Valle12tom - Archived Blog Posts

[valle12tom]

I trust you all survived the evenings festivities last night and into this morning and maybe they are still going on depending on where you might be living at the moment.

For me in Western North Carolina it was pretty dull. Nice meal with friends and then a very stupid movie called Kings Ransom and in bed by 10:30 PM.

Today is very cold this AM with frost everywhere on the ground.

I finished a wonderful book for young adults written by Carl Hiaasen who is more well know for his adult fiction about living in Florida. He is a great writer and I wish I had a book like this when I was growing up. great characters and fast paced writing style. It is called Flush. His other book for youth is called Hoot and it is great as well.

I also finished a wonderful book by Ruth Reichle who is the editor of Gourmet magazine. I love books about food, kitchens, restaurants etc and this is a great one. I think her best. About her days as the Restaurant Critic for the New York Times. It is called Garlic and Shapphires[/I]. I got it for Christmas and it is a very fast read.

Looks like a nice day in our neighborhood and I hope it is in yours and that you are not suffering from a hangover.

peace my friends in 2006 and always!

 

[valle12tom]

Well not sure what kind of weather you are having in your neck of the woods but we are having rain here today. Not good for the ski resorts but what can you do. You can't change the weather or at least I can't.

So as i don't have much to do today I have been working on a new Chapter of my story and that has been flowing pretty well.

I have also been adding more CD's to my iPod. Not much storage space left so I must start to be more selctove I guess. Apparently on the min I can get about 2,000 songs which is a lot. I like to set it on shuffle and then just see what comes up and if I am not in the mood jsut fast forward to the next song. It is way cool.

I am almost at my 1,400 post here on JUB. I actually think I have more but at some point they lost a lot of posts and we never got them back completley.

I also have to rant for a moment at the folks at Bel Ami I sometimes hate their guts they make me so mad. I know they have a product to protect and all that but for guys like me out in the closet in the middle of nowhere we have no other source for their photos than places like JUB used to be before they cracked down. I hate it that I can't see any more Bel Ami stuff here at JUB. That used to be so much fun and kept me jerking so much but lately it has been to say the elast depressing for me and not as much fun.

To me they would get more buisness if they allowed more folks to trade photos. But who am I? Obviously no one.

If there are any of my readers out there who could share any Bel Ami shit with me privately please let me know.

Love you all and peace in the New Year and always

 

[valle12tom]

Rain all day yesterday and it looks the same today so I know what I will be doing. I have a meeting about employee health insurance this AM and then I have to go to town and I have to do employee evaluations or at least start on the paperwork. Then if I have enough time I will write more in my story. I had a GREAT day writing yesterday.

I am really healing well. I can almost do everything myself although there are some things I still cannot do for myself. I can't bend over past my waist. I can't put on my TED Hose. I can't twist and turn my hip or I could dislocate it and I DO NOT want to do that.

peace today and always

 

[valle12tom]

The sun is shining although when I came to work early this AM for my coffee it was very foggy and I had to have my lights on and drve very slowly.

But then 2 hours later and it is bright sunshine and looks like a glorious day. Of course around here we always say:

"The worst day here is better than the best day somewhere else!"

I got a lot done yesterday and today looks pretty good for me as well.

Hope you have a great one!

peace to you all today and always

 

[valle12tom]

Oh yes my friends gout is very painful and I hope you never have to experience this kind of pain.

I have suffered from gout for a number of years but for the past 5 or so have had it under control by drinking black cherry juice every day.

But it is back with a vengance the past few days. My doctor says it can be brought on by stress and the fact I just had surgery.

Damn it hurts.

peace in the New Year

 

[valle12tom]

Hooray for snow!

Hooray for the white stuff.

Not much but at least it is cold again and snowing for all the skiiers coming up to our area this weekend to ski and have fun and spend their money with us and others!

I like it to be winter when it is winter and all the seasons we get here in the mountains. That is why I LOVE living here. I like the changes.

Hope your weekend is filled with special things for you and your friends.

peace now and always

 

[valle12tom]

It is cold today and I have the day off but am here just catching up briefly and to get a cup of coffee. It is hot and tastes good and outside the temperatures are dipping low. But that is good and all the folks in our area for skiing this weekend will be very happy indeed.

A great Ephinany service at church last night with covered dish afterwards. Lots of incense and bells and it was great.

I have some errands to do in town today and just read and watch a movie and take it easy I guess.

I balanced my checkbook. Wow Wow

peace to you all now and always

 

[valle12tom]

I just can't help it. I really like going to the dentist. I have never been afraid of going and I just love to have my theeth cleaned and have my twice yearly check-up. So many folks I know hate the dentist and I can't figure it out. They also take their cars in for more regular check-ups that they do their teeth and what hurts more when they are hurting your teeth or you car?

