Dewey's Daily Dealing's

2004-08-12T22:54:00.000-04:00

Progress

I got quite a bit done, but...... If you can figure out how I managed to get my sidebar on the bottom of my page, I'd appreciate the help. Good night!

2004-08-12T22:34:00.000-04:00

New Template

Oops..... I just changed my template, and republished. I guess I'll need to get to work on a few changes.

2004-08-12T22:10:00.000-04:00

Computer Problems

It's been so long since my last post, and Blogger has changed things up quite a bit. Very Nice!

I'm currently using an old laptop from work to write this with. My super duper high speed and fancy computer is down and out. I'll not mention the brand just yet, in hopes that they will pull through and actually fix the thing. I've been waiting for almost two months now (including attempts at phone support and shipping it out once). A work order has been generated to ship it back to them one more time.

It's been a great summer so far. Going by far too quickly though. In a couple of months, the weather will cool down again, and soon after that the weather will once again force me indoors. That's when my time on the computer climbs.

The garden is doing very well. Tomatoes, summer squash, cucumbers, and peppers are abundant. The peas and beans did well. I'm already planning to expand the garden next year.

Far too much has happened over the past couple of months to recap, so I'll just pick up where I left off. I'm heading off to Akron Ohio in the morning. The weather should be good for driving. I'll be back home Saturday evening.

2004-05-30T07:11:00.000-04:00

That's Entertainment

We are surrounded by an incredible array of entertainment. TV, sports, movies, books, magazines, computer games, internet, and more. How many forms of entertainment sucked you into its grasp today? I'm making an attempt to scale back on the amount of time I give to pure entertainment. Not easy. Just yesterday, I decided to read a bit from Michael Crichton's book "Prey". As a hockey fan, I decided to rent the movie about the 1980 Olympic Hockey team, "miracle", and I noticed the 3rd game of the Stanley cup was on (U.S. vs Canada), and while I went to rent Miracle, I noticed the Matrix movie is out on DVD now. Many hours will shift to these entertainments. What's so bad about spending several hours engrossed in a book, a hockey game, and a movie or two?

What could I do with that time? First, I could get to sleep at a decent hour. Then I could spend some time on project around the house and yard that needs done. I could write a letter to my Grandparents, I could spend some time with my kids.

See what I mean? I know I can't live in a bubble, and I know there will always be a desire to be entertained, but it is important to pay attention to what entertainment is drawing me in, and what it is pulling me away from, and asking myself if this is something I really want to let happen. That's entertainment.

2004-05-23T16:21:00.000-04:00

Sabbatical Is Over

Sorry for the lack of posting over the past couple of weeks. I was on an unscheduled sabbatical of sorts. Though I didn't head off to a secluded monastery, I did spend most of my evenings in the garden, reflecting. (I left my camera at work, so I'll have to get some pictures of the garden posted in a day or two. Everything is doing well!)

I'll be 40 in September, and I think it is good to reflect on life up to this point. All in all, things are going well. Over the past several months, I've made some decisions to scale back a little.

Simple is better. I find the quest for more stuff to be very unappealing. I certainly have been guilty of buying more and more stuff, buying my way out of (and into) problems, buying things because, "I deserve them." No more.

These past couple of weeks, I've been going to bed earlier, keeping the radio off while I'm driving, watching only a few hours of TV a week (if that). I'm spending more time building relationships, listening more than I talk (this is a tough one), and arguing as little as possible.

I watch how I spend my money, turn off electrical things when they aren't being used, and drive as little as possible. I've sold several books that I won't read again (on half.com), gave some stuff to the rescue mission, and have several more boxes packed and ready to sell or give away.

In scaling back, I wasn't sure if I'd blog anymore. Everything I do, needs to add value in some way. Either to me or to someone else. I don't know if I'll write an entry every day, yet I have decided to continue my blog. I enjoy reading blogs, and I DO find them inspirational. Everybody has something unique to offer, and I enjoy reading how different people approach their day. Though I may never meet you face to face, I do appreciate a glimpse into your world. Hope the feeling is mutual.

2004-05-08T08:01:00.000-04:00

Food Shopping Secret's

A few days ago, I shared that as a family of six, we spend around $100 for two weeks of food (and most of our household items like toilet paper, dish soap, etc.)

In the comments section, Mag asked, "What's your secret?"

Not really a secret, more of a strategy. Here are some of the basics.

Create a meal plan using basic ingredients.

Create a list based on a meal plan.

Buy what you have on the list and nothing more! Retailers are EXPERTS at getting you to make impulse purchases!

Be flexible. If there is a sale on an item (especially seasonal produce) substitute that into the meal plan.

Don't use convenience foods, make things from scratch.

