It's a Slippery Slope, All Right

Yup. The pressure of creating a new cartoon everyday does make you have to sometimes publish something that is not as funny as you wish it was. No, not today's CoV. I think it is clever. Also, there are times when I think something is funny and no one comments, and then other times when I think "Meh," but I get comments that it was funny. I suppose that is how comedy works. So, let's go down today's CoV slope together.

We went to Home Depot last night to look at tiles and vanities, etc, for redoing our bathroom. I wanted to pick up some magazines for design ideas, but none of them seemed worth the money. We did, however, grab a booklet with one brands options and that helped us a little. I think our main concepts may need Lyndsay to help flesh them out.

It sounds as if Margaret is not in as bad shape as initially feared. PTL for that.

Seven items on my To Do list. So, my choice is either to knock out several of the smaller items, even though they are lower priority, or keep plugging away at the tall pole in the tent and get it done for the VP. Right now, I think I will keep focused on the VP data (even though she has not yet asked for an update).

Dad gum it. We forgot to choose meals from Dinner A'Fare, so I cannot place my order yet. Hey, Lindsay, when you get back, check out TruMeals and The Dinner Station (which has even more choices than our place), plus there are others that are not local and ship out frozen meals.

Does anyone else think that Survivor is a little less fun this season? Now that Colton (who I did not like but made for good TV and interesting family discussions about not liking him) is gone, no one really grabs me. There is no Boston Rob, or Richard Hatch, or Russell Hantz.

What did I listen to last night while I exercised? Last time, I listened to the Wicked soundtrack. Oh, I remember, I listened to the soundtrack to 1776. And two times ago, it was Chicago. Why? What do you listen to?

One of the teams took off yesterday afternoon to go together to a MLB Spring training game. It would have been perfect weather for that. I am sure they had fun.

I know you are tired of listening to me and would rather turn on the soundtrack to Annie (no, I do not have that on my iPod), so I will end this week's blogging time now. Thanks for sticking with me. Have a good time wherever you are (even in NZ) and whatever you do (even if it is hanging a ceiling fan).

Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut....

Let's go ahead and get the Clarity of Vision over with.Yeah, it is just OK. As I noted in the title of the post, sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. And the CoV requires that I have on my nutty cap for a while. Hopefully, it will be back tomorrow.

No grandbaby yet. What can I say? He's in no hurry, I suppose.

Preacher Bro, you can get these semi-prepared meals shipped to your house. There is an extra charge for them assembling the meal for you, and there is an $85 delivery fee, but it can be done.

I am really struggling this morning. I don't really know why. It is true some things are on my mind, but since when does real life intrude on my blogging time? Since now, I suppose.

Lyndsay's grandmother is in the hospital and it sounds like cancer. The final diagnosis is still being determined. So keep Margaret in your prayers. Jack is coming soon, and I know Lyndsay is ready, and now with this things with her grandmother. So, pray for Lyndsay, too. Mom has a back condition that will require surgery, so they will see a surgeon about it in April. Pray for her. Alison is hoping to get a teaching position closer to the Valley, so pray for her.

Well, since I don't feel much like blogging, I will stop now. Hopefully, my brain will be back to its normal odd behavior tomorrow. L8r, g8r.

Carry Your Guns to Work Day

What? These guns? Why yes, they are locked and loaded. I've been hitting the gym several times per week, so it is possible they are growing. If so, maybe 1/10 of an inch or something. I am sure the tighter sleeves on my Polos are the result of using the dryer on them than any change in body mass.

Cranberry and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken, Lemon Butter Tilapia with Orzo, Teriyaki and Pineapple Pork Chops, Barbecue Fusion Chicken, Szechuan Shrimp, Greek Moussaka, Chicken Saltimbocca, Peperoncini Steak with Capellini and Asiago Cream Sauce, Linguine with White Clam Sauce, Chicken Mexicala, Blackened Pork Tenderloin & Au Jus, Bold and Zesty Peppered Flank Steak, Mojito Pork Kabobs with Cherry Barbecue Sauce, Turkey Meatloaf with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Ketchup Glaze, Crispy Ranch Chicken. Those are the April offerings at the cook-it-yourself place we found from our Groupon last month, Dinner A'Fare. We are probably going to pick up a six meal package from them next week. Which ones would you choose?

Did y'all see that Lindsay posted from Kiwiland? Go check it out.

