Counting In Spanish or Trains Are Frustrating

Happy Fathers Day!

Happy Birthday, Rhys!

Rhys will be 2 years old tomorrow, the 15th. I can hardly believe it's been 2 years since I saw him born. He is the smartest, funniest, meanest, handsomest kid I've ever seen! We had his party on Sunday. He got so much stuff it's not even funny. Toys, clothes, etc. And cake! So much cake!

Birthday And Hail

It's been a totally busy week this week. Sunday was my birthday. I turned 36. I'm not thrilled about it, but what are you gonna do? At least I had a kick ass cake and fun time. Alana and Kenneth went with us to Twin Peaks restaurant (and paid). It was awesome. Rhys really liked it! Sunday my wife's family came over and we had some pizza and cake. I put Rhys' house together, too.

We had some storms roll through on Tuesday. We got some giant hail. Baseball-sized hail. I've never seen any that big before (that's what she said).

Playing In The Sprinkler

Zoo Slideshow

We took our first trip to the Zoo yesterday. Here's some pics! There's more on the way, too!

Helping Daddy Mow

Mowing, a photo by Gemini Ace on Flickr.

Rhys and I mowed the yard this morning. He was really good and helped a lot. The yard is looking pretty good, if I do say so myself.

I'm selling my phone on eBay, so if anybody wants a Samsung Focus with a cracked screen, I'll give you a deal!



Via Flickr:
Sent from my Windows Phone

Hello Ladies

As if this kid could get any cuter, he cranks it up a notch! LOL!

Sent from my Windows Phone

The Hard Way

Why is it when I pay a bill, they are able to have the money pulled out of my account faster than you can say, "damn that was fast", but when money is owed to me everybody takes their sweet ass time?

I'm currently in a holding pattern in life financially. First off, I've been waiting on the IRS (or as I call them, the goddamn IRS) to send me the money from our first time homebuyers tax credit. It's been 6 months and all we've done is call the IRS and beg for information on why its taking so long. Come to find out our file made it to the audit department because they want more information. Since people were falsifying paperwork to get in on the tax credit, they started requiring additional proof we actually live there. Thank you government and thank you America. And don't even get me started on what a taxpayer advocate does.

Second, I've been waiting since January to get the health insurance date fixed by my previous employer so I can get reimbursed for $200 I had to spend due to their screw up. Personally I expect Jesus to come back before I expect them to get their shit together.

And finally, I am still waiting for Dell to pull the trigger and hire me as a real employee. I'm languishing here as a contractor making peanuts while doing a job that I know pays a lot more. And I have to smile about it the whole time.

I just want to know why it is that it always has to be the hard way. The IRS had to pull my amendment aside, they had to screw up my insurance and not my coworkers, and Dell has to keep me on a string just for the hell of it.

I cant believe that this is karma because if that's the case I must have raped the pope in a past life.

Sent from my Windows Phone

Rhys Knows His Animals

Dirty Boy

Summer is fast approaching and I think Rhys is going to love it. He is already an outdoors kid. He loves dirt, as you can see. Of course, he's a boy so what do you expect.

Sent from my Windows Phone

The Recap

It's time for the recap. This is where I bemoan not writing on here more and resolve to do it more often. I'll also be giving a update on what Rhys has been doing and how awesome it is, so don't leave yet.

We mowed the yard yesterday for the first time. Well, the first time with our brand new lawnmower. We also did some landscaping to get into compliance with the HOA rules around here. I really don't know what purpose the HOA serves just yet. So far we've given them like $200 and we haven't seen anything. I'm sorry, but for two bills, you better be out here scraping gum off the street and making sure I have a Cafe Latte as I pull out of my driveway every morning. Of course, that two hundred is for the year, but still! At least stick some asshole in a golf cart and have him drive around with "HOA Police" on it so I know there's not somebody out there just rolling around in my money and laughing.

Otherwise, my house has been taken over by mexicans. Rhys has become enamored with Dora the Explorer and Go Diego Go. To the point of all he wants to do is watch Diego. He knows it's on Netflix, so he turns on either the Xbox or PS3 and tv and says "Go Diego". The other night, he woke up around 3:45 am. I went in and picked him up and he immediately pointed towards the other room and said "Go Diego". I said no, it's bed time, but he can be pretty convincing sometimes. So, we ended up watching 4 episodes of Diego before going back to bed.

Since it's getting warmer and we sprung forward last night, we will hopefully be outside more. Rhys had fun outside the other day and the girls really liked it, too.

What's Up

I don't even know what to say on here anymore. Life is so busy that the days go by so fast and before I know it its been a month since I've posted on here.

Basically I'm working for a contracting company hoping it turns into a real job with Dell.  I hope it happens and happens soon. I'm tired of living in limbo as a contractor.

Other than that, its just Rhys Rhys Rhys!  And that's the best thing ever! He amazes me how much he learns every day. He has become addicted to Diego and Dora. He will sit there and watch a whole episode without moving. He won't do that with anything else. 

Anyway, that's about it.  I'll check back in 6 months. LOL!

Sent from my Windows Phone

Rhys Saying Xbox And Waving At Kinect

Rhys In The Snow In Texas

Dancing Baby Rhys

Need For Speed Slideshow

Great Start In Halo Reach Multi

More Rhys Videos!

My Plan To Save Radio

I enjoy technology. I've been downloading MP3's since Napster was still in college. Alana and I were trying to burn CD's way before burners were installed in every desktop and laptop. And once I did get a burner, I burned enough discs to fill a CD Warehouse. Having said that, I still like listening to the radio.

When driving, the radio is just so convenient. Unfortunately, roughly half the songs that come on the radio have been played so many times they've lost all their meaning. The fact that Sublime is still played on the radio multiple times a day in 2010 baffles my mind. It's no secret that radio listenership is down because of MP3's and the iPod. It's with this in mind that I have hatched an idea to save radio.

If the artist or a member of the group is no longer alive, then their songs shouldn't be played on the radio anymore.

I know it sounds drastic. I know people will bristle at the thought. But, hear me out. Radio programmers don't know when to pull the plug on an artist. They stick to the familiar and rarely add anything new to the repertoire. In order to get them to inject some new and abandon the old, let's give them a rule to follow.

Basically, Jimi Hendrix has been dead since 1970. He's still on the radio. Meanwhile, artists like the Broken Bells, Pop Evil, and Evan's Blue get little to no airplay. Let's force the program managers to drop acts like Sublime, Nirvana, and the Doors. They had their time. They died. Let's move on.

If this works, then the next step is to drop bands that have broken up or aren't in their original lineup. Then we can get those cursed Red Hot Chili Peppers off the radio!

Christmas 2010 In Pictures