I have had a few people tell me the past few days that they have been reading my blog. That’s awesome (not the biggest reason I write, but having nobody read would suck too). However, in a couple of these instances I had no idea they were reading.

See…there are spies among us. Sneaky ones too. 

So, how about we play a little “Marco Polo”? I know not everyone like to leave a comment (I don’t understand it myself since I can’t seem to help myself…but I know it’s true). So instead of eliciting comments for their own sake (I tried and failed at that once already)…how about just leaving a “Polo” comment with your name so I can see who all is reading?

No pressure…but it wouldn’t kill you either.

And I’ll start the game with a loud…

 ”Marco!”

Now, your turn. Leave your “Polo” response in the comments…thanks…

I voted early yesterday. No lines. Long ballot. I’m done (but I still have to listen to all the stupid commercials…oh well, can’t have everything I guess).

As I have been thinking about voting this week I started thinking about what my own presidential platform might include. Here are a few of my most important “issues” (some serious, some not so much…you figure out which is which):

1. My first act would be to outlaw all pennies!
2. I would repeal the income tax and switch to a consumption tax (see Fair Tax.org).
3. I would outlaw all political ads during election season (like they do anything besides make people angry anyway).
4. I would re-institute prayer in schools (at least the option).
5. I would make the Broncos the official “America’s Team” (who gave Dallas that title anyway?).
6. I would Drill Baby Drill!
7. I would make Chuck Norris my Secretary of Defense (and State, and NSA, CIA, and FBI).
8. I would give every person in America hunting season off (for that matter, let’s do a 3 day work week!).
9. I would outlaw usage of the term “organic” with very few exceptions.
10. I would move Craig Ferguson to time slot I could actually watch.
11. I would give North Dakota to the Palestinians (like we’re really using it anyway…and it’s bigger than the West Bank with more resources).
12. I would cut government spending and programs by at least 1/2 and I’d probably let my kids decide what we should do without (yes, even they could figure this one out!).
13. I would bomb France and give it to the Shiites (mostly because France annoys me).

I think that’s a good start. Anything I missed??

PS: Don’t forget to vote…especially if you want to complain about it later! You can even write my name in if you want.

Tonight was one of those impromptu family nights that I absolutely love. They seem to come around more often in the fall when the weather turns a little colder and everyone just wants to huddle up together.

Our theme tonight was waffles and Knight Rider. For dinner I made “from scratch” waffles (they were AWESOME). After dinner we all sat down to watch the new version of Knight Rider. I remember watching this 80’s version with my family. No, it’s not quite the same but the boys love the car and the action—and we are all together.

Family memories are built on stuff like waffles and Knight Rider. Even if the kids don’t remember it…I know I will. Just enjoying each other’s company makes it worth while. And did I mention the waffles were good?

So…what are some of your favorite family memories?

Starting yesterday (Thursday) at about 4:30 pm I became a bachelor (with 3 kids) until Sunday afternoon. Maybe it’s more accurate to say that I became  quasi-single dad (since the kids are having sleep-overs and staying with their grandma at different intervals)? Anita is spending the time with a few of her girlfriends in Breckenridge…time away from the rat race.

What am I going to do with the time? PARTY!!!

I wish! First on the agenda is to get some sleep since I’m up again tonight (all night) at work.

Next…shuffle the kids around to their various appointments.

Then…spend some time with the kids all together. Might even make it to a movie and some fast food (you know…’cause they like that stuff).

I am actually looking forward to spending time with the kids and getting some rest. It’s an unusual weekend, but that’s good to have every once in awhile.

BTW, my first hunt of the year is coming up…more to come on that topic…

Tonight is one of those nights I hate…I cannot get my brain to shut down and it’s keeping me awake. I am thinking about too many things all at once: Work, School, Fantasy Football, the Upcoming Hunt. You name it, it’s running through my brain.

I usually read something mindless before going to sleep to help down-shift my brain, but it didn’t work tonight. So I’m trying something different: blogging a little and drinking some milk. Will it work? Who knows. I may hit the bed again and go out fast. Or I may start thinking about how much sleep I’m not getting (the last and official stage of insomnia).

