Picture If You Will ...

A Yearly Tradition

2010-05-25T21:26:00.002-06:00

For the past ten plus years, my wife and I have been going to Madison for Memorial Day weekend. You see, there is a science fiction/fantasy writer's convention that's held there every year. So, while she goes off to learn more writing subjects, I get to go around with the DSLR and shoot whatever I can get to. We always look forward to this trip because that is where we first met and we get to see old friends who still reside in that neck of the woods.

I can't wait for the Farmer's market around the Capitol Square. Yes, it can be pretty crowded, but we usually stock up on certain items such as jam. I also get the chance to roam around the campus and see what has changed. I usually find plenty that has changed since our last visit.

Let's hope that the weather is good this weekend!

Going to be a single parent......

2009-09-25T16:28:00.002-06:00

Ever since my wife found out that she has to go on an extended business trip earlier this year, I've had to come to grips with becoming a single parent.

I admit I am nervous about the challenge ahead. I'm lucky enough to have family nearby to help on the weekends, but it's just my son and I during the week. I've also been lucky enough to have generous friends offer to have playdates too. Many things have gone through my head: what to do if he gets sick; how will he react to mommy not being around for an extended period of time, can I get him to eat, etc. etc. etc.

Probably the crappiest part about it is that I'll be separated from my wife. Ever since our son came into our lives, I've witnessed her grow into the role of loving mother while trying to balance work and being my spouse. She's been absolutely fantastic. I can only hope that she sees me in the same light as I see her.

Well, the hours count down towards that time when Alex and I will have a ton of Father-Son bonding time. They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. I know for sure that that will be true when it comes to my wife.

Kindness begets Kindness

2009-04-27T10:25:00.002-06:00

This past Sunday, we went to a Borders near us to check out their CD/DVD selection. Borders was having a 30% off sale. However, when we got there, the whole music and movie section was empty. Turns out that this particular store was no longer going to sell music and movies.

Alex's birthday is coming up soon. So, when he got to the childrens' section, he was like a kid in the candy store. He has a fascination with the Wonder Pets lately, and he found a book that he liked immediately. We also got him a Curious George Learns the Alphabet book and two others.

We ran across this French Patisserie run by St. Roger Abbey. Sandra and I each had a fruit tartlet. Alex had already had a Snickerdoodle cookie, so he didn't seem interested in the tarts. The nun that was behind the counter was gracious enough to give a mini chocolate eclair to Alex. He was shy and wasn't too sure what to make of it. It was a pretty cute scene. Let me tell you, the eclair was filled with chocolate cream and a little bit of hazelnut. VERY RICH.

I decided to put some money in Alex's hands and put it in their donation box for their charity work. She didn't have to give us that eclair for free, and the patisserie raises money for their charity work. I know Alex doesn't quite understand now, but it's never too early to plant the seed of giving.

Azada Puzzle fun

2008-09-02T15:33:00.002-06:00

Yes, I admit it. I am a puzzle games junkie. Of course, that doesn't mean that I'm GOOD at them. One such series of games is AZADA. The most recent incarnation is based on nursery rhymes and stories of old.

After nearly a week, I got through the whole game.

Nostalgia Revisited

2008-07-13T21:44:00.002-06:00

While surfing the internet (specifically Youtube), Sandra and I ran across some fun stuff. We first found the opening for the Banana Splits (Tra la la, la la la la....). Boy, that was fun. Quick, can you name the four characters WITHOUT GOOGLING? I only remembered three of them. We saw other cartoon openings (Thundarr the Barbarian, Captain Caveman, and Godzilla). Sandra found a website that sells DVD's for older cartoons and shows. Remember this one..... Johnny Sako and his Giant Flying Robot.

Aaaahhhhhh..... Good Times.

An actual NEW post!!!!

2008-06-28T21:54:00.001-06:00

Okay, I've been a LITTLE behind in doing this (okay, a LOT behind). Anyway, I've been thinking about what people do in what little spare time that they have in their lives. Of course, it depends on their place in life: Single, married, married with kids, empty nesters, etc. My hobbies and interests have changed over the years. Racquetball, Birdwatching, Sporting Clays (aka - golf with a shotgun), and war games were just some of the things that I did in my spare time during my single and long-distance dating days.

