This is going to be an incredibly busy week!

I have a full schedule and things are still coming in that need my attention. I'm doing better at telling folks no, and sticking with it, but some of these things are mine to do.

I will try to keep this site updated, but I wouldn't expect a lot of meaningful content for a while.

Sorry 'bout that.

The fun part of a long weekend: getting the small, annoying tasks done! One of which was starting on a new speech for Toastmasters.

The bad part of a long weekend: one of those tasks is cleaning the house. *sigh

That was most of what I did yesterday, clean. Clean, clean, and clean some more. But I did take a few breaks in there for other things, like getting some dog training done. Now that may sound like it was no fun, but then you've never had my dog. He was doing so good yesterday, I was truly impressed.

I've already had a busy morning today. I've taken Shadow on his usual walk at 6:30 (he let me sleep in, it is Sunday after all.) I've also gotten dinner started. I was in the grocery store yesterday evening, and decided to make some more spaghetti sauce. So I've started it in the slow cooker, since I won't be around to watch it on the stove. I'll be heading to church shortly, and then to the golf course immediately afterwards.

I still have numerous tasks to be done today, but they are all smaller items that shouldn't take too much time.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

I've just returned from Thanksgiving dinner with friends and had a great time. I had turkey, ham and all the trimmings. While I might pay for it later, it sure was good.

A short list of my reasons for thanks today:

Friends
Family
All of our men and women in uniform, whether it be a military uniform, law enforcement, or fire fighters. You make it possible by your service for me to enjoy this day.

God bless you all!

Yesterday was a very busy day at work. A number of customers didn't pay attention to the calendar and are going to be hard pressed to get their product in time this week. Most of the trucking companies are not running on Friday after Thanksgiving. A number of opportunities for new business called in yesterday. The industry as a whole is going through a tumultuous time. 2005 (and I believe 2006) will be long remembered in the industry, if not by the paintball players themselves.

We received some much needed rain yesterday, and the heaviest came last night. But since it rained all day, we got a good soaking. It has been weeks since we have had any meaningful rain.

A Dreary Sunday

I have had a very dreary Sunday. The weather has been very much typical of fall.

I have, however, managed to not only get my newsletter off, but I also finished the article for the Foothills Golden Retriever Rescue. The article may come back to me with some editing to do, but I got it off before my deadline of 21st.

I have those accomplishments to the good, and a loss by my Panthers to the bad. The team looked flat against Chicago, and deserved to lose. Hopefully they will take the lesson to heart and come out firing on all cylinders next week against Buffalo, before returning home to face Atlanta, who also lost.

The Microwave Generation

The weekend is here and it is going to be a busy one.

I have a meeting of the York Rite College at noon today, and I have to run the Inscriber system at church tomorrow, and that will last until noon. So it will feel like I really haven't had a weekend at all.

The more I read on the net, and see on tv, the more I'm convinced that we have become the microwave generation.

By that, I mean we want it NOW! We are not satisfied with waiting for lunch, it has to be now. We aren't happy with the speed of the internet, it must be faster. We want instant gratification is all phases of our life. This translates across everything that touches our lives, no matter how trivial, or how monumental.

Take Iraq for instance. In just a short span of time (in the eyes of history) we have achieved domination over a foe. We have removed the previous government and have squashed the armed forces of the country. Regardless of how you feel about our foray into Iraq, we are there. Now we have to fix what we've broken. But what are we already hearing? It's time to pull the troops out and go home. That is the wrong answer. Removing the troops before the government of Iraq has achieved stability is a recipe for revolution and civil war.

That doesn't take a PhD to understand and see coming. Yet people who should know better are still clamoring for the removal of the troops. Why? What motivates them? I feel that part of the answer is found in the microwave. We've become more and more used to having it our way, right now. Not a minute from now. Not an hour from now. Heaven forbid it be a year from now. No, it must be right now.

After reading this take a look around you. How many things do you use everyday that satisfies that need for instant gratification? Cell phones, e-mail, overnight delivery all are tools of the microwave generation. Try spending a week without those. Instead of calling someone on their
cell phone, visit with them. Before typing out an email, write them a letter. I'll be willing to bet you can't do it.

Today was a day eaten up by a 3 hour sales meeting first thing in the morning. That was preceded by having to clean up after the dog (vomit) at 4 am. *sigh. Great way to start the day and go into a sales meeting.

The Nanny State strikes again!

I was pointed to this article by Dr. Jerry Pournelle.