Be willing to use store brands. Name brands do not always mean better.

Know how to shop. Pay attention to unit prices, a good deal is not always a good deal!

Don't eat out.

Don't cook more food than you can eat. If you do cook more than you need at one meal, save the leftovers for lunches and use the leftovers quickly instead of letting them grow in the fridge! If you aren't going to use them quickly, put them in the freezer and include them on the next meal plan.

These are just a few of the strategies we use. This year, I'm trying my hand at vegetable gardening in hopes of adding quality ingredients at a lower cost. A fantastic site to visit for inspiration in this endeavor is Path To Freedom.

If your looking for a great book to help you save money on food (and much more), you will want to get your hands on a copy of The Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn. She also put out The Tightwad Gazette II & III.

If you are interested in cutting your food expenses, start by keeping track of what you really spend on food. This includes your grocery bills, stopping for a cup of coffee, grabbing a gallon of milk at a convenience store, eating at a restaurant. Everything! You may be shocked by how much you spend. Then try a couple of strategies that you think might work for you. Take it one step at a time.

2004-05-07T20:53:00.000-04:00

Back in Town

I've got some catching up to do. As soon as I got home, I headed out to the garden to see how things are coming along. All the Peas are sprouting, as well as onions, carrots, lettuce, beets, spinach, marigolds, endive, and radish's. I planted more carrots, onions, spinach, and radish's. I also planted a flower called Nasturtium.

Once I had everything planted, I sat down to take a break. As I leave the garden, there are a couple of Robins that typically fly in to see if I stirred up any critters for them. Tonight was no exception. They flew in and grabbed what they could find. One of the Robins was a bit to rambunctious in the newly planted section, so I scared him off to see what he was after. I thought he might dig up my newly planted seeds. Wrong! When I got to the garden, I discovered what had his attention. It was a brown Beetle, about the size of a Japanese Beetle. I guess I'll leave the Robin alone next time.

2004-05-04T22:45:00.000-04:00

Out of Town

I'm packing my bags again! I'll be heading north to Watertown tomorrow afternoon, and won't be back until Friday night. See you soon...

2004-05-02T18:14:00.000-04:00

Escape!

Our escape is not a question of whether or not it will happen, it is really just a matter of time.
"The Gray Kitty"

These four little guys are building up skills they hope to put to good use. It is just a matter of time....

2004-05-01T21:08:00.000-04:00

Shopping Day

I really hate to spend a Saturday running errands, but that's what I did today. I really needed a haircut, so I got that taken care of. The bulk of the day was spent food shopping. With a family of six, a dog, and three cats, keeping food expenses under control takes some planning.

We shop twice a month (though we do make several trips in between for milk, fresh fruit, etc.) The cupboards are full, and we managed to do it for just under $100.00 (for two weeks). Once the garden starts to produce some fresh veggies, we'll be able to cut that down even more.

The weather was warm all day, and the garden was in need of a watering. It looked like rain would start all afternoon, so I held off. At about 7, I was about to give in, hose in hand, and then the rain began to fall. Lots of rain.

Everything I planted is starting to sprout, so the rain is a welcome sight. I'm hoping to plant some more onions, carrots, and spinach tomorrow afternoon. After that, I'm going to get a whole 4' x 4' section of Herbs planted. That might not happen until next Saturday though. We'll see.

I hear Thunder...time to go!

2004-04-29T20:47:00.000-04:00

Heat Wave!

This weather here is insane! Just in from the yard, wearing shorts and breaking a sweat. The temperature hit 80 degrees today! We are supposed to have some awesome weather this weekend, and I hope to get some more planted in the garden.

Speaking of the garden, I am so unbelievably impatient. Each day after I get back from work, I head to see what's growing, and if it's already growing, how much it has grown. I swear the garden has not changed in days. Then I look back and realize the first seeds were in the soil just twelve days ago, and the weather has not been all that great. Patience.... I need more of it. The garden will be a good experience. Tap...tap...tap...

2004-04-28T06:08:00.000-04:00

Snow!

As I stirred from my sleep this morning, I noticed it was very cold. I had the furnace off, and no fire in the woodstove. It's spring , right! I went downstairs to let our dog Buddy out for his morning business, and as I stepped in the backyard, what do I see? SNOW! A nice little coating on the patio, the picnic table, and my GARDEN!

Oh well, you gotta love New York, High taxes, and snow on April 28th.

