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Monday, November 30, 2009

Back 2 Work


I hope the majority of you either had a nice week break/vacation or a nice extended weekend. That however all ends today as we get back to the grindstone and to the jobs we love doing so much. It's back to work and or school and a new five day week starts today.

I just love being the bearer of bad news, especially when I am involved with it and also have to suffer in everyone's misery.

Yesterday was a nice pleasant and relaxing day. Did our morning walk and went to Wally World to get a few things ready for when we get our Christmas tree in the near future. We're going to go with a live tree this year, so I had to get a tree skirt and a big enough stand that would hold enough water. Michelle gets trees at 5% above cost at Southern States, so I think that is the route we are going to go this year.

Hayley has been going through some of her old pictures and getting ready to put a few of them into frames so that we can hang them around the house.

Hope everyone has a great Monday and are well relaxed from their extended break/weekends.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Sunday Morning

Yesterday was a nice relaxing day/ Michelle, Hayley and myself moved a little bit of furniture around to set up for the Christmas tree when we get it.

Michelle, the cook that she is prepared a feast with out own turkey, being we went to the firehall on Thursday, for us to eat. A feat it was filled with fresh made rolls, her home made stuffing, real mashed potatoes, corn and home made turkey gravy. Something tells me we'll be having left overs today, but everything was awesome so I don't mind a bit.

Shopping is on our early morning agenda for today.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

This was it

Eat Shitt Pitt

Mt sentiments exactly Jack Flemming, who I am sure was calling Tyler Bitancurts 43 yard Field Goal from up above.

I think we can lay to rest the 100th backyard brawl as we managed to win this one by a 19-16 final score.

Both teams played hard and both defenses only had a one play lapse as Noel Devine turned it up for an 88 yard TD and the evil empire from up north aired it out for 50 yards for another score.

The game came down to Freshman kicker Tyler Bitancurt and him hitting a game winning 43 yard field goal as time expired on the clock to give the Mountaineers a win over the #9 ranked Panthers.

Great job players and coaching staff.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes it is once again that time of the week that we all look foreword to, when we can take time to cease the labors for the week and take a little bit of needed time out to enjoy the fruits of those labors. It is once again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday.

What do you know about that, two blog posts a day for two days in a row now. I had to do one for Black Friday and all the shopping, but there are other things I want to blog about and I can't break mt routine.

High School Football? The University High Hawks are still playing as we reach the State Semi Finals. That game will be tomorrow evening however.

The big news, it's that time of the year for the Backyard Brawl. When those evil University of Pittsburgh students and their football team come down from the place where our sewage water goes to play us in a game of football. The Mountaineers are long overdue of beating Pitt. Ironically Pitt's Offensive Coordinator is an old team mate of mine at Suncrest Jr High and Morgantown High, Frank Cignetti Jr. I hope your microphone breaks and you make all the wrong calls today Frank.

Oh well, I will be the only one in tbe office today, so it is going to be quite boring. Everyone else is out of town.

Have a great Friday and Let's Gooooo Mountaineers, beat the hell out of Pitt.

Let the Madness begin

It's Black Friday, bu the time this posts most of you will already be out and at em with all of the sales that are happening today.

I went once a few years ago with Jean, and I think that was sufficient for me. I'm not one for long lines and fighting over saving a couple bucks unless it was something I really wanted and the price was something you just couldn't pass up on. Otherwise I didn;t really care for the madness that was black friday.

However I have a good excuse this year, I'll be working. Yeah, some of you can enjoy a four day weekend, me it's back to the grindstone for the day before my weekend starts.

I hope everyone is having or had a great day of shopping.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of my readers a very safe and Happy Thanksgiving. I hope everyone will have their bellies full with turkey and suffer the effects of tryptophan emanating through their bodies while they snack on pumpkin pie and watch football.

Michelle and I will be with her family today, her sister has rented the cassville firehall and are planning on having a very large family get together today. Her other sister and her mother and their families will join us for a day filled with food, fun and games.

