Already three days in

The new job is going ok. I am trying to learn as much as I can and it appears they are going to train me for a little over a month and then evaluate my progress. It is a lot different than working for CI. I am doing more work than I did for CI in the first three days than I would in a week.
The people seem pretty easy to work with and the trainer is good. The system is a lot like BPCS or AS400 in that is a system based on entering numbers in the programs and not a windows based program.
I hope to catch on to some of the small details that are involved over the next few weeks. I just hope I did not make a mistake, but I will work hard and give it my best effort.
Other than that, not much is happening. No references in the Wall Street Journal this week or Sports Illustrated.

2 more days left

What's worse than only having two days of vacation left before going back to work?? Not much.
Except, knowing this is probably my last paid vacation until next June unless the new company I will be working for will throw me a bone and give me some extra time off between then.

Second time I have been quoted in Chicago Sun Times

Ok, this is awesome.
A few weeks ago, Richard Roeper wrote a column about how Zambrano always pointed to the sky after every inning pitched to thank God and some people made fun of him for it. I defended Z for it comparing all the other things that baseball players do as a habit or ritual. Like Nomar between every pitch, how he will never run between third and home or first and home after playing the field, AJ Pierzinski always doing the sign of the cross before an at bat, etc. Well, he quoted me in a rant column posted today in the Chicago Sun Times. I am awesome. The only other time I was quoted was when I corrected someone who said that the White Sox year was running so long that they would end up playing the World Series in Novewmber. I was able to write in and remind him of 2001 when 9/11 happened and Derek Jeter was nicknamed Mr. November because he hit a homerun in Game 4 midnight to win the game.
Anyway, here is today's article:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/roeper/437438,CST-NWS-roep21.article

Now I need to go buy a newspaper and have my day in the spotlight. I think this is a good day to play poker!!!

From it was nice while it lasted files.......

I see that the Cubs have traded away Michael Barrett to the Padres today. I think it was going to happen eventually with all the controversy following the Cubs and specifically Barrett. This even goes back to the "Punch" a couple years back given to AJ of the Sox. Now what will the broadcasters have to talk about this weekend when the Cubs beat the Sox? As Neil says, "I no know."

And, I would predict that grandpa would be rolling in his grave from the latest story saying that Rosie O'donnell is interested in the open job of hosting "The Price is Right". I have not watched that show in many years and if this happens, I think I would not watch again. Read the story here.
http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=266280&GT1=7703

And here is another story bringing much pride to the alumni from THE Ohio State University. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2910093

and vacation......

The desk is cleaned out and am back from my visit to Overland Park to see siblings and the nephews.
Neil loved seeing the jet planes take off and learned the power of donuts. I believe that kid will love pastry more than chocolate.
James eventually gets is Godfather's name right. James has more energy than me right now. He seems to almost always be in 5th gear at all times until it is time for bed and watching Caliou which is a cheap rip off of Charlie Brown.

Some bad news for concerts, Alice in Chains and Velvet Revolver will be coming to Tinley Park on a Tuesday night this summer. I really wanted to see Alice again, but I don't really want to go to that big of a venue when seeing them and I will probably be need to be up the next morning at 3 AM. I don't think that will work very well. It seems every show I want to see this year is playing during the week. What is up with that?

Thanks for hosting the family this weekend, Karen and John. It was a lot of fun and look forward to seeing you again in two weeks. I have checked the Gary Railcats schedule and they will not be in town the weekend of the 30th. Dad had a good idea too thinking we could have taken the train to the game thinking Neil would enjoy riding on that. Oh well. Maybe Neil could see his first game in Indy, or maybe a Cubs game with his tall uncle.

2 more days to go!!!!!

That is all I have to say about that.
With all the talk of the Sopranos ending, I feel like I missed something the past 9 years. I might have to watch all the seasons so I know why it was such a big deal at the end. I just think they set it up for a chance to make a movie or some kind of 2 hour show later. Just my opinion, but then again I am wrong a lot especially when I am proven wrong.

1 down, 4 to go

Well, I see they actually put an internal job posting up for my position. Of course at our plant they placed the job posting under announcements of people being promoted. Which is funny in itself because I never saw the job opening in the first place.
The weekend was good. We went down to Indy to help put together Neil's slide and swing set. The kid is getting smart. First off, he knows what Jeeps are and what they look like. He also has a great memory because he is naming things off that happened at the beginning of the week without a problem. And he is like the weather channel and CNN, constant updates. He lets you know if he is happy or sad because he will tell you his status. And will bring in breaking news when said status has changed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbAjxuuPCLk (Orion)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMyoBIjWawo (7 Year old guitar wizard)


If you want to see others, search Paul Green Rock School and these videos are from this school. It is cool, they got Rush, Zeppelin, Jimi, etc. Check it out when you get a chance.

