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September 30, 2008
A Look Ahead...
On this last day of September, I find myself looking foward to a super busy October.
This Sunday, we hold our annual Open House at the Fire Department I work for. Get in touch with me, and I'll let you know when and where!
My younger brother Ben will turn 34 this month, meaning yes, he's younger than me, but by no means young! Happy early birthday, brother!
Megan, Jonah, Joshua and I will learn if we should expect a Naomi, or an Elijah. (We'll let ya'll know when we find out!)
Fall. The second worst season of all, since it preceeds the worst season of all, winter. I hate winter. I hate winter. I hate winter. I hate being cold. I hate being cold. I hate being cold. There, I'm done now. (Until it gets cold. Then I'll whine some more.)
October is breast cancer awareness month. I wish we didn't have to have a month devoted to that, but since we do, Megan and I will work hard to make sure that some day, this month can be reserved for something else!
We will make our annual trip to the pumpkin patch, I hope.
And of course, Halloween. So far, Jonah keeps saying that he and Josh want to dress up like bees. We are working on that, and we'll keep you up to date.
See you tomorrow, in October.
Posted by Jon at 07:06 AM | Comments (1)
September 29, 2008
Is It A Recession Yet?
All I can say is, thank goodness I don't own any stock.
Posted by Jon at 08:46 PM | Comments (0)
September 28, 2008
A Sad, But Optimistic Day...
...In the sports world, anyway.
For the second consecutive season, the New York Mets have collapsed, finding ways to lose themselves right out of the playoffs. Wow.
To my friend Jimmy, I am sorry. But, there's always next year.
And then, there are the Buffalo Bills. The four-and-oh Buffalo Bills. Who knew?
To all my friends in Buffalo, GO BILLS!
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 11:27 PM | Comments (0)
September 27, 2008
Another Sad Day...
The Sting.
The Verdict.
Road To Perdition.
Cool Hand Luke.
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid.
Cars. (Voice of "Doc".)
Slapshot. (One of the greatest sports movies of all time, in my humble opinion...)
All classic movies starring Paul Newman, who died Friday, after a long illness. When I think of Hollywood, I think of people like Robert Redford, Paul Newman and others who starred in movies that helped shape a generation. Movies that identified a time without commercialization, without press releases, and without media hype. It was a different time, and Paul Newman was a different actor. Away from the big screen, he was an activist, a race car driver and an entrepreneur. He was a philathropist, and he was an Oscar winner.
We will miss you Paul.
Thanks for everything you have done.
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 10:04 AM | Comments (1)
September 26, 2008
Ahhh...A Night Off...
...Well, for a few hours anyway...
Megan and I are stepping out tonight, to see a local band called Zydecopious.
We haven't done something like this in, well, let me think about this...NEVER!
When we were single, we used to pick up on a Friday night, and go dancing, or perhaps head to the mountains, or even the beach! Being single, we were carefree! We had no responsibilities! As the country song goes, we didn't have to be us 'till Monday!
Okay, none of that is true. We are homebodies. When we were single, we just cuddled up at home and watched TV. And that's the way we liked it!
But then I saw an ad for this band. For some reason, I like Zydeco music. I just don't own any. Perhaps that will change tonight. I called Megan and said, "Remember those days when we used to pick up and just go to the beach, or to the mountains? Remember those days? We should do something crazy like that, and go to this downtown bar I've never heard of to see a band I've never heard of to listen to music I've only rarely listened to!" And she replied by laughing heartily at me. But, she said it sounded like fun, and so, we're off.
So our good friend and trusty babysitter Amanda will come and sit on our babies babysit for us.
I want to take this precious piece of the information superhighway and thank Amanda in advance for our few hours off.
You're the best!
See you tomorrow! (Not you, Amanda. I will see my faithful readers tomorrow. We will see you, Amanda, later tonight!) Not too long, we promise!
Posted by Jon at 04:35 PM | Comments (0)
September 25, 2008
If It's Thursday...
It's weak post time again. Sorry folks.
Just got done with EMS continuing education training, and not only was it super boring, but it was super long.
So, you are left with this...
Go Bills! (That's the Buffalo, Bills, by the way. Three wins and no losses. Who could have guessed that?)
And, confidential to Jessica: that wasn't very nice, but I posted your comment anyway, because at least you commented.
See you tomorrow.
Posted by Jon at 10:37 PM | Comments (1)
September 24, 2008
Wordless Wednesday...
Posted by Jon at 09:38 PM | Comments (0)
September 23, 2008
Kites 1, Us 0...
During a recent Christmas, Megan's stepmom Deb, and her Dad Larry got us a kite.
Not any regular old kite, mind you, because gifts from Deb and Larry do not fall under the category of "regular and old", I am here to tell you!
