Cream-Style Wilkie

Update for today ...

2012-01-17T18:46:00.000-05:00

Well, I have good news, and bad news. The good news is that Cheryl and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary back on 12 Jan 2012!

The bad news is that I suck at electronics!

I'll never finish the Guacamole project in time for Caiden's birthday ...

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T18:53:00.002-05:00

I thought I would wish everyone a very Happy New Year, peace to us all, prosperity and health, and mostly, love in our lives!

Guac-A-Mole Update for 20 December 2011 ...

2011-12-20T16:38:00.000-05:00

I actually started and finished a task in one day on this project! I only had to make one extra trip to Home Depot! I built the display board frame! It took me awhile to get it square, but I finally got it close. I made the frame out of 2X2s. My idea was to make it 30" X 30" and attach it to the Guac-A-Mole with hinges. I bought the hinges but i didn't mount it yet as I need to do work on installing the score board and the clock. Cheryl's idea was to mount then on the right side of the board, so that's what I did.

I used "Handy Panel" for the covering. We will decorate it with drawings on poster board and then glue the pictures to the display board.

Slowly but surely it's coming together ...

That was too close ...

2011-12-20T10:59:00.000-05:00

I went to Harbor Freight yesterday, and I'm in the store about one minute -- I hear pandamonium outside: A woman was carjacked at gunpoint right outside the door! Before I understood what was going on, the perp was turning East on Fletcher in the poor woman's blue car! She's OK and the sherriffs were there pretty quickly.

I always thought that I would fight back in a situation like that -- which is a stupid idea. I have second-guessed my not jumping into my car to try to follow the goons in the lady's car. I have since reasoned that they would have given me the slip pretty quickly. Yeah, that's the ticket ...

Guac-A-Mole Update ...

2011-12-16T21:54:00.000-05:00

Well, I have six days off in a row! Woo-hoo! I don't go back to work until the 21st! I have been doing a little soldering on the scoreboard circuit, and I bought the wood for the display board.

I also ordered some hardware from McMaster-Carr. Some things that should be found anywhere aren't! That really pisses me off!

I hope to have more of an update soon. It's getting too close to Caiden's birthday!

'Pokes Smash Sooners

2011-12-04T11:29:00.001-05:00

Well, that wasn't good! It was 44 to 10.

But the Sooners had a pretty good year. We were Number One for awhile. As it turned out, the sports writers were correct in down-rating us in mid-season.

I hope that the injured players heal, and we come back stronger next year. Maybe ... maybe ...

A Little Progress ...

2011-11-24T21:12:00.001-05:00

Well, I made some progress today. I was hoping to finish one of the characters so that I could test the air compressor and its installation. It turns out that the right-angle brackets I bought are too long. Also the 4-40 1" screws for the two switches are too short. I found some 1 and 1/4" screws, but I had to drill extra holes to make everything line up.I found two wood screws to mount the air cylinder to the top plate and I have everything together on that first character. I ran out of time though because today is Thanksgiving and I have to help Cheryl cook.So we took a nap, and overslept about a half an hour. We got it all done though -- just Cheryl and me! We did the same salt brine technique on the turkey and it turned out great! It wasn't "wangy" to Cheryl (she pretty much hates turkey) and it wasn't too salty for me.Before we ate, I called Marty and Brian. Brian didn't answer (he's a busy guy) and I spoke with Marty for a few minutes. She did the cooking this year and it turned out great, as I knew it would! Then I called my sister Judy. They had a great Thanksgiving meal! She is making progress on the Guac characters!This year Cheryl added Grand Manier to her CBS (cranberry sauce) and it is a keeper! Her dressing and gravy turned out fabulous as usual. We got done with supper and had it all cleaned up by 2100. Cheryl is fast asleep on the couch. I don't know how I would live without her! She is my everything!I have to work tomorrow, so I'll try to work on the project on Saturday.Later ...

Guac-A-Mole ...

2011-11-23T18:20:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned earlier, I'm working on a variation of the classic "Whack-A-Mole" game for my grandkids. I got the idea from the Instructables site here. He uses the "Veggie-Tales" characters. We're calling our version "Guac-A-Mole" -- it's going to have peppers, onions, and other vegetables as the "moles."

