How I almost got picked up for child abduction.

Well not really, but that is how my thought process went. This morning on the way to work, I saw a kid walking to school in the freezing rain. He was soaking wet, looked like he was going to catch his death, and had a good distance yet to go. I thought about pulling over and seeing if he would like a ride the rest of the way to work. Than I thought better of it.

I wasn't sure that a stranger in a SUV, trying to talk a kid into getting into his vehicle would go over that well. I might have been a savior to the kid, but the risk wasn't worth it. When it came down to it, the facts of the case would be that I tried to lure a kid into my car. Regardless of how I defended my actions in this day and age, I would come off as the creepy guy. "He seemed like such a nice guy", they would say. "We had no idea he abducted children."

It wouldn't help that I am a Cubmaster of my son's cub scout pack. It would only add fuel to the fire.

So sorry soaking wet kid. Blame all of the crazies for having to walk in the rain.

Stealth Boat

Anybody want a Stealth Boat?

If I lived on the coast, I would totally try and aquire this boat. How awesome would it be to have a stealth boat. I could sail the seas, fighting pirates, with my stealth boat. I could turn the larger barge into my Batcave on the high seas.

Anybody in?

San Antonio

It's very possible that people in San Antonio think that Jeff and I are lovers. Maybe because of this.

Maybe because we went to the hotel bar, ordered a Grasshopper and a Screwdriver, then asked the bartender if it was okay that we took our drinks back to our room.

Overall the trip was great. Since I could type forever, here is a brief recap.

Weather was warm, which is good since it is the reason we left. The food was great, even though it made me sick Saturday night. I had BBQ, Tex-Mex, and Seafood. The seafood meal was delicious, though I believe I am allergic to lobster. The two times I have eaten lobster, I have become violently ill that night. A couple years ago in Philly, and Saturday night. Piano Bars are fun. We went to one Friday night, and they put on an amazing show. Anyone that can play Ice Ice Baby on the piano is okay with me. I really like missions, or any really old building. Anything that has stood for hundreds of years impresses me. I also like pictures of trees. Curvy, gnarly trees are awesome. The Riverwalk is a very cool place, I give San Antonio credit for taking a natural asset, and making it a driving force behind their local economy.

Anyway, lots of fun, and I recommend it to anyone.

Happy Valentines Day from Katrina (the cat)

Industry Cats are so hard to work with. I guess it is the thought that counts though.


Thanks to the people at American Greetings for creating this wonderful cat.

Happy Valentines Day!!

I sometimes wish that I was all, I hate valentines day, stupid corporate holiday. I don't though, because I get to eat Chinese food.

Since the Misses and I are going to San Antonio Thursday, we said we wouldn't get each other anything for Valentines Day. I know all of you are currently yelling at your computers, calling me an idiot, and that it was a trap. My wife is awesome, so it isn't'.

Though to somewhat lessen the blow, if she does get me something. This blog is dedicated to her.

I won't go on an on about how great she is. Just a simple.

I Love You!

Trainings, WOOO!

Today was day two of three of leadership training at work. It has been an amazing two days. First off, our company has a house in the woods where we do this types of training. We use what would be the living room for group sessions, and do breakout sessions in the "bedrooms". It is great to get out of a work environment and meet with a group of peers. It is especially great in the warmer months when you can get outside for breakout sessions.

My company is sending anyone in a leadership role, through a Servant Based Leadership training. We had someone come in that teaches "Servant Leadership", and then we have been using a Franklin Covey Leadership program.

Part of the program involves feedback from your manager, your direct reports, and peers. It is all confidential, you just see how the groups rate you based on the questions asked. It is a great way to see how others perceive you, and what you can do to improve.

I have also gained some great tools to help goal set, and focus my department. My team has grown big in both size and responsibility and I think taking time to refocus my team is needed. This training has come at the perfect time to give me the tools needed to accomplish this.

I am looking forward to tomorrow, and then getting back and putting things to use. I can't say this is how all trainings that I attend go, I am glad to see that this one has been highly effective.

Karma kicks me in the face

So remember that post where I bragged about my corner office. Well, it is no more. Another department asked if they could switch spots in the new building with mine. Since I had no reason, other than I wanted to have an awesome spot (for my team as well, since they would get window seats), I gave it up to them. I still get an office, and still have a job, which is more than some can say in this economy, so I am not to bummed. I was looking forward to the view though.

Ah well.

Kevin Smith goes to Hollywood

I watched Zack and Miri Make a Porno tonight, and it is a very solid movie. I also know I will enjoy it more, the more I watch it. I will throw some non spoilerish thoughts out though.

