The Way I See It

Enough - The Most Under-Used Word in the English Language.

2011-06-25T04:26:00.000-07:00

It seems to me a majority of our lives are spent trying to get to a place we probably got to many years before. There is a point in our lives when we should be able to say "I like where I am - why do I have to keep pushing to get somewhere else?" Unfortunately, for most people, this is retirement, when it should have been 30 years prior.

Let's say you're 35 years old. You have a home, a family, a job that pays well enough to cover the bills plus a little. Sounds pretty good. And yet from all directions you hear you need a bigger house, a fancier car, a better cell phone. You need more stuff. Your company says "You need to advance your career and move up the ladder or you're not a productive worker and we'll find somebody else."

But what if I like where I am? I don't want to work more - even for more money. There are other things I'd rather be doing with my life, and I have - *gasp* - enough.

If your boss told you "I'd like to promote you to head of the department - more money, more responsibility." How many of us would dare say "No thanks, I'm good."? How long do you think you'd last there?

A while ago, I was asked to speak at a company meeting and finished my presentation with the following observation - I don't think a single person in the room got it.

There is a word in the English language that many people don’t seem to have a good grasp of and don’t use or think about very often, and because of it, will never find true satisfaction and fulfillment.

That word is… enough.

When have you made enough money? When is your house or car big enough? When do you own enough stuff?

If you can’t come up with answers to these questions – if you can’t sit back and say “That’s enough – let someone else have some” – then when you die, you didn’t live “enough”

Designated Veterans Cemeteries - An Unasked For Expense?

2011-04-23T03:24:00.000-07:00

With so many small cemeteries in the state struggling to make ends meet, why are taxpayers being forced to fund a new cemetery just for veterans? The Sampson Veterans Cemetery project is getting half a million dollars in taxpayer money, while just down the road in Ovid, the Union Cemetery is almost out of money, which could lead it to being closed for new interments. While I would never disregard the sacrifice our men and women in the military made for us, I'll bet many of them would not approve of this use of our money. Wouldn't they rather their final resting place be with their family, neighbors and loved ones - you know, the ones whose freedom they were fighting for?

Why not use the money to pay for special memorials in the existing cemeteries - giving recognition to our soldiers while at the same time helping keep the cemeteries solvent.

My Fixes for NASCAR

2011-04-16T05:01:00.000-07:00

I've never been a huge fan of NASCAR, other than I'm a fan of racing in general, so that makes me a NASCAR fan by default, I guess. Lately, they have been bemoaning the fact that their fan base is getting older - and they're losing fans in general. So without being asked (nobody ever asks me), here's a start on how to fix their immediate problems.

1. Racing old fuddy-duddy cars is NOT going to attract a younger fan base. Most car people will tell you the most boring, vanilla, plain-Jane car on the planet is the Toyota Camry. Near the top of that list would also be the Chevy Impala, Ford Fusion, and Dodge Charger. They might all be fine big four-door sedans, good for hauling the family to Aunt Joan's for Sunday dinner, but really - has a fifteen year old kid ever thought "I can't wait 'til I'm 16 so I can drive a Camry!"? So let's get some cars in there that people have passion for - Mustangs, Challengers and Camaros. Toyota has a problem with this right now, as the only car in their lineup that people actually have passion for is the Prius. Not really NASCAR material.

2. Racing cars that are really all the same but are pretending to be different and are nothing - at all - like what their road-going namesakes are is insulting to the fans. Make all race cars use the exact same exterior body panels that their road-going counterparts have. And have the same basic drivetrain layout. I get that underneath, they need to be real race cars with structural enhancements for safety and chassis stability under the stresses of a racing environment. But they can get all that under the skin of a real car!

3. Lose the restrictor plate. How embarrassing is it that the pace car can turn faster laps that the race cars? At the Daytona 500 a couple of years back, the Corvette pace car was faster than the Sprint Cup cars behind it!

NASCAR has taken a couple of steps in the right direction lately - Sprint Cup drivers can no longer score points in the Nationwide series, and they simplified the points system. Both good moves, though I think they could have gone a bit further with the points simplification, but it's certainly better.

A Blog of Facebook Statuses

2011-04-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

OK, here's another of my very occasional attempts at writing a blog - though I'm cheating a bit this time, since I have no original content. Here for your infinite entertainment is a list of my statuses from the last two years of Facebooking. I may revisit a few in the future as a jumping off point for a real blog entry. You've been warned.

Fri April 8, 2011, 8:21 am: Just got the word - "Due to budget cuts Geneva will not have a modified boy’s swim team next year" And so the money problems start to hit close to home. :(

Mon April 4, 2011, 4:45 pm: Someday, I'd like to own a vacuum cleaner that sucks literally rather than figuratively

Mon April 4, 2011, 2:34 pm: Windows are open to warm up the house. It's 4 degrees warmer outside than inside.

Wed March 23, 2011, 3:18 pm: Computer rasslin' today - the upstairs PC hasn't been booted up in a couple of weeks - seems it wants an update or 20.

Sat March 19, 2011, 8:29 am: Percussion show at Whitman this afternoon, then a MW '75er get together at Don's tonight!

Thu March 17, 2011, 8:34 am: "A loud voice can make even the truth sound foolish" - Irish proverb

Mon March 14, 2011, 3:08 am: Dear Daylight Saving Time; You suck. Sincerely; Mike

Thu March 10, 2011, 5:56 am: So one of the "Better Facebook" app's features is a notification of who "unfriends" you. Looks like about every 2-3 days I post something that ticks somebody off. Just like real life! :-)

Wed March 9, 2011, 10:10 am: For Lent I'm giving up my humility.

Wed March 9, 2011, 3:33 am: Employee evaluation and dental work today - it's a twofer day!

Sun March 6, 2011, 4:10 pm: Going for a walk in the winter wonderland. Updates as events warrant.

Wed February 23, 2011, 12:43 pm: From a "Peace Essay" written for a Rotary essay contest - "We were happy in kindergarten and first grade because we didn't care how cool we were". The insightfulness of a sixth-grader. It give one hope for the future.

Tue February 22, 2011, 7:25 am: How long until the jokes start about Jane Corwin being named the Republican's choice to replace Chris Lee start?

Tue February 22, 2011, 3:21 am: Why would you give yourself anything other than the highest possible score on an employee self-evaluation?

Sun February 20, 2011, 7:25 pm: 70's music quiz! Which of the following lyrics was NOT edited for radio airplay? 1."When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school" 2."Funky Chinamen in funky Chinatown" 3."Steppin' and fetchin' like their pants were on fire and their asses were catching" Bonus points if you can name the three songs and artists.

Sun February 20, 2011, 2:49 pm: No reason yellow flags. It's another of NASCAR >:(

Sat February 19, 2011, 4:59 am: The north wind doth blow And we shall have snow

Thu February 17, 2011, 12:20 pm: Well, management was right - there's no way I know how to waste time better than a meeting.

Thu February 17, 2011, 8:17 am: I need help in wasting time, so management scheduled a meeting.

Thu February 17, 2011, 7:05 am: News headline today - "Xerox Employees In Webster Loose Jobs" When will they be able to tighten them?

Thu February 10, 2011, 5:36 am: I've said it before, but I'm going to say it again - so many things in life would be much easier if I had a flamethrower.

Tue February 8, 2011, 5:58 pm: Snow blower won't blow. Which sucks.

