Not an informative or insightful post by any means. I just hope he can live up to the hype and real work can be done. Time to shed the rock star status and invoke positive change.

Good luck Commander In Chief Barack Obama.

Hi, my name is Jason and I’m a workaholic.

I love what I do, which makes working better or worse, depending on who you ask (I love you dear). I have full-time, on-site commitments to a client throughout the week coupled with 2-3 hours of work most evenings once I get home each night (with 3 hours of traffic commute squeezed in for good measure).

These 10-12 hour work days are actually a throttle-back from days gone by where I typically worked 15-16 hour a days. Being young with limited to no commitments bred an unstoppable time machine in me that didn’t notice most anything around me. Time seemed to stand still, and I certainly didn’t feel any ill effects of working more than sleeping/playing.

Fast forward to present day where I’ve “acquired” incredibly wonderful priorities (i.e. got married, planning for a family, reconnecting with family and friends, etc.) and realized there is more to life than work. Granted, I love what I do and still put in more time than my wife would want as the returns afford us more than most, but I’ve decided to take it another step further and throttle-back again—limiting my evening work to only a few days per week rather than all week long. This will afford me more time with my wife, new hobbies, an upcoming family of my own AND compel me to work more efficiently during my remaining work nights.

People tell me I’m crazy for the time and effort I’ve put in over the years. I’m not alone. Lots of people I know work extremely hard. Too hard even. But, in my case, I’ve been lucky to work in an industry I love, pays well and wasn’t available when my parents were my age.

I’d feel guilty (and lazy) for not taking advantage of all the wonderful opportunities most people didn’t have back in the day. Not to mention its fun!

Now, where’s my stapler?

I just had a request for this recipe, and to be honest, I had never heard of it prior to this past Christmas. My wife has been making it for years (before we got together of course). While in no way a fan of popcorn, I’ve found this recipe delicious. Tastes like sugary sweet, dripping, roasted nutty caramel corn from a theme park—NO JOKE!

Enjoy:

Main Ingredients:
------------------
- 8 cups popped popcorn
- 2 cups mixed nuts (pecans, peanuts, almonds)

Syrup Ingredients:
------------------
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup margarine
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
------------------
1) Place popcorn in large roaster/pot.

2) Broil nuts to toast, then place on top of popcorn. DO NOT MIX, simply set aside.

3) Melt butter on low, then mix in sugars and corn syrup. Bring to a boil.

4) Turn heat to low and boil/simmer for 10 minutes.

5) Remove from heat and add vanilla.

6) Pour syrup over popcorn and nuts, then mix until thoroughly blended throughout.

7) Press onto cookie sheet and let cool.

8) Break apart, enjoy!

This past Saturday night was my first of many Christmas parties this season and to be honest, I wasn’t terribly motivated to go; having spent the earlier part of the day in the drizzling rain on my roof and in my front yard stringing lights abound, then coming in and having the world’s hottest shower followed by some much needed robe-relaxing in bed. The thought of driving 3hrs round-trip for a 6th day this week didn’t really appeal to me. My weekends offer me commute respite and I tend to like it that way.

Coworkers full of “Christmas Cheer”

Thankfully those thoughts were short-lived. The wife and I primped and prepped, then headed out for what was sure to be a alcohol fun-filled evening (if last year was any indication). Felicos hosted our party and I didn’t really have anything bad to say about the location. Good service, great Greek food and a very festive environment—a nice upgrade from last year.

We didn’t bother to follow some of the troops for post-party festivities over to the River Rock Casino but we certainly enjoyed the evening none the less (winning a raffled GPS was a nice bonus). Calling it quits at about 11:30pm, we still had a long drive back to the ‘Wack. We were offered last minute paid accommodations at the Rock to continue partying into the wee hours but declined because of a diabetic cat that needed his breakfast on time the next morning (read: there is no possible way I’d be getting up before noonish with a hangover). We’d have stayed with a bit of notice.