Michelle and I went over last night and helped set some things up, I took my old HDTV over so that the Wii can be hooked up to it for the kids to enjoy and Michelle started cooking last evening.

Many people will start their Black Friday shopping early tomorrow morning, however yours truly will be the only one in the office as I have to work. Michelle will also work this year.

I hope everyone has a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Birthday Valarie Nicholson

If you see Valarie today, as so many of you will because it is Thanksgiving, make sure that you take the time out to wish her a very Happy Birthday.

Talk about how time flies, I know you are not supposed to talk about a woman's age, but this picture was taken 10 years ago today. Talk about how time flies.

Anyways, if you see Miss Valarie today, make sure that you wish her the happiest of Birthdays.

Happy Birthday Val.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Pleasant Surprise

Me being the only one left standing at the office managed to get a very nice pleasant surprise this afternoon, My nephew Moke Called me from Mosul Iraq where he has been stationed for the last six months or so. It was great to hear from him and I had a really good conversation with him without any background distractions on my end. He was being a little distracted by the people around him a little asking questions, but overall it was a great conversation.

I think he is ready for his two week leave so he can return home before he finishes his tour of duty. He did tell me that he is going to have to have surgery before he comes home for good to remove a calcium deposit that has been growing on his face and is quite painful. Other than that he was in a pretty good mood and was playing his X-Box after a long day and was ready to relax for a while.

It was nearly midnight over there when we got off the phone, they are a total of eight hours ahead of us in time for anyone who might be curious.


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Hump Day

Hey we have reached yet another hump day if that is what you want to call it. Both me and Michelle are both off tomorrow and will be helping her sister Chris get things ready for a Thanksgiving dinner.

Yesterday was a long day for Michelle at work, she is setting up for an end of the month check run that they are going to do today. She is a trooper and we will be busy this afteroon as well after work.

Hope everyone has a great hump day, some of you are lucky enough to have this be your last day this week.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Tuesdays tid..er wait I just did that

Now what am I supposed to do, I did my tidbits yesterday and I'm at Tuesday. I'm all discombobulated on my blogs.

I did go to see my Doctor yesterday for a checkup. I'll go back again in three months after I do some blood work and have a routine eye exam after the first of the year. Diabetics are supposed to have an eye exam every couple of years when they dilate your pupils and get a good look at your eyes. It's been two and a half years and I'm ready for another one.

I did find out some sad news, my Doctor who finishes his residency this May was going to stay in Morgantown the last I spoke with him. today I found out that they do not offer the specialty he wants to go into and has been accepted as the team Physician for the University of South Carolina. So, my next visit will probably be my last with him and I'll move onto a new resident next summer. He said he will advise after meeting them when we meet in a few months as to who he would recommend.

He has been a good one and I would have stayed with him had he stayed in Morgantown.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Tidbits

* I decided to do a tibits, there are a few things I want to talk about and I guess a tidbits will be the easiest way to do it.

* First off, this is the first day of rifle deer hunting season season here in West Virginia. The kids are off work for the week and this is the days hunters in West Virginia look forward to. To all the hunters have a safe and happy hunting season.I wish all hunters luck in bagging that big one.

* I have a Doctors appointment this afternoon, Michelle is going to come with me today to my appointment. I anticipate a change in some medications this time as my numbers have went up recently, that's just from me not doing the walking I used to do. We are fixing that problem.

* The new website is starting to take shape. I have started uploading some of the pictures, starting with Christmas a couple of years ago at Klaer lodge.

* We'll be doing Thanksgiving once again this year with Michelle's family, everyone comes in anf they rent the Cassville fire hall and do a big dinner. Many of them get together and plot out their Black Friday strategies, however both Michelle and I are working this year. I just switched companies (like last year) and don;t have the time this year.

* There is some talk about getting together and going bowling on Thanksgiving eve, not sure how that is going to develop. It would be nice as we have not done it in a number of years, but I guess we'll have to wait and see.