2004-04-26T21:41:00.000-04:00

Mr. Goodwrench

Just came inside after a wrestling match with my van. I took it in for a New York State inspection on Saturday, and unfortunately, it didn't pass. A sway arm in the front suspension was broken. The mechanic said he could replace it for $98.00. I thanked him for the offer, but declined. I picked up the part today for $24.00 and went outside after dinner to tackle the job. Faced with rusted bolts and two inches of room to work, I battled for over an hour...to get one bolt off. I battled another 45 minutes to get the other bolt off. The new part went on easy enough. I'll take it in for reinspection in a day or two. Quite a bit of work, yet it was great to save $74.00!

In an attempt to cut back on our electricity consumption, I decided to try out, "The Mini Twister!" They are 40 watt light bulbs that use just 13 watts of energy. I put one in my office, and I'll put the other one in the hallway. Eventually, if they work out, I'll replace all the bulbs with these little energy savers. The one I installed in my office works fine.

2004-04-25T20:48:00.000-04:00

Woodstove Weather

Walking outside this morning, it was a bit cooler, but not too cool. As the day progressed though, it got colder, and colder. Cool enough this afternoon that I decided to fire up the woodstove. Yesterday I was talking about spring, and today I'm talking about the woodstove. All part of life in Central New York.

The kittens are about two weeks old today. They still sleep most of the time, yet when they do wake up, they play and wobble around, looking for trouble. The box they call home will not be able to contain them. For now though, they sure are cute.

2004-04-24T21:22:00.000-04:00

Spring Weather

The calendar may say spring has been her for a month, but it isn't really spring until the leaves start to appear on trees. When you look across the horizon and see more green than gray. When you need to stay alert for a psycho bumblebee as you enter the shed. Yep, Spring is here.

I had several things to get done in the yard and garden this week. Home time was cut short by a two day trip to Ohio, yet I still managed to get all but one thing checked off my to do list. It was a little too windy to rake leaves out of the hedges, so I'll add that on the list for next week. The leaves will be a great addition to the (temporary) compost pile.

A couple more plants made an appearance today, the beets and some lettuce. Plenty of sunshine today. I also planted some more radishes and carrots. The bulk of the planting will take place in early May. I'm hoping the weather is as nice tomorrow.

2004-04-23T20:39:00.000-04:00

11 Hours of Driving

The past two days have been spent cooped up in my car, a conference room, or a hotel room. It's great to be back home, and it's a weekend to boot! I just came in from a garden check and it was great to see some green. The radishes are the first to break the soil. My daughter said, "Oh great, the worst thing is the first thing growing." Obviously, she isn't a big radish fan. The next few days should be noteworthy as it pertains to the garden.

Well, I'm off to get unpacked, and ready for tomorrow. Home, Sweet, Home.

2004-04-21T21:49:00.000-04:00

Going Away for a Couple of Days

Packing for a couple of days on the road. In the morning, I shuffle off to Buffalo, and then travel on to Akron, Ohio. There was a time when I enjoyed the opportunity to hit the road for a day or two. Not so these days. I don't mind the travel, yet spending a night away from home is not as pleasing as it once was.

I need to finish packing, and then it's off to get some sleep. See you soon!

2004-04-20T20:31:00.000-04:00

A Little Help

Jennifer has taken an interest in the new garden. She was an active participant for two days in a row now. Yesterday she helped saw a piece of PVC for the trellis. Today she grabbed the shovel and gave sod digging a try. The Square Foot Garden will be more enjoyable if the rest of the family decides to take an interest. The tough part may not be very enticing, but the sprouting plants will likely gain a few more gardening fans.

As you can see in the pictures, two more plant boxes are dug out. There is new soil in both, and Jennifer helped plant peas this evening. The peas will grow up the new trellis (still need to tie the string in place). Logs are hauled away, as was the section of chain link fence. Moving right along.

2004-04-18T20:43:00.000-04:00

A Rainy Sunday

Outdoor spring projects were put on hold today as Thunderstorms rolled through the area. Once the skies cleared, I did manage to plant some carrots, and spinach. When spring arrives next year, I'll have seeds started and ready to plant. Starting seeds in advance will gain me several weeks of growing time.

My neighbor strolled over to the fence this evening and asked about the garden. He's a bit skeptical about growing vegetables in six inches of soil. I told him we'll just need to wait and see, if things go as planned, I'll be sharing from my abundance of fresh vegetables in the not so distant future.

There is some more clean-up to do. I hauled out the last of the scrap lumber from the old dog pen. That leaves me with a 25 foot section of chain link fence to get rid of.

Here is a list of things to do this week:

- Build support for vertical plants (Eventually need 3).
- Dig sod from one more plant box and add soil mixture (Peat Moss, Vermiculite, and Compost).
- Plant Peas with Jennifer (She loves fresh peas!).
- Haul section of chainlink fence away.
- Begin to put old logs by the curb (at least 5).
- Set aside a temporary compost area.
- Rake by the front bushes and put leaves in compost pile.
- Mow lawn (This is my least favorite outdoor activity.)
- Clean out window boxes, and prep for planting (we have two in our front windows.)

