Day One Hundred Fifty Two

Dear Readers,
      The era of the condo has officially ended.  We turned in our keys and gate clickers today.  I have to mention again that we did have the best landlords we could have asked for.  They were so thankful that we kept the place clean and nice and didn't destroy it.  They even gave us back our whole deposit.  Which is a nice little bonus to have.  It is going straight into the savings account.  Anything that wasn't planned on is being saved.  We weren't expecting to have it anyways, so we won't miss it.  It was also nice to here that our landlords were actually going to move into the condo themselves.  They had originally bought it for themselves, but the ladies father got really sick and she had to stay at home to take care of him.  She told me today that he is doing much better and they will finally get to use the house they purchased and upgraded for themselves in the first place.  Good for them.  So, I drove out of that Crosspointe Village for the last time.  Got all our mail and did one final walk through to make sure we didn't miss anything.  Again, it was sad, but brought a little excitement to the prospect of our very own home.  We cannot wait.
      I was meeting the landlord at 6:30PM, which left me some time between work and meeting her to kill some time.  I didn't want to drive home and then all the way back after showering, so I took some clothes with me and went to the gym.  It was the first time walking back into the gym in quite some time.  It felt really good to lift some weights after doing nothing but running and push ups in the last month or so.  I know I am going to be sore tomorrow, but it will all be worth it.  I really need to be going to the gym.  Especially now.  I haven't been doing as much laborious work at my job lately, so I need to do something physically challenging to make up for it.  Spartan Race here I come.
      Just a quick question to everyone.  Have you ever bought a shirt and left the tag on, so that you could take the shirt or any other item of clothing back after wearing it?  I ask because the other day, my brother in law, Brandon, forgot to take off the tag from a new shirt he wore the other day.  So, I was giving him a hard time, telling him that he intended to take the shirt back afterwards.  Although, I don't know how he didn't feel that tag scratching his back the entire night, so I wonder if he did intend to take it back.  Hmmm.  It made me think, is there actually people out there that do that kind of thing?  I don't think I could ever do it, but there must be someone out there who has and does.  Otherwise, where would Hollywood get the idea to use it in television and movies from?  Don't be too proud to admit it.  If you have done it, I give you props for saving a little money.  Let me hear your stories.

This Day In History: 1985
John Sculley, president of the American computer company Apple, removes co-founder Steve Jobs from his job as head of the Macintosh unit.  Sales of the Macintosh computers had fallen far below expectations in their first year, despite fanfare by Apple, leading to a feud between the two men.

Born This Day: 1930
Clint Eastwood - Actor, director, and producer.

"Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder."

-George Washington

Even House had an awesome beard.

Day One Hundred Fifty One

Dear Readers,
      As I am writing at this very moment, my mother and sister, Melissa, are cleaning up throw up, courtesy of my nephew Joshua.  My mom had just left to take my sister and nephews home, and not five minutes later, she came pulling back up into the driveway with Joshua crying.  He was carried sleeping to the car and on the way home, decided he was tired of carrying his dinner in his stomach and expelled it into the car.  Poor kid.  Melissa must have given him something bad to eat.  Just one more reason why I am not fully ready to become a dad yet, throw up.  The other is the diapers full of hot chocolate soft serve.  I am no where near ready to do that again.  Like I have said, having nephews and nieces are great.  You just get them all riled up and sugared up and when the diaper is stinky, you hand them to their parents.  Or when the kid gets out of control, back to the parents.  Being an uncle is all the fun stuff and when the going gets tough, back to the parents. 
      Kings won the first game of the Stanley Cup Finals today.  I am three King's wins away from my big payoff.  Not to mention, I am enjoying figuring out the game and getting excited to watch the games.  Even if you aren't a hockey fan, you have to love the big playoff hits.  They are as brutal as some of the hardest football hits I have seen, if not harder.  Playoffs in any sport increases the intensity and the excitement.  Go Kings!!
      Tonight was Costco Night for Raina and I.  We have recently started a night, once a week or once every other week, to go shopping at Costco with Chris and Liz.  They have the Costco card, so we tag along to get in on some great deals.  Our usual items are the frozen chicken tenders and a bag of uncooked tortillas.  Raina uses the chicken in at least half of the meals she cooks and the tortillas are the closest I have tasted to my grandmother's homemade tortillas that she used to make while growing up.  Tortillas go with just about everything too.  Breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Shopping at Costco can be dangerous though.  There are so many things to browse there.  I bought two pairs of shorts the last time we went and then bought another pair this time.  You can't have enough pairs over the summer.  They are just such a great price.  At the local PacSun, they would cost another fifteen bucks.  Now they have gift cards that you can buy, at discounted rates.  $100 for $80 on certain things, like restaurants.  Those could come in really handy.  They really do have just about everything at Costco, and if they don't, then they have it online.  I saw the sign they had up telling that there was more on their website.  You could go to Costco and have pictures printed while you are doing your eye exam.  Then order a new garage door and follow it up with some new counter tops.  Maybe even pick up a surf board for when you purchase a travel package from there at the same time.  Just so many reasons why Costco is fantastic.  These regular trips to Costco are going to be dangerous for me.  I can just see it.  I can see now why I never had a Costco card before.

This Day In History: 1922
U.S. chief justice William Howard Taft dedicates the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Born This Day: 1908
Mel Blanc - The voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and countless other Warner Bros. cartoon characters.

"Is life worth living?  Yes, so long as there is wrong to right."

-Alfred Austin

I want to see a Kings player in this picture within a couple weeks.

Day One Hundred Fifty

Dear Readers,
      My first day back to work after moving to my parent's house.  This really stinks, having to get up earlier.  I start work at 6:30AM and when we were living at our condo, I could leave by 6:15AM and still have time to spare.  Now, I have to be up a half hour earlier and if I am not out the door by 6:00AM, then I am going to be late.  Even then, sometimes there is an accident on the freeway causing enough traffic to make me late.  On top of all that, I am going to be carpooling with a co worker who lives in the next city over.  Which means I have to leave another fifteen minutes earlier.  This is hard to get used to again.  I did it for a few years so you would think it wouldn't be too difficult getting back into the swing of things, but those two years of living just up the road really spoiled me.  Oh well, just have to go to bed a little sooner. 
      One really nice thing about living with my parents again, is that the neighborhood is very peaceful and great for our daily runs.  There is a four block radius that we have mapped out to 1.5 miles every time around.  So, you run it twice around and you have 3 miles for the day.  We have been here for three days and have already been running on two of them.  Another thing that is going to be great about living here, is we have great places to go on bike rides, and a place to store the bikes.  At the condo there was no room for storing bikes and we didn't want to keep them locked up in the carport.  I bought Raina a nice bike a few years back and I know she is pretty excited to get the dust off of it and get riding.  A nice ride to the beach or maybe to the park for a picnic.  I am looking forward to a lot more outdoor activities this summer.  Volleyball and Badminton in the park.  Swimming at the local pool.  Riding bikes on the riverbed.  Running in the neighborhood.  Horseshoes, Frisbee golf, actual golf, maybe even join a softball summer league.  I plan on being active this summer.  Take advantage of those things while my body will still allow it.  Who knows, maybe even take up a little archery at the range at El Dorado park.  Some camping and fishing would be spectacular.  I am taking this summer back to the days of what summers were like back in the 50's and 60's.  At least what I imagine them to be in my head, and what the movies show me.  Don't want to forget all the barbequing, starting with last nights kick off to the summer.  I know, I know.  Summer isn't until June 20th, but here in good old Southern California, home of the best weather in the world, it is warm enough to be summer.  So why not start early on the summer activities?  As long as weather permits, you should take full advantage of it.  Don't let me be the only one having all the fun.  Especially those of you with kids.  They will thank you for it when they are grown.

