Baseball, Rush and Max Barry
Baseball is finally here!!! With the Angels v. Rangers 2003 has started. It's gonna be a great season, I can feel it. I hope to take the boy to his first major league game (or 2). I am working for the Twins AAA Team as a camera op this season, should be fun. This will be our first year with the Twins and already they are much better than the Orioles! It'll be nice to watch a team that is actually supported by it's parent club. Even the NY-Penn League Watertown Indians had more support from Cleveland (this is during the "Major League" years -1991-1993) than I ever saw out of Maryland. I'll enjoy watching some quality minor league baseball and getting $25 bucks a game doing it.

Downloaded some great Rush videos today. Good stuff they made that was never aired on MTV, screw them. Rush In The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!!!!! Although, I was there and it's no big shakes, even The Hard Rock Cafe has better memorabilia. My favorite video was actually Closer To The Heart 2000, just the cut from Different Stages with footage of them playing it from the past 10 years.........awesome. Now that's real music and what they should play if/when they make it ot the Hall of Fame (I'll be there). Also saw a clip of Geddy (big baseball fan that he is) singing "O'Canada" at the 1993 All-Star Game in Toronto. Funny thing is most of those players are coaches now (or just retired).

Just finished Jennifer Government. Not my usual pick for reading but WOW, fantastic, loved it, funnier than shit, with a message!! A Must Read!! Get on-line or check it out at your local public library, you'll be glad you did. Sometime in the near future everyone takes the surname of their employer and Marketing Exec John Nike hires someone to kill 10 owners of the newest Nike shoe to increase sales.........and that's just the first page! Like I said, a must read........

Ah, The Weekend
Woke at 9am this morning, I am back to work on Tuesday, Thank God. I didn't realize how much I would miss work! Yes, I know, you don't believe me but I am someone who likes to always be doing something! Plus the yard is a mess and I couldn't be out there working on it while staying home due to my surgery. Plus it will be nice to see my co-workers again, they are a nice bunch of guys (and 3 girls) and we have a great time at work.......

Been tuning out the war lately, cause I know I will be bombarded with it at work (NBC) and come to hate the coverage. The same thing happened on September 11th. Networks go into OVERKILL! Now I know it was a tragedy, and people needed information, but then it went to far, one month anniversery, 2 month anniversery, 6 month anniversery.....at some point I half expected Katie to open the Today Show with, "It's been 9 months, 5 days and 14 hours since 9-11, Good Morning, this is Today!"

Take 2

Alright, I am still out of work until next Tuesday and have taken to watching Dune, the series not the David Lynch movie. So far so good.

Finished up the Dan Simmon's books and a Steven Erikson novella in the pass 4 days. Summer of Night was excellent, an It for the next generation. A good read and quite spooky. A Winter Haunting was OK, a quick read focusing on one of the characters from Summer of Night, 40 years later. Reminded me of Gerald's Game. What is real, what is imagined? Figure it out for yourself.

CNN states US Airborne in Northern Iraq, it's about time. After watching Band Of Brothers I have a greater respect for airborne troops. "Turkey, we don't need no stinkin' Turkey." Gee, thanks CNN for pointing out our troop positions, strengths and movements, Saddam don't need no intellengence officers, just cable!!!!!! Ye Gods!!!!!

Dear Diary

After typing for 1/2 hour on the war and my continued recovery from surgery I came upon this point:

I HATE MICROSOFT

No further discussions needed

Thank you for your time.

Thank God it's Monday
Big, big weekend!!! Saturday started with a visit from my Father-In-Law for my son's birthday. WE had his party at a bolwing ally (what he wanted) and we had a great time. The boys had fun, were well behaved and some even got a strike!!!! My son made out well in the gift area, the other kids (read PArents) were very generous. Thank You cards are on the way.

Sunday brought my baseball draft, not as bad as I thought I would do, but not as well either. I need pitching, I can live with my offense for awhile, I have high hopes for a few youngsters.

