It Could Be Worse

It seems that the storms of last night have left a number of folks without electicity in their homes. I have been spending a bit of time on the line with TolEd today, in an effort to get the straight scoop on how long our little cluster of folks in my neighborhood can expect to be without.....

The answer was a little disappointing - the promise is to have everyone in our effected area with service again by tomorrow MIDNIGHT!!!! The only things that make this even slightly tolerable are the fact that it is not ungodly hot and that we have a portable generator that we can use to try to keep refrigerator cool so we don't lose food......

All in all, we are doing OK....definitely an inconvenience by modern suburbia standards, but what the heck? Some folks live like this just fine every day. The only pisser? Because of the way the grid is, when night falls we will be able to look across the street and out our back windows and see folks around us who have power.....needless to say, THAT'S a little aggravating! Ah well it is what it is....that's it for now....much love to you...enjoy your TV shows tonight....we will be playing HANGMAN or cards. :)

______________
Sent from Vicki's Blackberry handheld device (please excuse the typos :) )

It is a weekend in summer in Ohio

The Old West End Festival is this weekend...so it seems that summer in NW Ohio has officially kicked off, at least as far as I am concerned.  There will be lots of folks chowing down, walking around and enjoying the historic properties in what was in years gone by the affluent part of Toledo.  There are lots of beautiful old houses there, and some of the residents are generous enough to open their homes to folks to show off their \"turn of the century\" opulance.

The firstborn and his Ann will be there, helping out for her church, as they take this opportunity to help the Old West End area take care of the huge influx of visitors by providing assistance with parking, cold water to take on their walk around, and some musical entertainment, provided by the group that Ann and others from her church are members of.  I will be going down a little later today and will no doubt post photos....loop back with me a little later to see some...

Storms from last night appear to be over....the heat is coming on and the humidity is likely to get worse...but that is summer in Ohio...and it is all just fine with me...

That\'s it for now....much love to you....

 

v

Better Days

Our friend Jay and his family are making progress....he was in office with his wife and doggies to see us yesterday and was back to work today.  They have been working with their insurance company to get everything hashed out regarding settlement of their claim and rebuilding their house.  They are staying with family now, but will need to find a temporary place to live for awhile, but even with all of that, while they were with us yesterday, Jay and his wife still seemed really grateful...that they were not hurt, that the dogs were safe, and they had a lot of supportive friends and relatives.  Their lives will never be the same as they were a week ago, but hopefully, as time passes and their home is rebuilt, things will be even better.

It is wonderful to have Jay back in the office with us...keep him and his wife in your prayers...

That\'s it for now....till later, much love to you...

 

v

Such sad news

To all my friends, Rootish and otherwise....

In the possibility that you are not aware, I wanted to let you know that our friend and fellow Rootster, Jay Berning and his lovely wife and doggies have had a horrible tragedy befall them over the weekend.  The home that they have just a month and a half ago acquired, after much work and struggle, went up in flames on Sunday evening - the current opinion is that home and contents are a total loss.  Thankfully Jay and his loved ones are safe, and currently residing with a relative, as they try to figure out what happens next.

The lovely Veronica, has already mobilized her generous and giving spirit to get Rootsters moving on a monetary collection for Jay and his family, to help them to cover expenses as they regroup.  We are also looking into collections of clothes and other things for the humans and the doggies to help make their lives a little more comfortable during this very difficult time.

If you, any of my dear friends who are NOT Rootsters, would like to help out, please feel free to send a donation to Root Learning, 5470 Main Street Suite 100, Sylvania, Ohio 43560 - Attention Veronica (to help Jay Berning and his family).  Any thing you have to share with a fellow human in need would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this...that\'s all for now.....till later, much love to you

 

v

Memorial Day - parade and other things

I rose early this morning, to the sound of the rain on the leaves of the flowering trees and oaks around my house.  The air in my room was cool and the leaves rustled ever so quietly as the drops fell from one to the next on their way to the ground.  The shower was little more than what could be called a \"smattering\" - nothing that would spoil the day to come in the slightest.

I had visited the cemetery on Saturday, anticipating a more persistent rain (prognosticators had indicated that would be the case as late as Saturday morning), so I did not attend the ceremony at the base of the memorial in the center of the veterans area...I can recall so many of them in recent years (9 to be exact); one for every year that the firstborn and the young one were in marching band...both high schools stood in full uniform on those occasions, some years in the cool overcast of early morning, other years in the stifling heat and humidity of a summer that had arrived too soon...still every year, they were there and I was as well...to listen to the prayers and the politicians, to be among the living veterans and those departed, and to watch as the white doves swooped over the cemetery as they were released, I would imagine heading back to their coops at home.

This morning, I decided to walk (as has become my habit) downtown, to view the annual Memorial Day Parade- the precursor to the final ceremony, replete with a fly over from the Air National Guard F-16\'s whose home is at the Toledo Express Airport complex.  Most folks know of the event and try to attend unless they have other things to do, and there is usually a nice representation of folks lining the approximately 2 mile route, which snakes its way from Lourdes College campus, up Main Street, directly in front of the Root \"World Headquarters\" ;) and through the center of town, ending at Veterans Park, where the public softball fields are and a tank and cannon sit in another tribute to servicemen.  The walk started from my house with cargo pockets filled with Blackberry and cell phone, Flip video camera and additional AA batteries...I think I was prepared...and was convinced of that until afterward when I arrived at home to the realization that I had not taken a house key with me...thank goodness, the firstborn and his Ann were at home...another one dodged, it seems.

The neighborhood and Erie Street were very quiet...the only person I saw on the walk was a man repairing mortar on the side entrance of the church I walk by every day.  I walked toward Plummer Pool in the Burnham Park....it is cleaned, filled and ready to go (and now, there are swimmers there)...validation that the unofficial start of summer is here.....

On the walk through the neighborhood near the downtown area, I stopped often to take photos....all photos from the day are in the current album.  There was much to see...much to hear....lots to simply observe and digest...

While waiting for the parade to begin, I had the experience that I was meant to have on this day...I was standing near two ladies who were sitting on a planter talking to each other about the parade and their children.  They included me in several superficial comments about the weather or the band, then went back to talking between themselves.  As the parade started, and the colour guard and representatives from the local VFW post stopped just to the north of the Root building, on the recently rebuilt bridge over our picturesque Ten Mile Creek, they asked me what was delaying things.  I explained, because this was a little distance away from where we were and they could not really see it, that the group had stopped to allow two trumpet players from Southview High School Cougar Marching Band to join the members of the VFW at the bridge to play the classic bugle call \"Call and Answer - Taps\" before the VFW representatives excuted a 21 gun salute over Ten Mile Creek, to officially start the parade. 

This started a more personal discussion between myself and one of the ladies....about how nice it was that they were showing this respect to the veterans and troups who are serving now...she went on to tell me that her son, not much older than my youngest, is currently in training in Alabama, becoming certified to fly the Apache Blackhawk helicopter.  She also told me that his best friend will be going to Iraq soon....I looked at this woman, not much older than myself, and said to her, \"It takes a very special kind of mom to be able to support her child in this kind of choice in these times...\" to which she said, \"Yes, it does\"....next I said the only thing that I felt in that moment, from my heart....\"God Bless you both, for what you have chosen to do\"....she looked at me with a mix of gratitude and surprise and said, \"Thank you\"....

From that point forward, the parade was inconsequential...I began to watch....really watch...how the crowd reacted (or did not) to the veterans who took the time to participate in the parade, and to the ones who had to ride the route in cars or busses because they could not walk, but did it because it was important to them to be there.  I looked in the crowd....saw the older folks with walkers and canes...and American flags tightly clenched in hand...salutes to the flag every time it went by....respect by those who should be garnering their own....

A reality check...for all of us...we owe....a huge debt of gratitude what can never be repaid...to those who willingly gave all...and all who live with the scars of their sacrifice...and to all the mothers (and fathers) and sons and daughters, who defend so we do not have to...

Hope you have enjoyed your weekend...much love to you

v

Memorial Day

Big Fun

For a Thursday, things are pretty nice...the sun is out, the folks in the office are keeping it light, and "the eagle flies" today...what's not to like?

Hope yours is going well...FB contains the cool stuff....join and add me to find out more ;)

That's it for now....till later, much love to you...

v

Just for the sake of information....

The young one is ON THE DEAN'S LIST for this quarter...I guess he/we are doing OK without outside intervention after all....

