Yesterday Keri became suspicious about Morgan's behavior. Morgan was sneaking around the house and whispering to me.
I told Keri that Morgan was not into mischief, and otherwise not to worry about what was going on. Can you believe that she wasn't entirely prepared to do that? For some reason she became even more suspicious. Hmmn.
When I came home today Keri asked me what I was doing and I responded "Nothing." She looked at my right arm which was casually resting against my hip in an uncomfortable manner. When she walked past I nonchalantly moved my arm to keep it out of her sight. Shortly there after she noticed me closing a chest that we rarely get into, then a little later she saw me closing a closet door. I pretended nothing odd was going on but she wasn't falling for it.
It is Christmas time after all. In a few days I think that all mysteries will be revealed.
Mwah hah hah!
Friday, December 19, 2008
Ice Storm
I guess we got the same thing a lot of other folks did last night, an ice storm. This morning we woke up to about 1/2 inch of ice everywhere. The power lines were sagging, limbs I could easily walk under yesterday were bowed down to the ground.
Speaking of trees, our neighbor's tree looks like a bomb went off in the upper branches, limbs were (are still) lying all over the place. I watched out our window as some of them fell this morning. Occasionally one would brush the power line on its way down and our lights would flicker, but otherwise our power stayed up all day.
Beautiful to behold but not much fun otherwise, this is the first ice storm we've had here this season, but the forecast calls for more of the same.
Are there any places for sale in the Florida Keys right now?
Speaking of trees, our neighbor's tree looks like a bomb went off in the upper branches, limbs were (are still) lying all over the place. I watched out our window as some of them fell this morning. Occasionally one would brush the power line on its way down and our lights would flicker, but otherwise our power stayed up all day.
Beautiful to behold but not much fun otherwise, this is the first ice storm we've had here this season, but the forecast calls for more of the same.
Are there any places for sale in the Florida Keys right now?
Monday, December 15, 2008
The Recount is Over
The lamps are out, the pens have been set down, and the recount is officially over. The recount commission met this morning to determine the status of several ballots, and once we were satisfied that they had indeed been counted we looked over the final numbers and agreed on them.
That done, we filed a certificate of our findings with the County Clerk and it was then presented to the Judge Banina for review. Provided he approves it, he will issue a court order declaring the winner of the Recorder and Auditor offices.
Our results did not create a huge change in the previously certified election results. Although we through out 6 ballots that had improper credentials, which by the way we never looked at how they had been voted, the Democratic candidates numbers remained unchanged. Brenda Weaver lost three votes, and Jane Lilley lost two, but these two Republicans were found to be the winners of the election; voted into office by the will of the people. Congratulations to both of you.
At last it looks as though the controversy surrounding this election is at an end. I find it hard to imagine how anyone could find just cause to request an appeal of our findings; we spent a great deal of time and energy to provide results that would be incontrovertible.
Brent Davis, one of the other two commission members, told me this morning about a conversation he had had with another local attorney. As far as anyone can tell, this is the first recount in Miami County history and as such it would serve as the guideline by which any later recounts would be completed. Our work, it seems, is the precedent that later recounts will follow as their example of what to do or what not to do.
Hopefully we have set a good example to be followed.
I have to say that this has been a tedious process, but I am honored to have been included in this historic course of action. It was quite pleasurable having the opportunity to work with Brent Davis and Mary Costin, the other two commission members. Thank you both for your hard work.
I also want to thank the men and women of the Miami County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance, especially to; Sheriff Ken Roland, Captain Dave Vitek, and Sergeant Mike Rogers. I also want to thank Micro Vote’s Bill Haas and Steve Shamo for taking time to assist us with the voting machines. A heartfelt than you is also offered to everyone who came in so quickly when we called on you for answers.
That done, we filed a certificate of our findings with the County Clerk and it was then presented to the Judge Banina for review. Provided he approves it, he will issue a court order declaring the winner of the Recorder and Auditor offices.
Our results did not create a huge change in the previously certified election results. Although we through out 6 ballots that had improper credentials, which by the way we never looked at how they had been voted, the Democratic candidates numbers remained unchanged. Brenda Weaver lost three votes, and Jane Lilley lost two, but these two Republicans were found to be the winners of the election; voted into office by the will of the people. Congratulations to both of you.
At last it looks as though the controversy surrounding this election is at an end. I find it hard to imagine how anyone could find just cause to request an appeal of our findings; we spent a great deal of time and energy to provide results that would be incontrovertible.
Brent Davis, one of the other two commission members, told me this morning about a conversation he had had with another local attorney. As far as anyone can tell, this is the first recount in Miami County history and as such it would serve as the guideline by which any later recounts would be completed. Our work, it seems, is the precedent that later recounts will follow as their example of what to do or what not to do.
Hopefully we have set a good example to be followed.
I have to say that this has been a tedious process, but I am honored to have been included in this historic course of action. It was quite pleasurable having the opportunity to work with Brent Davis and Mary Costin, the other two commission members. Thank you both for your hard work.
I also want to thank the men and women of the Miami County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance, especially to; Sheriff Ken Roland, Captain Dave Vitek, and Sergeant Mike Rogers. I also want to thank Micro Vote’s Bill Haas and Steve Shamo for taking time to assist us with the voting machines. A heartfelt than you is also offered to everyone who came in so quickly when we called on you for answers.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Miami County Election Recount
Yesterday and Thursday the recount commission gathered to determine the winner of the election in Miami County for Auditor and for Recorder. This is a tedious, yet necessary process to resolve a very close election.
Thursday consisted of recounting the voting machines. These include the machines used for absentee voting, sometimes called early voting, and those machines used in the 31 precincts on election day. Since we are a small county, this only amounted to sixty-nine machines with over 13,000 votes. We started at 8:00 am and finished around 6:00 pm.
