The Great Gig in the Sky

Table Saw Additon: Flip-Up Out-Feed Table

2011-12-21T22:31:00.000-08:00

I finished up my out-feed table the other day! (I added multiple pictures below to illustrate what I'm about to describe)

I wanted it to be as big as possible (when flipped up), as compact as possible (when flipped down), and as lightweight as possible to reduce the strain on the table saw stand and for ease of mobility. With that in mind, the braces/mounts attached to the table saw are standard 2x4's and a 2x6 at the pivot point, the table frame is cedar 2x3's and the top is 1/2" MDF. I am strictly using it as an out-feed (won't be hammering, etc. on it) and therefore went with the aforementioned structure. It is as wide as the factor table-top (40") and is 30" long.

The other key thing I wanted to include was adjustability. At the joints of the "hinge-leg" and at the contact point of the hinge-leg when it's in the up position, I added screws (matched up head-to-head) that could be adjusted to increase/decrease the spacing/gap to be able to adjust accordingly after it was completely assembled. I attached the top of the hinged-leg in such a way that it could be adjusted by increasing/decreasing the shim to raise or lower the back edge. I also purposefully built the table to be a consistent 1/8" lower than the table saw top so that I could shim it up for a perfectly flat surface in relation to the table saw top. I used piano hinges for the main hinge and the hinge-leg and I used 6 bolts to attach the 2x4's to the table saw (4 in the legs and 2 in the corners of the upper structure).

If you have any questions, please let me know! I looked at several similar tables when building this one. I am very happy with it but I do have a few things I would do differently if I built another one... First, I would probably mount it differently to the actual saw. I would probably use the bolts that attach the steel extension tables to the cast-iron top to attach the out-feed table by adding a thin piece of metal/wood between the top and the extensions. There are also holes on the outer edges of the steel extension tables that I didn't utilize but probably could have. Between these two mounting possibilities, I probably wouldn't have had to drill holes into the legs. Regardless, this wouldn't change the final product much and I'm not that upset not doing. Another thing I would change is to incorporate the "handle" into the hinged-leg better. It was more of an afterthought that I realized I needed after it was assembled. Lastly, I would consider doing something different for the hinge-leg. I would consider getting a collapsable shelf bracket (sold by Rockler) or another type of bracket to replace my constructed leg (I think latter braces would work perfectly...). Regardless, I am very happy with it! Let me know if you have any questions or advice. I am contemplating sealing/painting the entire structure and top... haven't decided yet.

Side View. You Can See the Handle to Help Operate the Hinge-Leg

Added Miter Slots

View From the Back

Fully Collapsed.

Partially Collapsed to Show How the Hinge-Leg Works

Piano Hinge and Adjustment Screws

This is Where the Hinge-Leg 'Attaches' to the Saw When in the Up Position

Spacers to Adjust the Rear of the Table Vertically

Main Hinge

You Can See Here How I Attached it to the Saw

Fully Collapsed. Gap is for the Rear of the Factory Fence

My Half of the Garage :)

Next up, a couple of table saw sleds!

Table Saw Upgrade

2011-12-10T08:30:00.000-08:00

Alright! I finally bit the bullet, saved up some cash, and pulled the trigger on buying a new table saw. Its nothing fancy by any means, but it's an enormous upgrade from my old table saw. The plan is for this one to last several years... I have a few upgrades/jigs in mind now that I've upgraded. Including a couple of nice blades (40, 80 and a 6" dado set), a pop-up out-feed table, a taper jig, a miter gauge, fence rails, a couple of custom inserts (dado and zero clearance), a tenoning jig, and a cross-cut sled --all of which will be home-made except for the blades. If you come across anything you think I'd be interested in or if you have any suggestions, please let me know. Below you can see pictures of the old Ryobi (BTS16) and the new Ridgid (R4512).

Tree Thingy

2011-12-09T18:00:00.000-08:00

Randy put a picture of this up on her Facebook/Twitter but I thought I would include it here for all others who didn't see it there. It contains several miscellaneous hooks so it is meant to be used as a coat/bag/etc. rack. We built it with some miscellaneous wood we had come across over the past month or so (we had been planning on making it for a little while). I still have a lot of leftover wood so if you need any for a similar project, hit me up.

And here's a random picture of Tom in the baby room.

Crunch Time

2011-12-07T18:00:00.000-08:00

Life is about to drastically change. Randy is still very pregnant and is officially due two weeks from today. There's no telling when she'll go into labor but I'm sure it'll be the one day in the next 3 weeks when there's two inches of ice on the road. So, pray for our sanity and pray for the health of both Randy and Owen. I think we're as prepared as we'll ever be...

Credit Card Behavior

2011-11-22T16:00:00.000-08:00

First, let me say that you can choose to do whatever the heck you want to do. This is my personal take on credit cards and I am not judging anyone.

My employer recently offered to help facilitate Financial Peace University for those interested. Because I was one of the few who had already gone through the class, I was part of a Q&A session held for all of the skeptical accountants to figure out why in the world they would need to go through a class about personal finances. Most of us make above-average wages and are nerdy enough to take care of this on our own. The main thing that kept coming up was something to the effect of "Why on earth would I want to get rid of my credit card when I get rewards and pay it off every month?".

I would love to sit her and tell you that there's a mathematical reason for not maintaining a credit card, but there really isn't. The bottom-line for me personally is that there are two reasons why I am against credit cards.

First, I don't want to ever be in a situation where I "need" to use a credit card and won't have the ability to pay it off. I would rather have a large enough emergency fund to cover any unexpected and necessary expenditures. Once you start the credit card debt train, its hard to get off.

Second, I don't want to be a part of a society where credit cards are "normal". I don't want my children to think that its normal to finance a hamburger. As soon as this practice becomes normal, you've started a habit that will be hard to break. Humans are proving to be easily influenced. I don't want to influence anyone (my friends, family and especially my children) to use a credit card who might not have the discipline to use it properly. Just because I have the discipline to pay it off, doesn't mean my best friend does. I don't want to play with fire and I especially don't want my children/friends/family playing with fire either.

So I sat there, doing my best to tell educated people why using a credit card was stupid. I know for a fact that most of them laughed and went about their normal lives. I'm sure some of them will never see the dark side of credit cards and for that I am thankful. But, for others, this gateway will be accessed one day and the airline miles to Jamaica won't be such a reward when you're paying 30% interest for a $2,000 car repair.

It's not a mathematics issue, it's a BEHAVIOR issue.

One-Stop Spot

2011-11-19T16:00:00.000-08:00

I have recently worked on this task myself and decided to share. Every household should have a one-stop spot (Drawer, Box, File, Safe) where you can keep a summary of your finances. Including, but not limited to, all types of insurance, will, mutual fund accounts, mortgage information, tax returns, etc. I wouldn't recommend adding every single document/statement because that is overkill for what you're trying to accomplish. This simply needs to be a reference in order to locate the applicable statements and documents. You will simply need to examine it every six months or so to ensure it is still up-to-date. This will be crucial should there be an unexpected death in the family. Your spouse should know where it is and one other family member or close friend should know where it is. You're family will thank you one day.

