God Presents: Snow in Three Movements....maybe in a B Minor?

Well, we had the one inch snow yesterday. Hundreds of accidents, as noted here.

Could have been worse---look at what happened in Raleigh, where some of my family lives.....

I see two reasons for the problems....

1) No one saw the snow coming, so road crews weren't ready. Not their fault, certainly....

2) The snow, albeit not much of an amount, was that nasty slippery wet crap. Very fine, very wet, and perfect for sliding off the road if you're not really careful (see last night's snow posting).

So, tonight, here comes round two, another clipper, another inch, maybe more. Coming home from work tonight, after a side trip to Office Max and Ukrops (no, I did NOT buy bread!), the back roads were getting tougher, while the main roads were just wet.

Then, once this clipper leaves in the AM, we get some whammy of a storm over the weekend with, well, snow....or snow and sleet and freezing rain.....or just ice....or maybe a changeover to rain for awhile.....and there's also a slight chance of varmits!

So, we'll see what happens while we sleep, and not lose sleep over whatever shows up over the weekend.

But we are STILL VERY THANKFUL there's no more newspaper route to contend with!!!

PLEASE SEE SNOW POST BELOW...and now "24", two days late...

Please, check out the post below this on the snow "storm" (huh?) today....

Now, back to Monday night, and "24". My co-worker, Dave, put it right at the office Tuesday morning, Hour 5 (11am to 12noon) was a "bridge episode", taking you out of one realm and into the fixings (southern term) of another.

Jack gets out of the policemen's snare and moves on.

Heller and daughter get ingenious in trying to spoil the Internet party.

Chloe, oh my, I'm beginning to root for Chloe!!! Anyway, she gets canned, but I doubt you've seen the last of her.

The young actress playing Driscoll's daughter, is VERY good, very convincing in that role.

The extremist (I'll refrain from which kind here, not wanting to be seen as bigoted against anyone) decides to "martyr" himself rather than bring the good guys to the place of shame where the proud, "hooded" men will put Heller on "trial". Notice he didn't go over the side or a cliff (which I thought was coming); he took an innocent man with him. Was there subtle meaning to that decision???

Then there's the Araz family; the mother is really, really get creepy. Her head should spin 360 degrees in an upcoming episode. The father is too calm, while the son is going to somehow "out" them before all is said and done, but, sadly, he may not survive the day either.

Then, in closing, is Jack. There he is, trying to save the world again, and rescue his damsel (bless his heart his luck with women sucks); then, after finally kinda getting on the same page with Driscoll, she has to inform him of the President's decision to fire a missile at the site, taking out everyone (including Heller and his daughter) to save the US the humiliation of the Internet beheading of a Cabinet member, by, of course, "brave" hooded men.

You know he ain't "getting outta there". And if you caught the scenes from next week, he tells her, "I'll come back to get you, I promise". So, Heller may escape next week, but his daughter won't.

So, next Monday should be awesome, with Jack the loner going on for the kill, while the whole world watches the trial become a shootout, I'm sure.

What about Debbie's mom? Will she return? And, I think (Bonnie disagrees) that Aisha Tyler's character is actually a plant inside CTU, but we'll see.

So, that's my "24" in a nutshell, two days late, and I'm stickin' to it.

NOTES:

--Bless the hearts of my three ladies: Kim, Dionne and Gina, once again single-handedly saving Clear Channel with late nights creating all new logs, which I'm sure will be changed again soon. They should qualify for sainthood or something....I left them all there last night and tonight working (and felt bad, too).

--Happy birthday shout out to one of my longest-time friends (is that a correct English term?), Barbara, who turned, well, she turned another number today (if I printed it and she ever saw that I did, I might be in big trouble!)

