Saturday Morning Slacker

Here I sit in a wide-awake household, I', such a slacker and lost track of time. Kiwi has already called me a slacker and Peanut is already meowing to go outside. Michelle is still on her first cup of coffee and it's foggy as hell out. 

Last night Michelle and I went out to Whitetail for dinner with Terri and Nick, and Kim and Robert, Mom and Gerald and Brittany and Matt showed up after we left. It was actually an enjoyable evening and we all need to do that more often in my opinion. 

We did get a little bit of Bad news yesterday when we found out my Mom's sister Sara Ann had passed away yesterday afternoon in Florida. 

Today Kim and Michelle are going to do some wig shopping, they are both planning on shaving their heads in support of my Sister Terri as she starts her battle with Breast Cancer over the next few weeks. In anticipation of her losing her hair in Chemo Kim and Michelle are also going to chop their hair off to support her. 

I on the other hand will be heading the Preston County with my sister Pam. The Buckwheat Festival is going on and we're going to go up and get our Buckwheat Cakes fix fulfilled at one of the places around Preston County that prepares them. Neither one of us wants to fight the crowd at the Fairgrounds. 

The Mountaineers play this evening at 8:00 on ESPN 2. We will be visiting TCU in a game I really don't have much hope for, but you never know. Hopefully we show up and can make it a good game. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes, it is once again that time of the week that we all look forward 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 again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday!

Are you ready for a little bit of High School Football? Well my still undefeated and #1 ranked  Morgantown High Mohigans plays host to Wheeling Park this evening at Pony Lewis and you can watch it right on that link. University at 2-3 are traveling to Buckhannon to take on 2-3 Buckhannon-Upshur. 1-3 Clay Battelle travels out of state to take on Kancock Maryland this evening. Good luck to all the local teams tonight, hopefully they can all play safe games and bring back three Monongalia County victories this evening. 

WVU is on the road tomorrow so we are all spared the home game traffic. They do play tomorrow night at 8:00 on ESPN 2 against TCU. We played them pretty tough last year despite falling, and they played for the National Championship last year. I have no idea what to expect tomorrow, but we'll see. 

Hi ho hi ho? 

Photo Flashback Thursday

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

I wonder if my Dad ever wondered years ago as he was taking a leak while working underground in the Coal Mines that there would someday be a picture of him taking that leak and have it posted for the entire world to see on the World Wide Web? 

He's been gone for over 24 years now, but he can still manage to put a smile on the face of his offspring and their offspring and beyond posthumously. 

Hi ho hi ho? 

Hump Day

It is that point of the week where that noon time hump mean's it is all downhill as we look towards another fun-filled weekend. Tomorrow is Friday Eve when we can all go back to having fun. 

So how did everyone like my Music Top 12? Were there any surprises? Did you know any of them? Or did no one really care? It's kind of hard to gauge it by looking at the raw numbers. It didn't really see much if any of an uptick in readers, maybe I'll try something different. Any suggestions from the readers? 

The Preston County Buckwheat Festival starts tomorrow. I know my Sister Pam and I are going to go up one time to get Buckwheat Cakes. I swear her and I are the only ones who really like them. Michelle doesn't care for them and I don't think anyone else does either. Maybe it is an acquired taste, I grew up eating them as Grandma Hall used to make them for same all the time and I know my Dad liked them, hence where Pam's taste probably came from. 

Does anyone remember the year my Brother Gary's band won the battle of the bands up at the Buckwheat festival? Video below. 

 

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is now complete, Mountaineers won the 3rd game of their 3 game home stand and stand at 3-1, good reason for a tidbits. 

* It has been 21,817 days since I was born, that is 21 years using my new,  new, and improved 1,000-day Calender. I do have to say I am starting to feel my age or older than 21.  

* It has been 7,077 days since I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography (there are my triple 7's)

* 5,665 days ago Michelle and I had our first date together, the pizza hut is gone, the movie was 10,000 BC and it sucked to high heaven. 

* 4,868 days ago I proposed to Michelle in the backyard at 4:00 in the morning. Second best decision I ever made. 

* It was 4,413 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, for the most part, Michelle and I became husband and wife at the Marilla Center, we poured sand into a vase and said our I do's and we were hitched. 

* I have now lived 2,049 days longer than my Dad did and I'm still going strong. 

* Michelle has been living a clean and productive life and beat that alcohol demon 707 days ago today. I am very proud of her, despite everything she has gone through she has come through this like the Champion that she is. One foot in front of the other. 

* My older Brother Jonathan lived 21,266 days, I've now outlived him by 574 days making me Senior Supreme Sibling once again! To my younger siblings, bow down to my age seniority. =)

* I have 3,023 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, but I love doing what I do. Who knows though, doing what I do I may never retire.

* There are 354 more days until we go to Pittsburgh and beat the Panther's butts in their stadium. 

* There are 341 more days to go until the Mountaineers will try to get some revenge here in Morgantown for last weekend when Penn State comes to Morgantown. 

* There are 314 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Thirteenth Wedding Anniversary together. 

* There are only 176 days to go until the next start of my favorite Season. Spring 2024. 

* 137 more days until Phil steps to center stage once again for Groundhogs Day. 

* 102 more days to go until my Goodbye 2023 Blog is posted, I'm just now getting started on content for that one. 