Sun February 6, 2011, 7:50 pm: Gee, it's too bad I can't get the game - from what I've been told, the National Anthem and halftime show could be the most memorable in Super Bowl history.

Sun February 6, 2011, 3:30 pm: Hmmmm... Can't get Fox at my house. Whatever will I do? Probably the same thing I would do if I COULD get Fox...

Thu February 3, 2011, 6:12 am: I can block Farmville and Mafia Wars from showing up on my wall - why can't I block all those useless 'likes' of "Just for Fun" pages?

Wed February 2, 2011, 5:21 pm: I got rice cooking in the microwave Got a three day beard I don't plan to shave And it's a goofy thing but I just gotta say Hey, I'm doing alright

Wed February 2, 2011, 4:16 pm: So much for the nap - 300' of driveway has now been snowblown!

Wed February 2, 2011, 12:28 pm: Yesterday's blood donation + a semi-stressful 90 minutes in the dentist chair + a less-than-good-night's sleep on the radio station floor = I need a nap.

Wed February 2, 2011, 6:14 am: OK - to all my FB friends who whine - "They NEVER close our school!!" - you got your free pass today.

Tue February 1, 2011, 10:48 am: Had an 11:30 appointment to give blood today after the Red Cross said “We’re extending our hours at the Dundee Blood drive because we have an urgent need for blood”. I had an 11:30 appointment – they weren’t done setting up when I left at 11:35. They were late arriving because of the snow. Apparently the largest disaster preparedness organization in the world doesn’t do too well preparing for bad weather.

Sun January 30, 2011, 6:59 am: Work, belated b-day party, some rummaging around...

Tue January 25, 2011, 3:25 am: Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes! It makes me smile to read through them.

Thu January 20, 2011, 3:35 am: The joys of today - a meeting at work and I'm getting a tooth pulled. At least the dentist gives me Novocain..

Wed January 19, 2011, 5:10 pm: Copy this and paste it in your status if you know someone, or have heard of someone who knows someone. If you don't know anyone, or even if you've heard of someone, who doesn't know anyone, then do still copy this. It's important to spread the message. Oh - and the hearts ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ for crap's sake don't forget the hearts! ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Wed January 12, 2011, 1:10 pm: Time to fire up the snow blower!!

Sat January 1, 2011, 6:43 am: I'd post some Christmas 2010 pictures, but my camera - and the pictures in it - are still in Boston. Oops.

Fri December 31, 2010, 7:07 am: "A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one Year and out the other." (Thanks, Rob)

Thu December 30, 2010, 6:52 am: I thought I'd pass this along in case someone I know knows her - The Yates Co. Sheriff's Dept. has issued a missing juvenile report for Lauren F. Shaff. DOB 7/10/95 5'5", 125 pounds with brown eyes and red hair. She is missing from the town of Middlesex. If you have any information regarding Lauren's whereabouts, please call 911.

Sun December 26, 2010, 8:22 pm: Snuck back home early from Boston before the storm shut down the east coast. Had a great time with Holly Smith , Jason SibLid, Cindy Mellen Smith, Becky Smith and William Smith! Wish we could have stayed longer!

Sat December 25, 2010, 6:45 am: Merry Christmas!!

Thu December 23, 2010, 5:31 pm: Dorschel Toyota says they have "killer" leases. Poor choice of words, perhaps?

Wed December 22, 2010, 8:10 am: Hahahaha!!! I've been "unliked" by a fan page FOUR times in the last 24 hours - must be they really don't want fans!

Mon December 20, 2010, 4:59 am: Last swim meet of the season tonight - let's go Whitman!

Sun December 19, 2010, 8:13 am: Is going out to the Pickering Pub on a Sunday afternoon considered "clubbing"?

Sat December 18, 2010, 7:58 pm: Can you get any more vague and non-committal than the phrase used in so many pharmaceutical ads - "Emerging science suggests"?

Sat December 11, 2010, 4:35 am: Firing up the new computer today.

Mon December 6, 2010, 8:44 pm: Coaching a swim meet at Naples tomorrow. Last time I was there was to swim in a meet. 35 years ago.

Fri December 3, 2010, 8:03 pm: Help raise awareness of violence against children. Change your Facebook profile picture to a cartoon character from your childhood and invite your friends to do the same. Until Monday, Dec 6th, there should be no human faces on Facebook, but an invasion of memories!

Sat November 27, 2010, 11:37 am: 12 snow tires installed. Probably won't snow for a month now.

Sun November 21, 2010, 9:32 am: You know you're getting old when mixed among the Buick, retirement planning, and osteoporosis drug ads on CBS Sunday Morning is an Elton John CD offer.

Sat November 20, 2010, 9:36 pm: Congratulations to the The Marcus Whitman Visual and Performing Arts for another great show! "The Crucible" was fantastic!

Sat November 20, 2010, 6:27 am: It sounds like WWIII outside this morning. And it sounds like lots of them are missing the mark.

Sun November 14, 2010, 6:00 am: A six-point buck and a couple of his ladies walked through our front yard this morning.

Sat November 13, 2010, 5:16 pm: Grilling sausages for dinner - yum!

Fri November 12, 2010, 2:02 pm: Mouth numbed at the dentist. Now I want to eat. But I'm afraid I'll bite my lip off.

Thu November 11, 2010, 6:56 pm: Big Bang Theory! Bazinga!

Tue November 9, 2010, 9:14 am: No e-mail at work since midnight. Provider said they were "upgrading the e-mail server". Aren't upgrades supposed to work better? Or at least work?

Sun November 7, 2010, 4:22 pm: How can they call the town "Rush" when it's a frickin' speed zone from one end to the other?!?!

Sun November 7, 2010, 9:51 am: Going to the Solo Picnic - solo!

Sun November 7, 2010, 5:47 am: That's odd - the cats don't seem to care whether it's Daylight Savings Time or not...

Sun November 7, 2010, 4:35 am: 22° - Brrr!

Sat November 6, 2010, 8:38 pm: Scottsville tomorrow!

Fri November 5, 2010, 3:59 am: Good Luck Whitman Swimmers at Sectional Finals!

Thu November 4, 2010, 5:00 pm: Just sitting in the pool watching the swimmers today made me smile.

Wed November 3, 2010, 5:02 am: Good luck at Sectionals Whitman Girls Varsity Swimmers!

Tue November 2, 2010, 1:42 pm: Off to swim practice - four swimmers yesterday - will there be more today?

Tue November 2, 2010, 5:09 am: If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings."- Dave Barry

Tue October 26, 2010, 7:24 pm: 3 boys does not a swim team make. It's not even a relay! >:(

Tue October 26, 2010, 5:34 am: Boy's Junior High swim team pre-season meeting this afternoon. Here's hoping for a good turnout!

Sat October 23, 2010, 5:28 pm: The mute button gets a real workout during political ad season.

Wed October 20, 2010, 4:59 pm: Why do they call them buildings when they're already done building them? Shouldn't they be called builts?

Wed October 20, 2010, 6:20 am: Congratulations to the Whitman Modified Girls swim team - last's night's win wraps up the season with a 5-1 record - you guys had a great year!

Sat October 16, 2010, 12:10 pm: Another win for the modified girls!

Sat October 16, 2010, 8:01 am: Modified swim meet at Midlakes - let's go Whitman!