1. I want to apologize to Kevin Smith for not going to see this movie in the theatre. Out of the movies he has written, this should have had big commercial success, I contributed to it not being a commercial success. Mainly because I felt dirty seeing a movie by myself with Porno in the title. Crappy excuse, but it's all I've got.

2. The excitement on my end to see this movie, is only matched by a tweens excitement for the newest Jonas brothers movie (I planned to go with an Engelbert Humperdink reference here, but thought it would be lost on most).

3. The excitement on my end has limited me from declaring this a masterpiece, or at least an excellent movie. Up until now, at the end of a Kevin Smith movie, I have felt satisfied with what I watched (I have not seen Jersey Girl yet), and proclaimed the movie awesome. Clerks 2 was genius, and a great way to close the View Askewniverse. The end of this movie, left me wanting one last piece to be tied up, and for now it left me wanting more.

4. I will give it credit for taking the Romantic Comedy genre, and putting a crazy spin on it. Seeing what he did with this genre, made me excited to see what he does with his movies, now that he has closed the Askewniverse. I think he has shown Hollywood he can create a mainstream movie, and put his own spin on it. I am certain this is the first in many great movies to come.

At the end of the day, I say go see this movie. I think it will appeal to both Kevin Smith and non-Kevin Smith fans alike.

Dentist

This is hilarious. Thanks to the misses for pointing it out.

Happy Birthday!!

So it is both my friend Andy and Alanna's birthday today, so I am showing them some Blog love.

I've known Alanna since 7th grade, when she came to Wittenberg Middle School. Though High School is where we really became good friends. I remember many nights during the summer laying on her trampoline with friends, and talking the night away. I am not sure if the statute of limitations has run out, so I will be vague, but a few nights involved dark clothes, late nights, and lawn ornaments. Although I think it all started with a shopping cart. Anyway, Alanna is a great person and a better friend. Happy Birthday Alanna.

I've known Andy for quite some time, he has been one of my best friends. Out of all of my friends he has probably been present at a majority of my Perkins Coffee fueled rants. In High School Perkins was often a late night meal spot, and I had a penchant for drinking coffee with about 15 packets of sugar. Often on the ride home, I would end up ranting on about something while Andy had to take it all in. He often tried to kill me with his snowmobile, as he pulled me behind it on a tube. He helped me get my first job, as a maintenance technician at Wilderness Crossing. From what I remember he was present the first time I got drunk.

Some of my favorite times in High School were Cross Country meets. There was a great group of seniors, and not only were we a fairly successful team, but we had a lot of fun as well. One of those was when he instigated the toilet papering of our CC coaches house. Which was the only time I went toilet papering.

Overall Andy and I have been through a lot, I am happy that he has put up with me all these years, and allowed me to call him a friend.

Happy Birthday Andy!

Winter Parking

Why can't people park in actual parking spots during the winter. Two days in a row now while trying to find a spot before work, I have been nice, and let another car park first. Both times, there was clearly enough space for two cars. Both times the car I let go first, parked so they took up both spots.

As I drove around the parking lot after being slighted, I noticed that the parking lot had the potential for at least 5 more spots, had people not parked like crazy people.

I've also noticed this phenomenon in store parking lots, when you drive down the row, and have to weave in and out of cars. I'm not sure why winter makes people incompetent parkers, but it does.

One more reason to BOO winter.

A bit of bragging

I am sure now that I type it out, things will change in the next 5 months, but as it stands today, I will be getting a 4th floor (which means top floor) corner office when we move into our new building in June/July.

I am not one to brag much, especially out in the open, in an economic time when lot's of people would be happy to have a desk to work at let alone an office. So to all of those people. I am sorry.

It is not going to be a huge office either. Enough for my desk, and a small table for a couple of people to sit around. It is also in the south east corner, so I will probably have a glare on my computer monitors.

The cool part though is that there are not any other offices around mine. Most of the offices are in groups of two to four. Mine is all alone in the corner.

Anyway that's enough bragging for me. Let's just hope things don't change.

Where everybody knows your name....

One of my favorite things is when a random event sparks a memory. Recently while watching a commercial for the final season of Cheers on DVD, I remembered a video I made for my 6th (maybe seventh) grade reading class.

The assignment was that the class had to split into groups and make a TV show. My group did an episode of Cheers. Thinking about it, I find it odd that a middle school allowed us to do a TV show where basically all of the action takes place in a bar. Those sure were different times.

The basic plot of our show was that Norm "dies" I can't remember if he chokes on a peanut, or has a heart attack, but essentially he dies. He then goes to heaven and hell, before being awaken by having a glass of beer thrown on him. I believe the then has a line about wasting a good beer.

Thinking about it we did a lot of cool things in that class. I remember creating a restaurant theme, layout, and menu, and then bringing in an item from the menu for the class to try.

Good times.