A Lot Like Christmas

 

Im A Foto Nut World Headquarters

 

Storm In Black and White

 

Winter Wonderland

 

Snow Days Are Good Days, And eHarmony WTF?!

Well, the kids have a snow day today due to icy roads. I unfortunately still have to work. However, I got a little sumpin sumpin anyway. I got an extra long workout today. After my cardio, and training, I was able to do another cardio session. I ended up with a total of 15.22 miles on the recumbant bike today. (Insert PeeWee Herman big shoe dance)

Now I am sitting here sloppy with sweat, and blogging. Why you may ask? Well, cause it is all the strength I have left just to type. Alan rode my ass hard the whole time. It feels very good though, and the fat burner that I take (non stimulant, don't get your knickers in a twist) keeps the burn going till about 10:30, and then kicks back in after lunch. It is kind of hard to ecplain to people why you are sweating your ass off standing there doing nothing. I don't care cause one day I am going to be skinny, and that is all that matters.

OK, on to eHarmony. In the last week, I have gotten 18 matches, I currently have 10 that I have tried to start communications with, 6 of those have put me on hold, and the other 4 have yet to respond. See the thing is, in order to respond you have sign up. Many people, my self included, got a profile, then waited to see how many responces they got before they signed up because it is exspensive in the beginging. So in the two years that I have been a member, I have only actually met one person that I dated. You all remember how that went. I struggle with cancling my membership, but I just can't do it. If I do, it will cost me big money to start back again, it currently costs me just 12.95 a month. What I am thinking is that I will likely have better luck once I am thinner, or at least I hope so.

Some Gifts For Me

Well I got 2 gifts today. One was my Christmas present to myself {LOOK HERE} (I am sooo excited I can hardly wait the 2 to 3 business days it will take to get here.) the other gift was not an easy one to recieve. However, of the two gifts, it is the far better of the two. At face value it doesn't seem like a gift, and may even seem like a boarderline hardship, but on closer inspection it is a gift indeed.

Through the grape vine today at work.... well let me rephrase that, after shaking, yanking, and swinging from the grapevine today I found out I did not get the last job I interviewed for. This is very upsetting to me. Not because I didn't get the job, since only one person can have it, and there was a question in my mind about some things I can't discuss, that made me think it was 60 40 split if I would get it and yes was the 40. No, what makes me mad are the spineless hiring managers that can't even call, email, or snail mail you that some one else has been chosen. I am a big boy and I can take bad news. I have also said, that if I go by what everyone tells me I should have gotten that job, office polotics not withstanding, so that just makes it all the more frustrating.

At this point you are possibly asking yourself, just how can not getting a job you really wanted, when your current possition ends in April of 07, with nothing else even remotely like a promotion in sight, just how the heck can that be a gift? Well, I will tell you.

It took me many years to get to this point, but now that I am here it is the only thing that has ever worked for me so I am sticking with it. I trust that God will take care of me, even if at times it seems like he is not there to help. I can always look back and see His grand design in my life. Not to mention, that even though it always seemed like things were not going my way, all of the things I thought I had wanted where far less than what God had planned for me all the long. It is only my job to trust in Him completely. Knowing that no matter what, He has my best interestes at heart. If I am patient, and wait for Him to work in His time He will shower me with more blessings than I ever knew I wanted or needed.

Unfortunately, like the Red Headed Editor said in a previous post. When God closes one door he always opens another one, it is just that being in the hallway SUX! I am now far more capable of weathering my wilderness times because I know that when God's plan comes together for me it will be mightily wonderful for me and my children.

This Is Your Tree On Drugs

I got this idea last year but still didn't have my new camera yet. I wasn't sure how to pull it off either. Now that I have the correct equipment it was a snap! For those of you that are wondering how I did this..... It is a timed exposure of a lighted tree that is on a rotating base. This shot was a 10 second exposure.

My flickr site has everything from 5 seconds to 45 seconds. 

The Target Chronicles

I got my sorry white ass up once again this day after Thanksgiving, to make my annual 0'dark 30, electronic trek to Target. This year it was a mad dash for 2 of these, my parents headed to Radio Shack for 2 of these. I got very lucky. I got my purchases basically 2 for the price of 1! It was my suggestion to my parents to get what they bought for my kids. After Christmas, we will have to have the dishNetwork people out to get everything "HOOKED UP." Now, if I cut a hole in the bottom of their bedroom doors, to slide their food trays under, we will never see them again. Between their computers, and the new additions from above, they are two of the luckiest kids I know. Little Man's PS2 is still in Daddy's room, only so I can monitor his usage times.