This Day In History: 1943
American artist Norman Rockwell's portrait of "Rosie the Riveter" appears on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post.  It was a tribute to women on the home front working in defense plants in World War II.

Born This Day:1917
John Fitzgerald Kennedy - 35th U.S. president

"Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth."

-John F. Kennedy

Nananananananana Nananananana Batstache!

Day One Hundred Forty Nine

Dear Readers,
      Happy Memorial Day everyone!  Is it really a happy day though.  Are we celebrating the freedom we have in remembrance of all those who have sacrificed to allow us to have the freedoms we have now.  Or are we supposed to be solemnly remembering all those we have lost due to previous war and carnage that was wrought upon by us humans.  We has humans have caused so much casualties, for simple selfish reasons.  Many have paid the price of just a few people.  How different would it be if Adolf Hitler had never been born.  Or would it have been worse, bringing about someone even more mad then he was.  You never know though.  Maybe millions of lives could have been spared.  One of those Jews that were incinerated could have been the doctor to find a miracle cure for some terrible disease.  One of those soldiers could have been the next great scientist or poet.  Who knows what we may have missed out on because of a single man.  All those lives sacrificed.  Not in vain though.  We are blessed now because of those servicemen's sacrifice, and today we celebrate them and what they did for us.  So many heroes in so many different wars and battles.  All dying to protect our freedom and the ideal of this wonderful capitalist nation.  They were men and women who believed in what they were fighting for.  I say thank you to all those who have passed and who have fought and continue to fight for this great nation. 
      I know most of you celebrated by barbequing.  That seems to be the ritual to start off the summer.  Maybe at the park.  Maybe at home.  Maybe did some swimming in the backyard.  You can't think of Memorial Day without thinking of those kinds of things.  It signifies that summer is here.  We had our barbeque at Chris and Liz's house.  Their home is going to be the new party home.  That used to be our job, hosting parties and events.  Now we pass the torch on.  At least for the next six months.  Who knows, they may enjoy so much that they won't want to give it up.  We shall find out.  It was an awesome time.  Chris got a new barbeque yesterday and put it right to work today.  Hamburgers, hot dogs, hot links, and grilled onions.  That is a nice way to start off the summer.  Pretty soon we will have to advance to Carne Asada.  Maybe even some Omaha Steaks before the summer is out.  It was kind of nice not having to worry about the cooking this time around.  I also pass the torch of the Grill Master to Chris as well.  It was a beautiful day today, just hanging out and relaxing.  Sitting under the shade with the breeze blowing through.  Then to top it all off, a banana split station.  Just walk up and get a bowl with the banana already split, get your ice cream and top it off with what your heart desires.  I was put into a food coma after all that food.  So much food and so little time.  Another day of hanging out with good friends and good food.  Don't forget to bring your American Flags back inside.

This Day In History: 1985
Old Coca-Cola Drinkers of America is founded in an effort to bring back the original formula Coca-Cola to replace the New Coke foisted on the nation by the Atlanta based company.  As a result, Classic Coke was born.

Born This Day: 1908
Ian Fleming - English author of the James Bond spy novels.

"The soul is nurtured by want as much as by plenty."

-Thomas Moore

This guy knows what it means to be patriotic.

Day One Hundred Forty Eight

Dear Readers,
      I have to say it was pretty strange to wake up in a place other than our home for the last two years.  Almost like I was waking up in a hotel after a long day of traveling.  Raina had a hard time sleeping in a new place too.  Even heading home tonight was strange, not taking the same freeways and route that we have gotten used to taking over the last two years.  It is going to be weird for the next week or so, I think.  Eventually we will get used to it and then it will be weird to be heading to and sleeping in our new house. 
      Tonight, we celebrated our niece, Brenna's, birthday.  Her actual birthday is May 7th, but we went out and celebrated tonight.  It was an evening of dancing.  Although not doing any dancing ourselves.  We went to the Battle of the Dance in Anaheim.  If you haven't been or heard of it before, it is basically a dinner show.  You go early and enjoy appetizers and drinks.  They take a picture of you when you walk in and there are all different kinds of souvenirs that you can buy.  It reminds me of Medieval Times or Pirate Dinner Theater.  They have row seating and they serve you dinner while you are entertained with dancing from Spain and Ireland.  The best part was the fact that the lead dancer for the Spanish style music was sweating up a storm.  Every time he did a fast spin the sweat would go flying off his head.  So much so that we could see it from our seats, and we weren't in the front section.  The sweat even came into play later in the show.  Eventually it became an actual dance off between the different style dancers.  The two lead dancers were dancing off and the Spanish guy spun a blast of sweat right into the face of the Irish dancer.  It was pretty nasty.  They must wet his hair while he is off stage to keep it really wet and make it look like sweat, because I can't believe the other guy would really want to put up with a spray of sweat to the face night after night.  That would be pretty awful.  It wouldn't be long until I would be looking for another job.  Probably after the first night. 
      After the show, they have you exit through the lobby and the dancers come out so you can meet them and take pictures with them.  We kept trying to get Jeremiah, Brenna's brother, to take a picture with the girls.  He is single if you couldn't tell.  Finally we convinced him to take a picture with them if all the guys did it with him.  We purposely set it up so that Jeremiah was in the middle surrounded by the girls, while the rest of us were on the outside.  Thinking that we could crop ourselves out and it would look like Jeremiah was with a bunch of girls.  Raina figured it out pretty quickly and cropped us out in her picture right away.  It was pretty funny to see Jeremiah get embarrassed about the picture and it will be even funnier to see his reaction to me talking about this and posting the picture online.  The best part about this blog has to be having everyone worried about being around me when the do something silly or goofy.  Afraid I might share it with the world.  Just take my sister in law Brooke.  After the show, she was messing around doing an Irish jig towards her car and I made her believe that I caught it on video with my phone.  She promised to cut me if I posted the video for the world to see.  I didn't get anything on camera or video, but it was great to see her reaction of the possibility that I had it.  She won't find out that I didn't have anything until reading this.  She is probably going to cut me anyways just for talking about her doing her Irish jig all the way to the car.  Pretty funny. 
      It was another long day, but at least I got to see some dancing.  Happy Birthday Brenna!!  Hope you had a blast and enjoy your gift.

