in the spirit of the new year, i believe that it is customary to rant about how last year sucked and the new year is going to be 100x better. well, last year wasn’t the greatest, but i really can’t complain. looking back at posts from the last year (and realizing the many things i didn’t post about), it was a fun time with Joseph. we were able to take some family trips to various ‘kid friendly’ places – the Como Zoo, Teddy Bear Park in Stillwater, the Children’s Museum (twice)… and still so many other things we weren’t able to do – something to look forward to in 2010.

I wouldn’t be able to do these family trips without the other member of my family, my wife. she is an amazing person who continues to impress me with her work ethic and drive to better this family. she works two jobs, is going to grad school, keeps the house in near immaculate condition and still finds time to pamper both Joseph and me on a regular basis (more Joseph, but i get mine too

And so here we are in 2010

time, being the perpetual bitch she is, has forced us into the new year – and this only 365 days since the last new year which, at this point, seems so long ago. i don’t think i’ve ever really made a new years resolutions – the term is pretty lame anyway. and i know i haven’t posted about goals and/or plans for the upcoming year, so here’s my first attempt at putting something down in print on the web – which might actually compel me to make some life changing, er, changes. in no particular order:

1. there’s no use in denying it anymore, i’ve gained unnecessary weight. i currently weigh 243lbs. by far the most i’ve ever weighed in my life. in the upcoming year, i plan on losing at least 30lbs. and how will this be accomplished?
   • i will increase my workouts in intensity and in occurrence –  i started the 100 push up challenge again this year (day four, holla!) and i will be working out in the mornings at the HS – doing workouts from CrossFit and/or CrossFit Football and the BFS strength program.
   • i will modify my diet – this i still haven’t figured out yet. i know my dietary habits are horrible, what can i say, i like to eat. i will be obtaining a diet modification plan from a friend and will try that out (provided it’s not a ‘buy our stuff and you’ll get ripped’ kind of scheme). i will decrease the percentage of meat i eat in a meal as i do eat a lot of meat products and sometimes, just meat. i also need to boost the metabolism by decreasing the amount i eat in a sitting but eating more often.
2. i plan on spending more time on my website
   • i’ve already begun a new design (v4.0) of TDotCom, which i think is overdue
   • i would like to post at least weekly
   • i’m actually going to complete the rest of the site (about, football, projects) instead of just filler or ‘coming soon’ text
3. i will be more fiscally responsible. funds are tight – as they are across most of the US – and doesn’t sound like things are going to get better anytime soon. we’d like to get started on the savings for building our house on the land we purchased earlier this year and so some things are going to have to change
   • i’ve been pretty good with not eating out for lunches as of late, restricting my outings to once or twice a week, but we can do better – once every two weeks max – will be the new modification
   • if i can find a part-time job in the evenings that’s not a total waste of time, i will take on that additional task – anyone got anything for me?
   • i need to keep better tabs on our finances – i’ve left much to chance and placed the burden of managing everything on the shoulders of the wife. i plan on putting some time into keeping quicken up to date
4. be a better daddy and husband – pretty self explanatory, really. Joseph is a blast and his toys are getting more and more fun, so that won’t be too hard of a goal. but i do need to show my appreciation to Katie, for all of her hard work. she is an amazing woman and i am very lucky and blessed to be her man.

there are some fairly lofty goals in this list – some that i don’t have all the details on how to accomplish them – or even fully thought them out – but they’re out there in the blogosphere, on the internets and while they’re not going to be read by many, i’m hoping that by posting this i’ll be able to accomplish these goals.

After the petting zoo, Katie and i went to Interstate State Park by ourselves (Joseph went back with Grandma and Grandpa Mertz, so she and i could get some adult time). We walked a bunch of the trails – Katie took some really nice photos along the walk… check em out:

Joseph had a great time at the Como Zoo!

We started out in the conservatory – and maybe we spent a little too much time there (no animals, outside of some koy in the water) – but Joseph was diggin just spending time with mommy and daddy outside of the house (for a change). We then walked around the rest of the zoo – the big cats were sleeping when we got there, so that kind of sucked, but Joseph loved the Sea Lions swimming (photos of which we do have, but they’re on the other camera and i haven’t uploaded those yet). We saw Sparky (the VI^th and the first female sparky the Como Zoo has ever had). I thought saving the monkey place for last was going to be a good idea, but by the time we did get there Joseph was getting somewhat cranky (missed his afternoon nap). I think he liked the monkeys, even though he pointed out the lights and ventilation ducts (repeatedly) when we got into the monkey building. at least they were playing around. They had a butterfly tent thing setup as well, which we checked out. He enjoyed that bit for a little while (we got some pretty cool photos of the butterflies), but the excitement soon faded. Before we left, we got on the carousel – which i’m not sure he really was too excited about – he liked it at first, but i’m not sure about the extended circling. of course, he might’ve just been a little too focused on the drums and cymbals in the middle

At the end of the day, he fell asleep before we even left the parking lot. check out the photos below… i think he had a lot of fun – Joseph’s first trip to the zoo!

