Day Two Hundred Thirty Seven

Dear Readers,
      I am so upset with myself.  Not because I didn't get my blog done on time, but because I had it done and then fell asleep, ruining my blog for the day.  I was just about finished typing everything up last night, sitting on the couch with the laptop on my lap, just about ready to head to bed, when I fell asleep with my hands on the keyboard.  I woke up at about midnight to a screen with jumbled letters and almost all my blog missing.  I don't know what I pressed during that time I was asleep, but it was enough to effectively ruin my blog.  I tried using the "undo" button several times, but it didn't fix anything.  If anything, it made it worse.  It was infuriating to have done all that work and then realize that it was all down the drain after falling asleep.  I was so fed up that I just shut my computer off and went to bed.  I didn't want to make myself more upset by spending a bunch of time trying to fix it or retype it, only for me to end up falling asleep again.  The first thing Raina asked me when I told her was how it was possible that I could fall asleep with the laptop in my lap and hands on the keyboard.  I just told her that I was in a very comfortable position, sitting up on Tyler's couch.  I knocked out.  Not that it isn't very hard for me to fall asleep just about anywhere.  You can ask just about anyone that knows me and they will tell you that I have no problems falling asleep.  No matter how awkward of a position my body might be sitting.  As long as my head is on something cushy, then I can pass out just about anywhere.  Both a blessing and a curse.  The curse part you can see.  Wasting all my hard work typing up yesterdays blog.  Now I have to redo that one and then finish one for today as well.  On top of all the work I have had to do today and still have to do today.  Hopefully I won't get called out too frequently, leaving just enough time to finish blogging for the day.  I barely had time yesterday, having to be working all day and then getting called out all night.  I am sure that this is the busiest time I have ever had while being on call.  The paycheck is going to have to make up for my lack of sleep and my time away from my beautiful wife that I am missing very much.

This Day In History: 79AD
Mount Vesuvius erupted killing approximately 20,000 people. The cities of Pompeii, Stabiae and Herculaneum were buried in volcanic ash.

Born This Day: 1960
Cal Ripken, Jr. - Hall of Fame major league baseball player.

"Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn’t."

-Erica Jong

My fellow bearded brothers, don't let this happen you.

Day Two Hundred Thirty Six

Dear Readers,
     This is day two of "on call" watch.  This day of work just hasn't stopped.  We were busy all day today, and then I kept getting called out all night.  I don't remember the last time I got this many calls in one night.  Those don't even count the awesome one that I got at 2:30AM today.  Yup, they woke me up extra early, or extra late depending on how you look at it, to go out and shut off a fire hydrant that had been hit by a drunk driver.  Those dang drunk drivers.  Why don't they get drunk and drive about four hours earlier so they don't wake me up from my beauty sleep?  Or even six hours earlier.  Usually shutting off hydrants consists of working under a heavy downpour of cold water, while I try to find the valve cover in the street.  Only to then have to get chisels to pull it out and then use our valve key to shut off the valve.  Which can then be problematic at times.  Sometimes those valves aren't very good and you really have to put your back into it to get it off.  Thankfully, this one was not like those scenarios.  The valve cover was just outside the area that the water was falling on and I was able to shut it off without having to put on all my rain gear.  It is great to not have the back of your head and back get beat on by the heavy water falling down on top of you. 
      It is 10:00PM and I finally have some time to sit down and relax a little.  I am getting the notion that this will be one of my busiest times of being on call.  No worries though, because it will make for a great paycheck.  It will definitely help to build the house saving fund.  It has been so busy at my work that I now have enough work to catch up on that we will be working on our two days off to attempt to catch up.  It is going to be a busy weekend.  That's alright though, because the busier I am, quicker this week will go by.  Hopefully I will get to sleep through the night this time.  Crossing my fingers, hoping for a prayer.

This Day In History: 1959
In the Peanuts comic strip, Sally debuted as an infant.

