Going Private

I've been re-reading my post from the last year or so. They provide a quick glimpse into what I was doing, but lack any emotion, and fail to capture the scope of my thoughts on many levels. The reason for this I feel is that I was posting for an audience (a small one). I hold things back to avoid confusion, anger, whatever. I was trying to please everyone, and the result is that I don't really have anything to go back and see what kind of person I really was/am. So, I'm going to make sure I capture everything I have hear and save it off to disk, then I'm going to get rid of this site and just do a private journal on my laptop. I don't think a public forum is the right place for the type of writing I want to do. Farewell and you can always keep in touch via email.

Cheers!
Tim












...Oh, and I'm moving back to Michigan this summer...

Tired of the fake postings

I'm changing the ability to post to members only. I'll add the people who post regularly as members to my site when I get home tonight.

Cheers
Tim

No pics from Halloween

My camera was completely out of power. My friends Lori and Andres took some of the kids though, so I should have copies soon. In the mean time, here's some recent pics of Aidan...




Aidan doing warmups

A picture of me just after getting my t-shirt on

Aidan on the slide at the fall festival

A good pic of his smile...

Another of Aidan on the slide...

Soccer and Halloween

Finished off the soccer season tonight with a pizza party. We passed out trophies and had cake. The kids got me an engraved key chain that is very cool. I also got a team picture signed by all of the kids. Aidan loved that he got a trophy. I placed it on one of the book shelves in the living room and let him know it was "the place of honor".

We got our Halloween costumes tonight. Aidan is going as a Power Ranger. He didn't want to be any of the home made costumes I suggested. I'm going as Arthur Dent from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Basically it means I'll be wearing my bathrobe and carrying a towel around. Aidan is doing a sleepover at the gymnastics place on Friday, and I'm going out with some friends. Should be a good time.

We're doing take two of the jack-o-lantern tomorrow night

Geek Hobbies

Starting two geek hobbies. First one is coin collecting with my son. We're starting small by getting all the currently available state coins. I'll probably get him a collecting kit for christmas.

Second hobby is going to be matting and framing. I'm going to order some equipment so I can do this at home. I think I've just finally reached an age where I need something to do in my spare time that doesn't involve being naked.

Saw some disturbing news piece last night that highlighted twin 12 year old girls who are home schooled and brainwashed. These girls travel around singing songs about how Hitler was a great man, and how they wish black people didn't exist...congrats to the mom for raising America's most fucked up kids. It was obvious from watching that the answers they provided were not their own opinion, just a repeat of what they've been told by those who have influence over them. At some point though I fear what they repeat may reach a level where it can't be undone, and become their actual way of thinking...

Open Office

For those of you who haven't tried it, or need free software that performs all of the functions of Microsoft Office, I suggest downloading a copy of Open Office

You can import and export all your documents easily, and it's an open source program so it's free. I've been using it for a while and I really like it.

French Onion Soup

I made this last week. It was awesome. Even Aidan liked it. The cheese is a little pricey, but worth it...

6 tablespoons butter
8 medium size onions, sliced thinly
4 thyme sprigs, leaves stripped
1/2 cup sherry
4 cups brown chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
French bread croutons
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese


In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, add butter and melt over medium heat. Add the onions and lower the heat to medium low. Add the thyme leaves and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions start to turn golden brown, about 25 minutes. Add the sherry and cook until the sherry is almost completely evaporated and the onions are brown, about 15 minutes.
Add the stocks and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and simmer for 30 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Ladle the soup into 8 oven-proof soup bowls. Place the soup bowls on a sheet pan. Place the croutons on top of the soup, to cover. Top each bowl with 1/2 cup grated cheese. Place in the oven and cook until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly, about 10 minutes.


Good stuff...got the recipe off of Emeril except he used chicken and veal stock instead of broth...Aidan and I are going to start finding one new recipe a week that we make together. As I've given up McD's forever (really bad experience involving raw meat and what I think was mold), home cooked will work out fine. I just wish I had a good set of knives. Mine are a cheapo set called Chicago cutlery...don't ever buy that brand...the knives suck.

Birthday came and went...more of a big waste of time. Didn't do anything. Last year was really great. I had a Thai dinner with Jeff and Karen and then went to the movies, and then that weekend I flew out to see Amber and we went on a Blues music riverboat cruise.

That's all for now kids...

Cheers
Tim

Cancer N Stuff...

