One for the thumb

For the 5th time in the history of our relationship, Bon and I went to see Tim McGraw in concert last night.

The weather was perfect, we had great seats, and getting in and out was flawless.

His new CD being released in the Fall sounds like it will be another chart topper, as he played a few songs from it.

Reese had a great time with the sitter and gave Bon and I a huge double hug this morning when we went in to get her out of bed this morning.

Not much else happening in our world, doing a lot of work around the house this weekend, including getting Reese's new bedroom ready. She is graduating to a big girl room, and making way for the new baby.

Peace out

Punked

Maybe this will help turn the general consensus regarding this global warming crap.

For the record, the Earth's temp has not risen since 1998 and scientists are now saying it will be at least another 15 years before any other increase MAY be seen.

Check out the new petition signed by 31,072 American scientists, including 9,021 with PhDs, who are debunking the global warming theory.

The link with additional information can be found HERE.

Great article by Glenn Beck

NEW YORK (CNN) -- There is an industry in this country that is making billions in profit while average Americans are struggling to fill up their gas tanks.

It's an industry that made an average profit of nearly 17 percent in 2007 while most Americans could barely keep up with inflation.

It's an industry whose members paid a grand total of zero dollars in tax on their endowments last year.

Are you outraged? Are you ready to call on Congress to investigate or demand that a "windfall" tax be placed on these egregious profits?

Well put down the phone because the industry I'm talking about is Higher Education. And make no mistake, it is an industry.

The top five college and university endowments reported a combined value of over $100 billion at the end of 2007. That's five funds, a hundred billion in cash. Not a nickel in tax. Not an ounce of outrage.

Harvard University, which has the largest endowment in the country, has a total of $34.6 billion. To put into perspective just how much money that is, consider that the largest charitable foundation in the world, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has a total endowment of $37.3 billion.

But while their financial statements may look similar, their missions aren't. The Gates Foundation is working to cure malaria, develop new tuberculosis vaccines, and stop the spread of AIDS. Most of our colleges and universities are only working to spread the radical political views of some of their professors.

Let me be clear: I have absolutely no problem with Harvard or any other school having billions in cash. In fact, good for them!

I have no problem with Harvard posting an unbelievable 23 percent rate of return on their money last year. The truth is, I'm jealous of it.

I have no problem with the fact that if you project Harvard's endowment out using their historical rate of return they would have over half a TRILLION dollars in 20 years.

I don't even have a problem with Harvard not paying one dime of tax on any of that money.

What I do have a problem with -- and it's a big one -- is how Harvard spends that money. Or, maybe it would be more accurate to say how Harvard, doesn't spend that money.

Schools with large endowments (at least $500 million) reported spending an average of 4.4 percent of their stockpiles in 2007. Meanwhile, those same schools made an average of over 19 percent on their money.

But I also have another problem, and that is how these sanctimonious institutions who are so good at complaining about the injustices of our government are nothing but really highly educated hypocrites.

For what's been estimated to be about $300 million a year (less than 1 percent of their endowment's value) Harvard could completely waive tuition, room and board for every single one of their students. Instead, they announced an increase in those fees of about 3.5 percent for next year. Being a student at Harvard will now cost a staggering $47,215 a year.

Doesn't Harvard know how many millions of Americans are struggling to afford college? Don't they want to pay their fair share and help those who are less fortunate?

Some politicians in Massachusetts who can't stand to see so many billions dangling just out of their reach, have proposed a new tax on large university endowments. They don't have a cute name for it yet, so let's call it an "endowment windfall tax."

Under their proposal, all endowments over a billion dollars would be taxed at 2.5 percent, a rate any wealthy individual or corporation would salivate over. The tax would net the state over $1.4 billion a year, which is a lot of money considering that Boston currently receives about $1.8 million a year from the school.

So how did Harvard, which is basically the Exxon-Mobil of higher education (minus the accusations of price-gouging), react to that proposal? In a word, conservatively.

"You'd be taxing success here," Kevin Casey, Harvard's associate vice president for government, community and public affairs complained in a quote that will soon be framed and hung in my office. "Over time, this would put us at a real competitive disadvantage, which would drastically hurt the Commonwealth."

No Kevin, you're looking at it the wrong way. These politicians aren't trying to hurt you, they're just trying to level the playing field. Greater Shrewsbury Liberal Arts Community Technical College for Women down the road is struggling and here you are making billions. If they could just redistribute some of your profits to GSLACTCFW then everybody would be happy.

