I Get An Incomplete For Yesterday

I had bigger plans than I was able to complete. Let's start with those things I did do. I did lead the first hour of Chorale practice last night. We had a good time and I think they actually remembered some of the sections we worked last week. We made it through 7 of the 8 songs I wanted to work.

I tried to apply for the Blue Cross Blue Shield job (and reworked some of my resume to match the posted job requirements), but it is apparently only posted internally right now. I dropped a note to my contact to see if she can find out if I can even apply yet. I did apply for one AMEX PM job, but the other two I had been eyeing are not currently posted. Maybe they were filled? I also logged into dice.com to see other posted jobs, and I see at least a couple that I might be interested in, so that's a positive.

I also started my study of Nehemiah 10, but the J. Vernon McGee book did not have much on that chapter. So, today, I will check out the interweb and see what I can find, and I will work on my answers to the questions in the McArthur study guide.

I finished the laundry, too. And I mailed our early ballot votes. Oh, I almost forgot to mention that my disappointment in the washer is that the tub is (at most) two-thirds the size of the previous washer. So, I put in two sets of sheets and the tub was full. It does finish 15 minutes quicker per load, though. Oh well, I will just do more loads of smaller size.

I am picking up what you are putting down. You are thinking, "Wow. He did so much. What did he not do that he said he would accomplish?" I did not get as far on job applications as I had hoped, and not being able to apply for the BCBSAZ job was really sad, at least so far. And I will need to slide my Yellowstone and profiteroles stories until tomorrow because I don't want to talk too long.

But wait. You say you want a photo before we go? I have a couple that I will share. Here is JV+KLIK at Vertuccio Farms this past Saturday.

And a photo from Telluride. This woman was making a painting of the path leading into the woods that you can see out over her shoulder. She said the shadows had shifted from when she started, but you can see the composition and what drew her to this scene.

Better Late Than Never (I Think)

I suppose today's title may be a personal choice. You might have already thought, "Whew. No post today. That frees up three minutes and twelve seconds." However, I got busy with laundry and forgot to post until now.

It seems I will again be directing the first hour of East Valley Chorale tonight. Our director is trapped on the East Coast due to the weather. So, my first task when I finish this will be to choose the six (or so) songs I will work through. One will likely be I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (Peace on Earth), which has some tricky rhythms. You can hear the original arrangement by Casting Crowns here. The song starts around 2:20.

My next task is to apply for the Blue Cross Blue Shield manager job. I will also most likely apply for at last one American Express PM job. I spoke to my contact and he said to let him know which ones I choose and he will contact the hiring manager with a recommendation for me. And a friend at Apollo sent me a link for a PM job at another company. I am still trusting God that He will guide me to a fulfilling job.

I will let you decide if Jack is having fun with Daddy on the bouncing floor last Saturday. At least he was not crying.

Then, this afternoon, I need to start studying for teaching Nehemiah 10 this coming Sunday. Today will probably be reading through the Scripture(s) and seeing which questions the workbook asks.

OK, it sounds as if the washer is finished, so I need to go move the clothes to the dryer and put on the final load for the day. Oh, a househusband's work is never done.

An LMW Weekend

Yes, we spent the weekend celebrating our daughter-in-love's birthday. Maybe a better way to say it is that we had a great weekend with JV+KLIK that included a birthday celebration. Our first stop was Vertuccio Farms for the pumpkin festival. We took our turns bouncing on a huge bouncy hill. Check out Birthday Girl and Nana up in the air.

Then, we took the girls to our house for a little pre-celebration rest. You can see Nana and JV taking a little siesta here.

We then headed to bowling (one price for two hours of bowling. Our fingers and arms gave out before the two hours was spent). Here are Mama and son after she rescued him from KDW who was threatening to use him as a bowling ball.

That evening, we had a birthday party at Phyll's place, but I took the photos with LMW's camera, so I cannot share them here. You might see them on Facebook at some point.

And on Sunday night, it was time for the annual pumpkin carving ceremony at JV+KLIK's place. We used a carving kit for designs and tools (although the tools did not make it through the night). Here is the final result on the porch.

