Tuesday, February 28, 2006

new #2

...ummm...addendum...

#2 - I just won a 4GB Ipob Nano. ;) Now we have 3. heh

Tuesday's 2fer

OK - I am out of town, but here are some things you may enjoy.

1 - www.chucknorrisfacts.com full of very useful info if you ever happen to get into a conversation about chuck norris and what he's done or how cool he is. (Thanks Matt for reminding me of this)

2 - I am in the CNN Omni hotel in Atlanta and have had FOXnews on almost 24/7 since being here. I love it. ;)

That's all for now.

Tuesday's 2fer

OK - I am out of town, but here are some things you may enjoy.

1 - www.chucknorrisfacts.com full of very useful info if you ever happen to get into a conversation about chuck norris and what he's done or how cool he is. (Thanks Matt for reminding me of this)

2 - I am in the CNN Omni hotel in Atlanta and have had FOXnews on almost 24/7 since being here. I love it. ;)

That's all for now.

Tuesday's 2fer

OK - I am out of town, but here are some things you may enjoy.

1 - www.chucknorrisfacts.com full of very useful info if you ever happen to get into a conversation about chuck norris and what he's done or how cool he is. (Thanks Matt for reminding me of this)

2 - I am in the CNN Omni hotel in Atlanta and have had FOXnews on almost 24/7 since being here. I love it. ;)

That's all for now.

Friday, February 24, 2006

now birthing...ugly babies.

OK - So I fly down to Atlanta this morning (at 6AM no less) to drive out to this place for this weekend and to drive back for a show in Atlanta the rest of the week. Well, unbeknownst to me, I happen to be meeting some friends and other businessesmen from Atlanta in none other than the infamous Cleveland Georgia. What's so special about Cleveland GA, you ask? Well, I will enlighten you.

Cleveland Georgia is home to none other that the "Babyland" hospital. OK - some of you now get it. Others don't...let me explain further with two words: Cabbage Patch. Now do you know?

Yes, Cleveland GA is the mecca for all things Cabbage Patch and where all the Cabbage Patch kids are born etc. I know some of you will really wish you were here and are very envious of me. Have no fear. Would I forget you? No... Just for you, I did take pictures on my phone. Now you can share in my experience. This really is something to marvel and it is free to get in. More the reason why I like it. ;)

Oh - and Penny - I think I'm just about 40 or so miles from you guys. HAHAHA


























This is perhaps my favorite picture...

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

the headhunter...

So, I know you are all wondering about the headhunter. “What’s the deal?” you may be asking yourself. Well, I’ll tell you...

It all started a long time ago in a small remote village called Itswilla-sha in the amazon with a boy name Mombatsu. Mombatsu was born into a “normal” Itswilla-sha’n family. The word normal is used loosely simply because what we define to be normal and what Mombatsu’s village defined as normal are two different things. “Normal” for Mombatsu meant that he had 10 older brothers and sisters, one father and 5 mothers. Being the youngest of eleven was hard for Mombatsu. He was always the one picked on by his older siblings. They would tease him by saying things like “You’re scared of baby spiders”, “You can’t hunt or live without us because you’re a baby”, “You smell of rhino dung”, and “Daddy likes my mommy better”, and so on. One day the teasing got to be too much for Mombatsu and he went into the jungle by himself to prove to his family that he could survive on his own. He didn’t need them. He was, after all, Mombatsu the Itswilla-sha’n.

In the jungle, Mombatsu was able to think. He thought of all the things he was now able to do on his own while away from his family. He dreamed of being able to catch big fish and eat them raw, of hunting wild game with weapons he made and roasting the game over a fire. He dreamed of swimming in the rivers all day and jumping of the rock cliffs into the pools of water below. He started living his dreams. A day turned into a week and a week turned into a month. Mombatsu was surviving and doing the things he wanted to do. He was having the time of his life. Little did Mombatsu know, but he was being watched. You see, in the amazon are many, many small remote villages. And these villages are always at war with each other. Most of the villages have sworn enemies that will cause a fight to the death if ever tribesmen from the different villages meet. The Chikruii’ were sworn enemies of the Itswilla-sha’n. And it was the Chikruii’ who were now watching Mombatsu.

