The World of the Hulls

Look Who is 1 Year Old

2010-11-19T21:39:00.003-05:00

I can't believe it, but our baby is 1 year old today. It seams like yesterday that Charlotte just turned 1 and now it's our little Molly's turn. We our so blessed.

Anti-incumbent

2010-08-21T00:01:00.005-04:00

Most of you know I'm not a Clemens fan. But cummon...I know lying under oath is not a good thing, but 30 YEARS??? The guy lies to congress under oath and he could potentially get 30 years in prison, yet congress lies to us EVERY DAY and they keep their job because people keep voting them in. Common people, wake up!!! If Clemens can get 30 years for lying, then every incumbent out there should at least be voted out of office for lying. Do what I'm going to do this November...vote ALL incumbents out.

Twins

2010-08-15T21:49:00.003-04:00

Charlotte and Molly sure look alike at 9 months.

Messed Up

2010-07-29T21:50:00.002-04:00

Maeve eats pizza with a spoon but chili with her hands.

The Land Of The Gun Pt. 2

2010-07-11T08:27:00.007-04:00

Back in October 2008, I wrote about a tragedy involving a gun and a 8 year old child at a Gun Fair in Westfield, MA. Well, it happened again. This time in Los Angeles.

After reading these articles you should be sad and worried? Do you know if all firearms in your sons/daughters friends house are locked up? Oh and then remember the famous quote from former NRA president, Charlton Heston.

"Any gun in the hands of a good person is no threat to anybody, except bad people"

I know it makes me angry evertime I read it.

Charlotte's Recital

2010-06-27T23:24:00.001-04:00

Charlotte had her very first Dance Recital today at the Palace Theater in Albany, NY. She did great!!! We are so proud.

Charlotte's Spring Concert

2010-06-04T23:22:00.002-04:00

Well believe it or not our little Charlotte is almost done with her first year at Kiddie Car Nursery School. We are so proud of how well Charlotte is doing. This past Thursday was the school's annual spring concert. It was 25 minutes so it is in 3 parts. Charlotte did a great job.

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T10:53:00.004-04:00

Happy Easter Everybody!!! Hope you all have a great day!!

The Real Reason

2010-03-23T20:06:00.004-04:00

So we now know the real reason why the Right don't like Obama.

Gov. Mickey Mouse

2010-03-03T21:57:00.003-05:00

This November, vote Row M...He's the only one who will get work done!!

"Don't Be Cynical"

2010-02-08T20:15:00.004-05:00

In his farewell speech on his last Tonight Show a few weeks ago, Conan O'Brien (the class guy that he is) pleaded to his audience not to cynical. I'll admit, I'm a cynical person and over the last year, I have tried to make a conscious effort to not be as cynical. Sometimes I think it gets the best of me and keeps me enjoying life to the fullest.

But first the recall and then I read articles like this about a company that I always thought was a good company, how can I not be cynical? Should we just stop reading/watching the news? If we did that, then my good buddy Chris would be out of a job and the crooks, I mean politicians, would win.

I've lost my faith in both state and federal Govt; I think it is broken, so until it is fixed, I may not participate (i.e. voting). So maybe I should go one giant step further and not even watch the news (of course, I would still click a few times a day on WNYT.com just to keep Chris's numbers up).

What do I do?

Happy Birthday Charlotte

2010-02-02T21:46:00.003-05:00

Another birthday at the Hull House. This time it's Charlotte's turn. I can't believe our little peanut is 4. A few weeks ago we had a big party for Charlotte and Maeve with family and friends, but tonight it was just the 5 of us. We had Charlotte's favorite dish, Mac & Cheese (The real homemade stuff, not the box crap), and then brownies followed by presents. Chris and I gave her a scooter and some other little stuff. I think we struck gold with the scooter, because before Charlotte went to bed, she asked where her scooter was. I think she would had took it to bed if she could.

Let There Be Light

2010-01-20T22:24:00.003-05:00

Mom & Dad gave us some new lights for Christmas. The family room is no longer a dungeon.

Skating In The Park

2010-01-17T09:28:00.002-05:00

Some people are getting upset because finacially strapped City of Schenectady has told the public that if they wish to skate in central park, they need to bring a shovel and clear the ice themself.

I'm not sure why ice skaters don't want to shovel the ice themselves. So they want the city to spend money on equipment/labor so they don't have to shovel? People, this city and state is drowning finacially an you want leaders to worry about ice skating. That's ludicrous. Just bring a shovel along with your ice skates. It's simple and it saves the city a lot of money. This is what we use to do back in the good-old days of the 70's. We cleared the ice ourselves before we skated. It was that simple. Why can't people do this anymore?

Down With A Bang

2009-12-28T21:39:00.001-05:00

When I was a kid, 2 or 3 summers in a row, we went camping up in Port Henry, either at the village campground or Bulwagga Bay. We always went with our friends, the Koch's and I always remembered having a good time. Both campgrounds were sandwiched between railroad tracks and Lake Champlain. So 2 of the most vivid memories of these trips were placing pennies on the tracks (and then returning after the train went buy to find paper thin, smushed coins) and waking up in the morning and looking out over the lake and seeing the bridge. It was a cool sight and I think one time we actually drove over it. So when I heard the news in Oct. that it was coming down, part of me was a little sad. I really think, if I lived closer, I may had drove up to watch it.

So, here here to the bridge...thanks for the memories and hope your replacement looks just like you.

Happy Birthday Maeve

2009-12-28T21:26:00.003-05:00

It's been a crazy month and I'll talk more about Christmas later. But I can't overlook the fact that today, our little Maeve turned 2 years old. We can't believe it. Tonight we celebrated by having Maeve's favorite food, spaghetti, followed by a giant cupcake and then present time. Birthdays are so much fun.

Uninvited Guests

2009-11-26T23:19:00.002-05:00

Brian Williams has some good points related to the uninvited guests at the White House State Dinner.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

It's a Girl - Molly Elizabeth Hull - Born November 19, 2009

2009-11-26T07:50:00.006-05:00

I know I'm a week behind with the official announcement on this blog, but with today being Thanksgiving, I figure this would be appropriate.

Molly Elizabeth Hull was born last Thursday morning (11/19) at St. Peters. Chris and Molly are both doing great. Molly has been gaining weight everyday and Chris is feeling bettter and better every day. Charlotte and Maeve are enjoying life as big sisters. Here are the details:

Name: Molly Elizabeth Hull
Date/Time of Birth: 11/19/09, 11:10AM
Weight: 7'1oz
Length: 21 inches

We ar so very thankful this Thanksgiving and hope you and your family have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Private Sector Is Not The Answer To Everything

2009-10-21T21:44:00.006-04:00

I read the article recently about the healthy 2 year old that was denied health insurance because she was below the curve on weight. Her doctor's expert opinion (I'm guessing he is a private sector employee) is that she is a very healthy 2 year old that is below average in weight simply because of genetics.

I bring this up because I constantly hear from the right wingers that we need to rely less government and more on the private sector to solve problems. Well, this is a perfect reason why there should be some sort of government involvement in regards to Health Care. When you have 'for-profit' companies with a monopoly in charge of our health decisions, this is what you get. Medical decisions based solely on profit.

I am a father of 2 small children with another one on the way. My wife and I have worked very hard through life to the point that we live in a great town, can live comfortable on one income and at the same time do the fun stuff in life and save for the future (college, retirement). We have worked hard to reach this point without any government assistance, so we don't believe that government is the answer to all our problems. However, when I see stories like this; A hard working family trying to make a living, only to get "spit in the eyes" by a private sector insurance company, government involvement seems appropriate.

