30NOV07 / 23:50 / WORK

don't you love it when you get up before everyone else in the house, fall back asleep, and then when they get up later, they call you a sleepy head. little do they know that you were up an hour before them, and were kind enough not to wake them up at 0500. no, you just watched the news quietly, then slowly nodded out at 0630. you could have made the breakfast you were craving for , but chose not to. then when they wake up, they make all sorts of noises, because the feel you shouldn't be sleeping anymore so why should they move around quietly.
this is what happens when i don't get my cup of tea until 11:30, i carry the grumpiness with me all day. at least i was told that today. i sternly questioned an office employee tonight as to why they we rent doing things according to the agreed procedures. i guess the got a bit emotional and called their boss to complain that i hurt their feelings. little do they realize that their boss always comes to me for updates on the progress of those in the warehouse and office. since i have always told him things pint blank, he knows the deal from the get go. so this agent will get a visit from their boss tomorrow, not for consoling, but to find out why they weren't doing their job as they shd be.
lessen of the day: be careful if your going to be a tattle-tale.

29NOV07 / 23:45 / WORK

arghhhh, back at work. just cdnt get into things today. have been feeling tired for quite some time. not like i am coming down with something, just tired. having a hard time shaking it.
had a good start of the day. got a lot done while my daughter was in school. many things i shd have taken care of since monday, but i have been procrastinating lately, do not like that at all.
i hope to get some time set aside so i can wrap up the research paper. i have really been thinking up some good subject matter, just have to finalize and put all to official paper status.
i really need to kick start myself. i definitely to not like this lack of drive that i have been feeling these past few weeks. seems the only place i can get started is in sundays class.
sorry, wish i had something better for y'all today. fell as if i have let the blog down tonight.

28NOV07 / 23:20 / LAPTOP

some ironic television tonight. after my daughter fell asleep, i began watching the last hour of the republican debate on cnn. they were being asked youtube questions, mostly by young idealistic college age kids. the reason i state it as such, is because none of there questions got to the nitty gritty. sure they asked some heavy questions about iraq, abortion, gay/lesbian issues, but none really reached out for the middle class, the questions you and i want answers to.
questions like when are you going to s&*t or get off the pot regarding iraq. yeah not all of us agree about the invasions validity, but know we are in it and it has to dealt with and fast. you either go in guns a blazing and level the place and put the fear of god into the region, or you just say, that is it, enough of this tit for tat, and leave. those are the two choices.
no one asked, why is it that there are less local merchants staying in business, and less consumer goods manufactured in the USA for our purchasing. why is it that all goods we wear or use are made in in china, pakistan, or bangladesh, and that the only retailers showing a profit are the wal-marts??? where did our choices go ????
who cares if one is a mormon, one has been married three times, one is pro-life, one is pro-choice, and one is a character actor. i think cnn cheated the public by only presenting these sensationalized general questions by the "youth" of america. next time use the questioned submitted by those who have to support those kids.
now the irony.
when the first commercial break came on , i surfed and found the movie "kingdom of heaven" which is about the crusaders and saracens fight over jerusalem. the crusaders had there internal treachery and disputes, the saracens, a united force under saladin.
guess the time they aint "a changing". sorry bob.

27NOV07 / 23:50 / LAPTOP

yesterday i had the rare occasion of being off from work. it felt so strange and was weird being out of my "friday" routine. it worked out well as i didnt need to dive my daughter to my in-laws in that down poor. got caught up in the day so i didn't blog. sorry about that.
in the evening i just need to phase out after my daughter finally fell asleep. i watched two cool shows. first was on the fox soccer channel, called Premier LG Fan Zone. this is a program where two fans , one for each of the opposing teams, do the commentary. the two English "blokes" they had on were a pisser. it was felt as if i was listening to the dialogue of "lock, stock, and two smoking barrels" while watching a soccer game. Brilliant !!!
the second was a repeat of "get ready to boogie-when T Rex ruled the world" a documentary on the guitarist Marc Bolan and his band T Rex. it was actually about the making of a movie of one of his concerts filmed/produced by Ringo Starr. it is amazing to see so much footage of this incredible musician and artist. you come away realizing how much he influenced rock music as we know it today. a must for anyone who cares about real music and talent. check it out, you WILL thank me !!!
today was the tuesday daddy shuffle. got a good 5 mile walk in before i had to p/u my youngest from school. i hope to be able to do the same tomorrow. but i think i may have some plumbing to fix in the house so the walk may not happen, but i will try.
i was able to have dinner with my to girls, and we had a blast in the car telling jokes. four year olds have the best belly laugh, so sincere and cute at the same time. tonight was easy to get my youngest to sleep, only two stories and off she went to lala land. no i got my second wind, and will be the night owl again, up till at least 0200. will need real caffeine in the morning, will hit the italian bakery for real espresso, and at a real price too, $1.50. and thats after my "cuppa" tea !!!

