I am pretty impressed with the new version of iTunes. It allows podcasting right in the iTunes application. Before, you had to use one of the great programs out there that retrieved podcasts and then used iTunes to load them on the iPod.
Now, podcasting is integrated into iTunes - via the Apple Music Store Podcasting page, or you can manually add a podcast from the particular web site you use.
Read more about podcasting here at the Apple web site.
Here are some podcast websites:
Podcastalley
Podcast.net
All Podcasts.com
PodcastPickle.com
I actually podcasted a message from Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA and listened to it on the car on the way to work this morning.
Have fun and happy podcasting.
WH
6.28.2005
New Look For My Blog
I decided that I needed a new look this evening and here you go! I should actually be gettting to sleep now since I need to get up at 4:45 AM and get to work.
WH
WH
Men Pissing, I mean My God!
Ok, just a quick post. I was thinking about something my wife said, and mentions each time it happens.
In fact, I didn't realize this until she mentioned it to me.
Did you realize how many movies have men PISSING?
It's freaking unreal. Start taking a count. There are more movies with a guy(s) taking a wizz than not.
Second observation about pissing men. My observation, not Jen's. Did you ever notice when we guys are talking about taking a leak, and giving a sort of charade demonstration, we hold our hand like we have a FIREHOSE, our thumb and forefinger are not even touching - kind of like we are holding the business end of a baseball bat. Really guys. We WISH.
There you have it! Random thoughts about urination!
WH
In fact, I didn't realize this until she mentioned it to me.
Did you realize how many movies have men PISSING?
It's freaking unreal. Start taking a count. There are more movies with a guy(s) taking a wizz than not.
Second observation about pissing men. My observation, not Jen's. Did you ever notice when we guys are talking about taking a leak, and giving a sort of charade demonstration, we hold our hand like we have a FIREHOSE, our thumb and forefinger are not even touching - kind of like we are holding the business end of a baseball bat. Really guys. We WISH.
There you have it! Random thoughts about urination!
WH
6.22.2005
Oh, Here's A Mystery...Not!
Ok. No surprise. I am somewhat of an organizational freak. I have need to be able to place my hands on any number of pieces of information at work. I have a filing system. My e-mails have folders, rules, and organization flags. My contacts are sorted. Blah, blah, blah...you get the idea.
One of my great quandaries and challenges (translated FRUSTRATIONS) is the inability to get my head, and hands around the 97 item to-do lists that my boss lays on my desk after an evening (or early morning) of swirling and making shit up.
He emails it to me, I sort it, try to put it into categories, and email it back. He makes notes and emails it back, and the thing begins to get a life of it's own - BIG, UGLY, AND UNTAMED.
So yesterday morning I do a Google search for project managment software - cross platform, web-based software.
Here is what I found - Simple software to help you get organized: 37signals. Amazing is all that I can say. I'm using the free Basecamp and now he and I can look at, add to, organize, communicate and update the same list without having to spend time sorting through 20 emails to find the latest one, and all other sorts of shit.
In addition, changes and additions can be configured to send out emails and RSS updates (I use NetNewsWire Lite), so you can keep track of completed items and the like.
Check it out. They have three types of FREE (some levels cost) organizational, web-based, cross-platform software. I am not a paid advertiser, just and amazed and satisfied person. Oh, and organized.
WH
One of my great quandaries and challenges (translated FRUSTRATIONS) is the inability to get my head, and hands around the 97 item to-do lists that my boss lays on my desk after an evening (or early morning) of swirling and making shit up.
He emails it to me, I sort it, try to put it into categories, and email it back. He makes notes and emails it back, and the thing begins to get a life of it's own - BIG, UGLY, AND UNTAMED.
So yesterday morning I do a Google search for project managment software - cross platform, web-based software.
Here is what I found - Simple software to help you get organized: 37signals. Amazing is all that I can say. I'm using the free Basecamp and now he and I can look at, add to, organize, communicate and update the same list without having to spend time sorting through 20 emails to find the latest one, and all other sorts of shit.
In addition, changes and additions can be configured to send out emails and RSS updates (I use NetNewsWire Lite), so you can keep track of completed items and the like.
Check it out. They have three types of FREE (some levels cost) organizational, web-based, cross-platform software. I am not a paid advertiser, just and amazed and satisfied person. Oh, and organized.
WH
6.19.2005
Why Do You Think They Call It Dope?
True story from the local newspaper. I could have lied and said that it was from far, far away. I just hope that the guy gets neutered or something.
