Random Thoughts: Food Shortages

In this day and age, it seems shocking and unacceptable at the thought of food shortages in our fully industrialized western world. However, it has happened in Rhode Island (one of highest population density States). The stated reason is weather. However, the diversity of crop shortages suggest something more dire.

It is my belief that the issue is primarily one of logistics combined with centralization of production. It is my opinion that is is an inherently bad thing to have broccoli and tomatoes produced in the same place at the same time. They are two very different crops with very different requirements.

For a small family farm, that approach is about diversification, just like investments. You don't put all your money in high-risk stocks, so you shouldn't put all your efforts into one crop. However, that approach is antithetical to the centralized monoculture production found on large farms.

If it's unusually hot or dry or cold or wet, you get shortages and delays. If all the region produces is a single crop, there is a minor annoyance. If the region produces all your food, well...

This problem is compounded with the logistics of production and distribution. Farmers (large farm coops or multi-national food companies) decide what to grow based on the price of each crop. If broccoli is high priced, a farm grows lots of broccoli. However, every farmer does the same thing. The result is an over-production of broccoli and an under-production of tomatoes.

Meanwhile, when it comes to market, everyone has broccoli and everyone wants tomatoes. This happens much more with commodities, however, all crops are slowly migrating towards this model and I fear the end result will be less than great.

What does this long ramble mean? Wel, aside from being unable to buy broccoli for the last month, it means I need to try to produce a lot more food in my small garden this coming season. I will need to spend more time weeding and watering because I, quite literally, can't afford to sacrifice one bit of production. It also means I need to be a lot more focused when buying seeds. Anyone know what will be a shortage next Fall/Winter?

Random Thoughts: Maintenence and Repair

Did you know that you are supposed to have your oil furnace cleaned and tuned every 12-18 months? I did. I'm also really lazy and forgetful when it comes to doing things which require me to spend money and give me little to no return for that investment. Every year in June, I get a call from my furnace people. They leave a message and I intend to call them back. I put it off until the heating season arrives and then I think, well, another few months wont hurt. I'll do it in the Spring.

The last time I had it cleaned was August 2011. I finally decided, "Screw it! I'm just getting it cleaned." It cost me a little over $200 due to the extra labor because the thing was so dirty. Still, it's usually $135 per year, so that's better than the $450 that I would have spent doing it annually. However, that savings was obliterated.

A couple days later, the furnace shut off. I restarted it, but every time it started up, it was misfiring a few times before it finally stayed running. So, assuming something was screwed up from the cleaning/tuning, I called them back. The guy tells me the power venter is shot, and it's shaking the vacuum safety switch, causing the misfires. Oh, and also, the circulator pump isn't working at all. The new power venter is $355 and the new circulator pump is $170 and the labor was about 2 hours. I didn't even stick around for the bill. I made my wife pay it. So, the long term plan is that I am going to put a chimney up and eliminate the power venter entirely. These things crap out every 5 years, and just provide something else mechanical to fail. Since simple is usually best, I opt for simple. Now, how do I come up with a non-hideous installation of metal chimney pipe right in the middle of my deck?

Random Thoughts: Lost Youth

Recently, I have lost a small piece of my childhood. Well, technically, it was a piece of my barely-into-adulthood. When I was just shy of my 19th birthday, I got my ear pierced. It wasn't an act of rebellion or anything. It just seemed like a thing to do. In addition to the piercing stud, I bought a pair of gold continuous hoop earrings. After the minimum waiting period, I put in the hoop. Between normal wear and cleaning and having to twist it to keep it from sticking, I managed to warp the first of the two hoops. After some amount of time that I can't recall, I switched to the other hoop. I have warn that every single day, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week with very few exceptions. I took it off for job interviews and I took it off when I was working in a factory one Summer. The last time I took it off was probably 7 or 8 months ago.

Well, the other day, I was taking the lights off the Christmas tree. Rather than walking around it, I was tossing the strand up over the top and pulling it around. On one fateful toss, a light managed to catch my hoop, pull it off and toss it into the abyss. OK, not really the abyss. It probably landed in the Christmas tree, although it's possible that it landed in any number of other locations in that corner of my house. All I know is that I shook the heck out of the tree, sifted through the dropped needles, and looked carefully in, around and under anything that could be concealing it. I even went so far as to get out the metal detector to sweep the tree, but it was too small and the rope and chains which hold the tree up provided too much signal to search the bottom half of the tree. I officially declared it lost.

