Getting political

I haven't written anything political in awhile but I couldn't let this one go.

If there was any doubt about who Hillary Clinton is or what she believes then this quote confirms it.

Presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton outlined a broad economic vision Tuesday, saying it's time to replace an "on your own" society with one based on shared responsibility and prosperity

"I prefer a 'we're all in it together' society," she said. "I believe our government can once again work for all Americans.

And then from Dictionary.com the definition of Socialism:

An economic system in which the production and distribution of goods are controlled substantially by the government rather than by private enterprise, and in which cooperation rather than competition guides economic activity.

If you think Hillary is your candidate don't say I didn't warn you..

Dallas Cowboy Stadium Update

Here is the latest picture of the new stadium.

My New Addiction

I'm not sure how it happened exactly but it all started three days ago. I think it was a simple email I got offering me a free three day trial. Ordinarily, I ignore those types of things but I had a few extra minutes on my hands so I went to their site and created an account.

After logging in, I entered a few pieces of basic information and all of the sudden I was opened up to a world of information.

My new addiction is genealogy and this new wonderful site is Ancestry.com.

Prior to this weekend I really didn't know much about my family beyond my grandparents and now I have pieced a tentative history that on my father's side goes back to 1720 and Ulster, Ireland.

The other cool thing about the site is it locates historical documents like census records, birth and death records, marriage and divorce records and military records and you can actually see the original document in some cases.

For example, below is my great grandfathers WWI draft registration card.(click to enlarge)



It is amazing what you can find and if someone has already created a branch of your tree you can automatically connect to it and have several new generations added.

I may need some intervention though if I don't bring this under control.

Happy Memorial Day

I want to remember all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice fighting for our freedom. I also want to thank all of those who have served or are currently serving in our Armed Forces and are risking their lives to protect our freedoms.

Ranger Game

Last night we took the boys to the Ranger game. I could go on and on about how bad they are but I won't. I will say it is unfortunate because they do offer some good family fun at reasonable prices.

We only made it until about the 5th inning but I considered that an accomplishment. We sat in the bleachers and the boys cheered their team on with all of the other fans (most were Red Sox fans, though). But, their attention span started to waver after about 2 and half innings so we then went to the area behind centerfield and played games, got tatoos and took pictures.

Finally, Seth was ready to go home and Chase wasn't. So, we compromised and watched another few batters and then promised Chase we would watch the rest when we got home.

Seth has developed an appreciation for the game since he is playing it but I think Chase might be the sports fan.

May The Force Be With You

It has been 30 years since Star Wars opened in theaters and coined the phrase "May the force be with you."

I was only 10 when it came out and it is the first movie I really remember seeing in the theater. In fact, it seems like only yesterday when my mom dropped me and my 7 year old brother off at the theater with 2 other friends. That would never happen today.
It was a hot day and the line wrapped around the theatre. I'm sure it wasn't as long as I remember but it seemed like a mile long.

I wish I could say that we acted like perfect little gentlemen once we were in the theatre but that wouldn't be true. But, as soon as it started to scroll "A long time ago in a galaxy, far far away.." I don't remember moving in my seat.

It is truly one of my fondest childhood memories.

A Night with Newt

Shelley and I had an interesting night tonight. Newt Gingrich was at a local bookstore signing copies of his book Pearl Harbor, so obviously we had to go.

A local radio station was broadcasting from the bookstore and shortly after we arrived, they interviewed Newt on the air and we got to listen to it. He then went and spoke for about 15 minutes on his new book and then took questions for about 20 minutes.

I have to say he is one of the best communicators I have ever heard and one of the most knowledgeable people in regards to history and how it relates to current events. I could listen to him for hours. Also, he has a very practical approach to the issues and I honestly believe if he runs for President it is out of a genuine desire to try and make things better.

We then got him to sign our book and we had our picture taken with him. He was kind of taken back because Shelley was wearing a "Newt Gingrich for President" t-shirt and he hadn't seen it before.

It was a night to remember.