Now, being married and having a 1-year old son, I have only two hobbies: Photography and Genealogy. The problem is finding time on a consistent basis to follow these endeavors. My son is priority one. I try to spend time with him as soon as I get home from work late in the evening. I have had one tutoring sessions with the photographer who took our son's 6-month and 1-year photos. Here is one of the "assignment" photos that deal with shutter speed and motion. My wife was nice enough to give me another session for Father's Day.

I try to incorporate my wife and son in my shutterbug addiction (as subjects). I'll post some pictures later because I'm tired and lazy right now.

Well, I've listed my hobbies. What are some of yours?

In Sickness and ..... in sickness

2007-12-21T21:26:00.000-06:00

Well, the past couple of weeks has been pretty stressful and to top it all off.... the family is playing musical illness. Having a kid in day care is like having an illness carrier. All sorts of fun stuff appear in daycare. Alex is just getting over his RSV (respiratory syncitial virus) spell. For the past 10 days, I have had a respiratory disorder that had me coughing up different colors in the morning and some flecks of blood. My doctor checked me out and prescribed a 10 day supply of antibiotics (at 10 dollars a pill). Thank goodness for health insurance.

Of course, as soon as I'm feeling better, I get nauseated overnight and vomit. Add to that a fever of 101, and you get a day off from work. I'd rather be working, if you ask me. Sandra is the healthiest of the bunch, and she has sinus congestion. Pretty sad, eh?

Anyway, the painters are done in the house and furniture is being delivered tomorrow afternoon. Unfortunately, due to the illnesses, we probably won't be in our house by Christmas. That's okay. The main thing is that I have family to spend it with.

I wish you and yours a very Happy Holiday season and best wishes for the upcoming new year.

Okay, here they are.

2007-10-24T20:06:00.001-06:00

All right already. Here are the pictures from "Fake Thanksgiving"

Here is Charlotte doing her best spinning dance.

Here is Nathan trying his luck at Foosball.

Here is the Rossi's son, M. (sorry, I do not remember his name)

Here is my pride and joy, Alex, in his mother's arms.

And here's little Ellie with a cute smile, but.....

Here's Ellie in a not-so-smiling pose :)))

A good time was had by all who were present. Sunday morning we all met for breakfast at the Pancake Cafe. Unfortunately, the group had to split up since everyone couldn't fit at our table. Kudos to NoH and LGB for putting this together every year. It's always great to get together and see how everyone is doing.

Giving Thanks For ..... Kids!!!!!

2007-10-19T19:35:00.001-06:00

Yes, it's been awhile. It's funny how the time for doing things gets all jumbled once a child enters your life. Anyway, last weekend was the annual "Fake Thanksgiving" get together in Madison, Wisconsin. College friends and their friends get together to make up for lost time and share stories that happened over the past year. No H and LeanGreenBean have been the key cogs in the wheel, so to speak, in setting this up year after year after year. To you guys, a hearty thank you for taking time to do this.

One thing that's noticeable is that there are more children at the get together every year. I was excited to introduce Alex to the growing horde. Overall, he did pretty well. However, whenever Lisa tried to hold him, he wasn't too happy. Don't fret, Lisa, he'll be better next time.

Speaking of children, here are a couple of pictures from that get together.

On second thought... Blogger is a little under the weather and not letting me upload pictures. I'll do it as soon as it clears up.

Two Years and counting.

2007-09-10T12:20:00.001-06:00

On this date, two years ago, I (finally) married my college sweetheart. I say finally because we met in college... in 1990. To make a long story short, we put the long-distance in "long-distance relationship." Those of you who know me know the story.

Anyway, I can't believe how fast two years can pass by. We now have a handsome 3.5 month old boy, and we are in the process of looking for a house as well.

Who knows what the future holds for us. However, I do know this... my love for my wife has never waned, and she has given me a beautiful son as well. What more can I ask for?

Happy Anniversary, sweetie.

Birthday Thoughts

2007-08-08T20:28:00.000-06:00

Yes, today is the day that I become another year older. However, it was more than that. It was my first birthday as a father. After coming home from the ophthalmologist (eye doctor), there was a wrapped present on the kitchen table with two cards; one addressed to "Eugene" and one addressed to "Daddy." Naturally, I opened the "Daddy" card first. It was a nice surprise to see.

