Anniversary

Today is our 8 year anniversary.

So I was sitting here trying to think up a blog that was profound in how much I love my wife. I could come up with how she is my soul mate and all that brew ha ha but see that stuff is a given. All you have to do is spend an evening out with us to know that.

So I thought that I would let you all in on a secret, yep a "why we still love each other" secret.

Everyday at some point we will both give each other the "I love you" look. no words, no exchanges, no keeping score, no expectations, never at the same time, just a simple look everyday at some point in time she knows that I will give it to her and I know she will give it to me.

My day is not complete until that look.

I love You

I only ask that you call me first

That was the deal I made my niece about 6 weeks ago, that she call me first.

About 2 years ago...In fact about this time of the year I was having lunch with my parents telling them the plan of going back to school full time. I needed to graduate, for no other reason than the fact I knew I could do it, but I hadn't. But I was scared, I mean really scared. It is one thing to do what everyone else is doing, go to high school and graduate with 300 other people or go to college because everyone else is. It is a whole different beast to do what others are not, in my case it was going back as a "non" traditional student, which in simply means I am old.

6 weeks ago Danielle and I started to talk about her getting her GED. We have been talking about it for at least a year. The problem is that the longer you wait to finish the harder it is to go back. But about 6 weeks ago Dano and I started to talk about her "learning" disabilities, which is complete crap in my opinion because like me, she just needs to learn differently than what the school system was willing to invest time or money to adjust to. Well if nobody else is going to help I figured I would do it myself and that is just what Dano did. What people don't know is that not only did she study for her GED's, four test in all, she took two weeks to read and learn a different way of learning. So over 6 weeks she taught herself how to learn, writing, social studies, science and lastly the dreaded math test. To top it all off she had to take all four tests over two days, yep two a day with no time in between exams. Whew, now that would suck!

But I got the message yesterday on my way home for work: "Paul I did it, I graduated"

Well yes you did, you did it.

I couldn't be more impressed or proud at her accomplishment. But what I am most proud of is that stood up to what scared her and said "screw you, I will do it myself".

Jack Be Nimble

As I awoke on Sunday I was giddy with excitement FOOTBALL, FOOTBALL, FOOTBALL.

But, things took a horrible turn. No it wasn't my fantasy football teams, won both of my games.....can I get a "OH YEAH". THANKS

we have been without a dryer now for about 2 months, easy enough since it has been so hot..Besides I love line dried clothes and sheets. But it was time to make that change and go buy one. Picked up the paper on Sunday morning, took a look and found a used one where the price was right.

Made the call, picked it up and came home. Jen and I slowly brought it down the stairs. Now it gets fun. This was an electric dryer, we have always had a gas dryer but see I looked before buying and new that we had a 220 size outlet down there for the dryer....see always thinking ahead.

(2 hours before Packer kick off)as I removed the old one and put into place the new one I took the plug and placed it into the socket...only it didn't fit....WTF?

(1.5 hours before kick off)So off to the hardware store to find an adapter...none made so I had to buy a new outlet, which I did, brought it home and realized that all they gave me was a face plate that didn't fit the housing. Off to the hardware store once more.

(1 hour before kick off) As I replaced the housing, wired the face plate, screwed everything in I was all set to get the dryer going.

(1/2 hour before kick off) As I plugged in the dryer to my new outlet I was pumped, turned on the power to the house and hit start on my new dryer.......nothing.......OH MY GOD I AM GOING TO KILL SOMETHING.

(5 minutes before kickoff, Paul looking stupified...is that a word?) Screw it I am call my buddy Parry...he'll be here tomorrow to help.

Football Coma

drool slowly exits left side of lips
eyes so glossy you would think they were made of water
chip bowl on the floor to his right, only the small broken ones remain
half empty cup of cream root beer, watered down with melted ice cubes
computer on lap, watching his players accumulate points


I love football season!

Speechless

I recently wrote about the Hurricane hitting New Orleans in which I was trying to make the point, to those of you who actually stop by and read my muses, was that what happened was horrible on so many levels, it was a "natural" disaster. Something that mother nature has unleashed on us in unexpected fury that we can only react to and do our best in helping those in need. I tried to express that with a area of over 90,000 sq. Miles of devastation, I think we did a bang up job getting in to help, let alone the unbelievable generosity of our nation.

But after reading Steve Czaban's take on the hurricane I thought you would all enjoy reading it.

So I have been tagged!

Yep I got tagged the other day and now it is my time to respond. She apparently wants to know The five things that I miss from my childhood.

1) I miss summers at the cottage, the drive over, the shopping for food, the opening up of the doors, the fueling of the boat and the endless days.

2) Playing basketball with my dad in the back yard or throwing the football while grilling out.

3) Playing sports, basketball, football and even baseball.

4) Playing night games around the neighborhood, you know, kick the can or capture the flag as it gets dark.

5) The feeling of not having to worry about anything. It was simple and innocent.

Um...Yeah.....I Was Wrrrrrrooonnn

I guess I got a little full of myself the other day regarding the Hurricane and the help we were offered. I guess I should have known better but there are times, regardless of political affiliation, that our own party lets us down.

So lets start at the beginning shall we. I am pretty sure that I was making fun of the fact that we help the world but the world doesn't help us. Well I was wrong about that because we have had over 50 countries offer help and relief, including Indonesia. In fact, the Russians have had people waiting for the call to send us relief in the form of helicopters, food, supplies and money. Fidel Castro has even offered aid to us and we haven't accepted any of it....Not yet anyway. Are we that full of ourselves to think that we can or more importantly should bare this devastation all ourselves......Jesus take the help.

Ok on to my other point, now this is going to a little two sided in that I am not sure there is anyone to blame but the outcome has been embarrassing. To tackle the negative, man we should of had supplies and relief in the hurricane hit areas much much quicker than four days later. Someone make a decision already, we knew the hurricane was coming for a week ahead of time. Now the other side of this, I am not sure anyone could have predicted the sheer size of this natural disaster, it was ugly and totally astonishing in size and scope. I mean how was anyone suppose to estimate that 80% of New Orleans would be under water? There were helicopters rescuing people the day after off the roof of homes, I know because I was watching it on TV, but the problem is that in any other disaster this would have been enough, not this time. So now try to put together relief for something of this size, it takes time people.

Ok last and maybe the hardest to admit but George W. Bush should never speak in public again without a pre-written speech. This guy is bad, I mean really really bad. Like any other person that has taken on a political identity we want to give our guy every chance we can but holy shnike how bad is this guy. 9/11 he was awesome, Hurricane Katrina....Embarrassing

Overall we want to blame someone, one person to take the brunt of the responsibility on this thing. In the coming months we are going to hear all kinds of blame, blacks versus whites, republicans versus democrat's, females versus males and even cats versus dogs. But lets please remember this isn't about political affiliation or race or even what kind of pet you prefer but rather this is a human issue....A mankind issue so lets start acting like it.

mmmm.....Football

There is something about this time of year that I love, maybe my favorite time of year actually. Yeah Fall is all cool and stuff. Mainly because we are entering into football season. I love football, I am not sure why but there is this primal draw on me.......<drooling and stuff

Well today we kick off the Badger football season and my hope...My only hope in the world is that they have a great start to the year. I know I am being selfish but I am going to the Michigan game on the 24th and I want two undefeated teams playing at Camp Randall.

I love the drive over to Madison, the walk to the stadium passing all the fraternity houses, the walk into the stadium and up the ramps. You want something to eat or drink? Now is the time to get it cuz once your sitting down you don't want to miss anything. The field is the most amazing green and the white lines are almost blinding in there clarity.

I love this time of year.