Friday we hand counted all of the paper ballots, this kept us busy from 9:00 am until 10:00 pm. On election night, these ballots were scanned into a computer, much like tests are sometimes scanned in school. The scanner broke down on election night near the end of the counting, which added fuel to the fire when there was talk of a recount.
After we counted all of the paper ballots from mail-in, overseas, military, and provisional voters which was over 900 ballots, we then came up with totals for each of the candidates. The newspaper will be printing these preliminary results on Monday. We expect to arrive at our final results sometime on Monday, but for now Jane Lilley still has the lead for Auditor and Brenda Weaver still has the lead for Recorder.
Monday morning the commission will reconvene to determine the status of several ballots that raised a question Friday evening. Once this is determined, we will come up with final numbers that we can agree on, there will be discussion, then we will certify the results and file them with the County Clerk. She will then present them to Judge Banina for final approval.
I'm glad to have been a part of this, but I definitely would NOT want to do it for a living. My eyes still feel like their bugging out of my head!
Thursday consisted of recounting the voting machines. These include the machines used for absentee voting, sometimes called early voting, and those machines used in the 31 precincts on election day. Since we are a small county, this only amounted to sixty-nine machines with over 13,000 votes. We started at 8:00 am and finished around 6:00 pm.
Friday we hand counted all of the paper ballots, this kept us busy from 9:00 am until 10:00 pm. On election night, these ballots were scanned into a computer, much like tests are sometimes scanned in school. The scanner broke down on election night near the end of the counting, which added fuel to the fire when there was talk of a recount.
After we counted all of the paper ballots from mail-in, overseas, military, and provisional voters which was over 900 ballots, we then came up with totals for each of the candidates. The newspaper will be printing these preliminary results on Monday. We expect to arrive at our final results sometime on Monday, but for now Jane Lilley still has the lead for Auditor and Brenda Weaver still has the lead for Recorder.
Monday morning the commission will reconvene to determine the status of several ballots that raised a question Friday evening. Once this is determined, we will come up with final numbers that we can agree on, there will be discussion, then we will certify the results and file them with the County Clerk. She will then present them to Judge Banina for final approval.
I'm glad to have been a part of this, but I definitely would NOT want to do it for a living. My eyes still feel like their bugging out of my head!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Seat for Sale
For sale: Slightly used Senate seat in Illinois. Recently vacated, ready to move in to. Order today and an apartment with a view of the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington D.C. will be included. Price: A steal at only $500,000. Send inquiries to Governor Rod R Blagojevich, State Capitol, 207 Statehouse, Springfield, Illinois 62706.
(Yeah, I'm bad sometimes, but I just couldn't resist!)
(Yeah, I'm bad sometimes, but I just couldn't resist!)
Back to the Y
Another day, another workout! Somehow it has taken about a week for me to get my second workout done in the Better Weigh program at the local YMCA.
My trainer said that I should keep about 48 hours between workouts, but I just couldn't seem to get in there, things just kept popping up. Grrr.
Anyway, I made it in earlier tonight, pushed myself a little harder than last time, and feel better than I did the last time.
Yippee!
My trainer said that I should keep about 48 hours between workouts, but I just couldn't seem to get in there, things just kept popping up. Grrr.
Anyway, I made it in earlier tonight, pushed myself a little harder than last time, and feel better than I did the last time.
Yippee!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Time for Change
All right my friends, I have some great news! A few minutes ago I got off the phone with Chris Spangle, the Executive Director of the Indiana Libertarian Party. There is going to be a calling-out meeting held at Harvey Hinklemeyers on Tuesday January 20 at 6 o’clock pm. Chris is planning on attending this meeting. The address is 14 east 8th Street, Peru Indiana. If there is anyone who doesn’t know where Harvey’s is at, get a hold of me and I will provide you with directions.
As most of you know, there were several close races in Miami County during this most recent election. The Recorder’s office was determined by 25 votes, the Auditor by 38 votes, the County Council had three seats up for election one of which was determined by 99 votes, and our District 2 Commissioner was settled by 408 votes. 14,341 people voted on November 4th and the numbers being this close speaks volumes.
The Republican Party has proven time and again that it is unwilling to change, on a local, state, and federal level. The Democratic Party has, locally at least, proven itself mostly unable to bring change. The votes have been cast and the people of Miami County have spoken; it is quite obvious that the voters aren’t happy with any of the choices we were offered.
This is why Miami County inarguably needs a third party.
For everyone who is fed up with the Republican Party’s refusal to change, and for everyone who is tired of the Democratic Party’s inability to change, for anyone that thinks they know a better way to run things, this meeting on January 20 is for you.
Tell your friends, tell your family, tell your neighbors, and come prepared to begin the true change that our county so desperately needs.
As most of you know, there were several close races in Miami County during this most recent election. The Recorder’s office was determined by 25 votes, the Auditor by 38 votes, the County Council had three seats up for election one of which was determined by 99 votes, and our District 2 Commissioner was settled by 408 votes. 14,341 people voted on November 4th and the numbers being this close speaks volumes.
The Republican Party has proven time and again that it is unwilling to change, on a local, state, and federal level. The Democratic Party has, locally at least, proven itself mostly unable to bring change. The votes have been cast and the people of Miami County have spoken; it is quite obvious that the voters aren’t happy with any of the choices we were offered.
This is why Miami County inarguably needs a third party.
For everyone who is fed up with the Republican Party’s refusal to change, and for everyone who is tired of the Democratic Party’s inability to change, for anyone that thinks they know a better way to run things, this meeting on January 20 is for you.
Tell your friends, tell your family, tell your neighbors, and come prepared to begin the true change that our county so desperately needs.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
A Christmas Carol
Yesterday my wife and I took our daughter to see A Christmas Carol at the Indiana Repertory Theatre in Indianapolis. We went with Keri’s sister Gail and her family, seven of us in all. This was, I believe, the thirteenth annual performance of this wonderful tale.