Does anyone else find it ironic that universities overflowing with liberal professors (a 2005 study revealed that 72 percent of professors view themselves that way) embrace conservative values only when it suits them?

As a conservative, I don't believe in taxing anyone just because they have a lot of money or are an easy target. That applies to individuals, businesses and universities. I believe that taxing success discourages success, and that's not what America stands for.

But I also believe in something else: consistency and accountability. And that's where most of our colleges and universities fail miserably.

Besides, Harvard, you're in the wealthiest 1 percent. Isn't it time to help those who are less fortunate?

And the baby is a...

...we are not exactly sure. Our ultrasound this morning was
outstanding in every way but one, the lack of a clear shot of the mid
pelvic region.

She did say based on something she saw her educated guess would be
that we are having a boy, but it was not conclusive.

So it looks like we get to be surprised come September, although I am
pretty sure Bon is going to buy boy's clothes and keep the receipts.

The baby is 100 healthy, which is really all that matters, and is
weighing in right now at a robust 12 ounces!

Big News Coming Tomorrow...

Stay tuned

Surgery #1 in the books

Most of you know I flew down to Winston-Salem Thursday to have a muscle biopsy at Wake Forest University Medical Center, what follows are some of the details:

• Bon and Reese stayed back home, it just did not make sense to us for them to travel down for this procedure, especially being 18 weeks pregnant. There was a ton of just sitting around and waiting, not real conducive to a 2 year old.
  
• This meant that my man, $-Braine, aka Steven, got the call of duty, and stayed with me throughout the entire process, driving me everywhere I needed to go.
  
• I fly in Thursday, Steven picks me up and we head straight to the hospital for some paperwork and to get my vitals. BP is good, weight is good, 198, and they are amazed that I have no history of health problems, nor am on any medication. Quick shot out to the Godfather who picked me up Thursday morning at 4:30am in order to get me to the airport in Dayton on time. I meet with the surgeon and he gives me the option of an epidural or going out cold, with general anesthetic. The safe kind of course, given what I am there to be tested for. I vote against the epidural and put my trust in them using the correct gas to put me under. This also means a breathing tube will be inserted during the surgery, and has left my throat a little irritated ever since.
  
• Friday morning we get up at 4:45am and start getting ready. We have to be at the hospital at 6am, surgery at 8am. They call us back in groups of 4, leading us back to surgery prep areas. The nurse throws me a bag and a stylish gown, with implicit instructions. Without knowing for sure if I can leave my underwear on or not, I take the risk. Having to remove them was one of my major sources of stress leading up to the surgery. I know, I am so weird.
• So with that behind us, the nurse then begins to insert the IV into my hand. Biggest stress inducer #2, I have a huge aversion to needles. The nurse was great, joking with Steven and I the whole time about it, mind you I never lookd down. Once she gets it in, my stomach starts doing crazy flips, I break out into cold sweats, and I am very close to passing out. Steven in his tender nature says, "Dude, do you need me to get you a bucket?". And then follows with asking this nurse, "That's just saline at this point right?", to which she responds "Yes." That made me feel even better...
• After consulting with the anesthesiologist for about fifteen minutes, and getting my bearings back, I get to put a sweet shower cap on and start back to the operating room.
  
• I get moved to the O.R. table and they start the real thing thru the IV. About a minute later, I am out, and wake up in recovery which seems like 5 seconds later. I get to take my first look at the surgeon's handy work, pulling the gown back to reveal the sutchers and incision that is between 5 and 6 inches long. The nurse tells me everything went great and honestly said the following: "We didn't have any trouble at all, you had plenty of muscle to spare."
  
• After moving to my own recovery area for about 20 minutes, Steven gets to come back and I get my orders for leaving, along with a Rx for Vicatin.
  
• About 4pm my phone ring showing 336 area code, it is the hospital, they have the test results. Dr. Tobin says that "I have great news, your test is negative for Malignant Hyperthermia, and there is no chance that your children will have the disorder either. "
• All of the pain, time and money are such a small price to pay to hear those words. I have really appreciated the phone calls from family and friends checking up on me, and the prayers leading up to the surgery. Praise God for another tremendous blessing.
  

Another Draft in the books

After giving my last post proper respect in regards to length on the top spot of the blog, we will turn our attention to a little draft recap and a long story about school.

