(as posted on myspace)

Well I am here. Actually moved in to my new place last weekend. Spent most of the week unpacking and organizing ... one would think I would be done. For the most part, my pad is all in order. Got the kids Friday and they really love the place. Big bedrooms that they dont have to share (well other than the boys, but they are siblings). Yesterday the complex had a meet and greet pool party that we went to. Four hours of sun and I am a red guy! But the kids had a blast and got to meet a bunch of kids in their new area.

Figure I will wait a bit before I actually throw a party, (dont want to scare the neighbors too soon) but anyone is welcome to stop by. Give me a ring if you need directions.

Thanks to all my great friend who have stuck with me through this craptacular year. But things are looking up.

Catch you later guys!

Well this promises to be a busy and interesting week for me. Its a short one for work which is nice. Though I expect I will be very hard at things to get everything done.

Those of you who have known me a while know I become a moving juggernaut when I am escaping parents or inlaws. I love them for putting me up, but I am too damn old to be living at my moms. And the mattress on the floor just sucks!

I will be packing up the few things we have here at moms this week. Picking up odds and ends I still need and stashing them away for the apartment.

Wednesday I get my keys. Wed night after dinner, mom will watch the kids and Dad and my sis will take me on base to get my first metric buttload of ... everything. Food, cleaning supplies, bathroom stuff ... you know the works. Probably cost me bit, but its the first big press.

Thursday I have a few of the guys coming over to help me after I drop off the kids to school. Break down the beds and dressers and get them to my sisters garage. Take all the packed items and boxes over to the apartment. Probably take the mattresses and sheets over as well. The kids think it will be cool to set up shop in the apartment for the first night, even if it means sleeping on the floor with just a mattress and blankets.

Friday I drop off the kids then head back to meet the movers. With all my big things and furniture being in one spot I am hoping it wont take them very long. Then I have the rest of Friday to start setting up. Have to take a break to get the kids but they will want to come help set up their rooms till mom comes to get them.

I moved out of my folks place at 19. Lived with four room mates for a year. Then moved in with Stacey and have lived with her up until now. At 34 I have never had my own place. Never lived anywhere by myself. Granted the kids will live there, but only half the time. I am both excited about this new freedom, and sort of nervous about being alone. Pretty sad for a guy to say.

I have said it often enough, I am a focus person. And I have had a lot to focus on to get me here. But now I am here ... need to find me a new focus. A whole lot of people I know well and love greatly tell me its time to focus on me. Honestly its been half a lifetime since I have even tried that, but here it goes.

Wish me luck. And visit often!

Man its been a loooong time since I even looked around in here. Damn Myspace sucked out my brain apparently.

I wont go into my year so far, I think everyone knows the suckage that is slowly coming to an end. And the glimmer of light finally coming up. Anyway ..... next week I move into my first apartment solo like!

Everyone can come visit, I will make cookies.

Life is wild. And mine has been a roller coaster over the past year. Lived with my inlaws (in their basement) for nine months, my entire family of five (and a turtle) put everything we had into a new house, which is everything we could possibly want. And of course found ourselves scrambling weekly to keep food on the table, often to the point of making sure the kids were fed. Not kidding, I have lost about ten pounds since we moved in, and I AINT been exercising.

Been working at a job I basically loathe for the past two years, making barely what could constitute middle income around here. But I have a family, so I suck it up. Go every day, shine where I can. The clients I work with love me, my co-workers love me. Those above me fail to notice I exist. Attention is only doled out where there are problems. The company has been sliding for the past six months. People are leaving left and right, the work piles higher but the people to work on it dwindle. When my boss leaves I try for his spot. And even though I am best fitted for the job, I am overlooked. (happens often through out my career.) I either lack experience or education. Though it often boils down to focusing on my clients rather than kissing up to my superiors. Sad that the clients opinions don’t count.

I have watched my original work group dwindle down from about a dozen to two. And just as I am starting to see how fast the boat here is sinking and get my resume out, I get a call. An ex co-worker has done very well for herself at a bigger company over the past few months. She has already climbed to a management level and been told to find capable people to help her with a multi million dollar project. She looks past those with masters degrees and management exp to me. She has worked with me, and knows I can talk to people, deal with them and do whatever it takes to keep them happy. She wants me to come in and meet her boss, a director.

I shell out $250 for a fancy suit (no laughing please) and go meet this guy. The interview lasts an hour. And I get a call from my friend that night, that her boss was impressed. The very next day they pull the job posting and make me an offer.