To make our trip down to Indy an interesting one, God allowed it to snow for us. We saw several slide-offs, and were even stopped briefly because of one that seemed to involve two vehicles. We were kept safe, and the drive only took us about four hours instead of the usually hour and a half.
Uh, we did goof off quite a bit. We made a couple of stops in Kokomo and a couple more in Westfield, so it wasn’t like we were actually driving for the whole time.
The play was excellent; the players gave a lively and emotional performance. The audience was so appreciative as to give a standing ovation at the end. I wanted to yell “Encore, Encore!” but I restrained myself since I wasn’t sure how exactly that could be done. A Christmas Carol is playing for a couple more weeks, if you have the chance you really should go see it as I know you would not be disappointed.
Speaking of disappointments, it was COLD yesterday. I would much rather walk the streets of Indianapolis when it is sunny and warm. That wind would whip between the buildings and blast us without mercy. It kind of reminded me of a scaled-down version of Chicago.
If you do make it to see the show, make sure you get dinner reservations ahead of time. We tried one restaurant during intermission, but they weren’t accepting any walk-ins or reservations until nine pm, and our show was scheduled to end at five-fifteen. We decided to try our luck with some other places nearby.
Did I mention that is was cold? Walking around the downtown area being told that a party of four (if we split our group in two) would wait thirty to ninety minutes, and a group of seven started their wait at ninety minutes, was something less than my dream evening.
We settled for the Rock Bottom, which offered a thirty minute wait, and enjoyed some very tasty food there. It was cold inside the restaurant, too.
Anyway, except for the terrible and biting cold, we had a great time. We finished our evening by shopping in the Circle Center Mall for a few hours before heading home. I think we made it back shortly before midnight and went straight to bed.
To make our trip down to Indy an interesting one, God allowed it to snow for us. We saw several slide-offs, and were even stopped briefly because of one that seemed to involve two vehicles. We were kept safe, and the drive only took us about four hours instead of the usually hour and a half.
Uh, we did goof off quite a bit. We made a couple of stops in Kokomo and a couple more in Westfield, so it wasn’t like we were actually driving for the whole time.
The play was excellent; the players gave a lively and emotional performance. The audience was so appreciative as to give a standing ovation at the end. I wanted to yell “Encore, Encore!” but I restrained myself since I wasn’t sure how exactly that could be done. A Christmas Carol is playing for a couple more weeks, if you have the chance you really should go see it as I know you would not be disappointed.
Speaking of disappointments, it was COLD yesterday. I would much rather walk the streets of Indianapolis when it is sunny and warm. That wind would whip between the buildings and blast us without mercy. It kind of reminded me of a scaled-down version of Chicago.
If you do make it to see the show, make sure you get dinner reservations ahead of time. We tried one restaurant during intermission, but they weren’t accepting any walk-ins or reservations until nine pm, and our show was scheduled to end at five-fifteen. We decided to try our luck with some other places nearby.
Did I mention that is was cold? Walking around the downtown area being told that a party of four (if we split our group in two) would wait thirty to ninety minutes, and a group of seven started their wait at ninety minutes, was something less than my dream evening.
We settled for the Rock Bottom, which offered a thirty minute wait, and enjoyed some very tasty food there. It was cold inside the restaurant, too.
Anyway, except for the terrible and biting cold, we had a great time. We finished our evening by shopping in the Circle Center Mall for a few hours before heading home. I think we made it back shortly before midnight and went straight to bed.
Friday, December 5, 2008
There is a Better Weigh
They say that the average person gains 5 to 7 pounds over the holiday season, meaning from Thanksgiving through New Years Day. That’s quite a bit if you think about it. If you do not gain or lose anything throughout the rest of the year, then in ten years you will have gained 50 to 70 pounds, in 20 years 100 to 140 pounds. Yikes!
Fortunately there is help available. Our local YMCA has a program they call ‘Better Weigh’, which is a five week program they run periodically during the year. The current rendition started on December 1 and runs to January 5 I think. The beauty of it is that it costs almost nothing to do.
How it works is you first go in and meet your trainer, who finds out where you are and helps you set goals. Then your trainer works with you to develop a routine to get to those goals. You then go in 2 or 3 times a week to workout. Pretty simple really.
So, yesterday evening I go in to meet Randy. We spent some quality time with the Nautilus equipment, free weights, and treadmill. That was great, it burned a little bit, but that’s how you know you’re actually getting something out of it. This was all well and good, but then he had me lie on a bench to do some leg lifts.
I work at the courthouse, which is three stories, and the Annex building across the street is also three stories high. The stairs are much faster than the elevator, so I take the stairs almost exclusively. The only time I don’t is if I have a cartload of computer equipment to move. I don’t just walk the stairs, I run up them taking them two at a time, and I do this several times per day. I thought my legs were the strongest part of my body. Ha!
I can’t even lift my own legs up 12 times in a row. I could only do one of the lifts 6 times and the other a mere four times. Randy said that I shouldn’t let this discourage me and I won’t, but it definitely looks like I have my work cut out for me.
They are awarding prizes at the end of this program, some for the biggest weight loss, and some for those people who maintain their weight over the five weeks. My personal goal is to lose 5 to 7 pounds. I figure if I can reach this goal, then that is prize enough for me.
Fortunately there is help available. Our local YMCA has a program they call ‘Better Weigh’, which is a five week program they run periodically during the year. The current rendition started on December 1 and runs to January 5 I think. The beauty of it is that it costs almost nothing to do.
How it works is you first go in and meet your trainer, who finds out where you are and helps you set goals. Then your trainer works with you to develop a routine to get to those goals. You then go in 2 or 3 times a week to workout. Pretty simple really.