It sat for the longest time in our garage, begging to be flown. But one thing or another got in the way, and we never got the chance to fly it.
Until today.
There were several problems. First, neither Megan nor I had flown a kite for many, many years. However, the memory of our failures at kite flying were fresh. We both had no knowledge of how this thing should work, and it showed. The other problem was that the directions on this kite were weak, to say the least. We placed knots in places it said we should, but then ended up moving the knots around, still to no avail. All we accomplished was boring our two boys, and making Megan sick. However, Zoe had fun running around so, at least one of us had fun.
There were a few positives. First, there were no trees around to snag our kite. We went out into a large, open field.
The other positive was that it was windy. Nice and windy for a kite to take its maiden flight. But not today. Today the kite won.
Or did it lose? It's difficult to know, really. But I do know this. Today, the kite won the battle, but we will win the war.
And next time we will take pictures.
See you on the battlefield, kite!
And see you tomorrow!
Posted by Jon at 08:35 PM | Comments (0)
September 22, 2008
A Funny Story...
Every now and again, I get a sort of a writers cramp. You might expect this after writing something for each day of the year save two of them. Tonight, I am cramping. Big time. (No, you juveniles, not like that...) So I looked back, to see what I posted on this date last year. Nothing. So lets reach back into the archives, and from September 18th, 2007, I offer the following...
With apologies to all for not posting for a really long time, I offer the following...
Yesterday (Monday afternoon) Jonah asked for some milk. So, being a faithful servant, I poured some milk into a sippy cup. I then placed the cup on our coffee table. Since Jonah didn't see me doing this, he said again, "I want milk..." To which I pointed at his sippy cup, and said, "Well, I don't know...what's in there? Is it water? Is it milk? Is it wine? Is it vodka? Is it coffee? Is it beer?" To which he smiled, and after each query, said, "No..." So, I said, "try it. You don't know what might be in there." At which point he picks up the sippy cup with both hands very gingerly, places it to his lips, takes a pull, and says, "Yummy beer!"
Oh crap what have I done?
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 08:52 PM | Comments (0)
September 21, 2008
The End Of An Era...
Yankee Stadium. The very mention of it conjures up images of Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Reggie Jackson, hot dogs, popcorn, peanuts and pretzels. So many playoffs. So many World Series. So much a part of New York, so much a part of who we are as Americans, so much a part of our culture. Thinking about it brings back so many, many wonderful memories. I have a lot of memories of Yankee Stadium, some of which I would like to share with you, on this, the last day this amazing ballpark will host a baseball game.
I must admit that I am not the worlds biggest Yankee fan. I like them, I root for them, but there are other fans out there who are certainly more rabid and vocal than I. For no real reason, I tend to pull for the New York Mets, probably because they were always the underdog, the basement dwellers, the team New York forgot about. Of course, living in the shadow of the Yankees isn't easy, but the Mets have held their own. (They are getting a new stadium too. I was only in Shea Stadium once, so I don't have too many memories of that. Besides, today belongs to Yankee Stadium.)
My Dad and my sisters were bigger Yankee fans. My oldest sisters collected ticket stubs, pictures, and other memorabilia. All of us hated (and I still do) Boston teams. That's just how it is. Boston is a great city, but the teams suck. Sorry.
My Dad always leaned toward the Metropolitans, but spent a lot of his youth at the House that Ruth built. The very first professional baseball game I went to was to a Yankee game, with my sisters, my brother and my dad. I got robbed there. More on that in a moment. My Dad was even able to secure a Yankee Stadium chair from when they renovated the place back in the 1970's. I don't know how much he paid for it, but I can guarantee you it was a whole heck of a lot less than what they are asking for them now! (I saw one on E-bay for 1800 dollars!) I also had the awesome opportunity to videotape a baseball game between my high school team and a rival high school team, but the Coach erased the tape.
My very first memory of Yankee Stadium was of the elevated subway tracks, the large baseball bat, and this feeling of being so very small in the shadow of a building that not only was physically large, but figuratively large as well. I remember walking with my family to our seats, and as we walk around the interior to get to our seats, we pass by the passage ways from the interior to where the seats are. I remember looking out from inside, and seeing little slices of field, lights and seats. During a lot of the games I attended, the games sort of took a backseat. I remember just sort of taking in all of the sights, looking around at the crowd, the signs, the lights, and the airplanes that would fly over. Was I not interested in the game? Sure, but Yankee Stadium was the biggest building I had ever been in, and besides the game, there was just so much to see.
