An example of what I do

A co-worker of mine pointed this site out to me today, this is specifically data that we compiled and I assembled here at work.

Allegany County

Enjoy and hopefully it's educational for you.

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Today is Tuesday, and I thought it would be a nice time to do a tidbits since I haven't done one in quite some time.

* Good news from work that will be directly affecting me, we won a vary large contract to Los Angeles County. We have already flown the area and started the processes, this was just the official press release. They are planning on intergrating the information to a web based application, so yours truly will have a lot of work lined up to oversee in the next couple of years. I already wrote what I think is a pretty time effective and fail safe methodology for another project, so if the Planametric data comes my way, and I have a feeling it will, I'll just re-write some of the specifics and some of the code and plug it into this project.

* We have our first official softball practice this evening at 6:00. I'm pretty excited about it, and I'm really anticipating hitting the field with everyone again. I'll take my camera and hopefully I'll get a shot or two.

* Speaking of bringing my camera, yesterday driving to work I saw what I thought as a fantastic photo opportunity. The sun rising in the east, I was going to call it "Dawn of a new day". I brought my camera to work with me this morning, unfortunately it wasn't as clear of a morning as it was yesterday and my timing was wrong. Time changes next week, so I'll have three more days to get the shot.

* Speaking of time changes, remember we set our clocks up an hour this weekend. It's spring foreword, so you'll lose an hour's sleep and it will be a shorter weekend.

* Kim Messaged me yesterday, she's going to try to have another Texas Hold 'Em tournament this weekend. Should be fun, I plan on winning the tournament this time though.

* Things are a little slow at work right now, but I should be bombarded in work as soon as one of our subcontractors makes a delivery.

* Hey, I've tried my hot air popcorn popper out a few times. This thing is great and I love it. I may just put home made ice cream on the agenda this summer.

* I found out from Kim yesterday what her big surprise is that she is getting. I'm not going to spoil it, so readers of her BLOG will just have to pay attention for updates.

* I haven't talked to Nick or Terri lately, so I guess I'll need to maybe stop by the bar one day later this week.

* Have a good day, I'm going to.


If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.- Anne Bradstreet

The Weekend

It's been a great weekend for me so far, even though my beloved WVU Mountaineers are not playing today with a chance to advance to the Final 4. Ironically we have played both teams who are already in the final four and we have played the two number one seeds that play today with a chance to go to the final four. So, there is a good chance that we will have played all four teams left in the NCAA Basketball tournament at one time or another during the regular season and have a 2-2 record against these four teams.
Last night we had our fantasy baseball draft. It's going to be a pure trophy league this year and the guys that are in my league are all members of my softball team with the exception one owner. It was a great time last night getting together with the guys I will be spending this summer with playing softball.

It's a continual process for us, Softball and then when that's over Mountaineer football starts, when that's over Mountaineer Basketball starts and when that is over we return to Softball. I had a blast playing with these guys last year, and I'm looking foreword to playing with them again this season.

We are going to have our first practice this Tuesday, so I'm a little excited about being about being able to hit the field again this season with these guys.

I did get a chance to talk to Chris and he informed me that we are picking up a new player this season who owns a paintball battle ground at Rich's Farms. He's toying with the idea of having a private day late in April where we are going to do a Prime Thyme Softball v WVAQ paintball battle. They are eying up like April 22 at Rich's Farms for the potential day and date. Chris (Hector) told Kevin last night that we will see where his loyalty lies, however Chris is also on the morning show and might be setting us up. We'll have to wait and see.

I was really happy with how my draft ended up. I'm traditionally the guy who comes in last place. Remember that these guys are all in radio and television or have worked for a team, so I'm usually in trouble every year. I feel confident this year though that the Morgantown Fantasy Baseball trophy (you can see the football trophy in one of the pics) will be residing at my place come October.

I did buy myself a nice little toy this morning. I was in the mood for some popcorn and was with all the Micro-Wave popcorn. I noticed a jar of Orville Redenbacher sitting there. It's been a really long time since I would have "Real Popcorn" at home. Seems like we always go for convenience and get the microwave stuff. It never seems to pop right, gets burnt or is dried out too much. So, I went and bought a hot air popcorn popper.

I don't think I have had real home made popcorn in over a decade or better. You know the kind, where you Melt the butter and pour it over top a big bowl of freshly popped pop corn. Well worth the minimal investment (I think I paid $16.00 for the popper), other than movie theatre, this is the best popcorn I've had in years.

Maybe this summer I will venture into making Home Made Ice Cream.

It's amazing how we forget the simpler and finer things in life.

Hope you've had a great weekend.