This Day In History: 1937
San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, a stunning technological and artistic achievement, opens to the public after five years of construction.

Born This Day: 1837
Wild Bill (James Butler) Hickok

"Profit and morality are a hard combination to beat."

-Hubert Humphrey

First the real picture, then the one where we are cropped out and Jeremiah is on his own.

Day One Hundred Forty Seven

Dear Readers,
      It has been a very long day.  We moved everything and practically unpacked everything in one day.  We also cleaned most of the condo before we left today.  I can't believe we got it all done.  I have to thank everyone who chipped in some way or another.  Whether it was packing, loading, unloading, cleaning, or even moral support.  We had lots of help today and got things done very quickly.  I was thinking there was going to be a few things left behind to be taken later on.  That wasn't the case.  We moved everything today.  We just have to go back to finish cleaning and patching up some holes.  I am really glad this day is over with and it won't be dragged on for the next few days.  I should be able to get one day to relax before I go back to work on Tuesday.  Again, thank you to all who helped.  We couldn't have done it without you guys.  Everyone had a good attitude and joked around a lot, which made things go by quickly.  I am ready for a two day nap now. 
      Things have been great moving in.  My parents have been very accommodating.  There was a little bit of worry, because there was still lots of things to be moved out of the room we were moving into as of Thursday.  My dad worked hard at packing it up and moving it out, so that by the time we showed up with all of our stuff, it was completely empty.  They have found nooks and crannies to fit our odds and end stuff, such as Raina's Keurig coffee maker and Dutch oven.  Not to mention my lunch bag and all the things that go along with making my lunch on a daily basis.  We may have crammed ourselves into a single room, but I think the time will go by quickly and smoothly.  My parents have been very gracious to us and we are very thankful for allowing us to horn in on their party of two here at their house.  We are going to miss our first home together, but are looking forward to our future, hopefully much larger, home.

This Day In History: 1953
It Came From Outer Space, the first science fiction film to be screened in 3-D, debuts in Los Angeles.

Born This Day: 1948
Stevie Nicks - American singer/songwriter. (Fleetwood Mac)
??? - Shelby Erikson (Happy Birthday Shelby!!!)

"Life is too short for a long story."

-Lady Mary Wortley Montagu

That's what I'm talking about.

Day One Hundred Forty Six

Dear Readers,

      I can feel my strength dwindling.  A little more each day.  I think tomorrow may sap the rest of whatever is left.  Moving Day is upon us.  The Uhaul truck is here and ready to be packed.  Just need a good nights sleep before getting up bright and early to maneuver everything into the perfect position to squeeze into the truck and then squeeze into the storage unit.  I hope it is big enough for everything.  I don't want to have to find a place for whatever might be left.  Worse yet would be to have to get a bigger storage unit and then transfer everything that is perfectly packed, into another one.  With my luck it would be on the completely different end of the building, along with a different floor.  Crossing my fingers.  Knocking on wood.  Throwing salt over my shoulder.  PRAYING.  Whatever it takes.  It all has to be done in one trip too.  I don't want to have to pay for the extra miles.  Which brings me to something that grinds my gears.  Why do rental trucks leave their tanks practically empty and then tell you that you have to bring it back with the same amount of gas?  I knew it was going to happen to me today.  I show up to get the rental truck and they tell me that it has a quarter of a tank.  How am I supposed to make sure that I get it exactly the same after I am done moving?  You know they do it on purpose so that people will bring it with extra gas to be on the safe side.  I guess you could put in a little at a time until you hit the magic mark, but then you might have a half dozen transactions on your card.  Why aren't they full when you get them and then you just top it off on the way back in.  Then they would never have to worry about what level the gas tank was every time someone rents one.  You will always know that it is full.  It just seems a little ridiculous to me.  I know I am going to end up paying for more gas then I need.  Just giving the Uhaul place some more of my money, for nothing.  You have to do it too.  Otherwise there is a $30 charge on top of a $5 per gallon charge for any gas you may be short.  Ridiculous I tell you.

Our sweet ride to our new home.

      I think the worst part about this move, is losing our super comfortable couch.  I am not excited to see that go into the storage unit tomorrow.  I pray it is in the same condition it is now, when we get it out in six months.  One of my favorite things we did in this condo was sitting on that couch with my wife and veg out a little bit to watch some TV.  Goodbye couch.  

This Day In History: 1977

The American space-fantasy movie Star Wars, destined to become one of the most popular movies of all time, opens.

Born This Day: 1944

Frank Oz - English puppeteer who created the Muppets. He is also the operator and voice of Yoda. And if you don't know who Yoda is, then you should be wrangled up and shot.

"A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thank you Frank Oz!

Day One Hundred Forty FIve

Dear Readers,
      We have hit another gear in packing.  I took half the day off of work to come home and take a few things over to my parents house.  Our dining table, which will be used at my parents house for the duration of our stay.  And most of our left over food items.  Canned foods, cereal, spices, and other assortments of food.  We also took a few bathroom items.  Don't worry, our toothbrushes are still here.  So our breath won't be rancid for the next couple of days.  Have to take care of our hygiene.  Now we are at home and we have been packing for the last five and a half hours straight.  Hitting it into overdrive to get most everything done before tomorrow.  We take the fridge and a few boxes of stuff over to my parents tomorrow.  Then take my truck to have the brakes replaced.  I haven't been able to take it for almost a month now and the guy I use is finally available this weekend.  I'm not going to wait any longer.  Besides, we are going to have a U haul truck for moving most everything.  I think I am going to be exhausted after this weekend.  It is probably going to be non stop moving.  Load up, drive and unload.  At least a handful of times this weekend.  I plan on vegging out on Monday.  One day of rest before heading back to work on Tuesday.  Of course we will be coming back on Tuesday and Wednesday to clean up the condo after everything is out.  We have had the best landlords and want to leave a really good impression and show our thanks for being such awesome landlords.  That is what makes this even harder.  I am sure if we hated our landlords we would be rushing to get out of here, regardless of leaving a mess or not.  Only one day left until MOVING DAY.
      Amongst all the craziness of my day, I managed to make it over to see a counselor and turn in my application to Cerritos College.  I found out that I did so poorly the last time I took a class there, that I had a hold on my status and am not allowed to enroll in more then four units.  Which is basically one class.  That works out for me, because I only have time for one class right now.  I enrolled in my one class and am first on the waiting list.  Hoping that at least one person will drop it or not show up to the first class.  I only need one person.  That shouldn't be too difficult, right?  The only bummer, is that it is four days a week for six weeks.  From 5:30PM - 10:00PM.  So it is going to be a rough six weeks starting at the end of June.  Lots of prayer and support from my wife will be needed to get through it.  Just have to remember that it is for our future.  To be perfectly honest, I am kind of excited to be taking some classes again.  Learning something new.  It should be fun.  Just need patience to get through these next six months.  It will fly by.
      Want to also wish a very happy and blessed birthday to our dear friend Angie Arcilla.  Although she will always be a Gibson girl to me.  Happy Birthday!!