I could easily dive in to more specifics but I came across a good article that pretty much sums it all up. If you want more information, check it out here. Let me know if you have any specific questions.

Credit Score

2011-11-17T16:00:00.000-08:00

Don't get sucked into "Free Credit Report.com".

If you want to "check" your credit you can do it for free at AnnualCreditReport.com. However, you can only check it once a year for each of the three agencies (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian). If you stagger your visits every four months, you can monitor your credit report year-round for free. This will not show you a score, but you will be able to see all the information you need in order to review for negative "dings" or identity theft issues.

If you want to get an actual score, you can sign up at CreditSesame.com where you can get an Experion score year-round for free. I don't necessarily endorse the other aspects of Credit Sesame (even though I do think it is a safe and trust-worthy site), but if you want a way to get a free score, there ya go.

If you want to "freeze" your credit, you can do this for a minimal fee (I think $10) by visiting the TransUnion, Equifax, or Experian websites. By doing this you can avoid some of the credit risk/identity theft that possibilities. Companies don't always check your credit before opening a card/account, but if they do, it'll be frozen and the it won't be opened. I know a couple of people that will beg you to do this because of the pain they've gone through because of identity theft issues. Keep in mind that you'll have to pay the same minimal fee to "unfreeze" your report if you're being hired for a job, etc. and they are trying to run your credit.

If you have any other thoughts/advice in regards to the above, post it in the comments. Any information is welcome. I don't claim to be an expert by any means.

Owen's Changing Table

2011-11-14T07:45:00.001-08:00

Being the weirdo that I am, the first thing I thought of when Randy told me we were having a child was what I would build for his/her room. Of course, the first piece that came to mind was a crib that could be hand-crafted by his/her old-man and it could be passed down from generation to generation. Yeah, right... assuming it doesn't get eaten by mice in the attic where it'll sit for 20 years between generations. Even with this thought in-mind I was still open to the idea of building the type of crib that could be converted into a bed and used for many years. I looked at several models and I was all set to make this dream a reality until we found a crib that we absolutely loved (it can't be converted into a full-size bed, so there is potential for still making a bed one day if I get the itch). See the picture below of the crib we chose. The best part, it was significantly cheaper than most cribs we were looking at. With this option now a reality, I moved on to the other piece I would inevitably build, the changing table.

Owen's Crib (w/out Bedding) and Chair

Again, I didn't want to make something that would only be used for a few years and then tossed to the side or converted into a microwave stand. I wanted to craft a piece that could be used for many years as a dresser. I wanted to know that the blood I would shed building it would be worth it (yes, there was a hint of blood shed). After doing some research (Randy loves perusing Pottery Barn and I love Amish Furniture websites and the always-trusty Google Image searches) we decided on a plan and I sketched it up. After the boss approved the plans, I went to work.

It's made of solid 3/4" Pine, 3/4" Birch Plywood for the top/sides/shelves and 1/4" Birch Plywood for the door panel and back. I went with Pine/Birch ( as opposed to Oak, etc.) because it would be painted white. I painted it with enamel latex paint (diluted with just the right amount of water) using my trusty Harbor Freight HVLP spray gun and then sealed with clear satin polycrylic which really adds a nice finish. I was able to fully reap the benefits of spending a lot of time fine-tuning my painting techniques while building our entertainment center. The painting process was a snap and was the easiest part of this build. I then finished it off with self-closing euro hinges and full-extension drawer slides. Randy found some "button" door knobs to cap everything off. If you have any specific questions, please let me know.

Face Frame

Test-Fitting the Drawers

Drawers All Installed

Just Installed the Drawer Faces

Ready for Paint

After 1 Coat of Primer, 2 Coats of Paint and 3 Coats of Clear

Making Sure Everything Still Functions

Drawers Still Fit and Operate Perfectly

Full-Extension Drawer Slides and Adjustable Shelves

Set-Up in Owen's Room

Lots and Lots of Space

Done!

Main Tools Used: My cheap Table Saw (I reallllllly want/need to get a better one), 10" Sliding Miter Saw, Router Table, Pocket-Hole Jig, Cordless and Corded Drill (life saver), Palm Sander, Belt Sander, Various Hand Planes, Hand Chisels, etc.

Owen better enjoy it!

Life Happened

2011-11-12T15:20:00.000-08:00

A lot of happened since my last post (mostly, things I can even possibly begin to remember enough to write about). However, the main thing that's happened (and possibly, the main reason I haven't written in so long) is that we are expecting our first child in a little over a month. Owen Jeffrey Yeats is due December 21. Pray that everything continues to go well as we quickly approach the due date.

I have a couple of posts in the works regarding a book or two, another woodworking project and some other miscellaneous info. Stay tuned.

Tom!

The Inevitable Begins With a Set

2011-04-06T20:47:00.000-07:00

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Next up on the project wheel is a build that will lead to multiple future builds. Randy and I, like most young and frugal couples, have a hodge-podge of bedroom furniture. The nightstands are mismatched hand-me-downs, our headboard is from Randy's childhood, one chest-of-drawers is mine from birth, and the other was left by the previous tenants at our Ave. D rent house in Abilene. Needless to say, my part-time job for the last few years has been convincing Randy that we don't need to buy expensive, matching, bedroom furniture. I was delaying the inevitable. Luckily, we can build them piece by piece. First-up, matching nightstands.

Randy was in charge of looking at other pieces of furniture to help determine the style. Luckily, the designs she picked were simple, classic, and elegant designs that would look good and make my life a little easier in the building process. We quickly decided on a custom style based on a couple of selections and also decided we wanted the finish product to be stained. We made sure the style would transfer well on a large scale as we will eventually make a complete matching bedroom suite. I won't bore you with many more details but I will say that we used solid 3/4" Oak for the casing with Oak plywood tops (1/2") , sides (1/4"), and backs (1/4"). The drawers are made of 1/2 " Birch plywood and faced with 3/4" Oak. I used full extension drawer slides on the drawers which makes for very smooth operation. The stain is oil-based Minwax "Red Chestnut" with oil-based Minwax "Clear Satin" polyurethane. If you want any additional details on supplies, build techniques, specifications, etc., let me know via the comments. No trade secrets here.

My next woodworking post will be all about the work benches I've built and I might throw in some information about my tools and what-not. Let me know if you have any requests.

Past Projects

2011-02-11T15:05:00.000-08:00

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As I mentioned in my previous post, I have built several things in the past. I helped a friend build an entertainment center in college (using only a circular saw and a drill... pretty ridiculous), built a dog house for Tom, built a screen door for our patio, and a catapult in 5th grade (just to name a few).

To illustrate some of the aforementioned projects, I have attached some miscellaneous photos. Again, if you have questions or want any additional information, use the comments.


The test fit before I painted and added the dog door

NEXT: Tom's Cabin

Treated Wood Foundation

Tom wanted to help with the designing

He was very opinionated

It was designed so it could be disassembled and moved easily

Test Fit

Again, trying to help

She was more excited than Tom was (This was right before she hit her back trying to get out)

He didn't want to sit still...but I think he likes it.

