More later.
BCOT
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Sunday
More later.
BCOT
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Wednesday (Finalized on Thursday)
Looks like the worst of the heat wave has passed us by. Pretty strong showers yesterday afternoon seemed to break the spell. Still warm, but not oppressive like it was Sunday and Monday.
2 heads out tomorrow for her visit to Beantown to see 3. Then SRH leaves Friday afternoon for her weekend in the TC with 1.01. (Let's be frank; she's not going up there to see 1 and 1.1!) That leaves me with The Winniferous. And 4 where?
My pal Pete and I have been doing the early morning ride this week. Same plan again tomorrow. We leave at 0540 and are done with 19 miles by 0700. Not a hugely difficult workout, but it definitely gets your body rolling for the day. I'm going to try to do a couple of longer rides over the weekend. While The Winniferous naps.
The Second Inning
In a baseball game, the second inning is another part of a feeling-out process. Usually, the lower part of the line-up didn't get to bat in the first inning, so those hitters have been biding their time, anticipating their first at-bat, trying to coolly and efficiently get into the game.
Pitchers often experiment with their pitches and locations with the lower half of the order that first time through it, and they also get a sense of where the home plate umpire is calling the game. This should all help out in later innings when the game may be on the line.
My second innings in life would be things like sophomore year at ND, my first few months at Dover in the USAF, and maybe the second year of my own business here in the QCA. None of these were bad times, nor were they really distinguished by major successes.
In the service, they call the passage of time while in a certain rank as time in grade. They also talk about "putting in your time". I'm thinking that Second Innings are, in large part, putting in your time.
Second Innings can also be very forgettable. Here's a sampling of my Most Forgettable Second Innings:
1. My second busy season with the local CPA firm in Davenport. Spring 1982. (Maybe the first one too.) No recollections at all. Learned little. Just got acclimated to business in the QCA.
2. My second car. Acquired maybe 1965 or 66. A mid-50's Chrysler Something that Daddy got for me after my 1949 Pontiac died. (Loved my black Pontiac with the Straight Eight and Hydromatic Drive.) I killed the Chrysler. Ran it dry of oil. Not a pleasant day on the farm.
3. Playing baseball the Summers after freshman, sophomore and junior years at ND with the Ottumwa Merchants semi-pro team. I mean, there really wasn't a league, a tournament or any purpose except for some old guys to keep playing the game. Laudable perhaps, in an Americana sense of things, but uh, why are we playing in Hills, Iowa in 95 degree heat? (I still will look over at the field whenever I drive through Hills. Actually, they have a bike ride there that I might sign-up for this Summer.)
4. My Master's in Taxation from DePaul. OK. It looks nice on the resume. (Actually, my resume is now of limited (read; near zero) usefulness. This Master's degree, in a very technical, and admittedly constantly changing field, was acquired 30 years ago!) But I digress. At the time, I'm sure it was a nice thing to have and to be able to affirm that yes, I was keeping up with all of the other tax nerds. Whatever.
5. Riding the commuter train in C-town. OK. This is a bit complicated. It was a choice at the time that seemed logical. The years in Chicago, collectively, were good for us. And taken within the context of a life's time line, those last three years were definitely early innings for LtPC. But the commuting by itself was a generally forgettable experience. True, my studying for the CPA exam and the Tax Master's degree was largely completed on the train, but those benefits pale in comparison to the torture of a daily 90 minute one-way commute.
*************
So I really don't have another five points here. Which remains true to my earlier statement that this exercise was not going to be a series of Top Ten lists.
*************
Two of the sports that I follow, NASCAR and cycling, also have elements of their regular competitions that fall within the "putting in your time" category. These sports both have races that are commonly several hours long and cover relatively lengthy distances. Laps and segments after whatever might be called the opening of the race are often competed with only modest posturing. The experienced racers know that the key to winning is getting through the larger part of the race unscathed and then be in a position to go for the gold when the laps are few and there's business to be done.
I'll leave to Dr. Phil and Dr. Laura the psychology of The Second Inning as it might apply to relationships. That night I had the conversation with Dr. Phil at the bar convinced me that folks in that trade can't tell you what game it is, let alone the inning.
Which reminds me, I need to book a ticket to PHX.
Sorry my Second Inning thoughts were/are not more entertaining. The Second Inning usually isn't.
Have a great holiday.
BCOT
2 heads out tomorrow for her visit to Beantown to see 3. Then SRH leaves Friday afternoon for her weekend in the TC with 1.01. (Let's be frank; she's not going up there to see 1 and 1.1!) That leaves me with The Winniferous. And 4 where?
My pal Pete and I have been doing the early morning ride this week. Same plan again tomorrow. We leave at 0540 and are done with 19 miles by 0700. Not a hugely difficult workout, but it definitely gets your body rolling for the day. I'm going to try to do a couple of longer rides over the weekend. While The Winniferous naps.
The Second Inning
In a baseball game, the second inning is another part of a feeling-out process. Usually, the lower part of the line-up didn't get to bat in the first inning, so those hitters have been biding their time, anticipating their first at-bat, trying to coolly and efficiently get into the game.
Pitchers often experiment with their pitches and locations with the lower half of the order that first time through it, and they also get a sense of where the home plate umpire is calling the game. This should all help out in later innings when the game may be on the line.
My second innings in life would be things like sophomore year at ND, my first few months at Dover in the USAF, and maybe the second year of my own business here in the QCA. None of these were bad times, nor were they really distinguished by major successes.
In the service, they call the passage of time while in a certain rank as time in grade. They also talk about "putting in your time". I'm thinking that Second Innings are, in large part, putting in your time.
Second Innings can also be very forgettable. Here's a sampling of my Most Forgettable Second Innings:
1. My second busy season with the local CPA firm in Davenport. Spring 1982. (Maybe the first one too.) No recollections at all. Learned little. Just got acclimated to business in the QCA.
2. My second car. Acquired maybe 1965 or 66. A mid-50's Chrysler Something that Daddy got for me after my 1949 Pontiac died. (Loved my black Pontiac with the Straight Eight and Hydromatic Drive.) I killed the Chrysler. Ran it dry of oil. Not a pleasant day on the farm.
3. Playing baseball the Summers after freshman, sophomore and junior years at ND with the Ottumwa Merchants semi-pro team. I mean, there really wasn't a league, a tournament or any purpose except for some old guys to keep playing the game. Laudable perhaps, in an Americana sense of things, but uh, why are we playing in Hills, Iowa in 95 degree heat? (I still will look over at the field whenever I drive through Hills. Actually, they have a bike ride there that I might sign-up for this Summer.)
