Mark the HUGE

This is my godson Mark Christopher.

Suffocate the Day!

My Family

Went out with the FAM tonight to have a few beers and see #8's
boyfriend play. He is in a band called "suffocate the day." I'll let
you know how it is.

My Crazy Niece

You will see this girl on the X-Games someday....

Favorite Web Site

Well maybe I should start a favorite website of the week post. Because while we are on the topic of cool websites, here is another recently discovered favorite. I think a little background is in order.....
After hearing that my step-father-in-law loves Bill O'Reilly, I had to look for an appropriate place to find him a Christmas present. And here it is!!!! Enjoy!
In case you are wondering, the only thing I hate more than Fox News, is Bill O'Reilly. He really is a chump and for some reason it irks me knowing that there are MILLIONS of people out there who take his opinionated dribble as the gospel (pun intended for all the neo-conservative bible-thumpers out there) truth. The guy is worse that Rush, only by reason of the fact that he purports to be reporting the news. Rush on the other hand is simply a "shock jock."

My New Home Page?

Of all the cool things that I have seen in the last week, and there must be at least one or two, this is the "coolest." The creators of "Newseum" have created a website where I now have the ability to read newspapers all around the globe, without having to know what each newspaper is called. It's not that I really care about what happens in Santa Fe New Mexico, but I would like to see what the world view is without the interferance of special interest groups that taint the news we are spoon fed in this country.
For all you right-wing conservatives out there, I doubt you care what happens outside of our borders and I am sure you are content with the news (read "sound bites") as created and spoon fed by Fox News, but if you ever get tired of drinking the Kool-Aid, want to see what is going on in the world and make your own deccisions, check out this feature from Newseum’s Web site called “Today’s Front Page.” It’s a world map much like those found on Zillow or Google maps — move your cursor over any area, and the front page from that region’s daily paper appears.

Winter Wonderland????

Christmas is coming,
the goose is getting fat,
please put a penny in the old man's hat.

If you haven't got a penny,
a half a penny will do.

If you haven't got a half a penny,
then god bless you!

That is just a little jingle that we (our family) learned when we were little. Not sure if it came from my mom or grandpa, but for some reason those things just stick with you. It seems like a lot of things involving the holidays just stick with you. My wife used to think that many of the traditions (read "rituals") that my family and I have done and insist on continuing were weird. But now that we are looking forward to having kids, it seems like she is starting to buy into the importance of family traditions.

One thing that didn't stick with me is the need to have a cold snowy Christmas. It is supposed to dump a ton of snow tonight in the Washoe Valley and even more up in the mountains. I am hating the winter right now and longing for the days when I was in San Diego. Don't get me wrong, I love the snow - especially when it is up in the mountains, but I remember surfing with my buddy (and house mate at the time) Mike the morning I came home for Christmas the first year I was in San Diego. Can't wait for those days to come again. Winter weather is definitely something to VISIT. You can't beat flying to NYC for a few days, enjoying the NYC winter atmosphere all bundled up, and then flying home - only to get off the plane to jeans and t-shirt weather and palm trees. Can't beat it.