I'm not sure how much of this I'll be able to get done by the end of the day next Saturday. I have a church board meeting on Monday night, and I'll be in Ohio on Thursday and Friday. We'll see!

2004-04-17T19:25:00.000-04:00

Seeds are in the Soil!

Using the Square foot gardening method, I now have six 4 foot by 4 foot garden boxes built. Though all six are in place, only two of the boxes have soil in them. The soil is a mixture of Peat Moss, Vermiculite, and Compost. Once the soil was in place, I began to plant seeds! What a great feeling of accomplishment. The seeds I planted so far were a few different varieties of Lettuce, Endive, Radishes, Beets, Onions, Spinach and Marigolds. All of that in just 16 square feet. I still have another 80 square feet to go! In the days ahead, I'll be growing Beans, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Peppers, Squash, Corn, several varieties of Herbs, and more! All that in a patch of ground just 18 feet by 12 feet. I can taste the delicious veggies already!

As promised.....Kitten pictures! Not much change. Just five days old. They sleep most of the time. All that will change very soon!

2004-04-16T21:08:00.000-04:00

Wind Power

Took a trip out to Madison County today. The weather was perfect and it was great to be out of the office. I was out getting some vermiculite for my new Square Foot Garden project. As I closed in on Stone Bros. Farm and Greenhouse, I couldn't help but notice the 328 foot tall Windmills on the hilltop. Impressive!

2004-04-15T21:34:00.000-04:00

Helen and Scott Nearing

Completely engrossed in, Loving and Leaving the Good Life by Helen Nearing. I'd like to visit their home in Maine someday.

2004-04-14T22:08:00.000-04:00

Out of the Loop

Most days, I keep up with the days news. I'll listen to the radio to and from work, and if I get a chance, I'll watch a few minutes of TV news to see what's happening. Not lately though. I've been leaving the radio off, and spending time in the yard once I get home from work, and reading in the evening. So I'm a bit behind in the latest news.

Not long ago, I wrote a post about the new liberal radio network, "Air America". I listened to it briefly and shared that I did not feel it was at all entertaining, and in my opinion they needed to find some real radio personalities if they hoped to draw listeners. I believe that Al Franken really thought that liberals would flock to his radio shows. There aren't enough liberals to support a liberal radio network. Franken needs to draw listeners from the entire political spectrum to be successful. Radio, just like television is about money. If a radio program or a, "radio network" hopes to be successful and stay on the air, it needs to draw enough listeners to draw the advertising money needed to keep the show on the air. There is only one station that can afford to stay on the air with minimal listenership, and that station is National Public Radio (NPR) supported (whether you listen to it or not) by your tax dollars.

So anyway, in listening to Air America for about an hour, I stated that, "Most Americans will find it difficult to relate to Janeane Garofalo and Al Franken." They are just not very good at doing a radio talk show. Garafalo should just stick to movies. She's a very good actor. Al Franken should just make appearances and be vile and annoying. That's what he's good at.

A developing story indicates that the end is near for Air America.

After just two weeks on the air, Air America Radio, the fledgling liberal talk-radio network featuring Al Franken and Janeane Garofalo, appears to have encountered serious cash-flow problems.

If not now, it will be over soon for Air america. No surprise.

2004-04-13T21:48:00.000-04:00

April Showers

Actually more than just showers, a series of downpours would better describe the weather today. The bad weather kept me indoors after work. Probably not a bad thing. I paid bills, and finished up our state taxes. No refund, that's why I waited until the last minute.

I've been going to bed earlier than I used to. There are many who can function well on less than six hours of sleep a night. I'm not one of them anymore. Good night!

2004-04-12T20:46:00.000-04:00

Kittens!!

I woke up this morning to the sound of a high pitched meow. A new feline edition. Our cat Scribbles was roaming around last night, with an eye for a good safe place to hide. My daughter woke up this morning pleased by the fact that the safe place to hide was in her room. Birthing was still in progress while I headed off to work. The final kitty count stands at four. Momma kitty is doing well. Pappa kitty will be at the vet within a week or two (and momma kitty will follow soon after.) I'm sure there will be more kitten pictures in the days ahead.

2004-04-11T21:46:00.000-04:00

Square Foot Garden

In years past, a vegetable garden was a part of every spring/summer. These past few years, that has not been the case. Too busy. I'm hoping to make some changes that will allow me to focus attention on the things that are really important to me. It is soooo easy to get caught in the rat race.