Although I'm supposed to finish it in time for this Christmas, I'm way behind. More updates to follow.

Boomer Sooner!

Way to Go SOONERS!!!

2011-09-03T23:35:00.000-04:00

That's right! The Sooners looked awesome tonight! Rest up guys: Florida State in two weeks!

First Sooner Game of 2011

2011-09-03T22:04:00.000-04:00

All right! It's finally here! We are up 30 to 7 on Tulsa at the half! Cheryl is asleep on the couch, and by yells of "Boomer Sooner" are not bothering her at all!

I have started working on "Guac-A-Mole", which is our version of Whac-A-Veggie."

More on this later this weekend. GO SOONERS!!!

Now What?

2011-05-13T19:08:00.000-04:00

Well, I have left the band "The Time Of Our Lives." We parted due to professional differences. I wish them well: They will do great without me.

So, now, I guess I'm lookin' for a new music gig ...

This is the first picture of my new 2011 Mini Clubman S!

2011-04-24T22:11:00.001-04:00

We bought this yesterday.

I was going to have more pictures, but it rained today. More soon!

I Have Just Said Goodby to an Old Friend -- Hello to a New Friend ...

2011-04-23T23:11:00.000-04:00

Today, Cheryl and I traded in the 2003 Jeep Liberty for a 2011 Mini Cooper S Clubman! We bought the new MINI from Ryan George of Foerman MINI of Tampa Bay in Palm Harbor, FL. Ryan is a great salesman: No pressure, funny, and very informative. I love my new Mini Cooper S Clubman! More later ...

CHERYL PASSED THE BAR!!!

2011-04-11T09:51:00.000-04:00

After three and a half years, the results are in: Cheryl passed all parts of the bar!!!

Oh happy day!!!

I'm Not Skeptical about Skeptico ...

2011-03-30T19:50:00.000-04:00

I just found another great site. If you're a seeker, you don't want to miss this site: Skeptico.

I Just Found a Great Blog!

2011-03-29T23:53:00.000-04:00

You have got to check out Stonekettle Station!

He has a lot of great things to say, and he's great at saying them!

Dang! No Rehearsal Tomorrow ...

2011-03-20T22:01:00.000-04:00

AJ and CC are down with the crud, so we will be taking a week off from rehearsal. This will give me time to help Cheryl with some CMS website stuff, and will also give me time to catch up on some chart creation.

More soon!

Happy Birthday To Me (Yesterday) ...

2011-03-05T21:48:00.000-05:00

Cheryl suprised me by taking out to supper last night for my birthday! We went to the Toasted Pheasant." Now I didn't see any toast, or pheasants, but it was great! I had the Beef Bourguignon, and Cheryl had the Grouper Niçoise. It was great!

We sat at the "Chef's Table," a nice table in an alcove that is adjacent to the kitchen. The chefs and sous-chefs worked their magic right in front of us: It was awesome!

There was a great guitar player playing standards last night too. He had a computer set up with some tracking tunes with which he played; sometimes he played a capella too. He was the quietest guitar player I have ever heard! I thought perhaps he forgot to turn on his amp at first, but it turned out that he is just a tasty player! Awesome!

The Time of our Lives Band is Off and Running!

2011-02-27T22:12:00.000-05:00

We played our first gig this afternoon. It was at a great pizza place called DeLosa's Pizza, located at 4110 Henderson Blvd, Tampa,FL 33629. Check them out, their pizza is great!

Before we went on, the crowd was treated to "Monday, Monday", a band that does the Mama's and the Poppa's to perfection! Their drummer is a good friend and great drummer named Jim Wegener. Super guy! It had been a couple of years since he and I last played together. That was with "Vic Thompkins and VTO."

The gig was for AJ's birthday, who is married to CC. I'm looking forward to many more gigs!

It's Over!

2011-02-26T23:03:00.001-05:00

What a long strange trip it's been! We stayed at the Embassy Suites in downtown Tampa for the two days of the Florida Bar Exam. I took off on Wednesday so that I could check out of the room, gather all of the crap we took with us, and be ready to pick Cheryl up at 1630. That part went off without a hitch (one-in-a-row!)