My Little Home in West Virginia

This is an old movie file that I did a couple years ago, but just never published. I came across it this morning on my computer and had forgotten all about it.

The Music is a song my grandfather recorded for RCA Victor in either the late 40's or early 50's called My Little Home in West Virginia. Enjoy.

Happy Birthday Amy

Today is my Neice Amy's birthday. It has been a true joy watching her grown up and develop into the very lovely young lady that she is today. She is a very loving individual who loves to be in the presence of kids, and from about every observation I have ever made, she is a kid magnet. Young Children just seem to adore her.














Happy Birthday Amy




"We are not born all at once, but by bits. The body first, and the spirit later; and the birth and growth of the spirit, in those who are attentive to their own inner life, are slow and exceedingly painful. Our mothers are racked with the pains of our physical birth; we ourselves suffer the longer pains of our spiritual growth." -- Mary Antin, 1912

It's Been a good weekend so far.

I will say that it has been a fairly decent weekend for me so far. It started Friday and my 68 mile drive home from work when WVU beat Southern Illinois 64-46 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. We play Northwestern State this afternoon in the second round. The winner will advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Basketball tournament in Atlanta. I will say it has been a pleasure to watch these seniors play the past four seasons.

Saturday was a decent day, I went to Jean's and took a few pictures of her for her new pet, an African Grey named Gussy. Gussy is pictured with Bunkey, Jean's toy poodle that she also has. Gussy has an already very large vocabulary and just being around her is very entertaining. She states her previous owners address and telephone number for sta
rters. Jean told me a little story that she usually gets up by 5:00 and decided to sleep in one morning. A little after 5:00 Bunky was barking so Jean got out of bed, as soon as she got out she looked down and there was Gussy walking into her bedroom. Gussy looks up at her and states....."What's Your Problem?" I have a funny feeling Gussy will touch a few peoples lives over the years.

I did have a nice little pleasant surprise yesterday in a phone call from my best friend throughout college Ginger. Her and Tony were in town yesterday morning, and will be returning in a couple months. Hopefully the next time they come back into town we can all go out to dinner or something. She did however tell me that they bought a new house and will have DSL at their new house. I'm really lloking foreward to being back in contact with her with MSN again. If you find a friend like this once in your lifetime, you are pretty lucky.

I'm not sure what the rest of my weekend holds in store other than my typical day, but if it's anything like the first part of the weekend it's going to be a good day.


"Friendship is a plant of slow growth and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation."--George Washington

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I hope everyone is wearing a touch of green today, because it is St. Patricks Day. Watch me be the one that screws around and forgets to wear it when I get ready for work in a few minutes.

Today is also the day of of an attempt at a record breaking Guinness Toast. BRILLIANT!




Here is wishing everyone a Happy, Safe, and Green FRIDAY and St. Patricks Day.

The snow this morning

Was nothing short of a figment of everyone's imagination. There was NOT any snow on the road this morning when I was driving to Frostburg and there was NOT snow falling from the sky. It was just a very bad dream, summer is right around the corner and it's been six weeks since that rat saw his shadow in Punxsutawney. Please resume with your normal summertime plans.

We are two days away from St. Patricks's day and less than a week away from the Vernal Equinox, so that means we can't have any more snow. It's the start of Spring and leading into summer, and everyone knows it doesn't snow during the summer. Sheesh.

Ok, everyone think warm thoughts. Think about being on the lake or walking outside in warm weather and shorts. Think about cookouts and summer Holidays, and let's not forget that Christmas is three months behind us, the Super Bowl was played a month and a half ago and NASCAR is in full motion.

It's softball weather, not snowball weather. Think warm thoughts.

Tragic News

By ERIN CARLSON
Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Isaac Hayes has quit "South Park," where he voices Chef, saying he can no longer stomach its take on religion.

Hayes, who has played the ladies' man/school cook in the animated Comedy Central satire since 1997, said in a statement Monday that he feels a line has been crossed.

"There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins," the 63-year-old soul singer and outspoken Scientologist said.

"Religious beliefs are sacred to people, and at all times should be respected and honored," he continued. "As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years, I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices."

"South Park" co-creator Matt Stone responded sharply in an interview with The Associated Press Monday, saying, "This is 100 percent having to do with his faith of Scientology... He has no problem -- and he's cashed plenty of checks -- with our show making fun of Christians."

Last November, "South Park" targeted the Church of Scientology and its celebrity followers, including actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta, in a top-rated episode called "Trapped in the Closet." In the episode, Stan, one of the show's four mischievous fourth graders, is hailed as a reluctant savior by Scientology leaders, while a cartoon Cruise locks himself in a closet and won't come out.

