Yesterday Seth made some poor choices and this resulted in Shelley handing down the punishment of "No TV". When she emailed this to me my first thought was "Does that include me?" When I got home I half expected that she had capitulated and the TV would be on but to my chagrin it wasn't on and she was sticking to her guns. While I knew if I watched something, it would still serve the same purpose of "No TV" for Seth because he has no interest in The History Channel but I decided to be the adult and follow through with the punishment 100%.
Shelley went to get her hair done so it was just the three of us and I had the initial thought wondering what we would do without the diversion of the TV. But, if you ignore the 20 minute period where Seth peed in both bath tubs, Chase played in the toilet, Seth colored on the carpet and my head spun around 3 times, we had a great time.
I think we might institute a "No TV night" every week.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Monday, October 30, 2006
Texas Pursues Castle Doctrine Law
State Senator Jeff Wentworth will author a bill that will give potential crime victims more powers to protect themselves, their family and their property.
Essentially, the bill would legally establish the assumption that someone criminally entering a person's home, business or vehicle is there to cause death or great bodily harm and would allow potential victims to use any force – including deadly force – in retaliation.
The bill would also do away with the state's "duty to retreat" provision, which states that someone may not use deadly force if a reasonable person in the same situation would have retreated. And it would protect people from being sued by the criminals or relatives of criminals they injure or kill.
Read the story here.
Essentially, the bill would legally establish the assumption that someone criminally entering a person's home, business or vehicle is there to cause death or great bodily harm and would allow potential victims to use any force – including deadly force – in retaliation.
The bill would also do away with the state's "duty to retreat" provision, which states that someone may not use deadly force if a reasonable person in the same situation would have retreated. And it would protect people from being sued by the criminals or relatives of criminals they injure or kill.
Read the story here.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Cowboys 35, Panthers 14
Just a few thoughts before I go to bed.
This this was a big win.
Romo looked good. He made plays and he only made 1 mistake.
The defense looked questionable in the first quarter but they really shut things down after that. I wish they had gotten more pressure on the quarterback though.
We have to do something about the penalties. If we hadn't had some key penalties this game may have even been more of a blowout.
The offensive line seemed to play better but it didn't seem like Carolina was blitzing much. I wonder why?
Washington is next...
This this was a big win.
Romo looked good. He made plays and he only made 1 mistake.
The defense looked questionable in the first quarter but they really shut things down after that. I wish they had gotten more pressure on the quarterback though.
We have to do something about the penalties. If we hadn't had some key penalties this game may have even been more of a blowout.
The offensive line seemed to play better but it didn't seem like Carolina was blitzing much. I wonder why?
Washington is next...
Friday, October 27, 2006
Little Brother Helps Big Brother
Last night Seth wanted me to be a monster and put on my monster mask. I have an old rubber Halloween mask that in the past has really scared him. But, that was last year so I thought maybe he is a year older and things would be different so I went and put on the mask. Well, things weren't different and he freaked out.
Shelley and I tried to address his fears. We explained it was just a mask, asked him what he was afraid of, blah, blah, blah. Nothing worked... I even tried to give him the mask so he could hold it and see that it wasn't anything scary but he would have none of it. I then offered that he could take it and throw it away but again he didn't want anything to do with it. But, Chase then decided he would take control of the situation. He grabbed the masked, marched into the kitchen, opened the pantry, promptly threw the mask away and then shut the pantry door as if he was sealing it away .
I brought Seth into the kitchen to tell him what Chase had done and then Chase gave Seth a hug as if to tell him everything would be ok now.
Shelley and I tried to address his fears. We explained it was just a mask, asked him what he was afraid of, blah, blah, blah. Nothing worked... I even tried to give him the mask so he could hold it and see that it wasn't anything scary but he would have none of it. I then offered that he could take it and throw it away but again he didn't want anything to do with it. But, Chase then decided he would take control of the situation. He grabbed the masked, marched into the kitchen, opened the pantry, promptly threw the mask away and then shut the pantry door as if he was sealing it away .