Jib Jab Sillyness

2009-10-06T22:53:00.002-04:00

Here is my latest try at Jaib Jab sillyness. Happy Halloween!!!

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Apple Picking

2009-09-20T22:01:00.005-04:00

There's nothing like spending a perfect crystal clear day picking apples with friends. The 4 of us went up to Saratoga Apple in Schuylerville, NY with our friends, the Guyons, for another great afternoon of picking apples, drinking cider and eating donuts.

We started this great tradition 5 years ago and we look forward to it many future years to come.

More photos in our family photo album (If you have access).

Charlotte, Our Little Pre-Schooler

2009-09-10T23:24:00.007-04:00

A big milestone happened in our lives today...Charlotte started pre-school. Part of Chris and I never wanted this day to come, but it did. Our little peanut loved it and is looking forward towards going back on Tuesday. Charlotte is going to Kiddie Car Pre-School right around the corner from our house.

This year she is going 2 days a week and then next year she will move up to 3 days.

We are so proud of our little shy girl.

Completely Nuts

2009-09-07T23:10:00.005-04:00

The people, in masses, are again doing exactly what their 7 saviors are telling them to do. This time Obama speech to school kids about their responsibility to learn and stay in school is in their cross hairs. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!

Read the speech...you tell me what is wrong with this. What kind of secret undercover subliminal message is the president trying to plant in our brain with this speech?? Someone help me out here because I don't see anything wrong with it. Maybe some conservative republican out there can enlighten me? When I was a kid, I use to read letters from Reagan addressed to school kids in school, and my father (yes, he's a little liberal) didn't complain to school or prevent me from going .

These people against the speech are the same people that want to allow christian religion in public schools. So it's ok to push a PERSONAL religious belief on our kids, but the President of the United States can't address kids about their responsibility to learn and stay in school, because it's political?

These people are completely nuts!!!

Obnoxious Behavior

2009-08-26T23:52:00.007-04:00

The obnoxious followers struck again last night in Delmar at a Town Hall meeting given by Paul Tonko. The meeting was supposed to be a informative meeting about the proposed health care legislation.

You know, it's amazing how we try to teach our children to be polite and to not be rude. We teach them to listen and to not interrupt when other people are speaking. I’m sure a lot people have been annoyed at their kids from time to time and have called them “obnoxious”. If we get a call from a teacher complaining that our children are yelling out and disrupting class, hopefully we sit down with them and warn them of the consequences of continuing this behavior.

For all the people out there who like to interrupt these Town Hall meetings with “boos” and jeers. For all the people out there who like to act like children and scream and have temper tantrums in the middle of a meeting…Guess what, you are all obnoxious and need to go back to school to learn how to act like an adult.

I understand that people do not agree with Obama’s plan, but if you want to protest, then set up a rally. Don’t disrupt information meetings. There are plent of other forums for screaming your opinions (I do it on this blog all the time). People are there to get information and you are preventing them from getting it. If you have a question or would like to express your opinion (for or against health care), fine, say it or ask it...you don't have to scream it.

Maine 2009

2009-08-24T22:59:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago we took a quick trip up to York Beach, Maine. The weather was gorgeous, so we spent every day on the beach. Thursday night, we went to one of our favorite restaurants, Fox's Lobster House. Friday, the Goldenrod for dinner and then down to Portsmouth, NH's Prescott Park to see the play "Greese" with Mom, Dad and the Sgambelluri's. Saturday, it was dinner at Mom & Dad's camper to celebrate Erin's birthday (I can't believe my little niece is 12). On Sunday we took a quick trip to the beach to feed the seagulls and then back home.

Another great trip to one of our favorite places to visit.

Do Not Cave to Salesmen

2009-08-23T12:47:00.003-04:00

OK, plain and simple marketing is evil. Can you imagine how much more money we would have in our pocket if we didn't have marketers. The Times Useless ran a article today about the useless accessories kids can buy for their lockers. WHAT??? How about doing what I did when I was in school...clipping some picture out of magazine and taping it to locker. It's simple and free.

MMMMMMMMMM....FRIES

2009-08-22T22:49:00.007-04:00

Chris, Charlotte, Maeve and I went to Five Guys for the first time tonight. After 38 years of being on this earth, I have found the best fries in the world. Hands down, Five Guys have the best. And yes, they are better then Fair Fries. You go into the place, and they have bags and bags of potatoes stacked around the restaurant and a white board that states where the potatoes that were used today were grown. They claim that all fries are fresh cut daily and fried in peanut oil. I believe them. And their burgers are great too.

I think I found the restaurant I want to go to on my birthday.

Wimpy Response

2009-08-20T23:05:00.005-04:00

I remember all to well the morning after Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland was bombed out of the sky and killed 270 people. I was a Junior in high school and the news hit our school especially hard because one of the victims was an alumni.

13 years after the attack, justice was finally served and Abdelbeset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi was convicted of placing the bomb on the plane. Families of the victims had some sort of closure. Megrahi was sentenced to life in prision.

But then Megrahi gets prostate cancer, declared terminally ill and was freed from prison in Scotland, with Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill citing compassionate grounds for the release and saying al Megrahi was "going home to die."

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!! He didn't give a damn about the 270 people that he killed, and yet Scottish officials are giving him compassion? This guy deserve to rot in prison. He does not deserve to be surrounded by his family. He deserves to die alone in a cold, bare jail cell. The 270 victims weren't able to die with dignity so why should he.

And finally, what the hell kind of response was that from President Obama. A wimpy response is what I call it. The president should have been screaming to the Scotts from the White House roof top that this bum should not be released. He should have put some serious pressure on British Authorities, but he did not!!! Although he said the release was a "Mistake", his response seamed "laid back" and not very strong. I found it very disappointing.

Saviors

2009-08-19T23:24:00.003-04:00

All of these bums complained back in January how people were treating President Obama as a Savior...like he was going to save the world. Now these same clueless 7 are lying to their audiences and encouraging them to disrupt Town Hall meetings. And people, in masses, are doing exactly what they are told and disrupting Town Hall Meetings. This sounds saviorish to me. So shouldn't the clueless 7 be complaining about themselves right about now.

Security Threat

2009-08-19T22:24:00.004-04:00

So, in this country, you can cary a gun to a Town Hall meeting where the special guest is President Barrack Obama. But in 2004 if you had gone to a Bush campaign rally at a public school wearing a Kerry-Edwards button and a T-shirt with the words"No More War.", you were "given" a pair of handcuffs and a strip search at the county jail.

Yep...in this country, Guns are ok...but a harmless piece of the cloth is a security threat.

Locking Down Picasa

2009-08-12T21:54:00.003-04:00

I guess this story of the mother her found her son up for adoption on Craigslist really bothered up last week.

So, we locked down our Picasa Album so only people I invite can view it. You now have to have a free g-mail (e-mail) account to view our family photos. For those of you that already have a g-mail account, I have given you access rights. If you don't have a free gmail (e-mail) account and would like to view my photos, please click here to establish an account and then send me your gmail address. I will then add you to the access list.

Maybe we are being a little over cautious about this, but I don't want some nut job geting his/her hands on pictures of the girls.