Thanks for nothing to everyone who has not been involved...your non-support has not been appreciated.

2008 "Rooties"

The 2008 Rooties were this afternoon at Fifth Third Field. This event is a celebration of the Root values and gives Rootsters the opportunity to recognize folks who they feel are living the organizational values every day.


This year's award recipients are:



Jim Haudan, Bruce Hulbert, Brian Donovan, Tricia Richards, Sven Nelson and me ( i am still in awe of that <3) The photo at left shows what each person received, personalized with the value for which they were recognized.


This means a great deal to me because the person who gave me my first opportunity to work in IT in an official capacity is a previous recipient of the same Root award.

Just thought I would share this with you....that and the fact that the young one has successfully completed all finals and juries and is now officially finished with his freshman year as a music major at the University of Toledo. His GPA is still awesome and we are hopeful that there will be tuition assistance coming again this academic year....

That's it for now....till later, much love to you

v

Fifth Third Field - Home of the Mudhens

I have had the distinct pleasure for the last two days of going downtown to this beautiful ball field for things that I am doing for work. The morning sun on the grass and the brilliant colours never cease to engage and fascinate me. I hope you enjoy this photo...I am here again this morning and had the opportunity to take a few more photos that I will share on Facebook and in my Flickr album, accessible from the link on the right side of this page.

That's it for now....till later much love to you

v

Making Connections....

The image, left, illustrates how Rootsters by the tens are connecting with each other on Facebook, the social networking website that started with students and has extended to the masses, to help folks find, connected and interact with each other on the 'Net. Starting with just a few folks, Root has created a pretty tight little network online, including current and former Rootsters in our ranks.

If you are an internet aficionado and are looking for something kinda cool and fun to explore, check out FB...if I know you, I will definitely accept your friend invite...looking forward to seeing you there soon...

That's it for now...much love to you....

v

"Clocks slay time... time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels; only when the clock stops does time come to life."

- William Faulkner

What did I ever do....

...to deserve such wonderful people in my life?

Just when I feel like total crap, my best friend steps up and totally blows me away with kindness....not sure how I got so lucky, but I will be saying an extra prayer of thanks tonight for abiding love and true friends...

v

Just wondering....

Why do people ask if there is something wrong when they already know the answer?

Social Networking - when is it no longer flattering to be one of the "daily clicks"?

Those heavily into building their social networking online entourage have habits that they practice which become reflex over time, as they assure that all their "connections" get that personal attention that keeps them participating and part of the specific group. When these things become redundant, repetitive and programmatic, they have little meaning - nothing more than a "click, click, click" down a list and a second click to send.

This has come to be the case on some of the less popular sites, where there are bonus points awarded for every action performed, causing mailboxes to be inundated with more friend requests, gifts, and autographs than the normal adult human being with a life outside their computer could ever cope with. There is a trend toward this on the very popular and heavily trafficked Facebook, with the proliferation of poorly formed and executed applets that appear practically by the minute, imploring you to kiss, hug, give gifts, candy, flowers, and do many other things to your list of Facebook contacts. The Facebook folks have made headway to reign in the barrage of messages that were plaguing the Facebook users' notifications every day, by no longer allowing applet builders to require "inviting 20 friends" to be able to take advantage of their functionality. Unfortunately, at this point, however, Facebookers have profiles that are layered with applet frames that make viewing pages labouriously slow and cumbersome - noone wants to go LOOK at your Facebook page anymore - it just takes too freaking much effort.

Facebook was once about personal content and sharing same with people you know and connecting with folks that you would like to know. A poke was harmless fun to let a friend know you were around and thinking about them. You visited your friends pages and left comments - you messaged your friends and hooked up to do stuff - and after, you posted photos and stories and comments to let other friends know how cool everything was....now, I don't think that anyone takes the time to go to people's Facebook pages for content anymore - its unnecessary and inconvenient - just send them a kiss or tell them you want to F*** them instead by a click and a send.

I will continue to populate my Facebook with content that means something to me, and include my work and personal friends on my contact list - I also selectively participate in some applets that I think are cute or fun....but I refuse to use any that have MISSPELLINGS or MAKE ME INVITE FRIENDS to use them....but that's just me....

That was my rant....enjoy or not, totally your call....

That's all for now - till later, much love to you,

v

Everybody sing!!!!

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to Sheryl, Happy Birthday to you....."

So, the old job has been so ingrained in my life that this morning, my cell phone and my calendar obediently reminded me of the perpetual annual event that resides on my personal calendar to prompt me to do something thoughtful for my ex-boss...the irony is that I did send an email birthday wish, with no malice intended...it seemed like a nice thing to do. Those things still come up regularly as the year goes by...things that were important in the context in which the original entries were saved to my calendar....not so much now, especially when giving consideration to all the things that have happened. But, through everything, they are all people that I know - and in the (some believe) strange way that I have of letting go, I still think of them...more with curiosity now than anything else, and often at the prompting of the calendar rather than in spontaneous mind ramblings.

In any case, I wish you well, my dear...suffice it to say that even with the daily challenges I face, I am fine...and continue to move forward and grow, as a person, and as an IT professional. Thank you for the kick in the ass...it has been a blessing in disguise.

That's all for now...till later, much love to you,

v

Here's a new addition to the page, if you are interested....

Check out the addition to the side bar of this page...you can message me right from here when you visit...how cool is that?! Anyway, as long as I am using the web based messaging service Meebo you can use the message box on the right side to send me a message right from here...we'll see how it works..could be cool, or could be kinda not good, depending on random messages and spam.

If you see something you want to chat about here, give it a try...I'm usually around.

Till later, much love to you,

v

Microsoft "SkyDrive" offering officially out of "beta"....and other stuff

Lots of things going on and it is only 1030 AM.....found out that my cool and favourite perk from Microsoft, as a person who maintains a MS "passport", SKYDRIVE, is officially out of beta status. The best part of this development is that this morning I noted that my beta 1GB sized SkyDrive is now a whopping 5GB!!! SWEET!! Now to give some thought to the stuff I want to have access to from EVERYWHERE!....and as much as I resist, I have to admit, I really do LIKE what MS is doing with the whole "integrated experience" thing, even if some see it as a bit "big-brotherish"...I will continue to think this way until they prove me otherwise...

In other news...I went in early this morning to prep for a training session to be facilitated for Rootsters by an outside vendor. Prep included loading files on the class flash drives, configuring and deploying a temporary network for the training room, finding and deploying the laptops and AV equipment to be used, as well as providing power for all those things....I was pretty sure I had planned for plenty of time, arriving at the office by about 6 AM for 830 AM class start, but when I arrived, I found that there were other things that needed my attention that were much more serious....beeping in the data center....and a rush of heat out the door when it was opened that took my breath away....the HVAC system had shut down and the heat from the equipment was spurring the temperature rise, potentially causing damage if left to continue...

Fans were set, calls were made and then the HVAC company arrived to take care of the problem...all the while prepping flash drives, collecting "parts" and eventually leaving the HVAC guy to his own devices in the datacenter while I assembled the conference room....bottom line...all done...all happy....good day....I think I should take this "empowered" feeling and go home RIGHT NOW....perhaps apply it to a little house cleaning....hmmm....

Hope you are having an "accomplished day".....much love to you till later....

v

All company day

In early, and disappointed that my parking lot police cruiser was not here to protect me (at 545 AM) Finished the last of the things I intended to do yesterday when I was here and started to finesse the stuff for the monthly all-company to take place later this morning...always interesting and no need to plan lunch, which is cool...This afternoon manager training in several conference rooms and other stuff to set up, then a "PM" on a machine from one of the remote offices...and the regular stuff, of course as it comes up....

May post a photo later if there are any worth sharing....if I take any at all they will be on Flickr (link at right)

That's basically it for now...till later, much love to you...

v

The answer to the "year old" question....

This is how many pair of Chuck Taylor lows I have...well, actually twice as many since these are only the RIGHT feet....and laid out nicely on my Root fleece throw, a thoughtful Xmas gift from my winter care package...

Hope you enjoy...I had fun taking the photos...

That's it for now...much love to you....

v

And just so everything is clear....here's the mathematical proof...

The only one....

A gesture of love, generously and sincerely made....the envy of all who saw it...my sadness and misery complete...the sender out of my reach...the physical manifestation of his affection for me a constant reminder of our separation and my pain....thank you, my dear one, for your thoughtfulness...even through my tears I call out to you "I love you"...and wrestle with the selfishness of that in light of all that you are struggling with in your life...