BTW, you gotta check out the video proof that he is my son (that’d be the video of him eating his cake)!

there are a couple decent photos in there!

I have tried to get out fishing more this summer. and it’s only worked out so well. while i did make a trip to the cabin, found an afternoon on the kinnickinick and a couple other short times out wetting a line… i haven’t caught too many fishes. but it has been fun outside and in decent weather for the most part.

although i haven’t seen it, i’m finding myself to be a fanboy of The Hangover. primarily because i think Zach Galifianakis is hilarious. plus, ed helms is pretty solid as well. imma try to check it out soon.

that’s a brief update from me to you. l8rs

wrong focus

while the focus has been on these AIG bonuses – the real problem is the fact that we’ve given them money at all… hey, government stay the FSCK out of the private affairs of businesses! if the government didn’t give AIG and those other institutions the stupid bailout money, we wouldn’t have to <airquotes>waste congress’s time</airquotes> with these unconstitutional-rush-bills that are taking away more and more of our liberties and freedoms…

why don’t people (and i’m referring to anyone in any position in government and the pBO apologists) realize that they are making it difficult for people to be forced to live with the consequences of their actions. face it, not everything you do will turn to gold. not every decision you make will be correct. and when you make bad decisions, bad financial purchases, when you bought a house you couldn’t afford… too F’n BAD. you figure out a way to handle your debts – maybe you’ll have to sell your 52″ plasma TV and your Wii… i don’t feel bad for you. as much as i would like a bigscreen TV and a Wii and a new bigger house, i can’t afford it and so i will have to wait for those luxuries. you should’ve done the same

yesterday, in my 100 pushup challenge, i did 77 pushups, Heath “Texas” TerWee was #77 in college. some nights, the pushup challenge goes smoothly and i’m able to finish in one straight-through go. other nights, i collapse in a pile at around 50 or so… thems is tired days. tonight, i do 78 – and it might be a tough night.

i’ve also been walking during the day at work – walking to “Turkey Hill” (a term coined when a co-worker saw a turkey on the hill a couple years ago). the first couple times i’ve taken the walk, it’s taken me 28 minutes in total at a brisk pace. i’m planning on keeping at it and cutting time down eventually to 25 minutes at which time i will figure out a way to carry some weight during the walk. i’m thinking of getting a weight vest but those are quite pricey for a decent one. if you know of a quality weight vest at a solid price, let me know. i’ve let myself go physically to a point where i’m not pleased with myself – it’s time to change all that.

i also need to find time in the schedule to get back into the P90X workouts on a regular basis. those are brutal workouts and i like it!

to those who were unable to attend, thank you, but you missed a good time.

life is good when you’ve got a wife who will go through all that trouble for you and friends who support and love me… i am truly blessed.

**The Heaviest Element Known to Science***

*Lawrence Livermore Laboratories has discovered the heaviest element yet known to science.

The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.

Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second, to take from 4 days to 4 years to complete.

Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2- 6 years. It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.

In fact, Governmentium’s mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.

This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass.

When catalysed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

and now, my rant…
i’m not sure if this is a sign of me getting older or what, but i’ve started paying attention to this stuff lately and i’m not sure why. i get annoyed and pissed at almost everything i hear about. the goings ons in DC and in government in general is enough to make a person sick. i don’t want or need help from the government, i work for a living. and i’d rather they (government) just get out of my face.

we live in a house that i’d rather not be in – but we’re making our payments. and NOT looking for a handout. we know we signed onto the deal with our mortgage and we’re living with our decision. if the market tanks and people lose their butts a couple months before their retirement, that’s their fault. if the market tanks and people lose money on their ‘investment properties’ that’s their fault. the government is not supposed to protect people from their own bad decisions. if a company can’t make enough money to stay in business and can’t raise capitol themselves, then the company shouldn’t be around. survival of the fittest no longer applies?

i recently watched wall-e, and we’re going to end up like the people on the ship. we’ve already started NOT doing anything for ourselves. everyone is looking for handouts and bailouts – get off your ass, stop spending more money than you make…

or just wait for the worthless paper check from the government that our kids or our kids kids will have to pay for, selfish pricks