The Bears did OK this weekend, I like a couple of the picks, but cannot understand how we failed to draft a quarterback. It could be worse, we could be the Bengals, who clearly have no idea how to run a draft.

Now to the school story. Upon trying to get my application packet together for the CPA exam something didn't look right on the transcripts. According to my calculations there were not enough graduate accounting courses in the Indiana Wesleyan program to allow me to sit for the Ohio CPA Exam. To make a long story short, I was right. I have to take one more class to be able to sit for the exam. After deliberation with Bon and looking at some different options, we have decided I will take the class in the fall, when I can be fully reimbursed for it by the Enquirer. Yeah it sucks cause the baby will just be getting here, but it is one night a week for ten weeks. This sets me up to spend 2009 focusing on knocking this out.

Apparently I was the first to go through this program and attempt to sit for the Ohio CPA exam.

"Always the guinea pig, never the guinea." (Screech, Saved by the Bell)

Heat will Expire?

I think everyone knows how much we love 4 Corners and Ben's messages. But there are still certain Sundays that move us beyond a normal conversation on the drive home and cause us to keep reflecting on it for days, this past Sunday was one of those days.

In my daily "business" it is very easy to forget that one day I am going to die.

Bonnie, Reese, and everyone I love is going to die someday.

There is no getting around it.

Ben was amazing in describing what the Bible says about that moment when each of us leave this life. You cannot hear a message like this and not think about your own eternal destination, and that of your loved ones.

Obviously if you check out Heat Stadium, you are a friend or family member of ours. I would like to ask you to PLEASE find 35 minutes in your day to watch and ponder what Ben had to say on Sunday.

I pray that 4 Corners keeps cranking out thought provoking messages which can change lives.


11:59: Hell from Greg Hodges on Vimeo.

Weekly Tirade

Time for a dual-partisan political rant, please review the two positions below and then see my opinion after:

• Create the American Opportunity Tax Credit: Obama will make college affordable for all Americans by creating a new American Opportunity Tax Credit. This universal and fully refundable credit will ensure that the first $4,000 of a college education is completely free for most Americans, and will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students. Obama will also ensure that the tax credit is available to families at the time of enrollment by using prior year's tax data to deliver the credit when tuition is due.
  

PITTSBURGH — John McCain called Tuesday for the federal government to free people from paying gasoline taxes this summer and ensure that college students can secure loans this fall, proposals aimed at stemming the public’s pain now from the troubled economy.

In the longer-term, the certain Republican presidential nominee said he would double the tax exemption for dependent children and offer people the option of choosing a simpler tax system.

“We know from experience that no serious reform of the current tax code will come out of Congress, so now it is time to turn the decision over to the people,” McCain said in a sweeping economic speech at Carnegie Mellon University a week before Pennsylvania’s primaries.

To help people weather the downturn immediately, McCain urged Congress to institute a “gas-tax holiday” by suspending the 18.4 cent federal gas tax and 24.4 cent diesel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day. He also renewed his call for the United States to stop adding to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and thus lessen to some extent the worldwide demand for oil.

Combined, he said, the two proposals would reduce gas prices, which would have a trickle-down effect, and “help to spread relief across the American economy.”

Now, while these both sound like decent ideas on the surface, I believe they are merely empty campaign promises, let me explain. If I am the President of a university, or CEO of Exxon, I know that the market has dictated a certain price for my goods/services. I can raise tuition/gas prices instantly to make-up the difference of these government subsidies. Which means, I make a lot more Benjamins, Obama and Juan McCain gain some political approval, and the American people gain nothing. In fact, we prob get our taxes raised to pay for this crap! Yeah...

Do not get me wrong, I am all about capitalism, and if Exxon can make $30 Million in a quarter, rock on, do your thing, but I get a little bent when politicians use smoke and mirrors to appease the masses, when the truth is that it will not change one thing in our daily lives.

Great Article!

Well worth the read:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120787271551406585.html?mod=hpp_us_inside_today

Ready for the weekend

Ok, here is the funny story from the move. (Btw, if you google basin images, this is what comes up, so...)

As Slim and I are loading a few things in the truck and bopping thru the house, Beth asked us to get the "antique wash basin" upstairs.

Slim and I head upstairs, look around, and I see what I call a basin in the floor. Slim and I look at each other and say, "well it doesn't really look like an antique, but ok." So it gets loaded on the truck, without Beth seeing us.

