Well, so here we are. It's a zillion degrees outside, the rain has stopped falling, the ground is beginning to harden, and the air conditioner runs non-stop all day long. I hate summer in Arkansas! My mom was bragging about how it was 50ยบ there the other night. FIFTY! And here we're stuck with hot, humid nights and hotter, nasty humid days. Damn summers.
The kids will soon settle in with Leslie and I. The girl has been busy with this function and that function, but she's finally settling down, and she'll be moving in for at least the summer in a couple of days. As for the boy...what can I say? He has been somewhat of a disappointment from afar, but when I get him here, 1-on-1, it's amazing how grown up he really is. I had a conversation with him the other night that I never in a million years imagined having with him. Not only did it open doors for both of us, it helped develop a bond that we've been missing for a very long time. I guess divorce and distance will do that...but that doesn't mean I have to like it. My kids are my life, and I will do anything to see to it that they are happy. So far, I'm accomplishing that goal. We'll see how things pan out after summer is over.
Ahh, current events. Where shall I begin? How is it that some mutant freak like Michael Jackson can get off on ALL counts? Can money really buy that kind of verdict? Fame? Jealousy? What was it? He CERTAINLY isn't INNOCENT! The real criminals there are the parents. What kind of asinine judgement did they use to allow their pre-teen children to spend the night with a questionable creep like Jackson? Was it just a chance for them to say "My kid is Michael Jackson's personal ass bitch"? Good God...had it been MY kids, they would never find the pieces. He would disappear without a trace, and nobody would miss him. But I digress...
The situation in Aruba is sad. Here a girl with very little street smarts goes running off with someone she thought was a 'buddy', and has likely paid with her life. And what's worse is, the suspects are one by one being cleared. I guess if we ever wanted to commit a murder, we know where to go.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I see it. I welcome your questions and comments...or your silence. Read all you want...I'll type more! So, until next time...
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Sunday, June 05, 2005
Summer has arrived
It has now gotten into June, and with June comes the typical Arkansas summer things--drought, hot, humidity, heat, sunburn, ungodly heat, swimming pools, heatstroke, etc. Have I mentioned how much I hate an Arkansas summer? I long for the days when there is snow on the ground in April, and then again by October! Cody, Wyoming would be such a place, and that is where I will end up sometime around the year 2012. I will fulfill my duties to my children, but then it's off to the wild, wild west. No more are the dry counties, the ignorant drivers, the moronic bible thumpers and the unrelenting hot summers. Wyoming has "hot" summers, but they're brief, and interrupted by bouts of rain and cooler weather. I can live with that.
Many people have inquired about how things are with the kids. Well, they're out of school. That's about all I can say. My daughter is in Washington, DC, on some kind of educational trip with kids from the surrounding area. She comes back next week, only to ship off once again to band camp for a week. After that, she'll be nestled in with us here in Little Rock for the duration of the summer--until we get moved. As for the boy...well, what can I say? He'll have his ass in summer school to gain the education he failed to achieve over the past 9 months. Apparently he has a mental block against Algebra II, so he gets to see it again over the summer. But not to fear...he'll be crashing here with us over the summer, too. There is a trip to Indiana, several hundred trips to Wild River Country, and a couple trips to Branson (Silver Dollar City) that will be somehow managed in amongst the already chaotic life we live. It's going to be a very interesting and fast-paced summer for all of us. I still have to try to get started on building the house, closing on the land, and selling this place! ACK!
OK, enough of that. It's hot outside, and I have to get the lawn mower serviced before I cut the grass this evening. After that, it's a 2-hour stroll through the Hillcrest/Heights neighborhoods with my lovely bride. She has begun to shed pounds like it's going out of style, and it's time I fell in place with her. I will have 40 pounds off by August come hell or high water, as my 20th class reunion will take place the last week of August. I can't show up with my steroid-induced bloat showing, so I have begun a wellness/fitness plan that includes lots of methylcellulose and water, multivitamins, and plenty of Subway sammiches and US Pizza salads. Combine that with an every-other-day 2 hour walk through the neighborhood, and the pounds should start coming off pretty quickly. Combine depression, a deep-seated love of chocolate and a bout with steroids, and you have yours truly resembling a pincushion. I'm not near the point I was at the last time I went on a fitness plan (about 3 years ago), but I don't want to get to that point, either! My goal, you ask? 230 pounds. My current weight? I would say 265, but that varies depending on how much water I drink. Gads, I drink a gallon a day...I'm expecting gills to sprout any day.