You are always in my thoughts....

________________________________________________________________

In other items, today is the birthday of David Wayne Black, of "Gameheads" fame and a generally very talented guy who I am proud to claim as my friend. I send my love to him and hope that his day is filled with joy, camaraderie, and creativity....and the year to come brings him the success that he so richly deserves...much love to you David <3

Valentine

Not a red rose or a satin heart.

I give you an onion.
It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.
It promises light
like the careful undressing of love.

Here.
It will blind you with tears
like a lover.
It will make your reflection
a wobbling photo of grief.

I am trying to be truthful.

Not a cute card or kissogram.

I give you an onion.
Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,
possessive and faithful
as we are,
for as long as we are.

Take it.
Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring,
if you like.
Lethal.
Its scent will cling to your fingers,
cling to your knife.

- Carol Ann Duffy

Winter...

I want to hibernate...I don't feel good and I am in a piss poor mood...my back has been sore since I took a spill two weeks ago and it is not getting better, with a persistent ache in my left arm as well...I know "wah, wah, wah"...who cares?

That about covers it

Before the lights are on..

I am here in the office early many mornings, to get things started, and especially on Monday to get a jump on stuff that may have occurred over the weekend. This weekend I was here each day for a little while to do some things that could not easily be accomplished during "regular hours", so I have spent a lot of private time here over the last few days.

As I pulled into the snow covered parking lot at about 530 AM, I noted that there were two other people there in cars...one was a police officer in his cruiser sitting toward the back of the lot (which is why I am never afraid to come in early) and the other one of our sales managers, prepping for out of town travel for client work. I walked on to the imposing front doors of the building to let those folks do whatever it was they were doing and swiped myself in, heading upstairs to my cube.

As I walked toward my space, and my eyes became accustomed to the darkness, I began to observe some very cool things that you really don't notice much in the daytime..the patterns that the lights from outside make as they cast their shadows on the ceilings and floors...the soft glow of computer monitors and FISH TANKS that wait patiently for their respective owners to come in to take care of them....I pulled out a camera and took a walk...photos posted in the latest Flickr album...Casey's fish tank at the top of this entry..

That's it for now...hope you have a great day (for a Monday)....Happy Birthdays go out to my dear friend from high school and also the daughter of "Strollerguy" (aka David Wayne Black)...I am thinking of both of you and sending you lots of love on your special day...

till later...

v

The Snow cometh...(even Blizzard Bill is right sometimes)

Heading out to work this morning, I was confronted with a buried car and snow that made my perfectly perfect electric blue "Chucks" soggy and cold. Happily I made it to the office all in one piece and early enough to take a few photos before the snow was too spoiled by the "cleaner-uppers"...this photo taken from the front door on the "Town Level" of our office, looking toward the tiny downtown...by now the streets are slushy and people are getting around, but at 645 or so this morning, the streets were still snow covered and questionable for travel by cars that are little and light like mine.

Hope that the boys are digging out the house and driveway...looking forward to an easy drive home and a nice photo of the cleared out snow there :) ....

Stay warm...till later, much love to you...

v

PS - an exciting aside...to all the folks that "pooh-pooh" at me constantly taking and posting photos of everything I get an urge to, my snow photos on Flickr were picked up for use with a news story on NowPublic - a collaborative internet news agency, which seems to be pretty hot...pretty excited about that! So..cool...that's it for now...bye!

Technologically Challenged Day....

Got to work this morning and was greeted with a damaged install of Windows...my machine would not boot....mid-day, one of my IT co-workers said "not to one-up you or anything, but we just lost the server "******" .....and to top it all off, our data service provider for our Blackberry devices just let us know (after we called and asked them) that there are rolling data outages that started in Chicago, which have the potential of making our BB email users be without email for up to 24 hours...I also see that Blogger is "scheduling an outage" for later this afternoon as well...

Hmmm...it sucks to be so technology tethered...I was so frantic earlier this morning when my machine was down that I thought I would be sick....the BB thing is not nearly a disconcerting to me as the thought of losing my "plum" set up on my personal computer that I use every day.....up side? it seems to be running much better since I had to troubleshoot...go fig...but leave it to me to try to find the silver lining in the cloud...

Hope your technology behaved for you today...if I don't see you here for awhile or get an email, I will know why (wink*)....that's it for now...till later, much love to you...

v

The Bridge (my fascination)

Here is my latest photo of the Veterans Memorial Skyway, the span on Rt 280 that facilitates one of the crossing points of the Maumee River around the Toledo area. As this bridge was being built, I drove through the construction with fear (at the mess) and awe (at the massiveness of the undertaking) and watched amazed as the structure took shape.

I started taking photos of it when there was a maze of construction to drive through underneath as they placed the pylons and road bed....I photographed the main support structure from the ground as the construction came to an end...I took one-handed photos while driving the first few times I was able to actually drive across the bridge and see the tower close up...and on my last road trip, while coming home at night, I saw in person for the first time the changing colors of the lights in the tower at night.

I was so fascinated by the effect that I went to a strategic location downtown, set up my tripod and digital camera on the roof of my car and captured this photo to share with you...hope you enjoy it....

More later, as time permits and interesting things come up...till then..sorry I have been away...much love to you...

v

Another year has slipped away...

Have I accomplished everything I intended to? Have I added value and made easier and more comfortable the lives of those I have encountered throughout the year? Do I like who I am and where I am?

Thinking about those things and looking for the answers as I leave 2007 behind and move forward into 2008. I hope that the answers to all these questions are positive for you....I am still taking stock right now, for myself.

Happy New Year to you all....and I am...until next year...yours, with much love...

v

Having the liberty of free expression....

is not a license to cause suffering, to be cruel or perpetuate hate.

I am not sure what it is that I want to say on this topic, but this is something that has been nagging at me in recent days. I am hard pressed...trying to figure out WHEN it became no longer necessary in our society to practice basic manners and observed a minimal amount of courtesy in our day to day dealings with others. Why has it become acceptable to treat our interactions with others as an inconvenience rather than an opportunity....what has deteriorated so significantly to make it an exception rather than the rule to encounter a person who treats others with decency, dignity and respect.

I vaguely recall a similar discussion with my mother some thirty years ago...something about "you young kids" and "respecting authority"....it is no longer an issue of respecting authority....it is simply the inability in this supposedly civil society to respect EACH OTHER...it makes me sad...and to have this most holy of times be the reason that I am so pessimistic makes me sadder still...

"Having" is not nearly as important as what you do with what you have....loving is of much more impact than being loved...doing makes more impact than "planning to do"...and being genuine in all you do is the biggest compliment you can pay everyone you come in contact with...

If I could wish anything for all this holiday...it would be... to CARE...about yourself, your loved ones and friends...and the people that you see every day that you don't even know....it's a start...and a good one....and isn't it true to the spirit of the season?

That's all the ramble for now...till later....much love to you...as always,

v

No title

Tired, pissed and have nothing to say

Goodnight

v

ROCK BAND...well...it ROCKS!!!!!

Sorry I have been gone so long...have had a very busy time at work and lots of other stuff going on as well...things have the probability of continuing to be busy (but in a GOOD way) but I promise to try harder to get back here to post for anyone who might actually give a crap :)

I came home from work tonight to the young one and the firstborn in the living room, with lots of cardboard boxes, what appeared to be an electronic drum kit and a "Fender" guitar...both, I was told controllers for their Xmas present to themselves, the XBox game "ROCK BAND". They were just getting things set up so I took a moment to sort through the build-up of mail and then went into the living room to scope out the situation.

By the time I sat down on the sectional couch, they were getting calibration taken care of so that the musical instrument style input devices responded appropriately as they were interacting with the game. They set up their band (The Liquid Slumber Party - I LOVE THAT!!!) and their band members (the firstborn, "Church" - lead guitar and the young one used his own name as the drummer) They played through a few songs to get a feel for things...the songs included are current, popular and some of our favs, so it makes the game that much more fun. As they played for points, I found myself singing along (anyone who knows me is not surprised at all at that)...and before I knew it I was also a member of the band as the lead singer "Rochelle", a short curvy blonde with green eyes. Once all of us were involved the fun truly began...we played some "gigs", won over lots of fans and earned a van to tour in, as well as acquired a manager....I can't wait until the next time the boys need a singer...they can SOOOOO count me in!!!