Cheryl thinks she did "OK" -- I think she did fine! We'll see on 11 April when the grades are posted ...

On a lighter note, the new band I'm, The Time of Our Lives Band in plays its first gig tomorrow! It's a birthday party for AJ, one of the founders of TTOOL, and we're only doing four tunes, should be a lot of fun! We rehearsed together for the first time last night! We are already sounding awesome!

There is AJ, who plays guitar, bass, and sings; AJ's wife, CC, who sings her ass off; Phil on lead vocals, guitar, bass guitar; John on drums and vocals (great voice and a very solid drummer); and me. I'll be playing saxes, flute, some bass, singing, and perhaps keys.

But it's great to have Cheryl back "home!"

We bought several plants at Home Depot today, so the yard will look nicer, and Cheryl will finally be able to get some dirt under her nails!

Also, I heard from an old 2nd Armored Division Band mate! Larry Biring, who was the saxophone section leader and an all-around great guy found me on FaceBook! It was great to hear from him!

Well, more later ...

It's Getting Close To Crunch Time ...

2011-02-20T11:27:00.000-05:00

Well, there are fewer than two days left for her to study her ass off for the Florida Bar exam. She reminds me of an infantry soldier trudging forward with very little sleep, through mud, barbed wire, artillery rounds exploding all around the place -- yet onward she marches.

If she survives, there will be nothing left ... just some charred remains, a shock of blond hair, and smoldering law books.

OK, maybe I'm exaggerating just a little bit. But she has been through the ringer over the last five years. It was a couple of years at USF getting her Bachelor's degree in Economics (Economics?!? -- Yikes!)
The past three years at Stetson University College of Law (bar & grill), graduating Summa Cum Laude, and the past two-plus months studying for this damned bar exam, all the while working full time, has been totally exhausing!

Ya know, I bet she would love a foot rub right about now ...

Found a Great Blog!

2011-02-19T17:29:00.000-05:00

This blog is really funny, and is written by a good friend! Check it out!

It's Friday Night ...

2011-02-18T22:41:00.000-05:00

Cheryl is once again passed out on the couch. She is studying so hard! Tonight I did most of the cooking. We had catfish, corn-on-the-cob, and a salad. Cheryl cooked the fish and I did the rest.

It turned out really good! We watched a little bit of Rachel Maddow, then the day caught up with her: She's out like a light.

This weekend I'll once again do most if not all of the chores. I don't mind, but I'm getting behind on making Caiden's birthday present. I'll do the best that I can this weekend.

The Florida Bar exam is the 22nd and the 23rd. After that, things will get back to normal (I hope!)

The Time of our Lives

2011-02-17T19:14:00.002-05:00

I have just joined a new band named "The Time of Our Lives!"

I'm very excited about it; however, I'm still trying to help Cheryl get through the Florida Bar exam, so I don't have much time!

More later ...

Cheryl Graduated Summa Cum Laude!

2011-01-27T23:24:00.005-05:00

We just learned that Cheryl was number one out of 81 Stetson law school students in her graudating class!

-- Various Quotes --

"She is definitely one of the most fondest people I'm of ..." -- Chunk King

"Well, she was the best one in her class!" -- Miss Dottie

Cheryl Graduates Law School!!!

2010-12-18T22:31:00.026-05:00

After three years of hard work, Cheryl graduated from Stetson University College of Law today!

She received her Juris Doctorate with Honors! The last grades of this semester are not in, but Cheryl has been and should be number one in her class. She also was among only five graduates who successfully completed the Honors Program.

Over her time at Stetson, Cheryl worked on the Stetson Law Review. Her last position on the Law Review was that of Marketing Editor. Cheryl earned the Outstanding Associate Award in the Fall of 2009. In the Spring of 2010 Cheryl earned the Darby award.

Cheryl wrote, presented, and published a paper about Florida's Sunshine Law. In the Fall of 2009 Cheryl presented this paper to Stetson faculty, fellow students, and distinguished guests. Her paper, entitled "Sending the Wrong Message: Technology, Sunshine Law, and the Public Record in Florida," was published in the Local Government book in the Winter of 2010. Her paper has already been cited in a case that went to the Florida Supreme Court.

