Friday ramblings

We are once again at Friday, the start of the weekend and the end of another week at work. The time when we can start enjoying thr fruits of our labor.

I had my diabetes education class yesterday and everything went pretty well. I am now going to start lowering the frequency of my blood glucose testing. I could have cut back previously, but I wanted to document what my numbers were doing after the change in medication.

Yesterday evening we had softball practice and things went real well. After practice BOPARC had thei annual managers meeting where we learn our teams fate for the following season. Two years ago we finished second in the regular season and were moved up to AA. Last year we had a duplicate record from the previous season, but finished in third place for the regular season. We were told we would be moved up to AAA to play this season so nwe started recruiting a few players to fit a few gaps from players who have moved away from last years team. We think we may have a guy come in to play shortstop who was with the Braves organization and I have played against for years. Last night we found out we are not being moved up and will be able to play AA again, the two teams who finished the regular season ahead of us were forced to move up. Could be an interesting year.

Sunday, we are going to go out and have kind of a double scrimmage with two teams where three teams are going to round robin scrimmage with each other. One is the team who finished first in our league and was one of the teams moved to AAA for this season, and I'm not sure who the other team is. So, during scrimmages we're going be challenged pretty intensly to prepare us for the season.

How do you like this weather? It's warming up and I will be able to get out and around this weekend. I'm over the flu and the weather is going to be nice.

MVP Paintball is doing a woods tournament tomorrow that I may go and play. It's going to be against a bunch of air force recruits.

Have a great Friday

I think I picked the right field

Got a call about a month ago from a company wanting to hire my services in Ohio, it was an out of the blue call and I didn't expect it. Over the last couple years I have had a half dozen or so inquiries for my services, some of them some very nice offers. Never solicited, just reading my resume on the internet.

Today I am sitting in my diabetes education class and I receive yet another call. I was very happy with the significant pay raise I had received this year from my company, however they better thank there lucky stars that they made the offer that they did.

I got a call from a company in Clarksburg today wanting my services and it was more than I was making just a few weeks ago. I referred them to a couple people who might find what they are looking for and am probably making some soon to be geography grads day by doing so.

It's nice to be sought after professionally, now I'm just waiting on someone presenting me an offer I can't refuse.

Found a nice historical picture site

I have found a really nice site that has many historical pictures of not only Morgantown, but West Virginia. There are 20,045 digital photographs on this site, so it could be time consuming, but entertaining and educational to look through.

I have my diabetes education class today.

Hump Day

It is Hump Day, that is when the work week hits its midway point and starts to coast towards another weekend.

The picture you may ask, that is the back side of the foundry at the Helmick Corporation, where I worked from 1991-97. It's coming on ten long years since the notice that plant was going to cease manufacturing operations. It was a time when my days and weeks were very long and so were my paychecks. It was also the place where once it ended my weight gain first began. I was 265 when I was laid off and my weight ballooned after that. I haven't seen my weight at 265 since, well a few minutes ago when it was 263 ( this coming from 314 18 months ago.)

Times have changed and I no longer have to work the 11 to 12 hour days in oxygen depleted closed environments. I now work remotely from home and enjoy working in the same field my degree and course of study is in. I've stayed the course and it's now starting to pay dividends on my investment in time, money and resources for an education.

I'm thankful that my hump day is from the comfort and convenience of my own home rather than a longer day that could lead to some serious health implications.

Once I get through with today, I have a diabetes education class and softball practice tomorrow. The next day is Friday, so we're inching closer and closer to another weekend.

Have a good hump day.

MySpace reveals a lot.

These two are supposedly the first two who were shot by the shooter yesterday at Virginia Tech.

The ex girlfriend of the shooter, Emily Hilscher

The other victim, Ryan "Stack" Clark

I don't know if this was her new boyfriend or the Resident Assistant who was also murdered.

The VT Timeline

Timeline of Events
7:15 a.m.

Virginia Tech Police Department (VT PD) receives a 911 call to respond to a dormitory room at West Ambler Johnston Residence Hall.

Within minutes, Virginia Tech Police and Virginia Tech Rescue Squad respond to find two gunshot victims, a male and a female, inside a dormitory room within the Hall. The residence hall was immediately secured by VT PD and students within the hall were notified and asked to remain in their rooms for their safety. VT PD immediately secured the room for evidence collection and began questioning dorm residents and identifying potential witnesses. In the preliminary stages of the investigation, it was believed the deaths were an isolated incident, domestic in nature.

Blacksburg Police Department were also on scene assisting VT PD with establishing a safety perimeter around the residence hall and securing Washington Street.
7:30 a.m.