The director gave my sight-singing muscle a workout last night. We went through several new songs. It was fun and challenging. No concert this Sunday (nor the next since it is Easter).

I thought this Jedi training video was funny.

Eight unfinished items on my work To Do list right now. It looks like only three of them can be completed today. Should that be my personal goal? Sure, why not? I'll jump into the first one now.

It is 1123

No, it is not 11:23am or 11:23pm (at least, not as I write this. I suppose it could be at the time you are reading it). Anyway, this is post #1123. Some of you die-hard followers have read every single one of them. No? Has anyone except me? Well, regardless, I will keep writing it. It is my wish that you keep reading.

Speaking of wishes, let's see if the genie in the LAMP has granted any wishes today.

I also came up with an idea for tomorrow's CoV. This dude has started exercising and feels like it is already making a difference. Where would you take that concept? You can see if I did what you expected tomorrow.

A niece told me that I may want to finish all three Hunger Games books before I see the movie. She said there are a couple of spoilers if I haven't read it all. I am currently on page 80 out of 391 in the second book. I am not sure I will be finished in time. Hmm. Maybe I can take three hours for lunch today? No, probably not.

Hey, NZ family. Where are you? I am not seeing any updates. Has your plan for frequent updating gone 'down the gurgler?' (I Googled New Zealand phrases to find that one that means 'failed plan.')

I am glad no one brought in donuts today. I have a hankering for one and know that I would mess up my healthy eating if a chocolate iced donut called out my name.

Well, even though I do not hear a donut, I do hear some work calling out to me. Not as fun as a donut, but the pay is certainly better. Y'all come 'round again tomorrow, OK?

Submitted For Your Approval

Those famous words often introduced an episode of the classic Twilight Zone TV program with Rod Serling. Today, they introduce a TZ-inspired Clarity of Vision about a man and his web server. LAMP is the first letters of Linux, Apache Server, MySQL and PHP (yeah, like that wasn't already obvious to everyone).

We had a nice visit with the GRANDS Friday night. We started with the usual McDonald's and their playground. They slept until almost 6:30am on Saturday, which was great. They then played with their feet in the pool while I cleaned it. We did brunch, one of their favorite things to do on Saturday morning. In a break from the routine, we hit a local library, watched some sailboats on the little lake there, and they did a puppet show in the kid's area of the library while better half and I read a little. Nice, huh?

We picked up another ceiling fan later in the day, but have not had a chance to hang it yet. As I was wiring a light switch, I accidentally gave myself a little shock. Let me tell you, it does not take long to release a plug when you feel that first jolt. Now, I remember why I get nervous when Dad handles live wires when he is playing electrician.

Well, it looks like a typical Monday here at work. I hope yours is good and we can all get together again in 24 hours or so. Hopefully, you will wonder what wish the man will ask for in CoV. I know I wonder that.

Ass. Monitor

Perhaps today's title caught you off-guard? Yes, it did me, too. Well, not in my post. When I received the paperwork for my role on the Emergency Evacuation Team in our building, they had abbreviated my Assembly Monitor job as Ass. Monitor. I suggested to the girl in charge that, if she wants to abbreviate it, use Asmbly or something. She is supposed to send out final details today, so we'll see.

The meeting yesterday prompted today's CoV. My assignment most closely resembles the FIRE role in the comic.

The girls are spending the night, and so is Alison. So. they will either end up on the couches in the den or the less-than-comfortable futon in the guest bedroom. Sorry, girls. Otherwise, no plans.

We are currently planning to skip opening weekend for The Hunger Games movie. We do want to see it, and sooner rather than later, and a local theater was planning to have all 16 of its theaters showing that one movie. Still, instead of hearing that as confirmation that we would get in to a showing, we hear that as saying, "We will be crazy busy this weekend." And hopefully, Alison will bring me book two tonight. So, I will still have my Hunger Games cravings assuaged.

Wow. I just got a note from a friend that she won $766 on $.02 slots at a nearby casino. Still, you have to know that she probably lost much more than that in earlier trips.

OK, I have an 11am meeting with my boss, I have to publish the team weekly by 2pm, and we have that practice fire drill at 2pm. No time to waste. Not that visiting with you is time wasted. I am just saying that our time has ended for now. I will be back next week. Don't fret (do people even fret anymore, and does everyone jump straight into worry?).