The List

2009-07-30T23:43:00.003-04:00

According to the ESPN, Manny and Ortiz are on the list for testing positive in 2003. I'm not surprised. They need to release this list and move on. If it also means taking away records, WS rings (I'm a saux Fan) and banning players, then lets do it and move on. Releasing the list in drips and drabs prevents this.

Oh, one other thing...Why aren't people, especially the media, going after Bud Selig. This guy was in charge throughout the whole Steroid Era and allowed it to happen by looking the other way. Fans and the media must demand for Bud's resignation.

I Feel Dizzy

2009-07-28T23:50:00.002-04:00

Am I the only one that is dizzy after listening to Sarah Palin speak? I'm starting to think that conservatives only support people that don't make sense when they speak. First Dubya, now Sarah. Maybe they are related.

Part 1

Part 2

Perfection

2009-07-23T23:33:00.002-04:00

I would hope Mark Buehrle buys Dewayne Wise a beer. Wow.

A Day At The Plaza

2009-07-16T22:12:00.003-04:00

It was another fun filled day at The Empire State Plaza for the GE Kids Day. This year, there were lots of balloons, bouncy bounce, really tall men, face painting, magicians performance by the Disney Channel's "Choo Choo Soul".

G-Mom & Papa came along for the fun and weather turned out great. Another great day. Here is Charlotte & Maeve doing some dance moves.

The Half Way Mark

2009-07-09T23:56:00.002-04:00

Well we have been in the house a month and things are starting to settled. Time to focus on another life changer...Baby # 3. Chris is into week 20...Half way there. Here is a peek at him or her.

Cry Me A River

2009-07-05T23:23:00.002-04:00

Want a tissue Sen. Thompson???

According to the Daily News, Sen. Ruth Hassell Thompson (D-Westchester) said her grandkids are visiting and will likely watch the fireworks with her. "Since the governor is holding me hostage up here, if they want to see me, they have to come up here," she complained.

LOSER, LOSER, LOSER.

Happy Fathers Day

2009-06-21T22:19:00.002-04:00

Well...we finally made it. After almost 2 weeks of being in the new house, it's starting to feel a little more normal. Yes, we still have a lot more unpacking to do, but we are starting to feel at home, instead in a house full of boxes. Today we took the day off with unpacking to celebrate Dad's Day. Spent the morning hanging out at home. Did a little shopping and lunch in the Afternoon, and then tried to play in yard. Mother nature put a end to that with the rain, so we came back in to watch the US Open. For dinner, it was off to Jumpin Jacks for dinner.

Another great Father's Day. Happy Father's Day to all the Dads.

Loose Canon

2009-05-21T21:49:00.004-04:00

I thought the tradition was when the president leaves office he wouldn't criticize the incoming administration on policy change. Obviously Cheney is breaking that tradition with his on going flap about Gitmo...

Oh gee, WAIT...Cheney was Vice-President...on paper. We all know a moron like Dubya wasn't really calling the shots.

Hey Dicky Poo...it's time to take a Hike!!!

Oh No...It's Back

2009-05-20T21:15:00.004-04:00

Argubly the most annoying commercial ever produced by a locally owned business is back for a 4th consecutive summer. That's right, Price Chopper is trying to force people in the Capital Region to put their foot through the TV set. Please Neil, make it stop, please.

Bad Karma

2009-05-19T21:46:00.006-04:00

On Mother's Day after having a great morning with Chris, Charlotte and Maeve eating bagels and donuts (That's what Chris wanted), we went to my cousin Amy's house for dinner. The day continue on a good note spending lots of time with the family, hitting the playground for at least 1 hour. But then we came out to this:

That's right...some A-Hole decided to back out of the driveway across the street from my cousin's house and into my car...and then drive off without saying a word. We reported to Colonie's finest. Of course, they filled out a report, gave me a copy and told me to call my insurance co. I obviously suspected it was my cousin's neighbor (who wasn't home when the police came) and after I left, when he thought the cost was clear, he pulled into his driveway. My Dad was still there, and he did what most Dad's would do...get a little hot with the guy and told him he hit my car. The guy denied it and walked away when my Dad started taking pictures of his car. Well, I called Colonie's finest again, and supposedly the cop went to talk to the neighbor and look at the car. He called me back and said there was no physical evidence that his car had been involved in a accident, so he couldn't accuse this guy of the hit-and-run. Nice. Needless to say by looking at the pictures below, this moron is the culprit. I called my insurance Co and they basically said the same thing as the cop.

The final estimate for the damage was $1,870, with a $500 deductible, I got a check for $1,370. Luckily, my sister and brother-in law are friends with a guy who does body work and he was willing to fix the door for $1,370.

So in addition to spending time packing the house for the big move, dealing with lawyers, banks, I now had to deal with the insurance company and getting my car fixed (should be fixed on Thursday).

My mother always says, Bad Karma will always come back to haunt you. I believe in Karma to...What goes around, comes around and I'm guessing this hit-and-run will come back to haunt him.

You be the judge...Study the pictures. Look at the faint perpendicular line on the van and compare it to the "bumper guard" on his bumper. They match perfectly...but the Colonie Police didn't see it that way because there were no markings on his car. Boy, his car looks clean...I'm guessing before he got home, he buffed any marks out and gave the car a wash.

Furniture Sale

2009-05-08T23:41:00.005-04:00

We are selling some furniture before we move. Anybody interested, please e-mail. As with any sale, prices are negotiable.

Refrigerator
Make: Frigidair
Model: GLHT217H
Dimensions:31'w X 70'h X 32'd
Date Purchased: November 2007
Includes Ice Maker & Tray and Manual
Price: $500
Note, Can't be picked up until after closing (June 8)

Enertainment Center
Wood - Solid Maple
Dimensions: 67'w X 55'h X 25'd
Age/Date Purchased: 8 Yrs/March 2001
Vendor: Pattersonville Furniture
Up to 33' wide TV will fit in it
Price: $700

Entertainment Center
Wood - Pine
Dimensions: 68'w X 61'h X 12'd
Age: Built in the 1970's
Price: $75

Computer Stand
Wood - Oak
Dimensions: 37'w X 31'h X 19'd
Age: 9 yrs
Price: $75

Computer Chair
Age: 9 yrs
Price: $25

Back To The Old Neighborhood

2009-05-08T22:55:00.005-04:00

It's official...We are moving to 2250 Dean St in Niskayuna, NY. Our mortgage was approved earlier in the week (wasn't worried about that) and the buyers of our current house received their mortgage approval today. Looks like we will be moving on June 9th. Obviously, the 4 of us are very excited and relieved that A. we got the house we really wanted and B. the stress of moving will be ending very soon.

I never thought I would ever move back to Niskayuna, let alone less then a mile from the house I grew up in (my parents moved across town 17 years ago). The house borders the same park I use to spend days at playing baseball when I was a kid and we are right down the street from our friends, The Rooneys, The Lansley's and the Price's. Mom and Dad are also just 4 miles away.

Here are some pictures and map of the neighborhood. Pictures are from the Realtor website. Obviously, not our stuff in the pictures.

View Larger Map

Where Is "The Rest of The Story"?

2009-04-29T22:18:00.003-04:00

Ok...The Swine Flu, is big news, could possibly lead to a world wide pandemic. I understand the importance of this story and how it could effect the health of a lot of people...I got that. Officials and the media are concentrating on how many people either have this flu or suspected of having this Flu, where they got it, where they live, etc. This is all important.