That's it for now. I noticed that I'm falling behind in the updates, but I guess that's what comes with the job and the lifestyle I have chosen. I suppose it could be much worse...but I'm always one to try to see the glass as half-full. So, stay in the air conditioning, have a cold beer, and have a great summer! Until next time...
Many people have inquired about how things are with the kids. Well, they're out of school. That's about all I can say. My daughter is in Washington, DC, on some kind of educational trip with kids from the surrounding area. She comes back next week, only to ship off once again to band camp for a week. After that, she'll be nestled in with us here in Little Rock for the duration of the summer--until we get moved. As for the boy...well, what can I say? He'll have his ass in summer school to gain the education he failed to achieve over the past 9 months. Apparently he has a mental block against Algebra II, so he gets to see it again over the summer. But not to fear...he'll be crashing here with us over the summer, too. There is a trip to Indiana, several hundred trips to Wild River Country, and a couple trips to Branson (Silver Dollar City) that will be somehow managed in amongst the already chaotic life we live. It's going to be a very interesting and fast-paced summer for all of us. I still have to try to get started on building the house, closing on the land, and selling this place! ACK!
OK, enough of that. It's hot outside, and I have to get the lawn mower serviced before I cut the grass this evening. After that, it's a 2-hour stroll through the Hillcrest/Heights neighborhoods with my lovely bride. She has begun to shed pounds like it's going out of style, and it's time I fell in place with her. I will have 40 pounds off by August come hell or high water, as my 20th class reunion will take place the last week of August. I can't show up with my steroid-induced bloat showing, so I have begun a wellness/fitness plan that includes lots of methylcellulose and water, multivitamins, and plenty of Subway sammiches and US Pizza salads. Combine that with an every-other-day 2 hour walk through the neighborhood, and the pounds should start coming off pretty quickly. Combine depression, a deep-seated love of chocolate and a bout with steroids, and you have yours truly resembling a pincushion. I'm not near the point I was at the last time I went on a fitness plan (about 3 years ago), but I don't want to get to that point, either! My goal, you ask? 230 pounds. My current weight? I would say 265, but that varies depending on how much water I drink. Gads, I drink a gallon a day...I'm expecting gills to sprout any day.
That's it for now. I noticed that I'm falling behind in the updates, but I guess that's what comes with the job and the lifestyle I have chosen. I suppose it could be much worse...but I'm always one to try to see the glass as half-full. So, stay in the air conditioning, have a cold beer, and have a great summer! Until next time...
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
New addition to the new house
After an afternoon rendezvous with our friendly neighborhood salesman last weekend, we have sealed the deal on a Thermospas hot tub for the deck outside the master bedroom! This thing ROCKS! Could it be that our life is going to work out as it is SUPPOSED to? Hot damn...I love it when a plan comes together!
And you're all invited to help break in the tub once construction is complete. Tentative completion date is around Thanksgiving, and by then the weather should be PERFECT for a test run. Cool, crisp evenings make a great hot tub setting. Add a few cold beers, a glass or two of wine, and everyone smiles. Bring your suit--it's a date!
And you're all invited to help break in the tub once construction is complete. Tentative completion date is around Thanksgiving, and by then the weather should be PERFECT for a test run. Cool, crisp evenings make a great hot tub setting. Add a few cold beers, a glass or two of wine, and everyone smiles. Bring your suit--it's a date!
Friday, April 22, 2005
Latest updates
It's been a long time since the last update, so I guess I'll sit down and jot down a few thoughts while I'm waiting for a meeting to start here at work.
First off, it's now been nearly two months since Leslie and I got married, and I must say it's been quite a pleasant time. After all of the stress and drama from before, it is nice to finally begin to reap the benefits of a relationship. There are always the bumps in the road, but I don't believe anyone can go without those. Especially when you're talking about people as bone-headed as we both are! Geez...