So she calls Bon later that day and says, "Hey I just noticed the guys forgot the antique wash basin." Bon says, "Jeremy said they got it, that's odd".

After some Laurel and Hardy type conversations we came to realize that Slim and I had carried off the new sink for Beth's soon to be remodeled bathroom. We were right, it was not an antique...

Other random thoughts

• Props to the Godfather for hooking me into a new role as Treasurer for the Chrysalis Board. Last night was my first official meeting, and I think I am really going to enjoy it
• I have my first mortgage lead, let the fun begin
• We have picked a girl's name, and are now set either way
• Eric Rockavella has every reason to not like me much right now, I hit his car and tried to hit his face in softball batting practice
• We scored a recliner and fridge for the basement as a result of the move
• I found another Glenn Beck follower this morning at breakfast, I knew I liked you Brad

Hitting some yard work this weekend, keep it real

About time!

ConocoPhillips, BP propose Alaska pipeline

Last updated April 8, 2008 9:20 p.m. PT

By KRISTEN HAYS
HOUSTON CHRONICLE

The concept of a multibillion-dollar pipeline to bring huge natural gas reserves to U.S. markets from Alaska's North Slope has been knocked around for more than 30 years. ConocoPhillips and BP said Tuesday that they have linked arms to make it happen.

"The time has come now with the value of gas increasing and the need in the United States for that valuable commodity to bring that gas to market," said Jim Bowles, president of ConocoPhillips' Alaska division.

The companies would build a pipeline from Alaska to Alberta and possibly into the Lower 48 states.

What's more, they bypassed an Alaska bidding process, eschewing state incentives and putting forth their own plan to lock in customers, gain approvals from U.S. and Canadian governments and build the pipeline.

"We're not asking for anything," Bowles said in Anchorage. "This project is moving forward on its own."

Gov. Sarah Palin, who championed last year's bidding under the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act, wasn't insulted. If it means a viable project will get moving, all the better, she said shortly after the companies unveiled their plan.

"Choices allow for competition between projects," said Palin, who discussed the venture with the companies before they announced it. "If it can result in finally more exploration and more development that is safe and sound, at the end of the day, that is all good."

The pipeline, with a cost estimated at $25 billion to $42 billion, would be the largest-ever private sector construction project in North America, ConocoPhillips said.

The Houston-based oil giant and London-based BP aim to spend $600 million to solicit customers to make long-term commitments to use the pipeline. That process, called an "open season," would occur in late 2010 and early 2011.

After that, they would seek approvals from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and its counterpart in Canada, the National Energy Board, before starting construction.

Meanwhile, they will open a headquarters in Anchorage that will employ 150 by the end of the year. Eventually, the project will have 500 workers plus "several thousand contractors," said Doug Suttles, president of BP's Alaska division.

"We are starting now. We're off," Suttles said.

The only proposal of five in the Alaska bidding process that was chosen for further review by Palin's administration was from Calgary-based pipeline giant TransCanada.

That plan is for a 48-inch pipeline to run 1,700 miles from Prudhoe Bay to Alberta, where it would tie into existing pipelines to reach U.S. markets. TransCanada estimated a cost of $26 billion to $35 billion.

The ConocoPhillips/BP plan calls for a similar route.

Tony Palmer, a TransCanada vice president, said Tuesday he supports "alignment" with ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil, BP, the state of Alaska and his company.

A project to bring the North Slope's natural gas to market in the U.S. has been discussed since crude oil started flowing from the $8 billion Trans-Alaska Pipeline in Prudhoe Bay in 1977. The Energy Department says the North Slope has proven gas reserves of 35 trillion cubic feet, but geologists say as much as 200 trillion cubic feet remains undiscovered.

Whirlwind Adventure

(For those of you who are not aware, Jason and I flew to Tyler, Texas and drove a 26 foot Penske truck back to the Nati this past weekend)

Alright, now that I have recovered from sleep deprivation, here are the stories from the whirlwind adventure:

Jase and I began with a one hour delay in Dayton, that rolled into a four and a half hour delay at the Atlanta airport. We finally left the ground at 12:30am, landing in Dallas at 3am. This put us at Beth's house at 4:30am.

So, at that point the decision was made to just go ahead and start cranking, I mean how much good is one hour of sleep going to do?