But one thing officials and the media haven't really devoted enough energy to and communicated to the public is, if the people who have the swine flu are recovering. From what little I have been able to find, the answer is Yes, people are recovering from this Flu.

So why isn't the fact that people are recovering from this flu being shouted from the rooftops. This is "the rest of the story" that people need to know. This will prevent people from freaking out. Today I spent some time listening to a press conference where Gov . Patterson and Dr. Richard Daines updated the public on the Flu. Not once did Gov. Patterson or Dr. Daines mention if the people who had the flu were recovering. Not one reporter asked Gov. Patterson or Dr. Daines if the people who had the flu were recovering. Why wasn't this info given out? Why wasn't this question asked?

Are the authorities and the media trying to keep us on edge? Are they trying to convince us that we are on the verge of Armageddon? I know Gov. Patterson's ratings are down and media revenue is in the toilet, but cummon. Knowing "the rest of the story" will ease a lot of nerves.

SOLD

2009-04-14T23:09:00.003-04:00

6 Days and the house is sold. We are very happy. Now we have to find a house. We are looking at 7 on Thursday. Hopefully we will have a new home soon.

Let The Games Begin

2009-04-09T21:59:00.004-04:00

It's official...Chris and I put the house on the market last night. We listed it at $209,900 and our realtor, Debe Symanski of Realty USA agreed that at this price, it should sell quick. We do have a new house in mind back in my old stomping grounds, however, we will be looking at more house in the coming weeks.

In, the mean time, if you know anybody interested in a Ranch with a 2 car garage in South Colonie with "New Maple Kitchen W Corian Counters, Center Island & Ceramic Tile Floor. Refreshed Bath w/ct Foor,Vanity, & Laundry Shoot, Weil Mclain Boiler '08, Windows '05, Refinished HW Flrs '05, Roof Gutters '05, 150 Amp Electrical, Newer Driveway, Mostly Newer Lighting & Front Door, Attic Pulldown Storage Over Garage, Full Basement, Large Private Back Yard", check out our listing and give our agent, Debe Symanski a call at 518-489-1000.

Here are some pictures of the house. Debe was having problems downloading the pictures onto the web, but she assures me that more will be added tomorrow.

Make It End....Please

2009-04-01T19:55:00.005-04:00

Ok...the 20th District special election looks like it might be decided next century. But do you realize if Jimmy wins, we are all going to be tortured again when a special election will be held to fill his Assembly seat, the 110th assembly district.

It makes the little hair I have hurt thinking about it.

Irreplaceable

2009-03-18T23:04:00.002-04:00

Former heads of AIG are claiming that they wrote these bonuses into top executive contracts because they were afraid they would all jump ship at the same time and no one with critical company knowledge would be able to steer the ship. In other words, the top brass was irreplaceable. This doesn't happen only at AIG.

I find that hard to believe. Lets be realistic, most of us are replaceable when it comes to our jobs. If we were to quit today, guess what, the company would survive. But in Corporate America (and in State Gov.) the top brass design the organization so they do become irreplaceable. Proper planning and cross-training never occurs at the top level so when the bottom falls out, top brass backs the company into a corner and demands big bonuses.

Do you think Corporate America (or State Gov.) will learn from this mistake?? I don't think so. That would be like throwing a blank check into the fire.

A Mathematical Point of View

2009-03-12T22:29:00.004-04:00

A colleague forwarded this to me...I thought it was pretty funny.

Here is a little something someone sent me that is indisputable mathematical logic. This is a strictly mathematical viewpoint...it goes like this:

What Makes 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%? Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been to those meetings where someone wants you to give over 100%. How about achieving 103%? What makes up 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help you answer these questions:

If: A B C D E F G H I J K L MN O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

is represented as:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 1213 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 2122 23 24 25 26.

Then: H-A -R -D-W-O -R - K = 8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

and

K -N -O -W-L -E-D-G-E = 11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5= 96%

But , A-T -T -I -T -U -D-E = 1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

And,

B -U -L -L -S -H-I -T = 2+21+12+12+19+ 8+9+20 = 103%

AND,

look how far ass kissing will take you.

A-S -S -K -I -S-S -I -N-G = 1+19+19+11+9+19+19+9+14+7= 127%

So, one can conclude with mathematical certainty, that While Hard work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, its the Bullshit and Ass kissing that will put you over the top.

Liar Liar Liar

2009-03-11T19:42:00.004-04:00

Gov. David Patterson is pure and simply, a liar. Lets look at what he said during his State of the State less then 2 months ago about his plan to to tackle the childhood obesity problem:

"Our five-point plan includes the Healthy Food/Healthy Communities Initiative, which offers a new revolving loan fund that will increase the number of healthy food markets in underserved communities. We must also ban trans fats in restaurants, require calorie posting in chain restaurants, ban junk food sales in schools, and place a surcharge on sugared beverages like soda."

Today, according to the Times Useless, Dave is dropping the "obesity tax" because of the expected federal stimulus cash. Wait a minute...I thought the "Obesity Tax" was going to be used to solve childhood obesity? Does this mean the problem is solved? (Anybody who knows me can probably pick up the sarcastic tone reading these questions.)

When I heard Dave 1st propose this tax during his speech, I said right away to a colleague that he is lying and is just using the childhood obesity as an excuse to raise taxes. He will tell you that part of the stimulus will be used for his 5 point plan, but rest assure not a dime will be used for it. If he was honest during his speech and said that we are putting taxes on soda in lieu raising income taxes, I could except that...I still wouldn't agree with it, but I could except his reason. But don't insult my intelligence by saying the tax dollars will be used to fight obesity. That's just a lie.

Sesame Street Live

2009-02-21T20:00:00.006-05:00

Chris and I took the girls to the Palace Theater in Albany to see Sesame Street Live. Charlotte went nuts when all her "buddies" (that's what Charlotte calls them) and Maeve seam to go crazy the most with Elmo.

It was a great show, Charlotte & Maeve had a great time and everybody learned how to make music without traditional insturments.

Maeve Walking

2009-02-18T07:06:00.003-05:00

My Sister inlaw, Amy, requested a video of Maeve walking. Well, here she is. Maeve is everywhere.

Ask About The Enablers

2009-02-06T19:45:00.003-05:00

My guess is if after baby # 2, her parents and friends had said to her "if you have any more and you are not married, we aren't going to help you any more...Don't ask us to babysit, don't ask us for help at all", she wouldn't of had any more. Yep, if she had gotten a big dose of tough love once # 3 was conceived, she would have realized what it is like to raise kids on your own. But instead, Mom, Dad and all her friends came to the rescue of the spoiled brat and now look what happen. I feel bad for the 14 kids!

Our Little 3 Year Old

2009-02-02T22:32:00.005-05:00

It's unbelievable, but our little Charlotte turned 3 years old today. Chris and I still can't believe that our little peanut is 3. Time is just going by way to fast.

Saturday, we had the family over for some Munchies, Cake and Ice Cream with the curious George theme. Then today, the four of us celebrated Charlotte's big day again. She seamed to like all her presents, although I think her favorite was the Wall-E track and the puzzles.

Check out some more photo's in our family album.

Hope For The Better

2009-01-26T22:10:00.009-05:00

My mother made a comment on my blog all the way from Hawaii the other day about how she couldn't believe I haven't blogged about President Obama. Well after a week, I have a few thoughts.

I remember after Clinton knocked out the other Bush back in 2002, hanging a poster facing out of my window that said "BYE BYE BUSH". This wasn't only because I was excited that Clinton won and old man Bush lost, but it was more a message to the person in Hood Hall that was a obvious Bush supporter.

