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December 31, 2008
365 Days And One Trip Around The Sun Later...
On the eve of New Year 2009, I find myself in a reflective mode.
I am sitting here thinking about this past year, and what an interesting ride it's been along the Information Superhighway.
Almost 365 days ago, I pledged that I would post something here, each day, at least once a day, for a full year. I am proud to say that I posted 362 times. I broke the streak on April 2nd, 2008. Not bad, considering I missed one posting due to a fatal accident, another posting because I was super-extra-terrible-awful sick, and something odd happened that caused me to miss one more posting. 362 posts...It isn't like finishing (or even attempting) a marathon. It isn't like saving a life, or anything like that. It is something I set out to do, and with help, encouragement and support from Megan, it was something I (we) saw to the very end.
So how did I do?
Here were the rules...
"Rules:
- Blog everyday for 365 days. (Blogged for 365 days. (Well, 362, but you gotta' give me an E for effort!) Check.
- Feb.29th is a Free Day and will be the Blog365 day of rest! (Thanks Leap Year) (Took advantage of the free day! Check.)
- You do not HAVE to post to the same blog as long as you post everyday. (I did post to the same blog, each and every day (nearly.) Check.)
- No internet? Write your post locally and post it once you are back on the grid. (Always had internet, no problem there. Check.)
- Computer Broken? Grab some paper and do some old school blogging. (Computer was always functioning, if not slow. Check.)
- A post is a post, not everything has to be in writing. Photos, YouTube videos, and the like are all considered content. (Posted pics, Wordless Wednesdays, YouTube videos. Check.)
- Have fun, because that's the whole point!" (Had a blast! Check.)
Sometime during the past year, I posted that I do not like to see things end, as that leaves me feeling like I am missing something. And that is exactly how I feel tonight. I feel that way because I have become accustomed to posting each and every day. It was how I communicated my thoughts and feeling to the world, and sometimes reporting on events in my life, or posting about things that I thought others might find interesting.
For instance...
I reported on deaths of the famous (and not so famous) not because I have some odd fascination with death, but because the people who left us this year were near and dear to me, for one reason or another.
In 2008, we lost Harvey Korman, Estelle Getty, Isaac Hayes, Bernie Mac, Paul Newman, the woman who invented Slinkies (Slinky's?) and the great George Carlin. I have brought to you the sad passing of Rosa Parks, one of my personal heroes; I mourned the loss of life after the London bombings, the Mumbai attacks, (and now the Israeli attacks into Gaza) and the passing of President Gerald Ford.
I also told you about my friend and fellow Firefighter Paula Plichta, who passed away this year, after a courageous battle with leukemia. She will never be forgotten.
And while the loss of life is indeed sad, there were happier times on this blog.
For example, we found out this year that we are going to be parents (again) to a baby boy. (Again!)
You were there when I rescued a turtle from certain death (or at least a certain maiming) from the middle of a busy road.
Over the past year, we celebrated three anniversaries...The anniversary of this blog, (three years old, thanks Keir!) Jonah turned three, and Josh turned two. Megan and I celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary (!) and we are thrilled to have shared these moments with you. We also began to keep track of when we can expect to see Elijah, and that ticker will stay at the top of the page, and will be updated each and every day, no matter if I post or not, so keep checking in!
We watched in amazement, as American swimmer Michael Phelps and Jamaican runner Usain Bolt owned an amazing and entertaining 2008 Beijing Olympics.
At least three times over the past year, we had visitors from around the world. Bloggers (or at least web surfers) from South Africa, Great Britain and Canada checked in! Thanks, and you are always welcome here!
If you've noticed, along the way, I have learned a thing or two about Hypertext markup language, or HTML. I learned to change border colors, change fonts and their sizes, and even learned to
There were times I wanted to shout about what's going on in our country, politics wise, but I stayed away, not wanting to cause rifts. (I think that's a good idea. Some call it avoidance; I call it keeping peace in the family. Besides, most who read this blog know my political views anyway.)
Speaking of politics, we are about to enter a new year with a new President, and hopefully, a new outlook and a new way of thinking, to get us out of our economic funk. I, for one, thinking positive now, am beginning to feel optimistic about this new President, and I look forward to better, more positive economic news in 2009!
Speaking of economics, Megan and I put our house up for sale this year, and if you're interested, leave me a comment! (The ticker on the right side of the page will tell you how long our house has been on the market. So far, it's been 41 days, and we haven't had a single call yet! However, we have an open house scheduled for early next week, so maybe we'll get some interest there!)
Over the years, I have posted 519 times. 362 of those were this year alone! Wow!
But why? Why did I post each day (save for three) for an entire year? What was my motivation? Initially, this blog was created to show pics of my Da' Boys and my family for out of town friends and family. I promised to chronicle Jonah and Josh's growth, and I kept that promise. (Though this will no longer be a daily blog, there will still be lots and lots and lots of pics of the boys here, so please check back often!)
Of course, this will be the first place to look as soon as Elijah joins us. As soon as the new boy is here, pictures will be posted, so even though I may not be posting each and every day, look for lots of posts towards the end of March. (Though I feel fairly confident I will blog before then.)
I am sitting here, desperately trying to think of a way to end this post, and wrap up a year of nearly daily blogging. It isn't easy. That's because as stressful as this was at times, not wanting to miss a day, it was satisfying knowing I set a goal, and for the most part, reached it. It's not easy because I am ending something I have become so used to doing. I am ending something I had to do each and every day, and I will miss that.
But while daily blogging is ending, I am going to start something new here, and I want you to be a part of it.
Before 2008 ended, I made a resolution and a goal to reach in the year 2009. I resolved to become a more positive person, and my goal is to lose weight and get in shape. I resolve to become a better person because if that doesn't happen, I can always say, "who keeps their New Year's resolutions anyway?" But I have set a goal of losing weight and getting in shape, so that I will always have something to work for. And this blog will be a way of reminding me both of my resolution, and my goal, all year long.