Thu October 14, 2010, 7:08 pm: Congratulations whitman girls swimmers - league champs!

Tue October 12, 2010, 6:31 pm: Congratulations Whitman Modified swimmers! We won our meet thanks to lots of girls stepping up and swimming in different events than usual! You guys did a great job!

Mon October 11, 2010, 2:48 pm: Taking the race tires off for the last time this year...

Sun October 10, 2010, 1:11 pm: Hmmm - dropped to 6th after 3 runs :(

Sun October 10, 2010, 11:58 am: 2nd after two runs

Wed October 6, 2010, 10:18 am: I like it when she doesn't make me carry it in public

Thu September 30, 2010, 6:44 pm: Big Bang Theory tonight! w00t!

Thu September 30, 2010, 9:44 am: Homemade hamburger soup and homemade bread for lunch. Mmmmmm.

Tue September 28, 2010, 11:50 am: Space is not a vacuum, it will not clean your house

Mon September 27, 2010, 7:44 pm: Back to work tomorrow. All's well with the eye - thanks for all the good wishes!

Fri September 24, 2010, 8:07 pm: Tomorrow: Change oil in the Forester, check it's exhaust system to see how bad it really is, get my car ready for Sunday's autocross, take out docks at the lake. S'pose I should go to bed and rest up.

Fri September 24, 2010, 4:08 pm: For some reason, that seemed like a very long week.

Thu September 23, 2010, 5:56 am: Big Bang Theory season premier tonight! Bazinga!

Tue September 14, 2010, 12:21 pm: Click "Like" if you're tired of being told to click "Like" Oh wait. Nevermind

Sun September 12, 2010, 11:12 am: "A happy life must be to a great extent a quiet life, for it is only in an atmosphere of quiet that true joy dare live." - Bertrand Russell

Wed September 8, 2010, 5:46 pm: Two more swimmers showed up today - and there could possibly be a couple more! Looks like a good season!

Wed September 8, 2010, 3:58 am: First day of school - will there be more swimmers in the water?

Tue September 7, 2010, 6:08 pm: Well, I'll be darned - I do believe I've been "un-friended".

Tue September 7, 2010, 10:41 am: 2/3 of the Smith fleet in the shop today. One's fixed already, the other should be this afternoon. Apparently, acquiring a catalytic converter takes a little longer than a 1/4" bolt.

Tue September 7, 2010, 6:37 am: Good luck to my fellow local autocrossers at the SCCA Solo Nationals this week!

Mon September 6, 2010, 1:26 pm: I'm baking a cake!

Sat September 4, 2010, 4:01 pm: A week ago, I had four cars that were not broken. Now I have one - and that one has a 'Check Engine' light on. :(

Wed September 1, 2010, 9:41 am: 1st day of swim practice. Naturally, I can't find my keys to the pool.

Sun August 29, 2010, 10:50 am: What a great time at the Whitman Class of '75 reunion yesterday! I am so lucky to have grown up in the place that I did with the people I did.

Fri August 27, 2010, 12:26 pm: "The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time." - Bertrand Russell

Wed August 25, 2010, 7:50 pm: Modified girls swim practice starts a week from today!!

Wed August 25, 2010, 4:44 pm: thinks putting dishes away is a worse job than washing them.

Sat August 21, 2010, 10:47 pm: It's 11:45 and the dog next door has been barking for over 3 and a half hours - nonstop. Don't you love trying to sleep on a warm, breezy summer night - with the windows closed?

Sat August 21, 2010, 9:02 pm: It's 10pm and the dog next door has been barking for two hours - nonstop.

Sat August 21, 2010, 7:27 pm: Could be an interesting drive to the Solo at the Seneca Army Depot tomorrow morning. Rain + very worn race tires = using winter driving skills

Fri August 20, 2010, 11:15 am: likes 'Not everything that pops into your head needs to be shared on Facebook"

Mon August 16, 2010, 3:48 am: Vacation's over - back to work.

Fri August 13, 2010, 7:57 pm: Just back from vacation on Nantucket. Pictures to follow!

Sat August 7, 2010, 5:21 pm: Tried to change the oil in the Forester today. Didn't get very far. The bolts holding on the cover under the engine were so tight/corroded even my impact wrench couldn't get them off.

Mon August 2, 2010, 4:06 pm: But I DON'T like it. I want to make fun of it, but I can't without "liking" it, and then everybody would get the exact opposite impression of how I really felt!

Sun August 1, 2010, 3:19 pm: Putting together the song list for the Whitman Class of '75 Reunion. So far I've got 250 songs. If they average 4 minutes each, that works out to 16 hours of music. We're gonna need a LOT of beer!

Sat July 31, 2010, 4:54 am: People have been telling me for years to go jump in the lake - so I think I will!

Fri July 30, 2010, 7:39 pm: Off to bed - need sleep for my Keuka Lake crossing tomorrow. I've been on a really loooong taper in preparation. ;-)

Sat July 24, 2010, 2:48 pm: Survived the remote - now I've got to change tires and pack the car in 92+ degree heat. Think I'm gonna wait til a little later in the evening to do that.

Sat July 24, 2010, 4:04 am: A status repeat - "Live remote broadcast today from a car dealership in Penn Yan. Because I'm standing in their parking lot, talking on the radio, people will come in and drop 30 grand for a car. Right."

Sun July 18, 2010, 7:49 pm: "When life becomes too fast, I find relief at last, out in the country." Thank you, friends, for a great evening - and here's to many more!

Sat July 17, 2010, 7:22 am: I didn't get home until after 2 this morning - what a bunch of party animals!! :-)

Sat July 10, 2010, 1:54 pm: Maintained gate security during my watch? Check. Ten bales of straw picked up and delivered? Check. Nap? Not likely. :(

Thu July 8, 2010, 5:19 pm: Off to Vine Valley beach to swim a few laps.

Mon July 5, 2010, 5:27 pm: Scanning old pictures. Embarrassment to follow. ;-)

Sun July 4, 2010, 5:19 pm: And the winner is - Will Power! Milka Duno? D.F.L.

Sat July 3, 2010, 5:38 pm: To the beach! :-)

Fri July 2, 2010, 1:11 pm: Got my I don't care ducks in a row

Thu July 1, 2010, 5:00 pm: Now I know what 3g corners and 170 mph feel like. :-D

Thu July 1, 2010, 9:27 am: Wow!

Wed June 30, 2010, 9:27 am: "Much of the world doesn't have water to drink. Here, we play in it at spray parks."

Tue June 29, 2010, 12:05 pm: The economy is so bad B.P. laid off 25 Congressmen.

Mon June 28, 2010, 2:18 pm: How bad is the economy? So bad that I got a pre-declined credit card in the mail.

Sun June 27, 2010, 2:51 pm: is scanning pictures - 134 so far today.

Sat June 26, 2010, 4:09 pm: Quote from new Chrysler ad: "Just one more reason to drive Detroit" In case somebody forgot to tell you - you're owned by Fiat. In Italy.

Tue June 22, 2010, 9:24 am: Complacency is a word made up to make people ashamed of being happy with what they have so they'll work harder for no reason other than bring profit to someone else. (Thanks, Gil, for making me think about this)

Mon June 21, 2010, 7:47 pm: Cindy made mullberry-rhubarb crisp - rhubarb from her garden and mulberries from the tree in our yard. It's good!

