Holiday Tips and Humor

Every holiday I enjoy attending the Mary Ann Brandt Chritmas Show- it has become a holiday tradition. This year she had posting some holiday tips on her web site (www.maryannbrandt.com) . I wanted you to have these before the holidays officially begin.
For your reference- Mary Ann is a very rich elite socialite and only has the most expensive taste.

Holiday Party Do's and Dont's-


Chips — there is no place for any chip-type-thing in upper middle class/high society. This includes Potato Chips, Combos, Sun Chips and especially Doritos.


BYOB — “Bring your own beer/bottle” is for those on public assistance or 20-year-old college students whose parents aren’t multi-millionaires. To ask a guest to bring anything to a cocktail party, let alone the party, is simply not done. There is a time and place for “bringing your own.” A communal potluck or any event where you are simply providing the space for friends to gather is acceptable for BYOB, but not here.
Acceptable: “Why don’t we just watch the game at Mary Ann’s house”“Sure, come on over -- I’ll make chili!” “Then I’ll bring the beer” “Kewl!”
Unacceptable: “Are you coming to my pre-game party Saturday? Good, just bring a 12-pack or whatever you want to drink”


Television — Keep the TV off, unless you’ve invited friends for “Cocktails and the US Figure Skating Championships”.


Plastic cups — Top-shelf liquor deserves glass. Plastic cups are for those on public assistance or 20-year-old college students whose parents aren’t multi-millionaires.


Cocktail Weenies — those little white trash weenies, smothered in white trash barbecue sauce and baked in your white trash crock pot for hours until they’re tough as shoe leather and impossible to spear with the white trash toothpicks you’ve provided – toothpicks that have been fingered by every nasty white trash guest you’ve invited – even the white trash guests who have been having sex in the broom closet.



AFTER-THE-FAMILY-CHRISTMAS-MELTDOWN

God love ‘em, but a holiday weekend with the family is nerve splitting. After you’ve unloaded the Land Rover and watered the brittle tree, build a fire, put on your nightgown, fill a tall glass with lots of ice (not a cocktail glass, more like a Wendy’s Biggie cup), and fill it to the rim with enough Jack Daniels to wash down a Vicodin.


WRAPPING PRESENTS

I have mine wrapped professionally, but I realize most of you tackle the project with your own tape and scissors. Two bottles of Veuve Cliquot will get you through the evening. Add two bottles for each friend that comes calling. Buy gift bags with pretty tissue, because after the second bottle of Veuve, you’ll want to switch to liquor, and you’ll not want to fiddle with the tape anymore.

Blog Backlog-

First of all- I know I know I know- My Blog has been neglected and your are left wondering, "What's up with Andrew???" Alas- it is time to update.

I passed my CLU exam- I now have 6 out of 8 completed for this insurance designation. You might ask what will this do for him (I often ask the same thing)... it basically certifies that I know insurance and financial planning very very well. Many jobs in the insurance and financial planning industry will be opened to me with the completion of this designation.

Needless to say my life was pretty tied up in studying studying and more studying for this lovely test.

I have managed to have some holiday fun here and there too. The shopping is done & mostly wrapped. The tree is up and decorated (I am attaching a photo for your viewing pleasure)- and all the rest of the holiday "stuff" is under way. I really have a pretty light and stress free week ahead - Thank God- I work until mid-day Thursday and then I am off until Tuesday January 3rd. This is the longest non-medical time period off of work in like 6 years. I don't have many plans- other than family holiday fun, visiting with Laura (Welcome home from Bangledesh), and all the other usual holiday fun. My buddies Dan and Ray both have the entire week off too-- I'm sure we'll find some trouble to get into!

I hope everyone is doing well - Merry Christmas.

Winter Wonderland-

Columbus is now blanketed in a layer of snow and looks so pretty for Christmas. If I only didn't have to drive around in this crap life would be grand!

I think I may be slowly getting in the mood for the holidays- the snow really helped.

No big plans for the weekend- study study study- that about says it all. I would like to get 2 good workouts in and relax with some friends.

Laura comes home on the 17th! Yeah.

I hope you guys have a great weekend.

Where does the time go?

I have been very busy - but don't have a great deal to show for it.
Pretty much every minute of my personal time has been consumed studying for my exam as I strive towards my CLU designation. These courses are about as dry and boring and you can get. I am currently not feeling ready at all for the test- and it is next Friday- YIKES. I pray that soon and very soon that I will begin to feel more confident as I study.

It is cold cold cold here! It was 10 degrees this morning when I walked the dog this morning- now that is FRIGID!

I am having trouble getting into the holiday spirit- I went to the Holiday Pops at The Symphony last weekend, put up my tree, listening to Christmas music, and so forth- but I am just not in the spirit. Oh well-

I am very excited to have Laura returning to Ohio from Bangledesh soon- hopefully we can hang out and have lots good times. I know that it will be a major transition for her to come home and all- and that life is full of uncertainty right now- but for my own selfish reasons I will be glad to have her back in Ohio.

OK- my BLOG buddies- I need some updates for those of you neglecting your BLOGS (You know who you are). I confess that I have been bad too- but I posted today and I urge you to do the same- I need some news on my friends!

Take Care

Carrie Underwood-

I have to admit I didn't really watch the past season of American Idol.
I haven't been too keen on what I had seen of Carrie Underwood- but when I heard her new single performed live on the Today Show- I was wowed!
I really liked to words of the song- I think we can probably all think of a time that we felt this way.

Here are the lyrics of the chorus for your enjoyment:


Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this all my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
To save me from this road I'm on

Thanksgiving Update-

I have so much to be Thankful for this year. Great friends and family, my health, a good job, and so much more I can't even begin.

The biggest news of the weekend is that my sister is expecting her second child. I had guessed that they wanted to have another child, but had no confirmation until the announcement on Thursday. The baby is due in May.

I spent most of the weekend doing the family thing.. this was OK since I hadn't really been home for about a month. I did get my Christmas presents purchased and wrapped (not bad ehh?). I had a fun time playing Risk with Megan Matt and the rest of the Hutchinson family in LaRue, Ohio-- the rocking joint that it is.

Yesterday John and I went to Granville and cut down a Christmas tree- rather cut down his Christmas tree- I bought a wreath for my front door. It was so scenic and picturesque out there. We had a good time just riding out and enjoying getting out in the country.

Now it is back to the regular buzz of the work week- ugh.

A thought for you....

I ran across a quote that I really like this weekend.
After finding out that my friend Laura has called off her engagement I thought perhaps I should share it with all of my BLOG friends... enjoy!

"Dance as though no one is watching you......
Love as though you have never been hurt before.....
Sing as though no one can hear you.....
Live as though heaven is on earth."

--- Souza.

Miracles can happen-

I had an great weekend. My college friend Wendy Stinebaugh ventured down (solo) from the Toledo area. This may not sound like a great feat or acoomplishment- unless of course you already know about Wendy. She had a heart transplant 3 years ago and the road to recovery has been difficult to say the least. Today she can walk around with a cane and her oxygen tank. She drives her own car and enjoys downloading music to her Ipod. Spending time shopping, eating, talking, laughing, crafting, and so forth with Wendy made me thankful for the miracles that God provided for her to be still here with us on Earth. It also made me thankful for the good health that I enjoy and for the most part take for granted.

My weekend was pretty much consumed with Wendy's vistit. I did manage to catch most of the OSU victory over Michigan- that was one prediction I was happy to be wrong about. Go Bucks!
John fixed dinner last night and then we enjoyed Desperate Housewives.

Life is good-

I truly had a great weekend. I woke up this morning with a smile on my face and almost all of my chores done around the house- which was a nice feeling for once!

Friday I watch a great DVD from Netflix - Latter Days - It was such a good movie- I cried.
I had mixed feelings about the way the Mormon church was potrayed as such an evil empire (I don't really know that much about that religious organization- but the movie painted them in a bad light). The movie also played up the typical gay stereotypes of a "party" life style. Overall it had a good storyline and tugged the tears right out of me.

Saturday was spent studying and watching the Buckeyes kick Northwestern's butt off of the field--- Go bucks! Saturday night my friend Ray had a housewarming/ Thanksgiving type of dinner- I had a great time catching up with old friends I had not seen in a while.

Sunday was church and then John & I went to lunch and then shopping. Last night I went to his place to watch Desperate Housewives- gotta love that show. Things are going really good- we had a good talk last night and I think things are heading in a very positive direction. I can't believe this is the last week before the Thanksgiving holiday week- Yikes!