During one game with my family, I remember it was later in game, and I told my Dad that I wanted another hot dog. So he gave me some money, and off I went. As I recall, as I was looking for an open concession stand, I held the money in my left hand, bills extended, held by my thumb and index finger. After walking around for some time, I saw some kids, who I stopped, and asked them where I could find a concession stand. They pointed down the mezzanine, and as I started to go, one of them grabbed the money, and ran the other way. I didn't quite know what to do. I ran after them for a little while, but was unable to catch them. I went back to our seats, and my naturally, my Dad asked where the food was. I told him what happened, fearing he would become angry with me, but, to my surprise, he was calm and reassuring. He told me that I shouldn't hold money like that, and that this was a valuable lesson to be learned. I am not sure, but I don't think I got that second hot dog.
For my entire life, as far back as I can remember, there was always an original Yankee Stadium chair sitting against the wall in my bedroom, just a few feet away from the bunk beds I shared with my brother Ben. I slept in the top bunk. (Ben, by the way, is a HUGE Yankees fan!) My Dad got the chair for me when they renovated the stadium in the 1970's. One night, I rolled off the bed, and cracked my skull open on the arm of that chair. It looks a little like the one in the above picture, but mine has a number five on it, no brass plate, and the last time I saw it, a long time ago, it was in much, much better shape. Perhaps one day, I will be able to pass it on to one of my boys.
Then there was the time I was able to travel with my high school baseball team, to videotape them playing a benefit game in Yankee Stadium. I was able to go into Monument Park, stand on the mound, sit in the dugout, and go places that most people could never go. I met the opera singer Robert Merrill, who sung the National Anthem. Sadly, the tape did not survive, as the coach taped over the game. But I still have my memories!
Yankee Stadium opened on April 18, 1923. It was renovated in the 1970s, and it seats 57,478.
I will miss the old Yankee Stadium, and look forward to the day when I can take my boys (and possibly girl) to the new Yankee Stadium, where we will get the chance to make new memories.
Thanks, Yankee Stadium. For everything.
See you tomorrow.
Posted by Jon at 03:58 PM | Comments (1)
September 20, 2008
Warning!
After having been in the fire service for ten years, I have learned that there is nothing that is "Firefighter proof". Why? Because if there is an opportunity to break something, put something where it doesn't belong, or just screw something up, we are going to take that opportunity, and run with it. What exactly is "Firefighter proof" anyway? It's the idea that something is made so well, with Firefighters in mind, that no matter what they do, they can't break something. I am here to tell you that just isn't true.
For example, we have flashlights that I can either hold in my hand, or clip to my jacket. This rugged, waterproof (supposedly) flashlight is also supposed to be "Firefighter proof". It is made of tough materials that are expected to stand up to the punishment only a Firefigher can dish out.
Here is a picture of it in it's charging base...
So what am I trying to say?
I am saying that even though we as Firefighters break things on a daily basis, we are not included in the warranty fine print on these flashlights. Even Firefighters, according to the company that manufactures these flashlights, cannot break these things. So, we can logically conclude that the flashlights are pretty much indestructible, or at least "Firefighter proof". Or are they? In the warranty information on the side of the box and on their website, Pelican claims that there are other more destructive forces out there besides Firefighters. Who knew?
This is serious. The warranty information is serious. We called. We checked into it.
Read the warning here...
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 02:42 PM | Comments (0)
September 19, 2008
Sorry This Is So Late...
...But Megan is out of town, I have the boys by myself, we were out late with Jason, Sara, Sydney and Sam, I had to get two boys who were overtired to bed, I had to wash a mountain of dirty dishes, and clean up the living room from Typhoon Jonah and Joshua.
I blame it all on Megan.
Kidding. I love her. Seriously. She deserves time off. I was just blowing of steam.
But today was a special day, not only because I was left with two wild children, but because it was International Talk Like A Pirate Day. We didn't have a party this year, but despite that, the day was still celebrated the only way it can be: By talking like a pirate, and imitating the swashbucklers of yore.
As a tribute, I bring you a re-posting of out very first Pirate Day party!
Enjoy!
See you tomorrow...
Avast Ye Landlubbers!
As you will recall, one every September 19th, we celebrate international Talk Like A Pirate Day. Today is no exception. (Except for the fact that it's September 17th, but you'll understand why in a moment.) See, this year, the actual date of the Pirate Day lands on a Monday, and you can't really have a fun party on a Monday, now can you? Who would show up? And what kind of mood would they be in, given that it's a Monday? Anyway, we chose to celebrate this years event on the Saturday before the actual event. We make the rules, because we're Pirates, that's why! I will post pix of this year's bash later, since I don't have any now, since the party hasn't started yet. So, in the meantime, enjoy the pics from last year's soiree, and prepare to be boarded ya' scalawag!
(9-18-2004)
This is my wife Megan...
Here she is shown swashing a buckle, enjoying herself at our first annual Talk Like A Pirate Day party. (Inside, is a little Pirate who wasn't born yet. We know he is swashbuckling inside...) From now on, on every September 19th, Megan will now be known as...
