Work

This is where I worked for 9 years. A catering hall that looks like a club. We always focused on bar/!at mitzvahs, because seriously not many brides want to get married at a club and dealing with brides and bride moms is not the highest on my list. 135 adults and 90 kids is enough to get me called back in for a little help. The place runs pretty smooth and the catering company has it down to a science. The issue is do I want to get involved in this madness again.
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Mid November

I just keep grilling till the gas runs out!

I know it should be charcoal, but I am lazy.

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Time

The leaves are gone from the trees and my sweaters have taken over for my Ts. The brisk air reminds me of time gone by, last year, 5 years ago, 25 years ago. Time spent with friends, family, alone. I love the changing of the seasons it let's me know that time is not standing still, and that I too am changing with each passing season.
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Gotta get up before you get down.

I try to keep my life pretty simple. I sometimes wish I was the person who gets really excited and has that big booming laugh, you know the guy that you want to just bottle a bit of his boyish optimism. I just am not that guy. My highs are not the sky high highs and I usually don't have many lows. I am not a mopy person, I see the good in each day, the fun in each job. I look out of thw window today on this gloomy cold day and I marvel and mother nature and the chnaging of the seasons. I don't see that it is miserable out. I guess my point is that I don't understand the world of derpression and how it takes over who you are. I am really that naïve to think, can't you just wake up and be happy? Can't you just decide that today is the day to wake up and realize that this big world is filled with miracles.... And then I ask myself can't I just wake up and be that guy that belly laughs at all the wrong times..... I guess I don't really want to be that guy, yet I can admire him -- ok so I know this is not making sense. Suppose I will just sum up by saying depression sucks for everyone involved. So people you got to get up before you get down. It is a big big effing world out there find something that makes you smile and do it, see it, be it, smell it, hold it, taste it, photo it do what ever you have to do. Smile today.
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Today has a post

I wonder when I am going to .....

Sometimes when I wake up in the morning....

I am on my second cup of coffee... 

I use cup holders now...

Why are the malls ready for x mas already...

this recession sucks, but is actually kinda good..

Gooooo powerball...

Listening to Garth Brooks makes me..

I miss some of my old friends, yet not enough to make me pick up the phone...

Even though I know it can't happen I wish I could tuck the beans in bed forever...

Stress!!! And laughter!

Working 9am to 5pm is easy as pie. I don't care what you do or where you work. Currently, I am sitting in the drivers side of my car waiting to go to pop pops. The beans is refusing to get into her car seat. She has found a noise maker that she continuously blows, and a birthday hat that she smashes into my face while screaming happy birthday. Intermiitedly she leans up about a milameter from my face and screams ' you want me to drive you to nana and pop pops!'. I would like to get on the road, and get over to pop pops and convince him that he needs a beer/glass of wine/scotch and water/ shot of old grand dad whatever works for him. This wouldn't be so bad if I was able to muster a stern Mommy voice, yet I can't I am still working on it. Right now she is checking to make sure that my headset for my phone fits into my ears.

Ohh fantastic she found my change! ' THIS IS FOR MY PIGGY BANK DADDY? DADDY? DADDY THIS FOR MY PIGGY BANK?

What else can you do but laugh?!?!
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Waking up ...

Waking up is hard to do. I can barely open my eyes and I hear the click click click of my wifes shoes accross our wood floor. I can see that our room is still dark, and with a strain of lifting my right eyelid I can see that my bedroom door is cracked and wifey is in the other bathroom getting ready for work. The morning light shinning in the window on my right is more of a bright fuzz than sunlight. The might apollo is radiating heat that makes me oh so warm and comfy. Prying my left eye open I see that the beans worked us over again in the middle of the night and she is hogging most of the bed, and yes radiating heat to make me more snuggly and comfy. I close my eyes once more and nod off for just one second - to wake up to a cold nose pressed against mine. I open my eyes to see a set of eyes staring back at me. ' Good Morning Daddy, what cha wanna do today.'. Ahhh, another perfect day awaits me. Nothing beats the morning breath of a two year old. Or the non transitionary period at which she wakes up. One second asleep and the next wide awake ready to go. Let us seek the day and what it holds for us.
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Mommy Bloggers

I have no friggin clue how mommy bloggers do what they do. Supposedly stay home and watch the kid(s), do their own blogging, read and comment on tons of blogs and get the household stuff done. I have been laid off for about a month or so now and I am EXHAUSTED everyday. The beans and I hangout and get our stuff done, I am even getting pretty good at doing her hair. I am taking advantage of every minute that we get to spend together, yet I am not blogging much not reading much and almost getting the housework done. By housework I mean: the dishes, straightening up, running the vaccum, and cleaning the bathrooms. The only reason I get any of that done is because nana and pop pop take her to play group and music class. By 6pm PJ is Dunzo! Now throw in this World Series thing and the Phillies and I am practically zombie-a-fied. So, any advice would be great! Thanks in advance.
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And it is on FO real..

I know it is only Oct, well almost November already, yet it is time to think about mowing my lawn with my shirt off this summer. A pretty simple goal nothing too serious. I have been lacking some motivation so I texted my boy DP and issued a challenge. We both weigh about the same, although he carries a bit more muscle. Either way the challenge is out there and seeing as though I have never lost to him at anything it is on like donkey kong. Plain and simply who ever loses the most lbs by Feb 1st wins! No prizes no nothing, just a winner and a loser! Broad street run 10 miler in May 2010 will be my tenth, and I want it to be a breeze - let's do this thang.
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Phhhhheeewk

I am sitting her in my upstairs hallway, no lights are on and luckily it is the beginning of the afternoon and I have a little bit of light shinning through the downstairs windows. I have broken out into a cold sweat and my hands cover my face in disbelief. My lips are dry and as I wet them with my tongue I open my eyes to see that my error was a grave one. I look to the right of me and see three little pieces of paper, let's call them little strips of paper, and the error stares me dead in the face. I know what I have done, and it is not good. I look at the steps and little strips of paper are there as well. An infestation if you will, taunting me, laughing at me. I follow the strips, picking them up on after another, down the steps, into the living room, down another flight of steps to the basement, up and into the kitchen I find a few more, I gather them in my hand, and trudge into the garage and there I see it - a hole in the bag that I just shredded all of my paper into. Good stuff, awesome! It is a good day.
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Cold

Stepping out of the front door you can feel the chill hit you in the face. The chill in your toes, and in your bones, down your spin and into your core.. The smell of the heater still hovering in your nose. Your ear lobes let you know that you are ill prepared for the weather today. As your eyes drip a tear and you take a step further - your knees ans ankles give a familiar throb just to say hey fella the seasons are changing. You pass the bleak flower beds as you fumble for your car keys, thinking to yourself that morning trips to the market for milk and eggs are surely the best. I can almost taste the cinamon raison french toast sandwich that will provide me with enough sugar and carbs to get me well into the afternoon. Shaking the cold out of my eyes I come to my car and see it - right there in front of me - clear as day - from out of nowhere - clearly not expected - effing frost on my car! FROST. WTF - FROST. Dang it. I gotta scrap this shit off! DANG IT.
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just so positive...

I have come in contact with a few people that I knew for a reason that I was meant to speak with them. To hang out with them, to have a few beers with them and talk about the ways of the world. I am a true believer in old souls, and past lives in some sort of manner (and I don't want to get into all of that now). Yet, I know that I meet people that I have met before, that I have spoken to before... Maybe I just don't have the words to express how exactly I want this to come out. Yet, the easiest way to explain it is that you meet some people and you talk for a bit and you like them, and then you don't talk and it is no big deal. other people you speak with and you just know that somehow they are more important than other people. Maybe they act like people you know or talk like people you know or remind you subconsciously of people you know. Or maybe in your last life you were best friends who the heck knows..

It is always good to catch up with old friends.

Happy Friday!

Mommy

Let me tell you something, this mr. Mom shit aint no joke! It is 4am and I am up with the beans, as much as I hate to say this - per usual. This happens more often than it should. Usually after eating any sort of icing the day before. Now believe you me I have voiced my opinion on this matter on more than one occasion, yet birthday cake and cupcakes still show up from time to time, last night being an uncles b day - I mean how can we say no to icing at 6:45pm? I think it is pretty easy. I just don't see how the mommy bloggers get all the blogging and commenting done and reading done... I know this mommy blogger can't get it done.
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Question

The question on the table seems to be -

So what do you want to do for the rest of your life?

The simple answer is that I have not one clue. I have zero clues, nada, zip, nilch.... Chime in the sound of wind blowing and crickets chirping.

The name of the game is always going to be sales. You have to sell something to someone. Or perform a service for someone, and even with the service somebody has to sell the service to be able to get to the point that you can service them.... WTF. So basically I have to buy something and resell it. Make something and sell it. Provide a service and sell it. SELL SELL SELL - and now the great questions of what, to who, where, and how? Now, selling VALUE in this economy is certainly an uphill battle. Selling cheap shit is certainly not the answer cause cheap shit sucks. And the inbetween stuff well you take the good with the bad I suppose - any ideas?
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It is everywhere....

