Behind the eight ball.

I am sorry vivid readers and others from across the globe who randomly tune in to read my thoughts for the day. I have been super busy. I will say that riding to work is an interesting adventure in itself. Today while it took me 31 minutes to trek the 5.4 miles to work I was stopped at a busy intersection. Now I was stopped short of the light so as to let some cars turn right onto the busy intersection. Well this one car stayed being me about 25 feet. As soon as the light turned green for me to go and I started pedaling, he peels right in front of me and turns right. WHAT IS UP WITH THAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!!!!! You had more than a minute to turn while my light was red. It wasn't a no turn on red because the 5-6 cars ahead of you had already turned. I have noticed the lack of respect cars have for bikers. Let's grow up people. I understand we may be a slight inconvenience to your road ways, but last time I checked I have as much right on them as you do. so with that being said, I am trying to make this bike thing a workout thing, and improve my bile times. My goal is to make it in around 26-27 minutes. so will see.

What am I doing?

So I am feeling much better now that the turbinates are trinated or the trinates turbinated, or well it got fixed. I am starting to breathe a bit better every day. So last week I noticed on a sign at a bar it was bike to work week. Now I figured Chris would have taken the opportunity to let us all know this, especially since it was bike month. So I learned about it from a bar sign in Milwaukee. Since gas has gone up to a biggillion dollars a gallon, I figured this was a good idea. So yesterday I went to work on my bike. About 72 blocks to work. From 116th street to 154th street it is all up hill. Not one of those gradual climbs, but a giant mountain. So I was able to trek up this gargantuan hill. I was pooped to say the least. Good news for the ride home. Well today I did it again. When I got to the hill of difficulty I knew I was in trouble. My butt hurt, My legs screamed of burnout. I still had 40 blocks of this to go. I remember the great Marni's speech. How she wanted to quit. Near tears. So I forged through. Wind blowing in my face. Somehow I did it. yeah. Day two in the books. Can't wait for day three.

Young's visit Holland.

For the first time the Young's visited the land of Tulips. I thought it was amazing to see tulips lining the streets everywhere you looked. I was able to play euchre for the first time in the LaBarge family tournament. I came in fourth. Now i have been in online boot camp for the last week trying to set a strategy, which for this time worked pretty well. That was fun. I got to bowl in Dave's youth group outing which was an overnighter. I got five games in before I called it a night. Two times I held the lead, but someone around three a.m., who was impelled by 18 mountain dews came in with a 230. The weekend had it's funny moments. My favorite is 1/2 percent milk. This milk is native to only Michigan, I guess. Never heard of it before. We are the dairy state you know. I think we should know about our dairy products. Don't worry. Soon to grocery stores everywhere. 1/3 milk, 1/100 milk and 2 3/4 milk. Look for it.

Bowling season roundup.

Well the season is over. I would like to report that we won the championship, but that is not the case. While it was a good season, I feel sorry for the guys because for them it was an opportunity that comes not very often. I bowl with three guys who average under 150. Over the course of the season it all adds up. We struggled down the stretch, and just didn't have it in the end. Championship night the lanes broke down and the night didn't go all to well, and it seems like an excuse, but it is so easy to look for those when things don't go well. Your focus is lost, but it takes stronger person to fight through it and get it back. We couldn't. On the flip side I finished with the high average of 197, high game of 280, and second in series at 721. One of the other guys ion the tam finished third in high game with a 264. Our team finished first in series with a 2534. So it was a successful season. This weekend I am off to state to see what I have left in the tank. Saturday is singles and doubles. Sunday we bowl team event. These guys I have bowled with in our league over the last couple years. Even though there not on our team, it is fun to bowl with better competition.

Thoughts and Prayers.

This is just a quick thought and prayer for the families and friends that lost loved ones in the shootings at Virginia Tech University. While alot still has not been answered, it all seems so senseless I guess. It just goes to show that you should live every moment to it's fullest. Nobody is guaranteed time here on earth.