The Chikruii’ , led by their king Aluhashyu, were known for their ability to train animals and reptiles. They were so adept at this, that they would use the animals and reptiles (especially alligators) to attack their enemies for them so they would not have to unveil themselves in battle. The Chikruii’ thought so highly of their animals and reptiles that they treated them like kings. They would not even hunt or eat them. They lived on grass, tree bark and rival tribesmen. The Chikruii’ were cannibals, headhunters as it were. They trained their “pets” so well, that the “pets” could go out and fetch rival tribesmen for them so the Chikruii’ could feast.

As Mombatsu became more cunning and stealthy, he also had become more skilled in making his own hunting tools, like spears and arrows. The jungle animals and reptiles began to fear Mombatsu, even the ones that were trained by the Chikruii’. So king Aluhashyu decided he would send his personal alligator out to “fetch” Mombatsu. What happened next is too gruesome to print. Man versus beast. It was not pretty. But, after 3 solid days of fighting, the alligator emerged victorious. The alligator defeated Mombatsu but not before Mombatsu had lodged his trusty, 3-pronged spear he had made for this battle, into the back of the neck of the alligator.

The alligator was so exhausted after the battle, and hurt from the spear being stuck into its back, that it decided to rest by the bank of a bustling river. The alligator fell asleep and slid into the river and began being tossed about. King Aluhashyu grew troubled. He had not heard from or seen his alligator in days and rounded up some of his loyal subjects to go on a search. They searched high and low until one of the searchers found where the battle took place and where the alligator had slid into the raging river. He jumped in. In what seemed like months he was encapsulated in water. Finally he reached the shore…the shore of a place very unfamiliar to him. The people looked different and spoke many different languages. There was no jungle, only palm trees and sand. King Aluhashyu finally came across a native that spoke his language and asked about his alligator. “Yes, Yes”, the man replied. “I’ve seen your alligator when he washed up here as well. He took off down that alley.” At once, King Aluhashyu was off, on the trail of his pet alligator. After a while, he came across the remains of his former pet. The king became very sad and tears welled up in his eyes. After sobbing and crying in his native tongue, he suddenly realized that the head was missing. There was hope! King Aluhashyu knew that he had trained the alligator to be receptive to him as long as the head was ok. He mustered all the concentration he had and attempted to communicate with his alligator, “Al, you must seek revenge on the person who did this to you, in this alley! Your body should not lie in vain. Your head is strong…you can still attack…let me know where you are…” At this, the king collapsed after using all his strength.

After waking up, he felt as if he were hearing a voice…it was his pet alligator, he knew it! “King Aluhashyu, master, I tried to seek revenge, but alas I was defeated again…actually I was put on hold until after lunch. I am still here and am waiting for a more opportune time. I will tell you where to find me…I’m at…”

The King had all the info he needed and proceeded to call the supreme warrior who had defeated his alligator. When he called all he got was an answering service and he was very, very upset!

At least that’s what he said in my voicemail. :)

btw - the spear is an awesome tool for eating my yogurt covered raisins...

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

ok- here's tuesday for ya...

Some people have complained that my two things were on monday instead of today...so in regular blogging consistency here are 2 things for today. enjoi

1 - I got new tags for my jeep today - The state has decided to make new tags that look really cool and the best part is that the new colors match my jeep. :)

2 - I turned in all building plans to the city in order to move our building process along. I also had to turn in a questionnaire and an aerial site drawing of how the property will look once the house is completed.

Some other FYI that is going on today:

Got a call from a headhunter wanting to talk to me.
Going to a capital campaign tonight to raise money for the GFC.
I still can't find a cool holster for my treo that I like (went to verizon, best buy and circuit city today hunting).
Closing on the house/land tomorrow.

