All posts by warren

It’s been busy…but with what?

Thoughts,

We have been pretty sketchy around here lately.  I haven’t found myself into any interesting projects.  I haven’t gone anywhere too unusual or done anything interesting.  I haven’t even licked a bell in weeks.  I can’t figure out what we have been doing actually.  Work is pretty typical.  We have started writing iPhone apps which has been interesting.  I have been writing computer programs for quite awhile but I have to tell you, as polished as Apple’s final products are, their software development tools are an atrocity!  That’s all I have to say about that…  But what else have we been doing?  The kids are into some things but not a crazy amount of stuff.  Oh well…

We have been working on something else since the end of September too.  Well, really we have been mostly waiting since the end of September.  I still want credit though as I have been stressing and irritated through a large part of that time trying to make things happen.  I can’t share any details yet, but when it happens (and it appears that it will happen soon), I will have tons to write about and I am SOOOOOO excited!  Piqued your interest any?  I hope so…

Though I typically hate winter, I noticed that the only saving grace of the season is once again available in stores…Cadbury eggs make life worth living in the winter.  This is one time when I am glad marketing folks jump the gun on holiday preparations.  I also like Reese’s peanut butter eggs.  I would take a picture, but…well….I already ate my peanut butter egg.  Anyhow, does it get any better than this?

The magical medicinal magnificent Cadbury cream egg!

There is not too much else going on friends.  We are still alive here in West-by-God-Virginia and are diligently preparing for the next big mess of snow and ice and what-not-signs-of-the-apocalypse.  We got milk and eggs and bread last night (so we can make french toast if we get trapped in our house, of course) so we will make it through!  I hope all is well in your neck of the woods!  And don’t forget…Ground Hog Day is only a week away!

100% Kindle enabled

Technology

On Christmas day, 75% of our family was connected to the great bookstore in the sky…Amazon.com.  Emily and the kids each got kindles for Christmas.  I think we were all pretty skeptical when we first started thinking about this evil magic but Emily’s mom and my mom each got kindles and they seemed to like them.  The kids begged to read on theirs each time we saw them so we thought it might be worth a try.

Emily opened hers on Christmas morning and sort of gave a scowl…much like when I gave her a frying pan for Valentine’s day.  Rats…I blew it again.  Still, she turned it on and started reading the book that I had bought and installed.  She came out of hiding a day and a half later!  Maybe a kindle was better than a frying pan!  Isaac did the exact same thing so I knew his gift was a hit too!

Before Abigail had a chance to even turn hers on, I commandeered it and downloaded a bunch of books and hid from her while I read.  She finally tracked me down and insisted that I return her kindle so she could use her Christmas present.

Dang kids who read…well, I had to order my own.  Yesterday I received my kindle from the kind UPS driver and moved all of my stuff to it.  Of course, I had to take all of my stuff off of Abigail’s kindle.  She finally got it back right before bed last night.  Was that mean?  I think it will make her appreciate being able to use her Christmas present even more today!

Well, we do read a lot and I guess you could say we are 100% kindle enabled finally.  Thank you great bookstore in the sky.  Thank you for giving us cheaper books at the touch of a button.  But please great bookstore, please make it just a little harder to buy a book…we are becoming addicted and the credit card on file doesn’t seem to know how to say stop!

Why are we off today?

Thoughts

I was tucking Abigail into bed last night and reminded her that she could sleep in and enjoy her morning.  She remembered that it was Martin Luther King, Jr day.  She asked, “Jr means there was someone else with that name.  Who was that?”  I told her what I knew about her father and how MLK Jr was also a Southern black preacher (like his father) who led a movement to gain civil rights for black people 50-60 years ago.  We talked about Rosa Parks on the bus in Alabama and how brave she was to remain seated in her seat.  We talked about how badly some white people treated black people, abusing or killing them for a stray look or a misstep or just for fun.  I think she knew a lot of the information we discussed but we talked pretty plainly about how important it is to celebrate the bravery of the white and black pioneers of the Civil Rights movement.

I love where I grew up and I am proud to have come from a small town.  It’s funny though…we were monocolor and in some ways were so incredibly far apart away from race issues.  There was no diversity though so it was not an issue.  While I never saw race riots or first-hand discrimination or anything even close, I heard plenty of racial slurs and stereotypes and if anyone had ever even seen a person of color, it might have been different.  I didn’t really think much of it at the time as I knew not a single non-white person until I was in high school.  But for Isaac and Abigail, they don’t even comprehend racism.  That is not to say that it does not exist today, but I am so thankful that in their lives and experiences in their school, it seems to be absent.  I truly think that they no more understand hating someone for the color of their skin than hating someone because they are left handed or blonde.