Over the past ten years, I have only gotten raises by switching jobs. Usually 4-8% of what I had previously been making. This time I am getting a 45% increase. Almost doubling what I make now. And it was not a manager I impressed or a corp. suit with my resume. It was a co-worker who felt I knew how to handle myself where it mattered.

So for once my lucky thirteen has come up lucky. And I just had to share my little ray of sunshine with those I care most about.

Cheers guys, BIG ASS party is on its way!

Steve

Life never does slow down.

On the plus side, we are in our new home. It’s pretty shwanky, and we worked hard to get it. 3400 square foot, four bedrooms meaning one for each kid. Great big basement, all decked out with a monster entertainment center, big sectional couch, game tables, pool table, and a geek palace for me in the back. Planted a few trees last weekend, and plan to set up the kids playground this weekend. Fence will probably wait, but there is nothing behind us at the moment. Andrew and Lauren are doing well in school, learning to swim like fish, and are even pretty excited about starting in their new school this year. Ryan is talking up a storm and should be ready to ditch the diapers very soon.

Work is pretty nuts for Stacey and me though. She is not happy in her current role and looking to move elsewhere seeing as they won’t let her move up. My boss put in his two weeks yesterday. Our company was bought out a few months back. They cut a bunch of people off the bat, and others have trickled out on their own. Our original unit of 12 has dwindled to me and one other. But the work is still there. I am hoping they offer me a promotion with some more pay. May have to cut my hair for that professional look soon.

Glad I have a good mess of friends to help blow off steam with!

Ten years ago, I was working a crack of dawn shift and all my mates worked evenings. By ten I was asleep and they were just getting off work.

I still work mornings, and now many of them do as well. Yet at some point I stopped sleeping more than four or five hours a night. So I go about a quiet nocturnal existance all by my lonesome. Sad thing is now they are all asleep when I am cruising around at night.

Ah well, the weather is nice, and it is peaceful with nothing but the wind to listen to.

It's only one .... anyone up?

Well I have been absent a bit over the past … well forever. Been pretty busy for the past month with painting, moving, and a honey-do list as long as my leg! Went from hovel to palace! Got my new digs and I am loving them. Kids have their own rooms, plenty of space for all of us … I even got my own personal geek lair!

At any rate, thanks to all my buds for coming to our housewarming bash and making it wonderful as only you guys can.

Apologies, though. This lil wolf had to work early that morning, drank much and fast and ended up passing out toward the end of his own party. (how embarrassing!)

To those responsible for my pink mother of pearl toenails …… I was a vengeance demon in a previous life ….

Cheers guys, come over whenever!

Well my boss at my second job is already hitting me up to stick around past Jan 15th. I think he is trying to get me on year round just working one or two nights a week. Not a lot of cash, but it would provide me access to the discount year round, which does not sound bad in light of our new home being built.

Well despite my nightmare current existance living in my mother-in-laws basement ... a tempermental car, and two frantic jobs. I have been a good (sneaky) boy.

With everything else going on, the wife and I agreed on no gifts for each other for the holiday. I CHEATED!

With the two jobs, I get a $20 weekly allowance for in between job meals. I been hoarding it, and skimming off the second job checks to get her a surprise. Finally got up about 200 bones and picked her up some silky sleeping stuff from victoria's that she likes so well. As well as a couple chick movies she really digs.

Anyone who knows me, knows how completely impulsive I am. It is killing me to have to sit on this for another week plus. BUT I WILL DO IT!!

She gonna be surpised aplenty!

/begin rant

OK

I drive a 2002 Saturn Vue. At the time it was bought, I was one kid less than I am now, and we thought it would make a good family type car. SUV haters .... bite me.

2002 was the year they came out .... don't buy prototype cars .... just saying.

Two or three month's ago I had it in the shop three times for similar issues. Something rattling in front, service light coming on, not wanting to start. The second time I took it in they swore up and down everything was good. The next week I was stranded 20 miles from home because a "sensor" went out telling the engine it needed gas. $1100 later .... fixed.

Three weeks ago the two dash lights come on for the engine and low power. Car will not accellorate past 35 mph. Take it in. They tell me the gas cap needs to be replaced ... $20 later its fixed. The next week I get the same two lights. I take it in ... A "sensor" is out and requires me to replace the entire gas pedal. $400 later all fixed. The following week both lights come back on, I take it in. They "forgot" to reset the error codes in the computer. All fixed. This Tuesday the same two lights come on .... Two days in the shop and the determine that they "forgot" to adjust the power going to the sensor they put in two weeks previous. All fixed? Guess we will see.

I know a lot of people really like Saturns ... but I can tell you I am not getting another one.

/end rant