Chronicles: Alan B. Rowley II - Success Warrior - ECoach - P90X

Me-Me Monday: Old & New and Tracy Lawrence and Chris Isaak

Today's meme is from Friday5 again.

1. What makes you feel old?

Sleep.  The desire to sleep.  Especially when that desire over-rides the desire for sex.  I think that's a definite sign that I'm getting old.  10 years ago, there is no way that I would have told a totally hot well-endowed nekkid blond that I was too tired.  Now, it's mumbled as I fall unconscious while my head sinks into the pillow.  That's old.

2. What makes you feel young?

Just about everything else.

Rolling Thomas the Train back and forth on the floor in JC Penney's lingerie section.  Watching Spongebob with Trey.  Running faster and lifting more than people half my age.  Feeling like I have a bright future full of endless possibilities.

3. What was better when you were allowed to do it the old way?

Nothing really. 

I did like it when my friends lived close to me.  I have friends scattered across the country and thanks to the miracle of the Internet, I'm able to keep in constant contact with them. 

4. What's better now that you do it the new way?

News via the Internet.  I'll never get news from the TV ever again.  Never.  Ever.

UnderArmour.  Love it.  Much better than the old t-shirt.

5. What's something you are old school about?

Opening the car door for my wife.  Opening doors for women, kids, and the elderly.  Saying "thank you".  Talking face to face instead of by phone or through a drive-thru.  Personal responsibility.

Lots of things that have gone out of style. 

I don't think all the blame can be put on people for these things going out of style.  There has been a movement to enslave everyone so people feel more rushed, less helpful, less community.  One person used to be able to bring in enough money to raise a family.  Now it takes two people working a couple jobs plus picking up overtime where they can if they want anything extra.

I don't believe this is in any way an accident but I'm not going to go into it now.

Me-Me Monday: 5 Things I Like

Today's meme is from Take 5 Tuesday:

5 of your favorite words -

Interesting question.  It's one of the reasons why I chose this meme.  I've never given any thought to any favorite words.

"Dude" will have to be one.  I use it a lot in my comedic blogs and comments.

"Definitely" is something that I type up a lot.  I seldom took a stand before blogging but I find myself doing it more and more.  There are some things that just are.

"Girl" will need to be on the list.  It's what I call Tia when it's just me and her.

I'll throw "Spartacus" onto the list for similar reasons.  I've been calling Trey Spartacus since before he was born.  I used to talk to him through the stomach wall.

Allow me to go off on a tangent here while I'm thinking about that time of his life.  He used to get the hiccups a lot before he was born.  It was the funniest thing to see Tia's stomach bounce over and over when he hiccuped.  I can't help but smile when he gets the hiccups now because of the memories.

"Dammit!"  It's my cuss word.  I don't use profanity except for this word.  Sometimes as a joke and sometimes for real.  Tia and Trey have picked up on it and both of them say it.  That's may end up being my legacy.

"Dammit!  Here lies Success Warrior."

Me-Me Monday: Guilty Pleasures

Today's meme is from Friday Fun and it's all about guilty pleasures.

One thing you should know about me before we start is that I don't do guilt.  I don't believe in it.  To me, feeling guilty is putting other people's expectations above mine.  Quite frankly, my expectations are high enough and are exactly in line with how I want my life to go.  I don't need to put anyone else's expectations on top of that.  That being said, let's move on to the meme with the idea that these are special treats that I don't feel guilty about but don't do often.

1. Food - Pizza.  I don't enjoy it like I used to but I still enjoy it.  Maybe because it triggers memories.  I don't know.  Ricky T and I used to eat pizza quite often and I became the master of pizza slice flipping.  Once again, I apologize to the bald guy that I hit on the top of the head with the piece of sausage.  I did make the catch on the double flip though, if that's any consolation and Pizza Hut didn't ban me from their restaurant.  Rick and I were probably there best customers.

Me-Me Monday: Spring

Today's meme was borrowed from 3 X Thursday:

1. Do you like the season of Spring? What does 'spring' mean where you live?

It's my favorite time of the year. 

Spring here means an end to cold.  My grass is turning green.  My roses are starting to bud.  I have daffodils that are blooming.  My lilacs in the back are starting to show a bit of purple. 

For Trey, it means that he'll get to play outside.  He can play baseball and ride his bike.