After a short break, I will be back on this blog, keeping track of my progress. While not a daily blog, it will be updated constantly, so we can all see how I am doing! (I haven't really figured out a way to measure positiveness, so you'll just have to trust me on that one...)
For now, I want to thank each and every one who checked in, Jodi, Jason, Amanda, Megan, G'Ma, G'Pa, Dad, Selina, Aunt Ginny and Uncle Jerry, Keir, Aunt Jen, and anyone else I may have missed!
I want to thank my dear, sweet wife Megan, the person who suggested daily posting for a year, and who helped me tremendously along the way. Without her, this would not have been possible. The same is true for my Boys,
Jonah and Joshua, who were outstanding and super cute as subjects for most of the picture posted here. I love you all!
So for now, from my family to you and yours, please have a very safe, a very healthy, and a very happy New Year!
See you in next year in 2009!
Posted by Jon at 10:39 PM | Comments (0)
December 30, 2008
Happy New Year's Eve, Eve!
On the eve of the eve of the New Year, it occurs to me that this is another eve, eve.
That is the eve of the eve to the last posting of my experiment to post at least once a day for a year.
So how did I do?
Check tomorrow's blog posting for the answer, and a whole lot more, including my plans for this blog after we ring in 2009!
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 04:28 PM | Comments (0)
December 29, 2008
Write It Down, Please!
I am not a distrustful person.
In fact, I consider myself to be a very trustful person, one who often puts blind faith into people or services I have never had contact with.
With one exception...
Waiters and waitresses.
I put faith that they will write down what I order, how I ordered it, and deliver it to me with few, if any problems. I may be demanding, finicky or even picky, but if I get what I want how I want it, that waiter or waitress will be tipped well. Or not.
Megan, Da' Boys and I recently went to a restaurant in Apple Chill. There, the waiter took our orders, and didn't write a single thing down. I was skeered.
This waitress is doing it right...
To my surprise, our meals came to us without incident. Da' Boys got their grilled cheese, I got my burger, and Megan got her wrap. No problems. He was a good waiter, and he got a good tip.
But sometimes I wonder if not writing it down means my meal is going to get messed up.
As I think about it, my meals have probably been messed up more from people who wrote stuff down as opposed to those who committed my order to memory.
I will take notes, and provide statistics. Stay tuned.
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 09:13 PM | Comments (0)
December 28, 2008
Hanukkah 2008, Eighth Night!
We have, I feel, spent the last eight nights together.
It has been my pleasure, my joy to bring you the joy my boys felt when they opened all of their Hanukkah presents.
What I tried to do with these postings was convey a sense of excitement and fun, but due to limitations beyond my control, I can only bring you pictures and descriptions. Please believe me when I say that Da' Boys couldn't be more excited each time we lit the candles, and then when they tore open their presents.
Thank you for sharing Hanukkah 2008 with us!
Trains!
See you tomorrow, and see you next year!
Happy Hanukkah!
Posted by Jon at 09:11 PM | Comments (0)
December 27, 2008
Hanukkah 2008, Seventh Night!
Welcome to the seventh night of Hanukkah!
It's musical instrument night!
See you tomorrow!
Posted by Jon at 05:25 PM | Comments (0)
December 26, 2008
Hanukkah 2008, Sixth Night, Also On Boxing Day!
I have no idea what Boxing Day is, and I suppose as a good neighbor to the south, I could look up the Canadian holiday, but since I really don't feel like it, I won't. Wow. That felt good to get that off my chest.
Tonight's Sixth night gifts are Slinky's (Slinkies?) for Da' Boys...
The 2008 version of Hanukkah is quickly coming to an end. In keeping with tradition, the big gifts are coming. Jonah really wants a -- no, maybe I shouldn't blog about it. I mean, what if Jonah got online, found this post and read what his gift was, then told Joshua what he got -- it would be a big, dramatic mess.
Oh, who am I kidding? The kids can't find their shoes, so finding this post would prove impossible! Jonah has been wanting a guintar for the longest time. No, you read that right, a guintar. (Adults and those literate enough to know, know it as a guitar.) He even guessed it before Hanukkah even started, so his eyes should just about pop out of his head when he sees it. Josh got a keyboard, though he didn't ask for it, and that's mostly because he doesn't ask for much these days. Shhhh...Don't tell them...
Okay, so I felt guilty, and looked up Boxing Day. Since you may (or may not be) less fortunate in the world of cute dog pictures, I want to help those less fortunate by giving you a Boxing Day gift. Two super cute pictures of Zoe...
See You Tomorrow!
Posted by Jon at 09:09 PM | Comments (0)
December 25, 2008
Hanukkah 2008, Fifth Night, Also On Christmas!
It doesn't happen very often, but today, the fifth day of Hanukkah, falls on Christmas Day. Often the two holidays overlap, but it isn't all the time when they run right into each other!
Megan's family has always had a neat tradition. They get together, eat tons of fantastic food prepared by Deb, and exchange gifts.
As we entered the G'parents home, were were greeted by, of course, G'Ma and G'Pa, this wonderful tree jammed with presents underneath, and something I cannot share with you except in vivid detail, but smells of fantastic food!
This was too much for a three year old fixated on presents. The boy was DYING to open presents when he saw them, but we had to wait, as Uncle Keir, Aunt Jen and Caroline had not yet arrived. So, we had time to pose for pictures with Aunt Abby, who was already there, her dog Savannah, and G'Pa!!
The waiting was intense, unbearable and downright painful. And I say that from the perspective of a three year old, and from the perspective of a 38 year old, because it was intense, unbearable and downright painful for both of us. But security was tight at the G'Parents house, as the Watchers Of The Gifts kept a close eye on the loot...
What I cannot show is the arrival of Keir, Jen and Caroline. What I can show you is the sheer bedlam that ensued next...(If you listen very carefully, you can hear the sounds of paper ripping and the laughter of children...)
So? What did they get?
