Spinning Spokes

Thoughts on Father's Day

2009-06-21T02:33:00.002-04:00

Well, technically this is the second Father's Day I have had since my marriage fell apart last year. But my approach in 2008 was quite simple; Father's Day did not exist in my world. It couldn't exist. There was just too much pain and heartache involved since the separation had occurred just days before.

I thought 2009 would be easier. But these past two days have proven me wrong in that department. Friday night, I was in tears because I missed my kiddos so much. At this point, I'm only getting two and a half hours a week with them in visitation; a paltry amount of time to be a father to my own children. Realistically, it's enough time to sit down and play with them for a while and exchange some hugs and kisses. Not exactly quality parenting time in my book.

So I asked to get my weekly time with the kids later today—on Father's Day—thinking it would be a very nice time to see the trio. But now I'm having some serious reservations. In just over ten hours, I will have my kids in my arms for another brief period of their lives. I will get to see how much they are learning and changing while I am evicted from their day-to-day lives. And a short time afterward, I will choke back the tears as I bid them farewell until our next visit. And I'll return to the house where they used to run up and down the stairs, filling the house with laughter, and I will start anew the process of missing them terribly until the next visit comes around.

It isn't fair, I know. It isn't right. But it is the current situation. I do hope and pray things will get better once the divorce is officially done and the paperwork is signed. (Just when that will be, I don't know. But that's a subject for another blog post.)

I just can't help but think of how many times H would say she felt sorry for me because my dad left the family when I was in third grade. She called my family "dysfunctional" on many occasions since I grew up without a father. Yet, she has had no reservations about tearing our own family apart and forcing me out of the picture almost completely.

Passion

2009-04-26T04:13:00.002-04:00

Noun

S: (n) passion, passionateness (a strong feeling or emotion)
S: (n) heat, warmth, passion (the trait of being intensely emotional)
S: (n) rage, passion (something that is desired intensely) "his rage for fame destroyed him"
S: (n) mania, passion, cacoethes (an irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action)
S: (n) passion (a feeling of strong sexual desire)
S: (n) love, passion (any object of warm affection or devotion) "the theater was her first love"; "he has a passion for cock fighting";
S: (n) Passion, Passion of Christ (the suffering of Jesus at the Crucifixion)

Source: WordNet

Passion takes many forms. There is of course the passion between lovers. There is the passion between an artist and her art. There is the passion toward one's child. There is the passion of a sports aficionado. There is the passion of life.

So why has passion been on my mind so much recently? I think it is because a number of passions have been reignited in my life over the past few months. Passions which were brought into dormancy over the years and were never nurtured. Never allowed to show themselves. Never expressed.

So why did my passion get quenched? Well, those close to me know the answer to it. Everyone else will just have to wonder. But the important thing is they have been rebirthed.

But the most important passion in my life: The passion for life.

The Resurrection of Self

2009-04-20T22:54:00.002-04:00

How can you see into my eyes like open doors
Leading you down into my core
Where I’ve become so numb without a soul my spirit sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back home

—Evanescence, Bring Me to Life

How is it possible for one to die and not even take notice of it? I guess if I had stayed in touch with some of my friends—like NoMariposa and Lorem—then I would have seen the slow death that I was going through during my marriage. Slowly neglecting my passion for photography and my participation in social activities were sure signs (at this point in my life) that the changes going on in my life were not for the best.

I guess it's easy to let the business of daily 'living' suck the energy and life out of you if you're not careful. If I'm not careful, I can work too many hours on the job until I have wiped myself out for non-work activities. Too much of today's American society seems to be dealing with the urgent while neglecting the important. (To borrow Dr. Stephen Covey's terminology.)

Yet it is the important things in life that we should be focusing on. Being the best parent we possibly can be to our children. Building and sustaining the relationships we have with friends. Nurturing ourselves in order to be able to nurture the world around us.

Because if we don't we will become numb inside. Or even worse, jaded and cynical. (Like some cyclist/photographer/blogger I happen to know.)

Something to think about...

2009-04-20T12:09:00.001-04:00

"Deep optimism is aware of problems, but recognizes the solution; knows about difficulties, but believes they can be overcome; sees the negative, but accentuates the positive; is exposed to the worst, but expects the best; has reason to complain, but prefers to smile."

—Dr. William Arthur Ward

Don't ask...

2009-04-19T02:13:00.002-04:00

Yes, I'm up again in the wee hours of the morning. The laptop clock shows 2:13 in the a.m. and I feel absolutely fine. My circadian rhythm is completely screwed up. I feel like I need to take a week off work in order to try and adjust my sleeping pattern to something much more reasonable.

But I didn't come here to write about my screwed up sleep schedule. I wanted to write about a good friend of mine: let's call her Lorem. This is someone I had the opportunity to meet back in the day when I was a mere student at Indiana University playing around with film cameras, developing reels, and enlargers. (God, do I miss those days!)

Well Lorem and I have reconnected since H and I split up last June. She has shared with me a blog she once wrote and has invited me into her thoughts and experiences during the dark period when we weren't in touch with each other. Reading the struggles she went through are just awe-inspiring to me. I cannot believe she was able to write about the things she expressed so eloquently as they were happening.

I am grateful she has chosen to share with me. And in return, I am re-affirming my commitment to share my life with everyone through Spinning Spokes.

Ugh! A helluva morning

2009-03-24T10:57:00.002-04:00

Well I spent most of last night sleepless and putzing around online and watching Nip/Tuck while waiting for the sun to rise. Too bad it appears I got a case of food poisoning from some fast food I picked up at an ungodly hour of the morning which derailed my plans.

I ended up crashing around 5am and woke up a couple of hours later with a case of food poisoning. A few minutes in the bathroom 'evacuating' what was in my stomach has left me with a bad taste in my mouth—quite literally—and a sore abdomen.

So I made it in to work, wondering about the best laid plans for the day. I was planning to take Big Ugly (my Yashica 6x6 medium format camera) out after work for some play time. Now I'll be doing good if I can catch the sunset at my favorite reservoir on the northwest side of town.

Anyway, it's just another instance of life throwing a curve ball my way and me having to deal with it. It's not going to win...just make the day a bit more uncomfortable than I would like it to be.

At least my day is going better than how yesterday fared for professional cyclist Lance Armstrong. During one of his comeback races in Spain, he was involved in a crash that resulted with him sustaining a broken right clavicle (AKA the collarbone) which is a hallmark injury for cyclists. He's out of racing for a few weeks which shouldn't have a major impact on the Astana team which is very strong even without Armstrong.

Food for thought

2009-03-23T14:35:00.001-04:00

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.
~ Scott Adams

Update on Lance

2009-03-23T13:26:00.003-04:00

Direct from Team Astana's Twitter feed, Lance has a broken collarbone.

Damn! Armstrong in hospital after race crash (via CNN)

2009-03-23T12:13:00.001-04:00

(CNN) -- American cyclist Lance Armstrong, the only man to win the Tour de France seven times, crashed on the first stage of a five-day race in Spain on Monday and was taken to a hospital by ambulance. American Armstrong was competing in Spain to regain full race fitness after coming out of retirement.

American Armstrong was competing in Spain to regain full race fitness after coming out of retirement.

Armstrong reportedly fell around 20 kilometers from the finish and appeared to have suffered an upper-arm injury.

Race organizers said Armstrong was taken to hospital at nearby Palencia and had now withdrawn from the race.

Armstrong announced in September last year that he would be returning to the saddle after a three-year break.

The 37-year-old won the Tour de France, considered the premiere bike race in the world, a record seven times from 1999-2005.

Armstrong launched his comeback in January when he raced in the Tour Down Under in Australia, finishing 29th.

He then played a key supporting role as Astana teammate Levi Leipheimer won the Tour of California title in February.

He was riding in this week's Castilla and Leon race to continue his bid to reach peak form ahead of the Giro d'Italia and then a crack at an eighth Tour crown.

(Original article posted at http://www.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/03/23/cycling.armstrong/index.html

Spinning Spokes Spin-off

2009-03-23T10:52:00.003-04:00

(Try saying that blog post title five times in a row. :-) )

After considering a suggestion from a friend, I have decided to split off the blog posts regarding improving our lives into The Cog. This is to maintain the personal focus of Spinning Spokes while giving The Cog it's own unique identity.

So be sure to bookmark the new site and continue to look for the daily (except on the weekend) updates on ways to improve your world.

Weekend musings

2009-03-21T22:40:00.002-04:00

Here's this weekend's random musings from the intertubes.

Need a copywriter? Get in touch with my friend, Eve, for a wonderful editor to work with.
Former colleague Mikal Belicove has posted his weekly Four For Friday questions. Always something here to get you thinking.
Here is a sampling of RSS feeds I visit on a regular basis:
- Strobist—The ultimate authority on photographic lighting.
- Wired—All things technology.
- Scott Ginsberg—Learn how to make yourself more approachable from That Guy With The Nametag.
- 43Folders—Merlin Mann's productivity resource.
- LifeHacker - Software—All kinds of gems pop up in here every week.
So, what are some of your favorite RSS feeds? Post them to the comments section below.
Did you get your copy of Twilight yet? It is rumored to be the biggest DVD release of 2009. (FYI, yes I did pick it up myself.)
A little sporting event started this week. I think it is called March Madness??? As an Indiana alum, I cannot in good conscience root for Purdue. So, my favorite team in heading into the Sweet Sixteen is Gonzaga.

Week in review

2009-03-20T09:43:00.002-04:00

Wow. This week was full of accomplishments and disappointments in my life, so a weekly review of lessons learned is going to be quite easy. So let's dig in.

On the physical front, I've relearned that I need to kick the soda habit altogether (again) to aid in the weight loss. Even though they are labeled as "diet," diet sodas don't help me lose weight. It's easier for me to kick them to the curb completely versus trying to satisfy my craving. So this weekend is my time to start the tapering off to prevent a caffeine withdrawal headache. (An unfortunate side-effect of my favorite soda being Mountain Dew and its diet equivalent.)

I also saw the need to revitalize my workout plan. The scales don't lie and the weight I've put back on this year is proving that I need to go back to the focus I had last year when I dropped 50 pounds. I am at serious risk of jeopardizing this year's weight loss goal unless I turn things around NOW.

Mentally, I continued my read of Jeffrey Gitomer's Little Gold Book of YES!Attitude and am finding ways to take my attitude to the next level. How we perceive our day-to-day lives is controlled by out mental attitude, so it's important to work on it every day.

As I embarked on this journey of daily blogging, I also learned the importance of preparation. The task has turned out to be a bit more than I expected, so I am going to kick up the prep work instead of abandoning the change. All change requires hard work, right?

Giving help versus accepting help

2009-03-19T22:34:00.002-04:00

I don't know about you, but this is one of those areas in my life that I have struggled with. I am willing to be the first one to the scene if a friend's car breaks down on the side of the highway, but I would hesitate at calling that same friend if I needed the aid.

Why is it that we hesitate to ask for help, yet freely give of ourselves? Is it a fear of rejection? Is it a fear of someone keeping score? Is it a simple case of embarrassment?

No matter the reason for the hesitation, I believe most people want you to ask for help when it is needed. By not stopping to ask for help, you are robbing that person of the joy of providing you aid.

Back to the Basics

2009-03-18T10:47:00.002-04:00

Legendary basketball coach John Wooden once said, "It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen." No where am I seeing that more clearly than in my fitness routine this year.

I have definitely been neglecting the basics of nutrition this year and the scale is proving it. I've put on some of the weight I lost last year, much to my disappointment and dismay. As I look back at what I've eaten—and the quantities thereof—I know exactly what is going on.

So it's about going back to the lessons we've all learned but don't necessarily follow.

Stay hydrated. I have a three-liter bottle of water I keep at work, I used to drink it completely every day. Yes, it led to many trips to the bathroom (which is more physical activity which leads to more calories being burned) but it was giving my body what it needs. Recently I've been drinking more diet soda and maybe a liter of water during my eight-hour shift. Obviously that isn't working; the weight is coming back and my energy levels are dropping off.
Moderation is vital. One donut every so often is OK. A dozen donuts every week is not. A slice of pizza is OK. A whole pizza is not. It's OK to feel hungry during the day. You don't have to feel completely satisfied and stuffed every waking moment. Otherwise your pants will begin to feel stuffed. :-)
Fruits and veggies are important. It's easy in American culture to forget about the benefits of fruits and vegetables; especially fresh ones. Not only do they provide the body with needed vitamins and minerals, they also provide you with fiber which will help give you that satisfied feeling after a meal.
Avoid prepared foods. One can of Chef Boyardee can provide you with as much as half of your sodium content FOR THE DAY. Microwave meals can be much, much worse. That 32 ounce bottle of Gatorade is 200 calories. So think about what you are buying at the grocery and read the labels. Sure it takes more time to fix healthy meals but in the long run, it is worth it.

So what other tips do you have on this subject? Share your favorites in the comments section and let's all live healthier lives together.

Getting Creative at Work

2009-03-17T09:50:00.002-04:00

Last week, "Nametag" Scott Ginsberg (@nametagscott) posted a blog entry titled How to Create an Autoresponder That Customers Print Out & Show to Their Boss that got me thinking. If in our day-to-day business world we can spark creativity in something as simple as an email autoresponder, what else are we neglecting?