25NOV / 23:50 / WORK

so far so good today. got to sleep in until 09:30. first time in a long time that i got six hours of sleep. it sure does make a difference.
work went well so not much to say about it. just wish i could get out on time for a change. at least it is getting better, so it doesnt feel as chaotic anymore.
while drive from the new office to here, i was listening to Little Steven's Underground Garage radio show. he plays really cool music and always has some cool stories. tonight he discussed how the song "Hang On Sloopy" became the state rock song for Ohio. wont go into detail but it was pretty cool. hopefully i get out in time to catch the rest of the show.

24NOV07 / 23:50 / WORK

the wife and kids headed out east this afternoon, so i am solo for tonight and tomorrow morning. it is amazing how this opportunity arises and i got nothing to do but work. i think i will misbehave and venture to Bayside for some White Castles and get a really violent pay per view that i can watch with the volume all the way up! I could also put one one of my many concert dvds and run it through the sound system at "Peteymetal" volume, which is even louder than "11" !!
but, we all know what will really happen. i will go straight home. get comfortable on the couch in front of the tv and pass out. i will sleep till about 09:00. then i will knock out my math work, and continue on the research paper. and if the weather is bearable, head out for a long and fast walk.
man, times have changed!! wouldn't trade it for the world!!!

23NOV07 / 23:55 / WORK

today was another good day. got to sleep in until 0900. my wife got out early to do battle with the rest of the shopping world, and didn't get back in until 13:30. so me and the girls had a pancake breakfast, lounged a bit, and then cleaned up the house. i tortured them and made them listen to my music for a couple of hours. hey, a little headbanging music never hurt anyone!
we all and a nice lunch together, my fathers recipe for fried potatoes "brat kartoffeln" and some franks from the butcher. my wife and i finally got a chance to have a beer together. it was a pleasant feeling have all my immediate family together under one roof and at the same table sharing a meal together. it doesn't happen too often.
work went well. got some things straightened out with our handling agents management. i think they are getting the message.
these are the times when reflection on a day's events is important. it put everything in perspective, and helps you get through it all. it makes you realize it ain't sooo bad after all.
too bad it will all be over Dec 2012.

22NOV07 / 23:10 / WORK

Hu - F*&#in - ray, finally a night where things have a semblance of normalcy!!! it has been way too long since i have been able to blog before midnight, not to mention on time.
the day started well. got about 4 hours of sound sleep. had my 4 yr old wake me up with some singing of Missing Persons "Words". got myself together in time to p/u my 14yr old as she is with me this weekend. all this w/o any caffeine !!!
we made it to glendale on time for our early turkey dinner, held early so i could enjoy it before going to work. i got to see my sister in law and my adorable niece, missed them both very much, so it was great to see them again.
work went very well. i think they got tired of my ranting liked a crazed banshee from hell, as things were done early and correctly. i made sure to acknowledge this will all involved, and told them this is the example the should follow.
now, i just have to wait for the birds to be airborne, do my post departure paperwork, and i may even be out of here on time myself.
hope you all enjoyed yourselves and your families today.