All you have to do is see it. Get out of the house and look around, open your eyes, lay down in the grass. Feel the morning dew between your toes, look up at the night sky and see the stars, stare at the moon.. On your drive to work - I dare you I double dog dare you to look at the sun, wake up... Each day is an experience, an adventure, a reason to step back and look around, smell the flowers as they say. Notice the blue sky, it might be behind a few clouds, yet it is still there. Open the curtains and see the bunny running accross the front lawn. Someone once said don't worry be happy and it is the truth, words to live by... So what you lost your job, so what you have an ear infection that won't go away, so what you put on a few pounds, who cares if your hair line is inching back on you, grey hair is distinguished, I mean it doesn't matter that you are not getting any taller.....
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End of work as we know it...

This am I was out walking the dog with the beans (I have nothing else to do) and the trashmen came by to empty the can.  Only it wasn't trashmen, it was one trashman!  No longer does it take a guy to drive and two guys to hustle to empty the bins.  Now one guy to drive and work the mechanical arm to empty the bin.  So, let us do the math.. that is two guys who no longer have jobs - wtf.   First the damn ATM machine and now this... BRUTAL, machines are taking over.

Some days..

Some days you wake up and t he sun is shinning the birds are chirping the air is crisp and and refreshing....

Some days you awake, and it is cold, your hearing is distorted, confusing, you wake up in a daze. Your can't get the sleep out of your eyes, you hear something yet you can't make it out - muffled noises. Struggling to get your eyes open you see a dim lite. It is cold and dark, damp and musty... Your lips are dry and your throat feels like sandpaper, you lick your lips to no avail. Your wits are no where to be found, finally you come to your senses you scramble to your feet, falling and shaking a bit along the way. shake the mucus around in your head, rub your eyes... Walk a few painful steps to the bathroom, holding onto anything you can get your hands on - just to control your balance, just to keep your feet under you. Get your achey body and mind to the bathroom, reach for the faucet, pull the handle in your direction and listen for a brief second to the water pour out. Cup your hands making a basket to catch some of that ice cold water to splash on your face and as the drips splatter off of your nose and hit the floor, the sink, the cat who is ramming his head against your leg looking to be pet, everything is getting wet - you are a mess -- shake it off and look in the mirror and say ' it is going to be another good day'.

Friday beeeyotches!!!
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What I am doing..

You know what... I hate the fact that I am going to take money from unemployment. Yes yes I know I know, I have been paying into it since I started working, I have heard it all before... It just kind of hits me in the essence of my being, yet on the other hand I now have the ability to seek out what PJ wants to do. Make a difference, heck maybe even help some people... Hmmm, there is a novel idea, sell people something that they actually need! Provide a service that is useful, not just in it to make the coin. However find the kwon. For the people by the people.

I do have a few other things on my plate or shall I say up in the air at this time. Most importantly I need to get in touch with the gov't about the yellow flag system for all seniors who are still driving, and the young bucks on the road. I strongly feel that if you are over 60 or under 23 you should have a large yellow flag attached to your car so that the rest of us know to avoid you on the road. A signal that explains why you drive like an idiot. Fly your flag with pride! Show that you are lsoing your mind or that you haven't found it yet, do your thing! I drive like an idiot flags available for sale at pj.com now!
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IMG00209.jpg

Ok so let's talk about fair for a hot minute. Good old PJ is at his job for about 9 months or so. Never used a sick day, never called out, never the hint of the sniffles. 3 days out of a j-o-b and I am rocking an ear infection. Hey PJ how bout a kick in the balls with your job loss - haha luckily I have a good sense of humor for all of this, luckily we a world of opportunity awaits me in this big bad world. It is Monday and I don't have a case of the Mondays!
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Ut ohhhh....

Seems good old Pj is going to be back on the blogging seen again. My high pressure sales position is no more. Not sure why but evidently they frown on sales people not selling anything, weird. I am now another product and/or casualty of this not so hot economy. It is... Oh how do you say it ... It is all good in the hood! One door closes and another opens. One mans trash.... Oh you know. I have so many friggin ideas in my head and I know a few people who want to help me out. Gotta get out there and shake some hands and kiss some babies, work the crowd and see what is what.

I am going to take advantage of this time and hang out with the beans. See what the world has to offer me. Grab the bull by the horns and pound some pavement. All that jazz.
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Stick

Let's be honest for just one second - I bought a new car. I purchased a Honda fit. It is a great car and I love it, the only problem is that it is a stick. Being a manual means that I need two hands to drive, no longer just my right foot and left knee. Come on you know you do it too. Now I am both hands and both feet, ridiculousness!! When the heck am I supposed to blog? At work you say, humbug. I am working commission in a recession, its hustle time at work! I will have to figure it out and surely will, I miss my internet buddies and have lots of reading to ctach up on as well. Happy hump day, now get both hands on the wheel!
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Wednesday night

Finished reading the first Twilight book that wifey left behind. Got the tube on watching Pedro pitch for the Phillies, it is a weird night. The house is quiet and empty. I made my normal trash run and found nothing. Went into the beanies room to grab her sheets for the wash and just stood there for a minute thinking about what usually goes on here in the evenings. The carnival of attempting to get the kid to bed. The songs, the books, the master manipulation (on her part). I certainly miss the family. It is kind of tough at work lately when each day I feel like I am fighting to keep my job, to keep my head above water. In early and stay late. I hit the phones and talk for a living who knew how exhausted you could be after sitting in a cube for ten hours. At least I have a glass of wine a kitten on my lap, the mighty apollo by my side, and the manny man sitting on the arm of the sofa. I take a deep breath give a nod to the gods and say goodnight, don't let the bed bugs bite.
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Home alone...

Home alone on a Sunday morning. My ladies are off on vacation and the house is awful quiet. Up early and finished my shower and run, just me and the pupper curled up on the sofa. The rain has been pouring all morning, I had some coffee and a good book to keep me busy. I am a bit lonely, and now the sun is threatening to make me get some yard work started. I think I will take a few more moments to myself. Maybe brew a second cup and think about what I would be doing if the girls were still home. Maybe some Elmo or Cindarella some breakfast at the diner, some songs and some dancing, certainly nothing this quiet.
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Seemingly

It seems that I can hear without listening and drive without seeing. My morning commute has been more of a dazish fog than an active trip from one destination to the next. The music is on and I am listening and even note certain songs. I stay on the road, yet not really seeing the road. Almost as if in a tunnel or a cattleshoot I just get in line and get there when I get there. I think about my family, I look at the sunrise, I watch the guy in the yellow shirt ride his bike, I watch the people walking their dogs, I watch people drive their cars, eat their breakfasts, and I realize life is good. Life is really fucking good. Sure we have THINGS that we want to get done and other STUFF on our plates. Life is good, enjoy.
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A little drizzle

A nice morning commute with a little morning drizzle. Up at 5am for a few miles on the treadmill. Enough on my mind to keep me busy for 45 minutes of going straight staring at the same thing. 2 hours and twenty minutes later off to work to put in my time card and make something happen. Passing the packed parking lots of Starbucks and McDonalds wondering if this recession is hitting everyone? I left my ladies at home in bed, the beans asking if I could stay home today. Not today little one not today. You will have a great Mommy day! The rain you ask. Ha. The rain is nothing for Mommy, she will make your day amazing rain or no rain. Pulling into my spot I turn the wipers off and watch the rain drops collect on the windshield, and with a deep breath I step out of the car to attack the day.
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Drive home

The sun is beating down on my left eye and I need to wince just a bit to block it out. It seems almost foggy out there, yet I think all I see is a bit of smudge on my windshield left over from a week of non use on my car. The radio is loud and I don't hear anything clearly. Just a bass line and a drum beat. My head bobing for no particular reason. My eyes are heavy from glaring at my computer screen all day, I am hazy, I am foggy, it is my Monday daze that I am going to shake off before I get home to see my ladies.
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Back on the grid

Vacation is officially over and it is back to the grind. We did Williamsburg, Busch Gardens and vacation up big time. I am simply amazed at the beans everyday. Her vocabulary and speaking abilitity has skyrocketed in the past month and each day when I talk to her and watch her I can't believe how big she has gotten. She is litterally a little person now and it blows my mind. She says whatver comes to her mind. I love how two year olds have no filter, no problem talking about bunnies at breakfast or where pee pee and poo poo come from, hilarious. Vacation was fabulous to be able to spend a full week with the family and just hang out and do our thing! Beanie attacked the rides at Busch Gardens, she was not affraid to do anything and seemed pretty bored on the little kiddie rides. The two days that we did the rides she feel asleep in the park, it is a hard day in the sun and doing all of those rides. She was up every night till about ten, and was a real trooper. Daddy didn't even get done one book, and read no blogs and wrote nothing at all. All worth it. Fantastic week.

