Bucket List

My Bucket List

1. Be Faithful to God, my family, my friends and myself every day.
2. Grow old, healthy and happy with my wife.
3. Watch my girls grow into beautiful young women, graduate from high school and college, start a family and career if they so choose and spend endless hours with my grandchildren if I am blessed enough to have some.
4. Let my family know I love them and appreciate everything they do for me.
5. Be the better man everyday in every situation. Let my words and actions be who I really am.
6. Help one person everyday either it be with a problem, a kind word or just a smile.
7. Show compassion for those in need, comfort for those in pain and the courage to stand up for those being wronged.
8. Judge less, care more and learn something new every day.
9. Purely selfish one - Visit New England in Autumn.

Mile Stones Reached - Reflections On the Past - Future Pondered

According to many people tomorrow is a big day for me. See I am going from one decade in my life to another. Many see this as a transition or a sad time but for me it is just another day. I really don't feel any older, not sure if I have gained that expected wisdom that comes with age and still feel I have a lot of life ahead of me. Maybe I should give it more thought and reflection. Maybe it is bigger then I am giving it credit for. But I truly think a person is only as old as they feel and allow themselves to act. Later if time allows I will probably take some time tonight and look back at what I have accomplished, opportunities missed and conquered and ponder what the future holds.

For me, as I make the transition from thirties and into my forties, I remember probably the best decade of my life. I have seen my daughters born, grow and mature. I have spent some wonderful time with my wife. My career has been good and I am blessed to have a job continually throughout it. I have worked my way thru college, with only to 5 credit hours to finish (which will be done in March), and I will have my bachelors degree. I have thoroughly  enjoyed my 30's and I am really looking forward to what my 40's bring.

So I would like to say thanks to my wonderful family for making my life so joyous and showing me how truly blessed I am. Thanks to all the friends, old and new, who have told me straight and supported me when I needed it most. Thanks especially to God for all the gifts and blessings I have. 

Politics and the World We Live In

While I dislike politicians and the hypocrisy they expound I find it odd that so many "average" Americans are willing to point out this hypocrisy. There is not one among us, myself included, who is not a hypocrite. I do not know one person who has not said "I will never" or "under no circumstances is that". When it comes to items like abortion, pedophilia, murder, etc. most people aren't hypocrites, we live what we say. But are we saying that there are different levels to being hypocrite and that some are OK? When we do this we are no better than the same people we sit in judgement and become just like them. So instead of us becoming the political pundits we love to hate maybe we should take a step back and look in the mirror first.

The news of Santorum's wife's abortion is very bad for his candidacy but it does only show that he is human. Yes he is a hypocrite and he lied to us but after all he is a politician, did you expect something different? I am a Christian but have always found the way he pushed his faith out in front was not what I want to hear. I want to hear how he is going to change foreign policy, fix the economy and help out Americans. Did I think he was a viable or even a good candidate, no. Do I think this hurts his campaign, yes. But I don't really care since to me he was a poor choice in the first place. Being a Christian makes you who you are as a person, not as a politician. Does one affect the other, sure but they are two completely different things.

I am also glad that Michele Bachmann is now out of the race. She also was not a viable candidate and to me is bat crap crazy. Her speech withdrawing from the race for president confirmed this for me even more. To say "even though I am a congresswoman I am not a politician" show's how nuts she really is. Her statement that she was only running to repeal Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or to her Dodd-Franks and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA or as she always call's it Obamacare shows how woefully unprepared she was to lead our nation.

I don't know who I will vote for yet since we don't know who the republican candidate is going to be. Has president Obama lived up to every promise he made, no. Is he the best choice, not sure yet. Is Romney the right person, is it Gingrich, Paul or if Huntsman makes a run? I just don't know yet. We have 11 months of listening to speeches, posturing and let's face it lies. Good luck America and the world, this is going to be a fun 11 months.

Why I Love Nebraska

Tonight I was in a mood, sort of cranky, mostly irritable, just a down right poor demeanor. You know one of those moods where life gets to you, too much work, not enough family time and all the burdens that you carry. Mine are no different then anyone else's, we all have to deal though. The way we deal is different; some drink, some talk to friends, some exercise, some read a book or watch a movie and some do things all together different. For me it is a drive on a two lane highway late at night and tonight was one of those nights I needed to get out and just drive.