Any predictions for the OSU / Michigan game??? I love my dear Buckeyes- but they had a losing record against the Wolverines- even though I try to be a loyal fan- I predict that they will loose in Ann Arbor by 3 points. Anyone else have thoughts on the score?

Butterflies in your stomach rule-

Thank you all for your comments and insights regarding age differences & dating.
I think liked Helene's advice over the phone. She said if thinking about that special someone gives you butteflies in your stomach and makes your heart go pitter patter a little faster than before-- that is all you need.

It has been a nice week- John had me over to watch The Amazing Race together on Tuesday night (we are both avid fans of this show- at least he has good taste in TV!). When I got there he had a beautiful fire buring in the fireplace- which was really nice. Just for Helene's sake- there were butterflies in the stomach and a pitter patter. So for now I'm just going ahead with things and focus on having the best time that I can.

FYI- for all you curious busy-bodies- John is an Emergency Room nurse manager for OSU Hospitals in Columbus and the father of 2 adorables dogs.

The temperatures have dropped once again in Ohio- so the new furnace is working out nicely. I am impressed with how quiet it is & then also how quickly it warms the house up compared to my old furnace.

I am back to studying for my insurance designation once again. I would like to have my current course, Estate Planning Applications, finished by Christmas- that would be a wonderful holiday gift to me!

Have a wonderful evening all- and I'll keep you posted.

Being a true gentleman-

Hello my loyal Blog readers- I hope that you had a great weekend.
I stayed around Columbus all weekend and got a great deal done! My new energy efficient furnace was installed on Friday. This will be nice to especially with the raising costs of gas!
I have started another CLU (insurance designation) course.... and let me tell you that estate planning can be really fun- Ok maybe not- but it will help you get to sleep at night.

The date Friday went really well on Friday - so well in fact that we watched the OSU game together on Saturday and then went to the Gallery Hop that night. I think we may also get together for a brief while tonite. Here is the survey part of the BLOG- so I am relying on YOU for some insight!!!! How much of an age difference is too much??? In the past 5 years I have noticed myself attracted to the 35-45 age range. I think most of this is due to the fact the I am mature for my age and very stable. Most elgible dates around 25-30 are anything but stable and looking for someone to take care of them. So -- any thoughts?? I am leaning towards who cares about the age- it more matters that you are compatible and love each other. Good idea??

OK- I'm outta here.. talk to you soon.

Trick or Treat-

November!!! What!!!! I'm not ready for Thanksgiving and the holidays and shopping and ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!

It amazes me how time speeds up each and every year. Just when try to slow down and relax a little bit - the world all around me speeds up! I am looking forward to the holidays- I just have to finalize some holiday shopping and I am good to go. I plan to keep things pretty simple this year. I hope to do some charity work in December and give back to the less fortunate.

My sister and Dad brought my little nephew down on Monday night for Trick or Treat at my house. He had a good time and actually enjoyed passing out candy to the kids that came to the door just as much as he did getting it. We had a great night.

Good things come to those who wait....

What a beautiful weekend here in Ohio. I was so bummed out and depressed about the rain and dreary weather from last weekend and figured I would miss out on the fall foliage once again. This weekend the rain clouds cleared, the sunshine came out , and I was able to get out and enjoy the beauty of fall. Saturday afternoon my friend Helene and I took my dog to the Dog Trail at Batelle Darby Metro Park. It was so beautiful outside and the color in the trees was breathtaking to say the very least.

Saturday night Helene and I hit the town for Halloween. After a nice meal out in the Short North we headed to the martini lounge for chocolate martinis- YUM! We met up with my friends Dan & Ray. After three martinis we were off to tradewinds to dance the night away. The place was packed and the music was jamming- we had a great time. Stayed out too late and drank in excess but hey it was Halloween!

Sunday I went to the Jeffersonville outlet mall with the parents- we took a long Sunday drive to get home and stopped by an old grist mill- it was a beautiful relaxing day to say the least.

Tonight is trick or treat- my Sister and nephew are coming down- it should be AWESOME.

Also on the good news side- I have a date for this Friday night- if you want more details - you'll have to call me- don't want the entire web community to know all the juicy details. We've been chatting for a while so maybe good things come to those who wait.

Enjoy these pictures of the tree right beside my condo and then the grist mill at Clifton Gorge.

Rainy Days & Mondays--- UGH

Today is a double header- rainy and Monday-- what fun!

The weekend turned out OK- I did have fun. Hung out both nights with my friend Dan- we painted the town red and lovely shades of silver. On Saturday he got a rental car as he was in the shop- they gave him a brand new Dodge Charger. Since the Dukes of Hazard drove a Dodge Charger we pretended to be Bo and Luke-- Dan is blonde so he was Bo and I was Luke. Neither of us wore Daisy Dukes.

The hayride and bonfire was cancelled- oh well at least we tried.

I got quite a bit of household chores done- paid some bills- and just generally stuck close to home.

Not sure what I should dress up for on Halloween- I was thinking about a pirate- but if anyone else has suggestions let me know. I also thought about buying a pair of scrubs to use a comfy pajamas and then getting a surgerical mask and one of those medical hats. I'll have to check out the phone book to see if I can find anything around town. To go out dancing though the surgical scrubs would be really comfortable!! Something to consider.

TGIF

To my loyal BLOG readers- I am sorry for the long delay in my writing. I just have not been in the chatty mood lately & therefore didn't have a lot to say. Perhaps it is because I am in this "blue" phase and have been for some time. It is all this being single AGAIN and facing 30 which is coming up in December. More than that it is taking a step back and looking over my life and realizing how quickly it is really flying by. Questioning to myself- is this where I want to be? What do I really want to do with my life? Is this as good as it gets (sorry for stealing the movie title). I have been working myself through several of these questions- and am feeling better- not completely out of the woods as of yet- but doing better.

My major spending spree on home improvements has continued. I purchased a new furnace this week... it is ironic that I will get the comission check to pay off the summer remodeling next week... just in time to take on more short term debt! Life is Funny like that- huh?

My church group is supposed to have a hayride/ bonfire tomorrow night- but the weather is not looking promising at all.

A major high-light of the week was lunch with a good friend Peggy yesterday. We worked together her at Nationwide for about 2 years and shared lunch a couple of times per week. She left here this spring for other endeavors- and I hadn't seen her since. It was great to catch up!

Gotta run for now!

Striving for balance-

It has been a rough week of trying to get into the normal swing of things after the Arizona trip. I love being on the go, but when you look that ugly in basket sitting on your desk reality slaps you in the face. If it was any consolation it was a damp & dreary weather week in Ohio, which was perfect for getting back to work.

Today I met up with my sister, my dad, and my 2 year old nephew Devan for a morning apple picking adventure. Devan was much more amused by the tractors in the distance than picking the apples. I finally got him to pick the apples and he decided it would be much more fun to throw the apples than to place them gently in the bag.

After watching a Buckeyes football miracle come back in the 4th quater the entire family went to my cousins house for a fall harvest bonfire & hayride. It was a beautiful fall night illuminated by a full moon. My cousin Linda flew up from Atlanta with her 18 month old daughter Janie just for the occasion. It was great.

Feeling pretty tired so I'll update more later.

More Pictures-

Pictures from Arizona-

If you made it clear through my Post yesterday- you are a true friend!
Enjoy These Pictures.

