Let's try this ONE MORE time

Well, with the realization that our current home will not sell in a timely fashion, we have put it up on the rental market with a property manager and moved on with the hunt for a home in Greenbrier. Our search took us through a dozen or so homes, some of which were "close"; others of which wouldn't even qualify as livable. We did come across one that we found to be very suitable, and quite an attractive house. It is in a very low traffic area where development will not overrun the area anytime soon. I have a couple of pictures of the house, but they're the realtor's pictures, so don't blame me if they look like CRAP!

This is a picture from the front. I don't know why they chose to fuzz the edges, but the photo is still pretty much effective. The house sits on a pretty good sized lot (about an acre), so we don't have the subdivision squeeze syndrome going on. My next closest neighbors are a good 100 yards away, and you can't even see their house through all the trees.






This is a picture of the back of the house. Notice the oversized dormer at the top. The view out that window is absolutely incredible. The house is on top of a hill, and from that window, you can see all the way across town and out into the mountains to the north of town. This room is the office/guest room/TV room. There will be a 42" LCD flat screen TV on the wall closest to the chimney with assorted furniture (and my computer) in the room. There's also a full bathroom upstairs, which makes it even nicer.

And just for my own indulgence and because I am excited about our purchase, I'm even going to put the real estate description in here! Check this out:

4 total bedroom(s)		Central air conditioning
3 total bath(s)		Interior features: Dishwasher, Fireplace(s), Range and oven, Tile flrs, Wood flrs
Approximately 1 acre(s)		Exterior features: Deck, Fenced, Public water supply, Septic sewer system, Storage/out-building(s), Trees
Approximately 2000 sq. ft.		2 car garage

So, with that said, I'll keep my fingers crossed that this house gets leased and we get the HELL out of here! Until next time...

Back on the road again!

I just got home from picking the Protege up at the body shop. She now has a new front end and fresh paint after a little run-in with a 16 year old teenage girl a couple of weeks ago. It was just enough to crinkle the hood and a fender, while it also shattered the headlight and cracked the bumper (damn plastic shit). But, after a week with my buddies at A&J Collision Repair, it's back and better than new. We sat down and did the math, and this is the 17th car that Allen and Jody have put paint on for members of my family. Most of them were my brother and my dad getting their cars and trucks repainted, but 3 of them were mine, and one was the Escort-property of the ex many years ago. But enough about that.

The kids are with their mom for the month of June, and Leslie and I are house hunting once again. Given the time frame, the budget, and the increasing interest rate, we have decided to purchase a home that's already built and save the dream house for our final resting place, either Indiana or Wyoming--fate will tell. We have our eye on a couple of places, both of which have a large lot, 4 bedrooms, a fireplace and a POOL! I've never had a pool, but I hear they're a lot of work. Oh, well...something to do to keep the ungodly hot summers at bay.

So with that said, I'll get back to my life. Keep checking back, as I will hopefully be updating more often. Until next time...

Moving Day 2006, part II

Have I told you how much I absolutely HATE moving? Is there anyone who actually enjoys it? Memorial Day weekend 2006 is also Moving Day weekend 2006; however, this is part II. What?

You see, for those who have been following along, part I came back in early January when I moved from Little Rock to Greenbrier in order to comply with the 'temporary' child custody order. The apartment has been home for 5 months, but now that school is out, it's time to move BACK to Little Rock...only to move (part III) again later this summer--back to Greenbrier! What?

It's a long, convoluted story that, if you haven't been keeping up thus far, would take far too long to tell in this forum. Needless to say, I must really love these kids to put myself and my shit through three moves in one year. Fortunately, that is the case! And what's even better is, their academic performance has really risen to the occasion. The 4th nine weeks, the grades were finally above 'C' level. I know it seems like a small accomplishment, but when you're given six months to undo six years worth of miseducation, this is a phenomenal improvement. Next year, stability will be increased with the fourth member of our family present--finally--and I expect nothing but great things.

I would say more, but it's late and we all have to get up early to try to beat this ungodly Arkansas heat. The high tomorrow is predicted to be 95º, and I couldn't be less enthusiastic. So, have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend. Maybe I'll get done in time to grill a Johnsonville Brat! Until next time...

Time to move on....

So it's official...I begin employment with a new firm starting May 22. After being with "that other company" for just over a year and being tossed out like last week's garbage, I have obtained employment with a company called Interface Health Information Systems, doing something similar to what I did previously, but with a few exceptions. The pay is MUCH more, the stress is MUCH less, and the potential is MUCH higher. Did I also mention that I have a window office on the 32nd floor of the tallest building in Little Rock?