This Day In History: 1943
Dr. Josef Mengele, who would earn the nickname "the Angel of Death," arrives at the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland to begin his systematic killing of Jewish prisoners by injecting thousands with everything from petrol to chloroform in his "medical studies."  Mengele fled to South America at the end of World War II and assumed the name of a former Nazi.  he died of a stroke while swimming in 1979.

Born This Day: 1941
Bob Dylan - Grammy Award winning American singer, songwriter, and poet.
1980 - Angie Arcilla (Gibson)  Happy Birthday!!

"He not busy being born is busy dying."

-Bob Dylan

Our mess of boxes.

Day One Hundred Forty Four

Dear Readers,
      I am typing from my brand new laptop.  I finally broke down and spent the money on a quality machine that will last me long enough to get us into our new home.  Hopefully much longer then that.  The eighteen months of no financing from Best Buy sure helps.  I haven't had too much time to mess with it, but so far I am pleasantly pleased with it.  Not that I use it for much more then internet and blogging.  Hopefully it will get used for much more when school starts up again for me.  Speaking of school, I am heading in to see a counselor tomorrow and hopefully signing up for a summer class.  If I can get into a class that is.  I am starting a little late and I will be considered a new student, which will put me low on the priority list to get into classes.  I just want one class.  That is all I am asking for.  It really is going to be strange to start having to do homework again.  I am going to have to rely on Raina to kick me in the butt and keep myself from procrastinating too much.  At least I will have a nice computer to work on.  Plus it came with Microsoft Office 2010 for free.  That just might come in a little handy while taking classes again.  So much going on right now. 
      You have heard me continually talk about our moving this weekend.  Well, it just keeps getting closer and closer.  Tonight, the kitchen gets packed up.  Raina has cooked her last meal in this wonderful place we have called home for the last two years.  A delicious meal of Spicy Thai Rice & Beef.  Just add a little hot sauce and it was magical.  I really do love my wife's cooking.  I am really hoping this move isn't going to hinder her cooking for me.  Well, with the kitchen getting packed up, that only leaves our upstairs entertainment center, our bedroom and Raina's desk.  Then there is a few things in the bathroom.  Can't pack all that stuff up too soon.  Otherwise what would we use to stay clean and make ourselves look pretty?  
      I went to pick up some more boxes and packing material from our friend's house.  Brandon left it there as the halfway point for me to get it.  Thanks again to Brandon for getting us all kinds of boxes and packing material.  Also to my sister, Yoli, for all the boxes she got us too.  Even though she tried to use them as leverage to get me to do things for her.  I picked up a bunch of boxes and a huge bag of bubble wrap.  I mean huge.  I could fit about three bodies in this bag full of bubble wrap.  You should have seen me squeezing this huge bag into the back seat of my truck.  I didn't want to just throw it in the back and then watch it fly out about half way home.  It would have been just my luck to watch it fly out and cause an accident behind me.  So, I maneuvered it back there and made it home.  Looking at it now, maybe even more then three bodies worth.  Massive.  So, if anyone might need some bubble wrap, I am thinking we may have some extra after our move.  You are more then welcome to it if there is some left over. 
      I also want to wish my father in law, Mark, a wonderful Happy Birthday!!  He is the big 6-0 today.  Hoping you had a wonderful day and we can give you a wonderful weekend of celebration next weekend.  Can't wait to hang out and get a round of golf in.  Hopefully I won't break my foot this time.  Happy Birthday Mark!!

This Day In History: 1934
Their Midwest crime spree finally over, infamous American bank robbers Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker are shot to death by Texas and Louisiana state police as they drive a stolen car near Bienville Parish, Louisiana.  Police said that the pair had attempted to flee, more likely the reason for the fusillade was that Bonnie and Clyde had killed five policemen.

Born This Day: 1883
Douglas Fairbanks - American actor
1952 - Mark Piliavin (Father in law of all father in laws)

"The test of democracy is freedom of criticism."

-David Ben-Gurion

Look and see how big this bag really is.

I hope I have a professor as cool as him.

Day One Hundred Forty Three

Dear Readers,
      The Kings just won the Western Conference Finals and are headed to the Stanley Cup Finals.  I am pretty stinking happy that I put that bet on the Kings to win it all this year.  Yup, my $20 investment may just turn into a $400 payday.  It really gives me that extra incentive to watch this years Stanley Cup.  Hockey is new to me and I am still learning a lot about it, like why don't goalies serve their own penalties.  I still don't know why.  Either way, it really makes the games exciting to watch even though I don't totally understand everything.  Either way, I will definitely be watching the finals this year.  Go Kings!
      I think I may have found the laptop I am going to get.  I have done quite a bit of research on what to get.  It is going to be somewhere between buying something super cheap just to get me by and buying something that is going to be the computer I use for at least the next five years.  The price is mid to cheap range to.  At least as far as computers go.  It is a Hewlett Packard that apparently has a processor good enough to run AutoCad and other design programs with a good graphics card.  So, hopefully when I am taking my engineering classes I am hoping to be taking I will have a computer to help out.  As long as it does the job and doesn't break on me in the next two years I will be happy.  So tomorrow I go to get my new computer.  It is pretty exciting.  Kind of like being a kid going to the store to get a new toy.  It is just a grown ups version. 
      Only three days left until moving day.  I am so not looking forward to this.  I have a feeling my back is going to be hating me the few days afterwards.  Possibly my knees too.  I will just use it as my workout for the weekend.  Up and down the stairs, box after box.  I just have to make sure I stretch and warm up before.  Can't wait to get it done with and get back to a little bit of normality.  Getting to run after work.  Maybe go back to the gym and lift weights again.  Maybe do some swimming over at the Thompson Park pool in Bellflower.  I think residents get in free, or at least super cheap.  Hopefully get to spend some time at the park with family and friends.  Play some softball or badminton.  Throw the football around.  Kick the soccer ball around.  I would even like to play some wallyball again.  If you haven't played wallyball before, it is a blast.  It is volleyball inside of a racquetball court where you can play off the walls.  Makes for some fun times.  Either way, can't wait to be done moving for a little while.  At least for the next six months.

