I hate computers...

Just as I'm finishing up the home page for the family website, my laptop crashes. Turns out the hard drive went. Not looking forward to having to reload and redo all of the things, but such is life. Guess I'll start backing up better (or at least create a boot disk for next time). Take care and happy holidays!!!

My life as a sitcom...

So our neighbor told us the other day that he doesn't need to watch TV anymore. Wondering why, we blindly asked. The return comment is that he feels watching our family is more fun than any sitcom he can find on TV these days...example: Son in full batman gear poop scooping the yard. Hmmm, still not quite sure whether we should be looking for a cable outlet to profit or offended that others think we're not "normal". I'm thinking a little of both...so - anyone looking to start another reality show and want to pay us for being us? ;)

Back to the sitcom...

But he's cute...

So the kids and the wife are playing today and it leads into this conversation:

Son: Wait!!! How do you spell Y-M-C-A?
Mom: Next you'll be asking how to dial 9-1-1!!!
Son: Huh?

Yep, that's my boy - isn't he cute?

HOCKEY!!!!

I want my hockey. The fact that Bettman is keeping me from it is getting really annoying. This bonehead creates the situation and then feels he is the only one who can come up with a workable solution? How does what the players put forth not help? How does it not offer cost control measures? In what other industry do you get a clear idea of what your numbers need to be to be truly profitable - especially a large industry? If they want to fix the system, this was a great place to START. It may not be the end all be all, but if they don't get playing soon, it will be.

I truly can understand why a cap is a bad idea from the players perspective, but I can't understand why the owners aren't open to alternative ideas to a cap - many of which could be even better. I also don't understand why no one is talking revenue sharing. Ultimately though, I don't really care. If the NHL can't get their situation straightened out, I suggest the players organize a new league and get the puck moving again. Either that or we reincarnate the IHL with NHL players. Hmmmmm....

Things you should know...

So, yesterday my wife takes the middle child in to the doctors for a physical. While signing in to the office, the wife notices she needs to put the date down. Not wanting to expend the energy actually thinking about the date and knowing the middle child knew (being type A and recording it daily without fail helps), the wife has the following conversation with the daughter:

wife: What is the date?
child: (exasperated and questioning - I know, hard for a 7 year old to pull off, but done admirably here): Um, it is December the 13th. You know, the day after your son's birthday Mom? (Like duhhhh....)

If only to be 7 and know everything again (or to remember to expend that little bit of energy to actually figure out what the date is). My wife is so pretty... :-p

Belated B-Day...

Sorry for the delay folks - just kinda been a crazy bit of time lately. Sunday was the boy's b-day and he had a ball. Truly enjoyed hanging with his friends and being center of attention. The boy (or slick-E as I'm taking to thinking of him) was smooth enough to convince us to eat at Chuck-E-Cheese's based on our premise with the children that they can pick where we eat for their birthday and his happened to fall on a Sunday - so he was able to finagle a bit better party than what his mother or I had initially been planning on. Oh well, he enjoyed and he didn't break the bank.

Now, to deal with my personal issues with Slick-E. I lobbied hard for him to be able to have the party there based on the premise. Granted, the boy could not know this, so I don't wonder why I get no credit for this. However, his favorite gift (and pardon me those without small children) is a fashion statement which allows you to play a card game on it from Yu-Gi-Oh. He had asked and the discussion again hinged on whether or not we should get it for him with the wife somewhat on the fence and me tilting the discussion in favor of yeah. So, the boy gets the gift, obviously enjoys it, and now for the last three days I've heard nothing but "Mom, that was exactly what I wanted. You are the greatest." - with nary an even nod in my direction for my efforts on his behalf.

Dang momma's boy is lucky I love him... ;) Welcome to the wise old age of 6 buddy. Maybe this year we can work on you cleaning your room in under 4 hours.

XMas...

So, we've gotten some presents wrapped and under the tree. What do the kids think?

"Can we open them?"

I love the toture of the next few weeks for them...

HOCKEY!!!!

Those of you who know me know that I am a truly die hard fan (part of what kills me about living in the south). Anyway, with no hockey on the horizon, I've been watching the proceedings very closely to try and decide if the players are becoming as responsible as the owners in keeping me from seeing my favorite sport. If that becomes the case, then hockey will go by the wayside for me just like baseball has.

This week, there has been a large change in the situation. The players union (practically begging) asked the owners back to the table and offered to take a 24% paycut and other very good incentives to get the bargaining agreement back in place and allow hockey to be played. It was, in my opinion, a great step. Add to that, all of the players I've heard interviewed have made excellent points in that the lockout is not hurting their wallets - they have money. It does however hurt the hardworking folks in concessions and the like and nobody is doing enough to help those people.

The players will find a place to play and will make money doing so. However, they feel a commitment to the groups who have been providing for the fans at their games. The players are being reasonable and are ready to go - so what's the problem? Gary Bettman. This guy needs to go. He has expanded the league creating many teams which were destined to lose money for years (2 teams in FL, 2 in CA, 1 in NC, ATL and other cities - not exactly part of the good ole boys hockey network there...).

So, we'll see what happens, but in any case - PRESSURE BETTMAN TO GET OUT AND BRING BACK HOCKEY!!!!

Breakfast of Champions...

At the kids school, they do a really great program called "Breakfast of Champions" sponsored by the local grocery store and set up to encourage kids to do their best. The boy was honored by the school for citizenship and had been sooo excited to go all week (mainly for the doughnuts I think...).

While at the breakfast, the principal informs everyone there they are being honored for citizenship and then asks who knows what that means. The boy is practically bursting out of his chair raising his hand and his mother is so proud. The principal calls on him and he says (drumroll please):

Ummmmmm, Uhhhh, ummmmm

The principal tells him its all right and calls on someone else and he leans in to mom and says - "I just wanted to be called on. Can I have another doughnut?"

Congratulations son. Your proud parents are sure you'll keep up the good work and this is just signs of more acknowledgement to come.

Attitude...

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than
circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is that we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we embrace for that day. We cannot change our past, we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% of what happens to us and 90% is how we decide react to it. We are in charge of our attitudes.

-Charles Swindoll

Charles, I gotta say I've had that proven to me this year and it can't be more true.

Joys of growing up...

So, the oldest has her first orchestra concert. The day before, mother asks if she has her uniform ready to go since she'll need to wear it to school, and of course the answer is yes. However, on the morning of her concert, mother gets a call from the oldest who is very upset an doesn't want to admit that her concert shirt has been misplaced.

Another instance, mother comes home from work to find open cereal box on the counter next to a 3/4 full gallon of milk which has obviously been sitting out all day. Then finds that the brush isn't where it is supposed to be and there is various other sundry left out from the oldest getting ready for school.

So, what's the point? It just put me in mind of when I was growing up and could barely remember my name most of the time. So, while it is incredibly frustrating, I realize that it is all part of her growing up and like all else it will pass with time (assuming she does survive). In the meantime, I need to state a long overdue comment: Mom, Dad - thanks for putting up with me and I'm sorry for all of those trying times I put you through. Love ya.

It's the 21st Century...

Oldest: "So, like, she said, like, ..."
Me: "Like, gag me with a spoon. Like, I just can't, like, believe it."
Oldest (with full look of scorn): "Dad, it is SOOO like, the 21st century."

Right you are. Once the laughing in the room subsided, I like, didn't even remember the point I was trying to make...