New Years Eve

3 Hours left in 2007. Wow, this year has went fast! Happy New Year to all my readers!

My Christmas

Christmas was pretty good here! It was a nice day outside, and everything went great!

I got:

A new VCR/DVD recorder combo
Enemy At the Gates on DVD
A couple models
A pizza maker
A couple books
And $40


Not too bad!

My Most Unususal Christmas

Christmas 1985 had to be my most craziest Christmas! Starting, my Mom won a cruise to the Bahamas from her work, so she and my Dad went over Christmas. Since she only had 2 tickets, I had to stay with my Sister her in West Virginia. It was very boring here that week, since A few weeks before, Moorefield had pretty much been destroyed by a flood. Anyway...........Now the fun

To get to Florida to catch the cruise ship, Mom and Dad had to fly from Virginia to Miami. Mom handled the flight pretty well, but Dad just about freaked out! So after completing their cruise, which they really loved, when they got Back to Miami, Dad wouldn't get back on the plane. The only vehicle they could find was a U-Haul truck, so they drove back home in that. That still makes me laugh my ass off every time I think about it!

My Christmas List

Christmas is almost here, so here's some things I'd like to get:

1: A new VCR/DVD recorder combo.

2: Revell 1/72 USS Gato Submarine model kit.

3: Battlestar Galactica Season 3 on DVD

4: Books

5: Clothes

6: MONEY

Trouble In Birdland

Spring Training is 2 months away, but it already looks like it's going to be a long season for my Baltimore Orioles. Lets see what's going on after a horrid 2007:

1:Traded one of their top players (Miguel Tejada)
2: Had another top player (Brian Roberts) caught up in the Steroid scandal
3: Will possibly trade their best pitcher, Erik Bedard.
4: Their closer (Chris Ray) and another top reliever (Danys Bayez) will both miss
the upcoming season due to elbow surgeries.
5: If Bedard is traded, the only experienced starter on the roster would be the
erratic Daniel Cabrera, an 18 game loser.


Here are some of my ideas to keep the 2008 season from becoming worse then
1988 was.


1: Resign Free Agent Pitcher Steve Trachsel, who the O's traded at the deadline in
July. He's an innings eater, and throws strikes.

2: Sign free agent pitcher Carlos Silva. He also eats innings, and hardly walks
anyone.

3: Trade Cabrera, newly acquired Luke Scott, and 3-4 minor leaguers to the Cubs
for Kerry Wood. Wood could take over as the closer, letting Jamie Walker and
Chad Bradford resume their 7th and 8th inning relief duties.

4: Sign any free agent hitter willing to come to Baltimore.

Snow!

Yesterday we had our first snow of the year. We had about 2 inches maybe. Winter is here!

Homework Time

Crystal doing her homework.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Thanksgiving quote

My guidance counselor from 7th and 8th grade, Mr. Estes, had a funny thing he told me before each thanksgiving. He's always say, Hey Billy, hope you have a good Thanksgiving, theres gonna be more that one Turkey stuffed at my house, how about yours?

The Afternoon from Hell

This afternoon was one I'd really love to forget! The day was going pretty good until 3 PM. At that time, my Mom and I left to take the 2 boys she's been babysitting down to the parking lot of Mcdonald's to meet their Mom. The trip down there usually takes around 10 minutes or less, but.........There was road construction going on, so it took over an hour to get to the parking lot. Since traffic was still stopped, and we obviously going anywhere, I took my Mom out to dinner at the chinese restaraunt. After that, we got back on the road, and at a bit after 6, we finally got home. You'd think that after that, things had to be better , but wait, there's more! We walked in the door, and noticed blood all over the kitchen gate. Something had spooked the dogs, and one of them got her foot caught in the gate, ripping the nails off of one foot. I'm sooo glad it's almost bedtime!

Dang! This is no Hoax!

As most of you know, I am a coin collector. Yesterday, in a coin magazine, I was reading about a new gold collectors coin being issued by Canada. The face value of it is ONE MILLION DOLLARS! That is no typo, i wrote one million dollars! That's is one coin that this particular collector has a snowball's chance of ever acquiring!

