was suuhhmoooveeeee. Almost as good as a good blended scotch, and definitely as smooth.

Had two large shots (probably 3 fingers' worth each), having not eaten today. Holy fuck, that's sneaky-smooth-evil shite!!

Feelin' a bit tipsy. Called in a pizza strike. Should be here in about 40 minutes. Wife is busy laughing at my "drunk" ass for being 'bout 2 sheets to the wind after two shots. Pfeh. I don't see her messing with this stuff. It's nothing to play with.

: gives props to the blue agave and the artisans that work with it :

Started into doing a little paper work-finished for this week perhaps! Did a few more lights about the house ... actually, got them to work. Still into solar, if I can find the right models-need a few spot types.

I actually made it home after four days of working and getting a few minutes' sleep between gigs at the boy's house. Doesn't rain, it pours, I guess...I haven't been able to buy a day off...looks like maybe Friday, but we'll see.

Holiday!!! Not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow though!

Pick up a 8600 at CompUSA for $139.00.. not today but about a week ago!

watched Superbad.

Stupidest.
fucking.
Movie.
EVER.

WTF, are these kids like 13? I say we send out a posse to come back with the head of the producer.

So it wasn't just me?

Today I drove 60 miles in 110 minutes through the aftermath of what they refuse to call a blizzard but I think was. Then I worked for 12 hours and drove 60 miles back in 95 minutes. The plows had finally been on the freeway. Gotta do it again tomorrow.

Damnit BK. I didnt want to have to kill you... but you just have no taste.

Dropped over $500 into our vehicles in the last 2 days. Wife's car got a water pump and my truck got 2 new tires after a lovely blowout driving in a snowstorm.

That movie was bad, but you had to love the name McLovin.

Wasn't the greatest, that is for sure, but the skinny kid was hilarious. Just the looks on his face in the back of the police car cracked me up big time. The fat kid was just annoying for the most part, although he had one or two good lines.

today was senior helper day at school, so, anyone in the school bought a senior to do whatever they wanted them to do...well I played it smart and bought myself...I just freelanced all day...pretty much did anything I wanted. Until about noon or so when I decided to wash cars for the faculty, meanwhile it's about 24F outside and snow/ice...so I'm having a blast driving teacher's cars around the parking lot and E-braking and drifting around turns and such...but we got all the cars done. Then the special ed teacher wanted us to wash the bus...and guess who drove that?...Oh yea...that was a hoot of a time...
pretty damn good day today.

Checked out the film, National Treasure 2, with Ms. Df .... did pop-corn, and 2 giant diet Pepsi drinks-these guys are huge! Film good to relax with, and is along similar lines of the first-will buy when it comes out. Notice there was a hint for a number 3 - would guess that depends on how much this film takes in. A fun, but a very wet day here-excellent for the movies-like 20 people in the whole theater!

Was going to buy an mpeg/mp3 but can't make up my mind between 4 and 8GB. Dang. Leaning towards the SanDisk Sansa View......reasonably priced and nice design, layout with an SD card slot for increased memory. Cool.

I have a quick (hopefully) PC repair for a friend, then later a Birthday Party for my Nephew.

Enjoy your day, sir. <Doffs hat and bows with respect.>

Thank You, always a pleasure posting here. ray