Goodbye 2016

January

* 2016 Started out well as the Mountaineers beat Arizona State in the Cactus Bowl.

* We welcomed Ryleigh Mae McClain to the family as Moke and Ang had their first child together. She is a bundle of joy.

* The WVU Men's Basketball team beat the #1 Ranked Kansas Jayhawks right here in Morgantown as we suffered from what is known as a Snow Squal. We later experienced Snowmageddon or Winter Storm Jonas as it was later called.

* I briefly took a part time job with a company called TNG. It was a one day a week job that really wasn't worth the extra headache.

February

* The planning for our Third Annual Friends and Family picnic commenced in Late January/Earl February.

* Phil the greatest Groundhog in the history of mankind, did not see his shadow meaning Spring was right around the corner.

* I accepted another part time job which I told today with RTI International.

* I traveled to Washington DC to attend the ESRI Federal Users Conference, I stayed in Arlington Virginia, and rode the Metro over to the Convention Center. I got the chance to meet Jack Dangermond, who is the Billionaire Father of ESRI.

* We as a family met up for an afternoon of Bowling at Suburban Lanes.

March

* Andy Tennant, one of my Dad'd best friends when he was alive was laid to rest. Former First Lady Nancy Reagan was also laid to rest.

* Michelle and Laiah traveled to Monaca PA for a Sprinkle Shower for Baby Maddy.

* I officially left my job with TNG and traveled to Durham North Carolina, on Duke's Campus, for a week long training session with RTI. A part time job that I am still working.

* My sister Terri hosted an Easter Egg Hunt at her home, the kids all had a great time. This was the third installment of the monthly family get togethers.

* We learned that McDonalds had pulled their sponsorship from the Steelers Trivia Show. That leaves my group as the only three time Champions, the only back to back Champions and the only team to come out of retirement and change their name to dominate it again.

April

* I Officially started doing Field work for RTI on the NSDUH Project.

* We attended the Jonathan Koon Bowl a Thon to help raise money for the "Johnny Koon Pedatric Brain Tumor Research Fund".

* Madeline Elizabeth Paugh joined the family, as Michelle's nephew and niece Jon and Laura welcomed a baby sister for big brother Jonny.

* We were invaded by our once every 17 year friends the Cicadas.

* Michelle and I took a trip to Wheeling to see my Brother Gary, who was beginning a new chapter of his life. He's been doing great and we are all proud of him.

* We bought an Electric Smoker and entered the world of smoking foods. We had done it with a charcoal kettle grille previously, this smoker made a world of difference.

May

*  I attended the WVAGP Conference that was held right here in Morgantown, this was the first Conference under this name that I had attended but did attend a conference of its predecessor group.

* Hayley snuck into the house early on Mother's Day to surprise Michelle with some flowers when she woke up.

* We had our cat Phin fixed, but there were complications to the surgery and she left us on May 11th. She may have left us, but she is still with us as she was cremated and the remains are above our headboard in the bedroom.

* Peanut quickly joined the household and has ruled it since her arrival. With the loss of Phin, I had to find the perfect replacement to sooth Michelle's broken heart, enter the Peanut.

* We visited the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum and had our first run in for 2016 with the dreaded Cicadas that were about to invade.

* Psycho officially came out of retirement to play Softball in 2016. Granted it was the Senior League, but I was out there none the less.

* We traveled to Smoke Hole Caverns for a day and explored the caverns.

June 

* June started out with a bang as Michelle and I attended her company picnic at Mason Dixon Park.

* Morgantown lost a radio legend and Marconi Award winner when we received word that Lacy Neff had passed away.

* My sister Kim got a new Puppy named Bella. Although Ron and I probably came up with 500 or better names that began with a B, Bella is what was chosen.

* Chad started a new job at WVU in the Animal Sciences area.

* We all got together to celebrate Josh and Erica's Birthday Party for 2016.

* Michelle and I attended a few WV Blackbear games, we were even treated to watching one from a suite thanks to Chris Ostein who runs the scoreboard at the games. He had it in as part of  his employment deal.

July

* We held our Third Annual Friends and Family Picnic at Krepps park to start off the month. Every year has had its surprises and this one was no exception.

* Michelle and I went to the Pittsburgh Zoo to help celebrate the High School Graduation of Sabrina Helbig.

* We took a road trip to Marietta Ohio to watch Michelle's niece Amanda graduate with her Second Masters Degree in the Physicians Assistant Program.

* I submitted a DNA Sample to a company to see if we could get any answers about my long lost brother that we are trying to find.

* Hayley and Josh moved back into our household as they let their lease expire as they were looking for a new apartment.

August

* Michelle and I celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary.

* Michelle and I traveled to northern PA to celebrate her great nephew Jonny's birthday party with her family.

* We had our new cat Peanut fixed, I do have to say with what happened to Phin earlier in the year I was a little nervous, but the little fireball came through with flying colors and was out climbing trees in no time.

* Michelle and I and a lot of my family members attended the Jonny Koon Light up Night at Westover Park.

* I received my ethnicity results from my DNA test that I had submitted in an attempt to find a loing lost sibling, no success.

* We went and seen Jimmy Buffett once again, I'm going to have to take my shoes off if I want to keep counting how many times I have seen him now.

September

* September started with some very bad news, as a long time listener to the Eric and Kevin Show and then the Kevin Connolly Show, Kevin's show was abruptly cancelled. I don't think my dial has been back to WVAQ much since then.

* Michelle and I took our fifth Cruise on Carnival, we visited Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and had to pass up Freeport due to the storm.

* Morgantown opened up a new store, the Hobby Lobby was a place we had visited in other cities, now Morgantown had their own.

* We ordered our new iPhones in September, we both got iPhone 7 Pluses and also bought two pairs of Beats Headphones.

