Special Day - May 19

May 19 has always been a special day for me. That fact makes sense, especially since I was born on the day 38 years ago. Below are some events that have occured on May 19 throughout history - at least according to Wikipedia.

I especially like that Star Wars one at the bottom. Angie took me to see it, on my birthday, no less.

Events
1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships, 110 men, and Chief Donnacona's two sons (whom Cartier kidnapped during his first voyage).
1536 - Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII of England, is beheaded for adultery.
1568 - Queen Elizabeth I of England has Mary Queen of Scots arrested.
1604 - The town of Montreal is founded.
1643 - Thirty Years' War: French forces under the duc d'Enghien decisively defeat Spanish forces at the Battle of Rocroi, marking the symbolic end of Spain as a dominant land power.
1649 - An Act declaring England a Commonwealth is passed by the Long Parliament. England would be a republic for the next eleven years.
1749 - King George II of Great Britain grants the Ohio Company a charter of land around the forks of the Ohio River.
1780 - New England's Dark Day: never-explained complete darkness falls on Eastern Canada and the New England area of the United States at 2 pm.
1802 - The Légion d'Honneur is founded by Napoleon Bonaparte.
1828 - U.S. President John Quincy Adams signs the Tariff of 1828 into law, protecting wool manufacturers in the United States.
1848 - Mexican-American War: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo – Mexico ratifies the treaty thus ending the war and ceding California, Nevada, Utah and parts of five other modern-day U.S. states to the USA for USD $15 million.
1864 - American Civil War: Battle of Spotsylvania Court House ends.
1897 - Oscar Wilde is released from Reading Gaol.
1919 - In Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk moves to Samsun from Istanbul with a few followers, to oppose the Ottoman government, which eventually leads to the Turkish War of Independence.
1921 - The Emergency Quota Act passes the U.S. Congress establishing national quotas on immigration
1922 - Young Pioneer organization of the Soviet Union is established.
1943 - World War II: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt set Monday, May 1, 1944 as the date for the cross-English Channel landing (D-Day would later be delayed over a month due to bad weather).
1961 - Venera program: Venera 1 becomes the first man-made object to fly-by another planet by passing Venus (the probe had lost contact with Earth a month earlier and did not send back data).
1962 - A birthday salute to U.S. President John F. Kennedy takes place at Madison Square Garden, New York. The highlight is Marilyn Monroe's infamous rendition of Happy Birthday.
1971 - Mars probe program: Mars 2 is launched by the Soviet Union.
1992 - In a speech to the Commonwealth Club of California, Vice President Dan Quayle criticizes television character Murphy Brown for ignoring the importance of fathers and bearing a child alone.
2005 - The final Star Wars film and third episode in the series, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, debuted on this day. It broke current box office records, earning over $50 million on opening day.

Beautiful Backdrop

As I've previously posted, I'm in Sunnyvale, California this week for work. I don't particularly like California except for San Francisco and San Diego. I don't know why, I just never really enjoyed coming out here, even though I've done it maybe a hundred times, or so.

I have to admit, the weather and the environment in California is amazing. It is stunningly beautiful here with mountains and ocean only a stones throw away. Yesterday, I had an opportunity to enjoy the mountain backdrop while participating in a favorite pastime of mine - shotgun shooting.

A colleague took me to the Coyote Valley Sporting Clays in Morgan Hill, CA. The place is nestled at the base of the mountains, and has 16 stations of sporting clays. Basically, you carry your gun and ammo, walk to each station, put your counter on the computer box, say "pull" and start shooting. It was great fun, and helped convince me that my shot isn't as good as I thought. Some of the overhead stuff I would hit 9 of 10. However, some of the crossing doubles would cause me to miss 7 of 10. They had a rabbit target that bounced across the ground - I hit 7 of 10. My take away - more practice needed.

Ultimately, we did probably 5 or 6 stations and had a great time in a beautiful setting.

Interesting note: as we were walking back from the course, we passed a covey of quail. You'd think they'd be in danger living so close to so many men with shotguns. Guess not.

SL

Quick Takes...

I'm in Sunnyvale, California for this week for some training and internal meetings so I thought some quick takes might be in order...

1) Mother's Day was pretty nice for Angie. After church we went to FishMongers in Plano. Had oysters and tilapia...yummy. Angie had her shrimp. She wanted to do some bowling with the kids - so we went to Richardson AMF lanes for some late night fun. I opened with STRIKE, STRIKE, SPARE, STRIKE, STRIKE and then fell apart.

2) Angie's car died while leaving the bowling alley. Angie's mom was with us with her car, so we weren't completely stranded. I replaced her battery the next day. All seems ok.

3) Angie wanted an updated poster size portrait of the kids. Getting them together to do it was my present to her. This photo was uploaded to winkflash.com and will be printed and sent to us.

4) We are confirmed for 3 camping weekends over the summer and are planning several days camping in San Antonio with good friends.

5) Diet, smoking and working out are all going very well. On target and haven't had another cigarette. I feel great about that.

6) As mentioned, I am in CA this week at our corporate headquarters. I am doing a bit of team building and going through some new hire training. I am convinced more now that ever that a move to NetApp was the right decision. The executive management team basically gives up a day every month to spend time with the new hires and talk about the company. Really awesome leadership. I even learned what our logo is supposed to be...any guesses?

SL

Getting Under Control

I've had a very hard time starting this blog entry. I've started it several times over the last couple of days, but have never really gotten anywhere with it - ultimately, I've decided to just type what comes to my mind, and not worry about whether it makes sense or is "good" writing. All I've had is the title, so I'll try from there.

Have you noticed that things in life are cyclical? Do (or don't do) one thing and it leads to another and another. If you are paying attention, you can look at item 10 and work it all the way back to number 1. And at some point, you might end up at number 1 again. Bear with me, and I'll try to explain what the heck I'm talking about.

A couple of entries ago, I spoke about how I was going on a spiritual journey. That our church was beginning a capital campaign to build a larger worship space and that I saw this as an opportunity for spiritual growth, not to make a financial decision. I continued to feel this way, and looking back, I can see that I was right. This is my Number 1....a spiritual journey to try to learn how to trust God more.

This has led to my #2...spending more time in scripture, prayer and contemplation. I've done this daily for a couple of weeks now, and have learned a great deal about myself, the Lord, and my relationship with Him.

#3 - I've come to the conclusion that it is time for me to quit smoking...ok, how did I get from daily time with God to quitting smoking? We are in a capital campaign, and I've come to the conclusion that the money I spent on smoking would be better spent on helping more people come to know Christ. Therefore, $20 twice a month, has been earmarked as part of our giving. I haven't purchased cigarettes in a week, and have only had two in that time...this week, my goal is zero.

#4 - knowing full well that I will get EVEN FATTER now that I've quit smoking if nothing else changes, I've decided to begin my diet again - and have begun working out. I did 30 minutes on the elliptical this morning at the gym, and started tracking my diet on SparkPeople.com.

#5 - I feel so good about myself, where I'm going, my relationship with God, with Angie and the kids, etc. This has had the effect of wanting MORE OF IT...and this means continued time with God - as in numbers 1 and 2 above.

That's the cycle I am in right now - and I sure would like it to continued. Ask me how I'm doing...

SL

It's a Keeper

If you track my blog, you are aware of my frustration from not catching a fish in Lake Ray Hubbard (or any lake in Texas, for that matter.) We live near the above named lake, and I often go to the banks at Lakeside Park to cast my line. Typically, I go for catfish, as you can basically cast, relax and wait, and hopefully pull in the big one when you get a bite. However, my experience has previously just ended at "wait".

All that ended this weekend, when Dylan and his dad invited me to do some late night fishing from their boat. Dylan's dad has a small bass boat, and he is a very good angler, typically catching several fish on his outings. Dylan shares stories of their success and I had wanted to try my luck with them for some time.

Some may think that it is weird that I can hang out with my wife's ex-husband - we've gone hunting several times together, as well. I think it is good for Dylan, and the truth is that Dan and I get along fine. As we fished we talked about work, the kids, etc...he even made fun of my lack of success with the rod and reel. It was a good night.

My frustration continued however. As Dan pulled in several catfish, and a very large drum fish, I got nothing - until I reeled in a 8 inch stripe bass. That's way to small to keep, but I finally actually caught a fish. After good natured ribbing about the size of my fish, and about a 3 and a half hour wait, I finally had another bite. I reeled in and had my first keeper - a 14 inch channel catfish. We threw it in the live tank and continued for a couple of more hours.