4. My Master's in Taxation from DePaul. OK. It looks nice on the resume. (Actually, my resume is now of limited (read; near zero) usefulness. This Master's degree, in a very technical, and admittedly constantly changing field, was acquired 30 years ago!) But I digress. At the time, I'm sure it was a nice thing to have and to be able to affirm that yes, I was keeping up with all of the other tax nerds. Whatever.
5. Riding the commuter train in C-town. OK. This is a bit complicated. It was a choice at the time that seemed logical. The years in Chicago, collectively, were good for us. And taken within the context of a life's time line, those last three years were definitely early innings for LtPC. But the commuting by itself was a generally forgettable experience. True, my studying for the CPA exam and the Tax Master's degree was largely completed on the train, but those benefits pale in comparison to the torture of a daily 90 minute one-way commute.
*************
So I really don't have another five points here. Which remains true to my earlier statement that this exercise was not going to be a series of Top Ten lists.
*************
Two of the sports that I follow, NASCAR and cycling, also have elements of their regular competitions that fall within the "putting in your time" category. These sports both have races that are commonly several hours long and cover relatively lengthy distances. Laps and segments after whatever might be called the opening of the race are often competed with only modest posturing. The experienced racers know that the key to winning is getting through the larger part of the race unscathed and then be in a position to go for the gold when the laps are few and there's business to be done.
I'll leave to Dr. Phil and Dr. Laura the psychology of The Second Inning as it might apply to relationships. That night I had the conversation with Dr. Phil at the bar convinced me that folks in that trade can't tell you what game it is, let alone the inning.
Which reminds me, I need to book a ticket to PHX.
Sorry my Second Inning thoughts were/are not more entertaining. The Second Inning usually isn't.
Have a great holiday.
BCOT
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Tuesday
Happy Birthday to 1! She is Daughter of the Day. Guess how old. Here's a hint:More later.
BCOT
Monday, May 24, 2010
Monday
I had the best of intentions to get to The Second Inning tonight, but I just ran out of time. Bike ride. Yard mowing. Dinner. (Another great salad.) Now bed. Tomorrow is another day.
I wished 1 a Happy Tax Birthday on Twitter, but here's the official greeting: Happy Tax Birthday, Kiddo!
Riding with my pal Pete in the early AM. Busy day at the office.
Definitely more here tomorrow.
BCOT
I wished 1 a Happy Tax Birthday on Twitter, but here's the official greeting: Happy Tax Birthday, Kiddo!
Riding with my pal Pete in the early AM. Busy day at the office.
Definitely more here tomorrow.
BCOT
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Sunday
The heat is on in the QCA. Must be 90 or so. Not sure that that's the May weather I would prefer. 1 reports similar conditions in the TC. The weather man (woman?) suggests that this system will be with us the rest of the week.
The ride to McCausland this afternoon was a bear. Actually, the ride to McCausland was kind of fun. It was the ride home dead into the 15-20mph breeze that killed the positives. Heat, hills and headwinds are biker's dreads. Welcome to Summer.
My health report includes a Saturday pretty much spent on the couch. Contrary to the tweet from 3 that there must have been bad shrimp involved, that was definitely not the case. I ate late on Friday night, didn't sleep well, woke up with the heebie-jeebies, and couldn't shake it all day.
We did do a little deal at my place with 2 (but no Winniferous) and SRH to recognize 2's birthday. Finally. That required me pulling the BBQ out of the garage for the first time for the year. Chicken breasts. A steak for 2. Steamed broccoli. Some LtPC-made-from-scratch traditional salads-in-a-pot. Some Hy Vee sides. Hard to beat. Didn't even consider opening vino.
My first entry for the Eleven Days in May....
It's been written about quite a bit lately that jargon from various sports has crept into the vernacular of US English, regardless of the topic. Politics. Religion. Travel. Business. Entertainment. You name the discussion, and pretty soon someone will be talking about a company hitting a home run, a political party doing a media blitz, or a bunch of lawyers doing a full-court press on some case. The references are everywhere. Everyday.
I admit to being a bit biased, but I think that baseball provides the most fertile field (eh, already?) for this phenomenon. He struck out with the girl. The Liberals were shut-out in the elections (well, maybe they will be). The TV show threw a curve-ball to viewers. So my latest literary effort here will be using the baseball metaphor for some structure to the next few posts.
My idea is to spend some time these next few days talking about life, mine mostly, I suppose, using a baseball game's innings as the reference point. Now whether we play six innings like I did in Little League (age 8 - 12), seven as we did in Babe Ruth (age 13 - 15), or nine from American Legion (16 -18) and college ball will all depend on the creative juices that flow here on Maplecrest Road during this attempt. Here goes.
The First Inning
Batter up!
I suppose that The First Inning doesn't provide a particularly unique metaphor. The start of other games include such recognizable terms such as, the kick-off, the tip-off, and the face-off. But those games tend to get down-and dirty right away. And most (save your critiques, yee fans of tennis, golf, and NASCAR (?)) are on a clock. The First Inning goes on for a while. Even if the pitchers are throwin' "nasty stuff.
We have all enjoyed(?) lots of First Innings. That first few days of high school or college. The first car. A new job. A new relationship. A new home. A new family member. There was a time when 4000 Days had a First Inning. I think that we all probably do a little a little re-tweaking each January 1st as we start the new year with new goals and objectives.
So for this posting on my thoughts on The First Inning, I'll offer a Top Ten list on my life's First Innings. This is just an easy way to get the game (eh again?) going. So don't necessarily expect lists when we proceed to the next inning. And keep in mind, that these are First Innings. Not a list of great or worst moments for the Lt. But maybe some are.
1. First day at work for Arthur Andersen in Chicago. September 1976. Here you have the farm boy headed into The Big City, taking a commuter train, wearing a suit (my first one, ever!), and trying to operate a 10-key calculator. Before that day, I didn't know what a 10-key calculator was, let along how to use it. Of all The First Innings in my life, this one was the most intimidating and unsettling. Those fast-balls they were tossing at me sounded a little low. I just couldn't see 'em! In the end (four years later), AA & CO, and Chicago generally, was a great experience.
2. First day in the US Air Force. June 1971. Wichita Falls, Texas. I was so ignorant, the NCO's at sign-in had to take me aside and tell me that my Lieutenant bars were to be pinned horizontally on the collar my Summer uniform rather than vertically as one trickster had instructed me. It could have been a TV episode. The training over the next 12 weeks allowed me to settle in. I had the guidance of a guy a few years ahead of me who took me under his wing (a major doing a cross training gig) and I survived. Again, the USAF stint was ultimately an okay three+ years.
3. The move to Davenport. August 1980. We end up taking a flyer on jobs in Davenport. With a new child. A new house. A new town. No friends to speak of. Stuff you do when you're young. It was an interesting year or two as we settled in, but I think that it is fair to say that the move worked.