--20 years ago today, 1/19/85, do you remember where you were? I do; it was a Super Bowl Sunday (Super Bowl XIX), where Dan Marino got his first (and only) shot at the Vince Lombardi Trophy, only to be trounced by Joe Montana and the Niners, in the first Super Bowl telecast by ABC. At the same time, we got LOTS more than 1 inch of snow; more like 10 inches, and temperatures that night fell below zero. We're two hours south of Richmond, so these were the same conditions that caused Ronald Reagan to be sworn in as President for his second term inside the next day.

Speaking of which; in a day where we have troops everywhere and over 200,000 Tsunami victims, I hope I don't come across as a Howard Dean liberal, but, if I were George W. Bush, I would have severely curtailed the Inauguration bashes. 40 million dollars? They could do something very nice for about 5 mil....

Heck, Rodney at work said it best; fire up the barbeque on the White House lawn, have family and friends from Texas up, and also let a bus-full of tourists stop by on their "lucky day" and they can all eat burgers, dogs, and the fixins'.

Makes sense to me, and he could wear comfortable jeans, too. I would go for the sweatsuit personally; what better way to show the world our country is in great shape and in control than to have your President sworn in wearing a grey sweatsuit!

Nurse! Nurse! It's time for my medication!!

JUST IN: Snowflakes make some people stupid!

Those of you surfing the web in, say, Manitoba, Michigan, or Maine, please get ready to roll on the floor in extreme laughter....

So, we have a "chance for a few snow flakes" today. I come home around 10:45 needing to rest a bit (bad night of sleeping), and I saw five or ten flakes (not people, snowflakes!) driving home.

An hour later, Bonnie informs me the ground is covered. Let the madness begin.

Yes, in the end, Richmond received the big ONE INCH of snow....and people proceeded to begin banging into each other at record pace.

Yes, I will tell you, it was just enough snow, and the slick kind, too, that you had to be careful driving (i.e.--SLOW DOWN!!!!). Along my trip back to work, a Honda CRX in the ditch, nearly on its side, on Old Staples Mill Road, and a stalled vehicle at the light at Old Staples Mill and Staples Mill (which should now be called "kinda aged Staples Mill Road".....). Of course, this doesn't stop, say, the big truck driver to zoom pass me on Staples Mill....but anyway....

So I dial up the traffic cams from VDOT, and see a truck accident on I-95 at Atlee, and I-95 at 295 was a parking lot.

Then, I'm reading the traffic accident log at richmondgov.com , and some of the entries are hilarious...and some scary.

---3 Cars; people are arguing at scene.....
---Female Stuck in Snow....in grey BMW (whew! I thought another blonde joke was coming)
---Hydrant brakes, water flowing everywhere, street caving in....(not funny!)

and my favorite in the hilarious category:

Simply put, the entry said: "Vehicle versus Fire Hydrant".

Guess who won?

So, the bottom line is this:

1) In an inch of surprise snow, SLOW DOWN!

2) If you're in a big truck or 18 wheeler, REALLY SLOW DOWN!!

3) If you drive a four-wheeler and think you're accident-proof, GET A CLUE!!

I also realize that many people today were honestly in accidents because of treacherous conditions and because of other people adding them to their accident. I'm not referring to them.

I think we all know who I'm referring to....

Now, those of you in Manitoba, Minnesota, Michigan, and Maine (but not Miami), can pick yourself up off the floor now, but get the belly laughs ready....we might get a "snow shower" here tomorrow.

RUN!! BUY MILK AND BREAD!! RANSACK UKROPS!! IT'S OVER!!!!

Yeah, right.

Oh, BE CAREFUL OUT THERE (and I truly mean that!) :)

Computer Issues Part Deux

I haven't been blogging the past couple of days, because it's hard to blog when you have no internet access and your new computer is basically, well, better used as a boat anchor.

Two hours, 20 minutes after calling HP last night, Bonnie had it back up, except, of course, our HP printer, still! I must go online to HP chat to get free help for that, and I was at work too late tonight to do it on this day.

So, the rest of my story (and I'm sticking to it) is in the next entry.

Repeat after me, you will make a 3rd blog....I will make a 3rd blog.....

