Merry Christmas and working the New Year

As always, the best made plans go awry as events unfold in ones daily life. I really had wanted this year to keep the blog updated much more often than I do (such as my friend Academomia who is juggling much more in life than I am! Hang in there, the dissertation will turn out well.). Perhaps this just goes to show where my priorities are; NOT in updating this blog...

ANYWAY, it has been a bit crazy schedule-wise with all that has been going on the last three weeks. The workshop in Norman went well; I learned truly how slow the government moves on certain things. However, the trip presented an opportunity to get caught up with friends I haven't seen in many years as well as making a few new ones. Unfortunately I did return with a souvenier - a weak cold that wasn't enough to knock me totally out but I was dealing with congestion and a stuffy nose for three days. Not having found a doctor yet was the largest reason I didn't seek help from antibiotics for what possibly was a sinus infection but plenty of fluids, Vitamin C, and chicken noodle soup helped to ward off the cold and I was (unfortunately???) well enough to work my round of graveyard shifts. Oh well...

During this time I was also pondering a vehicle to replace the Exploder, doing all my Christmas shopping (only having to brave the mass hordes at Best Buy and Barnes & Noble), and trying to pack for my trip home all while working my crazy schedule. Then there were the Christmas parties, a couple of going-away dinners for a good friend and co-worker, and the occasional snap of cold weather to deal with. All these things going on made the time before I left for home fly by in a hurry and before I knew it, it was time to head for the Hill Country. But I had to make a detour to Frederickburg on my way home.

What was the detour for you ask? Meet my new mode of transportation:
This is my 2006 Chevrolet K1500 Silverado 4x4 with the Z71 package. 30,130 miles when I bought it, and is in excellent condition. The only two things it is missing that I really wanted were XM radio and bucket seats in the front. However, these were small items and decided not to risk passing this vehicle up. Many thanks to Zimmermann Truck and Auto Sales for finding the vehicle closest to what I wanted in the price range I was willing to plink out. So, the Explorer has been put out to pasture after 160,579 miles, one unintended wedding present, and a trip to the Canadian River. Now for a couple of months of lean living and tight spending...

After this purchase, it was finally time to head home and enjoy my week-long Christmas vacation with the family. I can tell it was a good time as I regained the 5 lbs I had lost the previous couple of weeks, came back with the Christmas bounty, left only two tags on my hunting license (out of the 4 I had when I arrived), and all the jokes, fun, and love shared with family memebers. There was also some shooting with my XDM (results scanned in soon), some hand loading for friends and family, and a LOT of reading. My book reccomendation from this trip: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis.

Last but not least was some photography. This is just a subset of what I have...I'm still sorting through the images and doing minimal post-editing (sharpening, contrast, image resize, and copyright). Enjoy:

Give them another couple of years. They'll be mighty nice, that is if the neighbors won't get to them first...

A porcelain tree my grandmother made before she passed away.

My 2008 Hallmark Ornament series installment.

Yeah, I was playing around on this one and managed to catch myself in the reflection.

So, now to look ahead to 2009. Unfortunately I will have to work through New Years Day so my celebrating New Years Eve will not last through Midnight. Something about having to get up for a day shift on 6 hours sleep doesn't sound like fun. As for resolutions...I'll have to think about those for a while as I probably batted around .500 this year.

Merry Christmas and may 2009 be full of blessings and joy for y'all. And now to return to watching the Cowboys playing with Ducks in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl in San Diego.

Cartoon for the week

I really shouldn't be on the computer; I've got to wrap up packing for a trip to Norman, OK for the Next Generation Warning Tool Workshop, head to the office to get a GSA vehicle, and then enjoy the 5 hour drive to Norman. However, I had to go through my morning routine of checking the latest news, weather conditions, Facebook (I'm addicted), and my comics for the day.

So I share this cartoon, again from XKCD, because I am one of those nerdy students who had to do the egg drop competition (and I passed thanks to the shock-absorbing benefits of crumpled up newspaper, blatantly stolen from NASA's Mars Rovers which used airbags to make it to surface safely). Enjoy!

P.S. I never thought this could be a possibility but it just could be...

Springfield XDM review

Note: if you loathe weapons in any form, go ahead and pass on this post! In light of recent events at my neighbors house as well as the outcome of the presidential election, I decided it was time to purchase something for defense of my person, my home, and my friends/family as well as something that I can use while out on the ranch in case I encounter feral hogs, rattlesnakes, and other vermin. A good varmint rifle can cover these tasks with the exception of being easily portable. I though about getting a shotgun however being a southpaw when it comes to shooting makes this a bit more difficult due to the direction the spent shells will fly (towards my face). A lefty Benelli semi-auto 12-ga is also a bit out of my price range (right now!).

I had narrowed down the plethora of options to something in the .40 S&W caliber, semi-auto category. The big reason for a semi-auto was that to qualify for the concealed carry permit in the State of Texas, you cannot carry a semi-auto IF you tested on a revolver. I also envision getting a little revolver to carry as most semi-auto frames are too big to easily conceal. Another item to consider was that the semi-auto would come in quite handy working around the home place or when out rounding up cattle should we come upon varmints or snakes. After two weeks and several hours at the local gun shop, I finally had my choice. "Say hello to my little friend!"


You are looking at the Springfield Armory XDM. There were several reasons I chose this firearm over the plethora of other ones available. Those reasons include:

• Fit, form and function. Out of the 8 options I had, this fit my hand the best. Being a southpaw, I needed something that could easily be used by my left hand. All the controls on this beauty meet that need.
  
  
• Capacity. I never envision nor hope that I will ever be involved in a firefight. However, I can hold 16+1 rounds in this firearm. That might actually come in handy if we run across a herd of feral hogs. Also, the .40 S&W ammo was one of the more powerful rounds that was more common, with the .357 SIG being the only one more powerful.
  
  
• Trigger. The XD and XDM series have a trigger safety similar to that of a Glock. Out of all those tested, this trigger felt the sharpest, had the best length of travel, and the best reset. It is nice and crisp which is good for accuracy but less important for other uses.
  
  
• Match-grade barrel. Although this isn't a necessity, the barrel is designed for competition which theoretically means better accuracy. More on this in a moment.
  
  
• Durability. The XDM is another polymer-based frame with steel slide. My research and reading shows that the finish should stand up for MANY rounds. Also, I saw a recent article that they ran 20,000 rounds through the XDM after being submerged in sand and water, frozen in ice, and run over with a truck. There were some minor issues with the sand (what firearm doesn't have that problem) but it never failed to fire. The only fail to fires were with sub-par ammunition.

I took my XDM with me when visiting family a couple of weeks ago and squeezed off several rounds on a target at 25 feet; the standard distance for sighting in a pistol and for competition practice. The best free hand (meaning standing/no bench rest) 5-shot group I had measured 1 inch in the horizontal and 1/2 inch in the vertical! Unfortunately it was 4 inches high due to poor sight picture on my part. This grouping was much better than any of those published (at least that I could find). All rounds fired easily would have been in the thoracic cavity of a full-body target.

The recoil is easily manageable by my standards although my arms were tired by the end of shooting. As a result, the groupings towards the end of practice were much worse than at the start. This is something I can work on with a bit of weight training and dry-fire practice. Disassembly for cleaning is a BREEZE compared to some of the other models I looked at. I also liked the consistency the firearm had with ejecting the spent cartridges which never were in any danger of impacting my face (another problem faced by some southpaw shooters).

My only very minor disappointment is that the XDM is built in Croatia and imported into the USA. I prefer to support the USA firearm companies (well, those that didn't cave to the Clinton Administrations Firearms...cough cough...Smith and Wesson). This is so minor that I wouldn't even bring this up when discussing with friends. The quality is outstanding, reliability looks good, the fit is perfect, and the fun factor is quite high. I like it!

Stay tuned as I squeeze off a few more rounds with my XDM, especially once I start hand loading some ammo to really hone the accuracy as much as possible...

As Usual; Busy

Oh so much going on, so little time it seems. This is another one of those posts that basically is more of a list of all that is going on right now...