Sun June 20, 2010, 4:03 am: Happy Father's Day!

Sat June 19, 2010, 4:47 am: Live remote broadcast today from a car dealership in Penn Yan. Because I'm standing in their parking lot, talking on the radio, people will come in and drop 30 grand for a car. Right.

Wed June 16, 2010, 4:13 pm: It appears at this point, we will start the 2010 fall swim season with 10 swimmers.

Wed June 16, 2010, 7:25 am: Girl's Modified Swim Team pre-season meeting today - 2:30 in the Middle School Gym

Sun June 13, 2010, 5:55 am: Autocross today at the Seneca Army Depot!

Sat June 12, 2010, 7:01 pm: So I took my first swim in the lake tonight. Did about 8 widths of the Vine Valley Beach swimming area.The Krossin' Keuka swim-a-thonis coming up July 31st. I'm in big trouble.

Wed June 9, 2010, 2:11 pm: "Limewire owes $1B+ in fines, BP owes $69M. Because sharing music is 14.5x worse than catastrophic spills." - TJ Hilton on Twitter

Mon May 31, 2010, 11:58 am: 93 degrees at 1pm. Wowsers.

Thu May 20, 2010, 4:18 pm: is frequently wrong but never in doubt.

Wed May 19, 2010, 2:34 pm: had a great time at the Dick Eisenhart presentation today in Penn Yan. Caught up with a long-time friend, met the mother of a former co-worker, and of course, heard some great stories from Dick.

Mon May 17, 2010, 6:38 pm: does NOT like that you can't comment on what other people "like".

Sat May 15, 2010, 7:27 pm: Womens clothes shopping at the mall. Shoot me now. Please?

Thu May 13, 2010, 5:42 pm: Off to a Whitman Alumni meeting!

Wed May 12, 2010, 4:41 pm: has the woodstove fired up! :-)

Mon May 10, 2010, 6:02 am: Two of my former swimmers are having birthdays today - one is 18, one is 35. I *think* that says something - but I'm not sure what.

Sun May 2, 2010, 5:58 am: March of Dimes "March For Babies" M.C. this morning in Geneva, then Ithaca this afternoon.

Sat May 1, 2010, 5:58 pm: I think lawn care may be one of the most ecologically harmful practices in this country.

Sat May 1, 2010, 8:01 am: Off to a remote broadcast in Waterloo today. I can hardly contain my enthusiasm.

Wed April 28, 2010, 8:14 am: To everyone who says "One day closer to the weekend!" or "One day closer to vacation!" You're also one day closer to taking your last breath. Still in such a hurry?

Sun April 25, 2010, 3:42 am: Autocross at RIT today!

Fri April 23, 2010, 4:06 pm: is working on the rototiller for gardening and maybe a little on my car for this weekend's autocross at R.I.T.

Wed April 21, 2010, 9:21 am: likes "If you want the "Become A Fan" button back, maybe you should stop clicking the "Like" button so much.

Sat April 17, 2010, 10:40 am: Another Whitman Class of '75 meeting tonight - we are such dedicated hard workers!

Wed April 14, 2010, 4:23 pm: Got a FaceBook message with this tag - "Wow! Ar e you r eally in t his vid eo?" My guess it is malware of some kind. If you got it, I would NOT recommend clicking on it!

Mon April 12, 2010, 2:02 pm: Off to Ithaca!

Sun April 11, 2010, 1:51 pm: At Becky and Will's in Irondequoit for the day

Sun April 11, 2010, 4:28 am: Put a car up for sale on Craigslist. Got 3 responses. All scams. Grrrr.

Fri April 9, 2010, 3:18 pm: There are snowflakes in the air!

Thu April 8, 2010, 4:22 pm: Whitman/Gorham/Valley Alumni meeting tonight!

Thu April 8, 2010, 8:29 am: Off to Ithaca for Holly's new tire installation! Woot!

Sun April 4, 2010, 7:51 pm: The beard is gone.

Wed March 31, 2010, 7:34 am: How many of you really know all of the people on your friend list? I mean personally know? Here's a task for you. All of the people on my list post how they met me. After you have completed this, repost this in your status box. You will be amazed, at how interesting this can really be.

Thu March 25, 2010, 8:45 am: The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine. It's hard to tell the night time from the day.

Thu March 25, 2010, 5:37 am: FIRST CONCERT YOU ATTENDED! Everyone please play! You will find it interesting to know where and what your FB friends first concert was. Copy & paste this on your profile, then put your First Concert at the end of this sentence: Commander Cody, The Outlaws, and Poco at Alfred State College - 1976

Tue March 23, 2010, 5:05 pm: It's snowing!

Mon March 22, 2010, 10:52 am: Really feeling the Blue & Gold pride - spent time working with the great Whitman musical cast & crew last week, then a few hours with a bunch of my fellow 75ers Saturday night. Great people at Whitman then and now!

Sat March 20, 2010, 1:18 pm: Class reunion meeting tonight - at Don's in Canandaigua!

Fri March 19, 2010, 4:36 am: "Crazy For You" was great! Your singing and your dancing and your Bela Zanglers!

Thu March 18, 2010, 6:54 am: Opening night for Whitman's "Crazy For You"!

Wed March 17, 2010, 3:22 pm: Final rehearsal tonight before Whitman's "Crazy For You" opens Thursday!

Tue March 16, 2010, 12:13 pm: I do beleive the sunroof will be open on the ride home. :-)

Sun March 14, 2010, 5:22 pm: They're pre-empting news for the NCAA *SELECTION* Show?? No game, no action - just people sitting around telling us who is going to be playing who. Has it really come to this?

Sun March 14, 2010, 2:36 pm: That "Who is checking your profile?" app is spreading like crazy. Seems kinda suspicious to me...

Sun March 14, 2010, 8:34 am: It's Daylight Stupid Time!

Tue March 9, 2010, 3:28 am: will start doing sound for the Whiman musical tonight. Gonna put Leona on the fast track to being a sound board wizard!

Mon March 8, 2010, 4:18 pm: Drove home with the sunroof open and the windows down. Still not taking the snow tires off, though :-)

Mon March 8, 2010, 1:17 pm: Big Bang Theory tonight with a 'Lord Of The Rings' theme. I hope it lives up to the geek humor possibilties that combination promises. :)

Sun March 7, 2010, 7:35 pm: Oscars are on - zzzzzzzzzzzz. Time for bed.

Sat March 6, 2010, 9:29 am: Announcing at the Marcas Whitman Winter Percussion Show this afternoon

Fri March 5, 2010, 2:59 pm: Started tapping maple trees today - we only have 5 big enough. Sure wish we had more!

Sat February 27, 2010, 3:27 am: It's Rotary Radio Day at WFLR!

Fri February 26, 2010, 12:34 pm: Driveway's been snowblowed. Of course, it's now snowing again.

Fri February 26, 2010, 5:47 am: So that's a snowstorm, huh? Back in the day, we used to call that Thursday.

Fri February 26, 2010, 4:44 am: Glad the kids got off from school today - they haven't had a day off since last week!

Thu February 25, 2010, 7:11 am: So I started up Windows Media Player on "shuffle". The first song that came up was 10,000 Maniacs - "Like The Weather" Perfect :-)

Thu February 25, 2010, 5:39 am: It's February. It's snowing. No kidding.

