Last Workday of the Year

Can you believe another year has come and gone? It seems interminable while it stretches on but then so short as I look back over the last twelve months. However you viewed it, we will soon be writing 2012 on checks and emails (I added emails because many of you probably scoffed at me for still writing checks). Let's all hope 2012 is a better year than 2011 was (and I will let you determine what better means for you).

We are about 12 hours away from seeing Trans-Siberian Orchestra. That's going to be fun. Maybe we will eat dinner on that side of town, too, since we never go over there. I see a steak house, Japanese, Ribs, a Piano bar. We will probably head over early and take in the Westgate area.

All of that "taking in" we're going to do will probably require some agility, right. Speaking of Agile...

We had a quiet evening at home last night. Nachos and TV. That's living, my friend.

Well, I think I know what to provide my VP on that special assignment now. I am still working on how to get there, but I know where I am going, and that's a start.

As you might imagine, it is pretty quiet in the office so far. The freeways were busier than I would have thought, but it was still a much easier commute than normal. Anyway, maybe if I get a lot done early, I can boogie out early (what? Don't you ever boogie?).

Happy New Year to all my followers. We will get together next year. Same bat place. Same bat time.

Insider Trading

Do not get me started on this new revelation about our Congress. And remember that they are not bound to participate in ObamaCare (if it makes it through the court challenges). Not that I thought they were the most stalwart of government workers, but it shows how much different their lives are than ours. It just shows that Life is not a game.

Speaking of games...

We took the girls home last night and it seems everyone (almost) was tired. Morris slept all evening and then all night. On the drive to their house, Kendall asked if she could fall asleep. We said yes, and she was gone within a couple of minutes. Kathie and I came home a vegged on the couch. Bella, though, kept up a constant conversation all the way home. She had slept until 8am that morning, though.

I suspect some good Lyndsay cooking is coming up for NYE (New Year's Eve), especially some Goop cake. We are having Italian for dinner at Sal's in Gilbert, then back to their house for games and her desserts and some raucous behavior until midnight.

Are you having to work this week? I was off Monday, but I do work through Friday. It is quiet both on my commute and even in the office as a number of people are taking some time off. I prefer to save my vacation days for Spring and Fall when school is out.

I sent my VP some requirements for the special assignment, but she has countered with a different direction. See, I knew this was something I needed to clarify before I start working on something that does not match her expectations.

I need to respond to her email and get my normal reporting out of the way before working on her stuff, so I will let you go. Thanks for staying with me through 2011. Just one more post this year, so check back tomorrow.

Did You Say Board Game or Bored Game?

Yup. Today's CoV has more game references. I tried to keep them to ones that everyone would recognize.

The granddaughters spent the night last night. We had a good time staying home and doing crafts and puzzle books and watching Spongebob Squarepants. We brought in pizza and bread sticks for dinner.

I am charging ahead creating a requirements document for the work assigned by the VP. I am not comfortable that I understand where we will end up, so I am using this document to have her confirm that we will be successful if we reach the end state I have proposed.

Traffic is really nice this week between holidays. So many people are off that I did not go below 55mph on the freeway, and the same thing yesterday afternoon on my way home.

Oh come on. I saw one of you nodding off already, and it is still morning. Fine. I will let you get started on your days since I am obviously boring you. Maybe this whole blog is a bored game?

A Merry Christmas, Indeed

We had a nice Christmas break. How about you? We started with Christmas Eve at my parent's place. Then, Christmas morning, we had the Sixth Annual Christmas Brunch at KLIK. We saw both MI:3 and Sherlock Holmes over the holiday. We liked Mission Impossible more. We were sleeping up to and even past 7am every day. So, today's alarm at 5:15am was a rude awakening (no, really, it was rude).

I am at my desk, but not really at 100% yet. So, I also ended up returning with no new CoV ideas. So, I turned to my idea list and found this topic.I am sure there will be more on this topic.

Speaking of games, I did get some new ones this year. I have a new card game version of Tetris. It is surprisingly fun. I also got Wits and Wagers, and The Game of Things. We have played them all at least once, and I will carry them to our Game Night on New Year's Eve.

My boss' boss is expecting some results on the project she assigned me last week, so it will be a busy week, even though my boss is on vacation. First, I need to generate some good requirements to confirm that what we build is what she expects. That is my goal for the next four days.

We have uploaded some holiday photos on Facebook, but I do not have them with me for this blog. Hopefully, I will remember to do so sometime this week.

Lindsay, I really do have some notes on cameras, but I have not compiled them for publication yet. This week. Hopefully.

It will be a GRAND night because the GRANDS are staying with us while their parents convert their house from Christmas-themed to New Year-themed. So, I don't want to work too late. I need to get started anyway.

My Friday, At Last

We have tomorrow and Monday off for the holidays. So, A Legend In My Own Mind won't be back until Tuesday. Neither will Clarity of Vision. So, I wanted a CoV reflective of the season. Instead, I came up with this one.

Yesterday, my boss and I were given a new list of 20 items to remember as we continue to work on the memory exercises. this one includes more conceptual items (including the word conceptual which is #6 on the list) than physical ones. We also are remembering these using a different set of mental images than the first two lists. A few of the items are nimble (I am using Fred Flintstone running up on his toes while bowling because the mental placeholder for this list is my toes), Red Skelton (#5 on my list, which is linked to love handles, so I remember this item because I can feel my skeleton when I touch my love handles), severity (#13 which is linked to my elbow, so I picture having severe arthritis there), unknowingly (#16, which is navel, so the photographer unknowingly took a photo of my navel instead of a navel orange of a grocery store ad), and #20, under the sea (of course, I linked that to the Disney song because my mental link is mouth). It seems to be working so far. Leigh, I am really enjoying the Moonwalking with Einstein book, which covers much of the same techniques.

I received a number of free meal coupons in the mail from places where we have signed up, but they all expire 12/26 (one week after my birthday), so I may not get to use any of them. Boo. Maybe I should sign up with a mid-year b-day like Kathie?

I did not get even close to finishing all the things on my To-Do list yesterday, so I am anxious to get going. Again, you are certainly welcome to stop by the blog tomorrow, but there will (most likely) not be an update. However, I am working next week, so I will have some updates then.

I've Never Had Christmas Goose ...

so, it doesn't really matter to me if it gets fat or not. Have you? Then again, since it is an English song and they even mention a Ha-penny, I guess they do have goose for their Christmas dinner. What did Scrooge give Cratchit and family? Goose? I cannot remember.