Born This Day: 1978
Kobe Bryant - Future NBA Hall of Fame basketball player.

"The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity."

-Ellen Parr

Work and more work.

Look at all that wasted water.  Doesn't that drunk driver know we are in a drought?

Mangled.

Hoping it doesn't break the electrical wire.

Day Two Hundred Thirty Five

Dear Readers,
      So here I am, in fabulous Garden Grove.  Spending the week on call here at Tyler's home.  It is just like old times.  Before Raina and I got married, while originally living with my parents, I would stay with Tyler for my weeks of being on call.  My weeks usually consist of playing Xbox, reading, working and Tyler and I trying to figure out where to go get some dinner.  Except for the first two or three times I stayed over, when he was living with his then girlfriend, they would make dinner just about every night.  All kinds of fabulous dinners.  Then they broke up, and it was just Tyler and I.  It didn't help that we are two of the most indecisive people trying to figure out what to get to eat every night.  We eventually developed a method to our madness.  We would narrow down to two random options and then pull out "The Decider".  Which was nothing more then a half dollar coin that we would assign sides to, to decide which place to go eat at.  Looking back, it is quite comical to think about.  I think in all those weeks that I stayed with Tyler, we probably ate at about eight to ten different places the entire time.  Just rotating between the different options.  This time around will probably be a little more like the first few times staying with him.  Since he now has a new girlfriend, whom I might add is so much better than the original girlfriend, and dinners will be made again.  The barbeque grill is going and potatoes are in the oven.  This is going to work out much better.  At least I hope it will.
      The Dodgers are really starting to tick me off.  I can't believe they are putting themselves in a place to be swept by the hated giants in their own ballpark.  The hitters that we are supposed to count on, are not producing right now.  The pitchers are doing alright, but without scoring it isn't doing much good.  Watching the game tonight, the Dodgers put themselves in a hole right away, going down three to nothing in the first inning.  It probably doesn't help that Matt Cain is pitching for the giants, who has a perfect game to his name this year.  I really hate the giants.  There is nothing I love more then to see the Dodgers destroy the giants.  Although, it isn't happening enough this year.  Not like the amazing match ups that Clayton Kershaw did last year.  Always coming out ahead of the giants.  I am praying for a win to avoid the sweep.  Just score four runs and keep the giants from scoring anymore.  I am not asking for a lot.  Just a win against our hated rival.  Please.

This Day In History: 1902
In Hartford, CT, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt became the first president of the United States to ride in an automobile.

Born This Day: 1934
H. Norman Schwarzkopf - United States General

"Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for – in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it."

-Ellen Goodman

 Careful, it could happen to you.

Day Two Hundred Thirty Four

Dear Readers,
      Packing up for a big trip today.  I am packing up for a week long trip far away from home.  I am heading to wonderful Garden Grove.  I know what you are thinking.  Who in their right mind would spend a week away in Garden Grove, especially when I already live so close?  It isn't a vacation.  It is a week away for work.  I am on call for work about five weeks out of the year, and starting tomorrow is my next week on call.  When we lived in our condo, it was close enough that I could stay at home, heading out whenever I got called for work.  Now that we are living with my parents, it is too far away to be on call from home.  My limit is five miles, as the crow flies.  Which means that when we are ready to buy a house, it will have to be within that five mile range of the city.  Regardless, for this week, I will be at a co workers home for the next week.  Waiting patiently by the phone for all those emergencies I will need to go out on.  All those trees down, light poles hit, fire hydrants hit, water line breaks, car accidents that need clean up, and all kinds of other calls, including some I have never gotten before.  It never fails that every time I go on call, I get something I have never gotten before.  Just like the time I got called out to pick up a transients belongings to take to our yard for safe keeping.  You read that right, we held on to the belongings because she went to the hospital after overdosing on drugs.  You just never know what might happen during that week. 
      The one unfortunate thing about this week, is being away from my wife for the week.  This will be the first time being on call and being away from my wife since we were married.  So between work, getting called, blogging and homework, I will need to make sure I fit in some valuable phone time with my wife.  Maybe even find a little time to have breakfast or some other meal with my wife.  It will be a long week.  I can feel it.  I am packed up and ready to go.  I cleared enough space from the DVR so that it won't completely fill up while I am gone.  And now I have to get some valuable sleep before heading to work tomorrow.  While still beating the heat.  Go away heat.

