Truck Driver Wisdom

I stumbled upon this today. It was posted by David over at MoneyUnder30 on December 8th. I  love the simplicity of it all.

1. Stop spending more than you make.
2. Be charitable, help others.
3. Automate your savings.
4. Improve every aspect of your life.
5. Make sacrifices to get out of debt.( it ain't easy!)
6. Make goals.

David said it well, "Never settle."

My wife says I am brutally honest. I do try to be, (honest that is.) I think as we look towards the New Year we should all take an honest look at ourselves. Where are our weak points and what can we do to get better?

Ghandi said it well,

"You must be the change you want to see in the world."

I haven't posted about it recently but training has been going pretty good lately. I have been hitting the gym at work 3 or more times a week for the last 3 weeks. I am doing more sit ups and the wife says I have more energy.

Will I get to that SEAL level? Who knows, to be honest most don't. However I am not giving up. I plan on doing at least 3 triathlons next year. I will be joining the Desert Sharks Tri-Club. I will be posting on upcoming events and posting pics from said events.

Well this was kind of interesting. I received an e-mail from my father-in-law with this MSNBC link. It is a poll about voting for a Mormon for president of this great United States.

There are a few things to think about when evaluating this possibility.

1. Is he actually an "active" LDS member?
2. How big a factor does "religion" play in politics?

First let's look at an active Latter Day Saint member.

• Doesn't smoke or drink.
• Attends church every Sunday.
• Pays a tithe (10% standard.)

So if he is an active LDS member then I think it basically makes him a consideration. However this is just a start. A beginning point in the evaluation. There are a lot more things about the Mormon religion I like but am not going to delve into presently. As a religion I believe it can foster strong ethical upstanding citizens.

This is key. Religion only play so much in the politics game. I want to know where the candidate stands on a multitude of issues. These "stands" mean more to me than where he goes to church, or what church for that matter. So how do you rank religion? Would you vote for him?

I probably would.

  ...and the winners are!!

• Jeffy - Dad
• Aleia - Eric
• Tommy - Aleia
• Eric - Tommy
• Clint - Laena
• Laena - Clint
• Mom - Jeffy
• Dad - Mom

Which is all pretty cool. I enjoy buying for my wife. There were a few disagreements but the Hat has spoken. Somehow little Lincoln got missed. I think that happened because we let the 6 year old write up the names. Oh well such is life. This is one of our Christmas traditions. What are some of your traditions?

Well the Holiday season is upon us. Have you saved up? Are you ready for the time ahead? Will you make some unsound decisions in your finances? These are all questions I have asked myself in the past couple of months. Well I am not as ready as I had hoped. I don't know really anybody who is. Here is my plan.

• Incur NO new debt.
• Prioritize gift giving.
• Make sure to contact all, wish a "Happy holiday."

Whether I do or don't only time will tell. I know I have made some improvements but I do know I have a long way to go.

Remember what the season is all about,

Happy Turkey Day!

Well the family is learning a little bit about the internet facts of life. My brother was having an e-mail "chat" with my Mom. She was thinking it was private. Oops, it wasn't. Mom actually forwarded the reply to a bunch of the family. It wasn't all that bad. My brother actually was very well versed and complimentary.

So  what is the proper etiquette? Who knows really. What I do know is the reality of it all. If you e-mail anything you need to expect it to be posted somewhere on the net. That is just how it is. You can't treat e-mail like a personal phone call. Even that can be compromised, i.e. the Speakerphone.

I know a sure fire way to make your vote count. It is really quite a simple process. It is simplicity in its most beautiful form. I have discovered this only after I have grown from my youthful all knowing supremacy. It is true and yet so often overlooked.

Here are the two steps, yes only two.

1. Go and Vote!
2. Go and Pray!

Yep that is all. "Work like it all depends on you and Pray like it all depends on Him." I have heard that at church all my life. You probably have too. I don't care if you worship Christ, Buddha, Allah, Nintendo or Playstation. You have to believe in something for there to be a Power.

So there it is, pretty simple. Most gratifying things are...

Well life has been a bit hectic lately. Little Sahara was blast. We found the Sandboarding to be much better this time of year. I usually take the scouts at the end of September or the first of October. This time it was later in the year and much colder. We also had a rain within the previous week. So what does this translate to?