* There are 90 more shopping days left until Christmas 2023. You still have plenty of time to prepare and get ready.

* There are 67 days until I hit the age of 60. Yeah I know, I'm really older than 21. 

* It has been ∞ (infinity symbol) a number of days that I have hated both Pitt and Penn State. 

* I have written 7,316 blogs in the now 18 1/2 years plus a couple of days of being a blogger. 

* Older Drone still needs to be sent out for repairs, not a big priority at this time. My little drone is awesome and I really like it....when I take time out to fly it.  

* I think I know where I want to do my next drone flight, out by the old county graveyard whenever I get to it. 

* It's been about 8 weeks since the last time I had a soda. It's been water or brewed unsweetened Iced Tea for me pretty much exclusively the past couple of months. 

* My Wednesday Blog top 12 has run it's course. I'm either going to have to come up with another list off something, posting more boring videos or start posting content. 

* I guess I am another family member who started playing Monopoly Go on my phone. Bub, Kim, Amy, Val, Terri, Kynlea, Ralph, Hayley, Tyler and Luke and a few others are all playing against each other. More and more family members are playing and it's getting pretty cutthroat and competitive. 

* Mountaineers play on the road at TCU this weekend. TCU played for the National Championship last year, so we will have our hands full. 

* How about I start doing my favorite Tic Tok of the week? This is this week's Tic Tok, what's funny is I follow both of these tictokers and didn't know they had any association with each other. 

* Have a great day

* Hi ho hi ho?

Monday

All good things must come to an end, and that includes those fun-filled things that we refer to as weekends. Now it is time to take our collective noses and stick them back onto the grindstone for another fun-filled week of doing what it is that we do for a living. 

Not sure if I am working today, we are still on hold as of press time and that could change at the drop of a hat. We'll have to wait and see what transpires today, just because I'm not starting the day working does not mean I won't be ending the day working. 

Michelle will be heading into the office this morning, after spending the weekend clearing out the back bedroom. I don't want to count how many big contractor trash bags of old stuff that I took over to the dumpster, 10 or 12 would be a conservative guess. She is going to start to photograph Hayley's wedding stuff and we are taking it to Jim and Chris's auction that they are going to have in November. 

I did get a chance to spend some time BSing with my old roommate Gregg this weekend, he called me as he was driving home from the golf course after playing a round of golf. 

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho??

Sunday

Here I sit on a quiet Sunday Morning, Kiwi is bragging that he was the Defensive Coordinator yesterday, but just during the first half. He wasn't flying around in the rain all day and decided to come home and prop his feet up and relax. 

West Virginia managed to stop Texas Tech's win streak against us as we beat them 20-13 here in Morgantown on a rain-soaked afternoon. It wasn't the prettiest of games, but they managed to get it done and get the win. The Mountaineers are on the road next week as they take on TCU, who played for the National Championship just last season. 

Football is still to be played today but of the NFL persuasion. The Pittsburgh Steelers play this evening on Sunday Night Football and will be traveling to Las Vegas to take on the Raiders. The Steelers had a great pre-season but the season has been less than exciting. I'm not really a fan of these late-night games, but if they were;t a popular team no one would want to see them.

Grocery shopping and normal chores are on today's agenda. Michelle did a great job cleaning out the back bedroom yesterday. She told me to stay out of the way so I obliged. She went through everything and we put some stuff up in the garage that needed to be there and tossed a great deal of stuff that we no longer needed. She's trying to get some stuff ready to sell at Jim's auction in November. It's mostly stuff we bought for Hayley's wedding before the plans changed. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

Happy Birthday Kaiden Dalton

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my great-nephew a very Happy Birthday today. If my math is correct, he should be 15 years old today, despite his Facebook telling me he is 23...lol

I heard he was going to his first WVU Football game yesterday, but I can't confirm this. 

Kaiden is an exceptional young man, I'm trying to convince him to play football next year, as he has grown into someone who has the size and strength to play the game right now, I think he would have a lot of fun knocking a few heads around. 

Not sure what Amy or Ralph have planned for this young man today, but you can almost guarantee that there is something planned. 

If you happen to see or talk to Kaiden today, make sure that you wish him a very happy birthday.

Happy Birthday Kaiden. 

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit once again in a quiet Household, Sophie is sleeping as is Peanut so me and Kiwi are up conversing about life in general. It's just a dude's BS session about life in general. 

Well my work week got a little shortened this this week, I got called back to work the project I was working all summer, then after 2 12-hour shifts on Monday and Tuesday I was told the project is on hold as there needed to be some paperwork completed first. We we hoping to restart it Monday, but as of last night it doesn't appear that that will be the case. I'm ready when they are. It's only a short surge so this is temporary. Once my contract with LanceSoft expires, Parsons plans on retaining me on a casual basis which gets my foot in the door with them. 

I had a couple situations this past week as far as interviews. One that I did not tell anyone about, but I thought Michelle and I would be relocating to Tallahassee Florida in a few weeks. I was kind of quiet about this as it was a much larger offer than what I was going to move to Fredericksburg for, plus the places down there are much nicer, more available and cheaper. This process has been going on since March, I was supposed to have heard something by Tuesday and didn't, so that may not come to fruition. 