I was excited that 12 years of conservatism was about to end and I was excited about change. Then after 8 years of Clinton, the 2000 election was upon us and although I wasn't thrilled about Gore as a choice, I knew after reading details about Bush's beliefs that if he was to win in 2000, we were in trouble as a nation. Sure enough, Gore was elected, however, the Supreme Court put a end to it and decided to appoint Dubya. At that point, I knew it was going to be a long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long 8 years. And I hate to say it, but man, I was right...Dubya will go down in history as one of the worst presidents ever.

In 2008, with the fact that Dicky Boy wasn't running (only god knows the horrors if that were to happen), and Dubya's approval ratings were dropping quicker then the Federal Funds Rate the presidency was up for grabs. I wasn't thrilled about Clinton, but the Republicans weren't impressing me either. John McCain interest me for a moment, but then he went to the dark side of conservatism. His picked as Vice was scary and later cemented my idea that he wasn't the person for the job...Cummon, she winked at the camera during the debate to pick up votes.

But the Dems were going down a different road with a man with relatively little experience. Clinton was out and Barrack Obama was in. Now there were scary things about Obama...His lack of experience, his ties to Daly's of Chicago, Jeremiah Wright and his real estate scandal. But what impressed me was his agenda and how he intended to steer this country out of 8 years of political agony. McCain wasn't clear about his plan and Clinton didn't really have one.

But Obama did and philosophically it matched my vision (and a lot of other people) for how this country should go. Yes, I'm not going to agree with Obama on everything he does and I've already spoken my mind on Geithner. And lets not forget about the Right...already complaining about how people have turned him into a Savior by having his picture "Obamicon". Yes, I think people have to be careful about this. Historically this has been done before in politics, specifically JFK. African American are doing this for obvious reasons (I would too if I was African American). But I really think this "savior" title is being used because of what has happened over the last 8 years.

President Obama's overall vision is full of change from 8 years of darkness. His vision of how to steer this country is full of Promise and hope. Let's hope it now becomes reality.

And look...Charlotte knew Inauguration Day was a special day...She lined all her little people up to watch the TV.

Reward The Lazy

2009-01-26T19:50:00.004-05:00

I've always found it amusing how we as Americans like to reward the lazy. Well, we've done it again. The conversion to digital TV has been extended 4 months so all the lazy people out there who waited to the last minute can have more time to be lazy. So what is going to happen in June when these same people are complaining they didn't have enough time or warning? Are we going to give them another 4 months. I don't care that the Fed Gov's ran out of coupons. If you can't afford a $40.00 converter box, TV should be the least of your concern. I'm sorry, all this is doing is rewarding people for being lazy.

Geithner The Savior

2009-01-26T19:38:00.007-05:00

So what is the difference between Geithner and former NYS Comptroller Allan Hevisi? They both committed crimes. Yet one got rewarded with the Secretary Of Treasury and one was removed from office (rightfully so). Sorry...Geither is not a savior nor the answer to solving this financial crisis.

There are plenty of well qualified people out there who can do this job. Obama and the senate screwed up on this pick.

Win At All Costs

2009-01-22T20:22:00.006-05:00

I guess the coach, nor the players, from The Covenant School were thinking about the christian values taught to them on Sundays when they decided to throw 3 pointers in the 2nd half. The final score of their game against Dallas Academy was 100-0.

I firmly believe the Convenant School board is embarrassed and saddened by this and they are doing the right thing, by forfeiting the game (you can read their statement here). But I think they also need to do the obvious...Fire the Coach!!!

Party At Our House

2009-01-13T23:39:00.003-05:00

According to the NY Times, Dubya is giving his fairwell speech to the nation Thursday night. Everybody...party at our house. Thursday night. I still can't believe this dope is out of office in a week. THANK GOD!!!

Standoff In Albany

2009-01-11T11:12:00.003-05:00

Wow...check out this video of the standoff on I-90 just east of Albany (East Greenbush, NY).

Dakota's Dream

2009-01-10T19:18:00.006-05:00

My wife's cousins daughter, Dakota, has Tay Sachs. A hereditary, degenerative neurological disease that is always fatal in children. Chris has been keeping updated on her ordeal through Dakaota's web site and the Cure Tay-Sachs Foundation web site.

But even with reality, Dakota has a dream. A dream that some day will come true. Check out the video below entitled "Dakota's Dream" and learn about this disease...and if you can, help by donating to the Cure Tay-Sachs Foundation.

Your donation will some day make Dakota's hope a reality.

Charlotte Sings Christmas

2009-01-05T22:37:00.001-05:00

We were able to catch Charlotte singing some Christmas Carols a few weeks ago. I had to sneek it because she would have stopped if she knew I was taping her.

Tis The Season To Be Jolly

2008-12-30T22:59:00.005-05:00

It was a pretty crazy week last week. We not only celebrated Christmas for the first time with Maeve, but it was also Maeve's first birthday on Sunday 12/28.

Christmas started around 7:30ish with when Chris and I actually had to go into Charlotte's room to wake her up. Maeve had been up since her usual time of 6:00am. Charlotte became very excited after we told her that Santa had been here and had eaten all her cookies that she had left out for him. Charlotte's favorite present seamed to be her WALL-E DVD, while Maeve seamed to like her zoo and Charlotte's stove.

After a morning of opening presents and 2 showings of WALL-E, it was off to my parents house for dinner and more presents. After presents it was more fun, games and more food. Since neither of the kids had naps, I think both of them were asleep by the time we left my parents driveway, well after 10:00PM.

On Saturday, the family came to our house to celebrate Maeve's 1st birthday....I still can't believe Maeve is 1.

On Sunday (Maeve's actual birthday), the 4 of us celebrated Maeve's special day again, but in a more mellow manner. A great way to end one busy week. Check out more pictures of the week in our family photo album.

Merry Christmas Everybody and Happy New Years Too!!

Watch Out for Flying Shoes

2008-12-14T22:05:00.003-05:00

I'm thinking someone on his staff had to tell him that this was considered a insult and not part of his work out routine. Although I will say he has some good reflexes.

Parting Shot - Part 1

2008-12-13T08:42:00.003-05:00

With only 37 days left of the worst president in American History, I think it is appropriate to start the parting shots.

The Doghouse

2008-12-04T21:09:00.002-05:00

We've all been there!! Check out the commercial below for JC Penny jewler. Hysterical!!

Strong Like Bull

2008-11-18T21:52:00.005-05:00

My brother has been a successful business man down in Manhattan for over 10 years now. He's company, Heavyweight Internet Group recently celebrated it's 10th anniversary. A few years ago, Sean decided to diversify and in addition to running a company, he became a Certified Personal Trainer by the American Council on Exercise (ACE). He helps clients and maintains the training blog, Athlete In The City. He is the entrepreneur of the family and we are all proud of what he has accomplished. Check out his latest training video on his blog. Wow..My arms hurt looking at it.

Your As Old As You Feel

2008-11-17T21:36:00.004-05:00

The old saying goes you are as old as you feel and I must say, I don't feel even close to 37. Maybe 30, but not 37. Well reality hit me the other night at Moe's on Wolf Road in Colonie.