Probably, a white Christmas is not uncommon in England. In AZ, though, we only get it up in the high country. However, a Phoenix-based sheriff seems to want us all to have one.


I did catch up on all my email yesterday after a vacation day. I have not completed all my assignments yet, though. Does that happen to you when you are out of the office?

We had some Irish pasties for dinner last night (that's pronounced past as in not the future, eez as in ease). They were quite tasty (that's pronounced taste as in taste, ee as in ee). I had a chicken pot pie pasty (last time, I had shepherd's pie).

This time of year, I am working my way through wearing Christmas ties. I have about 12 of them. Usually, I wear polos.

I am running a little late today, so I will wrap it up. Thanks for the pre-Christmas visit (they sounded a little like A Christmas Carol, didn't it?).

Eight Maids With Eight Candles

Yes, the title does sound like something from the memory exercises I am performing with my boss. However, it is simply a mix of the two themes in today's Clarity of Vision comic.

I am back in the office today after a few days at Disneyland with KLIK and K and C. We had a little bit of rain, but nothing like the horrible downpours of 2010. And it wasn't so cold as to be uncomfortable. We had a really good time. And by the way, the new flights they added to Star Tours are excellent. It seems random, so there is something different each time (based on the three times some of us rode it).

We also celebrated my birthday there. They gave me tickets to Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Oh yeah. I hope they do the Wizards in Winter song. Remember it from such videos as Wizards in Winter.

However, perhaps the most special gift is an audio book with Bella and Kendall reading Twas the Night Before Christmas. I know it took a lot of work to put together and I appreciate it so much. I wanted to share it with coworkers today, but Kathie put dibs on taking it first. Hey, wait a minute. It's my present!!

I have not loaded photos yet. I didn't really take that many. We were tired last night and I just did not take the time to work on photos. I barely unpacked.

OK, after missing yesterday, I am late on some items, so I need to work a bit. Thanks for noticing I was gone yesterday. Talk again tomorrow?

PDF

No, this post is not available in PDF (Portable Document Format). Rather, today is Pre-Disney Friday. Yeah, baby. At this time tomorrow, I will be on my way to the park. Yes, that is worth losing a little sleep over. It is not supposed to rain (which it did last year).

For the office Christmas party yesterday, I brought a Starbucks mug/hot chocolate/gift card bundle. When it came my turn, I picked the Fact or Crap board game. Whoo hoo. Of course, it was taken away and I ended up with... wait for it... a Starbucks mug/hot chocolate/gift card bundle. In total, there were about six of them in the gift pile. Except... the gift card had been removed. Needless to say, no one stole it from me.

We did have a Karaoke machine. I sang that Quarter After Four song by Lady Antebellum with Jennifer. We weren't bad. At least, I don't think we sounded like this.

We've got a Chorale concert tonight at the folks' church. Then, I will go home and pack for the trip.

But first, I've got to get through a work day. Don't you?

Hey, I return home on Monday, so we won't get together again until Tuesday. I know you will miss me on Monday.

Parrrr-Tayyyyy

It is Christmas party day for our department. Our VP has flown in from San Francisco. We have a White Elephant exchange during the party. It is a potluck. All is right with the world.

That does not mean, however, that I can blow off the rest of the day. Oh no. I really do need to work on a Roadmap. Why do I laugh when I say that. Probably because of this hilarious comic strip.

There is a trip planned to Disneyland for a select group of family members, including me. Part of it is to see the annual holiday decorations there. Part of it is to pick up some delicious ChocolatEars malted milk balls. they are disgustingly yummy and I will return with more than one box. Part of it is to celebrate birthdays for myself and Kendall.

I ran a little late today. You know what that means. I can't sit around flapping my jaws with y'all for as long. In fact, time is up. I see Thursday peeking around the corner, seeking my attention. I'll tell you about the party and which present I end up with tomorrow.

Christmas Songs..Do They Send a Good Message? Let's Talk About It

There are Christmas songs ranging from Silent Night to Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. There are songs about Jesus, Santa, Bells, Ground Zero, Daddy getting drunk, Prison. My, my. What has Christmas become?

Well, take a look at these words and see what you think....

We had a Christmas pot luck at Chorale practice last night. I had already eaten, but who can pass up pot luck food. Not me. So, I had a little more.

The folks did not have any pot luck. They were with my sister, watching the fire department put out a kitchen fire at her house. It sounds as if it was not too bad, but a lot of smoke damage and a ruined oven. That is really lucky. I'm glad nobody was inside at the time. It sounds like her pets are OK, although one cat is still missing.

Leigh, I am enjoying Moonwalking with Einstein. It is even better than just a book about memory techniques because he is telling a story about using stories to remember things. So far, though, I haven't actually learned the techniques. It is fun, though. My boss has a DVD about remembering names that he is going to share with me (from remembermedia.com).

During this week and next, I am wearing Christmas ties. So, I have to wear my dress shirts that I haven't really worn since coming to this company. So, of course, everyone asks me (everyday!) where I am interviewing that day. OK, yes, I'd do it to them, too.

Well, I think I will mosey down to the break room and get a mug o' chocolate. No, don't wait. We can chat more in the morning.

Wet and Wild

Hey, don't get your hopes up. Today's title just means that it is a rainy day, so the commute is often wet and wild. Luckily, there were no accidents between home and work, but there are certainly plenty around the Valley of the Sun. After all, we are not the Valley of the Rain. We don't know how to drive in this stuff. We only get around 6" of precip per year.

With all the sun, though, you'd think we could handle bright lights. Mostly, yes, but what if something got too bright?

We get paid every other week. Sometimes, those paydays do not line up with bill due dates such as the mortgage at the beginning of the month. Why did that have to happen in December? For the most part, though, I like it because money comes in more often.

Well, our VP asked if I could help her staff with a special project. That's good PR for me, right? Well, I mean it is if I pull it off. I will certainly knock myself out trying. No, not literally.

Tonight is the Chorale Christmas party. I am in a quartet to provide part of the entertainment. I tweaked a song with a couple of parts and added a Rap section, so hopefully, it will be fun. Yes, I do mean literally.

Someone at work yesterday used the word regurgatory. I like it, but don't know how to make it a CoV yet. Ideas?

OK, let's dry off and get to work. Hopefully, it will be a bit drier when we leave for the day, right?

Red State, Blue State

It seems that a certain Red state can hold their heads up high while a certain Blue state is less enthusiastic. That's right. Let's walk over to the sports center. The AZ Cardinals won yesterday, but the Cowboys could not hold on. Alison's boyfriend should be happy since he is a Giants fan. The rest of us are mightily disappointed.