Then home to the Oscars. Steve Martin was very funny. I think he and Billy Crystal should rotate each year, I hate when Whoopie hosts. Martin was funny and light and didn't burden us with political shit or stupid hollywood shtick. Very impressed with the winner and lossers. Michael Moore made an ass of himself....that's too bad as his movie deserved the Oscar. It was nice to hear the boos...........

Two more days till work begins. Hoping to hear from NMR about a open position in Indy....cross your fingers. Feeling good and healthy, healing well, 5 hours yesterday at my friends beat the hell out of me.....wonder what 8 hours of work will do?

A final note for now....the war. Been watching like everyone in the country. I feel for the families of our men and women over there. However they have a job to do and are doing it extremely well. Our military planning, training and support are far above and beyond anything any country in the world could field. While not wished for, casualties are expected and I will pray for those men and women. I saw one interview with a man who lost his son last week and he asked all the protesters to put down the signs and the marches and just support our people!! So do so already!

Yep it's the Friday Five...

1. If you had the chance to meet someone you've never met, from the past or present, who would it be?
General Robert E. Lee

2. If you had to live in a different century, past or future, which would it be?
15th Century

3. If you had to move anywhere else on Earth, where would it be?
Ireland

4. If you had to be a fictional character, who would it be?
Aragorn, son of Arathorn

5. If you had to live with having someone else's face as your own for the rest of your life, whose would it be?
My son's, he looks alot like me!!!!!!

War, good God y'all, what is it good for.....

As we blog it has started, we had a chance to take out Saddam and took it. Whether or not it succeeded it yet to be determined, but at least we had the balls to take the shot. I will pray and support our brave men and women putting their lives on the line to destroy this evil!!!!! Do your job and come home safe!!!!

Finished Band Of Brothers today and feel that EVERYONE must view this just once! Especially the 'peace-nics' or anti-war protesters. These men paid for your freedoms with their lives and every one of them interviewed for this program would do it again if they had too. One telling recollection was of this one soldier who recalled two men from his small West Virginia town who committed suicide because they were UNABLE TO ENLIST IN THE ARMY. Could you believe the mentality of the nation at large that men felt that their duty to country was so overwhelming that they didn't deserve to live if they couldn't serve their country. While it is an extreme case, it tells of the time. Boys lied about their age to join up, unbelievable.

Fast forward to today were I hear laughable TV reporters saying that these soldiers didn't sign up to go to war, well duh, what the hell do you think we have a military service for?!? My generation shames me when I see these anti-war protesters, marchers, activists all around my own age (18-35) and then see these old ladies and old men saluting a flag that others are burning and putting ribbons on their trees and small flags in the yard. Men and women who say the Pledge with feeling and understand what it means. Men and women who weep for the 'children' that go off to fight for their country. Men and women who go to church regularly and truly know the meaning of sacrifice. I should have been born in the 30's so I could experience the true America, but that ladies and gentlemen is another blog.

Be well and God Bless

Yet I thought they didn't have any type of illegal weapons??????

It's Tuesday
I am not crazy yet but am working on it. Been watching A Band of Brothers and, wow! what a fantastic job they did. It is better the fourth time!!!!

And what a time to watch it. Saw the President last night and was happy!! Yes, Happy!!! Finally the jig is up! I am not a 'war-monger' and do not wish for any loss of life (American, British, Iraqi), but we need to take a stand and finish a job started 10 years ago!!! Saddam has ignored the UN and stuck his middle finger at the world and has been getting away with it for years!!! I am glad we have a President with the balls to stand up to Saddam, the U.N. and the world and say, "This is an evil man!!!! And for the safety of the country and the world he must be stopped!!!!!" It is as simple as that!! And once that is done we should take our ball and go home!!!!