* Michelle is going to bake our own Turkey, but since we'll be busy Thursday this will probably happen Saturday.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Changing Hosts

In case no one has noticed, my website has had quite a few backend problems over the past few months. It's been infected with malware and GoDaddy kept insisting it was my fault even though I reformatted my computer, changed my FTP login and uploaded clean files, it was continually hacked.

programs such as my picture album was inaccessible and unusable. This leading to many phone calls and tickets from my end to GoDaddy that ended less than favorably. It was a constant battle and I was uploading clean files as many as three times a day to keep the website operational. Any scripting programs would be infected and wouldn't run in matter of hours after they were reset up.

I guess there just comes a time when enough is enough, I'm not paying upwards of $100 a year for a hosting account that was unusable, especially when I was getting little to no support from the people I am paying for the service. They went from the best customer service in the business to someone I didn't want to be my host anymore.

Therefore I have moved my host and will be redesigning my website in the near future to make it once again viable and usable.

There is still a lot of work to be done to it, I'm just getting the skeleton up for right now as I am getting away from HTML and using PHP.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Not much on the agenda today

We don't have too much planned on the agenda for today, maybe get out for a walk and enjoy the outside a little bit.

Michelle is still sleeping and wanted to sleep in a little bit this morning.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes it is once again that time of the week that we all look foreword to, when we can take time to cease the labors for the week and take a little bit of needed time out to enjoy the fruits of those labors. It is once again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday.

You looking for sports around town this weekend, well the Mountaineer football team is off until, next Friday night and the only local team left is the University High Hawks. They will try to extract revenge for a close overtime loss to Fairmont Senior earlier in the season.

I spent the day in Pittsburgh yesterday at the Hilton Hotel on the point. Downtown Pittsburgh was just totally ripped up and driving in downtown was a complete nightmare. They have entire city blocks basically dug up and navigating around was tricky to say the least.

Not too sure what is on mine and Michelle's agenda for this weekend, other than a nice walk around the coliseum. We do have a netflix movie the Ugly Truth coming to us tomorrow. You can watch it here if you want to see it yourselves.

Have a great Friday.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Update on Josh Judy

Indians Looking To Judy For Relief
Posted by Tony at 12:18 AM

The 2009 Arizona Fall League (AFL) season wrapped up on Wednesday night, and of the ten total players the Indians sent to the AFL the one player who really made a name for himself and stood out was right-handed reliever Josh Judy.

Yes, the versatile Matt McBride certainly had a great AFL campaign hitting .364 with a 1.152 OPS in 20 games, but he has always been one of the Indians better position player prospects. His performance in the AFL was more just the cherry on the sundae of what was a great comeback season for him.

Judy on the other hand had a breakout season in 2009, and has used his time out in the AFL to vault himself into the upper echelon of relief pitching prospects not only with the Indians, but arguably in all of baseball.

Armed with a fastball that tops out in the mid-90s and a wicked slider, the 6’4” 200-pound Judy went 4-3 with a 2.83 ERA and 14 saves in 41 combined appearances between High-A Kinston and Double-A Akron this past season. He held opposing hitters to a .201 batting average, and in 54.0 innings struck out 70 while walking just 18. He has carried his success from the 2009 regular season into the 2009 offseason as in AFL action to date he is 2-1 with a 0.56 ERA in ten appearances, allowing 10 hits, 8 walks, and recording 18 strikeouts in 16.0 innings of work.

Judy’s 2009 season was a continuation of the strong showing he had in 2008 for Low-A Lake County and Kinston where in 42 combined appearances he went 12-1 with a 3.26 ERA and in 88.1 innings allowed 72 hits, 26 walks, and had 97 strikeouts. In all, in three seasons in the Indians minor league system in 96 total games and 167.2 total innings he has some pretty impressive numbers: 2.69 ERA, 6.9 H/9, 0.4 HR/9, 3.0 BB/9, 10.1 K/9, and 1.10 WHIP.