You may have noticed the less-than-detailed face on the pumpkin on the right. That was carved after the tools bit the dust.

What's up on the job front? Nothing new in email, but it was a weekend. I will redo my resume to focus on management skills and submit it to Blue Cross Blue Shield. And I did get one more lead from a guy at Apollo (but it is not for a job within Apollo, so don't worry). And I promised a former Motorola coworker that I would give him some feedback on his resume. I may share a couple of funny stories about him in my next blog post. Remind me to talk about Yellowstone and profiteroles.

Did you vote yet? Ours are being mailed today. For those of you that have jobs, you may not like voting early because you don't get one of those stickers that says you voted today. For me, no one would see it anyway.

OK, I don't want to say anymore so that I will have some topics for tomorrow. Remind me to talk about directing Chorale last week and the disappointing thing about our new washer.

Making the Internet Work For Me

Yes, we did laundry at our house last night. However, getting there was an expensive proposition. Since the washer was not working, Dad and I decided to pull it apart and diagnose the problem ourselves. Thanks to the interweb, we found a number of youtube.com videos for opening it and for some expected ohmmeter settings. So, initial diagnosis pointed to the motor. No surprise there. We replaced it, but it did not work. After more investigation, we found that we could not find what was wrong. Don't you hate that? In the meantime, Kyle found a deal on craigslist.com and I went ahead and pulled the trigger on it. So, we are now owners of a four-year-old Whirlpool. The tub is a bit smaller, but it is more mechanical than the GE, so Dad and I should be able to fix it ourselves in the future. Oh, and the business owner said he does not handle GE washers. They are prone to break and extremely expensive to fix.

Speaking of youtube.com, have you ever heard of the Piano Guys? Check out this video. I think it is pretty creative. I saw an interview and they said they just kind of lucked up on this idea when one of them started tapping on the strings of the piano. They have their own channel, but this is my favorite.

Wow, that was a long paragraph. I hope you read through it a lot quicker than I wrote it. Let's move on to paragraph three so this one is not as long.

Today? Coffee with an old buddy from Motorola. Credit Union to get a clear title on the old, busted Altima. Call US Airways buddy to talk about the CA contract position. Maybe get the oil changed on the Jeep.

Weekend? Birthday stuff for Lyndsay on Saturday. Church and pumpkin carving on Sunday. I have to teach Nehemiah 10 the following Sunday because our teacher will be out of town.

Monday? Nothing yet.

Two weeks ago? Here is a Preacher Bro shot of the folks looking at our morning view. Yeah, we tended to gather around that window every morning before our day got started. Wouldn't you?

Right now? It's time to get my day started. You saw all the things I hope to get done, so I cannot just sit around and shoot the breeze with you. See you next week, right? Well, I'll be here regardless.

Almost A Disaster

Last night, I almost faced a disaster. I mean, sure, I've lost my job, my car and my washing machine. However, last night, my Macbook Pro would boot, but the screen stayed blank. I used our other computer and found that, often, zapping the PRAM would fix it. It did not fix it the first four times. I left it for a bit and came back later and zapped it one final time. Success. Whew! I gots to have me my computer.

I heard from some more former coworkers yesterday. One from US Airways knows of a supervisory position at Blue Cross Blue Shield where she now works. Another from US Airways has a 6-12 month position in Carlsbad, CA. A contact at AMEX has some positions available. PTL for friends and the opportunities a network for people can provide. Again, even if none of these come to fruition, these are all people who reached out to me. I have not yet contacted anyone myself to see what recommendations they have.

Got caught up on laundry yesterday at the folks'. Dad got a canvas print of one of my photos that looks like a painting. No, not the one from this year that I posted a couple of weeks ago. This one is from 2004. I just checked and I took it with my old 3.2MP camera and it was before my blog started, so I have not posted it before. Here, I will add it now.

They put it above their mantle and it really does look like a painting. Is that a good thing for a photo?

OK, I need to get ready for the day and then call those contacts I told you about. I'm just praying that God will lead me to a job that will last and where I will can make a difference for my employer. Right now, I am not planning to check on jobs in NZ or NV. Thanks anyway, Lindsay and Preacher Bro.