Yes you heard right, let them all kill themselves, let's worry about US for a while. Let's take care of the poor, the homeless, and the crime here at home. Forget sending 40 billion in aid to Africa, how about just 10 billion to education here at home. If the world is so against us taking care of this madman then why don’t you all go take care of yourselves!!! France and Germany are right, let us not meddle in other country's affairs, let's pull out all our aid to them. Let's bring home our men and women stationed abroad and put them to work on our border with Mexico. Let's toss out ALL illegal 'aliens' and give those jobs to our homegrown poor. Let's take the money that was supposed to go to Middle Eastern countries and rebuild our cities, clean up our Inner Cities, fix what is wrong with US, instead of giving money in a bunch of ingrates!!! Dear Turkey, don't want to help, fine! We could use an updated transit system. Saudi Arabia, think we don't hear you bad mouthing us while putting on the "we're friends' face. Fine I would love to see our Police Forces and Fire Departments properly equipped and compensated.

Well you get the point, some would call it "Isolationist", call it what you want, let's take care of us for a change. When the outside threat appears (Saddam) we go out, squash it, and then come back home to our land of the free and home of the brave.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!!!!

For the first time in many years I will not be able to celebrate this day.....still recovering form the surgery and going crazy. Today was the first day everyone left!!! Thank God, my wife's at work and my son is at school. I got some good sleep last night (2 hours) and look forward to A Band Of Brothers today. Talked to a buddy at work and they seem to be OK without me!!! Still looking to move on and start my (our) next career. But it is very hard to leave 90K a year (for the both of us), house, pool, 2.5 cars, kid, dog, fantastic neighbors in a nice city (Rochester, NY). But if we are both miserable at our jobs (my wife more so) and we can start over with family (mine, father, mother, sister, brother, niece/nephew), is it worth it?!

That is the question of the week my friends and I (we) hope to have an answer by this weekend. Other than that I might try my hand at ridding the world of King Edward III in Medievil Total War....I'll let you know how that works out as well...........................

Day 3

It feel like someone has torn out a piece of me, wait a minute they did!! My body hurts like hell but I am managing. My wife and son are very helpful, I just wish they would go out to eat and not be stuck here with me! Finished one book and will start another later today. Also have to catch up on current events and baseball ( our draft is in a week or 2).

It's a nice day out, the sun is out and the snow is gone. I hope to walk upright by the end of this weekend.

I'm Back......

The surgery went well on Wednesday. Everyone at the hosiptal was fantastic! But I only saw my surgeon once! My wife and I got there at 11:30am when I was promptly brought back to pre-op for my 1:30 surgery, an IV was installed (ouch) and I changed into my 'gown'. Then we waited, and waited and waited. I was bumed because of a car accident and didn't get into surgery until 6:00pm. Don't remember a thing once I was in the OR or seeing my wife and child after the surgery (around 8pm), them's nice drugs they give you.

Now I am home and recovering. It hurts like hell and it is hard to sit, stand, and sleep, never mind walking!!!! I am painfully typing and surfing for awhile and then upstairs to sit for the afternoon and watch TV or read my books, I've got 10 more days of this, aarrgghh! Maybe I'll try for a shower today (first one since Tuesday, how does my wife deal withthe hospital stink?)

Until Next Time.....

T-minus 2 Days and Counting

I am on the way to surgery (Wednesday) and am home getting ready and dealing with lots of pain. I am on vicadin and am stuck in the house. I tried going to work last week but it beat the hell out of me, so now it's home sweet home until Wednesday. I am already climbing up the walls and I have 2 weeks to recover (2 days until I go insane). Well I got some books, some games and the Band Of Brothers on DVD (incredible series, can't wait to see the extras). Of course I have you, loyal reader(s), to keep me cyber company.

Working on my links page and a list of books (past, present and future), as well as 100 Things About Me (I don't think I am that deep but we'll see).