Cheryl earned the prestigious Elizabeth M. Leeman Award. This award was established to honor a retired Faculty Advisor to the Stetson Law Review. It is presented to the author of the best student work published each year in the Stetson Law Review.

Cheryl also earned the equally prestigious Walter Mann Award. This award, established by the late Walter Mann, former member of the Board of Overseers, is given to the member of each graduating class who, in the opinion both of his or her classmates and of the faculty, has shown the greatest promise of becoming an outstanding leader in the legal profession.

In the Fall of 2012, Cheryl expects to serve as a law clerk to the Honorable Virginia M. Hernandez Covington, United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, in Tampa.

Here is a link to the awards program and the commencement program:

Back to the Drawing Board ...

2010-11-09T22:12:00.001-05:00

Well, the Lee Farrell Singers are no more. We just couldn't get all four people on board at the same time.

It was fun while it lasted!

The Lee Farrell Singers

2010-09-15T23:17:00.002-04:00

OK! I'm in a new vocal group being formed out of the "Cigar City Big Band" in the Tampa Bay area. There are two girls and two guys, and I'm one of the guys. We have been rehearsing for a couple of months and we will be ready to sing out with the band probably in November. I'll write more then!

What's New

2010-04-30T22:46:00.003-04:00

Obviously, not much! I'm kind of recovered from Witten's passing. I'd love to get another cat, but there is too much going on right now, more on that later. I am very much looking forward to welcoming Marty, Jason, Caiden, and Bryce to Florida in July!

More on that later too!

Big news at work: My boss, Eric Leppma, was promoted to Vice President of Development at Elavon! He will still be working with us, but we will have a new guy to whom we report. His name is Doug Bormann. He led the MIS group before being tasked with helping with some conversions. Doug is a great guy, and we are looking forward to working with him and still working with Eric of course!

That's it for now!

Kooth

Kitten Witten Passes On

2009-07-14T11:29:00.005-04:00

Our beloved cat, Kitten Witten, passed away today at the ripe old age of 19 years.

He was the last of Cheryl and my nine cats. Witten was born on 21 April 1990 in a paper sack under our kitchen cabinet. He will be sorely missed. More soon ...

Note: Check out the link above for pictures of Kitten Witten.

Welcome Bryce!

2009-06-23T23:12:00.003-04:00

My youngest daughter, Marty and her husband Jason had a new baby! Bryce Widdoes was born 23 June 2009 in Tulsa, OK! He weighed seven pounds, twelve ounces, and was eightteen inches long!

Mom and baby are doing fine! Jason sounded a little worn out! ;)

More to come soon ...

Anticipation ...

2009-06-17T22:42:00.004-04:00

There are a few big things brewing on the horizon ...

First and foremost, my youngest daughter Marty is going to have a baby!!! This will happen probably on the 23rd -- more details soon ...

Also, my good friend Lamar's youngest son Simon has graduated high school:

Simon with his proud Mom!

He has decided to go back home to Oklahoma and attend OSU this coming Fall!

Like all of Laura and Lamar's boys, Simon is a fine, upstanding young man -- we wish him all the best!

Oh Happy Day!!!

2009-04-18T22:30:00.006-04:00

On 16 April 2009, I became a real, live, person again. I am now an employee of Elavon!!!

Elavon, previously known as Southern Data Comm, is now a division of US Bank!!!

I had been working at Elavon as a contractor since 09 June, 2008. Elavon had just gone through some layoffs when Southern Data Comm was bought earlier in the year before I started.
Anyway, US Bank seems like a great place to work, and Elavon definitely is a really great place to work!

My manager has loads of experience. He is also a programmer, so he understands the typical road blocks we face, the need for good requirements, and for software source control. He sticks up for us when necessary!!!

I am working on a great team. The people are diverse, experienced, and knowledgeable.

Sarah Dog Passed Away

2009-04-08T17:03:00.001-04:00

Our last of our three dogs, Sarah, passed away this morning, 08 April, 2009. We estimate her age was at least 16 years.
She arrived on our front door porch 14 years ago in January of 1995, when we lived in Sperry, OK. Our vet estimated Sarah's age to be at least two years at that time.