I was checking out my food and there was lady behind me in line (I'll say around 60). Well the girl who was checking my food out at the register was also training another girl how to run the register. So I hear her say to the trainee, If the person looks even close to 21, make sure you proof them. She didn't proof me and I had a beer on my tray so I turned to the 60 year old behind me and said rather loud, I guess I don't look close anymore. The 60 year old lady laughed and the girl at the register laughed too and said "Did I ruin your day?" I laughed and said to her it was no big deal because I hadn't been proofed in awhile and I'll be 38 in June, so I don't expect it and was just kidding.

Then the next words the girl behind the register said to me was reality hitting me in the head with a 2X4. The girl said, well my father is 38 too and he never gets proofed either. The 60 year old starting laughing very hard, and I was speechless...Yes, I was speechless.

Now she could have been pulling my leg, but in NY you have to be 18 to sell beer and I'm thinking she was 20. So her father was 18 or 19 when she was born...possible. As the 60 year old continued laughing, the girl finally said...OK, I really ruined your day, I'm going to shut up now. I told her, have a nice night and walked back to the table where Chris & the girls were waiting.

In case your wondering, I still feel 30.

A Great Day For America

2008-11-05T21:57:00.004-05:00

Set aside politics for a moment and think about what happened yesterday. 45 Years ago Dr. Martin Luther King told us about his dream and, honestly, I thought we would never see it become reality. But it did yesterday.

To think that less then 50 years ago people had to sit in the back of the bus or drink from a separate water fountain simply because their skin was black. And now as a nation we have elected a black president. I can't tell you how proud I am. We have overcome the evil of bigotry and it is truly a great day for our nation.

More Halloween Tricks

2008-11-03T20:25:00.006-05:00

Chris, Charlotte, Maeve and I went to my parents Thursday night for dinner and to see my niece's and nephew Halloween Costume. Obviously from the picture below Maeve wasn't to happy.

After dinner Chris and I went to Proctors to see Mama-Mia. The show was everything we heard people say about it. The story was great, and you got to spend 2.5 hours listening to ABBA music...It was great.

On Halloween...We went Trick Or Treating early to about 15 houses in the neighborhood. Charlotte knew that you were supposed to say "Trick or Treat" and "Thank You", but we all know how shy she can be...and all the neighbors understood. They were just happy to see the girls. And obviously, Chris got Charlotte's "Tinker Bell" costume done in the nick of time. And what a great job she did. But we won't get into the saga of how that got made...Lets just say it was a saga.

Happy Halloween Everybody!!

The Land Of The Gun

2008-10-27T20:24:00.006-04:00

Another tragedy involving a gun and a 8 year old child happened yesterday at a Gun Fair in Westfield, MA. You know what's completely messed up about this is that there are people out there who, on one hand, are morning and saying it so sad, so tragic, this boy had to die in such a horrible accident. And then you can ask these same people who are morning the loss of this boy if there should be some kind of control on gun fairs and guns in general....well they would probably tell you "you can't take my 20 guns away, my right to bare arms is in the Constitution".

3,012 children and teens killed by gunfire in the United States per year (that is one every 3 hours). If an infant toy is found to cause death or injuries to infants, the company issues a recall and pulls the toy from the shelf. We blame the toy. But in the case of guns, the gun is never to blame. That's messed up.

Halloween At The Crossings

2008-10-25T21:03:00.005-04:00

The 4 of us went up to the Crossings today for Colonie's annual Halloween Party. They had lots of cool stuff for the girls including story hour, cookies, cider, balloons, and Andy "The Music Man " Morse. We have seen Andy many times...he puts on a great show for the kids.

This year Maeve is a Duck and Charlotte is Tinkerbell. However, since Chris isn't done with Charlotte's Tinkerbell costume, Charlotte had to be a flower today.

Palin As President

2008-10-19T19:54:00.003-04:00

Palin for President.Com. Make sure you move the mouse around and turn up your volume. The doors and windows move when you click on them. Classic website.

Sounds of the Debates

2008-10-18T15:30:00.004-04:00

I'm a regular of The Free Beer and Hot Wings show on 103.9. Probably because they seam to have the same humor that I have. Below are some Sounds of the Debates that Producer Joe put together. Please note, they are obscene but funny, so I would not listen with the kids around or just use headphones.

Link to Sounds of Presidential Debate #2
Link to Sounds of Presidential Debat #3
Link to Sounds of Vice Presidential Debate

Who The Hell Is Joe

2008-10-16T20:49:00.004-04:00

My cousin, Jessica wondered on her facebook page last night if Joe the Plumber and Joe Six-Pack were the same Joe. Well, obviously it wasn't the same Joe that lost the NLDS to the Phillies.

Between the time spent talking about Joe and arguing about negative campaigns, there was maybe 2 minutes spent talking about real issues. And people don't seamed to be bothers by this??

Another Great Trip To Lake Placid

2008-10-12T20:37:00.006-04:00

For the last 8 years, we have always taken a trip up to the Adirondacks, particulary Lake Placid to enjoy the colors. There is nothing like it. Normally we like to go up for a couple of nights, but this year we thought it would be too tough with the girls and Maeve is going through the "separation anxiety from Mommy" stage, so, leaving the kids with Mom and Dad was out of the question. So we took a day trip and it was a good one.

We got up to Lake Placid around 11:00 and stop by the Adirondack Craft Center. After that it was off to the village park on Mirror Lake where we had lunch with the ducks. After spending some time taking in view and the beautiful weather, we did a little shopping. After about a hour, Charlotte was in a bad need for a nape so we took a ride up to Saranac Lake and then around the backside of Whiteface Mountain, via Franklin Falls Pond and back to Lake Placid for dinner. After dinner at Mr Mike's Pizza.

Although it was only one day, it was another great day in the Adirondacks. A day to relax, take in the view and forget all the world's trouble.

How do you spell Obama

2008-10-10T20:11:00.005-04:00

Officials on both the Democrat and Republican side in Rensselaer County are saying the misspelling of Barrack Obama's name on absentee ballots was simply a typo. OK, my cynical mind is saying this is bunch of hog wash. But then, this is Rensselaer County. The County that's a half step above Scary County, I mean Schoharie County

Part of me does think this may not have been a mistake or it was a joke of bad taste that some how made it to the final draft. But the bigger question is, how the hell does a typo of this magnitude get by 3 different staff members who proof these things? Someone had to make copies of the ballot...They didn't notice? And then someone had to stuff the envelope...They didn't notice? Cummon, I know I'm a bad speller, but this is ridiculous.

A Day To Celebrate

2008-10-07T20:25:00.007-04:00

This past Saturday, Chris and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary. Wow, I can't believe it has been 5 years. It has just flown by so fast, especially now with Charlotte and Maeve keeping us busy. Normally we like to go up to Lake Placid for a couple of nights, but this year we thought it would be too tough with the girls and Maeve is going through the "separation anxiety from Mommy" stage, so, leaving the kids with Mom and Dad was out of the question.

We did however, get to go out. The plan was dinner and, if Maeve was ok at my parents, a movie. So we went to Olde Shaker Inn in Latham for a very nice dinner. Afterwards we called the parents, and as soon as Dad answered the phone, I knew the movie was out...Maeve was screaming in the background. So instead we made a qick stop to Professor Java's in Colonie for dessert and coffee and then back to my parents house. That's OK...It was still a great day

Happy Anniversary Chris...I love you so much.

Incidentaly, we decided we couldn't stay away from Lake Placid, so we are going up this Saturday (10/11) with the girls. It should be fun.

Here is a recap video of our special day.

