A trip this morning

I wil be leaving the office this morning and heading to our corporate headquarters to get my security badge taken care of and made.

We had softball practice last night, it was a good night of practice and I think we have added a few good players this year that should fit in quite nice with the team chemistry.

Hi Ho Hi Ho.....

A Picture from Saturday Night

Saturday Night, Michelle and I went to her nieces birthday party. There were many flashbulbs flashing and we ended up having our first pictures taken together.


This is one of if not the first picture taken together of the both of us.

Congrats Robert

Last night my Sister Kim called and was very happy and somewhat ecstatic. She even Blogged about it. The state bowling tournament was this past weekend and Robert, as he does every year, was bowling in it. This is probably the states biggest bowling event, and on a big stage.

Earlier this year Robert had gotten 11 strikes in a row and just missed a 300 game. Well, I guess he can finally lay that memory to rest now with his perfection that he threw yesterday.

Every sport has a moment of perfection, where it is the dream that everyone wants to accomplish. In Baseball it is the walk off home run, in Football it is that game winning Touchdown. Every sport has its moment of supreme accomplishment, some are more easily obtainable than others. In Bowling, it is to complete the ever elusive perfection of throwing twelve consecutive strikes in one game and rolling a 300. It is a rare feat that is a lifetime accomplishment. Robert now can claim that achievement with his first career 300 yesterday.

Congrats to Robert and Thanks to Kim for catching it on Camera. She has the whole game captures, and she is planning on putting all ten frames into one movie file. The Final ball.

Meeting a lot of Michelle's Family

Last night I went to Rt 18 Bar to help celebrate Michelle's niece Samantha's birthday. It was the first time I got to meet the majority of her family and they all seemed to be a fun loving bunch of Steeler fans. A great group of people to meet and be around even though my head is still thumping from the sounds of the DJ from last night.

I met quite a few of her nephews and nieces, her sister Chris and her husband and they all were all having a great time. I've already been invited to watch Steeler games this fall, it will be nice actually watching the game around a lot of enthusiastic Steeler fans.

Today

I haven't gotten into too much today, other than just doing a little paperwork for my bills and paying them. Yes I know, fun fun.

This evening Michelle and I are going to go to her nieces Birthday party. I really haven't met any of her family yet other than her son and daughter and her mother briefly. So, tonight should be interesting and meet a few members of Michelle's family.

How about this weather? No snow, it's warming up, trees are starting to bud and bloom and I think we can officially call winter over and done with.

It's a Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes readers, it is one again that time of the week where the labors for the week cease and we once again start to enjoy the fruits of our labors. It is once again that most anticipated time of the week, the start of the weekend.

The only thing I have planned is Michelle's cousin is having a birthday party Saturday Night and that's about it so far. It's going to be Saturday evening at some at some bar past the mall, I think it was the old Gambino's /Ladie Godiva's/Players building.

I just checked the4 WVU baseball schedule and they are away all weekend at Seton Hall. They managed to come back from 9 runs down again on Wed for the second time in a week. There is a lot of young talent on this team that is having a great deal of success. If you get a chance, going and checking them out may be worth the $5.00 price of admission.

I got a call yesterday from BlueMountainEngineering, I of course had to tell them that I had accepted employment elsewhere. This was my #2 choice, my #1 is where I was offered for the record.

Have a great Friday and a great weekend.


You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.--Eleanor Roosevelt

An evening Blog

Most of the time I Blog, it's usually in the morning. I think my creative juices are running more after I wake up rather than at the end of a day. Although writing at the end of the day can give you something to reflect upon as you are looking for the words to scribe.

Today however, this is an evening blog. Running a little behind this morning for what I wanted to do to get out of the apartment and get to work, so I didn't blog at all before my drive to work.

Work has been great, learning a new piece of software that I really didn't have a whole lot of experience in prior to this job. I had used it before, but not that much. It's nice to be able to expand my skill set.

The people I work with are great and I think I will really enjoy working for this company. I can see big things happening within the company and our department if we're on top of it, Chad really seems to have a handle on things and is trying to explore more options.