Reflections on Arizona-
Sitting here at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport I decided to take a few minutes to fire up the laptop and refelct on the week of travel that I have experienced. What an awesome trip. The weather was excellent the entire week, sunny and hot (90 degrees+ everyday). From the business standpoint Nationwide received their money's worth for my ticket out. I was able to meet with many of my best clients this week face to face. Phone coversations, email, and conference calls don't provide a true understanding of who you are truly dealing with. While I grumble and complain about my business partner out here in Phoenix for his old fashioned ways and reluctance to embrace technology, he is a very nice man. He really went the extra mile to make me feel welcome and to introduce me to several key players. The conversations we had over dinner and in the car were well worth while. On one hand he doesn't want to loose me as a team member he realizes that my skills and abilities will take me far and he wants to help me get to the next level of my career. This year has been my best year at Nationwide- I am poised to be the #1 sales representative in my division and will receive a very nice trip to Huntington Beach, CA during the winter as a reward (OK- that reminds me-- gotta get back to the gym).
I didn't get the partial vacation that I was hoping for on Nationwide's dollar-- the good side of it is that I still have some vacation time left to take and will have some money to do it on. I am considering a New Years/ 30th birthday trip at the end of the year-- if anyone wants to go let me know-- I originally was thinking Chicago-- but the warm sun and Palm trees on this trip reminded me of how much fun Florida or California would be (no worries Megan-- I'll still be up in November). I did get the opportunity to take a 4 hour Jeep tour through the desert on Friday afternoon - WOW that was amazing. The guide took us up to Mountain to a small plateau- where we could see for miles. Enermous cactus surrounded us as we enjoyed out picnic lunch. The guides educated the group on the history of the Indians that once habitated in the area. On a short hike we soon saw ancient indian carvings on the side of the mountain that told the history of the tribe that once lived there. Back in the Jeep we spotted some Jackrabbits and rattle snakes just doing their think out in the wilderness. The pure silence and the hot sun under the crystal blue sky was amazing and allowed me some time to absorb what this natural envionment was all about. I can not imagine being a pioneer and crossing the desert in a horse drawn wagon... what an adventure that must have been.
The resort where the conference was located was literally built up on the side of a mountain-- From the balcony of my room I could see the entire city lights of Tucson. Sparkling like a million diamonds against the mountains. It was beautiful.
I was surpised to discover what a Country and Western town this was. The radio dial is filled with country music and of course Mexican music. Last night (Saturday) I found the local western bar, Chariles. I went over about 10pm and the place was packed! Line dancing, two-stepping, cowboys, etc-- you name it, they had it. I am not the best dancer so I just enjoyed a cold drink and watched all the dancing from the sidelines. Talked to some locals-- but ending up hanging out with some guys from San Diego and Houston-- go figure the travelers all hang out together. Sad to say I was exhausted and was in bed by 12:30--- keep in mind I had been up since 5:45 AM after going to bed at 2 AM this nite before-- and after driving 2 hours from Tucson to Phoenix-- needless to say I will sleep good tonite-- and hopefully on the plane ride hope.
Now for thoughts on conservative Republicans- as promised. My business partner here in Phoenix is a very very very conservative Republican. I tend to be a moderate to liber Democrat. Throughout the week he kept telling me that as I climb the corporate ladder and enjoy success I will convert to be a Republican. This outraged me and made turned me even more to the far left. I know his rationale is that as my income increases I will want to enjoy the tax incentives designed for the rich by Republicans. I do hope to increase my earnings and become very successful in my career- but I am willing to pay my fair portion to help the less fortunate. The tax cuts have got to stop. I mean here we are going so deep in debt for the war in Iraq and Hurricane relieft- but yet some Republicans are not in favor of raising taxes. Plus Bush still wants to overhaul Social Security- don't forget about that! It seems only to make common sense that if we as a nation are going to increase our spendings- we need to increase our income. I don't like paying taxes any more than the next guy- but I do want to see our country safe and secure, I do want to see all those devasted by the hurricanes to receive help, I do want to see the many social problems that our own society has today to be addressed-- so I am willing to chip in my part to get the job done. I would like to propose that our Senators and Congressman cut some corners-- a little less luxury on capital hill. I heard a report on the news the other day about the very expensive cars owned by our elected officials-- why not drive an Accord or Camry or Taurus like the rest of us? Ok --- I've vented enough!
Well I need to power down the PC and head over towards my gate -- I will post some pictures soon.
I hope this didn't get too long for you- I needed to catch up!

Am I a control freak?

I will upload my pictures and post some next week. I am really to tired to post them right now- Today was the Oppenheimer conference - the main day of it. It was OK- some boring sessions and then some good ones.

I took a desert Jeep tour for about 3 hours this afternoon- the scenery was spectacular- it was just really hot.

This conference had surfaced the question to me-- Am I a control freak? I have not really been in control of my schedule the last week at all- and it is driving me CRAZY. I travel well and enjoy the adventure of it all-- but I am ready to return home. I am sure that if I was here on pleasure and not business- I would feel completely different.

I was also thinking about this in relation to relationships- and the question surfaced-- have I lived alone and independent too long?? It realy made me wonder-- I think both are good questions to keep in mind.

Good nite all.

Exhausted-

I am really tired tonite. My business partner out here in Arizona has worn me out- yes he did take me to meet many of my customers- but his stupidity astonished me. I have interviewed for a position just like him before- and yet Nationwide will bring guys like this on to sell our products.

I am now at the resort for the conference. My room is beautiful- I have the biggest bathtub that I have ever seen- and the bathroom has a flat screen televison in it-- it was bizarre to take a bath with a TV going in the room.

OK- I am really tired--
I will write soon about my frustration with the right wing and with snobs- a lot of that to come soon.

Travels-

Hello from Scottsdale Arizona. I had some meetings today up in the town of Prescott, AZ which is about 2 hours north west of Phoenix. The drive up was incredible. The mountains were beautiful- I am surprised at how much I am enjoyed Arizona-- it is really pretty here. I am not sure that I could could deal with the heat in the summer--- but it is nice to visit. The pool here at the hotel is great- 8 feet deep at one end-- perfect to destress at the end of the day. Tonite my business partner, John, and his wife are taking me to dinner at Ruth Chris steak house. I am excited as I have never been there.

I'll try to keep updating throughout the week.

Live a Life of Integrity-

I need to vent-
I try to live my life with integrity and honesty in all that I do.
If I say I am going to do something - I do it.
I present myself for who I am and not who I want to be.

Is it too much to ask for others to do the same?

You may be asking yourself- what has brought this about - why this subject?

First of all- work... it continually frustrates me how many people in corporate America have no problems with lying, cheating, stealing, and pretty much doing nothing and collecting a paycheck. It seems to be easier to sleep your way to the top than to get there through hard work.


Second- the dating game. Whether it is online or the good ole fashioned way. If you say you wanna talk or get together - then just do it. If you say you are going to call then call.
Last night I was on the computer- and was instant messaging a new aquaintance --- at one point my trusty dog Trevor needed to go out for his final walk of the evening-- I type in the IM screen; "please excuse me.. I need to take my dog out."-- which was the honest truth. The reply I got was less than flattering--- it said something like "whatever you loser--- if you don't want to talk with me - just say so- you're just a game player like the rest." UGH UGH UGH!!!
In the course of being honest - I am accused of being a liar- Needless to say I took Trevor on a nice long walk to enjoy the cool evening air.. logged of the PC.. and went to bed.

So- to finish my lecture of the day- in all that you do- Live with Integrity!

Taking Care of Business

Trying to get everything done this week at work- before I am gone a week. I am scared of what my email in box will look like when I get home from Arizona. Yesterday was meeting mania- two long meetings that left me very little time to do much of anything. This week has seemingly been the week of issues at the office- every customer has an issue and will not take no for an answer- it can be very frustrating sometimes.

Update on the workouts- I decided to really throw my internal clock for a loop and try working out in the evening- so far I really like it- for some reason it is working out better for me. The traffic is much better and I am seemingly a happy camper once again. Plus there is much better tv to watch while on the tredmill!

I think i am finally kicking this cold- haven't had to go to the doctor yet- wohoo.

Taking Care of Business

Trying to get everything done this week at work- before I am gone a week. I am scared of what my email in box will look like when I get home from Arizona. Yesterday was meeting mania- two long meetings that left me very little time to do much of anything. This week has seemingly been the week of issues at the office- every customer has an issue and will not take no for an answer- it can be very frustrating sometimes.

Update on the workouts- I decided to really throw my internal clock for a loop and try working out in the evening- so far I really like it- for some reason it is working out better for me. The traffic is much better and I am seemingly a happy camper once again. Plus there is much better tv to watch while on the tredmill!

I think i am finally kicking this cold- haven't had to go to the doctor yet- wohoo.

Weekends Fly By-

Here it is Sunday night again- funny how quick Saturday & Sunday can go by.

Friday night I met the parents over at Plain City, OH at the Der Dutchman Amish restaurant. A pianist named Steve Hall was performing a live concert. He has several CD's that Mom loves- so that was the big conclusion to Stella's birthday 2005.

Saturday morning was spent on the couch- I watched a movie (The Upside of Anger) and watched hurricane coverage. I then watched OSU kick Iowa off the field from the treadmill at the gym. It was really a sad game for Iowa... Thank God I'm an OSU fan.

I had a wonderful evening Saturday with my friend Helene. We enjoyed a lovely dinner in the short north & then went to Via Colori street festival. In case you don't know what this is- they close streets around the park and allow artists to create amazing chalk murals on the street. After dark there are thousand of luminaries to shine a light on the art (don't' kick them like I did- oops.) We then went and created a wine for Helene's Christmas presents- it is a new custom wine bar. You can sample many different types of wines and then make a batch of your own using their kitchen. It takes about 6 weeks to ferment. It was awesome. I loved the Peach & Apricot Chardonnay- yum. We then went to Havanna for a cocktail and to view some eye- candy.