In the non-fiction category, I mentioned my memory exercises at lunch yesterday and it seems my niece already knows this technique. Does she use it? I can't remember. Ha ha. Get it? Anyway, she loaned me a book describing more details (reviewed here).

Before I forget, though, let's swing by the Clarity of Vision corner and see what's happening today.

Let's now move over to the music department. We had the first of our big orchestra holiday concerts last night. It went fairly well. We did have a couple of disconnects, but the audience couldn't tell. These are always fun events.

Under the heading of business, I see that there are two meetings lasting a total of 3-1/2 hours on the books for today. The first is a webinar on Agile teams, and the second is the weekly PMO (Project Management Office) management meeting. So, I need to prepare for the PMO meeting before (or maybe while) I listen to the webinar.

We now move over to the exit. Isn't it a lovely glowing green color? Reminds you of Christmas, right? OK, when you go out it, go buy me a present. See you Tuesday.

Get Your Weekend On!

It is almost time for the weekend. Even though we had the party last weekend, tomorrow is Kendall's birthday. She and her sister are staying with us tonight, so we'll for sure see her on her birthday. In fact, we've got to get them up early for soccer games.

Another thing about the weekend is I do not publish a CoV. I am sure that makes some of you sad. OK, maybe a few of you, then. Oh, come on, at least one of you must be sad about that. Today, though, there is a new Clarity of Vision comic.

My boss is teaching me a little from the recent memory improvement class he is taking. Yesterday, we talked about .... I can't remember. No, just messing with you. He told me about the palm tree list and how to attach memories to it so you can recall them later. For example, the first concept is a palm tree. It stands for one, it looks like a one standing there, and you can use it to remember your item one. For our test, the first item is mug, and I see myself throwing the mug against the tree and it shattering. The two concept is an electrical outlet. There are two sockets in it, two plugs in each socket. So, I imagined an electrical car jack plugged into it lifting a car. The second item to remember was indeed a car jack. His goal is that he and I can remember all 112 active projects, who runs each, and which program they align with. Whew! I am tired just explaining it.

I show three meetings on my calendar. Of course, I would remember that if I knew all the tricks, right? I need to go prepare for the first, which I lead. So, let's get our weekend on. Oh, by the way, I just remembered that item 9 on the list is the word intensity. How did we decide to remember that? Well, the nine concept is a kitten. Why? Nine lives. Anyway, we pictured a kitten, wearing little pink cat-sized boxers, walking around in the local prison known as tent city. Get it? The kitten is in tent city...intensity. OK, buh bye.

TV Teasers

So, we held our annual Survivor Party that we hold each week and provide our own commentary to the show. We were torn over who would be voted off the island, although we all wanted something to happen to add some drama. Then, during the teaser for next week, they showed us something that would be surprising and fun. However, surely they wouldn't really show us that and spoil the surprise, right? There's a catch. There always is.

We will be hitting Cherry St in Mesa on Friday night for their annual displays. It is a stretch of maybe 20 houses all decked out, with families sitting in the driveways sharing fires and hot chocolate and inflatable displays and lights. It has become an annual tradition. Afterward, the GRANDS will be spending the night. We will have a great time.

Speaking of time, what if you could have your own time machine? Would that be fun or was once enough? And what if it malfunctioned like it does in today's CoV?

It's a two meeting day. One is two hours and the other is one and one-half hours. That's, like, half of my day. So, including nap time, six hours of my day are gone. And if you add in the hour it takes me to write this blog, seven hours are used up, and I haven't even had my hot chocolate yet.

I'd best be underway. Does anyone say "I'd best..." anymore? Probably not, although maybe this will repopularize it. Anyway, I just traveled ahead in time and saw that I got behind in the afternoon, so I am going to start now to try and catch up. See you.

An Orchestral Pit

Is an orchestra pit the thing left behind when the orchestra leaves? Anyway, we practiced with the orchestra last night and it was a lot of fun. I don't think we had to run through any song twice. So, either we did really well or the director just wanted to get home early. However, with about 80-100 singers on the risers, it was pretty crowded.

Speaking of misusing words like implying an orchestra pit is anything like a fruit pit, here's another way to twist words.

I am attending a lunchtime meeting over across the freeway on how to attend classes at University of Phoenix. I know a lot of people have gotten their degrees from here, but I haven't taken any classes yet. They are supposed to explain the process and give us ideas on programs or individual classes that might be of interest.

Did I tell you that the instrument cluster in Ali's car is shot, but they can only work on it during a regular business day because they have to call the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) for help in configuring it based on what options were included in the Cavalier, so Ali will either have to borrow one of our cars for next week while hers is in the shop or maybe get it done on Friday when she is up for a Dr. appt? OK, that was as far as I could stretch that sentence. Did you get lost? I did.

We started watching The Sing Off Christmas special last night. There were some pretty cool arrangements. You know, it might be fun to see Ben Folds in concert some time.

I am ready to get today underway, so thanks for staying with me through that paragraph/sentence above. Have your people call my people and we'll do this again soon.

Some Training is Needed

It seems I was chosen to be part of a song/skit at next Tuesday's Chorale practice. However, we will not have time to practice before we perform, and I don't even know who else is in the group with me. Still, I have ideas of what would make it more fun, so I will work on my plan during lunchtime today. Then, I will give copies to the accompanist tonight for her to give to the other singers. I'll try to remember to tell you about it next Wednesday.

Speaking of preparing and training....

It seems Ali's car needs a new instrument cluster. It's always something, right?

No, we still have not finished our holiday shopping. You? Oh, but we did finally get our 2100 ornament. Well, we ordered it, so we don't actually have it on the tree yet. We have an ornament for every year of our marriage. Nice little remembrance, right? And we also picked up our Christmas cards.

Our credit union has corrected the error where they deducted $900 from our account for a $100 check. Yeah, they missed it just a little. Luckily, nothing bounced because I have them pulling from our savings before they return a check. They refunded our account fees, too.

Well, I'm feeling the need for some hot chocolate. I never became a coffee drinker like my son or wife, so I will usually get a hot chocolate during the cold weather. And right now, it helps soothe my slightly scratchy throat so I won't cough. You can take a break for a hot beverage, too. We'll meet again in the morning.

It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times

I will admit that I was torn on my loyalties during the Cowboys vs Cardinals football game yesterday. I had to cheer whenever a good play was made by either team. I was hoping Dallas would win because the win would do more for Big D in the playoffs, but I cannot be sad that AZ actually won one with their long-time injured quarterback playing again. And Garrett calling that final time out during regulation messed up his kicker's rhythm. Wow. It was a good game, though.