I actually reached in my closet this morning and realized that since it's been a couple years since I worked in an office, it was time to go do a little shopping. After work I made a track up to JC Penney's to see what kind of sales they were having. For some reason I can't seem to find some of my casual business attire. I had it when I went to Sterling, but I couldn't seem to find it. No problem, time to shop!

Have a great evening.

WVU Men's Basketball finished season #17

The WVU Men's basketball team, with the help of a Sweet 16 finish this season, ended up ranked #17 in the final ESPN/USAToday Poll released yesterday. This is the third time in the last four years that WVU has been ranked in the final poll, the only year we were not ranked was last year when we won the NIT tournament.

Congrats to Coach Huggins and every member of this years team, they were fun to watch and I eagerly anticipate the next season. It seems like only yesterday that we attended Mountaineer Madness this past fall.

The final Women's Poll should be released today.

I warned Terri

I warned Terri years ago that she was going to turn Nick and Terri's into a Music bar, now she has gone and done it. It is honestly amazing the amount of untapped musical talent that just comes to that bar just to hang out if not play.

From the Hillbilly Gypsies, to Floyd Cowger to Lindsey and the Clear Mountain Boys to Mahlon Kisner who is getting ready to do an album with Luke Short that I will have to buy. I heard these two playing together a couple weekends ago at Nick and Terri's and was amazed how well they play together.

Now it seems like Mahlon who plays every other Wed at the bar is going to be opening up for Kansas in a couple months at the 2008 Mountain Fest here in Morgantown.

I warned her she was going to end up with the reputation of a Music Bar.

A Day of Firsts

Today can be considered a day of firsts in many ways. I will start my new job with my new company today, I start work for Information Manufacturing Corporation this morning at 8:00. I'm actually quite excited to get work for a company in Morgantown and be able to get back into an office environment and actually get a chance to interact with people some of the time.

I see a great opportunity with this company, the sky is the limit, this time however as a company experiences exponential growth, I'll be in the office. Here is to hopefully a long career with a company getting ready to really grow.

Also in this day of firsts as you can tell by my picture, is the first softball practice of the 2008 season. It's that time of the year that I most look forward to, the time when Mountaineer Football and Basketball are done with their seasons and are preparing for the next school year. A time when the squirrels come by for a daily visit and the sun is shining. When longer and warmer days are prevalent and summer festival seasons start. It is once again time to gather the guys, talk a little trash, remember the old days and play some softball.

We will once again be sponsored this season by the best sponsor/pitcher you could ever ask for. Mountain Valley Paintball Park. You got to love a team that gets together a few times a year and shoot each other. Can't you just feel the love of the brotherhood?

Have a great day, mine is going to be interesting.

Michael and Ashley's wedding

Jean called me this morning and said that Michael had went to Las Vegas to get married.


The wedding is available online HERE, if you have trouble viewing it you can watch it on my BLOG as I have uploaded it to Youtube for everyone's convenience.

Happy Birthday Terri

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my Sister Terri a Very Happy Birthday. She is celebrating the 20th anniversary of her 21st birthday today.

Michelle and I stopped in to see her on Friday evening and she had a band playing at the bar Saturday night with Slow Club.

Happy Birthday Terri.

Last Day with Infotech

Today is my official last day with Infotech. I have been wrapping any work up that I may have been in the middle of and sending a few personal e-mail's out to a few co-workers and bosses thanking them for the honor and opportunities that were presented to me.

I'm leaving on a good note like I always try to do. It's been three years I started working for VARGIS/Infotech, the picture was from our official public grand opening in Frostburg, Maryland. Only Myself and Srinu (Back row on left) still remain with IEA and only Srinu after today.

Sadness for today, Happiness for the opportunity to work for my new company tomorrow.

Yesterday

Yesterday Michelle and I went to the WVU baseball game that was at Hawley Field. WVU came back from trailing 13-4 in the bottom of the 8th inning to pull out a 15-14 victory in 10 innings. Local native and Freshman Jedd Gyrko with the winning RBI in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Mountaineers ran their record to 24-6 on the season. They won the uncompleted game from Friday night earlier in the afternoon. The final game of the three game series is this afternoon.