Hmmm...let's see...i think that about sums it up.

l8r

Monday, February 20, 2006

2 things...Monday?

wow - how about this? I'm posting my 2 things on Monday...hehe...

1 - I had an awesome lunch today! i hung out with Chris & Nicole Heschong (who I haven't seen in a couple of years - or close to it) and Jose Castillo (my "barrio brotha"). Roughly a 2 hour lunch...but well worth it. We went to the Olive Garden and had a great time. We caught up on what was going on - and get this...Nicole is working for a Republican!!! heh - I never thought I'd see the day...one of the most left handed people I know! ;) Very cool! She even thinks so too... hahahahah

2 - Go Figure. I have the new Palm Treo 700w (with Windows mobile 5.0) which is awesome I must say. Finally a real reason to get a Palm device. However, I had to laugh...out loud...for a long time...when I saw this screen while browsing the internet on it. This was at a microsoft site..here's what it said: "Error.... Warning: You are viewing this page with an unsupported Web browser. This web site works best with Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 or later or Netscape Navigator 6.0 or later."

Did I say I had the Treo with Windows and Windows Explorer on it? HAHAHAHAHAHA - AND, that this was at microsoft.com Office online...HAHAHAHAHA


Man, I wish I still had my Mac.

Saturday, February 18, 2006

OK - It's Official

Our house building shall start very soon.

Here is an idea i have for ebay...

"I am officially declaring the opening of bids for room names in our new house. Construction shall start very soon and all those interested will be kept abrest of all developements. Now is your opportunity to submit your request for room names. Nothing explicit or deragatory please.

Bidding per room starts at $500. There will be a plaque with your name (if you win the bid) that wil be posted above the doorway indicating that you donated to the construction of the house. "

I wonder how many people would do this??? Thoughts...please...there are roughly 16 rooms.

Thursday, February 16, 2006

Strange Days at the office...

I got to work late this morning. Bad. Emergency meeting - 1st thing as soon as I arrive. We heard through the grapevine that a customer was upset. Bad. Coffee was all gone when I got out of the meeting. Bad. I call and explain to some employees that they are incompetent. Bad.


It's not even close to lunch yet.

So, needless to say I am a bit down.







And then to my great surprise, there is a knock on my door. This warmed my heart, at the perfect moment in time - this could happen. I actually became excited and happy.

The knock on the door was a very polite one. This usually doesn't happen. Normally it's someone barging in to complain about something one of our employees has done - or an employee complaining about another...

Guess who was at the door...





None other than one of my best friends, Mr. Al E. Gater.


Now, it's been a while since he's come by. We first met down near Naples, FL where he lived with his family until one day (the day I met him) he decided to go out on his own and visit the big city. Al & I have been friends since. And today he happened to stop by to give me some encouragement.

After talking about my day...er morning...we started reminiscing about when and how we first met, right off the infamous "Alligator Alley".

I'm not sure what sparked the resentment in Al, but he started becoming very agitated. I asked him what was wrong and he proceeded to string off obscenities at me.

I was aghast! I couldn't believe he felt that way after all this time. After all we'd been through.

I starting telling him how I didn't mean for him to become a prized trophy that people enjoy gazing upon. I told him I was sorry for having his mouth permanately opened to look as if he were "smiling". None of this phased him. He was determined.



Fear gripped me. The last encounter with an Alligator was so long ago...I had won. And now, years later, the very beast that I had defeated, found me and was determined to get revenge. His friendship had been a ploy. He waited until I was down so his attack would be easier.


As I gazed into his cold steel eyes, I was determined not to let him get the best of me. I did it before, and I could do it again! The memories of the razor sharp teeth, the foul stench of his breath, the wryness he encapsulated and the overabundance of agility on his part were starting to cloud my thinking.


What would become of this encounter...????


Quickly, I looked up at the clock..time had passed so freely, it was just past 11AM. How could this be?

Noticing it was so close to lunch time, I immediately excused myself from this unannounced conference and informed Al, that if he wanted a piece of me he would have to wait until after lunch. I could tell he was miffed. No matter. I quickly reminded him of his "stature" and all was well...until next time.