No new car yet, still working on the options.

Think I gained about 4 lbs over the past week. It is time to make a commitment to myself to get in the best shape of my life. I am in pretty good shape, yet would love to be mowing the lawn shirtless this time next year.
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What do you think....

I have really come to realize that when you are old, married, and have a kid you lose some friends. I suppose it is just the life style change from going out at 8pm at night to having to be in at 8pm. I also think that with a child you are more or less stuck in a close proximity to the house. Now I am not saying that we never go out, because we do. We are all over the place. I am simply stating that when you are a young married couple you do what you want when you want, and maybe what you want is to not hang out with a little kid.

On my Thursday drive home, and all I can think about is one more day of work till the weekend. One day of the weekend and I am friggin off for vacation. Heading to the Va to do some historic stuff, wineries, hang at the pool, and hit up Busch Gardens for some fun. My concentration level is poor at best. I will be bringing the laptop and ready read lots of blogs and start my catching up. I also intend to rip thru a few books, gosh I miss vacation. Cross your fingers that the beans understands the word vacation = rest.

A sunny Friday and I am off to work, for the last day in a week. This time next week I will be tan, rested, more well read, and complaining that I only have two more days of vacation left. Happy Friday yall.

Anyone out there doing the P90x?
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Caught in a rut....

The world of sales is filled with peaks and valleys. You have to know the sour to get to know the sweet. Right now the taste is pretty sour. A cyclical sales cycle is rough. Certain seasons people are buying and certain seasons you are calling, and calling and calling for no apparent reason. Building the foundation to the house. These are the days that I sit at my desk pressing to make more calls, to due more mining for better leads, to ask better questions, to be persistant. A rolling stone gathers no moss. I hear no no no all day long and have relized that no really means not now. Keep working on it PJ. Keep your nose to the grind stone and keep on keeping on... Keeping FILOing it! First In Last Out is the way to the top. Work smarter and harder. Do it to it.

Ha, that should get me thru the day and to my 3 day weekend!
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Bring the heat!

It feels like just a few months ago I was complaining about the snow and the ice. Now the heat is here and I love it. Nothing do I like better than doing yard work and sweating my cajones off! 86 degrees at dinner time is awesome. I suppose that I might feel different if I worked outside, yet I don't so it is all good in the hood. I have been thinking for some time that I need to get an education certification, so I can become a teacher. I need to have summers like the good old days - when summer really meant something other than hot and humid. Summer was the fun time, pools, sprinklers, playing freedom and kick the can, baby in the air, drinking lemonaide and iced tea by the gallon, playing all day and chillaxing all night. I think I could handle elementary ed. As long as we don't get into long division I am good.
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Beautiful

..... And it certainly is a beautiful day to get back to my little old blog. Where have I been you ask? I guess I have just been lazy. Ok, so maybe not lazy, I have been busy. Work is crazy and I haven't been reading many blogs therefore I just have not been blogging as much myself. Also, it iz not very safe to drink tea, blog, and drive at the same time.

Just got back from a few days at the Jersey shore which was a blast. It is amazing how ' fun ' has changed. I had a blast watching the beans ride Thomas the train, and the little fire trucks, the boats, the teddy bears, we did it all. We shopped, hit the beach, swam in the pool, and had a nice vacation. She was pretty excited to be ' down the shore'.

Lots going on here in PJ world. I have to get a new car within the month and I think we are leaning towards getting a Honda Insight, Prius, or the VW TDI. The Honda is the front runner right now. I also have pretty much gone vegetarian. I am not ready to say that I am a vegetarian, yet I do like the way I feel. Guess I cheated a little with the Alaskan king crab that I ate the other night, but that is why I don't tell anyone I am a veggie.

Other than that, just work. Awesome being a grown up! Summer is just not the same.
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It all boils down...

To what you do with your time. How do you handle free minutes and free hours? A few minutes here and a few minutes there add up to a whole bunch of time wasted. You learn that awful quick in sales and awfuk quicker in sales in a recession. Once you have learned it, it then spills over to your entire life. What time are we leaving? How long is the ride? How long to get ready? What time is it now? And of course what the heck is the plan B when shit doesn't go according to plan. Plan C plan D? Gotta have em. I learned a few years back that it is not all about the coin, yet about the kwon (10 points if you get that reference). Does that mean I don't work as hard at work, and even put in the ot, certainly not. It does mean that when I am at home I make sure I am in the moment. I have turned into the king of multitasking.

On a side note I think I figured out twitter. I am pjfjp. I don't really post much but I like to read the tweets.
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The world of being a Daddy

Right now it is not the easiest thing to to do, being a Daddy. I am not home as much as I would like. I don't get the qt that I would like/deserve/need with the ladies in my life. If I work late it seems that I catch the beans for maybe a good hour or so before she has to go to bed. And let me tell you the bed time process is not a bunch of roses now a days. She is doing a much better job at sleeping by herself, actually she is doing a great job falling asleep by herself. We stand outside her door each night and listen to her get out of bed grab some books, and open her dresser and get a few pairs of pants to take to bed with her. She always wakes up with at least 3 pair of pants in her bed, and last night she feel asleep holding a book. This is after the numerous attempts at pee and poo, tummy hurts, one more book, one song in the rocker, one more book to read plea bargains. The middle of the night is the rough part, she was waking from the night terrors and now I think she has us bamboozled to getting into our bed. Two nights ago for some reason she was up for about an hour and half in the middle of the night. Last night went pretty smooth until about 4:30am which is when mommy and daddy usually wake up so one of us can go for a run. Well, that didn't happen. We hoped she would fall back asleep, yet that sure didn't happen and neither of us got a run in. The tough part is that when she is cranky or upset Daddy can't do anything to console her, its all Mommy time. Having the beans just yell for mommy when I am right there is a tough pill to swallow, yet I certainly understand those reactions. I think ahead to this summer and I am so excited for the time that they will be able to be together and the trips they will be taking. I won't lie I am a bit jealous. I will have my time as well and hopefully this recession will be over soon, and Daddy can work some less hours. Cross your fingers.
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Rough week!

This week has been a pretty rough one as far as things happening that are out of my control. A few sales people at work were ' let go'. A few of which I had become pretty cool with, and was looking to get to know better. One day you have a room full of occupied cubes and the next day sit empty cubes where your friends once sat. It is a weird feeling. It stinks that this economy is putting the screws to so many people. And the past few weeks a friend of mine has been having a rough patch in his marriage. Well, maybe it has been a rough 6 months or so yet I have really only been in the loop for a few weeks. I wish I could explain the drain that it has been on me, to be a supportive friend, someone to listen, to be there, I am emotionally spent. I could not even imagine what he feels like. I could never walk in his shoes. Yet, as spent as I am, I certainly will be there for him in his time of need. As spent as I am I will answer every phone call return every text, and have a house full of open doors. I just can not imagine nor do I ever want to imagine what he has on his plate right now.

On a lighter note. You sure can't beat the beans on her new bike. Complete with helmut and cape. Who doesn't need a dish towel cape to wear on bike rides? A cape just turns a regular bike ride into a super bike ride!
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.my 5, guilty pleasures

Hey PJ from www.pandrjandg.blogpsot.com - also known as it is what it is, sometimes! If you are there then go check out here ... www.pausefourthought.blogspot.com.....same post today at both places cause I am lazy!

My 5 guilty pleasures. I know the first few should be my wife and child, yet I am going to leave them off the list, because they are a given.

1. My blackberry. Seriously, with out it I would not have a blog. I wouldn't check the weather 30 times per day. FB status checks happen at least once per hour. Reading blogs is also a blackberry thing, it is a tiny screen yet it works. I am feening for an iphone as TSK can attest to, yet my blackberry is still the truth.

2. Tea. I love me some tea. We have a teavana store not too far from our house and a tea steeper. Ok, so my guilty pleasure is that pop pop makes me tea each morning that is ready for me when I drop the beans off. I have tea each morning, all different flavors, that I don't have to make myself, Haha GUILTY!!

3. Peeps!!!! I love me some peeps. You know the marshmellos that are covered with sugar. Bunnie peeps, ghost peeps, santa peeps, I don't care I love em all. Although lately I have been able to curb my peep pleasure, I have been known to wack a box of peeps on the DL (down low)..

4. I would have to say The Hills. Can't believe I just put it out there like that, but my wife will watch the show and I won't get up and leave. They sucked me in. wifey DVRs the show and whenever she asks if she can watch it I hem and haw a bit and never leave the room. Haha, Desperate housewives, I get up and leave, The Hills I go get the wine.

5. Mariah. I love me some Matiah Carey. Maybe not the 2009 Mariah, yet 88 - 98 Mariah. Her remixes are pretty much a standard in PJs cd player. Me and Mariah go together like babies and pacifiers. I even have the glitter CD and think it is pretty good!