• Sand was harder, the board didn't sink.
• Sand was a little moist so the board seemed to slide better.
• Night time was pretty frigid.

The boys were quite the troopers. We used hot rocks wrapped in paper bags to keep our sleeping bags a little warmer through the night. The trick is to make sure the rock isn't glowing. That is too hot. Plus you need to make sure there are no embers still stuck to the rock. We also will wrap the rock in aluminum foil before wrapping in a pape bag. We had 3 boys and 3 leaders. The boys tent was fine however one of the leaders almost lit the leader tent on fire. Not really but there was some smoke. He missed an ember.

My digital camera died. We used an old 35 mm Canon. It works well but for some reason my CD hasn't come in yet. Hopefully today.

Woohoo! We are going to the Little Sahara Sand Dunes this weekend. It should be alot of fun. We are planning on doing some hiking, compass skills, and sandboarding. We will also do some star gazing tonight. It is really amazing how much more you can see when you get outside the "glow" of the city.

I wish I had some 4-wheelers but oh well. It is always nice to just get away from it all. We might also be able to check out some animals. I plan on posting some pictures from this event at my Picasa Web album.

What are some of your fun places to go camping?

This site is really cool. I happen to stumble across it from this article at the Time website.

I jumped on to see just how my house rated. No I am not going to show you. For me it was a little depressing. My house is the cheapest in the whole neighborhood. Oh well, I probably have a lower mortgage payment. Zillow , the name, came from the idea of zillions of data available. Iknow I haven't even touched the surface of what you can do.

If anything else it's a lot of fun. See what your relatives houses are worth.

Who am I? You know that is a really good question. I have often wondered this myself. How does one answer that?

"To know yourself, look at what you are doing when you don't have to be doing something" - David O. McKay

I think that is a pretty good way of defining ones self.

So where does that place me? I am still unclear. It seems I don't ever have anytime for myself. Here is a list though of what I am throughout the week.

• Family man with a lovely wife and a bunch of great kids.
• Programmer - Soda company.
• Runner - couple of marathons under my belt.

Have you ever taken a joke too far?

These two remarks are very similar in context. However they both arouse different emotions. It's probably stemming from experience.

We see people who really push themselves to accomplish some really amazing things. They have that winner attitude wherein they "Push the envelope." They go out there on a limb, risk takers. I myself usually feel inspired and uplifted by these type of people. I will try to emulate their eagerness and energy.

I will bet a nickel. (A co-worker is always saying that!) You have had someone play a joke and just go across that line. They end up humiliating somebody. Why? Didn't they see the "line"?

What is it that differentiates in ones mind where it is they need to stop? Is it a learned response? I think if it is then learning where to draw the line can be learned. I am pretty optimistic we can better ourselves. It takes time and patience. Plus a little bit of analysis.

If we don't learn to understand ourselves how can we appreciate anyone else.

Wow! I can't believe it is almost here. My daughter is turning 16 next month. It seems like just the other day she was born. In fact I can remember when the doctors told us, after the ultrasound, that we were going to have a little girl. Within 12 hours we had a baby. I say this with permission from my wife. She did all the work. Still that was a blink away.

Where did the years go? What happened to all of our dreams and plans? Why does it matter? I seem to notice that the most important things in life are not the most pressing. However, is that really the way it is supposed to be? I have made the error of neglecting the valuable in favor of the "squeaky" wheel.

Have you had this stumbling block in your path? What steps have you taken to make the most important "thing" be the "most important thing?"

It does take a bit of effort. "Prioritizing" doesn't come naturally until we have developed that skill. It takes some consistent energy and determination.

Well the training hasn't been going as well as I had hoped. Some good news, Our run tonight was a good one. Even though I got smoked by my son. It felt good. I have got to get more focused. I read a good article by Steve Pavlina about sleep skills that I am going to incorporate into my personal schedule.

The diet is going well. My water intake is up dramatically. I have avoided the caffeinated soda. I drink no more than 1 soda a day now. I plan on increasing the fruits and veggies also. So I feel I am on track.