So I got to thinking. And with a little help from my friends, an idea hit me like a ton of bricks. Well, Maybe a ton of 2-inch by 3-inch pieces of cardstock. Yes, friends, I am talking about the miniature billboard most of us carry around in our planner, wallet, or purse. The business card.

If you're like me, your company's business card is quite generic. Sure, it has your firm's color scheme on is, but the presentation is basically the same. It has your contact information—sometimes in embossed type, for the big spenders—but it is that standard one-sided list of contact methods on white cardstock.

So, you may find yourself asking, "Eric, what's wrong with that? It's what everyone has." And that, my friends, is the problem: Everyone has the same thing. Using the traditional business card approach does not help you or your company stand out from the crowd. It does not leave a memorable impression in the minds of your customers or colleagues. It does not force the recipient to stop and take a second look.

So what is a businessperson to do? Think outside the box, er, card (as the case may be). Well, while perusing my conglomeration of RSS feeds, the fine folks at Photojojo (@photojojo) published an article dealing with this very topic. Although geared toward photographers, 12 Awesome Photography Business Card Ideas is chock-full of ideas that can be put to use by a variety of corporations and individuals alike.

From utilizing both sides of the business card to breaking out of the traditional card size, each of the ideas in this article are sure to get your mind going and inspire you to give your business card a powerful makeover. Even if their ideas won't work for your particular firm, it should get the mental gears started to turn and rethink your approach to business cards to help break out of the mold and get noticed.

A Positive Attitude on Steroids

2009-03-16T04:18:00.000-04:00

Positive: Characterized by or displaying affirmation or acceptance or certainty etc.
Attitude: A complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways
Definitions courtesy of wordnet.princeton.edu

I started reading Jeffrey Gitomer's Little Gold Book of YES!Attitude (published by FT Press) last week. I took this pocket-sized gem to the gym with me to read while exercising on the stationary bike. Big mistake. I found myself focusing on digesting the book more than working out. It didn't take long for me to realize I needed to sit the book aside, concentrate on my workout, and read this book when I am not distracted.

If you're like me, the first question you ask when you see this book's title is what in the h*ll is a YES! attitude. Gitomer relates a YES!Attitude to winning a big game. "When something great happens, no one screams, 'Positive!' Everyone screams 'YES!' That's the difference. That's the YES! factor." (page 23)

So, is it no longer enough to have a positive attitude in today's society? Is the classic text The Power of Positive Thinking by Normal Vincent Peale obsolete?

I do not believe so. There is more to having a positive attitude than just seeing the proverbial glass as "half full." That is only one part of the whole equation. See, having a positive attitude isn't enough; we must develop a positive lifestyle.

Peale once said "Change your thoughts and you change your world." Those words still ring true. The battle for a positive attitude starts in the mind. But in order to succeed, we need to take that attitude and transform it into a complete lifestyle.

In the final chapter of Gitomer's book, he writes, "A YES!Attitude is your ability to think, listen, speak, and react in a positive way."

Notice the subtle difference? A positive attitude must move beyond the mind in order to transform day-to-day living. A positive attitude must be reflected through positive actions, positive speech, and positive interactions with those whose lives intertwine with ours each and every day.

DISCLAIMER: Gitomer's book was published by one of the imprints of the publishing firm where I work. The comments about this book are mine solely and are not influenced by my relationship with the publisher nor should they be interpreted as coming from the publisher.

Rebirth of Spinning Spokes

2009-03-15T17:17:00.001-04:00

Often times tragedy must befall one's life before change takes place. In those rare moments, change happens not out of necessity but out of a desire to improve, to grow, to evolve, to mature. The past year has been one of personal tragedy in my life and has brought about profound change in many areas of my life. Those parts that have not been impacted by the tragedy are now at the forefront of my attention to re-evaluate and to see how they can be bettered.

One aspect that I am now re-assessing is this blog and it's very existence. Over the years, writing has been sporadic at best and downright neglected at worst both in this blog, in personal journals, and in my creative life. It is time to change that.

So how will Spinning Spokes be transformed? I'm still not entirely sure, to be honest. Definitely more frequent posts. Hopefully more interaction with you, the reader. And if I'm truly lucky, an opportunity to help you transform your own life through the lessons I have learned.

To facilitate the regularity of posting, here is what you can expect from the blog starting immediately.

Monday—Mondays are a dreaded day for most people. It is the start of the work week. The fun from the weekend is over. It's back to "the daily grind." So what better way to start the week off than with some words of inspiration and encouragement from some of the leading experts in this field. Look for discussions on the works of Tony Robbins, Dr. John C. Maxwell, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, and the gentleman himself, Zig Ziglar. Let's buck the trend of Monday being a negative day and look at it for what it really is: Another beginning in our professional lives.
Tuesday—Tuesday is going to be a day for our creative pursuits. We will take a look at some form of creativity and how we can use that form to express ourselves better. It may be a look at an art exhibition that is coming up. It might be a look at a piece of software which we can utilize to create our vision. It might be a look at a book written about creativity. Who knows? I shall let the Muses decide.
Wednesday—Wednesday we will look at the quesiton of what life transformation is complete without the transformation of our physical self? Without the body, everything else is a waste. What good is it to make a million dollars if we are physically unable to enjoy it? So these posts will deal with ways to improve ourselves through nutrition and exercise. There are literally hundreds of articles published in magazines every month about this topic let alone the innumerable number of pieces written exclusively for online content. So I hope to bring you something from that massive realm so that you can join me in improving on your physical well-being.
Thursday—Thursdays are going to look at changing the world around us. Too often we get swallowed up in the urgent affairs in life and get sidetracked from seeing how we can help those we come in contact with daily. Look for more than just ideas for how you can make your community a better place to live. Look for ways that other people are impacting their community in a positive way. I hope to show you that helping others can be done easily and effortlessly in our day-to-day life.
Friday—Friday marks the end of the work week. It signifies the start of the fun and relaxing time known as the weekend. What better day that Friday to reflect back on the previous week to see what we can learn from it and how we can apply those lessons to improve the following week. No, I'm not going to regurgitate the content from this week. I do plan to see what we can learn from out individual experiences to enhance our lives more.
Weekends—The weekend is going to be the catch-all post. Little lessons that I've gleaned from the world around me that I find useful, thought-provoking, interesting, or humorous from the past week.

So this is my committment to you, the reader. In return, I ask two things from you. First, come back daily and check out the new posts. Or simply subscribe to the blog's RSS feed and have the new imformation delivered to your desktop as soon as it is published to the Web. Second, if you like what you see, tell your friends and colleagues about the blog.

So, my friend, secure and fasten your seat belt becasue this change happens immediately. Jump in to the mix with me and let's learn from each other.

Random Thoughts for a Thursday

2009-03-12T12:16:00.002-04:00

"Passion. That is what life is all about. And you cannot experience passion without emotion." —Eric S. Miller
Want to be more than normal? Check out this blog post by Scott "The Nametag Guy" Ginsberg.
I am getting tired of it being sunny and cold or cloudy and warm. Shouldn't it be sunny and warm or cloudy and cold???
Nothing beats a cup of Earl Grey tea when times get stressful.
I'm very thankful to have (in alphabetical order) Eve, Kim, Rejoyce, Sheri, and Trinity in my life.
Next Friday (March 20) is the meteorological start to spring.
"Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away!" —Paul Simon
Our actions have consequences. Some we can predict, others we cannot.
Astana is definitely living up to the team's outlook on paper of being the strongest team on the pro cycling tour this year.
Twitter is very addictive. If you aren't familir with the Web serivce, you must check it out.

Microsoft store vs. Apple Store

2009-02-16T10:33:00.002-05:00

This is too funny not to pass along. Originally posted at PC World, the text also appeared at MacWorld.com.

10 ways Microsoft's retail stores will differ from Apple's

Instead of Apple's sheer walls of glass, Microsoft's stores will have brushed steel walls dotted with holes—reminiscent of Windows security.
The store will have six different entrances: Starter, Basic, Premium, Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate. While all six doors will lead into the same store, the Ultimate door requires a fee of US$100 for no apparent reason.
Instead of a Genius Bar (as Apple provides) Microsoft will offer an Excuse Bar. It will be staffed by Microsofties trained in the art of evading questions, directing you to complicated and obscure fixes, and explaining it's a problem with the hardware—not a software bug.
The Windows Genuine Advantage team will run storefront security, assuming everybody is a thief until they can prove otherwise.
Store hours are undetermined. At any given time the store mysteriously shuts down instantaneously for no apparent reason. (No word yet on what happens to customers inside).
Stores will be named Microsoft Live Retail Store with PC Services for Digital Lifestyle Enthusiasts.
Fashioned after Microsoft's User Account Control (UAC) in Vista, sales personnel will ask you whether you're positive you want to purchase something at least twice.
Xbox 360 section of the store will be organized in a ring—which will inexplicably go red occasionally.
DreamWorks will design a scary in-store theme park ride called "blue screen of death."
Store emergency exits will be unlocked at all times so people can get in anytime they want even if the front doors are locked.

Relationship lessons

2009-01-27T11:56:00.002-05:00

Well folks, to kick off the Chinese New Year of the Ox (which was yesterday for those who didn't know), I decided to take a look at the lessons I have learned—and am still learning—from my failed marriage. This should be fun.

It takes two to make a relationship. I know it seems quite obvious from the outside but in the heat of an argument, it is too easy to get focused on the other person's problems or shortcomings or flaws or whatever negative trait is contributing to the fight. Each person must take responsibility for the health of the relationship in order for it to succeed in the long term. Once that responsibility becomes a blame game, things start to get in trouble.
Appreciate the little things. I like to do the little things to brighten my partner's day. Opening the door at the store. Buying flowers for no reason. Giving a neck rub because she had a bad day. I firmly believe it is the little things that matter the most. Of course, helping with the big things (like chores) is important, too, but I feel the little things are what makes your partner feel appreciated.
Be appreciative. Yes that last item was a beautiful segue. :-) I know from experience that when someone doesn't feel appreciated it just lays a seed that can turn into anger, hostility, jadedness, or animosity. Having someone tell you "thank you" or "I really appreciate that" automatically makes you feel better. So remember how you feel and be sure to show your appreciation.
Don't go to bed angry. For me, going to bed angry means a sleepless night full of mean thoughts and just puts me in a totally bad mood come morning. If something needs to be addressed in the relationship, then address it. Problems don't resolve themselves; they require proactive effort. So put aside pride or ego or whatever it is that keeps you from being the one who steps up and works to resolve the problem.
Don't let the foundation develop cracks. When cracks appear in the foundation, it is time for some serious effort to be made to repair the foundation. If not, the entire relationship will come crumbling down around you. And unfortunately it won't be pretty when it does.
Long live romance! Don't let romance move out of the relationship. OK, I'm gonna talk to the guys on this one. Romance isn't rocket science. It is quite simple. Have a candlelight dinner every so often. Dress up and go out to a nice dinner for no reason other than to spend time together. Buy some flowers on the way home or, at a minimum, when you are at the grocery store. At a loss for ideas, do a search on Amazon where you can find books like 1001 Ways to Be Romantic to give you some ideas. (As a bonus, guys, that particular book is only 41¢ as of the writing of this post, so don't let spending money stop you!!!)

OK, so those are some of the lessons I've learned. I'd love to hear from you as to what else you thinks is important to maintain a healthy relationship that can not only survive over the years but thrive as well.

Christmas wishes

2008-12-18T10:30:00.002-05:00

Well, as I try to prepare for Christmas (it's only one week away!!!), it's time to kick back and reflect on exactly what my wishes are for this year.

The first wish was quite simple. I wanted to have the divorce finalized by Christmas so that I would be ready to start 2009 as a single guy. Well, that's not about to happen so I'll scratch that off my list and will amend it with the hopes of being done with the divorce by Groundhog Day.

The second wish was also quite simple. I'm not going to tell what is is because there is still a small chance that it might come true, even though I know it would be highly unlikely. Yes, I know it's cryptic; it is meant to be.

Am I disappointed by not getting what I want? Of course I am. Who would ave thought that a divorce started in September would still be dragging on. As for the other wish, well, I'll leave it to the imagination.

Looking for more?

2008-12-15T14:37:00.002-05:00

I'm over on Facebook as well, so pop on by and say hi. My profile can be found here!!!

Optimistic

2008-12-01T14:26:00.002-05:00

Well, December is now upon us. In just a couple of weeks, it will be New Year's Day—a time for fresh starts and goals for the new year.

So I'm entering the month of December looking back at what was nothing short of a terrible year. But what strikes me is not the negatives, but the positives that are starting to blossom in my life.

On the fitness front, I did successfully kick the Diet Mountain Dew habit for many weeks. A couple of late nights got me started back on the caffeine-fueled frenzy which continues today. But it showed me that I can give up this soda if I only set my mind to it. One day soon, I will recommit to purging it from my life—just not today.

The other big story in the fitness front has been my successful loss of nearly 50 pounds (depending on the actual day) since the first of the year. I'm down two jean sizes. I've burned through two belts. I've got more energy than I have in a while. My endurance is increasing. I miss not going to the gym for a workout; in fact, I actually look forward to it.