Augusta Chronicle:
MAN SAYS COCAINE DEALERS TOOK MONEY - A 45-year-old Augusta man reported to authorities that two men from whom he intended to by crack cocaine robbed him late Thursday. Ricky Edward Reese, of the 3500 block of Highview Court, said he met with the men behind the Kmart on Gordon Highway to buy the drugs at about 10 p.m., a sheriff's incident report states. When they threatened him with sticks, Mr. Reese said he handed over $75, which he was going to use to pay his probation officer the next day. According to the report, the men never harmed Mr. Reese.
-------------------
Folks, that is crack destroying one's brain.
WH
Augusta Chronicle:
MAN SAYS COCAINE DEALERS TOOK MONEY - A 45-year-old Augusta man reported to authorities that two men from whom he intended to by crack cocaine robbed him late Thursday. Ricky Edward Reese, of the 3500 block of Highview Court, said he met with the men behind the Kmart on Gordon Highway to buy the drugs at about 10 p.m., a sheriff's incident report states. When they threatened him with sticks, Mr. Reese said he handed over $75, which he was going to use to pay his probation officer the next day. According to the report, the men never harmed Mr. Reese.
-------------------
Folks, that is crack destroying one's brain.
WH
6.17.2005
Two Monday's In A Row!!
OK, disclaimer from the start. I'm gonna swear in this one. Just thought that I would let you know so you could get out now if need be...you still have time.
HOLY SHIT! Wednesday and Thursday were un-fucking-believable as far as days go.
Think I'm exaggerating. To put this in context, so you don't have to read a bunch of other old posts, I wear two hats at work -
1. Practice Administrator: Taking care of the day to day operations at our Dr.'s office.; and
2. Systems Adminstrator: Taking care of the information systems at our Dr.'s office.
We have a state of the art, paperless, electronic, digital, and high tech office. That means LOTS of information systems and cool shit that breaks. We are one year old and, so far, very successful. Ok, enough.
Here's the short list of stuff, in no particular order, that happened during those two days:
1. Wireless, handheld credit card machine went down due to the company that leases the cell tower airspace went Chapter 11. We scan THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS each month this way. It stopped working Wednesday morning - dead. We resort to the "old timey" method of laying the card down and SHUSHUNK, sliding that thing over and back over the card to get an impression - new wireless solution will be $600 - $1000 dollars.
2. One of our wireless extension phones, we have 6 lines, gets a demon and will not dial out. All you get is a squawky noise trying to call out. Now it can RECEIVE a call. I try everything - no luck. Staff calls support, "That's curious, we'll have to log in to the system and see what that is." I hook up a back-up extension and it won't even install and "see" the base unit - so I hook the other base unit back up - NOW IT WORKS. That's shit! But I look smart.
3. Wednesday we have a total, instant power outage. The server and critical computers are on back-up so that we have 10 minutes to power them down normally. We do so and the power stays off for 10-15 minutes. Of course, everyone calls me to tell me that their power is off - NO SHIT! UPS back-ups are screaming all over the office. Oh, I forgot to mention that it's HOT outside and we have no air conditioning running. The real FUNNY phone call is the one that says, "What happened?" I can't even go there. So we power everything back up after the electricity turns back on - the process isn't pretty since we are state-of-the-fucking-art and EVERYTHING, phones included, is digital.
4. Shortly, an employee comes to my office, while I am on the phone trying to get the credit card machine thing worked out, and states, "the computers up front aren't working" and walks out. For 11 months we have stressed the importance of CLEAR AND CONCISE communication and explanation. We have 6 computers up front. I'm going to lose my mind! Which computers? What are they doing or not doing? When did that happen? I excuse myself off of the phone and go up front looking for the employee. GONE! I ask, "has anyone seen Jill (Not her real name for obvious reasons)?" No one has. Now I'm pissed. This employee is on probation anyway and has computers that are not working and disappears, WITHOUT TELLING ANYONE! That is a cardinal sin in a doctors office. When we go to take a piss we tell each other - ALWAYS. So now I have to fire this employee too. No, seriously, we had the, "one more time and I have to let you go" discussion already. Anyway, I see the offending computers and get them running smoothly again, with instructions to send the employee to my office when she returns from where ever the hell she has gone. Waiting in my office for her, another front desk employee pokes her head in the door and says, "I lied. Jill told me she went to the bathroom but when you asked I wasn't really paying attention and said 'no' without thinking since I was concentrating on something else." AGHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Thank you:) I just have to leave this little story here since there is more.
5. We usually get one to two patient complaints per month. Wednesday I am trying to get to lunch with a colleague, which I have done ONE OTHER TIME in one year - and we have TWO patients in the office who want to talk to me...NOW. I'm still recovering from the power outage and screaming UPS back-ups.