TGIF (Thank God I've Friends)

I finally applied for some jobs yesterday. I guess it has only been one week since I joined the unemployed ranks, but it seems like much longer. One of the opportunities came from a contact and one from a web search.

It would be easy to sit around the house and whine about my bad luck, but God has led a large number of former colleagues to contact me about job ideas and supportive messages. Some added recommendations and skills to my Linkedin profile. Others, including two more today, have said I should investigate positions at their places of business. You know, even if none of them pan out, it certainly raises my spirits that they took the time to contact me.

Monday, I went for my annual physical up at Mayo Clinic. Let me tell you that I was disappointed in my results. OK, my fat % did go down (I'm down 5 lbs of fat and up 3 lbs of muscle), but it is still much too high (26%). Another number that was too high is my triglycerides. I don't eat that much sweets, but I guess it can be influenced by all sorts of things including bread and pasta.

For those of you that are visual-types, here is a shot of the Twin Falls in Yankee Boy Basin at Ouray, CO. If you've followed this blog in past years, you can see that the water flow is way down this year. It was still pretty, though.

I've got to head over the the folks for laundry day today. No, we have not yet fixed or replaced our washer. I took my better half to work so I would have a car for laundry day. No, we have not yet replaced my car.

I will try to be more regular in my posting frequency going forward. The questions is...will you be regular in checking the blog? Thanks for reading.

Five and Seven and Twelve

If the title of this post makes you think of math, you are probably a major geek. Yes, it is true that 5+7=12. If you saw it as a four-letter word, then a five-letter one and a six-letter one, you are some kind of savant and should not be wasting brain cells on this blog. If you have no clue what the title implies, I have an unexpected announcement.

One Tuesday afternoon, I lost email access. Weird. Then, I found out that they laid off my boss and that none of his team could get into the company network. I saw the writing on the wall at that point. Do you see it? Sure enough, we were called into a meeting at 10am Wednesday morning and told that our team was no longer needed. The company lost 60% of its profits since the year before and some 800 people were being let go, including us.

So, that also puts Clarity of Vision in jeopardy since I do not have Microsoft Visio at home. I know. That's almost worse, huh?

Interestingly enough, this blog started in 2005 (hence the five in today's title) when I was let go from my job of 23 years. I found a job in 2006, but the job was again eliminated in 2007 (are you figuring out the title now?). So, I am again on the job market in 2012.

You know what? It is just a job. There are so many worse things that could happen. I am cancer free for five years this month, so I have my health. I have a loving Christian family. I have friends that are already reaching out. I have a church family that I like. I have a God who tells me that "All things work together for the good of those that love Him, who are called according to His purpose."

It's not all bad. Here's a reminder of the beauty we got to enjoy on our vacation last week. See, that red leaf is no longer on the tree, but it still is something that a hiker can value. Even so, I still have value and God will lead me to a place where I can contribute. Yes, I am glad that I did not know about this layoff before the trip.

Sure, I am a little depressed. I thought it would be interesting to chart my progress from 2005, so I will end this post with the same paragraph I ended my very first post with.

Am I hurt? Of course. Am I crushed? No. I need to look to the Lord for guidance and support. I should rephrase that. I WILL look to the Lord. Luckily, Kathie is there to comfort and support me when I forget who is really in charge

Forgot My Photos

I was going to drop some vacation photos on you this morning, but I forgot to load them last night. See, I write this on my work computer and photos live on my home machine. So, I need to upload them the night before if I plan to share them. I didn't, so I can't.

A pleasant alternative is to be on vacation using only my home computer and then I can upload them whenever I want. Ah, vacation. What a sweet sound.

Washer 1. Family 0. No washer yet. We did get haircuts, though. So, it no longer looks as if I am wearing a toupee. You may have noticed that in photos from last week. Yeah, we did not have time before our trip to get them.

Lindsay posted and it is very sweet. Be sure to pop by and check it out.