• Had a great trip home for 6 days. I was originally going to stay for 5 days but decided to take an extra day off. The hunting was too good, there were plenty of things to do at home, and as the extra 5 pounds I put on this week indicates, mom's home cooking was mighty good as well.


• Another item taken care of while home was discussing getting a new vehicle to replace my aging 1997 Ford Exploder Explorer. I bought the Ford used back in 2001 and it is starting to show the wear and tear of the 140,000 miles I have put on it since then. Most of those are road miles, but I'd estimate 5-7,000 miles of that are extreme, hard-driven miles it accumulated stormchasing. Right now it is at the point that any major repairs are probably going to cost about as much, if not more, than the vehicle is worth. Next in line: 2005-2007 Chevy/GMC 1/2 ton Crew Cab 4x4/Z71 short bed with 20-40,000 miles on it. Perhaps a Christmas present to myself if a family friend can find one for me...


• The last part of the trip was spent taking pictures at sunset on my way home. I'm still proccessing the pictures in Photoshop (resize, copyright notice, sharpening, and removing CCD noise is it) and will hopefully have them on-line soon. These won't be in Picasa; I found out the license agreement for the newest version gives Google the perpetual (as in forrrrrrreeeeeeeeeevvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeerrrrr) use of ANY pictures I put on the web through their service. That stinks. I'll try and find a flash gallery soon and finally develop a personal web-space.


• In news closer to the South Plains; I was informed they captured the burglar mentioned in an earlier post. The detective said he was passing the case off to the District Attorney so we'll see where things go from here.


• Related to the previous bullet...I have a new weapon for home defense. Be looking for my impressions on my choice soon.


• I'm prepping for a trip to Norman in December. My unnamed employer is holding a workshop to see where we want to try and take our severe weather warnings in the future. Right now, the format we use (and which you see as the scroll across the bottom of the screen during severe weather) is based on teletype technology from the 1950s. Needless to say, we are well behind the technology curve and need to catch up. Fast.


• If you didn't notice, a couple of posts were removed. Things with a certain someone didn't work out. Most of y'all already knew that but I thought I'd inform the few that hadn't heard.
  

So, that's about all from around here. Pretty much the same old stuff. Just wishing it would rain...and lots of it over several days over all of Texas. It is starting to get dry once again.

Dyslexia? Or something else???

Maybe this is why I have problems telling folks where I am when stormchasing or when I'm at work trying to get spotters on a storm (courtesy of XKCD.com):

(And another recent cartoon for your enjoyment).

The Search Continues

Much to the disappointment of my friends and Dad, I am not a coffee drinker. I've tried and tried various types, blends, cappuccinos, and lattes. There was even one cold night we were on a men's retreat at Guadalupe Mountain, it was 25 degrees, and I was so cold I tried cowboy coffee with a packet of hot chocolate mix added in (you know, cowboy coffee as in grinds at the bottom of the pot, heated over an open fire, and it comes out so thick you could slice it with a knife?). It definitely warmed me up due to the caffeine content and the high likelihood I ingested some coffee grounds. How could I forget in a moment of distraction ordering a Pumpkin Spiced Latte from Starbucks (not realizing I ordered it full octane either) and taking a first sip and realizing it was coffee. Yup...I still don't like coffee.

Anyway, since I haven't been able to develop a taste for coffee I have had to find something that would meet the approval of my apparently narrow palate for the times I am out with friends at a coffee shop. Six years ago, I was introduced into the world of Chai. More specifically Masala Chai, which most Americans know as spiced chai. One chilly day at the Wesley Foundation, the director decided it was time to make Chai the old-school way; warm the milk on the stove and place the loose tea leaves and spices in the milk. I had never seen nor heard of anyone making tea with milk until that fateful afternoon, but I've been hooked ever since and have been struggling to find something that is easy for me to make at work with only a microwave.

At first there was Celesital Seasonings Indian Spiced Chai which is somewhat easy to make: steep like normal tea with water and add milk. However, there is something in their mix that I am allergic to and consumption every morning for five days leaves my throat raw and itchy. Next came a local coffee shop here in the Hub City; Sugar Browns. I don't know what they use but I absolutely LOVE their Chai. There is also Daybreak Coffee Roasters which has a good Chai (and the fact I had a roommate and good friend who worked there) but I'm not sure what the mix is they use. However, I had to leave this behind for 5 years when I was in the Top o' Texas and found the local establishment there: Roaster's. It turns out that they use Oregon Chai which is available in instant mix packets. Now, the instant mix is nowhere near as good as a fresh brewed cup but is MUCH more convenient for a work environment where a stove isn't available. This is also very convenient for camping and vacations; just throw in a couple of packets and I can warm up in the morning to my Chai while everyone else has their coffee. Two other reasons I favor Oregon Chai; they carry Vanilla Chai (my favorite) AND decaf (but not decaf vanilla, dang).

Well, now I'm back in the Hub City but live too far from Sugar Browns and Daybreak south to make the detour when I am heading into work. The closest place is Starbucks and they use Tazo Chai which is a decent balance between all the choices available. However, I hate supporting a chain when there are local shops. It also became very apparent when I first moved here and was on per-diem that purchasing chai over black coffee at various shops is relatively more expensive. With the economy in the tank right now, I also don't want to spend the $$ at Starbucks when I'm working day-shifts. SO, I'm limited to making it myself. Unfortunately, I have yet to find my instant Vanilla Oregon Chai for sale here in the Hub City. The nearest United Market Street does carry the mix where all you have to do is add milk but I hate microwaving milk. What I really need is a milk steamer.

Hence the title of this blog entry. I'm still in the search of a simple milk steamer. Yes, I could use a double boiler but that would get a bit tedious to clean every day and we don't have a cook top at my office. I've done the microwave thing the last couple of weeks but this is hit and miss; heat it too much and you start to curdle the milk, not enough heat and it comes out lukewarm and there is nothing worse than expecting a nice hot sip of your favorite tasty beverage only to get something that is barely above body temperature. For home, I'd like a simple stove top steamer; works like a tea kettle but allows you to pipe the steam into your milk to warm it. For work, something I could plug in, heat water with and then steam my milk. So far my search of the web via google has not yielded anything nor has my searches of various stores around town.

Anyone have any ideas???

Scary Moment

I got home from work this morning and took care of some housekeeping items for a couple of hours. Driving up to the house, I noticed that my lawn was awash in brown leaves and decided to get them out of the way before the West Texas wind machine added another 3 inches of dead leaves tomorrow. So, I ventured out back sometime shortly after 10 am to get the rake and the trash can and went through the gate on the side of the house to head out front.

The first thing I notice is the screen on my neighbors house was lying on the ground in a twisted heap.

Second thing was the storm window was open.

Third thing was hand prints in the dust on the inner window.

Fourth thing was their gate was open.

O.K. those things aren't normal. As I walk around to the front of my house and start to rake leaves, a stranger walks across my neighbors lawn and starts heading down a cross street. Then a strange car parked across the way picks him up and then takes off down the road.

I'm scared $*@%less. After running in the house and dialing 911, two cops showed up and started to investigate matters.

Yup, my neighbors house was broken in to this morning. After the cops did their search and I gave them what little info I could give, the only thing they could figure out was either a door was left unlocked or a family member committed the crime. The scariest thing was that I apparently startled them in the middle of their attempt.

So now I am STILL scared $*@%less. Every little noise I hear, every shadow on the sunroof, every gust of wind freaks me out. The culprit or culprits probably got a good look at me but I didn't get a good look at them. No matter what I do, it feels as if the locks aren't good enough, the latches on the windows aren't strong enough, and the visibility around my house isn't good enough for my neighbors to keep watch on my house.

My neighbors were extremely grateful that I did call 911 and in talking with them they said nothing like this had happened in the 15 years they've lived in the neighborhood.

There is a first time for everything...

Random Thoughts I

I am on midnight shifts right now, number 2 of 7. This is usually the worst time in the series of mids mainly because of the lack of sleep. However, it does allow quite a few random musings to float in and out of the grey matter of my brain. Some of them might even be worthy of mentioning to you...