I stopped at a convenience store and grabbed a strawberry pop, set some Johnny Cash on the phone and pumped it thru the car audio and headed out on the road. I didn't have a lot of time but I wanted, no I needed to go. This leads me to the title, Why I Love Nebraska. I can get in the car and be out in the darkness in less then 15 minutes from just about anywhere in the town I live. In just this short time I am away from the city lights looking at a star filled sky and driving in an almost complete void. Occasionally I would need to dim the high beams for the rare on-coming car but for the most part had the road to myself. You can really see the stars here in Nebraska, with our  small population there is not a lot of light pollution from cities. You experience the odd wild animal playing chicken with your automobile, the raccoon's are brave and the opossum are just plain stupid. You can see the field mice running across the road if you look real close, this is easier in the winter time when there is snow on the ground though.

So with my strawberry pop, Johnny coming thru load and clear and my thoughts all to myself I reflect on what makes my life better. One hour is enough but I usually take more, it helps me think of all the gifts the Lord has blessed me with. I think of my family and how truly awesome they are; how my oldest daughter is turning into such a little lady, how my youngest daughter is so loving, friendly and kind. How much my wife gives to our family and friends. I think of my dad and all the struggles he has gone thru in his life and how much he still gives to others and asks for so little in return. I think of friends past and present. The friends you will never see or talk to again, the friends you don't see or talk to enough or the friends you get to spend time with. This time is truly a special time for me.

Here in Nebraska on a cloudless star filled night I drive and think and find my mood is much better. More relaxed and a better perspective on things. I know most people have a place like this but it is Why I Love Nebraska.

The sense of smell.

Not sure why but my mind was wondering a little here at work and I got to thinking which of my five sense's would I miss the most?

I know I would miss sight because I would no longer get to see my wife or daughters lovely face's. I would no longer get to see pure beauty in the form of  a picture or painting, movie or one of God's sunset's or sunrise's. I would miss not having sight but I don't think I would miss it most.

I would miss hearing. I would miss the conversations I have with my daughters when they tell me about their day. I would miss hearing my wife tell me about here joy's and trials that are daily life. I would miss hearing the roar of the crowd at a Nebraska home football game. I would miss the sounds of birds as daylight breaks and they start to sing. I would miss the sound of good music or the cinema. Again I don't think I would miss this most though.

I would miss feeling. The touch of a loved one, the feel of a bear hug embrace from a family member or close friend. The simple act of petting my dog or daughters cat. The comfort of new or freshly washed flannel sheets on a cool autumn day. These two would be missed but not most.

Taste I would miss also but not the most. A great steak grilled to perfection. My wife's homemade apple pie for my birthday. My step mom's macaroni salad. The interesting deserts my oldest comes up with (the latest was peanut butter, chocolate and Nerds candy made into a Reese's type cup). A stadium dog at a football or baseball game. A fresh pizza pie from our local establishment. All these would be missed.

The sense I would miss most though I believe would be smell. The smell of a new born child. The familiar sent of my family. The sent of rain in the spring time, freshly cut alfalfa in the summer, leaves in autumn that are starting to just slightly decompose, the first time the furnace kicks on in the fall. The smell of someone grilling in the evening, the flowers my daughters pick to give to their mother. I really think I would miss smell the most. Scent can bring back memories so vivid that you can almost taste, feel, see or hear the event again in your head. When a scent triggers one of these moments it is as if the moment never ended.

I realize this is not going to be the same for everyone and I never thought it would. For me the loss of scent would be hardest. Don't get me wrong I am truly blessed to have all my sense's, exception of course is common, and would miss all the others but for me not being able to smell would be terrible.

Time to think.

As I pause from work and take my daily walk to clear my mind and leave the stress there I look up at the almost starless sky, most of them being drowned out by the city lights. The nearly full moon is so bright now it cast slight shadows.

The cool temperature on my face makes me realize how blessed I am to have a good job, a roof over my head and a family to share it with. My mind wonders off while listening to the music from my ear buds. I think of my cousin who passed last week at the age of 41; he was much too young. I think of how I let our relationship get weaker and wonder how one does that? How do you let family become so distant? I will be attending the funeral early this next week but feel ashamed, should I go even though I didn't take the time to visit when he was still with us? I am going to go and pay respects because no matter how distant one becomes he was still family and I loved him.