6. Oh, Microsoft issued 10, count 'em, 10 security updates - they got installed in the midst of all this crap.
7. Thursday, our office manager is doing something in billing and says, "that's weird!" Never good when people are staring at an alert dialog box on their computer. Seems that there is a problem that was detected and Microsoft is requiring a hot-fix. We proceed but now it MS wants to validate that we are true Windows XP users. So I am crawling UNDER the desk to read this little sticker on the side of the DELL that has the numbers while the Office Manager types in the numbers - we do this three times before it takes the number.
8. The same manager is unplugging her radio so another worker can use it while posting payments - sort of like watching kudzu grow in my opinion - as she is pulling the cord out of the UPS Power Supply, there is a "POP", a flash, she screams and all three power supplies in the room start beeping. WHAT THE FUCK! Seems like a paper clip had fallen from the desk on top of the UPS and when she went to pull the cord, it rocked the UPS, the paper clip slid under a plug and "POP". It tripped the breaker to the receptacles in the back office. I couldn't believe it. What are the odds?
9. My God! I get out of the office and am on the way home and my cell rings. The office. The server has spontaneously restarted and all of the computers are down - patient charts were open, 15 users were logged on, x-rays were being stored, etc. Everyone wants to know what to do!! AGHHHHHHHHHH. So I talk them through the crisis and all seems well.
10. 30 minutes later my cell rings. "Pete, charges are not coming across from the patient side of the system to the billing side." All together now...AGHHHHHHHHH. So I have to walk the employee through logging in to the server, opening services and starting or restarting 6 separate services to see if that works - it does.
Oh, as I am driving, focusing on this problem I get ZAPPED by, not one, but two cops RADAR. THANK GOD I have a Escort Passport detector because I was not paying attention to my speed and would have gotten a ticket for sure.
Now that would have made an already "wonderful" two days even better.
Ok, I feel better now. Thank you for letting me vent. There were 10 other small, bother some things that pale in comparison, but were almost enough to get me reaching for the Xanax. To let you know how bad it was, for RELAXATION that Thursday night, I got home, picked up dog shit, and cut and trimmed the grass - that was to dial down.
But let me tell you - the shower and ice cold beer at the end of that day were incredibly satisfying.
We're back off to Charleston tomorrow for Andy and Karen's wedding. I'll update from the hotel tomorrow night.
WH
HOLY SHIT! Wednesday and Thursday were un-fucking-believable as far as days go.
Think I'm exaggerating. To put this in context, so you don't have to read a bunch of other old posts, I wear two hats at work -
1. Practice Administrator: Taking care of the day to day operations at our Dr.'s office.; and
2. Systems Adminstrator: Taking care of the information systems at our Dr.'s office.
We have a state of the art, paperless, electronic, digital, and high tech office. That means LOTS of information systems and cool shit that breaks. We are one year old and, so far, very successful. Ok, enough.
Here's the short list of stuff, in no particular order, that happened during those two days:
1. Wireless, handheld credit card machine went down due to the company that leases the cell tower airspace went Chapter 11. We scan THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS each month this way. It stopped working Wednesday morning - dead. We resort to the "old timey" method of laying the card down and SHUSHUNK, sliding that thing over and back over the card to get an impression - new wireless solution will be $600 - $1000 dollars.
2. One of our wireless extension phones, we have 6 lines, gets a demon and will not dial out. All you get is a squawky noise trying to call out. Now it can RECEIVE a call. I try everything - no luck. Staff calls support, "That's curious, we'll have to log in to the system and see what that is." I hook up a back-up extension and it won't even install and "see" the base unit - so I hook the other base unit back up - NOW IT WORKS. That's shit! But I look smart.
3. Wednesday we have a total, instant power outage. The server and critical computers are on back-up so that we have 10 minutes to power them down normally. We do so and the power stays off for 10-15 minutes. Of course, everyone calls me to tell me that their power is off - NO SHIT! UPS back-ups are screaming all over the office. Oh, I forgot to mention that it's HOT outside and we have no air conditioning running. The real FUNNY phone call is the one that says, "What happened?" I can't even go there. So we power everything back up after the electricity turns back on - the process isn't pretty since we are state-of-the-fucking-art and EVERYTHING, phones included, is digital.
4. Shortly, an employee comes to my office, while I am on the phone trying to get the credit card machine thing worked out, and states, "the computers up front aren't working" and walks out. For 11 months we have stressed the importance of CLEAR AND CONCISE communication and explanation. We have 6 computers up front. I'm going to lose my mind! Which computers? What are they doing or not doing? When did that happen? I excuse myself off of the phone and go up front looking for the employee. GONE! I ask, "has anyone seen Jill (Not her real name for obvious reasons)?" No one has. Now I'm pissed. This employee is on probation anyway and has computers that are not working and disappears, WITHOUT TELLING ANYONE! That is a cardinal sin in a doctors office. When we go to take a piss we tell each other - ALWAYS. So now I have to fire this employee too. No, seriously, we had the, "one more time and I have to let you go" discussion already. Anyway, I see the offending computers and get them running smoothly again, with instructions to send the employee to my office when she returns from where ever the hell she has gone. Waiting in my office for her, another front desk employee pokes her head in the door and says, "I lied. Jill told me she went to the bathroom but when you asked I wasn't really paying attention and said 'no' without thinking since I was concentrating on something else." AGHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Thank you:) I just have to leave this little story here since there is more.