I brought Seth into the kitchen to tell him what Chase had done and then Chase gave Seth a hug as if to tell him everything would be ok now.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Bledsoe Vs. Romo
There is a lot of controversy over the Cowboys switch to Tony Romo over Drew Bledsoe. Many feel that by switching the Cowboys are giving up on this season and beginning to build for the future. I disagree with that position because the fact is Drew Bledsoe isn't a very good quarterback. Is Romo better? I don't know. Is Romo the future quarterback for the Cowboys? I don't know. But, here are a few things I do know.
In the last 6 games of last season and the first 6 games this year the Cowboys are 5 - 7 with Bledsoe at quarterback. Also, during those games Bledsoe has completed only 54% of his passes and has thrown 18 interceptions to only 16 touchdowns. Also, over the last 4 years is quarterback ranking is 21st in 2003, 25th in 2004, 17th in 2005 and 28th in 2006.
We aren't going anywhere with Bledsoe so let's give someone else a try and Romo is all we have.
In the last 6 games of last season and the first 6 games this year the Cowboys are 5 - 7 with Bledsoe at quarterback. Also, during those games Bledsoe has completed only 54% of his passes and has thrown 18 interceptions to only 16 touchdowns. Also, over the last 4 years is quarterback ranking is 21st in 2003, 25th in 2004, 17th in 2005 and 28th in 2006.
We aren't going anywhere with Bledsoe so let's give someone else a try and Romo is all we have.
A Couple of Stories About the Boys
Story 1
Shelley is pretty low maintenance, generally preferring function over form. When Seth was born she realized carrying a purse and a diaper bag didn't make much sense so she found a child sized backpack that worked well as a diaper bag as well as a purse. Overtime I think she eventually gave away all of her purses. Well, last week she had to attend a funeral so I think she felt it would be more appropriate to carry a purse versus Chase's Texas Rangers backpack so she went out and bought a new purse.
This last weekend we went out to dinner and Chase has gotten to the point where we don't have to pack up the whole house just to check the mail so we didn't take his backpack and Shelley grabbed her new purse. When we got out of the car, Seth stopped in his tracks, stared at this strange object in his mother's hand and questioned, "Mommy, what is that?" In his long three and half years of life he had never seen his mother carry a purse.
Story 2
Last night was one of those nights that had Shelley and I questioning our decision to become parents. The boys were just a little rambunctious to say the least. One thing we have learned about Chase is that he is a very determined little boy who doesn't have any quit in him.
Well, last night he was sitting on the ottoman and somehow fell off and hit his head on the end table. After a few minutes of tears and Shelley rocking him, he got down and immediately headed back for the ottoman. Up he crawled and before we could do anything he fell off again, and again hit his head on the end table. Once again, several minutes of crying and rocking and down he got. He was not about to let this thing beat him so right back to the ottoman he headed and again off he went. This was the most violent fall because for some reason he actually chose to jump this time.
We were trying to prevent this but last night Shelley and I found ourselves overmatched by the three year old and the one year old.
Shelley is pretty low maintenance, generally preferring function over form. When Seth was born she realized carrying a purse and a diaper bag didn't make much sense so she found a child sized backpack that worked well as a diaper bag as well as a purse. Overtime I think she eventually gave away all of her purses. Well, last week she had to attend a funeral so I think she felt it would be more appropriate to carry a purse versus Chase's Texas Rangers backpack so she went out and bought a new purse.
This last weekend we went out to dinner and Chase has gotten to the point where we don't have to pack up the whole house just to check the mail so we didn't take his backpack and Shelley grabbed her new purse. When we got out of the car, Seth stopped in his tracks, stared at this strange object in his mother's hand and questioned, "Mommy, what is that?" In his long three and half years of life he had never seen his mother carry a purse.
Story 2
Last night was one of those nights that had Shelley and I questioning our decision to become parents. The boys were just a little rambunctious to say the least. One thing we have learned about Chase is that he is a very determined little boy who doesn't have any quit in him.