Luke And Levi Playing on the Bed

My Stalker

Well gang, I managed to extract myself from a sticky situation this weekend! I have an online friend from Africa who is a pretty ok guy. The problem was that his sister has this major thing for me. She PMd me and told me that she fell in love with me when she saw my picture. So I was really freaking out! I really had to think fast, to get her off my case. Don't get me wrong, I'm flattered at her attention, but the first time she ever talked to me, that is SCARY. As much as I need a woman, I'm not gonna hook up with someone that is that obsessed with me. Soooo.....I told her that I was gay, and that freaked her out majorly, she went away, crisis adverted!

Adventures In Babysitting

For the past couple of weeks, My Mom and I have been babysitting Luke and Levi, the 2 year old twin sons of my Preacher. I tell ya what, they are a handful!!! Don't get me wrong, they're good kids, but they like to get into everything, and run in and out of the house.You should hear em play with the phone. They go "hello" and Mom says hello back, then they start laughing like crazy people:p Dan and Holly do a good job raising them, they're the best kids I've ever had to watch!

Washington Capitals Preview

This evening, my Washington Capitals will kick of their 2007-2008 NHL season with a game against the Atlanta Thrashers in Georgia. Although they probably won't make the playoffs this year, the Caps should be much improved from the last few seasons. 46 goal scorer and former Rookie Of The Year Alex Ovechkin and 38 goal Scorer Alexander Semin return with another year under their belts, joined by promising rookie Nicklas Backstrom, and 30 goal scorer and Team Captain Chris Clark also returns. Washington has also signed as free agents roll players Tom Poti and Michael Nylander, who are expected to produce good results. And for the 15th year, Olaf Kolzig will be in goal for the Caps, backed up by Brent Johnson, one of the best backup goalies in the league, even though his record doesn't show it. It will be hard to make the playoffs in the talented Southeast Division with former Stanley Cup Champions Carolina, Tampa Bay, and improved Atlanta and Florida, but if the Caps can improve on their records against these teams, and also improve their league worse 1-11 shootout record, any thing is possible!

One of those days.....

Today was a totally shitty day! First off, the VCR part of my combination VCR/DVD player went bad, eating up a few of my tapes, so it needs to be replaced. Then, I fell down and chipped a piece off of my bridge, so now I have a dentist appointment for next Thursday. Hopefully it can be fixed. There's an hour and a half left in the day, wonder if anything else is gonna happen:P

This Weeks Bonehead Award goes to...

San Diego Padres Outfielder Milton Bradley. He ended his season early and hurt his team's chances of success during the playoffs by blowing out his knee. Here's the bad part about it: He blew it out being restrained by his manger, who was keeping him from going after an umpire who had made a call against him. Sheeesh!

Answers To Questions about us Men

# WHY ARE MEN SUCH JERKS? It's a testosterone thing. Much similar to your PMS thing, we men suffer from testosterone poisoning. Why do you think the average life span of a male is typically 10 years shorter (and it's not just from all the bitching and nagging we have to endure)? Hormone modifies behavior. We're just misunderstood.

# WHY DO MEN ALWAYS HAVE TO OGLE AT OTHER WOMEN? Again, this is a testosterone thing. Do you honestly think that all the testosterone just fell out of our bodies the moment we met you? Besides, women do it as well. Women are just much better at not getting caught. I'm fairly certain it's some sort of photographic memory deal. Women take one quick look and memorize it for later reference. Since men lack this ability, we try to burn it into our memory by staring as much as we can.

# WHY DO MEN ALWAYS TOUCH THEMSELVES, ESPECIALLY IN PUBLIC? We occasionally need to adjust our little friend and make him happy. It's much like adjusting your bra. Being in public is just an added bonus.

# WHY DO MEN ALWAYS SAY SUCH STUPID THINGS? We like to. It's actually a whole lot of fun to see our partner frustrated by a few simple (and well chosen) words.

# WHY ARE MEN SO UNCOMMUNICATIVE? You'd learn to keep your big mouth shut too if every time you open it you get into trouble with your partner.

# WHY DO MEN HAVE TO ACT LIKE SUCH RETARDS? Well, we don't actually have to; we do it because we enjoy it. It's the old fashioned pride in a job well done that's missing in so much of the world nowadays. Farting is another fun thing for men!!

# WHY CAN'T MEN JUST SHARE THEIR FEELINGS? Do we look like women to you? Why is it so hard to understand that men and women are different? How are we supposed to share how we feel when we have no idea how we feel? Unless we're experiencing some extreme emotion like rage, hatred, disgust, or a brick on our foot, we have no idea how we feel. Personally, I get a headache whenever I try to figure out how I feel.

