Help Wanted!

Do you need a job? Considering a career in computer technology? Then do I have the job for you!

Systems Analyst (aka Web Designer)

Plus you get to work with me! What more could you ask for.

Seriously though if you know webpage design then this is a great job. It is with a good solid company with great benefits. What you really need to know is Dreamweaver and html. Knowledge of ASP and javascript are important and experience with Photoshop, Illustrator, and Flash would be a good plus.

Frost Bite

And yet so far the roads are just wet and not icey.






This one is out of focus but I thought it just looked kind of cool.

Samuel

I saw the sun set over the ocean last night.

Last night I saw the sun set over the ocean from about 20,000 ft.  I was unexpectedly on my way to Torrance CA (LA area).  It all started... (begin blurry picture taking you into a flash back sequence).  Friday morning my manager asked to meet me in one of the conference rooms.  I knew something was up because normally we schedule meetings in advance and they usually involve our whole team or at least more than just me.  As I walked to the conference room I had to remind myself that there wasn't any reason to fire me I am just being paranoid.

 

In the meeting I was informed that a gentleman in Torrance had just handed in his resignation with one weeks notice.  He was in charge of a certain portion of our company website and they wanted me to take on his job.  I guess they were planning on moving this position to our department sometime down the road, but his quiting had forced their hand.  They were going to try to fly him out to train me but by lunch I was told that more people than just the guy I was replacing were needed in that task.  So the rest of the afternoon was spent negotiating how long I needed to be here for.  The "higher-ups" wanted me to come on Sunday and stay through Thursday, but in the end we compromised with me coming home Wednesday afternoon (by compromise I mean my manager and I decided to just buy a ticket for Wednesday afternoon and they would just have to deal with it).

 

The website I will be handling is here: http://prosystemfxsupport.tax.cchgroup.com/ It is the support section for all of our software and includes over 13,000 pages.  It is a great opportunity because every department in the company will send me the updates they need for their portion of the site, so it will get my name out there more.  It is also a great opportunity for elevating the stature of my department...

 

So I just found out that the meeting I was waiting around for got canceled.  Time to get something to eat.  With the time change being this last weekend on top of the 2 hour time difference I feel like everything is 3 hours behind.  So right now it is 5:35 but my stomach is telling me it is 8:35 and I should have eaten hours ago.

Purchase wedding pictures

Here is a link to a web album that you can order pictures of the wedding from.

http://nattyman.shutterfly.com/

More Katrina/Joe Wedding Pix

I have never seen Katrina as embarrassed as she was at this moment

Lovely Anna

Waiting for the Bride

Thanks for looking at the camera Chelsea

A few more pictures here...

Congratulations Katrina & Joe!!

more pictures to come...

In Rainbows

I took this with my cellphone leaving work tonight. It was the biggest brightest fullest rainbow I have ever seen. I could clearly see both ends of it and everything in between.


Speaking of Rainbows, you may have noticed I added a little music player over on the right hand side with 3 songs in it. These are from the latest 3 albums that I have bought.

• Alexi Murdoch's Orange Sky from "Time Without Consequence", I think everyone will like. It is kind of folksy laid back music. The entire CD is very simple and peaceful both musically and lyrically.
  
• Radiohead's Bodysnatcher, is my favorite song from their latest album "In Rainbows" (fitting for the picture above), their experimental project allowing you to download the entire album for whatever price you want to pay. The CD itself is nothing ground breaking on their part, but if you like their last few albums you should like this one too.
• Emery is a band whose first 2 albums I bought because Aaron Sprinkle produced them. Then when I listened to the full songs they had screaming in parts of them. I was pretty disappointed at first but I really liked the rest of the music so I thought I would try pushing through. After listening to the songs several times I not only liked them in spite of the screaming but partially because of it. This is the only band with screaming that I have ever liked. Their newest album "I'm Only a man" has very little screaming in it but I would also say it is not quite as good as the last 2 either. This particular song, "The Movie Song" doesn't not have any screaming so listen at ease :-)

My favorite of these three is the one that I only discovered because iTunes recommended it to me and it also has the greatest mass appeal to those of you who read my blog (I think), Alexi Murdoch's "Time Without Consequence".

I don't normally ask questions. Probably for fear of nobody answering them and then looking stupid, but I will take a chance today and ask what are some of the recent albums you bought and did you like them?

Second Chances

Does anyone else have someone from their past that they feel like they could have been a better friend to?  Monday I saw someone here at my office that I have known since 6th grade.  He was with a big group that was going through orientation so I didn't approach him and I don't think he saw me.  I figured I would see him around and catch him at a better time but I haven't seen him since.  We were pretty good friends in 6th grade and that carried over some into Jr. High but started to taper off and I barely even saw him in High School.  Later on he had some trouble with the law.  His mother started going to my Church and I think she really wanted me to pick up my friendship with him again... but it never happened. 