You're the pirate everyone else wants to throw in the ocean -- not to get rid of you, you understand; just to get rid of the smell. You have the good fortune of having a good name, since Rackham (pronounced RACKem, not rack-ham) is one of the coolest sounding surnames for a pirate. Arr!
Get your own pirate name from fidius.org.
Arr, this is me, you scurvy bastard!
And me name be...
You're the pirate everyone else wants to throw in the ocean -- not to get rid of you, you understand; just to get rid of the smell. Like the rock flint, you're hard and sharp. But, also like flint, you're easily chipped, and sparky. Arr!
Get your own pirate name from fidius.org.
Talk Like A Pirate Day is held on every September 19th, regardless of what day of the week it is. (That's not my call, just the guys who came up with the holiday. For more information, please visit the Talk Like A Pirate Day Website. It's a cool site, and you might have some fun, learn your pirate name, learn how to talk like a pirate, learn how the "holiday' got started, etc.) Talk Like A Pirate Day
This year, 2005, our Talk Like A Pirate Day Party will be held on September 17th, 2005, at our ship, er home. Bring your swordfighting skills, or walk the plank! Arrr!
This, of course, is Jonah. Sure, he's cute and cuddly, but don't let the soft, adorable exterior fool you. He's the most cutthroat, conniving, feared Pirate that ever sailed the seven seas! (Well that's what he told us.)
From here on, on every September 19th, he will be known as:
Like the famous Dread Pirate Roberts, you have a keen head for how to make a profit. Even though you're not always the traditional swaggering gallant, your steadiness and planning make you a fine, reliable pirate. Arr!
Get your own pirate name from fidius.org.
I first heard about Talk Like A Pirate Day on a morning show I used to listen to. (I don't listen anymore, thanks to XM Satellite radio!) So, after hearing about the Party, and realizing that Pirates are people too, (violent, drunk, smelly, misunderstood people who enjoy raping and pillaging--which are the same thing--I looked it up.) I decided that I would, on/near/around September 19th, talk like a pirate. It was soon after tht Megan got into the act, and we then began planning the party.
Of course, no party is complete with Jason and Sara, who, by the way, make excellent pirates...
And the littlest pirate, Emily, enjoyed some swordplay, but took no part in raping or pillaging. (Maybe when she's a little older, arr...)
From here on, on September 19th, Emily shall be known as...
Even though there's no legal rank on a pirate ship, everyone recognizes you're the one in charge. Even though you're not always the traditional swaggering gallant, your steadiness and planning make you a fine, reliable pirate. Arr!
Get your own pirate name from fidius.org.
Marc and Jason (both pirates and brothers) enjoy our costumes just a wee bit too much...
And Sharon and Emily after a long night of pirate partying.
We had a great time, and we have an even better time this year, because we will have several new pirates joining us. Noah, who wasn't born yet will be there, Jonah, who also had yet to be born, Caroline, who will be born any day now, and Sara and Jason's baby who is expected to join us in a few weeks. So mark the date on your calendars, Saturday September 17th, 2005, for our Second Annual Talk Like A Pirate Day Party! See You There!
Posted by Jon at 11:51 PM | Comments (0)
September 18, 2008
Posting Is Difficult...
When you are at training.
We train every Thursday night, from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. Tonight, we were practicing with hose lays (stop giggling Megan!) and drop tanks.
I will 'splain later!
Oh, I've gone international! We had a visitor today from Great Britain!
Welcome friends! Come back often!
See you tomorrow!
Posted by Jon at 09:00 PM | Comments (0)
September 17, 2008
Wordless, Wet Wednesday...
Posted by Jon at 06:49 PM | Comments (0)
September 16, 2008
Tired...
So, you get a crummy post. My apologies.
There will be a better one tomorrow, I promise...
See you then...
Posted by Jon at 10:14 PM | Comments (0)
September 15, 2008
Weird, wild animal kingdom!
Black bear jumps into B.C. man's boat and mauls him over salmon catch
VICTORIA — Salmon fishermen are no longer throwing fish guts on shore for black bears around Port Renfrew, B.C. after one climbed onto a dock, jumped into a man's boat and mauled him.
"All the bears in Port Renfrew are pretty docile," said Fire Chief Dan Tennant. "They're more afraid of people than people are of them and normally turn and high-tail it when they see people," said Tennant. He said he first thought the bear attack call received by his department and an ambulance crew was a "miscommunication."
"But sure enough when we got on scene there was a man who had some deep lacerations on his right shoulder and scratches all over his body," said Tennant.
The man was conscious and in shock, but that his wounds did not appear to be life threatening, he said.
Authorities said the man, 52, was a resident of Saltspring Island and was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in Victoria, about 70 kilometres east of the community.