* Wouldn't you know it, we booked another cruise in September for next September. =)

October

* One thing I did notice, is that I worked almost every day in the month of October for one job or the other. It was a busy month for me.

* We had a family Pumpkin Carving at my Sister Kim's house, we all had pumpkins that we all carved up and decorated. It was a lot of fun.

* The Gospel Singing Koon family did their 50 year Anniversary sing this month, celebrating 50 years of Gospel singing. We watched the feed from the church at home.

* The WVU Women's Soccer team achieved the #1 ranking in the Country.

* Michelle and I did manage to work a road trip into our busy month, we headed to Amish Country in Ohio to spend a beautiful fall day.

November

* Once every four years our country goes out to vote for a President, 2016 saw us elect Donald Trump as our next commander in chief.

* I noticed I was once again busy this month working a lot of time for RTI as well as my regular job. It was a busy quarter to say the least.

* My sister Kim has a Christmas Tree Bulb Decorating Party at her home, it got a great reception and made a lot of memories.

* We Celebrated Thanksgiving at the Cassville Firehall with my in-laws. we also raised enough money to secure the place for the 2017 Thanksgiving Party at the same location.

* We put up both my Mom's 2016 Christmas Tree as well as our own 2016 Christmas Tree right after Thanksgiving. Everyone else was beating themselves up Black Friday shopping, we we decorating. Sammy the Elf made his return.

December

* I got my Birthday/Christmas Gift from Michelle. A 360° camera, it was something that I really wanted and she got it for me.

* We took a mid month road trip to Ohio to celebrate Christmas with Michelle's family. It was a stop at her Grandmother's followed by a trip to her Dad's home.

* My nephew Moke started a new job with Blue Mountain Engineering in the Modeling Department.

* WVU Men's Basketball Coach Bob Huggins reached a milestone 800th career victory in December.

* We once again enjoyed a fabulous Christmas Eve at Terri's home where we had a Chinese Gift Exchange.

* I have published a total of 400 blogs for 2016, my lowest total in about ten years but my ninth in a row where I did at least 400 Blogs.

* See you on the other side of Midnight.

Last Regular Blog of 2016

Here I sit next to a nice warm fireplace, our pork roast is sitting out thawing so we can cook it tomorrow for our good luck in 2017. Josh and Hayley are also up, and all of the animals I think our counting sheep in their silent sombers.

Well in preparation of our trip next week we decided to put Sammy and the rest of the 2016 Christmas away for the year. Our tree is down and our decorations are put away until Christmas 2017. I think everyone here has a great Christmas and I hated to see the tree go, we're going to be busy so it was an easy decision.

Update, everyone in the household with the exception of the animals are now up. Something tells me that this wont last very log as the kids are going to bed, and I think Michelle and I will probably both be sleeping here in the very near future, I'm just an early morning person.

Michelle pampered herself a little yesterday with a trip to the Tuscon Spa yesterday, it's something that she has always wanted to do son she treated herself to a spa day on her day off.

My Goodbye 2016 Blog will post here in a couple of hours, I'll see you on the other side of New Years.

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 New Years Holiday Weekend!!!!!

I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Years, Michelle and I have no plans and don't usually go out for News anyways, we are usually in bed by midnight and sober and without hangover the next morning.

The WVU Men's Football team ended the season at 10-3 with Wednesday Nights loss to Miami in the Russell Athletic Bowl. I like many Mountaineer fans were very disappointed, I didn't feel like we were prepared at all and it showed. Congratulations to the Hurricanes, you outplayed us in every aspect of the game.

Have yourselves a great day today

Hi ho hi ho for the last time in 2016

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out and look through some of the pictures that I have either taken, scanned or stolen off of the internet through the years and find one special picture that stands out. Little lost moments in time from yesterday caught with a Cameras lens and relived right here in my blog. Sometimes it's pretty easy to find that one special picture and sometimes it's not that easy, one thing it consistently is however is a whole lot of fun.

This weeks picture goes all the way back to the fall of 2009, when my niece Brittany was just starting her career at West Virginia University and I think I was showing her around campus that day. I seem to recall she had a Geology class project and I was there to assist her with it, this picture was taken in front of the Wise Library early in her Freshman year.

Brittany joined me as an alumnus to WVU going on a couple years ago now. Time flies I guess as this seems like it was just yesterday when this picture was taken. I am very proud of her and what she has accomplished.

Have yourselves a great day today.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Well you can can that two days in even though I was off for one of them. Now all we have to do is get up and over this noon time hump and it's all downhill working towards another fun filled weekend.

It's going to be a pretty slow week here, as almost everyone is taking this week as a vacation it seems like. Me I'm traveling to St Louis next week so I'll be on vacation from one job next week and doing my yearly certification for another.

I do need to finish up my Goodbye 2016 Blog which posts on Saturday Morning. It's about 99% of the way completed, I just need to make a few tweaks and finish it up. I've also got a few blogs to write for next week as I will be on travel and will probably be occupied with other things. At least this way I can let everyone know what is going on.

Have yourselves a great day today.

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Christmas 2016 is now behind us, all the gift are given, I've shopped for next years wrapping paper and we are all ready to restart the count till next year. Tidbits here we come.

* I know you guys have missed this count, it has been 19,385 wonderful days since my birth. Depending on if you use the traditional 365 day or my own invention of the new and improved 905 day calendar to determine my age, let me just help everyone by stating that I am still 21.

* There have been 4,608 days that have gone by since I Graduated from WVU, it's amazing how quickly time goes by.

* It was 3,209 days ago that Michelle and I went out on our very first date together, she's still around so I must be doing something right for the first time.

* It has been 2,433 days since I proposed marriage to my wonderful wife, I enjoy each and every day that I get to spend with her, even if it is for only a few minutes.

* We are in day 1,970 of Marriage, I am one lucky guy and I thank my lucky stas each and every day to have had such a wonderful person come into my life.