The last time I saw him before Monday was probably at least 5 years ago when he attended that same church for a few months.

I have been looking for him for the last 3 days with no luck, but just a few minutes ago I walked past the empty training room and noticed that the computers had paper name placards on them.  I found the one with his name and left him a short message to call my phone number, not telling him who it was though.

He is one of the people in my life that I always regretted I wasn't more intentional with.  I can't name any one specific incident where I was a jerk to him or anything, just an overall negligence.

Perhaps this week I have a second chance.

Samuels Super Smile

Its all about the mustache...

This is the true reason for growing my beard!

I had fun with this at work today. I like how it makes me look continually mad. I am actually smiling in this picture.
RELEVANT Gentleman's Society


Bonus video of Jacob on his bike!

Bonus video of Ethan on his trike.

Irony... perhaps?

Here in my department at work we just lost one of our 3 phone support guys and another one has been sick all week.  This means that me and the other graphics guy have been having to help cover the phones (sounds worse than it is). 

I just took a call from a nice Indian gentleman...

Guess what Jacob learned today?!!

see more here >>

Flying X-Wing Style!

Man, would I love to be there when they launch this thing... not too close of course.

Rocket-Powered 21-Foot-Long X-Wing Model Actually Flies

Andy Woerner and his crazy rocketeer friends have built a 21-foot long X-Wing model that can actually fly. Yes, this is a real X-Wing powered by four solid-fuel rocket engines complete with radio-controlled moving wings. It blasts off in California next week...

Redefining the music industry!

...and it is about time. Record labels have proven to be the bane of the music industry for years and now we are at a point where we can cut out the middle man. Thank you Radiohead for taking this first step!

How Radiohead killed the record labels

"The announcement in the early hours of this morning of the imminent arrival of In Rainbows, the seventh Radiohead album, is hugely exciting for the band's millions of fans. In Rainbows, boxed set Potentially though it's even bigger news for the music industry. Released in ten days time, the album is available as a digital download for whatever price you want to pay. Radiohead may have done irreparable damage to the industry's traditional business model."

I can see a future where the major record labels are either dead or are vastly smaller than they are now. With computer technology for recording and the internet for distribution and marketing there is no longer a need for these juggernauts that cater to the lowest common denominator, stifle music, inhibit creativity, and rip-off artists! The RIAA has made their bed by alienating their clients with scare tactics and now it is time to see them reap the benefits of their unholy army of lawyers.*

(*if none of this makes any sense it is because I am highly medicated)

A little less wise...

I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed this morning (Friday). I have been putting it off for a good ten years now and I was a little nervous going into it. I would have to say it has been worse than I imagined it would be. The first 4 hours afterword were extremely painful and miserable. The first Percocet didn't do any good, finally I took a second one about 2 hours later and it helped. The worst part now is that I can't read without getting nauseous! Even now I am looking off to the side as I type this to avoid looking at the screen as much as possible. So I am extremely bored. Also I have been having problems getting them to stop bleeding. Right now I am sitting here with a tea bag crammed into the back of my mouth because the acid in it is supposed to help stop the bleeding. Well that is all I can handle for now or I am going to go puke.

*

Baseball Barry Bonds hit for home run No. 756 to be branded with an asterisk - MLB - Yahoo! Sports

"The ball Barry Bonds hit for his record-breaking 756th home run will be branded with an asterisk and sent to the Baseball Hall of Fame, its owner said Wednesday."

I love it! An asterisk, it's brilliant! I love the sign that I saw in the stands at one point that said "Babe did it on beer and braughts!". That pretty much says it all.

Avast ye mateys! Today be Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Arghhh, it's Talk Like a Pirate Day - Telegraph

Hit the rum, shout "shiver me timbers" or "avast, ya scurvy varmints" and integrate the following words into your lexicon: Matey, booty, Arghhh, buried treasure, plank, scoundrel, plunder etc.

If ye be havin' trouble this may be o' help: http://www.syddware.com/cgi-bin/pirate.pl

The Biggest Loser - Season Preview

Jez is going to be on TV tonight! Don't miss it. 7:00 Central time 2 hour special.