5. We usually get one to two patient complaints per month. Wednesday I am trying to get to lunch with a colleague, which I have done ONE OTHER TIME in one year - and we have TWO patients in the office who want to talk to me...NOW. I'm still recovering from the power outage and screaming UPS back-ups.
6. Oh, Microsoft issued 10, count 'em, 10 security updates - they got installed in the midst of all this crap.
7. Thursday, our office manager is doing something in billing and says, "that's weird!" Never good when people are staring at an alert dialog box on their computer. Seems that there is a problem that was detected and Microsoft is requiring a hot-fix. We proceed but now it MS wants to validate that we are true Windows XP users. So I am crawling UNDER the desk to read this little sticker on the side of the DELL that has the numbers while the Office Manager types in the numbers - we do this three times before it takes the number.
8. The same manager is unplugging her radio so another worker can use it while posting payments - sort of like watching kudzu grow in my opinion - as she is pulling the cord out of the UPS Power Supply, there is a "POP", a flash, she screams and all three power supplies in the room start beeping. WHAT THE FUCK! Seems like a paper clip had fallen from the desk on top of the UPS and when she went to pull the cord, it rocked the UPS, the paper clip slid under a plug and "POP". It tripped the breaker to the receptacles in the back office. I couldn't believe it. What are the odds?
9. My God! I get out of the office and am on the way home and my cell rings. The office. The server has spontaneously restarted and all of the computers are down - patient charts were open, 15 users were logged on, x-rays were being stored, etc. Everyone wants to know what to do!! AGHHHHHHHHHH. So I talk them through the crisis and all seems well.
10. 30 minutes later my cell rings. "Pete, charges are not coming across from the patient side of the system to the billing side." All together now...AGHHHHHHHHH. So I have to walk the employee through logging in to the server, opening services and starting or restarting 6 separate services to see if that works - it does.
Oh, as I am driving, focusing on this problem I get ZAPPED by, not one, but two cops RADAR. THANK GOD I have a Escort Passport detector because I was not paying attention to my speed and would have gotten a ticket for sure.
Now that would have made an already "wonderful" two days even better.
Ok, I feel better now. Thank you for letting me vent. There were 10 other small, bother some things that pale in comparison, but were almost enough to get me reaching for the Xanax. To let you know how bad it was, for RELAXATION that Thursday night, I got home, picked up dog shit, and cut and trimmed the grass - that was to dial down.
But let me tell you - the shower and ice cold beer at the end of that day were incredibly satisfying.
We're back off to Charleston tomorrow for Andy and Karen's wedding. I'll update from the hotel tomorrow night.
WH
6.14.2005
Where Do You Want To Eat?
Don't you love that game? On the way home this evening my daughter called me to find out it I had gotten home yet so she could stop by before she went to work at the restaurant. Unfortunately I wasn't going to get home until after she was at work.
My brainstorm was that Jen and I would go out to eat and see Jessie at the same time. So after telling Jen and driving another 1 1/2 hours I came home and we got ready to go. The salad where Jessie works is excellent and we were already tasting the house dressing in anticipation.
So the phone rings and Jessie says that the hood in the kitchen was broken and the cooks walked out because it was 140 degrees. Bummer. We went into immediate depression. Jessie said to call her back when we decided where we were going to eat and she would meet us, since she didn't have to work.
Well, the whole "where do you want to eat?" scenario is pretty painful at our house. This evening it was extra sad. Jen was moping since we were all dressed up and had no place to go - pouting even. I made a few suggestions and the lower lip protruded even further.
Teresa's? Ugh!
Red Lobster? Ugh, ugh!
Outback? Just a look, a really bad look.
Ok, where? Amandas. "It's too expensive (me)" I'm admittedly tight.
How about Malia's? OK. Called and they were closed.
After looking through the phone book we were no closer to an answer.
Eventually we decided on a local hotel that has a restaurant we haven't been to in a while. We met Jessie, which was fun, and the meal was so-so. The real fun was re-hashing the entire incident that led to going out to eat:)
If you think that was fun, I'll tell you sometime about ordering food. Let's just say that one of us is a bit indecisive when it comes to selecting our "fare" for the meal.