I had another interview this week for another job that is another contract with Matrix. They interviewed 5 of us, were supposed to hire 4 of us and I was the only one who was offered. That job starts in the middle of October, and is a remote role so I will be working from home. I had to purchase my own equipment, so I bought a cheap laptop to finish my home system (dual monitors, docking station etc) that I can move from laptop to laptop depending on who I am working for and never change anything other than which laptop is running. I've already accepted my offer, done my background check and drug screen for that job. 

That has been my week so far. The Mountaineers play at home once again this afternoon for the third consecutive week when we host Texas Tech. Tech has beaten us the last four seasons, and is a pretty good team. The game will be on ESPN+, so it's a different subscription. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

Let's Go Let's Go

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes, it is once again that time of the week that we all look forward 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 again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday!

Are you ready for a little bit of High School Football? Well my still undefeated  Morgantown High Mohigans travel to Buckhannon to take on Buckhannon-Upshur this evening. 2-2 University High is at home hosting Fairmont Senior. Good luck to all the area teams this evening as they all chase a victory for their respective schools. 

WVU is at home once again this weekend as they prepare to take on Texas Tech in the first Big XII League action of the year. The Red Raiders have gotten the better of us the past few years, that really needs to change. I'm not making any predictions, but Kiwi said for the right amount of extra seeds that he'll be our Defensive Coordinator Saturday. 

Have yourselves a great day and the start of a great weekend. 

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

 

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

I stole this one from Amy, I just love the big inflatable TV screen and the Pitt game that was projected onto it this past Saturday Night. I'm not sure how tall that screen is, but I would guess about 8'-10' tall when fully inflated. This picture really doesn't even do it justice as to how nice of a set up that Amy and Ralph have.

It was just one of those memories that we create and carry with us forever. 

Hi ho hi ho

My Musical Top 12, #1

 Looking for something different to do on Wednesdays, so I thought I would come up with a series of My personal Top 10 (it's going to be 12 in this case) of my favorite music growing up through the years. I decided I did not want to repeat any artists to allow for a variety, so I had to come up with 12 unique songs by 12 unique artists that I personally have enjoyed the most through the years. I'll do one song/artist every Wednesday from my own personal preference. How well do you know me? Do you think you know my top 12 and in order? 

#12 If you Don't Know me by Now - Simply Red

#11 I Believe in You - Don Williams

#10 Still They Ride - Journey

#9 Rough Boy - ZZ Top

#8 Immigrant Song -  Led Zepplin

#7 Paper in Fire - John Mellencamp

#6 Fins -  Jimmy Buffett

#5  Pour Some Sugar on Me - Def Leppard

#4  Turn the Page - Bob Seger 

#3 Listen to What the Man Said - Paul McCartney and Wings 

#2 5150 - Van Halen

#1 A Man I'll Never Be - Boston

I doubt if any of you could have guessed this, but this has been my favorite song since I was a kid. Boston was the headliner of the first band I saw in Concert (Sammy Hagar Opened for them) in 1979. 

This is a song of the Dpn't Look Back Album and it really didn't hit the charts other than briefly, but it has always been a song that I have loved. If you ask me what song I have listened to more than any other, this would be it. 

Brad Delp's amazing vocals just captivate you and the lyrics are ones that I have found myself singing in 6 different decades. It;s a song that you put the headphones on, crank up the volume and let Brad's melodic voice just capture you and take you away to another place and time. 

Did anyone guess my #1? How about any of my top 12? 

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is now complete, Pitt's ass has been thoroughly beaten, l'm working, life is good. 

* It has been 21,810 days since I was born, that is 21 years using my new,  new, and improved 1,000-day Calender. I do have to say I am starting to feel my age or older than 21.  

* It has been 7,070 days since I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography. 

* 5,658 days ago Michelle and I had our first date together, the pizza hut is gone, the movie was 10,000 BC and it sucked to high heaven. 

* 4,861 days ago I proposed to Michelle in the backyard at 4:00 in the morning. Second best decision I ever made. 

* It was 4,406 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, for the most part, Michelle and I became husband and wife at the Marilla Center, we poured sand into a vase and said our I do's and we were hitched. 

* I have now lived 2,042 days longer than my Dad did and I'm still going strong. 

* Michelle has been living a clean and productive life and beat that alcohol demon 700 days ago today. I am very proud of her, despite everything she has gone through she has come through this like the Champion that she is. One foot in front of the other. 

* My older Brother Jonathan lived 21,266 days, I've now outlived him by 567 days making me Senior Supreme Sibling once again! To my younger siblings, bow down to my age seniority. =)

* I have 3,030 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, but I love doing what I do. Who knows though, doing what I do I may never retire.

 * There are 361 more days until we go to Pittsburgh and beat the Panther's butts in their stadium. 

* There are 348 more days to go until the Mountaineers will try to get some revenge here in Morgantown for last weekend when Penn State comes to Morgantown. 

* There are 321 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Thirteenth Wedding Anniversary together. 

* There are only 183 days to go until the next start of my favorite Season. Spring 2024. 

* 144 more days until Phil steps to center stage again for Groundhogs Day, Phil is spending his summer hanging out in my backyard with all of his other animal friends. It's hilarious to see him running his fat little butt around the yard. 

* 109 more days to go until my Goodbye 2023 Blog is posted, I'm just now getting started on content for that one. 

* There are 97 more shopping days left until Christmas 2023. You still have plenty of time to prepare and get ready.

* There are 74 days until I hit the age of 60. Yeah I know, I'm really older than 21. 

