Retiring Soon

Today at work the obvious discussion was about the crash of the stock market and how it will affect us.  We decided that the biggest affect will probably be in our retirement accounts.

So, in order to prepare for our future retirement we decided to practice.

If you plan to retire someday you can follow along.  Here is what we did:

Sweeping our arms to the left we repeated "Welcome to Walmart, do you need a cart?"  

Then with a friendly wave and a smile we said in our friendliest of tones "Thank you for shopping at Walmart, do you need assistance to your car?"

Smiling wide we said "Would you like fries with that?" and "Would you like to Super Size that?"

For those not as easy on the eyes we had flick their wrists in an upward motion while holding a pretend spatula.  They had to do it 20 times a minute at three second intervals.

Others worked on holding a coffee cup with a penny in it while giving it a jingle and saying "Could you please spare a quarter?"

Now we are prepared for the inevitable retirement that our financial market has prepared for us.

Portland is a Beautiful City

Click on the image above to see a larger version.

Walking Portland

Today was an amazing day in Portland. It is hard to believe that it is almost October. We decided to take the kids and Owen down to the Eastside Promenade downtown Portland for a little walk. We walked down the path to the Steel Bridge and across to Waterfront Park then back. It pooped the kids and Owen out.

Here are some photos taken during the walk.

My Wife Loves Me

I'll prove it.

She and the kids are gone for the week in Illinois visiting family and she still makes dinner for me every night.  Well really she made dinner for me for every night. My freezer is full of her yummy goodness.   Tonight when I got home I just pulled out some Cassoulette, put it in the 'wave and I was eating my wife's yummy cooking.

This beats my usual routine of picking up take-out each night.  Although it hurts the local Teriyaki market, this new plan is much more comforting.

Thanks for taking care of me hon.  I still miss you. 

A Church to Avoid

If you are looking for a church to attend make sure if you see a Travolta-Pulp-Fiction looking guy that you run.  Run for your life.  Run as if the devil is chasing you.  Here's why...

Brant, I can't thank you enough for the warning.

To My Lady

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

I'd sing it to you but my voice doesn't translate well on a blog.

I love you Kathi! You are the best.

These 3 Things

These are the three technologies I am enjoying:

1. itunes Genius - it's like having Pandora for my music collection
2. Google Chrome
3. The Linksys router Joe gave me.  Geek friends Rock \m/[>.<]\m/

Actors Are Dumb

Matt Damon Shut Up!

I say that with all sincerity.  Mrs. Palin is more qualified to be President than you are to be a political commentator.

I need to know if she really thinks dinosaurs were here 4000 years ago, that's an important...I want to know that. I really do. Because she's going to have the nuclear codes. I want to know if she thinks dinosaurs were here 4000 years ago. Or if she banned books or tried to ban books. We can't have that.

It will be news to you that there are Creationist out there, including yours truly, that believe that the earth is millions of years old.  I just happen to believe that God created it, not an accidental explosion or happenstance.  I agree that the Earth being 4,000 years old is a silly notion.  Just don't put all Creationists in a box.  Because if you do, your precious Mr. Obama needs to be put in that same tiny box.  He's a professed Christian which makes him a Creationist!  You should ask him, it will help you be more informed.

You do the actuary tables and there's a one out of three chance, if not more, that McCain doesn't survive his first term and it will be President Palin. And it really...we were talking about it earlier...it's like a really bad Disney movie. The hockey mom. "I'm just a hockey mom from Alaska." And she's the president. And it's like she's facing down Vladimir Putin and using the folksy stuff she learned at the hockey rink. It's absurd. It's totally absurd. And I don't understand why more people aren't talking about how absurd it is. It's a really terrifying possibility. The fact that we've gotten this far and we're that close to this being a reality is crazy, crazy...

And you don't know anything about her?  That's one of your reasons for not liking her?  Come on, pay attention Bud.  Can't you read.  There is a ton of information floating out there on her including her politics, her past, her views, her family, her beliefs, her hieght, etc.  You've got over a month to catch up.  If you can't read watch YouTube videos.

Are you doing actuary tables?  Since when?

Let me just change your statement up a bit: You do the actuary tables and there's a one out of two chance that Obama will be President Palin. And it really...we were talking about it earlier...it's like a really bad Disney movie. The community organizer. "I'm just a community organizer from Chicago." And he's the president. And it's like he's facing down Vladimir Putin and using the ghetto stuff he learned at the hood. It's absurd. It's totally absurd. And I don't understand why more people aren't talking about how absurd it is. It's a really terrifying possibility. The fact that we've gotten this far and we're that close to this being a reality is crazy, crazy...

She at least has Executive experience of which Obama has none.

Are you going to pull a Baldwin and threaten to move out of the country if John McCain is elected?  Are you that worried?

One more thing.  Have you seen this video?  What guy wouldn't like her after seeing this?

Matt, here is my offer to you:  Let's have dinner, my treat.  I think it is time for you to leave your Hollywood shelter for a while and get out and meet some average folks.  Better than treating you to dinner, you can come to our house and my wife will cook us up a yummy meal.  Yep, really, I have a wife that cooks for me.  After dinner we'll sit out back and drink a Pabst Blue Ribbon and smoke a $7 cigar.  That will give us a chance to talk.  I think you'll enjoy it.  Come.  My offer stands open ended.

PS:  I love your movies.  Except the Siamese twin one... that was stinky.

Saturday's Are Good

Saturday's are typically used to rest and relax.  Today was no exception.  No schedule to keep, no deadline to meet, just taking things as they come. We went and saw our friends new baby.  It is always fun to see new babies.  He is adorable.

Tonight we got rid of the girl for the night so we are hanging out with Alex who is currently impressing  us with his dance moves.  The best is

 the move he calls The Cramp; it is where he spins on the floor holding his leg with an anquished look on his face.

Earlier we played a mean game of The Game of Life; SpongeBob Squarepants Edition.

  Alex's choice.  During the game Kathi got a call which put the game on hold but not the hijinx.  Alex got into my motorcycle gear.  He thinks the air intake on the front is a speaker for talking.  

When the game was back on he ended up winning.  This is always a big deal, beating mom and dad.  I may lose a game of Life here and there but there is one game I don't lose playing, just ask Brianna. That game is Othello.  She loves to play me because she thinks she'll win someday.  Maybe she will, but for now it is no mercy.

  I show her my strategies and why I make one move over another to try and help her learn.  So far it hasn't sunk in.  The day it does and she beats me there will be great celebration in our house.

The dance is almost over and bedtime is on the horizon.  Nighty nite peeps.

God is in the Details

Jed Smith

I love the Redwoods! We just got back from our camping trip at Jedediah Smith State Park in Northern California. It is a wonderful park that sits along the banks of the Smith River.

When I was a kid we camped here and I have great memories from those trips. I hope to pass on those memories to my kids. So far I think I am. Every year Kathi and I say we are going to camp more but so far we've averaged about two trips a summer.

Owen had fun too.

Even Owen swam.
Wahoo!

These trees are GIANORMOUS!