For the 23-year old out of Fort Wayne, Indiana, those are numbers that have put Judy on the fast track to the big leagues. He opened the 2009 season in Kinston, but after just four appearances there he was moved up to Akron where he remained and settled in nicely for the rest of the season. When right-handed closer Vinnie Pestano went down with an elbow injury in July, Judy assumed the closer’s role and flourished.

"I got settled in pretty well,” said Judy in a recent interview about his quick promotion to Akron earlier in the year. “It was a quick move up at the beginning of the year throwing only four innings in Kinston and [going] straight to Akron. You hate to lose a guy like Vinnie who was so dominant the first part of the season before he got hurt. I just wanted to step in and do my part."

The Indians typically do not develop closers in the minor leagues, focusing more on a set routine where their relievers go every two or three days and for one or two innings. It is very rare for any reliever to pitch on back-to-back nights, for when it does happen it is almost always because of necessity (over-worked bullpen, starter did not last long, extra innings, etc). Because of this, it is hard to have a defined closer to pitch every save situation. One pitcher in particular may be used in the role, but the role is often shared. The Indians prefer to have their more important relief prospects get regular work in the 7th and 8th inning rather than wait to use them in the 9th inning because you never know when an opportunity will arise to use them.

After so many struggles in the bullpen at the major league level three of the last four years, the Indians appeared to make some changes this past season with how they handle the development of relievers. One of them was identifying much earlier the starting pitchers who project more as relievers and moving them into a bullpen role much quicker. Also, it appears that they are now open to the idea of exposing their high priority relievers in roles in the minors that they think they project in at the major league level. That means a reliever like Judy who in the past was pitching mostly in the 7th and 8th inning based on a set plan to ensure work may now find himself pitching almost exclusively for one inning or in the 8th and 9th innings only.

The closer’s role was new for Judy the second half of the season, but you would never know it as he was dominant going 0-0 with 9 saves and a 1.47 ERA in 16 appearances after assuming the role in early July. The Indians moved him to a backend bullpen role because they like his approach on the mound. He is aggressive going right after hitters, displays very good composure, and is a bulldog in tight situations.

For Judy, the transition to the closer’s role was nothing new and in the end your job is still to get outs.

"I kind of just see it as going out there and just getting guys out and trying to get better everyday,” said Judy. “The whole mental preparation for that was just getting ready for one inning, three guys, and that the first out is the most important."

Judy had the unusual benefit of having the same pitching coach at Double-A Akron this past season as he had at Low-A Lake County in 2008. That’s because pitching coach Ruben Niebla was his pitching coach in Lake County in 2008, and was promoted to Akron for the 2009 season where he continued his role as pitching coach. It was a unique situation for Judy where he got a chance to work with someone who knew him well and probably the most of any pitcher Niebla worked with the past two seasons.

"Without a doubt he has probably progressed the most out of [all the relievers here]," said Niebla in an interview back in September. "He got off to a little bit of a rough start at the beginning just adjusting to the level more than anything. I knew the stuff was there as I saw him in Lake County and I knew the fastball and the ability to spin the ball was there. So once he got adjusted and got his feet under him he has run away with putting together a very good year."

Niebla and Judy worked together over the course of the season and made some changes to his delivery which Judy thinks helped him take off about halfway through the season.

"[We worked] on my mechanics, most definitely,” said Judy. “For most of [2008] and the beginning of this year they wanted me to have a high leg kick and be in more of a load position in the stretch being able to deliver to the plate. That wasn't working when I got [to Akron earlier this year]. So they tightened up my delivery to make it very quick and subtle and it panned out. [My slider] definitely improved with the mechanical adjustment [to my delivery]. It is a lot tighter, sharper, and I am able to get more swing and misses with it."