Stone told The AP he and co-creator Trey Parker "never heard a peep out of Isaac in any way until we did Scientology. He wants a different standard for religions other than his own, and to me, that is where intolerance and bigotry begin."




NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! Is this the end for the envelope pushing cartoon?

Winter is unofficially over

Winter has to unofficially be over with. It's been in the 70's or planning on being in the 70's the entire weekend and into early next week.

I secured my Jimmy Buffett ticket for his Pittsburgh Concert this summer, I spent the day walking around in shorts, t-shirt and sandals and there was actually a co-ed softball tournament this weekend at Boparc.

Softball, shorts, Sandals, Buffett. Yep, I would have to say that better weather days are just around the corner. Day's when girls will start walking around in shorts and tank tops, and when we can finally put the winter jacket up for the season.

Even in Frostburg you can notice all the birds starting to migrate back to the area. Mother Nature could be playing a nasty trick on me, but I don't think that she is this time. I think Spring is starting to roll in a little early.

Temps going up, days are starting to get noticeably longer and noticing people wearing shorts.

I will have to say that with the exception of this past October when Mother Nature threw us a strange and heavy early storm that this did turn out to be a fairly mild winter. I hit a couple days when traveling in the early morning was pretty treacherous, but those days were pretty much few and far between.

Hopefully this will be a great summer.

Got My Ticket!!!!!!

WOO HOO!!!!!






EDIT:


Just checked again 45 minutes after they went on sale....SOLD OUT!!!

T - 30 Minutes

Jimmy Buffett tickets go on sale in 30, no make that 28 minutes. Got my fingers crossed on this one, they are hard to get.

Would you say these people are having a good time?

WOW

I just got what I would consider the ultimate professional compliment. As everyone know's I am a Geographer and my specialty is in a field called GIS. What GIS is is basically manipulatable computer maps, with a huge database on the back end. I have been working in the GIS field for five years now. I'm the lead GIS guy for my company that ironically has GIS in it's name. Part of the reason possibly I was named Employee of the Year for 2005.

In every field, especially in computers and software there are companies that are leaders in the industry. Obviously if you think computers, you think Microsoft. They basically revolutionized the computer operating system and and could honestly be considered the leaders of computer operating systems. I'm sure there are those who will disagree with me, but for the most part it's Microsoft.

In the Field of GIS, the innovators of the discipline is a company called ESRI. They manufacture and developed the software, those produce all kinds of data for anyone to use and they the support, the lifeblood and the very breath of GIS. They are it's heartbeat.

I got an e-mail today from ESRI expressing interest in me to be an ESRI instructor Tysons Corner, Virginia. The ironic part, this is them contacting me and not the other way around. They are inquiring about what it would take for me to relocate.

Talk about the ultimate professional compliment.

New Blog Added

I just updated my Blogger page, I had to add Kim's Yahoo 360 page because this is the one she is primarily using at the moment. I did have the honor of adding a new Blog, my niece Brittany Dae has decided to enter the world of Blogging. It will be nice to be able to keep up with her and what she has been up to. I know that currently she is in town for Spring Break. She attends Linsley Prep in Wheeling and is in her Freshman year there.

Jimmy Buffett concert announced

yes, it's that magical time of the year again when local parrot heads scramble to get tickets to see Jimmy Buffett in concert at their local venue.

Last year was my first time at going to a Buffett concert at PNC Park, and I will say it was one of the best concerts that I had ever attended. I went with Mark and Denise DeVault and had a blast in the 90+ degree day in downtown Pittsburgh that was simucast.

If anyone gets a chance, they shoudl make every attempt possible in going to see this once in a lifetime type of show.

Goodbye Mike, we'll miss you

Today, VARGIS lost our facilities manager. As I said earlier this was Mike's last day, as I am writing this he is on transit back home to San Antonio, Texas where he sent his wife and daughters a few weeks ago. All the corporate personel showed up including Ram from India, he is the #2 man at our parent company InfoTech. Our President and Production Manager showed up from the VARGIS corporate office to square a few things away.

Texas was home to Mike and his family, even though he was a transplanted New Yorker, he says he is a Texan and I have a place to stay if I ever want to visit San Antonio. Mike we wish you well in your new ventures.

Our company President told us that we are going to have a company name change in the next few months to be similar with out parent company InfoTech. Damn, I even broke out the VARGIS shirt today too.

No real changes at our facility other than the name on the door, we have some pretty large contracts that we have won, so if anything the place will be getting bigger. There are still a few growing pains as a company, but I think that this is going to be a solid company for years to come, whether I am there or not.

Other than that, it's been a pretty nice day.