* I have about 5,452 or so days to go until my retirement giving the current rules for retirement give or take a few hundred here or there and depending on how I feel.

* There are only 2,090 days to go until the Backyard Brawl in football takes the field once again. I was hoping for a WVU Pitt Bowl matchup, but I'm patient.

* There are 363 more shopping days left to go until Christmas 2017, it may be a little early but hey, someone has to do the countdown.

* There are but a mere 339 more days to go until I celebrate yet another anniversary of my 21st Birthday.

* There are 284 more days to go until we once again attend the Springs Festival, I'm itching to go up there again soon if not to the other Amish Country.

* Our next cruise is 257 days away. We both really like the cruise we take and the ports of call that we visit, hence why we keep repeating this same cruise. When you find something you like, why change it. Half Moon Cay is my favorite place I have ever been to.

* There are only 220 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Sixth Wedding Anniversary together. I am the luckiest man in the world.

* There are 179 more days to go until Calvin and Jeanetta's Wedding next June, she has put together this very informative website for everyone to use.

* My favorite season of the year is a mere 83 days away when Spring 2017 finally arrives. I'm ready for the warm weather, the birds a singing and and the smells of springtime.

* My buddy Phil the Groundhog takes center stage in 37 more days when he forecasts the weather on Ground Hogs Day. I think I need to send him a few cases of liquor.

* I have 4 more days to go until my Goodbye 2016 blog is written, where I relive the previous year based on what has been written right here. I've got a real good start on it and getting ready to write the second half of the year, so watch here for it.

* This is my 4,707th blog that I have written for George's Journal in the now 12 1/4 years that I have been writing it. That is a lot of thoughts as well as a lot of words that I have typed in for everyone to read.

* No work yest this fall on the Hall Family Tree, as soon as things slow down a little bit I'm going to start working on that again.

* Nothing new on the brother search, the DNA tests returned a few second cousins and beyond, but nothing close to a brother.....yet. I still have faith that something, sometime and someday will turn up.

* I do have about 99% of my goodbye 2016 blog written, I do have to say this has been a bad year for celebrity deaths as George Michael passed away Christmas Day.

* Next on mine and Michelle's agenda is to get ready for St Louis, I'm, probably going to write all of next weeks blogs this week and then just add to them as I see fit.

* Anyone ready for Spring yet?

* Have I ever mentioned before that I Hate Snow!!!!!....A Lot.

* Have yourselves a great day and make the very most of it.

* Hi ho hi ho

Still extended weekend

I'm still off today since Christmas was on a Sunday, our holiday will be celebrated today making it a three day weekend for me. Michelle has it backwards as she is working today, but has tomorrow off.

Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Steelers as they won the AFC North Title yesterday with an amazing come from behind 31-27 win against the Baltimore Ravens in Pittsburgh. Next week they host the Cleveland Browns and the game is insignificant, so you might see a few of the stars sit the game to prepare for the playoffs. The Ravens post season hopes are now eliminated with the loss.

Other than that we had a great Christmas, stopped over to see Lynne, Abby and Jimmy at their home and deliver Abby's gifts. From there we went to Michelle's sister Chris's place to celebrate a little Christmas cheer with them.

Since I'm off today and Michelle is working, this might be a good day to do a little shopping for some highly discounted Christmas items like wrapping paper =)

Have yourselves a great day.

Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy

Our 2016 Christmas Eve Video

Merry Christmas

Here I sit on a quiet household, the only sounds are the sounds of the fireplace crackling behind me and A Christmas Story playing on the TV. Hayley and Josh are dog sitting for a friend, Michelle is still sleeping and it is a wonderful Christmas Morning.

I have not done a Christmas video yet, I was having trouble with my camera last night and I still haven't chosen the music, maybe this is a project that may be a day or so down the road from completing.

Later today we are going to Michelle's Sisters house to celebrate Christmas with them. I'm up early this morning but something tells me that there are kiddies up all over the area up and either opening or already opened their Christmas Gifts that Santa has brought for them.

Merry Christmas.

Christmas Videos Past

Every year I try, or should I say I attempt to try to put together a Christmas Video from our Christmas Eve. I've done a number of these through the years, enjoy some of my past work and Merry Christmas Eve.

2015




2014




2013

2012

2008




2007



It doesn't appear that I did one for 2006, but here is one of the first videos that I ever did to fill in a little.





2005 which is probably my all time favorite one that I have done.




2004



1999 Which was my Dad's last Christmas

Christmas Eve

There is one day of the year that has always had more of a special meaning than any other throughout the year. One where many videos have been made, stories have been told, we've seen highs and lows on that day and that day is Christmas Eve which is today.

Two years ago we saw a low, one where we lost my stepmother to Cancer and then turned right around probably at the same time and lost her brother. My dad always made Christmas Eve a special day, a day that the next generation of us have adopted and carried on and even adding our own little traditions.

Here in a few hours Sammy is going to move and we are going to get the hot sausage, a family tradition cooking. We always served it Christmas eve and we always seemed to fight for the leftovers Christmas morning.

One of the newer traditions, one that we first did in 2007 at Klaer Lodge was a Chinese Gift Exchange and it has become one of the highlights of Christmas Eve. It's something people love to do and takes away the burden of buying for so many in a large family.

Tonight we will try to get most of the family together as a whole unit. Tomorrow is usually reserved for the individual units, but tonight in preparation of Santa Claus, we get together and celebrate.

My videos from years past will be posted in a little while, stay tuned and Merry Christmas.

Big Ole Hairy Christmas Weekend

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 Christmas Holiday Weekend!!!!!

Just a heads up for tomorrow, there will be my normal live blog when I wake up and then my Christmas Videos Past blog a little later in the morning when I post all of the Christmas videos that I have done through the years.

It is Friday, Michelle is off today and will work Monday then turn around and be off Tuesday. Me I work today, or at least part of the day and then am off until Tuesday for Christmas. We're renting Chad a car later today so he can run to PA to spend some time with Jon and Laura over the Christmas Break.