Check out his websites: Newt.org and Americansolutions.com

Super Bowl 45

Congratulations to Arlington and North Texas for being awarded the 2011 Super Bowl. I am excited about the possibilities and the thought of a Super Bowl being played just 10 miles from my house. Now we can just hope that the Cowboys are the first team to play on their home field for the Super Bowl.

I need help from my friends

I need some help from my friends who listen to music.

I am in the process of making a video for Chase's second birthday and I need some good songs for the soundtrack. Last year when I wrote this post, I got some good suggestions so I thought I would try it again.

I don't listen to much music so I am out of touch and over the last four years I have used up all of my good ideas on previous videos. Any suggestions are appreciated. I am just looking for something that expresses our love to him...

Thanks

Sports Boredom

I love sports but right now there is a big void for me in sports. The Stars went out of the playoffs in the first round. The Mavericks failed miserably and also went out in the first round of the playoffs. And now the Rangers are 1 game shy of having the worst record in baseball, they are absolutely horrible.

So, I have nothing to look forward to except a couple of golf majors and maybe some NASCAR races until the Cowboys start training camp on July 24th, 65 days from now.

As a result, I sit at home, alone on a Sunday afternoon and what am I watching? The Discovery Channel!

Serious Dad

At Seth's first t-ball game Shelley had a run in with "Serious Dad." He made sure to point out that Chase, the not yet 2 year old, had his glove on his wrong hand. Since then I have had "Serious Dad" on my radar.

The first thing I have noticed is that he is "serious." After 2 practices and 2 games, I have yet to see him smile. Second, despite coming equipped with all the gear and having it stored nicely in a bat bag, his son isn't as "serious" as him.

But, today he moved into a new category for me. Today was picture day and when they took the individual picture, each player posed with a bat on their shoulder. Well, Seth, "serious dad's" kid, and one other were the last 3 boys to get their picture taken and the only bat left besides Seth's was a pink girl's bat. So, after Seth had his picture taken, the other boy's father asked if he could borrow Seth's bat so his kid wouldn't have to have his picture taken with a pink bat. After he was finished he returned the bat to me and then is when "serious dad's" kid took his position to get his picture taken.

The photographer asked if they could borrow Seth's bat one more time so I handed it over to "serious dad." Did I get a thank you? Nope. Then after they finished taken the picture, "serious dad" took the bat from his son and just threw it on the ground.

"Serious Dad" has now become "Jerk Dad."

1 Month on the Job

Today was my 2 year anniversary of my blog and tomorrow marks 1 month on my new job.

I didn't realize how hard it would be to start a job and be the new guy after being at my previous job for 11 years, but it is hard. I am finally started to get use to things but I have so much to learn. Each day I am making new discoveries.

For example, two days ago I tried to make a long distance call and quickly realized you needed a long distance code that no one had given me. I got that today.

In the restroom I use there is this door that I just assumed was a janitor's closet or some sort of storage. Well, yesterday it was open so I peeked inside and guess what I found. A shower! Who knew? Big step up for me since my previous employers bathrooms were 1 step up from port-a-potties.

What else will I discover?

2 Years of Blogging

Today marks the 2nd Anniversary of this blog and my 634th post. I have really enjoyed it and I hope it will be something my boys will be able to go to when they get older and get a different perspective as to who their father is.

T-ball Season

T-ball season is on us again and we had our first game this past Saturday. It was full of all of the typical events like multiple kids running to second base instead of first base, various kids wandering in the outfield, tears, smiles and as always the highlight is the snack at the end of the game.

Seth played a great game and was much more engaged than he was last season. He even stopped a ball or two. But the one the game is the hardest on is Chase. He would give anything to be out there playing. In fact, I think he wants to be out there more than any of the kids actually playing.

I hope they will let him play next season even though he won't be three because it will be a long season if we have to go through this season and next without him being able to play.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to my awesome wife, my wonderful mom and my incredible mother-in-law.

I love you all..

My Dad is Special

Seth's school year at his pre-school finished this week and they gave us a book that has a collection of things that he did through out the year. In there was a "My Dad is Special" page.

My Dad is special because he does new things.

I like it when my Dad plays with me.