Lastly: The college entertainment center

This was made on the cheap and with MINIMAL tools. Not a good indicator of future performance, but still handmade nonetheless.

Woodworking Projects (Entertainment Center Catch-Up)

2011-02-07T19:26:00.000-08:00

I've been bad at the one thing I would like to do with this outlet. Share updates on projects.

If you didn't know, the Rangers made it to the World Series. We got to go to several home playoff games (quite a few actually...) which included a World Series game! Anywho, I meant to talk about our experience but have simply forgotten. So, to sum it up, it was AMAZING. Yes, they didn't win... but simply making it to the World Series and the way they made it (beating the stupid Yankees in triumphant fashion) was more than anyone could ask for. To see pictures, go to Randy's facebook. And yes, I'm still a huge Cardinals fan. But, I'm a huge baseball fan and being a few miles away from the Rangers makes it way too easy to go to games and follow the team. My favorite past time is listening to the game on the radio while working in the garage on my projects...

I've been promising Randy that I'd build her an entertainment center just the way she wanted it. I've been into woodworking for years. My grandpa is a big woodworker and I used to build things at his house all the time. He's my personal go-to source for woodworking questions.

In the evenings of the summer I would listen to the games and work on the entertainment center. I won't go into much detail, but I'll put up several pictures so you can get an idea of how it is made. If you have any questions or want any details, use the comments. (Note: The pictures were taken with my phone... I don't claim to be a photographer)

4-Wheeling - 1/9/11 - Bridgeport, TX

2011-01-16T13:10:00.000-08:00

Cody and I took his Jeep out last weekend for a little 4-wheeling in Bridgeport, TX at the Northwest OHV Park. The weather was pretty brutal but the Jeep performed magnificently. We'll definitely have to go back again when the weather is better to really be able to explore all of the trails. Below is a link to the video he made using his GoPro HD Camera and a hand-held HD Camera.

VIDEO!

Other Chili Bowl Info

2011-01-16T12:53:00.000-08:00

The 2011 Chili Bowl was awesome!! Kevin Swindell ended up wining for the second year in a row (passed his old man with a couple of laps to go). I am definitely going to try and go back next year. Let me know if you're at all interested (sells out every year months in advance, FYI).

Below are links to other videos (not my own) that really shows you what Chili Bowl action looks like.

Awesome View of the 2011 Pits

Chad Boat In-Car Camera from 2010 Chili Bowl

RJ Johnson In-Car Camera from 2010 Chili Bowl (crazy flip 23 seconds in)

5-Time Chili Bowl Champion Sammy Swindell In-Car Camera from 2010 Chili Bowl (ridiculous moment 15 seconds in)

2011 Chili Bowl Snippet

2011-01-14T07:18:00.000-08:00

I am at the 2011 Chili Bowl in Tulsa, OK this week. Below is a short clip I took from last nights racing. Also below is a link to the official Chili Bowl website where you can learn history/line-ups/etc. The gist is that there are over 250 cars in one class all fighting for one trophy. Drivers travel from 39 states as well as Australia and New Zealand. Oh, and the entire thing (pits [yes, with all 250+ semi's], grandstands [apx 15,000 people], and the quarter-mile dirt track) is under one single roof.

Very Short Video Clip of the Action on the Track

http://www.chilibowl.com/

Rain Scars

2011-01-03T19:25:00.000-08:00

My thoughts about rain have changed over the years. When I was a kid I didn't mind it. I didn't care if it messed up my hair and I didn't have to drive in it. I used to enjoy watching the news during storms to see how intense the storm was and where it was headed. When I was in high school I worried about how it affected my hair and how it would affect my evening/weekend plans. By the time I was in college things had really changed. I no longer worried about my hair because I wore a hat all the time. Every time I had to take a long-distance trip it would rain the entire way. I very vividly remember hauling furniture from Tulsa to Abilene in the back of a pick-up truck and having to stop every 15 minutes to re-adjust the tarp while it poured on me. Talk about a disaster of a drive.

I also never enjoyed the rain in college because I walked and rode my bicycle a lot. The rain always made those experiences less enjoyable. And now... I'm a homeowner. If you've never experienced a leak or a flood (big or small) consider yourself blessed. Lets just say I've had a few restless nights while the rain poured on MY house (not my parents' house, not the school's dorm, not my landlord's house). The sequence of events goes something like this: a leak in the form of a bubble on the wall - an insurance claim - a new roof - personally repaired interior damage - an insurance rate increase - a few months of leak-less bliss - another leak (smaller but in the same spot) - more roof/fireplace repair. So here I sit... listening to the rain with water stains on my ceiling. In theory, the leak has been repaired but I'm dragging my feet about fixing the water damage.

Needless to say, the rain has scarred me for life. I don't stay up at night because I know I can't control everything, but I do worry about it occasionally. I know there are positives that directly affect my homeownership (I love green grass as much as the next guy) but I still can't help but wonder if this problem will creep up every few years.

Don't even get me started on gutters.

The Original Leak - This was right above our TV

Mid-Repair

Close Encounter of the NASCAR Kind

2010-11-12T05:22:00.000-08:00

Warning, the following story relates to my experience at a NASCAR event. Let he who is without a little WT-ness cast the first stone.

Note: If you actually make it to the end of this post there are videos to document the experience.

A friend of mine works at a job that hands out race tickets to clients. She had extra tickets to Friday (Truck Race) and Saturday (Nationwide Race) and she knows how big of a racing fan I am (note: she also gave me tickets to the IndyCar race in June - as mentioned in this post). Needless to say, she's the best! So, a friend and I went to the Truck Race on Friday and had a great time. Unfortunately, my least-favorite driver won. But we still had a great time. My friend had never been before and was very intrigued by the entire event. He was in shock at how big the track was. I took another friend with me on Saturday and we also had a great time. We even got to see Carl do his famous victory-back-flip. Unfortunately, our racing scanner was not working or 3/4 of the race due to a "system outage". That takes away a lot of the fun because its harder to follow when you can't listen to a radio broadcast. I worked the system and got a couple of vouchers for free scanners next time. So, all is well.

Next up, Sunday. The big one. I actually had to buy tickets to this race for Randy and I. FYI, if you ever go to one of these events you want to be as high up as possible so you can see the entire track. If you're on the first row you can only see the front stretch and you are constantly being hit with small debris from the track (not to mention how much louder it is when you're 5 feet away).

You may remember about my post back in April, but if not, I'll catch you up. Long story short, I won a two VIP passes to attend the "public" Sprint Cup drivers meeting before the April TMS race. Well, it rained that weekend and because of some weird planning on their part, they had to cancel the "public" meeting and gave everyone rain-checks on the passes. A couple of weeks ago I received our new passes for the November TMS race. Luckily, the radar looked promising and our chances for a beautiful weekend were high.