For me, it means energy.  I am solar powered.  Praise be to Ra. 

2. Do you have a favorite part of Spring? If so, what is it? Why?

My favorite part of spring is my optimism.  My whole attitude changes as the weather turns warm.

3. Do seasons in general mean much to you? Why/why not?

To me, the seasons mean, "Don't panic."  Everything goes in cycles.  You have to ride those cycles as best you can.  There are going to be times that you really enjoy and there will be times that you simply endure.  Take time to really enjoy the people and events that cycle into your life.  Eventually they will cycle back out.  They will return or be replaced in the next cycle.

Me-Me Monday: TV

Borrowed from PTE Rick.

1.  Name 3 bad things about TV.

- Most of the crap on TV is crap.  Okay, I probably don't have the experience necessary to make that judgment call but from the previews of shows I've seen, I'm sticking with my evaluation.  Final answer.

- Commercials.  I would probably watch more TV if there weren't any commercials.  Currently, I watch an hour a week and that's all the commercials that I can stand.  Not only do I feel they are wasting my time, but some I don't understand, and some I just shake my head and wonder if people really buy into the stupidity.

- The average American watches 4 hours of crap and commercials per day.  After work, commute, showers, eating, and sleeping, that seems like all the rest of a person's daily allowance of time.  And they obviously fall for the stupidly materialistic commercials or companies wouldn't make them.

succesMe-Me Monday: Random Stuff

Another meme borrowed from Mrs. Chili (and I remembered to link to her blog this time).

1. What bill do you hate paying the most?

Any of them that charge interest.

2. Where was the last place you had a romantic dinner?
Sad as this may be but I can't remember the last romantic dinner we had.  We had plans for Valentine's Day but that was changed by friends dropping in. 

3. Do you own a guitar?
No.  I was tempted to go buy one just so I could answer yes to this question.

4. Name of your first grade teacher?
You're kidding right.  I can't remember what happened two days ago and I've been to about 14 different schools.  5th or 6th grade was Mr. C.  Cvatanich or something?  Best teacher I ever had.

5. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
Yes but not as a patient.

6. Do you own a piggy bank shaped like a pig?
No.  Mine looks like a large Pepsi can.  A held over idol from my cop days.  Mountain Dew was nectar of the gods but I favored Pepsi. 

7. How many colleges did you attend?
Two, so far.  Many more to come, I'm sure.

Me-Me Monday: Manly Answers to Manly Questions

Here's a meme specifically made for guys by Mrs. Chili.

1. Boxers? Briefs? Boxer briefs? Thongs? Commando?

Is this a meme or a sleazy chat session?  I answered this one in last week's meme.

2. What’s your fussiest personal care routine?

I trim my pubic hair into different animals each month like the bushes at Disneyland.  This month's mascot is the giraffe.  Hello Mr. Giraffe.

3. Do you have a favorite tool? Power or manual?

Well, the obvious answer is too obvious so my answer is going to be my cordless drill (which could still be the obvious answer, I suppose, for those of you with your minds in the gutter).

4. Can you change your own oil? Do you?

That's a big negatory in both cases.  I have inherited my father's mechanical expertise (none) and added to that my mechanical desire (none) and come up with complete incompetance when it comes to cars.

5. What’s the “manliest” thing you do on a regular basis?

Pee standing up.  In morse code.  Long stream, short stream, long stream.  Short stream, long stream, short stream.  Long stream . . . sorry, need to go drink more before I can continue the message.

6. What’s something “manly” that you never learned how to do?

Change the oil in my car.

7. Do you ever cry? If so, what’s your trigger?

Yes.  Trigger: Clay Walker music.

Me-Me Monday: Stuff You Probably Don't Care About

Here's a meme I've seen on a few different blogs.  The last one being on Sister Mary Lisa's blog.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yes.  I was named after my father.  My son is named after me and my daughters have my initials.  I haven't decided if that's cool or pretty darn freaky.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Well, let me go check in my cry diary and see when that was.  What the hell?  I have no freakin' idea.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? I suppose that it suits its purpose.  If it I didn't like it, I would change it.  It's a weird collection of print, cursive, and special characters, mixed within sentences and sometimes within a single word.  I do prefer to type though because sometimes even I have a hard time reading what I wrote.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Chicken breast.  No bread or anything else.  Just the chicken.