Investigators were following up on leads concerning a person of interest in relation to the double homicide. Investigators from VT PD and Blacksburg PD were actively following up on various leads.
8:25 a.m.

Virginia Tech Leadership Team, which includes the university president, executive vice president, and provost, assembled to begin assessing the developing situation at the residence hall and determining a means of notifying students of the homicide.
9:00 a.m.

Leadership Team was briefed on the situation by VT PD Chief W.R. Flechum on the latest developments in the ongoing investigation at the residence hall.
9:26 a.m.

The Virginia Tech community – all faculty and students – were notified by e-mail of the homicide investigation and scene at West Ambler Johnston Residence Hall, and asked to report any suspicious activity to. The Virginia Tech Emergency/Weather Line recordings were also transmitted and a broadcast telephone message was made to campus phones. A press release was drafted and posted on the Virginia Tech Website.
9:45 a.m.

The VT PD received a 911 call of a shooting at Norris Hall, which contains faculty offices, classrooms and laboratories. VT PD and Blacksburg PD immediately responded to Norris Hall. Notice in leadership command center via our police rep of a shooting in Norris.

Upon arrival to Norris Hall, the officers found the front doors barricaded. Within a minute the officers breached the doors, which had been chained shut from the inside.

Once inside the building, the officers heard gunshots. They followed the succession of gunshots to the second floor. Just as the officers reached the second floor, the gunshots stopped.

The officers discovered the gunman, who had taken his own life. There was never any engagement between the responding officers and the gunman.
9:55 a.m.

By the same means as prior notice, Virginia Tech notified campus community of the second murder scene. Other notifications followed via other means


EDIT:

Faces of the victims

Typical Monday

I log on to work this morning and the server where I have all my data stored has either crashed or been shut down for the weekend.

What a way to start the week, but someone shoudl be coming in soon to assess the situation. I can't for the life of me understand why they would have shut down the server, I half wonder if it has crashed. It's a big rack server with 4 raids and none if them seem to be responding.

Sunday Morning Blaaahs

Can you believe this weather we have been having? OK Phil, it's the joke is over, bring on spring. For the last two weeks the weather has been less than acceptable with a snow fall, cold temperatures and a lot of rain. It's time for spring to be here. We are at ten and a half weeks since Ground Hog's day, I think the rat from the north is still made because I got him drunk on his big day.

Other than that it has been a typical Sunday morning for me so far, but the weather sucks and I'm stuck inside still recovering from a fight with the flu the past few days.

Today is April 15th, for those of you who haven;t done your taxes yet if you buy Tax Cut, both you and I can get a $10.00 rebate. The filing deadline has been moved back to April 17th this year because today is Sunday and tomorrow is some kind of a Holiday in DC, I think it is Emancipation Dayin DC. So, you have until the 17th this year.

I have another Diabetes Education Class this Thursday, and eye exam the following Tuesday and another appointment with my Doctor the following Monday. My numbers have been doing quite well as of late, they are almost all in the target range regardless of being before or after a meal. Some are a little higher, but the goal is < 130 before a meal and < 160 two hours after a meal. Thew main goal was to have 50% of my readings within target and just for the month of April I have 89% of my readings within target. I have had a touch of the flu the last few days, so that has helped elevate my fasting, early morning reading. Probably after this education class, I will then drop my readings from every day to every third day. I was told I could so it after my last meeting, but my meds changed and I wanted to track that briefly.

I'm eager to get back on rails trails, but the weather has been less than cooperative. I haven't been able to go since last Monday and I'm itching to get out. Just need Phil and Mother Nature to cooperate a little.

I'm thinking about buying season tickets this year for WVU football. I have a feeling demand will be high this year because expectations are once again high as I have seen us ranked as high as #3 in the early polls. I think this just may be that magical year we finally win the National Championship. Everyone will be healthy, will be back and we have added a big time playmaker or two. Should be an interesting year.

Under the weather

I have had a touch of a headcold the last few days. This weather has been ridiculous, they are actually calling for 1"-3" of snow on Sunday, in MID APRIL!!!!

This isn't even funny, this is the time when cute girls should be walking around in tight shorts and bikini tops, not parkas!

No Practice.

How about another BLOG past of a video from yesteryear




Preston Waters is an old softball team mate of mine.

ROFLMAO

PACMAN and Chris Henry live in Flash animation

Will we make it

We're supposed to have softball practice tonight at 6:00, but it's been cold and rainy all day so I wonder if we are going to be able to make it on to the field this evening.

I'm feeling kind of blah today so I really don't care if we practice or not, but I do need to get out there and do something. I didn't go walking yesterday even though the weather was more than permitting.