But for now it's time for bed and another few days of work before going back to Charleston this weekend for a wedding - I'm officiating for a friend and his bride.
Have a great evening.
WH
My brainstorm was that Jen and I would go out to eat and see Jessie at the same time. So after telling Jen and driving another 1 1/2 hours I came home and we got ready to go. The salad where Jessie works is excellent and we were already tasting the house dressing in anticipation.
So the phone rings and Jessie says that the hood in the kitchen was broken and the cooks walked out because it was 140 degrees. Bummer. We went into immediate depression. Jessie said to call her back when we decided where we were going to eat and she would meet us, since she didn't have to work.
Well, the whole "where do you want to eat?" scenario is pretty painful at our house. This evening it was extra sad. Jen was moping since we were all dressed up and had no place to go - pouting even. I made a few suggestions and the lower lip protruded even further.
Teresa's? Ugh!
Red Lobster? Ugh, ugh!
Outback? Just a look, a really bad look.
Ok, where? Amandas. "It's too expensive (me)" I'm admittedly tight.
How about Malia's? OK. Called and they were closed.
After looking through the phone book we were no closer to an answer.
Eventually we decided on a local hotel that has a restaurant we haven't been to in a while. We met Jessie, which was fun, and the meal was so-so. The real fun was re-hashing the entire incident that led to going out to eat:)
If you think that was fun, I'll tell you sometime about ordering food. Let's just say that one of us is a bit indecisive when it comes to selecting our "fare" for the meal.
But for now it's time for bed and another few days of work before going back to Charleston this weekend for a wedding - I'm officiating for a friend and his bride.
Have a great evening.
WH
6.12.2005
Weekend Over
Well got the car back and the window had a bad regulator and clip:/ I ended up getting a loaner truck - a brand new Z71. I'm not really impressed by the truck thing. It was a gas guzzler and not very comfortable - I was glad to get my Alero back.
My hives are a little better - at least they aren't worse. It's probably nerves, or stress. There is some stuff happening that I can't really put in the blog - got some prayer in church today for the issue and that was cool.
Guess what we had this weekend? RAIN. It has been raining for days. Not all day mind you, just when you want to, oh let's see, walk the dog, cut the grass, wash the cars, run, or go to the pool. It's freaking uncanny. And irritating. The forecast for the next few days is the same. I spoke to a friend today and he said that he was close to hurting himself if it rained any more. I guess that I should call him tomorrow and see if he is still alive.
Off to Charleston in the EARLY am. This is an exciting week for a friend. He's getting married this weekend. Well, he's already married but he and his wife are getting married in public...anyway, it's kind of complex and hard to explain. I'm actually doing the ceremony and we are finalizing stuff tomorrow evening. I'll probably have some great stories this weekend after the event. He has some crazy friends. Pilots. Air Force pilots. Top Gun guys. You get the picture.
More later:)
WH
My hives are a little better - at least they aren't worse. It's probably nerves, or stress. There is some stuff happening that I can't really put in the blog - got some prayer in church today for the issue and that was cool.
Guess what we had this weekend? RAIN. It has been raining for days. Not all day mind you, just when you want to, oh let's see, walk the dog, cut the grass, wash the cars, run, or go to the pool. It's freaking uncanny. And irritating. The forecast for the next few days is the same. I spoke to a friend today and he said that he was close to hurting himself if it rained any more. I guess that I should call him tomorrow and see if he is still alive.
Off to Charleston in the EARLY am. This is an exciting week for a friend. He's getting married this weekend. Well, he's already married but he and his wife are getting married in public...anyway, it's kind of complex and hard to explain. I'm actually doing the ceremony and we are finalizing stuff tomorrow evening. I'll probably have some great stories this weekend after the event. He has some crazy friends. Pilots. Air Force pilots. Top Gun guys. You get the picture.
More later:)
WH
6.10.2005
Things Needing Fixing...
On the way home from work yesterday I heard the wind whistling around the driver side window of the car. I decided to raise and lower the window (it's power) to see if that would stop the wind noise. I heard a disconcerting clunk-clunk-click as it closed. The window was coming off of the track or something. Since the forcast has been rain, and I drove through rain earlier that day, and I could see dark rain clouds ahead, I left well enough alone - it was still whistling, but at least it closed again.
I called from the road and made an appointment to drop off the car at the dealer. Did that this morning. The car is gettting fixed.
Then last night I was laying on the couch and Jen says, "What is that on your leg?" It was a rash! I thought that nothing was wrong and that there wasn't anything to worry about. However, this morning my lower torso was covered with little red dots as well as my upper arms! I did some research and it seems that I have hives of some sort. About an hour ago I took some benadryl to try and reverse the trend. So far the only effect that I can feel is wooziness. I fact, I think that I need to post this and get to some rest - I may fall asleep in my keyboard.