19-21NOV07 / 01:05 22NOV / WORK

i haven't been blogging since Sunday, 18NOV, because i have allowed work to get the better of me.
on Mon the 19th, i was up from 07:00 until 05:00 20NOV. i then had to get up at 07:30 20NOV, so after 2 hours of sleep, i had to ready for the usual busy tuesday. i took my youngest to school at 08:30 and tried to follow my wife's direction and get a little sleep before i had to p/u my daughter @ 11:00. this proved impossible as i kept waking up every 10 - 15 minutes in fear of oversleeping and no being there to p/u my daughter.
after lunch, i tried to catch a few minutes of sleep. got about 45 minutes before it was time to go to glenwood landing to p/u my oldest daughter for german school. we got back to our house and ran a few errands before heading out to the pizzeria. those were some of the best slices i had in a while, and the red wine went down too easy. my wife meet us at 18:00 and the oldest an i head off to garden city for german school. got stuck at all railroad crossings so we were 5 minutes late.
i stayed at the school and parked in a nice and quiet area to sleep for a bit. all in all i got about 1 hour of solid sleep. at 20:15 class was over and the ride began back to glenwwod landing. on the way back i stopped at starbucks for some coffee, go figure.
when i got home everyone was already in bed, so i grabbed a book and head for the couch. passed out and next thing i knew it was 06:30 on WED 21 NOV. i had alot to due before i went in to work, on my day off. once i got all those things out of the way, it was time to p/u the little one from school and get lunch ready. a few hours in between to catch up on some more paperwork and bills and off it was to tap class @ 15:45. my wife got home at about 17:00 and off i went to get here where i will be until at least 03:00 22NOV, turkey day. i get to come back at 16:00 for more fun, after turkey dinner @ 13:00, for which i will have to get up at 08:00 to p/u my oldest and get ready for the day.
hope you have a great thanksgiving and enjoy your naps on the couch !!!!

18NOV07 / 00:45 +1 / WORK

when i got home from class today my daughter was waiting for me by hiding in a big cardboard box. she is always trying to surprise me or sneak up on me, as i do to her. this time she really got me as i passed the box. we all had a good laugh and lots of hugs. sure was a good way to start the transition from a stimulating morning to going to work tonight.
another late night at the old warehouse, but tonight was alot better and smoother. so i really cant complain, and i did point out the difference between last night and tonight to the staff. i told them what they did tonight was a vast improvement fro, last night and that these steps should be followed for every flight.
in the middle of the shift my colleague shouts across the warehouse. i run over to see whats up, and he tells me his wife's water broke. with that i grab his paper work and chase him out of the building so he can rush home to NJ. hope all the best for the them.
this probably means i will be working a few extra hours and possibly days to cover his absence. if you think about it it isn't such a bad thing, the OT will be much appreciated this time year.

17NOV07 / 02:00+1 / WORK

OK, still at work @ 2am 18NOV, so this cd count as 18NOV blog, but i will count it for the 17th.
I had all intentions to get here before midnite, but alas, my plot was foiled by the Stupid Ones again, damn them. Little do they know that the have awoken the hibernating spirit of the Evil Pete, the crazed banshee from hell. Ohh have pity on there silly mortal souls tomorrow after 16:00 EST.
and no for something completely different.......
on the way from the new place to the old place i was able to catch the end of the Ghostie Show on WFDU 89.1 FM, and again some cool stuff. this time it was vintage Elvis Costello, when he still looked like Poindexter from Felix the Cat. The savage beast's soothing continued when i fired up the pandora radio site and cranked up the peteymetal tunes. nothing like a cup of java and Black Sabbath at 02:00 in the morning. breakfast, or in this case a nite time snack, of champions!!
.... and champions are mushrooms in french....and you thought i cdnt get any sillier...pish-posh

16NOV07 / 00:05 / WORK

OK, I know. i just finished the last blog and now i am entering the next days just a few minutes into the next day. yes, i feel a bit guilty, normally i wouldn't do this, BUT, i know that if i don't do it now, i wont get it done tomorrow, just got that strange feeling, you know how it goes.
speaking of strange feelings, i think, not sure, but i think i saw an orb in my living room last early this morning. it was another one of those nights where we all passed out in front of the TV. at about 23:30, i got my wife and daughter into bed, and i stayed up to watch the BBC news. about an hour into the news, i started to doze off, even though i tried very hard to fight it and stay awake.
after what seemed only a few seconds, i felt as if someone called my name, but i could not confirm the voice, just that i knew it was familiar. as i opened my eyes and started to sit up, in the far north corner of the living room just below the ceiling i could make out a distinct round light. it looked just like a christmas ornaments, silver and sparkling, and it was in the exact area of the house where we put up the christmas tree.
my V. O . R. said to me, that it was just the effects of getting up too fast from a prone position, and the result of a minor head rush. but in this particular instance i choose to believe otherwise. for whatever reason, the voice and orb fit together, not in any eerie manner, but more in a soothing, leading way.
i got up and went into the bedroom, to find wife and child sound asleep. maybe it was them willing me to come to bed, with a little help from some "friends".