Jonah and Josh both got big portfolios to store their artwork in, they both got earth moving equipment, and Jonah got a camera...
That boy takes better pictures than I do! Now that he has his very own camera, we will feature his photos on this blog very soon! Watch for them!
Caroline got a cape...
Both the boys got scooters, and we just had to try them out...
They also got a kitchen set...
Even Elijah made out, with a gorgeous, soft, homemade blanket from Deb! Elijah thanks you in advance, Deb!
And Megan and I both got gift cards, which are always fantastic!
This is what the living room looked like afterward...
After a long day of gift giving, food eating, and toy playing, it was time to head home. But not before one last photo op!
Josh wasn't too happy here...(Can you tell?) He didn't get much sleep...
Boredom setting in, as we wait for Josh to calm down...
Got it!
Goodbye Grandma and Grandpa! We love you! Merry Christmas! (It was all a front. These boys knew we had to get home to celebrate Hanukkah's fifth night, and that meant more presents!)
Megan's family has always taken care of my boys and my family, and for that, I cannot say thank you enough. Merry Christmas!
For the fifth night, the boys got DVD's, Josh got Madagascar, and Jonah got Happy Feet. We haven't seen either one of these movies, but we look forward to distracting -- I mean watching them with Da' Boys soon!
And because it is both Hanukkah and Christmas, I thought I would leave you with two last pics from the day, one of Sammie (Sammy?) and Savannah, and the candles burning down on Jonah's Hanukkiah!
See you tomorrow!
Posted by Jon at 07:21 PM | Comments (0)
December 24, 2008
Hanukkah 2008, Fourth Night, On Wordless Wednesday!
Posted by Jon at 09:44 PM | Comments (0)
December 23, 2008
Hanukkah 2008, Third Night!
The Festival Of Lights continues, with tonight being the third night of Hanukkah.
Again, another wonderful dinner, followed by puddin' for Da' Boys, and then PRESENTS!
Tinkertoys and View-Masters for the boys!
While I am in love with the boy, I am not in love with this picture, but it was the best I got. Perhaps tomorrow's pic will be better. Yesterday's was!
Happy Hanukkah!
See you tomorrow!
Posted by Jon at 08:17 PM | Comments (0)
December 22, 2008
Hanukkah 2008, Second Night!
Tonight is the first full day of Hanukkah, but the second night. So, we light a total of three candles. Two to symbolize two nights, and one helper candle, A.K.A. the shamash.
Da' Boys scored big last night with their Firefighter gear, which they really love. But certainly more lasting are tonight's gifts, books! Thanks Aunt Ginny and Uncle Jerry!
See you tomorrow for night three!
Posted by Jon at 08:20 PM | Comments (0)
December 21, 2008
Hanukkah 2008!
Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. For most of my adult life, I have heard that Hanukkah is a 'minor' holiday.
For most of my childhood life, I wouldn't understand the 'minor' comment for all the presents in the world.
The same is true for my adult life.
Religiously, faithfully, sure, this isn't a holiday where we get dressed up, head over to the synagogue and pray for our ever living souls, but minor? Not a chance!
This was Jonah in 2005. Can you see how much he thinks the holiday is minor?
And this is Josh in 2007...Do you think he thinks it's minor?
Which brings us to today, Sunday December 21st, 2008. The first night of Hanukkah. We lit candles in our Hanukkiah's, one of which Jonah made, then Megan made fantastic latkes, which we shared with Amanda and my friend Rob, and then, presents!
Happy Hanukkah, and see you tomorrow!
Posted by Jon at 06:20 PM | Comments (0)
December 20, 2008
The Longest Night...
Followed by the shortest day.
Come on Summer! I'm waitin' on ya'!
Bring on the heat!
Bring on the hot dogs!
Bring on the air condtioning!
I hate winter.
Here is a visual representation of my hatred of winter.
If you are offended easily, or love winter too much, DO NOT, I SAY, DO NOT LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING PICTURE! IF YOU DO LOOK, YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK, AND I AM NOT RESPONSBILE FOR YOUR REACTIONS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED...
ONE LAST WARNING FOR THE EASILY OFFENDED -- LOOK NO FURTHER OR RISK BEING OFFENDED!
Now I understand that as I write this, the longest night is actually tomorrow, on Sunday the 21st, 2008. It is also the first night of Hannukah, and that's why I could not post this tomorrow. The message, for me, is the same though, which is, winter sucks. True too that as I write this it is raining here in the Old North State, and is near 60 degrees, but it has been cold, and will get cold and stay cold, to be sure. And yet, I would love to see Da' Boys playing in snow; I would love to watch them sled and shovel.
I have every confidence that it will happen.
Just not very soon, I hope.
See you tomorrow!
Posted by Jon at 06:13 PM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2008
Banana Moon...(A Re-Post And An Added Picture...)
This was originally posted nearly one year ago, on December 22nd, 2007. I am re-posting it for a few reasons, most notably which is I am quickly running out of ideas, and I still have a week and half to go to reach my goal of posting at least once a day for a year. (Apparently, with that last sentence, I am happy to say I reached my goal of at least one run on sentence. No. That isn't true. There's probably been a lot more than that.) The other reason is that I added a picture, and for real, this story is so damn cute!
See you tomorrow...
It's one of those times in our lives that I hope I will remember forever.
Megan, Jonah, Joshua and I traveled to Meadow, to see the Meadow Lights. I had heard about them since moving here, but now that I have a family, it was time to see it in person! (I took two pictures, but they came out poorly, so I am sorry that I cannot aid your imagination.)
On the way, a sliver of moon could be seen in the night sky. Since introducing the moon to Jonah when he was younger, it has become a fixture of our evening rides, so much so that he often wonders where it is, and when we change direction, where did it go?
On this particular night, Jonah looked at the moon from his window, and said, "It's a banana moon!"
Megan and I hope we never forget that night.
Posted by Jon at 08:38 PM | Comments (0)
December 18, 2008
It's Training Night...