Of course, Sarah will be missed. Her health had recently deteriorated: She had become almost completely deaf; her eyesight was very poor; she was afflicted with arthritis; and her mind was definitely fading away.

Marty Starts Her Own Blog!

2009-01-31T13:41:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to my daughter Marty! She has started a blog about her life and it's nice to know that she can actually write and spell! So much of what the Web has to offer unfortunately reflects our poor school systems, but Marty did and is still doing well in school.

Good luck Coo-coo, and know we love you, and Jason, and Caiden very much!

Be safe!

Congratulations, Florida Gators

2009-01-08T23:51:00.003-05:00

Well, you have to congratulate the Florida Gators. Behind the strong throwing and running of Tim Tebow, the Gators defeated my Oklahoma Sooners 24-14. In the end, a great interception by Ahmad Black sealed the fate for the Sooners. We really never got it going again after that, as the Gator defense stiffened, and Tebow kept the ball out of Bradford's hands for the rest of the game.

I still think the best two teams played for the championship, and again, congratulations to the Florida Gators: 2009's BCS Football Champions.

Cliché Alert:

Just wait until next year!

Be Safe!

BOOMER SOONER!

Kooth

So Long, 2008 ...

2008-12-30T22:33:00.003-05:00

Well, as Tim Conway once said on the Carol Burnett Show: "The ol' clock on the wall just fell off ..."

That line always cracked me up! Yeah, I know: I'm easily amused!

Anyway, this has been a pretty shitty year in most ways. But, it has also been a year that gives all of us hope!

With the election of Barack Obama, and his fabulous cabinet, team, and advisers in place, the United States of America will once again be a place about which we Americans can be proud!

All of us -- every woman, man, and child -- must put our efforts behind our government and pitch in to help us right the tremendous wrong that the Bush administration has fucked up these last eight years.

All of us -- have a duty to make sure that the promised governmental transparency really happens. And if we find a portion of government isn't transparent, we all must band together and bitch until the cows come home (I'm so terrible with metaphors; just choose one that inspires you)!

All of us -- every swingin' (you know what I was going to say: DICK!!!) one of us must do our part! It's our government, damn it!

OK, enough ranting. Happy New Year to everyone! Please: Let's all strive for peace!

Be safe!

Kooth

Way To Go, Sam Bradford!

2008-12-14T00:09:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Sam Bradford!

Oklahoma's quarterback, Sam Bradford won the Heisman trophy tonight! He has the stats to compete with anyone, yet he is humble and a quiet young man.

Florida's Tim Tebow is also an awesome quarterback, and he was a strong contender to repeat as the Heisman Trophy Winner (Tim won it last year).

This year's BCS Championship will be a great game. Florida and OU: It's like champagne and pompano: They really go together!

I know my good friend Dan Maxey is looking down on Sam and the rest of the OU Players and staff; being very proud of Sam; waiting for the Big Game on January 8th ...

B o o m e r S o o n e r ! ! !

Be safe!

Kooth

Sad News ...

2008-12-07T09:32:00.006-05:00

Dan Maxey

Tulsa keyboard musician,
and dear friend,
passed way on Saturday December 6 in Tulsa OK.

Details:

Christian-Gavlik Funeral Home
222 West Broadway
Broken Arrow, OK 74012
(918) 251-6464

Viewing: Tuesday, December 9th, 2008

Noon — 8 PM

Viewing: Wednesday, December 10th, 2008
9 AM — 8 PM

Friends received from 5:30 PM — 7:30 PM

I'm Back!

2008-12-03T22:42:00.004-05:00

After being hammered by SQL Server injection assholes, I have my site back up!

Go SOONERS! Beat Missouri!

Sooners Are Number One!

2008-09-29T22:33:00.002-04:00

Yes! The mighty Oklahoma Sooners are number one! I've been able to see three of the first four games so far. Man, we look great!

Be safe!

Kooth

Beavers Clamp Down on Trojans ...

2008-09-26T07:07:00.002-04:00

Now that's funny! And, OU will go to number 1!!!

Go Sooners!

Be Safe,

Kooth

This is Getting Old!