....but this one will be profitable, not financially, but it'll keep a certain former classmate of mine from pulling her hair out (which would really stink because I love her hairstyle!)

Yep, another way to find old high school classmates in the online/digital age is a, yep, blog. So, shortly, I'll be making my 3rd blog, this time to inform the 270-some of us who graduated from Patrick Henry High School in Ashland, Virginia in 1985 that it's time to compare gray hairs, wrinkles, and bellies.

Our committee meeting today went 2 1/2 hours, because we were smart enough to go ahead and dive into the complicated question: "Where are they now?", which, of course, spawns off more sub-questions, like, "Do you really want to find them?"...."Do they really want us to find them"....and the personal favorite, "Are they still in jail?"

So, we've split the class up into several parts, as I have a list of people to "find". Thank goodness for the 'Net, Google, Yahoo, et al. Things we didn't have access to in 1995.

But let me give credit where credit is certainly due: Kim Hyman Gilman is an organizational machine. She has a totebag with stuff not only from 1985, but about everything we had to take care of the 10 year reunion in 1995. She's a walking museum of all things Class of '85. Thank God she's in charge! :)

And so, this wild day comes to an end with the following thoughts:

1) The first 9 verses of Revelation really are awesome, and, if we really, really study them, there's no reason to ever be afraid of either reading or understanding the final book in the Bible.

2) The hard work of the Reunion Committee began as of this afternoon.

3) Peyton Manning cannot win in a stadium named after a razor. He always leaves with many nicks, cuts, and razor burn.

4) The only team left in the playoffs that I could even begin to care about is Atlanta (they're underdogs, and they've got Tech's main main, Mr. Vick!)

AND IN CLOSING.....

We need to get our playlist together for our DJ for the October event, so, think of a great 80's tune, preferably before 1986, and send me a comment. We just might use your suggestion on the dance floor! :)

Why isn't there a Jiffy Lube for computers?

You know, for (insert insane amount here), we'll come out and hook up your computer! Which is, of course, why many of us keep the money and take on the frustration of trying to do it ourselves.

Now, mind you, I've made radio, an industry filled with wires, electronics, computers, gadgets, and widgets, a career field now for nearly 20 years, but when it comes to the nuts and bolts of anything technological this side of an abacus, I become Mr. Stupid.

That's why the wife handles all those matters in our house, and that's why she's about to go postal (well, that and the fact she's fighting shingles right now and is on very heavy medication.)

(Speaking of which, there's a term I don't understand. Heavy medication. All the pills I ever took were ounces in weight, and easy to hold, though sometimes the bigger pills (we call 'em horse pills) are hard to swallow..)

Sorry---back on task here.....we buy the computer I referenced a week ago; now our printer won't interface with it (apparently any printer bought prior to January 4th is now considered "out-of-date"...) and we still cannot figure out this Media Center deal which should allow me to sit here and watch the Falcons and Rams on my monitor, so I don't have to perform the brutal act of turning my head 110 degrees to the right to see the game on a 19 inch TV in the corner.

At least we've got it limping enough to get back on line.....

Well, Rome wasn't built in a day, and it's fairly obvious our Media Center won't be, either.

In other news...

---I pretty much slept the day away, unfortunately. I didn't get out of bed until 6pm. Yep, that's six...in the evening. I went to bed at 10:40 last night and proceeded to stay there a long, long time.

---This was the antithesis of Friday, where I not only survived the heavy rain of the morning getting the kids to school and getting to work, but we got our commercials in, I found the dreaded missing "Yellow Book" traffic report copy to ensure we didn't miss those commercials Monday morning, and, I think, just about wrote up an order for everything I needed to catch up on, so, except for two matters that can be cleared up quickly Monday morning, I am CAUGHT UP on my work for the first time since, well, probably since I walked into that building and took over the position in November 2000. I'm serious when I say that. I usually leave a stack of papers anywhere from 2 to 3.5 inches high on the right side filing cabinet, filled with future orders, spec requests, duplicate copies of agency traffic instructions that I'm scared to throw out thinking I may need to prove something down the line, etc, etc, etc.