These are 2 of the most wired kids I know, with the exception of Cell Phones, which they think they absolutely can't live without. Well, they are just going to have to "deal," Cause Daddy, and the school district say otherwise. Maybe I am a jerk, but I just don't see the need for a 9 and 12 year old to have cell phones.

Ok, nap time!

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurp!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, from Fotonut World Headquarters

 

A Picture's Worth A Thousand Words!

I know where my butt is going to be on July 13th next year, sitting in the theatre, watching HP&OoP! Tailers are currently at comingsoon.net

A Reward For Doing The Right Thing

I survived this weekend. Was it something I wanted to do? No. Was it as bad as I expected. It never usually is. Did I live through it? Yes. Did I have fun? I wasn't suppose to. Was it good for my kids to be there? Most definately.

God, however, made the trip worth my time as you can see above. 

Will It Never End?!

Last night after I proudly watched Big Sister sing her heart out, I went to pick up Little Man from Cub Scouts. If you all remember, I finally got the Scout Master to leave me alone, about being Little Man's Den Leader. If you will also remember he told me that he himself was already over booked, ect. Yeah yeah we got it, but I still am not going to do it.

Finally the people all said AMEN, when Scout Master emailed me with, " I will never ask you to do anything again." To which I replied, "Thank You." But I wanted to reply, "Good, it's about Effin Time!" So I now figured we were going to have to do without a leader again.

I then get a Blanket email telling me that Little Man's Den has a new leader. Great, as long as it ain't me, right? So now back to the first paragraph. I go to pick him up, and who is leading the group, but scout master, who it already the scout master and the den leader for his son's den. Apparently, He is no longer speaking to me. As you can all tell, I am just distrought and heartbroken over the whole thing. I don't know how, in the name of God, I will ever be able to live without him badgering me to be the leader. And alas, he will no longer be my friend or speak to me, without grunting, and giving me the evil pissy eye.

I am only going to say this once. Scout Master is a big boy. I can not make anyone do anything they do not want to do. It is not my fault he felt obligated to lead the group because I would not. Nor is it my fault that he now has over extended himself. The real reason, deep down inside fueling his anger, is that fact that he was unable to manipulate me to his will, and he is mad at me for standing true to myself and my family in not backing away from the boundry I have set. Frankly, I would be happier taking my son to the den at our church, but his friends are here.

Life is about managing ones priorities, and I will neither appologize for, or be manipulated into changing the priorities I feel are important for me and my children. So to quote myself, "Scoutmaster, if you don't like it, you can just go take a shit in the lake! I could care less weather you find favor with me or not." Furethermore, that fact that you were nice to me only until you could no longer manipulate me, speaks volumes about your lack of charicture. I am already 4 times the man you will never be, so if you find that you do not agree with me in this matter, I am glad, because I do not ever wish to share the same views with you only any level.

My Mom has a saying that applies well here. Guys like that have lots of Class, and it's all 4th.


Ps. I am off, once again to take my children down to the farm for a visit with their Grandparents, this time it is for their 50th Wedding Anniversary party. As I have said countless times before. I am only doing this because I love my children, not because I enjoy it.

"I Guess That Singin' In The Shower Paid Off, Huh?

....And you guys just thought it was annoying." (Actuall qoute from Big Sister.)


Well, let me clairify. While I do find Big Sister's singing in the shower annoying, I also think she is very musically gifted, and with work will be as good as her dad, the Fotonut. (Wink) Actually, I have been singing for over 20 years, and have done several solos, ect. So it is no suprise that both of my children are musically talented. Little Man, already plays piano, and violin. Not to mention the fact that he can play whatever he picks up.

As verbous (sp?) as I am, I once again have gotten WAY THE HECK off track. Tonight was the Talent Show at Big Sister's School. She sang "What Dreams Are Made Of" by Hillary Duff, and she brought down the house! I was pleasantly surprised that Big Sister was very well recieved by her peers, and was told by many people, both children and adults, what a fine job she had done. (She gets picked on often, because of her issues, and I was scared that a gym full of middle school students would be less than nice to her. However, I was shockingly wrong.)

My unbiased opinion, as a performer of many years myself, is that the 3rd runner up had no business, winning over Big Sister.