2008-09-19T23:08:00.005-04:00

Last Saturday, we had to take the old boy in again! I noticed that he had blood on his face. I immediately thought he had a problem with a tooth or something. Turned out he had a blocked anal gland that blew out into a gaping hole. So, twice a day, I put some kitty antibiotic in his wound, give him some antibiotic drops orally. Of course he fights me on this. But, I reward him with a fresh bowl of buttermilk. He loves it, and he forgets all about the treatments. He's gonna be OK!

Work was sure weird this week. It turns out that several people there think I'm incompetent. In continent, maybe, but, I can do my job! After having a few snacks and feeling sorry for myself, I got good support from my boss and Cheryl. I'm gonna be OK too!

So what do you think about Moosealini? I think she's a god-damned grade-A liar! Smoke on your pipe and put that in! (My apologies to Leonard Bernstein).

Be safe!

Kooth

A Kitten Witten Scare!

2008-08-31T10:55:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, during a very chaotic day, I noticed that Witten's chin was swollen. He is eighteen years old and slowing down, so any kind of infection worries us. While I had hair cut appointment yesterday, and with Cheryl needing to study, we realized that we had to get him in to see Dr. Hong our vet.

Cheryl, the ever-amazing planner that she is, decided that I should quickly mow the lawn, take a shower, and then go get my haircut -- there was just enough time. She took Witten to the vet, along with some books so she could try to study while making sure Witten could be seen.

Of course, Cheryl was right. I mowed the lawn and grabbed a quick shower. As I was driving to my haircut appointment, she called to say that indeed Witten had an abcess. Dr. Hong drained it, gave us antibiotics to give Witten, and gave us instructions on how to care for his abcess. He's going to be fine, thanks in no small part to Cheryl's quick thinking! I just love her so much! And I am so lucky!

Be safe,

Kooth

A Magical Night ...

2008-08-27T22:31:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to Barack Obama and Joe Biden! What a campaign we Democrats have had! Lots of firsts: The first African-American presidential nominee; the first female candidate to win numbers of races for president: It's awesome!

Be safe,

Kooth

Fay Fizzles Here ...

2008-08-19T13:00:00.002-04:00

TS Fay hit land in south Florida this morning and quickly shifted to the east where should keep going until it hits the Atlantic ocean. It will probably strengthen then. It is forecast to turn back over Florida on Thursday, but it should be north of us and pose little if any threat.

Whew! Have we dodged another one?

Be safe,

Kooth

Fay is on the Way ...

2008-08-18T22:45:00.005-04:00

Well, well, well. We might be getting a good chance to experience a hurricane tomorrow. Lucky us.

At work, we are closed tomorrow because of TS Fay. I get to work from home! Oh joy.

I was here in 2004 for Hurricane Jean. Cheryl hadn't moved here yet -- I was staying at an extended stay motel out east of town. That hurricane felt like twelve hours of a continuous thunder storm. Luckily, the motel never lost power. I was working at Verizon. That seems like another century and I was another person ...

I'll keep posting as the storm passes. Cheryl thinks that it will move east of us and dissipate. She's probably right. But if the storm moves over either the gulf or the Atlantic ocean, it could intensify.

We are all set here -- we have taken down our wind chimes, moved the plants on the lanai closer to the sliding glass doors. We have plenty of batteries, water, propane, and food. It's all good.

More later ...

Be safe,

Kooth

16 August 2008

2008-08-16T11:11:00.003-04:00

I should be out mowing, but it's raining ...

At work, I'm learning more about ASP.net for a project I am coding. It seems pretty easy to use and powerful, but, alas, it's proprietary. But that's OK, my job uses ASP.net for internal applications, and it's good to be versatile.

I'm primarily a C++ coder. At SDC, I primarily work on our gateways and proxies products. These are written in "C" or Java, and run on UNIX and Windows platforms. I like working in UNIX more than any other OS, but as I said above, it's good to be versatile.

OK, I managed to get the damned lawn mowed. Geez, it's hotter than a bitch wolf out there! Time for something cool ...