So stay focused, make increases where needed, and above all...
KICK BUTT!!!! (mine)

Well I updated my Live Writer over the weekend and it has been improved. I was on 141 previously. The features I noticed initially were 

• The "temp" post to deteremine my settings in 141is now nonexistent. There isn't that annoying bogus post to try and delete.
• My Template settings are properly retrieved. This is a definite plus.

If you haven't updated your WLW, you need to get it. Iam still undecided. Will it be my blog editor of choice? I don't know I still like writely. It's non-Microsoft.

I found a very interesting manifesto the other day. The PMBA or Personal MBA, is a simple yet alluring idea. The manifesto can be obtained here courtesy of ChangeThis.com. It involves a bit of reading, 43 suggested books. However if you compare costs it's a significantly cheaper track.

In my situation, with family and work, this is actually quite ideal. I am in school too, but I think this will greatly enhance all facets of my life. I am always looking at things to improve my personal development. This coupled with real world business experience could actually prove invaluable. I can go at my own pace. I look forward to challenges and this will be such. One quote I really liked and I feel is dead accurate is-

"The difference between where you are today and where you’ll be five years from now will be found in the quality of books you’ve read.” — Jim Rohn

So where will you be in 5 yrs?

Things have gone awry, sort of. There is a new member of my TEAM. Lincoln was born on Monday Oct. 2nd. He weighed in at 8 lbs. 9 oz. Mom is doing fine. We did the WebNursery so check it out and leave us a note.

Things needless to say have been a bit hectic the last week. I feel kind of bad since I haven't once done any training. It has been Mr. Mom, laundry, dishes, chauffeur the kids all over. We now have 1 in diapers, 1 about preschool, 2 elementary, 2 middle school, and 1 in high school. Plus if you factor in that it has rained every single day this week. So have I given you enough excuses?

You're right, SEALS train all the time in the rain. I am going to go for a run TONIGHT!

Last night I took the family to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus . It was actually quite fun. The kids had a blast. Of course the trinkets were way over priced. 10$ for some cotton candy w/ cloth-paper hat. Ce la vie! I think occasionally you need to do that kind of thing. Kids need to be spoiled once in a while. I will admit the other (older) 4 kids didn't get anything unless they brought their own money to the circus. I did explain this to them before we left the house. I feel this way they get to decide if the circus toy is worth it or not. It does make a difference when it's their money.

Where were the Tigers? I mean no Lions, Big  cats,  pumas,  Nada!  I haven't paid a lot of attention to the news but maybe the whole Siegfried & Roy catastrophe means no more. I don't know, If you do let me know I'm awfully curious. My one son was really kind of let down. He did enjoy the motorcyclist in the BALL OF DEATH. You know that huge metal ball that isn't so large once you stuff 8 bikes in it.

All in all, 4 of 5 Stars.

I have to admit Windows will always be Windows. Some things will continue long after you and I are dead. I know it's beta. I thought I would give WLW a try since I am still a little displeased with Google's Writely. I would just love  Writely if it would post my Title correctly. It doesn't even post, at all!

I digress. WLW does have that nifty emoticon working nicely. So I will give Pres. Bill that one . This will be my first post so I hope all is copacetic. I haven't setup my Flickr account yet so I will have to test that feature at a later date. If you haven't given WLW a chance head here. Don't forget you need to have the .NET framework to use it.

It seems our lovely Govt. is at it again. If you haven't hear the latest news today you might want to check this out. It would appear that the FCC has deemed it their obligation to correct our kids. They claim that the "Evil" Advertisers are the ones to blame for the epidemic that is sweeping the nation. ( I admit that phrase is a little overused.)

Yes, our kids are a little overweight. Hey look in the mirror. There are a lot of us adults that could lose a little weight. Now here is a thought.

• Kids aren't supposed to work until they are 16.
• Mom and/or Dad (PC) are obliged to provide for said children for 16-18 yrs.
• Mom and/or Dad are the one(s) who earn a living and have financial funds.
• Kids don't drive until they are 16.
• Who is it that is buying/paying/shopping for the groceries?

Well today was a pretty good day, that is fitness wise. I got in a good workout at work. My son is at Scouts right now. Will run before the night ends. I did my push-ups and sit-ups. I rode the bike for about half an hour.