This Day In History: 1944
American and British aircraft launch a systematic World War II bombing raid on railroads in Germany and elsewhere in northern Europe, dubbed "Operation Chattanooga Choo Choo."

Born This Day: 1859
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - British physician and author, creator of Sherlock Holmes.

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."

-Bill Cosby

Where do I get this toy at?  How did I miss this one all these years?

Day One Hundred Forty Two

Dear Readers,
      Some nights I have trouble coming up with something to talk about.  Other nights, it comes to me and it only takes me fifteen minutes to type up.  Tonight was not one of those nights.  I had no idea what I should talk about.  I even looked over a list of potential topics for me to talk about in future blogs.  Some were lame and others were too detailed for me to spend the time on right now.  Then I remembered something funny from my high school days.  I should actually say Raina's high school days, because it was at her prom.  This is probably fitting since most schools are doing their proms around this time of year.  At least I think so.  So here goes.
      It was 1999.  I can remember because it was Raina's senior prom and she graduated a year before me.  Makes it easier to remember.  We went together with one of Raina's friends, Anna.  It isn't pronounced the way you think though.  Not like Santa Ana.  The phonetically correct way is "on-uh".  Anyways, Anna had this white dress that looked like it could have been a wedding dress.  From the waist up, it looked like any normal fancy prom dress, but from the waist down it was big enough to fit a big top circus underneath.  It was so poofy.  First off, I can't believe she bought a wedding dress to go to prom in.  Secondly, why would she wear a dress that would force her date to have to keep a minimum of four feet away, because if he walked any closer the dress would just bounce him back.  I remember going to Cheesecake Factory for dinner and having to stuff her dress into the booth.  Kind of like how a kid stuffs his or her closet with all the toys and cloths from their room and then squeeze the door shut.  Only to have everything spring out all over the place after cracking the door open.  I was waiting for her to try and squeeze out and at the last second have the dress bounce her out of the booth like a cork popping out of a champagne bottle.  Now that I think about it, she didn't dance to any slow songs.  She probably couldn't get close enough to her date to get his arms around her.  Maybe she did it on purpose.  I never asked her.  Come to think of it, if she didn't like her date but said yes because she felt bad saying no, then that is one way to force him to keep his distance.  Her poor date, having to put up with that massive dress.  Just the bottom half though.  There is one thing about hanging out with Anna, she will definitely make you laugh.  Whether you are laughing with her or at her, she is always good for a laugh.  I could really use a good laugh.  We should hang out soon.

This Day In History: 1819
The first bicycles in the United States roll along the streets of New York City.  They were called swift walkers at the time.

Born This Day: 1952
Mr. T - American actor

"To err is human, to forgive is divine."

-Alexander Pope

Thanks to Brandon my bro in law for this awesome picture.

Day One Hundred Forty One

Dear Readers,
      Packing packing and more packing.  That is about all I did today.  I keep pulling more stuff out of the closet and out of drawers to pack and there is an unending supply of stuff to pack.  It is like Mary Poppins carpet bag, I have no idea how all that stuff fits in our house.  And we haven't even started packing our own closets and the kitchen cabinets.  No wonder we need a bigger place to live so badly.  We can't possibly fit anything else in this place.  I spent all day packing our upstairs closet, and there is still stuff in there.  It is never going to end.  Just have to keep trudging along. 
      I can't believe the Kings lost today.  Oh well, at least they won't have too much time off before they have to play in the Stanley Cup series this way.  At least the Dodgers pulled out a victory tonight, sweeping the World Series champion Cardinals.  Also maintaining their league best record.  It really is a good time to be a Dodger fan.  Which takes me to a couple of weeks ago when Raina and I went to a Dodger game with Brandon and Brooke.  Brooke happens to know a player from the Colorado Rockies who happened to get us tickets to the game.  I'm not gonna turn down free when the Dodgers are doing as well as they are.  Raina and I went in our usual Dodger's gear, but when we showed up at Brandon and Brooke's house to head to the game together, we noticed that they weren't wearing anything with a Dodgers logo on it.  I couldn't believe my eyes, considering Brandon is supposedly a huge Dodger fan.  At least he led me to believe he was, until that night.  Apparently since we were planning on meeting up with this guy after the game, they dress up a little just in case we went somewhere nice.  Which is apparently what happened the last time they went to one of his games and went out afterwards.  The other reason for no Dodgers gear was because they didn't want to offend him or make him upset when they saw him.  I could not believe that Brandon would allow Brooke not to wear anything Dodgers related, and even allow himself to go without Dodgers gear.  I don't think I have ever been to a game with him where he didn't wear something Dodgers.  I was pretty upset to see him adjust his fanaticism to not offend someone.  I told them that it was gonna be their fault if the Dodgers lost that game.  Fortunately for them I am so much of a fan that I covered for their lack of concern for baseball superstition to allow the Dodgers to win that game.  So, the next time Brandon talks about being a huge Dodger fan, make sure you understand that he has limits to his love for the Dodgers.  He really isn't as much of a fan as he says he is.  He is going to have to do something drastic to make up for his disregard for the Dodgers.  Terrible.  I think Vin would be ashamed of him too. 
      The other thing about going to that game with the fake fans, was that if we did happen to go out to some fancy place after the game, they didn't tell us so we could be dressed appropriately.  They let us show up in casual game day clothing.  I was just wearing shorts and a Dodger shirt and a Dodger jacket while Raina was wearing jeans and a Dodger jersey.  Sheesh.  So there was two things about that night to give them a hard time about.  I just am thankful the Dodgers won that game.  Oh, and the guy that Brooke knows actually played in that game and Andre Ethier hit a home run off of him.  The funny part about that was that Brooke's favorite player is Ethier.  So she was pretty torn at that moment and mentioned it, not two seconds before he hit it.  It was great.  I was being my obnoxious self about it, giving her a hard time for it.  Saying it was her fault that Ethier hit the bomb.  All in all, a great game to go to.

This Day In History: 1932
American aviator Amelia Earhart takes off from Newfoundland on a flight to Ireland.  She was the first woman to fly the Atlantic solo.

Born This Day: 1908
James Stewart - Academy Award winning American actor.

"Nothing so fortifies a friendship as a belief on the part of one friend that he is superior to the other."

-Honore de Balzac

Just a little taste of our madness of a home right now.  Boxes everywhere.