Judy got engaged last offseason, and will get married next offseason on December 18th. In between now and then there is a lot more on his mind than just wedding plans. If things fall his way there is a great chance that this time next year not only will he be celebrating the beginning of his new life with his fiancé Vivian, but the beginning of a career in the Major Leagues.

"I think one guy that has been one of the more encouraging stories for us [this year] in Player Development has been Josh Judy," said Indians Farm Director Ross Atkins in a season ending interview. "With just how consistent he has been with having consistently above average stuff as a relief pitcher. He has an above average ability to put the ball on the ground and an above average fastball. So he is someone I think could potentially impact the team next year in 2010."

In the Burgh today


I'll be in the city of three rivers today for a meeting, not at NETL but at the Hilton Hotel on the edge of Point State Park in downtown Pittsburgh. It's been planned for a few months and gives me a chance to get out of town for the day and enjoy a little bit of the Metropolitan life.

The NatCarb partnerships are having their meeting and I'll be there to observe as we start to gear up for Atlas III that will be done this year. It give me and Scott a good chance to establish ourselves in the sequestration group and bring some work in for ourselves.

Hopefully I can find a little time to go to a Primanti Brothers sometime tomorrow.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Happy GIS day

Every profession should have a day that is dedicated to them. There is Fireman's Day, Policeman's day, Secretaries Day, Boss's Day and today is GIS day. A day dedicated to those of us who are GIS Professionals. Though a very young field, this is the Tenth GIS Day
since its inception.

When I was in college it was hard for me to explain what GIS was without going over most people's heads. I do however think back when I first started studying GIS and a conversation I had with a friend of mine. I told him I was going to be a geographer and more specifically going into GIS. He asked me what that was and I explained quite simply digital mapping. To this day I still remember his comment "Doesn't Rand McNally already have that covered?" It is a statement that I always look back on, a time before anyone had ever heard of internet mapping, google earth or even feasibly having a GPS unit.

Do yourself a favor today and read up a little bit on my chosen field, Geographical Informational Science.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Tuesday Tidbits

* Hey it's Tuesday, do I need a better reason to write a tidbits?

* Michelle and I are on day 613 since our first date, how is that for keeping track?

* Fantasy football has been good the last couple of weeks, I have managed to pull out a couple of wins and have an outside shot at making the playoffs and a chance to be in the money.

* Michelle and I went for a walk last night after dinner, it had been a while and we are going to start walking more and more in the evenings. We went to the Coliseum and took a good brisk walk to get the blood flowing. I did get a chance to see Coach Bob Huggins, he was pulling out as we were walking by his car.

* They have started to break ground on the basketball practice facility. It's long overdue on a start of this facility.

* First day at new job was good, transition went pretty smooth, I just have to remember to change my e-mail signature before I send an e-mail to the owner next time.

* I bought a subscription to Netflix, we get 1 DVD at a time but we are allowed unlimited streams. I am thinking about buying a streaming device and connecting it straight to the TV. An XBox or a PS3 could also work, but I found boxes under $100.00. I've streamed a couple movies on my PC and it does very well. Not bad for $9.00 a month.

* Have a great Tuesday.

Monday, November 16, 2009

New Day, New Job

I am so happy how this all played out for me, today I start the first fay at my new job with Sextant-Technical , same job, same location, same computers and same everything with the exception of who I am working for. I am thankful for how it all played out, if you would have asked me a few months ago how I would want it to pan out, it happened.

I have the opportunity to work with some very talented people and to possibly expand my skill sets.

Hopefully I will get the chance to work further on developing Google Earth applications. A year ago I got to develop a time animated file that saw a pretty exclusive audience. Hopefully there will be more of these days to come.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Guests for the game

Michelle has a few close friends (Family) coming in from Ohio today to visit us and watch the Steelers and Bengals game this afternoon on television. We have also invited her sister and her family over to enjoy to enjoy the Steelers pouncing the Bungles this afternoon.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Last Night

OK, we went to the girls basketball game and it was a pretty good game. The women easily handled Townson State.

