Teaser

Pittsburgh and the Under in a teaser for me. For the gambling challenged that means I'll be giving 1 point to Arizona and the two teams must score less than 52 1/2 combined for me to win.

Other than that and some Texas Hold 'Em, I'm not terribly amped up for the Superbowl.

Ring, Ring

My ring-tone for my wife's calls is Baby's Got Back by Sir-Mix-Alot.

Stop. Before you incriminate me, she picked it and thinks its hilarious. And, while my baby certainly has some back, which I enjoy immensely, she doesn't have tons of pa-dunka-dunk in the trunk so as to be sloppy. So its all good.

Except, however, my phone does find it necessary to ring me during times when that song could be, oh, shall we say, a tad embarrassing? Like in the office. Or another's office.

Last summer, I came back to the bench during a co-ed softball game and was asked by one of the most incredibly fit women I've ever met (fitness competition chick, ex-college runner, etc.), "So Nouveau, you like big butts, huh?"

In addition, I had that ring-tone long before that national commercial where the guy meets the girl he used to date and wants to convince her he's matured now, just as the phone rings playing that song. I think its a cell phone provider commercial but I couldn't find a link for you all.

Wait! Based on that commercial, does that mean I'm immature? Of course I am. Because while searching for a link, I found this. Pretty funny.

Overheard

Colin Cowherd on the radio discussing strip clubs said: If I want to spend tons of money on women and not get any, I'd get remarried.

Struck me as funny.

Is It Over?

After my myriad of home heating issues, which I refuse to link to because it seemingly would take up page after page of my blog, I have had a oil tank heater installed this morning. Four hundred more dollars hopefully will put an end to my issues.

I can't explain how much I've hated standing at the bus-stop and getting "chimney smoke envy".

We shall see, but I will be one happy camper if it works since its supposed to be in the negative digits tomorrow night.

A New Year's Resolution

I was kind of miffed when I never heard back from my neighbor who fell off his roof. I heard from different neighbors that the family was grateful and all that, but to me that doesn't mean a hell of a lot.

I saw his wife out and about numerous times. His grandson also lives with them since he goes to college locally. Both have seen me around my yard or washing my car or walking the block. Never heard a thing.

Well, come New Years day the old timer knocked on my door. He wanted to thank me for my assistance and apologize for how he spoke to me that day. Apparently, he was in the hospital for 6 weeks and now was weening himself off pain medication. He broke his back and was reduced to using a walker. Also got a concussion and a leg injury. Of course, I told him I was glad he was getting around now and wished him a speedy recovery.

He smiled and shook my hand twice. Said he wanted to get the new year off to a good start.

Well he did. Its all good by me.

Winners?

Hands down, the all-time winning hit for my blog is a search for "whale-tail", followed by a close second to "tongue chewing" with quite a few image hits for "dork-o-meter" and a splattering of "man thongs".

Other than that, I stand firm at about 1 consistent reader.

Carry on.

All's Fair in War

It growls like a train in the night. Thundering through frequently and without bounds of time of day. Each passage marked by more and more amplification to the point of making the walls shake a bit.

It spews forth a soot that becomes denser and denser and covers the clean white snow. The fearful tiny dog patters across it. Staining his paws.

The train goes nowhere however. There are no platforms or tickets or kindly conductors. Its pure evil and must grin its tan/yellow jagged teeth and mock from its confinement. Normally this beast need not be seen nor heard.

This is no ordinary Beast though. I demands to be seen. To be heard. To be known. To be respected. And it takes that which is valuable. It demeans one into saying things they'd rather not say aloud. Especially in front of children. Lessening the man. Drawing him into its own corruption.

It wakes from its dormancy to growl once again and abruptly stop. Only to start again moments before spewing forth amid an alarm. What was that? What's happening? Smoke clouds the area before a hand stifles its advance with the lowering of a red switch marked "emergency".

The Beast. It hates me. And I hate it. Fight or fugue? What to do? I can't run. I can't hide. Immediately I seek counsel in a counter-offensive. The caveman in me immediately seeks to tame the beast. I will fight. I must fight. I am lessened but I am strong. The Beast underestimates the power of the cornered.

Yes, its cold in this world. It can only get colder. But a true warrior doesn't feel discomfort nor pain. He fights. For family. For himself. For honor.

I take charge of my men. Commanded from afar they arrive quickly and with a sense of purpose. Together we plot. We plan. And then we counter-attack the Beast with everything we have at our disposal.