Day One Hundred Forty

Dear Readers,
      Are you comfortable with taking tests, or are you one of those persons that stresses themselves out to the point that it actually negatively affects their performance?  I have seen so many people that stress themselves to the point that they do nothing but study for weeks and days on end, because they are worried about the test, but all the worrying doesn't allow them to retain any of the things they were studying.  Thus, causing them to perform badly.  Then they don't understand why they didn't do well after all the studying they did.  Fortunately, both Raina and I are comfortable taking tests.  Homework on the other hand, I am terrible at keeping up with and procrastinate everything.  Tests I can handle.  I had to take a test today for work.  It was a test for a certification for working on water systems called a Treatment 1.  I didn't study at all for it, unless you count the twenty minutes of reading through a few practice tests that I borrowed from a guy at work.  I think the worst part about taking tests for me, is that I feel like I need to be one of the first to finish.  It gives me a boost of confidence, because I feel that if I finish quickly then I am more confident in my answers, therefore meaning to me that I did better.  I never go back over my test again.  I am afraid that I would second guess myself and change my already correct answer to the incorrect one.  Always go with the first instinct.  The only time I go back is if I don't know the answer the first time and I skip it.  Only go back on the skipped ones and give them a second look.  Besides, on multiple choice there is a chance that a future question will hold the answer to a previous question.  Gotta love the multiple choice scantron.  So, after no studying and being one of the first to complete the test, I am hoping to get a passing grade.  All I need is 70%, so I think it is doable.  I just hate that you have to wait almost two months to get the results.  The waiting is the hardest part.  At least I got to end the night with dinner at Kabuki.  Delicious sushi for dinner.  It made the drive to Pomona and spending the middle part of my day taking a test for almost two hours all worth it.
      I also want to say "Congratulations!!" to David Taylor for graduating from Cal State Dominguez Hills.  It is a big accomplishment and something to be very proud of.  We are very proud of him.

This Day In History: 1536
Convicted of adultery, Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII of England, is beheaded.

Born This Day: 1952
Joey Ramone - American singer from The Ramones.

"If we don't stand for something, we may fall for anything."

-Malcolm X

Yoda is awesome.

Day One Hundred Thirty Nine

Dear Readers.
      Busy busy busy busy.  This weekend is going to be non stop.  It was a day of reserving our storage unit, and then finding a cheaper one online.  Then calling Verizon to get our Fios transferred over.  Talking to my parents to make sure we are prepared for moving day.  Shopping for a laptop at Best Buy, only to decide I am not ready to purchase a laptop.  I have to ask my parents if it is okay that I use theirs in the meantime.  Then off to a delightful dinner and betting on the ponies.  You heard me right.  I was betting on the ponies at Los Alamitos Race Track.  Raina and I were out for one of my co worker's birthdays.  I have never been to a race track like that before.  It was a lot of fun to learn the different bets you can make.  Just another way to get my gambling fix in.  Having it so close may not be a good thing.  At least I don't have to catch a flight and get a hotel to have a little gambling fun.  Having some money on the line sure does make it about 100x more exciting.  I am definitely going to have to do that again.  Even though I didn't win a dang thing.  Came close a couple of times.  Either way, it was a few hours of entertainment and I only lost $20 in betting losses.  Thank you for the $1 bets with decent payouts.  Obviously you can see why the payouts are pretty good, it is hard to predict.  Oh well, $20 for the entertainment is worth it.  The money we spent on the dinner though, I think could have been better.  I shouldn't say that.  My Cajun Halibut was really good, I just feel like there should have been more for the price that we paid.  Next time, head to the Costco for a $1.50 hotdog and soda and then walk right over to the race track.  Even if you don't win anything, you will probably spend less then you would have going to a Dodger or Angel game or Lakers game.  It is something different too, which is nice.  Who wants to join me next time?

This Day In History: 1980
A massive volcanic eruption of Mount St. Helens in southwestern Washington devastates 210 square miles of wilderness, leaving 57 dead or missing.  The volcano had erupted periodically during the past 4,500 years, the last active period being between 1831 and 1857.

Born This Day: 1897
Frank Capra - Academy Award winning Italian born director.

"Common looking people are the best in the world: that is the reason the lord makes so many of them."

-Abraham Lincoln

No picture tonight, me need sleepy.  I'm so tired with another really busy day tomorrow.

Day One Hundred Thirty Eight

Dear Readers,
      Since I have been on the subject of life changing moves the last couple of days, I might as well talk about one other.  Going back to school.  Ever since I was kicked out of college, I had it in my mind that I would probably never go back.  Yes, I did just say that I was kicked out.  That was a long time ago and I was a much younger and much more foolish person back then.  There is that part of me that wishes I had just finished what I had started, and then there is the other part of me that is happy with the way things have turned out.  I could be living a completely different life if I had finished, and it doesn't necessarily mean a better life.  Back to my point, I have been thinking I want to go back to school.  During my first time around, I didn't really know what I wanted to do.  Now, I have a better idea of where I could go with a degree and where I would want to be.  I now know that I can stay working for the City, just doing something different.  I have been looking at the possibility of working as an Engineer.  Lately I have been doing a lot of work that has me dealing directly with our Engineering Department, which allows me to see what it is like.  I definitely could see myself doing something like that.  Only problem is, I need an education.  Especially taking some classes directly related to that field.  Which is leading me to feel the need to start taking some classes again. 
      I know that doing this while working is going to be at least twice as hard as it could have been.  Just another thing that I have to really commit to.  I am starting to feel like I am wanting to take on too many things at once.  I think this whole moving out thing is starting to motivate me a little.  I wonder how long it is going to last.  Knowing myself, it is going to be difficult to stay motivated.  Although, I find that when it comes to me improving my career, I have seen things through.  I have gotten the required certifications for my job, and have even prepared myself for advancement by getting the required certification for the next logical step for advancement.  So, why quit there?  I might as well make myself more valuable and give myself the flexibility to maybe enter into a different field, such as Engineering.  You never really know when an opportunity will present itself, so it is better to be prepared for the possibility.  You really need that paper to back up your experience.  So, I now have the experience and I need to get the paper.  I have already printed out a transcript request form for the few classes I actually finished at Oregon.  I just need to fill it out and send it in the mail.  Maybe even sign up for a summer class at Cerritos College.  Those are on my list of things to do tomorrow, along with a million other things.  It is going to be a busy day.  More packing and more researching. 
      Oh yeah, almost forgot.  The beard has now officially been growing longer then it ever has.  I am heading into unknown territory.  Exciting.

This Day In History: 1792
The New York Stock Exchange is founded by 24 brokers, signing a two sentence contract called the Buttonwood Agreement.  This took place under a buttonwood tree on what today is Wall Street.

Born This Day: 1956
Sugar Ray Leonard - American World Middleweight boxing champion.

"Progress is man's ability to complicate simplicity."

-Thor Heyerdahl

Where can I find this?