15NOV07 / 23:55 / WORK

well it is monday again for me. started off a bit too lazy for my taste, but that is my own fault. feel a bit sluggish lately, no drive. i have got to get up early and stay up, go out for a walk and get some mileage in, i truly believe my lack of exercise is the root of this slump.
what is interesting is that when i get to work, some switch kicks in and it is all action all the time for me. i am all over the place, checking on this, watching that, and always looking at my watch. this is probably why when i am home or not at work that i drop down so many gears.
otherwise things are good. my daughter is getting over her congestion. my father in law is looking good after being in the hospital for a week. thanksgiving is around the corner, so we are all getting into the transition to christmas mood. cant wait to go get the tree! it always looks nice and straight after a few cups of homemade egg nog !!!

13-14NOV07 / 19:55 / LAPTOP

today is a two for one entry.
13NOV: the day started off promisingly, but the cough that my daughter still had was getting me concerned. we opted to keep her out of school and take her to the doctor. after a brief exam, we were told she had some chest congestion and the start of an ear infection. so with a scirpt for zithromax off we went to the CVS. they told us to come back in thirty minutes, so we went home, dropped off the car, and took out the jogging stroller. i got her wrapped up in a blanket and off we went to knock out some errands. not long after we started, she was knocked out, sound asleep.\we got to the CVS, picked up the medicine, and started back for home. all in all we were outside for an hour, with her sound asleep for most of the time.
the rest of the day went as usual for a Tuesday. took care of my math homework, the house, and kept my daughter occupied. we made dinner together for my wife, and after dinner we had some homemade spicy popcorn to enjoy while we watched videos. at about 02:00 i woke up to find the two of them passed out on the couch and me in the chair. after a bit of back and forth i got all of us into bed by 02:30. a day off can really knock you out.
14NOV: we decided to keep my daughter out of school again , just to play it safe. i don't want her to get worse, and i don't want other kids to catch her cold.
we had a lazy day together after my wife left for work, watching TV, eating breakfast, and playing around. i am glad i haven't grown up yet.
we had good all chicken soup for lunch, and then i set her up for her power nap. I got things done around the house. my colleague from Hamburg called, he was in Florida, heading back home via NYC. i told him i would meet him at JFK and hang with him till his flight left.
my daughter and i went on a quick shopping spree for dinner, chicken brats and potatoes, our favorite. everything came out perfect and just in time as my wife walked into the house. we all sat down together and enjoyed our meal. the dessert was strawberries and whipped cream.
so now i must go to the airport, hopefully we can get into the first class lounge while we wait for the flight. it is so much nice waiting with a "beverage" and snacks while sitting in a lounger.

12NOV07 / 23:50 / WORK

today started off slow and remained a mellow day. i got up at 0800, my daughter was playing nicely all morning with her toys allowing me to relax a bit. we had lunch together and then she went off for a nap. my wife came home early so i didnt need to drive to my daughter to my inlaws.
i got to work with time to spare. i was finally able to secure a desk, now that one of our team left for Houston, not bad after 2 years of waiting. now i have a place to put up some family pix and iron maiden goodies!
the flights went well. we had a daschund fly out, he belonged to one of our first officers. this gave me a reason to drive out to the planes, a part of the job i really miss. once i got the dog secured i came back to the office, wrapped thing up for tonight, set things up for tomorrow, and now sit here blogging.
it feels a bit surreal right now, no stress or hassles. is this how life should feel all the time? i would like to hope so. all i need to make the night complete is to hear some deep purple " speed king " on the ride home. if there was a white castle along the way, it would really be paradise!