I only caught the one, but I had a great time, and learned a little more about fishing. Dan instructed me on how to clean it, and we'll eat it someday soon. How did I know which one in the live tank was mine, I asked Dan, and he said "it's the small one!"

At least there was one in there that was mine.

SL

Another Year Already...

Today Angie and I celebrate our sixth anniversary.

I just finished reading my blog entry from a year ago today, and it is amazing how God has been working in our lives this past year. Angie and I are more in love today than we were when we got married. We've both been reflecting on the people we were and the relationship we had back then, and the incredible healing we've been going through - a healing that, ultimately, has made our relationship that much better. But, truth be told, we both have a way to go. I'll focus on mine, since that is the only one I have control over anyway.

Control - interesting word choice above. I am coming to the conclusion that my desire for control over things is what gets me in trouble. Although it may be a virtue at work, my efforts to control where God should be in control are my problem. I try to control my environment at home (and end up "parenting Angie" or continuing to nag the kids). I try to control my finances, instead of giving freely to those less fortunate and trusting that God will provide. I try to control God, asking Him to bless what I want instead of asking Him how I can fit into what He wants.

As our church begins a capital campaign, I've been undergoing a spiritual journey that has nothing to do with money - it has to do with trust. If I said I trusted in Him for my salvation or for love, no one would question that. If I said I trust Him with my finances, my marriage, my life...I might get some raised eyebrows. It seems like a conceivable idea that the creator of the universe, the knower of ALL things, should be trusted in all worldly things and that ultimately, they all seem somewhat insignificant.

It's hard to give up control, and that's my struggle. It will ultimately be my greatest achievement.

Happy Anniversary, sweetheart. I'm glad I have you to do this walk with me.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20)

SL

Rusk SP - 1 Down, 112 To Go

This weekend Angie, Cassie and I went camping for the first time with the camper. We went to Rusk State Park in East Texas (about 130 miles South East of Dallas). Texas has 113 state parks and we're going to try to do as many as we can.

The ride was pleasant, with rolling hills, green pastures and ultimately tall, mature pine trees (the region is called, cleverly enough, Piney Hills).

The park was pleasant, but had we had Marissa and Dylan with us, they would have been bored. The lake is small and difficult to fish from the banks. The boat rental that was listed has since been closed, and the swimming area is a disaster. Had Cassie wanted to swim, I wouldn't have let her in. Other than some friends that she made, and the playground, she wouldn't have been too happy with the weekend.

We went to look at some land available for sale. Since our trip to Goliad, Angie has acquiesced to my desire to purchase land for hunting, camping, and perhaps retirement. We drove around Palestine for the most part, and found a couple of the areas that she had listing for. All of it was pretty, and my understanding is that the deer and hog hunting is excellent, but we probably won't purchase there. We've decided that we are going to look in all regions.

The camper worked well - electrical, water, propane, A/C all checked out - and it was an excellent opportunity to shake down the camper and learn more about the things we need to bring when we camp. We slept reasonably comfortably, but will be crowded when all 5 of us go. Now that we've used it in a real camping environment, we are real pleased with the purchase, and are already looking forward to a larger 5th wheel or rigid camper.

SL

Reason To Be Scared

Here is an update to my last post...apparently I had reason to be scared.

Frightening 30 minutes for Rowlett as Tornado circled above city

The location in the article is about a mile away from the house. Next time those sirens go off, we're headed for the pantry. I don't care who is home.

SL

"Imminent Rue-age"

The title of this entry is from a very cool movie, "Twister". However, when it's happening to you, or the threat of a tornado is happening to you, it isn't all that cool.

Last night, we have very severe thunderstorms move in to our area. I've blogged about the spring thunderstorms in North Texas before, but last night was a little different. I was watching TV, when the program I was watching was interrupted by a Tornado Warning. I heard the thunder and saw the lightening outside but didn't think to much of it. However, as I went to the front door to look outside, three things happened that raised the hair on my neck.

1) Hail was coming down quite strong. The hail was approximately marble size, and it was really slamming down.

2) The TV went out as I went to the door. If you've seen "Twister" then you know in one scene that the TV goes out right before one of the bigger tornado hits.

3) The tornado siren in Rowlett began to go off. As the siren went off, I decided to run for the pantry (it is the only interior "room" in our house. I've only heard a tornado siren once before, and it really makes you feel scared. I thought that the siren meant a tornado was on the ground, but apparently that's not the case.

However, Justin arrived home at the same time. Since he was home, I couldn't very well go scurrying into the pantry. Justin is a old hand at tornadoes, and isn't intimated by them - like I am.

As he played on the computer upstairs, I watched out the window and the weather map on TV. The sirens went off a total of two more times, but no tornado appeared. Some close towns were not spared so well, as a minimum of two tornadoes are believed to have hit last night.

I'm just glad that everyone is safe and I didn't rue the day I didn't hide in the pantry.

SL

Turkey For Easter?!?!

We've just arrived home from the long 6+ hour trek from Goliad, TX. We've unpacked the car and the camper and are now winding down from a long day and an incredible holiday weekend. Not only did we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior today with family, but we also enjoyed His wonderful creation all weekend.

People who live in the country in Texas, and I'd imagine everywhere, seem to enjoy the wonderful outdoors and nature that goes along with it. We've experienced that to the hilt this weekend with Angie's cousin's in south Texas. Although one of the main goals of our trip was the turkey hunt, we enjoyed the company of Angie's cousins so much. They are so hospitable and friendly, it felt like we were at home. It was wonderful spending time with the kids outdoors, as well. We hope to do that more now that we have the camper.

Angie's cousins work and live at the South Texas Children's Home* in Goliad. They have access to the immense land that the home owns (700 acres that we hiked on Saturday), and their own 25 acres near by. They are also avid hunters and we went down there with the plan to hunt some wild turkey and hogs.

I'll skip right to the turkey hunt, since that was really the highlight. We walked to Steve's spot and he called using his turkey call. He didn't see any and was a bit pessimistic about our chances in that location. He told us that we were going to go to a different spot, so we all started using our turkey calls. We were just messing around really, as we had given up on that location when Steve's son, Trent, hushed us up pretty quick. Two toms had walked out from the woods into the field in front of us. We were so unprepared, but were unable to move. Dylan didn't even have his face mask on yet. We stood frozen for what felt like an eternity. My gun got heavier and heavier, but we watched as these two turkeys walk from right to left in front of us about 100-150 yards out.

At one point, their field of vision was blocked as a couple of palms were in their way. Steve instructed us to drop to the ground and sit when it was safe. Dylan put his mask on and I flicked off the safety of my shotgun. The turkeys continued to walk to our left, but now that Steve was in a position to do so, he called like a madman, and that man can call a turkey. The second he started scratching, the turkeys turned right for us. Now they are walking right to us from about 75 yards out. He called whenever it looked like they were losing interest and they continued to come in. It was the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. The were shooting their tail feathers in the fan that they do trying to impress the hen that they thought Steve was and kept walking towards us. They came within 10-15 yards or so and Steve whispered to Dylan and I to shoot whenever we were ready. Dylan was to take the one on the left and me the one on the right.

As they moved into range, my heart beat faster and faster. I tried to control my breathing to steady my aim and raised my gun. Dylan shot first and his bird fell straight away. Mine had attempted to fly away at the sound of Dylan's gun, but it was too late - I had it lined up and hit it out of the air (it had gotten to about 5 feet).

We had our turkeys and it was the most incredible experience. Dylan scored a tom with a 10 inch beard and 1.5 inch spurs (probably close to 30 pounds). Mine had a 9 inch beard and 1 inch spurs - another great bird.

We returned home and the ladies couldn't believe we got them so fast. All I know is that as they were walking in that field, time seemed to stop. We skinned and cleaned the birds and placed them in the cooler on ice. We decided to eat mine for dinner the next evening and had chicken fried turkey. It tasted like....well, turkey. It was delicious.

We truly had an amazing weekend with family. Whether hunting or not, we are already planning our next trip with the camper.

SL

* The South Texas Children's Home helps children and families in need. It is staffed by very special individuals and the kids their could use any help that we can provide. To learn more about the home, or to make a donation, please visit the website by clicking here.