To walk out of there last night about 8:45 knowing it was, for the most part, "caught up", was a numbing experience. That certainly doesn't explain why I slept 19.5 hours, though.

---My only trip tonight was to calm the kids by going to Wendy's AND McDonalds (no, my two kids can't accept just any fast food, they're even picky when it comes to THAT!)

Rachel: Loves Burger King Chicken Tenders, tolerates Chicken Nuggets from Wendy's, otherwise Wendy's could explode and she wouldn't care, and at McDonalds she'll take their fries first, followed by Chicken McNuggets or a Cheeseburger with only ketchup and mustard.

Robbie: LOVES Wendys Jr. Bacon Cheeseburgers with ketchup and mustard only. Will eat their fries, but if you're making two stops, he'll take the McDonalds fries. And he wants McDonalds cheeseburgers (make that he'll settle for it if you refuse to go to Wendy's, too) just like she does, ketchup and mustard only. Oh, and Robbie won't step foot into a Burger King....

That is, except for breakfast, where the only place they want to go is....you got it, BURGER KING. They take after Dad there, by ordering a ham and cheese croissanwich, no egg. That way, we do our part to save a future chicken.....so we can order it in the form of a nugget at McDonalds some time down the road.....

Man, when I was young, fast food was ONLY on Thursday when we came to town to buy groceries at the old Food Fair in the old Azalea Mall, and it wasn't done every Thursday, it was a treat. Mama would stop by Hardees (notice I didn't even mention them above...) around the time the church bells on Dumbarton Road would ring at noon, and, for a buck, she'd get me a hamburger, fries, and a Coke, and you would have thought I had a million dollars.

Today, I reckon Hardees is out because my kids are 15 years below their new target audience, which is, apparently, male subscribers to Playboy. That is, except during breakfast hours, when the place is twice as packed as any other time of the day, and the average customer age is, well, insert AARP age of your choice here.

Oh, (back on task, Rob, back on task!!), my earlier point was to lead to this: it was stupid drivers night in Glen Allen, and I only ran up to the mall to stop through two drive-thrus.

I watched not one, but two cars turn left off Brook Road into the mall parking lot and drive down the WRONG way, in the two lanes you are to use to LEAVE the mall, not enter it, only to have one turn in front of me into Wendy's, act as if it was backing into a parking place, then suddenly decide to leave Wendy's (at least they were out of my way now), when I noticed their "license plate" said "Farm Use", which of course, led me to thinking, this land once was wooded, but I don't remember a farm being here, which, in other words, is, "you are both driving dangerously and illegally! Get me my food so I can go home!"

Then there's tomorrow. Mommy stays home (too much risk of her shingles being co-opted in a predominantly older congregation--you don't know what chronic ailment can lead them to be at risk---by the way, that proceeding comment was completely serious, as opposed to most of this post), so the kids and I go to church, then I race back here to drop the kids off to make it to Ashland by 2pm for a High School Reunion Committee meeting, then probably stop off at CVS for a thing or two, come home for an hour to see who's winning the football game, then speed back down to church for the dreaded "Annual Council Meeting", which is the precursor to the dreaded "Annual Business Meeting" two weeks down the line, where the usual suspects will have their say about the money, and the pastor will think to himself (there's way too much of it in the bank for a "giving" organization.)

Gosh, all that and I've only been awake five hours. Good thing I didn't get up at 9am, I'd be on information overload.....

Hmmmm.....blogging for the sake of.....blogging??

I heard it from a co-worker today.......

"You haven't blogged since Monday."

I know, I know.....(by the way, the name's right above, but not the face....)

I prefer to have a reason to do so, although sometimes I just want to "blog", but don't have a "set in stone" topic, as it were.

