I was just thinking...

about what the heck to do this year... as a family.

On the short list...

- Drive to a location we need to spend some time.
1) MN - visit the Parrish's
2) NY - visit the Xidias's; some work friends I have kept in contact with from Garden City.
3) AZ - remove word drive replace with - fly; but visit a whole slew of people. Fuller's; Daw's; Parrish's; Foster's; Morgan's; Sedona (timeshare)
4) NC - visit the Borrelli's

- Camping in the south. The kids are finally old enough to make this possible. 7,5,3 and if we go as late as August... 8,6,4 are perfect ages to start the introduction. Mike and I within two years will start the hunting phase. I plan on being the first hunting Wheeler in our whole clan. I think Nova has the patience for it.. but that will just not happen. (Sorry ladies!)
1) Georgia... I know nothing about it, but it is far enough north with mountains to get some serious away time from city and suburban areas.
2) TN - camping I am very familiar with.
3) NC - explore a new area and see the Borrelli's

Also, I killed my YMCA membership several months ago (boy do I miss racquetball... in a serious way!) and I am feeling it. I could even say those around me are seeing it. I need to consider alternatives... for a new year resolution.

-

How General Motors Violated Your Trust

My first car was a 1976 Ford Granada. That car was amazing, and just like the Billy Joel song... it is hard to forget a car with so much history. My best friend of my youth was a chevy man. He hated Fords... so I grew to understand the company had a troubled past.

The new Ford is not anything close to the old Ford. We are asking customers to simply drive one to see. The hybrid Fusion is going to redefine how Ford is viewed on yet another level.

As I said, I know I am a Ford man both in spirit and by pay check. As you will see in this article, there are a great many things wrong with my industry. We are not all blind to the truth. I beleive the plan I am apart of can make the difference. We have strong leadership. Even if I am a street sweeper in the weeks to come and no longer residing in my pretty house... I'll still be a Ford man simply because of their focus on me... the customer.

What Now...

This has been a very interesting trip. I thought I would have a great deal of time to work on some stuff that was building up.

Unfortunately, that has not been the case.

Worst parts:
- No family for what will be a total of 23 days. That just plain stinks. Yes, I get daily updates from my spoken one (Novatana) and that is wonderful... but that does not help when I can't reach out and hold them.

- No time. I am alone, but I have no time. During my time here... I'll rack up 72 hours of overtime. I brought things to keep me busy, but I hardly ever get to them. When I am off... rest and relaxation is the order of the day.

- No comfort. I miss my $5k silver dream. The moment I laid down in her arms... I knew I had to have it. Being away from my silver dream is near disaster. I never sleep well... and I am going to need to catch up time when I get home. I do not have any prostate issues... and I average 2-3 wake ups per night from this crappy bed.

- Horrible internet connectivity. Everywhere I go is wireless and it bites the big one. I can never stay logged on for long. I need to repeatedly sign on to get or send info. That gets old after a few days.... let alone 23.

- No racquetball courts. I mean no where close.

Best parts:
- I love the cold weather. Seriously, it is unseasonably cold for the area. There is usually no snow around this time of the year and already Ogdensburg has had 6-7 inches. I keep the windows and doors open more than most. I still wear my shorts!

- The people. Small town America is so nice. I have never seen so many local, county, state, or federal police in my entire life in one location. More than I ever saw in NYC living/working... the home of 25k cops in 5 boroughs that could easily fit into a corner section of St. Lawrence county. Ogdensburg law is keeping the town safe. St. Lawrence county badges are keeping someone in line... who the heck knows... but they are out there - all over. NYS troopers have two stations on my 5 min drive from hotel to dealership. Last but not least, Federal Border Patrol officers are here to stop drugs and illegal Canadians from coming into this great land of the free. I feel very safe with all this law around here. Apparently, the people of Ogdensburg feel just as safe.

- I was provided a warning... no ticket. Handsfree cells phone use in vehicles is the law in New York. I should have known better, but I forgot. I lived in NY when it was put into effect. I forgot about this law and was pulled over by State Police. My Florida drivers license saved me... so I got off with a warning.

- Italian food - Nothing I would recommend my food critic to visit, but it was good to taste some decent sauce. I was seeking my version of Smiley Pizza... I did not find its equal... a couple of close runner ups.

- Hunting - I have spoken to more hunters than I can recall. I checked out some 6 and 8 pointers... they drive around and show them off. I have secured several open invites... should I need to cash them in down the road.

Now I am counting the minutes to get home and hold my kids and hold close my love...

I have much to be thanful for. My family is doing well. My wife and kids are getting what is needed. My close friends are all doing well and some are having more kids. The holiday season is upon us... embrace it and give some Christmas cheer to those around you... that is my mission when I get home.

This is Grizzley from the top of NYS... saying good night and God bless.

NRO

Preventing National Suicide
Tips on conserving and protecting from across the pond.
By Melanie Phillips

(Thanks to my good friend PTC I have located the string he originally gave me way back in the day of this blog to link aritcles.)

Set apart from an American reality


This article was forwarded to me from a friend. I think it is set apart from our reality, but does hold some lessons to be forewarned against. Easy read.

Yes I Can!

Could I make it past illegal campaigners on my way to District 534 and vote....