Hope Springs Eternal

It's that time of year again. Amid the spring thunderstorms, flower planting, mowing of lawns...baseball is back. This time of year is, to me, the most anticipated of all seasons. The Mets play ball and I get to root for them. After getting so close last year, this off season was particularly long.

The Mets opened the 2007 season in St Louis against the Cardinals - which just happens to be the same team that knocked them out of the playoffs and ended up winning the world series. The Cardinals had their trophy ceremony before the game and I think that was a big mistake, because the Mets players had to watch and I would have thought they would want to let that sleeping dog lie.

If the game last night is any indication of things to come, the Mets are going to have an excellent season. The slammed the ball with their bats for a total of 12 hits and 6 runs. What was even more promising, however, is that they played great defense turning several excellent double plays and even threw out a runner at the plate. Lastly, the biggest question mark for the team is pitching, and 41-year old Glavine pitched terrific.

All I know is that it is fun to have a team to root for again.

Play ball!

SL

I Don't Shop, But This is Where I'll Be!

I think I'm a typical guy in that I hate to shop. There is nothing worse that taking on crowds at the mall or even a quick run up to Wal-Mart to get something. I hate parking, I hate walking in the heat, I hate looking for an item, I hate waiting on line to pay, et cetera, et cetera.

In fact, one of the few things that I'll do related to shopping is take Angie on occasion. Some women like to get taken out dancing, some women like to get taken out to a show - and, although Angie enjoys all of these things, Angie most appreciates when I take her shopping. I think she knows how much I dislike going, so it is really meaningful to her when I do it.

I even dislike shopping for myself. Clothes shopping is nothing less than a beat down for me. And I typically don't do any other type of shopping. Angie handles the rest, even holiday shopping. It works for us. I hate it, and she likes it, so our arrangement is mutually beneficial.

That being said, there are a couple of places that I do like to go. The top of my list is Bass Pro Shops. They recently opened a new one pretty close to the house, and there is nothing like it. You can go and just browse, or mess around. Even the kids like to go. In fact, it is now a destination for when anyone from NY comes down. We took my sister there and she very much enjoyed it. We haven't tried the restaurant yet, but Angie keeps bugging me to do it, so we'll try it soon. In fact, we'll need to pick up a couple of things for our hunting trip next week, so we'll probably try it this weekend. (If we do, I'll let you know how it is).

The store is just amazing. Two stories of hunting, camping, fishing equipment and apparel. It has regular clothes, food, toys, furniture, outdoor stuff and boats. It's got a huge tank of local fish (the store itself it right on the shores of Lake Ray Hubbard), which includes the largest catfish you'll ever see. It has stuffed game throughout (the brown bear on the lower floor is over 8 ft. tall). It's got a shootout arcade and boats that you can walk through as you look at them. Angie said it even has like a play area outside, but I haven't been that far. I typically don't get past the hunting equipment. I've joined their loyalty program, so I'm hooked.

Some of the other stores I don't mind going to (too much).
1) Bass Pro Shops
2) Super Target (the store is just nice...like Wal-Mart, but less scummy)
3) Home Depot/Lowes (a man's toy store, but try to find someone for help)
4) Wal-mart (if I can't find something, I try Wal-mart - they will have it)
5) Tom Thumb (talk about a grocery store - unfortunately, too expensive to go to regularly)

Do you have a top 5? Let me know and I'll see you at the store.

SL

I got hitched, now I'm broke!

Most men can relate to the subject of this message. Fortunately for me, it's not what you think.

Angie and I have been camping a couple of times with our friends and the kids, and every time we've gone we've had an outstanding time. Whether fishing, boating, swimming, hiking while the kids ride their bikes...whatever, it is just so much fun being outdoors enjoying our family and friends. Because of the fun that we've had, we've been looking for a way to do it a little less roughly and a little more conveniently. One of our friend couples had a popup camper, and we've thought that one could be the answer we were looking for - particularly one that had an A/C unit that would allow us to camp during the hot summer months.

We've been actively looking for a camper that would fit our price range and our needs. Basically one we could wet our feet with. I had a trailer hitch installed on the truck last week in preparation. In the meantime, Angie found an older used model that, if in good condition, would meet our needs. Basically, something that provided the comfort and the accessibility we were looking for in an inexpensive package that really didn't matter if we did a couple of things wrong and damaged it in minor ways - ultimately, we were looking for an entry level camper.

We started looking at used RV dealerships, but came to the conclusion that the markup was too much, so she started looking at some individual sellers. Lo and behold, she found a 1995 Coleman Arcadia (manufactured by Fleetwood). It was close to our house, so we went prepared (with what we were willing to pay in cash) and went to look at it.

It is an older model, but it had everything we were looking for. The unit sleeps 5 to 6 and has a very good working A/C. It even has a shower unit, a microwave, and the seller threw in an unused porta-potty. Basically, it is old, but in good shape, and our first offer was accepted.

After the seller showed us how to put it away, we connected it to the truck, and drove home. We've put it up, cleaned it out, and am currently making sure that everything we need works properly. In two weeks we take it to Goliad, TX (Angie has cousins there) for our first Spring Turkey and Hog hunt. After that, the sky's the limit. Texas has tons of beautiful state parks and now that we have the camper, we can stay for $20 a night. Can't beat that!

Happy Camping.

SL

Baby got (a hurt) back

Over the course of the last week and a half I have been struggling, and mostly losing, with some severe back pain. It started Saturday, March 10th - Angie and I were doing some spring cleaning in the garage. I wasn't lifting anything heavy, rather I was leaning over a crate filtering through its contents. Then BAM!!! If felt like someone stuck a knife in the right side of the small of my back. I could move too much for the next 36 hours, or so. However, by Wednesday (the 14th) it was feeling much better so I boarded my flight to California to finish out the week.

All was going splendidly, enough for me to have forgotten about my back troubles, until last Saturday morning. I was playing with Cassie and Dylan and was leaning over the coffee table. WHAM!!!! It happened again, except this time on the right side of the small of my back. And this one was much worse. I crashed to the floor and had to have Angie help me up. I sat on the couch for a few minutes, medicated, and decided that bed rest was the order of the day.

Several hours later, I tried to get out of bed and couldn't - my back wouldn't let me. As the "call of nature" got more pressing, I asked Angie to see if she could help me up. Bad call on my part. I instantly set off back spasms that had me screaming. Angie started making calls to neighbors and friends and family for advice. I medicated and screamed some more. At one point I had three good friends standing over me in my bed as I was immobile. That had to be a sight.

After spending all day Saturday and Sunday in bed, I was finally able to get up and go to the doctor on Monday. He examined me and came to the conclusion that I don't have disk trouble. In fact, my problem stems not so much from my back but my front (weight). My doctor likened the bottom of my spine to a broom handle - trying to hold all of that weight above it is hard. He medicated me and gave me stretching and strength exercises for my back - AND, told me to get some exercise and lose some weight.

I'm still sore, but I am coming around. You should see me walk. I look like the oldest 37 year old man you will ever see.

SL

How much is too much?

This weekend Angie, Cassie and I went to eat at Chili's. Angie allowed me to choose (we usually go where she wants to go, and that means Mexican) and I was hankering for some ribs...

We don't expect the greatest service when we go to Chili's, just a pleasant comfortable meal. The kids love going there, so we do every so often.

However, on this trip, things were a little different. Our waiter Danny must have visited our table to ask "Y'all doing ok?" and "How you guys doing?" perhaps 20 times during our meal. In fact, he came so often that it became somewhat intrusive. Add to this the fact that the manager came over at least three times, we were a bit annoyed.

That leads to the question...is it right to get annoyed at too much customer service? I think there is a point where caring about the customer experience can be overdone. Danny's constant inquiries about how we were doing actually felt automated and uncaring. We joked about it during the meal, and it didn't bother us in a significant way, but I did say to Angie during the meal - "if he asks me how I'm doing again, I'm going to tell him that there hasn't been enough time since the last time he asked for anything to have changed."

Does anyone have an experience like ours? Anytime someone seemed to just go way overboard with their customer service? I've been in service (technical support) for over a decade and I didn't think it possible to over service a customer. That do you think? I'd like to know.