Well, last night he was sitting on the ottoman and somehow fell off and hit his head on the end table. After a few minutes of tears and Shelley rocking him, he got down and immediately headed back for the ottoman. Up he crawled and before we could do anything he fell off again, and again hit his head on the end table. Once again, several minutes of crying and rocking and down he got. He was not about to let this thing beat him so right back to the ottoman he headed and again off he went. This was the most violent fall because for some reason he actually chose to jump this time.
We were trying to prevent this but last night Shelley and I found ourselves overmatched by the three year old and the one year old.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Cowboys 22, Giants 36
I just have a few thoughts about this terrible loss.
First, we have found out what the Cowboys are and that is just an average team. They will be lucky to go 9-7 the way they are playing and I don't see them making the playoffs.
Second, I agree with Parcells decision to replace Bledsoe with Romo. I think he has been wanting to play Romo but didn't know how to go about replacing Bledsoe but frustration finally forced him to put Romo in. I just hope he stays with Romo because if they aren't going to win, I would rather see them lose with Romo instead of lose with Bledsoe.
Also, what happened to that great defense we are suppose to have? And, do we have the worst offensive line in the league?
First, we have found out what the Cowboys are and that is just an average team. They will be lucky to go 9-7 the way they are playing and I don't see them making the playoffs.
Second, I agree with Parcells decision to replace Bledsoe with Romo. I think he has been wanting to play Romo but didn't know how to go about replacing Bledsoe but frustration finally forced him to put Romo in. I just hope he stays with Romo because if they aren't going to win, I would rather see them lose with Romo instead of lose with Bledsoe.
Also, what happened to that great defense we are suppose to have? And, do we have the worst offensive line in the league?
Monday, October 23, 2006
BATFE
Last week I got a call from an investigator with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives saying he wanted to come by and inspect my residence. Now, this wasn't as shocking as one might think because I have applied for a Federal Firearms License (FFL). What is an FFL? An FFL is required for anyone who wants to engage in the business of manufacturing, importing, or dealing in firearms. I am wanting to be able to begin dealing in firearms so I decided to apply.
So, when the investigator called I was not surprised but I quickly got very nervous at the prospect of someone from the ATF coming to our house. I suddenly felt like the little dog chasing the car and suddenly actually catching it. "Now, what am I going to do?" I thought.
The good news is the inspection went well and I should have my FFL within 6 weeks.
So, when the investigator called I was not surprised but I quickly got very nervous at the prospect of someone from the ATF coming to our house. I suddenly felt like the little dog chasing the car and suddenly actually catching it. "Now, what am I going to do?" I thought.
The good news is the inspection went well and I should have my FFL within 6 weeks.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Does this make me a bad dad?
Last night Shelley drove Thing 1 and Thing 2 to her mother's where they will stay for the next 3 days. As I stood in an empty house with the prospect of 3 days of quiet and not having to watch any Curious George episodes, I did a little happy dance around the house.
I will miss the little guys but I am looking forward to the next few days.
I will miss the little guys but I am looking forward to the next few days.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Date Night
Shelley and I have recommitted ourselves to having a date night. Tonight was our first one and you ask what we did. Well, the evening started with a wonderful dinner at the food court in the mall. Then we were off to shop for some clothes for Shelley to wear to a funeral tomorrow and we then wrapped it up at Target where we bought panty hose and dish washing detergent.
I'm sorry ladies but I'm taken. If you want a romantic evening like this you will have to talk to your own significant other.
I'm sorry ladies but I'm taken. If you want a romantic evening like this you will have to talk to your own significant other.
One Man's Ingenuity
Have you ever wondered how they built Stonehenge without modern day machinery? I found this video on A Family Runs Through It. Watch and this guy will show you it might not have been as hard as you would think. I am amazed by this. (If you don't see the video, then come to my blog to view it)
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Blogger Block
I've got blogger block. I am hoping that by just putting something down it will open the flood gates of creativity.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Dallas 34, Houston 6
Just a few thoughts on this weekend's Cowboy victory.
Any win is a good win but this was a game they were suppose to win. In fact, they didn't look very good in the first half and if Houston was any good they could have taken advantage of Dallas' sluggishness.
