Goodbye Decade

I have not been a blogger for the entire decade, so some of this stuff has came before I was even a Blogger.

I entered the new millennium a poor man, who had recently lost his father and his home and security. I was living with my sister and was just starting my collegiate quest. Helmick had shut down a couple years earlier and I was still trying to decide what I was going to do with my life. To say that I was at a crossroads in my life is an understatement.

In 2001 our nation saw a terrorist attack in New York City.

In 2004 I graduated college, fulfilling a dream. In September of that year I became a Blogger. Prior to that I had no idea what it was, but it was something that would allow me to document my life and to be able to share it with my loved ones and the casual readers.

Starting in 2005 I started to write a little more frequently. Same with 2006 and in 2007 I basically started writing a daily Blog.

The rest, is documented and sorted for your convenience.


2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

I entered the decade not sure about anything and living our of my sisters closet. I leave it with the most secure and highest paying position I have ever had in my life. I also close it with someone very special to me and the love of my life.

After 1,828 posts this decade, here is to the next ten years, you keep reading and I'll keep writing.

Goodbye 2009

January

* 2009 started out on a good note as my Blog was rated #9 in Morgantown.

* I do believe that the only movie we saw in the theaters this year was in January when we went and saw Gran Torino

* We saw the inauguration of a new US President.

* Nick and Terri officially closed Nick and Terri's with this note:

Nick and I have decided after four years of running a tavern, we are calling it quits. We have made many new great friends here that we will miss alot. However, it is due time to get back in my life the things that are most important to us, our family and friends. This transaction will be taking place somewhere between mid February to mid March. We will be moving to Nick and Terri Sivak's in Opakisski road for a short time until we are able to get back on our feet. We will be planning a final bash that will include music with Floyd Cowger, Weedhawks and Homebrew I hope everyone will be able to attend to help celebrate the new chapter we are beginning So with that being said I will be seeing everyone soon.

* I started to pack, these were my final days of living alone and at Brunswick Apartments.



February

* In probably my biggest news of 2009, Michelle and I officially moved in together. We were given assistance by many of you reading this and I would like to issue one final heart felt thank you in 2009 for helping us.

* The Pittsburgh Steelers won their unprecedented sixth Super Bowl Championship. More than any other team in the NFL.

* That damn groundhog from PA despite all the bribes I sent him saw his shadow once again.

* I wrote a Blog Post about the Cash for Gold scam and have received three e-mails from their attorney's. I know my First Amendment Rights and it remained and still remains.

* Michelle and I purchased a nice new BBQ grill for each other for Valentines Day. I think it needs to be used more in 2010.

* We got a new 681 area code in West Virginia.

March

* Nick and Terri officially closed the bar on March 1st.

* The WVU Rifle team won their 14th NCAA Championship

* Nick and Terri moved.

* Michelle and I celebrated our first year together.

* We bought a new HDTV.

* MiHaley's officially became our 2009 softball sponsor.


April

* I managed to have an accidental meeting on the rails to trails and ended a long quest in seeking and finding my grandfathers music on a chance meeting.

* 1,500th blog post of George's Journal. Yet another milestone since I first started in 2004.

* Michelle and I went to the peak of Dorsey's Knob.


May

* A flood hit Morgantown and didn't affect me, but Michael my next door neighbor got it very bad as his basement was flooded.

* Brittany had her Prom.

* The Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup.

* Kayla Brown played for the State Tennis Championship.

* My Car broke down.

* Brittany, Kayla, and a few of Hayley's friends all graduated High School.


June

* We helped Brittany celebrate her graduation as we all met for dinner at Oliverio's restaurant.

* We organized and executed a surprise 16th birthday party for Hayley.

* One of Hayley's closest friends was in an accident on Summers School Road and ended up losing her arm as a result of the accident. She is doing well now.

* Michelle Hayley and I had a day when we took a nice trip and had a picnic at OhioPyle.

* Pam and George had a deployment party for Moke as he was going to be deployed to Iraq. He should be coming home for a two week leave any time now.


July

* We once again enjoyed the Rosiak Family 4th of July Pic Nic. This was the second year I brought Michelle, looking forward to the 2010 pic nic. I guess we are about half way there.