Opening day part two.

Well as promised here our the opening day pictures. I forgot one key component that day, more batteries, but we still got some good ones. The game was a great time. it was warm sunny. Things we don"t equate with baseball in April. It was fabulous game as well. Ben Sheets pitched a complete game two hitter. At one point in the game he retired 22 batters in a row.

This is to be the first of several games this year with scheduled stops in Pittsburgh, Detroit, Minneapolis, and Chi' town.

Experiment gone bad.

You know how when people first baked things or made things, several of those " ideas" came by sheer accident. Well at Oscar's yesterday someone mixed our burgundy cherry with our lemon berry. No one is sure who did it or why, but they decide it was a good idea to run the custard like that and sell it under the alias of lemon cherry. Now I know you are probably watering at the muth right this moment, but don't be fooled by the name. It was like looking at someone who mixed the red and yellow play doe in kindergarten. It tasted real nasty. Real nasty. There are some things nobody should mix. This is definitely right up there.

This stuff really happens.

So I am working last night at the custard stand. A lady pulls into the drive thru and precedes to place an order. As she pulls toward the window to pay her car dies. So I get summoned to go help push the car out of the driveway. Well this was a brand new Chrysler 3000. Sorry not up to speed on my car makes and models. I ask her to put the car into neutral. she was definitely unsure how that was going to work. So I helped her do that. I pushed her to a parking spot. To which she didn't say thanks or anything of that nature. If by now you haven't guessed the car problem , let me lay it out for you. She ran out of gas. That's right folks ran out of gas on a new car. She says to me, I had no idea it was that low. Now maybe being a guy, and a weeeee bit paranoid of running out of gas and being stranded, but what is one of the top two things you do when starting your car. I look at my gas gauge. Call me crazy. That's what I do. Now I am not trying to bash women at all. So please ladies don't come after me like it's a witch hunt. Don't you look at the gauges on the car. Maybe not all of them. Doesn't the gas gauge concern you at all. Well in just talking with this lady, who surprisingly wasn't blond, I understood how it could have happened. So she calls her husband to come get her. He was only 30 miles away. So he was not pleased as I am sure you could guess. she gets off the phone to tell me her husband was upset and that what she did was bad for the car. You think? No gas, no movement in car. Also you might get stranded in a place which is not so nice. The lesson we learned here tonight is always check your blinker fluid, windshield wiper brake pads, and lastly just make sure you have some gas, or go to the nearest gas station and fill up.

Anybody say Chinese water torture.

So I come into work today. All pumped from opening day( more later. Efforting the whole picture thing) and what should I walk into a puddle by my desk area. Now I have been working there awhile now. It does rain a lot. All of a sudden it appears there is a leak in the roof that drops through three floors through the grating down on my floor. Oh and the best part is it is right at my area. All day now it will be drip, drip, drip, drip, on my head. I thought work was torture enough. Now this. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

opening day part 1

well today is opening day at Miller Park. Another season of high optimism, followed by injuries and shotty play, combined with the fact we can't beat Pittsburgh(are you kidding me), followed up by another losing season, meaning massive depression by years end as we watch the Cardinals, Yankees and others battle for the title. OK so maybe this year will be different, right? I am not going to hold my breath. Besides nobody looks good in that shade of blue. I will be there today. So I do hope that the season goes well. I am excited to watch the game. October was a long time ago. So here is to the tailgating to all the brats I can put away. The game encounter a bit later with, some pictures hopefully.

For the championship!!!!!!!

Well we have come to the end of our bowling season. While our goal was to win both halves we were not able to accomplish that. With that being said we still have our spot in the final next Wednesday. So while our cousin, Chris, a.k.a, Thee Colorado Flyer, won a big bike race. I am on to trying to win my second bowling title. The first was when I was about 20. So it has been awhile. The team I was the least experienced. Now I am the main guy. So it will be fun as well as a wee bit stressful. I finished the year with a 197 average. My highest ever in a sanctioned league. So will see what the pins have in store. Also I am headed to state April 21-22 in Milwaukee this year. So it hopes to be an exciting month for bowling.

