Super Bowl Weekend

On Sunday, Super Bowl XLIII will be played in Tampa, Florida. We get together with a bunch of our friends to watch the game and have good-natured arguments about the various teams. The ladies tend to watch chick flicks in another room, while the men watch football.

I tend to cheer for the AFC team, but I've never liked the Pittsburgh Steelers, so this year, I'll be cheering for the Arizona Cardinals; go Cardinals!

I have multimedia duty at PVC for the weekend. Dr. Jiri Moskala, from the Adventist Theological Seminary will be doing a series, starting this evening and all day tomorrow. On Sunday morning, there's a funeral, so I'll be at church almost all weekend.

It's hard to believe that January 2009 is almost over already.

President Barack Obama

Though, I was at work, I had CNN.com's live feed of the inauguration running, listening and switching over periodically. President Obama's (that sounds so good) speech was good, calling on all Americans to become involved in turning around the economy. At shortly after 9:00 AM, even before the oath of office, the White House web page had already been updated to reflect the new American President.

I know that Mr. Obama won't be able to deliver on all of the sky-high expectations people have for him, I hope that we'll give him some time to work. It is great to have a President who can speak grammatically correct English.

A new phone.

It was a good weekend. On Saturday evening, we celebrated Christmas (a couple of weeks late due to snow!) with Joy's sisters and mom. We played games on the Wii and ate lots of good food.

My old Motorola phone broke on Saturday and Joy's keys weren't all working, so we went to T-Mobile yesterday. Joy got a purple Motorola flip phone. I got a G1 phone, using Google's Android operating system (based on Linux). It's kind of cool to be able open a terminal on a phone! I'm hoping to eventually put all of my music, etc. on it so I can leave my old PDA behind and carry around one less device, but we'll see.

Monty Python Marathon

I'm watching three Monty Python movies with my friend John, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian, and The Meaning of Life. They are good for a laugh. I got them for myself as a Christmas present as part of Monty Python's Holy Trinity.

Tomorrow, I go back to work for the first time since December 17. It will be the first 5 day work week since before Thanksgiving, so I'll have to get back into work mode.

Happy New Year 2009

It is now 2009. Each year seems to go by faster and faster.

Last evening, we rang in the new year with a bunch of friends. We ate lots, drank soda and punch and toasted the new year with sparkling cider. We played a couple of group games, Apples to Apples and Encore. I liked Encore the best. In it, each team has to come up with songs with specific words or ideas, like dancing or feelings, and sing seven words of the song.

We took it easy today, watching Must Love Dogs and some Austin Powers movies.

Merry Christmas!

We had a white Christmas here in Portland. The snow is starting to melt, but we still have several inches on the ground.

I got a digital photo frame, socks, slippers, jacket, and knives. Joy gave me some power tools, and a cool rolling tool chest to store and organize them.

We had plans to go to a party with some friends across town, but the weather has interfered with those plans, so we'll have a quiet evening at home.

John is playing some new games on the Wii. James is at work--a double shift.

Four days until Christmas!

It's been a very snowy, winter weekend. We have about 6 inches of snow outside. Unfortunately, we're now having freezing rain, so that will make driving very treacherous. I'm off work for the year, but Joy still has to get to her job. We spent the day watching Christmas movies that we had recorded on our DVR. John and Joy also finished decorating the tree. Our house looks very festive!

All of my Christmas shopping--and wrapping--is already finished. I'm more excited to see the recipients of my presents open them then to open my own presents.

It's supposed to stay cold and snowy until Christmas. We might even still have a White Christmas for a change.

A Winter Wonderland

We went to the PAA Winter Concert on Saturday afternoon, then I went to watch the PAA girls play basketball against DeLa Salle. They played well, starting the second half with a 10 point run and their opponents never could catch up after that. Go Cougars!

We had a rare snowfall here in Portland on Sunday. I worked at home yesterday. Today, there is still some snow and ice on some of the streets, so I stayed home again. Hopefully, I'll be able to drive to Beaverton tomorrow for my last workday for 2008, but they're talking about more snow and/or freezing rain, so we'll see.

On Thursday, Joy and I are going to see The Christmas Sweater with our good friends Les and Keri. Christmas is next week, so Merry Christmas!

Another long weekend off

I had another 4 day weekend. On Friday evening, Joy and I went to the Oregon Zoo to see the Zoo Lights. It was impressive, as usual. This year, they've changed many of the lights to be LEDs, making brighter, but more energy efficient displays.

On Saturday morning, we went to OMSI to watch The Polar Express on their OMNIMAX dome. It was so large that it was like being too close to a TV.

Sunday, we went out in the rain and purchased our Christmas tree, a 6 foot noble fir. After getting the tree, we went out to eat at Calamity Jane's. Naturally, we ate too much, but only drank water, so we saved some calories that way.