...And we just finished dinner, and we have to run an errand.
So this is it for today.
Sorry.
Just scroll down to see cute pics, and hopefully that will carry you until tomorrow!
I'll try to do better tomorrow.
See you then!
Posted by Jon at 05:45 PM | Comments (0)
December 17, 2008
Wordless Wednesday...
Posted by Jon at 08:22 PM | Comments (0)
December 16, 2008
9-1-1, What's Your Emergency?
I hope you never have to, but if you ever do find yourself in a real emergency, go ahead and call 9-1-1. But what constitutes a real emergency? I suppose that depends on the type of situation. Fires, break-ins, high fevers, those sorts of things are DEFINITELY 9-1-1 worthy. At the same time, if you can't decide, it's better to just go ahead and call 9-1-1. No harm, no foul. Your taxes pay for it anyway, so if you need to use it, use it.
That being said...
If you have an emergency, NEVER, EVER delay calling about it. Call right away, so the situation can be resolved quickly. This is not what happened to us last week.
A few weeks ago, we got a call of a fuel spill, on a residential street. That's somewhat odd, since big fuel trucks wouldn't normally travel that road, and that's not something we get called to a lot. So, off we went, in a heavy downpour to search for a fuel spill. After arriving in the area, we asked our Dispatchers if they had anything further, as we could see no spill, nor could we see any vehicles from which fuel might be leaking. The Dispatcher then advises that the spill happened a week earlier, and if you are looking in just the right spots, you could see two puddles of fuel. (The caller to 9-1-1 said that he saw the fuel coming from a landscaping truck.) The person that called also called the Environmental Protection Agency, who advised him to call 9-1-1. So what's the problem here? First and foremost, he should have called the moment he saw the spill. Second, the rain washed it all away, so we couldn't find anything anyway.
The point here is that this well meaning but super-late wanna' be do gooder called way, way, way too late for us to do anything about it.
While I am ranting, if you do need to call 9-1-1, please follow this simple advice: STAY WHERE YOU ARE. For instance, we get called all the time to a six lane Interstate highway we protect. I am guessing that we are sent on false calls there around 85 percent of the time. Yes, a full 85 percent of the time, the call either isn't found, or it's in another location. That's mostly because folks do not stop when they are calling! They are in some big rush, or just don't want to get involved. Well, if you call 9-1-1, you are involved. Give your location, and wait there to wave down the Fire Department, EMS or Police as they arrive.
They will appreciate it, I promise you.
Thanks for listening.
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 04:59 PM | Comments (0)
December 15, 2008
...Blank...
I spent most of the day, and the last hour thinking about what to post.
I am stumped.
I got nuthin'.
Sorry.
Can't blame it on training, can't blame it on being tired, can't even blame it on the rain.
Speaking of which, if the people who sang the Milli Vanilli songs back in the 80's were so good, where are they now?
The way I figure it, someone sang those songs. We, all of us, not just a few, fell for these two dupes, because the songs were good, and we liked them. We really, really liked them. So where are the singers? Why did they not get their due?
All we remember are the two patsies set up to take a fall, and the songs. Those memorable 80's hits that you bring back to a place and time that remind you of big hair, parachute pants, and two dummies who took some really, really bad advice.
Sorry that's all I have to offer you for tonight's post.
Enjoy the music by pressing the play button, and enjoy your stroll down memory lane.
Blame It on the Rain - Milli Vanilli
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 09:49 PM | Comments (0)
December 14, 2008
Illinois...
Can't say much for the place, thanks to disgraced Governor Rod R. Blagojevich.
I can say this though...I always thought that Louisiana was the most corrupt state in the nation. Boy was I wrong.
I really don't know why LA was tops on my list. Okay, I don't really have a list, I just dislike the New Orleans Saints, and by extension, the state of LA. I have no desires to go there, and no real reason to visit the place. I hate what Hurricane Katrina did to the state and its people, but beyond that, whatever.
This post started out as a rant against a man who should be tarred and feathered, but degenerated into a rant about LA. Thanks, Rod, you jerk.
This man's arrogance, this elected official's ego, this politicians pomposity has shown what we can achieve when crooked politicians masquerade as honest ones. It's getting so you can't tell the honest ones from the crooks. (I guess that's why they are politicians.)
Blogging itself has changed for me since this clown was arrested. I can never again say the word "blog" without having my stomach turn at the very word that begins his last name, Blagojevich.
I have to come up with another word. Posting. Electronic bill boarding. Golb. (It's blog backwards, but that just doesn't work.)
I really am appalled at his trying to sell a Senator's seat. He is obviously so stupid, so ignorant, so devoid of any brains as to get caught TRYING TO SELL A SENATOR'S SEAT! What the hell?
I am so mad that I have to stop now.
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 10:58 AM | Comments (0)
December 13, 2008
A Change Would Do You Good...
So sung by my good friend Sheryl Crow.
Okay, so she's not my good friend, and, in fact, she's not even my friend at all. But I am not ashamed to say that I have a couple of her CD's, so actually, I paid her to be my friend. Or at least I paid her to sing to me. She got the better deal, I think.
I am not one for New Year's resolutions, because I have made them in the past, and yet I am still lazy, slovenly, late, overweight, a huge procrastinator (I'll tell you about that later) and overall, a the poster boy for any one who has ever made a resolution to change something about themselves, 'cause I never did it.
Until now. (Maybe.)
And this is why I want to tell you about my New Year's resolution. I figure that if I talk about it now, some two and a half weeks before we welcome 2009, it might spur me to action before we change years, as opposed to making the resolution after the new year. Also, since I am putting it in writing (so to speak) there is a record of when I said what I am going to do, and therefore, I can track back to what I said, when I said it, and see if there is any marked improvement.
This may come as a surprise to some of you (and it may come as no shock at all to most of you) that I am a born pessimist. I just tend to hang out on the negative side of life. Not all the time, but most of the time. I do see positive things, and often talk positively, but generally, I am a human Eeyore. (You parents out there will understand.)