I really haven't though about my earring much. However, now that it's gone, I feel naked and self-conscious and a little lost. I keep reaching up and touching my ear, somehow the hoop to be there. Sadly, it's gone. So, I ordered a new pair of hoops to replace my nearly antique jewelry. The first set lasted 20 years, but the first one had a short life. It is my hope that this pair will last at least until I'm 80. Then, the next pair should take me to 120, and so on.

Random Thoughts: 40 Years Old

At the end of 2014, I turned 40. I don't feel old. I never have felt like I am getting older. I credit my genetics. I don't have a head of gray hair and I don't have a receeding hairline. Kids and running and general activity keep me mostly in good physical shape. Still... 40 seems like it should be the point where you start feeling older, right?

For me, it's more of a reflection point. I am looking at who and what I am. So, who or what am I? Well, I consider myself a jack-of-all-trades. I try to do everything myself. In a way, I feel that the only way to advance the human spirit is by increasing knowledge and wisdom. Wisdom comes from understanding. Understanding comes from experience.

Anyway, personal philosiphy aside, what does this mean? Well, for one, I want to document what I do. I have no idea what, if anything, will be gained from this effort. That said, I am committing myself to make the effort.

Part of me wants to say, "I will post 40 blogs by the time I turn 41." However, that pledge doesn't really mean anything. So, I'll say, I am planning on more posts. The subject matter will run the gambit of all things I do. And I have a lot going on at all times, so expect the posts to be diverse. 

Random Thoughts: Feeling creative

Disclaimer: This post doesn't really have a point. I'm just going to ramble.

Lately, I have been feeling creative. I really would like to do something like paint or draw or photograph stuff. It was triggered by a recent trip to a Fine Arts museum. It's a tough thing for me to visit a Fine Arts museum. I walk from room to room, seeing great master works of art and think, "I wish I could make something like that." Then I go to the commercial/pop art and think, "I really don't like this crap hanging next to those masterpieces." The problem for me is I have no skills.

I have watched Bob Ross paint a landscape on PBS probably hundreds of times. I have even seen a few other painting shows now and then. I have even gone as far as buying canvas boards and actual canvases with the idea that I might try painting. That said, other than finger paints and paint by numbers painting when I was a kid, I've only painted houses, decks a shed and a chicken coop.

I don't know why I haven't ever sat down and tried it. I think it's because I know that my skill will not produce a painting that comes even remotely close to what my eyes (and brain) see. I know I could try it, learn techniques and build a set of skills that will produce a reasonable facsimile. That said, it would take patience, dedication and time... lots of time.

That's one of the benefits I really enjoy about photography. Photography allows you to capture a real instant of time. With proper development, it produces an almost exact duplicate of what you see. To toot my own horn for a second, I have always been good at seeing something that would make a good photo, framing it and capturing the exact moment just as I intend it. Of course, all of my photos are opportunistic. I am in a place. I see something. I take a photo of it. I don't wait for a day of perfect light and scene, set up with $2000 worth of equipment and snap 600 shots of something and then select the best one. I just have a camera and take a photo that I think will look nice. Lately, the problem is that I haven't gone anyplace or done anything that allows me to take photos other than candid shots of my kids.

OK, my ramble is over. As I said, there isn't really a point. If I had to make a conclusion, this would be it: I really want to try painting, but I think I might take the wife and kids out to the beach today or something, so I can go take some candid shots of my kids with nice backgrounds.

Random Thoughts: Little known facts about me

For a change, I thought I would write up a bunch of things that people might not know about me. I don't know if anyone cares, but here they are:

1. I never heat up leftovers. I eat them all the time, but I just can't be bothered heating them up. I have been known to eat cold pasta, soup, steak, and anything else you might consider eating as a leftover. 
2. And on the subject of food, I eat really strange stuff sometimes. I don't know why. Part of it is laziness. Most of it is cravings for certain things. This morning, I ate leftover (yes, cold) fettuccine with tomato sauce in a high-fiber wrap. Two days ago, I ate 3 hard boiled eggs in a wrap with cheese, mayo and yellow mustard. One time, I ate a whole head of red cabbage in a small room with two other people. Another time, I ate a jar of spaghetti sauce for dinner.
3. On a non-food related note, I walk through at least 3 spiderwebs every day. Every morning I walk out to the chicken coop and open the door. I walk through a corridor between my asparagus and my blueberries for the first web. The second one gets me between the deck and the coop. The third one is between the coop and the run. You would think I would learn and take a stick or something.
4. When I walk into the aforementioned spiderwebs, I am usually in my underwear. I used to open the chicken coop after I showered and dressed for work. As it got lighter in the mornings, the kids started waking up earlier. Rather than trying to open the pop door, fill the feeder and swish out the waterer while holding a struggling 1.5 year old, I opted to do all that before my shower. Large evergreens, shed, garage and fence pretty much conceal my shame (or lack thereof).
5. My brain contains a random assortment of some of the most bizarre thoughts and facts ever. I constantly think about all sorts of crazy crap. I don't know if it's a curse or a blessing. Given my level of retention, I'm inclined to think it's a curse. For instance, did you know that Greg Brady (from the Brady Bunch) saved up $109 dollars to buy his first car. He paid $100 for a busted down clunker. The episode did not mention what he did with the extra $9 which bugged me. The last time I saw the Brady Bunch was almost 20 years ago. 
6. I don't play any instruments. I always loved the piano. Something about the sound; the black and white keys; the shiny gloss of the case; always made me fascinated by it. I know the notes the keys make. I can play a couple random things with 1 finger. That's all. If I had limitless money, I would quit my job and take lessons. But I don't have limitless money...So, given that I don't play any instruments, why are there 3 guitars, a banjo and clarinet in my house?
7. I really like musicals. Bucking the stereotype, I'm not gay or even metro. I just really like the fun music and dancing and whatnot. I don't like all musicals. Whether they are stage productions or movies, they have to be fun and entertaining. I like Annie, The Sound of Music, Sweeny Todd, and many others. I just think it's a great thing to combine a good story, a great musical score and the energy that goes along with all of that.

Well, is 7 things enough? It is for me right now. I'm tired and want to go to bed.

Random Thoughts: Follow Through

I have an issue with follow through. OK, I said it. Happy? To explain further, it's not with everything. Also, if I allow myself an excuse/justification, eventually I finish most things... Eventually... Except when I don't.

Personality-wise, I see big projects like chess. I look ahead, assessing actions and results with steps along the way. Psychologically, my brain doesn't differentiate between completing a task vs. thinking about completing a task. This is especially true with leisure tasks.

It gets simultaneously depressing and overwhelming to think about the things undone. I have about 20 pages of a science fiction screen play; 6 parts (chapters?) of a story; a partially disassembled 1938 Cadillac; an unopened gallon of paint for the dining room; a gaping hole in my garage ceiling; the parts needed to make a cider press; etc., etc., etc.

One thing that makes my 'habit' particularly bad is that I am a jack of all trades. I never shy away from learning something new. I like to be self reliant. I don't like to pay someone else to do things that I could do myself. And without arrogance, I can pretty much do it all... electrical, painting, auto repair, writing, computer programming, etc. I see myself as a new Renaissance man.

So what is the point of all this? Damned if I know. I guess I'm just doing a self assessment of my accomplishments in life. I am looking to finish something lasting; a legacy of sorts. Although, I am also considering starting something new. In order to succeed at whatever I do, I need time and a goal plus ongoing motivation to keep progress moving. I need a deadline which I cannot allow to slip. It would also help if I had others awaiting my completion, but I realize that's a lot to expect. As I write this, I just decided that I'm going to brush the dust off some things. I don't want to deprive the universe from what I have to offer.

Random Thoughts: New Focus

I haven't posted anything in a really long time. I lost focus. I lost motivation. I pretty much lost every desire to write anything more than facebook updates. Lately, I have had motivation and a very tiny amount of time. Apparently, this is what I decided to write.

Anyway, it is my intention to start writing. The question is, what do I write about? Well, my biggest problem is that I have many interests which quite literally change with the season. Right now, I am thinking about self sufficiency, car restoration, and politics among other things. In another month, I will be thinking of winter activities. After that, garden planning, etc.

I could never do justice to any of these topics. I certainly never provide a value greater than other sites on the net. Thinking about this, I realized something... I don't care. I plan to write mostly for me from here on out. I will write whatever I feel like writing, solely for the sake of writing. If, along the way, someone cares what I have to say, so be it.