Takin Over

Back to work

The long weekend was nice, but today it is back to the grind and a lot of editing. It was a nice relaxing weekend for me, I didn't do much of anything yesterday except for power nap. Needless to say I was well rested by the time I woke up this morning and started work.

The weather continues to be a royal pain in the butt, it's spring time and we still seem to be in the middle of a late winter. The temps are due to go back up by the end of the week, hopefully this is the last snow that we see for the year.



Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value.-- Albert Einstein

Terri's Birthday

Yesterday was Terri's 40th birthday and there was a nice little get together down at the bar. Val and Amy started the day off right by going down to the bar and decorating it before Terri woke up. They were nice enough to program a couple of songs into the Juke Box and turned the volume all the way up before sneaking out.

Tyler organized a little bring a covered plate get together later in the afternoon and evening. Terri was treated to a VERY fresh fish sandwich, she was a little disappointed that there was no tartar sauce to go with her fresh fish sandwich.

Personally, I would like to give her a fresh roasted groundhog sandwich, but Phil is hiding from me.

Happy 40th Birthday Terri

Happy Birthday Terri, where have the years all gone is what I have to ask. It seems like only yesterday I was 21 and you were like 18. Now, you're 40 and I'm still celebrating anniversaries of my 21st birthday.

I hope all your dreams come true today.

Beilein already replaced.

Wow, was that quick. Former WVU head basketball coach John Beilein bolts for Michigan and WVU hit's a game winning grand slam in bringing home probably one of the biggest nae coaches in College basketball in Bob Huggins. Here is another source confirming the story.

Bob Huggins had the town real excited five years ago when Gale Catlett retired and then broke everyone's hearts when he decided to stay at the University of Cincinnati. However, things have changed in the last five years and the nations best recruiter has been at Kansas State the last year, but is returning to Morgantown tonight and will be officially announced as our new head basketball coach at 3:00 tomorrow afternoon. Yous truly will be there with his camera in hand.

It's softball

it is once again that time of the year that I love so much, it is the start of softball. This evening we are going to have our first practice of the year at White Park. It will be the first time that the entire team was together since last year, but we have all kept in touch and have all eagerly anticipated the season.

I had contemplated retirement the last couple of seasons, but this year the thoughts haven't even entered my mind and I'm like a school aged kid on Christmas eve waiting for Santa to show up.

The weather is currently 80 and sunshine, although me and my old groundhog buddy Phil are going to have a serious problem if we get any snow like they have been calling for. It's April, it's springtime, it's time for little cuties to run around in bikini tops and tight shorts showing off those golden tans, not time for snow.

Let the season begin

Getting back to 1997 weight.

I am within an pound and a half of once again reaching my maximum weight when I was working in a steel mill 12 hours a day and six days a week. This is not a bad thing, because after 1997 my weight ballooned to a top weight of 314 Pounds in November of 2005. It had went down to 280 a couple years earlier when I took it upon myself to address diabetes, but that was as low as it got.

Now, my numbers are consistently in target both before and after meals. Targets are between 90-130 before a meal and under 160 two hours (highest reading) after a meal. However, a large percentage of my numbers have been under 130 (both pre and post meals) on a consistent basis since the change in my medications.

The highest I ever weighed when I worked at Helmick, was a pretty much consistent 265, today seventeen months after reading 314, the scale read 266.5 pounds. I still want to take off a lot more weight, but I think I have reached a milestone on my weight loss.

Finally got back on the trails today

When I started out it was an absolutely perfect day, when I was 1.75 miles away from my car it started raining. I finally got a chance to take my GPS Unit out and play with it on foot, I drove around with it last night searching for Geocaches, and today I got a chance to pace myself to see how far I walked. 4.1 Miles was my final total before the downpour hit. I was back at my car about the time it started, so I wasn't out in it too long, but the drive back home was murder. My back yard was basically flooded, kind of funny when you remember I live at a pretty high point and there is about a 400'-500' drop off in elevation before you get to the river that is probably a mile away or so.

My back is still sore, but it felt good to get out and around for a little while.

Added new element to the blog.

I see that BLOGGER has added a few new features to BLOGGER, one of which being the video feeds. I'll test it out, but I don't want my blog to be too cluttered. I think if I do that I may lose the primary focus of doing a BLOG.

Edit: That didn't last too long, the primary objective of my blog is to inform and keep a we journal. I felt after looking at the new feature that it just cluttered it up. There is a simple rule in programming KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) and the excess clutter starts to violate that simple rule and takes away from my primary objective.

Other than that it is a cold and rainy Sunday Morning. I haven't made it to rails to trails over the weekend, I think I may have pulled a back Muscle Thursday and I'm trying to recover before we practice softball for the first time this week.