Not only did Big Sister out sing the duet, she possesed far more stage presents than they did. Which wasn't hard since theirs was in the negative number range. I realize I am being a bit harsh because after all, that are middleschoolers, but the stunk. (It just occured to me that that may have been a teacher thing. Two girls needing an extra boost in the confidence department, which is all good with me. Big Sister handled not winning like a champ, and has more talent now, than the other girls will likely ever have. This will be just a blip on a lifetime of performances.

As I told her several times tonight. I am sooooooo very proud of her, and she did a spactactular job. What I didn't tell her is that if she keeps this kind of stuff up, (like Honor Roll, et. al.) I am going to be broke really soon, and it is almost Christmas. 

She's On-A-Roll!

You will never guess, what a big suprise I got upon arriving home tonight......

Big Sister, made the first quarter "6th Grade Honnor Roll"!!!!!! While in and of it's self that is a wonderful accomplishment for any child, it is far sweeter where Big Sister is concerned. You see, she has some developmental problems that she is overcoming. They are not long lasting, and eventually will be gone altogether.

To give you an idea about the progress she has made, she was at a 2nd grade reading level when she entered 5th grade. As of first quarter midterm this year she was at the same level as a last quarter 5th grader. That means she is almost caught up to where she is suppose to be. I am just tickled pink!

Little man always makes Da Roll..... and I am always proud of him and is accomplishements. It is just that when your daughter, who really and truly rides the short bus to school, makes the honor roll, and gets her name in the paper, it is cause for great celebration. I have not yet decided what special suprise I will bestow on her, but there will definately be sumpin good coming her way soon!

Off To The Presses

OK, on my way home from work tonight, I dropped off the completed files for the CD covers for my choir's CD. Our, Organist/Program Director told me that he is hoping to have them back so we can have the kick off, initial offering, at our Big December Concert on the 8th. However, he said it was going to be close. I have tried to save the files as jpg's so I could post them on my blog for you all to see. I am sure there is a way to do it, I am just two new with the program to know how yet. All the better, it creates more suspence, and anticipation.

Another cool thing I found out tonight is that we will be cutting more CDs! I put my bid in for a Christmas CD. That seems to be the concencous amoung the choir memebers. This CD is awesome, but a Christmas CD would RAWCK DA HOUSE! I am already thinking about cover art! I plan on taking lots of shots of the Nativity at the front of our church this Christmas, and other decorations, in hopes of gaining matirial for the artwork.

Die Über Tile Meister!

Well, "Cool Bro" has spent over 24 of the last 48 hours here working his magic on my bathroom. He is truly and Artisan! He has been a tile mason for seven or eight years now, and is seriously thinking about going on his own. He has been asking me to come take shots of his completed jobs so he can build a portfolio up. He is doing a plain jane bathroom for me, but most of his jobs durring the week are in the Ultra Swanky parts of town, just to the south of me. One of the jobs he did was a bathroom in a Mother in Law addition. The addition was 3900 square feet. My first home was 2900 square feet and that included a full finished basement, 4 beds, and 3.5 baths. The bathroom Cool Bro worked on was larger than the eat in kitchen in my first house. Any way, we are lucky to have him in our family, because I can't afford him at his current employer, now would I be able to once he is out on his own. He told me the other day, "Hell, fotonut, I can't even afford me." 

Toes!

Big Sister's 12th Birthday was the 26th of last month. Daddy, got her a pedicure. (She, like all other kids with A.D.D. chews her fingernails.)

We got there at 7:55 sharp, for our 8:00 appointment. As I was helping Big Sister out of her socks and shoes I notice that no one has cut her toenails for her in oh say, 3 months or more. Most of them looked like claws. I was truly emberrassed, because it looked like I don't take care of my child.

Well the very sweet lady who was Big Sister's pedicurist, was a very large lipped black woman. As she was clipping Big Sister's claws she was telling her about the process, and one of those Über Large Claws flew right in her mouth, and stuck to her large lower lip. I am her to tell you, I nearly blew chunks all over Big Sister, Very Sweet Pedicurist, the wirlpool tub, and the vibrating chair Big Sister was sitting in. Very Sweet Pedicurist, didn't miss a beat, she politely ducked down, and removed the errant claw, as if it never happened. Now one ever said a word about it. I am afraid if she had, I wouldn't have been able to contain my voluminous spew, and it would have been all she wrote. Nothing, I repeat nothing would have enabled me to keep those flood gates closed. It is taking everything I have right now just to type about it, 12 hours later.

