Monday, December 31, 2007

New Year's Eve Plans


So, what are your plans for tonight?
This year will be the first year that the girls stay up with us until midnight. We were given a bunch of games that we are going to try out, eat some tacos, courtesy of Taco Bell, pop some corn and tune in to watch the ball drop.
Hopefully, the new year will kick off to a great new start with a nice sleep-in.

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Chuck @ Chuck's

Currently, I have the only sane seat in ChuckECheese (located in Rockville Maryland). We are in Maryland this weekend to help my father and brother in law celebrate their birthday.

But that is not why we are at CEC. I am having a rare pleasure of seeing my nieces play about. I feel bad that I do not see themm as much as I should. Looking for an activity to do, we landed at CEC.

The pizza just showed up, so I am gonna close this up and post outta here.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007












[ht to Rick for his license plate post]

I believe Cindy's favorite gift that I gave was a personalized license plate. To be honest, this was not an item that I had intended to give as a gift. I had to renew her tags at the end of the month, and I decided to look at what combinations were available for the Horse Enthusiast plate.

Some of the combinations I tried (but were taken) were
  • BRNMOM
  • BANDIT
  • GIDIUP
  • BRNPOO
What I had planned to give her was a replacement license plate holder. I wanted to find a cute horsey one. I took the girls out to let them choose. Katie picked "Happiness is owning a Horse." As I was wrapping the holder up, it hit me. Print up the image above and tape it into the holder. And then, the coupe de grace was signing the package "To Mom" "From Bandit."

I believe Cindy was floored.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Merry Christmas!

To those of you who have increased my hit rate at the bottom, I want to wish you each a very merry Christmas.

To Rick, James, Todd, Steve and George – the gift of your friendship has been a treasure throughout the years. I am blessed beyond measure to have friends like you and I am thankful that we have been able to reconnect in this virtual blogsphere. Hopefully, we can reconnect sometime in the real world.

Blessings to all!

Chuck

Monday, December 24, 2007

Chuck vs. the TV Series

Have you seen the show Chuck yet? My life is exactly like that (add about 15 years, throw in a wife and two kids and nix the entire FBI/CIA/Computer in the brain angle). I have mostly relegated the show to Tivo and catching up when I can. To date, I like it but at the same time I could live without it. Why? Because each episode tells a complete story – there is very little story arc. One of the other NBC shows that I was looking forward to was the Bionic Woman. I have yet to really care about any of the characters in this show. That's a shame because this show has many of the creative team from Battlestar Galactica, which is my favorite show (except for the fact that it is an even longer hiatus, thanks to the strike).

The show that I have enjoyed the most is Journeyman. Have you caught any of this? Too bad, because it looks like it did not get picked up. Journeyman has joined the ranks of Firefly, Jericho and Space: Above and Beyond as one season hits that had so much potential (I think Jericho was revived thanks to the fan base sending tons of peanuts to CBS execs in NY and LA). Journeyman was about a man, Dan, who suddenly begins to travel back in time. The phenomenon is completely out of his control and is preceded by headaches. His wife comes to believe that her husband is not crazy when, in the past, he buries his wedding ring underneath the spot where his patio would be built twenty years later. Dan's brother, a cop, thinks that Dan's unexplained absences are due to an old gambling habit. Whenever Dan is pulled back, there is someone whom he is supposed to help. Hints are given that may indicate that there is someone coordinating the travel, but sadly, we will never know.

Catch it on DVD (or if it should repeat).

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Birds, Bees and “the talk”

I really have not had anything to say lately and thus the increase in video links here and about. It's not that I haven't had ideas brewing around. They are there, percolating like a fine cup of coffee, just waiting to be poured. This post is not one of those cups. Rather, it is a reaction to the headlines about the pregnancy of 16 year old Jamie Lynn Spears. I have no idea who this young lady is, but apparently, a lot of people do. Younger sister of Britney, Ms. Spears stars as Zoey in Nickelodean's "Zoey 101."

The headlines ask the question "How will you talk to your Kids about Sex and Teen Pregnancy?"

So, here is how we handled this subject this year. Last Christmas, I bought Cindy the book "Preparing Your Daughter for Every Woman's Battle: Creative Conversations about Sexual and Emotional Integrity." Both of us read the book, and then we read it with Katie and Megan. As it turns out, Megan was too young and most of the concepts went over her head. But Katie, nine, understood and picked up on things fairly quickly. However, I could tell that my presence was a hindrance to the conversation. Cindy and Katie continued to work through the book almost all year.

Cindy has told me about questions that Katie will ask her, out of the blue. Even though the book is done, the conversation is still continuing.

Merry Christmas All!

Monday, December 17, 2007

Hide Chuck

LJ showed me the Ultimate Disappearing act provided by Google!!

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Tis The Season

A little bit of me playing at the Senior's Christmas Banquet. A little nerves, some intonation issues, more air, but, overall, I was pleased with how it turned out.

Another Unoriginal Christmas Idea

Thanks Jorge!



That is harder than it looks!

Sunday, December 09, 2007

Elfed



Get yours at www.elfyourself.com

Saturday, December 08, 2007

All I wanted for Christmas

back in 1975

Around the house.

It's Saturday, and some in the family are running around with snotty noses and sore throats. Personally, I just feel tired. I can't seem to "sleep in" anymore. Perhaps it's the coffee. Coincidentally, I don't feel that I stay up as late as I use to. Signs of age?

I survived hanging the Christmas lights on the house. Thankfully, I put my foot down and said "no" to those blasted "icicle" style lights. Bloody pain to hang up if you ask me. Instead, Cindy purchased four boxes of colored lights (single strand style) to edge the front eaves. Unfortunately, the shrubs have grown to a size that makes getting the step ladder wedged in more difficult. It has become easier to go out a second story window and clip them on.

Amazingly, I was able to sneak some shopping in to the mix following my monthly haircut. I have noticed that the corners of my temples seem longer (or maybe the hair is retreating there). I am trying to pace myself so that I am not waking up and finding that I need to do all of my shopping on the final weekend.

And now, to find my book.

Beer Bottle Symphony

And now for something completely different:
ht Mike.

Saturday, December 01, 2007

Viva Knievel

There are a few things that I can remember with crystal clarity from my childhood. September 8, 1974 was one of those days. We had just come home from North Augusta, and I had learned that Evel Knievel did not make the Snake River Canyon Jump. Oh how I cried. The man was larger than life and he was, at the time, a hero of mine. Over the years, he had dropped of my radar until I read this morning that he had died.