Well, I made it through my first day back. Sure, I was busy, but am already caught up. I did get a couple of assignments yesterday, so I will work on those today.

We are having our first all-Christmas-music practice at Chorale tonight. That usually means the group size will increase as the seasonal singers return. We should have fun.

Preacher Bro showed me an internet joke about a missing cat and crazy missing posters a man creates for the distraught woman. Have you seen this? I laughed quite a bit.

OK, we've had our fun and we've shared a laugh. Now, grab a coffee and sit down to work.

What About My Sunday-Go-To-Meeting Clothes?

One year, we came home from a summer vacation to find that our A/C had gone out. That was not a pleasant homecoming. Luckily, the folks took us in until we could get it fixed. This year was not so traumatic. We had a week's worth of clothing from all three of us and...the washer is broken. So, I have begun the search for a replacement. Meantime, we may have to hit a laundromat. Why not the folks? It looks like 7-8 loads, and at 45 min per wash, and 30-40 min per dry, that's a full day. It might have been doable on a Saturday or Sunday, but not a weekday. At a laundromat, we can load them all at once and knock it out in a couple of hours. KDW bought his set from Craigslist. I don't know. Maybe.

No vacay photos today. However, since I am back at work. there is a CoV.

I don't know yet how far behind I am. Of course, Monday is my busiest day anyway, so today may not really tell me how many additional tasks are pending. I just checked my calendar and it shows the usual mess.

Before I let go of vacation-related ideas, though, I have a question. What signals the end of the vacation for you? Is it reaching the state border? Is it a sign that says 60 miles to your city? I think for us, at least coming back from Ouray, it is our final stop at the DQ in Holbrook for a Blizzard. We usually fill up there and, lucky us, there is a DQ right next door.

Are you tired of the political assaults? I'm surprised they can pause for a photo opportunity with all the mudslinging going on. However, the President did make time, but might have missed a detail or two.

My phones usually have the cord on the bottom. And who is hiding under the desk?

OK, Monday is here. We both have work to do. Why are you sitting around reading this? Let's make it happen.

Rainy Days and Fridays

We started off with a bit of rain. Here is our south-facing view towards town from first thing this morning. Uh oh. I hope that doesn't mean we won't go exploring today.

Nope. It didn't. We decided to head up to Yankee Boy Basin. On the road out, we pass by Atlas Mill. We have been watching this set of buildings crumble for some 20 years.

Here are the Upper Twin Falls, our destination for today. However, the falls are pretty low this year.

And here are the Lower Falls at the same location.

Yes, it was cold up there. Here is a shot of my beloved out in the sleet.

In spite of the cold and the sleet, there are some spots of color showing through.

And there is some wildlife showing through, too.

And not only were the falls in Yankee Boy low, so was Cascade Falls in Ouray. Look at the little trickle falling here.

Let's end the photos with a shot meant to evoke the lonely, cold feeling of winter. Did it work for you?

As of right now, some of the family played a golf game of cards. And they are currently playing solitaire.

And I will end the blog with a sad reminder. Vacations cannot last forever. See you next week.

An Old Abandoned Bridge Kinda Day

Kathie decided to enjoy her coffee in the cool outdoors before our day began.

Here is what she was watching.

Remember that I told you that Preacher Bro and Dad were looking for a old mining bridge in the mountains (while I was waiting to play a game)? Well, it turns out that they found it. We parked off the road and hiked down 350 ft (which is a challenge at 11,000 ft). Here is my first glimpse of it. You can see that Dad beat me down there.

I thought I would capture a less-common view at the bridge and went for this close-up.

After we finished hiking, we came back to town to see the Museum. It was very interesting (maybe I'll share some photos some day). Dad bought a book about mines in the area and Preacher Bro caught a shot of them looking at his new purchase.

We ended the day at True Grit Cafe in Ridgway. As you can imagine, there is quite a bit of John Wayne memorabilia there. He filmed True Grit in the area and involved a number of locals in the production.

We played Encore last night before bed, but our brains and imagination were ready to shut down.

It is raining this morning, so we are still deciding what to do. Some new snow appeared about 12,000 ft, so I'll capture some more shots for a future post.