Gordon Hitchcock, a B.C. conservation officer, said the bear swam across Gordon River and climbed onto a dock before jumping into the man's boat and mauling him.
Witnesses told him it was difficult to get the bear off the victim.
"Individuals that came to the aid of the victim used a combination of (fishing) gaffs, knives and a hammer to remove or pull the bear off the victim," he said.
The man's friends managed to kill the bear, said Tennant.
The area is popular with recreational fishermen seeking salmon, halibut and groundfish and there are a "couple of hundred" boats tied up at the marina at any given time.
Tennant said it was not a large bear, but the incident was extremely unusual.
"Never, ever have I heard of anything like that here, and I doubt I ever will again," he said.
He said there have been large numbers of black bear and deer in the area this summer, but there have been no incidents/
People have been throwing fish remains on to the shore for years, and that has to stop, he said.
"They've all been told, now, not to do that anymore," he said.
A necropsy on the bear was conducted Wednesday by provincial veterinarian Helen Schwantje in Nanaimo.
"Initial findings indicate that it was a very old bear in very poor health," said Environment Ministry spokeswoman Kate Thompson.
Posted by Jon at 12:09 PM | Comments (0)
September 14, 2008
I Just Can't Resist!
This makes me giggle.
I couldn't resist. My apologies to those of you who don't like this sort of thing...
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 04:50 PM | Comments (0)
September 13, 2008
Baby FAQ...
Here some frequently asked baby FAQ's...
Do you want a boy, or a girl this time around?
Well, we think boys are a lot less trouble, but I know deep, deep down somewhere, Megan wants a girl, and Jonah says it's going to be a girl, so we may have to start shopping for girls clothes.
How did you pick the names?
Of all the difficult things that child rearing brings, this is one area where we are prepared. We picked out Jonah and Josh's name long before they were born, because we figured, that's one less fight we have to have. We like Elijah, and have always wanted to name a girl Naomi, but up 'till now, maybe, that wasn't possible.
Why now, with boys so young?
Oops! Since we already picked out the name, Oops and Surprise will just have to wait until the next baby!
Don't you want more children?
Yes. Four is the number my wife has picked for our family, but at this rate, it could be fourteen. Yikes.
When is the baby's due date, and why didn't you put it in Big News Revealed post from Monday?
March 29th, 2009. I forgot. Sorry.
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 02:39 PM | Comments (0)
September 12, 2008
We Are Sheep...
If you offend easily, stop reading now...
See you tomorrow...
For those of you continuing on, the rest of this post will be in capital letters, to show my anger and frustration. Not at you, dear readers, but at situations beyond our control. Yelling will make me feel better. Since my two boys are asleep, that is not an option, so capital letters will have to suffice.
WE ARE SHEEP! WE ARE MINDLESS, SOUL-LESS, FOLLOWERS OF PANIC AND DOOM! (Well I am anyway.) IN CASE YOU HAVE BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK SOMEWHERE WITHOUT TV, LET ME TELL YOU THAT THERE IS A STORM BREWING IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. (Again.) IKE IS A CATEGORY TWO STORM, WITH WINDS AT ABOUT 110 MILES AN HOUR, SUSTAINED. DANGEROUS, POSSIBLY DEADLY, BUT WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT IT FOR WEEKS, AND ONLY TODAY DID WE START TO PANIC ABOUT IT.
GASOLINE WAS $3.59 IN MY LITTLE PART OF THE WORLD AT 6:00AM EASTERN TIME WHEN I ARRIVED AT WORK. WHEN I LEFT WORK AT 3:00PM, IT WAS STILL $3.59, BUT LIKE SHEEP, I WAITED FOR FORTY-FIVE MINUTES, JUST TO GET FUEL AT THAT PRICE. WHY? BECAUSE SOMEONE PANICKED THE WORLD, AND SAID THAT BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND, GAS COULD HIT SIX DOLLARS A GALLON! SIX BUCKS!!!! WHY?
BECAUSE A STORM IS ABOUT TO HIT TEXAS? CALL ME WHEN SOMETHING NEW HAPPENS! AAARRRGHHH!
WHEN KATRINA HIT, PRICES WENT UP BECAUSE OF CONCERNS OVER SUPPLY. THOSE IN CHARGE THOUGHT THE STORM WOULD WIPE OUT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF OIL RIGS/PIPELINES IN THE GULF. THEN, THE CLEANUP HAPPENED, BUT PRICES DIDN'T REALLY RETREAT, IN FACT, THEY ROSE, DRAMATICALLY. THEN, MORE RECENTLY, GUSTAV BLEW THROUGH THE GULF AS A STRONGER, BUT SMALLER STORM, RIGHT DURING THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND. THAT STORM WAS EXPECTED TO DRIVE PRICES UP, BUT SINCE THE STORM TOOK A DIFFERENT TRACK, IT SOAKED LOUISIANA, BUT SPARED THE OIL RIGS. IN FACT, OIL PRICES DROPPED DURING THIS TIME.