SL

Expectations vs. Desires

Angie and I, and our couples small group, are currently studying an excellent marriage series called iMarriage by Andy Stanley from Northpoint Community Church in Atlanta, GA. The study has been excellent so far, and we are fortunate to have good, close couples friends where we can open up and share our struggles - AND, be supportive to those couples who share theirs.

This past weekend's topic centered around expectations and desires. Without getting into the discussion too much, the premise was simple. When we expect something, we: 1) Aren't gracious when it occurs, 2) Become angry/frustrated/disappointed when it doesn't. Basically, expectations of our spouse are unrealistic and often unfair, and lead to conflict. The study went on to explain that we need to try and move our expectations to desires. A desire is something that we want, for sure, but; 1) Are pleased when they occur, and typically lead to demonstrations of gratitude and 2) do not lead to anger when they do not occur. I am, of course, oversimplifying but this should serve as an adequate backdrop for my story.

A couple of days ago, Angie behaved in a way that was counter to my "expectations". This led to my becoming exceedingly angry. In fact, my angry was based not only on a unfulfilled expectation, but also my interpretation of her motives (see last weeks message at Springcreek for more on this one). As I begun to power up my big guns for an attack, I remembered to topic of our study. I began to process that I was expecting Angie to act a certain way and this is why I was becoming angry. I dissected why this was the case, and was able to "move" my expectation to a desire. My anger was reduced and I was able to think more clearly. By the time Angie and I saw each other, I was able to rationally and calmly discuss it with her. In fact, we experienced a time of closeness because we were able to talk about something that we would have fought about in the past.

You see, I can tear down Angie by my anger when she doesn't meet my expectations and clearly, scripture tells us that we are to build up people with our speech, not tear them down. (See: Ephesians 4:29).

I am so glad that I've had the lesson and now my job is to continue to "move" my expectations to desires. If you and your spouse have the same difficulty, of if your spouse is continually disappointing you, perhaps the problem isn't your spouse. Check out iMarriage. It is really excellent.

SL

Sick of being sick!

I haven't posted a lot of late, and there are several reasons for that. 1) I haven't had a lot going on. For sure, work is starting to move and it has been excellent so far. I am really enjoying the company and am looking forward to really getting things done. The last couple of weeks have been product training, getting my feet wet, meeting people, etc. Next week, in which I'll be in Raleigh, is when things will really start to accelerate. 2) Everyone in my house has been sick for either part, or all, of the last two weeks - and it hasn't been fun. The only living things in my house that haven't been sick have been ME and the DOG!

Angie started with strep two weeks ago. She got medicated, and then instantly got the flu. She is still ill, and only now starting to come back. She's really been knocked on her butt, and frankly - when momma is sick, everybody is sick. It is amazing how many things don't get done when she's not doing them. I really take her contribution for granted and when she can't do her deal, I really notice it. I wish it wouldn't take her being sick for me to understand that!!!

Justin had a couple of days of the flu, but is over that now. Dylan had it come on, but he was able to fight it off. Marissa had a stomach virus that morphed into strep. She's doing better now, but I felt really bad for her as she puked her guts out one early morning. Cassie had strep, but got over that pretty quick.

Basically, the only one still out is Angie. Pray for her, as she is more sick of being sick than I am of her being sick.

Oh, yeah, by the way - I think I'm coming down with a sore throat.

SL

Do 'ya feel lucky, punk?

I'm not sure if it is because I now live in Texas, or what, but I've definitely become interested in firearms. Yes, I am still intimated by them, but I like to shoot. It probably all started when we went up to Angie's uncle's house in Bonham (out in the country) and fired one of his many shotguns at tin cans. Every time we'd go up, we'd shoot some. Then, when family would come down from NY, we'd take them up there to shoot some more (and to see his cows, too!).

I finally bought a shotgun, which was primarily for target shooting (clay pidgeons). However, Dylan and his dad hunt a lot, so I got into that by going with them. I have previous posts about Dove hunting last fall, and I tried my hand at duck several weeks ago. I am trying to schedule a spring turkey hunt with Angie's cousins down in south Texas in a couple of months.

That being said, I purchased a revolver last week during my week off between McAfee and Network Appliance. I bought a Ruger .357 Magnum and it is very cool. In fact, I've gone to the range twice now (shooting both .38 and .357 shells) and I've had a ball. We have an indoor range not too far from the house, and an outdoor range very close to the house, and I'm sure I'll be spending some serious time at both. Angie's uncle told me to buy a semi-automatic (like a 9mm), but that seemed too intimidating. However, now that I have the revolver, I'm ready to buy that semi. In fact, it might be time to get a rifle for deer and hog hunting. Oh, wait, I saw this cammo 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun...

This might get expensive.

SL

I am outta here...

For the last couple of months I have been talking with a director of support at Network Appliance. I was introduced to him by my former director at McAfee. Within the last couple of weeks (since New Years) our discussions have become more frequent and I was asked to interview with several support managers, directors and a vp at their Raleigh, NC support center.

The interviews went well and I had an offer in hand by the end of that day. However, leaving one company for another is a difficult decision. On top of that, I have been in McAfee for almost 11 years.

After several question and answer periods, and a 40 minute conversation with Angie, which led to some more question and answer - I signed the paperwork thus accepting their offer. The next day, I resigned and provided more than the required two week notice. My colleagues were more than a little shocked and some a little angry (mostly those I worked directly with and some of my staff). I took all to be compliments.

After almost 11 years, it took several things to make me move - in addition to the belief that I had done everything I set out to do at McAfee. Besides a nice increase in pay, the opportunity is a great one for me doing something that I love AND that I'm good at. I get to build a team and an offering from scratch. The company seems awesome, exhibiting strong growth and excellent people. And, lastly, I get to work from home when I am not traveling.

One of the great things about this change is that Angie has been very supportive and not a little appreciative. She seems really proud of me...and that has been the best feeling in all of this!

SL

Quick Takes...

I haven’t blogged since I’ve gotten home so I will catch everyone up with a couple of quick takes…

1) Christmas was awesome. It was nice to be home and the kids seemed to really enjoy the day. We had a pleasant time with family and friends and I got some cool hunting stuff.

2) My sister came to stay with us during the break. We had a great time seeing some North Texas sites (6th Floor Museum and Ft. Worth Stockyards), we ate great (Trail Dust, Sonic, Whataburger, and Pappasitos – GET THE DEL MAR), and enjoyed watching the kids get to know some more of my NY family.

3) New Years was quiet (which is synonymous with IDEAL). We stayed home and disappointed Angie. She gave us permission to do so, however.

4) I’ve gotten reacquainted with my buds in my men’s small group. We’ve discussed our objectives for 2007 and worked out some accountability plans. All good. I will share mine so you can help keep me on track:

a. Be more obedient to God (I have the big stuff covered, but would like to do better in the small stuff. Not because I think he’ll reward me for being good (I know He’s not performance based, but because His way is the ideal way to live).
b. Spend more quality time with God (in scripture and in prayer – to focus on all the good things He does in my life and to make sure I am continually following his plan for me).
c. Work on changing my critical nature (I can be real tough on Angie, the kids, and colleagues – I’d like to change that)
d. Be a better financial steward (do better things with the blessings that we’ve been given than stuff my face and buy less toys).
e. Get healthy – including lose weight, exercise more and quit smoking

5) Went duck hunting for the first time. It was awesome...quite an experience walking through mud and water with waders on. No ducks came close enough to shoot, but I did see a beautiful sunrise, heard several coyotes going crazy close enough to scare us, and we saw a beaver swim right past us.

6) Angie and I continue to enjoy each other and are planning some more regular time alone together. Our relationship is in a period of prospering and I will work to make that continue. She recently told me that I need to romance her more. I can do that!!!

You have permission to ask me how I’m doing and to pray for my success in the above.

I have another very major life change announcement to make and will do so shortly. (That’s a tease – look back at my blog often to see what it is)

SL

Great Walls of Fire

Today I had the amazing opportunity to visit the Great Wall of China in Badaling, which is about 90 minutes by car from Beijing. This portion of the wall, and most of what still exists was built by the Ming Dynasty, which rules China from 1368 to 1644.

I've seen pictures of the wall, and have seen it on TV, but until you actually see it you cannot imagine what an amazing effort that is must have been to build. At almost 4000 miles long it is almost incomprehensible how much work must have gone into it. What is even more amazing is that the wall is built in the mountains...I'm not talking hills here, but full fledged mountains. In fact, the terrain is so steep in places, that walking up the wall is, itself, a very difficult task.