Almost 700

We are nearing Clarity of Vision #700 and yet, my vision seems no clearer. What's up with that? What's up with that? Ooo eee. Anyway, today's comic is about a downloaded utility app that is not quite what was expected. However, the moral is not quite as deep as a Twilight Zone episode.

The presentation went fine yesterday. I had requested 30 minutes, but it actually took 40 after questions. And I need to check with management to clarify a couple of points.

There is a meeting today of the evacuation team that my boss just volunteered me for. Then, tomorrow, there is an evacuation practice. I think I get one of those neon orange vests today to store here at my desk. See, in the past, I am one of those that takes their sweet time getting out during these practices. Now, I guess I will jump up, grab my vest, and do whatever my role requires. The really bad part of that is having to stay indoors with the loud sirens blaring. Some of them are REALLY obnoxious.

We have used our new ceiling fan and its light several times this week. We need to scoot by Lowe's and grab another for the kitchen. It is a Harbor Breeze 52" Crosswinds fan in oil rubbed bronze, in case you were wondering. We are also looking to get our shower fixed, so we want to freshen the whole bath space. Lyndsay, we will want some design advice.

In case you did not already suspect it, I come in each morning not knowing what I will write in my blog. So, I create the CoV then let me mind wander over things that happened since yesterday or that I want to accomplish tomorrow. Then, I subject both of us to my mental ramblings. Sorry.

Did you see Survivor last night? We were surprised at who is no longer in the tribe. I can say no more in case you have not seen it yet.

I know your eyes are tired from scanning so many lines of text. Take a break. Maybe have Manuel come by and capture a screen shot so you can finish later. Until Friday, then.

Two In a Row?

We have East Valley Chorale concerts two weekends in a row? What's the dealio? OK, it is true that I did not go to the one last weekend, but still.... What Dorkus Lamorcus scheduled this?

Speaking of childhood insults, it is possible that some people never outgrow them.

Hey, did I mention that we finished out final Groupon meal the other night. It was pretty good, although Better Half isn't much into salmon. It was Chipotle Salmon and I enjoyed it. Now, we have to decide if we want to try it again (at an increased cost without the coupon). I'd like to, but we shall see. Oh yes. We shall see.

I have a couple of sibling birthdays coming up (sister and Preacher Bro). At least, they are not on the same day (although I do have a niece and nephew with the same b-day). I mean, nowadays, it wouldn't matter, but back then, I am sure competing parties would have been a mess.

I finished The Hunger Games last night. The author was in such a hurry to write book two that she didn't even tie up all the loose ends of book one. Did she learn story design from Tolkien? So, now I wonder how far the movie will take the story. Did I enjoy it? Yes, after the games actually began.

I have to lead the org staff meeting this afternoon, so I need to finish the presentation. I had the staff review it and one of them suggested it was "hard to read and follow with the eyes." (Yes, that phrase was in today's CoV. You already knew my ideas mostly come from life). So, I will go clean it up and do the other tasks of the day. I'll let you know how it went tomorrow.

Monday, Monday, So Good To Me

Mostly, Monday is not good to me (and based on the lyrics, it wasn't really that good for the Mamas and the Papas). It follows a weekend of no work. It follows a couple of days of not having to wake up so early. Ignoring the constant intrusion of workdays, Monday was fine because we had our final Groupon ready-to-eat meal last night and it was pretty good. Chipotle Salmon. Now, do we cough up some dough for some more of those meals or charge ahead on our own as we try to improve our diet? We have not decided yet.

It is not only diet that we are working on, though. We are also hitting the gym several times per week. We did go last night and I did the treadmill for 30 min (272 calories burned according to the display) and lower body exercises for 30 min (not sure of the exact calories, but I tried to keep up the intensity, so I am guessing at least 130). So, 400 calories is not bad. I am still slowly ramping up so I don't hurt anything. It had been several years since I had a regular exercise routine.

Every morning, I have to work out what I am going to write about in Clarity of Vision. Yes, I should try to plan it in advance, but that rarely seems to happen. So, here is where my brain went this morning.

Chorale practice tonight, but I do not have to direct. That is OK with me. I joined as an opportunity to sing. Thanks, Dad, for paying my dues.

Hey, Casey (our daughter-in-love's brother) was taken to the hospital with chest pains last night. I hope it was nothing serious.