Today I was feeling a bit draggy- I went to church - had lunch with my friend Ray. We did a little shopping and then I came home and just hung around the house waiting for Desperate Housewives.

I've got to kick this sinus infection- I may go to the doctor if this doesn't clear up soon.

I hope everyone's weekend was great.

Feeling Upbeat - so I'll post-

I have been writing in the evenign after being beat up by the events of the day. Upon review of my past couple of blog entries I realized I was sounding pretty tired and down. So with a hot cup of coffee and a well rested mind I am ready to write.

First of all the weather- what is up with Rita? This is breaking my heart to see all of this once again. This morning at the gym I was watching CNN and they were interviewing a family living in a vacation condo in Galveston, TX that had been donated to them after fleeing New Orleans. Now they are on the road again with no place to go. The bad part of all this is that now the news is projecting $5 per gallon gas-- OUCH! I may resort to buying a mule and a small cart to get to work.... perhaps my dog Trevor would enjoy a pet mule-- they could play nicely together on my patio. I doubt Nationwide would like a mule grazing out on the front lawn all day.. so maybe I'll skip this. The guy that sits next to me at work, Brian, did just buy home literally around the corner from my house- we are talking about carpooling to save $. I realize I'd have to change my habits (including the gym) but the savings would be well worth it!

It is just over a week until I jet out to Arizona for a week. I can't wait- I have never been to the desert before. On Friday of that week I am to take a Jeep tour of some canyon near Tuscon. Sounds beautiful and really scenic.

Tonite should be fun- going out to dinner and a few martinis with some co-workers! Hurray for Maritini specials.

Time- where does it go-

OK- I have started back to going to the gym before work again. I will really like this routine again- once my body has adjusted. I am up at 6am and at the gym around 7:15am. Since the gym is on my way to work- I just shower and go to work from there-- but it is the logistics of it all that are crazy- packing my lunch the night before, making sure I have clothes for work, and such. So my evenings- feel pretty much like they are just prep time for tomorrow morning. This morning I realized at the gym that I had no socks for work- it was going to be one of those days- yikes.

It really was just "one of those days"-- when I got home I was ready to crawl in bed and forget that it ever happend-- I'm sure I am not the only one that has days like that.

Maybe I would be happier if I just had an extra hour each day - just for me... and work would pay me for it!

Weekend Update-

A busy but fun weekend.. I stayed in and did laundry Friday night-- I know doesn't that sound like fun? I did need to stay in feel a bit more "grounded." Saturday was the Ada Herb & Harvest Festival -- don't let the name fool you it is just an average fall street festival in NW Ohio- lots of crafts and pumpkin themed items. It was very fun-- I was hoping to see Laura's Grandma Ferguson-- but alas not a Ferguson to be found by me-- oh well.

Today was all about church- to be honest this was the first Sunday to be back in worship at my church in a long time. Summer had gotten really crazy and I just had so much on. I didn't realize how important my church had become to me. If your interested in my church check out the web site at www.kingave.org

This afternoon my friend Helene brought her dog Austin over and then I along with Trevor we all went to Batelle Darby Creek metro park to the dog trail. We had a great time and the dogs were so much fun to watch. Trevor got into the creek and was splashing around- he was acting like a puppy not an 8 year old dog- it was priceless.

I hope your weekend was wonderful!

Busy busy busy week-

To all my loyal Blog readers I am sorry for not posting this week. Wow what a week-- I had meetings at church on Monday and Tuesday and then a work event on Thursday night. Wednesday was pretty much a recovery night to say the least. Tonight it is Friday night- normally I would be looking forward to hitting the town or least doing something fun with friends and I just wanted to come home- and watch a movie (Alfie-- just an OK movie-- didn't impress me).

I am excited to go up to the Ada, Ohio Herb & Harvest festival tomorrow- it does mean getting up early to get the good stuff in time- but that is OK. I am to help out with a meeting after church on Sunday so that will be good.

My goal for next week is to get back to some degree of normality- if there is such a thing.
Get back to the Y in the morning for workouts- and all that good stuff.

Have a good day everyone- talk to you soon.

Monday AM- what a relief-

I really enjoyed this morning and getting back to work- sounds strange huh? I think I just needed some return to normal. I have still been fighting this cold- I will be very happy when it is done and over with for good.

Weekend was good- drove up to the parents place on Friday night so that I would be there in the AM for the big county fair. I then proceeded to go to bed early and get a good extra long nights sleep.

Saturday Dad showed me some ditch drainage work that had been recently completed around the farm- it looked really good. It was amazing to me that all the corn and soybean fields are beginning to show the summer greens fading into the autumn browns and that harvest is coming soon. After touring the farm we met my sister and 2 year old nephew up town at the farmer's market- I purchased some beautiful mums for my front garden that a local amish boy had grown to earn some extra money. Mom bought me a nice piece of handmande pottery and I got some delicious homemade granola! Yum! Next was the great Hardin County Fair- my sister took home 2nd place in the annual pie day contest- she got a large rosette ribbon and her picture in the paper- Go Miriam! While she was doing that Dad and I took Devan around the fair- I was looking forward to stuffing the kid with cotton candy and sugar and then giving him back to mom-- but he fell asleep on us! Go figure. We had fun and even ate some delicious ice cream!

Saturday night- my friend Greg was in Columbus from Austin- we had dinner in the Short North and then watched OSU get beaten by Texas. We then hit a couple of bars and then headed back to my place-- I just wish I didn't have this cold dragging me down or else we could have had a great time -- I just felt draggy and tired.

Needless to say I was wornout on Sunday- after taking Greg to the airport I took Trevor to the park and then relaxed until my Friend Helene and I went out for ice cream and a nice walk.
I watched a quirky DVD on Sunday night called "But I'm a Cheerleader"- a cute little movie.

So now it is back to work and try to get back to normal.

Tired---

OK- so I've pretty much felt like crap since Monday with this cold I caught last weekend. I have no regrets about going camping- it was awesome. I just know that if I go camping in cooler weekends I need to pack a feather down comforter and also lots of layers. Having no hair on my head a stocking cap to sleep would be a good move too.

Thanks for all the complements on my photos that I posted from the camping--- the scenery was breathtaking to say the very least!

It is really hitting me that summer is over. Labor Day is come and gone (so don't even think about wearing white pants- or else I'll have the fashion policy come and find you).
I must say that I did enjoy summer quite a bit- but really can you ever get enough of warm sunshine, ice cream, swimming, flowers in the park, and all that good stuff??? I don't think so.

Fall is wonderful too- and I have so much to look forward to - apple picking, pumpkins, cool crisp nights, bonfires, hayrides, and the colors painting the trees. I think the key to maintaining sanity in Ohio is to learn to appreciate and enjoy every season for what is has to offer.

Just as a sidenote-- still very much digging my Netflix- new moviews came last night just in time for the weekend.

Findng some peace among the chaos.

I am back from a lovely weekend of camping in the Great Smokey Mountains. The weather was ideal- actually a tad on the cool side to be real honest. It was a weekend of relaxing, sitting by the campfire, smores (YUM), getting some sun next to the pool, long morning hikes in the mountains, sharing great southern cooking with friends, and clear night skies filled with stars. I think that was the most beautiful part of the weekend-- the stars. Being up in the mountains away from the lights of the city you can see all the stars and they sparkle like a sea of diamonds. As I sat by the fire and watched the stars and heard the gentle sounds of the woods at night- I was overcome by peace. Among the chaos of hurricane Kartina, friends with health problems, and personal struggles with broken relationships I was flooded by an inner peace. I think it was allowing all my emotions and anxities to quiet and to relax and reflect on the beauty of God's creation. I walked away feeling a calm that I needed to go back and face the world once again. Thank God for nature!

We will survive-

The song says it best- of course it says I will survive- but I think Gloria would approve in adapting the song to fit a national tragedy.

The pictures on TV are horrifying. Last night I was sitting in my new remodeling living room, eating a nice dinner, with a full refrigerator in the kitchen and I am seeing images on the screen of people much like you & I beggin for water. I simply broke down and cried. I pray that an authority greater the the US Army will step in and help-- I pray that God will extend his Grace, Love, and Mercy on the suffering.