My hosts and I traversed up several hundred yards from the entry point before we had to give in. Not only was I incredibly short of breath, it was exceedingly cold, about 25 degrees. I'm sorry that I couldn't make it to another couple of watchtowers, as that would have earned my 'HERO' status. Common belief in China is that if you walk the wall you are a hero.

Hero or not, I'm just so grateful to have had this amazing experience.

SL

You want me to eat that? Parts 2 & 3

I've had a whirlwind day in China today. I started my day (after sleeping for only a couple of hours in Shanghai). I met with a prospective vendor and had a fruitful two hour visit. Because we ended early, my hosts suggested that we have a quick lunch before my trip to the airport. Because I hadn't had a meal in over 24 hours, I accepted.

We went to a Chinese restaurant, as your would expect. My hosts ordered, and we ate shrimp, fish, pork and vegetables (eaten in a doughy pocket) and several other dishes. The meal was excellent, and my hosts were amazed that I was proficient with chopsticks. I mentioned my love of the American version of Chinese food and how we used to go to Chinatown in NYC to eat every so often. As the food kept coming, I waited for the dish that would challenge my sensibilities - and if finally came. A soup was brought out and it had some kind of weird looking meat and little mushrooms. As you may know, mushrooms skeeve me, so I was hesitant. I asked what it was, and they said I probably should try it before they answer. My "shouldn't eat this" red flags and alarms were going off full bore. I tried a piece of the meat and it was fine. I thought it was chicken, except that it had this strange skin on it. I ate some more, and politely asked my hosts what it was. I had just eaten frog. All I know is that it really does taste like chicken, and I will never turn frog legs down again...

After the meal and our goodbyes, I was on my way to the airport. After a 2 hour flight, I was in Beijing, the China capital. I went directly to my hosts site (my second site visit of the day) and had a short, but effective meeting. It was then suggested that we go to eat, which I accepted. Since we are in Beijing, which was formally known as Peking (as in Peking Duck), I was informed that the name of the restaurant was "The Duck House". After declining a fork (which again, amazed my hosts), we had Peking Duck (wrapped in a crepe like thing), chicken, shrimp, veggies, sweet and sour beef, etc. The only plate I didn't know what it was had vegetables and minced meat. It didn't look bad, so I took some. After eating it, and asking what it was, I came to learn that it was mushrooms. So much for my disdain for all things mushroom. It was good.

I'm finally back in the hotel and looking forward to some sleep. I get up early tomorrow to become a hero....more on that tomorrow.

SL

Shanghai Surprise

Actually, not much of a surprise. I've landed in Shanghai this afternoon and then proceded to wait. I waited an hour to get to the passport officer, and then waited for a half an hour while he and his supervisor inspected my passport (I think there was some belief that it was altered or something - they never said). I then waited for my driver and then waited in traffic. So I've been here for almost 12 hours and have basically just waited.

I've seen my hotel room and the skyline (which is absolutely tremendous, by the way) and that's it. I get to sleep for 5 hours, go to a site visit, and then wiat some more for my flight to Beijing. I can't believe that I am all the way around the world and I get to sightsee my hotel room. Ahhh - at least it is a nice room.

I guess you'll just have to wait for an interesting post...

SL

You want me to eat that?

Had an interesting experience this evening. One of the vendors I'm meeting here has a rep who has been here often and is on more of the adventurous side. So, when he told me that we need to go out to eat at this "different" kind of restaurant, I was a bit concerned.

My concerns were a bit abated when I was introduced to their driver, a hulk of a Filipino man if I ever saw one. He was at least 6' 5'' and he was introduced to me as 'Hercules'. That was his REAL name and it was aptly given. We got into his Expedition (which is a monster of a car on this side of the world) and began our trek. We drove down the main drive for a long while, passed the US Embassy, the waterfront, and began to enter a more seedy side of town. While we drove, Hercules let me know a little about it. His unofficial title is "client ambassador", which means he helps hosts clients in from out of town - he is also a driver and a bodyguard for the bigwigs when they are in Manila.

We finally got to the restaurant, which looked more like a seafood market than anything else. There were seating areas, and a kitchen area, as well. Fish, Clams, Crabs, etc. etc. were all out packed on ice. Additionally, there were numerous tanks of fish and some of the largest lobsters I have ever seen. Lastly, there were these little versions of shopping carts. We had entered "The Seafood Market and Restaurant".

Here's the deal. You pick what you want to eat, you tell them how to cook it, and they serve it to you. It's that simple, especially when you have a Greek Hero to help you. Hercules walked up to the lobster tank, grabbed one by the antennae things and hauled in out of the tank. The next thing I know, they were putting him in a plastic bag and into our cart. Hercules then proceeded to pick out clams, vegetables, fish, and shrimp. As I taunted a jumbo crab, he asked if I wanted it and I politely declined.

We went to our seating area (which ended up being a private room in the back) and enjoyed Mango shakes until the food came. First the clams in a soy sauce, then the vegetables, then jumbo shrimp tempura, lobster (Filipinos serve it cut up - shell and all - and stir fried with a chili powder), fried rice, and the fish. We finished the meal with some fresh mango.

The meal was absolutely outstanding and the company interesting. All in all, a great time.

SL

The big P - I

I've recently arrived in Manila, Philippines. I had uneventful travel from KL. In fact, it's been rather pleasurable. KL has an express train to the airport which cuts travel time in half (to 30 minutes) AND, if you are flying Malaysia airlines, you can check your luggage at the rail station. Very cool.

Although I've been in KL before, this is the first time I've taken the train, so it was a bit of sightseeing for me. Malaysia seems to have a significant amount of palm tree farms. It is green and lush and has some hills. It was just really beautiful country. So close to the equator, you can imagine that it looked like a tropical paradise, and you'd be right. At the same time, however, there was significant construction in some areas. The government is seemingly fostering an atmosphere that is business friendly, and the country is prospering. It just goes to show you that not all Muslims are what they portrayed in news clips from Iraq and Iran. In fact, I found all of the people in Malaysia, whether Muslim or not to be extremely friendly. Friendliness is something you'll find the the Philippines, as well. My driver and all of the people I've interacted with in the hotel so far have been very pleasant.

My flight from KL to Manila was three and a half hours. For some reason I received a business class ticket, so I had a nice big seat, got some work done and had a meal with a couple of drinks. All's good. Interesting thing on the plane. If you've traveled internationally or on a big plane, you may have seen the map showing the location of the plane and the duration of the flight. However, on this flight, it also showed a graphic of a plane with an arrow coming from the center and the word "Makkah". It also said "5300 miles". I couldn't figure out what it meant and then it hit me...the graphic was pointing to Mecca so that the Muslims on the flight would know what direction to point for their prayers should the flight cover one of their five daily prayer times. Technology is awesome.

I spoke to Angie before I left KL and she is doing well. She's been a little under the weather, but seems to be hanging in there. I spoke to Cassie, as well, and she misses her daddy. I miss her too, but I've been so busy it hasn't been nearly as bad as previous trips of this length. Unfortunately, I rarely go over 10 days, so I'm only halfway done.

SL

Downtime

I've had some downtime in KL, so I've been able to enjoy the city a little bit. Sunday, after a long nap, I met some hosts for dinner. I was taken to the Suria KLCC (or Kuala Lumpur Convention Center). Although there may be a convention center there, I didn't see one. What I saw was a huge mall with high-end stores and restaurants nestled in between the two Petronas towers. We walked around for a while and then found a Thai place to eat. Now, since I am in southeast Asia, I couldn't pass the opportunity for good Thai, and I wasn't disappointed. The food was great. I had a shrimp phad thai that was excellent. We springrolls and other appetizers and washed it all down with a couple of Coronas....yes, Corona - the didn't have any Tsingha (Thai beer).

Yesterday, after work, a prospective vendor took me to the Hilton Sentral Hotel. We had a cocktail and generally laughed our butts off. Imagine a table with a couple of Aussie's, a Singaporean, an Indian America, and an America. Truly a blend of cultures. After cocktails, we had an awesome Japanese dinner. There is nothing like local food. We thing we have good ethnic food in the US - and the fact is that we do - there is nothing like the local stuff. We had:

wagyu wafu beef (a marbled beef like kobe that didn't even need to be chewed, it just melted)
unagi kabayaki (freshwater eel grilled with soy sauce - my choice and awesome)
ohtoro (prime belly tuna sushi - that like the beef did not need to be chewed)
hamachi (young yellowtail sushi)
and several Saporo beers.