There can be no failure. We must persevere. We will persevere. And we do persevere. But we can never kill the Beast. We can only contain her for a time. Until she rejuvenates or devises a new evil plan. Until her anger and hatred swell up in a great fury and attack once again.

Will I be ready to do battle once again? Can I continue along this front? I'm not sure. But I have to. A warrior isn't allowed choices. He merely has obligations which he fulfills without question and without hesitation. And he will meet them whenever challenged.

So its settled. Its done. For now. My furnace is once again fixed. $502 later. They say I still need a cleaning. Dammit!

Thoughts

I try to learn from my mistakes. But often it doesn't matter. It just ends up confusing me further.

The wife and I had a disagreement last night. It wasn't a fight. There was no yelling or argument really. It was a revelation. An "oh" about something I had done but was supposed to do differently. The problem was, without prior discussion, there could be no feasible way I could predict it and act differently.

Afterwards, there was basically silence for the rest of the night since it was near bedtime. Then we cuddled until dozing off.

Sure, I thought of things to say. About 50 different things. But then I remembered I don't always get my point across well, or I speak in haste and regret what I said. I don't fight "mean" (nor does she) but I don't always do a good job of making myself clear. Frequently, I don't feel 100% clear about my own point. How can I expect her to understand? And during these times, I so frequently don't understand her.

Then the next day I feel like shit. Even if I don't feel at fault I feel remorseful that it "happened" and that I could have done something to not let it happen. But I'm rarely sure what.

So I clammed up. As did she. And today I still feel like shit. To top it all off, she left this morning without a kiss goodbye although I think it was a coincidental oversight because it was hectic around the house this morning getting the Little One ready and both of us running late. We always kiss goodbye in the morning. And I'm sure it was just a coincidence. But its pause for thought. Is it subconscious? You know?

However, I was proud of myself last night for not saying anything. Letting it simmer. Letting me organize my thoughts.

But you know what? I still feel shitty today. And frankly, I'm not sure there's anything I could have done differently. This, too, will pass. But in the meantime its a bothersome feeling and it distracts me throughout the day. I am such a ponderer at times it drives me nuts. I hate that things can preoccupy my thoughts to such an extent.

I just want to make it better. Make it go away. But. I never seem to know how.

Sigh.

Get The &%$@#@ Out of the Way

This speaks to me. There's a bunch of other good Livfilms on Youtube too. Check it out.

Check this Out

Did you all see this from New Year's Eve? Sick shit!

2008

Well, that year's done. Gone. Kaput. A pretty good one though.

Holy cow does time fly. But then if I think of were I was at this point last year, it seems so long ago. One year ago I was in my last month of dealer school. Now I'm a seasoned part-time dealer. For the most part, I still like it. It really is the BEST part-time job I could think of.

At this point in my life I feel like I'm in a good place. Work has been much less stressful than it was years ago. I don't get the overtime I used to, but more staff and less work coming through the doors makes my day much easier to deal with and plan through.

Financially, we're in a much, much better place. Less debt, more income and better spending discipline creates tremendously less worry than the alternative. I hope in 2009 to continue the progress we've worked so hard for this past year.

I'm loving each and every moment I spend with my at-times difficult 6-year-old. While I do find myself shouting perhaps a bit more than I'd like, I have the ability to step back at times when she's being tough and laugh; out of her view, of course. Its part of the package and years from now I'll look back on some of it fondly. Plus, she has the uncanny ability to frustrate me to damn near the breaking point, then say something so incredibly endearing, or funny, or sweet, its nearly tear-jerking. Really, all we want for her is to be a happy child who morphs into a happy adult. I think we're on target at this point.

My relationship with wife is quite strong I feel. We had some problems a few years ago but worked through them and most recently have been moving in a much more positive and constructive manner. While we've been working on it, communication could be better, but I love her more and more over the years. She's truly a remarkable woman on so many levels and I look forward to growing older, grayer and fatter together.

Okay. Maybe not fatter. Hopefully this time next year, I can look back and know I accomplished my marathon and lost a few in the process (I fear my readers think I'm a big fat sloppy mess, but I'm really not. At this time I'm 193 at 6' but I know I can be better). I am now 8 weeks into my little program, which leaves 39 to go. That sounds like forever, but the 8 weeks have flown by. While I have not done every workout on the assigned day, I have made up each and every one so I'm in good shape and on-target thus far. Goddamn, that treadmill can be boring though.

Anyway, here's to a great 2009 for all. Cheers!