As I poked around in the backyard today, I was entertained by a Robin, a cardinal, and even a woodpecker. It was great inspiration as I mapped out the area for our Vegetable Garden. We don't have much room, but the gardening technique described in, "Square Foot Gardening" looks like it will work just fine in our space. I'm off to a late start, so I'll do the best I can to get the garden underway this week. I'll be setting up 9 4 ft. x 4 ft. boxes. I might try to take some time off from work this Wednesday to get this new project underway.

2004-04-10T23:28:00.000-04:00

Posting Problems

Haven't had any luck publishing my last post. Hmmm.... A problem with blogger, or with something here on my end?

2004-04-10T20:32:00.000-04:00

One Step Closer

In order to get some gardens planted this year, I need to clear out some more junk. The dog pen is cleared now, and I actually prepped a small patch to plant some lettuce. Yesterday I started to trim some brush along the back of the yard, and before I knew it, I had the whole job done. I spent a good part of the day clearing out the brush piles. Still a couple of small piles to go. It doesn't look like much right now, but as the warmer days approach, it will look much better, and hopefully we'll get some food out of our backyard.

While I was working, a couple of Black Capped Chickadee's kept hanging around. The feeder was empty and it seemed like they were begging me to put some seed in it. I finally did, and they didn't waste any time grabbing a bite to eat. They let me get very close for some pictures, and hung around for most of the day.

2004-04-08T20:28:00.000-04:00

Dog Pen Removal Project Continued

The weather was right, and I had a little extra time once I got home from work tonight to take down some more of the old dog pen. I started this back on March 28th. There is a bit more to tear down, and I still need to break down the pieces a little more. I'm hoping to have the whole area cleared this weekend.

Last year this was overgrown with weeds and useless. This year it will be home to a nice little garden. I was talking to my daughter tonight and we agreed on growing peas and green beans for sure. We'll see what we can come up with. I'll do some more planning for "The Garden" over the weekend.

This very same daughter celebrated her 11th birthday yesterday. They grow up too fast. It seems like just yesterday she was learning how to walk. I'll close with a picture of her testing out her new cotton candy machine. After the first run, we realized the top lid was on upside down. It still tasted good, and it was still fun!

2004-04-07T19:51:00.000-04:00

Tax Freedom Day

Here is some interesting information from Tax Bites.

"According to Tax Foundation calculations using the latest government data on income and taxes, Tax Freedom DayÂ® in 2004 will be celebrated on April 11th, the earliest Tax Freedom Day for 37 years."

It's incredible to think how much we pay in taxes every year. The highest taxed state is Connecticut (where I grew up), and the 2nd highest taxed state is none other than New York State. Thanks to our tax hungry,incompetentt, haven't gotten a budget out on time in twenty years straight, we in New York won't celebrate Tax freedom day until April 27th. I'm always amazed by how many people support politicians that want to raise taxes. Our tax dollars are spent on so much nonsense. Cut out all the nonsense. Just plow the roads, staff the police and fire department and let us keep the rest of our money.

One more quote from Tax bite:

In 2004, Americans will work 65 days to afford their federal taxes and 36 more days to afford state and local taxes. Other categories of spending that require many days of labor to afford are housing and household operation (66 days), health and medical care (51 days), food (31 days), transportation (31 days), recreation (22 days), clothing and accessories (14 days), saving (5 days) and all other (44 days).

2004-04-07T06:10:00.000-04:00

Voluntary Simplicity

One of my favorite books of all time is, "Living The Good Life" by Helen and Scott Nearing. I first ran across the Nearings in a copy of Mother Earth News (a magazine for homesteaders). My dream life growing up was to homestead in Colorado. I was probably 14 years old when I first read the book. I always seem to pick this book up for another read when I feel I've been sucked into a far to hectic pace. That's what life is like right now, hectic and out of control.

I'm probably going to read a couple of other books that are great tools to try and bring life back to a more reasonable pace. One of them is a classic by Duane Elgin called Voluntary Simplicity. If you have never read either of these books, I strongly recommend them.

2004-04-05T06:34:00.000-04:00

Daylight Savings Time

In a contemplative mood. Feeling restless. Maybe the result of, "cabin fever." It's been a long winter. I don't think I was meant to live in a suburb in Central New York. I need more space. I want to sit down and plan, yet I also want to do something adventurous.

I like the extra hour of light in the evening, but I don't like having the morning interrupted like this. I get up at 5, and now it's not really 5, my body knows it's 4 AM. The kids are sluggish this morning too. I went to bed at my normal time last night, but I tossed and turned for an hour or more until I finally fell asleep. I'm bringing my Adirondack Trail Guides to work with the hopes of planning a trip for sometime soon. A day hike, or an overnighter. Soon.