I'm sure town is going to be a mad house today and tomorrow as everyone is finishing up their preparations for Christmas.

I Hope everyone has a great day and finishes up what they need to finish up for tomorrow night.

Ho ho ho ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out and look through some of the pictures that I have either taken, scanned or stolen off of the internet through the years and find one special picture that stands out. Little lost moments in time from yesterday caught with a Cameras lens and relived right here in my blog. Sometimes it's pretty easy to find that one special picture and sometimes it's not that easy, one thing it consistently is however is a whole lot of fun.

I know that I have done this one before, probably a couple of times but with Christmas Eve coming up upon us and that being a big day for my family, I wanted to go back to one of my favorite Christmas Eve's. I'm thinking that this picture is from 1977, it was the first Christmas Eve that Grandma Hall and I had without Grandpa Hall around. He had just passed away earlier in the year and we did something different this year, we went to my Dad's.

To tell you the truth this may have even been when the family tradition of Hot Sausage on Christmas Eve started, Dad had made some in a crock pot and Pam, Gary and I ate them left overs the next morning for Breakfast, hence starting a long standing tradition of having Hot Sausage.

This was also the first Christmas Eve that my Grandmother and I did not spend at home. We spent it at my Dad's instead of our home and was a new beginning. I got a new Motorcycle for Christmas this year, so it went down as one of my favorites of my childhood.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Gerald Bell

Well that is two days down, two more ahead of us before we head into the Christmas Weekend, now all we have to do is get up and over this noon time hump and it will be all downhill.

Update on Gerald, he had his surgery Monday night and seems to be feeling much better. I called him yesterday morning and asked him if he was ready to go and run a mile or two and he's all for it. I would assume that everything went well and he is ok.

Company Christmas dinner this evening at Hill and Hollow here in Morgantown. This will be mine and Michelle's first time visiting here, so we'll have to see how good it is. Over the years we have went to Oliverios, and Fujiyama, so it will be nice to try something a little different. It should be a good evening.

Other than that it's a pretty uneventful week.

Have yourselves a great day today, stay warm and make the most of it.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well the Christmas shopping weekend is over with, Gerald has a new Pacemaker and wants to go home today, must be time for a tidbits.

* I know you guys have missed this count, it has been 19,378 wonderful days since my birth. Depending on if you use the traditional 365 day or my own invention of the new and improved 905 day calendar to determine my age, let me just help everyone by stating that I am still 21.

* There have been 4,601 days that have gone by since I Graduated from WVU, it's amazing how quickly time goes by.

* It was 3,202 days ago that Michelle and I went out on our very first date together, she's still around so I must be doing something right for the first time.

* It has been 2,426 days since I proposed marriage to my wonderful wife, I enjoy each and every day that I get to spend with her, even if it is for only a few minutes.

* We are in day 1,963 of Marriage, I am one lucky guy and I thank my lucky stas each and every day to have had such a wonderful person come into my life.

* I have about 5,459 or so days to go until my retirement giving the current rules for retirement give or take a few hundred here or there and depending on how I feel.

* There are only 2,097 days to go until the Backyard Brawl in football takes the field once again. I was hoping for a WVU Pitt Bowl matchup, but I'm patient.

* There are but a mere 346 more days to go until I celebrate yet another anniversary of my 21st Birthday. The day I say thank you to about 240 people on Facebook one by one.

* There are 291 more days to go until we once again attend the Springs Festival, but we may take a trip up to that area

* Our next cruise is 264 days away. We both really like the cruise we take and the ports of call that we visit, hence why we keep repeating this same cruise. When you find something you like, why change it. Half Moon Cay is my favorite place I have ever been to.

* There are only 227 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Sixth Wedding Anniversary together. I am the luckiest man in the world.

* There are 186 more days to go until Calvin and Jeanetta's Wedding next June, she has put together this very informative website for everyone to use. You guys are under 200 now.

* My favorite season of the year is a mere 90 days away when Spring 2017 finally arrives. I'm ready for the warm weather, the birds a singing and and the smells of springtime.

* My buddy Phil the Groundhog takes center stage in 44 more days when he forecasts the weather on Ground Hogs Day. I think I need to send him a few cases of liquor.

* I have 11 more days to go until my Goodbye 2016 blog is written, where I relive the previous year based on what has been written right here. I've got a real good start on it and getting ready to write the second half of the year, so watch here for it.

* If you are planning your Christmas shopping, you have 5 more days to go until Christmas. Michelle has ordered the Hot Sausage for Christmas eve, we tried to pick it up this weekend but it was not there, and our ugly sweaters are ready to go.

* This is my 4,698th blog that I have written for George's Journal in the now 12 1/4 years that I have been writing it. That is a lot of thoughts as well as a lot of words that I have typed in for everyone to read.

* No work yest this fall on the Hall Family Tree, as soon as things slow down a little bit I'm going to start working on that again.

* Nothing new on the brother search, the DNA tests returned a few second cousins and beyond, but nothing close to a brother.....yet. I still have faith that something, sometime and someday will turn up.

* Christmas Eve is coming upn on us quickly, I am really ready for it this year.

* I had a Dr's appointment yesterday, I went there to see him and 45 Minutes after we were scheduled to meet someone comes in and tells me he is stuck in Saudi Arabia. (Facepalm)

* Anyone ready for Spring yet?

* Have I ever mentioned before that I Hate Snow!!!!!....A Lot.

* Have yourselves a great day and make the very most of it.

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday Morning

All good things must come to an end and that does include those fun filled things we refer to as weekends. Now it is time to stick our collective noses back on the grindstone for another fun filled week of work.

My company Christmas Party is later this week, we'll be heading to Hill and Hollow on Wednesday night for our annual get together. It's usually a pretty good time and I work for the best boss that anyone could ever want to work for.