Random Thoughts: Cobweb site

My site is becoming a cobweb site. If you've never heard the term before, I'm not suprised. It was a short lived term to describe a site which is static, eternally under construction, and never updated, possibly for years at a time. It's a shame the phrase never caught on. In my opinion, it's fairly clever. Maybe people are just averse to spiders.

Anyway, I haven't posted in a while. I think it's because All I'm doing right now is the same thing everyone else is doing. I work. I eat. I sleep. I take ocasional bathroom breaks. That's pretty much it. I've been out in the garden a lot. I'm expect to be done with the spring effort by the end of the day today. Do people really want to read about that?

Actually, that is something I have thought about. What do people want to read? Initially, I started posting reviews of movies. I consider myself an expert critic. Also, I have a strong appreciation for good movies and TV. It made perfect sense for me to review movies. The only problem is, who wants to read my movie reviews? At one point, I started reviewing resturaunts too. It only seemed proper because I like to eat too.

Unfortunately, the situation became untennable. I exhausted the cheaper dining options. I really didn't want to see terrible or uninteresting seeming movies just so I would have something to review. Lastly, it took so much time that it felt more like a job then a hobby. Since it didn't pay like a real job, and to the contrary, cost a significant sum, I stopped.

Well, I stopped my reviews after I had my website, domain, etc. So, what could I do with it now? Well, it became very blog-like. In fact, it became so blog-like that I installed Wordpress blogging software on my site to make posting easier. There was still no income, but at least I wasn't using notepad anymore.

Once I lost the primary focus, I started posting all sorts of stuff. I could write about any and everything I wanted. Unfortunately, the second factor came in. Readers. I had none. OK, really, I had less than 10, and probably less than 5. Most of what I wrote was informal, so it really didn't bother me that much. I still had viewers of my site because they came for the pictures of my daughter. Unfortunately, the effort to post a hundred pictures every month is a pain. I have to rotate them, filter them, and then take up all available bandwidth for hours just to get them to the server. After that, I have to load them onto the picure site and post a link to them. All said, I probably was devoting a couple hours a month just to get pictures on the web.

Then, I had a couple server/ISP failures. Despite the fact that my ISP said everything was totally restored, it was broken. Fixing it myself resulted in the loss of the online precense of my "acessory" photos like the car  shows, travel, etc. Sure, I could re-upload, but how long would that take? Thousands of photos would take days of network bandwidth. The final technological blow came when my ISP initiated a forced relocation to another server to "improve" things. I tried it a couple times myself, given the past history I had with them. It didn't work. Eventually, they said they were going to do it if I didn't. I let them. Surprisingly, they did it acceptably.

What does all this mean? Well, like most of my posts... not much. I want people to read what I write. I'm sure it would motivate me to write more. If they're not going to read it, though, I don't want to pay a decent amount of money. That is especially true if I don't post. There are plenty of free blog servers out there. Also, there are also picture servers out there. At this point, all I wouldn't want to move is my e-mail. It would be a pain to figure out all the various things that have my therhodeislandreview.com e-mail addresses. I think I may start a potential move. I'll have to look around and see what's out there for photo storage. After all, I have a new baby on the way. 2.5 years of Laura's life resulted in 4000+ photos. I'm sure the second kid will be less, but maybe not. The other advantage to going the free blog route is that I could break up my diferent sites into themed sites.

Will I do it? I don't know. Probably. Maybe not. I'll post a follow-up here if I do. I just don't think I want to pay for this site anymore. It seems like a waste of financial resources. That's especially true if I don't post. So, enjoy this Memorial Day post. I'm going for a run.

Random Thoughts: Cleaning

I've never been one to part with things lightly. It's the Yankee Thrift in me. If it were up to me, I would never replace anything until it was no longer functioning and beyond repair. Sadly, I have become somewhat of a pawn of industry. It's hard to fight the giant, inexpensive TVs, even though my 16-year-old 13" TV still functions with a converter box. Besides, it has become like an old friend. I've been with my TV longer than I've been with my wife. How do you give up on that kind of friendship?

I've also got my old stereo which I got when I was still in high school. Should I get rid of that just because I haven't used it in almost a decade and I never even hooked it up when we bought our house? And my scanner... Just because I have a new all-in-one device that replaces my printer and scanner in a better, smaller package, should I dump that? You never know when an aspiring comic artist is going to need a scanner.