Along with number 5 I might as well list: new edition, bell biv devoe, vanilla ice, debbie gibson, balinda carlisle - I love all the cheesy 80s music - love it all. Mariah is still my number 1 and always will be.

This really should have been top 10 guilty pleasures.
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Memorial day

It is Monday, Memorial day weekend @ 4:07pm and PJ is BBQed the heck out. The beans is passed out in the back seat, wifey just ran into trader joes to grab some fixins, and I am sitting here admiring my belly. It is time to get to losing some belly flab. I have said it before, yet it is time to get it on. I have not run since the Broad Street run 10 miles that slapped me with a double ear infection. The alarm is set for 4:30am, back to the grind. I am thinking that 10 or so lbs by july 12th is possible, if not more. This is going to sound a bit crazy, yet I have to eat a bit more per day to get my metabolism ramped up a bit. One more bbq to go. We did the neighbors house, our house, my brothers house and now back to casa de PJ for steaks and corn on the cob, and yes a few beers. It certainly is a rough life, and a short week this week to boot! Booyah. Nothing wrong with the summer in Philly. I have one vacation booked for the summer and besides that it is just working my tail off, and being in the moment when I get the chance to spend time with the family. My main goal is to learn to enjoy the jobs around the house weeding, paiting, redesigning rooms - you know the drill just gotta make it all happen, and enjoy it while it is happening.


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Sales is like...

Dating. As the guy, I call and call and call until you finally answer. Then I set up a date. We go out and it is awesome, it seems like a great fit, us together. I even ask you if you had a good time and you say yes. We even get as far as setting up a future call, and swap emails. And then I never hear from you again. I call, I email, maybe I come on too strong, yet I know all the other boys are doing the same. I think I have the best car, the best sound system, and all that shit. I might be a little more money, yet baby it is worth it. My service is second to none. So, why don't you call me back. I know you are busy, I know work is crazy and your mom is on your case, your finishing up some school work, washing your hair. Basically, doing your thing. I know some other guys call, and hey maybe they even take you to the movies, dinner, coffee, whatever it is, I am curious why you don't call me back to chat. A month passes with my emails and calls falling on deaf ears. And then one late night or early morning you send an emal, saying that this isn't going to work out between us, that you like me and appreciate all that I have done for you, you received my emails and voicemails, yet you have already commited to another, you already signed on the dotted line. Your leaving me, but I can keep in touch over the years in case the new guy slips up. I ask for more info to help me become a better person, to help me better myself, to please give me some information, again deaf ears. I can't believe she just broke up with me via email! What a punk. Seriously, did our relationship not warrant a phone call? Did I mean that little to you? Are you not a grown up? This makes me think you are kind of weak and it makes me sad. I would have done anything for you, and now we will never know. Don't call me when he is not good enough for you.... Um wait, please call me. I really could use another date, I could use another long term relationship.

TGIF
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Look into my calendar!

This is one of those stare at me till your eyes go crazy calendars that turns into another picture. They are pretty cool and all the rave at the local malls in the late 80s. You would see people just staring blankly at the pictures till they yelled out 'oh it is a sailboat', or ' holy cow there is a tiger'. I sure do wish it was still the 80s. Well, late 80s early 90s. Hairbands, vanilla ice, the first go round of NKOTB, Z-cavs, members only... Ok ok I will stop. I know all you crazy kids are jealous.

I am obviously very sleep deprived and have not slept for an 8 hour night for over 6 months. Ok, just one day, and that was because the beans had a little rash on her face and we gave her some benadryl. Save that one time, I am up at least once per night. I am slowly zombiafying. Yes you read that right, I am turning into a freaking zombie!
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Worst date ever.

Let's think back to the mid 90s. The end of my first year of college. Just a quick bit of background. I went to a PSU sattelite campus for two years before going to main campus. While living at home I worked my tail off, I was working 40 hours per week at a supermarket (food store) and had a full load of classes. I knew if I put the work in for two years and got my GPA up and my bank account up that the next two years would be time that I would never forget. I worked all different shifts from overnight crew, to early am produce, to mid shift anything I could get my hands on. If someone called out sick they called me, I did it all and never turned down extra work, ever. The great thing was I was in a union, so each time I learned something more I got paid more. Ok, to get to the point. Her name was heather, and she was smoooookin hot. I am talking top 3 in the school, and she was really nice really really nice, and I asked her out. She agreed, and that is where it went down hill fast. That Friday night I worked till about 10, got home went to bed around 11:30am and was up at 4am to cover early morning produce. I worked till about two and after grabbing some roses from the flower section I headed home. No cell phones back then so when I got home I called Heather to make sure she set something up, sure stop at a friends house and then a late movie. We were seeing Bram Strokers Dracula at 10pm. What? 10pm I need a effing nap STAT. Of course with my mom, dad and brother at home no nappy poo was gonna happen for good old pj. This is before redbull, so I was up the creek. Gonna be a long night, yet gonna be worth it.

I picked her up in the fly Subaru gl 4 door sedan (that's how I rolled), brought the roses with me to the door and everything was super smooth. I knew this was going well. Off to her friends house and meeting a few peeps. Well, this one guy was such an A-hole and just kept making comments and stuff under his breath. We both noticed this and it was pretty uncomfortable. Most likely an ex or just someone who had a crush. . I think we were there for maybe ten minutes or so before I said it was time to go. She was down to leave and we grabbed a bite before the movie. All was going well, arm touching laughing, smiles, looking into each others eyes. Then I felt a tickle in my throat. We got to the movie, I grabbed a large cherry coke. Ahemmmm, grrr grrr... Working it out. Sip of soda, AHEMMMM, tickle tickle... Ahemm. Large gulp of soda. Ahemmm, nothing. We find our seats in a packed theatre. Ahemm... Tickle tickle tickle... I knew this was not going good, in fact I knew that I was in a crash and burn situation here. AHEM AHEMMMM AHEMM!!! I think I got it, all the while she is glancing over towards me with a quizical look on her face, what is going on. Now I start to chit chat and smile, tickle tickle ticke - WTF. My little ahemmms went on for about 45 minutes, the guy in front of me kept looking back at me like I had any control of the situation. Luckily, my head started to bob a bit, oh shit I am so tired. Ahem, head bob, ahem, eyes closing, ahem, no no no, ahem... WE ARE GOING DOWN. The next thing I remember was good old heather tapping me on the shoulder, shit I actually feel asleep on a date. What a loser. We drove home, me ahemming and her bored. Smooth. I walked her to the door and said good night. No attempt at a hug, kiss, or even a high five - I was way too embarrased to make a move, and probably had some nasty morning breath. Brutal. Hope your worst is better than my worst.
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Posting

Well, my posting has been somewhat sporatic at best lately. This past weekend consisted of getting ready for a 2 year old b-day extravagaza, having a 2 year old b-day extravaganza, and follow that up with a rip roaring 6 year old party on Sunday. Now today in about 2 hours or so I have a presentation to do at work. Good stuff. Great stuff, and busy busy busy. As they say a rolling stone gathers no moss! Keep your nose to the grind stone and all that shit.

Well big daddy needs some high quality REM sleep.


I really never understood the fear of speaking in front of an audience. My presentation was in front of 90 people and a piece of cake. Just have to keep those nerves under control and enjoy the moment. Know what you are talking about and talk about it. It is a pretty easy formula, say what it is, why it is, and recap. Bing bang boom, done. Some people work themselves up so much that they can barely get thru it, and once it goes bad it sure is hard to get it back. Seriously, grab the bull by the horns and stop being such a sally.

Happy Tuesday, get on with it.
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Hump day!

Well its hump day, hence I am over here as well -

www.pausefourthought.blogspot.com

Just talking about why I blog, nothing serious.

It is now, 7:50pm. I am sitting in the doctors office, and I had a 7pm appointment. Whiskey tango foxtrot!!! Ugh. I really don't understand how these knuckleheads get away with this. Seriously, you went to how many years of school and you can't effing figure out how to make a friggin schedule. Tell me you don't have any room to sneak me in, tell me you don't like my tie, but don't run an hour late. It makes you look bad, it makes your staff look bad, and certainly makes your computer program that is supposed to make this easy look bad. I have been at my job for 5 months and I have my schedule figured out, it is really not that hard, and it took me 5 years to graduate college with a BS. I would assume that his wife is gonna be pissed as he is running at least an hour late. I mean doesn't he want to put the kids to bed, I know I do, hence I made my appointment at 7pm not 8pm. I know he is just going to say ' sorry for the wait thanks for your understanding ' and I am going to take it like a man who just got slapped in the face and say no problem. What I really want to say is listen clownface, you suck at this, you might be a good doctor, but your time managment skills are effing pathetic. I missed putting my daughter to bed, because you can't figure out how long it takes to meet with people to meet with patients. This is your job numbnuts, your job, and that you have been doing for 10 plus years, over 10 years and still don't have it figured out.