California once again leads the way in nannyism. They have enacted a law that on the surface, appears benevolent. Yet underneath that thin veneer lies corruption and abuse. The care of our elderly (with their numbers growing) is not one to be abdicated to the State. This is a matter that was (once) handled by the family and in their absence, neighbors and the local churches. Why do we think that the state can do a better job? This is the same bureaucratic nightmare that birthed the child welfare system and how well does that work?

The farther that we stray from communities the worse off we become. When we turn local matters over to the state, and state matters over to the Feds, we are on a slippery slope.

It's Official!

I'm impressed! The Greenville Track Club has already gotten the times posted from yesterday's race.

The official time is now 44:55. Now if that was a road race I wouldn't be as happy with that. But as my first trail race, I'm not too unhappy.

Woo Hoo! Go me!

Ok, I had a great Saturday morning! I let myself be talked into running the Paris Mountain trail run today (short loop) and finished strong. My unofficial time was 45:06 on a 3.96 mile cross country run. The time was good enough to take 4th in my age group. I guess it does pay to outlive other folks, huh?

I'll be interested in seeing what the official time. I feel good about my run, regardless of anything else. After running on Thursday night, and having a terrible run, I was pretty depressed about it. I needed to have a good run to pick my spirits up about running.

Thank you Veterans

The above title links to a copy of the poem "In Flanders Fields".

There is a whole generation who do not know the poem, nor the significance of the poppy. I did speak to a friend and colleague in Canada today. They are wearing their poppies, and at 11:00 a.m. ceased work and observed a moment of silence.

I would not be surprised to find just a few of the employees with whom I work even knew it was Veteran's day, let alone know what the poppy signified. Now to be honest, I didn't wear one today, and haven't in quite some time. And in case you didn't know, I am a veteran, and am proud to have served.

Ok, it's been cold. We've had frost. That's enough winter. Let's go back to summer, please.
I do not do cold very well. Not even a little bit. Cold is defined here at the Bar Tab Ranch as anything below 50.

Last night after work I went for a quick run. It's been a week since my last run and I could tell. I really need to be running more. But with the time change and the days getting shorter (not to mention colder) it is getting tough to find the time to run.

I have made it back safe and sound from my quick trip to Texas.

I had to fly down to a client in Ft Worth for a one hour meeting. Four hours plus of flight time total, and a day wasted for a one hour meeting that could have been accomplished via teleconference or a web conference. I understand that there are times for a face to face meeting but I am not sure this one qualifies.

I also somehow managed to get myself talked into doing the 4 mile trail run on Paris mountain on Saturday. I think I should update my last will and testament prior to the weekend.

A great weekend!

I had a good day yesterday, and finished off the weekend in style. I went and played golf today after church, and then went running this afternoon. While I did run two miles my time stunk. But I'm not going to be too down. I got out and had fun.

Shadow also had a good time today. We have gone on two walks and played with the Frisbee and with the ball.

Now I just have to get ready for the week ahead with travel and lots to do.

The day started early - especially for a weekend.

I was out of the door before 7:15 a.m. and on the road. I went to a different lodge this morning for a degree.

I came home for lunch around 1:30 and am currently doing laundry. *sigh. I hate doing that.

Awards Night at the Lodge

At last night's lodge meeting we had the annual awards night. Last night we gave out the 25 year pins, and 40 year life memberships.

We also had one 60 year member present. To give some perspective, you had to be 21 years old to join before that was changed two years ago. Walden Lodge was less than 40 years old when he joined. During his time in masonry, men landed on the moon. The LASER was invented (by a Greenville native no less). One king died, and one King had a dream. The television became the center piece of the family living room, replacing the radio. The front porch became smaller and neighborhoods less neighborly. McDonald's replaced the corner diner and the birth of the Burger King. Wars have happened, both hot and Cold. Tragedies and triumphs.

If I make it to 60 years old, that would be a triumph. 60 years as a mason? Nothing shy of a miracle.

I will write in my blog everyday. I will write in my blog every day. I will....

Ok, I've been pretty lazy about updating this lately. I'll go write 100 times on the chalkboard "I'll update my blog everyday." Do they even still have chalk boards in schools anymore, and do the teachers make the students write on them? Or would that hurt their self-esteem?

It was very chilly out this morning when I went to walk Shadow. I under dressed and regretted it! But we made it back to the house and played fetch in the pre-dawn light. Shadow was happy and it was really beautiful.

There is a blood drive at the lodge today, and I'd love to be able to go. However, we are short handed and I'll have to donate later.

I have been very lax about running this week. I have had appointments or meetings every night this week. My first real opportunity to run won't come until tomorrow, and I hate that. I need to get back out there and run, but there just hasn't been the time in the day to get it done. Maybe I really needed to break up the routine and start fresh? We'll see I suppose. I do miss the run though.