Diet was pretty good. Pinapple and oatmeal for breakfast. Cream of Chicken soup for lunch. Then...

It was Dougs birthday at work. That means Birthday cake. I had 4 pieces. I'M NOT WORTHY!!!

Hey what can I say I love the sweets. Oh I also had a lemonade this morning, but NO soda. I drank about 40+ ounces of water.

Well Day Two and things are going pretty well. I say that because I splurged and had some fries today. They weren't even Training Table cheese fries, they were the cheap frozen store brand. I did however avoid the soda once again today. I am really backing down on the high fructose syrup. It's in everything I swear. You have to like go strictly raw foods to avoid it. Here's the rundown.

• Push-ups and Sit-ups (more today than yesterday.)
• Less calories today. Lemonade breakfast, half-cup soup, modest dinner (salad and pasta)
• 48 ounces of water.

1. Swim 500 yds in 12:30 min.
2. 42 push-ups in 2 min.
3. 50 sit-ups in 2 min.
4. 8 pull-ups.
5. run 1.5 miles in 11:30 while wearing long trousers.
   

Well This is going to be a long road. I did get a set of push-ups and sit-ups in today. Me and my 14 yr old son will be going on a run as soon as I get done. One thing I was able to accomplish today.

No soda! This is usually pretty hard for me. Water and Powerade.

Well gotta run...

Well I have got to do it. I really respect the military and the sacrifices that are made. However, I have a "big group" of kids. I don't feel it would be right for me to reenlist with matters as they are. It's a tough call. I believe they're freedoms should be protected and I would like to be the one protecting those freedoms. Still they need to have a father around. (Even if I'm not perfect, I feel my heart is in the right place.)

So what is it that I am going to do? Well I am going to be Military about my physical fitness.
They deal is I am going to run 3 days a week, MWF. Then on TThSat I will do strength exercises. Everyday I am going to do pushups and situps. One of the reasons for posting this is so I have some sort of accountability.

I am a big fan of the Navy SEALs so their program of getting ready for the pre-test to be accepted for training is going to be my guide. One of the necessary evils of the TEAMS is that the TEAM is your family. I understand why this is and it has to be, end of story. If you have a wife and kids, they become a liability. They do what they do so I can have a wife and kids. For this I am grateful.

Hooyah!

I own a Ball Python. His name is Hercules and he's great. I love snakes! They are quite fun.

• Low maintenance.
• Cool looking.
• It's fun to watch them eat.
  

Writely Title Workaround

Well I have to admit I am a little frustrated about the writely title bug. When you post from Writely it doesn't put the title of your document in the title of the post. At least with Blogger it doesn't. I searched and googled but couldn't find a hack or anything.

Well this is what I have come up with.

1. Log in to blogger and check your template settings. You are looking for the "title" color setting. (color:#ad9 for me)
   
2. You put your title in your Writely doc. on the first line
3. Change the Font size to approximate the setting at Blogger (14pt and BOLD for me)
   
4. Write your post and before you post go into the HTML editor tab and go change your "title" color setting
   

Habits

We are all creatures of habit. It's the truth whether we like it or not. We live and die by our habits. The structured or even seemingly unstructured lives we lead tend to be ones of habit. The way you go to work is a habit. The way you brush your teeth, things you say, people you see, what you eat, everything. Life is a habit.

"You don't win once in awhile, winning is a habit", Vince Lombardi. Check out the book. Attitude becomes a habit.

We can decide though which habits we are going to perpetuate and which ones we will abandon (replace.) Unfortunately it seems you can't really give up a habit you have to replace it with something else. This can be easily said but pretty difficult to accomplish in real time. What was it that I heard as a kid, "it takes 30 days to make a habit"? Same in reverse. The beauty comes when we realize we have a choice.

With each breath you can decide what you are going to do next. It won't be easy but it's worth it. Face it things can always be worse. You could be looking at the inside of a pine box.

Hey I found a cool website today, Lazy Way. This is a really a good site. You have to take a moment to read it. I have been taught all my life that being lazy was a bad thing. As I get older I have noticed how properly defined and approached there can be a bit of magic involved.

The goal is to be effective. I really feel that effectiveness is the key in all areas of life to be successful.