• The upcoming Texas vs Texas Tech game is being hyped up beyond all proportions in this town. So much so that a local T.V. station has had a countdown out since 144 hours to kickoff. All I can say is that it is fitting that the first part of next week (Sunday - Tuesday) will be windy in this town. If Tech loses, the windy conditions will be a result of the thousands of students who just had their National Championship dreams and school pride popped like a balloon. If they do indeed win, that is air being pulled into the ever inflating egos of the most avid Red Raider fans.

• I find it amazing that Wal Mart gasoline in this town has fallen almost every day by a couple of pennies while all the Fina Stations are still charging gas 30 cents higher than Wal Mart just because of the company brand. How the HECK are the Fina stations staying in business?

• Heard this on the radio driving home this morning: The young people who are the most fervent supporters of Senator Obama were not alive the last time a true liberal occupied the White House. Scary...

• Could another name for a tire factory be a tread mill?

• I was amazed that Mythbusters proved you could rappel down a four story wall using single-ply toilet paper (testing myths of escaping from jail using bedsheets tied together, hair clippings, and toilet paper). Maybe I should carry a nine-pack of Charmin around when rock climbing for all the "just in case" moments...

• And last but not least: your pun for the day.
  
  
  Jesus and his disciples were walking around one day when Jesus said, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like 3x² + 8x - 9." The disciples looked very puzzled and finally asked Peter, "What on earth does Jesus mean???" Peter said, "Don't worry. It is just another one of his parabolas."

A quick tidbit for you...

I've tried to keep out of the political arena just because of my unnamed employer and out of respect for the viewpoints of friends and family. However, working in a land of agriculture and keeping up on how things are going in that arena of life has led me to this article and it got my blood pressure up. Hard to believe that the candidate in question thinks that an illegal vote should be honored. Makes you wonder what he'll do in the real election...

P.S. Don't forget to read the actual signed letter at the bottom of the article!

I caved...

After almost a full year and many changes, including a new job, new home, and new climate (I've received over 10 inches of rain in the last two months alone and 8 of those inches fell in 24 hours!), I finally caved in. I weighed the costs versus the enjoyment as well as the capabilities compared to other systems and decided the time was right.

I got one of these:
Yes, I finally joined the plethora of people who have a Nintendo Wii. My sisters both got one shortly after Christmas of '07 and the C's got one shortly after they hit the market so I was no stranger to the enjoyment value these things bring. Perhaps I was also living out a childhood dream that my parents (smartly and thankfully) wouldn't let us fulfill; owning a first-generation NES (you know, the console that up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-B-A-start would give you 30 lives in Contra?). Besides, I needed SOMETHING to do on those nights I'm staying up to prepare for my rounds of graveyard shifts...I can't play guitar for 8 hours without losing a finger or two to blisters!

The competition I had was the PS3 and the XBOX 360, both of which I gave serious consideration. I have a PS2 and purchasing the PS3 would have allowed me to have 1080p BluRay DVD capability AND still be able to play my old PS2 games. The XBOX 360 had much more consideration as I would have loved to play the Halo games against friends up in Amarillo and I fell in love with Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas II right before I moved down here. However, in the end it was the fact that I would have to physically move to play some games on the Wii that sold me in the end. There is something about actually having to swing the controller to hit the tennis, golf, and baseballs as well as being able to play many of the original favorites that hooked me on video games in my early childhood (Super Mario Bros., Contra, Legend of Zelda, and MegaMan to name a few). After having experienced on-line play in Smash Brothers Brawl and MarioKart, I felt it was too good of a system to pass up since this would finally allow me a chance to whup up on my friends back in the Top o' Texas (and eventually my sisters if they would hurry up and get their Wii systems on the internet hint hint).

In a month or so I will hopefully have enough $$ saved up to go and purchase a Wii Fit so I can get ready for ski season (and will hopefully not have to keep dealing with sore arms from all the swinging playing tennis and boxing). Having already tasted what the Fit is capable of, it is one of those things that I think will help improve the lateral stability in my legs. In other words, I'll sacrifice some fun and games in order to get my knees and thighs ready for the hope of hitting the ski slopes this winter. Those that have played will understand. Those who haven't...welllll...as soon as I get one you will have to give it a try for yourself!

Why all the hype?

Call it being cranky because of the lack of sleep I've gotten working this series of midnight shifts but I'm tired of listening to all the stuff about how bad the economic situation is and that we are going to see the biggest financial bailout in U.S. Federal Government history EVVVVVERRRRRRRR. That's an awful big word. Ever. And I beg to differ with the political and economic analysts.

Anyone remember the oil bust and real-estate crash of the 1980's? Anyone remember how many Savings & Loans and financial institutions went under then? What about the fact that the majority were Texas financial institutions that went under?

Do a search for the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) and see what comes up. The late 1980s saw a crash in the oil market which then bled over into the real-estate market. In summary, the RTC took assets of 747 failed thrifts (mainly in the form of BAD REAL ESTATE LOANS...sound familiar?...mainly in the commercial market however) and disposed of them at taxpayer expense. How much you ask? Three hundred ninety-four BILLION dollars between 1989 and 1995. Adjust that for inflation (using 1995 as the base year) and you get: almost $700 BILLION dollars. Yes, if you use the initial year of 1989 that the trust started to distribute funds and you will come up closer to $500 Billion. The point is that the government stepped in due to overzealous lending practices, illegal activities on some parties parts, and poor decisions by many in the financial sector. One of the root causes they discovered; people got greedy and thought they could lend money to/for risky investments and thus make a lot of money on the interest. Some people did. A few got caught and were punished. However, many were hurt and lost their life savings and livelihood.

Why am I posting about this you ask? I've lived through this once before already. My family was directly affected by the financial crisis of the late 80s and early 90s as my Dad was laid-off, a casualty of the Feds being TOO proactive in taking over a financial institution that they thought was going under and in reality was still solvent at the time (Go read The Great Texas Banking Crash: An Insider's Account by Joseph Grant). When Texas American Bank was forced into insolvency by the FDIC in that crash, one of Dad's co-workers went behind his back and convinced the oversight board to lay him off thus allowing this co-worker to be promoted and fill Dad's position. Another instance of someone in the financial sector having feelings of inadequacy and thinking about himself. But I digress...

It seems to me everyone is worked up into a lather once again thinking the end of the financial world is at hand, our economy is going to fall to pieces, and we are all going to be broke. Yup, we are going to have to face hard times. Looking back, I was shielded from all the difficulties when Dad was laid off because I was barely a teenager. Now however I am a taxpayer, investor, and wondering if I will be able to live comfortably when I retire WAAAY down the road. Am I sure that the Feds will have the right answer in stepping up? Yes and no. Sometimes trying things that worked in the past will work now. The economy did recover after the crash of the early 80s but it took awhile. However, many times it won't as people have changed, technology has changed, AND we are now truly more of a global economy. Perhaps those who are in positions to make decisions remember the government bailout in the 80's and think that it is their turn to get a piece of the government pie.

Who knows? I believe that every generation has a "blip" in their road to long-term financial stability; personally, nationally, and globally. Think about it: in my life it has been the 80's - Savings and Loan crisis, 90's - dot com bust, early 2000 - Enron, and now the subprime credit crisis. I just wish people would remember these things and not shove them under the carpet. Remember what is happening now, remember what started this, and remember it when it comes back around shrouded in some other sector of the financial market.

Folks; history has a way of coming back and biting you in the ass. Learn from it!

Normalcy slowly is returning.

Well, there are six boxes left to unpack and two of those will likely be repacked and stuck into a closet since they hold old files that I've got to hold on for a tad bit longer. Most of the furniture is finally in a good position (for now) and the kitchen has finally been fully tested (meaning the ovens, dishwasher, stove, and microwave have all been used extensively). My desktop is up and running which means I now have access to the 5 CDs that my iTunes library didn't sync to the external hard drive AND I can finally keep my laptop in a Linux environment for testing and development of some work-related software.