# WHY CAN'T MEN CUDDLE MORE (I.E., LIE DOWN AND HUG)? Please ... How many hours do you think there is in a day? We oblige you as much as we can, but who the hell (besides women) can stand lying around for hours on end? We men ... Men hunters ... Need go roam ... Starve in cave ... Must go find wildebeest ... Now sitting on our asses for hours on end on the other hand is a whole other story.

# HOW CAN MEN SIT ON THEIR ASSES ALL DAY WITHOUT MOVING? Men have very powerful sets of sitting muscles developed by evolution that enable us to sit for extended periods of time without getting tired. In prehistoric times, it was often necessary to sit in one spot for extended periods of time while hunting for prey. The more successful hunters were able to sit very still for very extended periods of time thereby passing on this ability to their progeny. The fidgety types were all gobbled up by saber toothed tigers etc. The end result is that almost all modern men are born with this innate ability.

# WHY CAN'T MEN JUST SAY "I LOVE YOU?" Men are taught from a tender young age to be self-sufficient. To say that we love you is equivalent to saying that we need you. Most men consider that a character fault. It's not easy to admit to one's own character faults.

# WHY DO MEN SAY "I LOVE YOU" WHEN THEY HARDLY KNOW ME? Ho, Ho, Ho ... Aren't you special? Well, some men think it's a sure fire way to get into your pants. Surprisingly, it actually still works quite well.

# WHY DOESN'T MY PARTNER EVER ANSWER ME? We just simply don't have the energy to answer every single one of your questions. If we think we do not have the answer, or that you will not like the answer, we simply remain quiet and save the energy for other things.

# WHY WON'T MEN EVER PICK UP AFTER THEMSELVES? Why should we? It doesn't really bother us that much. Besides, we know darn well you'll pick it up.

# WHAT'S WITH ALL THE BELCHING AND FARTING? This usually only occurs after months of courting. It's our way to let you know that we're comfortable with you. Believe it or not, it's actually a sign of affection. Besides, holding it for extended periods of time gives us stomach cramps.

# WHY DO MEN HATE SHOPPING? It's an evolutionary thing. Men hunt. Women gather. We just want to go out, kill it, and bring it back. Who wants to spend hours and hours to look at things we have no intention of killing? Err ... buying?

Feeling Human Again

This, my friends, has been the longest weekend of my life! Friday, my mom and I came down with a stomach virus, and lemme tell ya, it was not fun! I don't think I've ever thrown up as much as I did Friday! I woke up at 4 AM Friday morning, and from that time till the next evening, I made I don't know how many trips to the bathroom. At least I made it to the bathroom. Poor Mom had puke all over her bedroom floor, and I dunno if her carpet is ever gonna come clean! All I can say is...THANK GOD FOR PEPTO!!!!

Molly in the Sink

Just when you think It can't get any worse....

My Baltimore Orioles have plummeted into lows not seen since their 107 loss/0-21 start in 1988. After a 2 week period in which they lost 10 of 11, including the 30-3 game, tonight they were no hit by a ROOKIE. How time flies. 1o years ago, the O's were finishing up a season in which they won an AL East title and made their second trip in a row to the League Championship series. You might wanna call this the curse of Davey Johnson and John Miller. The O's havn't had a winning season since 97. During that offseason, Davey Johnson was fired as manager, and John Miller was fired as radio play by play man. Peter Angelos, you should be ashamed at how you've run this team into the ground! We'll never have any success until you sell the team to someone who knows what they're doing!

My Birthday

Today, I celebrated my 36th Birthday. I spent a nice quiet day at home. I did get a few presents:

A couple of books
A model
Some minutes for my phone.

I feel old I have figured that I've lived half my life since I graduated from High school!

Another From My Workbench

Here's the newest Model in my collection, a P40 Warhawk.

The Heat Is On!

These past 2 days have been unbearable as regards to heat! Today , it was 102, and yesterday it was 104. Thank God for AC, or I would have boiled in my own sweat! Summer sure isn't goin out without a fight.

Massacre in Balmer-or "Could a bad season get any worse?"