I also then went and picked up some more dog food for the dog so I know he will be very happy when I get home!

I got a non-fat latte at our local bakery because we don't have a Starbucks.

Then I went and got my haircut. I love having my haircut but I hate the STUPID chatter in the hair cut place. It is so banal it drives me crazy and I just want to scream. Just cut my hair and let me out of here!

It is gorgeous today. Nice and sunny and warm. Bring on the snow and the cold!!!! This weekend is our biggest weekend of the whole year. Martin Luther King Weekend.

peace my friends love to all of you

 

[valle12tom]

I am not sure whay I started my blog today with those words but hey they just popped into my head.

It is cloudy and a bit warmer this morning and I have not looked at the weather report to see waht it might or might not do here in our little valley today.

I don't have much planned at all for today. A few letters to write and check my porn sites and photos and see if anything interesting came in over the night from cyber space.

I think I will have some time to proof read my next Chapter in my story so I can get it posted next week or maybe even this week if all goes well.

I do have a meeting out of town next week for 7 days and I am hoping that my Doctor gives me the go ahead to go at my appointment tomorrow. We shall see.

My gout is a bit better today but the last few days have been painful to say the least. Damn that stuff can hurt.

Peace to you all now and always

 

[valle12tom]

I go back for my 6 week check-up this AM and I am very excited. I am doing really well as I have told you and am very pleased with myself if I must say so myself.

Except for my damn gout I am on track and it is making me mad because it is slowing up my progress.

The contractors showed up this AM to start on a very important job for me at work. So that makes me doubly happy as can be! Contractors are their own breed and they always promise but usually don't deliever on time. It is the big joke around here. They are always saying 10 days 2 weeks tops! HA! I actually really like our contractor and he is a good friend of mine and we both can make jokes about his tardiness. He and others can get away with it becasue they are in such high demand around this area building million dollar high end second homes for all the folks from Florida and SC and GA etc.

I am a happy camper this AM as they used to say and probably still do.

It is raining this morning. Not hard but rain. Hope it gets it over with and moves on out and let the cold air back!

Peace to you all today and always.

 

[valle12tom]

This week seems to have flown by in no time. It is very warm today although it was cold last night which was good for the snow making machines.

They say we are getting some rain tomorrow followed by a very cold front which will be good for the ski weekend.

I had to run (or drive) to town this AM to do a few errands and am now walking everywhere and not using my cane which feels pretty damn cool if you ask me and no pain. Wow I am amazed I have done so well after only 6 weeks! Why did I put this off I ask myself? Why?

peace my friends

 

[valle12tom]

Yesterday was an amazing day weather wise. Cloudy and cool most of the day until about 2:30 PM when all hell broke loose and the rain started to come down in torrents and buckets. Wow it rained hard until about 7 PM and then it stopped.

Then the winds started and the temperatures started to drop as a cold front moved in behind the rain.

Then the snow flurries started with more high winds and this AM it is white and blowing and cold and perfect winter weather for all the folks who have come up here to ski for the MLK weekend.

I tried to watch the show "6 feet under" last night and watched the pilot and the first episode but I just couldn't get into it. They try and cram to much into one show and I just didn't get it. I guess living out here in the mountains I am isolated and a nerdy geek or something but this was just to much for me. Gay, drugs, sex, dead bodies, hiugh school, cops, cool guys, famileis fighting on and on and on and on. Each to his one and you can always turn it off which is what I did!

peace to you all today and always

 

[valle12tom]

Wow I got up early and wasn't sure how the roads would be or my back deck for that matter but all was OK. The high winds had blown the roads clear and dried them off as well so while there were a few isolated patches of ice the roads were for the most part clear and dry as were the parking lots and steps. It is a true winter wonderland.

It was very cold on the ski mountains last night and the winds were fierce and really blowing from what I heard.

But today is sunny and a tad warmer and not quite as windy.

I made the journey to church and was rewarded with a wonderful sermon which really gave me lots to think about this whole upcomming week. That I like. Saw lots of friends and was able to show off a bit without my cane and just walking by myself. Felt good to have folks stare at me and think, "didn't he just have a hip replacment?" I am a waking talking poster child for hip replacements. But I can't let myself get to cocky and the fall or somehting. One day at a time. One step at a time.

Do you like Ben Harper? I do. I just got the word today that he has added a new concert in Athens GA on March 8th. I may try and go.