You know what Bailey could have used for his missed field goal? More power.

The East Valley Chorale performed its first Christmas concert of the season last night. I think it went pretty well. The church was packed (I would estimated 500-600 people). It was a cool, clear night. There wasn't a cloud in the ceiling. Our concert next Sunday is with the full orchestra, so that will be more special.

No, I don't have all my outside Christmas lights hung yet. Do you? I want to wrap the porch column in a garland and lights candy-cane style look. And I need to hang the lights across the front eaves. I'll get it done this week.

We had Kendall's Fourth Birthday party on Saturday. Wow, they grow up so fast, don't they? And it is even faster when they are not yours so that you don't actually see them daily.

We have not finished our Christmas shopping yet. How about you? And deciding what to get Dad is a challenge every year. Maybe a framed photo of me would be nice? No, I suppose he was a good boy this year, so that would be more like giving him coal in his stocking.

They sounds of a workday are beginning around me. The chime of computers booting up, the tap-tap-tap of keyboards clicking as people logon and start working, the gurgle of the coffee brewing in the breakroom, the talking of people catching up after a weekend. All of these draw my attention away from my daily salutations to you. So, I will give in and join in the workplace camaraderie. Until tomorrow, then.

Iiiiit's FRIDAY!!

Yeah, baby. That's what I'm talking about. We made it through another week. Just four more and we will have also made it through another year. Just nine more years and we will have made it through another decade. OK, I think you have picked up what I am putting down.

Another thing you should put down is that sales flyer for whichever store you frequent. I know they have a Buy One, Get One Half-Off sale, but maybe that doesn't mean what you think it means (which reminds me of The Princess Bride).

I am having lunch with a friend from my Motorola days today. We are hitting Pei Wei. Mmm. My mouth is already watering. Is it lunchtime yet?

Oh, before I forget, I am now four years cancer-free. Whoo to the hoo. However, I am not really following the prescribed Mediterranean diet, nor doing the recommended exercise program. OK, let's focus on the success for now and not the myriad failures.

Only two meetings today. Whoo to the hoo number two.

I received my own copy of the coveted Walker Family Genealogy book this week. Nothing in there gives me a clue as to how my brain got so twisted.

I actually cheated on y'all. I snuck out between the last two paragraphs and responded to an email my boss sent yesterday. Did you even notice? I thought not. Will you notice if I just end this post and go do some prep work for the first meeting?

I Am Confident

I am confident that my urologist will confirm I am cancer free after four years. One thing that this annual appointment also does, though, is remind me of the passing of my mother-in-law. I had just had my operation when she died and I was unable to travel to Texas for the funeral. I loved her very much and still miss her. However, she is no longer in pain and in eternity with our Savior.

Do you ever wonder what goes on in my mind that allows me to create my Clarity of Vision comics? Me, too. I don't know where today's idea came from, but it marks CoV #621.

What else? Oh, I finally got around to watching the Sing-Off finale last night. Whoo hoo. My favorite group won. Do you remember us talking about this a week or two ago? I wanted an Arlington, TX-based group to win. And they did! Yup, Pentatonix. The three lead singers are all only 19 years old, but there are good. And since it was Wednesday, we also had our weekly Survivor-meal-and-viewing. The vote surprised me. I won't say why in case any of you recorded it for later viewing.

OK, I need to generate a report before a 10am meeting. The team had an assignment and I have to validate that they completed it as requested. You go do that voodoo that you do so well, too. Until tomorrow, then.

Where's That Holiday Spirit?

How come people are not showing that great holiday spirit at work? It is the same old grumpy attitude all around. "I'm too busy." "No one is completing their tasks on time." "I hope I don't get laid off during the holidays since our profits are down." Where is the love, people? Who are the people saying those things? Well, all of those quotes are mine. No, you know, just things I hear around the office.

Maybe they should donate to a worthy cause to help their attitudes of gratitude? Here's one way to get more donations in the Salvation Army Red Kettles.

I have to call my bank today. We sent a check for $102 on a medical bill, but they deducted $902 from the account. Luckily, I check the balance each night and caught this. That's quite a miss, huh?

The East Valley Chorale gives its first Christmas concert this Sunday. I think we are ready, but I did hear some missed notes and rhythms at practice last night. Oh well. I know the Lord will bless it to His glory.

Do not let me forget about my Dr. appointment tomorrow. I am 100% expecting validation that I am four years cancer free.

Someone is standing here talking to me over my cubicle wall. So, I will sign off and talk to them. More in about 24 hours.

I Don't Want To

For some reason, I am not in a bloggy mood today. I don't really want to take the time to decide what topics I want to cover and craft my sentences correctly. Plus, it seems Alison's car may be overheating, so I need to call her and see what the symptoms are. That pulls me away from being creative for y'all.

Danny White, a former Cowboys quarterback, does a commercial for AZ Pain Centers. In it, he says, "I have been in constant pain since I retired from the NFL." If you heard that, what would you think? I thought, "Then maybe you should not retire." That led to today's CoV (although I went with a player more people remember).

I went for blood work yesterday and go to the Dr on Thursday to confirm I am now four years cancer free. I will let you know on Friday.

OK, it sounds as if Ali's car has an electrical problem or something. The temp gauge showed maximum (and she only drove 4 miles), her gas tank sowed totally empty (even after she turned off the car), and she did not smell an overheating smell when she turned it off. She will watch it when she goes home this afternoon.

That's enough for a day when I don't feel like talking. Hopefully, I'll be back to chatting my fingers off tomorrow.

Five Days In a Row?

Today's title refers to the fact that we have to work all five days this week. It reminds me of the Steven Wright joke about going to a 24-hour grocery and they were closing. He mentioned that their sign said they were open 24 hours, but the employee said, "Yes, but not in a row."

We had a busy, but good Thanksgiving break. Thanksgiving meal at the folks' house. The Cowboy's played and won. The GRANDS spent that night with us so their parent's could hit the Black Friday sales starting at 10pm. ZooLights on Friday night. An Ugly Sweater party at KLIK on Saturday night. Church and a Cardinals win and Christmas decorations on Sunday.

I had to pull from my Clarity of Vision backlog for today's comic. I had been trying to find a post-Thanksgiving idea, but my brain was on holiday.

I am fighting a little cold or something. How about you? Did you make it through November without coughing or sneezing or post-nasal drip? I think my lovely wife and I keep passing it back and forth.