It's go time.

Well folks it is that time of year again. The stretch of April to October. This is where I have found I am able to maintain a high level of energy and lose weight. The last two years I have lost 35, 45 consecutively. I also started at about 260 each year as well. This year is different. I am at 226. It would seem to me that the task at hand is more difficult this year. Also I am being challenged by my wife, ex sports medicine/physical fitness guru/ registered nurse. She went to a consultation at the club we work out at. So she is primed and ready to go. She has set goals of 145 by may15th, and 135 by august 15th. That's my birthday by the way, so I will be expecting loads of gifts. OK. Just kidding about the gift part. So in her competitive spirit has started saying how she is going to beat me. Well this just won't due. However not willing to get a consultation myself, which comes with the membership, I still feel I can win. The question is though am I being to much of a "MACHO" guy because I don't want to get help in the process. Or is it I think I can win with all the factors stacked against me? So we start our quest for 195. That is my declaration. By Sept 1 I am going to try to be 195. I think the last time I was under 200 was like 1994. That was a century ago. So with that folks, it's go time!!!!!!!!!!

Hockey game.

So Becky and I went to a Milwaukee Admirals game on Sunday afternoon. They just happened to be playing the Grand Rapid Griffins. Now in all honesty I new the hockey team was from Michigan, but had no clue it was the minor league team of the Detroit Red wings. Well this started off some banter about who's team was better, our town has a real hockey team ,blah, blah, blah. Now since that little debacle last summer where the Brewers lost 2 0f three to the tigers in miller ballpark, the state of Wisconsin has taken the edge. Packers 2, Lions zero. The Admirals also had been schooling the griffins this year 5-0-0-1. I can't even keep up those hockey record stats. However from the looks of it we have taken back the Wisconsin/Michigan thing for the time being. Well see what happens when the Brewers head to Commerica this year. We had great seats up against the glass. Front row just to the left of the penalty box area. I like the seats, but for hockey being up a couple rows lets you see more of the action. The Admirals had this kid who looked 16. He was in the box next to us, and I thought I could probably take him. OK, so maybe not. I give hockey players alot of credit. They have a great skill level when it comes to skating, puck handling, shooting, avoiding checks, and the works. But we had loads of fun. Now it's on to the baseball travel season. Some interesting teams to check out this year.

March Madness!!!!

Let me just say this post is not in reference to the weather we have been having this month. In a span of a week we have gone from really cold to somewhat warm to summer to late fall and back to winter. HELLO WISCONSIN!! I am referring to the greatest sporting event every year. I have my several dozen brackets filled out. Let me just say that women I don't get how you come away winning office pools in sports like this, but you do and it frustrates us guys because you don't use a real philosophy that would lead you to be successful. You don't look at records or styles of play. You look at mascots and team names. What's up with that? So another pool, more women kicking guys tales. Like I have said it is the best event of the year. I ave had the pleasure of going to some games and the energy level is great. Win or go home. So today at work I have made up for the fact I have no vacation to take off. So the TV has shown up with me. So I will be a wee bit distracted from 11- 5 this afternoon. Let the madness begin. YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What did he say?