I am also in the weekly routine of lawn maintenance although I did come to the realization that if/when fall actually arrives here in the Hub City, I will be buried under a large biomass of leaves. A LOT of leaves. So many that it may call for blowing all the glucose-rich clorophill dormant detrius into the street before a blue norther comes through allowing mother nature to relocate the leaves down the street and possibly all the way to the Big Bend. And then there is the other weekly task of laundry which I think I have nailed down to the day when I will need to get various loads of whites, colors, permanent press, or blue jeans sorted and started to ensure I'll have enough clothes for work.

Speaking of work, the "normal" rounds of shifts continue although I still have a problem wrapping my head around the fact the graveyard shift comes around roughly once every 30 days vs. once every 20 days AND we work 8 in a row vs. 4 or 5 at the old shop. I also miss having a month with weekends off. Is it worth working 8 days of graveyards every 30 days vs working 4 or 5 every 20? I can't tell yet. This is only the second set of mids I've had to work on this new rotation and I'm not quite sure my body has fully adjusted. Add in the fact that cotton harvest is coming around (meaning I'll probably return to my annual fall sinus infection here soon) and my body will likely be thrown for quite a loop with allergies and shift work combined. That and I still refuse to take anything unless I'm absolutely tuckered out...

There are only a couple of things that are keeping the old "normalcy" from up north returning. The first is that I still have to get my guitars back from a fellow musician (a HUGE thanks D) who was gracious enough to let me place my instruments under his care only for a fee of being able to use them. Once I get those back, I can start work on getting the callouses back on my fingertips (amazing how fast they disappear when one doesn't play daily) and start learning new matierial. Next is that we've got a good feeling about the church we are going to down here and although it isn't the one that I left 5 years ago, I have a couple of co-workers and a friend that goes there which has helped ease the transition into a new body of believers. Once I/we get plugged into a small group that should open the doors for new ministry opportunities down here. And last but not least; the one that I'm extremely happy is keeping my old "normalcy" from returning. The, well, significant other (see the previous post) is also getting settled into life here in the Hub City and we've been able to spend quite a bit of time together. I'll take that over spending evenings sitting around the house alone any day.

Yup, things are going well so far out here.

I am still alive

Sorry for not posting recently but I've had quite a bit going on. Starting a new job, going on vacation, coming back and returning to work, buying a house, severe weather, AND moving into the aforementioned house. Add in one huge surprise here in the last few days and (needless to say) life has been crazy recently. I've shunted some of the lower priority items waaaaaaaay down the list. Such as this blog...

Anyway, the job is pretty much the same as it was when I was up north; forecasting the weather with a few additional duties involved. What are the new duties you ask? Well, I get to decide who/if we need people to stay thus I have the power of granting overtime/comp time. I also now have signature authority for our managerial staff if they are unavailable and the others who have more tenure than I are not here. And I guess the fact that I can chose how to distribute shift duties also comes in nice. This is definitely a position that as one of my friends put it: "You are the first one that gets blamed if something goes wrong and the first one that gets praise if things go well". And I am still having problems adjusting to being called "Senior" Forecaster. I'm not THAT old...

Vacation was nice; we headed up to South Fork, Colorado for some much needed fishing and relaxation time. Unfortunately I was playing around with my camera and left it on the wrong setting so quite a few of the pictures didn't turn out like I wanted them to. I did manage to see how well my camera can take pictures of the Milky Way and stars in general however. As for fishing, Dad and I ended up at Poage Lake which is located at around 11,700 ft and caught our limit of trout for the day (including my 15" lake trout!) while scaring my family and Jill to death at the same time. You see, we were only supposed to go find the lake and then go back to the house for lunch. However, the fish were teasing us and we ended up staying there for 6 hours. Mom was about ready to call the police when we came down the mountain and finally had cell phone reception...oops! Our time was well spent; the fish were mighty tasty and I've learned how to grill fresh trout.

Back here in the South Plains - I did finally close on a house and the movers came a week ago to unload and unpack all my stuff. The day before I was supposed to have Suddenstink Suddenlink come and establish my cable. This fiasco started when the person pulled up to the house, never got out of the car, and then drove off. When I called customer support, they said that the service tech tried calling the house (NOT!) and with no answer he left. Upon informing them that I was there and gave them the number of the truck that came by, they said it was their error and that they would fix the problem...a WEEK LATER! And then they claim that my cable modem is a rental (I bought that thing 5 years ago), it is overdue, and that they are going to send my account to a collection agency. I'm about ready to be done with them and switch over to DSL. (Rant mode off). ANYWAY, mom came into town for a couple of days to help organize things and did an outstanding job; I've actually got room to move around now. Also, a H U G E thanks to my friends the C's for keeping some of my lawn care items and bringing them down this past weekend. Besides bringing me those items, it is always good to spend time with such good friends. (Post Edit - Suddenlink came and got everything hooked upa. However, my cable modem was fried so you guessed it: I had to buy one from Suddenlink. What a racket...)

And then there has been the weather. Two weeks ago we had 6 days of rain around the region and we netted about 7 inches at the office. Fortunately, the Hub City has been doing some drainage work on my side of town and there weren't nearly the problems there used to be. Yes, drivers still were idiots but at least they didn't have to deal with whole roads underwater; just a couple of intersections had deep water. I had nearly forgotten what heavy rain was like up north; we just didn't get it very often. The only bad news was that I found out my Exploder has a couple of leaks around the doors as the weatherstripping is old and not sealing the door as tight as it used to. If I didn't need to get that 7" lift, 37" tires, new rear axle, SYE, and other goodies for my Jeep, I might consider a new...meaning used...pickup. We'll see.

To close things out on a really high note, there was a surprise that totally came out of left field. My girlfriend had been trying to find a job here in the South Plains and had resigned to keeping her job down in southeast Texas for another year. However, she received a surprise call asking if she was still interested in a teaching job in this neck-of-the-woods. After dealing with an idiot apartment complex, still dealing with the previous employer, and a quick move, she has arrived here in my town and is trying to get settled all while starting a new job. Be praying for her because she is under just a little bit of stress right now and my shift-work schedule certainly doesn't help matters either.

Awlrightythen...time to get back to getting the last of the boxes unpacked and finding all the various nooks and crannies to put stuff!

Another Quick Update

So much has been going on the last couple of weeks and I have been bad at keeping y'all updated. In this brief moment before heading out for a bit of lunch with a parental unit, I give you some tidbits and nuggets of information on how things are going here in the Hub City.

• I have signed a contract on a house and will (hopefully) close the first part of August. Only real problem was I missed getting low interest rates by ONE day (went from 6.125% to 6.75% in 5 hours the day I went in for my mortgage).
  
  
• Work is going well; I'm slowly getting settled in on what it means to be a shift supervisor. So much to learn in so little time. The "gang" that works here is great and it seems a bit more relaxed than in my previous office.
  
  
• Lubbock drivers STILL don't know how to drive, even after 5 years. Stupid college students talking on their cell phones and not watching out for other people. People forgetting that there is a nifty device called a turn signal that they can use when changing lanes. I just can't wait to see what it will be like the first heavy rain event or winter storm that blows through here...NOT!
  
  
• Living out of a hotel is great the first 4 days you are in one. After that it gets old. I don't have a real kitchen to cook in and frozen dinners are getting boring. The "continental breakfast" is nothing more than day old bread for toast, some bagels or English Muffins that don't fit in the toaster, and some kind of reconstituted fruit juices that are supposed to resemble apple or orange juice. I might have to learn how to drink coffee just to get something that tastes good in the morning.
  
  
• I thought the mosquitoes in the Top o' Texas were bad. Nope. This town has them worse. Getting out of your car and walking to the door at the hotel has caused me to sprint through hungry hoards of blood-sucking mosquitoes that were so thick you needed a light saber to cut through. Right now I count 7 itchy bumps from being outside for 15 minutes, one of which is on my cheek. Damn thing itches like mad!

Anyway, such is my life right now. Gotta run...time to get some local items taken care of and then start getting ready for our family vacation to southwest Colorado. Highs in the upper 70s, lows in the 40's, and chances for rain each afternoon. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I am now a Vagabond

Well, I've landed in the South Plains. The house closed with one minor hitch...the buyers delayed until 2 pm so I had to wait a couple of hours to get my check. It was worth it however; it gave me one last opportunity to eat lunch at Rudy's with friends and get a little bit of Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 in as well. However, in true words of the term - I am now a Vagabond.