As for the package, it was three volumes of Classic "Underdog" cartoons on DVD and the first three seasons of Space Ghost Coast to Coast. I can't wait to open them up and watch them.

We then went to dinner at Jimmy's Charhouse with Alex in tow. He was asleep throughout the whole dinner, which is impressive considering it was a pretty busy night. We had an appetizer of shrimp cocktail for starters. Sandra had the Char-grilled sirloin steak while I had the Chicken and Rib Combo. Sandra had Apple pie for dessert and I had the Tiramisu.

As we were leaving, there were four elderly ladies at the table next to us that saw Alex as we got up to leave. They were commenting on how he was able to sleep through dinner. They also thought he was adorable!!!

Anyway, all in all it was a relatively quiet birthday. However, I got to spend it with the two most important people in my life.... and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Thoughts of Fatherhood

2007-06-18T19:48:00.000-06:00

This Wednesday, Alex will be three weeks old. It's also my third week of fatherhood. When the perinatologist said that Alex was coming sooner than expected, I have to admit that I was a bit nervous and excited at the same time. Excited that I was finally going to have a little one, but nervous for Sandra and Alex since he was coming early via c-section.

I'll tell you what though. When he screamed at the top of his lungs when he came out, that was music to my ears. When I was able to hold him and give him his first bath in the special care unit, it was a feeling that's hard to describe. Happiness, elation, love, etc. The realization that I am a father... amazing. Whether it's lack of sleep or multiple diaper changes, I wouldn't trade with anyone right now.

Today was my first day at work full time. It was kind of weird leaving in the morning, but I survived Alex withdrawl. It was hard not calling Sandra just to see how things were going, but I kept reminding myself to let them sleep and rest. Sandra is doing a WONDERFUL job being a mom. I can't say enough about motherhood is the hardest job out there, and I have a ringside seat watching Sandra and Alex.

Anyway, back to fatherhood. Alex just woke up.

We bring you a special report.....

2007-06-02T10:54:00.000-06:00

This past Wednesday afternoon was Sandra's weekly ultrasound appointment with the perinatologist (fetal medicine doctor). The ultrasound seemed routine when the sonographer performed it. When the doctor came in...

"Well, it looks like that you came just in time."

Huh?

You see, Sandra has had to watch her blood pressure over the past few months. There is a condition called pregnancy induced hypertension, otherwise known as preeclampsia. If left untreated, it could be catastrophic for both mother and baby. Some of her blood values were mildly elevated, and since the baby was considered term on Wednesday, and he is breech to boot, the doctor said it was time for him to come out via c-section.

Needless to say, we were a little shocked. We scheduled a c-section for June 11.

To make a long story short, Alexander Aurelio Almazan was born this past Wednesday evening.

We are overcome with great joy and excitement. Needless to say, the grandparents were just as happy and excited.

I'll let Sandra blog about the whole thing. However, coming from a new father, it dosen't get any better than this.

Enjoy the holiday... but think about why we have it.

2007-05-25T11:14:00.000-06:00

We enter the "unofficial" start of Summer with Memorial Day weekend. Another 3-4 day weekend with tons of travel, BBQ's, picnics with family and friends, or just lounging around the house. Personally, my wife and I will stay close to home since she's close to her due date.

Just a friendly reminder; when you go on that vacation to wherever, while you are enjoying your barbecue, while you are going to that Memorial Day sale at your favorite shopping place, remember just for one moment why we have this holiday weekend. Remember those that paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we can live in relative comfort. If you see a veteran this weekend, go up to him or her and thank them for their service. Whether you are for or against the war, just take a moment to remember. Thanks.

Lost in Cyberspace

2007-05-13T19:27:00.000-06:00

Well, I haven't blogged in quite some time. It's been pretty hectic since we've moved to the new apartment. We've been trying to get the apartment in order prior to the special delivery.

Anyway, we got to see Billy Joel in late April with a couple of friends. The music was great, but the fun part was when they had one of their stage crew do a rendition of AC/DC's Highway to Hell. That was definitely a surprise.

Shoot, even my genealogy has taken a hit. I have a bunch of assignments from my online courses that have to be completed in the next couple of months.

Well, lets hope that I'll be more up to date with the blog from here on out.