Also, I am hoping the two biggest free agent acquisitions and biggest distractions, T.O and Mike Vanderjagt, are about to settle in. T.O. caught 3 TD passes and Vanderjagt is now the only place kicker on the roster and his kickoffs have been acceptable. I did find it curious, though, that Bill went for it on 4th down during the 3rd quarter when it would have been about a 49 yard field. I wonder if Bill still doesn't have confidence in him.
Finally, it isn't often you can look at your punter as a weapon but Matt McBriar is a real weapon. He had 4 punts for an average of 56 yards with 2 inside the 20 and a long of 75 yards.
This week against the Giants will be a good test of their progress.
Any win is a good win but this was a game they were suppose to win. In fact, they didn't look very good in the first half and if Houston was any good they could have taken advantage of Dallas' sluggishness.
Also, I am hoping the two biggest free agent acquisitions and biggest distractions, T.O and Mike Vanderjagt, are about to settle in. T.O. caught 3 TD passes and Vanderjagt is now the only place kicker on the roster and his kickoffs have been acceptable. I did find it curious, though, that Bill went for it on 4th down during the 3rd quarter when it would have been about a 49 yard field. I wonder if Bill still doesn't have confidence in him.
Finally, it isn't often you can look at your punter as a weapon but Matt McBriar is a real weapon. He had 4 punts for an average of 56 yards with 2 inside the 20 and a long of 75 yards.
This week against the Giants will be a good test of their progress.
Friday, October 13, 2006
The Future's So Bright I have to Wear Shades
My work career has had a series of ups and downs. I have been involved in several mergers which have resulted in "down sizing", "right sizing", and the latest is called a "transformation". I wrote about one incident here.
The first experience I had was back in 1994 when I worked for a bank. Our bank was a small, texas based bank with 5 branches that had been struggling since the late 80's but a larger regional bank had decided to invest $40 million in capital to help us grow. This was exactly what we needed or at least we thought.
To kick this off a breakfast meeting was called and we were all asked to wear our sunglasses because "The future is so bright, we have to wear shades." We also got baseballs that had printed on them "It's a brand new game.". We all soon found out that it might be a brand new game but we weren't going to be on the team. As soon as the check was cashed, the "investment" became an "acquisition" and the layoff started. I have kept that baseball with me for the last 12 years as a reminder of how things can always change.
Well, now I am in the middle of what is being called the "IT Transformation Project" and there will be a lot of things changing which will include the elimination of my position. I will be writing more about this and my upcoming job search.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Monday, October 09, 2006
SchoolHouse Rock
Last Christmas I bought Shelley the SchoolHouse Rock DVD that contains all of the episodes. If you aren't aware, SchoolHouse Rock was on Saturday mornings between 1973 and 1985 and it was a series of short cartoons with a catchy song that taught us multiplication, history, grammar, and science. It had episodes like Conjunction Junction, I'm Just a Bill and Three is a Magic Number.
Well, we were happy to see that Seth fell in love with it and he has watched the DVD for endless hours. So, when we saw that SchoolHouse Rock, Live was coming to Casa Manana, we knew we had to go.
Yes, I'll admit it, Shelley and I were more excited that either of the boys. I also don't think it was any surprise that I enjoyed this more than the Elmo or Dragon Tales concerts we went to but I also think it wasn't just a generational issue. I think Seth enjoyed it more than any other event we have attended. He sat on my lap, never took his eyes off of the stage and clapped with vigor after each song. Chase also had a good time but his 1 year old attention span ran out after the intermission.
If you get an opportunity to see Schoolhouse Rock, Live, I highly recommend it.
Marathon Training Update
Another 2 weeks of training are behind me and the marathon is just 62 days away. I ran in a 15 K race this weekend and had a pretty good time. My time was 1 hour 12 minutes which is about a 7 minute 48 sec pace which is almost my goal marathon pace. But, I am nowhere near running that pace for 26 miles but I still have 2 months of training.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Horrible Sports Weekend
A few weeks ago I wrote about My Good Sports Weekend. Well, this weekend is a Horrible Sports Weekend. First, TCU lost a disappointing game to Utah, my fantasy football team is on the verge of losing our first game of the season, but the topper is the Cowboys' loss to Philadelphia.