There wasn't much fanfare when I left; just a look in the rear-view mirror at the town that I have known for the last 5 years. I had a couple of days to say farewell to my friends, my house was empty, and I didn't have to go into work. But there is a sense of sadness knowing that I won't be able to call the C's to see if there is a free evening for Super Smash Bros. on the Wii (or some Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 with Mr. C.). I won't be able to go to iForty (as often) nor have the fun evenings afterwords with "the gang" when we sit down for dinner.

This move does bring with it new opportunities however. I look forward to renewing friendships of old and getting back involved with playing guitar in a worship setting. I'm back in college town so I'm hoping (hint...hint) that friends will come on down and stay for a weekend of Raider sports. Eventually, maybe, possibly when I get settled, I'll finally be able to get that big screen and an Xbox360 (or the Wii) with Xbox live to meet my friends on the battlefield or Super Mario Kart track.

So, here I am. A vagabond back in a town I left 5 years ago. Time to unpack and get some clothes ready for the first day impression tomorrow at work. Tomorrow...laundry and the story of the hotel.

P.S. To the gang back in the Top 'o Texas: to quote Sallah from Indiana Jones I and III: "I am missing you already..."

Housing Update

Here is the latest news from the housing front. The buyers of my home here in the Top o' Texas wanted to bump up the closing date by two weeks which is physically impossible as I still have to live in my house through the end of this week. SO, we struck a compromise and I close on my current house on the 21st. Whew! I'll have to make sure all my ducks are in a row for the closing but it appears all is coming together well.

I decided this morning to put an offer on a house in the Hub City so that process has now started. Currently am awaiting info on whether the house is still on the market and if the seller is even interested in my offer. Should that go through and the haggling isn't too far out of touch of what comps in the 'hood are (see, I'm learning the real estate lingo with all this moving stuff taking place), I'll hopefully have a contract by tomorrow. Why the rush? With all the mortgage mess with Freddy Mac and Fannie Mae, there is a great likelihood that rates will jump quite a bit this week. Best to try and lock in a low rate if I can!

Last but not least...movers come Thursday to pack and Friday to load. Ought to be interesting...I STILL don't have my travel orders. No travel orders = no hotel at the guv'ment rate. No hotel = sleeping on air mattress and sleeping bag over the weekend (well...not really. I'll probably crash over at the Clark's).

Dang. I've got a WHOLE LOT of stuff to take care of.

In the next three days.

While working day shifts.

Can you say small panic attack???

BREAKING NEWS...

We interrupt your regularly scheduled blog reading with this breaking news story. After only 8 days on the market, I've received an offer on my house! The contracts have been signed so now it is up to the inspector to be nitpicky and figure out what all needs to be worked on or "allowanced". Hopefully it won't be too much, especially with all that I have been working on. The most impressive item in this story is that the offer was exactly what I was asking. Amazing.

Also in breaking news, the vanity top supposedly has arrived at Lowe's (according to the purchase order tracking) and I should be receiving a call from them to go and pick it up. Once that puppy is in and the back door is painted, the house will be complete.

We now return you to your regularly schedule blog reading...

Anybody want a house?

Well, as if it wasn't official, my house is now on the market. Here you go...

The Master Bath Series, Part VIII

A quick update while eating lunch. There has been much progress in the master bath since my last update. Paint is up, fixtures are up, lighting is installed, loo is installed, and half the grout is installed. The only three things that are left are to do the last of the grout, install the baseboards, and then install the new vanity top when it arrives. Soon...hopefully soon.

Random Updates

A lot going on at the moment...too much to grasp at times. Here are the highlights:

• Saw three tornadoes (well, two confirmed and one possible) two Sundays ago near Channing and Stinnett. Total miles driven - 217, total cost of gas $40. A few pics are forthcoming whenever I can find time (HA!).
  

• The packing has started. Pictures have been pulled down, personal items you can't put a price on packed away to be sent with family, and the to do list continues to grow.

• A new backyard fence is going in after the old one was falling apart. Gotta make things look good for prospective buyers.

• It's hot...as in 105 degrees hot. TOO hot. I'm afraid my A/C will explode on me one of these days.

• Official move date has been set for the middle of July (right before I report to the center of the South Plains). I still haven't looked at a house yet at my new location; hoping to get that taken care of in the next couple of weeks.

• I'm totally addicted to Super Smash Brothers, Wii Fit, and Mario Kart on the Wii. Now all I need is to get all of those games AND the game console.

• The master bath continues but progress is being made. Still patching some drywall and getting it shaped right. It stinks being a perfectionist. Will go and order paint and a loo in the next couple of days.

Back to the grind...

The Master Bath Series, Part VII

A quick update on the master bath project that is picking up speed again (thanks to my impending departure). I finally was able to figure out how to shape texture along an odd angle which is the last place I needed to finish up. Once I get that sanded and primed, things should progress pretty fast. The only major thing left will be to pull the vanity top out and texture the wall where the sidesplash was attached.

SO, I headed over to Home Depot and Lowe's to pick up some items to further the project along and to order the new vanity top for the bathroom. My superb interior decorator C.W. and I picked out a beautiful Crane Two-Tone Astra Lav marble top in Sand Granite with a White Bowl, but I had one minor issue. The builder of my home decided that he couldn't make life easy and give me a standard-sized vanity top. A much used standard width is 49 inches for vanities and vanity tops. Well, after umpteen measurements and comparisons with different tape measures, I came to the realization that from wall-to-wall, my vanity top is 47 1/2 inches. What does this mean?

I had to order a custom vanity top. What does that mean?

It costs more. It takes longer to produce than a "standard" size. How long of a wait did they tell me when I ordered it to when it will be delivered in Amarillo?

A few days shy of one month.

Needless to say, a few colorful adjectives came to mind when I found that out. I can't wait that long since I need to get the house on the market. So, the new plan is to get as much stuff done as I can such as paint, fixtures, lighting, etc. and then clean up the old vanity top as best I can so I can show the house with a "finished" master bath. When the new one arrives, I'll hopefully be able to swap them out with no issues and be done with this thing.

I knew I should have never stopped working on this project....

The March of the Airmasses

Many of y'all who will read this blog sometime today likely awoke to a strange feeling. The air was "heavy", your clothes feel a bit sticky, a strange smell permeates the air as you go to work, school, or Home Depot to get an estimate on a double inward-swinging non-standard size french door...oh wait. That's me. Focus...

Yes, my West Texas Friends, the annual march of the airmasses is taking place. What is this you ask? For those that went to Anti-Aggieland, think "Brown Smell". Remember how it sometimes would appear randomly at night, usually after 8pm or so? That is one symptom of this meteorological magic that we "weather weenies" look forward to each spring and summer. Sidenote: "brown smell" here in the top 'o Texas is NOT the same phenomenon, especially if you live in and around a certain town in the southwestern portions of the area.

Why is this so magical to meteorologists? It is the march of the dryline (ignore the picture, that is NOT a dryline but this example is!), a magical moisture discontinuity that manages to "slosh" (yes, we ACTUALLY use that term) back and forth across the region in the spring and even in the fall. If conditions are just right, the dryline can mean tornado producing supercells or perfectly clear skies in which one can get a good sunburn. It is a fickle feature, leading many forecasts (yes, mine included) to either come beautifully true or totally go down the toilet.

It is this feature that adds to the challenge of forecasting in the Panhandle and there are extremely few places in the world that have any kind of facsimile or equivalent. But there is something more. When I walked out this evening and saw a hazy full moon, felt the blue jeans and shirt feel a bit stickier than usual, and smelled a bit of mustiness that only comes from air blowing off the Gulf of Mexico, I was reminded how amazing this part of Texas is - from the top of the Panhandle all the way down to the Big Bend. It is the simple feature of the dryline that can mean feast or famine for farmers and ranchers (and meteorologists). A difference in 50 miles or less could mean you are sweating your butt off working outside in muggy conditions or baking under a hot sun in bone dry air. The simple act that moisture gets pulled all the way from the Gulf, goes back and forth sometimes for days at a time, and that it could result in 3+ inches of rain and tornadoes or tumbleweeds blowing in dusty westerly winds that is a constant reminder to me that there is someone behind this weather wonder. I choose to believe that my God created this place, this setting, this environment and I am a lucky person to be able to experience it in all the ways possible. To you it might mean the return of the "brown smell" or having to sweat a bit extra when working outside but there is so much more involved.