Sneaking Up On You

Did I fool you by posting this on Wednesday night instead of Thursday morning? We are going to play a game, but Dad and Keith are looking up the location of a hanging bridge near where we were today. So, while they were waiting, I decided to create a new post.

Here is a photo from today of Pastor Bro standing in an abandoned building in Ironton Township.

When you are up near where old mines existed, the creeks often run red from the iron deposits and mine tailings. So, they tend to look like this.

Yes, Lynds, Kathie did the Lyndsay arm motions for this photo. See, we do think of you on vacay.

Now, here is an homage to K&L. (Did you read that as oh-maj or hah-mehj?). In almost every vacation, they gather the group and take a hat photo.

Nisey, we have not forgotten your lesson on stems. Here are some stems that seem to have eyes looking back at you.

More about today. We expected to spend only an hour or so at Colorado Boy mine, but instead, by finding that abandoned town of Ironton, we spent all morning. So, we went back to town for lunch at Goldbelt and then shopped for a while in town. Dinner was whatever we had at the cabin and no games as of now. Kathie has pulled out Encore and Mad Gab as options, but Pastor Bro and Dear Old Papa are still map reviewing.

I can't make you wait, so I will let you go. Have a great Thursday.

Potentially Hot Day

We just finished our morning walk and it is already 50°F outside. That must mean we are going to reach into the low 60s here in town. OK, I suppose "hot" is relative. Now, if we were going up above 14,000 ft, it would be a lot cooler but we are staying at lower altitudes today.

Before I tell you about today, though, let's take a look at a shot from yesterday. Out in front of our house, there is a bush whose blooms look like something from Dr. Seuss.

Does anyone have any idea what that plant is?

I will probably show you another photo from yesterday, but first, I will tell you that lunch was in Silverton, dinner was beef stew at the house, and then, game time. Last night, we played 4-mation (card game) and The Game of Things (guess what answer other players wrote). We did have to do a little censoring in choosing which questions we played on TGOT, though. Both games were a lot of fun.

Did I say we ate in Silverton? Then you can probably guess what photo I will show you next.

I chose the stylized look with a bit of sun glare on the lens to make it look more old-timey.

Here is a shot from Yankee Girl mine. This is the headframe for raising and lowering miners and gear.

Granddaughters, here is a photo for you. What does it say on the sign?

The plan for today is a hike to Colorado Boy mine and The Turntable. We are fairly certain we know exactly where to go, but as we found yesterday, it is easy to miss a turnoff on the backroads.

Final Day With R&D

Monday was our final day with R&D. So, we wanted to travel somewhere that would have maximal color and minimal hiking. Well, we didn't really discuss hiking, but we did want to find some fall colors. So, we went up to Owl Creek Pass, a familiar and favorite locale. And we did find some nice yellows and gold among the aspen. They were much more vivid when the sun was out. Here, take a look.

Denise had asked that I take some photos of the "stems." So, I caught a couple of white aspen trunks on the left of this shot. I think that is what she meant by "stems." My better half thought this shot looked like a painting.

We ended up eating a picnic lunch in a turnout on the trail because we took so long traveling because Preacher and I kept stopping every 10 ft for a "must have" picture. And where we stopped (Stealey Mountain Trailhead) was actually a nicer place for picnicking anyway.

Let's see. To keep up the "foodie" portion of the commentary, we had dinner at the cabin (K&K made chicken fajitas) and Sara Lee cheesecake with fresh blueberries and raspberries for dessert.

Then, to wrap up a practically perfect day, we played some games. We played Racko, Tetris, Golo (golf dice), and Five Crowns. All but Golo are card games (yes, even Tetris). I asked Dad which was his favorite, but he allowed as how it was the experience of a family gathering that was memorable more than the outcome of any specific game. Yeah, I've gotta agree.

As I write this, it is Tuesday morning and R&D had to fly back to Big D. Too bad. It has been a great few days. As for the rest of us, we are trying to plan today's travels. It sounds like we are heading towards Lake City either today or tomorrow, but we will certainly head east from here. Rain is forecast, but we won't let that stop us.