11NOV07 / 12:00 / LAPTOP

i thought i would be able to catch some down time when i got home at 02:30, but this was not to be the case. when i pulled into the driveway, i noticed that the TV was still on in the living room. i found my wife on the couch with our 4 year old, who she told me was all congested again. she probably caught from a classmate, some of whom have been out sick this week. so we all stayed in the living room, they on the couch, me on the floor. good thing for late lat shows and AMC.
i did manage to get about 5 hours of sleep since there wasn't any class today. it would have been a rough day otherwise. the glazed donut monster was up and about yelling at me to get up. you could never tell, except for her little red nose and stuff voice, that she was so congested. my oldest was able to stay for the weekend, so the two of them are playing catch up on missed time.
ahhh, i hear it now from downstairs, the MELTDOWN. a congested 4 year old operating on 4 hours of sleep does not a happy camper make!!! time to hit the shower and get to work early. to quote Monty Python.....RUN AWAY, RUN AWAY!!!!!

10NOV07 / 24:00 / WORK

this one is a bit late but will count as 10NOV entry. just got back from the warehouse in the other building. this evening started out a bit bumpy but seemed to have ended smooth. still have a lot of fine tuning to complete, but the effort is there, which is 90% of the battle.
it was a cold day today, even in math class. seems the heat was off on campus. the only place that had any real heat was the coffee shop by the B building. that hot nacho sauce really puts out some btus.
i met the "ghost escort" in the parking lot on the way to my car. we discussed the potential of another run at mt. misery/sweet hollow roads, and i think it may happen. we just hope the sexy irishman can make it this time. he can use him cell phone jammer on the spirits. just hope it doesn't become the next spaghetti incident.

09NOV07 / 13:10 / LAPTOP

i am not used to making entries during the day, but i have to in order to make sure it gets done. with the way things are set up now at work, we are in two places during the day, a new warehouse and offices in the previous building. they are still not yet finished with our new offices, so we have to shuttle back and forth, which is a real drag. so, i do this now at home, as i am concerned i may not get it done on time for each day if i try to blog at work. tonight will be my first solo night with the new handling company, should prove to be entertaining to say the least.
i went for a walk this morning, about 4 miles, took about 45 minutes. it felt good to get some exercise again, got to lose some weight and fast. it cant be healthy when the waist on your pants is greater than their length. i don't like the way the fine food and beer belly has grown on me. i would also like to be around for a while so i need to get the weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol numbers down to healthier levels. no crazy diets or extreme exercise regimes, just "good old fashion get off my ass walking, push ups, and sit ups." i have to start off slowly, but i do have to start. also gives me a way to listen to the 4000 plus songs on the ipod!

08NOV07 / 12:20 / LAPTOP

last night we did wind up going to the rodeo bar and 3rd & 27th. this was not just because of my suggestion, but our visitors from Brussels wanted to go to a cool and casual place for a beer and some food. this leaves no other option BUT the rodeo bar.
i have been going there for about 18 yrs now. it started by following a local band, simon and the bar sinisters, with simon chardier on guitar, one of the best in NYC. after that first visit i was hooked. it is a true honky tonk bar with live music every night, ranging from country & western to swing bands to rockabillypunksurf rock, you will never be disappointed with the music at the rodeo.
the food is also another reason to go, with some of the best tex-mex and smoked BBQ i have ever tasted. the bar offers 20 different tequilas and 15 different bourbons. it also carries real American beers like lone star and shiner bock from Texas, as variety of Mexican beers. both food and drink are very reasonable, and the service genuine. and there is never a cover charge or drink minimum for the live music.
last nights band was "the jug addicts", a local jug band from Brooklyn. the band consisted of a guitarist, harmonica player, stand up bassist, two fiddlers, 1 tub bassist, and two wash board players. now come on, where else in NYC are you going to find this type of variety? only one place, the rodeo! not only was everyone in the band an accomplished musician, but all could sing very well. i recommend that you check them out on MYSPACE.
our friends enjoyed it all, especially the music. the said that they did expect to find this kind of "Americana" in Manhattan, but then realized, if it is out there, NYC has got it.
at about 23:00 we left after the first set, as our friend had been out all day, and expecting their first child !! so we dropped them off at the W hotel where they were staying, and looked forward to seeing them in June in Brussels. we plan on getting the baby it's first washboard !!!