We showed up to the track about an hour before the meeting and jumped thorough the two-hundred hoops it took to reach the infield (via a pedestrian tunnel under the track). We show up 30 minutes before the meeting was scheduled to take place. They had just opened the doors and we were able to sit on the second row. When all the fans showed up, there was probably 60 people total. Of course, as soon as we sit down we realize how big of a mistake it was to forget Randy's nice camera at home. Also, we should have thought ahead and borrowed someones video camera. Instead, we were limited to the power (and the battery life) of our iPhones (I had video, Randy didn't). Lets just say the camera was rolling and the little iPhone was put to the ultimate test.

Soon after we settle in, the drivers start trickling in. Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle, Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin. Did I mention that EVERY driver and crew chief was REQUIRED to attend? Meanwhile, here we are between 3 and 30 feet away from all of them. If you're not a NASCAR fan you can't comprehend how surreal it was. Mixed in with the drivers were team owners (Richard Childress, Roger Penske, Chip Ganassi, etc.), NASCAR officials (Mike Helton, Robin Pemberton, etc.), and individuals involved with the pre-race ceremonies and what-not (Dick Vitale, Lance Armstrong, Big Black, C.J. Wilson, Tommy Hunter, etc.). The best part about the meeting was hearing Kyle Busch ask a question about the rules of a restart because he was upset with the way the Nationwide race finished the night before (he thought Carl Edwards jumped the start). Kyle, "Excuse my ignorance, but can you explain the difference between the single starting line and the double starting line?" I wasn't the only one snickering.

After the meeting we stood outside and watched as the aforementioned attenders left the meeting. However, not all those in attendance left because after the meeting they had a "Motor Racing Church" service. Randy and I stuck around and got to experience a little praise and worship and a sermon along with the drivers who stuck around. It was pretty awesome.

When everyone had finally disappeared to the garages to prepare for the race, Randy and I started wandering around the infield just trying to take everything in before we made it back to the grandstands with the common-folk. We saw the entrance to pit-road and thought, "Why not try?" We meandered over to scope it out. Sure enough, our VIP passes gave us access to the pits!

We proceeded to walk up and down pit-road (both behind-the-wall with the crews and over-the-wall with the cars). It was here where I got some of the amazing up-close-and-personal video as we stood next to the 24 (5 feet from Jeff Gordon) during the national anthem and fly-over. We were even on TV behind Jeff's car during driver introductions! Through the course of our wandering, we came across Big Black (of MTV's Rob and Big) and Tommy Hunter!

We kept expecting them to kick us out but they NEVER did!! We could have watched the entire race from pit-road. We stayed for about 20 laps and got to be up-close for a pit-stop (again, all of this is documented on the videos). Finally we went up to our seats because we really wanted to sit down and eat some food (oh yeah, and my iPhone battery was at 4%).

We eventually made our way up to the stands via a pedestrian tunnel under the race track. I scoped out a section from the infield that didn't look very full and we made our way up there (not our seats which were much lower). They were great seats. I won't bore you with the on-track festivities. All you need to know is that my driver, Jeff Gordon, was wrecked under caution (very bizarre) by another driver, Jeff Burton. Gordon walked the 50-yards down the track to Burton's car and gave him a piece of his mind (watch the video here...its worth it). As excited as I was to see him take-up for himself, I was devestated because he was done for the day. The race finished at dusk with Denny Hamlin crossing the line first. The overall race was one of the best of the season and it was awesome to be there.

Now, I leave you with the aforementioned video footage. I recommend watching both...but that's just me :)

Video 1: Friday Night, Saturday, and the Drivers Meeting on Sunday

Video 2: Pit-Road and The End of the Race

Order of Operations

2010-11-11T12:47:00.000-08:00

Because I have been a bad blogger (not surprising), I have to reset and take care of some business. First, I am going to post about the most recent thing that I want to blog about (the TMS experience this past weekend). THEN, I will attempt to go back and catch you up on a couple of other items I've been meaning to blog about (particularly the World Series and a couple of other things). By then, I'll probably have pictures and stories about our new niece that was born Monday! (Emily's Second)

This is normally the time someone would apologize for not blogging on a consistent basis, but you should know better than that (Hint: Read the 'What It's All About' section).

If you're lucky, the aforementioned posting will commence as soon as TONIGHT.

Catch Me If You Can

2010-08-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

Alright, first some house cleaning items:
- Kaptain Robbie Knievel made his death-defying jump. It was actually pretty amazing to see in person.
- We survived Mexico and had an absolute blast! We went on a Jeep excursion, parasailing, deep-sea fishing, and a lot of relaxation. You can check out Randy's Facebook page for pictures. It was an amazing vacation and I loved every minute of it.

So, for a Birthday/CPA present, my dad gave me a NASCAR Racing Experience. What does that mean? Well, I got to spend 8 minutes (I think it ended up being 10 laps or so with pit-road and what-not) on the track at Texas Motor Speedway in an actual NASCAR stock car by myself. I wasn't a passenger, there wasn't a co-driver, there wasn't a remote-control, and there wasn't a pace car. It was just me and a spotter giving me directions. The car did have a governor that was supposedly set to 150mph, but my fastest lap turned out to be around 153mph. You can check out a short video of the experience, HERE. Overall, the experience was amazing and it makes me want to race even that much more. You think I'm competitive in card games, get me behind the wheel.

For the fourth of July, Randy and I went up to St. Louis. We stayed with a couple of friends, Jason and Caroline Green. We went to a couple of Cardinals games, toured the Budweiser brewery, went to the Fair under the Arch, toured Busch stadium, went to Six Flags, and ate at a couple of cool restaurants. Because it was the 4th of July, we caught a couple of firework shows, including one at the Arch that followed a John Legend concert. It was pretty awesome and we had a blast. It was a great trip.

The only other thing I wanted to mention was that the Texas Rangers are having an amazing season. Living in Arlington, about 10 minutes from the stadium, its hard not to be a fan. I'm still a Cardinals fan, but the buzz around this Rangers team is infectious. Its hard not to keep up with them when every game is on TV and thats all the sports-talk guys talk about. We've gone to several games and will probably go to a few more. In fact, I'm going to the Ranger/Yankee game tonight to watch Cliff Lee pitch. Talk about exciting...

I've finished a few books and am in the middle of one right now. I'll probably post about them in the next few weeks or so. I will leave you with this:

Viva la Mexico

2010-06-05T08:29:00.000-07:00

I took a break from packing for our upcoming trip to share what we're going to be doing the next week. Randy and I are going with the Martin family to Cozumel for 8 days and 7 nights of pure relaxation and all-inclusive freedom at Iberostar. Tom will be spending the week with Randy's dad, John. Trust me, John is looking forward to it as much as Tom is. They love spending time together

So come back in a few weeks and maybe I'll have some pictures or videos to share (Randy is really excited about our new under-water camera, so I'm sure we'll have plenty).

P.S. I was given two suite tickets to the Firestone 550 IndyCar race tonight at TMS. Before the race, Captain Robbie Knievel is going to jump over police cars that span over 200 feet. I'm pretty excited about it. I'll report back if he lives through it.