4. Fatherhood. 1's arrival changed everything. Obviously, 2, 3, and 4 added to the circus. But that first week or two of having another person in the house was a different experience. (Of course, SRH will note that I was gone most of the time, but that's a small factoid.) The girls' lives continue to remind me that I don't know much about much. Keeping my head down and keeping the bike on the road is my best position.
5. Tearing up my knee. Village of East Davenport. Spring 1989. The pain was excruciating. The surgery was a completely new experience. The re-hab was awful. But what would I have done with myself these last 20+ years without the bike?
6. Electing to become securities licensed. A stock broker. Are you kiddin' me? Fall 1999. This was a career move motivated by necessity, financially and psychologically. After having done mostly tax work for 25 years, I was burned out. Plus, the business had changed, and I needed to react. Today, I m like everybody else in the business, do we need to buy or sell? I wish I knew. But the decision was a good one, and my business continues to be successful.
7. Buying the house to take care of Mother. 7-8 years ago. I can't remember. In retrospect, I learned more about myself over those few months than in any other time of my life. Nothing that you that you can put your finger on specifically. Or a specific time. But after she was gone, I was different. In a good way. Her last gift to me.
8. The frst semester at ND. Fall 1967. In the over all scheme of things, I didn't really learn all that much at ND. I was too immature, and I spent so much energy succeeding at baseball, the lessons that I learned later in life about what's really important didn't make it on to my radar screen. But I got the degree, it was good paper in Chicago, and it remains a vivid memory for me. I wish I had taken more advantage of the learning opportunities that were most certainly there.
9. Starting my own business. Fall 1982. It's worked, but it certainly hasn't been easy. It would not have been possible if SRH wasn't able to support the house through her teaching position. For at least the first couple or three years. (There will likely be more about this item as I move into entries about later innings. I mean, you could say that my business has had us in extra innings for way too long!) But kind of like the farm in Wapello county somehow supported the family for Phil and Margaret, this thing that I call my business has been able to accomplish the same thing for my (our) family.
10. The first entry to 4000 Days. It's been a great ride. Not sure if I'm halfway there or not, but it's been fun. Great release for me. I love the connectivity that it gives the fam.
Ok. That's my effort for The First Inning. Maybe too wordy. But I like the drift. I'll see if I can get to The Second Inning tomorrow.
BCOT
The ride to McCausland this afternoon was a bear. Actually, the ride to McCausland was kind of fun. It was the ride home dead into the 15-20mph breeze that killed the positives. Heat, hills and headwinds are biker's dreads. Welcome to Summer.
My health report includes a Saturday pretty much spent on the couch. Contrary to the tweet from 3 that there must have been bad shrimp involved, that was definitely not the case. I ate late on Friday night, didn't sleep well, woke up with the heebie-jeebies, and couldn't shake it all day.
We did do a little deal at my place with 2 (but no Winniferous) and SRH to recognize 2's birthday. Finally. That required me pulling the BBQ out of the garage for the first time for the year. Chicken breasts. A steak for 2. Steamed broccoli. Some LtPC-made-from-scratch traditional salads-in-a-pot. Some Hy Vee sides. Hard to beat. Didn't even consider opening vino.
My first entry for the Eleven Days in May....
It's been written about quite a bit lately that jargon from various sports has crept into the vernacular of US English, regardless of the topic. Politics. Religion. Travel. Business. Entertainment. You name the discussion, and pretty soon someone will be talking about a company hitting a home run, a political party doing a media blitz, or a bunch of lawyers doing a full-court press on some case. The references are everywhere. Everyday.
I admit to being a bit biased, but I think that baseball provides the most fertile field (eh, already?) for this phenomenon. He struck out with the girl. The Liberals were shut-out in the elections (well, maybe they will be). The TV show threw a curve-ball to viewers. So my latest literary effort here will be using the baseball metaphor for some structure to the next few posts.
My idea is to spend some time these next few days talking about life, mine mostly, I suppose, using a baseball game's innings as the reference point. Now whether we play six innings like I did in Little League (age 8 - 12), seven as we did in Babe Ruth (age 13 - 15), or nine from American Legion (16 -18) and college ball will all depend on the creative juices that flow here on Maplecrest Road during this attempt. Here goes.
The First Inning
Batter up!
I suppose that The First Inning doesn't provide a particularly unique metaphor. The start of other games include such recognizable terms such as, the kick-off, the tip-off, and the face-off. But those games tend to get down-and dirty right away. And most (save your critiques, yee fans of tennis, golf, and NASCAR (?)) are on a clock. The First Inning goes on for a while. Even if the pitchers are throwin' "nasty stuff.
We have all enjoyed(?) lots of First Innings. That first few days of high school or college. The first car. A new job. A new relationship. A new home. A new family member. There was a time when 4000 Days had a First Inning. I think that we all probably do a little a little re-tweaking each January 1st as we start the new year with new goals and objectives.
So for this posting on my thoughts on The First Inning, I'll offer a Top Ten list on my life's First Innings. This is just an easy way to get the game (eh again?) going. So don't necessarily expect lists when we proceed to the next inning. And keep in mind, that these are First Innings. Not a list of great or worst moments for the Lt. But maybe some are.
1. First day at work for Arthur Andersen in Chicago. September 1976. Here you have the farm boy headed into The Big City, taking a commuter train, wearing a suit (my first one, ever!), and trying to operate a 10-key calculator. Before that day, I didn't know what a 10-key calculator was, let along how to use it. Of all The First Innings in my life, this one was the most intimidating and unsettling. Those fast-balls they were tossing at me sounded a little low. I just couldn't see 'em! In the end (four years later), AA & CO, and Chicago generally, was a great experience.
2. First day in the US Air Force. June 1971. Wichita Falls, Texas. I was so ignorant, the NCO's at sign-in had to take me aside and tell me that my Lieutenant bars were to be pinned horizontally on the collar my Summer uniform rather than vertically as one trickster had instructed me. It could have been a TV episode. The training over the next 12 weeks allowed me to settle in. I had the guidance of a guy a few years ahead of me who took me under his wing (a major doing a cross training gig) and I survived. Again, the USAF stint was ultimately an okay three+ years.
3. The move to Davenport. August 1980. We end up taking a flyer on jobs in Davenport. With a new child. A new house. A new town. No friends to speak of. Stuff you do when you're young. It was an interesting year or two as we settled in, but I think that it is fair to say that the move worked.
4. Fatherhood. 1's arrival changed everything. Obviously, 2, 3, and 4 added to the circus. But that first week or two of having another person in the house was a different experience. (Of course, SRH will note that I was gone most of the time, but that's a small factoid.) The girls' lives continue to remind me that I don't know much about much. Keeping my head down and keeping the bike on the road is my best position.