Jen has been resting since she had a bout of some stomach thing early Wednesday morning. I think that I'll join her:)
WH
I called from the road and made an appointment to drop off the car at the dealer. Did that this morning. The car is gettting fixed.
Then last night I was laying on the couch and Jen says, "What is that on your leg?" It was a rash! I thought that nothing was wrong and that there wasn't anything to worry about. However, this morning my lower torso was covered with little red dots as well as my upper arms! I did some research and it seems that I have hives of some sort. About an hour ago I took some benadryl to try and reverse the trend. So far the only effect that I can feel is wooziness. I fact, I think that I need to post this and get to some rest - I may fall asleep in my keyboard.
Jen has been resting since she had a bout of some stomach thing early Wednesday morning. I think that I'll join her:)
WH
6.08.2005
What's your theological worldview?
Here's a quiz for you.
What did you think? Comment your results.
WH
What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com |
What did you think? Comment your results.
WH
6.06.2005
Back From Vacation
Well, we are back home, unpacked, and settled in for a regular week. The double-edged sword - loving vacation and loving getting back home to your own bed, routine, and, in our case a very happy dog!
The reality check was getting home and having to scoop up the piles of dog shit - two weeks worth - and cutting the grass. Ah, yard work.
We're relaxing tonight, watching basketball and the Brave's game. I will pack during the commercials and get ready to work three days straight in Charleston. That way I can get back here on Thursday evening and have the usual three day weekend.
I have been re-reading parts of "Searching for God Knows What" by Don Miller. The last three chapters should be required reading every 6 months for all people who have a relationship with God. Powerful stuff. If I told you what it said it would take the fun out of it for you:)
WH
The reality check was getting home and having to scoop up the piles of dog shit - two weeks worth - and cutting the grass. Ah, yard work.
We're relaxing tonight, watching basketball and the Brave's game. I will pack during the commercials and get ready to work three days straight in Charleston. That way I can get back here on Thursday evening and have the usual three day weekend.
I have been re-reading parts of "Searching for God Knows What" by Don Miller. The last three chapters should be required reading every 6 months for all people who have a relationship with God. Powerful stuff. If I told you what it said it would take the fun out of it for you:)
WH
Dad and I at The Phillies Game
Great game. Phils won 7-6 and the seats were perfect. We were in the shade the entire game and the temp went up to 90. The hot dogs and beer were the best, as they always are at baseball games. We were both tired but happy at the chance to so something together. I love my Dad.
WH
6.04.2005
Pats and Genos Cheese Steaks
As I mentioned in the earlier blog from today, the Home of The Original Cheese Steak, are actually "homes." They are both seen in this picture. To make things really interesting Jessie and I got steaks at Pat's and Jen got her's from Geno's and came and sat at PAT'S. I thought that there would be a riot but all was calm. The instructions at Pat's when you order remind me of the soup Nazi from Seinfeld:
"How to order a Steak"
by I. M. Hungry
Step 1. Specify if you want your steak with (wit) or without (wit-out) onions. {if you're not a rookie this should come naturally}
Step 2. Specify Plain, Cheez Whiz, Provolone, American Cheese or a Pizza Steak. {we have lettuce and tomatoes / { if we have to read your mind it's 50 cents extra}
Step 3. Have your money ready. {do all of your borrowing in line}
Step 4. Practice all of the above while waiting in line. {if you make a mistake, don't panic, just go to the back of the line and start over}
Oh, and that is BLUE SKY that is in the background. The day ended with a beautiful starry sky. We are all tired and ready for a well earned sleep. Off to the Phillie's game with my Dad tomorrow. Should be a great day.
WH
The "Explore Your Roots" Tour
They say that "there's no place like home." Here I am standing in front of the house that I spent most of my early years in (I moved when I was 12). The house seems so much smaller than when I was younger. There are lots of good memories and stories galore surrounding this place and neighborhood. My Mom enjoyed talking about some of the more embarassing moments - parents use this for some sort of payback for all of the ways that you embarassed them.
WH
Off To The City of Brotherly Love!
Had breakfast with the 'rents this AM and back to the hotel to get Jen and Jessie. We are off to the City. We'll start the tour with a visit to my old stomping grounds and then into the bowels of Phila - South Street, Liberty Bell, maybe Penn's Landing. I will be getting a cheese steak for lunch and starting an entire riot as to which place - Pat's or Geno's has the best steak sandwiches. They are literally within line of sight of each other, and each claims to be the Home of the Original Phila Cheese Steak! Their fans are as ardent as any Eagles fan and will fight to the death to defend their loyal "cooker of the shredded cow." In reality I don't know that you could taste the difference in a blindfolded test.
