Open Mouth, Insert ...

Well, I was thinking of dental instrument, but you can end the title however you choose. I just got back from the dentist and am free for another six months. Semi-annual checkups are just no fun. And I don't know if the new ultrasonic cleaners are less or more painful than the old sharp picks. They did tell me I need to be more gentle when I brush. And be sure the brush is angled 45 degrees. And I did not even get a cookie or a free bottle of water. What is up with that?

So, I am running a bit late today. Here is the CoV for the day, which I thought of last night when the radio talked about the price of crude.

I am way behind on getting some stuff done today. How about you? Are you already up and at 'em? Show off.

We practiced a couple of new songs last night at Chorale practice. That was fun. We have a concert Sunday, so we still need to keep some of the usual repertoire in our song list. We do not yet know when the famous CDs will be available. Stay tuned for that.

No, I have not yet finished my 2010 tax returns yet. Get off my back. I promised I would finish them this week and I will.

Listen, I really can't hang with you any longer today. My routine should be more normal tomorrow. Check with me, though, before you decide to skip work and shoot the breeze all day, OK?

Walkers Walking

The last two nights, we have resumed our evening walk. Of course, Morris is happy. He loves the opportunity to mark his territory in new places. Mainly, we had to wait until Kathie's pinkie was sufficiently healed that she felt OK walking again. Now that she has begun therapy, we are starting off with shorter walks, but should soon reach a 1-mile per night walk. You can imagine she will be extra cautious when we reach the spot where she slipped in January.

Now that the CD Project has been recorded, I wonder what Bruce will have the Chorale practice. I know there is a concert Sunday, so we will almost certainly choose songs from the CD-related repertoire. Still, I am ready to work on some new stuff.

When we drove through TX a few weeks ago, we looked for a billboard that used to stand beside I-20. It had the faces of George W. and Laura Bush welcoming us to Odessa. We heard that it does still exist, but is no longer beside the freeway through town. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

Speaking of presidents, today's Clarity of Vision is once again based in his office. Yup, I am reusing sets in my cartoon. Is that the height of laziness or what?

I need to contact our A/C dude soon. It is time for the annual checkup. We are scheduled to reach 98F by Friday, so the heavy usage time is near. Of course, I have been running the A/C for quite a while already, but let's get is cleaned and checked. Better safe than sorry.

I am typing today's blog entry for a second time. For some reason, blogger.com locked up and I lost all my earlier typing. I wish I knew what I said. I clicked Save Now once it stopped responding, but I was apparently too late.

Let's get out of here before we lose everything again. Women and children first. Then, every man for himself. As for me, I am outta here now....

Our Part of the CD is Finished

Well, the recording sessions on Friday and Saturday went more smoothly than I expected. It took around 30 minutes for each song, so we were home around 9pm of Friday night and around 2:30-3pm on Saturday. I think he usually had three copies of each song recorded from which he can "stack" the voices and overlay when one section of one recording is better than the same section on another take. I do not know when the CD will be finished nor what its final price will be. I am glad it is over, though.


Having the recording session did mean that I missed out on the delicious Lyndsay meal. That's a drag. Kathie and Ali did bring home some cookies, though.

Have you been watching the March Madness college basketball games? There have been some amazing games and surprising upsets. Me? No, I haven't seen any of them. I read about them, though.

No, we were watching other stuff captured by our DVR. One of the shows I like led to today's Clarity of Vision.
Hey, look backwards in my blog. I added a special entry on Saturday to wish Happy Birthday to Keith and Carey.

Well, I reckon the week's work is not going to start itself, so I'd best get to it. Don't worry. We'll get back together tomorrow for more hilarity and breeze shooting.

Belated and On-Time Birthday Wishes

You know, family nicknames are not an invention by Keith's crazy family. Well, the current set of names is copyrighted by them, by we had some different ones back in the day. For example, Keith, who deserves a belated Happy Birthday, was Reeker. Why? Because we started off with Keither Reeker, and then started dropping the first part.

I remember that Dad was Paps McGruck. Why? Actually, I don't know. Rick and a friend, Kosman (or was it Cosman), started a language of their own. There was molas, which is when all the blood in your body turns to lead and runs to your bottom. We had schroushers (pronounce the 'ou' like in mouse) which were the wire cutters we used to open a group of newspapers. Seven became sesgun. Funny story with Dad using that word. Donuts became doan-blairs. A haircut became a hair-blair.

I do not remember any other people's names. So, I will just wish Carey an on-time Happy Birthday. I do remember associating Shot Roint with her, but that had nothing to do with Rick's language.

We finished our recording session a little early last night. Is it because we did so well, or are the recording engineer's standards lower than I expected. I hope it is the former reason.

Well, I've got to be there in 30 minutes. Hmm. Singing tenor so early in the morning is always a challenge. I guess I will warm up my voice as I warm up the car.

Speaking of warm, we could reach 94F by Friday. Gross.