Wed February 24, 2010, 7:34 am: I suppose I should see if the snow blower will start today. No sense putting these things off 'til the last minute.

Tue February 23, 2010, 6:59 pm: I hope all the Olympic figure skaters that have followed remember to thank Tonya Harding for making people pay attention to their sport.

Mon February 22, 2010, 7:28 am: Off to the vet!

Mon February 22, 2010, 5:57 am: Scanning, scanning :)

Fri February 19, 2010, 1:37 pm: So which "old Facebook" page is it people want back? Thae last one? Or the one before that? Or maybe the one before that? In six months, you'll want THIS one back.

Fri February 12, 2010, 4:10 pm: became a fan of people who aren't smart enough to say something clever so they become a fan of someone who did - and clog everybody else's FB pages with the display of their lameness

Thu February 11, 2010, 4:50 pm: To celebrate Valentines Day, change your Profile Picture to you and your sweetie and make sure to tell how long you've been together! Cindy & me - 36 years in July - 31 years of marriage in June

Wed February 10, 2010, 3:55 pm: So just how does Facebook decide what is "Top News"?

Sun February 7, 2010, 6:52 pm: Is it just me, or do the little orange stickers on the Super Bowl helemts make it look like they just bought them all at Wal-Mart?

Tue February 2, 2010, 5:30 pm: Go to http://www.urbandictionary.com, type in your first name, copy and paste this as your status and the FIRST entry for your name under comments

Mon February 1, 2010, 4:28 pm: Facebook Doppleganger week. Only once has somebody said I looked like a famous person, and that was Phil Collins. I don't see it, but I'll play along. If anybody has a better suggestion, I'm listening.

Mon February 1, 2010, 1:45 pm: Facebook Doppleganger week. Only once has somebody said I looked like a famous person, and that was Phil Collins. I don't see it, but I'll play along.

Sat January 30, 2010, 5:25 am: 0°. Brrrr.

Wed January 27, 2010, 5:50 am: My old friend, I apologize For the years that have passed Since the last time you and I Dusted off those memories

Mon January 25, 2010, 3:37 am: Thank you to all for the birthday wishes! They mean a lot to me!

Sun January 17, 2010, 8:15 am: is scanning pictures!

Sat January 16, 2010, 11:22 am: In Irondequoit for the day!

Tue January 12, 2010, 7:37 pm: It's WAYBACK WEEK! Everyone change your profile pic to a throwback picture of yourself when you were young!! Copy and paste this, and lets see how adorable we all were!

Tue January 12, 2010, 9:44 am: If you got a picture notification from me in the last few minutes (10:45am) DON'T CLICK ON IT - it's spam >:-(

Mon January 11, 2010, 3:58 pm: Automotive/musical truism #17 - If "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" comes on driving through Penn Yan, it will still be playing when I get home.

Thu January 7, 2010, 12:37 pm: Big Bang Theory wins Favorite TV Comedy at The People's Choice Awards last night! Yes, that's right - geeks are cool!

Tue January 5, 2010, 12:48 pm: In memory of family and friends who have lost the battle of cancer and the ones who continue to conquer it! Put this on your page if you know someone who has or had cancer♥ . Dear God, I pray for the cure of cancer. (93% won't copy and paste this, will you?)

Fri January 1, 2010, 7:38 pm: Once again I did't keep my New Year's resolution. I resolved not to make any resolutions.

Tue December 29, 2009, 3:05 am: Nine degrees? Brrr.

Sat December 26, 2009, 2:38 pm: As always, the BEST part about Christmas was having the family here. :-)

Fri December 25, 2009, 6:57 pm: Cool stuff for Christmas - a big Sears toolbox and base cabinet, Craftsman screwdriver set, book about Watkins Glen racing, and 4 (count 'em - 4!) Watkins Glen t-shirts!

Thu December 24, 2009, 12:18 pm: The tree is up AND decorated! Now to wrap presents!

Thu December 24, 2009, 3:43 am: It's Christmas Eve. Probably should decorate the tree today. ;-) And do my Christmas shopping.

Tue December 22, 2009, 5:43 am: Last swim meet of the season tonight!

Mon December 21, 2009, 3:32 am: OK, the tree is up. Now I suppose we should decorate it or something.

Sun December 20, 2009, 3:43 am: Christmas tree did not get put up yesterday - maybe today?

Sat December 19, 2009, 6:10 am: Swim meet at Pal-Mac at 10a, Minion Christmas Party at 1p, then maybe we'll put up the tree we got last Saturday. Maybe.

Fri December 18, 2009, 9:10 pm: Swim meet at Pal-Mac tomorrow, then the Minion Christmas Party, then maybe we'll put up the tree we got last Saturday!

Sat December 12, 2009, 4:39 am: Going to the Windmill, then to see Holly in Ithaca, get a Christmas tree, and finally the radio station Christmas party tonight.

Mon December 7, 2009, 6:35 am: It is said "You can't go home". That's not true - you can go home. It may have changed while you were gone - but it's still home.

Sun December 6, 2009, 10:41 am: is going to see "Pirate Radio" today!

Fri December 4, 2009, 5:20 am: Got home from the swim meet last night at 9:30, up at 4am for work today, swim practice 3-4:30 this afternoon, live remote in Penn Yan 6-7 tonight, swim meet tomorrow morning at 11 in Newark.

Wed December 2, 2009, 3:59 am: Bagels with peanut butter and bacon - mmm

Mon November 30, 2009, 7:13 pm: BBT tonight!!

Sun November 29, 2009, 5:19 am: has two more sets of snow tires to install today.

Tue November 24, 2009, 6:20 am: First meet of the season for the boys modified swim team. I *might* be able to put three swimmers in the water.

Fri November 20, 2009, 7:02 pm: is NOT seeing Twilight - New Moon tonight. I went through my vampire movie stage about 40 years ago, thank you.

Thu November 19, 2009, 6:28 am: "If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be 'meetings.' "- Dave Barry

Mon November 16, 2009, 7:25 am: One set of snow tires installed. That'll keep the snow away for another week.

Sun November 15, 2009, 7:51 am: Snow tire installation and more woodshed construction

Sat November 14, 2009, 8:46 am: is outside building a woodshed so Cindy will have someplace to beat me.

Thu November 12, 2009, 12:01 pm: Cindy and the neighbors will be glad to hear I'm getting a new muffler on Tuesday.

Wed November 11, 2009, 6:43 am: Thank you to the men and women who are serving and have served in the US military.

Wed November 11, 2009, 5:57 am: Apparently FB has deemed my status messages unworthy of publishing. The last eight have gone unseen - lost into cyberspace. And they were really good ones, too!

Tue November 10, 2009, 4:34 pm: Apparently FB has deemed my status messages unworthy of publishing. The last seven have gone unseen - lost into cyberspace. And they were really good ones, too!

Tue November 10, 2009, 3:10 am: Apparently FB has deemed my status messages unworthy of publishing. The last six have gone unseen - lost into cyberspace. And they were really good ones, too!

Mon November 9, 2009, 5:07 pm: Apparently FB has deemed my status messages unworthy of publishing. The last five have gone unseen - lost into cyberspace. And they were really good ones, too!

Mon November 9, 2009, 12:40 pm: Apparently FB has deemed my status messages unworthy of publishing. The last three have gone unseen - lost into cyberspace. And they were really good ones, too!