5. HAVE YOU ANY CHILDREN? No.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Probably. We have a lot in common.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Never.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? I haven't look lately so I can't be sure.  There was that one morning where I woke up in a bathtub full of ice but I still had my kidneys so I'm not really sure what that was all about.  My mom threatened to have them taken out when I was a kid because I had strep throat so much.  Maybe she drugged me and followed through on her threat.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Yes, if my attempt to disarm the guy holding a gun on me failed, I might jump to avoid being shot.  Avoid being shot until the stupid rubber band brought me back up so the guy had a second chance, and third, and fourth. 

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Never eat the stuff.  I used to like Honey Grahams but the last time I ate them (7 years ago, - yes, as a matter of fact, I do have a cereal diary, why do you ask? - ), I got incredibly sick.  It appears that one needs a gall bladder in order to eat Honey Grahams.  I was fine with them before but after was not pretty.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Yes, now that the 80's are over.  I was one of those guys that wore high tops unlaced.  Not sure what that was all about.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? I suppose it's all relative.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Only eat it a couple of times a year and I let Tia and Trey pick.  They usually pick ice cream sandwiches.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Body condition.  I size up their physical threat to me and those around them.  If they do look like it would be hard to take them out, I look for possible weaknesses, just in case.

15. RED OR PINK?  Blue.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?  My poor memory.

17. DOG OR CAT PERSON?  Dog, of course.  Dog meaning a canine animal that you do not have to bend your knees in order to pet.  Anything smaller might as well be a cat.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO DO THIS MEME?  Yes.  In fact, I'm going to write my congressman about getting a bill put in place that would require everyone with computer access to do this meme.  The bill will also include language that would give everyone internet access.

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?  Gray pants.  Black shoes.  Why do you ask?  I have changed clothes since knocking off the c-store if you were trying to trick me into giving you a matching description.

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?  Chicken breast and an apple.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?  The voices in my head all yelling out different answers to these questions.  Sometimes it's hard to pick and I usually go with the one that sounds the most threatening.

22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?  The one that best suit the purpose at hand.

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?  Rain.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU SPOKE TO ON THE PHONE?  Either my wife or my assistant.  They call the most so odds are on them.

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO MADE YOU DO THIS STUPID MEME?  Of course, or I wouldn't have listed her at the top.

26. WHICH SPORT DO YOU ENJOY WATCHING MOST?  NFL.

27. HAIR COLOR?  Whose?  Mine is brown if that's what you're asking.

28. EYE COLOR?  Brown or green or gray depending on the weather, my mood, and my clothes.

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACT LENSES?  No.

30. FAVORITE FOOD?  A tender, medium rare steak grilled on my barbeque, eaten on a warm summer evening with my wife.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?  If you mean happy endings like certain massage therapists give, I'd have to go with that.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?  Half of Big Trouble in Little China.  "Like Jack Burton always says . . ."  Why half?  See answer #39.

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?  Gray.  Are you doing some kind of psyche evaluation on me?

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Spring.

35. HUGS OR KISSES?  Hugs are nice but it really depends on the parts of the body that are being kissed.

36. FAVORITE DESSERT?  Some of those x-rated kisses.

37. DAWN FRENCH OR CAROL BURNETT?  What kind of choice is that.  I pick Elizabeth Hurley.

38. SPAGHETTI OR LASAGNA? TACOS OR BURRITOS? HAMBURGERS OR HOT DOGS? Spaghetti, tacos, and hamburgers.  Not usually all in the same meal.

39. WHAT BOOK(S) ARE YOU READING NOW?  I'm in the middle of about half a dozen books.  Did I mention that I have attention deficit - look something shiny.

40. WHAT’S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? My mouse.

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?  Nothing.

42. FAVORITE SOUND?  Rain.

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles.

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?  About 30,000 feet. 

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?  See questions 35 and 36.

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?  Puerto Rico.

47. WHY DO YOU DO MEMES?  Ironically, I started doing them because they would supposedly give my brain a break but I have found that to not be true.

48. BOXERS OR BRIEFS?  Briefs.  I like my stuff to stay right where I put it.  I don't want to go hunting around when I'm trying to pee.  "I know I left it here somewhere."  Just to complete the whole "what your clothes say about you" thing, the ones I'm wearing while typing this are gray.