07NOV07 / 10:10 / LAPTOP

Tuesdays are my Saturdays, so i took a day off from blogging. had a lot of things to do and running around, that by the time i got home i just passed out.
want to thank the paranormal man for the pix he sent of his dirty windshield, this will really help add some chills to the ghost blog i put in last week !!! :P the other pix are quite good, they help express what we all felt that night. still waiting on the pix from prof. k. !!!!
had a good lunch yesterday with the "sexy irishman" ,we got a lot done regarding the set up of our research papers. i think we are off to a good start. slow and steady wins the race.
i was listening to the NCC college station on Monday afternoon while driving to work. they aired a program about technology, and the topic was the first mass media coverage of a sinking at sea in the early 50's. it is covered in a book titled " simple courage". the topic is how a ship's captain handled the tragedy, but remained humble through it all and afterwards as well. the guy was given the largest ticker tape parade in US history, but strongly refused to accept the title of hero. i am going to the local library to see if they have it available, sounds like a good read.
tonight, me and my main squeeze are going out, dinner in NYC, but still not sure where to go. we have friends visiting from Brussels, so we want to take them some place entertaining. i say the rodeo bar and grill for some Tex-Mex and great music, but we shall see. carmine's is also on the list, but i can do without italian food for a while. i am sure we will find something, worse comes to worse, there is always white castle ;}

05NOV07 / 23:10 / WORK

i am experiencing a mellow moment. it is my friday, things went well today, and i may just make it out of here in time for wings and a pint at croxley's. eve if i don't go to croxley's i can relax at home. no school for my youngest tomorrow, so no need to get up early.
we have been getting spoiled by my mom being up in NY from SC. she has been taking care of not only our daughter, but the house as well, and don't get me started on the food !!! seeing her and my 4 year old together, reminds me of the bond i had with my grandmother.
tomorrow is dedicated to math home work and some brainstorming with a crazy Irishman regarding research papers. i better leave my cell phone on vibrate :}

04NOV07 / 23:05 / WORK

starting to feel the effects of sleep deprivation now. even that extra hour from setting the clock back didn't help. fortunately work was better today. one thing that did help was the walk to the library after class today. we even saw a hawk by the G building, a beautiful bird.
cant wait to get out of here tonight, i have a massive craving for White Castle, but i will have to settle for Wendy's. goo thing the one on Hempstead in Elmont is open till 2 am.
tomorrow i hope to be able to sleep in until 11am. But i think my daughter will have a different plan for me !

03NOV07 / 12:40 / LAPTOP

the second day in the new facility wasn't as bad. this allowed me to notice the other weak areas. i can already see where we are going to have to do some "weeding out". now that it is strictly our show, there will be no compromising of standards and service.
cant believe this wind today. if Noel was a tropical storm, where are the tropical temps? they sure wd help make the wind more bearable. got to keep the kids inside today. hopefully the flights aren't affected too much this evening.
i think our "adopted" cat Spencer, has scared off the squirrels that were living in the roof over our porch. got to get him some fish for that bit of work.
that is all for now, must go off to make the donuts.

02NOV07 / 13:20 / LAPTOP

i was right about yesterday. worked from 14:00 01NOV until 04:00 02NOV, 14 hours of which 12 were on my feet in the warehouse. it was a rough start, but it was also the first day in a facility with no true infrastructure in place yet. hope today will be better, and earlier!
my daughter woke me up at 11:00 this morning, tickling me. she was also showing off her painted nails with the daisies. my mom always takes her to h get her nails painted when she visits us, it's their "girl thing".
there really isn't much else to write about at the moment. i have to hustle a bit as i start at 14:00.
get off the roads people, speed king is on the way!!!!!!!!!

01NOV07 / 10:20 / LAPTOP

i am doing my entry early today, because i have this bad feeling that tonight will be very hectic at work. it is our first full day in the new facility with the new handling agent. i have already spoken with my boss and a fellow supervisor, by the sounds of their voices it has been an interesting morning to say the least. so i doubt that i would have any time tonight to make my entry. i will probably be working an eighteen hour day if not longer.
other than that the day is off to a good start. the "adopted" cat Spencer greeted us this morning as we left the house for school. i know that when i go to pick up my daughter the first thing she will ask me is " is Spencer still at our house?". i hope to have the answer she is looking for, but that is all up to Spencer.