* It has been ∞ (infinity symbol) a number of days that I have hated both Pitt and Penn State. 

* I have written 7,308 blogs in the now 18 1/2 years plus a couple of days of being a blogger. 

* Older Drone still needs to be sent out for repairs, not a big priority at this time. My little drone is awesome and I really like it....when I take time out to fly it.  

* I think I know where I want to do my next drone flight, out by the old county graveyard whenever I get to it. 

* I am still loving my ice tea maker, it's been about 7 weeks now since I last had any kind of soda. Water and brewed iced tea is all that I have drank since I started this. Yes my blood sugars are much better as well. 

* How do you like my new Wednesday Blog format? Top 12 and last week was #2 and tomorrow we culminate the countdown with the #1 song. 

* I guess I am another family member who started playing Monopoly Go on my phone. Bub, Kim, Amy, Val, Terri, Kynlea, Ralph, and a few others are all playing against each other. More and more family members are playing and it's getting pretty cutthroat and competitive. 

* Mountaineers play at home once again this weekend when they take on Texas Tech at 3:30. 

* How about I start doing my favorite Tic Tok of the week? This is this week's Tic Tok, what has to be the most Magical Superbowl halftime moment. 

* Have a great day

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday Weekend Recollection

All great things must come to an end, and that includes awesome weekends when the family gets together for a great time and we kick Pitt's butt 17-6 on prime-time network TV. Everyone got to see the Panthers go down and go down hard. Now it's time to stick this weekend in your memory box as we get back to doing what it is that makes this a better world to live in. 

I'm not sure how many of you noticed, but the Good Year Blimp was in Morgantown Saturday Night, as Michelle and I were coming back from Amy's we noticed it above the stadium. There is a shared picture that is shared on Facebook that I just had to grab and add to my blog. I thought it was a very good picture so I just had to share it. 

So what is on my agenda for today, I've bene working for Lancesoft on the Parsons Contract and will continue to do so until at least the end of the month. They contacted me Wednesday afternoon and I jumped at the opportunity. You feel kind of useless just sitting around twiddling your thumbs and passing the time. Kiwi still thinks he is the boss however and tells me when he wants his human to do something for him. 

Have yourselves a great day and....

Hi ho hi ho

Happy Birthday Calvin McClain

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my Nephew Calvin a very Happy Birthday today.

 Don't ask me how old he is all I know is that all of my Nephews and Nieces have passed me up in age and I'm still only 21 (he's 28) Calvin is someone Michelle and I have watched grow up and mature more than any other family member since we have been together. 

He has matured into a fine young man and now has a beautiful wife and now a wonderful young Son to share his life with. I'm not sure what Jeanetta or even Jax or my sister Pam have planned for him today, but I will say it'll be memorable no matter what it may be. It has been a real honor watching this young man grow up into the man that he is today. 

If you happen to see Calvin today, make sure that you wish him a very Happy Birthday today. Happy Birthday Calvin.

Sunday

Here I sit once again in a quiet household, Kiwi and I are up discussing last night's game. I was telling how well Amy and Ralph hosted the evening and how they used that big inflatable screen so we could all sit and watch the game. 

It was nice to see everyone last night, it was a great time had by all minus a few people who couldn't make it. It was a lovely feast and an evening of watching Mountaineer Football with some family. Terri usually hosts one of these games a year, but this year Amy and Ralph stepped up with the perfect facilities. 

So what is on today's agenda? Grocery shopping of course. We made out our menu for the week last night and we'll be shopping for what we need to complete the menus this morning. It is our typical Sunday Morning routine that we do every Sunday Morning. It is relaxing and enjoyable for both of us when we spend some time together and do some shopping. I know some people like to order ahead of time and pick it up, we just like to do our own shopping, you never know what you may find. Want milk, a shopper is going to grab the front container where we grab the container with the oldest expiration date. 

Watch for some Hi hi hi ho's this week, the company I worked for this Summer has some additional funding and I'm going to finish up my contract with Lancesoft and slowly transition over to Parsons on what they call a casual employee basis. Meaning I'm in their system, I have their equipment and when there is work I am available, it's an inside track to getting my foot in the door with an international Company with a lot of GIS work and crews where I will have the opportunity to work remotely. If I get on full time this could carry me all the way to retirement unless another opportunity comes up and yes there is something else in the works but in more Sunny weather. 

Have yourselves a great day, the Steelers don't play today (and they didn't really play last week either) but play Cleveland tomorrow night on Monday Night Football.

It's Pitt

Here Kiwi and I sit in the early morning, I'm going to dry laundry this morning as I have some funding for a while to work on the project I was working on this summer for the Department of Defense and was working yesterday so I didn't get a chance to run and dry clothes yesterday. Kiwi is all upset that Elon Musk changed the name of Twitter to X. X has nothing to do with birds and he said he has ended his question for a trillion followers on what used to be Twitter. 

Well it is game day here in Morgantown. The Mountaineers once again play on prime time network (ABC) this evening when the damned Pitt Panthers invade Morgantown. It's been so long since 60,000 could sing their alternative lyrics to Sweet Caroline that I expect our own band to play it tonight to make up for all the years of not being able to yell EAT SHITT PITT!!!!

No predictions for this evening, judging by what I wrote Sunday about the Steelers and then watching them get trounced at home has once again reminded me to not make any predictions about the outcome of any game. 

