These are the days of our lives...

Survived another encounter with the electric hedge trimmer.  (I wonder if it's friends with the magnutron.)  No body parts were maimed in the taming of the shrubs.  The plants, however, may beg to differ.  Hey, they'll grow back, I think.  That is all.

The week in review

Started work Wednesday.  Actually, just training.  Training entails watching inane econ 101 videos and mock trading.  Mock trading entails making fake, paper trades just to get used to the keyboard system.  I was pretty happy trading for nickels and dimes, until I saw that the guy across from me found a stock that ran $6 bucks.  The office is a bit of a work in progress, but the 3 or 4 other traders that I've met so far seem cool.

Getting up at 5:20.  A. M.  Soon that will be more like 4:15.  That's gonna take some getting used to.  More so for the wife, who likes to watch late night TV.  Also, commuting 50 miles each day (to my old stomping grounds, no less) - also, gonna take some getting used to.  Good thing I gots me a vacay coming up.

At least, I get to come home to delicious gourmet meals.

     J1:  Why do we have to eat gourmet?

     J2:  Because we are a gourmet family.


Had a little league game last night.  Nevermind, that we are now 0-7.  My son, who almost got creamed by a liner to second base, has been bugging me non-stop to let him pitch.  Well, I've been trying to get a single, damn elusive win by playing our best pitchers - to no avail.  So, yesterday, being down 16 - 0 to nothing, I called for my young right hander.  One of the other Dads implored, "Don't concede!"  I ignored him.  I let J1 pitch to a few batters.  He did OK.  Didn't get his head knocked off.  And then I went to relieve him to let another pesty kid pitch.  Now my son is upset that I pulled him.  Can't win.

And there you have it.  Have some gardening, ll practice and game, and some movies to catch up on this weekend.

The week in review

The past 7 days felt like 10 minutes.  Ten minutes underwater.  The rain has not let up.  But on the bright side, the earthquakes and tornados and general world-coming-to-an-end stuff has.  The recent weather, however, is a nice metaphor for how my job search is going.

Today, a dog trapped in a drainage canal was rescued by helicopter.  I'm glad the dog was saved but probably not the best use of our budget-strapped state's tax dollars.

The baseball draft was drafted.  I selected Josh with the pre-requisite third round pick.  I tried to pick Josh's 2 friends - but Nate went right before my pick and Jack was selected, but later decided to play at a lower level.  In a way, this is good as Josh will be forced to make new friends.  Although, he's already threatened to quit baseball prior to our first practice.  All in all, I think I picked a decent team.  Oh, and we're the ASU Sun Devils, which makes Steph happy.  Now, every waking moment of the next three months are spoken for.

Josh had to a cultural project for school--something out of his comfort zone.  So, he decided to try sushi. So we braved a torrential downpour and went to a nice divey local sushi joint.  Jilly feasted on endamame and terriyaki chicken.  Josh ate shrimp (ebi) and tempura shrimp rolls, but still refused to try some tuna nigiri.  Me and Steph stuffed our faces.  $80 later.  The most expensive school project ever.

The landscaping guy came back with his quote today.  $4,600.  That ain't happening.  He had some good ideas though.  As soon as it dries out around here, I'll try to undertake some things on my own.  Keep you posted.

I see a big Maker's Mark in my near future.