I think of two dear friends. One is struggling with the trials and tribulations that life presents. This economy has been kind to very few and this person is feeling the affects and needs to make some difficult choices. The other friend on my mind is struggling with an illness that is unexplained. The doctors are finding nothing and my friend is concerned and scared at the same time. I pray for both that they will find answers and comfort with the difficult decisions that need to be made.

Lunch is over, time to get back to work. Answers will come and I will not search for them, I will have faith and let things happen as they will.

The current political and financial climate is unsustainable. We are not Democrats and Republicans or liberal or conservative. We are Americans and we all should want the same thing, a strong, healthy government that is run for the people by the people with as little affect on the people as possible. Our government should not mettle in our everyday lives but help to keep us safe, National Defense, make our education system strong, better schools, and make the playing field as level as possible.

Do people really think congress will repeal Bush era tax cuts for the wealthy? The bastards we have in congress are the wealthy who make more then $250,000.00 a year. And before you say their salary is less $200,000.00 a year remember that is only what the government pays them. Why would they ever vote to repeal these cuts when it hurts them? Will they continue to cut support for the middle class, aka you and me, and tax us more? The answers are no and yes in that order.

The Republican plan does not get rid of Medicare like the ads are saying, it just privatizes it with government oversight and rules. How this makes it any cheaper is beyond me though because we all know how well the government does when they try and regulate private industry.

Corporations are suppose to pay taxes to help the country yet congress gives them large tax breaks to keep jobs and business here. In reality they are receiving taxes breaks while moving more and more work overseas or south of the border. NAFTA which was a Democratic lead initiative has moved thousands of jobs south into Mexico. The republican law that allowed companies that aren't U.S. based, i.e. make there headquarters here, pay less in taxes has seen many companies move their headquarters off shore in name only to avoid taxes. The CEO's and Chairman still live and work in America just the company address has changed.

While we all bitch and moan about the Democrats this and the Republicans that and the Tea Party that and the Green party this it all falls back on us for not taking responsibility. You cannot stand for a platform and not care about your fellow American. There is no middle class in America anymore, there is rich and poor. The rich look out for themselves and the poor fight among themselves.

Thanks!

This past week our family had quite a scare. Our youngest daughter told my wife she was dizzy and didn't feel well after Sunday school. My wife took her home and made her as comfortable as possible. By that afternoon she was feeling worse so my wife got her in to see our pediatrician. I want to thank our daughter's god-mother, she made herself available to our family and took care of our oldest daughter so my wife could take our youngest to the pediatrician. I also need to thank our pediatrician, his office has Sunday hours just for these situations. It is such a blessing to have the ability to get your child in to see someone she is comfortable with when she is scared and someone we trust. The pediatrician gave her a thorough exam and told us we need to get her to Children's Hospital in Omaha as soon as possible. Along with her dizziness she had nystagmus, which is involuntary, rapid eye movement.

We got our oldest daughter situated with some close family friends from church who love our daughters like they are family and started on our trip to Omaha. I want to thank the staff of Children's Hospital in Omaha, the staff made us comfortable, told us what they were going to do for our daughter and put us at ease as much as possible. As a parent so many things are running thru your head. You're thinking could it be a tumor, is it a brain bleed, could it be meningitis or so many other serious condition? Waiting until the doctors can do the tests was the hardest part. You want them to start checking everything right away but you have to be understanding and patient. The doctors and nurses have other patients they are taking care of, precautions they have to take and just make sure your child is stable enough for the tests.

I am thankful everyday that we had such a good facility so close to take care of our daughter and my wife and I. When you are put in a situation like this, when you cannot help your child, you are at a complete loss. As parents all you want is the best for them, to be able to "fix" everything. And when it is a situation like this you just have to trust in God, the doctors and nurses, family and friends to take care of your children and you. You have to give it over completely to others at this point.

So I say thank you to God, family and friends and doctors and nurses who took such good care of  our little girl. We truly are blessed.

Snow Day, Woohoo!!! Not so much.

Snow day for eastern Nebraska. Kids these days have it easy. Shoot I remember walking 3 miles up hill to school, both ways, on my hands so I wouldn't get my feet wet and in -30 degree F wind chills. :)

All kidding aside the reason they declared a snow day wasn't so much for the snow or even the cold. The fact is children in our school districted are unprepared to be out in it.