Everyone is going to Amy's this evening, Ralph and Amy's this evening to watch the game. They have a real nice set up outside for us all to watch the game and sit under the stars. Michelle is making Pretzel Salad and Pierogie Cassaroll for this evening to go along with the chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs and other delicacies. Game starts at 7:30 and I think the tailgating has already started. This is Pitt and it's at home, expect the unexpected and a large crowd for this evening. Morgantown is going to be crazy today and that's even before any balls are kicked off. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes, it is once again that time of the week that we all look forward 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 again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday!

Are you ready for a little bit of High School Football? Well my undefeated  Morgantown High Mohigans are actually off this week with a Bye. 1-2 University tries to bounce back this evening when they travel to Wheeling Park. Clay Battelle will attempt to get their first win of the year tonight when they host Beallsville Ohio in Blacksville. Good luck to all the teams playing tonight. 

We are at Pitt Eve. The night before Morgantown gets invaded by the Evil Pitt Panther Empire as they invade Morgantown and try to extend their winning streak while we will be doing our best to avenge last years late-game meltdown where we gave them the game. 

Have yourselves a great day and let's have a great weekend. 

Photo Flashback Thursday

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

This week's flashback is from 2014, Michelle and I had taken a trip to Moundsville, WV, and actually visited the old state penitentiary in Moundsville. Dad's sister lived in Moundsville and I had been there numerous times, I had just never visited or toured the old Prison. 

This picture was taken before our tour started when we were out by old sparky (electric chair) and we were taking pictures. 

I was much thinner back then, this is when I lost over 100 lbs in preparation for Gastric Bypass Surgery that I never ended up getting. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

My Personal Music Top 12, #2

Looking for something different to do on Wednesdays, so I thought I would come up with a series of My personal Top 10 (it's going to be 12 in this case) of my favorite music growing up through the years. I decided I did not want to repeat any artists to allow for a variety, so I had to come up with 12 unique songs by 12 unique artists that I personally have enjoyed the most through the years. I'll do one song/artist every Wednesday from my own personal preference. How well do you know me? Do you think you know my top 12 and in order? 

#12 If you Don't Know me by Now - Simply Red

#11 I Believe in You - Don Williams

#10 Still They Ride - Journey

#9 Rough Boy - ZZ Top

#8 Immigrant Song -  Led Zepplin

#7 Paper in Fire - John Mellencamp

#6 Fins -  Jimmy Buffett

#5  Pour Some Sugar on Me - Def Leppard

#4  Turn the Page - Bob Seger 

#3 Listen to What the Man Said - Paul McCartney and Wings 

#2 5150 - Van Halen

Now we are getting down to the absolute nitty-gritty to my top 12. I have always been a Sammy Hagar fan, and when David Lee Roth left Van Halen and Sammy joined, I thought it was the absolute perfect match and I was not wrong. Truth be told Sammy was the first act at my first rock concert years ago. He was the opening act at the Coliseum back in 1979, and that was the first time I was ever exposed to Sammy's Music. He was the opening act to the band who holds the #1 distinction on my countdown ironically. 

Eddie Van Halen has to be one of the greatest guitarists ever, he had his own unique sound that could not be confused with anyone else. When these two got together on their first collaboration together, the album was called 5150 and 5150 just happens to be my favorite track from my favorite album. 

I was fortunate enough to this particular group (not with Roth or Gary Cherone) of Van Halen years ago at the old Star Lake. It was during the Balance tour, the last tour they did before they split the first time. 

If I want to hear something uplifting and will get you pumped, Van Halen was usually my go to and this is the song I probably listen to the most. 

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is now complete, do you believe that 9-11 was 22 years ago? Wow how time flies. Anyways, it's Tuesday and a good reason to do a tidbits. 

* It has been 21,803 days since I was born, that is 21 years using my new,  new, and improved 1,000-day Calender. I do have to say I am starting to feel my age or older than 21.  

* It has been 7,063 days since I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography. 

* 5,651 days ago Michelle and I had our first date together, the pizza hut is gone, the movie was 10,000 BC and it sucked to high heaven. 

* 4,854 days ago I proposed to Michelle in the backyard at 4:00 in the morning. Second best decision I ever made. 

* It was 4,399 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, for the most part, Michelle and I became husband and wife at the Marilla Center, we poured sand into a vase and said our I do's and we were hitched. 

* I have now lived 2,035 days longer than my Dad did and I'm still going strong. 

* Michelle has been living a clean and productive life and beat that alcohol demon 693 days ago today. I am very proud of her, despite everything she has gone through she has come through this like the Champion that she is. One foot in front of the other. 

* My older Brother Jonathan lived 21,266 days, I've now outlived him by 560 days making me Senior Supreme Sibling once again! To my younger siblings, bow down to my age seniority. =)

* I have 3,037 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, but I love doing what I do. Who knows though, doing what I do I may never retire. 

* There are 355 more days to go until the Mountaineers will try to get some revenge here in Morgantown for last weekend when Penn State comes to Morgantown. 

* There are 328 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Thirteenth Wedding Anniversary together. 

* There are only 190 days to go until the next start of my favorite Season. Spring 2024. 

* 151 more days until Phil steps to center stage again for Groundhogs Day, Phil is spending his summer hanging out in my backyard with all of his other animal friends. It's hilarious to see him running his fat little butt around the yard. 