Concerts and concerts galore

2007-03-13T06:35:00.000-06:00

It's been quite a while since Sandra and I have been to concerts. I think the last concert that we've been to is when we saw Simon & Garfunkel reunite a few years ago. This year, we will be re-living our youth. On April 23rd, we will have the chance to see Billy Joel with another couple. The best part is that the concert venue is only about a five minute drive from the abode. On October 3rd, we will see Genesis at the United Center in Chicago. I just heard that the Police will be doing two shows in Wrigley Field in Chicago July 5th and 6th. It's not official until the City council gives it the official go-ahead, since it is in a residential area. Unfortunately, we probably will not be able to go since our first child is due around that time. However, those of you who read this (Sara with no H) may be able to snarf up some tickets.

Copy Cat Map

2007-02-24T22:53:00.001-06:00

create your own personalized map of the USA
or check out ourCalifornia travel guide

Viva, Las Vegas

2007-02-18T07:25:00.000-06:00

What in the world am I doing up this early on a Sunday? Well, we're flying to Las Vegas for the week. I have a Continuing Education Conference from today through Thursday. Yes, I get to sit in lecture from 8am to 5pm. At least Sandra gets to have some fun during the day. We are seeing a Cirque du Soleil show tomorrow night and we are going to the Grand Canyon on Thursday. The most important part, temperatures in the 60's and 70's for the whole week. Whoopeee!!!!

Picture of the Week

2007-02-13T18:12:00.000-06:00

This picture was taken at Millennium Park in Chicago Last Winter. I can't remember why we were in Downtown Chicago that day. This specific area is the Crown Fountain. This place during the hot summer months turns into the biggest wading pool in the city.

Picture of the Week

2007-01-30T22:32:00.000-06:00

Here is a picture of clinic cat Krusty after a long day of chasing and getting beat up by Murphy.

'scuse me while I kiss this guy?

2007-01-30T22:19:00.000-06:00

Every year, we all go through it... What calendar should I get this year? Every year Barnes & Noble has a plethora of calendars ranging from Labrador Retrievers to Murphy's Law. There are also some great art and photography calendars. However, the one that caught my eye had to do with misheard lyrics of popular songs.

For example, the title of this post is the wrong lyric that's heard for Jimi Hendrix' "Scuse me while I kiss the sky." I have to say, some of these are pretty funny.

Simon & Garfunkel "I am a Rock"
Right Lyric - I am a rock, I am an island
Wrong Lyric - I am a rock, I am in Thailand

The Go-Go's "Our Lips are Sealed"
Right Lyric - Our lips are sealed
Wrong Lyric - Alex the seal

The Rolling Stones "Beast of Burden"
Right - I'll never be your beast of burden
Wrong - I'll never leave your pizza burnin

Sing the songs in your head with the right and then the wrong lyric. Have Fun!!!

I Lost on Jeopardy.... Baby.

2007-01-24T22:32:00.000-06:00

Apologies to Weird Al Yankovic.

Anyway, I took the Online jeopardy test this evening. It was 50 random questions ranging from Shakespeare to Geography to 18th century literature to "Who played some character on the show The Office?" You had 15 seconds for each question. You didn't have to type your answer in the form of a question. How did I do?

It was HARD!!! I left at least 5 questions blank. I gave it my best shot, though, and that's all I can ask of myself. Oh well, maybe next time.

Back in Blogospace

2007-01-23T20:46:00.000-06:00

Sorry, I've been busy between trying to get our taxes to the accountant, work, and my online genealogy class. I've also been lazy about blogging as well.

Anyway, I just registered to take the Jeopardy On-line test. I figure I'd give it the old college try and see what happens. If you are willing to take a chance, go to www.jeopardy.com and register. The test for the Central Time Zone is tomorrow at 8pm.

If you decide to give it a try, good luck.

Where have I been?

2007-01-23T13:18:00.001-06:00

That's a good question. Anyway, due to computer problems and just overall business, I haven't had the chance to blog. I will blog more about what's been going on later tonight.

Boy, where have you been?

2007-01-12T21:34:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm finally going to blog about something this new year. Tomorrow we are going to celebrate my brother Mike's birthday by going to dinner. We were planning to go to Chinatown and have dim sum, but the weather has put the kibosh on that plan. I guess now we are going to a new restaurant at a mall near my parent's house.