• Family- quantity is necessary but you need to make it quality.
• Work- If you don't provide results, you don't get paid as much, plain and simple.
• Health- Again the end result determines your quality of life. It's a fact that you feel better when you live a healthy lifestyle. You need sleep.
• Spiritual- If you just show up to your synagogue, temple, or church, you shortchange yourself. If you believe it, live it.

Well this is cool. I guess I have been out of things for awhile. This whole idea of moving desktop apps to the web is impressive. This is my first actual document written with Writely . It seems the Google guys never stop raising the bar.

If you are in the dark like I was, here's the lowdown. Writely is a word processor in a browser. It has tons of cool features like collaboration, publishing, and of course blogging features.

This is really the stuff you need to get it. You've got a gmail account right?! That's all you need and you can log in. Write some doc's and save to your hard drive or post, it has it all.

I have a fairly big family, 6 kids. My oldest is 15 and we have twins that are now 14 yrs old. Fortunately my wife has been able to be a stay at home mom. Getting them to do their chores can be quite a challenge. It seems they will do everything to avoid chores for days at a time. Then they like flush the toilet and want a standing ovation.

Drives me nuts! All I am asking is to do your share. I have work, school, and family (notice I am not supposed to have any outside interests; ie, minitrucks, music, friends, martial arts.) Well that's life when you have kids.

Speaking of movies you might want to check out Kids in Mind. It's pretty cool. I found out "clerks 2" has 139 F-words! Thats more than 1 every minute of the show, Not recommended. Kidz are like sponges so you have to be careful.

After all is said and done. I am one lucky guy.

Well a friend at work showed me this article yesterday.

You with your technical savvy perform surgery on your keyboard to implant an RF receiver. Then you have a the transmitter in your wallet or where ever and as you pass it within 2 ft. of the keyboard....
Whalla! You gain access.
You are so cool!
I guess there is some software that you would need to install. The theory being as you have left your computer, or any time you would need to logon this (RF setup) would become your logon.

Heck you could even get the RF thing implanted in your hand.

That might be a little extreme however.
computer life

That's what my 3 yr old told me today. We were just about home and one of our neighbors, a lady, was out walking in the dark.

"She shouldn't be walking alone, There are bad guys out and about, " I said.

I am kind of glad that he hasn't had a run in with "Bad" guys. As a parent I would like to protect him, but I don't want to shelter him either. I hope I can prepare him for whatever comes his way. It was only a few days ago we remembered the tragic events of 9/11 and the great courage and determination Americans showed in response to the brutality brought upon the innocent.

Where will he be in a couple of decades? Will he be out there in the concrete jungle fighting to preserve my freedom? I wonder sometimes what state the world will be in when he has grown. I hope and pray that he will get the opportunity to raise a family as I have. To have the joy of having a son run to the door when you get home is wonderful and fulfilling. I guess only time will tell.

Well I have to admit I was a little surprised when I heard this.

Some politicians are trying to push forward the policy of granting Social Security benefits to illegal aliens. This just ain't right. I have been paying into SS all my working life, (23 yrs.) Do you think I am going to see any of that?

Monetarily, No, However....
What are the other benefits I have recieved. I have been able to live a pretty good life. I have access to some of the best health care in the world. Prescriptions are a little pricey. I get to play a role in the choice of local and national leaders.

I can be a CAPITALIST!!
and Our Military can KICK their Military Ars.
It's a small price to pay, God Bless America, Hooyah!

Clarification for my WIFE.....

Social Security for Illegals would SUCK, is wrong and morally irreprehensible!

Me paying Social Security is OK,(Even though I won't ever see that money again.)

Hey I found a cool website the other day.
http://www.lifehacker.com
I really like this blog. I think its a blog. Anyway check it out!

We were discussing diets today. People have taken the word diet and transfigured it. Look up the definition of the word. http://www.m-w.com
It means "food and drink regularly provided or consumed". Where did we come up with this idea that we could "diet" and lose weight. Then when were skinny start eating the way that made us fat. What's going to happen?

We are going to be fat again. Duh!!

Take a look at all the lottery winners. Within like 5 years they have spent millions and have little to show for it. They are poor again. How often do we hear people say,

"When I (something) things are going to change!"