OK, I have nothing scheduled until an 11:30am meeting, so I have some action items I have to knock out before they become overdue. So, you can knock off early and knock out your work items. Knock on wood, we'll both get finished by the end of the day.

GRANDS are GREAT

Well, the granddaughters are certainly growing up. Bella turned six on St. Patrick's Day (how about that? It happens on that celebration every year). And Kendall's fourth birthday was last December. And next month, Jack turns zero (well, OK, he will be born sometime in April. Wouldn't you say he is age zero?). Whoo hoo. GRANDS are GREAT.

I know that Spring is springing up all over, but we are feeling our last gasp of winter. The temp has dropped to only 59F today. We are getting our first rain since mid-December. In the mountains, we are getting 12-24" of snow. I'm glad. Hopefully, it will help control pollen and dust. And we will be getting plenty of higher temperatures too soon, anyway.

I will not tell you what book I am reading. Try to guess.Yeah, I really struggled at first while they introduced the characters. Now that the games are underway, I want to read to the end, even though it is one of those books with a fairly predictable outcome (I think. Maybe the author will surprise me).

Spring Break is over for schools on the east side of the Valley, and with the added challenge of some rain, I expected traffic to be much worse this morning. It was not too bad, at least at the time of morning that I come in.

We did not make it to the gym over the weekend. That means we really need to hit it again this afternoon. Right now, I am not enthusiastic about it, although I know I need to go. Well, it will be OK once I get going. Tonight is a lower body workout.

Right now, I am also not enthusiastic about getting started on work, but skipping that is not an option. I have two meetings this morning, so I need to get my materials prepared. I hope your weekend was pleasant. And today, too.

I Did Get Some Satisfaction

Hey, folks, we had a great time at the Rolling Stones cover band concert last night. There were only three songs that we did not know (meaning they were not familiar. We don't really know the words to hardly any, but they were familiar from radio play). So, it was a fun evening.

You remember that I took off yesterday? Dad helped me hang a new ceiling fan in the den. It took a while because we had to figure out the wiring which was a little inconsistent. We got there, though, and it looks very nice. Next up, a new fan in the kitchen. Oh, but one bad thing about a day off during the week is that the week ends up with two Mondays. Wow, it was tough getting going this morning. Then again, tomorrow is Saturday, so I got two of those this week, too. Still, two Mondays.

I debated having an Ides of March CoV yesterday, but, meh, nothing really came to mind. I already had today's idea started, so no Ides comic today, either. And by tomorrow, St. Paddy's Day, it'll be too late. I did hear an announcer on the radio saying that they were having a Caesar salad and an Orange Julius in honor of the day, so that was cute. Since I did not think of it, though, I did not use it in a CoV.

What idea did I already have ready for today's Clarity of Vision?

We are attending a little birthday celebration for Isabella tomorrow. That is always fun. And they want me to bring some games, so that will add even more fun.

Another bad thing about a day off is I've still got to get my work done. I reckon I will start it now. Have a pleasant weekend.

Do You Care That It Was Pi Day Yesterday?

Yeah, I realized after I sent out my Clarity of Vision that is was 3/14 (Pi Day), so I decided to mention it today. Sory for the delay. I hope it was a good one for you.

I went for a cardiac stress test yesterday. Sure, I had stayed up late the night before studying for the test, but I passed, so that is good news. I don't have to go back to my cardiologist for a year.

I am taking a day off today. For the past few years, we had been taking a Spring trip with the folks, but could not get anything arranged this year. So, I am taking the day off. We slept late. Now, we are heading over to the YMCA for exercise, then maybe brunch. Tonight, we are going to see Satisfaction, a Rolling Stones cover band. Tomorrow, though, it's back to business...literally.

OK, K is saying it's time to go. More in the morning. I promise. I'll tell you about Satisfaction.

Post 1114

Post 1114 sounds like something from an American Legion (coincidentally founded by the son of President Teddy Roosevelt in 1919 although this has nothing to do with today's CoV nor anything else in this post). Actually, the title refers to the fact that this is my 1114th post in this blog.

Some of my previous posts have had to do with bagpipers and Scottish Games of years past. None have had a bagpiper in the Clarity of Vision comic...until today.