As bad as my Baltimore Orioles' season has been , it just got worse. In the first game of a double header with the Texas Rangers today they were (Fill in the blank:Killed, demolished, embarrassed?) 30-3. That's right people THIRTY to 3. That is a record for runs scored in the time period since 1900. I've seen a lotta bad baseball, but this takes the cake. The O's Pitching staff:

Allowed 29 hits
2 Grand Slams
2 Rangers with 7 RBI's
30 unanswered runs after the O's took a 3-0 Lead

Think Manager Dave Tremblay is regretting signing that contract extension a few hours before game time?

Chat

Check out the new chatroom I've installed on this blog! Maybe I can meet some of you, my faithful readers in here sometime! Just click on the chat button on the right side of the blog.

Some good Advice

I was asking around for some ideas on how to get over my shyness and my friend Dana sent me a g ood one:

Someone told me once that shyness was just misplaced pride. We are shy because we are afraid of looking stupid or silly, which means we're too proud to just be ourselves and not worry about how others see us.



Makes pretty good sense to me, and im gonna take it to heart!

Upside Down

Here I am when I was 3 or 4

Irony Of Ironies

Last night, Barry Bonds, who had been rumored for the past 3 years to have used steroids, hit his 755th home run, tying him with Hank Aaron for most all time. The irony is, San Diego Padres pitcher Clay Hensley, the man he hit it off of, was suspended for 50 games 2 years ago for using performance enhancing substances. I don't know if Bonds did use sterioids, but I will be sooooo glad when he hits number 756, so all the hoopla over it dies down.

My Birthday List

My Birthday is in a month, and though I'm gettin a bit old, I still like getting presents! Sooo, here's my list for this year:

Battlestar Galactica Season 3 on DVD

Trumpeter 1/144 Scale USS Gato Model kit, both Pre War and WW2 Versions

A couple new pairs of jeans

This years US mint proof coins set.

Any other kinds of coins

Books

And that old Standby-Money!! :P

Mom's Trip Last Week

Last week, My church had a mission trip to a church in PA., and my Mom went along to help out. This was the first extended time away from home she's had since she got hurt. She helped clean up the church, and watch our preacher's kids. Mom was sooooo exhausted when she got home, she's slept in late every day since Sunday!

Not Even Sports are Safe.......

From the evils of crime. Let's see what's been happening in each sport:

NBA: Players getting in trouble with the law, a Ref under investigation for illegal
betting and possible blowing calls to change the outcome of the game, and
the infamous Pacers-Pistons Brawl.

Baseball: Steroids, with Barry Bonds and other players? Are todays HR records
legit, or pumped up?

NFL: Lots of players in trouble with the law for drinking and driving, violence.


NHL: Too much violence, resulting in serious injuries.


So much for sports figures being role models. Other sports should take heed from
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who has instituted a tough personal
conduct policy, nabbing such miscreants as Pacman Jones, Chris Henry, and
most of the Cincinnati Bengals. Sheesh , the only conduct rules the NBA has
is a dress code!

A fun Day!

Today was a pretty fun day! We had our yearly church picnic. There was a fairly large turnout, lots of good food, and pleanty of fun! Someone brought water guns, and the kids got a hold of them, and water baloons . Us adults soon got in on it, and just about everyone ended up soaked! I bet the kids are totally exhuausted, I sure know I am!

Congratulations David Vitter!

For your getting on the Senate Floor and insulting gays and being for family values, then going out and using an escort service, and possibly a Brothel in your hometown of New Orleans, you win the Hypocrite Of The Week Award! How ya gonna explain this one to your Constituents, Senator?

Have A Coke and A smile!

Today should be a national holiday!:p On this day in 1831, John S. Pemberton, the inventor of Coca-Cola was born. For those of you who know me, you all know that I probably have more Coke running through me then Blood:p What is it about the fizzy brown liquid we love?

Humm, No Wonder He's So Big!

1o Commandments For A Simpler Way Of Life

“As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness.”

- Henry David Thoreau

You’ve probably heard it a hundred times or more – if you want to reduce the stress in your life you need to simplify. In the words of Henry David Thoreau, “Simplify, Simplify.” But this is much easier said than done, of course, and there is no shortage of experts who are happy to tell you exactly how to do it.