* Moke was deployed to Iraq and actually arrived there. Maybe by the time this posts he will be back on good ole US soil for a couple of weeks.

* We enjoyed a nice trip to the Pittsburgh Zoo, this was my first trip to the Zoo in 25 years. It was a blast and I really enjoyed myself.



August

* The month started off with Michelle and I attending a pair of weddings. Our first one was Justin Samantha Knapp, who by chance are now going to have a baby girl compliments of a romantic honeymoon.

* Amy and Ralph tied the knot also in August. We all attended the wedding one night and a nice reception at their home the next day.

* We had house guests for a few days, Lynn, Trent, Becca and Corbin all came down from New York for a few days and visited.

* We had a slight accident with the Wii and the HDTV. The good news is we now have a bigger HDTV and a spare one in the spare bed room..LOL

* Brittany Dae Cummings attended her first day of College at West Virginia University, making me one very proud Uncle.


September

* Erica Jean Nicholson entered her quest for higher education as she attended her first ever day of school.

* Michelle fought a battle of the sinus infections as she had to make a trip to the Doctors.

* Our house was blessed with a couple of very cute kittens. Michelle managed to find good homes for both of them.

* My life became a living hell (just kidding), and so did every other Morgantown driver. Hayley passed her written drivers test and was issued her permit.


October

* Milestone achievement for both me and Michelle in the world of geocaching, we reached our 100th find as geocachers.

* We enjoyed a fun trip to the Mountaineer Balloon Festivals Light Up Night. We attended the last launch on Sunday.

* Hayley went to her Homecoming Dance, she was absolutely breathtaking in her dress.

* I had decided to switch companies and received my first offer of a few I would receive.

* Michelle and I spent a Friday Evening at Mountaineer Madness at the WVU Coliseum to start the 2009-10 Basketball season.

* Michelle and I went to Jeans to hand out Halloween candy for the second consecutive year.


November

* We fired our Fireplace up for the first time in the 2009 season.

* I ended my employment with SAIC and started with Sextant Technical.

* The Big East Officials made the worst call of the year, eventually screwing us out of a Big East Championship and a trip to a BCS Bowl.

* I attended the NATCARB conference at the Hilton Hotel at the Triangle in downtown Pittsburgh.

* I Finally got fed up with my internet host and switched away from GoDaddy. I went back and forth with them for a couple of months until they lost me as a customer.

* Michelle, Hayley and I went to Thanksgiving Dinner with her family. They rent out the Cassville Fire Hall for kitchen space and just plain space for everyone.

* WVU won the Backyard Brawl over the much hated Pitt Panthers.


December

* Michelle and I purchased our first real Christmas Tree together. We had a smaller one in my apartment last year, but this was a real blue spruce Christmas tree.

* We went Christmas Shopping and traveled to Wheeling for Festival of Lights.

* We traveled to East Liverpool Ohio to Michelle's grandmothers to celebrate Christmas with her family.

* We spent a nice day snowed in and baked dozens upon dozens of Christmas cookies for this season.

* We hosted Christmas Eve at our Home. We managed to have 27 guests over during the Holiday and it was a special day for us.

* For Christmas, I had picked up a certain Camera a couple of times and almost purchased it, the love of my life made my dream come true (I woke up with the person I love). I also got the camera.

* I bought Michelle a diamond heart pendant and a 14 kt gold chain to go with it for Christmas.

* I had a great 2009.

Hump Day

Once again this week is just flying by, Monday and Tuesday are well behind us and we are entering the midweek portion of the week, but to tell you the truth this will be another three day weekend for me coming up so I am well beyond that mythical workweek hump that we must clear the summit.

I'm still not sure what we are going to do New years Eve. Michelle and I talked about it and might stay home and enjoy each others company as the new year rings in. Nothing set in stone as of yet.

It's been a little slow at work, most people are taking extended holiday breaks and just are not around. It's probably going to get mega busy here within the next couple of weeks.

Just for the record, this will most likely be my last regular blog of the year, I am planning on doing my end of the year BLOG and maybe an end of the decade blog for New years Eve.