In some weird way, I do not really look forward to leading the Chorale during practice. Why is that weird? Because, once I get up there, I have a lot of fun and it is a nice challenge to correct mistakes I hear weekly without making it seem that the regular director is missing them. And I do have fun. Anyway, it went fine. I did make a couple of jokes at the director's expense.

Related to the first paragraph about American Legions, that is a group that supports veterans. Did you hear that Disney is planning to hire 1000 returning vets as part of their "Heroes Work Here" program? I think that is pretty cool.

You know what else is pretty cool? I am going to end this post early to free up some time for all of us. And I probably will not post tomorrow as I am taking a vacation day during Spring Break. I should be back on Friday, Lord willing and the crick don't rise.

Still Sniffling

Do not assume that you have an idea what today's title refers to. It could be me sniffling due to allergies. It could be a co-worker who was laid off last week still being upset. It could be our dog after he got a cactus spine in his nose. You don't know. Actually, it was the first one. Neither of the others happened. My point is, though, that you don't know for sure until I tell you. Fine. It really was obvious, right?

You also don't always know why management asks some of the questions that it asks.

You also don't know if we worked out last night at the Y. Yes, we did. In fact, my better half exercised both in the morning and the evening. She's turning into a gym rat. She does not dress like Jane Fonda or Olivia Newton John did in the 80s. Thankfully. No, I don't dress like them, either.

Each Monday, a blog-only book publishes a new chapter. I think it might be an interesting premise, but the author's spelling and grammar detract from my enjoyment. Plus, I don't know how far into the story we are (even after 22 chapters). Still, I will probably see it through. Here's an example.
Anna can sense that something is bothering Jane. “Are you sure? It seems like your holding back a little.”
See, 'your' instead of 'you're.' Aghh.

Anything else? I think the GRANDS are going to see a movie today. Probably Dr. Seuss' The Lorax.

Did you see the moon waxing gibbous this morning? I could not tell if it was wax on or wax off. Ha ha. A clever reference to a phrase from The Karate Kid movie from 1984.

Enough. You have been more than patient while I write things neither of us cares about. Let's stop pretending. We've both got things to do.

Suns and Daughters

We went to a Phoenix Suns game on Saturday night. We sat on the next-to-the-top row. Wow, I could have used some oxygen, it was so high. We had a great time and Isabella really loved it. This was like an early birthday present for her. And we won, so even better. It was our family plus Lyndsay's family, plus Dave (Alison's boyfriend). We stopped at Rainforest Cafe for dinner before driving downtown. And we had brunch that morning as another part of Bella's Birthday Bash.

So, I mentioned we were way up high for the basketball game? Here's a CoV about just such a topic. Imagine that.Well, we did not actually see the Colorado Avalanche, but that fit the joke better.

We found out that Paul and Kari and expecting child #3. Congrats.

We saw photos from Brenda when ZKW came back to the States on the USS Stennis. Congrats. Nice photos. There a more on Facebook, but I cannot see nor link to them here at work.

We saw photos from LWW about living in New Zealand and wearing gumboots.

We bought a replacement ceiling fan for the non-spinning one in the den, but I did not hang it yet. I wanted to get either the voltage meter from Dad or Dad himself to come make sure I wire it up correctly. Why the worry? Just in case there is a live wire inside the old one for the light kit, even though we did not have one on the old fan.

I suppose I will get my data prepared for presentation at 11:30am. Somebody's got to do it. So, y'all go get your data ready, too. We can meet again and de-stress after our data gathering and analysis tomorrow.

I'm Sick and Tired...

OK, I am tired, but just because it is still morning and I have not finished waking up yet. I am not really sick, although KHW is. So, the GRANDS will not spend their usual every other Friday night with us. One, we do not want to get them sick. Two, KHW would not be up to the interaction. The phrase in the title, though, does remind me of that Bill Cosby routine "(About his mother always saying, "I'm sick and tired!") "And tired" always follows "sick". Worst beating I ever got in my life, my mother said, "Well I am just sick," and I said, "And tired." I don't remember anything after that."

You may be sick and tired of this comic series about cell phone assistants, but I have not quite finished it yet.

I know what you're thinking. Did I finish any of the To Do items on my list yesterday. No, none are completely finished, but I am close on a couple and will finish them today. I have 3-4 more days on updating that VP report, so don't hold your breath. I started this paragraph with a phrase that reminds me of another quote. "I know what you’re thinking. Did he fire six shots, or only five? Well to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I’ve kinda lost track myself. But being that this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world and would blow your head clean off, you got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky?"