We’ll see if I manage to escape photocopying my ass and distributing it via holiday cards this year. You’ll probably want to cross your fingers in hopes you aren’t on my mailing list.

One party down, 3 to go. Feliz Navidad my babies.

I woke up the other morning humming that song from Paula Abdul circa late 80’s (you know the one). Not sure why it rang so loudly between my ears, but it was catchy enough back in the day I suppose.

It got me to thinking on my drive into work this morning that while that cute ex-LA Laker girl was off singing some pop tune written to pad her pocket books 19 years ago, I feel there IS some truth to the statement that opposites can attract.

I’m reminded of that most days with my wife. She collects shoes, me tech toys; she consumes 80% of our walk-in closet, me 20% (and I fight for that!); she relishes her ever-growning collection of brandname handbags while I go giddy for wireless distributed whole-house audio.

The kicker of it all is that neither of us really enjoy eachother’s feverish delights. We’re impartial and, at times, somewhat perplexed as to why either of us could get so worked up over the likes of power tools or scented chapstick.

We do get enjoyment out of many completely different things, but we work because we are happy knowing one another’s happy. Gifts are truely appreciated. Purchases are rightly earned. And when not beating to a different drum, we love sharing in life’s most important aspects: friends, family, life goals and our Blackberrys.

Chester

While I’m not the biggest fan of small dogs (that my cat could muscle around), I have to admit my mom’s new multi-poo (???) is a pretty cute little bundle of energy.

That’ll keep her and my brother busy for a couple of years!

Meet Chester.

2008 has been a pretty horrible year for me thus far. In fact, I’d have to say the worst on record, what with my father passing away, mother in the hospital on more occasions that I have thumbs and pinkies, moving my family out of the family home of 26 years and the nostalgia surrounding it all, to name a few.

My experiences this year have been more than ideal to vent thoughts and feelings in regular blog posts; whether for others experiencing similar life challenges, or better yet for myself therapeutically and future reflection.

I’ve known for far too long that a blog’s life is measured in traffic and readership (by some people anyway), and for several years my regular posts were garnering 400-500 uniques a day. Heck, @mokapey and I still reminice about weekly DRP podcasts. But, with all things ADD I focused on other seemingly more important items in my life, and have significantly (read: embarrassingly) ignored my blog for far too long.

I’ve threatened to update it (see new *rough* mockup below) and recommence regular updates for a bit and, well, it’s not going to happen unless I make it happen. So, I’ve bought the new laptop, built the new deck in the backyard to kick back with a slushy drink, plus bought and configured wireless N for increased throughput and range into said backyard. Short of finding a little spare time each day, which happens to be my biggest challenge, I really have no excuses.

2008 Blog Design Mockup

I embrace the remainder of 2008 with a positive outlook; not only hoping for improved health and happiness for myself and those around me, but also in my plans to update this site and resume regular blog updates, sooner than later!

As many of you may have noticed over the past while, I have slacked in my regular post and even to the point of not updating my WP theme. To say I’ve been lazy does hold some merit, but like the rest of us, other priorities arose.

Anyway, WP 2.5 is installed and I’ll be updating the look/feel over the next little while.

Cheers my babies… off to eat some oatmeal!

Jug

Also known as “focus” points, this plotted map illustrates where all earthquakes have originated since 1963, when data-recording started.

Note the heavy pacific rim activity along the Americas and Asia… glad I got earthquake insurance suckas!

Do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting dead?

Why do banks charge a fee on “insufficient funds” when they know there is not enough money?

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Why doesn’t glue stick to the bottle?

Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?

Why doesn’t Tarzan have a beard?

Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Whose idea was it to put an “S” in the word “lisp”?

If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?

Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?

Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?

Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?

Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?

Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your try first?

How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?

When we are in the supermarket and someone rams our ankle with a shopping cart then apologizes for doing so, why do we say, “It’s all right?” Well, it isn’t all right, so why don’t we say, “That hurt you stupid idiot?”

Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that’s falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?

In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?