Tuesdays Tidbits

* It's Tuesday, can you think of a better day to do a tibits on?

* This is officially post number 448 for 2009, equaling my total for the year 2008, this means I will surpass last years total once again in overall blog posts.

* It has been 655 days since mine and Michelle's first date a couple of years ago. We definitely have come a long way since 10,000 BC and a night at Pizza Hut.

* I will once again this year do a "Goodbye 2009" Blog where I address one or two things that happened each month based on my BLOG. I've done these for a few years and is one of my favorite posts of the year.

* I'm thinking about doing an end of the Decade Blog also, since we are about to venture into yet another decade. I've been blogging since September 11, 2004 and it would be nice to reflect on things in my life over the last ten years.

* What is with the cold weather and snow? Come on Phil, lighten up a little my little tasty groundhog friend. I hate snow.

* Kids are off school this week on Christmas break. I do miss the times when I had worry free days of school when I had these types of breaks.

* I think Hayley and her cousin Amanda might be hanging out a good bit this week, Amanda is on break from WVU and Hayley is also off.

* New Years is a couple of days away, not sure what we are going to do yet. I guess a lot of it depends on the weather.

Good Break

I have to say that this was a good three day weekend for me. It all started with Christmas Eve and culminated with a nice relaxing Sunday.

How about the Pittsburgh Steelers showing that they still have life as they beat the rival Baltimore Ravens 23-20 yesterday afternoon. A couple of weeks ago the Steelers had dropped their fifth straight game of the season and were in danger of losing once again last week before they won by scoring a touchdown on the games last play for the win. Yesterday they managed to win again and keeping their dim playoff hopes alive.

This will once again be a short week for me. New Years Day is Friday and I'll be off for a second consecutive three day weekend. Last year was the first year I have ever done pork and sauerkraut for New Years, since 2009 was such a great year for me we are already planning on repeating the 2009 menu on Friday.

Hi Ho Hi Ho....

I think Christmas is NOW over

Yesterday Christmas continued as Michelle's Mom made her way to Morgantown. Her and Tom stopped by here first before everyone made their way to Michelle's Sister Chris's house to wrap up the final Christmas activities.

Michelle's laptop has some power supply issues, I think the adapter inside of it has came loose and there is no way for it to get power. I'm not one to work on laptops or at least the hardware portion of it all so we ordered her a new laptop yesterday. Her favorite color is purple so I designed a purple one on Dell and ordered it yesterday. I think I'll get her laptop fixed and we'll use it as a spare, she has had power issues with it since I've known her. I think it just needs soldered inside, so we'll see what we can do with it.

It's early Sunday morning and like usual I am up before the roosters and playing on the internet. I've already spent some time on Facebook, B&G News and Ebaums, now it's over here to write my BLOG.

The Aftermath

It's almost 100% over, Christmas was a great time for us this year. For me it has was my best Christmas ever, I finally woke up on Christmas morning with someone I love. I guess many people take that for granted, in my 46 years believe it or not it was a first for me.

I woke both Michelle and Hayley up at about 6:30, I guess it was the kid in me that realized that this was Christmas Morning, NO ONE should be sleeping in on Christmas Morning (I should have got them up at 4:00) and there were presents to be opened. The was coffee that needed consumed and there were Hot Sausage Hoagies left for me to eat.

Yesterday afternoon after we all got a little rest, we headed out to Chris and Jim's (Michelle's Sisters) to spend a little time with them before returning home to host Gary and Jean coming over last evening.

Counting them, we had an official headcount of 27 guests, plus some of Hayley;s friends over the holidays that blessed this house. Pictures were taken, food was eaten and gifts were exchanged. I collected a series of pictures for all of you to enjoy. What a way to start my new hosts images.

Hayley's Laptop

Merry Christmas

I hope all of my BLOG readers had a very safe and Happy Christmas Eve last night and that Santa Claus has brought everyone everything that they have wanted. I wonder if there are any Christmas Presents still left unopened under anyone's tree?

To all my Blog Readers, thank you for allowing me to share with you a piece of my life on a daily basis. Thank you all for reading and have a very Merry Christmas.