Then there's the house. What can I say but--wow. The house we are planning is nothing short of unbelievable. We've finally closed on the land that we're going to build on, and construction begins as soon as we've got it all ironed out. There is a PDF file of the house plans here. We have made a few minor changes to the plans, but to think that I could ever live in a house that size was, up until recently, unimaginable! With my new job going very well and Leslie's career well underway, it's just nice to be able to even consider such a beautiful place. If I were to pull out my mean streak, I would print out these plans and mail them to each and every ex-girlfriend I've ever had and say, "See what you could have had?" But, I digress. I will stick to the knowledge that we are happy and it will soon be our own little heaven on earth.
A few words about current events, then I'll wrap this up...
Michael Jackson - you are a freak, and you deserve to be raped by every Bubba that the prison system can send your way. When they're done, you need to just disappear from sight, never to be seen (or heard from) again. Blame whatever you want, but the rest of the world didn't turn out to be some pedophilic psychopath with a milk jug head. Take your casper milque toast ass away and don't come back.
The Pope - May Pope Benedict XVI's predecessor rest in peace. He was a good man, although his failing health for the past several years was nothing short of sad. Now that the search is over, it's time to move on. The world stops for nobody, and that includes the likes of a man as good as John Paul II.
Prince Charles - what were you thinking? You would prefer that wrinkled old bag to someone like Princess Diana? What?! Are you as stupid as you look? It makes me damn proud that our forefathers broke free of that country many years ago. Imagine if we were under the rule of someone like that! Gads.
American Idol - I'm still rooting for Scott, but I know his time is about up. Bo Bice is my choice, but I don't see a 30-something rocker being picked as American Idol. Chances are, it will go to Vonzell or Constantine. He is likely the most OVERrated contestant left, but his charm and sultry character could be enough to get him through. Carrie is super hot, but she doesn't have the inbred talent to persevere. I guess we'll see!
That's about it for now. Maybe my next update will be a little more timely. Or, maybe not. Who knows. Who cares. Until next time...
First off, it's now been nearly two months since Leslie and I got married, and I must say it's been quite a pleasant time. After all of the stress and drama from before, it is nice to finally begin to reap the benefits of a relationship. There are always the bumps in the road, but I don't believe anyone can go without those. Especially when you're talking about people as bone-headed as we both are! Geez...
Then there's the house. What can I say but--wow. The house we are planning is nothing short of unbelievable. We've finally closed on the land that we're going to build on, and construction begins as soon as we've got it all ironed out. There is a PDF file of the house plans here. We have made a few minor changes to the plans, but to think that I could ever live in a house that size was, up until recently, unimaginable! With my new job going very well and Leslie's career well underway, it's just nice to be able to even consider such a beautiful place. If I were to pull out my mean streak, I would print out these plans and mail them to each and every ex-girlfriend I've ever had and say, "See what you could have had?" But, I digress. I will stick to the knowledge that we are happy and it will soon be our own little heaven on earth.
A few words about current events, then I'll wrap this up...
Michael Jackson - you are a freak, and you deserve to be raped by every Bubba that the prison system can send your way. When they're done, you need to just disappear from sight, never to be seen (or heard from) again. Blame whatever you want, but the rest of the world didn't turn out to be some pedophilic psychopath with a milk jug head. Take your casper milque toast ass away and don't come back.
The Pope - May Pope Benedict XVI's predecessor rest in peace. He was a good man, although his failing health for the past several years was nothing short of sad. Now that the search is over, it's time to move on. The world stops for nobody, and that includes the likes of a man as good as John Paul II.
Prince Charles - what were you thinking? You would prefer that wrinkled old bag to someone like Princess Diana? What?! Are you as stupid as you look? It makes me damn proud that our forefathers broke free of that country many years ago. Imagine if we were under the rule of someone like that! Gads.