5. Tearing up my knee. Village of East Davenport. Spring 1989. The pain was excruciating. The surgery was a completely new experience. The re-hab was awful. But what would I have done with myself these last 20+ years without the bike?
6. Electing to become securities licensed. A stock broker. Are you kiddin' me? Fall 1999. This was a career move motivated by necessity, financially and psychologically. After having done mostly tax work for 25 years, I was burned out. Plus, the business had changed, and I needed to react. Today, I m like everybody else in the business, do we need to buy or sell? I wish I knew. But the decision was a good one, and my business continues to be successful.
7. Buying the house to take care of Mother. 7-8 years ago. I can't remember. In retrospect, I learned more about myself over those few months than in any other time of my life. Nothing that you that you can put your finger on specifically. Or a specific time. But after she was gone, I was different. In a good way. Her last gift to me.
8. The frst semester at ND. Fall 1967. In the over all scheme of things, I didn't really learn all that much at ND. I was too immature, and I spent so much energy succeeding at baseball, the lessons that I learned later in life about what's really important didn't make it on to my radar screen. But I got the degree, it was good paper in Chicago, and it remains a vivid memory for me. I wish I had taken more advantage of the learning opportunities that were most certainly there.
9. Starting my own business. Fall 1982. It's worked, but it certainly hasn't been easy. It would not have been possible if SRH wasn't able to support the house through her teaching position. For at least the first couple or three years. (There will likely be more about this item as I move into entries about later innings. I mean, you could say that my business has had us in extra innings for way too long!) But kind of like the farm in Wapello county somehow supported the family for Phil and Margaret, this thing that I call my business has been able to accomplish the same thing for my (our) family.
10. The first entry to 4000 Days. It's been a great ride. Not sure if I'm halfway there or not, but it's been fun. Great release for me. I love the connectivity that it gives the fam.
Ok. That's my effort for The First Inning. Maybe too wordy. But I like the drift. I'll see if I can get to The Second Inning tomorrow.
BCOT
Friday, May 21, 2010
Friday
Good afternoon!
This was a quick week, what with the start of it busied with the travel back from Boston, and a full day on the road yesterday for a meeting in Des Moines. I'll be glad to relax this weekend. We still need to do a little celebration for 2's birthday.
The report on the not-so-new replacement NSSP is positive so far. I still have some programming to tweak, but it definitely doesn't have the bugs that came with the initial replacement. When email gets properly routed to the phone, the need for the laptop on a day-trip like yesterday's is negated. Which is good.
On another recurring situation, the Buick is back at the shop after I woke up early Thursday and was faced with two flat tires! I had known that the new tires didn't solve the "check air pressure" problem in the dashboard display a couple of days after their installation. But it had been inconvenient to take the car back to the dealership, and I had just put up with airing-up the tires as necessary for the last month (including for the trip to Muskie on Wednesday night).
The flats caught me by complete surprise yesterday morning, and my less-than-preferable Plan B was to take the Taurus to Des Moines. Ouch! But I was committed to the DM meeting so the Taurus got it's first taste of non-QC roads in the last several years. And it proved to be uneventful. Thank goodness! (I did have to replace a fuse in the electrical system to get the power outlet for my phone hook-up to work for the way back. I won't bore you with the details of that exercise, but it was not an insignificant effort.)
Most of the world is aware that Lance fell (literally) victim to Rule #1 of cycling yesterday. After reports of doping by him and others were reported in the morning news. I'm not a huge Lance fan, but the guys pointing the fingers (now and previously) have always had grudges against Lance and his associates. With his record of duplicity over the last few years, it's hard to believe Landis.
3 has had some up-ticks to the job search in The Big Apple. Keep pitching, Kiddo!
After getting home from DM last night, I did 15+ in the rain on the bike path. And something happened that has never occurred in all my years of cycling on the path: I encountered not a single other human from entrance to exit over those miles. I saw one deer. And two cars in the Duck Creek Park interior roads. So the lesson is that, the crappier the weather, the better for LtPC's workout!
No big plans for the weekend. It's supposed to get near 90 here on Sunday. That's a little warm for me.
I'm thinking about a little Writer's Challenge to myself to get some of the creative juices going again. Something of a serial, like Eleven Days in May. Kind of a play on the old political thriller from Fletcher Knebel in the '60's. (No worries, peanut gallery. It won't be a series of interviews.) Stay tuned.
Maybe more here a little later.
BCOT
This was a quick week, what with the start of it busied with the travel back from Boston, and a full day on the road yesterday for a meeting in Des Moines. I'll be glad to relax this weekend. We still need to do a little celebration for 2's birthday.
The report on the not-so-new replacement NSSP is positive so far. I still have some programming to tweak, but it definitely doesn't have the bugs that came with the initial replacement. When email gets properly routed to the phone, the need for the laptop on a day-trip like yesterday's is negated. Which is good.
On another recurring situation, the Buick is back at the shop after I woke up early Thursday and was faced with two flat tires! I had known that the new tires didn't solve the "check air pressure" problem in the dashboard display a couple of days after their installation. But it had been inconvenient to take the car back to the dealership, and I had just put up with airing-up the tires as necessary for the last month (including for the trip to Muskie on Wednesday night).
The flats caught me by complete surprise yesterday morning, and my less-than-preferable Plan B was to take the Taurus to Des Moines. Ouch! But I was committed to the DM meeting so the Taurus got it's first taste of non-QC roads in the last several years. And it proved to be uneventful. Thank goodness! (I did have to replace a fuse in the electrical system to get the power outlet for my phone hook-up to work for the way back. I won't bore you with the details of that exercise, but it was not an insignificant effort.)
Most of the world is aware that Lance fell (literally) victim to Rule #1 of cycling yesterday. After reports of doping by him and others were reported in the morning news. I'm not a huge Lance fan, but the guys pointing the fingers (now and previously) have always had grudges against Lance and his associates. With his record of duplicity over the last few years, it's hard to believe Landis.
3 has had some up-ticks to the job search in The Big Apple. Keep pitching, Kiddo!
After getting home from DM last night, I did 15+ in the rain on the bike path. And something happened that has never occurred in all my years of cycling on the path: I encountered not a single other human from entrance to exit over those miles. I saw one deer. And two cars in the Duck Creek Park interior roads. So the lesson is that, the crappier the weather, the better for LtPC's workout!
No big plans for the weekend. It's supposed to get near 90 here on Sunday. That's a little warm for me.
I'm thinking about a little Writer's Challenge to myself to get some of the creative juices going again. Something of a serial, like Eleven Days in May. Kind of a play on the old political thriller from Fletcher Knebel in the '60's. (No worries, peanut gallery. It won't be a series of interviews.) Stay tuned.