Can I tell them who I am not voting for...

Can I tell one passionate campaigner semi-blocking my direct walking path to Northdale Lutheran Church move or else...

Did I find that I am not on the voting list for my district (or Florida for that matter), but could appeal on the spot and cast a mail away ballot...

Can I walk back through the same loon's actively drinking Kool aid without incident....

Did I want to... hell no! I would have loved an opportunity to maintain my path even if someone was in the way but I really did not see them!

I am watch the second season of The Closer. A colleague at work lent it to me. It is a great season. I like the characters. Ever since my xbox went down, I have had a bit more free time to do other things after the kiddies goto bed. As I was watching the episodes... I would flip back to CNN periodically and see the writing on the wall I read weeks before... B.O. was going to win.

Yes We Can... was pretty powerful. I took my first sip of the Kool-Aid. No wonder PTC is hooked... it is 12% alcohol!!! I will assemble in line with the country. I will maintain my optimism. I will not be the first I told you so freaks... but I will keep it in the back of my mind. I will try to get Mike and Nova to think I am not a flip flopper... both of them were Obama fans... but neither would stand up to PTC questioning. To my surprise, I had a great discussion with my father. Growing up in NY... I am a republican because of my father. As I learned through the years under his expert tutelage, I came to understand just how unmovable he is on that point. Clinton certainly gave me ample ammunition to test him and up until the whole cigar I really had him listening... after the incident... I lost all momentum.

Truth be told, Pop voted for Obama. Although I certainly am more in the middle than he is, with respect to conservative values, I was shocked to hear why he did what he did change his ways and vote B.O.... well lets just say I understand but I cannot discuss it.

I will wait and see how this all plays out. The first year will be the most significant for change. I can't wait to see all this promised "change" happen. I do not want to see some back peddling fool try to defend less than dramatic change.

I am not going to reveal his reasons... since he asked that I don't. However, I will be watching our new President in a new way...

That I can do.... YES I CAN!

Halo 3

I am back on my Halo kick. The same group is reforming and last night was the first night in many months we started playing this classic game.

New maps, game variations, and of course the same old banter. My brother arrives from HI tomorrow, so there is going to be a whole lot of time spent on the console.

Advisory: If you do not have the intercooler attachment, then you should fully expect to repair your 360 annually.

The next big downloadable contend comes next month and with it 600 or so achievement points. The maps look intense and the game play will be akin to a new release for sure.

October starting fresh again...

I hope to post more often... but here is the latest and greatest.

As you will see... this is our number one priority. Everything else really does not matter that much... Nova's future will be bright in whatever form that means!

Debra and I recently concluded that the whole "school outside of school" needs to stop. It is just too much for her. Our child's general happiness is more important. Building a strong sense of self worth and understanding the importance of family values is simply more important. The time is better spent letting her be happy with who she is, within limits, is the best course. Nova will work on school seven days a week, but for no more than 2 hours on any given day. We are eliminating school work beyond that level at home and will pick up 4 hours on weekends when she can devote more energy. The fight is not over, but if her grades fall off without the additional support at home (remember we were spending 3-4 hours daily...) so be it.

Debra and I are reading much more now in plain view. Nova asks me about it... I say. My response is this... "You must learn to read to know sweetie... there is a whole world of knowledge, but I can't tell you about it. You have to do it for yourself." Of course, I give her small captions from the stories and if we goes to sit down on her own... we are there to support. It is working - to some degree...!

The whole child psychology thing is not my strength... but it will become mine if it means Nova gets a fighting chance. Debra is still the pillar of strength... I will assume the role of teacher. Nova cannot play games with me... I tend to see right through my own mind. Nova gets time to do her homework. Nova has unlimited questions to ask me... I ask tons of questions of her... Nova must choose to embrace this. After the 3rd failed attempt to show any dedication to her work or focus on the task at hand... I write on the paper the amount of time spent and my acceptance of his effort. (Lately... she has been going back to school with HW grades that match her test grades.) My feeling on this... why cheat her of anything at home. If she fails with me... at home like she does in school... why force feed the right answers... she does not learn that way anyway... You cannot force knowledge on someone who is resisting it.

I need to put my humility aside and get comfortable with who my daughter is... not judge her or hope she is something she is not. I have ignored my focus on the negative. I embrace her success, albeit practically non-existent, and when she does get the right answer I try to underscore... just how great it he effort was.... and the results.

Again... Mike and Maddie are doing great. Nova is helping them with their work which is almost at the same level. Nova is really comfortable with pre-k work level. It is very hard to admit it, but that is the case. Try to show her below level material (forget on level material) and she simply cannot do it. There is something there... I will figure it out. I am seriously considering home schooling. If I had the time... I'd do it. I am investigating what that would mean... from a financial perspective. The scary thing is... if I could get the numbers to work.... I'd do it to be sure Nova has a bright future. Her education or lack thereof is my top priority. I cannot afford a Tudor. I cannot afford to do nothing. I will not accept that fact she can't or does not have the aptitude. The school has already tested her several times... we have paid for professional evaluations for Doctors. Nobody has a clear answer. The reports are all the same... bright, energetic, has trouble focusing on the task at hand... and no it is not ADD or any 3 letter condition. This is about a choice Nova is making in her mind.