Don't get me wrong--I still miss my job at Clear Channel every day of my life; however, I can't live my life wishing for something that is no longer there. This place will give me the ability to thrive in an atmosphere surrounded by racks of servers and offices filled with crisp medical uniforms. Oh, and did I forget to mention the pay? It's a 33% raise over "that other company", and it's actually a salary! I no longer have to fight and claw to make my pay. I simply show up and do the best work I can do in an air-conditioned office with a panoramic view of most of Pulaski county. I also receive the respect that is due while offering up the same to the people I work with. The best part is, I can continue working with my own now-incorporated company, Crash Course Computing, Inc.

With every door that closes, another one opens up. I'm just glad that this one closed. Me? Bitter? No...not at all. I'll miss the free Diet Dr. Pepper and Mike and Ike's, but I think for the amount of money that I'll be making, I can probably buy my own! I'll post a follow-up once I have settled in, which I'm sure you'll ALL be awaiting in trembling anticipation!

Until next time....

Noteworthy notes and such

So it's time for another posting, and there has actually been newsworthy events in my life--whodathunkit?
My daughter is now in softball, and I have to admit, I had fear after seeing what happened last year! Last year, the team was all but horrible. She was no exception. However, this year seems to be 180º different. She has some pretty good bat speed, and her catching is massively improved. I've been working with her to try to improve on it, but it was really great to see the difference in maturity and commitment. Once we got past the coach's inability to schedule anything more than 2 hours out, everything else seems to be churning along. The team as a whole still smells pretty bad, but at least they're not the worst team in the league anymore!
As for the boy, a diagnosis was made last week that should have been made two or three years ago--but wasn't. In the time when I was unable to initiate anything, I saw classic signs of ADD and dyslexia. When questioned about seeking help, my ex simply said, "He's not hyper enough." What?! What the hell is that? His mind is all over the place, and his handwriting resembles something written with his feet...in the dark...while stoned...standing on his head--a classic symptom of one type of dyslexia. Oddly enough, I am afflicted with severe dyslexia, making him a prime candidate. Once again, I was powerless to seek treatment. But, now that the ball is in my court, the diagnosis has been made--moderate-to-high-level ADD with possible dyslexia. His testing for dyslexia (and any other disabilities) will be next week. Hopefully we can get those problems treated, as well. It's just a shame that he had to suffer through three years of the obvious torment and frustration of these afflictions without anyone who was able to lift a finger doing anything.
Now that there is a diagnosis and treatment in place (72mg of Concerta daily), he has already shown marked improvement in his ability to complete tasks. Where he would previously leave things undone and forgotten about, he now completes the task, and has begun to work with multitasking. I just cringe every time I think about the frustration and absolute helplessness he must have felt all that time when there was a problem but no remedy. Hopefully now that will no longer be a problem--Super Dad to the rescue! (OK, so I feel good about it...so what?!)
I still see things with my ex moving in a divergent way. I saw a glimmer of hope several days ago, but it was just as quickly dashed away by inaction and complete denial. So now I just do what I have to do to get the job done, and when it comes time for the nut cutting, I'll be well-prepared for the occasion.
Again, I absolutely HATE the direction that the relationship I once had with her went. The title of "ex" doesn't necessitate anger and hatred. At least in my case it doesn't. I would like nothing more than to have the kind of relationship we once had, where we could hang out and laugh and talk about stuff and just be adults without all of the "ex" crap getting in the way. That's how it SHOULD be. That's how my wife and I would both like it to be. It's just a shame that it can't be.
Speaking of my lovely bride, she is currently in an ambulatory state at home, recovering from a thrashing she took at work on Wednesday last week. Apparently, an incompetent chickenshit colleague dumped off some "trouble" students into her class, one of which could be considered "at risk". Oh, and did I mention she was pregnant, too? So this girl decides to take it to the floor with another girl in the class, and in the heat of the moment, Leslie jumps in to try to break it up. For her efforts, she gets an elbow to the eye, then gets tossed around like a rag doll. The resulting back injury will keep her laid up for a few days in a drug-induced euphoria. Lovely bunch of homo sapiens, aren't they?
Now, keep in mind, I live 50 miles away, so I'm not at her disposal to assist with things like getting up to let the dog out, eating, and the inevitable bathroom visits. She ends up crawling from one place to the next, and when letting the dog out, she just has to hope that the dog will come back when she calls. I know it's short-term, but when I can't help when it's needed, it makes me feel somewhat like a buffet at a funeral home--useful, but in the wrong place.
So there you go. You're now up-to-date on the saga that is my life. I'll keep you posted on the goings-on as they come...but damn, I wish they wouldn't come so frequently! Until next time....