Ice & Snow Storm

Well, as beautiful as it was to wake up to ice-covered trees from the ice storm, it was just as dangerous to drive in. Especially when the snow started around 8 AM. I slid into work somehow and am now afraid that I will have to either walk home (only 1 mile away) or will be stuck here for quite a while if they issue a Level 3 emergency. Either way, I would rather be out in it playing instead of chipping peanut brittle ice off the van... Here are some shots Melinda snapped this morning.

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Inaugural Reflections

Another inaugural has come and gone so I thought it appropriate to reflect on my memories of inaugurals past. My earliest memory of an inaugural was in January of 1977 when Jimmy Carter took the reigns. I recall him sending the secret service into a tizzy when he decided to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue after his speech. This was not long after President Ford was attacked twice while walking on public streets. If you remember, one lady had a gun misfire and another threw a knife at him but it missed. In 1981 we saw Ronald Reagan assume power and at the very moment that he was giving his speech the Iranian government released our hostages. Probably the smartest thing the Iranians ever did if you ask me. Carter, after the miserably planned "rescue" attempt, tried to go the diplomatic route with the Iranians to no avail. Then in January 1985 President Reagan moved the inaugural inside the Capital Rotunda due to the extreme cold temperatures in Washington, D.C. The last 2 inaugurals of Bush were downplayed by the media except for the fact that they complained about how expensive it was. For some reason they chose to ignore that this year's inaugural cost 4 times as much as Bush's but I digress. The most famous inaugural ever was probably for the least known president. William Henry Harrison, from Cincinnati, gave his speech in the frigid January weather only to catch cold and eventually die from it!!! Let's hope this one isn't remembered for anything dramatic like that! It was comical to see Joe Biden botch his lines as well as Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts screw up his when administering Obama the oath. Other than that, the speech was very W. Bush-like in tone so most honest people should be pleased with it. Now all I hope for is that the criticism of President Obama is nothing like the immature and uninformed hate that W. Bush received from the "tolerant and peaceful" left. Truly it's time to move on.

Flashback of the week: Last day of 7th grade (June 1982)

Here are some photos that both Melinda and I took on our last day of school in the 7th grade. We were both in the same class all year long. Little did we know that we'd end up dating in the 11th grade and marrying in 1992!

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Hatred 101

I couldn't help myself. I just had to say something. I am shocked at how uninformed people can be when spewing hatred. (from both the right and the left). Today I saw a story on CNN about how people are ready to boil over with rage aver Bush. Here are a few samples of the comments pouring into CNN.com below the story along with my comments in bold underneath. I suppose it reveals a lot about the hatred we’ve seen over the past 8 years. I long for the day when people make their minds up based on fact rather than emotion.

“Worst presidency in American history--but it is not all Bush's fault--he is an idiot elected twice by intellectual lazy Americans who favored comfort and ignorance over competence.” What ever happened to ‘bringing people together’? This poster successfully calls half of Americans stupid... I suppose he has no problem with Rush Limbaugh when he does the same to Liberals. What about the "intellectually lazy" Americans who disregarded the ethics of their Commander in Chief during the 90s for the grab of the almighty dollar? Come on now and be fair will ya?

“I think Bush was a terrible President. In all of my 26 yrs, I have never seen a President have so many members of his administration walk off their jobs, write books, and release incriminating evidence of wrong doing!! Now that's how I have came to judge our outgoing President.” This poor person must have slept through the Clinton administration and all the “episodes” with his staff and former staff members. I seem to remember quite a few books written. I suppose the fact that the New York Times refusing to put them on their best-seller list may have had something to do with them not remembering those publications. Good thing this person wasn’t referring to the seventies when our leaders showed just how crooked (Nixon) and inept (Carter) a president can be.

“This president hired cronies who weren't capable, provided disastrous leadership through faith, trampled on the constitution, and supported policies that bankrupt the middle class. Any history that doesn't see that will be revisionist.” Attack his faith then go on and blame the economic crisis solely on Bush when it was his ‘liberalism’ in spending that put us in this mess. Not sure what this person expects someone who will tax and spend even more to do about it. And if you don't agree with this person you're a revisionist! Wow!

“Thank you Ohio for giving us 4 more years of Bush in 2004. After losing more jobs than any other state between 2000 and 2004, you voted against abortion. Four years later, you've lost even more jobs and you still have abortion. Nice going.” Here we have a person who doesn’t value human life as much as his pursuit of money. And I thought Republicans were supposed to be the ones who are greedy and insensitive...

“Bush Divided this country and did what he wanted to do without any regard to the consequences.” Wasn’t the country equally ‘divided’ before Bush won in 2000? How do you explain the 50/50 split in votes that year after 8 Clinton years? Heck, if you’re not going to be fair and balanced about it, go ahead and blame Bush for your toothache too.

“I still find it frightening that so many people in our country voted for Bush. It is discouraging to think of their reasons. For example, I think it is dangerous to vote for someone only because of their stance on abortion.” Wouldn’t it be a good research project to see how many U.S. lives have been "destroyed" in Iraq versus those ripped out of their mother's womb just because she didn’t want to deal with an "inconvenient truth"?

There are a LOT of people in this country who are very very hateful and it started when Bush became the 3rd president to be elected with less votes than his opponent. Could THAT have been the start of it all? 9/11 bought W. a bit of a respite but Michael Moore and company led the charge soon thereafter. Fair and balanced; not unfair and unbalanced. That's what we deserve as Americans when it comes to honest political discourse.

Nothing more relaxing than...

There's nothing more relaxing than watching cats sleep. Here, Bella and Riley snuggle for a mid-afternoon nap as caught on camera by Melinda.

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All the presidents...men

A cool event occurred today at the White House. For the first time since 1981, all living U.S. presidents met in the White House. Today's meeting included President George H.W. Bush, President-elect Obama, President George W. Bush, President Clinton, and President Carter. In 1981 President Reagan had former presidents Nixon, Carter, and Ford to the White House for a visit. I'm wondering what the record for most Presidents (past or current) have been together at one time at the White House?

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Wrestle time

...and now on to 2009

This is the time for resolutions and every year people make resolutions that they can't keep. Too often the fitness places are bursting at the seams in January and empty the rest of the year. I vow to be moderate in my resolution. I won't go to the extreme only to let my guard down early in February. A couple of years ago I tried to keep a journal for my resolution. I think I made it to January 6th... This year I am resolving to continue doing my part as a dad and husband. After all, that's what is really important. Not the size of my forearms or a new job that would keep me away from the family for extended periods of time. I resolve to maintain what matters most.