So, news 'n notes n' thoughts.....

1) When will Monday night at 9 be here so I can watch more "24"?

2) It's a darn shame people like Randy Moss even get air time and discussion. The next time he or T.O. or Joe Horn act like idiots....IGNORE THEM. Just like the bully in middle school, when he realizes he's getting nowhere, he'll go away.

3) We're almost halfway through January already......and I STILL don't have my traditional "holiday" letter out to family and friends.

4) Rodney and Gina had, shall I say, what he would call a "very broad" conversation this afternoon that I'd prefer not to go into.....

5) NC State is in huge trouble....I thought this was the year they could break through, even with the tough ACC, what with Hodge back and all. They hung with Duke awhile tonight, but alas, loss #4 in a row. I still can't believe Miami beat us.

6) That "The Will" show was cancelled after one show. (Sounds like what my will might look like, but anyway.....)....why couldn't American Idol have had the same fate??

7) My son absolutely cracked me up the other morning going to school. He showed me his "Teddy Roosevelt" impersonation. (See it in still photo here...) It was Teddy with head cocked to the side, throwing his arm up and down voraciously at a speech circa 19-oh-sometime. I explained to him that video in that time, when shot, played back at much higher speed for some reason; thus that is why Roosevelt looked like he was desperately trying to get a rat out of his coat sleeve.

Ah, the things he learns in Social Studies....

Well, this weekend, I hope (AOL keyword: hope) to work on this blog to include links to my favorite bloggers and other stuff like that there. I want to share with you some of the cool people I've found in the blogosphere, too. :)

Until the next time....Rodney and Gina, stay in your respective positions on the field....and you, Rodney....keep you eyes on the ball!

Nothing like having to rob a convenience store (or at least pretend to) ruin your whole day....

Way to go Jack! Keep the terrorist from his destination with a heist at the Super, Quick, Handy, Gotta Run, Whatever-mart.

Meanwhile, this Erin Driscoll (though the actress playing her is great) has already gotten on my last nerve. What arrogance. It will be interesting, though, to see her "other side" as it pertains to her daughter (I can appreciate this, having a son who is bi-polar).

Then there's Chloe. God bless her, she won't let go of Jack. I bet at the end of this day, she'll reunite with her friend, they'll get married, and buy a convenience store on Route 11.

By the way, Chloe's character, though filled with the same facial expressions as always, seems to have matured this year, much as Jack's daughter did from Season 2 to Season 3.

But, man....I still miss Michelle.

So, will Heller actually make it to "trial". If the terrorists are using dial-up, will they find continual cut-offs annoying to the progression of their international agenda?

Will the mother of the Araz family chop Debbie up and make a nice stew just in time to serve a hearty lunch to Debbie's mom, who's looking for her. When does their son finally turn on them? (He went American! Egads!!)

Oh, and the absolute BEST moment of "24" tonight; Jack speaking with the lady at the convenience store door, quietly, politely informing her that she can get her pack of smokes across the street at the gas station. James Bond has nothing on Jack Bauer! (But don't tell my wife I said that....)

It's a shame there's not two more hours on tomorrow....oh, well.....gives me a good reason to get home from work at a decent hour next Monday....and for the 19 Mondays after that.

You'd think after reading this I'm some sort of TV nut; trust me, I'm NOT. The only show that makes me "schedule stuff around it" is "24". No other. Why? TV ain't all it's cracked up to be......

Heck, blogging's much better! :)

REVIEW: 24: 7am to 9am

Well, no wonder the Muslim community is upset.....

But I'll get to that later.....

First, GREAT start to season "4" of 24. I, being VERY suspicious of losing most of the characters from past seasons, including President Palmer, and my personal favorite, Michelle Dessler at CTU....

It was clear from the start to understand the foundations of the plot; we saw some stuff coming (we didn't give Jack's "replacement" long, and sure enough......), and other stuff came out of the blue (the kidnapping of the Sec. of Defense), but, so far, it's at least 3 out of 4 stars.