CD Day is Here

Wahoo! It is Friday. I get to go home and relax all weekend and do nothing. Oh wait. I don't get to do nothing. We have 4 hours tonight and 8 hours tomorrow in which we have to go to a local high school and sing to record a CD. It will probably be fun...for about 2 hours. I am sure it will be a blessing and a ministry for those who hear the East Valley Chorale and want a recording, but I am not very excited right now. And to make it worse, KLIK invited us over for a homemade meal, and that girl can cook. So, Kathie and Ali are going over. It also means I miss out on my weekly brunch with my beloved.

Only one meeting today. That sounds nice, huh? I did add an unexpected meeting to my schedule yesterday with my boss. I needed him to show me how to accomplish a task in the resource tracking tool that I did not have permissions to do. So, that took up my entire afternoon. I requested the permissions, but am waiting on them.

I heard an advertisement on the radio that made me think of a new Clarity of Vision. However, the one below is not the one I thought of. I will probably write it next week. This one is about the important decisions (such as the March Madness brackets) that our President makes every day.

LPW, I am quite sure I have over 50 games. I find, though, that card games are the easiest for me to convince family to play (and usually the shorter duration ones). My most recent acquisition is Titanic: The Board Game. I have not played it yet, but it looks interesting. It seemed like a worthwhile $10 investment. We all love Bang! The Bullet, but it takes so long. I would say the current family favorite is Monopoly Deal.

I usually keep our house a little on the cool side, but even I need a jacket sometimes at my desk. Man, it seems really cool today, so I have draped my windbreaker over my shoulders. That is just wrong. It is, however, better than being hot.

We watched an episode of Bones last night where they rigged up a bunch of potatoes to power a cell phone. And yesterday afternoon in my boss' building, I saw a set of bicycle pedals mounted so the the owner could pedal while sitting at their desk. No, those things are not really related, just some random observations.

Kathie starts her physical therapy on her left hand today. Keep her in your prayers. I am quite sure it's going to be a little painful for a while. Of course, keep Rick and Denise in your prayers, too.

OK, people, we can't just sit around and visit all day, even though that would be fun. If that would be more fun than your daily work, it might be time to find different work. Ha ha. Get it? If sitting around talking and being bored is more fun than.... No, I am sure you got it. Let's get our Friday on so we can start the weekend. See you next week.

A Few Common Eateries

Mostly, we end up frequenting the same eating establishments rather than seeking variety. There are a number of reasons, one of which revolves around places that reward frequent eating. Paradise Bakery is one of those. Sure, we like the food, but while it is a little expensive, our frequent eaters card periodically grants us a free meal. Our Saturday brunch place, also, gives us a free entree after eating five entrees. They also discount off the most expensive one on the ticket, not the cheapest. And the owner at Schlotsky's usually gives us a good customer discount. Honey Bears used to, but personnel changes somehow eliminated that one. I mention this because we went to Paradise last night. I do like the cookie that comes with the sandwich. What makes you go to the same places week after week?

The top of my desk and the top of my armoire have something in common. The tend to be a little cluttered, although I do know what I have stored there and could most likely retrieve something if asked. It does, however, look fairly messy and could be off-putting to some people. And a couple of people have mentioned my "mess" in the last few days. But what if I need my piles of papers?

We are fast approaching the sing-a-thon to record the East Valley Chorale CD. I noticed that I was ready to go home and quit singing on Tuesday after the normal two hour practice. What will three 4-hour sessions be like? And the director feels that we will sing more professionally if we dress more professionally. So, no jeans, t-shirts, tennis shoes. And bring water bottles that will not make crinkly noises like the newer Arrowhead ones.

The seasonal norm is 79F right now, but we have had a few days in the upper 60s and low 70s. I have really enjoyed that. However, we are scheduled to return to normal by early next week. No, the 100s are coming too soon, so I like anytime we are below the average. However, the seasonal norm for my cube, which sits right where the A/C blows, can be pretty cool, so I have a light jacket that I keep at my desk. So far, today, it is comfortable in here.

By the way, Lewis, I liked that "you can't stay here" comment. That was pretty funny.

Well, I only have a single meeting today, so I will use my time to get some documentation ready that my boss promised that we could deliver this week. You'd best go do the things that your boss promised, too. If we can impress them enough, we should all still have jobs next week. OK, "let's be careful out there."

What Happened to Blockbusters?

No, I am not talking about the video rental store. I am wondering why movie studios don't all plan for big movie blockbusters during the summer. Sure, I know times are hard and those things cost big bucks, but they were always so fun. I have heard that Jaws was actually the first of that trend back in 1975.

One of the later blockbusters is mentioned in today's Clarity of Vision.You can find some of the actual questions on the citizenship test here.

The charity: water event yesterday was fun. 60 team members each carried the 40 lb. water jug 100 yards, for a total of 3 miles (this symbolizes the average distance that people in third-world countries travel to get water (and not necessarily fresh, clean water). I heard we donated a total of $10,000 to the charity.

No meetings until 11am today, so I hope to get some real work done. The boss gave me some new assignments that I need to start preparing for. They sound interesting, so I am excited about the opportunity they afford.