NO PANIC YET, RIGHT? THE SCANDINAVIAN NAMED STORM GOT LA., BUT LEFT THE OIL INDUSTRY IN TACT.
THEN, IKE, WHICH HAS BEEN AROUND FOR WEEKS, STARTS TO TAKE AIM AT THE EASTERN TEXAS COAST. IT FOOLS AROUND IN CUBA, STRENGTHENS A BIT, AND HEADS FOR GALVESTON, TEXAS. TIME TO PANIC, RIGHT? NOT QUITE YET.
FORECASTERS THOUGHT THIS BAD BOY MIGHT RAMP UP TO A CATEGORY FOUR STORM, BUT AS OF NOW, AT 8:42PM EASTERN TIME, IT WAS STILL A STRONG CATEGORY TWO. START PANICKING.
ALL DAY, GALVESTON RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN FLEEING THEIR HOMES FOR DRIER LAND INLAND. YES, YOU NEED TO KEEP YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE, AND OFFICIALS HAVE A DUTY TO WARN CITIZENS, BUT NOT LIKE THIS.
YESTERDAY, FORECASTERS SAID THAT ANYONE STAYING ALONG THE TEXAS COAST IN ONE OR TWO STORY HOMES, FACE "CERTAIN DEATH". NOW, PANIC HAS ENSUED. NOT ONLY IN TEXAS, BUT RIGHT HERE IN THE OLD NORTH STATE. GAS WAS SEEN AT $4.11 A GALLON HERE AS OF ABOUT 5:30PM EASTERN TIME! FROM $3.59 AT 6:00AM? WHAT THE HELL?
WE PANICKED BECAUSE WE WERE FOLLOWING THE HERD! DO WE NEED TO BE VIGILANT? YES. DO WE NEED TO PROTECT OURSELVES? YES. SHOULD WE FALL FOR DOOM AND GLOOM WEATHER GUESSERS AND OIL SPECULATORS WHO JUST MIGHT GET A CUT OF BIG OIL'S PROFITS NOW? NO!!!
I AM JUST MAD THAT I JOINED THE HERD AND WAITED FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR TOTAL TO TOP OFF MY GAS TANKS, IN PART BECAUSE SOMEONE THINKS THIS STORM MAY CAUSE A LOT OF DAMAGE. JUST SPECULATION. WHAT IF THE STORM CAUSES DAMAGE, BUT LEAVES THE OIL REFINERIES AND OIL RIGS UNDAMAGED? WHAT THEN? WILL GAS PRICES DROP LIKE A PIECE OF HURRICANE TOSSED DEBRIS? I DON'T THINK SO.
WE ARE SHEEP FOR ALLOWING THE MEDIA (OF WHICH I AM A MEMBER) AND OUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO DO THIS TO US. WE MUST PROTECT OURSELVES AT ALL TIMES, BUT PANICKING PEOPLE IS NOT THE ANSWER. LOOK AT THIS.
Exodus in Texas: The traffic is almost all one way out of Houston on Interstate Highway 45 as hurricane Ike approaches. Photo: AP
TO ME, THIS PICTURE LOOKS LIKE PANIC. PEOPLE WAITED UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE, FOR WHATEVER REASON, TO TRY AND GET OUT OF TOWN. OR PERHAPS THEY THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE OKAY, UNTIL SOMEONE TOLD THEM THAT IF THEY STAYED, THEY WERE GOING TO DIE.
NICE.
HERE IS MY PREDICTION, IN 'PRINT' FOR ALL TO SEE. SHOULD I BE WRONG, I WILL ADMIT IT, AND I WILL BECOME A BETTER, STRONGER PERSON FOR IT. BUT I WON'T BE WRONG YOU SEE, BECAUSE HERE IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN...
HURRICANE IKE WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO GALVESTON, AND AREAS INLAND, KNOCKING OUT POWER AND OTHER UTILITIES. THE GOOFY NEWS MEDIA (OF WHICH I AM A MEMBER) WILL STAND OUT IN WINDS NO HUMANS SHOULD BE STANDING IN, UNDER SHEETS OF RAIN THEY SHOULDN'T BE UNDER, JUST TO TELL US THAT IT'S WINDY, RAINY, AND LOTS AND LOTS OF FOLKS HAVE LOST POWER. THEY WILL TELL US THAT UNTIL THE STORM PASSES, THERE IS JUST NO WAY TO KNOW HOW BAD THE DAMAGE IS TO OIL PLATFORMS IN THE GULF. A DAY OR TWO LATER, WE WILL SEE THAT THE REFINERIES HAVE HAVE BEEN SPARED, THE RIGS MADE IT THROUGH, AND OIL PRODUCTION CAN BEGIN AGAIN. OUR PANIC FROM THE WEEK BEFORE WILL BE UNFOUNDED. OUR STANDING IN LINE AT THE PUMPS LIKE SHEEP WILL HAVE BEEN FOR NOTHING, BECAUSE GAS PRICES WILL DROP, THOUGH NOT AS DRAMATICALLY AS THEY ROSE, I GUARANTEE YOU THAT.