So, yesterday evening I go in to meet Randy. We spent some quality time with the Nautilus equipment, free weights, and treadmill. That was great, it burned a little bit, but that’s how you know you’re actually getting something out of it. This was all well and good, but then he had me lie on a bench to do some leg lifts.
I work at the courthouse, which is three stories, and the Annex building across the street is also three stories high. The stairs are much faster than the elevator, so I take the stairs almost exclusively. The only time I don’t is if I have a cartload of computer equipment to move. I don’t just walk the stairs, I run up them taking them two at a time, and I do this several times per day. I thought my legs were the strongest part of my body. Ha!
I can’t even lift my own legs up 12 times in a row. I could only do one of the lifts 6 times and the other a mere four times. Randy said that I shouldn’t let this discourage me and I won’t, but it definitely looks like I have my work cut out for me.
They are awarding prizes at the end of this program, some for the biggest weight loss, and some for those people who maintain their weight over the five weeks. My personal goal is to lose 5 to 7 pounds. I figure if I can reach this goal, then that is prize enough for me.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Politics
Ok, so maybe I went brain dead for a while. During the 2008 Presidential race I was actively supporting Bob Barr, the Libertarian candidate, but I didn't once write a blog about it!
Hello John, what were you thinking?!
I spoke to people all over Miami County, and in other Indiana counties encouraging people to not waste their vote on the lesser of two evils. This blog would have been a great way for me to spread the word around. Well, live and learn I guess.
But maybe I can make up for it a little now. Here's the deal...
If there is anyone out there who has given up on the Republican's ability to lead our country, listen up. If you think the Democrats are not qualified to rule our nation, pay attention. There is another way!
The United States is NOT a two-party system, contrary to what the press would lead us to believe. There are dozens of other parties out there. The largest and best informed of these are the Libertarians.
So if you are ready for change, real change, then I have some tough news for you. You are gonna have to get off your butt and do something about it!
I am looking for persons in Miami County, Indiana and the surrounding area who are ready to do something. There isn't a lot of time before the next election, but there is a lot of groundwork to get done.
If you are interested in joining a group of patriots who want to bring real change over the next several elections, contact me. If you are not from my area I will try to put you in touch with someone near you.
Any existing Libertarians from Miami County and nearby, please contact me. I would like to set up a meeting so that we can get organized here as we currently do not have a local Libertarian party.
Hello John, what were you thinking?!
I spoke to people all over Miami County, and in other Indiana counties encouraging people to not waste their vote on the lesser of two evils. This blog would have been a great way for me to spread the word around. Well, live and learn I guess.
But maybe I can make up for it a little now. Here's the deal...
If there is anyone out there who has given up on the Republican's ability to lead our country, listen up. If you think the Democrats are not qualified to rule our nation, pay attention. There is another way!
The United States is NOT a two-party system, contrary to what the press would lead us to believe. There are dozens of other parties out there. The largest and best informed of these are the Libertarians.
So if you are ready for change, real change, then I have some tough news for you. You are gonna have to get off your butt and do something about it!
I am looking for persons in Miami County, Indiana and the surrounding area who are ready to do something. There isn't a lot of time before the next election, but there is a lot of groundwork to get done.
If you are interested in joining a group of patriots who want to bring real change over the next several elections, contact me. If you are not from my area I will try to put you in touch with someone near you.
Any existing Libertarians from Miami County and nearby, please contact me. I would like to set up a meeting so that we can get organized here as we currently do not have a local Libertarian party.
I'm Back
As you can see from the dates on my previous blogs, it has been a while since I've written anything, but rest assured Big John is back on his soap box and ready to get revved up once again!
It's funny, really, how quickly time can slip past. It doesn't seem like I've been away more than a couple of weeks, but it's been over 5 months! Wow! My last entry was June 26.
Well, I will do better from here on out my friends.
Later!
It's funny, really, how quickly time can slip past. It doesn't seem like I've been away more than a couple of weeks, but it's been over 5 months! Wow! My last entry was June 26.
Well, I will do better from here on out my friends.
Later!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Family Vacation part 1
Anyone who knows me at all, knows that I am a paranoid person. Therefore, I did not tell too many people that I was leaving for Florida for an entire week. Yep, I pretty much kept it to myself.
So on Thursday June 12, Keri, Morgan, and I flew from Indianapolis to Tampa Bay International Airport. And we weren't alone either; Gail (Keri's sister), her husband Jason, and their two children went along too. It was truly a family vacation!
Before we leave, we check weather.com to see what's going on in central Florida. They called for a 30% or greater chance of rain every day we were going to be down there. Yikes!
We land without a hitch, find our rental company, and with only a couple of false starts end up in Davenport, Florida. We had rented a house there because it was cheaper than a hotel. Nice house too; four bedrooms, three bathrooms, huge living room, dining room, in ground pool with fountain, gated community, etcetera etcetera. As I said before, nice house.
After settling in, we move on to Orlando to visit Keri and Gail's Aunt and Uncle. That was fun, it was great to kick back and visit a while. Keri and I hadn't been to their home for around 11 years or so.
When we get back to our home, it was getting late. The front gate was locked and low and behold, we don't have the password for it and we cant get anyone on the phone because it was so late.
Fortunately, someone else who was staying there pulled up behind us. He gave us HIS password and we went on with our lives. I'm a computer professional - NEVER give out your passwords people!! Perhaps the alcohol that I could almost taste on his breath had clouded his judgement, or maybe we just looked like nice folk. Regardless, we were happy to be inside the gate where we wanted to be.
What we didn't realize at the time, the password thing was something of an omen for things to come...
So on Thursday June 12, Keri, Morgan, and I flew from Indianapolis to Tampa Bay International Airport. And we weren't alone either; Gail (Keri's sister), her husband Jason, and their two children went along too. It was truly a family vacation!
Before we leave, we check weather.com to see what's going on in central Florida. They called for a 30% or greater chance of rain every day we were going to be down there. Yikes!