Flowcharting

2008-10-05T21:16:00.003-04:00

A former classmate of mine posted this on his Facebook page and I thought it was so good, I had to post it here.

Moving In Your Sleep

2008-10-05T20:44:00.004-04:00

This is how we find Maeve sleeping in her crib one day last week. How do you sleep like this??

Now I know I've probably slept like this before, but that was after 6-10 beers.

One Big Happy Family

2008-09-30T22:33:00.003-04:00

According to the Los Angeles Times, "After conducting a college band and watching Palin deliver a commencement address to a small group of home-schooled students in June 1997, Wasilla resident Philip Munger said, he asked the young mayor about her religious beliefs. Palin told him that "dinosaurs and humans walked the Earth at the same time," Munger said. When he asked her about prehistoric fossils and tracks dating back millions of years, Palin said "she had seen pictures of human footprints inside the tracks," recalled Munger, who teaches music at the University of Alaska in Anchorage and has regularly criticized Palin in recent years on his liberal political blog, called Progressive Alaska."

So humans and dinosaurs were just one big happy family? Wow...If this is true and if McCain wins. She will be one heartbeat away from the. Scary!!!

Jilted Dave

2008-09-25T22:31:00.004-04:00

This whole thing with McCain suspending his campaign and trying to wimp out on the debate tomorrow night is a bunch of BS. Yeah, like him in Washington is going to help solve the problem. I'm thinking the real reason McCain is doing this is so he can push tomorrow's debate to October 2nd (the scheduled date of the Vice Presidential Debate) and then push the Vice Presidential Debate to a later date, giving more time for Palin to prepare. We all know Palin is going to get eaten alive by Biden.

McCain cancelled at the last minute yesterday from David Letterman because he needed to focus on the economic crises. Dave had some fun with the last minute change but also threw a couple of shots and good points Johnny's way.

A Big House of Fans, History and Memories

2008-09-22T20:12:00.014-04:00

I can't think of the last time when I brought up the Yanks and had anything nice to say about them. Yes, I know, we won the Series in 2004 and ripped a 86 year old monkey off our back. But I still never had anything nice to say about this team or (in my own words) their precious Stadium. Recently, I even mentioned to all the Yankee Fans at work that I would be having a big party on the day they blew up Yankee Stadium. But then I realized that this wasn't a time for that. It wasn't a time for throwing zingers. It was time to put aside this intense rivalry and my cynical obnoxious views and (trying not to gag) pay some respect to a piece of Americana and the history of it....Boy, that was really tough to say!!!

But it's true, whether your are a sports fan or not, you have to admit that these old ballparks (Yankee Stadium, Wrigley Field, Ebbots Field, the old Detroit Stadium or my beloved Fenway) remind us when life once was so simple, so innocent, so natural. A time when you didn't need a IPod, game boy or any number of gadgets that people now need to live. The simple life. I remember the first time walking into Yankee Stadium and hearing the booming voice of Bob Sheppard echoing around the stadium. It reminded me of old baseball footage from the 20's, 30's, 40's. The smell of Cracker Jacks reminded me of going to my Grandfather's house when I was a kid. My buddy Chris, has talked many times on his blog about the times he visited Yankee Stadium with his Dad and now his son, Nolan.

But now, one more symbol that reminds us of the simpler times will be taken down and replaced by what team owners and presidents feel is something better. But will it? From a corporate stand point, absolutely yes. But from a fan aspect, from what I saw on TV last night, I'm not so sure. I think the fan would have been just as happy if they had refurbished it.

Unfortunately we have to move on and try to swallow the fact that our beloved house is being torn down and accept the new stadium. At the same time we also need to remember that our fond memories of this place will never be forgotten. The memory of being at the game with a friend, a parent or child will never go away. Yes, the new stadium may not make the same echo of Bob Sheppard voice, or the smell of cracker jacks may not be the same, but the important thing is, you will always have great memories of the place. Nobody will ever take that away.

So my hat goes off (for one day) to the Yankee Fans out there, the history of your franchise, the memories and finally to the House That Ruth Built.

Morons

2008-09-14T22:27:00.006-04:00

This is one word of many I would use to describe the people that decided to stay in Galveston and along the cost to weather out Hurricane Ike. Didn't they get a clue when the Authorities said last week that "if you don't leave, you will face certain death". What kind of Morons are these people? And then during the storm when the light bulb turns on in their thick heads, some of these people had the guts to call 911.

It's a good thing I was not in charge of Emergency Management, because, if those people called 911 and I was in charge, I would simply say: "Hey Moron, You had your chance...You're on your own now, good luck." There is no way I would send out men or women to rescue these morons...No Way!!!

And then I watch the news, and the reporters interview these people and how they got rescued.... If I was the reporter, I would have asked them several questions:

1. Why didn't you leave when Authorities ordered a evacuation and said last week that "if you don't leave, you will face certain death"?

2. Because you were stubborn and didn't want to leave, did you care that you put the lives of rescue men and women in danger that could have been prevented if you had left?

3. Would you have been upset if you called 911 and the operator had said to you ""Hey Moron, You had your chance...You're on your own now, good luck."?

4. How would you have felt if a rescue men or women had died while saving you?...Something that would not have happened if you had left before the storm hit.

Myrtle Beach - 2008

2008-09-14T21:09:00.013-04:00

It's finally calm down a little bit to the point where I can write about our vacation to Myrtle Beach, SC. We started out Friday (8/30) and again drove down to Chester, Va where we stopped to spend the night. It took us a little longer then expected, but this time it wasn't the traffic; it was a combination of Maeve needing to stop to eat and the fact that we took a longer trip down I-81. On Saturday we woke up early and finished our drive to Myrtle Beach.

Again, we stayed at our usual place...Holiday Shores Motel on the corner of N. Ocean Blvd and 76th. By the time we checked in, got settled and fed Maeve (again), it was dinner time. Today it was dinner at Cheeseburger In Paradise. Yes, this place is owned by Jimmy Buffet.

The weather was great everyday we were there so we spent most of our time at the beach. On Wednesday, it got a little too hot so we came home early and took a trip to Barefoot Landing and dinner at Johnny Rockets.

Well, I lied, the weather was great every day except for Friday, when Tropical Storm Hanna decided to make a visit. We had been watching the weather all week and wondering if we would be evacuated. On Thursday we knew we were OK after talking to the owner of Holiday Shores and hearing the Governor of SC stating that the only people that should leave are people camping and in Mobil Homes. So Friday, we got up and went to Ripley's Aquarium at Broadway At The Beach. After the trip to the Fishies we had lunch at the Key West Grill (The food was bad, don't go there...Rip OFF). By the end of lunch, the wind and rain was picking up, so we stopped at a few more stores and then went back to the Motel for the night. After Charlotte went to bed around 9:00PM, the wind and the rain picked up, but we never lost power or cable. The next day we were on the beach at 10:00am...it was sunny and 85...a few branches on the ground, but no damage.

So that was about it...We left Myrtle Beach on9/8 and got home on 10th. Al in all, it was a great trip, however, I think we are going to cut back our 2010 trip to a week instead of 10 days. After 8 days there, Charlotte wanted to go home. I think we were all ready to go home at that point.

Here are some more pictures of the trip:

The Tale of Two Storms

2008-08-28T21:42:00.006-04:00

Chris, Charlotte, Maeve and I are off to Myrtle Beach tomorrow for a 10 day vacation. Chris has been going to Myrtle beach her whole life and two of her trips were delayed because of Hurricaines. This can't possibly happen a third time.