We stayed around for a little while after to watched the football game for a little bit over a quarter before heading home to watch the rest of the game. I thought we had a chance, but this team and this coaching staff just lack that fire that they need.

Anyways, we're heading to Apple Annies this morning for breakfast.


For your viewing pleasure, the call that lost the game for WVU

Friday, November 13, 2009

Big Ole Hairy Friday


Yes it is once again that time of the week that we all look foreword to, when we can take time to cease the labors for the week and take a little bit of needed time out to enjoy the fruits of those labors. It is once again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday.

Last day with SAIC for me, finished out all my projects yesterday and did my exit interview, I'm all ready to start with Sextant Monday.

If you are looking for something to do this evening, how about heading over to the WVU Coliseum and supporting the WVU Women's basketball team Cost of admission is $5.00, let me know early today and I'll even help with the price of admission. After the game, the WVU Football team will take on Cincinnati, and they are going to play it on the jumbo tron in the coliseum after the women's basketball game. Come on out and cheer the Mountaineers to a couple of victories. There will be an autograph session with the men's basketball team also.

Into High School Football? Morgantown travels to Martinsburg, University travels to Spring Valley and Clay Battelle is at home battling Tucker County. It's do or die time in High School Football, this is the first round of the playoffs and it is win and play next week or lose and get ready for next season.

Last night we were blessed with a couple of visitors as Trish and Layla came over and said hello.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Nice Productive Day Off

I hope everyone had a good veterans day yesterday, mine was pretty productive and I came to the conclusion that my initial conclusion turned out to be my final conclusion after a little wheeling and dealing to equal out my offers.

I am officially going to Sextant Technical next week. I won;t be changing offices, computers or basically my day to day job, just ramping up for the next phase of a project.

Everything worked out, I'm with the company I wanted to be with and the entire situation worked out very well for me, I am truly a very lucky individual.

Back to work today though....Hi Ho Hi Ho...

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Hump Day?

Nope not for me, it's Veterans Day and a day off for me. You have to love Government Holidays, especially when you are an on site contractor.

I have a biog decision I have to make today about my future. I have the two largest official offers I have ever received in my life on the table. I have a noon deadline today to give word on the higher of the two offers. Same job, same seat, it's just that I will be working for a new company next week. Both offers are the two largest I have ever received by a significant margin.

My gut tells me to go with the lower of the two offers, and I think it is the way I am leaning. There is a significant difference in salary between the two, however the lower offer is paying all health care premium costs and I feel very comfortable with everyone.

As I stated before I am probably leaning towards Sextant Technical, some of the things Dale has done is just unmeasurable of paper. My other offer is Booz Allen Hamilton , a company of 22,000 compared to Sextant's six, but their GIS lead (Booz Allen Hamilton's) is actually one of the six of us with Sextant.

Tough decisions I know, but both of them exceed career goals I set in the time frame from when I left college.

Have a great day.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Tuesday Tidbits

* Brain Fart, so it's a good time for a tidbits and it is Tuesday.

* I'm off tomorrow, work two, a day of work two and the weekend is my schedule for this week. It's Veteren's Day , remember to thank any and all Veterans you know and to think about those who are actively serving their country.

* My Nephew Moke is currently in Iraq and will have a two week leave here in January.

* Facebook has got to be the best internet social networking tool that has ever been invented. Games, the ability to hook up with old friends and the ability to meet new ones. MySpace had the right idea, Facebook did it right.

* This is a good time to push the WVU Women's basketball game Friday night. $5.00 gets you in the door or ask me for a free pass. The WVU v Cincinnati football game will be played on the scoreboard after the game Women's basketball game.

* I cleaned the inside of mu computer put a couple of days ago, note to self to buy some canned air this weekend. Sheesh...LOL

* Have a great day.