Bullshit. Things rarely change, people have to change. The way you change your circumstances is you make an internal change.

You want to be healthier, start eating healthy til forever.
You want to have more money, spend less.
"Eazier said than Dunn," Eric Wright

Well what a week! I have 3 boys in the scouting program. So lucky me I got to use an entire week of vacation at Scout Camp. Whew hew!!

Last MTW I was at High Adventure Camp. We almost got rained out so it was most definitely a challenge. You really get to see who's got the "STUFF" when their gear is all wet and they can't get warm or dry. There were 3 or 4 troops who bailed ship. Their loss.

The sun came out as it always does and we did rock climbing, rappeling and a canoe excursion. The Rappel was a 160 ft descent. The canoes included a 40 ft cliff dive (which I let pass) and the rock climb was about 40 ft. Our boys caught crayfish when it was raining.

ThFSat was with my younger boy and was pretty laid back but it was still fun.

Now the ? is can I still get all of my tests and homework done by Tues. to pass my classes? Probably, but it'll be close. L8R.....

Well it looks like I am going to be doing the old familiar again. Yep, just Saturdays, but not every week so it shouldn't be too bad. What can I say? Life demands it.

This is the way it is. Money isn't everything. Nope, however it is important. How important you say? Well I say it isn't any more important than Oxygen. We all need to breathe and life also requires some money. That is just how our society is wired.

Well back to the grind. Hooyah!

You know I know I should care,
But I don't.

"Dark and difficult times lay ahead. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy."

- Albus Dumbledore
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 2005

Why is it that my older kids think they need to "help" me with the younger kids. For example if I ask the 3 yr old to give me a ball then the 14 yr old takes it from him and gives it to me. I don't know what he was thinking (the 14 yr old) but now he has taken the opportunity for the 3 yr old to be obedient.

This is not what I was hoping to accomplish. It is tough enough being a parent without interference. I guess that's just life. What I need to do is remember that the most important thing is the relationship that is developed between parent and child. That is not an easy thing to do. About the time you get it figured out they're gone.

Well this day is gone. I'll be better tomorrow.

Well talk about a doosy of a day.... Today was one of them. I just couldn't think, my head hurt so bad. It really doesn't feel much better. I don't know whether to laugh or scream. Have you ever had one those.

So what do you do? I am going to eat some ice cream, with lots of chocolate, and go to bed. Sorry I haven't posted much lately.

Oh the golf game, I stunk, but it was fun. Maybe too much fun?

Well I never thought the day would happen but here it is. Tommorrow monday 7-10-06 I will be going golfing at a charity tourney representing the company.

I figured the worst day of golfing would be better than the best day in the office. The good news is I won't know more than a couple of people. I need to just take it easy and have fun.

Hey there's gonna be free food.

On this 4th of July I feel compelled to write about the beauty that is America. We are so blessed to live where free commerce and liberty abound, (keeping in mind the theory of relativity.)

Capitalism is alive and strong here in the good ol' USA. Some neighbor kids came by this morning to borrow a cooler and/or wagon so they could sell soda on the parade route. Like any good American I charged them a rental fee, One can of ice cold soda.

It makes me proud to be an American.

The Wife wanted to watch this show. It stars Dennis Quaid and Rene Russo.
It is a remake of the 1968 film by the same name. I liked it.

A widowed Coast Guard Admiral meets his high school sweetheart, a handbag
designer also a widower. While on the cruiseship for their high school reunion,
the fires ignite and by the time the ship docks they have tied the knot.

The sparks begin to fly as her 10 children and his 8 kids meet. They make a
truce only to plot to break their parents up.

I give this flick a 4 can rating. So pop some popcorn and enjoy this one.

The big one is this Friday. Pirates of the Carribbean 2. Wahoo!!

I don't know what it is but I LOVE minitrucks. I currently own an '88 S15. To get an idea of what I am talkin' bout, you need to check out Layin' Body.com. I can't wait to trick my truck out.

Maybe it's the air suspension that is so alluring. I can hardly hold back my anticipation. I want to be able to layout the truck while cruisin' down the road and throwin' sparks. Perhaps it's the 20 inch rims that shine in sun.