This Day In History: 1911
In perhaps the most brazen art theft of all time, Vincenzo Peruggia walks into the Louvre in Paris, France, heads straight for the Mona Lisa, removes it from the wall, hides it beneath his clothes, and escapes.  Peruggia was arrested in November 1913, when he attempted to retrieve a hefty ransom.  The painting was unharmed.

Born This Day: 1936
Wilt Chamberlain - American Hall of Fame basketball player.

"Nobody roots for Goliath."

-Wilt Chamberlain

The bearded playwright, Sophocles.

Day Two Hundred Thirty Three

Dear Readers,
     It was a wondrous day off of work today.  Getting up early and hitting the gym to start the day off.  More cardio and weightlifting.  I am thinking that after just a few more workouts, I won't be as sore from the weight training as I have been.  My body will have become more accustomed to it.  I am sure the aches and pains will never completely go away.  I think they tend to linger more these days, now that I am in my thirties.  Okay, I am barely thirty, but everything takes longer to heal these days.  The aches and pains stick around for a lot longer than I remember. 
      The middle part of my day was filled with catching up with DVR shows, doing some laundry and getting in some Xbox time.  All the while, trying to beat the heat a little.  With our three fans in our room.  Making sure they are all positioned correctly so that cool air was coming in, hot air was going out and the air inside was circulating around and hitting me.  It is all a very precise science.  They should have a college class about that, then I could get an easy A.  By the way, I finally looked up my grade for the summer class I took, and I am proud to say that I earned myself my first college "A".  Actually working at my classes has actually paid off.  Amazing what a difference a mind set can make.
      I started up my fall semester tonight.  I had to jump through a little hoop to get into my class for this semester.  It was a hoop of my own making though.  I originally registered for the class, but didn't pay for it and then forgot until yesterday.  So, I was dropped from the class and had to show up tonight and hope that it didn't over fill and leave me without a spot.  Thankfully, it isn't a real popular class, but a necessary one for me.  A Blueprint Reading class.  The class wasn't full and I got in easily.  This one will be simple to get to in comparison to the summer class.  Only one day a week on Monday nights.  And, only three hours a night instead of four and a half.  This class will be a lot easier for me to enjoy, instead of having everything crammed into six weeks.  Looking forward to improving my GPA.

This Day In History: 1833
With just three months before the election, U.S. president James Tyler withdraws his renomination candidacy.  He became the first chief executive in U.S. history not to seek reelection.

Born This Day: 1948
Robert Plant - English rock singer (Led Zeppelin)

"Learning carries within itself certain dangers because out of necessity one has to learn from one's enemies."

-Leon Trotsky

That's right, kid!