That and the fact that I'll eventually be able to ask my Jesus why he makes it so stinkin' hard trying to forecast if the dryline is going to produce thunderstorms or leave us high and dry as it did tonight...

On The Move...Again.

I know that I have been lax in keeping this blog updated but I have had WAY too much stuff going on in my life that I've let some things slide by the wayside. Unfortunately, this blog is one of those things that manages to fall to the bottom of the list every time I get overwhelmed with "life".

SO, what is the latest and greatest news???? Well, on the morning of May 15th I received a phone call that I had anxiously been awaiting for well over a month and a half. I was chosen for, and accepted, a Senior Forecaster position in the Dust Bowl of Texas. Hence the "on the move" title for this blog. Yup, I will be leaving the top 'o Texas here in a couple of months and relocating about two hours south back to anti-Aggieland.

It is bittersweet; this move will be a promotion with additional responsibilities (side note...someone once told me that the only difference between the position I am in now and a Senior Forecaster is that if anything goes really wrong during a shift, the Senior Forecaster is the first one that is given the blame!), I'll be back in an area of dust storms and fall allergies when the cotton is being harvested, and I will be leaving MANY close friends that I have developed over the 5 years I have lived here in the top o' Texas. However, I'll only be two hours away from those aforementioned friends which is more tolerable than 6 hours, there are many old friends I'll be able to reconnect with, I'll hopefully be able to get back into playing guitar for our church worship service, and I hope to finally be able to host the many friends I have who have expressed interest in coming to various events held by the Technological College of Texas.

SO, now comes the fun. Getting the house ready to sell, starting to sort through the assorted "stuff" (not my first word of choice) that I have accumulated, house hunting down south, and trying to figure out what to do with the Jeep while I'm in temporary quarters. The Master Bath project will be resurrected (no, I STILL haven't finished it yet), along with the addition of a couple of other projects; replacement of the backyard fence, replacement of the back door, and other minor projects associated with getting a house ready to appeal to the next person or family wanting to transform it into their home. I will try to keep y'all informed through here as this process takes place but no promises!

Time to get moving...gotta head to Lowe's to order some items for the master bath.

The End Of...

This string of midnight shifts? Texas Rangers mediocrity? The Dallas Stars losing in the playoffs and winning the Stanley Cup? Having to eat green peas? Oh so many choices to choose from!

Seriously though, I'm wrapping up this string of mid-shifts and probably have too much sugar coursing through my veins right now (note...I didn't say caffeine!) from drinking 1) a 24 oz. root beer at midnight, 2) a 12 oz. caffeine free Dr Pepper at 5 am, and 3) an Oregon Chai at 6:40 am. Just a tad bit too much energy right now which likely means I'm going to crash at church and fall asleep in the chair...

ANYWAY, my original intent on this post was to give a heads up to the (increased by at least 2) 4 readers that there is a chance I'll be leaving Amarillo sometime this year. Once again, a position has come up in Lubbock that I've submitted my application for. It will have to make it's rounds through the reviews and various folks before actually ending up on the deciding official's desk so I won't know anything for at least a month or two. But I'll keep y'all updated as to what the status is with this promotion. Yes, it is a promotion but still will be shift work. One step closer to getting OUT of full-time shift work...

And some other things that it is "The End Of...": sitting on my butt and not working on the Master Bath project. Not getting estimates for a couple of things that need to be fixed around the house. Free time as I know it getting the house ready "just in case". My hopes of getting the 7" lift, 37" times 5 tires, Dana 44 front and RockJock III or Dana 44 or Ford 8.8" rear axles, slip yoke eliminator for the next major iteration on the Jeep so I can save up the $$ for home repairs or a down-payment for a new house should I end up having to move. And last but not least (for a while); the end of my dreams for a nice, big flat-panel TV to replace the 12-year old one I currently have...

BTW, I'm trying to get better at including links to help the few that read this blog get a better understanding of what I'm talking about since some people think I'm too "technical"...

Latest Pictures

I recently realized that I had a tulip appear magically in my front flower bed and decided it would provide a good opportunity to see how my new camera lens works. Well, I also forgot that I took some pictures when I went to the Hill Country for Easter and these downloaded with my latest batch. All I can say is WOW!

This red tulip was taken in the Hill Country. There were almost no wildflowers around this year so a man-made flower had to do.

Program AE, ISO 100, 1/128 sec @ f4.0, 70mm Focal Length
Digital Edit - light sharpening and crop to 1280x1024 pixels in Adobe Photoshop 10

The magic tulip that appeared in my front flower bed. I didn't plant it, I didn't fertilize it, it just magically sprung up!

Program AE, ISO 100, 1/160 sec @ f3.5, 50mm focal length
Digital Editing - light sharpening and crop/resize to 1280x1024 in Adobe Photoshop 10

A second crop of the full size image (which is over 3000 pixels wide and too big for any screen!) to show the details of the inside of the flower bud.

Digital editing - crop of full-size image to 1024x768 pixels, light sharpening
Adobe Photoshop 10

And so, my first impression of the Canon camera lens is that the clarity is incredible, the colors are well reproduced, and the detail that is resolved is excellent. Now all I need is some weather to test this new lens out in harsher conditions...

Spring has Arrived

I've been busy this past month; a lot of travel, a lot of projects at work, and a lot of time spent working on odd projects around the house (the Bathroom project has been on hold as my interior designer has had quite a bit going on as well). However, spring hath arrived and there are various ways to tell.

One key sign it is spring is that I had to clean up the lawn mower, change the oil and filter, and lower the ride height a couple of notches for the first cut of the season. The mowing was an all-afternoon ordeal; make one cut, empty the bag, restart the mower, make another cut, empty the bag, and repeat the process for both the front and back lawns. I normally don't enjoy this process as it kills my allergies but it was rather nice this time as a brisk north wind helped to dissipate the dust and dry grass keeping the snot and sneezing at bay. Related is the fact that I had to break out the garden hoses and purchase sprinklers to replace the ones destroyed by the hard water we have in this neck of the woods. I should also sadly note that I had the water on for FOUR hours and there was no runoff whatsoever. Maybe I should have watered the lawn over the winter a couple of times...

Another important sign that spring has arrived is that I removed the hard top on the Jeep and have gone back to the "convertible" mode with the soft top. Many thanks to my good friend W.C. for the assistance in getting the hard top stowed and soft top on along with the great discussion that ensued over a late dinner at Rosa's. I'll have to wait for a couple of days before enjoying the soft top; the weather will be a bit and I still have to do an annual spring tune-up as well.

However, the biggest sign that spring has arrived is severe weather across northern TX through OK and into the Central Plains. That means that stormchasing is soon to be around the corner for the Top 'o Texas. I've had many a friend request to come along the next time I head out towards severe weather (whenever that might be) but I am sad to say that I probably have lost all desire to storm chase. Why? Take a look at this picture taken in Oklahoma during a late March severe weather event (and you will probably need to click on it to get the full-sized image)...

You are looking at two supercell thunderstorms in central Oklahoma. The one on the left has a Severe Thunderstorm Warning (yellow box) for it and the one on the right has a tornado warning on it (red box). These storms were moving off to the east at about 35 to 40 mph and had a history of producing tornadoes. What I want you to notice however are the green, yellow, and red boxes that are generally on the south and east portions of the storms. These are vehicle positions from a nifty thing called The Spotter Network which is a free service that allows storm spotters and chasers to use their in-vehicle internet or ham radio to relay their position and other information back to the website. The biggest utility is that we can see these positions in near real-time at my place of employment during severe weather operations. But I digress; the real reason I wanted to use the image above is to illustrate that there were 20 people relaying their positions back to the network. Add in a plethora of other people who don't use this service and you can probably guess that there were anywhere from 50 to 100 people on the storm. The yahoo season has arrived.