All of that advice and guidance can quickly become confusing and even overwhelming – so much for simplifying your life! So I’ve sifted through this huge onslaught of information and picked out the ten best tips I could find to help you simplify your life. These tips are my ten commandments for a simpler way of life:

I. You shall find work that is fun.

Nothing complicates your life more than forcing yourself to go to work every morning when your heart tells you that you should be doing something else. To live is to grow and change, and nowhere is that more evident these days than in the world of work. So find work that is fun and uses your natural gifts. Wise people spend their days on pursuits that engage the fullness of their natural strengths. In doing so, they always meet with success.

II. You shall laugh on a daily basis.

Laughter is very powerful medicine. It can lower stress, dissolve anger and unite families in their resolve to overcome troubled times. It will renew your perspective and rekindle the childlike enthusiasm that you may have lost. Most of us are too busy to laugh and too serious to smile. We have become caught up in our own sense of importance. We have forgotten to nourish the child within all of us who is just waiting to get out and have some fun. Never forget that children come to us more highly evolved than adults to teach us the lessons we need to learn. Study children. Learn from their natural wisdom. They will remind you that if you haven’t laughed today, you haven’t lived today.

III. You shall sell the box sitting in your living room.

Although it has the power to do good, television is eating up your free time. And do you really have anything to show for all that time you have given to the box sitting in your living room? When you deeply reflect on all the hours, days, weeks and months you have given to your television, has it done anything to raise the quality of your life? While TV has some excellent programs, don’t be a slave to it. The average American watches 3-4 hours of TV per day. Don’t lose the best years of your life spending every evening on the couch.

IV. You shall break your addiction to the news and go on a “news fast.”

News is predominantly negative. And one of the universal laws of the mind says that “as you sow, so shall you reap.” What goes into your mind determines what comes out. So break your addiction to the news. All those killings, all that violence and the calamity do nothing to add to your inner peace. If you want a simpler way of life, spend the next seven days away from the news. Read some great books or listen to some good music instead.

V. You shall get in the habit of taking daily “silence breaks.”

Slow down. Silence is golden. In this crazy age we live in, the average person doesn’t spend even an hour a month in silence. Yet silence renews us, it relaxes us, and it allows us to reflect on how we are living and make necessary corrections before it is too late. Try spending 30 minutes a day in silence and solitude. It will help your mind to relax, so you can shift from the work-and-spend treadmill and focus on what’s most important to you.

VI. You shall clean up your act.

We all collect “stuff” along the way - it is inevitable. So try spending some of your time going through a closet, a shelf, a drawer, and getting rid of anything you don’t need or cherish. What’s exciting is that once you start on these surface areas, weeding that out, the skills and mindset carry over to more complex areas like your work and relationships.

VII. You shall turn off your technology.

Are you feeling the stresses and strains of modern life? Turn off your cell phone in the evening, answer email once a day instead of constantly throughout the day, or put down your laptop computer for an afternoon. Let yourself be unconnected to the rest of the world for a little while and relish in the freedom that creates.

VIII. You shall be spontaneous.

Routine is good to a certain extent, but sometimes you just need to break free and do something different. Let yourself be spontaneous, choosing what to do and how to do it based on your own wishes rather than someone else’s wishes. You’ll feel more in control, have more energy, and lift your spirits immediately.

IX. You shall set a bedtime and stick to it.

Chronic lack of rest affects every aspect of life, from the amount of energy you have to your performance at work or in school. Simplify your life by setting a bedtime and sticking to it. Get in the habit of going to bed early and you will transform your life.

X. You shall learn what is “enough.”

Many of us are turned off by ideas like simplifying or frugalizing our lives, but it’s really about transforming your life in a conscious and deliberate manner. It is about determining what is enough in your life, so you can do more with less. Keep that in mind.

Remember what separates the peak performers from the weak performers: the first group says “no” to anything that is not important while the second group says “yes” to everything. Live a simpler way of life.

I hope you liked the mail

Do keep in touch

A love affair with knowledge will never end in heartbreak.

1 Down, 1 To Go

Today, Tony Blair stepped down as British Prime Minister. Too bad we have to put up with another year and a half of Bush!

A Quick Note

We at the COR have a new Radio link! It's under the links section of this blog. I'll be brodcasting on Monday and Wednesday from 9-11 PM Eastern!

Storm

Here's a pic of a big storm that passed through here last week!