Yeah, no problem in making me wait for over an hour, plus the 15 minutes I was early. Lesson learned. I am a race car in the red, and I have to say thank you to him, aint that some shit?

I did do two blog posts so I was a bit productive while I waited.

8:35 pm waiting for my perscription to be filled and the good doc gave me something I am allergic to, luckily the pharmicist caught it. Plan B, and I am waiting. Cold beer will help. If only I could pour it in my ears for my double ear infection, thank you broad street run.

Happy humpday!
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The gift that keeps on giving!

Whoever invented this toy is a sadist. The popper! The mad popper! It is more for younger kids just starting to walk, I suppose, yet it is a favorite at the pj household. It has been 'lost' a few times, 'out of rotation' a few times yet always finds its way back from hidebernation. See that I said 'hide' instead of 'hiber' pretty witty if I do say so myself. Anywho, this popper does just that, pops little platic balls into the lid so it makes a noise. Poppopper popper POPPER POPPER!!!!! Ahh the joys of parenting.
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Psycho

Well, the guy behind me is a psycho - lunatic- road raging fool, screaming, banging the steering wheel - and I am the A-hole in front of him blogging on my drive home. Oh wait, and the sun is out!!! I haven't seen her in a long long time. I miss the sun. It has been 9 days of rain and overcast here in Philly and that is not good at all. Hahaha the poor guy behind me has his head out of the window seeing what the holdup is - its 5:30pm bro, they don't call it rush hour for nothing, he is doing the swerve out left swerve out right to look ahead, to no avail. He is probably late for his job at the mall or late for his home cooked meal at home.

Five O - coppers - the fuzz - the PO PO

Ok, off to dinner with a friend to have a life changing conversation, when the po po get me. I mgiht have pulled out of my development and made a right and crossed the double yellow line, and cut thru a turning lane to get to my turning lane to make a left. You got that? Good. So literally 30 seconds from my house and late for dinner already. Aaaaaannnd, she gave me a warning !!!!! Yaaaaah. She came up and asked the trick question: Do you know why I pulled you over? Yes maam sure do. A warning later and I was off to dinner. That 220 dollar ticket sure would have sucked. The topper of the whole thing is that I was listening to a little Bone Thugs when I saw the lights go on, ironic?

Happy Friday!
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Bad bad bad joke

I just can't not write this:

Did you hear that kermit the frog died of swine flu. His last words were ' that effing pig told me she was clean.'

Sorry, just had to do it.
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Pausefourthought.blogspot.com

Check it out.

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Hard to work and a ?

It sure is tough to work the phones like a mad man when you can't talk. I lost my voice on el Broad Street Run O, I think I made 10 calls yesterday compared to a regular 60 to 80 call day. That is not a recipe for success. Today I am leaving msgs and speaking with people with my best bedtime and/or morning voice possible. Let's hope it works well, and strikes a nerve with some clients. I certainly take sympathy call backs!

On a side note - is it ok for guys to color their hair? Let's say that you are just a bit salt and peppery on the sides and a bit of grey on top. Just for men - does that make it any better if the box says its for guys? Is salt and pepper sexy? Do you just shave it down, cut it military style so no one knows? Is salt and pepper better than being bald?
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Sunday Funday

I spent the better part of my morning on Sunday running down Broad Street in Philadelphia for 10 miles with 25 thousand of my closest friends. Not a bad way to start a day off. The first six miles were cake. The next two miles were ok, and the last two pretty much were not so good. I am in pretty good running shape, for a treadmill. The game gets a bit dofferent on the cement street, a little more wear and tear. Between the concrete, the cold weather, and hey let's throw in some rain, the last two miles were a bit of a mind game. My knees were pretty sore, the cold and dampness really does not work well with screws in each knee. I finished in about two hours which is my goal each year. 2 minutes behind a good friend and about 4 in front of rx7 and his wife. So close to people that you know and yet you probably have 1000 people between you. I think I sumed it up best once we were done and standing in the cold rain sweating, legs throbing - this sucks so bad that its almost funny. As for today, I feel pretty good. Quads are a little sore, yet that is about it, well, except for the nasty sore throat that one aquires while running in 40degree rainy weather for two hours. Good thing I don't need to talk for a living, oh wait I do. Let's hope for better weather next year, and I am sure my Syracuse connection will be down again. Big ups to them for toughing it out. Next year I am expecting 20 people and a big tailgate after, see you there.
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Fuzzy

It is only Tuesday evening and it is already getting fuzzy. I have office vision and office BUTT. Come on you know what I am talking about - when you sit and slouch then your back starts to hurt because your posture stinks. The other office butt is when you just work too friggin much and you eat like crap, with no time to work out, therefore your butt gets big. I hear the ladies talking about the OA, office A#*. I just wanted to clean it up a bit.

WED: Ok that was the other day before I remembered that I had to log onto my computer and bust out somel inks on this here blog. Next thing you know I will be posting awards and doing memes. Heck maybe even put my twitter account up here once I figure out how that thingy/system/website/twitterbuggy thing works.

So - it is Thur night- drive home from work. This is just how my week has been. Start a post on Tues and I can't finish it till Thur. You can blame pop pop for that he has been making me tea each am for the car ride in, and even I cant blog, drive, play with the radio, and drink tea something had to give. I have the beans swingset being delivered on Sat morning, communion party Sat afternoon, and the broad street 10 mile run on Sunday. Oh wait 14 yards of mulch being delivered on Friday as well, and the lawn needs to be mowed - I assume you are all coming to help, bring some VINO cause I am all out.

Happy Friday have a good weekend, stay busy!
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Two places to visit, among others...

Ok so here we go, and we are off.. 

Check me out over here - Pause four thought - it is a little diddy that was put together with Jess @ the pure and simple truth i.e. tea tales- HAHA, Sarcastically Bitter, and the secret keeper.

Whewwwww, I am exhausted from all of those links.  I rarely am on the computer and that is some hard work there.. 

Yet, one more link.  I found this new blog (brand new, one post) on FB.  She is a friend of mine and just happened to post this address on her FB as a status update.  I mean who does not like to read a blog from the very start!!!! check it out..... and what a great name.  It is what it is.... tell her that PJ says hello.  I am certainly wiped out and off to the other blog for my introduction.

What I am doing...

Its Saturday and 80 degress. Wifey is outside picking weeds, and I am prepping some chicken to bbq tonight. BANG. More to the point I am not picking weeds!!! And even more to the point I am getting ready to grill and eat outside, I love it! I have the top 25 most played rocking the itunes right now - the only thing missing is the beans, she is at the park with mommom, ugh. Nuff said about that.

Now Sunday another 80 degree day. Standing at my back door admiring my well manicured lawn. Nana and poppop are over for dinner, grandpaw is on his way and uncle john is loading up some songs on his ipod. It is a good day. Not really sure what else someone could ask for?

Some people say that you need to be striving for something or have some great mountain to climb or obstacle to overcome to have a good blog. Well her at PJs house all is good, all is well and I certainly can't complain about anything except for a lack of sleep, and hey that has been two years and I am adjusted. Its all gravy!
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SPRUNG

Spring has sprung and the flowers are blooming, mulch is ready to be put down, rose bushes planted, patios finish, weeds to pull and butterflies to be seen. The beans is turning two in under a month which means the crunch is on to get things done. If you want to come on down and pitch in, lend a helping hand let's get a move on we have plenty of work. I love this time of year, I love getting things crossed off of the list. What I don't love is pulling weeds, in fact I hate it. Wifey did all of the dirty work last year and I promised that I would 'get in the game' this year. Spring also brings, Sixer and Flyer playoffs and the Phillies are certainly at it again. What more could you ask for? It is going to be in the 80s this weekend and I will be running around enjoying every minute of it. I have a week of vacation planned in july, broad street run ten milier next weekend.... Summer lovin had me a blast!
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How do you --

Seperate yourself from the pack? Do you work harder? Do you work smarter? Are you funnier? Friendlier? What do you do that makes you the person that you are? Everyone knows that this economy stinks. Job security is low, and people each day are feeling the 'burn'. Do you work longer hours? Why are you not getting cut next? I think you have to learn more. Take this time and study. Make yourself a better worker bee, make yourslef a better boss, know the staff, know the product, know the clients, do your homework, and make shit happen. Also, it can't hurt to knock on wood, touch blue to make it true, and say a little prayer.
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Ouch

My Saturday went pretty much as perfect as possible. Woke up and went to my favorite diner for breakfast with my favorite ladies. Hit the depot for some flowers, gardening tools for the beans, some dora gloves, and headed home to grab my gear to go play some b-ball for the first time in three years. Hit the court for a little over an hour with no major injuries - win! Got home and wifey was putting the beans down for a nap, so I huslted the lawn mowing, showered and off to the store we went for some fixins for dinner. Steaks, potatoes, zuchini, and wine. Nana and pop pop came over for some dinner and some great company. About this time my back started to feel it a bit, a little twinge here and there nothing a glass of wine couldn't handle. Then the quads just started to stiffen up a little, the calves started to get a bit twingie as well.