I've had a re-newed sence of family lately. After our visit to Indy I've talked more with my brothers and sister than I have in awhile. I really hope something comes up in Indy and we move out there. It'll be nice, just like the old days!! You see those old moves about families (mostly Italians) in New York City, well that was us. I have more aunts, uncles and cousins than you can shake a stick at! And we saw them all the time, just about every weekend until High School, then it was only 2-3 weekends a month. Say a prayer, keep a thought or whatever you do, after the contract problems, my wife's job problems, the miscairage, the surgery, the continued wife's job problems we need something to go our way!!!

Something wrong with Blogger today and my Powershot Forum, or maybe it's just me and my static electricity?!?

Hey, I joined blogrolling.com and you can too!!!!!!

Been playing with the site today and updating somethings. Getting ready for surgery on Wednesday. They are taking my Gall bladder, those bastards. I'll be out of commission for about 2 weeks, not that I love work but man I got cabin fever already this winter, now I won't be able to leave my home or drive or sit or stand or, well you get the picture.

Holy cow, Stacey George doesn't love me anymore, that's OK, I will blog better, stronger, faster....I have the ablility to make her link me again, if only I can prove my 'worthyness'...........

She, on the other hand, is a fantastic read!!!!! I will still visit daily and enjoy her site.

Here's something I haven't done in awhile:

The Friday Five:

1. What was the last song you heard?

Roll The Bones by Rush

2. What were the last two movies you saw?

eye see you on DVD and Agent Cody Banks in theaters (with my son)

3. What were the last three things you purchased?

Blood Follows by Steven Erikson, a photo album and pain medication

4. What four things do you need to do this weekend?

1. Go to bookstore (check)

2. Go to Church

3. Clean Family Room

4. Go to Target for son's birthday stuff

5. Who are the last five people you talked to?

my wife, my son, my sister, my mother, my father

Women shouldn't drive SUV's

Now before you start with the hate mail let me clarify! People who can't handle large vehicles shouldn't drive them. Now it just so happens my 'problems' always involve women drivers. Don't get me wrong, I think women who can handle an SUV are hot (like my wife and Michele at A Small Victory). The one's I am talking about are the 'Statis Symbol' drivers.

I live in Rochester, New York, where an SUV is a necessity (124 inches of snow annually) as opposed to say LA ( -3 inches of snow). That being said I see more Lexus, Mercedes, and Lincoln luxury SUV's driven daily by 'upper-class soccer moms' than working class Jimmys, Blazers or Jeeps. I am the last person to judge one by what they drive (or earn, wear or their opinions), but if you feel you need that $80,000 vehicle LEARN T0 DRIVE IT!!! You can bearly see over the hood, need a step to get into it, and don't seem to realize that this is not your mother's Chevette and you are much larger than anything on the road. The speed limit is 35/65, do it. If you are too scared to maintain the posted limit get off the road. If there are slippery road conditions (snow, ice) press that button that says 4WD and STAY in the right lane. Never, ever drive in the left lane!!! When you do you irritate and endanger those of us who know how to handle our vehicles. Oh and if you need/enjoy the room and compacity of an SUV and the average snowfall in your area is less than say 20 inches a year, it's called a Mini-Van!

Loyal reader Jamie commented and made me pause.....I lumped anti-war people into one big group however if more people would stand up and protest 'smartly' and state the case, not just vomit up the anti-Bush slogans I wouldn't be so jaded. Really people Sadam is an evil man who needs to be removed and he ain't gonna go quietly. We have a mighty military force and allies for just this reason. Do we like to do it, no! Are there dozens on piss-ant little countries with dictators all over the world we would like to 'take care of', yes! Do we, NO!!! But this guy is a plague upon the Middle East and is a threat to US! Plain and simple. The man has made the UN worthless. Ten years ago they told him to disarm and he has yet to do it. My Dad told me to clean my room and if it wasn't done that day he would kick my ass. So let's all use a little common sense and get Saddam out of power, if we ask him nicely and he says yes, fine. Otherwise drag him out feet first (or anyway in between).

Next time you are on a march, protest against the war, that is your God Given right here in America, I respect you for it. Just make sure you have your facts straight and protest in a peaceful manner.