Here is a note about the above clip from Karen on Aug. 2nd:

He is SO embarrassed! The one time he cried was when they told him he did not make it on the show after he thought he had - and he really had (it was part of the story line). But that is what they showed on the teaser clips. Needless to say he did not have a very good day yesterday after he saw it. That's Hollywood. They use you how they want to. Never the less he is about 100 pounds down so I think that is worth a little public humiliation. As Pastor Kent used to say "You can't humiliate a humble guy". Stay tuned to see the manly man emerge

Jatropha: From Weed to Biofuel

Since I have several readers who know considerably more on this subject than I do, I would be interested in what you have to say about this. It seems like about every month or so we read about some new possible energy source. This one sounded unique and promising being a fast growing weed that is a natural pesticide in itself and drought resistant. We hopefully wouldn't see the problems that we do now with rising corn and other grain prices.

Mali’s Farmers Discover a Weed’s Potential Power - New York Times

...a plant called jatropha is being hailed by scientists and policy makers as a potentially ideal source of biofuel, a plant that can grow in marginal soil or beside food crops, that does not require a lot of fertilizer and yields many times as much biofuel per acre planted as corn and many other potential biofuels.

jatropha can grow on virtually barren land with relatively little rainfall, so it can be planted in places where food does not grow well. It can also be planted beside other crops farmers grow here

Manhattan MAdGwICk

Georgia Grace

"Mountain" Climbing

The "Tubes"

more...

Jenny talks about our trip some in her latest post.

U2 News

Rolling Stone : U2’s Next Album Is “Making Itself,” Says Daniel Lanois

In June, Rock Daily reported that acclaimed artists/producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois were starting work with U2 on the band’s next album, the follow-up to 2004’s How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. Here’s a status report, straight from Lanois, who has produced a handful of albums for the band, including 1984’s The Unforgettable Fire, 1987’s The Joshua Tree and 1991’s Achtung, Baby...

I am just excited to hear that they are working on the new album!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prayer of Saint Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

more...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEN!!!

Now I am not one to give away a ladies age but this is a big one and lets just say it rhymes with "dirty".

She is an amazing wife and a great mother and I am very blessed to have her in my life.  She wouldn't believe it but I am always impressed with how she is able to handle 3 kids 5 and under all day by herself.

Everyone be sure to flood her Inbox with Birthday wishes. 

Relevant

I have been listening to the Relevant Podcast for about 6 months now. It "features the editors of RELEVANT magazine discussing the news, issues and entertainment that matters to your life—with in-studio music performances and interviews thrown in for kicks."

The show is usually about an hour long with no commercials, just fun. It consists of 3 guys and a girl sitting around and chatting just like any of us might do with 3 of our friends. The only difference is their discussions are recorded and include having a band showing up and playing a few songs. Sometimes they will also interview a Christian author, like Don Miller.

The podcast is released late Friday nights, but it leaves me with something to look forward to listening to at work on Monday. I highly recommend at least giving it a try for a few weeks. The magazine, which I just subscribed to, is also great and the website has a plethora of interesting articles as well.

Stan Revealed

By the way here is a picture of Stan for those of you who were wondering.

The Ascent of Stan

Colorado Springs

Thanks everyone for your ideas. Last night we ate at The Blue Star Which was excellent. The Halibut special was amazing. Then we went and saw a late movie of Live Free or Die Hard, which I was glad to catch before it left the theatre. Wichita is truly privileged to have the Warren Theatres. The movie theatre we went to last night, Tinsel Town USA, was nice and well kept but the screen was small and the sound was terrible. I suppose it was probably on par with most movie theatres around the country but when you are used to watching things at the Warren it sets a standard that no one else can meet.

This morning we slept in and then ate lunch at a nearby Denny's, blah. Do not eat at the Denny's at I-25 and Lake View. Now we are sitting and relaxing in Agia Sophia in Old Colorado City. It was recommended by Josh at Eighth Day Books, and is a cool little coffee chop and Christian book library.

9 years

Today is our 9 year wedding anniversary.  We are in GC this morning dropping the 2 elder boys off with family and we are about to leave for Colorado Springs.  Does anybody know anything fun to do there?  We have Internet at our hotel so I will check back later.

Vote Yes!

Vote Yes to:

1. Increase bankruptcy in our community
2. Increase crime in our neighborhoods
3. Break up homes and families
4. Send an open invitation to the mob to move into Wichita
5. Increase "taxes" on the poor and middle class (The upper class are less likely to gamble)
6. Make a portion of our local budget dependent upon addicts
7. Prey upon the weak willed
   
8. Hear things like...
         "Mommy mommy I am hungry.  What are we going to have for dinner today?"
         "Quiet, mommy blew all the grocery money this week at the slot machines. Now eat your stale bread"
   

These are just some of the reasons that I think it is important to Vote Yes, Yes today!

http://www.ksn.com/news/local/8962217.html

Thank you for your sacrifice

I received a call from my dad yesterday telling my that my cousin Ambers husband had been killed in Iraq yesterday morning by an IED.  If you live in GC you have probably already heard about it.  Travis Bachman was only 30 years old and left behind 2 children with Amber.  I just wanted to say something on here in order to honor his service to our country and the ultimate sacrifice that he and his family made.  I ask that anyone reading this will take a moment to pray for those he left behind.