Other than that I have a Dr's appointment this morning so I'll slip out of the office for a little while as I go and get my checkup. I'll try to slip over and see Gerald if I can so this might not be the most productive day at work for me.

Have yourselves a great day today and let's get this workweek started.

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday

Coach Huggins 800th Win

Here I sit yet in a quiet household once again, I'm up early collecting my thoughts for the day and listening to something on the TV in the background. I do have a fire going in the fireplace, but the funny thing is it is 65° outside so it is kid of unnecessary.

Congratulations to WVU Basketball Coach Bob Huggins, the 112-67 victory yesterday was a milestone victory for Huggs, it was win number 800 for Huggs, making him the 10th coach in NCAA History to reach that milestone and only one of three active coaches to have reached that number.

We did manage to get a lot of running around done yesterday and finished up all of our Christmas shopping for the 2016 Christmas Season, but that is always subjected to change.

Mine and Michelle's plans for the day will be grocery shopping this morning and possibly going to the hospital to get an update on Gerald who had to have a temporary pacemaker put in last night. They were going to evaluate him last night and make a decision on surgery to place a permanent device in possibly today.

Have yourselves a great day.

Saturday

Here I sit on a quiet Saturday Morning, I'm up watching South Park on Comedy Central as I am collecting my thoughts for the day. Hayley and Josh are awake in the bedroom and Sammy is over playing with the Christmas Wrapping Paper.

We'll be doing some final running around today in preparation for Christmas, I was originally planning on working today but they wanted to close out the quarter before then so I have day off. We do have a number of errands to run today, so I'm not upset in the slightest. It's going to be a long day and we have a number of things to do day. We are even picking up the Hot Sausage for Christmas Eve today.

Big day here in Morgantown as WVU basketball Coach Bob Huggins will go for career win number 800 today. This is a remarkable milestone which will just solidify his Hall of Fame application down the road. Go get them Huggs, show them this is your town.

I am happy to report that my 12+ years of boycotting a local radio station because of their syndicated morning show is over with. Since Lex and Terry came on the airwaves and insulted the people of my city, I vowed my radio dial would never return to their station as long as they were broadcasting them. I stood by my boycott and stayed true to it, Kevin was on the morning show from the rival station and it was an easy boycott. As of November 28th they have brought in a morning man named Big Ric and he is actually pretty good and a more than welcome change. I doubt if my boycott hurt anyones bottom dollar, but it was a matter of integrity to me and I fulfilled it. No one will replace Eric and Kevin, but they have now both moved on from Radio and Kevin is completing Law School so it had to end eventually. Not real Happy with how Kevin was let go and less happy with the replacement. Now I have a new option.

Have yourselves a  great day today, it's going to be cold and rainy so keep yourselves warm and dry.

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.

It is hard to believe that we are halfway through the month of December, we're a little over a week away from Christmas, I've got a Goodbye 2016 Blog to write and I'm sure there are a few other things that I need to get done prior to the Holidays arriving.

This weekend Michelle and I will finish up our Christmas shopping for the year, we have gotten each other our gifts and we know what we are doing for Chad and Hayley, now it's time to concentrate on the younger members of the family and the Chinese Gift Exchange. Needless to say we are going to have a busy weekend.

Have yourselves a great day today.

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out and look through some of the pictures that I have either taken, scanned or stolen off of the internet through the years and find one special picture that stands out. Little lost moments in time from yesterday caught with a Cameras lens and relived right here in my blog. Sometimes it's pretty easy to find that one special picture and sometimes it's not that easy, one thing it consistently is however is a whole lot of fun.

This weeks picture goes back a lot of years, I'm thinking about 1970 or so, but I could be wrong. This was the very first bicycle that I had ever gotten and it was obviously a Christmas Gift looking at the decorated tree that was behind me. I got a 10 speed a few years later and semi-retired this bike, but this is the bike that I learned how to ride on bike on.

Thinking back I used to take baseball cards and attach them to the rear wheel with a clothes pin to make that rumbling sound like you would hear on a motorcycle, so who knows and I can only imagine what rare baseball cards were abruptly destroyed because I wanted sound effects.

Got to love the good old fashioned banana seats that used to come on bikes during those days.

Have yourselves a great day today, think back about a special event in your life.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Well that is two days down, now all we have to do is get up and over this noon time hump and it will be all downhill as we work towards another fun filled weekend.

First off Congratulations to my nephew Moke, he started a new job this week at Blue Mountain. He said he will be doing some modeling and programming for them, and after talking to him after his first day he seemed to enjoy it. I think he likes the working in an office environment over being stuck out in the elements. I think this is going to be right up his alley for a career and he is with a pretty good company.

I finally have my travel itinerary in hand for my trip to St Louis here in a few weeks. We will be staying at the Marriott St. Louis Grand which is just a few blocks from the Arch. Michelle who will be going with me will have a number of things to go and see as will be doing my 2017 certification. I've sent Michelle a few ideas of things to do while we are there, but that will be pretty much up to her as to what she does.

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well the Christmas Travel weekend is over with, the Monday following that is overt with, must be a Tuesday so you know what that means.

* I know you guys have missed this count, it has been 19,371 wonderful days since my birth. Depending on if you use the traditional 365 day or my own invention of the new and improved 905 day calendar to determine my age, let me just help everyone by stating that I am still 21.

* There have been 4,594 days that have gone by since I Graduated from WVU, it's amazing how quickly time goes by.

* It was 3,195 days ago that Michelle and I went out on our very first date together, she's still around so I must be doing something right for the first time.

* It has been 2,419 days since I proposed marriage to my wonderful wife, I enjoy each and every day that I get to spend with her, even if it is for only a few minutes.

* We are in day 1,956 of Marriage, I am one lucky guy and I thank my lucky stas each and every day to have had such a wonderful person come into my life.