This game kicks major ass...so much more than GUITAR HERO, according to the boys, who would definitely be the expert opinion on this topic...I just really enjoyed the heck out of it...the challenge, the time with the boys...just a great time...should be a pretty fun Xmas!!!

Hope this post finds you well and enjoying all the love and companionship the holidays have to offer....until later, much love to you...as always

v

Metamorphosis....

In the span of just a few hours, my work life will change dramatically....my direct supervisor, who I have come to depend on to guide and inform me, is transitioning out of his roll at our company. His departure will leave a huge void in my day to day IT meanderings, both in the quality of the experience and my comfort level. He is such a knowledgeable and accessable IT person, and his wealth of experience in this particular organization has helped me navigate the very tricky territory of balancing IT needs, responsibilities and user personalities, enabling me to maximize my strength as a service provider and build trust relationships with some very difficult people in the company.

I will miss him very much, as will the organization, for some time to come. Although selfishly I would like him to stay, I personally wish nothing but success and great happiness for him in whatever endeavor he decides to pursue....the organization will adapt in time, and I hope that the knowledge that it is all that much better for him having been here is a source of pride and pleasure for him as his mind wanders back to those days from time to time.

So..an informal farewell gathering at day's end...hugs and best wishes on his future and ours as well....

That's it for now...till later, much love to him and to you.....

v

Happy Birthday

Today is my young one's 19th birthday. He is a freshman at the University of Toledo and is a music education major. He has accomplished this all on his own, without any financial or emotional assistance from one of his parents and what little that I have been able to offer to him.

He is advanced beyond sad to resentful and angry that he has had no support, emotional or otherwise from his male parent since our divorce 10 years (yep, it HAS been that long) ago. Once he became fully ensconced in his new, remarried life, he has found it extraordinarily easy to "forget" his sons...and it has been a bitter pill that each one has swallowed in their own time and are dealing with in their own ways.

The firstborn has given up....his mindset is such that he acknowledges that he is fortunate enough to have a father who is not dead...but he might as well be for as well as he knows him or is involved in his life. The young one is much more intense, and his reaction is vehement...he feels let down, cut off and pissed off, that in another of the very important phases of his life, his father has opted to "keep a low profile"...

It is what it is...when they get angry about it, they vent to me...and last night...the night before his 19th birthday, the young one was angry...I cannot apologize for the behavior because I cannot understand it...they are always MY children, regardless of how careless others can be about it...

So..Happy Birthday my young one...I am so very proud of you...and love you more than you will ever be able to know....

That's it for now...till later...much love to you....

v

There are a lot of GOOD things about being a geek....

People think that geeks are dull and boring people who have their heads plugged into their monitors all the time, keeping up with the latest install of Linux or crunching some code to do something or other that noone cares about....nothing could be farther from the truth, in my personal experience....

I work with a lot of people who are very "tech-savvy" and have to be to get their jobs done. They are informed on the latest tech advances in hardware and software and are very literate on the ways of networking and application use, as it applies to their particular jobs. You would think that with all that knowledge base to pull from, you would not need a person like me in the mix....that is where you err....

A support person is there because they are well-rounded in all the different things that people do, use and need to be able to do all of their jobs. They are expected to know everything about everything or at least how to figure it all out...and do it with speed, efficiency and if you are really good at it, with generosity and grace, so users don't feel like an inconvenience or a burden.

I think I am a really good support person....I am accessible, empathetic, not intimidating by any stretch of the imagination, and responsive. I will take a user's problem as my own and work it to its resolution, no matter how long it takes or how many tries I have to make at it....I do not take unsuccessful attempts as failures...I see them as "learning experiences"....chances to get more knowledge and be more successful in the future.

These are trying times in my office for IT...but I am still happy to be a geek...I can use my skill set to assure that at least the end users have some sort of stability and security in the face of a dynamic and changing IT environment....wish us luck....we are going to be needing it!!

That's it for now...till later, much love to you....

v

News....

Work is extremely busy....there are staffing changes in the offing that are causing a lot of fast-stepping to get things ready. The end of the month will be a frantic sprint, as we all attempt to take on new roles and embrace additional responsibiities during the transition. Challenges abound, but so far lots of teamwork and things are still getting done...it will be a difficult personal adjustment, because I have a great deal of respect and admiration for the staff member who is leaving to pursue other opportunities.

So...possible travel in the works as well...should be interesting...

That's the quick scoop..till later, much love to you...

v

Ben's Brother....more on them...

If you are getting into Ben's Brother, as it seems everyone who has access to a TV and the internet is, you MUST visit their official website and their MySpace page, where you can sample their music and find out more about them. If you have not seen the Dentyne Ice "Kiss A Frog" commercial that seems to be stirring things up here in the US for them, click on THIS LINK.

Enjoy!

v

PS - News on their MySpace declares that there is a US release of the song "Stuttering" available on iTunes NOW! GO get it!!!!

Friends....

Went out for snacks and conversation with a couple of my dearest friends last night. These are the people that I connected with during my years working in the school district....the kindred spirits who supported me when I was most challenged and stood by me when I was down. Every one has known me from my very beginning in my chosen career as a support technician and has watched as I have grown into the IT person I am now. These are talented educators and very sweet and wonderful women. I am grateful to have them in my life.

We had a great time, with lots of laughs, conversation and good food. I will be seeing one of my friends again on Thursday evening, and of course keeping in touch by phone with all. I hope that schedules allow us to get together again soon....I miss them a lot...it was great to spend time with them.

That's it for now....til later, much love to you....


v

PS - Another win for the Tribe last night - now up three games to one.....one more and off we go.....game is Thursday night....GO TRIBE!!!!

More on "Ben's Brother"....

This group is taking off like crazy...the commercial seems to be an accidental exposure, judging from comments on their blog on their official website Official Website for Ben's Brother. Here you can get information on their schedule of appearances, connect to their blog, and download photos of the band for desktops.

Check it out...the band is awesome...and coming this way (US)....

More later...till then much love to you....

v

PS - The Cleveland Indians (MY TEAM!!!) won against the Red Sox last night 4-2 putting them up two games to 1 in the playoffs....Game 4 tonight at the "Jake"...GO TRIBE!!!!!

Weekend out....

With autumn reintroducing itself into the minds and hearts of midwesterners (after last week's near 90 degree temps and humidity!) my friend and I decided that we would take the weekend to see if the fall colours had started to show in the trees in NW Ohio and eastern Indiana. We started off Saturday morning on his very nice Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 in full leathers and full faced helmets (and YES I do have chaps and did where them!) south on Rt 23 from Sylvania to 24 toward Napoleon and other points west, namely our destination of Fort Wayne Indiana.

During the ride, we stopped in Napoleon to stretch our legs and grab a drink. We stopped at a truck stop across the road from Napoleon Harley, where there were a large number of bikes in the parking lot - obviously a rally or some other group activity going on....while we were at the counter to pay for our drinks and my ice cream treat (Snickers Ice cream bar YUM!) a voice from behind said, "You plan on winning everything again today?!" We turned to see one of the guys who was a participant in the Poker Run at the West Unity American Legion, which we attended several weeks ago. He had a big grin on his face and as we chatted, he disclosed that the event across the way was a Harley riders "Toys for Tots" event, with a band and food. He invited us to crash, but we had a plan and a timeline we had to stick to so we went our separate ways with a smile and a wave.

We traveled at a leisurely pace for about an hour and a half, stopping along the way to snap photos when the spirit moved us. We arrived in Fort Wayne and at our hotel just in time to see that there was a gaming convention and a wedding reception sharing our weekend getaway...no worries....we took a short ride to "The Rib Room" for a great barbeque meal and then retired to our room to watch the Indians whip the butts of the Boston Red Sox.

On Sunday, we slept late and took in brunch at King Gyros, which was within walking distance of the hotel. If you are ever in Fort Wayne, you have to check this place out...best gyros ever....

The day went by way too quickly on Sunday and much sooner than I would have liked, it was back to the grind of work and home responsibilities....it is nice to take these little breaks from it all....I am at work today with a good attitude and ready to face whatever is thrown at me.

I will post a few photos from the trip in my SkyDrive and also on Flickr...till later...much love to you...

v

God Bless Microsoft...