Sunday evening, John had his first date, for the PAA Winter Banquet, so we spent the late afternoon getting him ready and taking him to the restaurant.

After today, I only have 6 more days to work. Then I'm off until January, 2009.

December 2008 has begun

It was a nice 4 day weekend. On Thanksgiving, we went up Vernonia to Joy's sister's house. We had a relaxing meal and a good visit.

Friday, Joy and James left the house at 5:30 for Black Friday shopping. I went out at about 8 and was home by about 9:30, getting the last few items on my Christmas list. Friday afternoon, we went to see Four Christmases, a cute holiday movie.

Saturday, I had multimedia duty at church. That evening, I watched the Ducks blow out the Beavers 65 to 38 in the Civil War Game at Corvallis. Go Ducks! This was the 1st football game that I've watched in HD on our 42" Toshiba LCD TV. I'd periodically switch back to the regular definition picture and the difference was amazing.

Yesterday, I went to help put up Christmas decorations at church and then we put up our outside decorations at home. Our house looks very festive now.

Last evening, I went with my friends Les and John to see the latest James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace. We were all disappointed in the movie. There was lots of action, but little plot. It's like they are trying to convert James Bond into Jason Bourne, but without the plot that Bourne brings along with it.

I have only 14 more days to work this year. Then I have vacation and holidays, coming back to work on January 5, 2009.

Thanksgiving Week

It will be a short work week. For Thanksgiving, instead of our usual trip to visit with my Aunt & Uncle in Tillamook, we're going to Vernonia to visit Joy's sister Tammy and her family.

We'll come home on Thursday evening, so that Joy can get up to go Black Friday shopping. I don't envy her that! I don't deal well with crowds. I've done most of my Christmas shopping already just to avoid facing the mad rush of people.

Another big bank bailout happened, for Citigroup. I'm sure glad that I'm not going to be the president and have to figure out where the money for all of this is going to come from. Just the thought reminds me of the Onion announcement about Obama's election.

This weekend is the annual Civil War game between the University of Oregon and Oregon State. I'll be pulling for Oregon, obviously--go Ducks! The Beavers going to the Rose Bowl would be a good consolation prize if the Ducks were to lose on Saturday.

A very nice November weekend.

On Saturday, we just stayed home and relaxed, watching some DVD movies, The Ten Commandments, Ben Hur, Deep Impact, and in honor of Thanksgiving coming soon, we watched Planes, Trains & Automobiles.

Yesterday, Joy and I went to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert at the Rose Garden with our friends Les and Keri. We had much better seats than last years, so we were even closer to the action. They had more fire and flame displays, along with more lasers, including purple ones. It was a great performance. Afterwords, we went to eat dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory by the Willamette River. It ended up being a late night, at least for me, but was lots of fun.

President-elect Barack Obama

Yeah! It was such a relief last evening to see the networks calling Pennsylvania and then Ohio for Senator Barack Obama. At that point, I felt confident that 2000 and 2004 weren't going to be repeated, that the Democrats would get back to the White House.

John McCain's concession speech was gracious and moving, but I was a little disappointed when his audience booed when Senator McCain mentioned Obama's name. The contrast in Chicago when Obama mentioned McCain was telling; this very large, very partisan crowd cheered for their defeated opponent. This seemed to me to be one of the big differences between the candidates. McCain was trying to scare voters away from Obama, while Obama was filling people with hope.

My oldest daughter voted yesterday for the 1st time. She was so excited to be able to a part of history being made, with her first election actually helping to pick our next president. Hopefully, this enthusiasm will stay with her and the other new voters and they won't get disenchanted with America's political process.

Election Day is Tomorrow

It's Monday, November 3, 2008. Tomorrow, America will choose its President, many senators, and all congressman, along with a host of ballot initiatives and local races. I'll be glad to have the mud-slinging out of the way, at least for a few months; I wish that politicians would realize that these type of ads just turn of the voters, but every election, another crop of nastiness erupts. I'm also very disappointed about the blatent lies that supposed Christians are telling by forwarding email messages full of obviously false "facts" about another Christian, Obama.

This campaign has been way too long; the next one will probably be even longer! I expect that Sarah Palin will begin running for the 2012 GOP Presidential nomination a few days from now.

I just hope that all Americans will unite behind the new president, Obama or McCain, at least for a few months. We've been divided as a nation for way too many years.

I have to admit that I'll miss reading all of the political blogs, though.

There's already Christmas music available on a couple of our Comcast music channels, and next Sunday, we're going to hear the Trans-Siberian Orchestra with our friends Les & Keri.

A lovely October weekend

We went up to my parents' house in Glenoma, Washington for the weekend. On Saturday afternoon, we took a drive up to see the new Jackson Visitor Center at Mount Rainier National Park. The fall colors, yellow, orange, and red contrasted nicely with the dark evergreen trees. Approaching the park, we ran into clouds and fog, but just before arriving at Paradise, we got above the clouds into sunshine, and blue sky, with the grandeur of Mt. Rainier looming above us.