I look very much forward to two more hours tomorrow night, and the fact that Fox won't be doing "reruns" or "preempts"; it'll be one hour, every week, 'til the payoff in May.

Ms Driscoll, new head of CTU: Her ego will cost someone something before it's all over.

Chloe, the other "holdover", is, still, Chloe, except she does seem to have matured in her job, and the decision to trust Jack over her boss spoke about her character, too.

My new favorite character, the new guy w/glasses who didn't need his laptop at the meeting in hour one because he had "memorized everything". Reminds me of the guy on Alias who talks alot....sometimes when everyone just wishes he'd shut up.

Now, the portrayal of the "bad guys"; there are 22 episodes to go, so who we've seen thus far could simply be third-rate hired help for the ultimate "evil-doer", but, in light of our post 9-11 circumstances, it doesn't scare me a family is portrayed this way, because, it could happen. BUT, a family of any descent is capable of doing it, too (i.e.--imagine Timothy McVeigh with a wife and teenage son to help him on his "cause"....)

My point is this; rather than focus on Fox's television show, I believe the Council on American-Islamic Relations would be better served understanding the fact that there is a fringe element (and it seems to be growing) of Muslims who fit this profile, and, as recent history has shown in the Middle East, have no problems sending their children into crowded markets hooked up with explosives. They should focus all their energies on eliminating the fringe element; that would do far much more to benefit the perception of loving, kind, genuinely great Muslims that live in America and worldwide.

We have a similar problem here in Richmond. We've changed city government to allow an elected mayor. Former Governor Doug Wilder won the election in a landslide. He is WELL known for getting things done.......BUT........

....read the final letter to the editor of the Richmond Times-Dispatch on this page and see the real issues that are facing Richmond.

1) Crime will never be subdued in the city of Richmond until black-on-black crime is fully attacked and stopped. But how do you do this in a "politically expedient" manner??

2) Get the city's thumbs out of everything! Privatize, offer tax incentives to revitalize, and figure out a way to provide low-low-priced or free, safe, well-lit parking. You could see HDTV's for $200 downtown, but if I can't find a place to park and/or feel safe, you can keep the HDTV.

I'm confident that if there is anyone who will "touch" the "untouchable" subject, it's Doug Wilder. Good luck to him!! :)

So, to review:

EXCELLENT start to "24", even with having to learn new characters; I feel like I've already known them.....

The Council on American-Islamic Relations should focus on ending the fringe radicals within Islam who have created this "stereotype" which they are so upset about it being portrayed on "24". Destroy the fringe, and there's no reason to use a "stereotype".

Doug, get the job done in Richmond. The city needs it, and as the city goes, so goes the entire Richmond Metro Area.

I gotta go beddy-bye now; busy week ahead (what's new!!!)

Monday: Work, day to pick up Rachel from school, MUST be home by 8pm for "24".

Tuesday: Work, then "Share and Prayer Group" at church.

Wednesday: The first of the usual two "longer work days".

Thursday: The second of the aforementioned, and a lunch appointment with a couple seeking my services to perform their wedding in May.

...and the beat goes on.

And so, until we make it to 11am on Day Four....take care! :)

Upgrade at Blog Headquarters......

We're renovating here at BlogCentral on Tavern Way to serve you better, even though we didn't want to and it's costing a pretty penny. Consider this new computer the combo anniversary/my birthday/her birthday present for 2005.

Honestly, we work alot with the computer. Bonnie has all the financial stuff (what's a checkbook??) to do, she handles all her mother's affairs, while I handle church stuff, surf the 'Net for information for our church blog and website and for study, and can also "network" with my computer at work so when they call me at 2am to tell me the Hardees commercial isn't coming up to play at 3am, I can go in, update the file, and save the money for the company.

Oh, yeah, and there's email and blogging for fun.