Well, I need to get my day arranged and prepare for an 11:30am meeting, so I will sign off. I hope y'all had a great Thanksgiving and truly did give thanks to the One from whom all blessings flow.

Happy Thanksgiving to All (Turkeys)

Did you see how I twisted the title from Happy Thanksgiving to everyone to addressing it to the turkeys? Very clever. I surprised you, just as I try to do in my Clarity of Vision comics each day.
Thanksgiving meal at the folks' house tomorrow. Most of us Valley-based family will be in attendance. I am hoping we will have deep-fried turkey rather than the packaged, sliced stuff. It will be pot-luck style, with each family bringing different dishes. Mmm mmm. I can almost taste the tryptophan now.

So, do y'all get off early today? We have not heard anything, but I remain optimistic. Maybe I can get out of here by 3pm? If not, at least I have a job.

On the commute today, I heard an ad for Cabelas, an outdoor gear retailer, that I almost used for today's CoV. One of their Black Friday give-aways is a rifle. Another option is a hooded sweatshirt. So, I would have a mother and child in the store and she would be asking, "OK, Johnny. Did you want the rifle or the sweatshirt? Remember that it doesn't have a scope on it." or maybe "We'll take the sweatshirt. I'm afraid Johnny will shoot his eye out."

Let's get today's tasks done so we can get out of here. Have a great Thanksgiving with your family.

Kinda Like a Pre-Friday

We are off from work on both Thursday and Friday this week, so tomorrow is my last day of work for the week. That will almost certainly mean tomorrow will be my last blog entry for the week. And speaking of no work, there was almost no traffic either. That was pretty nice since I was running a little late today.

As promised, I do have a photo from the Greer, AZ North Pole Experience on Saturday. I don't know if Bella asked him or he volunteered, but they were allowed to see if Santa's beard was real (it was).
I woke up with two or three Clarity of Vision ideas today. Then, on my drive in today, I heard some of President Obama's speech yesterday on the failure of the Supercommittee to reach a compromise. They way he paused at strategic times to get a Republican dig in was brilliant and I decided to create a CoV about it.So, the other CoV ideas will have to wait. Although one of them is Thanksgiving related, so I need to publish it tomorrow.

An annual family tradition comes up on the Friday night after Thanksgiving. If you have ever been in the Valley with us at this time, you know I am talking about ZooLights.True, it doesn't change that much from year to year, but it is a fun time when we hang out as a family and it is always fun and pretty. We fussed the first year they started using LED lights because they weren't as bright. They have improved that now. We decry the loss of some lights and exult in new additions. The primary thing we evaluate, though, is the dancing lights section in the trees. They play some classical (or perhaps Christmas) music and the lights flash in time to it. That is usually the highlight of the visit.

OK, let's start the workday. Thanks for letting me reminisce.

Back From the North Pole

You read that correctly. We were magically transported to the North Pole on Saturday night by the North Pole Experience. We drove up that morning, toured Santa's Workshop that evening, met Santa, and had breakfast with him (well, he stopped by our table) again the next morning. They did a great job and it was a lot of fun. The girls helped in the workshop by customizing some bear dolls for disadvantaged kids. Photos will be coming soon.

There was a problem with the cabin we booked and they had to upgrade us to a different place. It was really nice and we had a good time. Bella and I played several games and I joined the adults for a game after the girls went to bed. I suppose we played 4-5 games out of the 30 or so I carried with us (you know, just in case).

On the way back, though, I sat in the third seat of the Expedition and started feeling poorly. In case it was car sickness, I took some Dramamine and made it home without incident (although Bella got a little sick, too). Then, I slept all afternoon and am still feeling totally wiped out.

Speaking of Dramamine and them getting a mention in today's Post, what if we started accepting Corporate sponsors for internal activities such as meetings? That is one of those things that make you go, "Hmmm."

What happened in the wide world of sports this weekend? Cowboys? Yeah. Cardinals. Boo. Sun Devils? Sorry.

Wow, it is not good to feel this tired first thing in the morning.

Can you believe it is already Thanksgiving week? Looking back, the year has flown by. And that means that Kendall's birthday is coming soon.

A cute aside: on the way back, we stopped at Jack in the Box for a meal. Bella chose it and said she did so because her new brother will be called Jack in the Box. Oh, did I not tell you they are going to name him Jack? I suspect that, thanks to Bella, that name may stick.

I need to get some work done before I fall asleep. And I need to get some info ready for an 11:30am meeting. We can visit more tomorrow.

What Happened to Thursday?

Hey, people, I was out yesterday. Did you notice? I heard that a couple of you did. Thanks. I am still struggling with some kind of cold. It doesn't feel like flu (and I got a shot for it, so I hope it is not that) because I don't have fever. I have had a sore throat for a couple of weeks, and yesterday, it was a really bad headache. OK, enough of that. I don't want you feeling symptoms because I describe them so minutely.

One of those who noticed I did not post was my son, who wanted to let me know that... wait for it... can you guess the topic? My new grandchild is a boy! Whoo hoo! I wonder if they will choose Randy for his name? No, probably not. Hopefully, it won't be one of those could-be-either-sex names like Pat or Chris or Sue (remember the old song by Johnny Cash called A Boy Named Sue?).

Speaking of things you cannot tell apart, here's today's CoV.No, there was not one yesterday. I had this idea in mind, but I don't have access to Microsoft Visio at home, so I could not generate one.

Of course, since I was out, my boss needed something and I had not taken my laptop home. So, I am really behind today. I think I should work on that deliverable and knock it out first thing. I am sure I won't make it through my To Do list today, but I've got to try.

Have a great weekend, friends and family. We've always got next week.

Singing Off and The Sing-Off

I did fairly well at Chorale practice last night. I don't have my full range yet, but I was able to sing during the entire two hours. I was limited to low C up to E above middle C. Speaking of C, I took some vitamin C this morning. I did not drink any Hi-C, though. Si?

And the folks watched The Sing-Off this week and enjoyed it. Hey, Dad, you can watch the last four episodes On Demand. As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, Pentatonix is still my favorite group, although I admit I don't know if I would like them as much if I were not watching them. Maybe we'll find out if they win and cut an album.

By the way, I knocked out 5 of my 15 To Do items yesterday. Not as much as I had hoped, but I handled all the new things that came along, too, so at least my list did not get any new items. Today's CoV is project management themed. Hmm, I wonder where I got that idea.

Google changed the look and feel of blogger.com a bit. Not much, but my screen looks different as I write this. And two buttons have moved. Don't you hate when that happens?