I have a 2005 Toyota Highlander that I have been pretty happy with... until now. Last week, the heater control decided to go on the fritz. This isn't exactly a good thing around this time of year. Sometimes I get heat, sometimes I don't get any heat. More serious is the fact that the defroster is also affected. So, I go into a Pep Boys because my warranty is expired (I already have over 47,000 miles on the vehicle). After a diagnostic check, they determine that the switches are on the fritz. They call in for the parts and then they drop the bomb.... $917 for the parts alone!!!! It seems that they have to get the ENTIRE heater control module from Toyota since there is no third party part. ARRGH!!! I bought a Toyota because they were supposed to be reliable.

After a few days of hoping the heater would magically come back to life on a consistent basis, I come to the realization that I have to bite the bullet and order the part. Yesterday I ordered the part and plunked down the money for it. The guy said that it would be in today and that they would give me a call. Well, by 3pm I still haven't heard from them. So I give them a call and ask if it had come in yet. He tells me that Toyota sent them the WRONG module, and that it should come in tomorrow. At least the heater decided to work on the ride back home.

Anyway, I hope that everyone had a great holiday and that their year got off to a better start than mine.

Pictures of the Week, Porcine Style

2006-12-27T19:19:00.000-06:00

Okay. Russ, these pictures are for you. Remember how you always wanted to see the roast pig? Well, here it is. This is the infamous Lechon (roast pig). This is just a smaller version of it. This was for my Father's 66th birthday on Christmas Day. More pix to follow.

Christmas in Chicago -- Part Deux

2006-12-22T21:36:00.000-06:00

After going to see the animated windows at Macy's on State Street, we went to a deli to warm up and feed our faces. I had a ruben sandwich and she had a half a roast beef sandwich with a cup of matzo ball soup. We then headed to Millenium Park on Michigan Avenue. It was named so because it was supposed to be complete in time for the Year 2000 celebrations. Well, Chicago politics being as they are, the cost overruns kept pushing back the completion date to 2004. At least they got it done.

The "crown jewel" in my opinion is a stainless steel sculpture named "Cloudgate," done by Anish Kapoor. It is called "the bean" by the locals because of its shape. As you can see, it is a photographer's dream. You can see different reflections of the Chicago Skyline during the day or in the evening. The first picture is of Sandra and Oscar. However, you can see me taking the picture in the reflection as well. The special thing about this picture is that this is the spot where I proposed to Sandra in December of 2005.

Another picture of Cloudgate with a partial view of the city skyline.

A close-up view of Sandra and Oscar at Cloudgate.

A view of the cloudgate sculpture from the West side of the sculpture.

This is the skating rink that doubles as an outdoor cafe in the Summer months. It's Chicago's version of Rockefeller Plaza, so to speak. Needless to say, we didn't go on the ice to do any gravity checks.

After seeing numerous skaters fall flat on their rear ends, we decided to top off the day by going down "The Magnificent Mile," a stretch of Michigan Avenue that's home to some pretty expensive shopping. It is also home to some pretty lights all along the mile. We went to the Ghirardelli Store and shared a Mint Bliss Sundae. MMMMMMMM..... Sundae. It was pretty cool seeing all of the hustle and bustle going on during the next to last shopping weekend before Christmas. Here is a picture of the Water Tower, one of only two buildings that survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

Of course, the famous carriage rides were busy as well. We didn't have time to go on one, but I did take a quick picture of one of the horses on the corner.

This was a quick picture of the lights on Michigan Avenue. I wish that I took a better picture, but I hope you get the idea. Anyway, Sandra and I had a fun day, but she was getting a bit tired. We hopped in the car and headed back to our abode.

To everyone out there, please have yourself a very Merry Christmas with your family. Be safe and take care!!!

Christmas in Chicago, Part One

2006-12-18T21:05:00.000-06:00

First of all, thank you for the very kind word and wishes. We are both excited about the coming of our first child.

Now, as Sandra already posted about, we made our annual pilgrimage to Downtown Chicago for the Christkindlmarket. It is a traditional German American Holiday Market (although we did see some booths from Nepal, Mexico, and Peru).
This picture is just an example of some of the handmade glass ornaments from Germany.

These are more hand made glass ornaments from Germany. These were a little bit more on the expensive side, but we did purchase a tree topper for our tree that was fairly priced. The craftsmanship was really something to behold.