Peace to you all today and always

 

[valle12tom]

Today is a day when I try and stop and reflect on the words of this incredible prophet of our day. Not many of us really heard his words but they are amazing and incredible and insighteful and prophetic.

He was just a man like the rest of us. Human. He had his faults which of course his detractors like to concentrate on but he was an incredible man and he really cared about peace and justice for all people.

How can I be more like him and read his words and take them to heart in my everyday living? That is my goal today and for all days.

Some days I do feel like I succeed and then others I am just a human and I fall down but then I get up and try again and that is the joy of being alive. The chance to start over again and do things right.

Peace to you all on this day and always

 

[valle12tom]

Woke up early this AM to rain and more rain and then it moved on but the prediction is for more rain. Perhaps thunderstorms and then perhaps some snow tonight but who really knows until it actually happens and we look outside and see it.

Today is kind of a slow easy day so I will work on some letters and thank you notes I need to write for work, then go to town to the PO and to get some dog food and my low fat latte as a treat.

Maybe I will even get a chance to write some in my story about Tom and Timmy my two favorite people in the fanatsy world of my own making.

peace to you all today and always

 

[valle12tom]

So this AM when I woke up we were having a minor blizard. It was white and it was blowing and it was coming down rather hard. It was cool.

On top of all the rain we had yesterday and last night the roads were slick and they cancelled school. I made it to work fine with no problems and got my morning cup of java. That tasted good. No it tasted GREAT!

I was supposed to meet someone to drive to town for a meeting at the University this AM but then the other person we were meeting could not get out of his driveway so they cancelled the meeting.

And now while it is still cold the sun is out and the snow on the roads are melting fast. Go figure, You can't ever plan anything this time of year.

I will be out of town for a week after my blog entry tomorrow so if you don't hear from me that is where I will be.

peace to you all in the interim and stay warm.

 

[valle12tom]

Just for a week mind you but I am leaving in just a few minutes to go out of town for a week. I will be at a conference learing all kinds of new shit I hope. HA!

Conferences are sometimes a joke. You are in a weird envirmonemt for awhile and think you are learning all kinds of new shit and then you come back to work and everyone looks at you cross eyed and like Oh yeah here comes the boss back with some new werid ideas. Let's see how we can stall him.! Ha! Got to love it.

Anyway that is a whole nuther story so to speak and that will be the subject of a future blog at some point.

peace to you all now and forever and see you next weekend!

 

[valle12tom]

It's nice and cold this AM and promises to be a wonderful day here in our littel mountain valley.

I had a great trip to my conference and had a great week among my peers and others who do what I do and know what I talk aboutn when I talk. It was good. Lots of great speakers and workshops and the two keynote speakers were on target and terrific and many times that is not the case.

It is always good to go away from your work and what you do and spend time learning and getting new ideas and getting refreshed. Of course most times employees hate it when the boss comes back from a conference with lots of new ideas for them to do. But I try to take it easy.

Hope all is well with you.

I am now trying to dig out from under piles of paperwork on my desk that always pile up when one is gone. A fact of life.

peace today and always and enjoy your weekend.

 

[valle12tom]

I read this in the Ministry of Money newsletter I get.

Have An Empty Christmas
--by Charles Moore

Christmas makes me nervous. The Infinite who came in a feeding trough is not the kind of God I want. He is too powerless for my liking. Such a God is an embarrassment, not just to the Herods of this world, but to all who are enamored with themselves and their own potency. I don't want this God. I have an inn to offer, decorated for Christmas, not a stinking stall.

God exists in weakness and comes to those who reach up to him with empty hands. He is neither useful nor helpful. He came and still comes, not to solve our problems or answer our questions or fulfill our needs or bless our endeavors, but to expose our problems, to question our answers, to be our need, and point us to his kingdom. In Christ, God enters time and space to turn our world upside down and inside out. "Valleys are made high, mountains are laid low." We are left bewildered, undone.

So that is my Sunday message to all of you. A bit late for Christmas but not to late to read and ponder.

Peace today and always

 

[valle12tom]

Another new week in this new year of 2006. Hope you will have a good one.

I had to take my truck to my local mechanic to be inspected this morning. His son works for him and is good looking in a country red-neck way but he has the be the dirtiest young guy I have ever met. Of course he works in a garage but still!!!

The I went to town to the post office, the bank, Lowe's, Harris Teeter and Wal-mart. Then I rewarded myself with a non fat latte at my favorite bakery/coffee shop and even resisted getting one of their delicious oat meal raisin cookies.

I had my oil changed on the way out of town.

It is sunny and warm today. They still have lots of snow on the slopes but this weather is not great winter weather.

Hope you are doing well.

peace