The meal was absolutely outstanding, the company entertaining and the night altogether fun.

Today - completely different story. I am working and catching up on some work that has piled up. Tomorrow, I'm off to the Philippines. I haven't kept up with the typhoon situation, but I'll look into it soon.

SL

Kuala Bear

I arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this morning after a 4 hour flight from Chennai, India. All is well, although I think something I ate on the flight didn't agree with me. Not all out sick, but my stomach isn't very happy with me. The hotel, as expected, is very comfortable.

I did spend a couple of hours in central Bangalore walking with my host. He explained to me how the city has grown and what's what in Bangalore. The nice thing about our time, is that we went to places that most tourists would not go. Our first stop was the Bull Temple. It is here where Hindus go to worship. It was explained to me that the area is meant to instill peace and good tidings. Every temple area will have a walking path that allows the faithful to walk around either the temple or the idol within the temple. Again, this is to obtain good will.

We then walked through several streets of Bangalore. I was told that this was a older area of Bangalore and somewhat affluent. It was very crowded and very interesting. Most were shopping or eating. I was stared at by most (I was the only westerner that I saw).

As we walked past a guy pissing on the side of a building, my host made a statement that describes one of the differences of our respective cultures. He said,

In India, we piss in public and kiss in private. In the States, you do the opposite.

One of the great things about being able to travel is to experience different cultures. None better - just different. Just watch where you walk.

SL

In with a Bang(alore)

I've safely arrived in Bangalore. Like the rest of India it is crowded and traffic-ridden. I spent less than 24 hours in Hyderabad, and that's unfortunate, as it looked like the prettiest city in India that I have experienced. I'm sure I will have the opportunity to come back.

As you may know, Bangalore is the IT capital of India. Although there are outsourcing centers throughout the country, Bangalore is much like Silicon Valley in California. If you aren't in Bangalore, you aren't in high-tech. Many find it surprising that I am in software, have been to India many times, but haven't been to Bangalore previously. It is the only city in India where McAfee has an office.

I have three site visits to do this evening, and will be extremely busy through tomorrow morning when I wrap up at 5AM (it is currently 3:20PM as I write this). That means I'll be going nonstop for about 24 hours. I can't complain, however. I've caught up on sleep (got 6.5 hours last night) and am feeling fine. For that, I am greatful.

In case you are curious, I am staying at another beautiful hotel in Bangalore, the Oberoi. My hotel in Hyderabad was amazing, as well. I stayed (just slept really) at the Taj Residency. I did, however, receive an upgrade to a suite when I arrived at 3:00AM.

I've already received an invitation to go sightseeing and shopping tomorrow. I will tell you all about it.

SL

The glamour of it all

Dylan once said to me that I have the coolest job because I get to travel. In some ways he is right. I have been to a great many places and seen many things that I wouldn't have been able to otherwise. I've been very fortunate to have been able to travel so much. I've been to every continent except Africa (and I even had some chances to go there) and Antarctica. I've seen some of the most popular landmarks in the world (eg., the Taj Mahal, the Eiffel Tower, Rialto Towers, the Petronas twin towers, and others.) On this trip I will be able to add downtown Tokyo and perhaps the great wall of China. I am indeed blessed. Because my international trips typically involve seeing the vendors we use, or vendors that are trying to get us to become clients, I am often very well hosted - going to nice restaurants, being taken to see the sights, etc. And, because of company policy, we typically stay in very nice hotels. In Delhi, I am staying here.

That's all the good parts - the parts that Dylan thinks he knows about...but he doesn't really know any of the bad, so here goes:

1) Flights and layovers. There is nothing glamorous about 14 hours flights in coach or 10 hour layovers. I've done both and they SUCK.

2) Heat. I've been to places so hot that it was 100 at 7:00AM.

3) Fatigue. The expectation is that your regular day job will continue to get done. This means that you do your 8-10 hours (why you traveled) and then another several hours catching up on all that US work. Being sleep deprived and working at night is a particular challenge.

4) Homesickness. The worst of all travel maladies. Sometimes I miss Angie and the kids so much it physically hurts. I'm trying not to think about the last week of this trip. I've never gone that long and I'm not going to like it.

Am I lucky? You bet. Will I stop? Nope. Can it be a pain? Absolutely.

SL

GUTEN TAG!

I am in the middle of a four hour layover in Frankfurt, Germany and I am bored. I mean really, really bored. I usually take the direct flight to Delhi from Chicago, but my company had an opportunity to save $1800 by putting me on Lufthansa flights (Dallas to Frankfurt and Frankfurt to Delhi).

I am starting out on a 21-day Asia trip that will take me to three cities in India (Delhi, Hyderabad, and Bangalore); Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Manila, Philippines; and Shanghai and Beijing, China. Oh - I'll also have an evening in Tokyo as a layover on my way home.

This is the longest that I'll be away from Angie and the kids and I'm dreading this trip. I have 20 vendor evaluation visits to perform while I'm on the road. Mostly, I'll be doing two a night while I'm here.

I did want to share an offer I received the day before I left. I have a great friend (whom shall remain nameless to protect his man-card) that offered to do Christmas shopping for me while I'm away. How awesome is that? The worst thing a guy could have to do...and he offered to do it for me as I wouldn't have time. That is a true friend. Thanks, Bob...ooops!

I'll keep the blog up to date about my travels...

SL

It's beginning to look a lot like...

...I can see the house from space!

As you can see, we spent the better part of this long weekend getting ready for Christmas. I am leaving for a three week Asia trip next Saturday, and this was the last weekend that we had to get everything done for the holiday.

Because of the crazy week I have in front of me, we had to pretty much do in three days what normally takes me all of December. Dylan and I spent all day today on the roof, running back in forth to Wal-Mart, and hanging lights. The picture doesn't do it justice, but we really went overboard and the house looks awesome.

The lights in the windows and around the garage door and front are framed, so I just have to snap them in. Unfortunately, a string was out around the front door, so I had to pull them off the frame and glue a new strand on. Fortunately, that was the only hang-up. The lights on the roof, the wreath, and the candles in the windows were bought at a significant discount after last Christmas. They look really cool. We are having someone come in the hand the rest over the second story eves...I have a tremendous fear of heights. In fact, just getting on the first story roof to hang the wreath and the candles was a real accomplishment for me.

It also gave me a chance to try out my new Little Giant...the best purchase I have ever made (and why I have conquered a little of my fear of high places).

Lastly, it gave me a chance to bond some more with Dylan. Amazing how we talked about how important I think it is that the kids have great memories of the holidays. It's a real driver of why we have so many lights and a 12-foot Christmas tree.

I just hope they don't mind not getting presents. I think all of our money is going to the electric company this year!

SL

Blue Collar Man

What does it mean when your woman tells you that she likes the way you look? What does it mean that she says this when you are camping and all decked out in cammo, jeans, unshaven and wearing a ball cap? What does it mean when she tells you that she likes the look better than the slacks, shoes, and dress shirts that are commonly worn to work?

My answer - who cares? All I care about is that she said it.

We camped up at Texoma this weekend. Cassie, Angie and I did the tent thing with several couple friends of ours and their kids. We had a great time. We talked and laughed, we ate, we fished (a lot - and no, I didn't catch anything STILL). We made a huge fire, we ate s'mores, we fished some more, and we tried to sleep (it wasn't the cold - that was manageable. It was the half deflated air mattress that did me in).

Ultimately, we had a great time in the out doors. Back to my original point. I hadn't shaved in a couple of days and saw the camping as an opportunity to wear a lot of my hunting clothes. All I know is that I was warm and comfortable - and that Angie liked the way I looked. I guess I looked "MANLY".

If you see me wearing GUY clothes, don't be surprised. My woman likes it!

SL

12.2 for $87.50

More numbers...

I've basically starved for the last three days. Since I just completed a light lunch I can now laugh about it. I was able to lose 3 pounds on my last day - yes, that's THREE pounds in one day. Not only did I eat little, but I took a 40 minute walk last night just to make sure I made it.