* 116 more days to go until my Goodbye 2023 Blog is posted, I'm just now getting started on content for that one. 

* There are 104 more shopping days left until Christmas 2023. You still have plenty of time to prepare and get ready.

* There are 81 days until I hit the age of 60. Yeah I know, I'm really older than 21. 

* There are 4 more days until the Pitt Panthers bring their butts to Morgantown so we can get some revenge on our game this year. 

* It has been ∞ (infinity symbol) a number of days that I have hated both Pitt and Penn State. 

* I have written 7,300 blogs in the now 18 1/2 years plus a couple of days of being a blogger. 

* Older Drone still needs to be sent out for repairs, not a big priority at this time. My little drone is awesome and I really like it....when I take time out to fly it.  

* I think I know where I want to do my next drone flight, out by the old county graveyard whenever I get to it. 

* I am still loving my ice tea maker, it's been about 6 weeks now since I last had any kind of soda. Terri told me about the Lipton Cold Brew that she really likes. We bought some Sunday and I'll get around to trying it. 

* How do you like my new Wednesday Blog format? Top 12 and last week was #3 and tomorrow we continue the countdown. This week and next week will culminate my list, any guesses what is on my top 2? 

* I guess I am another family member who started playing Monopoly Go on my phone. Bub, Kim, Amy, Val, Terri, Kynlea, Ralph, and a few others are all playing against each other. More and more family members are playing and it's getting pretty cutthroat and competitive. 

* We bought a new vacuum over the weekend. The old one just wasn't working too well so Michelle had me pick up a new one. This thing is phenomenal and lightweight. 

* How about I start doing my favorite Tic Tok of the week? This is this week's Tic Tok, who says wrestling is fake. 

* Have a great day

Monday 9-11

It's hard to believe that it has been 22 years since the Terrorist attack on the World Trade Centers, the Pentagon and one thwarted attack that was intended for the US Capital was brought down in Shanksville Pennsylvania. Four hijacked planes, three of them hit their targets and one was brought down in a field not too far from here where heroes sacrificed their lives to prevent the attack on the Capital. 

It's one of those days where we all knew where we were and what we were doing. I was in college and was not working that day and only had one class that evening (which was canceled). I was watching Jerry Springer on TV and they cut into the show with a live news break. By this time the second plane had hit the World Trade Centers and for the first time in my life I felt the United States was actually under attack.

 One plane could be a coincidence, but when the second plane hit I knew that had to be some kind of a coordinated effort. Then the Pentagon was hit then flight 93, we were all glued to our televisions that day watching war unfold in our own backyard. 

It was probably the last time Americans were all one united country. 

Have yourselves a great day, and take a little time out and remember those who were lost. A number of them had Morgantown connections. Shelley Marshall was married to one of my childhood best friends. Chris Gray was a former WVU Quarterback. 

Sunday

Here Kiwi and I are once again in a quiet household, We're sitting here discussing last night's game and he said there is much room for improvement. I have to agree with his bird's eye assessment on that. I wasn't really happy with what I saw and there is a lot of room for improvement. 

What is on our agenda for the day? Well, we are starting it off by doing our weekly grocery shopping. We always go to Krogers on Sunday Morning, Some people have people shop for them but believe it or not it is quality time that Michelle and I have always used together and we enjoy it. Even when I was on the road working for RTI, we always managed to do our Sunday Morning Grocery shopping together. 

After shopping and chores the Pittsburgh Steelers start their 2023-24 season off today as they will host the San Francisco 49ers this afternoon at 1:00. I try not to watch too much of the preseason or get too excited by the results, but I have a feeling the Steelers could be a team to reckon with this year. They have closed up their weaknesses and the younger players are now more experienced and seasoned. Should be a good year. 

My brother Gary was supposed to come into town yesterday, that didn't exactly happen and he said he is going to try to make it early this morning, not sure how that is going to turn out as he sings to his own chorus. Val has some electrical problems that she needs him to have a look at. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit once again in a quiet household, Kiwi is silent but I hear him on his computer just pecking away. I think he's writing a full length novel called My Humans and Me. He was mentioning last night that he thought Chris Farley would be great playing me, but I had to tell him Chris Farley has been gone for close to 26 years. 

College Football season has it's Morgantown debut for 2023 today as the West Virginia Mountaineers take on the Dukes of Duquesne this evening at 6:00. Because this is a non-conference game and Duquense is an FCS school, the game will only be broadcast on ESPN+. I have it with the Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ package so I'll be able to watch the game this evening. It should be one where we will be able to play a number of reserves and players who will have bigger impacts in years to come. So take note that 

Val called me and told me my brother Gary will be in town today, he's going to go over to her house as she has some electrical problems that he is going to come down and look at, troubleshoot, and repair. I haven't seen him in a couple of years, so it will be nice to get a chance to see him. 

Have yourselves a great day today, make it a great one and make it memorable. 

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes, it is once again that time of the week that we all look forward 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 again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday!

Are you ready for a little bit of High School Football? Well my undefeated  Morgantown High Mohigans will be hosting also undefeated Musselman this evening at Pony Lewis Field (Click the link to stream the game). 1-1 University High will be traveling to undefeated Brooke this evening and Clay Battelle will be playing host to Valley Wetezel out in Blacksville this evening. 