After the game we planned on going out to dinner, but a big l;ate rally and pushing the game to extra innings delayed our dinner plans a little bit so that we could make it to the move we planned on seeing, Leatherheads. Great movie, I highly recommend it to anyone who may be interested in seeing it.

Michelle joked she wanted to see Horton Hears a Who, OK, here you can watch it.



After seeing leatherheads, we went out to dinner to Eat N Park , but we once again had a spy following us as we once again saw Brittany at the same place we were at. I thought it was kind of funny.

It was a good day.

The Big Announcement

On March 24th, I received an e-mail from the COO of Infotech Enterprises of America, my current employer asking me to call him. Over the past few months since a couple big projects wrapped up that I was the final editor on, work has been slow and it was basically me waiting on work and almost begging for things to do. I called Jim and the news was delivered, I was going to be laid off. We were moving in a new direction and no longer working on planamteric data and were going to concentrate on ortho generation. In other words, we're going after the pictures rather that the geometrical shapes around the data. I received my official notice this past week and Monday, April 7th is my last day at Infotech.

Now, go back a few weeks to a BLOG I WROTE about the play that mom was in and Kim, Terri, Brittany and I attended. The guy playing Jesus, Chad Rowan, was a GIS guy and couldn't be all that bad. I had known Chad though college and I did a google search on his name and noted where he was now at.

Right after I got off the phone with Jim from Infotech, I immediately sent Chad an e-mail informing him of my circumstances. He informed me he had a Technician leaving that Friday. The ball was set in motion.

I had placed numerous resumes out there and had received a few responses, I had interviews with Enterprise Rent a Car (no Offer), LSI yesterday, I had a response from Blue Mountain, but haven't heard back from them, there was the Holy Smokes, which I thought was AT&T, but it would have been for a Company called Fusion Solutions in Virginia, even though I have come to find out they have an office in Morgantown (this could have potentially been six figures and all expenses paid) and a few other head hunters.

I had a phone interview with Chad's Company last Friday and went in for an in person interview on Wed. I thought the interview went well, but there were two candidates and we were both qualified and he knew both of us. He said I would know something by early next week, but Thursday the HR department called and wanted to do a background search on me.

My goal was to find and start a new job by or at the time of my lay off with Infotech. Mission accomplished.

Yesterday afternoon, I received and accepted an official offer to start working for Information Manufacturing Corporation right here in Morgantown. I will start to work for them on Tuesday, the day after my last day with Infotech. Paperwork still needs signed, but it is in transit to my home through the mail as we speak. My job search is now officially over. Ironically, this is a company that I have known about a few years and wanted to work for them prior to me accepting a job at Vargis/Infotech a few years ago. They were in Clarksburg then, they are in Morgantown on Maple Avenue now.

Also, I was inquiring to my former employer the NRAC about some part time or contract work, Kelly called me yesterday afternoon and said she would get the paperwork started on Monday.

Main Job secured and secondary income secured.

Mission Accomplished.

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes readers, this is the time of the week where the work ceases and we sit back and actually take time to reflect back and enjoy the fruits of our labors, it's the Weekend!!

Originally this was supposed to be my last day of employment with Infotech, I was supposed to be getting laid off after today, but I guess my official notice is for Monday the 7th rather than Friday the 4th. So it looks like I will have this job a few more hours than originally anticipated. I think they wanted to make sure I had a full two weeks from the time of my notice for my last day.

On the job search front, things are going pretty good. I actually had a telephone interview this morning and another company has sent me some paper work to fill out, this is my first contact with them however.

I should expect to hear something from my top choice by early next week though one way or the other.

I'll keep everyone updated and be a little more specific next week.

The Job search

My new job search continues. I had an interview yesterday with a GIS Company in Morgantown and I walked out of the interview thinking I was not going to get a job offer. Needless to say I was a little depressed last night.