This means that I lost a total of 12.2 pounds in 31 days. So far, I'm one of four to have made goal, which makes my cut $87.50 of the Lard pool.

One of the nice benefits of my walk last night was that Dylan accompanied me. We spoke the whole time and it was nice. We talked about astronomy (he's covering that in school right now and the moon was HUGE), duck hunting, basketball, and Christian Rap. It was GREAT!

Next step is 5% body weight loss by the end of the year. We are proposing a $100 payment if you don't make it. If we end up doing this, I'll need to lose 14.12 pounds by December 29. That's only 2 pounds a week for 7 weeks, and I'll probably be in India for 3 weeks of that, so it shouldn't be too difficult.

SL

62 and 12

I guess I'm a little fixated on numbers these days...perhaps a future blog entry.

I'll start with 12, since that's shorter. 12 (in ounces) is the weight I need to lose in 36 hours to be on the winning side of the "Chub Club". I've lost a pound each of the last two days, and if I can do it one more day then I've hit my goal. Since there are several here who have already communicated that they haven't made it, that should mean some money. I think I'm going to buy a nice lunch for me and Angie with it. Next is 10 lbs in 5 weeks.

The 62 is much more interesting. It represents the number of kisses that I got last night from Cassie. If you've ever tried to get a 4 year old to give you affection, you know that 62 kisses is a very big deal - and it was to me. When I discussed it with Angie, she said that it made sense, that I've been available to Cassie, I've spent time with her doing goofy things and playing games, and that it is showing AND Cassie is responding. I think there is a message here - and certainly not one that I haven't gotten before. When I make myself available to the kids, it is the right thing to do. I've been trying to do it more since this summer and I think that the kids are responding - and frankly, I've enjoyed them so much more, as well.

Clearly, however, I can do more. Dylan and Cassie are somewhat natural for me to "hang" with. Marissa and Justin are more difficult. What do you do with a 10 year old pubescent girl? Or a moody 19 year old young man? I'm not sure I know what the answers are, but I know that whatever we do it needs to involve my time. It's good for them. It's good for me!

SL

3 in 3

If you've tracked my blog, than you know that weigh in for the "Chub Club" is coming soon. On Nov. 9th, I get weighed in and have either lost 10, or not. I weighed this morning, and am 2.8 pounds away from goal.

The good news is that I've lost 7.2 lbs in less than 4 weeks. The bad news is that if I don't lose an additional 2.8 in 3 days, than I'm out $50.00, and I don't really want to throw out that money. I'm pretty positive that I can make it, as I've been able to lose 10+ pounds in a week when I am very strict on my diet, so I should be able to lose a pound a day for three days. I just need to start exercising. I haven't all month, and it has kept me down (or should I say up?).

I'll let you know the results on Thursday. I plan on doing this again, even if I don't make it. I'm suggesting 12 pounds in 6 weeks as our next $50.00 level.

SL

Too busy to blog...

Sometimes we just don't have enough time in a day. I wish I could create a few more hours a day with God-like powers, but I can't - and that means one thing - something has to suffer. Unfortunately, I have to go to work everyday. Unlike my mother-in-law, who celebrated her retirement a couple of days ago - and for the first time in forever, didn't have to get up to report to the office this morning, I still get up every day. I could leave earlier, and I do that every so often, but with a monster project underway, I don't have the flexibility to do that. In fact, because of my absence in the office on Tuesday to attend said retirement party, I'll likely be in the office until 8:30 or so, tonight. I could blow off school, and I do that on occasion, but we only have 4 weeks left, and I need to secure passing grades. No sense in wasting the last 10 weeks by getting lazy in the last third of the semester.

That leaves two things that I can take from, my family and sleep. Now, I try my best to be active in the kids lives, especially at events that are going on in the evening and on weekends. I do end up missing some stuff, so I really can't pare down anymore there. That leaves just sleep - and frankly, I haven't been getting enough. I need MORE!!!

When I don't get enough, everything suffers. Angie knows when I'm cranky worst of all, but everyone else does, too. That's why I am planning a couple of hours all to myself this weekend. A Saturday afternoon nap will do wonders, and I am going to take one, even if it means giving Angie a couple of dollars out of my budgeted spending money to do it. "Honey, here's $20, go to a movie on me, and take Cassie with you, cause I'm taking a nap." That two hours apart will do wonders for our marriage.

Goodnight!

SL

Suicide Watch...

My family has me on suicide watch...I went to bed in tears...I'm moody and despondant. I've received condolences from friends and family - including this e-card from my sister.

Sympathy Card

Did my dog die? Did my best friend pick a fight? Did I just get fired from my job? Nope, Nope and Nope.

What did happen is that the baseball season ended for me and the New York Mets last night. The Mets lost a heartbreaker game 7 to the St. Louis Cardinals - a game that was tied going into the 9th inning.

Truth be told, the game was a great game and the series was entertaining. Unfortunately, the great Mets lineup just didn't get it done, and they lost 3-1.

The only solace I can take is that baseball season is only 5 and a half months away and they have a core of very young very talented players. We'll see you next year.

LET'S GO METS! WHOOO!

PS: Endy Chavez made perhaps the greatest play I have ever seen in the playoffs last night, stealing a home run...check this out!

SL

The Biggest Loser...

Some things that I wish were 300...a) My salary in thousands of dollars, b) the number of days off I get off every year c) The number of times daily Angie told me she loved me. One thing that I wish wasn't almost 300 - MY WEIGHT.

Yesterday we started a "Chub Club" at work. Basically, 10 guys and 1 woman have vowed to lose 10 pounds over the next month. The ones that don't succeed must pay $50 into the "Lard Pool". Those that do make it share in the money. We all weighed in, and I tipped the scales at a whopping 294.6 lbs, the highest I have ever weighed.

So today, I'm eating a salad, some fruit, oatmeal, and a Weight Watchers entree. Tomorrow, I take a walk or hit the Community Center for some basketball and racquetball. Not only do I want to lose these 10, but 85 more, and get close to 200. I'll keep track on the blog.

Now, I just need to watch out for that e-coli in my lettuce!

SL

Married in Galveston

No, I'm not into polygamy. I did however marry my good friend Ron and his wife, Jo Ana this Saturday on a weekend getaway to Galveston Island, south of Houston. I know what you're thinking and I'll explain.

Angie and I have been planning on attending the wedding for several months. Angie made all the sitter arrangements (Thanks Stacey & David and Carrie & Chris) so we were going to enjoy two days away. Then, about a month ago, Ron called me and told me that the person they had to do the wedding had to pull out and would I be willing. Now, you need to understand that Ron is the type of guy with endless generosity who would do anything for anyone, and has been there for me in a pinch once or twice, so I told him I'd look into getting ordained and that if the time requirements weren't too great, I'd do it. Well, that's all they needed to hear, because they apparently did all the research and leg work prior. Jo Ana sent me a link to the Rose Ministries and voila, I was ordained.

Now, let's be honest. Although the ordination that I have is legally binding in all 50 states, it is not the same thing as someone who's spent years in study becoming a pastor or other clergy. It seems that due to the 4th amendment, and the separation of church and state stipulations, that the government has some pretty "loose" laws regarding the legality of religious ceremonies. Since the Rose Ministries is a recognized church (and pretty much any church MUST be recognized) and they allow their "clergy" to become ordained through completing a web form, then I'm recognized as authorized to perform a legally binding wedding - I even signed the marriage certificate to prove it.

So, my first wedding is done, and I'm officially retired. I'd rather not do that again, but I am very happy to have helped a friend. I think I was asked because they knew I'd take it seriously, and because of my work, I'm comfortable speaking in front of groups. Truth be told, I was nervous, VERY NERVOUS! Thankfully, Jo Ana had scripted the whole ceremony out except for the wedding prayer, which I gave some prior thought to, but basically winged it when the time came.

Ultimately, everyone there was extremely impressed with my performance and everyone said I did a great job. All I know is that I didn't screw it up, we had a great party with friends, and Angie and I had a seafood filled weekend. Now I just need to find out what the normal honorarium is for performing a wedding, in case anyone else asks.

SL

Weather in Texas

Although the weather has been warm and pleasant, this joke is not far from the truth...

May 30th: Just moved to Dallas, Texas. Now this is a city that knows how to live!! Beautiful sunny days and warm balmy evenings. What a place! I watched the sunset from a park lying on a blanket. It was beautiful. I've finally found my home. I love it here.