Monday, November 09, 2009

Last week with SAIC

It was just a little over a year ago that I took a gamble and switched to a new Company. I knew that there was only a year left on the contract, but the raise in pay was worth the risk. This week will be my final week with my current employer, SAIC.

I have one official offer in hand and another one coming today or tomorrow, both with significant raises in pay and benefits.

Next Monday there is a about a 90% chance I will be working for Sextant-Technical (doing the same job, just for a different company) and about a 10% chance I will be working for the company I interviewed with Friday.

Either way, my gamble has paid off, although this will be my final week with SAIC.

Sunday, November 08, 2009

A Good Day of Football

OK, it wasn't a perfect day, but I'll take it. West Virginia University managed to beat Louisville 17-9 on the day. Probably one of our worst performances of the season, but we managed to to get the victory and run our record to 7-2 on the season.

Michigan manged to give up a 14 point halftime lead and lost 36-38 to Purdue, the funny thing about this game is that of their last three games (they needed one more win to play .500 ball and become bowl eligible), this was their best chance and Choke Rodriguez lost yest again. They should lose the nest two weeks when they have to travel to #21 Wisconsin and will host Ohio State on the last week of their season.

Icing on top of the cake was seeing our fine men in uniform at the Naval Academy beat the over rated and hated Notre Dame Fighting Irish 23-21.

I do have to say, it was a good day of football for me.

If you are looking for a once in a lifetime chance to see something today, WVU will scrimmage Mountain State University today. MSU has a 7'8" center, making him the world'd tallest basketball player.

Saturday, November 07, 2009

Gameday

It is once again gameday in Morgantown, as the Louisville Cardinals come to town for a noon matchup against the Mountaineers.

The Mountaineers look to stop a one game slide and get back on the winning track after last weeks defeat. It's about to turn into crunch time in the Big East Conference as we start playing the league favorites after today, so we need to secure this victory today to position ourselves for a shot at the Big East Title.

We will have a house guest tonight as Michelle's mom is going to come in for a visit. We got the back bedroom straightened up and organized yesterday evening after work to get ready for today.

Let's Gooooooo Mountaineers.

Friday, November 06, 2009

Big Ole Hairy Friday


Yes it is once again that time of the week that we all look foreword to, when we can take time to cease the labors for the week and take a little bit of needed time out to enjoy the fruits of those labors. It is once again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday.

Football on your mind? Both the Mohigans and the Hawks are off this week waiting for the playoffs to begin next week. Undefeated and #2 ranked Madonna travels to #4 ranked and undefeated Clay Battelle. Let's hope the Cee Bee's can finished the regular season undefeated. Trinity will close out their initial season when they travel to Iager to play.

The Mountaineers Host Louisville Saturday at noon. Hopefully coach stew can have the team ready and we can get back to our winning ways in another league game.

Pro Football? Well the Steelers are back this week on Monday night when they visit Mile High Stadium and take on the Denver Broncos.

basketball your thing? You want to visit Huggyville? They will be playing an exhibition game on Sunday at 1:00 against Mountain State University. Go and cheer on the Mountaineers as they start the 2009-10 season with a slew of pre-season top 10 rankings.

I have an interview this morning with Booz Allen Hamilton, we'll see what they have to say.

One last note from the Mayor of Mihaley's Phil Caskey:

Hey Everyone the WVU Women's Basketball team opens the season vs Towson, Friday Nov. 13 - 6pm, WVU Coliseum. Rally towels to the first 1,000 fans! Men's basketball players autographs pre-game & face-painting for kids. It's also poster night! Post-game football watch party!! Stay to watch the WVU-Cincinnati football game on the videoboard at the Coliseum.

Have a great weekend!!

Thursday, November 05, 2009

Is it getting to be that time of the year.

I hate to admit certain times of the year, I am one who loves spring and summer and start bribing Punxsutawney Phil early so as to get a favorable reading from the damn rat.

It's that time of the year leading up to the holidays, when shorts and sandals are replaced by coasts and boots. Warm weather has been replaced by cooler temperatures and unfavorable weather conditions.