Of course, what would a German Market be without a brass band playing traditional Christmas Carols? I introduce to you the Glen Sorgatz Brass Band.

These are a display of nesting dolls from Kharkov, Ukraine. There were all sorts of nesting dolls from people to animals.

This is the City Christmas Tree at Daley Plaza. The Tree was surrounded by tons of people taking pictures and waiting in line to get into the Santa House for the traditional seat on Santa's lap. We actually ran into a family of seven while taking pictures; I offered to take a group photo of all of them together. They excitedly accepted and handed me a plethora of digital point and shoots.

Here is a picture of Sandra and our mascot "Oscar the Orca." Besides abusing our credit cards buying ornaments and decorations, we had some potato pancakes with applesauce for a light snack. I had a nice warm cup of Gluwhein (spiced red wine). Unfortunately, they ran out of the little ceramic boots that they would usually serve them in. Oh well, maybe next year. After milling around the market, we went across the street to the Marshall Field's... I mean Macy's and saw the animated windows. This year's theme was Mary Poppins. Unfortunately, it was so crowded that pictures were almost impossible to come by.

Our next stop was a visit to Millennium Park and Cloudgate. Why? You'll just have to wait and see.

Picture of the Week Part II

2006-12-12T20:41:00.000-06:00

This past Sunday, we decided to get a mini-Christmas tree instead of schlepping to my parent's house and picking up the big tree. This was a heck of a lot easier to put up and it didn't take up the whole corner of the apartment. The ornaments are from various places we visited, Beatles related, and traditional ornaments.

Picture of the Week

2006-12-12T20:22:00.000-06:00

This picture was from our trip to London this past September. On Sunday night, we were at the Tower of London to see the Ceremony of the Keys, where they lock up the Tower of London for the night. This ceremony has been done every night without fail for the past 700 years. We got there early and I decided to take this picture of Tower Bridge.

The Baking is over!!

2006-12-06T17:28:00.001-06:00

Well, Cookiefest is officially done... as far as the baking and packing goes. I took a bunch of boxes to the post office yesterday and sent all of the little goodie packages on their merry way. Who will get one? You will find out in due time ;))) If you haven't seen Sandra's blog already, a picture (okay, it's upside down) of the boxes is posted.

Picture of the Week

2006-12-05T21:00:00.000-06:00

Here is a picture of Sandra and I during afternoon tea in a London hotel. Let's just say that it was very satisfying.

Bird on the loose... where's my camera

2006-11-30T20:46:00.000-06:00

A couple of days ago, a client came to the office with a small tissue box. He opened it and he pulled out a parakeet with what looked to be a possible broken leg.

"I think leg broken," he said in broken English.

I explained to him that I do not treat birds and referred him to an avian veterinarian. Just then the bird got away and started flying around the waiting room. The funniest part about this whole escapade is that the two clinic cats, Murphy and Krusty, were by the receptionist window following the parakeet's every move like spectators at a tennis match. It took us about five minutes or so for the owner to catch the bird and cage him. I gave him the address and phone number of the vet and he was on his way.

As for the cats, they sat by the window, hoping for another bird to show up. I need to bring my camera to work more often.

A Day of Thanks

2006-11-23T22:03:00.000-06:00

Well, another Thanksgiving has come and gone for another year. Sandra and I went to my Aunt's house in Morton Grove. As usual, there was a bunch of food (Turkey, duck, chicken, beans, potatoes, cabbage, some Filipino dishes, sliced fruit, and Chocolate Fudge Cake) and family. Now begins the push towards Christmas and New Year's.

I got to thinking, "What am I thankful for?"

1. I am thankful for my parents (both sets) and family.
2. I am thankful for the love of my life, Sandra.
3. I am thankful for my friends (Sara WNH, Don't Think Twice, Autopilot).

What are you thankful for?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Cookiefest 2006

2006-11-12T00:10:00.000-06:00

Ah, yes. It's that time again where Sandra and I go haywire and bake to our heart's content. It's COOKIEFEST 2006!!! Sandra and I get our recipes together and bake like there's no tomorrow. I have a feeling that it's going to be a busy holiday for both of us.

What are we baking? Well, you are just going to have to wait until next month. ;)))

I've got your "Tick Tock" right here!