I have two companies that I will be speaking with tomorrow, One in Morgantown and one in Sterling Virginia. Hopefully all goes well with both of these and I will have a few more options to pick and choose from.

Things have changed today on a couple fronts, one on the one I interviewed with yesterday that is positive and I got a "HOLY SMOKES" contact that got in touch with me today also.

Things are looking a lot brighter today than they did yesterday, I'm still sitting here stunned by the "HOLY SMOKES" (better than what I would say) contact.

I am going to have to sit back and think what is most important to me right now. Home, or a BIG pot of gold that was presented today. There will be some serious thought process going on in the next couple of days.

Some WVU News

I guess there is a movement going on around town that may need a little support. There is a petition ongoing to name the Press Box at WVU after Jack Fleming and they are asking everyone for support. There is an article written about it by on WVMETRONEWS.com for anyone who may like to have a little more information.

There is news on both the Football and basketball recruiting fronts. Bill Stewart signed three more prospects to the 2008 recruiting class when he received official letter of intents from Devon Lyons (former starter at Ohio State and older brother of WVU receiver Wes Lyons), Benji Kemoeatu who is listed as the State of Hawaii's best prospect and has two older brothers playing in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers and Mark Rodgers, a very fast running back out of California who also happens to be rap mega star Snoop Dogg's cousin. So two guys battling for the top running back next year will be someone Deion Sanders wanted to adopt (Devine) and Snoop's cousin (Rodgers). We might be seeing a few famous faces around town the next few years.

On the basketball recuiting front, Bob Huggins is recruiting High School All-American and former Indiana top recruit Devin Ebanks now that he has been released from his LOI at Indiana. Us and Memphis are believed to be the top two for his services. I have said for years, Bob Huggins is the best recruiter in the game. His top recruit last season at Kansas State is going to be the top pick in the NBA draft this year. If he signs Ebanks, this will give him two All-Americans in this, his first real class at WVU.

I think I did a decent job

It seems like I got one heck of a response yesterday from my April Fools Blog Post. I had one up earlier about accepting a job in California, but since I am in the middle of a new job search and am in contact with a few companies, something told me that may not have been the smartest move for a blog post. It was up merely 5 minutes and Michelle actually read it.

I then deleted it and changed direction to see if I could reel a few people in. Myspace is a feature that many members of my family use and use regularly. So, I come up with some hair brained scheme that they were going to start charging. I even threw in a little oxymoron when I said they were going to charge you for free downloads. I'm just glad everyone read the last line of the blog before anyone deleted their myspace accounts. I did get contacted by Val, Kim, Pam and Mom (women are so vulnerable) about the myspace charges.

I have pulled a few good pranks in my day, I even laugh at one I did about ten years ago when I used Kim's website to throw the possibility that Jeff Gordon was our cousin. I've pulled a few good ones, the one yesterday even though it was not very well thought out or written (on purpose) was still very effective.

Last night on ESPN's Pardon the Interuption they did a real nice one that was actually believable for a brief period of time.




However the best one I think I have ever seen pulled by the media was by George Plimpton and Sports Illustrated years ago when they published an article on Sid Finch, and his 153 MPH fastball (about 50 MPH faster than the fastest ever recorded pitches.


It was a good day.

Myspace is becoming a pay per use site

Myspace, one of the internet's largest social network, is becoming a pay per use site. Beginning soon, MySpace will be charging $9.99 a month to use their social networking site for all new users. Existing users can buy a subscription for the remainder of 2008 for $49.95, but this only will go until the end of the current calender year.

Here is the kicker, there is a termination fee if you close your account after today, but it is free to close it today. Anything after today will inquire a one time $25.00 termination charge to close your account and prevent any further charges to your account.

New features to myspace will be added once the non-optional subscription only services begin later this evening. One of the new features will be "Share your iPod" music. Where you plug your iPod in and log into myspace and will be able to share and download anything off of any iPod that is plugged into the network for free. A $0.99 charge for each free song will be charged.

Make sure you check the date before you cancel your account.