Day One Hundred Thirty Seven

Dear Readers,
      This week at work we begin our furloughs.  Yes, the hard time on the economy is finally hitting me at work now.  We have agreed to furloughs for the next two years in exchange for job protection, which means I now get an extra Friday off every month.  It also means I am taking a five percent pay cut for the next two years.  Which has had me thinking lately, more than normal, about ways to supplement my income.  I have been considering different things for the past couple of years, it has just been hard because it is not worth it to take up my weekends with a part time job if I can work overtime.  It just simply pays better to work the overtime.  So I have been looking into ways to supplement that are more flexible in how my time is spent doing it.  So, Raina is going to kill me for finding out this way.  She is always telling me she is the last to know.  I would have told her sooner, but I forgot I did it until right now.  Which isn't good, because how am I supposed to work on supplementing my income if I forget my ideas right away.  Terrible memory.  Anyways, I was talking to a guy at my work, who is actually retiring this summer, about the possibility of doing real estate on the side.  He has done real estate on the side while working at the City in the past, so I asked for advice and to see how realistic something like this is.  He gave me some places to look up and learn about the opportunities that are out there.  Including a real estate business that does open houses to inform people like me who might be interested in become a real estate agent of some sort.  Not only would it be a neat way to make a little extra cash, but I could learn about the process of buying a house before we go through it ourselves.  Maybe prevent ourselves from doing something stupid or maybe find a way to save some money.  I know I have talked about starting my own business before, but I still have no idea what I would do exactly.  I am just not as creative as I would like to be.  That is what I get for being a left brain thinker.  So analytical and numbers oriented.  I used to want to own some kind of clothing company of some sort, but again, I am not creative enough to come up with designs or some new style of clothing.  I guess that is why I have never really been very "trendy" when it came to clothing.  It is usually about comfort for me.  Real estate just might be my thing.  I am going to have to do some research before I decide to do anything.  I don't want to waste my time with this.  If I decide I am going to do it, I am going to do it right.  So, before I make a rash decision and jump right in, it is about seeing if this is even possible to do on the side.  How realistic is this?  Any tips?  I am open to some suggestions.

This Day In History: 1869
The Cincinnati Reds, American baseball's first all-professional team, plays its first game.

Born This Day: 1905
Henry Fonda - Academy Award winning American actor.

"I dream for a living."

-Steven Spielberg

Death Star business meeting.

Day One Hundred Thirty Six

Dear Readers,
      It is fairly sad to think about having to buy a new computer.  I spent a little bit of time over at Best Buy today, looking at the different computers.  Do I buy something cheap to get me by for the next few months or do I not waste the money for the next few months and just buy what I need/want.  Part of me feels like it really is a waste to buy something to get my by, when I could just use that money to put towards a computer that will last me a lot longer.  Then there is the part that really doesn't want to spend a lot of money right now.  All I want to do is save for our future home.  Why did my computer have to break right now?  Why couldn't it wait just eight months longer?  It really did have to be at the worst time didn't it?  Why does it always seem to work out that way?  Something else that really grinds my gears.  When it is the worst possible time for something to happen, more often then not, it is going to happen.  Life just works out that way sometimes.  Have to roll with the punches.  Well, sometimes I just don't want to roll with the punches.  For those of you who happen to know me, you know I can roll with just about any punch.  I can, I just usually keep to myself how much I don't want to sometimes.  This is my forum to cry about it and cry about it is exactly what I am doing.  I want my laptop back and I want it back now.  In the middle of writing tonight's blog, while using Raina's computer, it just restarted randomly on its own.  I couldn't believe it.  It was pretty annoying.  I was worried I was going to have to start over.  Thankfully, everything came back just the way it was.  It just delayed me more then anything.  Computers are one of the most helpful and infuriating inventions out there.  In the same breath they are at your fingertips to answer any of your questions, and then "catch a cold" and won't do anything you want it to do.  You love them, but they don't return the love.  They just wait for the perfect moment to break on you.  So frustrating.  And yet, life goes on and so must I.  So, lots to do these next two weeks and little time to do everything, which now includes getting a new computer that I don't want to buy right now.  Oh well, the blog must go on.
      Go Kings!!  Had to get that one in after their great win tonight.

This Day In History: 1941
American baseball player Joe DiMaggio begins his memorable major league hitting streak, which would last 56 games.

Born This Day: 1856
Lyman Frank Baum - American author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."

                                                                     -Abraham Lincoln 

What a great song.  Absolutely true.

 

Day One Hundred Thirty Five

Dear Readers,
      I can't believe I am forcing myself to stay up to write this.  I knew I should have done this earlier.  It was a long day at work today.  A messy muddy water main break with a tree sitting right above the break.  It was a blast getting to rip out the tree with the backhoe, except for the part where I busted the hydraulic hose to one of the stabilizers.  That really hampered our job, which made things go a lot slower for a while.  Meaning I barely got a lunch and had to dig a good portion by hand.  It was thick quicksand mud.  Not a whole lot of fun to work in.  Regardless, it was a long day at work.  I then came home and didn't run today.  Instead I showered and fell right to sleep.  It was a nice hour long nap after work.  I really needed that, but I should have been doing my blog.  Then I wouldn't be forcing myself to stay awake right now to finish it.  I know what you are thinking.  What did I do the rest of the night?
      Well, I went to a concert.  Not some big showy concert.  Just a little show at the Galaxy in Santa Ana.  Which actually isn't the Galaxy anymore, it is called The Observatory.  We went to see a band called Flight To Mars which is a tribute band to an older band that started back in the 70's called UFO.  They were doing a concert to help raise money for Crohn's disease.  The guitarist in the band, Mike McCready from Pearl Jam, has Crohn's disease.  It was actually a really cool show in a small place.  The only problem, just another sign of me getting old, is that it was stinking loud.  I still have ringing in my ears from the concert.  I don't remember having these kinds of problems when I was in high school.  The louder the better.  At least it used to be.  Now, it hurts my ears.  Getting old sucks.  Oh well, it was a really cool show and I got to meet a fellow bearded brother there.  One of the roadie's for the band had the most awesome beards.  So, I went over and asked him about it.  He told me that he had been growing it for almost two years now and when it is wet it reaches his belly button.  I was so jealous.  Now I just have to convince Raina to let me grow it out for another year.  Somehow, I don't think that one is going to fly.  I can try though.  He told me that his wife told him only for one year, then the band saw how cool it was and convinced him to keep growing it out.  You can't disobey the band as a roadie.  That is your livelihood.  Gotta do what the band says.  Anyways, it was another busy day and late night and I am sure I am going to pay the price tomorrow.  I wonder if I will make it into work tomorrow.  Only five hours to find out.

This Day In History: 1913
American philanthropist John D. Rockefeller establishes the Rockefeller Foundation with a gift of $100,000,000 to promote the worldwide well-being of mankind.

