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.

Hump Day

Lighten up a little, we have managed to make it through the first couple of days in the work week and we are about ready to go over the hump today.

Actually this will be my last five day work week of the 2009 year as next week is Christmas and the following week is New Years.

In a name blast from the past, Oral Roberts died yesterday. For those of us older than we wish to admit, Roberts was a televangelist who once claimed that if he did not raise $8 Million in a few months that god was going to call him home. Some wealthy business man put him over the top with a donation right before the deadline. I was curious and wanted to see it happen.

Have I mentioned how much I love our new quesadilla maker?

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well Monday is past us now, it is time for a Tidbits.

* There are only 10 days left until Christmas. We have this weekend and then next Friday it will be Christmas Day.

* Day 641 since mine and Michelle's first date. It all started with a horrible movie, but we're still going strong.

* We used a Christmas gift we received this weekend. We made Quesadillas last night with our new Quesadilla maker. We had steak, yellow, red and green peppers, onions, baby portobello mushrooms and make some really nice quesadillas. I think we are going to have a lot of fun with this thing.

* I got a text message last night, my company Christmas party will be friday night.

* Saturday is a day of cookie baking for Michelle. She is going to do all her Christmas Cookies this weekend, I know I eagerly anticipate this weekend.

* Saturday evening is going to be a Girls Night Out with Michelle and a few girls at MiHaley's. Any ladies up for it?

* It's time for some Christmas movies, I just bought Miracle on 34th Street and it;s a Wonderful Life DVD's.

* Hi Ho Hi Ho...

Busy Weekend, back to work

Needless to say we had a very busy weekend, it was run, run, run from the time we got off of work Friday almost until we got home last night from Ohio.

We walked in, and no water in the house. It seems an outside spicket broke sometime yesterday morning and Mike had the Maintenance guy shut off the water to the spicket, only problem is it was to the entire house. We get home last night and from a long day and there was no water.

Being that we were gone, and the people upstairs were gone, they did not know the extent of the problem until we arrived home last night.

Oh well, as far as today is concerned hi ho hi ho.....

Run Run Run

Yesterday we took a trip to Tanger Outlets, a trip to Cabela's in Wheeling and finished off the evening at the Wheeling Festival of Lights. We first met traffic about half way up the hill and it took us about and hour and a half to drive into the front gates, then a couple hours sitting through traffic before heading out. When we left traffic was literally ALL the way down the hill and onto the interstate for a ways. I put it in Google Earth, it's 2.7 miles down the hill, out route 40 and to where the traffic ended to get into Oglebay Park it was literally 4 1/2 Miles bumper to bumper and well onto the interstate. Glad I wasn't them.

Today we are off to East Liverpool Ohio to spend Christmas with Michelle's family. Our first trip will be her Mom's, and we will head over to her Mother's Mother's house after that for the big get together.

Once we leave there we will venture over to her Dad's before returning home to good ole Morgantown.

It will be a busy weekend to say the least.

Christmas Shopping

Today we have a day of Shopping planned. Christmas is getting nearer and I still have gifts to buy, even though I already have a good start, I am far from finished.

Today will start out with us going to Tanger Outlets in Washington PA and will probably conclude with us visiting the Ogelbay Festival of Lights after we take the trip to Cabella's in Wheeling.

It should be a good day.

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, it is going to be quiet here in Morgantown this weekend, students will be studying for finals and will be taking finals next week.

Michelle and I will be going to her grandmothers on Sunday, it will be an all day trip and a day filled with fun, family, games and enjoyment.

Have a great weekend, I'll make this a short BLOG.

Traffic and Choir

yesterday after work was an experience to say the least, wind had blown an electric poll in front of my house down and everything basically shut down and a total cluster F***. It took over about hour for me to get home and I had to go the LOOOOOOONG way around to get home by 6:30 to turn right back around and take Hayley to Morgantown High by....6:30.

The concert was good, she is in the concert choir and I have to say that there was a large improvement over last year, they were good last year, but much more defined this year.

Got home a little after 9:00 (did I mention Michelle's boss gave us two tickets to last nights game too) to find out the Mountaineers had won 68-39 to extend their record to 6=0 on the season.