Mon November 9, 2009, 4:45 am: Apparently FB has deemed my status messages unworthy of publishing. The last three have gone unseen - lost into cyberspace. And they were really good ones, too!

Sun November 8, 2009, 12:37 pm: Apparently FB has deemed my staus messages unworthy of publishing. The last three have gone unseen - lost into cyberspace. And they were really good ones, too!

Sun November 8, 2009, 9:38 am: Working outside on a woodshed so Cindy will have someplace to beat me.

Sun November 8, 2009, 4:16 am: They say "You can't go home". But that's not really true. You can go home - some things may have changed, but it's still home.

Sat November 7, 2009, 4:49 am: They say "You can't go home". But that's not really true. You can go home - some things may have changed, but it's still home.

Fri November 6, 2009, 5:55 am: Good Luck Whitman Swimmers at Sectional Finals this afternoon!!

Thu November 5, 2009, 6:15 am: The existence of the '09 Boy's Modified swim team will be determined today.

Wed November 4, 2009, 3:49 am: Good luck at Sectionals Whitman swimmers!

Mon November 2, 2009, 5:08 pm: One swimmer does not a team make.

Mon November 2, 2009, 5:36 am: Vacation's over - back to work. And it's the first day of Boy's Modified swim season.

Sat October 31, 2009, 6:10 am: A little cocoa in your coffee is a good way to start the day :)

Fri October 30, 2009, 8:46 pm: Good night.

Wed October 28, 2009, 8:14 am: is an apple pie judge at the Dundee Farmer's Market today - it's a tough job, but SOMEBODY'S gotta do it!

Mon October 26, 2009, 7:30 pm: "Big Bang Theory" tonight! Woot!

Mon October 26, 2009, 6:37 am: is on vacation!

Fri October 23, 2009, 8:02 pm: Congratulations Marcus Whitman Swimmers and Divers! League Meet Champions!

Fri October 23, 2009, 5:19 am: Good luck Whitman swimmers at today's League Meet! You're the best!

Wed October 21, 2009, 5:23 pm: Girl's Modified is over :( Now on to the boys ..... I hope.

Wed October 21, 2009, 3:43 pm: If you melt dry ice, can you go swimming without getting wet?

Tue October 20, 2009, 8:12 pm: Good meet, good pizza, good people, good season. Good night!

Mon October 19, 2009, 7:51 pm: Last Girls Modified meet of the season tomorrow. I'm gonna miss those girls!

Sun October 18, 2009, 12:17 pm: is working on time sheets for the swimmers to hand out at our AWESOME end of season pizza party Tuesday! :-)

Sun October 18, 2009, 5:37 am: Why in God's name would you start a 500 mile race at 7:30 at night?!?!

Sat October 17, 2009, 9:34 pm: is losing badly at Scrabble

Sat October 17, 2009, 7:10 pm: playing Scrabble with Cindy and Holly at work

Sat October 17, 2009, 3:13 pm: Another fun Girls Modified meet done! One more to go! Gotta go to work tonight - not so much fun.

Thu October 15, 2009, 8:29 pm: Congratulations Whitman swimmers and divers! Finger Lakes League champions!

Thu October 15, 2009, 5:34 am: Good luck to the Whitman swimmers tonight!

Tue October 13, 2009, 5:39 am: Want to win tickets to Screamers' Hollow in Sterling or the Pick'n Patch in Flint? Listen here for your chance! http://www.fingerlakesvisitorschannel.com/wflr.asx

Mon October 12, 2009, 5:13 pm: Four pieces of wood raised the temperature in the house from 63 to 76. I'm liking our woodstove :-)

Mon October 12, 2009, 3:31 pm: Been on hold for about 15 minutes now with Peachtree - a window company I've been trying to get a hold of for a couple of years. Customer service is NOT their strong point. Oh - their on hold music is REALLY annoying.

Mon October 12, 2009, 12:32 pm: BBT tonight!

Sun October 11, 2009, 12:37 pm: is going out to the great outdoors - possible photographic documentation to follow. :-)

Thu October 8, 2009, 3:58 am: Long day today - work, then Modified and Varsity swim meets at North Rose Wolcott.

Tue October 6, 2009, 5:19 am: Swim meet at Gananda today!

Mon October 5, 2009, 5:45 pm: is setting up the VCR for Big Bang Theory tonight! Got a swim meet tomorrow, so I won't be watching it until Wednesday night.

Sun October 4, 2009, 6:26 pm: won the last event of the season! Woot!

Sun October 4, 2009, 5:17 am: Last autocross of the season today at R.I.T. in Henrietta!

Sat October 3, 2009, 1:04 pm: is getting the car ready for the last autocross of the season tomorrow.

Mon September 28, 2009, 5:08 pm: will try the VCR for Big Bang Theory again tonight!

Mon September 28, 2009, 6:05 am: has a day off to visit the dentist. Talk about mixed blessings!

Sun September 27, 2009, 11:42 am: is going to see the movie "Food, Inc." at the Smith Opera House in Geneva.

Sat September 26, 2009, 8:38 pm: is back from Alfred Homecoming - at the Alumni Luncheon we sat with the current college president and a past president. Even did some DJing at the tailgate party!

Sat September 26, 2009, 5:43 am: Homecoming at Alfred State today!

Thu September 24, 2009, 8:26 pm: Thanks to my media-savvy daughter, I got to watch BBT tonight. I'm glad all that tution money wasn't a complete waste! ;-)

Wed September 23, 2009, 10:53 am: Wiffler got a clean bill of health!

Tue September 22, 2009, 7:47 pm: will not get to see the season premier of BBT anytime soon - something was awry in the VCR setup :(

Tue September 22, 2009, 4:01 am: hopes the VCR did it's thing so I can watch Big Bang Theory tonight!

Mon September 21, 2009, 5:13 am: Big Bang Theory season premier tonight!!

Sun September 20, 2009, 7:08 am: is going with Cindy to The Finger Lakes Fiber Arts Festival in Hemlock today.

Sat September 19, 2009, 8:13 am: Since it be Talk like a Pirate Day, ya scalliwags best be postin' in Pirate on me bulkhead! And ye also oughter be settin' yer FB language to Pirate!

Tue September 15, 2009, 5:26 am: Up and at 'em. Another morning in the country - http://www.fingerlakesvisitorschannel.com/wflr.asx

Mon September 14, 2009, 6:50 pm: Team picture day tomorrow - probably won't get much done in the pool.

Sat September 12, 2009, 7:39 pm: Car's packed for tomorrow's Solo event at Xerox in Webster!

Fri September 11, 2009, 7:56 pm: just took his second shower of the afternoon/evening - the first coming on the pool deck. ;-)

Wed September 9, 2009, 7:37 pm: has learned that if the song "Alice's Restaurant" begins at Wegman's in Canandaigua, it will still be going when I pull in my driveway at home.

Tue September 8, 2009, 6:13 pm: 9 Swimmers today. Which is actually what I had before, but I miscounted. Proof of my difficulty with higher level math. Typical for a Marcus Whitman graduate.

Tue September 8, 2009, 5:12 am: Back to "work" - if that's what you want to call it. Hear what I mean here - http://www.fingerlakesvisitorschannel.com/wflr.asx

Mon September 7, 2009, 5:15 pm: School starts tomorrow - hopefully that will bring in some more swimmers!