Because of the change in the season and change in the weather, Michelle and I gathered up kindling and set up the fireplace by cleaning it out and getting it ready for the colder weather last night. WE are in good shape, just waiting for a good reason to throw a match on it and get in started for this season.

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Hump Day

Once again I would like to wish everyone a very happy hump day. We've made it halfway through the week and we are once again heading downhill to the weekend.

hayley is still under the weather and I'm getting a slight touch of it myself. This has been lingering for me for over a month for some reason. When I think it clears up I stat coughing yet again, man do I miss the spring and summer time.

I would like to take this chance and give a very heart felt thank you to the love of my life for the last 600 days. It's been 600 days since I made you sit through that horrible, horrible movie. Thank you for all that you have done for me and I look forward to the next 600 days that I get to spend with you. You are the love of my life and I would be empty without you.

Have a great day.

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Tuesdays Tidbits

* How can I pass up on the opportunity to do a tidbits on a Tuesday? I don;t think I can, so here is a tidbits just for you.

* The kittens will officially be six weeks old tomorrow. They are both weened, litter box trained and in need of good loving homes. They are both full of life and a lot of fun to play with.

* Tomorrow will be a nice round number of 600 days since mine and Michelle's first date. That makes today number 599 and counting. Things are going good and she is the love of my life.

* Next week will be my last week with SAIC, I already have a very lucrative offer in hand and have an interview tomorrow with another company that has been pursuing me. Rest assured nothing will change other than who signs my pay check. I'll be in the same location and using the same computer.

* Hayley and Michelle were both tested for the swine flue yesterday, both of them came up negative although Hayley has had a very sore throat. She's getting better, but it's still quite sore.

* Fantasy Football update. Did I stop the three game skid and return to winning? Uh, not exactly, I lost again. I'm definitely not in the money this year.

* I'm still waiting on my paperwork from my debit card being comprised. I'm out quite a few hundred dollars that I am trying to get back. It's made things tight at the wrong time of the year.

* I got home from work yesterday and saw a movie ending on HBO that I want to see. I had seen it years ago and have always wanted to see WC Fields and Me again. I know it has been over 30 years since I've seen it and was really excited when I saw it was on HBO yesterday, only it was over with when I found it.

* Have a Great Day.

Monday, November 02, 2009

Back at It

I guess the only good thing I can say about Mondays is that at least we're working towards another weekend. It's a back to work kind of Monday, but I did have a nice relaxing weekend so I guess I can't complain too much.

The Mohigans won the MoHawk Bowl and the Steelers were off this weekend, so after Friday Night's embarrassment it was a pretty good weekend I would have to say. Yesterday was nice and relaxing, we stayed at home and just vegged a little bit. Hayley cleaned her room, Michelle surfed the net and I took a nap.

I guess all good things come to an end as the weekend has now faded from reality to memory as we get ready for this weeks work related challenges.

Hi Ho Hi Ho...

Sunday, November 01, 2009

Trick or Treating

Once again the ghouls and goblins came to East fate to seek their treats. They came in groups both large and small to seek the candied treats.

It was a good evening, jean ordered some Pizza and make some chilli dogs for everyone before the night's festivities kicked off. Michelle and I got there early, it had been a while since we had stopped by just to say hi.

Both Pam and I brought multiple bags of candy, but Jean had a bowl of 512 miniature candy bars (about half size) just over the top filled up with candied treats. I have to say at the end of the night, we were the last house standing and still had candy left to offer. The bowl was well over half way gone, so I would say lower 300's for the total number of visitors we had foe the evening.

The rain and cold weather combined with the swine flu going around thinned the crowd out a little bit, I've seen larger more dense crowds, but with a steady flow it really was a nice turnout.

A Big Thank You to Jean for making this once again a memorable event that will last you a lifetime. I had a great time sitting out front with Michelle and Pam handing out candy to the children.