Maybe more here a little later.
BCOT
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Tuesday
I'll add some more here later this evening.
Make it a good one.
BCOT
Monday, May 17, 2010
Monday
Back from Boston. Relatively uneventful trip home other than sharing my seat (literally!) with Andre the Giant on the Atlanta-Moline leg of the journey. Not sure what the politically correct answer might be, but I was most certainly the inconvenienced party in the airline making no accomodation for this guy. He was definitely a two-seater.
This pic was a quick shot of 3 taken yesterday on the roof of her building with the North Church in the background. (That steeple was just too tall to fit in the close-up!) I might not have to train so hard for the Turkey Trot if I had to go up her five flights all the time. But it's a real nice area and has been a good place to call home these last couple of years.
Happy Tax Birthday to 2! Sounds like she is still in recovery from her own wing-ding on Saturday night. If you play, you've got to pay.
I am in possession of my second-replacement NSSP. Still need to get the IT vendor in to sync it with my desktop. I hope this one works better than the last one did.
My plan is to get home and on the bike for a few miles tonight. Missing two days, especially the longer Sunday ride, puts me behind on mileage.
I'll try to get back on here later this evening, but that 0400 CDT wake-up this AM may have me calling it a night a little earlier than normal.
Great to be back on my turf.
BCOT
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Sunday
Greetings from Beantown. Sunday afternoon. Hangin' out in the lobby of a Marriott not too far from 3's place. She has some work to do and I'm just practicing my Olympic-quality lobby-sitting skills. I still have it.
3's neighborhood is very Italian-oriented. It reminds me a lot of Verona, Italy from our trip there last Fall. Narrow streets and narrow sidewalks. Countless little shops, restaurants and specialty stores. No Target, WalMart or Drive-Through-Anything. Five minutes to Starbuck's.
3 and I did a long walk through town yesterday afternoon, ending up for lunch at a sports bar with outside seating. I did the fish & chips. Why wouldn't you? Lots of tourists milling around the tourist areas. Annoying actor's in period-costumes giving guided tours around the Freedom Trail sights. Junk stands of souvenirs at every turn.
After our walk, we stopped and picked up a couple of bottles of wine for pre-dinner festivities, and then headed back to 3's for her to participate in a conference call. We decided that a Diet Coke sounded pretty good, so I went out to the corner store to fetch like a good guest should. I also spied another wine shop across the street and grabbed a couple of more bottles since we learned that the evening might include a couple of other friends.
(Let it be known that I also took the bait from a cute Corona Girl in the wine shop, bought a six-pack, and got a t-shirt, bottle opener, and a Corona chotskey to boot. It must have been a slow day for Corona.)
After my nap and 3's call, we got the evening going with some wine and conversation. The five of us eventually went out to eat at one of the nearby Italian places. The food was okay, but the wine, a couple bottles of Barbera di Asti, was excellent. We adjourned back to 3's, did some more damage to the wine supplies and crashed. A good night for all.
Looks like a low-key day for us. Maybe sushi tonight? My pal Pete did the DeWitt ride this AM. I feel like a malingerer sitting here and drinking my foo-foo water. Hope to jump out for a ride tomorrow afternoon.
Sounds like 2 had a successful wing-ding of her own last night. Happy tax-tax birthday, Kiddo.
More later.
BCOT
3's neighborhood is very Italian-oriented. It reminds me a lot of Verona, Italy from our trip there last Fall. Narrow streets and narrow sidewalks. Countless little shops, restaurants and specialty stores. No Target, WalMart or Drive-Through-Anything. Five minutes to Starbuck's.
3 and I did a long walk through town yesterday afternoon, ending up for lunch at a sports bar with outside seating. I did the fish & chips. Why wouldn't you? Lots of tourists milling around the tourist areas. Annoying actor's in period-costumes giving guided tours around the Freedom Trail sights. Junk stands of souvenirs at every turn.
After our walk, we stopped and picked up a couple of bottles of wine for pre-dinner festivities, and then headed back to 3's for her to participate in a conference call. We decided that a Diet Coke sounded pretty good, so I went out to the corner store to fetch like a good guest should. I also spied another wine shop across the street and grabbed a couple of more bottles since we learned that the evening might include a couple of other friends.
(Let it be known that I also took the bait from a cute Corona Girl in the wine shop, bought a six-pack, and got a t-shirt, bottle opener, and a Corona chotskey to boot. It must have been a slow day for Corona.)
After my nap and 3's call, we got the evening going with some wine and conversation. The five of us eventually went out to eat at one of the nearby Italian places. The food was okay, but the wine, a couple bottles of Barbera di Asti, was excellent. We adjourned back to 3's, did some more damage to the wine supplies and crashed. A good night for all.
Looks like a low-key day for us. Maybe sushi tonight? My pal Pete did the DeWitt ride this AM. I feel like a malingerer sitting here and drinking my foo-foo water. Hope to jump out for a ride tomorrow afternoon.
Sounds like 2 had a successful wing-ding of her own last night. Happy tax-tax birthday, Kiddo.
More later.
BCOT
Friday, May 14, 2010
Friday
Just a few lines to check in with the peanut gallery. I'm at the Moline airport awaiting a departure to Detroit for a connection to Boston. The plan is to spend a little time with 3 before she moves to her next job. We'll see if Delta can keep me on schedule for arrival later this evening.
My pal Pete and I did an early morning ride this AM. Sunrise is now in the 0540 range, and that allows the standard ride to be done by 0700. Suite.
Had my first of the year self-made salad one night this week. Iceberg lettuce, tomato, and cucumbers. A sweet ranch-like dressing that was not bad. During the Summer, salads become maybe my favorite evening meal, especially when the home-grown tomatoes come in season. A little grilled chicken, and other garnishes, and you have a great meal.
My second replacement NSSP is still in-transit so I have just a basic loaner phone for the weekend. Bummer.
A pectoral muscle in my upper chest on the right side has been giving me a little discomfort over the last week or so. My diagnosis is a strain caused by either a golf swing from that outing last month, or one of my seismic sneezes. Either one would qualify for a Sportscenter list of "weird injuries". I have skills.
So I'm signing off to check on the Detroit flight. Not a good feeling here.
BCOT
My pal Pete and I did an early morning ride this AM. Sunrise is now in the 0540 range, and that allows the standard ride to be done by 0700. Suite.
Had my first of the year self-made salad one night this week. Iceberg lettuce, tomato, and cucumbers. A sweet ranch-like dressing that was not bad. During the Summer, salads become maybe my favorite evening meal, especially when the home-grown tomatoes come in season. A little grilled chicken, and other garnishes, and you have a great meal.
My second replacement NSSP is still in-transit so I have just a basic loaner phone for the weekend. Bummer.