Another Reason to not trust Lawyers

I was reading my local paper a few days ago, and lo and behold what do I read but an article about how the lawyer that handled Mom's case with Worker's Comp had been arrested for embezzling funds from a construction fund that he was trustee of or something. He seemed like an OK guy, so this really floored us. Thank God we kept receipts of all the money we got from her settlement, or Mom would have been majorly pissed if any was missing!

This Is Absurd!

Man, you can't even trust a hospital anymore! I was watching this thing on the news yesterday about this lady in California who was left dying in a pool of her own blood on the floor of a HOSPITAL! What makes it worse, people were calling 911 and the dispatchers were saying, what are you calling us for if you're already at a hospital? Someone has a lotta explaining to do. You'd think that Dr.'s and nurses would be a bit more sympathetic......

Scratch My Back!

Soaking Up The Sun

Our Garden

WOE CANADA!

With The Anaheim Ducks' series win over the Ottawa Senators, it will have been 14 years since the Stanley Cup has been won by a Canadian team. I bet all Canadians are a bit miffed at this moment, since they say it's "Their" sport. Now if my Washington Capitals could just field a competitive team.....oh well, a fan can dream!

Bush's Folly

3,500 US Military Personnel dead in Iraq: When will it end?

1935 A North African Invasion Note

Another One from my Collection. This was issued to US Troops during The invasion of North Africa during WW2. There are also $5 and $10 notes in this issue, which I am still looking for.

Maybe Chris Ray Should Take A Hint From The Bible

Another Sunday, another Meltdown by Chris Ray, relief pitcher for my Baltimore Orioles. This time, coming in with a 1 run lead, he gave up a 2 run game winning homer to Vladimir Guererro of the Angels. He has blown 4 save chances this season, 3 of them on Sundays, and all of them in spectacular meltdown fashion. To Recap

Against the Yankees in April, comes in with a 7-6 lead, gives up a walk-off grand slam to Alex Rodriguez, O's lose 10-7

In May, comes in against Boston with a 5-3 lead, makes an error leading to the winning run scoring, O's lose 5-4

Another game, not on a Sunday, comes in with a 2-1 lead again against Boston, gives up another slam to Wily Mo Pena, O's lose 5-2

And Today

Maybe he should just tell Manager Sam Perlozzo not to pitch him on Sundays, Keeping the Sabbath.

My Annual Right Of Itchy Inconvenience

Well, since it's warm out, I've been wearing my shorts and short sleeve shirts, and that means my annual dose of sun poisoning. I have been getting it for most of my life, and it really sucks, since I can't stay outside as much as I'd like. The weird thing about it is you can make it go away, but you can't keep it from happening! I can put SPF 1000 on it and I still end up one great big welt. And it itches like crazy! But, I've been putting Gold Bond on it, and that seems to be working. My Dad says to wear long sleeve shirts, but you try wearing them in 90 degree plus weather!

From My Collection-1890 Seated Liberty Dime

Progress Report

I must be starting to lose weight, my pants are getting loose!

If it's NHL Playoff Time.....

Then It must mean that there are going to be games that go into absurdly multiple overtimes.  Seems like every year, you have a couple games that go into 3 or 4 overtimes. I can only imagine the fatigue the players must feel   when you get into the 2nd or 3rd OT.  Games like that usually end on a fluke play, because they      just have no more energy to go on. If it's bad for the players, think about the people who watch the games on TV! A game usually starts around 7-8 PM local time, and these Multiple OT games can end  at 3 in the morning or later.  And if it's a game out west, then if you're in the Easter time zone, you have to add 3 hours to that, then  sleep in the next day!  The longest one I've ever watched was a 5 OT game between Philly and Pittsburgh about 5 or 6 years ago, it ended around 2:30 AM. But when my Washington Capitals get into one, I usually turn the game off, because they usually lose the long ones.

Dang!

Today's Orioles/Red Sox game was totally stomach turning! How the hell can you blow a 5 run lead with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th? During my 18 years as an Orioles fan, I've seen em blow a lot of games. but never like this one! after the first out, they O's committed 2 errors, including the catcher missing an easy popup, and the pitcher failing to cover first base on a groundout. A game like this can either bring the team together, or it can mark the beginning of a collapse. We shall see which way the O's go.

A Blast From The Past

Whilst hanging out in chat tonight, someone in voice started playing some of the music from Schoolhouse Rock. That took me back in time to when I was a little kid. Every weekend, I'd spend the weekend at my Aunt's , and on Saturday mornings, I's get up early to watch cartoons on TV, and Schoolhouse Rock was usually the first one on. Those were the days.....