The WVU Mountaineers will be playing their first home game of the season tomorrow evening when they host the Duquense Dukes at Mylan Puskar Stadium. Being the first home game of the season, I anticipate a lot of people coming into town this evening and tomorrow, so allow yourselves a little bit of extra time when traveling around campus and the football stadium. 

Have yourselves a great day and let's have a great weekend. 

Photo Flashback Thursday

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

This weeks pic is from the last Jimmy Buffett Concert that Michelle and I actually made it to. We had tickets to last years show but never made it because she was feeling under the weather. This one was from the only year we did not have our own tailgate and instead rode in a Limo to the concert with a friend and his crew. They really didn't set up a tailgate so Michelle and I wandered around the parking lot and low and behold look who I ran into. 

This was Smitty's first Buffett Concert he had ever attended, but I think he was a few sheets to the wind by the time the concert rolled around so I'm not sure how much of it he remembers.

Have yourselves a great day. 

My Personal Music Top 12, #3

 Looking for something different to do on Wednesdays, so I thought I would come up with a series of My personal Top 10 (it's going to be 12 in this case) of my favorite music growing up through the years. I decided I did not want to repeat any artists to allow for a variety, so I had to come up with 12 unique songs by 12 unique artists that I personally have enjoyed the most through the years. I'll do one song/artist every Wednesday from my own personal preference. How well do you know me? Do you think you know my top 12 and in order? 

#12 If you Don't Know me by Now - Simply Red

#11 I Believe in You - Don Williams

#10 Still They Ride - Journey

#9 Rough Boy - ZZ Top

#8 Immigrant Song -  Led Zepplin

#7 Paper in Fire - John Mellencamp

#6 Fins -  Jimmy Buffett

#5  Pour Some Sugar on Me - Def Leppard

#4  Turn the Page - Bob Seger 

#3 Listen to What the Man Said - Paul McCartney and Wings 

This was a tough one for me, for one I love the Beatles who are the most successful band in music history, but this song is Paul McCartney and has a very specific meaning to me. While I am a big Beatles fam I was a bigger Paul McCartney fan so I put him in the countdown with his work with wings rather than the Beatles. 

Listen to what the man said takes me back to the Summer of 1975. The old Riverside Pool was in its final year of existence, the year before Krepps Park opened, and I used to go with my cousins and Aunt every day of the summer to the pool. Sharon, Lynne, Glenna Mae and I were always there, it was pool you actually had to drive to as it was out close to Maidsville along the river. Where the Longview Power, Loading Dock currently resides.  

It seemed like for weeks every time we pulled into the parking lot, this song was always playing on the radio. So I have always associated it with a great Summer and a place I used to love to go and swim at. Anything goes at that pool, scuba masks, boats, inflatable floating lounge chairs, you name it the pool was big enough to accommodate everything. 

 I miss those days, but every time I hear this song or 25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago it always takes me back to that summer swimming with a two very special cousins. 

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Your three day weekend is now over with and it's time to start a shortened week, great time to do a tidbits. 

* It has been 21,796 days since I was born, that is 21 years using my new,  new, and improved 1,000-day Calender. I do have to say I am starting to feel my age or older than 21.  

* It has been 7,056 days since I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography. 

* 5,644 days ago Michelle and I had our first date together, the pizza hut is gone, the movie was 10,000 BC and it sucked to high heaven. 

* 4,847 days ago I proposed to Michelle in the backyard at 4:00 in the morning. Second best decision I ever made. 

* It was 4,392 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, for the most part, Michelle and I became husband and wife at the Marilla Center, we poured sand into a vase and said our I do's and we were hitched. 

* I have now lived 2,028 days longer than my Dad did and I'm still going strong. 

* Michelle has been living a clean and productive life and beat that alcohol demon 686 days ago today. I am very proud of her, despite everything she has gone through she has come through this like the Champion that she is. One foot in front of the other. 

* My older Brother Jonathan lived 21,266 days, I've now outlived him by 553 days making me Senior Supreme Sibling once again! To my younger siblings, bow down to my age seniority. =)

* I have 3,044 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, but I love doing what I do. Who knows though, doing what I do I may never retire. 

* There are 362 more days to go until the Mountaineers will try to get some revenge here in Morgantown for last weekend when Penn State comes to Morgantown. 

* There are 335 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Thirteenth Wedding Anniversary together. 

* There are only 197 days to go until the next start of my favorite Season. Spring 2024. 

* 158 more days until Phil steps to center stage again for Groundhogs Day, Phil is spending his summer hanging out in my backyard with all of his other animal friends. It's hilarious to see him running his fat little butt around the yard. 

* 123 more days to go until my Goodbye 2023 Blog is posted, I'm just now getting started on content for that one. 

* There are 111 more shopping days left until Christmas 2023. You still have plenty of time to prepare and get ready.

* There are 88 days until I hit the age of 60. Yeah I know, I'm really older than 21. 

* There are 11 more days until the Pitt Panthers bring their butts to Morgantown so we can get some revenge on our game this year. 

* It has been ∞ (infinity symbol) a number of days that I have hated both Pitt and Penn State. 

* I have written 7,296 blogs in the now 18 1/2 years plus a couple of days of being a blogger. 

* Older Drone still needs to be sent out for repairs, not a big priority at this time. My little drone is awesome and I really like it....when I take time out to fly it.  