With all the stuff that they do that pisses people off, it is kinda odd and funny that I would actually be saying something nice about anything they have implemented, operating system-wise or anything else. I will say that I have been a Hotmail user for about four years, and as such have progressively reaped the benefits of several "upgrades" or "enhancements" to the online suite of services that started out as "Spaces" and now has its presence in cyberspace as "Live". The transition from one to the other for most users was pretty ugly and painful, with every new solution coming after a very problematic and tiresome deployment stage. The current iteration of "Live" has come about in the last year or so, and seems to have finally been finessed to a pretty darned good level of stability (most of the time) and a tight integration of services to support all levels of internet-savvy users.

The most recent service I have taken advantage of is the online network storage solution branded "SkyDrive", tied to your "Live/Passport" account and providing 500 MB of online, accessible anywhere you can get to the internet storage space. The capacity to use this storage for both private file transfer and public file access makes this a great FREE (yes!!! absolutely FREE) solution for traveling folks or people who are at a distance from one another who want to share photos or other files. The folder structure when you first log on is arbitrary; you can create your own directories with three different levels of privacy (private, shared, or public) and you can upload pretty much anything you own.

So far, I really like this solution and am using it to house some of the photos that I use on this blog. If you want to take a look at the interface and even browse my public folders, follow this link to My SkyDrive to see why I am pretty excited about this.

That's it for now....till later, much love to you....

v

PS - As of October 12 the size of my SkyDrive increased to 1 GB...it just gets better and better! :)

"Stuttering" - Ben's Brother

It's been, it's been, it's been, it's been su-su-su-such a long time-long time-long time
Since anybody touched me-touched me-touched me the way that you touch me......

So if I stutter-stutter-stutter, then I feel so-so-so unsexy...
So maybe I just keep my mouth shut...
At least until you kiss me...


So kiss me again, 'cuz only you can stop this stu-stu-stu-stu-stuttering...
Kiss me again and ease my su-su su-su su-su-su-suffering....

whoa....yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah...oh



I know, I know, it's so-its so sy-sy-sy-symbolic of everything
Everything thats wrong with me and you....
So tell me what I'm s'posed to do.....
Oh, it's been ages since we've been really honest,
But I can make ch-ch-ch-ch changes, if you really want this....

So kiss me again, 'cuz only you can stop this stu-stu-stu-stu-stuttering....
Kiss me again and ease my su-su su-su su-su-su-suffering....

Kiss me again, 'cuz only you can stop this stu-stu-stu-stu-stuttering....
Kiss me again and ease my su-su su-su su-su-su-suffering.....

______________________________________________

Get to know this group...you are hearing this song in the currently running Dentyne Ice "Kiss a Frog" commercial (look for it on YouTube) You can hook up with more information on the group including UK and US release dates for their album Beta Male Fairytales at their MySpace pageBens Brother London UK - Acoustic/Pop

This song speaks to me....enjoy...till later much love to you...

v

A quick post...

The young one has moved through "first degree" in the rush process for his fraternity and has a "Big Brother" and is learning his family lineage. Very busy and tired, but pleased at how things are going so far.

As for me, I am trying to keep things in perspective....more later...till then much love to you.

v

The flyer read.....

American Legion Riders Poker Run
to benefit Operation Support Our Troops
An area organization that sends needed supplies to active service members of NW Ohio
Sign in at 10 a.m - Kick stands up at 11

Last Bike In – 3:00 PM
Ride begins at the West Unity Legion, West Unity, OH
$10 per rider, $15 with passenger
Rain or Shine
Food and drinks available, patch sewing
For more information call Perry at 419-298-3667


_________________________________________________


Over the weekend, my companion and I joined with the Harley Riders Group of the West Unity Post of the American Legion on a Poker Run, proceeds of which went to the local organization “Operation Support Our Troops”, a grassroots effort totally run on contributions by an ex-middle school teacher who has recently been diagnosed with leukaemia. The post raised over a thousand dollars from participants.

The day was beautiful for a ride and the people were all there to provide their monetary and visible support to this very worthy cause. The included photos show what it is like to be a participant in the middle of the group in a poker run. A couple interesting things happened during the day….I won the poker hand at the end of the run, and the first place monies that went along with that, with a hand consisting of a king, two aces and three 4’s. There were also tickets sold for a fifty/fifty raffle and door prizes. We also won the fifty/fifty raffle with a value of nearly four hundred dollars, and we gave the money on behalf of the post to the lady who runs “Operation Support Our Troops”, increasing her total toward the cause from this event to about fourteen hundred dollars.



During the day, we saw a lot of beautiful scenery in NW Ohio, met many interesting people and were able to contribute to a worthy cause in a much more significant way than we had at first anticipated. It was a great weekend…my butt’s a little sore from all the riding, but every time I have to shift in my seat a little, it reminds me of the really fun time I had over the weekend!


Hope you enjoy the photos and the short narrative....till later, much love to you....

v

UT Symphonic Band...a late entry

My young one had his first official performance since his affiliation with the University of Toledo Department of Music last Thursday night at 8 PM at Doermann Theatre at University Hall. The photo at right shows him and the firstborn's Ann as they perform with the University of Toledo Symphonic Band under the direction of Dr Collins. Dr Jason Stumbo (of Communiversity Band and Rocket Marching Band fame) was also present conduction his group (which I do not recall the official name of) and a very enjoyable evening was had. The young one, unfortunately had a longer evening than this however, as his fraternity is responsible for the moving of equipment back to the Performing Arts building after the concert....his arrival home several hours later was the culmination of a grueling day for him and he took just long enough to grunt in my general direction as he staggered off to bed.

Hope you enjoy the photo...that's it for now....much love to you....

v

Yep...that pretty much covers it.....

All I wanted.....

...was to pop into a newish bookstore in a newish strip center that I had never been to before...almost done with my current Stephen King ("Lisey's Story") and ready to pick up "The Cell" (yes, I know it has been out for a while....just never picked it up) What I was greeted with was an announcement over the store intercom stating "Good morning customers; if you are here for the Laura Ingraham book signing to begin at noon today, please make sure you have your books checked in, or if you need to purchase one, please visit the numerous displays in place throughout the store. Thank you." Hmmm...intriguing....I don't even know who this person is, but from the looks of the folks milling about in the store at only eleven o'clock, I thought it would be in my interest to pick up a copy of the book (to at least look at the book jacket) to find out.

I found that Ms Ingraham is a talk radio personality and author, categorized in the ranks of Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh. Although not a political person by design, I am not really all that fascinated with folks on this side of the political spectrum, and I was really torn if the draw of getting an autographed copy of the book was that strong, considering. In a moment of weakness I picked up my Stephen King, and impulsively walked to the check out with the other book in my hand as well...I would be lying if I said that I didn't think of laying it down and leaving without it at least once before the woman at the check out took my money.

After paying, I walked back to the front of the store, where the followers of Ann Ingraham were assembling. The thronging tens of them were any make and description of quintescential midwesterner you might be able to imagine....at the front of the VIP line a very round and plain looking woman with Dr Scholl's type sandals with stars and stripes on the straps, homemade cookies in a Tupperware container and a plain white envelope (which we found later to have a contribution, which was acknowledged before the rest of the waiting folks). The rest of the mix was very much the same...pasty white guys and their bossy wives/girlfriends, and outspoken older folks, both male and female, that agree with Ms Ingraham that America is going to hell in a handbasket and something has to be done about it.

My line companions were, to the front of me, a married man who was there because he heard of the signing while engaged in his daily listening and to the rear, a sometimes talkative and very opinionated older lady who had no trouble letting everyone around her know exactly her thoughts on anything and everything. As she engaged me in conversation and I realized exactly what I had gotten myself into, my mantra became "Nod and smile....nod and smile..." and for goodness sake don't say anything stupid!
Her opinions regarding politicians, family and the state of the country were about what I had expected, given age and obvious affiliation...I seemed to be nodding at the appropriate times, as it appeared that I was ingratiating myself to her somewhat. At one point, when engaging me in a little more personal conversation, she made a comment on my relatively dark tan...slyly hinting that my legs were very dark, but she bet that my "rear" was very white....I thought for a tick on just the right way to come at the topic, then gestured with an index finger that she should lean in a little so that i could talk quietly in her ear. When she did, I said only this, "No, my butt is just as dark as the rest of me...I tan naked in the tanning bed." With that I stood up again and smiled a little amused smile. She looked at me as if I had told her I eat children, took a step back, and did not engage me in personal conversation for the duration of our wait in line....she appears in the photo that is in the upper left of this entry (she, left and Ingraham, right).