Born This Day: 1944
George Lucas - American movie producer. (A personal hero of mine.)

"I thought Star Wars was too wacky for the general public."

-George Lucas

My picture with an awesomely epic beard.

Day One Hundred Thirty Four

Dear Readers,
      Happy Mothers Day everyone.  It is a day to celebrate everything motherly out their.  All those wonderful mothers who raised us and fed us and kept us safe.  Even when we thought we knew better then them.  All the cleaning and bandaging of cuts and scrapes.  The use of the miracle saliva that is only available from a mother.  Used on tissue to clean cuts and to clean faces.  The life of sacrifice is a mothers life.  Sacrificing time, money and lots of energy to raise a snot nosed little brat such as myself.  Yes, I was a brat.  I know you can't believe it.  My mom used to have a special paddle that she used to swat us when we were bad.  This was before all the worries about possibly getting Child Protective Services called on you because you actually spank your child.  It worked for so many years, why is it now becoming "inhumane" to spank your child?  I know for a fact, that the paddle was used far more on me then it was on either of my sisters.  I think you could add up all the spankings from both my sisters and it wouldn't add up to my own.  I had a close relationship with that paddle.  I had a bad habit of putting my hands behind my back to cover my butt, thinking that it would hurt less or maybe my mom wouldn't spank me if my hands were back there.  It didn't work.  She just spanked my hands with the paddle.  That hurt bad.  I would cry and she would say that if I hadn't of put my hands back there it wouldn't have hurt so much, because of course I still got my butt paddled after having my hands smacked.  It was like a double spanking.  The thought of all those spankings makes me wince a little bit.  Looking back, I was in trouble all the time.  Knowing now what I put my mom through for all those years makes me appreciate her so much more now.  She was always there for me, always at all my sporting events, always supporting whatever it was that I wanted to do.  Always teaching me responsibility.  It didn't always take, but what did take, I am thankful for.  I owe so much to who I am now to my mom and I lover her for it.  So I thanked my mom today by helping to cook dinner and getting her some flowers and a card.  Just barely scratching the surface of being able to repay her for all the things she did for me.  Love you mom.
      I have some sad news to go along with celebrating Mothers Day.  Last night my laptop froze up as I was trying to shut if off.  Then, it wouldn't boot up this morning.  So I took it over to the Geek Squad at Best Buy today and they told me that my motherboard had crashed.  Sad sad news.  The cost to repair something like that is the same price it could cost to buy a new laptop.  So, here I am doing my blog on Raina's computer.  I already miss my laptop.  I have to get used to using a regular keyboard again.  I don't know what I am going to do.  I wanted to buy a desktop as my next computer, thinking I would still have the laptop for mobile use.  Now I have nothing and have to decide what computer to get.  I am going to need something when we move.  Raina's computer is going to her mom's house, because there won't be room for it at my parents house.  So, do I buy a laptop to make it easier to use while at my parents house, or do I get a more reliable desktop but might not have enough room for it while at my parents.  Then we would have two desktops.  That seems a little redundant.  Ideally, I would have had the laptop last until we bought a house and I could have bought Raina a new desktop for the house.  It wasn't meant to be and I am out a computer for a little while, while I make a decision on what to do.  What to do, what to do?

This Day In History: 1864
A Confederate prisoner of the American Civil War, who died at a local hospital, is buried on the Arlington House grounds on the Potomac River opposite Washington, D.C.  His was the first burial in what is now Arlington Cemetery.

Born This Day: 1941
Ritchie Valens - Venezuelan born singer

"Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves."

                                                                     -Albert Einstein 

  It speaks the truth.

 

Day One Hundred Thirty Three

Dear Readers,
     Our move out date is creeping up on us faster then we are wanting it to.  I can't believe we only have two weeks left in our condo.  It seems a little sad to be leaving this place and our solitude.  Like I have said before, both Raina and I are going to miss the place.  I spent the day getting ready to get out of this place though.  This morning I moved out all of Raina's party planning material that she uses for decorating parties and such.  I took it over to Chris and Liz's house for the duration of our six months of saving.  Liz does all the party planning stuff with Raina, so it was only fitting to have all the stuff in one place.  You should check out there blog to see all the things that they have done...Raina and Liz Party Biz Ether way, it is less stuff that we have to cram into our storage unit, which makes me very thankful to them for allowing us to have some stuff there.  We talked about having a few things at my sister's house too, which would be kind of funny when we move everything into our house into the future.  Having to pick up stuff at four or five different places to fit it into one house.  By the time we are done moving out, who knows.  Maybe we will have stuff scattered amongst all our friends.  Haha. 
      After moving that stuff over to Chris and Liz's, I dragged Chris into helping me move out our older television that was in our downstairs living room.  It was one of those old tube TV styles that weighed a ton.  We had a heck of a time carrying it downstairs and putting into the back of my truck.  I think we almost dropped it about three times.  Chris bruised up his arm in the process.  Just a war wound.  Maybe it was just a little payback for the time I was helping Chris move his refrigerator and his hand slipped, dropping all the weight of the fridge on me.  That was a lot of fun.  Anyways, that TV was so stinking heavy and I am glad to be rid of it.  My sister, Yoli, was having a yard sale today.  So, I took it to her to sell.  Donating the proceeds to help fund my niece, Kailee, on her journey to becoming a cheerleader.  We drove up, lifted the TV out of the back of the truck and set it on the sidewalk.  Not two seconds later, someone was asking about the price and bought it two seconds after that.  I was worried that it might not sell and I would have to come back to pick it up to dispose of it or something.  I was so glad when the lady said she would buy it.  I was crossing my fingers, hoping she wouldn't ask us to deliver it, or help her cram it into some small two door Honda Civic or something.  Thankfully, she lived down the street and her son brought over a furniture dolly.  All we had to do was pick it up to slide the dolly underneath and watch the son roll it down the street.  Farewell you old heavy hunk of junk.  Good riddance. 
      I spent the rest of the day packing up our closet upstairs.  We have so much stuff in there.  I was packing up everything in boxes and bringing the boxes downstairs, so that when we actually move out, we won't have to carry everything down two flights of stairs on the same day.  Try to prepare as much stuff as possible to make moving day go as smoothly as possible.  Two weeks to go and we have a hectic schedule until then.  Trying to fit everything in.  Hopefully it will all work out.  I'm sure it will.  Not like we haven't moved before or anything.

This Day In History: 1932
The body of Charles Lindbergh Jr., kidnapped son of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, is found in a wooded area in Hopewell, New Jersey.  A handyman, Bruno Hauptmann, was later arrested for the crime, tried, and executed.

Born This Day: 1925
Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra - American Hall of Fame baseball player.

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." 

- Mark Twain

Stay true to my heritage.