My Dad can do many things! I think he's best at watering flowers.

My Dad has a great smile! I like to make him smile by making funny faces.

My Dad is as handsome as a handsome boy.

My Dad is smart! He even knows how to turn around. (Resume material right there.)

Ahhhhhhhhhh

You know how it feels when you have been on vacation and you get home and get to sleep in your own bed or use your own shower? You usually just feel this big "ahhhhhh" because you are back in your comfort zone.

That is how I am feeling right now. I finally got a laptop.

Ahhhhhhhhh

Traffic

Now that my new commute is in excess of 20 miles and through some of the worst Dallas traffic, I have been trying to figure out every way to speed up my commute.

I have tried every possible combination to get home looking for that "secret" short cut that nobody knows about. FYI, those don't exist. But, I have finally settled on a route that seems to be the fastest and has the fewest wrecks.

Another tool that I have found is www.traffic.com. Once you create an account, you can map out your routes from home to work and work to home. It will then email you, send a text message and even has an RSS feed that will notify you of the traffic conditions. You can schedule the alerts so you get them just prior to you leaving for work or go home each night as well.

It gives a rating between 0 to 10 and you can then go to a map and see exactly where the problems exists. I don't really use it to determine the route home but it gives me an idea how long it is going to take to get home.

The worst rating I have had was an 8 on my way home and that equated to an hour commute.

Happy Driving!

Tornado Video

This is a pretty cool video of a tornado. They were only 50 - 100 yards from this tornado when they took the video.

Link

The Omni

This weekend we went to the Fort Worth Science Museum and attended Dolphins at the Omni.

This was a big step for us because it was only our 2nd attempt to take the boys to an actual movie in public. Seth often finds loud noises upsetting and the last time we took him, he got very upset.

This time things went great. Seth loved the "show" and Chase did really well also. I was sure they both would freak out with the helicopter ride over Fort Worth that is the intro to every movie but Seth thought it was the best part.

I was really proud of both of them.

If you have seen Dolphins, I recommend it. There was some beautiful scenery and I learned some interesting things about Dolphins.

Also, if you aren't a member of the Fort Worth Science Museum, I suggest you join. It has a lot of benefits including free admission to all exhibits as well as free entrance to the Omni. A membership cost $175 per year and yesterday would have cost us $43 if we weren't members so you can see it takes just a few visits to pay for itself.

Open Spaces

Where I grew up we didn't have six foot privacy fences. Every yard was wide open and you could see straight into your neighbors yard. When I moved to Texas and everyone was divided by these big wooden fences, I was a little taken back. It took awhile to get use to and when I go home I always have a longing for the open space.

But, since we have had our fence knocked down and I get to live a little in that environment, I am finding myself very uncomfortable. I keep going around making sure our blinds are all closed and our doors are always locked. I feel like I am walking around with my pants down.

I am sad because I feel like this and we have to live all boarded up. Why is it this way?

More Severe Weather

I am really getting tired of this weather this spring. We had more severe weather 2 nights ago and my fence was the latest victim. So, now I am down 1 fence and from this storm I had a broken window and will have to get a new roof.

Snow Skiing in Fort Worth?

This will be really cool. Bearfire Resort will be a man made mountain featuring ski slopes spread over 650,000 square feet in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The resort's main attraction will be its outdoor ski and snowboard mountain with ski runs, chair lifts, competition half-pipes, toboggans, snow tubing, and ski caves. When it is completed, the man-made mountain range will rank among the world's largest buildings. It is scheduled to be completed in 2008.

Read more here.

Children Sleeping

I think one of the coolest things is to watch my kids sleeping. If you aren't a parent you probably don't understand, I know I didn't. But, this morning I spent several minutes just watching Seth sleep and it is a great way to start your day.

The only thing bad about it is that it really makes me miss them.

I'm getting busy

I'm starting to get busy at work. I have had several meetings the last few days and tomorrow I only have about 2 hours free. I even got a meeting invitation from a vendor and I have no idea what they do or what they want with me but they included my boss and our COO so I guess I am suppose to attend.

And, yes, I have gotten some emails...