A pectoral muscle in my upper chest on the right side has been giving me a little discomfort over the last week or so. My diagnosis is a strain caused by either a golf swing from that outing last month, or one of my seismic sneezes. Either one would qualify for a Sportscenter list of "weird injuries". I have skills.
So I'm signing off to check on the Detroit flight. Not a good feeling here.
BCOT
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Wednesday
The not-so-smart phone was not, in fact, fixed. Same non-registering of calls and texts as noted in my posting yesterday occurred this AM. I'm back with a "loaner" phone, and the NSSP is in a FedEx package headed back to the insurance company. Bummer.
Props to 2 for recognizing the mis-usage here of the term cue (should have been, queue) in last night's entry. I'm impressed, Kiddo!
Rain and chilly here today. Looks like spin at Gold's this afternoon.
More later.
BCOT
Props to 2 for recognizing the mis-usage here of the term cue (should have been, queue) in last night's entry. I'm impressed, Kiddo!
Rain and chilly here today. Looks like spin at Gold's this afternoon.
More later.
BCOT
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Tuesday
I'm trying to decide if a gathering of two of four girls, plus a mom and dad constitutes a lower-case fff?
Enjoyed 4's brief visit. Not a lot of major events were held or attended, but the fam has mastered the art of "hangin", and we did that well the last couple of days. I'm guessing that we'll have to come up with another meet-n-greet confab before the College World Series.
My replacement not-so-smart phone may have had a local-store programming error installed when they turned it on last week. I was having very erratic receipt on incoming calls, sometimes no receipt. And odd processing things, like calls or messages held in a queue that would only be released when I made a new call. A floor salesperson told me yesterday that I needed to close out programs to increase the phone's efficiency. Tried it last night and this morning, with no better outcomes.
Today, a different salesman (similarly qualified I'm sure) immediately handed me off to the techy in the back of the store. Techy reached into the network from his desktop and, as he said, "cleaned-up" the records on the phone's serial number/phone number registration. On-the-spot improvement. I think that the sales guy who switched my number from the "loaner" phone last week to the new unit must have failed to check a couple of boxes in the procedure for the number's transfer to the new phone. The loaner phone was probably still ringing in one of their drawers!
The "steal" that I've been getting on the Murphy Goode Cabernet may be a little over-stated. After some Internet research on on-line wine sellers, I think that I have determined that Murphy Goode, like all wineries, sells different blends (or levels) of their Cabs. There are obvious price differences in their Alexander Valley wines and their Sonoma wiines. The bottles in these cases are labeled as "California". I'm guessing that they have a bunch (no pun intended) of the 2007 vintage in the warehouses and they need to get rid of it to start selling the 2008 supplies.
The wine tastes fine, and at $9 a bottle, a lot better than when I have paid $20 for seemingly the same bottle in the past. But I'm guessing that I have been sucked (suckered?) into a marketing ploy that has moved their less-expensive wine to the higher shelf where I normally shop. Rule #19 probably applies: if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is too (Murphy) Goode to be true.
I'm not sure that I have much of an opinion on the woman that the President has nominated for the Supreme Court. I do find it interesting that a female educated in the Ivy League and celebrated for her Harvard-ness is a person of the People. With no judicial experience. Whatever. We have a President with no experience. Why not a Supreme Court judge?
Thanks for reading.
BCOT
Enjoyed 4's brief visit. Not a lot of major events were held or attended, but the fam has mastered the art of "hangin", and we did that well the last couple of days. I'm guessing that we'll have to come up with another meet-n-greet confab before the College World Series.
My replacement not-so-smart phone may have had a local-store programming error installed when they turned it on last week. I was having very erratic receipt on incoming calls, sometimes no receipt. And odd processing things, like calls or messages held in a queue that would only be released when I made a new call. A floor salesperson told me yesterday that I needed to close out programs to increase the phone's efficiency. Tried it last night and this morning, with no better outcomes.
Today, a different salesman (similarly qualified I'm sure) immediately handed me off to the techy in the back of the store. Techy reached into the network from his desktop and, as he said, "cleaned-up" the records on the phone's serial number/phone number registration. On-the-spot improvement. I think that the sales guy who switched my number from the "loaner" phone last week to the new unit must have failed to check a couple of boxes in the procedure for the number's transfer to the new phone. The loaner phone was probably still ringing in one of their drawers!
The "steal" that I've been getting on the Murphy Goode Cabernet may be a little over-stated. After some Internet research on on-line wine sellers, I think that I have determined that Murphy Goode, like all wineries, sells different blends (or levels) of their Cabs. There are obvious price differences in their Alexander Valley wines and their Sonoma wiines. The bottles in these cases are labeled as "California". I'm guessing that they have a bunch (no pun intended) of the 2007 vintage in the warehouses and they need to get rid of it to start selling the 2008 supplies.
The wine tastes fine, and at $9 a bottle, a lot better than when I have paid $20 for seemingly the same bottle in the past. But I'm guessing that I have been sucked (suckered?) into a marketing ploy that has moved their less-expensive wine to the higher shelf where I normally shop. Rule #19 probably applies: if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is too (Murphy) Goode to be true.
I'm not sure that I have much of an opinion on the woman that the President has nominated for the Supreme Court. I do find it interesting that a female educated in the Ivy League and celebrated for her Harvard-ness is a person of the People. With no judicial experience. Whatever. We have a President with no experience. Why not a Supreme Court judge?
Thanks for reading.
BCOT
Sunday, May 09, 2010
Sunday
This is one of my favorite pics of Margaret. It was taken on a Sunday in March of 1967 when our team came home from the state basketball tournament with the 4th place trophy. Not sure if in the broader scheme of things if that was such a great achievement, but we got as far as we could. I was 18. Mother was 59. I'm sure that I thought she was an old lady at the time.
And here is a recent pic of SRH in celebration of her mom-ness of 1,2,3, and 4. She's a big hit in the fam. I may have made a small contribution to whatever it is that we have as a family, but SRH has done most of the heavy lifting.Finally, here's 1 (by herself!) in recognition of her first Mother's Day. Not that there's much that separates theses three great ladies, but I'm making 1 Mother of the Day since it's her first time through the program. You da' girl!
Great day here in the QCA. Cold this AM. Frost on the Taurus' windows. After my SB's stop, I went over to watch the finish of the QC Distance Classic, the half-marathon that they run on the Illinois side every Mother's Day that finishes on the track at Augie. Really good weather for the runners, but I didn't see one of my buds who usually runs (and I usually harass from the gallery). Lots of the Gold's crowd. I got winded just watching. Not even tempted.Did a McCausland ride this afternoon when it had warmed up. Little wind. Probably took me less than half as long to get back as it did last week when I had the ugly head wind.