I only wish that I could drive down and pick up some refugees and bring them back and fix a big dinner and offer them a warm shower and a dry comfortable bed to sleep in. I guess I will have to make do with a donation to the Red Cross and my heartfelt prayers.

My one friend going on the trip this weekend lost his grandmother yesterday, so he will be unable to enjoy the long weeken in the mountains. Clinton- my heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. The rest of us will keep you in our thoughts and prayers.

Well the car is packed- and I just need to shower and then hit the road.

God Bless you all during this Labor Day weekend.

Weathering the storm-

Well we have weather the remants of Hurricane Katrina here in Ohio. This entails about 24 hours of non-stop rain showers. Given the fact that our grass was brunch and crunchy from the dry weather conditions, it was a very welcome rain.

The more news coverage I watch about the horrible mess left in New Orleans and all along the Gulf Coast I just am overwhelmed with emotion. I feel so horrible for my American brothers and sisters in such need. I can not even fathom what it must be like evacuating an entire city like New Orleans. Then you hear the real life stories about people that clung to trees during the storm after their century old homes were blown away.

My heartfelt prayers and thoughts are with these folks. I plan on giving to the Red Cross and urge all of you to give as well. What is it for us to give up a weekend of eating out at nice places for folks to simply receive a warm dry bed to sleep in and a meal to eat??

It does feel strange to be so excited about leaving for a weekend in the Smokey Mtns. of TN for a weekend of relaxation when there is such a disaster occuring right here in our country. I guess that I need to contribute to the charities, pray for the families in crisis, and keep the entire region in my thoughts and prayers.

Other than that not much else going on-- the weeks do seem to go by quickly when you are taking Friday off!!

Count Your Blessings-

At the office we can watch cnn or the weather channel all day long on our computer desktop.
Needless to say I turned my attention throughout the day towards the hurricane coverage. Once again I am reminded of how lucky we are to have safe homes. Just think of how many times we have each escaped from a tornado, a bad thunderstorm, a blizzard, flood, or a hurricane. Guess we need to count our blessings!

Work kept me pretty busy today- it amazes me how lazy some of my co-workers can be. Our goal is to get life insurance cases through underwriting as quick as possible. Yet time and time again cases just get stuck in the process because nobody cares.

To report on my new subscription to NetFlix-- so far I love the service. Movie quality was good. The 2nd Bridget Jones Movie was very predictable.. kinda cute but kinda boring to tell you the truth. Million Dollar Baby was a good movie- very gripping and intense. I'll let you know if I get any other must see's!

Weather still looks awesome for my TN get-away! Yeah!

Tired-

Hello- it's Sunday night and I am watching CNN for coverage on the Hurricane Katrina- WOW what a major storm. Can you believe New Orleans??? I was at the gym yesterday and saw coverage on this--- and I thought to myself if I was there.... I would be hitting the road now. Get out while the getting is good. Of course, they are already saying that gas prices may go up because of this storm-- I can' even think about $3.00 per gallon.

A pretty quiet weekend over all-
Friday night- parental visit as Berkley and Stella painted Columbus red and light shades of blue.
Saturday- I was at the church bright and early for organist interviews (I am on the search committee) following by the gym and chores. Saturday night my friend Dan & I hit the town- we had a good time.
Sunday- Took my trust dog Trevor to church - as they held it in Goodale Park and had an animal blessing- so I now am proud to have a holy dog. Then I went to the pool and feel asleep reading- it was nice. Tonite I ran a few errand and watched the movie- Million Dollar Baby- good flick!

I am not feeling insightful tonite- so pretty much it is a play by play of the weekend.

Take care-

Cool nights-

Ok- I am still enjoying the cooler weather of later summer- it is a gift from God.
I am so ready to be loading up the car and heading to the mountains next week.
I have reserved Bill Clinton's autobiography on CD to listen to on the drive. I think that will be a constructive use of my car time.

Work has been so busy lately that I have barely left my desk. Sometimes I have 3 lines rining at one and like 5 programs open on my computer desktop. The good news is that my sales are really good and I am making good money. The bad side is at what cost is my sanity.


Does anyone else ever fell complete chained down by their daily routintes? Lately I have been feeling like I have no "me" time-- first it is get to work, then slave all day, come home take care of the dog, cook dinner, and then bam back to getting ready for tomorrow!! Where do I fit in??? I have also been thinking of how parents cope with the added responsiblites of kids?? I mean some days I am struggling with my sanity- and can't imagine being in charge of a couple of kids. Now- I still want children someday- but haven't quite figured out how- I guess that is why we need a partner n life- someone to share the work load and to help us out when we need it.
Funny enought- thinking about partners I have seen lots of TV commericals lately for Sex and the City on TBS- and in it the ladies are talking about their obsession with finding thier soul mates--- I have been thinking about my soul mate lately-- let me clarify-- if you are my soul mate- please come respond to this message- so it is easier to find you!!!! If you need my phone # let me know-- you can even call collect-

Well- I think you can see how bad I need a vacation!

Last random tht of the day- I found out I will likely be going out to Tuscon, AZ in October to represent Nationwide at a conference- love staying at a posh resort and charging it to the corporate card.

Routines can be a good thing-

It was a nice feeling to be in the car going to work this morning- now isn't that a weird statement? It was such a wonderful clear and crisp night for sleeping last night. I slept with the windows open and awoke chilled slightly by the morning air. The night breezes had left a wonderful crisp clean smell in the bedroom. It was wonderful! I really enjoyed walking Trevor this morning- with a cup of hot coffee -- I took a little extra long walk along the creek and saw lot of ducks swimming in the pond.. it was a peaceful morning. After all the trials of the past week it felt good to start a new week and get back to normal.

A good friend of mine invited me to go to Tennessee with a group for Labor Day. We will stay near Gatlinburg. I've been there before and had a great time- so I am looking forward to a little get away next weekend... I hope the weather holds out.

My friend Helene came over last night- our dogs played together very well. We grilled some chicken and ate on the patio- it was a lovely evening. We then watched a DVD of a movie called Sideways- it was cute- I reccomend a bottle of wine while viewing!

I subscribed to NetFlix- the clincher was I can finish out watching Sex and the City, The Sopranos, Queer as Folk, and keep up to date on the movies. I think I am going to splurge and buy a new larger TV for the living room- that way I can have some movie/ dvd parties this winter.

Have a great day all!

One day at a time-

A pretty relaxing weekend-
Didn't really accomplish alot- but kind of recovered from the week and tried to put my life together again. This morning's sermon at church was overcoming adversity and hardship in your life- how appropriate right?

I'm sorry I'm not really talkative right now- but I wanted to let everyone know I am OK.

Curveball in the game of life-

Just when I thought that things were going good- Joe tells me on Tuesday that he doesn't want to see me anymore- no reason other than it is just not working for him. He was very complimentary of me and said I was "perfect" in every way. OK- then so why this move???

I really think this may all just come down to my recent reflections on attitude and dealing with life. He made the comment that he thinks he is destined to be alone for the rest of his life. Now- that would equate to thinking that one is not capable of a relationship. If you are convinced in your heart that you will fail at something - then chances are you probably will.

Now hear I am- 29 (30 in December) alone again and so ready to share the beauty of life with someone. I must be in shock because I feel nothing- I am just numb to everything.

I plan on just taking the next few months to center all the attention on me.
Just relax and reflect on what I want for my life and prepare myself for whatever may lay ahead.

Family- what an adventure.

I have had my family togetherness time for the year. If I don't see them again until Christmas that is fine with me... now if they would only respect such a wish!
The weekend at the lake was OK- very hot and not the best weather - which put all of our nerves on end. I have posted some pictures from the weekend- I particulary like the picture of Stella (AKA - Mom) shopping - it shows here in here natural habitat.

Of special note was spending Saturday evening with Wendy Stinebaugh. She is such an inpsiration- in the past two years I have watched her progress from being in ICU at the Cleveland Clinic with a 0% chance of even living to being able to take her out to dinner just the two of us. What a change! She does use a wheelchair and an oxygen tank. I drove her car (yes she is back on the road too!)- and had to assist with the wheelchair but other than that she did it all herself. It was great to get to catch up 1-1. Whenever we have been together it has been with her parents there- and just being the two of us we could truly open up and be ourselves. I treasure her friendship and I know that God has special plans for her life.

It actually feels really good to be back to work today- strange huh?

Hope to hear from you all soon.

Family- what an adventure.