You can't overlook the details. That is what separates the interested and the passionate. I think that, however, is within every arena of "sport." You will have those individuals who do enough and those who will forever push the envelope.

So if you're going to do it.....
Put the pedal to the floor, let the air out and the sparks fly!

We voted today in our Republican Primary. We were able to try out the new machines. They are pretty cool. In fact I would definitely encourage their use.

If you haven't used them, I will give you a synopsis.
The poll worker gives you a "voter" card, sort of like a library card with the little chip in it.
The voting machine accepts it, kind of like an ATM machine. It snaps in but you can still see it.
It is then all done with the touch screen. You can back up, check a candidate, uncheck, recheck.
After that, on a register tape the machine prints your ballot. (You only see your ballot.)
At this point you actually have 2 retries in case you change your mind.
So then you finish and the tape rolls out of sight.

I think they will be good for the country.
Then again as the saying goes,
"To err is human, to really foul things up you need a computer!"

When? Is it just when one illegally crosses our border? I heard Bob Lonsberry this morning talking about this subject and I had to stop and think.
Guess what? I think he's right! If I were to trespass on the property of some individual or company, I am at fault as long as I am there illegally. Even if I can hide from you for years in the rose bushes, you can still sue my A$$. (Excuse my French)
Now where did that phrase come from? Oops maybe another time.
We should not exempt an individual who has been daily, hourly, and even by the minute breaking our law.
Enforcement is the key, It's about time we start doing it.
Enuff said.

Well... we were going to see a show at the theater, but by the time we got there,
Ice Age 2 had already started. So... We went to the Leatherby's for some ice
cream. Which was OK, but not great, overpriced a bit.


We decided to watch "7 Brides for 7 Brothers" at home. Which was produced by MGM in
1954. It stars Howard Keel and Jane Powell. There's kidnapping, fights, and all
kinds of fun. It's quite a fun show, IF you can get past all the singing.

Some of my favorite quotes are:

• "What do I need manners for? I already got me a wife," Adam Pontipee.
  
• "They're out to murder you and what do you do? Apologize for livin'!" Adam
  Pontipee.
  
• "Somehow it just don't seem fittin' for a bridegroom to spend his weddin' night in a tree," Millie.
  
• "The wolves would seem like good company after what I just been through,"
  Adam Pontipee.
  

Have you ever thought about what your scope is set to?

If you look at it from a techie perspective, What is within your range? What can you have direct access to and what has direct impact on you? You being a variable.

I had a discussion today about this. If your scope is just local, and only a few lines of code at that. You are really limiting yourself. However if you set yourself up for "Global Scope", how does that change your world and impact your decisions?

The impact can be ENORMOUS.
Just a thought.

I LOVE Movies! I don't know why but..(Of course I do! Why do people say that?!)

"I myself am often surprised by lifes' little quirks," Wesley Princess Bride

I am really looking forward to the sequel of Pirates of the Carribbean. It's gonna be good.

In the future I will be doing "Movie Review: " posts. Hit me up with your favorites.

We all seem to have good days and other days. I think it was Les Brown who described his "other" days as "character building" days. I think this is so appropriate. The only thing that makes a day "bad" is our attitude.

Saturday started off looking OK but not great. Well things didn't get any better. I kept getting knocked down all day. That's life though. I don't know why yesterday was such a challenge but it WAS.

A little bit about myself. I am a truckdriver for a beverage company. At least I was until yesterday. Not that yesterday has anything to do with my switch come Monday morning. I have been driving truck for 1.5 decades. I have been going to the Community College for about 6 years. I have been married for 16 years. We have our own basketball squad with a couple of benchwarmers. However come Monday morning I am going to be Mr. Programmer for the same beverage company.

Back to the reason for this post. Life sucks. But then again think of it like this, If its gonna suck it might as well be one of those nice icy cold Slurpee's where the beat of the worldly Sun makes the Slurpee feel oh soo cool in your hand.

Have a BRAINFREEZE, on those "Bad" days. It'll remind you youre alive. It can always be worse.

Well, Here I am. I had thought about writing a book but I think this will be more fun. I am in school, work full time and have a family. So posts will be at most twice a week. In fact, it is currently time to go take a test :)