Season 6 begins

I have never been shy about my passion for American Idol. This year I am
planning on Teresa and I having a little finale party. Last night did not disappoint me as I shed my first tear at the 6th minute of the show when the girl wanted to inspire people like Jewel. My top 5 from day one:

1. Somewhere over the rainbow girl.
2. Crack baby.
3. Colombian girl doing Blondie
4. pimple boy with the scraped up nose
5. Army Girl

Tonight is day 2. I can't wait for tonight. Can I get a TV into the ICU?

When I got home last night it took 30 seconds for Anthony to tell me MORE CANDY ten times and he just told me again. Why couldn't Mom have taught him more carrots?

Have a great day...

Mom leaves in the morning

Mom just went to bed...She has had her final goodbyes to the babies. In less than 24 hours I will be turning Mom loose into the big bad world. It has been good having Mom here. I thought it might be years before anyone other than Ken in my family would be in Soddy-Daisy. I am so relieved that Mom was able to see Anthony and Preston at their home. Mom taught Anthony several "tricks":

• So handsome and so strong


• several sign words (more, love and candy)


• played a lot of basketball and other games

In mom's visit had several highlights:

• Made two dinners (pot roast and pot roast)


• bought two five pound bags of sugar


• Knitted three hats


• made 3 batches of peanut butter fudge


• two batches of no bakes

Overall it was a good time. I am sure Mom is ready to have her own space back...Uncle Dan has a saying "Company is like fish, no matter how much you love it after a while it starts to stink" I love my Mom but I miss walking around the house naked.

Ken and Cathy

Congrats to Ken and Cathy they are having a baby. This is the most excited I have ever been for another child to come into our family (that wasn't named Anthony or Preston). They told us with a video of the Pregnancy test...good idea, however a little graphic.

Mom and I are headed to Huntsville, AL for a bowling tourney. Wish us luck.

Last night Teresa and I got to go to dinner with Lyn, Casey, Brandon and Kelly... We had a great time but Teresa must have thought she was in college...When we got home she got a little sick...a lot sick and I don't think it was the Japanese food. During the night she kept saying "I am having such a good time" it made me think of Timora.

7 more games

Here it is 8 teams and 7 more games...I am usually pretty reflective at this time of year...I am wrapped up in the end of the NFL...I, like many of my friends have a little let down at the end of the superbowl. This year the day after the superbowl...I check into the hospital for brain surgery. It is really ironic...probably more to me than anyone else.

Home from the ATL

Peace up, A-town down. It is a saying that you would only get if spent some time in the dirty, dirty...South that is. We had a fun car road home although I think we might have teased JD a little much...He was trying to imitate the Bulls announcer from the 90's and when he said Michael Jordan his voice would crack like a girl so we made a little fun.

In doing some Brain research it turns out that I found a MRI of Homer Simpson's Brain.

We made it home just in time for bowling. I was fair...I was actually fine until the third game 237 and 217 until Gary and I started quizzing each other on Seinfeld trivia. I threw some bad shots trying to think of questions and answers during my back swing. 198 for 652.

I came home to the quietest home ever...Anthony and Preston asleep, Mom doing a crossword puzzle and Teresa finishing her James Frye Novel. I played a game of Quidler with Mom (lost for the 4th time in a row), ate a bowl of Lucky Charms and lights out in the next few minutes.

Today I got a nice Prayer card signed by some friends of my Mother in Law. Very thoughtful from some people I have never met.

It is just a phase

About 10 years ago before I was completly loyal to the Barenaked Ladies...I was in this Jill Sobule and Poe phase. Well with my zune and an unlimited collection of music I am going through this wierd Regina Spektor phase...I am not trying to sell Regina I have just been enjoying her music.

I am still in Atlanta and just to vent for one second...There are 150 people at my meeting the meeting has to be in the 100K range for the two days with travel, meals and room space. Our company sent out an extensive wookbook of homework. It was an 18 page set of instructions to prepare you for the classes. When we get to the breakout rooms it turns out we are the only ones to complete the homework...am I nieve or is this the norm? The class moved at breakneck pace and would have been simple if the participants did the pre-work.

I worked out this morning. It was only a good workout because I got out of bed and went down and did it. Otherwise it kinda stunk. I really wasn't in the mood...I did 20 minutes on the treadmill.

Last night at dinner Jonathan was talking trash about his athletic prowless. We decided to have a race in the parking lot...50 yard race and I won by 20 yards...I was laughing thinking about the time Ken and I were racing in the parking lot of a mexican restaurant in Portland. Ken was in pretty good shape and was weighing in the 250 range. I barely had an edge and with Cathy at the finish line Ken took a headfirst diver skinning up his hands.

I am off to the meetings...6 days to American Idol...set your TIVO.

On the road...

I remember when I was 21 years old working for Red Robin and I used to get so excited to go on a road trip. I couldn't understand people complaining about having to put up with the traffic or being away from home. I used to think and sometimes I still do think it is so nice to get away and do something different.

In the morning I am heading to Atlanta to go to a training class. I am excited about the class and I like the Hotel I am staying at...but I am just not that excited about being away from the family right now.

Today I was in one of the funniest interviews I have had in a long time. At Sodexho we are required to ask the same questions of all of the candidates. So before we hire a management position I craft the questions that we are going to ask. Today, Jonathan and I were interviewing a candidate with a corrections background and they never broke character. The character of if you ask me another one of those Tony Klein questions I am going to stab you. About half way through the interview I asked the question "What does diversity mean to you in the workplace?" and with a stoic glare they said "There is another one of those big words" Huff "I have been up since three". I wanted to bust at the gut...I have never been happier about having a headache.

I have to go eat the rest of the brownies...Teresa fell asleep.