As Abigail and I were finishing our conversation, she said, “Thanks Dad for answering all of my questions.”  (Yes, she said it just like that)  Thinking ahead to her preteen years, I assured her that she could always ask me any question and she would never be in trouble for curiosity.  “Well Dad, there is one more thing then…I have always wondered how cars work…”

The call came at 5:15

Thoughts, WV, ,

That’s 5:15 in the morning.  Or maybe it was even a tad bit earlier.  I am not sure.  You see, I was ASLEEP!  Oh, I complain and all but I am thankful that the school system uses an automated system to call everyone when school is cancelled.  We live in the armpit where WV, KY and OH all join so if we had to watch the scrolling thing on tv, we end up waiting a long time for them to roll back around to WV schools.  Did you like how I used armpit there?  I am not sure how else to describe it.  Let’s just say that border area is a really nice smelling, freshly cleaned (and maybe even shaved) armpit.  Maybe like Sandra Bullock’s armpit or something.  Anyhow, it’s a weird boundary so everyone in all three states watches the same tv stations waiting to see if their school is cancelled.

Ok, back to the call…the call came in at 5:15ish.  Emily normally gets up at 5:30 so she wasn’t too messed up by the call.   I tend to get up an hour later.  It works well for us.  Today, however, when she has the chance to go back to bed, she kept bugging me to haul my butt out of bed early and get out the door so she could go back to sleep.  Snow days for me mean that I get up earlier than normal.

Of course, Abigail was up (because the child never sleeps in) so it was sweet when I was getting ready to walk out the door.  She grabbed onto me and said, “do you have to go to work?  Don’t you get a snow day?”  She really didn’t want to let me go.  That’s pretty sweet and almost worth the pain of being run out of the house early by my wife.

We’re having a pretty good snow right now but I suspect we are nothing compared to NYC and Boston.  Once again, I am glad I live in West-by-God-Virginia!

Guns…and dogs…and trucks

Adventure, Family, Fun, WV, , ,

Sounds like a country song doesn’t it?  You know, we lived in Nashville for 10 years or so and came away from the experience with a real interest in country music.  We like most sorts of music really, but country was only added after being around it for so long.

Anyhow, back to the point – guns.  The other two things came right out of my stream of consciousness.  Sometimes I get going on something and I can only tell I have gone off on a goose chase when I see others’ eyes glaze over.  It’s quite maddening really.  See, there I go again – off on a tangent.  So, guns…Isaac got a .22 rifle from Santa (sounds like a country Santa doesn’t it?)  He had been asking for a pellet gun but Santa figured he would outgrow that pretty quickly.  I know some folks might find it horrifying that Santa brought my son a gun but we are in WV and it is a part of the culture around these parts.  And besides that, I grew up in a similar culture so we’ll absolutely know how to properly use and care for a gun.  Rats, another tangent.

Last weekend we found a break in the weather and headed to the rifle range in Kanawha State Forest.  I had always heard that a person should not shoot there unless they are pretty well drunk, and it’s been a long time since I was there.  We took a chance though and found it in full use and very well managed by the folks who were shooting (i.e. it is not managed by anyone other than whoever happens to be shooting).  Everyone did a great job and we had a great time shooting.

We shot some at a paper target but really enjoyed the spinner target Isaac also got from Santa.  It was a lot of fun…until Isaac shot it right at the pivot point and filled the fulcrum point with lead – heck of a shot really.  Anyhow, Isaac now has his first gun and we had a great time shooting together!

Thank you Mr Williams

Thoughts,

I may be the only person, but do any of you dear readers remember your Dad or Grandpa with a cup and a brush on the bathroom sink that they used for shaving?  My Dad had one that he used to shave but it always seemed so old-timey.  I started shaving when I was 13 (I think) and there was no way I was going to use that old fashioned mess.  Oh no, I was all about the sleek gel in the glamorous (?) spray container.  It was cool when Mom and Dad were paying for it.  As soon as I got out of college, Emily and I were married and we lived on next to nothing.  I still wonder how we didn’t starve but I felt as rich then as I ever have.