Therefore, I resolve that in 2009, I am going to try very hard to be a more positive person. A person with a better outlook on life, a person not so wrapped up in small details, a person who can roll with changes and just move on.
But be warned.
I have a two and half weeks to be as negative as I can be. Why? Why not get a jump on the New Year and start to be more positive? No way. This is a huge change for me, and I want to relish in the negativity I have come to know so well, as I make room for positive thoughts, feelings, words and actions.
This fresh start is not going to be easy for me. (See what I mean?)
Speaking of fresh starts, there will also be a fresh start for this blog. I do not think I have what it takes to do this each and every day anymore, but I plan on using this blog as a daily journal to record the progress on my other goal, which is getting in shape to walk the Race For The Cure in my turn out gear. Notice I did not say resolution. This is a goal, which I will reach. This blog, I hope, will help me do that, as I log what I have done, what I have eaten, where I am going, and where I have been. I will have more on the blog's future, in the future.
But for now, positive things are happening, and I look forward to kicking the negative habit.
Wish me luck. I don't think they make a patch for that.
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 08:48 PM | Comments (0)
December 12, 2008
My Future Is Set...
For some reason, I never posted this. I wrote it, and I am guessing that I saved it for a time (like now) when I couldn't think of anything better.)
So, from last April, here is a story about the lottery, and my chances of not winning it.
Luck. I've got lots of it. I was lucky to find my wife Megan. I am luckier still that we have been blessed with two of the cutest, most wonderful (most of the time) Boys, ever. I am lucky to have a job I love. I am lucky to have close friends. I am lucky I have the family I do. (Most of the time.)
But, my friends, my luck ran out last night. (At least for a little while, anyway.)
It is now 9:46pm, Saturday night, April 26th. In about an hour and fifteen minutes from now, tonightâs Powerball numbers will be revealed.
I am predicting that I will still have to work at my part time job. (As well as my full time one.)
Why? Why not think positive? Why not think of all the things I could do with the money? (144 million, by the way...) Why not consider how many people I can help with all that scratch?
First, I am a born, live and die pessimist. It's just that simple.
Second, the quick pick numbers I pulled for tonight are, to put it bluntly, sucky. Terribly, awfully, damn-it-all-to-hell SUCKY. You be the judge.
I bought three dollars for tonightâs draw, with Megan's permission.
Ticket One: 3, 11, 26, 53, 54, with the Powerball number being 3. Are you for real? The odds must be astronomical to pick two threes? What the hell????????
Ticket Two: 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, with the Powerball number being 1. I hope the Great State of North Carolina spends my dollar well, since I won't see any of that back anytime soon.
Ticket Three: 15, 23, 35, 38, 55, with the Powerball number being 42. This has the most promise, as 42 happens to be my lucky number, but 35 and 38? I should just count my blessings that it wasn't any closer than that.
You can say the lottery is gambling. You can say it's bad for folks who really have no money. But you have to be in it to win it.
I just want to have a fair shake, is all, but with numbers like that, it's no wonder I work two jobs!
144 million dollars would fill my gas tank, for about a week!
So what happens if I think optimistically and I should win?
Of course, that won't happen, but the word 'disappear' figures in...
Posted by Jon at 01:46 PM | Comments (0)
December 11, 2008
What The Hell?
So I wanted to post this some time ago, but I guess I couldn't find witty things to say about it.
Then again, there really isn't a whole lot more I can add.
You know, Firefighters are supposed to help people, not steal limbs, that sort of thing.
Read on.
See you tomorrow. (By the way, the dopey Firefighter was fired for this brainiac move.)
Florida Firefighter In Amputated Leg Allegation Placed On Leave
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. --
A firefighter who allegedly took an amputated foot from a crash scene and used it to train her cadaver dogs was last year's St. Lucie County firefighter of the year.
Cindy Economou has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
The attorney for Karl Lambert, 46, of Melbourne, told WPBF News 25 on Thursday his client's leg had to be amputated after he was involved in a traffic crash Friday on Interstate 95 in Port St. Lucie. Lambert was airlifted to St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach, but his leg was left behind.
Attorney Raymond Christian told WPBF News 25 in a telephone interview that one of the firefighters at the scene took the severed body part because "she was some kind of training person for cadaver dogs, and she basically took the leg."
Christian said Lambert was notified by a Florida Highway Patrol investigator Wednesday.
St. Lucie County Fire District Chief Ron Parrish said his department was told the firefighter only took the foot and not a leg.
"After the patient was airlifted, it was alleged one of our firefighters removed a foot from the accident," Parrish said in a news conference.
It is alleged that Economou took the amputated foot to fire station No. 10 and had a family member bring it home to use for training her cadaver dogs.
"It's not normal for remains or pieces or parts to be removed from an accident scene other than by the appropriate authorities," fire district spokesman Buddy Emerson said.
Standard procedure is to transport an amputated or severed body part with the patient to the hospital in case it can be reattached.
"This is a very serious allegation," Parrish said. "We have an obligation to the patient, to the public and to those involved."
Posted by Jon at 02:52 PM | Comments (0)
December 10, 2008
Wordless Wednesday...(Sort Of, But Not Really. Cute Pics Of Da' Boys Next Wednesday, I Promise...)
Posted by Jon at 11:05 AM | Comments (0)
December 09, 2008
Sneezing...
...It's something all of us do. (Well, I suppose there is the medically unique person out there who cannot or does not, but for the sake of this post, we will assume all of us sneeze. It will be better that way, trust me.)
After exhaustive research, I have found out why we say "G-d Bless You", or "Bless You" after expelling air, mucous and other nasty stuff out of our bodies at more than 100 miles an hour. (See? That's exhaustive research for you.)