In any case, I escaped unscathed, a signed copy of Ms Ingraham's book in my possession; the author spent no longer with me than absolutely necessary to sign the book...(perhaps she got wind of my nasty secret...***hearty belly laugh***). It was an interesting beginning to the afternoon...and I imagine that since I bought the book I will probably at least peruse it a bit....perhaps the next time I go to the tanning salon ;-)

That's it for now....till later, much love to you....

v

Sooo.....you wanna be a "voice talent"?.....

At work on Friday, while intent on something on my laptop screen, one of the "e" guys came over to the cube wall by my desk with a bundle of paper in his hand and asked me this question. Basically, what they needed was someone to read sound bytes for a project they are working on - they record the segments and then they are used in an interactive activity that they are building for a client. I was able to experience recording in the studio (first time I have really seen how it works) and when the project is all done (and as long as the script does not get altered again and get re-recorded by someone else) my voice will be representing interaction between a customer service representative and a customer in a training tool for a cable/internet service provider.

Pretty cool huh? This ROOT place just gets more and more interesting every day!

That's it for now....till later, much love to you....

v

PS - to my friend who just had surgery....I am thinking of you and look forward to hearing from you when you feel up to it <3

Wildwood Metropark in autumn....

This was a beautiful weekend to be outdoors....the skies of Ohio were blue and bright with the occasional cloud from time to time and the air was cool and beginning to give a hint of the autumn that is coming soon. I spent an afternoon in the park, walking and taking photos of the changing leaves, the autumn flowers and the interesting structures that are on the grounds. The photo at the left was taken in the covered bridge...the water below meandering slow and calm beneath, causing the sunlight to flicker and sparkle on its surface and casting an interesting shadow dance on the ceiling inside the bridge.

Hope you had a wonderful weekend and had time to enjoy the beautiful fall weather in Ohio....I look forward to many more cool and beautiful weekends...and as they happen and I find photogenic places to go, I will share them here with you....there are a few more photos of the park (and me) in the current additions to my Flickr account, accessible by clicking on the Flickr banner at the right.

Till later, much love to you....

v

Thanks for not being part of the "nerd herd"....

I was recently congratulated on my ability to leverage my "technology prowess" without draping myself in the mantle of IT superiority with this very humorous and heart-felt compliment. In this age when every person in most industrialized countries are dependent on technology of all types to conduct business, stay connected and get through their daily lives with some level of competency, the roll of the IT professional has moved well beyond the "geek in the server room", with black plastic framed eyeglasses held together with tape, to a more accessible, friendly and customer-oriented facilitator, charged with the task of assuring that technology "works", in whatever capacity the user requires.

This recognition has contributed greatly to the success of the group Geek Squad, whose affiliation with the company Best Buy as their on-call, on-site tech support professionals has set a new standard for the IT geek and their place in the home/small business technology user's arsenal of technology resources. The Geek Squad image, although slightly reminiscent of the quintescential geek, shows younger folks, male and female, bedecked in their chosen "geek uniform" (admittedly spec-ed out to inspire confidence and be unintimidating), but still "cool". Their manner is also the product of specific training...their approach is meant to make them easy to talk to, friendly and cooperative; totally contradictory to what so many people have experienced in IT support experiences of the past.

In my job, I take the "Geek Squad" approach - which is easy for me, because it was not THAT many years ago that I was on the other side of the tech support equation...I also have been able to leverage my skills in a more personal and accessible private venture that I call "Creative Tech Solutions"; offering my help to home folks (mostly people that I already know) with their home and small business technology challenges....the best part? Success for the folks I work with without a lot of pain....IT is looking better every day....hurray for the geek squad...SO LONG, "nerd herd"!

That's it for now....till later, much love to you...

v

The Toledo Blade and WTVG TV13 Toledo Present....

The Scripps Corporate and Community Spelling Bee to benefit "Read for Literacy"...When I was working in the Creative area of the office (Park or "Garden" level)on my very famous and successful "deployment project", I commandeered a desk within very close proximity of the proofing staff...the two ladies who single-handedly assure that every "customer-facing" Rootster is articulate and erudite in their written communications. These amazing women also assure that all materials produced for clients are grammatically accurate and all spellings are correct (not only for US customers, but also for Spanish,French, Japanese, and British English, just to name a few) These ladies have participated for the last two years in this spelling bee event for charity, there presence funded by donation to "Read for Literacy" by Root. This year, one of our two proofers is occupied in a very important and time consuming project and was not going to able to attend. This is where my close proximity to them and my penchant for writing, proofreading and innate spelling skill came into play. The ladies were aware of my "mad skills"; I have a reputation for being a little wordy but interesting in internal emails....on an impulse one day about two months ago, one of the ladies mentioned that the contest was coming up and the team was a "man" down...she suggested "You should do it this year!" Without a moments hesitation (or thought, really) I agreed. Not until later, when I started to discuss the process with them, and later still when I was issued my expansive notebook of the half of the alphabet I was to study, did I realize what I had gotten myself involved with.

I studied in my usual way...the method I have used since my high school years....wait till the last minute...(gasp! I KNOW....you must be so shocked!!!)...frantically pawing through page after page of word lists this past weekend and looking at the lists every chance I had during the day at work the last few days.....I was really starting to panic....there was no way that I was going to be an asset to the team (more like an "A**" I thought) I was worried that I would make Root look foolish since their name was affixed to everything involved with us being at the contest, and I was more upset about the prospect of letting the ladies down who had enough confidence in me to ask me to participate with them. Both of them were generous and kind as they assuaged my fears...."Do your best, and Have Fun" they both advised...."we know you will do just fine".

Today, as we were getting ready to leave for the competition, the lady who was not able to participate this year made a point of finding us to wish us luck. She also provided us with a mesh pouch with a half dozen small polished stones inside...each stone, she explained had a "power"...which it would impart to us, as we held them in our hands as we spelled. I was grateful for her thoughtfulness...and held tightly to one of the stones the entire time....feeling its smoothness and concentrating on its power (strength) it was easier for me to sit on the platform with the 34 other teams and actually feel that OUR team had as much of a chance as anyone else there to be successful.

We arrived at the venue in time for a very quick attempt at the lunch provided, the officials were introduced (one of them a teacher from the school district in which I was the Help Desk Tech before I came to Root) then all the participants were herded into the hall outside the contest room to be lined up for introductions and the walk to the risers where we were to sit. The entry was made through open double doors, each team being announced by business affiliation and then the individuals' names....they went to great lengths to make this part exciting and fun.....each team entered the hall through a cloud of "smoke" to the strains of some triumphant sounding musical fanfare (probably Rocky theme, now that I think on it!) The announcer was the voice of the Toledo Mudhens (who happens to be the sig other of one of our folks at the office) Our team was introduced as "The returning 2006 champions, Root Learning, team members Alma ******* and Vicki Timman"....I would be a liar if I said that this part was not fun (in a contrived sort of way)

We proceeded through the first round with the local celebrity talking heads who were participating for WTVG going out on the word "condolences"....we quietly offered ours as they left the platform. Round after round, continued to be successful....my teammate with her own set of "mad skills" assuring that we were right on with every word we were asked to spell. Ultimately we were in a small elimination group of four teams, where we finally met our killer word...."halophyte"...pronounced badly by the word guy....but that's OK....we still ended up with a very respectable 3rd....a little trophy to display in the office with our names engraved on it, and a good experience this year that will make it easy for us to accept next year, if Root decides to participate.

When we returned to the office, the folks there already knew how we had finished. The Creative team had already printed posters of congratulations and as we arrived we came upon them affixing the posters to every entry/exit door on both floors of our offices....no matter where we went, folks stopped us to congratulate...and also to hear the killer word....everyone was interested and excited that we made it in the contest as far as we had.

The photo at the top of this entry is of me and my teammate, proofer Alma...it was taken on the platform only a moment or two before the competition was to begin, so the quality is questionable at best, although it does generally reflect our positive attitudes as we embarked on this literary adventure this afternoon.

Hope you enjoyed my view of the day....that's it for now....till later, much love to you....

v

Labor Day weekend...

Everyone has had to work at least part of the weekend, with the young one working on Saturday AND Sunday and the firstborn working Monday....I even went in on Saturday, trying to get my head around the stuff that will be coming up fast and furious on Tuesday morning. The young one was off today and went to play "Guitar Hero" with a couple friends. I decided to do some sight-seeing....went to Maumee Bay State Park, Farnsworth Metropark in Waterville to eat my dinner (cut veggies with dip and a Jones Green Apple) by the Maumee River, and on the way home stopped at Fallen Timbers Monument in Maumee. Photos from the roam-around are on Flickr, if you are interested.