After dinner I was pretty darn sore everywhere except the knees. I expected the knees to be in pain, not my back, my quads, my hands, my calves, and my feet. Nothing quite like not playing basketball for 3 years, two torn ACLs, and father time working against you. All in all a great day and I don't feel that bad today. Although tonight is a running night, we will see what happens.
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Time

If someome could please tell whomever is working the clock that Pj needs another 4 hours each day to get his stuf done that would be great. I don't think it is too much to ask for a 28 hour day. I would have more time with the family, more time to run, more time to work, and more time for wifey. It doesn't even have to be sunny out I will take my four hours whenever I can get them. I have some pretty good ideas for this little blog, and could use some time to actually sit down at my computer. You ask what I do with my day? Up at 4:45am 3 days a week to hit the treadmill for an hour before work the other two days I sleep late till about 5:30pm. My work day lately consists of getting to work around 7:30am or 8am, spend my day there till about 6 or so, and hustle home. Eat dinner with the family, and spend some quality beanie time until she goes to sleep any time between 8pm and 9pm. Then from 9 to 10 I hang with my beautiful wife for as long as possible before bed at 10pm. Weekends are packed with family stuff and errands and cleaning the house, doing wash, mowing the lawn, you know the drill! Who else would sign the petition for more time in the day?

Happy Friday!
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Beans

When she reaches up with her little hand to grab mine, and says 'daddy come' my heart melts.

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Things I learned about alcohol in my old age.

Three beers is usually enough.

Bush pounders and milwalkee best are not good beer.

If the beer is cheap, it is cheap beer.

Sometimes cheap wine is better than expensive wine.

Once you go red it is hard to go back.

Beer is better from a glass.

Beer in a can is terrible.

Boxed wined can be good.

Red wine from a wood barrel is fabulous.

Hangovers suck when you can't drink in the morning the next day.

Going to work hungover is unbearable.

Going to school hungover isn't so bad.

There is no hangover cure.

You can never drink like you did 'back in the day.'

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Lifesavers are my crack!

To put it simply I don't think I could function without these bad boys. Sure some people have cigarettes, alcohol, crack, coke, adrenaline... Whatever it is that you are addicted to, these lifesavers are my addiction. The day I admitted that I have a problem I was standing in the kitchen at work and the basket was empty - I was all. What the EFF is going on here? Where are the mints? Someone calmly asked if I checked the closest. Of COURSE JACKNUTS, you stupid clownface jerk I have checked everywhere! Do you have any on you? In your desk? Dude? Seriously, I need some mints this is BULLSHIT. The rest of the day went downhill from that point. What you see in that photo is my backup supply. I don't touch those bad boys unless it has come to drastic measures, in a time of need. Hey PJ, can I have a mint? NOPE don't have any, check the basket in the kitchen. Are those not mints under your computer? NOPE. I can hear you all asking why I don't put them in my drawer? Call it my security blanket of mints, I like to see them and know they are there.
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The bathroom aint just for 1s and 2s anymore!

I am pretty sure this is a modern phenomina, yet the restrooms seem to be more active than ever before! I swear that whenever I go to the mens room that I can hear the buttons of cell phones beign pushed, tv being watched, and blogging being done. This is the age of blackberrys and iphones and multimedia devices, and hey why would that not translate to the lavatories. The days of bringing in a newpaper or magazine are over.
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Decisions

This was my weekend with nothing planned, a clean slate as they say. Until the phone rang. My mom asked for us to visit as the easter bunny was going to be in her village of shops, and she would make lunch. That is an hour and a half ride to go see here, 3 hours wasted in the car. Wifey remembered she had had to be at the junior prom saturday night. Sunday we wanted to go to a friends babtism, weekend.gone. Whew, very relaxing. Wifey and I always talk about what the heck we did before the beans was around. How much time we wasted watching tv or sleeping. Now that we have a child and the grandparents have a grandchild we are in high demand. Of course we have our friends who sometimes seem to take a backseat, and that stinks. One thing extra thrown into the loop and the whole thing is thrown out of whack. How do you prioritize to get thru the weekend? I know that over the past two years I have lost contact with a few friends. Some really good people, and people that I would like to have in my life, yet time still goes by and another weekend goes by without seeing them. Thank goodness for email and facebook. If I could ever figure out twitter who knows what could happen.
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Pressure

Here is the deal. This economy is in the friggin potty! I am in sales and people are just not buying. It is really that simple. My posts might become a little sporatic until I can get myself to work twice as hard in the same amount of time. Sounds easy I suppose. No rest for the weary as they say. I have heard the expression to work smarter not harder. Well, the time has come to work smarter and harder and longer. FILO! If you are not familier with that expression it means, First In Last Out. I have already told wifey to start eating some dinners without me, which sucks. I hate when I have to miss those prescious moments with the family. When you are in the second worst recession ever you have to seperate yourself in work ethic and hopefully production. And let's just say my production is abysmal. I am still a ' new guy '. Yet, that sure does not mean that my job is safe. Everytime I read the news or even read the blogs people are getting their paychecks cut, or losing their jobs. It is at the point where now instead of knowing someone who knows someone who lost their job people are now one level out. Everyone knows someone who lost a job or at least had their pay cut. Let's hope that this is getting turned around, people have to be able to buy and sell, and for that people need to be able to get money. On the flip side of this is the fact that if you do have money get out there and buy buy buy. Cars and houses are cheaper than ever before and stocks are easy to gobble up, if you have the money. Get busy!
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Style

Let's talk about style for a hot second. What the heck is with the kids/younger people driving really shitty cars with expensive rims? Has the time come that folks check out the rims before the cars? Why don't they just spend that extra money to fix up the car a bit? Sure I drive an 87 celica, but I am rolling with 20s on that bad boy. What's the point? $2000 rims on a $5000 car just does not make sense to me. I guess the rims raise your status to baller (haha, straight ballin). I would think you get the rims to be noticed, but don't people notice the car as well? Now if you want to put in a trunk of funk in a 94 plymouth sundance that is one thing. Nothing wrong with having some extra bass, and a crisp clean sound. Blairing some country or some PE you just have to keep it real. All I am saying is if you are attempting to make your car look better, get some new paint!

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The jerk and the beans

Not sure if you have ever seen ' The Jerk ' staring Steve Martin, yet one part of that movie reminds me of the beans and I get the biggest laugh. At one point in the movie Steve is getting kicked out of his mansion by his wife and he exclams that he doesn't need anything to take with him.... Except for his dog, oh and this paddle ball game, ooh wait and this lamp etc...

Each morning the beans goes to nana and pop pops, and each morning the list goes on. Grover? Ernie? Milk? Take with? Eggs? Two? Kitties? She is starting to put two and three words together, Bird take pop-pop? Apollo come with? Not exactly easy to get out the door with all that stuff on a Monday am.

We also had our first emergency room experience, which wasn't really an emergency room visit for her as much as it was for us. Nurse maids elbow. We all as parents know that you don't swing your kids or any kids for that matter by their arms/wrists/hands. Well, mommy was on one side and a friend on the other and somehow the beans slipped out of my friends grip. She fussed for a second and then no big deal. An hour or so past and she said that her hand hurt and she wasn't really moving it. The beans never complains, and is not a winey kid so we figured aomething was wrong. Off we went to get it checked out, and everything was fine. Done deal. Then in the morning the beans just kept saying that her hand hurt, and wouldn't move her arm. Wifey and I just figured to be those parents that are too cautious then the parents who are not cautious enough. Plus what else are we doing on a Sunday am? We actually went to breakfast first. Why go to the emergency room on a empty stomach? All is well this morning and she had full range of motion and no pain. Back to being captain destruct-o.
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Can't believe I did it.

I hate the haircuttery near me and uncle G my haircut man left me hanging last time he was home. Here I am at great clips! Wifey usually cuts my hair when I can't get uncle G in enough time, just things have been so hectic lately that I am getting great clipped. Hey, I will try anything once and if you read my last two posts about the haircuttery I almost went postal last time. Here I go..... Wait, I am skeered. I sure wish hairdizzer was in my area (and I wish I could link to her blog, new blog). And were offffff....

Not a bad cut, yet the lady really didn't speak great english and when I asked for a number 6 clip on top she said ' 4 ' no mam a 6, ok we do a 4, nope a 6.... Let's just use the 6 and call it a day, ok a 6... Whew that was tough, she did a really great job, yet I did miss the haircut banter that usualy goes on when people speak the same language. Can't win em all I guess. Everything went pretty smooth until I gave her my coupon from super cuts, I was in great clips and working a super cuts coupon for 3 bucks off (the economy is tough, yall). She said that, they honor, but she had to get the manager. This is where I told her not to worry about it, and she was going all crazy to make sure I got my coupon. The manager was at the pizza place next door, yet my lady went and got her. I love when people go the extra mile, but I wanted to get home and spend some time with the beans. Of course the manager couldn't figure out the codes for a supercut coupon. I had to explain to the lady that I knew it was a coupon from another company. In the end I got the 3 bucks off, another $2 coupon and the promise of more coupons in the mail. I am going to be couponed out for crazy clips for the next year, so I certainly understand if you guys flood my in box wanting to be friends with me.
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I admit that....