I AM SPENT. I AM TIRED OF THIS PANIC CYCLE OF UPS AND DOWNS, WHICH IS BEING CAUSED BY JUST A FEW PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT. COMMON SENSE HAS LOST ITS WAY, AND HAS BEEN REPLACED BY THE UNKNOWN, WHICH BREEDS FEAR, WHICH BREEDS PANIC. WE CANNOT KNOW WHAT THE STORM WILL DO UNTIL AFTER IT HAS MOVED ON, BUT CAN WE SIMPLY SAY THAT PERHAPS, JUST MAYBE, IT MIGHT NOT BE SO BAD? THAT WAY, THE PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT MIGHT, JUST MIGHT NOT BE SO GLOOMY ABOUT THE WHOLE THING, AND THAT WON'T CAUSE GAS PRICES TO SKYROCKET IN THE SPACE OF A FEW HOURS.
THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS ARE A HEARTY LOT, AND THEY WILL COME THROUGH THIS WELL. I KNOW, BECAUSE I HAVE FAMILY THERE, AND I AM HOPING AND PRAYING THAT THEY ARE SAFE, ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE TEXAS.
Thank you for listening (reading) to (my) rant. I am sorry if you were offended, but you were warned.
See you tomorrow with some updates on the latest addition to our family.
Posted by Jon at 08:25 PM | Comments (0)
September 11, 2008
September 11th, 2001...
Posted by Jon at 01:29 PM | Comments (0)
September 10, 2008
Nearly Wordless Wednesday...
My Brother I call him, yet I've never seen his face. I have brother and sisters all over the place! You see I am a Firefighter and our families are one. A tradition for years, passing father to son.
Around the world, a brotherhood of unity, A closeness, a bond, most people don't see. I'll watch his back; She'll watch mine, "You go, I Go," time after time.
His family's my family, Her family theirs, We're part of one family where everyone cares, I'll look after your kids, please look in on my wife, Should that day finally come when I laid down my life.
We dedicate our lives helping our fellow man, Living day after day doing all that we can, Where ever we're needed whether nighttime or day, To save the life of another we'll step in harms way.
My Brother has fallen doing what he loved best, And among the Honored, he now stands with the rest. For a mile in dress uniform here everyone stands, For my Brother has fallen, G-d into your hands.
Posted by Jon at 12:01 PM | Comments (0)
September 09, 2008
Update...
So now you know by now when baby number three is going to join us. If not, turn your eyes upward to the top of the page to see the ticker. Check back often, as the snail will slowly move across the grass, until the day Elijah or Naomi joins us.
For now, here is an update on Jonah and Joshua, from a chronological standpoint...
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 08:58 PM | Comments (0)
September 08, 2008
The big news....FINALLY!
First, there was us...
Then, there was Jonah...
Soon after, Joshua joined us...
And this is our latest creation, our little Peanut...(It could be a Mr. or Mrs. We aren't sure yet.)
Of course, it could be a Mr. Peanut...
Or, it could be a Ms. Peanut...
We just don't know right now. Too early. Believe me, we'll let you know.
Why the cutsie nicknames?
When Jonah was born, we called him "The Boy". No real reason. He was, "the boy". He became our "Buddy".
Josh was always our "Monkey". That's because he's got monkey toes. (Is this making you sick yet?)
This baby, boy or girl, will be our Peanut. Why? Scroll up and you'll see that our Peanut looks like a peanut!
If it's a boy Peanut, we will call him Elijah. If it's a girl peanut, we will call her Naomi.
An unofficial, unscientific poll conducted by no one in particular, seems to show that most people we know want us to have a girl.
We'll know soon enough.
But for all the things we do not know, one thing we do know is this...
WE ARE OFFICIALLY OUTNUMBERED!
Sorry it took so long to get the news out...Keep checking out the ticker at the top of the page for updates!
See you tomorrow!
Posted by Jon at 12:43 PM | Comments (0)
September 07, 2008
Teasing...
...It's just not nice.
But here I am doing it anyway.
Please check back here on Monday, September 8th, when our big news will be revealed.
Why not tonight?
Good question!