You know that I have those days, and really I think we all do, what I mean is you just feel like the day is going super slow. You have been up for an hour and it seems like it's been 60 minutes. You drive to work and think back how did I get here. I mean you know you made it OK, but your mind was so preoccupied that you don't "really" ever remember the exact course of events that took place and you made it to work or wherever your traveling to. Our you get online and your looking to connect with that guy from across the globe and you read something the sound like it came out a Ozzy song, right it just doesn't make sense. So he blogs about who knows what. Then you look for that attention grabber, and no pictures. Well that would cut down on the typing cause they say a picture is worth 1000 words, and he hasn't got any, so he writes 1000 words hoping you get the picture. You just want to scream at him, but you know he isn't on the computer when you are and so you don't. Also he doesn't have the techno at work for computer speakers anyway so that wouldn't help the situation. He goes on and on. You want to stop reading, but realize that it would be rude, and you have wasted ten minutes reading this. You don't stop because you say well it has got to pick up sooner or later. There has got to be some method to the madness, and then you feel like those movie that leave you hanging. MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That frosts my corn flakes. So there I was the other night ad you know how many trucks are on the freeway every single day. Well I am 31, and I don't do math this early, but that comes out to like 10,000,000 days or something. But I saw for the first time a student truck driver. Some driving company trains people to drive trucks. I never thought about it, but yea it makes sense I guess. Well sorry for making you read through this post. I just wanted to get a few things off my chest. I would go back and spell check, but I am afraid of what I would see. He is to more awesome posts. Maybe I'll throw a 1000 worder in every now and then. Hehehehe.

P.S. Everyone keep posting. It's really fun to see what's going on in everbodys life.

post 20

So last night I was reading the paper and it had an article on how long will you live. Based on some pretty interesting gathered data they feel like they can tell you how long you will live till. While not entirely accurate, as it doesn't take into account any national disasters or unforeseen circumstances, they take about 3-4 dozen questions about your lifestyle. Based on your answers they calculate how long you should live. Well they have me croaking in the year 2053. Then after they give you feedback on how you can add years to your life. I can add three of them if I get married or find a "life partner" First of all I am married as I answered in the first couple of questions. Second I will take my place in heaven before I try to add "three" years to my life with a "life partner". Not my cup of tea. Nevertheless it was a interesting little exercise. Livingto100.com is the site if you want to get a kick out of when they expect you to live too.

Hawaii

I know I haven't talked much about the trip to Hawaii. It has been rough at work. All excuses aside though, If you do anything in your life, make sure a trip to Hawaii is in that plan. I could not explain with words and pictures will not do the justice of the sites and sounds, and just awesome scenery that is Hawaii. leave the weather aside a bit, cause we know that is a consistent 75-80(non humid) degrees. We woke up in places surrounded by mountains only a few short miles away. I thought Colorado was awesome, and it is, but Hawaii is magnificent. I am grateful for having gone and look forward to the chance of returning. So if your looking for a referral on where to book your next vacation, say it with me. HAWAII!!!!!!!!!!

A second to blog.....

Well I have some blog time. Man my schedule has gotten full. I knew it was coming, but not like the unleashing of snow(somewhere around 2 feet of snow) I didn't think it would come so fast. Nonetheless hear it sits. Life. Married life. It seems a bit overwhelming, and I did enjoy Hawaii. The last two days I have been back to work. The guy who was working for me quit the day he took over and really walked off the job last Monday. So I came back to a nightmare. Well I have had to work my buns off to get back to just having some filing and paperwork left to do. It is nice though to have a wonderful wife to come home to and share the good, bad, and ugly the day has left to offer. So I have some catching up to do still, so until that time. Don't forget to stop and smell the roses.

It looks like the honeymmon is over.

Well I am back to work and maybe some blogging. That is if I can fix the tsunami left for me as the person covering for me quit and it looks like I am in a pool of something that's way over my head. I'm sending out an SOS to anyone in reading distance. Need H E L P!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


P.S. If I ever get out of this mess I will talk about my "really uneventful" honeymoon.

the stories will keep you rolling, and make you mad at the same time.

Finally!!!!!!!!

well boys, girls, and gifted animals we have come to a time that I have been waiting for what seems like forever and a day. My last day off work and the weekend I get married. It has been quite the past year. Looking ahead looks very exciting as well. I wish safe travels for all those who are traveling from afar. I would like to say that Becky and I appreciate you coming and taking time out of your not so busy schedules ( especially you, Chris) and joining us this weekend. Then we go to Hawaii!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I will speak to you again in the land of the big pineapple. We see you all real soon.