Gymbo scares the bageezes out of me.

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Farts are funny

I am just gonna put it out there and say it. Farts are funny! The beans shoots bunnies, I know she is only two, yet face it what do you not do to make your kid laugh. She has even learned how to ' push ' em out. What can I say, she is a smart little kid. When a bunnie is let loose she just looks at you and smiles. If you ask what happened she burts out laughing. I think that if farts didn't stink then they would be much more socially acceptable. Hypothetically speaking if you were to have a rough lunch and the gas pains were really getting to you, why do you have to excuse yourself to the washroom to let em rip? We all have those days, all of us. I know women don't pass gas, ever that's a fact, right? Let's just say you work in sales in a stressful environment, I don't see anything wrong with a loud fart to break the tension. Heck I even giggle just posting it here. Just imagine sitting in your cube and passing wind, it relieves your gas pain and everyone else would be all like, what the ... Did you hear that??? Giggle giggle he he he. Just imagine you could eat mexican food at work any time you wanted!
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Today is my birthday!!

Boooyah, 36 is here. A quick look back and sure I would have done a few things different, who wouldn't. I can tell you this 36 went by fast, especially seeing as though I can't remember anything pre 1980. I am not really sure what 36 year olds are supposed to do or be like so I am just going to wing it. I do know that I really don't drink much any more, don't get to the club and get jiggy wit it, and I don't drive as fast as I once did. I do know that I am in a good spot right now, life is good. My family is great, my friends are awesome (although I wish I saw them more), and seriously what more do you want.

Have a great day!
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DMV

Nothing better than having a big breakfast with two cups of coffee, and having to sit at the DMV for an hour or two. I think they just called number 50, I am 66, time to buckle down and make myself comfy. Scanning the room I can't help to notice that I am a few miles deeper into the burbs. Country music is pumping from the speakers behind the counter, some people are missing teeth and nascar is the theme of the baseball hats. Some 16 year old girl looks like she is getting her first drivers liscense, awww. I just realized that as of Tuesday 16 is officially, 20 years ago - holy cow. Time flies! I really can't believe it, 20 years ago I was the youngin getting my picture taken for the first time. Hmm. Before I know it I will be bringing the beans in to get her picture taken. That is how quick the time goes, like two shakes of a lambs tale. I see a guy reading the newspaper, wow, the actual newspaper, amazing. The beans will probably never know what a newspaper is, I am sitting here all over the interwebs and he is reading a newspaper, ha. Can you imagine we used to have to actually talk to people we didn't know, the horror. I have updated my FB status, commented on a few and found out what the deal is with March madness why would I need to talk to anyone. As I said that a young boy yelled ' hi ' to me. Nothing like kids to spice it up. ....... Ok just had a quick elmo convo and now he is bored of me, oh the antics of the DMV. Standing room only now! ... Printer jam, this could be awhile. I think I am the only one who sees the humor in this, I am looking at an emergency exit plan on the wall in front of me which has arrows explaining what to do. This place is big enough so that wherever you are you can see the door, all the emergency plan should say is look at the door and run for it. The little boy next to me is saying hi to everyone and only some people say hi back, WTH is that? What kind of D-bag doesn't say hi to a little kid? I am one away - BANG. I am almost positive that everyone before me, as I am, is an organ donor! That is good stuff people good stuff. My Saturdays sure are crazy!
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Freaky Friday

I am a true believer in the paranormal or at least other stuff is going on than what we can see. A sixth sense as they say. I really believe that some people are a bit more connected than others. some people see more some hear more and some feel more. In the case of animals I think they all know a bit more than us humans. On a few occasions I have been chasing my dog around our house and playing a little fetch. From time to time my dog ' the mighty apollo ' would stop dead in his tracks. I would walk over grab the toy and throw it again and he would run full tilt intil he hit that spot and stop dead. My wife and I would call his name and he wouldn't move. He just sat there staring at nothing or at least nothing that we could see. The kicker is this has happened more than once. We also have to cats that run and chase each other like maniacs at night. One particular night they were running in circles near the front door, our puppy was sitting on the sofa with my wife and myself when all of the sudden the cats stopped dead in their tracks just as the puppy had done before, the puppy jumped up barked once and just stared in the direction of the cats. He stood on the sofa paying full attention to empty space. This was enough for wifey and I to say out loud that something weird was going on, something was spooking the animals. This still happens from time to time and we have had other people see it happen, usually after a glass of wine or two, yet they always look and my wife and I and say ' ohhhh, that's weird'. It is enough to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and you to think for just a brief second that something is behind you.
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Rehab

ACL rehab sucks. I did a month of rehab before my surgery. Stretching and stregth exercise nothing to strenuous for people who have ACLs. My first surgery the surgeon took two graphs off of my hamstring tendon twirled them around each other and screwed one end into my tibia and the other into my femur. Good times! I started real rehab the 3rd day after my surgery. The bending and straightening was the worst. I can handle the muscle building, yet working on getting my leg straight was painful and not fun. I lost all muscle from my hip to my ankle, and had to get it back. This went on for 9 months, and due to the fact that I couldn't get the effer straight I was in an imobilizer that forced it to be straight for the lion share of those 9 months. I learned to sleep on my back with the brace on. I tried a few times to sleep with it off to no avail. Imagine waking up to what felt like getting hit with a baseball bat each time you moved your leg. I remember going into rehab praying that I would have the cute little 80lb blond as my rehab person instead of the dude, she just wasn't strong enough to put me in the pain that he could. She was also pretty hot, and I asked her out, yet she said she couldn't date patients. You never know unless you ask. After 9 months of rehab I was back doing whatever I wanted playing ball, roller blading, you name it and I was doing it for another 4 years.... Then it happened all over again one the other side - WTF

I asked the beans tonight if she wanted to go to the park and ZOOM (go on the slide). Her reply, a very matter of fact ' of course.'. I didn't even know she knew that word let alone how to use it in context.
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Summer 2000- right ACL

I have always played basketball and loved it. When I was young I would jog three miles in the winter to a gym that someone had keys to and played for an hour or two, then jogged home. I would go all over to play, and really enjoyed it. I was always pretty good, just not really good. I was good enough to go to any park and hold my own. Good enough to sit the bench in high school, which I decided not to do and I think that was a mistake. Also, I am 5'8" on a good day which does not help. After college I found a league that a few co workers played in, rounded up a few of my buddies and we played for a few years. Summer league and winter league it was lots of fun and I met some great people. One summer evening, I was playing with two really good friends, one on my team and one I was playing against. The one I was playing against was a lot of fun to go at, because we pretty much knew each others moves. It caused is to play a bit harder throughout the entire game. Nothing sucks more than losing to your friends, and even more losing to a friend who is also your roomate. Well, the game was under control for the good guys (that's me), I drove thru the lane (blwoing by my buddy), and was dropping the ball in for a layup when I felt a hand on my hip. It pushed me just enought to put me off balance. I was in the air and upon landing my weight was all goofy. My right leg landed at about the ankle, with all of my weight in the wrong place. The consequence of this is my shin and femur colliding and my acl tearing down the middle. The pain was pretty rough and I remember my buddy CL standing over me, saying ' dude what do you need?'. All I could muster was ' help me.'. Yes, there I am on the floor, covered in sweat 9 grown men looking at me and all I could muster was help me, I surely would not hear the end of this for a long long time. They scooted me over to the sideline and finished up the game, at which point my friend drove me to the hospital. I don't think I had ever been in as much pain as that short car ride, every bump, every acceleration, every break was excrucitating. No more than an hour later had a wonderful ER attendent put a needle in my knee to pull out CC after CC of blood and who knows what else from my knee. The pressure release was unbelievable and the pain immediately deminished to hurt really flipping bad instead of borderline unbearable. The doctor sent me off with a wrap, a script for pain, a notice of this isn't good, and an appointment for an mri. I drove myself home from the hospital I remember having a stick shift and having to keep my leg straight to push on the gas and break as my entire right leg was in an immobilizer. Just as we thought I had torn my ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). The ACL helps to keep the knee stable.

Rehab is next.
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Just doesn't get any better!

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Thankfully figured it out...

