A Few Ramblings

I always think I should carry a camera with me but I rarely have one when I need one. Just the other day as I turned on to the road upon which I live I spied two foxes playing in front of the abandoned house that sits on the corner. These two foxes where out in plain site on the lawn and seemed the least bit interested that I had stopped to watch them. Now I see a fox now and then dart across the road or speed off into the woods but I have not had the opportunity to sit and watch them as I did that day. The two red foxes were sporting a fine winter coat and looked as if they were in good heath. The warm weather and the sparse snow has probably kept them in tip top shape. So if I had had my camera with me I might have been able to post a nice picture but you are just going to have to take my word for it instead.

I have ignored the blog as of late, partly because my mind has been distracted and partly because I have had limited access to the computer at home. My youngest has taken to using the computer to do her home work and in my house that takes priority over blogging. A benefit of the states laptop program is that now she wants to do all her work on the computer and the email it to herself at school. The state provides laptops to Jr. High School age children but does not allow them to remove them from the school. Why did they buy laptops then? Wouldn't have been cheaper to purchase regular PCs? Anyway she is becoming computer literate and that is a good thing. At least she hasn't discovered AOL IM but it is only a matter of time.

On the work front it has been announced that the Paper Mill (IP) will assume ownership of our plant upon court approval which is expected to happen later this month. What that means to the employees has yet to be announced but you can guess the options. So the days at work are filled with little else but looking to see what the most recent additions to monster.com are and working on cover letters. There is also much turmoil in our parent company and rumors are running rampant about what changes are to come from the reorganization. In some ways it is like a divorce, you are sad to see it end but are excited about the possibilities with new beginnings. Of course it would suck not to be able to eat. And I do like to eat!!

On the sports front I am having trouble getting excited about the Superbowl though I now am in a pool so at least I can watch to see if I can win a few buck on the quarter, half and final scores. It will be my first Superbowl in high definition (thank god CBS doesn't have the game) and maybe the commercials will be in high def also.

Also on the sports front the mighty Boston Red sox are now able to field an entire team having recently added a center fielder and a short stop. I am most excited about the center fielder, Coco Crisp. Not only can he hit, field and steal bases but he has the coolest name of anyone in the game. I am already thinking about getting a jersey but only if they have first and last names on the jersey. It makes me sad that the Sox don't have the names on the home jerseys. The best part about the 2006 Red Sox is that as best as I can tell everyone they have added is under only a one year contract so we can go through this whole rebuilding thing again next year. Oh yeah if any one out there is interested in a wacky left fielder who rarely knows what inning it is or how many outs there are but can whack the hell out of the ball, the Sox are still looking to trade Manny.

Patriots� 2006 Victory Parade Awkward, Sparsely Attended | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Patriots� 2006 Victory Parade Awkward, Sparsely Attended The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Our friends in Madison WI at the Onion have some fun at the expense of the Patriots. I guess you know you have done something good when others take joy in your failures. Just as I hated the Steelers of the 70's and the Cowboys of the 80's people have grown to hate the Pats of late. Anyway I had a good laugh at this article so I thought I would share it with you.

They could go all the way..............ah no

When I woke up this morning I should have been looking forward the New England Patriots hosting the AFC Championship game in Foxboro this weekend. Yes, it should have been a rematch of last years championship game only this time it should have been at home. The Steelers dismantled the Colts as the elder Manning once again proved inept in the playoffs. Only one thing went wrong.....the Pats forgot to win.

I have been spoiled. My team has not only gone to, but won 3 out of the last 4 Superbowl's. As a fan, you forget what it is like to loose. I just assumed they would find a way to win when it mattered. They always had in the past. Brady had never lost a post season game. And you know what? I don't think they should have lost that game in Denver either. It would be one thing if they got beat by a better team but to loose in the manner they did was just too painful to watch (even though I did). The Pats beat themselves.

They did what they needed to do to win. They held the Broncos to less than 100 yards rushing and Plumber was an astounding 15 for 26 for a whopping 190 yards of passing. Whoopi!! Meanwhile Brady was 20 for 36 for 341 respectful yards. You look at the box score and you think hey, the Pats won. That is until you get down to the turnovers, 3 fumbles and 2 interceptions (owe of which really doesn't count). They gave the game away!!

So what do I do now? I forget how to watch the playoffs with out a team in the hunt. Who do I cheer for?
Denver? The team that eliminated my beloved Pats? No!!