Sat September 5, 2009, 7:24 pm: just finished "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein. Good book - not about racing, really. Oh - keep the Kleenex handy. ;-)

Fri September 4, 2009, 5:16 am: Good morning from the country! http://www.fingerlakesvisitorschannel.com/wflr.asx

Thu September 3, 2009, 8:01 am: Good luck to the Whitman swimmers this afternoon!

Tue September 1, 2009, 12:24 pm: It's off to the 1st Modified Swim practice of the season. How many will show up? And of those, how many will have their paperwork filled out? Stay tuned!

Mon August 31, 2009, 6:38 pm: just saw a flock of geese headed south.

Mon August 31, 2009, 3:03 pm: Gotta go unpack the car and put it back in it's street guise. Then get stuff ready for tomorrow's first Modified Swim practice.

Mon August 31, 2009, 3:52 am: Is it Monday already?

Sat August 29, 2009, 7:26 pm: Last Seneca Solo event of the year tomorrow!

Thu August 27, 2009, 5:31 am: Playing the country tunes and living the country life. I'm driving the pick 'em up today. http://www.fingerlakesvisitorschannel.com/wflr.asx

Wed August 26, 2009, 4:57 pm: How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a barbecue?

Tue August 25, 2009, 2:10 pm: Letters are sent, contract is signed, paperwork finished. Another season of modified mayhem is but a week away.

Tue August 25, 2009, 5:11 am: It's another morning in the country - Finger Lakes Country WFLR http://www.fingerlakesvisitorschannel.com/wflr.asx

Mon August 24, 2009, 3:34 pm: is stuffing envelopes with letters for the new swimmers. We start a week from tomorrow!

Sat August 22, 2009, 7:11 pm: The car is all prepped and packed for the SCCA Solo event tomorrow at the Seneca Army Depot. :-)

Wed August 19, 2009, 5:34 am: Three thunderstorms - three WFLR transmitters fried. Might be a pattern. Listen online at http://fingerlakesvisitorschannel.com/wflr.asx

Tue August 18, 2009, 6:30 am: So we're giving away tickets to the NEW YORK state fair on WFLR. I see on the tickets they are printed in... PENNSYLVANIA!!! Apparently there's no one in the entire state of NY worthy enough to print tickets to our own fair.

Mon August 17, 2009, 5:14 am: Another morning in the country - Finger Lakes Country WFLR. Might even be a few Sea Breeze tickets to be won. http://fingerlakesvisitorschannel.com/wflr.asx

Sun August 16, 2009, 8:29 pm: Summer vacation's over - back to work tomorrow

Sat August 15, 2009, 4:23 am: is off to Keuka for a swim!

Fri August 14, 2009, 12:18 pm: is off to Phelps - trying to solve a mystery...

Fri August 14, 2009, 5:57 am: Registration check-in this afternoon for the Krossin' Keuka Swin-A-Thon tomorrow.

Tue August 11, 2009, 6:36 am: is scanning pictures & slides. One of YOU might be on here soon!

Mon August 10, 2009, 5:45 am: Come on you NASCAR boys - suck it up and drive in the rain!!

Fri August 7, 2009, 6:50 pm: is on vacation!!

Fri August 7, 2009, 9:17 am: Going to "Thunder in the Glen" this afternoon 4-6! Come on down!

Fri August 7, 2009, 5:20 am: WFLR - on the air and online! http://fingerlakesvisitorschannel.com/wflr.asx

Thu August 6, 2009, 3:36 am: Interviewing Jeffrey Earnhardt today - Dale Jr's nephew who will be racing in his 1st Nationwide race in Watkins Glen this weekend. With WFLR logos on his car! 8:25am at http://fingerlakesvisitorschannel.com/wflr.asx

Wed August 5, 2009, 4:46 pm: Trailer lights are bolted in place - now to run the new wires.

Wed August 5, 2009, 5:36 am: is on the air and on line - 96.9/1570 and http://fingerlakesvisitorschannel.com/wflr.asx

Tue August 4, 2009, 5:18 am: Blood donation today, finish up Holly's car purchase. Oh, yeah, there's that work thing too. http://fingerlakesvisitorschannel.com/wflr.asx

Mon August 3, 2009, 3:28 am: Varsity swim practice begins in two weeks!

Fri July 31, 2009, 6:14 am: Open water swim tonight at Kershaw in Canandaigua - gotta get ready for the Keuka Lake swim across on the 15th!

Fri July 31, 2009, 5:38 am: It's Friday in the country - Finger Lakes Country WFLR - listen here - http://fingerlakesvisitorschannel.com/wflr.asx

Wed July 29, 2009, 5:14 am: Another morning in the country - Finger Lakes Country that is - on-line at - http://fingerlakesvisitorschannel.com/wflr.asx

Tue July 28, 2009, 3:51 am: Another day - another configuration for Finger Lakes Daily News.

Mon July 27, 2009, 4:41 pm: Amusing line from a radio commercial I just heard - "No wonder Chrysler is the Cash For Clunkers headquarters"

Mon July 27, 2009, 12:39 pm: WFLR live online 24/7 - http://fingerlakesvisitorschannel.com/wflr.asx

Sun July 26, 2009, 9:26 am: Going to look at cars with Holly

Sat July 25, 2009, 8:12 am: Housewarming at Becky & Will's!

Thu July 23, 2009, 5:31 am: thinks we should change our website name from fingerlakesdailynews to "whatisitgoingtolookliketoday"

Thu July 23, 2009, 3:22 am: Another meeting - another two hours of my life I won't get back :(

Sun July 19, 2009, 6:37 pm: Learned today the bacon makes everything better.

Sun July 19, 2009, 4:11 am: Autocross at Seneca today!

Sat July 18, 2009, 9:14 am: has the car all set for tomorrow's Solo at the Seneca Army Depot. And the pit bike is ready, too.

Thu July 16, 2009, 6:54 pm: I got a very pleasant surprise today. I'm still smiling about it.

Thu July 16, 2009, 7:08 am: will be live from Friendly Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep in Penn Yan 4-6 this afternoon.

Tue July 14, 2009, 3:50 am: What's on my mind? Tires.

Mon July 13, 2009, 8:39 pm: is sleeping... shhhh

Mon July 13, 2009, 6:44 am: Meeting with the Whitman AD today to plan for the Modified swim season. Summer must be almost over!

Fri July 10, 2009, 2:18 pm: is going to the Kunes family reunion tomorrow.

Tue July 7, 2009, 2:54 pm: is experiencing the joy that is dial-up.

Mon July 6, 2009, 8:01 pm: thinks this is a great quote. Mark McKinnon, former McCain/Palin advisor - "Watching Sarah Palin is sort of like watching a moose on roller skates - it's never particularly graceful, but it's always riveting."

Sun July 5, 2009, 4:12 pm: had a great time at the Glen - pictures soon!

Fri July 3, 2009, 6:56 am: in looking forward to Sunday - The Glen!

Thu July 2, 2009, 7:38 pm: It seems to me there are a GREAT many people who have tomorrow off. I, however, am not one of them.

Thu July 2, 2009, 6:25 am: Even though the Ciccino's certificates are gone at Fingerlakes Daily News you can still win one on WFLR in a few minutes!

Wed July 1, 2009, 11:43 am: It's amazing how less cluttered my FaceBook page is when I ignore all the "What ...... are you?" posts.