OK, so what else has changed. I've reconnected with some friends that I've lost over the years. Some—one in particular—have become an integral part of my life and have given me support and a chance to offer support. Definitely a win-win situation for everyone.

I also celebrated my 10 year anniversary at work; no small feat in today's economy. I'd like to say it was dumb luck that got me this far, but I know there was a lot of sweat and blood shed in the publishing industry to still be around. Versatility is key.

So what do I expect in the new year? Well, I think that's a post for another day. :-)

Self-Confidence; Friend or Foe?

2008-11-03T10:38:00.003-05:00

OK, the title to this post is a bit misleading. After all, everyone knows it's important to have self-confidence, so how can it be a foe? I think having low self-confidence can be a massive enemy lurking in the shadows to trip us up.

I've struggled with having self-confidence before and it is tough to overcome the insecurity that it causes. What I have found is that for a person with low self-confidence that others actually have more confidence in them than they have in themselves.

Which leads us to the question of why? I think that is a multi-faceted question that really varies from person to person. Generally speaking, I believe the source of the problem is a combination of fear and insecurity in one's self.

Fear comes into play in many ways. What will someone think if I fail at this? How will someone react to my doing that? Am I even able to accomplish this task?

Fear is a major motivator in our lives. For prehistoric man, fear was a major reason for survival. We've all experienced the heightened awareness, adrenaline rush (the fight-or-flight response), and fine-tuned senses. Those traits come in very handy when you're hunting down a T-Rex for dinner. But in today's society, not many of us are faced with life or death circumstances, yet our bodies react the same way. Whether it's a mouse scurrying across the dining room floor, a spider appearing in our car, or fear of the unknown, the physiological and emotional responses are the same.

So what about the insecurity piece of the puzzle? Insecurity can be caused by a huge number of factors. Maybe you had a parent leave when you were a child so now you expect people in relationships to leave you, too. Maybe you didn't prepare for a speech you had to give and now your heart beats a million times a minute if you have to talk during a meeting. Maybe you were involved in a car accident and find yourself doubting your driving abilities afterward.

All of those are valid reasons to doubt yourself. But when it gets in the way of living your life, that is when it crosses the threshold of what is healthy. An unhealthy sense of insecurity can cause you to be in a constant state of self-doubt which ultimately leads to low self-confidence.

So how do we bridge the gap? We first need to shift our focus off of those things we fear and are insecure about and look at those things we are confident about. It may be something as simple as being confident about your ability to make photocopies at work. But that minor shift will start to train your mind to look for other areas where you are confident in your abilities. Making a good pot of coffee. Doing laundry. Keeping your house clean. Being a fun parent.

In no time at all, your view of yourself will begin to shift from "I can't do anything right" to "I may not be able to do everything right, but I sure can do a lot of stuff right." Yes, it may take some time, but the benefits are most definitely worth it.

So if you suffer from low self-confidence, believe in those around who who compliment you and tell you encouraging things. Start to look at the things you do on a daily basis and see them for the inherent good. And with time and patience, your confidence will blossom like a rose in the springtime.

A thought on divorce

2008-10-31T18:27:00.003-04:00

Going through a divorce obviously means there are changes coming to one's lifestyle. A home becomes just a house. One family is torn into two. Hearts are broken.

But the worst one for me has been the feeling of loneliness. For the past 10 years, I would come home to a family. There would be life, energy, and vitality there. It was a place I looked forward to returning to after a day at the office.

But not anymore. The house is full of emptiness and memories of what should have been. There is no one waiting to see if I make it back safely. And with the days coming to a close earlier and earlier, I am left with darkness when I end my day.

I knew this was going to happen when H filed the paperwork. I knew there would be rough times ahead as I heal from the pain. But I wasn't ready for it to hurt so much. I wasn't ready to sit in a quiet house, the only sounds coming from a car driving down the street. And I certainly wasn't ready to miss out on family events like trick or treating that I've gotten used to over the past four years.

Instead, I have to accept the change for what it is. I have to accept that my family is never going to be the same again. I have to accept my loss. But as much as I would like to, there isn't a damn thing I can do to help the pain.

T-minus 11 hours and 18 minutes

2008-10-31T12:39:00.002-04:00

Yes, folks, the countdown to NaNoWriMo is underway. In a few short hours, I will begin my descent into literary fame and fortune with my first novel.

In case you cannot tell, I am terribly excited about this undertaking. Writing a minimum of 50,000 words is no small feat. But others have traveled this path before me so I know it can be done successfully. And with flair.

So do not fret if I seem to drop off the face of the earth during November. I will be furiously typing my fingers into the keyboard in my pursuit of the next great American novel.

Thoughts on regret

2008-10-29T13:51:00.002-04:00

I believe everyone has regrets about life. Bad decisions can run the gamut of events—relationships, career choices, cities to live in, etc. But the one thing that is common to all of us is that we can't go back in time to change anything.

I have many regrets about decisions I've made in the past. Some keep coming to mind on a weekly basis. Others, not so often. It's not easy to put those regrets to bed once and for all.

The only thing we can do if to live each day without regrets from here on out. How do we do that? By realizing the decisions we make are the best ones given what we know today. Our lives can change in a heartbeat so what seemed obvious yesterday may not be so obvious today. All we can do it evaluate our lives moment by moment, make the best decision we know how, and correct our mistakes as needed.

Fitness Follies and Foibles—Part 2

2008-10-28T10:38:00.005-04:00

In my original post, I forgot to mention some of the lessons learned so far in my fitness lifestyle change.

First is moderation. You can't make up for missed workouts, no matter what. I have gone balls-to-the-wall after missing a few days at the gym and have been fortunate to have missed out on an injury so far. There have only been two workouts that have left me sore from injury.

When in doubt, ask someone. I pose questions to my trainer nearly every week. She may not have the answers but she is gracious enough to look for an answer. Plus I'm blessed to have a friend who is a physical therapist who has helped with a knee problem that has come up. Even in today's Information Age, no one can have all of the knowledge and answers so it's crucial to build on a team of professionals—be it your medical team, friends, colleagues, the staff at the gym, or fitness authors—that can help you find the answers to your questions.

The gym isn't enough. An lifestyle change has to include both exercise and nutrition. One without the other is ineffective. Gone are the days of my eating an entire pizza for dinner. Gone are the days of picking up a handful of donuts at the bakery. I'm seeing the benefits in my waistline of these changes. It's not always been easy—we all have bad days—but the benefits are starting to overcome the desires and temptations.

Get a support structure. No, I'm not taking about surrounding yourself with scaffolding. But it is important to identify a handful of friends who will support you through this time. I am in a group of guys who hold each other accountable on a daily basis. Plus I meet with the trainer periodically to review my workout history. Knowing that if I drop off there will be people there to not only call me on it but to offer encouragement is absolutely priceless.

Remember, it takes time. I am one of the most impatient people I know. I want is now, if not yesterday. But the weight wasn't added overnight and won't come off overnight, no matter what those late night infomercials promise. And most people will never have the six=pack of perfect abs thanks to some newfangled machine.

This segment added 20081018 at 2142.

Oh yeah, there's one more lesson I've learned. It came back to me whilst cycling at the gym tonight. Get some kickin' music!!! Once my workout was over I noticed I was a full two miles per hour slower than usual. Part of it was me trying to read a book while cycling, but I truly believe it was because I left my iPod in the car. Even my weight routine was impacted negatively. So load up some upbeat, fast tempo tunes and kick-start your next workout.

How could I not mention

2008-10-23T13:22:00.000-04:00

Happy 7th birthday to the wonderful iPod line. Yes, on this date in 2001 the iPod was unveiled to the world and quickly went on to revolutionize how people listen to music.

Fitness Follies and Foibles

2008-10-23T12:53:00.002-04:00

I have been embarking on a physical enlightenment (so to speak) for the past couple of months. It's been more than a diet, it's a mental shift in some long-past learned habits and—quite frankly—addictions.

So what has changed? Quite a bit actually. So let's look at a breakdown of changes:

Physical—I'm exercising at least four times a week with a mix of cardio and strength activities.
Nutritional—I've just about eliminated fast food and straight sugars from my food intake.
Addictions—I no longer "have to have" those Diet Mountain Dews every day.

Most people think that to improve themselves physically you have to go on a diet. Well, I agree with the great philosopher Garfield who once eloquently stated a diet is simply die with a "t." It has to be a change in the mind in order to be a change everywhere else.

Conscious decisions come into play. I know that by exercising, I will feel better thanks to the endorphin rush that exercise produces. I know that by refraining from that doughnut, I am keeping useless calories out of my body. I know that by removing the majority of artificial sweeteners and chemicals—such as my old nemesis caffeine—, I feel better and have more energy. I know that by increasing the amount of water I drink (over three liters a day on most days), I look better, I give my body the water needed to function properly, and I get a sense of satisfaction with every bottle I drink.

Now, most people ask about the amount of weight I have lost. To be honest, I have no idea how much weight I have lost because I haven't bothered checking in months. What I can tell you is that I bought a new belt a couple of months ago and have had to tighten it from the first notch to the fourth. I anticipate having to send it to the Goodwill donation center in another few months when my waistline has diminished further. I've also gotten compliments from people around me who are seeing the changes that I cannot pick up on day-to-day.

What triggered this mental shift? Well, quite a bit, but that's another blog post in itself.

Learning patience

2008-10-22T16:57:00.001-04:00

One of the greatest challenges I face at this point of my life is things taking a lot longer than I would like them to. Situations that should be resolved quickly are taking weeks upon weeks to move even one step forward.

I’ve not been a patient man in my mind. It is a product of the adrenaline rush of working under a tight journalistic deadline and being involved in a job where things move at the speed of the Internet. Some friends have said I am being very patient, but I just don’t see it.

Through my eyes, the patience is not a conscious choice; like the pursuit of a higher calling in life. Rather, the patience is forced upon me by so much of my life being beyond my control right now. Patience is like the price at the gas pump; you’ve got to have it so you pay whatever price is asked.

Abandonment

2008-10-20T13:15:00.003-04:00

I can't believe it has been six or seven weeks since the last update. The divorce continues to progress and get uglier with each passing week. Certainly not the way I think it has to go but it is what it is.

Two positives have really come out of it, however. The first is the outpouring of friends and family members who are rallying to my side. I can't express how thankful I am for everyone's support and encouragement. I've rekindled some old friendships that I shouldn't have let go of and I'm looking forward to creating new ones.

Secondly, I've decided to fill in some of my free time with NaNoWriMo; National Novel Writing Month. this is something I've wanted to do for a few years now and figure it is a pretty good way to spend some of my free time starting November 1. It has already sparked the writer in me to become more active in the craft. That undoubtedly will lead to more blog posts in the future.

As an aside, for those of you who follow this blog, I want to thank you for hanging in there amongst the drought of content.

A quick news update

2008-09-02T15:02:00.002-04:00

To all of my friends,

I apologize for the deafening silence emanating from this blog over the past few months. My life has been in varying states of turmoil and has required my attention more than I would like.

Last week, these issues culminated with my wife filing for divorce. I am expecting the next several months to be one of the more challenging times I've faced so far in my life. (Admittedly, I think the ordeal with Noah has the potential to remain the worst experience ever.)

So I ask for your patience as my life keeps me away from blogging as much as I would like. If you want to offer up a prayer or send some luck my way, I am always accepting both.

My two cents on CFLs

2008-08-01T11:39:00.002-04:00

There are several organizations out there talking about compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). you know, those twisty-looking things sold next to the real light bulbs?

Yeah...those things. Anyway, I've seen ads from WalMart and Home Depot (to name a few) touting the benefits to the environment via energy savings from CFLs. Plus there's the plethora of news articles, such as this one from USA Today. But there's another side to the CFL story.

Most people do not realize that fluorescent lights—CFLs included—contain mercury. Some corporations place their old light tubes into a special hazardous materials bin, separate from the trash. And the environmental movement wants you to bring these hazardous materials into your home?

The UK Environmental Agency—as reported by BBC News—urges caution with disposing of CFLs in regular household waste and vacating a room if a bulb breaks. Other issues include not vacuuming up CFL debris and some reported health issues such as eczema and migranes.

To see the extent of how bad this can be, consider the plight of Brandy Bridges who told her story to the media earlier last year. Although some consider this situation to be over-reaching (read the State of Maine's assessment in this PDF file), it is clear that CFLs pose a risk to humans and the environment.

So I'm left scratching my head asking, if CFLs can release mercury—a known toxin—into the environment, why is the environmental movement pushing CFLs so hard? Why not pursue other lighting technologies such as more efficient incandescent lights, halogen lights, or the increasingly popular LEDs?

Day One: A rough start

2008-07-17T12:05:00.002-04:00

Well, I should have expected the first day of my health makeover to be a bear. I overslept, felt exhausted throughout my commute to work, haven't eaten anything, only had one cup of tea, and don't feel like putting any nutrition in my mouth whatsoever.

I know, it does more harm than good (in the long run) to not eat or drink anything. That's why I'm getting ready to walk to the Chinese joint by my office to get a cheap lunch.

The battle for my health has started in my mind. So far, it feels like a helluva battle is going on in there. And I haven't even started going through caffeine withdrawal yet. Happy, happy, joy, joy—NOT!