We land without a hitch, find our rental company, and with only a couple of false starts end up in Davenport, Florida. We had rented a house there because it was cheaper than a hotel. Nice house too; four bedrooms, three bathrooms, huge living room, dining room, in ground pool with fountain, gated community, etcetera etcetera. As I said before, nice house.
After settling in, we move on to Orlando to visit Keri and Gail's Aunt and Uncle. That was fun, it was great to kick back and visit a while. Keri and I hadn't been to their home for around 11 years or so.
When we get back to our home, it was getting late. The front gate was locked and low and behold, we don't have the password for it and we cant get anyone on the phone because it was so late.
Fortunately, someone else who was staying there pulled up behind us. He gave us HIS password and we went on with our lives. I'm a computer professional - NEVER give out your passwords people!! Perhaps the alcohol that I could almost taste on his breath had clouded his judgement, or maybe we just looked like nice folk. Regardless, we were happy to be inside the gate where we wanted to be.
What we didn't realize at the time, the password thing was something of an omen for things to come...
Long Time Quiet
I've been quiet for, what is for me, a very long time. Twenty days since my last post, my where has the time gone?
Naturally, I have an excuse. I was on vacation last week.
What's that you say? What about the other 2 weeks of silence? Well, I was on vacation last week...
Anyway, I'll be dropping some new posts up here over the next few days, because I really want to talk about our family vacation.
Keep on keepin' on.
Naturally, I have an excuse. I was on vacation last week.
What's that you say? What about the other 2 weeks of silence? Well, I was on vacation last week...
Anyway, I'll be dropping some new posts up here over the next few days, because I really want to talk about our family vacation.
Keep on keepin' on.
Friday, June 6, 2008
WOW Hits 1 Contest
Kristie at Life with My X-Men told me about a cool contest going on. Hope ya don’t mind Kristie but I just copied your info below!
Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer has been given TWENTY boxed sets of 17 CDs, one CD for each of the artists represented on WOW Hits 1 to give away to her readers.
Included in each set:
20 people will each win the following boxed set:
1. Barlow Girl - How Can We Be Silent
2. Aaron Shust - Whispered and Shouted
3. Cadia - Cadia
4. Point of Grace - How You Live
5. Skillet - Comatose
6. Brandon Heath - Don’t Get Comfortable
7. Michael W. Smith - Stand
8. Third Day - Wherever You Are
9. Relient K - Five Score and Seven Years Ago
10. Casting Crowns - The Altar and the Door
11. Steven Curtis Chapman - This Moment
12. Chris Tomlin - See the Morning
13. Matthew West - Something To Say
14. David Crowder Band - Remedy
15. Jeremy Camp - Beyond Measure
16. Newsboys - Go
17. Toby Mac - Portable Sounds
And it includes a copy of the WOW Hits 1 CD
Go check her out!
Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer has been given TWENTY boxed sets of 17 CDs, one CD for each of the artists represented on WOW Hits 1 to give away to her readers.
Included in each set:
20 people will each win the following boxed set:
1. Barlow Girl - How Can We Be Silent
2. Aaron Shust - Whispered and Shouted
3. Cadia - Cadia
4. Point of Grace - How You Live
5. Skillet - Comatose
6. Brandon Heath - Don’t Get Comfortable
7. Michael W. Smith - Stand
8. Third Day - Wherever You Are
9. Relient K - Five Score and Seven Years Ago
10. Casting Crowns - The Altar and the Door
11. Steven Curtis Chapman - This Moment
12. Chris Tomlin - See the Morning
13. Matthew West - Something To Say
14. David Crowder Band - Remedy
15. Jeremy Camp - Beyond Measure
16. Newsboys - Go
17. Toby Mac - Portable Sounds
And it includes a copy of the WOW Hits 1 CD
Go check her out!
My New Business Venture
Those who know me know that I run a web design business, Global Marketing Enterprises. The company is expanding from just websites into screensaver production, too.
For our screensavers, what we do is painstakingly select high quality photographs, add a soundtrack (to some of them), and put them into a screensaver that can be loaded onto any Windows-based computer. They come as an installer package; you simply follow the installation wizard’s instructions. Easy!
Anyway, there are currently only 9 different to choose from, and they are not being heavily marketed yet. Once there are a dozen available, the mass advertising campaign will begin.
All are available as a free trial, which means only a few pictures will display. Download them and pass them out to your friends! Note that to view all of the pictures a license must be purchased (don’t pass the license around to your friends, though!) from the online store.
Check out the online store here http://www.globalme.biz/store.htm.
Anyone with ideas about what they would like to see as a screensaver theme, or if you have any ideas that might help us improve, please let us know! Just use the contact information on the Global Marketing Enterprises website.
Everyone, enjoy!
For our screensavers, what we do is painstakingly select high quality photographs, add a soundtrack (to some of them), and put them into a screensaver that can be loaded onto any Windows-based computer. They come as an installer package; you simply follow the installation wizard’s instructions. Easy!
Anyway, there are currently only 9 different to choose from, and they are not being heavily marketed yet. Once there are a dozen available, the mass advertising campaign will begin.
All are available as a free trial, which means only a few pictures will display. Download them and pass them out to your friends! Note that to view all of the pictures a license must be purchased (don’t pass the license around to your friends, though!) from the online store.
Check out the online store here http://www.globalme.biz/store.htm.
Anyone with ideas about what they would like to see as a screensaver theme, or if you have any ideas that might help us improve, please let us know! Just use the contact information on the Global Marketing Enterprises website.
Everyone, enjoy!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Aluminun Foil Mystery Revealed!
Yesterday, my wife’s cousin Kelly sent us an email about aluminum foil. Uh okay then.
But after I read it I was surprised to learn that the box actually comes with a LOCK to keep the tube of foil from falling out unexpectedly. How long has this been there?!
