I am pretty sure that I will be the only person interested in what I have to say... I guess I am truly jealous of anyone that has their 15 minutes of fame (read: reality television shows), but I cannot be edited by big corporations to fit their story lines. I would say or sell their products, but maybe I can get a sponsor.
Thursday, December 30, 2004
New Sheets and a New guitar
Well, Santa brought us a set of new sheets, I think the thread count is something like 12,000 or whatever. I have never had anything like that before. At any rate, the new guitar kit is purchased, as is a pearloid pick guard and volume and tone knobs. I am trying to score some cool pickups too, but we'll see how that all goes. Today we got the renewal stickers for the Pontiac, did the laundry, got a new pair of jeans, a sweater and new pillows, then we met Paul for lunch. We're going to watch the Milwaukee Admirals tonight as they take on the Hamilton Bulldogs. Let's Go Admirals!
Yesterday we spent the day in Chicago with our nieces. What a great time. It really was. I even got to see a few things I hadn't seen before! Today we are off to Appleton to visit Dan's brother and his family. I am looking forward to it! To me, this is the best part of the holidays... spending time with family.
I don't know how I let this one slip by... My Unca Joe and Aunt Maureen sent me Sea Monkeys! I have been thinking about Sea Monkeys for awhile... see this link. Thanks Unca Joe! Thanks Aunt Maureen! Or maybe a should say... TANKS!
...And the bells are ringing out for Christmas Day
It's here! Christmas Day is finally here. I am truly blessed and I am thankful for all that I have. We spent yesterday with my family, in one way or another. Christmas is a great way to show others your love for them, whether it is through a card or a thoughtful gift. The best part is knowing that what you have done has touched someone in a special way. I may not be the best at saying it, at least not without a bit of help, so I try to do it with gifts and cards. I will have to try to continue the spirit all year long.
Dan is wonderful, kind, understanding and caring, I am certainly thankful for him. I have said it before and I will say it again, I have family who are like friends and friends who are like family. Thank you my friends. Merry Christmas
Friends, Billy Squier was right. Christmas is the time to say "I love you." It doesn't need to be with fancy or expensive presents. I think Christmas can be the exclamation point on entire year's worth of love, with friends, family and other people who touch your life. With that said, I am truly excited about Christmas. I can't wait to spend the day with my family. Certainly there are others who I want be able to be with, that stings a little bit. But I am fortunate that I have so many dear friends and family.
Well Friends, the next guitar should be ordered within 2 or 3 days. I am excited. It's going to be a Telecaster style. Simple, yet cool. I've never owned a Tele. I think the next will certainly be a Les Paul style. The Tele that we'll build will stay with us, so I am going to have to make sure it is something that I will always want to live with. I'll take suggestions if you have any. This is only experiment number two.
Well, we have just about all of them wrapped up. One or two more gifts and that's it. I have a few things to take care of over the next couple of days and then I will be relaxing until after the New Year holiday. This has been a year of some stress and strain, yet growth for me. I have come to learn quite a bit about myself and those who are closest to me. I also learned that I am not always so sure of myself, and that's not always real good, nor is it always real bad. I need to have a little more faith in myself. Who'd like some frozen pizza?
Well Friends, here we are again. I have had quite a week since our last visit. Long days... some stressful, others not so much. Even when it is stressful, I can find something that makes it less so. I have plenty of diversions. Some real, some imagined. Whatever gets you through the night. I am looking forward to the weekend. A blues jam, hanging around with babies, holiday cheer. This is a great time of year. I missed the Charlie Brown special tonight, even though I knew it was going to be on. Well, it's been on for nearly 40 years now, I think it is safe to say that I can catch it next Christmas. I am fairly content at this time. I have a number of things to be thankful for and to look forward to. I am lucky.
Nobody else thinks that a rodeo riding monkey is funny? It makes me laugh every time I think about it.
At any rate, we are down to four presents on the Christmas list, and it has been fun picking things out for people. I really do enjoy that part. What I wish was that I could be with all of those folks when they open their gifts. That's the best part, especially when you know that the gift is "just right."
I had another appointment on Friday. I had a breathing treatment and x-rays of my lungs. The breathing treatment was really something. When the nurse leaves and says "You might get a little jittery... that's normal." For crying out loud, I felt like I had the DTs. Then after the x-rays, there I am alone in the dark with the dim glow of my lungs to keep me company. Just staring at my lungs. It's amazing, you spend your whole life with your internal organs, but you never (God willing) see them. I was fascinated. I was also busy looking for anything that didn't look normal. How would I know, right? Well, you know my friend, it didn't take too long before I figured out that I shouldn't be looking for things, because I am not trained in such matters. Better to leave it to the professionals. Well, it must have all looked okay because they didn't jump back when they were looking at them. So now I have three different medicines... all for this horrible cough.