I'm working on the committee for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life for Panama City Beach. I'm the Retention Chairperson. I'm also working on getting some new teams signed up this year so that we break our goal. I'm working with some good people, and I hope it turns out to be a rewarding experience.

It will be my birthday in a few days. I may get myself the new Fiona Apple and Depeche Mode albums, but other than that not really doing anything. Aidan has soccer game that morning, then we're going to a birthday party for my friend's son.

I'm going to start running again at lunch time, just so I have a reason to leave the office...

It was nice to see Bush and some military members deployed to Iraq get caught on tape scripting their "unrehearsed and unbiased" interview. He's such a dick. And the military people who get on there and agree to just say whatever they're told to say should hang their fucking heads in shame...no integrity any more...

Need some new books to read, so send me some suggestions...

Small chance I may end up asking for the Team Lead position at Ramstein... just a thought at this point, but I'll keep you posted.

My week without meat ended at lunchtime yesterday at Hardees... Going without meat makes you feel hungry all the time...I can't live like that.

No meat for a week

I'm trying to go the whole week without eating meat...more for morbid curiosity than any real health issue...I've stocked up on fruits, cheese and bread. I have normal food for Aidan, but he we could both stand to improve our diets.

One more week of class, then I'm done until Jan. Actually I'll be doing some DANTES test each month because some of my technical credits don't transfer over to my school. They suggested I just do the simple humanities and health type test just to cover credits I need to graduate. I'm not really too worried about it.

I'm finally turning in my application to CSC in the morning, and I should make the switch on the 10th. The raise equates to about an extra grand a month after taxes... This time next year I should only have my car payment left as a major bill.. I'm also glad I'll be able to put more away for Aidan.

Aidan has gotten A's on all of his spelling test this year. Still waiting to see if they move him to 2nd grade for his reading classes. He just needs to work on his handwriting, but after looking at my own, I know where he gets it...

Bought a new futon, now I just need to re-arrange the office so everything will fit when it arrives...

"BushClintonKatrinafund"...why the hell couldn't they leave their names off? This is why we can't have nice things...

Allergies have been killing me lately, but I think the heaviest of it is finally over...we're expecting rain for the next couple of days, so that should help....

Finally have some movies to take Aidan to. We're going to Corpse Bride, and then the new Wallace and Grommit, and then Chicken Little...and this Christmas his mom and I will take him to see The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe...

That's about all for now...I was really worn out for the last month or so because of work and school, but that seems to be ending now...I actually have energy right now and feel pretty good.

Football season et al...

I've been working weekends and long hours lately, so I haven't had time to post. Aidan and I are doing good. His teacher is looking into sending him to the 2nd grade class for his reading since he's ahead of the others in his class. He also has gotten all A's on his spelling test. He's getting better at soccer too.

It's football season again, but it doesn't feel like it yet. Too hot here. I need some fall weather soon. My allergies were really bad over the weekend, but seem ok now.

I finally get to get out and do some adult things Friday. Going to TGIF's for drinks with some of the other soccer coaches, while the kids are at fun night at the local gymnastics center. We've got a DD set up so everything should be cool.

That's about it for now...
Tim

I can't wait to see this!

I may be moving my blog...

http://www.myspace.com/subfloor05

Thinking about moving over to myspace, but not sure yet...I have to go back and save off everything I have here first...

First, Last and Others...

Got this off a friend's site...

FIRSTS
First Job: Delivered Newspapers (The Journal Courier and the New Haven Register)
First Screen Name: Kidchaos (back in 95)
First Kiss: Sherry Eldridge in kindergarten/1st grade time frame
First Purchased CD: Eric Clapton-Journeyman
First Funeral: Grandpa Reider's
First Piercing: I had 3 in my ears done at the same time when I first joined the AF
First True Love - N/A
First Big Trip- CT to TX after 7th grade
First Concert: I honestly can't remember any more...
First Musician/Musical Act you remember hearing in your house - Buddy Holly



LASTS
Last Long Car Ride - TX to Panama City Beach
Last Kiss: Amber
Last book purchased: For myself (Eldest), For my son (The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe)
Last Movie seen: The Quick and the Dead on DVD
Last beverage drank: Arizona Ice Tea
Last food consumed: Mashed potatoes
Last phone call: My ex called to talk to Aidan
Last CD played: Powderfinger in the car today
Last annoyance: All the sensationalism over of huricane Katrina
Last soda drank: Coke
Last ice cream flavor & when did you have it: Phish Food - about 2 months ago
Last website visited: myspace.com

What do your friends like about you? - humour I guess - they never say
What do your friends like least about you?- humour I guess - they never say
What do you like most about your best friends? that they're their when I need them
What do you like least about your best friends? everyone lives so damn far away

Videos

I added a link for music video's at the bottom...I'll post some of my favorites from time to time...The one you're listening to right now is American Jesus by Bad Religion.