On each end of the box, there is a little tab that says ‘Press here to lock end’ and it actually works.
Cool!
Thanks Kelly!
But after I read it I was surprised to learn that the box actually comes with a LOCK to keep the tube of foil from falling out unexpectedly. How long has this been there?!
On each end of the box, there is a little tab that says ‘Press here to lock end’ and it actually works.
Cool!
Thanks Kelly!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Date Night!
Saturday, Keri and went to the Indianapolis Repertory Theatre to watch the Fantasticks. The IRT is a beautiful historic building on Washington Street, about a block from Meridian in downtown Indianapolis. This was opening weekend and the show reflected the IRT’s return to musicals.
It had been some time since they had one. But we, meaning the audience, gave a standing ovation at the end of the performance. A funny show, I highly recommend it. Check out http://www.irtlive.com/ for more information on it. If Saturday’s show was anything to go by, the IRT will be offering more musicals in the future.
Afterwards, we headed a few blocks northeast to the Rathskeller (http://www.rathskeller.com/) restaurant. Ooh boy! This is a German restaurant, and the food is excellent! Try the Brat and Kraut Balls, they are delicious.
After our meal, we went through the Keller Bar to get to the Bier Garten (Beer Garden). They had a live band playing who were pretty good. They call themselves The Elect.
We were blessed by God with a beautiful day and night, a great show, awesome food, and live music. Our date night (and anniversary gift to one another) was somewhat expensive, but definitely worth it. We had a super time.
It had been some time since they had one. But we, meaning the audience, gave a standing ovation at the end of the performance. A funny show, I highly recommend it. Check out http://www.irtlive.com/ for more information on it. If Saturday’s show was anything to go by, the IRT will be offering more musicals in the future.
Afterwards, we headed a few blocks northeast to the Rathskeller (http://www.rathskeller.com/) restaurant. Ooh boy! This is a German restaurant, and the food is excellent! Try the Brat and Kraut Balls, they are delicious.
After our meal, we went through the Keller Bar to get to the Bier Garten (Beer Garden). They had a live band playing who were pretty good. They call themselves The Elect.
We were blessed by God with a beautiful day and night, a great show, awesome food, and live music. Our date night (and anniversary gift to one another) was somewhat expensive, but definitely worth it. We had a super time.
Monday, May 26, 2008
The Indianapolis 500
Yesterday I went to my first Indy 500 race. I think I can sum up the overall experience with one word, awesome!
My boss and I were granted suite passes by AT&T, which was really nice. We were pampered quite well! A bus ride with police escort to the track, great seats, free food and drink (prime rib!) a private restroom (for suite guests only) and of course, air conditioning if we wanted to come inside. The funny part about the suite is that someone had a Cubs game on, and several people were actually watching baseball DURING the race!
What's up with that?! I like baseball, but come on people!
Attendance they say was over 300,000 which is the biggest in a few years. Several celebrities were there, including 3 men who have received the Congressional Medal of Honor, our nation's highest honor.
The weather had everyone a little nervous as Indy had gotten rain something like 14 of the 21 days prior to the race. However, we had about 72 degrees and not a single drop of rain fell on us. Thank you God for that blessing!
The most exciting part was when the Wii Fit car smacked the wall at turn 4 and spun out of control; rocketing into the pits at around 200 MPH! It smashed into the inner pit wall, spun through the sign that tells the drivers how fast they are going (they should be going 40 MPH through the pits however this sign said the car was STILL going 96 even after hitting 2 walls and doing all that spinning ) and then slid through and past several stalls before coming to a stop, below and about one pit stall past, us.
When leaving we rode our bus with police escort, I said we were pampered, back to downtown Indy, which took all of 15 minutes. No red lights, no traffic (for us) and no stopping. Cool! The news said the lines going into the track were about 2 1/2 miles long at 6 am, and I hear they're even longer getting out. Thanks again to our hosts Brian Clark and AT&T.
An unbelievable experience, a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and one I hope to be blessed enough to do again some day!
My boss and I were granted suite passes by AT&T, which was really nice. We were pampered quite well! A bus ride with police escort to the track, great seats, free food and drink (prime rib!) a private restroom (for suite guests only) and of course, air conditioning if we wanted to come inside. The funny part about the suite is that someone had a Cubs game on, and several people were actually watching baseball DURING the race!
What's up with that?! I like baseball, but come on people!
Attendance they say was over 300,000 which is the biggest in a few years. Several celebrities were there, including 3 men who have received the Congressional Medal of Honor, our nation's highest honor.
The weather had everyone a little nervous as Indy had gotten rain something like 14 of the 21 days prior to the race. However, we had about 72 degrees and not a single drop of rain fell on us. Thank you God for that blessing!
The most exciting part was when the Wii Fit car smacked the wall at turn 4 and spun out of control; rocketing into the pits at around 200 MPH! It smashed into the inner pit wall, spun through the sign that tells the drivers how fast they are going (they should be going 40 MPH through the pits however this sign said the car was STILL going 96 even after hitting 2 walls and doing all that spinning ) and then slid through and past several stalls before coming to a stop, below and about one pit stall past, us.
When leaving we rode our bus with police escort, I said we were pampered, back to downtown Indy, which took all of 15 minutes. No red lights, no traffic (for us) and no stopping. Cool! The news said the lines going into the track were about 2 1/2 miles long at 6 am, and I hear they're even longer getting out. Thanks again to our hosts Brian Clark and AT&T.
An unbelievable experience, a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and one I hope to be blessed enough to do again some day!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
The Best Day of My Life
Ok, you are probably wondering about that title - what made May 22, 2008 the best day of my life? Well, truth be told this is not the best day, I am talking about a flash back day.
Let's look at May 21, 1994. Yeah, that's the day. The best day of my life. The day I married my best friend, Keri.