Well, whatever I have to do to force myself to get rid of this stuff is what I have to do. I can't afford the space. Although, as I write this, I'm considering keeping the stereo receiver for the garage and the TV would fit just perfectly on top of that. All I would have to do is get rid of Erin's mini-stereo that I rescued from the junk pile. Can you believe she was going to get rid of it just because you have to shove the CD tray closed while repeatedly hitting play to get it to work???

UPDATE: As funny-but-not-joking as I am being in this post, I just found the remote for a TV that died about 4 years ago. It was covered with tape because the battery door broke. I can't even fathom why I wanted to keep that.

Random Thoughts: I'm exhausted but I can't sleep.

If I were smart, I would be productive. There are those dishes from dinner that I left until tomorrow morning, but I don't want to wake my daughter and/or wife. I could clean the office, but my eyes are so tired that I don't want to turn on the light. I could go work in the garage since it's not that bright in there, but it's too cold out there. I could do anything worthwhile, but that would rob me of my opportunity to make excuses.

Really, I just want to sleep. I was watching TV and dozed off at 9:30, but I woke up. When I turned the TV off, my brain turned on. I really need to go to bed, but I can just feel that I will be staring at the ceiling for a while. Maybe I'll just go have some warm milk. Yeah, right. Who ever decided to drink warm milk in the first place? Alhough, come to think about it, milk comes out warm. I guess the real question should be, who ever decided to drink cold milk in the first place? Enough about milk.

I bought a bucket today at Home Depot. I had a couple bags of sand in my truck bed which split open. Instead of waiting until I got home to fill the bucket, I did it in the parking lot at work. I was very careful to take corners slowly so the bucket wouldn't fall over. Careful, that is, until I got to my driveway. The bucket dumped out in the bed. Fortunately, I have a 2-year-old and a small orange beach shovel. She was working too slowly, so I decided to help by scooping up handfuls and dumping them into the bucket. I didn't consider two things. First, leaning over the tailgate of the truck puts my face about a foot away from the top of the bucket. Second, Laura was very meticulously scooping up a shovel-full, dumping it in the bucket and packing it down. Sadly, when a 2-year-old packs the sand down, she apparently throws a bit of sand back up with each pat. She got me square in the right eye. I couldn't close my eye, but I couldn't keep it open. I couldn't get it out because I had sand all over my hands from helping. All I could do was pull my phone out and call Erin to get her to come out of the house so I could blindly stumble my way to the bathroom sink and mirror. My eye still hurts. It's all scratched and irritated. Considering how much different stuff I do which could result in crap in my eyes, I should really consider investing in an eye wash. I can't imagine they're too expensive.

In still other news, I am almost done hooking up the air compressor in my garage. I managed to misplace the 90 degree elbows I had bought, so I got one of those today too. All I have to do is cut a couple pieces of PVC and wire up the outlet. Except, that will only get me to the stage where I can plug in the compressor. I started looking at what I need to actually use the compressor. Small compressors come in a nice little plug-and-play package. You get the compressor, regulator, shut-off, usually some hose and some beginner-level tools. With a big compressor, you get a big compressor. I briefly looked into what I needed today. I got a good deal for the compressor when I bought it. What I didn't realize is that I am probably going to have to go out and spend another $50 to $100 just to get it minimally working. That doesn't even could what I would have to do to get it set up optimally with multiple drops, hard lines, filters, and other miscellaneous parts and pieces. It will be nice when I have it working, but it looks like it will be a while still.

It sucks because I am going to have to get started on my list of nice-weather projects soon. I may forget about my annual maple tree pruning. The power company already did a minor pruning. Actually, that made me feel good to see that professional tree pruners couldn't find much to do when pruning my tree.  It means I must have done something right when pruning. I already did the fruit trees. I should probably thin the blueberry bushes. I know I should thin the raspberries. I also need to put in the other grape vine post and prune the vine too. I have to finish my office closet desk project. That literally just needs to be finished. After that, I have two major indoor projects. I am going to install wood floors in the last carpeted bedroom. Also, I need to do a partial renovation in the main bathroom. I just decided that I am going to do whatever I can to bring some natural light into that bathroom. I know it meets code, but having a bathroom which is central to the house with no windows is just idiotic. Right now, I'm thinking a solar tube is the bare minimum. I may also revisit the idea of installing glass blocks up near the ceiling. That would let light in from the master bathroom while being unobtrusive and still isolating sights and smells to their origination point. I have to investigate their sound insulation qualities though.