Are we nuts??? Don't answer that, we are going anyway.

Darwin of the Year Award Goes To....

2008-08-21T23:29:00.003-04:00

The Darwin of the year award has got to go to this moron. The idiot was critically injured when he decided to go kite surfing during Tropical Storm Fay. When do you think he thought this was a bad idea? Was it when he slammed into the ground or when he slammed into the building. Hmmmm

Gun Toutin Teachers

2008-08-19T21:36:00.005-04:00

I've had many people tell me in recent years that it is the our Constitutional Right to bare arms. People have even told me I'm UN-American to even consider gun laws that limits use. I wonder what these same people feel about this story.

According to the Houston Chronicle, "A tiny Texas school district may be the first in the nation to allow teachers and staff to pack guns for protection when classes begin later this month".

Can you imagine if this happen in a town like Colonie or Niskayuna? What is very puzzling about this thought is that people would be in a hugh uproar. The press would be going nuts, people (some who even have guns) would be protesting. Pandamonimum at school board meeting. It would make Spitzer's love fest look like a boring Hallmark Movie.

And then there would be me who would wonder why people are bitching...Isn't the right to bare arms protected by the constitution, so why should it stop with teachers?

This takes the Cake

2008-08-17T13:14:00.005-04:00

Ok...I know for the past 7.5 years, I've said that Dubya is a moron, but I think this article in the Houston Chronical takes the cake and proves that George W. Bush is a very, very stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, did I say STUPID, PERSON. According to the article, birth control is now considered abortion because "most birth control pills, the Plan B emergency contraceptive and intrauterine devices as forms of abortion because they prevent the development of fertilized eggs into fetuses." Oh really, so does that mean when a women gets her tubes tied or a man uses a condom or gets a vasectomy he is committing abortion?? The article only states the pill, but my guess is if the pill is wrong then the tubes tied, condom and vasectomy are coming.

I officially want to thank all the people out there who voted for this moron. Because this moron is president, my wife and I are now considered baby killers!!!

Thank you, so much!!!

The Definition of Courage

2008-08-14T20:40:00.006-04:00

I drove by a VW Bug on I-90 in Albany today and on the side of it was the web address www.fagbug.com. So when I got home I decided to see what this site was all about.

The site is about a Albany women who was victimized by a hate crime and has turned that awful experience into a nationwide crusade "to raise awareness about hate crimes and homophobia in our society, to give a voice for those who are silent, to inspire others to take a stand against bullies and to be an example of how to overcome obstacles in bringing a creative project to life."

I'm speechless by the amount of courage this women has towards this cause and I can only hope Charlotte and Maeve will someday have as much courage as her to stand up for what is right.

Check out the site...what this women is doing is remarkable.

The Candian Creep Show

2008-07-31T22:54:00.005-04:00

I instantly thought of Steven King when I heard the story on MSNBC of "A traveler aboard a Greyhound bus repeatedly stabbed and then decapitated his seat mate". Wow, this story even creeped me out. I thought only Steven King could think this stuff up.

So Long Manny...Thanks For the Memories!!

2008-07-31T22:37:00.005-04:00

People have asked how I feel about the Manny trade. For me, it comes down to what is best for the team and at this point, it seams that now was a good time to part ways. Manny didn't want to be there and the organization had run out of patience, so why keep him. Although I like certain players, I try not get hung up and glamorize individuals essentially because this is a team sport and it takes a team to win. I want the Boston Red Sox to win the World Series. I could care less about individual stats.

Yes, I said back in May the "Manny being Manny" antics, although self centered, they never really bothered me because I do believe he was trying. The stuff he does can’t all come naturally. But they also didn't bother me because I truly believe that most athletes in sports have this same "it's all about me attitude", Manny just made it obvious.

So, is Manny a great player...yes. Will I miss his bat...yes. Will I miss his goofiness...yes. Are there other fish in the sea that can fill his shoes...yes. Will the Red Sox be better off without him...well, the jury is still out on that one. Morale will be better in the Clubhouse and I still think we can make it back to the WS this year. I seam to recall something similar happening in 2004 with some guy by the name of Nomar...I can't remember his last name.

But 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 years down the road...The Red Sox will be fine!!!

8 Friends & 18 Years = 15 Adults, 12 Kids and a lot of Fun

2008-07-28T22:43:00.004-04:00

Chris, Charlotte, Maeve and I went up to the Saratoga Spa State Park for picnic with some friends that I graduated from Niskayuna High School with back in 1990. It's been a long time since all of us have gotten together so obviously there was a lot of catching up to do. Although it rain for about 20 minutes we all had a great time. A little rain didn't ruin this party and, in fact, I think some of the kids enjoyed the mud. I know it didn't stop Charlotte from eating chips and dip.

Hopefully this will become a July Tradition for years to come.

The next day, the four of us went to my cousin's house for my Uncle's birthday. It was hot...damn hot. But Charlotte had a ball with Katie and Michael in the pool. Happy Birthday Larry!!!

Check out more photos in our family album.

The Saratoga County Fair

2008-07-17T21:52:00.003-04:00

I took the afternoon off from work yesterday and the 4 of us went up to the Saratoga County Fair in Ballston Spa, NY. It was usual stuff for a fair...lots of animals, lots of rides, lots of food (FAIR FRIES RULE!!) and lots of poop. Charlotte had a ball on her first train and Carousel ride. The weather was great and we also bumped into my Godfather, John Shattuck.

Check out more picture of the day in our family album.

It's Official...I'm Running For President

2008-07-15T22:00:00.003-04:00

After much discussion with my wife and after serious consultation with my good friend, Chirs Rooney, it's official...Screw the exploratory committee, I'm jumping in with both feet. I'm running for president.

Sippy Cups Come To Albany

2008-07-13T22:57:00.003-04:00

Charlotte has never heard of the Sippy Cups before. But the band was in Albany today as part of the GE’s Kids Day down at the Empire State Plaza, so the four of us along with G-Mom & Papa decided to go and join the fun. The group was pretty good as far as bands devoted to kids under 10 go. Charlotte had a ball jumping (as long as the band didn't get to close) and Maeve had a good old time snoozing.

After the band played we bought some Fair Fries from one of the local vendors....mmmmmmm. Check out more pictures of our day in our family album-July 2008.

Maeve at 6 Months

2008-07-08T21:39:00.004-04:00

Believe it or not, Maeve turned 6 months almost 2 weeks. We celebrated by taking her to the doctors for her 6 month check-up and shots. She's up to 15'6oz and 26" long. The doc said she is in perfect health. Charlotte was so happy at the report, she gave Maeve her Mickey Mouse ears.

Check out our family album for more pics.

Here is a video of Maeve showing her tricks:

Hell has Frozen Over

2008-07-05T08:49:00.006-04:00

I can't stand the guy, he's almost as big of a hypocrit is Rush Limbaugh and I think he is one of the worst politicians in the last 100 years...But I do agree with Newt on the three issues he discusses below. Has hell Frozen Over? I've been screeming his third point since the original Persian Gulf War in 1991.

Anybody Got A Night Light?

2008-06-28T13:59:00.002-04:00

Those Aussies have the best commercials!! Warning, you may not want to watch this with your kids around.

A Hick and Gunpowder

2008-06-28T13:51:00.003-04:00

A hick and gunpowder are not a good combination. Make sure you notice the background music.