Civil Service Test

I worked Census2000 ten years ago, and Census 2010 is now upon us and they are starting the process. Yesterday evening I signed up and took my civil service exam for Census2010 and did OK, not as well as I did in 2000, but it was at the end of a long day and they took forever to get started.

It took a little longer than I thought to get started, but they only gave you 30 minutes to answer the 28 question test. I think I completed in about 25 or 26 minutes so I did have a little bit of time to spare, most of the people didn't finish. The next phase should start some time after the first of the year with the special places phase.

Not sure if I will work it, I don't really know if it is worth my time like it was ten years ago.

So needless to say it was a long day yesterday and I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Can you think of a better reason to do a tidbits other than it is Tuesday? I can't so here it goes.

* It is day 634 since mine and Michelle's first date.

* There are a mere 17 shopping days left until Christmas. It's sneaking up on us fast and it's getting closer and closer.

* Our Christmas tree turned out great now that we have the rest of the decorations, 4 dozen candy canes of multiple varieties, a color changing star and a icicles all about the tree to finish off everything and make it complete.

* We have a gingerbread house that we are going to decorate, I think Michelle wants to wait until closer to Christmas so when people visit closer to Christmas it will look nice.

* We are off to East Liverpool Ohio this weekend to visit Michelle's Grandmother for their Christmas dinner. We'll also stop by to see her Dad on the way up and spend a little time with him.

* We are finally having our final kitten adopted today, the same person who took the female, her mother is taking the male and we will be back to two cats in the household. He is a great cat and will have a good and loving home with a family who just lost her cat.

* I have to say, the fireplace is something I have learned a new appreciation for as it makes the living room nice and comfortable.

* Have a great Tuesday.

What is up with the Steelers?

You know when you are the defending Super Bowl Champions, I understand that everyone is gunning for you to make a name for themselves. However after beating Minnesota and Denver, I said we could probably go on cruise control.

First up the Bengals, they beat us early in the year because Limas Sweed can't catch. That was one.

Next there was the hapless Kansas City Chiefs, that was loss number two in a row.

Next the Baltimore Ravens, a team we beat three times last year. Lost again.

Today the hapless Oakland raiders come to Pittsburgh and we are up with less than two minutes remaining and the defense gives up a third straight drive for a Touchdown in the 4th quarter.

Are you kidding me? Are we THAT bad without Troy? Losing to some teams is one thing, but we beat some of the best in the league and fell apart when we started playing teams we should beat. We should be 10-2, but we are now sitting at 6-6 and in danger of not making the playoffs.

We need Troy back.

Fireplace and Christmas Tree

It was a nice and relaxing evening yesterday after we managed to return home from the auction. If you missed the auction you missed a lot of great bargains, and the bargain hunters were there looking for bargains.

I did managed to keep up on the WVU game while we were at the auction, and it was once again a great day to be a Mountaineer.


After we returned home the tree was already set up from earlier in the day. Michelle and I went and got a nice blue spruce at southern states to put up as our Christmas tree.

We set it up yesterday morning as far as trimming it and putting it into place and securing it. It was ready and primed to have the lights put on and decorated. Hayley Michelle did a great job decorating the tree and for the first time in probably 20 years and the first time since I was a kid, I have a huge, live tree sitting in the living room in a home that is mine rather than someone elses.

Michelle set up a small artificial tree last year in my apartment and that was the first tree I had had in an apartment of mine in years, this year we got a nice tree, a blue spruce even and it is absolutely beautiful.

I have to say that I am one lucky and blessed individual. Maybe everyone can take for granted their tree, but this is my first big tree in over 20 years and my first real tree since before Grandma Hall started using artificial trees.

Auction Reminder

Don't forget that today at the Cassville Firehall that Jim Paugh and P & P Family Auctions will be holding their Christmas Auction. Come on out and see if you can find a bargain or two for yourselves as Jim auctions off many items.



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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.

Let's see the Mountaineer Football team is playing at Rutgers this weekend, so no more home games this year. The West Virginia State High School Football Championships are this weekend, but unfortunately no local teams will be participating.