We picked some pears and kiwis to have fresh fruit to eat.

Friday will be Halloween, probably my least favorite holiday of the year. Celebrating witches, ghosts, etc., just bothers me as a Christian. We'll just stay home with the outside lights turned off.

One week from tomorrow is election day. I'm so tired of the negative attack ads, so I'll be glad for it to end, though I know that I'll be glued to the TV on November 4, with my laptop active, watching the election returns. Hopefully, President Obama will be a refreshing change from the current occupant of the White House, but he'll have his hands full with the economy, wars, and foreign crises. I don't know why anyone would want the job!

October is half over.

We spent yesterday organizing our garage. We bought some shelves at Costco allowing us to more easily store and stack boxes. We moved some boxes out of our house into the garage and they are still more easily accessible.

Tomorrow is my daughter Selita's last high school volleyball game. Their season hasn't be that good, but they did tie for first in a tournament at Walla Walla University.

Next weekend, we're going up to visit my parents in Glenoma, Washington.

Two weeks from tomorrow is the election. The mudslinging going on is appalling. I'll be glad to have it over with, at least for a couple of years.

Another week is almost over

It's Friday, October 10. Stock prices on Wall Street continue to drop. Our friend Les was laid off from his job on Tuesday. I'm glad that I'm not real close to retirement; at the rate things are going, I'll have to wait until I'm 80!

I find it hard to believe that there are still one in four Americans who approve of the abysmal job that Bush is doing as President. Only a little over three more weeks and we'll have a new President-elect. Either of the major party candidates will be a big improvement over Bush, but I'm hoping that the polls are accurate and that Barack Obama will be our next president.

Tonight and tomorrow, Joy is attending a Women of Faith conference at the Rose Garden with some of her lady friends. James and I have multimedia duty tomorrow at Pleasant Valley Church.

On Sunday, we're going to do some more organizing of our garage.

October is here

Last weekend, we went over to Pacific City on the beach to see my brother and sister-in-law, visiting from Tennessee. The weather was absolutely marvelous, with not a cloud in the sky. We were staying in house directly on the beach, taking a long walk on Saturday afternoon and having a fire on the beach.

This weekend, the weather is much different. It has been cloudy, windy and rainy, so far. Tomorrow is supposed to be nicer--hopefully. Joy and I are planning on going up to Bagby Hot Springs to soak in the hot water. That'll be our second hot water soak; last evening, we went to Portland Tub and Tan and spent an hour in a romantic pool of water.

Only one more month until the election. I can't wait until it's over with; I'm tired of all of the mud slinging that's going on. I feel sorry for whoever wins. Bush is leaving his successor a terrible situation, what with Iraq, the financial situation, etc. I'm still upset that I am having to help pay for the bad business decisions of multi-millionaires on Wall Street. I am glad that my congressman, Earl Blumenauer, and one of Oregon's senators, Ron Wyden, were brave enough to face their party leaders and the president and vote against the package. Already, today, I'm hearing rumors of more bailouts to follow. My children and grandchildren are going to have to pay for this bailout and the war in Iraq, and that's just plain wrong!

I'm up in Redmond, Washington

I'm in Redmond at the Redmond Marriott Town Center hotel for the Pacific Northwest Software Symposium. Yesterday's sessions were interesting. I learned much more about SOA and the Java Messaging Service (JMS). The speaker for my sessions was Mark Richards. The keynote speaker last night was Jared Richardson (Jared's blog). Jared's speech on Career 2.0 was humorous, but good. I'm going to have to follow some of his suggestions. I already do "sanity hacking", using PHP/MySQL/Python/etc. at home to keep up my skill set, and learn new skills, beyond the Java that I use at work. Today, I'm planning on attending seminars about the Google Web Toolkit taught by David Geary, and Java Regular Expressions by Neal Ford.

This afternoon, Joy is coming up here with our friends Les & Keri to go see The Phantom of the Opera at The Paramount Theatre. We're planning on going out to eat before hand, and it gives Joy an excuse to dress me up in a suit and tie. Oh, well, when Joy's happy, I'm happy!

A new baby elephant

On Saturday, we went to Oregon Zoo to see Samudra, the baby elephant that was born on August 23. He was sleeping when we were there, but still cute. They have a new frog exhibit, which Joy liked, being the frog lover that she is.

On Saturday night, our son John was at a friend's house. He was planning on taking a fishing trip with them yesterday; however, he was out playing tag in the woods in the dark Saturday night and collided with a tree, ending up with a broken nose.

Yesterday, we had a 50th birthday party for our friend Les. He was totally surprised. Joy made him a birthday cake with a golf theme.

Next weekend, we're going to see The Phantom of the Opera with Les & Keri at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle. It should be a fun time.