Well, according to my word counter, this is already approaching 1000 words. Also, it's 11:30 so I should probably give sleep another try. I just hope I don't wake up at 5 like I have every other morning for the past week. Stupid daylight savings time. I guess one good thing is that it's almost spring. I saw a blooming dandelion yesterday. So what if its an annoying weed and it was sprouting between a joint of some curbing along side a parking lot. It's still spring-like, damnit!

Random Thoughts: Fire hazard

I have an RSS feed for the US Consumer Product Safety Commission - Recall feed. I regularly see recalls like this:

Candles Recalled Due to Fire Hazard

Seriously, do people not know that lit candles are firehazards, in and of themselves? Isn't it obvious to everyone that fire is hot?

Random Thoughts: Stimulus is a sham

I saw this video, and agree wholeheartedly. This guy says that if the government does nothing, there will be terrible recession, but this stimulus will lead to "unmitigated disaster." Summarizing, he feels that the fundamental problem is that Americans spent, through credit, money they didn't have which overinflated the economy. Now, they can't afford to continue this so the federal government, through stimulus, is trying to keep up the spending. The only possible outcome from this is prolonged massive inflation and economic collapse.

Quite an interesting set of ideas. I feel this way, but I rarely encounter people who have such a clear understanding of common sense. People overspending is bad. The government overspending is worse. Think about the people you've known throughout your lives who made a reasonable amount of money, but always seemed to live beyond their means. They live paycheck to paycheck at best; live by the credit card at worst. The total and absolute certainty with people like this, is is that their house of cards will fall.

Sure, having a nice car, fancy toys and every meaningless distraction of life is fun. If you're lucky, you may even make it through the low times unscathed, only to come out the other side more set in your ways. But really, should our government live like that? Is that what we've become? We have gone from declaring our independence from an overbearing king to getting our treasury bills cashed at a liquor store. Yeah, US!

[kml_flashembed movie="http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/fop/embedflv/swf/fop_wrapper.swf?id=11899727&autoStart=0&prepanelEnable=1&infopanelEnable=1&carouselEnable=0" width="292" height="219"/]

Random Thoughts: Mentally drained

Lately, I just feel wiped out. I could go for a nice long hot shower and a nap... 24 hours a day. The problem is that I can't afford to take time off at work or at home. I have tons of things to get done at work before the contract runs out in May. I also have tons of projects, big and small, to finish (and start, in some cases). I really need a month of time where I can just do stuff around the house followed by a month vacation followed by another month doing stuff around the house. Good luck to me.

Random Thoughts: Sick women

Erin and Laura are sick. Laura came down with a dry hacking cough on Sunday morning, which progressed like a cold in reverse. Monday evening she ran a fever, which has persisted. Last night was a little concerning. Erin had her in the shower and she started saying her neck hurt over and over again, and she started crying. Last night she threw up, and this morning she dry-heaved some stomach juices while waiting for her jello breakfast. I called her pediatrician and relayed the symptoms. When I added the symptom of, "My neck hurts," the Dr. said, "Well it's not bacterial menengitus because she would be dead right now."

I am not often stunned into silence, but my words failed me. I had no idea that menengitus transitioned from sore neck to death in 12 hours. Of course, now that I know, I will probably run her to the ER any time her neck hurts everafter.

I stayed home with Laura yesterday because Erin was almost out of sick time. Today was supposed to be Erin's half day, but now she is out cold from sickness herself. Hopefully, my superhuman immune system will keep me healthy. Sadly, though, even though my symptoms are shorter and less severe, I seem to get sick far more frequently now that I have a little petri dish, err..., I mean child.

Random Thoughts: WTF RI?!?!?!

OK, I know people, en masse can be pretty stupid. I also know that some individuals can be infallibly stupid. Lastly, I know anyone can do or say some stupid things at times. That said, some of the responses to the Governer's latest necessary budget ideas are some of the stupidest things I have ever heard. I'm not happy about reduced aid to cities and towns, but at least the Governer wants to eliminate some state requirements, to make the town spending discretionary, rather than mandated. There was a quote from a woman who said, "These cuts aren't the right thing to do."