2004-04-04T21:57:00.000-04:00

Just Thinking Out Loud

Planning for the next ten years and beyond. Just some thoughts.

- Travel to Japan and live there for at least six months.
- Spend a year or two in an RV traveling around the country.
- Hike the Appalachian Trail.
- Climb all of the High Peaks in the Adirondacks.
- Live out West for a year or two.
- Visit my Grandfather's Birthplace in Cocouna, Canada.
- Live on one of the Caribbean Islands for six months to a year.
- Write every day. Someday well enough to write a book.
- Become a better speaker. Someday well enough to be invited to give speeches.
- Be a lifelong learner. Create a learning plan, and follow it.

Life is an adventure. It happens one day at a time, so live the adventure one day at a time.

2004-04-04T19:01:00.000-04:00

Winters Last Stand

Some of my time this weekend was spent putting together some plans for a 7 - 10 day backpacking trip this year. One of my long term goals is to section hike the entire Appalachian Trail. So far I've completed the Georgia section of the trail. This year I have my sights set on a section in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll put together a plan of attack. I solo-hiked the section in Georgia in two separate trips. This time I will be hiking with a friend from Albany. There is nothing like getting out on the trail for an entire week. Many people attempt to hike the entire length of the Appalachian Trail (over 2,100 miles) each year. I've been reading the Trail Journal of Grant Cibula who is making an attempt to hike the entire trails length this year. He started back on March 15th, and is now in North Carolina with about 175 miles logged in by now. I'd love to do the whole trail some day.

As I sit and plan for my backpacking adventure, winter weather is taking one last stand. Just a light snow, and some chilly weather. Please let the sun shine again soon.

2004-04-03T17:22:00.000-05:00

Spring Cleaning

Rainy and cool today. That made it easier to finish up with this weeks Challenge. I've been pecking away at the stuff in my closet all week, and this morning I went on an all out attack. Incredible amounts of stuff piled up in the room. By the time I was done, I had a nice sized load of stuff to take to the rescue Mission, and my closet is cleaner, as is our kitchen. I didn't get to the garage yet, but that is on the list. It really is a great feeling to eliminate the clutter. Ahhh...

The new Challenge for the week is posted. This challenge is a great idea! It involves Habitat for Humanity , an organization that has helped so many find housing around the world.

I had an opportunity to help build a Habitat home while I was living in Ohio. I took a week of vacation and spent my time at a local worksite building a foundation for a new home. I went in with no experience and was taught everything I needed to know about laying block for a foundation. It was hard work, yet very rewarding.

2004-04-02T21:56:00.000-05:00

Air America Radio

With massive attention drawn to it, and 6 stations jumping on board, the first all liberal radio station is off and running. Sort of... I've been listening to the station on-line for about 30 minutes, and it really is not all that entertaining. It is actually depressing to crawl into the mind of the far left. I simply do not understand the far left viewpoint, and my guess is that neither do many others.

I guess we'll wait and see. American's vote with the dollar in the world of radio and TV. If America is on board with the liberal message being shared on Air America, they will tune in, the money will follow, and this new endeavor will be a success. If American's do not tune in, the money won't follow, and the endeavor will fail.

If I were a betting man (and I'm not), I'd put my money on Bill Bennett and his new morning radio show which goes live this Monday. Many more Americans can relate to the views of Bill Bennett. Most Americans will find it difficult to relate to Janeane Garofalo and Al Franken.

We shall see.

2004-04-01T19:42:00.000-05:00

Friday?

I can't tell you how many times I thought today was Friday! I'm not sure what might cause this phenomenon. Any thoughts? I think it was just a bit to hectic early this week, and my long day yesterday may have had an impact. Oh well, I enjoyed the day, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I'll be spending a couple of hours at my other passion. And, tomorrow IS Friday!

Has anyone looked into The Challenge Of The Week? The new challenge will be out in a couple of days. I haven't made as much progress on the challenge as I had hoped, though I do have a small pile (that continues to grow) ready to take to the local Rescue Mission drop-off point.

On the way home this week, I stuck my camera out the window and got a few pictures of this huge warehouse fire off I-690 in Syracuse. The fire was only an hour old when I passed by. Soon after, the smoke was so thick that several of the roads were closed. Nobody was hurt, and the warehouse was abandoned long ago. Unfortunately it was full of old tires and who knows what else.

2004-04-01T06:04:00.000-05:00

Pooped

I was to pooped to blog last night. I did watch Mona Lisa Smile with my wife the night before last, and we did enjoy it. I did get to work at 6:30 in the morning yesterday, and did not get home until after 9 last night. I do have another busy day ahead of me, yet this will be the last day to close business for the first quarter of 2004. Boy could I use a couple of days out on the trail right now, no phones, no inbox, just peace and quiet...