Wow, I am having an allergy attack this morning. So, I think I will wander off in search of a tissue. I started to say "... in search of a Kleenex," but that may not be totally accurate since a Puffs would be OK, too.

We only need to get through a few more hours to reach the weekend (unless you are in NZ, in which case you are there already). So, have a good day and a great weekend. I will blather on again Monday morning, so be here or be square. Hmm, that does not some as clever without the rhyme of there and square.

A Slice of Pi

No, I did mean to omit the 'e' at the end of the word in the title. You'll see why when you read today's Clarity of Vision. Go ahead. Could this be the end of Ralph? We will know tomorrow.

Did you watch Survivor last night? My wife thinks they hired the women because they were attractive, and the guys because they were stupid. Last night's episode certainly lends credence to that. And after 24 seasons, Jeff noted that this was the first time this had ever occurred. What am I talking about? I cannot say yet, in case people recorded it and have not yet watched it. Y'all go home tonight and watch it so I can comment more on the men's stupidity and why they listen to their de facto leader.

Luckily, I am not as sore as I expected after another evening of exercise. I did the elliptical to warm up and then did lower body weight machines. If we make it tonight, it will be upper body weight machines. I noticed some slight discomfort in my right knee during the elliptical, so it obviously works some different leg muscles than the treadmill. I think I will move back to the treadmill for tonight's warm up. You younger folks reading this (isn't that most of you?), be sure to keep your legs in shape so you can maybe postpone these aches and pains.

Did I mention we are going to the Suns game on Saturday? Yes, a bunch of family members are going. It should be fun.

Did I mention that today's is the 101st International Women's Day? Well, that what today's Google Doodle shows. I imagine there are still a couple of women alive who were around for the very first one.

Did I mention that some of the family went to see the musical Wicked recently? They loved it, as I knew they would. We didn't go since we had already seen it and it is not cheap to attend these touring musicals.

I did not check off anything from my list yesterday, so I need to complete those tasks today. So, instead of telling you more anecdotes, I will end today's missive abruptly right now.

A Cold Day In My Heart

Yes, it is only supposed to reach 62F today, so in the Valley of the Sun, that is cold. I imagine I will see some people wearing heavy jackets in the morning and evening. However, that is not what I refer to in the title.

My heart aches for my Architect Bro and his wife as they face the week in which their son dies. It was a year ago yesterday that he was killed in a car accident. I did not want to mention it until I talked to my brother and determined if I should write about it. Rick sounded very upbeat and said they were doing better than expected. Isn't God great that he can help us heal after such a devastating loss? Still, keep them and their family in your prayers. To help us celebrate Ben's life, take a look at this blog post from when he and Lindsay ran the 2007 Ourayce and this group Walker photo with Ben in the upper right. Aren't we lucky that we shared in his life?

Now, back to the usual drivel that makes up this blog. We start with today's Clarity of Vision comic.

Following that, I often talk about how tired I am of this cold. I am tired of this cold. OK, that's covered. Hey, speaking of covered, Mom is laying around covered until she can get to a back specialist. She is still suffering from back pain and Dad said it apparently has to do with a vertebrae out of alignment. So, keep her in your prayers.

Sometimes, I also talk about whether or not I am sore. I am not sore today, but we hope to get to the YMCA this afternoon before Survivor, so soreness could return. We may not make it, though, since Kathie is in the middle of parent conferences.

Thanks for suffering through another A Legend In My Own Mind post. You people are crazy to read this every day. Just to remind you, though, I'll be back tomorrow.

I Am A Mighty God Named Sore

In 1967, Marvel Comics had a series called Not Brand Echh where they made fun of their own characters, including Fantastic Four, Silver Surfer, and Thor. You can imagine that today's title is taken from the one involving Thor. You can see a sample page here. What made me think of it? Well, I am not that sore today. I hope that is a good sign. Oh, if you see my sister, you can ask her if today's title means anything.

Now, she and her daughter do have smart phones, unlike me. So, maybe mine is more like Ralph in today's CoV.

We tried the Tilapia Parmesan last night from that "Make and Cook It Yourself" place. It was really tasty, although one piece was not completely cooked. We should have more the pieces around so that none was covered before we baked it. Another pre-prepared meal is scheduled for tomorrow night, but I do not remember which. And although they advertise that it serves 2-3, all of them we have tried to date only feed the two of us.