Following my forefathers...my shaving mug

Anyhow, we had no money so we bought the cheapest spray foam shaving cream and liked it (uh…we “liked” lots of stuff when there was no choice).  Actually, it wasn’t bad at all.  The gel made me smell like a girl anyhow so I didn’t mind the cheaper foamy stuff.  Yes indeed, very manly…very manly.

About a year ago, I read an article suggesting that modern guys and their significant others are missing out on something special.  The secret of a really great shave was lost on most people and daggone it, I wanted to recall the olden days when men wore hats and had a proper shave.  Well, sort of.  I don’t wear hats but I was up for getting a better shave.

Mr Williams makes my favorite variety

I searched for a proper coffee mug in our cabinets and bought a shaving brush and some of Mr Williams’ shaving soap and gave it a try.  Friends, I am here to report that the shaving experience with shaving soap is a different experience than using the girly gel or the cheap foam.  I haven’t yet moved to using an old fashioned safety razor, but changing to soap alone makes me hop up in the mornings looking forward to shaving.  Well, I may exaggerate some but I definitely prefer using it to cans of cream.  Call me a convert – a convert who is now a step closer to supreme manliness!

Curing my beardaphobia

Fun

You may remember that I started growing a beard back on the first of November.  It is a thing my Dad and/or brother started where beards are grown from November ’til sometime around Christmas and then are shaved.  We went to my brother’s house a few weeks ago and for me, it was time to shave off that mangy thing…

Brother, Dad, and me
Pre-trim...geez, do I look like that in the mirror?
Holy crap does it hurt to shave a beard!

When I came out of the bathroom with this look, Abigail honestly freaked and said, “You look like a maniac!  Get away from me!”   She acted as though she was truly a little freaked out by my appearance.  She’s a smart kid…proved again!

I think this look should be called "circus strongman"
Hmmmm.....
Hmmmmm...continued
Ahhhh....the lifeblood - a quart of Mt Dew!

Ok, so, as I look back over this, I think I might be pretty vain.  I have to tell you though, I am so glad to be rid of the squirrel as Emily calls it.  Some people look awesome in a beard but I don’t have their strength of character or whatever it is that they have to put up with it.  I am once again clean shaven and shall remain so…at least until November!

Redneck Games

Family, Fun

Christmas has been a 2+ week thing for us this year.  Last weekend, we hung out with my family at my brother’s place.  This weekend, we stayed at home and did Christmas around our area with Emily’s family.  It was a great Christmas for us and the kids.  It was quiet yesterday and we just sort of took it easy…to recover.

You see, in the weeks prior, we (meaning me mainly) have been participating in the redneck games (as my brother-in-law termed it).  The first good snow a couple of weeks ago found us sled riding at my BIL’s house where there is a most excellent hill.  It’s hard enough to walk on in good weather which makes it dang near impossible in snow…which makes it the perfect sled-riding hill!  We went up and down a number of times in the usual way.  We went feet first and head first.  We tried sitting and laying.  Being one who folks can count on to act a fool, it occurred to me that we hadn’t tried standing up.

Yeah, it didn’t last long.  I rode a few short rides until my bones suggested that I had better knock it off.  I guess it looked pretty white-trash for me (still in full beard) to jump on a big plastic sled clearly not rated for stand-up usage.  I guess it could have only been better if I had a car hood to ride.  It was one of those, “hold on to my beer and watch this” sort of things (yes the hill is that steep) .

No bones were broken during that episode of redneck games so I tried again at my brother’s place.  He has a new 4-wheeler that seemed like it needed to be tested.  There was a little bit of snow on the ground…maybe 2-3 inches when we arrived at his place on Friday night.  We exchanged pleasantries and then got right to the destruction of his yard.  You see, we are both somewhat city-dwellers nowadays but we come from solid redneck roots and a 4 wheeler seriously magnifies that tendency.  We spun his machine around and drove all sorts of stupid (don’t tell my mom or kids or wife though).  Neighbors drove by and cheered us on (I figure they could see lights slinging around…plus it was 11pm when we stopped) which was all the encouragement I needed.  We only have pictures of the daytime riding when the kids were around…probably a good thing.

Ahhhh…the holidays are so nice!