2006-11-04T08:31:00.000-06:00

Finally, after many errors, here are the pictures from the Madison Get Together.

http://s142.photobucket.com/albums/r89/Photovet1997

Sorry, no captions. Make up your own as you go along. Besides, I've got to go to work.

Computer Hijinks

2006-11-02T22:36:00.000-06:00

Well, another night, another computer mishap. We still can't get the router to work. I've had it up to here with this stuff. I'm going to call tech support and see if they can't get this blasted thing connected.

I have some good news. The Thanksgiving pictures will be put up by tomorrow. I usually reformat my CF card after downloading the pictures to the computer. Luckily I did not do that this time. Especially since my second hard drive went kaboom.

Hard Drive Disaster

2006-10-27T19:57:00.000-06:00

For those of you expecting Thanksgiving pictures (Sara and Russ), you'll have to wait a little longer. As I was downloading those pictures to my computer, a little disaster struck my coumputer. My second hard drive, where all of my digital pictures are, decided to have a little crisis. I lost hundreds of photos that are not replaceable. Needless to say, I'm not a very happy guy right now. I'm trying to figure out which ones are lost and back up the survivors to DVD.

We are experiencing technical difficulties... please stand by.

Back in Business (sort of)

2006-10-17T21:10:00.000-06:00

Yikes. We finally have internet back on-line. It was a royal pain in the butt having to take Sandra's laptop to Barnes and Noble to get online. Thank God that we have a coupon for free Wi-fi access there.

The next pain is trying to get the wireless router to work again. We've tried several times to get it going, but I have a feeling that we may have to get a new one.

Anyway, I'll post something a little more interesting (hopefully) later.

The Murphy & Krusty Show

2006-09-27T17:25:00.000-06:00

They fight, and fight, and fight and fight and fight. Just Kidding. They only fight some of the time. Yes, for those of you who asked (Sara), I introduce to you Murphy and Krusty the clinic cats.

The first cat is Murphy. She was actually abandoned at my Father's Clinic nine years ago. She was declawed and a very affectionate cat. My Dad found a home for her a few days later. Unfortunately, the new owner's daughter had a massive allergic reaction. She returned to the clinic the next day. My Dad told me about the situation, and I decided to take the cat myself. She's been with me ever since.

The second cat is Krusty. Now, I did not name the cat. One of my clients is an actual cat trainer. She trains them for commercials, photo shoots, etc. Krusty was one of those cat that played the drums and did the skateboard. She was putting him up for adoption and I decided to take him in.

They got along like water and oil for the first couple of weeks. Krusty thought that he could assert his dominance immediately. However, Murphy showed him who was the boss rather swiftly and forcefully.

I like both of them a lot, but Murphy has been with me longer. She's getting a little long in the tooth, but she can still beat up on Krusty pretty good.

Don't worry, there will be more pictures in the future.

Chores and Genealogy Assignments

2006-09-24T21:33:00.000-06:00

Today was one of those days where you had to get things done. After working out on the treadmill this morning, Sandra and I did our laundry (yipee!). After that nonsense, we had to go to Sam's Club and restock the freezer with protein (aka - meat, poultry and fish).

I am taking online courses in genealogical methodology (how to do family history), and I had to complete an assignment that dealt with looking at a document and analyzing the information in it. I was bitten by the family history bug earlier this year. Actually, it probably all started during the week of our wedding. I got to see relatives that I haven't seen in decades, and some relatives actually met for the first time at our wedding. My interest in family history pretty much snowballed from there. It's even to the point where I am going to research Sandra's family as well. Both sides of the family lived through World War Two. My family lived through the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, and Sandra's family saw the carnage and devastation in Europe. Let's just say that there will be plenty of research to keep me busy for the rest of my lifetime.

Now all I have to do is find a couple of pictures of my clinic cats to post.

Yeah, I'm new to this...

2006-09-23T20:25:00.000-06:00

I noticed Russ' comment that I'd set up the comments for registered users only. OOPS! My bad. So, Dear New Yorker, I did fix that setting ;). Still setting this up, so please bear with me.

2006-09-22T12:42:00.000-06:00

HERE GOES NOTHING!

Okay, so I broke down and finally decided to have a blog of my own. Besides, now my wife dosen't have to worry about me hijacking her blog to wish people Happy Birthday (Isn't that right, Russ?). Let's hope that I have some good stuff to share with all of you.