Now Playing: Simon & Garfunkel - The Only Living Boy in New York

Boy, my posts have sucked lately. I guess I don't feel the spark of anything in particular. I am hunkered down to pass the time away from friends, family, and my wife. My only real inspiration is music.

But, in current news, I am on the move again. This next place will differ than what I've become accustomed to. I remember seeing Japan from the window of the airliner, thinking, wow. That's really Japan. An Island in the Pacific. The mythical place I've read about in books. Now it's like AMerica. It's real. The differecne is, of course, I can't read any of the advertisements as I drive down the road. Even driving on the left side feels 'right.' I wonder if I'll be able to go back to the right side.

Where I am going, they drive on the right side. I was shocked to hear that. The terrorist level raises slightly from here, but we should be fine. It'll be cold too.

Enough about that. I hope everyone's well. See ya'll in a few short months.

Bullets

Now Playing: Moonshine - Jack Johnson

1 - I recently came across the Soundtrack to "Thicker than Water". I think you'd like it Penny.

2 - Boo hoo, to my wife putting embarassing pictures of me on her blog.

3 - Hooray!, to my wife decorating the house for the season... making it feel like a hobbit's, warm and cozy.

4 - I can't come home Penny. Not Till December. Remember the Wyclef song "Gone till November?"

La Familia

Pen & I
Originally uploaded by AlisonCat.

Now Playing: Lynyrd skynyrd - Curtis Loew

Great Weekend

Now Playing: Toadies - Possum Kingdom

Lauren's getting married this weekend, and the entire family is there to see it. I wish I could be. I know it will be beautiful.

Cheers to family, cheers to life! We three kids are now all grown. Congratulations, Lauren. The best of days lie ahead.

Education?

Now Playing: ACDC - For Those About to Rock (we salute you)

I have a new addiction. You're thinking, "yeah, not blogging anymore.." or "smoking?" or "we already knew you drank."

But it's none of those. It's spending free-time learning online. The federal government has a website with business, leadership, and computer classes. So do the Marines and the Air Force. My list already includes: Foundations of Grammar, Beginning UNIX, Microsoft Excel 2003, Excel for advanced users, Microsoft Access 2003, Advanced Access, Advanced Queries in Access, Manipulating Data using Forms and Reports in Access, Unit Voting Assistance Officer, Business Writing, and a few others.

I guess I like knowing stuff now. I've got my eyes on the rest of UNIX operating systems, Oracle Databases, and Gas-Turbine Engines. I'll let you know how they are. I am still looking for a class specifically dealing with Expressions using Microsoft Access. So all the sudden I go from handy-man to Mr.Geek. Whatever. Give me back my saw and I'll forget about software. Hell, I may walk away with another Bachelors. It might even be in something respectable.

Oh, and on a side note, I miss everyone. Congrats, Laur. I hope it goes well!

QUICK NOTE

Now Playing: Good Charlotte - Hold On

Hey ya'll. Just to let you know, everything here is fine. There's been two typhoons in the last week. No effect on 'my island'.

Hope all's well whereever you are. If you haven't yet, contribute to putting New Orleans back together!

Tulane News

News from my Alma mater:

TULANE UNIVERSITY

Tulane President, Scott Cowen, is now in Houston. (The rest of the campus was evac'd before the hurricane to Jackson State University, Jackson MS) He has now seen 'the real deal' and has cancelled the fall semester. Other schools are being great though, and are accepting Tulane students for the fall semester.

Hurricane and Tropical Cyclone

Now Playing: Brad Paisley - Little Moments

Most everyone I know that was in New Orleans is OK. That's the good news. The whole thing's sad, isn't it? Devastating. I've stopped watching the news. I can't stand to see another looter, and for me, watching makes it a story, not what's really happening. I can tell you that the majority of the citizens there didn't take hurricanes too seriously. I went through 3 with them. Two of which I came home from, worried. The last, I went to the bar. I guarantee I would have been at Madigan's this time too, had I been there.

In other news, there's a Hurricane coming my way too. Well, a tropical cylone (typhoon even!!). It's a category 5 right now. It's due to hit tomorrow. I feel much safer than those on the gulf coast because every building here is concrete ... out of experience. And I live just slightly lower than the top of a huge ridge overlooking the rest of the island. Just out of the wind, just above any water.

So here's to surviving :: lifts the glass ::

Now I am going to get a book to read during the chaos. Already bought candles, water, and tuna fish. See ya'll probably Tuesday. (Post Typhoon NABI)

-T