I can't even bear to think about the Cowboys' game so I'm not going to blog anymore about it.
I can't even bear to think about the Cowboys' game so I'm not going to blog anymore about it.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Secret Rooms
Poor Customer Communication
I am anal about our credit history. In fact, I pulled Shelley's credit report before I asked her to marry me just to make sure she had everything squared away. So, when Shelley got this notice regarding a credit card she had applied for, I was a little shocked and disturbed.
Thank you for applying for a Citi/AAdvantage American Express account. We regret that we are unable to approve your application at this time. This is because your Citibank account reflects the follow:
You have not complied with the provisions of the Card Agreement on your present account.
A few weeks ago Shelley had called Citibank to find out how to dispute a charge on her Mastercard and when the representative was done she told Shelley she qualified for the AAdvantage American Express and since she had been so helpful, Shelley agreed to take the card.
Fast forward a few days and Shelley loses her AAdvantage Mastercard and calls back to close the account. Then yesterday we receive the above notice.
After about 20 minutes of being on hold, getting transfered, etc. Shelley finally finds out that she didn't get the American Express card because the offer was tied to her original Mastercard. Why couldn't they have just said that? It would have saved everyone a lot of time and effort.
Thank you for applying for a Citi/AAdvantage American Express account. We regret that we are unable to approve your application at this time. This is because your Citibank account reflects the follow:
You have not complied with the provisions of the Card Agreement on your present account.
A few weeks ago Shelley had called Citibank to find out how to dispute a charge on her Mastercard and when the representative was done she told Shelley she qualified for the AAdvantage American Express and since she had been so helpful, Shelley agreed to take the card.
Fast forward a few days and Shelley loses her AAdvantage Mastercard and calls back to close the account. Then yesterday we receive the above notice.
After about 20 minutes of being on hold, getting transfered, etc. Shelley finally finds out that she didn't get the American Express card because the offer was tied to her original Mastercard. Why couldn't they have just said that? It would have saved everyone a lot of time and effort.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Who To Vote For?
If you are interested in protecting your 2nd Amendment freedoms with this next election then go to the NRA Political Victory Fund. Here you can go put in your zip code and find candidates ranked based on their voting record, public statements and responses to a NRA questionnaire.
In 2004 the NRA-PVF was involved in 265 campaigns for the Senate and House of Representatives and won 254.
In 2004 the NRA-PVF was involved in 265 campaigns for the Senate and House of Representatives and won 254.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Rangers Fire Buck Showalter
The Rangers have fired Buck Showalter, read the story here. I'm not sure how I feel about it because I don't think it is all Buck's fault but that is pro sports. But, Buck hasn't done anything while he is here so it is probably time for a change.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Put Me In Coach
At any given time during one of Seth's soccer game there is a player who doesn't want to go in and play or a player that just stops playing to either get a drink, chase a butterfly or any other possible distraction. But, there is also a player who is always ready to go in and play and that is Chase. Yes, the one year old who thinks he is a three year old. We have to physically hold him back during the games or he will run out onto the field to join the action. He has started practicing around the house by kicking the soccer ball so when the coach does call his number he'll be ready.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Dallas 45, Tennessee 14
Dallas overcame a first drive interception to rout Tennessee 45 - 13.
Overall the team looked good. Terry Glenn had 2 touchdown receptions, T.O. with broken hand and all caught 5 passes for 88 yards and the defense had 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions and a fumble recovery.
But, the one concerning thing is the super cocky kicker, Mike Vanderjagt, missed a 26 yard field goal and his kickoffs were less than stellar. I'm sure Bill is going to be scratching his head on what to do with this kicking situation. He doesn't like taking 2 kickers so next week we may see Suisham. Heck his kickoffs are deeper and I'm sure he could have hit 50% of his field goals this week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