So we started loading things up and somehow caught our second wind. The moving truck rolled down her street at 11am, headed to Cincinnati.

We made it all the way to Jackson, TN, when darkness settled in. This was the clear indicator to call it quits for the day, we were working on 40+ hours without sleep.

Needless to say, it did not take long to get to sleep once the hotel was secured.

Up and at 'em early we left Jackson at 6am Sunday morning. After a couple of hours we rolled thru Nashville. It was a little surreal, I had not been back since we moved two years ago.

Pretty uneventful ride, brought us back home just after 1pm Sunday afternoon. It was so good to see Bon and Reese again, they are sunshine of my life.

Thankfully we had 4 studs waiting to help on the back end and helped us unload in about 35 minutes at the storage facility! Big props to T-Bone, Godfather, Miley, and Engel, thanks guys!

Thanks and appreciation are not strong enough words to give proper kudos to Jase. He was awesome, a soldier the whole way thru, I could not have done it without him! The original Slim Shady, you rock!

I am back to normal today, well, normal for me. Check back in a couple of days for a funny story from the move...

Peace out

I got this e-mail as we passed thru Hope, AR, coincidence?

Dear Skybus Customer:

We regret to inform you that Skybus Airlines will cease all operations effective 12:00 a.m. Saturday, April 5. As a result, your Skybus flight has been cancelled.

Skybus will not be processing refunds directly. To arrange for a refund on your reservation, please contact your credit card company directly. If you purchased flight insurance for your reservation, please refer to your insurance confirmation from AIG for information on filing a claim.

Skybus struggled to overcome the combination of rising jet fuel costs and a slowing economic environment. These two issues proved to be insurmountable for a new carrier.

We deeply regret the impact this decision will have on our customers, as well as our employees and their families, vendors, suppliers, airport officials and others in the cities in which we have operated. Our financial condition is such that our Board of Directors felt it had no choice but to cease operations.

More information will be made available on the Skybus web site (www.skybus.com).

Biopsy

I finally have scheduled my muscle biopsy.

Here is the background:

My maternal grandfather passed away over 30 years ago unexpectantly while in the recovery room following routine surgery. After some investigating it was determined he had a disorder known as Malignant Hyperthermia, which is basically a deadly allergic reaction to anesthetic.

This condition is hereditary and we were all tested as kids almost 20 years ago. The initial test is a standard blood test, and the results showed that Mom and Jum were positive, Jase and I were negative. However, it is possible to carry a false negative. The only true way to test is to have a muscle biopsy done at an approved hospital with the proper testing instruments.

Thus, Jase and I are having these tests done at Wake Forest Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC. We want to know for sure so we can proceed accordingly for our girls, and future children. Amazingly, none of us have ever needed surgery, and thankfully they have actually developed a safe anesthetic to use if they are made aware of the condition in advance.

So they will be taking a 3 inch cut of muscle from my left thigh and testing it, and will be able to give me the results within an hour after the procedure.

One bummer in all this is that we cannot have it done at the same time, so we must go separately.

Please keep our families in your prayers as we prepare to work thru this process.

Peace out

WebMD describes it as follows:

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder in which affected individuals are susceptible to adverse reactions to certain anesthetic drugs.

The characteristics of a malignant hyperthermia episode are variable and include muscle rigidity, high blood pressure, increased levels of carbon monoxide in blood or exhaled gas, rapid irregular heart rate, rapid deep breathing, blue skin, acidity of the blood and muscle damage. Body temperature can rise rapidly, but sometimes only occurs late in an episode.

When an episode is not recognized and treated, internal bleeding, brain damage, skeletal muscle degeneration (rhabdomyolysis), and kidney and heart failure can result.

Back to School

Congrats to my Momma, who started college yesterday, we are so proud of her. As Jum and I were reflecting on the phone a couple of days ago, we both kept reverting back to this movie clip in our minds:



Way to go Momma!

And congrats to the Tribe on their Opening Day victory!

Sad State of Affairs

Anyone want to purchase a vacation home in Detroit city limits?

Go to the Wayne County auction site here and look at houses selling for a couple of G's

Firestarters

I have the privilege of being in a men's Bible study group with some rock solid dudes. We are currently reading a great book, and I wanted to share the premise with you all, the blog readers. It is called "Choosing to Cheat" and is written by Andy Stanley. (Click on the title and you will be taken to the Amazon page to purchase it)

And while I have learned a lot from the book, I have also learned a lot from the other men, hearing their personal stories on how they thrive or fail on "cheating" their families.