OK, you've been more than patient with my ramblings, so I'll let you get to whatever you need to do today.

No, I decided to share one more shot from Colorado 10 (the road to Owl Creek Pass). Here you go, Nisey. Check these stems.

Starting a Work Week Without Starting Work

OK, we made it through the weekend in cooler country with no untoward circumstances. No snow, though. And we are after the peak colors, but there are still pretty areas. In fact, here is a shot of Lizard Head Peak from the road south of Telluride.

We played Wits and Wagers last night. Sure, it is my game, but I did not win a single hand. I think we played five rounds.

Lunch was at Baked in Telluride. We always look at what places exist, then end up back there. We hit Buen Tiempo for dinner. Mmm, good. Now the food may or may not be better than Mexican food back home, but this is Mexican at 9000 ft, and on vacation, so it was really tasty.

Throughout the day, we got caught up in a discussion of words that people pronounce differently. Do you correct them if you hear that? Do you change your pronunciation to theirs? An example is homage; is that pronounced oh-maj or ah-mehj? There were other words in our discussion, but you get the idea.

Today, we are heading to Owl Creek Pass, always one of our favorites. I hope there are some colors out there.

OK, I need to get ready to go. Thanks for stopping by.

High-Flying Folks

Well, they are not actually flying yet, but they head out soon for CO. And we leave tomorrow. I checked the weather and the highest temp during the next week is 62°F. That sounds really nice.And rain is possible 3-4 days. We are cooler today, though, reaching only 96°F.

Did you ever wonder where my CoV inspiration comes from? Yeah, me, too. Yesterday, someone asked why I wrote about a NJ accent. I really have no idea. Today's CoV (#820, BTW)came from someone suggesting I do a CoV about coming up with CoVs.

Today is my last day of covering for Pat. She returns on Monday. So, I need to really complete all my documentation for an efficient handover. I think I am pretty much ready.

I had hoped to get my camera cleaned before heading out to Co, but that did not happen. No, there is no problem with anything right now, but I know I have been through some dusty locations in the past and the camera and lens have never been cleaned. So, I thought I would be proactive, but I never got around to it. It'll be fine.

What does all this mean to you? Well, my blog posts could be less frequent, will probably be posted at night, and could include a photo or two. I also means I will not have access to Microsoft Visio and there will be no Clarity of Vision.

So, I need to put on my work face and start knocking out my final tasks for the week. I will see you when I see you.

People Who Live in Glass Houses

shouldn't throw stones. That's true. So, even as I make fun of the Noo Joisey accent in today's CoV, I still say things like "... fixing to do that" or "Hey, y'all, ...." Oh well, I was tired of this glass house anyway.

Here is today's CoV, titled "Did You Say Missing Poison?"

We went and exercised last night, including cardio warm-up and then weights. I went to get K and she was in a 30-min circuit class. So, I stayed and did it, too. I don't feel any soreness yet, but I would not be surprised to wake up with some tomorrow. It seems to take a couple of days for me.

Three two-hour meetings today. I don't think I will attend them all, even though they are phone conferences and I could actually still do some work during them.

What else? I had some ideas of what I was going to tell you earlier, but my mind suddenly went blank. No, you may not say "And that is different how?"

Only two days left in my coverage of Pat's projects. She returns Monday and I leave on Saturday.

So, the vendor that brings donuts brought some in again today. Let's see. Nothing on Monday, but cookies on Tuesday, and donuts yesterday and today. This guy is terrible for our healthy eating habits. Maybe I should say trying to eat healthy habits. I am not so great on that. I will resist a donut today, though, since I imagine I will not worry much about eating healthy during vacation.

OK, let's move away from the Dunkin boxes and get our hearts pumping with exciting work! OK, maybe work is not always exciting, but we've got to do it, so I'll see you tomorrow.