In the end, the pedicure was a big hit, and Big Sister wanted to know if she could come back in a week or two to have it done again. What I wanted to say was, "Are you Effin Nuts! This little pleasure trip costed Daddy $65.00, and you want to come back once a week?" What I said was, "Big Sister, this is a special treat, maybe we can do it again some time, but not next week." Big Sister replied, "Oh...Ok, then." And that was it. (Thankfully, whew) 

November 11th Is My 2 Year Blogaverssary

Well, happy Blogaverssary to me!

I many ways, it seems as if I have been blogging for a 100 years already. It is so ingrained into my life. I know there have been times I have wavered, not posting too often, but I do love it.

On Nov. 11th 2004 I wrote two posts. The second post, was a "Real" post. I just re-read it and have marveled at how far my family and I have come from that day. It seems as though we have experienced a lifetime of growth already.

For anyone that is interested, you can click the link and read my first real post, A Father's Tears.

10.6 Miles MFers!

Just sayin'

New Beginings

Well, Yesterday was a new day, and a new begining. I hit my first stumbling block 2 weeks ago, and it is time to get back on track. Everything was going well with my workouts until I got onto the scale for the first time 3 weeks into the program. ONLY 2.4 LBS! My heart sunk all the way to the floor. I had been knocking my dick in the dirt for 3 weeks, with the expectation of loosing 2 to 3 lbs a week and all I lost was two and a half friggin' pounds after getting up at 4 am, eating and working out before I started the rest of my day.

Well folks, that right there ate my lunch! I let it get to me so bad that I just gave up. Last week I didn't go to the gym once. It bothered me greatly, even to the point of tears, but I just couldn't make myself go. Yesterday, I confided in Alan that I had fallen. Well as I suspected, he was able to tell weather or not I had come by checking the computer. He also spoke to his boss about how to remotivate me. He know that I had been very disapointed in my lack of progress. He talked to me about how hard totally changing your lifestyle is. In the end he said he would call me every morning to make sure I was up and heading in. Today, that wonderful soul didn't have to get up because he didn't have any clients yet he still got up and called me. 3 cheers for Alan! Thank you so much for being my champion.

All that to say that I rode the recumbant cycle today for 4o minutes, and went 10.22 miles. woooo hooooooo I rock! Or at least I hope I'm a looser.

God Bless the new day an the opportunity to start over!

Internet Dating SUX, Cont.

Well, I got to thinking about all that I wrote, and I bet there are some of you out there that are thinking that the ol'fotonut got a taste of his own medicine. If you remember, I posted about geting a membership to a club, per my Dr., and said that if/when I get to the point that I am thin again, I am going to be a little more selective about the women I am willing to date.

My thinking is that if I have worked very hard to change my life, I want to be with someone that values good health, ie. eating right and exersizing. If I dated or had a relationship with someone who did not value those things it would be far harder to maintain my new life style if they had 10 bags of potatoe chips on top the the fridge, and ate icecream and candy every day.

Now back to getting my own medicine. While I would insist on someone that shared my values regarding health, I would not ask them to reopen after they closed, an then played like I wanted to be their friend, only to string them along. Which this gal would have done, had I not called her on it.)

Just sayin'


Side note:

I changed my profile last night to show my photos right away. From now on, I will know that they have already seen me, and don't have any issues with it. Not even 24hrs later I was matched with a Nurse, who we will call "Nurse Goodbody" (like hee haw) She had her pics available right away, too. By the time I got logged in, she had already closed with the message, "I am taking a break from dating right now." Translation, you are at least one of the F.U.B.s. (fat, ugly, or bald.) While it stings a little, if she feels that way I didn't want to be with her anyhow.

My Very First Job Ever!

 

My First Job Page 2

 

My 2nd Second Job

 

Internet Dating SUX!

In alot of ways, interent dating is wonderful, and in general I like it. However, there are times like today when it sux!

As eHarmony instructs, I begin communication with 90% of the matches I get. What usually happens is that most matches don't ever respond. I did the same thing. You can join, and get matches, however, to respond it costs money. Like me, I am sure that most people wait and test the waters to see what types of people they get matched with. Then, if there is someone they are particularly interested in, you sign up.