Oh, and it's STILL RAINING! We are going anyway (screw the rain)and hoping that the weather breaks by the late afternoon so we can see the sun. Ugh!
Back with pictures later tonight...
WH
Oh, and it's STILL RAINING! We are going anyway (screw the rain)and hoping that the weather breaks by the late afternoon so we can see the sun. Ugh!
Back with pictures later tonight...
WH
6.02.2005
Ok, We're Here
Quick update. We are here in NJ and the sun did come out I swear! I didn't take a picture and the clouds returned this evening. OH, and here's a shock - it's supposed to fucking RAIN tomorrow. I'm not bitter at all...noooooooooo.
Anyway, the flight was uneventful and I have to say that internet check-in rocks. We got to Atlanta, parked, got the bus to curb-side check-in, went through security - all as easy as pie. The lines at the check-in were HUGE and we passed right on by! Other than the two guys seated behind us trying to "outbrag" each other - thank God for my iPod to drown them out - the flight was smooth.
Once at the airport we shuttled to the rental car place and they didn't have the car so, shucks and damn, they upgraded us to the next level car - a Grand Marquis - now that's the shit!! We could fit the luggage and Jen and Jessie in the truck, that's a New Jersey car, plenty of room for bodies in the trunk:)
After checking in at the hotel we met my parents for dinner and are now back at the hotel getting ready for bed after day of travel.
Hopefully, I'll have some pictures to post tomorrow or the next day.
Family is fun...
WH
Anyway, the flight was uneventful and I have to say that internet check-in rocks. We got to Atlanta, parked, got the bus to curb-side check-in, went through security - all as easy as pie. The lines at the check-in were HUGE and we passed right on by! Other than the two guys seated behind us trying to "outbrag" each other - thank God for my iPod to drown them out - the flight was smooth.
Once at the airport we shuttled to the rental car place and they didn't have the car so, shucks and damn, they upgraded us to the next level car - a Grand Marquis - now that's the shit!! We could fit the luggage and Jen and Jessie in the truck, that's a New Jersey car, plenty of room for bodies in the trunk:)
After checking in at the hotel we met my parents for dinner and are now back at the hotel getting ready for bed after day of travel.
Hopefully, I'll have some pictures to post tomorrow or the next day.
Family is fun...
WH
OK, It's Officially Wet Enough From The Rain
This morning, after letting the dog out for her AM wizz, I hear an uproar in the back yard. The last time I experienced this type of alert, our psycho-neurotic dog, Cinnamon (A whole, entire 'nother story), was very excited that she had discovered Possum. SO excited in fact that she was carrying it around in her mouth and tossing it in the air with glee (I rescued the little mammal and tossed it over the fence).
Well with her barking and panting and bouncing all around, I just had to go out and see what the commotion was about. I expected to see a snake, or possum, or cricket (I did mention psycho-neurotic, right?). Today it was a frog! Not a little tree frog, or even a toad - which we see frequently - but a BIG FAT FROG.
Actually it was bigger than normal since I guess that one of the froggie's defense tactics is to puff himself up real big - so big and puffed up that his already short and stumpy fog legs were sticking out to the four corners of his body, none of them touching the ground, and he was rocking back and forth. As my wife would say, "Sad!" So I threw him over the fence, just like the possum. Only too late did I realize that I should have taken a picture to show the size of this booger (I did go outside later and try and find him to take a picture, but alas, he had moved on - traumatized but deflated).
The whole point!? We do not live in the swamp, or the deep woods, or near a lake or a pond. We live in the city of Aiken. The fact that it is wet enough to garner a frog in our backyard is enough for me to cry, "Uncle!" Oh, and it's been raining all night. It has stopped this AM but is overcast and they are calling for, you guessed it, RAIN!
Shit. So anyway, we are on our way North to Philly, PA today. If the sun is out, I'll take a picture and show you that it does actually exist.
OK, there is a plus side to all of this rain - the yard looks greener than it has all year:) I just can't cut the stuff.
WH
Well with her barking and panting and bouncing all around, I just had to go out and see what the commotion was about. I expected to see a snake, or possum, or cricket (I did mention psycho-neurotic, right?). Today it was a frog! Not a little tree frog, or even a toad - which we see frequently - but a BIG FAT FROG.
Actually it was bigger than normal since I guess that one of the froggie's defense tactics is to puff himself up real big - so big and puffed up that his already short and stumpy fog legs were sticking out to the four corners of his body, none of them touching the ground, and he was rocking back and forth. As my wife would say, "Sad!" So I threw him over the fence, just like the possum. Only too late did I realize that I should have taken a picture to show the size of this booger (I did go outside later and try and find him to take a picture, but alas, he had moved on - traumatized but deflated).