Biz-y

2010-05-06T17:50:00.000-07:00

A lot has happened since my last post. Things have been extremely hectic and quite the whirl-wind. Since my last post I've..
-- Spent a day kayaking down the Brazos River
-- Taken a trip around Texas Motor Speedway in a NASCAR car (4 laps at 160mph in full racing gear)
-- Attend the Spring NASCAR race at TMS (Friday, Sunday and Monday - all 3 series)
-- Side Note: I also won two VIP passes to the Sprint Cup drivers meeting but it got canceled because of the rain. Fortunately, I will be receiving rain-check passes for the Fall race in November.
-- Spent a weekend in OKC with Randy and my family. Randy participated with my Sister, Brother-in-law, his friend, and his cousin in a Marathon relay.
-- Worked a lot
-- Mowed the yard a few times

All-in-all, I'm pretty worn out. Randy and I have a big summer planned. I'm sure I'll be filling you in along the way. I don't really have anything interesting to talk about. I just felt like I really needed to take a second and fill everyone in on what's been going on in the life of Jace and Randy.

Enjoy this video. If you can make it all the way through you are more of a man than I.

Wildcatter Ranch

2010-04-03T15:22:00.000-07:00

I was working a few hours northwest of Fort Worth this past week in the town of Graham, TX. It is a quaint little town and is a highlight for me simply because I love the client. A coworker and myself spent all week with the CFO of this company and had a great time. This is my second year with this client and it's by-far my favorite. We ate at The Dinner Bell, the Graham Country Club, Papas Wheelhouse on P.K. Lake, and the Wildcatter Ranch. Fortunately, we also stayed in the hotel at the Wildcatter Ranch all week. You should really check out their site. The restaurant across the road from the hotel is amazing. I ate like a king (and probably gained a few more pounds)!

I would highly recommend visiting if you're looking for a weekend getaway and would like to do a little horseback riding, etc. It's also just a few minutes away from Possum Kingdom Lake which is beautiful.

We went to an easter egg hunt today with our church and had a great time. The weather was gorgeous (I LOVE Texas this time of year.... unfortunately, it won't last very long). Afterward, we went with some friends to the dog park. Tom LOVES the dog park. I posted the following picture on my Twitter/Facebook last week from the last time we went out there. Unfortunately, he found a muddy spot.

Nevertheless, we still enjoy taking him out there. He will play fetch until his feet bleed (literally.... it's sad). I hope you noticed the extremely filthy tennis ball on the ground in front of him.

We've Officially Gone Mobile

2010-03-20T20:41:00.000-07:00

After some light Googleing, this site now has mobile capabilities. I haven't checked it out on anything besides an iPhone... so let me know if you experience any problems with it.

I was especially excited to be able to add a custom icon picture. Just add this site to your phone's home screen and enjoy. The text quality is pretty bland, but I don't really care. I might convince a professional to help me out with that some other time.

My Google search bar does it again!

On the Road and Free Checking

2010-03-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

I'm currently reading:

I needed a change from the monotony of the numbers. I bought this a few years ago with every intention of reading it. Well... that time has come.

Also, I wanted to say that I stumbled on to this site and wanted to spread the word. Warning: I am currently in the enrollment process and am not far enough along to have a definitive opinion. With that said, I did find a local bank not too far from our house with an amazing interest rate. I was looking for an account (Money Market, etc.) that I could write checks out of and have the money readily available (liquid, not a CD or Mutual Fund). This site, allegedly, has provided the perfect solution. The rates aren't guaranteed but even if I earn .1% it'll be better than what I'm getting at Bank of America. You only have to meet a few "qualifications" which are no big deal for me and are right in-line with what I would do anyway. I'll update in a month or so and give an update on how satisfied I am.

Quick Hits - tTMM - the "Pinnacle Point"

2010-03-17T20:06:00.000-07:00

If you haven't read Dave Ramsey's "The Total Money Makeover", you should. Randy and I have been through his "Financial Peace University" class and follow it very closely (we don't carry around envelopes, but we do almost everything else). Anyway, I don't want to overload you with facts and information (see previous post). But, I did want to post an excerpt from his book. Dave depicts the feeling you experience when you scratch and claw your way to the end of his financial quest (Baby Step 7).

Growing up in the suburbs in Tennessee, I grew accustomed to riding a bike and facing hills. To a seven-year-old with one gear, a huge hill looked like Mount Everest. I don't know which kid in history did it first, but the technique for a small-guy bike hill climbing has been passed down for generations-the switchback. Instead of pedaling straight up, we would painfully go side to side, taking a small bite at a time of our Tennessee mountain. The unpopular players' baseball cards made a slow click, click, click through the spokes as we made our ascent. The heat seemed ovenlike, and the beads of sweat turned to rivers. This is the time a seven-year-old pushes with every muscle in his being. The strain and determination show on your face like last year's Halloween mask. You pull on the handlebars with all the power your arm muscles will produce to push your legs down on the pedals one more time. Push, push, breathe, breathe until you finally reach the top.

What do you find at the top? The cynical among us just said "Another hill to climb." Those of us with a kid still alive inside know what was at the top. Those of us who still have a kid inside who can dream, who can believe, and who can hope know what we found at the top. Those of us that have pushed up some unbelievable hills know what I found that Tennessee summer day at the top of a hill. I found that perfect moment. The perfect moment when you push the pedal the last time before going down a huge hill on the other side. The perfect moment when you hang in the balance, after all the sweat, the work, and the agony, and a smile breaks across your face. That moment just before we take the glorious ride down is the "Pinnacle Point".

And the ride down is glorious. The wind blows through your hair, and your feet are not on the pedals anymore but on the handlebars. The click, click, click of the baseball cards becomes a chattering with a sound like thousands of crickets. You are now enjoying the ride; the coasting is the fruit of your labors. Memories of strain, sweat and repeated near failure fade as the sun shines and the wind tickles your ears, whispering, "You are the king! You did it! You climbed the hill! You didn't quit! You paid the price to win!" The smile in your soul says "Accomplishment."

Being someone who knows what it feels like to be forced to make switchbacks in order to gain any sort of ground on a huge hill with baseball cards in the spokes, I know the feeling that comes with the accomplishment. I have experienced the feeling of going faster than fast. I try to keep that feeling in mind while I make switchback after switchback up my financial hill.

P.S. I saved this picture to my computer desktop with the label "hilarious dog picture - wizard of oz monkey". Enjoy.

Quick Hits - The Millionaire Next Door

2010-03-09T19:32:00.000-08:00

Alright, so I've been reading "The Millionaire Next Door" by Dr. Stanley and Dr. Danko and I thought I'd share a few of the highlights. I'll try to keep it quick.

The premise behind the book is to take a look at the lives and every-day practices of wealthy individuals. The title is misleading. They focus more on being "wealthy" and "financially stable/secure" than being a "millionaire". The truth is, many people are millionaires but they are no where near wealthy. The inflow is greater than the outflow (for now), but its not because they're frugal with their finances, its because they've been blessed with a good source of income. Wealthy is defined by standards such as living on less than you make, investing in your retirement at a young age, driving paid-for vehicles, living in a modest home, and being able to live for a year or more if you lose your job (without touching your retirement).