Every so often I get someone that starts communication with me, before I can with them. But usually it is the other way around. In the last two weeks I have had two matches respond to my request for communication. The first was very strongly Catholic, and I am very strongly Lutheran, so we decided it likely wouldn't work. (And she was really cute to, dang it!) Then the second one wich was going along fine until midway through the process where you send must haves and can't stands to each other. It was very apparent to me that she was extreamly active (running and biking daily) and her very first can't stand was someone that is overweight. So I closed communication, and chose the reason that our must haves, and can't stands didn't match up.

At this point the other person can request to reopen the match. Against my better judgement I reopened. Everything went fine until we got to Open Communication. (Which is like email but within the eHarmony site so it stays safer for women and men alike.) She asked if I would tell her why I closed the match earlier and so I did. I pulled no punches because I didn't want to waist my time if she was just going to say no thanks later on.

She messages me back, and said she didn't really want to close the match per se, but she was communicating with another gentleman already, and although she had not met him face to face things were looking up. However, she would still like to email back and forth for awhile.

Well, I smelled a rat, so I politely messaged her back saying I was confused and needed to ask some qualifying questions. I told her if she still saw me as a match that may one day become a face to face meeting then that was fine. But, if she was only wanting an email buddy, I had several of those and did not wish to be "let down easy." I told her I was a big boy and would not be hurt is she was not interested, and would rather be told that now, than to find out later that it was never her intent to take things any further, after I had emotially invested myself.

What makes me mad is that I am not a charity case in the friendship department, nor am I hurt because someone on the interent whom with I have been matched does not wish to persue a relationship with me. Please ladies, just say what you mean, and don't string guys along because you may hurt their feelings. In a month from now we aren't even going to remember you, and if we are the type of person to hold a grudge, whats it to you? You won't even know.

Needless to say, she graciously said, well it looks like you have a strong network of friends, and don't need another "email buddy." She also said, she would never consider me as a candidate for a relationship, then closed the match.

Am I hurt? Hell no! I am glad! Hey, I didn't waist any time with this gal. To be honest, I don't think I could have kept up with her, even if I had fit. It just sux to be treated like a 5 year old.

Outdoor Plumbing

Well, my brother is at it again. "World's Greatest Tile Mason Extrordinaire," has begun phase II in my bathroom. He first repaired the shower, then we decided to have him redo the whole blinkin' thing. Today is "Demo Day." We will be crapperless, sinkless, but not showerless for a week or more. Hence, the outdoor plumbing picture. (I did not google outdoor plumbing, I took this shot after the World's Greatest Tile Mason Extrordinaire took our throne outside durring phase II of the demo.) 

Snack Time, In the Men's Room

Many years ago, I got in the habit of telling my boss when I would be leaving the area sortly after I started in Corporate America. Not because I was expected to, for me it is a respect thing. 17 year later, I am the boss, and now I do it so my employees will know where I am at, if they or someone else is looking for me. (Guess what, it is still a respect thing.)

Every now and again, in the wonderful, wonderful world of customer service there are times when you just need to get away from everything for a bit, even if it is only 5 minutes. That is just long enough to break the tenstion, and helps you to cope better when you return. Today, was just such a day. It was so stressful, that about 2:30 I realized that I needed to head the the men's room, like NOW. Like most days, I am so busy, I hold it till I get the chance. Today, there didn't seem to be any chances. At that moment, however, I didn't have a choice, so off I headed.

The only person I saw as I started to trot in the appropriate direction was my boss. I said to him, "Hey boss, I am going to the men's room, and then get a snack." I was feeling a little wonky from my diabities meds, and needed to eat. Because I was all but running, in the opposite direction, I am sure I was hard to hear. My boss replied quizically, "You're going to the Men's room to have a snack?!" "No dude, that's just gross. I said, Men's room AND THEN get a snack. Your just wrong.", trailed off as I rounded the corner in a last ditch effort to make it to the Men's room before break point. While I do not speak from experience, I can only surmize that there is likely nothing, I repeat, nothing in the Men's room I wish to ever have in my mouth for any reason!

For any inquiring minds out there..... I did make it just in time, whew!

All's I Got To Say

today is that Tootsie Roll Farts are NAAAA~STEEE. Not only are they eye waterin' stanky, they make your butt itch!

If Witchita Momma were here, I know exact what she would say, TMI Fotonut TMI!

By the way, before anyone starts..... I happen to have type 27 Diabities. It acutally goes away, on holidays, birthday, or anytime the sufferer attends a party. Just sayin'