Sorry. I jumped over to email and started doing some work. I am back now, but I think we've chatted long enough. That statement makes me think of the traditional idea of talking around the water cooler. We do have a bottled water cooler here at our office, but we don't really talk there. We kind of hang around cubicles nowadays.

Anyway, it's been real and it's been fun, but it hasn't been real fun. Ha ha. What a jokester. Until tomorrow....

The Hurrier I Go, the Behinder I Get

Wait a minute. I am certain that my To Do list got longer yesterday instead of shorter. Don't you hate that? So, let's spend a few minutes and then start knocking off things on the list.

The weather is just right for walking the dog each evening, but it is still playing havoc with my upper respiratory system. I'm better, but not well and two weeks of this stuff. Hopefully I can sing some tonight at Chorale practice.

Did you read that the Supreme Court will hear arguments on Obamacare next year?

Hey, I haven't heard anything from family members who are moving out of country. Have you? How are they doing? I'm sure they are both nervous and excited at the same time. I know we were.

OK, these 15 activities I need to complete won't finish themselves. So, I'm jumping in with both feet. Thanks for spending a few minutes with me.

Mini Cupcakes and Maxi Wins

We'll start with the wins. Yeah, Cowboys! Yeah, Cardinals! Both of my teams won this week. Wonder of wonders. Miracle of miracles. They're on a streak now. Oh sure, it is still an uphill battle for the 3-6 Cards to catch the 8-1 Giants, but never say never, right? If we can win all 7 remaining games and they only win 1, we would beat them. Whoo hoo.

And we started studying The Pursuit of Holiness in Sunday School yesterday. That looks to be an excellent Bible study. Whoo hoo.

More likely is that we will get some more of Lyndsay's cupcakes. We did get some mini-cupcakes yesterday and they were yummy and moist and a nice dessert to share with the family during the NFL games. Thanks, daughter-in-love.

Someone who is less nice is Judge Judy. No, I didn't actually watch it, nor would this be a real case, but you never know, right? Never say never.
I show 12 things on my to-do list. Does that make me sound busy? I hope so. OK, not all of them must be completed today, but enough do that I'd best be getting to them.

Y'all have a great day. We'll visit more tomorrow, Lord willing and the creek don't rise.

Debating What to Do in Today's CoV

Actually, I didn't debate too long. I knew that Rick Perry was prime fodder for a Clarity of Vision, but I did have to decide how closely to stick with his original comments. As you will see, I did include two of his agencies to eliminate, but then went off script to increase the laughiness of the comments.

The commute was pretty nice today since government workers (including teachers) were off today for Veteran's Day. By the way, thanks to all veterans (and especially those in my family) who help keep our country free. The day used to be called Armistice Day, but Eisenhower changed that because no one says armistice anymore. When was the last time you used it in a sentence?

I think we are seeing KLIK over the weekend, but I am not sure where or when. So, if I remember, maybe I'll tell you on Monday.

Two meetings today. That's not too bad, right?

Oh man, during yesterday's 8:30am conference call, I was making notes and reached over to get my hot chocolate without really looking at what I was doing. You know where I am going, right? Yes, I knocked it over and spilled it all over my desk. Not on the computer, luckily, but all over my notes. One of the people on the call sits near me, so he came over and dropped off a roll of paper towels and I mopped while I facilitated. Cool, huh? I am ambi-something-ous to be able to do that.

Look, we all want to get home with our family that is off today, so I have written enough. Let's get today started and get out of here early.

One Man Band

That's kind of what I am in creating my comic strip. However, it is also the name for the dude that appears in the fourth panel of today's CoV.

As has been happening, there was no surprise in last night's vote on Survivor. Whoever goes to the final, I think they should take Cochran with them. Wouldn't you?

I tried watching American Horror Story last night. I don't get it. It's too weird for me. Can you imagine that? Too weird for me?

My training session for the Project Management Office went fine yesterday. Someone did say they want some of the coffee I had before the meeting, or whatever I used to get so wired. I don't know that I was any different than usual, but I do become a performed when I speak to a group like that.

There was a really, really bad accident on a major freeway here in the Valley yesterday that closed parts several freeways for over 9 hours and part of one freeway for 24 hours. It did impact me on the drive home, but was not a factor on this morning's commute. One man was killed and the asphalt in one section of road had to be removed and replaced before this morning's rush hour. I prefer freeways to surface streets, even if they are slow, because it avoids all the stoplights.

Today's CoV took a while to create because of all the pieces I had to add in. Now, I am behind in preparing for the 8:30am call, so I've got to go. I'll tell you what's up for the weekend tomorrow. Also, I don't know what's up for the weekend, so not telling you until tomorrow gives me time to find out. Later, gator.

Ruh Roh

Did you recognize that quote as Scooby Doo? If not, then just skip over today's CoV.

I did go to East Valley Chorale last night, but couldn't sing a lot. I jumped in when I felt the tenors needed some support, but I was certainly not at 100%. We practiced a couple of songs I had not heard, so it was good that I attended.

What's going on with KLIK or Ali? I'm not sure. I haven't heard from them yet this week.

OK, yes, I did try just a little more to get pinterest.com to display at work. I used three different browsers, I tried those sites that give you a shorter URL, and still, no luck.

I am terrible with facebook.com. Kathie said that someone from Guadalajara wants me to look their photos and comment on them, or something like that, and I haven't been on in weeks. I'll try to remember to login sometime this week. No promises, though.

Oh, hey. Remember that the first Sunday of the month is when we have to work in the nursery during church? Well, this past Sunday, they didn't need us, so we got to go to big church. Whoo hoo. No, I don't mind helping, but I don't mind when they don't need me, either.

We watched The Sing-Off last night and were not upset with the group that was eliminated. Do you watch it? They have some pretty good arrangements on their, and some nice sounds. No, I haven't purchased any of them from iTunes, but I like listening. My current favorite group is Pentatonix. They hail from Arlington, TX, but that is not why I like them. They just have nice arrangements and nice voices. Check out this sample from the most recent broadcast.

OK, I feel the need for a warm beverage, and I'm not much of a coffee drinker, so I am off on a hot chocolate hunt. Thanks for visiting.

Are You Fixin' To Do Anything?

Today's CoV is built around my penchant for saying the word fixin' to mean about to. I believe I have lost much of my accent after almost 30 years, but some words or phrases are still part of my vocabulary.

I think I will go to Chorale practice tonight, but I will not be singing much. I still have a little cough and my voice is not recovered yet, so I will be going just to show I am still learning the Christmas music. I don't think I am contagious.