OK. Some quick hits:

- "It is unfortunate that some people judge others by their choice in foods, beverages, suits, watches, motor vehicles, and such. To them, superior people have excellent tastes in consumer goods. But it is easier to purchase products that denote superiority than to be actually superior in economic achievement. Allocating time and money in the pursuit of looking superior often has a predictable outcome: inferior economic achievement."

- "Webster's defines frugal as 'behavior characterized by or reflecting economy in the use of resources.' The opposite of frugal is wasteful. Being frugal is the cornerstone of wealth-building"

- "Financially independent people are happier than those in their same income/age cohort who are not financially secure. Financially independent people seem to be better able to visualize the future benefits of defining their goals."

- "Perhaps you aren't as wealthy as you should be because you traded much of your current and future income just for the privilege of living in a home in a high-status neighborhood. What you probably don't know is that your neighbor in the house next to yours bought his house only after he became wealthy. You bought yours in anticipation of being wealthy. That day may never come. Each year you are forced to maximize realized income just to make ends meet. You can't afford to invest any money. Essentially you're at a stalemate. Your high domesic overhead requires full commitment of all your income. You will never become financially independent... So what's it going to be?"

- "What is expected of children who are exposed to a household environment predicated upon very high consumption, few-if any-economic constraints, little planning or budgeting, no discipline, and pandering to every product-related desire? Like their [underachieving] parents, as adults, these childrens are often addicted to undisciplined, high-consumption lifestyle. Further, these children typically will never earn the incomes necesssary to support the lifestyle to which they have grown accustomed."

- "My family in Nebraska understood the value of a dollar. Dad used to say seeds are a lot like dollars. You can eat the seeds or sow them. But when you would see what seeds turned into ... ten-foot-high corn ... you don't want to waste them. Consume them or plant them. I always get a kick out of watching things grow."

- "If you cannot increase your compensation significantly, become wealthy some other way. Do it defensively. Most high-income, low-net worth individuals assume that by focusing their energy on generating high incomes, they will automatically become affluent. They play excellent offense in this regard. Most look the part of millionaires. Yet they are not wealthy. They play lousy defense."

- "Gift receivers (children receiving money from their parents to purchase a nice house) frequently are underachievers in generating wealth. All to often the income of the gift receiver does not increase at the same rates as his consumption. Expensive homes are typically located in high-consumption neighborhoods. Living in such neighborhoods requires more than just being able to pay the mortgage. To fit in, one needs to "look the part". Thus, the gift of a down payment can place a recipient on a treadmill of consumption and continued dependence on the gift giver (parent)."

- "Parents are eager to learn how to enhance the economic productivity of their children. We remind them that teaching their children to be frugal is critical. Often those who are trained to be otherwise as children become adult hyperspenders, needing cash subsidies during their young and middle adult years."

Alright, if you've made it through all of that then you probably don't really care what I have to say. However, if you want me to comment further or talk more about this type of information in the future, let me know. I just really felt I needed to share this. It is not a direct message to anyone.

Upcoming

2010-03-07T20:23:00.000-08:00

In the next couple of days I should be able to finish the book I've been reading this last week. I feel there are some points to share, so I will hit a few of the high notes. Stay tuned peeps.

Professional Skepticism

2010-03-06T15:02:00.000-08:00

Professional Skepticism - An attitude that includes a questioning mind and critical assessment of evidence.

This post idea came to me after contemplating the implications of a story a buddy told me the other day. The extremely abbreviated version of the story includes him being kind enough to give a gentleman a ride to a church. While on this ride, the man buttered him up with lies and sucked my friend in. Before he knew it, he lost almost ten grand and couldn't do anything about it. He wasn't held at gun-point and wasn't threatened in any way. All this to say, even the smartest, bravest, strongest man can be had in the right situation.

In my profession, we are constantly reminded to exercise professional skepticism. When I first started in public accounting, I was naive and inexperienced (a bad combination). It didn't take me long to see first-hand the ways a client would (unintentionally) provide insufficient information. After realizing what was happening, I knew I had to change my practices. I began taking my time and not leaving the room until I completely understood the situation. Even to the point of embarrassing myself up front by exposing my lack of knowledge. However, this practice would breed appropriate information and all parties involved would benefit.

I am not a glass half-empty guy. I don't think big brother is spying on my house. I do think the government is mishandling my tax dollars, but not to the point where I'm not going to pay. I don't ignore total strangers, but I don't give people rides. I do give money/food to the homeless because its between me and my God what I give them, and between them and theirs what they choose to do with it. However, a little professional skepticism up front can cover a multitude of problems later on. I don't want to have a friend miss a mortgage payment because they were too naive to realize what was happening. When in doubt, take your time and think it through. This practice will breed appropriate outcomes and all parties involved will benefit.

Just to keep things real, I've added the following picture for your enjoyment.

New Style

2010-02-22T15:10:00.000-08:00

I had to change my template because my other one got messed up (a.k.a, I have no idea what happened but I don't want to mess with fixing it, so I'll just use one of the boring standard templates). However, my text does seem to be scrunched in to a narrow column, so if someone with a little more HTML experience would like to provide any guidance for making this thing look a little more proportional, I'm all ears.

For now, I'll leave you with that.

Influenza - Army of Juan

2009-10-06T17:34:00.001-07:00

Wow, so I haven't posted in a while. I would apologize but it seems to be the norm and therefore, you should expect it.

To address my previous post, the Rangers are wayyyy done and the Cardinals are in! So, needless to say, the Cardinals Beacon of Victory will be getting some major use in the next several weeks.

Randy and I have both been a little under the weather. She started feeling bad around Thursday evening of last week and I started feeling bad around Saturday afternoon (I already made her feel bad for getting me sick....don't worry, its taken care of). She was smart and went to the doctor the next morning after being sick whereas I waited until today (3 days later) to go to the doctor. She only missed the one day of work and I am at two and counting. Good news is, I am feeling better and hopefully will be back at work tomorrow. I can't afford to take anymore PTO (gotta save those suckers up and use them when I'm healthy and can enjoy them).

The biggest thing that happened since my last post was a lot of rain and a little leak. We have gotten more rain in the last month that I've ever experienced. Its been awesome (thick green grass) but it also exposed a water leak around our fire-place. So, I got on the roof in the pouring rain and patched it up as best I could. The leak proceeded to stop and we called the insurance adjuster to come and check it out. They totaled the roof because of hail damage and included the interior damage because it was caused by the faulty roof. Praise the Lord!

Randy is really enjoying her new Job. She is CRAZY busy all the time with after-school activities, practices, and concerts. She even convinced me to attend a few events. The first was a car wash that I was at long enough to be able to leave with a clean truck, and a lock-in. I haven't been to a lock-in since I was in high-school and it was exactly what I expected (way too late). However, the place had some pretty awesome go-karts. If you know me, you know that this is the ONLY think I did for the 5 hours I was there. I left with black stains on my face from the exhaust and extremely sore thighs from workin the pedals. I took those middle-schoolers to school!!! I know, I'm sad...what can I say, I was MADE for racing.