I started stormchasing before the movie "Twister" came out, before the learning channels started promoting the Most Extreme Tornado Chase shows, before the TIV and DOWs were on the scene. These three things, among many others, have encouraged any person with a video camera to start to head out and attempt to chase storms for an ultimate video capture. I can't tell you how many times we have received video and/or pictures at my unnamed employer of "MASIV TORNADOS" (yes someone REALLY spelled that way) when in reality they are nothing but dust devils or fair-weather cumulus clouds. Of greater concern is the lack of responsibility a small minority show towards others while stormchasing. It was this small minority that almost resulted in my severe injury or possible death while traveling a road at 40 mph (15 mph UNDER the speed limit I might add) back in 2001. A month shy of 7 years ago, someone pulled out in the middle of the road without warning, head hanging out the door with a video camera, and was almost T-boned by my Explorer. I was able to stop (thanks to massive amounts of cussing and both feet on the brake pedal...thank you for whomever invented anti-lock brakes) but the person in the other vehicle looked at me like I was at fault and flipped me a one-fingered salute before speeding off. It was at that point I swore off stormchasing on high profile days due to the idiocy of a few people; the "yahoo's", the thrill-seekers, the general public in some cases.

I am sad that I have come to this decision. There is nothing more amazing that sitting under a supercell in late spring, smelling the moisture in the inflow, hearing the "hail roar" from massive hailstones banging against each other in the 100+ mph updraft, and spending a solitary moment immersed in Mother Nature. I miss having a local pull up and ask if everything was O.K., replying "I'm fine, I'm just watching this storm.", and then hear their stories of storms they have experienced in bygone years while both watching the storm evolve and morph in front of us. Living in the top o' Texas will yield a few days that some claim are "surprises" but those are the days that I'll be out chasing. Fewer "yahoos", more roads to get away from people (I'd like to see you TRY and follow my Jeep on a muddy section road!), and a general population that somewhat has a respect for bad weather and knows when to stay close to safe shelter. The "Moderate/High Risk" days bring out so many people now that the magic of chasing is gone for me.

I'll probably be yelled at by a few people as being "elitist", "unfair", or "insert colorful adjectives here" as a few of my colleagues and friends have been so labeled. So be it. Wait and see how you feel after your life flashes in front of your eyes at 40 MPH because someone was acting like a "yahoo" in total disregard of the law and public safety. Of course, I reserve the right to reverse my decision as high gas prices might impact the number of people out on very marginal days. Besides; it is REALLY hard to give up seeing something like this as you drive towards it...

New "Toys"

We temporarily leave the Master Bathroom Series once again for a bit of background and a product review. I've always enjoyed photography. Both my grandfathers were avid amateur photographers and one of them won quite a few local and regional contests. Through the years, a camera body and lenses were handed down. My Granpa's venerable Canon AE-1 was my first SLR camera and I cut my teeth in the world of apertures, focal lengths, shutter speeds, and filters. That rugged AE-1 survived my trip through the tropical environments of the Marshall Island and Hawaii as well as through my first 4 1/2 years of stormchasing trips. However, it finally started to falter as the shutter started to stick and it became cost prohibitive to fix.

In 1999, I purchased my first SLR; a Canon Rebel 2000 to supplement the AE-1 and also to start building my own cache of photographic equipment. Graduate school intervened however and I never had the money to purchase additional lenses for this body. Additionally, the Rebel 2000 had only a plastic lens mount ring and it would not withstand the heavier and more robust lenses in the EOS series. Once again, Canon proved that their products last. The body continues to function well after 7 years but the lens has been acting up for the last 2. Again, this camera has survived the rigors of stormchasing, the dust encountered off-roading in the Jeep, and crawling among the Hill Country wildflowers in the spring. My best lightning and wildflower pictures have been taken with the f2.8-4 28-80mm lens and Rebel 2000.

Then in 2006, my good friends in Colorado purchased a Digital Rebel XT. Actually, they accidentally purchased two thus having a spare one. I tested their camera in Colorado in during our '06 Jeep Trip and fell in love with the fact that you could instantly see what you had just tried to take a picture of. No more expense of purchasing Velvia slide film or Superia print film. So, I purchased their spare body and used the lens from my Rebel 2000. This has worked for the last 2 years up until this Christmas when the auto-focus ultrasonic motor finally gave out. You guessed it, it is cheaper to use it as a manual lens than to ship it off and get it fixed. This meant that I needed a new lens. Something that I can use in environments ranging from pristine to dust filled; dusk under a thunderstorm to shooting on-stage for church events.

Enter the Canon EOS 24-70 f2.8L.

All I can say is: "Dang!" Sealed and gasketed joints provide protection from dust and grit. The fixed low-end f2.8 aperture will handle low-light situations well and the 24-70 range will provide just a tad-bit wider field-of-view than the older lens (although this lens equates to a 38-112mm focal length due to the 1.6x magnification factor of the Digital Rebel XT CCD setup). Unfortunately the lens is heavy, weighing in at a hefty 2 lbs. This is due to the high-quality glass lens elements and an all-metal construction. No plastic in this puppy!

But how does it shoot? Here are some images I took this past Sunday night (click on the image to get the big version):

I'll reserve final judgment until I get some wider variety of shots (weather, flowers, outdoors, etc.) but so far I am VERY pleased. The quality is far superior to my old lens and this one is rugged enough to last quite a while with proper care. My only concern is that it is too heavy for my Digital XT mount and I'll have to "upgrade" the SLR body sometime soon :-).

The title also says "Toys". Plural. I also had to replace my 15 year old Velbon tripod. Enter in the Slik Pro 700DX.

Downside - H E A V Y. Advantage - won't trip over in those strong supercellular inflow winds. Advantage 2 - I can file down the legs some to create a powder that could start a fire in an emergency. The tripod legs are made up of a Magnesium Aluminum Titanium alloy and in powder form those will go POOF! Advantage 3 - it is tall enough to place the camera nearly at my eye-level; much easier to use than having to hunch over with the old Velbon tripod. Again, I'm really pleased with this tripod even though it provides a great workout when lifting it.

So stay tuned...more images to come as I play around with this new lens. I now return you to your regularly scheduled blog reading.

The Master Bath Series, Part VI

There has been some progress in this project...finally! I slapped on a couple coats of primer on the walls that are ready as well as the ceiling and it is starting to look more and more like the end is in sight. Unfortunately, the problem is that without an actual light fixture in the room, it makes it very hard to see how everything will appear in natural light. The 250 watt halogen work light acts like a spotlight and every little imperfection and discoloration magically appears whereas natural sunlight through the window makes it look like the walls are done perfectly. Just to be on the safe side, I'll probably slap another coat of primer on the walls and the ceiling just to be sure.

The current delay is due in part to not having called a plumber to come and fix the hot water cutoff valves in house (I know, I've been lazy). I need this done in order to pull out the faucet and remove the vanity top. Things will should progress fairly fast once that is done. And yes, once we get some warm and not-so-windy weather, I'll get some pictures for y'all after I vacuum out the last of the drywall dust and get some minor cleaning done...that dust is NOT easy to get off of stuff!

And The Verdict is....

I'm staying in the Panhandle! The MIC in Lubbock just notified me that they chose someone from within the office and he is a great choice. There sort of is a mix of emotions going on right now in me; I spent a month planning for the possibility of a move, dreaming of a nice 4 bedroom house that all my friends could come and stay in, and reconnecting with my friends in Lubbock. Yes, I am disappointed that I didn't get the position but in some ways I am relieved to know.

I really wanted (and still want) to be in the place where God wants me to be. It appears that the "top of Texas" is that place. This means I will continue to be a part of God working through our church to change this city and the world, I'll continue to be a part of iForty (our college/young adult ministry) and seeing how God unfolds His plans for that, and still be around the many close friends I have in and around town. Oh, I'll still be able work in an office that is on the cutting edge of science and technology, at least if I have anything to say about it!