I just tried to sneak around the company firewall to open pinterest.com, but they blocked the sites that might have allowed that. Oh well. I didn't even go there very often, but there must have been enough of us across the company that it was worth blocking.

I am liking this cooler weather. Yesterday, our high was 61F. Today, it will only reach 66F, but will be back in the mid- to upper-70s for the rest of the week. Still, when I see the ugly freezing weather in the Northeast, I will accept this. I actually turned on my defroster this morning.

Oh, I don't think I told you that today's CoV is number 607. Crazy, huh? And it took, what, 2.5 years. So, I guess that is about 250 per year

I am still enjoying the TV show Once Upon a Time. Have you seen it? Pretty clever reimagining of fairy tales in the modern world. It is written by two former Lost writers, and you can see the similarity in the way they use flashbacks.

The lights in my dashboard don't stay on, so these dark mornings make it a challenge to stay near the speed limit. I thought I had a small keychain light in my lunch box, but the battery is dead and it is not replaceable. And the radio speakers don't work well on the right side of the car. And the faux leather in the seats is all cracked. However, it gets me to work and back, and it's paid for, so I'll live with it. Don't you have a car like that?

OK, it's time to look busy. Y'all have a great day. We can converse again tomorrow.

Almost, But Not Quite

I am certainly feeling better, but am not quite well. I still have a tickle in my throat, so I cough a lot, and my voice is not recovered enough to sing yet. So, I did not go to yesterday's Chorale concert. Speaking of concerts, though, I will not be able to attend our big orchestra-accompanied Christmas concert this year. We will be at Disneyland (for my and Kendall's birthdays) over that weekend. That's too bad. It is my favorite concert of the year. I will be singing in three other Christmas concerts, but not with the orchestra.

No more delaying it. Here's today's CoV.

We saw Puss in Boots with KLIKA (KLIK plus Alison) on Friday. It was really cute, with a few spots that made me laugh out loud. And we went to see Bella and Kendall play soccer on Saturday. They each scored a goal, and they both played pretty must their entire games.

Uh oh. I forgot to send out the minutes from last Monday's PMO Leadership meeting. And now, it's time for this week's meeting. I won't forget to do that this seek.

The company has decided to block pinterest.com at work. Wow, was I doing that much network traffic? Oh well, I'll have to check it and update it from home.

OK, let's start today. See you in the morning.

Post-Picnic Stress Syndrome

Maybe I'm suffering from PPSS? I've got so much to do today and I don't really want to get started. The picnic at a local city park was fun yesterday. With my recent knee pain, I couldn't participate in soccer or sack races or hula hoops or volleyball. I thought about horseshoes, but didn't have a partner. So, I met with the old game crew and played Bang! I did not win. The Sheriff won. I was a Renegade. Well, yes, I am a renegade, but I played one in the game, too.

Some of our team is moving to a building where the cubicles are only 4 inches higher than the standard desk height. There are some obvious disadvantages to that. And here's a less-obvious one.

We are going to see Puss In Boots tonight with KLIK. And then, if it is not raining, we will go watch them play soccer in the morning. I remember when our kids did that. I hope the girls are better at it. Alison used to stand in the field and play with her hair, even as a ball would whiz by. Kyle always preferred basketball.

Meetings at 10am and 1pm. The morning meeting is a training session, and I have not built the training slides yet, so I'll go work on that so I can be ready. Have a nice, cool (finally) weekend. Buh-dee-yuh, buh-dee-yuh, that's all, folks.

My Right Foot Felt Numb

Last night, the dog got me up to go outside. As I walked to the back door, I noticed that the sole of my right foot felt numb. I was only mildly concerned, thinking that it must have fallen asleep as I slept. Then, this morning, on the way to the shower, I noticed that lack of feeling again. OK, now it is a little more serious. As I stepped into the shower, it felt more slippery than usual. Midway through, I noticed that there was one of those clear size tags from new pair of jeans stuck to my foot. Yes, that was what made my foot not register feeling. Funny, huh?

OK, but was that funnier than this?

We have a department picnic outside today from 10am-3pm. I hope the pollen is not too crazy, although I don't know if my cough and sniffles are allergies or a cold. Still, it gave me an opportunity to wear jeans today instead of slacks, tennies instead of dress shoes.

Hey, did y'all see Survivor last night? This is indeed an interesting season.

I've got several things to complete before the picnic, and it has already distracted my mind, so I am out of things to say. So, y'all stop playing and go to work, I'll do some work until time to play, and things'll be back to normal tomorrow.

Six Hundred and Counting

I forgot to mention that I passed CoV 600 last week. So, if even 10% of them have been funny, that's 60 laughs we have shared. Have you read them all? It looks like I started the comic 3/19/09 with one called Method to My Madness. I thought I had read them all, except that when I researched my early ones, I found some that I did not remember. Wow, a few were actually clever.

For today, though, let's see if I can bring the current story line into focus so you can see what the last couple of days meant.Yes, I did base it on Three Little Pigs. I heard something in a meeting that made me think of it and decided to write this story line.

On our trip to Ouray, CO, this summer, our windshield got cracked. We finally got it fixed on Monday night.

Only a single meeting today. The other standing meeting is canceled for this week. Whoo hoo. The regular Wednesday meeting is back next week, though, and I have to present, so I'll work on that today.

We're going to the movies with KLIK Friday night, although I cannot remember what we will be seeing. Maybe Puss in Boots? This will probably be a lot different from the Christopher Walken version from 1988. Can you imagine Walken as a cat?

Between the cough and low voice and maybe getting others sick, I skipped out on Chorale practice last night. Too bad. I do enjoy singing with the group. No, I cannot remember whether there is a concert on Sunday or not.

It's time to start our day. Are you ready? If we put it off, we just end up with less time to do the same things we already had to get done. So, get up and get going. We'll visit more later.

A Day Late and a Dollar Short

I came in late on Tuesday (had to get a crown..so now I am a king. Ha ha) and did create a Clarity of Vision, but forgot to make a blog entry. So, my work crew saw it, but you did not. Here you go.

And I found out that my insurance will be about $350 more expensive and only cover 90% of what it did last year. Wow. What a deal.

OK, enough in this post. I need to create the Wednesday CoV and post. See you there.

Getting My Money's Worth

Car insurance is an expense investment against the possibility of something happening to a car. Since our windshield has a two-foot-long crack in it, I get to replace it for free. Finally, I get some payback from the cost of the insurance, right? It does cost me a little time away from work, but that's not bad, either. We are receiving a $50 grocery store coupon, but Kyle topped me on that, getting over $100 rebate.