For your enjoyment, I have included this photo of me and a buddy from a few years back. We were modeling our club intramural team's new soccer jersey that we designed.

Beacon of Victory

2009-08-04T18:50:00.000-07:00

I received a St. Louis Cardinals LED light from my Dad for my birthday. I'm officially calling it "The Cardinals Beacon of Victory". As of now (knock-on-some-serious-wood), its hasn't let me down.

Speaking of not letting me down, the Rangers are "still in it" and its August!?! Normally everyone could care less about the Rangers and have moved on to the Cowboys training camp, but as of now baseball is the word around here. We're going to the Red Sox game in a few weeks and we will be dining in the "all-you-can-eat" section. Lets just say, Jace is excited. I'll make them regret the day they sold me the ticket and they will make me regret the day I thought I could make them regret it (if you know what I mean...)

Lastly, we are headed down to San Antonio this weekend for Randy's cousin's wedding. But, before that, we're going to make a quick stop at Cowboys training camp. I'm really excited about it. I'll try to post some pictures...and if you're lucky, I'll get a picture of the Beacon of Victory up.

Randy and I have recently joined a LifeGroup and are really enjoying it. We stumbled onto a great group and are being blessed by it. This Thursday, we're going on a bike ride. Should be loads of fun. Until next time....

Oh, the picture is for kicks and giggles...thats all.

Red Snappered

2009-07-20T19:58:00.000-07:00

I call this, "The Abominable Snow-Man Guards the Fire"

I didn't have any pictures of the HUGE fish we caught this weekend, so I posted this old picture of Tom instead. I left straight from a client's office in Dallas and drove to Brownwood, TX where I met met up with the boys who were travelin from Abilene. We drove another 6 hours to Bay City, TX which is right outside of Matagorda Bay. We got up every morning before the sun, drove 30 minutes to the dock, and drove the boat another 20 minutes down the Colorado (the river, not the state) until we arrived at the gulf of Mexico.

From there, it was atleast an hour and a half to the fishing spot. The gold mine was actually a couple of sunken ships that were acting as a reef for the fishies to call home. We were able to catch our fish in 30 minutes (on average) and then would proceed to drive to other spots (sometimes another hour and a half) and attempt to catch some bigger fish (dolphins, etc.). Don't worry, we only caught King fish....no dolphins were harmed...

We got "weathered" out on Sunday morning. The waves were too intense for it to be worth it. One of the guys get sea-sick pretty easy and had a rough day one the first outing. I think he threw up in excess of 20 times. It made for a long day.

But, like I said, I have no pictures. I do have enough Red Snapper in our freezer to last us the rest of the year, however. It was hard to go back to work today, but this Friday is my 9/80 day (for the summer, we work 80 hours in 9 days and get every other Friday off). That will make the week go by a little faster.

Until next time,

"He won't give it to you, unless he knows he can use it through you."

Deep Sea

2009-07-15T17:24:00.000-07:00

Well,

I said I would have pictures to put up of the finished screen door...but I don't. I'm a liar. This last weekend was the might Roaring River trip. Everything went great. There was lots of hanging out, lots of sun, and lots (and I mean lots) of sweat. The trip went great until the ride home. The green machine (I guess that's what I'm calling my truck) didn't like the drive home. The oxygen sensor went out aaaagain... and my air/fuel mixture was messed up for most of the ride home. What did that mean? That meant a 2-hour delay in Tulsa while I made two trips to AutoZone and about 30 mins underneath my truck. That ALSO meant that my engine was pumping too much gas into the engine and I got TERRIBLE gas mileage on the way home. So....Jace wasn't happy.

Anywho, I took Monday off work (THANK GOODNESS) and got back to work on Tuesday. On Tuesday night, I got a call from a buddy in Abilene who gave me an offer I couldn't refuese. As of about 30 minutes ago, I'm officially going deep sea fishing this weekend. We'll leave right after work tomorrow and drive until the wee-hours of the morning and fish all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I'm pretty excited about it. I'll be sure to tell you all about it.

On my way home from work I thought of something funny I was going to say in my post, but I forgot it.

I'll leave you with this...

Raaaaaiiiiiiin

2009-05-06T07:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Thanks for being a faithful follower(s) (but really just singular). Nothing much is really new...but I'll fill you in on what we've been up to the last month or so.

Randy has started singing in the choir at the church we're going to. She really enjoys it and seems to be meeting some good people. The three services in one day thing can be pretty tiresome, but she still enjoys it. ALSO, she got two jobs in the span of one week! She got a part-time job at Old Navy (or, the Nav as I will affectionately call it) for something to do this summer, AND a full-time job for the upcoming school year! This is really exciting because she has been stressing about getting a good job, or a job at all in these "trying economic times". Now, we relax and sleep well knowing there are no more interviews or job applications to fill out.

As for me, I continue to study for the CPA exam in my spare time. But, when I need a break (which is often) I have been working on our back porch/patio. Its fairly large and enclosed with large screen windows, but most of the screens have been torn out through the years. Its been on my to-do list for quite a while, and now its about that time. After a trip (or two) to Lowe's, I bought screening to re-screen all the windows, and wood to build a screen door. I couldn't just buy a screen door because the door opening was an odd size. Nevertheless, I am building one (see in-progress picture below) and, have no fear, it will have a doggie-door so Tom can let himself out to do his biz. We also got a new grill and have been putting it to good use. I'll update you on the screen door when its complete. The porch is going to be awesome when its done.

Tax Time

2009-03-07T09:19:00.000-08:00

My computer froze the first time....stupid Vista on a home-made machine....so this is my second attempt.

Randy and I have both been very busy this last month. Randy has been substituting EVERY day and I've been extremely busy with work. On top of that, Randy's mom had hip surgery and I have been studying/taking the exam. So, we've had no time. Sorry I haven't blogged.

Nothing exciting has happened recently because of the aforementioned busyness... The only productive thing I've done is organized paperwork that's been stacking up on my desk and taking care of our taxes. Randy and I have been saving some dough up and our tax return will go right into the pile.

Matt and Jess are coming to Dallas with Matt's family. We're pretty excited to see them and hang out with them tonight.

Last thing, NASCAR has started and I am super pumped. Jeff Gordon is starting the year off strong and it looks like he might get a couple wins this year. Don't worry, I'll keep you updated. I might just have to start a NASCAR section at the bottom of each post that you can promptly skip if you are so inclined...

Daytona

2009-02-13T10:54:00.000-08:00

Well, things have been picking up a little bit lately. This time of year is especially busy and I've definitely felt the effects. With studying and work, I don't have much time to do anything else. I'm not complaining, but I do have to make myself more productive with my free-time.

Not much has happened in the last month or so. We we took a trip to Edmond to see some friends (and b/c I wanted to watch the UFC fight on PPV). It was a good time and turned out to be a nice break.

Tom spent 8 hours at PetSmart last weekend getting a haircut. Its really short...thats the sacrifice you have to make when you're too poor to afford to get it done monthly. PetSmart was having a pretty hectic day (it was adoption day) and it took them twice as long as it was supposed to. I didn't really mind because it was a quiet afternoon around the house.