Christmas Eve

Tonight will be the night that Jolly Ole Saint Nick will be pulling out his sleigh and putting his reindeer to work their one day of the year.

For everyone who wants to keep track of the fat man, NORAD has their Santa Tracker up and running
and will be tracking Jolly Ole Saint Nick for all of us so we know where he is at.

Michelle will be having a small get together for family at our place if anyone wants to stop on over. I'm not doing nothing big and elaborate, but we'll have food and a nice big and warm fireplace pumping out the heat for everyone to come and enjoy.

Hope to see you this evening.

Last day of Work this Week

Alright, I know I am excited, this is my last working day before the Christmas Holiday. I won't be working all day, but I am in fact going to be working on Christmas Eve Day before taking off for the weekend.

I quickly accumulate time with this company and have the time if I want to take off, but Michelle is working today and I am going to work too.

It will be a short one and there is only going to be a few of us in the office today as everyone else has either taken off or traveling for the holidays. I'll hold down the fort for the time being and make sure everything is right in the world.

Hump Day

hey this week is really speeding by, we are already at Wed and tomorrow is Christmas Eve and not to mention that Friday is Christmas Day.

The weather is indicating that we are not going to have a White Christmas this year, not counting the snow that is already on the ground. Temps seem to be warming up well above the freezing mark and should make travel fairly safe for everyone for the Christmas Holiday. I know some of you are hoping for a White Christmas, but I hate snow and this isn't your BLOG so tough it out a little bit.

Traffic in Morgantown this time of the year is something that I really like. It is the one brief period of the year when there is no WVU in session (Summer Schools) and even most Graduate Students even return home for the Holidays. Enjoy it while it lasts, they will be back.

I think tomorrow I may make a short day of it, I think Michelle might even get off early and it will be Christmas Eve.

Have a great Hump Day.

Tuesdays Tidbits

* It's Tuesday, I can't think of a better day to do a tidbits section.

* Day 648 on the Ed and Michelle count. Yes, I have managed to hang onto this one for a grand total of 648 days so far. I haven't done the math, but that is getting pretty close to being my longest relationship believe it or not.

* Only a couple more shopping days until Christmas. If you haven't finished up yet, you might want to consider finishing it up as it creeps up upon us.

* Michelle and I are going to do a little something at our place Christmas Eve, no major production, just a little bit of food, some good company and a nice fire going in the fireplace. Michelle and I probably have to work until 5:00 on Thursday, but we will both be off Friday enjoying the first of two consecutive three day weekends.

* I will finish setting up my touch table at work tomorrow. It's a 45" Touch table that will have a sister in Pittsburgh and a couple of 55" HDTV's and a projection TV to go with it. Only a couple pieces of software will be run on it, Google Earth and ArcGIS and the software that makes them touch table friendly.

* My Christmas shopping is done and thanks to Michelle and Hayley everything is wrapped already.

* As of the time I am writing this, Monongalia County Schools are on a two hour delay. This could very well change by tomorrow morning and my guess is if it does, they will probably cancel School Wed too as they are off Thursday. Oh to be young again.

* I wonder if it is too early to start bribing my favorite little groundhog from Punxatawny? Hey Phil, whatcha need this year to say, not see the shadow?

* Have a great Tuesday.

No School, but I graduated years ago

There are times I miss being a kid, I miss the carefree days and when the weather got too bad, the Superintendent of Schools would say "No School" and your day just changed dramatically.

Due to inclimate weather this weekend, kids do not have to attend school today here, they get a "Snow Day". I on the other hand, graduated High School when Ronald Reagan was still in his first term so I have to go to work tomorrow.

Oh the days of long ago that I miss, man today is one of those days that I wish that I was still a kid.

Snowed In

What can I say other than I am so glad that our weekend to travel to Ohio was the previous weekend and not this weekend.

The Governor declared a State of Emergency, and the snow pounded North Central West Virginia to a point where everything was basically not moving. The internet buzz from the people in the area was that people loved it, but you all know by now my opinion of snow. However, the Saturday before Christmas and a lot of baking on the agenda was the best time and day to be snowed in.