WHAT THE F*** IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO?!? RAISE TAXES?!?!

Well, according to a quote from union leader, that is exactly what we should do in RI. Yeah. That's the solution... Lets make it harder for everyone to live here, so we can maintain our socialist government. I think what we need is a good old fashioned Red Scare. Yep. Some rampant parinoia that people are out to destroy us would be just what we need right now.

More seriously, what we need is an across the board spending cut at all levels. Take a printed out copy of the budget to McCoy and have it shredded at the Great Shredding Event. What comes out the other end are the limits of what we should spend. Does anyone in this state have any concept of fiscal conservatism? We apparently need to change our state flower to the bleeding heart. Maybe we should change our state motto from 'Hope' to 'Empty your pockets.'

Random Thoughts: Happy Belated New Year!

I'm not a big for celebrating New Years Eve, resolutions and what-not. I didn't even make time for an obligatory Happy New Years post. That said, my New Years Eve was spent watching TV in bed. For the first time in about 5 years, Erin was awake when the ball dropped. Of course, that was only because I got up to turn off her light and inadvertently woke her up.

New Years Day was fun. It was 11 degrees and 22 MPH winds for the Hangover Classic 5-mile road race through Colt State Park in Bristol, RI. To add to the challenge, the course was covered with lose-packed snow and ice. If all that weren't bad enough, as we rounded past the sea wall, there were small chunks of sea ice being tossed up into the wind by the waves.

Erin and I ran the race together for the first three miles, but she got mad at me when I offered to hold her hat a few times. In my defense, the last time I offered was only a short-term offer while she put her jacket back on at the aforementioned sea wall segment. I ran the last two miles on my own and finished in a respectable 41:44.

I really surprised myself with that time, too. I have added back on the seven pounds I lost this past summer. I had added a couple of those pounds back on since starting my new job. I've only been able to fit in two runs per week as the days get shorter. Now that they are getting longer, I hope to add a third one back in. The last few pounds, though, are entirely blamed on my recent constant snacking. I really suffer from the fact that the twelve ounce bag of Doritos is only two servings for me. As we (I) polish off the last of the Xmas junk food, I expect the scale will swing back the other way again. I hope/plan to drop 5-10 pounds by the end of the month. February 1st is the Super 5K, which I will likely run. Should be fun... weather permitting.

Random Thoughts: Winter

Well, we wished goodbye to Fall with a foot of snow. What better way to welcome Winter, than with a couple of rain storms and 50 degree temperatures. With any luck, this will be a temporary setback to some nice winter weather. I like snow and cold.

One thing, though, with all the preparation and work, the roads are a mess. I just got back from a run and the roads are a mix of hard packed snow and ice, with some slush on the side for good measure. I don't know why it's so difficult to push the plow blade to the ground. Oh well, it's only my tax dollars at work.

Random Thoughts: Snow

Yesterday's snow has given our family some much needed fun. Last year, Laura was a little too little to go sledding safely. This year, however, she is ready, willing and able to zip down the hill on her butt, back, knees, stomach, etc. We took her over the the small hill right next to her house yesterday, but she didn't last long with the wind driven snow in full effect. Today, however, she was ready to go.

And go she did. It was loads of fun just to watch her shooting down the hill at the high school. She was a bright green blur on a dark green sled barely even making a dent in the snow she ran over. Equally as fun, was watching Erin sledding. If I had to guess, I would say Erin had more fun. When Laura got one more face full of snow and wanted to leave, Erin wasn't ready to go. I loaded Laura into the car slowly, followed by the other sled and my jacket while Erin took a couple more runs. Even still, I had to drag Erin off the hill.

OK, so maybe it wasn't quite as dramatic as that, but neither Erin nor I were really ready to leave. Maybe we should get a baby sitter next time we go sledding.

Random Thoughts: Ready to blow

I don't know if I can hold her together any more captain...

My stomach, that is. Every time I sit or stand for too long, I get closer to loosing it. Laura blew chunks 3 times on Thursday and once yesterday. It would appear I didn't wash my hands quite thoroughly enough after cleaning up. By the time dinner rolled around, I was completely incapacitated. I thought I was better this morning until I almost lost it again when standing up.

Anyway, I'm going back to bed now.