He Took The Bait

It's time for the debate. You know what I am talking about. I think Romney either cements himself as a firm candidate tonight or effectively cedes the race to the incumbent. Wow, I sounded like a political commentator for a moment. Now, I do believe that, but no, I am not going to watch the whole thing. Plus, it's haircut night. And you already know that means my hair currently looks like a toupee. And it is usually Walker Survivor Gathering night, but the debate moves everything until later, so the Gathering is off.

What does that have to do with today's title? I was going to have it say "He Took Debate," but that would sound like one of the candidates attended a course with that name instead of a clever pun. So, know that, in my mind, I was substituting debate with the bait.

Let me help you prepare for the debate with a little political humor.

Man, it's a five meeting day (although they only last a total of 4-1/2 hours). Still, they are spaced just enough to keep me from completely finishing any one task in between. The good thing, though, is that I have a job. That's a blessing in these tight economic times. Wait, did I just get political again? Only four weeks until election and I am ready to get it behind me.

Lindsay, were you just teasing me when you said you would be posting photos soon?

I am liking these cooler nights. Are y'all getting them (and I would assume yes unless you are living south of the equator)? However, days are still above 100°F, so I am ready for that to end, too.

Are you watching Once Upon a Time? This second season looks interesting. Last Resort? It is being filmed on the old Lost set (according to my son). It looks good, too.

Wait. What did I just hear? Oh, it is the sounds of the workday starting up. That means that I should do my data extracts for one of my meetings. We'll talk again after the debates.

Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On

That's right. It seems two earthquakes hit the Dallas area Saturday night. Hey, family, did y'all feel anything? At a magnitude of 3.4, officials said it could be felt from Garland over to HEB. Wow.

Speaking of songs, did you hear about a teen idol having a problem on stage in PHX?

We hit the gym last night. With only 20 days left until my annual physical, I don't think anything I do will affect the numbers this year, but I am trying to stay fit for my future. Hey, I wonder if anyone has created an book or fitness program called "Fit For the Future?" I would do it if I had any idea about how to improve fitness or eat correctly or effective exercise. I could sell them the name, though. Never mind. I just Googled it and it is all over the place, from CA to UK to AU.

My Mondays are always quite hectic, and yesterday, it was even more so as I continue to cover for Pat. I did not even finish all the things I needed to before my day was over. So, this morning, I have to generate the minute for two meetings, follow up on a project that should have completed over the weekend, and prepare for a working session in the morning. I think you know what that means. Yeah, I don't really either, but I am sure it means I will be busy again today.

I will be away from the office and from my normal blogging and CoV-ing next week. It should mean I can share some photos from on the road, but I am making no promises. I also don't know if the place we are staying will even have internet access. I am here for the rest of this week, though, so no need to go all postal on me...yet.

Golden Arches

Well, I suppose the arches on my feet are not golden. More like golden age. No, more like fallen arches. If I walk around barefoot for too long, my feet start hurting. I need those arch supports all the time. When did I reach the "golden" age? What's going to fall apart next?

Unless I mention it in my blog, you people would not know anything about my private life. Celebrities are not so lucky. They have paparazzi stalking them 24x7. You've probably heard about "Topless Kate."

What were you expecting? Nothing salacious here. In fact, I don't even know what salacious means.

I've got to lead a conference call today about shutting down seven locations in VA. I am a bit nervous because I did not get a chance to participate in a call about this before Pat left. I know we'll get through it, but I don't know if I will ask the best questions to draw out the pertinent details. In fact, I don't even know what pertinent means.

We saw the GRANDS for a bit yesterday afternoon. And we kept the nursery at church yesterday morning, so we were able to hold Jack for a bit.

Did you watch Last Resort? It looks intriguing. What about Revolution? Also seems interesting.

Today's calendar entry:
Lawyer: What's your brother-in-law's first name?
Witness: I can't remember.
Lawyer: He's been your brother-in-law for years and you can't remember his first name?
Witness: No, I'm too excited. (Gets up from his chair and points to his brother-in-law.) Nathan, for God's sake, tell them your first name.

Well, I have to prepare for the conference call and Monday is our usual team leadership meeting which requires metrics, so I can't sit around chewing the fat all morning. In fact, I don't want to chew any fat at all. See you tomorrow.