Well, back to it...stuff to get started before tomorrow morning...hope you had a relaxing weekend...till later, much love to you...

v

Hmmmm...

Who cares?

Currently thinking about.....

Interpol - No "I" in Threesome

- from the album Our Love to Admire (2007)

Through the storms and the light
Baby, you stood by my side
And life is wine
But there are days in this life
When you see the teeth marks of time
Two lovers divide
Sound meets sound, babe
The echoes, they surround
And know that we need is one thing
Now what is there to allow?
Babe, it's time we give something new a try
Oh, alone we may fight
So, just let us be free
And baby tonight
I see your lips are on fire
And life is wine
Now the windows are open the moon is so bright
There's no one can tell us what love brings, you and I
Sound meets sound, babe
The echoes they surround
And know that we need is one thing
Now what is there to allow
Babe, it's time we give something new a try
Oh, alone we may fight
So just let us be free, tonight
Through the storms and the light
Baby you stood by my side
And life is wine
You feel the sweet breath of time
It's whispering, its truth not mine
There's no I in threesome
And I am all for it
Babe, it's time we give something new a try
Oh, alone we may fight
And feathers bend like trees in the moonlight
Babe, it's time we give something new a try
Oh, alone we may fight
So just let us be free tonight

Some people really need to stop using the "mat"....

From the movie, Office Space (1998)

"It was a "Jump to Conclusions" mat. You see, it would be this mat that you would put on the floor... and would have different CONCLUSIONS written on it that you could JUMP TO."

- Tom Smykowski

____________________________________________________

I have been mulling over some occurrences recently....some interactions I have had with "friends"...folks that I felt I understood and trusted and that understood and trusted me....I have come to realize that there is a level of understanding and trust that I extend to people that seems not to come naturally to others, either because of their life experiences, some deep-seated self-doubt, a sort of protecting behaviour, because they have been hurt when trusting people before, or something else which I do not have the capacity to understand. All I do know for sure is that for these people, there is no question that all actions of others are first and foremost rooted in insidiously bad intentions...there is nothing that can be said or done EVER to change that ingrained, gut reaction. People like me get very frustrated with that sort of reaction....even when disappointed by people, I tend to let those things pass...there is nothing accomplished by holding grudges or keeping score...it only tends to hurt YOU and the person who you feel has disappointed you is often unaware of how serious you feel the injury was that they were responsible for.

My recent experiences have made me painfully aware that the wrestling match of trust that I have been having with a few of my "friends" can no longer continue....these people have already gotten their pre-release copy of the "Jump to Conclusions" mat and use it regularly with regard to me, and there is nothing I can ever do to change that behaviour. I feel like a failure as a friend for admitting that I am giving up the struggle, but that is something I will have to work through on my own....in the meantime, I will keep moving forward with my own good intentions and trusting attitude intact and hope for the best for the folks who insist on keeping their fatalistic outlook on people and relationships....

Till later, much love to you,

v

A difficult choice....

I received a phone call from the young one at noontime, as I have several times during the past week since marching band rehearsals have begun. It started out much in the normal way, with noise in the background and the young one talking about the morning's activities....as is sometimes the case when you are caught off-guard, I was trying hard to listen to the phone call and continue with my work in progress as well...until I heard the words that stopped my heart..."I can't do it anymore...I'm leaving the marching band...going to talk to the director at 1 o'clock"....I was absolutely stunned, and obviously by the tone of the young one's voice, he was struggling as well. He did not want to talk to me about the decision at that time and had another commitment to keep before his meeting with the directors, so we parted phone company then... I was left to worry and wonder...what could have possibly happened this morning to make the young one want to let this treasured goal, finally achieved, go?

I discovered out later in the day that the stress of the strenuous rehearsal schedule had finally become too much for him to bear...he had come to the cold realization that even after all the challenges and obstacles he had overcome to attain this position on the drumline, he was not physically capable of maintaining the grueling energy level that participating in the band required. His admission to himself of his lack of preparation in that regard was probably the most difficult thing he has ever done...he is not one to give up when the going gets rough...but he realized in his heart that there was no way that physical fitness and stamina was going to magically be granted to him in the final few days before classes and performances officially begin.

He will be realigning his course work for this academic year to include Symphonic Band as his large ensemble (required of music majors) and has spoken of making it his goal to become fit enough to audition and participate in Marching Band next fall. Field percussion is a passion for him, and the lack of its presence this fall for the first time in four years will be difficult...but it will also be a motivating force...I look forward to watching his progress in this quest and participating if I can....please send the young one your good thoughts...his journey is just beginning....

Till later, much love to you...

v

Overexposed

Too much exposure? Too many hits? Coming back too high on the list of boolean search results from Google, Dogpile or Yahoo? How many people are you acquainted with that would like that to be their problem...in fact labour long and hard to make just such a thing occur?

I have decided that I have too many places to maintain content on and as a result, they all are half-hearted efforts and do not reflect my real abilities or intent as I keep a presence in cyberspace. For that reason, I am making a conscious decision to continue actively participating in only one social networking site (Facebook), one full fledged blogging site (Blogger), one site with a personalized domain name (tekkbabe.net) one photo sharing service (Flickr) and one flash blogging service (Twitter). I am not eliminating other sites where my name and presence appear, but over time they will become static and probably become defunct on their own.

In the over-abundance of places to "Put things", there is a significant amount of garbage being created...I am tired of contributing to mediocre content just for the sake of having a presence on every server on the internet. Goodbye to the many and here's hoping that the few I choose to support will contain content worth your effort to peruse.

Much love to you, till later

v

Everybody's Zooin' it....Toledo Zoo - August 11, 2007

Having a beautiful day and nothing in particular that I HAD to do, I decided to make a visit to the Toledo Zoo...haven't spent a great deal of time there since the kids were younger. Driving down to the Broadway entrance (back side) I recalled all the Mondays that I took the huge mob of kids (my own and the ones I was babysitter for back then) to the zoo for free, how much fun we had running willy-nilly from one end of the zoo to the other, having little snacks and when I was really "flush" everyone picking out a souvenir from the gift shop.

When I got inside the gates, I soon discovered that this particular Saturday was some sort of family day at the zoo...lots of families with youngsters with the accompanying wagons, strollers, whining and crying children and irritated parents....even at that, all I could do was smile....thinking back to my own kids and our own experiences....not much like these I was watching....my own brood was pretty even tempered and knew that if they wanted to continue to have fun activities to fill their days, they had better make every good effort to stay that way!

I walked to all the places that hold appeal for me at the zoo and captured them in photos (see the new Flickr entries for today) I was using my new camera, a pink Polaroid 5 megapixel (a small bump up from my 3.2 mpx HP Photosmart) I like it just fine, the pink is for a donation to Susan Kolmen breast cancer research, and it suits my recent "pinked up" appearance.....added bonus...the photos are really noticeably better than some taken with my old one.

Take a look at the photos if you like....bout all I got for now....more as time allows and interesting things present themselves....much love to you till then....

v

FINALLY...something worth writing about!

As those who know me know, the young one is now an official freshman at the University of Toledo as a Music Education major. His first large ensemble activity for the academic year is his all time favourite activity, marching band, having auditioned and been accepted into the UT Rocket Marching Band. Band rehearsals started Wednesday evening, with the young one only knowing that he was in the band, but not knowing what percussion position he would be serving in. He had been through several clinics at UT with the percussion line section leaders and the percussion professor. He had expressed his preference for instrument when asked, and was very nervous once the rehearsals began, not knowing for sure if his choice instrument would be the one he would actually be allowed to play for this football season. He has been through several days of arduous rehearsal time and until today was not absolutely positive whether he would be a "drummer" or a "cymbal player" in the UT marching band.......

UNTIL TODAY....when positions were finally announced.....and the winner is.....MY YOUNG ONE!!!! He is one of two freshman percussionists in the quad section of the UT Marching Band....now the pressure of unsure is gone and the pressure of overachieve can kick in...one that I know he is more than up to....a HUGE "attaboy" to the young one and here's looking forward to a fantastic Rocket Football season!

Till later, much love to you....

v

Water Fascination....