49. CANDLES OR INCENSE?  It depends on what kind of lead I think I need ahead of the arson investigator.

50. MOUNTAIN CABIN OR BEACH HOUSE?  How about a mountain cabin near the beach?  Why limit myself?

Meme: Lifelines

I have to get going to the store.  We have a family party today and I have been asked to bring my football dip (a chili queso kind of concoction) so we need to get up to the store and then get back to make it so we can get to the party and eat way-way too much.

So I'm doing an easy to answer meme from Friday 5 today.

If you were on a game show and could phone a friend for help, who would your lifelines be for sports, arts & music, literature, history and geography, and science?

Sports: my brother-in-law Michael.  We were playing a game at a family party a while back and came across a sports question about women's soccer.  He was in another room watching football so we just yelled the question to him and he yelled the answer back and he was right.
Arts & Music: tough one, probably go with my dad by default.
Literature: my dad.  He has read more books than anyone I know.
History and geography: my dad.  A lot of those books were about history and geography.
Science: PTE Rick.  I used this lifeline a couple of times when I was taking physics last year.

When you need someone with muscles to help you with a task, who’s the first one you call?

Nick.  One of my karate students.  He's strong and always willing to help out.

When you need some creative help with ideas for a project, who’s the first person you call?

My wife.  I usually write but if I need to get some thoughts clear enough to jot them down, I'll talk to her.  I will explain things out and she asks questions and it forces me to be more clear.  Then I head for the computer and type it up.

When you have a moral dilemma and need advice, on whom do you rely most?

Jesus.

Yeah, just kidding.  The guy causes more confusion than anything.  Not that I blame him because I don't think he had any idea all the crap that people were going to write about him and all the weird ideas that were going to become "laws".  Poor guy gets a bum rap.  He probably turns over in his grave everytime someone uses his name to further their own personal agenda.

The real answer is that I can't remember the last moral dilemma I had.  Life is pretty clear cut for me.  I focus on taking care of my family and not interfering with other people's lives. 

For advice, I usually talk to my wife and we explore different aspects of situations.  She's studying psychology so she's a great choice.  She has a strong sense of what is right and wrong without forcing her right and wrong onto other people.

When you need to know the best way to get somewhere, which of your directionally-gifted friends do you call upon first?

Yahoo! Maps.

5 Reasons Why I'll Vote For Ron Paul

As promised, and without any other introduction, here are my answers to this meme:

#1 - The Iraq War, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia, China, and anyone else that the US is about to attack

Just about everyone acknowledges that we were lied to in order to gain support for Bush to illegally attack Iraq.  Caught up in the 9/11 furor, we allowed it to happen.  Realizing now that the whole war is built upon gaining control of oil in the Middle East (unfortunately not for us but so that oil companies can get 12% off of all Iraq oil sold around the world), 70% of Americans want us to get out.  We have said so.  We have voted so.

The response, instead of the requested withdrawal, has been to put us on the verge of war with Iran.  This time though, it doesn't look like the world is going to let us just walk in and try to seize someone else's country.  The lie being told to us this time is that we are trying to stop Iran from getting a nuclear missile.  To do this, we are willing to challenge Russia and China.  Isn't there anyone in Bush's administration smart enough to pass on a little tip to Neo-Napoleon?

"Pssst.  Mr. President, China and Russia *do* have nuclear missiles.  Maybe we shouldn't piss them off."

We don't have the manpower to control Iraq so how are we going to control Iran too?  A draft?  No.  We've been assured by the candidates that there won't be a draft and yet the Universal National Service Act (a fancy name for draft) was submitted again this year.  The beautiful thing about the UNS is that it conscripts people into government service but not necessarily into the military.  So while you and I (because they can take people up 42 years old) will be over in Iran killing people that are trying to defend their country, the sons and daughters of politicians and the rich will be helping disaster victims in California.  How cool is that? 

Ron Paul wants to pull our troops out of Iraq and doesn't want to go to war with Iran.  He points out, quite rightly, that there are lots of people that have nuclear missiles.  We don't attack them all (yet).  It's obvious that the nuclear threat is a cover for what W really wants.  Ron Paul also points out that the people in the Middle East wouldn't be so pissed at us if we would just come home and let them sort out their own problems.  Our president is sacrificing the lives of Americans so that a few people can go from being filthy, stinking rich, to being filthy, stinking rich beyond what the mind can comprehend.  Can you imagine the amount of money that 12% of all Middle East oil sold would amount to?  Neither can I?  Trillions per year.  I can't even fathom what a trillion dollars looks like.  Is it worth sacrificing 5,000 soldiers so far and many, many more than that if we invade Iran?  Ron Paul says no and I happen to agree with him.