* I have about 5,466 or so days to go until my retirement giving the current rules for retirement give or take a few hundred here or there and depending on how I feel.

* There are only 2,104 days to go until the Backyard Brawl in football takes the field once again. I was hoping for a WVU Pitt Bowl matchup, but I'm patient.

* There are but a mere 353 more days to go until I celebrate yet another anniversary of my 21st Birthday. The day I say thank you to about 240 people on Facebook one by one.

* There are 298 more days to go until we once again attend the Springs Festival, but we may take a trip up to that area

* Our next cruise is 271 days away. We both really like the cruise we take and the ports of call that we visit, hence why we keep repeating this same cruise. When you find something you like, why change it. Half Moon Cay is my favorite place I have ever been to.

* There are only 236 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Sixth Wedding Anniversary together. I am the luckiest man in the world.

* There are 193 more days to go until Calvin and Jeanetta's Wedding next June, she has put together this very informative website for everyone to use. You guys are under 200 now.

* My favorite season of the year is a mere 97 days away when Spring 2017 finally arrives. I'm ready for the warm weather, the birds a singing and and the smells of springtime.

* My buddy Phil the Groundhog takes center stage in 51 more days when he forecasts the weather on Ground Hogs Day. I think I need to send him a few cases of liquor.

* I have 18 more days to go until my Goodbye 2016 blog is written, where I relive the previous year based on what has been written right here. Damn, I better get ready to start writing that as it is coming up.

* If you are planning your Christmas shopping, you have 12 more days to go until Christmas. Michelle has ordered the Hot Sausage for Cjristmas eve and our ugly sweaters are ready to go.

* This is my 4,691st blog that I have written for George's Journal in the now 12 1/4 years that I have been writing it. That is a lot of thoughts as well as a lot of words that I have typed in for everyone to read.

* No work yest this fall on the Hall Family Tree, as soon as things slow down a little bit I'm going to start working on that again.

* Nothing new on the brother search, the DNA tests returned a few second cousins and beyond, but nothing close to a brother.....yet. I still have faith that something, sometime and someday will turn up.

* It is getting time to start planning the 4th Annual Friends and Family Picnic for 2017. I'm thinking about reserving the space for around the same time as last year if it is available.

* I'm starting to figure out the 360° camera for Facebook, I just have to use an iPhone ap and it works great. What I do still have to figure out is formatting it and editing it for Youtube.

* WVU basketball still holds the #1 Position in the Saragrin Ratings at the time I am writing this.

* Have I ever mentioned before that I Hate Snow!!!!!....A Lot.

* Have yourselves a great day and make the very most of it.

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday

Well all good things must come to an end, unfortunately that does include the fun filled things we refer to as weekends. Now it's time to put our weekends in our memories and concentrate on the coming week ahead as we prepare to stick our collective noses back on the grindstone for yet another fun filled week of doing what it is we do for a living.

This is going to be a long week for me, as I'll be at NETL for my regular job for the first five days, then I'll be out one last time this quarter doing a little field work trying to finalize the last few interviews that I have for RTI. It's getting time where we start to gear up and concentrate on the first quarter of 2017. After that it will be time to relax before Michelle and I head to St Louis the first week of January.

As you can see by the picture Sammy has made friends with our oldest Cat Sophie. I caught him in her her rubbing up against her for a little companionship. Sophie on the other hand, doesn't seem interested in little elves.

Have yourselves a Great Day today and make it special.

Hi ho hi ho

On the Road Again

It's a travel kind of day for us, Michelle, Chad, Hayley and myself will be loading up the car in a few hours as we head north to East Liverpool Ohio to do Christmas at Michelle's Grandmother's home and her Dad's home for 2016.

I think the biggest question for me and everyone else is how is my Brother in law Jim going to be creative and deliver Michelle's Grandmother's GG, her Peanut Present this year.

It's a running joke between the two of them and Jim had been very creative through the years in surprising her somehow with some cleverly disguised Peanuts. Just seeing what creative way he delivers them is worth the trip alone.

Afterwards we will head over to her Dad's home with the crew to celebrate Christmas with her Dad and Karen at their home.

It's going to be a day full of travel, good food, good people and memories. My advice to everyone is enjoy it, because these days don't happen every day.

Have a great day.

Saturday

Here I sit yet once again on a quiet Saturday Morning, Hayley and Josh are up in their room and I'm up collecting my thoughts for the day, finding Sammy and surfing the net. Something or another is playing on the Television in the background, but I'm not really paying attention to whatever it is.

Due to us traveling back to Ohio tomorrow, we will be doing our Sunday chores and a little Christmas shopping today. It'll start off this morning as we already have our menu planned out for the week as we head to the grocery store to do the weeks shopping. Hopefully I can get some kind of Artisan Bread at Phoenix Bakery as the bread I usually get is not scheduled for today.

It is a bit chilly out this early morning, probably why Sammy is hiding in a stocking above the fireplace that is going. 24° is just a bit colder than I like, heck 70° is colder than I like, but then again I'm an "I Hate Snow" kind of guy and that includes the cold weather that comes with it.

Have yourselves a great day today and make the very most of it.

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.

Well High School Football season is over with, so no talking about that until next fall. College Football season is over with except for the Bowl Games and the Army Navy game which is tomorrow in Baltimore. It must be time for Basketball to get going into full swing.

Mine and Michelle's plans will be slightly altered this coming weekend, we'll do our weekly grocery shopping tomorrow as we plan on traveling to Ohio for Christmas at her Grandmothers and then at her Fathers before returning to Morgantown. So it is going to be a busy weekend for us.

However with the exception of the final shopping, all the decorating and baking is done for the 2016 Christmas Season. I do see Norad has their Santa Tracker site up and running already for anyone who wants to keep tabs on what Santa is doing.