I have had my family togetherness time for the year. If I don't see them again until Christmas that is fine with me... now if they would only respect such a wish!
The weekend at the lake was OK- very hot and not the best weather - which put all of our nerves on end. I have posted some pictures from the weekend- I particulary like the picture of Stella (AKA - Mom) shopping - it shows here in here natural habitat.

Of special note was spending Saturday evening with Wendy Stinebaugh. She is such an inpsiration- in the past two years I have watched her progress from being in ICU at the Cleveland Clinic with a 0% chance of even living to being able to take her out to dinner just the two of us. What a change! She does use a wheelchair and an oxygen tank. I drove her car (yes she is back on the road too!)- and had to assist with the wheelchair but other than that she did it all herself. It was great to get to catch up 1-1. Whenever we have been together it has been with her parents there- and just being the two of us we could truly open up and be ourselves. I treasure her friendship and I know that God has special plans for her life.

It actually feels really good to be back to work today- strange huh?

Hope to hear from you all soon.

Glad to be home-

What a weekend--- I felt like I was on National Lampoon's Vacation.
For the most part I was miserable and frustrated. I even turned to alcohol to soothe my nerves. Then I get home and read Megan's BLOG about chemo therapy and realize that even with all my family frustrations I am truly blessed to have my health. I just really need to work at being honest with the family and myself and look out for what I need every now and again.

Off to the lake!

I will be leaving tomorrow for a 4 day weekend to Lake Erie. I am planning on lots of relaxation and good times. Now if the family doesn't get in the way all will be OK. I am looking forward to Saturday and spending time with Wendy Stinebaugh. We became good friends at Bluffton College - after graduation her heart condition worsened and she received a heart transplant two years ago now. It has been a really rough road for her- and many times I thought I was losing her. If you do not believe in miracles- then you should meet Wendy sometime.

Tired here and ready for bed- I will try to snap some good pictures to post on Monday.

Another day-

Truly just another day in the life and times of Andrew.
Nothing special to report. I did enjoy watching the space shuttle land this morning in California while I sipped on my coffee. I have always been fascinated by the space program, although I have no interest at all to even think about trying to go up there. It just is amazing to think about all the technology and and ingenuity that make space travel possible. I do agree that NASA needs to seriously reconsider the space shuttle program. They are an aging fleet of space vehicles and these high-drama flights (in-space repairs) are not good publicity.

On the weird side I watched a TLC special on a Romanian woman that had a 160 lb tumor removed from her back. It was bizarre to watch the surgery on the television. The doctors describe it as "medusa" like and non-human. The amazing part of the surgery was that it took huge amounts of blood donors to make it possible. They had 4 times the amount of blood that a normal human body has at any given point on site and ready to go. I guess the locals had all donated for this woman- many not even knowing her. That makes me wonder- would we as American's do the same thing? After 9-11 thousands of Americans gave blood - but that was after the worst terrorist attack ever. I am always hearing that the red cross is at critical need stage for donors. I just wonder if that woman had been in the USA would the Americans have rallied behind her as much? Just some food for thought.

Hope your day was great.

Tis better to give than receive???

I am so happy to be back in the office today- it was a very tiring weekend to say the least.
It was all about giving to others and having no "me" time. I spent all day Saturday entertaining the family and driving Mom and Miriam around to various shopping centers in Columbus. Seeing my nephew was fun- his 2nd birthday is this Thursday and he is just so full of life that it makes me tired!

Sunday was my final appearance for 2005 and maybe forever at the Baptist church in Kenton. I really don't like the direction that the chruch is taking. Very conservative and non-welcoming. I am not sure it is good to help churches that I don't agree with.

Dad did help me wash and sweep out my Jeep yesterday afternoon- but when I got back to Columbus I was so tired that I just crashed for about 2 hours- and then went to bed early.
That was about the only productive thing that I got done all weekend.

Quote of the day: "If you do not tell the truth about yourseld you cannot tell it about other people." -- Virginia Wolf.

Carpe Diem!

"Seize the moment before it's gone. For another day begins at dawn." - Clay Harrison.

Last night a group of us from the office went to a happy hour to celebrate with a co-worker who has resigned and is moving to Clearwater, FL. She and her husband have no jobs lined up. Don't have a place to live & are basically going back to where they used to live because the loved it there so much. She talked about how wonderful it was to walk on the beach at sunset and swim in the warm ocean waters. I asked her why she was doing this- and she replied- I just woke up and realized that I am living in corporate hell and I was so unhappy living in a cubicle that I had to get out before it really affected my mental health. I then questioned more and asked her if she will get back into insurance or the financial services industry in Florida- and she replied only if I have to. Our conversation then went on to discuss both of our passions for owning a small business and being our own boss. For working hard but loving what you do. Possilby not having alot but loving every minute of every day.

This has really started me thinking about what I am doing in life. Do I love what I do??? NO! I do like the comission checks when sales have been good!!
I want to start to do some exploring about living out my dreams and not sitting behind a desk.
It is likely I'll have to be in corporate America for a while longer- but perhaps I need to be bold and take some riks.

More thoughts on reacting to life.

"Your living is determined not so much by what life brings you as by the attitude you bring to life; no so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens." - Lewis L Dunnington.

I have a Franklin Covey day planner that I use at my office- and at the top of each day's page is a quote. This is the quote for today- and I found it very appropriate with the contemplation of life and its meaning in recent days. Life is funny like that isn't it???

I am really ready for this heat wave in Ohio to break- today is about the 4th day above 90 degrees. The weatherman keeps saying that we have low humidity- but none the less it is hot.

You could describe my movie viewing habits as behind the times for sure. Last night I rented a DVD for Joe and I to watch. It was National Treasure with Nicholas Cage. It was a cute PG/ Disney movie that had an interesting twist. Sometimes it is nice to not see movies in the Theater and pay the high prices but instead enjoy them cuddled on the couch with someone special.

Gotta get ready for the big family visit on Saturday. Berkley, Stella, Miriam, and Devan (aka Mom, Dad, Sis, and nephew) are invading my condo for a day of shopping, swimming, and pure family joy (in other words I will be drinking Saturday night). I really need to get my area rug back up in the living room- with no carpet at all- the room sounds like a gymnasium with the acoustics.

Hope you have a great day!

Life- a funny thing.

I just got an email from my good friend Laura who now lives in Bangledesh. Her uncle Fred passed away suddenly yesterday, I believe he was in his early 50's. Isn't it funny how fragile life is? Each day could be our last (especially if you have to drive the freeway to work).

I have been thinking quite a bit about how life is an endless chain of how we react to the punches that life throws at us. We can not always control what happens in our life- but we can control how we react to the circumstance. I am going to try my best to look at everything from a positive angle and attack life head on - and live to the fullest!

My heartfelt sympathies go out to the Ferguson family.

Quote for the day: "Being extremely honest with oneself is a good exercise."- Sigmund Freud.

Summertime Relaxation-

I took a few days off from posting and have relaxed. I spent quite a little bit of time in a deck chair lounging by the pool reading a good novel (thanks Megan for lending me the book- Naked by David Sedaris). The weekend weather was just perfect summer weather in Ohio and I took full advantage of it.

Friday morning I went kyaking alone on the Big Darby Creek. It was very tranquil and relaxing. I listened to nature and focused on getting my inner equilibrium back in check. I talked with God and we hashed some things out.. it was good.

Friday night we went to see Joe's favority singer- Joan Jett- it was OK... I could have lived without it but alas- you compromise. I did get a wonderful chair massage at the music festivals. A word of advice- always get massages when the massage therapist is drunk. I paid for 15 minutes but got closer to $45-- and she was really good.

The weekend was very very low key- more swimming and pool time, dinner with my friend Ray, church, and taking Trevor for a bath (the humane society had a $5 dog wash to raise money- so the pooch got cleaned!).

Work is the same as always- thank God that my sales are doing really well- or else I'd be up a creek.

Have a great day all.

Will this day ever end?

Today had just dragged and dragged- and I have come to believe that it will never end. I just hate days like this.

From looking at the day-planner and my outbox on the email- I can see that I accomplished a great deal- however I don't feel like it.

Sometimes I long for a job in manual labor- like mowing grass-- because at the end of the day you can see your physical accomplishments. When I survey my desk now all I see is a flurry of papers and headaches to attack tomorrow!

On a good note- I'm taking a vacation day tomorrow- so at least the stress of office life will be subdued until Monday!

Will this day ever end??