I threw Pakistan in there, not because we are going to war with them (yet), but because it shows the hypocrisy of the current administration.  We are supposedly in the Middle East not to defend ourselves (well, except now we are again from Iran - you know, which ever excuse is handy) but to "spread democracy" and yet we are sending billions of dollars to support a military dictator who has just seized control of the country. 

Ron Paul would stop sending money to Musharraf.

Money that we don't have, by the way, and that brings up the next point.

5 Reasons Why I Blog

I saw this meme in CV Rick's blog yesterday and thought I would write up my answers.  I thought about just copying and pasting his answer here because they are so similar but thought maybe it was best if I actually put forth the effort to put it in my own words (except for some of the headings).

#1 - It's About The Writing

Writing is part of my life and has been for a long, long time.  Following through with my writing has not been part of my life, ever.  I used to write tons when Rick and I were swapping stories.  When we quit, I quit.  I knew that I was supposed to be writing.  I could feel that I was supposed to be writing.  I would even jot down ideas that I could write about but I never actually put the words down.  When I discovered blogging a few years ago, it seemed like a natural fit.  I was writing and I could tailor it to my short attention span.  I could switch topics every single day.  I also found out something very important.  People liked what I wrote.  I switched how I blog recently because I felt it was taking too much time to do two posts per day.  My plan was to write one post that took some thought and then just write a little blurb in the other blog, maybe some side thoughts about the post.  What has happened so far is that I'm still writing two posts a day.  I have to face the fact that I just love words and love writing.

Me-Me Monday on a Tuesday again: Whereabouts

From Tina's Tuesdays:

On a Tuesday morning, you can be found where?

At home.  Some cardio in the morning and then working on the computer.

On Friday evening, where are you and what are you doing?

At the casino dealing with drunks or maybe at the Concert Hall watching drunks watch singers.

What is your Sunday like from the moment you get up to the time you go to bed?

I get up and spend about an hour at the casino making sure my day shift knows who I am and what they are doing.  I come home and check my email, catch up on a couple of blogs (reading), and then write my blogs.  Trey and I usually play for a bit.  In the early afternoon is P90X, followed by a shower, and some food.  Next is a coaching session and then it's off to the casino again making sure that all the paperwork is ready for Monday when the HR people come in.  I come home, hit a few sets of weights and call it a night.  This was kind of a shortened down version because I do other things (like pee) on Sundays but some of it changes around and some is tmi.

Me-Me Monday: Games of Chance

Here's a meme borrowed from Friday 5:

Given as a percentage, approximately what are the chances that there is a french fry somewhere in your car? If you do not own a car, what are the chances that there is a french fry somewhere in the car you most frequently ride in?

0%.  Surprising, I know.  Now, ask about the odds that there is a Pepperidge Farms Fish cracker.  =)

Given as a percentage, approximately what are the chances that you will eat ice cream sometime in the next four days?

0%.  Another surprise.  I did have ice cream on July 24th though.  A huge ice cream cone in a waffle cone that was apparently big enough to last me the rest of the summer.

Given as a percentage, approximately what are the chances that you’ll get a personal, handwritten greeting in the mail sometime in the next week?

I would have to go with zero again.  People don't seem to use mail much anymore.  That's a topic that I'll be covering down the road a bit.

Given as a percentage, approximately what are the chances that there will be rain in your neighborhood within the next forty-eight hours?

I heard that's it's supposed to rain here on Wednesday but who knows.  I'll go with 75%.

Given as a percentage, approximately what are the chances that in the next twenty-four hours, you will be in the same room as a naked person other than yourself?

100%.  Now we're talkin'!

Me-Me Monday - A Meme Without a Theme

I think that today I will practice the art of meming without meming.

Me-Me Monday: Six Weird Things - Number 6

This is Fred (in case the hat wasn't enough clue for you).

This is the only known picture of Fred.  He doesn't like his picture taken because of his nose deformity.  He's self concious about it.  He was out catching some rays this morning and fell asleep so I snuck out and snapped a quick picture.  Luckily, he never checks this blog so I'm probably going to get away with it.