Here is a quote from the district superintendent on the reason they will call snow days more often then in the past. "These days it is also important to remember the changing demographics of our community. Currently about 50 percent of our students, preschool through fifth grade, live in poverty (qualify for free and reduced lunch)—45 percent of our total LPS student enrollment. That means we can no longer assume that children walking to school have warm mittens and adequate coats.  Nor can we assume that if and when blizzard conditions arrive at the close of a school day, parents will be waiting outside school doors with a warm car. Yes, many students in Lincoln can bundle up, but many do not have the resources, the parental supervision or knowledge to prepare properly."

This is sad, the state of our world that is. If things are this bad where I live I cannot imagine what it is like on either coast where poverty and unemployment are much higher. We in Nebraska are supposed to have a good standard of living compared to much of the country. I don't want this to be a political post or a blame this person or that person or this party or that party. I guess I want people to understand how bad things have gotten for the innocent bystanders in this game of political and corporate corruption. This didn't happen the last two years or 10, it started much longer ago.

I hope and pray at some point we will see that passing debt on to the future, downsizing employees, corporate greed and political infighting are getting us no where and hurting those, the youth, who have no say. WE are all to blame and until we all start to make a change it isn't going to get better.

Chrome OS/CR-48 Initial Review.

My review of the CR-48 Google Notebook

I received my Google OS notebook on Monday December 20 but do to some obligations at work and some family miscommunication I did not actually see it until Tuesday. I have been playing with it for just a few hours and would like to share my initial thoughts with you. 

First I would like to point out,  you must understand this is a Beta unit and will be no where near what the production unit will be. Second being this is the first release of the Chrome OS also there are many improvements that will be made by the beta testers.

I am going to start with hardware then move to software.

So far I am impressed with the unit itself. The battery life, screen, keyboard and mouse are all user friendly, at least to me.  The battery life is the biggest surprise so far. The unit comes with the instructions to just put the battery in and start using the notebook. The battery was half charged when I put it in and I messed around with it for about 2 hours and it was still over a quarter charged. 

The keyboard has taken a little time to get used to since a lot of the buttons (alt/ctrl are there but the F keys are not) I am used to using on a Windows based system are gone. I love using keyboard shortcuts and Google OS has them I just need to get used to the changes. 

I do prefer using a pointer stick mouse over a mouse pad but again this is only a personal preference. The mouse pad that comes with the unit is easy to use and quite large, a plus when you have sausage fingers like I do.

The screen is pleasant surprise. It is not what I have seen on some machines that were meant for media centers or gaming but is very nice. Pictures and video show up crisp and clear.

The on-board video camera takes nice pictures and video, not the highest quality but very good. When I tried to use the microphone, only once so far, there were some issues. My wife said it sounded choppy or as if it was breaking up. I am not sure this is a microphone issue though, internet has been a little slow in the neighborhood lately, some new lines are being installed.

The overall weight of the unit is nice, coming it at just 3.8 pounds.

Now my wish list for changes. I would like to see a cd/dvd drive on board. I hope this happens but with Google moving toward everything in the cloud they may not add it. As addressed earlier I would like to see a pointer stick mouse also. The speakers are adequate but could be better. 

No for the software. Please remember I have been using the unit for less then a day so these are my initial observations.

I have not had time to look at a lot of the items available at the Chrome Web Store but there is quite a bit there. Many of the free apps I tried just direct you to the host's website and you go from there. 

Using Chrome OS is much or almost exactly like using the Chrome browser. As soon as I signed in all of my extension/themes/setting/bookmarks were automatically updated. I have the sync feature enabled on my Dell Windows unit so this may have made it much faster. There is no desktop since you won't be storing anything on the unit. You can download stuff but it goes directly to a download queue that just pops up when select it. There is no "My Computer," "My Documents" or any of the other items you may look for. There is no start menu, no task bar or anything else you would look for. The time/date, WiFi and battery symbol are in the top right corner of the screen. The "control panel" as it is is the wrench you are used to using in the Chrome Browser. I will write new post after I have had time to mess with the Chrome Web Store more. 

No Netflix is huge miss so far for me but I am sure Google and Netflix will have this ready to go before production units hit the web/stores. 

My initial review is very positive. The hardware for a beta unit is impressive and functional. The software is easy to use if you have ever used the Chrome Browser. To grade the unit after such a short time is not fair of me but life isn't fair so here it is. I give the unit a solid B right now. With feedback from beta testers and software improvements I expect this grade to rise rather quickly.