So, what do we do? Bonnie really wanted a DVD recorder, so we took the plunge, and bought the HP m1170n. We should be set now for the next five years....and by then you'll be able to toast bread while surfing and getting your teeth virtually brushed at the same time.

So, we'll be awhile learning all the ropes; mainly Bonnie since I'm at work so much. I just wanted to know how to get my email and get on the 'Net. I'll figure out the ins and outs of how to make a DVD of an hour of QVC hawking down the road.

So, we move along in the technological age....and I scratch my head thinking how I could do just a little more work to pay for it.....

Orange Bowl was very, very good to USC!

I've rooted for USC since the Anthony Davis/Pat Haden era of the mid 1970's. I remember John McKay as coach, before he was sentenced to the then-expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL.

Thus, it was with great satisfaction that I went to bed last night after seeing USC end the first half with a field goal to put the lead over Oklahoma to 38-10. The 55-19 final was the icing on the cake. Way to go Pete, Matt, and company!!

Oh, and I didn't realize they made sure the 72,000 fans in attendance were good music critics.

Ashlee Simpson. Yikes. Watch the video here, in case you missed it and need to punish yourself for something.....

Just Shut Up and Give Already!!!

Nothing like taking the worst natural disaster in eons and turn it into the "we gave more than you did" pageant.

Thank the UN and the French for blowing this open. The UN official says we're "stingy", then the French beat their chests saying their giving, like $56 million the day after the initial U.S. figure of $15 million (which, of course, became $350 million in the snap of a finger).

From Reuters, via Yahoo News Singapore comes the following quote:

The European Union warned against nations trying to outbid each other in a "beauty contest," without being sure the money would be well spent.

The EU would link aid to needs and "it's not really important to make competition to know who will promise the highest level," said European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Assistance Louis Michel.

Too late, EU.
Thanks, France.

Like Jesus said about the proud who pray in public so everyone will see them; they've gotten their blessing.

The countries who give while keeping their mouth shut, and the people who give $10 and can't afford it, but do it anyway, now THEY are the ones I applaud, and the ones who will be blessed, the good way.

Well, if they stayed away from the ants...

Apparently Krispy Kreme is having some woes.....

1) This article is right; they oversaturated themselves. Go to their store, get 'em at the market, get 'em at the gas station, get 'em at 7-Eleven. Heck, I think they give you a free one down the street at the Oil Change and Lube Shop.....

2) They say "low-carb" diet. Well, the reason I won't be buying any for awhile is what happened to me last week. I buy a dozen glazed from a local supermarket to take to work to share w/co-workers, and what do you know? They were covered in ants.
I can't say they looked like that exactly, but hey, on your donut, an ant is an ant is an ant......

Dunkin' Donuts anyone?

Coming soon....ARAFAT II

Well, well---we're starting to show our true colors, as well as show who we're in bed with, aren't we, Mr. Abbas?

See this......

This is Rachel's artist rendition of Aunt Tammy, 1/1/05. Remember, we post, you decide. How real do they look? (Don't forget to look at the two images below this one!!!!) 

This is Rachel's artistic rendition of Uncle Frank, 1/1/05. 

Here's my Carolina Crew---well, half of them (not counting the dogs!) My brother, Uncle Frank, and his wife, Aunt Tammy, New Bern, NC, 10/26/04. 

No wonder Keith doesn't draw many viewers...

I thought news programs were to present facts. Oh, you mean that was NEVER the real agenda at CBS, The New York Times, NBC, ABC, etc, etc...?

Tonight I'm flipping channels and run into, of all people, the comedy team of Keith Olbermann and Mo Rocca. They're bemoaning the list of "celebrities" who will perform at the Bush Inauguration.

They include: Kid Rock, Gloria Estefan, John Michael Montgomery, and JoJo. Kelsey Grammer is scheduled to be a host. (Macy Gray and 3 Doors Down will be at other soirees, by the way., plus Lyle Lovett, Asleep at the Wheel, and others.)