One week left

We are down to the final countdown with CI. One more week. I have only trained a few people on anything on what I have done in the past couple years and there really is more for them to learn, but Rick has not decided who will be trained on anything, so I sit and wait. It doesn't matter to much to me, I will not be effected and (to quote Linkin Park) in the end, it doesn't really matter.

Ok, I know John would like this link, so I had to find it online. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtmMgYQ7Ngs This is from a Godsmack concert and is of the drummer and the lead singer, Sully, in a duel drum battle/solo. I remember this was what it sounded like when I saw them open for Metallica a few years ago back when I still worked for Jewel. That seems like a long time ago now.

And, speaking of which, I was corrected a couple days ago that I forgot to thank my fellow front office partner Elyse or some call her, LC, for sharing a office with me and dealing with what some would call Clark sarcasm. I think the best joke ever told in the front office was from LC when discussing the height of the Topper.

LC: Marica, you are so short compared to everyone in this place.
Topper: My feet touch the ground.
LC: Not when you are sitting on the curb.

I still crack up at that one. Good times and only one more week until I break up the front office festivities. Have a good weekend all. More to come next week, and maybe one more poker game this weekend, if I wake up in time.

Cool Websites

Here is a link to a cool article about Bo Jackson. http://www.kansascity.com/180/story/124608.html
Of course, I stole this site from the Sports Guy column, but this is a good article about Bo's baseball career.

And check out this site to see what the actual lyrics to Yellow Ledbetter really are. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLd22ha_-VU There is other songs, but this was by far the funniest one I saw.

Last one, if you miss Beverly Hills 90210. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXYHYbDxr9g

Enjoy!

Decided to ride my good fortunes.....

So, I figured since I found a new job I should celebrate/ride the wave and go to the casino and play some poker.
I got up at 5:30 for a poker tourney that started at 8. $80 buy in plus $5 add on. I didn't have time to eat anything that looked like it would make me miss 9 hands because I would be stuck in the bathroom while cards were being dealt, so I only drank diet cokes while playing.
There was 64 people who bought into the tournament and it was only going to pay out the top 6 people. Well, after the second break, I was in trouble and needed to double up in a hurry. My first hand after the break, I raise all in and pick up the blinds and antes. I had 4900 before the hand and everyone folded giving me 8200. Next hand, I raise again and everyone folds. Now up to 10,400. After winning a few more hands and knocking out two people, I end up getting up to 28,000 going into the final table of 10. I am also the chip co-leader at the final ten.
Long story short, I then went card dead and wasn't dealt any good cards for 45 minutes. Blinds are out of control and I start having debates with myself trying to figure out what is causing my headache: a)I have been awake for 6 hours and still have not to eat anything or b)the guy to my left will not stop talking. (I think it was a push, both gave me a headache).
I finally got knocked out in 6th place and won $163.80. I tipped the dealer $4. I profited just under $80 and if would have won first I would have $1600 or second was $1200. Oh well. Can't win every hand. Still had a good time playing cards.

Official Now!!

I know not many people will be effected by this piece of news, but I have just been offered and accepted a new position with another company. This is 12 months in the making when I began searching for other career openings outside of Caravan. And for the first time since I graduated from college, I am working inside the state of Indiana. I will not need to drive I-94 to get to work and after 2008, I will only have to fill out one state income tax form. Ahhh, good times.
Thanks to everyone who offered me support and advise when trying to make decisions and for finding job openings. Thanks to Dave who tried to get me into Rolls Royce, although I believe they did not want me there because they knew I would not be able to keep a secret of where all the cars are kept.
And thanks to John, aka fish, aka Henery Hawk ("I'm not a chicken, I'm a chicken hawk") for getting my feet wet within a manufacturing plant and out of a retail environment. I kind of wish I would have been able to stay longer with the company, but for reasons like sanity and the feeling of job accomplishment, I needed to move on. To Dolton, Gods Speed.
It appears my last day will be 6/15 and then I will fly down to KC to see my nephews and siblings that weekend. My first day for the new job is tentatively scheduled to be 6/25.

This summer right now is filled with concerts I would like to see. Today, Chris Cornell tickets go on sale, but I think I will have to pass because the show is on a Wednesday night in July and I will be working 4 in the morning probably by then. Hopefully, he will be playing in Indy on the weekend so I could see him play. Alice is touring again and hopefully releasing a DVD of a concert last year. Shinedown is playing in Milwaukee, but I think I will wait for them to get closer to the area. Tori Amos is supposed to tour. And I would always like to see Robert Randolph play a concert again.

Later people.