A letter to Santa

Awesome, Family, Thoughts

I think all kids probably write letters to Santa at some time or another.  My brother and I always used to sit at my Mom’s typewriter with the JC Penny, Sears and Montgomery Ward Christmas/toy catalogs.  We’d pour over them for hours if not days.  I don’t know whether we were greedy or anything but I do know that the letters we typed were pretty much to the point…something like , “Dear Santa, here’s the stuff we want…”

Isaac and Abigail have been pretty varied in what they want for Christmas and how they ask for it.  One year when Isaac was much younger, he asked for batteries and a peach.  I guess we hadn’t replaced the batteries in his noisy baby toys soon enough to suit him.  That explains the batteries but I don’t know where he got the idea for the peach.  Anyhow, I still smile when I think about how simple his wants were back then.  Gosh, one year he asked for bottled water.  His tastes have gotten a little more sophisticated but he really only wants one thing this year…a pellet gun.  Now, he doesn’t want a Red Rider or anything like that.  In fact tonight, he quoted to me, “Dad, I think that pellet gun we saw at Gander Mountain (an awesome outdoor-sports store) shot pellets at 1600 feet per second.”  That’s no toy really at that point but still, he only wanted that one thing.  Isaac has never been much on writing stuff down so I think he had to hope that his Christmas wish-list made it through the ether to the North Pole.

Abigail's letter to Santa

Abigail, on the other hand, is very expressive in her writing, and, well, everything really.  So a couple of years ago she wanted an art easel which she loves to use.  Recently she has taken to writing notes to Emily and me on the dry-erase part so it is pretty common for us to see a very detailed message or a clever note in her hand-writing on the board.  A few weeks ago we noticed an updated message and I have to tell you, I laughed out loud and still get  huge smile on my face when I look at the picture.  You see, Seph, our little orange kitten is a full sized cat now but he still likes to bite a little and can be quite the terror.  I don’t think Seph was actually chewing on Abigail when she wrote the note to Santa, but I absolutely love her creativity.  The best part is, after all of the details of the note, at the bottom she adds all that she really wants for Christmas – a chess set of her own.  We probably have 5 others laying around but she wants a nice one that is just hers.  I suspect Santa will help her out on her wish.  And besides my pride in her excellent writing, I am so glad that she, like her brother, has such simple Christmas wishes.  Merry Christmas kids and my blog friends.  I hope your Christmas is a simple one heaped full of awesome and love.

Edit:  It turns out that Santa just passed through and he left this note:

Santa's letter to Abigail

Give me a sign

Family, Fun, Thoughts, ,

We spent last weekend with my family at my brother’s place in MD.  We had all sorts of fun but I’ll tell you about that later.  So, Sunday, we were travelling back home to West-by-God-Virginia and had to make various pit-stops.  We stopped some for drinks or snacks, some for “rest” and some to shop.  Well, I don’t really shop much so I’d say our stop at the outlet mall in Flatwoods, WV was more to buy.  Anyhow, as Isaac and I walked into one store, we came upon a sign.  It’s funny…I love that the kids “get” stuff now.  Isaac looked at me, and I looked at him and he started laughing at the wording.  Lots of stuff ran through my head including the importance of words and education and planning, but I think that it was all apparent to Isaac, even if only subconsciously.  He saw the mistakes that were made in that sign and understood why words matter.  Of course, I think he takes that to mean that he shouldn’t write any more than is absolutely necessary.  He loves to talk but trying to get that boy to hand-write a note is like pulling weeds…with your teeth.  Anyhow, I am pretty proud to say that he can properly use “they’re”, “there”, and “their” and that he knew that the wording of the sign was completely wrong.

During one of our stops, we pulled into a rest area someplace near the top of the world (or so it seemed).  The rest area had a great view so we took a few minutes to observe before our ears froze.  After getting our fill of the landscape, we walked into the place and they had signs around including this one…

I don’t think it ever would have  occurred to me that the appliance before me was a water fountain.  Again, Isaac looked at me and I at him and we both just busted out laughing!  I am pretty germ-a-phobic (which is weird since I am not dainty about much of anything) so I am pretty glad we had alcohol hand sanitizer (which we call germ wash) in the car.  Honestly, I use the stuff every time I enter my car.  Weird, huh?  Anyhow, we subdued our thirst and pressed on towards home.

Here's the view where the water was not for drinking...

We had a great trip all around, but I think one of my favorite parts was this ride home.  It’s cool how the simplest of times with the family can make for the best of times!