2004-03-30T21:10:00.000-05:00

Just A Quick Entry

Just a quick blog before I go watch a movie with my wife. We're going to watch Mona Lisa Smile. We both enjoy Julia Roberts movies.

I need to get to work by 6:30 in the morning. It is proving to be another hectic week. Is it Friday yet?

2004-03-29T20:38:00.000-05:00

Ultralight Backpacking

Out of necessity, I have embraced the philosophy of lightweight backpacking. My knees are not as pain free as they once were. I spent a number of years running far more miles per day than a body should, or at least my body. Last year I made one of these lightweight alcohol stoves out of a Pepsi can, and I switched from my rugged pair of hiking boots to a lightweight pair of EMS hiking shoes. One of the worries about ditching the boots is the loss of ankle support. I hiked quite a few miles in the Adirondacks last year, and I did not have any problems. I know several of the people I hike with are not all that crazy about hiking ultralight, but I enjoy it, and I believe it will extend my hiking career as well. I'll be making more strides towards a more lightweight mode of travel this year. I've added several links to some great Ultralight Backpacking sites that are well worth a visit.

2004-03-28T20:19:00.000-05:00

My Afternoon Project

Today was the first nice day we have had in months. The sky was blue, and the temperature was somewhere around sixty degrees. A beautiful spring day. We bought our house about a year ago. It needs some work, and there are several projects that need to be tackled. One of those projects is to tear down an old dog pen, that was built around an old jungle jim. I decided to do this now before the hornets started to build nests. Once the weather warms up, we will have an abundance of hornets. The first picture shows what I started with, and the second is about 45 minutes in. The guy who built this thing used pressure treated lumber and some serious spikes to hold it all together. I don't have a chainsaw, so I used a claw hammer and a sledge hammer to do most of the work.

And about 1 hour later, I got this far, and all the debris was cleaned up.

I don't have a whole lot of time after work to get things done around the house, so I may need to wait until next weekend to finish this. A chainsaw might make it easier to take the rest down.

2004-03-27T23:07:00.000-05:00

Feed Me

Today I did get some much needed rest and relaxation. As is often the case, I made a few trips here and there with the kids. Boys to a Bowling Party, Jen to get glasses, and Renee to and from work. Not a very good weather day, rainy and cool. It is starting to warm up though. Soon outdoor activities will resume.

Because of the weather, I spent most of the day reading, and reading blogs, etc.... My best find for the weekend was Adventure Journalist. The site is very nicely designed, and the pictures are just fantastic. Also, the "Challenge of the Week" link on the right side of the page is a site created by Tonya, the Adventure Journalist. Are you up to the challenge? I'm going to give it my best shot this week.

2004-03-27T11:44:00.000-05:00

New Glasses

Just got back from the Vision Center. My youngest daughter, Jennifer, picked out her first pair of glasses. She is a little nearsighted. When she found out she needed glasses a few weeks ago, she was not all that excited. She seems to have worked through any fears she had and is now very excited about the idea. We'll pick them up in the middle of next week.

2004-03-26T18:28:00.000-05:00

Another Crazy Week

This has been one of the busiest few weeks at work in a long time. The company I work for is likely going to post it's biggest sales numbers for 1st Quarter business in several years! Good news for those looking for work. I've been conducting interviews, scheduling overtime, meeting customers, and all kinds of other activities related to a good start to 2004. Listening to the news, I would have thought there would be lots of people looking for work. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective), there are not many people looking for work in the Central New York area. In years past, a search would turn out an abundance of applicants. The balance of the applicants out there are really not all that employable. One of the positions I'm trying to fill is for a Delivery Driver. Though I think I finally found a solid candidate (meaning one), I had to interview at least 15 - 20 people. The problem is, he has 3 other offers.

I'm so glad the weekend is here. I need to recover.

2004-03-20T08:57:00.000-05:00

Home Again

Hello! Just got back from a business trip to Cleveland, Ohio. I've got some blog reading to catch up on! My trip was uneventful. Most of the time was spent in meetings. We got another foot of snow last Tuesday here in Central New York. I'll spend some time relaxing today.

2004-03-13T18:21:00.000-05:00

Loud Birthday

From the very next room, strange and unusual noises emanate. My son is celebrating his 15th birthday. He has several of his friends over for an all night video game marathon. Teenage boys can make the strangest noises. Not words mind you. They just have a need to out do each other in the variety and volume of noise they make. It is going to be a long night. Now where did I put those earplugs?