Tomorrow though is the auction at the Cassville fire hall that Jim, Michelle's brother in law, is going to have. Make sure you come on out and see us as Michelle and myself will be there at the auction.

Happy Birthday Kim Sanjulian

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my now older sister (I'm still 21) a very Happy Birthday today. I guess that picture must show that I am older than 21, but that is OK, I think it was the first picture ever taken of the two of us. If you see Kim or talk to her today, make sure you wish her a very happy birthday.

Anyways, Happy Birthday Kim.

Auction Saturday

This saturday at 1:00 at the Cassville Volunteer Firehall, Jim Paugh will hold another auction this time he will be offering many Chritmas Items at his Auction. .

It's a great place to try to get some ideas for Christmas gifts and possibly be able to pick them up at a fair price. I know at the lasy auction we walked out with a brand new meat slicer for less than 20% of its retail value.

Come out and see what you can find and if there is anything that you like.

A Heart Felt Thank You

I would like to express my extreme gratitude for all of those who took a little time out yesterday and wished me a very Happy Silver Anniversary to my 21st birthday.

To Michelle, thank you for everything that you do and everything that you have done for me. I love you very much and I am one lucky guy.

To everyone on facebook, thank you to each and every one of you for making my day.

Tuesdays Tidbits

* It's Tuesday and I can't think of a better day to do a tidbits on than a Tuesday.

* For the record, I lost in Fantasy Football again, I think it is safe to say that I am not only out of the money this year, I'm probably out of any chance for the playoffs also.

* 627 Days ago Michelle and I had our first date for those of you who are counting. I think we are nearing the threshold of the longest time I ever dated one person. If she doesn't get rid of me I think we'll break that record a few times over.

* It was a pretty good weekend for me sports wise, with the exception of the Steelers loss to the Ravens Sunday night, the Mountaineer Football team beat Pitt and the Men's Basketball team won the 76 Classic and the Women's Basketball team won the Nugget Classic.

* I rescheduled a Dr's eye appointment yesterday from next week till January 4th. It's going to be a dilated eye exam so I would rather do it in the afternoon than the morning like they had scheduled.

* Everything was pretty much back to normal at work yesterday, Friday I swear I was one of a small handful of people who were actually on site and working. There were a few in the Gym, but I think they just came in to get a workout.

* This is post number 415 for the year 2009. I just need 33 more posts to equal my 2008 output for posts. This is Blog number 1,790 since I first started blogging over five years ago.

Happy Birthday Honey

Today is a very special day for that very special someone that I like to call my very best friend. Today Ed is celebrating the Silver Anniversary of his 21st Birthday. I guess he stopped celebrating his Birthday back in 1984, for you that are totally confused, he is 46 today.

Please take the time today to wish Ed a very Happy Birthday. I am so glad that you have come into my life and allow me the opportunity to share this day with you.

I hope you have a Great Birthday Honey , I Love You.

Back 2 Work

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

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

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

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

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

Sunday Morning

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

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

Shopping is on our early morning agenda for today.

This was it

Eat Shitt Pitt

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

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

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

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

Great job players and coaching staff.

Big Ole Hairy Friday

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let the Madness begin

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

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

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

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

Happy Thanksgiving

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

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

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

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

I hope everyone has a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Birthday Valarie Nicholson

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

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

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

Happy Birthday Val.

Pleasant Surprise

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

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

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


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Hump Day

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

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

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

Tuesdays tid..er wait I just did that

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

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

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

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

Tidbits

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Changing Hosts

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

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

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

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

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

Not much on the agenda today

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

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

Big Ole Hairy Friday

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

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

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

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

Have a great Friday.

Update on Josh Judy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In the Burgh today

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

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

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

Happy GIS day

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

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

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

Tuesday Tidbits

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* Have a great Tuesday.

New Day, New Job

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

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

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

Guests for the game

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

Last Night

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

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

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


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

Big Ole Hairy Friday

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

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

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

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

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

Nice Productive Day Off

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

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

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

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

Hump Day?

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great day.

Tuesday Tidbits

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

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

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

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

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

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

* Have a great day.

Last week with SAIC

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

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

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

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