Be safe,

Kooth

10 August 2008 1012 EDT

2008-08-10T10:11:00.000-04:00

It rained a lot yesterday, so I couldn't mow. I usually mow on Saturdays and clean the pool on Sundays. Now I have to do both today. There seems to be no time for anything else. That's OK. All of this work keeps me off the streets.

I should have been out there by now. It's gonna get hot soon. But, with only a 20% chance of rain, I guess I can give up on hoping of being rained out (damn!)

At work (Southern Data Comm), I'm part of a project where I need to code something in ASP.net. On the Web side, I know Cold Fusion, and PHP. In IT, one has the chance to learn the "flavor of the month". Well, I bit the bullet and downloaded MS Visual Studio 2005 and started playing with it. I also viewed several videos that Microsoft has about using the Visual Studio and ASP.net. I have to admit that it's pretty cool.

On the flip side, anything in .net is proprietary. But, Microsoft is not going away, so it's good to know how to do things several different ways.

I'm still a UNIX guy at heart, and there is plenty of UNIX at work.

...

Wow, it's hot. I just finished mowing the lawn -- weeds --- lawn. It's mowed. Whatever.

As I sit in my office under my ceiling fan trying to get cool before I work on the pool, I realize that I'm pretty lucky. My bad back isn't bad enough to keep me from doing my share around the house (yet), and it really doesn't take that long. The pool is in good shape, so it won't take too long either.

Sarah likes to come out on the lanai on pool cleaning day. She's very confused about this weekend. As I mentioned, I didn't mow yesterday, and that really threw off the ol' girl. Witten is sleeping in my closet, lying on my auxiliary shorts. You know, the shorts one wears around the house. He rarely goes outside anymore, which is good. This neighborhood has a bad flea problem right now.

But, we are lucky. We aren't occupied by another country in an unjust war. We haven't been invaded by a former superpower. The best country on the planet needs work, but I wouldn't trade her for anything.

Be safe!

Kooth

08 August 2008 2300 EDT

2008-08-08T23:00:00.000-04:00

Hey anyone,

A lot happened today. The olympics started. Georgia (the country, not the US state) was invaded by Russia today. I'm afraid I'm not quite up on this situation. It seems bad, obviously.

I listened to several new songs on Artist Weekly. I'm a musician, and I have two tunes posted on that site. My stuff just isn't what they viewers and shakers of that site are looking for. Fair enough. A group called "The Orange Lemonade" posted seven songs there this evening. The first one I heard, "My Baby Knows How to Rock It" was damn good! So I was excited to listen to the others. Bad mistake. But it's probably how everyone else felt after hearing my tunes.

My cat Witten has the snookles (a cold -- I hope). He has been lethargic all day, according to Cheryl. We gave him some antibiotics and will keep an eye on him.

I haven't seen Marty (my youngest daughter) since her wedding in 2006. I haven't even seen my newest grandson Caiden, Marty and Jason's first child. But, I have a few pictures. He's getting big now. I'm hopful I can go for a visit soon.

I do speak with Brian (my son) and Marty often; however, I rarely speak with Vanessa (my oldest daughter.) I love them all very much, of course. Maybe some day ...

OK, this has been good for me.

Keep your fingers crossed for our country, our economy, our environment, and our world. Vote for Obama, early and often! ;)

Be safe.

Kooth

Hello to nobody and anybody ...

2008-08-03T23:35:00.000-04:00

I hope this finds you well. I mean as in "good health."

I need to put Witten to bed, floss and brush my teeth, put on my C-PAP mask, and hit the hay. Right now Witten is howling for some company. He is much too loud!

Witten is our cat. He was born 21 April 1990. On our way to St Louis that morning we discovered that our cat Cindy had given birth to two kittens (one was still-born). All had been contained in a brown paper bag. No muss - no fuss! The dead kitten was simply tossed out in the bag along with the spent placentas.

You might wonder who "we" is. We are Cheryl and Keith. Cheryl is my wife and right now she's sleeping on the couch, as she does most every night after supper. She'll wake up around 0230 and come to bed.

I know this is pretty damned boring, but, I'm new at this. I promise there will be more interesting stuff. At least interesting to me. Also, I guess there should be some sort of glossary, or history, or something, you know: to set up the characters -- explain who is whom.

Well, I'll do that some day soon.