Back in the day, when full moons, thunderstorms and wayward comets were all thought to be harbingers of death, people knew that in the instant you sneeze, your heart stops. (Albeit briefly, thank G-d.) If, after the sneeze, you returned to full health and vitality, people you knew, or who were at least nearby wanted to thank G-d that you returned to them safely.
But since my exhaustive research has shown that no one has died as a result of your heart stopping as a result of a sneeze, isn't the term "G-d Bless You" outdated? Hasn't it run it's course?
For years now, Megan and I have taken a more contemporary stance on sneezing. We want to bring the world up to speed. We are waging a one family effort to rid our sneezes of religious constraints. And this is how we do it:
Since we know your heart stopped, and because we are fairly certain you are coming back to us, we say, "Word!" I mean, why not? How about something hip, fresh, now, today?
In fact, "G-d Bless You" was okay if it just wasn't your day, but another favorite of ours is "Congratulations!" The way we see it, if your heart stopped and it just isn't your day, we think congratulations are in order!
So, how's the effort coming you might ask? Not well. I have no converts at all. But around our house, after germs have been expelled violently, we offer our family a hearty, "Word!" or "Congrats!", and in our house, the war is won.
Now if we could just win the war against germs.
See you tomorrow.
Posted by Jon at 08:48 PM | Comments (0)
December 08, 2008
Oy! The Guilt!
Growing up and being Jewish meant the denial of several things:
1. Pork
2. Pork
3. Christmas (though I'm not really upset by this)
4. Tattoos
Sure. I eat pork. (I try not to, both because I really shouldn't, and because it will kill you. But it's so damn yummy!) Yes, I take part in Christmas celebrations, just not at my house.
And no, I do not have a tattoo, though every now and again, I want to get one.
My parents always told me that I could not be buried in a Jewish cemetery if I had a tattoo. But wait...Didn't my parents HAVE tattoos? (Well, I ask that question merely for dramatic pause, as I know you don't know the answer, but I do...) And the answer is yes! When they were younger (and not divorced) they got butterfly tats. Each of them. Kind of hippy-ish, kind of non-Jewish, but they did it anyway. Can they be buried in a Jewish Cemetery?
Click on the link below, and read a very interesting article on the subject.
And what tattoo would I get were I to get one?
I have some ideas, but I am willing to take suggestions.
Anyone?
See you tomorrow...
July 17, 2008
Skin Deep
For Some Jews, It Only Sounds Like âTabooâ
By KATE TORGOVNICK
ROBERTA KAPLAN, 71, has never been a fan of tattoos. âIâm a very Jewish person,â she said. âI was told from way, way back that youâre not supposed to desecrate your body.â
Ms. Kaplan ordered her five children to renounce tattoos. (What would neighbors at synagogue think?) Her children, in turn, did the same (every third teenager may have an ankle tattoo souvenir from spring break, but that doesnât make it right by the Torah).
By the time Ms. Kaplanâs daughter Liz Carnes, 49, had teenage daughters who wanted body art, Ms. Carnes knew how to dissuade them. âIâd say, âIf you get a tattoo, you canât be buried in a Jewish cemetery,â â said Ms. Carnes, the owner of a video equipment company in Carlsbad, Calif. âFor no real reason, just thatâs what my parents told me.â
Nearly every Jew, from those who go to synagogue only on holidays to those who dutifully follow Jewish law, has heard that adage. It has deterred many from being inked, even as tattoos have become widespread among N.B.A. players and housewives alike.
According to a 2007 poll of 1,500 people conducted by the Pew Research Center, 36 percent of 18- to 25-year-olds and 40 percent of 26- to 40-year-olds have at least one tattoo. Still, even Larry David was so haunted by the cemetery edict that he wrote an episode of âCurb Your Enthusiasmâ in which he pays off a gravedigger to have his mother reburied in a Jewish cemetery despite a small tattoo on her behind.
But the edict isnât true. The eight rabbinical scholars interviewed for this article, from institutions like the Jewish Theological Seminary and Yeshiva University, said itâs an urban legend, most likely started because a specific cemetery had a policy against tattoos. Jewish parents and grandparents picked up on it and over time, their distaste for tattoos was presented as scriptural doctrine.
At first, Nicki Carnes, daughter of Liz and granddaughter of Roberta, listened to her elders. âI took what they said to heart,â said Nicki Carnes, 29, who works for her motherâs company. âThen as I got older, I started doing my own research. I asked different rabbis, and they each had their own take.â
By the time, three years ago, she had an abstract rendering of her cat tattooed on her wrist, she wasnât sure she was in the wrong. After all, she had figured out on her own what has yet to become commonly known among Jews: that rabbis disagree about just how bad it is to get inked.
Still, you try confronting your grandmother. Instead, Nicki Carnes hid her abstract cat for months, until one day her sleeve rode up. âMy grandma grabbed my arm and just stared,â she said. âShe gave me that blank, âYou broke my heartâ look.â
Old myths die hard, and many tattooed Jews in their 20âs and 30âs say they often are criticized by other Jews, both relatives and strangers. Some, like Nicki Carnes and her sister, Rebecca, who now also has a tattoo, say that being permanently marked was just something they wanted. Others say they were tattooed to rebel or, surprisingly, that they wanted a Jewish tattoo as a way of connecting with their religious and cultural identity.
Andy Abrams, a filmmaker, has spent five years making a documentary called âTattoo Jew.â In his interviews with dozens of Jews with body art, heâs noticed the prevalence of Jewish-themed tattoos â from Stars of David to elaborate Holocaust memorials, surprising since one reason Jewish culture opposes tattoos is that Jews were involuntarily marked in concentration camps.
Mr. Abrams has even seen tattoos that crack jokes, like the one on the back of Ari Bacharachâs neck: the word âKosherâ above a pig, an ironic statement about identity. âThe people I interviewed are trying to express their Judaism, or connect with God or their Jewish roots,â said Mr. Abrams, 38, who lives in Los Angeles and calls himself a nonpracticing Orthodox Jew. âTheyâre taking this prohibited act and using it to feel more Jewish.â
Take Marshal Klaven, 29. While studying in Israel as a teenager, he decided to become a rabbi. For the first time, âit became not just the Jewish people, but my Jewish people,â he said. This sense of belonging inspired him to get the first of his three tattoos, a Star of David and a dove.