Have yourselves a great day

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out and look through some of the pictures that I have either taken, scanned or stolen off of the internet through the years and find one special picture that stands out. Little lost moments in time from yesterday caught with a Cameras lens and relived right here in my blog. Sometimes it's pretty easy to find that one special picture and sometimes it's not that easy, one thing it consistently is however is a whole lot of fun.

This weeks pic is a picture of Peanut when we first got her this past May. We had a cat that met its untimely demise in Phin, and Michelle took Phin's death rather hard so I went out and found a little bundle of joy (or pain in the ass depending on what day it is) that looked just like Phin and could capture Michelle's heart and I think i managed to find the right cat.

Peanut is still a bundle of joy, except when she sneaks out and climbs trees and doesn't want to come down. This picture however was when she was still small, cute, innocent and naive.

Have yourselves a good day.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Not Sammy

Well that is two days  down, now all we have to do is get up and over this noon time hump and it will be all downhill working towards another fun filled weekend.

Before anyone asks, not this is not Sammy. I'm pretty sure it's his cousin Jimmy but I can not be 100% sure of that and Jimmy is helping us ring in Hump Day.

I feel so out of touch with everyone as of late, I have had a pretty busy quarter but things slowed down a couple of weeks ago, I really haven't had much opportunity to speak with too many people other than on specific things. Looking forward to the Holidays and spending some time with family.

I think we are going to have my Company Christmas Dinner at Hill and Hollow here in Morgantown, I've never eaten there so this will be something new for both Michelle and I. I look look forward to trying something new and exciting this holiday season.

Have yourselves a great day today, do something to have a positive impact on everyone around you and make a difference.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* This is where I would say we have that dreaded Monday past us, but my days just seem to be running together right now but I will acknowledge that it is Tuesday and I'm going to do another fact filled and educational tidbits.

* I know you guys have missed this count, it has been 19,364 wonderful days since my birth. Depending on if you use the traditional 365 day or the new and improved 905 day calendar to determine my age, let me just help everyone by stating that I am still 21.

* There have been 4,587 days that have gone by since I Graduated from WVU, that in itself seems like yesterday and it has been 12 years in itself. Best career decision that I ever made.

* It was 3,188 days ago that Michelle and I went out on our very first date together, both of our lives have changed significantly for the better since that fateful night despite the movie being really bad. I do not recommend 10,000 BC as a must see movie...lol

* It has been 2,412 days since I proposed marriage to my wonderful wife, I enjoy each and every day that I get to spend with her, even if it is for only a few minutes.

* We are in day 1,949 of Marital bliss and still going strong, I am a very fortunate man to have such a wonderful woman in my life.

* I have about 5,473 or so days to go until my retirement, give or take a few hundred here or there and depending on how I feel.

* There are only 2,111 days to go until the Backyard Brawl in football takes the field once again. WVU and Pitt have a few Basketball games scheduled in the future, but it is Football where we want to kick their asses. =) Bring it on boys.

* There are but a mere 360 more days to go until I celebrate yet another anniversary of my 21st Birthday. I've lost count as to how many anniversaries this will have been. Heck I even forget how old I really am....lol

* There are 305 more days to go until we once again attend the Springs Festival.

* Our next cruise is 278 days away. We both really like the cruise we take and the ports of call that we visit, hence why we keep repeating this same cruise. When you find something you like, why change it.

* There are only 243 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Sixth Wedding Anniversary together. I am the luckiest man in the world.

* There are 200 more days to go until Calvin and Jeanetta's Wedding next June, she has put together this very informative website for everyone to use.

* My favorite season of the year is a mere 104 days away when Spring 2017 finally arrives. I know a lot of people like watching the leaves change, I'm a rebirth of the foliage kind of guy as I Hate Snow

* My buddy Phil the Groundhog takes center stage in 58 more days when he forecasts the weather on Ground Hogs Day. Hey Phil, what would it take for a favorable forecast this year?

* I have 25 more days to go until my Goodbye 2016 blog is written, where I relive the previous year based on what has been written right here. Hopefully I'll have some nice things to say.

* If you are planning your shopping, you have 19 more days to go until Christmas, it's time to start planning and shopping. Black Friday is just a few days away.

* This is my 4,684th blog that I have written for George's Journal in the now 12 1/4 years that I have been writing it. That is a lot of thoughts as well as a lot of words that I have typed in for everyone to read.

* No work yest this fall on the Hall Family Tree, as soon as things slow down a little bit I'm going to start working on that again. It's time as the days are shorter, the weather is colder and we've about closed out this quarter for RTI.

* Nothing new on the brother search, the DNA tests returned a few second cousins and beyond, but nothing close to a brother.....yet. I still have faith that something, sometime and someday will turn up.

* The WVU Women's Soccer team ended up runners up for the National Championship, dropping a 3-1 game to USC. I am very proud of this group of ladies, they have had a magical season.

* The WVU Football team is now ranked 12th in the Coaches Poll and 14th in the AP after this weekends win against Baylor. We will play the Miami of Florida in the Russell Athletic Bowl later this month.

* The WVU Men's Basketball team occupies the #1 position in the country in the Saragrin Ratings.

* I have been officially excused from serving on the Grand Jury in January, I'll be in St Louis and I received notice last week that I am excused from attending. St Louis here we come.

* My cousin Lynn was scheduled to have surgery later this month on the 19th for a pretty serious health issue, they moved her up to yesterday to perform the surgery.

* Have I ever mentioned before that I Hate Snow!!!!!....A Lot.

* Have yourselves a great day and make the very most of it.

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday

Well here we are again at the most dreaded day of the week, the day when we go from relaxing at home to heading back into the office for another fun filled week at work.

Or so that holds true for some of us, Sammy found himself a bottle of Grey Goose Vodka that we brought back from our cruise and he decided to break into it and get verschnockered. He was sing Rudolph the Brown Nosing Reindeer this morning and was saying some pretty nasty things about the other reindeer as well. He called Frosty a fat Olaf wanna-be and spent half the night in the bathroom swearing to the porcelain god of Ralph that he would never drink again.