Reading...

Aidan is still working on Cricket in Times Square. I'm reading 'Eragon', in preparation for 'Eldest', which I just ordered off of Amazon, along with most of the "Great Brain" series for Aidan. I loved those books, and others like 'Alvin's Swap Shop'(which I also ordered) when I was a kid. I'm hoping to pass that on to Aidan.

Aidan wants to join Cub Scouts. They're having a meeting tomorrow night. I'm still not sure if I want him doing it. I liked Boy Scouts as a kid. I just think that they put too much emphasis on religion, and exclusion of homosexuals. Kids don't need to learn hate at that age, and they don't need religion being forced by an outside organization...we'll see. Maybe this pack won't stress it as much.

From Moby

The following is off of Moby's blog. His view on this are pretty close to my own...

============
ok,
so now we all see that pat robertson is a belligerent lunatic.
so we can move on, right?
the right wing in america are nuts, but that unfortunately comes as no surprise.
they believe that the world was created in 6 days and that teletubbies are evil and that bare breasts on tv are more offensive than dead iraqi's and that kids reading 'harry potter' will end up as witches and that good christians support war and guns and assasinations and that pregnancies resulting from rapes should be rejoiced over.
so let's move on, ok?
the christian right wing in america are INSANE and, fyi, very dangerous, because currently they are running the country.
(as an aside: please, please, please, can we please re-instate the mason-dixon line? please? any sane and progressive southerners will be more than welcome to move north. we'll give you a donkey and 40 acres and it'll all work out swimmingly. and, in the process, we in the north can stop pouring our tax dollars into the 'christian' south, where the abortion and crime rates are considerably higher than they are in the 'godless' north. just fyi).
ok, we've moved on.
but, alas, there are tens of millions of people in america who still think that saddam hussein was behind 9-11 and that iraq had wmd's and that gw bush is not a liar and that the war in iraq is/was justified etc, etc.
so what do we do with the tens of millions of americans who are just fucking ignorant and ill-informed?
do we have to start administering voting tests?
question a: gw bush did knowingly lie about the cost of his medicare reform package to the tune of a few hundred billion dollars.
(hint: true).
question b: the bush administration did knowingly lie about and distort intelligence reports to justify the invasion of iraq.
(hint: true).
question c: the highest crime and abortion and illiteracy and infant-mortality rates occur in 'red' states that traditionally vote for republicans.
(um, hint: true).
question d: the bush administration has contained the highest number of convicted felons of any administration in the history of the united states.
(tautologically, hint: true).

well, and so on.
sorry if this is a nasty, political journal entry. but i'm sick and fucking tired of being associated with dim-witted americans who get all of their information from right wing news outlets and have no idea what's actually going on in the rest of the world, let alone their own country.
i still don't understand how the party of joe mccarthy, rush limbaugh, newt gingrich, trent lott, bob barr, james watt, etc, can maintain it's stranglehold on the u.s.

exasperatedly yours,
moby

Rained Out

Aidan's game on Saturday got cancelled half way through because of lightning in the area. Actually they kept playing in the rain, so I guess rained out was a bad choice for title.

He's doing good in school. Got an A+ on his first spelling test, and has been doing great on his math and reading.

I finished a database and application development course only to head right into a data mining and intelligent agents course...I'm almost done though....

The French are after Lance Armstrong again...they just won't give up. Unless Germans are knocking on the door that is...

I'm switching companies in October (same job, just getting hired on by the main contractor). The move comes with a nice raise, so I'm happy.

I need to get copies of all the Family Guy episodes. I accidentally errased the best one. It had Cookie Monster in rehab...great stuff.

more later
Tim

Soccer Pics

Aidan had his first game on Saturday. Luckily they don't actually keep score. His team is brand new, and played a team that has been playing together for more than a year. Everyone had fun though, so that's the good part. Some of the pics here are also from his first day of school. The one of him asleep was on the drive over to practice after his first day of school.

Aidan Logic

You don't go to the pool to cool off. You go to warm off, because the warm is on you and you want to get it off.