The whole point!? We do not live in the swamp, or the deep woods, or near a lake or a pond. We live in the city of Aiken. The fact that it is wet enough to garner a frog in our backyard is enough for me to cry, "Uncle!" Oh, and it's been raining all night. It has stopped this AM but is overcast and they are calling for, you guessed it, RAIN!
Shit. So anyway, we are on our way North to Philly, PA today. If the sun is out, I'll take a picture and show you that it does actually exist.
OK, there is a plus side to all of this rain - the yard looks greener than it has all year:) I just can't cut the stuff.
WH
6.01.2005
Go. Go. Go. GO!
So starts the traditional chant before a vacation or trip that doesn't involve work. Jen will call and say, "Go!" and I'll say "Go!" It's silly and stupid for sure BUT it is something that we do. And Lord knows that YOU don't do silly shit like that. NO not you:)
Oh, an aside. I have been using "Blog This!" to post to this blog for two years and now it is possessed! Every time I hit the RETURN to start a paragraph the little imp posts what I am writing and DOESN'T just start a new paragraph. Just happened in fact when I tried to start this paragraph. So I have to log in to the main blog account and edit the post that is one paragraph long. In fact, in this case, I had to delete one post, since I hit RETURN twice and had two incomplete posts. I have no reason why the thing does this now BUT it is aggravating.
Back to the subject at hand. We are taking a trip! Off to NJ. Weather isn't cooperating however. The Northeast US has suffered a very wet and cold spring - like high 60's, low 40's, rain 4 out of 5 days spring. Not totally what you expect. My dad and I have a baseball game to attend on Sunday and the weather BETTER be good for that one. Baseball in the rain SUCKS, not because of the rain, but because of the RAIN DELAYS. If it rains hard enough they will SUSPEND play and wait - fans wait in the rain. Not these fans by God. Anyway, as you can see there is some angst about the trip. Not to mention the BAGGAGE demands. OH, I know that I mentioned that Jen, my wife, and Jessie, my 16yr old, are going to. Do you know how many clothes that involves with only ONE type of season to dress for? Here we are back at the weather discussion, sorry. BUT there are TWO seasons going on here. My back is already objecting. I don't know if the rental car will hold the bags or not but I'll let you know.
Shit, the weather is still the subject here in SC. Today it is rainy and cloudy. Yesterday it was rainy and cloudy. The day before it was rainy and cloudy. See a pattern? Now look, this is the SOUTH not the Northwest, or England for god's sake. NO wonder those folks are crabby or depressed or addicted to coffee and tea or whatever. This is not typical Southern weather and I want my normal weather back! There I feel better. Oops. Time to get to work. Folks are coming into the office. Is it 3 pm yet?
Go. Go. Go. GO!
WH
Oh, an aside. I have been using "Blog This!" to post to this blog for two years and now it is possessed! Every time I hit the RETURN to start a paragraph the little imp posts what I am writing and DOESN'T just start a new paragraph. Just happened in fact when I tried to start this paragraph. So I have to log in to the main blog account and edit the post that is one paragraph long. In fact, in this case, I had to delete one post, since I hit RETURN twice and had two incomplete posts. I have no reason why the thing does this now BUT it is aggravating.
Back to the subject at hand. We are taking a trip! Off to NJ. Weather isn't cooperating however. The Northeast US has suffered a very wet and cold spring - like high 60's, low 40's, rain 4 out of 5 days spring. Not totally what you expect. My dad and I have a baseball game to attend on Sunday and the weather BETTER be good for that one. Baseball in the rain SUCKS, not because of the rain, but because of the RAIN DELAYS. If it rains hard enough they will SUSPEND play and wait - fans wait in the rain. Not these fans by God. Anyway, as you can see there is some angst about the trip. Not to mention the BAGGAGE demands. OH, I know that I mentioned that Jen, my wife, and Jessie, my 16yr old, are going to. Do you know how many clothes that involves with only ONE type of season to dress for? Here we are back at the weather discussion, sorry. BUT there are TWO seasons going on here. My back is already objecting. I don't know if the rental car will hold the bags or not but I'll let you know.
Shit, the weather is still the subject here in SC. Today it is rainy and cloudy. Yesterday it was rainy and cloudy. The day before it was rainy and cloudy. See a pattern? Now look, this is the SOUTH not the Northwest, or England for god's sake. NO wonder those folks are crabby or depressed or addicted to coffee and tea or whatever. This is not typical Southern weather and I want my normal weather back! There I feel better. Oops. Time to get to work. Folks are coming into the office. Is it 3 pm yet?
Go. Go. Go. GO!
WH
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