Many of you know that I have said that Rick is my oldest friend.  That's not quite true.  Rick is my oldest human (or subcategory there of) friend.

Fred and I met when I was 5 years old and living in Oakland (and yet he's a 49er fan but that's out of spite since I'm a Rams fan and that rivalry has been going on for ages).  I went to a carnival and played this game where you take a softball and have to somehow throw it through a hole the size of a baseball.  You know the type of game I'm talking about.  The kind that no one wins but that the carnie can do because he's two feet closer and has practiced for thousands and thousands of boring hours.

Me-Me Monday: Six Weird Things - Number 5

Yes, I know it's Tuesday but if you read yesterday's post, you understand.  If you didn't read yesterday's post, shame on you.  Go read it now.

Here's #5.

I always put my right shoe on first.  There are no exceptions to this rule and I have done so since I was a teenager.  That's a long time to keep a streak going, I know.  I have walked around carrying the left shoe while looking for the right shoe on those occasions when Trey has tried to fill dad's shoes.  Sooner or later, one of them falls off and he doesn't really care where that happens at.  If the game is over, he just leaves the shoe and moves on to the new game.

When I was about 14 years old, I head that it was bad luck to put your left shoe on first so I never did it again.  I've had some pretty bad things happen in my life and I can't imagine how terrible it all would have been had I slipped up and put the left shoe on first, especially on a day when it all hit the fan.

Speaking of luck, when I was about 8 years old and living up near Bremerton Washington, I found a four leaf clover.  I brought it home and showed my mom.  She cut out a piece of wood in a decorative shape, painted it, place my school picture for that year on the wood along with the four leaf clover and covered it with some kind of clear lacquer.  She put a little ornate ring at the top so that it could be hung on a wall.

It's hanging in a place right now where I can see it.  There is a small chip on one corner from the little board being dropped once but the picture and the four leaf clover are still in tact.

Me-Me Monday: Six Weird Things - Number 4

I see the future so much that I have a hard time hearing the past.

I have noticed two very major aspects of how my brain works.  I retain information better if I process it visually and I'm always looking to the future.

If you tell me something, there's a good chance that I'm going to forget it.  Not complete conversations because I tend to take in principles and may remember bits and parts of conversations but if you just said, "We have a meeting next Thursday at 2pm," don't expect me to be there.  =)

It really used to bother me but what I have found is that I enjoy my visualness and my future orientation and I wouldn't trade them for a better memory.  I just do things to keep memory and auditory from negatively affecting me.

Me-Me Monday: Six Weird Things - Number 3

I have a coat fetish.  It's under control but it's always there.  I like coats.  I like all types of coats.  I own all types of coats although I recently got rid of some.

You see, the weird part about this is that I don't like to wear coats.  Never have.

When I was a cop, people thought I was crazy to be out in zero degree weather without a coat but that's how I preferred it.  Unless I was going to be out of my car for a long time directing traffic around some smacktard who thought that 4WD means they magically have more traction than everyone else on the icy road, I didn't wear my coat.

So, I had (and still have quite a few) a bunch of coats hanging in the closet that I never wore.

I have gotten a little better by getting rid of some of the coats and now in the winter, I usually wear a coat to work.  It's step.  The counseling must be working.

Me-Me Monday: Six Weird Things - Number 2

This goes along the lines of Number 1.  It's more things that I have never consumed.  I listed the drug one by itself because I had a good story for it.  The rest of these don't really have much of a story behind them.  I just haven't tried them.

Beer, tobacco, and coffee.

Why?

Don't like the smell, don't like to die, don't like the smell.

Me-Me Monday - Six Weird Things: #1

I was reading through Sideon's blog and came across the post about 6 weird things.  I thought it was interesting and thought it might be interesting to give it a try myself.  The difficult part is probably in trying to decide what's weird.  It all seems normal to me.  =)

I'll do one now and if I think of more I'll add them later.  I'm using the other person's reaction in this story as the measuring device for weird.

About 10 years ago, I applied with another police department and as part of the application process, they subject you to a polygraph test.  In a polygraph, they sit you down and ask you all the questions before hooking you up to the contraption and then they rephrase the questions during the actual test to take your answers into account.

Me-Me Monday - Fad to the Bone

What's something that you were into before it became popular?