Wed July 1, 2009, 5:17 am: Long weekend coming up.... No wait - nevermind. It was canceled.

Mon June 29, 2009, 3:57 am: Back to work...

Sun June 28, 2009, 8:10 am: Off to Irondequoit to Becky & Will's!

Sat June 27, 2009, 5:25 am: Congratulations to all the Whitman graduates!

Fri June 26, 2009, 7:08 pm: Congratulations to all the Whitman graduates tonight!

Thu June 25, 2009, 5:01 pm: And Michael Jackson makes three :(

Thu June 25, 2009, 6:06 am: I am now officially certified to save lives!

Tue June 23, 2009, 6:35 pm: has a triple-header tomorrow. To work in Dundee at 6am, then CPR/AED Lifeguard training at noon in Rushville, then back to Dundee for the Dundee Show & Go Car Show at 6pm

Sat June 20, 2009, 6:47 pm: just got done changing tires in the rain

Sat June 20, 2009, 2:46 pm: is scanning slides today.

Fri June 19, 2009, 6:59 am: Stop by and see us at Crusin' Night tonight in Penn Yan!

Wed June 17, 2009, 6:24 pm: Just bought my Indy at the Glen ticket!

Wed June 17, 2009, 7:03 am: Don't click on any "We're Related" notifications from me - it's spam

Mon June 15, 2009, 4:11 pm: As far as I could tell, I was 1st overall at the Solo Tour event on Sunday ;-)

Is Social Networking Changing the Way People Grow Up?

2010-09-12T03:27:00.001-07:00

It occurred to me a few days ago that social networks could be having a big effect on the way people grow up and move through life. When I was in my early high school years, one of my best friends moved to the Washington, DC area. I went to visit him once, we wrote a few letters, and then lost touch. That's kind of the way these things happened.

When I graduated from high school, I went off to college, met new people, and made some new friends.

After college, I started working, moved to a new town, and - again - met new people, and made new friends.

During these transitions, I also lost touch with some of my family, my earlier friends and co-workers.

It was an evolutionary process - your circle of people changed with your life experiences. Your interests, work and hobbies evolve and with them, the people who share those things would change. Sure, you have your immediate family, and probably one or two really close friends your whole life, but most of the rest would come and go.

Now, everybody you've known since 3rd grade, your cousins who live in Nevada, your mail carrier from two moves ago, and your last two boyfriends all interact with you on a weekly - if not daily - basis.

Is this good? Does staying connected with your past hold you back? Or does having that huge network of "friends" help you advance?

I've always felt one of the important things about graduating from high school and either getting a job or going to college is you get to start over. There's a whole new group of people who don't know you were the class brain or flirt or jock - so you get a chance to do a little makeover of yourself if you want to. Now, your whole past comes schlepping along with you, and when you 'friend' somebody, they can see all your old friends making the same old jokes about the pass you dropped in the playoffs, or how many girlfriends you had in Junior High, or how you bombed the World History test three times. I suppose you could delete your old page and start over, but how would that make your old friends feel, and would the new ones think it kind of odd you only have 7 friends - all of which you added this week?

On the other hand, you have a great resource of people to draw on to help get you through a tough class, deal with a slave-driver boss, and then there's that slob of a house-mate. But does leaning on these old connections hold you back from learning to deal with them yourself?

Do social networks (and unlimited calling time and texting on cell phones) keep you in the past, or help you to get where you want to be?

My Conundrum

2010-06-08T13:48:00.000-07:00

I've often heard it said about someone "They're a walking contradiction." I must say, I certainly fit that description. I like cars - a lot. Driving them, looking at them, watching races. And yet I also consider myself to be environmentally-minded. So how do I reconcile my dinosaur-burning, hydrocarbon spewing, mildly scofflaw-ish activity with my love for clean air and water and realization that there is only so much oil to go around and gathering, refining, and distributing it is a messy business at best and environmentally catastrophic at worst.

Well, here's my rationalization - as lame as it may be. In my 37 years of vehicle ownership, I have only owned one vehicle - a Ford Econoline van - that got worse than 20mpg. And that vehicle was driven only about two or three times a month as my DJ gear hauler. Even that had the smallest engine available and a manual transmission. Actually, I'm not even sure it got less than 20mpg because I never checked. I'm just assuming it did. Of my many other vehicles, I had one that got 40+mpg with 1970s technology. There were a few that averaged about 30mpg, and couple that got barely over 20. Most - including my current fleet of 3 - got right around 25mpg. Also, I try to avoid running into town for one or two things - if I have to drive somewhere to get something, I'll make a concerted effort to get several needed items to cut down on trips.

So I guess what I'm saying is, if all those SUV drivers had reasonable automotive transportation instead of motoring around in a 13mpg behemoth - alone - making a special trip to the grocery store for a loaf of bread and a quart of milk, maybe we wouldn't have to be searching for dissolved dinosaurs under a mile of ocean. Yet.

Why Music Radio Sucks

2009-11-13T17:30:00.000-08:00

How did music radio get so bad? God-awful songs, interchangeable artists, and completely unimaginative programming. What happened?

Those of us who have been in the business long enough remember when radio was fun, there were new, progressive artists appearing seemingly daily, and many of the established ones changed their sound from album to album. Now The Fray sounds like Snow Patrol sounds like Five For Fighting sounds like (fill in the blank).

The problem? The listener/music buyer no longer has any say in what goes on the radio. Once upon a time, they had full control over what was a hit, and what wasn’t.

Back in the mid-50s, Billboard Magazine began charting the popularity of pop songs based on record sales. Music fans voted with their dollars. And radio stations looked at that chart and played the songs that people liked enough to part with their hard-earned money to buy.

Somewhere in the mid-1970s record companies and radio programmers woke up to the fact that they had little or no control over what they were selling and playing. And not many businesses like to have someone else control their livelihood. Also, the sales-based model made for some pretty dramatic changes in the chart. Once everybody who liked a certain song had purchased it, it dropped off the chart like a stone. So a radio station’s playlist would change considerably from week-to-week. Not a corporate-type programmer’s ideal situation. But what to do?

What if radio stations and record companies decided themselves what they want to play no matter what people are buying? “We’ll say what is a hit and what isn’t.” And so, the airplay-based chart (and Radio and Records) was created. The name of the magazine should have been the first clue – “Radio and Records”. And since smaller stations tend to look to the bigger ones for guidance, they wait and see what Z100 in NYC and KISS102 in LA add and drop before they make their moves. As these bigger stations are programmed by suits, they tend to be very conservative, slowing the music turnover. Moving into the late 80s, more and more stations are owned by two or three big companies, and each company has one programmer who decides what music get played nationwide. It’s a lot easier for a record company to leverage one programmer for 50 stations, than try to get 50 independent stations to play their artists.

Fast forward to today, and you have the entire music radio programming – all formats - controlled by about, oh, 15 people. Is there any doubt it’s going to be bland, boring and unimaginative?

Of course, the doomsayers are telling us “the portable music player and the Internet are the problem. Radio has to be very narrow to reach our target audience!” Okay, tell me this – if playing the same 30 songs over and over for months on end is what people want, why do we have 40 and 50gig mp3 players with thousands of songs on them? Or websites like Pandora and Jango that play songs people – you know, listeners – select themselves?

So if music radio is dying, there is no foul play involved - it's a suicide.