We went to the big city to watch the Bucks and the Pacers. The Bucks did well. Normally, the NBA is not my thing, but I wanted to try it out.
In other news, I went back to the Doctor today. Breathing treatments and x-rays, more medicine to off-set my symptoms. I have another appointment coming up. I just don't want to be feeling yucky any more.
The rest of the weekend should be fun. I already know what I am having for lunch on Saturday. Boneless wings, my friend. I love wings, I love hot sauce. This is great. I don't think I will be able to sleep!
We still have a bit of Christmas shopping to do. Better take care of that my friend. Saturday morning will be easy living... no getting up at the crack of dawn this morning.
Well Friends, the tree is wrapped and most of the presents are wrapped... the ones that we have here anyhow. We have a few more gifts to get. I think that this is the earliest that we have gotten this much done. I am really looking forward to this holiday season. I know that there will be a lot of good that comes out of it. Just about 12 days to the big vacation. I do have a number of things to take care of between now and then, but that will just make the time go faster. I'll be glad to have some time to relax and time to be with my family and friends as we are able to. I only hope that we will have some snow soon and that we'll have some in time for Christmas. It just isn't quite the same without it. Hard to believe theat we are here in Wisconsin in December and it has only snowed once.
Frankly my friend it has been a busy few days since Sunday. There's been a lot of one thing and not quite enough of the other. Although it has been busy, it has been inspiring. I really like being around people who have creative and positive energy. I don't like being around people who are negative and only want to talk about what went wrong and what is not good. That really saps me. Fortunately I was with people who were able to help me get over that. I like having people around who I like and respect on all levels. I like getting to know those people.
I am sorry that this is a short post, but I feel the need for rockin' guitar speed... I want to do more of that. There are some projects that I would like to do over the next three months. One is build another guitar (I know that I keep talking about it), two is to become the Axe Wizard of Walworth County (present company excepted, Adrian Belew) and three is to have fun.
Well my Friend, I fell asleep on the couch last night. I was watching the Real World/Road Rules Challenge and flipping to MSNBC Investigates "Locked Up." Interesting combination of shows, I know. Today will be an interesting combination of activities, as will the next few days. It has been busy since May, but you know what my Friend? I will be on vacation in just 15 or 16 days (depending on how you count it) and I will be glad to have the time. Relxation on the Vacation, that's I'm talkin' about, Friend.
In hockey news, both the Milwaukee Admirals and the Wisconsin Badgers won. That's good for us. The Admirals are just behind Grand Rapids and the Badgers are in first place in the WCHA. I'd like to be in first place.
Still have some Christmas shopping and wrapping to do. I know it is a bit early, but it sneaks up on you... quicker than look at you, my Friend.
Tonight we were going to watch the Grinch. Something got all goofy with the tv listings and weren't we surprised to turn the channel just in time for the ending credits of the Grinch. Now, we are talking about the original Grinch my friend. Not whatever the other thing is. However, that does mean that we will continue to watch Bucky versus UM-Duluth hockey game. So far, it is working out for the good guys. But there is another 20 minutes of hockey to be played my friend. Still looking forward to the holidays... although there is a lot to do before they get here.
Well friend, in lieu of the $50.00 Taco Bell Challenge, I attempted to eat 2 dozen chicken wings at Chili's. I don't think I have to tell you that I put forth my best effort. However a side of fries and chapped lips don't do much to set the stage for success in the situation. I gave up at 16. What can I say? They were only $.25 each, on account of it was happy hour. I must tell you though my friend, those folks didn't look all that happy. 9:00pm on a Thursday night... not too much happening. Where we live there isn't a big after work crowd trickling in from their cubicles and office parks near the mall. No, that just isn't the case here.
Then you know what happened after that? We went on over by Kohl's on account of they were having a 50% off sale and plus they were open until 11:00 tonight. Well, don't you know that I came home with two pairs of shoes, two pairs of pants, two sweaters, a shirt, and one of those sweater deals that looks like you have a shirt on underneath it, but really its' just a collar and sleeves sewn into the sweater deals. I was also in need of new socks, so guess what? I got some.
I look forward to the electric bill. Perhaps it is because it is the only bill that we have that seems to go down. Every month I find that we have reduced our electricity usage, usually by a good 40 or 50 kilowatt hours -- whatever those are. Sure, the credit card bills and the student loan bills and the car loan balance all go down to, just not at as fast a rate as the electric bill. So my friend, there's another goofy thing that I have disclosed on my blog. No, it isn't demented and twisted -- it's not anything glamorous either.