Well, time to go get cleaned up, cook a celebratory lunch, and get ready for work.

In the Texas Panhandle.

In the place where God wants me to be.

The Master Bath Series, Part V (continued)

My apologies for the lack of updates recently; I've been busy with a Java programming course as well as some other projects at work I'm trying to get out of the way. I have also been having to deal with the recent stretch of cold weather we have had here in the top of Texas. It seems that the walls that face the outside (which also happens to be the direction the wind has been blowing for what seems like the last 3 weeks) are not warming up enough to let me paint so I have been in a holding pattern in getting the primer coat put on.

HOWEVER, work has still been going on! The walls are now smooth and there have been a couple of minor patching details squared away. I initially thought I was going to paint the trim and wood in the bathroom but that has been changed to do some touch-up work on the stain. That means I am having to clean off my sloppy work at applying texturing and paint as well as taping off all that trim and wood. It is slow going...who knew Killz2 would be so hard to remove when it dries!

So the progress is slow. Granted, I have lost a lot of motivation to work on this project since I STILL do not know about the position in Lubbock and have been spending lunch time this week with friends getting caught up on life. Hopefully I'll hear something this week and that will put a burr under my saddle...

The Master Bath Series, Part V

I know, I know...I haven't updated this in a while. Cut me some slack here folks; I was working graveyard shifts so my schedule consisted of get home in the morning and go to sleep, get up late afternoon, work for 5 to 6 hours or so on this project, clean up, eat something, head off to work, and repeat the process. For three days. On the fourth day, I worked for 6 hours, cleaned up, and then proceeded to pass out on my couch having been up for 27 hours straight and the 6 hours consisted of VERY physical labor (I consider standing on a ladder hand sanding a ceiling pretty darn physical. Just ask how sore my shoulders are!). It wasn't until I rolled off my couch sometime after midnight did I finally crawl into bed...but I digress.

There has been some pretty impressive progress in this endeavor however. I was finally able to lay down a first coat of primer on the walls and not run into any problems! When that first coat went on and dried, well, there was much singing and rejoicing (although in reality all I could muster in my tiredness was a Napoleonic Dynamitic "Yeeesssssssss"). For the most part. There are still some imperfections in the texture that need to be filled, sanded, and repainted but I can finally see the end WAAAAAAAAY on the horizon. And it doesn't look half bad either!

So what is left? Still need to finish painting the ceiling and put down second coats of primer on the aforementioned ceiling and walls, decide what to do for/about trim, get the vanity top out, new vanity top in, fixtures, loo, and lighting. The last four in this list seem pretty easy...famous last words. Oh, and those pictures I promised...I'm having to walk a fine line right here because I want to get some middle-of-the-process pics but my digital camera likely won't do well in the fine drywall joint compound dust environment state my bathroom is currently in. We'll see what I might be able to do.

With the way things have been going and my lack of sleep, I took tonight and will take Saturday off to spend with friends just to let them know that I am still alive and that my so-called "small project" hasn't totally devoured me...

The Master Bath Series, Part IV

Smooth walls. All I want are smooth walls. I spent the last two days applying drywall joint compound, let it dry, sand it down, reapply compound, let it dry, sand it down, and repeat until my arms are sore and my back hurts from being hunched over. Things looked smooth, felt smooth to the touch. And yet I still don't have smooth walls.

I took a chance today and primed one wall I thought was ready. Nope. Plenty of bubbles magically appeared as the moisture from the Killz2 was pulled into the wall. I had some issues when the compound first went on the wall but thought I could sand it out. I guess not.

So what now? Looks like more drywall compound. More sanding. More soreness. Yes, I could be cheap like the previous owners and put wallpaper over the whole thing and not worry about it. Right now it just feels like I lost 3 days of work because of some cheap builder not using quality goods. Now I've got to use enough compound to keep the bubbles from forming. Can it be done? Yes, I tried it on a patch near the ceiling. It feels like this project will never end.

The Master Bath Series, Part III

Well, the loo is out, the walls have been stripped of wallpaper, lighting fixtures, the mirror, and the odd nail so now it is time to start laying down the texture and getting the walls prepped for paint. It was a late night last night but then aren't they all when you are doing a home improvement project. And of course, there is one big problem that has come up.

For some unknown (cheap) reason, whomever built the house (lazy contractor) decided that in order to save a buck or two would use beaver board as opposed to drywall in my master bath. The previous owners also must have done some other work by replacing some of the original wallpaper with their hideous green floral print (picture forthcoming) because there are all kinds of rips where they must have pulled off old paper and attempted to re-seal the board using white spray paint. That is why I'm using texture...I'm hoping to get some kind of smooth surface to paint on. Where does the problem come in I hear you asking?

When applying a layer of texture to sand and make the wall smooth, the moisture in the drywall compound ends up causing the minute tears in the top fabric of the beaver board to bubble like a simmering pot of chili. So now, I've got pockets where the texture looks as if someone sneezed or threw up texture compound as it is so uneven. At least it was in a test area and I can hopefully work around it. Google here I come.

So this is what my Friday will consist of. Drywall texture compound.

And lots of it.

The Master Bath Series, Parts I & II

In preparation for the possibility of getting a promotion and having to move (the application was forwarded to the selecting official in Lubbock), I decided it was a good idea to undertake renovating my master bath. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures before I started but the select few who have seen the master bath can attest to the VERY 80's look it had (wood paneling, a primarily green floral print wallpaper, and popcorn ceiling texture). Initially the plan was to pull the paneling and wallpaper, scrape and re-texture the ceiling flat, paint, replace the vanity top, fixtures, and toilet. But alas...even the best laid plans can be thrown asunder.

Part I (Demolition) went well initially; the popcorn ceiling came off without any problems and I had help in learning how to texture the ceiling. It looks good and will need a light sanding to make it totally flat. It wasn't until the wood paneling came off that Part I fell apart. For some unknown reason, the builders put the wood paneling, vanity, baseboards, and door frames in first and then stained them. After that they installed the tile. WELLLLL, when you install baseboards first and then the tile...that means that you have got about 1/2 of an inch of baseboards nearly permanently sealed in grout. I had to get a wedge in between the baseboards and paneling to pry them out of the grout. Crap. Now that means I've got to fill in grout where the baseboards once were. Oh, and did I mention that I managed to destroy a small piece of drywall while pulling that paneling off. Grrrrrrrr.

Part II (still Demolition) came today when I had to pull the wallpaper. I decided to try some nifty new spray that I saw on one of those home make-over shows to see how well it really worked. Besides a steamer would take too long and this spray made the wallpaper come off in sheets. So, I got the necessary materials , scored the wallpaper as instructed and gave it a shot fully expecting to pull sheets of the aged wallpaper off.

Nothing happened.

Well, in the fine print ONLY available on the manufacturers webpage, certain wallpapers must have the top layer peeled off in order to allow the solution to soak into the backing and glue. Did they decide to put that on the container? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. You had to go to their webpage (and I quote; "If you experience difficulties with this product, please refer to your local hardware store or visit our website at toocheaptoprinttheinstructionsonthebottle.com"). Upon realizing that I must have the aforementioned "special" wallpaper and spending an hour getting as much of the top layer off, I was finally able to give it a second go round. This went much better as the detritus of backing and glue littered my bathroom floor. Oh but the surprises that were in store...

As sheets of 25+ year old wallpaper fell away, a new and exciting (NOT!) discovery was revealed. The wallpaper hid all kinds of lovely scratches, dings, dents, and rips in the drywall. So much for painting the walls once the paper came off. Now I've got to texture the walls in order to have some resemblance of a flat surface as opposed to the surface of the moon I discovered. The second discovery: they decided to wallpaper first and THEN install the light fixture AND 4 foot x 4 foot mirror meaning they both have to come off before I can complete getting all the wallpaper off and start texturing.

So tomorrow will chronicle removing the mirror, light fixture, toilet, and vanity top as well as getting the last of the wallpaper off and hopefully getting the first layer of texture down. All I want is one day without any surprises....