4 got in for a couple of nights' visit and (with 2 and the Winniferous) we did a steak BBQ at SRH's which was very successful. Buy good meat. Don't over-cook it. Bring good wine. Life is simple.
Hope everyone has a good week.
BCOT
Friday, May 07, 2010
Friday AM
Looks like a rainy start to the weekend. Glad I got the yard mowed last night after my ride.
The roller-coaster on Wall Street is all over the news today. Obviously, there are some fundamentals in play (Greek debt, Euro decline, BP, blah, blah, and blah), but it sounds like there was a trading error that had a big effect as well. How does a key-punch error lead to a 1000 point drop in the Dow? After the big run over the last year or so, you have to wonder if a correction is over-due. Does "Sell in May and Go Away" apply this year?
It looks like our location for Tahoe in July will be a smaller private home in Incline down closer to the lake. It sleeps 8 (although there may be some bunk beds involved. SRH says she can handle it!) I haven't got the contract yet, but I've got an oral agreement through email. We'll see.
I'm close to buying our airline tickets as well (SRH, 2 and myself). The plan is to drive to C-town on Thursday night, stay at a park-and-fly hotel near Midway, and take the Midway-Reno direct flight on Friday on Southwest. It's not so much a money play as it is an attempt to avoid a connection problem like we had on United our last time out there. I'll be talking with 4 this weekend about her flight options as well.
Props to Aunt Margaret for taking the lead on the reunion meal/materials planning. Do we have an event name yet? Like Reunion 2010? Or something more personal like, H Clan Commune 2010? I'm thinking that there are great minds out there in the peanut gallery who can work on this.
This must be the Year of the Maple Seeds. It's almost like Mother Nature has concluded that the world is short maple trees this year and is throwing down some extra buds to correct the situation. The closest maple tree to my house is a couple of homes to my West, but when I mowed my yard last night, it was like I had a carpet of these things on my property. And in the street this morning with the rain, you had streams of these things headed to the sewers. (I hope they degrade quickly.)
3 has added another entry on her blog. I'm thinking that angst is a term that may generally apply to her entries. But they are certainly entertaining.
Maybe more here later.
BCOT
I'm close to buying our airline tickets as well (SRH, 2 and myself). The plan is to drive to C-town on Thursday night, stay at a park-and-fly hotel near Midway, and take the Midway-Reno direct flight on Friday on Southwest. It's not so much a money play as it is an attempt to avoid a connection problem like we had on United our last time out there. I'll be talking with 4 this weekend about her flight options as well.
Props to Aunt Margaret for taking the lead on the reunion meal/materials planning. Do we have an event name yet? Like Reunion 2010? Or something more personal like, H Clan Commune 2010? I'm thinking that there are great minds out there in the peanut gallery who can work on this.
3 has added another entry on her blog. I'm thinking that angst is a term that may generally apply to her entries. But they are certainly entertaining.
Maybe more here later.
BCOT
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Thursday
Busy day here. I have plans to jump back on the blog later this evening.
BCOT
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Tuesday
I've always maintained that if you stand on a busy street corner long enough, you'll be amazed at who eventually comes by your standing place. I use the term "street corner" euphemistically. In my world these days, the street corner is most often a Starbuck's coffee shop. Late Sunday morning, another example of the application of this rule came to the surface.
(Understand that this SB's shop is right off the Interstate and it gets a lot of visits from various entertainment and other personalities coming from or going to the primary local airport. The baristas always have stories of so-and-so coming through at oh-dark-hundred for an order to-go. For people on the road, a Cup 'o Joe from SB's can be a bit of a touch of home. It works for me too.)
Anyway, I'm sitting there on the couch by myself, taking in the scene, and lo' and behold, Walton comes over and sits at the other end of the couch while he waits for his drink.
BW: Mornin'.
LtPC: Good morning. You're a ways from home.
BW: Yeah. But it's a great day. We just came in from Denver, and the sunrise this morning was awesome.
LtPC: I had a little lower vantage point for it. We did a 45 mile ride early this AM and it was suite. My name is LtPC. I see from the paper you've got a gig this afternoon in Clinton. Why Clinton?
I had done the DeWitt ride with my pal Pete and, after a shower, had ventured over to the Duck Creek SB's to read the paper, feed my caffeine habit, and to meet 2 to upload the prior Sunday's pics from 1.01's baptism. All of these goals had been accomplished and I had strode over to the bar to order my refill-to-go when this huge-ly tall guy walks in and captures the attention of the entire place.
I'm a little intrigued, so rather than take off with Margret for my scheduled venture over to Home Depot, I go back and sit on the couch and take in the scene. Not all that coincidentally (as it turned out), the local fish-wrap had had a column by one of it's distinguished sports writers (what an oxymoron!) that morning about former NBA player/broadcaster Bill Walton appearing Sunday afternoon at a function up river in Clinton, Iowa at Ashford University.
Anyway, I'm sitting there on the couch by myself, taking in the scene, and lo' and behold, Walton comes over and sits at the other end of the couch while he waits for his drink.
BW: Mornin'.
LtPC: Good morning. You're a ways from home.
BW: Yeah. But it's a great day. We just came in from Denver, and the sunrise this morning was awesome.
LtPC: I had a little lower vantage point for it. We did a 45 mile ride early this AM and it was suite. My name is LtPC. I see from the paper you've got a gig this afternoon in Clinton. Why Clinton?
BW: Hey, PC. Nice ta' meet 'cha. Oh, I'm registered with a couple of speaker's bureau's and this Ashford U is owned by some folks I've done some work for out in LA. I'm doing their commencement address next week. This afternoon's deal is part of the package. No biggie.
LtPC: Don't you have some media thing going with the NBA play-offs now in full swing? Clinton seems a little far off the beaten track for a guy like yourself.
BW: Well, I kind of stepped aside last year from any regular commitment to do games. My back was killin' me. And the travel sucks, even in First Class. I'll do spots and telephone call-ins, but I like being on my schedule, not somebody else's.
LtPC: Your boy Luke is with the Lakers. Do you get to his games?
BW: If I'm in town, I'll usually go. But it's not like I can't miss a few if I've got other stuff goin' on. I didn't see any of the Oklahoma City games these last couple of weeks. There was a Greatful Dead reunion/convention in Bakersfield that I didn't want to miss. It was a blast.
LtPC: OK. I have to ask. You still a Celtics fan?
BW: Absolutely! That year we won it, '86, when I was backing up McHale and The Chief was the most fun I ever had on the court. The Boston fans were fabulous. Still are.
LtPC: Does it feel like that was almost 25 years ago?
BW: Everytime I stand up.
LtPC: Not to ruin this new friendship, but I went to Notre Dame. You remember the game when we ended the 88 game winning streak?