Either way, I will be tired at work tomorrow and won’t have accomplished anything tonight aside from thinking about stuff I can’t do anything about right now. Sigh…at least you’re getting some sleep…right?

Good Night…I hope!

I had a code install that started late last night. It started last night at about 11pm (that’s when I went back into work) and I was expecting/hoping that it would be over sometime around 6 or 7am this morning.

::INSERT ANOYING BUZZING SOUND HERE::

I actually left work at about 1:30 pm this afternoon…after being up for about 44 hours straight. Like I sai, it was a long night. I got about 5 hours of sleep when I got home…but I still feel like I got run over by a train…and I look like it to.

Here’s what I looked like “before”:

And me “after”:

Looks like I really need to get some sleep!

Hopefully life is starting to settle down a little bit as I get back into school and a more “regular” schedule (whatever that is!). With the busy schedule blogging has taken a little bit of a backseat…which should mean I have a lot stored up right?

I’ll ease back into it today though. Today’s topic? Bad movie rentals! Anita and I have been on a bad run lately…every movie we have rented lately has S-U-C-K-E-D. Hopefully this is just a result of a lull in the movies that are available, but I am starting to get a little “gun shy” when we go to pick one out! We don’t get to the “big movies” very often so it’s a real bummer when a rental doesn’t pan out. Life is too busy to waste 2 hours of it on a lame flick.

Any recommendations?

I must preface this post by admitting that what follows is insufficient, incomplete, and inadequate. But it’s true none-the-less.

God has truly blessed me with a wife I do not deserve. How do I know this (aside from her telling me?  Let me count the ways…

1. She is my best friend in the whole world.
2. She is a great lover (no details, even if you ask)
3. She is the best mom to our kids..and it’s no easy job
4. She has a sense of humor that I envy and get to enjoy every day
5. She is a Proverbs 31 woman
6. She loves God with all of her heart, soul, and mind
7. She thinks she is better at Bible trivia than I am
8. She is better at poker than I am
9. She is a Republican (more specifically she is a Libertarian that votes Republican)
10. She likes funny, goofy movies like Dumb and Dumber
11. She shares a guilty pleasure for vampire movies
12. She puts up with all of my &$%#@
13. She makes a mean Pumpkin Pie
14. She is a Broncos Fan
15. She is one sexy gal!
16. She puts her family ahead of herself on a consistent basis

Here’s what it boils down to…God created her for me and she is more than I could have ever hoped for. God knows what He’s doing (always has). I thank God for giving me such a beautiful, charming, sacrificial, and loving wife. I am the better for it; she truly is my better half!

It has been awhile since I blogged…needless to say it has been a busy week. I am in the last week of my current class and life in general has just been busier than usual (which is usually pretty busy). So blogging has been the odd man out, but I haven’t gone anywhere and things should settle back down after this week.

That said, I did get an email this week that I thought I would share. I assume this isn’t true, but the lesson here is still valid and critical for all parents (moms and dads). I dare you not to take this to heart of you are a parent…

Can I Borrow $25?

A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.

SON: ‘Daddy, may I ask you a question?’
DAD: ‘Yeah sure, what it is?’ replied the man.
SON: ‘Daddy, how much do you make an hour?’
DAD: ‘That’s none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?’ the man said angrily.
SON: ‘I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?’
DAD: ‘If you must know, I make $50 an hour.’
SON: ‘Oh,’ the little boy replied, with his head down.
SON: ‘Daddy, may I please borrow $25?’

The father was furious, ‘If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I don’t work hard every day for such childish frivolities.’ The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.

The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy’s questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money? After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down , and  started to think: Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $25 and he really didn’t ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy’s room and opened the door. ‘Are you asleep, son?’ He asked.

‘No daddy, I’m awake,’ replied the boy.
‘I’ve been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier’ said the man ‘It’s been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here’s the $25 you asked for.’

The little boy sat straight up, smiling. ‘Oh, thank you daddy!’ He yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills. The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father. ‘Why do you want more money if you already have some?’ the father grumbled.

Because I didn’t have enough, but now I do,’ the little boy replied. ’Daddy, I have $50 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.’

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness. It’s just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to share that $50 worth of your time with someone you love.

If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of hours. But the family & friends we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. 

Something for all of us to think about…