âFor me, itâs about cultural pride and connecting in this very tangible, very visible way to a part of our lives that isnât so tangible,â said Mr. Klaven, who is now a rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati and is writing his thesis on tattooing in the Jewish tradition.
Rabbi Mark Washofsky, one of his thesis advisers, said Mr. Klavenâs work opens up a Pandoraâs box of mixed feelings. âA lot of Jews of my generation are confused about tattoos,â said Rabbi Washofsky, 55. âWe donât think itâs a very âJewishâ thing to do, but weâre not really sure why. Many of us are baby boomers who remember being condemned for our modes of dress and expression.â He added: âWe swore weâd never do this to our kids. Now we are.â
Jewish law on tattooing is slippery. Leviticus 19:28 states, âYou shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead nor incise any marks on yourself: I am the Lord.â For Rabbi Washofsky, itâs unclear whether the passage strictly outlaws tattoos that refer to a god, or whether it generally condemns any personal adornment. Ear piercing, he added, is not controversial.
For Mr. Klaven, historical context is key. When Leviticus was written, tattooing was largely a pagan practice, done to mark slaves or to show devotion to a pharaoh, Mr. Klaven said. Since tattooing has evolved, he thinks the rule may be outdated.
Not all scholars agree. Rabbi Alan Bright, a spokesman for the Jewish Funeral Directors of America, dismissed the cemetery adage as âa load of rubbish,â but he said that tattooing was a no-no. He quotes Deuteronomy 4:15, which commands Jews to take care of their bodies, as evidence.
But he noted that Jewish law prohibits many things that secular Jews do without a second thought. âThe Torah prohibits anything negative that affects the body,â he said. âSmoking is more of a violation of Jewish law.â As are drinking alcohol in excess and overeating.
ITâS difficult to know exactly how many young Jews are being tattooed, because no organization tracks these numbers. But a pro-tattoo community is emerging online. Christopher Stedman, a 23-year-old student in Rohnert Park, Calif., started a MySpace group called âJews with Tattoosâ in 2004, after noticing more Jewish friends being tattooed. The group now has 839 members.
Mr. Stedman was raised Christian. When he converted to Judaism at 19, he already had a tattoo of a Norwegian knight, so he wasnât too worried about getting another. He had the Hebrew words for âloveâ and âhateâ inscribed on his feet.
Daniel Koffler, a graduate student, draws lots of attention with the Star of David on his muscular bicep. Growing up in a culturally Jewish (but not terribly religious) family, he was told that nice Jewish boys donât get body art.
âItâs both prohibited but also a permanent identification with the community,â said Mr. Koffler, 24, who lives in New York City.
When he got this tattoo four years ago, Mr. Koffler thought he couldnât be buried in a Jewish cemetery. When strangers would belabor the point, his reply was, âI donât care what happens to my body when I die.â And now that he knows his ink wonât bar him from Jewish cemeteries? âI can say, âThatâs just wrong,â â he said.
Nearly every day fellow Jews take it upon themselves to harangue Ami James, a tattoo artist on âMiami Ink,â the TLC reality TV series. It doesnât help that he is heavily tattooed and lives in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood. âIâll be buying groceries, and I get asked, âHow could you do that to yourself?â â Mr. James said.
Still, he is often asked to do Jewish-themed tattoos in the Miami Beach shop where he is one of the owners, the Love Hate Tattoo Studio.
Todd Weinberger, the creative director of Inked Magazine, grew up in a family that kept kosher, and recently got his first tattoo with his girlfriend, Jennifer Goldstein, an editor at CosmoGirl magazine. Their matching Hebrew ones read, âForever and ever.â âWeâre not into marriage, so we wanted to get commitment tattoos,â said Mr. Weinberger, 37, who lives in Brooklyn. âWe were hesitant because we knew it was against the religion, but Judaism has got to evolve with the times.â
Last weekend, Mr. Weinbergerâs family saw their adornments for the first time. âIt went over a lot better than I thought,â he said. âThey were more upset that it was a commitment to us not getting married.â
Posted by Jon at 04:50 PM | Comments (0)
December 07, 2008
Thanksgiving 2008...
Okay, okay...I know, I am a week or so late with this post, as Thanksgiving 2008 was, well, a week or so ago. What can I say? I just love to hold on to memories! And now, through the miracle of modern technology we call the internet, you too can hold on to my memories!
Here they are!
When we were kids, my sisters, my brother and I, were unceremoniously awakened in the middle of the night, roused from sleep by a man who was determined to show us a good time. That man was my Dad.
He would wake us, and begrudgingly, we would get dressed in our warmest clothes (because this was November), and head out to where they inflate the balloons for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
It was not fun. It was cold. We were small, so all we saw were butts and knees. Even the balloons were disappointing, because it took hours for them to inflate, so all we were watching were butts and knees. And it was cold. Always so damn cold. The experience got slightly better as we got older, because we could now enjoy hot chocolate to help keep us warm. One thing remained though; it was the middle of the night.
What was he thinking?
All we wanted to do was go back to sleep. And now that I am older, I find myself thinking that all I want to do is wake up in the middle of the night and go watch balloons inflate.
Damn if getting older doesn't cause conflicts with young memories.
And those memories flooded back spending time with Megan's family during Thanksgiving. Sadly, I don't have any pics of the meal, like the yummy turkey, the fantastic mashed potatoes, and the best stuffing anyone could ask for. And even though I am several weeks late, it should be noted that I did not forget to say: Thanks. Thanks Deb for putting on a wonderful meal, like you always do.
So, now on to the pics I do have from T-Giving 2008!
Deb is hiding behind Sammy. (Sammie?) Or is Sammie (Sammy?) hiding Deb?