* I think I know where I want to do my next drone flight, out by the old county graveyard whenever I get to it. 

* I am still loving my ice tea maker, it's been about 5 weeks now since I last had any kind of soda. This coming from a guy who could sit down and drink a 2-liter bottle at any meal and did so quite often. Brewed lipton iced tea with real squeezed lemons for taste. 

* How do you like my new Wednesday Blog format? Top 12 and last week was #4 and tomorrow we continue the countdown. We're getting down to the real special music and acts. 

* I guess I am another family member who started playing Monopoly Go on my phone. Bub, Kim, Amy, Val, Terri, Kynlea, Ralph and a few others are all playing against each other. 

* I went and found myself a nice deal on a head shaver this weekend, Tuckers Treasures has a 50% off of everything and I found a Bald Buddy for $22 and it was the last one on the shelf so I grabbed it. I even ordered a replacement head off of Amazon so I can deep clean one when I need to and put another one on. 

* How about I start doing my favorite Tic Tok of the week? This is this weeksTic Tok, true story when this footage was taken off the camera at MSN studios I was actually in the studio picking up some basketball tickets off of a friend of mine. Scott Bartlett (another friend) was the #2 guy at MSN and brought me in and sat me down to show me this clip (without the background music obviously) and his words to me were simply "Don't Cry". 

* Have a great day

Labor Day

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy Labor Day. This is what is traditionally known as the unofficial last day of Summer although Fall doesn't begin for another three weeks. 

Take this day, do some BBQing, spend it with family and loved ones and just take a day off from work and enjoy your day, you have earned a day of rest and relaxation. 

No big plans for Michelle and me, I think we're going to throw some brats on the grill and mostly relax and enjoy ourselves. Michelle has the day off, but she is going to go and spend some time with her Mother this afternoon, Mondays are her days to go and visit. 

Anyone watch the WVU Game Saturday Night? We lost 38-15 to Penn State, but that was about what I expected which wasn't much. Penn State will arguably be the toughest team we play this year and we played in front of 110,747 fans up in Happy Valley. It's time for the Mountaineers to put that one behind them and start concentrating on Duquense this Saturday evening at 6:00. It's going to be a home game, so when traveling around town allow yourselves a little extra time. 

Have yourselves a great day and enjoy your day off. 

RIP Jimmy Buffett

When I woke up yesterday morning, I was excited because it was the start of football season. Kiwi and I were both excited as we started our day despite being bug underdogs last night. 

The news broke early yesterday morning, I saw it from a friends post on Facebook that one of my all time favorite artists, someone I have seen in concert I think 12 times had been battling a battle with skin cancer that turned fatal. Jimmy Buffett a man whose followers are a nation called Parrotheads were all in total shock when we learned of his passing. 

When I found out the news Michelle was still sleeping, I was trying to think of a way to tell her when she got up so that it would not be too big of a shock and disappointment. A co-worker had texted her and informed her so when she got out of bed she was already sad as she had already heard the news. 

Michelle and I made it an annual think to travel to Pittsburgh to see Jimmy, the only show that we actually missed (but had tickets to) was last years when Michelle was feeling under the weather and we did not make it to Burgettstown. There was the year before when we did not buy tickets, but that was a COVID year and the concert never took place. Our last one was when they had the big ticketing issue at the Pavillion but we rode the limo up that year and were parked on the opposite side of where we usually parked. 

RIP Jimmy, Wings Up

Game Day!!!

Here Kiwi and I sit all excited, it is the start of the 2023 WVU Football Season. Kiwi is a big football fan, he's just not a fan of all the wings people like to eat that are associated with Football. He's OK with Hot Dogs, Nachos, French Fries, and other things that do not involve bird parts being sacrificed for our culinary enjoyment. 

The season does start today for both WVU and Penn State. Two schools that have played 59 times previously, but have not played against each other since 1992. Last season we renewed an old rivalry against Pitt (who we play again in two weeks) and this season it is Penn State. The Mountaineers have not won at Penn State since Fred Wyant was our starting Quarterback in 1954. 

The Mountaineers enter the game as a 21-point underdog to the Nittany Lions. I know people have dreams and expectations, but I'm sorry this is not the year to defeat them. I would have loved to have played and destroyed them during the Rich Rod years, I don't see it happening with this current coaching staff. 

I'm happy for the start of football season though. 

Have yourselves a great Day, unless you are Penn State fan then may your day be filled with sorrow. =)

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes, it is once again that time of the week that we all look forward 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 again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday and the start of a three day Labor Day Weekend!!!

I can't believe I completely missed the start of the High School Football season last week. Morgantown and University Won and Clay Battelle suffered a late defeat. Are you ready for a little bit of High School Football? Well my undefeated and unscored upon this season Morgantown High Mohigans will travel to Bridgeport to take on another undefeated Bridgeport team. University High is at home once again to take on Parkersburg South. Both teams won last week. Clay Battelle is off this weekend and will host Valley Wetzel next weekend in Balcksville. 

Not sure what mine and Michelle's plans will be this weekend, I know the Mountaineers open their season tomorrow against Penn State at 7:30 tomorrow night. The game will be on NBC and will have a large national audience, it would be nice if we could manage to put together a respectable showing against the 7th ranked team. 

Have yourselves a great day and the start of a great weekend.