2004-03-11T18:10:00.000-05:00

An Awesome Lunch

My favorite place to eat is a small Japanese restaurant called the Secret Garden. Whenever I have a visitor in from out of town, I always ask if they like authentic Japanese cuisine. Today I was in luck, my guest wanted to give the restaurant a try. I love the Miso soup and appetizers. I could eat there every day!

2004-03-09T21:39:00.000-05:00

More Snow

Not much snow, yet enough to cover the ground again. I'll be glad when winter is over. I've been plotting some spring and summer trips to the woods. I'll do some camping trips with the family, and several trips to the Adirondacks with friends. Pretty soon I'll be sorting through my backpacking gear in preparation. I can't wait.

2004-03-08T06:03:00.000-05:00

Another Week Begins

Yesterday was a much more hectic day than I had hoped for. When Sunday is too busy, it really makes for a long week. Oh well, I'll make the best of it. I did end up watching Lost in Translation yesterday. Because I am now and always have been interested in life in Japan, I was really looking forward to seeing this movie. Patrick left me a comment a couple of days ago and shared that if you understand the Japanese language, the film would not be as good. I'd have to agree. It's really a story about two people, struggling with where life has taken them. A married man, in a mid-life crisis, and a newlywed, left in waiting in the wings for her husband who spends more time with his job than he does with her. They both feel alone, and the fact that they are in a culture that they can't communicate in adds to the isolation they feel. I liked the film.

2004-03-06T22:10:00.000-05:00

School of Rock

I didn't stop at the video store yesterday, but I did today. I picked up School of Rock, and Lost in Translation. I'm a big Jack Black fan, ever since he was in High Fidelity. High Fidelity was a much better movie, but Jack Black is always fun to watch and the music was the music I grew up with. I enjoyed it!

Watching the movie reminded me of another one of my favorite musical artists, Chris de Burgh. He's very popular in Europe. My favorite song is Don't Pay the Ferryman.

I'm looking forward to watching Lost in Translation. I may watch it tomorrow.

2004-03-05T18:16:00.000-05:00

It's Friday!

This was a pretty busy week. I'm hoping for some much needed down time this weekend. Several of the pictures I took at my daughters band concert did not come out. Tonight I get to throw the taxi sign on my van and cart kids all over the place. The weather has been staying warmer, so snow will not likely be something i need to deal with. I may stop and pick up a movie from Blockbuster Video. I'm not sure. I haven't watched as many movies as I usually do. I've been meaning to rent, "Lost in Translation". I've been doing quite a bit of reading. I'm on the last few pages of, God and Ronald Reagan and a book by Neil Gaimen called, Good Omens.

2004-03-03T17:56:00.000-05:00

Home again

I just got back home from a three day visit to Albany. The weather has been very warm here (40 to 50 degrees) and as I pulled in our driveway I actually saw our front lawn! It has been a very long winter, with way too much snow. We still could get hit with another storm or two, but Spring is closing in. Very uneventful few days. My visit to Albany was work related.

I'm leaving the house soon to take my youngest daughter to a band concert. She plays the flute. She is very excited. I'll take some pictures. There are some new shows on the sci-fi channel that I'm going to watch tonight. Then it will be off to bed.

2004-02-29T15:36:00.000-05:00

Learning to Drive

My oldest daughter, now old enough to learn how to drive (16), talked me into taking her out for some driver training yesterday. I asked her if she had been on the highway yet, and she said she hadn't. I crave adventure, so I suggested we add a brief stint on the highway to our training trip. Not that it was a mistake, I mean, she needed to gain some highway time at some point anyway.

It was terrifying. I told her it was terrifying, both during and after the experience. You don't realize how much thought goes into entering a stream of traffic moving at 65 miles an hour, until you are sitting next to someone who has never done it before. Her thoughts are focused on getting around the entrance turn without going off the side of the road, but not on the fact that she needs to accelerate from 35 MPH to 65 MPH in the process. So we are ready to merge on the highway, at 45 miles per hour. She finally gets up to speed, but who can remember to put on a turn signal. Who can remember to gradually shift lanes. In her mind, once you see an opening, you should just get over there. Once we were safely in a lane, she had a tough time keeping the speed at 65. We drifted from 45 to 70 over the next few miles. Exiting was just as frightening. Well we survived. She had her first Thruway experience, and I have a couple more gray hairs. As long as I live to tell it, I'll let you know when she finally does get her Drivers license.

2004-02-28T19:16:00.000-05:00

The New Blog

The reason for this new blog is to have a place to blog about stuff in general. I've decided to focus my first blog on my enjoyment of comic books, sci fi stuff. Though I really do enjoy that stuff, I miss having a place to blog in the more general sense. I'm taking the original blogroll from the original page and moving it here. I hope this works out. Hello again!