I had intended to spend another Saturday afternoon in Port Clinton today, but my favourite place to go there is the public beach, to sit in the sand and enjoy the water and sun; unfortunately the Ohio weather was not cooperating, with overcast skies and spotty showers all day. Instead of heading for Port Clinton today, I headed south to Findlay...to visit my favourite coffee house there and spend some time exploring the area, which is one with which I am becoming quite familiar.

For some reason, this summer I have grown into a "water person" of sorts....I am finding enjoyment being around it, seeing the waves lap the shore of whatever body of water I am at...walking the beaches and shorelines and enjoying the parks and picnic areas that are usually around them. This is an amazing thing to me; I, the person with the aversion, nay, fear of the water. I do not swim and become petrified to the point of tears when in a swimming pool, but the lakes and ponds, in being around them, seem to have some calming effect on my soul. I leave them feeling renewed and in touch with myself again...I imagine that this may be the reason that folks buy boats and lakeside homes....

In any case, today, I took a long walk along the top of the banks of the reservoirs outside of Findlay...after an iced tea at the coffee shop and a walk through the weekend event taking place downtown...the current photos in the Flickr album are from there...

That's it for now...still may make it to Port Clinton tomorrow, but first have to finish a job for a friend and get their equipment back to them...back to work for awhile...more later if there is anything interesting to say...much love to you..

v

It's not Hawaii, but the intent (and result) is the same....

With the weather this weekend as nice and cool for Ohio as it was, I made another trip to Port Clinton, with a bit of forethought this time so I could really enjoy my time there and be comfortable. I stopped on the way out of Toledo to pick up a book to read while sitting in the sun on the beach and assured that I had my folding chair snugly packed away in the trunk of my little car. The drive was nice...brilliant blue sky and bright sunshine giving the day such crisp detail and beautiful color that everything I saw seemed like a photo op to me, and I finally just had to force myself to lay my camera down and drive, or miss it all because of my obsessive snapping.

Once I arrived in Port Clinton, it was obvious that I was not the only one who was appreciative of our Ohio weather good fortune...the streets were thronging with folks on foot or in cars, so much different from the last time I was here when it was so ungodly hot and humid. I headed toward the public beach (it was a little before 11 AM) and I was surprised to see that there were many free spots in the parking area. As I locked up the car and got all my things together, I noted the cool breeze blowing across the road from the water...cool and felt good as it passed over my hot from the car skin. I loaded myself up with my supplies and crossed the street to the beach.

As I stepped upon the sand and looked over the beach, I was astonished to find that as far as sun worshipers went, I was one of only three there. I scanned from one end of the short public patch to the other...then stopped short, amazed at the tableau that appeared before my eyes....the scene, one that so many girls dream about....a light breeze, a small group of friends, a flowing white dress and a minister on the sand by the water...a wedding in progress....the beginning of a new chapter in two people's lives, just happened upon by the random decision to "go to the beach"....

It was a very short ceremony...I had arrived at what had appeared from the distance to be the exchange of vows phase...in a mere few minutes the couple was in a passionate embrace, him holding her so tightly that he picked her up off her feet and spun her around, her flowing white skirt fluttering in the breeze. There were then hugs for all the half dozen attendees and the clean up of the cameras and other accouterments of the occasion, then the happy group started their short walk up to the exit from the beach and assumably to their luncheon celebration. The bride walked barefoot, carrying her sandals in one hand and holding fast to her new husband with the other. He, carefully assisting in her progress on the soft sand, looked at her with affection and chatted amiably with the others in the party, surely relatives or friends who were there to share the moment with them. I watched this procession with appreciation...what a nice day for a wedding and how happy they appeared at this moment...although I am not acquainted with either the bride or groom, I silently wished them luck and happiness....a leap of love and faith...but a crap shoot whether it will last a lifetime or die in a day...

I spent a long time on the beach after the wedding party left, reading Stephen King (Lisey's Story - great book so far, by the way) and napping when I felt the cool air from the lake make me drowsy. The unfortunate part of the great breeze was that it made me totally unaware of how long I was actually in the sun. When I awoke from my last micro-nap, I became aware that my arms and thighs were warm and staying that way, even with the breeze. When I opened my eyes, I could see that I was pretty badly sunburned....I sit this afternoon coated in Noxema to soothe the pain...hopefully I will not peel....and right now, my sunburn is a very stark contrast to my blonde hair that continues to get lighter the longer I am in the sun.

Today was much quieter and spent on the day to day things that have to be done to keep a civil house...the firstborn did not have to work today, and the young one worked open till 5 (just arrived home). I have some other things to get to, so am done with this entry for now...for more of what I have seen lately, check out my Flickr account at the right...till later...love to you...

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No reason to be surprised....

Sooo....checking back here to see if I have posted something new...visiting to live a little vicariously through my entries, or just be a voyeur in my and my close acquaintances personal lives....noticing that it has been awhile since I have posted anything new....there is a reason for that....

I TOLD YOU SO!!!!

I have been struggling to find reason to keep on writing every day on this site and have found little to inspire or spur me on in recent weeks...until the dry spell passes, you can keep checking back or not...obviously it doesn't matter enough for a comment or encouragement...maybe I will get some golden flash of enlightenment...meh...who knows....

Anyway...be back sometime...when I have something I want to say...

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Sylvania Ohio Activities - July 12, 2007

Today was the first day of actual tournament play for the Jamie Farr. Today was also the second annual "Takin' It to the Street" community festival, featuring food, a farmer's market, and music, including the regional entertainment personality, Eddie Boggs, shown in the photo, left. Hope you had an opportunity to participate in whichever event interested you...the second day of the LPGA will be taking place tomorrow.

Till then, much love to you....

v

The LPGA Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic presented by Kroger

As happens every year in Sylvania, the LPGA is coming to town to take over Highland Meadows Country Club golf course to hold the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic presented by Kroger. The country club is but a stone's throw from my house, and I and all my neighbors will be favored with the following during this week:

- horrible traffic snarls from early morning until late in the evening
- constant fly-overs by helicopters, blimps and small planes
- lots of strange people wandering the streets of our small community
- media swarming the golf course and surrounding area all week long

I know that in principal, this is a humongous feather in the cap of the city, and even in the inconvenience, there are a lot of folks who manipulate this event to their financial advantage (you will see photos later this week documenting how that actually happens). I have exposure to the other side of the coin...the young one for several years was a member of the brigade of young people whose services are exploited to assure that this event is successful (yes, the vast majority of folks who will be bad mouthed and abused by the visiting "guests" are volunteers, unfortunately)...

So folks, as you visit our fair city, take advantage of our hospitality and amenities, and please remember that the folks that live here every day are holding out hope that this year, the impressions we leave on each other at our parting at the end of this week will be favorable ones.

More later....much love to you...

v

For more photos of the prep for the LPGA Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic presented by Kroger, please feel free to click on the Flickr badge at the right to view my uploaded photos.

"A time will come when a politician who has willfully made war and promoted international dissension will be as sure of the dock and much surer of the noose than a private homicide. It is not reasonable that those who gamble with men's lives should not stake their own..."

-- H.G. Wells

Mount up...

In a frenzy of intense interest, the young one and the firstborn both have acquired older (but in very good condition) motorcycles...the young one a '77 Honda CB400 and the firstborn a '82 Yamaha Maxim 550. The excitement around these machines has the entire household abuzz with activities that range from finding places to secure them, going over them to assure mechanical integrity, procuring appropriate safety gear, registering them for tags, and last but certainly not least, beginning the process of learning to create a working relationship with these very different modes transportation.

The firstborn, as seems to be his way with all things mechanical, has taken to riding like a duck to water, after a very short learning period. The young one, on the other hand, has been challenged to master a whole new skill set (shifting, choke, hand breaks, etc, etc) before he can enjoy the thrill of the open road (so to speak). He has gone from frustrated to energized today, as he has taken some very huge steps to making his motorcycle riding goals become a reality. The photo, above, captures the spirit of our early morning driving session, which took place at the high school in the parking lot. The young one riding, and the firstborn getting wayyyy too much exercise, the young one was able to start the bike and put it into first gear and ride many series of runs first straight, and then with a little turning, around the parking lot. At the end, he was excited and pleased....he had that "smile that would not go away" under his helmet as he took it off at the end of his practice session for today...as he left for work, it was still there. I think his misfortunes at the onset of the experiment have served to give him healthy respect for his accomplishments now...it promises to be a great experience for all...

That's it for now...much love to you...

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