BW: Everyday. Still the worst day of my entire career. Well, maybe when we lost later that year to NC State in the tournament and ended the 7 year title run was worse. But I remember every play of that Notre Dame game. You guys were just lucky.
LtPC: Whatever. You know, Coach Wooden is one of the few guys in the world whom I would walk across the street to meet. I remember being on the stage with him at a high school awards ceremony in South Bend in maybe 1970. And he gave his Pyramids To Success speech. Without notes. For 40 minutes. And without some much as a hesitation between sentences. I was amazed. And impressed for a lifetime.
BW: He is by far the most inspirational person in my life. I saw him just last week. He's still sharp as a tack. Told me I needed a haircut. He hasn't missed a beat.
LtPC: What was the secret to his coaching?
BW: Well, during that run, he had the best players. But he always made us play as a team. Never let one guy do it all. Even with Kareem and me, he had those other guys fully involved. I'm not sure that there were as many teams back then with the talent that is spread out today. Most of our games were over early. I mean, Butler?
LtPC: Enough basketball. You were quite the radical back in college. What's your politics these days?
BW: I'm a big Obama fan. But my accountant showed me a schedule the other day about what my tax bill might be next year. I'm not sure I like that part of his agenda. Hey, I'm from California. I believe in most things California. They don't call us The Left Coast for geographical reasons only!
LtPC: Whatever. Last point. What are you goin' to talk about this afternoon in Clinton?
BW: The power of positive thinking. The great things about life. Friends. Family. Hard work. Team play. Generosity. Patience. John Wooden. Larry Bird. They'll have to put me on a clock. I can go on for a long time.
LtPC: I have no doubt. Wow! Where has the time gone? It looks like they have your soy-skinny-no fat-vanilla foo-foo latte up. You should get going.
BW: Say, I could use you in my speech this afternoon. Why don't ya' come on up and help me out? Here's a couple of VIP passes to the program. Bring a friend.
LtPC: Thanks, Bill. You're the best. I'll see ya' there.
================
So there you have it. Another chance meeting that makes life just a little more interesting.
From what I hear, he did a pretty good job that afternoon with his audience. The 10 who showed up. I wasn't even tempted to attend. I mean, the guy's a Number One rated blowhard who love's to hear himself talk.
Y'all have a great day.
BCOT
Monday, May 03, 2010
Sunday, May 02, 2010
Sunday
Late afternoon shower here. I had planned to break out the BBQ for the first time this year, but that will have to wait for another day. Fortunately, I was able to get the yard mowed and trimmed before the clouds moved in, and Margret to the garage as well. Not bad results at all. (What were the chances of both my gas-powered edger and trimmer starting on the first try of the year? I had the Under. And lost. Who would have thunk it?)
1 reports that she did 8.5 in the wind yesterday with 1.01 in the Bob. Impressive. (I couldn't do 8.5 unless I was in the Bob!)
3's mis-adventures this weekend for her C-town plans go to show you that you really can't rely on commercial air travel to get you from Point A to Point B at the scheduled times. It's almost something to shout about when everything happens as planned. What's that say about The System?
It's hard to read the stories about the oil spill in the Gulf. Do we ever plan adequately when we think we have control over Mother Nature? I mean, wouldn't an auto-shut-off valve be the first safety requirement for any off-shore well? Is this too difficult of a concept to grasp?
Not sure I have a handle on the illegal immigrant legislation in Arizona. As near as I have it, Arizona has stepped up and said that it is a crime to be an illegal immigrant in the state. I need to analyze the definitional differences between "crime" and "illegal." I'm guessing that the Southern border states have done some math and figured that one of the reasons for their budget woes is coverage of illegals with various state-provided services. But with the exploding numbers of Hispanic voters, the law has become a lightening rod, and the libs (progressives?) are beating their breasts on racial profiling.
I should get my replacement not-so-smart phone tomorrow. I'm guessing that I'll have to get over to the provider store to get the number transferred, and then get our office-LAN service provider to coordinate/sync-up with my laptop. Chances of all this getting done tomorrow? On the first effort at it? I'm taking the Under again.
This business of locking my house is proving to be a difficult habit to adopt.
I tried to upload some pics for this entry, but Blogger has some digestion problems tonight. I'll try to add them tomorrow from my desktop.
Hope everyone has a good week.
BCOT
Saturday, May 01, 2010
Saturday
Just a few lines tonight to keep the string going.
Sounds like 3's trip to C-town has been much more exciting than the plans. Canceled flights. Little sleep. At least the home team came through this afternoon. Better luck tomorrow, Kiddo.
4's phone may be on the outs in Vegas. Follow her on Twitter this weekend.
I did the McCausland loop today and got killed on the return trip against the wind. I had passed on an earlier morning ride with my pal Pete in deference to SB's. Big mistake. The winds picked up by late morning, and even though it didn't feel like I had an extra-ordinary tail-wind going out, the grind home made my Top Ten Worst Rides (all-time). Really. That bad. My afternoon didn't get past the couch.
Pete and I are going to test the Fates and try the DeWitt trek at 0615 in the morning.
Props to 2 for getting an "A" in her most-recently-completed MBA class. You da' girl.
So we have completed a third of the year. May 1st. Didn't they used to have big military parades in Moscow on May 1st? And crowning ceremonies of Mary at church? No complaints at this end. About 75 days to the Mt. Rose challenge. Which is a bit of the logic behind today's hard ride. And tomorrow morning's.
Better stuff here tomorrow when I hit SB's for late morning coffee.
Good luck to all the travelers.
BCOT
Sounds like 3's trip to C-town has been much more exciting than the plans. Canceled flights. Little sleep. At least the home team came through this afternoon. Better luck tomorrow, Kiddo.
4's phone may be on the outs in Vegas. Follow her on Twitter this weekend.
I did the McCausland loop today and got killed on the return trip against the wind. I had passed on an earlier morning ride with my pal Pete in deference to SB's. Big mistake. The winds picked up by late morning, and even though it didn't feel like I had an extra-ordinary tail-wind going out, the grind home made my Top Ten Worst Rides (all-time). Really. That bad. My afternoon didn't get past the couch.
Pete and I are going to test the Fates and try the DeWitt trek at 0615 in the morning.
Props to 2 for getting an "A" in her most-recently-completed MBA class. You da' girl.
So we have completed a third of the year. May 1st. Didn't they used to have big military parades in Moscow on May 1st? And crowning ceremonies of Mary at church? No complaints at this end. About 75 days to the Mt. Rose challenge. Which is a bit of the logic behind today's hard ride. And tomorrow morning's.
Better stuff here tomorrow when I hit SB's for late morning coffee.
Good luck to all the travelers.
BCOT
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