Getting serious. Seriously.

2008-07-16T09:07:00.002-04:00

I am finally getting serious about my health.

No, I'm not joking. Get off the floor! Seriously, why are you laughing like that?

Whatever.

I am invigorated after my morning meeting with personal trainer and coach Julia. Her personality is perfect and we get along marvelously. As for her qualifications, let's say she's got them (former bodybuilder, anyone?). So I committed to putting myself in her hands for six months while I work to make this healthy living thing stick around for a lifetime.

I know what needs to change. I know the sodas (diet or not) have gotta go to the wayside. Ditto the potato chips and Little Debbie cakes. But those forms of instant gratification are causing long-term pain. What I want is short-term pain to gain long-term results and freedom.

So I'm going to become a somewhat regular fixture at the gym mixing up my cardio workouts between machines and outdoor activities (mowing, walking, hiking, etc.). For the next two weeks, it's all cardio, all the time. After that, I start mixing it up with the weights.

So buy up stock in ibuprofen. Maybe one of those deep muscle pain relief rubs. But sell the stock of Pepsi, because my Mountain Dew consumption is going to drop significantly and will result in diminished sales revenues. (Sorry Pepsi.)

God, this is going to be very hard but—oddly enough—I'm terrible excited and anxious to get things going. I think a walk will be in order later tonight once I get home.

RIPcasts

2008-06-13T12:11:00.002-04:00

I hate RIPcasts, don't you? They suck you in and then, just as quickly, leave you hanging out to dry. In my mind, it must be like having a drug addiction only to find out your dealer has been thrown in the slammer.

What are RIPcasts, you ask? A RIPcast is a published podcast (audio or video; it doesn't really matter) that has published on a fairly consistent basis that stops publishing without notice or reason.

Now, I realize a lot of people who create podcasts are doing so at their own cost. But I feel that taking the first step of publishing your podcast and making it available publicly through services such as iTunes, does require some amount of responsibility to notify subscribers when a podcast is being terminated.

Right now, I'm looking at my iTunes podcast subscriptions and I have 31 active subscriptions. (There are an additional three podcasts which I used to subscribe to but I wanted to save a handful of episodes instead of deleting them altogether.) As I look at the list, I have five that have not published a new episode in more than three months, and another four which have not hit the three month mark, but are heading in that direction. So of the 31 podcasts that have captured and retained my attention, 25% have let me hanging for some time now.

Really, that's a shame. I find this 25% to be very good, useful podcasts. (Why else would I subscribe to them if they did not provide a benefit to my life.) I would think that it isn't too much to ask for a podcast broadcaster to at least post an episode saying "I'm sorry, but I've decided to stop producing this podcast" or even "This podcast is taking a hiatus for a period of time. Look for an update on such-and-such date."

Meanwhile, I will stay subscribed to those RIPcasts until they hit the six month mark. At that point, I'm unsubscribing.

I am a terrorist

2008-06-05T12:01:00.003-04:00

At least, I fall into the definition of a terrorist as used by officials at a shopping center in Fareham, Hampshire, UK. Why? Because I am a photographer (and d*mn proud of it, too).

The news article I read tells the full story.

Grandparents Kim and Trevor Sparshott (kind of a cool surname for a photographer, don't you think?) took a vacation from their home in Spain to visit their family in the UK. So, they decided to surprise their relatives while shopping at the Fareham Shopping Centre. Like most people who take time to visit their extended family, the Sparshotts brought their camera along for the journey.

They had the audacity—nay, the gall—to take a photograph of their grandchildrens' expressions when they were first spotted. That's when they crossed the boundary from consumer to terrorist.

Based upon a claim of "posing a security risk," the couple were ordered to leave the premises and were banned from returning. (The ban was later overturned by the mall's manager.)

Ever since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, photographers have been looked upon by law enforcement, private security firms, and the general public as a whole as being up to no good. If you're taking a photograph on the street, you must be planning something nefarious. Right?

And this isn't an isolated case. Accomplished author and photographer Scott Kelby was harassed when he was using a tripod in New York. (As an aside, I am contemplating having a T-shirt imprinted with the graphic that adorns the top of his blog post.)

When will people learn that someone who is doing something different than what you are doing is not a terrorist? When will individuals stop living in fear? When will people start worrying about their own lives instead of what the dude over there is doing?

Makes me want to blow the dust off my tripod and shoot a ton of photos around town.

Yowzers!

2008-04-18T15:19:00.002-04:00

Playing on iTunes:
Chase Jarvis Photography podcast

Things underfoot have finally calmed down. There were a series of small after-shocks throughout the morning, but then we got hit with a 4.6 magnitude quake which shook up the office. That one came by at 11:14 a.m. and there hasn't been any activity since. It's definitely a bit unnerving to have the ground over a hundred miles away move and shake entire buildings across the region.

As the workday draws to an end, I am looking forward to some time at home with the kids, some yard work and getting some stuff done around the house. I'll definitely try to get a bit of photography thrown in there as well.

All Shook Up!!!

2008-04-18T08:24:00.002-04:00

Playing on iTunes:
All Shook Up by Elvis Presley,
followed by Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On by Jerry Lee Lewis

Wow! What an unusual start to the day. I was awakened this morning by—what I now consider to be the greatest alarm clock ever—an earthquake. Yes, here in Central Indiana, we experienced something more common to those living on the West Coast.

When one thinks of potentially disastrous events in the Midwest, tornadoes generally top that list. For Californians, I guess wildfires and earthquakes would top theirs. So imagine my surprise at having my house shaking and waking everyone up. That is something I've never experienced before.

The earthquake is being reported as a 5.4 magnitude, although when I checked the Web site of the United States Geological Survey a few minutes ago, they have it listed as a 5.2 magnitude. Personally, I have no idea how much of a difference that is, but it seems negligible to me.

Fortunately, there are no reports of any damage or injuries from the quake. Locally, the Indianapolis International Airport control tower was evacuated for safety and law enforcement has been called in to check the high-rise office buildings in downtown. I have heard reports of one student at Vincennes University was shaken out of bed and the dorms were evacuated as a precaution. Additionally, I have heard one report of a building in Louisville which had a decorative portion of it's façade fall off.

Definitely a strange start to the day for most of us. So, I have to ask, who else felt the tremor this morning?

Delve into iTunes with me...

2008-02-08T13:33:00.000-05:00

I got this idea from my friend Rachel's blog and thought it would be perfect. I'm often telling people how eclectic my musical taste is, so here's a chance to prove it.

Here are the rules:

Put your music player on shuffle.
Post the first line from the first 25 songs that play, no matter how embarrassing.
Strike through the songs when someone guesses both artist and track correctly.
Looking them up on Google or any other search engine is CHEATING!
If you like the game post your own.

So, without any further ado, here goes...

Lord almighty,
I feel my temperature rising
Well I'm packing up my game and I'm a head out west
I'm like a beggar with no luck
I'm holding signs up on your street corner stop
I got a little change in my pocket going jingle lingle ling
He was a boy
She was a girl
Can I make it anymore obvious?
You say that we've got nothing in common
No common ground to start from
Fried pickles, drunk chicken, craw fishing in the creek
Wild turkey, deer jerky tough as Tarzan's feet
First I was afraid
I was petrified
The other night I tried to go to a show
But the man at the door
He told me no
I've been cheated by you since I don't know when
So I made up my mind, it must come to an end
I left a good job in the city
Working for the man every night and day
Your love is rain,my heart the flower
I need your love or I will die
In my closet
A spot is worn from hours and hours upon my knees
A long, long time ago
In a galaxy far away
Naboo was under an attack
We are what we're supposed to be
Illusions of your fantasy
Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
His eyes they closed
and his last breath spoke
he had seen all to be seen
Well you filled up my head,
With so many lies.
Twisted my heart
When I think back
On all the crap I learned in high school
Alright so this is a song about anyone, it could be anyone.
You're just doing your own thing and some one comes out the blue
My love, my love, my love, how could you do this to me
My love, my love, my love, you were supposed to be
Started out this morning in the usual way
Chasing thoughts inside my head of all I had to do today
Pullin' out my big black book
Cause when I need a word defined, that's where I look
Yo 6 o'clock every morning you waking up yawning
To the sound of your alarm clock alarm
Never knew I could feel like this
Like I've never seen the sky before

Leave your guesses in the comments.

Happy New Year!!!

2008-02-07T10:29:00.001-05:00

Happy Chinese New Year!

Welcome to the Year of the Rat.

Jericho returns

2008-02-07T07:52:00.001-05:00

I am a huge fan of the TV show Jericho. For those of you unfamiliar with the show's premise, it tells the story of the citizens of Jericho, Kansas and how they react to a massive, multi-city nuclear attack on the United States.

The show made its debut last year and did so-so. But—like many others—I learned of the show online and it becamse an instant hit with a massive following. CBS took a look at the broadcast ratings, decided it wasn't a hit, canceled the show, got inundated with a viral marketing campaign, and revived the show.

With that, I have written in my planner Tuesday night (Feb. 12) at 10 pm EST/PST the debut of Season 2. I am excited to see this show return to prime-time and continue exploring the lives of the characters.

If you have never heard of this show, tune in and see what it's all about. If you like what you see, check your local video rental shop or public library (my preference!) and watch the Season 1 DVDs. (If you really like what you see, go ahead and buy Season 1 to let CBS know the fan base is growing.)

Neglected

2008-02-06T07:42:00.000-05:00

Egads! I have let this blog go to the wayside. It is covered in moss. The grass underneath it's feet has turned brown long ago. The light of day has not shone upon it's face. (You get the idea.)

I've been thinking quite a bit about my life and the direction it's going recently. With that, I am recommitted to this blog, not just as a forum on my views but also to share opinions and learn from you, the reader. Sure there will be a dose of what's gong on in my life, but there will also be some thought-provoking content headed this way in the very near future.

Ruth Bell Graham dies

2007-06-15T01:26:00.000-04:00

It is with mixed emotions hat I read about the passing of Ruth Bell Graham—the wife of evangelist Billy Graham—died yesterday at the age of 87.

God had her hand on that woman's life from the start. She was born to missionary parents in China, attended seminary in the States, and was a source of strength to the millions impacted by her husband's work (and later, her son's) across the globe.

From what I've read, injuries she sustained in 1974 led her to be bedridden for the past few months and she recently battled pneumonia. Having had back problems for close to two decades, I am acutely aware of the struggle an old injury can cause to everyday life.

I am sure the Grahams and Bells are mourning her loss, even at this odd hour. Millions more—like myself— will issue up prayers for the families as they cope with the sorrow that naturally comes with the passing of a beloved family member. Yet, the family's belief in God will undoubtedly give them hope and joy as they are comforted with the knowledge of being rejoined in Heaven one day.

ugh...I hate California justice

2007-06-08T09:36:00.000-04:00

OK, I'm jumping on the bandwagon. You all know the story. Air-head, rich, daddy's girl Paris Hilton goes out partying and is nabbed by a cop for driving on a suspended license. She goes to court, blames her publicist for not telling her the license was suspended, fires said publicist, and is sentenced to 45 days in county lockup (with good behavior, it is—in reality—about a 23 day sentence).

Fast forward to this week. Poor Paris shows up at 11:30 pm Sunday to start her sentence. Early Thursday morning, she's released, put on home detention for the rest of her 45 day sentence and sent on her way.

Now the screwy stuff.

She got full credit for being incarcerated on Sunday, simply be being there before midnight. Nevermind she had just been at an awards show a few hours earlier.
She got full credit for being in the pokey for Thursday, even though she was out before most people were at the office.
The judge specifically ordered her to do jail time—none of this home detention crap.

As this fairy tale continues to evolve, I got a huge kick out of a piece on MSNBC this morning by Miki Turner who takes a look at a day in the life of Paris while on house arrest. It's nice to finally see someone taking a look at this event for what it's worth. It wouldn't surprise me if Turner's account is pretty accurate.

I'm gonna throw down a challenge for everyone out there. Let's stop giving a hoot about these people who are famous for no reason whatsoever. Let's instead focus on those around us who should be famous—the inner-city schoolteacher who has worked in the same school for 30+ years, the grandmother who raises her grandchildren because the kids dad left and mom's in prison, guy down the street who is always helping his neighbors even when time are tough for him.

How can we sleep at night knowing that we can regurgitate the name of the dog owned by some famous person that we've never met but fail to know the name of the person living next door? How can we spend 30 minutes watching a "Hollywood news" program each day and then complain about not having time to spend with family or volunteer?

Technology has brought the world closer together, making it easier for personalities like Paris Hilton to become well-known (I still don't know how that happened) and for people around the world to know every move she makes. But, how does that make our lives better? How does it impact us in our day-to-day living? How does it help us make the community we live in a better place?

The short answer—it doesn't. So, let's take a stand and turn our backs on the celebrity news and gossip and face the challenges on our doorstep. Let's touch someone's life in a positive way. Lend a hand to an elderly neighbor. Get involved with an organization working to make things better. Buy a tank of gas for a person in need.

If we do that, we'll see how little this celebrity stuff really matters.

Woo-hoo

2007-06-07T09:58:00.000-04:00

I filled up the van this morning for a whopping $2.99 a gallon!!!