Here is the news story including some video and an interview with Amber.
http://www.kake.com/news/headlines/8858862.html#

---------

In other news I am thankful to say that my aunt and uncle safely drove over the I-35 W bridge, like they do every day, just 2 hours before it collapsed yesterday.

The Ascent of Stan

I first met Stan in our Kitchen.  He was different than the others... quiet and calm.  I decided right away that I liked him.  His uniqueness drew me to him and I decided to let him stay.

The next day I found Stan in the hallway.  The kids thought he was cool too.  That evening he had moved to the stairs coming from the entryway.  I rarely saw him move, he would just appear in different places.  The next day he had relocated to the dinning room.

Then I didn't see Stan

Until later in the shower.  I was singing a Ben Folds song in my mind.  That is when I saw him staring down at me again.  After the surprise I laughed out loud.  That is when I decided to name him Stan, after the Ben Folds song I was singing.

He seems to like it in the bathroom off of our bedroom because he has stayed in there for several days now.  He will never find his purpose in our house though and so soon i will set him free.

Real Life or Scooby Doo?

I did very poorly on this test.

Scooby Doo: Ripped from the Headlines?



Score: 50% (5 out of 10)

The Blue Angels

My family came to see the Blue Angels on Sunday. Quite a show I must say, but man it was hot! Unfortunately I accidentally had my camera set to 1600 for the ISO(film speed) so the pictures are really grainy and not much good for anything except sharing on the Internet. I have to remember to always check the stinking ISO setting. I have done this more than once, but never that high.

Yes that is Rodrick on the left.

See if you can figure this one out?

Independence Day

We spent Independence Day and the rest of the week in GC. I would like to say 'thank you' to whoever at the city or county that decided to outlaw firecrackers in the 3i parking lot. I was just telling Jenny before hand how that place used to be like a war zone. Then when we were pulling into the lot past some policemen, I overheard one of them use the exact same wording about how before firecrackers were banned from the 3i parking lot it was like a war zone.

One year in Hike School a family friend had bought 10,000 of those long glow stick necklaces to sell on the 4th. He told Travis and I that we could split the profits with him of whatever we sold. So we spent the evening dodging firecrackers from what would ordinary be sane people driven mad with the lust of loud bangs and bright lights. We went home that night shell shocked with an extra $100 bucks in the pockets of our ruined shorts and ruined shirts full of burn holes.

Here are some pictures I took of the fireworks...

Blue Angels

We got to watch the Blue Angels practice some for their show this weekend from our driveway. If anyone from out of town is interested in coming to see them the show is free both this Saturday and Sunday.

McConnell Air force Base Open House

777

God promised...

God promised never to destroy the world with a flood again, but after 4 days straight of rain it sure feels like we're all going down. I know we aren't getting it as bad as a lot of places and I am thankful for that, but here is my backyard. That can't be good for my grass! Maybe this is just some shameless movie promotion for Evan Almighty, which I hear is a decent family friendly movie.

Going to GC

BTW, to everyone in Garden we are going to be in town this weekend and sometime around Independence Day.

Blubber Bots

Blubber Bots

"Blubber Bots are DIY robotic species that navigate autonomously and intelligently. Blubber Bots float, dance, seek and sing. They are light-seeking helium-filled balloons that graze the landscape in search of light and cell-phone signals. If you make a call and wave your phone near a Blubber Bot, it will go into a flocking dance or sing you a special tune. They bellow sounds similar to a whale’s song and serenade you with melodies. When not being played with, they rest for awhile, awakening periodically and seeking attention...



...They propel themselves using helium buoyancy and two directional motors...."

-Geekdad Wired Blogs

Originally they used hydrogen for buoyancy, but as you can imagine, that did not end well.

Super Parents?

Jacob has now made several references to how Jenny and I can see through things. I asked him why he thought that and he told me a story about how he was doing something he shouldn't behind a wall or something and we new what he was doing. That is on top of the fact that we have told him things like how we can always tell if he is not telling the truth and how we always know when he is doing something wrong. Yesterday he wanted me to help him come find a moth in the basement because I can see through things. I haven't had the heart to tell him that I can't. The sad thing is that in reality he can probably see better than I can.

My Nerd Score

Thats about what I expected.

Today at lunch Jacob and I were telling Jenny about a Super Massive Blackhole show we watched on the Science channel. When we were finished Jenny just looked at me and said, "You realize after saying all of that your Nerd Score just went up a few points."