Intensity of Life

I had the choice.

Back about two years ago I had been hired full-time, I was remodeling a kitchen, and Carrie was preggers. I was also smack in the middle of a decision. I needed to decide where my schooling/career ought to go. Many of the guys I work with are over the age of 50. Many, if not all of them recommended that I pursue a BS in Engineering. Its better pay, better life, etc. I started out just continuing on to get my BS in Engineering Technology. This was the shorter, cheaper, and less difficult route. After the first semester, I realized that it was less difficult. So less difficult that it was almost a waste of money. So I changed routes by going into straight engineering.

Really I chose intensity. Every hour of most days is consumed with work, school, being dad and studying. Moreover, I am working on this awesome project at work that is extremely demanding. I had the choice. It is weeks like this that make me wonder if I made the right one.

H2 Bus Coming to Cleveland

These are the type of articles I like to read. I like them more because it is close to home and it is relevant to the industry I'm in. Electrolosis is very ineffecient, but I can handle the inefficiency when renewable power is used. Way to go Cleveland. We might not be able to win a championship, but we can certainly spearhead making Hydrogen.

5th Anniversary

Carrie and I will be married for 5 years this Oct 16th. This past April 15th we closed on our house 5 years ago. These two milestones gave me reason to reflect over these 5 and a half years on what we've done. Every now and again I get a little miffed that I'm not further ahead in life. These are usually the times that I just need to sit back and remember the things that have been done and accomplished in our lives.

These are not in any particular order.

1. I quit a job, went back to school, got an Associates Degree, and got an amazing job. (I guess that would be 4 things)

2. When we got married, we owed roughly $23k in debt ($20k in auto loans and $3K in credit card debt) This has been paid off. Now onto Malone's $30K.

3. Completely gutted a kitchen, rebuilt it, and paid cash.

4. Elizabeth Catherine was born March 30, 2009

5. Successfully traveled to Charleston, SC twice, Bryson City, NC, Outerbanks, NC, Hilton Head, SC, Cape Neddick, ME twice, Lake Murray, SC and if you count our Honeymoon- Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

6. Repainted every room in the house; some of them twice.

7. Put up crown molding in all but one room.

8. Installed blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, cherry, and apple trees on my small city lot.

9. Learned how to vegetable garden. Carrie and I both feel that this past summer was our most successful yet.

10. Rebuilt the front porch.


Intentions for the future look something like this:

1. Pay off all debt
2. Own and maintain an orchard and vinyard.
3. Own a second home on or near the beach in Charleston, SC.
4. Sail the East Coast down to the Caribbean.

I better get going.

Knight in Shining Armor Part 2

If you remember, my first post ever was about chivalry and the first Transformers. I thought that since I just saw Transformers 2 over the weekend that I would comment. I saw it on IMAX and it was pretty incredible. It was my first IMAX experience. Even though we were pretty far back in the theater, I could have moved 15 rows back to really take in all of the detail with the HD. It is worth paying more money. I agree with the critics average of a C+ for a rating. It was your classic sequal. Michael Bay made this one a little bigger with more transformers and more explosions. It was what I expected out of him and I came away satisfied. The CG was pretty amazing. It was just a touch better than the first movie. I give it a C+ mainly because the script was a little blah, the acting was a little blah, and the plot was a little blah, but the action more than made up for these poor aspects of the movie. Shia continues to do a good job in any role he gets placed in especially for being a younger actor. Megan Fox is pretty much eye candy. She may want to stop before she gets ahead of herself. The comic relief was funny but a bit annoying at times. The rating commission may also want to reconsider the PG-13 rating. This movie certainly pushed the line to an R rating with some of the sexual references and profanity. Let's just say I was a little annoyed with the parent that brought their 8 year old to the show. All in all Transformers 2 was a great summer blockbuster.

Here is my list of summer movies thus far in order that I like best:
1. Star Trek
2. Transformers 2
3. Wolverine Origins
4. The Hangover
5. Angels and Demons
6. Fast & Furious (not sure why I put myself through this one)

I have yet to see Terminator Salvation but am a little concerned over the reviews.
I'm excited to see the following:
1. Public Enemies
2. GI Joe
3. Sherlock Holmes (comes out in December)
4. Harry Potter.

I will probably see the following:
1. Hurt Locker
2. District 9
3. Inglourious Basterds (not a huge fan of Tarantino though)

Call me an action movie nut...

Dan Gilbert: Clean House

Based on the Cavs season, I had high hopes for the post season. Yet here we are.
When the Cavs acquired LeBron 6 years ago, I said he needs another star player to help him win a championship. More importantly, I said he needs a big man underneath. I like Z, I liked Gooden, but never so much that I thought they would win it all. When Mo Williams began the season, I thought he would help and he did. LeBron's frustration shown through in games 5 and 6 against the Magic. It seemed like he did his best to show the front office that he needs help. In game 5, it looked like he let his teammates keep them in the game, until he took over in the 4 quarter. In game 6 he did the same thing, yet his teammates didn't show up. Their inconsistancy hopefully showed Danny Ferry that LeBron cannot do it all.

Now for Mike Brown: Get over yourself. Your an NBA coach and you can't make adjustments to defend the 3. You have a previous defensive player of the year in Ben Wallace, but didn't utilize him until games 5 and 6 when it was too late. In the game 4 over-time when Howard had 5 fouls, why, oh why, was LeBron not driving to the hole everytime to get him fouled out? Also, the game is long, so make every foul on Howard count. The weak fouls when he was going to the hole are not going to wear him down. I guess this is why Anderson Varejao needs to get into the weight room and gain 40 pounds.

Its frustrating to watch when you can sit and see the mistakes being made. But kudos to the Magic who hit every freakin' 3 every freakin' time.

Soil

So I'm in the yard yesterday doing some spring cleaning. I dug up a spot out back by the compost bin to plant my garlic. Normally this goes in during the fall, but I got a little preoccupied remodeling the kitchen. Anywhoo, I dug up a few garlic shoots that were actually growing in my garden and put them with the seeds that I planted by the compost pile. Thus far in my gardening career, I take the compost that decomposed over the summer and put it in the garden in the fall so that I have room for the leaves. As I was digging out the garlic, I had to dig through some of the compost. I realized why so much is written about compost. It is really an amazing additive to your soil. I have grown lettuce in compost, I started my seeds this winter in compost, and when I go to plant something new, I am sure to mix in some compost. The plants thrive, and really is a great system. So compost!

Gorgeous

A man that has yet to have a child just can't understand what's its like to be a dad. Elizabeth was born almost 3 weeks ago and I just can't get over how I feel. When my brother told be that it was the most amazing thing ever, I tried to equate that to hitting a walk off home run in the playoffs or accelerating around a corner with the windows down, knowing you are in control of the machine with a shot of adrenaline to boot. But, Wow. God really shows you a glimpse of what he did to make the world we live in.