In our society these days it becomes very easy to become busy with many different things, sometimes, in the end, it is our family that suffers.

As a matter of fact, in a conversation a couple of weeks ago Bon was talking to a gentlemen who said "your children should be your number one ministry." That really hit home for me, and I have taken a little different perspective with Reese, and have come to realize that her spiritual growth and well-being needs to be my highest priority.

I think the summary from Amazon gives some good insight into the book and would recommend it to everyone:

Book Description
Work. Family. Church. Hobbies. Fitness. Housekeeping. Socializing. Sleep. With only 24 hours in each day, we simply can't fit everything in. And what we choose to cheat is a clear announcement of our values. When you come home an hour earlier, miss a round of golf, or let the dishes sit while you play with your child, you make your family feel valued and secure. Bestselling author Andy Stanley helps you restore your vision of what really matters - and guides you in making courageous decisions about your time.

Who are you cheating?

You love your family. You love the challenges of your job. But there’s not enough of you to go around. Somebody isn’t getting as much of your attention as they want or deserve.

This little book presents a strategic plan for resolving the tension between work and home—reversing the destructive pattern of giving to your company and career what belongs to your family.

But be forewarned...you will have to cheat.

Story Behind the Book

Andy has spent hundreds of hours with men and women who have cheated their families for the sake of their career goals. They all admitted knowing there was a problem. This is not a struggle relegated to some diminutive segment of society. We all wrestle with the tension between work and family. Regardless of which side of the equation you are on, you know what it is like to deal with the endless cycle of guilt, anger, jealousy, and rejection. But there is a solution. Strangely enough, the solution is similar to the problem. Both involve cheating. Simply put, you must choose to cheat at work rather than at home.

Great Story

$500 'tip' pays for her prom

THE ENQUIRER

Needing money to help pay for her senior prom, 18-year-old Kelsey Tolliver was selling newspapers on Easter Sunday inside University Hospital.

That’s when she got an Easter gift and her prom wishes fulfilled by a stranger.

“Some man walked up to me, smiled, told me Happy Easter and to keep the change,” Tolliver said today.

She looked down and believed the man gave her $4 for the $1.50 Sunday newspaper, an amount she considered “a pretty good tip.”

After a moment, though, the bills felt too thick to be just four $1 bills.

She counted it – and lost her breath.

In addition to the smile and Easter greetings, the man had given her $500 in $20 bills and the four $1 bills.

“By the time I looked up, he was gone,” Tolliver said from her mom’s Springfield Township home.

“I really didn’t know what to do. I wanted to cry but I couldn’t do that because I was selling newspapers and that would look bad. I wanted to scream but that would look bad, too.”

Tolliver is staying at her mom’s Springfield Township home this week because her school is on spring break.

She usually lives with her dad in Patriot, Ind., about 60 miles away. She attends Switzerland County Senior High.

Tolliver can’t imagine why the man – described as white with light brown hair, about 6 feet tall and in his mid-20s – would give her that much money.

“He didn’t look like he worked at the hospital. I’m guessing he was a visitor,” Tolliver said.

She’d never seen the man before – and hasn’t since.

She said she gave half of the money to her stepdad and used the rest to pay for her dress and other items for the April 12 prom at General Butler State Park in Carrollton, Ky.

“I already had my prom dress in layaway and I only owed $80 on it,” Tolliver said. “I went yesterday (Monday) and got it out.”

In addition to the $120 red dress, Tolliver also used the money to help pay for her silver shoes, purse and other accessories as well as for her share of the limo ride. She and eight or nine friends are attending the prom as a group.

“I just want to thank this guy. Bless his heart,” she said.

Easter Weekend

This is my princess in her Easter threads yesterday.

Unbelievably big ups to a couple of our great friends who treated us to an amazing dinner Saturday night. Thank you very much, we had a phenomenal time.

Congrats go out to a couple of the friends of Heat Stadium, T-Bone, aka Trent, and Chuck, who were both baptized yesterday.

I am currently beating Bon on our brackets, scoring 10 of the Sweet 16, including WVU and Huggs! Saw on ESPN this morning that of over 3 million entries they received for their contest only 2 had predicted all of the Sweet 16 correctly.

Look out Series 7 and CPA exam, you are now under radar lock...