So, while that is a true story, today begins a multi-day fable in Clarity of Vision.

We had a pumpkinlicious time on Saturday with KLIK. No photos yet, mainly because I forgot to upload them. We carved pumpkins, saw farm animals, walked a corn maze, and rode a water barrel train. What? You'll understand when you see it.

Did anybody watch the TV program Once Upon a Time on ABC? I really enjoyed it. We liked Grimm, but not quite as much. Did either of these play on today's CoV? Maybe.

I woke up yesterday with some cold symptoms such as sore throat, a little cough, and a low voice (I always wished I was a bass, but not this way). So, I am self-medicating with OTC medicines. The cough is especially obnoxious at work because I don't want to give it to anyone and it seems really noisy in a cubicle environment.

OK, I think I'll go get a hot tea. See yourselves out, OK? More tomorrow.

You're a Good Show to See This Weekend, Charlie Brown

I found out that we are going to see You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown tonight at a local high school. I am sure the GRANDS will like that. I probably will, too.

A coworker sent me this link that she saw in church last Sunday. It's kinda cute. And this one that is also similar.

And a recent story in Yahoo told about this lady who does unique photographs. Even knowing what she does, it still fools the eye. Those are some cool photos.

Luckily, no one sent me links in a text message. This guy was not so lucky.This came from a story I heard on the radio about a group whose message is something like that. I wondered what might happen if they sent out their message via text.

I've got meetings at 9am, 10am, and 2pm. Luckily, only the 10am requires me to prepare anything. I am just an attendee on the other two.

No new photos today. I ended up watching the World Series game last night. Wow, it was a good game, although I was sorry the Rangers couldn't hold on. OK, it all comes down to the game tonight. I think maybe the Cardinals have enough momentum to take it.

Hey, why are we sitting around doing nothing when we could get our work finished for the day and start our weekend? Let's go. See you next week.

Happy Birthday, daughter-in-love!

Yee haw. It's Lyndsay's birthday. You can wish her happy b-day here, or, more directly, through Facebook. We celebrated last weekend, so no additional presents from me. Sorry, LMW. However, we are keeping the GRANDS tomorrow night, so maybe that's kind of like another present?

You are correct in that daughter-in-love is not a real word. Speaking of words, though, check out today's CoV.
If you already knew the last word, that is impressive. I confess that I did not. I did, however, look up how to pronounce it. I will not be spending time this weekend teaching the girls how to say it.

No new photos today. We went over the the annual Survivor watching party we have each week over at the folks'. Can you believe what happened last night? I don't want to spoil it if you haven't seen it, but Jeff Probst confirmed nothing like this has happened before.

In a meeting yesterday afternoon, someone mentioned the Three Little Pigs. That sent my mind off on a tangent of This Little Piggy, which went me off on another tangent of how to use that in a CoV. It will be coming soon. I need to decide how to fit it into four panels (which is a challenge since we have five toes on each foot). How do you think I will do it?

We have reached cooler weather, but it doesn't seem to want to stay. We will head up into the low 90s again over the weekend. Of course, I'll take that over the 100s, so I suppose it is all relative. Nothing like going from the 80s to snow like they did in Denver.

OK, let's all go prepare for our 8:30am conference calls. Thanks for loaning me your attention for a bit.

It's a Feast For Your Eyes

Yup, we gots us a plethora of things for you today, and I haven't even worked on verbiage yet. So, let's get started. Hmm, should it be CoV or vacation photos first? Or maybe I need to go ahead and get our conversation over with and end with a visual overload that leaves you gasping? OK, I decided. We will start with today's Clarity of Vision.

Now, we can move on to what I have been promising and teasing you with for a couple of weeks. Photos from our trip. In the old days, I would invite you over to watch slides and set up a screen to show them. Or, if I bought print film instead of slide film, I would print them (well, the ones I select) and put them in a book and then bring it out while you are sitting waiting on dinner. Today, since everything is digital, I can inflict my trip pics on you and you can scan them, pay them no mind, and move on to the blogs you look forward to reading. So, spoiler alert, photos coming.

When we first entered Yosemite National Park, it was rainy and foggy. The drive was not much fun and we skipped one of my favorite lookouts on the Tuolumne road. As we were nearing our accommodations, I saw the falls through the gloom and snapped this shot.

After we left Yosemite, we headed toward Salinas and the California coast. We had stayed at Yosemite into the afternoon, so our drive stretched into the night. On the way, I noticed what a pretty sunset it was and started looking for a windmill for a silhouette. When I saw this, I made the driver (Preacher Bro at that point) turn around so I could catch this shot. It was worth the diversion, I think.

Later in the trip, we were in Cambria to tour the Hearst Castle. We stayed across the street from the coast and took this shot of us near the coast.

Spoiler alert. This next link is a news item I saw yesterday. Why am I sharing it? It is unbelievable. There is a camera called Lytro allows you to refocus a photo after the fact, so you can load it onto your laptop and then choose a focus. You do not need to try and focus when you take a picture. Weird? Totally. Cool. Completely. Check it out. Go play with the resulting picture here.

I think we are keeping the GRANDS again this Friday night. Whoo hoo times two. We will attend a local high school's production of.... Well, I don't remember, but Kathie thought the girls would really like it. Then, on Saturday, we will all meet to .... No, I don't remember that, either. It'll be fun, though.

Well, I've monopolized your time for too long. Let's adjourn for a day or so and maybe I can remember those things mentioned above.

Beating the Feet Weather

Wow, it is nice at night right now. So, we are able to get out and walk the dog. Hey, it's good for the dog and hopefully, I can reduce my ridiculous body fat percentage. I bet I am down to 27.9% by now.

There is no fat in today's CoV, though. It is pure comedy muscle.

Hey, FOX, we need more dinosaurs on Terra Nova. Don't turn it into a run-of-the-mill TV drama.

Lewis, I am sorry to hear you are flammulated. That's probably the real reason you did not come by to spend the night. I think the couch was just an excuse.

At present, I only have two meetings scheduled today. Whoo hoo. That's good news. I do have a number of tasks queued up though, so I won't be bored.

Can a person be a Scrooge about Halloween? I think I am, because we close the windows, turn off the porch light, and do not answer the door for the night. It saves us money on house and bodily decorations and candy. Oh sure, we participated when the kids were younger. Among other things, I have been a California Raisin and a Chippendale dancer and Waldo. What do y'all do?

OK, let's not keep writing (me) or reading (you) just because we hate to say goodbye. Let's just pull off the bandage of separation and know that the pain is brief. We'll visit again in 24 hours or so.