I found the song title-

See the previous post- but the song is "The Girl from Ipanema"

Here are the lyrics-

Tall and tan and young and lovely
The girl from ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah
When she walks, she’s like a samba
That swings so cool and sways so gentle
That when she passes, each one she passes goes - ooh
(ooh) but I watch her so sadly
How can I tell her I love her
Yes I would give my heart gladly
But each day, when she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead, not at me
Tall, (and) tan, (and) young, (and) lovely
The girl from ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, I smile - but she doesn’t see (doesn’t see)
(she just doesn’t see, she never sees me,...)

Now if that isn't a unique song- then what is???

Sappy Love Songs and the Mid-week blahs.....

The DJ at Megan's wedding playing a song I had not heard in a long time; True Companion by Marc Cohn. I had not really taken the time to listen to the words before the wedding. I looked them up on the internet this morning and was really drawn to the words:

"Baby i've been searching like everybody else. Can't say nothing different about myself. Sometimes i'm an angel And sometimes i'm cruel And when it comes to love I'm just another fool Yes, i'll climb a mountain I'm gonna swim the sea There ain't no act of god boy Could keep you safe from me My arms are reaching out Out across this canyon I'm asking you to be my true companion True companion True companion"

I think it is so funny that I love sappy love songs and Joe has no interest in them as he is such a rocker at heart (Iron Maiden, Kiss, Metallica, etc). Hopefully it is true that opposites do attract.

I think the lyrics really captured my thought and feeling on what I am searching for- a true companion -- someone to be there for me in the good and bad times of life.

I am not going to jump to conclusions at this point as to whether Joe is my true companion- I guess time will tell. We did have a conversation as to what "our song" would be - and he informed me that it is some oldies hit that totally cracked me up- however for the life of me I can't remembe the name- maybe the Girl From Ipo Nema??? I am horrible with song names. I was surprised that he rmembered that on our first date at the piano bar we went to for chocolate martinis that the singer was singing that song when we got there.

Other than that a rainy Wednesday in Ohio as I try to sell insurance- isn't my life riot??

Remodel 2005 Pictures-

You asked for them & here they are- pictures of the home remodeling projects. I will openly acknowledge my home is by no means ready for an issue of Home & Garden, but it has come a long way. If you have visited my humble abode before you will notice the drastic changes (no more yellow countertops, emerald green carpet, etc.) If you haven't visited just imagine the worst 1970's do it yourself home remodeling projects gone bad- Yikes! Please note Trevor was trying to model for you in the pictures.

Pretty much back to normal here- for the time being.

Last time about 10:30 PM I had the opportunity to instant message with my friend Laura in Bangledesh. It was great to be able to chat with her for free from half way around the world. What is weird is that for her it was about 8am on Tuesday morning and she had just gotten into her office and for me it was 10pm at night on Monday and I was getting ready to go to bed. Isn't technology great?


"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything ; but I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do." Edward Evertte Hale.

Pictures from the weekend

There is no place like home.

Just arrived home from the great Chicago / Wisconsin trip. First of all I had not quite figured out that this wedding was being held in the middle of God's cheese country on Earth. Megan had told me that it was an hour north of Chicago. From what I had experience with Chicago traffic in the past I figured it would be in the suburbs of Chicago.

The reality was that it was in a delightful little town along Lake Michigan. The room we had at The Best Western overlooked a cheese and bratwurst outlet. How appropriate right?
I had such a good time catching up with Megan, her friend Dawn, and meeting all her college and post-grad friends. To be honest I was a little nervous about taking Joe along as a date to the wedding. Everyone was so welcoming and took us both in. Joe quickly made friends with everyone- I thought the groom's mother might take him home with her and make him pancakes each morning.

The wedding was beautiful- simple and elegant on the shores of Lake Michigan. I was standing with all the rest of the groomsmen and they recited their vows and I could not look over at Megan and Matt without tearing up. So I looked out at the audience where Joe was smiling back at me and then I just lost it and let the tears of happiness rip. I am so happy for Megan and so happy to have Joe in my life.

The road trip was a unique experience for Joe and I- it was definitely an adventure. If you want to truly get to know your significant other my suggestion is to spend 12 hours in a car together- the good the bad and the ugly will all get out in the open. My favorite memory was driving from Ikea in Chicago to Wisconsin. I was driving and Joe had fallen asleep in the passenger seat. I was approaching the toll booth and thought the sign said $.50-- and I found 2 quarters and steering into the exact change lane. When I threw it in the collection box and the gate didn't open I saw the sign said $1.50 exact change only! Holy crap - I shook Joe awake and within seconds he jumps into the back seat of the Jeep and is rummaging through every piece of luggage we had on board. As I dig through the glove box. It was CHAOS but looking back it was hilarious.

OK- time for bed. I will try to write some more tomorrow.

Good night.

Hit the Road Jack-

Ready or not here we come Chicago! The car is packed and full of gas. Now if I just don't kill anyone at work today all should be smooth sailing from here.

Joe and I went to our final CAPA classic movie series film of the summer. It was a Hitchcock thriller called Vertigo. I really enjoyed it- a classic mystery film. I must say the ending was not at all what I had planned, didn't see that twist coming from any angle.

It was lonley around the house this morning as I had taken Trevor over to stay with Russell. They get along really well and even have a play date set with Trevors friend Katie for Saturday in the park.

I've been thinking alot lately about how quickly life passes by. It seems only yesterday that I was a kid planning out all my grand adventures of life. Here I am facing the big 30 this December and I think about what has all transpired in my time here on Earth. I don't want to world famous or have a page in the history books, but I do want to contribute to the world and make it a better place.

Quote for the day: "Everything has been figured out except how to live." -- Jean-Paul Sartre.

Mid-Week Catch- Up

Don't you just hate waiting for something that you know will be wonderful? It is like a kid waiting for Christmas morning so that you can finally see what Santa has brought you. That is how I am feeling about the big trip to Chicago / Wisconsin this weekend for the wedding. It should be lots of fun. The plan is to leave Columbus right after work tomorrow and drive straight to Chicago. Upon arrivals the plan is to down a Red Bull energy drink and hit the town for the night. Joe is all excited as he has never been to Chicago. The rest of the weekend is pretty much the routine wedding stuff (rehersal dinner, pictures, reception, etc.). The hotel is adjacent to the reception site- so there is no worries about driving home after a drink or two.

Last night was just bogged down with chores; laundry, grocery shopping, packing, paying bills, grooming the dog, etc. I wish that I could afford to hire someone to do all that crap that clogs up life. It is so tiring some days to come home from a long day at the office and realize how much work you have left to do.

I still have not yet figured out how to post pictures in this silly web log. I am thining of just getting an on-line photo album from some site (I think Yahoo has a service like that). Has anyone used a good one in the past? My plan is to get that up and running so that I can just publish the web link in here.

Today is wonderful outside- the perfect day outside- too bad I am a good employee and show up to work instead of calling off sick.

Have a great day.

Goodbye Emerald City-

The emerald green carpet that has glared its ugly face for 5 years and it is now gone! This means the home remodeling for 2005 has finished and life is slowly returning to normal. If there is such a thing. I need to wash the baseboards in the entire first floor and clean the new floors to get construction dirt and grime off of them. I am very happy with the results and can't wait to have friends and family stop by for a visit.

I just received good news from Megan in Chicago regarding her Hodgkin's disease. Apparently she is in stage 2- which is better than what she thought. Her health coverage through the University of Illinois will cover her treatments. So things are looking up.. now we just need to celebrate her wedding this weekend.

Last night was very busy with putting the living room back together, attending a meeting at chruch to select a new organist, and then I helped Joe move a piece of furniture out of the house & then to the Salvation Army donation site. Tonite is all about laundry and packing for the trip.

I am worried- nobody is posting any comments on my blog- I hope that my life ins't so boring that you are asleep by the end of my entries!

Have a great day.

"If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich." - John F. Kennedy.

The Simple Life-

Paris, oh Paris-- where is the Simple Life??? I don't believe Paris Hilton and Nicole Rithcie succeded in finding the simple life and neither have I. I keep wondering when this this whirlwind of chaos and madness that I call my existence slow down. Here it is July 18th and I still have the 2 books I purchased for "summer reading" and I have not even cracked them yet. I dream of a summer like the ones in those Countrytime Lemonade commericals. You know, lounging in a hammock under a large oak tree with an ice cold glass of fresh lemonade and a good novel in hand.