Aunt Abby and Jonah...So cute...
Caroline...
A boy and his Mom...
Do you have a kiss for Mommy?
A boy and his G'Pa...
Do you have a kiss for G'Pa?
Trying, but ultimately failing to get the boy to take a nap...
Tuckered out...
If that picture looks familiar, it's because you've seen it before, only you saw it a year ago...
Our Thanksgiving was great, and we hope yours was too, even if this posting is a tad late!!
See you tomorrow!
Posted by Jon at 09:25 PM | Comments (0)
December 06, 2008
This Makes Me Want To Cry...
This story is from WSET-TV, in Lynchburg, Virginia. It is alternately sad, happy, and awe inspiring. The update to the story, and the reason I want to cry, follows the initial article.
DON'T CHEAT BY READING THE UPDATE...IF YOU DO, WELL, I DON'T KNOW. I AM NOT IN A POSITION TO THREATEN. JUST DON'T!!!
Even more search teams are out searching for a missing three-year-old Saturday. Police say Jaylynn Thorpe wandered from his babysitter's home around 4:00 p.m. Friday and they say they still don't have any leads.
It happened in the Virgilina community, just of Buckshoal Road. Family and friends have joined in the search, which police say is becoming a race against time. They searched all night and say theyâll do whatever it takes to find little Jaylynn. And as it gets colder outside, they know every second counts.
Jaylynn was last seen around 4:00 Friday. He's about 3 feet tall, and weighs around 40 pounds. He has a medium complexion, dark curly hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a red striped shirt, blue jeans and a camouflage jacket. Jaylynn also answers to J-J or Jay.
Right now, responders have search teams on the ground, helicopters in the air, and bloodhounds tracking the boy's scent. It is a difficult area to search because there are abandoned copper mines, lakes and creeks throughout the woods. Search teams have to be extra cautious. We're told every available tool that could help find this boy is in Virgilina right now, and that the search will not stop until the toddler is found.
One good thing, we're told 3 dogs may be with the boy and with no leads at this point, police and the family say those dogs might just save his life.
Sheriff Stanley Noblin, Halifax County Sheriff's Department - "They can be there to help keep him warm and hopefully if the dogs will come back, he'll follow the dogs back."
Katherine Elliott, Grandmother and Guardian - "I hope and pray they stick right by his footprint I just hope we find-- we all can find him and he's you know, okay."
The entire Virgilina community is out looking for this boy. If you want to help, stop by Grace Baptist Church to find out how. If you see Jaylynn, police ask that you call (number removed).
And here is the update...
Halifax Co., VA - The three-year-old who went missing Friday afternoon has been found, about a mile and a half from where he went missing. Hundreds of people spent the night searching for Jaylynn Thorpe.
Rescue workers found him alive around 12:30 p.m. Saturday. He was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. Three dogs were with him and authorities say they likely kept him warm overnight
Let me repeat that: Three dogs were with him and authorities say they likely kept him warm overnight.
This is why I love dogs. Cats are good too, but they would just run after a bird or something. (Then again, so would Zoe, but that isn't the point, because these dogs kept this boy alive!)
I don't know much about miracles, or divine intervention, but someone was looking out for little Jaylynn.
What a great story! Scary at first, but it ended really well. I am so happy the boy and the dogs are safe.
Did you cheat?
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 02:49 PM | Comments (0)
December 05, 2008
Boy This Internet Is Something...
...Isn't it?
This comes from our friends over there, in Great Britain. Apparently, there is a serious problem with car and bicycle accidents. So much so that they want to make sure people are paying attention.
Watch this video, and pay attention...
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 07:55 PM | Comments (0)
December 04, 2008
An Update For You...
I haven't done this in a while, so here goes...
Jonah is...
Joshua is...
And Elijah is...
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 07:55 PM | Comments (0)
December 03, 2008
Wordless Wednesday...
Posted by Jon at 12:42 PM | Comments (0)
December 02, 2008
Look Alikes!
From my friends at myconfinedspace.com (Not a safe website for kids or for people at work, I might add...)
Have fun!
See you tomorrow...
Posted by Jon at 04:16 PM | Comments (0)
December 01, 2008
30 More Days!
Two years ago, I joined countless bloggers out there, when I decided to participate in NaBloPoMo, or National Blog Posting Month. Bloggers were asked to post once a day, for an entire month. When I began that November, I thought I had bitten off more than I could chew. I thought there was no way I was going to be able to complete this.
I was wrong.
I did it again last year, and after NaBloPoMo 2007, someone in the Blogosphere suggested that we blog once a day for a year.
Now that was a daunting task. But Megan convinced me I could do it, and with her help, we would blog for 365 straight days. The official count, by the way is 362 days, so far. (Yes, I know, we haven't reached the end of the year, but I can't do the math the other way, so, for now, that's all you get.)
It has been a fun journey.
At times, I felt like never blogging again. Other times I could not hide the cuteness that is my boys, and I had to share it with the rest of the world.
Speaking of the rest of the world, we have had at least three international visitors to the 'blog, one from South Africa, one from Great Britain, and most recently, one from Montreal. Thanks for stopping by!
So, one month left in what has been a hectic, tiresome, interesting, sometimes stressful year as far as blogging is concerned.
Stay with me for a few more weeks.
There is one challenge ahead...
We are planning a trip to see my Dad up north, and we may not have internet access.
Yikes!
See you tomorrow...
There were times I wanted to shout about what's going on in our country, politics wise, but I stayed away, not wanting to cause rifts. (I think that's a good idea. Some call it avoidance, I call it keeping peace in the family. Besides, most who read this blog know my political views anyway.)
I reported deaths of the famous (and not so famous) not because I have some odd fascination with death, but because the people who left us this year were near and dear to me, for one reason or another.
Sports -- Giants -- Devils
Current events -- London bombings -- Mumbai
Firefighting
cutre pics
Posted by Jon at 08:26 PM | Comments (0)