Now, they proceed to do the following: Keith says, this lineup is good for 1999....why so retro? Mo responds to the effect of, well, Shirley Temple Black is 70 years past her prime, and besides the Democrats have all the big stars, like Bruce Springsteen, Barbra Streisand, and Sheryl Crow.

Didn't Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow have a hit together not too long ago? After 1999, I believe? Oh, Kid is over, but Sheryl is "over", and it's got nuthin' to do with guitar licks and hittin' the right notes....

Let's not forget that Springsteen, Crow and Streisand's "power and draw" wasn't enough to put that Kerry guy in the White House.

No wonder Headline News, of all people, is giving MSNBC a run for their money.

UPDATED: Here's the question/answer from Keith and Mo:

OLBERMANN: In about 30 seconds, these performers, JoJo, Gloria Estefan, Kid Rock, Kelsey Grammer, this is A-list as long as we‘re still in 1999. What happened to getting stars to perform at the inaugural galas?

ROCCA: Well, I think they wanted to go with 1999, but the stars of “Nash Bridges” were unavailable for this.

Look, who were the Republicans going to get? Bo Derek doesn‘t sing and Shirley Temple Black is about 70 years past her prime. This is probably the best they can do. And all the big stars, of course, are Democrats, Bruce Springsteen, Barbra Streisand, Sheryl Crow. They were set to perform. They thought Kerry would win. Now they‘re going to perform at the inauguration of Viktor Yushchenko.

(LAUGHTER)

Yep, laughter was on the show, not my comment. Wonder if Keith sent "holiday" cards to all 104 of his faithful viewers....

January 2....lessons in NFL calculations....and other stuff....

Okay, so Minnesota loses, and gets in.....
...and Jacksonville wins and is left out.....
...while Green Bay and San Diego win games they didn't need to win.....
...the Patriots played most of their guys...
...and Peyton Manning made a cameo appearance.

Though I understand the "injury risk" theory, I contend it's much better to let your regulars play at least into the third quarter, then hand it over to the 2nd string, even if the game's outcome is in doubt. Reason? Continuity.

Therefore, kudos to the Patriots for looking at their 49er game as a time to prepare for the weeks ahead and not just "rest up", and to Pittsburgh, who did some of the same thing, though Ben and the Bus definitely needed time away due to nicks, etc.

Also, Brett Favre rocks. Enough said.

Playoffs? I'll think about it and get back to you; but I must say that St. Louis/Seattle Saturday afternoon showdown has "nap" written all over it.

AND OTHER STUFF...................

Church went pretty well today, and we've started traveling through Revelation. More info on the church blog here.

Had a visitation after church, then came home about 4pm to enjoy some football, a quick nap, and a victorious game of air hockey.

Gearing up now to return to work tomorrow....the kids are back at school.....and I'm gettin' ready to cheer on the Hokies in the Sugar Bowl!!!

My era/relationship in my hometown of Beaverdam officially came to a close 18 years ago today, beginning the "2nd phase" of life. I think that ended when Mama passed 12/28/02, so I'm in the 3rd phase now, which includes:

--medicine
--shorter hair (much easier to manage)
--a belly that now needs to be, uh, tightened!!
--and issues....but nothing too big for God. :)

Why do things happen? Can't answer it sometimes, but it'll all come out in the wash....even if you have to wait for the rinse cycle. My first day in heaven will be an incredible learning experience. :)

Looking for good things this year, and, as I'm a pretty transparent fellow (I don't hide true feelings well at all), you're invited to share it all here, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the stuff bought on clearance.

GO HOKIES!!!!

First Big Events of 2005....

....come in the sports world!

1) Iowa, on the last play of the Capitol One Bowl, finds a wide open receiver for a 56 yard TD to win over LSU 30-25 (how was he so wide open???)

2) #2 Kansas nips #9 Georgia Tech 70-68 in OT in a rematch of last year's Elite Eight overtime thriller.

Happy New Year everybody......:)