The best laid plans...

2007-06-05T09:49:00.000-04:00

make for the greatest laughs.

Obit - Dr. David Adams

2007-06-04T22:29:00.000-04:00

It was with mixed emotions that I received the news that Dr. David Adams—journalism professor and advisor to the Indiana Daily Student and Arbutus—was found face-down in his koi pond over the weekend.

My history at the IDS is a mixture of joy and sadness (for reasons I won't delve into), but my work with was filled with his warm, welcoming smile. He not only was an advisor but a very caring man who epitomized the definition of an advisor.

Some of the fondest memories of Dave are from our trip to the Society of Professional Journalists convention when it was in Nashville. He and I drove down there in his car and had the opportunity to share thoughts for a few days away from the campus environment. I remember being utterly amazed at the sheer number of people who lit up when they saw Dave; it seemed like half of the conferees (or more!) were anticipating his arrival.

I regret not getting to know him more during my four years at Indiana University. He has left such a distinct impression on thousands of students who came through the halls of Ernie Pyle Hall that he will never be able to be replaced. The School of Journalism staff will have a very difficult time finding someone who will be able to take Dave's vision and legacy and continue to move it forward.

Another day in Suburbia (or WTF? Stolen flip-flops???)

2007-05-30T15:06:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a strange day. Lucas wanted to go to the library and stomp across an indoor bridge they have in the children's section. So we loaded up the family and headed to the library for a bit.

A nice, normal trip to the library. Lucas didn't want to leave the bridge. The babies started getting fussy. We paid some fines. We checked out some books. Then, something shifted. We entered Bizarro World^®™©.

Heather wore flip flops that day. When time came to load kiddos into the van, she slipped out of her shoes to make it easier to get in and out of the third row of seats. When she went to step back into her shoes, they were gone. She started to look for them as an elderly couple pulled up to the van and said "A bunch of kids went that way and they stole your shoes."

I cannot express the number of thoughts that went through my mind. First was the obvious, "Did they say what I think they said." Followed by some classic thoughts such as WTF? Who would steal some used shoes? Do we call the cops? Is this part of gang troubles in Suburbia? Are the shoe thieves armed? Did they steal anything else? I'm hungry; what shall we have for dinner?

OK, that last question was a mere after-thought. Anyway—to make a long story short—some middle school kids thought it would be funny to steal Heather's shoes. I gave chase, the thief dropped the shoes and took off running, and another kid picked them up and handed them back to me. Heather came by with the van, we tracked down the thief, and we taught the kid a lesson he will never forget, thanks to a cell phone call and the threat of being hauled in by the cops.

Really, though, I felt embarrassed and saddened for the kid who did this. How embarrassing was it for him to—on a challenge from a so-called "friend"—to take the shoes and be chased? Yet I was sad because he knew I had caught him, apologized to me and Heather (without prompting) and was in tears during the whole experience. He knew he screwed up. He knew he deserved the punishment. We knew he had learned his lesson.

It's a sad reflection on the state of affairs in society today. Here is a pre-pubescent boy stealing a used pair of women's flip-flops for no reason at all. Heather and I both realized he could get into serious trouble if he started doing similar stuff regularly. After all, kids have gotten shot over a pair of tennis shoes. there are some other details of what happened that I won't go into. I will say that after talking through the events with Heather, we both felt sorry for the kid and his situation.

But, to be honest, he wasn't the only one who learned a lesson that day. We realized that if it were that simple to steal a pair of shoes from under our noses, how difficult would it be for an experienced criminal to steal Heather's purse or something else from the van? Or, God forbid, one of the kids. We'll walk away from this experience with added vigilance and caution. It's too easy to get in a routine and let your guard down. And the risks are too high.

It is finished.

2007-05-25T22:40:00.000-04:00

After what could be called a grueling nine-month period of on-again-off-again car shopping, I am please to report the family has ended it's search for a *gasp* minivan. We traded in our beloved Saturn Vue #2 for a Honda Odyssey. I never thought of myself as one day being the owner of a minivan, but the Vue was unable to hold three car seats, so there wasn't much of a choice.

Whenever we wanted to go somewhere as a family, we had to take two cars. Not exactly the best arrangement and it was only getting worse. But now, we can go to the park as a family and not have to worry about finding two parking spots.

I guess this post's title is a bit misleading. While the search for a family van has ended, there will be a new search beginning next week: the search for my work car. With my cross-town commute and gas prices climbing toward the $4 a gallon mark, I need to find something small, fuel effecient, and relatively cheap that I can comfortable spend two hours a day in motoring between the home an office.

But this weekend, I will relax. My browser will not visit a dealer Web site. I will get to know the Odyssey and will focus on other projects.

Heartless

2007-04-20T09:43:00.000-04:00

Original post at http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/17099482.htm

Soldier forced to leave dying mother for war

Commander denies Alabama man's request for extension on two-week leave

Associated Press

DECATUR, Ala. - A Decatur soldier with five months left on his enlistment tried unsuccessfully to get an extension on his two-week leave to stay with his dying mother, who is hospitalized on life support.

Sgt. Tim Robinson requested another week in a letter faxed to his unit explaining that his mother, Kate Mae Jones, was dying of kidney and heart failure. His request included a note from his mother's doctor concerning her condition, but his commanding officer denied the extension.

As his scheduled Tuesday departure neared, he went to Redstone Arsenal to get help from the Judge Advocate General Corps but was told he had to go through the American Red Cross first. Without time to go through the proper channels, he left to return to his unit.

"It's either that or get arrested, and I don't want that, " said Robinson, 39. "I don't want to put any more stress on Mom."

The Decatur Daily reported that his 62-year-old mother, on life-support machines and unable to speak, was tearful as she watched her son leave Tuesday afternoon.

"Believe me, Mom, if it was up to me, I'd stay here, Mom," Robinson told her shortly before leaving Decatur General Hospital to catch a flight back to Iraq.

Jones has struggled with diabetes and fluid on her heart. She became seriously ill about two weeks ago, prompting Robinson to come home on emergency leave.

Robinson, who is close to retirement, serves with the military police at Camp Bucca. He said the prison is holding 15,000 prisoners and he knows the troops there need him. He also said he was not mad at the Army and that the assignment is part of the sacrifice soldiers make when they sign up.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

2007-04-18T00:01:00.000-04:00

An early wish of congratulations (and associated warm fuzzies) to Sehlat and her man-to-be Chief who are set to wed on Saturday. My best wishes to the two of you!!!

An eventful night...

2007-04-17T23:07:00.000-04:00

As the kids were settling down for the night, I heard a familiar sound in the distance.

Sirens. Fire truck sirens. Not too surprising given there are three fire stations (representing three different departments) within a mile or so from my house. As the sirens grew louder, I still wasn't impressed; we live by two main thoroughfares, so the emergency crews come by the neighborhood often enough. But then I heard an engine's horn...close.

Lucas and I looked out the window just in time to see a fire truck drive past our house and make the turn onto the next street. A few moments later, here came a second truck. THAT piqued my interest.

Eventually, a handful of police cars, two fire department SUVs, one ambulance service SUV, and four fire trucks were lighting up our neighborhood in red and white. (One engine stopped directly across the street from us, much to Lucas' delight.) In all fairness, the fire department did send their aerial truck as well, but it turned back after it was determined the nearby apartment complex was not on fire.

Evidently, a house three lots behind our home was on fire, producing billowing smoke and drawing a crowd of onlookers from the neighborhood and adjacent apartment complex.

Lucas and I went to the edge of the lot to look down the street at the fire trucks. He ended up spending a chunk of the next 30 minutes sitting by the window watching Engine 94 in front of our house. He even got Olivia interested in the lights and the two of them had a grand old time hitting the window in excitement and laughing. Much to Lucas' dismay, the fire trucks eventually left and a calmness returned to the neighborhood.

UPDATE - 2007-04-18 1118 EDT

I drove by the house this morning on my way to work and couldn't see any damage from the front of the structure. But, before leaving for work, I looked out of a second-floor window and noticed a portion of the rear roof was covered in blue tarps. I am glad to see the home wasn't destroyed. I was even happier last night when I saw the ambulance leaving the neighborhood with the patient area unlit (meaning no one was being transported).

If you didn't do so when daylight saving time kicked in, I urge you to change the batteries in your smoke detectors. If you don't have a smoke detector, head to your local big box store or hardware store and buy one. If you can't afford one, call your local fire department—many will give them away to people who cannot afford one. This unobtrusive device may save your life.

Obit - Kurt Vonnegut

2007-04-12T00:22:00.000-04:00

Early this morning, it was announced the Indianapolis native Kurt Vonnegut had died at the age of 84. Apparently he fell a few weeks ago and received some brain damage as a result.

He was scheduled to speak in Indy on April 24, but he was going to send his son instead since travel was not permitted after the fall. I've never read one of his books nor have I heard him speak, so I was thinking about trying to attend his speech.

Too bad he died when he did. The Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library had chosen one of his books for the One Book, One City program and is holding several events this year to celebrate Vonnegut.

Maybe it's time I checked out his books. I guess Slaughterhouse Five is as good a place to start as any.

Says who???

2007-04-11T08:30:00.000-04:00

I came across an interesting blog post over at reptile-matrix.com which explores businesses which post a sign stating they can search your bag (read the post here).

I frequently see this type of sign in my daily travels. From supermarkets to the public library, there are variations of this theme. I have considered the ramifications of such signage in the context of the blogger's viewpoint. So, I've gotta ask, what's your opinion?

An open letter to the Marion County (Indiana) Prosecutor

2007-04-09T11:45:00.000-04:00

RE: Motorists involved in accidents with cyclists

(http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=6287905)

Good day!

I was recently heart-broken to learn of the March 28 accident at 47th and Central where a nine-year-old child and her teenage brother were struck by a motorist while riding their bicycles. In this tragic event, the nine-year-old was killed by the motorist's actions.

Too often, motorists injure or kill cyclists throughout Indianapolis (and the rest of the country) without being reprimanded. Although very few of these incidents are malicious, intentional actions taken to intentionally harm a cyclist, those motorists who cause such tragic events historically receive no repercussions their actions.

I strongly urge the Prosecutor's Office to take these vehicular incidents more seriously. Although jail time may not be appropriate in some circumstances, there needs to be a loss of driving privileges for a certain amount of time (or similar punishment) for using a multi-thousand-pound piece of equipment to injure an unprotected person on a 10-pound steel-framed bicycle. By penalizing motorists for errant judgment resulting in the injuring of a cyclist, the Prosecutor's Office takes a stand for the safety of the community.

In the particular event I mentioned in the opening of this message, the driver, Margaret Graves, fell asleep at the wheel sending her vehicle across the roadway before striking the children. Many studies have shown the driving while sleepy creates the same dangers to other motorists—or cyclists, in this case—as when an individual is driving under the influence of alcohol. Had Ms. Graves failed a Breathalyzer test, she would be prosecuted and face jail time. But since she was sleepy, she will not be criminally charged.

That is where the true crime occurs. Just ask the parents grieving for their daughter.

Sincerely,

Eric S. Miller

Pending Iran invasion

2007-03-30T13:16:00.000-04:00

*sigh* Does anyone else think the recent capture of British sailors by a patrol boat of Iranians seems a little too convenient? Now, the United States Navy is increasing the amount of weaponry within striking distance of Iran. Then, the kicker—President Bush is considering the use of nuclear weapons against Iran. (For more information, read articles at CommonDreams.org, Telegraph.co.ok, or The New Yorker among many others.)

I cannot fathom deciding to use such a heinous weapon against anyone. After the damage and destruction witnessed in Japan, why would anyone inflict such destruction and pain on the people living in a country. that doesn't even factor in the damage that will be caused downwind by fallout from the blast.

What is going on in today's world?

Two reasons to celebrate

2007-03-14T13:59:00.000-04:00

Happy anniversary, H!!!
Happy Pi Day, everyone!!!

Happy, happy, joy, joy!

2007-03-13T21:46:00.000-04:00

We received some fabulous news late this afternoon. After many long months, Noah has been cleared to go without his oxygen!!! Definitely an answer to prayer.

Can we watch it? No, we can't!!!

2007-02-19T15:15:00.000-05:00

L-man has a major addiction. From the time he wakes up until the time he goes to sleep, he wants to have one of several Bob the Builder DVDs playing. All day long, we are subjected to "Can we fix it? Yes, we can!" It is a cruel and inhumane torture.

What happens if we kill the movie? He kicks into a full-fledged tantrum which triggers one—or both—of the twins into a fury of screaming. It's going to be a painful process to wean him off of his addiction (like my weaning from fast food and sodas) but it's one that has to happen. Soon.

thoughts

2007-02-17T21:05:00.000-05:00

A swirling vortex
A smoky haze
Where lies the truth?
Within

Super Bowl XLI

2007-02-04T23:37:00.000-05:00

Well…shit!

Coming to a store near you…

2007-01-31T15:14:00.000-05:00

Available Monday, February 5.
Brought to you courtesy of the Chicago Bears.

A new blog for your viewing pleasure

2007-01-03T00:32:00.000-05:00

I'm pleased to announce a return to my roots. I've picked up the camera and am re-embarking on a photographic journey. No longer for an editor. No longer for a paycheck. No longer for anyone else. No, this time it's all for me.