The Seahawks? One they are in the NFC and that just rubs me wrong and I am sorry but I am just not a believer in that team from the wrong coast. Even though Seattle is the birth place of one outstanding human being (me) I just can't swing my vote in that direction.

The Panthers? There is that NFC thing again but I do own a Panthers sweatshirt (it was a gift) so I would be able to don the attire without spending a dime. The Pats beat them two years ago in the Superbowl and I do appreciate them losing so I will give them a definitive maybe.

The Steelers? I grew up in Ohio and I spent my childhood hating the Steelers. That is hard to get over but I will say out of all the teams that played this weekend they impressed me the most. They played a better team and beat them (unlike the Broncos). They not only had to beat the Colts but had to beat the Zebras at the same time. It seemed at times that either the networks or Archie Manning had people in high places trying to make sure the Colts made it to the next level. I love watching Bill Cowers face on the side lines. It is most fun watching him loose to the Pats but that will have to wait until next year now. The Steelers are the 6th seed, they are the under dog and a 6th seed has never made it this far in the playoffs before. I do like an underdog. So is it the Steelers ahhhhh. I will have to sleep on it.

Just heard that Vegas has the Broncos as the new favorite to win the Superbowl. I guess if they get 5 turnovers in each of the games and one bullshit pass interference call you will be able to call Jake Plumber your Superbowl MVP. That in case you did not notice was "sour grapes".

Thanks Pats it was nice to be spoiled.

Something Positive

Raising teenagers is a bit like herding ducks. Just when you think you have them going in the right direction one slips out or flies the coop. A wise man once told me that in every teenager there is a 4 year old and a 30 year old and the trick to communicating with them is to know which one you are talking to at any given time. If you are talking to the 30 year old you can use reason and logic and show consequence of action and they will listen and learn. If you are talking to the 4 year old you might as well just tell them what to do, how to do it and when to do it. No reason is required other than I said so, as they will not listen to reason anyway.

Recently I showed my elder teen an ad in the paper for a part time sports reporter for the local weekly rag. Knowing that he has an interest in journalism and loves sports I thought it might be a cool opportunity for him. Now sometimes I would have beaten him over the head with it and bugged him to follow up on it but this time I simply mentioned the ad and never said another word about it. Knowing that he already had a job at the local market I really didn't think he would follow up on it. Well surprise surprise!! I guess I happened to catch the 30 year old at that moment and with no prodding or pushing he made the call and set himself up with an interview for the job.

Now I am the proud parent of a part time sports reporter for a local weekly paper. He covers the local high school sports teams currently basketball and indoor track. He went to the interview, got the job and they even sent him home with about $2000 worth of camera equipment. Not only is he doing something more in line with where his interests lie but he got a raise in the process. He has already had a couple of pictures published.

The irony is that I have spent 30 or so years as an armature photographer and even toyed with the idea of trying to make a living at it someday. My son who has never really had an interest in photography has already made money by taking pictures and I have never made a dime. Funny how life works.

Anyway this has been a cool thing to happen in the midst of everything else going in my world. Being a parent has its ups and downs but this is definitely an up. Good job AJ!!

Hey whats up???

In case anyone has been wondering why there have been no recent posts here it is just because I have been in a bit of a funk and did not want to puke negativity all over this blog. It has been a week of many questions and few answers and that can only lead to trouble. As the mind tries to deal with uncertainty and the unknown it goes off in many directions. Most of this time spent speculating is just a waste of energy and unless you can channel that energy into something productive it is a waste of time. All things will sort themselves out in time. I'll tell you more when I actually know something.

Rooftops and Great Predictions

If you have been reading this for a while you will remember a post a month or two ago detailing how and why I have both satellite and cable TV at my house. Well both 2005 and the regular football season have come to an end so I decided it was time to get rid of the satellite TV. This requires me to ship the equipment back to the Dish Network (I should get paid to mention them) as I do not own the dish or the receiver. So as I mentioned before this will entail a winter roof top expedition to disassemble the dish that sits on the very peak of my cape style home..

Yesterday was the day of the expedition. Now if you know me you may be thinking that this is going to turn into a humorous story about how I and the dish came tumbling off the roof after slipping on the roof top ice. How I am now sporting a cast on my left arm (it is always the left side of my body for some reason) or possibly how H. sacrificed life and limb to catch me as I nearly fell to my death. Ahh but none of that came to be as H. and I successfully disassembled the dish with no loss of life or limb. Sorry sad blog reader there is no carnage to report today.