Keri and I dated for four years, we met on May 20, 1990. Her parents were starting to think that we'd never tie the knot, but good things come to those who wait. Keri was definitely worth the wait.
Each May now, for the last 17 years, I have looked back at the day we met with fondness, wondering where all the time has gone since it doesn't seem anywhere near that long.
Yesterday on our 14th wedding anniversary, we spent some time looking back on our life together and I reflected on the best day of my life. Funny how you don't really notice something like that until much later.
Thank you Keri Beri for saying 'yes' way back when, thank you for putting up with all my antics over the years, and thank you for giving me the best day of my life to look back upon.
I love you Keri, you are the best.
Let's look at May 21, 1994. Yeah, that's the day. The best day of my life. The day I married my best friend, Keri.
Keri and I dated for four years, we met on May 20, 1990. Her parents were starting to think that we'd never tie the knot, but good things come to those who wait. Keri was definitely worth the wait.
Each May now, for the last 17 years, I have looked back at the day we met with fondness, wondering where all the time has gone since it doesn't seem anywhere near that long.
Yesterday on our 14th wedding anniversary, we spent some time looking back on our life together and I reflected on the best day of my life. Funny how you don't really notice something like that until much later.
Thank you Keri Beri for saying 'yes' way back when, thank you for putting up with all my antics over the years, and thank you for giving me the best day of my life to look back upon.
I love you Keri, you are the best.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Ty Pennington in Peru - Part II
Okay. I finally got around to reading yesterday's newspaper and I can see why some folk are a bit upset about the Extreme Home Makeover video request that myself and about a hundred other people participated in on Monday.
The Wednesday article, which in the Tuesday edition was promised to be the complete story about the video, turned out to be something less than complete. The article went something like this:
"Circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus."
"Circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, Grants."
Yeah, that is a bit disturbing. But I stand by what I said before - at least we were DOING SOMETHING, not just sitting around whining and complaining like so many others were.
Then today's paper hit the stands.
The headline on the front page says that the circus video includes the Grant family. The article (finally) delivers the whole story, or most of it anyway. Thank you! Now all of the do-nothing whiners and complainers can see that they opened their traps a bit too soon.
Again today I've been listening to people talk. No one is talking about the video today. No one is apologizing for jumping to the wrong conclusions either. Their thought process must be "If we just sweep our words under the rug and pretend we didn't say them, I bet no one will even notice that we said anything in the first place."
Ha! Yeah right!
I wonder what our do-nothings are going to find to gripe about today, since even they can see that the video organizers and participants are in a bash-free zone?
After all the controversy and nonsense, I just hope that something positive ends up as a result of all this.
The Wednesday article, which in the Tuesday edition was promised to be the complete story about the video, turned out to be something less than complete. The article went something like this:
"Circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus."
"Circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, circus, Grants."
Yeah, that is a bit disturbing. But I stand by what I said before - at least we were DOING SOMETHING, not just sitting around whining and complaining like so many others were.
Then today's paper hit the stands.
The headline on the front page says that the circus video includes the Grant family. The article (finally) delivers the whole story, or most of it anyway. Thank you! Now all of the do-nothing whiners and complainers can see that they opened their traps a bit too soon.
Again today I've been listening to people talk. No one is talking about the video today. No one is apologizing for jumping to the wrong conclusions either. Their thought process must be "If we just sweep our words under the rug and pretend we didn't say them, I bet no one will even notice that we said anything in the first place."
Ha! Yeah right!
I wonder what our do-nothings are going to find to gripe about today, since even they can see that the video organizers and participants are in a bash-free zone?
After all the controversy and nonsense, I just hope that something positive ends up as a result of all this.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Dukes Hospital Ice Cream Social
Dukes Hospital sponsored an ice cream social this evening from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. They had many games for the kids and adults to play and some great prizes as well.
And of course, ice cream. It was great!
Thank you to the hospital and all of the staff who made this possible. My family and I enjoyed our time there.
And of course, ice cream. It was great!
Thank you to the hospital and all of the staff who made this possible. My family and I enjoyed our time there.
Ty Pennington in Peru
Monday night I received a phone call from one of the volunteers with the local circus. The message she left asked me to drop everything and meet at the circus building at 5:15 pm and to bring along more people. The idea was to try to convince Ty Pennington and the Extreme Home Makeover show to come to Peru.
I looked at the clock, it was almost 5:30 already. But my wife, daughter, and I dropped what we had planned an made a beeline for the circus building. On the way my wife got on the phone and rounded up three more people as well.
So we all stand around for about an hour, making a video requesting Ty and the show come to Peru to help us out.
In today's newspaper (which I have yet to read) there is a write-up about that. Let the complaining begin!
Who can say what is in another person's heart? I certainly cannot sit here and tell you what motivates any particular person. My thought process Monday was simply this: if we can get Ty Pennington to Peru, maybe the Grant family, who lost their home and business in a fire Saturday, will get some much needed help. If the circus, whose building is adjacent to the Grant's building, gets some help too, even better.
But today, people are questioning the motives of those who participated in the video request. We're all selfish, thinking of the circus and giving no thought to those who lost everything in the fire.
Hello?! You bunch of do-nothing whiners and complainers! Where were you Monday night from 5:30 to 6:30? Were you sitting at home whining that something needed to be done?
Better than a hundred of us went out and did SOMETHING. Now you sit around and complain that we did. Who do you think you are? Why don't you DO SOMETHING instead of complain about those of us who do?!
Will Ty Pennington come to Peru because of what we did? It's possible, but not likely. But we took the time to make an effort. We joined together and reached out. Where were you again?
If you are someone who is or has helped with this situation already, then this message is not for you. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, or even where Peru is, this message is not for you.
This message has been for all of the do-nothing whiners and complainers in our community. You know who you are! Get up and DO SOMETHING constructive, instead of belittling the works of others.