The way I figure it, I would post right about now, at 9:30pm. That means the post would only be up for three and a half hours or so, and then I would post something on Monday, and then the big news post would be pushed down, and I can't have that.
So.
I will post the big news tomorrow, sometime after lunch. I hope. Barring any other difficulties.
I also wanted to send out an e-mail to folks to check the blog.
Which I am doing now.
See you tomorrow.
Posted by Jon at 09:22 PM | Comments (0)
September 06, 2008
Storms Come, Storms Go...
A rather endless cycle, I suppose. But we live in a world of cycles, of ups and downs, of triumphs and tragedies and of wins and losses. Ho hum.
Hanna has gone, and left us only with wet, soggy memories of a storm that was mostly an irritant, rather than a strong storm. She brought with her heavy rains and lashing winds, but left behind flooding. But as the cycles go, so must she, and she has, to be followed by Ike. Ick. This one could cause problems in the Gulf again, and that's one more thing they don't need. Another hurricane.
We'll be keeping our fingers crossed for our fellow humans in the Gulf, and in Cuba and anywhere Ike roams. May he cycle out of our memories with a quickness.
If everything goes according to plan, our big news will be revealed in this spot sometime tomorrow.
Stay tuned, and as always, see you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 11:21 PM | Comments (0)
September 05, 2008
So...
...I have a few minutes while I am waiting for quitting time at work, and I decided to go ahead and post for the day.
Then I got some sort of weird writers, or in this case, posters block.
I simply can think of nothing to write, or post about.
The cute pics of the kids are here. More are coming, by the way.
Our big news is almost set to be revealed, hopefully sometime this weekend.
What else is going on? There's a tropical storm/depression/irritant that will make my life miserable at the television station this weekend.
It's starting to rain here. Go away Hanna, quickly.
Ran two calls this morning, one was a person bit on the foot by a snake, the other was a woman who was having trouble breathing. Both are going to be okay, I am happy to report. The snake got away.
We are planning on going to the International Festival tonight here in town. It's also the first night the new Convention Center is open to the public. Should be neat if we go.
Spent 19-hundred dollars today. Not my money, but my budget for Fire Prevention. Whoo-Hoo!
Well, this wasn't really meant to be a diary of my day, but it sort of turned out that way. I'll say.
Stay tuned for big news, and whatever other junk I can come up with.
Have an awesome weekend.
See you tomorrow.
Posted by Jon at 02:35 PM | Comments (0)
September 04, 2008
Postless Thursday...
Well, sort of, but not really.
This is it for today folks, as I was at a meeting until after 9:30pm.
Hanna is coming, but so is the big news.
I noticed with my new site traffic thingy (on the right side of the screen as you scroll down) lots of people have been looking in, apparently in hopes that I have posted this news. Well, I haven't. As you can plainly see.
I am working on it, and if all goes according to plan, check your e-mails this weekend, and then the 'blog!
See you tomorrow!
Posted by Jon at 10:07 PM | Comments (0)
September 03, 2008
Wordless Wednesday...
Posted by Jon at 12:38 PM | Comments (0)
September 02, 2008
Mmmmm...Pass The Human, Please...
Found this on the internet, so it's gotta' be true...
Crocodile eats man who sought its blessing
From correspondents in Bangladesh
August 21, 2008 08:15pm
A CROCODILE killed and ate a 25-year-old man in Bangladesh after he waded into a pond next to a shrine hoping to be blessed by the animal, police say.
Inspector Humayun Kabir said Rubel Sheikh and his mother travelled 50km from their home to visit the Muslim Khan Jahan Ali shrine, where the attack happened.
Kabir said hundreds of people visit the shrine every day to offer hens and goats to the five crocodiles living in the pond. Part of the ritual involves bathing in the water.
"He went into the pond hoping to be blessed when a crocodile attacked him and dragged him into the deep part of the pond,'' Kabir said.
"This is a very unusual incident. Normally, the crocodiles are very friendly and do not harm people.''
Kabir said about 25 people dived into the pond following the attack yesterday, but could not find the man's body.
It washed ashore today and had been largely eaten, he said.
See you tomorrow...(I am still working on the big news, so bear with me!)
Posted by Jon at 11:16 AM | Comments (0)
September 01, 2008
A Bullet Dodged, Perhaps?
While New Orleans took a direct hit from Hurricane Katrina three years ago, Hurricane Gustav only gave the Big Easy a glancing blow. Punishing and devastating, but not a direct hit. There is a lot of good news in that, of course, but as we know, news is slow to get out, even in this world of 24 hour media coverage. It seems as if some of the levees are straining, and right now, are holding, but for how long is anyone's guess.
We are still hoping for the best, as we watch Hurricane Hannah ramp up and head towards us.
We will keep you posted.
By the way, the big news is coming...Stay tuned...
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 08:21 PM | Comments (0)