However, now I know he will be watching for his next more opportune time.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Valentine's 2fer

Today, tuesday happens to be valentine's day...so my 2fer deals with VDay. Here goes...

1 - 192 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine’s Day the second-most popular greeting-card-giving occasion. (This total excludes packaged kids valentines for classroom exchanges.) (Source: Hallmark research)

2 - Nearly 60 percent of all Valentine’s Day cards are purchased in the six days prior to the observance, making Valentine’s Day a procrastinator’s delight. (Source: Hallmark research)

There ya go... ;) enjoy.

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Shock and Awe....

Shock - F1rst, let me state that I am in complete shock after hearing that our VP of the US shot a guy today while bird hunting. It looks like the guy will be fine, although he is 78 and getting up there in age anyway. How cool would it be to have on your tombstone, “shot and killed by the Vice-President of the United States.” Cheney wouldn’t think it was cool, but after living 78years – you know you’re going to go soon, so why not go by being shot by the VP of the USA?

Awe – We played out in the snow all day today – this is what I was doing mostly. The kids etc are at Lisa’s site.

Saturday, February 11, 2006

5 things.....

OK - I'm going to do the 5 things about me simply because I've been tagged twice. Enjoi.

1 - My favorite band is Switchfoot. They are the only group that I have every album they have ever done starting back in the day with the "Legend of Chin" demo CD - all the way up to "Nothing is Sound". The only other group that comes close to that with me are The Beastie Boys. I haven't bought their latest album. Actually, i think all of the Beastie Boys CDs (and cassettes) I have were free - thanks to Columbia House & BMG.

2 - I really miss skateboarding. I recently saw a video that was fairly new (within past couple of years) and I used to do all those tricks that were on there. I was pretty darn good. In a way, it makes me sad that I didn't continue to pursue the sport more so than I did. Of course, I wouldn't have what i have or be who I am today...

3 - I'm not a huge fan of computers or technology. Ironic, I know... I really enjoyed the days of hanging out with people - face-to-face, no phones always ringing. Actually reading and writing handwriting, being excited when there was mail (snailmail) - the old party line when you could listen to other people's conversations easily and even chime in. Rotary dial - which I still wish we had. I think a world of good would be done if middle/high schoolers had to use a rotary dial phone for a month or even a week. I miss the days of having cassette recorders and putting the 45's on a record player.

4 - I am extremely thankful for the fact that I know about the things above, and know them well - and the fact that I know more about technology and how to use it than the average person (or above average person for that matter). It gives a neat perspective to the world and i am glad to be in the generation that knows both things.

5 - I enjoy tests. The last time I took an IQ test (2 years ago) I scored 134. I remember that being pretty good, but not how good. I think I may take it again this year to see if I go up or down. i know they are pretty meaningless. Actually, I probably won;t take it again - it can be expensive. The last time I took a DiSC (last year) - I was a 7711. Just like all the years before. Not the same kind of test, mind you. Another test...Our office needed a certain Cisco certification for IP Telephony (VoIP). Granted I've not really worked with VoIP - just used it, I haven't messed around too much with their router hardware or software - and I just went and took the test without studying - and passed. That was a few months ago - i needed an 80something% and got 96%. Also, sudoko...i love sudoko and all kids of other puzzles. Mostly math puzzles - but i really get into word puzzles too...oh yeah, and name that tune...remember that show? Loved it.




"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts. "
Albert Einstein

Friday, February 10, 2006

Olympics XX - Winter Edition

As I sit here watching the opening ceremony of the XX Olympic Winter Games, I am reminded of why they are on every 4 years. No one would watch this crap every year. They are able to get by with a gymnasts hitting an anvil (with a rubber hammer) to create fire, which generates all these legs kicking around with people on roller skates and dancing and pretend fighting and a beating "heart" and a guy on a pair of roller blades "breaking" the heart in two (then catches on fire, no less) and then everything becoming white and these old guys blowing these big horns making cow sounds and these girls and guys come out dancing in cow uniforms and people dressed up as trees running around in a frenzy. Oh wait, now there's a little girl pretending to sing (bad lipsyncing) ... oh no now a bunch of eskimos singing an opera as the flag raises...oh thank goodness. A commercial, now back to something actually entertaining.