As a matter of fact there is not much to report unless you are interested that both H. and I have been fighting sinus infections for about 3 weeks. We both seem to be on the mend now but the infections have had a way of making you think you are better only to return again in a day or two.

There are some major changes coming at work with a possible change of plant ownership coming in the next several months. No word on how that will effect the employees or more importantly how it will effect me. I am looking around at what my other options might be so if you are looking for a Plant Engineer or Ops Manager to work at your power plant that is within a 45 minute commute from my house please leave a comment with your contact information. Now that would make a good post if that actually resulted in a job lead!

How about them Pats!! Do you really think either Denver or the Colts are looking forward to seeing these guys next week? They may not look as polished as they have in years past but they still know how to get the job done. There is no team that knows how to win in the post season as well as the Patriots. That is an NFL record 10 straight post season victories and Brady remains undefeated in the post season.

That reminds me of something important:

During the 2000-2001 football season Tom Brady filled in for Drew Bledsoe after Drew went down with a serious injury (punctured lung). Tom took a team that was strugling and put together an impressive win streak. After only a few victories with Brady at the helm, a good friend of mine and coworker wrote on the "white board" in our lunch room at work:

"Tom Brady is the next Joe Montana"

Now this may not seem that amazing because this comparison has been made many times since Brady now has three Superbowl rings and continues to lead the Pats to victory against all odds. But this was written after only a few of those victories, before any Superbowls, before anybody else was saying it. My friend was officially the first person to jump on the Brady band wagaon. He infact was driving.

The tragedy is that my friend never got to see how correct he was as we lost him to a tragic car accident in Febuary of 2003 after only the first Superbowl win. Actually I believe he does know how correct he was as I am sure he has been enjoying the Patriots Superbowl run from the "otherside". If he was with us today (and how I wish he was) he would be reminding us of how he saw it all before anyone else did, he called it and he even wrote it down. You don't have to remind me Bob, I remember!! I will never watch a Tom Brady victory without thinking of you and how you thought this 6th round draft pick from Michigan was going to bring great things to New England. You were so right!!

Go Pats!!

Duct tape and Bailing Wire

"Nope, I don't see anyway to get that power steering pump out of there either" said the wise old farmer who had a lifetime of working on Fords under his belt. Out of desperation I had made the call to my father in law in hopes that he would know of a trick of the trade that would free the broken power steering pump from the depths of the Escorts engine compartment. "But you know that Fords were made to be repaired with bailing wire" was the only advice he could muster. "I would just try and patch the pump" he said.

That is why I found myself under the hood with the broken hose connection, a glob of JB Weld, a piece of a tin can and a heat gun. No bailing wire. Trying to "glue" the parts of the pump back together while it was a balmy 20 degrees outside. It looked like it might even work. In fact just for luck I let the whole thing cure over night with company of a 60 watt light bulb to keep it warm. I thought my farmer father in law would be proud.

The next morning (day 3 of auto repair) I checked the status of the pump and it looked and felt good. I then installed the new alternator (a little grinding and it fit much easier than the old one), connected the power steering hoses and put the new belt on the alternator. It was going good.

Knowing that we needed to replenish the lost power steering fluid I sent AJ to the basement to retrieve the steering potion. Now, I thought our little repair job on the pump was suspect and it might not last forever but I thought it would probably work for a while. So we added the fluid to the power steering reservoir and watched it spill out of the pump and onto the ground. Seems as if the pump repair didn't go so well. Well who needs power steering anyway??

At least the new alternator is installed, so we fired up the car and I took off for a test drive. The car handled just fine without power steering though it squealed a bit if the wheels where turned hard in either direction. The CD player worked and it seemed the new alternator was working just fine. That was until about halfway through my test drive when the CD player quit and then the lights started to dim and it was looking real familiar.

I made it back to the driveway and I put a volt meter on the battery while the car was running and measured a whopping 7 volts. Not good. Also measured 7 volts at the alternator. The new alternator either was not working or had failed. I was not happy.

Now I could go on and on and probably already have so I will just say that by dark yesterday the car was on the road. It has a 2nd new alternator and a new battery and still no power steering. But I will say that I can now remove and replace an alternator on a 96 Ford Escort in less than an hour with no duct tape required. Maybe I should add that to my resume'?