Mom And Dad Sitting On The Porch

Looking Outside!

What A Waste Of Money, In My Opin

The NBA Draft will soon be upon us, and it amazes me to see how many freshemen have declared themselves for it. Why waste all that money for just one year of college? It's a shame that these people suck up good scholarship money that could be better used for people who intend to go the whole 4 years! The average sports career lasts what, about 10 years? You see guys these days in Football and Basketball who receive career ending injuries at a young age, and they're stuck without any marketable skills, since they can no longer play.

My Views On Gun Control

After hearing how easy it was for the VA Tech. shooter to get ahold of guns, even though he had mental problems, it just makes me a bit mad that anyone can get ahold of firearms, even though they obviously don't have any business being anywhere near one. I'm a big fan of the Constitution and the 2nd Amendment, but there has to be some limits! But as long as we have the NRA and other gun nuts out there, it's gonna get worse before it gets better!

I'm Back

Hi again everyone! I had to have work done on my comp., hope everyone's been doing good!

Mission Not Accomplished

It has been 4 years since Baghdad fell. What do we have? Instead of our troops being greeted as liberators, they're being considered invaders, Iraq is in total Chaos, and over 3,000 of our men and women have payed the price for Bush's folly. You tell me if it was worth it!

Opening Day is Here

Opening day of Babeball season is finally here! Tomorrow, my Baltimore Orioles travel to Minnesota to take on Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana and the Twins. I don't expect many runs to be scored in this game, since the Birds will be starting Erik Bedard, their best pitcher from last season. The hitting, lead my Miguel Tejada should be good, the bullpen looks much better then last year's with the addition of Danys Baez, Jamie Walker, Chad Bradford, and Scott Williamson, but with Kris Benson out for the season with a shoulder injury, that leaves the inconsistent Jaret Wright as Balto's most experienced starter. Hopefully, they'll add a few more wins to their 70-92 mark of last year.

Why is it sooooo hard....

Why is it sooooo hard to keep up a diet?????

What A Monster!

As a model builder, I've been salivating at the look of Revell's new 1/72 scale model kit of the WW2 USS Gato submarine. This monstrosity has over 200 pieces, is highly detailed, and is close to 5 feet long! However, the $99.95 price tag it carries is gonna have to make me put it on the back burner for a while:P

Babysitting

Yesterday My Mom and I babysat Luke and Levi, the almost 2 year old twin sons of our Pastor. They were afraid of our dogs, and cried a bit, but we managed to get them to eat, calm down ,and they fell asleep for a couple of hours until Dan came to pick them up. I do not know how Dan and Holly do it! They are only a couple of years older then I am, maybe and they have 6 kids, including 2 sets of twins. But, they're very well behaved, as you'd expect from being the children of a preacher, and I bet you that they are all going to grow up to be outstanding adults! If I ever have kids, I'd love to have one as good as they are!

Another From My Collection

Here's my 1907 $5 United States Note.

Changing The Past

We all have things that happned to us in our past that we wish that would never have happened. I personally wish that I could go back in time and wreak havock on all the people that I went to school with for picking on me. Also, I'd love to go back and not be as shy to some of the girls that I were attracted to back then. But if one were able to do that, would you and your life really be what it was meant to be?

Putting My Talents To Good Use

Seems like people get upset over the dumbest things! Today, while reading the posts on one of my groups, I came across one where a person was going to boycott the new Presidential Dollar Coins. They were upset because they said that the coin did not have the inscription In God We Trust, and as a Christian he could not possibly possess one. Well, being a coin collector, I had to point out that on these coins, most of the inscriptions usually seen on US coins (United States Of America, E. Pluribus Unum, In God We Trust, and the Mint Mark and Date) were on the edge of these coins. People, if you're gonna complain about something, at least do some research!

Finally Feels Like Winter!

Just when Winter is almost over, it's starting to finally feel like Winter. The past couple of weeks, we've had snow, sleet, and freezing rain, making travel quite difficult at times. Oh well, Spring is almost here!