I messed up on generating the team weekly last Friday. I forgot to update one section and got caught. "Hey, this says the same thing as last week. Where's my updates for this week?" I had to re-send it with a mea culpa. Next time, I'll send it with a youa culpa.

I see that today is Oreo's 100th birthday. I also found that over half the men eat them all at once, without twisting and opening. I do not open mine. How about y'all?

Finally, it is allegedly Super Tuesday because of all the primaries and caucuses. Meh. How about Stupor Tuesday because I am bored with all this stuff? Also, stupor instead of super ends today's post with a word twist like the one I opened with. See you tomorrow on Wacky Wednesday.

Like the Shepherds, I am Sore Afraid

Yes, I am starting today by referencing Luke 2:9 from the King James Bible. We joined the YMCA this week and did our first workout on Saturday. So, I am certainly sore today, and afraid I will get more sore before it gets better. However, "no pain, no gain," right? So, we'll go back this evening.

However, we have to drive there without the aid of a GPS or smart phone. Why don't we have one? Well, read today's Clarity of Vision and decide for yourself.

Otherwise, not much going on. Oh wait, there is some illness in the family that you could pray for. Alison has the flu or something, and she got the flu shot. I hope it is not a strain we could catch. Lyndsay was home yesterday with a bad migraine. Mom is home with a hurting back.

I have finished two of the ten Oz books from L. Frank Baum. They are different. I would not have had the vision to pull the movie The Wizard of Oz out of the first one. Will I finish all ten? Probably, since they are easy reading. If my Kindle had the phone assistant Surly on it, I wonder what she would say about them. "Do you want to read an Oz book? They are written for fifth-grade readers, so it should be right up your alley."

A coworker sent a note over the weekend saying I excluded her input from a report I issued on Friday, so I need to do some investigation. It seems she is correct. How did my normal process get messed up?

So, come back tomorrow and I'll share what my investigation found. TTFN.

Driving Around This Morning

I have to leave at 9am for a while to pick up my boss after Lasik surgery. I first drive up into Scottsdale (30 min) to pick him up, then out to the west side (45 min) to take him home, then back to work (40 min) to actually get his work done since I am covering for him on an assignment for the VP. So, no time to dilly-dally.

So, let's check out today's Clarity of Vision.I first considered lemon-related jokes about the photos (e.g. Hillary saying that was one sour lemon), but liked it better if she thought that was her sexy look.

No, we really did not do anything last night. We just stayed home and I did some TV and a little reading. I am working my way through the Oz books on Kindle. I finished the first (Wonderful Wizard of Oz) and am now in the second (Marvelous Land of Oz) out of ten. Why? Mainly because they were free since they are in the public domain.

Nothing big planned over the weekend. We do keep the nursery during church on Sunday and that is usually fun. And we are starting a Philippians study in Sunday School. Here, check out a word map of Philippians generated on wordle.net.You may need to embiggen this to see it.

Hey, I've been doing all the talking. Let me give you a chance. I will wrap up my post and then give my full attention to hear what you are saying. Adios, muchachos.

It's Fun to Work Out At The Y.M.C.A.

No, that's not quite as catchy as the original lyrics by the Village People, but it is more accurate. Yes, we signed up at a local Y with a family membership so we will start exercising again. Thanks to Dave for helping with a discount. Now, we've got to actually do it.

Then, we had to swing by and pick up a manila envelope to mail in tax forms. Yes, we are getting a refund. What should we do with it? Pay off a bill? Buy a car before one of ours dies? Purchase a new house? Well, maybe we cannot do most of those, but I do hope to find a bill I can pay off to free up some monthly cash. What did y'all do with your refund?

Still, at night, I get that tickle in my throat that reminds me I am still not feeling 100%. If only it were as easy to fix as a computer virus. Am I right? Am I right? High Five? No? Fine. Read this then.

Since we went down to the Y last night and did a little shopping, we did not make it to the Survivor Pizza Party. We did watch it when we got home and, as we always do, enjoyed a nice little blindside. We were also glad that one team has not won everything. That can get a little boring.

I have an 11am meeting for which I have some data to gather. So, why blather when I can gather, right? Am I right? Am I right? High five? No? Anyway, there will be more verbiage on which to waste your time here tomorrow. See you then.