After two hours of normal choir practice on Tuesday nights, my voice is ready for a break. It is not like back in high school or college when we had choir practice every day. My voice is not used to singing for so long. Having said that, you can imagine that I am a little worried about the CD recording sessions this weekend. We are scheduled to record 12 songs in three 4-hour sessions on Friday night, Saturday morning, and Saturday afternoon. Whew!

OK, when I am sitting here thinking if there is anything else I want to write, it means it is time to shut 'er down. So, I will ask you, politely, to please leave and come back tomorrow. "Please leave and come back tomorrow."

Water, Water Everywhere and Not a Drop to Drink

It seems like we had to study The Rime of the Ancient Mariner in Senior English in high school (Mrs. Ogle, anyone?). Since our department is participating in a charity water event today, the title phrase came to mind, which then led me to remember Mrs. Ogle. I can also still remember some of the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales in Middle English. No, I am not sure it has ever helped me in life, but my brain still carries it around.

Does your employer tout the benefits of embracing change?

No, I am not going to wallow in high school memories. After all, how many of them would you want to bring to mind? It does bring to mind, though, the question of whether or not you would go back and relive parts of your life. By relive, I mean you would give up all memories of time and lessons since then and actually relive them. For me? No thanks. OK, now, what if you could know everything you know now and go back?

I was driving to work this morning and had just gotten on the freeway when I realized something was different. OK, there was some condensation on the windshield, but it was something else. Oh yeah. I did not have on my glasses. I had to drive back home and pick them up. What's next? Forget my shirt or pants like I do sometimes when packing for a trip?

I really gotta go. I am not 100% ready for the Tuesday 8:30am call. You guys, have a drink of water and let yourselves out.

Five Days in a Row

It looks as if I will be working all five days this week. That's just wrong. Of course, I do enjoy my job and my teammates, but I like time off, too. And I bet Disneyland would be much less crowded this week now that Spring Break is over. However, it would not be less expensive, so I'd best build back up my bank account first.

Rick and Denise were planning to return to work this week, so continue to pray for them as they continue their grieving.

I did not really want to, but could not find an excuse to skip yesterday's East Valley Chorale concert. As it turned out, I am glad I went and it was a pretty good concert. This coming weekend, though, will be a struggle. We are working to record a CD and have sessions scheduled Friday night, Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon. We will be singing (ha ha, at first, I typed sinning) for about 12 hours.

I have worn glasses since I was 10 years old. I did try contact lenses once, but I could not get used to the feel of them on my eyes and I have never tried them again. Anyway, I just got a new pair within the last month, and the lenses I chose made me think of today's cartoon.

Three meetings today. Three meetings on Tuesday. Only one on Wednesday. Not too bad, right? One of tomorrow's meetings is a charity relay where our team carries a 5-gallon water container (weighing 40 lbs) for 3 miles in support of developing countries where that is how they must retrieve their water. No, I will not be part of the carrying team as I am just getting over a back ache that lasted over one month. I did contribute towards the cause, though. You can read about it here.

OK, either my eyes are deceiving me or it is time to get to work. Let's make this a great week, OK. See you tomorrow.

If Yesterday Was My Monday, What is Today?

Wow. Only working two days this week certainly makes it pass quickly. It is already Friday. I could enjoy this. However, to get there, I am reminder of an old Steve Martin routine about being a millionaire and never paying taxes.

You.. can be a millionaire.. and never pay taxes! You can be a millionaire.. and never pay taxes! You say.. "Steve.. how can I be a millionaire.. and never pay taxes?" First.. get a million dollars. Now.. you say, "Steve.. what do I say to the tax man when he comes to my door and says, 'You.. have never paid taxes'?" Two simple words. Two simple words in the English language: "I forgot!" How many times do we let ourselves get into terrible situations because we don't say "I forgot"? Let's say you're on trial for armed robbery. You say to the judge, "I forgot armed robbery was illegal." Let's suppose he says back to you, "You have committed a foul crime. you have stolen hundreds and thousands of dollars from people at random, and you say, 'I forgot'?" Two simple words: Excuuuuuse me!!"

Wow. How did I get all the way to that when I was talking about my short week? Let's get back to today's post. We kept the GRANDS last night. We had DQ for dinner and dessert. Then we colored and watched Hairspray until bedtime. Why did we do this on a school night? Lyndsay is having some oral surgery this morning at 6:30am that involves anesthesia, so we kept the kids last night and Grammy will do so tonight while Lyndsay recovers. And, since it is Spring Break, Kathie can stay home today with the girls. Keep Lyndsay in your prayers.

And keep Rick and Denise in your prayers. They are still grieving over the loss of their son, Ben. They return to work next week, so I am sure they will need to be ready for everyone asking how they are doing, which will bring a different level of stress.

Let's change gears and check out today's Clarity of Vision cartoon. I thought of it during our drive to Dallas.
I have one more from our trip that will be coming soon. The topic is a hotel that caters to the business man. Where do you think I will go with that?

I am not all the way caught up with emails that came in while I was out of the office. Don't you hate that? I think I will handle a few in the next few minutes, then start with today's activities. Thanks for sitting down with me for a few minutes. I will be back Monday with more unimportant information and a cartoon. Yes, I will be here all next week. You've been a lovely audience and be sure to tip your waitresses.