American Idol - I'm still rooting for Scott, but I know his time is about up. Bo Bice is my choice, but I don't see a 30-something rocker being picked as American Idol. Chances are, it will go to Vonzell or Constantine. He is likely the most OVERrated contestant left, but his charm and sultry character could be enough to get him through. Carrie is super hot, but she doesn't have the inbred talent to persevere. I guess we'll see!
That's about it for now. Maybe my next update will be a little more timely. Or, maybe not. Who knows. Who cares. Until next time...
Friday, March 18, 2005
Spring arrives
Well, Sunday is the first day of spring--12 hours of daylight, 12 hours of dark. The flowers are blooming, the trees are beginning to fill out, and allergies will soon run rampant! UGH! Oh, well...it's an annual requirement if you're going to live here.
It's now been nearly 3 weeks since the nuptials, and I've honestly been so busy at work that we haven't even had time to stop and enjoy it. I love my work--don't get me wrong! It's just that I've always been the kind to work too much, and for someone known to spend too much time in front of a monitor, it gets to be overload pretty easily. My wife, however, is very understanding of my work habits, and after giving her the better hours of the evenings and weekends, she affords me the time to get on my computer to work, play, or whatever. Then again, she has the wireless laptop for her Ebaying and emailing, so she's happy with that, too.
My ex has decided that she will relinquish custody of the kids this summer after school is out without a court hearing. It's the first time in a very long time that I've had a kind thought of her, even if it turns out to be short-lived. She has openly admitted to our children that she doesn't like my wife--but then again, she's never liked any of my female companions! I guess that's life. My wife is going to be around for a very long time!
While I'm speaking of my spouse, I have to remark about her unbelievable consideration for the kids. She has gone over and above what ANY stepmother should be expected to do. She cares for those kids as if they were her own, and she has stood right beside me through this entire child custody case, offering encouragement and opinion. If you ever meet this woman, you should shake her hand and tell her what a fine example she sets for the rest of the stepmothers out there. They don't get the monicker "stepMONSTER" for nothing, ya know! She is also the driving force behind construction of our new house on the lot we've purchased in Greenbrier. It is an unbelievable home with 2 floors and a basement/garage--2400 square feet of house--with 1200 square feet of garage?! Good god! I could clear me off a spot and throw a fit! w00t! I'll have more information on that as the deals close.
So that's my life as I see it. Nothing much changes. We just trek onward and upward. I close by saying "thank you" to whomever is in charge 'up there' to give me a woman who can actually stand being around me!
Until next time...
It's now been nearly 3 weeks since the nuptials, and I've honestly been so busy at work that we haven't even had time to stop and enjoy it. I love my work--don't get me wrong! It's just that I've always been the kind to work too much, and for someone known to spend too much time in front of a monitor, it gets to be overload pretty easily. My wife, however, is very understanding of my work habits, and after giving her the better hours of the evenings and weekends, she affords me the time to get on my computer to work, play, or whatever. Then again, she has the wireless laptop for her Ebaying and emailing, so she's happy with that, too.
My ex has decided that she will relinquish custody of the kids this summer after school is out without a court hearing. It's the first time in a very long time that I've had a kind thought of her, even if it turns out to be short-lived. She has openly admitted to our children that she doesn't like my wife--but then again, she's never liked any of my female companions! I guess that's life. My wife is going to be around for a very long time!
While I'm speaking of my spouse, I have to remark about her unbelievable consideration for the kids. She has gone over and above what ANY stepmother should be expected to do. She cares for those kids as if they were her own, and she has stood right beside me through this entire child custody case, offering encouragement and opinion. If you ever meet this woman, you should shake her hand and tell her what a fine example she sets for the rest of the stepmothers out there. They don't get the monicker "stepMONSTER" for nothing, ya know! She is also the driving force behind construction of our new house on the lot we've purchased in Greenbrier. It is an unbelievable home with 2 floors and a basement/garage--2400 square feet of house--with 1200 square feet of garage?! Good god! I could clear me off a spot and throw a fit! w00t! I'll have more information on that as the deals close.
So that's my life as I see it. Nothing much changes. We just trek onward and upward. I close by saying "thank you" to whomever is in charge 'up there' to give me a woman who can actually stand being around me!
Until next time...
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