Wearing BDUs in different camo colors.  I had several different colors.  My favorites were a black/gray/white combo with a tiger stripe pattern.  I wore them out and haven't gotten anymore.  I should now that the fad is coming to an end. 

What’s something you were reluctant to jump on the bandwagon with, but now are totally into?

Cell phones with cameras.  I just didn't get it.  I watched people taking crappy pictures with cell phones and wondered what the point is.

Now, ask me if I have a picture of my son.  One for every month is the answer.  "Here's Trey in his Halloween costume.  Here he is in a snow suit over Thanksgiving that we spent with his grandparents.  Here he is with a Santa hat.  Here he is with a Happy New Year hat."  On and on.

What’s a current trend or fad you just don’t get?

Probably most of them.  I don't understand the obsession with Harry Potter or iPhones.  Texting, as a hobby, seems like a complete waste of time.  Wearing a bluetooth in your ear no matter what you're doing is beyond me.  The obsession with Paris Hilton seems unhealthy.  Talking about whether or not gay people should be allowed in the military so that we don't have to talk about real issues like: are we waiting for our kids to be dumber than rocks before we change education, or maybe we just don't care since they may die off from lack of healthcare, and if they do live long enough, we can send them off to die in a foreign country (unless they're gay) because god says the oil in the middle east belongs to us (a new manifest destiny and may I add how lucky I feel that god is an American).

Me-Me Monday - Tools

Where is your hammer and what did you last use it for?

I know where my hammer is.  It's on a shelf in my garage.  I have several as a matter of fact for some strange reason.  I'm not sure why I need 3 hammers considering that the answer to the second part of the question is, I don't know.  I can't remember the last time that I used a hammer.

What is your everyday cutlery like?

It's a collection of about 3 different types that have managed to somehow come into my possession.  I understand why I would have 2 types.  My wife and I both brought a set into our marriage.  I have no idea where the third set came into play.  Not that we have one complete set of any of them.  I'm pretty sure that most of my spoons are in a sandbox in Utah, left there by my youngest daughter.  Spoons, apparently, are great sandbox toys.  You do have to sneak them out of the house but it is possible and if you bury them, no one knows that you had them out there.

It is our goal to one day get rid of the tri-set collection and purchase one matching set but it's low on the priority list.

Me-Me Monday - Countdown

Today's meme was handily swiped from PTE Rick again.  I'm lazy and it's incredibly handy that he does a meme on Saturdays.  I also think that there are quite a few readers that check both blogs and there are some readers (not mentioning any names here because I don't want to piss off any freaky women from Michigan because you never know what they are going to do) that inappropriately compare Rick and I to each other.  That said, let's begin:

Link 5 posts from your blog that you particularly enjoy or are proud of.

Did You Know Today Is Father's Day

My Moat Was Breached Yesterday!

The Butter Story - Part 1

The Butter Story - Part 2

From Ahchoo to Cheese and Juice

Me-Me Monday: Favorites

TIME OF DAY: Sometime around 1 or 2am, if I'm not in a casino.  It's cooler.  It's quiet.  I usually have a burst of energy around this time.  I really enjoy it.  I can sit and read or write and there are no distractions.  Trey is sleeping soundly at this time.  No one calls.  I put on some music, some jazz or new age.  Something that adds to the feeling without overwhelming it or intruding.. 

DAY OF THE WEEK: Monday, as odd as that might seem.  Monday and Tuesday are my days off.  Monday is really a busy day for me when I catch up the things that are important to me.  The weekend in the casino consumes so much time and energy that I am happy to do what I want even if it's a lot.  I usually have to catch up on coaching, work on my blogs, get some yardwork done, have a nap when Trey has a nap, check the balances on everything that involves my money, go grocery shopping, have a family dinner (yeah, all of us together), have a meeting with my wife about money, play with Trey, and spend some time catching up on the last week with my wife.  It's a very full day but it's full of *my* stuff and I like that.

SEASON: In order: spring, fall, summer, and last and least, winter.  I like the seasons of change but spring wins out because it's going from cold to warm.  I do love the smell and feel of fall as the temperature starts to fall but I don't like the end result - winter.  Spring has a different feel.  It makes me want to get moving, get out of the house, get things done.  I like watching the sun move toward the northern hemisphere.  I like opening the blinds and letting the sun come in to the house.  I like watching the grass turn green and my roses start to bud.  It's a renewal of life and there is energy in it.