Reasons Why Email Is Like The Male Reproductive Organ

1. Those who have it would be devastated if it were ever cut off.

2. Those who have it think that those who don't are somehow inferior.

3. Those who don't have it agree that it's cool, but not worth the fuss that those who have it make about it.

4. Many of those who don't have it would like to try it (e-mail envy).

5. It's fun when it's up, but this makes it hard to get any real work done.

6. In the past, its only purpose was to transmit information vital to the survival of the species. Some people still think that's the only thing it should be used for, but most people today use it for fun.

7. If you don't apply the appropriate measures, it can spread viruses.

8. If you use it too much, you'll find it becomes more difficult to think coherently.

9. We attach an importance to it that is greater than its actual size and influence warrant.

10. If you're not careful what you do with it, it can get you into trouble.

11. Play with it too much and you can go blind.

Caught In The Middle

I feel soooo sorry for Anna Nicole Smith's little baby Daughter. Not only has she lost her Mother, but they don't even know who her Father is, and with all these lawsuits going on, I think all the people are trying to get custody of her just to get all the money that she stand's to inherit. I hope that when she grows up, her life isn't as messed up as her Mom's was!

"Wrecks" "Gross"man

After seeing his erratic play this year, and his even more horrid performance in the Super Bowl, Chicago Bears QB Rex Grossman, in my opin, has got the be the worst draft pick in sports history. The man has shown me NOTHING to convince me that he has what it takes to be a successful Quarterback in the NFL. He seems to get rattled by the defense all too easily, leading to too many turnovers on his part, be it interceptions or fumbles. This isn't College anymore , boy!

Coming To A Theater Near You Feb. 16

JUST TOO WEIRD

I was reading on a site about the graves of famous people, and I came across this, which has to be the weirdest thing I've ever read:

In January of 897, in what was called the Cadaver Synod the corpse of
Pope Formosus was dragged from his tomb on the orders of Pope Stephen
VII. The body was placed on trial on charges of perjury, coveting the
Papal office, and violating church laws. A number of local clergy were
compelled to watch under the threat of violence as Stephen screamed at
Formosus. The synod found Formosus guilty. His vestments were stripped
from his body, three fingers of his right hand were chopped off, and
he was buried in a pauper's grave. A few days later his body was
exhumed and tossed in the Tiber. Stephen was deposed and eventually
strangled in prison. Formosus was recovered, and reburied in his
original tomb at St. Peter's Basilica. Later Popes reversed the
verdict of the Cadaver Synod, declared his ordinations valid, and
forbade any further such trials.



Truly Strange!

Getting A Boy Scout Award

Here I am getting an award in Boy Scouts back in '84

An Amazing Rescue!

It was a total stroke of luck that those 2 boys in Missouri were rescued last week! You gotta tip your hats to the cops who investigated the kidnappings. Not only did they find the boy who disappeared last week, but they also found another who had been kidnapped by the same slimeball almost 5 years ago! That guy must have did same major brainwashing to keep the one boy for that long. Let's just hope that he can adjust to being back with his family after all the years, and hope that the jerk who took him gets prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!

The Iron Man Gets His Due

Congrats to Cal Ripken Jr., formerly of my Baltimore Orioles, who today was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on the First Ballot in his first year of eligibility! His games played record may never be broke. Although he didn't always have flashy stats, he came to play every day for close to 20 years.

Virgil, you're no Goode!

It appalls me to see how dumb some of our politicians are! Take for instance, Rep. Virgil Goode, a Republican from my home state of Virginia. He is putting up a fuss that Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, will be taking his Oath of office on the Quoran. Mr. Goode says that this is a result of tolerance towards Muslims, and that it's an example of why we need immgration reforms. Virgil, before you stick your foot in your mouth any further, let me point a couple of things out to you:

1: Mr. Ellison was born and raised in Detroit, and converted to Islam in college.
2: As a 6 term member of Congress, youshould know that taking the oath on a book weather it be the Bible, Quoran, Torah, or whatever, is just a photo op, the official oath is taken en mass, on the floor of the house.

3: Have you not read the First Amendment to the Constitution that you swear to defend?

4: You are an embarrassment to both me and the rest of the State of Virginia!

I'm BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Gang! Sorry I havn't posted in a while! A couple of days before Christmas, the Motherboard on my computer fried, and I just got it back today. I tell ya, I feel like a drunk going through withdwrawl. Sorry if that offended anyone. Well, I hope you all had a nice Christmas, ours was good, and also I hope you have a wonderful new year!