Where In The World?

Merry Christmas!

I realize that it has been over two weeks since my last post and I am sorry. I want to say that I have been too busy but that would be a lie...I just really have not had much to blog about. But now that I am back to work (I had last week off) and the Christmas season is over, the shopping is done, and my life is almost back to normal, I hope to get back into the groove of blogging several times a week.

So, what is new with me? I guess to make it easier, I will go by categories:

Work - I have had the last week off, but I did log in a few times to see how my colleague who had to work solo over Christmas was doing. It looks like for the first few days of the holiday he was steady but it appears it slacked off the last few days and for that I am thankful since I am working solo this week AND on call. Did I mention that our customer is running end of year reports in SAP and those servers will be hammered hard the next week or two?

I am not sure if I mentioned it before but work has decided to go back to the policy of supplying mobile phones to us instead of reimbursing us for usage on our personal ones. Now most of the guys at work are pleased with this but I am not. My wife and I have two phones on a family plan (1400 min, unlimited nights and weekends) and those numbers are well known for friends and family and I do not want to port my number over for work. So that leaves me carrying two phones and my personal one probably will not get used as much. I would like to drop our Family plan down but the next lowest is 700 minutes and that is not quite enough plus it does not have unlimited nights and weekends (it has 5000 minutes which is more than enough but I really want the "unlimited" tag).

I received my yearly review and was given a favorable rating. We were given bonuses and mine is supposed to be 4.51%. There will be no raises this year so we get to live on the same pay (minus the increase in benefit costs) as last year but my wife is now working two part time jobs (each one day a week) and that will make up for what I lost and then some.

Health - I am pleased to report that I have now broken new ground and weighed in yesterday at 178 lbs, down from 192 on Nov 11th, 2008. I only have three more pounds to lose and I will be where I want to be at 175...I may go as low as 170, but that is negotiable with my wife. All I can say is I feel better (no headaches) and my clothing fits better. I owe it all to a lot of prayer and a web site that kept me honest as long as I tracked my food consistently. I started off with 2300 calories a day and worked my way down to less than 2000, with many of those days clocking in at 1500 or less. I kept my walking up, started doing some push ups and sit ups several times a week and I have also hiked a few times since I started this endeavor.

I have been eating a bit better with more fresh vegetables, fiber, and water and less fast food. My wife has noticed a difference in me.

Family - This one is mixed. I have called my mom several times over the past few weeks and the news from her is positive. My sister and her husband have bought a plot of land out of the city limits and plan on selling all three homes (their's, mom's, and my brother in law's mother's home - she is deceased). My sis and her hubby plan on building a home for themselves and my mom wants a medium sized mobile home to live in on the property. It gives her independence but still allows sis to keep tabs on her. Hopefully that will all take place this year.

The only other real family is our son, Soldier Boy and we have not heard from him since August. I saw him when I was back in WV visiting (he drove down from PA to attend a family function with his bio-mom) and we got to chat for about an hour. It is sad that we have not heard from his since...not his birthday, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. We sent him a check but it has not been cashed yet. Lately I have been having disturbing dreams that involve him and I am not sure if that is God warning me or just my parental concern. Well, nonetheless I am not tryin to let it bother me too much. Kids will do what they want and parents cannot stop them.

Pets - The Golden is doing very well and has been a lot more playful with me than normal. She actually whines when I don't take her out Geocaching with me! My wife told me that once the dog gets "dirty" again and needs a bath that I can take her out on a caching run...OH BOY!

Little Man is a completely different story. My wife and I believe he may have Cushing's Syndrome. While is is almost 15 years old, he has really slowed down the past six months. He really is not the same dog. We are mentally preparing for him to pass on in 2009. I am going to be one sad man on that day. Little Man and I have been pals for almost as long as me and my wife have been married (we got him after we had been married six months as a 4-6 month old puppy).

Life in General - I have been offering some PC help to a couple of people at our church (pro bono) as well as some paid work as well. I have not been actively looking for extra work since my normal job keeps me busy most of the time.

Faith - I finished my goal of reading the bible in a year a whole month early. While I still read the bible every day, I am not trying to read it in one year. I have done that for the last three years (reading the bible chronologically) but this year I am going to study it more. It will mean more work, but I think I can handle it.

I have noticed a problem lately when praying outloud. My wife and I try to pray together each night and lately I cannot seem to articulate what is on my heart. I am not sure why, I have not had that problem in the past, once I got over my initial fear of praying in public. I guess I need to pray about that more...maybe God will open my eyes to what I need to see.

Well, I am sure there is more and if I can think of anything else, I will post about it.

El Gee, signing off.

Oh, one more thing, hop on over to my geocaching blog to see how I ended the geocaching year.