I was on the run go all day yesterday- I left the condo at 8am and got home at 12:00 midnite. Yikes! First was off to the good ole baptist church - where I only get more and more frustrated. Let me open this by saying that I attend a Reconciling United Methodist Church here in Columbus. We welcome ALL regardless of race, sex, or sexual orientation- we truly embrace the Methodist theme of Open Hearts Open Minds Open Doors. Ok- that being said- the deacon of the Baptist church gets up to talk about a vote they are having on July 31st- apparently the American Baptist Conference is trying to being an affirming and welcoming church for Gay and Lesbians (that's right folks- Baptists welcoming Gays and Lesbians???-- did Hell freeze over?). With that being said he states that the Kenton Church does not agree with this and if the denomination does welcome Gays and Lesbians that they will sever their association with them and become independent. I have livid from behind the organ. I realize that they are very conservative and mostly republican, but I didn't realize how homophobic they truly were. It was an upsetting moment for me. Later in the afternoon my dad was helping me wash my Jeep and we had a good conversation. I expressed my dislike for the direction of the church and explained how my church is welcoming to all and how wonderful it is. I also expressed my frim belief that we are all sinners and it is not for us as humans to judge which sins can be forgiven through God's grace and which can't. I was surprised when he agreed with me and told me that didn't like the direction that the church was going and was concerned. All and all it proved to be an interesting day.

After having a birthday dinner with my sister (her birthday is tomorrow) I can back to Columbus. Joe and I the went to the best drag show on the planet- Mary Ann Brandt. If you have never seen her shows you should go. I laughed until I cried and then laughed some more. It was just what I neeed after the Baptist ordeal earlier in the day.

Last night at the show Joe and I were talking about the week ahead and our trip to Chicago, about the Baptist ordeal, and my emotions dealing with Megan's recent diagnosis and I realized how lucky I am to have him in my life for support. I am a lucky guy!

Well- hopefully by this time tomorrow the new floor should be in living room- so the remodel will be done for 2005.

Saturday update.

It is hot and steamy in Ohio- summer has really arrived. I was just out sweeping my patio and it is so humind you practically tast the water on the air. NO FUN!

Trying to get the house together after all this remodeling is not fun- I will be very happy when this is all done and I can just have my home in one piece again. Today I loaded all the dishes back into the china cupboard. I didn't realize how much wine I had- a dinner party with lots of wine will be on the to-do list for sure!

I just talked with Megan from Chicago and she is so upbeat and full of life - even with the diagnosis of Hodgkins disease. If it can be beat Megan will do it. I have always said that I want Megan and I to enter the Amazing Race TV show (where you race around the world as a team to win 1 million dollars. Other that just being a great person to spend all that time with- Megan is out there to win and to her best. My prayers are still very much with her- but for now I am just focusing on making sure she has the best wedding possible next weekend.

Has anyone had any luck posted pictures to their blog?? I have tried and tried and tried with no luck. So if you want any recents pictures send me your email and I will be happy to provide.

Hope your weekend is going well.

Life- a funny thing.

Last night about 5pm as I was logging of the PC at work I got an email from one of my best friends in the entire world. She has been diagnosed with adult hodgkins lymphoma (aka hodgkins Disease) a week before her wedding in the Chicago area. I know that this disease is truthful and from the small amount of reading that I have done so far it sounds like the cure ratio is high with new technologies.

When something like this happens it really makes you stop and think about life and what is really important to you. It also brings to surface how much we are not in control of our lives, God is. It really emphasizes my quote of the day from yesterday, "Enjoy life- there are no re-runs."

Please keep my friend Megan, her fiancee Matt, and their family in your thoughts and prayers.

In other news- the home remodeling is on the home front- kitchen is done, bathroom is done, now the only remaining job in the laminate floor in the living room. So far it looks incredible.

Last night was very uplifting and fun for me. The Emmaus group from my church got together and prepared some supplies for the upcoming Emmaus women's walk at the end of July. I was mildly stressed because I was repsonsible for the project and securing enough supplies. The fellowship of good friends and the wonderful food was just what I needed.

TGIF- tonite Joe and I are going to the CAPA summer movie at The Ohio Theater to see a classic James Dean film "Rebel Without a Cause" - also know as the story of my life (ha ha ha). Tomorrow is pretty much going to be putting the condo back together and then moving everything out of the living room for Monday's flooring installation. Sunday my patio garden is on my condo community's garden tour- so I need to pull a few weeds and get that looking all spiffy. I also am playing the organ Sunday at First Baptist in Kenton, Ohio-- so it will be a whirlwind weekend once again.

Take care- and just when you thought you were safe - here is today's Quote;

"We have learned that power is a positive force if it is used for positive purposes."- Elizabeth Dole

Almost like Christmas

Coming home from work last night was so much fun- when I walked into the condo I was greeted by beautiful new countertops and a tile backsplash in my kitchen. I had dreamed of doing this project for over 5 years now (since I bought the place). Seeing it all done was like a dream come true. I guess it is just hard for me to believe that my 1970's era ugliest kitchen in America could look so good!! I am so happy that I decided to get all this remodeling done.

Then I visited two Lowe's stores trying to find more tile so the workers could finish the job today. Oh well- I stopped at UDF and had the most delicious non-fat peach froozen yogurt-- it was yummy to say the least!!!

I have a meeting tomorrow with the Vice- President of Life Insurance operations for Nationwide Insurance to discusss my career path. One side of me wants to VENT like no other and let him know how much lying, cheating, inside deals, and pure evil goes on in this organization (of course- when I got back to my desk I am sure I would be greeted by security and escorted from the building). So I have to focus on the positives and look to the future.

Berkley and Stella are shopping today at Tuttle Crossing Mall- so I will have lunch with the family- hopefully this will satisify their needs for parent/ child bonding for the week-- with the added bonus of a free lunch...

On the domestic side- I actually prepared some delicous homemade fat-free potato salad-- I was so impressed with myself- perhaps my inner- Martha Stewart is emerging!!

Quote for the day, "Enjoy life- there are no re-runs." -- Shirl Lowery (whoever she is- but i like the quote).

Make it a great day.

Is it Wed. already??

Is it just me or does the week go by incredibly fast?? Yikes. Home remodeling continues to go well (no surprises last night). The new hard wood (laminate) floor is installed in the dining room and I love it. The new tile floor in the bathroom is also great- I can't wait to get all the work done and enjoy the new digs! I will hopefully figure out how to post pitures on here soon so that you can see all the progress.

Other than that a fairly quiet night- attended a finance committee meeting at church and then ran to Lowes to get some supplies for the contractor.

Just about a week until the big trip to Chicago and I can't wait! Seeing Megan and getting a Jamba Juice smoothie all in the same weekend-- could life be better? I honestly don't know that they put in those things- but their smooties are AWESOME.

OK- here is your quote for the day:

"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shooting "Holy Shite... what a ride!!"

Have a great day!!!

Home remodeling- What fun-- NOT!!
Yesterday my contractor started to lay the new tile floor in the bathroom- and guess what he found-- rotten sub-floor. This equals a more expensive job than I expected- oh well I don't want to fall through my bathroom floor after I take a shower some time!!!
The tile laid so far looks really nice. In the kitchen the dishwasher has been relocated and I can already tell that the floor plan of the kitchen will be much more user friendly. I just hope that I don't get my place so nice that I don't want to leave and move downtown in a few years.

Joe was over for dinner last night- I made bbq pork chops using a chipotle lime marinade- they turned out really good. We also had farm fresh sweet corn and green beans. Very healthy and delicious!

Just Another day here at good old Nationwide- I hope I figure out what I want to be when I grow up soon.

Weekend Update-

What a delightful summer weekend- The weather was perfect here in Ohio- warm but not too hot. I enjoyed the pool and relaxing in a deck chair both days. My painting project for the carport roof is complete.

Berkley and Stella (aka the parents) came down yesterday... why can't my family be drinkers??? Some alcohol would surely help the situation of dealing with the stress of family togetherness. Don't get me wrong I love them dearly - but they get on my nerves.

The great home remodel of 2005 is underway- right now I have workers at the condo putting in new tile floor in the bathroom, new tile backsplash in the kitchen, relocating the dishwasher, new kitchen counters, and new floor in the kitchen and dining room! I'll post some pictures when I get it all done!

Joe was out of town all weekend- so I got some some needed "me time"- He is coming over for dinner tonite- Pork chops on the BBQ.

Here is quote I liked-
"Life is not complex. We are complex. Life is simple, and the simple thing is the right thing."--- Oscar Wilde

Ok- I did it- I am on Blog-

Hello everyone- I have done this. For good, for bad- you can now read all about my life and adventures!

I look forward to sharing with you all.