So, without further ado (or too much self-promotion), I am pleased to announce my 2007 Photo a Day project. It's time for me to become reacquainted with my photographic eye. As I dig deep to see if I still have the same skills and passion that once ran through my veins, I need to ask for you to lend me a hand.

Stop by the blog. Check out the photos. Leave a comment and let me know what you think as you look at life through my eyes.

Happy New Year!!!

2007-01-01T00:21:00.000-05:00

Here's hoping 2007 is better than 2006.

Saddam is hung…or is he?

2006-12-30T12:59:00.000-05:00

The media is all over the report of Saddam Hussein being hung at the gallows today. This may be cause for celebration and a victory for justice. Or it may be a huge boon to conspiracy theorists. After all, when the U.S. was hunting Saddam down, weren't we told that there were men who underwent plastic surgery to look like Saddam and pose as his doubles? Hmmm...wonder where they are today.

Not really surprised

2006-11-27T21:58:00.000-05:00

I see where Alabama has fired it's head football coach, Mike Shula, after four seasons. I can't say I'm surprised. Bama has a strong football tradition and the head coach is expected to rack up wins each year. Particularly against Auburn, their in-state rival. How have Shula's teams done against the Tigers? 0-4. Personally, I don't care if the Tide only win one game a year—as long as they beat Auburn.

Catching up...

2006-11-26T00:50:00.000-05:00

Things are still hectic, but are starting to settle down a bit. Noah keeps making small strides toward perfect health. Since the last post, he's lost his feeding tube and has been dropped down on his oxygen support. We still have some medical issues to hammer out, but he topped my list of things I am thankful for this year. Olivia is doing absolutely wonderful. That princess has captured my heart in ways Noah and Lucas have been unable to do. God help the guy who wants to date her later in life. <g> Lucas is settling down and getting used to the twins being around. He continued to increase his vocabulary by leaps and strides every day. Being a true 'guy,' I was quite rambunctious when he learned to say 'pee' and 'poop' within a day of each other. Now if we can all get over the latest bug to strike the family and bring different ailments to the household, we'll be doing quite fine.

It's not rocket science, folks

2006-10-29T04:09:00.000-05:00

Well, Daylight Saving Time is over. For most places in the world, this is a traditional day to roll the clocks back on hour and to change the batteries in the smoke alarms (which I still need to do). But here in Indiana, it marks the first time the majority of the state has completed a DST cycle.

I am quite surprised by this. I grew up in a part of the state that did the "spring forward, fall back" routine so it was weird when I moved to not change the clocks. But this spring, when the concept was being rolled out among the general population, there was a lot (and I do mean A LOT) of media attention and people frumping and grumping about having to change their clocks. (You'd think they were being asked to kick out the family dog.)

What surprises me is that as DST comes to a close, I've not heard a peep in the media about it. In fact, what reminded me was noticing the clock on my laptop (which is synced with a time-server) had "fallen back". That was all if took to trigger the dormant concept of "Oh, it's the last Sunday in October; time to adjust the clocks." I cannot wait to hear the stories of people who show up for church an hour early.

Next year will be a bit different, since the window for DST will be extended in the US. So there will be different days when the clocks change. I'd better add the dates to me calendar while I am thinking about it.

Ups and downs

2006-10-23T11:04:00.000-04:00

As I started my morning commute, guess what graced the start of my work week? A flat tire. Of course, my preferred tire shop doesn't have the right size in stock so I'm gonna have to pay retail to replace the one. Not exactly a good start to the work week.

After putting on the spare and making the 45 minute trek to the office, though, things got a bit brighter. it took me a minute but, yes indeed, I was out in the first snow of the season around here. Nowhere near a major event; calling it a dusting would be generous. But the fact remains that it was snowing this morning.

*warming up my singing voice*
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Praise the Lord, it's finally over!!!

2006-10-01T14:39:00.000-04:00

After one day shy of eight weeks, I am preparing to leave home to go to the hospital and finally bring Noah home to join the family. I cannot believe he has spent nearly eight weeks in various NICU facilities.

It's not going to be a cakewalk—he will have some medical equipment in-tow and will require special care for a while (months?) but at least he will be home where he belongs. I look forward to reuniting him with his twin sister Olivia; I'm sure they miss each other.

Good night, sweetheart.

2006-08-24T22:30:00.000-04:00

I'm horribly saddened by the news Heather brought me from her visit with Noah in the NICU. One little girl—Arabella—who was on ECMO when Noah arrived, had died. We never met her parents; just smiled at them in passing. Yet the death of their daughter cuts to my core.

Maybe it's because Noah was so close to death. Maybe it's because she was the third newborn that has died since we've been around. (The other two that I know of were a set of preemie twins, born at 24 weeks and weighing less than 2 pounds each; one was in the bed next to Noah during her time on earth.) Maybe I'm just becoming an old softie.

I don't know how the nurses can be around this type of heartache. It certainly is an environment that I can't wait to leave.

Arabella, I'll say one more prayer. Not for your recovery—like all the others—but for comfort for your family.

Another step forward!

2006-08-24T15:30:00.000-04:00

Noah was taken off the ventilator a bit ago and seems to be doing well on his own. If he keeps responding well, that'll be one (of the three) issues that stand between today and the day he can come home

Getting everyone caught up

2006-08-23T11:40:00.000-04:00

It's been two weeks since the last blog update, so I figure it's time for a quick run-down of events.

August 9-10
Noah continues his downward spiral of treatment options. He went from straight oxygen cannulas to a CPAP mask to a ventilator. During this time, he was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension—a condition where the blood pressure within his lungs is greater than everywhere else in his body so the blood doesn't flow freely through there. Heather and I learned of a possible transfer to Riley's main facility for a procedure called ECMO, which he has about a 1% chance of needing.

August 11
The neonatologist notes Noah's continued progression for the worse and notifies us that his chances of needing ECMO are proceeding toward 50/50 so the decision is made to transport him before he gets too ill. We wait a couple of hours for a transport team to arrive—with a last minute question of whether it is an ambulance team or a helicopter team—and he is moved downtown. Meanwhile, Heather expedites the paperwork to discharge her and Olivia from the hospital.

August 12-13
Noah is monitored at Riley and his oxygen saturation continues to decline. He is put onto a different type of ventilator—one that oscillates a high number of breaths per minute—in order to ensure his lungs are opened.

August 14
Heather and I went to visit Noah on the evening of his one-week birthday. The doctor pulls us into a consultation room to inform us that Noah will need to be placed on ECMO soon. I naïvely ask how soon is soon and find out that it's a matter of hours that he needs to begin this therapy of last resort. Without discussion, we sign the papers authorizing this invasive procedure to save his life. The procedure begins around midnight is I am able to see Noah around 1:30 a.m. on the 15th.
ECMO is basically a heart-lung bypass machine that will oxygenate his blood while giving his lungs a chance to rest and recover. As we progressed with this therapy, we later learn Riley is one of about 100 hospitals in the world that is equipped to perform this therapy.

August 15-17
Not too much happened here. We visited with Noah daily and prayed constantly. It was strange seeing the thick tubing protrude from his neck and lead into the ECMO circuit. He was heavily sedated so there wasn't any interaction with him except for what Heather and i provided. On the 17th, we learned that he had improved to the point that he would be taken off the ECMO circuit on the 18th.

August 18
Well, his 2 a.m. removal from ECMO got pushed back to 8 a.m. Then back to 10:30 a.m. When we learned of that change, I rushed to the hospital to be with him before the surgical procedure to remove him from ECMO. I spent most of the late morning and early afternoon waiting on a surgeon to be available (trauma cases come first) until around 2:30 p.m. when the procedure began. After I was able to see him—minus the ECMO circuit—it was back home to spend time with the family before Heather joined me on our nightly visit.

August 19
Noah continued to show signs of improvement. The medical team began dialing down his ventilator settings and began weaning him from his pain medicines. This was the first day since the C-section operating room that Heather and I were able to hold our son.

August 20
We got to hold Noah again today. The doctors decided to begin feeding him through a feeding tube tomorrow.

August 21
Noah has his first "taste" of breast milk. I put taste in quotes because the feeding tube bypasses his tongue and sends the milk directly to his stomach. He spit up his first feeding but did good with other feedings throughout the day. But he resumed spitting up that evening and they stopped giving him milk for now.

August 22
A bit of a rough day for the kiddo. His bed was moved to a new position (to make room for another ECMO candidate) within the ward and he was a bit agitated during the time we saw him. The night nurse, Amanda, gave him some sedative to calm him down and stabilize his vital signs.

Today
A quick call to Amanda this morning revealed Noah had a good night. They were able to wean the ventilator down a bit overnight, so we wait to see what the doctors think when they make rounds this morning.

Happy birthday to me...

2006-08-09T22:28:00.000-04:00

Today is supposed to be a joyous day. A day to celebrate my birth a mere *cough* years ago, and to enjoy seeing the twins. I don't mind the twins having their birthday two days before mine. What I do mind is sitting in the NICU ward, reaching through an incubator porthole, and lightly touching the son I should be holding on my shoulder.

I know what the doctors and nurses is saying is true; it's just a stumbling block he has to get past early in life. And I have no doubt that he will. But it sill pains me to know that I only held him a few seconds after his birth before he was whisked back to be treated by the NICU team. He should be joining his sister in learning how to nurse, being cuddled by his family, and being introduced to his big brother. Instead, he lies in the incubator, surrounded by medical equipment that emit beeps and sounds of air moving through plastic tubing. It just isn't fair.

Although I know he has the absolute best people devoting their time and energy to help his lungs completely develop (and, boy, do I love the staff at Riley North), it is still a traumatic experience for a parent to go through. Particularly when mom is in a second location and baby sis is (sometimes) in a third location.

But I'm not alone; most of the 20-bed NICU unit is full of other newborns and infants who need that special care. Quite a few have mom and/or dad doing the same caring, worrying, praying, pacing, and waiting that I am doing. The truly sad cases are the rooms where there is a child who is all alone. It just breaks my heart and I have to resist the urge to walk into he room, sanitize my hands, reach into the incubator (or crib) and tell that child that God loves them, I am praying for them, and not to worry.

I feel selfish when Heather wishes me a Happy Birthday. This year, there's only one thing I want for my birthday—I want my son to come home and not suffer any long-term effects from this struggle.

A late night

2006-08-08T05:03:00.000-04:00

I'm not doing to well this evening. I'm sitting in Noah's NICU room, listening to the sounds of his breathing apparatus working toward helping his lungs mature and develop. At this point, the doctor has upped his oxygen to 100% in an effort to increase blood-flow through his lungs and to help them begin to function properly.

It's very eerie around here. Granted, there is activity in the NICU ward tonight; babies need to be tended to and machines periodically beep for their share of attention from the staff. But a stroll downstairs for a caffeine kick (thanks to the vending machines) there's no activity at all.

It's those moments of solitude that cause the situation to strain my mind and emotions. Several times, I've felt the full range of emotions—from the IVF procedures through the pregnancy difficulties to Noah's present situation—lying under the surface, waiting to boil over. I have been surprised that I'm not turned into a blubbering fool with tears streaking down my face.

So, here I am; writing blog posts, watching reruns of the X-Files, and watching my baby boy sleep in his warmer. We're praying that Noah's lungs improve completely and he will be able to come home with us when Heather and Olivia are discharged from the hospital. If not, I don't plan to leave the hospital without him.

Not going according to plan

2006-08-07T15:00:00.000-04:00

As the family was getting ready to leave the operating room, Noah decided he needed a bit of additional assistance. As a result, he's been transported to the NICU for assessment and observation while Olivia is resting in the post-partum room with mom. I believed that since the twins were being born at 37 weeks gestational age that they would avoid a trip to the NICU.

However, there is a 1 in 100 chance that a twin will have respiratory problems and—in most cases—it's the male who has difficulty. It looks like Noah is that one case. Early diagnosis is that his lungs are still immature and do not have enough of the lubricant in them to function properly. So, at this point, I ask for prayers for this little guy. At least we have some of the top people in the country taking care of him.

They're he-ere!!!

2006-08-07T12:00:00.000-04:00

The day has finally come. At 10:43 a.m., Olivia Grace (7 lbs 5 oz.; 20 inches long) was introduced herself to the world (or at least to those of us in the operating room). A minute later, Noah Daniel (6 lbs 6 oz; 19.5 inches long) began his cries. Heather is getting patched-up and stitched up and the babies are being assessed by the NICU staff. (They are present at all C-section births as a matter of hospital protocol.)

Thoughts about being an expectant twin dad

2006-07-28T12:50:00.000-04:00

Originally, I thought I'd whip up a Top Ten list of bad things about being an expectant father to twins (followed later by a list of good things). But as I started working on the post, I struggled to find ten things that are bad.

What did I find? A lot of worries, a lot of doctor appointments, and a lot of future diaper changes. Beyond that, I can't think of anything else that's bad. Most of my thoughts aren't negative.

Sure I'm scared and worried. Who wouldn't be? Not only are we going to introduce two lives to the world—and our family—but Heather is transitioning from a working mom to a stay-at-home mom. Yeah, the pregnancy is tougher than when we were expecting Lucas. But it's more exciting, too.