With a weekend of baking done Michelle and I look towards the next weekend when we will be traveling to Ohio for her family Christmas at her Grandmothers home. It had been held at her Cousins for a couple of years, but it has moved back to her Grandmothers home the last two. We usually have a few weekends in December where we do the tree, bake, travel and shop. This weekend might be the travel and shop weekend as the other two are done.

Have yourselves a great and productive day today, enjoy it and live it to the fullest.

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday Morning Ramblings

Well here I sit on a quiet Sunday Morning, May is behind me chowing down on a Pig Ear and I'm up watching the Devils Advocate on Amazon and surfing the interwebs checking scores from last night that I may have missed.

Yesterday was cookie day, you can tell Sammy has already broken into one batch and has been chowing down. Michelle busted her butt all day yesterday and is to be commended, she is a remarkable and tireless woman and I was distracted with other things and wasn't much help.

The WVU Women's Soccer team plays for the National Championship today, cheer this special group of ladies on and bring that National Championship Trophy home.

The WVU Men's Basketball team went on the road to #6 Virginia and won 66-57. This is a big win for Coach Huggins and the Press Virginia team, they just wore out the #6 team in the country on their home court.

WVU Football garnered their 10th win of the season yesterday with a 24-21 win over Baylor in what may have been one of the most sluggish performances that we have seen this year. Justin Crawford came back from last weeks injury and rushed for 209 yards in leading the offense. The Defense was pretty much lights out most of the game.

Today is a back to normal day with our grocery shopping in the morning and watching the Mountaineer ladies bring it home this afternoon.

Have a great day.

Happy Birthday Kim SanJulian

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my sister Kim a very Happy Birthday today. I believe this is her 20th birthday since she is a year younger than me and I'm just 21.

Kim is a remarkable woman, she is a Project Manager for WVU Hospitals, a mother of one very special young lady, and a loving wife to her husband Robert. Talk about someone who lives life to the fullest, that is my sister Kim.

I'm not sure what Robert has planned for Kim today, they usually like to travel to Clarksburg and eat at her her favorite restaurant, Minards. This may be just a guess as this is something that she likes to do, but it all depends on how she feels and if she is up for the trip this afternoon.

If you see Kim today, take a little bit of time out and wish her a very Happy Birthday today.

Happy Birthday Kim

Saturday

Sammy

Here I sit on a quiet Saturday Morning, I'm sitting here collecting my thoughts for the day and watching Tosh.O on Comedy Central. I hear Peanut running around creating Chaos but I think Sammy is the Mastermind of it all, he's just egging her on and getting her riled up.

Well first let me start by saying the #1 Ranked WVU Women's Soccer team advanced to the NCAA Finals and will take on the #7 Ranked USC Trojans tomorrow for the National Championship after beating the #6 Ranked and multiple time National Champion University of North Carolina. Bring it home Ladies, we are all behind you.

Michelle and her Friend

The WVU Men's Football team plays their final regular season game of the year this afternoon at 3:30, this will be the final home for many of our Seniors, there will be our send off game and thank you ti so many who have given so much to the program for years.

Today is going to be the first Saturday that I have either not worked or did not travel somewhere since September 24th. I knew before it started that there was going to be a long streak that was going to carry me to beyond Thanksgiving and the job with RTI did just that.

Today I will be helping my wife with some baking (I'll be the quality Control tester) and probably learning to utilize my new camera to get the optimum results.

Next weekend is a travel weekend for us as we head to Ohio for Michelle's family version of Christmas.

Have yourselves a great day today.

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.

First off I would like to express a heart felt gratitude for everyone who took the time out to wish me a Happy Birthday yesterday, the only problem with it is yesterday was not my Birthday. You see it was an even year and I was born during an odd year, so that means I only have birthdays on odd years. Sheesh, I thought everyone over 21 knew that. =)

As everyone saw I got my Birthday/Christmas gift from my lovely wife a couple of days ago. She got me a Ricoh Theta S camera and now it's just up to me to learn how to effectively use a camera that takes photography and videography to a whole new dimension. I look forward with great anticipation to learn an develop this ground breaking technology just as I did with the WebTV when I was one of the first 5,000 subscribers, Youtube as I was an early subscriber and there and in my field of GIS where I got in right before the technology made major breakthroughs. 360° Photos and Videos are something I am looking forward to creating. Hopefully I can create a few awe inspiring memories for people as I learn this. I have the best wife in the world.

For more on what the Ricoh Theta does, watch video below. Google Chrome is the recommended browser, IE does not support this technology yet.

An update on my being called to appear fro Grand Jury Duty in January, a time that conflicts with me being in St Louis. I submitted my paperwork and have been excused from Grand Jury duty for those days by Judge Clawges. I'm going to St Louis!!!!

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out, time to look at some of the 30,000+ photos that I have stored on my computer. Little lost moments in time that I either captured with a lens, scanned or just stole from some place on the internet. I like to find just one and post it up and recall or relive the picture to the best of my ability. Sometimes this is a pretty easy task and sometimes it's not that easy, one thing it has always been is a whole lot of fun.

This weeks pic just goes back to a few months ago, about ten or so. I was on travel for my regular job as the ESRI Federal Users Conference and I was staying in Arlington, VA. This picture was actually taken on my balcony of my room that I stayed in. Just down the street from my left shoulder is Arlington National Cemetery and the Pentagon just beyond that. I took this picture before I left for the first day of the conference.

Hopefully I will get a chance to return to the 2017 Conference in February, my guess is that this will happen but we don't know anything for sure yet. Maybe this year I can stay in DC at the Government rate since it is on their dime. =)

Have yourselves a great day today.

Hi ho hi ho