Randy's mom is in the hospital recovering from hip-replacement surgery. So, keep her in your prayers. Randy's been up there every day the past few days after she gets done at school and I'm going up there with her this evening.

NASCAR season officially starts this week with the Daytona 500. Praise the Lord. Jeff Gordon won the first qualifying race yesterday (whoop). I was fortunate enough to be able to "watch" it on my laptop b/c it was on at 1:15 pm. I'll let you know how he does in the 500 this weekend...I'm sure you're dying to know.

New Kitchen Sink

2009-01-25T13:30:00.000-08:00

Mike and Lynessa decided to make a mid-week trip down to the ol' TX. They like doing the "hey, we're going to come in town the day after tomorrow...that ok?" This is not a complaint...just a statement of fact. We love for them to visit and usually give them a hard time for not visiting enoguh so we are always happy to have them around.

Randy received a new sink for Christmas from my dad. It sounds kinda weird, but it was actually an awesome gift becasue we really wanted one but were too cheap to buy one right now. So, we bought a new faucet and I installed it a few weeks ago. I couldn't finish it because I had to order a set of mounting clips custom on the internet. They came in this last week and my dad was very elated to be able to help me finish caulking and locking it down. He loves helping me out with projects around the house.

Do you know anyone who got a ticket in the mail because of a red-light camera? Well, now you do. I was trying to follow someone from work the other day and they ran a yellow-light. I guess I thought it was a good idea to run the red-light in order to keep up with them. Anywho, I am now $75 poor...thanks technology.

I need to start putting up pictures...maybe I'll work on that for next time.

Randy and Tom are doing well..they're bothing taking Sunday naps right now. I've got to get back to studying....

Cobwebs in the Attic

2009-01-18T15:55:00.000-08:00

I think I spent more time in the attic yesterday than I did anywhere else. For some reason, I decided to take care of business and cleaned/organized the garage and put Christmas decorations and Garage Sale items in the trusty attic. I also spent some time rewiring the outdoor lights for the driveway and installing a new light fixture over the garage. Overall, a productive afternoon.

'Lost' comes back on this Wednesday. Until then, I need to be re-familiarizing myself with the many mind-blowing plots when I'm not studying. I watched the 3-Part "Enhanced Season Finale" from last season this past week to get myself geared up.

Eye-Trim

2009-01-13T18:22:00.000-08:00

Made it back from Houston. The rest of the week went much like I had predicted. Everyone did loosen up a little towards the end and it wasn't too painful. This weekend was our company's "winter party" (not to be confused with a "Christmas party"). It was downtown at a place called four-day weekend. They are an improvisational comedy house (like Who's Line is it Anyway?). They did some pretty hilarious skits and overall, it was a good time. A group of us went out afterward and had a pretty good time. It was the first time Randy got to sit down and talk to some of my co-workers.

Randy and I have started attending a church regularly. Let me clarify, we've been attending regularly, but not the same one. We came from an amazing church in Abilene and its been extremely difficult for us to attend somewhere where we feel like we will be able to fit-in and be able to contribute on a deep level. We're pretty satisfied with what this church has to offer so far. I'll try to keep you updated on the church situation in the future.

Tom's hair is about as long as it has ever been. With that being said, we're poor enough that we're going to stretch it out as long as possible. SO, the other night I cracked out the scissors and trimmed the hair around his eyes. It was getting so bad, we couldn't tell if he was awake or asleep and he was having trouble "following" the ball while playing fetch. So, we had to do what we had to do. I think it turned out just fine. We should be good to go for a few more weeks.

Last thing... Randy and I actually started watching '24' this season.

The Woodlands

2009-01-06T18:49:00.000-08:00

There are 5 of us from Ft. Worth. Everyone else (apx. 40 others) are from LA, Charleston, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Detroit. No one else is from anywhere close to Houston (or...the "Woodlands") and they think they died and ended up in "Chainsaw Massacre-ville" (as I heard one person say). I think its rather humorous because its just like the rest of Texas...

So far its been two jam-packed days of information that I've already learned. From what I can tell, it will be a couple more days of the same.

I am the only legal driver of the only rental car so I've turned in to the chauffeur... so that kinda sucks. I've decided I'm going to start charging and make a profit on this trip. I'll let you know how that goes.

Stuffy Stuff

2009-01-04T16:12:00.000-08:00

Its been about 5 days and I've about had it with this sickness I've got going on. Its one of those that's not bad enough to make you want to go to the doctor, but is just bad enough to make you miserable. You know the kind... Lets just say I've had a few 4-hour nights and if I'm able to "breathe out of both nostrils" when I got to bed I'm happy. Anywho... Its still hanging around and I'm still dealing with it.

Tom hasn't had a haircut in a few months and he's gotten to the stage where I'm amazed he's not running into things. At times, he looks at me and I swear I can't even see that he has his eyes open. So, its time for the "eye-cut" to hold him over until we bite-the-bullet and pay for the full-blown cut. Randy will be taking care of that this week while I am in Houston.

I'll be in Houston all week doing training with a couple of coworkers. It shouldn't be too bad. I think Randy is dreading it because she doesn't know what she's going to do with herself. Luckily, I work for a firm that doesn't have me traveling for weeks at a time to places halfway across the country. I'm a home-body and love that I can drive to work every day.

I'll try to let you know how things go in Houston. Stay classy San Francisco.

First

2008-12-29T11:46:00.001-08:00

Not much going on at work today... Upon the request of a friend, I took a few minutes to create a blog. I don't really know what I'm going to talk about throughout the course of my blogging career, so the first few weeks might be pretty rocky. I will try and not to be too erratic with my posts and keep my "inner thoughts" to myself. If you don't judge my terrible blogging, I will continue to post.

So, the past week has been pretty eventful to say the least. The one thing I've learned is that I am going to take more time off work next year. I officially spent time with everyone I "needed" to spend time with in my family, but did not get to spend time with several people that I wanted to spend time with. SO, needless to say, things will be different next year.

I really only asked for two things for Christmas. Money and Guitar Hero: World Tour. I received a couple of bucks and (thanks to mom/dad) guitar hero. So, now I officially got the drum set that I have been wanting since I was 5. I never would have bought it for myself because I'm a tight-wad, but I am fully addicted and distracted. I will now be studying for the CPA exam and rocking the faces off of virtual groupies around the wii-world in my free time.

I need to mention one more thing before I "publish" and go back to trying to look like I'm actually doing something productive. Saturday was Christmas in Norman with some of Randy's family. Everything was as to be expected (not in a bad way) in OK, but in TX there was a rumbling-tumbling-beast on the loose. Tom spent about 16 hours out of his element (outside) while we were out of town. Tom has not spent more than 8 hours outside his entire life. Don't get me wrong, the little man survived and caused no damage to himself, the yard, or the fence. However, I think he was psychologically scarred for life. He refused to eat his food that night (UNBELIEVABLE) and was carrying his 4-foot long bone through the house like it was a battle-ax. The next day, he refused to go outside until we "convinced" him we weren't leaving him. I think it was a character-building event to say the least.