I still get a kick out of hearing two distinct heartbeats on the monitor. I can't wait to hold the duo in my arms for the first time. I'm excited to have another son and a daughter around the house. I look forward to their first smiles, first steps, and first words.

I know it's not all going to be rosy; Lucas has proven that time and time again. But when I look back at the first two years of his life, I don't recall the negatives, just the happiness and deepened love that flows from being a parent. I'm sure that won't change with the twins.

What a weekend

2006-07-05T09:23:00.000-04:00

This weekend looked to be a wonderful one. A four day weekend away from the office. A chance to get a bunch of stuff done around the house. A chance to take Lucas to the Indianapolis fireworks show. My how the best laid plans can fall apart.

Heather had to be taken to the hospital twice over the weekend thanks to pre-term contractions. The first trip was at 2:00 am and the second day we headed over around 1:30 pm. I now know how to quickly get to the second hospital that we may deliver at. (Long story behind this. The short version is that our doctor delivers at two different hospitals, depending on whether it is a natural or C-Section delivery.)

Lucas was very good; particularly when we had to drag him out of bed to go in. He was such a good kid and didn't add any stress to the already stressful situation. He even did fairly good when I had to awaken him from his car seat to see the Indianapolis fireworks last night. Although he tired and wanted to go home early, he didn't fuss or get horribly upset.

Unfortunately he woke up in the middle of the night last night screaming. I couldn't console him, so Heather had to come in and help figure out what was going on. Since his speech development isn't where it should be, it was quite stressful to figure out what he was trying to say when he said "ba-ba" to try and communicate with us. He got so upset that he vomited all over his bed. I ended up asking him is he had a bad dream and got scared and he said "uh-huh" so I was able to console him, let him know everything was alright, and coaxed him back to sleep. I don't know what his nightmare was about, but I pray it wasn't about Heather's pregnancy problems.

Things are continuing to get more and more challenging. After this weekend's events, Heather is practically on full bed rest and any type of activity causes her contractions to return. We found out—the same day, in fact—that her dad is going back to work full-time, so we are rapidly developing a strategy for me being able to continue working full-time while taking care of Lucas throughout the day. This last stretch of the pregnancy is definitely going to test my limitations.

Anyway, it feels good to be back at work today. I'm fortunate that most of the work I do is automatic anymore so my mind can unwind and recharge before heading home and taking on the various challenges—for lack of a better word—that await. I have to get mentally and physically ready to be running at full steam from the moment I wake up until i can finally go to bed at night.

What's been happening...

2006-06-16T12:28:00.000-04:00

Good grief! It's been a month since my last update to the blog. My apologies to those of you who check this regularly and have been seeing the same old content time after time. So, I guess it's time for a quick catch-up post.

The twin pregnancy

Monday (June 19) marks week 30 of the pregnancy. The kiddos continue to grow quite nicely. Heather is having a wide range of both complications and symptoms that are different than her pregnancy with Lucas. At this point, she's pretty much on bed rest most of the time, thanks to the increasing strength and frequency of her contractions. Aside from our concerns about the reducing amount of time to get stuff done around the house, we are still trying to finalize names for the duo. We're still hoping Heather can make it to the end of July (35-36 weeks), but statistically about 50% of twins are born before week 35.

Lucas

The little guy is fast approaching his 2nd birthday. He has an affinity for popsicles, looking for bugs, and his second cousin from Hawaii (who is in town visiting for a few days). He's starting to show his stubbornness a bit more, but we're working on that. I hate to say it but bribery and threats of putting favorite toys in time-out do work quite well.

House stuff

The floor was finally installed, but I still need to rip up some seam binding that we aren't happy with and put some new stuff down, as well as install the quarter-round. If the weekend's forecast for rain holds, that should get done this weekend. There's a ton of other stuff to do and my energy levels aren't quite up where I'd like them to be, so it's a slow-moving process that's racing against the clock.

Organization

Well, I was doing good for a while. Then life happened. All it took was a couple of days of not acting on my reminders and not checking my calendar and everything got screwed-up. So, I'm assessing why I didn't act on my reminders, making tweaks as needed, and getting back on track.

A call for prayer

2006-05-15T11:56:00.000-04:00

Just a quick post for you to say a prayer for Abbigail and Isabelle Carlsen. These five-month-old darlings were conjoined at birth and underwent surgery on Friday to separate them.

Kicking butt and taking names later

2006-04-25T13:34:00.000-04:00

I'm back on my feet after re-aggravating that old back injury of mine—just in time for home improvement!

Sunday afternoon, my father-in-law and I began the process of "ripping up the carpet and putting down some peel-and-stick tile" in the dining room. Yeah, I didn't think it would be that easy, either. On Sunday, we got the carpet and pad ripped out pretty easily. Once we got a look at what lay underneath, I knew things were going to get bad.

We were faced with the sub-floor. A plywood-shaped piece of wood comprised of numerous tree (or mulch?) fragments glued together and pressed into 4×8 foot panels. A heavily-textured surface with embedded staples (from the old carpet) was mottled with ground-in sand. Dan's C.S.I. mind kicked in and he surmised the pervious owners must have had a kiddie pool or a sandbox on the deck that was frequently used. As the "phantom kids" (my term, not his) ran back inside to use the bathroom or fuel up on sugary snacks and water, they tracked the sand in. So much so that it permeated the carpet, worked it's way through the carpet pad, and became compressed against the hard wood surface.

A bit of scraping with a putty knife and some vacuuming got rid of most of the sand and with a pressing engagement that evening, we covered the sub-floor with plastic sheeting, laid down a blanket and a rug to make it more comfortable for toddler feet, we called it a night.

Last night (Monday), was a Tim "The Tool Man" Allen evening. We determined the best approach to the situation was to lay down some luan plywood to create a smooth surface for the new tiles to stick to. To aid our efforts, Dan called in a friend of his to ask advice and ended up getting an offer to help us install the luan. So after a trip to the hardware store and the tool rental center, we ended up with a belt sander with a (non-operational) dust catcher that whipped up so much debris, you could have mistaken the interior of our house for the Sahara Desert during a sandstorm. (Of course, Friday night, we had the carpet and furniture steam cleaned by a professional outfit.) After clearing the air—literally—we laid the luan and used a pneumatic staple gun to tack the boards down.

As I mentally prepare for day three of this project, I look at the mental checklist of what's left to do.

Fill in the seams of the luan with either wood putty or a vinyl spackle.
Let the filling dry. (If the wood putty is used, lightly hand sand it to smooth it out.)
Start laying tile, thus covering 90% of the surface with whole tiles.
Cut tiles to fit the remaining 10% of the surfaces (around the walls, surface transitions, cabinets, and heat register).
Enjoy the new look.

I hope to be done with this by tomorrow night. I think we can get steps 1 and 2 done tonight with steps 3 and 4 being finished tomorrow night. I hope that's not too optimistic, but I've gotta get this floor done so we can cross that project off our list and prepare for a garage sale on Saturday (weather permitting).

Although it has been a bit of an ordeal, I have learned quite a bit about the process. But Heather and I both hope that when we decide to put new tile down in the master bathroom that we can just apply it directly on the existing vinyl flooring.

Defining a person's life

2006-04-17T12:15:00.000-04:00

Last night, I was looking through a book—A Life Is More Than a Moment—that was written by my photojournalism professor at Indiana. For whatever reason, I had decided to check out the handful of books he authored from the local library.

For those unfamiliar with this book, it takes a look at Will Count's photographic coverage of the late 1950s racial integration at Little Rock Central High School. (The photograph gracing the book's cover garnered a Pulitzer Prize nomination for Will.) It shows some photographs which should be recognized by the numerous students who went through his classroom, as well as some new images taken after his retirement from teaching.

The dominant image is of a white female student (Hazel Bryan) screaming at a solemn-faced black student (Elizabeth Eckford) outside the school. Although the two met and reconciled later in life, Hazel is quoted in the book as saying her life encompasses more than just that moment captured on film. That really got my brain going.

How many times to we attempt to put a neat little ribbon on someone by defining them in a moment in time. ("Remember when Johnny took his momma's car and crashed into the parked police cruiser?") It doesn't matter what that person had accomplished before or after that type of identification because the rest of their life will always be viewed through one moment.

But we don't limit ourselves to looking at others this way; we sometimes look at ourselves in the same manner. Whether it is to justify our expanding waistline or to justify one's self by a play on a long-forgotten football field, there are moments in time that stand out in our own minds. Depending on the moment, we either fill ourselves up with pride or tear ourselves down with frustration.

Yet, life is more than a moment. It is more than a half dozen moments. Life is about the continuous string of moments that began when each of us exited the womb and began to breathe on our own and will end when the last breath has left our body. Everyone has moments in life where something remarkable was accomplished. Everyone has moments in life where something dastardly was done. It is merely a fact of this life.

What one you choose to focus on, however, is entirely up to you. If you are always going to think of someone as the pimple-faced nerd from high school, you may miss out on getting to know a philanthropist who seeks to make life better for impoverished children. If you look in the mirror and see a person who got kicked out of college for plagiarism, you will never permit yourself to expand and blossom into your full potential. On the other hand, if you focus on when you made the winning basket for the state basketball championship, you can be on perilous ground.

If the winning shot is all that you think about, then you are destined to live in the glory of the past. Your co-workers won't care about your only basket in the entire championship game. It is when you look at that moment of success, realize that you have a greater potential, discover what made you successful, and apply it each and every day that you will truly achieve success in life.

Once you can see beyond a particular moment in time, then you can begin to have an impact in your life and the lives of those around you.

A 25-year anniversary

2006-04-12T13:08:00.000-04:00

It was 25 years ago today that one of the most complex aircraft ever constructed took it's maiden test flight. Two days later, this test flight came to an end in the dusty California desert.

The aircraft's official designator was STS-1 but most people knew it by it's common moniker: the space shuttle Columbia. That test flight consisted of a series of checks and maneuvers that had not—and could not—be performed on earth. The two-man crew proved the flight-worthiness of this venerable spacecraft and ushered in a new era of space flight.

How successful was the shuttle program? The former Soviet Union modeled their reusable spacecraft program after the U.S. shuttle design. Even with the numerous interior and design differences (to learn more, check out the Wikipedia entry), the exteriors of the craft look very similar.

Unfortunately, Columbia met it's demise in 2003 as the craft disintegrated over the southwestern United States, killing the seven-member crew. It truly was a tragic end for a craft that surely would have ended up at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.

At this point in my life, both Columbia and Challenger (which exploded on lift-off in January 1986), will forever remain special to me. Columbia because it ushered in the shuttle era and Challenger for the magnificent images from both the first nighttime launch and landing of a shuttle.

Blog News: Bugs fixed

2006-04-10T14:49:00.000-04:00

I discovered some bugs in the template code that I switched to recently that impacted the site archives. I just want to let you know that the errors have been fixed, so the full archive set is once again available.

Bagging up the past

2006-04-10T14:48:00.000-04:00

Now playing on iTunes:
Exposure: Broadening Your Horizons by T.D. Jakes

This weekend was a trip down memory lane. I really don't recall much of Saturday; 'tis the curse of being sleep deprived. But yesterday was a day I won't forget anytime soon.

As I wrote a few weeks ago, the clothes dryer needed to be replaced. (It cost nearly as much to repair the bloody thing as it does to purchase a new unit.) So we bought it on Saturday and brought it home. Then Heather's dad and I spent part of the morning yesterday installing the dryer. Due to the design of our kitchen, it was either move the fridge/freeze or widen the path through the garage and bring the new dryer in that way.

Well, we decided to skip around a bit in our reorganization plans and chose the garage route. Then we spent all afternoon and evening sorting through the our past deciding what stuff to keep, what stuff we'll sell at a garage sale later this month, and what stuff will see the inside of a big, black trash bag. We've got a ton of trash stacked up in the trash already. I can't wait to see how big the pile of trash is on Friday morning once it's all been set out for the trash pickup. Once the trash is gone and the garage sale stuff is gone (if it doesn't sell, it'll be packed up that day and shipped off to Goodwill) we may have some empty space in the garage.

It's embarrassing as to how much 'stuff' we collect and keep for years and years. I found lanyards from long-forgotten conferences, photographic prints from my newspaper days (I did keep some), and dusty magazines that haven't been cracked open since the day I bought them.

I'm starting to see that the light at the end of the clutter tunnel is a brighter future. I look forward to the day I am bathed in sunlight. Now, I just wish I felt the same way about some other areas of my life.

A meeting of legends

2006-04-04T13:31:00.000-04:00

I just learned that seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong will drive the pace car for this year's Indianapolis 500. Finally a reason I'd consider getting a ticket to the race. LOL!

Belated birthday wishes

2006-04-03T11:58:00.000-04:00

Happy 30th birthday, Apple Computer. (The company was founded on April 1, 1976 by the two Steves; Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs.)

One heckuva rough weekend

2006-04-03T08:09:00.000-04:00

This weekend was designed to be special for two reasons. First, Indianapolis is hosting the NCAA Final Four and great basketball (plus some related festivities) are sure to provide tons of excitement. Second, this marks the first time the entire state has participated in Daylight Saving Time as a whole. (I grew up in Da Region; a couple of counties which did participate in DST so this change wasn't a big deal to me.)