June 14th: Really heating up. Got to 100 today. Not a problem. Live in an air-conditioned home, drive an air-conditioned car. What a pleasure to see the sun everyday like this. I'm turning into a sun worshiper.

June 30th: Had the backyard landscaped with western plants today. Lots of cactus and rocks. What a breeze to maintain. No more mowing lawn for me. Another scorcher today, but I love it here.

July 10th: The temperature hasn't been below 100 all week. How do people get used to this kind of heat? At least it's kind of windy though. But getting used to the heat and humidity is taking longer that I expected.

July 15th: Fell asleep by the pool. (Got 3rd degree burns over 60% of my body). Missed 3 days of work What a dumb thing to do. I learned my lesson though. Got to respect the ol' sun in a climate like this.

July 20th: I missed Morgan (our cat) sneaking into the car when I left this morning. By the time I got to the hot car for lunch, Morgan had died and swollen up to the size of a shopping bag and stank up the $2,000 leather upholstery. I told the kids that she ran away. The car now smells like Kibbles and shits. I learned my lesson though. No more pets in this heat.

July 25th: The wind sucks.. It feels like a giant freaking blow dryer!! And it's hot as hell. The home air-conditioner is not working and the AC repairman charged $200 just to drive by and tell me he needed to order parts.

July 30th: Been sleeping outside by the pool for 3 nights now. $1,500 in damn house payments and we can't even go inside. Why did I ever come here?

Aug. 4th: It's 115 degrees. Finally got the air-conditioner fixed today. It cost $500 and gets the temperature down to 85, but this freaking humidity makes the house feel like it's about 95. Stupid repairman. I hate this stupid city.

Aug. 8th: If another wise ass asks, "Hot enough for you today?" I'm going to strangle him. Damn heat. By the time I get to work the radiator is boiling over, my clothes are soaking wet, and I smell like baked cat!!

Aug. 9th: Tried to run some errands after work. Wore shorts, and sat on the black leather seats in the ol' car. I thought my ass was on fire. I lost 2 layers of flesh and all the hair on the back of my legs and ass. Now my car smells like burnt hair, fried ass, and baked cat.

Aug. 10th: The weather report might as well be a damn recording. Hot and sunny. Hot and sunny. Hot and sunny. It's been too hot to do shit for 2 damn months and the weatherman says it might really warm up next week. Doesn't it ever rain in this damn desert? Water rationing now, so my $1700 worth of cactus just dried up and blew into the damn pool. Even the cactus can't live in this damn heat.

Aug. 14th: Welcome to HELL!!! Temperature got to 115 today. Forgot to crack the window and blew the damn windshield out of the car. The installer came to fix it and said, "Hot enough for you today?" My wife had to spend the $1500 house payment to bail me out of jail. Freaking Texas. What kind of a sick demented idiot would want to live here?

So keep this in mind when I invite you down to our house. Ya'll come back now, y'here.

SL

Perhaps Older, Definitely BETTER

Today is Angie's 39th (yes, 39th) birthday. If you've seen my post back in May about adult birthdays, then you know how I regard them - they are just not a big deal. Life doesn't stop because today is the anniversary of the day we were born. I was on a day trip to Cincinnati for my birthday. I wish this wasn't the case, as I really do enjoy being "King for a day", just don't get the chance anymore.

Let me first say that Angie is like a very fine wine...she just keeps getting better with age. Better looking, that goes without saying. However, she seems to be developing a wisdom and a comfort with herself that she didn't have before. Her relationship with the Lord is flourishing, and except for the occasional conflict with me around responsibilities, things haven't been this good since courting. She is surrounded by an exceptional group of friends, and we have excellent couples friends. Her relationship with the kids is strong, and she balances her roles are caregiver and disciplinarian well. All said, she's better than ever in every way.

That being said, I've recently been considering how I could treat her better, in a biblical sense. I am called to be a servant leader and to love her the way Jesus loved the church. Sometimes I can do that, but then scorekeeping gets in the way, and I lash out if I feel like she isn't responding to me "selflessness" the way I think she should. Ultimately, I've concluded that I am just not being selfless when I'm keeping score.

My problem is that I don't think I understand what it is to love her in this way, and that I am naturally selfish. What I have been thinking about is what would it be like for her if I treated EVERY day like it was her birthday. For example, this morning, I left a card on her pillow letting her know I loved her. I got out of bed to get the kids up when her alarm went off. I took Dylan to school instead of making her get out of the house. Imagine what it would be like if I did those types of things for her every day. I think perhaps that's what Ephesians means. I also realize that since I call recite back everything I've done for her today so far, that I am still keeping score. Maybe through practice and repetition that the scorekeeping part goes away.

I think I'll try to do that as much as possible, as well. Happy Birthday, sweetheart. I hope that everyday - today, and tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that, etc. etc. are like birthdays for you.

SL

For my AMA

Enjoying the great outdoors, and doing some man bonding...


Trophies...

Cleaning the kill...

I'll be thinking of you on Sunday, when I go hunting again...

SL

Doves 5, Scott 2

I mentioned going Dove hunting in a previous post, and now that it has been completed, I feel compelled to blog about it - especially because I've thought of little since and am trying to figure out how I can go again soon.

We arrived and Angie's aunt and uncle's house in Bonham a little before three on Sunday afternoon. After messing around for a while, Dylan, her uncle Maurice, and I decided to jump in his pickup and drive to the back of the 70 acre property that he lives on. As we drove past a large pond, he pointed to two grey birds flying across, and said "There they are!" At that point, I started to get jazzed. As we continued to survey the property, we saw three white tailed deer flee from us. That was really neat. We came back around the pool, parked under a big tree, and got out. It was a beautiful afternoon, not too hot, and the sun's rays would peak through the trees and reflect off the large pond. I got the impression that hunting is more about the company you are with and enjoying the great outdoors. It's a good thing, too, because we didn't see another dove for over an hour.

At the end of that time, Maurice suggested we drive over to his other property, where he has 40 acres and 25 head of cattle. I thought that was a great suggestion, and we left. Along the way, we saw many doves enjoying themselves on the power lines, so we started getting excited again.
We arrived at the property and Maurice introduced Dylan and I to each of the cows, calves, and bull as we drove around. We headed off to one of the ponds he has on that property, and immediately saw a dove fly in front of the truck, and perch on a nearby tree. I got out quickly and proceeded to load my shotgun, but took too long and the dove flew away. We saw another, but that one also flew away before I could get a shot.

As Dylan and I walked around, another flew left to right in front of me. It was a perfect shot, and emptied my gun (three shots, by law), but missed all three. It is possible that the bird was out of range, as the distance seemed a little far - but no matter, at least I got a clean shot.

We sat for a while longer, and since we didn't see any more we decided to depart. Dylan and I sat in the bed as we drove from one side of the property to the other. When the truck stopped, so Maurice could lock the gate, Dylan and I got into the cab. Then we saw it - two doves perched right in front of us, about 25 yards away...one was looking RIGHT AT ME! I loaded my gun and chambered a shell, got out quietly, and closed the door over.

My heart was beating so hard, and the adrenaline was coursing through my body so fast, that I couldn't line up the shot. The sight on my gun just seemed be moving and I couldn't steady it on the bird to the left. I was sure that they were going to get spooked and fly away. Eventually, I lined up the shot and pulled the trigger. After an explosion of feathers, the next thing I remember is Dylan jumping out of the truck saying, "Did you get them?" I don't remember pumping the shotgun, or shooting at the second as it flew away, but I did, as there were two doves lying on the ground under where they were perched.

The experience clearly satisfied a primal, visceral response in me, but I'd like to think that it just wasn't wanton killing. You'd think that the birds never had a chance, but hey, look at the score. Also, we've decided that anything bagged is getting eaten. After we returned to the house and had dinner we cleaned the birds. Heck, I didn't even want to touch them, so plucking the chest feathers and trying to pop their little breast meat out was difficult. Angie's uncle did the first to show me how, and then finished the second when I broke the breast bone.

Right now, I have two little dove breasts in the freezer - they are not large. We're going to grill them with jalapeno and bacon as soon as we can. And, perhaps, we'll bag some more before the season ends so we can make an entire meal. I'm already looking forward to duck season.

SL