Thursday, April 23, 2009

Adaptation

A few months ago, my wife's work schedule changed from 7:00 AM-4:00 PM M-F (which matched mine) to some random permutation of starting at 6:00 or 7:00 to 2:00, 3:00 or 4:00. This had potential to cause strife in our daughter's life as she loves to have Mommy drop us off on the way to her work and we ride bicycles the last mile to her school. Our daughter believed this work schedule means we can only do this on occasion. She was quite upset until I mentioned on the 6:00 days I can drive us to the same parking lot where we get dropped off on the 7:00 days. This is just what we started doing and all is happy. I get more riding and exercise too. The big problem might come in August when the parking pass expires and I am reluctant to purchase a new one due to a nearly 50% increase in the price. While I understand the reluctance of having taxpayers pay for my parking pass, I have issue with paying to park where I work, considering there is no public transit where we live. Also a parking pass does not guarantee I will have a parking spot. The other point is that I can do the street parking thing and be closer to work than the campus parking lots I normally use but, this would not work for the ride to our daughter's school. Hmmmm. Maybe I should just buy the cheap pass for the dirt boondocks lot that sucks for where I work, but is good for the ride to Ms. K's school. I can always do a pro-rate upgrade in November when the snow starts to fly, the temperature drops and darkness rules the early morn.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

I know I like cold weather, and despise hot days, but since it is the middle of April I should add a caveat. My love of cold is confined to November through March, after that I do permit days over 45 degrees. I know this is your down time and you are on vacation, but I would like a warming trend. It is okay if the trend ends at 75 degrees, after all if I wanted hot weather I would have moved to Phoenix.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Did I Mention Wind

How To Tell If It Is Spring In Flagstaff

1) Wind
2) One day is in 60+, a couple of days later it is 30-ish with snow
3) Two days later it is back to around 60
4) Repeat 2 and 3
5) Wind
6) Wind
7) People are walking around dressed in tees, shorts and flip flops when it is 30 degrees, windy and snowing as they complain about being cold.
8) Wind

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

A Guest Blogger Tonight

Because I do not feel up to blogging this evening, I am turning the task over to my daughter. And away we go...
Today 97 Years ago the Titanic hit an ice berg at 11:40 pm and will go down on the 15th I am so sorry a lot of people died.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Sociopathopolitical Commentary #next

Well it seems that our planet lost 3 pirates today, and I have a hard time feeling sorry for them. Modern piracy creates millionaires when ransom for crews is paid and cargo is sold on the black market. In addition when some pirates return to their villages, they are treated as heroes - not the criminals/terrorists/murderers they are. I am not some opinionated redneck spewing drivel. I am well aware of the desperation that poverty creates and believe that a full attack on the elements that create poverty are in order. I do, however have a hard time believing that the millions and millions that have been paid to pirates for release of ships and crew has gone to reduce suffering in Somalia or anywhere else. These payments have strengthened war lords, reduced freedoms increased starvation, illness and violence making the world a more dangerous place. Kudos to the Navy Seals for their actions today, and the French for their efforts last week. All I can hope for is that the next container vessel taken by pirates if carrying nothing but Peeps. Imagine the fun of pirates trying to unload millions of yellow, purple, pink, blue and white marshmallow treats among a population that is striving to find clean drinking water. I will not comment on how I feel about any children and wives of the pirates because I do not wish to be labeled as a liberal who "does not get it."

Friday, April 3, 2009

It's This Simple

Diablo Burger Rocks!

Good food, friendly service, locally produced ingredients.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Is My Life Exciting, Or What?

I have been suddenly spending a lot of time looking at EBAY for useless items I do not need. Among these items are a "new" ipod shuffle, (my old one worked fine - I just wanted a 2nd gen one) a new puck case to replace the one I gave to my daughter for her puck signed by Todd Fedoruk, a hubcap for a '98 grand voyager, and a case for my daughter's Nintendo DS. I have bought more crap(?) on EBAY in the past month than I have in the past 18 months combined. It is, nonetheless, a good place to find things that are hard to find, have been discontinued or are overpriced elsewhere. The puck case is a good example; the store I used to get them at has discontinued nearly all of their hockey stuff. Damn them! Not just the Flag store either - it appears that all their Phoenix metro stores have done the same. I realize that hockey stuff is not the best seller in AZ, but they need to be aware that hockey fans MUST HAVE HOCKEY STUFF. Merchants must deliver before we start chanting BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD while carrying broken sticks. Hockey fans without hockey stuff is like Sturgis running out of beer during the rally. Bad idea. Hmmm this is turning into a rant over a piece of plastic. This must mean the answer to the title question is an "Or what."