Last night I saw the Nora and Nick movie. I am a sucker for all of those teen drama movies. All of em. As I was watching it I thought for a second how I wish I was a bit more like Nick and little less like the drunk idiot. I think it took me until after college and even a few years after that to figure out that alcohol really doesn't make things more fun. I really enjoy a glass of wine now a days, really enjoy. I think that my priorities have come around, and I am able to put things in a priority order a little better now. Through high school and most of college I figured that getting drunk and doing drunk things was what I was supposed to do. Sure I had fun, I think. Yet, I also think that I could have had as much fun if not more, drinking less. I am the grandson of two alcoholic granddads, and I know my parents were a litte worried about me. Fast forward a few years and I am the one who never goes out. I am a homebody. When we go out it is as a family or once in awhile a date night. I know that my time with a young family is limited, and I just don't want to ever say that I wish I spent more time with the family. The beans changes from day to day, an I work enough that I miss a good deal. I certainly don't want to miss any moments, so I can go out and have a few drinks with my boys, we did that already.
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Just to clarify!

A few things to clean up from yesterdays post. Yes I am up almost (mostly) each night to take the mighty apollo out for a quick walk. He is almost 4 now and in the past he would sleep all night right between mommy and daddies pillows. He is a small dog and we have a really high bed, hence he can't get off of the bed by himself. Let's say about 2 years ago the beans was born. We were up every night in the middle of the night, and hey if we were up he was up and if he was up why not go out. I suppose that over time he has just developed this habit. To further reinforce this trend, when the beans started to talk she quickly learned that mommy and daddy were not that responsive when she yelled from her crib in the middle of the night. She would yell mommy, daddy, MOMMY - APOLLO, pollo, pollo. She had figured out that if she woke him up he would cry at the end of the bed till we got up. I would take him out, and on my way back up I would grab her and bring her to bed with mommy and daddy, win. I think this is just a learned behavior, and once she gets over the night terrors and stops waking up, so will he. It has been a viscious cycle for about 6 months now.

As far as the knees I will get into that in more detail, yet I tore my right ACL in 2000 and my left in 2004. I was playing basketball for both, and it pretty much sucked.

Happy friday.
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I do...

Type on my phone as I drive.

Listen to jay z, and really think that jay z live with the roots is a classic album.

Sing in the car, at work, just in general and I sing terribly.

Wear glasses when I drive.

Have two screws and a button in each knee.

Watch what I eat, and work out because I am scared to feel old.

Walk my dog before I go to bed and again between 2am and 3am.

Mow my own lawn.

Love when the seasons change.

Know more prince songs than I care to say.

Only own one pair of sweatpants.

Love fruit and veggies.

Look forward to reading all of your blogs each day.

Understand why family is so important.

Know how to juggle.

Let my wife control the remote (unless its sunday in football season).

Think I would have been a professional athlete if I was a foot taller and a bit faster and stronger.

Look forward to a time when I can give back more.

Enjoy wine

Pass go and collect $200.

Love 80s pop. NKOTB, Tiffany, debbie gibson.

Know how to drive a stick shift and motorcycles.

Know how to rollerlade down steps.

Throw caution to the wind, yet don't pee into it.

Have to go to work.


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Hate hate hate, well dislike

Stopping to get gas is pretty much the worst. Especially when it is a bit chilly, with a little drizzle in the air. Nothing better than pumping gas and writing away on a blog when your ear is about to freeze off. By freezing I mean it is 44 degrees at 7am. Spring is here and I am happy. I know how well chairpants is going to sell, hence I have a new business idea. I want to make gas stations more like beer vendors at sporting events. I will have a big truck, not a tanker, just a really big pickup truck with tanks on the back. I will drive around and fill people up when they are stuck in traffic or at a long light. I could hang out at the supermarket or the mall parking lots - GOT YOUR GAS RIGHT HERE FOLKS FILL UP WHILE YOUR SHOPPING - bang, I would sell gas like crazy, and of course charge a premium for the service. Hmmm, I could do it nascar style at fast food drive thrus, not to stereotype but if you are eating fastfood you are way too lazy to pump your own gas. Just think you can say you knew me when.
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Boooyah

It is 5:11pm, I am on the road home, its 56 degress and still some what sunny! BANG. Screw that hour of sleep, I was not gonna get it anyway with the beans around. I am so flipping excited to be out of work and have some sun. It is very overcast here in Philly and I don't care, I am gonna go home round up the dog, the beans and wifey and go for a walk. I will just hope the beans doesn't take a spill again although she might just take one for the team with all the goodies nana and pop pop bestowed upon her today. I think she got a big fluffy Grover, who is giving elmo a run for his money, to help sooth her bruises. Back to this weather, did I say boooyah yet? I am so excited I actually believe that winter is over. Time for sunroofs, windows down, vacation days, bbq and wine on the back deck. I know I am rushing it a bit, but hey I need it. Tallyho!
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Skipped home depot today...

I spent my saturday watching stuffed animals dance and lip sync for 2 hours. Elmos is a superstar! The show was pretty good. The beans was captivated for two hours watching all of her favorite monsters/animals dance around and do their thing. It was really awesome to see the look on the beans face and to see her start to dance in her seat. The balloons were 8 bucks a pop, programs were 12 bucks. Wow. We got a program as a keep sake, but that was it. It was a good day.

Sunday was filled with going to breakfast, parks and riding the slides. It was our first weekend that we could be outside, hence we did it up. Hit two parks! One is pretty close to the house and we stopped at a friends house on the way, and picked up more little ones in our travels. Amazing how kids bring all of the parents together. If people are hanging outside we usually gather a parent and the kids and all walk up together. We ended up at a school playground with a nice group of people. On our way home, after playing for an hour, we walked our friends to their house and began our half a block walk home. After about 20 feet the beans was running and took a little spill. A head first slide on the sidewalk. Her face is a bit bruised up, and she looks pretty rough. It was our first big spill. Scraps and bruises and even a little blood. My heart breaks a little each time I look at her. As parents you know it is going to happen, you expect it to happen, it just doesn't make it any easier when it does. She cried for a few minutes and then looked up and said ' better'. We cleaned her up, and now she is good to go. Just looks like she went a few rounds with a boxer.
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BBQ season

Not sure when bbq season starts for most people, yet at pjs house it never ends. Wifey is an extraordinary cook, and I try to assist by grilling to give her some nights off. Over the past few years, since our last move and since we now have a big back yard with space to grill, I have taken over some of the responsibilities of cooking. I have been improving my skills over time and yes I have a gas grill which some serious grillers frown upon.. This year will be different as I now have a little charcoal grill as well. My mission is to learn how to smoke things. A little bbqed smoke salmon will surely raise my status. Last night just some easy chicken, sweet potatoe slices, and some grilled mushrooms. The tough part is being able to gage when the meat is done when you can't see it, and getting my area shoveled from the snow. Daylight savings time starts on sunday, and that will at least help with my visibility. Happy friday!
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Cookies for dinner

The beans favorite place to go for dinner is the diner. No matter how you say out to dinner, if the words dinner, eat, and out are together are in an sentences the beans yells 'diner YEAH.'. We go to the diner about once a week or so, and are working on making it once every other week, as everyone there knows our name. We have a both we like to sit in, and the beans loves to look at the pies, and run around and say hi to everyone. Each time we are there the waitresses offer cookies to the beans. Nice. Um not really. The really don't understand that we don't give the beans cookies and candy and that sort of thing. French fries with her dinner is a great treat. Before you get all, aww beans that's sad, just know that I am allergic to chocolate and red food dye. Those two are in just about every dessert that you can imagine. The red dye that was really bad for me is off the market now, yet I have some reactions to certain things. My point is we give her limited things that I am allergic to and track her reactions. I want to know what chocolate is in that cookie. I usually nix the cookie when offered and say thank you. I am very polite and nice as to not hurt any feelings. It really gets under my skin when people offer the beans food, she is two (almost) and will say yes to cookies each time you ask even if she does not like them. I would really just appreciate it if folks would say hey mom and dad can she have a cookie. Common sense people. I understand it is a wonderful thing that they offer and even better that they don't charge us for it. It is just much easier to turn it down verbally than to take it away once she has it.
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Let's chat about work..

I am in sales. I am a salesperson. Some people seem to look down on that, as if to think that sales people all have some dirty tricks up their sleeve. I have run the entire road of selling stuff. I have sold services to people, as in dj and catering add on some props, prizes, dancers (party enhancers, people to help kids and adults know what they are doing on the dance floor), singers, lights you name it and we could add it on. I have sold major construction as in inground concrete pools, I have sold weight loss programs. Big ticket items and little ticket items. Short pipelines and longer pipelines. Now I sell something to companies that need what I sell. They either need it from me or a handful of other companies. I work my butt off, day in and day out. I do the majority of sales over the phone. I get to work at 8am and hit the phones till 5pm. I work on commission, a small salary and a big cup of put up or shut up. I talked to a lady who made a stupid decision yesterday and I calmly explained to her how she made a mistake and why she made it, and she said I am not going to talk to some sales person about this. I just laughed and she hung up on me. I thought to myself that I would love to see that lady work a job that was performance based. I know people say that all jobs are performance based, yet selling with incentives is the top of the line the most risk and the most reward. My point is this economy stinks so get out there and hug a sales person today.
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