I looked at the clock, it was almost 5:30 already. But my wife, daughter, and I dropped what we had planned an made a beeline for the circus building. On the way my wife got on the phone and rounded up three more people as well.
So we all stand around for about an hour, making a video requesting Ty and the show come to Peru to help us out.
In today's newspaper (which I have yet to read) there is a write-up about that. Let the complaining begin!
Who can say what is in another person's heart? I certainly cannot sit here and tell you what motivates any particular person. My thought process Monday was simply this: if we can get Ty Pennington to Peru, maybe the Grant family, who lost their home and business in a fire Saturday, will get some much needed help. If the circus, whose building is adjacent to the Grant's building, gets some help too, even better.
But today, people are questioning the motives of those who participated in the video request. We're all selfish, thinking of the circus and giving no thought to those who lost everything in the fire.
Hello?! You bunch of do-nothing whiners and complainers! Where were you Monday night from 5:30 to 6:30? Were you sitting at home whining that something needed to be done?
Better than a hundred of us went out and did SOMETHING. Now you sit around and complain that we did. Who do you think you are? Why don't you DO SOMETHING instead of complain about those of us who do?!
Will Ty Pennington come to Peru because of what we did? It's possible, but not likely. But we took the time to make an effort. We joined together and reached out. Where were you again?
If you are someone who is or has helped with this situation already, then this message is not for you. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, or even where Peru is, this message is not for you.
This message has been for all of the do-nothing whiners and complainers in our community. You know who you are! Get up and DO SOMETHING constructive, instead of belittling the works of others.
Monday, May 12, 2008
A new beginning
This represents my first blog entry. To start out I am going to tackle a big problem that has just hit my town; the small town known as the Circus City, Peru, Indiana. Let me set the stage for you...
Good times. We all love them, we look forward to them, cherish them. They’re part of what makes life so much of a joy to live.
Then we have the hard times. They’re rough, hard to handle, sometimes they feel overwhelming. But the hard times are what pull people together, build character, and prove what we’re made of.
Today we are facing just such a hard time. For some, it’s a tragedy.
With Grant Home Furnishings burning down Saturday, we’ve lost a good local business, ran by good people. Those people have now lost their livelihood, their home, and they’ve seen their dreams dashed to the ground.
For anyone who knows the Grants or any of their employees, don’t just tell them how badly you feel for them. At this time they need help and support more than they need sympathy. Ask what you can do to help them. Offer to give them a hand with something, pay a bill for them; just DO something.
This tragedy doesn’t stop there; it doesn’t just affect a few families. The fire caused damage, a lot of damage, to the closest neighboring building as well, the Circus Building. With the Circus Building now having ‘condemned’ signs on it as a result, we’re all affected.
It’s not just a building or a summer event. It’s not just something the kids like to do, or that people like to sit and watch. The circus is the heart and soul of our town, our community. It is this kind of hard time that will require all of us to pull together.
The community needs to unite to restore or rebuild the circus building. The community needs to unite to restore the great tradition that we all love so much, and that has been the heritage of our town for generations.
Let this evening's events serve as a template for things to come. As a few people desperately made phone calls, trying to gather as many circus kids, parents, and volunteers together in as little time as possible. The purpose? To ask Ty Pennington from Extreme Home Makeover to please come to Peru and fix our home.
Yes we want the circus building repaired, but more pressing is taking care of the Grant family, who have lost everything. Ty, if you read this, please do come and help us!
For the rest of you here in Peru, please recognize that NOW is the time for this community to prove what it is made of. NOW is the time for all of us to show our character. NOW is the time for us to pull together as one. NOW is the time for action.
When information becomes available about what needs to be done, how much it will cost, and how long it will take; we all need to volunteer our time, money, and talents towards this great cause. By pulling together, we can keep the good times coming, so that families can continue to cherish the circus for generations to come.
Good times. We all love them, we look forward to them, cherish them. They’re part of what makes life so much of a joy to live.
Then we have the hard times. They’re rough, hard to handle, sometimes they feel overwhelming. But the hard times are what pull people together, build character, and prove what we’re made of.
Today we are facing just such a hard time. For some, it’s a tragedy.
With Grant Home Furnishings burning down Saturday, we’ve lost a good local business, ran by good people. Those people have now lost their livelihood, their home, and they’ve seen their dreams dashed to the ground.
For anyone who knows the Grants or any of their employees, don’t just tell them how badly you feel for them. At this time they need help and support more than they need sympathy. Ask what you can do to help them. Offer to give them a hand with something, pay a bill for them; just DO something.
This tragedy doesn’t stop there; it doesn’t just affect a few families. The fire caused damage, a lot of damage, to the closest neighboring building as well, the Circus Building. With the Circus Building now having ‘condemned’ signs on it as a result, we’re all affected.
It’s not just a building or a summer event. It’s not just something the kids like to do, or that people like to sit and watch. The circus is the heart and soul of our town, our community. It is this kind of hard time that will require all of us to pull together.
The community needs to unite to restore or rebuild the circus building. The community needs to unite to restore the great tradition that we all love so much, and that has been the heritage of our town for generations.
Let this evening's events serve as a template for things to come. As a few people desperately made phone calls, trying to gather as many circus kids, parents, and volunteers together in as little time as possible. The purpose? To ask Ty Pennington from Extreme Home Makeover to please come to Peru and fix our home.
Yes we want the circus building repaired, but more pressing is taking care of the Grant family, who have lost everything. Ty, if you read this, please do come and help us!
For the rest of you here in Peru, please recognize that NOW is the time for this community to prove what it is made of. NOW is the time for all of us to show our character. NOW is the time for us to pull together as one. NOW is the time for action.
When information becomes available about what needs to be done, how much it will cost, and how long it will take; we all need to volunteer our time, money, and talents towards this great cause. By pulling together, we can keep the good times coming, so that families can continue to cherish the circus for generations to come.
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