Michelle and I went out Friday Night and stocked up on things that we (or should I say she) would need to bake Christmas Cookies. We started at Wal-Mart and ended up at Giant Eagle before the the start of the snowstorm started to get anywhere near being serious.

What we ended up with was a large variety of cookies and more on the way. The Peanut butter balls are still in the freezer and Michelle is wanting to make a few more this afternoon after we get some white chocolate to go with the macadamia nuts.

If you have to ask me what my favorite one was, it was the butterscotch and walnut cookies that she made yesterday. NEVER underestimate the power of butterscotch in place of chocolate chips.

It was a great day to be snowed in.

I Hate Snow

1. Oh, the traffic outside is frightful,
Accidents aren't so delightful,
I'm stuck in this stop-and-go,
I hate snow, I hate snow, I hate snow.

2. Cars are having troubles stopping,
Each other they keep popping;
I am moving so really slow,
I hate snow, I hate snow, I hate snow.

When I make it back home tonight
How I'll hate going out in the storm;
Because cutting wood really bites,
But I need more to stay warm.

3. Traffic is slowly dying,
While I sit here I keep crying
Cause it just won't end, I know.
I hate snow, I hate snow, I hate snow.

When I make it back home tonight
How I'll hate going out to the store;
And the crowds that I'll have to fight,
I am sure that they won't have any more.

4. Oh, the blizzard outside is frightful,
Snowflakes aren't so delightful,
I'm trapped with no place to go,
I hate snow, I hate snow, I hate snow.

It's a Cookie Day

I have been looking forward to this day for a while, it's cookie day. Last night after we had our company Christmas Dinner at Oliverio's (it was awesome) Michelle and I ventured out to a couple of grocery stores to pick up everything that she needs to make a wide variety of Christmas Cookies today.

I'm not sure what she has planned, but we bought all kinds of delicious ingredients last night and bulk staple products (Flour, Sugar, Peanut Butter, Brown Sugar, Powdered Sugar, Extract, Chocolate Chips, Butterscotch Chips, Hershey Kisses, Macadamia nuts, peanuts, almonds light and dark corn syrup, eggs, and things i am forgetting this morning.)to manufacture a wide variety of delicious Christmas Cookies.

We also have a Gingerbread House that I think that Hayley and I will tackle today as well with a little bit of input from Michelle when she gets a chance.

Should be a great day, I am the official cookie quality control inspector.

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.

Tonight will be my Companies Christmas Party at Oliverio's Restaurant on the Wharf District in Morgantown. We had eaten there this year once already when we went to Brittany's Graduation Dinner, now this will be our second venture there this year. The last Company Christmas Dinner I attended outside of a workplace (We had ours at SAIC last year in the office) since my days in Frostburg. I'm looking forward to it.

After dinner it will be off to Wal-Mart for Michelle and myself. Michelle will be baking Christmas Cookies tomorrow, so we will go and get everything we need to make hopefully a nice wide variety of cookies.

I can;t have a weekend until I finish a Friday, so Hi Ho Hi Ho....

Santa's Cookies

Firewood

Well last night Michelle and I were talking about who to buy our firewood off of this season. We bought it off of a couple different people last year and bought a final load off her brother in law Jim last spring.

Jim has been very busy and working a lot of hours as of late so we started networking around to see who might be selling firewood. Obviously we tried Jim first this weekend, but to no avail, he was busy. I called Kim and Robert, but they had to go into work early and were already in bed. Of course I wake up between 4 and 5:00 every morning, but they needed some sleep. Come to find out what I didn't know last night, that I have found out this morning was that they had to be at work at 10:00 PM last night, so that is why they were sleeping.

Next I tried my brother Gary, but for some reason that slut never seems to answer his phone. We thought about putting the word out on facebook and then I called Jean since she used to burn firewood. She mentioned the obvious.

I think called Amy and Ralphie and asked if they knew anyone who sold firewood, let us just say Ralphie's family owns numerous saw mills. Ralph is going to sell a load of it to me this Saturday, that problem is solved and I can spend the money inside the family.