Day Two Hundred Thirty Two

Dear Readers,
      Why won't the heat finally go away?  The heat was supposed to start dissipating, but it feels like it actually got a little hotter today compared to yesterday.  All I wanted to do was stay out of the heat and find a place with air conditioner, all day long.  Except for my run this morning.  Trying to beat the heat, we went out running early, around 7:45AM.  It was still warm out, but not as warm as it got later today.  I am not completely sure how far I made it today, because I ran a new route along the riverbed.  I am guessing it was about five miles.  About a mile shorter than I wanted to get to today, but my body has been really sore from hitting the weights at the gym lately.  Working my way into better shape.
       After church today, it was lunch in any place with an air conditioner, which was Frescas.  Then an attempt to have another day at the park.  It wasn't bad in the shade with the breeze.  Unfortunately, it was too hot to be doing any frisbee throwing out under the sun.  So it was relaxing under the shade until we headed over to Chris and Liz's house, to take advantage of their air conditioner.  Using them for their cool house.  After that run it was just a lazy day of sitting anywhere we could cool down a little bit.  Just too hot to be doing anything outdoors and too hot to be hanging out in our room without any air conditioner.  Not to mention that our window fan just went out yesterday.  It is a dual window fan that can be used to bring in the cool air, or send out the hot air.  One of the two fans busted and hasn't been giving us enough cool air at night to sleep comfortably.  Unfortunately, there is no place that is selling any kind of fan right now.  We have searched high and low.  Target, Wal Mart, Costco, Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowes, Kohls, Big Lots, Sams Club and multiple locations of each store.  I can't believe that nobody is carrying fans right now.  They could be making a killing with this heat wave we have been having.  Nope.  By the time they get some fans it, it will have cooled off and people won't need them like we have.  It will be just our luck to finally find one just as soon as the weather cools down.  I hate the heat.  Go away.
      We spent our evening having a farewell dinner for Raina's nephew, Jeremiah.  Who has been accepted to Point Loma University and leaves this friday for the Fall semester.  Wishing him well, praying for him and giving him what little advice we could.  My most important piece of advice, from my extensive experience of being away at college, was to not get kicked out.  Don't be dumb like I was and get yourself asked to leave.  I am sure he will do well at school, I just hope he completely takes advantage of this once in a lifetime experience to the fullest.  Carpe Diem.

This Day In History: 1692
Four men and one woman are convicted of witchcraft and hanged in Salem, Massachusetts.

Born This Day: 1871
Orville Wright - American aviator who, with his brother Wilbur, developed and flew the first powered airplane.

"The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers."

-Ralph Nader

My possible future?

Day Two Hundred Thirty One

Dear Readers,
      I was able to take out my new golf driver out for a complete test run today.  I played in a tournament with my father in law, Mark, and my two brother in laws, Brent and Brandon.  I nice four man scramble that we have played for about four years straight now.  Unfortunately it wasn't a great day of golf.  I think it is going to take a little bit to figure out this new driver.  It took nearly a year before I had a good handle on my previous driver, so we shall see how long it takes before I get a handle on this new one.  I think I sliced every one of my drives today.  It was pretty depressing.  It swings really nicely and I feel like I make good contact, I just couldn't get it to go straight.  Not that the rest of my game was any good today.  Mark likes to blame my beard anytime I do poorly while golfing.  He says that it weighs my head down and doesn't allow proper rotation, or something like that.  I think he is just jealous of my beard.
        Brandon also got to finally try out his new driver on the course.  He wasn't looking much better than me though.  Growing pains of having a new club.  Brandon's driver is all white.  The club head, the shaft and the grip are all completely white.  Brandon likes to call it his "long sword", but I think I may have come up with a better name for it.  I call it "White Snake".  To the point that every time he went up to tee off, I would make a hissing noise in honor of his club.  I think the name is fitting, because you never know when it is going to strike.  It could happen at any time and Brandon could have a huge drive.  We are still waiting for it to strike, so I guess Brandon and I should spend some time at the driving range to work on our swings.
      After a long hot day at a golf tournament, I came home and went straight to the gym.  I figured I better go right away, or I wasn't going to make it at all.  Another day of training to be ready for that Spartan Race.  Running, squats, calf raises and some ab workouts.  Have to get rid of that gut that is really getting in my way.  My stomach is completely sore from the workouts I have been doing.  Makes me feel a little bloated.  I can't wait to be rid of the gut hanging over the belt line.

This Day In History: 1982
The volume on the New York Stock Exchange topped the 100-million level for the first time at 132.69 million shares traded.

Born This Day: 1937
Robert Redford - American actor

"The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people."

-Woodrow Wilson

Righteous Bro!