And to think these olympics are only going to last a couple of weeks. I am so glad I have 250 other channels to choose from.

You may be wondering why I'm even watching the opening ceremonies. Well, it's in HD and Lisa wanted to see them.

Crap...back on...a bunch of "smiley, happy people" running out from under the stage. They are not even in sync! I really hope these people are not paid to come up with this show. How clever, they made two X's. Brilliant. Oh wait, now some multicolored something blowing smoke. Can it get any better?

Here's how to understand what's going on...you have to listen to the commentators. What's great is that when they are not talking, you know they don;t know what's going on either.

OK, I must admit I'm a little impressed with the skiier thing. Well, up unitl the skiis, shot confetti out. Ohhh more people on fire...

i can't stand it...i think I'm going to put in a DVD of "The Family Guy". Now that's good stuff. Just ask Lisa. heh

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Tuesday's Twofer - dealing with Sunday

1 - I'm a bit upset that Seattle lost. I've been a fan of Shaun Alexander since he was at Alabama and got the Tide back up and running (haha-no pun intended..actually there was). That being said, the Super Bowl was enjoyable to me due to the commercials. The Halftime show was awful, the game was dismal, and the refs were a joke. But, let the good times roll...the best of the Super Bowl.



2 - Continuing on the Sunday shows, I know many of you are Grey's Anatomy fans. I put this on Wendy's comments, but in case you didn't read it, (I thought it was valuable info) I will include it here. Some of you were left hanging on the edge of your seat during the last show, but if you check here you'll not be in the dark again. WARNING! Only click on the link if you don't mind knowing what's coming down the road - ;P

l8r g8r

Friday, February 03, 2006

Why Roses are Red and Violets are Blue

Did you ever wonder why you see the colors you do or if animals see the same colors that you see? Well, that was brought up early this morning in our household. Lisa adamantly stating that dogs and cats see B&W, while I, on the other hand, argued that they probably could see color and no one has ever been a dog or cat to prove me wrong. Anyway, I was out to disspell the myth (that even I had heard as a youth) that animals are colorblind - which, btw, is an incorrect term (it's actually color deficiency). Light enters our eyes and bounces off cells known as photoreceptors. Theyare given that name because of the photons that light is made out of. This is what allows us to see.

There are lots of different photons and these all make the colors we see (like when we see a rainbow) based on their wavelength. The different photons are said to have different wavelengths. Sunlight contains all the different wavelengths of photons. The visible wavelength colors can be seen when you look at a rainbow. Raindrops acting as natural prisms produce the colors.

OK, that being said...photoreceptors are made up of rods and cones - i know you remember this from school - and they're called that by their shapes, btw, and are at the back of your eye. Rods are how black and white stands out and cones are how color stands out. But there are 3 types of cones, one for each color (in mammals - more at the end of my post). The colors? RGB, Red, Green and Blue - just like computer monitors or TVs. ;)

Now how does this fit in with our conversation this morning? Great question. By looking at animals eyes, you can determine what colors they can see by how many kinds of cones they have. The big thing I know you're wondering...well, tell us...what about cats and dogs? Cats have 2 kinds of cones and so do dogs, they have 2 also. So both cats and dogs can see color, maybe not as great as we can (because people have 3), but they still can nonetheless.

And here's a little bit of useless...ahem..i mean useful info that I found out. As a rule of thumb, you can guess how well an animal sees colors (as a species) by observing what type of prey they go after with the prey's markings/colors. The brighter the potential food, the better they can see color. heheh

Oh, and if you think we see pretty well - something else I found out...birds have 5 to 7 cones (wow!) and spiders and insects can usually see ultraviolet light based ontheir cones.

I know, a lot of info, but hey, if I don't share it, who will?