Well, it turned out to be an exciting weekend for other reasons. Even before the first tip-off, visitors to the city got a glimpse into everyday life in the Hoosier state when a tornado warning was issued Friday night. Not to disappoint the out-of-towners, a twister—which topped off as an F2—ripped through several south-side communities, leaving a swath of destruction to homes, businesses, and farm buildings. The storm sirens went off again Sunday night as another wave of strong storms rolled through the state. This time, downtown took a hit as windows were blown out of one of the skyscrapers and a fire was started in the same structure. The standard bad storm debris—power outages, fallen trees, damaged signs—can be found throughout the area. Even our house took some damage as a section of privacy fence was ripped away from the 4x4 posts. Fortunately the panel just fell into a flooded portion of the yard and is slated to be repaired and reinstalled after work tonight.

I'm sure some visitors will never forget this visit to Indianapolis. I just hope that Mother Nature is finished giving the folks who came to town for the hardwood excitement an introduction to the rapid-development life-cycle of tornados.

Time for an update

2006-03-30T13:03:00.000-05:00

My creative juices have been flowing lately. After looking at the blog this morning, I decided it was time for a makeover. So, a few mouse clicks turned up this new template and—since I don't have the time to whip up my own designs—I took advantage of the designer's willingness to make this template available to the world. I hope you like the change.

I hope you're sitting down...

2006-03-30T12:45:00.000-05:00

Now playing on iTunes
On the Sunny Side of the Street by Willie Nelson

It's been way too long since my last post. Things are moving at a million miles an hour in every aspect of my life and I am struggling through in a caffeine-fueled state of mind. ( I do love my Diet Mountain Dew!!!) Let's take a quick peek at what's been going on.

Preparing for the twins. Obviously, this life-changing event is at the forefront of my life and focus right now. Heather and I have been getting very serious about getting the house in order before July 1. The twins do continue to progress well and are growing right on track. Seeing as how this one area creates a snowball of other projects including…

Changing careers. I've posed my situation to the powers that be at my current office and have learned there isn't anything they can/will do. So I'm hitting the streets as a free agent. I've had some interviews already and am wrapping up a redesign of the old résumé. I hope to move into a database-oriented position so I'm hoping the Indy job market is in good shape. So I'm just trying to wrap up the outstanding loose ends in my current position, taking some stuff home gradually, advance the initiatives that I'm tasked with (while working OT whenever possible), and and trying to find some new people to give some of my ongoing tasks to. At this point, I'm just waiting on the right job offer.

Organizing the house. We've got an organizing plan set up to get everything cleaned, sorted, rearranged (when needed). We've had a bit of a setback recently because Heather continues to experience pain and discomfort in her pregnancy and is limited in what she can do. But we're still committed to getting it done before May 1. Once we're done, it's time for a garage sale!!! So far, we've been sitting out about 10 black trash bags every week of assorted crap we've moved from place to place. Add in boxes of books to the local used bookstore, some donated to local libraries, and even more sold on Amazon and the stuff is literally leaving the house every day.

Life with a toddler. Lucas is doing absolutely great. He's still not talking, but we're working on it. (Yeah, I know the old adage; once you get the started, you'll never get them to stop.) We're thankful that he likes to help clean and pick-up so I am optimistic about his ability to help Heather out during the day with the twins. I sure do love that kiddo; the twins have a lot to live up to. <g> We bought him a toddler bed late last week and I'm hoping to get it set up before the weekend. I think he'll love the step of having a real big boy bed.

Home improvement. I have quite the laundry list of home improvements to make. Already I've put in a new disposal, fixed the oven (with help from my father-in-law and the advice of the gas company tech who checked it out), and am working on shopping for a new clothes dryer to replace our existing unit which doesn't heat like it should anymore. (A tangent, if you will; I will never buy another GE appliance. This dryer is no more than seven years old and it is kaput already. Only over the past two years—a little less actually—has our laundry picked up because of Lucas. And when it'll cost about $200 to have someone bring a part and put it in—because the bloody heating element is not owner-serviceable—you can pay just a bit more and buy a brand-spanking-new unit.) Once the house is dealt with, the entire month of May is reserved for the myriad other tasks such as installing a new dining room light, doing some landscaping, painting the wood trim on the house, and so on. The goal is to just have to tweak a few things in June to be ready for the twins arrival.

Financial FREE-DOM!!! We're also focusing on our personal finances. It's fair to see we've got a bit of debt hanging over our head, but we're trying to get that dealt with. We took a financial Bible study from Crown Ministries through our church last year(?) and it was more of a Bible study than practical. I don't mean to talk negatively about a ministry, but it's nice to know there are over 3,000 verses in the Bible that address money, but it doesn't deal with the day-to-day aspects as much as I would like. So, we're looking into Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. I heard about Dave from our Crown study instructor and had listened to his show on and off for a few months. But now I'm subscribed to the iTunes feed, we're reading the book, and it's fair to say I've drunk the Kool-Aid and have shaved my head.

I think that just about covers most of the stuff. There's not much time for watching TV anymore, but I am going to make an exception on Monday to check out the NCAA Division I basketball championship game from right here in Indianapolis. I can't wait until Lucas is a bit older and I'm not quite as hurried for us to be able to go downtown for big events like this and have some fun. I hope your life isn't as hectic as mine.

I'll leave you this final thought from Bon Jovi:

We've got to hold on ready or not
You live for the fight when it's all that you've got
(from Livin' on a Prayer)

Adventures in parenting

2006-03-16T10:49:00.000-05:00

Now playing on iTunes:
The River by Chely Wright

I'm starting to realize why abuse victims and those who injure themselves by cutting (or other methods) wear long-sleeved shirts to hide their marks. Over the past few weeks, I've become self-consciouos about the various scrapes, red spots, and bruises that have been appearing on my arms with increasing frequency. Looking over my 'battle wounds' I struggle to remember when each one happened; but there's one thing I can recall without fail—Lucas had something to do with them.

Heather and I are trying to work through a period of him biting people—particularly me...maybe I taste like chicken?—whenever he gets overly tired or upset over something. The current "approved" method of correction is to thump him on the head and say "if you bite people you get thumped." I've tried the swatting on the bottom approach, much to Heather's dismay. (That approach has officially been nixed.) But we've not stooped to the retaliatory approach of biting him back.

The bright spot in this period is that he isn't in a traditional daycare facility; my father-in-law (who happens to read this blog periodically—hi dad!) watches Lucas while Heather and I stick out the drudgery of the 9-5 life. I could just imagine the frequency of calls to pick him up because he's bitten another child.

Does anyone have experience with a toddler going through this phase? What worked for you and what didn't? How long did it take to break the kiddo from this habit?

First guess at the twins' gender

2006-03-15T12:38:00.000-05:00

Monday morning, Heather went for another OB visit with ultrasound. (Apparently our high-risk OB will give an ultrasound every visit to monitor the twins growth patterns.) Anyway, the ultrasound tech was looking at Fetus A (the first one that will be born if a natural delivery occurs) and said, unabashedly, "well, this one's a girl." After scanning and measuring Fetus B, she proclaimed it was a boy.

Now Heather and I still strongly believe that they are both girls. Knowing what we do about the error rate in determining a fetus' gender via ultrasound—especially given this was the first possible chance to check that matter—we still have faith that there will be two girls joining our family this summer. But, to be completely open and honest, we really don't care if they are boys or girls as long as they are both healthy and delivered at full-term for twins. (We hope to be able to deliver no earlier than 37 weeks.)

Anyway, that's the latest on the additions to the family. Sorry for the sparse blogging of late.

Nice win, IU!

2006-03-10T16:30:00.000-05:00

Congrats on whupping up on Wisconsin at the Fieldhouse.

A long week

2006-03-07T09:09:00.000-05:00

On February 25, the family road tripped north to visit the airplane museum outside of the Grissom Air Reserve base. This made for a good time for all even through the Air Force tankers weren't flying. (Maybe next time...)

Anyway, we took a quick trip through the outdoor exhibit where all sorts of aircraft are on display—everything from WWII to modern aircraft. We would have stayed longer but it was a bit windy and cold and we figured we should keep it short. The next day, Lucas started showing signs of being sick.

And it has progressed from there. The little man seems to be getting over his bug, but not before first passing it to Heather and then on to me. It's been a bit miserable around the house with someone sniffling, hacking up a lung (coughing), or dealing with a congested/runny nose. I can't imagine what it'll be like with two more kiddos in the house when everyone is sick.

A February to Forget

2006-02-28T11:19:00.000-05:00

Well, not to dwell on the negative, but I'm glad this month is over. It's been a rough 28 days. I've definitely become more cynical during that time frame. Even the Olympics proved to be laced with embarrassing moments for the States.

At least we can all sit back and hope that we've heard the last from Bode Miller. Now he can pound down all the Pabst Blue-Ribbon he can lug before taking to the kiddie slopes somewhere in Wisconsin or Minnesota.

Rough week

2006-02-24T13:28:00.000-05:00

Now playing on iTunes:
Beer for my Horses by Toby Keith and Willie Nelson

I usually don't comment on things at the workplace (for job-securityreasons) but this week demands some type of comment.

Wednesday afternoon, 24 of my co-workers were told their last day with the organization would be March 31. Most everyone in the building figured out what was going on via deductive reasoning of messages received that morning. Afterward a new set of org charts were being created and people were left to deal with the fallout.

I don't really know what it means for me. I was not laid-off. Yet, my family's situation (with Heather's pending layoff) put me in a position of finding a new job or waiting to see if something would open up in the current company. Right now, so much is up in the air here that I do not know if I will personally benefit from the reorganization or if I will just end up as another former employee by the end of the year.

Anyway, it's a weird environment around here. Much stranger than after the 2001-2002 layoffs. I guess everyone is still trying to figure out what management has in mind.

New words for 2006

2006-02-22T09:05:00.000-05:00

I have a pseudo-fondness for words. I'm not a wordsmith by any stretch of the imagination. Yet, I am continually amazed at how 26 characters—aka, the alphabet—can be mixed and intertwined to create thousands upon thousands of words. As such, I, from time to time, think of new words that usually don't see the light of day. However, I have two words to propose for addition to the Webster's dictionary. They are:

Indyanomaly—The strange habit of Indianapolis drivers to suddenly come to a complete stop on the interstate for no reason whatsoever. For example, this morning traffic came to a stop for two garbage cans sitting off the side of the road. Usage: "Hmm...we're moving again. Must've been another Indyanomaly affecting traffic."
Kwanzi—The art of receiving a benefit from an employer or organization under the premise of accomplishing a task, but then failing to deliver after the benefit has been received. This is in reference to Michelle Kwan's recent trip to Italy as part of the Olympic skating team where she decided not to compete, only after participating in the Opening Ceremony and, thus, getting her face plastered across millions of televisions back home and scoring a free trip to Torino. Usage: "John went to the conference in San Francisco and then turned in his two week resignation the moment he got back. Boy, does he sure knows how to Kwanzi the company!"

So, I've gotta ask, do you have any words to add to the dictionary this year?

Spinning Spokes

Thoughts on Father's Day

Passion

The Resurrection of Self

Something to think about...

Don't ask...

Ugh! A helluva morning

Food for thought

Update on Lance

Damn! Armstrong in hospital after race crash (via CNN)

Spinning Spokes Spin-off

Weekend musings

Week in review

Giving help versus accepting help

Back to the Basics

Getting Creative at Work

A Positive Attitude on Steroids

Rebirth of Spinning Spokes

Random Thoughts for a Thursday

Microsoft store vs. Apple Store

Relationship lessons

Christmas wishes

Looking for more?

Optimistic

Self-Confidence; Friend or Foe?

A thought on divorce

T-minus 11 hours and 18 minutes

Thoughts on regret

Fitness Follies and Foibles—Part 2

How could I not mention

Fitness Follies and Foibles

Learning patience

Abandonment

A quick news update

My two cents on CFLs

Day One: A rough start

Getting serious. Seriously.

RIPcasts

I am a terrorist

Yowzers!

All Shook Up!!!

Delve into iTunes with me...

Happy New Year!!!

Jericho returns

Neglected

Ruth Bell Graham dies

ugh...I *hate* California justice

Woo-hoo

The best laid plans...

Obit - Dr. David Adams

Another day in Suburbia (or WTF? Stolen flip-flops???)

It is finished.

Heartless

Soldier forced to leave dying mother for war

Commander denies Alabama man's request for extension on two-week leave

Associated Press

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

An eventful night...

Obit - Kurt Vonnegut

Says who???

An open letter to the Marion County (Indiana) Prosecutor

Pending Iran invasion

Two reasons to celebrate

Happy, happy, joy, joy!

Can we watch it? No, we can't!!!

thoughts

Super Bowl XLI

Coming to a store near you…

A new blog for your viewing pleasure

Happy New Year!!!

Saddam is hung…or is he?

Not really surprised

Catching up...

It's not rocket science, folks

Ups and downs

Praise the Lord, it's finally over!!!

Good night, sweetheart.

Another step forward!

Getting everyone caught up

Happy birthday to me...

ugh...I hate California justice